About the Earnings Test and Taxation of Social Security Benefits

Dear Rusty: I’m 63, married, and we file a joint tax return. If I claim Social Security now and keep working and earn $7,000 more per year than the annual limit of $19,560, I know I’d have benefits withheld at the rate of $1 for every $2 over the limit ($3,500).

Blessings

Getting your first bike ride in the middle of March made you feel good. Talking to a friend in California, you tell him of the excursion. He questioned your judgment. You had to inform him that the season temperature already went up 60 degrees.

Dakota Datebook

Bismarck-Deadwood Stage Trail by Christina Sunwall April 11, 2022 — After the 1874 expedition led by George Armstrong Custer confirmed the discovery of gold in the Black Hills, the town of Bismarck experienced its first boom.

The days of yellow journalism...

Yellow journalism was a common practice many years ago.The question is are we returning to this type of journalism? The type of journalism where the news is sensationalized and based in only a kernel of truth. Agenda driven journalism.

Getting through the day...

A few years ago, Lyle wrote a column that he titled “Lucky Lyle”. He wrote this column chronicling his health issues that he had been through up to the point of writing this column.

…someone will have to be a little bit cranky…

As I spun the handle on our Whirly-Pop, keeping the popcorn from scorching, I smiled at my bride and commented, “you can tell everyone that on Sunday evenings I am old and cranky.” Without missing a beat, she replied, “yep, and on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

How Much Democracy Do We Want?

Here we are 250 years after the Founding Fathers declared that “we the people” were creating a government with the consent of the governed, we are still trying to define who “we the people” are. At first, we the people consisted of white property and asset owners who had a stake in society.

Please Note VNV Deadline and Hours

The deadline for all news, photos, and advertising is Mondays at 12:00 p.m. Office hours are Monday - Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and Fridays Closed. Please note that the office may be closed without notice from time to time for appointments, further education, and other errands.

Legislative Report

April 4. 2022 My last report to the whole district was about a month ago. However, I did have a special agriculture report for the Langdon paper which the other papers didn’t receive.

KC’s Column

GREAT BEGINNINGS, 1823 “The king sits in Dunfermline town Drinking the blude-red wine; O whare will I get a skeely skipper To sail this new ship o’ mine?