Mature Arkansas

Mature Arkansas APRIL 26, 2012

The Buzz on bees Great hobby, even in urban areas. Page 8

ALSO in this issue

Paying for Long-term Care page 2

Tips to Prevent Falls page 4-5

ERA’s Status Has Changed page 15

MATURE ARKANSAS

april 26, 2012

1

letter to t he editor

GUEST EDITORIAL n By Ron Pollack

My Favorite Doctor Dear Editor: n regards to our conversation about Dr. Sam Taggart being the cover story for the first MATURE ARKANSAS magazine, enclosed is the poem you requested. I write some of my poetry in the hillbilly idiom.

Our family lived in North Little Rock, on 23rd Street between “Railroad” Ave. and Pike Ave. My father was an electrician in construction before World War II and served as a maintenance superintendent at A.O. P. Jacksonville, during the war years.

I am a member of the Arkansas Poets roundtable, Benton chapter.

“GP” was written from impressions of our family doctor— Samuel Taggart, MD, of Benton. He’s been our family doctor for 25 years.

I

“G.P.” My doctor drives a “Jesus” bus.

I ‘spose he’s out’a style.

That’s fine with me, I think it’s cool, And I’ll stick with him a while.

He examines you with care and thought, And tells you what to do.

He’ll stitch your cuts, burn off your warts, Prescribe a pill or two.

The patients come from miles around, They’re hurtin’ and they’re blue.

He takes the time to comfort them, Gives treatments old and new.

He’ll ride to work in his “Jesus” bus, Then do his best for you.

M ARKATURE NOV

EMB

ER 1 7, 20 11

Sincerely, Jack L. Hubbard Benton

ANS AS

PRES HIST ERVIN ORY G

Sam T is al aggart, so a n au M.D., and thor athl et Rea d ab e. out h on p is lif age e 6

How Will You Pay for Long Term Care?

A

nyone planning for the future should give some thought to long-term care, which many of us will need someday.

Long-term care (LTC) is very expensive: A semi-private room in a nursing home costs, on average, about $80,000 a year.

Home health care---preferred by most people—could easily cost $25,000 a year for help that lets you keep living at home.

What are your options?

Medicare does not cover either ongoing home healthcare or a long stay in a nursing home. This fact can come as an unwelcome surprise to older Americans and their caregivers. LTC insurance can help, but the policies can be pricey, and you have to keep up the payments or the policy will lapse. If you do opt for LTC insurance, be sure to consult a financial advisor—one with no financial stake in your purchase of a policy or which policy you choose. You’ll need help finding a policy that covers

the services you prefer and that offers protection against inflation.

If you need care you cannot afford and you don’t have good LTC insurance, there is a safety net: Medicaid. Medicaid pays for about half of all LTC provided in the United States. Unlike other health insurance, it will cover

If Medicaid stays a strong program, there will be a

safety-net there to help you. nursing home care, home health aides and some support services that can make it possible for you to keep living in the community longer.

To qualify for Medicaid, you have to have a low income and very few assets. If you’re married and only one of you needs nursing home care, the

Mature Arkansas Publisher Alan Leveritt Editor Anne Wasson Art Director Mike Spain Assistant to the Editor Paige Parham Photographer Brian Chilson Director of sales Katherine Daniels Account Executive Erin Holland Production Manager Weldon Wilson Production Assistant Tracy Whitaker

ad Coordinators Roland Gladden Kelly Schlachter Graphic Artists Bryan Moats Katie Cook Controller Weldon Wilson Office Manager Angie Fambrough IT Director Robert Curfman Billing and Collections Linda Phillips Circulation Director Anitra Hickman

Mature Arkansas is published each week by Arkansas Times Limited Partnership, 201 East Markham Street, 200 Heritage Center West, P.O. Box 34010, Little Rock, Arkansas 72203, phone (501) 375-2985. Reproduction or use in whole or in part of the contents without the written consent of the publishers is prohibited. Manuscripts and artwork will not be returned or acknowledged unless sufficient return postage and a self-addressed stamped envelope are included. All materials are handled with due care, however, the publisher assumes no responsibility for care and safe return of unsolicited materials. All letters sent to Mature Arkansas will be treated as intended for publication and are subject to Mature Arkansas’ unrestricted right to edit or to comment editorially. All content © 2012 Mature Arkansas

Like us on Facebook! facebook.com/maturearkansas 2 april 26, 2012 MATURE ARKANSAS

spouse who lives in the community can keep income and assets that are above Medicaid limits.

This is an important improvement over the time when both spouses had to be impoverished if one spouse needed Medicaid.

Another improvement will begin in 2014: The Affordable Care Act expands this financial protection to include situations where the spouse needing LTC receives help at home, not in a nursing home.

The new healthcare law also improves and expands Medicaid’s home-based LTC options. If you do need Medicaid, new options will let you get the care you need to live safely and successfully at

The new healthcare law

improves and expands Medicaid’s home-based options. home, instead of being forced to move to a nursing home.

These improvements will not happen if Medicaid doesn’t stay a strong program, with adequate funds, or if the Supreme Court strikes down the healthcare reform law. The Supreme Court is expected to announce its decision in June, and Congress is

We Want To Hear From YOU MATURE ARKANSAS welcomes letters or emails from readers on any subject of interest to older Arkansans. Letters to columnists are also welcome. Email your letters to annewasson@ arktimes.com and include “letter” on the subject line.

GUEST EDITORIALS, on issues of interest to Arkansans over age 50, are encouraged. This is a forum for readers’ opinions and comment.

Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Publisher. Contact the Editor at 501-375-2985 to discuss topics or send 300-500 word editorials to annewasson@arktimes.com All editorials are subject to editing and space limitations.

likely to debate deep budget cuts in Medicaid over the next several months.

