Enter the Be My Valentine Love Letter contest and win prizes for your sweetie!
The Tri-City record is sponsoring a “Be My Valentine Love Letter” contest for Valentine’s Day, February 14.
On that day a special someone will win a grand prize of a photo session at Kaden’s Photography in downtown Watervliet along with a photo package including an 8×10 and two 5×7 prints.
The winner will also receive a gift certificate to the Board of Trade restaurant in Watervliet along with many more gifts from the Tri-City Record advertisers.
Selection of the “Be My Valentine Love Letter” winner is made by the staff of the Tri-City Record, based on the contents of a nominating letter submitted on behalf of the candidate.
To enter that special someone in your life in the “Be My Valentine Love Letter” contest, simply write a letter to the Editor of the Tri-City Record. In 150 words or less, tell why this person deserves the “Be My Valentine Love Letter” title. Sign the letter and give your address and telephone number (do not forget that special someone’s name).
Deadline for the letter entry is Friday, February 10, at 12:00 noon. The “Be My Valentine Love Letter” writer will be notified that day and the special someone mentioned in the letter will also be notified by the Tri-City Record. Winning letter and picture of winner will appear in the February 16 edition of the Tri-City Record.
All letters submitted for consideration will appear in the Tri-City Record, as space allows, up to and after Valentine’s Day. The Tri-City Record reserves the right to not publish any letter for inappropriate contents.
MARSP-BCC Scholarships for fall 2017
Dear Editor,
The Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel-Berrien County Chapter has $1,000 Dorothy Hawks Scholarships available for the fall semester of 2017.
These scholarships are given to students who will be juniors or seniors enrolled in the field of education and/or will be student teaching during the upcoming school year. The students must be graduates of a Berrien County high school and attending a Michigan college or university. The candidates must have a “B” average.
The applications are available by request at buszwin@sbcglobal.net. Applications must be returned by April 15, 2017.
Diane Buszwinski
MARSP-BCC Scholarship Chairperson
Red Cross critically needs donors after winter weather adds to severe blood shortage
Following several rounds of severe winter weather in many parts of the country, the American Red Cross urges eligible blood and platelet donors to help restock its shelves to overcome a shortage.
Since December 1, about 300 blood drives across 27 states have been forced to cancel due to inclement winter weather, resulting in more than 10,500 blood and platelet donations going uncollected. Despite the weather, hospital patients still rely on transfusions.
To make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donors are encouraged to make appointments and complete the RapidPass online health history questionnaire at redcrossblood.org/rapidpass to save time when donating.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities: Berrien – Wednesday, Feb. 15: 11 a.m. – 4:45 p.m., American Red Cross, 3838 Niles Road, St. Joseph. Van Buren – Friday, Jan. 27: 12 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., Federated Church, 65418 Red Arrow Hwy, Hartford.
Question: I am receiving Social Security retirement benefits and I recently went back to work. Do I have to pay Social Security (FICA) taxes on my income?
Answer: Yes. By law, your employer must withhold FICA taxes from your paycheck. Although you are retired, you do receive credit for those new earnings. Each year Social Security automatically credits the new earnings and, if your new earnings are higher than in any earlier year used to calculate your current benefit, your monthly benefit could increase. For more information, visit www.socialsecurity.gov or call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
Question: Are Social Security numbers reassigned after a person dies?
Answer: No. We do not reassign Social Security numbers. In all, we have assigned more than 460 million Social Security numbers. Each year we assign about 5.5 million new numbers. There are over one billion combinations of the nine-digit Social Security number. As a result, the current system has enough new numbers to last for several more generations.
Question: Someone stole my Social Security number and it’s being used repeatedly. Does Social Security issue new Social Security numbers to victims of repeated identity theft?
Answer: Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America, so you aren’t alone. If you’ve done all you can to identify and fix the problem, including contacting the Federal Trade Commission, but someone is still using your number, Social Security may assign you a new number. If you decide to apply for a new number, you’ll need to prove your identity, age, and U.S. citizenship or immigration status. You’ll also need to provide evidence you’re having ongoing problems because of the misuse of your current Social Security number. You can read more about identity theft at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.
Question: I am expecting a child and will be out of work for six months. Can I qualify for short-term disability?
Answer: No. Social Security pays only for total disability — conditions that render you unable to work and are expected to last for at least a year or end in death. No benefits are payable for partial disability or short-term disability, including benefits while on maternity leave.
Question: What are Compassionate Allowances?
Answer: Compassionate Allowances are Social Security’s way of quickly identifying severe diseases and other medical conditions that qualify a person for disability benefits without waiting a long time. Compassionate Allowances permit Social Security to target the most obviously disabled individuals for allowances and faster payment of benefits based on objective medical information that we can obtain quickly. Compassionate Allowances are not separate from the Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income programs. Find out more at www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances.
