When searching for an affordable apartment, one of the biggest concerns is whether the landlord will demonstrate a commitment to serving the tenant. It is the landlord’s responsibility to ensure that the home is safe and maintained. However, many landlords try to keep costs low by minimizing the staff and postponing repairs.

Very unethical landlord practices can put both the tenant’s health and property in jeopardy. Fire hazards can lead to actual fires that can consume everything that the tenant owns. To protect themselves in the event of a fire, break-in or other disaster, tenants should consider looking for renters insurance at RentersInsurance.com.

Few renters want the hassle of dealing with a dishonest, unethical or unreliable landlord, especially if the tenant has to go through the trouble of suing the landlord or the expense of terminating the lease early. Fortunately, there are ways that tenants can identify and avoid bad landlords in the first place.

The first telltale sign of a bad landlord is the condition of the property. Most landlords try to get the property in the best condition possible in order to impress potential renters. If the apartment already appears to be of low-quality, that is a sign that the landlord isn’t responsible.

Another way to determine if the landlord is reliable is his or her overall attitude. If the landlord does not behave in a professional and courteous manner, this is a sign that the landlord does not have good character. Many tenants get an unsettling feeling when they first meet a disreputable landlord.

The Internet can be a handy tool in identifying bad landlords, since wronged tenants are often eager to voice their frustrations. Many websites list user reviews of apartments. If none are available, the apartment seer could consider approaching one of the current tenants to ask about his or her experiences.

Another approach is to try to determine whether there are any legal incidents that the landlord has been involved in. Most landlords do not change their behaviors and any repeated legal troubles that the landlord has been involved in can be a sign of things to come.

Before signing a lease, the tenant should learn his or her legal rights. Even though many poor tenants can be spotted, the tenant should be prepared in the event that the landlord turns out to be irresponsible.

http://www.themovingblog.com/renters-insurance-moving/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=renters-insurance-moving

Don't be a victim of a moving scam. Do your research on any moving company thoroughly. And be careful of NJ Elite Movers!

A woman who moved this month from from Ridge Road in the township to New York state is missing the entire contents of her five-room home in what authorities say looks like a moving company scam.

The victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Jefferson police ­on Jan. 5 that ­the moving company, NJ Elite Movers of Garfield, quoted her $1,500 to relocate her to a new home in Chestnut Ridge, N.Y.

The movers packed her stuff into their truck and then told her she would have to pay an additional $600, according to her statement to police. She agreed the company would take possession of her belongings until she paid in full. When she tried to schedule delivery the following week, she found the phone number had been disconnected, police said.

Jefferson Police Capt. Eric F. Wilsusen said his department has been in touch with the Garfield police about the incident.

“It’s pretty clear that NJ Elite Movers is a fictitious company,” he said. “And if there are other victims out there, we want to let them know.”

NJ Elite Mover’s website claims to be a fully licensed and insured moving company with a high standard of excellence. The company boasts a page of hand-written testimonials. The phone number listed on the website has been disconnected.

Websites dedicated to reviewing moving services reveal complaints about false quotes and stolen property. “They are liars,” one user wrote. “They should be put behind bars.”

NJ Elite Movers has also received an “F” rating by the Better Business Bureau for failure to respond to 38 of 42 complaints filed about poor service.

Capt. Darren Sucorowski of the Garfield Police Department said two incidents involving the moving company were reported in December.

“On Dec. 21 and Dec. 27 individuals filed reports that their items were being held at Safe & Secure storage at 141 Lanza Ave in Garfield,” he said. “The disputes started elsewhere, but a contract was signed between the victims and NJ Elite Movers.”

Sucorowski said both reports show the same pattern.

“An initial price was quoted, but once the movers packed up the trucks they said it would be a higher price,” he said. “The movers said they had to hold onto the belongings until full payment was rendered. In both cases the individuals did not see their belongings again.”
Garfield police visited the storage location on Dec. 28.

“The storage facility is owned by a separate company,” Sucorowski said. “An officer spoke with an employee of Safe & Secure storage, who attempted to contact the owner of NJ Elite Movers, who rents the locker. The contact number was no longer in service.”

The incidents are still under investigation, and the storage units have not yet been searched, Sucorowski said. Detectives are working on tracking down NJ Elite Movers.
Detective Joseph Kratzel of Jefferson Township police said this is a typical moving scam.

“Movers quote a very low price, which seems great compared to quotes given by established moving companies,” he said. “Then they increase the price greatly and refuse to give people their belongings until they pay the full amount.”

