By Riley Polumbus When the three of us (Maizy, golden retriever 13, and Max, golden retriever 9) are out I am often asked, “Are they related?” It’s a fair question, and I want to answer, “Yes.” However, that is not the answer to their inquiry. They want to know if they are from the same litter, and that answer is, no. But are they siblings? Yes, most definitely. They live under the same roof, share toys, beds, and water bowls. They play together, eat together and often sleep together. Where one goes the other goes, including the vet. If one dog has an appointment, we all go. We are a pack, a ..read more

By Jim Miller, Savvy Senior Dear Savvy Senior, What safety tips can you recommend for older drivers? My 86-year-old mother, who still drives herself, had a fender bender last month and I worry about her safety. —Back Seat Daughter Dear Back Seat, With more and more older Americans driving well into their 70s, 80s and beyond, there are a variety of things your mom can do to help maintain and even improve her driving skills. Here are some recommendations by driving rehabilitation specialists that work with older drivers. Get an eye exam: Because about 90 percent of the information necessary to ..read more

By Randal C. Hill Marvin Hamlisch, who was responsible for writing the music to Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were,” used to utter an unusual prayer. Starting in 1964, when he was 20 years of age, he would privately plead, “Please, God, let Barbra Streisand sing one of my songs.” A piano-playing prodigy from age five, Hamlisch graduated from New York’s Queens College in 1967. The first job he landed soon afterward was as a rehearsal pianist for “Funny Girl,” with—of all people—Barbra Streisand. One day years later, Marvin got a phone call from a friend about possibly writing a song for a fil ..read more

By Hunter Boyce, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (TNS) A new study, published in the Cannabis and Cannabinoids Research journal, found more older Americans are using cannabis today than before the pandemic. According to researchers with the University of Michigan’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, roughly 1 in 8 Americans over 50 currently use the substance. “As the stress of the pandemic and the increased legalization of cannabis by states converged, our findings suggest cannabis use increased among older adults nationally,” addiction psychologist and study lead Anne Fernande ..read more

Friday, February 9, 2024 (NAPSI)—Whether you’re feeding your family or entertaining guests, a delightful way to keep things cozy, yet special during the cold weather season is with a delicious dish such as this one, made with Trusted Veal from Europe. Pastrami-Spiced Veal Burgers Yield: 6 servings Allergens:  Dairy FODMAPS Sugar Ingredients 12 slices Smoked Gouda, sliced thinly 2 cups Sauerkraut, rinsed and drained ¾ cup Mayonnaise 1oz Fresh breadcrumbs 4 oz Milk 2tsp Salt 2lbs Ground veal 2tsp Black peppercorns 2tsp Coriander seeds ½ tsp Mustard seeds 1tsp Sweet paprika 1tsp Onion po ..read more

February 28th, 2024—Boise, Idaho—With spring vibes on the horizon, there’s no better time than now to start planning for all the amazing things we want to do in our yards and gardens. There’s no better way to jumpstart that process than by attending this year’s Boise Flower & Garden Show! The 27th Annual Boise Flower & Garden Show is on March 22-24 at the Boise Centre in downtown Boise. With it comes a bevy of new companies, products, ideas, and advice from gardening experts. With vibrant displays of colorful flowers, creative gardens and landscapes, guests will have the chance to exp ..read more

By Mike Batista, AARP Montana Common Social Security Scams Social Security numbers are key to identity theft. And what better way to get someone’s Social Security number than by pretending to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA)? A common scam involves someone posing as an SSA representative contacting you about a supposed problem with your Social Security number—for example, that your number has been linked to criminal activity and suspended. They ask you to confirm your number so they can reactivate it or claim they can issue you a new one for a fee. Or an imposter may contact y ..read more

By Marie B. Fish “You shouldn’t read so much. You’ll only go blind that much sooner,” was a warning members of my family would give me. This only served to make me read more voraciously than ever while I could still see. When I was fourteen Father Butler, the priest who baptized me, invited me and my younger siblings to attend the local parochial school. He was in the habit of finding Catholic families who lived on the wrong side of the tracks, inviting them to attend “his school” and, obviously, was able to persuade wealthy Catholics to pick up the expense. We weren’t aware that it cost mone ..read more

By Aaron Parrett Tucked away between a pawn shop and a nail salon in the heart of Last Chance Gulch in Helena resides one of the most unusual little shops you’re likely to run across in Montana. Its walls are adorned with historic photos in elegant frames, 1940s comic book covers, and random curios you can’t help but stop and look at. The sign on the window reads “Curiouser and Curiouser,” a quote from Alice in Wonderland, and if you are fortunate enough to wander in some afternoon, you too will feel you’ve fallen down some delightful rabbit hole. Proprietor Barry Ferst opened the shop the sa ..read more

By Suzanne Waring Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” Following the crux of Churchill’s famous quote, Owen Robinson has chosen to give to his Montana community his entire adult life. Coming from a family who owned and operated lumberyard businesses, Robinson grew up in Great Falls and attended public schools before earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. He then returned to Montana to earn a master’s degree in political science while also taking history courses from the University of Montana ..read more