May 2024 | Howard County Beacon

The Howard County FREE

Devoted to raising, racing pigeons

By Glenda C. Booth

When Beverly Gottlieb was growing up in Hanover, Maryland, other teenagers had to clean the house after school. She had to clean the pigeon coop.

Her father taught her not only how to raise pigeons, but how to race them. “I was born into it,” said Gottlieb of the hobby. She still races pigeons today with the Greater Baltimore Pigeon Club.

Pigeon racing is a sport — some say an art — in which pigeons compete against each other in a flying race. Owners take their birds miles away from their home coops, called lofts, and release them to race home, tracking their time.

People who race pigeons are sometimes called “pigeon fanciers.” They buy or breed fast-flying pigeons and train them to enhance their chances of winning.

Several breeds of pigeons exist, but many pigeon racers say that the racing homer pigeon is the best for racing because it has a slim body shape and powerful wing and chest muscles. These pigeons can fly up to 70 miles per hour and cover 600 to 700 miles per day.

Five Baltimore, Washington and Virginia clubs form the Metropolitan Washington Racing Pigeon Concourse. These clubs race against each other, and winners receive cash prizes or trophies, depending on the race.

Some carrier pigeon history

Pigeons have carried messages for their owners dating back to ancient Egypt. The birds even helped the United States fight World Wars I and II by carrying messages in tiny capsules attached to their legs.

Soldiers in the field would release the pigeons to fly to their home loft. When the pigeons arrived, a member of the Signal Corps

INSIDE…

LEISURE & TRAVEL

Disney World isn’t only for kids — adults should plan early and stay late; plus, how much travel insurance do you really need?

would remove the message from the canister and send it on to its destination by telegraph, field telephone or human messenger.

The most famous war pigeon, Cher Ami (French for “dear friend”), is credited with saving 197 soldiers in World War I. Born in England, Cher Ami was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for delivering a message that led to the rescue of the 77th Division’s “Lost Battalion” in 1918.

In 2019, Cher Ami posthumously received the Congressional Animals in War and Peace Medal of Bravery. During her travels, the bird was shot in the chest, blinded in one eye and injured in one leg, requiring amputation. Today, the taxidermied, one-legged Cher Ami is in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

that affect sleep

Causes for shortness of breath

k Avoid life’s biggest regrets

k Should you buy a smaller home?

Errol Ecker, 75, has raised pigeons since he was eight years old. Today, the Maryland retiree is considered a top “pigeon fancier,” training birds that have won hundreds of races. He and other Marylanders devote their lives to racing pigeons. “It’s a passion,” Ecker said.

PHOTO BY DREW LESOFSKI

See you at the gym!

My wife and I started the Beacon 35 years ago, when we were relatively young. While I was never what you’d call athletic, I was trim at the time and in decent shape for my age.

By the time I turned 50, however, I realized that was no longer the case. Though we had two young children at home, I still managed to be mostly sedentary, and it showed.

strong as one ages in order to better face the challenges ahead.

As you might guess, publishing a newspaper is not a physically demanding occupation. But it did repeatedly expose me to articles about healthy eating and the importance of staying active and

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

FROM THE PUBLISHER

By Stuart P. Rosenthal

I decided I could no longer fail to follow the Beacon’s good advice.

So, for my 50th birthday, I asked my family for two things: a package of sessions with a physical trainer and the forbearance to let me eat something completely different from the rest of them for some months, in keeping with the recommendations of that trainer.

It wasn’t easy, but it worked. I lost a good bit of accumulated fat and learned how to properly use the equipment at a typical gym.

HOMEOWNERS’ AND RENTERS’ TAX CREDIT

Applications are now open for the Maryland Department of Taxation’s 2024 Homeowners’ and Renters’ Tax Credit programs. The deadline for both is Oct. 1. These programs provide tax relief to Maryland residents. For more information, to check eligibility or to apply, visit tinyurl.com/MDTaxRelief2024.

prepaid with order. Maryland residents add 6 percent for sales tax. Send subscription order to the office listed below.

Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher.

Publisher/Editor – Stuart P. Rosenthal

President/Associate Publisher – Judith K. Rosenthal

Executive Vice President – Gordon Hasenei

Managing Editor – Margaret Foster

Art Director – Kyle Gregory

Vice President of Operations – Roger King

Advertising Representatives –

Steve Levin, M.K. Phillips, Alan Spiegel

Marketing & Operations Manager – Ashley Griffin

Assistant Editor – Ana Preger Hart

Fortunately, the somewhat extreme diet I went on was not something I had to follow long-term. But the exercise program was.

It’s been more than 15 years, and I still “follow the program.” Well, it’s not exactly the same program, but another set of weight-bearing exercises designed specifically for us “over 60” types.

Even when I travel, as I did recently, I do my best to find a nearby gym where I can work out every day or two.

Sometimes those gyms are peppered with huge guys and fit ladies who look like they would make great personal bodyguards.

But on this trip, I ended up at two different gyms, each with a widely diverse clientele. There were teenagers working out after school, gym rats, younger seniors (like me) trying to hold it together, and a significant number of truly older adults (I’m guessing 80 and up) who clearly knew what they were doing and did it well.

I’m used to seeing young studs hoist weights in each arm that I would be lucky to roll across the floor. But this time, I saw older men and women, some looking rather frail to my eye, doing leg presses and other exercises with about double the weight I can currently muster.

It all goes to show that the more you do, the more you can do.

The point, however, is not to impress other people with how much you can lift or

press. The important message is that we can all increase our strength by engaging in regular exercise (either under supervision or following excellent training) and thereby boost our quality — and enjoyment — of life.

Study after study has shown that, at any age, starting an exercise program — especially weight-bearing exercise — brings health benefits.

Carrying groceries, playing with grandchildren, climbing stairs, and even just keeping our balance and avoiding falls all require core strength and overall fitness. Aerobic endurance is also important.

If you aren’t currently able to do those things with ease, try to find a personal trainer at a reputable fitness facility who can teach and inspire you.

And don’t worry if the best program you can bring yourself to do is very limited. It’s essential to find something you can keep doing regularly, which means you should find something you enjoy, at least somewhat — whether it’s walking, swimming, using free weights or doing chair exercises.

I’m not saying you will necessarily find the effort satisfying for its own sake (though you might). But you’ll probably find that it helps you live your best life over the years to come.

to the editor

Dear Editor:

I enjoyed your April “From the publisher” column, “I can see clearly now.”

I am retired and need glasses for reading and TV, but I enjoy my quiet time and ME time.

Sitting on my balcony just resting my eyes on the trees on the road, early morning sunrises, birds chirping, etc., brings my life into focus. A trip to a park or a farm is an added

BEACON BITS

May 11

gift [when] one of my children take me. Yes, time spent with nature, the gentle breezes of morning clouds and sunrise, awaken the spirit and set life aright.

I’ll be 91 next month, and even though I have many aches, each day is a gift I am grateful for. Just enjoy the beauty of every moment, sing and eat ice cream!

Rosemarie

ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER FESTIVAL

Celebrate the vibrant cultures, traditions and contributions of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in Howard County when you visit this free festival on Sat., May 11 from noon to 5 p.m. Fun and entertainment for the whole family, including music, dance, martial arts, food trucks and local artisans. This event takes place at Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods, 10431 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia. For more information and to register, visit tinyurl.com/2024HoCoAAPIFestival.

June 13+

WHISPERING WINDS POWWOW

The public is welcome to the Whispering Winds Powwow on Sat., June 13 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sun., June 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Grand Entry will take place at noon on both days. This event will be held inside an air-conditioned building at the Howard County Fairgrounds, 2210 Fairgrounds Rd., West Friendship. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for children per day. For more information, contact Barry Richardson at (252) 532-0821.

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ey age. Ninetyeight percent a of surveyed clients havve said they dt would recommen these services toaffrriend or family member.

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A: e f W We e arrang foor a caregiver to help manage tasks of daily living such as errands, medication pick-up and reminders, groceries, meal

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Caregivers can also ensure the patient adheres to any special diet, practices breathing techniques and required exercises, and more. Many caregivers have used their background knowledge and training to recognize “red f fl l ag” symptoms so that postdischarge issues of note can be treated at a lower level of care and help avoid readmission.

Health Fitness &

Fitness & Health

HEART-HEALTHY FRUIT

Apricots, apples, bananas and berries can reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure

PLASTIC INSIDE OF US

A new study finds nanoplastics in our arteries might promote heart disease

PROBIOTIC POWER

Some people swear by probiotics for weight loss, but there’s no proof yet

CATCH YOUR BREATH

Short of breath? Anemia, allergies or vitamin deficiencies could be the cause

Silent brain changes precede Alzheimer’s

By Lauran Neergaard

Alzheimer’s disease quietly ravages the brain long before symptoms appear. Now scientists have new clues about the dominolike sequence of those changes — a potential window to one day intervene.

A large study in China tracked middleaged and older adults for 20 years, using regular brain scans, spinal taps and other tests.

Compared to those who remained cognitively healthy, people who eventually developed the mind-robbing disease had

higher levels of an Alzheimer’s-linked protein in their spinal fluid 18 years prior to diagnosis, researchers reported last month. Then every few years afterward, the study detected another so-called biomarker of brewing trouble.

Scientists don’t know exactly how Alzheimer’s forms. One early hallmark is that sticky protein called beta-amyloid, which over time builds up into brain-clogging plaques. Amyloid alone isn’t enough to damage memory — plenty of healthy people’s brains harbor a lot of plaque. An abnormal tau protein that forms neuronkilling tangles is one of several co-conspirators.

The new research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, offers a timeline for how those abnormalities pile up.

The study’s importance “cannot be overstated,” said Dr. Richard Mayeux, an Alzheimer’s specialist at Columbia University who wasn’t involved in the research.

“Knowledge of the timing of these physiological events is critical” for testing new ways of treating and maybe eventually even preventing Alzheimer’s, he wrote in an accompanying editorial.

