SENIOR BEACON APRIL 2024

**LOCAL WRITER**

VIEWPOINT: SENATE BILL 24-131 HELPS THE BAD GUYS

(COLO.) Colorado Senate Bill 24-131 has been introduced and is under consideration in the legislature. The bill would ban guns from ‘sensitive places’ such as parks, playgrounds, recreation facilities, zoos, museums, libraries, public gatherings, medical facilities, banks, stadiums, amusement parks, bars, pot shops, college campuses, and houses of worship (without express permission).

The bill prohibits a person from carrying a firearm, both openly and concealed, in public locations specified in the bill. A violation is an unclassified misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum $250 fine; except that a second or subsequent offense is punishable by a maximum $1,000 fine. The bill includes exceptions for law enforcement officers, members of the United States armed forces or Colorado National Guard, security personnel, firearms stored in locked containers in vehicles, and possession for instruction in conjunction with an organized class, extracurricular activity, or athletic team authorized by a college or university.

Existing law prohibits openly carrying a firearm within any polling location or central count facility, or within 100 feet of a ballot drop box or any building in which a polling location or central count facility is located, while an election or any related ongoing election administration activity is in progress. The bill prohibits carrying a firearm in any manner at those locations. This bill is

Celebrate with LES SCHWAB TIRES!--Discounts, Free Food, Prizes! page 15

LES SCHWAB TIRE CENTER IN CAÑON CITY GRAND OPENING

(Cañon City, CO)

LES SCHWAB TIRE CENTER IN Cañon City will host Grand Opening Event will offer food, fun and savings.

Cañon City and surrounding area residents now have a location for one-stop shopping to ensure their vehicles are equipped to safely transport them wherever they need to go. The newest Les Schwab Tire Centers store is located at 3103 E US 50, in Cañon City.

Les Schwab’s offerings include brake services, alignment, shocks and more - a more robust range of services than those available from other tire shops that simply sell tires.

The Cañon City location is the 34th store in Colorado to offer oil changes, a handy option for customers looking to make the most of their time.

Join the Les Schwab crew to celebrate the Cañon City grand opening, starting on Friday, April 26th. At this two-day event, customers can take

services with the direct mail postcard.

WHEN: Friday, April 26th, 2024

11:00 am: Ribbon cutting with the Royal Gorge Chamber Alliance

Saturday, April 27th, 2024

11 am - 1:00 pm: Lala’ Food truck

Noon-2 pm: Radio station KSTY/ Star will be onsite

WHAT: Media tours, video opportunities

Spin to win prizes and services

Enter to win a set of tires

WHO: Reporters will have access to store leadership and others for interviews, video and photos:

Brandon Collins Les Schwab’s Cañon City Store Manager , Employees , Customers

Les Schwab Tire Centers is one of the leading independent tire dealers in the United States.

Please take a look at the latest “safe money” investment rates. From CDs, Treasury bills and bonds, tax-exempt, & more:

Is Government Debt a Problem?

The government has some ‘splaining to do. It’s been racking up debt faster than a one-armed clown making balloons at a kid’s party. We have $34.6 trillion dollars in debt, says Yahoo Finance. The interest alone on the debt has gone from $476 billion in 2021 to $870 billion last year. Bloomberg declares that at current rates we’ve actually hit an annualized interest charge of over $1 trillion! Just for the interest

We can all probably agree that that kind of debt and interest IS a problem. The better question might be how big of a problem is this? And can we fix it? It truly could be catastrophic on our dollar. My opinion, though, is that our Fed gurus can manage this successfully.

U.S. DOLLAR IS THE GLOBAL RESERVE CURRENCY…

Losing that vaunted place in the world’s mind as the best currency to trade in is the main risk here. The U.S. citizen/consumer has a massive benefit when the world uses our currency to trade. Everyone needs to catch up to our currency strength. If we (or our kids or grandkids) lose this very special situation then we are now on a currency rollercoaster.

We import a quality Japanese car in the future. Do we have to convert to the new reserve currency at an extra cost?! What if that difference is 10 percent? We now pay an extra 10 percent for the product. The technicals are not important. What’s important is major new costs to average people. Sort of like we’ve already experienced with recent runaway inflation. Very painful and very regular. Who wants that?!

THE FEDERAL RESERVE ARE PROFESSIONALS

When the powers-that-be printed $6 trillion dollars that added to our already-bloated debt problems. They’ve brought that figure down by a trillion. But a weak dollar, caused by money printing, is bad advertising for the U.S. dollar to be the world’s currency.

The Fed and other government overseers are professional and should be able to get our dollar strong again. But there has to be a smack in the face politically to get this done. We can hunker down and tighten budgets and spending. But we need some leadership, I believe.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR INVESTORS

I was looking at, and a great client insisted on buying, silver a few months ago. It’s now up over1 20% in just a couple months. Gold and other precious metals could also play a part in a well-balanced portfolio. Since the last gold run-up (and bubble) I’ve changed my stance on

recommending precious metals. It can be a good idea to add even 2-5 percent of a portfolio into a metals investment.

