May 2019 | Howard County Beacon

The Howard County

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More than 30,000 readers throughout Howard County

County promoting ‘Koreatown’ PHOTO BY TOM NAPPI, OFFICE OF THE MARYLAND GOVERNOR/STATE

By Robert Friedman Real estate agent Seong Baik, now 72, arrived in Maryland with her husband and two children in 1970 “to find the American Dream — for a better life and a better education,” she said. Baik lived in the Baltimore area for 44 years before becoming a resident of Ellicott City six years ago.

Baik is one of about 13,000 KoreanAmericans living in Howard County, according to the latest census data. The county’s Korean-American population nearly doubled between 2000 and 2010.

In recognition of the growing importance of this community, a movement is underway to officially name a five-mile stretch along Route 40, now informally known as Korean Way, as “Koreatown” — a designation intended to target the area for further development.

In the past, such names for ethnic neighborhoods might have been looked upon as pejoratives. But times have changed. Today, ethnic enclaves draw tourism and other economic opportunities.

Surveys have shown that one-third of recent Korean immigrants to America are involved in or own small businesses. The Route 40 area in Ellicott City is packed with some 170 Korean-owned businesses.

Among those leading the campaign for the Koreatown designation is Governor Larry Hogan’s wife, First Lady Yumi Hogan, who is an immigrant from South Korea herself.

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball has also backed the plan to adopt the Koreatown moniker. Speaking at a recent meeting about the project at Honey Pig, a popular Korean barbecue restaurant on Route 40, Ball said, “Not only have we had an explosion of the Korean population, but I think in the interest of Korean culture, Korean food.”

He added that the official Koreatown designation would be “a great economic opportunity, not only for tourism, but to really grow business here….In Howard County we embrace not only diversity, but inclusion and opportunity, and Koreatown is just another example of that.”

While no date has been set for the designation, the First Lady said at the meeting, also attended by Korean Counsel General Dong-gi Kim, that she hoped it would be before her husband’s second term as governor ends in 2022.

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ARTS & STYLE Maryland First Lady Yumi Hogan, above, supports an initiative to rebrand a five-mile area in Ellicott City as Koreatown. With the designation Howard County hopes to draw more tourists and shoppers to the area’s many Korean restaurants, spas and shops.

Language classes at the library Another sign that Korean-Americans are putting their stamp on Howard County is that the county’s Miller Branch public library in Ellicott City is sponsoring a program teaching the Korean language and culture. The program, which began last year and ends in April, will be repeated in September.

One participant in the course, funded by the Korean Education Center in Washington, D.C., is Danielle Han, 20, who attended Wilde Lake High School and speaks fluent English. Han took the course to be able to communicate better with her Korean immigrant parents who mainly speak in that language.

Other attendees included a teacher of English for new arrivals, a woman who hosts Korean middle school students in

her Ellicott City home as part of as student exchange program, and Stacey Freedman, who is in charge of the student’s library at the Miller Branch.

Freedman noted that learning a little of the language could go a long way to clearing up misunderstandings she has had with parents enrolling their children in the library’s programs.

“We can be very self-centered, only speaking English,” she said. “Say something in their language and people are fairly generous.”

The vibrant Korean presence in Howard County also can be seen on a visit to the Bethel Korean Church in Ellicott City.

Since the church opened in 1979, it has See KOREATOWN, page 11

Victor Hugo’s novel and Disney tunes bring The Hunchback of Notre Dame alive at Toby’s; plus, rent a Picasso from the library page 35 TECHNOLOGY 4 k Got an iPad? Take a brain snapshot FITNESS & HEALTH 7 k Do disinfectants make us sick? k Foods that burn more calories THE 50+ CONNECTION 17 k Newsletter from Howard County Office on Aging & Independence LAW & MONEY 25 k Live like British royalty — frugally k Is dental insurance worth it?

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Heads in a fog Is it me or are more people driving Surprisingly, I arrived at a time when there around today with their heads in the was an empty spot near the front of the store. clouds than before?

In the car next to that spot, a Drivers have always had diswoman was rooting around in tractions, whether from kids her trunk, so I drove into my roughhousing in the back seat, spot slowly and carefully. cars rubbernecking at an acciThen, as if she hadn’t even dent, or the urgent need to noticed me there, she prochange the radio station or CD. ceeded to open the rear pasBut today, we have more senger door of her car, pinthings than ever clamoring for ning me inside mine. our attention when we drive.

When I saw that she had a Some of them are external child in a car seat, I thought I and technological in nature, FROM THE would simply wait until she had such as phone calls, texts and PUBLISHER gotten him out so they could go GPS directions.

By Stuart P. Rosenthal into the store. But after sitting Other sources may be inquietly for a minute, I discovternally generated. We’re so bombarded ered she was still standing there, now feedwith messages all day, some of us may ing the child his lunch. have adopted a general air of inattention I started my car again to open my window just to block out the noise. and politely asked if she could let me exit On a quick outing the other day, I had my car. She did, and I went into the store. three experiences in the same parking lot, I probably wouldn’t even recall that situone after the other, that led me to write ation now were it not for my experience this column. only a few minutes later, as I tried to leave I had gone to a small strip mall with a the same parking spot. crowded parking lot to visit a popular store When I returned to my car with shopping where people are constantly streaming in bags, I saw a car idling right behind me, the and out, so I expected to have some close driver apparently waiting for a spot like encounters. mine to open up for him. So I put my bags in

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we have stopped being aware of what’s happening around us?

While I don’t know if technology actually had anything to do with these particular examples of distractedness, I wonder if our tech-obsessed modern way of life has accustomed us to walking (or driving) around in our own little worlds.

With hearing blocked by ear pods or Bluetooth devices, eyes only for our smartphones and GPS, have we walled ourselves off to the sights and sounds of our surroundings and fellow human beings?

As for those of us who find such behavior obnoxious, what lesson do we take away from these encounters? Do we walk around with chips on our shoulders, looking for reasons to get angry? Do we decide that, since so many others seem to be oblivious and get away with it, we should become more self-centered and insular ourselves?

Or do we aim to make a point to acknowledge the presence of others while respecting their personal space, in hopes that we might break through the barriers between us and help reestablish norms of human interaction?

I hope the folks with whom I interacted that day gained a little more self-awareness after our encounter.

But even if not, I certainly have been doing a lot of thinking myself since then, and I hope I have come away a little more aware of how my own behavior (especially behind the wheel of a car) might affect others.

And I hope those reading about this experience may do the same.

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the backseat, got into the front seat and started the engine — only to discover the driver had not budged. I was trapped again.

I waited a few moments, but when he continued not to move, I killed the ignition, opened my door and walked around to the driver’s side of his car to point out that I was trying to vacate a parking spot for him if he would allow me to leave.

He then backed up just enough for me to get out and pulled into my spot.

Next, I proceeded to the exit, which is also frequently crowded. There’s a very busy six-lane road outside the strip mall and a clearly marked two-lane driveway to allow entrance and egress for shoppers.

As I neared the exit, the car just in front of me, also leaving the shopping center, inexplicably drove into the lane intended for those entering the center (rather than the exit lane) and proceeded to wait there for the light to change.

I hesitantly started to pull into the (correct) exit lane but quickly realized that probably wasn’t a good idea under the circumstances, as the two of us would then be blocking all entrance to the center.

Sure enough, a few seconds later, a car coming up the main road attempted to enter the shopping center, only to find the entrance lane blocked by the out-bound car. So, I pulled back completely from the exit lane, allowing the driver to maneuver around the stopped car and enter the shopping center that way.

It seemed like an eternity before the traffic light changed and both the distracted car and I could leave the center.

Having these three experiences in a row got me thinking. Have many of us become so accustomed to focusing only on ourselves (or our ubiquitous technology) that

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

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

Technology &

Innovations Two startups want to check your memory

By Margaret Foster Have access to an iPad or the web? Take a brain “selfie.”

This spring a San Francisco startup is looking for about 900 people to take an online test that will provide a snapshot of their current cognitive status.

The one-hour game, taken via iPad, isn’t exactly a test, said study director Shenly Glenn, CEO of Miro Health. “It’s more of a series of interactive movies.”

With this iPad-based test, Miro Health hopes to determine the reliability of its neurocognitive assessment tool, the Mobile Assessment of Neurological Function.

Miro Health is conducting the study to ensure that the snapshots it takes are reli-

able — and also to apply for FDA approval to market its tool to doctors, researchers and consumers, Glenn said. The tool is currently used by researchers at Johns Hopkins, the University of California at San Francisco and the University of Pittsburgh.

Although neurologists already have assessment tools, the “tests are very blunt,” Glenn said. “They really only confirm severe impairment.” If they detect a problem, it’s often too late to help.

The beauty of the tool, she said, is that it’s accessible to anyone (with access to an iPad, that is). “Most people only test healthy subjects who can come into the doctor’s office. We can test people everywhere,” Glenn said.

Why should people sign up for the study?

Because it can provide detailed information about your current mental status.

For instance, if you are intending to eat more leafy greens, take a fish-oil supplement, or exercise more in the hopes of improving your memory, you can take a snapshot of your current status now and then again next year, to see if those efforts are paying off.

“Everyone really should start doing a yearly mental physical so they can compare results,” Glenn said.

Miro Health is currently enrolling older adults age 64 to 85, as well as younger adults ages 18 to 25. The startup expects to have results in two to three months. A

small stipend may be available. Sign up at mirohealth.com/community.

No iPad? Try this test A second company, Arizona-based MindCrowd, needs one million people to help test their tool. MindCrowd, formed in 2013, hopes to determine the risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease.

The company wants adults of any age to take their free online word pair test, which is based on a memory test first developed in 1894. The 10-minute test flashes pairs of words for a few minutes and then prompts people to fill in the missing word. So far See iPAD STUDY, page 6

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

Home items get ‘smarter,’ like it or not

member committee through Friday, May 3. Commission terms are five years for adults; one year for students. For more information about the program and its countymd.gov.

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committee, call Frahee Sheik at (410) 313-6467 or email fsheikowar@howard-

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mission overseeing those is accepting applications for its 17-

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Help plan Howard County’s MLK Jr. Holiday celebrations. The com-

general manager for Whirlpool’s research arm, WLabs. “They tell us the results that are most important to them.”

Samsung has several voice-enabled products, including a fridge that comes with an app that lets you check on its contents while you’re grocery shopping.

New this year: Samsung’s washing machines can send alerts to its TVs — smart TVs, of course — so you know your laundry is ready while watching Netflix.

Other connected items include: A fishing rod that tracks your location to build an online map of where you’ve made the most catches.

A toothbrush that recommends where to brush more.

A fragrance diffuser that lets you control how your home smells from a smart-

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For the most part, consumers aren’t asking for these specific features. After all, before cars were invented, people might have known only to ask for faster horses.

“We try to be innovative in ways that customers don’t realize they need,” Samsung spokesman Louis Masses said.

Whirlpool said insights can come from something as simple as watching consumers open the oven door several times to check on the meal, losing heat in the process.

“They do not say to us, ‘Please tell me where to put (food) on the rack, or do algorithm-based cooking,’” said Doug Searles,

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How inventors think

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BEACON BITS

temperature to your liking, and a kitchen faucet that dispenses just the right amount of water for a recipe.

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products not for snooping but for convenience, although Amazon, Google and other partners enabling the intelligence can use the details they collect to customize their services and ads.

Whirlpool, for instance, is testing an oven whose window doubles as a display.

You’ll still be able to see what’s roasting inside, but the glass can now display animation pointing to where to place the turkey for optimal cooking.

The oven can sync with your digital calendar and recommend recipes based on how much time you have. It can help coordinate multiple recipes, so that you’re not undercooking the side dishes in focusing too much on the entree.

A camera inside the oven lets you zoom in to see if the cheese on the lasagna has browned enough, without opening the oven door.

As for that smart toilet, Kohler’s Numi will respond to voice commands to raise or lower the lid — or to flush. You can do it from an app, too. The company says it’s all about offering hands-free options in a setting that’s very personal for people. The toilet is also heated, and can play music and the news through its speakers.

Kohler also has a tub that adjusts water

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By Anick Jesdanun One day, finding an oven that just cooks food may be as tough as buying a TV that merely lets you change channels.

Internet-connected “smarts” are creeping into cars, refrigerators, thermostats, toys and just about everything else in your home. In January, CES 2019 (the gadget show in Las Vegas) showcased many of these products, including an oven that coordinates your recipes and a toilet that flushes with a voice command.

With every additional smart device in your home, companies are able to gather more details about your daily life. Some of that can be used to help advertisers target you — more precisely than they could with just the smartphone you carry.

“It’s decentralized surveillance,” said Jeff Chester, executive director for the Center for Digital Democracy, a Washington-based digital privacy advocate. “We’re living in a world where we’re tethered to some online service stealthily gathering our information.”

Yet consumers so far seem to be welcoming these devices. The research firm IDC projects that 1.3 billion smart devices will ship worldwide in 2022, twice as many as in 2018.

Companies say they are building these

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Home items From page 5 phone app.

These are poised to join Internet-connected security cameras, door locks and thermostats that are already on the market. The latter can work with sensors to turn the heat down automatically when you leave home.

Stealthy home surveillance Chester said consumers feel the need to keep up with their neighbors when they buy appliances with the smartest smarts.

He said all the conveniences can be “a powerful drug to help people forget the fact that they are also being spied on.”

Gadgets with voice controls typically aren’t transmitting any data back to company servers until you activate them with a trigger word, such as “Alexa” or “OK Google.”

But devices have sometimes misheard innocuous words as legitimate commands to

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

Will “dumb” devices disappear?

record and send private conversations.

Even when devices work properly, commands are usually stored indefinitely.

Companies can use the data to personalize experiences — including ads.

Beyond that, background conversations may be stored with the voice recordings and can resurface with hacking or as part of lawsuits or investigations.

Knowing what you cook or stock in your fridge might seem innocuous. But if insurers get hold of the data, they might charge you more for unhealthy diets, warned Paul Stephens, director of policy and advocacy at the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse in San Diego. He also said it might be possible to infer ethnicity based on food consumed.

Manufacturers are instead emphasizing the benefits: Data collection from the smart faucet, for instance, allows Kohler’s app to display how much water is dispensed. (Water bills typically show water use for the whole home, not individual taps.)

The market for smart devices is still small, but growing. Kohler estimates that in a few years, smart appliances will make up 10 percent of its revenue.

Though the features are initially limited to premium models — such as the $7,000 toilet — they should eventually appear in entry-level products, too, as costs come down.

Consider the TV. “Dumb” TVs are rare these days, as the vast majority of TVs ship with internet connections and apps, like it or not.

“It becomes a check-box item for the TV manufacturer,” said Paul Gagnon, an analyst with IHS Markit. For a dumb one, he said, you have to search for an off-brand, entry-level model with smaller screens — or go to places in the world where streaming services aren’t common.

“Dumb” cars are also headed to the scrapyard. The research firm BI Intelligence estimates that by 2020, three out of

every four cars sold worldwide will be models with connectivity.

No serious incidents have occurred in the United States, Europe and Japan, but a red flag has already been raised in China, where automakers have been sharing location details of connected cars with the government.

As for TVs, Consumer Reports says many TV makers collect and share users’ viewing habits. Vizio agreed to $2.5 million in penalties in 2017 to settle cases with the Federal Trade Commission and New Jersey officials. Consumers can decide not to enable these connections.

They can also vote with their wallets, Stephens said. “I’m a firm believer that simple is better. If you don’t need to have these so-called enhancements, don’t buy them,” he said. “Does one really need a refrigerator that keeps track of everything in it and tells you you’re running out of milk?”

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only about 130,000 have taken the test.

“What we’re trying to do here is to approach the study of Alzheimer’s from an entirely different angle,” said study leader Dr. Matt Huentelman, associate professor of neurogenomics at the Translational Genomics Research Institute. “We want to study people who have healthy brains, who don’t have Alzheimer’s disease, and then try to understand what might be associated with brain performance — demographics, genetics, lifestyle. Hopefully these factors we identify could be used to avoid or delay Alzheimer’s.”