As long as we make sure Medicaid stays a strong program, there will be a safety-net there to help you, just in case.

Mr. Pollack is executive director of Families USA, a non-profit consumer, healthcare-advocacy organization.

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h ealt h n B y Jeanne W e i , M D , P h D

Top 30 Tips to Prevent Falls How to Avoiding Falling

hose of us over 65 have a 33% chance of falling

T

medical conditions, and the medications taken to treat

each year. Falls are the leading cause of injury or

such conditions. n Don’t let the fear of falling rule your

injury-related death among older adults. Fortunately,

life and limit your activities. Many falls and fall-related

most falls are not serious. We are more likely to fall

injuries are preventable, especially if you take measures

because of common, age-related physical changes and

to reduce your risk. Try these tips:

I

f you need a cane for balance, select one that fits your needs and fits you properly. Talk to a knowledgeable salesperson at a medical supply store and try out several canes before deciding on one. A properly fitted cane will help prevent falls and make it easier to get around. An improperly fitting cane can be uncomfortable to use and may increase your chance of falling.

4 april 26, 2012 MATURE ARKANSAS

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A Proper Fit

1.Talk to your doctor. You and your physician should take a comprehensive look at your environment, your overall health, and your medications to determine if you are vulnerable to falling. Ask your doctor about having someone, (nurse or clinical social worker), come to your home to survey your furniture arrangement, door spacing, etc. and develop a fall-prevention plan.

Tell your doctor if you have fallen before.

Write down the details, including when, where and how you fell. Be prepared to discuss instances when you almost fell but managed to grab hold of something or were caught by someone.

2. Health conditions can cause a fall. Your doctor is most likely to be concerned with eye or ear disorders that may increase your risk of falling. Describe any dizziness, joint pain, numbness or shortness of breath that affect your walking.

Your muscle strength, balance and walking style (or gait) may also be evaluated.

3. Ask for a medication review. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to review your medications for side effects and interactions that may increase your risk of falling.

Bring all medications--prescription and over-the-counter—in their original containers. The doctor may wean you off certain medications, especially those used to treat anxiety and insomnia.

4. Keep moving. If you are not getting regular physical activity, check with your doctor about starting an exercise program as part of your fall-prevention plan. Consider walking, water workouts or tai chi, a gentle exercise that involves slow and graceful, dance-like movements.

Such exercises reduce your risk of falling by improving your strength,

balance, coordination and flexibility.

If you avoid exercise because you are afraid you will fall, tell your doctor. He or she may recommend carefully monitored exercise programs or give you a referral to a physical therapist who can devise a custom exercise program to improve your balance, muscle strength and gait. To improve your flexibility, the physical therapist may use electrical stimulation, massage or ultrasound.

If you have inner ear problems that affect your balance, balance retraining exercises (vestibular rehabilitation) may help. These involve specific head and body movements to correct the loss of balance.

5. Wear sensible shoes. Avoid high heels, floppy slippers, slick soles, shoes with extra-thick soles and walking in your stocking feet. Any of these can make you slip, stumble and fall. Buy properly fitting, sturdy shoes with nonskid soles.

6. Have your feet measured once each year. Your shoe size can gradually change.

7. Choose lace-up shoes instead of slipons and keep the laces tied. Select shoes with Velcro fasteners if you have trouble tying laces.

8. If balance is a problem when you bend over to put on your shoes, get a long shoehorn that helps you slip-on shoes without bending over.

9. Remove hazards from your home. Clutter and decorative accents can be fall hazards; keep them to a minimum. Ask someone who doesn’t live in your home (providing a fresh set of eyes) to come to your home and identify fall hazards.

10. Do not carry objects that obscure your view when going up or down stairs.

11. Keep walkways free of boxes, newspapers, electrical and phone cords. Keep stairways free of all objects, including on the top and bottom steps.

12. Keep high-traffic areas free of coffee tables, magazine racks and plant stands.

13. Secure loose rugs to the floor with a slip-resistant backing or non-slip pads.

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14. Repair uneven floorboards and lose carpeting right away.

15. Store necessities within easy reach, including clothing, dishes, cookware and food.

16. Clean-up spills of liquids, grease or food IMMEDIATELY. 17. Use non-slip mats in the bathtub or shower.

18. Add more light. As we get older, less light reaches the back of our eyes where we sense color and motion. Therefore, keep your home brightly lit with the highest wattage rating bulbs allowed for that each lamp or fixture.

19. Place a lamp near your bed and within easy reach. Always turn it on when you get up at night. Try small night-lights in halls, bathrooms and kitchens. Consider motion-sensitive or darkness-sensitive night lights.

20. Maintain a clear path to light switches not located near room entrances.

21. Turn on lights before going up or down the stairs.

22. Store flashlights in easy-to-find places in case of power outages.

23. Use properly fitted assistive devices. All sorts of gadgets have been invented to make everyday tasks safer and easier, but only if they fit you properly and if you actually use them.

24. If your doctor recommends a cane or walker, be sure it is properly fitted for you.

25. Install grab bars near your shower or bathtub.

26. A raised toilet seat or one with armrests will provide stability.

27. A sturdy plastic seat placed in your shower or tub and a hand-held shower nozzle permits showering while seated.

28. Install handrails on both sides of stairways.

29. Consider installing a bathtub with door for easier access.

30. An occupational therapist can help you to devise other ways to prevent falls in your home. Some safety devices are simple but others may require professional help and more of an investment. Homes with more safety features usually have a higher resale value. Whether you plan on selling or staying in your home, an investment in safety and fall prevention now will make that possible.

