I have no news to report from Augusta. I keep wondering, like some of you, what will happen when and if Gov. LePage gets his way and ravages the Tobacco Fund so some of us go back to paying nearly $100 a month for our Medicare. I wonder if he’s still planning on a drug test for all recipients of MaineCare and other benefits. We heard about that plan early on, but not a word recently. No doubt, there will be changes.

This would be a perfect time for someone in the know to speak to gatherings of seniors – either at a senior center or senior housing – and answer the dozens of questions many of us have.

One way some of us in York and Cumberland counties can get information is by taking advantage of free assistance offered by the benefits specialists from Southern Maine Agency on Aging. Other experts from the Maine Veterans Services may also be of help.

In these uncertain times, we need all the solid information we can get – and when its free advice you can use, it’s even better.

If you are 60 or older, or under 60 and disabled, there may be assistance that you are not even aware of – including tax and rent rebates, fuel assistance, prescription drug assistance, ways to save on Medicare, food stamps and more. To find out about this help, make an appointment soon to talk with a benefits specialist.

In Biddeford, you will find Linda Sprague Lambert at McArthur Library on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Call her directly at 776-4759 for an appointment.

Owen O’Donnell is available Wednesday at the Westbrook Community Center on Bridge Street. Call SMAA, 396-6500 for an appointment.

On Tuesdays, O’Donnell will be in Windham at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 919 Roosevelt Trail. Again, call 396-6500 for an appointment.

These services are supported by Community Block Development Grants from the city of Biddeford and Cumberland County.

Maine Veterans’ Services Offices are another source of information and assistance for many seniors with a military background. Veterans service officers are employed by the state and are professionals who know their way around the VA system. They can help veterans and their families in a number of ways. They may assist you with compensation/pensions, medical care, military records, grave markers and veteran home loans. Some counties may also have dedicated funds to assist you with temporary shelter/utilities, food/health supplies, medical/dental, job placement, counseling, and transportation.

The Portland office for Veterans’ Services is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Staff can provide information and assistance with benefits that may be available through state, federal and local municipalities.

Field service officers are available in both Cumberland and York counties. Phyllis D’Orsay can be reached at the Portland office, 878-2683 and is also available on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month from 9 a.m. to noon at Windham Veterans Center. No appointment necessary at the Windham site.

In York County, Robin Shepard is at the Springvale Vet Center. Call 324-1839 for an appointment. Shepard is also in Saco at the Municipal Building, 9-11 a.m. on the second Wednesday of the month.

It doesn’t cost anything to find out from these experts, just what you may be entitled to and it’s always better to be prepared – none of us can predict what the government in Augusta, or Washington will surprise us with.

Kay Soldier welcomes reader ideas for column topics of interest to seniors. She can be reached by email at kso48@aol.com, or write to 114 Tandberg Trail, Windham, ME 04062.