FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE |
CONTACT: Cameron Scott McKinney
1-304-558-8986
1-800-368-8808 |
ATTORNEY GENERAL DARRELL V. McGRAW, JR.
ANNOUNCES SETTLEMENT WITH TYLER
COUNTY POETRY PUBLISHING COMPANY
The Attorney General's office announced today that it has signed
an agreement with Sparrowgrass Poetry Forum, Inc. of Sistersville, West Virginia, whereby
Sparrowgrass promises to pay $4,183.84 in refunds to consumers who ordered poetry books
but never received the merchandise.
For a period of more than 10 years, Sparrowgrass Poetry Forum
published over 60 collections of poems that were submitted from across the country.
Sparrowgrass sponsored poetry contests and advertised in nationally-circulated magazines.
According to Sparrowgrass's President, Jerome P. Welch, the publisher experienced an
unanticipated decline in business and a series of unfortunate financial circumstances and
was unable to fill orders placed early this year.
"It is unfortunate that Sparrowgrass Poetry Forum fell into
financial straits. However, when facing financial hardship, Sparrowgrass neglected its
most important obligations--its obligations to consumers," said Attorney General
McGraw. Mr. Welch and Sparrowgrass have agreed to pay the refunds in three monthly
installments with the last installment due on December 31, 2001. The Attorney General's
office anticipates forwarding the appropriate refunds to each of the 27 consumers in
January, 2002. In addition, Sparrowgrass's parent company, Prospect Publishers of Oklahoma
City, Oklahoma, has agreed to honor three Sparrowgrass contracts to print individuals'
collections of poems.
Consumers who have ordered and paid for books from Sparrowgrass
Poetry Forum but never received those books should contact the Attorney General's Consumer
Protection Division at 1-304-558-8986 or 1-800-368-8808.
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