A popular exchange-traded fund (ETF) is SPDR Gold Shares (symbol: GLD; $217.67) and iShares Silver Trust (symbol: SLV; $25.72). These funds trade all day long, provide liquidity, and give exposure to the price of the underlying metals.

Another way to protect against irresponsible money policy is by using real assets like real estate or commodities. You can get many mutual funds with exposure to one or both of these categories. Commodities are tricky and at times very volatile. So please be careful and do your research or have a pro help you out.

Currently, and in general, I prefer real estate shares. You can get traditional mutual funds, closed-end funds, ETFs, individual stocks, and more varieties. But, most importantly to me, you usually get 90% or more of the underlying companies earnings paid to you as a significant dividend. This provides important income in good or bad markets. If you’re a savvy investor and researcher you may even get extreme bargains in the sector.

This article is for illustrative purposes only. Ron is not recommending

any investment security for you but just trying to educate the community. INVESTMENTS CAN AND DO DROP IN VALUE; THEY HAVE NO BANK OR OTHER GUARANTEE. He is licensed and regulated by the great State of Colorado.

Ron Phillips is The Investment INCOME Advisor, a Pueblo, CO native, and an independent business owner. Order a free copy of his book Investing To Win by leaving a message at (719) 2203005. Visit RetireIQ.com or email

RonPhillipsAdvisor@gmail.com

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE CAVE

IF YOU UNDERSTAND THIS--------YOU ARE OLD. Mergatroyd!...

Do you remember that word? Would you believe the spell-checker did not recognize the word Mergatroyd?

Heavens to Mergatroyd!

The other day a not so elderly (I say 75) lady said something to her son about driving a Jalopy; and he looked at her quizzically and said "What the heck is a Jalopy?" He never heard of the word jalopy!! She knew she was old.... But not that old. Well, I hope you are Hunky Dory after you read this and chuckled. About a

month ago, I illuminated some old expressions that have become obsolete because of the inexorable march of technology. These phrases included: Don't touch that dial, Carbon copy, You sound like a broken record, and Hung out to dry. Back in the olden days we had a lot of moxie. We'd put on our best bib and tucker, to straighten up and fly right. Heavens to Betsy! Gee whillikers! Jumping Jehoshaphat! Holy moley! We were "In like Flynn" and "living the life of Riley;" and even a regular guy could accuse us of being a knucklehead, a nincompoop or a pill. Not for all the tea in China! Back in the olden days, life used to be swell, but when's the last time anything was swell? Swell has gone the way of beehives, pageboys and the D.A.; of spats, knickers, fedoras, poodle skirts, saddle shoes, and pedal pushers. Oh, my aching back! Kilroy was here, but he isn't anymore. We wake up from what surely has been just a short nap, and before we can say, “Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!” Or, “This is a fine kettle of fish!” We discover that the words we grew up with, the words that seemed omnipresent, as oxygen, have vanished with scarcely a notice from our tongues and our pens and our keyboards. Poof, go the words of our youth, the words we've left behind. We blink, and they're gone. Where have all those great phrases gone? Long gone: Pshaw, The butler did it. Hey! It's your nickel. Don't forget to pull the chain. Knee high to a grasshopper. Well, Fiddlesticks! Going like sixty. I'll see you in the funny papers. Don't take any wooden nickels. Wake up and smell the roses. It turns out there are more of these lost words and expressions than Carter has liver pills. This can be disturbing stuff! (Carter's Little Liver Pills are gone too!) We of a certain age have been blessed to live in changeable times. For a child each

new word is like a shiny toy, a toy that has no age. We at the other end of the chronological arc have the advantage of remembering there are words that once did not exist and there were words that once strutted their hour upon the earthly stage and now are heard no more, except in our collective memory. It's one of the greatest advantages of aging. Leaves us to wonder where Superman will find a phone booth... See ya later, alligator! Oki-doki. That was fun. I'm sure you can come up with even more but it's time for me to "come clean" with my readers. It is the year of elections. The big ones and all we have from which to choose are two very old men. I'm (at 75) an old man. My memory for things past a couple decades ago and backward is still pretty good. I can tell you of past exploits and historic inspirational ideas that actually came to fruition. I know many old men, some a bit sharper than me, some not so much. I learned at a young age that politicians and political parties are conniving entities that do the best they can to pry us from our hard earned money. Each bill passed becomes so entrenched in the mayhem that is politics that it never goes away. Every one of these "leaders" know just how to fix all our problems. In all my years on this planet and I CAN remember most of the turning points of this earth, some politician, political party or entity had all the answers to our most pressing problems. Phooey! "We have a good time dis country," a WWII vet used to say in broken English. He was right. I wonder ladies and gents, if we had much less of government mumbo jumbo, if things could have been even better without politicians always telling us how evil the other side was. I wonder just how much better off we would have been if THEY would have ceased to keep

the kettle churning, blaming each other (of them) for all the ills of society and how things could be so much better if the other side wasn't even there?

