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HMNG-Group Objectives and Actions & HMNG-By-Laws

⇦ Return to Nature Main Page

“If you know what’s coming, you can take proper measures.” –Vincent Nijman, anthropologist

“Group” Objectives:

  • Continue to focus on organizing the volunteer monitoring of blue bird/song bird and wood duck nest boxes found throughout HM;
  • Review HM Village rules regarding bird houses/bird feeders/bird baths;
  • Recommend habitat enhancements and landscape planting options with regard to native wildlife species, including birds, butterflies (and other pollinator species) and reptiles/amphibians;
  • Address pond/stream ecology and health in an effort to attract/support native wildlife species;
  • Give consideration to the establishment of several pollinator gardens within certain HM Villages.

“Group” Actions:

  • Involve HM residents through nature/bird/wildflower walks within HM and schedule periodic lectures addressing nature issues/topics;
  • Communicate with HM residents through the use of HMCTV/Guide & Digest; the HM Technology Committee; and various HM Village newsletters;
  • Reach out to other groups such as the West Chester Bird Club; Valley Forge Audubon Society; Cornell University Lab of Ornithology; the State/National Audubon Society; Audubon International Sanctuary Program; and other like groups, in an effort to keep HM residents updated on activities and concerns related to native wildlife/birds, environment, climate, and related topics;
  • Interact with various HM Committees including the HM Landscape Committee; the HM Landscape Division; the Community Gardens Committee; and the HM Golf Club Grounds Division in order to identify and participate in endeavors of mutual interest.

HMNG BYLAWS

Annual Meeting – May 24, 2023

President’s report:  Mike Pincus on the sink hole problems.  5 sinkholes opened up in the village as a result of holes and cracks in the stormwater cast iron drainage pipes which are 30 years old. Some have been repairs, some still need repair ($25K so far). Master’s Association has paid ($10K+) for repairs to the pipes that connect outside our village. Paul Welle was thanked for his analysis of the report and photos from Pipe Data who scoped our pipes with cameras, Negotiations with the Master Association will continue to see if they will fund the required fixes to the storm drain system.  Mike and Paul will continue to work on overseeing the stormwater pipe issues.   Asphalt resealing is on hold until all issues are addressed.

Mike Webber asked about the issue near 530.  Dom Aleardi answered that a drain pit was installed to see if it would help before having to run a line to the storm drain. Council will continue to investigate better options.

Mike Pincus reported on the roof replacement project. Continuing leaks caused council to look into roof replacement.  45 repairs have occurred over the last 2 years (29 different houses).  4 roofing companies were contacted. Bachman Roofing was chosen based upon price and their experience.  $600 per household assessment – letter from CSK will be send to homeowners. We will just do the houses this year.  Garages and gutters will be done in several years (approx. 4 years).

Finance Report: Jay Harter discussed the financial health of the village.  Rejuvenation project was funded from reserves. Charges for increased gas prices from contractors caused us to overrun the budget slightly, Master Association paying for one of the storm drain fixes helped the budget, they reimbursed the village $10,000   A slide showing roof cost estimates was shared.

Bachman Roofing:  Matt Kennedy from Bachman answered questions from residents.

Timing: Early October.  8-10 weeks duration.. Staging area: Near pool

Skylights are being evaluated by Bachman and homeowner contacted directly if a replacement is recommended.

Skylights and sun tunnels are the responsibility of the homeowner.

Sun tunnels will be reused (unless you want new).

Bachmann will need to be inside your unit if your skylight is being replaced, to ensure it is seated properly.

If you don’t have a skylight or sun tunnel and are interested in having one installed, now would be the time to get a quote from Bachman to install.

Grass will need to be cut very short right ahead of the job, in order to help with clean up/nails, etc.

 

Bachman will check to ensure your bathroom vent truly vents to the outside, vs venting in your attic.  They will vent to the outside at no additional cost.  Venting to the outside alleviates moisture (mold) in your attic space.

Kickout flashing will be used.

Nailing new shingles into the roof, will create wood shards in the attic.   If you use your attic for storage, you may want to cover your items with plastic or sheets.

