Rivermist - April 2012

The Beacon

Volume 3, Issue 4

April 2012

BBBTips on Saving and Investing WHY Are Savings Important?

Each of us could quickly think of several reasons why we don’t save more money. Excuses range from the routine (there’s nothing left at the end of the month…any extra money goes to pay off debt) to the philosophical (who knows what the future might bring…I can’t live my life worrying about finances).

These excuses ignore two simple facts: personal savings are important and saving money is doable! Even the most modest savings account comes in handy for unexpected expenses, like car repairs or medical emergencies. Long-term, savings and investments can help us with major expenses, like buying a new house; pay for our children’s education; cover living expenses if we lose our jobs; and, provide financial security when we retire.

It’s scary to think that most of us have only enough in personal savings to cover one or two lost paychecks. We all need to save money to boost our financial security and contribute to our financial independence. And, by taking small steps, anyone can build their savings.

WHO Needs to Save?

Everyone does! If you’re a child or teen, establishing a savings account teaches you that money can grow if carefully managed and invested. If you’re an adult, building savings is both a practical necessity (to cover emergency expenses) and a necessary practice (to meet long-term financial goals). Even if you are in your senior years, the savings habit should continue. Inflation doesn’t stop because you Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc.

are getting older, and the cost of food, prescription drugs and other necessities keeps rising.

WHEN Should I Begin Saving?

It’s never too early to begin to save and it’s never too late. That means today is the perfect time to start!

HOW Do I Begin?

The best way to start saving is to play detective. Act like you’re trying to solve the mystery of “missed savings opportunities.”

Gather the facts, look for clues, talk to eye witnesses, determine motives, outline potential solutions and forge a plan to carefully track your new savings goals.

Gather the facts: Where are you going to get the money to put aside to save? You’ll have to gather information on how you currently spend the money that you bring in. Track your daily expenses for a week and then look at your once-a-month big expenses (rent or mortgage, car loan, credit card bills). Now mark each item with either an N for items that you Need or Necessities (rent, grocery bills, medicine, health insurance, gas) or a W for Want, those items that are luxuries or things that you want, not need (eating out, daily designer java, latest toys or technology gizmos).

Talk to eye witnesses: If you’re single, you can skip this step. If you have a family, they are “eye witnesses” to overall spending habits. Your spouse or partner can help identify suspect spending habits and set saving goals. Remember, those who contribute ideas are more likely to be supportive, so be sure to work together to devise a spending plan you both can agree to.

With kids, you can make it into a game. Suggest that if they are willing to make a sacrifice or two (give up a fast food meal for a The Beacon - April 2012

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The Beacon BBB Tips on Saving and Investing- (Cont. from Cover) home-cooked one), you’ll put some of the money saved into their own savings account. If they’re teenagers, ask for their suggestions for ways to cut expenses. Or perhaps they would be willing to take on babysitting, pet-sitting or other work part-time to help with clothing or activities expenses. This will enable you to save the money that you otherwise would have spent for those items.

Look for clues: Look for clues that identify “suspect” spending habits. First, review your list of Wants. Decide which two or three luxuries you can live without for a month. You might want to try making your own coffee each morning or bringing a bag lunch to work. How about reading the news online or checking books out of the library, instead of paying for subscriptions or new reading materials? Maybe you can forego one dinner out each week. Make choices you and your family can live with.

Now, review your Needs list. Believe it or not, there are savings that can be gained from these items. Perhaps there is a less expensive grocery store in your community or you can save on food expenses by buying in bulk or using coupons. If you drive to work, calculate the cost of gas, car maintenance and insurance and parking fees.

Would it be less expensive to take public transportation or join a carpool? If credit card debt is a big expense, look into lower rate credit cards or transferring your balances to a home equity loan.

When was the last time you looked at refinancing your mortgage?

With interest rates low, it might make sense to refinance and bank the extra monthly savings.