I have an answer for you! For about a year now I've been telling you now that I found something that can make your lives change for the good forever and ever. It is free and gives you a sure-fire way to reach the heights of what happens after we die. In Jesus's own words spoken to a young Polish nun at the beginning of WWII, as that wonder of wonder, Adolf Hitler, decided he had all the answers and was on the verge of invading her homeland. These words spoken by Jesus hold the key to a heavenly landing for anyone willing to use them. The nun's name was Sister Faustina, nee, Maria Kowalska. He gave her a prayer called The Chaplet of Divine Mercy and it holds the key to making it to heaven, If you are so inclined. Takes about 15 minutes to recite. Or you can do a whole nine day Novena for Divine Mercy if you like. Here is a snippet of what is in the Chaplet "if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy.... whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death......" I have the pamphlet and would love to send it to you. No questions! No Gimmicks! You spend no money on this, EVER! Just send me your address which will be wiped as soon as I receive it, well give me a minute to write on the envelope I'm sending you the pamphlet. It will change your life. I sleep much easier now and worry so much less, if at all, knowing the answer key to our celestial test. Send me your address to SRbeacon@gmail.com or write me at P.O.

Menu substitutions may occur without notice. Clients are advised to keep a 3-day supply of nonperishable foods and bottled water in their home in the event of inclement weather or other emergencies that may cause a temporary suspension of service.

We value your feedback!!

At the end of the month, return your menu to your café specialist and write in a 1-3 rank on the day’s entree. 1=Don’t love it;

it!

101g Carbs: 119g Carbs: 118g Carbs: 86g Carbs: 104g

Sodium: 750mg Sodium: 795mg Sodium: 685mg Sodium: 1430mg* Sodium: 730mg 29-Apr 30-Apr 1-May 2-May 3-May

Open Faced Hot Turkey Pecan Crusted Chicken (13) Mostaccioli w/ Meatsauce (29) Bruschetta Chicken (8) Beef Chili Mac (24)

Sandwich w/Gravy (21) Rosmary Polenta (18) Oven Roasted Vegetables (5) Risotto (23)

Vegetable CousCous (17) Asparagus (2) Orange, Beet & Spinach Salad (9Garden Vegetables (5)

Cheesy Cauliflower (6)

Cape Cod Mixed Vegetables (8)

Honey glazed Carrots (17) German Chocolate Cake (32) Squash Bisque Soup (15) Side Salad (5) /Crackers (5) Cinnamon Applesauce (11)

Grape Fruit-Cup (15) Honeydew Melon (5) Sliced Apple (22) Fresh Banana (26) Butterscotch

* In order to prevent waste, we are on a Reservation System.

* Please call the day before or the morning of, before 9:00 A.M, to CANCEL your Meal

* IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Numbers in parentheses next to each meal item indicate the number of carbohydrates in grams for that item.

* YOU MUST BE HOME TO RECEIVE YOUR MEAL!!!

Consumers attending the congregate meal sites shall be advised and informed to keep a three-day supply of non-perishable foods and bottled water in case of inclement weather or other emergency that causes a temporary suspension of services. If feasible and determined by the Area Agency on Aging in their area plan, emergency meal packages may be provided.

"IT

‘LIGHT FOR THE JOURNEY’

“I WILL BLESS THOSE WHO BLESS THEE”

Most Christians are familiar with the promise given to Abram from God in Genesis. “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen 12:1-3 NIV).

Along with His remarkable promise, God challenged Abram to trust Him. He instructed Abram to leave his home, his people and his father’s household and go to a land He would show him. Abram trusted God. Clearly, he knew the voice of the Lord and without question or hesitation, he obeyed. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Harran with his wife, his goods, his nephew, Lot and all the people they had acquired in that place.

In the land of Shechem, where the Canaanites dwelt, Scripture says that the Lord appeared to Abram

and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” Because God’s promise to His servant, Abram, still stands today, I tremble when a curse on Israel is declared from the highest office in the United States.

God’s words to Abram, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse” should make every American who is familiar with this promise tremble. God does not play games and He always keeps His promises.

As end-time prophecies converge like never before, is the United States headed into a catastrophic judgement from the Creator? Are we under judgement already? God said several times in His Word that what He plans, He will do. I don’t normally use the Message as a reference but in this instance, the Message says it well.

“Think about this. Wrap your minds around it. This is serious business, rebels. Take it to heart. Remember your history, your long and rich history. I am God, the only God you’ve had or ever will have— incomparable, irreplaceable—

From the very beginning telling you what the ending will be, All along letting you in on what is going to happen, Assuring you, ‘I’m in this for the long haul, I’ll do exactly what I set out to do,’ Calling that eagle, Cyrus, out of the east, from a far country the man I chose to help me. I’ve said it, and I’ll most certainly do it. I’ve planned it, so it’s as good as done” (Isaiah 46:10 MSG). This is only one of many texts where God says He will do what He has planned or purposed. He will accomplish it and nothing can stop what is coming.

What IS coming? The Bible speaks of wars and rumors of wars, signs and wonders in the sky and earthquakes in various places. All these signs are happening. Crazy world-wide weather: tornados, fires, floods, and more are reported regularly. Even worse is the Apostle Paul’s prophecy in 2 Timothy 3 about human behavior in the end times. “But mark this: There will be terrible

times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people” (2 Timothy 3:1-5 NIV). Often, “such people” are part of our own family.

