January 2019 | Howard County Beacon

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Life’s a dance for ex-Rockette

Spreading a love of dance Prior to her move to Howard County, Berk had lived for 25 years at Leisure World in Silver Spring. She injected the dancing bug into many seniors there and around Montgomery County when she

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PHOTO COURTESY OF WINTER GROWTH

By Robert Friedman Howard County resident Anne Berk, who happens to be the world’s oldest Rockette, figuratively kicked up her heels the other day in Columbia while moving and grooving with the help of a walker for a special celebration: her 100th birthday.

“Don’t complain, and keep a good sense of humor,” was the advice Berk offered to those in attendance. The party was held at Winter Growth Assisted Living in Columbia, where she now resides.

“And keep dancing,” she added, whether the choreography takes place up in your head or down on your feet. Berk danced her way across the Radio City Music hall stage from 1936 to 1938.

Berk found the turnout for her Nov. 28 birthday bash to be “breathtaking.” Sure, she expected Ron, her 72-year-old son, and Maggie, her 70-year-old daughter, as well as her two granddaughters and her four great-granddaughters.

But when 93 celebrants showed up — including friends, assisted living neighbors, former dance students (she had run a children’s dance academy in Silver Spring), an 18-member dance troupe from Notre Dame Prep in Towson, and assorted others — she was “overwhelmed.”

Among those others happened to be two other former Rockettes, Jean Kettell, of Columbia, and Lin Bartle of Hanover, who learned about the party from the Rockette Alumnae Association in New York. (More on those other onetime dancing women later.)

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Visiting temples and markets in low-cost Cambodia; plus, enjoying winter’s beauty from aboard a train page 23

Anne Berk, who is the world’s oldest former Rockette, celebrated her 100th birthday in November. She danced her way across the Radio City Music Hall stage from 1936 to 1938 before moving to Washington during World War II to work as a switchboard operator in General George Marshall’s office.

formed the “Rockettes of Ages.”

The troupe performed at senior centers, nursing homes, hospitals, military bases and even the Kennedy Center. She has also appeared in a “60 Minutes” segment about the Rockettes, whose Radio City Music Hall Christmas shows are still one of New York’s biggest tourist draws.

Berk feels there’s just something about dancing, whether doing it or watching it, that stirs a primordial urge in humans of all ages.

“A few years ago, one of my great-grandchildren — she was no more than three months old — when she saw me and heard See ROCKETTE, page 32

ARTS & STYLE

Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest is part farce, part social message. Now on stage at Everyman Theatre. page 31

FITNESS & HEALTH 4 k Eye scan may detect Alzheimer’s k Laparoscopy not always best LAW & MONEY 14 k Maximize your interest income k Pros, cons of preferred stock THE 50+ CONNECTION 17 k Newsletter from Howard County Office on Aging & Independence ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

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Ready for a riddle?

I’m not generally a riddle lover. But I’m short distance, comes to a dead stop, then listening to a book on tape that my wife en- returns back to him. And he says he can joyed, Elastic: Flexible Thinkdo this without bouncing it ing in a Time of Change, by off anything, tying anything Leonard Mlodinow (m-lod’to it, or giving it spin. How? nov).

While you consider those, The book is about the I’ll note that these kinds of human brain and the multiple riddles can be challenging bemethods by which we think cause we tend to think analyt— something science has ically most of the time, and only recently come to underespecially when trying to stand. solve problems.

The book addresses what When we think analytically, he calls our brain’s elasticity: FROM THE our brain tries to travel the an ability to think creatively, PUBLISHER shortest path to a solution, so to consider perspectives be- By Stuart P. Rosenthal we tend to rely on what we alyond our own, and to draw ready know (or think we connections between radically different know). In fact, these riddles are designed to ideas in a non-logical manner. encourage exactly that kind of approach.

In order to illustrate what he means, he But it’s logical thinking that actually opens one chapter with a challenge to the makes these riddles difficult to solve! We reader: Can you solve these riddles? As I need to think outside our normal patterns, listened to the book while navigating and even refuse to follow straightforward through traffic, I took him up on it. Are logic to get to the answers. you ready to give some a try?

In the first riddle, the man is reading #1. A man is reading a book when the from a book. But it’s written in Braille, so lights go out. Even though the room is he’s reading with his fingers. pitch dark, he continues reading. How? The magician isn’t tossing the ping-pong (Note: it’s not an electronic book.) ball against a wall or across the floor, as we #2. A magician claims to be able to might first imagine. He’s throwing it straight throw a ping-pong ball so that it goes a up into the air, so it reverses direction and

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The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Baltimore area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Howard County, Md., Greater Washington, DC and Richmond, Va. (Fifty Plus).

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• Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal • Associate Publisher ..............Judith K. Rosenthal • Vice President, Operations........Gordon Hasenei • Vice President, Sales & Marketing ....Alan Spiegel • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Art Director ........................................Kyle Gregory • Director of Operations ........................Roger King • Advertising Representatives .................................. ................................Barbara Koscielski, Steve Levin • Assistant Editor ............................Rebekah Alcald

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comes back to him thanks to gravity.

The reason for including such riddles in the book is not to trick us, but to illustrate how our minds can jump to the wrong conclusions. When we intently focus our analytical powers, we sometimes miss the point.

Ironically, our brains often make the most creative connections, and find solutions to problems that otherwise evade us, when they act without conscious direction so our thoughts can roam freely.

One way to become more in touch with our elastic brain involves a different kind of effort. Mlodinow describes how he purposely tests his most closely held beliefs in order to widen his perspective and engage more of his brain.

He selects a deeply held value or belief (some might call it a prejudice) and tries to see it from the side of a person of good intention who holds the opposite belief.

He knows he’s not fooling himself, and he doesn’t expect to change his own opinion.

But by working to understand why others believe what they believe, and how they might view his opinions, he usually comes to accept that there can be different positions on the matter, and that those who disagree with him are not truly evil, as he might originally have felt.

To me, this is one of the major insights of the book. Though it’s natural and generally helpful for our brains to take the easy

route to a decision, it’s important to use all our faculties when we want to understand another person’s perspective, politics, culture or beliefs.

We tend to be rigid and judgmental when we think analytically. So when that fails us, as it sometimes does when trying to communicate with others, we need to think more elastically.

We will come to understand ourselves and others better — and maybe even regain a more civil society — when we can train ourselves not to retreat to our most comfortable logic.

The book deserves more than this brief description of one point. There are many more insights in it. So I encourage you to read it (or listen to it) yourself.

I predict it will put you in a frame of mind to be more open to new ideas and concepts — and to be more tolerant of your fellow human beings.

A NOTE TO READERS: Have you had your DNA tested and learned something interesting about your family? If so, please contact our managing editor Barbara Ruben at (301) 949-9766 to help us with an upcoming story. Thank you!

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day.

Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or e-mail to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com.

Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.

BEACON BITS

Jan. 17

PRESERVING HOWARD COUNTY

In a free talk titled “Saving Howard County: Past, Present and Future,” author and environmentalist Ned Tillman, featured in the November edition of the Beacon, speaks about Howard county’s rivers, farms, wildlife, old Ellicott City and some of the key people in the past. The talk is sponsored by the Howard County Conservancy, of which he was a past chair. The event takes place on Thursday, Jan. 17 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Mt. Pleasant, 10520 Old Frederick Rd., Woodstock. Advance registration is recommended by calling (410) 465-8877.

Ongoing

FIRE DEPT. TRAIN DISPLAY

The Ellicott City Volunteer Fire Department Station #2 hosts its 21st annual holiday train display through Jan. 1. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted. The display will be open Wednesday through Friday, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. It will also be open Christmas Eve from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on Christmas Day, and open on New Year’s Eve from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The station is located at 4150 Montgomery Rd., Ellicott City. For more information, call (410) 313-2036.

Jan. 7+

SIP AND STITCH

The first Monday of every month, knitters and crocheters can bring their needles to the Ellicott Mills Brewing Company and enjoy happy hour prices while stitching with fellow yarn enthusiasts.

Compare projects, talk about different stitches and borders, knitting and crochet tools, get inspired and get creative. The next event is on Monday, Jan. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. at 8308 Main St., Ellicott City. For more information, call (410) 313-8141.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Say you saw it in the Beacon

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Health Fitness &

KEEP THAT APPENDIX Mild appendicitis can be treated with antibiotics rather than surgery MILLENNIAL CAREGIVING 101 Younger adults should discuss future needs with their parents today HONEY-LIME SALMON Pair roast salmon with a spicy honeylime glaze for an easy, tasty dinner DON’T ENABLE ABUSE Speak up if your spouse emotionally abuses you — and get counseling

An eye scan may detect early Alzheimer’s Results from two studies show that a new, non-invasive imaging device can see signs of Alzheimer’s disease in a matter of seconds.

The researchers show that the small blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eye are altered in patients with Alzheimer’s.

Even patients who have a family history of Alzheimer’s but have no symptoms show these telltale signs.

Researchers also showed that they can distinguish between people with Alzheimer’s and those with only mild cognitive impairment. Results from these studies were presented at the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

A window to the brain A new kind of precise and non-invasive imaging called optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) has assisted much of the recent research on the eye’s connection with Alzheimer’s. It enables physicians to see the smallest veins in the back of the eye, including the red blood

cells moving through the retina.

Because the retina is connected to the brain by way of the optic nerve, researchers believe that the deterioration in the retina and its blood vessels may mirror the changes going on in the blood vessels and structures in the brain, thereby offering a window into the disease process.

Diagnosing Alzheimer’s is a currently a challenge. Some techniques can detect signs of the disease but are impractical for screening millions of people: Brain scans are expensive and spinal taps can be harmful.

Instead, the disease is often diagnosed through memory tests or observing behavior changes. By the time these changes are noticed, the disease is advanced.

Even though there is no cure, early diagnosis is critical as future treatments are likely to be most effective when given early.

Early diagnosis would also give patients and their families time to plan for the future.

The goal of this latest research is to find a quick, inexpensive way to detect Alzheimer’s at the earliest signs.

Researchers at Duke University used OCTA to compare the retinas of Alzheimer’s patients with those of people with mild cognitive impairment, as well as healthy people.

They found that the Alzheimer’s group had loss of small retinal blood vessels at the back of the eye, and that a specific layer of the retina was thinner. Even people with mild cognitive impairment did not show these changes.

“This project meets a huge unmet need,” said Dr. Sharon Fekrat, a professor of ophthalmology at Duke. “It’s not possible for current techniques, like a brain scan or lumbar puncture (spinal tap), to screen the number of patients with this disease.

“Almost everyone has a family member or extended family affected by Alzheimer’s. We need to detect the disease earlier and introduce treatments earlier.”

Confirmed by Israeli study Because genes play a significant role in

how Alzheimer’s disease begins and progresses, another team of researchers, from Sheba Medical Center in Israel, examined 400 people who had a family history of the disease but showed no symptoms themselves. They compared their retina and brain scans with those who have no family history of Alzheimer’s.

They found that the inner layer of the retina is thinner in people with a family history. The brain scan showed that their hippocampus, an area of the brain that’s first affected by the disease, had already begun to shrink.

Both factors, a thinner inner retina layer and smaller hippocampus, were associated with scoring worse on a cognitive function test.

“A brain scan can detect Alzheimer’s when the disease is well beyond a treatable phase,” said lead researcher Dr.Ygal Rotenstreich, an ophthalmologist at the Goldschleger Eye Institute at Sheba Medical Center. “We need treatment intervention sooner. These patients are at such high risk.”

Why dog owners have better heart health

By Steve Calechman Are you a “dog person”? You know, one of those people who talks about their dogs all the time, shares photo after photo online (or, worse, in person), and considers their dog as a semi-human member of the family? (In the interest of full disclosure, I am a dog person.)

If you are, here’s a medical news story that may confirm what you’ve suspected all along. And if you aren’t a dog person, this may confirm your suspicion that researchers can prove just about anything they want.

According to a recent study, your risk of having a cardiovascular event (such as stroke or heart attack) and your risk of death are lower if you have a dog.

Some of the proposed explanations for this might surprise you.

This study reviewed the health and death records of more than 3 million people in Sweden ages 40 to 80 over more than a decade, and found that: Compared with people in multi-person households without dogs, people living in multi-person households with dogs had a risk of death that was 11 percent lower,

and risk of death due to a cardiovascular cause that was 15 percent lower.

These findings were even more dramatic for those living alone. Risk of death was 33 percent lower among dog owners, cardiovascular deaths were lower by 36 percent, and the risk of heart attack was 11 percent lower.

The benefit was greater for owners of certain breeds of dogs, such as retrievers and terriers.

What’s the connection?

The most obvious explanation for why dogs might provide their owners with certain health advantages is that dog owners tend to be more active. For many people, taking their dogs out of the house or apartment several times a day to “do their business,” and walking their dogs, is far more physical activity than their dogless neighbors get.

And this could explain why more active dog breeds (such as retrievers) are associated with the greatest benefit, and why single people (who must shoulder the entire “burden” of walking the dog) benefit the most.

But there are other potential explanations that researchers have considered, including: — Improved immune function. Believe it or not, having a dog that brings dirt and germs into the home could improve how the immune system functions, and reduce harmful inflammation in the body.

— Modifying the microbiome. The huge number of bacteria in our digestive tracts changes not only with changes in diet, but also with pet ownership. It’s possible that having a dog alters the types of bacteria we harbor, which in turn could affect inflammation in the body and resultant cardiovascular risk.

— Social impact. Dog owners must, to at least some degree, focus outside themselves, which can promote social interaction. In addition, dog owners tend to bond with one another as their dogs play together and check each other out. Past research has found that social contact is linked with lower cardiovascular risk and rates of death.

— Improved mood. Some have proposed that the unconditional affection and companionship of dogs can improve mood, and through this effect improve health.

Will a dog extend your life?

Not so fast. This study only found that dog owners tend to live longer and have fewer heart attacks than those without dogs. But that does not prove dog ownership itself is the reason.

Maybe healthier, more active people get dogs more often than sedentary people, and it’s that self-selection that accounts for the observations of this latest research.

It’s also possible that economic factors play an important role. Dog ownership can be expensive, and those who can most afford to own a dog might receive better healthcare, have better health insurance, or have healthier lifestyles.

While the researchers tried to account for some of these possibilities, excluding some contribution from other “non-dog” factors is challenging.

We’ll need to have a better understanding of whether dog ownership itself truly provides health benefits and just how it works. Naturally, similar questions will arise regarding cats and other pets.

See DOG OWNERS, page 5

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Less-invasive surgery less effective too See CANCER SURGERY, page 7

Differences in surgeries

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where. And if you aren’t a dog person, this latest research might convince you to become one. © 2018. President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Traditional surgery involves a cut in the lower abdomen. In a newer method, a surgeon makes small incisions for a camera and instruments.

Patients recover faster, so laparoscopic surgery, which has been around for more than a decade, gained popularity despite a lack of rigorous long-term studies.

It’s not clear why it failed to measure up.

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Until we know more, the apparent health benefits of dog ownership should be encouraging to dog people every-

sented at a cancer meeting in March.

“We immediately as a department changed our practice and changed completely to the open approach,” said Dr.

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From page 4

Experts suspect there may be something about the tools or technique that spreads the cancer cells from the tumor to the abdominal cavity.

Some hospitals went back to traditional hysterectomy after the results were pre-

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Dog owners

widespread screening. The number of operations has fallen, too, to several thousand a year in the United States.