The findings have no practical implications yet.

One drug seems to slow progression

More than 6 million Americans, and millions more worldwide, have Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia. There’s no cure. But last year a drug named Leqembi became the first approved medication with clear evidence that it could slow the worsening of early Alzheimer’s — albeit for a few months.

It works by clearing away some of that gunky amyloid protein. The approach also is being tested to see if it’s possible to delay Alzheimer’s onset if high-risk people are treated before symptoms appear. Still other drugs are being developed to target tau.

Tracking silent brain changes is key for such research. Scientists already knew that in rare, inherited forms of Alzheimer’s that strike younger people, a toxic form of amyloid starts accumulating about two decades ahead of symptoms and at some point later tau kicks in.

What the study found

The new findings show the order in which such biomarker changes occurred with more common old-age Alzheimer’s.

Researchers with Beijing’s Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders com-

Medications that can interfere with sleep

By Howard LeWine, M.D.

Q: I am wondering if one of my medications is interfering with my sleep. Which types of drugs are more likely to do that?

A: Medications that affect sleep can be prescription drugs or over-the-counter remedies. Here are some common culprits:

Antidepressants. Antidepressants are typically prescribed to treat depression or anxiety, and they have varying side effects, even within the same drug class. For example, among selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), fluoxetine (Prozac) can be stimulating and may make it hard to fall or stay asleep.

Beta blockers. Beta blockers such as metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL) and atenolol (Tenormin) are used primarily to treat high blood pressure or an irregular heartbeat. These medications can sometimes decrease the body’s natural levels of melatonin, a hormone that helps

regulate your sleep-wake cycle.

Decongestants. Oral decongestants such as pseudoephedrine help shrink swollen membranes in the nasal passages, allowing more air to pass through them. But they can be stimulating. They can raise your blood pressure and heart rate, and may cause insomnia in some people.

Diuretics. Diuretics such as furosemide (Lasix), torsemide (Demadex), and hydrochlorothiazide reduce the amount of sodium and water in the body. They’re prescribed to treat high blood pressure, kidney disorders, liver disease, and fluid retention caused by heart failure. Diuretics don’t affect sleep directly, but they can interrupt sleep if they make you go to the bathroom during the night.

Smoking-cessation drugs. Over-thecounter nicotine replacement medications such as nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges can cause someone to have unusual dreams or nightmares and wake them up.

The prescription drug varenicline (Chantix) also can cause nightmares.

Steroids. Oral steroids such as prednisone are used to reduce inflammation inside the body. Prednisone stimulates the production of the stress hormone cortisol and mimics what stress does to the body, which can make it hard to fall asleep and disrupt the sleep cycle.

What to do about it

There are a number of things you can do if you think your sleep problems could be related to one of your medications. Practice good sleep hygiene. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day; avoid caffeine after lunch; don’t drink alcohol or eat close to bedtime; turn off electronic screens an hour before bed; and sleep in a cool, dark, com-

fortable spot.

Take the medication during the day. This applies to drugs that make it hard to fall or stay asleep, cause nightmares, or make you get up and go to the bathroom.

Take a lower dose. Ask your doctor if lowering your medication dose will help you get better sleep.

Switch to a new medication . If you’ve tried everything and sleep problems are becoming distressing, ask your doctor if you can switch to a medication that won’t affect your sleep.

Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, visit health.harvard.edu.

© 2024 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Housing Communities

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❏ Heartlands Senior Living (see ad on page 4)

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Seven fruits that are good for your heart

By Brierley Horton, MS, RD

Fruit (yes, fruit!) has the power to improve your heart health. That’s because it’s loaded with nutrients that can help lower your cholesterol and blood pressure — which are good for your overall heart health. Plus, research shows that people who eat four or more servings of whole fruit a day significantly lower their risk of developing high blood pressure.

Fresh, frozen, canned, and dried are all great ways to add more fruit to your diet.

Do aim, however, to eat whole fruit as much as possible to reap the most rewards.

The best heart-healthy fruits

1. Apples: Turns out an apple a day could actually keep the doctor away. Not only are apples a good way to add fiber to your diet and good-for-you flavonoids, but a couple of studies also found that people who regularly eat apples are less likely to develop high blood pressure.

Seek out shiny-skinned apples that are

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firm and free of bruises. Then, store them in the refrigerator fruit crisper to extend their juiciness and crispness.

2. Apricots: Apricots deliver a handful of vitamins (A, C, E and K), plus fiber. And their orange hue comes from carotenoids, an antioxidant. Fresh apricots have a fleeting season from May to August (look for fruits that are firm and plump). Fortunately, dried apricots deliver the same nutrients.

3. Bananas: Eat a banana and you’ll get vitamins B6 and C. You’ll also get fiber, potassium and magnesium — all three of which are key nutrients that may help keep blood pressure in check. When shopping, look for firm bananas at any size as size doesn’t affect quality.

Alzheimer’s

From page 4

pared 648 people eventually diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and an equal number who remained healthy. The amyloid finding in future Alzheimer’s patients was the first, 18 years or 14 years prior to diagnosis depending on the test used. Differences in tau were detected next, followed by a marker of trouble in how neurons communicate. A few years after that, differences in brain shrinkage and

Do you find it difficult to use a standard phone? Do people ask you to repeat yourself during telephone conversations? Do you miss important calls because you can’t hear the phone ring? The Maryland Accessible Telecommunications (MAT) program is here to help by giving Maryland residents the opportunity to apply for State-provided telecommunications equipment to independently make and receive calls. Once you qualify, a skilled evaluator meets with you to determine the best device to support your day-to-day communications. The MAT program has a variety of equipment solutions to support clearer communication, including:

• Amplified phones

• Tablets

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5. Grapefruit: Serve up grapefruit for a dose of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Plus, in a study of women (published in 2014 in the journal Food & Nutrition Research), those who regularly ate grapefruit or drank its juice had higher “good” HDL cholesterol and lower triglycerides.

When shopping, look for a grapefruit

4. Berries: Whether it’s blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or strawberries that you’re drawn to most, all berries are great sources of vitamin C and fiber. And eating a high-fiber diet has the potential to help lower cholesterol and your risk of heart disease. Don’t forget, frozen berries are just as healthy as fresh so you can enjoy berries year-round.

cognitive test scores between the two groups became apparent, the study found.

“The more we know about viable Alzheimer’s treatment targets and when to address them, the better and faster we will be able to develop new therapies and preventions,” said Claire Sexton, the Alzheimer’s Association’s senior director of scientific programs.

She noted that blood tests are coming soon that promise to also help by making it easier to track amyloid and tau.

Study questions plastic’s effect on heart

By Carla K. Johnson

We breathe, eat and drink tiny particles of plastic. But are these minuscule specks in the body harmless, dangerous or somewhere in between?

A small study published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine raises more questions than it answers about how these bits — microplastics and the smaller nanoplastics — might affect the heart.

The Italian study has weaknesses, but it is likely to draw attention to the debate over the problem of plastic pollution. Most plastic waste is never recycled and breaks down into these particles.

“The study is intriguing. However, there are really substantial limitations,” said Dr. Steve Nissen, a heart expert at the Cleveland Clinic. “It’s a wake-up call that perhaps we need to take the problem of microplastics more seriously. As a cause for heart disease? Not proven. As a potential cause? Yes, maybe.”

What did the study find?

The study involved 257 people who had surgery to clear blocked blood vessels in their necks. Italian researchers analyzed the fatty buildup the surgeons removed from the carotid arteries, which supply blood and oxygen to the brain.

Using two methods, they found evidence of plastics — mostly invisible nanoplastics — in the artery plaque of 150 patients and no evidence of plastics in 107 patients.

They followed these people for three years. During that time, 30 (or 20%) of

Seven fruits

From page 6

that’s heavy for its size and springy to touch. At home, store it in the fridge, but for a juicier fruit, serve it at room temp or warm, not chilled. Remember that grapefruit (and its juice) interacts with some prescriptions, so check with your doctor before adding it to your meal plan.

6. Oranges: This citrus favorite is a real winner in the heart-healthy fruits category: research shows that the flavonoids in oranges have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory powers. They also may help improve blood pressure and can ward off your risk of developing atherosclerosis. Like the other fruits in this list, oranges also give you potassium and fiber.

7. Peaches: Pick up yellow peaches for a hit of beta-carotene. Men who have higher blood levels of beta-carotene were less likely to die of heart disease or stroke, per a study published in 2018 in the journal Circulation Research. Peaches also deliver fiber, potassium, and vitamins C, E and K.

Better Homes and Gardens is a magazine and website devoted to ideas and improvement projects for your home and garden, plus recipes and entertaining ideas. Online at www.bhg.com.

those with plastics had a heart attack, stroke or died from any cause, compared to eight (or about 8%) of those with no evidence of plastics.

The researchers also found more evidence of inflammation in the people with the plastic bits in their blood vessels. Inflammation is the body’s response to injury and is thought to raise the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

“I hope that the alarming message from our study will raise the consciousness of citizens, especially governments, to finally become aware of the importance of the health of our planet,” said Dr. Raffaele Marfella of the University of Campania in Italy, who led the study, in an email.

What are the problems with the study?

It’s very small and looked only at people

with narrowed arteries, who were already at risk for heart attack and stroke. The patients with plastics had more heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol than those without plastics. They were more likely to be men and more likely to be smokers.

The researchers tried to adjust for these risk factors during their statistical analysis, but they may have missed important differences between the groups that could account for the results. This kind of study cannot prove that plastics caused their problems.

The researchers had no information on what the people consumed or breathed that might account for the plastics.

The specimens could have been contaminated in the lab. The researchers acknowledge as much in their paper and suggest that future studies be done in clean rooms where air is filtered for pollutants.

The researchers suggest the risk of

heart attack, stroke or death was four times greater in the people with the plastics. That seems high, Nissen said.

“It would mean that these microplastics are the most important cause of coronary heart disease yet discovered. And I just don’t think that’s likely to be right,” he said.

