Opinions

Over the past couple of months, I've logged some time on Kansas' highways and byways, and I've come to a conclusion. Our roads are turning to garbage.

My fiance's father, Clyde Swansen, died this past week, and Kim and I spent four days honoring him in the best ways we could imagine. I was lucky to have known Clyde for nearly a decade before his death.

A forgotten media, AM radio, has found itself in news headlines recently. A number of car manufacturers have already started to remove AM radios from their cars, or have started to make plans to get rid of them.

Dear Savvy Senior, Next month I am moving to a different state so I can be near my daughter and grandkids. Do I need to notify Social Security and Medicare about the move? Relocating Grandma Dear Relocating, Yes, if you’re a Social Security and Medicare recipient you definitely need to let these Federal agencies know when and where you move so there are no hiccups in your benefits or coverage.

It's quite a cultural shift when you go from camping one weekend to attending the opera the very next weekend. Such is the cultural diversity of Wichita, Kan.

Random Thoughts Two weeks ago, Kansas City voters did something that rarely happens – they told a billionaire “no.” Actually, the voters in Jackson County, Mo., – which includes Kansas City, Mo., and other cities like Blue Springs, Independence, Lee's Summit and Raytown – said “no” to a pair of billionaires, Kansas City Chiefs' primary owner Clark Hunt, and Royals' primary owner John Sherman. Nearly six out of every 10 voters voted against a proposal to extend the existing 3/8-cent sales tax that helps fund the Truman Sports Complex where the teams play at Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium.

Paul Rhodes | Publisher & Editor Two weeks ago, I took a deep breath and told myself that I was launching a yard reclamation project that could take two years to bring to fruition. Just like eating an elephant, I settled on taking one bite at a time.

Savvy Senior Dear Savvy Senior, Can you help me identify some good senior living communities that offers all levels of housing and care from independent living to nursing home care? I am in my late seventies and know I need to downsize from my current house, but I want my next move to be my last. One Move Mary Dear Mary, If you want your next move to be your last, an all-inclusive retirement community – also known as a continuing-care retirement community (or CCRC) – is a great option to consider.

Dear Savvy Senior, My husband and I recently turned 65 and would like to find out which vaccines are recommended and covered by Medicare? New Beneficiaries Dear New, All recommended vaccines for adults, age 65 and older, should be covered by either Medicare Part B or Part D, but there are some coverage challenges you should be aware of. Here’s a rundown of which vaccines are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and how Medicare covers them.

I called my brother Bruce, the high school science teacher from Marion, on Sunday to see if he had made it to Arkansas. That's where Bruce was headed to watch Monday's solar eclipse, somewhere in the path of the total eclipse.