GALION -- Jean Plack holds the key to the tastiness of the funnel cakes served up by the volunteers for Home Care Matters Home Health and Hospice.

"I have been making the batter continuously for the stand since we opened in 1991," Plack said.

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Living your dream job: Vocation Vacations offers chance to try different occupations

Sandy Huddle's life as an insurance claim investigator was comfortable, but it just never was what she really wanted to do.

Huddle, 45, had gone to college to major in what she had seen as her dream career: TV production. During her sophomore year, her father died, and she left school to move back home. She figured she'd stay for about a year, weigh her options and eventually go back to school.Instead, she was thrilled to find a job. She stayed with the same company for more than 20 years, climbed the corporate ladder and relocated with the job to upstate New York. It seemed like this would be her life. Then, when faced with another relocation, Huddle, then a supervisor met, with her team to talk about their future.She started thinking seriously about her own."I was there talking to people about their dreams and goals and I ended up asking myself, 'What are your dreams and goals?' " Huddle said.

Alabama homeowners insurance rates soar

Homeowners insurance rates in Alabama jumped by 69.1 percent between 2001 and 2005 - the second-largest rise nationally - despite the fact that Alabamians have lower incomes and are typically insuring less expensive home than in most other states. According to figures from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the rate pushes the state's average premium for the most common kind of homeowners insurance well above the national norm. Only Minnesota was worse with a 70.3 percent increase. Insurance Commissioner Walter Bell said the pain for homeowners in Alabama's two coastal counties, Mobile and Baldwin, has continued to worsen since 2005, although there have been signs of improvement in the state's other 65 counties. The commissioners' association has yet to release data for 2006 and 2007.