Social Security Numbers

A woman charged with prostitution Friday morning in Hagerstown was unable to get her $3,000 bail reduced after it was discovered that she uses multiple names, birth dates and Social Security numbers. Kristen Heather Ricketts, 52, of Hagerstown, was arrested by a plainclothes Hagerstown Police officer in the first block of North Prospect Street, according to Washington County District Court records. "In Maryland, the defendant has 13 different aliases on her rap sheet, nine dates of birth and 10 different Social Security numbers," Assistant State's Attorney Christopher McCormack said Friday.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. -- A "potentially devastating situation" unfolded Wednesday when the Jefferson County Clerk's Office realized that a new online records search program begun last Friday gave Internet access to individuals' Social Security numbers and other personal information, Jefferson County Clerk Jennifer Maghan said. Maghan said Wednesday afternoon she did not know how many Social Security numbers were accessible online, but she said a software program was being run to redact, or remove, Social Security numbers and that it would take about a month for the software to scan "millions of documents.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. -- While a new Jefferson County computerized record search program is still being worked on to remove Social Security numbers from the records, training on how to use the system will be offered to the public this week, Jefferson County Clerk Jennifer Maghan said Monday. On Oct. 24, Maghan's office unveiled a computer record search program that allowed the public to view records such as property deeds, judgments and tax liens online. The service was taken down five days later after Maghan discovered people's Social Security numbers were on some of the records.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Opinions differed Thursday over how much of a security threat was posed to county residents when Social Security numbers were included in a new Internet-based county records search program that was launched last week. Jefferson County Clerk Jennifer Maghan, whose office oversees records like property deeds, judgments and tax liens, said she wanted to put the records online to help people do record searches more efficiently. But the new online program, which started Oct. 24, was taken down Wednesday after Maghan realized people's Social Security numbers were in some of the records.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - State Rep. Todd Rock, R-Franklin, is warning residents about a new scam thieves are using to get consumers' personal and financial information. Victims of a "vishing" scam receive phone calls in which a recorded message claims their credit cards have been compromised. The message instructs victims to call another phone number immediately. People who call the phone number are then asked to dial their 16-digit credit card numbers, which then are converted into a numeric display.

tarar@herald-mail.com The Social Security numbers, names, birth dates and other private information of approximately 2,500 Washington County Board of Education employees accidentally were posted on the school system's Web site for up to 45 days recently, schools Public Information Officer Carol Mowen said Friday. A school board employee mistakenly posted the information, titled "census data," on the Web site with other information used by insurance vendors interested in becoming the health or life insurance providers for the school system, Mowen said.

tarar@herald-mail.com WASHINGTON COUNTY - Washington County Public Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Morgan apologized Tuesday to the approximately 2,500 school system employees whose Social Security numbers and other private data were posted on the Internet for up to 45 days earlier this year. Morgan publicly apologized for the mistake at Tuesday night's Board of Education meeting and said she accepts full responsibility for the error. "We owe our employees an apology," Morgan said.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - A Chambersburg woman who was issued three different driver's licenses under three different names waived her preliminary hearing Tuesday in Franklin County Central Court on three counts each of tampering with public records and tampering with public records or identification. Marta N. Perez, whose age is listed as between 49 years old and 57 years old, of 143 Greenmeadow Lane, was scheduled for mandatory arraignment on the charges Aug. 20. Pennsylvania State Police said Perez came to their attention after a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation facial recognition computer linked her to three separate driver's licenses, which also had different Social Security numbers.

SMITHSBURG -- Reviewing a partial collection of contract records Tuesday that included handwritten memos and scratched-out figures, Smithsburg Town Council members called for more formality, precision and transparency in the way the town awards contracts for services. "We sort of have, right now, a mishmash of things," said Councilman Jerome Martin, who argued the town should use a standard form for all contracts. Smithsburg Mayor Mildred "Mickey" Myers, whose husband, Homer Myers, co-owns a company that has received $8,772 this year for mowing, tree removal and other jobs, attributed the informality to small-town growing pains and a high level of trust between town officials and contractors.

martinsburg@herald-mail.com MARTINSBURG, W.VA. - Those who need to call 911 most likely don't know - and don't care - whether it's a volunteer medic or a paid one who responds. They want an ambulance in their driveway and a qualified person taking care of them or their loved one. Both sides of a rift between the county's Emergency Ambulance Authority and volunteer EMTs and paramedics cite the needs of residents who require medical help as their primary concern. A meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m. today to address the concerns.