Dr. Wei is executive director, Reynolds Institute on Aging; chairman, Reynolds Dept. of Geriatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

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MATURE ARKANSAS

april 26, 2012

5

CALEN DAR P I C KS

Enjoy Jazz, Classical and Rock Music This Week

☛ There is no sin except stupidity. — Oscar Wilde ☛

By Paige Parham

Apr 27 – iPhone Workshop at SeniorNet, UAMS Reynolds Center, 4301 W. Markham, Little Rock, 4:00- 5:30 PM. If you own or are thinking about buying an iPhone 4 or 4S, this class is for you. Learn about the cost, storage capabilities, data plans, popular apps and more. $15; register with Joan McKinstry at Seniornetjoan2@gmail.com or call 603-1262.

call the Library at 687-1061.

Apr 26-28 – StoryCorps at Central High School, 2120 Daisy Bates Dr., Little Rock. The nation’s largest oral history project is currently in Little Rock to record, preserve and share the stories of Central Arkansas residents. Since 2003, StoryCorps has collected and archived more than 40,000 interviews from nearly 80,000 Americans. Each conversation is recorded on a free CD to share, and is preserved at the Library of Congress.

The stories are used by National Public Radio on their Morning Edition program. Make your reservation by calling 800-850-4406; available 24/7, or visit http:// storycorps.org/record-your-story/location/little-rockar/#reservations Free parking available in lot adjacent to the Mobile gas station where the MobileBooth is parked.

Apr 27 – Haydn’s Creation, performed by the Arkansas Choral Society, Christ the King Catholic Church, 4000 N. Rodney Parham Rd., Little Rock, 7:30 – 9:30 PM. $15; call 376-8484 for more information.

Apr 27 – Master Pieces at M2 Gallery, Pleasant Ridge Shopping Center, 11525 Cantrell Rd., Little Rock, 7:00-9:00 PM. This fundraiser for Arkansas Walk Now for Autism Speaks and A-Camp, will showcase art by local artists and all pieces will be included in the silent auction. Wine, beer and hors d’oeuvres will be served. $40 per person, $75 per couple. For more information, contact Dawn Itzkowitz at 951-0115 or brycesbrigade@comcast.net Apr 28 – THEA Arts Festival, Main Street, North Little Rock, from Broadway to 6th St., 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Join in the fun with artists and crafters displaying and selling their art, demonstrations from the Arkansas Art Center, entertainment by Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Ballet Arkansas, and more. For more details, please call 379-9512 or visit www.THEAfoundation.org/ thea-arts-festival

Church, 201 W. 4th St., North Little Rock, 6:00 PM. The Argenta Branch Library concludes Jazz Appreciation Month with an outstanding performance by saxophonist and keyboardist Anthony Lofton. Free, for more information,

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly in a Chinaberry Tree, Hot Springs Mountain.

Photo by Lee Hiller at HikeOurPlanet.com

Apr 28 – “All That Jazz,” Fir s t P r e s b y t e ria n

6 april 26, 2012 MATURE ARKANSAS

Apr28–NewWorldSymphony, performed by the Conway Symphony Orchestra, guest conductor Amy Chang, at Reynolds Performance Hall, 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway, 7:30 - 9:00 PM. In their season finale, the symphony will also perform Britten’s Simple Symphony and Brahms’ Academic Festival. $6 for students, $18-$38 for adults; for information, call 450-3265 or visit www.conwaysymphony.org

Apr 28 – Seersucker Social at The Old State House, 300 W. Markham, Little Rock, 6:00-9:00 PM. The Old State House Museum hosts this Southern-style event for adults over 21. Jeremy Shrader’s Hot Memphis Four will perform 1920s swing jazz. Appetizers by Trio’s and libations will be served. Festivities include lawn croquet; prizes for the male and female wearing the most fashionable seersucker; drawing for a weekend stay for two at the Evening Shade Inn Bed & Breakfast in Eureka Springs, including four meals, afternoon desserts; two tickets to a music & comedy show or a horse-drawn carriage ride. $25 in advance; $30 at the door, go to https://www. oldstatehouse.com/support-themuseum/contributions.aspx.

Under “”Donation Information” select “Seersucker Social, April 28, 2012.”Your donation amount should be $25 for each ticket you purchase. For more information, call 324-9685.

Apr 29 – “The Tempest” pr e s e n t e d b y t h e Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, River Market Pavilions, 400 Pres. Clinton Ave., Little Rock, 2:00 -3:00 PM. This hour-long version has been adapted for families and those

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Apr 28 – World Tai Chi & Qigong Day at Two Rivers Park, at the peninsula across the bridge, Little Rock, 10:00 AM. Join practitioners of Tai Chi all over the world for this celebration. The Tai Chi will begin in Australia and move across the world, time zone by time zone. Over 70 nations will participate.

For more information, call Sheery Woods at 526-5779.

less familiar with Shakespeare’s work. $3-$5, for more information call 375-2552.

Apr 30 – Mark Updegrove at The Clinton School of Public Service, 1200 Pres.

Clinton Ave., Little Rock, 6:00 PM. Updegrove directs the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum and will discuss his book “Indomitable Will: LBJ in the Presidency.” Free, call 683-5239 for more information.

M ay 1 – “ P r e s e r vat i o n Crustaceans” at the River Market Pavilions, 400 Pres.

Clinton Ave., Little Rock, 6:30 PM. This crawfish and shrimp boil benefits the Historic Preservation Alliance of Ark ansas. $30 in advance; $35 at the door; call 375-2552 for more information.

May 2 – “Next to Normal” o p e n s at t h e A r k a n s a s Repertory Theatre, 601 Main Street, Little Rock, 7:00 PM. This Tony-and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical set to a contemporary

rock score concerns a dysfunctional family trying to take care of themselves and each other. $30, purchase at www.tickets.therep.org or call 866-684-3737 or 378-0405.

