Weathering another wild winter requires careful planning, information, and extreme caution.

The word winter brings many things to mind. For some, it’s bundling up to brave the cold temperatures, school snow closings, and fun-filled days of sledding. For others, it invokes treacherous commutes punctuated by blizzard conditions, slippery roads, and fender benders.

This winter, understanding the differences behind National Weather Service’s advisories, watches and warnings could save your life or someone you love by knowing the appropriate action to take.

Trinity United Methodist Church on City Island will host its annual Thanksgiving Service, followed by a traditional Thanksgiving Feast.

This year's dinner will be donated by Sammy's Restaurant on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27, 2014 from noon to 3 PM in its fellowship hall.

Christmas Fair: December 5, 2-8 PM and December 6, 11 AM-3 PM
Parsonage Open House: December 7, Noon to 2 PM
Sunday School Christmas Pageant: December 14, 10 AM
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service: December 24 at 10 PM

The University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study has released a longitudinal panel update that surveys a representative sample of more than 26,000 Americans over the age of 50 every two years.

Supported by the National Institute on Aging and the Social Security Administration, the HRS explores the changes in labor force participation and the health transitions that individuals undergo toward the end of their work lives and in the years that follow.

Since its launch in 1992, the study has collected information about income, work, assets, pension plans, health insurance, disability, physical health and functioning, cognitive functioning, and health care expenditures. Through its unique and in-depth interviews, the HRS provides an invaluable and growing body of multidisciplinary data that researchers can use to address important questions about the challenges and opportunities of aging.

The shift in the U.S. retirement system away from company pensions and towards individual
retirement accounts has placed greater responsibility on workers for ensuring the adequacy of
their saving and managing those savings.

Absent ready availability of or familiarity with suitable financial instruments, retirees increasingly are self-insuring against a variety of retirement risks, especially the risk of outliving their assets. One alternative to self-insuring against extended longevity is an insurance product known as a “longevity annuity.” The essence of a longevity annuity is a fixed stream of payments that begins with a substantial delay from the time the contract is purchased—a longevity annuity purchased at age 60 or 65, for example, might begin payments at age 75, 80 or 85.

The current market for longevity annuities faces many barriers, ranging from consumer decision making that does not account adequately for longevity risk to the fiduciary concerns of employers to incomplete markets for the hedging of risk by insurance companies. In this paper, we highlight how recent trends have precipitated a need for products that offer protection against longevity risk, consider whether longevity annuities can improve retirement security, highlight barriers to more widespread take-up of longevity annuities, and offer a menu of potential reforms to bolster this fledgling market.

SUNY Chancellor, Nancy L. Zimpher officiated at the inauguration of SUNY Maritime College president, Rear Admiral Michael A. Alfultis, Ph.D.

A great leader never takes himself too seriously and the rear admiral set a fine example by referring to himself as a frustrated preacher during his short acceptance speech.

This inauguration was the culmination of a celebration for the investiture of Dr. Alfultis as the College’s 11th president, and of Maritime College’s 140th anniversary year.