Established by the institute, MindCrowd works with the University of Arizona and the Alzheimer’s Prevention Initiative. MindCrowd started from a donation from a family foundation, and is funded by private individuals and foundations.

You can remain anonymous when you take the test and still help out. If you choose, you can do a DNA test in a phase II version of the study.

“It’s fun and it’s a short bit of time; however, it’s an extremely valuable piece of info for science,” Huentelman said.

So far, he said his research has shown that men’s reaction time in this test is faster than women’s, but that women have more accurate answers than men.

BEACON BITS

May 6

“EVITA” AT GLENWOOD LIBRARY

Glenwood Branch Library will show the movie “Evita,” the story of Eva Peron, on Monday, May 6 at 6:15 p.m. No registration is required. The branch library is located at 2350 Rte. 7, Catonsville. For more information, visit the library or call (410) 313-5577.

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Health Fitness &

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LOOK BEFORE YOU EAT Not all calories are created equal — there are ways to boost your burn BETTER CHECKUPS Some doctors may forget critical memory checks; be sure yours doesn’t ASK MAYO CLINIC An orthopedic surgeon suggests how to ease arthritis pain without surgery PROTEIN PUNCH Yogurts today, from Greek to coconut milk, have something for everyone

Gluten and lactose used in many pills

By Lauran Neergaard A man with celiac disease felt sicker after starting a new drug, but it wasn’t a typical side effect. It turns out the pills were mixed with gluten the patient knew to avoid in food — but was surprised to find hiding in medicine.

A new report says pills often contain socalled “inactive” ingredients capable of causing allergic or gastrointestinal reactions in small numbers of people sensitive to specific compounds.

And it’s hard for those patients, or even their doctors, to tell if a pill contains an extra ingredient they should avoid, according to researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

When the doctor writes a prescription, the pharmacist issues whatever the person’s insurance covers — without discussion of inactive ingredients that are buried in the drug’s labeling.

“There’s a tremendous underappreciation of the potential impact that inactive ingredients may have,” said Dr. Giovanni Traverso, a Brigham gastroenterologist who spurred the research after his celiac patient’s trouble.

Inactives affect some Drugs contain an “active ingredient” — what you hope will help your health. Inactive ingredients, which make up the rest of the pill, can make it easier to absorb the drug, improve its taste or extend the shelf life.

Most people don’t need to worry about inactive ingredients, but the Boston researchers pointed to rare published reports of reactions in patients with allergies or intolerances to certain compounds — and called for more information about who might be at risk.

The study analyzed data on inactive ingredients from a database of more than 42,000 prescription and over-the-counter medicines. An average pill contains eight inactive ingredients, but some contain 20 or more.

Consider that 39 percent of older adults take at least five prescription medicines daily, and even a small amount can add up, the researchers reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

The report found: About 45 percent of the analyzed medications contained lactose. The amounts may be too small for some lactose-intolerant peo-

ple to notice, but someone taking common drugs for high blood pressure and cholesterol could get about a gram a day.

A third of medications contained a food dye associated with allergic reactions.

More than half contained at least one type of sugar that people with irritable bowel syndrome are supposed to avoid.

In a recent survey, 18 percent of manufacturers said their medications contain gluten, which can cause severe reactions if patients with celiac disease consume as little as 1.5 milligrams a day. But labels may list it only as innocuous “starch.”

Check refills, formulations That’s what happened when a patient of Traverso’s experienced worsening celiac symptoms after using a common stomach acid-blocking drug, omeprazole. Traverso had to call the manufacturer to learn that particular formulation contained starch made from wheat.

Because refills can bring a different company’s formulation, patients should check the label each time, he added.

Patients shouldn’t be alarmed, cautioned one allergy expert not involved with the report.

“It is certainly true that there are reports of allergic reactions to residual food proteins in medications,” said Dr. Roxanne Oriel of the Mount Sinai Jaffe Food Allergy Institute in New York. But, “these types of allergic reactions are quite rare.”

Often the amount is too low to trigger a reaction, plus substances like soybean oil are refined to remove the allergy-causing protein before they’re used in medicines, she added.

Still, manufacturers of drugs made with refined peanut oil, such as some versions of the hormone progesterone, often put an allergy warning on the label.

The issue is getting some attention. A pending Food and Drug Administration proposal recommends adding gluten information to drug labels.

And the standard-setting U.S. Pharmacopeia has a panel studying how electronic health records could help doctors and pharmacists better identify patients who need to avoid a certain ingredient.

“It can be frustrating for patients” to find the information, said Gerald McEvoy of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, a member of that panel.

—AP

Killing germs can make us less healthy

By Claire McCarthy Household disinfectants seem like such a good idea, especially when you have children. After all, children make messes, and killing germs helps keep children healthy, right?

Not always, it turns out. Sometimes

germs actually keep us healthy and keep us at a healthy weight.

More and more, we are learning that not all bacteria are bad. In fact, the bacteria that live naturally in and on our bodies, especially in our digestive tracts, are crucial for health.

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Ongoing

DIETARY TIPS

Opportunities to discuss losing or gaining weight one-on-one with a registered dietician are available at Howard County General Hospital Medical Library, 5755 Cedar Ln., Columbia. For dates and to register, call (410) 740-7601 or visit events.hcgh.hopkinsmedicine.org/event/livingwell.

May 1

LOWER YOUR STROKE RISK

How can you avoid a stroke? Karen Basinger from the Maryland Extension program will present information on how to manage your diabetes, hypertension or other chronic health conditions.

The free event will take place May 1 at 10 a.m. at the Ellicott City 50+ Center, 9401 Frederick Rd, Ellicott City. For more information call (410) 313-1400.

When we mess with those bacteria, it increases the risk of many problems — including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer and even obesity.

Children especially affected Researchers from Canada used data from the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD) study to see if there was a connection between the use of household disinfectants by mothers and the weight of their children.

They found that indeed, when mothers used household disinfectants (most commonly multi-surface cleaners, hand soap and spray air fresheners), their children were more likely to be overweight or obese at age three.

By looking at stool samples from the children when they were infants, they found that this increased risk seemed to be related to a change in the bacteria in

the digestive tract. The children whose mothers used disinfectants had less of the bacteria needed for good health.

When families use disinfectants, there are fewer bacteria in the house, obviously.

Since children spend most of their life indoors, this means that those in “disinfected” homes are exposed to fewer bacteria, and have less of a chance to grow the bacteria that should ideally be living throughout the digestive tract, from mouth to rectum.

Interestingly, a study of the bacteria in the mouths of two-year-olds showed that certain mixes of bacteria types increase the risk of rapid weight gain.

It’s not just household disinfectants that affect the bacteria in our bodies. Antibiotics and antacids can too, as well as our diet and lifestyle.

Obviously, it’s not just bacteria that affect weight gain. Interestingly, in the Canadian See DISINFECTANTS, page 9

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

Not all calories affect us the same way

By Matthew Kadey A long-held belief is that calories are calories no matter if they hail from bacon or broccoli. Take in fewer calories than you burn; that’s your ticket to winning the battle of the bulge.

It’s true that any calorie from a food supplies a set amount of energy. But once eaten, things become more complicated. A newer era of research is making it clear that perhaps not all calories are created equal.

The thermic effect The true calorie count of a food may very well be different than what’s labeled due to its “thermic effect” (i.e., the energy required to digest and process it).

The best example is protein, which has a higher thermic effect than carbs or fat, so a lower percentage of its calories (4 calories per gram) will be available for storage in the body.

In a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, people who got 25 per-

cent of their calories from protein burned 227 more calories a day than those who only ate 5 percent of their calories from protein.

So even though 3 ounces of chicken breast may have 92 calories on paper, up to 35 percent fewer of those calories will actually be absorbed by the body.

Furthermore, “calories from protein have also been shown to have a greater impact on satiety, and hunger is the enemy of weight loss,” said New York weight loss expert Samantha Cassetty, M.S., R.D.

The carb math A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that when people ate the same diet except for whole grains versus refined grains, those consuming items like brown rice and whole wheat bread burned almost 100 more calories per day than those who ate the refined versions.

This was likely due to both a metabolic boost as well as extra calorie excretion.

“Your body has to work harder to digest a meal containing less-processed carbs, so will burn off more calories to do so,” noted Cassetty. In other words, 100 calories from quinoa are not the same as 100 sugary calories from soda in the weight loss equation.

A report in Obesity Reviews noted that calories from sugary drinks play a unique role in health problems, and that disease

risk increases even when the beverages are consumed within calorie-controlled diets that do not result in weight gain.

Processing matters Any degree of external processing — including cooking, grinding and juicing — ruptures cell walls in a food, thereby lessening the energy needed for our bodies to digest it. As a result, we end up with more of its calories.

Raw or lightly cooked meat (e.g., sushi and rare steak) require extra internal processing to deal with more tightly wound muscle fibers. Therefore, they supply fewer usable calories than well-done meat.

A study in the journal Obesity fed people the same number of calories as either a liquid or solid, and noted that post-meal hunger was greater after liquid calories.

Overall, a solid meal leads to a greater drop in levels of the hunger-inducing hormone ghrelin, which could help trim overall calorie consumption.

That’s nuts Fascinating research shows that the amount of energy (calories) derived from nuts — such as almonds, walnuts and pistachios — after we eat them is up to 30 perSee CALORIES, page 10

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Disinfectants From page 7 study, children of mothers who used ecofriendly cleaning products were less likely to be overweight at three — but this lower risk did not appear to be related to the bacteria in their stool.

Instead, the researchers said, it was more likely related to the fact that the mothers in the study who used eco-friendly cleaning products were more likely to breastfeed and to have more education, and less likely to be overweight themselves. Breastfeeding, maternal education and maternal weight are factors that are known to affect the weight of children.

What to do about it Given what we know about the many

problems that can occur when we get too aggressive about killing bacteria, it’s not a bad idea to rethink our cleaning products.

Here are some ideas: Avoid anything that says “antibacterial” on the label.

Look for natural cleaning products. Not only are they less likely to kill healthy bacteria, they have fewer dangerous chemicals.

Wash your hands — and your children’s hands — with plain soap and water.

Consider making your own cleaning products with things like vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and soap. There are lots of websites with recipes for inexpensive, effective, safe and bacteria-sparing cleaning products. © Harvard College President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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May 7

AGING IN PLACE PANEL What are the benefits and care costs of remaining in your own

home or relocating to a retirement community? Do you need an overview of Medicaid and veteran’s benefits? Looking for legal planning advice? Howard Community College will host a panel discussion about dealing with options when life needs change quickly on Tuesday, May 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the Columbia Gateway Campus Building, 6751 Columbia Gateway Dr., Columbia. To learn more about the class and costs, visit howardcc.edu/ConEd or call (443) 518-1700.

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Calories

ries from candy are not the same as calories from cauliflower.

From page 8 cent less than previously thought.

Some of the calories in nuts are found within hard-to-digest cell walls, and microbes in your gut get access to a handful of the nut calories as well, so in the end we don’t absorb all their upfront calories. This is likely one reason why studies have failed to show that eating calorie-dense nuts leads to weight gain.

“Some calories just work a lot harder for us than others, so if we’re focusing solely on calories alone we’re missing the big picture,” Cassetty said. In other words, calo-

Watch the clock Eating calories at certain times of day may also make them less caloric. Data shows that consuming calories earlier in the day can lead to better weight management.

“Our biological clocks impact how our bodies handle the calories it receives, and it seems we are primed to deal with the biggest meal of the day in the morning,” Cassetty said. So consider eating breakfast like a king and dinner like a pauper for a bigger calorie burn.

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

Boost your (calorie) burn Make the calories you eat work harder for you.

Protein burn: Take advantage of the extra calorie cost associated with digesting protein by including this macronutrient at meals and snacks.

Fiber up: It takes more effort to breakdown fiber-rich foods, which means a greater calorie burn during digestion. So get chummy with high-fiber items like legumes and vegetables.

Go nuts: Snack on whole nuts for a bounty of must-have nutrients.

Be label savvy: Look beyond the calorie count and pay attention to the form of their ingredients. Whole blueberries are good, blueberry muffin mix not so much.

Avoid the sweet stuff: Calorie for calorie, added sugars seem to be particularly efficient contributors to weight gain.

Natural selection: Focus on eating more single ingredient foods like fish, whole seeds and kale, which require your body to work harder to handle them, and in turn burn more calories.

Solid state: Consume more of your daily calories from solid foods and less from liquids.

Raw power: Include more high-burning raw foods (like raw sunflower seeds and veggies) into your menu. Larger quantities of raw food require more laborious chewing which expends additional energy and also encourages satiety.

Eat bugs: The bacteria in your gut may play a part in how you digest food and how many calories you derive from it. Keep your microbiome in calorieburning shape by including a daily supply of fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut.

Start early: Consider making your morning meal more substantial and then tapering down calorie intake as the day progresses.

Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC. EnvironmentalNutrition.com. © 2019 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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May 16+

FITNESS CLASSES

Bain 50+ Center is hosting a twice-weekly senior fitness training on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning Thursday, May 16 at 1 p.m. through Thursday, July 2. Emphasis will be on the cardiovascular system, muscle strength and endurance, coordination and balance. The Bain 50+ Center is located at 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia. For more information and fees, call (443) 518-1700 or visit howardcc.edu/ConEd.

Free Help at Home When Recovering From Illness

Our Member Care Support Network volunteers offer social and emotional support services for certain health conditions, including transportation and daily activities.

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Contact us: 410-720-8788 hcgh-j2bh @ jhmi.edu

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 — M AY 2 0 1 9

From page 1 grown from seven families to its curent 2,000 attendees at Sunday services, according to church administrator Susan Choi.

Last October, the church added three new chapels, a gymnasium for sports and social activities, several “flexible” classrooms for the church’s youth ministries, a kitchen for catering events, additional landscaping for outdoor “socializing” and new parking lots, Choi said. That’s another 49,000 square feet added to the church grounds on St. John’s Lane.

Maryland a popular destination About 100,000 Korean-Americans live in the Washington-Howard County-Baltimore area, making it the third largest U.S. home of Korean-Americans, after Los Angeles and the New York-New Jersey area.

While the 2010 census put the KoreanAmerican population at 1.7 million, it is now estimated to be over 2 million. The majority of immigrants come from South Korea.

A little history: The 1965 Immigration and Naturalization Act revoked the national quota system for immigrants to America and made family reunification possible. A high unemployment rate, political insecurity and military dictatorship caused massive numbers of South Koreans to immigrate to the United States from the 1960s through the early 1980s.

Furthermore, recognizing the country’s need for skilled professionals, the U.S. government actively recruited experts and professionals from Asia. From 1976 to 1990, Koreans constituted the third largest group of immigrants to move to the U.S., after the Mexican and Filipino communities.

The Korean attraction to Maryland in particular has been highlighted in the Baltimore Sun, which noted that promotional pamphlets distributed in Korea list Ellicott City postal codes as attractive destinations for would-be immigrants to the United States.

The Korean population in Maryland increased by 30 percent between 2009 and 2014. Many Koreans have settled in Maryland because, among other reasons, the state has a reputation for good schools, according to real estate agent Baik.

For a quick immersion into Korean-American culture, Baik suggested people should attend the 42nd annual Korean American Festival on September 21 at the Howard County Fairgrounds in West Friendship.

Among the festival’s attractions will be Korean food, music, craft demonstrations, dance performances, Korean pop stars, taekwondo and face painting.

ceiving a scholarship to study electrical engineering.

The younger Hwang became an attorney.

When he decided in 2009 to open a private civil law practice with a partner, he settled in Ellicott City because he knew many of his clients would be of Korean heritage.

“If I’m asked where I come from, I would say the United States,” Hwang said. “But I also, in part, identify myself by my ethnicity.

I’m proud to be a Korean-American.

“Part of what makes America great is that despite the diverse heritage, we can all still identify ourselves as Americans,” Hwang added.

