February 2018 | Baltimore Beacon by The Beacon Newspapers

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From CPA to haute chocolatier

FEBRUARY 2018

I N S I D E …

PHOTO BY AARON LEVIN

By Carol Sorgen As Valentine’s Day approaches, lovebirds will line up for chocolate-covered strawberries at Ruthie Carliner’s evocatively named Velvet Chocolatier shop in Stevenson Village. Her chocolates can also be found at Whole Foods, and Oprah included her creamy sea salt-topped caramel cups in her list of “favorite things” back in 2011. But Carliner’s calling in creating decadent desserts is a far cry from her original career path. As a young wife and mother, Carliner, a CPA with a master’s degree in taxation, worked for her father, Stanley Penn, owner of Penn Pontiac GMC Truck. After his death in 1997, Carliner took over the business. Under her leadership, it grew into the largest GMC commercial truck dealer on the East Coast. But when the economy took a nosedive in 2007, a “stressed out” Carliner decided it was time to move on. The only problem? She had no idea what to do — until a class on chocolate turned her life around.

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L E I S U R E & T R AV E L

Some lesser-known New Orleans gems; plus, Palermo, Italy, the jewel of the Mediterranean, and no-fee airline rewards cards page 22

A scientific interest Carliner was always an enthusiastic baker and “a lover of all things chocolate.” And more than that, “I loved the science and math of it,” said Carliner, 56. “There’s a precision to working with chocolate that appealed to me.” And as opposed to other forms of baking, chocolate-making is also well-suited to Carliner because it doesn’t call for heavy lifting. “I’m tiny,” she said. “I can’t lift pounds and pounds of sugar and flour.” Carliner, who lives in Owings Mills, began refining her chocolate-making skills at home, first learning about the different types of chocolate and different customer preferences. American chocolate, for example, includes added sugar, she explained. European chocolate makers generally use less sweetener, and prefer using honey. After much trial and error, Carliner developed a product she thought would appeal to customers, and began “peddling” her candy from store to store. She soon found a home for the treats at Whole Foods in Mt. Washington. That brought her to the attention of the Whole Foods’ national distributor. That, in turn,

ARTS & STYLE Chocolate-maker and businesswoman Ruthie Carliner shows off some of her signature creations at the Velvet Chocolatier shop in Stevenson Village. Her candy has found a home at Whole Foods, and Oprah named it one of her “favorite things.”

led to Carliner’s chocolates being noticed by Oprah Winfrey. “That put us on the map, and opened us up to all sorts of possibilities,” said Carliner. The Velvet Chocolatier’s moniker was suggested by one of Carliner’s best friends, and the theme is carried out through the brown velvet ribbon that adorns every box of chocolates.

Focusing on quality Carliner prides herself on the fact that her handmade chocolates are gluten-free, kosher, contain no liqueurs or other additives, and are as sweetener-free as possible. The only time she uses added sweetenings are for her ganaches (fillings made from chocolate and cream), caramels and toffee. Enthusiastic young college students,

like Sarah Hewitt, help Carliner turn out such specialties as cashew chews, sea salt chocolate caramel cups, barks, truffles, chocolate-dipped potato chips, and her latest creation, chocolate “spoons.” Hewitt, Carliner’s longest-working staff member, became a part-time employee as a college freshman and is now a graduate student in psychology at the University of Baltimore. “I want to grow the business so Sarah will stay!” Carliner said. For Hewitt’s part, what began as a way to earn some money in college has turned into a true passion. The two often work side by side. Enter the shop, and you’ll see them clad in gloves and aprons, busy toasting nuts, tempering the rich Guittard chocolate, See CHOCOLATE, page 29

A grandmother’s picture books focus on her diverse family; plus, classes that will unleash your inner artist, and books to start 2018 on a positive note page 26

TECHNOLOGY k Hackers can target kids’ toys

FITNESS & HEALTH k New genetic test for cancer k Latest migraine treatment

LAW & MONEY 17 k Banks are paying (a little) more k What are Medicaid annuities? ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

PLUS CROSSWORD, BEACON BITS, CLASSIFIEDS & MORE

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A bitter pill indeed A seemingly innocuous request recently I left feeling somewhat uncomfortable led me to a bout of righteous indignation about the whole exchange, but took the and a passionate battle. samples with me. At the end of an appointBack home, I read the fine ment with my orthopedist, I print on the packaging. It exasked him to refill my preplained that the new drug, scription for an NSAID pain called Vimovo, was basically a reliever. Though it happens to high-dosage NSAID coated be available over-the-counter with a common proton-pump at a reasonable price, the preinhibitor (to reduce stomach scription is a 12-hour version, acid). and its cost (to me and to my I realized this was another insurance company) is even of those increasingly comless than OTC retail. mon situations where a drug FROM THE The physician assistant PUBLISHER company combines two older By Stuart P. Rosenthal asked if I wouldn’t prefer a drugs available in generic different pill that’s coated to form into one branded pill. avoid stomach upset. I said no thanks. That allows them to patent the combinaThat’s one problem I don’t have (yet). tion and to charge a significantly higher But he pushed a bit, saying the new pill price for the convenience. is supposed to be helpful, and wouldn’t I I tried the new pill and didn’t find it any like to try it? Again, I said no, adding that I better than my trusty generic. So I decided once was prescribed something like that in to forget the whole thing. error, and it had a horrendous co-pay. Over the weekend, I found a voicemail He said, “Oh, there’s no co-pay at all for on my cell phone from the family pharmathis drug! And I have some samples. Why cy, seeking to confirm my address so they don’t you take some home and try it?” could mail me the prescription. Since I didHe gave me the samples and a piece of n’t plan to order it, I ignored the call. paper with the name and phone number of a Two days later, a small package arrived particular “family pharmacy” I hadn’t heard in the mail. Inside was a bottle of Vimovo, of. He said they discount the drug and ab- plus a return mail envelope and a receipt sorb the co-pay, and he would call the pre- with instructions to “sign and return this scription in to them. If I decided I wanted it, form in acknowledgement of receipt of they would mail the pills to me free of correct prescription.” charge. OK, now my suspicions had grown.

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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). Subscriptions are available via third-class mail ($12), prepaid with order. Maryland residents add 6 percent for sales tax. Send subscription order to the office listed below. Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. • 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 • Contributing Editor ..........................Carol Sorgen • Advertising Representatives .................................. ..............................Barbara Koscielski, Steve Levin • Assistant Editor ..........................Rebekah Alcalde

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Combining the PA’s eagerness to push me to try it, and the pharmacy’s presumptuousness in sending me the pills without my asking, I felt there was something fishy going on. So I scrutinized the mailing. The receipt included my name, the Rx#, the name and quantity of the drug, and “co-pay: $0.00.” But what did they charge my insurance company, I wondered? So I looked closely at the label of the pill bottle packaging. It showed something shocking: “co-pay: $0.00. Ins. paid $2,236.76.” Whoa! I expected to see a brand-name kind of price there, but more than $2,000? I was spitting nails. By what right are they charging hundreds of times the real cost of the ingredients? And why did my insurance company pay such an outrageous price without complaint? I had no illusions: insurance rates for the Beacon, like for the rest of the country, have been going up much faster than inflation. Costs like this ultimately get passed on to us, the customers. I was on the phone within seconds to the pharmacy, giving them a piece of my mind. They kept trying to calm me down by reminding me, “but there’s no co-pay! You don’t have to pay a cent!” That just made me angrier. In the end, I’m paying; we’re all paying! I insisted they take the pills back and credit my insurance company for the full charge. To their credit, they sent me a postagepaid return slip so I wouldn’t incur mailing fees, and once they got the bottle back, they called me to confirm they had refunded my insurance company. In the meantime, I called my orthopedist’s office to find out if they were part of this scheme, or maybe just the victim of a drug company marketing rep. When I reached the head of the practice, I told him what happened, and he was as flabbergasted as I had been. He asked me to repeat myself, then he slowly repeated the same thing back to me, clearly growing more and more incredulous at the outrage. He called over the PA and asked him if he had any idea what those pills cost. The PA said no, he didn’t. The doctor repeatedly thanked me for bringing this to his attention, and said he

would immediately warn his staff about the situation and the pharmacy. After that conversation, I went online to see what Vimovo’s standard retail price was, and I was floored yet again: $2,650 is the average retail cost. To my amazement, the family pharmacy was indeed “discounting” the drug! But that didn’t change the fact that the price sought by the drug company is, to my mind, unconscionable and exploitative. I was relieved that my doctors were as shocked as I, and that they were determined to take the price into account before ever prescribing the drug again. But this lack of knowledge about the cost of drugs on the part of doctors is as appalling as it is common. I didn’t think it was the responsibility of patients to inform our doctors about the costs of drugs. But apparently there’s no one else with the incentive to do so. Not even our insurance companies or Medicare Part D plans. (However, just recently, CVS Health announced it will start informing doctors about drug costs in an effort to avoid patient sticker shock at the pharmacy, and to reduce the number of patients who don’t fill their prescriptions.) So I urge you: take a look at your prescription receipts and note what your insurance pays. If it seems out of whack, or if there are cheaper alternatives you are willing to try, let your doctor know. And those with Medicare Part D are not off the hook. While such plans can negotiate drug prices, if you are taking a more expensive version of a drug than you need, it’s contributing to the overall problem. There are many reasons healthcare costs in America are rising much faster than inflation. One might point to surgeries (such as the nearly 500,000 knee and hip replacements done each year), and the extraordinary costs for the latest treatments for cancer and genetic diseases. But the price we all pay for our prescriptions drives at least part of the rising cost. Be vigilant and speak up. It might be a small thing in itself, but I can tell you from

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. Dear Editor: Many kudos to the Beacon for beginning the new year with a lead story filled with compassion, wisdom and heart! January’s cover, “Foster Parents Give and Find Love” by Carol Sorgen, set a wonderful tone. To read about Janis Oglesby and her work as a treatment foster parent reminds me of so many things: How we all need

love. How we all want to be listened to, and heard. How we can all make compassionate choices for those around us, as well as for ourselves. You have written about hope, and caring and healing — and if they aren’t the best themes for 2018, then what is? Leslie Robin Kassal Baltimore

BALTIMORE BEACON â&#x20AC;&#x201D; FEBRUARY 2018

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FEBRUARY 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Technology &

Innovations Toys today can spy on kids. What to do By Joseph Pisani The toys your grandkids received over the holidays could invite hackers into your home. That Grinch-like warning comes from the FBI, which said earlier this year that toys connected to the Internet could be a target for crooks who may listen in on conversations or use them to steal a child’s personal information. The bureau did not name any specific toys or brands, but it said any Internet-connected toys with microphones, cameras or location tracking may put a child’s privacy or safety at risk. That could be a talking doll or a tablet designed for kids. And because some of these toys were being rushed to be made and sold late last year, the FBI said security safeguards might have been overlooked. Security experts said the only way to prevent a hack is to not keep the toy. But if you decide to let a kid play with it, there are ways to reduce the risks. Here are some tips:

Research and read reviews Before opening a toy, search for it online

and read reviews to see if there are any complaints or if past security problems are reported. If there have been previous issues, you may want to rethink keeping it. Reputable companies will also explain how information is collected from the toy or device, how that data is stored, and who has access to it. Usually that type of information is found on the company’s website, typically under its privacy policy. If you can’t find it, call the company. If there isn’t a policy, that’s a bad sign. “You shouldn’t use it,” said Behnam Dayanim, a partner at Paul Hastings in Washington, and co-chair of the law firm’s privacy and cybersecurity practice. Companies can change their privacy policies, so read them again if you’re notified of a change.

Use secure wi-fi Make sure the Wi-Fi the toy will be connected to is secure and has a hard-to-guess password. Weak passwords make it easier for hackers to access devices that use a wifi network. Never connect the toy to free

wi-fi that’s open to the public. And if the toy itself allows you to create a password, do it.

“You can lie.”

Be vigilent Not using it? Turn it off When the toy is not being used, shut it off or unplug it so it stops collecting data. When off, toys “become less of an attractive target,” said Alan Brill, who is a cybersecurity and investigations consultant. And if the item has a camera, face it toward a wall or cover it with a piece of tape when it’s not being used. Toys with microphones can be thrown in a chest or drawer, where it’s harder to hear conversations, Brill said.

Register, but limit your info It’s important to register a new item, because a manufacturer software update may fix security holes, and you don’t want to miss that fix, Brill said. But when registering, be stingy with the information you hand over. All they need is contact information to let you know about the update. If they require other information, such as a child’s birthday, make one up. “You’re not under oath,” said Brill.

If the toy or device allows kids to chat with other people playing with the same toy or game, explain to children that they can’t give out personal information, said Liz Brown, a business law professor at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts, who focuses on technology and privacy law. But such explanations may not be enough: Check the chat section to make sure children aren’t sending things they shouldn’t be, Brown said. Unsavory adults could be pretending to be kids to get personal information. “It can get creepy pretty fast,” said Brown. Reputable companies that make toys with microphones will offer ways for parents to review and delete stored information. Take advantage of that.

Report breaches If a toy was compromised by a hacker, the FBI recommends reporting it online through its Internet crime complaint center at IC3.gov. — AP

Restaurants use tech to increase spending By Candice Choi Restaurant chains are making it easier to order food with a few taps of the screen — so much so that you may lose sight of how much you’re spending. The convenience that technology offers may make us less vigilant about how much we’re buying. Digital ordering also lets companies better track our spending habits, and may lead to increasingly personalized offers that are more likely to catch our attention. Digital ordering helps you find more of the things you want, but it’s worth understanding the other side of the equation: Sometimes, technology is an opportunity to get you to spend more.

Domino’s About 60 percent of Domino’s orders now come through the chain’s website, app and other digital channels. And people tend to order more online than over the phone, according to Domino’s spokesman Tim McIntyre — likely because they can

browse the menu and take their time deciding. That can result in people getting another pizza topping, or adding sides. “They tend to upsell themselves,” McIntyre said of online customers. Domino’s also has prompts during the ordering process. Once a pizza is ordered, for instance, people might be asked before checkout if they want to “cheese it up” or add drinks. Employees taking orders by phone are also encouraged to suggest extras — a tactic known as “upselling” or “suggestive selling.” But McIntyre said the human attempts aren’t as consistent. “The computer never feels rushed, the computer never feels rejection personally,” he said, noting that some employees might be shyer than others.