Send questions /concerns to CSK.  Janet will compile and discuss at monthly council meetings.

Mike Pincus will coordinate with Matt Kennedy and reach out to homeowners with skylights as needed.

Architectural Committee:  Dom Aleardi is stepping down as Chair.  4 other members are also stepping down. Thank you to all the past and current members!  New members are being added. Committee members will be announce as soon as they have a chance to have their first meeting.

Pool Committee:  Bill Shipley reported that the pool is ready for the opening this Saturday May 27th.

Landscape Committee:  Michelle Cohen talked about the list of new plantings that the committee had crated. Sha asked residents to make sure they water any new plantings.

Welcome Committee – Louise Harter and Carolynn Hincken welcomed new residents at 566 and 606.

Social Committee:  Jacki Welle talked about the success of the Ladies Luncheon   The next event will be a pool party on June 7th.  Jacki also discussed the plan for an Octoberfest party.

Bocce:  Carolynn Hincken explained Bocce is usually the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month.

Council Vote Results:  The following were elected for two-year positions:  Bob Gottschall and Jack Keeley. Positions will be decided in the next 2 weeks

Browser – “New” Microsoft Edge (Sep 2020)

Testing the “New” Microsoft Edge Web Browser

Technology Tips – Published September 2020 in the Guide and Digest

By Don Trauger – Kennett

If you are not familiar with “Edge” it is the replacement web browser for the venerable but outdated and somewhat insecure browser – Internet Explorer. Yes, Internet Explorer remains on Windows 10 computers for those rare compatibility situations but you should not be using it routinely. The first iteration of “Edge” in 2015 was a ho hum affair. It never developed wide acceptance as most consumers gravitated toward using Chrome. In early 2020 Microsoft released the new version of “Edge” based on the Chromium engine, the same one that Chrome uses.

It was recently downloaded to me via Windows Update but you can also download it from Microsoft at: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge. It’s a free add-on to Windows 10 and is also available free for Windows 7 and 8 PC’s. You should see a download button in the center of the page after you enter the above address into your Chrome or Firefox browser. The new “Edge” file will be downloaded into your Downloads folder. Double click
“MicrosoftEdgeSetup.exe” to install “Edge”.

The setup procedure is fairly easy. Once it’s installed you’ll be presented with a few screens to get you going. If you are presently a Chrome user choose “Import from Google Chrome”. When clicking “More import options” you’ll see a window showing all of the import items available. Choose all of them to import all of the Chrome settings then click “Confirm”. Next is the setup for new tabs. You’ll see “Inspirational”, “Informational” and “Focused”. In my opinion it’s a bit overblown as “Inspirational” and “Informational” merely adds a background picture to the two windows. “Focused” just eliminates a background picture. Next, is the choice to sync your data to other devices when you are signed in to your Microsoft account. Toggle the switch to “No” if no syncing is for you. The last setup screen allows you personalize advertising sent to you, courtesy of “Edge”. You might want to set the switch to “No”.

Clicking the 3 horizontal dots at the upper right takes you to a menu of items. Scroll down near the bottom and click Settings. On the left, under “Privacy and services”, turn on “Tracking prevention” and click “Strict”. Click “On startup” and choose the setting of your home page when you start up “Edge”. “Site permissions” are preset so for almost everyone there’s nothing to change. However, it’s best to review them for your needs. Clicking “Default browser” allows you to set “Edge” as the browser that, for example, will start when you click a web site link in an email or attachment. Clicking “About Microsoft Edge” will allow you to update “Edge” if necessary. You can review other settings not mentioned above as needed.

So how does “Edge” compare to Chrome? In my testing, very favorably. Since they both are based on Chromium the use of memory is about the same. Firefox uses a bit more memory than Edge or Chrome. So which is fastest? “Edge” comes out on top by a slight measure over Chrome. Firefox was faster on some sites but slower on others by a second or less.

Give “Edge” a try – you may like it.