May 3 – Let’s Stitch Together at the Argenta Branch Library, 6:00 PM. A weekly craft group meets every Thursday at the Argenta Branch Library and includes knitting, cross-stitch, crochet, sewing, etc. All ages and skill levels are welcome. For more information call 687-1061.

May 1-31 SeniorNet Classes for May, UAMS Reynolds Institute on Aging, Room 1155: Mon. & Wed., 10:00 AM, Fundamentals for Beginners, taught by Pat Kissire Mon. & Wed., 1:00 PM, Graphics for Print Artist, taught by Joan McKinstry Tues. & Thurs., 10:00 AM, Genealogy, taught by Betty Harp Tues. & Thurs., 1:00 PM, Introduction to Computers, taught by Charlie Frith.

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MATURE ARKANSAS

april 26, 2012

7

Get Started With

Beekeeping Now “A

By Kaye Risser

swarm in May is Worth a load of hay.

So goes the oldtime beekeeper’s Worth a silver spoon. aphorism, which remains true today.

But a swarm in July However, just as a Is hardly worth a fly! load of hay is probably hard to locate around your neighborhood, the once highly valued swarm can be even more difficult to acquire.

A bee swarm is simply a small group of bees, surrounding and protecting their Queen while they fly around looking for a new home. They will land almost anywhere, temporarily, to rest before continuing their search. Bees in a swarm are NOT interested in stinging anyone.

For those truly allergic to their stings, the following may not be your cup of mead (a spectacular wine made from honey).

This article is about one of nature’s most fascinating, significant, beneficial and, until recently, most enduring creatures.

During early spring, a bee hive will “throw a swarm “ for various reasons. For our purposes, let’s assume the Queen and her followers feel overcrowded and decide to seek other surroundings. ”Catching a swarm” is an excellent way to begin beekeeping. (You can also buy bees or get some from another beekeeper.) Right now, seasoned beekeepers are actively seeking swarms, either to increase their A swarm in June is

8 april 26, 2012 MATURE ARKANSAS

own backyard population or to help a new beekeeper get started. As a former beekeeper, I was one of several listed with the Little Rock Police Department as a hobbyist willing to come catch a swarm because of a concerned citizen’s complaint. I’ve removed swarms from trees, bushes, houses, signs, fences, a traffic light, a hotel roof, the tire rim of a parked semi, and a pear tree that had been cordoned off with police protection until help arrived. When rescued swarms are re-housed into new hives, they immediately begin the task for which they are most well-known – making honey.

We all need bees Honey-making, while a fundamental activity for bees, is but a minor reason for us to be interested in the bee population.

Bees are dying off at an alarming rate.

Over the past decade, bee populations in both the United States and Europe have been decimated by well over one-third.

Scientists initially attributed these losses to several new viruses in combination with the pre-existing diseases, parasites

and other usual suspects that can weaken a bee colony.

But since 2005, the most mysterious and disastrous threat of all, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), has killed bees on both continents in record numbers.

Although scientists are almost certain they have finally pinpointed the cause of CCD, according to a study released just last week, bee hives are still dying in record numbers. Scientists suspect a pesticide used on corn and other widely spread crops. This loss seriously affects

LEFT: Busy bees fill their hive with honey.

Free homey is an added bonus for beekeepers.

COVER PHOTO: Jon Zawislak removes a frame from a hive to locate the Queen bee from a newly acquired swarm.

Photos by Brian Chilson

clothing. An immediate call to arms goes out to anyone who has ever considered becoming a beekeeper. Now is the time to step forward and help prevent further deterioration of our delicate eco-system.

Getting started

us because we cannot live without pollination of our food crops.

Bees are a necessary life force in the ecological scheme of things. As nature’s major

cantaloupe, cucumber, blueberries, peppers, broccoli, squash, beans, watermelon, peaches, tomatoes, pumpkins, onions, almonds and Arkansas’ all-important soybeans. They provide

Today, this week, even though the end of May, is the absolute perfect time to get started on this fun and fascinating hobby. Beekeeping provides hours of relaxation and entertainment in setting up, tending to and honey-gathering from your hives. It is the new “in” environmental craze that’s currently sweeping the country. And it is possible to keep bees at almost any home— from the suburbs to the city.

Free honey provides an added incentive to start beekeeping. Honey is the bonus product you earn for providing these little creatures a safe and happy home. There is nothing quite like eating your honey, produced from the nectar your bees have gathered from plants within a five-mile radius of your home.

You can keep bees in your own backyard (if

Today is the absolute perfect time to get started on this fun and fascinating hobby. pollinators, honeybees are crucial to modern agriculture. Without them, we simply would not have over 90 kinds of foods we depend on for survival, including strawberries, apples,

pollination for the clover and other plants that cows eat in order to give us milk and cheese and that sheep eat to produce wool. They pollinate cotton plants from which we make

city regulations permit) or tend the bees necessary for the numerous community gardens that are sprouting up in many communities and neighborhoods. In Little Rock, you may MATURE ARKANSAS

april 26, 2012

9

A few of the many products produced by beekeepers include beeswax candles, soaps, lip balm and honey.

Clover honey (above) is from Debra Stansel’s hives.

Photo by A.H. Wasson

keep bees for hobby purposes in single-family residential areas (rated as R-1, R-2 and R-3) on lots with dimensions of at least 50 x 100 feet. The city ordinance limits hobbyists to two hives, which is all beginners need to start. The ordinance says hives “shall be located at least 25 feet from any dwelling, business, sidewalk, alley or roadway.” Other restrictions include having clean water available for the bees and if the hives are within 50 feet of any exterior boundary, you’ll need some sort of plant or artificial barrier like a fence.

as you decide to keep bees and prior to setting up your hives, explain that foraging bees are looking for food sources (nectar from flowers) and will not sting unless threatened. Bees die when they sting so they really don’t want to.