Vonda VanTil is the Public Affairs Specialist for West Michigan. You can write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525 or via email at vonda.vantil@ssa.gov.
From Echo to Hubble
Little did I realize as I searched the Philadelphia night sky looking for the Echo communications satellite’s 10:10 p.m. flyby that I would someday view Hubble Space Telescope’s crisp images on a color monitor in real time! Totally unimaginable if I were told this back in the 1960s! Unimaginable, yes, but not unbelievable.
Scientific and technological advances continue to be limited only by our imagination, resourceful creativity, and ability to better discover how God’s wonderful creation works.
Another fascinating NASA capability involves “spaceweather.com”, a website (and its links) that provides lots of current information about auroras, noctiluscent clouds, sunspots, solar wind, satellite flybys, cosmic rays, and PHAs (Potentially Hazardous Asteroids). Those PHAs have a lot of scientists worried. How do we deal with one that has earth in its cross hairs? NASA is working on potential solutions. Unfortunately if one slips by undetected there may not be enough time to respond.
According to the Bible there will be a time when our best technology won’t be able to meet the challenge of all of the “incoming”. It’s mentioned in Matthew 24:29: “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken”. Evidently the PHAs won’t be the only concern.
Jesus, speaking to His disciples about the last times, and prophets describing things to come, did note that someday Chicken Little will be right. Jesus encouraged His disciples to not be frightened, to beware of false Christs that will come, to stay alert, and to remain faithful to the end. Good advice for us too.
Science and technology will advance. Powers will come and go. God’s Word remains true.
TRUMP… Congratulations on your inauguration as our 45th President of the United States. I wish you well and success in your term of office.
Please lead and instruct your cabinet and administration to take the high road and stay out of the petty arguments and accusations taking up so much of your time. Tell them to leave the naysayers and detractors to populate the news and talk shows and to get to work.
NEW LAW NEEDED… If there was ever the need for a new law, it is to ban distracted driving.
Recently I was by Hays Park on M-140, easing over to the left turn lane, when an oncoming truck crossed the centerlines.
The truck crossed the centerlines multiple times. So much so that I pulled out of the left turn lane and headed for the shoulder.
By that time, the tractor-trailer rig passed me by, still weaving over the centerlines. I could barely see the head of the driver as it was almost below the steering wheel. Perhaps that was how he was steering his rig.
He must have been texting his girlfriend or tying his shoelaces!
This past week an ambulance (not on call) passed me by with the driver resting his cell phone on the steering wheel and typing a message.
At any given morning, I will watch cars go by my front window on Main Street with more than half of them with drivers on the phone or texting. As it is school time, most of those cars have kids riding in them as well.
What is surprising is there are not more accidents caused by distracted driving. I surmise many more accidents are caused by distracted drivers but are not reported because there are no witnesses.
BETTER RAIN THAN SNOW… Even when the backyard was flooded last week from torrential rains and warn weather, I figured it was still better than cold and snow.
I heard somewhere every inch of rainfall would equate to seven inches of snow. Using that rule of thumb, we could have had 2 feet of snow from all the rain that fell the last couple of weeks.
I do not doubt that the green grass will be covered in white soon and we will be back to counting inches of snow instead of inches of rain.
No matter what the ground hog sees on next Thursday, Old Man Winter will have his due before the real spring arrives.
KIND AND CARING… Anne and I have both been impressed by the quality and efficiency of the Lakeland Health Care system. I had open-heart surgery a year ago this month. Lakeland’s care could not have been any better.
Just last week, Anne was admitted to the Lakeland Hospital Watervliet facility for a hip replacement.
Other than the location, (I had my procedure in St. Joe) the experience was the same top-notch care and professionalism. From the surgeon Dr. Jeff Postma and the medical staff to housekeeping, all were well trained and caring.
If we noticed any difference at all, being in our hometown hospital meant we were greeted by many friends from the Tri-Cities, which made the stay more comfortable. Even so, as I observed from my medical experience the year before, everyone at Lakeland was so friendly and caring we never felt we were among strangers.
The caring certainly did not stop at the hospital doors… the nursing and physical therapy folks followed Anne home to make sure all was well there for her continued recovery.
They had no concerns with our family care team, with daughter Amy “managing” the home care round the clock over the long weekend. Then daughter Gillian and granddaughter Lainie arrived Sunday afternoon to take over the watchful care. Our family support team also includes Karly, Billy, and Brook.
Anne and I are grateful to them all.
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