Dear Annie: I am caught in a very difficult family situation. I have twin sisters-in-law, Tricia and Tanya, who have not spoken to each other in more than 25 years. To complicate things further, Tanya and her mother have also been estranged for 24 years. I’ve managed to maintain good ...

Dear Heloise: My pet peeve is TV shows where the background music is so loud that you cannot hear the dialogue being spoken. I am not deaf, and it’s very irritating to lose what is going on in the show. -- Lissa B., Sugar Hill, New Hampshire Lissa, I love music, but like you, I don’t like ...

Dear Annie: I have lived in my house for more than 40 years. In all that time, I have done my best to be a good neighbor. I am not the type to throw block parties or socialize regularly, but I have always made a point to wave, say hello and keep a friendly atmosphere on our street. Until ...

The Independent calendar lists upcoming meetings, facility hours and events in and around Marshall. To have your group’s events listed, email the information to news@marshallindependent.com or submit the information to our virtual newsroom. Today Marshall farmers market, 7:30 a.m. to noon, ...

Dear Annie: My husband and I have a large family, and earlier this year we welcomed our newest baby, “Izzy.” The pregnancy went smoothly, and everyone thought she was healthy until about half a week after coming home, when she began showing concerning symptoms. We’ve been working closely ...

Dear Heloise: I have been seeing lots of suggestions about recycling plastic bags. I save all my plastic (and paper) bags. The majority are donated to my local food pantry as they are always in need of bags for their shoppers. I even save the plastic bags from items that I order online. Some ...