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DMN Problem Solver: Helping readers
In today’s print edition of The Dallas Morning News, we introduced a new column called visit site to read more]
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Hot Links: Katrina + sand = Dallas river woes
Like sand through the hourglass, these are the Hot Links of our day: 1. If you missed this yesterday, don’t miss it now: My enterprising colleagues Lee Hancock and Katie Fairbank showed that the U.S....
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Problem Solver: PUC lists company complaints
My colleague Elizabeth Souder, a business reporter who watches the oil, gas and electric industries in Texas, points out that in September, the Public Utility Commission of … [visit site to read more]
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New book addresses the expensive, deadly history of Bell Helicopter’s V-22...
A book on the locally built V-22 Osprey, written by former Dallas Morning News staffer Richard Whittle, will appear on store shelves today. visit site to read more]
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Problem Solver: Reader asks what is recyclable and what would contaminate a bin?
A reader called in about a recent column outlining why some recycling bin material … [visit site to read more]
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Problem Solver: Storage fees quickly accumulate at Dallas impound lot
Fees can add up quickly for owners of the roughly 100 vehicles a day towed to the Dallas Auto Pound.While writing a visit site to read more]
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Problem Solver: Bill to stiffen penalties for unregistered moving companies...
While writing a recent column involving the moving industry, I was … [visit site to read more]
View ArticleProblem Solver: Experts to offer information on animal hoarding at Dallas...
Linda Ross, who is director of the Elder Support program at Senior Source, read a recent column I wrote about a woman who came to Problem Solver after trying – and failing – to help a large number of...
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Problem Solver: Reporting railroad crossing issues requires information
Fixing rough road around a railroad track requires coodination between railroads and street departments. That means it usually takes a bit of time for the various departments to … [visit site to read...
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Problem Solver: Insurance coverage now available for some expensive phones
After writing a column about a serviceman’s wife who lost her iPhone, I received a batch of e-mails … [visit site to read more]
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Problem Solver: Check out bee removal services with the Texas Department of...
The drought coupled with a mild winter have apiary experts waiting to see what spring will bring. Beekeepers found that few feral hives were able to store much honey over the dry summer, which usually...
View ArticleProblem Solver: AT&T offers woman an additional $200 gift card
AT&T apologized and sent a $200 gift card in contrition for draining the bank account of a Denton woman, leaving her unable to buy food or medicine I wrote a column about the case in May, and the...
View ArticleProblem Solver: Target gift cards show up as promised
Target did as promised and sent $260 worth of gift cards to Joe Malchuny, who contacted me at Problem Solver after encountering some frustrating attempts to get an advertised sale price on a Dyson...
View ArticleProblem Solver: Plano resident to get an additional $5,000 for car repairs —...
The public relations manager for the Dallas Arboretum read my column about a couple whose car was assaulted by hail after visiting the gardens and offered them another opportunity to view the Chihuly...
View ArticleProblem Solver: AT&T adds a $200 check to a $200 gift card and their apology
AT&T hand-delivered a $200 check last week to a woman I helped when the company erroneously drained her bank account. In fact, the company found itself apologizing for a second time to Candy...
View ArticleWhirlpool says it helped with broken oven, Granbury couple begs to differ
Problem Solver’s inaugural tweet was the third attempt to help frustrated Ray and Wyveda Dowdy get from Whirlpool the correct replacement part that would fix their oven. Less than a week later, a...
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Problem Solver: Communication with City of Dallas an issue in home targeted...
The City of Dallas may have helped board up this house, but offered little explanation to the homeowners when they were billed for the job. It was confusing because the homeowners also were boarding...
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Problem Solver: Fixing stagnant water issues difficult
Clean up on this creek is complicated because it mostly is on private property. (Nathan Hunsinger/Staff photographer) During the summer’s West Nile Virus outbreak, counties and cities … [visit site to...
View ArticleProblem Solver helped Dallas community college students wrestle the financial...
For the second September in a row, some local students couldn’t get the Dallas County Community College District to verify their financial aid packets — leaving them in the dark as to whether they can...
View ArticleProblem Solver helps woman research options on 1969 trust fund
Mary Moore wondered for decades what happened to the money that was donated for her after she saved seven little children in a raging house fire back in 1969. Unfortunately, the fact that she waited...
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Problem Solver: No West Nile mosquitoes at Garland creek
A recent check by the city of Garland along Duck Creek came back with a trap count of just five mosquitoes. All showed negative for West Nile virus. Manny Garcia cleans up along Duck Creek (Nathan...
View ArticleProblem Solver: Donations double original trust after column runs
Donations worth $1,200 have come in for Mary Moore after my column told how a trust fund created for her 43 years ago seemed to disappear. The last accounting in 1969 showed $600 in the trust fund,...
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Problem Solver: Donor sends $300 to hero following column
Mary Moore, who saved seven children from a house fire back in 1969, and her son Marcus. (Marina Trahan Martinez) When Elizabeth Hittson saw that visit site to read more]
View ArticleProblem Solver: H-1B visa may fall under automatic revalidation provision
Paperwork requirements involving immigration rules are filled with caveats, so it’s no surprise it is difficult to determine what is necessary to leave the country with an H-1B visa. In addition,...