More research is needed, said Dr. Philip Landrigan of Boston College. Landrigan, who wrote an accompanying editorial in the journal, said it is the first report suggesting a connection between microplastics and nanoplastics with disease in humans. Other scientists have found plastic bits in the lungs, liver, blood, placenta and breast milk.

“It does not prove cause and effect, but it suggests cause and effect,” he said. “And it needs urgently to be either replicated or disproven by other studies done by other investigators in other populations.”

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Breaking down acute and chronic pancreatitis

By Sebastian Strobel, M.D.

Dear Mayo Clinic: I’m in my late 50s and was recently diagnosed with pancreatitis. My symptoms came on suddenly.

My wife is concerned my symptoms may develop again, and she wants me to have testing to determine the cause. What are the testing and treatment options available for pancreatitis?

A: Simply put, pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. Located behind the stomach in the upper abdomen, your pancreas produces digestive enzymes and hormones that regulate how your body processes sugar.

Pancreatitis is caused by the irritation and inflammation of the cells of your pancreas. This occurs when digestive enzymes released by the pancreas become active while still in the pancreas.

Pancreatitis can occur in two forms: acute or chronic. More people experience an acute form of pancreatitis, which appears suddenly.

Mild cases of pancreatitis typically can be resolved in days with treatment. Severe cases of acute pancreatitis can cause life-threatening conditions, such as kidney and lung failure.

Acute pancreatitis symptoms include severe upper abdominal pain, abdominal pain that extends to your back and shoulders, yellowing of the skin, tender abdomen, nausea and vomiting, and fever.

Treatment for acute pancreatitis consists of IV fluids and medication to manage pain. You can eat if tolerated, or tube feeding may be necessary. Once your pancreatitis is under control, your healthcare team will determine what caused the pancreatitis attack. Treat-

ment depends on the cause.

A procedure called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, or ERCP, uses a long tube with a camera on the end to take pictures of your pancreas and bile ducts. This helps your healthcare team see if stones are blocking the bile duct.

If so, the stones can be removed using tools passed through the endoscope. The bile duct and pancreatic duct enter the bowels in the same area. This is why a blockage of the bile ducts can cause pancreatitis.

If gallstones caused your pancreatitis — with or without bile duct blockage — your healthcare team may recommend surgery to remove your gallbladder. This procedure is called a cholecystectomy.

Surgery may be done before you go home if your attack is mild. In severe

HOWARD COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS Presiden al Primary Elec on Day

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

The first choice you will make this elec on is which day to vote!

Maryland voters can vote in-person BEFORE Elec on Day at Early Vo ng!

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cases, surgery may be done later to let the inflammation go down.

Causes and symptoms

Consuming several alcoholic drinks a day over many years can be one cause of pancreatitis.

If this is the cause of your ailments, your healthcare team may recommend you enter a treatment program. Continuing to drink alcohol may worsen your pancreatitis and lead to serious complications, including chronic pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis that occurs over many years can damage your pancreas and lead to chronic pancreatitis. It causes permanent damage and scarring of the pancreas.

Chronic pancreatitis can lead to weight loss, pain, diabetes and pancreatic cancer. Its symptoms include upper abdominal pain, indigestion, abdominal pain that worsens after eating, or unexpected weight loss. Oily, smelly stools, called steatorrhea, or jaundice, which is yellowing of the eyes and skin, can occur with pancreatitis.

Treating chronic pancreatitis may involve changes to your diet, pain management and taking enzymes to improve digestion.

Additional factors that increase your risk of developing pancreatitis include cigarette smoking, obesity, diabetes and a family history of pancreatitis.

Talk with your healthcare team about sudden or persistent symptoms related to pancreatitis. — Sebastian Strobel, M.D., Gastroenterology, Mayo Clinic Health System, La Crosse, Wisconsin

Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org.

Early Vo ng will be held at the following five loca ons: HIT

9055 Tamar Drive Columbia, MD 21045

The Bain Center 5470 Ruth Keeton Way Columbia, MD 21044

Meadowbrook

Athle c Complex 5001 Meadowbrook Lane Ellico City, MD 21043

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Please Note: If you vote during early vo ng, you cannot vote on Elec on Day (May 14, 2024), or by mail-in ballot. If you have requested a mail-in ballot and choose to not vote that ballot and come to in-person vo ng, you will vote a provisional ballot.

© 2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Enjoy the best hit movies on ice with a fun display of beautiful choreography filled with jumps and spins, colorful costumes and great music. Shows take place on Sat., May 18 at 5:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. and on Sun., May 19 at 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. at the Columbia Ice Rink, 5876 Thunder Hill Rd. Tickets are $22 for regular; $40 for reserved seating and can be purchased at tinyurl.com/HitMoviesOnIce. For more information, visit columbiafsc.com or email

Can probiotics help with weight loss?

By Meera Shah

Dear Mayo Clinic: My friend insists that taking a probiotic supplement has helped her lose 50 pounds by keeping her gut bacteria in check. Will taking a probiotic in conjunction with a balanced diet and exercise help me lose weight?

A: It is true that the gut bacterial population in people who are obese differs from the population in people who are lean. Whether this difference contributes to obesity or is a consequence of obesity is unknown.

So far, research hasn’t yielded clear answers. Although taking a probiotic is unlikely to cause harm, it may not help fight obesity.

First and foremost, it is important to understand that weight gain is essentially a function of energy imbalance. You gain weight when you take in more calories than your body burns.

And there is some evidence that bacteria in the gut play a role in how efficiently the body extracts energy from the food that reaches the small intestine.

Your digestive tract, also called the gut, contains trillions of bacteria. Many of those bacteria play useful roles in the body, including metabolizing nutrients from food.

While much of the bacteria in the gut are valuable, some are not. Studies have been performed about how an imbalance between good and bad gut bacteria could contribute to certain medical disorders.

Eating foods such as yogurt and sauerkraut that contain probiotics — “good” bacteria — or taking a probiotic supplement have been credited with health benefits. There is some evidence that probiotics might improve gut health.

To date, however, the only studies that have shown convincing results that changing the composition of gut bacteria — sometimes called the gut microbiome — affects weight have been performed using germ-free mice.

An analysis of the results of published research studies that have investigated probiotics and weight loss revealed no clear answers. That is partly because research methods varied widely among those studies, and a range of different probiotics were included.

What is clear is that the most important factor determining the makeup of the gut microbiome is diet. But, that calls into question which comes first. Does obesity

lead to a certain type of microbiome? Or does a certain type of microbiome lead to obesity? At this point, this is unknown.

Plant-based foods help the gut

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables appears to help good bacteria in your gut thrive. It also can be beneficial in filling you up and limiting overeating of snack foods and other unnecessary calories.

Also, limiting fat, sugar and animal sources of protein can help maintain a

healthier gut microbiome because research shows that diets high in those foods correlate with a more unfavorable bacteria makeup in the gut.

The most reliable way to lose weight is to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly, so you’re burning more calories than you’re consuming.

© 2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Nine reasons for shortness of breath

Experiencing shortness of breath, medically termed dyspnea, is common. It’s a sensation where you’re uncomfortably gasping for breath, feeling suffocated, yet it’s distinct from air hunger. This could be a fleeting issue, often tied to exercise or temporary ailments like bronchitis, but for some, it becomes a persistent whisper of a deeper problem, hinting at inefficient oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange within the lungs.

Let’s go over the most common conditions linked to shortness of breath:

1. Respiratory disorders: Asthma, COPD, pneumonia, COVID-19, pulmonary embolism, pleurisy, lung cancer and pulmonary edema significantly affect lung function, making breathing a laborious task. Treatments for this may include steroid inhalers like betamethasone, or bronchodilators like albuterol, and possibly antibiotics for infection clearance.

2. Cardiovascular issues: Conditions like heart failure, cardiomyopathy, or heart attacks disrupt efficient blood pumping, limiting oxygen supply to the lungs and causing breathlessness. Treatments may include ACE inhibitors, digoxin, nitroglycerin, and/or natural supplements like CoQ10 or lifestyle changes are crucial.

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3. Anemia: This condition, due to a lack of healthy red blood cells, reduces oxygen transport, leading to fatigue and shortness of breath. Blood tests can reveal anemia, with treatments including iron or vitamin supplements.

8. Magnesium deficiency: Crucial for muscle and nerve function, a lack of magnesium can weaken respiratory muscles, necessitating supplementation. Did you know drinking caffeinated beverages will reduce your levels of magnesium? That’s right, coffee is a drug mugger of mag!

DEAR PHARMACIST

4. Anxiety and panic disorders: The physical manifestations of psychological stress or panic attacks can include episodes of shortness of breath, emphasizing the need for mental health support.

By Suzy Cohen

9. Hypothyroidism: A deficiency in thyroid hormone can lead to fatigue and breathlessness, often intertwined with B12, iodine and iron deficiencies. Treatment may include hormone therapy or supplements to enhance T3 conversion.

5. Obesity: Excess weight strains the heart and lungs, making minor activities feel overwhelmingly exhausting.

6. Pet allergies: For those with allergies, especially chronic asthma, pets can trigger allergies and shortness of breath. Antihistamines and inhalers can provide temporary relief.

7. Vitamin B12 and zinc deficiencies: Essential for red blood cell production and immune function, respectively, deficiencies in these nutrients can compromise respiratory health. Genetic factors like the MTHFR genetic polymorphism may also impact B12 levels impacting oxygen transport.

BEACON BITS

If you’re battling unexplained shortness of breath, consulting with healthcare practitioners is paramount, especially if the problem is persistent or worsening. Multiple opinions can provide a broader perspective on your condition, aiding in uncovering the root cause.

Finding the root cause and taking care of it will allow you to embrace life more fully, and get up the stairs more easily too! Be careful with exercise if you suffer from this condition, and just work out to your comfort.

