Local governments throughout Washtenaw County, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and FEMA will host a Flood Risk Information Open House for residents on Wednesday, April 30, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. at the Ypsilanti Township Board Room. County residents will have an opportunity to review a recently completed preliminary Flood Insurance Study (FIS) and its accompanying preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about flood risk and hazard mitigation.

Starting in May 2008, the U.S. Treasury Dept. will begin sending Economic Stimulus Payments to more than 130 million individuals. The stimulus payments will go out through the late spring and summer. The IRS has created a web site to provide info on how the program will work. Please note especially the warning on E-Mail and Telephone "Advance Payment" Scams using the IRS name. Let's be careful out there!

Your house is one of your most valuable possessions. If you are facing financial uncertainty which could threaten making your mortgage payments on time, there is a source of free advice that could help. MSU Extension is holding a series of free seminars at various locations across the county on preventing foreclosure. Register now because space is limited.

If you're an NPR listener, you might have noticed a veritable media blitzkrieg for Bob Sullivan, popular columnist for MSNBC business exposé blog The Red Tape Chronicles. Recently, Sullivan has appeared on Marketplace and Fresh Air. Could Talk of the Nation be next?

Sullivan has been plugging his new book on something near and not-so-dear to all of our hearts: hidden fees. Whether they be from your bank, your credit card company, or your cell phone carrier, fees seem not only like a way of life for consumers, but a viable business model. And a source of higher blood pressure. Gotcha Capitalism details these pocketbook-draining schemes, and how to avoid them.

Of course, you've already proven yourself an intelligent consumer. You can avoid all sorts of hidden fees from bookstores and credit companies alike by checking out the book from us. Providing you return it on time, of course!

Like a lot of locals I’m thrilled to have the Google Company move to town. However when I’m looking for information I’ve grown tired of the typical search result of millions of hits. Too many answers are useless to me. Maybe you’ve got time to go thru them all. I don’t.

Fortunately I’m not alone in my frustration. Try Clusty search engine. It searches for your requested information and presents the results in clusters. It’s a refreshing way to get the answers. Try it! You’ll like it. I did.

Power consumption and sustainability methods being used locally were the focus of the 12th Annual University of Michigan Energy Fest. The Library’s Malletts Creek Branch’s green roof was highlighted. For suggestions on energy management and green computing, check out the web site of the host of the Energy Fest, the University of Michigan Utilities and Plant Engineering.

Local, state and federal agencies are providing assistance and information for homeowners having difficulty meeting their mortgage payments or facing foreclosure. Washtenaw County's Mortgage Foreclosure Prevention website gives you the names and phone numbers of the people in the Treasurer's Office that are trained and ready to help. There's plenty of online information at the site too. The state government's Office of Financial Services offers more tips for consumers. The FHA, Federal Housing Administration is launching the "FHASecure" refinancing program effective immediately and expects some 240,000 homewowners to qualify.

Do you ever want to measure how much electricity something uses? With an energy meter you can find out just how much electricity your appliances are using. Simply plug the appliance or device into the meter, plug the meter into an outlet and then read the display. Sounds handy, doesn’t it? If this is of interest to you, the AADL has energy meters that you can check out for home use.

How much water are you using at home? More than last year or last month? If you live in Ann Arbor you can now find out all kinds of info about your water usage and billing by following the My Property link on the City's web site. This new web service gives you daily, quarterly, monthly, multi-year usage charts and graphs. Notice a sudden spike in usage? A dripping faucet or leaky pipe may be the cause. Time for a plumbing repair book.

Got your eye on a new grill? Replacing that old air conditioner? If you'd like to review the product information in Consumer Reports, the AADL can help - and you don't even need to leave home!

Library card holders can access full text articles from the magazine using the General OneFile database, accessible from the Research page. Once you're at the InfoTrac site, choose the Advanced Search screen to limit your search by publication and enter "Consumer Reports" into the publication title box.

Of course, if you’re coming to the library, you can still find the print copy of Consumer Reports at all of our branches.

With DaimlerChrysler's recent sale of the Chrysler Group to Cerberus Capital Management, you may have been left with the same question I was: who on earth is Cerberus Capital Management?

Fortunately, AADL's fearless research databases (available on the research page) can help us out. The Business and Company Resource Center provides quick access to summaries, financial data, management information, and articles on thousands of companies, including Cerberus Capital Management. Check it out!

Getting the best deal on gas has never been more important and the MSN Local Gas Prices database will let you comparison shop without wasting fuel. If the “it could always be worse” argument helps, put in a San Francisco zip code (94102) after you’ve checked out Washtenaw County prices. The AAA Fuel Cost Calculator lets you determine how much your next road trip will cost. Michigan travel looks better and better.

The 2007 Consumer Reports Annual April Auto Issue is now at the library. All locations have non-circulating copies.

This issue is jam-packed with lists of the best & worst vehicles for reliability, owner satisfaction, fuel economy, and performance.

As well as sections on:

The best vehicles for under $25,000.

Ratings for 258 recently tested vehicles.

Profiles of 250 models including pricing, reliability, and specifications.

Crash-test ratings and safety equipment for 250 vehicles.

The ten top picks of the year.

The State of Michigan has a new website, Be Winterwise, to assist qualifying seniors and low-income customers who may be eligible for help in paying heating bills. The 2007 Michigan Energy Assistance Directory, developed by the Coalition to Keep Michigan Warm, provides information on private and public programs that offer energy assistance, and a county by county listing of utilities, programs and resources available. There’s also energy savings tips for your home and energy efficient products lists.