June 2016 | Howard County Beacon by The Beacon Newspapers

The Howard County

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Many community leaders can attest to how those early experiences translated into decades of Dittman’s efforts helping others. ”Dave builds rapport with those he works with. His thousands of hours of work have changed lives, improved the housing quality, and impacted the community in countless ways,” said Millicent Nwolisa, executive director of Bridges for Housing Stability, the nonprofit group where Dittman is doing his volunteer work these days. Bridges works to prevent homelessness in Howard County by providing services and advocacy for housing stability. “As his wife Jane states, when anyone says, ‘Dave, I need…’, he has jumped in and pulled together the people to get the job done,” said Nwolisa. Connie Fischel did volunteer work with

JUNE 2016

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PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER MYERS

High praise

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More than 30,000 readers throughout Howard County

Making the world a better place By Robert Friedman In the 1970s and ‘80s, Dave Dittman helped settle refugees from the Vietnam War and the Cambodia genocide into new lives in Howard County and around the U.S. In the 1990s, he started repairing houses in Baltimore’s inner city. And since 2005, he has made numerous trips to Mississippi to help rebuild Hurricane Katrinaravaged homes. That volunteer work — and more — over the years has earned the Ellicott City resident the 2016 Howard County Lifetime Achievement Award. Dittman said that his volunteer work was spurred by his childhood empathy for the underdog. “When I was growing up, I had histoplasmosis, a debilitating lung disease. I was the low man on the totem pole in high school. I got knocked around pretty good. “I developed an affinity for the other low guys on the totem pole,” recalled Dittman, now 78. “And I developed an affinity for minorities. “When I was growing up in Seymour, Indiana, Tuskegee Airmen were training at the air base there. They weren’t treated too well.” Several were arrested and court-martialed for trying to integrate the officer’s club at the Freeman Air Base. “That stayed with me all my life,” Dittman said.

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A visit to magnificent Prague (and beyond) in the Czech Republic; plus, get your fill of cowboys, art and steak in Oklahoma City page 30

ARTS & STYLE Over decades, Dave Dittman has devoted his spare time to helping war refugees resettle, as well as build and repair housing for the needy, in Howard County and around the country. His tireless work on behalf of others has earned him the 2016 Howard County Lifetime Achievement Award, which honors exemplary volunteers.

Dittman for the Columbia Cooperative Ministries resettlement program decades ago, and the two have remained friends. “Dave helped settle over 200 people in new homes from Ellicott City to California, helping them find jobs and housing,” said Fischel. “They came from refugee camps, and we met them at BWI on flights from Vietnam. Dave was such a hard-working fellow. I think he is a born volunteer.” Phil English, who lives in Columbia, has worked with Dittman on projects from Baltimore to Mississippi. “We helped put together houses that were falling apart after Katrina. We also worked together in Baltimore,” English said. “Dave is the leader of the crews” nicknamed the Hammers. “He puts everything together and

figures out what has to be done.” English, 80, traveled with Dittman to Mississippi, and worked alongside him for the Christmas in April organization in Baltimore and Howard County to make free repairs and perform upkeep to homes of low-income residents. And there’s more. Helen Skipper is an 80-year-old Baltimorean whose home near Ravens Stadium Dittman helped recondition several times. “He’s done so much for me. He’s a blessing in my life,” Skipper said. “He’s my friend, my brother, my baby. If there were more people like him, this world would be a better place to live in.” See VOLUNTEER, page 26

Peter Pan flies high at Toby’s; plus, actor Joe Mantegna talks about hosting the Memorial Day concert on the Capitol lawn page 34 TECHNOLOGY k The latest tech scams k The lure of virtual reality

FITNESS & HEALTH k Benefits of worrying

THE SENIOR CONNECTION 19 k Newsletter for Howard County seniors LAW & MONEY 23 k Perks for older consumers k Post-retirement employment ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

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Healthcare headache Every year, it seems, I meet more people for many of us, could stop a migraine in its who suffer from migraines, as I do. But even tracks in minutes. if you’re not one of the 29 milI remember the day my doclion or so Americans who extor told me of the new mediperience these enormously cine and offered to call in a prepainful headaches, please keep scription for me. For some reareading, as I hope you’ll learn son I no longer recall, I wasn’t something that might prove able to pick it up before the helpful to you all the same. pharmacy closed that day. I experienced my first miBut then I started to get a graines 36 years ago, shortly terrible migraine that night, after I moved to Washington, and my wife rushed to a 24D.C. I associated them with hour location of the same pharthe area’s renowned pollen FROM THE macy chain to beg them to fill it. count, and called them “sinus PUBLISHER After speaking with my By Stuart P. Rosenthal headaches” — which is what doctor, they agreed to sell my father had always called her one pill — at a price of the severe headaches he used to get. $60. I remember thinking how outrageous But when I went to a doctor for help, he a price that was for a single pill. (Sounds immediately diagnosed me with migraines downright quaint now.) (and said my dad’s headaches were most When we picked up the rest of the prelikely the same: they’re often inherited). scription the next day, paying a much Unfortunately, at the time, there wasn’t more reasonable co-pay, I saw that my inmuch more than aspirin and Tylenol to surance company had paid more than $500 take for the head-crushing pain, and I towards the nine pills, a month’s supply. would stumble to my bed, hands pressing But the medicine worked like magic, and on my temples, and have to sleep it off, gave me back days of my life. often writhing in agony. Today, decades later, there are generic A few years later, researchers developed versions of Imitrex and many other triptans, Imitrex (sumatriptan), the first of many as well as numerous inexpensive older meds “triptans” — prescription medicines that, that, while developed for other conditions,

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proactive medical care consumers, and ask up front whether there is a cheaper or moretested medication that we can try first. Or if, upon trying a new medicine, we experience serious side effects, we should certainly go back to the doctor and ask for something else. One more point. I, too, tried various non-prescription alternatives, including massage, acupressure and Botox. Also, I participated in a number of clinical studies of new products over the years. It was through one such study that I met my current neurologist, who now appears to have truly solved my migraine problem through something as simple as stretches and exercise. In our first conversation, the doctor asked me extensively about the location and progression of my migraines. Based on my particular symptoms, she prescribed a couple of months of physical therapy focusing on my shoulders and upper back. The PTs helped me develop a daily 20minute exercise regimen that seems to have all but ended my decades of migraines. Furthermore, when I still occasionally get one, I have learned the stretches I can do to make it go away, usually without resorting to medication. So, in the end, I think the other writer and I did find our respective solutions in the same way: through dogged research and continued experimentation. I know not all health problems are susceptible to these types of simple solutions, but I certainly now believe they are worth seeking. If you have found a simple or alternative solution to a medical problem, please let us hear from you. Email our managing editor, barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com, or write to us.

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The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of Howard County, Md. and is privately owned. Other editions serve Greater Baltimore, Md., Greater Washington DC, and Greater Palm Springs, Calif. 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 • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Art Director ........................................Kyle Gregory • Advertising Representatives ........Doug Hallock, Jill Joseph, Steve Levin, M.K. Phillips, Paul Whipple • Editorial Assistant ........................Rebekah Sewell

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (410) 248-9101 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com Submissions: The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial and advertising is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 39 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions. © Copyright 2016 The Beacon Newspapers, Inc.

have been found to reduce the incidence of migraines in many sufferers, including myself. I have generally found my co-pays on these drugs cover their entire cost. So imagine my amazement when, earlier this month, I read a first-person account in the Washington Post of a writer with migraines whose doctor prescribed “a new pain-relief pill” that “set my insurance company back about $900 for eight tablets.” While the medicine stopped her migraines, it caused her terrible nausea and stomach pain, making her reluctant to take them. So, did she complain to her doctor (about both the price and the side effects) and ask for another medication? Did she discover in the many Internet searches she described that there are numerous inexpensive generics for migraines that work in different ways and thus might bring on less severe (or even no) side effects? Apparently not, according to the article. Instead, she went on a lengthy search for different doctors and different approaches, trying Botox injections, yoga, acetaminophen with codeine (obtained from a Canadian friend), and ultimately acupuncture, the last of which she feels basically cured her. I’m glad she found a solution, and a nonmedicinal one that that. But I don’t understand why such an intelligent person, who spent hours researching her condition, had not discovered or even asked about other medications or generics. Some doctors, it seems, start out prescribing the latest pill to their patients, perhaps believing the manufacturer’s assurance that newer is somehow better, and most likely without awareness of its cost to patients and insurance companies. For this reason, I think all of us need to be

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: Your May editorial, “A healthy mind,” is right on the mark about the necessity of finding methods, paths and solutions to address the issue of mental health, and the relevant education that is needed to understand this societal problem. One divergent thought is related to an ongoing health industry trend to lump together in a single euphemism all causes and factors that contribute to mental health issues [through use of terms such as] “behavioral mental health.” While this effort addresses much needed public awareness to this behavior, and may also serve to assuage the mind of those who willingly have placed their mental health at risk, it also serves to mask this latter reality, and contributes little to bringing to the forefront a public understanding of avoidable, self-inflicted health problems. A case in point would be [the condition

known as] COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]. While many COPD patients suffer from this pathology involuntarily — due to genetics, allergies, military service, working with asbestos, etc. — we should labor to distinguish the former from [those who developed COPD by choosing to smoke], who now are also bundled in the all-inclusive COPD moniker. Many other societal pathologies are being swept under the rug by the misdirection of marketing’s focused lexicon. Let us stop sugar-coating citizen misbehavior and its invariably noxious consequences. By understanding the causes of pathology, be it mental or physical, we can help disseminate the fundamental and indispensable democratic tenet that “rights and privileges are always conjoined with responsibilities.” JL Puchol-Salva Ellicott City, Md.

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J U N E 2 0 1 6 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Technology &

Innovations Scams can lurk in your Google Alerts By Bob Niedt Google Alerts are designed to keep you up-to-date on the latest online chatter surrounding your chosen areas of interest. It’s simple to sign up, pick any topic, and receive alerts by email as Google finds rele-

vant new results. But hidden dangers can lurk in the links that land in your inbox on a weekly, daily or even real-time basis. Always evolving scammers are succeeding in getting their links to show up in

Google Alerts results seemingly by inserting popular keywords in the titles and pages of their fraudulent sites. So a Google Alerts user who wants to see, say, anything new on the Web related to “Kiplinger” might receive, in addition to

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legitimate links to Kiplinger.com and to news about Kiplinger, links to spammy or even malicious sites that are making surreptitious use of the name to attract potential victims. Google, which didn’t respond to a request for comment, certainly strives to identify and block bogus sites, but there’s evidence that some scammers are getting around its defenses.

Watch out for malware Spam disguised in this manner is a new trick, said Gary Davis, chief consumer security evangelist at McAfee. “This is the first I’ve heard of it,” he said. Davis examined some of the suspicious links Kiplinger discovered in Google Alerts and determined that they led to potentially harmful malware that could infect a computer “instantaneously.” One popular scam making the rounds is a “Blue Screen of Death” pop-up window that tells a PC user that their machine has been hacked — and to call a certain phone number for “tech support.” According to Web security site MalwareBytes.org — which maintains a rolling blacklist of rogue Web sites and companies offering phony tech support — calling the number only worsens the problem. Beyond shaking you down for “repair money” (really a ransom for restoring your computer), the “technician” on the other end of the line may use the opportunity to load your computer with spyware to steal valuable personal and financial information.

How to prevent problems What can you do to protect yourself from deceptive links in Google Alerts? For starters, before you click a link in the email, hover over it with your cursor to see if the Web address (URL) points to a legitimate site. If the Google Alerts result purports to be a news story from CNN, but the URL has no connection to CNN, then it’s very likely a scam. Also, be sure to report the issue. Go to Google.com/alerts, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “feedback” to file a complaint. You can report the alleged spammer to the Federal Trade Commission too. See SCAMS IN GOOGLE, page 5

from Aug. 28 to Sept. 2. Encore Chorale is the nation’s largest choral program for adults age 55+ who love to sing. Both programs will draw singers from across the country interested in improving their vocal technique and spending a week in a beautiful setting with fellow music lovers. The deadline to register for Washington College is June 15 and the deadline for Chautauqua is Aug, 1. Prices vary by program and options chosen. The Washington College institute is $740, which includes all meals, lodging and music. Contact Encore at (301) 261-5747 or email info@encorecreativity.org for more information or a brochure. Register online on Encore’s website at http://encorecreativity.org.

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Check the boxes you’re interested in and return this form to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 or fax to (410) 248-9102.

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If you want to reduce the chances of spam showing up in your Google Alerts, Davis suggests narrowing your search parameters. Let’s say you’re an investor who is interested in the latest news about dividend stocks. When you first set up your alert, put “dividend stocks” in quotes to indicate that you’re only interested in returning results in which the terms appear together. You can also limit the sources of your

Registration is open for Encore Chorale’s 9th Annual Summer

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From page 4

results to “news” and “blogs,” which would exclude broader “web” results. Also, set your Google Alerts to “Only the best results” as opposed to “All results.” Finally, unless you’re specifically looking for results from sites outside the U.S., limit the region to “United States.” The shady links we found in Google Alerts pointed to sites in Germany and France, as indicated by the “.de” and “.fr” URL suffixes, rather than the familiar “.com” suffix. All contents © 2016 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Scams in Google

When the user points a finger at the text or item that they want to identify, the device relays the relevant information to the wearer via a small personal speaker mounted on the glasses near the ear. It generally cannot be heard by other nearby people. In a recent independent study at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, legally blind test subjects were provided with OrCam devices in order to measure its effect on their quality of life. The majority said their quality of life had increased because they could read independently. One patient described the use of the device as “liberating.” OrCam costs $3,500, and may be covered by some insurance plans. The cost includes a one-on-one training session for the device. For more information about the OrCam, see www.orcam.com or call 1-800-713-3741.

Ongoing

F R E E

By Barbara Ruben A recently released device can read aloud text on everything from restaurant menus to road signs — and even recognizes faces — to help those with visual impairments navigate everyday life. Users simply point to text, objects or faces, and the device tells them what it says or who it is. Called the OrCam, the device is a small, light and discreet smart camera that is mounted on the frame of the user’s eyeglasses. It is connected by a thin cable to a base unit about the size of a glasses case that can be placed in a shirt pocket. The OrCam has the ability to read almost any printed text — including newspapers, books, signs, labels on consumer products, and text on a computer screen or smartphone. New faces can be added to its facial recognition library by the user.

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New device reads for those who can’t

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 6

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J U N E 2 0 1 6 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Here’s what “virtual reality” is really like ‘Walk’ into movie scenes For example, I find that a wooded, birdstwittering forest on a sunny day is a far more agreeable environment than my stuffy apartment. And that’s even before Reese Witherspoon appears over a rise and, puffing with her backpack, rests herself on a nearby rock. In character from her 2014 film Wild, she is bedraggled but radiant, and seems close enough and real enough to bother for a sip of her water. Alas, all too quickly Witherspoon resumes her solitary trek, vanishing through trees in the opposite direction, too absorbed in her odyssey to have paid me any notice. But a dinosaur does. With “Jurassic World: Apatosaurus,” I am in a different kind of forest, stationed a few yards from a colossal dozing reptile sprawled on the forest floor. Then, during this two-minute in-

terlude, it blinks awake, clambers to its feet, spots me and, staring me right in the face, takes a curious sniff.