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Attorney Jonathan Ahn, 57, has a similar view. A graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law, Ahn has lived in Ellicott City for 28 years. He came to the United States in 1974 at the age of 11.

Ahn noted that when he was recently donating blood, a young medical aide asked him, “How do you like being in our country?”

“I answered, ‘I have been in your country for many years before you were born.’”

He added, “I am an immigrant, and many of us do feel part of a Korean immigrant community — that’s our culture. But we are part of the mainstream, and all of us should realize that.”

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

13

Annual memory checks often forgotten

By Lauran Neergaard Few older people get their thinking and memory abilities regularly tested during check-ups, according to a new report from the Alzheimer’s Association.

Medicare pays for an annual “wellness visit” that is supposed to include what’s called a cognitive assessment — a brief check for some early warning signs of dementia, so people who need a more thorough exam can get one.

But doctors aren’t required to conduct a specific test, and there’s little data on how often they perform these cognitive snapshots.

About half of older adults say they’ve ever discussed thinking or memory with a healthcare provider, and less than a third say they’ve ever been assessed for possible cognitive problems, according to a recently released Alzheimer’s Association survey.

Even fewer, 16 percent, said they get regular cognitive assessments — a stark contrast to the blood pressure and cholesterol checks that just about everyone gets routinely. Just 1 in 3 knew cognition is supposed to be part of the annual wellness visit.

Even though many older adults say they’ve noticed changes in their mental abilities, “the majority of the time seniors are waiting for the physician to bring it up,” said Alzheimer’s Association chief program officer Joanne Pike.

dementia, and Alzheimer’s is the most common type, affecting 5.8 million people in the U.S. The disease takes root in the brain decades before symptoms appear. There is no cure, and today’s treatments only ease symptoms. They don’t prevent the disease from gradually worsening.

Some slowing of memory is a normal part of aging, like temporarily misplacing your keys. But more significant declines in memory, thinking skills or behavior can require medical care.

It might be due to something treatable like sleep apnea, depression or a side effect of medication.

But even if someone is developing dementia, knowing early allows people time to plan for their future care — and to participate in research studies, Pike said.

The doctor looks for any signs of impairment as the check-up gets under way, asks the patient directly about any changes over time and asks any family members who came along for the visit if they have concerns.

Then the doctor sometimes, not always, administers a test, such as asking the patient to remember a short list of words.

Some written tests excel at spotting subtle problems, but they’re too simplistic to rule out trouble. Nor does a poor score mean there’s a problem, just that more testing is required.

Why aren’t more tested?

Early detection can help About 50 million people worldwide have

Medical guidelines don’t say everyone needs a formal assessment with those

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Ongoing

FREE BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS

Free blood pressure checks are offered twice monthly at three county 50+ Centers. Readings are scheduled at the Bain 50+ Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia, first and third Thursdays, 10 a.m. to noon; Glenwood 50+ Center, 2400 Rte. 97, Cooksville, second and fourth Tuesdays, 9 to 11 a.m.; and Ellicott City 50+ Center, 9401 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City, every Tuesday, 9 a.m. to noon.

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“PASSPORT TO RETIREMENT” COURSE

Financial planning for retirement is the focus of Howard Community College’s noncredit course offered Thursdays, May 9 and May 16, and Tuesdays, May 14 and May 21. The course is designed to give participants financial information and alternatives, and couples may attend for a single registration fee. Visit howardcc.edu/ConEd or call (443) 518-1700 for further information or to register.

memory quizzes, cautioned Dr. Sumi Sexton of Georgetown University’s School of Medicine and editor of the journal American Family Physician, who wasn’t involved with the survey.

In fact, you might be getting assessed and not realize it, she said. Maybe a conversation with the doctor shows that you’re pretty active and doing well.

Or maybe the doctor spots that you’re taking medications that can impede cognition — and changes your prescription, waiting to see if that solves the problem.

“We [doctors] are all attuned to memory issues,” said Sexton, who tends to screen frequently. But she wasn’t surprised at the report’s low screening numbers, because a

discussion about cognitive impairment takes time in an already crammed check-up.

And it’s hard for patients to bring up, said Jim Gulley, 69, who was diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s in 2015. He marked “memory issues” on a check-up questionnaire but then crossed it out — only to have his longtime doctor insist on a discussion.

“I was definitely afraid,” said Gulley, of Penfield, N.Y. His father had had dementia, and he knew “the stigma is not dead.”

But after Gulley told his church group about his diagnosis, he was inundated with help — and with others asking how to know if something’s wrong. He now counsels people to talk to their doctors early.

—AP

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

Many treatments for thumb arthritis pain Dear Mayo Clinic: What can be done about thumb arthritis besides having surgery to relieve the pain?

A: There are a number of therapies to consider before turning to surgery to treat thumb arthritis.

Although these therapies may not always provide long-term relief, for most people with thumb arthritis, they can effectively lessen symptoms, and surgery may not be necessary. Surgery for arthritis of the thumb is usually a treatment of last resort.

The thumb is designed to give you a wide range of motion, enabling you to pinch, grip and grasp objects. It provides approximately 40 percent of hand function.

In a normal thumb basilar joint, the cartilage that covers the ends of the bones acts as a cushion and allows the bones to

glide smoothly against each other.

With thumb arthritis, the cartilage that covers the ends of the bones deteriorates, and its smooth surface roughens. The bones then rub against each other, resulting in friction and more joint damage.

The most common symptom of thumb arthritis is pain at the base of your thumb during daily activities, such as opening a jar, turning a key or pulling a zipper.

You may notice other symptoms, too, such as stiffness, tenderness or swelling at the base of your thumb. You may not have as much range of motion or strength in your thumb as usual.

About 8 to 12 percent of the population is affected by arthritis of the thumb joint, making it the second-most common part of the hand to have arthritis. In fact, thumb arthritis affects more than half of women 70 and

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May 6

BUNCO PARTY Bunco, a simple dice game, will keep you moving and laughing

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older. The joints at the end of the fingers are the most common spot for hand arthritis.

Simple at-home treatments may be all that are needed for some people to reduce symptoms of thumb arthritis successfully.

Anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen, is often effective.

A gel form of a similar anti-inflammatory medication (the prescription diclofenac) is available for those whose stomachs do not tolerate anti-inflammatories well. Other medications, including acetaminophen and prescription pain relievers, also may help.

In addition to medications, tools that make it easier for you to grip with your thumb can be useful. Jar openers, key turners and large zipper pulls designed for people with limited hand strength are available.

Many people with thumb arthritis also find it helpful to replace traditional round door handles with lever handles. Your healthcare provider or a hand therapist may have other suggestions about techniques and equipment that can make it easier to use your thumb.

If those steps aren’t enough, talk to your healthcare provider about getting a splint that can support your joint and limit your thumb and wrist movement. Doing so helps rest the thumb joint and lessens pain.

Some people only need to wear a splint at night. But, depending on your situation, your healthcare provider may recommend prolonged use of a splint, especially when you do activities that cause thumb pain.

If the above treatments are not enough, an injection of medication into the thumb joint, such as a corticosteroid injection, may reduce inflammation and relieve pain temporarily.

If none of these approaches work, surgery may be a reasonable option, especially if symptoms are making it hard for you to do your day-to-day activities.

There are various treatments, including arthroscopy (keyhole surgery); removal of the arthritic bone at the base of the thumb, possibly with a tendon graft; joint fusion; and even joint replacement (in select cases).

It is important to thoroughly try all nonoperative treatments before surgery. In most people, they can relieve symptoms of thumb arthritis successfully.

— Sanjeev Kakar, M.D., Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A@ mayo.edu. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org. © 2019 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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And there’s more! The overstuffed, oversized biscuit style back and unique seat design will cradle you in comfort. Generously filled, wide armrests provide enhanced arm support when sitting or reclining. The high and low heat settings along with the multiple massage settings, can provide a soothing relaxation you might get at a spa – just imagine getting all that in a lift chair! It even has a battery backup in case of a power outage. Shipping charge includes white glove delivery. Professionals will deliver the chair to the exact spot in your home where you want it, unpack it, inspect it, test it,

position it, and even carry the packaging away! You get your choice of bonded stain and water repellent leather or plush microfiber in a variety of colors to fit any decor. Call now!

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We’ve e’ve all had nights when we just can’t lie down in bed and sleep, whether it’s from heartburn, cardiac problems, hip or back aches – it could be a variety of reasons. Those are the nights we’d give anything for a comfortable chair to sleep in, one that reclines to exactly the right degree, raises feet and legs to precisely the desired level, supports the head and shoulders properly, operates easily even in the dead of night, and sends a hopeful sleeper right off to dreamland.

NEW Footrest Extension for even more head to toe support.

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

15

Choosing the yogurt that’s best for you

By Harvard Health Letters There are so many kinds of yogurt in the dairy aisle these days, it can be tough to know which to choose.

That’s a great problem to have. Many of the yogurts that have hit store shelves in the past decade offer nutritional benefits including higher protein levels, more calcium and additional choices for people who want to enjoy the benefits of yogurt, but with less added sugar — or who want to find dairy alternatives that offer similar benefits.

However, it’s wise to know what you’re buying before facing that aisle, as many types of yogurt contain more sugar than you’d like to eat for breakfast or a quick snack.

Here’s a guide to help you identify the main varieties, discover some popular options and learn what to look for when shopping for the healthiest choice.

Try traditional yogurt The yogurt you grew up eating is unstrained (still contains whey), which means it’s thinner than Greek and Icelandic styles.

Nutrition-wise, it has more calcium and natural milk sugar than other varieties.

Get more protein with Greek yogurt This thick, strained yogurt now makes up more than a third of all yogurt sales in the United States. Straining removes some lactose, calcium, milk sugars and minerals, but results in a higher protein content. One cup of Greek yogurt can have up to 20 grams of protein; traditional yogurt has 11 to 13 grams.

For the most protein-rich choice, try Icelandic yogurt This is the thickest of all varieties: 1 cup of this strained yogurt is typically made with 4 cups of milk. Because of that, Icelandic yogurt often has the highest protein content.

It also has the longest incubation process, so it’s the tartest of all varieties and has the lowest amount of milk sugar.

If creamy is your thing, choose Australian yogurt. Creamy and unstrained, this yogurt is commonly made with whole milk, so it will be higher in fat than the traditional variety. Other than that, it has a similar nutritional profile.

Don’t do dairy? You have options Yogurt can be made from nondairy milks, such as coconut, soy and almond.

For the same health benefits as regular yogurt, look for calcium on the Nutrition Facts label. A serving should provide at least 15 percent of your daily calcium dose.

And also make sure the yogurt has been cultured: You should see probiotics listed on the label.

When choosing, check for these three things:

Probiotics: Look for the Live & Active Cultures seal on the label of dairy and nondairy yogurts. It means that your choice contains the highest amount of probiotics. No seal? L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus should be listed as ingredients.

Sugars: Plain yogurt with 9 grams or less of natural sugar per serving is the healthiest choice. For flavored yogurts, opt for ones with less than 15 grams of sugar. Anything higher than 17 grams has the same sugar content as two fun-size Snickers bars!

Fat: Full-fat yogurts can be a creamier, healthy choice; just figure their higher saturated fat and calories into your overall daily saturated fat intake, which should be less than 7 percent of your total daily calories. © 2019 Meredith Corporation, Harvard Health Letters. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Make overnight oatmeal with grandkids If you think oatmeal only comes in a packet, think again.

They know about oatmeal in Ireland and Scotland, where whole-grain, steel-cut oats are popular. Yes, these slightly chewy oats take longer to cook than old-fashioned rolled oats (and way longer than instant oats in a packet), but the results are so much better.

To shorten the usual half-hour cooking time, start the process at night and then finish up in the morning. This recipe is great to make with grandkids or for houseguests.

Overnight oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar Servings: 4 Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus overnight resting time Cook Time: 15 minutes Ingredients: 3 cups plus 1 cup water, measured separately 1 cup steel-cut oats 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup raisins

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon In large saucepan, bring 3 cups water to boil over high heat. Turn off heat and slide saucepan to cool burner. Stir in oats and salt.

Cover saucepan with lid and let sit overnight.

In morning, stir remaining 1 cup water into saucepan with oats and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is creamy and oats are tender but chewy, 4 to 6 minutes.

Turn off heat and slide saucepan to cool burner. Stir in raisins, sugar, butter and cinnamon. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve.

Nutrition information per serving: 270 calories; 48 calories from fat; 5 g. fat (2 g. saturated; 0 g. trans fats); 8 mg. cholesterol; 154 mg. sodium; 53 g. carbohydrate; 5 g. fiber; 25 g. sugar; 7 g. protein.

Variations to try Also try these fun flavor combinations: —Banana and brown sugar oatmeal: Use 2 chopped ripe bananas instead of

raisins. Leave out cinnamon.

—Blueberry and almond oatmeal: Use 1/2 cup blueberries instead of raisins. Use 2 tablespoons almond butter instead of butter and cinnamon. Add 1/2 cup sliced almonds to oatmeal along with blueberries.

—Toasted coconut oatmeal: Use 1 cup canned coconut milk instead of water. Use 1/2 cup toasted unsweetened flaked coconut instead of raisins. Leave out butter and cinnamon.

—AP

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

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon

A Publication from the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence

17

Volume 9, No. 5 May 2019

Older Adults Connect, Create and Contribute to Quality of Life in Howard County

E

ach year, more and more older adults are finding ways to make a positive impact in and around Howard County.

Older adults who share their insight, talent and experience — as volunteers, employees, employers, educators, mentors, advocates, and more — benefit the entire community.

Since 1963, Older Americans Month (OAM) has been celebrated in May to recognize the contributions of this growing population.

The 2019 theme — CONNECT, CREATE, CONTRIBUTE — encourages older adults and their communities to • CONNECT with friends, family, and local services and resources; • CREATE through activities that promote learning, health, and personal enrichment; and • CONTRIBUTE time, talent, and life experience to benefit others.

This year during OAM, the Office on Aging and Independence (OAI) is sharing the experiences of older adults in Howard County who have found ways to connect, create and contribute to the quality of life in our community. Here are just some of their stories.

Connect... and Stay Connected Ellicott City resident Jim Seewagen lives near two other community centers, yet he drives every weekday to the Glenwood 50+ Center in Cooksville. “I work out in the fitness room early, then often stay for activities such as pickleball, Pilates, and for talks about the Civil War,” he says. Jim’s wife, Linda has also formed a strong connection to the center. “The Glenwood 50+ Center has opened up a whole new world for me,” she says. “Jim and I have made so many new friends by taking advantage of all Glenwood has to offer,” she said.

Roz Havas also goes out of her way to regularly attend both the Bain and East Columbia 50+ Centers; and, since she has low vision, she relies on Paratransit to get to each center. “Roz is well-read, enjoys audiobooks and stays politically engaged,” says East Columbia 50+ Center Director Meridy McCague. “But she has told me that without access to transportation, she is not sure she would survive.”

Coordinated by OAI’s SeniorsTogether program, the Low Vision Group at the Bain 50+Center offers peer support to older adults like Roz, and connects them to others with similar interests.

Recently, the group visited the Maryland Technology Assistance Program in Baltimore to learn more about assistive technology options, including vision, hearing and independent living aids.

“Outings like this not only offer low-visioned adults access to high-quality information and resources, they also create a sense of fellowship among members,” says Karen Hull, SeniorsTogether program manager. continued on page 22

OLDER AMERICANS MONTH CON NE CT, CREATE, CON TRI B U TE MAY

2019

A Message from Office on Aging and Independence Administrator

Jenna Crawley This May, we mark 56 years of honoring older Americans through recognition and celebration.

Older Americans Month was established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy and members of the National Council of Senior Citizens to acknowledge the contributions of older adults to our country. This year’s theme, Connect, Create, Contribute, highlights the importance of building social connections with friends, family and our communities; engaging in activities that promote lifelong learning, health and wellness; and lastly, giving of time, talent, and experience to benefit others.

