PSA: Put your tax refund to work

It’s that time of year when tax refunds are going out.  If you get a refund this year, how can you make the best use of it?  The answer depends somewhat on the size of your refund.  Last year, the average refund was $3,050, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

"Reel Reviews: ‘You’re Cordially invited’ showcases family-fueled wedding chaos" by: Jessica Shepard

A movie trailer featuring Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon headlining a comedy movie wasn’t something I expected to see during in-theater previews a few weeks ago.

‘Embracing Uncertainty’

We’re living in a world where knowledge is power.  The more information we can ascertain, the more capable we are in being in control of our lives.  Our society is driven by the need to know in this current age of information; however, beware of information overload.

"Publishers Pen: Who’s driving the charter revision train and why?" by: MaLinda Reddell

I attended Bay City’s Jan. 28 city council meeting and I was as stunned by what I saw and heard as well as what I didn’t hear.

"I don’t see 1 council meeting a month as efficient" by: Mike Reddell

I want to look at a proposed City Charter change for the May 3 municipal election.  That change is having only one regular council meeting a month.  The City Attorney is presenting this change as efficiency.  I don’t agree with that.

"Rose-colored glasses are not the point of journalism" by: Jessica Shepard

Have you ever run into a subject over and over again that it gets old?  The subject at hand could be everything from a joke or mantra to a viral commercial or fad.  I mean, I’m sure everyone does at some point, but what do you do if it’s a long-running joke you’ve endured for over a decade?

"Another week another issue to handle" by: John Sample

Another week and a bad start.  Last week, we dealt with Deep Seek.This week we are dealing with tariffs.  No matter the subject another week and another hurdle to overcome.  Just remember that we ended last month at record levels for the S&P 500.

"Letter to the Editor: Does ‘absolute power corrupt absolutely’?"

Dear editor,   Should a city manager have the power to hire & fire City employees as she sees fit, without any over-sight?   This will be the question Bay City residents could see on the ballot if City Council votes in favor of this charter change.

PSA: Dividends - Reinvest or not?

If you own dividend-paying stocks or mutual funds, you generally have a choice: Should you take the dividends as cash or reinvest them?  Long-term investors can benefit from reinvested dividends, which, along with price appreciation, make up part of a stock’s total return.

"Reel Reviews: ‘Companion’ questions robot versus human morality" by: Jessica Shepard

I’m of the firm belief that it’s only a matter of time to progress from drones and computers run by artificial intelligence programming to turn into robotic butlers or extending bionic human applications beyond ability aids.