Opinions
Dear Savvy Senior,
What are the new rules on required minimum distributions from IRAs and 401(k)s? I will turn 72 this year and want to be clear on what I’m required to do.
Planning Ahead
Dear Planning,
Thanks to the SECURE Act 2.0 that was passed by Congress last December, there are several new...
The Second Funnel deadline was Friday and most of our work the last two weeks was committee work. Bills that have passed on the floor of either the Senate or the House must pass out of committee in the opposite chamber to stay eligible for floor debate this year.
A few bills of interest from...
I’ve been digging into my Best of the Best Cookbook collection. I have them from many states and some of the recipes are very familiar. The ones from New York State are an example. “Best of the Best” from New York Cookbook: Selected recipes from New York’s favorite cookbooks (2001, Quail Ridge...
I am Dr. Brian Kuchay, Medical Director for Northwood Volunteer Fire Company and Worth County as a whole. I am also an Emergency Room physician at Mercy One in Mason City. I have been in this position since asked by the Director of Worth County EMS in 2017. Over that time, I have worked closely...
Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting
You live in a really small town.
I know that.
What do you do for excitement?
We try not to get excited.
Driving by Bruce’s drive
I have a wonderful neighbor named Bruce. Deep thoughts occur as I drive past his drive. I tried to avoid potholes deep...
Dear Savvy Senior,
As a 68-year-old retiree, I’m interested in finding a fun part-time job that can occupy some of my time and generate a little extra income. Can you write a column on low-stress part-time jobs that are popular among retirees?
Part-Time Retiree
Dear Retiree,
Working part-time...
I once had the pleasure of dinner in an Amish home in Indiana. The family had received permission to host tourists at their table and it was a meal to remember. The house was spotlessly clean and the food was more than plentiful. I remember a chicken and dressing casserole, baked ham, many...
By Douglas Burns,
Former Vice President for News and Co-owner of Herald Publishing which previously owned the Carroll Times Herald and the Jefferson Herald
What separates average-to-good Iowa towns from thriving ones, former Governor Terry Branstad often said, is the presence of locally owned...
Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting
I could recite the Gettysburg Address when I was only 13 years old.
I’ll bet your parents were proud.
They had reason. Why not even Lincoln could have done that when he was 13.
Driving by Bruce’s drive
I have a wonderful neighbor named Bruce. Deep thoughts...
Dear Savvy Senior,
What’s the best way to go about choosing an assisted living facility for my 86-year-old father? Since mom died last year, his health has declined to the point that he can’t live at home anymore but isn’t ready for a nursing home either.
Searching Susan
Dear Susan,
If your dad...