By Tad Bartimus / Columnist I used to watch two prime time television shows every week because their characters became real and believable to me. The women were strong, cranky and flawed. The scripts were well-written, intelligent, and didn’t always have tidy endings. Even the men were multi-dimensional; they struggled to balance machismo with their…

WASHINGTON (AP) — When the Internal Revenue Service announced plans to close 68 taxpayer assistance centers on Friday, Rep. Major Owens wondered why his Brooklyn district got picked to lose its site. “We certainly need it,” the New York Democrat said. “Brooklyn is a place where you have a large number of immigrants, large number…

ATLANTA (AP) — Residents of the South will have the right to order free copies of their credit reports starting Tuesday. The free access is required under a law enacted by Congress in 2003. Since last year, the law has been gradually phased in throughout different parts of the country, starting in the West. Now…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Personal incomes rose in April at the fastest pace in five months , helped by a big jump in employment, while consumer spending slowed a bit, the government reported Friday. The Commerce Department said incomes rose by 0.7 percent last month, the best performance this year. Analysts said it reflected the strong…

By Tim Beavers / Columnist An old family friend has planned a lengthy overseas trip this summer to research his family’s roots. He asked me if there were any Social Security or Medicare issues that he and his wife should be aware of. Here, basically, is what I told him, and it may be useful…

Business Pulse / By James Clark Mark Armstrong, one of three handymen at the new business Mr. Fix-It, is no stranger to mechanic work. From plumbing to carpentry to car repairs, the Mr. Fix-It guys are ready to work. My, oh my, what a wild and crazy ride we’re in for this week. And along…

Rock Island resident and Washington D.C., native William Russell Hutchins, 52, died May 25 at River Park Hospital after a brief illness.A pest control technician and former Fredricksburg, Va., resident, he was the son of Albert and Emlu Cumberland Hutchins Sr.He is survived by children, Amy G. Tucker of Montross, Va., Terrina Chilton and Jeremy…

Woodbury resident and Warren County native Clayton Franklin Glenn, 74, died May 25 at St. Thomas Hospital after a short illness.A deacon with Woodbury Church of Christ for nine years and an Elder for 33 years, he served his country in the U.S. Army as a First Lieutenant. An advisor and past director of Maxwell…

Fayetteville resident April Loretta Young, 21, died unexpectedly May 26 at her home.A member of the Baptist Church, she was the daughter of Kathy Young of Fayetteville and the late Charles Young; and was preceded in death by grandmother, Audra Tibbs; grandfathers, Edgar Young Jr. and Thurman Conley.She is survived by brother, Charles Young Jr.;…

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — When Katie Chromik put a silver ring on her finger and promised at church to stay away from sex until marriage, her junior high friends giggled. “Some people have made bets on me that I’m not going to make it,” she said. “It just makes me more determined.” Pledging to purity…