Monday Five: Budget Dates, St. Philip Auction, Scam Warning, Ribbon Plates

Budget dates: The Town of Smithfield will hold its Public Budget Hearing Tuesday, May 14. The Financial Town Meeting will be held Thursday, June 13. Both meetings at Smithfield High School, 7 p.m.

St. Philip School PTO Auction - Tickets ($40 per person) are still available for the St. Philip School PTO Auction at Twin River May 3. The event features a dinner, a 50/50 raffle and the singing talent of Tony Corbo. Call 401-949-1130 for tickets and more information.

Family scam alert - The Smithfield Police Department warns of scams in which somebody poses as a relative or friend and states that a family member is in some kind of trouble or emergency situation....and needs money wired FAST. If you receive a call or message from someone claiming to be a family member or friend desperate for money, you should: a) Resist the urge to act immediately, no matter how dramatic the story is; b) Verify the person's identity by asking questions that a stranger could not possibly answer; c) Call a phone number for your family member or friend that you know to be genuine; d) Do not wire money or send a check or money order by overnight delivery or courier; e) Report possible fraud at ftc.gov/complaint or call 1-877-FTC-HELP.

Ribbon of Hope - Be one of the first to purchase a Ribbon of Hope license plate this Saturday at Brewed Awakenings in Johnston and Wakefield - and get the ball rolling on making the plates a reality for Rhode Islanders. Proceeds from the $41.50 plates go to aid under-insured and uninsured women in getting breast cancer screenings. That's important, especially in RI, where the rate for breast cancer is one in six, as opposed to the national rate, one in eight.

Smith-Appleby May Breakfast - Make reservations now for our 40th Annual May Breakfast, May 5. Jonnycakes, homemade breads & more served in our historic house museum by volunteers in Colonial dress. Call (401) 231-7363 to make reservations.