FRANKLIN VILLAGE FAQ – THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

FAQ/Things You Need to Know

  • To visit the Hershey’s Mill main page for New Residents click here.     HM General News click here.
  • Hershey’s Mill for buyers – http://hersheysmill55plus.com/ provides more general information.
  • Reporting an Issue….for an issue that you believe is the Village responsibility, contact our Property Management company, CSK to report.  Best option (creates a paper trail) is to email info@cskmgmt.com and put your house number and issue (e.g., 121 – Roof leak) on the email subject line.     Describe the issue.  Photos always welcome.    Option 2 is to call their office.  Ph: 610-337-3500
  • Alarm – house security/smoke alarm. HM Security will contact CSK and Council if a residents smoke/security alarm system isn’t working properly. Repairs are the responsibility of the homeowner. First step – – call HM Security 610.436.6403 and ask if they can run a test.  Many times a problem will resolve itself with that test.   West Chester Security, Matt Ratliff at 610.399-7986  can come to your house and repair. It is important that your system communicates with Hershey’s Mill Security.   Click here to see a message from Hershey’s Mill Security and an Alarm Panel Troubleshooting Chart. 
  • Bus Trips – upcoming trip schedule.
  • Capital Contribution Fee (for Settlements and Agreements of Sale) – Two times (2X’s) the Quarterly Assessment.
  • Committee List click here    Volunteers – we depend on volunteers to keep our village running. Please consider joining a committee.  If you have expertise in an area (roads, pool, concrete, stormwater, landscaping, building construction, etc., we are always looking for ‘consultants’ for special projects.)
  • Community Center – Description of Expansion (YouTube video)
  • Decks and Patios – are the responsibility of homeowners (deck color must be approved).
  • Dogs – must be on a leash at all times. Dog waste to be picked up and disposed of in owners refuse container.
  • Floor Plans
  • Forms and Guidelines for Architectural and Landscaping Requests
  • Funding of Hershey’s Mill Amenities (How part of your Quarterly Fees are used to fund Hershey’s Mill)
  • Gate and Visitor Information click here
  • Garage Doors should be kept closed when the garage is not in use.
  • Gardens – a tour (YouTube video)
  • Golf Club Menu – all residents may order Take out from the HM Golf Club. Pick up at front door. HM Residents will be billed monthly for take-out food.
  • Ground cover – Ground cover that grows up to and around shrubs and trees, has to be removed at least 2 feet from the roots of the shrubs/trees. Leaving them in place will result in the strangling of the existing trees and plants. This is the responsibility of the unit owners.  Replacement of any plants that die as a result of ground cover will not be paid for by the Village.  All annuals should be pulled out and all perennials cutback in the fall.
  • Hershey’s Mill Security – call 610.436.6403
  • Hershey’s Mill Guide and Digest 
  • Hershey’s Mill Library
  • Insurance – Purchase a Condominium Unit Owners Policy (HO-6) to cover the building, personal contents, liability and loss of use. You can request your HO-6 policy cover the Association Property Deductible too (This coverage is called “Loss Assessment” and is very inexpensive (ranging from $0-$50 per year).  The association policy only provides coverage for damage to the building and unit that exceeds the association property deductible (currently $10,000). Therefore, each unit owner must have enough building coverage on their own HO-6 insurance policy to cover at least $10,000 of damage to their building/unit. Sewer back-up coverage should also be requested.  (Reminder, some of the items owners are responsible for include: 1) screened in porch 2) windows 3) doors.  Summary: The key component to the coverage is that the Village policy does not kick in until the first $10,000 dollars of deductibles is exhausted. Once the deductible is met the master policy becomes primary for all covered losses to the exterior and interior of the units, except for personal property and back up of sewers and drains into the units. Personal contents include your clothes, furniture, stereo, television, etc., This coverage should be provided with replacement cost coverage. Certain items such as jewelry, silver, etc. should be discussed with your condo agent and properly scheduled on your policy. Personal liability coverage is also included in your HO-6, review with your insurance agent to make sure limits of coverage are adequate. If any residents have any concerns, contact your insurance agent.
  • Landscape or Architecture (outside) – all changes MUST get approval first. Forms here.
  • Lighting – Garage (outside) Lighting and Street Lighting – See Committee List for contact information to get bulbs replaced.
  • Maintenance Responsibilities – what the Village is responsible for vs. the Homeowner.
  • Map of Franklin Village
  • Map of Hershey’s Mill
  • Medicare – Pennsylvania Medicare Education and Decision Insight (PA MEDI) – PA MEDI counselors are trained to provide FREE, personalized, unbiased counseling to help you with Medicare enrollment, and yearly evaluations of your options/plans.
  • Pool (main pool) website
  • Pool – Franklin Village
  • Power washing of homes and garages and sidewalks. Done September 2022.  Occurs every 2 years.
  • Power Outage Preparation – for those with life-saving equipment
  • Recyclables are picked up on Wednesdays. All boxes must be flattened. Do not include any plastic bags. Click here for more information.
  • ROOFING PROJECT FAQ
  • Rules of Franklin Village
  • Security Main Gate information
  • Serpentine Barrens – information and tour (YouTube video)
  • Sewer System at HM – Green Hill Sewer Association    Most important thing to remember, ‘flushable wipes’ are not flushable.  YouTube video interview which describes our system at HM.
  • Skedda – HM Events Calendar – Scheduling calendar for rooms in the Community Center, Sullivan House, or Cove, as well as all  Sports Facilities (courts, pits, and tables). Click here  to view the calendar.    For more information on Skedda, or to request access to make reservations click here.
  • Smoke Detectors – responsibility of Homeowner.  West Chester Security Systems – Matt Ratliff 610.399.7986.  East Goshen Township requires hard wired smoke detectors in all bedrooms.
  • Termite inspections occur every other year. Last done April 2023. Click here for a description of what to look for – signs of termites.
  • Timeline of Improvements/Repairs in Village1999-to Present
  • Trash is picked up on Tuesdays & Fridays. Click here for more information Vehicles and Parking – Garages should be utilized before outside parking spaces.
  • Urgent/Emergency Care Campaign information (will be discussed at our May 2024 annual meeting) Background: A few residents of Princeton Village came up with a program to educate residents on several ways to easily assist First Responders and HM Security get essential information about you in case of an emergency. This is a 100% optional, 100% voluntary program.     Link to general information provided by Princeton Village.
    • 1) How to add medical info/emergency on cell phones.
    • 2) Yellow Dot program to keep in your car glove compartment
    • 3) Medical care info/directions to hang in an envelope on your refrigerator. Link to form.
  • Vacant House – Things to do when you go away for an extended period of time.
  • Verizon FiOS (Internet, cable, landline) – Moving in and moving out instructions.    Verizon KEEP Sheet
  • Walking Guide
  • Water – In Franklin Village is covered by your Quarterly fees.   You will not receive an individual water bill.
  • Winter Preparation

