HennyPenny's random thoughts. New set of goals!

[Beekissed]

I have heard similar stories down through the years. I think your parents should be contacting the Census Bureau and finding out exactly what this is. Could be it was someone trespassing for a different reason and just passing themselves off as a census worker?

Down where I come from, folks will prey on older folks with some property, trespass onto the back of the property and tend marijauna plants. That way, they are not caught with them on their property. If anyone finds them, the older people are not charged usually. I think this is pretty dirty but it happens quite a bit. Ya never know!

 

[hennypenny9]

I think my parents are just happy that nothing bad came of it, since Jim did kinda mess up the worker's car. I mean, he totally deserved it, because he HIT our dog... But you know how twisted things can get.

Around here it's not usually pot, but meth labs. We had speakers come to our high school to talk about watching for strange people coming and going on any property, especially forested. We stopped a lab from happening while our neighbor was away. Some people knew she was away in Alaska and started going into her house! Also (a distant cousin of mine) cooked meth in his hot-tub right in the middle of Gig Harbor! Oh, and the school drug counselor was a cousin of mine. Haha, my family sounds great, doesn't it?

We think it was official because he had some handheld electronic devise, not a blackberry or anything like that. And if he was unofficial, why not give us a fake name? I think he knew he'd get in trouble, that's why he wouldn't tell his name. If the GPS thing is true, I don't like the idea of it being so covert. Just say it!

 

[TanksHill]

Wow, that's kinda weird. I am suspicious of everyone. Makes me wonder if the man was up to something different. I think if he said he worked for some type of utility or cellphone co and they were scouting for a new site it may have been more believable. But the census bureau??? Why didn't he go to the front door? Do you have animals out back, electric meter, anything worth looking at? Did he show the police officer ID?

Too weird!!

 

[sylvie]

I took the Census Taker's (Enumerator)test in February. We were told that the first thing they will do this year is verify addresses with a hand held computer. The actual census is in 2010. You will be mailed a census form to fill out. A worker will only visit your home if you did not return the form by the deadline in 2010.
The computer should read an address from a distance like the gas and electric meter reader's units. How, I don't know; just what we were told.

Personally, I'd call the local Census office in your area and verify the identity and actions of the supposed worker. I'm not convinced that this is legitimate. He should have presented his ID badge. He needs to be reported, that he hit the dog and didn't supply an ID to the Census office.

 

[Henrietta23]

Is your dog okay???

 

[keljonma]

Like sylvie mentioned, at this time, census workers are supposed to be going door-to-door to update and verify the address lists. They input the information into a small, hand-held computing device.

All workers are supposed to wear their official ID. They aren't supposed to be walking around your property. If you have a complaint, you should contact your regional office to find out who the crew leader is responsible for the area.

The first census was taken in 1790. Records from the censuses of population and housing are publicly accessible only after 72 years have past since each enumeration's Census Day. Thus, the most recent publicly available census records are from the 1930 census, released April 1, 2002.

As a family historian and genealogist, I can tell you they can be very helpful when you hit a historical brick wall searching an ancestor.


2010 Census Timeline: Key Dates
Fall 2008: Recruitment begins for local census jobs for early census operations.

Spring 2009: Census employees go door-to-door to update address list nationwide.

Fall 2009: Recruitment begins for census takers needed for peak workload in 2010.

February March 2010: Census questionnaires are mailed or delivered to households.

April 1, 2010: Census Day

April July 2010: Census takers visit households that did not return a questionnaire by mail.

December 2010: By law, Census Bureau delivers population counts to President for apportionment.

March 2011: By law, Census Bureau completes delivery of redistricting data to states.

 

[hennypenny9]

Don't worry, the dog is fine. I'm not sure exactly how hard she was hit, but she has this LOVELY tendency to sleep in the middle of the driveway. And as a footnote, we run a roofing and job site clean up business from the office above our garage. (it's nicer than it sounds, I promise) So we're used to cars, trucks, and random people coming onto our property. This is most likely why Jim didn't even notice the car pulling up. We've learned to tune it out.

Sylvie- When you verify the address, what does that mean? Just click "yes this address exists" on the computer thingy? And yes, the utilities are around the back of the house. I just wonder why he was going further up the driveway... Was there a reason to think we had another residence up there?

Keljonma- I will ask if Jim saw an ID badge at all. The man was somewhere for quite a while, because our dog was sleeping behind the car. Jim said that no one was in the car when he went down, and he didn't see or hear anyone.

Bleck. They'd better mail in the census form when it comes out so that they have no other problems! And I will feel bad if the REAL census guy comes out, and gets yelled at. I can't remember if I've posted a picture of Phoebe here, but oh well. Here's the dog who is just fine. (It's not a new picture)

 

[Farmfresh]

She is a beauty! Glad she is alright!

 

[PamsPride]

I did not have a problem with the census guy that came to my house but I have heard of some people having problems with them going right through closed gates to go mark barns and sheds and such ignore beware of dogs and no trespassing signs.

 

[punkin]

Your story makes me think that the man that pulled in our driveway might have been from the census. He just sat in his truck for 3-4 minutes and then went to the neighbor's house.

I never go to the door unless it's someone I know or am expecting.