Verna's Notebook Archived Issues

GREETINGS FROM VERNA ACKER
REALTY EXECUTIVES Elite
414.534.7400
FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
Real Estate Information from Western Racine County; Waterford, WI 53185
September 6, 2001 Newsletter

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Minimum Square Footage changes in Waterford:

NEW ORDINANCE IN WATERFORD
The Township of Waterford has created new minimum square footage rules, effective September 3, 2001:

1. One story residential structures on lands ╜ acre or less, shall have a minimum square footage of 1,500 square feet.
2. Two story residential structures on lands ╜ acre or less, shall have a minimum square footage of 1,850 square feet.
3. One story residential structures on lands in excess of ╜ acre shall have a minimum square footage of 1,650 square feet.
4. Two story residential structures on lands in excess of ╜ acre shall have a minimum square footage of 2,000 square feet.
5. Any and all ordinances to the contrary are hereby repealed as of the effective date of this ordinance.
6. This ordinance does not apply to existing homes or their remodeling or reconstruction except upon Order of the Town Board, after notice and hearing.

GREETINGS FROM VERNA ACKER
REALTY EXECUTIVES Elite
414.534.7400
FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
Real Estate Information from Western Racine County; Waterford, WI 53185
September 14, 2001

TODAY IS A NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING
The nation has been asked to fly their flags at half-mast, to attend prayer vigils, to wear our country's colors proudly, to turn on our headlights, to stand on our doorstep at 7pm and light a candle as we pray. We must pray for guidance in this terrible time. We also must thank our God that we live in a wonderful nation. We must hug our children and our spouses. We must stand together, in strength, to show the monsters that this horrendous act will not bring us to our knees in terror; but to our knees in prayer.

Here is an excerpt from a poignant editorial by Mary Beth Danielson of The Journal Times of Racine, WI:

УЕ.Tuesday's slaughter was an act of war. We have most murderous enemies.

Look at this list: Hitler's Nazi assaults against non-Aryan people. Timothy McVeigh's bombing in Oklahoma City. The Taliban in Afghanistan. Extremist fundamentalists of many religions around the world, from the white supremecists of our country to terrorist- nurturing Moslem sects within various Middle Eastern countries. Do you see who our enemy is? Not one kind of people, but one kind of ideology. All these vile people hold an uncannily similar world view. They hate diversity. They hate openness. They hate independent women, spirited children, rebellious thinkers. They hate - and hate is the operative word here - they hate anyone who doesn't think as they do.

Their fascism is eerily similar. All men should be unquestioned authorities in their own home. Women should be subservient, dutiful and obedient. God preserve those who don't fit into their iron-clad hierarchyЕ.. Е.When we gather at our places of worship to pray for each other, we say who we are and what we are about. When we gather at the office coolers with curiosity and compassion, we say who we are. When we hug our beloved and willful children, when we talk deeply with our friends, when we choose to ramble a while outside, breathing in the sweet air of our free nation, we say who we are. Our lives, by necessity, will become different in the coming days. We can say by our choices and our acts that we are still strong and blessed people.Ф

Pray together now.
Pray without ceasing.
Pray for God's speed in helping those who may still be alive.
Pray for God's amazing power to take charge.
Pray that our great nation and precious world stay in tact.
Pray for President Bush and the advice he receives.
Pray that he will hear and act wisely under Divine direction.
Pray for the grieving families that they will be carried in God's loving arms through this horror.
Pray that the long arm of God reaches out over people and conditions controlling this situation now, protecting out beloved nation.
Pray for Peace like you have never prayed before.
Pray without Ceasing.