When I think of older adults who connect, create, and contribute, I think of the overall impact that each of you have on our community. You are volunteers, employees, educators, mentors, advocates, and more. Our Howard County community is strengthened by your involvement, insight, and experience. This May, the Office on Aging and Independence celebrates the support and diversity of our older adult community; thank you for all you do!

For more information about how you can Connect, Create, and Contribute this May and throughout the year, check out our 50+ center events listings in this issue; follow us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HoCoCommunity; or visit us online at www.howardcountymd.gov/aging.

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The 50+ Connection

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

Loan Closet of Howard County Plans Its Second Expansion to Serve All Ages

S

ince the Loan Closet reopened in May 2016 in a new, larger space, Howard County residents have donated over 16,000 pieces of durable medical equipment and the center has provided more than 9,000 pieces of equipment to those in need. “We have been overwhelmed with the volume of requests and needs in addition to the generosity of donations,” says Loan Closet Manager Mary Becker. To respond to the increased need for its services, plans are underway for the Loan Closet to relocate to a new and even larger location in June 2019.

The expansion will enable Loan Closet staff to address the needs of all ages and abilities. To serve the broader needs of the community, the Loan Closet will accept donations of assistive technology including: communication, vision and reading aids; hearing and listening devices; daily living and mobility aids including durable medical equipment; and seating, positioning and pediatric equipment.

In addition to repurposing donated medical equipment, the Loan Closet provides instruction and education about its proper use, as well as referrals to other local resources and services. “The personal contact is at the heart of the service we provide to the community,” says Mary Becker. “It is never just about a piece of equipment. By learning about available resources and assistive technology, our clients are better able to maximize their highest potential of independence.”

Beyond its expansion this summer, the Loan Closet plans to partner with other organizations that provide similar services, with the goal of bringing them together in one location to serve Howard County residents of all ages and abilities. For updates on the new opening, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/loancloset.

Maryland Secretary of Disabilities Carol Beatty and Maryland Technology Assistance Program Director, Lori Markland, joined staff at the Loan Closet to celebrate National Assistive Technology Awareness Day on March 27.

Pictured, left to right, Chris Muller, Lynn Bingham, Margaret Fries, Andrea Bryant, Mary Becker, Jackie Scott (DCRS Director), Lori Markland, Carol Beatty, Jenna Crawley (Office on Aging and Independence Administrator), Cheryl Mattis (DCRS Deputy Director), Ofelia Ott (HCBS Division Manager), and Chris Moore (MAP Program Manager).

In-person Tax Credit Assistance Available

H

oward County Executive Calvin Ball, the Howard County Department of Finance and Maryland Access Point (MAP) of Howard County have announced that in-person assistance will be available throughout the spring and summer to help applicants file for a variety of tax credits. A MAP counselor will help residents and business owners identify tax credits that might be available and offer guidance to complete required applications.

Tax payers should refer to taxcredits.howardcountymd.gov for a full list of credits, applications and requirements.

MAP counselors will be available at the Cashier’s Office at the George Howard Building, 3430 Courthouse Drive in Ellicott City:

• Wednesday, May 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

(Korean language assistance available) • Monday, July 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Wednesday, August 7 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In addition, MAP counselors are available at the Bain 50+ Center at 5470 Ruth Keeton Way in Columbia on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Or, call 410-313-1234 (voice/relay) during regular business hours to schedule an office, community or in-home appointment. Depending on the tax credit, applicants may need to have and/or submit tax filing(s), identification, and proof of residence documents.

The 50+ Connection is published monthly by the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence.

This publication is available in alternate formats upon request.

To join our subscriber list, email kahenry@howardcountymd.gov 9830 Patuxent Woods Drive, Columbia, MD 21046 410-313-6410 (VOICE/RELAY) • www.howardcountymd.gov/aging Find us on

www.Facebook.com/HoCoCommunity

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

CONSUMER

PROTECTION We’ve got you covered.

PHONE EMAIL

410-313-6420 (VOICE/RELAY) consumer@howardcountymd.gov

www.howardcountymd.gov/consumer

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

The 50+ Connection

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

19

Explore Your Personal Health and Wellness Through New Perspectives

E

xplore avenues to health and wellness from multiple perspectives at the Elkridge 50+ Center on Friday, May 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The event is presented in partnership with the Howard County Health Department and the Local Health Improvement Coalition (LHIC).

Your Health: Strength, Tranquility, Wellness kicks off at 9:00 a.m. with a

free yoga class for 50+ center members (bring your own mat; class includes a chair option making it accessible for all).

Following yoga, all are invited to attend two featured seminars: The Effects of Stress and How to Avoid Them with Dr. Stephen Synowski at 10:00 a.m., and HIV and Sexual Health for Older Adults with Joan Garrity at 11:00 a.m. Seating is limited; call 410-313-5192 to reserve your seat for these informative programs.

Next up is a lunch and learn segment from noon to 1:15 p.m. with Chef Taueret Thomas of Khepera's Kitchen, featuring fresh vegetarian dishes. Lunch is offered by donation; reservations must be made at the Elkridge 50+ Center no later than May 10.

The one-day wellness program also includes health screenings for BMI (body mass index), stroke risk, and blood pressure through the Journey to Better Health program of Howard County General Hospital. Office on Aging and Independence staff will offer mental health screenings as well as guidance on proper exercise, movement

Friday, May 17 • 9:00 AM TO 2:00 PM

ELKRIDGE 50+ CENTER

6540 Washington Boulevard, Elkridge 21075 and support for chronic health conditions. Maryland University of Integrative Health practitioners will be onsite to discuss complementary alternative and integrative health practices.

Free auricular acupuncture will be available from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. LHIC will offer information on mental health and aging, NARCAN® training and provide medical disposal bags.

Space is limited, so don’t wait — 50+ center members interested in attending the seminar(s) or lunch and learn are encouraged to call the Elkridge 50+ Center to reserve their space at 410-313-5192.

Not yet a member of the 50+ Center?

Stop by to join — MEMBERSHIP IS FREE!

S AT U R DAY OC TOBER 19 10 AM TO 3 PM Howard Community College, 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD 21044 Presented by the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence

ANNOUNCING THE ALL-NEW, REINVENTED 50+EXPO FOR 2019!

Master Aging: Engage, Educate and Inspire debuts as a conference-style event with seminars, exhibitors and entertainment for the 50+ community. This new format replaces the 50+EXPO, and will take place on Saturday, October 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at a new host location on the campus of Howard Community College (HCC) in Columbia.

Hosted by the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence, Master Aging: Engage, Educate and Inspire will be held in three buildings within easy walking distance of each other on HCC's campus — Duncan Hall, the Health Sciences Building and the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center. Free onsite parking is available.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE • 62 vendor and sponsor booths, located in the three lobbies and one additional large room • 10 informational and educational seminars • two performances and keynote speaker in the Smith Theatre • one panel discussion/demonstration in a 140-person capacity lecture hall • snack and lunch sales from a variety of vendors in two lobbies, including coffee carts GENERAL EVENT INFORMATION www.howardcountymd.gov/masteraging • www.Facebook.com/HoCoCommunity

www.howardcountymd.gov PHONE

VENDOR/EXHIBITOR INFORMATION Lisa Brusio Coster at 410-442-3734 (voice/relay) or email lcoster@howardcountymd.gov

FAX EMAIL

410-313-6410 (voice/relay) 410-313-6540 or email aging@howardcountymd.gov

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The 50+ Connection

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

50+ CENTER FEATURED EVENTS Connect

Intergenerational Spring Dance

DIY Doormats Glenwood 50+ Center

North Laurel 50+ Center

Wednesday, May 1 • 2:30 p.m.

Thursday, May 2 • 11:00 to 11:30 a.m.

Have some fun creating a statement coir doormat (made from stiff coconut fibers) to update your porch or step. Choose from six designs to personalize. $20; class size is limited. To register, call 410-313-5440.

Don’t miss the Reservoir High School Dance Troupe’s performance of Contemporary, Jazz and Lyrical dance. FREE. Call 410-313-0380 to reserve a seat.

BETA Presents: The Soundtrack of Our Lives “From Elvis to the Beatles” Bain 50+ Center Friday, May 3 • 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.

Have you ever owned an RCA 45 turntable? Can you do the Twist, Mashed Potato, or Watusi? Do you know Motown’s first hit? Connect with others who know the answers to these questions and more. FREE. Call 410-313-7213 to RSVP.

Older Americans Month BBQ North Laurel 50+ Center Wednesday, May 22 • Noon to 1:00 p.m.

Eating for One with Carla Johnston Elkridge 50+ Center Saturday May 4 • 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

Do you cook or eat alone and need some inspiration? Learn how to prepare nutritious meals for one and learn more about eating well.

FREE. Call 410-313-5192 to register.

Fresh Conversations East Columbia 50+ Center Wednesday, May 8 • 11:30 a.m.

Enjoy a lovely lunch, then learn about beneficial gut bacteria and probiotics.

What is fact and what is fad? Taste samples of healthy food you can make at home! Cost: lunch donation. To register, call 410-313-7680.

Connect with community members and share a tasty BBQ meal with special musical entertainment. Cost: $15 per person; for tickets, call 410-313-0380.

Birds and Butterflies Art Auction and Tea

Animal Control Presentation

Friday, May 10 • 1:00 p.m.

Elkridge 50+ Center Thursday, May 23 • 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.

Howard County Animal Control will provide information on a variety of topics, including pet adoption, what animal is best for you, how to deal with nuisance wild life and much more. A surprise 4-legged friend needing a home may join us! FREE.

Memorial Day Picnic and Party Glenwood 50+ Center Friday, May 24 • 11:00 a.m.

Bring a friend and join us on the patio to dance to the steel drums of Orlando Philips. Catch up with other members and enjoy a cookout with hamburgers, hot dogs, beans, coleslaw and more. $10; to register, call 410-313-5440.

East Columbia 50+ Center Kicking off our garden plans for native edibles, pollinators and a nod to bees, swallowtails and monarchs. The silent auction will benefit these ambitious plans. For reservations, call 410-313-7680; suggested donation $8.

Retirement Planning for Single Women Ellicott City 50+ Center Tuesday, May 21 and June 11 • 11:00 a.m.

Financial Planner Michelle Kotler will present a program just for women to learn how to create a financial plan to “Retire Your Way.” FREE; call 410-313-1400 to register.

Something’s Fishy Party Bain 50+ Center Friday, June 7, 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.

AARP presents Smart Driver TEK Workshop Ellicott City 50+ Fitness Center Friday, May 31 • 10:30 a.m. to noon Learn how to utilize the high-tech safety features in your car. Learn what to look for when shopping for a new car and the safety benefits of blind spot warning systems, forward collision warnings, lane departure warnings, smart headlights, and more! FREE. Sign up in advance at 410-313-1400.

The Coral Reef Encounter project will create a simulated coral reef in the MacGills Common Pool featuring hand-crafted fish, coral created from recycled objects, and reef photography on the pool walls. Join our fish-making party to create fanciful, fabric fish under the guidance of artist, Roslyn Zinner. FREE; all materials provided. Register at 410-313-7213.

For more information on the programs and activities at all 50+ Centers, go to www.howardcountymd.gov/50pluscenters

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

The 50+ Connection

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

21

50+ CENTER FEATURED EVENTS

Mother’s Day Plant Sale

Benefits of Physical Therapy

North Laurel 50+ Center

Ellicott City 50+ Center

Wednesday, May 15 • 10:00 a.m.

Wednesday, May 8 • 11:00 a.m.

Support our annual plant sale and shop for annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetable plants and lovely hanging baskets, all grown by eMerge. To reserve a picnic box lunch, call 410-313-0380 (lunch donation suggested).

Physical therapists address aches and pains in most body parts. Find out how they treat common questions for common daily ailments and which treatments are most effective. Program led by Renuka Jain, DPT, COMT, a licensed physical therapist. FREE.

Support #MoveWithHeart Bain 50+ Center

Exercise and Depression

Thursday, May 16 • 10:00 a.m. to noon

Ellicott City 50+ Center

Join the healthy heart movement — take the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI) #MoveWithHeart pledge to become more physically active and fight heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S. Stop by to learn how, and get your blood pressure checked while there. FREE.

Thursday, May 9 • 11:00 a.m.

Pass On Your Pickleball Passion

Skin Cancer Screenings

Glenwood 50+ Center

Bain 50+ Center

Thursday, May 30 • 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.

Tuesday, May 28 • 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Share your passion for pickleball. This intergenerational program will pair players with students from Glenwood Middle School for an afternoon of exercise, snacks and memories. Register in advance at 410-313-5440.

Chikoti Wheat, MD, Anne Arundel Dermatology, will provide complimentary skin cancer screenings of sun exposed areas, including face, head, neck, arms, hands, and legs. Bring your questions about dermatology and get advice on how to take care of your skin. Call 410-313-7213 or stop by the center to schedule your FREE screening.

BAIN 50+ CENTER 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia 410-313-7213 • bain50@howardcountymd.gov

EAST COLUMBIA 50+ CENTER 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia 410-313-7680 • eastcolumbia50@howardcountymd.gov

ELKRIDGE 50+ CENTER 6540 Washington Blvd., Elkridge 410-313-5192 • elkridge50@howardcountymd.gov

ELLICOTT CITY 50+ CENTER 9401 Frederick Road, Ellicott City 410-313-1400 • ellicottcity50@howardcountymd.gov

GLENWOOD 50+ CENTER 2400 Route 97, Cooksville 410-313-5440 • glenwood50@howardcountymd.gov

Exercise can be a powerful tool to combat depression. Malarie Burgess, OAI Exercise Specialist, will discuss the physiological and psychological benefits of exercise, and how to use exercise to fight depression. FREE.

Minding Our Mind: The Primary Driver for Quality of Life East Columbia 50+ Center Wednesday, May 29 • 1:00 p.m.

Kim Burton presents "Keys to Resiliency," how our thoughts and feeling impact our everyday living. Join us for dessert and coffee. FREE; call 410-313-7680 to register.

Annual Mother’s Day Brunch Bain 50+ Center Friday, May 10 • 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

This annual Mother’s Day event honors all mothers and women who care for others, and will feature live entertainment by the Winstons with their “Memories of Motown.” $10; limited seating (see front desk for tickets).

Mother’s Day with the Lyric

LONGWOOD 50+ CENTER

Elkridge 50+ Center

6150 Foreland Garth, Columbia 410-313-7217

Monday, May 13 • 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

NORTH LAUREL 50+ CENTER 9411 Whiskey Bottom Road, Laurel 410-313-0380 • northlaurel50@howardcountymd.gov

Enjoy a live performance by the Lyric Opera House featuring Marian Anderson, followed by a catered lunch. Suggested lunch donation $12; to be paid at registration. For additional information, call 410-313-5192.

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The 50+ Connection

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

Connect, Create and Contribute to Howard County Continued from page 17

Create... a New Sense of Purpose at 50+ Centers After two life-changing events (retirement and divorce) and relocating to Ellicott City, Lorna Kleinrock stopped by the Ellicott City 50+ Center to see what it had to offer. “I was cheerfully greeted by staff members, who answered my questions and gave me a tour of the facility.” In her own words, Lorna "was hooked" and became a member. She currently participates in a variety of exercise classes and activities and volunteers at the fitness center front desk. “You can find me there at least four days a week! It is wonderful to see that facilities like this are available for active, older adults, which offer a wide range of activities and services in a fun, modern and safe environment.”

When health issues forced Judith Garcia into an early retirement, she found a new sense of purpose at the North Laurel 50+ Center.

“When I first came here, I was suffering from depression,” she remembers. “The staff is great; they were sympathetic towards my needs, and suggested a number of activities to meet new people.”

While Judith continues to enjoy taking classes, it is the social interaction that keeps her coming back, as well as referring others.

Contribute... and Share Your Passions Ride leaders Saul Zuckman and Jim Lubitz have been an integral part of OAI’s Cycle2Health (C2H) program since it began in 2013, sharing their love for the sport with others. “I ride once or twice a week, and often find new routes to share with the group,” says Jim. The program welcomes riders of all abilities, new or experienced. “No one’s skills are judged,” adds Saul, “And no riders are ever left behind.”

