DURHAM, N.C.—It’s almost college-basketball season. That means it’s almost time for an annual ritual at a university in this formerly sleepy tobacco town that has become one of the points in North Carolina’s Research Triangle. Duke—which you, faithful reader of the column, will ...

Question: I have EPIC, but how do I know when EPIC will help pay for my medications? Answer: First, for those that don’t know what EPIC (Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage) is, this benefit is available to residents of New York state, over age 65 and with an income of less than ...

I foolishly planned a yard sale. I even hornswoggled Dear Richard into the idea. I’m an idiot. For the past three or four years, we’ve been donating our worthy goods to worthy charities. Simple. Easy. Sensible. Then one day I found a bunch of little things I don’t use and put them in a ...

My church, Zion Covenant of Jamestown, is sponsoring a refugee family with seven kids. The father works as a janitor in a public elementary school making $16 an hour. Why is our government threatening their SNAP benefits? Some say the Democrats are at fault, but why is a federal judge ...

I hate to admit it, but winter is on the way! This morning one of the weather prediction sites said that we could have “intermittent snow” next week. I have never been a big winter guy. I think I would be happiest if we had continual rotations of spring and fall - but such is not the ...

To some the words politics or politician are pejoratives. A person the voters have elected to represent them and their community may be dismissed as “just a politician.” In our representative democracy, what should a politician be and how should politics be viewed? The famous American ...