Columnists
Remembering Sheridan Summers in the ’60s
Recently, my cousin, the Dancing Librarian, and I were discussing how different summer was when we were growing up in the 1960s. Unlike today’s kids, we had three whole months of freedom from school to do whatever we wanted. We could get a summer job, work on 4-H projects, hang out at the pool all…
Read MoreAsk Rusty – Why Hasn’t My SS Benefit Changed Because I Am Still Working?
Dear Rusty: I am currently receiving Social Security benefits while continuing to work full time. There are no restrictions on my wage earnings because I waited until full retirement age before beginning benefits. However, I was also told that my benefit amount would be reviewed each year if my current earnings were higher than past…
Read MoreBarry Odom Brings Reasons for Optimism to Purdue Football
With a few exceptions, expectations have never been high for Purdue football in my lifetime. Last season’s 1-11 record dropped the program’s winning percentage to .513. That’s still better than Big Ten peers Indiana (.422), Northwestern (.447), Rutgers (.492) and Illinois (.505) but nothing to brag about. Purdue’s eight Big Ten championships match Northwestern for…
Read MoreWater, Water Everywhere
Okay, I’ll admit it. I was stuck for a topic for this week’s column. Then, while I was brushing my teeth one morning, it hit me (not literally, thank goodness) — water! To be specific, the watercourses in Hamilton County. Have you ever paid any attention to all the creeks, streams, brooks, branches, etc. that…
Read MoreGerrymandering? Don’t Blame GOP – Blame Them All
Gerrymandering, according to the good folks at the dictionary George Merriam and Noah Webster started is “the practice of dividing or arranging a territorial unit into election districts in a way that gives one political party an unfair advantage in elections.” For the purposes of today’s scribbles, let’s just focus on one word – unfair.…
Read MoreDelicious or Dangerous? Dough is Food for Thought
The word is DOUGH. What first comes to mind – the bread you eat or what results in a receipt? Cash or crumbles? I care less about cash and careen more toward the cuisine. Yet, food has always been my frenemy. It’s always been something I’ve loved and longed for, but its lasting effects have invariably left…
Read MoreAsk Rusty – I’m Turning 70. When Should I Apply for Social Security?
Dear Rusty: I have a very simple question: I will turn 70 on September 20th and want to start my Social Security benefits in September. What month should I file my claim? Have there been delays with the reductions in SSA staff? Thank you for your help. Signed: Ready to Claim. Dear Ready to Claim: Social Security…
Read MoreA Sit Down With New Purdue Football Coach Barry Odom
Barry Odom was born to be a football player. Coaching became his destiny. In Oklahoma, there’s two things that matter. Oil and football. Growing up in Maysville, Odom watched the Sooners win a national championship in 1985. “The Oklahoma Sooners were in the heyday of (Barry) Switzer winning national championships or competing every year,” the…
Read MoreFor the Love of Fur
When you were a kid, were you longing for a “Lassie” or yearning for a lively Labrador like “Old Yeller?” In later years, I know my kids were begging for some Beethovens, but St. Bernards were out of the question! There are so many decisions when deciding to adopt a dog. But one thing is for sure,…
Read MoreMillennial Responds to Recent Column
My recent scribbles must have struck a chord because my email inbox blew up. Some of you may remember a column I penned talked about getting back to basics in life; simplifying things, so to speak. Surprisingly, at least to me, was that a fair amount of feedback came from the millennials and not just…
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