P4C Pet Evaluations

Since moving to the area four years ago, Meme de Carvalho has been a regular on C2H casual rides and appreciates the encouragement and advice ride leaders provide.

“They are wonderful people, volunteering their time and experience to help others,” says Meme. “I have developed lasting friendships with a great group of helpful, experienced riders who often plan get-togethers outside the program as well.”

Linda and Jim Seewagen, pictured above, enjoy a wide range of activities at the Glenwood 50+ Center, “It’s important including pickleball, Pilates and book clubs, and have to recognize the formed lasting friendships with other members. contributions of older adults throughout Howard County — not just this month, but all year long.” says Jenna Crawley, OAI administrator. “Their support strengthens our community.” For more information about Howard County 50+ Centers, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/50pluscenters or find us at www.Facebook.com/HoCoCommunity.

MAY 2 AND JUNE 6 • 7 TO 9 PM

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

Ingrid Gleysteen, PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Bain 50+ Center 5470 Ruth Keeton Way Columbia 21044

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

MEDICARE EDUCATION

PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED

410-313-7389

Medicare 101 and 102 A two-part introduction for those new to Medicare. Learn about original Medicare (Parts A and B), Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D), Medicare Health Plans (Part C), and Medicare Supplemental Policies

Monday, June 10 and 17 • 2:00 to 3:30 PM

FREE information presented by SHIP

North Laurel 50+ Center

For additional assistance with Medicare questions and concerns, call SHIP at 410-313-7392 (voice/relay).

9411 Whiskey Bottom Road, Laurel 20723

Wednesday, July 17 and 24 • 10:00 to 11:30 AM Ellicott City 50+ Center 9401 Frederick Road, Ellicott City 21043

FOR OTHER UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS, VISIT

www.howardcountymd.gov/SHIP

The State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) is part of the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence

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

The 50+ Connection

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

23

With warmer weather finally here, why not shake up your exercise routine to include an outdoor activity that is both a workout and offers the opportunity to make new friends?

The Cycle2Health (C2H) Howard County, a non-competitive, peer-led, bicycling club for adults of all ages and riding abilities, is coordinated by the Health & Wellness Division of the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence. The program offers three ride options each week for new or experienced cyclists to explore the beauty of Howard County from a new perspective and meet new people.

Josie Zayac, 59, joined C2H two years ago, when she retired from teaching. “I love that three levels of rides are offered each week.

That way I get to try different routes around Columbia that I wouldn’t have done on my own. It’s also nice to meet active seniors with a common interest. I especially like the rides that include a stop for refreshments!"

For more about the C2H program, or to register, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/C2H or stop in your nearest 50+ center to register in person ($15 annual fee applies). The first casual ride is Tuesday, May 7; moderate and advanced rides begin Thursday, May 9.

The Third Annual Mosaic Workshop with American Visionary Art Museum instructor Joe Walls (left) took place in April at the North Laurel 50+ Center. Twenty 50+ Center members and Connections participants from around the county participated in the hands-on art activity which fosters individual creative expression while creating a collective mosaic installation.

The completed mosaic panel will be permanently installed at North Laurel later this spring. The Howard County Arts Council provides grant support for this project.

24

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The 50+ Connection

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

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/&0(-)1$!#*,'&2ritten, directed and produced by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Miss Representation exposes how mainstream media and culture contribute to the underrepresentation of women in positions of power and influence.

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2019

MARYLAND LAW DAY Wednesday, May 1 9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM HOWARD COUNTY LAW DAY: FREE Medical Decision Document Preparation

Ensure that your preferences for medical treatment are honored should you become incapacitated or unable to express your wishes. Volunteer attorneys will offer free preparation of Maryland medical decision documents at the Howard County 50+ Centers.

Call the center nearest you for an appointment.

Bain 50+ Center ......................................... 410-313-7213 East Columbia 50+ Center .......................... 410-313-7680 Elkridge 50+ Center.................................... 410-313-5192 Ellicott City 50+ Center ............................... 410-313-1400 Glenwood 50+ Center ................................. 410-313-5440 Longwood 50+ Center ................................ 410-313-7217 North Laurel 50+ Center ............................. 410-313-0380

www.howardcountymd.gov/aging

BEREAVEMENT GROUP Elkridge 50+ Center 6540 Washington Boulevard, Elkridge 21075

Begins Friday, May 3 â&#x20AC;˘ 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.

A multi-week group for anyone mourning the loss of a loved one.

Explore the process of mourning, coping strategies, and life beyond grief in a supportive atmosphere. Generally recommended for anyone bereaved more than two months and less than two years.

Pre-registration required by April 29. A nominal fee applies.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT

Karen Hull at 410-313-7466 (VOICE/RELAY) or khull@howardcountymd.gov

www.howardcountymd.gov/sentog

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Money Law &

25

THE DENTIST IS IN No dental insurance? How costs and coverage compare TAX-FREE LIFELONG LEARNING 529 college savings plans aren’t only for grandkids; you can use them too

Live like the royals — frugally, that is

Prince William and Kate Middleton shop at IKEA Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, who are parents of three small children, could easily have custom furniture made for their little ones’ rooms. Instead, they like to shop at Swedish home furnishings retailer IKEA. During a visit to Sweden’s national museum of architecture and design, ArkDes, in 2018, they revealed to IKEA’s head of design Marcus Engman that they had purchased some of the brand’s furniture for two of their kids’ rooms, the Mirror reported.

Prince Charles saves leftovers Chef and author Carolyn Robb cooked for the British royal family for more than 10 years, from 1989 to 2000, so she’s wellversed on their eating habits.

In a 2015 interview with Racked.com, Robb revealed that Prince Charles is adamant about saving leftovers for additional meals.

“The Prince was very economical and very much believed that nothing should go to waste,” she explained. “If there were leftovers, they’d be used one way or another…If we made roasted lamb and there were leftovers, we’d probably go and make Shepherd’s pie the next night.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle fly coach You might expect an heir to the British throne to use a private jet. But in 2018, the Daily Mail reported that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle flew economy class on a British Airways flight to Nice, France, for

a New Year’s vacation. According to passengers who were on the flight, the couple — casually dressed in jeans, a baseball cap and a beanie — sat at the back of the plane with three bodyguards.

In 2014, Prince William flew coach on an American Airlines connecting flight from Memphis, Tenn., to Dallas, on his way home from a friend’s wedding. He only ordered water on the short flight, the Daily Mail noted.

PHOTO BY KELVIN BOYES/PRESS EYE

By Andrea Browne Taylor With an estimated net worth of $88 billion, the British royal family is one of the wealthiest monarchies in Europe. However, just because money is no object for them doesn’t mean they’re frivolous spenders — quite the opposite.

It has been well-documented that Queen Elizabeth II keeps a close eye on her spending, and frugality is a trait that has passed down to other members of her family.

Take a look at several of the most widely reported penny-pinching habits of the various members of the British royal family. In many ways, they’re just like the rest of us.

Queen Elizabeth II uses a space heater Queen Elizabeth II has some thrifty habits, too. She has been photographed on several occasions using an electric space heater at Buckingham Palace to keep warm when greeting guests in the audience room, as well as in her private sitting room at her vacation castle in Scotland.

When the temps drop, rather than crank up the thermostat at her 775-room palace or her Balmoral castle, she simply plugs in a $40 space heater and sets it inside a room’s fireplace.

Yet she’s also mindful of energy use at Buckingham Palace — so much so that there’s a ban on the use of light bulbs over 40 watts, according to the Daily Express, and lights must be turned off when a room isn’t in use.

After all, when you live in a palace that spans 828,818 square feet, energy costs can quickly get out of hand if you aren’t keeping a close watch.

Kate Middleton recycles clothing Several royals have been photographed out-and-about over the years wearing their favorite clothing and accessory items repeatedly.

The Duchess of Cambridge favors highend brands but gets her money’s worth from them. In fact, WhoWhatWear.co.uk has deemed her “the perfect advertisement for the cost-per-wear shopping model,” which calculates the true price of a fashion item by dividing the cost by the number of times it’s been worn.

The site reports that she has been spotted at least six times since 2011 wearing a Smythe “Duchess” blazer (she wears it so much the brand renamed it after her), which retails for $695. Using the cost-perwear model, the true cost of that blazer

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, pictured at National Stadium Belfast in February 2019, aren’t extravagant spenders. Kate and Will save money by shopping at IKEA and dressing their three children in hand-me-downs.

based on how many times she has publicly worn it is just under $110.

Prince William’s children wear hand-me-downs Wearing your elder brother’s or sister’s old clothes is a rite of passage for many younger siblings — including the British royals.

Princess Charlotte, the daughter of Prince William and Kate Middleton, was photographed earlier this year holding her new baby brother, Prince Louis, while wearing a blue cardigan with a distinct print around the collar.

Social media fans quickly pointed out that it was the same cardigan her big brother, Prince George, wore in 2016 in an official photo for his great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday, HuffingtonPost.co.uk notes. In that same picture of Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, he’s seen wearing a cream top and pants that were also worn by his big sister.

Meghan Markle is a budget fashionista The Duchess of Sussex’s fashion sense has taken center stage since she started dating her now-husband, Prince Harry.

The American actress-turned-British-royal has been lauded for her budget-friendly

style choices — including $80 Missoma gold rings she was spotted wearing via social media and a $300 J. Crew coat.

Tennis star Serena Williams recently praised Markle for sporting a $145 blazer from her Serena fashion line. (The blazer has sold out since Williams posted a picture to her Instagram account of Markle wearing the garment.)

Prince William and Kate Middleton cook While Prince William admits he’s not the best in the kitchen, his royal highness still enjoys cooking for himself. Last year, while serving as a judge at a charity cookoff competition in London, the Prince shared with the crowd that his favorite meal to prepare at home is roast chicken and steak, according to People.com.

Even his kids like to prepare homecooked meals with help from their mom.

While making an appearance earlier this year at St. Luke’s Community Centre in London, where the Prince and Duchess helped prepare meals, Kate Middleton shared with other attendees that her children Prince George and Princess Charlotte like making pizza dough from scratch, Hello! magazine reports.

See LIVE LIKE ROYALS, page 26

26

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

Discount dental plans may offer savings

By Matthew Perrone No dental insurance? You’re not alone.

Roughly 1 in 4 Americans, and about half of all older adults, don’t have dental coverage, according to industry figures.

Researchers have shown that costs are a bigger obstacle to dental care in the U.S. than all other forms of healthcare.

Employers are by far the biggest provider of dental insurance benefits in the U.S., accounting for nearly half of all enrollees, followed by the government’s Medicaid plan for low-income people.

Dental discount plans are a lesserknown option, used by just 5 percent of patients with private dental benefits, according to the latest survey figures from the National Association of Dental Plans.

Here’s a look at how discount plans work and when they can make sense.

function like warehouse clubs, giving members access to discounted prices on various dental procedures, ranging from 20 to 60 percent. Discount plans are offered by a number of large health coverage providers, including Aetna, Humana and CVS Health.

The networks of dentists who participate can be smaller than insurance networks, limiting patient choice. And they won’t cover the complete cost of preventive cleanings and Xrays the way most insurance plans do.

Still, discount plans can be a good option for patients who might otherwise skip check-ups altogether, said Dr. Dave Preble, senior vice president of the American Dental Association’s Practice Institute.

If you get patients to a dentist “and keep them coming back on a regular basis, it’s been proven to keep them healthier,” Preble said.

Different from insurance

Likely customers

The plans aren’t insurance. Instead, they

Older Americans make up a large share of

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the market for discount dental plans. About 40 percent of enrollees in the plans are between 56 and 75, according to the Consumer Health Alliance, an industry group.

In part, that’s because Medicare does not cover dental health. Older adults can purchase supplemental dental coverage or access care through privately run Medicare Advantage plans, but many don’t, due to the extra expense.

Finally, discount plans can provide a cheaper option for those who can’t afford monthly premiums of employer-based insurance.

How costs, coverage compare Most discount plans range from $200 to $400 in fees for a family, offering potential savings for those on a tight budget.

In comparison, annual fees for a typical family dental insurance plan in 2017 were nearly $600, according to industry statistics, not including copays and coinsurance.

But it’s important to remember discount plans merely give access to savings on exams, fillings and other procedures. Discount plan enrollees can wind up paying

considerably more out-of-pocket than they would with dental insurance.

Discount plans can also make sense for patients who have maxed out their insurance benefits.

Many employer-sponsored plans cap annual care at $1,500 per person. High-cost procedures like root canals, crowns or dental implants can sometimes exceed that limit. Enrolling in a discount plan could be a way to save on those uncovered expenses.

Plus, there’s no limit on the number of procedures you can get in a year with a discount plan. Some insurance plans impose waiting periods after enrollment, or annual limits on how often patients can get expensive procedures.

“If you need something done right away and it’s a major procedure, you’re going to get that discount immediately [with a discount plan],” said Evelyn Ireland, executive director of the National Association of Dental Plans.

Finally, most insurance doesn’t cover cosmetic dentistry, such as teeth whitening or bonding. In many cases, discount plans can be applied to those.

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Live like royals From page 25

Queen Elizabeth II saves gift-wrapping paper In the biography Young Elizabeth: The Making of Our Queen, author Kate

Williams shares that the Queen has a longtime habit of collecting wrapping paper and ribbons from gifts she’s received, smoothing them out and storing them to use again, People.com reports. Just like many of us. © 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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27

Pay for lifelong learning with tax-free fund

By Mary Kane If you have helped children or grandchildren with college costs, you are probably already familiar with 529 plans — the taxadvantaged education savings accounts offered by states and educational institutions.

There’s no federal tax deduction for 529s, but residents can usually get a state tax deduction on contributions made to their own state’s plan.

Furthermore, the money grows tax-free over the years until you take it out, taxfree, to use for a child’s tuition, books, room and board, and other qualified educational expenses.

Works for any age student But you may not realize the plans also can serve a different purpose — to fund your own education. If you are a lifelong learner, you can set up a 529 plan for yourself to pay for your educational pursuits.

You get the same tax breaks and benefits as any 529 plan owner. You can fund the account with new money or with unused money from a child’s account. Any leftover money in your 529 that you don’t use can go to the 529 of a child or grandchild.

Joe Hurley, 62, of Victor, N.Y., used about $5,000 saved in his 529 plan to study horticulture and conservation at Finger Lakes Community College. “I don’t think a lot of people know you can do one just for yourself,” he said. “It sounds almost too good to be true.”

Hurley, who is a former accountant and founder of Savingforcollege.com, a college finance research website, learned about a personal 529 after setting up plans for his two children in the early 1990s. He sold the website in 2012 and now runs a farm.

Karen Austin, deputy treasurer for the state of Iowa, set up a 529 for herself in

2012 to help pay for her MBA from the University of Iowa. By the time she finished her degree, Austin deducted nearly $9,000 over three years from her state income taxes. She says her only regret is not saving money in a 529 sooner.

Shop around To set up your own 529, do some shopping first. Find details on different state plans at Savingforcollege.com.

Most states (including Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia) offer residents a state income tax break for contributing to their own state’s plan.

Virginia taxpayers can deduct up to $4,000 per account per year on state taxes.

In Maryland, individuals may deduct up to $2,500 per beneficiary per year. Married couples may deduct up to $5,000 per beneficiary per year.

Contributions to the D.C. College Savings Plan by D.C. residents may be deducted up to $4,000 per year by an individual, and up to $8,000 per year by married taxpayers who each make contributions to their own account.

You can choose a plan in another state, which could be a smart move if your state doesn’t offer deductions and another state’s plan offers better investing options or lower fees. You also can research and compare plans at the website of the College Savings Plans Network (collegesavings.org).