This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe

DOWNSIZING AND MOVING SEMINAR

Learn how to simplify your life, including what senior sellers should know but realtors won’t tell them and how to make downsizing easy. Lunch is included in this free event that takes place on Wed., May 1 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Heartlands at Ellicott City, 3004 N. Ridge Rd. For more information and to register, call (410) 313-9415 or email lsorna@5ssl.com

PATAPSCO VALLEY PARK WALK

Learn how the B&O Railroad influenced the development of the Avalon Area when you join the B&O Ellicott City Station Museum for this special walking tour on Sat., May 11, from 1 to 3 p.m. Meet at the William Offutt Johnson History Center in Halethorpe. Tickets are $15. For more information and to register, contact Kelly Palich at (410) 313-0423 or kpalich@howardcountymd.gov.

Roasted chickpeas add crunch to salad

By Steve Dunn, America’s Test Kitchen

Our hearty, chickpea-centric chopped salad began with zapping the chickpeas in the microwave to dry out their plump interiors and rupture their exteriors. Then, pan-frying the slightly dehydrated legumes caused their papery skins to blister and crackle while their dense insides puffed and crisped.

We tossed the crunchy chickpeas with a zippy spice mix and set them aside to cool before scattering them atop a salad of arugula, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, sweethot Peppadew peppers, and salty-rich feta.

A gutsy honey-Dijon vinaigrette finished things off with sweetness and tang.

Chopped Salad with Spiced Skillet-Roasted Chickpeas

Serves 2

Note: any salad greens can be substituted for the arugula. If Peppadews are unavailable, substitute pepperoncini.

Ingredients:

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon plus teaspoon table salt, divided

¼ teaspoon plus teaspoon pepper, divided ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra as needed

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and cut into ½-inch pieces

8 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 ounces (2 cups) baby arugula, chopped

coarse

2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (½ cup),

divided

1 cup jarred hot Peppadew peppers, sliced thin

Directions:

1. Line a large plate with a double layer of paper towels. Spread chickpeas over the plate in an even layer. Microwave until exteriors of chickpeas are dry and many have ruptured, 8 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, combine paprika, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.

2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a single layer of paper towels. Heat oil in a 12inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Transfer chickpeas to skillet, spreading into a single layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are golden brown and make a rustling sound when stirred, 4 to 8 minutes.

3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chickpeas to a large bowl and toss with paprika mixture to coat. Transfer chickpeas to the prepared sheet to cool slightly (do not rinse bowl). Carefully pour off oil from skillet into a liquid measuring cup. (You should have about 3 tablespoons. Add extra oil as needed to equal ¼ cup.)

4. Whisk vinegar, honey, Dijon, thyme, remaining teaspoon of salt, remaining teaspoon pepper, and reserved oil together in a small bowl. Combine cucumber, tomatoes, arugula, ¼ cup feta, Peppadews, and half of chickpeas in the now-empty large bowl. Drizzle with three-quarters of vinaigrette and toss to evenly coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle remaining feta and chickpeas over top and serve, passing extra vinaigrette separately.

© 2024 America’s Test Kitchen. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

TWO FREE EXHIBITS WITH RECEPTION

Howard County Arts Council presents two new exhibits in their galleries this summer. In Gallery I, “Paint It! Ellicott City 2024” is the annual juried showcase of the plein air paint-out in Ellicott City’s historic district. In Gallery II, artists Christine Lee Tyler and Sookkyung Park exhibit mixed media and paperbased artworks. The opening reception for both takes place on Mon., June 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Howard County Center for the Arts, 8510 High Ridge Rd., Columbia. The exhibits close on Sat., Aug. 3. For more information, including gallery hours, email info@hocoarts.org or call (410) 313-ARTS (2787).

PHOTO BY AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN

Upcoming Programs for 55 Years + Recreation & Parks

To view all of our programs and activities, visit

Crafts & Fine Arts

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

Try Something New in Watercolor with Zina Poliszuk

Create a Victorian Cage Card (come to class to find out what that is!) “Cook” your colors and paint with natural homemade dyes like beet juice, onion skin yellows, coffee, and tea. Create a value study in monochrome black and gray.

55 yrs +Gary J Arthur CCClasses: 5No class 5/27 RP0302.701May 61:15-3:15pmM$106

NEW! Pen and Ink Basics with Carol Zika

Beginners are introduced to the use of pen strokes such as hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, contour lines, and scumbling to create value and texture in ink drawings. This time-honored medium can be applied to finely detailed work, as well as to loose sketching. Bring a good quality top spiral drawing pad (9x12) and Size 03 Micron Pigma black pen (or an equivalent with archival, permanent ink).

55 yrs +E Columbia 50+ CtrClasses: 4 RP0305.703May 71-3pmTu$109

Dance

• Info: Tessa Hurd, 410-313-7311 or thurd@howardcountymd.gov.

Dancing for Fun Mixer

Enjoy moving to the music while trying a variety of dance styles. From line dancing to ballroom, swing to Latin, we try them all. This class, which is led by instructor Tom Sellner, gives you the chance to get active and have some fun. No partner necessary.

55 yrs +Classes: 4$45

RP3513.701Harriet Tubman CtrMay 141-1:45pmTu

RP3513.702Gary J Arthur CCMay 151:30-2:15pmW

Fitness

• Info: Tessa Hurd, 410-313-7311 or thurd@howardcountymd.gov.

Pop Up Yoga with Kathy Greisman

Relax while you take in the sights and surrounding beauty of nature as you get fit and improve your health in this outdoor yoga class. All classes held under the tent at the beautiful Belmont Manor and Historic Park. Walk away feeling refreshed, energized, and ready to take on the day that lies ahead.

55 yrs +Belmont ManorClasses: 1

RP3541.704Apr 2910-11amM$14

RP3541.705May 610-11amM$14

RP3541.706May 13 10-11amM$14

RP3541.707May 20 10-11amM$14

Lifelong Learning

• Info: Tessa Hurd, 410-313-7311 or thurd@howardcountymd.gov.

How to use your Phone/Tablet effectively

Learn how to get more use out of your mobile devices (smartphone, iPad). Discover social media and how to use it to stay in contact with family members, or receive important information automatically. Bring your smart phone, computer or tablet.

55 yrs +Instructor: Constance LoweClasses: 1$25

RP3523.701N Laurel CC Apr 2410-11amW

RP3523.702N Laurel CC May 1710-11amF

Nature Programs

• Info: Robinson Nature Center, 410-313-0400.

Senior Naturalist Program

This program provides a foundation of understanding on a variety of environmental topics through hands-on exploration and demonstrations in a casual, social atmosphere. Topics change monthly based on seasonal happenings.

Spring Tree ID: Take a walk on the trails to learn how to identify common trees in the spring using their buds and emerging flowers.

Reptiles & Amphibians: Search for frogs, toads, and salamanders around the property while learning how to recognize the differences between species.

50 yrs +Robinson Nature CtrClasses: 1$15

RP4831.702Spring Tree IDApr 173-4:30pmW

RP4831.703Reptiles & AmphibiansMay 153-4:30pmW

Speaker Series

• Info: Tessa Hurd, 410-313-7311 or thurd@howardcountymd.gov.

Protecting Your Personal Information Online

This presentation covers the ins and outs of how to protect your personal information online. We’ll cover tips for staying safe in cyberspace, like creating strong passwords, managing spam, recognizing email and text scams, and understanding when it’s OK — or not — to share your personal information online.

Preregister: tinyurl.com/HCRPSeniorPlanet

55 yrs + Gary J Arthur CC Apr 2410am-11:30amWFree

• Info: Trac a y Adkins, , 4100-3133-7279 or r tadkins@howa d rdccountymd.gov

National Cathedral Flower Mar t

Since 1939, All Hallows G Guild h has h ho t sted The N t atiional CathedralFlower Mart,an irresistible arrayoffestivalfoods,

Cathedral Flower Mart, an irresistible array of festival foods, boutique gifts, herbs, and flowers which fill the nave and grounds of the historic Cathedral. This is a very popular trip and sells out quickly! Lunch is on your own at the café or from one of many on-site food vendors. Some walking with seating available.

21 yrs +Bus Provided

RP4576.701May 39am-3pmF$85

The National Archives Museum –Founding Documents of Liberty and Freedom Congress established the National Archives in 1934 to preserve and care for the records of the U.S. government. Previously, federal records were kept in various basements, attics, abandoned buildings, and other storage places.

The National Archives Museum houses some of this nation’s priceless documents, including the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Record of Rights featuring the 1297 Magna Carta. Enjoy a wonderful gift shop and the onsite Charter Café to enjoy lunch on your own. Lots of walking with some opportunities to sit. 18 yrs +Bus Provided

RP4568.701May 109am-3pmF$89

Register Today! Nashville, Tennessee

Join us for this amazing, six-day/five-night excursion. Enjoy accommodations at the beautiful Opryland Resort Hotel, located next door to the Grand Ole Opry. This complex hosts over 20 onsite restaurants, cafés, and lounges. Learn the history of the Ryman Auditorium, known as the Mother Church of Country Music. Explore the interactive exhibits at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Trip includes a guided tour of Nashville, including Bicentennial Park, Music Row, Historic Downtown, and a stop at The Parthenon and the American Pickers. Lastly, tap your toes to the music of some of the greatest country stars at the Grand Ole Opry. This is a very popular trip destination and will sell out quickly! Lots of walking with opportunities to sit. 21 yrs +Sep 5-10Bus Provided

RP4553.801Single OccupancySep 5-10Th-Tu$1,979

RP4553.802Double OccupancySep 5-10Th-Tu$1,679

Scan the QR code or visit tinyurl.com/RPtrips for more trips & tours!

