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Show C M Y K Page 7 The Garfield County Insider March 26, 2009 C M Y K C M Y K CITIZENS SOUGHT FOR DIXIE NATIONAL FOREST RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (RAC) How to Invest During a Recession Article Provided by Brandon Henrie Financial Advisor for Edward Jones Investments. C M Y K We are now finishing the 16th month of the recession, which began in December 2007, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Not only is this a long recession, but it’s also a severe one, marked by painfully high levels of job losses, a sharply reduced credit flow and a drop in the value of many investments. Still, despite all the bad news, there are valid reasons to believe that brighter days lie ahead. But you don’t have to wait for things to turn around before taking steps to help your own financial future. Here are some actions to consider: Don’t cut back on your 401(k). During difficult economic times, it’s hard for many people to assume their jobs are safe. But if you are fairly confident your employment situation is secure, continue investing in your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan. The tax advantages of these types of plans — not to mention the employer’s match, if one is offered— make them ideal savings vehicles for retirement. Of course, your plan probably has taken a hit over the past year, but that’s the case for many investments. If you’ve chosen a good mix of investments, your plan should recover at some point. Diversify, diversify, diversify. Generally speaking, it’s not a good idea to tie up more than 5 percent of your portfolio in a single investment. Spread your investment dollars among a wide range of stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit and other securities. For a rough idea on how well you’ve diversified, ask yourself: “If the value of a few of my stocks and bonds declined and didn’t recover, would it be extremely painful for me financially?” If the answer is “yes,” you probably need more diversification. Of course, diversification by itself cannot guarantee a profit or protect against loss, but it can give you more chances for success and reduce the effects of volatility on your portfolio. Think long term. Your investments may have lost 30 percent to 40 percent of their value from October 2007 to the present — which may seem like a long time. Yet quality investments often need much longer periods to show significant growth. So while it can be painful to endure short-term losses, you need to develop the discipline to hold your investments for many years. Don’t reach for high yields. When the stock market is down, many investors turn to bonds that offer high yields, reasoning that bonds are always safer than stocks. Don’t be fooled into this line of thinking; highyield bonds mean high-risk bonds. If the issuer defaults, you could lose your principal. Stick with investmentgrade bonds. Look for opportunities. Instead of avoiding the financial markets, look for good investment opportunities. Because investment prices have fallen so much, your dollars can now buy more shares. Historically, buying shares at lower prices has often led to higher returns over the long term. If you’re receiving dividends, now is an especially good time to reinvest them. You probably can’t avoid all the negative effects of the recession. But by following the above suggestions, you can help avoid getting thrown off track on your journey toward your financial goals. The U.S. Forest Service is seeking interested people for the Dixie Resource Advisory Committee (RAC). Application forms (hard copy only) must be received at the Dixie National Forest office, by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 1, 2009. “Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination RACs create an opportunity for the Forest Service to work directly with local community members on forest management,” said Rob MacWhorter, Dixie National Forest Supervisor. “I look forward to working collaboratively with the RAC on some exciting projects. I hope that we get many qualified and enthusiastic people to submit applications to participate.” The RAC will consist of 15 members representing a wide range of interests. The committee’s duties include reviewing proposed land management projects on or adjacent to the Dixie National Forest. The committee recommends which projects to fund and is responsible for coordinating with land management agencies and county officials. Projects may be located in Garfield, Iron, Kane, Washington, and Wayne counties. The four-year membership term would begin upon appointment by the Secretary of Agriculture. Committee members serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for travel expenses. Members must be Utah residents, preferably living in Garfield, Iron, Kane, Washington, and Wayne counties. Meetings are held at least once (and likely several times) during the year. The 15 members of the Dixie RAC will be split equally between three categories. (There will also be a nonvoting replacement member in each category. Replacements attend all meetings and are prepared to fill in a permanent position if the occasion requires.) The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture will make the appoint- ments to the RAC based on the applications received, striving to appoint a diverse membership. Special attention will be given to those who have demonstrated the ability to work collaboratively with others of different viewpoints. Category A: • Organized labor or nontimber forest product harvester groups • Developed outdoor recreation, off-highway vehicle, commercial recreation • Energy and mineral development • Commercial or recreational fishing • Commercial timber industry • Federal grazing permit holders or land use permit holders within the RAC area Category B: • Nationally recognized environmental organizations • Regionally or locally recognized environmental organizations • Dispersed recreation • Archaeological and historical interests • Nationally or regionally recognized wild horse or burro groups, wildlife or hunting organizations or watershed associations. Category C: • State-elected office holders • County or local elected officials • American Indian tribal representatives from tribes within or adjacent to RAC areas • School officials or teachers • Citizens representing the affected public at large The Forest Service is also looking to fill one replacement member position each for all three categories. Replacement members attend meetings with the 15 RAC members, ready to fill in a permanent vacant position upon approval by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Citizens interested in applying for RAC membership are encouraged to retrieve an application form (AD 755) on-line at www. fs.fed.us/r4/dixie or from any local Forest Service office. Applications must be received at the Dixie National Forest, ATTN: Gretchen Merrill-RAC, 1789 North Wedgewood Lane, Cedar City, Utah 84721, 5:00 p.m. May 1, 2009. RETENTION BONUS I closely watch the news these days and, man, it frightens me, The way they toss the cash around at outfits like AIG. They dump ungodly wads of dough on banking millionaires, Whom I wouldn’t trust to walk my dog, much less conduct my affairs. They call it retention bonuses. Why would they want to retent A guy who just wrecked their business. That there is incompetent. Now, take me, please. I’m about six feet. Hearty, and sort of hale. I’m incompetent lots of ways. I say I’m too big to fail. So, I qualify for a payoff, right? You can mail that check to me. I don’t wish to seem grasping. Just a million or three. I wish I’d knowed failure’s the route to the top, as evinced by this AIG bender. I could fake failure just as easy as pie. I coulda been a contender. Poems written by Ray Conrad www.raymondconrad.com Dr. Richard Barnett’s MOBILE ORTHODONTICS OFFICE WILL BE IN PANGUITCH THE AFTERNOON of ON APRIL 6TH AND ALSO ON May 21st. Complimentary consultations will be available. Call 896-4930 to schedule an appointment for you or your family Tourism Advertising & Marketing Contest Accepting Entries Advertise in the Insider Call 676-2621 Online Subscriptions available at snapshotmedia.com The Utah Office of Tourism and the Utah Tourism Industry Coalition are now accepting entries for the Fourth Annual Utah Tourism Advertising & Marketing Contest. The contest will celebrate Utah’s best in tourism marketing, and winners will be announced at the Utah Tourism Conference on Friday, May 15, 2009, at the Davis Conference Center in Layton, Utah. Each entry will cost $25 and organizations may submit a total of five entries. All applications must be received by April 17. The entry form for the contest can be found online at www.travel.utah.gov or by contacting Rebecca Katz at the Utah Office of Tourism at (801) 538-1479 or rkatz@utah. gov. |