Social Security Announces 2.5 Percent Benefit Increase for 2025
by: Dwayne PageJan 03, 2025
Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for more than 72.5 million Americans will increase 2.5 percent in 2025, the Social Security Administration announced today. On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by about $50 per month starting in January.
Over the last decade the COLA increase has averaged about 2.6 percent. The COLA was 3.2 percent in 2024.
Nearly 68 million Social Security beneficiaries will see a 2.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) beginning in January 2025. Increased payments to nearly 7.5 million people receiving SSI will begin on December 31, 2024. (Note: Some people receive both Social Security benefits and SSI).
“Social Security benefits and SSI payments will increase in 2025, helping tens of millions of people keep up with expenses even as inflation has started to cool,” said Martin O’Malley, Commissioner of Social Security.
Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) is slated to increase to $176,100 from $168,600.
Social Security began notifying people about their new benefit amount by mail starting in early December.
This year, for the first time, Social Security beneficiaries will receive a newly designed and improved COLA notice that makes it easier for customers to find the information they need most. The simplified COLA notice is now only one page, uses plain and personalized language, and provides exact dates and dollar amounts of a person’s new benefit amount and any deductions.
Individuals who have a personal my Social Security account can view their COLA notice online, which is secure, easy, and faster than receiving a letter in the mail. People can set up text or email alerts when there is a new message–such as their COLA notice–waiting for them in my Social Security.
People needed to have a personal my Social Security account by Nov. 20 to see their COLA notice online. To get started, visit www.ssa.gov/myaccount.
Information about Medicare changes for 2025 are available at https://www.medicare.gov. For Social Security beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare, the 2025 benefit amount were available via my Social Security’s Message Center starting in late November. Those who have not opted to receive messages online were to receive their COLA notice by mail in December.
The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
To read more, please visit www.ssa.gov/cola.
Attention Nursery Producers!
by: Dwayne PageJan 01, 2025
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) $2 billion Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program, aimed at helping specialty crop producers expand markets and manage higher costs, is now accepting applications through Jan. 8, 2025.
To be eligible for MASC, a producer must be in business at the time of application, maintain an ownership share and share in the risk of producing a specialty crop that will be sold in calendar year 2025.
MASC covers the following commercially marketed specialty crops:
•Fruits (fresh, dried);
•Vegetables (including dry edible beans and peas, mushrooms, and vegetable seed);
•Tree nuts;
•Nursery crops, Christmas trees, and floriculture;
•Culinary and medicinal herbs and spices; and
•Honey, hops, maple sap, tea, turfgrass and grass seed.
Eligible established specialty crop producers can apply for MASC benefits by completing the FSA-1140, Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) Program Application, and submitting the form to any FSA county office by Jan. 8, 2025. When applying, eligible specialty crop producers must certify their specialty crop sales for calendar year 2023 or 2024.
New specialty crop producers are required to certify 2025 expected sales, submit an FSA-1141 application and provide certain documentation to support reported sales i.e., receipts, contracts, acreage reports, input receipts, etc.
For MASC program participation, eligible specialty crop sales only include sales of commercially marketed raw specialty crops grown in the United States by the producer. The portion of sales derived from adding value to a specialty crop (such as sorting, processing, or packaging) is not included when determining eligible sales.
For established specialty crop growers, FSA will calculate MASC payments based on the producer’s total specialty crop sales for the calendar year elected by the producer. Payments for new producers will be based on their expected 2025 calendar year sales.
FSA will issue MASC payments after the end of the application period. If demand for MASC payments exceeds available funding, MASC payments may be prorated, and the payment limitation of $125,000 may be lowered. If additional funding is available after MASC payments are issued, FSA may issue an additional payment.
DCHS Basketball Returns Tuesday night November 19th
by: peregrineNov 24, 2024
DCHS Basketball Coaches Joey Agee and Brandy Alley are about to embark on their third year at the helm of the boys’ and girls’ programs with high hopes for a successful campaign.