Join the circus These adventures pale in wonder to Cirque du Soleil’s “Kurios: Cabinet of Curiosities,” which sweeps me into a wondrous spectacle. Beautiful and dazzlingly weird, the dozen-and-a-half performers cavort on a stage where they accept me as a spellbound intruder. They put on quite a show. Or, maybe more accurately, many shows. As I share their 360-degree space, where and what I look at is up to me. I am free to bob and swivel my head to fix my gaze on anyone or anything. I literally get to call the shots. And after a half-dozen viewings, with my attention leap-frogging from one direction to another, I still can’t

©CARLOS DIE BANYULS

By Frazier Moore It doesn’t take a high-tech headset to see that virtual reality (VR) is the rage. It’s being touted as the future for all things sensory — from games to film and television, from storytelling to visual art. My response as a television critic — and as a dyed-in-the-wool TV viewer — is to ask what this all means to me. I am not typically an early adopter. My beat as a journalist isn’t newfangled gadgetry. I’m a TV-centric content guy, scrambling to keep up with the torrent of programs that, however more plentiful and varied their providers, still contain themselves in two dimensions. Even so, VR seems a force to be reckoned with. So I grabbed a Samsung Gear VR headset for a maiden voyage. Virtual reality is the link to an alternate reality, and instantly I’m all in!

Virtual reality headsets put viewers in the middle of the action.

take in all the revelry. If joining a famed entertainment troupe is remarkable, an even bigger blast is gaining entry to a painting by Vincent Van Gogh. See VIRTUAL REALITY, page 7

BEACON BITS

lifestyle

Your NEW begins here

communLi are SMOKties E FREE

June 18

ANTIQUES APPRAISALS The Village in Howard

will host an appraisal road show on Saturday, June 18 at 7 p.m. at

APARTMENT HOMES FOR THOSE 62 AND BETTER

Oliver’s Carriage House, 5410 Leaf Treader Way, Columbia. Cost is $15 for general admission, $20 if an item is brought in for appraisal by Paradigm Experts. Reservations are required. Wine, beer and hors d’oeuvres will be available. To register, visit www.thevillageinhoward.org or call the Village office at (443) 367-9043.

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

HARFORD COUNTY

Furnace Branch 410-761-4150 Severna Park 410-544-3411

Bel Air 410-893-0064 Box Hill 410-515-6115

BALTIMORE CITY

HOWARD COUNTY

Ashland Terrace 410-276-6440 Coldspring 410-542-4400

Colonial Landing 410-796-4399 Columbia 410-381-1118 Ellicott City 410-203-9501 Ellicott City II 410-203-2096 Emerson 301-483-3322 Snowden River 410-290-0384

BALTIMORE COUNTY Catonsville 410-719-9464 Dundalk 410-288-5483 Fullerton 410-663-0665 Miramar Landing 410-391-8375 Randallstown 410-655-5673 Rosedale 410-866-1886 Taylor 410-663-0363 Towson 410-828-7185 Woodlawn 410-281-1120

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

June 29

The first of the summer concert series sponsored by Recreation & Parks will begin Wednesday, June 29 at 7 p.m. at Centennial Park South, 10000 Rte. 108, Ellicott City. For more information, call (410) 3134700 or TTY (410) 313-4665

Bladensburg 301-699-9785 55 AND BETTER! Laurel 301-490-1526 Laurel II 301-490-9730

SUNSET CONCERTS AT CENTENNIAL PARK SOUTH

June 20

HEALTHY EATING ON THE GO Learn about eating

healthy in a fast-paced world and how food labeling can help you make

EASTERN SHORE

ALL PARK VIEW COMMUNITIES

Easton 410-770-3070

ARE

PET-FRIENDLY

better choices. The discussion will take place on Monday, June 20 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Howard General

www.ParkViewSeniorLiving.com

Hospital’s Wellness Center Medical Pavilion, Suite 100, 10710 Charter

Call the community nearest you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour or email parkviewliving@sheltergrp.com.

Dr., Columbia. Call (410) 740-7601 for more information.

Professionally managed by The Shelter Group. www.thesheltergroup.com

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 6

Virtual reality From page 6 Thanks to a VR reimagining of Van Gogh’s 1888 “The Night Cafe,” I can take my place within the brushstrokes of the Café de la Gare, whereupon its scattering of tables and chairs, billiard table and lone patron come to life. But there’s more to explore than the single room the painting has immortalized. Through a doorway in the corner, I can stray into a never-before-seen side room, where a pianist plays a melancholy tune and — lo and behold — Vincent himself sits listening while meditatively smoking his pipe.

Unlike VR video captured with stationary 360-degree cameras, this Van Gogh tribute is more like a video game, letting me interact more authentically with my surroundings. I can step up to a table or a person, but no farther, as if these objects were really in my way. And unlike many VR experiences, this one is open-ended. I am free to linger in this otherworldly, painterly realm to my heart’s content. At this cafe, there is no last call. And I am in no hurry to leave. Why would I? Despite the possible onset of a headache or queasiness (nothing comes without a price, including this technology in its infant stage), VR is a habitat of countless possibilities, an exhila-

rating refuge that yanks me from the sidelines and thrusts me into the action. Could VR ever become the default mode for its audience? I can imagine a time when immersion in VR might be as normal a state of self-imposed isolation as earbuds piping music from an iPod is now. But more pertinent to me, a television guy, is this question: As VR evolves as technology and art, what will be its impact on the act of vegging out with old-fashioned TV? Television has long reigned as the province of the couch potato, viewing passively while free to do other things: answer

email, fix a snack, or just nurse a beer. But lost in VR’s altered state, I could easily miss my mouth when trying to take a sip. VR demands full commitment. Could be, as VR comes of age, television will become not quite old hat, but instead, what radio became with TV’s birth: an atmospheric add-on, just one part of the everyday sensory mosaic. Similarly, TV, with its grip on public consciousness downgraded, might be recast as an omnipresent supplement to real life. Not supplementing, but supplanting real life: That’s what VR aims to do. — AP

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ELLICOTT CITY WALKING TOURS Enjoy learning history while strolling through Ellicott City landmarks

on the Howard County Historical Society’s walking tours held the second and fourth Saturday of each month through October. Tours begin at 11 a.m. at Mount Ida, 3691 Sarah’s Lane, and include the Patapsco Female Institute and the B&O Railroad Station and Museum. Tickets are $5 per person for society members, $10 for non-members. For more information, call (410) 480-3250. ASK THE PHARMACIST

June 9

A pharmacist will be available to answer questions about benefits and side effects of medications, herbals and vitamins on

Thursday, June 9 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Howard County General Hospital Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Dr., Columbia. For more information, call (410) 740-7601.

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Complete Roof Replacement

ROBINSON NATURE CENTER AUDIO TOUR The Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks has introduced an audio tour of exhibits to make them more accessible for

patrons with visual impairment at the Robinson Nature Center, 6692 Cedar Lane, Columbia. Visitors may now check out an iPad loaded with the audio tours free of charge. For more information, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/RobinsonNatureCenter

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25-Year Material AND Labor Warranty Included. A $7,750 Value for $3,999!

or call (410) 313-0400.

Ongoing

VIDEO COURSES VIA INTERNET Holders of Howard County Library cards can access more than 3,600 video courses through the Lynda.com website, obtaining

information ranging from software tutorials to filmmaking, photography and other creative skills. To learn more, visit the library system website www.hclibrary.org.

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Health Fitness &

A BURNING QUESTION Are major dietary changes required to help GERD and heartburn? REV UP YOUR METABOLISM Exercise, spicy food, coconut oil and eating more often can help FEWER SNIFFLES Nasal rinses, like neti pots, can help curb chronic sinus problems PLUMBING PROBLEMS Answers to questions concerning ED, prostate health and blood pressure

You can fight back when drugs are denied By Eleanor Laise You make a routine trip to the pharmacy to fill a prescription. But the pharmacist tells you your Medicare drug plan won’t cover the drug. You walk away with no medication — and no clear explanation about why you were denied coverage. More and more seniors are finding themselves in this confusing and potentially dangerous situation, patient advocates say. Questions about pharmacy-counter denials — and what to do next — are among the most common issues raised by callers to the Medicare Rights Center’s national helpline, said Joe Baker, the center’s president. “The problem of pharmacy denials and people being confused by Part D prescription-drug coverage is a growing trend,” he said.

It pays to appeal Seniors who are denied coverage at the pharmacy may pay out of pocket for increasingly unaffordable drugs — or, even worse, go without needed medication. They may need to make several calls to their drug plan to find out the exact reason coverage was denied, and then navigate a complex appeals process to seek a reversal.

But persistence often pays off: In 2013, nearly 80 percent of denials that were appealed were subsequently approved, according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Drug denials are rising in part because Medicare drug plans aiming to control costs are imposing “utilization management restrictions” on a growing number of drugs. These restrictions include step therapy, which requires you to try a cheaper alternative before a pricier drug; limits on the quantity of a drug that your plan will cover in a certain time period; and prior authorization, which means your plan must give approval before the prescription is filled. Such restrictions were applied to 39% of drugs on Medicare drug plans’ formularies in 2015, up from 18% in 2007, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. In other cases, coverage is denied because the drug is not on your plan’s formulary. Each fall, review your plan’s annual notice of change, which explains how coverage and costs are changing in the coming year.

Also call the plan to make sure specific drugs you take are still on the formulary and not subject to any new coverage restrictions. You can switch drug plans during Medicare open enrollment, which runs from October 15 to December 7 each year. If a drug you’re taking is dropped from your plan’s formulary, or you change to a plan that doesn’t cover the drug, you are entitled to a onetime “transition refill” — typically a 30-day supply of the drug.

Nearly 80% of denials that were appealed were subsequently approved.

How to appeal Don’t take the pharmacist’s “no” as your final answer. Take note of the drug name and dosage that you were prescribed, the name of the pharmacy, and the date when you tried to fill the prescription. Then call your plan and ask for a “coverage determination” — a written explanation of the coverage decision. The plan generally has 72 hours to respond. But you can ask for an expedited decision, which requires the plan to re-

spond within 24 hours, said Diane Omdahl, president of 65 Incorporated, a Mequon, Wis., firm that helps seniors navigate Medicare. If the plan tells you that the drug is not on the formulary or that it’s subject to a restriction, you can ask for a coverage “exception.” In this case, your doctor must write a supporting statement. “It has to really explain why this drug and no other is what the patient needs,” said Jocelyne Watrous, an advocate at the Center for Medicare Advocacy. The 72-hour clock won’t start ticking until the plan gets the doctor’s statement. If the coverage determination is not in your favor, you have 60 days to ask for a “redetermination,” the first level of appeal. If significant dollars are at stake, you can pursue several more levels of appeal — and ultimately have your case heard in federal court. Since in many cases denials are inappropriate, “our advice to clients is always to push back,” Baker said. “When we do that, we find that people get the coverage.” All contents © 2016 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Surprising benefits of worrying (for some) By Srini Pillay Everyone worries, but some people worry more than others. When worry is excessive, people may develop generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). In fact, close to a quarter of people who go to their primary care physicians with anxiety suffer from the condition. In general, stressful events in childhood and adulthood, having strained economic resources, being divorced, and being female all put you at risk for GAD. But what do all of these different highrisk groups have in common psychologically? Why do they worry so much? And what can they do about it? A recent study explained why people with GAD worry so much — and the findings may surprise you.

Worry as self-protection While many people think they are just worriers, they do not realize that they actually worry for a reason. Their worry is an

attempt to protect themselves! If you’re wondering how such a nagging, persistent, annoying and sometimes distressing psychological state can be helpful, you’re probably not alone. But the findings do in fact make some sense. It turns out that worrying about something puts your mind into a negative state, but this helps, because when something negative does happen, you don’t feel that much worse. You’ve already been feeling bad. For people with GAD, it’s better to feel bad most of the time so that a negative event — someone being ill, sudden financial challenges, or rejection from a loved one — doesn’t have the power to create a massive emotional swing. It’s the sudden shift from a neutral or positive mood to a negative one that is of most concern to worriers. They will do anything to avoid this, include preparing to be miserable. They really hate the contrast of a situation unexpectedly going south.

To people who aren’t worriers, this would sound counterintuitive, but they don’t have the same sensitivity to sudden emotional shifts. In fact, for them, worry is undesirable, whereas worriers find worry helpful. This poses a dilemma for treatment, then. If someone has GAD, just asking them to lose the worry will not work. And if you have GAD, expecting your brain to simply stop worrying on command is a tall order. Another study has helped us understand that people who are prone to worrying are soft-wired to pay attention to threatening news, thereby building up a library of evidence in their brains that worrying is necessary. Think about it. On any given day, there are so many threatening things happening in the world — anything from new viruses, terrorist attacks or political conflicts to a hostile email or upcoming storm are all real events. Yet, if you only pay attention to the threats, you have no space left in your

brain to process anything else. Threat becomes your reality, and worry becomes your justifiable response. Anyone telling you to give up your worry will sound out of touch, to say the least.

Getting worry under control As challenging as this sounds, there are things that you can do to retrain your brain to stop worrying. Cognitive behavioral therapy, a type of talk therapy where you simply revisit your assumptions in an attempt to reframe your thoughts, works according to some studies but not others. It’s important to remember that you can benefit from other forms of talk therapy, though, and that you can benefit from medications as well. But if you want to try changing the way you think right now, prior to therapy or while you’re waiting, you might consider See WORRYING, page 10

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Major diet changes not required for GERD Dear Mayo Clinic: I’m 62 years old and am having difficulty keeping healthy weight on due to GERD and acid reflux. I am really confused about what foods and beverages I should avoid, and what foods will not make my reflux act up. What foods do you recommend mature adults with this condition avoid, and what healthy foods are best? Answer: In the past, doctors recommended quite a few dietary restrictions for people who had gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. But more recent recommendations advise against such restrictive diets. In fact, eliminating the wide range of foods that could be associated with reflux is no longer the norm. Instead, we now

suggest only avoiding foods that you know make your symptoms worse. In addition, maintaining a healthy weight is important because being overweight has been shown to increase reflux. Acid reflux happens when stomach acid flows back up into your esophagus — the tube that connects your throat to your stomach. Occasional acid reflux is very common. Almost everyone experiences it from time to time. Acid reflux starts to become a problem when it happens frequently or if it involves large amounts of acid. When acid reflux leads to frequent symptoms or complications, then it’s called GERD. The most common symptom of GERD is frequent heartburn. Other signs and symp-

Worrying

helpful, is the next step. You can then reexamine your library of negative “proof” and swap out threatening realities for positive ones. In fact, this kind of deliberate optimism can protect you from GAD. Worry in GAD can be debilitating, but there is an increasing amount of data that shows you can address this effectively. Srini Pillay, M.D., is a contributor to Harvard Health Publications. © 2016. President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

From page 8 the following approach. Rather than challenging yourself or someone else about worry, you can actually accept that the worry is serving a purpose — to avoid a sudden negative swing. Then, start to delve deeper so you can discover that the negative swing you most fear is probably less negative than you think. Giving up the struggle and control with worry, and accepting that it has not been

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toms may include regurgitation of food or sour liquid, difficulty swallowing, coughing and chest pain. In some patients, symptoms may be worse while lying down at night.

Fewer restrictions recommended Over the years, a long list of foods has been associated with an increase in GERD symptoms. They include caffeine, carbonated beverages, chocolate, spicy foods, highly acidic foods (such as oranges and tomatoes), and foods with high fat content. Doctors used to suggest that you completely take all of these foods out of your diet to help decrease GERD. But such a restrictive diet was hard for many people to follow. Research since then has also shown that taking away all these foods simply isn’t

necessary to control GERD. Instead, an individual approach works best. To help find the foods that make your symptoms worse, keep track of what you eat, as well as the severity of your symptoms. Then avoid the foods and beverages that seem to trigger your symptoms. Avoiding fatty foods is still recommended, however, because in addition to being a possible trigger for reflux, there is little nutritional value to these foods.