A Publication of the Department of Commu

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If you are an older adult lookin foor employment opportunities, the Howard County Virtual 50+ Employment Expo on May 30 can help. Sponsored by the Howard County Office on Aging & Independence l f (OAI) and the Jewish Counci foor the Aging (JCA) of Greater mf W Waashington, D.C., the virtual event will be held via Zoo frrom d f u s f 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration i frree b t require foor ALL bkh//blClO

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• Listen to area employers talk about their organization and openings. a

• Ask potential employers questions and get answers in ch t. en f Complimentary registration is also op foor potential employers. The employer’s section of the Expo opens at noon; take advantage es f of this chance to find the right candidat foor your company. Register at https://bit.ly/HoCojobEXPOemployers to connect virtually with experienced jobseekers age 50+ and highlight your gs. Y company’’s s job openin Yoou must have at least three job openings to participate in the Expo.

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April 14, 11 a.m. / Matters CENTER A03200.700

Acupuncture for Pets

EAST COLUMBIA 50+ CENTER

Friday, May 17, 11 a.m. / Call 410-313-

Storyteller Mic

ELLICOTT CITY 50

May 16, 1 p.m. / A chael Borin 0+ CENTER A02642.701

Sunset Supper

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Money Law &

The biggest regrets financial planners see

By Andrew Rosen, CFP®, CEP

The old adage is to live with no regrets. It is a great mantra, to be honest, and we regret the things we don’t do much more than the things we do.

Thinking back on my life, I have two large regrets. First, I regret not doing study abroad in college over winter break, as I sat home and missed out on the experience of a lifetime. Second, I definitely regret not having those heart-to-heart fatherson conversations with my old man before he passed prematurely.

A front-row seat to regret

Financial planners get a front-row seat to learn about people’s regrets and accomplishments. Here are some of the biggest regrets I’ve seen, read and heard about from clients, friends and even journalists I truly respect. I hope one of these items strikes a chord with you and can encourage you not to make the same mistakes others have.

Regret No. 1: Spent too much time working. In almost every list I’ve read and people I’ve spoken to, they all say the same thing: They wish they had worked less. The blood, sweat and tears they spilled for their jobs simply were not worth it.

Regret No. 2: Not taking better care of themselves. Most older people look back and wish they’d taken better care of themselves. If they had, in most cases, they would have a better quality of life in their later years. Of course, it is a hard thing to do in your younger years, when you consider yourself invincible, to think what that extra smoke, drink, food and lack of exercise can lead to in your later years.

Regret No. 3: Not enjoying the moment more. This one comes up all the time in my client meetings. I’ve also heard this from big-time executive friends of mine who tell me they’ve traveled the world through work and haven’t seen a

damn thing. When asked, they almost exclusively wish they’d stopped to smell the roses more often.

Regret No. 4: Not following their dreams. So many elders express regret for not following their dreams. Maybe it was because they were scared or didn’t have the right cheerleader urging them on. Perhaps it was life’s circumstances of needing a “safe job” to support their young family.

In any event, not following passions and dreams is something many people end up regretting when they look back on their lives.

Regret No. 5: Not being a better parent/child/sibling, etc. It is always those closest to us whom we tend to treat the worst. Maybe it is because we are so comfortable around them that we lose any filter or consideration for their feelings. Whatever it is, there probably isn’t one of us who doesn’t feel they could be better in this department.

Regret No. 6: Not spending enough time with the kids. This aligns with No. 5, but I think it is worth its own regret. They say you spend most of your time with your children when they are a newborn until they’re 18 years old. As a matter of fact — mind-blowing statistic here — if you take from age 18 through the rest of your life, you will spend the equivalent of a 19th year with your kids. That is it. So, if you want a motivator to spend more time with your kids, look no further.

Regret No. 7: Not sharing their feelings with those closest to them. This goes in line with my life’s biggest regret. It’s one of those “tomorrow is never promised” concepts. Tell me there isn’t someone right now with whom you need to share how you truly feel about them.

If you want to make someone’s day or have a paradigm shift in a relationship, be

See REGRETS, page 17

Four questions to ask your financial planner

By Kate Ashford

Only one-third of men correctly estimated how long a 60-year-old man in the U.S. could expect to live, according to a 2022 TIAA Institute survey. And fewer than half of women got it right for a 60-year-old woman.

Advisers call this longevity literacy — understanding how long you’ll live in your retirement years. It’s a crucial part of your retirement strategy, and it’s important that you and your financial professional are on the same page. You should be talking about things like what your planner is using as your life expectancy, how you’ll cover future healthcare costs and whether you need to account for any spending related to aging parents.

Getting this right means your money will last for as long as you do. Here are the questions to ask your adviser:

1. What are you using as my life expectancy?

No one can know when they’re going to die, but your health and family history can help your planner make a good guess. How long did your parents or your grandparents live? Do you have any health conditions?

“I’ve started, a few years ago, asking a

lot of health questions of my clients,” said Mitchell Kraus, a certified financial planner in Santa Monica, California. “They should let their adviser know of any health concerns that might cause their life expectancy to be shorter.”

Planners often work with software that can model what will happen to your finances if you die at different ages based on the assumptions you’re making. You can explore various scenarios together and decide what makes the most sense.

“If you’ve got longevity in your family, let’s boost it up to [age] 97 or even 100,” said Timothy Knotts, a CFP in Red Bank, New Jersey. “We want to make sure we don’t have this thing that keeps you up at night, which is, ‘Am I going to run out of money?’”

2. What should I be doing about long-term care?

The big wild card in your financial plan is whether (and how long) you’ll need long-term care. There’s a reasonable chance you’ll need some kind of support, so talk to your planner about the best way to prepare.

You may want to plan to purchase longterm care insurance at some point or a hybrid policy that combines permanent life

insurance with a long-term care rider. Or it may be better to self-insure and plan to use savings for long-term care needs if insurance is too expensive.

“It’s something that, unfortunately, many of us aren’t good at — the risk and uncertainty thing,” said Paul Yakoboski, a senior economist with the TIAA Institute.

“This is where an adviser could be extremely valuable — to help us understand likelihoods and scenarios and the costs attached to them.”

3. How should I prepare to pay for healthcare needs?

You may have seen Fidelity’s statistic that a 65-year-old couple today may need $315,000 to pay for healthcare expenses in retirement. It’s a daunting figure. But making the right healthcare decisions once you’re eligible for Medicare can help.

“I think if people have Medicare and a Medicare Supplement, I’ve actually found they have a pretty good chunk of their healthcare paid for,” said Clark Randall, a CFP in Dallas.

This is because Medicare Supplement Insurance, otherwise known as Medigap, can pay for most out-of-pocket costs associated with your Medicare plan. As long as you can

pay the premiums, many of your costs may be covered if you have a big health event.

“We also build in some percentage for out-of-pocket expenses,” Knotts said.

4. Should we include any planning for my parents?

If there are older adults in your life who may need your support later, make sure your adviser knows this and builds it into your retirement plan to the extent that’s possible. Do you anticipate bringing them to live with you or potentially moving in with them? Do you expect an inheritance, or do you expect to have to help pay their bills?

“I will ask, ‘Do your parents have enough money to support themselves in retirement?’” said Catherine Valega, a CFP in Winchester, Massachusetts. Clients may be doing everything right, she said, but it doesn’t mean their parents have done everything right.

Considering these questions may facilitate a conversation with your loved ones about the future, which can be helpful for everyone. If they’re young enough, you can also encourage your parents to look into long-term care insurance for themselves.

PHOTO BY JEFF GETEK

Five steps to take before marrying after 50

By Kate Ashford

Getting married when you’re an older adult comes with complications: You and your spouse may have assets from years of working, and you may have children from previous relationships. Tying the knot could affect your Social Security benefits if you’re widowed or divorced. You will need to update estate documents and beneficiary designations and may even want to consider a prenuptial agreement.

Working together to create a financial plan that incorporates your new family structure is essential. Here are the steps you should take if you walk down the aisle in your later years:

1. Talk to each other

Before you marry at this stage of your life, have a frank conversation about money with your spouse-to-be — and consider involving a financial professional.

“Working with a planner can really help because there can be some conversations people aren’t used to having,” said Jaymon Meikle, a certified financial planner in St. Joseph, Missouri. This is a time to set expectations: Are you keeping your money separate or commingling your funds? How will you divide expenses going forward? What will happen when one of you dies?

Even if you aren’t combining finances, you must understand your partner’s financial situation to organize your tax planning, from tax bracket management to Roth IRA conversions. “There has to be coordination,” said Rob Schultz, a CFP in Encino,

Regrets

From page 16

vulnerable and simply share your true feelings. It will be reciprocated in most cases and appreciated in almost all cases.

Regret No. 8: Holding grudges and/or not trying to reconcile. Being angry takes so much more effort than being happy. Now, I’m not telling you there are people who haven’t wronged you or vice versa. But as we know, life is short, and most people are too proud to take the first step in making amends. This tends to be a big regret for most, even if we tell ourselves that we are better off without those people in our lives.

Regret No. 9: Not saving more. No surprise that I hear this one often. Funny, though, as usually people fall into two camps — wishing they’d saved more or wishing they’d saved less and lived more. In any event, it is a tricky balance, leaving many of us questioning whether we could have done a better job. I get it, and financial planners are here to help!

There are plenty more regrets out there, but these tend to be some of the ones I come across most often. My only hope in writing this is that you are motivated to avoid at least one of these.

© 2024 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency,

California. “You can’t do financial planning for one spouse and not consider the other spouse’s situation if they’re married.”

2. Update your beneficiaries

A new marriage is a significant change in legal and financial status, and your financial plan should incorporate it. That means, among other things, updating beneficiaries on all accounts since beneficiaries trump anything you have in a will.

“What we do typically is we have all the beneficiaries laid out so nothing goes through probate,” said David Demming, a CFP in Aurora, Ohio. “That’s where we have the dialog: Who do you want to have these funds?”

Check both primary and contingent beneficiaries to ensure that you still agree with your choices — and that there are no surprises. “Someone has come to me after a death, and we go through what they’re

going to be receiving,” Schultz said. “And their current spouse had an ex-spouse as a beneficiary, and that’s heartbreaking.”

3. Weigh a prenuptial agreement

You or your betrothed may be coming into the marriage with significant assets or property, which can get sticky if you ever divorce. A prenuptial agreement can outline what you owned before the marriage and what will happen should the marriage end.

