Collinsville, Oklahoma
March 11, 2017
Miscellaneous News
JrHi Track At Wagoner /
Herald Wobble Chairs /
Cherokee Challenge Bowl /

City Manager On OLM Board /
Sen. Dossett On Distracted Driving /
Realtors Warm Of Rental Scam

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Copyright 2017 -- Collinsville, Oklahoma
Oklahoma Association of REALTORS® warns of potential online scam -- Scammers using Zillow to duplicate listings as rental property

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- March 8, 2017

OKLAHOMA – Oklahoma Association of REALTORS® (OAR) is warning Oklahomans about a current real estate scam happening in the state. There has been a rise in scam artists duplicating listings online, specifically on Zillow, as rental properties. When interested renters inquire about the home, they are asked to send a deposit in exchange for the keys, which are to be mailed to them, only to later discover it was a scam and the home is for purchase instead of for rent.

“We hate to see a rise in scams like this in the state,” said Pete Galbraith, OAR president. “The best way to prevent being scammed is to do your research on the property beforehand and never send payment to anyone you have not met. We certainly want Oklahomans to be safe and protected from this sort of incident.”

OAR is offering the following tips to Oklahomans to help avoid a rental scam:

Do your research. Always review an online posting, especially on sites such as Zillow or Craigslist, with a critical eye. Always contact the Realtor listed to confirm the address and any names or companies associated with the home. If a deal sounds good to be true, it often is.

Do not pay anyone you have not met. The best way to avoid a scam is to work with someone local you can meet in person. Never make a payment to someone you have not met and do not send funds via wire or another service like Western Union. Be sure to take a tour of the property prior to renting to ensure the listing is accurate. If you are unable to connect with the lister after many attempts, that may be a red flag.

Never give out financial information. Be cautious of how others can access your information. Never provide any financial information over-the-phone or via the internet without verifying their identity in person.

Report suspicious activity or scams. If you have been scammed in the past or run across a scam, be sure to share your knowledge and keep others from being scammed as well. Call Better Business Bureau to file a complaint and call local law enforcement.

About the Oklahoma Association of REALTORS®

The Oklahoma Association of REALTORS® is the voice and first source for information, expertise and advocacy related to the practice of real estate in Oklahoma. Established in 1921, it is one of Oklahoma’s largest trade associations with more than 9,5000 members involved in all aspects of the real estate industry. For more information, visit www.okrealtors.com.

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Contact: Anthony Triana (atriana@saxum.com)

(Office) 405.605.2003 or (Cell) 405.818.0791

JrHi Track / Wobble Chairs / Cherokee History
7th and 8th Collinsville Track teams both took 3rd place at the Wagoner Middle School track meet today. There were a host of teams attending today's meet including Broken Arrow, Bixby, Sallisaw and many others. Both girls teams also finished 3rd. It's Good to be a Cardinal. -- Tom Redding 3/9/2017
 
 
 
Collinsville City Manager Pam Polk Appointed the District 6 Board of Directors' Seat
Collinsville City Manager Pam Polk was appointed to the Oklahoma Municipal League (OML) Board of Directors during their March 1st meeting to be the District 6 representative. Polk has been with the City of Collinsville since 2005 but her dedication to municipal government goes back more than 20 years. The board felt her well qualified to fill the seat and that she would make an excellent representative for District 6 cities and towns. The board and OML staff are looking forward to working with City Manager Polk.
- (3/6/2017)
Distracted Driving Kills
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 3, 2017

Senate Review by Senator J.J. Dossett

Distracted driving can be just as deadly as drunk driving. Study after study has proven it. Taking your eyes off the road for just a few seconds can have tragic consequences, for you, your passengers, and for other drivers.

It’s something the State Legislature sought to address a couple of years ago when it finally approved a bill to make it illegal to text and drive. It was an important first step, but I think there’s more we can do to protect law-abiding Oklahomans from those who put the safety of themselves and others at risk by using electronic devices while they drive.

This session, I filed Senate Bill 132, the Bobbi White Act of 2017. Bobbi was an English teacher at Owasso Mid-High School. She was liked and admired by students and educators alike. Last May she died as the result of injuries she suffered after being rear-ended in a construction zone. The driver reportedly didn’t notice the cars ahead were slowing or stopped and slammed into two cars—one was Bobbi’s. The driver was cited with driving under suspension and with reckless driving. He was later charged with manslaughter in her death.

As I said, the state’s anti-texting law is a good first step toward addressing reckless or distracted driving tied to electronic devices. It’s a primary offense with a $100 fine to drive while using a hand-held electronic communication device to manually compose, send or read an electronic text message while the vehicle is moving.

Under the provisions of this legislation, a person using or reading a cell phone, tablet or other electronic device in a school or construction zone and causes an injury accident can be fined up to $2,000 and up to $5,000 if it’s a fatality accident. And in addition to addressing sending or reading text messages entered manually, the bill also makes sure state law would also recognize “searching the internet” while operating a vehicle as a violation of the act.

There are exemptions for hands-free Bluetooth devices, as well as for a person attempting to reach an emergency response operator, a hospital, doctor’s office or clinic, an ambulance, firefighters or law enforcement.

Anytime you aren’t giving your full attention to the road, you are putting yourself and others in danger. It’s even more dangerous in construction zones where traffic can unexpectedly back up and come to a stop before a driver looking at a cell phone or tablet can even react. That’s also true of school zones, which also has the additional safety issue of children crossing the street. These are the situations the Bobbi White Act would address.

Senate Bill 132 was approved this past week by the Senate Public Safety Committee. Next it will be considered by the full Senate. I hope my fellow members will join me in passing this measure, bringing it another step closer to becoming law.

I welcome your comments on state government and the issues before us. Please feel free to contact me by writing to Senator J.J. Dossett at the State Capitol, Room 522-B, Oklahoma City, OK, 73105; call me at (405) 521-5566.