Determine motives: Identifying your motive(s) for saving will help strengthen your commitment to put aside a set amount each week or each month. What is important to you? What keeps you awake at night? Do you worry about your car that’s on its last legs? Does credit card debt eat away at you? Do you have two children nearing college age? Are you wondering if you’ll have enough money to retire in time to enjoy life?

Now, consider your dreams. Do you yearn for a bigger house or moving to a safer neighborhood? Do you envision being able to provide your children a better education that you received?

Put together a list of financial goals that will assist in eliminating some worries and achieving your dreams. These goals will serve as your motivations for saving more money. List the most important goals first and estimate the cost of reaching those goals. Now indicate whether the goal is short-term or long-term. Short-term goals are those you’d like to achieve in one or two years, like buying a new appliance. Long-term goals, like saving to for a new house or your children’s college education, will most likely take five years or more to achieve Outline potential solutions: You can start small and build from there. Small changes in spending habits can yield big savings down the line.

Pull out your Needs and Luxury lists to figure out where you can cut expenses. Put together a list of cost-saving steps, indicating the amount you expect to save weekly by forgoing that expense. Your plan might look like this: 2

The Beacon - April 2012

Forgo daily designer java (weekly savings of $6.50) Stop buying lottery tickets each week ($3.00) Switch long-distance phone service ($5.00) Refinance mortgage ($30) Carpool to work ($25) Cut back on restaurant meals ($25) Forge a plan to track your savings goals: This means formalizing a budget. A budget is simply a spending plan that helps you to forecast and control your expenses. Write down your take home pay and then put together a list of your monthly expenses. Take into account the cost-saving actions that you have identified from your Needs and Wants lists. You should have a sum of money now that’s been freed up for saving. If not, go back and review your expenses again and decide what can be eliminated, curbed or refinanced.

Don’t finalize your budget plan until you’ve tested it for a few weeks. Is it working? Are there revisions you need to make? Maybe you’ve become energized enough to make even more cutbacks!

Remember, the goal is to spend less than you earn. That gives you money to put into personal savings.

WHAT Do I Do Next?

Savings means putting some of your money away for emergencies or a short-term goal. To do so, you’ll need to gather some basic information, select a financial institution and establish an emergency fund.

Gather basic information What is the interest rate? Savings accounts are designed to keep your money safe and help it grow. Your bank or credit union pays you a fee, called interest, when you leave your money on deposit. APY (annual percentage yield) after an interest rate indicates the amount your money would earn if left on deposit for one year.

Look for savings products that pay compound interest. Compound interest allows you to earn interest on both your deposit and the interest that it earns as time goes on. Simple interest pays interest only on your deposits.

What do I need to open a savings account? To open a savings account, you will most likely need two forms of identification, one with a picture on it, and be asked to provide your Social Security number.

Ask about fees and withdrawal penalties: Ask the financial institution what amount is required for an initial deposit. Amounts will vary from only $1 to several hundred dollars. Find out if you need to keep a minimum amount on deposit for the account to remain open. Check to make sure that the savings plan you choose does not charge for withdrawing money.

Select a Savings Institution Before opening a savings account with a bank or other financial institution, find out whether the account is insured by the federal government. Savings accounts at banks are insured by the federal government (FDIC) for up to $100,000.

Credit unions are nonprofit savings and lending organizations that provide services to members who have a common bond, such as working for the same company or belonging to the same church.

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The Beacon (Continued from Page 2) Credit unions offer savings accounts (called share accounts) and other financial services. Deposits in federal and state chartered credit unions are insured for up to $100,000 through the National Credit Union Administration.

To get the best interest rate, services and convenient locations, you’ll want to compare several financial institutions.

Establish an Emergency Fund Consider your short-term savings needs first. If you haven’t done so already, you’ll need to put money aside into an “emergency fund,” which can help cover expenses in case you lose your job, suffer an injury or are hit with another type of unexpected financial demand.

This money should equal at least three months of take home pay for the family’s primary breadwinner.