Focus on healthy foods You can take a similar approach to healthy foods. Try to include a variety of healthy foods in your diet each day: fruits, See GERD, page 12

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FIND ALZHEIMER’S STUDIES

The Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch is a clinical studies matching service that connects individuals with current studies. Recruiting and retaining trial participants is now the greatest obstacle, other than funding, to developing treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. TrialMatch is open to people with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias, their caregivers, family members and physicians. Using this Web-based service, TrialMatch users create and manage a personal profile that includes information about their diagnosis, location and other preferences. This profile is then matched with a continuously updated database of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia clinical trials. To access the database, go to alz.org/TrialMatch.

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Health Studies Page

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THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

New treatments for leukemia are studied By Carol Sorgen Nearly 19,000 new cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) will be reported this year in the U.S., according to American Cancer Society statistics. CLL affects mainly older adults, and the average age at the time of diagnosis is 71. It is rarely seen in people under 40, and is extremely rare in children. Yet CLL accounts for one quarter of all diagnosed cases of leukemia. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a type of cancer that starts from cells in the bone marrow. At some point, leukemia cells leave the bone marrow and spill into the bloodstream. Once in the blood, leukemia cells can spread to other organs. They also often cause an increase in the number of a person’s white blood cells. Chronic leukemias can take a long time before they produce symptoms, and most people can live with the condition for many

years. But chronic leukemias are generally harder to cure than acute leukemias. Continued research is needed to find improvements in the treatment of CLL.

Testing new drugs Sinai Hospital and Northwest Hospital, members of LifeBridge Health, are participating in two nationwide clinical trials sponsored by TG Therapeutics aimed at improving treatment options for people with CLL. TG Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company currently developing therapies that target cancers that begin in the cells of blood-forming tissue (bone marrow). Both studies are Phase 3 trials, meaning the drugs being studied have already been through two previous phases of testing. One trial is called the Genuine Trial. It has two arms: The first is the experimental arm, which will assess the efficacy and

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safety of the drug Ublituximab, a monoclonal antibody that is not yet approved for use by the FDA, in combination with the drug Ibrutinib, which is approved. In the other arm, participants will take Ibrutinib alone. This study is aimed at participants who have been previously treated for CLL, and have the presence of high-risk features as identified by cellular abnormalities. Patients taking both drugs will receive three separate intravenous infusions of Ublituximab followed by maintenance infusions and an oral daily dose of Ibrutinib. Patients in the second arm will receive an oral daily dose of Ibrutinib. The other trial, called the Unity Trial, will assess the efficacy and safety of Ublituximab used in combination with another drug for which approval is being sought — TGR-1202. A second arm of this study compares that combination to the use of the drug Obinutuzumab in combination with Chlorambucil. Both of these drugs are already approved and in use for treatment of CLL. The Unity Trial is for CLL patients without high-risk features, and who either have not had treatment before or need recurrent treatment.

GERD From page 10 vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean protein. If you notice an increase in symptoms when you add something new, try to steer clear of that food and see if it makes a difference. As much as possible, focus on including healthy choices in your diet. Although extra weight isn’t a problem for you, getting to and staying at a healthy weight is important for GERD control because excess weight can make reflux worse. If you continue to have difficulty controlling your symptoms, talk with your

Patients in the first arm of this trial will receive three separate intravenous infusions of Ublituximab, followed by maintenance infusions and an oral daily dose of TGR-1202. Patients in the second arm will receive eight intravenous infusions of Obinutuzumab and scheduled oral doses of Chlorambucil.

Open-ended study Treatments will take place at either Northwest Hospital or Sinai Hospital. Participants do not have to be current LifeBridge Health patients. Participants will continue in the trial until the doctor no longer feels they are receiving any benefit from it. There is no financial compensation for participation. Researchers intend to assess the survival rate of patients treated in both trials over the course of three years. The Genuine Trial is recruiting 330 participants; the Unity Trial, 450. To learn more about these studies, or to see if you qualify to participate, visit ClinicalTrials.gov and search for the following trial numbers: NCT02301156 and NCT02612311. You may also call the Oncology Research Office at Sinai Hospital at (410) 601-6120. doctor. He or she may recommend additional GERD treatment. A consultation with a dietitian may also be helpful to find foods that work well for your situation and allow you to maintain a healthy weight. — Marcelo F. Vela, M.D., Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Ariz. 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. © 2016 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All Rights Reserved. Distributed By Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Seeking Men and Women The University of Maryland & Veterans Aﬀairs of Baltimore are conducting a research study to better understand balance & prevent falls as we age. With your participation you will receive: • Health evaluation • Balance, step, strength, and/or flexibility exercises • Compensation for your time

For Information, please call the Baltimore VA/University of Maryland Gerontology Recruitment Phone Line

410-605-7179 Mention code: LIFT *You must be at least 65 years old and in good health *Participants will be seen at the Baltimore VA Medical Center and University of Maryland School of Medicine for approximately 41 visits for 1 to 4 hours of time per visit

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Some foods that can boost metabolism By Nicci Micco So you’re trying to lose weight. Join the club! Wouldn’t it be great if you could just turn a knob and rev up your metabolism — your calorie burn — just like that? Well, we all hear about diet and exercise strategies that supposedly do just that. But do they work? Yes — and no. Here’s what we know about the subject: 1. Spice things up. Studies suggest that capsaicin, an antioxidant in chile peppers (and also what makes them hot), increases the body’s metabolic rate — slightly. Is it recommended? Sure! While the metabolic boost you get by adding chiles to your diet isn’t likely to melt away pounds, some research also suggests that capsaicin may stimulate brain chemicals in a way that helps you feel satisfied. And when you make your foods delicious with spices — instead of huge amounts of butter or cream — you save calories. 2. Eat more often. By having several mini meals each day instead of fewer, larger ones, you can shift your metabolism into a higher gear more often — and burn more calories. Our metabolisms rev up slightly each time we eat, as our bodies

process what we’ve consumed. Is it recommended? Sure, if it helps keep your hunger in check so that you don’t overeat when you finally sit down to a meal. (And if you’re not having a bunch of snacks that are actually the calorieequivalent of big meals.) 3. Add coconut oil to your diet. There is some preliminary research to suggest that using coconut oil in place of butter, olive oil or canola oil might help people lose weight by boosting their calorie burn. The fatty acids in coconut oil (called medium-chain triglycerides, or MCT) are shorter and more water-soluble than those in other oils, such as olive or canola, so they’re routed directly to the liver where they’re readily burned for fuel. There’s no scientific evidence to show that simply consuming coconut oil helps people lose weight. But research suggests that using an MCT oil in place of olive oil might. Is it recommended? Not really. Even if coconut oil does indeed help people lose weight, few nutrition experts recommend it, since coconut oil is loaded with saturated fat: 12 grams in 1 tablespoon versus 7 grams See METABOLISM, page 14

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Is there a link between dairy and cancer? Q: Does a lactose-free diet play a role in reducing cancer risk? A: For people who can’t digest lactose, a naturally occurring sugar in milk, eating or drinking milk and other dairy products can lead to uncomfortable cramping and diarrhea. Overall, research shows no reduction in cancer risk by avoiding foods with lactose (dairy products). In fact, the latest report from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) analyzing the evidence links milk and calcium intake with lower risk of colorectal cancer. There is some research linking consumption of dairy products with increased risk of prostate cancer, but the evidence here is not strong.

A few studies have also linked high consumption of lactose with greater risk of ovarian cancer, but overall research does not show any clear link between lactose or dairy consumption and ovarian or other cancer. Limited animal research even shows possible protective effects of lactose for the colon. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend two to three servings of dairy per day as part of an overall healthy eating plan. One serving equals 1 cup milk or yogurt or 1 1/2 ounces natural cheese. Q: How do lentils compare nutritionally to dried beans like kidney beans, black beans and chickpeas? A: Like all pulses (a term that includes dried beans, dried peas and lentils), lentils are a great source of fiber. Just a half-cup

of cooked lentils provides nearly as much The little red lentils and yellow lentils fiber as two cups of cooked oatmeal, and dissolve into sort of a purée, so they’re much of it is the type of fiber great for thickening soups that helps lower blood cholesand stews, or mashed as in terol. Iron and the B vitamin some Indian dal recipes. folate that is so important for You may also see French maintaining healthy DNA are lentils, which are smaller high in all pulses. than more common types, As do other pulses, lentils but these take longer to cook. provide both protein and French lentils retain their health-protective phytochemishape and firmness and add a cals like flavonoids. Their easy peppery flavor, making them preparation requires no soaka great choice for salads. ing like other dried beans, so NUTRITION Whatever your choice, enjoy you can go from pantry to table WISE lentils as a quick and easy way By Karen Collins, in about 20 minutes. to work more legumes into Pulses are similar in nutri- MS, RD, CDM your eating habits. tion, but you can enjoy explorThe American Institute for ing the many types for a variety of flavors. Cancer Research offers a Nutrition Hotline, 1Cook brown lentils until tender but not 800-843-8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday mushy, holding salt and any acid ingredi- through Friday. This free service allows you to ents (such as lemon or tomatoes) until the ask questions about diet, nutrition and cancer. end to avoid toughening the lentils and in- A registered dietitian will return your call, creasing cooking time. usually within three business days. Brown lentils are part of renowned dishCourtesy of the American Institute for es all around the world. They can serve as Cancer Research. Questions for this column a meat replacement or extender in your fa- may be sent to “Nutrition Wise,” 1759 R St. vorite stew, soup, chili, or rice- or veg- NW, Washington, DC 20009. Collins cannot etable-based mixed entrée. respond to questions personally.

Metabolism From page 13 in a tablespoon of butter. It also has 120 calories per tablespoon, like all other oils. 4. Exercise. As we age, muscle metabolism decreases — by 1 to 2 percent each decade after age 30. So even if you maintain the same level of exercise and calorie intake as you age, you will tend to accumulate fat over time. Regular exercise (and/or calorie reduction) can help offset reduced muscle metabolism and help you stay lean.

This community event is free and open to the public.

Is it recommended? Absolutely! Exercise not only boosts your resting metabolism so that you’re burning more calories when you’re at rest, heart-thumping activity blasts away calories while you’re doing it and makes you feel great. If you’re just getting started with an exercise program, check with your doctor first. EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com. © 2016 Eating Well, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Nasal rinses for chronic sinus problems As spring rolls around, allergies and hay the ethmoid sinuses (near the bridge of fever cause problems, and so do lingering your nose) or sphenoid sinuses (behind strains of colds and flu. Maybe your eyes). Luckily those conyou are one of the 40 million ditions are rare, and you’ll people in America who are need a CT scan of your sinusexperiencing uncomfortable es to uncover ethmoid or symptoms from chronic sinusisphenoid sinus problems. tis? It translates to a lot of Pro — It’s affordable and Kleenex, Flonase and Sudafed! readily accessible at health Are you experiencing some food stores and pharmacies. of these issues: Sinus pressure, Con — You have to tilt your headaches, cheek pain, eyeball head in an awkward position pain or pressure behind the to use, and this is problematic eyes, puffy eyes, nasal dry- DEAR if you have neck or back pain. PHARMACIST ness, or a stuffed up nose? Do Also, you need to buy distilled By Suzy Cohen you have moving headaches or water. Please don’t skimp and shocks in your scalp, dental use tap water, because your sipain, or a foul odor that no one else can smell? nuses are not equipped to defend against Today I’m reviewing some popular de- pathogens very well. People have died from vices that can help with chronic sinusitis: a brain-eating amoeba found in tap water, so Neti Pots — These are small plastic or be sure to use distilled. porcelain containers from which a saline NeilMed Rinse solution is poured into the nostrils. I recPro — This squeeze bottle devise flushommend the porcelain kind. Neti pots and es you out really well, and is more efficient other such devices discussed below are than a neti pot. Many people claim it better than oral decongestants like pseu- helped them after years of congestion. It doephedrine (Sudafed) because they don’t comes with individual packets of salt with raise your blood pressure or cause spaci- baking soda, which is instantly alkalinizness or insomnia. ing. You control the pressure or “flush” by But they work superficially, addressing squeezing the bottle yourself. nasal and maxillary sinus problems Con — You may get a sinus headache af(around your cheekbones), not those of terwards. Some people say it causes a sen-

sation similar to the feeling you get when you jump into a pool and water gets up your nose, but this goes away. Navage Nasal Irrigation — Getting used to this device — which sends water up one nostril and literally suctions it out the other — takes a try or two. It has a “pulling” effect rather than a pushing effect like other devices. Once you get used to the sensation, you can reap the benefits. Pros — It doesn’t require awkward head positions.

Cons — You have to buy their proprietary brand of salt pods, and the sensation of suction can feel bizarre. You also can’t control or adjust the flow. 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.

• Eye Care for All Ages • Specialists in Cataracts, Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy and Macular Degeneration • Contact Lens Specialists • LASIK - Laser Vision Correction • Plastic & Reconstructive Eye Surgery

Full In-House Optical Department Outpatient No-Stitch Cataract Surgery • Laser Surgery MEDICARE ASSIGNMENT ACCEPTED LENARD H. HAMMER, M.D., F.A.C.S. GORDON LUI, M.D. SCOTT B. BECKER, M.D. MEDICARE EYE EXAMS

BRIAN J. WINTER, M.D. CRISTINA F. ROUILLER, O.D. VANESSA LIMA, M.D.

410-997-9900

Probably the Best Way to Take Care of a Neck that’s Being a Pain in the Neck! 8860 Columbia 100 Parkway, Suite 101, Columbia, MD

If you suffer with neck problem like tension, stiffness or even pain, it’s likely by now that you’ve also felt the heavy head, sluggishness and maybe even headaches that go with it.

