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There was a time when Burt Ward would leap dramatically across our TV screens in green shorts, beige tights and a gold cape masquerading weekly as 'Robin, the Boy Wonder,' one-half of the crime fighting Dynamic Duo in the popular television show "Batman," which first aired 50 years ago this year. Today, you'll find Burt more comfortable at home in jeans, rescuing dogs, although he hasn't abandoned the citizens of Gotham City entirely. "I was the Caped Crusader, but now I'm the Canine Crusader,"...
All right, I gripe about the legislature as much as the next guy. On the other hand, I am also happy to give credit where credit is due. And this last session, the legislature passed a bill which is really helpful. Actually it passed two bills I like. The smaller one involves revisions to the statutory form power of attorney. It’s nothing dramatic, but there were several oddities in the old format which grated on me. But now, no more will people have to figure out, from the instructions, that i...
Q. I have collected photos on my computer for years, but they are not organized. Now I have a mess on my hands. I would like to sort them out and keep them safe. Where do I start? A. We are spoiled by too much choice when it comes to photo management tools. But there is a way to cut through the noise: think long term. I have used image catalogs for years. Most of them have eventually been discontinued. Today, there are only two services I expect will still be around in 10 years, Apple iCloud Photo Library and Google Photos. Most organizing...
Staff from Alaska’s Social Security office will be available for questions via videoconferencing at the following locations and times: Kodiak Job Center, on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (Oct. 11 and 25), 9 a.m. to noon. Kenai Senior Center, on the first and third Wednesday of each month (Oct. 5 and 19), 9 a.m. to noon. Ketchikan Job Center, every Thursday (Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27), noon to 3 p.m. Social Security provides toll-free telephone service to all of Alaska. Residents in Alaska’s southeast communities can call the Juneau Soc...
No one is immune from having their identity stolen, not even Better Business Bureau. Reports have been coming in to BBB offices and on Scam Tracker regarding individuals claiming to be working with BBB. An Alaska man told us he got a call from a man named “James Stewart” stating he was holding a prize package for him. The Alaska man reports the caller told him he was working with BBB to send him the package and requested he wire money in order to get the prize. In Washington, a woman reports she received a call from someone telling her she won...
The dust has finally settled from legislative session, with important budget items and pieces of legislation passed by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Walker of interest to seniors and other public members. Some positive news on funding Good news for senior programs! Restored funding was approved in the amount of $5.1 million for the Alaska Senior Benefits program, administered by the Division of Public Assistance, in the Governor’s signed operating budget. Payment assistance for the two lower income tiers in the monthly a...
Numerous Tricare fee change proposals in the FY 2017 Dept. of Defense budget are galloping our way. If you are like me, one of the elite group that in the 1960s received an invitation from the local draft board to join the Army, these new changes aren’t anything like the deal the military said our retirement benefits would be. We all realize we all have to do our part in tough budget times. I can’t speak for all retirees, but I wish the hit squad at the DOD would pack up and move to another dep...
If you let it, your dog's nose can lead you to the fun and rewarding dog sport of canine nose work. Yes, it's called a sport but it doesn't require the rapid-fire pace of flyball or agility, just you following silently behind your dog as your dog's nose and brain work together to solve the question "where is that smell coming from?" And all that's required from your dog is her nose and eagerness to find the source of that smell. K9 Nose Work was developed by Ron Gaunt, Amy Herot and Jill Marie...
What Alaska connection do England's King Edward VII, Al Capone's chief legal counsel, Albert Fink, and American presidents Warren G. Harding, Theodore Roosevelt and William McKinley have in common? They are all honorary members of the Arctic Brotherhood club. This fraternal club, which at its height boasted around 10,000 members in the early 1900s, was the brainchild of sea captain William Connell, a hospitable man who had a reputation for keeping company with his passengers aboard the steamer,...
Two decades ago, Barbara Bain embarked on a mission many might have considered impossible: to convince children that books and reading could be fun. "I volunteered in a daycare and just started reading to the kids one day as we sat on the lawn," said Bain, who starred in the TV series "Mission: Impossible" and "Space: 1999." "They seemed to really enjoy it and were very responsive." The actress soon recognized the potential of her simple act of kindness. "I thought of all my acting colleagues in...
There’s no shortage of commercials urging you to buy gold and silver and other precious metals. The idea is that it’s a smart way to diversify your portfolio and protect your retirement funds. But of course everyone’s situation is different. Before you sink money into any new investment product, talk it over with your accountant or financial advisor. It’s a good idea to talk with an advisor who has specific knowledge about this type of investment but who is not also trying to sell it to you. If you decide to buy, the Federal Trade Commiss...
We Alaskans pride ourselves on being independent. But despite our “we don’t give a darn how they do it Outside” attitude, most of our state laws are the same as just about everywhere else in the U.S. One reason is that many of those laws are tightly governed by federal law (such as Medicaid, which is based on state statutes, but those statutes have to meet federal requirements if the program is going to be funded). But even beyond that, an awful lot of our statutes are written elsewhere. When...
Q. My cable bill went up last month. I only watch a few shows regularly – can I ditch my cable box and watch shows online? A. I cut the cable years ago. My wife and I knew we were ready after noticing how often we watched Netflix. At the time, our monthly bill dropped from $90 to $8. Before making the switch, consider what you watch now and see if you can find it online. Local news is difficult to replace. The same goes for live events like sports and award shows. The easiest to find are TV shows and movies. In many cases, shows can be w...