“Usually there’s a primary goal that drives what the focus of the prenup is,” said Kaylin Dillon, a CFP in Lawrence, Kansas.

“If it’s to make sure you have protections in place for children from a previous relationship, that prenup is going to look very different than if your primary goal is to make sure that income from a family business remains separate property.”

If you have property, significant retirement assets, a pension, a business ownership or an

ownership interest in a family business, or you have children from a previous relationship, it’s something to think about.

“Prenups are really flexible documents,” Dillon said. “Contract law leaves a lot of room for people to be creative.”

4. Check with Social Security

Marriage affects your Social Security benefits, so make sure you understand the ramifications of taking that step. If you’re not yet 60, remarrying makes you ineligible for any survivor’s benefits if you’re a widow or widower. If you’re divorced, remarriage means you can’t collect benefits based on your ex-spouse.

“That’s something to consider, especially if Social Security is going to be a significant portion (of your retirement) or something you’re going to depend on,” said

Should you sell your home for a smaller one?

By Sandra Block

If you spent your teenage years waiting anxiously for one of your siblings to get out of the shower, the idea of selling your spacious, multi-bathroom home and moving into a smaller house or condo may feel like a reversal of fortune.

Yet for many retirees, downsizing makes financial and practical sense. Younger baby boomers — those currently ranging in age from 57 to 66 — made up 17% of recent home buyers, while older boomers — ages 67 to 75 — accounted for 12%, according to a 2022 report from the National Association of Realtors Research Group.

Boomers’ primary reasons for buying a home were to be closer to friends and family, as well as a desire to move into a smaller home, the report said.

A smaller house or condo typically requires less maintenance and may be more accessible than a two-story suburban house. And at a time when homeowners age 62 and older have more than $12 tril-

Five steps

From page 17

Kassi Fetters, a CFP in Anchorage, Alaska.

Your financial professional can advise on this, or you can call your local Social Security office for more information.

lion in home equity, downsizing offers a way to free up some of that equity for other purposes, such as shoring up retirement accounts or saving for long-term care.

For retirees Fred and Shelby Bivins, selling their home will enable them to realize their dream of traveling in retirement.

The Bivinses have put their 2,050-squarefoot Arizona house on the market and relocated to their 1,600-square-foot summer condo in Wisconsin. Eliminating the cost of maintaining their Arizona home will free up funds for overseas trips.

With help from Chris Troseth, a certified financial planner based in Plano, Texas, the Bivinses plan to invest the proceeds from the sale of their home in a lowrisk portfolio.

Once they’re done traveling and are ready to settle down, they intend to use that money to buy a smaller home in Arizona.

“Selling their primary home will generate significant funds that can be reinvested to support their lifestyle now and in the fu-

5. Ask about a trust

One of the considerations of marrying later is whether and how you’ll leave assets to any children you may already have. If you die without a will, your assets will generally go to your spouse. A trust gives you more control over the inheritance you want to leave.

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ture,” Troseth said. “Downsizing for this couple will be a positive on all fronts.”

The effect of mortgage rates

For all of its appeal, downsizing in today’s market is more complicated than it was in the past. With 30-year fixed interest rates on mortgages at 7.5%, many younger homeowners who might otherwise upgrade to a larger home are unwilling to sell, particularly if it means giving up a mortgage with a fixed rate of 3% or less.

More than 80% of consumers surveyed in September by housing finance giant Fannie Mae said they believe this is a bad time to buy a home, citing mortgage rates as the top reason.

As a result, buyers are competing for limited stock of smaller homes, said Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst for Realtor.com.

Here, though, many retirees have an advantage, Jones said. Rising rates have priced many younger buyers out of the

Consider if two people — Bob and Susan — marry each other, and both have children from a previous marriage. “If Bob predeceases Susan, the worry could be that she’ll take the inheritance and give it to her kids,” Meikle said. “You can lay things out in a trust so that Susan is still

market and made it more difficult for others to obtain a loan.

That’s not an issue for retirees who can use proceeds from the sale of their primary home to make an all-cash offer, which is often more attractive to sellers.

While the U.S. median home price has soared more than 40% since the beginning of the pandemic, prices have risen more slowly in parts of the Northeast and Midwest, Jones said.

“Out of all of the regions, the Midwest tends to be the most affordable,” she said. “You can still find affordable homes in areas that offer a lot of amenities.”

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported in October that mortgage purchase applications slowed to the lowest level since 1995, as the rapid rise in mortgage rates has pushed many potential buyers out of the market.

However, because of tight inventories, See

taken care of while she’s alive, but then Bob’s money will go to Bob’s kids, and Susan’s money will go to Susan’s kids.”

An estate attorney can assess your situation and recommend a trust that will accomplish your goals.

—AP/NerdWallet

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Should you sell?

there’s still demand for homes of all sizes, Jones said, so if your home is well maintained and move-in ready, you shouldn’t have difficulty selling it.

“The market isn’t as red-hot as it was during the pandemic, but there’s still a lot to be gained by selling now,” she said.

Other costs to factor in

If you live in an area where real estate values have soared, moving to a less expensive part of the country may seem like a logical way to lower your costs in retirement.

But before you move to a lower-cost locale, make sure you take inventory of your short- and long-term expenses, which could be higher than you expect.

Selling your current home, even at a significant profit, means you will incur costs, including those to update, repair and stage it, as well as a real estate agent’s commission (typically 5% to 6% of the sale price).

In addition, costs for your new home will include homeowners insurance, property taxes, state and local taxes, and homeowners association or condo fees.

Nicholas Bunio, a certified financial planner in Berwyn, Pa., said one of his retired clients moved to Florida and purchased a home that was $100,000 less expensive than her home in New Jersey. Florida is also one of nine states without an income tax, which makes it attractive to retirees looking to relocate.

Once Bunio’s client got there, however, she discovered that she needed to spend $50,000 to install hurricane-proof windows.

Worse, the only homeowners insurance she could find was through Citizens Property Insurance, the state-sponsored insurer of last resort, and she’ll pay about $8,000 a year for coverage.

Her property taxes were higher than

she expected, too. When it comes to lowering your cost of living after you downsize, “it’s not as simple as buying a cheaper house,” Bunio said.

Don’t forget good healthcare

Before moving across the country, or even across the state, you should also research the availability of medical care.

“Oftentimes, those considerations are secondary to things like proximity to family or leisure activities,” said John McGlothlin, a CFP in Austin, Texas. McGlothlin said one of his clients moved to a less expensive rural area that’s nowhere near a sizable medical facility. Although that’s not a problem now, he said, it could become a problem when they’re older.

If you use original Medicare, you won’t lose coverage if you move to another state. But if you’re enrolled in Medicare Advantage, which is offered by private insurers as an alternative to original Medicare, you may have to switch plans to avoid losing coverage.

To research the availability of doctors, hospitals and nursing homes by Zip code, go to medicare.gov/care-compare.

At a time when many older adults suffer from loneliness and isolation, a sense of community matters, too. Bunio said one of his clients considered moving from Philadelphia to Phoenix after her daughter accepted a job there. The cost of living in Phoenix is lower, but the client changed her mind after visiting her daughter for a few months.

“She has no friends in Phoenix,” he said. “She’s going on 61 and doesn’t want to restart life and make brand-new connections all over again.”

Consider renting for a while

Once you’ve settled on a community, consider renting for a few months to get a feel for the area and a better idea of how much it will cost to live there.

Bunio said some of his clients who are behind on saving for retirement or have high healthcare costs have sold their homes, invested the proceeds and become permanent renters. This strategy frees them from property taxes, homeowners insurance, homeowners association fees and other expenses.

Thanks to the construction of new rental properties in several markets, the rental market has softened in recent months, according to Zumper, an online marketplace for renters and landlords. In 75 of the 100 cities Zumper surveyed, the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment was flat or down from the previous month.

Tap into home equity

Even if you opt to age in place, you can tap your home equity by taking out a home equity line of credit, a home equity loan or a reverse mortgage.

At a time when interest rates on home equity lines of credit and loans average around 9%, a reverse mortgage may be a more appealing option for retirees. With a reverse mortgage, you can convert your home equity into a lump sum, monthly payments or a line of credit. You don’t have to make principal or interest payments on the loan for as long as you remain in the home.

To be eligible for a government-insured home equity conversion mortgage (HECM), you must be at least 62 years old and have at least 50% equity in your home, and the home must be your primary residence.

The maximum payout for which you’ll qualify depends on your age (the older you are, the more you’ll be eligible to borrow), interest rates and the appraised value of

your home. In 2024, the maximum you could borrow was $1,149,825.

There’s no restriction on how homeowners must spend funds from a reverse mortgage, so you can use the money for a variety of purposes, including making your home more accessible, generating additional retirement income, or paying for long-term care. You can estimate the value of a reverse mortgage on your home at reversemortgage.org.

Up-front costs for a reverse mortgage are high, including up to $6,000 in fees to the lender, 2% of the mortgage amount for mortgage insurance, and other fees. You can roll these costs into the loan, but that will reduce your proceeds.

For that reason, if you’re considering a move within the next five years, it’s usually not a good idea to take out a reverse mortgage.

Another drawback: When interest rates rise, the amount of money available from a reverse mortgage declines. Unless you need the money now, it may make sense to postpone taking out a reverse mortgage until the Federal Reserve cuts short-term interest rates, which is unlikely to happen until late 2024 (unless the economy falls into recession before that).

Even if interest rates decline, they aren’t expected to return to the rock-bottom levels seen over the past 15 years, according to a forecast by “The Kiplinger Letter.” And with inflation still a concern, big rate cuts such as those seen in response to recessions and financial crises over the past two decades are unlikely.

This article first appeared in Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine. © 2023 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Leisure & Travel Leisure &

Disney World is worth a visit at any age

By Tina Collins

Walt Disney once said, “Growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional.”