IF YOU suffer from neck pain, you are in good company with more than two-thirds of the population of the USA who will also suffer with neck pain at some point. People who suffer with neck problems will usually have sharp or dull pain on movement and can feel sharp pain radiating into the head, often causing a headache. In some cases pain, numbness or tingling may also radiate into the upper arm, lower arm, hands or fingers. Problems with the neck can also cause discomfort in between the shoulder blades as well. Over the years the first line for dealing with neck problems

has been to take over-thecounter pain killers and antiinflammatory drugs. Accepting the inevitable side effects in return for meager reductions in pain and a mild increase in comfort. That is, until now... Recent advances in the treatment of neck problems have led to the development and huge success of Non-Surgical Reconstructive Spinal Care. The excellent results of this treatment have been published in major medical journals, with some doctors recommending their patients try this treatment first before resorting to drug therapy. In Ellicott City, you can try

Non-Surgical Reconstructive Spinal Care at World Class Chiropractic – the office of the man who has dedicated the last 30 years of his life helping people with neck pain… Dr. Steve Silverston. Dr. Steve and his team of fully trained friendly staff have helped thousands of patients find relief from their neck problems. According to Dr. Steve, “We use an important combination of technology, for precisely diagnosing the cause of your neck pain and a complete program for reconstructing the damaged area causing the pain; this means superior long-term results for most people.” Because the treatment is nonsurgical, drug free, safe and easy, most patients report an almost immediate relief from their pain. Julia L. from Ellicott City says, “There are no words to describe the amazing capabilities of Dr. Steve. I have

been to a number of chiropractors, physical therapists, and massage therapists for my shoulder and neck pain. He is the first doctor I have met who truly cares about helping me through his actions and not just his words. He is upfront and honest. He shows you where and why you have pain, what he is going to do to provide a long-term solution to the problem, and he delivers. My entire experience at World Class Chiropractic has been glorious and has improved my overall quality of life! Your invitation for a comprehensive consultation and examination to pinpoint the cause of your neck problem... All you have to do to receive a thorough diagnostic examination with a comprehensive, easy to understand recommendations for care is call 410-461-3435. Mention this article

(CODE: TBMAY1) and Dr. Steve will happily reduce his usual consultation fee of $195 to just $57. But hurry, for obvious reasons – this is a time limited offer – with only 25 reader consultations available at this exclusively discounted rate. My advice, don't suffer a moment longer... Find out if Non-Surgical Reconstructive Spinal Care can help you, book a consultation with Dr. Steve and his team now by calling 410-461-3435. You can even call on the weekend and leave a message on their answering machine to secure your spot as they promise to return all calls; and during the week they are very busy, so if they don’t pick up straight away do leave a message. World Class Chiropractic is conveniently located at— 4785 Dorsey Hall Drive, Suite 124 Ellicott City, MD 21042

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

J U N E 2 0 1 6 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Queries on ED, prostate, blood pressure By Howard LeWine Q: I recently saw my doctor for urinary symptoms. He said that I have an enlarged prostate. We decided to wait to start treatment. But now I wonder if I should take Cialis since the TV ads say it helps with symptoms from an enlarged prostate as well as erectile dysfunction. Any suggestions? A: Difficulties with urination become more and more common in men over age 50. Often the cause is the noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland — benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. As the prostate puts pressure on the urinary plumbing, men experience symptoms such as difficulty starting urination, straining to empty the bladder, and having to get up frequently at night to urinate. Some men try to live with it, but at some point they may feel the need to explore medical solutions.

BPH’s frequent fellow traveler is erectile dysfunction (ED). A fair number of men develop both ED and symptoms of BPH. And it sounds appealing to take one pill that might help with both. Since you and your doctor decided to wait before starting medication for the BPH symptoms, perhaps the more important issue for you is ED. If that is the case, I would suggest contacting your doctor to focus on this issue. Daily tadalafil (Cialis) is the only drug currently FDA-approved for use in men with both ED and BPH. If you did desire medication for ED, you may not need or want to take a pill every day. Most often men use an ED drug on asneeded basis. Examples include a stronger dose of tadalafil and several similar drugs, such as sildenafil (Viagra), vardenafil (Levitra) and avanafil (Stendra). If later you decide it’s time for medication

BEACON BITS TAKE A WALK The Columbia Association will begin the month with a walk in the Gateway Business Park at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 2. The walk will be led by environmental author Ned Tillman. Walkers will gather at the parking lot adjacent to Aida Bistro, 6741 Columbia Gateway Dr. Additional walks at various locations in Columbia continue through October. The next walk will take place Thursday, June 16. For details, visit Open.Space@ColumbiaAssociation.com or call (410) 312-6330.

June 2+

to help with BPH symptoms, there are two types of drugs that doctors prescribe. Alpha blockers — such as alfuzosin (Uroxatral), doxazosin (Cardura), silodosin (Rapaflo), tamsulosin (Flomax), and terazosin (Hytrin) — relax the smooth muscles in the bladder neck and prostate. This improves urine flow and leads to less frequent need to urinate. If the prostate is enlarged, the doctor may add a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, such as dutasteride (Avodart) or finasteride (Proscar). These drugs can help to shrink the swollen gland and take pressure off the bladder neck. For men with ED and mild to moderate BPH symptoms who are willing to take a pill every day, tadalafil for daily use is certainly an option. Q: Which blood pressure number is more important, the top number or the bottom number? A: When doctors started paying attention to the dangers of high blood pressure more than 50 year ago, experts recommended focusing on the bottom number. That’s the diastolic blood pressure, the pressure in your blood vessels when the heart is at rest. The top number was pretty much ignored. That’s called the systolic pressure, which reflects the force produced by the heart when it pumps blood out to the body. So treatment for high blood pressure (hypertension) was aimed at keeping the diastolic pressure under 90. People who had only a high systolic reading did not get treatment to lower blood pressure. In the 1980s, new research showed the importance of both the top and bottom number. And then more studies suggested that a high systolic pressure might even cause more strokes and heart disease than a high diastolic pressure. A recent study of more than one million

people confirms the greater impact systolic pressure has on our health. Although there currently is some debate as to what is an abnormal systolic blood pressure, the long standing number is a top number reading of 140 or higher. That’s the number the researchers used in this study to identify people with systolic hypertension. The researchers analyzed electronic health records of people age 30 and older. They did not have any history of heart disease, stroke or blood vessel disease. About 20 percent of them were taking medicines to lower blood pressure at the time of the first record review. The records were reviewed again several times over a median of 5.2 years. Researchers were looking for a first event of heart disease (angina, heart attack or heart failure), stroke, abdominal aortic aneurysm (bulging aorta in the belly) or peripheral artery disease (narrowed arteries in the legs that cause pain with walking). Abnormally high systolic pressures were linked with a greater risk of heart disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease. Diastolic hypertension was only associated with a slightly higher chance of developing an aortic aneurysm. Today we know that just like cholesterol, lower blood pressure, both systolic and diastolic pressure, is healthier. But when deciding when and how to treat high blood pressure, doctors primarily focus on systolic pressure readings. Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, please visit www.health.harvard.edu. © 2016 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 6

Hard to help loved one with mental illness Dear Solutions: had been seeing. That doctor will probably My husband (we’re separated) has need to have your husband committed to a been diagnosed as bipsychiatric facility on the polar. He is not taking his basis that he may be of danmedication, and is so deger to himself or others. pressed he cannot funcOf course, it’s hurtful to do tion. this, but this sounds like a neHe’s not going to work, cessity for his own safety, as or bathing, or cleaning his people in this state are often apartment, which is filthy suicide risks. now with mice. He will not Also — very important — go to the psychiatrist he have someone look through was seeing. his apartment and make sure How can I persuade him SOLUTIONS there are no guns or other to see a psychiatrist and By Helen Oxenberg, weapons there. take his medication? He MSW, ACSW Please speak to a doctor will not say how I can help. and follow through for everyI’m afraid he will lose his apartment one’s sake and safety. and his job, and become homeless. I Dear Solutions: do not want to forcibly get him to the My daughter’s husband left her over emergency room. What can I do? a year ago, and they’re still in the Please help. midst of conflict over a settlement. I’m — Anonymous furious at him. Dear Anonymous: I always have my whole family, inYou must seek the help of the doctor he cluding my daughter and her children

BEACON BITS

(my grandchildren) over for dinner on every holiday. So that’s when he calls my house, in the middle of dinner, and insists on talking to his children no matter what I say. My daughter doesn’t want me to say anything or to use the answering machine, because she doesn’t want to antagonize him, and he knows we’re all here. I get very upset. I don’t want to make things harder for my daughter, but my stomach churns every time I hear his voice. How do you think I should handle this? — Maimie Dear Maimie: Put the blame on Mame – I mean Mom.

I know you want to help your daughter, but allowing this boor to bully you won’t help her. If your daughter thinks it’s necessary to appease him, then she can do it in her space, not yours. Remember who you are. This is your home, your dinner and your telephone. Tell him quietly and firmly that no one is allowed to interrupt your dinner in your home, and you’ll tell the children he called. Then hang up and let the answering machine do the talking. © Helen Oxenberg, 2016. Questions to be considered for this column may be sent to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. You may also email the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

Caring places. Healing spaces. Specializing in Skilled Nursing and Subacute Rehabilitation

Bel Pre

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM MEDICARE Are you currently on Medicare or soon will be? Do you provide care to someone covered by Medicare? This presentation will review original Medicare (Part A Hospital and Part B Medical) and prescription drug coverage (Part D). Learn what is covered, your costs, how Medicare works, and available benefit programs on Tuesday, June 14 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The program is presented by the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) at Howard General Hospital’s Wellness Center Medical Pavilion, Suite 100, 10710 Charter Dr., Columbia. For additional dates and more information, call SHIP at (401) 313-7392

June 14

2601 Bel Pre Road Silver Spring, MD 20906

301.598.6000

BridgePark

4017 Liberty Heights Avenue Baltimore, MD 21207

410.542.5306

COUNTY MOBILE CRISIS TEAM AVAILABLE A crisis team of mental health professionals is available to go to the location of the person in crisis seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. by calling (410) 531-6677. For more information on this and other emergency psychiatric services, visit www.namimd.org/help/crisishelp.htm.

Ongoing

Ellicott City

3000 N. Ridge Road Ellicott City, MD 21043

410.461.7577

Fayette Health 1217 W. Fayette Street Baltimore, MD 21223

410.727.3947

Forestville

7420 Marlboro Pike Forestville, MD 20747

301.736.0240

Fort Washington MEMBERS OF THE

12021 Livingston Road Ft. Washington, MD 20744

301.292.0300

Marley Neck Serving with Pride.

800.989.7337 communicarehealth.com

7575 E. Howard Road Glen Burnie, MD 21060

410.768.8200

South River

144 Washington Road Edgewater, MD 21037

410.956.5000

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

J U N E 2 0 1 6 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

June 2016

UPCOMING SEMINARS & EVENTS at Brooke Grove retirement village

As experts in senior care and memory support, Brooke Grove Retirement Village is pleased to offer seminars and events that promote physical, spiritual and mental well-being. All seminars and events will be held at Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, located at 18131 Slade School Road on the Brooke Grove Retirement Village campus. Please register with Toni Davis at 301-388-7209 or tdavis@bgf.org.

Support for the Caregiver Seminar: “Coping with Relationship Changes Caused by Alzheimer’s” June 14, 2-3 p.m. An estimated 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, and the number of those affected can be multiplied many times over when you consider their spouses, children and friends. Learn how to weather the relationship changes caused by Alzheimer’s and how to use humor and support to help you maintain a positive relationship with your loved one. FREE. Register by June 12.

ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP June 15, 2-3 p.m. Sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association, this confidential group provides an opportunity for individuals and families to find support, gain understanding and share caregiving tips. FREE.

Assisted Living open house The Meadows at 1635 Hickory Knoll Road June 21, 10 a.m.-12 noon Explore our residential-style homes, gardens and secure walking paths. Discover our innovative approach and programs including those designed to stimulate memory. Meet our staff, trained in assisting those with Alzheimer’s and memory loss. Enjoy our 220-acre campus and our live-in pets. FREE. Register by June 19.

18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860 301-260-2320 www.bgf.org

Independent living assisted living rehabilitation long-term care memory support

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 6

The

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Senior

NEWS and EVENTS from the Howard County Office on Aging

Connection

Department of Citizen Services

Volume 6, No. 6 • June 2016

Heighten Awareness to Curb Elder Abuse If you suspect that a vulnerable adult is being abused or exploited, call Howard County Adult Protective Services at 410-872-8823 and Howard County Police Department at 410-313-2200. To learn more about what you can do to avoid becoming a victim, contact Maryland Access Point at 410-313-5980 or the Howard County Office of Consumer Affairs at 410-313-6420.

June 15 is Elder Abuse Awareness Day

lder people today are more visible, more active, and more independent than ever before. They are living longer and are in better health. But as the population of older Americans grows, so does the hidden problem of elder abuse.

Every year an estimated five million older Americans are victims of physical, psychological, or other forms of abuse and neglect. For every case reported to authorities, experts estimate as many as 23 cases go undetected. Elder abuse is an intentional act or failure to act that causes or creates a risk of harm to an older or vulnerable adult (one who lacks the physical or mental capacity to provide for his or her activities of daily living). Abuse can occur at the hands of a stranger, a caregiver or a person the elder trusts. In 2015, one in 10 elders reported emotional, physical, or sexual abuse or potential neglect. Many cases are not reported because elders are afraid or unable to tell police, friends or family about the violence. Victims often have to decide whether to tell someone they are being hurt or continue being abused by someone they depend upon or care for deeply.

What is financial abuse? Financial abuse is the theft or embezzlement of money or any other property from an elder. It can be as simple as taking money from a wallet and as complex as manipulating a victim into turning over property to an abuser. This form of abuse can be devastating because an elder victim’s life savings can disappear, leaving them unable to provide for their needs. It is the fastest growing form of abuse and considered “the crime of the 21st century.” Financial exploitation may be committed by a person the victim knows or by a stranger. Financial abuse by a known person (friend, family, caregiver, or power of attorney) includes stealing cash, jewelry and other items; forging an elder’s signature; unauthorized use of ATM, credit cards or bank accounts; and obtaining property by coercion, misrepresentation or undue influence. Financial abuse situations more likely to be committed by strangers include con-artists misrepresenting organizations such as charities, sweepstakes or foreign lotteries; scams such as the grandparent or sweetheart scams; identity theft; medical or health care fraud; and home improvement scams.

Warning signs of financial exploitation may include: • significant withdrawals from the elder’s account(s); • suspicious changes in wills, power of attorney, titles and insurance policies; • caregivers or beneficiaries who refuse to use funds for care; • failure to provide amenities, pay bills or provide medical care the victim can afford; • sudden changes in the elder’s financial condition; and • purchasing unnecessary services, goods or subscriptions.

A Message from

Starr P. Sowers Administrator, Office on Aging The older population in America will increase dramatically as baby boomers reach age 65. By 2030, there will be about 72.1 million older people, almost 20 percent of the total population! The challenges presented by an aging population are many; elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation are among the most serious issues facing older adults. World Health Organization data suggests that 4 to 6 percent of older adults suffer from some form of abuse, a large percentage of which goes unreported. To help spread awareness of this alarming trend, the United Nations sponsors World Elder Abuse Awareness Day each year on June 15 to focus global attention on the physical, emotional, and financial abuse of older adults. Elder abuse can happen to anyone – a loved one, a neighbor, and yes, it can happen to you. Financial exploitation is the most common type of elder abuse. It is estimated that elders throughout the United States lose a minimum of $2.9 billion annually due to financial abuse and exploitation. By educating yourself about the most common forms of financial abuse and scams, you can protect yourself from becoming a victim. Howard County’s Office of Consumer Affairs regularly issues alerts and fact sheets about current scams in our area. Visit www.howardcountymd.gov/consumer to learn more. Learn how to recognize, stop and report elder abuse by visiting www.howardcountymd.gov/eldersafety. Heightened awareness of the signs of physical and financial abuse will help protect vulnerable members of your community. Reach out to those at risk, and report suspected abuse by calling 911 or contact one of the agencies listed on our website. For more information, contact Maryland Access Point of Howard County at map@howardcountymd.gov; or call 410-313-5980 (voice/relay); or visit our website at www.marylandaccesspoint.info.