Kratzel says the Jefferson resident even took out extra insurance from NJ Elite Movers.
“She paid them $1,500 plus insurance. So they have little incentive to deliver her items for an additional $600,” he said. “All five rooms of furniture, bedding, food and appliances are gone. It is very unfortunate. People have to be very mindful about these kinds of scams.”

written by Cara Townsend
The Daily Record.

Moving on: Moving vans clear Katy Perry's mansion of Russell Brand's belongings after split

By Mike Larkin

It looks like there really is no way back for Katy Perry's marriage to Russell Brand. It seems they are moving on (pun intended.)

For removal vans were pictured removing the stand-up comedian's belongings from their luxurious Hollywood Hills mansion today.

It is understood the California Gurls singer will be holding onto the $6.5 million property, and today it was being pared of her estranged husband's belongings.

A worker was seen opening the gate for the large Wetzel and Sons Moving and Storage truck.

The truck was seen driving down the lavish property's long winding driveway until it came to the gate.

The couple had purchased the home together just a few months ago.

It was later seen pulling up at another large house in the Beverly Hills area, which appears to be camp comic Brand's new US home

Once it had completed its rounds the truck was again spotted leaving the former Big Brother's Big Mouth presenter's flash new abode.

However Russell was spotted on Monday enjoying lunch in London, and it is unclear whether he is back in the States yet.

Brand announced on December 30 that he was filing for divorce from Perry, saying said: 'Sadly, Katy and I are ending our marriage. I'll always adore her and I know we'll remain friends.'

It also recently emerged that he had taken off his wedding ring in a video he posted the video on porn website Nudevista as he began a week-long tour of various universities in America.

After talking about how excited he is to visit college sonorities, he is seen taking his ring off in full view of the camera, before adding: 'I'm just going to place this somewhere very, very safe for the next week.'

It also emerged today that Brand is being tipped to face a comedic onslaught from irreverent Ricky Gervais when he hosts the Golden Globes on Sunday.

Irish bookmaker Paddy Power taking bets on who he will turn his comedic eye on, and they are offering short odds on the couple becoming his verbal punchbag when he takes to the stage.

At 5/1 they are favourites to be joshed ahead of the likes of Madonna at 11/2 and Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore at 10/1.

Meanwhile Katy's father Rev Keith Hudson has apologised for making anti-Semitic remarks at a recent sermon at the Church on the Rise in Cleaveland, Ohio.

He said: 'I deeply regret the hurtful and ugly language I used in my message in Ohio.

'We can do lots of harm even to those we love simply by using words irresponsibly. I apologize for the hurt that I caused my Jewish friends.'

He added that he will not make such comments again.

The church's Pastor Paul Endreialso defended Hudson, saying: 'Even though this is wrong and it was not a right comment, he wasn't preaching about Jews, neither was he ranting against Jews.'

He added that he received only one complaint from among the roughly 300 people who heard the sermon, and that he would welcome Hudson back.

Jewish human rights organisation The Simon Wiesenthal Center denounced the remarks as anti-Semitic earlier this week.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2085504/Katy-Perry-divorce-Removal-vans-clear-Russell-Brands-belongings-split.html#ixzz1jFVnLBO5

The other day I received and email from one of my friends from high school.

I thought that it was just too good to only be shared for myself, so I thought that I would share it with you all as my way of say saying Merry Christmas!

I hope you like it as much as I do.

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through.

Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy, I'll just go." "Not without something hot in your belly." George said.

He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty. Stew ... Made it myself. When you're done, there's coffee and it's fresh."

Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me, be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old '53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with child and my car is broken." George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead. "You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away.

"But Mister, please help ..." The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good."

George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office.. "Glad I gave 'em the truck, their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new ." George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought.

George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can fix this," he said to
himself. So he put a new one on.

"Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car anyway.

As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me."

George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease.

"Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. "You hang in there, I'm going to get you an ambulance."

The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.

He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area."

George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya.. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain."

George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked. "None for me," said the officer. "Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain't got no donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time.

The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. "Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.

"That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.

"Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt."

The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!"

The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to the cop, "we got one too many in here now."

He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that pea shooter away."

George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he went on. "I've lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week."

George handed the gun to the cop. "Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can."

He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup of coffee. "Bein' stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in here with a gun ain't the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this thing out."

The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer." "Shut up and drink your coffee " the cop said. George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. "Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer.

"Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?"

"GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man.

Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran."

George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.