Advise your neighbors that their plants will grow better, you’ll share honey, etc. If you have a mentor, ask their advice for more suggestions.

Free resources available We are fortunate in Little Rock to have excellent free resources for beekeeping beginners. The

hobby and an industry. Cooperative Extension bee specialist Jon Zawislak works with Master Gardener groups and gardening clubs to promote bee awareness and welfare. He also teaches beekeeping classes around the state. Class information is available at their website: www.aragriculture.org/insects/ bees/events.htm The most important resource is the beekeepers themselves. They’re a great group of old-timers, newcomers and in-betweeners who like nothing more than answering questions, sharing stories and helpful hints about their favorite pastime.

The Central Arkansas Beekeepers Association is the go-to place for immediate assistance.

They can put you on the direct road to begin beekeeping today. Their regular monthly meet-

It is possible to keep bees at almost any home—from the suburbs to the city.

Two more requirements for the novice beekeeper: First, you must register your hives with the Apiary Section of the Plant Industry Division of the Arkansas State Plant Board, where you’ll receive much good information about your new hobby. Secondly, practice good public relations with your neighbors. As soon 10 april 26, 2012 MATURE ARKANSAS

Apiary Section of the State Plant Board handles all regulatory issues for honeybees and assists beekeepers through free hands-on inspection of their hives as well as answering any “bee questions.”

The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Services promotes beekeeping as a

ings are held on the second Monday of each month at 5:30 PM at the Levy Church of Christ on Camp Robinson Road. They also do special presentations and events for those interested in bees. They will be delighted to provide a mentor for your new hobby.

Another central Arkansas organization is for

LEFT: A smoker provides gentle smoke to calm the bees before a beekeeper works near the hives.

RIGHT: Bee stings are not a problem as long as the beekeeper remains calm. Jon Zawislak shows two bees on the end of his thumb from the hives in his backyard at his west Little Rock home.

Photos by Brian Chilson RIGHT: Debra Stansel demonstrates the sweet, thick, stickiness of her latest crop of clover honey.

Stansel heads the Lady Beekeepers of Arkansas.

Photo by A. H. Wasson female beekeepers. The Lady Beekeepers of Arkansas have regular monthly meetings at Whole Food Market, 10700 Rodney Parham Road in Little Rock on the first Monday of each month. Their meetings focus not only on the art of keeping bees, but on the uses of honey and other bee products, such as beeswax, used in candle making, soaps, cosmetics, lotions, bee-sting treatments for arthritis and the therapeutic uses of pollen.

Requests for one-on-one mentoring and assistance with anything bee-related are freely available and welcomed.

Their next meeting, on May 7 at 5:30 PM, will be an educational one suitable for newcomers.

Next week we will cover beekeeping tips, more about the bees themselves, and other native pollinators. Meanwhile, make your phone call request for a friendly mentor and let them help get you started. Within the next three weeks is the most favorable time to begin. You’ll be glad you did!

Ms. Risser was a beekeeper-educator for 12 years and hopes to begin again after interviewing some of central Arkansas’ knowledgeable and helpful local beekeepers.

For More Information Central Arkansas Beekeepers Association Larry Kichler 833-0649 lkichler@sbcglobal.net Lady Beekeepers of Arkansas Debra Stansel Phone 626-8602 ladybeekeepersofarkansas@yahoo.com Apiary Section – State Plant Board Apiary Manager: Mark Stoll Mark.Stoll@aspb.ar.gov University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service Jon Zawislak 671-2222 Jzawislak@uaex.edu Bee equipment suppliers in Arkansas: Central Beekeeping Supply Russellville – 479-747-9991 http://centralbeekeeperssupply.com/ Apiary Beekeeping Supplies Crossett – 870-305-1225 http://www.apiarybeekeepingsupplies.com/ Also, on the Internet, Google suppliers such as Dadant and Walter Kelly.

MATURE ARKANSAS

april 26, 2012

11

☛ There are three rules for writing well. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are. — W. Somerset Maugham ☛

Th e Would - Be G ourmet n B y b o b wood

For World-Famous, Well-Done Pizzas O

n a recent Sunday night, I didn’t want to cook and pizza sounded good to me. So my friend and I headed to U.S. Pizza’s original location in Levy for an early dinner.

Some folks swear by U.S. Pizza’s pies but I like my pizza with a chewier crust and spicier marinara sauce. But, it had been a long time since I had eaten one of their pies, and the idea of going to the original location in Levy intrigued me.

Intrigue in Levy? Maybe that’s an oxymoron, like good sports writing and Wally Hall?

We arrived around 6:00 PM and there were about six or seven people in the large dining room. They also seemed a little short-handed because the U. S. Pizza’s normally crisp pies can quickly become overcooked. service was slow.

I ordered a small Salad Supreme ($5.39). determines that U.S. Pizza’s creamy Italian bed. It was over-cooked, brown and dry. I Along with lettuce, this includes onions, dressing is, indeed, world-famous? tried to remember if I had asked for a wellblack olives, mushrooms, mozzarella, bell My friend ordered a small Primavera Salad done pizza, but the world-famous creamy peppers and my choice of either turkey, (also $5.39). This has broccoli, asparagus, Italian dressing had given me a cholesterol ham or fajita chicken on top. Ham sounded zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, purple high and I couldn’t think clearly. good and I chose “Our world famous creamy onions and feta cheese. She chose an oil and We ate a few slices of the pizza despite its Italian dressing” (the menu’s emphasis, not vinegar dressing to go with all those vegedesiccated state (obviously, I was hungry), mine). When I read things like that, I always tables. packed it up for my dog to eat later (he wish there was some sort of agency that reguAs our main course, I ordered a large Italian wouldn’t) and left. Just in time, actually. lated restaurant menus. I mean, exactly who Sausage and Veggie Pizza (13” for $15.99).

