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Happy New Year from all of us at Rhoads Memorial Library as 2025 has now arrived! It is remarkable to think that one quarter of the 21st century has gone by.

Quinn Minute - New Year celebrations

When did people begin to host New Year parties?Ancient Egyptians celebrated New Year when the Nile River overflowed, usually in June. Then someone suggested, “If we change New Year to January, we won’t drown coming home from the party.

Social Security Matters

by Russell Gloor, National Social Security Advisor at the AMAC Foundation, Dear Rusty: My wife will reach her full Social Security benefit at 66.5 years of age which is just under 2 years away for her now. If she were to begin to get her monthly check now (i.e.

Homelessness rises to 18.1% in 2024

Homelessness rose in the United State in double digits, rising by 18.1 percent in 2024, according to the U.S.

Editor’s Message

I don’t make New Year’s resolutions.Why pick one day out of the year to make significant changes to your life, especially since those resolutions are rarely followed through.

Quinn Minute - A Long Healthy Life

Is there any proven way to improve life expectancy?Personally, I’d like to make it to 100. Each year I try to eliminate one bad habit, and now I have none. That’s depressing.The average life expectancy in the U.S. today is 77.2 years. So, if you’re an average person who’s 77.

Choose Farmers Over Politics

By Russell Boening, President, Texas Farm Bureau As a farmer and rancher, I’ve learned to count on the seasons. They don’t wait. The crops don’t hold off until it’s convenient, and the livestock don’t adjust their needs to fit my schedule.

Social Security Matters

by Russell Gloor, National Social Security Advisor at the AMAC Foundation, Dear Rusty: I had to start collecting Social Security at 62, and I am 75 now. I believe that in the last 13 years I have saved Social Security money, so I do not know why I cannot draw my full benefits now.

Quinn Minute - Late greeting cards

A friend asked me if it was OK to delay sending holiday cards until late December.I asked two questions: (1) Will you send me a card? (2) Does it contain a gift certificate?Actually, I believe a late card is a great card. Here are three good reasons -- and two average ones – to delay mailing: 1.

Rural Serving Schools

By Walter Wendler, WTAMU President Rural regions of the United States make significant contributions to the economic well-being of the nation. Rural America is the backbone of U.S. agriculture.In 2023, the agriculture, food and related industries contributed approximately $1.53 trillion to the U.S.