You’ll want to be able to withdraw money from your emergency fund quickly and easily, without financial penalty. Accounts that can be accessed on short notice include a savings account, credit union share account, a money market deposit account or a shortterm certificate of deposit (CD). While government-insured savings accounts do not earn much interest, the money remains safe and easy to access. Short-term certificates of deposit might pay a little more than a savings account, and can be purchased for terms as short as one month. Compare interest rates at different institutions before making your selection.

One easy way to build your savings account is to arrange to have money automatically transferred from your checking account to your savings account each payday. Ask your bank if they offer such a service. If your employer offers automatic payroll deposit, you might be able to designate a portion of your paycheck to be deposited into your checking account and another portion put into your savings account. That way, you needn’t worry about finding money left over to add to your savings at the end of the month.

HOW Do I Meet Long-term Financial Goals?

To meet long-term goals, you will want to consider buying investment products that increase in value and earn much more money than no-risk savings accounts. Investment assets include retirement plans, stocks and bonds, mutual funds and your home or other real estate. In the U.S., the greatest source of wealth for most households is the value of their homes.

To meet long-term goals, most experts advise that you will need to save at least 5 percent of your after-tax earnings each year. If this is hard to do, start with a smaller percentage.

When selecting an investment product, you’ll want to consider risks and rewards. Everyone would like to earn the highest possible return on their money. But as the return goes higher, so does the risk that you might lose your money. Savings accounts and bank CDs that are insured by the FDIC offer a smaller return than other types of investments because they are safer. In contrast, stocks, bonds and mutual funds are not insured by the federal government and historically have earned more in the long run.

Certificate of deposits (CDs) are a safe way to make your money grow. They provide a higher return than savings accounts, with little or no risk. CDs sold by banks and some brokerage companies are Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc.

insured by the FDIC up to $100,000 per depositor.

CD interest rates vary widely, as do the terms of maturity (anywhere from one month to several years). In general, the longer you leave your money on deposit, the higher the interest rate you’ll earn. If you cash out a CD before the maturity period ends, you’ll most likely pay a penalty.

Money Market Deposit Accounts usually earn slightly higher interest than a savings account, permit easy access to your money and offer the security of FDIC insurance. However, there are typically initial deposit requirements of $1,000 or more and you may be limited in the number of withdrawals or transfers you can make within a given period of time.

Treasury securities are considered safe and secure investments because they are guaranteed by the U.S. government. These products include savings bonds and Treasury bills. Savings bonds can be purchased in denominations ranging from $50 to $10,000. You buy the bonds at a discount from their value at maturity. While interest rates vary, you will always get a minimum return. Savings bonds offer you ready access to your funds and are not subject to federal or state income tax. Information on the types of savings bonds that are available and details on Treasury bills can be found at the Savings Bonds web site (www.savingsbonds.gov).

Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are savings accounts designed to help people put away up to $3,000 per year for their retirement. (People over 50 can deposit $3,500 per year.) Federal regulations require that IRAs be managed by a custodian, such as a bank, credit union, insurance company, mutual fund or brokerage firm.

There are two kinds of IRAs, traditional and Roth IRAs. Traditional IRAs give account holders a break on income taxes because you can fund the account with pre-tax income and deduct contributions in the current tax year. You don’t owe income taxes on your contributions or investment earnings until withdrawal, usually after you are 59 and a half. If you withdraw money from your IRA before that time, you are generally subject to a 10% penalty in addition to the income tax you will owe.

Roth IRAs are not tax-deferred (you invest after-tax income), but earnings are tax-free. If you are over age 59 and a half, or disabled, Roth IRA withdrawals are not subject to federal income tax as long as the account is at least five years old. You may make withdrawals at a younger age if you are using the money for qualified first-time homebuyer expenses of up to $10,000. For more information on IRAs, visit the Internal Revenue Service web site at www.irs.gov.

If you contribute to a traditional IRA and a Roth, your combined contributions in 2004 can’t exceed $3,000. (The combined limit for people over 50 is $3,500 per year.)

