02-08-2018 Letters and Commentary

FIRST TUESDAY OF THE WEEK WREAKED HAVOC… Ever have one of those days? You start out thinking Monday is Tuesday and even when you realize it is really Monday, you are not really sure. Pick any day of the week or date and the confusion continues. My mom would say, “You got out on the wrong side of the bed.” That was also her rational if you came downstairs grouchy. Back to Tuesday (really Monday), it took me to lunchtime to get on the right day. By that time, I had already asked Kristy why Press Box was late and called Jon about his flu feature. I also wrote my FIRST draft of this Karl’s Kolumn. When I came back from lunch I wondered where Amy was, (she works all day on Tuesday and half day on Monday). If you are following any of this, I was back on track when I returned from lunch. I did my Monday afternoon stuff, mainly working on new ad copy, reading the mail, and sizing photos for this week’s issue. Monday evening I finished the photo work and created an ad to note the 60th wedding anniversary of Greta and Judd DeYoung (congratulations folks). Come the real Tuesday morning, I was on my Tuesday morning schedule, which included reading the overnight emails, reading the (real) mail, and finishing this column. This column is filed every week in a special place on my computer. This week’s missive is filed as kk-02-08-2018. When I opened kk-02-08-2018 on the real Tuesday morning, the page was blank. There was not a word on the greatest Super Bowl of all time… #52 (no roman numerals here). Not a word on the greatest 4th down touchdown of all time, nor the exciting finish of the game with the Eagles scoring the go-ahead touchdown in the last two minutes of the game. And who would have guessed the Patriots came back to win it with 2 seconds on the clock? They didn’t. The greatest quarterback of all time (maybe) brought his team within 2 seconds of history only to have his Hail Mary pass broken up in the end zone. The rest is history… as is a pretty good Karl’s Kolumn lost forever to the digital demons.

Reaching retirement age? Here’s what you need to know Every birthday deserves celebration, but some seem a little more special than others. Think of a baby’s first birthday, Sweet 16, the “Big 4-0.” Then, before you know it, along comes 65, a milestone especially important to retirees. For nearly half a century, American workers looked to 65 as the age at which they could stop working and finally reap their full retirement benefits under the Social Security Act of 1935. Today, however, the full retirement age is increasing based on your year of birth. In 1983, Congress changed the law to increase the retirement age over a 22-year period, citing improvements in the health of older people and increases in average life expectancy. To find out your full retirement age, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/planners/retire/ageincrease.html. Of course, if you’re insured for retirement benefits, you still can claim them as early as age 62 but your monthly payments are permanently reduced for each month that you file prior to your full retirement age. For help in deciding which age is right for you to start receiving Social Security retirement benefits, read “When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits” at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10147.pdf. We have also made applying for benefits easier than ever. You can do it online! To apply for benefits, please go to www.socialsecurity.gov/applyforbenefits. That said age 65 should still factor in prominently as you prepare for retirement and a stable financial future because that’s when most American workers first become eligible for Medicare health insurance coverage. To see if you’ve earned enough credits through work to qualify for Medicare at age 65, view your Social Security Statement online using your personal my Social Security account. Create or log on to your account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. If you’re already receiving Social Security benefits before age 65, we’ll automatically enroll you in Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Medicare Part B (supplemental medical insurance) effective the first day of the month you turn 65. Watch your mailbox a few months before your birthday for your Medicare card. Otherwise, three months before your 65th birthday, you can apply for Medicare Parts A and B online at www.socialsecurity.gov/applyforbenefits. Your Initial Enrollment Period for Medicare starts three months before your 65th birthday month and continues for three months after. To learn more about Medicare enrollment and coverage, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/medicare. To learn more about Medicare coverage, visit www.medicare.gov. 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.

60 million daffodils ‘Twas the summer of ’78, my future wife and I were on our way to an art festival. Somewhere outside Wilmington, North Carolina we discovered a huge field of daffodils extending to distant pine groves. Myriads of bright yellow flowers swaying in the warm morning breezes, contrasted against the Carolina blue sky, they were beautiful. They seemed innumerable. There must have been millions of them. What if that daffodil field represented the children in America since 1973 that have never seen the light of day because they never made it to birth? There would need to be over sixty million flowers in that field! From that perspective the sheer volume of life lost comes home in a new way, each flower representing an individual person. That North Carolina field was huge, but not even that field had 60,000,000 flowers! That many flowers would have taken square miles of fields, not just acres. But now consider this. Each of those flowers would also represent a child who, although kept from earth, was not kept from heaven. A child healed. A child accepted. A child loved. A child living today. Maybe you’ve discovered as I have that a single flower given can be more meaningful than a bouquet. A single daffodil makes a special gift for a special person. Each flower has significance. Guilt about our choices or about our actions can consume us, but every child in heaven must happily feel very accepted. Because God in His great loving kindness forgives, heals, and restores, our reunions with those that have preceded us will be sweet. Healed, restored, forgiven, made whole. Tears wiped away and no more pain. Our God is truly wonderful. And His wonderful gracious loving kindness truly meets us in our need. We find our hope in Him. Be sure He’s your Savior too.