Chili’s, Olive Garden Tabletop tablets being used at some sitdown restaurants, which let people order food and pay for their meals, can have a similar effect.

Ziosk, the company that makes the devices available at chains including Chili’s and Olive Garden, said restaurants see more orders of dessert and appetizers with Ziosk devices. Dessert orders also tend to have more coffees attached to them, said Ziosk CEO Austen Mulinder. “The Ziosk will always remember to ask, ‘Do you want to add coffee to that?’” he said. Most restaurants that use Ziosk devices use them to let people order appetizers, desserts and drinks. With entrees, Mulinder said it makes more sense for a server to take the order, rather than having people passing around a device. Chili’s has cited other benefits of Ziosk, including the collection of customer spending data. The devices also generate money from games that people can play while waiting. That revenue more than offsets the cost of the devices in most cases, Mulinder said.

alized offers for loyalty members and mobile app users, which include the recent rollout of “real-time” suggestive selling based on past purchases for people ordering ahead on their smartphones. The company says the efforts are yielding positive results, with spending by loyalty members up by 8 percent in the latest quarter. “We think that the steps we’ve taken regarding personalization are a driver of that,” said spokeswoman Maggie Jantzen. The company has also been turning the acquisition of reward points into games. That includes ones like “Starbucks Bingo” that reward members for making particular purchases. Panera’s loyalty program also incorporates members’ past purchases. Unlike in most programs, Panera loyalty members do not know when they’ll get their next reward, or what it will be. Blaine Hurst, Panera’s president, said

Starbucks, Panera Starbucks is pushing into more person-

See RESTAURANTS, page 5

Restaurants From page 4 customers can be placed into one of “thousands” of rewards tracks, based on their spending habits. If their spending habits change, they can shift into different tracks.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations

BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2018

And the methodology is expected to get more sophisticated. Hurst says companies have been collecting massive amounts of data on customer spending habits, and thinks they will find new ways to use that information. — AP

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

HELPING HORSES AND HUMANS

Rose of Sharon Equestrian School is looking for volunteers who are comfortable both with people who have disabilities and with animals, especially horses. Experience with horses is not required. Volunteers must commit to two hours per week. The school is located in Glen Arm. For more information, call (410) 592-2562 or visit www.roseofsharonschool.org.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

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Health Study Volunteers ❏ COPD Study (see ad on page 14) ❏ Easing agitation in Alzheimer’s Study

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(see article on page 14) ❏ Elderly Falls Prevention Study (see ad on page 14) ❏ Slow Walking & Exercise Study (see ad on page 15) ❏ Vitamin D Sturdy Study (see ad on page 14)

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❏ Aigburth Vale Senior Community (see ad on page 29) ❏ Alta at Regency Crest (see ad on page 8) ❏ Atrium Village (see ad on page 6) ❏ Charlestown (see ad on page 11) ❏ Christ Church Harbor Apts. (see ad on page 24) ❏ Linden Park Apts. (see ad on page 21) ❏ Oak Crest (see ad on page 11) ❏ Park Heights Place (see ad on page 27) ❏ Park View Laurel (see ad on page 25) ❏ Park View Towson (see ad on page 25) ❏ Park View Fullerton (see ad on page 25) ❏ Park View Rosedale (see ad on page 25) ❏ St. Mary’s Roland View Towers (see ad on page 24) ❏ Virginia Towers (see ad on page 27) ❏ Woodholme Gardens (see ad on page 19)

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See how maple syrup is made on Saturdays and Sundays in February, starting Feb. 17 at the Oregon Ridge Nature Center. The Sugar Shack will be open to visitors from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with hikes on the hour. The event is free. The center is located at 13555 Beaver Dam Rd. in Cockeysville. For more information, call (410) 887-1815.

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Feb. 17+

MAPLE SUGARING WEEKENDS

★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★ F R E E

The Education Department of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center is looking for volunteers to help with education and public programming. You will work directly with members of the public to encourage environmental literacy. Short (half-day) and long-term positions are available with flexible dates, times and locations. For more information, call (443) 482-2200 or visit http://serc.si.edu.

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Ongoing

Technology & Innovations | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

By Barbara Ruben

out a cell phone signal. While the Hiking Project is part of outdoors store REI, both the website and app are free of advertising. www.hikingproject.com Hiking Project is free at the Apple App Store and on Google Play

Go take a hike

Music lessons

You don’t need to scale Mount Everest to net the many benefits of hiking. Even a moderate one-hour hike can burn around 400 calories. Find a trail near you at www.hikingproject.com, which features GPS and elevation data, as well as user-generated tips for almost 14,000 trails, from beginner to advanced hikes. The website also offers a forum where hikers can compare routes and hiking tips. Then download the app, which shows where you are on a map of a trail at all times. It even works offline, so you can use it with-

If you’ve never learned to read music or don’t understand how scales or chords are formed, MusicTheory.net can help. The site offers interactive lessons on everything from how to understand clef marks and ledger lines, to constructing minor scales. Interactive exercises quiz you on what you’ve learned. While the information on the site is extensive and free of charge, users can purchase additional lessons on an app linked at the site. www.musictheory.net Website instruction is free; Theory Les-

Beacon Links & Apps

FEBRUARY 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

sons, $2.99 from the Apple App store

Free NFL games Watching NFL football games on your phone used to be mainly limited to Verizon customers. Now anyone will be able to watch football games on the go for free on Yahoo’s app, now that Verizon owns Yahoo. Verizon’s five-year deal with the NFL takes effect in January, in time for playoffs. Verizon bought Yahoo in June, and AOL in 2015, and wants to combine the two to build a digital ad business to rival Facebook and Google. It hopes adding more sports streaming will help grow the audience for its media business. Games will stream on various apps and mobile sites. Yahoo Sports and NFL mobile apps are free from both the Apple App Store and Google Pay Yahoo.com on mobile (but not

CARE THAT’S

always there at ATRIUM VILLAGE

Yahoo.com on computers)

Senior savings You know you qualify for discounts at myriad establishments, but it’s hard to remember exactly when the deal is (Tuesdays? Wednesdays?) and exactly how much you can save. The Senior Savings app lists more than 200 places — including restaurants, groceries, travel, entertainment and more — that offer discounts for customers starting at age 50. They can be organized alphabetically by store or business, or by age. Senior Savings, 99 cents at the Apple App store.

Getting on the move Seeing your everyday exercise stats helps you think about how to get more. The Moves app activity diary automatically records any walking, cycling and running you do. You can view the distance, duration, steps and calories burned for each activity. Moves also calculates how many calories you burn while idle. You can also add calculations for gym training and more than 60 other activities. The app is always on, so there’s no need to start and stop it. Just keep your phone in your pocket or your bag. But be aware that the app can cause your phone battery to drain more quickly. Moves, free in the Apple App store and from Google Play

BEACON BITS

Jan. 27

OUR PEOPLE TRULY CARE ABOUT YOU. Our version of senior living upholds the standards of YOU R L IF EST Y L E. Catered to your tastes, our staff and amenities deliver a level of quality and service that will make you feel right at home.

CALL 410-928-4636 TODAY TO LEARN MORE AND SCHEDULE A PRIVATE LUNCH

INDEPENDEN T L I V ING | A SSIST ED L I V ING MEMORY L I V ING 4730 AT R I U M COU RT | OW INGS MIL LS, MD 21117 WWW.SENIORLIFESTYLE.COM

MONOLOGUE COMPETITION

Fells Point Theatre is holding a Monologue Slam, an acting contest and performance by local actors who will perform their favorite two-minute monologue, on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 8 p.m. Tickets to attend cost $10. The theatre is located at 251 S Ann. St. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.fpct.org.

Feb. 23+

AMERICAN CRAFTS SHOW

The American Craft Show returns this year to the Baltimore Convention Center on Friday through Sunday, Feb. 23 to 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This event showcases the work of more than 650 of the country’s most talented contemporary artists presenting their latest handmade creations in jewelry, clothing, furniture, and home décor. Tickets cost $14 for one-day pass and $34 for a threeday pass. There’s a special ticket price of $5 for Friday after 5 p.m. Children under 12 have free admission. The convention center is located at 1 West Pratt St. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit craftcouncil.org/Baltimore.

BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2018

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Health Fitness &

ENDING MIGRAINE MISERY New injectable drugs can cut the number of headaches in half SECONDHAND SMOKE Even if you don’t smoke, your health can be put at risk by those who do NEW SHINGLES VACCINE A new vaccine provides over 90% protection; much more than the older shot EXPAND YOUR MIND Foods like berries and salmon can help grow new neurons

New test profiles patients’ cancer genes By Marilynn Marchione U.S. regulators have approved a first-ofa-kind test that looks for mutations in hundreds of cancer genes at once, giving a more complete picture of what’s driving a patient’s tumor and aiding efforts to match treatments to those flaws. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Foundation Medicine’s test for patients with advanced or widely spread cancers, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed covering it. The dual decisions will make tumorgene profiling available to far more cancer patients than the few who get it now, and lead more insurers to cover it. “It’s essentially individualized, precision medicine,” said Dr. Kate Goodrich, chief

medical officer for the Medicare oversight agency.

One sample, many tests Currently, patients may get tested for individual genes if a drug is available to target those mutations. It’s a hit-and-miss approach that sometimes means multiple biopsies and wasted time. In lung cancer alone, for example, about half a dozen genes can be checked with individual tests to see if a particular drug is a good match. The new FoundationOne CDx test can be used for any solid tumor — such as prostate, breast or colon cancer — and surveys 324 genes plus other features that can help predict success with treatments

BEACON BITS

Jan. 26

PHYSICAL FITNESS SCREENING Pivot Physical Therapy will demonstrate its Senior Physical

Fitness Screen, a physical assessment tool that documents changes in function from year to year, at the Bykota Senior Center on Friday, Jan. 26, beginning at 12:45 p.m. The event is free and will take place at the center, 611 Central Ave. in Towson. For more information, call (410) 887-3094.

Jan. 31

SEE (AND TASTE) WEIGHT MANAGEMENT RECIPES Join the Bykota Senior Center for a free weight management training session, with a cooking demonstration, taste tests and

recipe handouts on Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 10 a.m. The program will take place at the center, 611 Central Ave. For more information, call (410) 887-3094.

that enlist the immune system. “Instead of one or two, you have many” tests at once from a single tissue sample, said the FDA’s Dr. Jeffrey Shuren. The tests give better and more information to guide treatment, and can help more patients find and enroll in studies of novel therapies, he said. “This will be a sea change” for patients, said Dr. Richard Schilsky, chief medical officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the association of doctors who treat the disease. “On balance, I think this is good,” he said, but added that there is a risk that spotting a mutation will lead doctors and patients to try treatments that haven’t been proven to work in that situation, and to promote more off-label use of expensive drugs.

A better outcome in those situations is to guide people into studies testing drugs that target those genes, Schilsky said. Foundation Medicine, based in Cambridge, Mass., and others have sold tumor profiling tests for several years under more lax rules governing lab-developed tests. But insurers have balked at paying for the tests, which cost around $6,000. Now, the FDA’s approval gives assurance of quality, Shuren said, and the government’s proposed coverage for Medicare and other public insurance programs means private insurers will more likely follow. A final decision is expected early this year, followed by setting a price for reimbursement. See CANCER GENES, page 8

BEACON BITS

Feb. 26+

QUIT SMOKING FOR GOOD

A free six-week program designed to help you quit smoking for good starts at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 26 at the North Point Branch Library, 1716 Merritt Blvd., Dundalk. Free nicotine patches and gum will be provided at this program sponsored by the Baltimore County Department of Health. Registration is required by calling (410) 399-2001.

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Cancer genes From page 7

For advanced cancers Coverage is proposed for patients with recurrent, widely spread or advanced cancers, who have decided with their doctors to seek further treatment and have not previously had a gene sequencing test. “A lot of these folks have run out of treatment options,” but the tests may point to something new that might help, Goodrich said. The impact is expected to be greatest on

lung cancer, since so many of those tumors are found at an advanced stage, and multiple gene-targeting drugs are available to treat it. Evidence isn’t strong enough to warrant using these gene profiling tests for earlier stages of cancer. Patients get standard, guideline-based care in those cases. In mid-November, the FDA also approved a gene-profiling test developed by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. But it’s used almost exclusively on patients at that cancer center, and is not envisioned to be a widely available commercial test. The federal decisions will make gene se-

FEBRUARY 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

quencing a more routine component of cancer care, “just like we normally look with a microscope” to classify the stage of a patient’s disease, said Dr. David Klimstra, pathology chief at the cancer center. Another leader in this field, Caris Life Sciences, said it also intends to pursue FDA ap-

A new twist on DNA By Lauran Neergaard It’s one of the first lessons in high school biology: All life is made up of four DNA building blocks known by the letters A, T, C and G. Paired together, they form DNA’s ladder-like rungs. Now there’s a new rung on that ladder. Scientists are expanding the genetic code of life, using man-made DNA to create a semi-synthetic strain of bacteria. And new research shows those altered microbes actually worked to produce proteins unlike those found in nature. It’s a step toward designer drug development.