Because the place was beginning to fill up A couple of beers later, our with local folks ready to tuck into some salads arrived and they world-famous things to eat. were good. I like U.S. Pizzas The tab for our meal with tip: $42.43. salads, particularly with the That’s deserving of a small ouch, I think, world-famous creamy Italian given the quality of the pizza we were served. dressing glopped all over I could have complained, but isn’t it a restauit. The lettuce was reasonrant’s job not to let sub-par food leave the ably crisp, and the creamy kitchen? I think so. However, if you like enjoy dressing had a pleasant, slow service and over-cooked pizza, look no vinegary tang that worked further. well with the ham.

I hoovered-up my salad, U.S. Pizza ordered another beer and 3324 Pike Avenue, Levy waited for the pizza. And, 501-758-5997 waited. When it arrived, it

looked like someone who Mr. Wood, a Little Rock writer and designer, Primavera Salad is full of fresh veggies. had fallen asleep in a tanning is often hungry.

12 april 26, 2012 MATURE ARKANSAS

Homeless with children?

Man

Living in a car?

Do you know someone who is: Homeless children?

Sleepingwith Outside?

Living in a car?

Sleeping Outside?

Medicare Will Repair Wheelchairs

youaknow a homeless family If you If know homeless family with children, with children, we may be ablewetomay help.be able to help.

Call at

501-374-7383 501-374-7383 dial11 for for help dial help

Services offered include: shelter, Services childcare, clothing, job training. offeredfood, include:

shelter, childcare, clothing, All calls are confidential. food, job training.

No rental or utility assistance is available.

Send your Medicare and Medicaid questions to: Medicare Man at insurance.shiip@arkansas.gov or call toll free 800-224-6330

Medicare Fraud: Everyone Pays

Y

NoBOOKS rental assistance FROmorTHEutility ARKANSAS TImES is available.

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OF Living CENTRAL ARKANSAS Full of interesting voices and colorful portraits of 17 Little Rock and North Little Rock neighborhoods, this book gives an intimate, block-by-block, native’s view of the place more than 250,000 Arkansans call home. Created from interviews with residents and largely written by writers who actually live in the neighborhoods they’re writing about, the book features over 90 full color photos by Little Rock photographer Brian Chilson.

Payment: check or credit card Order by Mail: arkansas times Books, P.o. Box 34010, LittLe rock, ar 72203 Phone: 501-375-2985 Fax: 501-375-3623 Email: anitra@arktimes.com Send _______ book(s) of The Unique Neighborhoods of Central Arkansas @ $19.95 Send _______ book(s) of A History Of Arkansas @ $10.95

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ou might have read in the news recently about the Texas doctor charged with scheming to get more than $375 million from Medicare for services his home healthcare company never performed. This kind of fraud happens all too often, and it costs Medicare an enormous amount of money each year--that means higher health costs for you.

While Medicare uses sophisticated computer programs to spot fraud, they need your help too. You can help by keeping careful track of what healthcare services you get and carefully reviewing the receipts and statements you get from your doctor or hospital.

Compare these with the information Medicare sends you about the claims it has processed (the Medicare Summary Notice) to make sure you and Medicare weren’t billed for services or supplies you didn’t receive.

If you think a charge is incorrect and you know the provider, start by calling their office to ask about it. The provider may be able to explain the bill better, or realize that they made a billing error.

After you’ve contacted the provider and you still think Medicare is being charged for a service or supply you didn’t receive, or if you don’t know the provider on the claim, call toll free 800-633-4227.

TTY users should call 877-486-2048.

For more information, call Mrs. Johnson, Benefit/Relations director with the AFMC, toll free 888-354-9100.

✁

MEDI CAR E MAT T ERS n B y S all y Jo hnson

All calls are confidential.

✁

Q. Will Medicare pay for repairs to my wheelchair?

A. If you own the wheelchair, Medicare will pay 80% of Medicare assignment (the Medicare-approved amount) for repairs but only up to the cost of replacing the wheelchair. Be sure to use a repair supplier that accepts Medicare assignment because your cost may be higher if the supplier doesn’t accept Medicare assignment.

Q. I finally received my disability from Social Security. Why do I have to wait two more years to get Medicare? I won’t have insurance during the two year wait.

A. In 1972 Congress added Medicare coverage for persons with significant disability, as determined by the Social Security Administration.

This determination allows eligible individuals to draw Social Security Disability Income (SSDI). There is a five-month waiting period to receive a SSDI check. Medicare beings 24 months after the first SSDI check is issued. The disabled person usually has to wait two and a half years to start Medicare. The original intention for the waiting period was to keep costs down and to avoid replacing any private group health insurance the disabled worker might carry. For most, insurance coverage during this waiting period is limited to paying COBRA premiums, applying for Medicaid or being uninsured.

✁

Medicare

City, State, Zip ______________________________________________________ Phone ___________________________________________________________

Visa, MC, AMEX, Disc # _________________________________ Exp. Date __________ MATURE ARKANSAS

april 26, 2012

13

A NOVEL IDEA n Book Review by Chris Stuckenschneider

Family Issues Know No Bounds A

ll families struggle from time to time, and often unresolved issues and secrets from the past resurface. Such is the case in “Forgotten Country,” a character-driven novel about two Korean-American sisters whose relationship hits the skids. Catherine Chung has written a thought-provoking book told from the older sister’s point of view.

Throughout her life, Janie has fulfilled her familial role as caretaker, the responsible daughter, the polar opposite of Hannah, several The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation years younger, an embittered, rebellious and 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 unappreciative young woman.