Employer Savings Plans may be one of the best retirement vehicles available to you. Nearly half of all employers offer some type of contribution to their employees’ retirement savings. While contributing to a 401(k) plan will probably reduce your take-home pay, consider the advantages. If your employer offers matching funds, that will help you to maximize your retirement savings. And, at tax (Continued on Page 4) The Beacon - April 2012

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The Beacon (Continued from Page 3) time, you will owe less money because the portion of your salary that you contributed to your employer’s retirement plan is not taxable.

Stocks permit investors to acquire shares of a company’s assets.

When you buy stock, you become an “owner” of the company, which can be a risky venture! Remember, unlike FDIC-insurance deposits, the money you invest in securities, mutual funds, and other similar investments, is not federally insured. If you buy stock, you may lose a portion or all of your initial investment if the company does poorly. Conversely, you may see the stock increase in value beyond what you would have earned with a less risky investment product.

Do not blindly follow anyone’s advice about stocks without checking out the information for yourself.

Mutual funds provide individuals with a means to “diversify” or spread out the risk of investing over a large number of companies.

Mutual funds are portfolios of stocks, bonds and other securities managed by professionals in which the public can buy shares. You can often invest with a small amount of money and once invested, you share in the fund’s gains, losses and expenses. Before selecting a mutual fund, look carefully at how much the fund will cost you over the amount of time you plan to own its shares.

ONE more thing…

People who are new to the investment world, or who are seeking quick, unrealistic returns on their investments, can fall victim to scam artists. Don’t let greed or hasty decisions over-rule common sense. To avoid being scammed by fraudulent investment offers, the Better Business Bureau suggests that you: Never divulge your personal information or account numbers in response to phone calls or letters from unknown companies or individuals. Be especially skeptical if the sales pitch includes promises of guaranteed profits or yields that far exceed traditional investments.

Deal with legitimate, reputable financial institutions. Contact the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) for a reliability report on the company.

Always check to see if the investment seller is licensed and registered in your state. If they are not, they may be operating illegally. Call you state securities regulator to find out (for contact information, visit www.nasaa.org or look in the white pages of your telephone directory under “government.”)

Get key details in writing and independently research the investment. Reputable companies will be happy to answer questions or provide written documentation. The documentation should contain enough clear and accurate information to allow you or your financial adviser to evaluate and verify the particulars of the investment. If a company will not disclose information in writing, do not invest.

Never respond to heavy sales pressures, and do not invest in anything you don’t fully understand. Consult a financial planner or other professional if you have any doubts.

If it sounds “too good to be true,” it usually is! Claims that promise high returns along with “little or no” risks should be thoroughly investigated. Get a professional opinion when presented with investment opportunities that offer unusually high returns in comparison to other investment options.

For More Information 4

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American Savings Education Council (www.asec.org) offers advice on saving for college, home purchases and retirement.

Bankrate (www.bankrate.com) provides current rates for CDs and money market accounts at various financial institutions.

Consumer @ction (www.consumer-action.org) offers publications on making your money work for you.

The Credit Union National Association (www.creditunion.coop) can help you locate a credit union to join.

The Federal Citizen Information Center (www.pueblo.gsa.gov) has publications to help you manage your money and finances (including “About…Building Financial Freedom”).

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (www.fdic.gov) offers facts about bank savings products and investments.

The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (www. napfa.org) offers tips on planning for your future and locating a qualified financial planner.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Web site (www. sec.gov) has information on saving and investing.

