The retirement landscape has dramatically changed over the past several years, with declining retirement accounts, savings accounts and home prices. At the same time, medical costs are rapidly rising, life expectancies are increasing and Social Security benefits are not growing at nearly the same pace as inflation. For many — dare I say most? — tough decisions are at hand about postponing or reformulating a retirement that’s no longer affordable.

The retirement landscape has dramatically changed over the past several years, with declining retirement accounts, savings accounts and home prices. At the same time, medical costs are rapidly rising, life expectancies are increasing and Social Security benefits are not growing at nearly the same pace as inflation. For many — dare I say most? — tough decisions are at hand about postponing or reformulating a retirement that’s no longer affordable.

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Kiwanis Club of Scotts Valley

My friendship with Judge Jeff Almquist, former supervisor for District 5, goes back many years to when he and many of us worked together on logging issues, even traveling to Sacramento to speak before the Board of Forestry. He is that rare person who has the ability to see both sides.

There has been much hype about radiation danger since the recent tragic events in Japan. Right off the bat let me dispel several common fears. As of this writing there is absolutely no need for anyone on the west coast to take potassium iodide pills to prevent thyroid cancer. There has been no significant increase in the local levels of radioactive iodine here on the West Coast, and unless conditions at the Fukushima plant radically change, it is unlikely that we will receive dangerous levels here.

Every child should have the opportunity to experience the sense of pride that comes with physical accomplishment. While not every kid will excel at sports such as baseball, soccer or football, all able-bodied kids can run. And most love it.