The Senior Connection

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Support for LGBT Older Adults in Howard County By Jessica Rowe, LCSW-C Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender older adults face discrimination and isolation that can prevent them from experiencing the best that life has to offer. Whether they have been in the closet for much of their lives, or feel forced back into the closet as they age, they are often invisible in our community. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month (LGBT Pride Month) is celebrated during the month of June to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally. A number of recent efforts in Howard County are committed to “making the invisible visible.” These include:

J U N E 2 0 1 6 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Are You & Your Pet Ready to Share Your Hearts? Paws4Comfort fosters special bonds between pets, their owners and the County residents they visit. If you are interested in volunteering, or wish to receive a FREE evaluation for your pet, contact:

Ingrid Gleysteen PROGRAM COORDINATOR

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

PHONE EMAIL

PET EVALUATIONS are held at 7:00 PM on the 1st Thursday of each month June 2 • July 7 • Aug 4 • Sept 8 Oct 6 • Nov 10 (2nd Thurs) • Dec 8

LGBT Older Adults Task Force of Howard County In March 2014, a group of professionals and community members began meeting to provide education, outreach, information, resources, and events with the mission “to improve quality of life for LGBT older adults by decreasing discrimination and social isolation and increasing access to information and resources to promote greater equality.” The Task Force meets monthly in Howard County and is open to all LGBT affirming individuals and community partners. Contact Sue Garner at lgbthoco@gmail.com or 443-745-8294 for more information.

Bain 50+ Center 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia 21044

www.howardcountymd.gov/aging

50+ LGBT Group Begun in October 2014 to provide a place for LGBT older adults to meet and share information and experiences, the 50+ LGBT group is open to all LGBT adults age 50+, and meets on the first Thursday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bain 50+ Center. For more information contact Jessica Rowe, LCSW-C at 443-980-2914 or jessicarowe100@gmail.com.

Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elder’s Caring and Preparing Program (SAGECAP) Offered through the LGBT Health Resource Center at Chase Brexton, SAGECAP provides education, resources, and support for LGBT adults 50+ and LGBT caregivers. Services include support groups, one-on-one counseling, information and referrals, financial, legal and medical assistance, and education and training targeted toward service providers. This program is housed at Chase Brexton in Baltimore City, but is available to all. Contact Bethany Henderson at 410-837-2050, ext. 1216 or bhenderson@chasebrexton.org for more information.

Moment to Honor !"!#$%&'$('(!#)$!*$)!+#$,!-'.$!"'/$%&#!+0&$1+2'%$#'3'45!"6$ ,2-'$(+/24$7".$7$0#!+8$4!(('(!#75-'$745-2%)9$:20&%$#'*#'/&('"%/9 ;<=>$"!$,7%'#$%&7"$?7)$@A9

Wednesday, June 1 • 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Bain 50+ Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia 21044

Luncheon at Timbuktu

B&!!/'$7"$'"%#C'D$4#7E47F'$GH@IJ6$4&24F'"$/47(82$GHKLJ$!#$ E7F'.$M25$GHKNJ9$O"4,+.'/$.'//'#%6$4!P''Q%'7$7".$0#7%+2%)9 ;'02/%'#$"!$,7%'#$%&7"$R+,)$A9

Thursday, July 14 • 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Contact Elaine Widom 410-313-7353 (VOICE/RELAY) • ewidom@howardcountymd.gov Designed for adult children to learn about services and programs available for aging family members. • How to Start the Conversation • Services to Assist with Aging in Place • Assisted Living & Nursing Facility Options • Ways to Assess Needs and Design a Plan

Tuesday, June 7

•

6:30 - 8 p.m.

East Columbia 50+ Center 6600 Cradlerock Way Columbia 21045 REGISTER BY PHONE www.howardcountymd.gov/familyinstitute

410-313-1440

The Senior Connection is published monthly by the Howard County Department of Citizen Services and the Office on Aging. This publication is available in alternate formats upon request. To join our subscriber list, email seniorconnection@howardcountymd.gov Howard County Office on Aging, 6751 Columbia Gateway Dr., Columbia, MD 21046 410-313-6410 (VOICE/RELAY) • www.howardcountyaging.org Find us on

www.Facebook.com/HoCoCitizen

Kim Higdon Henry, Senior Connection Editor kahenry@howardcountymd.gov Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the Howard County Office on Aging or by the publisher.

The Senior Connection

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 6

Say you saw it in the Beacon

The Loan Closet is expanding and we are almost ready to OPEN! The Loan Closet is currently accepting DONATIONS of GENTLY USED MEDICAL EQUIPMENT. Call 410-313-0363 to facilitate donations. The Loan Closet is a local clearinghouse of donated medical equipment — for those who cannot afford these items or simply have a short-term need, as well as those who may no longer need their equipment.

The Loan Closet provides and accepts donations of: ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗

Long Reach Village Center, 8775 Cloudleap Court, Suite #11, Columbia, MD 21045 • loancloset@howardcountymd.gov 410-313-0363 (VOICE/RELAY) • 410-313-0369 (FAX)

Bathing Aids Canes Electric Wheelchairs Hoyer Lifts Manual Wheelchairs Modular Ramps Portable Ramps

◗ Scooters ◗ Shower Aids ◗ Stairglides ◗ Therapy Aids ◗ Toilet Aids ◗ Walkers and much more!

A COLLABORATION OF

A Subsidiary of Sheppard & Enoch Pratt Foundation

www.howardcountymd.gov/loancloset Tax-deductible donations help underwrite the operation of the Loan Closet. Financial contributions assist in the cost of care for equipment and to purchase new items as needed. All monetary donations are to be made payable to the Director of Finance, Howard County.

REUSE

•

RECYCLE

•

REPURPOSE

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REUSE

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RECYCLE

START LIVING WELL TODAY!

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REPURPOSE

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REUSE

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RECYCLE

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REPURPOSE

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

Living Well with Diabetes Chronic conditions CAN be managed with our 6-week LIVING WELL program!

Medical Pavilion at Howard County Wellness Center, Roxbury Mills TUESDAYS • 6:00 – 8:30 PM

July 5, 12, 19, 26 AND August 2, 9 $

28 includes 15 hours of workshop and all materials

TOPICS COVERED: • • • • • • • • •

Techniques to Handle Pain, Fatigue, Frustration and Isolation Maintaining a Balanced Blood Sugar Nutrition & Healthy Eating Appropriate Exercise Communication Skills Stress Management Skin and Foot Care Glucose Monitoring Goal Setting

To register, request accommodations, or for more information, contact:

WENDY FARTHING

wfarthing@howardcountymd.gov 410-313-3506 (VOICE/RELAY)

www.howardcountymd.gov/livingwell

Advocates | Fiduciaries | First Responders | Medical Professionals

KEYNOTE: PAUL GREENWOOD “Lessons Learned from a 20-Year Journey of Prosecuting Elder Abuse Cases”

Admission Fee $40 • Limited Seating The Howard County Mental Health Authority is an approved sponsor of the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners for Continuing Education for licensed social workers in Maryland and maintains responsibility for this program. This training is approved for 6.0 hours of Category I continuing education units.

Monday, June 20, 2016

•

8 AM – 4 PM

APL Johns Hopkins Kossiakoff Center 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel 20723 REGISTER ONLINE AT

http://eldersafety2016.eventbrite.com FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Ofelia Ross Ott 410-313-6052 • oross@howardcountymd.gov

A partnership of the Howard County Office on Aging, Mental Health Authority and Police Department, and representing the Howard County Vulnerable Adults Committee

www.howardcountymd.gov/eldersafety

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

The Senior Connection

J U N E 2 0 1 6 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Howard County 50+ Centers

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS Go to www.howardcountymd.gov/50pluscenters for a complete list of events, programs and services.

Bain 50+ Center

Ellicott City 50+ Center

Tuesday, June 7 • 10:30 a.m. to noon — THE FALL OF SAIGON: PROUD AND BITTER MEMORIES

Tues./Thurs., June 7 thru July 28 • 10 a.m. — WALK AND STRETCH

Decorated for his work during the collapse of Saigon, Tom Glenn, DPA, tells the story of the days before his last-minute escape under fire. FREE. RSVP: 410-313-7213.

Tuesday, June 14 • 10 a.m. to noon — OPERA LOVERS & LUNCH Enjoy a comedy opera by Gaetano Donizetti, The Daughter of the Regiment, sung in English and starring Beverly Sills. Cost: $13; register at the front desk by June 7.

Wed., June 15 • 10 a.m. to noon — ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS DAY Each year, hundreds of thousands of older adults are abused, neglected, and exploited by family members, friends or “trusted others.” Officer André Lingham will provide tips on how to protect yourself and your family. FREE. RSVP: 410-313-7213.

Thursday, June 16 • 11 a.m. to noon — FATHER’S DAY ROCK & ROLL BARBECUE Celebrate Father’s Day with Gina DeSimone and The Moaners, as they sing classic rock tunes. Cost: lunch donation. Space is limited; purchase tickets by June 9.

East Columbia 50+ Center Wed., June 8 • 11:30 a.m. — ANTIQUE APPRAISAL LUNCHEON Dig out a coveted treasure and find out how much it’s really worth (one item per guest). $12/person; lunch included. Register: 410-313-7680.

Sunday, June 12 • 3 p.m. — SHOWTIME SINGERS Join us for this wonderful Sunday concert by the Showtime singers. Get your ticket and prepare to be dazzled! FREE.

Enjoy a walk outdoors in the community, followed by a full body stretch indoors. Please dress for the weather, and bring a watch. Cost: $41 for all 15 classes (no class on June 28).

Friday, June 10 • Doors Open 11:30 a.m. — HOORAY FOR LOVE Enjoy a catered luncheon by Bon Fresco at noon; at 1 p.m., join us for a musical cabaret show featuring Leo Bianco with guest pianist, Diane Waslick. Cost: $12; sign-up at the Front Desk.

Tuesday, June 21 • 12:30 p.m. — HEALTHY AGING TRIVIA Join Renuka Jain, DPT, COMT from Revive Physical Therapy to play healthy aging trivia. FREE.

Wed., June 29 • 1 p.m. — MOVIE DAY: BRIDGE OF SPIES During the Cold War, an American lawyer defends a Soviet spy in court, and helps the CIA exchange him for an American U2 plane pilot. FREE.

Glenwood 50+Center Monday, June 6 • 10 a.m. — MAKE UP MAVENS Barbara Blumberg tells us about the “women” behind the makeup – Helena Rubinstein, Elizabeth Arden, Estée Lauder, Mary Kay and Avon. Cost: $5; includes a catered lunch. Register: 410-313-5440.

Tuesdays, June 7 and 14 • 1 p.m. — C&O CANAL: THE HISTORY Learn how the C&O Canal was planned, built and functioned, and hear about life on the canal during the Civil War from author James Rada, Jr. FREE. Register: 410-313-5440.

Wed., June 8 • Noon — GLAMOUR AT GLENWOOD

Wed., June 15 • 11:30 a.m. — RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP

Put your best fashion foot forward and enjoy a catered lunch, music and modeling of casual clothes from Christopher and Banks. Cost: $15; purchase tickets by June 1.

Learn how and why a rain barrel could help lower your water bill, and enjoy a beautiful summer luncheon. Cost: lunch donation. Register: 410-313-7680.

Wed., June 22 • 11 a.m — LYRIC OPERA PRESENTS: A GRAND NIGHT OF SINGING

Wed., June 22 • 11:30 a.m. — AARP’S LIFE REIMAGINED® Create your own next chapter; explore options and ideas for the future. Imagine the possibilities. Cost: lunch donation. Register: 410-313-7680.

Elkridge 50+ Center Wed., June 29 • 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS PROGRAM Learn what you can do to recognize, prevent and report elder abuse. FREE. Register: 410-313-5192.

Friday, June 24 • 10 to 11:30 a.m. — ANDROID PHONE CLASS Class covers the basic operations and special features of Android phones. FREE. Register: 410-313-5192.

Thursday, June 16 • 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. — FATHER’S DAY COOKOUT Enjoy a delicious cookout featuring burgers, hot dogs, side dishes plus games and prizes for everyone. Cost: lunch donation. Register by June 8: 410-313-5192.

Hear popular songs from Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, and learn fun facts about the composers and shows. FREE. Register: 410-313-5440.

North Laurel 50+ Center Friday, June 3 • 10 a.m. — 5th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Celebrate the past and our future with music by the Lovestory Duo. Light refreshments provided. FREE. Information: 410-313-0380.

Monday, June 13 • 1 to 2 p.m. — TALKIN’ BROADWAY SERIES: MORE MUSICALS THE CRITICS PANNED BUT THE AUDIENCES LOVED Follow the evolution of Broadway’s rich history through discussion and live song presentation. FREE. Information: 410-313-0380.

Tuesday, June 14 • 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — FLAG DAY CEREMONY LUNCHEON Learn the history of Flag Day; sing the National Anthem; and recite the Pledge of Allegiance; all presented by the American Legion Post 300. Cost: lunch donation. Call 410-313-0380 by June 8 to reserve lunch.

Wed., June 15 • 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — DAY ON THE DECK PARTY Celebrate Father’s Day with live music by Panama Rex and a special lunch. Tickets: $3 plus lunch donation. Reservations: 410-313-0380.

To request accommodations to participate, contact the 50+ Center hosting the event one week in advance.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 6

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ENCORE GIGS Do you dream about a new career in retirement? Look into teaching English overseas, or becoming a city tour guide or patient advocate

ENDOW A SCHOLARSHIP How to help young students by setting up a scholarship fund through a college development office or community foundation

Tax-free muni bonds: not sexy, but steady By Stan Choe The municipal-bond market looks to be regaining its reputation for delivering reliable if unsexy returns, following several big swings since the financial crisis. It’s remained sturdy in recent months, even as stocks and other types of bonds have jerked up and down. That has investors, mostly high income earners, once again pouring in dollars in search of safety. Municipal bonds are issued by states and local governments to raise money to build the school down the street or expand the local sewer system. In exchange for funding projects meant to be good for the community, investors generally do not have to pay federal income taxes on the interest payments they receive. In some cases, they’re also exempt from state and local taxes. The largest municipal bond fund returned 2.9 percent last year, more than the largest stock fund’s 0.3 percent. More importantly for twitchy investors, Vanguard’s Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt fund is on pace for its 10th straight month without a loss. Demand has been strong enough that roughly $16.5 billion has flowed into municipal-bond mutual funds over the last

year, according to the Investment Company Institute. Contrast that with the $73.6 billion that left taxable bond mutual funds, in large part because investors were fleeing highyield funds on worries about their riskiness. Stock funds had even faster rates of withdrawals.

Low, but tax-free, returns Just remember that the reason for muni bonds’ recent popularity is precisely because they’re boring. Don’t come in with expectations of getting rich quickly. Yields are low, which cap future returns, and their strong performance last year and so far in 2016 has pushed yields even lower. “I don’t think there’s a lot of downside, but the upside is limited too,” said Guy Davidson, director of municipal bond management at AllianceBernstein. “Muni funds can offer stability and income in a volatile world, but I don’t think you should be preaching for excitement given these yields at the moment.” Yields are low for muni bonds relative to their history, and they can also be lower than taxable bonds with a similar maturity and credit rating. That’s traditionally been the case because muni bonds’ income is

free of taxes. Top income earners have a federal tax rate of nearly 40 percent, which means a taxable bond yielding 3 percent would generate the same spending power after taxes as a muni bond yielding just 1.8 percent. Many websites have online calculators that help investors figure out the “taxequivalent” yield of their bond funds. That’s also why investors hold muni bonds in taxable accounts. If they were in a 401(k) or another tax-deferred account, their tax advantage would be wasted. The muni bond market has historically been relatively sleepy. Then the financial crisis hit. Municipal bond funds held up better than most investments, but the largest category of them still lost an average of 2.3 percent in 2008. Returns rocketed higher the next year, but another shock came in late 2010 and early 2011. That’s when a high-profile prediction for a wave of municipal defaults sent investors running for the exits. The default wave never materialized, but panic set in again in 2013, when worries spiked that interest rates could rise faster than expected. Since then, the muni bond market has dealt with more scares, like the recent debt crisis in Puerto Rico.