A chilling news article reports a teacher who was assaulted by a 16-yearold student. The student strangled her and left her for dead. She is suing the school district for not having protective measures in place for teachers, and no training for such incidents this teacher experienced. Similar incidents and worse are reported regularly. Unspeakable and demonic things are happening to children around the world. Adrenochrome has allegedly become the drug of choice for Hollywood elites and perverted business executives and politicians.

Judgement is coming. What God has said He will do, He will do. He will not continue to tolerate the evil

done to children or the attacks on His people, Israel. His fist will come down and He will declare, “That is enough!” Not one of these evil perpetrators will go unpunished. They will all, from greatest to least will stand before a holy righteous God and answer for everything they have done. “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body” (2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT).

The earthquake in New Jersey

JAN MCLAUGHLIN

Columnist & founder of an international prison ministry

A COMPELLING DOCUDRAMA

BETTY

THE FIRST TIME I

SAW REGINA KING WAS IN “Miss Congeniality 2” with Sandra Bullock. She did more than hold her own. So I expected great things from her. That’s why I am not surprised at King’s compelling performance as Shirley Chisholm in the docudrama titled simply SHIRLEY .She appears in every scene and excels in each one.

King has transformed herself into this trailblazing woman who tried to become President of the United States back in 1972. Fortunately, I met Shirley Chisholm when she visited Pueblo as part of her campaigning. This tiny woman with big ideas really impressed me. She wanted to get outsider groups involved in politics to get things done for people who were suffering. And after serving in Congress, she knew most of the Congressmen didn’t care about these people.

SHIRLEY doesn’t pull any punches. It details how difficult getting people to believe in Shirley Chisholm’s campaign Plus, it shows how betrayals hurt the Chisholm success. It even sheds some disturbing light on Shirley’s husband and other family members.

Time for a poem.

Brooklyn teaching, then campaigning.

First Black woman Congressman! Shirley Chisholm, I was a fan.

Shirley then wanted President. Off again to campaign she went. Her ups and downs this movie shows.

Leading lady good at those blows

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The

Supporting actors give their all.

This one’s a winner I would call.

In addition to Regina King’s fine acting, others in the cast deserve recognition. For example, Michael Cherrie as her unhappy husband heads the list. I think that role may be the most difficult one, but he pulls it off.

Lucas Hedges as the student who works on a national basis to involve students in the campaign is quite interesting to watch.

And Reina King (Regina King’s sister) as Shirley’s angry sister makes us believe her with absolutely no questioning. Actually, the entire supporting act crew should get recognized when the

next award season rolls around. .

Kudos also to director/writer John Ridley and cinematographer Ramsey Nickell Making a docudrama instead of a usual biopic seems a brave decision – and it worked for me.

I’d like them to say that Shirley Chisholm had guts. That’s how I would like to be remembered. --- Shirley Chisholm

America has the laws and national resources it takes to insure justice for all its people. What it lacks is the heart, the humanity, the Christian love it would take.

--- Shirley Chisholm.

JO TUCKER Pueblo award winning film critic

tough campaigning life is here, While watching, it’s not something dear Oscar winner Regina King oozes courage in every scene.

(Released by Netflix. Rated “PG-13”)

ContinuingInto AnotherCentury ofService

For, Montgomery & Steward Funeral 100 Years Directors has had a reputation for excellence.

Our focus has always been thoughtful, caring, professional, personalized service to families.

Moving into the next century, Gerry and Dian Montgomery, pledge their commitment and long tradition of providing care and compassion for the community they have always called home.

Continuing to set the bar high, we promise to go above and beyond for each family we serve –not because it's a business but because it's our way of life.

We invite you to call or visit us today.

100

ANNOUNCEMENT: CALLING ALL CENTENARIANS IN PUEBLO COUNTY!

The PACA board for Pueblo Area Agency on Aging is searching for all Centenarians in Pueblo. On May 10, 2024 we will be celebrating the Senior of the Year and have a Centenarian celebration with lunch, goodies and entertainment.

Two Puebloans are Centenarians and Veterans. We are unable to locate these two gentlemen or their families. Please contact Cindy Jones at (719) 671-9539 to provide information on these Veteran/Centenarians or if you have a Centenarian we can celebrate. The Centenarian will be recognized at our event; a family member or contact person for information is extremely important. Please share this with folks you know.

APRIL IS NATIONAL MINORITY HEALTH MONTH IMPORTANT

If your organization would like to sponsor this event or provide items for our goodie bags, please contact me at above number or email information to JonesCin@ pueblocounty.us

◀ FROM LIGHT PAGE 6

rocked New York and the eastern seaboard. Was it a wake-up call to America, especially evil leaders in high places. The lightning bolt that struck Lady Liberty’s torch should be a wake-up call to the entire nation. Are you awake yet? Are you prepared? Are you born again? The end is coming. Our time is short. Keep your eyes on Israel which is the most significant key to signs of the end times.

Hear the words of the Lord Jesus to the Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos: “And He said to me, ‘Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.

‘And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.’ Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city” (Revelation 22:12-14 NKJV.)