ABOUT BBBTips BBBTips™ is a trademark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. (CBBB) used for information provided to assist consumers and businesses in making informed and intelligent decisions. BBBTips™ are developed in partnership with the Better Business Bureau Consumer Education Foundation, Inc. and made possible, in part, through the generous financial and technical support provided by corporate sponsors that are members of the CBBB and of the Better Business Bureau where the sponsor is headquartered. As a matter of policy, the CBBB and Better Business Bureaus do not endorse any product, service or company.

www.bbb.org

Sign up for email alerts by registering at www.Spectrumam.com Our management website is a treasure trove of information regarding neighborhood policies, community events, community safety and other helpful items. You can pay your assessment fee online and can also sign up to receive email updates/alerts that are sent out by the Board of Directors and site managers. If you need help registering or need to have your password reset, call our site manager, Jason Green at (210) 705-1121.

Your Board of Directors

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The Beacon IRS Refunds from Prior Years

Six Tips For Reducing Tax Time Stress

IRS HAS $1 BILLION FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT FILED A 2008 INCOME TAX RETURN IR-2012-26, FEB. 23, 2012

IRS TAX TIP 2012-50, MARCH 14, 2012

WASHINGTON — Refunds totaling more than $1 billion may be waiting for one million people who did not file a federal income tax return for 2008, the Internal Revenue Service announced today.

However, to collect the money, a return for 2008 must be filed with the IRS no later than Tuesday, April 17, 2012.

The IRS estimates that half of these potential 2008 refunds are $637 or more.

Some people may not have filed because they had too little income to require filing a tax return even though they had taxes withheld from their wages or made quarterly estimated payments. In cases where a return was not filed, the law provides most taxpayers with a three-year window of opportunity for claiming a refund. If no return is filed to claim a refund within three years, the money becomes property of the U.S. Treasury.

For 2008 returns, the window closes on April 17, 2012. The law requires that the return be properly addressed, mailed and postmarked by that date. There is no penalty for filing a late return qualifying for a refund.

The IRS reminds taxpayers seeking a 2008 refund that their checks may be held if they have not filed tax returns for 2009 and 2010.

In addition, the refund will be applied to any amounts still owed to the IRS, and may be used to offset unpaid child support or past due federal debts such as student loans.

By failing to file a return, people stand to lose more than refunds of taxes withheld or paid during 2008. Some people, especially those who did not receive an economic stimulus payment in 2008, may qualify for the Recovery Rebate Credit. In addition, many low-and moderate-income workers may not have claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC helps individuals and families whose incomes are below certain thresholds. The thresholds for 2008 were: $38,646 ($41,646 if married filing jointly) for those with two or more qualifying children, $33,995 ($36,995 if married filing jointly) for people with one qualifying child, and $12,880 ($15,880 if married filing jointly) for those with no qualifying children.

For more information, visit the EITC Home Page on IRS.gov.

Current and prior year tax forms and instructions are available on the Forms and Publications page of IRS.gov or by calling tollfree 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676). Taxpayers who are missing Forms W-2, 1098, 1099 or 5498 for 2008, 2009 or 2010 should request copies from their employer, bank or other payer. If these efforts are unsuccessful, taxpayers can get a free transcript showing information from these year-end documents by ordering it on IRS. gov, filing Form 4506-T, or by calling 800-908-9946.

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Tax preparation doesn’t need to give you a headache. There are several ways to make it easier on yourself. The IRS offers six tips to help make your tax-filing experience a breeze this year.

Don’t procrastinate. Resist the temptation to put off your taxes until the very last minute. Rushing to meet the filing deadline may cause you to overlook potential sources of tax savings and will likely increase your risk of making an error.

Visit the IRS website. More than 322 million visits were made to www.irs.gov in 2011. Make “1040 Central” your first stop to check for the latest news and find answers to your questions about tax filing.

Use Free File. Let Free File do the hard work with brand-name tax software or online fillable forms. It’s available exclusively at www. irs.gov. Everyone can find an option to prepare their tax return and e-file it for free. If you made $57,000 or less, you qualify for free tax software that is offered through a private-public partnership with manufacturers. If you made more than $57,000 and/or are comfortable preparing your own tax return, there’s Free File Fillable Forms, the electronic versions of IRS paper forms. Visit www.irs. gov/freefile for options.