Some trouble spots and risks It’s not just Puerto Rico that has raised concerns. Investors are worried about Chicago and areas that have big pension obligations. Governments heavily reliant on revenue from the oil industry are also under pressure, following the collapse in the price of crude. The fear is that if local tax revenue craters, it will be difficult for the municipality to pay back investors. But fund managers say the market sees these as isolated trouble spots. In the rest of the country, tax revenue is on the upswing due to the stronger economy. And many local governments slashed their expenses and held off on issuing debt following the financial crisis. “Throwing out Chicago and Puerto Rico, muni credit is kind of as good as it’s ever been,” said Nick Venditti, portfolio manager at Thornburg Investment management. “It’s very easy for a muni bond buyer to come into the market and avoid the Chicagos and Puerto Ricos and find more fundamentally strong credits.” Like any bond fund, a municipal-bond fund will fall in price as interest rates rise. See TAX-FREE MUNIS, page 25

Nine financial perks for older consumers By Kaitlin Pitsker If you’re age 50 or older, be prepared to start getting carded again. Many discounts, tax breaks and other perks for seniors start earlier than you think. Here are nine ways that getting older can help you keep a little more cash in your wallet. 1. Lower car insurance rates. Years of experience behind the wheel are a plus: Allstate cuts rates up to 10 percent for most drivers 55 and older. Geico and other insurers offer similar discounts if you take a driving class. 2. Beefed-up retirement savings. If you’re 50 or older, you can make a “catchup” contribution of $6,000 to your 401(k), for a total of up to $24,000 in 2016. You can also stash an extra $1,000 in an IRA, for an annual contribution of up to $6,500. 3. Deals on travel. American, Southwest and United Airlines offer fliers 65 and

older discounted fares on some domestic routes. Travelers 62 and older are eligible for 15 percent off some Amtrak fares and 5 percent off Greyhound bus tickets. Best Western trims 10 percent from its room rates if you’re 55 or older, and Marriott cuts the price of your room by 15 percent if you’re at least 62. (Note: Don’t jump at senior discounts without doing some comparison shopping first. You may be able to find a better price elsewhere, regardless of age.) 4. More for your HSA. If you’re 55 or older, you can add an extra $1,000 to a health savings account in 2016. That’s in addition to the $3,350 limit for individuals or $6,750 for families. You’ll need an eligible high-deductible health insurance policy to qualify for an HSA. 5. Tax breaks from Uncle Sam. If you and your spouse are both 65, the standard deduction for 2016 is $15,100 (singles

can claim a standard deduction of $7,850). And if you or your spouse is 65 or older, you can deduct eligible out-of-pocket medical expenses that exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income (rather than the 10 percent threshold for younger taxpayers). 6. Discounts galore. You can get discounts on everything from Kohl’s shopping expeditions (15 percent off on Wednesdays for shoppers 55 and older) to Harris Teeter groceries (5 percent off on Thursdays if you’re 60 or older). And AARP’s $16-a-year membership for anyone 50 or older comes with a plethora of benefits, including discounts on hotels, restaurants and shopping. Members can also take advantage of a car-buying program and discounts on insurance coverage and car rentals. 7. Cheaper tickets to ride. Some cities let older adults take public transit

free or for a reduced fare. For example, riders 65 and older pay half price to take the subway in Greater Washington, New York City and St. Louis. 8. A bargain on national parks. Nature lovers 62 and older can buy a lifetime pass from the U.S. National Park Service for access to more than 2,000 national parks and federal recreation areas. The senior pass costs $10 at federal recreation sites or $20 either by mail or online. 9. Free (or low-cost) classes. Many public colleges and some private universities allow seniors to audit classes free or at low tuition rates. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute sponsors programs for people 50 and older at 119 campuses. Membership generally costs about $200 to $600 per year. All contents © 2016 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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J U N E 2 0 1 6 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Some interesting encore gigs for retirees By Jane Bennett Clark Maybe you’ve always fantasized about racing down the sidelines as a soccer ref, or expounding to tourists on the charms of your city. Once you retire from your career job, you’ll have time to make that fantasy happen, but you’ll have to get up to speed on the skills involved. Here’s a rundown of the basic requirements for six dream retirement gigs.

English-language teacher overseas You don’t need teaching experience for this gig, but you do need certification in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) or TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), a comparable credential more common in the United Kingdom.

The American TESOL Institute offers an online-only program ($295) and one that combines online study with in-class training ($995 to $1,620). Salaries depend on the country and cost of living. For more information, see www.tefl-tesol.net. You may be able to teach English as a Second Language in U.S. public schools with TESOL certification, but many states set additional requirements. Check with your state’s education department.

Patient advocate City tour guide Prerequisites for this job range from nothing at all, to passing a test administered by your local jurisdiction, to getting a license (or both), depending on where you plan to operate.

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To find out the specifics in your area, go to the National Federation of Tourist Guide Associations and click on “Our Members.” Then contact the association closest to you. In addition to keeping track of local requirements, these associations offer training programs, continuing education, jobnetworking opportunities and certification. Expect to make about $40 an hour, said Ellen Malasky, vice-president of the National Federation of Tourist Guide Associations.

FREE LEGAL HELP AVAILABLE AT WALK-IN CENTERS The Circuit Court for Howard County is providing free one-on-one legal assistance to low income, self-represented litigants at two Howard County locations. Morning sessions are held the first three Tuesdays of each month from 9 a.m. to noon at the Circuit Court Law Library & Legal Resource Center, 8360 Court Ave., Ellicott City. Evening sessions are held once a month at the East Columbia Branch Library, 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia. For more information, call (410) 313-2135.

Being a private patient advocate can involve anything from sorting out billing snafus to helping families navigate the healthcare system. No state requires a license for patient advocacy, and there is currently no nationally recognized certification, although one is in the works through the Patient Advocate Certification Board. Your own experience with, say, an ailing parent or a health crisis can be a starting point. To add to your qualifications, review the list of competencies and best practices at the patient advocate certification site, then go to Health Advocate Resources to see which educational programs can fill in any gaps. A private practice is like any small business, said Trisha Torrey, founder and director of the Alliance of Professional Health Ad-

vocates. But for this profession, liability insurance is a must. You can generally charge fees of $100 to $250 an hour, depending on your background, services and location.

National Parks employee For a seasonal gig at a national park (or at a guest lodge, summer camp or ski resort), check out Cool Works, which lists postings from employers in spectacular settings around the country. Listings include openings for cooks, reservation clerks and gift shop employees, as well as for, say, a hovercraft captain or trolley driver. Employees who can work the full season (as opposed to decamping for college in August) are in demand, making retirees a hot commodity. You’ll be paid minimum wage or a little more for entry-level jobs. Employers typically provide low-cost and sometimes free housing, ranging from private rooms to dormitories, or hookups for RVs. Some employers offer accommodations for couples, too. Most retirees take these jobs for the fun and the chance to meet new people, not the compensation, said Patty Ceglio, director of operations at Cool Works. You’ll find job listings geared to retirees on the “Older and Bolder” section on the Cool Works site” coolworks.com. See ENCORE JOBS, page 26

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Steps to setting up a scholarship fund By Kimberly Lankford Q: My uncle passed away last year, and I’d like to establish a scholarship fund in his name. What steps do I need to take, and how much money do I need? A: Creating a scholarship fund can be a great way to remember your uncle and help students pay for their education. You can also take a charitable deduction for the money you give to a college, community foundation or other eligible charity. You usually need about $20,000 to $25,000 to endow a scholarship that pays out $1,000 every year. The requirements vary by organization. Some let you create a shorter-term scholarship fund with less money. San Diego State University, for example, requires $50,000 to endow a $2,000 annual scholarship, or you can commit to giving $5,000 a year over three years to finance three $5,000 scholarships for one year.

Contact the development office The development office at a school or community foundation will help you set up the scholarship. You may want to focus on students who live in your uncle’s hometown, or those who plan to major in his line

Tax-free munis From page 23 So far, rates have remained low, but most expect them to eventually rise. If it happens slowly enough, the bigger income payments that higher rates would bring could offset price drops. When assessing the market, muni fund managers also look at how much supply and demand exists for tax-free bonds. Supply hasn’t grown as much as in the past, because local governments have been

Frank, Frank

of work, or who have a certain grade point average and attend his alma mater. The organization can help you determine the type of requirements to impose without making the applicant pool too small. It may also help you create a fund even if you don’t have enough money to endow an annual scholarship. Rather than paying for college tuition, for example, your gift could pay for students to attend a study-abroad program or educational camp.

People over age 70½ can now transfer up to $100,000 tax-free from an IRA to charity every year, which counts as their required minimum distribution but isn’t included in their adjusted gross income and can be a source of money for a scholarship fund. Ask how the scholarship will be advertised, how the recipient will be selected, and if there are any fees. Find out how involved you can be; you may be able to sit on the selection committee but not be the main decision maker, for example.

Some people who don’t have enough money to set up an endowed scholarship themselves make contributions to a donoradvised fund for a few years and, after their balance reaches a certain level, give the money to a college or community foundation to start a scholarship. (In that case, you get the charitable tax deduction when you give the money to the donor-advised fund rather than when you start the scholarship.) © 2016, Kiplinger. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Or work with a foundation A community foundation can help you set up a scholarship that isn’t tied to a particular school — helping local students who are interested in studying engineering, for example. You can find a community foundation in your area at www.cof.org/locator. There are foundations for most counties and jurisdictions in the Washington area. Some have more experience than others with managing scholarships. Ask what types of assets you can give, and how the school or community foundation will invest the money. You can give cash, appreciated stock or other investments to create the scholarship fund. slow to borrow since the financial crisis. Managers see the strength of demand as the bigger potential threat to future returns. The municipal-bond market is dominated by individual investors, rather than big institutional investors or hedge funds, and they have shown in the past that they can be quick to sell. For now, muni bonds’ steady returns mean demand has remained consistent and strong. Managers say they see few reasons for that to change, at least in the near term. — AP

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Volunteer From page 1

Still using a jackhammer Dittman continues to volunteer in his low-key way, as those who have worked with him attest. While he’s happy to get the recognition for his work, he’s a bit put out that “I can’t do much heavy lifting anymore.” For example, he can’t move all that heavy furniture like he used to. But he can, and does, still lead crews and work with hammer and nails and other tools to rip up floors and walls, shore them up, and varnish, plaster and paint. Dittman has also been known to area residents as the “go-to handyman.” “I can still use a jackhammer if I have to,” he added. When he wasn’t volunteering his “free time” over the decades, Dittman was managing disability programs for the Social Security Administration for 30 years. So why doesn’t he sit back, put his feet up, watch TV and read or snack as he muses over his nearly four-score life?

Encore jobs From page 24

Youth-sports official If giving back and having fun are more important than a paycheck, this gig is worth checking out. At minimum, you’ll

“Because, if I sit back, relax, and so on, I feel useless,” he said. “I enjoy working with my hands and with people. I’m pretty good at organizing, which is making sure that you have the proper materials and people, and that you’ve prepared everything. That’s the key to keeping you motivated.” Among the stories of Dittman’s work is one about the West African immigrant who would not report the myriad problems in his housing unit to the property management or owners because he was afraid of losing the housing. Dittman, representing Bridges for Housing Stability, went to the apartment, saw what repairs were needed, and made them. He built trust with the tenant and convinced him he did not need fear getting into trouble for reporting needed repairs. Dittman recalled other out-of-the-ordinary happenings in his volunteer work. He and his crew were doing repairs in what is known as an “alley house” in Baltimore, when suddenly officers invaded the house across the narrow street and carried out a drug bust. “That shook up some of our

have to be physically fit enough to tackle the demands of the sport. To get started, register with the area governing association (your local high school or recreation department can tell you which one to contact). You’ll probably have to pay a fee of, say, $10 to $50. Registration gives you access to lectures, exercises, demonstra-

J U N E 2 0 1 6 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

younger church volunteers,” he said. He remembered tearing down walls of the old post office building in Elkridge that had been converted into a house where two women in their 80s lived. What he and the Hammers found during their work were “termites working their way halfway across the house. It took us six months, but we put that house together again.” Dittman noted that home construction “runs in the family. My grandfather and my dad built houses. I’ve always done the repairs and rebuilt the kitchen and bathroom in my own home.”

Resettling refugees Dittman’s work some 40 years ago to settle Vietnamese, Cambodian and Ethiopian refugees was brought about by his membership in the First Presbyterian Church of Howard County, where he is a longtime member, and with other religious groups to help the refugees. Several church groups were instrumental at the time in bringing the refugees to the U.S. Dittman seems saddened by the recep-

tions and rulebooks on the mechanics of the sport. Experienced refs or umpires may also be willing to mentor you. Expect to buy your own equipment — including shoes, the appropriate shirt and pants, and any protective gear — and to work your way up the ladder from youth leagues to high school varsity games. Fees range from zero to $35 or so for youth games, up to $65 for high school varsity games.

Professional organizer Let your neat-freak flag fly by helping clients declutter, organize paperwork or photos, straighten up their closets, garages, junk drawers or home offices — even the way they structure their time.

tion being accorded to today’s refugees from the disasters of war and terrorism. “We were much more open then, when I was working with refugees, than we are now for the poor folks of Syria,” he said. Dittman, along with other Howard County volunteers recently honored by the county for their work, will have a brick engraved with his name and award in the “Pathway to Excellence” at Troy Park in Elkridge. Among the other awardees this year is Richard Ellestad, honored as Volunteer of the Year for his work with county seniors, helping them effectively use computers and assisting them and low-income residents of the county in preparing their tax forms. Martin Wang, a junior at Glenelg High School, was honored as Youth Volunteer of the Year. He also helps low-income families prepare tax returns as a volunteer. Ellicott City’s Sunrise Rotary Club was honored for its work with businesses, social services organizations and government entities that provide programs for children in Howard County.

As with any business start-up, you’ll need to decide on your business model, get insurance, and file the appropriate paperwork with local and state agencies. For training, business tips and networking opportunities, join the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). You can add to your clean cred by becoming certified by NAPO. Certification — which requires completing 1,500 hours of paid client work and passing a proctored exam — costs $450, with a $100 annual maintenance fee. Hourly fees for professional organizers run from $25 to $100, with the most common fees in the $50 to $75 range. All contents © 2016 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Travel Leisure &

Oklahoma City’s Bricktown Canal is lined with warehouses converted to restaurants, shops and clubs. See story on page 31.

Prague and beyond in the Czech Republic

Medieval masterpieces Prague’s entire center is a designated UNESCO heritage site. Its buildings, unlike those in many other European cities, survived World War II remarkably intact. The 13th century “Old Town” (Stare Mesto) consists of a labyrinth of winding alleys and picturesque squares, as does the not-quite-so-old “New Town” (Nove Mesto), which dates back to 1348. Little wonder that the city was ranked sixth in the TripAdvisor 2016 list of best destinations throughout the world. Among rea-

sons for that claim to fame are its extensive collection of museums and theaters, along with hundreds of concert halls, galleries and other arts and entertainment venues. It’s rare to find an architectural treasure-trove as rich and varied in such a compact area. The profusion of ancient palaces, castles and cathedrals creates a rich mosaic of outstanding masterpieces. Romanesque chapels stand in the shadow of soaring Gothic cathedrals. Baroque palaces are neighbors to late 19th-century Art Nouveau buildings and examples of the early 20th-century Cubist style. A famous landmark in the Old Town’s central square is an imposing tower that has looked out over the setting for nearly seven centuries. A crowd gathers each hour from dawn to dark to watch the 15th century astronomical clock put on its eclectic show. A small door opens and a miniature statue of Christ marches out followed by his disciples, as the skeleton of death tolls the hour on the clock’s bell. The Lesser Town (Mala Strana), also known as the Little Quarter, is clustered around the foothills on which the Prague Castle is perched. That neighborhood was born in the 8th century as a market settlement. Its cobbled streets are lined by small shops, traditional restaurants and pubs, and restored ancient buildings.