"That guy work here?" the wounded cop continued. "Yep," George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."

The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?"

Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy ... and you too, George, and thanks for everything."

"Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems."

George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman. I don't think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day."

The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. "I can't take this," said the young man. "It means something to you."

"And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories. That's all I need."

George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's something for that little man of yours."

The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier.

"And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too," George said. "Now git home to your family."

The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good."

"Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."

George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?"

"I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?"

"Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn't see what all the bother was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and besides I was gettin' a little chubby."

The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder. "But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor.

The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself. "That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man."

George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know all this?" asked the old man.

"Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again."

The stranger moved toward the door. "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned."

George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.

"You see, George ... it's My birthday. Merry Christmas."

George fell to his knees and replied, "Happy Birthday, Lord Jesus"

Merry Christmas!!

This story is better than any greeting card. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESS!

I have been noticing a trend in our business here at U-Save Moving and Storage. Many people are moving from highly taxed States to lower taxed states. America is on the move.

Why? Seems obvious doesn't?

1) There are more businesses in these states thus more jobs, and

2) That same salary that you have in New York or California buys a heck've a lot more in Texas or Arizona. Thereby, effectively giving yourself a raise.

So a move to these states is very rewarding on many levels.

So here read this article just published in Bloomberg about this very subject:

Population Migrates for Income Boost
Bloomberg
By Brian Chappatta

New York, California and other high- cost U.S. states may lose residents as the economy recovers, continuing a trend during the past decade of Americans searching for more affordable regions to settle.

The U.S. population climbed 9.7 percent from 2000 to 2010, according to Census Bureau data. Five states -- Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Utah and Idaho -- grew at more than twice the national pace, as California, the most-populous, had its smallest increase ever, the data show.

The Northeast states of New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Massachusetts are among those that had population increases of less than half the average. Though migration has slowed, the effects of the economic downturn may rekindle movements away from high-priced areas, said Joel Kotkin, author of "The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050," a book about demographics.

"If you move from New York to Houston, you just gave yourself a gigantic raise," Kotkin said in a telephone interview. "As the country has become more stressed, people have to move to those places where they can achieve a middle- class lifestyle at a lower cost."

Living With Parents

The average sale price of a single-family home in the area including New York City was $464,900 at the end of September, compared with $159,500 in the Houston region, according to National Association of Realtors data.

New York state has the fifth-highest income-tax rate in the U.S., while Texas is one of seven with no personal income tax. California is third-most, at 6.7 percent, trailing only Hawaii and Oregon.

About 1 in 9 people, or 11.6 percent, changed locations between 2010 and 2011, the lowest total since the government began tracking the figure in 1948, census data show. Men 25 to 34 years old, who are usually among the most frequent migrants, have increasingly opted to live with their parents during the past five years, according to government figures.

"A lot of people who would have been out-migrants have not yet left home," said William Frey, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington who has studied census data for more than three decades. "There is this pent-up demand for migration, and it could be that once things pick up, there will be an exodus again from these places."

Californian Culture

Rich Karlgaard, publisher of Forbes Magazine, wrote in his 2004 book, "Life 2.0," that Americans would leave cities such as New York, Boston, San Francisco and Los Angeles for smaller towns in Oregon, Missouri and North Dakota.

The population in Los Angeles, the second-largest U.S. city, grew 2.6 percent between 2000 and 2010, the census data show. The population in Santa Barbara, about 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles along the Pacific coast, fell 4.2 percent, while inland cities including Fresno and Sacramento experienced growth of 16 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

Overall, California's population climbed 10 percent. The Census Bureau on Dec. 21 plans to release July 1, 2011, state population estimates.

Californians have made Oregon a top moving destination, behind Nevada, Arizona and Texas, according to Internal Revenue Service data compiled by Aaron Renn, who examines migration trends for his website Urbanophile.com. His data uses the number of exemptions claimed on tax returns for filers moving between states as a proxy for people.

Similar Culture

Moves deep into the interior U.S. from the coasts have been less frequent, according to the IRS data. California natives prefer destinations such as Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Seattle over areas in the Midwest because of similarities with the climate and demographics, Kotkin said.

"It's not just going to where prices are the lowest," he said. "It's about the places that are the nicest, that are relatively cheaper, and that have similar culture."

Wall Street may cut an additional 10,000 jobs by the end of 2012, New York Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said in October. New York City weathered the recession that started in December 2007 better than other major cities because of its large banking industry, which was cushioned by the Troubled Asset Relief Program, Kotkin said.

