June 2020 | DC Beacon by The Beacon Newspapers

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VOL.32, NO.6

Novelist’s unique take on crime

Not interested in politicos Readers will find detectives, cops, crooks and law-abiding citizens of the D.C. area interacting in dramatic and exciting books such as The Night Gardener, Drama City, Hard Revolution, Soul Circus, Hell to

PHOTO BY ROSA PELECANOS COURTESY OF LITTLE, BROWN AND CO.

By Robert Friedman George Pelecanos is the award-winning writer of 21 novels set in and around Washington, D.C. — all researched, he said, “in the street rather than the library.” Pelecanos, 63, prides himself on prowling mean inner-city streets to get the most accurate descriptions for his crime novels. Lately, though, the resident of Silver Spring, Maryland, has been relegated to the woods of Rock Creek Park. “I drive my car to the park and hike two or three miles, then I’m home, pitching and having meetings over the phone,” Pelecanos told the Beacon in a recent interview. The bestselling novelist has become a homebody, like the rest of us, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s such a tremendous event in the nation’s history,” he said. “We don’t even know how it is going to play out. This will certainly impact the people I write about. The most negative effects will be felt by the working class, the people at the bottom.” Pelecanos is also a writer and producer, along with David Simon, of several highly lauded TV series. Among the most notable was “The Wire,” which was set and filmed in Baltimore. His other TV work with Simon includes “Treme,” shot in New Orleans, and “The Deuce,” set on the seamy side of New York. Stephen King has called Pelecanos “perhaps the greatest living American crime writer.” Esquire magazine called him the “poet laureate of the D.C. crime world.”

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

With its famous bird migrations, fine art and quirky roadside attractions, Nebraska is no flyover state; plus, souvenirs hold powerful memories of past travels page 33

Born and raised in the D.C. area, George Pelecanos is author of more than 20 crime novels, most set in the local area. He has also worked as a writer, editor and producer of television series such as “The Wire,” and is now working on a new HBO series. Although he writes about crime, Pelecanos said, “I’m interested in…the social conditions and inequalities that push people to make choices that others, frankly, never have to consider.”

Pay, Right as Rain, The Sweet Forever and King Suckerman. You won’t find in Pelecanos’ novels the wheeling and dealing of national politicos who make D.C. their temporary home. But you will certainly read about the effects of their decisions on the working- and middle-class denizens of the city. “The political process [and] the games-

manship don’t interest me,” Pelecanos said. “I write about the people affected by the political system — those who have been ignored yet survived, and who will continue to be ignored and will continue to survive.” As a result, the label of crime fiction doesn’t quite fit his work, he said, which

Do you enjoy the Beacon? Would you appreciate a e? monthly email that links directly to our latest issue? Just call (301) 949-9766 and leave your email address, or email info@thebeaconnewspapers.com for this purpose, and we will enter you into a random drawing to win one of five autographed copies of George Pelecanos’ latest book, The Man Who Came Uptown.

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ARTS & STYLE

Mary Cliff, host of D.C.’s longrunning folk music radio show, spins an eclectic mix; plus, historical thrillers and Bob Levey’s bright side page 39 TECHNOLOGY 4 k Earn $ teaching English online FITNESS & HEALTH k Blood test detects cancers k Diabetes and COVID

SPOTLIGHT ON AGING k Newsletter for D.C. seniors

LAW & MONEY k How to ask banks for help k Protect your dormant car

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What you have told us First, a thank-you to the hundreds of had not interacted in person with someone readers who have filled out and mailed (or outside their home or apartment over the taken online) our “How are past week. And 45% had only you faring?” coronavirus panencountered others once or demic survey. twice in the past week. I want to share some of the Furthermore, nearly everyresults and comments reone (95%) said they have mainceived to date, as I think they tained the recommended soare enlightening. Below I comcial distance of six feet when in bine answers received over the presence of others. several weeks from all four of Perhaps due to this excelthe Beacon’s readership areas: lent level of compliance, only Greater Baltimore, Howard 20% of respondents personally County, Greater Washington FROM THE know anyone who has come and Greater Richmond. down with COVID-19, the illPUBLISHER We asked several ques- By Stuart P. Rosenthal ness caused by the novel corotions to find out how many navirus, and only 1% have readers are complying with the guidance been exposed to it, to the best of their to stay home as much as possible and keep knowledge. six feet of distance between themselves At the same time, people have continand others. ued to reach out to friends and family to By and large, people are complying very stay in touch. Nearly all (98%) told us they well. In the week before taking the survey, have communicated with others via tele21% said they had not left their home once, phone or computer in the past week. and 49% had left only one or two times to Of particular interest is that many have run errands or go to work. started using technologies that are new to This has, of course, severely limited in- them as a result of the pandemic. More teractions with other human beings: 29% than 61% have begun using video chat serv-