Try IRS e-file. Last year, 79 percent of taxpayers - 106 million people - used IRS e-file, which is the safest, easiest and most common way to file a tax return. If you owe taxes, you can file immediately and pay later (by the April 17 tax deadline). Best of all, when you combine e-file with direct deposit the IRS can generally issue your refund in as few as 10 days.

Don’t panic if you can’t pay. If you can’t pay the full amount of taxes you owe by the mid-April deadline, you should still file your return by the deadline and pay as much as you can to avoid penalties and interest. More than 75 percent of taxpayers eligible for an Installment Agreement can apply using the web-based Online Payment Agreement application available at www.irs.gov. To find out more about this simple and convenient process, type “Online Payment Agreement” in the search box at www.irs.gov. You can also contact the IRS to discuss your payment options.

Request an extension of time to file – but pay on time. If the deadline clock is ticking, you can get an automatic six-month extension through Oct. 15. However, this extension of time to file, which must be filed or postmarked by the April 17 deadline, does not give you more time to pay any taxes due. If you have not paid at least 90 percent of the total tax due by the April deadline you may also be subject to an estimated tax penalty. You can obtain an extension through Free File at www.irs.gov/freefile. Or, file Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, available for downloading at www. irs.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676) to have a paper form mailed to you. Allow at least 10 days for mailed forms and publications.

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The Beacon

Neighborhood Garage Sale

The Board of Directors is tentatively planning a neighborhood garage sale on the 21st of April. The Board of Directors will have ads placed in the local paper and on Craigslist to advertise the event. Stay tuned to the Spectrum Management Website and the Rivermist Facebook page for more information.

Pro Tree Care Arbor

Ross Hosea, Owner ISA Certified Arborist #TX-3811A Texas Oak Wilt Certified San Antonio native with more than 20 years experience Trimming ● Removal ● Planting Free Estimates

(210) 912-4869 or rosshosea@hotmail.com

Dear Homeowner,

Here at Spectrum we strive to make the transition to our company as seamless and problem free as possible.

This article is just a reminder on the different ways you can pay your homeowner association dues. The most traditional method of coming to our office to pay is available. Our address is 17319 San Pedro, Suite 318, San Antonio, TX 78232. You can also register at www.spectrumam. com and login to pay your dues by e-check or credit card. We accept payment from Mastercard, Discover and American Express. On this site you can also setup recurring payments, view current reports of any ACC requests, Violations, governing documents, upcoming events and other information. For your security, we do not take credit card payments over the phone. If you ever have questions on how to register or how to review something on the website, please feel free to contact us. Our policy is to return all calls and emails the same day. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and once again, feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

Regards,

Jason M. Green Community Manager Office: 210.494.0659 www.spectrumam.com

1 FREE Nail Trim* 6

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The Beacon Help Katie find her Forever Home!

By Debora Estes

Its springtime in San Antonio and its wonderful to see everyone in Rivermist out walking their dogs and enjoying our beautiful neighborhood and weather!!! After watching everyone out with their dogs over the years I finally broke down and adopted two dogs last year (I thought I would just get one but he fell in love…) One day I met one of our members, Polly Miller, out walking four dogs and they were all so well behaved! Polly is active duty military and in her off time she fosters abandoned dogs, trains them, gets them shots and fixed and helps find them “Forever Homes.” She also fosters puppies for the military that will one day become Search and Rescue dogs. Polly has a foster dog, Katie, who is just the sweetest girl (see her kissing me in the photo) and needs to find her “Forever Family.” Katie is about three years old, has all her shots and just had a negative heartworm test, is spayed, completely housebroken, knows all her basic commands, is great with other dogs and cats and doesn’t chew or destroy anything (unlike my huge puppy.) She is great with children and would be a wonderful addition to any family and if you’re single she would be your best friend!! Katie is great on a leash and ready to walk with you all over Rivermist-believe me, dogs are cheaper and better exercise than going to a gym!!!