New Yorkers affected by reductions in financial services may move to "safety valves" like eastern Pennsylvania or upstate New York, the Brookings Institution's Frey said. Still, recent college graduates may opt to "ride things out" in the city to position themselves for an economic recovery, he said.

Cost of Living

Karlgaard's book examined the difference between working where you live and living where you work. He argued in 2004 that because of real estate prices, traffic and higher costs of living, "a growing number of Americans are seeking a larger life in smaller places."

For Wall Street traders and analysts, software developers and biochemists, location choices are much broader than "a guy with a B.A.," Kotkin said. The unemployment rate in New York in October was 7.9 percent, compared with the national mark of 9 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Nevada has the highest unemployment rate at 13.4 percent. Average home prices in the Las Vegas area plummeted to $138,000 in 2010 from $220,500 in 2008, the second-biggest decline behind Fort Meyers, Florida, according to NAR data.

"A lot of the jobs in Nevada, Arizona, and Florida were related to the growth itself -- construction and retail," Frey said. "Once the economy stopped, the growth stopped."

As housing prices continue to slide, future construction stagnates and unemployment remains elevated, would-be migrants may stay put against their will, Frey said. This will give places like New York and Los Angeles another chance to appeal to residents "stuck" with unsellable homes.

"When migration picks up, to what degree will there still be this gulf between where the middle class can afford to live and where they can't?" Frey said. "Coastal California will likely still be out of a lot of middle-class homeowners' reach, as will living in the more expensive parts of the Northeast."

Companies that offer relocation and moving services abound and most offer free moving quotes, but selecting the right mover from all the available possibilities can be a challenge. Before contacting a moving company it is a good idea to decide just what is to be moved and what will be given away,ompanies that offer relocation and moving services abound and most offer free moving quotes, but selecting the right mover from all the available possibilities can be a challenge. sold or discarded. Know in advance just what relocation and moving services you want the mover to perform before taking the next step of contacting the companies being considered for the work. Never accept a phone estimate and do not hire a company which offers one.

Ask for an estimate and if possible arrange for a company representative to check your home before getting an estimate in writing.

Companies that provide relocation and moving services are not required to provide estimates, but most will do so if asked. Make sure you find out how long the estimate will be honored and ask if the estimate is binding or non-binding. A binding estimate will clearly describe the shipment and what relocation and moving services are to be provided, and you will not be required to pay any more than the amount of the estimate, unless it is discovered that more services are necessary. The agreement must be in writing, and if payment is not received on delivery, the shipment can be placed in storage until payment, including storage fees, is received. A company may charge for a binding estimate

A non-binding estimate is not a bid or contract and does not commit the mover to the stated amount.

The cost of the move is actually determined by the moving company’s published tariffs, which they are legally required to follow, so the amount of the estimate may not affect the total cost. Under a non-binding estimate, the mover cannot charge more than 10% over the amount of the estimate.

Make sure the moving company knows of any unusual conditions which could affect the amount of time and effort necessary for loading or unloading, such as parking situations, or difficulty of access, including stairs or elevators, as such conditions can raise the costs of the move. If possible arrange for parking less than 75 feet from the door; longer distances could mean additional charges. Inquire as to any extra costs in the event of an unforeseen difficulty such as a parking problem or an extra flight of stairs.

The Better Business Bureau is an excellent source of information for determining the reliability of a company offering relocation and moving services, and word-of-mouth recommendations are also helpful. All movers are required to be licensed and the Department of Transportation license number can be checked; references should be requested as well. Be aware of the liability policies of the mover regarding the different amounts of liability, what amount is provided, and the procedure to follow in entering a claim. For interstate moves the Federal Highway Administration regulations protect movers, and information about rights and responsibilities can be obtained in a pamphlet available from the moving company.

By Blanca Torres
Seattle Times business reporter

Paul D. Bekins, majority shareholder and former president of Bekins Moving and Storage, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Seattle yesterday to filing a false tax return.

The U.S. Attorney's Office charged Bekins with hiding $3.7 million in income to avoid paying $1.3 million in taxes in 1998 and 1999.

Bekins, 45, of Seattle, appeared before Magistrate Judge Mary Alice Theiler, who scheduled sentencing for Jan. 5.

He agreed to plead guilty to the single count, for which he could go to prison for three years, receive five years' probation, and pay a fine of up to $250,000. He agreed to work with the IRS to pay back taxes owed by him and his company.