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ices such as Skype and Zoom, 42% have started using social media, one-third are giving streaming video a try, and 26% have had their first telemedicine experience. In addition, 20% have started ordering grocery and meal delivery to their home, and 11% have started shopping online for the first time. These are changes that will no doubt have huge repercussions in the coming months and years. I think it’s wonderful that more older adults are becoming comfortable using these technologies. The impact will, however, no doubt add to the toll the virus has already taken on retail stores, restaurants, and theatre and music venues. Another unfortunate effect, for now at least, has been that many have cut back on exercise (37%), including regular walks (32%). If this is something you have experienced, I encourage you to try working out at home. There are hundreds of exercise classes and videos online (search on YouTube or check your county recreation department’s website), or pull out those old Jane Fonda workout tapes, if you prefer. Regular exercise has many benefits, including keeping our immune system strong and helping keep weight gain in check. Exercise can also help keep our spirits up, which is why some numbers from our survey have been concerning. About one-third of respondents say they feel lonelier, and one-third feel more depressed or anxious, since being asked to shelter in place. Perhaps these feelings will pass as society slowly starts to open up again. But if they continue without let-up, it is important to seek help. Trained disaster distress counselors can be reached 24/7 at 1-800985-5990. Even while experiencing such feelings, most respondents have “taken advantage” of the slower pace of life brought about by the pandemic to do more things that bring them pleasure (or to simply get necessary things done). More than 70% are reading for pleasure and a similar number are watching more TV and movies. Also popular are calling old friends (60%) and writing letters (41%).

More than half have gone the productive route, cleaning out a room or attic or filing important papers, while 24% have used the time to complete and file their tax returns. I was glad to see that about 15% have gone the creative route — drawing, painting or playing a musical instrument to help fill the time and refresh the soul. This gives us a snapshot of how well Beacon readers are coping in these uncertain and alarming times. The additional comments many respondents shared give us even more insight. To share just a few: “It’s really scary out there.” ”Less pressure on social obligations, more freedom.” ”I believe the crisis has exposed how so many are in desperate economic straits, and I pray this will lead to systemic change.” ”Neighbors have been so helpful in so many ways.” ”Devastated by total loss of work.” ”How quickly time passes even without social interaction!” ”It makes me sick, depressed and angry that nobody ever asks about what tremendous needs a locked-down, high-risk person has, and the sheer terror that goes with that.” “This experience has taught me that even in the midst of chaos there is some good to heal the pain.” ”I’m lonely. Not for activity so much as the intimacy of touch. There’s just something about one hand resting firmly over another’s that says, ‘I really care.’” And one more comment that probably sums up something most of us are thinking: ”My main fear is not knowing when, or even if, life will return to normal, as it was before.” Even though it’s uncertain what tomorrow may bring, our goal at the Beacon is to help light the way forward as best we can. Thank you for completing our survey and thank you for reading.

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 Vice President of Operations – Gordon Hasenei Vice President, Sales & Marketing – Alan Spiegel Managing Editor – Margaret Foster Art Director – Kyle Gregory Director of Operations – Roger King Advertising Representatives – Doug Hallock, Dan Kelly, MK Phillips, Hubie Stockhausen Editoral Assistant – Ivey Noojin

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (301) 949-9766 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com Website: www.theBeaconNewspapers.com Submissions: The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial is the 10th of the month preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 15th of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 47 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions.

