Life

Take Note Of All The Options Medicare Offers

Senior News May 20, 2025

Question: I am turning 65 later this year and I am nervous about getting Medicare. Is Medicare good insurance? Will I be happy with it? Answer: I LOVE Medicare! For anyone who knows me, that comes as no surprise. I have been working with seniors and their insurance for 30 years, and I find that the vast majority of individuals are very happy with their Medicare insurance and the accompanying products that go along with it. I can also confidently say that the transition can be stressful and something that most individuals worry about before it happens. Much of that worry and stress ...

Some Plants Cause More Suffering Than Others For Gardeners With Pollen Allergies

Nature May 18, 2025

For many, the return of the spring garden brings with it a sneezy, itchy, foggy-headed feeling that hits the moment a warm breeze stirs up. I’m fortunate not to suffer much, but my blue car turned a chartreuse shade of yellow last week, and a $32 car wash provided results that lasted only ...

How Can I Help?

Nature May 18, 2025

Four words to inspire a change: Plant natives. Save nature. Here in Chautauqua County, farming is in our roots – grapes, corn, beans – you name it. But these crops rely on more than just hard work and sunshine. They depend on pollinators: bees, butterflies, and birds buzzing and flitting through our fields. But here’s the twist: our crops aren’t their main attraction. They’re just a pit stop on the way to what these insects really love and need – native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers hidden in hedgerows and forest edges. And those places? They’re disappearing ...

Hellbenders Are Very Real

Nature May 11, 2025

Some animals appear so bizarre it is hard to believe they are real. Narwhals, the toothed Arctic whale seems more magical than factual. Pangolins, with their armored plates seem like they evolved from a fantasy book rather than in Asia and Africa. Another strange looking creature, which is ...

Invasive Species In Western New York: Should We Be Worried?

Nature May 4, 2025

Ever heard of the Spotted Lanternfly? How about the Red Swamp Crayfish? No, they’re not band names – they’re invasive species creeping into Western New York, and they could be wreaking havoc on local ecosystems. But what exactly are invasive species, and are they all that bad? WHAT ARE ...

Is Insurance Help For Seniors Available?

Senior News April 28, 2025

My budget is getting very difficult to manage, are there any programs to help with paying for my insurance? What is that and How do I get that? Answer: A program I believe is very helpful for many seniors is called the Medicare Savings Program (MSP). This is a Medicaid benefit administered by the Department of Social Services (DSS) in your county. Each year the income levels change, and this is new income information just released from the Federal Government for 2025. Often our gross income is different than our Net income. (I remember the difference with a rhyme, “Net is what you ...