If you decided only recently to go back to school, you won’t have time to let your 529 contributions grow. But most states (including Md., Va. and D.C.) allow for immediate 529 withdrawals, according to Mark Kantrowitz, publisher for Savingforcollege.com. You can set up a plan one day, take money out the next day and still qualify for a state tax deduction that same year.

Know the rules You may be tempted to use the money to take a trip advertised as an educational tour, but it likely won’t count as a qualified plan expense, Hurley warned.

Continuing education or certification courses count, so you could use a 529 for those. Be sure any course you take is offered by an eligible educational institution, and use the money only to pay tuition and other eligible expenses. Otherwise, you could face a 10% tax penalty and income taxes on the account’s earnings, and you also may have to pay back your state tax deduction.

Going back to school may make you eli-

gible for the federal Lifetime Learning tax credit, which is worth 20% of the first $10,000 in tuition you pay per year, for a maximum credit of $2,000.

But you can’t double dip on tax breaks, Kantrowitz pointed out. You can’t use the same educational expenses to justify both the tax credit and the tax-free withdrawal from a 529. You’d owe income tax on the earnings withdrawn from your 529, though the 10% penalty would be waived.

To avoid the tax hit, use 529 money only after you exceed the limit of the expenses covered by the tax credit. © 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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

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What’s going on in HoCo?

410-313-0400 or www.howardcountymd.gov/RNC/programs Below are upcoming, adult programs.

(We also offer youth camps, classes, special events, and more!)

Space Matters Enjoy a planetarium presentation about current happenings in the sky and developments in space science.

Historic & Heritage Events for Adults Emily Mosher, 410-313-0419, emosher@howardcountymd.gov

55 yrs + Robinson Nature Ctr 2:30-3:45pm Th $9 RP4804.302 May 2 Theme: The Electromagnetic Spectrum Film: 3,000 Years of Stargazing

B&O Behind the Scenes

Friday Late Nights in the NatureSphere

16 yrs + B&O EC Station Museum RP9981.311 May 1 7-8:30pm RP9981.312 May 19 10:30am-noon RP9981.411 Jun 20 7-8:30pm

Planetarium features a full-dome movie and an adult-level planetarium presentation about current happenings in space.

18 yrs + Robinson Nature Ctr $6 No late seating RP4800.302 May 3 Film: 3,000 Years of Stargazing 8-9pm F

Urban Pallet Paint Night Create a customized wood sign for your home and meet the owner of the Urban Pallet Company, whose mission is to upcycle shipping pallets into art.

18 yrs + Robinson Nature Ctr $40 + $25 material fee RP4827.311 May 3 7-9pm F

Native Plant Palooza Buy native plants: www.howardcountymd.gov/plantnatives.

All ages Robinson Nature Ctr Free RP4828.301 May 5 Noon-4:30pm Su

Adult Flashlight Egg Hunt Using flashlights and your wits, find some of the hundreds of eggs full of raffle tickets, passes to the National Aquarium, Wegmans gift cards, coupons to local restaurants, and more.

21 yrs + Robinson Nature Ctr $29 RP4874.311 May 24 8-10pm F

NEW! Peaceful Mind Walk Learn mindfulness techniques along a guided nature walk.

Trails include both paved pathways and unsurfaced paths.

55 yrs + Robinson Nature Ctr $9 per person RP4805.313 May 25 9-10:30am Sa

NEW! Grow Your Own Mushrooms Learn to grow mushrooms in this workshop on “log-seeding.”

18 yrs + Robinson Nature Ctr $15 RP4827.301 May 26 1-3pm Su

Go behind the museum ropes on a special after-hours tour of the oldest railroad station in America!

W Su Th

$10 $10 $10

Almira Hart Lincoln Phelps Presentation on the head mistress of the Patapsco Female Inst.

21 yrs + B&O EC Station Museum RP9981.301 May 9 7-9pm Th $15

Ghostly Guides 16 yrs + B&O EC Station Museum 8-11pm $25 | RP9978.401 Jun 1 RP9978.302 May 10 F 16 yrs + Patapsco Female Inst 8-11pm $25 RP9978.302 May 17 F

Sa

Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea at Belmont Delight in savories, sweets and a homemade scone with clotted cream and jam. Seating is communal. Info: 410-313-0200.

RP9900.304

2 yrs +

Belmont

May 12 2-4:30pm Su $40

A Brush with History Come create your own historic scene of Old Ellicott City.

21 yrs + B&O EC Station Museum Materials provided RP9975.401 Jun 6 6:30-9pm Th $35

Blacksmithing 16 yrs + Living Farm Heritage Museum Classes: 2 $160 RP9989.402 Intermediate Jun 8 9am-3pm Sa,Su RP9989.401 Introduction Aug 24 9am-3pm Sa,Su

Spirits of the Patapsco River Valley Hear the stories of ghostly happenings.

21 yrs + B&O EC Station Museum RP9981.401 Jun 13 7-9pm Th $15

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon

!"#$%&'(&()%"'*"+,,-./%('0!%/&1#$& 23#(%&+2&,%+(2&44&-%+$(&#,/5 www.howardcountymd.gov/encore

Encore Adventures

Creating Visual Stories with Mixed Media Use everyday objects, paint, paper, fiber, and other materials to create a wall-mount, mixed media and a 3-D mixed-media piece.

Try a variety of outdoor skills! Equipment provided.

Info: Dawn Thomas, 410-313-1754 or www.howardcountymd.gov/adventure.

Classes: 5 $35 materials fee due at class RP3525.401 Gary J Arthur Comm Ctr Jun 3

Intro to Fishing New angler? Coming back to the sport? Learn or review how to cast, identify fish, rig a pole, tie knots, and much more.

Equipment and bait provided.

RP9171.301

Centennial Pk

May 9

9:30am-noon Th

$25

Join us for a guided walk around Centennial Lake to observe warblers, waterfowl and maybe catch a glimpse of an Oriole as the birds return. Receive a field guide to help start your own birdwatching checklist.

Centennial Pk

May 16

9:30-11am Th $25

Paddling Try your hand at kayaking! Learn paddling techniques, safety and gear selection. This is an American Canoe Association certified instructional program.

RP9171.303

Centennial Pk

May 30

9:30-11:30am Th

$30

Introduction to Target Archery Learn the basics of target archery including equipment, safety and elements of shooting with an USA Archery-certified instructor.

RP9171.304

Centennial Pk

Jun 6

9:30-11:30am Th

$35

Crafts, Fine Arts & Photography Enjoy a guided stroll. Then paint outdoors with artist Tara S. Holl. Gain techniques. Work in watercolor, acrylic, or oil.

Sa

Classes: 5 RP0308.401

Elkridge 50+ Ctr

Jun 4

10am-noon Tu

$40

Explore assortment of techniques: fusing, slumping, layering, and painting glass. (Beginners are welcome!)

Classes: 5 $75 materials fee due at class RP3523.402 Gary J Arthur Comm Ctr Jun 5 7-9pm Classes: 6 $75 materials fee due at class RP3523.401 Elkridge 50+ Ctr Jun 4 6-8pm

W

$75

Tu $89

Digital Photography 102 Comfortable with your camera and ready take your photography to the next level? Digital camera required (DSLR or point-andshoot with manual controls).

Classes: 6 RP3533.401

Belmont

Jun 11

9:30-11:30am Tu $95

Fused Glass Workshop Learn the art of fusing glass! Make fused glass objects (jewelry, an ornament, other small item). Hear about types of glass and how they can fire together.

Stained Glass Workshop: Geode Hanging

Stroll & Paint

May 11 9am-noon

Basic Zentangle Workshop with Arlene Mindus, CZT

Classes: 1 Gary J Arthur Comm Ctr $30 materials fee RP3531.401 Jun 22 9am-noon Sa $30

Curtis Gore, 410-313-7281, cgore@howardcountymd.gov.

Please register by May 4 RP4843.301 Robinson Nature Ctr

$75

All Things Glass 2

Guided Walk Exploring the Spring Migration

RP9171.302

7-9pm M

$35

Classes: 1 N Laurel Comm Ctr RP3536.401 Jul 14 11am-3pm Su

$89

Dance

You Can Draw & Paint with Carol Zika

Ruth Coleman, 410-313-7311, rucoleman@howardcountymd.gov.

Bring watercolors, acrylics, oils, pastels or other materials. Enjoy direction/instruction in drawing and painting for all levels.

NEW! Square & Round Dances

Classes: 10 No class 4/19 RP0304.301 E. Columbia 50+ Ctr

N Laurel Comm Ctr Jun 18 Jun 25

May 17

9:15-11:45am

F

$130

Dances are led by certified callers and cuers. Pay at the door.

7-9pm Tu $10 Jul 2 Jul 9

Jul 16

29

30

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

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Free, Drop-In Activities/Clubs Ruth Coleman, 410-313-7311, rucoleman@howardcountymd.gov.

Bain 50+ Ctr

Bunco Blast Toss Across Trivia Time Wii Bowling Club

10:30-11:30am 10:30-11:30am 9:30-10:30am 9:30-11:30am

Last Fri of the month Fridays Last Fri of the month Thursdays

9am-noon Noon-3:30pm 9:15am-12:45am 1-3:30pm 1-3:30pm 10:30am-3:30pm

Wednesdays Wednesdays Fridays Wednesdays Wednesdays Fridays

10-11am

Wednesdays

Kiwanis-Wallas Hall

Drop-In Social Bridge Duplicate Bridge Mahjong Marathon Bridge Pinochle

Information/Registration: 410-313-7275 | www.howardcountymd.gov/rap 7120 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia, MD 21046

Knitting & Crocheting Community Knitting & Crocheting Group

Adult Sports Leagues

Enjoy knitting and crocheting for local charities.

2nd & 4th Wed of each month RP3070.201 Kiwanis-Wallas Hall

Ongoing

1-3pm W

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Elkridge 50+ Ctr

Wii Bowling Club

SUMMER CAMPS

Free

Active Adults’ Fitness Curtis Gore, 410-313-7281, cgore@howardcountymd.gov.

Balance, Strength & Fitness with Lori Nowicki Use BOSU stability ball, light weights and resistance bands.

Classes: 8 RP3516.401 Cedar Lane Pk-West Jun 17 10:45-11:30am M

$72

Gentle Yoga/Yoga 1 with Kathy Whelan, RYT-200 For both new and continuing students. No class 7/4.

Classes: 6 $49 RP3515.401 Elkridge 50+ Ctr May 28 6-7pm RP3515.402 Roger Carter Comm Ctr Jun 13 9:30-10:30am RP3515.403 Bain 50+ Ctr Jun 13 5-6pm

Tu Th Th

Self Defense for Active Adults Taught by former Police Officer Derek Johnson.

Classes: 5 RP3517.303 Roger Carter Comm Ctr May 8 RP3517.401 Roger Carter Comm Ctr Jun 19 RP3517.403 Roger Carter Comm Ctr Jul 31 RP3517.304 Bain 50 + Ctr May 8 RP3517.402 Bain 50 + Ctr Jun 19 RP3517.404 Bain 50 + Ctr Jul 31

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

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

• BASKETBALL • BASEBALL/SOFTBALL • CRICKET

• FOOTBALL • KICKBALL • LACROSSE

• PICKLEBALL • SOCCER • VOLLEYBALL

REGISTER TODAY! WWW.HOWARDCOUNT YMD.GOV/SPORTS

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon

• View all trips at www.howardcountymd.gov/tripsandtours.

• Tracy Adkins, 410-313-7279, tadkins@howardcountymd.gov • Pick-up locations listed after age in each description.

National Cathedral Flower Mart Food, children’s rides, artisanal & boutique gifts while herbs & flowers, fill the nave and grounds of the Cathedral.

16 yrs + Bain 50+ Ctr $60 10% off two or more people RP4511.301 May 3 9am-3pm F

Black-eyed Susan Festival Celebrate women at the 100th running of the Black-eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico! This race is part of the Filly Triple Crown. Enjoy open seating in the concourse, shops, and more.

21 yrs + Long Gate Pk & Ride $110 RP4512.301 May 17 Time TBD F

The Kennedy Center - Hello, Dolly!

16 yrs + Long Gate Pk & Ride $120 RP4502.401 Jun 8 10:30am-5:30pm Sa

Afternoon Tea & Music at Strathmore Mansion Join us for a relaxing afternoon of High Tea tradition. Enjoy music, sandwiches, scones, desserts, and Strathmore’s tea.

16 yrs + Bain 50+ Center and Long Gate Park & Ride RP4503.401 Jun 12 11am-3pm W $75

Magnificent Maryland Series: Brookside Gardens Enjoy the Aquatic, Azalea, Butterfly, Children’s, Rose, Japanese Style, Trial, and Rain gardens!

16 yrs + Bain 50+ Center and Long Gate Park & Ride RP4504.401 Jun 27 9am-3pm Th $45

A Day in Majestic St. Michaels, Maryland Enjoy lunch, shopping, marinas, and a 90-minute cruise.

18 yrs + Bain 50+ Center and Long Gate Park & Ride RP4505.401 Jul 11 7am-5pm Th $129

A Day at the National Harbor & MGM Casino 21 yrs + Bain 50+ Center and Long Gate Park & Ride RP4506.401 Jul 18 9am-5pm Th $60

!"#$#%&''#'()*#!%#+,&'*#-'$)).)/#0()(* www.howardcountymd.gov/adultprograms.

Ashville, NC−Biltmore Estate & Pigeon Forge − Dollywood Visit North Carolina and Tennessee! Visit the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, NC. The residence remains the largest privately-owned the U.S.A. Then visit Dollywood!

Forhouse a fullin list of adult classes go to 21 yrs + Bain 50+ Ctr 25% deposit required www.howardcountymd.gov/adultprograms.

RP4516.501 Sep 22 7am Su-Th $925 double occupancy RP4516.501 Sep 22 7am Su-Th $1250 single occupancy

These packages are designed to enhance the quality of life for the Howard County 50+ adult population.

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

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

Travel Leisure &

The city of Agra, home of the Taj Mahal, above, is included on a list of the world’s most dangerous places to travel. See story on p. 34.

Exploring a classic Maine fishing village many places for quiet reverie along the shoreline, in the woods or about town.

And residents want to keep it that way.

The threatened “infiltration” of a Dollar Store in nearby Blue Hill prompted vociferous protests.

PHOTO BY DINA MOOS

By Glenda C. Booth To get to Stonington, Maine, from U.S. 1, wind down the Blue Hill Peninsula to Deer Isle on two-lane roads for 38 miles, past blueberry fields, rocky pastures and spruce forests, until the road stops at a snug working harbor on the peninsula’s end, a granite thumb lapped by salty ocean waves.

Stonington, situated at the southern end of Deer Isle, is a quintessential coastal Maine village, named for its granite quarries. And like those formations, which were carved by a two-mile-thick glacier 20,000 years ago, living up north can be hard — especially during the long, cold winter.

But summer brings colorful window boxes crammed with orange impatiens and purple petunias, hydrangea blossoms the size of volleyballs and sweet aromas of simmering seafood. Signs advertise freshlypicked blueberries, ocean-fresh haddock fillets and fishing gear at the auto store.

Summer is a time of lupines, lobster boat racing and Maine’s iconic bean “suppahs” that draw both locals and those “from aways” who gobble up traditional bean hole beans, coleslaw, pickles and pies.

Fishermen head out at first light in boats with names like Scallowag, Clueless and Wicked Weak Moment.

Stonington’s a slow-paced hamlet of fishing, boating, art and meandering, with

Fishing fixation Part of the fun in Stonington takes place around the town dock. Surrounding waters support a working fleet of more than 300 lobster boats. Stonington claims the title as “the state leader in pounds and dollar value of lobster landings.” You can watch the boats return, help haul out their catch and buy a lobster fresh off the dock.

In the summer, local captains conduct narrated boat trips laced with the arcana of lobstering. For example, did you know Maine’s favorite crustacean takes five to seven years to reach the legal catch size and, during that time, sheds its shell 25 to 27 times?

