Fall 2021 Children's Announcements: Publishers F-L

These Are Your Roadwork Horror Stories

"Around 20 years ago I was visiting relative in Mobile. 15 miles pas Citronelle ion US Highway 45, I rand into a 'Road Closed' sign, signaling the bridge was out and I had to detour on a county road, which I did. This was supposed to be three miles around the construction site. That detour took nearly 10 miles.

"I am not lying. This was scary. The road was narrow. All the vehicles travelling on 45 had to take that road. Narrow, curvy roads and lots of 18-wheelers are not great mix. And this was the deep woods, folks. I love in the woods myself, but at least there is space on the side of the road if you need to pull over. The trees were right near the edge of the road. There wasn't even a ditch.

"This was Deliverance country. There were tons of fobbed-out trailers and shotgun houses everywhere. It was like these people living here were cut off from civilization for decades. And there were Confederate flags everywhere.

"And then the shit got real. When I reached the supposed three-mile point, there was a small neighborhood store at a crossroads. No detour signs. Somebody took down the detour signs. Drivers were confused on which way to go, but people were afraid to ask for directions. Neither did I.

"I told a couple of truckers 'I'm going left, that should take us back to 45.' One of them said 'We'll be right behind you, buddy. We got your back.' And we headed down the road, with me, my brave but dumb self (for taking the lead in driving through "no-sensible-man's land" in a blue '92 Geo Prizm with several 18-wheelers and other travelers, probably all scared of stopping for an emergency in the midst of these strange people staring as we drove by.

"I was right. Some seven miles later, we made it back to Highway 45. Everyone that followed me out were honking and waving as they passed by. I had stopped to get myself together after going through that hellhole.

"Since that day I always check the road conditions and detours before I travel. I do not want to experience this situation again."

These Real Black Horror Stories Will Put Any Scary Movie To Shame

Dannette and Jeanette Millbrook, 15, have been missing since March 18, 1990. According to WJBF, their case was opened back up in 2013 when it went viral after a documentary on their disappearance aired. The police initially wrote off the mystery as a case of runaways. The last time they were seen was at a Pump-N-Shop store, per the family. Their younger sister recalled walking with her mother to find them the night they vanished.

True crime spectators wonder if they'd been abducted by serial killer Joseph Patrick Washington, who lived in their neighborhood. Their father was also reported to be sexually abusive and some question if he may have abducted them himself. The most frustrating part of the case is that there was no investigation to begin with. So, where does one start?

The family put up two billboards, asking the public to help them find any information about their loved ones; a $50,000 reward has been offered for any information.

Social Security Horror Stories Come To Light: 'This Is So Cruel'

Social Security beneficiaries who were asked to pay back thousands of dollars due to overpayments talked about being scared of losing their homes as they were unable to gather the sums requested by the Social Security Administration (SSA), CBS News reported.

The SSA sparked outrage after a recent investigation found it had asked for billions of dollars back from beneficiaries, including some of the most vulnerable people in the country—those on low incomes, retirees and disabled people.

According to the federal agency, these beneficiaries were not entitled to receive the money that had been sent—and likely spent—, often due to SSA's own procedural mistakes.

Data from the SSA's inspector general, shared by news companies, shows that the agency received a total of $4.7 billion in overpayments in the 2022 fiscal year, while $21.6 billion remains outstanding.

SSA benefits are paid based on earnings records for people aged 62 or older or those with a disability who have enough work credits. For many people who are unable to work or are retired, payments form the bulk of their income. The agency normally claims back this money by reducing or stopping monthly benefit payments, intercepting federal tax refunds, or seizing wages.

Many have spoken to Newsweek about being scared of "losing everything" due to recent overpayment demands. Now, more stories of struggling Social Security beneficiaries are coming through.

Talking on the news channel's 60 Minutes Overtime, the family of a former Social Security beneficiary with cerebral palsy, Roy Farmer, said they were asked to repay several thousand dollars because of overpayments.

When Farmer was still a child, the SSA ruled that he was no longer eligible to receive benefits. In the years that followed, his family continued to receive checks from the agency as they appealed the decision—money that the agency now wants back as the appeal was denied. Farmer was told he owes $4,902.

A 73-year-old Virginia retiree, Jean Rodriguez, was told she owed $72,000 in overpayments after the SSA calculated her benefits based on her salary. While the agency has been taking back the money, Rodriguez has not received a check in two years, she told CBS.

A couple from Chicago, Steven and Becky Sword—who are both currently at low-income jobs—were told they had to repay $51,887 in overpayments in 30 days.

The news of the three case has caused anger among many members of the public, with journalist Yashar Ali calling the SSA's requests for overpayment "cruel."

"This is so cruel. A Chicago couple was stunned to learn they owed Social Security $51,887 and were expected to pay it back in 30 days. The reason? Social Security mistakenly overpaid them," he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"What a nightmare! For SS to ask for the money in 30 days even when they didn't get it in a lump sum is cruel," another user commented. "Especially considering it was the agency's fault. I hope they get help, now that the media is covering this."

Many others said they had the same experience, or knew someone who did. Some said the SSA should not ask for money back when it was their mistake in the first place.

Newsweek contacted the SSA for comment by email on Monday.

After 60 Minutes published their stories, the three households who were previously denied a waiver on their debts were told they would not have to pay the money back.

A hand holding a Social Security card. Several recipients of benefits have reported being asked to pay back thousands due to msitakes made by the SSA. Getty Images

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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