Some women with early-stage cervical cancer are choosing fertility-sparing techniques, treatments not included in the new research.

In both studies, researchers compared two methods for radical hysterectomy, an operation to remove the uterus, cervix and part of the vagina. The surgery costs around $9,000 to $12,000 with the minimally invasive version at the higher end.

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By Carla K. Johnson New evidence about a cancer operation in women finds a higher death rate for the less invasive version, challenging standard practice and the “less is more” approach to treating cervical cancer.

The unexpected findings are prompting changes at some hospitals that perform radical hysterectomies for early-stage disease.

The more rigorous of the two studies was conducted at more than 30 sites in a dozen countries. It found women who had the less invasive surgery were four times more likely to see their cancer return compared to women who had traditional surgery.

Death from cervical cancer occurred in 14 of 319 patients who had minimally invasive surgery and 2 of 312 patients who had open surgery. Results were published online by the New England Journal of Medicine.

Radical hysterectomy is standard treatment for women with early-stage cervical cancer. Rates are declining because of

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

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Antibiotics an alternative for appendicitis

By Dr. Howard LeWine Q: A friend was recently treated with antibiotics for appendicitis. I thought appendicitis required an operation. What’s changed?

A: For more than 100 years, appendicitis was considered an emergency that required immediate surgery to remove the appendix (an appendectomy). Today a course of antibiotics offers a safe alternative in many cases.

Before we had CT scans and ultrasounds, doctors had to diagnose appendicitis based on the patient’s symptoms and the physical exam. Good diagnosticians got it right about 85 percent of the time.

So it was very acceptable to remove a normal appendix once out of every seven surgeries. That’s because surgeons were

most worried about missing a severely infected appendix or one that had ruptured.

Nobody would consider running a study to compare antibiotics alone to surgery for symptoms of acute appendicitis.

But when CT scans came into common use, doctors had a great tool to help diagnose the cause of abdominal pain. With the detailed pictures CT scans provide, doctors can determine who has “mild” inflammation of the appendix that has little chance of developing into an abscess or rupturing.

This opened the door to consider antibiotic treatment as an alternative to immediate appendectomy. Doctors began offering antibiotics to some patients with simple appendicitis.

Nine years ago, researchers launched a

formal study comparing the two strategies. The study included 530 adults with simple appendicitis diagnosed by CT scan.

They were randomly assigned to have surgery right away or to take antibiotics.

The researchers just reported the longterm study results in the Journal of American Medical Association. For those that were assigned to antibiotic treatment, 39 percent had recurrent appendicitis over the next five years. Most recurrences occurred within the first 12 months.

The surgery patients in the study had a traditional open appendectomy. Today it’s more common to have a laparoscopic procedure. This is done through small incisions.

Recovery is much faster than with the larger incision needed for open appendectomy.

When I had appendicitis three years ago,

I was offered antibiotics or surgery. I chose immediate laparoscopic appendectomy. I didn’t want risk a recurrence, especially since I like to travel, and I was able to adapt my work schedule without much hassle.

Someone else with appendicitis might have different priorities. He or she may find it very inconvenient to have immediate surgery, and would rather postpone an operation, or not have one at all unless appendicitis recurs.

Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, please visit www.health.harvard.edu. © 2018 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed

by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Cancer surgery

which was funded in part by surgical device maker Medtronic.

For 33-year-old Alicia Ackley, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in July, the recommendation for traditional surgery came as a surprise, but she followed the advice of her doctor at MD Anderson after hearing about the research.

Tests following her September operation show no signs of cancer. “I’m very glad I went that route,” Ackley said. “The open hysterectomy got everything.”

The other study looked at 2,461 women with cervical cancer who had radical hysterectomies from 2010 through 2013. It

found a 9.1 percent death rate after four years among women who got minimally invasive surgery compared to 5.3 percent for traditional surgery.

technique, and the findings are “alarming,” said Dr. Amanda Fader of Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. She said Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore has stopped doing less invasive hysterectomies for cervical cancer until there is more data.

While some patients with small tumors might do as well with minimally invasive surgery, “surgeons should proceed cautiously” and discuss the new information with patients, Fader wrote in an accompanying editorial.

— AP

From page 5 Pedro Ramirez of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Ramirez led the more rigorous study, which randomly assigned 631 patients to one of two surgeries. After 4 1/2 years, the rate of those still living without disease was 86 percent with less invasive surgery and 96 percent with traditional surgery.

The experiment was halted early in 2017 when the higher death and cancer recurrence rates showed up. The original plan was to enroll 740 patients in the study,

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Learn about Member Care Support Network Howard County General Hospital offers social and emotional volunteer support services for certain health conditions. To register, visit hcgh.org/mcsn.

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‘Surprising’ and ‘alarming’ findings “We’re rethinking how we approach patients,” said study co-author Dr. Jason Wright of New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

“There’s a lot of surprise around these findings.”

The research is “a great blow” to the

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Advice for millennials with aging parents

By Kaitlin Pitsker Even if your parents are active and healthy, there comes a time when you realize they may need a little help as they age.

While I’m hopeful that my parents, who are in their early 60s and in good health, won’t need much assistance from me for another 10 or 15 years, I’ve already started asking about their retirement plans and what they’ll expect of me in the years to come.

Growing up, I saw my mother and her

siblings care for my grandmother for decades, which was both rewarding and challenging. And as an only child, I can’t help but think how much harder those tasks could be without siblings to consult with and share responsibilities.

Many millennial caregivers An estimated 10 million millennials are already acting as caregivers for a parent, in-law, grandparent or other adult, according to a recent report by AARP’s Public

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Policy Institute. In time, more of us will step into this role.

“Economic factors, including the student loan crisis, stagnant wages and the rising cost of elder care, are combining in a dangerous way that makes caring for aging parents different for millennials than it was for previous generations,” said Grace Whiting, president of the National Caregiving Alliance.

The AARP report found that millennial caregivers spend an average of 21 hours a week caring for older adults. Those with outof-pocket caregiving expenses spend nearly $7,000 a year on caregiving-related transportation, home modifications, legal fees and medical costs, which can put a significant strain on your career and financial goals.

Have the talk. Even if your parents are still relatively young, it isn’t too early to ask them what they might need, and what they expect of you as they age. Start with their retirement goals and finances — when they hope to retire (or cut back on work) and where they want to live. There’s no need for them to divulge every detail of their finances and plans.

Instead, aim to get a sense of both their financial and physical health, said Jeremy Torgerson, founder of nVest Advisors, in Brighton, Colo. Also ask your parents what their expectations are for later in retirement, when they may need help on a daily or weekly basis — who they hope will provide that assistance and how they’ll pay for it.

The cost of paid long-term care adds up quickly. Medicare typically won’t cover home healthcare, adult day care or nursing homes. The median cost of a home health aide nationwide is $22 per hour, or almost $46,000 a year for 40 hours a week, and a private room at a nursing home averages $267 a day, according to Genworth Financial.

Costs are higher in the Washington area, where home health aides are about $23 per hour, and a nursing home private room averages $387 a day.

What to ask about Do your parents have a long-term-care insurance policy to cover at least some of these expenses? Or do they plan to rely on other sources, such as savings or the sale of their home, to cover the costs?

Find out whether they expect to live near you or one of your siblings — perhaps they would move to a retirement community in your city. Or they may be counting on you to visit them frequently, or even hope to move in with you.

To avoid legal and financial problems if an illness or accident occurs, ask your parents where they keep estate-planning documents, including a will and powers of attorney for finances and healthcare.

Such topics aren’t easy to discuss, and families often need to start small, said Carol Craigie, a certified financial planner in Denver who runs online classes for adult children and their parents. Talk about general concerns at first and get more specific over time.

As for my family, we have penciled in a time to chat during my visit with them next month. We’ll pour some wine and talk about their recent trips to potential retirement destinations.

I also plan to ask how their retirement savings are shaping up, and what role they’re hoping I’ll play as they get older.

With any luck, there will be good news, a few laughs, and a general agreement about plans that I hope we won’t need to use anytime soon. © 2018, Kiplinger. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Charlestown offers MORE than other senior living options.

Jan. 9+

SELF DEFENSE FOR ACTIVE ADULTS Howard County Recreation and Parks will offer a class in defen-

sive techniques for those 55+ taught by a former Howard County Police officer.

The class is held for five weeks starting Wednesday, Jan. 9, in two locations. It

You get MORE for your money

takes place from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Roger Carter Community Center, 3000 Mill-

At a senior rental community, the money you pay each month is gone forever. At a life care community, you’re forced to pay for extra care you may never use. But at Charlestown, 90% of your entrance fee is refundable.* You only pay for more advanced care if you need it.

Keeton Way, Columbia. Cost: $72. To register, call (410) 313-7279 or go to

towne Dr., Ellicott City, and from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Bain 50+ Center, 5470 Ruth www.howardcountymd.gov/rap.

Jan. 8+

BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT The Grief Connection brings seniors together for bereavement support at the Ellicott City 50+ Center on the second Tuesday of

each month from 2 to 3 p.m. The free group offers a hand to hold and an ear to lis-

Learn MORE reasons to choose retirement living at Charlestown. Call 1-800-989-6981 or visit CharlestownCommunity.com for your free brochure.

ten during times of grief. The center is at 9401 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City. To learn more or to register, call (410) 313-1400.

Jan. 8

TRY HEARTFULNESS MEDITATION Discover what heartfulness meditation entails, and experience a guided meditation. Presented by Janakiraman Velu, an avid practi-

Catonsville CharlestownCommunity.com

tioner, on Tuesday, Jan. 8 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Miller Branch Library, 9421 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City. Registration is required by calling (410) 313-1950.

*Carefully read the Residence and Care Agreement for the conditions that must be satisfied before the Provider is required to pay the Entrance Fee Refund.

13160779

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

9

Caregivers: don’t neglect your own health

By Lauran Neergaard Skipping your checkup but not your mom’s? Caring for an older loved one is a balancing act, and a new poll shows that too often it’s the caregivers’ health that’s neglected.

The survey, by the Associated PressNORC Center for Public Affairs Research, found about a third of caregivers have gone without a routine physical or dental care, skipped or didn’t schedule a test or treatment, or even forgot to fill a prescription or failed to see a doctor for their own illness or injury because they were too busy with their caregiving duties.

Doctors miss opportunities to help.

Most caregivers go to medical appointments with the seniors they care for, yet the poll found they’re less likely to get information about self-care, support programs, or other services during those visits than if they make time to see their own physicians for advice.

“We have a long, long way to go until this is a routine part of practice,” said AARP long-term care specialist Lynn Feinberg.

“This survey really points out the need to look at both the person and the family.”

Full-time job for many Four in 10 Americans have provided long-term care to an older relative or

friend, a volunteer workforce that’s growing as the population ages. The AP-NORC survey found that for nearly a quarter of them, especially caregivers who are over 40, the amount of time spent on caregiving duties is equivalent to a full-time job.

Most informal caregivers view their role as key to their identity. But it can be difficult to meet their own physical and mental health needs.

Nearly 40 percent of caregivers have a health problem, physical disability or mental health condition that impacts their daily life or limits their activities, the poll found.

More than a quarter of caregivers say it’s difficult to manage their own health along with the caregiving duties. Even more who have chronic conditions, 40 percent, find it a struggle.

Deborah Ecker and her husband recently moved her fiercely independent elderly parents into their Pennsylvania home, spurred by some frightening hospitalizations. Ecker’s father, at 89, requires fulltime oxygen for emphysema and had contracted pneumonia. Her mother, 88, was hospitalized with congestive heart failure and severely high blood pressure.

“I’ve thrown myself into this, and I’m not sorry,” said Ecker, 61, who with her husband is a missionary. but for now isn’t accompanying him on their ministry travels.

“They deserve to be taken care of. They’re so loving and generous.”

But a few months ago, Ecker realized she needed to pay more attention to her own health. She’d undergone successful cancer treatment in 2016 but is overweight, and the hours of exercise that once were routine have fallen by the wayside.

A post-hospitalization monitoring program from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center gave Ecker more confidence in caring for her mother, and she was able to carve out time to see her own doctor.

Insulin resistance was putting on pounds, Ecker learned, and she started medication and a dietary program. Next she’s planning

how to work in exercise time.

“I feel like I’m on track,” Ecker said. “At the end of this I want to be strong enough and healthy enough to have a life of my own.”

Ask their docs for advice The AP-NORC poll found only a quarter of caregivers talk with their own doctors about their caregiving responsibilities — but among those who did, half received information about caregiving support services and three-quarters learned important information about self-care.

In contrast, the vast majority of careSee CAREGIVERS, page 11

BEACON BITS

Jan. 17

ADVANCE CARE PLANNING HELP Receive free assistance with your advance care planning. Howard

County General Hospital staff can help you think through your care wishes, complete an advance directive, and electronically store your documents for providers to easily access. An advance directive is a legal document that assigns a healthcare agent, a person who would speak for you should you be unable to communicate for yourself. It can also include a living will, a document that communicates your healthcare wishes. No registration required. It will be held Thursday, Jan. 17 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Wellness Center Medical Pavilion, Suite 100, 10710 Charter Drive, Columbia. Call (410) 740-7601 for more information.

10

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J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

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Then you’ll see the screen – it’s now 22 inches. This is a completely new touch screen system, without the cluttered look of the normal computer screen.

The “buttons” on the screen are easy to see and easy to understand. All you do is touch one of them, from the Web, Email, Calendar to Games– you name it… and a new screen opens up. It’s so easy to use you won’t have to ask your children or grandchildren for help. Until now, the very people who could benefit most from E-mail and the Internet are the ones that have had the hardest time accessing it. Now, thanks to the WOW Computer, countless older Americans are discovering the wonderful world of the Internet every day. Isn’t it time

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

11

Roasted salmon with a honey-lime glaze Pairing perfectly roasted salmon with a spiced-up honey-lime glaze required a cooking technique all its own.

Slashing the skin encouraged it to render and crisp quickly, but we also needed to give the flesh a strong, flavorful crust that would stand up to (as well as hold on to) a thick coating of glaze.

Applying a rub of cornstarch and brown sugar to the flesh and searing it in a hot skillet provided that browned crust and firm texture on the double. Once flipped, the skin side needed just a minute to crisp.

We spooned the thickened glaze over the fillets and transferred the skillet to a moderate oven where our salmon hit its target temperature in less than 10 minutes.

Glossy and appealingly sweet-tart, these fillets were an easy, satisfying upgrade.

To ensure uniform pieces of fish, buy a

Caregivers From page 9 givers accompany the person they assist to medical appointments, usually going into the exam rather than staying in the waiting room. Yet fewer than 40 percent gleaned advice on caregiver resources during those visits.

Caregivers and their charges “should be treated simultaneously,” said University of

Servings: 4 Start to finish: 40 minutes Honey-lime glaze: 1/4 cup honey 1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus 2 tablespoons juice 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Salmon: 1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 (1 3/4- to 2-pound) center-cut skin-on salmon fillet, 1 1/2 inches thick 1 teaspoon vegetable oil For the honey-lime glaze: Whisk all ingredients together in small saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat until thickened, about 1 minute; remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

For the salmon: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 F. Combine sugar, salt, cornstarch and pepper in bowl.

Cut salmon crosswise into 4 fillets.

Make 3 or 4 shallow slashes diagonally, about 1 inch apart, on skin side of each fillet, being careful not to cut into flesh. Pat salmon dry with paper towels, and rub sugar mixture evenly over flesh side of salmon.