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and God’s blessing on the people of Israel. Pray for America and the leadership. And make sure your heart is right with the Lord. He is at the door. “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book” (Revelation 22:7 NLT).

© 2023 Jan McLaughlin - All rights reserved. Jan can be contacted at 719-2756971 or by e-mail JansMail@Reagan.com

◀ FROM SENATE PAGE 7

one more example of punishing people who obey the law, and giving those who don’t more open targets where they will be unopposed until law enforcement arrives.

If you google ‘mass shootings committed by individuals with permit to carry licenses’, you will find a Washington Post article printed in 2015 that indicates 27 instances where three or more people were killed by someone with a permit to carry. There is also evidence of nine instances in which permitted gun carriers stopped violent crimes.

Overall, statistics indicate that conceal to carry people are far and away more trained and more responsible citizens.

In a 2017 study, Stanford Law professor John J. Donohue and two co-authors reported that Colorado’s right to carry law lowered the violent crime rate in Colorado 1.2 %. Donohue is often sought as an anti-gun expert witness.

S.B. 24-131 specifically targets permit holders who are 39 times less likely to be arrested than the general population. That statistic is based on the number of permits revoked because of arrests in 2020.

Since 1990 in Colorado, the three most deadly shootings have been Columbine High School in 1999 where two senior students embarked on a spree that killed 12 students and one teacher. It is the sixth deadliest school massacre in United States history.

A dozen people were killed and 70 injured in the Aurora theatre shooting in

2012 during a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises.”

The third most deadly was in Boulder in 2021 when a shooter opened fire in a King Soopers supermarket, killing ten people, including one police officer.

Columbine High school and the movie theatre were both gun free zones. S.B. 24-131 will increase the number of gun free zones.

An article by the Crime Prevention Research Center has the following quote, “When the Aurora, Colorado Batman movie theater shooter attacked, seven movie theaters were showing “The Dark Knight Rises” on July 20th within 20 minutes of the killer’s apartment at 1690 Paris St, Aurora, Colorado, but the killer picked the only theater that had signs posted that it was a gun-free zone. His first target had been an airport, but he worried about their ‘substantial security’. Similar stories have occurred at malls such as in Omaha and Salt Lake City or the Lafayette, Louisiana, movie theater. Despite teachers carrying guns in schools in 20 states, all the shooting attacks at schools have occurred in schools that ban teachers from having guns.”

The inherent evil of humanity means that there will always be murder. The question becomes, were the dozen people dead and 70 wounded more likely to happen where the good guys can carry guns, or where they can’t? S.B. 24-131 promotes more mass shootings, don’t you think?

Terry Krause is the Owner and Publisher of the local newspaper Greenhorn Valley View. The paper primarily serves Colorado City and Rye. They can be reached at (719) 214-3509 or at Editor@GreenhornValleyView. For more info their website is GreenhornValleyView.com

By: UnitedHealthcare Staff

April is recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as Minority Health Month, an observance that brings awareness to health disparities and encourages action through education, early detection, and disease control. Part of this work includes raising awareness about the disproportionate health outcomes among people who belong to racial or ethnic minority groups.

The conditions in which we are born, live, learn, work, play, and worship and our age – known as social determinants of health (SDOH) – have important impacts on health. Differences in SDOH contribute to the stark and persistent chronic disease disparities in the U.S. among racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, systematically limiting opportunities for members of some groups to be healthy.

Cancer

Black/African Americans have the highest mortality rate of any racial or ethnic group for all cancers combined and for most major cancers.

From 2015-2019, African American men were 1.2 times and 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with new cases of colon and prostate cancer than non-Hispanic white men.

Although Hispanic men and women generally have lower cancer rates than the non-Hispanic White population, disparities do exist in certain types of cancer. Both Hispanic men and women are almost twice as likely to have and die from liver cancer than non-Hispanic Whites.

Romance Scams on the Rise and Elderly are Particularly Vulnerable

(StatePoint) They say, “you can’t buy love,” but scammers have figured out a way to exploit it for profit.

Romance scams are at an all-time high and, while victims cross all demographics, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that elders are increasingly targeted. Why? Because they often have retirement savings at their disposal and may be more be isolated and less tech savvy.

“Romance scammers often manipulate emotions to gain trust,” says Mark Kwapiszeski, head of enterprise fraud for PNC. “Those who fall victim end up putting

scams particularly nefarious,” Kwapiszeski says.

To protect against potential romance scams, follow these tips:

• Before sending money or sharing financial information, consult a friend or family member. Simply talking to someone not involved in the situation is often enough to identify red flags.

• Trust your gut. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

feelings above logic. This can create em barrassment and, as a result, these crimes are less likely to be reported.”

Scammers will create convincing profiles on dating and social media apps, reaching out to their target feigning famil iarity or attraction. Things move quickly, but there is always a reason they can’t meet on video or in person. They may claim to have a reason that requires them to be overseas or out of reach. They tell their target everything they want to hear, and the hook is set.

Suddenly, a crisis arises that they insist they need help financial help with to mitigate. Or maybe they need finances to set up a new life together. They ask for the money, but would prefer it be sent in a form like cryptocurrency or gift card where there is little chance of the victim ever recovering it.