For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Thursday, April 26, 2012 For Release Friday,The Aprilfamily 20, 2012 moves to America when Hannah

and Janie are in grade school. It’s a dark and dangerous time in Korea. The country is the scene of demonstrations and massacres following the assassination of the president.

When Hannah and Janie’s father takes an unpopular position, his views endanger his family. Fearing for their safety they move to Michigan. Now the sisters really must depend on each other, thrust into a new school and culture where they don’t even speak the language.

Janie has always been made to feel she is Hannah’s caretaker. Her younger sister survived Edited by Will Shortz No. 0322 0316 a difficult birth and is prone to 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 fits of crying. For 15 16 15 16 reasons unknown 17 18 17 18 to Janie, they drift 19 20 apart in the early 19 20 years of college, 21 22 23 24 25 21 22 and without warning Hannah suddenly 26 27 28 29 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 disappears. No one knows where she’s 30 31 32 33 30 31 32 33 34 gone, and weeks stretch into months.

34 35 35 36 37 38 39 Janie’s parents continue to tell Janie 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 40 41 42 43 it’s her responsibility to find her sister.

43 44 45 46 47 Their command becomes even more 44 45 46 47 48 pressing when Janie’s father learns he 48 49 50 51 49 50 51 52 has cancer and only months to live.

52 53 54 55 53 54 55 56 57 58 Janie finally tracks down Hannah in 56 57 58 59 60 California, but is infuriated when she 59 60 61 62 refuses to return home with her, even 61 62 63 64 after she is told about her father and alerted to the fact that the family will be Puzzle Arbesfeld Puzzle by

by Alan Joel Fagliano moving back to Korea for his treatments.

31 51 star Nita 40 of 53 Silents Physicist Ernst 31 Many Liberaldownloads arts 45 Opposite Big list maker legato: Abbr. college 20 who studied As her father’s health worsens, 32 “Bramble ___” 46 “The Lion Sleeps 53 Palindromic minutes of 41 shock waves (book of north Robert U2 member magazine title Hannah reunites with her family in Tonight” Manhattan 54 “___ told often Bridges poems) 42 Disturb hitmakers, with 33 Charade enough …”

Korea, but her attitude remains surly.

54 Small knot “the” 33 Casino collector 46 Met 37 Merry-go-round 55 Range Aloof and difficult, Hannah reveals 36 Certain tooth fixture, to a tot 55 Very, informally 48 expectations?

Bowser in the 56 Common Super in Mario 38 Flat-headed ___ high (about 37 tool 47 Brawl the the reason for her longstanding bitterconjunction 56 Ear piece? series, e.g. that tall) backwoods 38 Current principle 58 Chow ness — a revelation that shocks Janie, 41 Sales rep’s 50 In Inconsequential 49 a tough spot 57 39 Start chowing 60 Celebrity Nelson, e.g.: reimbursement, and further increases her guilt. This down widowed in 1980 50 Abbr.

52 Plain 10-Down, e.g. maybe universal story of family struggles and For For answers, answers, call call 1-900-285-5656, 1-900-285-5656, $1.49 $1.49 a a minute; minute; or, or, with with a a credit credit card, stressors knows no cultural bonds. In its card, 1-800-814-5554.

1-800-814-5554.

Annual Annual subscriptions subscriptions are are available available for for the the best best of of Sunday Sunday quiet, simple way, “Forgotten Country” crosswords crosswords from from the the last last 50 50 years: years: 1-888-7-ACROSS. 1-888-7-ACROSS. AT&T AT&T users: users: Text Text NYTX NYTX to to 386 386 to to download download puzzles, puzzles, or or visit visit has much to say. nytimes.com/mobilexword nytimes.com/mobilexword for for more more information. information.

In its quiet, simple way, “Forgotten Country”

Across Across 1 1 The It operates under Rhinemaidens a royal charter in the “Ring” cycle, 7 1996 movie e.g. starring Michael 8 Cracks Jordan up

34 side dish 34 Laulau Stand for something 35 Singer 35 Severely Grind 36 36 reduced Expert with computers wagers?

39 Kudzu, e.g.

43 Circus sounds 40 Per ___ 44 “… ___ wed” 42 With 49-Across, 45 Like line figurea skating practiceslope is whose 43 zero: Well-being Abbr.

44 Novelty shop 48 Sweetheart purchase 49 garb 47 Forum Dish often served with soy 51 ___ Valley sauce or miso 52 What mechanics 49 See 42-Across do as part 51 may Neighborhood of a tuneup? vandalism ammo 53 Irish Superlass item?

56 57 Hardly close58 Ones requesting mouthed seconds?

59 It breaks the “I before E” rule 59 Primed 60 Lack of vitality 60 Not so fast 61 Many a role in 61 Showed the Jason reverence for, in Bourne films way 62 a Frank

62 63 Orbital Brandy figure brand 64 Pigpens Down 1 OneDown making 1 camp?

Springtime period 2 White-collar 2 Stadium shout15 Hot stuff worker 15 Swank in out 3 Antique desk 16 Went for on a Hollywood 3 M.V.P. of Super feature feeling 16 gut Popular mixer Bowls XLII and 4 Celebrity XLVI 17 part say 17 Wing Low 90s, usually 4 couples, U.C. Santa Cruz 18 are 18 Their “I get images your athlete Var. 5 Rookie: out of this world point!”

5 Big It borders the 6 campaign 19 for one 19 Entrees Many a first-time South China Sea topic: Abbr. of Dion’s backup voter in 1920 6 Young and 7 “Great” singers? others part for 20 Hilarious Duvall 21 Ballpark figs.

7 Movie 21 Bald person’s 8 Danger for component 22 “Who’s there?” envy, maybe wearers of high8 Contacting via 22 reply “Imperialism, the heel shoes in a Facebook, Highest Stage of 23 Weapon in some wayHenry Award 9 O. Capitalism” raids 9 winner Whistling forthorn, “In the writer 26 W.W. II arena e.g.