Wesco and community members team up to bless Living Water Food Pantry Dear Editor, Wow! What a blessing! “Thank-you” isn’t enough to express our gratitude and appreciation for the generosity of our community and Wesco Corporation. Thank you to Watervliet and Coloma Wesco stores for choosing Living Water Food Pantry operated out of Watervliet Free Methodist Church, to match the funds generously given by the community. We were blessed with just over $3,555 to continue our mission to assist anyone experiencing a need for food. We reach across many counties having no restrictions with age or income status. We look forward to the opportunities and challenges we will face in 2018. Thank you for your continued support. Living Water Food Pantry is a ministry of Watervliet Free Methodist Church at 7734 Paw Paw Avenue. Our pantry is open every Monday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Families who are in need of food assistance are welcome to visit our pantry every week. WFMC Living Water Food Pantry staff Kalamazoo Valley Museum to participate in Statewide Astronomy Night The Kalamazoo Valley Museum will participate in Statewide Astronomy Night (SWAN) on April 20 from 5-8 p.m. A number of astronomy-related activities for all ages will be presented free of charge. SWAN is coordinated by Michigan State University’s annual Science Festival. Planetarium staff will share their knowledge through interactive demonstrations and discussions. Participants will learn about telescopes, make planispheres and moon dials, and see demonstrations on how to view the sun safely. Astronomy-theme refreshments will be served. At 5:15 p.m. in the planetarium, there will be a showing of IBEX: Search for the Edge of the Solar System. The presentation examines the Interstellar Boundary Explorer and its use to map the furthest reaches of our solar system. At 6 p.m., guests can listen to a live star talk in the planetarium, which will focus on the springtime sky and its constellations here in southwest Michigan.

At 7 p.m., Dr. Nicolle Zellner, Professor of Astronomy at Albion College, will present ANSMET: Space Exploration Way Down Under in the Stryker Theater. During the 2006-2007 field season, Dr. Nicolle Zellner was a member of the ANSMET (Antarctic Search for Meteorites) team that searched for rocks from space on the ice fields of Antarctica. During her two months there, she and her team collected over 800 meteorites that provide clues to the early days of our solar system. Her Ph.D. is from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2001), where she received the school’s first Multidisciplinary PhD. Her undergraduate degree, with majors in Physics and Astronomy and a certification in Environmental Studies, is from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She was an AAUW American Fellow, as well as a two-time Zonta Amelia Earhart Fellow. Her research has been supported by the American Astronomical Society and is currently supported by NASA and the National Science Foundation. Dr. Zellner will discuss her formative years growing up in the Midwest, her path of becoming a scientist, and some of her other research interests and unique experiences. Venues around the state of Michigan will open their doors to help people see and connect with the beauty and science that lie overhead. Events and other sites participating in Michigan State’s Science Festival and Statewide Astronomy Night can be found at http://sciencefestival.msu.edu. The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is operated by Kalamazoo Valley Community College and is governed by its Board of Trustees.