Such scams are highly effective. In 2022 alone, romance scams resulted in $1.3 billion lost, more than double the money lost in the previous year, according to the FTC.

To add insult to injury, scammers may convince their target to send them revealing photos they will later use to extort them. They may even play the long game and build trust over time, then convince their target to invest with them, without the victim ever getting any return.

“A romance scammer can invest a long time in cultivating trust, which makes these

existed. Once the shock abates and the money is gone, the shame sets in and some have even resorted to self-harm instead of admitting to being defrauded in this way. If a loved one falls victim to a romance scam, it’s important to respond with empathy.

If you believe you or someone you love has been a victim of fraud, PNC Bank’s web resources, as part of its Security and Privacy Center (PNC.com), can help. After taking immediate measures to protect yourself, block the scammer on all accounts, change your passwords, and report the incident to the FTC and FBI.

The best line of defense against romance scams is awareness. Understanding common tactics can help you stay protected.

GLEN VOLLMECKE

Author: "Intermission a Place in Time."

Historic Castles. Imagine. Before continuing with the famous Hermitage Castle, it’s a reminder of an incident I remember well, as a child, which occurred in my own British shire of Cheshire. Perhaps my village butcher shop also of that name could proclaim to be descendants of the following atrocities connected to this dilapidated fortress. Who knows?? Only six years old, I was sent for several pieces of beef for dinner. Crowded and noisy, a huge

hmass of customers waited to be served. So firmly grasping the note paper in hand, I remained a tiny patient figure designing particles of sawdust with my foot. Barely able to see the counter, I was thankful when the butcher’s apprentice Al beckoned me forward. ‘Come here little lady. What can I get for you?’ I felt special! A day later while walking to school, he shouted my name, ‘Glen, wait a minute.’ And although warned about speaking to strange men, I felt he was O.K. This was the butcher. Out of breath, and racing to a halt, his large hand hovered over my tiny fist. I responded and unknowingly allowed a huge, gelatinous sheep’s eye to roll into my small open palm. Momentarily fixated on this imposition I gazed admiring the complexity of the stare. Could it be alive? Unquestionably, Al failed to realize it would be included in my later auto biography, he’d have liked the recognition. Not to mention my psychological torment which lasted for many years

afterwards.

Back to Hermitage Castle. Vicious conflicts between highlanders and lowlanders, occurred in Scotland, all with one mutual enemy…England’s royalty.

Vicious conflicts between highlanders and lowlanders, occurred in Scotland, all with one mutual enemy…England’s royalty. Invasions, and subsequent conquering being their only objective. Vestiges of early conflicts remain in these Bloodlands. Ruined fortresses, castles and naturally many ghostly reminders...

‘boil him if you must but I’ll hear no more of him!’ And immediately they angrily stormed the castle en mass. By early morning Soulis was captured, and judiciously enfolded in lead before his lanky body was unhurriedly lowered into hot oil.

Invasions, and subsequent conquering being their only objective. Vestiges of early conflicts remain in these Bloodlands. Ruined fortresses, castles and naturally many ghostly reminders of the spirited entities who refuse to abandon actual places of their bloody defeats. An abnormally squat ugly, forbidding stronghold named Hermitage Castle stands in isolation in this wild region of Scotland. Still intact the disturbing corridors, amid staircases of stone, snake arbitrarily between green damp mossy walls of its ancient dramatic interior. Today the brave souls daring to enter all commented on the evil still lurking inside. During 1700 it was inhabited by soldiers and gentry from two countries, and named the ‘guard-house’ the bloodiest valley in Britain. In 1342 Sir Alexander Ramsay was incarcerated in a frightful pit, or dungeon, airless and devoid of sanitation. Consequently, for several hundred years the starving, pathetic specter regularly haunts this decrepit domain. It’s infamous initial owner ‘Bad’ Lord de Soulis practiced black arts. Ostensibly, these dungeons housed many village children, all victims of his menacing ceremonies. Angry petitions by locals to King Robert were ignored. He screamed

Never to be forgotten his ghostly apparition continues to appear, accompanied by screams, almost inaudible and countless cries, of his original victims: the tiny children. Pathetically, his ghost often parades around the cold corridors of Hermitage Castle, accompanied by minuscule wafts of childish images, barely noticeable but nevertheless, still seen by certain sensitives.

From The Scholar: by Robert Southey. My hopes are with the dead; anon My place with them will be, Through all Futurity.

Resplendently surrounded by silent waters, built by Alexander 3rd., and one of Scotland’s most picturesque strongholds, this spectacular bastion is gracefully bordered by lochs; Its name is Ellean Donan Castle. Robert the Bruce sheltered her in 1306. Meanwhile the Earl of Moray executed fifty men, then displayed severed heads on metal spikes constructed into the castle walls. During the Jacobite uprising William Makenzie accompanied by Earl of Seaford, garrisoned the fortress with Spanish troops. Afterward, three English frigates led by the warship Worchester unleashed an assault of artillery against the defenders. The castle suffered insurmountable losses. Rebuilt in 1932 it’s now a clan war memorial/museum. For many years usually at midnight several castle caretakers have heard clinking of metal on stone tiles, sounds reminiscent of body armour. One actually described this apparition of the Spanish soldier who mysteriously, and indiscriminately wanders around the interior of Ellean Donan Castle…with his severed bloody head tucked underneath his arm…

Thought for the day:

We humans hold little significance in our ordinary lives. It’s doubtful we’re remembered in the greater scheme of things. So, move on and accept the present day, reminisce but strive to be yourself.