HMSG-Pickleball-PickleballPlus

Welcome: Learn all about your new Pickleball machine!

Pickleball - Tudor Plus

Pickleball Tutor PLUS Specifications:

This is the # 1 rated Pickleball machine available. Pickleball Tutor Plus (w/options selected) is easily adjustable to shoot all the shots both new and experienced players need to practice against including:

  • Dinks, Lobs, Serves, Drives, Groundstrokes
  • Topspin and Backspin – A single dial controls the amount of topspin or backspin
  • Delivers shots randomly across the court for hitting on the run
  • Holds 110 pickleballs
  • Ball Speed – Adjustable from 10 MPH to 65 MPH
  • Ball Feed – From every one second (for quick-reaction volleys) to every 10 seconds
  • Start-up time delay allows time to get to the other side of the net before balls begin shooting
  • Automatically shoots to two preset court positions
  • Ball trajectory is controlled by a simple electronic switch on the control panel rather than the manual knob control
  • Weighs only 22-29 lbs. so it is easily carried, plus includes lightweight tow cart for easier transport

If you would like training on the use of the Machine, please let us know by using feedback form or emailing your COS team.

In the interim, please check out these instructions as well as the video review…

Safety First (Please Read)

  • Do NOT stand or walk in front of ball ejection opening.
  • Do NOT insert hands or foreign objects into the machine.
  • Do NOT operate when Wet. Do NOT use if balls are wet (we would also like the machine to stay in fine working order).
  • Please use Caution on speed control (It claims that its highest setting can throw at 60 - 65 miles an hour).
  • If a Ball gets stuck, TURN off machine before trying to clear it. Better still, also pull plug.
  • It has been highly suggested by a few of the early users that it is helpful to have a partner when operating the machine.

