Seniors insecure - Co-Speakers town hall - Habitat for Humanity

04-08-11 7,8,9 AM; Noon; 5,6 PM
RBS

Seniors worried about their financial future…

If there’s something fun or carefree about getting older, you won’t find it in the new AARP survey of people over age 50 in Oregon. Instead, eight in ten respondents say they’re worried… about their financial futures, about health care costs, and about having the ability to stay sharp and healthy as they age. Chad Cheriel (CHAIR-ee-ell), an AARP volunteer who also works for the Institute on Aging at Portland State University, says even those older Oregonians who once felt well-prepared for their golden years are not so sure today.
201 – “They counted on their houses; the equity has gone down significantly because of the housing market. Whatever savings they have have been halved, or 30-40 percent wiped out.

Cheriel says 30 percent of retirees rely on Social Security as their primary source of income… and for 60 percent of retirees, it makes up about two-thirds of their monthly income.



04-08-11 7,8,9 AM; Noon; 5,6 PM
RBS

Oregon’s unique power sharing arrangement in the House of Representatives will be headed out on the road again this weekend when Co-Speakers of the House Bruce Hanna, of Roseburg, and Arnie Roblan of Coos Bay hold a pair of joint town halls tomorrow… one in each of their districts. Co-Speaker Hanna says they’ll start out in his district… District 7… before heading to District 5 on the coast.
200 – “Speaker Roblan and I start Saturday morning in Cottage Grove. That will be at the Community Center at 9:30. We’ll finish up there and travel over to Reedsport where we begin at two o’clock.”

That Town Hall will be at the Pacific Auditorium at Reedsport Junior-Senior High School.

Habitat For Humanity is preparing to launch their next round of home construction in Florence. A series of workshops this month are aimed at getting information to prospective low-income homeowners about how to qualify and apply. Eligible applicants must have lived or worked in the Florence area for at least a year and be prepared to assist not only with their own home, but volunteer with another Habitat project. The first meeting is set for Tuesday, April 19th, seven pm at the Florence United Methodist Church.