The experiment

Treating Difficulty Standing, Walking, Sitting, and Sleeping attributed to Arthritis, Spinal Stenosis, Neuropathy, Fibromyalgia, Painful Swollen Legs, Poor Circulation, and "Growing Pains" in Children. As a podiatrist with over 36 years experience, I have always focused on non-surgical treatment of foot and leg pain. I find that most people with foot or leg symptoms (arthritic, aching, burning, cramping or difficulty walking) , even those who have had other treatments, including surgery of the foot (or back), can be helped, usually in 1 or 2 visits. — Dr. Stuart Goldman

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proval for its widely used tumor profiling test, sold now through lab certifications. It’s also working on a newer tool to profile tumor genes from a blood sample. Many companies already sell these socalled liquid biopsy tests, though none are FDA-approved yet. — AP

A team at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., expanded the genetic alphabet, creating two artificial DNA “letters” called X and Y. A few years ago, the researchers brewed up a type of E. coli bacteria commonly used for lab research that contained both natural DNA and this new artificial base pair — which can store extra genetic information inside cells. Normal DNA contains the coding for cells to form proteins that do the work of life. Could cells carrying this weird genomic hybrid work the same way, the researchers wondered? The researchers traced the biological steps as the altered E. coli read the

artificial genetic code and assembled the pieces for a new protein, with the same efficiency as if using normal DNA. The altered cells glowed green as they produced a fluorescent protein containing unnatural amino acids, the researchers recently reported in the journal Nature. The result is a platform that offers a way to increase the diversity of proteins made inside living cells, said Jef Boeke, a synthetic biology researcher at New York University who wasn’t involved in Scripps’ work. “We can make proteins that are built of more things than they normally are,” explained Scripps chemist Floyd Romesberg, who leads the project. While programming the green germs offered evidence that the approach can work, eventually “we would like to get proteins that do new things,” he said. That’s an ultimate goal in the field of synthetic biology — designing organisms that work differently from the way nature intended, so scientists can harness them to create designer drugs, biofuels or a range of other products. Scripps’ technology has been licensed by a biotech company Romesberg cofounded, Synthorx Inc., that aims to make novel protein-based drugs. — AP

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2018

New injectable drugs reduce migraines By Marilynn Marchione New, long-acting drugs may hold hope for millions of people who often suffer migraines. Studies of two of these medicines, given as shots every month or so, found they cut the frequency of the notoriously painful and disabling headaches. The drugs are the first preventive medicines developed specifically for migraines. They work by interfering with a substance involved in modifying nerve signaling and progression of pain and symptoms. Migraines plague more than a billion people worldwide, more than 38 million in the U.S. alone. They’re more severe than an ordinary headache — throbbing, squeezing pain and pressure, often accompanied by vision problems, sensitivity to light, noise or smells, and nausea. They can leave people unable to work or do simple things like cooking or even hold a conversation. “It’s a whole new direction” for treatment, and an important advance for people who don’t want to take, or aren’t helped by, the daily pills sometimes used now to prevent recurrences, said Dr. Andrew Hershey, neurology chief at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He had no role in the research, but has tested other migraine drugs and wrote a commentary published with the studies in the New England Journal of Medicine.

the placebo group. Half of the patients on the higher dose saw their migraine days cut at least in half. “I very definitely benefited,” said Anne Vickers, who got the lower dose through one of the study leaders at Mercy Hospital St. Louis in Missouri. “I can have anywhere from 15 to 18 headaches per month, and probably five of those days are migraines,” she said. But that dropped 40 percent on the drug. “I have three kids, so for me it meant having more days when I was able to live my everyday life, cook a meal at home, go to events at school.” The second study tested fremanezumab (frem-uh-NEZZ-yoo-mab), from Teva Pharmaceutical, for chronic migraine — defined as headaches on 15 or more days per month, at least eight of them migraines. About 1,000 patients were given month-

ly shots for three months: One third got the drug each time, another third got the drug the first time and then dummy shots the next two times, and the rest got dummy shots each time. Monthly headache days dropped by four to five in the groups given the drug, and by two to three for those given dummy treatments.

Some caveats — Average reductions of one or two days a month are modest, but “there are some patients who have had a complete response. They become headache-free,” Hershey said. — No worrisome side effects emerged, but the studies were very short, so longterm safety and effectiveness are unknown. — The new drugs were not tested

against existing ones, only against placebo treatments. — Many study leaders work for, or have other financial ties to, the drugmakers, and the companies helped analyze the results. — Biotech drugs like these tend to be very expensive, and if they’re approved, insurers may set big copays or require patients to try older medicines first, Hershey said. On the other hand, when the drugs did work, the benefit was seen right away, so there’s less financial risk in trying one or two doses. “The patient will know quickly if this is a drug for them, and if not, move on to something else,” Hershey said. Both drugs have been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval. Eli Lilly and Co. and Alder Biopharmaceuticals also are testing similar drugs. — AP

Our legacy is going strong. Just like our patients.

Headache days cut in half One study tested erenumab (er-EN-yoomab), from Amgen and Novartis, in about 900 people who averaged eight migraines a month. Nearly half had already tried other preventive medicines. For six months, they were given monthly shots into the abdomen of a high dose of the drug, a low dose, or a dummy medicine. The number of days they suffered migraines each month dropped by three to four in the drug groups and nearly two in

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Ongoing

JOIN THE BALTIMORE COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

The Baltimore County Genealogical Society is currently accepting new members for 2018. Membership entitles participants to regular issues of the Notebook and Newsletter, participation in meetings and activities, participation in the Eastern European interest group, and use of the group’s growing lending library and databases, among other benefits. Yearly fees are $15 for individuals; $20 for families. The society is located at 8601 Harford Rd., Room 308, in Parkville. For more information, call (410) 665-8769.

For nearly 50 years, MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital has provided comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation for patients recovering from stroke, amputation, spinal cord injury and complex medical conditions. In partnership with MedStar National Rehabilitation Network, our team focuses on each patient’s capabilities rather than disabilities, so he or she can become as independent as possible, adding life to years®. To learn more, visit MedStarGoodSam.org/PatientRehab or call 855-546-1864.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2018

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Palliative care is for anyone seriously ill Dear Mayo Clinic: What’s the difference between palliative care and hospice care? Answer: People often confuse palliative care and hospice care, thinking they are the same thing. But they’re not. Palliative care focuses on improving quality of life for anyone who has a serious illness. Hospice care is a form of palliative care for people whose illness has advanced to the point that they likely have less than six months to live.

Relieving symptoms and pain Palliative care can be useful to people of any age who have a serious illness, no matter the stage of the disease or long-term outlook. The goal of palliative care is to help people living with illness feel better overall. If you opt to have palliative care, it doesn’t limit other care, or take the place of therapies used to treat or cure disease. Palliative care can be provided together with curative treatment.

BEACON BITS

Jan. 28

FREE DANCE CONCERT

Internationally known choreographer Peter Pucci returns to the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) to present Migration, an original dance production as part of the Baltimore Stories Performing Arts series. The premiere will be performed on Sunday, Jan. 28, at 2 p.m. at CCBC Essex, Wellness and Athletics Center, located at 7201 Rossville Blvd. To reserve your free tickets, call (443) 840-2787.

Feb. 3

People who receive palliative care can have a wide range of illnesses — such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, dementia, kidney failure and stroke. Doctors who specialize in palliative care have expertise in relieving symptoms that often accompany serious illness — such as pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, constipation, sleep problems and depression. Palliative care also takes into account a person’s emotional and spiritual well-being. In many cases, palliative care provides services to the entire family, helping everyone involved better cope with the disease. Teamwork is a key part of both palliative care and hospice care. Palliative care professionals can come from a wide range of medical specialties. In addition to physi-

cians, the team includes nurses, pharmacists, social workers and chaplains. It is important to note that palliative care professionals become part of a patient’s healthcare team. They replace no one. This means that the palliative care professionals will not take the place of your doctors or any other established care team members. Instead, palliative care experts work with those providers to offer a coordinated approach.

Hospice is for terminally ill As a subset of palliative care, hospice care is intended for people who have no further options to treat a life-threatening illness efSee PALLIATIVE CARE, page 12

BOOKLOVERS’ BREAKFAST WITH APRIL RYAN

Join April Ryan, former White House correspondent and current Washington bureau chief for American Urban Radio Networks, for breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 3, at 8:30 a.m. Advanced registration for the event is required by Tuesday, Jan. 30. Individual tickets are $50 with discounted parking available. The event will take place at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel, at 700 Aliceanna St. in Baltimore. For more information or to reserve your ticket, call (410) 396-5494.

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• Medical house calls by doctors and nurse practitioners, with 24/7 phone access • In-home diagnostic tests and treatments • Coordination of all medical and social services • Delivery of medications and equipment • Coordination of hospital and specialist care We serve elders (age 65 and older) who struggle to get to the doctor’s office. If you or a loved one needs our house call services, call 443-262-0330 today, or visit MedStarHealth.org/ElderCare.

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Risks abound in secondhand smoke, too Dear Mayo Clinic: Is secondhand cigarette smoke dangerous to my health? Answer: The short answer to your question is yes, secondhand smoke is dangerous. Secondhand smoke — also known as environmental tobacco smoke — is a combination of the smoke coming from a burning cigarette and the smoke exhaled by the smoker, which spreads out to the surrounding space. Secondhand smoke contains the same toxic chemicals that are inhaled by smokers — including nicotine, carbon monoxide, benzene, formaldehyde, cyanide and a variety of cancer-causing substances.

The effects of these chemicals are greater when inhaled directly from a cigarette; nonetheless, the effects are still toxic secondhand. Particles in secondhand smoke can remain in the air for hours, and the residue that clings to a smoker’s hair, clothing and other items also may pose health risks, especially for children. This residue is sometimes referred to as thirdhand smoke. Because secondhand smoke is a dynamic mixture that changes as it travels and mixes with the environment, it’s hard to quantify its risk. In general, no amount of secondhand

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Jan. 25

MEDICARE AND YOU

Join the Woodlawn Senior Center for a no-cost information session on Medicare options and the way they can benefit you on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 12:45 p.m. The center is located at 2120 Gwynn Oak Ave. For more information, call (410) 887-6887.

Did you know smokers are at greater risk for developing heart disease? February is Heart Month! If you smoke, consider quitting.

It’s never too late! We can help. Call or email the Department of Health: 410-887-3828 | tobacco@baltimorecountymd.gov Healthy people, living, working, and playing in Baltimore County Gregory Wm. Branch, M.D., MBA, CPE, FACP - Director, Health and Human Services Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and the Baltimore County Council

smoke is safe, because of its inherent toxicity.

Lung cancer and heart risks Evidence indicates that the secondhand smoke exposure that comes from living with a smoker can increase your risk of lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent. Secondhand smoke also increases your risk of coronary heart disease by 25 to 30 percent, and can lead to a variety of health risks for children, as well as for pregnant women and their unborn babies. As with active smoking, the greater the exposure — and the longer the duration of exposure — the greater the risk of harm, especially for diseases such as lung cancer. However, even short-term exposure can worsen symptoms of asthma and coro-

Palliative care From page 11 fectively, or for whom those treatments don’t nary heart disease. provide them with improved quality of life. Unfortunately, air cleaning devices or Hospice focuses on providing the highfilters don’t effectively clear the air of secest quality of life possible, while supporting the whole family. Hospice recognizes dying as part of the normal process of living, affirms life, and neither hastens nor postpones death. Hospice care is for terminally ill people expected to have six months or less to live. This doesn’t mean that hospice care will be provided only for six months, though. Hospice care can be continued for as long as the individual’s doctor and hospice care team confirm that the illness remains life-limiting. Hospice care can be provided at home. But it is also offered in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and dedicated hospice centers. With hospice, treatments are offered for many symptoms, such as constipation,

ondhand smoke. The only way to eliminate the risks of exposure is to eliminate smoking. In recent years, smoke-free legislation has greatly increased the number of public places that are now smoke-free. For a smoker, smoking cessation can be a difficult journey, but an important one. If you smoke, know that quitting will improve not only your own health, but also the health of your loved ones. If you live with a smoker, your full support is essential to his or her quitting process. (Adapted from Mayo Clinic Health Letter) — Steven Ames, Ph.D., Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla. © 2017 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. pain and nausea, among others. If symptoms cannot be controlled at home, then admission to a hospital may be necessary, even if an individual is enrolled in hospice. If you or someone close to you is dealing with a serious illness, talk to your healthcare provider about the benefits of palliative care, and the palliative care services offered through your healthcare organization. Palliative care can be useful when navigating any serious illness, helping patients and families feel better — physically and emotionally. — Jacob Strand, M.D., Palliative Care Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A @mayo.edu. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.org. © 2017 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2018

New shingles vaccine boosts protection By Dr. Howard LeWine Q: I recently read that the new shingles vaccine might be better than the older vaccine. I did have one shot of the older vaccine about seven years ago. Should I get this new one? A: Shingles is caused by the same virus — the varicella zoster virus — that causes chickenpox. Once you have had chickenpox, the virus that caused it remains alive inside your nerves. It is inactive, but it can be reactivated later in life. This causes shingles. When the virus reactivates, the infected nerves, and the skin the nerves go to, become inflamed, causing a burning or stabbing pain. A few days later, when the virus reaches the skin, a rash of blisters appear along the affected nerve. The skin may be very sensitive, unable to tolerate even the lightest touch. Up to 10 percent of adults who get shingles experience long-term pain, even after the rash has healed completely. This condition is called post-herpetic neuralgia. It may last for months or even years. Until recently, only one shingles vaccine — called Zostavax — was available. In the large clinical trial that led to its approval by the FDA, the vaccine cut the risk of getting shingles by 51 percent, and the risk of postherpetic neuralgia by 67 percent. While a 50 percent decreased risk is

okay, that’s not great. Also, Zostavax starts losing its protective effect against shingles within a few years.

Effective, but insurance issues The newer vaccine appears to be both much more effective and provide longer protection. It’s called Shingrix. In a large four-year study, it continued to provide over 90 percent protection against shingles across all age groups. As opposed to one shot only for Zostavax, Shingrix requires two shots (two to six months apart) in order to be maximally protective. Side effects of both vaccines are minimal. But Shingrix does not have the longterm safety record that Zostavax has. The FDA approved Shingrix in October 2017 for people ages 50 and older. A CDC advisory panel supported the recommendation and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices agreed, including people who have already received Zostavax. The CDC has not yet released formal recommendations for Shingrix. So, medical insurance probably would not cover the $280 cost of the two shots today. But I expect that to change in the near future. Like you, I have already had Zostavax. I do plan on getting Shingrix once it is covered by my medical insurance.

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 in-

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Feb. 2

ART SHOW TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CANCER PATIENTS

Andamento Gallery in Hampden will host a fundraiser for the Red Devils on Friday, Feb. 2, at the gallery, 3406 Chestnut Ave., from 5 to 9 p.m. The mission of the Red Devils is to fund services that improve the quality of life for breast cancer patients and their families. The event celebrates the opening of a show by mosaic guest artist Patty Van Dolson, who has been fighting Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer since 2011. Ten percent of everything sold in the gallery from Feb. 2 to 4 will be donated to the Red Devils, as will 10 percent of all of Van Dolson’s work sold at the gallery through April 2018. For more information, call (410) 486-3551 or visit www.andamentogallery.com.

