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Lots of people will be doing their holiday shopping online, which creates opportunities for phishing, malware, and scams. But there are things you can do to make your online shopping more secure.

Be careful about emails. Some malicious activity comes in the form of holiday greetings. Only open emails from people and companies you know. Even then, it is best not to click on web links inside emails; go out to your browser and access the website there. If an email doesn’t look completely legitimate, even a personal one, check it out with the sender first.

Know your charities. Bad guys will take advantage of your generosity with appeals that pull on the heartstrings. If you see a charity you want to donate to, they will take it if you visit their website directly or send them a check.

Secure your system. Think of your computer, tablet or phone as a house: don’t leave the door unlocked. Here are some security issues you will want to consider:

•  Is your wi-fi connection password-protected?
•  Do you have a good antivirus program? How about malware detector? Ad and pop-up blockers?
•  Is your operating system and all your software updated/patched? This includes your browser, browser plug-ins, and any external programs you may use.
•  Did you know that attachments can carry viruses?

Only use secure sites. Even if your system is relatively secure—no system is perfect—websites you visit may not be. Sites whose web addresses begin with https (rather than http) are more secure. Take any warnings about security certificates seriously.

Monitor your accounts. Look at your credit card and checking accounts online very often. If you see suspicious activity, report it immediately.

Security risks may also come to you in the form of fake ads, messages inside of social media programs, and phone calls.

Hackers and online thieves are very good at what they do. A little extra care could save you time, money, and hassle.

More information is at the website for the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team. For users of mobile devices, additional precautions are recommended.

CedarStone President Bob McDonald with Justin Duncan, Willie McDonald, and CedarStone EVP Hank Stuart

All seniors in Metro Nashville public schools  participate in a "capstone" experience. A capstone experience is a project that allows students to learn about themselves by exploring a topic of interest, specialization, community need, or career choice. According to the Tennessee graduation requirements, all students must complete a capstone experience which may include a senior project, virtual enterprise, internship, externship, work-based learning, service learning, and community service.

Justin Duncan, a senior at McGavock High School, has chosen to create his "capstone" experience at CedarStone Bank. He will be spending at least 40 hours with us, documenting his experience in a portfolio of his research, observations, and new skills. Through his English class, Justin will be writing a 2,300-word research paper

Here's some more about the Metro capstone program:

If you know of other Metro seniors who would like to share their capstone experiences, please comment below.

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If you've logged in to Online Banking for your business account in the last few days, you may have noticed that it looks a little different. We're making some upgrades to the Online Banking experience for business customers to make it easier to transfer funds, view transactions, and look up check images. 

While these improvements specifically affect Online Banking for business customers, you can also expect to see some upgrades on the personal side of Online Banking and other system enhancements in the coming weeks and months. We want to make your banking simple, and simply better.

Here's what some of our business customers say about banking with CedarStone.

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Wilson County has formally dedicated a memorial to all those who serve, at the new Veterans Park next to the Wilson County courthouse in Lebanon. CedarStone's John Bryan, chairman of the board of the Lebanon-Wilson County Chamber of Commerce, was present at the dedication. "It's great to see the community coming together to honor the men and women who serve in the armed forces of this country," said Bryan. "Freedom comes at a price, and we need to do all we can to pay tribute to those who secure our nation."

The park, which was over two years in the making, features a granite wall with the names of those from the county who gave their lives in service to the country, its five parts representing the five branches of the military. Read more about the park at The Lebanon Democrat.

Veterans Day 2014 

The parade in Lebanon starts at 10:25 on Main Street, with a ceremony at the new Veterans Park at 11:00;

Soon holiday shopping will be in full swing. Getting everything you need for gift-giving, decorating, and entertaining can take a bit of cash. Why not start saving for 2015 by opening a Christmas Savings Account now? There’s no minimum opening deposit, and your shopping money will earn interest. You can even set up an automatic transfer to the account, making saving even easier. Visit our website for details, or stop by any branch of CedarStone Bank and we’ll set you up.

Bring the kids and let them "tent-or-treat" at the Farmers Market this Friday, October 31. It's the last one of the season, and there's some great entertainment, too. Jake Hill will be appearing on the CedarStone Bank Stage; come check him out. Here's a preview...

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Phillip Sweet of Little Big Town with his CedarStone banker, Hank Stuart, with Phillip’s award for the
band’s induction into the Grand Ole Opry.

On October 17, one of country music's most popular bands, Little Big Town, was inducted into Grand Ole Opry family. This Thursday, October 30, the group, which includes Phillip Sweet, Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman and Jimi Westbrook, will be appearing on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to promote their new album, Pain Killer; check their tour schedule here.

Here's a taste...

You're in for a treat this Friday at the Hip Donelson Community Farmer’s Market as local favorites The Barrel Jumpers take the stage. They are a contemporary folk band with roots/bluegrass sensibilities, and their sound draws from their modern musical surroundings while staying true to their love of traditional roots music. Here's a sample:

All year long, CedarStone Bank has sponsored the Hip Donelson Community Farmer’s Market by providing musicians from around the state a place to play, The CedarStone Bank Entertainment Stage. The stage has hosted many musicians this year so far, including Markey Blue, Mike Cullison, and Paris Delane. The Hip Donelson Community Farmer’s Market will be open until the end of October, so swing by to hear the music, see the vendors, and taste all that the Farmer’s Market has to offer.

The remaining 2014 entertainment schedule for the CedarStone stage:

10/24 Barrell Jumpers
10/31 Jake Hill

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For the ninth year, CedarStone Bank has partnered with the four Rotary Clubs in Wilson County to participate in The Dictionary Project. This year, the project delivered over 1,800 dictionaries, one to every third-grader in the county in both public and private schools. John Sloan, CedarStone Bank’s Mt. Juliet Business Developer and head of public relations for the Mt. Juliet Noon Rotary Club, helped coordinate the distribution of the dictionaries to the third-graders. In total, the Rotary Clubs have given over 15,000 dictionaries this year.

For more information about The Dictionary Project.

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On Friday, September 26, the Hip Donelson Community Farmer’s Market took the opportunity to present and recognize their sponsors. CedarStone Bank has sponsored the Hip Donelson Community Farmer’s Market by providing musicians from around the state a place to play, The CedarStone Bank Entertainment Stage. The stage has hosted many musicians this year so far, including Markey Blue, Mike Cullison, and Paris Delane. The Hip Donelson Community Farmer’s Market will be open until the end of October, so swing by to hear the music, see the vendors, and taste all that the Farmer’s Market has to offer.

There's a lot more farmer's market fun left this season. The remaining 2014 entertainment schedule for the CedarStone stage:

10/3 Cara Being Blue
10/10 Hiptet
10/17 Mackin Rivers
10/24 Barrell Jumpers
10/31 Jake Hill

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