Visiting Disney World in 1974 remains my happiest childhood memory. Before our family trip, I spent months poring over pamphlets and guidebooks in that world without the internet. Decades later, I found myself obsessively studying websites and apps to plan my husband’s 60th birthday adventure, his first visit to the mecca of magic.

The park may be much larger, but the warm and cozy feelings that Disney creates remain the same. We gleefully donned the large buttons they give guests to designate special status as a first-time visitor. There are no age limits to special treatment in Disney World.

If you’re an adult visiting Disney World for the first time in decades, prepare to be wowed and possibly overwhelmed. Located in Orlando, Florida, Disney World is a huge immersive bubble of fantasy, both nostalgic and futuristic. Opened in 1971, it is an ever-evolving place that embodies Disney’s spirit of guest service known as the Four Keys: safety, courtesy, show and efficiency.

Disney World is the size of San Francisco, with four theme parks, two water parks, four golf courses, two miniature golf courses, at least 25 hotels, more than 200 restaurants and a 120-acre shopping and dining complex called Disney Springs.

All four main theme parks have attractions for all ages. EPCOT (Experimental

Prototype Community of Tomorrow), a favorite of adult guests, is a utopian park Walt Disney himself envisioned in the 1950s and 60s. The park has two sections: The World Showcase travels the globe with architecture, cuisine and entertainment from 11 countries. The World of Discovery features rides with a unique blend of science, technology and intergalactic travel. EPCOT is sprawling but has many delightful detours and corners to discover.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios combines charming settings with thrilling rides. Adults will appreciate its well-appointed streets and old Hollywood glamour. One of its newer neighborhoods, Galaxy’s Edge, is an impressive, immersive area modeled after the Star Wars movies where storm troopers interrogate tourists and even the bartenders stay in character. This is where the future of Disney is on display, and it takes entertainment to a whole new level.

For a quiet respite, Animal Kingdom takes you on safari (Disney cares for more than 2,000 live animals), through the ruins of an Indian palace, and into Pandora: The World of Avatar. The beautiful landscapes and roaming wildlife make this park a lovely and relaxing escape.

The Magic Kingdom remains the heart of Disney World. Nostalgic adults will find new magic to add to their old memories of Peter Pan’s Flight or Space Mountain. The park is beautifully laid out with artistic touches and creative elements that returning adults may notice for the first time.

Escape from the real world

Despite its reputation for cuteness, Disney World maintains a level of sophistication that enchants both adults and children. More than once, I saw a parent joyfully crying more than the child upon meeting beloved storybook characters in person.

Adults can appreciate the tremendous effort required to maintain the parks: thorough security checks, costumed cleaning crews and unique food. No detail is overlooked, right down to the designs of the trash cans.

Two things stand out: The park and its employees are there to serve you with a smile, and the guests embrace the positivity. No one complained about the security checks or waiting in line.

Also, it is a world without cars — unless they’re the cartoon variety. For those of us who drive everywhere and spend hours in traffic, taking Disney World’s free buses, monorail, boats and skyliner can be a relief.

The number one thing to know about visiting Disney World is that it encompasses approximately 40 square miles, and you may walk 10 miles in one day. This traveler went from a sedentary 1,500 steps a day to over 18,000 steps trekking through “The Most Magical Place on Earth.”

To maintain that happiness, pack extra comfortable shoes and first aid for feet. Some travelers say, “There is no tired like Disney tired,” but it’s an exhilarated ex-

haustion. Plus, there are cookies the size of dinner plates to fortify your excursion.

Go early, stay late

You will not follow the strict budget you set for yourself. I thought I had no interest in the nearly endless arrays of collectible Disney pins in every store in every park, but somehow, I ended up with quite a haul of these mini souvenirs along with multiple ears. Such is the spell cast by Disney.

The most magical time in every park is when the gates first open and during latenight hours (usually for guests staying in one of the 25 Disney resorts). It’s a good idea to retreat to your hotel to rest during the middle of the day, which can be hot and crowded.

We rode all the most popular rides in the Magic Kingdom by ourselves at midnight. The Haunted Mansion is still the best ride in the park, and even better at midnight. Wandering the beautifully lit streets under the night sky will transform your experience into a true fairytale.

Perhaps the real magic of Disney is how the ideas of one creative visionary from the last century live on in this one. Disney World makes those ideas tangible and expands upon them with every generation. What Disney knows is that a happy life is always rooted in wonder and delight.

Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Florida opened in 1971, and its castle, like the rest of Disney World, has evolved since then. The best time to visit the park is early in the morning or late at night, when crowds are smaller.

PHOTO © JONI HANEBUTT | DREAMSTIME.COM

Writer Tina Collins took her husband, Dan Collins, to Disney World for his 60th birthday. Read about their experiences below.

No, it’s not Africa; it’s Florida. At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the newest of the four theme parks that make up Disney World, guests glimpse giraffes, lions, elephants, rhinos and monkeys on a safari ride through Disney’s 110-acre sanctuary.

PHOTO © WISCONSINART | DREAMSTIME.COM

PHOTO COURTESY OF TINA COLLINS

If you go Plan ahead, but don’t worry about seeing everything. Six to eight months is not too early to start mapping out your vacation.

Crowds, costs and weather are the main factors. Late summer and early fall have lower costs and smaller crowds. The months of January to March have milder weather and less rain.

Round-trip flights to Orlando cost around $250, depending on when you go. For travelers who want to take their cars

but skip the 14-hour drive, splurge on Amtrak’s Auto Train from Lorton, Virginia, to Sanford, Florida.

If you insist on being a planner and not an aimless wanderer, you will need three things: The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World by Bob Sehlinger and Len Testa. The size of this book may seem off-putting, but it covers everything and is updated yearly.

Next, download the My Disney Experience app to check park hours, showtimes and wait times. You can also book rides, dining reservations (up to six months in advance) and place same-day food orders.

Finally, consider booking your trip with a

You are invited to “Taste the Music of the Kentucky Derby” at the Columbia Orchestra’s annual fundraiser on Fri., May 3 at 7 p.m. at the Gathering Place, 6120 Day Long, Clarksville. Enjoy Derby favorites, bluegrass music, hot browns, mint juleps, bourbon tasting, horse racing and more. Tickets are $125. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit columbiaorchestra.org or call (410) 465-8777. All proceeds from this event directly support the orchestra.

BROADWAY HITS CONCERT

May 4

The Columbia Pro Cantare chorus presents Broadway Hits in a concert on Sat., May 4 at 8 p.m. in The Jim Rouse Theatre at Wilde Lake, 5460 Trumpeter Rd., Columbia. Advance tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students and seniors. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (301) 854-0107 or visit procantare.org/Tickets. Neighbor Ride offers evening transportation to the concert for people 60 and over. For more information, call (410) 884-RIDE (7433) or visit neighborride.org.

Disney-specialized travel agency. I connected with Ann & Tara, affiliates of Academy Travel. At no cost to you, these delightfully well-versed Disney experts will guide you every step of the way, offer advice, make reservations and create a trip as simple or

complicated as you desire.

As an adult over 50, you may be eligible for some discounts and perks at Disney World. For example, you can get a senior discount on your tickets if you’re a member of AARP or AAA.

How much travel insurance do you need?

You’ve probably seen a lot of stories explaining why you need travel insurance. They concentrate on speculating about all the bad stuff that might happen before or during your trip. Although the bad stuff is important, focusing on it is misdirected: You need travel insurance for only one reason: money.

Insurance is all about money. It can’t stop a war or quiet a volcano; all it can do is make sure that you don’t lose money due to that war or volcano. So the formula is simple: If you have more money at risk than you can comfortably walk away from if something bad unexpectedly happens, you need insurance. If you don’t have money at risk, fuggedaboutit.

money risks — risks that could amount to many thousands of dollars:

By Ed Perkins

Most of you face two big potential

• Loss of nonrefundable prepayments and deposits if you have to cancel a trip before you leave home or while you’re traveling because something bad happens to you or a family member.

These days, many airfares let you retain the value if you cancel, but cruises, tours, vacation rentals and many resort hotel packages involve totally nonrefundable advance payments or stiff cancellation penalties. Trip-cancellation/trip-interruption (TCI) insurance covers the risk of losing those payments if you have to cancel.

• High transportation costs if you suffer an accident or illness during a trip that ne-

cessitates special transport home. Travel medical insurance (Medevac) covers the costs of repatriation, as high as the cost of a private jet if you can’t get home the way you arrived. It also covers hospital and doctor costs if your regular health insurance doesn’t cover you while you’re traveling. This is especially important for seniors who depend on Medicare, which does not cover outside the United States.

Many forms of travel insurance cover nuisance items such as a hotel bill if your air connection is canceled or buying stuff you need if your baggage is lost. But in total dollar risk, these items are chump change — and your regular insurance or credit card may cover them, anyhow.

How travel insurance works

You need to know a few technicalities of travel insurance, as well:

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• Travel insurance is “named peril” insurance: It pays only if the bad stuff that happens to you is specifically included in the fine print.

• Travel insurance covers only unexpected bad stuff. It won’t cover a volcano eruption if the volcano is erupting at the time you buy the policy. And it won’t cover you if grandma dies due to an illness she was suffering when you bought the policy.

• Most policies exclude coverage if anyone covered by the policy cancels because of a pre-existing medical condition. Many policies, however, waive that exclusion if you buy a policy covering the full value of your trip within a week or two of the time you make your first payment.

A comprehensive bundled policy, including both TCI and Medevac, usually costs 5% to 15% of the total trip costs. The price of most such policies is based, in part, on your age, with rates getting very high past age 70.

You can buy “cancel for any reason” TCI, often as an add-on to a regular policy, in effect removing the “named peril” limitation. It usually won’t cover the full amount — maybe 50% to 75% — but it lets you decide when to cancel.

You can, of course, avoid the big money risks entirely: Don’t have any money in the game up front. Over the last few years, I’ve never needed TCI because I never had any big bucks at risk. I’ve been flying on frequent-flyer miles, which I could redeposit if I had to cancel, and made only no-deposit hotel reservations. But you can’t do that with cruises, vacation rentals and many tours.