Heat oil in 12 inch oven-safe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Lay salmon flesh side down in skillet and cook until well browned, about 1 minute. Carefully flip salmon and cook on skin side for 1 minute.

Off heat, spoon glaze over salmon fillets.

Transfer skillet to oven and roast until center is still translucent when checked with tip of paring knife and registers 125 F (for medium-rare), 7 to 10 minutes. Serve.

Nutrition information per serving: 364 calories; 123 calories from fat; 14 g. fat (2 g. saturated; 0 g. trans fats); 109 mg. cholesterol; 254 mg. sodium; 20 g. carbohydrate; 0 g. fiber; 19 g. sugar; 39 g. protein.

For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit www.americastestkitchen.com.

— America’s Test Kitchen via AP

Pittsburgh aging specialist Richard Schulz.

“They should be looked at as a unit,” because if the caregiver burns out, the patient may have no one left.

The health system marginalizes caregivers partly because there’s no way to bill for assessing caregivers during someone else’s visit, but also because doctors don’t always know what community resources are available to recommend, Schulz said.

Ralph Bencivenga, of New York City,

lost so much weight while caring for his terminally ill wife and undergoing his own cancer treatment that he finally sought help from a nutritionist at the Mount Sinai Health System — advice that also paid off as he assumed the couple’s grocery shopping and cooking duties.

“I had no idea the kind of stress that put me under,” he said of the overall caregiving duties.

The new poll found many caregivers

find healthy ways to cope, such as praying, meditating, spending time outdoors or talking about their situation. But 44 percent sleep less, and 17 percent increase alcohol or tobacco use.

Read more information from the poll at www.longtermcarepoll.org. An AP-NORC Center video interactive explores the perspectives of informal caregivers at https:// interactives.ap.org/ltc-perspectives.

— AP

whole center-cut fillet and cut it into four pieces. If your knife is not sharp enough to cut through the skin easily, try a serrated knife. You will need a 12-inch oven-safe nonstick skillet for this recipe.

Honey-lime glazed roast salmon

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J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

13

Don’t enable abuse; stand up for yourself Dear Solutions: hang around to watch or listen to his I hope you can help me find a better tantrums. Abuse, unless stopped in its way to react to my husband tracks, does not get better. It when he blames me for often erupts into physical viothings and yells and screams lence. at me.

Insist that he go for therapy.

We went to dinner with If he refuses, get out — two other couples, and I there’s no gain in this pain. wanted to order a clam appeDear Solutions: tizer. The other two women Very soon after my good wanted to share it, so we orfriend died, her husband redered it for the three of us. married. Now he’s becoming When the other two men saw more and more disabled and it, they wanted it also and de- SOLUTIONS is having a lot of trouble walkcided to order it for the three By Helen Oxenberg, ing.

MSW, ACSW of them to share.

At a meeting the other My husband hates clams, night, we saw him having a but he said nothing, let them order it, hard time while this new wife just sat made a gesture of eating some, and then there and didn’t even try to help him. sat in a glum, silent mood all evening.

I wanted to poke her and tell her to When we got home, he exploded at help him. me, yelling that I had no right orderI think we — the old friends — ing clams when I know he hates them, should say something to her about how and that I gave the idea to the others. inconsiderate she’s being, but my husHe carries on this way every time band says no. I thought I could just say something goes wrong and blames nicely, “Doesn’t he need help? I think me. When this happens, I start shak- you should help him.” ing and crying and feel sick.

He limps and wobbles when he I don’t say anything because a day or walks. What do you think? so later he brings flowers and apolo— Old Friend gizes, but I know it will happen again.

Dear Old Friend: It’s happening more and more.

No matter how he “limps and wobbles” What should I do? it’s his limp and his wobble, and therefore — Donna his independence. Many handicapped peoDear Donna: ple would rather struggle than accept help Don’t clam up — speak up! Your hus- because that struggle still allows them to band will not take responsibility for his own hold onto a feeling of control. actions or inaction as long as he can bully Give “this new wife,” as you describe her, and scream at you and get away with it. the benefit of the doubt and assume that He has temper tantrums like a spoiled she knows whether he wants help or not. child or, more threateningly, like an abuDon’t ask her. That would sound as if sive husband. he’s a child and she’s his mother. You can Tell him, before another incident hap- only ask him if he wants help, and then repens, that you will not accept blame for spect his wishes. anything you didn’t do, and you will not It’s hard to lose a good friend and then

BEACON BITS

Jan. 23

FREE OVERDOSE RESPONSE TRAINING Learn how to respond to an opioid overdose and how to administer naloxone. Learn about legal protections for those who provide aid,

and about access to opioid response resources in Howard County. This free class is held in partnership with Howard County Health Department on Wednesday, Jan. 23 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Glenwood Branch Library, 2350 Maryland 97, Cooksville. To register, call (410) 313-5577.

see someone else taking her place. But if this man is also a friend of yours, be happy for him that he’s found a companion.

Too fast? For mature adults, even fast can sometimes feel too slow.

Dear Solutions: I met a man at a program that I attended recently. He was very, very attentive and flattering to me, and kept insisting that we should see each other in the future.

He lives in a different state, though, and instead of making arrangements, he just keeps calling and talking on the phone.

Should I volunteer to travel to his state to meet with him since he doesn’t

say anything about coming to me? He’s still very flattering, but I’m a little cautious now because people at the program who knew him warned me that he’s what they called “an operator.”

— Gladys Dear Gladys: Trouble is, he’s a long distance operator! Suggest once that he come to your state or that you meet halfway. If he says no, hang up. He’s the wrong number. © Helen Oxenberg, 2018. Questions to be considered for this column may be sent to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. You may also email the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

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J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Money Law &

BENEFITS TO DIE FOR Veterans are eligible for a variety of burial and funeral benefits PREFERRED TO BONDS? Today’s rising interest rates make preferred stocks an attractive component of your bond portfolio DON’T IGNORE CREDIT SCORE Even if you’re not expecting to need credit, it’s smart to keep your score up

Best money-saving software, websites

By Pat Mertz Esswein If you’re looking for ways to cut costs on everyday spending, you can do so from the comfort of your home. Several online sites and software programs allow you to save big on everything from preparing your next tax return, to household items, to prescription drugs.

Here are a few of our top picks.

Free tax software Only about 13 percent of taxpayers are expected to itemize on their federal tax returns under the new tax law, so you may no longer need to buy a premium tax software package.

Credit Karma Tax is a free program that allows you to prepare and file one federal and one state tax return. You can import information from prior years’ tax returns from TurboTax, H&R Block and TaxAct, as well as W-2 forms from major payroll providers.

If your payroll provider isn’t supported, you can take a photo of your W-2 with your smartphone to import your data. Credit Karma Tax also offers an app that allows you to prepare and file your taxes on your smartphone.

If you determine, after launching the program, that you need to itemize after all, no worries: Credit Karma’s free program supports all tax forms, not just those for taxpayers with simple returns.

ranked Booking.com as the top hotel search and booking site in 2017 because of its high number of properties and transparent pricing.

Discounts on Rx Coupons and travel deals Finding a good deal on items can be time-consuming when every retailer bombards you with sales pitches, but these sites can cut through the hype.

For your everyday wants and needs, leave the search to Honey, a browser extension available for Chrome, Safari and Firefox.

Honey searches for coupons while you’re on a store’s website and applies them automatically at checkout. The extension also searches Amazon.com for the lowest price.

For gift givers with a hard-to-shop-for someone on their list, GiftCardGranny.com offers discounted gift cards.

And before you book your next vacation, go to AutoSlash.com and Booking.com for your rental car and hotel reservations. AutoSlash finds the best rental-car rates based on discounts you qualify for and tracks prices to alert you when they drop.

Frommer’s, the travel guide publisher,

Keep your prescription costs down by searching for and printing coupons for brandname and generic drugs at GoodRx.com.

The coupons are accepted at more than 70,000 pharmacies, including CVS Pharmacy, Rite Aid, Walgreens and Walmart.

You can’t use the coupons with your insurance because that would be considered an out-of-network purchase, GoodRx says. But your insurer may let you apply what you paid out-of-pocket when using the coupons toward your deductible, so save your receipts.

Health savings accounts Your best option is usually the HSA offered by your employer because contributions made through payroll deduction avoid Social Security and federal income taxes, plus you may get an employer contribution.

If you need to sign up for an HSA outside of an employer, contributions are taxdeductible. Look for an HSA with low fees

and saving options that match how you’ll use the account.

If you plan to tap the HSA to pay current medical expenses, the HSA Authority is a good choice. It offers an insured account that pays a small rate of interest, charges no monthly service fee, and comes with a debit card.

If you’ll keep the money growing for the long term, consider HealthEquity, which offers a self-directed account with a choice of 23 low-cost Vanguard mutual funds. The monthly fee is 0.03 percent of the invested balance.

Auto insurance site To shop for better rates, start at www.insurance.com. Fill out a form with your address, claims history and driving record and get instant rate quotes (in all states but Massachusetts, Michigan and Rhode Island) from insurers serving your area.

Companies may include Allstate, Erie, Esurance, Farmers, Geico, Liberty Mutual, Mercury, Nationwide, The General, The Hartford and Travelers. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

Shop around to find good savings interest

By Sarah Skidmore Sell Savers rejoice — you can finally earn a little more on the money you’ve been setting aside.

To draw in customers, banks — particularly online institutions — have been getting more competitive with the rates they are offering on savings, CDs and even checking accounts. That means a savvy consumer may be able to earn far beyond the norm if they are willing to shop around.

Take the humble savings account: The average interest rate in the U.S. is 0.09 percent, according to the FDIC. And that is just an average — some banks are offering rates as low as 0.01 percent while many others are at or above 2 percent.

To someone with $5,000 sitting in an account, that means the difference between earning 50 cents a year in interest versus $100.

In the low-interest rate environment that followed the Great Recession, banks rou-

tinely paid little to nothing on many personal accounts. The Federal Reserve began to raise its rates in 2015, but traditional banks were slow to do the same for customers.

They had little incentive — customers had grown complacent after years of low interest rates. And traditional banks were large enough that they had huge deposits and other business lines that served them well.

Options online and off A number of online banks spotted an opportunity and began offering much higher rates to attract more customers.

They could afford to because they didn’t have the cost of maintaining a storefront on every corner. But also, not having the benefit of size, they needed to offer more attractive rates to survive.

Some bigger banks took notice and, wanting to better serve a more online-focused customer base, began to respond with higher rates themselves.

While interest rates are still low historically speaking, they are on the upswing. Experts say more banks are getting into the rate race and consumers should take note.

So while lesser-known players, like Bank5 Connect, offer a 2.05 percent annual percentage yield, or APY, on a savings account, bigger banks have some nice offerings as well.

Marcus, the online bank of Goldman Sachs, also has a 2.05 percent rate on its savings account, and HSBC Direct offers a 2.01 percent rate.

“The outlook for savers is very positive, and the opportunity cost of not moving your money is only going to grow,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate.com. That’s because money earning little to no interest is losing its purchasing power over time if the rate earned on it does not keep pace with inflation.

Here are a few things for consumers to consider:

Complacency isn’t going to earn you anything, and experts say many consumers are missing out simply because it takes effort.

“One of the biggest mistakes we make is getting into a product that is not right for us,” said Paul Golden, spokesman for the National Endowment on Financial Education. “I think consumers should shop around.”

It won’t take long: Take a look at your existing accounts and find out what you are getting paid. Then do a quick search online to get a sense of comparable rates.

(Many websites, such as bankrate.com, compile and sort the data for you.)

Online banks are leading the way on rates. Community banks and credit unions may offer competitive rates as well. And many big banks are rolling out options with highly competitive rates.

Want to stick with your traditional big bank? Even switching to a different type of See SAVINGS INTEREST, page 15

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Savings interest From page 14 product may earn you more. Or if you’re an established customer of a bank, try to negotiate a better rate.

Look closely at terms It also pays to look at all the features of any existing or new accounts to make sure things are as good as they seem.

Can you access the money easily? How easy is it to transfer among accounts? Is there a balance requirement? What kind of fees might you face? Will the rate change over time? And are there any other restrictions that might limit how you earn or access the funds?

Golden also suggests making sure there have not been any security or data breaches at that institution recently.

You may want to take a look at online reviews to see what other customers say. And always make sure your account is FDIC in-

sured, which means there is federal backing that your money will be there — up to a certain level — if there were a bank failure.

You can make money on a variety of accounts these days, so consider what best suits your needs.

A traditional savings account is a great fit for money that you need access to but don’t plan to tap often. The money is liquid and can be easily transferred into other accounts. But beware, Federal Reserve rules limit these accounts to no more than six withdrawals or transfers a month.

A money market account traditionally pays a higher rate than a savings account.

The average national rate for a money market account is 0.15 for deposits under $100,000 and 0.24 for those over. Compare that to 0.09 for a savings account.

These accounts vary, though, because they typically offer some check-writing and ATM access. But money market accounts usually require a higher balance in exchange for those benefits, and face the same

Five best moves for your portfolio

By John Waggoner These portfolio moves will help boost the income you get from your portfolio, shield it from inflation, and make it less volatile, too.

Dial down volatility. Stocks with low volatility should weather dips better than jiggier peers. Invesco S&P 500 Low Volatility ETF (symbol SPLV, $48) holds the 100 stocks in the blue-chip index with the lowest volatility; iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol USA ETF (USMV, $55) tracks low-vol stocks by sector.

Fight inflation. The principal value of Treasury inflation-protected securities adjusts according to changes in the consumer price index. Buy them from Uncle Sam at www.treasurydirect.gov, or consider Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Investor Shares (VIPSX).

Plump up your yield. SPDR S&P

Dividend ETF (SDY, $93) holds the highest-yielding stocks of large companies that have raised their dividend payouts for the past 25 years. The fund yields 2.5 percent. First Trust NASDAQ Technology Dividend Index ETF (TDIV, $36) buys tech’s biggest dividend payers and yields 2.5 percent.

Play rising rates. Higher rates mean lower bond prices, but they hurt short-term bonds least. Consider lowcost Schwab Short-Term Bond Index (SWSBX). Or cash in on higher rates with Fidelity Floating Rate High Income (FFRHX).

Cut costs. Fidelity Zero index funds charge no fees and require no minimum investment. You must be a Fidelity brokerage customer. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

Since 1892 Preparation, ti Ed Education ti and d Peace P of Mind

Medicare Supplement: Ask the Expert Luncheon

Tuesday, January 15th at 12pm Eggspectation Ellicott City Presentation by Tim Barnaba, adjunct professor and teacher of “Understanding Medicare and Social Security” at CCBC.

Lunch is free, but registration is required by January 7th to AskTheExpert@sollevinson.com or 410-653-8900. A vegetarian/fish meal will be served.

withdrawal rules as a savings account.

CDs, or certificates of deposits, also offer higher rates than a savings account — the national average is as high as 1.18 percent — but these lock up your money for a specific amount of time.

When you open a CD, you essentially agree not to withdraw the money until its maturity date. If you do before that time you face an early withdrawal penalty that may wipe out anything you earned. That makes these a good choice if you have a long-term savings goal and you are confident you won’t need the cash in the meantime.

You may even want to consider an inter-

15

est-bearing checking account if you don’t want to limit access to your money but still want to earn a little on it. The rate may not be as high as other options though: The national average is 0.06 percent, according to the FDIC. But again, competition has bred some innovation.