With deep sadness, abiding love, and faith in a Presence and a Power that is greater than anything that can happen to us,
Verna Acker

GREETINGS FROM VERNA ACKER
REALTY EXECUTIVES Elite
414.534.7400
FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
Real Estate Information from Western Racine County; Waterford, WI 53185
September 19, 2001

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Truth Or Fiction Web Site You Might Find Interesting

TRUTH OR FICTION
All of us who use e-mail have been receiving many e-mails regarding the Terrorist Attack. We are receiving many news stories and items of interest; some are true and some are not. One of our local talk radio stations, 620TMJ, gave us a web site that will tell you whether items you receive are real or Уmade-up.Ф

For instance:
The Nostradamus story - FICTION
Light a Candle Tuesday 9/18 @9:30 CST for a Space Shuttle Picture - FICTION
CNN used 1991 Gulf War film showing celebrating Palestinians - FICTION
Satanic Image in Twin Towers smoke - Not a Hoax/ Not being called Fiction
Guns that look like cell phones - TRUTH

To check out stories as they come across cyberspace:
http://www.truthorfiction.com

To find out where you can help in the clean up and funding effort
http://www.libertyunites.org

GREETINGS FROM VERNA ACKER
REALTY EXECUTIVES Elite
414.534.7400
FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
Real Estate Information from Western Racine County; Waterford, WI 53185
September 27, 2001

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Source for Veterans Benefits
Text of President's Speech

VETERANS BENEFITS AND SOURCES FOR MILITARY BEING CALLED UP
This information has been taken from the Wisconsin Realtors Association Legal Update. It is of interest to anyone who may be called into military duty for the conflict that we find our selves a part of.

Soldier's and Sailor's Civil Relief Act
In this time of national tragedy, numerous reservists and members of the National Guard may be called to active duty and others may enter active duty. As these individuals serve in defense of our country, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 (SSCRA) affords them and their dependents protection with respect to their civilian obligations. SSCRA postpones or suspends certain civil obligations to enable active service members to devote full attention to duty and to account for the diminished income that many may encounter during military service. The protection begins on the date of entering active duty and ends within 30 to 90 days after discharge from active duty.

SSCRA provides the active military various protections with regard to their installment contracts, mortgage foreclosures, civil court proceedings, health and life insurance, income taxes, and execution of court judgments, attachments and garnishments. Most notable for REALTORSо and their clients, however, are the protections with respect to the termination of leases, rent, and maximum interest rates.

Termination of Leases
An active service member may terminate a residential, professional, business, or agricultural lease if the following two conditions are met:
* The lease was entered into by the service member before he or she started active duty; and The service member or his or her dependents have occupied the leased premises for residential, professional, business, or agricultural purposes.

To terminate a lease, the service member must deliver written notice to the landlord after the service member's call to active duty or receipt of orders for active duty. For month-to-month rentals, the termination notice operates in a manner similar to the way a 28-day notice works under Wisconsin law. The notice is effective 30 days after the date on which the next rental payment is due, following the date that the notice of termination is delivered. For example, if the rent is due on the first day of the month, and a termination notice is mailed on October 1, then the next rental payment is due and payable on November 1. The effective date of the lease termination is thirty days after that date - on December 1.

For all other leases, the lease termination is effective on the last day of the month following the month in which the written notice is delivered. For example, if proper notice of termination is given on September 20, the effective date of termination would be October 31.

The service member is required to pay rent through the effective day of the lease termination. If rent has been paid in advance, the landlord must prorate and refund the unearned portion. Security deposits must be returned to the service member upon termination of the lease.

Rent
Landlords cannot, without court permission, evict the dependents of an active service member from rented housing where the rent does not exceed $1,200.00 per month. The Court may delay such proceedings for up to three months.

Maximum Rate of Interest
If a service member incurred a loan or obligation with an interest rate over 6% prior to entering active service, the service member can make written application to the lender and not be obligated to pay interest in excess of 6% per annum during the service member's active military service. The protection is not available, however, if a court finds that the service member's ability to pay was not been materially affected.

The SSCRA is found in Title 50, Appendix, United States Code, зз 501-593. The following are some of the many Web sites containing additional information about the SSCRA:
http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/sscra/
http://www.defenselink.mil/specials/Relief_Act/
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/mcpocg/1geninfo/sscra.htm
http://www.carreonandassociates.com/soldiersact.html
http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/sscra/blsscra.htm

TEXT OF THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH TO CONGRESS AND THE NATION
I have the full speech and the introduction by J.C. Watts. If anyone would like it, just "e" back to me and I will forward it to you.