We specialize in short-term rehabilitation and long-term relationships. Mary came to ManorCare Health Service – Woodbridge Valley debilitated from an infection. Mary couldn’t even get out of bed! didn’tknow know She told us ‘Ididn’t what to expect. I’ve never been hospitalized.’

“Everyone was so wonderful. I’m glad I came here.” - Mary

After our rehab team worked with Mary, she was up on her own two feet, managing all of her own needs and, in no time, was discharged and back to her regular routine. As an added bonus, ManorCare’s exercise regimen jump-started a weight loss which helped her to resolve her diabetes. Mary says, “Thanks to ManorCare, I feel great!”

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Health Studies Page

FEBRUARY 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Easing agitation in Alzheimer’s patients By Carol Sorgen Anxiety and agitation are commonly found in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. These behavioral changes may be caused by different medical conditions, medication interactions, or circumstances that continue to worsen the person’s ability to think. As an individual with dementia is biolog-

ically experiencing a loss of their ability to negotiate new information and different stimuli, they are increasingly likely to experience anxiety and agitation. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, some of the situations that can provoke agitation include moving to a new residence or nursing home; changes in environment,

such as travel, hospitalization or the presence of houseguests; changes in caregiver arrangements; misperceived threats; and fear and fatigue resulting from trying to make sense out of a confusing world.

Local study underway The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is currently conducting a clinical trial to examine the efficacy and safety of the drug escitalopram (brand name, Lexapro) as a treatment for agitation in Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) patients. Participants who demonstrate clinically significant agitation, and their caregiver(s), will receive a structured psychosocial intervention (generally a type of therapy). Participants who have not shown a response in three weeks will be randomly assigned to receive either escitalopram (up to 15 mg/day, taken orally) or a placebo. Escitalopram is an antidepressant in the group of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The way escitalopram works is not fully understood, but it is believed to positively affect com-

munication between nerve cells in the central nervous system and/or restore chemical balance in the brain.

Volunteers welcome Volunteers (patients with their caregivers) are being sought for the study. Participants will receive the study drug for 12 weeks, with in-person visits to Johns Hopkins at weeks three, six, nine and 12, and with telephone contacts between in-person visits. Following the 12-week study treatment period, participants will be followed for another 12 weeks without receiving the study drug. Participants who do show a response to the psychosocial intervention will not be randomized to the study drug but will be followed for the 24-week follow-up period. For more information, or to see if you qualify, contact principal investigator Paul Rosenberg at (410) 550-9883 or prosenb9@jhmi.edu, or study coordinator Nimra Jamil at (410) 550-9022 or Njamil2@jhmi.edu.

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Feb. 10

FREDERICK DOUGLASS’S 200TH BIRTHDAY The Reginald F. Lewis Museum is hosting a free celebration of the

200th birthday of Maryland abolitionist Frederick Douglass, with activities honoring the statesman. Lectures, readings and re-enactments are all free, but registration is encouraged. The event will take place on Saturday, Feb. 10, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St. For more information or to register, call (443) 263-1800 or visit www.lewismuseum.org.

BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2018

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Foods and games to improve your brain If you want to know how to grow a • Red grapes (because the skin has bunch of new brain cells, termed “neu- resveratrol) rons,” and keep them as • Wild-caught salmon and healthy as possible, let me tell other fatty fish (due to the you one quick thing about DHA fish oils) neurogenesis. Oddly, researchers have Neurogenesis is the science found that eating chewier foods of spurring the growth of neu— as opposed to soft, mushy rons in your brain. Without foods — are helpful to neuronal neurogenesis, you’d be dead. growth. As you eat a baked poIn fact, we can grow as many tato (instead of mashed potato), as 700 new neurons a day. think about that! Scientists have found that On the topic of food, we several things actually help DEAR also have well-designed trials spur on neurogenesis. The PHARMACIST to show that intermittent fastSuzy Cohen By bigger challenge, however, is ing, caloric restriction and exkeeping your new neurons. ercise promote the growth of Neurogenesis is a dynamic process that new brain cells. So keep that up, too. reduces risk of Alzheimer’s, insomnia, anxEveryone talks about enhancing BDNF iety, dementia and other cognitive prob- (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) as a lems. Avoiding foods high in glutamate and method of growing new brain cells. While MSG will help you, and so will eating a that is important, there is some new reclean, fresh diet of foods filled with a lot of search that suggests that the hormone what I call “light foods” — meaning plant- that makes you feel hungry, called ghrelin, based salads and veggies that utilize light may be the thing that triggers the whole for the photosynthesis process. birth of new neurons in the first place. Additionally, there are foods that are On the topic of exercise: I definitely particularly adept at growing brand new want you to go to Body Pump and Zumba, neurons in our brains, while also activating but you should also be exercising your protective pathways to nurture them and brain. By that, I mean engage in puzzles, keep them thriving. math problems and spatial video games. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true, that This brings me to my next idea for you. what we choose to eat impacts our mind to How about playing Super Mario 3D? some degree. The most potent neuron-lovThis particular video game (and also ing foods include: Super Mario 64) have been used in two im• Green tea, berries, citrus, apples, and portant research studies on the brain, where dark chocolate (due to the flavonoids) it was proven that spatial video games in• Blueberries (due to the flavonoids crease brain activity in the hippocampal reand anthocyanin) gion and help you create new neurons.

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Ongoing

MENTOR A YOUNG GIRL AND INSPIRE SUCCESS Seeds 4 Success, a nonprofit in Annapolis, is looking for mentors

for its Eastport Girls Club program. Inspire girls in grades 3 to 9 who live in Annapolis public or subsidized housing communities. Volunteers will serve as a positive role model to their mentee and will go on personalized programs with the student. Hours are flexible. For more information, contact Kacey Wyman at kacey.wyman@s4annapolis.org or call (209) 298-1927.

This gives us a whole new perspective when it comes to healing the brain and growing new healthy brain cells. So, enjoy a big bowl of blueberries, have a long work out, and then crash on the couch for some fun video gaming, and just feel your mind ignite with newfound brainiac-ness.

This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.

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FEBRUARY 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

TECHNOLOGY SIMPLIFIED – BIGGER AND BETTER

Wow! A Simple to Use Computer Designed Especially for Seniors! Easy to read. Easy to see. Easy to use. Just plug it in! NEW Now comes with... Larger 22-inch hi-resolution screen – easier to see 16% more viewing area Simple navigation – so you never get lost Intel® processor – lightning fast Computer is in the monitor – No bulky tower Advanced audio, Better speaker configuration – easier to hear Text to Speech translation – it can even read your emails to you! U.S. Based Customer Service

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Have you ever said to yourself “I’d love to get a computer, if only I could figure out how to use it.” Well, you’re not alone. Computers were supposed to make our lives simpler, but they’ve gotten so complicated that they are not worth the trouble. With all of the “pointing and clicking” and “dragging and dropping” you’re lucky if you can figure out where you are. Plus, you are constantly worrying about viruses and freeze-ups. If this sounds familiar, we have great news for you. There is finally a computer that’s designed for simplicity and ease of use. It’s the WOW Computer, and it was designed with you in mind. This computer is easyto-use, worry-free and literally puts

the world at your fingertips. From the moment you open the box, you’ll realize how different the WOW Computer is. The components are all connected; all you do is plug it into an outlet and your high-speed Internet connection. 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

you took part? Call now, and you’ll find out why tens of thousands of satisfied seniors are now enjoying their WOW Computers, emailing their grandchildren, and experiencing everything the Internet has to offer. Call today! • Send & Receive Emails • Have video chats with family and friends • Surf the Internet: Get current weather and news • Play games Online: Hundreds to choose from!

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2018

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Money Law &

REDUCE RMDS With some simple strategies, you can pay less tax when you take required minimum distributions from retirement accounts FOOTING THE BILL How to keep your credit score intact when you dispute a bill or can’t afford to pay it

Banks inch up depositor interest rates By Ken Sweet Slowly, but surely, being a saver is paying off again. For years after the recession, banks paid next to nothing on deposits — much to the detriment of savers everywhere. Now, banks have increased lending and need more deposits, so they’re willing to pay higher interest rates. The big publicly traded banks are paying roughly 0.40 percent on their deposits right now, which is up from 0.24 percent two years ago, according to a report from Autonomous Research after the major banks reported their 2017 third quarter results. A one-year CD is now paying an average of 0.63 percent, which is up from 0.45 percent two years ago. That’s according to depositaccounts.com, a website that tracks interest rates on savings accounts and CDs. An interest rate of 0.40 percent or 0.63 percent may not sound like much, but analysts expect that banks will continue to increase payouts on deposits as competition ramps up. “We have been waiting for this to hap-

pen for a while now,” said Mark Hamrick, senior economy analyst at BankRate.com. During the financial crisis, the Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark interest rate to near zero, and kept it that way until December 2015. While the Fed’s move made the cost of borrowing substantially cheaper nationwide, it had a secondary effect of cutting the interest rate banks were paying on deposits. In particular, seniors got hit hard since they tend to keep their money in low risk products like money markets, CDs and cash.

Fed raises rate again The Fed’s main interest rate rose a quarter point to 1.5 percent in mid-December. As the Fed raised rates, banks initially were happy to charge borrowers higher rates while keeping the amount of interest they were paying on savings accounts and CDs low. Banks take on deposits in order to turn around and lend that money out. The goal for a bank is to make more money on the interest on its loans than the interest rate they are paying to fund those loans. The

more demand there is for loans, which typically happens in a steadily growing economy, the more deposits a bank needs. For years after the financial crisis, loan growth was tepid as banks throttled back on lending, the U.S. consumer deleveraged, and businesses pulled back on borrowing as well. Bank executives said they had little need for deposits. In an interview with the Associated Press in early 2016, then-US Bank CEO Richard Davis said there was no reason to incentivize people to deposit money at the bank since there was nothing the bank could do with the money in the first place. But nearly a decade after the crisis, loans of all types — with the exception of residential mortgages — are now at record-high levels. And the growing demand for loans requires banks to gather up deposits to fuel their lending business.

Online banks offer higher rates The online-only banks, which typically pay the most for deposits, are paying even more these days. Goldman Sachs’ online savings account GS Bank pays an interest rate of 1.29 percent on its savings account,

with no minimum deposit. For those able to lock up their savings for a longer period of time, GS Bank is paying 2.37 percent for a five-year CD, with a minimum $500 deposit. Goldman is partially using its new deposits to fund a new consumer lending product known as Marcus, which is causing Goldman to be more aggressive with its interest rates in order to fund those loans. Ally Bank is paying 1.25 percent for deposits to its online savings account. So is American Express, through its Personal Savings account. The largest of the banks are still being stingy, however, since their size means they don’t need to compete as aggressively for deposits. JPMorgan Chase is paying only 0.04 percent on a standard savings account, Bank of America is paying 0.03 percent, and Wells Fargo, apparently with zero need for deposits, is paying 0.01 percent on a basic savings account. All three banks have CDs with slightly higher rates, but savers looking to maximize the interest they’ll earn on parking their money should shop around. — AP

An alternative to Medicaid spend-down By Eleanor Laise Picture this: Your spouse has made a permanent move to a nursing home. You don’t have long-term care insurance, Medicare won’t cover the cost, and you have too much money to qualify for Medicaid — but not nearly enough to afford the nursinghome bills. The monthly tab — easily $8,000 or more for a semi-private room — is rapidly depleting your nest egg. Now what? This is where a Medicaid-compliant annuity might rescue your retirement. You buy an immediate annuity — owned by and payable to you — that meets a number of special requirements, transforming cash that would otherwise prevent your ill spouse from qualifying for Medicaid into an income stream that helps you preserve your quality of life. Medicaid starts covering the nursing-home stay, and your monthly bills become manageable. For an average family, “it takes 50 years to save a couple hundred thousand dollars,” said Dale Krause, president and chief execu-

tive officer of Krause Financial Services, in De Pere, Wis. When nursing-home bills start eating into that nest egg, “they all do the math and say, ‘we’re going to be broke.’” For those who have the luxury of time, there are better ways to plan for long-term care costs. If you’re relatively young and healthy, you may be able to get long-term care insurance — or simply turbocharge your savings with the aim of self-insuring any long-term care costs. But for couples in a crisis situation, who are watching their life savings evaporate as they pay nursing-home bills, a Medicaidcompliant annuity may be the only way to preserve a livable income for the spouse who remains at home.

Medicaid-compliant annuities Medicaid recipients generally cannot retain more than $2,000 in cash. But when one spouse enters a nursing home and the other remains in the larger community, a number of special rules apply.

The healthy spouse can keep a certain amount of assets, which varies by state. (In Maryland, the amount is $123,600 in 2018). Note: Bank accounts and investments — including IRAs, in most states — count toward that threshold. Your primary residence, household items, personal effects, car, a limited amount of life insurance and a prepaid burial plan typically don’t count, though the uncounted amount of your home equity may be limited.) The healthy spouse’s income isn’t counted when determining Medicaid eligibility. And while the Medicaid recipient generally must use his available income to pay for his care costs, the healthy spouse can keep some or all of that income — as much as $3,090 a month in 2018 — if she otherwise would not have enough to live on. Couples trying to squeeze under Medicaid’s asset limits are confronted with difficult choices: They can spend down their life savings, leaving little for the healthy spouse to live on, or the couple can give

away money, which will trigger a period of Medicaid ineligibility if the gift is made less than five years before applying for Medicaid. A properly structured Medicaid-compliant annuity can reduce the need for such drastic measures. These annuities aren’t without controversy. Some states in recent years have sought to limit their use — backing down only after losing a series of lawsuits brought by annuity purchasers who were improperly denied Medicaid benefits. And a bill introduced in Congress early last year would count half the income from a healthy spouse’s annuity when determining the Medicaid eligibility of the institutionalized spouse — but that measure has gained little momentum.

