The weather might fluctuate this time of year, but there’s no denying that we are edging closer to winter all the time. With the colder weather, we start thinking more and more about the holiday season right around the corner. I am ready to celebrate our state’s bountiful harvest with a table covered with plates of delicious food, surrounded by family and friends.

I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you to the citizens of the 21st Senatorial District for allowing me the privilege of serving you in the General Assembly. I know the trust that you have bestowed on me, and I do not take my duties as your elected official lightly. I will continue to sponsor and push for legislation that is beneficial to the 21st District and all Missourians as we head into the 2014 legislative session in just a few short weeks.

I am happy to see that some of the tough decisions the legislature had to make over the last few years are paying off. Hearing the governor’s recent plan to fully fund education in our state is, in my mind, a great springboard to begin the Second Regular Session of the 97th General Assembly. I know we have some issues to work through, but I fully believe that “free and fair discussion will ever be found the firmest friend to truth.” That quote is on the wall of the chamber of the Missouri Senate, and should serve as a guide as we debate legislation important to our state.

However, before we get to the opening day of the next session on Jan. 9, 2014, we still get to enjoy Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Unfortunately, those brightly lit stores filled with the sounds of Christmas carols and busy shoppers are also a magnet for dishonest activities. Criminals are always looking for new ways to steal your hard-earned dollars. According to the National Consumer League (NCL) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), five of the most often used scams are fake Internet sales, fake checks, fake prizes or sweepstakes, phishing/spoofing, and credit card schemes. Putting your credit card information over the Internet increases the potential for thieves to gain access to your basic information.

“Phishing” and “spoofing” are two most often used methods of obtaining information. Phishing is when the thief attempts to get information by copying e-mail addresses, passwords, or credit card numbers through unsecure Internet sources or calling someone in regards to a debit card and asking for personal information to verify identity. Criminals also use spoofing, such as when an Internet page is created to look exactly like a real site, but will copy the visitor’s financial information when a purchase is attempted. Both of these lead to identity theft, a difficult crime to control, as it can often be weeks or even months before the deception is found. Please be alert to these scams for your own protection and the protection of your family. To be safe, only visit trusted websites and never provide your private information over the phone when you did not initiate the call.

Missourians should not have to spend this precious time worrying about deceptive criminal activity. The holiday season is meant to be spent with family, enjoying camaraderie and making memories. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. The Capitol office of the 21st District will be closed Nov. 28 and Nov. 29, so that my staff and I can enjoy the holiday with family.