SENIOR CLASSIFIEDS

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RESCUING TREASURES OF DARKNESS

Broken Promises - Renewed Hope - New Beginnings

You will find spell binding testimonies of prisoners’ broken lives and behind-bars encounters with the living Christ. Renew own faith by reading these amazing stories of prisoners’ transformed by the touch of Christ through caring volunteers.

Find out how you can make an eternal difference in the life incarcerated man or woman across the country or on other shores.

Jan McLaughlin’s book will touch your heart and motivate to reach out to the lost and broken men and women. God is inviting you to pray for them. Perhaps He is inviting you to help Rescue Treasures of Darkness!

DIRECTV SPORTS PACK –

Proceeds help fund Prayer For Prisoners Int’l, a non-profit ministry based on the power of prayer which was founded in 1987 by Jan. McLaughlin

$10.00 plus shipping 719-275-6971 or Jansmail@reagan.com

Or by mail: PFPI - P.O. Box 1574 - Cañon City, CO 81215-1574

Checks payable to PFPI or Prayer For Prisoners International

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LIGHT FOR THE JOURNEY

A Great Gift for any Occasion

You will laugh and cry as you walk with Jan through memories that point to an incredible God who orders our steps and uses even the worst situations to His glory and our good. An easy read which also makes a delightful devotional.

You will laugh and cry as you walk with Jan through memories that point to an incredible God who orders our steps and uses even the worst situations to His glory and our good. An easy read which also makes a delightful devotional.

Reviews: A Delightful and Inspirational Read

Reviews: "A Delightful and Inspirational Read"

"The reader will find author Jan McLaughlin’s book an inspirational and thoroughly delightful reading experience. Her wit and love of life permeates the entire 400-plus pages. Reading will not be tedious in the least.

The reader will find author Jan McLaughlin’s book an inspirational and thoroughly delightful reading experience. Her wit and love of life permeates the entire 400-plus pages. Reading will not be tedious in the least. I think what I most enjoyed was the author’s ability to take ordinary, and sometimes harrowing, experiences and draw a spiritual lesson that the reader can apply in his or her own life.

The chapters are short and keep the reader’s interest The author is humble and not adverse to admitting her own foibles. As a result, this reviewer can relate as one lessthan-perfect reader to a less-than-perfect author. A 4-word recommendation: It’s a happy read! Dr. Raymond White, Pueblo, CO $10.00 Plus shipping. 719-275-6971 or Jan@prayerforprisoners.org

Or you can order by mail: Checks payable to Jan McLaughlin P.O. Box 855 - Cañon City, CO 81215-0855 LIGHT FOR THE JOURNEY A Great Gift for any Occasion

SOCIAL SECURITY & YOU

WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU HAVE A SOCIAL SECURITY OR SSI OVERPAYMENT

AN OVERPAYMENT OCCURS

when Social Security pays a person more money in Social Security benefits or SSI payments than should have been paid. The amount of the overpayment is the difference between the payment received and the amount that was due.

Social Security is required by law to adjust benefits or recover debts when an overpayment occurs. If you receive an overpayment notice, it will explain why you’ve been overpaid, the overpayment amount, your repayment options, and your appeal and waiver rights.

After receiving an overpayment notice, you can:

• Repay the overpayment in full or through a repayment plan by check, money order, credit card or by monthly reductions from your Social Security benefit. You may be able to make a full or partial repayment using Pay.gov or your bank’s online bill pay option. We offer flexible repayment plans, including payments as low as $10 per month.

• Appeal the overpayment if you don’t agree that you’ve been overpaid,

FUN & GAMES FOR YOU

or you believe the amount is incorrect. You can request a non-medical reconsideration online or you can submit a completed SSA-561, Request for Reconsideration, to your local Social Security office.

• Request that we waive the overpayment if you believe you are not at fault for causing the overpayment AND you cannot afford to pay the money back or it is unfair for some other reason. You can ask for a waiver by submitting a completed SSA-632, Request for Waiver of Overpayment Recovery, to your local office. If your overpayment is $1,000 or less, we may be able to process your waiver request quickly by telephone. You can contact your local office or call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

• Request a different repayment amount if you are unable to meet your necessary living expenses due to the current repayment amount. If you are unable to repay the debt within 60 months* due to the negotiated repay-

ment amount, you will be asked to complete form SSA-634, Request for Change in Overpayment Recovery Rate. You can find the form at www.ssa.gov/ forms/ssa-634. pdf.

MY SOCIAL SECURITY: IT’S NOT JUST FOR RETIREES

A personal my Social Security account can be helpful in so many ways. You can benefit from its personalized tools even if you are not retired or close to retirement.