Many rules to follow Medicaid-compliant annuities must be See ANNUITY, page 18

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Annuit3.y From page 17 single-premium immediate annuities and irrevocable — meaning the payment amount, duration of payments, and parties to the contract can’t be changed. Payments must be made in equal amounts, and are typically guaranteed for a certain number of years, rather than for the rest of the annuitant’s life. Generally, the state must be named as a beneficiary. So if you die before collecting all the guaranteed payments, the state can recover from the remaining payments some or all of the value of the Medicaid as-

sistance provided. Who should consider a Medicaid-compliant annuity? People with moderate savings — perhaps $500,000 or less — who find themselves paying nursing home bills out of pocket. Jake Lowrey, president of Lowrey Financial Group, in Beverly, Mass., said most of his clients purchasing Medicaid annuities have $200,000 to $300,000 in savings. For people who are not in a crisis situation, these aren’t good investments. Because they’re designed for people in desperate straits, they generally offer minimal returns — perhaps 1 percent or so. People with millions of dollars are much

BEACON BITS

Feb. 8

START SELLING ON AMAZON Join Savas Papadopoulos, co-founder of the online IT company

BackupChain, to learn how to set up and market an online business on Thursday, Feb. 8, from 7 to 8:45 p.m. at the Arbutus Branch Baltimore Library at 855 Sulphur Spring Rd. The event is free, but registration is required. For more information or to reserve your spot, call (410) 887-1451.

Jan. 24

STARTING A NONPROFIT Shana Roth-Gormley from the Community Law Center will give a free presentation about the legal and practical considerations of

running a nonprofit organization on Wednesday, Jan. 24, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Enoch Pratt Library located at 1303 Orleans St. For more information, call the branch at (410) 393-0970.

FEBRUARY 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

better off earning a market rate of return on their money and paying the nursinghome bills themselves, according to William Browning, an elder-law attorney at Browning & Meyer, in Worthington, Ohio. Medicaid annuities don’t allow for much advance planning. Because you don’t want to tie up money that could be needed for other expenses, you should only buy a Medicaid-compliant annuity when you know your spouse has moved to a facility permanently, Krause said. And the amount that you should invest in the annuity will be determined in part by how your finances look on the “snapshot date” — the date your spouse has spent 30 consecutive days in the facility.

An example of the savings Krause Financial offers this example of how a Medicaid annuity might help a couple burdened with unmanageable nursinghome bills: George, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, enters a nursing home where the monthly bill is $7,250. He and his wife, Betty, have $200,000 in bank accounts and other countable assets. If they pay the nursing home bills out of pocket, they’ll have spent down enough for George to qualify for Medicaid within 16 months. Most of their nest egg will be

gone, and Betty will be left with her $1,000 monthly Social Security check. If instead Betty invests $103,000 in a Medicaid-compliant annuity with a term of 83 months — her remaining life expectancy — she gets an additional $1,267 of guaranteed monthly income. And George immediately qualifies for Medicaid. He has monthly Social Security and pension income of $1,500, and $823 of that is shifted to Betty to bring her up to the Medicaid spouse’s $3,090 monthly income allowance. George can also keep $45 of his monthly income for personal needs, so his Medicaid co-pay is just $632 — saving the couple $6,618 a month. These annuities are sold by insurers such as Nationwide and ELCO Mutual Life & Annuity. But your first stop if you’re considering a Medicaid annuity should be an elder-law attorney. (Find one at naela.org.) “When you put your spouse in a facility, there’s a whole gamut of legal issues you have to get through,” Browning said. A good elder-law attorney will update your estate plan and powers of attorney — then help you determine whether a Medicaid annuity might be right for you. © 2017, Kiplinger, All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 5

THE ART OF COUPONING

Want to start couponing? Bring your newspaper coupons and learn some beginner tips so you can start saving money when you shop. This free class takes place on Monday, Feb. 5 from 7 to 8 p.m. in the meeting room of the Lansdowne Library, 500 3rd Ave., Lansdowne. Call (410) 8875602 for more information.

Jan. 31

BASICS OF LONG-TERM CARE

Join Lia McGirt, insurance representative from TransAmerica Network, to discuss the basics of long-term healthcare on Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 11 a.m. at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd. The event is free. For more information, call (410) 887-5338.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2018

How retirement savers can reduce RMDs By Brian Vnak Required minimum distributions (RMDs) are the congressionally-mandated, annual taxable withdrawals from retirement accounts required of savers after they reach the age of 70½. The rules surrounding how and when to take RMDs are complicated and arcane, and taking them creates a ripple effect throughout your financial plan that could set you up for some unpleasant surprises. Those who have a significant portion of their assets in tax-deferred accounts (like 401(k)s, 403(b)s and traditional IRAs) are especially at risk. If your RMDs are large, you may find that you have more income than you need. It sounds like a great problem to have — until you realize that your RMD may bump you up to the next tax bracket. That not only has implications for your immediate tax bill, it also could impact how your Social Security benefits are taxed. Increasing your income can make up to 85 percent of your Social Security benefits taxable. And to follow the ripple even farther downstream, since premiums you pay for Medicare Parts B and D are based on your adjusted gross income (AGI) from two years prior to the year in which you pay your premiums, a higher AGI caused by RMDs could mean you’ll be paying higher Medicare premiums, as well. Here are four ways to reduce RMDs so you can avoid the ripple effects of excess income. Draw down on IRAs before age 70½. Once you turn 59½, you can withdraw your IRA funds without penalty, regardless of your working status. Spreading your withdrawals out between ages 59½ and 70½ means that you get to spend money when

you need and/or want it, and you won’t have to withdraw huge chunks of money later in life when you may not need the additional funds. Keep in mind that “no penalty” isn’t the same as “no taxes” — you’ll still be required to pay tax on those withdrawals. Of course, there are smart ways to spend these withdrawals, but there are also some not-so-smart ways. Make sure your spending objectives are in alignment with your retirement and lifestyle goals. Will you spend that money on travel while you’re still able-bodied? Will you use it to purchase long-term care insurance? You need to make the choice that best fits your own retirement picture. Execute a Roth conversion. A Roth conversion allows you to move money from a tax-deferred account to a taxfree Roth account. You’ll pay income tax on the entire amount converted, but you won’t ever have to take RMDs from the Roth (at least according to current tax law). By proactively making Roth conversions, you’re able to lock in the tax on your tax-deferred savings today, rather than potentially paying a higher rate (on a larger amount!) in the future. For example, let’s say you’re a single filer with $60,000 in taxable income and $800,000 in a traditional IRA. It may be advantageous to convert up to $22,500 of your traditional IRA savings into a Roth IRA to “fill up” your 22 percent tax bracket (under the new tax law starting in 2018). You’ll be taxed at the 22 percent ordinary income tax rate now, but since the converted amount is now in a Roth, it won’t be subject to RMDs in the future. And you’ll enjoy all the typical benefits of a Roth account: tax-free growth and distributions. For those building their financial plans with estate planning in mind, remember that

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any non-spousal beneficiaries who inherit a Roth IRA are required to take RMDs (spouses can avoid RMDs depending on how they take them), typically over their lifetime. The good news is that these RMDs will continue to be tax-free to the beneficiary. Move your money to an employersponsored plan. Still working in your 70s? If you own less than 5 percent of the company where you work, you may be able to delay taking RMDs from your pretax employer-sponsored plan until April 1 of the year after you retire. This also may allow more time to make Roth conversions. Bonus idea: The super-savvy among us may use this opportunity to roll over pretax funds from old IRAs or 401(k)s into their pretax company plan if the plan will accept this type of rollover. This strategy is commonly referred to as a “reverse rollover,” and it could save you a bundle. Maximize charitable gifting.

If you planned on giving your RMDs to charity because you don’t need the excess income, consider doing a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA. This provision allows you to donate up to $100,000 annually from your IRAs to the charity of your choice. The QCD counts toward your RMD requirement, and helps to avoid raising your AGI, which, as we previously discussed, can help avoid Medicare premium increases. The QCD allows you to potentially avoid unnecessary taxation, and your favorite charity gets more money. It’s a win-win. Planning for RMDs is rife with complication. Make one misstep and you could be setting yourself up for years of expensive consequences. The earlier you plan for future RMDs, the better. Ask yourself and/or your adviser the See REDUCE RMDs, page 21

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2018

Refusing to pay hurts you more than them By Liz Weston Oh, the injustice of it all. Who among us hasn’t felt abused as a consumer? We get billed for stuff we didn’t receive, or that doesn’t work, or that didn’t live up to its hype. Companies charge us unexpected fees and insist the costs were revealed in the fine print. Health insurers take customer disservice to a whole new, awful level, inexplicably refusing to pay for services they promised to cover, and deluging us with impossibleto-decrypt paperwork. It’s understandable if you feel that enough is enough. But taking a righteous stand against paying an unfair bill can boomerang on you — hard. Here are some situations where you might be tempted to refuse to pay, and what you might want to consider doing instead.

Billing disputes Several years ago a friend refused to pay a bill for Internet service that didn’t work. The collection account that later appeared on his credit reports nearly cost him a job offer. (He paid off the collection and wound up taking a job with a different employer.) The balance of power is tilted heavily in favor of companies and collection agencies that can report an unpaid bill to the credit bureaus. You can include a 100-word dis-

Reduce RMDs From page 19 following questions to help you determine if your RMD planning strategies are fully sound: • Do you understand the projected size

pute in your credit files, but good luck getting anyone to read it. The credit scores most lenders and insurers use don’t factor in those statements. Employers, who typically use credit reports rather than scores to evaluate applicants, may see your statement, but it may not affect hiring, firing or promotion decisions. What to do instead: Settle disputes before a bill goes to collections. Consider asking a government regulator for help (search online for “Who regulates (company name)?” to find the agency), or turning to a lawmaker whose staff can help with constituent disputes. As a last resort, consider paying the bill, then suing the company in small claims court. If you used a credit card to pay the bill, you’re in luck. Credit card users have a powerful, built-in weapon to deal with shoddy services or goods — the chargeback. A chargeback, which reverses a payment to a merchant, prevents damage to your credit report for nonpayment while a dispute is resolved.

Medical bills For about 43 million people, or 1 out of 5 credit reports, there’s overdue medical debt, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. For 15 million people, medical bills are the only overdue debt on

their credit reports. Clearly, many of us are having trouble paying our medical bills — or thinking they have been paid when they haven’t, since many ricochet between healthcare providers and insurers, sometimes for months. The latest versions of the FICO and VantageScore credit scoring models treat medical debt less harshly than other collections, but most lenders use older versions of the scores. The toll can be significant: A single collection account can drop a 680 FICO score by 40 points, and a 780 score by 100 points. (The most widely used credit scoring formulas, such as the FICO 8, use a 300-to-850 range.) What to do instead: If you have health insurance, follow up on every medical bill you receive to make sure it gets paid. If you don’t have insurance or can’t pay your bill, ask healthcare providers if they have charity programs or payment plans that could make the costs more manageable.

partment of Education. Refusing to pay your loans is shortsighted. The default hurts your credit scores, which will make other borrowing difficult and can increase the cost of items like car insurance and cell phone plans. But that’s just the start. Government collectors can seize your tax refund, take a portion of your wages without going to court, and literally pursue you to the grave. The U.S. Supreme Court decided a portion of Social Security benefits, which are typically off-limits to creditors, could be seized to repay delinquent federal student loans. What to do instead: The education department offers several affordable repayment options, including an income-based plan that can reduce required payments to zero. Struggling borrowers can find plenty of information at the education department’s Federal Student Aid site. For private student loans, consider calling the loan servicer directly to ask about options, such as interest-only payments. This column was provided to the Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Liz Weston is a columnist at NerdWallet, a certified financial planner and author of “Your Credit Score.” Email: lweston@nerdwallet.com.

Federal student loans Only half of recent graduates strongly agreed that college was worth the cost, a 2015 Gallup-Purdue Index poll found. That may explain why about 1 in 10 borrowers who were scheduled to start paying their federal student loans in 2013-14 have defaulted instead, according to the U.S. De-

and impact of RMDs to your situation? • How does your RMD plan integrate and/or support the pursuit of your financial goals and objectives? © 2017 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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FEBRUARY 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Travel Leisure &

Loud and lively Palermo, Italy is worth the trip to Sicily. See story on page 24.

New Orleans: music, museums and meals posters touting “adult entertainment.” Crowds of revelers often have no choice but to move along slowly, at times shoulder to shoulder, taking in the color and, for many, colorful beverage concoctions. At the same time, those seeking something more educational, but no less enjoyable, can find a fascinating history to explore, a rich cultural mélange to experience, and attractions for people with a variety of interests.

PHOTO BY PISA PHOTOGRAPHY

By Victor Block Quick quiz: Think swinging jazz and soulful blues played in music clubs and by street musicians outside. Picture sidewalks crowded with people sipping beverages from plastic cups as they stroll along. If you guess that describes New Orleans, you’re right — but there’s more. Now see yourself visiting museums whose focus ranges from food and festivals, to history and mystery. Where? New Orleans again. Many visitors to “the Big Easy,” as the city is nicknamed, are on a quest for fun and frivolity, and both are there in abundant supply. The hub of activity is the famous, some might say infamous, French Quarter. The iconic district of cobblestone streets lined by hotels and restaurants, shops and art galleries is centered on Royal Street. The scene is very different just a block away on Bourbon Street, which lives up — or down — to its reputation as the playground of the South. T-shirt shops and other touristy traps vie for attention with

Many museums

PHOTO BY VICTOR BLOCK

Anyone seeking to delve below the surface of the city’s well-known appeals has an inviting choice of museums that await exploration — nearly four dozen span the alphabet from A (Art) to Z (Zoo). Together they offer insight into both aspects of New Orleans for which it is famous, as well as lesser known, but no less intriguing, tidbits. And so during our recent visit, my wife Fyllis and I spent time walking along Bourbon Street, enjoying music both in bars and outside, and partaking of meals that will linger in our minds long after they left our taste buds. But we also satisfied our curiosity at several museums among the many in the city which, we concluded, too many people may overlook. A good place to being an exploration is the Historic New Orleans Collection. From its rather modest start, this institution has expanded to occupy 10 historic buildings on two campuses in the French Quarter. Exhibits present the intriguing history and colorful culture of New Orleans, Louisiana and the entire Gulf of Mexico region. They document major historical events that have shaped the Visitors to the vast Mardi Gras World studio can watch ararea, and describe and tisans create floats for parades in New Orleans and other demonstrate the everylocations around the world. This year, Mardi Gras takes day lives of people who place on Feb. 13.

