When you need specific information on the laws governing consumer practices in Ohio, check out “Ohio Consumer Law,” published annually by Baldwin and edited by the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. This valuable collection of consumer laws is written in everyday language. Both federal and state statues and court decisions applicable to Ohio consumer law are included in this volume. An example is Ohio’s lemon law, which provides legal remedies for new vehicles with defects.

Make sure you review the Ohio’s Public Utilities Commission website  when choosing and comparing residential utility costs, especially natural gas. Their Apples to Apples chart has current rate and contract information for natural gas and electric suppliers. If you need assistance in paying for your utility bills, the library has the HEAP applications.

For further assistance with consumer laws, please contact the Business and Government Department at 330-643-9020.

Another classic symbol of the West is the focus of Nobody’s Horses: The Dramatic Rescue of the Wild Herd of White Sands by Don Hoglund. In 1994, a dedicated group of cowboys, veterinarians and soldiers gathered to move almost two thousand wild horses to safety. The horses’ harsh traditional habitat, now part of New Mexico’s White Sands Missile Range, had become too dangerous for the historic herds’ survival. This appealing story tells how a very diverse group of people worked together to save part of America’s wild west heritage.

Or if you are heading to the tropics, consider Seeking the Sacred Raven by Mark Jerome Walters. This is a poetic account of the complicated struggle to save a venerated species once found in the thousands in Hawaii’s cloud forest. Politics and priorities clash in a hauntingly sad story about the local efforts to save the ‘alala, a bird with deep meaning in Polynesian culture. This beautiful raven is now extinct in the wild. View the Audubon WatchList for more information.

And this is a book you won’t forget- read it and amaze your friends with the story of Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky. The noble codfish holds a surprisingly significant place in both world and American history and culture.  This is a fascinating little book that somehow effortlessly combines politics, economics, biology and even recipes to tell the remarkable story of an important fish. Add in some geography and a dash of maritime law and you have a really wonderful read.

Fair Isaac Corporation invented the first credit scoring system in the 1980s.  Their model was called the Fico score.  It is probably still the most used score today.  Originally, this score was secretive and consumers did not have access to it.  Thanks to consumer advocates, this is no longer the case.  Not only do you have access to your Fico score, but there are other scores that have been created over the last decade or so that you can reference.  For example, all three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion have their own scores.  Also, newer offerings such as VantageScore, which is a model based on all three reporting agencies.

You can go to the above company websites and pay to observe your score, but there are free alternatives without a catch.  Creditkarma is such a service that provides free access to your TransUnion TransRisk and Vantage Scores.  It also allows the user to update their score once a month and has interactive tools that show how certain actions will effect it.  Quizzle also gives a free credit score and Experian credit report.  Beware of other sites which offer free credit scores, but will charge for some kind of service after 30 days or so.

There things you can do to help improve your score.  Among them are paying down credit card balances to increase your credit to debt ratio.  Pay your bills on time, one late payment can have an adverse effect.  Be sure to check your credit reports for any errors; you can get annual free credit reports from all three bureaus from a centralized website.

If you are interested in further information, the Business and Government Division has books on the subject.

Summit County residents are served by two of these specialized drug courts, Akron Municipal Drug Court  and Summit County Felony Drug Court .

Participation in Akron Municipal Drug Court includes requirements such as no more than one prior felony conviction, no violent criminalhistory, and no previous arrest or conviction for drug trafficking or distribution.  The Honorable Thomas McCarty presides over Akron Municipal Drug Court.

Summit County Felony Drug Court accepts cases on referral from Akron, Barberton, And Stow municipal courts.  Like Akron Municipal Drug Court, participants are screened and must meet certain requirements including a limited criminal history of a non-violent nature.  Their offense must be a fourth or fifth degree felony drug offense.   Judge Thomas A. Teodosio presides over this court.

Both courts work in partnership with the services of Oriana House.  Individuals participating in Drug Court benefit from increased supervision and drug testing, counseling from substance abuse treatment specialists, and both sanctions and incentives.

For more informationbcontact Jeff Sturmi, Akron Municipal Drug Court (330-375-2760) or Ashley Frank, Summit County Felony Drug Court (330-643-7844).

If you want ideas on how to recycle with minimal effort or how you can lessen your ecological footprint, Business and Government has some great books with simple ideas:

“The green book: the everyday guide to saving the planet one simple step at a time”, by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas Kostigen has hundreds of easy and accessible tips for those wanting to become more environmentally friendly.

“Practically green: your guide to ecofriendly decision-making”, by Micaela Preston offers simple do-it-yourself projects and ideas for green living.  She has recipes for making your own beauty products as well as a list of ingredients to avoid when purchasing personal care products.

“Do one green thing: saving the earth through simple everyday choices”, by Mindy Pennybacker also gives easy and affordable solutions for those wanting to make a difference.  Visit her website for more information.

Without investing much time or money, these books will influence the ecofriendly choices made in your daily lives, from food, to work, to clothing, to transportation, and recycling

You can also register at  jobs.ohio.com  or call 330-996-3320