By Jackie Dover Things, they are a changing in Medicare, especially the prescription drug programs. Every year there are some changes to particular plans but 2025 will have big changes for Medicare Part D. Open Enrollment for Medicare Part C and Part D plans is every year from October 15 through December 7 so […]
Age Spots: What’s new in Medicare for 2025 Read More »
Volunteers are preparing to collect Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts during National Collection Week, Nov. 18 – 25. More than 4,700 drop-off locations will open across the country in November, and shoebox packers can find their local drop-off locations nearest them. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering gift-filled shoeboxes to children including
Local drop-off locations to open for Operation Christmas child Read More »
LENEXA, KAN – On October 2, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a final rule to restore the pesticide Application Exclusion Zone (AEZ) requirements under the 2015 Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS). The AEZ is an area surrounding outdoor pesticide application equipment where people are prohibited while pesticides are applied. This rule finalizes the agency’s 2023 proposed
Clarksdale, Miss. – The Delta Regional Authority (DRA), in collaboration with the state of Illinois, recently invested $1.5 million toward three projects in Southern Illinois through its States’ Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP) — one of DRA’s main investment tools. A coordinated effort among DRA, its Board of Governors and Local Development Districts, SEDAP
Biden-Harris Administration invests $1.5 Million into Southern Illinois communities Read More »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for more than 72.5 million Americans will increase 2.5 percent in 2025, the Social Security Administration announced today. On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by about $50 per month starting in January. Over the last decade the COLA increase has averaged
Social Security announces 2.5 percent benefit increase for 2025 Read More »
KANSAS CITY – Prices in the Midwest Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), were unchanged in September, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. A 4.5-percent decrease in the energy index was balanced out by a 0.3-percent advance in the index for all items less food and
Midwest Region prices remain unchanged in September Read More »
Winter is quickly approaching, so it is time to think about your safety when preparing for the winter months. When working outside in the cold, wear layers of clothing to stay warm, i.e., thermal undergarments, insulated pants, coats and overalls. Frostbite can occur in the cold temperatures especially when bare skin is exposed. Symptoms include
Keep warm, keep working: Cold weather safety tips Read More »
WASHINGTON – Kenneth R. Hartman Jr., a corn farmer from Waterloo, Ill., began his term this week as president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). During meetings with the media, Hartman discussed the current economic challenges corn growers face and said he wanted to push for passage of a robust farm bill, expand markets and
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Social Security Administration policy updates that expand access to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in line with the law go into effect today. The agency no longer includes food in In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM) calculations, has expanded its rental subsidy policy exception, and has expanded the definition of a public assistance household.
Helpful SSI changes reducing customer burden take effect Read More »
LENEXA, KAN. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released resource tools to help protect public health and local water bodies in communities that rely on lagoons for wastewater management. Lagoon wastewater treatment systems are typically used in communities that are smaller than 3,000 people and can lack the necessary financial and technical resources to