Mule-drawn carriages offer a leisurely way to explore New Orleans’ French Quarter. Drivers regale tourists with true stories and amusing anecdotes about the city and its colorful cast of characters.

passed through and settled there. Guided tours provide in-depth information for those seeking more than a casual introduction, and changing exhibits offer insight into various aspects of the city’s and area’s story. I found two exhibits particularly intriguing in very different ways. One, titled “Giants of Jazz: Art Posters and Lithographs,” includes 17 larger-thanlife portraits by famous 20th-century poster artists. Among music legends depicted in the collection are Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles, along with information about their ties to New Orleans. “Storyville: Madams and Music” relates another, very colorful chapter in the story of music in the city’s past. Created in 1897, the Storyville neighborhood operated as a city-sanctioned red light district until 1917. It attracted visitors with its saloons, music and dance, along with its many brothels. Pioneering musicians who later went on to become famous played there for tips. The exhibit recalls this colorful time with photographs, oral histories and recordings. Holding center stage is a collection of pocket-sized directories known as “Blue Books,” which presented Storyville as a luxurious playground of lavish mansions, fine music and elegant women. In contrast, some items in the collection paint a very different picture of the reality.

Mardi Gras on the mild side Of course, New Orleans is synonymous with Mardi Gras — the multi-day carnival, parade and excuse for over-eating and over-imbibing which has been celebrated there since the early 18th century. Two museums offer opportunities to experience the wonder of the festivities without the wildness. Mardi Gras World is where floats for parades in New Orleans and other locations around the world have been made since 1947. In a studio so vast it could almost have its own zip code, visitors see artisans constructing lavishly decorated floats literally from the ground up. The scene is set in a video, followed by a taste of King Cake, a treat closely associated with Mardi Gras. This confection, which is believed to have been brought to New Orleans from France in 1870, is served throughout the carnival season. During the tour, Fyllis and I felt like Lilliputians in a world of giants. We were dwarfed by much-larger-than-life likenesses of cartoon figures, movie personalities and fantasy creatures. Oversized animals and flowers the size of trees loomed over us. A different take on Mardi Gras comes forth at the Backstreet Cultural Museum. Don’t let the nondescript exterior of the See NEW ORLEANS, page 23

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2018

New Orleans From page 22 house that contains this collection put you off. The two rooms and hallways inside are jammed with memorabilia that pay homage to New Orleans’ African-American carnival traditions and celebrations. Artifacts, photographs and films tell part of the story. Hand-sewn and elaborately decorated costumes line the walls, their variety of bright colors presenting a challenge to the largest box of Crayolas. Some of the outfits pay homage to Native Americans, who are remembered for the assistance they once provided to slaves who were running away from their owners. The displays also include hints of Africa, voodoo and other references to African-American history and customs.

A taste of the supernatural Speaking of voodoo, and folks in New Orleans often do, there’s no better place to explore and experience that mysterious combination of religion and superstition. It was transported to New Orleans by slaves from West Africa in the early 18th century. I got my voodoo fix at the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum, a miniscule but mesmerizing collection that I found to be both educational and entertaining. Visitors are overwhelmed by a haphazard jumble of paintings, sculptures, dolls, masks and other artifacts. One painting depicts a voodoo exorcism that took place around 1850. The Gris-Gris room displays objects

used to invoke supernatural powers which, I learned, are rarely used for evil. Rather they seek to achieve fortune, luck and love. A hollow “wishing stump” is festooned with notes that people left, along with a money offering for their ancestral spirits. Other tokens donated to please otherworldly beings include alcoholic beverages, cigarettes and chewing tobacco. We rounded out our stay with three additional museums that deal with vital facets of what makes New Orleans such a magnet for tourism. The aptly named Old U.S. Mint was built in 1835. During its decades of operation, it produced millions of gold and silver coins. Today, it displays treasure of a different kind, including instruments that were played by notable musicians, and other memorabilia that trace the history of jazz from its humble beginnings on the city’s streets. Another feature is a series of free jazz concerts. Only in New Orleans would there be a national park devoted to jazz, and the Jazz National Historical Park fills the bill. The Visitor Center is the place to start, and it’s where jazz-related walking tours take off. The exhibits are not just about music, but also local history, cultures, wetlands, wildlife and food. Food has top billing at the Southern Food & Beverage Museum, along with local beverages of the city and the South. There’s a separate exhibit area for each southern state, telling the stories of the various cultures that contributed to the region’s culinary heritage.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 12+

ESCAPE THE COLD IN COSTA RICA

Leave your winter blues and head to Costa Rica with the Bykota Senior Center. The trip costs $2,799 and will start at 9 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 12 and return Tuesday, Feb. 20. To reserve your spot, call (410) 887-1691.

Feb. 23

LUNCH AND PLAY IN NEW JERSEY

On Friday, Feb. 23, enjoy a daytrip to Hampton, N.J., to see Dr. K’s Motown Revue Show and have lunch with the Liberty Senior Center. The trip will depart at 7:30 a.m. and return at 6:30 p.m. It costs $110. To reserve your seat, call (410) 887-0780.

At the associated Museum of the American Cocktail, demonstrations by chefs and occasional tastings round out the menu. Whether enjoying distinctive dining, listening to world-class jazz, or checking out any number of other attractions, New Orleans offers a surprisingly complete menu of choices. Those who take time to explore its variety of museums leave with an understanding of an often-overlooked aspect of the city’s past, and present.

Planning your trip Visitors to New Orleans who prefer to stay in the center of action might like the French Quarter Guest Houses, a group of four inns with a strong sense of the past. For example, the Inn on Ursulines, originally built in the 18th century, is one of the oldest structures in the Quarter. The traditional Creole cottage once was owned by Marie Laveau, a well-known voodoo priestess. Rates begin at $100 for two people. For information about these Guest Houses, call (800) 535-7815 or visit www.frenchquarterguesthouses.com. Other places to stay combine proximity to the center of town with a much quieter setting. At the Frenchmen Hotel, the guest rooms overlook a swimming pool set in an old traditional New Orleans brick courtyard, which adds a bit of authentic local ambience. Rates begin at $89. For more information, call (504) 945-5453 or see www.frenchmenhotel.com.

When it comes to dining, the challenge is choosing among so many famous, and fabulous, places to eat. One “must” for many visitors is the venerable Antoine’s, which was established in 1840 and now is operated by the fifth generation of the founder’s family. Menu prices keep pace with the elegant setting and service. Popular items include chicken breast stuffed with fresh mushrooms served over onion rice ($27) and fresh Gulf fish prepared several ways ($27$40). For more information, call (504) 5814422 or visit www.antoines.com. What hungry history buff wouldn’t be attracted by a sign reading “The Original Pierre Maspero’s, Est. 1788”? The building in which the restaurant is located served as a slave exchange and as the meeting place where Andrew Jackson planned the Battle of New Orleans, during which the American troops he led defeated the British. Today, people gather there to sample local fare like fried alligator ($12.50) and seafood pot pie ($24.50). For more information, call (504) 524-8990 or go to www.originalpierremasperos.com. The least expensive flights from BWI in early February are on Spirit Airlines for $106 roundtrip and on American Airlines for $181. For more information about New Orleans, visit www.neworleansonline.com or call (800) 672-6124.

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FEBRUARY 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Palermo, Italy offers a lively slice of Sicily By Cain Burdeau For many travelers, Italy is seen as romantic, mysterious and a bit chaotic, with torpid heat, gorgeously rich colors and irresistible food. In reality, of course, every region has a distinct culture and identity. But Palermo — the ancient capital of Sicily and jewel of the Mediterranean — lives up to the Italy of popular imagination. It’s joyful and colorful, rich in art and cuisine, but also disorganized, unable even to reliably collect the garbage.

Life is busily lived on the streets here. Clothes hang haphazardly from balconies. Motor scooters zip down narrow alleyways (often driven by children going the wrong way). People shout in Sicilian — a dialect incomprehensible to many Italian speakers — back and forth across streets and from windows. They gesture, sing and openly observe others. All this plays out in a city steeped in religious rituals, intricate history, stunning art

and stunning decay. It’s a place living amid the past — a past lost in so much of today’s modernizing Italy. It’s also a culture that can seem oddly familiar to outsiders, likely due to the waves of Sicilians who emigrated to the U.S. and made their mark on everyday American life in everything from food to pop culture. Part of The Godfather was filmed here, and the Mafia remains a force despite government crackdowns and the public’s outrage and resistance in the wake of bombings that killed two anti-Mafia magistrates and others with them in 1992.

A mosaic of cultures Before being bombed by Americans in World War II and ransacked by the Mafia after the war, Palermo was for centuries one of Europe’s most splendid cities — rich with churches, palaces, theaters, villas. Much of that illustrious past remains, albeit faded, but so does deep poverty. There are medieval Arab-Norman palaces (La Zisa, La Cuba, the Norman Palace), fantastic churches (the main cathedral with tombs of Norman royalty, and the Cathedral of Monreale with extraordinary mosaics), art-filled Spanish palaces, the grand Teatro Massimo opera house, and much more. What makes the city unique is the mixture of cultures across centuries: a tapestry of Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Arab, Norman, Jewish, French, English, Spanish and Italian influences. “You need an encyclopedia to describe the Palermitan,” said Pietro Tramonte, a retired accountant who runs an eccentric outdoor bookstore. “Here you find a laboratory, just like when life began. It’s an impossible mosaic. But we’re forced to live together.” Just then, a man in a car hails Tramonte from the end of the alleyway. He’s dropping off a strange donation: hardbound books about fascism by the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. “Palermo is the fountain of serendipity,”

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Lively outdoor markets Outdoor markets are some of the best places to revel in Palermo. Vendors shout out prices. Butchers slice, pound and weigh meat. Fishmongers’ stands display decapitated swordfish. Things sizzle in pots and pans at kiosks: chickpea fritters (panelle), potato and egg rolls (crocche), stuffed rice balls (arancine). Your head spins at the movement, the flashes of life: A fellow brushes by with a pushcart full of sardines for sale; another tries to catch your attention to buy a bouquet of flowers. You admire displays of oranges, lemons, apples, strawberries, lettuce heads, broccoli and tomatoes as mouth-watering works of art. You’re in a stream of people, moving, buying, looking, talking, bumping into each other with bags full of food. A scooter blows its horn and plows through. Your senses are assaulted by mounds of olives and dried tomatoes, bunches of rosemary and bay leaves, cheeses. “We were born here, and we will die here,” said Francesco Andolina, a fruit and vegetable vendor whose family has been getting up before dawn and working until dusk in the Ballaro market for generations. But Palermo’s most famous market, the Vucciria, is a shadow of its former self. Merchants now offer antiques and souvenirs to tourists. The streets are no longer slick with vegetable and fruit remains. “All the people want to go to the supermarkets with their carts,” Andolina said, as he mockingly pretended to push a cart.

Italy’s culture capital Palermo recently restricted most cars See PALERMO, page 25

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Tramonte continued. “When a foreigner comes to Palermo, he should let himself go. Let yourself be a feather in the wind, and you can find that that wind can take you to beautiful places.”

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The Palermo Cathedral was erected in 1185 C.E. by the Anglo-Norman archbishop of Palermo. A statue of Santa Rosalia, the patron saint of Palermo, stands in front.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2018

New airline rewards cards without the fee By Lisa Gerstner Frequent fliers can now sign up for a dedicated airline credit card from a major airline without paying up front. Delta and United have introduced no-fee cards that offer miles or credits that cardholders can redeem for flight purchases. The American Express Blue Delta SkyMiles card (16.74 to 25.74 percent annual percentage rate; 2.7 percent foreigntransaction fee) offers two SkyMiles per dollar spent on Delta purchases and at U.S. restaurants; other purchases earn one mile per dollar. Cardholders also get a 20 percent discount on in-flight purchases. By contrast, Delta’s Gold Delta SkyMiles card ($95 annual fee) pays out only one mile per dollar on dining, but it offers perks such as free baggage and priority boarding, and it charges no fee for foreign transactions. Rather than rewarding you with United MileagePlus miles, the no-fee Chase Unit-

ed TravelBank card (16.99 to 23.99 percent; no foreign-transaction fee) offers cash back that you can use to purchase United flights. You’ll earn 2 percent back on United ticket purchases and 1.5 percent on all other spending. Plus, cardholders get 25 percent off in-flight food and beverage purchases. Even if your preferred carrier doesn’t advertise a no-fee credit card, you may be able to bypass the fee. “It never hurts to ask if there’s a no-fee or low-fee alternative,” said Brian Karimzad, analyst for MileCards.com. For example, the no-fee Citi/AAdvantage Bronze MasterCard from American Airlines is generally not available to new applicants. But the issuer may be willing to give the card to customers who ask — especially those who already hold another of the airline’s cards. If your airline card has an an-

Palermo

BEACON BITS

Feb. 10+

ABSTRACT EXHIBITION Y-ART’s 17th exhibi-

tion, featuring Art10Baltimore, will open on Saturday, Feb. 10 and run until Saturday, March 10, between the hours of noon and 5 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Through this exhibit, the

BEACON BITS

Feb. 24

ENJOY SUNNY FLORIDA

Leave the winter behind and travel to Miami and Key West, Fla., from Saturday, Feb. 24 to Sunday, March 4, for $839 per double and $375 per single. The trip will include a visit to the Coral Castel, Bayside Marketplace, a cruise on Biscayne Bay and much more. For more information, call the Catonsville Senior Center at (410) 887-0900.

Ongoing

FROM DIGITAL TO DAMASK

The intimate exhibition of Maryland-based artist Annet Couwenberg is coming to a close on Sunday, Feb. 18. The exhibition uses textiles to demonstrate the intersection of science, art, technology and history, and is on display at the Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr. Entry to the museum is free. BMA is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. For more information, call (443) 583-1700 or visit www.artbma.org.

Your NEW li liffestyle begins here

From page 24 from the city center. “Now you can hear your own footsteps, you can hear your voice. That was taken away when there were cars,” said Sara Cappello, a folk singer and storyteller. And in 2018, Palermo is being celebrated as Italy’s Capital of Culture. “We deserve to be the cultural capital because we are a wonderful city,” she added. She then thinks of the city’s continuing problems: Trash piling up, corruption, unregulated development, poverty. “We mistreated our city so badly,” she said. “But maybe this too is the fascination of Palermo.” The lowest roundtrip airfare to Palermo in early February from BWI is $1,312 on Alitalia. To learn more about Palermo, see www.officeoftourism.org/europe/italy/ Sicily/palermo.asp. — AP

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FEBRUARY 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Style Arts &

Four books that help start 2018 on a positive note. See story on page 28.