The machine must be scheduled using SKEDDA!

It will be the last column on the Pickleball SKEDDA grid.

It is important to realize that any resident can use any of the Sports facilities whether or not they have registered for HMSG and/or one or more Sports groups.

In other words, simply stopping down and using a sports facility is fine if it has not already been scheduled by anyone.

To ensure that you don’t run into conflicts, it makes sense to simply schedule the resource that you would like to utilize ahead of time.

[In such a case, the group who made the reservation would have the right to the court]

We Use SKEDDA to maintain our reservations!

  1. You do need to do a “1” time request of SKEDDA Access if you plan on using it to schedule time for one of the Sports facilities.
  2. With or Without SKEDDA access, anyone may view the schedule by clicking on the link.

If you would like to stay informed of HMSG plans and events, make sure you join HMSG if you have not already done so. You will be added to that mailing list.

Likewise, if you want to know what’s going on in particular sport groups, let them know so they can add you to their unique mailing list.

Click SKEDDA image below to open SKEDDA tab..

Anyone can view the SKEDDA schedule but you need prior authorization for creating reservations. This is a “1” time process. For more information, please press the “More SKEDDA” button to the right!

Learn all about SKEDDA..

SKEDDA pronounced /sked-dah/ 

is a web based software system used by Hershey’s Mill for scheduling court time. Being web based means that you can schedule future playing time from any browser on any device you have. Court time can be scheduled for the following Sports Groups:

  • Billiards
  • Bocce
  • Horseshoes
  • Pickleball
  • Platform Tennis
  • Shuffleboard
  • Table Tennis
  • Tennis
More SKEDDA

Also to Know!

  • Machine is located in Shed next to courts and may have a gray cover on it.
  • When done, either remove all balls from machine, roll back to shed and please cover it (or roll back with balls carefully 🙂
  • Do NOT use if imminent rain is in the forecast.
  • Any issues with the machine that you cannot handle, PLEASE put machine in shed AND Notify a Pickleball COS member.
  • Use only the Lime green balls in the machine and put in shed when you are done.
  • SETUP: Place the machine 1 to 2 feet behind the baseline of the throwing court before adjusting your dials for types of balls desired.

Please USE CORRECT Balls!

Yellow Ball is for normal PLAY.

Lime Green to be USED in the Pickleball Machine.

Watch Video below for Operation Tips.

While watching this Video, understand that we have chosen the model with these attributes:

  1. We have Electric Model (No Battery)
  2. We have Electronic Elevation
  3. We have 2-line Oscillation
  4. We do NOT have a Remote Control
Play Video

Operating Instructions

Control Panel

Please follow below in the order of the buttons/Dials as shown above.

  1. POWER – Pushing to the “ON” position begins a start-time delay period of 10 seconds before pickleballs are thrown.
  2. Elevation – Push button UP or DOWN to adjust trajectory of shots. This will likely take some practice.
  3. OSCILLATOR – If you wish to have balls shoot directly where pointed, make sure toggle is level (off). To have balls go back and forth to two alternating spots, set toggle to 2-Line. To have machine toss balls in a sweeping motion across the court, set to Random.
  4. There is NO remote button.
  5. RESET – If the Pickleball machine shuts off while balls are still loaded in the hopper, turn the power switch OFF. Remove all balls and see if a ball is jammed in the hopper or between/under one of the throwing wheels. Remove the ball and turn power switch on.If machine does not power on, the Reset button may have tripped. In that case, turn machine off and push reset button until it locks in place. Turn the machine on again and test.==> If the machine shuts off again or does not power up, contact a Pickleball COS member and put machine in shed & Cover.
  6. Ignore Charge (used only in battery units)
  7. SPIN – Use this Dial to have balls bounce Flat or have it produce Backspin or Topspin (each up to 4 levels of difficulty)
  8. INTERVAL – How much time do you want in between thrown balls? Turning clockwise increases the frequency of balls thrown (approx. from 1 ball every 10 seconds to 1 ball every second). Again, you will need to experiment for what is right for you.
  9. SPEED – Please start at low setting and adjust. Turning clockwise increases the speed at which balls are thrown. Caution: It claims that its highest setting can throw at 60 miles an hour.