If you need travel insurance, don’t blindly take whatever your airline, cruise line or tour operator suggests; instead, check the big online travel insurance agencies that publish elaborate side-by-side comparisons of different policies, including insuremytrip.com, quotewright.com, squaremouth.com and others.

Email Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net and visit his rail travel website at railguru.com.

© 2024 Ed Perkins. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BOOKS IN BLOOM

FESTIVAL

This free festival celebrates the joy of books and meaningful dialogue on Sat., May 11 from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 6000 Meriweather Dr., Columbia. In addition to authors and speakers, the festival features interactive, family-friendly fun, including a pop-up bookstore and local food and drink specials. For more information and to register, visit tinyurl.com/BooksinBloom2024.

Arts & Style

Toby’s enchanting Beauty and the Beast

By Eddie Applefeld

The current production at Toby’s Dinner Theatre is the family-friendly Beauty and the Beast, based on Disney’s 1991 animated film (which itself was based on an 18th century fairy tale of the same name).

Featuring the voices of Angela Lansbury and Jerry Orbach, the Disney movie made $331 million at the box office and was the first animated film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. (It lost to The Silence of the Lambs.)

With songs composed by Alan Menken, the film was a natural to be remade into a Broadway musical. It became the first of several Disney blockbuster musicals, opening in New York in 1994 and closing 13 years later.

In 2017, Disney released a live-action version of the animated film starring Kevin Kline, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci and Emma Watson. The remake also did well, becoming the second-highest-grossing film of 2017. Disney went on to create restaurants and theme park rides based on the story, too.

Transformative power of love

The tale of how Belle, a young woman in a French village, transforms a bitter Beast into a loving person continues to interest audiences today.

A haughty prince mistreats a witch, who casts a spell on his castle, turning him into a menacing, furry beast (played by Justin Calhoun) and all his servants into physical objects. In order for the Beast and the castle’s other captives to return to human

form, he is told he must fall in love.

Enter Belle (Rachel Cahoon), who is held captive in the Beast’s castle because she trades her father’s freedom for her captivity. Meanwhile, the uber-macho Gaston (Patrick Gover) wants Belle as his wife. Belle and the Beast become friends, but time is of the essence. There is a magic rose losing petals, and when all the petals have fallen, it will be too late for the spell to be broken.

In Toby’s production, director and choreographer Mark Minnick hits all the right buttons. The music is live, performed by a small orchestra on an elevated platform out of sight of the audience. The orchestra never overwhelms the voices.

The music here, directed by Ross Scott Rawlings, is terrific. In “Be Our Guest,” 15 actors are on stage, all with superb voices that can be heard from the last rows. Cahoon and Brandon Bedore (who plays Monsieur D’Arque) are stand-outs.

Of the 14 songs in the show, I especially liked “Human Again,” when many of the cast members sing about being freed from the curse.

The costumes by Janine Sunday were magnificent. Each outfit was better than the last.

If there was someone in the cast I felt a bit sorry for, it was Chip (played by Dylan Iwanczuk). The poor lad is stuck in a teacup costume for most of the show: The only body part showing is his head. He looked happy, though, singing along with the troupe.

Saturday, May 4 at 8 p.m.

Pre-concert lecture 7 p.m. Plus post-concert reception

Featuring classics by Rodgers & Hammerstein, selections from “Hamilton” and more!

A respite from reality

The set, with lighting by Lynn Joslin and scenic design by David Hopkins, transforms you to another time and place.

We seek out entertainment — be it sports,

movies, theater or books — to escape from the real world. If your chosen entertainment venue is good, that mini-vacation works.

PHOTO BY JERI TIDWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

Rachel Cahoon as Belle brings out the softer side of Justin Calhoun, who plays the Beast, in Toby’s production of the beloved Disney musical Beauty and the Beast. Performances are through June 16.

Pigeon “fanciers” devote much of their time to raising and racing the birds. Our cover story continues on page 24.

PHOTO BY DREW LESOFSKI

As for pigeon racing as a sport, it probably began in Belgium in the early 1800s and was introduced in the United States around 1875. Today, races take place all over the world.

Race days

Before each race, Greater Baltimore Pigeon Club members take their birds to the clubhouse in College Park and load them onto a truck with louvered crates.

The driver then takes the pigeons to a

pre-determined starting point, such as Orange, Virginia, 125 miles from Baltimore, and releases them there the next morning, notifying the owners of the precise release time.

“If they get a good tailwind, they can be home from Orange in less than two hours,” Gottlieb said.

Each bird has an identifying band on one leg. Owners can determine the time it takes for each bird to cover the predetermined distance by dividing the distance of the flight by the time it takes to complete the race. Wind and the pigeon’s health can affect its speed.

A

Club members also fly their birds from farther distances, for example, from Atlanta, Georgia, Lexington, North Carolina and Danville, Virginia.

Races take place in April and from June to November to avoid problematic weather. For older birds, races are usually held in the spring, when they are raising young birds, because the pigeon parents are eager to return home.

The younger bird races are held in late summer and early fall, after the pigeons have matured and become good flyers.

A pricey hobby

Some people, experts at breeding birds, raise their own prize pigeons. Others buy them. Either way, raising and racing pigeons can be an expensive hobby.

Tim Heidrick, with the National Pigeon Association (whose members show pigeons but do not race them) said, “The cost of buying a pigeon, racing or for show, can vary greatly depending on the variety and how good it is in races or shows.

“The price for a good racing pigeon will probably start out at a couple hundred dollars and quickly go up to several thousand

dollars for a single bird.”

Add to that the ongoing costs of feed, housing, race fees and transporting the pigeons, and it adds up quickly..

Gottlieb, who believes she is one of the few women who race pigeons, usually has 200 to 300 pigeons in a loft behind her house.

“It’s not like a toy. They are live animals,” she said. “They have to be cared for every day and fed twice a day. I have to clean the loft at least once a week.”

Why does she race pigeons?

“It gives me pleasure,” she said, adding that she especially relishes the anticipation of their return. “You’re out there waiting to see your bird come home. It’s such a feat.”

Like Gottlieb, Charles Sykes, another member of the Baltimore club and owner of eight racing homer pigeons, also grew up with the birds.

“I’ve been around pigeons all my life,” he said. “When I was little, I’d go to the store and buy them as pets and companions.”

He joins with other racers to hire a

members enjoy:

• Monthly Networking Meetings

• Social Gatherings

• Directory & Website Advertising

• Professional Development Programming

To review our

of

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Beauty and Beast

This is what Beauty and the Beast does at Toby’s. Your attention is either on the castle or the town, and nothing else seems to matter.

You don’t have to worry about eating, of course, because this is a dinner theatre, and dinner (or brunch) are included in the ticket price. Note: Your servers are also ac-

Pigeons

truck driver who can drive as many as 2,000 pigeons and start races from spots up to 600 miles away in Ohio and North Carolina. “We try to get the bird home on the same day,” Sykes said.

Having pigeons “soothes your soul and spirit,” he added. “It makes you feel good. They keep me grounded, focused.”

Know your pigeons

Errol Ecker, 75, has loved the birds since age eight, when he started raising racing pigeons. A resident of Boring, Maryland, he has been president of the Green Spring Valley Racing Pigeon Club for 45 years. The group numbered as many as 55 in 1956 but now has seven members with a clubhouse in Owings Mills.

Ecker has been racing since 1960 and today has 400 pigeons he keeps in a loft 160 feet long.

“It’s a passion for me,” he said. “I’m genetically predisposed. My great-grandfather from Germany raised pigeons and horses. That’s what I do. People say I’m a

FROM PAGE 26

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

tors in the play, and your tips are their main source of compensation.

There were quite a few children in the audience, and this is a perfect show for them. Some of the really young ones even called out to the actors on stage, which always gets a laugh from the audience. Just be advised, parents, that the evening performances let you out at about 10:30 p.m.

Beauty and the Beast runs through June 16. Toby’s is located at 5900 Symphony

clone of him.”

Pigeon racers strive to breed and select the best birds, feed them special diets and, most importantly, train them.

Ecker explained that he begins training a bird when it’s only three to four weeks old. He gets the young birds accustomed to their surroundings by letting them fly around in wire pens at home.

When released, these birds will instinctively fly back to where they were born.

Woods Rd. in Columbia. Advance reservations are required.

Performances take place Tuesday through Saturday night at 8 p.m. (doors open for buffet at 6 p.m.) and Sunday night at 7 p.m. (doors open at 5 p.m.). There are matinees on Wednesday and Sunday at 12:30 p.m. (buffet brunch for matinees opens at 10:30 a.m.).

The pre-show all-you-can-eat buffet consists of a salad bar, veggies, pasta, baked fish, a carving station, shrimp, chicken,

“Their homing system kicks in,” he explained.

Raising and racing pigeons takes devotion 365 days a year, with some days starting at 4 a.m., according to Ecker. “’Fun’ is not the right word,” he said. He compares it to raising and racing thoroughbred horses.

“It’s all about breeding, nutrition, loft conditions, training, and working on a yearly schedule. It’s all related,” he said.

People tell him he has “stock sense” —

meat loaf and a dessert bar in the lobby. Specialty drinks and desserts are available for an extra charge.

Tickets are $79-$86 for adults and $60$63 for children 12 and under, depending on performance.

Those 65 and over may attend any Tuesday or Wednesday performance for $67.15. Tickets may be purchased from the box office at (410) 730-8311, or online via Ticketmaster for an extra service fee.

an innate ability to work with pigeons. He has won hundreds of awards and mentored many students over the years.

“It’s a calling; it’s just there. It’s knowing your pigeons and knowing how to get the best out of them. You can’t read it in a book. It has to come to you,” he said.

For more information, contact the American Racing Pigeon Union, a national organization of 700 pigeon-racing clubs with 10,000 members, at pigeon.org.

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