Features

Victory for Common Sense

The Missouri Court of Appeals for the Western District has held that the Missouri Clean Water Commission’s interpretation of its “continuing authority” regulation was arbitrary and capricious. Historically, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources has required permit applicants to prove that they were a corporation in good standing to comply with the continuing authority requirements.

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Savvy Senior®

How and when to apply for social security retirement benefits Dear Savvy Senior What is the easiest way to apply for my Social Security retirement benefits, and how far in advance do I need to apply before I start collecting? Approaching 62 Dear Approaching, The Social Security Administration offers three different ways you can apply for

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When memories are fleeting: caregiver solutions

Think of your father. What is his favorite food? His favorite hobby? Where did he meet your mother? What is his proudest moment? Think of all these memorable moments in his life and ask another question: Does he have trouble remembering these moments? For the nearly 2 million men currently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD),

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Thanksgiving Day meal price slightly lower

Missouri shoppers will find the price for most items used to prepare a traditional Thanksgiving Day meal slightly lower from 2015. Shoppers across the nation are finding a similar story, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Thanksgiving Marketbasket Survey results released this week. For 31 years, the AFBF and Missouri Farm Bureau (MFB)

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A Time to Count Our Blessings

This Thanksgiving I encourage you to look beyond all the hustle and bustle of the holiday festivities, and think about life’s many gifts and blessings we enjoy.  It’s about spending time with your loved ones and giving thanks for your blessings. Many of us have filled our lives with busy schedules and other important commitments.

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Capitol Perspectives: Rebooting Government

by Phill Brooks While political pundits have focused on the reasons for the crushing defeat of Missouri Democrats, I’ve been wondering about something else — the opportunity to “Reboot Government.” With Republicans maintaining an overwhelming majority in the state legislature and the sweep of statewide offices, Republicans have an opportunity to fundamentally change the very

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Holiday weight gain: Beware of eating season

There is always ample opportunity to take in lots of extra calories and pack on a few pounds from Halloween to New Year’s Day. “If you don’t want to deal with that extra weight in 2017 make a plan now about how you are going to manage all of the opportunities for eating extras in

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Consumers gobble up heritage turkeys grown on small acreages

There is high demand for Missouri-raised heritage turkeys from Winigan Farms. The turkeys are part of Rod Belzer’s small-acreage farm efforts, says Dan Downing, state specialist for University of Missouri Extension. Downing works with farmers who grow products for farmers markets and specialty markets such as public institutions. He says Belzer’s operation is a good

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Strategy for getting the most out of your Social Security

The temptation to start collecting monthly Social Security checks at age 62 is hard to resist, but claiming the benefit too early can have damaging consequences for your overall retirement funds. According to Kiplinger.com’s October list of “Financial Decisions You Will Regret in Retirement,” taking the money as soon as you are eligible at 62

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