PDF Info

PDF General info
Documents on the internet are frequently in portable document format (PDF) and most people have the software to read these already installed on the computer. If you don’t have it you can download it for free. It is called Adobe Reader and is totally free to you. However, it is a large file and will be a long download if you have a slow connection. Be sure you get Adobe Reader since there are other options on the download page. The Adobe page will open in a new window if you click here for the ADOBE site.

Foxit Reader is a good alternative PDF reader. I used it when my old computer wouldn’t run ADOBE. It is also a free download and a fraction of the size of Adobe Reader (and faster PC magazine says). If you’d like to try it, visit Foxit Software.

Windows 8.1 – Using

 Technology Tips        

 

  Using a Windows 8.1 Computer -published June 2014 in the Guide and Digest

 

                                                                                                                  By Don Trauger – Kennett

 

            In the May issue of the Guide & Digest I mentioned 2 items that would help in getting you started with Windows 8.1. This month I’ll cover some more points that are explained in the following paragraphs.

 

            Windows 8.1 requires that you learn to right click the mouse. For example, to turn off or restart the computer from the Desktop screen, right click the new Windows 8 Start button, located in the lower left corner of the screen, then move the mouse to “Shut down or sign out” and click either “Shut down” or “Restart”. Notice other available options when you right click the Start button, such as the Control Panel and Program & Features. Tap the Windows key on the keyboard and you have instant access to the Live Tiles or Metro look of Windows 8. Click the down arrow in the lower left part of the screen and you can access all the installed programs now called “Apps”. Use the horizontal scroll bar at the bottom of the screen to view all the Apps. Tap it again and it goes back to where you were on the Live tile screen, then tap it again and you are back in Desktop mode. Not only have you learned to use the right mouse key, you are also using a previously unused key on the keyboard.

 

            If you would like to put an App on the Task bar of the Desktop you must right click it and click “Pin to taskbar”. It will appear on the bar at the bottom of Desktop screen. Placing icons on the Desktop screen is almost as easy. Again, right click the App and click “Open file location”. Next, right click the App and move the mouse to “Sent to” and click “Desktop (create shortcut)”. If done correctly you will now have an icon on the Desktop screen. After a little work, things will start to look familiar again as they were in the old XP days.

 

            The Charms Bar works in Desktop or Live Tile mode. If you position the mouse in either the extreme upper right or lower right corners you should see 5 icons appear. It can be touchy so be careful as mouse position is all important to make this feature work. However, once the icons appear, run the mouse down to each one to see the description. The Start icon takes you to the Live tile screen and the Settings icon will allow you another way to turn off or restart the computer. To do this click Settings, click Power and make your choice of restarting or turning off the computer.

 

            Windows 8 was updated some time ago to Windows 8.1. If you are still running the old version 8.0, you must go the Windows Store (it’s a Live Tile App) and download 8.1 from there. Most new store bought computers are now selling Windows 8.1 so you don’t have do that. However, one of the first things you need to do is to update or at least check to see that you have all of the Microsoft updates. Open the Control Panel as described above in the second paragraph, and click System and Security. Click Windows Update, then click “Check for updates”. Wait for results then install all important and recommended updates. You will have to restart the computer, then go back and click “Check for updates” again. Repeat a 3rd time if necessary until there are no further updates available. Some of the features I write about will not be available for you until all of the updates are installed.

 

 

            If you are successful in performing the above, then you are well on your way to operating a windows 8.1 computer. The PC Club meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 7 PM upstairs in the Ardmore room of the Community Center to help you with Windows 8, 7, Vista, or even good old XP computer problems.

Text & Email Scams

There are some HM residents receiving Scam Text Messages and asking what to do. Know that this is a Nationwide problem and not limited to Hershey’s Mill.