Simple, an online bank that only offers checking accounts, came up with a unique option. It is offering customers a 2.02 percent APY if they keep their daily balance at $2,000 or above. However, the rate is variable, and if you dip below $2,000, you don’t earn that same high rate.

— AP

BEACON BITS

Jan. 8+

LEGAL HELP

Howard County Library System partners with the Howard County Circuit Court to meet the needs of those representing themselves in court. Attorneys provide free legal assistance for income-eligible walk-in clients on Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. The program takes place at the East Columbia Branch Library’s 50+ Center, 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia. Contact Circuit Court Law Librarian Sandy Brewer at (410) 313-2135 with questions.

16

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J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Money section continues on page 21.

Veterans benefits continue after death Dear Savvy Senior: buried in one of the 136 national or 111 grantDoes the VA provide any special bur- funded state and tribal VA cemeteries (see ial benefits to old veterans? www.cem.va.gov My dad, who has late-stage /cem/cems/listcem.asp for a Parkinson’s disease, served list), the VA provides a host of during the Vietnam War in benefits, at no cost to the family. the 1960s.

These include a gravesite; — Only Child opening and closing of the Dear Only: grave; perpetual gravesite care; Most U.S. veterans are elia government headstone or gible for burial and memorial marker; a United States burial benefits through the Departflag that can be used to drape ment of Veterans Affairs (VA) SAVVY SENIOR the casket or accompany the National Cemetery Adminis- By Jim Miller urn (after the funeral service; tration. Veterans who were the flag is given to the next-ofdischarged under conditions other than kin as a keepsake); and a presidential memodishonorable are eligible. rial certificate.

To verify your dad’s discharge, you’ll National cemetery burial benefits are need a copy of his DD Form 214 “Certifi- also available to spouses and dependents cate of Release or Discharge from Active of veterans.

Duty,” which you can request online at If your dad is cremated, his remains will www.archives.gov/veterans. be buried or inurned in the same manner Here’s a rundown of some of the differ- as casketed remains. ent benefits that are available to veterans Funeral or cremation arrangements and that die a non-service-related death. costs are not, however, taken care of by the VA. They are the responsibility of the National cemetery benefits veteran’s family.

If your dad is eligible and would like to be If you’re interested in this option, the VA

offers a pre-need burial eligibility determination program at www.cem.va.gov/preneed, or call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117.

Private cemetery benefits If your father is going to be buried in a private cemetery, the benefits available include a free government headstone or marker, or a medallion that can be affixed to an existing privately purchased headstone or marker; a burial flag; and a Presidential memorial certificate.

Funeral or cremation arrangements and costs are again the responsibility of the family (some burial allowances may be available; see below), and no benefits are offered to spouses and dependents that are buried in private cemeteries.

Military funeral honors Another popular benefit available to all eligible veterans buried in either a national or private cemetery is a military funeral honors ceremony. This includes an honor guard detail of two uniformed military persons, folding and presenting the U.S. burial flag to the veteran’s survivors, and the

playing of Taps by a bugler or a recording.

The funeral provider you choose will be able to assist you with all VA burial requests.

Depending on what you want, certain forms may need to be completed, and it is always better to have done so in advance.

For a complete rundown of burial and memorial benefits, eligibility details and required forms, visit www.cem.va.gov or call 800-827-1000.

Burial allowances In addition to the burial benefits, some veteran’s survivors may also qualify for a $300 burial allowance (or $780 if the veteran was hospitalized by VA at time of death), as well as $780 for a plot, to those who choose to be buried in a private cemetery. To find out if your dad is eligible, see www.benefits. va.gov/benefits/factsheets/burials/burial.pdf.

To apply for burial allowances, you’ll need to fill out VA Form 21P-530 “Application for Burial Benefits.” You need to attach a copy of your dad’s discharge document (DD 214 or equivalent), death certificate, funeral and burial bills. They should show that you have paid them in full. You may download the form at VA.gov/vaforms.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Say you saw it in the Beacon

A Publication from the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence

17

Volume 9, No. 1 • January 2019

Make New Habits – Not Resolutions – for a Healthy Start to the New Year

L

et’s face it – all those ambitious diet and exercise goals made on New Year’s are often abandoned shortly thereafter. While it’s true that making healthy eating and exercise a regular part of your life is easier said than done, it is possible, and well worth the effort. Finding an activity that aligns with your needs and current fitness level will greatly increase your chances of successfully sticking with it and realizing the benefits of increased physical activity.

Making exercise and physical activity a regular part of your life can improve your health and help you maintain your independence as you age – even if you have a health condition such as arthritis, diabetes, or heart disease. In fact, regular

A Message from Howard County Executive

Calvin Ball Greetings and Happy New Year! I am excited for the beginning of my first full year as your Howard County Executive. I look forward to working with you in 2019 to create the best Howard County for us all.

In 2019, my administration will focus on issues that will help improve your quality of life. First and foremost, I will be reviewing our public transportation system and making sure it is serving the needs of our senior population. Every resident of Howard County deserves mobility and we must work to provide the resources needed so everyone can enjoy the amenities of our county.

Ensuring equity and accessibility for all of Howard County’s children and families is another priority of my administration. I will be counting on our senior population to be mentors to our students and engaged in our classrooms. In return, I look forward to working with our schools and encouraging students in the county to visit and learn from the wisdoms of their elders.

Finally, as we head into the new year, a pressing issue will be the future of Ellicott City. We can no longer avoid the realities of an everchanging climate. Steps must be taken to ensure the safety and security of Ellicott City’s citizens, homeowners, and business owners to make Ellicott City more sustainable for future generations.

I am committed to providing all residents of Howard County, and specifically, our senior residents, a government that will fight for you.

I look forward to working with you in your community in 2019 and beyond! Thank you and, together, let’s make a wonderful New Year.

physical activity may reduce your risk of developing other conditions. Be sure to talk with your doctor about the types and amounts of physical activity that are right for you.

Whether you want to lose weight, improve strength, gain better balance, or reduce stress, the Office on Aging and Independence (OAI) can help you achieve your goal. If you aren’t sure where to start, OAI’s new Exercise Specialist, Malarie Burgess can help. In her role, she coordinates OAI’s fall prevention programs, Stepping Up Your Nutrition and Stepping On; coordinates Cycle2Health: and delivers presentations at 50+ centers to promote the benefits of exercise for Howard County’s older adult population. “I encourage older adults who are considering a new exercise program to contact me so we can find the best options to fit their needs,” says Burgess, who has six years of experience as a group fitness instructor, plus an additional three in physical rehabilitation. Her immediate goal is to share information about the wide variety of exercise options available at 50+ centers, and to dispel the notion that classes are just for “old people.” Burgess would like to see more Howard County residents who are 50 and older discover the benefits of exercising at their local 50+ center. “There really is something for everyone, from low impact through high intensity.” she says.

In fact, the fully-equipped fitness rooms at the Ellicott City 50+ Fitness Center, and the Elkridge, North Laurel and Glenwood 50+ Centers appeal to those who want to work out independently at a higher level of intensity. Many now offer extended hours (Elkridge’s equipment room is now open Tuesdays and Thursdays until 8 pm and Saturday mornings from 8:30 am to noon); they are affordable too. The Go50+ program allows Howard County residents age 50 and older to use cardio and strength equipment at these centers as well as the Roger Carter Recreation Center for one low annual rate ($75 for Howard County residents). First-timers are welcome but are encouraged to schedule a free fitness room orientation to get started.

Continued on page 19

New Year, New Habits Join Exercise Specialist Malarie Burgess for a “fit” way to start off the New Year!

Friday, Jan. 4 • 1:00 to 2:00 pm • East Columbia 50+ Center Thursday, Jan. 17 • 10:15 to 11:15 am • Elkridge 50+ Center Thursday, Jan. 24 • 11:00 am to noon • North Laurel 50+ Center FREE. To register, call: 410-313-6073

18

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The 50+ Connection

Guard Against Tax and Employment ID Theft

By Rebecca Bowman, Administrator, Howard County Office of Consumer Protection

Tax season is coming and con artists are hoping to collect your tax refund before you do.

T

he IRS uses your Social Security Number (SSN) to make sure your filing is accurate and complete, and that you get any refund that’s due. But, if someone uses your SSN to file for a tax refund before you do, the IRS may process that return and issue a refund. When you file your return later, you’ll get a letter from the IRS saying more than one return was filed for you.

You could also get an IRS letter stating you owe additional tax or that collection actions have been taken against you for a year you didn’t file a return.

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

2019 Resource Guide Now Available!

Copies are available from the Office on Aging and Independence (OAI); at any of the OAI 50+ Centers; and at all Howard County Library locations.

Or, contact Maryland Access Point (MAP) at 410-313-1234 (voice/relay) or map@howardcountymd.gov to have one sent to you.

howardcountymd.gov/aging

Are You the Parent of a Child with Disabilities?

If someone uses your SSN to get a job, the employer may report that person’s income to the IRS using your SSN. When you file your tax return, you won’t include those earnings and the IRS will contact you about the wages you didn’t report.

An unexpected letter from the IRS could be the first sign that someone else is using your SSN. But, be aware that the IRS doesn’t start contact with a taxpayer by sending an email or text that asks for personal or financial information. If you get an email that claims to be from the IRS, do not reply or click on any links. Instead, forward it to phishing@irs.gov.

If You Learn You’re a Victim of Tax-Related Identity Theft If you think someone used your SSN to file a return or the IRS mails you a letter indicating a problem, contact the IRS immediately at 800-829-0433. Specialists will work with you to file your tax return, get you any refund you’re due, and protect your IRS account from identity thieves in the future.

In addition, report the theft of your SSN to the police and obtain a police report. This will be helpful if you find out your SSN was used in other fraudulent ways. The Federal Trade Commission offers additional support at www.identitytheft.gov.

T

he Caregiver Support Program of the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence is excited to offer Powerful Tools for Caregivers (PTC), an evidence-based program designed with the parent’s well-being in mind.

This six-week series of two-hour classes offers parents opportunities to explore a variety of self-care tools in a supportive environment, designed to help you: • reduce personal stress • change negative self-talk • communicate more effectively in challenging situations • manage your emotions • make tough caregiving decisions

January 15 thru February 19, 2019 6:00 to 8:00 PM

Check your credit reports and notify credit reporting agencies of any accounts you didn’t authorize. Either freeze or place a fraud alert on your credit reports to reduce the risk unauthorized accounts in the future. Contact: • Equifax — www.equifax.com • 800-525-6285 • Experian —- www.experian.com • 888-397-3742 • Trans Union — www.transunion.com • 888-680-7289

Reduce Your Risk

— SIX CONSECUTIVE TUESDAYS —

Ellicott City 50+ Center 9401 Frederick Road, Ellicott City 21042 $

—

30 fee covers all materials FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER

—

Kathy Wehr

• File early so that the IRS gets your return before a scammer can file one.

• Keep financial and tax records secure and shred documents you no longer need.

• Recognize and avoid phishing texts and email. Don’t click on links or download attachments.

CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM MANAGER 410-313-5955 (VOICE/RELAY) kwehr@howardcountymd.gov

For more information on this or other consumer topics, or to obtain this information in an alternative format, contact the Howard County Office of Consumer Protection at 410-313-6420 (voice/relay) or consumer@howardcountymd.gov.

If you are the parent of a child with disabilities, we encourage you to register today! Our goal is to improve the lives of parents (and ultimately their children) through outreach, conversation, training and resources.

$

The 50+ Connection

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Say you saw it in the Beacon

19

Make New Habits, Not Resolutions (continued from page 17) The Elkridge 50+ Center has also added new group fitness options during its extended evening hours, including a high energy Zumba Gold® class on Tuesdays at 7pm; Yoga for Anxiety and Depression or Gentle Yoga at 6 pm on Tuesdays; and a Beginner Mat Pilates class on Thursdays at 7 pm. Fees vary; contact the center at 410-313-5192 for details. “These classes are especially popular for our members who are still working,” says Jeanne DeCray, the center’s director, who also has a background in fitness.

The Ellicott City 50+ Fitness Center has also seen an increased demand for its programs and will expand its quarterly exercise class pass program in January. A three-month unlimited class pass is $125 which allows you to participate in any or all of the fitness center’s 25 weekly classes, from Active Yoga to Zumba® Toning. A $5 per class drop-in fee is a great option for those who want to try a class first to see if it meets their needs. “Most instructors demonstrate high and low options but teach to mid-level intensity,” says Cindy Saathoff, director of the Ellicott City 50+ Center. “To derive maximum benefit from these classes, participants should be able to get up and down off the floor and walk without assistance.”

Whether you choose to work out on your own or join a class at a fitness center or one of our 50+ centers, resolve to make it a regular part of your weekly routine. In fact, your most important resolution this new year should be to find an activity that you can CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOL INFORMATION FAIR make a habit! For more information, or to find a 50+ center near you, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/50pluscenters.

Howard County’s 2019

Children on Board Sunday, January 27 1:00 to 4:00 PM

Are You & Your Pet Ready to Share Your Hearts?

FREE ADMISSION! We ask that you bring a non-perishable food item(s) or an unopened donation of diapers for the Howard County Food Bank

Paws4Comfort fosters special bonds between pets, their owners and the County residents they visit.

If you are interested in volunteering, or wish to receive a FREE evaluation for your pet, contact:

Ten Oaks Ballroom 5000 Signal Bell Lane, Clarksville, MD 21029

Ingrid Gleysteen PROGRAM COORDINATOR

410-313-7461 (voice/relay) igleysteen@howardcountymd.gov

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Each hour, Parents as Teachers will present a brief, informational session on How to Choose an Early Childhood Program

PHONE EMAIL

Get the latest information on • • • •

PET EVALUATIONS are held the 1st !"#$%&' of each month Jan ( • Feb ) • March ) • April * May + • June , • July -- • Aug Sept . • Oct ( • Nov ) • Dec .

Family Child Care Preschools Summer Camps School-Age Programs

• • • •

Child Care Centers Infant Programs Play Groups Co-op Nursery Schools and much more!

Bain 50+ Center 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia 21044

www.howardcountymd.gov/children If you need accommodations to participate, contact the office no later than January 18. If you need this information in an alternate format, call 410-313-1943.

www.howardcountymd.gov/aging

410-313-1940 (VOICE/RELAY) • children@ howardcountymd.gov

FITNESS PROGRAM GO50+ membership packages are designed to enhance the quality of life for the 50+ population that lives, works and plays in Howard County.

A JOINT PROGRAM OF

CENTERS Membership includes access to Gary J. Arthur and N. Laurel Community Centers and all Howard County 50+ Centers.

!"#$%!&''$!()%#* !"+$,#*-.$* !/#01-,2!3)#41* !/%00,%**!5)'2)#$*

FREE

FITNESS Membership includes access to Gary J. Arthur, N. Laurel and Roger Carter Community Centers and all Howard County 50+ Centers.

!!(00!678!9%,:%)!;%,%<:*! !!=#,4%>(%)'?-4*!@:.A-'B !C-:,%**!&''$*

Resident: $75 per year Nonresident: $100 per year

POOL Membership includes access to Gary J. Arthur, N. Laurel and Roger Carter Community Centers and all Howard County 50+ Centers.

