Al's Morning Meeting reader Dave Philipps sent a nice tip. He writes, "I reported in the Colorado Springs Gazette a few months ago on the City Police Department's overflowing, packed-to-the-ceiling evidence room. The cops are being swamped by evidence used in crimes (the normal guns and drugs, but also toilets and skateboards.) Part of it is because the town is growing, but the state's DA told me a larger part is a nationwide change in tactics by DAs.

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"'Now any piece of evidence that we leave behind becomes the piece of evidence that would have proved their client's innocence,' the DA told me. 'So we don't leave anything behind. It used to be, if there was blood on a wall, we would take a sample of the blood. Now we take the whole section on the wall.'

"I found this is happening in other places too. In Wisconsin, for example, a new law requires cops to preserve more evidence longer. The Reporter, (newspaper in Fond Du Lac, Wisc.) says, 'A new law governing the collection and storage of DNA evidence was designed to aid in the successful resolution of crimes but has created a storage problem for law enforcement. Act 16 requires crime labs, courts, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to preserve biological material collected in connection with criminal investigations that lead to convictions or commitments. While the statute requires preservation of the evidence, the question has become how much of that evidence must be preserved?'

"'If a sexual assault takes place in a car, we might inventory the whole car,' said Sgt. Milt Swantz, the detective in charge of the Fond du Lac Police Department's evidence room.'"

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Tax Deadline Two Weeks Away

Tax Mama, Eva Rosenberg, who is a regular reader and contributor to Al's Morning Meeting, has some useful links on her site to help your public.

10 Things You Didn't Tell Your Tax Pro:
http://www.taxmama.com/Articles/TellPro.html

Ten Ways to Invite An Audit:
http://taxmama.com/AskTaxMama/204/audit.html

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"Regional" Chamber of Commerce Alert

WSPA consumer reporter Terri Gruca, a frequent contributor to Al's Morning Meeting,sent us another good story. "The Better Business Bureau says a company calling itself the 'Regional Chamber of Commerce' is soliciting businesses throughout the U.S. Its promoters claim that paying dues will entitle businesses to medical benefits, office product discounts and other savings.

"Here's the problem, unlike a typical chamber of commerce -- which operates as a nonprofit organization -- the 'Regional Chamber of Commerce' is registered as a for-profit company in Florida and also has a mailbox in Washington, D.C. Businesses have reported to BBBs across the country that their callers say, 'I'm calling from the Chamber of Commerce to make sure we have your billing address correct' -- after which the firm is billed $389.

"An investigation by the BBB also revealed that the Florida and Washington, D.C. addresses are Mailboxes Etc. locations, while the entity's toll-free number reaches a call center in Toronto.

"According to Bureau file information, the Washington, D.C. Company has an unsatisfactory record due to an unanswered complaint. The Bureau has attempted to develop information about the company but as of today's date has received no reply. The other big factor is that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says it has no affiliation with the Regional Chamber of Commerce. This story has shown up in Indiana, Yakima, Washington, and in Oregon."

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Red, White and Blue Tattoo

Tattoo artists say the war in Iraq is having an impact on what they do -- creating the need for more red, white and blue ink.

The increased interest in patriotic tattoos is similar to what happened after Sept. 11, 2001.

Pennsylvania tattoo artist Jim Rossell said the war might not bring in more customers -- but he fully expects to do more flags, eagles and other patriotic designs.

At Bob's Body Art in Hanover, Pa., owner Bob Sponseller tattooed several soldiers before they shipped out a couple weeks ago.
 

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In Wartime, Pass the Sweets

With uncertainty again mounting over the war in Iraq, Marketocracy's best-performing fund managers, known as the M100, bought shares of Cadbury Schweppes and Safeway. Their reasoning? Forbes says wartime won't slow demand for consumer staples like soft drinks and groceries.

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