December 14 & 28 2022, the Technology Committee gave a Zoom presentation on Email, Text and Phone Scams, How to recognize them, How to determine if the messages are real or scams and What to do about them. The following is a brief portion of the Zoom Presentation concerning Text Messages.

Why Am I Getting Spam Text & Email Messages?

It may be because of your online activity: websites where you’ve registered or bought something online.

Many companies sell your personal information. You may provide your email address and even a phone number for all kinds of things you want access to on the web. The next thing you know, you are getting spam texts & emails.

But it could be completely random. If you’ve got a cell phone, then you’re “eligible” for spam texts.

Is It Spam or a Scam?

If you don’t recognize the source of a text or email message, it’s safest just to go ahead and assume it’s a scam. Replying to suspicious texts or emails can lead to a number of bad outcomes including:

Phishing Scams
Identity Theft
Unintended Subscriptions and Opt-Ins

What To Do About Spam Text or Email Messages

If you get a text or email message you weren’t expecting and it asks you to give some personal or financial information, don’t click on any links. Legitimate companies won’t ask for information about your account or provide a link by text or email.

If you think the message might be real, contact the company using a phone number or website you know is real. Not the information in the text message.

If you think the Text Message is a Scam or Spam message, the best course of action is to Delete the Message. Responding in any way tells the Scammers that this is an active number and they will keep messaging. Scammers often message different scams or the same scam from different phone numbers. Scammers will sell a list of ‘active’ numbers – so, delete, don’t respond.

Already responded? If you have already begun to engage in any way with a Scam Text, such as a Package Delivery Notice or any other type of Text, stop engaging immediately. Do not be tempted to respond any further.

Block the number and report the number as detailed below.

Typing in STOP

If the text is from a known entity, for example a political, solicitation or advertisement text, and you no longer wish to receive the texts from that known entity, simply text one word: STOP. No more, no less, just the Word STOP.

Typing in Stop is an automated feature required by the government for all Texts.

Blocking Text Scams From Your Phone

iPhone

From the Messages app, open the conversation, tap the contact at the top of the conversation. Tap the ‘info’ button, scroll down, then tap Block this Caller.

Android Phones

Open Your Phone App, Tap More, Go to Call History, Tap a call from the number you want to block.

Tap BLOCK/Report Spam

 

 

The contact won’t get a notification that the call or message was blocked.

When you block an email address from Mail, it goes to the trash folder.

Email blocking works across all your Apple devices.

For Mobile Phone assistance: If you are having any trouble Blocking on your phone, dial 611 from your mobile phone and ask for assistance.

How to Filter Unwanted Text Messages or Stop Them Before They Reach You:

Through Your Wireless Provider: Your wireless provider might have a tool or service that lets you block calls and text messages.

Check out ctia.org, a website from the wireless industry, to learn about options from different providers or Dial 611 from your Mobile Phone and ask your Mobile Carrier.

With a Call Blocking App: ctia.org

What do you do if you get spam or a message you didn’t consent to receive?

Forward it to 7726 (SPAM) so your carrier can put a stop to it.

See the website of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to learn about more ways that scammers target unsuspecting people via text.

https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-report-spam-text-messages

Final Thought

If you get a suspicious text but think it might be from a legitimate source, don’t reply to the text. Instead, contact the person or company using a phone number or website that you’ve confirmed is authentic. Never use the contact information in the text or email message.

 

Keyboard Shortcut Saves Keystrokes (Dec 2023)

Technology Tips – Published December 2023 in the Guide and Digest

By Don Trauger – Kennett

This clever Windows keyboard shortcut saves you a ton of keystrokes
Windows key + H: A Windows 10 and 11 feature you won’t want to forget.

 

Make it easier and faster to do your daily PC tasks. Speak your text rather than typing it. Windows 10 and 11 both offer a simple key combination for this very purpose.

Hidden Dictation Function in Windows 10 and 11

Open Microsoft Word or WordPad.

