Medicare recipients who are eligible for what is being called the Donut Hole Rebate will be interested in the July 31, 2010 interview of Michigan Office of Services to the Aging director, Sharon L. Gire to explain eligibility for the Medicare Donut Hole rebate payment. Ms. Gire was interviewed by Laurel Hess, host of Comcast Newsmakers.

Comedy

The American president [videodisc] by Castle Rock Entertainment and Universal Pictures present a Wildwood Enterprises, Inc. production ; executive producers, Charles Newirth, Jeffrey Stott ; directed, produced by Rob Reiner ; written by Aaron Sorkin

Bob Roberts [videodisc] by Paramount Pictures presents with Miramax Films a Polygram/Working Title production in association with Barry Levinson and Mark Johnson and Artisan Entertainment ; a film by Tim Robbins

Bulworth [videodisc] by Twentieth Century Fox presents

We have been notified by Canton Township that the Detroit Water and Sewer Department (DWSD) will be performing emergency repairs to the DWSD meter pit at Warren and Napier roads on Friday, July 23, which will require the shutdown of a main water feed into Canton between 10:00am and 3:30pm. We have been advised that Northwest Canton will experience low water pressure during that time; water pressure within the library may be affected. Full water pressure will be restored once the repair has been completed.

Canton Supervisor Phil LaJoy will once again host a Senior Summit on Monday, September 13, at the Summit on the Park, from 9:00AM-2:00PM. Supervisor Phil LaJoy began this event when he was serving as a State Representative, and is now continuing it for Canton seniors.

The Senior Summit will feature a wide array of informational booths and presentations geared toward today’s senior. Also included are door prizes, a continental breakfast, lunch, bingo and a shredding truck. The event is free, however registration is required. To register, please call Canton Towhship offices at (734) 394-5185.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Michigan Office of Services to the Aging (OSA) today warned citizens about recent reports of scam artists contacting seniors in an attempt to obtain personal information by asking them to reveal Medicare, Social Security or bank account numbers, or pay a fee to receive a $250 Medicare rebate check.

The DHHS and OSA are urging Medicare beneficiaries not to provide personal information to anyone representing themselves as a "Medicare" or "government" worker if contacted by phone, mail, or in person in exchange for a $250 Medicare rebate check. These one-time rebates are automatically mailed to Medicare recipients when they reach the Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage gap, also known as the 'donut hole.'

For further information, call the national Medicare office at (800) 633-4227. In Michigan, call MMAP at (800) 803-7174.

Voters casting absentee ballots can track their ballots online. Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land announced Monday that absentee voters who enter personal identification information at the Michigan Voter Information Center website will be able to track their ballot. The absentee ballot tracking feature notes when an application for an absentee ballot has been received by the local clerk's office, when the ballot was sent, and when the clerk received the returned ballot

The Michigan Voter Information Center also allows voters to check whether they are registered to vote, print a sample ballot, find their polling place and locate their local clerk.

Last Thursday (July 8, 2010), the Michigan Supreme Court brought down a 4-3 decision allowing insurance providers to use credit score data when calculating premiums for automotive and marine vehicle insurance. This practice has been explicitly legal in Michigan since 1997, and has been a matter of administrative, legislative, and legal scrutiny since at least 2002.

For the purpose of research on this subject, here is a list of relevant articles and documents affecting the court's decision:

With the Michigan Primary fast approaching now is the time to get up to date on all the candidate choices. The Michigan Secretary of State has compiled the 2010 Official Michigan Primary Candidate Listing featuring direct links to each candidate's web site. For more information including polling locations and more, be sure to visit the Michigan Voter Information Center.

The State of Michigan's Office of Services to the Aging — Michigan Seniors has issued a warning to all older adults and their caregivers about the impact summer heat has on older adults. "Because aging affects the body's ability to respond to summer heat, older adults are particularly at risk for heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke, heat fatigue, heat cramps and heat exhaustion, according to the U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA)."

The "shot heard round the world" fired at Lexington, Massachusetts on April 19, 1775 began the War for American Independence. On July 4, 1776 the Continental Congress unanimously declared the independence of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain, and embarked on the war that ended eight and a half years later on September 3, 1783 with the Treaty of Paris.

Books: Reference

American Eras: The Revolutionary Era, 1754-1783 edited by Robert J. Allison (1998)

Founding the Republic: A Documentary History edited John J. Patrick (1995)

June 14th is the official day set aside to honor the U.S. Flag. It was established in 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. To see the flags of all the countries of the world, see the Flags of the World (FOTW) site. This site also has useful information on all things about our U.S. flag, such as when to fly the flag, tips on buying a flag, and a dictionary of terms related to vexillology (the study of flags). For books, DVDs and sound recordings about the lore and history of flags in our collection, search the catalog for flags.