Do not go back to what you loved in August, for you will see the near ending of the times you loved. August is the beginning of the end of the year, the times when the lush green leaves start turning to rust and yellow. But if you are a happy outdoorsman and can’t wait to see the first snowdrop, you will be coming into your own, waxing your skis, sharpening your skate blades. Taking your heavy wool sweaters out of mothballs and checking to see where you left your snow shovels. I am not one of t...
In addition to federal VA benefits, veterans shouldn’t overlook the State of Alaska benefits. Following is a partial list of Alaska Veteran benefits. Veteran license plates The State of Alaska Legislature has designated several special license plates for veterans: recipients of the Purple Heart Medal, veterans who have been a Prisoner of War (POW), veterans who are survivors of Pearl Harbor, and Gold Star Families. Plates are issued free of charge after proof of service or family loss is validat...
Dubbed The Arctic Venus by newspapers across the globe, Helmar Liederman turned many heads as she strutted her stuff in 1922 during the Inter-City Beauty Contest – forerunner of the Miss America Pageant. The 23-year-old beauty, who immigrated from Sweden in 1921, proved to be one of the most popular contestants of the 57 that entered the Atlantic City event. Only 10 girls had competed in the inaugural contest the previous year. "A real beauty from the north country, Miss Helmar Liederman of June...
One of the hottest actresses to emerge from the 1970s has been appearing around the country in recent years presenting her stage show, "More than a Bionic Woman: An Evening with Lindsay Wagner." In August, Lindsay will be in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. (See www.lindsaywagnerinternational.com for details.) "I'll be sharing anecdotes and stories from behind the scenes in my career, and showing clips and photos from my personal collection," said Wagner from her California home. "So it should be a...
You probably heard that changes in the law now affect the way you file for certain benefits. These changes place limits on when voluntary suspension and reinstatement can begin for you and your family members who might also be entitled to benefits on that record. This is not the demise of “file and suspend.” It’s still one of your best tools for boosting your Social Security benefit after you reach your full retirement age. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 made changes to the Social Security claims filed by married couples. The law affected an...
Staff from Alaska’s Social Security office will be available for questions via videoconferencing at the following locations and times: Kodiak Job Center, on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (Aug. 9 and 23), 9 a.m. to noon. Kenai Senior Center, on the first and third Wednesday of each month (Aug. 3 and 17), 9 a.m. to noon. Ketchikan Job Center, every Thursday (Aug. 4, 11, 18 and 25), noon to 3 p.m. Social Security provides toll-free telephone service to all of Alaska. Residents in Alaska’s southeast communities can call the Jun...
“And another thing,” says the client across from me, tapping his finger on the desk for emphasis, “I don’t want Junior to get anything. He’s an ingrate who broke his mama’s heart, and didn’t even call when I had my heart attack.” “No problem,” I reply, “we can leave him nothing.” It’s not the first time I’ve heard something like that. But that isn’t enough. “What’s more,” he continues, “I want one of those No Contest clauses I’ve heard about, so he can’t challenge the will.” “Alright, th...
Q. When callerID displays a strange number on my phone, I ignore it unless the number is local. Yet lately when I do answer, often local numbers turn out to be a big company with something to sell. Has someone opened a call center in my neighborhood? A. Possibly, but unlikely. “Robocall” apps can dial phones by the thousands and “spoof” callerID with friendly-looking local numbers. The practice is illegal, but enforcement is spotty. Fake callerID isn’t new, nor are robocalls, but the resulting number of problems continues to skyrocket...
Some veterans, as they age, find themselves to be in financial straits with little or no resources and in poor health. If this is your case, then I urge you to consider applying for a VA Pension and especially the Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits. Eligible wartime periods Under current law, VA recognizes the following wartime periods to determine eligibility for VA Pension benefits: Mexican Border Period (May 9, 1916 – April 5, 1917 for veterans who served in Mexico, on its borders, o...
Many have heard tales touting the shenanigans of conmen like Jefferson "Soapy" Smith and a man named Hendrickson, better known as the "Blue Parka Bandit." But neither of them caused the demise of an Alaska governor's political aspirations. That dubious honor falls upon H.D. "Harry" Reynolds, who singlehandedly brought down Gov. John Brady in 1906, according to a 1984 article written by Alaska historian Stephen Haycox for the Anchorage Daily Times. Brady came to Alaska in 1878 as a protégé of m...
What were the chances that a 6' 3" spaghetti-thin, 18-year-old blonde actor from Bennington, Vt., could break into Broadway on his first job interview in the 1940s? For Carleton Carpenter, after arriving in New York City in the winter of 1944, they were clearly quite good. "Within 24 hours I had my first Broadway role in a play called 'Bright Boy,'" said Carpenter, who turns 90 in July, from his home in Warwick, NY. "The character was written as a tall, lanky blonde who wanted to be an actor. Ta...
Your parents were there for you when you were born. They’ve been with you through the most important achievements of your life. Now it’s your turn to show them that they can count on you. As your parents get older, they may need help making decisions. When you volunteer to become a representative payee, you’re supporting your parents and their future. A representative payee is someone who receives Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments on behalf of a person not capable of managing the funds on his or her own. As a repre...