View ArticleProblem Solver: Tree expert promises about $900 in care for American Elm
The severe temperatures, drought and watering restrictions of the past few years have been stressing trees across North Texas. First snow-laden branches snapped during the winter storms of 2010. That...
View ArticleProblem Solver: Spirit applies taxes, fees on unused ticket
When Michael Gulino didn’t take a Spirit Airlines flight from New York back to Texas, he was aggravated that he still had to pay for the taxes and fees on the ticket. So, he wrote to me at Problem...
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Homeowner can’t let old friend go in Waxahachie
Trees inspire great passions, as shown by my recent column about a suffering American Elm. A dead tree nicknamed "Dead Elmo" (Don Price)visit site to read more]
View ArticleProblem Solver: Security gates OK’d for optometry business at North Dallas...
Dr. David Moiger wants to deter thieves and vandals who are looking for easy pickings. The optometry doctor says that is why he is hoping to install burglar bars or a security gate at his practice,...
View ArticleProblem Solver: Man gets help for anti-rejection drug coverage for kidney...
There were 362 kidney transplants performed at transplant centers in North Texas last year and 361 in 2010. Those patients will get Medicare coverage of their anti-rejection drugs for 36 months,...
View ArticleProblem Solver: American elm gets promised pruning as does second backyard tree
A suffering American elm that was the source of a neighborhood disagreement has now received the tender-loving care promised to Problem Solver by a tree specialist. Steve Houser of Arborilogical...
View ArticleProblem Solver: VA admits mistake, begins disability for veteran
Within days of a column outlining how Vietnam Veteran Bill Sonntag’s attempt to get health benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs was mishandled, he got some help from both a congressman and...
View ArticleProblem Solver: If it heads to the dump, it’s gone for good
A reader recently wrote in hoping that somehow he could retrieve some beloved stuffed animals that were mistakenly put curbside and picked up by trash collectors. “Oh, gosh, Katie, I know I’m asking...
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Problem Solver: Bank of America drops $91,500 in fees and interest
The signs posted in the Zetterlund's yard (Brad Zetterlund) Brad and Joan Zetterlund know there is definitely nothing like having a home for the holidays. The … [visit site to read more]
View ArticleProblem Solver: Some folks toss them even if the shoe fits
When people toss their shoes over overhead lines, there may actually be some reasons behind the move. Some folks think the sneakers are tossed to signify a drug house, to memorialize a death, or...
View ArticleOptometrist installs security gates after resolution reached with Problem...
The security gates are now installed at David Moiger’s optometry practice, an addition to his office that he had asked Problem Solver to help negotiate with his landlord. While that problem is...
View ArticlePeople still want to dial up for the weather forecast and time of day
While folks with smart phones check apps for the time and temperature, many still like to use their telephones to make a call to find out that information. A few years ago I wrote about the end of an...
View ArticleProblem Solver: Couple gets $4,000 back on Bank of America mortgage
It’s not like mortgage paperwork is easy to understand — even for the experts. But things got really confusing with the loan Kelly and Eli Moreno of Irving have with Bank of America. The Morenos were...
View ArticleProblem Solver: Column on disabled man upsets some readers, encourages others...
Readers’ responses to my columns often surprise me. Some of the writers are offended by my story choices, some are incredibly angry at the subject and me, some are so kind they make me cry. I got...
View ArticleProblem Solver: Delays go on and on until newspaper makes the call
Landlines are no longer the priority for telephone companies as mobile phones become ubiquitous and drive the bottom line. According to a National Center for Health Statistics survey released by the...
View ArticleProblem Solver: Royal Caribbean cruise insurance offers little to couple
People need to read the fine print when purchasing cruise insurance. If something goes wrong, you don’t also want it to go wrong with your coverage. “If your plans go awry and you cancel or interrupt...
View ArticleProblem Solver: AT&T adds $100 credit after fixing landline
It took 11 days and a call from Problem Solver to get AT&T to fix Dave Scott’s landline. Hearing from me about Scott’s outage and inability to get the problem fixed, AT&T had someone out the...
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Problem Solver: Fair Housing regulations allow no deposit for therapy animals
William Smith, who was told he would need to pay a pet deposit, get rid of his cats or face eviction until he contacted Problem Solver, is working on filing a housing discrimination complaint against...
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Problem Solver: Enterprise Rent-A-Car issues result in mixed responses
Two women unhappy with damage claim issues after they rented cars from Enterprise Rent-A-Car got a mixed response from the rental car company. Faye Alexis was charged for damages after she says she...
View ArticleProblem Solver: European Union addressing air passenger rights
When airlines fail to answer consumer complaints, it gives regulators a chance to step in. That happened in the U.S. after carriers left planes sitting on the runway far too often and for too many...
View ArticleProblem Solver: Naming property the family name is the point
Trying to get a piece of property officially named isn’t as easy as all that if it lands outside city limits. But there are some things a landowner can do. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names was...
View ArticleProblem Solver: It’s a – 30-.
Four years ago, I launched Problem Solver with the premise that one investigative reporter working on behalf of the reader could make a difference. Since I began putting together this column, more...
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