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or e-mail to info@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification. Dear Editor: Good job! I just read through the May Washington Beacon. You did a top-notch job in terms of including a good number of useful items with several that are of special interest to me including: Tech Innovations — Plant ID App, “Restoring Visual perception to the blind,” and Age-Friendly Montgomery. Dr. H. Petersohn Via email

Dear Bob Levey: I’ve been following your articles for years and always enjoy your insight. I was clearing my “things to do” during this coronavirus confinement, and came across your January article, “Please weigh in: Is this a good idea or not?” where you invited reader response. See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 45

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Mixed Media/ Textile

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Young Ae Yi Bevadine Zoma Terrell

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First Place Leigh Partington

Second Place Barbara Frey

Third Place Janet Mazor

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Pearl B. Chang

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Raymond Finkleman

Addison Newton Likins

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Lisa Trevino

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Beth Altman

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Marylou Bono Nancy Carlin Thomas S. Corbit Jerry Harvey Catherine Hart Kervan Frances P. Laughlin Martha Mihaly Black Sarah Lee Province Clare Wilson Young Ae Yi

Nico Ambush Pearl B. Chang Manny Eisner Sandra Valeria Franklin Doris Herman Addison Newton Likins Nathalie Pouliquen Patrick JamesRowland Christopher Ruch Elizabeth Steel Jo-Ann Marshburn Wilson

Honorable Mentions Keith Denise Brace Howard Evans Clark Richard Isaacman Vella Kendall Harvey Jerome Kupferberg Stephen Eugene Robinson Lynn V Schmitt Alan Harvey Simmons Warren Eugene Wilson

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Ruth Sentelle

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Ray Goodrow

Angela White

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Gillian Collins

Michael Thomas Mohr Carol Morgan Ronie Nieva Juan Antonio Serrano Betsy Shelburne Alexandra Margaret Treadaway-Hoare

Patricia Grimes

Stained Glass/Jewelry

Honorable Mentions SusanAnchors Sandra Cohen Denise Dallatore Chester Hall Barbara Katz Julianne Mueller Ruth Sentelle Angela White Gretchen Whitney HelenWood

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Lori Ann Grant

JeďŹ&#x20AC; Bulman

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Meredith Anne Weiser

Marylou Bono Clarice Burrell

Regine Camacho Thomas S. Corbit Lori Ann Grant Nathalie Pouliquen Lisa M. Scarbath Meredith Anne Weiser

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Technology &

Innovations How to have an effective telehealth visit Dear Savvy Senior, that can assess symptoms or check on peoI manage a large doctor’s clinic that ple who have had a medical procedure. treats hundreds of seniors Telehealth also works well for each month. We are movsome specialties like dermaing to more telehealth vistology or mental health care its to help keep our pa(counseling/therapy) servictients safe at home during es. [See “Virus drives demand the coronavirus pandemic, for online therapy” on facing but this new way of seeing page.] a doctor is befuddling to So, what can patients exmany of our older patients. pect from a telehealth visit, Can you write a column edand how should they prepare? ucating patients on how to SAVVY SENIOR prepare for a telehealth apWhat tech do you need? By Jim Miller pointment? The first step is to call your Regular Reader doctor’s office to find out Dear Reader, whether telemedicine visits are available, I’d be happy to help! To help keep pa- and whether you will need to set up an actients safe and at home during the coron- count or install special software on your avirus crisis, more and more doctors and computer, phone or tablet. other healthcare providers are turning to Until recently, doctors were required to telehealth (a.k.a. telemedicine) appoint- conduct telehealth visits through platments — remote e-visits using a smart- forms such as Doxy, Thera-Link or Myphone, tablet or computer. Chart that were compliant with the Health Although telehealth has been around Insurance Portability and Accountability for a few years now, recent updates to reg- Act, or HIPAA. ulations and a surge in demand have made But some of those requirements have it the easiest way to get many different been relaxed in the current crisis, so types of medical care. many providers are using popular apps Most telehealth appointments today such as FaceTime, Skype and Zoom to tend to be primary care or follow-up visits conduct visits.

Become familiar with it Once you know what technology you will be using, get familiar with it. You don’t want to spend the first 10 minutes of your visit trying to figure out how to unmute the audio. For older patients who aren’t familiar or comfortable with technology, ask a relative or friend with a smartphone, tablet or laptop to assist you.

Get prepared Take the time to clarify the purpose of the televisit before it begins. Prioritize a written list of three or four issues you want to discuss with your doctor, and make a list of the medicines you’re taking, along with the dosages. Also, have relevant medical devices or logs on hand, such as a penlight or smartphone flashlight for viewing a sore throat, a blood-pressure cuff and thermometer (or recent readings), blood-sugar logs if you’re diabetic, or a food log if you have gastrointestinal problems. If you’ve received medical care at different places, such as an urgent care facility or another doctor’s office, have your latest medical records with you during the telemedicine visit. Wear loose clothing that will allow you to show your medical provider what is concerning you.