On some boat tours, passengers can spot harbor seals lounging around on the granite boulders and hear lighthouse lore, such as the story of the first female lighthouse keeper on Mark Island. Captain Mike Moffett of the Isle au Haut Boat Company chuckled, “A lot of fishermen swung by to say hello. Hello? She had a 45 revolver to ward off the unruly ones.”

Known for its port and its granite, Stonington, Maine, is a place to hike, kayak, visit art galleries — or just hang out on the town dock, the center of the community.

The Stonington Lobster Boat Races are a July highlight. High-powered diesel- and gas-powered lobster boats compete for speed, and the winner nabs the Fastest Lobstah Boat Afloat award and the Jimmy Stevens Cup.

Celebrating granite PHOTO BY MATTHEW BARON

The bedrock under Deer Isle is rosehued granite, formed 360 million years ago. Since the late 1800s, Stonington’s quarries have supplied the stone to historic structures, including President John F. Kennedy’s memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

A statue next to the public landing honors stoneworkers who came to the area in the 1900s from Italy, Scotland, Sweden and other countries to quarry, cut and ship granite around the country.

The Deer Isle Granite Museum honors the island’s quarry workers who “built America’s cities.” In its heyday, Stonington was a “wild west town,” with 50 businesses, says the recorded narration, and the saloons hawked beer at ten cents a glass.

Finding and making art In Stonington, the nation’s lobster capital, about one in five of its 1,030 residents holds a lobster license. Its port has a fleet of 300 fishing boats.

You can easily fill a day gallery hopping for paintings, weavings, pottery and stone work.

At Marlin Spike Chandlery on West Main Street, Timothy Whitten masters

fancy ropework, inspired by the sailors and fishermen who needed tough lines and knots to withstand the seas’ turbulence and vengeance. (A marlin spike is a splicing tool.)

Whitten creates bell ropes, beckets, jewelry and bags from mostly linen and hemp twine. His combo shop-studio is like a museum of nautical gear from sea chests to glass float balls.

The Opera House, also on historic Main Street, is a popular venue for concerts, dance, theater and films year-round. Originally a music and dance hall, the 1886 building has gone through several iterations, including abandonment, but was renovated in 1999.

The Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society maintains five historic buildings on its site, including an original jail and a house built in 1830. It features exhibits of 19th century clothes and fishery and marine transportation memorabilia. It is open to the public from June 16 to September 16.

On Stinson Neck overlooking Jericho Bay is Haystack Mountain School of Crafts — an artist’s rustic haven of 40 quiet, mossy, wooded acres offering workshops in pottery, metalwork, bookmaking, weavSee MAINE, page 33

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

Maine From page 32 ing, ceramics, wood, blacksmithing, glass blowing and other arts. Students can have 24-hour-a-day immersion in their passion.

You don’t need a watch here, staff say.

Another example of local creativity can be found at Nervous Nellie’s Jams & Jellies, “a cottage industry in a cottage,” where Anne Beerits produces 15 flavors of jam, chutney and marmalade in her small kitchen — 40,000 jars a year.

Her husband Peter gives tours of a whimsical sculptural village he has created over the past 30 years from discarded items found around the island. It’s a quirky mishmash that won Yankee magazine’s “Best of Everything” award in 2010 and 2013.

For landlubber outdoor types, several na-

ture preserves invite quiet ambles. The Island Heritage Trust’s walker’s map has trails through the woods and along a rocky coast.

At the Barred Island Preserve, the walk “rewards mightily, especially when a storm blowing hard from the south pounds pretty respectable waves on the shore,” according to its brochure. Savvy trekkers time their visit to watch waves simultaneously cover a sandbar from both directions, known as the “zipper effect.”

Another favorite is Isle au Haut, a sixmile ferry trip from Stonington, with 18 miles of trails, rocky shorelines, cobblestone beaches, evergreen forests, marshes and a lake.

Dining and downtime As for dining, restaurants like Aragosta serve ocean-to-table dishes such as Blue

BEACON BITS

May 16

VIEW FRED AND GINGER AT ELKRIDGE

The classic 1936 film “Swingtime” will be featured at Elkridge Branch Library Thursday, May 16. Starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, the movie starts at 1 p.m. The library is located at 6540 Washington Blvd., Elkridge. To learn more, call the library at (410) 313-5077.

Ongoing

INCLEMENT WEATHER LINE

‘Tis the season. The Department of Recreation and Parks has numerous phone lines where announcements are made of summer storm and other weather cancellations of sponsored events. To see all the numbers, visit howardcountymd.gov/inclementweatherlines.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Hill Bay oysters and mussels, Gulf of Maine hake and Stonington lobster tortellini.

Restaurants also specialize in delicacies made from blueberries, the state’s famous fruit — blueberry pies, cobblers, buckles, syrup, wine, jams and ice cream toppings.

All around town, fresh lobsters are steamed, stewed, casseroled or lumped on a hot dog roll — genuine Downeast Maine cuisine.

So, what’s the best reason to visit?

There’s something about the quiet here.

On most days, the tide creeps in and bathes the rocky shoreline. A cottony, gauzy fog can feel like a warm blanket.

“We have a relationship with the fog,” said Marissa Hutchinson, a staffer at Island Heritage Institute. In Maine, “it’s beautiful and low key, a slower pace. Down here, we don’t

33

have immediate access to a lot of things, but we learn we don’t need as much.”

If you go The closest airports are in Portland, 160 miles away, and Bangor, Maine, 58 miles away. The least expensive round-trip airfare to Bangor in May is $544 on American Airlines from BWI airport.

The Deer Isle Chamber of Commerce, deerisle.com, has an online island guide, lodging options and maps.

Stonington’s Inn on the Harbor has 13 rooms with decks offering views of the bay, islands and waterfront.

Boat tours are available from Bert and I Harbor Tours (deerislecabinwithboattours.com) or Old Quarry Ocean Adventures (oldquarry.com).

BEACON BITS

May 18

COLUMBIA ORCHESTRA SALUTES SPRING

The Columbia Orchestra will highlight Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” and two winners of its 2019 Young Artist Competition at its concert on Saturday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the James Rouse Theatre, 5460 Trumpeter Rd., Columbia. For a full listing of the evening’s selections and to purchase tickets, visit columbiaorchestra.org or call (410) 465-8777.

Ongoing

PET VISITS

The Paws4Comfort program promotes therapeutic visits from pets and their owners to county residents, coordinated by the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence, at the Bain 50+ Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia. For more information, call (410) 3317461 or go to howardcountymd.gov/paws.

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

Most and least dangerous places to visit Reports about the most dangerous desti- SafeAround.com. nations are more useful than reports about Countries the safest: After all, countries Some entries on this list rated as safest generally fall shouldn’t surprise anyone: under the “round up the usual Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, suspects” meme and many of Laos, North Korea, Somalia, the most dangerous destinaSudan and South Sudan, Syria, tions are obvious to anyone Venezuela and Yemen. Most who reads a newspaper or visitors likely want to avoid watches the evening news. getting in the middle of active But a few recent reports shooting, bombing and drone point out a few places you strikes, although, oddly, nomight be considering — and TRAVEL TIPS body lists Iran. might want to reconsider. I By Ed Perkins At least one of the sources, compiled results from four recent and current reports on safest/least and often at least two, cite virtually all the safe destination countries and cities that countries in sub-Sahara Africa as dangerdo not appear to be duplicates: The Gallup ous, including South Africa.

Mexico shouldn’t surprise anybody, but Global Law and Order Report, and the websites Ceoworld (ceoworld.biz), The you find some surprises: At least one comEconomist (safecities.economist.com) and pilation classes the Bahamas, Bolivia and

Puerto Rico as dangerous, along with the Philippines and parts of Thailand.

The lists disagree on Egypt: one source lists it as dangerous, another gives it a good rating. The same is true for Uzbekistan.

The tops of the “safest” lists all focus heavily on Canada, the United States, Western Europe, Australasia and the developed countries of East and Southeast Asia. And even Eastern Europe ranks reasonably high on most compilations.

Cities To nobody’s surprise, many of the “most dangerous cities” are located in the “most dangerous countries,” including the main cities in South Africa. But dangerous ratings apply to reasonably popular visitor destinations.

Gallup rates Moscow and St. Petersburg as dangerous; it comes down hard on the

We Turn Addresses

into homes

MOST COMMUNITIE S ARE 62 AND B ET T ER

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

BALTIMORE COUNTY (CONT.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY Park View at Bladensburg: 301-699-9785 • 55 & Better Park View at Laurel: 301-490-1526 Park View at Laurel II: 301-490-9730

Call the community nearest you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour. www.rhomecommunities.com MOST COMMUNITIES ARE PET-FRIENDLY

main cities in India, including Agra, Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai; and it gives poor scores to a handful of cities in South America that attract substantial numbers of visitors: Bogotá, Lima, Medellín, Rio, Salvador and São Paulo.

Other tourist centers earning at least one dangerous rating include Cairo, San Pedro, Honduras, San Salvador, Dominican Republic and Sharm-el-Sheikh.

And Mexican tourist centers Acapulco, Cabo and Mexico City get entries, although Cancún does not. The only U.S. cities to make at least one “most dangerous” list are Baltimore and Detroit.

As with countries, the least dangerous cities all concentrate in North America, Europe, Australasia and developed Asia.

The main Gulf cities of Abu Dhabi and Doha get good ratings, as does Bursa, Turkey, despite some local unrest in that area. One list rates Andorra la Vella as tops, worldwide.

Deciding where to go What to make of all this? For most of you, many of the “do not enter” places are obvious. But some low-scoring places are important visitor destinations where many travelers obviously ignore the warnings.

If you’re considering a visit to one of these places, my suggestion is that you get as much information as you can before you make a commitment. Countrywide scores, for example, can be misleading: In a big country, parts can be dangerous where others are quite safe.

The first place to look for information is in the U.S. State Department’s country information pages (bit.ly/DOScountryinfo).

My main complaint with this source is that its standard “exercise caution” recommendation is really not very useful.

One other suggestion: Don’t go anywhere where you will be thinking about safety the entire time. If you decide to go someplace with a poor safety rating, make up your mind to accept the risks, stick to major tourist centers, watch out for pickpockets and scams, and enjoy the destination.

Constant worry about safety — or anything else, for that matter — can ruin a visit almost anywhere.

Send email to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. Also, check out Ed’s new rail travel website at rail-guru.com. © 2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Apr. 30

HOUSING APPLICATIONS DUE

Howard County Department of Housing and Community Partnership has set a deadline of Tuesday, Apr. 30 for open enrollment applications for its moderate income home ownership and rental properties. For detailed information, go to howardcountymd.gov/ MIHUopenenrollment or call (410) 313-6318.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

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

PHOTO COURTESY NGA

Style Arts &

35

Borrow a framed Van Gogh print or other famous paintings from the library.

See story on p. 36.

The dancing Hunchback of Notre Dame and epic musical that works very well in our intimate setting.”

A familiar story well told Set primarily in 1482 Paris in the Notre Dame Cathedral, the story focuses on the deformed bell ringer Quasimodo and his struggle to gain acceptance in society.

He is kept captive in the tower by Dom Claude Frollo, the cathedral’s Archdeacon. But one day, Quasimodo escapes and meets a gypsy woman named Esmeralda.

He is quite smitten by her, but so are Frollo, played by Russell Sunday, and Captain Phoebus, played by Jeffrey Shankle. And so, the story’s conflict begins.

Toby’s cast of 24 does an outstanding job in bringing this difficult work to life both dramatically and musically. Rare for dinner theater, the performers sing with a live band.

And the casting for this show was ideal.

The show’s two central characters are played by actors making their debuts at Toby’s: Jessica Bennett as Esmeralda and Sam Kobren as Quasimodo.

As Esmerelda, Bennett, a Baltimore native, is a powerful actress and graceful

PHOTO BY JERI TIDWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

By Eddie Applefeld The Hunchback of Notre Dame as a musical? You must be kidding, I thought.

I was aware that Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel had been translated into English and seen success over the years in theaters and in movies. Some might remember the 1923 silent film with Lon Chaney, the 1939 version with Charles Laughton, or the 1997 film with Mandy Patinkin, Richard Harris and Salma Hayek.

But like me, you might have missed the 1996 Disney film, a musical version that — unlike many other Disney films — never made it to Broadway. It was, however, a commercial success on stage in Berlin, where it was first produced and had a successful run from 1999 to 2002.

Fortunately for us, that musical production has finally made it to Howard County.

A musical adapted from the Disney film is currently being performed through May 19 at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia.

You might think a dark French novel is unusual fare for a dinner theater, and in some ways it might be for most. But as Toby’s co-director and choreographer Mark Minnick said, “Hunchback is a grand

In the wake of the tragic fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in April, an enduring production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame underscores the 13th-century landmark’s significance in literature. The musical, based on the Victor Hugo novel, runs at Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia through May 19.

dancer. Her final scene is the play’s most endearing moment.

David Bosley-Reynolds (Father Dupin) and Shankle, two of Toby’s regulars, are

also excellent performers.

See HUNCHBACK, page 37

N OW O N STAG E

It’s never too late to make music at the PEABODY PREPARATORY. Our Adult and Continuing Education program offers private music lessons and classes for lifelong learners at all experience levels. Summer offerings include Piano at Peabody and Flamenco and Spanish Dance.

REGISTER NOW! SUMMER SESSION BEGINS JUNE 17.

410-730-8311

TobysDinnerTheatre.com Due to the nature of theatrical bookings, !!"#$%&#" '("( )*#" +*"#,-.*/)")%"/$ '0*1""2""3%-45#"67''*+"3$* )+*8"9%!,:-7 8";6

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36

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

Time to pick up a Picasso from the library ing low could boost their spirits, along with their appreciation of the art works and photographs now available.

Kennon said that up to two art pieces can be borrowed for up to four weeks.

Borrowers will also be provided with information about the artist and the artwork, along with a list of questions “to expand learning and inspire discussion” on the piece.

How it works The collection on loan, nearly a third of which consists of works by local artists, can be viewed on the HCLS website (hclibrary.org) or in a catalogue at the Central Branch of the Columbia library, located at 10375 Little Patuxent Parkway.

The works are picked up at, and returned to, the Central Branch. All the borrower needs is a library card.

The art prints, wrapped in paper for the borrower, will be inspected just before being loaned out and just after being returned. Borrowers will have to pay a “replacement cost” if the work or its frame is damaged while on loan.

Both local and international works will be added over time to the collection, which will also include sculpture pieces “in the future,” Kennon said.

“We welcome input from our customers

GOLD MEMBERS Howard County Office on Aging & Independence, The Beacon Newspapers, The Residences at Vantage Point SILVER MEMBERS Brooke Grove Retirement Village, HomeCentris Personal Care, Let's Move, LLC, Right at Home In Home Care & Assistance, The Bob Lucido Team of Keller Williams Integrity BRONZE MEMBERS Angels of Eldercare Planning, LLC, Arbor Terrace Fulton, Brightview Rolling Hills, ComForCare Home Care of Howard County, HomeWatch Caregivers, Stress Free Solutions, The Lutheran Village at MILLER'S GRANT PATRON MEMBERS 1020 Builders, Alfred House Elder Care, AllCare Advanced Home Care, Assisting Hands Home Care, Brightview Catonsville, Country Gardens Assisted Living, Golden Oak Elder Law, P.C., Home Instead, HomeCall of Maryland, Miracle Ear of Columbia, New Life Assisted Living, Inc., Prime Care House Calls, Professional Care Pharmacy, Shangri-La Senior Living, Sunrise of Columbia, Visiting Angels

PHOTO COURTESY NGA/COLLECTION OF MR. AND MRS. PAUL MELLON

By Robert Friedman It’s no longer just books for books’ sake in the Howard County Library System (HCLS). Its Central Branch in Columbia now loans out reproductions of famous works of art and more.

Some 300 pieces of framed artwork are available now to library card holders. The pieces, except for photographs, are all reproductions. They include works of such international masters as Picasso, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Vermeer, Frida Kahlo and Mark Rothko.