Bekins agreed to testify against two Denver men who operated Tower Organization of Worldwide Executive Resources, which they claimed was a consulting company based in the Turks and Caicos islands in the Caribbean but was used to help members hide income off-shore to avoid paying taxes, federal prosecutors say.

The IRS' criminal-investigation office investigated Bekins for about five years, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

"This is a personal matter and should not be reflected on the very fine company that carries my family's name or on the wonderful people who work there," Bekins said in a statement.

He apologized for the embarrassment he caused his family and the company's employees.

Bekins served as president of Mountlake Terrace-based Bekins Moving and Storage from 1988 to 2004, except for a hiatus from 2000 to 2002.

His wife, Karen Bekins, took over as president in March, and Bekins now serves as the Seattle branch manager, the company's Web site says. The company serves four states.

Bekins is great-grandson of Daniel Bekins, who founded Bekins Moving and Storage in Seattle in 1903. Daniel Bekins came from the same family that started Bekins Van Lines, a nationwide shipping company no longer owned by the family.

Paul Bekins' crimes were outlined in the plea agreement, including:

• Bekins teamed up with Russell J. Brown — who has not been charged — to buy and sell Bekins properties. In 1998, Paul Bekins sold the company's record-storage division for $9 million but reported he sold it for $6.5 million. But Bekins said he had agreed to sell the division to Brown or to pay him $2.5 million if the sale did not go through. Brown did not buy the division; he was paid $2.5 million, which he deposited into one of Bekins' overseas bank accounts.

• In 1998, Bekins transferred $773,750 from one of his off-shore accounts to another and then to one of Brown's off-shore accounts. Brown used the money to buy a warehouse from Bekins in Tacoma.

• In February 1999, Bekins sold a warehouse in Everett to an unnamed company for close to $1.4 million. He had agreed to sell Brown the warehouse for a set price or pay him a fee of $959,200. Bekins paid the fee into an account managed by Brown, who transferred the money into one of Bekins' bank accounts.

• Bekins paid $152,580 to ITM Management for services never provided. The transaction allowed Bekins to understate his taxable income by more than $183,000 in 1998 and to overstate business expenses by more than $149,000 that same year.

• In 1998, Bekins disguised $1.9 million of his own money as loans from Five Flags Global. $300,000 was deposited in a Bekins Moving and Storage account with Key Bank, and the remaining $1.6 million went into Bekins' personal account at Cascade Bank.

Blanca Torres: 206-515-5066 or btorres@seattletimes.com

The increase is expected.

East Lansing police report a sharp increase in the numbers of tickets and arrests as MSU begins its fall semester Move-in.

The math is simple.

The return of Michigan State students equals increased activity for East Lansing's police force.

A weekly summary of arrest and citation statistics sent to News 10 by the East Lansing police indicates a dramatic increase in unruly behavior this past weekend. The statistics issued Monday do not indicate whether or not those arrested or cited are MSU students.

From Friday, August 26th, through Sunday August 29th E.L.P.D. made 28 arrests on the charge of minor in possession of alcohol, and 11 arrests for open intoxication. 91 citations were issued for minor in possession and 136 for open intoxication.

The previous weekend, August 19-21, there were 4 arrests for minor in possession of alcohol, and no arrests for open intoxication. 6 citations were issued for M.I.P. and 3 for open intoxication.

East Lansing police spokesperson Capt. Kim Johnson says the numbers are not unexpected and very similar to the same move-in weekend from last year.

Capt. Johnson says the police department brought in more officers for this past weekend. They say that will mean more police contact with the public and more tickets and arrests.

Capt. Johnson adds that despite the increased activity, disorderly behavior is is much less than it was two years ago, before MSU officials shortened the amount of time students had to move onto campus.

Posted: 2:08 PM Aug 29, 2011
Reporter: News Ten

Jerreau needed a mover that could be flexible, store his possessions and keep this at a reasonable cost for a MSU student.

U-Save was able to pick up his things, store them and deliver them when he got back in school...and we did it very a reasonable cost saving rate.

Now Jerreau has his belongings and he is quite happy and ready for this new school year.

If you need moving help contact us at the website above, or call us at 330-887-2834.

Thank you.

Amber needed to move to Detroit yesterday.

She needed help moving just a simple queen size bed into her new apartment close to GreekTown Casino.

She didn't have a lot to spend as she was a college student, but she lucked and found U-Save Moving and Storage.

Not only were we able to move her on her budget but we could do it last minute for her as well.

If you need college moving services please let us know at 330-887-2834.

Thank you.