The View 38002 August 2014 | Page 6

Page 6 38002.com theview theview August 2014 business Photo by tn.gov Arlington Chamber President Don Oliver, Town Engineer Steve Hill, and Vice-Mayor Harry McKee listen intently as Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam speaks on Economic Development and Job Readiness Initiatives at a luncheon sponsored by the Arlington and Lakeland Chambers of Commerce. BUSINESS CALENDAR Arlington Chamber of Commerce Membership Luncheon Congressman Stephen Fincher will speak. Wednesday, August 13, 11:30 am at the Family Center, Arlington Church of Christ, 5999 Polk Street. Cost is $10.00 person/members, $15.00 perso n/no n - me mb ers. RSVP by Monday, August 11 to rsvp@arlingtontn chamber. com. Arlington 5K Saturday, September 13, 8:00 am – Arlington 5K, race begins and ends at Arlington Elementary School, 11825 Douglas Street, Arlington. Portion of proceeds go to the Arlington Education Foundation. See the Chamber website for registration information. BUSINESS NEWS has been designated an Allstate Premier Agency for 2014. The Allstate Premier Agency designation is bestowed on less than 48 percent of Allstate’s nearly 10,000 agency owners across the country and 50 percent of Allstate’s Tennessee agencies. Lakeland Allstate agency owner Ed Braly Hiring A Home Repairman? Practical Tips To Protect Yourself By Will Ashworth, State Farm Clouds aren’t the only things that roll in with severe summer weather. Contractors who attempt to cash in during the aftermath of a storm by promising low prices for home repairs and delivering substandard or incomplete work may also arrive on the scene. Help protect yourself, your money and your home from repair rip-offs by learning to spot these red flags: Some Warning Signs of a Scam Be alert if contractors:  Offer unsolicited services for such projects as driveway sealing, chimney rebuilds and roof repair–projects that are commonly “pitched” to homeowners.  Quote a reduced price on the work because of “materials left over from a job down the street.”  Offer a discount for using your home as a “demonstration.”  Employ pushy door-todoor sales tactics or advertise through flyers.  Appear to be from out of town or working out of a pickup truck.  Demand immediate payment in full.  Accept cash only.  Provide no written contract.  Are not willing to produce references.  Fail to provide proof of insurance and proper licensing.  Suggest financing or recommend financing through someone they know.  Ask you to secure any required permits.  Promise insurance compensation for their repairs. Ways to Help Protect Yourself These tips can help you hire a reputable contractor:  Get multiple quotes from local established businesses.  Take time to make your decision.  Do your research. Look into professional affiliations and Better Business Bureau reports, and follow up on references from previous clients.  Check for up-to-date licenses, and verify insurance protection.  Insist on written estimates and a written contract that includes contact information, important dates and a breakdown of costs. According to Federal Trade Commission rulings, you may be able to cancel a contract of more than $25 within three business days of signing it at your home or in a seller’s temporary business location. The National Association of Home Builders offers additional tips for hiring a dependable pro- fessional contractor on its site. For storm repair tips, visit the Better Business Bureau website. And before you hire any con- tractor for storm-related repairs, always contact your insurance agent to be sure repairs will be covered. Big Shots Continued from page 1 did not specialize in pistols. Also in pistols, Trappers Cody Grantham and Danny Story “set the standard” for speed and accuracy, Simons said. Each shooter hit five targets in less than two seconds. Grantham's time of 1.6 seconds was the lowest of the event. Simons—the winningest coach in Tennessee—retired from coaching the Arlington Trappers at the conclusion of the SCTP Team Nationals. The new head coach of the Arlington Trappers is Robert Gorman, a three -year assistant coach with the program. Just ten minutes away from Arlington, Bolton HS Trap Team head coach Keith Fenwick has rebuilt a team with only two returning shooters in 2011 into one competing—and winning—at the national level. Fenwick is in just his third year as head coach of the Bolton Trap Team. In addition to finishing second in the 16 yard trap, the Bolton team finished first in two other events which debuted this year in Illinois: Trap Handicap, which is shot from 25 yards, and Trap Doubles, which requires the shooter to hit two clay targets in each pull. The Bolton Trap Team also had six students named to the 2014 SSSF/ National Rifle Association All-Scholastic Team: Austin Ainsworth, Griffin Black, Lawrence Cooper, Peyton Deane, Tristian Fenwick, Andrew Meier, and Garrett Percer. To be considered for the AllScholastic Team, SCTP and SPP athletes were required to have a 3.0 grade point average in the 2013-2014 school year, meet shooting qualifications of 190/200 SCTP targets in a competition in the current season or achieve a match score of 75 seconds or less in SPP, and have letters of recommend ation. Fenwick believes that the high level of competition among area high school teams benefits everyone. “We're all trying to catch the Arlington team,” he jokes, adding that “Arlington has pushed everyone to be better. They deserve the credit for making us all work harder.”