!!(00!678!C-:,%**!;%,%<:*! !!!5''0!(44%**!=.)-,2! !DE%,!@F-$!G'.)*

Resident: $175 per year Nonresident: $225 per year

20

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The 50+ Connection

AARP Tax Aide Returns Offering FREE 2018 Income Tax Preparation AARP and the IRS will offer personal income tax preparation for Howard County residents from February 1 through April 15 at all Howard County 50+ centers. This service is available to all middle and low-income taxpayers, with emphasis on those age 60 and older. Bring your photo ID, Social Security card, 2017 Federal and Maryland tax returns, and all 2018 tax documents. Self-employment returns with more than $10,000 in expenses and complex returns are not eligible for this service.

Tax prep assistance is available at the following Howard County 50+ centers. Appointments are required at all locations; call the listed number (beginning January 15) for specific hours of availability.

Tax Assistance Sites Appointments Required at All Locations Bain 50+ Center • 443-741-1220 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia 21044 Monday/Tuesday/Thursday — 10 am to 2 pm Thursday — 10 am to 2 pm AND 4 pm to closing Wednesday/Friday/Saturday — 9 am to noon

East Columbia 50+ Center • 410-313-7680 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia 21045 Wednesday — 9 am to noon

Elkridge 50+ Center • 410-313-5192 6540 Washington Boulevard, Elkridge 21075 Friday — CALL FOR HOURS

Ellicott City 50+ Fitness Center • 443-741-1220 9411 Frederick Road, Ellicott City 21042 Monday/Tuesday/ Fridays — 4 pm to closing

Glenwood 50+ Center • 410-313-5440 2400 Route 97, Cooksville 21723 Thursday — CALL FOR HOURS

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

MEDICARE EDUCATION FREE Information Presented by SHIP !"#$%&!'()('*+,'()-' ./012*34'#+430,56470+ !"#!$%&&'&!"(&)*&&+&&,-..&&/&&0-0.&&12& &34456788&958%&:.;&9<"8<$ '=.)&>$<(<$56?&@(A&34456788&958%A&,).=,

2!$6B&C&!"(&)=&+&).-..&/&))-0.&D2& 34?$5(E<&:.;&9<"8<$ *:=.&F!GB5"E87"&H4I(JA&34?$5(E<&,).C: K7L!$(&97#"8%MG&N8!8<&K<!48B&O"G#$!"6<& 1$7E$!P&QNKO1R&L544&S$<G<"8&!&8L7TS!$8& 5"8$7(#6857"&U7$&8B7G<&"<L&87&2<(56!$<J&& &&V<!$"&!W7#8&7$5E5"!4&2<(56!$<&Q1!$8G&D& !"(&HRX&1$<G6$5S857"&Y$#E&97I<$!E<&Q1!$8& YRX&2<(56!$<&K<!48B&14!"G&Q1!$8&9RX&!"(& 2<(56!$<&N#SS4<P<"8!4&174565<GJ

8&!!9'&!:#;.&%.#<='&!>?#&!"& 9!44&=).T0)0TC0Z'&87&$<E5G8<$J >7$&!((5857"!4&!GG5G8!"6<&L58B&2<(56!$<& [#<G857"G&!"(&67"6<$"GA&67"8!68&NKO1-

North Laurel 50+ Center • 410-313-0380 9411 Whiskey Bottom Road, Laurel 20723 Tuesday/Wednesday — CALL FOR HOURS

!"#313-7392 (VOICE/RELAY) FOR OTHER UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS, VISIT

www.howardcountymd.gov/SHIP The 50+ Connection is published monthly by the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence.

This publication is available in alternate formats upon request.

To join our subscriber list, email kahenry@howardcountymd.gov 0ATUXENT 7OODS $RIVE, Columbia, MD 21046 410-313-6410 (VOICE/RELAY) • www.howardcountymd.gov/aging Find us on

www.Facebook.com/HoCoCommunity

Kim Higdon Henry, Editor • Email: kahenry@howardcountymd.gov Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the Office on Aging and Independence or by the publisher.

Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HoCoCommunity Stay connected to the Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services. Like us today!

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

21

Money section continued from page 16.

The pros and cons of preferred stock In many of my articles, I have recommend- dence over common stocks. Investors reed a balanced portfolio consisting of both ceive a fixed payment stream. common stocks and bonds, esThey are commonly issued pecially in or near retirement. In by major banks. Prices of retirement, I have maintained a preferred stocks are general50-50 ratio of stocks to bonds, in ly less volatile than common order to avoid significant fall in stock prices.

In a recent Barron’s article, portfolio value during a bear Andrew Bary discussed some market in stocks. of the advantages of preferred Bond investors have many stock investment at this time. options. When the Federal ReBecause interest rates have inserve raises interest rates frecreased recently, many prequently, the value of long-term ferred stocks of major banks bonds will fall significantly in THE SAVINGS are now yielding close to 6 perprice. In my portfolio, at such GAME cent. Some preferred stocks times, I adjust my portfolio so By Elliot Raphaelson issued by Real Estate Investthat a significant part of my bond portfolio is not in long-term bonds, ment Trusts (REITs) are yielding about 7 but in intermediate-term and short-term percent.

The largest ETF specializing in prebonds.

I prefer investing in mutual funds or ex- ferred stock, iShares Preferred (PFF), change-traded funds (ETFs) rather than in- now offers a yield of approximately 5.7 perdividual bonds. In that way, I have a diversi- cent. I own some shares in PFF, which I fied portfolio and avoid the risk of, per- purchased several years ago. PFF pays a haps, selecting any company that may un- dividend each month, which can be reindergo unforeseen financial problems. vested, which I do.

Bary pointed out in his article that one In addition, this minimizes fees, since mutual funds and ETF management are of the reasons why preferred stock is atable to obtain lower fees than small indi- tractive now is because there is a widened vidual bond investors. gap between the interest rate for bank preferred stock versus Treasury securities What about preferred stocks? with similar maturities.

In previous articles, I discussed the opHowever, preferred stocks are riskier tion of investing in preferred stocks as part than Treasury securities. No bank can of a bond portfolio. Preferred stocks com- guarantee interest payments equivalent to bine elements of common stocks but are the guarantee of the U.S. Treasury. more like bonds.

Nobody can predict when the Fed will They lack voting rights, but have a rela- stop raising interest rates. If the Fed does tively high dividend, and they have prece- continue to raise rates, interest rates will

increase for many types of bond investments, including preferred stocks.

In the short-run, an increase in rates will result in a fall in the net asset value of PFF and other preferred stocks. [Ed.’s note: This is referred to as “interest rate risk.”] There is no guarantee that, in the short-run, your total return in PFF will be as high as 5.7 percent.

Less volatile, but some risk Although a preferred stock investment will not be as volatile as common stock prices, there will always be interest rate risk associated with preferred stocks and other forms of bond investment.

The only way to avoid the interest rate risk associated with bonds is to invest only in short-term investments, such as Treasury bills, CDs and short-term bond funds.

[Investments held to maturity are not sub-

ject to interest rate risk.] However, that strategy has the risk of not earning enough interest to stay ahead of inflation.

Many investors are understandably nervous about the recent volatility in the stock market. No one can predict whether we will be facing a bear market in the nearterm, and how long will it last.

Prudent investors will maintain a balanced portfolio that includes some forms of bond investment. It makes sense to avoid investing too high a percentage in long-term bonds, and to maintain a portfolio that includes intermediate term holdings that will provide enough income to keep up with inflation, and not be subject to extreme interest-rate risks.

Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com. © 2018 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Jan. 7+

AIR YOUR COMMUNITY CONCERNS New Howard County Executive Calvin Ball will hold eight listening sessions throughout the county. The locations are selected to en-

sure that every resident has an opportunity to have their voice heard. Remaining in-person sessions will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the following locations: Monday, Jan. 7 at Centennial High School, 4300 Centennial Lane, Ellicott City; Thursday, Jan. 10 at Glenelg High School, 14025 Burntwoods Rd., Glenelg; Monday, Jan. 14 at Hammond High School, 8800 Guilford Rd., Columbia; and Wednesday, Jan. 16 at Wilde Lake High School, 5460 Trumpeter Rd., Columbia. A session held via Twitter will be on Thursday, Jan. 10 from noon to 1 p.m. @HoCoGovExec.

Use hashtag #Futureofhoco. More information is available at www.howardcountymd.gov/Branches/County-Executive/Listening-Sessions.

22

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J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Can you finally ignore your credit score?

By Liz Weston At some point, you’ll buy your last car and refinance your last mortgage. Surely then you can stop worrying about your credit scores.

Well, not really, although there are situations when credit scores shouldn’t be anyone’s main concern.

Let’s start with some reasons why credit scores still matter, even when you don’t plan to borrow money.

Lenders aren’t the only ones checking your credit Most insurers use credit-based insurance scores, which use information from credit reports to help set premiums for auto, homeowners and renters policies. A drop from excellent to poor credit can more than triple homeowners’ premiums in some states.

Credit can have a bigger impact on auto insurance premiums than any other factor, in-

cluding someone’s driving record, according to an investigation by Consumer Reports.

That’s not all. Cellphone companies often reserve their best deals for those with the best credit. Many employers check credit reports, which could be an issue should you want to work or return to work in retirement.

Utilities and landlords also typically check credit scores, which might become an issue if you move. Senior housing, assisted living and continuing care retirement communities also may use credit histories or scores to evaluate applicants.

Your borrowing days may not be over Life happens. You may need to borrow money to pay medical bills, replace a car, help a family member, make home repairs, or remodel your home to allow you to age in place.

If you have to move, you may need a new mortgage. If money gets tight, you

may want to access some your home equity with a reverse mortgage.

Reverse mortgages allow homeowners age 62 and older to tap their home equity without having to repay the loan until they sell, move out or die. Reverse mortgage lenders typically don’t have minimum credit score requirements, but a credit check is part of the financial assessment needed to get the loan.

Keeping good scores isn’t that hard A single credit card is enough to maintain good credit scores. Any card will do, as long as it reports to all three credit bureaus (most do). The card should be used lightly but regularly, and balances paid in full, since there’s no credit score advantage to carrying debt.

When credit scores shouldn’t be your top priority A lifetime habit of responsible bill payment can be hard to break. But financial

We Turn Addresses

into homes

MOST COMMUNITIE S ARE 62 AND B ET T ER

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

BALTIMORE COUNTY (CONT.)

The Greens at Hammonds Lane: 410-636-1141 Park View at Furnace Branch: 410-761-4150 Park View at Severna Park: 410-544-3411

Park View at Randallstown: 410-655-5673 Park View at Rosedale: 410-866-1886 Park View at Taylor: 410-663-0363 Park View at Towson: 410-828-7185 Park View at Woodlawn: 410-281-1120

BALTIMORE CITY Ednor Apartments I: 410-243-0180 Ednor Apartments II: 410-243-4301 The Greens at Irvington Mews: 410-644-4487 Park Heights Place: 410-578-3445 Park View at Ashland Terrace: 410-276-6440 Park View at Coldspring: 410-542-4400

EASTERN SHORE Park View at Easton: 410-770-3070

HARFORD COUNTY Park View at Bel Air: 410-893-0064 Park View at Box Hill: 410-515-6115

BALTIMORE COUNTY Cove Point Apartments I: 410-288-2344 Cove Point Apartments II: 410-288-1660 Evergreen Senior Apartments: 410-780-4888 The Greens at English Consul: 410-789-3000 The Greens at Liberty Road: 410-655-1100 The Greens at Logan Field: 410-288-2000 The Greens at Rolling Road: 410-744-9988 Park View at Catonsville: 410-719-9464 Park View at Dundalk: 410-288-5483 Park View at Fullerton: 410-663-0665 Park View at Miramar Landing: 410-391-8375

well-being sometimes requires putting concerns about credit on the back burner, especially as you get older. Some examples: •You’re struggling to pay your bills: It makes little sense to keep sending money to credit card companies and most other lenders if you’re having trouble paying for necessities: shelter, food, utilities, medications. You also need help if you’re being sued over debt or hounded by collectors.

Consider talking to a credit counselor affiliated with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, and to an experienced bankruptcy attorney about your options.

•You need to file bankruptcy: If bankruptcy is the best option, you have plenty of company. The rate of Americans over 65 filing for bankruptcy has tripled since 1991, according to the Consumer Bankruptcy Project.

But bankruptcy is not the credit score killer it’s often reputed to be. Credit scores typically plunge in the months before a bankruptcy filing, but then start to rise soon after. With responsible credit use, it’s possible to get back to near-prime credit scores within a few years after bankruptcy.

•You’re trying to escape an onerous timeshare: There is often no easy way out of a timeshare, a kind of vacation ownership that requires paying annual fees and other costs.

Sometimes owners can give the timeshare back to the resort developer, or sell or give it away. Other times, the only way to get rid of it is to stop paying and experience the consequences, which can include foreclosure and credit score damage.

It’s impossible to predict the potential costs of lower credit scores, but older people with less reason to borrow may well decide the hit to their scores — which can linger for up to seven years for most negative marks, and up to 10 years for bankruptcy — is better than continuing to struggle for the rest of their lives.

— AP

HOWARD COUNTY Park View at Colonial Landing: 410-796-4399 Park View at Columbia: 410-381-1118 Park View at Ellicott City: 410-203-9501 Park View at Ellicott City: II 410-203-2096 Park View at Emerson: 301-483-3322 Park View at Snowden River: 410-290-0384

BEACON BITS

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

how to establish SMART (Specific,

Park View at Bladensburg: 301-699-9785 • 55 & Better Park View at Laurel: 301-490-1526 Park View at Laurel II: 301-490-9730

Measurable, Actionable, Realistic

Jan. 10

SMART SPENDING A representative from

Guidewell Financial Services speaks about what it means to spend smart,

and Timely) goals, create a spending plan, and access helpful resources.

The free seminar will be held on

Call the community nearest you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour. www.rhomecommunities.com

Thursday, Jan. 10 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Glenwood Branch Library, 2350 Maryland 97, Cooksville. Registration is required by calling (410) 313-5577.

MOST COMMUNITIES ARE PET-FRIENDLY

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Travel

23

Leisure &

The Glacier Express train in Switzerland offers a worry-free and scenic way to traverse snowy landscapes. See story on page 25.

In low-cost Cambodia, there’s much to see

Know before you go You’ll run across the word “Khmer.” It has multiple meanings. It’s the official language of Cambodia. A Khmer is a native of Cambodia. It’s also the name of the ancient kingdom that reached its peak of power in the 11th century.

Cambodia is about the size of Oklahoma. Most of its 16 million residents practice Theravada Buddhism. With an average annual income of about $1,500 per capita, it’s the second poorest country in

Southeast Asia. So far, it remains one of the least expensive countries to visit.

Luxury hotel rooms can cost less than $100 a night, and the country has plenty of accommodations in all categories, including guest houses and hostels. Meals in moderate restaurants rarely cost more than $5.

Weather is warm year-round. Little rain falls from November to May. March to May is the hot season. Days in June through October see daily afternoon monsoon deluges, and it is the quietest time for tourism.

There are no direct flights from North America to Cambodia. You must take connecting flights from major destinations elsewhere in Southeast or East Asia, such as Bangkok, Singapore or Ho Chi Minh City.

You will need a visa ($30, plus an extra passport photo). Fill out the paperwork provided on your flight, and obtain a tourist visa upon arrival at the Siem Reap or Phnom Penh airport.

Currency is the Riel, about 4,000 to $1, with Riel currency coming in denominations from 50 to 100,000. The U.S. dollar is accepted everywhere, and all ATMs dispense U.S. dollars.