Grandmother’s kids books focus on family “There were books about being black, books about being white, and even books about being biracial,” said Jeffery. “But those identities were the focus of the book. I wanted a regular book whose main character just happened to be biracial.”

Inclusive characters Since Jeffery couldn’t find what she wanted, she set out to write a book for her granddaughter herself. Her first book, Ella’s Bubbles, was about a 3-year-old who desperately wants to learn how to blow her own bubbles. It’s not until her granddad comes up with a clever way to teach her how to blow bubbles that she conquers her goal. Jeffer y’s second book, Grandma’s Two, continues the adventures Ella as she visits her two grandmothers — one of whom is black and lives in a city, and one of whom is white and lives in rural West Virginia. Though her two grandmothers live different lives, Ella loves them both, and learns family lessons from each of them. Jeffery, the mother of two adult sons, has five biracial children, three of whom are also Muslim. “I decided to write my

JANUARY 11 - MARCH 11

own books because I wanted my grandchildren to have positive images of characters that resemble them,” she said. “All of my books are based on my actual grandchildren and family,” Jeffery continued. “I intentionally chose to showcase a mixedrace family because the world is changing, and all children need to see that change in the media as well. It’s so important for biracial kids to see themselves in a positive light.” The next book in the series will focus on Sophia, Ella’s little sister, and her active imagination. The fifth and final book will introduce Ella and Sophia to their Muslim cousins (Jeffery’s three other grandchildren).

A book for military families

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANEACE TERRY JEFFERY

By Carol Sorgen As is the case with most grandparents, Daneace Terry Jeffery’s grandchildren have her wrapped around every one of their adorable little fingers. But unlike most grandparents, Jeffery has made her grandchildren the stars of a series of children’s books. Her “Ella Books” are loosely based on Jeffery’s two oldest granddaughters. The third of Jeffery’s projected fivebook series, Another Me, has just been published. It is the story of 4-year-old Ella, who is anxiously awaiting the birth of her baby sister. The excitement of having a little sister or brother can be overwhelming for any child. But for Ella, there is the additional uncertainty of who her sister will look like. Ella, you see, is biracial. Jeffery, 58, lives in Pigtown in Baltimore and teaches at Howard High School in Howard County. An avid reader since she was a child, growing up in Detroit, Jeffery couldn’t wait to share her love of books when her first granddaughter was born. But when she went to the bookstore, she couldn’t quite find what she wanted.

Daneace Terry Jeffery’s series of picture books about a young biracial girl named Ella are loosely based on her own granddaughters. The Howard High School teacher is also at work on a book titled, After Your Hero Dies, inspired by the death of her nephew in a naval accident.

Jeffery will also be working on a book of a more serious nature, this one for adults. Her nephew, Xavier Martin, who lived in Halethorpe, was one of seven American sailors to die last June when the USS Fitzgerald collided with a container ship off the coast of Japan.

After Your Hero Dies will relate the story of what actually happens when a family See PICTURE BOOKS, page 28

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2018

Classes that will unleash your inner artist By Carol Sorgen If you’ve always longed to pick up a paintbrush or plunge your hands into a mound of clay, there’s no better time to get started. The New Year brings a new calendar of classes. Here are a few local art schools that welcome artists of all levels. Baltimore Clayworks 5707 Smith Ave. (410) 578-1919 www.baltimoreclayworks.org Baltimore Clayworks, located in Mount Washington, is currently running its winter session. A full calendar of adult classes is offered for a range of skills, from beginner to highly experienced potters. Classes include fundamentals of clay, a basic pottery wheel sampler and sculpture. Not ready to commit? To get a taste, attend a Try-It Workshop or Date Night. Corradetti Glassblowing Studio and Gallery 2010 Clipper Park Rd., Suite 119 (410) 243-2010 www.corradetti.com Go by yourself or with a group of friends, and the professional staff at Corradetti Glassblowing Studio and Gallery will help you create a piece of art out of molten glass. Glassblowing activities range from making simple objects such as flowers, eggs and paperweights, to a 6-hour beginning glassblowing class. Mini-workshops, classes and private sessions are offered, and no prior experience is needed. Jubilee Arts 1947 Pennsylvania Ave. (410) 728-1199 www.arts.jubileeartsbaltimore.org Jubilee Arts offers classes in visual arts, dance, ceramics and creative writing in partnership with Baltimore Clayworks, Maryland Institute College of Art

(MICA), Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA), area artists and writers, and dancers. A community program that first opened in 1996, Jubilee offers arts classes to the residents of Baltimore’s Sandtown-Winchester, Upton and surrounding neighborhoods, an area with a rich history of African-American culture. Mar yland Institute College of Art (MICA) 1300 W Mount Royal Ave. (410) 669-9200 www.mica.edu This renowned art school not only offers degree programs, but also has an active schedule of community education and non-credit workshops and classes in such fields as photography; drawing, painting and general fine arts; ceramics, fibers and sculpture; and printmaking. If you’re a budding art collector, MICA also will offer a one-day workshop on Saturday, April 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on how to start a collection, including such topics as researching and approaching galleries and individual artists; framing and displaying artwork; insurance, conservation and appraisal of artwork; and getting to know the local art scene, arts organizations and publications. Various art professionals will discuss their particular genre, and a field trip will be made to a local collector in the Bolton Hill neighborhood. Schuler School of Fine Arts 7 E. Lafayette Ave. (410) 685-3568 www.schulerschool.com The Schuler School of Fine Arts dates back to 1959, training students in the methods and techniques of Old Masters. The school emphasizes drawing as the foundation for the study of painting and sculpture.

It also focuses on the need to master traditional methods, such as grinding powdered pigments, preparing painting surfaces, making molds and casting sculpture, etc. Full-time, part-time and Saturday classes are available. Staub Art Studio 1709 Edmondson Ave. (410) 744-9001 www.staubartstudio.com Adult classes at Staub Art Studio, located in western Baltimore County, are de-

signed for students of all levels. Beginners usually draw from still life set-ups working in charcoal. As students advance at their own pace, they may move into pastel, graphite, watercolor, oils and acrylics. While the schools above are art-specific, art classes are also offered through continuing education programs at such schools as: Community College of Baltimore County (www.ccbcmd.edu, 443-840-2222), Roland See CLASSES, page 29

Stop by today for a tour!

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Lunch and Learn Classes Bring a friend…make new ones! Swing into spring with these one-day classes, then dine together to make your day delightful and delicious!

CCBC Owings Mills Enjoying Solo Travel – February 27 When a Rebel Becomes a Talk Show Host – March 14 The Harry Weinberg Story and the Weinberg Foundation – March 21 CCBC Hunt Valley Baltimore: The War Years – February 23 The Dynamic Relationship of Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald – March 9

For more information on these and other Senior Program classes, call 443-840-4700 or visit ccbcmd.edu/seniors

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FEBRUARY 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Start 2018 on a positive note with these The beginning of a new year is a time for to best make use of the latest research assessment and action. Look ahead with with specific, practical applications we can hope. Read and reflect on the incorporate in our own daily choices before you. Draw inactivities. The book includes spiration on how to make immany stories that bring the provements, break old habits, topics to life. Each chapter and forge new positive pathconcludes with a summary of ways. Start each day of 2018 salient points. with a smile and a purpose. While he apparently has a Brain Rules for Aging business interest in selling Well: 10 Principles for video games to seniors, MediStaying Vital, Happy, na soft pedals that endorseand Sharp by John Mediment. He offers a wide range THE na, 288 pages, Pear Press of suggestions on how to mitiBIBILOPHILE hardcover, 2017. gate the undesirable aspects By Dinah Rokach Enjoying good health well of aging. He encourages us to into old age has been the defer retirement, keep a busy focus of much recent scientific research. social schedule, go online to communicate Brain Rules for Aging Well is a con- with others, learn new skills, exercise and cise summary of what experts have deter- read. mined is the best approach for people to “Voracious reading,” he writes, “… achieve longevity, sound mental health, turns out to be good for aging brains and, and physical vigor. surprisingly, even better for longevity.” Dr. John Medina, a molecular biologist, Amen to that! Learn how to age well by utilucidly explains the jargon of neuro- lizing nostalgia as a tool to enhance life. science, physiology and other esoteric Read about the importance of cultivating a fields of study. He helps us understand the frame of mind that embraces optimism, process of aging — physically, mentally mindfulness and gratitude. and psychologically. He imparts this inforRevivement: Having A Life After mation in a conversational manner. Making a Living by Gloria Dunn-VioAfter explaining the basis of current lin, 270 pages, Having A Life Now knowledge, he proceeds to delineate how Publishing softcover, 2017.

Whether you’ve been laid off and are looking for a new job or want to stay productive as you age, you will find Revivement to be an excellent resource. Research shows that people who broaden their horizons, learn new skills and stay active live longer. Ms. Dunn-Violin directs her advice to those over 50. She coins the term revivement as an alternative to the word retirement. The book inspires us to broaden, rather than narrow, our life’s purpose, add to our skill sets, and not lose the ones we have through disuse. We are encouraged to look back to find and reignite our former passions that may have been latent during middle age. Read stories of those who have followed this concept, then complete the worksheets to formulate your personal goals. The author provides practical advice: Use technology to make life simpler. Don’t let new ideas and methods pass you by due to lack of curiosity or resistance to change. Nurture excitement in what you do. Venture down a challenging new course, and stop treading the comfortable, safe, old worn-out path. Finding purpose in our activities is essential for vitality. Making meaningful use of our time and energy brings fulfillment and satisfaction as we age. That’s a goal to which we should all aspire in the New Year. Everything You Need to Know About Social Media (Without Having to Call a Kid) by Greta Van Susteren, 305 pages, Simon & Schuster paperback, 2017. For those who have yet to join the social media world, Greta Van Susteren’s detailed step-by-step book is an indispensable guide. Chapters cover Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Snapchat. Also included is information on loading your own videos online, what she calls personal broadcasting. Her book painstakingly takes you through the process of using each platform — including their advantages and downsides, how to sign up, the exact privacy settings you may want to con-

sider, and how to load videos and photos. The book effectively employs screenshot illustrations. Explanations are easy to understand. In Van Susteren, technophobes have found a warm and engaging coach to help broaden their horizons. Cartoons from The New Yorker 2018 Day-to-Day Calendar, 640 pages, Andrews McMeel Publishing boxed edition, 2017. Humor is an important tool in overcoming life’s vicissitudes. Enjoying a good joke is a great way to start each day. What could be more useful in setting the proper tone in 2018 than a desk calendar with a daily dose of humor? The droll wit of The New Yorker magazine’s famous cartoons will surely help put you in an upbeat mood as you face the day. Your coping skills will be enhanced when you put this calendar on your desk. The New Yorker magazine has included cartoons since the periodical’s inception in 1925. They are not just for New Yorkers. They’re for anyone who enjoys a touch of sophistication along with a humorous take on contemporary life. Most cartoons include a sketch with a caption that gives a pithy, wry or humorous comment on the illustration. The cartoons are in black-and-white, and drawn in a multitude of styles by a wide variety of talented and witty cartoonists who also supply the captions. The calendar pages are bound together at the top in a black plastic holder and can be ripped off each day. There are only six per week; Saturdays and Sundays share one page. Official holidays in the Englishspeaking world are noted at the bottom left, including the country where they are observed. At the bottom right is the day and date. While the cartoons and captions take up most of the page, the back is blank for note-taking. It’s not an appointment calendar, just a daily appointment with a funny cartoon. Smile, chuckle, relax, and the rest of the day may be more easily endured.

Picture books

weekends to judge cheerleading competitions. Jeffery is looking forward to retirement, when she can spoil her grandchildren nonstop. But that’s still seven years away. So for the time being, Grandma’s just going to keep writing. Jeffery’s books are available at Barnes and Noble, on Amazon, and through her website, www.ellabooks.weebly.com. She will sign her books at Greetings and Readings in the Hunt Valley Towne Center from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 3.

From page 26 member in the military is killed while serving his or her country. “I had no idea what it takes to support a family in times of tragedy,” said Jeffery. “The organizations, the individuals, the military….So many of them we’ll never meet, or be able to thank them in person.” In addition to her teaching and her writing, Jeffer y is also a cheerleading coach and judge, traveling the country on

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2018

Chocolate From page 1 hand-dipping truffles, or hand-painting the caramel cup paper holders with melted chocolate. Carliner explained that chocolate requires three things — time, temperature and motion. “When you are working with chocolate, the hardened form is melted and then very slowly brought to the proper temperature while spinning to create a smooth consistency,” she said. “When the chocolate is ready to be used, its shine and snap adds to the crispness of the flavor.”

A sensory experience “The experience of making chocolate captures all of my senses,” Carliner continued. “I enjoy every aspect of what I do. The atmosphere of my kitchen draws me in from the time I step in the door.” And yes, if you’re wondering, Carliner and Hewitt do eat some chocolate every day. And no, they don’t get sick of it, nor do they get fat. “Nothing is better for me than beginning the day with chocolate,” said Carliner. “It truly awakens my senses and makes me happy.”

Classes From page 27 Park Country School’s Kaleidoscope Program (www.rpcs.org/page/kaleidoscope, 410-3235500), Johns Hopkins University’s Odyssey

While Carliner and Hewitt are partial to cashew chews, the toffee bark and caramel cups are the best-sellers. In addition to local customers who know that the shop is both a kitchen and a retail location, Carliner has numerous corporate clients worldwide, and an online store at thevelvetchocolatier.com. Her chocolates are also available at Graul’s Markets, the Wine Source in Hampden, and French Paradox Wines in Stevenson Village. Last year, the Velvet Chocolatier was named “Baltimore’s Best Chocolate Shop,” by Baltimore Magazine. Because of Carliner’s family responsibilities and Hewitt’s class schedule, the shop has somewhat unconventional hours: Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m.; Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (“or whenever the light is on”). But those public hours are not by any means the only working hours for Carliner. When we spoke to Carliner, she had been at work since 3 a.m., making her “chocolate works of art.” That doesn’t faze Carliner in the least, though. “I might love it even more [now] than I did when I started,” she said. “It truly is a labor of love.” Program (www. advanced.jhu.edu/academics/non-credit-programs/odyssey, 410-5164842) and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Towson University (www.towson.edu/campus/business/cps/osher/index.html, 410704-3535).