By Victor Block Many people who travel to the Czech Republic confine their stay to its capital, Prague, and with good reason. Known as “the city of a hundred spires” — although it’s actually decorated by nearly a thousand towers and steeples — it ranks among the most magnificent capitals of Europe and tells a story that stretches back over a millennium. The setting overwhelms visitors with its architecture, which provides a feast for the eyes, then envelopes them in an aura of living history. Just when you think you’ve seen the most majestic building possible, you turn a corner and come upon another gem that surpasses it in grandeur. Even so, those who fail to explore the countless treasures that abound throughout the rest of the country miss a lot. A perfect itinerary combines the attractions of both the capital Praha and the countryside.

Castles and bridges The sprawling Prague Castle, the largest PHOTO COURTESY OF VICTOR BLOCK

The Czech Republic brews some of the best beers in the world, and in the town of Ostrava, visitors can even take a beer bath or have a beer massage. The country has the world’s highest per capita consumption of beer, about 40 gallons per person a year.

Prague’s 14th century Charles Bridge spans the Vltava River and is accessible only to pedestrians. Prague is famed for its nearly 1,000 towers and steeples, and ranks sixth on TripAdvisor’s best destinations in the world.

medieval castle complex in the world, dates back to 880 C.E. and overlooks the city from a steep hill. It served as the seat of power for a parade of kings and emperors, and today is the official residence of the country’s president. The buildings and courtyards sprawl over an area of 18 acres. They include four palaces and other residences, cathedrals and churches, defensive towers and several museums. A ditch that encircles the castle, dug centuries ago to provide added protection, is still called the Deer Moat, named for the animals that early rulers kept confined there. Adding color to the setting are six terraced gardens, including the impressive Renaissance Garden, which was laid out in 1534. Another must-see in Prague is the graceful Charles Bridge, which well deserves its reputation as one of the most beautiful stone bridges anywhere. It has spanned the Vltava River since the 14th century, and today is one of more than 30 within the city. A line of statues that were placed along its balustrades in the 17th and early 18th centuries depicts saints who were venerated at that time. It has been a pedestrian-only bridge since 1978. Throughout the day, the bridge is packed with throngs of people

who traipse across it, pausing to check out souvenirs, jewelry and other goods for sale in stalls, to listen to the sounds of musicians playing to earn tips, and simply to enjoy the beautiful view of Prague Castle in the distance.

Charming Czech towns After taking in the architectural riches and vibrant setting of the Czech Republic’s capital, the treasures that abound throughout the rest of the country provide a sharp, and welcome, contrast. For starters, the varied landscape is strewn with shimmering lakes and crisscrossed by sparkling rivers. Rolling farm fields and orchards lead to forested highlands that are overlooked by mountain ranges that virtually surround the country, which is about three times the size of Maryland. Even with its magnificent examples of Mother Nature’s handiworks, the greatest assets outside of Prague are man-made. Many of the charming towns that are scattered throughout the Czech Republic are built around an inviting central square surrounded by narrow winding streets. At the same time, each community has its unique charms. See CZECH REPUBLIC, page 31

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Cowboys, art and steak in Oklahoma City By Beth J. Harpaz What might be Oklahoma City’s bestknown attraction is also a reminder of one of its darkest days: the Oklahoma National Memorial & Museum. The site honors the 168 people who died, and hundreds more who were injured, when the Alfred P. Murrah Building was bombed in 1995. Once you’ve paid your respects, take a deep breath and spend some time exploring all the other things this friendly city

Czech Republic From page 30 The tiny village of Telc could have been lifted from the pages of a Hans Christian Andersen story. Its fairytale main square is lined by the decorative facades of arcade-fronted Renaissance townhouses painted a variety of pastel hues and set off by ornate gables, intricate designs and decorations. Visitors to the Czech Republic seeking to explore its Jewish heritage often head for Trebic. Among many vestiges of the Jewish aspects of the country’s history, that small city stands out. The presence of Jewish people in present-day Trebic was first documented in 1338, but it wasn’t until the early 18th century that a ghetto was established. Today, it’s one of the best preserved ghettos in Europe and the only Jewish monument outside of Israel which is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The neighborhood encompasses 123 historic buildings, including two synagogues, a rabbi’s house, hospital and two schools. “Taking the waters” at mineral spring spas has been a part of life for people living in this region for centuries. Close to two dozen spa towns attract visitors in search of

has to offer — from a museum devoted to cowboy culture, to Vietnamese food and a famous steakhouse.

What’s new The big news in Oklahoma City this spring is a $45 million whitewater rafting facility called Riversports Rapids, due to open in the city’s Boathouse District in May. The manmade course will accommodate 2,000 people rafting and kayaking healing for various ailments or simply a relaxing experience. Among the most famous spas are Marianske Lazne, which is surrounded by nearly 100 natural springs, and Luhacovice Spa, which has been providing healing and hedonism for nearly 350 years. It’s hard to beat the excitement and enjoyment of taking in the major attractions of Prague, as well as strolling through its hidden back streets and off-the-beatenpath neighborhoods. Visiting other history-rich towns throughout the Czech Republic that share similarities, yet have their own stories to tell, adds much to a visit to that enticing nation.

If you go Dining — and drinking — play an important role in the lifestyle and culture of people in the Czech Republic, and provide enjoyable opportunities for visitors to share in those experiences. There are reasons why beer is known as “liquid bread.” The beverage has been brewed here for centuries, and Czech beer is recognized as among the best in the world. It’s not surprising that the country has the world’s highest per capita consumption — about 40 gallons a year per person. In addition to famous national brands, including Pilsner, which was created in the

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each day. Also opening in May: the Criterion, a 4,000-seat concert venue on the east end of Bricktown — named for the area’s historic brick warehouses, which have been converted to restaurants, shops and clubs. This summer, a new hotel in the 21c Museum Hotel chain (that features art galleries in each lobby and has eight locations), is scheduled to open in a 100-yearold historic building downtown that once

served as an assembly plant for Model T cars. The hotel will have 135 rooms and a contemporary art museum onsite with rotating exhibitions. Spend a few quiet moments contemplating the 168 empty chairs — including 19 small chairs that symbolize the children who perished — that are the primary feature of the Oklahoma National Memorial

town of Plzen in 1842, most towns have at least one brewery, and there are hundreds of local and regional brands. When it comes to dining, I agreed with a Czech friend with whom I was sharing a restaurant meal who admitted to me, in an understatement, “Our food is not very healthy.” Local specialties include thick soups, roast pork and duck, cabbage and dumplings. He pointed to the children’s menu, which featured pork filet and fried cheese. Residents of Prague seeking traditional favorites often head for Milynare (“At the millers”). Favorites on the lengthy menu include beef goulash ($10) and the bountiful “Miller’s plate,” which is piled high with duck, pork sausage, cabbage, dumplings and potatoes ($35). For more information log onto www.restauraceumlynare.cz.

A good place to enjoy typical fare in Ostrava is Moravska Chalupa (“Moravian cottage”). It is located on Stodolni Street — a thoroughfare lined by restaurants, bars and night clubs — which locals rightly call “the street that never sleeps.” Roast duck with cabbage ($15) and pork filet and bacon encased in an oversize potato pancake ($21) are among the very filling choices. For more information, log onto moravskachalupa.cz. The Hotel Pyramida in Prague offers value-priced accommodations. Amenities including a pool and sauna, not to mention a convenient location within walking distance of the castle and city center. Rates begin at $57. For more information, log onto http://www.hotelpyramida.cz/en/. For more information about visiting the Czech Republic, log onto www.czechtourism.com.

See OKLAHOMA CITY, page 33

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Oklahoma City From page 31 & Museum. Then take a short walk to the nearby Myriad Botanical Gardens. The outdoor grounds are free to stroll, with landscaped paths that offer a quiet, green respite from the busy downtown. Admission to the onsite Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, which has a wet zone and a dry zone, is $8. The gardens’ flowers and grasses provide a lovely setting for a spectacular view of the city’s tallest building, the sleek Devon Energy Center.

Understanding America’s West Allow yourself a few hours to explore the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. There’s a lot more here than you might expect — not just the history of cowboys, but a context for visitors to contemplate what the American West means to them. There are exhibits on Native Americans, how cowboys lived from the time the West was settled to now, and the impact of cowboy culture on pop and mainstream culture — movies, TV and more. Everything from rodeos to boots and hats is explored with the passion of an anthropologist. Outside you’ll find a striking sculpture of four cowboys on horseback, waving whips and guns in the air. Also on the

grounds are burial sites for horses that were famed on the rodeo circuit, like Poker Chip, eulogized on a grave marker as having the “speed, strength, balance and coordination of a superb athlete.” New temporary exhibitions opening this season at the museum include one on bolo ties and another called “The Cowboy Returns: Photographs by Bank and John Langmore,” which offers photos by a father and son about the daily, gritty lives of cowboys over two generations. In June, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art will host “Matisse in His Time: Masterworks of Modernism from the Centre Pompidou, Paris.” It’s the only venue for that show outside of Europe. An early evening stroll in Bricktown on the paths lining the Bricktown Canal is a lot of fun. You can also take a tour by water taxi. Restaurants along the waterfront are mostly chains, but you’ll find more interesting places to eat elsewhere around the city. The Red Earth Festival attracts thousands of Native American artists and dancers each year. This year’s event is scheduled for June 10-12 at the Cox Convention Center, and includes a parade through downtown and a dance competition. Basketball fans will want to catch a game featuring Oklahoma’s only major league sports team, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

BEACON BITS

June 2

DELAWARE ART MUSEUM TRIP The Department of Recreation and Parks is sponsoring a trip to the Delaware Art Museum, with a buffet lunch at the Historic

Hotel DuPont included, on Thursday, June 2. The bus leaves at 8 a.m. and returns at 4 p.m. Fee is $110. For more information, call (410) 313-7279 or email viruss@howardcountymd.gov.

June 14

HILLWOOD ESTATES AND GARDENS A bus trip to the elegant home and gardens of Marjorie Merriweather Post in Washington, D.C. is scheduled for Tuesday,

June 14 with the bus leaving at 9 a.m. and returning at 5 p.m. Sponsored by the Department of Recreation & Parks, the fee is $99, including lunch at the estate café. For reservations or more information, email viruss@howardcountymd.gov or call (410) 313-7279.

Take a walk on the Oklahoma City SkyDance Bridge, a pedestrian bridge on Harvey Avenue spanning Interstate 40 near Robinson Avenue south of downtown. It’s illuminated nightly, and features a soaring four-pronged sculpture, 197 feet tall, designed to evoke the state bird, a scissortailed flycatcher.

Where to eat The Paseo Arts District offers art galleries, a few boutiques and gift shops. A First Friday gallery walk is held each month. Nearby, check out Cheever’s Cafe, 2409 N. Hudson St. (try the shaved brus-

sels sprout and kale salad, and the roasted pecan ice cream ball for dessert). Terrific pho noodle soup is on the menu at the Vietnamese restaurant Pho Lien Hoa, 901 NW 23rd St. And of course, do not miss Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, 1309 S. Agnew, where you’ll get one of the best steak dinners you’ve ever had. A horse-and-buggy offers a free ride from the parking lot to the restaurant, steps away. And go ahead and try the dish you’ll hear lots of other diners ordering: lamb fries. It’s a nice name for a tasty dish of lamb testicles. — AP

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Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise co-host the National Memorial Day concert and assist veterans in other ways, too. See story on page 36.

Peter Pan flies high at Toby’s in Columbia don) of the origin of the play. And let us note that the play is definitely a fantasy for — to use another true cliché — kids of every conceivable age, who made up the audience at a recent Friday night performance. The youngest ones were happily glued to their seats as part of several two-and-three-generation families in attendance.

Fabulous cast As far as the stellar cast is concerned, MaryKate Brouillet soars, sings and leaps around in wonderful fashion as the young Peter Pan. She follows the tradition of women playing the flighty boy on stage (Mary Martin on Broadway and TV, Sandy Duncan, Mia Farrow and many others). Through her glorious vocalizing, Ms. Brouillet sets the scene in the bedroom of the Darling kids, who soon will be flying away with her. She sings to them about “Neverland,” after boasting a bit with “I Gotta Crow,” and leads them up into the air with “I’m Flyin.’” And once they all arrive in Neverland, there’s very little letup in song, and especially dance, as they get together with

PHOTO BY JERI TIDWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

By Robert Friedman Wild Indians, bungling pirates and kids who know what’s important (not growing up) are whooping, flailing and flying all over the small stage at Toby’s in the dinner theater’s gleeful and invigorating Peter Pan. The inspiring energy — which has been achieved in a very disciplined form through terrific choreography, strong vocalizing and faultless acting — almost never lessens in this production. Of course, the musical (based on J.M. Barrie’s classic story) is packed with by now somewhat clichéd wisdom: that imagination born in childhood fades in “maturity;” that individual freedom eventually gives way to family and society; that the vitality of the “moment” should be as treasured as the remembered past and the anticipated future. And critics have negatively noted that Native Americans get a rough going-over in the play: they’re called “Redskins” (sound derisively familiar?) and made to ugh and wug around the stage. Still, and all, let’s consider the time (1903) and the place (Scotland and Lon-

Peter Pan, played by MaryKate Brouillet, and the Darling children, played by Anderson Franco, Katie Tyler and Jace Franco, fly through the nursery before heading to Neverland in Toby’s Dinner Theatre’s production of Peter Pan, playing through June 12.

these imaginary home-away-from-home inhabitants, i.e., the Lost Boys, the Wild Indians, and Captain Hook and his Pirates. The ensemble dancing, especially in “Hook’s Tango,” “Indian Dance,” “I Won’t

Grow Up,” and “Ugh-A-Wug,” is very special. I imagine major credit for the marvelous dancing — besides to the dancers, See PETER PAN, page 37

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Stars align for concert on Memorial Day

Paying respects Mantegna, 68, wants to boost Memorial Day’s profile and have people experience it with, if not more gravitas, at least a bit more respect. “Unless they have active military in their families, I think a lot of people tend to say of Memorial Day, ‘Oh, great, I’ll have a

three-day weekend, or I’ll watch the Indianapolis 500 and have a barbeque.’ I think what the concert does, or I hope it does, is show that there’s a lot to this holiday, and this is the reason why we have it and why it’s important. That’s why I do it.” Mantegna first became involved with the concert as a performer in 2002, the first concert that followed 9/11. In that show, he read remembrances by four New York firemen who had lost their sons on that day, with the firemen in the front row of the audience. “I’m standing in front of a quarter million people, and many millions watching on television. It was all I could do to get through it. I had the National Symphony Orchestra behind me playing Mozart’s requiem, and huge screens on either side of me showing footage of the planes going into the World Trade Center. “It was one of those moments I’ll never forget as long as I live, where I felt I almost might levitate off the stage. One of those moments where it’s not an acting moment. This is not me performing. This is the real deal. This is history. These are real people’s lives. “That moment made me feel this was really something special. I’ve had moments in that same vein every year.” This year, the show features General Colin Powell, the Beach Boys, opera singer Renee Fleming, country music singer

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Trace Adkins, and Trent Harmon, winner of this year’s “American Idol,” who will sing the national anthem. So it’s not surprising that Mantegna says, “Veterans are my hot button issue. I’m very pro military.” He is the national spokesperson for the campaign to build the National Museum of the United States Army in Ft. Belvoir, Va. It will be the first museum to represent all 14 generations of American soldiers.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPITAL CONCERTS

By Barbara Ruben For many Americans, Memorial Day is a harbinger of summer, a day off work, and a time to fire up the grill. But for actor Joe Mantegna, Memorial Day ranks as the country’s most important holiday. Mantegna, who has co-hosted the National Memorial Day concert on the Capitol lawn for 10 years with fellow actor Gary Sinise, says he wishes people would take a more contemplative view of the holiday. “That’s because I realized without Memorial Day we’d have no other holiday. It’s the holiday that provides us the freedom to celebrate the Fourth of July and Christmas and President’s Day and Labor Day and all these things, because of the sacrifices made by the military over the history of this country,” the star of “Criminal Minds” told the Beacon in an interview. Mantegna will return to the concert stage, set up in the shadow of the Capitol, on May 29.