Roads have improved in the past few years, but many are still narrow and bumpy. If you are on your own, buses are the cheapest and most convenient way to travel between towns.

PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

By Jamie Lee Pricer Once the site of one of Asia’s most significant early civilizations, Cambodia today presents a rural society far less populated and economically developed than its neighbors, Thailand and Vietnam. And that is the crux of the country’s charm and appeal.

Visitors throng to the country’s premier tourist draw, Angkor Wat, but you will find much to see and do on the road to this ancient temple, now a World Heritage Site.

A popular tourist trail starts in the south at the country’s capital, Phnom Penh, and heads north on modestly maintained Highway 6 to Tonle Sap, a lake so large it looks like a sea.

The six- to eight-hour drive ends at the city of Siem Reap, the launching point for exploring Cambodia’s temple country.

PHOTO BY BANANA REPUBLIC IMAGES

The Temple City Angkor Wat, over 400 acres in size and surrounded by a moat, is one of the largest religious monuments in the world. It was built in the 12th century, and today attracts more than 2 million tourists a year. Some of the Buddhist shrines on the site, such as this one being entered by a monk, are encased in huge tree roots.

In Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, modern motor scooters ride past Wat Ounalom, a temple compound built in 1433 that serves as headquarters of Cambodian Buddhism. The grounds include 44 structures.

Shared taxis are another possibility, but they are stuffed with passengers, and the drive is notoriously heart-pounding. The choice of self-driving is littered with government obstacles, so it’s better to hire a car and driver.

In town, the best choice is a tuk-tuk — some form of covered seating pulled by a scooter. Another option is a moto, a scooter taxi where a passenger rides behind the driver. Rides go for $1 to $2.

Scooters are the transportation mode du jour. It’s not unusual to see mom, dad and two kids plus their groceries amazingly packed on a scooter. Goods that you might expect to be hauled by truck are roped onto scooters.

Chow down Cambodian food is a mishmash with influences from France, Vietnam, China and Thailand. It is more delicately spiced, with less chili and sugar than Thai food.

The national dish is amok, a thick soup cooked with fish, meat, vegetables, eggs and coconut milk, often with hints of lemongrass or light curry. Chicken, pork, fish and rice are staples. The markets offer a wide range of vegetables.

That’s also where you will find trays of fried grasshoppers, beetles and crickets.

Sold by the bag, they are eaten like

sweets.

The cheapest food is street food prepared on portable stoves or barbecues. Favorite offerings are fried noodles, baguettes, fresh fruit and ice cream.

Cheaper restaurants simply place their pots in front, you lift the lid and point to what you’d like. It will be served with a plate of rice.

In the larger cities, you can find more upscale restaurants with international cuisine. Tourist restaurants with English-language menus and Western cuisine are found in larger towns and traveler hubs.

Cambodians eat early. Restaurants tend to close by 9 p.m., although some stay open longer in tourist areas.

Important note: Don’t drink the tap water. To be safe, use only bottled water, even when you brush your teeth.

Phnom Penh Evacuated and left to ruin by the Khmer Rouge (the communist rulers of Cambodia from 1975 to 1979) a generation ago, Phnom Penn is now flourishing and experiencing rapid development.

Situated at the confluence of three rivers, including the Mekong, the city is crisscrossed by broad tree-lined bouleSee CAMBODIA, page 24

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Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Cambodia From page 25 vards and dotted with colonial villas, modern architecture, and boutique hotels, hostels and restaurants.

Still it’s not totally recovered. Side roads are in poor shape, some of the villas are ruined beyond repair, and the old drainage system backs up whenever it rains. Poorer people live in shanty villages on the city’s outskirts.

Phnom Penh offers the country’s most happening nightlife with late-night bars and clubs along the waterfront. Choices range from girlie bars, karaoke, dance halls and local discos to high-end options.

One stop hardly ever missed by visitors is the enormous, hot, noisy and crowded shopping mecca, Psar Toul Tom Poung (Russian Market). It’s “the place” to buy textiles, antiques and silver, motor bike parts, bootleg DVDs, fake designer bags and handicrafts.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

The best cultural highlights are the Royal Palace, probably the city’s most memorable sight; the Silver Pagoda, home to a sacred emerald Buddha; the National Museum, with a top collection of sculptures from Cambodia’s temples; and, sadly, the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, which recalls the many Khmer Rouge atrocities.

Continuing north, a popular stop for tourists is the little town of Skuon, less than an hour’s drive on the highway from

Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. It is famous for its edible spiders. They are a type of Asian tarantula about 2 inches across, that are served deep-fried with a hint of salt and garlic.

At 4,000 square miles, Tonle Sap is the largest lake in Southeast Asia. It stretches along for about half the distance between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

Thousands of families live along or on it, supported by fishing. Most live in primitive conditions.

Those along the shore have built homes on stilts; at the height of the wet season in September water levels can rise well above 30 feet. Others live in floating villages that move seasonally to keep floating in the shallow lake.

Vendors offer various boating tours of the area.

Markets and museums Siem Reap is the gateway to Cambodia’s temple area. More modern than the rest of the country, it’s packed with hotels, restaurants, bars, boutiques, tourists and tour operators. Nonetheless, it retains a bit of small-town colonial charm.

As in Phnom Penh, shopping is not to be missed. Here, the most popular spot is the Angkor Night Market, with hundreds of closely packed stalls that offer every kind of craft and collectible produced in Cambodia. Hours are from about 5 to 10 p.m. daily.

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

The Angkor National Museum tops the list of best cultural highlights. If possible, it’s best to visit here before the temples.

Pieces of ancient Khmer sculpture are exhibited in wide galleries. Multimedia presentations provide background on Cambodian history, heritage and religion.

Another choice is the Artisans d’Angkor, where you can see students hone skills in wood and stone carving, lacquer-work, gilding and silver-working. The end products can be bought in a boutique at the center.

A stroll along the riverside walkway, running along both sides of the Siem Reap River, lands you at the formal Royal Gardens, flanked by two venerable hotels.

Temples of Angkor The temples of Angkor are a monument to the greatest ancient civilization of Southeast Asia. Angkor was the heart of the great Khmer Empire spiritually, politically and geographically.

More than 100 temples to various deities are scattered over 150 square miles. They were built between the late 6th century through 1200. In the great days of the empire, each temple was the center of a busy community. As they were typically built of wood, they are now entirely vanished. At its height, the region boasted a population of 1 million at the time London was a small town of 50,000.

Today, 2 million tourists clamber through the crumbling ancient monuments each

year. Tickets are required to enter what is loosely called the Angkor Archaeological Park. Admission is $20 for one day. Tickets are printed with your photo, and they are checked at various stops. The fine for entering without a ticket is $100.

The most popular of the temples built by god-kings is Angkor Wat. Other best-visited stops are the walled city of Angkor Thom, where you’ll see dozens of towers plastered with faces, and Ta Prohm, with its semi-ruined shrines and statues smothered by giant tree roots.

Angkor Wat is the national symbol and the highlight of any visit to Cambodia.

Dominated by five lotus flower towers, it was built in the 12th century to honor the Hindu god Vishnu. It is the largest, best preserved and most religiously significant of the Angkor temples.

On approach, you first cross a vast moat on a broad causeway. Once you enter the main building, you climb through a series of galleries and courtyards before reaching the central sanctuary, which gives views back to the causeway and across the surrounding countryside.

Intricate stone carvings adorn nearly every surface, with more than 1,000 Apsaras, or celestial dancers, sculpted into the walls. Along the outer gallery walls run the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which narrates stories from Hindu See CAMBODIA, page 25

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

25

Enjoy winter’s beauty from aboard a train You can easily enjoy great winter snows- through the Alleghenies from Pittsburgh to capes without fighting the drifts and the Philadelphia. (Note: the westbound schedule isn’t good for daylight in the Apice: Just take a train. Enjoy the palachians.) The Lake Shore sights from a comfortable, Limited through the Berkwide seat, through a panorashires, between Boston and Alma window, maybe while sipbany, and the Cardinal through ping something cold or warm.

West Virginia are also candiExcept in unusual circumdates. stances, railroads keep their North America’s top winter tracks open through snowfall rail trip used to be the Canadiheavy enough to shut down an, between Toronto and Vanthe highways. And many travcouver, especially the segment el on routes with better sightbetween Edmonton and Vanseeing than you can find from TRAVEL TIPS

By Ed Perkins couver. Unfortunately, congesany highway.

Some beautiful routes are on regular trains, at regular fares, not special excursions. Amtrak’s two top winter scenery trains operate through the western Rockies and Sierras: — The California Zephyr, between Chicago and Emeryville (for San Francisco), provides daytime sightseeing over the Rockies and Sierras on successive daytime segments. Daylight sightseeing through the Rockies is better westbound. If you just want the mountains, start or end your trip in Denver rather than Chicago.

— The Empire Builder passes next to Glacier National Park in Montana on its trip through the Rockies, and it also passes through the Cascade Range in Washington. The best daytime Glacier Park sightseeing times are on the eastbound trip.

But in winter, you don’t get much daylight through the Cascades in either direction.

Trains in the East Among other Amtrak trains with the potential for winter snow is the Pennsylvanian,

Cambodia From page 24 mythology. Be ready to climb steps to reach different levels, as well as a steep ladder-like staircase to the top.

Due to its popularity, Angkor Wat can be crowded. The best time to visit to avoid the mass of bus parties is 7 to 9 a.m.

If you go Cambodian hotels can be very inexpensive. The ones below have English-speaking staffs and websites in English and represent the range of prices.

Phnom Phen You Khin, a three-story guest house with pool. Rates range from $39 to $59. www.youkhinhouse.com The Quay, a 32-room boutique hotel overlooking the Tonle Sap River and Mekong Rivers. Rates range from $75 to $95. www.thequayhotel.com Raffles Hotel Le Royal is a luxury hotel with rates from $230 to $292. www.raffles.com

Siem Reap Low-price Ivy Guest House has non-air-

tion on the Canadian National has caused a schedule revision that no longer covers the top mountain scenery during daylight.

VIA Rail is fixing that problem, but not until next spring. As far as I can tell, the Rocky Mountaineer between Vancouver and Banff surprisingly doesn’t operate in the winter.

On the rails in the Alps If you want really great snow scenery, you can’t beat Switzerland. Although my recent (sponsored) train trips there were in snow-free late summer, I’ve also done them in winter, and you just can’t beat the Swiss panorama trains for scenery any time of the year.

I particularly recommend three: — My favorite is the Bernina Express from Alpine Chur over the Bernina pass and down a spectacular line to semiMediterranean Tirano, Italy.

This route is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it’s the one most often pictured on

conditioned rooms for $6 to $8. Rooms with air conditioning are $15. www.ivyguesthouse.com The moderately priced Villa Medamrei offers free pickup from the airport or bus station. www.villamedamrei.com Rambutan Hotel has some rooms with private rooftop terraces and apartments that range from $126 to $152. All come with complimentary foot massages. www.rambutans.info For further tourist information, contact: • Cambodian Ministry of Tourism, country’s highlights, information on accommodations, history and Khmer culture. www.tourismcambodia.org • Canby Publications, convenient online extracts from Cambodian city guides. canbypublications.com • Cambodian Information Centre, information on everything from clubs and organizations to the legal system. www.cambodia.org The least expensive roundtrip flight to Phnom Phen from BWI in late January is $1,042 on ANA, a Japanese airline, but that fare requires an 18-hour layover in Tokyo.

Korean Air offers a flight for $1,465 that is about 10 hours shorter in travel time.

posters and ads. Winter or summer, it’s one of the world’s great scenic rail journeys.

Trains operate all year, although at some times you have to change at Ponteressina, near St. Moritz. The schedule favors southbound trips for best daylight viewing.

— The Glacier Express is probably the best known Swiss panorama train. It runs between St. Moritz and Zermatt all year, with the exception of a break from October 23 to December 10.

Winter trains with panorama cars operate once daily in both directions. If you prefer, you can take less than the full trip, but don’t miss the section between Chur and St. Moritz over the UNESCO World Heritage Albula route. A full eight hours in the spectacular Alps — what more do I need to say?

— The new Gotthard Panorama Express takes you over the former mainline that has been bypassed by the new 35-mile Gotthard Base Tunnel. The new tunnel

cuts the travel time substantially, but 35 miles in a tunnel under the Alps isn’t a big sightseeing event.

Instead, take the panoramic train over the steep grades, curves and spiral tunnels along deep river valleys and gorges. The Panorama Express trip runs between Lucerne and Lugano, combining a boat trip on Lake Lucerne with the train.

All three Swiss trains are covered by the Swiss Travel Pass. But if one is enough, you can buy individual tickets. All three require reservations, with an extra fee. Buy either way online at www.sbb.ch/en or raileurope.com.

You can find good snowscape trains in many other countries with high mountains, from Austria to Japan to New Zealand. Check out the rail options wherever you’re heading.

Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. Also, check out Ed’s new rail travel website at www.rail-guru.com. © 2018 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

What’s going on in HoCo? Fused Glass Workshop with Tara Holl Learn the art of fusing glass! Join glass artist Tara Holl to make fused glass objects such as jewelry, an ornament, or other small items. Whether experienced or new, you are welcome! $30 materials fee.

Classes: 1 $30 RP3531.201 Gary J Arthur Comm Ctr

Feb 23 9:30am-noon

Sa

Photography Digital Photography 101 Learn basic elements and techniques. Digital camera required.

Classes: 6 10% off when 2 or more people register together $95 RP3521.201 Belmont Jan 8 9:30-11:30am Tu Classes: 4 10% off when 2 or more people register together $65 RP3521.202 Elkridge 50+ Ctr Jan 10 6-8pm Th

Shooting with a Smartphone

Crafts & Fine Arts

Learn some of the same concepts as Digital Photography 101, with a focus on how they apply to great smart phone photos.

All Things Glass 2 Come explore an assortment of techniques: fusing, slumping, layering, and painting glass. Delve into the field of glass more extensively than in All Things Glass 1. (Beginners are welcome!) $75 materials fee.

Classes: 4 10% off when 2 or more people register together RP3522.201 Belmont Jan 22 1-2:30pm Tu $55

Classes: 6 10% off when 2 or more people register together RP3523.201 Elkridge 50+ Ctr Jan 8 6-8pm Tu $89 RP3523.202 Gary J Arthur Comm Ctr Jan 9 7-9pm W $89

Beginner Ballet for Active Adults

Dance Enjoy basic ballet while building strength, flexibility and grace.

Classes: 9 $95 RP3509.201 Kinetics Dance Theatre

Jan 24

10:15-11:15am Th

Basic Zentangle Workshop with Arlene Mindus, CZT

Dance on Broadway – or Feel Like You Can!

Enjoy an easy and relaxing method of drawing structured patterns. Certified Zentangle teacher Arlene Mindus guides you in techniques and hand-drawn patterns. $5 Mini Zentangle box may be purchased.

Instructor leads dance routines to Broadway favorites. Enjoy musical theater choreography appropriate for all levels.

Classes: 6 10% off when 2 or more people register together $75 RP3527.201 Cedar Lane Rec Ctr Jan 18 9:30-10:30am F

Classes: 6 RP0308.201

Learn to Swing Dance

Elkridge 50+ Ctr

Jan 22 10am-noon Tu

$48

Creating Visual Stories with Mixed Media Learn how to use everyday and found objects, types of paint, paper, fiber, and other materials to create a wall-mounted mixed media piece and 3-D mixed media piece. Focus on telling a visual story. Learn assorted painting techniques to use with the varied materials. $35 materials fee.