The 2024-25 season begins Tuesday, November 19 as the Tigers and Lady Tigers travel to Wilson Central in the annual Hall of Fame competition. Action begins with the girls’ game at 6 p.m. followed by the boys’ game. WJLE will have LIVE coverage with John Pryor.
This year’s Tiger squad is made up of three seniors, Seth Fuson, Dallas Kirby, and Jordan Parker along with four Juniors, Jon Hendrix, Wyatt Carter, Logan Duke, and David Wheeler. The sophomores are Ben Driver, Kiece Hannah, and Chase Young and the freshmen are Cooper Odom, Elliot Barnes, Hartley Hannah, Carter Melson, Anthony Moore, Porter Hancock, J.T. Summers, Kingston Mills, Drew Cook, Johnny Colwell, and Carson Davis. The managers are Max Hendrixson and Lee Tramel. Head Tiger Coach Joey Agee is assisted by Coach Cody Randolph.
“Our preseason has gone pretty well,” said Coach Agee. “We had a scrimmage last Tuesday night and I was pleased with the kids’ effort. Still, we have a lot of things to clean up, but it’s gone well so far,” he said.
This year’s team will be led by three seniors, Seth Fuson, Dallas Kirby, and Jordan Parker. “We’re really going to count on these guys especially early in the year as some of the younger guys are coming along,” said Coach Agee. “All three seniors have played a lot of basketball over the last couple of years,” he said.
“We also have Jon Hendrix, a junior returning. He has played as a freshman, and he played a ton last year. He will be a returning starter for us,” explained Coach Agee.
“Logan Duke, a junior had a really good summer. He has come on, grown quite a bit and gotten stronger. We will count on him a lot,” Coach Agee continued.
“We’re trying to find some guys to come off the bench or who will work into the starting lineup at some point. We have some freshman we are excited about and sophomores and juniors we will be counting on more throughout the year. We’re pretty young off the bench so we’ll have to get them some experience early in the year,” said Coach Agee.
“Our style of play will be similar to what we’ve run in the past. We have changed our offense up a little bit. We think we have found an offense we will be able to keep from year to year instead of having to change it so much. We have really worked over the course of last year to this past summer trying to find something we think we can continuously run from year to year no matter the kids. We will have to rebound the ball well. We are not a large team but we’re scrappy and I think that will go a long way,” added Coach Agee.
Although the Tigers are not predicted to finish among the top teams in the district, Coach Agee said knowing that should give the team some motivation to prove the forecasters wrong.
“We’re picked fifth out of the six teams by the media and coaches in our district. It should be a motivation for the kids to try to prove people wrong. Upperman is going to be really good again. Ty Cobb is just a sophomore. He was their best player last year as a freshman. Bronzden Chaffin is their quarterback for Upperman. He’s back as a junior so they have their top two guys back,” explained Coach Agee.
“Stone Memorial still has Cade Capps. He can absolutely fill it up. White County is also going to be very good again. Livingston Academy is young, but I saw them this past summer and they’re going to be good. They really push the ball and shoot the ball really well. As for Cumberland County, I talked to a coach this week who has seen them in the last few days. He said they shoot the ball really well. They have a new coach so we don’t know what to expect from them. I do know they have some young guys that can absolutely shoot it. So our district is going to be tough every night from January on,” Coach Agee said.
“Outside of our district we have Warren County, Watertown, Smith County, and Cannon County and all those are great basketball schools. We will start at Wilson Central Tuesday night (November 19). They were here last year for the Hall of Fame but their coach last year Michael Teeter has left for Friendship Christian. I don’t know what style of play they will have but they (Wilson Central) will have a couple of their top kids back from last year. One of them scored 38 or 40 points against us last year. It was a high scoring game and we lost 93 to 77. They will be really good again. Then on Saturday (November 23) we will play in a Hall of Fame Play Day at Gordonsville against Liberty Creek and Gordonsville,” said Coach Agee.