A woman charged with prostitution Friday morning in Hagerstown was unable to get her $3,000 bail reduced after it was discovered that she uses multiple names, birth dates and Social Security numbers. Kristen Heather Ricketts, 52, of Hagerstown, was arrested by a plainclothes Hagerstown Police officer in the first block of North Prospect Street, according to Washington County District Court records. "In Maryland, the defendant has 13 different aliases on her rap sheet, nine dates of birth and 10 different Social Security numbers," Assistant State's Attorney Christopher McCormack said Friday.

The question posted Friday on The Herald-Mail's Web site was: Do you think municipalities should accept Maryland prison officials' offer to provide free inmate labor to undertake certain tasks? Poll results: Yes: 672 votes (88 percent) No: 93 votes (12 percent) "Yeah, let them work. Washington County prison inmates have grown crops, built houses, cleaned roads and done many more tasks in years past, so why not require them to work. I'd rather hire prison labor vs. illegal labor, which is a double drain on the economy.

Teresa Spruill asks some tough questions, but she's got a good reason. She's trying to convince people of the importance of preparing a critical life inventory, a move she says can result in peace of mind for those who take her advice. Spruill, owner of Spruill Money Management and Organization Services, gave a lunchtime presentation Thursday at Washington County Free Library in Hagerstown to about 20 people. She said her presentation was prompted by the fact thet September is designated National Preparedness Month by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. -- While a new Jefferson County computerized record search program is still being worked on to remove Social Security numbers from the records, training on how to use the system will be offered to the public this week, Jefferson County Clerk Jennifer Maghan said Monday. On Oct. 24, Maghan's office unveiled a computer record search program that allowed the public to view records such as property deeds, judgments and tax liens online. The service was taken down five days later after Maghan discovered people's Social Security numbers were on some of the records.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Opinions differed Thursday over how much of a security threat was posed to county residents when Social Security numbers were included in a new Internet-based county records search program that was launched last week. Jefferson County Clerk Jennifer Maghan, whose office oversees records like property deeds, judgments and tax liens, said she wanted to put the records online to help people do record searches more efficiently. But the new online program, which started Oct. 24, was taken down Wednesday after Maghan realized people's Social Security numbers were in some of the records.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. -- A "potentially devastating situation" unfolded Wednesday when the Jefferson County Clerk's Office realized that a new online records search program begun last Friday gave Internet access to individuals' Social Security numbers and other personal information, Jefferson County Clerk Jennifer Maghan said. Maghan said Wednesday afternoon she did not know how many Social Security numbers were accessible online, but she said a software program was being run to redact, or remove, Social Security numbers and that it would take about a month for the software to scan "millions of documents.

SMITHSBURG -- Reviewing a partial collection of contract records Tuesday that included handwritten memos and scratched-out figures, Smithsburg Town Council members called for more formality, precision and transparency in the way the town awards contracts for services. "We sort of have, right now, a mishmash of things," said Councilman Jerome Martin, who argued the town should use a standard form for all contracts. Smithsburg Mayor Mildred "Mickey" Myers, whose husband, Homer Myers, co-owns a company that has received $8,772 this year for mowing, tree removal and other jobs, attributed the informality to small-town growing pains and a high level of trust between town officials and contractors.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - A Chambersburg woman who was issued three different driver's licenses under three different names waived her preliminary hearing Tuesday in Franklin County Central Court on three counts each of tampering with public records and tampering with public records or identification. Marta N. Perez, whose age is listed as between 49 years old and 57 years old, of 143 Greenmeadow Lane, was scheduled for mandatory arraignment on the charges Aug. 20. Pennsylvania State Police said Perez came to their attention after a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation facial recognition computer linked her to three separate driver's licenses, which also had different Social Security numbers.

Thumbs up to Stanley Fulton Jr., a former Hancock resident, for his donation of $900,000 to enable the town to purchase the former Fleetwood Travel Trailers plant for use as a possible industrial park. Fulton also donated money earlier to pay for renovation of the town's swimming pool, bringing his total gift to more than $1 million, according to Mayor Daniel Murphy. Thank you. Thumbs up to all of the members, past and present, of the Antietam Fire Co., on Hagerstown's Summit Avenue, which is now celebrating its 200th anniversary.

A sure way to pump up interest in voting To the editor: Based on the recent "American Idol" voting extravaganza, I suggest we do away with the current voting system we use in the United States of America. Any group that can represent themselves as a "party" (Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Wigs, Sudokus) will be allowed to enter a team of participants (presidential hopefuls). They would be sent to "WishIWasPresident" Island for 60 days. During their time on the island, each team will be subjected to foraging (not forging)