Phone Book Moves 382 Prefix To Hardee, DeSoto Pages

Hundreds of local residents might feel like they just read their own obituary in the newspaper.

Don't worry. Even if you can't find your phone number and address listed in any of 90,000 copies of 2008-09 Tri-County SunCoast Pages phone book, you still do exist.

Lynn Collins, of Sebring, has a phone number with a 382 prefix, but couldn't find his listing in the Highlands County section of the phone directory.

"It makes the phone book practically useless," said Collins.

His brother Terry Collins agreed.

"People rely on this for accurate information," he said.

The publisher of the phone book said they "regret the mistake" to list Highlands County residents, with the prefix 382, in the DeSoto-Hardee County section, of the 2008-09 edition.

Sebring residents Mark Rimmer and his wife Marielle Rimmer, SunCoast publishers and owners, both said incorrect information was supplied by their publication house. Both also refused to name that outsource production company when asked by a reporter.

"It was a surprise for us," said Marielle Rimmer, Wednesday, about discovering the error. "It's embarrassing, but what can I do?"

Mark Rimmer wrote in a Nov. 19 press release that the phone books will not be reprinted, while the company continued to deliver the directories.

The cost to reprint the 592-page directory was "prohibitive" and the company intends to place ads in Highlands Today, wrote Mark Rimmer, "to let people know we are sorry and apologize for the error."

The release also stated that corrected white pages will be available at Web site www.tricountysuncoastpages.com, within two weeks.

"We were fighting a production deadline, so we could get our directory printed, shipped and start directory distribution in late October as promised," read the release.

Mark Rimmer said he and his wife own a three-person company, not including employees who distribute directories. The company has produced phone books locally since November 2003.

Mark Rimmer stressed that the same error shouldn't occur in the next edition.

"Obviously we're very upset and taking steps to see that next year it doesn't happen again," said Mark Rimmer. "There are mistakes in all directories."

Instead of segregating phone customers by counties, the next local SunCoast editions will contain integrated white pages in one section, said Mark Rimmer.

Lynn Collins is a businessman and wanted to know why he receives three local phone books.

"Like we really needed another phone book in this county," said Lynn Collins. "They make the business people think they need an ad in there and charge them.

"It's really a racket to force advertising and is an added expense to business owners that drives up the cost."

Mark Rimmer said the SunCoast directory offers unique qualities that the other two local phone books, The Yellow Book and the Embarq edition, do not offer.

Rimmer said that while salespeople do sells ads to area business as a major revenue source for the company, each business receives free listing in the yellow pages.

"We don't force anybody to do anything," said Mark Rimmer. "We attempt to give everybody a listing in the white pages and yellow pages."