With your personal my Social Security account, you can do much of your business with us online. You rarely need to call or visit a local Social Security office once you have one.

Let’s look at some of the features offered by an account.

If you do not receive benefits, you can:

• Request a replacement Social Security card (in most states and the District of Columbia).

• Check the status of your Social Security application after you apply.

• Get proof that you do not receive benefits.

• Get your Social Security Statement. If you already receive benefits, you can:

• Request a replacement Social Security card (in most states and the District of Columbia).

• Get a benefit verification or proof of income letter.

• Update your direct deposit (Social Security benefits only).

• Update contact information (Social Security benefits only).

• Get a Social Security tax form (1099/1042S).

• Opt out of receiving certain notices by mail and receive them in the secure Message Center.

Please help us spread the news! Let your family and friends know that they can create a personal my Social Security account today at SSA.gov/myaccount

• Check personalized retirement benefit estimates to compare different dates or ages to begin receiving benefits.

CITY OF PUEBLO CELEBRATES INAUGURAL PUEBLO FLAG DAY

PUEBLO—The City of Pueblo joined members of the Leadership Pueblo Class of 2023 from the Greater Pueblo Chamber for a flag raising ceremony and celebration for the inaugural Pueblo flag day on Friday, March 22, 2024.

Nearly 70 people gathered outside of the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce to hear remarks from Mayor of Pueblo Heather Graham, Pueblo County Commissioner Eppie Griego, a proclamation by City Council President Mark Aliff and shared comments from Chief of Pueblo Police Department Chris Noeller, District Attorney Jeff Chostner, Deputy Chief of Pueblo Fire Department Keith Novak, Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office Bureau Chief Paul Toth, Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Duane Nava and Leadership Pueblo Class President of 2023 Sarah Mize. The Pueblo flag was raised along with the American flag while community members joined for the pledge of allegiance.

“I’m extremely proud to have this Pueblo Flag Day initiative started by our own citizens and supported by so many of our community members,” said Mayor of Pueblo Heather Graham. “This is an opportunity for us to reflect on why we love our city so much—for the diversity, culture, traditions, art, rich history, food and long generational ties. This also urges us to change the narrative about our community and take ownership of how we can speak positively to invite more people to experience how wonderful Pueblo truly is, whether we live here year-round, or we are inviting new people to visit.”

to take pride in their city and have business owners more prominently promote the Pueblo flag.

Pueblo flags and/or sticker decals can be purchased at the following locations:

* Print Pros located at 2117 E Evans Ave. (719)-565-8774

* Signs by Scott located at 123 W. 4th St. (719)-544-2777

* Embroidery Plus located at 501 West St. (719)-542-0234

* Pride City Awning & Canvas (flags only) located at 1127 W. 17th St. (719)-544-6250

"Pueblo Flag Day is a vibrant celebration of what makes Pueblo a great place to live, work, and play,” said Leadership Pueblo Class of 2023 President Sarah Mize. “It's an invitation for all of us to reshape the narrative of our city, to display the flag proudly, and to stand in solidarity to lead Pueblo into a brighter future together."

In addition to the Pueblo Flag Day ceremony celebrated at the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce, state officials including Governor of Colorado Jared Polis hosted their own ceremony on the west steps of the Capitol. The Pueblo flag was flown on Friday, March 22 above the Capitol building to acknowledge and celebrate the Pueblo community.

This Pueblo Flag Day initiative was started by the Leadership Pueblo Class of 2023 as a point of pride for Pueblo citizens. March 22 was chosen as the day of recognition to celebrate because the City of Pueblo as the town of Pueblo was incorporated on March 22, 1870. The Leadership Pueblo class service project included encouraging business, organizations and individuals to hang Pueblo flags or display the Pueblo flag stickers on windows. The class hoped this service project would encourage fellow Puebloans

###

The City of Pueblo was established in 1842, incorporated in 1870 and is proudly called the “Home of Heroes” because of the record of four living recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor who claim Pueblo as their hometown. The City Seal, which is under the five flags, represents the countries and territories that held dominion over the Pueblo area which include France, Mexico, Texas, Spain and of course the United States of America.

Members of the Leadership Pueblo Class of 2023 at the Flag Day event

◀ FROM HEALTH PAGE 9

Hispanic women are 40% more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer, and 30 percent more likely to die from cervical cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic White women.

Mental Health

Black females, grades 9-12, were

60% more likely to attempt suicide in 2019, as compared to non-Hispanic white females of the same age.

Suicide attempts for Hispanic girls, grades 9-12, were 30% higher than for non-Hispanic white girls in the same age group, in 2019.

In 2018, Hispanics were 50% less likely to have received mental health treatment as compared to non-Hispanic

Whites. Prenatal Care

Although overall infant mortality rates have fallen over time, the 2018 infant mortality rate for infants of non-Hispanic Black women was more than twice as high as that for infants of non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic Asian and Hispanic women.

In 2019, Hispanic mothers were

80% more likely to receive late or no prenatal care as compared to non-Hispanic White mothers.

This awareness month can inform individuals about how groups who have poor social determinants of health and lack of access to high-quality medical care are more likely to be diagnosed with and die from diseases.