Dear Neighbor,

Here is some information that I hope you will find helpful, including some updates and news from your state government.

Mason Post Office Reopens

The Mason Post Office, located at 144 W. Ash St., was scheduled to reopen on Monday, Nov. 21. They have resumed their normal hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. This post office location closed earlier this year due to structural issues with the building.

DIFS Warns Residents About Student Loan Debt Relief Scams

The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) is warning Michigan residents to protect themselves from scammers claiming they are associated with the Biden administration’s Student Loan Debt Relief Program. Currently, the courts are blocking the loan-forgiveness program from taking effect. DIFS recommends taking the following steps to avoid these scams:

  • Never agree to pay for assistance to obtain student loan relief.
  • Never share your Social Security number or Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID.
  • Do not rely on caller ID. Scammers can use technology to impersonate a legitimate business or government agency over the phone.
  • Do not trust mailers that appear to be government communication. They can be advertisements for private companies with a disclaimer in the fine print.
  • Do not be rushed into taking action or signing paperwork.

More information about the federal student loan program can be found at StudentAid.gov.

CATA Buses Suspending Routes for Thanksgiving Day

The Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) will suspend all bus routes on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 24. Routes will resume on Friday, Nov. 25. For more information, contact CATA at info@cata.org or (517) 394-1000.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I want to wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving. Every day, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as your state representative. I look forward to continuing to work with you to make our communities and state the best they can be.

My office will be closed from Wednesday, Nov. 23 to Friday, Nov. 25 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. If you need assistance over this break, please contact my office at (517) 373-0587 or by email at karahope@house.mi.gov. We will get back to you as soon as we are back in the office.

Sincerely,

Kara Hope

State Representative