Press the WINDOWS key and H key together then let go to open the dictation function.  Click the “gear” icon inside the small window at the bottom of the screen for additional settings for the microphone and automatic punctuation. It’s recommended that you select both options. Click the microphone icon in the window to start dictation. Once activated it should turn purple and say listening. You may now commence your dictation. You must have a microphone installed but almost all laptops do. Once you are done the voice to text file can be saved in your Documents or OneDrive folder where it can be copied to another app as needed. I have found using this voice to text feature works well when replying to incoming emails. All you need to do is go online and get into the Reply mode for your email and instead of typing your reply just click the microphone icon and dictate you reply. Your voice will be converted to text just as if you typed your reply.

 

Any app that normally responds to a text input may respond to this voice to text feature. Experiment!!

Text & Email scams

There are some HM residents receiving Scam Text Messages and asking what to do. Know that this is a Nationwide problem and not limited to Hershey’s Mill.

December 14 & 28 2022, the Technology Committee gave a Zoom presentation on Email, Text and Phone Scams, How to recognize them, How to determine if the messages are real or scams and What to do about them. The following is a brief portion of the Zoom Presentation concerning Text Messages.

Why Am I Getting Spam Text & Email Messages?

It may be because of your online activity: websites where you’ve registered or bought something online.

Many companies sell your personal information. You may provide your email address and even a phone number for all kinds of things you want access to on the web. The next thing you know, you are getting spam texts & emails.

But it could be completely random. If you’ve got a cell phone, then you’re “eligible” for spam texts.

Is It Spam or a Scam?

If you don’t recognize the source of a text or email message, it’s safest just to go ahead and assume it’s a scam. Replying to suspicious texts or emails can lead to a number of bad outcomes including:

Phishing Scams
Identity Theft
Unintended Subscriptions and Opt-Ins

What To Do About Spam Text or Email Messages

If you get a text or email message you weren’t expecting and it asks you to give some personal or financial information, don’t click on any links. Legitimate companies won’t ask for information about your account or provide a link by text or email.

If you think the message might be real, contact the company using a phone number or website you know is real. Not the information in the text message.

If you think the Text Message is a Scam or Spam message, the best course of action is to Delete the Message. Responding in any way tells the Scammers that this is an active number and they will keep messaging. Scammers often message different scams or the same scam from different phone numbers. Scammers will sell a list of ‘active’ numbers – so, delete, don’t respond.

Already responded? If you have already begun to engage in any way with a Scam Text, such as a Package Delivery Notice or any other type of Text, stop engaging immediately. Do not be tempted to respond any further.

Block the number and report the number as detailed below.

Typing in STOP

If the text is from a known entity, for example a political, solicitation or advertisement text, and you no longer wish to receive the texts from that known entity, simply text one word: STOP. No more, no less, just the Word STOP.

Typing in Stop is an automated feature required by the government for all Texts.

Blocking Text Scams From Your Phone

iPhone

From the Messages app, open the conversation, tap the contact at the top of the conversation. Tap the ‘info’ button, scroll down, then tap Block this Caller.

Android Phones

Open Your Phone App, Tap More, Go to Call History, Tap a call from the number you want to block.

Tap BLOCK/Report Spam

 

 

The contact won’t get a notification that the call or message was blocked.

When you block an email address from Mail, it goes to the trash folder.

Email blocking works across all your Apple devices.

For Mobile Phone assistance: If you are having any trouble Blocking on your phone, dial 611 from your mobile phone and ask for assistance.

How to Filter Unwanted Text Messages or Stop Them Before They Reach You:

Through Your Wireless Provider: Your wireless provider might have a tool or service that lets you block calls and text messages.

Check out ctia.org, a website from the wireless industry, to learn about options from different providers or Dial 611 from your Mobile Phone and ask your Mobile Carrier.

With a Call Blocking App: ctia.org

What do you do if you get spam or a message you didn’t consent to receive?

Forward it to 7726 (SPAM) so your carrier can put a stop to it.

See the website of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to learn about more ways that scammers target unsuspecting people via text.

https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-report-spam-text-messages

Final Thought

If you get a suspicious text but think it might be from a legitimate source, don’t reply to the text. Instead, contact the person or company using a phone number or website that you’ve confirmed is authentic. Never use the contact information in the text or email message.