Local artists’ work is also available, including that of late photographer Donald Reichie, who lived in Columbia and whose works, donated to the library by his family, document historic buildings and landscapes throughout the county and state.

The new program, dubbed the Art Education Collection, began in late March and is now “an integral part” of the county’s library system, according to Tonya Kennon, HCLS president and CEO. “This initiative seeks to enhance lives and reduce barriers in access to the arts while increasing educational opportunities,” Kennon said. “Neurobiological studies have demonstrated the immediate positive impact associated with viewing art.”

Which could mean, among other things, that county library members who are feel-

Vincent Van Gogh’s 1890 painting “Green Wheat Fields, Auvers” is worth millions.

You can hang a framed replica of the painting or other famous works in your home for free, thanks to a new Howard County Library program.

who may suggest artists and works for inclusion in the collection via our website,” she said.

The library system is also exploring the possibility of commissioning local artists to create original works to be added to the collection, Kennon added.

In a related move, this summer, the

county library’s Miller Branch in Ellicott City will move into the art world by hosting an artist-in-residence program, during which library visitors may watch artists at work, participate in collective art projects and take art classes.

See LIBRARY ART, page 37

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

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

Hunchback From page 35

Music and sets The haunting music leads the story along and is never intrusive. It was composed by Alan Menken — known for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and songs for other Disney films — and lyricist Stephen Schwartz (who wrote the music and lyrics for Wicked).

Some of the songs will be familiar to those who have seen the Disney film, though others were written specifically for the stage version.

The play’s scenery, which can be somewhat limited by Toby’s round stage, immerses you in the historic time frame.

Four bells hang from the upper stage rigging. When they are rung, you are transported to Notre Dame Cathedral.

Although the actors on stage are the ones who move scenery on and off, it’s done fluidly and never gets in the way of the performances.

Kudos to the production team consisting of David Hopkins (scenic design), Lynn Joslin (lighting), Janine Sunday (costumes) and Corey Brown (sound).

A review of a dinner theatre would not be complete without a word about the food. Toby’s menu changes for each show.

For Hunchback, the all-you-can-eat buffet features boeuf bourguignon, tilapia, shrimp, pasta du jour, a Toby’s special called spinach phunque, potatoes, rice,

Library art

ers see in the work.”

From page 36

Borrowed art is in vogue

Much to like

Visual art lending has become a recent trend for public libraries. Now, libraries around the country have set lending policies on multiple items.

U.S. News & World Report noted that among other articles that a library card holder may now check out are binoculars, board games, cake pans, sewing machines, metal detectors, microscopes, tools, ukuleles and computer tablets/Kindles.

Museums and nonprofits have joined public libraries as lenders of art work, according to Hyperallergic, an online art site, which noted that “these institutions share certain goals, like reaching new audiences and creating new spaces for local creative discourse.”

The “art lending libraries,” the article said, could signal “an innovation in art sharing that could, just maybe, help democratize an activity that was once considered inaccessible” to ordinary folks.

One of the program’s first participants was Ellicott City resident Ellen Flynn Giles, who borrowed a print of a watercolor by Columbia-based artist Joan Lok. Giles, 68, a former member of the Howard County Board of Education, said the landscape scene of mountains and trees especially appealed to her for both aesthetic and personal reasons.

Besides the lovely colors and composition, “the red buds on the trees look like cherry blossoms, and it’s now that season,” Giles said. “And the landscaping is reminiscent of the Tidal Basin.”

“It’s a very restful, peaceful work of art that is taking me into spring,” she said.

Looking up from her desk at the print mounted on a wall in her sun room, is “like bringing the outdoors in.”

Giles added, “A work of art tells a million stories — the original one of what the artist sees and the stories that all the oth-

ratatouille (of which I had two servings), carrots, roast beef, chicken Française, a salad bar and an ice cream bar in the lobby.

Specialty drinks and desserts are an extra charge. And don’t forget to tip your waiter: the show’s actors function as waiters, and your tip is part of their pay.

In short, don’t be put off by the show’s foreboding title. This is a family show to be enjoyed by all. You may not walk out humming any tunes, but you’ll likely recommend this show to your friends and family.

Ticket prices run from $63 (Sunday to Thursday evening, Wednesday matinee and Sunday brunch) to $66 (Saturday

37

evening). Discounted rates for those 65 and over are available on Tuesday and Wednesday evening and for the Wednesday matinee ($53.55).

In regard to seating, all seats at Toby’s are good because seating is in the round. That said, the upper levels provide a slightly better view of the overall stage area.

For show times and tickets, call the box office at (410) 730-8311 or go to tobysdinnertheatre.com.

Baltimore native Eddie Applefeld is promotions director at WCBM radio in Baltimore.

He writes for DC Metro Theater Arts, the Baltimore Post-Examiner and other publications.

BEACON BITS

May 9+

KING TUT

Learn about the Egyptian Boy King Tutankhamun and the discovery of his tomb in the Valley of Kings in the 1920s. Two lectures will be offered by Howard County Community College instructor Bill McGowan on Thursday, May 9 and Thursday, May 16 at 7 p.m. at Wilde Lake High School, 5469 Trumpeter Rd., Columbia. To learn more, go to howardcc.edu or phone (443) 518-1700.

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

FROM PAGE 38 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

May 18, 2019, 7:30pm Jim Rouse Theatre

A D O R E

R O T O R

T R I B E

C H I S

M I A T A

A I R O F

T A B A R R B E A

Y M C A N A T R R K I R Y A A R F R O O O W T

A V O C A T I O A N S S I A N C O S

O D D J O B

R E L A X L S D S K I P S

B R E R R E E P L A U C L I O D A A N T E E D S

R A I S I N

C O S E C

Y A N U G E K E W

R E D S M O A U D U S L A D K U I D L I L O

O V U L E

W E E D

D R E S S

S T A T E

Revueltas: Sensamayá Chavez: Symphony No. 2, Sinfonia India Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring

THE COLUMBIA ORCHESTRA Tickets range from $10-$28 ($3 service fee may apply) Call 410-465-8777 or visit www.columbiaorchestra.org

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Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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

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

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ByStephen StephenSherr Sherr

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Across 1. Creative 5. A Arbitrary abbrev. for a complex investing strategy 8. It is quite complimentary to red 12. Where to get a breath of frosh air 13. Disqualified, on The Price is Right 14. Blusher 15. Related to drums, lobes, and canals 16. Businessman James, known as “The Pineapple King” 17. Slanty 18. Good names for catburglars 21. Before, read from either direction 22. Foe of Mr. Clean 23. Place into a third-person trust 27. Go at medium speed (to an equestrian) 28. Prefix with -demic and -center 29. Ironically, she was created during the day-time 30. Good names for the accounts receivable department 34. MXXX divided by X 35. It joined the Big-10 in 1912 36. Jell-O shaper 37. Good names for bears 42. “How was ___ know?”

43. Stubborn animal 44. Letters for debt-letters 45. African vacation 47. South Dallas (briefly) 48. HBO lack 51. Good names for straight-talkers 54. Implicit prohibition 57. Use quotes 58. It could be bounced off someone 59. Part of a detour sign 60. Newspaper page 61. Santa’s organizing tool 62. Outscore 63. Snake’s comment 64. Run out of checkers Down 1. Be quite fond of

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Scrabble answers on p. 37.

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2. Helicopter blade 3. Descendants of any one of Jacob’s sons 4. Disco song with a Guinness record 44,000 simultaneous dancers 5. Hobbies 6. Take some deep breaths 7. ___ Rabbit 8. Opposite of sin (to a mathematician) 9. “Ew, gross” 10. Stay alive 11. Category of dog tricks 13. Bond-film henchman (or a type of 5 Across) 14. Trail mix ingredient 19. Drug kop 20. Best way to start making “reparations” 24. Improve the outfield 25. Flower’s seed 26. Remove unwanted plants 27. Total Recordable Injury Rate (acronym) 28. Clarifies 30. Mazda mini 31. Have an ___ superiority 32. Rumored inspiration for Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds 33. Advanced degree in singing or instrumentation 34. Letters in Greek tic-tac-toe 38. Temperate plant, sometimes called “old man’s pepper” 39. 30% of Earth’s surface 40. Like a library book 41. “___ Lang Syne” 46. In the scheming phase 47. Avoids school 48. Sound engineer’s responsibility 49. Finish preparing the Caesar salad 50. Governor’s constituency 52. Sgts. and cpls.

53. If looks could ___...

54. Typewriter key with jarring impact 55. “... all men ___ created equal” 56. Useless piece on a topless beach

Answers on page 37.

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

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.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Health DENTAL INSURANCE. Call Physicians Mutual Insurance Company for details. Not just a discount plan, real coverage for 350 procedures.

844-366-1003 or http://www.dental50plus.com/320 Ad# 6118.

Legal Services SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY? Up to $2,671/mo. (Based on paid-in amount.) Free evaluation! Call Bill Gordon & Associates. 1866-970-0779. Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington, D.C. Office: Broward Co. FL., member TX/NM Bar.

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

Personal Services

Financial

DO YOU NEED A COMPANION FOR YOUR MEDICAL PROCEDURE? We are specialized for MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, PROCEDURES, and all kinds of appointments.

Unlike the other appointment, medical appointment, such as the same day procedures like eye surgery or colonoscopy procedures requires to arrange adult companion. Those procedures will be cancelled if the client do not have a companion who could stay throughout the whole procedures. DND (Drive and Deliver) service will deliver medical tasks. Pls give us a call for your medical errands. DND Medical Appointment & Errand Service. Tel : 443-4743020. Email: dnderrand@gmail.com.

GOT AN OLDER CAR, VAN OR SUV? Do the humane thing. Donate it to the Humane Society. Call 1-844-230-2952.

POWER CHAIR, Mobility Scooters and Lift Chair Repair and Setups. Authorized Technician for Pride Mobility, AmySystems and Rascal Scooters. www.palexander.mobi or 301-980-4265.

Health

TV/Cable

PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR — May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-851-0949.

DIRECTV. CALL AND SWITCH NOW — Get NFL Sunday Ticket for FREE! Every Game. Every Sunday. CHOICE- All-Included Package. Over 185 Channels. $60/month (for 12 Months.) CALL 1- 888-572-4953.

Events NSC’s FIRST AID, CPR & AED Certification is recognized by Federal OSHA and Maryland Occupational Safety & Health (MOSH). Certificates and cards will be issued upon successful completion. To register visit https://usexecutiveprotection.org/

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

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

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

To place your classified ad, visit www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds TV/Cable

Wanted

DISH Network. 190+ CHANNELS. FREE Install. FREE Hopper HD-DVR. $49.99/month (24 months) Add High Speed Internet - $14.95 (where avail.) CALL Today & SAVE 25%! 1844-560-5837.

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.

SPECTRUM TRIPLE PLAY! TV, Internet & Voice for $29.99 ea. 60 MB per second speed. No contract or commitment. More Channels. Faster Internet. Unlimited Voice. Call 1-888-366-7573.

COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, knives, swords, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars & countries. Also Lionel Trains, & slots/coin operated machines.

Will pay top prices. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-910-0783

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

SEEKING FULL AND SEALED BOTTLES of Vintage Bourbon and Rye (Pre-1990). Do you have bottles collecting dust around your house?

I am particularly interested in bottles with red or green tax strips. Inquiries are welcome. Call or text Alex 443-223-7669.

MONEY, TIME TO SELL! Make the right choice, Call Greg, 717-658-7954. We buy jewelry, coins, silver, antiques, watches, gold, art, paper money, toys, bottles, comic books, pottery, and just about anything you can find in grandma’s house. Give me a call and let me HELP. No middleman, no fees, and confidential. Let’s do business, Call 717-658-7954.

ESTATE LIQUIDATION/ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES: One call solves it all when you hire us to handle your estate liquidation, down-sizing and/or home cleanout. We sell your treasures, take care of charitable donations and provide junk removal. We also purchase partial estate contents/collections. Always buying antiques, jewelry, fine art, vintage toys, collectibles, advertising, sports memorabilia, military items, rare books, Mid Century Modern furniture, vinyl records collections and more. Based in Silver Spring, we serve Montgomery County, Howard County, Baltimore County, Washington D.C., NOVA and beyond. No home, barn or warehouse is too packed for us! Friendly, conscientious staff. Call Chris on cell (202) 731-9447. www.OrionsAttic.com.

CASH FOR ESTATES; moving, etc. I buy a wide range of items. Buy out/clean up. TheAtticLLC.com Gary Roman 301-520-0755.

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Studies

Options for Senior America . . . . . . . . . .8

Dieting Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Shoulder Pain Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Housing

Perfect Sleep Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Zinger Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Senior Services

Brooke Grove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Charlestown/Erickson Living . . . . . . .11 Heartlands Senior Living . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Park View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Residences at Vantage Point . . . . . . . . .8 R Home Communities . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Shriner Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Somerford Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Howard County Recreation & Parks . . . . . . . . . . .28-31 Howard County Senior Connection . . . . . . . . . . . .17-24

Mutual of Omaha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Legal Services

Beacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Funeral Services

Angels of Eldercare Planning . . . . . . .27 Frank, Frank & Scherr, LLC . . . . . . . .27 Lifson Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Technology

Events Brooke Grove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 COGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Meals on Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Financial Services

Cremation Society of Maryland . . . . .10 Going Home Cremations . . . . . . . . . . .26 Harry H. Witzke’s Family Funeral Home, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 MacNabb Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . .10 Sol Levinson & Bros., Inc. . . . . . . . . .27

Home Health Care A-1 Action Nursing Care . . . . . . . . . . .13 Family & Nursing Care . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 HomeCentris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Monica Elderly Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

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Medical/Health Howard County General Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Medical Eye Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Noxicare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Remedy Dispensary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Retail/Services Columbia’s Village Centers . . . . . . . . .33

Subscriptions

Beacon Website and Silver Pages . . . .16

Theatre/Entertainment Columbia Orchestra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Columbia Pro Cantare . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Johns Hopkins Peabody Prepatory . . .35 Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Tour & Travel Eyre Tour & Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

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

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

MAY – June 2019

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, unless otherwise noted. Please register with Toni Davis at 301-388-7209 or tdavis@bgf.org. caregiver connection: “Changing Bat tles into Laughter”

Living well seminar: “Stretching: How, Why and Where”

Healthy Living class: “mindful meditation”

TUESDAY, MAY 14 • 2-3 P.M.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15 • 1-2:15 P.M.

June 12 through July 17

Alzheimer’s and dementia patients often seem to live in a different world. Discover how to engage by using the basic improv principal of “yes, and.” This will give you a chance to play — rather than battle — with the realities experienced by your loved one, while also helping them to feel heard and accepted.

Flexibility training is important for everyday functioning, pain relief and injury prevention. It can improve your golf swing, tennis game or other leisure activities you enjoy! Learn when you should stretch and identify moves that can be carried out seated or standing — anytime, anywhere.

WEDNESDAYS • 11-11:30 A.M.

Preceded by complimentary lunch at 12:30 p.m.

Six-week Session Fee: $20

FREE. Register by May 12.

Recent scientific studies show that mindful meditation changes the brain in astonishing ways — promoting greater focus, reduced anxiety, increased compassion and improved well-being. Experience guided, mindful meditation in a quiet space.

Reservations are requested by June 9.

FREE. Register by May 13.

Alzheimer’s disease and dementia care consultations

Healthy Living class: “Everyday balance”

SECOND WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH 50-MINUTE SESSIONS

June 10 through July 17 MONDAYS & WEDNESDAYS 10-10:30 A.M.

18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860

301-260-2320 · www.bgf.org

During this class, simple yet effective techniques are used to improve balance and agility and reduce your risk of falls. No props are used, so exercises may easily be performed at home.

Six-week Session Fee: $30

This service is designed to help caregivers — as well as those who are newly diagnosed — cope with the impact of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, enabling participants to better understand the disease, manage care and make informed decisions regarding services and treatments.

Reservations are requested by June 7.

FREE. Schedule an appointment at any time during the dementia journey.

Independent living

assisted living

rehabilitation

long-term care

memory support