Age Strong! Live Long! is the focus of the Administration on Aging's Older Americans Month 2010. National Aging Services Network of state, tribal, Area Agencies on Aging such as The Senior Alliance, and community services providers such as Canton Seniors Center offer a wide variety of activities in May and throughout the year. Via AOA:

This year’s Older Americans Month theme — Age Strong! Live Long! — recognizes the diversity and vitality of today’s older Americans who span three generations. They have lived through wars and hard times, as well as periods of unprecedented prosperity.

Children of Dust a memoir written by Ali Eteraz reveals Islamic fundamentalism and madrassa life in rural Pakistan, the culture shock of moving to the U.S., and a journey of reconciliation to the modern Middle East. Author Ali Eteraz will speak on Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 at 12:00pm in the University of Michigan's Hatcher Graduate Library, Gallery - Room 100 (use Diag entrance).

The Author’s Forum Presents
A World Without Ice: A Conversation with Henry Pollack & Richard Rood

Wednesday, April 14, 2010, 5:30PM
Gallery/Room 100, Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library
913 S. University, Ann Arbor

A World Without Ice is a book about ice and people — the role ice has played in the development of Earth’s landscape, climate, and human civilization, and the reciprocal impact of people on the planet’s ice. Today, U-M’s Henry Pollack and Richard Rood discuss why ice matters, the delicate geological balance between ice and climate, and the pending crisis of a world without ice.

Thursday, March 18, 2010, 7:30PM

• Call to Order
• Call to Audience
• Approval of Agenda
• Approval of Minutes
• Communications
• Report of the Library Director
• Old Business
  • Contract for RFID Sorting System (item of action)
• New Business
  • Team Canton (item of discussion)
  • Liberty Fest parking request from Canton Township (item of action)
• Call to Audience
• Adjourn

Some of southeast Michigan's youngest elected officials - including Plymouth Library Board Trustee Eric Bacynski - want their generation to be champions for change in their communities. The "You-Go-Lead" Young Government Leaders Symposium provides information and guidance for college students, recent graduates and people under 35 who are interested in running for local or state elected office or in getting appointed to local boards and commissions. The symposium will be at UM-Dearborn on Friday, March 26 from 12:15-4:30. Free registration at www.umd.umich.edu/iflg or contact Kelly Young-Raymore at (313) 436-9179.

Heart disease is the leading killer in the United States which is why February is American Heart Month. Since 1963 Congress has required the president to proclaim it as such. The object is to increase public knowledge of various cardiovascular diseases, including stroke, and the prevention of heart disease by encouraging heart-healthy habits. This Friday, February 5th, is the American Heart Association movement National Wear Red Day which is dedicated to building an awareness of risk and raising funds for research and education specifically for women. Local Go Red activities and more information on heart disease here at Canton Public Library.

The Administration on Aging (AoA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently published A Profile of Older Americans: 2009. The annual Profile of Older Americans was originally developed and researched by Donald G. Fowles, AoA. Saadia Greenberg, AoA, developed the 2009 edition Just a few highlights from this report:

• The older population (65+) numbered 38.9 million in 2008, an increase of 4.5 million or 13.0% since 1998
• The number of Americans aged 45-64 – who will reach 65 over the next two decades – increased by 31% during this decade
• Over one in every eight, or 12.8%, of the population is an older American
• Persons reaching age 65 have an average life expectancy of an additional 18.6 years (19.8 years for females and 17.1 years for males)

In the past couple weeks, dozens (if not hundreds) of patrons have called or visited the library asking about the 2009 Michigan tax forms: Well, your wait is over!! Find supplies of all of the most common Michigan 2009 tax forms and instruction booklets (including MI-1040 and MI-1040CR-7, better known as the Home Heating Credit Claim) on the large work table inside our Copy Center. These are in addition to the 2009 Federal tax forms and instructions, which have been in stock for the past few weeks. For the less common tax forms, you'll find binders containing all reproducible 2009 Michigan and Federal tax forms (photocopy charges apply to these reproducibles) in the Copy Center, which also has a computer work station featuring direct links to Federal, Michigan, Other States' and City of Detroit tax form websites.

The United States Congress has approved a bill that will allow taxpayers to deduct recent contributions to the Haiti relief effort on their 2009 tax returns. To qualify the donation must be monetary and be made to a qualifying charity assisting in Haiti. For more details on how you can help visit the USAID website.