Teaming up with Gary Sinise Mantegna also works with the Gary Sinise Foundation, which aids wounded veterans by providing home modifications, adapted vehicles and mobility devices, and constructs specially adapted smart homes. The foundation also sponsors festivals and music events for veterans. Sinise, 61, was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Forest Gump, where he played a Vietnam veteran who lost his legs in the war. His Lt. Dan Band, in which he plays bass, is named after that character. It performs at veterans events. After Ossie Davis, who had hosted the Memorial Day concert for 11 years, passed away, Mantegna was invited to lead it. He proposed that Sinise would make a good co-host because of his work with veterans.

Actors Joe Mantegna (left) and Gary Sinise have co-hosted the National Memorial Day Concert on the Capitol lawn for the last 10 years. Mantegna stars in the TV show “Criminal Minds,” and Sinise can be seen on a recently launched spinoff of that show. Both work closely with veterans’ issues when not on camera.

The collaboration has even led to Sinise’s latest TV role, as the star of “CrimSee CONCERT, page 37

Concert From page 36 inal Minds: Beyond Borders” on CBS, a spinoff of Mantegna’s long-running “Criminal Minds” show. Mantegna introduced his “Criminal Minds” executive producer to Sinise at last year’s concert. “When she came up with the idea for a spinoff, he was kind of a natural choice for her. “In a way, the Memorial Day concert helped make that happen. So we’re not only next to each other on stage, we’re back to

Peter Pan From page 34 themselves — must go to choreographer Mark Minnick, who also directed the play along with Toby Orenstein. Further credit, I imagine, should also go to the great Jerome Robbins, who originally choreographed and directed the 1954 Broadway production.

Dual roles Veteran actor David Boszley-Reynolds deserves kudos for his dual role as the somewhat cranky family father, Mr. Darling, and the mean, blustery Captain Hook (who, however, I would have liked to see portrayed a bit more despicably). Special mention should also be made of Katie Tyler, who shines sweetly as Wendy, the surrogate mom of the Neverland kids; David James as Smee, Captain Hook’s nutty first matey; Amanda Leigh Corbett, as the Indian maiden Tiger Lily, who dances up several storms; and Heather Marie Beck, who plays Mrs. Darling when she’s not slithering across the floor as the Crocodile, which has a special taste for Captain Hook. The crocodile has bitten off the captain’s arm, causing him to attach his fa-

back on Wednesday nights on CBS.” Sinise also starred in “CSI:NY” for 10 seasons.

On screens large and small Mantegna has been playing FBI agent David Rossi on “Criminal Minds” since 2007. An Italian-American, Mantegna early on shaped the character’s background to be similar to his own. “I thought if this thing has legs, I’ll be doing this character for a long time, and I want to be able to draw on as much as I’m familiar with as possible,” he said. mous curved metal hand. Luckily for the captain, the croc has also swallowed a ticktocking clock, so Hook is always aware when it closes in for another bite. The assorted giraffes, lions, living and breathing trees, Indians, pirates, and big and little kids are all first-rate. The hidden orchestra led by Brandon Fullenkamp swings and sways with precision. Considering the small space available, the set designs by David Hopkins are well evocative of, among other settings, Indian pow-wows and pirates’ dens. The lighting design by Lynn Joslin and sound engineering by Mark Smedley give giddy stage life to the firefly-like Tinker Bell. What does not fully pan out, however, is the somewhat confusing pirate-ship scene, in which planks are walked and a bomb is thrown to unbluster Captain Hook forever. Be prepared for an intermission-and-ahalf, between Act I and Act II, while the actors (who double as servers) collect payment for the dinner bills. But when the play finally becomes the thing again, get ready for fun and fantasy that even old fogies can enjoy as kids again. Peter Pan is onstage at Toby’s Dinner Theatre through June 12. Tickets, which include a matinee champagne brunch or dinner buffet, cost $50 to $60 for adults

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“I’ve shot over 200 hours of it as this character. So it’s been nice to be able to tap into parts of Joe Mantegna, which is easy enough. I just say, well, what kinds of foods does he like to eat? Does he like cooking? Soccer?” He also voices mobster Fat Tony on “The Simpsons,” a character that has recurred about once a year since 1991. Acting was all Mantegna ever imagined as a profession. “I’m lucky that at 16 years old I knew what I wanted to do,” he said. “That hasn’t changed. I still enjoy it. I’ve been doing it professionally for more than 40 years.”

Asked what his favorite memories have been, he cites winning the Tony Award for his starring role in Glengarry Glen Ross on Broadway in 1984. He was also excited to play one of his idols, Dean Martin, in the 1998 TV movie The Rat Pack. His daughter Gia, also an actor, appeared with him in an episode of “Criminal Minds.” “I’ve got no complaints. It’s been a wonderful career. I have nothing to regret or feel there’s more that I want,” he said. “If it all ended tomorrow, I’d say it’s been a good ride.”

(depending on performance) and $41.50 for children 12 and under. The theatre is located at 5900 Sympho-

ny Woods Rd., in Columbia. For tickets, call (301) 596-6161. More information is available at www.tobysdinnertheatre.com.

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FROM PAGE 38 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

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M O H A I R

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M A N E

O B B E F A T D S S S E T J A E S C I T S S

S T A R R Y S P E R M

A R R O Y O

W A I F

S P A S E N F S T L A R H Y L Y U N E N T H O O O N R O P E R K E R I E C O D Y

R A V E L S

L I B I D O

O V A L

N A T L

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PUZZLE PAGE

Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus Bicentennial Now 1

4 13

By Stephen Sherr 5

32 35

50 55

46 51 57

Across 1. Auto co. formed in 1954 by the (then) largest merger in US history 4. Woodshop tools 8. Perlman partner, on early Cheers 12. New York region, “South of Houston Street” 14. Mouse catcher 15. Arch enemy 16. Whale hunter 17. Opera highlight 18. Curb one’s enthusiasm 19. He took his first cuts on 2/20/1816 22. Visit the school nurse 23. Make hush puppies 24. Springfield widower 25. It was actually signed in Portage des Sioux, Missouri on 12/30/1816 32. Radical 1960’s grp. 33. Nordic name 34. “Too much is ___ enough” 35. Picks paper or plastic 37. With averted eyes 39. Miniature 40. ___ let the dogs out? 41. Got out of control 42. “Aunt” homophone, to some 43. Indianan milestone, on 12/11/1816 49. Pickle protector 50. “La-la” lead-in 51. Apple option 52. Political result of 1816 58. Early calculators 59. Frequent flyer reward 60. Ruination 61. Lets off steam 62. Folk song canal; in some versions it goes for “15 miles” 63. Plant that produces a blue dye 64. Pub licks 65. Wyoming city, named for Buffalo Bill 66. Man-tracking org. 1. Blind ___ 2. Knitter’s material 3. Flapper dance

Down

HC6/16

Scrabble answers on p. 37.

4. Like a cloudless night 5. Seasonal desert stream 6. Dickens character 7. Mineral springs 8. Sex drive 9. Sometime soapdish shape 10. In brief, the N in NCAA or NAACP 11. Musical series that ended in 2015 13. LOBBY center 15. Becomes tangled 20. Newt growth: eggs ... tadpoles ... ___ ... adults 21. Admittance 26. Handbills and billboards 27. His highest grossing movie was 1938’s The Adventures of Robin Hood 28. Folk song mule; in some versions she works for “15 years” 29. Non-trinity Christians 30. What evolution and religion have in common 31. Pigpen 35. Complete the layaway plan 36. Greek letter that looks like an “O” and an “I” combined 37. Unlike an egg, it could contain an X or a Y 38. It’s not black or white 39. Trinitrotoluene, imploded to three letters 41. Period of inactivity 42. His first Grand Slam win was in 1968 44. Leaves James Bond’s Aston Martin quickly 45. Hot and heavy 46. Day off play, for Ferris Bueller 47. Sport where love is worth nothing 48. Famous Ford failures 52. The number 4 synonym on Coffee.org 53. The first human to die 54. Lion’s main feature 55. Grp. of 13 non-European countries, with HQ in Vienna, Austria 56. Emperor after Claudius 57. Oldest of the four boxing sanctioning orgs.

Answers on page 37.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 6

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.

Caregivers ELDERLY CARE – FEMALE care provider, English speaking, with car. I cook, clean and take to all appointments. I’m experienced in caring for people with MS, Alzheimer’s and other health problems. Excellent references. 301-275-7283. HYGIENE CARE, MEAL PREPARATION, Housekeeping, Errands, Appointments, Medication reminders, Companionship. I’m a loving, experienced, trusted caregiver available for FT/PT or Live-In care for a flat rate. Call 301-490-1146. COMPASSIONATE CAREGIVER – Companion available now to care for your loved one. Kind, devoted, dependable and experienced with car and excellent references. Certified Mental Health Aide, Hospice and CPR. Please Call Sadie at 301-263-5695, kindly leave a message.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Financial Services ACCOUNTING, TAXES AND BOOKKEEPING, eldercare. CPA 38 years, reasonable rates. Call 410-653-3363.

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.

Home & Handyman Services HAULING AND JUNK – Low upfront pricing, free estimates, senior discounts. 365 days. Licensed and insured demolition. Attic Sweepers Hauling. 443-838-2353. www.atticsweepershauling.com. CALL TODAY, WE’LL HAUL AWAY! Residential/Commercial Junk Removal, Attic/Garage cleanouts, light demolition. $10 off your service! HoCoHaulers.com. 410-292-6700. SANFORD & SON HAULING & RECYCLING. Trash + Junk removal, house & estate cleanouts, garage + basement cleanouts. Demolition – Shed, deck fence + pool removal. Licensed + insured. Free estimates over the phone. Call 7 days a week, 7 am to 7 pm. 410746-5090. BALTIMORE’S BEST JUNK REMOVAL – Clean Outs: Whole House, Emergency, Attics/Basements. Furniture and Junk Removal, Yard Waste Removal, General Hauling, Construction Debris Removal. Free estimates. 10% Senior Discount. Licensed, Bonded and Insured. Call Jesse, 443-379-HAUL (4285).

Wanted COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, rifles, shot guns, knives, swords, bayonets, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars and countries. Large quantities are okay. Will pay top prices for my personal collection. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-910-0783

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 Wanted

Wanted

WE BUY GOLD AND SILVER JEWELRY. Costume too. Gold and silver coins, paper money, military, crocks, old bottles and jars, etc. Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

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.

WE BUY STERLING SILVER FLATWARE, tea sets, single pieces of silver, large pieces of silver plate. Attic, basement, garage. You have something to SELL, we like to BUY. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. CASH BUYER FOR OLD COSTUME JEWELRY – wrist and pocket wrist watches (any condition). Also buying watchmaker tools and parts, coins, quilts, old toys, postcards, trains, guns, pocket and hunting knives, linens, fishing equipment and tackle boxes, fountain pens, Christmas garden items, crocks and jugs, lamps and lanterns, pottery, military items, sports memorabilia, advertising signs, paintings and contents of attics, basements and garages. Professional, no pressure individual with over forty years of experience. Lloyd D. Baker. 410-409-4965. 717-969-8114, office. VINTAGE ELECTRIC SLOTCARS and accessories (all scales) from the 1960s through 1970s including Aurora, Atlas, Tyco, Cox, K&B, Revell, Monogram, etc. Call Bill at 410-615-7043.

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 firearms, from silver and gold to classic cars. If it is wonderful, I am interested. No phony promises or messy consignments. References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan, 301-279-8834. Thank you.

Thanks for Reading!

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Research Studies

Fall Prevention Balance Study . . . . . .12

events

Bon Secours Retreat & Conference Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 COGS Monthly Meeting . . . . . . . . . . .36

Financial Services

PENFED Financial Services . . . . . . . .24 Moriarity Financial Services . . . . . . . .25

Funeral Services

Harry H. Witzke’s Family Funeral Home, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Going Home Cremations . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Sol Levinson & Bros., Inc. . . . . . . . . .25

Hearing Services

Designer Audiology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Miracle-Ear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Home Health Care

A-1 Action Nursing Care . . . . . . . . . . .14 Homewatch Caregivers . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Options for Senior America . . . . . . . . .33

Housing

Retail/Services

Alta at Regency Crest . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Brooke Grove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18, 40 Buckingham’s Choice/Integrace . . . . . .31 Charlestown/Erickson Living . . . . . . .13 Country Gardens Assisted Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Fairhaven/Integrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Gatherings at Quarry Place/Beazer Homes . . . . . . .4 Heartlands of Ellicott City . . . . . . . . .35 Homecrest House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Ivy Manor Normandy . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Olney Assisted Living . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Park View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Shriner Court/Quantum . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Vantage House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Comic Book Collector . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Columbia’s Village Centers . . . . . . . . .26 Dan Kugler Design Center . . . . . .27, 29 HoCo Haulers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Homelife Remodeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Perfect Choice HD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Wow Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Legal Services

Subscriptions

Frank, Frank & Scherr, LLC . . . . . . . .25 Law Office of Karen Ellsworth . . . . . .24

Medical/Health

Alzheimer’s Association . . . . . . . . . . .12 Medical Eye Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 World Class Chiropractic . . . . . . . . . .15

Real estate

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

Senior Services

Sagecap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 The Senior Connection . . . . . . . . . .19-22

Skilled nursing & Rehab

CommuniCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 The Beacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Theatre/entertainment

Candlelight Concert Society . . . . . . . .37 Capitol Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Craig Taubman Concert . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Tour & Travel

Eyre Tour & Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

ASSISTED LIVING OPEN HOUSE

40 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

J U N E 2 0 1 6 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Simply

DIFFERENT

Because what surrounds you really matters.

Tuesday, June 21, 2016 10 A.M. – 12 noon The meadows assisted living • 1635 hickory knoll road • Sandy Spring, MD 20860

For more than 65 years, Brooke Grove Retirement Village has built a history of excellence in Montgomery County. Explore our residential-style homes, gardens and secure walking paths. Discover our innovative approach and programs including those designed to stimulate memory. Meet our staff, trained in assisting those with Alzheimer’s and memory loss. Enjoy our 220-acre campus and our live-in pets.

Please RSVP to Toni Davis at 301-388-7209 or tdavis@bgf.org by June 19.

18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860

Independent living assisted living rehabilitation long-term care memory support 301-260-2320 or 301-924-2811 • www.bgf.org