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1 month ago | 
alliancetimes.com | Patricia Jones
Social Security is facing attacks, primarily driven by DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency. Elon Musk has called the program a “Ponzi scheme”. These attacks on Social Security mean the federal government is talking about budget cuts, staffing reductions, and office closures, all of which threaten access to benefits and services for 69 million Americans. What is a Ponzi scheme?
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1 month ago | 
alliancetimes.com | Patricia Jones
“He (Pope Francis) is very close to us,” said Father Gabriel Romanelli. “All the time he called us throughout this war – this horrible war – for more than a year and a half, he would call for peace and send his blessings to all of Gaza’s people.”Every day since the beginning of the war in Palestine 18 months ago, the Pope rang the Holy Family Church in Gaza City around 8 pm. Father Romanelli is the pastor of Gaza’s only Catholic parish.
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1 month ago | 
alliancetimes.com | Patricia Jones
Last week Earl and I went to California, and we were mugged. By whales. Three humpbacks. “Mugged” is the official term, meaning we were held up. When whales swim close to a boat, we are required to shut down the engines and propellers and wait until the whales move on. The three humpbacks came right beside us and entertained us with their blows, flips, and dives for about thirty minutes.
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2 months ago | 
alliancetimes.com | Patricia Jones
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”I remember memorizing the Preamble to the Constitution as a child, and I can still recite those words.
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Mar 5, 2025 | 
alliancetimes.com | Patricia Jones
Many of you may have met Earl’s mother Delma during the year she lived with us. She could no longer remain living alone in her home because of dementia. After a year, her disease had progressed enough that we placed her in assisted living. Gradually we liquidated her assets to pay for her care. First, savings and CDs. Investments. Sell car. Cash out life insurance. Sell house and land. After a stroke she was partially paralyzed, and assisted living no longer provided enough care.
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Jan 29, 2025 | 
alliancetimes.com | Patricia Jones
Brrrr – It’s cold outside! It’s been too cold for so many of our regular outdoor activities. But we have enjoyed the birds in our backyard. We have feeders with birdseed and with sunflower seeds. Suet feeders attract woodpeckers. All those pumpkins and squash we bought in October have been stored in our garage. Now we bring them out, one at a time, and cut a hole in the side to allow access to seeds and flesh. What kinds of birds hang around Alliance in the winter?
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Jan 22, 2025 | 
alliancetimes.com | Patricia Jones
Several years ago I was sitting at church fellowship with a friend who was about 25 years older than I was. I’ll call her Alice for this article. Alice pulled an envelope of cash out of her purse to buy something from a child in our church. I was surprised she carried that much cash, and she was surprised that I didn’t. A stay-at-home mom and housewife, Alice was given a certain amount of money every month from her husband. She had an envelope for groceries and an envelope for other expenses.
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Jan 7, 2025 | 
alliancetimes.com | Patricia Jones
Sandhills Elixir Sage Zero Proof Gimlet: Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice cubes. Add 4 ounces Sandhills Elixir Sage, 2 ounces fresh lime juice, 2 ounces simple syrup. Shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain the mixture into two martini glasses. Garnish each with a lime wedge. Mocktail recipes are available everywhere. Sandhills Elixir makes several zero proof elixirs, and they are available at The Butte Bakery. Why try a mocktail? Because it’s Dry January.
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Dec 16, 2024 | 
saccityexpress.com | Patricia Jones
A new pilot program that allows social consumption of cannabis in specific dispensaries lounges is coming to Sacramento after Sacramento City Council approved the ordinance in a 5 to 4 vote on Tuesday, Nov. 19. Public attendance was large for the council meeting, with many people showing up to have their voices heard. Most of the people who spoke during public comment were in favor of the ordinance, though some were opposed to it.
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Nov 29, 2024 | 
starherald.com | Kay Bakkehaug |Patricia Jones
It’s that time of year when we will begin seeing those red kettles and Salvation Army bell ringers at area stores. The Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign for Box Butte County started November 25 and runs through December 24. It’s our chance to make the holidays brighter for someone in need. Red kettle donations stay local – directly impacting the lives of our neighbors by helping them in their time of need.