BEACON BITS

Feb. 1+

BREAKING SHAKESPEARE BARRIERS

From Thursday, Feb. 1, until Sunday, Feb. 25, the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company will perform Red Velvet by Lolita Chakrabarti. Based on a true story, the play takes place backstage in London, and shows the debut of the first man of color to play the role of Othello. Shows will take place at 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, with additional 2 p.m. showings on various days at the company’s downtown theater, located at 7 South Calvert St. Tickets are $29 to $42 for seniors. To purchase tickets or find exact show times, call (410) 244-8570 or visit www.chesapeakeshakespeare.com/season/red-velvet/.

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ANSWERS TO JUMBLE Jumbles: OZONE JADED DEAFEN BEYOND Answer: The mortician sought a career change because he had a -- DEAD-END JOB

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S T Y E

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

THREE EXHIBITS AT SCHOOL 33

School 33 will host three exhibits through Saturday, Feb. 24. In the Main Gallery, “Test Pattern” will demonstrate analog and digital technologies through video and sound, painting, and live performance. The Members Gallery will showcase “Bodies in Sounded Space,” exploring the architectural and social boundaries that differentiate sound from music. Lastly, “(un)familiar,” an immersive art installation with large-scale wood-panel paintings, will be in Project Space. School 33 Art Center is located at 1427 Light St. in Baltimore and is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entry to the gallery is free. For more information, call (443) 263-4350 or visit www.school33.org.

FEBRUARY 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Crossword Puzzle Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus xx Stephen Sherr 1

23 25

37 41 45

51 60

67 69

Across 1. Lancelot and Mix-a-Lot 5. Summit 9. Fabled home builder 12. Water balloon toss failure 13. Evade responsibility 15. Egg cells 16. Biff Loman’s dad 17. Tube-shaped pasta 18. PC linkup 19. With 31, 42, and 57 Across, a Customer Serve-Us line that starts “We” and ends “to us” 22. Start to -scope or -meter 23. Boyhood nickname of Darth Vader 24. A matter of Life (cereal) 25. Brit. timezone baseline 27. Commonality in “sack”, “sick”, and “sock” 30. Last third of an SSN 32. Our options have changed; the line now continues at 32 Across 38. Gold, panned in a Mexican river 39. Mexican river used to pan for gold 40. “___ Miserables” 41. Abbrev. for Regiment 42. To give up on this puzzle, press 1; or to continue the line, press 2 46. ___.edu (website for the National Defense University) 47. One plus two plus three plus four 48. Letter sequence found in only two English words: “already”, and “milreis” 49. Toilet paper thickness measure 51. Visit the dining hall 53. Directors Spike and Ang 57. Before turning the page, please take our brief survey about the conclusion of the line 62. Letters on an Apollo rocket 63. Orange juice solids 64. Writing assignment 65. Sale item at the Mets’ team store 66. Cut off your nose, proverbially 67. Caroline Kennedy, to Bobby 68. One of the Kongs - Donkey or King

Jumble answers on p. 29.

Scrabble answers on p. 29.

69. What Simon does 70. “Channel 2 news comes ___ 11:00” Down 1. Index fingernails, when performing “Here’s the church; here’s the steeple...” 2. Ahead, in the ER triage line 3. Research Triangle’s biggest point 4. River to the underworld 5. Colorado home to the Winter X Games 6. Dote on 7. Knee-baring skirt 8. Marine eagle 9. Communist leadership committee 10. ___ the Terrible 11. West Side Story group 12. Parent Trap ruse 14. Numbers game 20. Member of the Superbowl LI champs 21. Coke machine contents 26. Game-show founder Griffin, who proposed one called “Let’s Do Crosswords” 28. Storm preceder 29. Greet the king 31. Prego taste test foe 32. Ad ___ committee 33. Its official language is Persian 34. Make the ordinary appear special 35. “I ___ ya’ so” 36. Winner of 80 Olympic golds in ‘80 37. It’s inside an env. (or one of its words) 43. Conversational gap 44. Containing some material 45. Boris ___, predecessor of Putin 50. Puppy sounds 52. Domed cathedral areas 54. Use aloe to ___ sunburn 55. Convert a bill to a law 56. Eye sore 57. Finalist in the first World Baseball Classic, in 2006 58. “Don’t wait for me to say all the words!” 59. Dines at dusk 60. Hip bones 61. Nevada gambling town

Answers on page 29.

BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2018

CLASSIFIEDS The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on the right. CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment. EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

Financial INCOME TAX PREP in Middle River. Federal and State returns electronically filed from $60. Call John, CPA, 410-245-3912, for appointment. DONATE YOUR CAR, TRUCK OR BOAT to Heritage for the Blind. Free 3-Day Vacation, Tax Deductible, Free Towing, All Paperwork Taken Care Of. CALL 1-844-855-7670. GOT AN OLDER CAR, VAN OR SUV? Do the humane thing. Donate it to the Humane Society. Call 1-844-230-2952.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate FOR RENT — 8-ROOM HOUSE, 3-bedroom, 1 ½ bath in a safe neighborhood. Big yard surrounded by a fence. $1,000 a month. 410-3238754. ROOM FOR RENT, ROSEDALE — 8200 block of Pulaski Highway. Furnished room, near bus line. Non-smoker. Microwave, refrigerator. $125 per week and up. Call 410-252-7448. RECEIVE CASH OR MARKET OFFER on your house today. Call 24/7, toll free, 800-4578319, ID#3333. House buyer network.

For Sale 2 CEMETERY LOTS, SIDE-BY-SIDE, Meadowridge, paid $6,000, asking $2,500 for one, $4,000 for both. 443-250-6697.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

For Sale 2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed. Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve, 410-913-1653.

Health PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR — May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-851-0949. STOP OVERPAYING for your prescriptions! SAVE! Call our licensed Canadian and International pharmacy, compare prices and get $25.00 OFF your first prescription! CALL 1-888-9817657 Promo Code CDC201725. DENTAL INSURANCE. Call Physicians Mutual Insurance Company for details. Not just a discount plan, real coverage for 350 procedures. 844-3661003 or http://www.dental50plus.com/320 Ad# 6118.

Home/Handyman Services T’S HAULING & MOVING — I will move your possessions or haul them away. Don’t pay hefty delivery fees. Call Tim, 410-889-3795 or 443-6906525. Senior and military discounts. www.tshaulingandmoving.com. Like us on Facebook. BORN AGAIN REFINISHING c/o Vernon E. Madairy Sr. Because your antique and fine furniture is an investment. Photographs at www.bornagainrefinishing.com. Furniture refinishing & repairs. All pieces hand stripped. Restorations. Missing pieces hand-carved. Veneer repair and replaced. Upholstery. Kitchen cabinets refinished. Hand-woven natural cane. Cane webbing. Natural rush. Fiber rush. Wood splint. Residential and commercial. Since 1973 (43 years). 410323-0467. RESIDENTIAL PAINTING: RETIRED PAINTER seeking residential, light commercial work in Baltimore area. Call Mark at 443324-0091. Good work at good prices.

Legal Services WERE YOU AN INDUSTRIAL OR CONSTRUCTION TRADESMAN and recently diagnosed with lung cancer? You and your family may be entitled to a significant cash reward. Call 1-888-351-0312 for your risk free consultation. SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY? Up to $2,671/mo. (Based on paid-in amount.) Free evaluation! Call Bill Gordon & Associates. 1866-970-0779. Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington, D.C. Office: Broward Co. FL., member TX/NM Bar.

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 5th of each month. Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards. Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $10 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word. Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $25 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word. Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad. Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

The Beacon, Baltimore Classified Dept. P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 Miscellaneous

Wanted

ENJOY 100% GUARANTEED, DELIVERED to-the-door Omaha Steaks! Save 75% plus get 4 more Burgers & 4 more Kielbasa FREE! Order The Family Gourmet Buffet — ONLY $49.99. Call 1-844-302-3754, mention code 51689JCT or visit www.omahasteaks.com.

BUYING OLD SPORTS CARDS — Purchasing your older baseball cards, pre 1970s only. All sports and non-sports cards. Paying top cash. Call John, 410-258-7495.

TV/Cable DIRECTV. CALL AND SWITCH NOW — Get NFL Sunday Ticket for FREE! Every Game. Every Sunday. CHOICE- All-Included Package. Over 185 Channels. $60/month (for 12 Months.) CALL 1- 888-572-4953. DISH Network. 190+ CHANNELS. FREE Install. FREE Hopper HD-DVR. $49.99/month (24 months) Add High Speed Internet - $14.95 (where avail.) CALL Today & SAVE 25%! 1844-560-5837. SPECTRUM TRIPLE PLAY! TV, Internet & Voice for $29.99 ea. 60 MB per second speed. No contract or commitment. More Channels. Faster Internet. Unlimited Voice. Call 1-888-366-7573.

Wanted 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. MONEY, TIME TO SELL! Make the right choice. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. We buy jewelry, coins, silver, antiques, watches, gold, art, paper money, toys, bottles, etc. No middleman, no fees, no overhead means more money for your stuff. Give me a call, and let’s do business.717-658-7954.

FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS AND QUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS wanted by a serious, capable buyer. I am very well educated [law degree], knowledgeable [over 40 years in the antique business] and have the finances and wherewithal to handle virtually any situation. If you have a special item, collection or important estate, I would like to hear from you. I pay great prices for great things in all categories from Oriental rugs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks to classic cars. If it is wonderful, I am interested. No phony promises or messy consignments. References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan, 301-2798834. Thank you. 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.

Thank you for reading the Beacon!

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Research Studies

Home Health Care

Legal Services

COPD Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Elderly Falls Drop Study . . . . . .14 Slow Walking & Exercise Study .15 Vitamin D STURDY Study . . . .14

Baltimore City Senior Companion Program . . . . . . .12 Options for Senior America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Angels of Elder Care Planning .19 Frank, Frank & Scherr Law Firm18

Dental Services

Housing

Denture Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Diamond Dental . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Aigburth Vale Senior Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Alta at Regency Crest . . . . . . . . .8 Atrium Village . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Charlestown/Erickson . . . . . . .11 Christ Church Harbor Apts. . . . .24 Linden Park Apts. . . . . . . . . . . .21 Oak Crest/Erickson . . . . . . . . . .11 Park Heights Place . . . . . . . . . .27 Park View Apartments . . . . . . . .25 St. Marys Roland View Towers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Virginia Towers . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Woodholme Gardens . . . . . . . . .19

Clarity & Comfort Hearing . . . .12 FIT! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Goldman, Stuart, DPM . . . . . . . .8 MedStar Good Samaritan . . . . . .9 MedStar House Call Program . .11 Rosenblatt Foot Care . . . . . . . . .11 Skin Cancer EB . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Steady Strides Fall Prevention . . .7 Stop Smoking . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Education CCBC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Myerberg Center . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Events Celebration of the Arts . . . . . . .10

Financial Services First Maryland Disability Trust .19

Funeral Services Dignity/Schimunek . . . . . . . . . .18

Medical/Health

Shopping Custom Window Dressings by Sheila . . . . . . . . .5 Perfect Sleep Chair . . . . . . . . . .20 Radio Flea Market . . . . . . . . . . .26 Wow! Computer . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Keswick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Manor Care Health Services . . .13

Subscriptions Beacon Subscription . . . . . . . . .28

Technology TechMedic4U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 TheBeaconNewspapers.com . . . .3

Theatres/ Entertainment Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . .26

Travel Eyre Bus, Tour & Travel . . . . . .23 Nexus Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Superior Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

32 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

FEBRUARY 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

| 410-358-6856 | myerberg.org

WHAT’S NEW AT THE EDWARD A. MYERBERG CENTER

3101 Fallstaﬀ Road, Baltimore Get high tech at the Myerberg! The new TECH-Knowledge Hub is open and Melanie is ready to work with you!

Visit myerberg.org to see our program guide. Call to register for classes today 443-963-1449. NEW! The Golden Years of Sports in Baltimore

NEW! Changing World of Art and Culture

Tuesdays, Beginning February 6, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Wednesdays, Beginning March 7, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

$65 Members / $95 Nonmembers (5 sessions)

$65 Members / $95 Nonmembers (6 sessions)

Explore the history and achievements of Baltimore’s professional sports teams from the late 1950s to the early 1980s: Colts (football), Orioles (baseball), Bullets (basketball) and other sports (soccer and hockey). Discuss the decline of the teams and Baltimore as a major sports city. Instructor: Will J. Thompson

What could be more exciting than spending an afternoon with artists like Michelangelo, Picasso, Frank Lloyd Wright, Beethoven, Meryl Streep or Fred Astaire? Students in this class will be taken on an exciting visual and verbal trip through the changing arts of paintings, music, architecture, sculpture, dance, drama, movies, television, etc. Instructor: Ed Gold

NEW! Jews of the South Thursdays, Starting February 1, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

NEW! Trump’s First Year

$65 Members / $95 Nonmembers (6 sessions)

Wednesdays, Beginning March 7, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Learn about the history and uniqueness of Jews who lived in the southern United States. Explore when and why they came, where they settled, what they did before, during and after the Civil War and what contributions they made. Instructor: Harry Ezratty

$65 Members / $95 Nonmembers (4 sessions) A review of the first year, both foreign and domestic, of the controversial president, including an analysis of current issues confronting the administration and the Republican Congress as the mid-term elections approach. Instructor: Barry Rascovar

First Thursdays: Women @ the Myerberg

Fall in Love with Fitness!

Monthly, 1:30 p.m.

FEBRUARY MARKS AMERICAN HEART MONTH.

$10 per lecture / $25 for 3 lectures February 1 - Witches & Sorcerers in the Talmud, Rabbi Ariel Greenberg Platt March 1 - The Life and Music of Irving Berlin, Bob Jacobson April 5 - Immigration in Baltimore, Nicholas Fessenden

New Members: Wear RED when you join the Fitness Center in February and receive $20 OFF a 6-month or 1-year membership. Your heart will thank you. Current members: Get out of the cold and

Pastel Drawing

warm up your heart at the Myerberg.

Wednesdays, Beginning February 7, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Complete our Walking Path 10 times

$155 Members / $195 Nonmembers (13 sessions)

during the month of February

Beginner and intermediate artists will explore the pastel medium and improve overall skills in accurately portraying subjects of their choice in terms of perspective and proportion as well as the proper handling of values and color. Instructor: Joyce Lister

and enter to win a Myerberg prize!