If you think Katie could be the dog for you please e-mail Polly at jessiesgirl80@ hotmail.com or me at hoa.bod@rivermistsa.com so we can introduce you to her.

I will also bring Katie with me to the HOA’s Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday April 7th so everyone can meet her there-let’s find this great girl a home!!!

If you want to adopt a dog or cat there are excellent resources available to you all over San Antonio; we have excellent vets and dog trainers and you can check out dog books and DVDs for free from the San Antonio Public Library (they even have “The Dog Whisperer” DVDs available.) Grown up dogs, like Katie, make excellent pets because many are housebroken and they have gone through the destructive puppy phase but if you want a puppy, an older dog a cat or even a bird then please check out one of our many animal rescue organizations. There is the Animal Defense League (www.animaldefenseleague.org), the Humane Society (www.sahumane.org) and SA Animal Care Services (www.sanantonio.gov/ AnimalCare) and they all post photos online of animals available for adoption and offer you help and advice when you visit.

So get out there Rivermist and adopt a pet and we will see you on our walks!!

Remember when you rescue an animal you might just be rescuing yourself!!!

Debora Estes has been on the HOA Board for two years and is one of its two vice presidents. You may have seen her out with her two unruly “furry children”, Fratt and Chelsea. Debora will be writing about Rivermist pet issues in upcoming newsletters so if you have any questions or suggestions please e-mail her at hoa. bod@rivermistsa.com. The Bexar County Rivemist Board of Directors and the Beacon newsletter do not endorse any individual or business featured in the newsletter. Please exercise due diligence before adopting any pet.

Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc.

Stage One Water Restrictions END FOR SAN ANTONIO (3/5/12)

San Antonio Water System, in consultation with City Manager Sheryl Sculley, announces the end to Stage One drought restrictions effective Tuesday, March 6. Year-round watering restrictions are reinstated effective tomorrow.

“After 10 months, we will finally be out of oncea-week watering restrictions, but keep in mind that year-round restrictions do apply,” said Chuck Ahrens, SAWS Vice President of Water Resources and Conservation. “That means you can water on any day, but still only before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m.”

“We have seen drought restrictions halt a precipitous drop in the aquifer during one of the driest years on record. By working together as a community, we were able to hold off more stringent watering restrictions while gaining more time for the drought to abate.”

San Antonio entered Stage One drought restrictions last April, and progressed to Stage Two drought restrictions on May 31. Earlier this year, Stage Two restrictions were lifted, and San Antonio has remained in Stage One restrictions.

To c o m e o u t o f Stage One restrictions, water levels at the J-17 Edwards monitoring well had to stay above 660 feet for 30 days, per city ordinance. Water levels rose to 661.3 feet on Februar y 5, and have stayed above 660 feet since then.

“Watering once per week is more than enough to keep your yard healthy in current weather conditions,” added Ahrens. “The rainy weather may not continue all spring, so we ask San Antonians to continue conserving water to hold off the need for watering restrictions for as long as possible.”

As a reminder, San Antonio has year-round watering restrictions in place when the aquifer level is above 660 feet. Year-round restrictions include: Water waste is prohibited at all times. Allowing water to run off into a gutter, ditch or drain or failing to repair a controllable leak is considered water waste.

Landscape watering with an irrigation system or sprinkler is permitted any day of the week, before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m.

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The Beacon

Spring Carnival

and Easter Egg Hunt The Board of Directors has planned a Spring Carnival and Easter Egg Hunt to be held at the neighborhood park on April 7th, 2012 at 10 am. There will be two bouncy castles, a mobile video game truck, a visit from the Easter Bunny and more!! Stay tuned to the Spectrum Website and the Rivermist Facebook page for more information.

Check us out on the web at www.rivermistsa.com Our community website is a treasure trove of information regarding community events, community safety and other helpful items. You can sign up to receive email updates/alerts that are sent out by our talented webmaster.

Sincerely, Your Board of Directors 8

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Copyright Š 2012 Peel, Inc