The Lady Tigers will be led by three seniors, Avery Agee, Caroline Crook, and Laurie Rigsby. The squad also includes three juniors, Chloe VanVranken, Bella Rackley, and Allie Melton; two sophomores, Brooklyn Fuson and Lillie Young; and four freshmen, Autumn Crook, Jordan Agee, Jerusalem Aldino and Millie Barton. Lady Tiger Head Coach Brandy Alley is joined by Assistant Coach David Walla. Managers are Alyssa Hendrix, Kaylee Mosley, Tenisha Owens, and Pixi Willingham.
“We have a newer crew coming in and there’s a lot of restarts but it’s a good group of kids. They are all bought in and want to do what we need to do and continue to grow and improve every day,” said Coach Alley. “Our returning senior is Avery Agee and we have added seniors Caroline Crook and Laurie Rigsby,” she said.
As always, Coach Alley expects a tough and competitive road to the regular season district title among the six teams that make up District 7AAA.
“Our district is going to be one of the toughest around again. We have some amazing coaches who will challenge you every single night and these kids work hard all throughout the Upper Cumberland”, Coach Alley said.
“Hopefully our style of play will be fast and a little more structured. I let some the speed take over before but this year we’re not going to get that. We will still be a rough defensive group and hopefully every night we will get after it and leave teams tired at least when they come through here,’ she said.
Meanwhile, members of the DCHS Basketball Cheerleaders are:
Sara Moore (Captain)
Madeline Martin (Captain)
Eden Garner (Captain)
Annabella Dakas (Captain)
Julianna Haynes
Ava Wardlaw
Averie McMinn
Khloe Grandstaff
Jaycee Daley
Yvette Chivers
Kenzie Moss
Izzy Prichard
Brylee Kirby
Landen Tubbs
Lola Colwell
Shelia Kirby (Head Coach)
Hayley Martin (Coach)
Jazelle Featherston
2024-25 DCHS Tigers and Lady Tigers Basketball Schedule
*District – 7AAA Games
Date -Time -Opponent- Home/Away
NOVEMBER
Tues, 11/19- 6:00pm- Wilson Central-HOF AWAY • Non-District
Sat, 11/23- TBA- Gordonsville- HOF AWAY • Non-District
Mon, 11/25- 6:00pm –Monterey- HOME • Non-District
Fri, 11/29- 6:00pm- Cannon County- AWAY • Non-District
DECEMBER
Tues, 12/3-6:00pm-Smith County- AWAY • Non-District
Fri, 12/6- 6:00pm- Watertown- HOME • Non-District
Mon, 12/9- 6:00pm-Cannon County- HOME • Non-District
Fri, 12/13 -6:00pm- Warren County- HOME • Non-District
Tues, 12/17- 6:00pm- Watertown- AWAY • Non-District
Thurs , 12/19-Sat. 12/21-TBA- Frank’s Shootout-White County • Non-District
Fri, 12/27-Mon 12/30-TBA Aflac Classic-Watertown • Non-District-TBA
JANUARY
Tues. 1/7-6:00pm-Smith County-HOME • District
Fri. 1/10-6:00pm-White County*- AWAY• District
Tues. 1/14-6:00pm-Cumberland County*- AWAY • District
Fri, 1/17-6:00pm-Upperman*-HOME • District
Tues, 1/21-6:00pm-Livingston Academy*-HOME • District
Fri. 1/24-6:00 pm- Stone Memorial*-AWAY• District
Mon. 1/27-6:00 pm- Warren County- AWAY• Non-District
Tues .1/28- OPEN DATE FOR DISTRICT MAKEUP
Fri, 1/31-6:00pm-White County*-HOME • District
FEBRUARY
Tues. 2/4-6:00pm-Cumberland County*-HOME • District
Fri, 2/7-6:00pm-Upperman*-AWAY • District
Tues. 2/11- 6:00 pm-Livingston Academy*-AWAY • District
Fri. 2/14-6:00 pm- Stone Memorial*-HOME• District
District Tournament-TBA
*District 7AAA Games. Game time listed is the start of the girls contest. Boys contest to follow