Classes: 6 10% off when 2 or more people register together RP3525.201 N Laurel Comm Ctr Jan 10 10am-noon Th $89 RP3525.202 Gary J Arthur Comm Ctr Jan 7 7-9pm M $89

Drawing & Painting with Zina Start with a foundations program using demos and assignments on drawing, design and color theory. Then enjoy demos, slide presentations, and projects that inspire. Create original work.

Classes: 7 $120 RP0302.201 Kiwanis-Wallas Hall RP0302.202 Gary J Arthur Comm Ctr

Jan 14 Jan 14

10am-noon M 1:15-3:15pm M

Learn to swing dance! (No class 2/7.)

Classes: 6 $89 RP3532.201 N Laurel Comm Ctr

Jan 10

7-8:25pm Th

Swing Dance Social Get ready to jump, jive and swing! Light refreshments provided.

Classes: 1 $15 RP3528.201 E. Columbia 50+ Ctr

Feb 7

7-8:25pm Th

Senior Tap Classics Beginner-level class that progresses slowly, designed for adults.

Classes: 9 $95 RP3504.201 Kinetics Dance Theatre

Jan 23

10:15-11:15am W

For a complete listing of classes or information, please visit www.howardcountymd.gov/encore.

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Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Social Square Dancing Grab your partner and join our accredited square dance caller to show off your best do-si-do! All levels welcome. (No class 3/5.)

Classes: 6 10% off when 2 or more people register together $89 RP3510.201 N Laurel Comm Ctr Jan 8 7:30-9pm Tu Classes: 4 10% off when 2 or more people register together $59 RP3510.202 N Laurel Comm Ctr Feb 26 7:30-9pm Tu

Drop -In Activities Encore Explorations Encore Explorations are one day workshops or mini-sessions designed to let you try out something new without committing to a full class session. Try one or try them all!

Balance, Strength and Fitness RP3511.204 Cedar Lane Rec Ctr Shooting with a Smart Phone RP3511.202 Belmont Self Defense for Active Adults RP3511.203 Roger Carter Comm Ctr Swing Dance RP3511.201 Kiwanis-Wallas Ctr

Lifelong Learning Self Defense for Active Adults Former Howard County Police Officer Derek Johnson teaches you awareness and techniques to defend yourself against problems unique to older adults. A fitness waiver must be completed.

Classes: 5 RP3517.201 RP3517.202 RP3517.203 RP3517.204

Roger Carter Comm Ctr Bain 50+ Ctr Roger Carter Comm Ctr Bain 50+ Ctr

Jan 9 Jan 9 Feb 20 Feb 20

10-11am 1-2pm 10-11am 1-2pm

Bridge Basics

Jan 14 10:45-11:30am M $15

Class is for people who have never played bridge before and for those who would like a refresher. First 4 weeks are instruction and last 2 weeks are supervised play.

Jan 15 1-2:30pm

Tu $20

Classes: 6 RP3507.201 Kiwanis-Wallas Hall

Feb 13 10-11am

W $15

Sports

Tu $20

Fundamentals of Modern Table Tennis with Jeff Smart

Feb 19 9:30-11:30am

Fitness

Jan 8

9:30-11:30am Tu

Balance, Strength & Fitness with Lori Nowicki, ACE, AFPA Using a BOSU stability ball, light weights and resistance bands, active adults will learn exercises which involve training the body for the activities performed in daily life. (No class 1/21, 2/18.)

Howard County Table Tennis Center Classes: 10 RP3530.201 Beginner Jan 10 10:30am-noon RP3530.202 Intermediate Jan 10 1-2:30pm

RP3516.201

Pickleball

Jan 7

10:45-11:30am M

Beginner Mat Pilates is a combination of exercises on the floor.

Reap the benefits with stability in the hips and spine while building core muscles and flexibility.

Jan 8 Feb 12 Jan 10 Jan 12

8-9am 8-9am 7-8pm 8:30-9:30am

Tu,Th Tu,Th Th Sa

Cardio Dance and Tone with Margaret Wolf, ACE Try class for free on 1/16 & 1/18. Enjoy cardio with dance aerobic moves and strength training using weights and/or resistance bands. Core conditioning may be included. Bring a mat and 2-5 lb. weights. 10% off when 2 or more people register by phone together.

RP3505.201

Gary J Arthur Comm Ctr

Jan 16

2:30-3:30pm W

Gentle Yoga/Yoga 1 with Kathy Whelan, RYT-200 This yoga class is suitable for both new and continuing students preferring a less vigorous version of a Yoga 1 class. Move through poses to increase flexibility, strength and balance while emphasizing mindfulness and breath awareness. Modifications offered so that you may receive the benefits of each pose. Must be able to get up and down from floor. Bring a yoga mat.

RP3515.201 Elkridge 50+ Ctr Jan 8 6-7pm RP3515.202 Bain 50+ Ctr Jan 10 5-6pm RP3515.203 Bain 50+ Ctr Feb 21 5-6pm

Th $160 Th $160

For more info on programs, classes, leagues, and tournaments, visit www.howardcounytmd.gov/pickleball.

Beginner Mat Pilates with Debbie Flynn, ACE, ACSM, RYT-200

RP3514.201 Roger Carter Comm Ctr RP3514.202 Roger Carter Comm Ctr RP3514.203 Elkridge 50+ Ctr RP3514.204 Roger Carter Comm Ctr

$75

Through the lessons of ITTF Level 2 Certified Coach Jeff Smart, beginners learn the proper techniques to execute the forehand (FH) and backhand (BH) topspin drive, FH&BH underspin push, basic footwork, and topspin. Also work on underspin, sidespin serves and how to return each one.

â&#x20AC;˘ Fitness waiver must be completed prior to exercising.

Cedar Lane Rec Ctr

W $72 W $72 W $72 W $72

Tu Th Th

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

African Art Museum Baltimore Celebrate African American History Month with Howard

County Trips & Tours! Learn about African American history and culture through a unique tour and exploration at the museum.

16 yrs + Bain 50+ Ctr $35 RP4522.201 Feb 21 Noon-5pm Th

Guinness Open Gate Brewery and Barrel House Enjoy an hour tour and tasting at this new brewery!

21 yrs + Bring ID that shows your age $75 RP4506.201 Feb 28 11am-4pm Th

March

January

Philadelphia Flower Show

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Home to the largest natural history collection in the world, this museum tells the fascinating story of our planet through exhibits and activities.

16 yrs + $50, individual 10% off two or more people RP4501.201 Jan 10 9:30am-4:30pm Th

Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery

Enjoy beautiful fountains, ponds, water features, and rain gardens. Lunch is on your own at the Reading Terminal Market.

Sign up early − this sells out every year!

16 yrs + $125 RP4514.201 Mar 2

9am-7pm Sa

America’s Most Historic Prison Tour

Founded by Congress in 1962 to acquire and display portraits of “men and women who have made significant contributions to the history, development, and culture of the people of the U.S.”

A one-hour guided tour of Philadelphia’s infamous Eastern State Penitentiary, once the most famous and expensive prison in the world and home to “Slick Willie” Sutton and “Scarface” Al Capone.

Enjoy lunch on your own at Philadelphia food venues.

16 yrs + $50 RP4502.201 Jan 17

16 yrs + $80 RP4508.301 Mar 14

9:30am-4:30pm Th

9am-6pm Th

The US Holocaust Memorial Museum

Madame Tussauds

This emotionally-moving museum provides documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history. Dedicated to helping leaders and citizens of the world confront hatred, prevent genocide, promote human dignity, and strengthen democracy.

Visit this wax museum which hosts lifelike figures of recent Presidents, First Ladies, iconic figures, and Hollywood stars!

21 yrs + $65 RP4503.201 Jan 25

9:30am-4:30pm F

Baltimore Museum of Industry The Baltimore Museum of Industry celebrates the innovators, entrepreneurs and workers who propelled this port city into the industrial age and beyond.

16 yrs + Bain 50+ Ctr $40 RP4521.201 Jan 31 Noon-5pm Th

February

16 yrs + $75 RP4509.301 Mar 22

10am-5pm F

Orioles Camden Yard Tour Come see Oriole Park at Camden Yards from a whole new perspective. Go behind the scenes of this historic ballpark.

16 yrs + Bain 50+ Ctr $50 RP4523.301 Mar 23 9am-3pm Sa Walking from bus to a seat (ex: a theatre) Walking with seating available (ex: museum seating) Lots of walking & standing with some

Hershey Theater - Swan Lake This is the first visit of the National Ballet Theatre of Odessa to the United States. This full-scale production is set to the music of Pyotr Tchaikovsky, based on Russian folklore and German legend.

opportunities to sit Lots of walking (over a mile) Magnificent Maryland Series

16 yrs + $120, individual 10% off two or more people RP4504.201 Feb 8 4:30pm-TBD F

REGISTRATION

Hillwood Museum: Valentine’s Day Tour & Tea

410-313-7275, www.howardcountymd.gov/rap, or 7120 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia, MD 21046

Explore the pristine mansion, enjoy the beauty of the formal gardens, and cap off the visit with delicious tea and treats!

INFORMATION

18 yrs + $115 RP4505.201 Feb 13

10am-3:30pm W

Tracy Adkins, 410-313-7279 or tadkins@howardcountymd.gov

29

30

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J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

INFORMATION 410-313-0200 | www.belmontmanormd.org

Afternoon Tea at Belmont Manor Enjoy afternoon tea in the stately Belmont Manor, built in 1738.

Your taste buds will be tempted with a bottomless pot of tea, a Manor scone served with clotted cream and jam, tea savories, and a delectable assortment of desserts. After taking tea, we invite you to take a self-guided tour of the Manor. Preregistration is required, no refunds. Seating is communal. We suggest you arrive promptly so you can save seats that are together for your entire party. As this is a catered event, payment is not accepted at the door. Info: 410-313-0200.

10 yrs + Belmont 2-4:30pm Sa $35 RP9900.201 Jan 26 RP9900.301 Mar 9 RP9900.202 Feb 9 RP9900.302 Mar 23 RP9900.203 Feb 23 RP9900.303 Apr 6

Interactive Panel with the Inspired Ghost Trackers Do you believe in ghosts? Wonder if you have the gift of sensing?

Don’t miss one of the number one ghost teams in Maryland as they join us at Belmont to answer your questions about the spirit world. The Inspired Ghost Tracking team consists of investigators and mediums to give you a complete understanding of all the components that go into paranormal analysis.

18 yrs + RP9903.201 Belmont

Feb 19 7:30-9pm Tu

$15

Ghosts of England Lecture

Belmont Ghost Tour

What happens when a medium goes on vacation? Rob Gutro is a medium, author, paranormal investigator and scientist who has written four books about his encounters with human and animal ghosts and spirits. Join him as he shares his experiences from two separate trips to the United Kingdom. England’s rich history and many epic battles have caused an over-abundance of residual emotional energy.

Join the Inspired Ghost Tracking team as they guide you on a tour of the Manor, grounds, and cemetery. Participate in a paranormal investigation and visit areas where paranormal activity is suspected. Investigators from IGT use EMFs, sound recorders, cameras, and temperature sensors to search for paranormal activity. Bring your own equipment and flashlights to investigate with them. Dress for the weather.

13 yrs + RP9902.301

18 yrs + RP9901.301 Belmont

Belmont

Jan 15

7:30-9pm Tu

$15

Mar 22

7:30-10:30pm F

$25

Our GO50+ membership packages are designed to enhance the quality of life for the 50+ adult population that lives, works and plays in Howard County.

Live longer, healthier lives… join today!

For more information, go to www.howardcountymd.gov/OOAHealthandWellness

For a full list of adult classes, go to www.howardcountymd.gov/adultprograms.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Style

31

Arts &

Flamboyant Bruce Randolph Nelson plays the imperious Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest.

Having a Wilde time at Everyman Theatre

Wildeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s alter ego?

If Wilde were in the audience as the curtain rose on the current Everyman Theatre production of his work, he would have enjoyed seeing resident company member Danny Gavigan sporting what could only be called an â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oscar Wilde wig,â&#x20AC;? echoing the playwrightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

long, glossy hair. He plays Algernon, a flamboyant neâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;er-do-well who finds a kindred spirit in friend John (Jaysen Wright).

The aristocratic pair trade bon mots (it is Wilde after all) as they regale each other with personal tales of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bunburyingâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the act of leading a double life to avoid oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s filial responsibilities and social duties. The term is also a pointed jab by Wilde toward those aforementioned â&#x20AC;&#x153;sensibilities and conventions,â&#x20AC;? as the word here also suggests sex between men.

Further, much attention is given in the opening act to the two menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desire to sample finger sandwiches made from cucumber, a familiar phallic symbol. The sandwiches are meant for Ladies Bracknell and daughter Gwendolen, but they are consumed only by Algernon.

In the midst of all the Bunburying, cucumber consumption, and debates about an engraved cigarette case (a gift Wilde often bestowed upon his male lovers), Lady Bracknell, a wrathful rhapsody in blue, bursts upon the scene.

A Baltimore stage favorite, Nelson steals every scene he â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or here, she â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is in, thanks to clever body language, facial expressions, and a tone that ranges from scratchy soprano to bullying bullhorn, all in flamboyant costumes that bemuse and bedazzle the audience. (More than just the usual kudos go to costume designer David Burdick for his lavish creations, echoed perfectly in David Ettingerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kaleidoscopic set designs.)

Serving as foils to Algernon and John are

PHOTO BY CLINTON BRANDHAGEN

By Dan Collins At first glance, The Importance of Being Earnest, a play by the acclaimed Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde, would appear to simply be a comical farce, an amusing romp where Victorian sensibilities and social conventions are satirized.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a clever work, which initially seems a mix of a Shakespearean comedy (replete with star-crossed couples and mistaken identities) and the Marx Brothers. (Bruce Randolph Nelsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gender bending Lady Bracknell is a tad reminiscent of Margaret Dumont, the rich society lady so often the butt of Grouchoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jokes.)

It certainly is all these things, but something more.

Wilde went from fame to infamy for violating the 19th century Victorian mores and English laws that judged homosexuality to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;grossly indecentâ&#x20AC;? (and for which Wilde would suffer imprisonment). He used Earnest, his last published work, to take a stab at both â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or better said, to make a thousand cuts.

This production, together with the program notes, highlight the sexual subtext.

The friendship between rakish bachelors Jack, played by Jaysen Wright, and Algernon, played by Danny Gavigan, gets a modern take in Everyman Theatreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production of Oscar Wildeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Importance of Being Earnest. The comedy, which features Wildeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trademark witty repartee, is onstage through Dec. 30.

Lady Gwendolen Fairfax (Katie Klieger) and Cecily Cardew (Paige Hernandez), two women who have plots and passions of their own. Together, these fair ladies bounce be-

tween the boundaries of friend and foe, dueling with parasol and hand-fan at one moment, See EARNEST, page 33

JA N UA RY 1 7 - M A R C H 1 7

Let Mee E En ntert in nterta i Y Yoou!!

410-730-83111

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32

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Rockette From page 1 music while sitting in her high chair, she moved her head and shoulders back and forth. Even now, when she sees me, she starts dancing,” Berk said.