Region of Ice” 23 Born yesterday 27 Late-night TBS 10 (1967) Ingredient andin“The 25 Balrog slayer, in show Buffalo(1973) wings Dead” fiction 29 Old royal 11 Bionomics: Abbr.

10 China’s Zhou 30 Errs 12 ___ Part of a routine 30 at 32 Discounts Case worker’s garages?

13 Valentine Interjection that 11 org.? comes from the letters?

Latin forof“weary” ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE 12 Wearer a 14 Billy famous for crown since B L U R U T S T H L O B A S Q E A S A P E B B TB infomercials 1952 R A N C H O D E A R O N E A W N U T S L O L A E A U 13 Absorbed the 20 Rite of passage I M A EI R C O O R U D O A N M E P L E S T R P VE R S cost of participant, often S A R N E T H E R S E R A S P E E D O F L I G H T 14 Some A.L. K N I C K V A S E S Y O N 24 Industrial D I R T S O R T N E O S batters container E C C O P S I S U B O L T E M O B A S R A S E E P 20 Park” boy T H E Q U E E N O F S O U L 26 “South “A Heartbreaking M A D S T N E A R O F L R A W S 24 Ringo’s Work of S A T O A W I C E A E D E S drumming Staggeringson E G S C F A DI NI O G L O S A P E L O F K L U E 25 Grp. Genius” withauthor a A R G E O T H F R A N L KI N S O T A O L OI R S T S M code D GI EI G N A E T N E 27 complex Quadrennial U S L A P H A NT O A M N E R A S T 27 Shorten E R B U T S sporting event B AI P L E L O O F O R LI A G H N L AT S E L I 28 1930s migrant See-through E TE M R A Y N S A B BI C L U O O M Y SI D T EI D C 29 Casse-___ object R S E B N Y N E 29 (French E E T C S T O A R N O E AI M D A Fugitate O S EI X F P T O E D D S Y TE E N D E S S T 30 brainteaser) Buck

14 april 26, 2012 MATURE ARKANSAS

has much to say.

Online Online subscriptions: subscriptions: Today’s Today’s puzzle puzzle and and more more than than 2,000 2,000 past past puzzles, puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 ($39.95 a a year). year).

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Crosswords Crosswords for for young young solvers: solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords. nytimes.com/learning/xwords.

Reprinted with permission, Missourian Publishing Company. Copyright 2012.

GUEST EDITORIAL n By Bernadette Cahill

Equal Rights Amendment Redux ERA has new chance of passage

Passage

A

delia Kittrell, 29, an executive assistant at Heifer International, was astonished to discover that women and men are not recognized as equals under the United States Constitution. I was equally astonished to discover she did not know the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was stopped short of ratification in 1982.

Adelia told me there are thousands of women like her, which signals a challenge for mature Arkansans to brush up on our knowledge and pass the word along.

The ERA would incorporate into the U. S. Constitution a fundamental principle of equality for both sexes. The ERA states: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”

While the U. S. has been constantly improving the Declaration of Independence’s statement that “all men are created equal,” it has yet to face in the Constitution an equally key principle, first introduced by women in 1848 in the Declaration of Sentiments: “all men and women are created equal.”

Last year, in a law journal interview, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia reminded Americans of this unfortunate fact. Injustice continues in the U.S. even though U.S. ambassadors ensured that equal rights based on gender were enshrined in the new constitutions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Suffragette Alice Paul launched the ERA in Congress in 1923. The proposed amendment has been in limbo since 1982 because of deadlines imposed on its passage. It is considered dead, even though 35 states

ratified it.

Passage of the ERA is closer today than in years. In March, Senator Ben Cardin (D - MD) introduced S.J. Resolution 39 to remove the deadline from the introductory clause of the 1972 ERA Resolution. A companion resolution (H.J. Resolution 47) was also introduced in the House by Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D – WI). Both bills are now before judiciary committees.

To get the resolutions moving in Congress, they need more co-sponsors. Mature Arkansans can help by calling on siblings, children, grandchildren and friends to phone Arkansas’ representatives in Washington, D.C., asking them to co-sponsor the resolutions.

If these resolutions pass, the ERA could become part of the Constitution with ratification by only three more states. Arkansas is one of 15 that failed to ratify but with quick action, it could go down in history as the first state to break the deadlock.

This new opportunity arose because Congress accepted the ratification of the 27th Amendment in the early 1990s after 203 years. When that occurred, legal scholars questioned the presumed death of the ERA in 1982. The legal precedent set by the 27th Amendment could breathe life into the ERA by removing the ratification deadline. But only if we demand it of Congress.

of the ERA

is closer

today than

in years.

Mature Arkansas MATURE ARKANSAS

Annual subscriptions to MATURE ARKANSAS are $15 per year for 12 issues, via the U.S. Postal Service.

Send your check to: Mature Arkansas, P.O. Box 34010, Little Rock, AR 72203-4010. Allow three weeks for processing.

Expect mail delivery to take about a week.

SEQUOYAH LIVES!

WORLD' WORLD'S ORLD'S D'S LARGEST LAR A COLLECTION OF NATIVE AMERICAN C N WR W WRITING RITING RI R IIT TIIN TIN T IN NG GA AND AN ND N DA AR ART RT R T PAGE 8

Be a Naturalist PAGE 2

Preserve Early Strawberry Crop PAGE 5

Rick London

www.ltcartoons.com ©2012 londons times cartoons

Subscriptions Available

APRIL 19, 2012

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Ms. Cahill is a Little Rock writer and historian, focusing on women’s history.

Hiking With Lee Hiller PAGE 12

MATURE ARKANSAS

APRIL 19, 2012

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