Consumers should be on lookout for trickery

After every major accident or natural disaster, Americans tend to collect money and other aid for the affected. It’s a response crooks count on — and the Better Business Bureau is warning the space shuttle catastrophe is no different.

Charity auctions and at least one Web site purporting to be for helping shuttle family members have been reported, and Texas officials are warning about telephone and e-mail spammers who are seeking donations related to the Columbia disaster.

The organization offers a few tips for weeding out the hucksters:

• Be wary of appeals long on emotion, but short on specifics about how the charity will address victims’ needs.
• Do not give cash.
• Be alert for excessive pressure for immediate donations, and any request to send someone to collect your contribution.
• Do not offer a credit card number or other personal information to a telephone solicitor or in response to an e-mail solicitation.
• Be wary of charities reluctant to discuss reasonable questions about their operations, finances and programs.

Energy: Public given opportunity to invest in ethanol plant

A series of meetings has been scheduled to provide the public with information about the opportunity to invest in the new 20-million-gallon ethanol production plant near Garnett being planned by East Kansas Agri-Energy L.L.C.

Two meetings have been scheduled in Lawrence. They are:

• 7 p.m., March 11, Lawrence Holidome, 200 McDonald Drive.
• 1:30 p.m., March 12, Don’s Steak House, 2176 E. 23rd St.

EKAE seeks to raise some $14.4 million from private investors before seeking commercial financing for the remainder of the $36 million project. EKAE recently announced the initial public offering of membership units at a price of $1,000 per unit, with a minimum purchase of 10 units, or a minimum investment of $10,000. Membership units are available to individuals and businesses in Kansas and Missouri.

For more information call the EKAE office at (785) 448-2888.

Motley Fool: Name that company

I began as a small store in 1943 Cleveland, founded by immigrants from Nazi Germany. Today I’m America’s premiere fabric and crafts chain, with nearly 1,000 locations and more than 20,000 employees. In 1976, I joined the New York Stock Exchange under the name “Fabri-Centers of America.” In 1994, I acquired Clothworld and its 342 stores. I opened my first giant superstore in 1995. In 2002, my superstores generated more than four times the revenue of our traditional stores. The name I go by today reflects the names of two daughters of my founding families. Who am I?