Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will increase 8.7 percent in 2023, the Social Security Administration announced today. On average, all security benefits will increase by more than $140 per month starting in January.

INGREDIENTS 3 cups white flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons ground ginger 1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1-1/2 sticks butter 2 eggs 1-1/2 cup dark molasses 1-1/4 cup boiling water 1/2 cup diced pear 1 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

The Canadian High School Marching Band earned all 1’s at the regional marching contest held last Saturday at Amarillo’s Dick Bivins Stadium. The Wildcat Band is one of 16 bands that will advance to the area round of competition, which will be held this Saturday, Oct. 22, at Shotwell Stadium in Abilene.

In these photos, taken last Thursday by City Manager Joe Jarosek, Flores Concrete personnel prepare steel rebar for an upcoming concrete pour at Purcell Street (above), workers are compacting “fill soils” around the newly-installed manhole behind the Cattle Exchange in preparation for concrete surfacing (right), and surface replacement is underway in the alley behind Happy State Bank (below). The general contractor on the project is Amarillo Utility Contractors. The concrete repair is part of the TxDOT Utility Replacement Project.