Navigating the 3 stages of retirement People often view retirement as just one more stage of life. But that’s not exactly the case. Retirement isn’t just one stage; it’s at least three – although all three do share something in common. “Every stage of retirement requires planning,” says Jack Teboda, president of Teboda & Associates (www.teboda.com), a financial services firm. “Otherwise, you could end up running out of money, or your health might take a turn for the worse and negatively impact your retirement savings because you hadn’t planned for it in those early years of retirement.” It’s not easy to put exact ages on each of the three stages of retirement. That likely will vary from person to person, depending on their finances, health and family situation. But here’s what to look for in each stage: Stage 1, adjusting to a new lifestyle: Many new retirees brim with excitement when retirement begins. They can golf, visit museums, play with their grandchildren, travel or catch up on their reading. Not everyone adjusts well, though. It’s not easy to flip the switch overnight after you’ve spent several decades reporting to work every day. Also, if your retirement income is largely dependent on your savings you’ll want to be careful that you don’t spend too much in those initial years. “Your adviser should be able to help you come up with a plan that will give you income for life so you don’t have to worry about running out of money,” Teboda says. Stage 2, staying socially connected: As the years pass, many retirees move closer to their children or move into a retirement community because it makes them feel more socially connected. “Sometimes at this point, especially if they haven’t planned well, people may start to have even more worries that they will outlive their money,” Teboda says. “One way they address that is to cut back on expenses. Some people even decide to get a part-time job to bring in extra money, and working becomes another way to stay connected.” Stage 3, realizing you may need assistance: More than 70 percent of Americans older than 65 will need some form of long-term care at some point in their lives, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “When people map out their retirement,” Teboda says, “they need to plan for that possibility because the cost of long-term care can be devastating to your finances.” He says people need to consider a number of factors – taxes, longevity and market risks, among others – to improve the odds of a joyful retirement, which is one reason Teboda says his firm takes a team approach to advising, using financial professionals with different areas of expertise. For example, one team member, Amanda Jager, is an Associate Financial Adviser, and another, Kevin C. Sanders, while also an Associate Financial Adviser, is an attorney specializing in estate planning. “In each stage of retirement,” Teboda says, “it’s important to confer regularly with your adviser and to be ready to adjust your financial plans if necessary.” Jack Teboda, president and founder of Teboda & Associates (www.teboda.com), has more than 35 years experience helping people pursue financial independence through personalized investment strategies. His firm takes a team approach to providing advice to clients on retirement concerns and other financial planning issues. Teboda has passed Series 6, 22, 63 and 65 securities exams and holds life, accident and health insurance licenses. Additionally, Teboda earned a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University and a master’s degree from Northern Illinois University. As an Investment Adviser Representative, he is able to provide an extensive network of financial options and products for his clients.

USDA helped improve essential services for 7 million rural residents in 2017

“Funding Supports Schools, Libraries, Municipal Centers, First Responder Vehicles and Equipment, Other Community Needs” Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced recently that USDA invested in nearly 400 projects to provide essential services for more than 7 million people in rural areas across the country in fiscal year 2017. Partnering with our small towns and cities to support essential services that rural residents need is one way USDA is facilitating prosperity in rural America, Perdue said. USDA’s investments will help communities significantly improve their schools, hospitals and public safety facilities, and improve the quality of life. USDA infused $1.5 billion into rural areas in 2017 through the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program [https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-facilities-direct-loan-grant-program] for projects such as schools, libraries, municipal centers, first responder vehicles and equipment, social service buildings, recreational activities and other community needs. These investments are helping nearly 7 million rural residents. In 2017, USDA supported projects in Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Some examples of projects USDA helped finance include: The city of Ludington, Mich., received a $1.6 million loan to replace its 50-year-old fire station, which was once a storage facility that was transformed into a fire station in the 1970s. The current space is inadequate and does not meet accessibility standards for people with disabilities. The new, larger station will include a training room, administrative offices, and locker and storage rooms for equipment and supplies. Most importantly, the updated facility will meet all current building codes. The project will benefit more than 8,000 residents. NCCD – West Hills Properties LLC in Austin, Texas, received a $33 million loan to build a 464-bed, 170,400-square-foot dormitory on the campus of Blinn College in Brenham, Texas. The building will be used primarily for full-time engineering and agriculture students to help meet the growing demand for on-campus housing. Community Action Realty in Williamsport, Pa., received a $775,000 loan to acquire a building for Head Start classrooms for residents of Lycoming and Clinton counties. The larger space will allow for continuous oversight and coaching, increase safety for the children, and improve service delivery. Many of the services are offered by the Lycoming-Clinton Counties Commission for Community Action STEP, Inc. The Willow Oak Montessori Foundation Inc., in Pittsboro, N.C., received a $5.6 million loan to construct three, 11,000-square-foot buildings for students at the Willow Oak Montessori Charter School. The school will add an 8th grade and kindergarten for the 2018-2019 school year when the project is completed. It currently serves children in grades 1 through 7. In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Forces findings to President Trump, which included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity [https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/rural-prosperity-report.pdf] (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic [https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/rural-task-force-infographic.pdf] (PDF, 190 KB). USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community services such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit rd.usda.gov.