It’s as if even the youngest of children know that dancing brings about an experience of both joy and contentment, she said While she speaks fondly of her favorite musicals, A Chorus Line and Hello Dolly, and of the choreography of Bob Fosse, Berk noted that much of her current “entertainment” consists of watching the political happenings of the day via TV. She said that before she turns in at about 8:30 in the evenings (she’s up at 6 a.m.) she usually

FROM PAGE 34 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

watches “the lousy TV news.”

She’s not happy about our country’s current leadership. In fact, a few days before her 100th birthday, she received a phone call from the White House, telling her to hold on because President Trump had a message for her.

“I thought it was a crank call,” she said.

“Or if it wasn’t, it would be a recording, after they learned about my birthday. So I hung up. I have nothing to say to him.”

Noting the recent death of former President George H.W. Bush at age 94, Berk said, “him, I liked.”

Self-taught dancer Back to the beginning. Born and raised in the Bronx, N.Y., Berk remembers that at the

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD S M O K I O W A B E E R A E S T R A T O G R E B E O N E R N I G D S A P I G O T G A I A M I N X A N T I

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age of 7 or 8 she accompanied a younger girlfriend to a dance class. Berk couldn’t afford lessons, so she watched her little friend tapdancing through a window. “What I could see through the window — the tap dancing to the rhythm — that was it.”

So she went home and practiced those steps she saw through the window. Later, she saved her lunch money for an occasional 50-cent lesson, and started making up her own moves.

She kept on “moving to whatever music” and, in 1936, was hired for the dance line at the Roxy Theater in New York. “We were called the Roxyettes then,” she said.

Within a year, down the block on 50th Street and Sixth Avenue, she joined the Rockettes, which had debuted two years earlier.

“I only wanted to dance. I wanted to be one of 36 girls doing exactly what one girl would do. That’s what our precision dancing looked like.”

While Berk loved being a Rockette, it was not all glamor all the time. Part of being a Rockette was also hard work, she said. “The rehearsals — oh, the rehearsals!” she recalled.

A recent article in the online magazine Insider noted that today’s Rockettes rehearse “seven hours a day, six days a week

for six weeks” before performing a new 90minute show. each performance includes more than 200 “eye-high kicks.” Before each rehearsal, the Rockettes undergo “intricate athletic exercises.”

How was she was treated by men as a showgirl way back in the 1930s?

“I was treated fine,” she said. “I only followed the dancing commands of Russell Markert, who was the founder of the Rockettes, and our choreographer. The other males, the stage hands, knew what they had to do,” which among other things, was not to bother the chorus girls.

“Of course,” she added, “there always were, and probably always will be, the Stagedoor Johnnies, who waited for you to come out of the theater after the show and invited to take you for a cup of coffee, or other things.

“Nope, I never went with any of them,” she said.

World War II “government girl” While she was always choreographing a dance in her head and heart, Berk gave her feet a rest during World War II, when she moved from New York to Washington, D.C. Her first job in the nation’s capital was See ROCKETTE, page 33

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

CALLING ALL ARTISTS

Artists, mark your calendars for HoCo Open, the Howard County Arts Council’s popular non-juried exhibit showcasing Howard County artists. Adults aged 18 years and older who live, work or study in Howard County are invited to submit one piece of original artwork completed in the past two years for the exhibit. Artwork drop-off is 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 3 (snow date: January 4) at the Howard County Center for the Arts, 8510 High Ridge Rd. Ellicott City. All work must be delivered ready for installation. The Howard County Arts Council retains a 20% commission on all sales. HoCo Open will be on display from Jan. 11 through Feb. 22. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday noon to 4 p.m.. To obtain the HoCo Open guidelines and entry form, call (410) 313-ARTS (2787) or visit www.hocoarts.org.

PLATINUM MEMBERS: The Beacon Newspapers, Vantage House GOLD MEMBER Howard County Office on Aging & Independence SILVER MEMBERS Brightview Rolling Hills, Brooke Grove Retirement Village, Ellicott City Healthcare Center, Kindred At Home Right At Home In-home Care & Assistance, The Bob Lucido Team of Keller Williams Integrity BRONZE MEMBERS Arden Courts Memory Care Community, ComForCare Home Care of Howard County, Homewatch Caregivers, Let's Move, LLC., Stress Free Solutions PATRON MEMBERS Alzheimer's Association - Greater MD Chapter, Angels of Elder Care Planning, LLC, Assisting Hands Home Care, Country Gardens Assisted Living, Freedom Mobility, Genesis SelectCare, Home Call, Home Instead Senior Care, Home With You Senior Care, HomeCentris Personal Care, Integrace Copper Ridge, Integrace Fairhaven, Miracle-Ear of Columbia, New Life Assisted Living, Inc., Professional Care Pharmacy, Shangri-la Senior Living, Sunrise of Columbia, Visiting Angels

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H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

Rockette

“and he’d always nod hello,” she said.

From page 32

Meeting two more Rockettes

as a saleswoman at Kahn’s Department Store. “Then there was a call for secretarial help for the war, and I took a test, and moved on to General George Marshall’s private switchboard,” she said.

Marshall was chief of staff to President Roosevelt at the time, and one of the Army’s leading tactical planners.

“I fell in love with Washington, with the streets and the buildings. It was in October, and the trees were beautiful. I met my husband of 52 years there,” she recalled.

As for Marshall, the statesman-soldier would pass by her in the crowded office

Berk said she was very happy to meet for the first time the other two Rockettes at her party. She added, “When I saw those two girls, I recognized that they had that look. It was the look of a Rockette. It’s hard to explain, but when you see it, you know it.”

Columbia resident Jean Kettell said she heard about Berk’s birthday through the Rockettes alumni association. Although living almost as neighbors, the two had never met before.

Kettell, 78, calls herself a “Baltimore girl,” having been born and raised there. She was a Rockette from 1959 through 1962.

Earnest

arms, and men once friends find they share an even stronger bond.

From page 31 and being wrapped in the bonds of loving sisterhood the next.

Rounding out the cast are Everyman staple Wil Love as the Rev. Canon Chasuble, and Helen Hedman as Miss Prism, who, despite the former’s vow of chastity and the latter’s repressed-governess ways, dance delicately along a thin line between propriety and romance.

Carl Schurr provides a vaudevillian flair to his roles of butlers Lane and Merriman, characters separated only by hair color.

Like the Bard’s comic works, all ends well as lovers finally find each other’s

Deft, comic script As wonderful as the performances of this fine acting ensemble are, the true star of the show is Oscar Wilde’s spritely script, full of irony and innuendo, which has both the characters and the audience turning from one direction to the next.

It is therefore fitting that the full title of this play is “The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People,” as Wilde’s mischievous pricks of the establishment that pepper his play create what I am sure in Wilde’s mind was a “serious comedy for trivial people.”

33

Hagerstown native Lin Bartle, who recently celebrated her 70th birthday, lived in Columbia before moving some years ago to Hanover. Her Rockette dancing days lasted three-and-a-half years in the late 1960s.

Bartle hung up her dancing shoes and went the college route, earning a Ph.D. in education administration from the University of Maryland. She went on to become vice principal of the county’s Howard, Appleton and Glenelg High Schools. She then became a supervisor at the Howard County Education Department.

Both Ketell and Bartle, who also never met each other before Berk’s birthday celebration, expressed their joyful surprise at

the “life, pep, clear-mindedness, alertness and astuteness” of their 100-year-old fellow one-time high-kicker.

Berk noted that she was seriously ill last year with a recurrent heart disease. “I didn’t think I was going to make it.”

Son Ron Berk was quoted in an article in LeadingAge magazine recalling that when his mother was exiting the hospital some years ago, she said, “I guess nobody ‘up there’ wants me and nobody ‘down there’ wants me, so I’ll just go home and stick around for a while.”

After her most recent trip to the hospital, Anne Berk said she realized yet another time that “you take it as it is,” and no matter what, “you never lose your sense of humor.”

Performed in three acts with two intermissions, The Importance of Being Earnest continues its run at Everyman Theatre, at 315 W. Fayette St. in downtown Baltimore, through Dec. 30. Tickets are $38 to $56,

with a $5 discount for those 62 and older for Saturday matinee and Sunday evening performances. To buy tickets or for more information, visit http://everymantheatre.org or call (410) 752-2208.

BEACON BITS

Jan. 19+

WINTER BEAD AND JEWELRY SHOW This show features jewelry making classes, along with local bead and jewelry vendors. It will take place on Saturday and Sunday

Jan. 19 and 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at the Howard County Fairgrounds, 2210 Fairgrounds Rd., W. Friendship. Admission is free, but various fees are charged for classes. To learn more and register for classes, go to www.baltimorebead.org/winter-bead-show.

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J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

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Crossword Puzzle Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus In Agreement 1

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Scrabble answers on p. 32.

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1. Coal plant output 6. A Just a bit of 1 Across 10. Hoax 14. Hawkeye 15. Like BWI or IAD airports 16. Actress Spelling 17. Heineken and kin 18. Use a rifle 19. It might be the end of hymn 20. An alliance against common foes 23. Joseph Lauder’s life and business partner 25. Video game company, originally called Service Games 26. “___ it ain’t so, Joe” 27. One incompatible with a Horse, according to the Chinese zodiac 28. Loud clamor 30. Roman goddess of Earth 32. Fairy tale villain 34. Bicycle adjuster 36. “I’m with ___” (Valentine’s day T-shirt) 39. Demonstrate cooperation 42. Muppet originally voiced by Jim Henson 43. Most of a Yahtzee game set 44. Quinceanera celebrant 45. Aussie greetings 47. Environmentalist’s prefix 49. Thumbs down vote 50. Gradually weaken 52. Flower or wine, depending on the accent 54. Boorish 56. Words of support 59. Greek goddess of Earth 60. Put on the payroll 61. Seeker’s foe 65. Flirty girl 66. Oklahoma tribe 67. Agenda entries 68. Second to speak at the debate

62

69. Norway’s most populous city 70. First performance

Down 1. Bro or sis 2. Bro of Curly (but not Larry) 3. Finance a car 4. In gold, 24 is pure 5. Opposite of “preceded” 6. ‘net connection, at Starbucks 7. Letters OK’ing a contract change 8. Illegal speed contest 9. Brand that promises to remove dust 10. Get top billing 11. All the people 12. Venue for indoor football games 13. Like most Mentos 21. Horse’s comment on a See ‘n Say 22. Madcap comedy 23. ___ to please 24. Worst place to attach a fort 27. Part of a Star Wars costume 29. Is unprepared for job interviews 31. Deteriorate 33. City in Northern Oklahoma 35. “___ expected” (smug selfcongratulation) 37. Brainstorms 38. Disavow 40. Visibly sad 41. City 210 miles south of Medina 46. Chocolate drink, since 1926 48. Flower used in perfumery 50. Spreadsheet icon meaning “sum up” 51. “You can say that ___” 53. Swashbuckling Flynn 55. Go fly ___ 57. Emmy winner for Best Comedy 1979-1981 58. “How can anyone ___ mean?”

62. Society newcomer 63. Big flightless bird 64. Last of “FIRST”

Answers on page 32.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9

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For Sale 2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed.

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Faster Internet. Unlimited Voice. Call 1-888366-7573.

NEW PROCEDURE FOR PLACING CLASSIFIED ADS All classified ads must now be submitted and paid for online, via our website, www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds Deadlines and Payments: To appear in the next issue, your ad text and payment must be entered by the 5th of the preceding month (for Baltimore and Howard County editions); by the 20th (for Washington and Richmond editions).

Cost will be based on the number of characters and spaces in your ad: • $25 for 1-250 • $35 for 251-500. • $50 for 501-750 (maximum length). The website will calculate this for you.

Note: Maryland contractors must provide a valid MHIC number. • Each real estate listing qualifies as one ad. • All ads are subject to publisher's discretion. Payment will be refunded if unacceptable for any reason.

To place your classified ad visit www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds Wanted

Wanted

ESTATE LIQUIDATION & COLLECTIBLES: One call solves it all when you hire us to handle your estate liquidation, down-sizing and/or home cleanout. We sell your treasures, take care of charitable donations and provide junk removal.

We also purchase partial estate contents/collections. Always buying antiques, jewelry, fine art, vintage toys, collectibles, advertising, sports memorabilia, military items, rare books, MidCentury Modern furniture and more. Based in Silver Spring, we serve Montgomery County, Howard County, Baltimore County, Washington, D.C., NOVA and beyond. No home, barn or warehouse is too packed for us! Friendly, conscientious staff. Call Chris on cell, 202-731-9447. www.OrionsAttic.com.

COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, knives, swords, bayonets, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars and countries. Also Lionel Toy Trains, and coin operated machines. Will pay top prices for my personal collection. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-910-0783.

BUYING VINYL RECORDS from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201.

CASH FOR JEWELRY: Gold, silver, costume.

Buying whole estates. Gary Roman, 301-5200755. Theatticllc.com.

BEACON BITS

Jan. 22

JOB HUNTER’S FREE INTERNET CLASS

Master online tools as you search for a new job, exploring the power of social media, resume keywords and job aggregator sites such as Indeed. Learn how to coordinate an effective job search with job alerts, word clouds, and a strong online presence in this free class at the Central Branch library from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 22. The library is located at 10375 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia. Registration is preferred by calling (410) 313-7800.

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE COGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Rhome Communities . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Shriner Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Somerford Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Financial Services

Legal Services

Edward Jones/John Dove . . . . . . . . . . .15

Angels of Eldercare Planning . . . . . . .21 Frank, Frank & Scherr, LLC . . . . . . . .15 Lifson Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Events

Funeral Services Going Home Cremations . . . . . . . . . . .13 Harry H. Witzke’s Family Funeral Home, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Sol Levinson & Bros., Inc. . . . . . . . . .15

Senior Services Howard County Senior Connection . . . . . . . . . . . .17-20 Howard County Recreation & Parks . . . . . . . . . . .27-30

Subscriptions

Medical/Health

Beacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Technology

A-1 Action Nursing Care . . . . . . . . . . .13 HomeCentris Personal Care . . . . . . . . .7 Options for Senior America . . . . . . . . .31

Ellicott City Smile Care . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Greenhouse Wellness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Howard County General Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Medical Eye Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Vitality Integrated Health . . . . . . . . . . .9 Zinger Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Housing

Real Estate Services

Candlelight Concert Society . . . . . . . .33 Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Alta at Regency Crest . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Brooke Grove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Charlestown/Erickson Living . . . . . . . .8 Heartlands Senior Living . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Park View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Residences at Vantage Point . . . . . . . .11

Bob Lucido Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Tour & Travel

Retail/Services

Eyre Tour & Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Columbia’s Village Centers . . . . . . . . .24

Volunteers/Employment

Home Health Care

35

Beacon Silver Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 TheBeaconNewspapers.com . . . . . . . .26 WOW Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Theatre/Entertainment

The Beacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

36

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

PARKINSON’S POINTERS “Common Misconceptions About Parkinson’s” A free, livestream event followed by a question-and-answer session

Presented by Kelly Mills, MD, MHS, director, Neuromodulation and Advanced Therapies Clinic and Assistant Professor of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Hospital and University

thursday, january 10 • 6:30-8 p.m.

Check-in & Hors d’oeuvres • 6 p.m.

Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center 18131 Slade School Road • Sandy Spring, MD 20860

A host of myths and misconceptions surround the complex issues involved in the diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Discover the truth on topics such as the tests needed for diagnosis, whether or not Parkinson’s is a genetic disorder, timing for the initiation of levodopa therapy and more.

For more information or to register, contact Toni Davis at 301-388-7209 or tdavis@bgf.org by January 8.

www.bgf.org