Feb. 17 will be the Linton-Stockton Chamber of Chamber's monthly meeting. We will meet at noon at the Linton Elks Lodge.

We would like to encourage all members to join us. We have an unusual program for the meeting and need participation from as many members as possible.

* The Linton Freedom Festival's annual Scholarship Pageant will be March 7 at the Linton-Stockton High School Auditeria. We have five young ladies from Linton-Stockton High School who will be participating in this year's event.

The Freedom Festival Queen and Court represent the Linton Freedom Festival throughout the 34 Days of June and at the Indiana State Festival Association's scholarship pageant in November.

* The Chamber will be hosting The Van-Dells on March 14 at the Linton-Stockton High School auditeria. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m.. Tickets are now available at the Chamber office. Ticket prices are $22 and $20.

Contact the Chamber office at 847-4846 or stop in at 159 1st Street NW to get your tickets. Proceeds from this event will benefit the Linton Freedom Festival.

* The Chamber's Spring Expo is scheduled for March 21 at the Linton National Guard Armory. This event is free to the public.

The hours for this year's Expo will be 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Concessions will be available.

Businesses and non-profits interested in participating can contact the Chamber office for more information.

* The Indiana State Department of Health is advising Hoosiers to check the growing list of products and brands associated with the expanded Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) voluntary recall.

To access the FDA's list go to www.fda.gov or call 1-888-463-6332 or consumers can call 2-1-1 (where available). State health officials urge anyone who has consumed a product with peanuts or peanut butter and is experiencing the symptoms of salmonella (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps) to talk to their health care provider.

* Attention businesses: A noticed was released today by Todd Rokita, Indiana Secretary of State, regarding fraudulent compliance requests to Hoosier businesses. His office advised that several businesses have reported receiving a deceptive letter that would appear to come from an official government source.

The letter solicits an annual fee of $125 or $150 and claims it will be used for record keeping and processing of a company's annual minutes. It gives the appearance of coming from a legitimate government agency and cites fictitious state law.

Specifically, copies of the letter that have been forwarded to his office that appear to come from the "Indiana Corporate Compliance Business Division." They include a return by date to give the false impression that action is necessary on your part.

This letter is not an official correspondence from his Business Services Division or any other Indiana state agency. Investigators are working with federal law enforcement to determine who is responsible for these letters and ensure they are stopped.

If you received one of these solicitations, ignore it! If you have already responded to such a letters and believe you are a victim of this scam, please call the Business Services Division at (317) 232-6576.

Please also remember you can securely comply with your legitimate business entity reporting requirements to the state securely online through the INBiz portal found on the Secretary of State's Web page at www.sos.in.gov/business . As always, the SOS office will provide you with a courtesy reminder when your report is due to be filed.

Legitimate notices from that office will include the state seal of Indiana and Todd Rokita's name.

Cheryl is the executive director of the Linton-Stockton Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached by telephone at 847-4846.