The length of the appointment may depend on the problem. A routine visit could be very quick, while others, such as a physicaltherapy appointment, may last as long as a session at a clinic. Waiting rooms are sometimes replaced by virtual waiting rooms.

Arrange for follow-up Before the visit ends, make sure you know the follow-up plan. Do you need to schedule an in-office visit, fill a prescription or get a referral to a specialist? Right now, Medicare and Medicaid are covering the cost of telehealth visits (see medicare.gov/coverage/telehealth for details), and most private insurers are following suit. If, however, you don’t have a primary care physician or you need urgent care, you can get help through a virtual healthcare service like Doctor on Demand (doctorondemand.com) or TeleDoc (teladoc.com). These services currently do not accept original Medicare, but they may be covered by private insurers including some Medicare Advantage plans — be sure to check. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior.

Teach English online for extra money By Internationalliving.com The timing is right today for turning native English skills into an online income, according to a new report from International Living. Retirees (and others) looking for a flexible, fun, portable way to earn from home should consider teaching English online — no office, no cubicle, no experience necessary. Qualified people need not have a teaching degree or any specialized qualifications beyond their native English skills. “There has never been a better time to turn your English skills into an online income,” said Kary Vanice, creator of “Speak English and Get Paid,” a course that explores the many earning paths open to English speakers, and host of a new Earnwith-English online masterclass. “The United Nations recently reported that more than 290 million students in 13 countries have had their regular in-class stud-

ies disrupted due to the coronavirus. Almost all of these students are now taking classes online. Major online English teaching companies are on a hiring spree to fill the demand.

Growing demand English is the language of the internet — and the reach of the internet keeps expanding. A growing middle class worldwide is driving greater urbanization, which in turn creates more demand for English skills as well. And the ability to speak English has been equated to higher pay. So the demand is significant. “The e-learning sector is one of the world’s fastest growing industries, slated to become a $65 billion industry by 2023,” Vanice said. “You have a virtual ‘perfect storm’ of opportunity just waiting to be cashed in on.

With a laptop, a speedy internet connection and a little know-how, you can be set up in a matter of weeks to be earning online from the comfort of your own home.” “Many of these opportunities allow you to determine your own work hours, what type of students you work with, and how much or how little you work every week,” Vanice said. “Some employers even prefer to hire teachers with no prior teaching experience, so they can train them how to teach their way, using their learning materials. With so much opportunity, there really is something for everyone.” International Living argues that with many Americans already concerned their nest egg might not hold out through retirement — even before the recent market crash — it makes good sense to have an income plan in place. Ideally, it’s one that al-

lows a person to earn from anywhere, in the hours they prefer, from right there at home, and without a long ramp-up time or lots of specialized qualifications. Teaching English online checks all those boxes.

Funds living abroad for some “Because our English students are on the other side of the world, we teach very early in the morning (usually 4:30 a.m.). By 8 a.m., we are done teaching for the day, and ready to have fun with our kids.” That flexibility is attractive — and it comes built in, no matter if a person’s home base is Hays, Kansas or Barcelona, Spain. “I’ve created my own schedule, teaching from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m., Monday to Friday,” said Tess Bercan, who is based in Costa Rica. “I earn about $1,000 a month doing See TEACH ENGLISH, page 5

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this. “For me, this schedule is ideal. By 8 a.m., I’m done with my day, and I spend the rest of my time at the beach and meeting friends.

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There are many online tutoring companies that hire English teachers. Research ESL (English as a Second Language) and TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). The “Speak English and Get Paid” course costs $397 and is available at barefootconsultants.com.

But sometimes it may take an event for people to try something new because we’re so stuck in our patterns. It seems so normal to go to an office and seek treatment. And we don’t really think about, ‘Well, why are we leaving work to do this? Why are we sitting for hours to go to an appointment when I can just go on a screen or I can message at any time when I have a five-minute break?’ So, I think that this could be that inflection point for a lot of people where they really see this is something that is positively changing how they access their care. For more information, visit talkspace.com. —AP

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will be a significant episode and launch them into long-term treatment. And the average person coming to us stays for somewhere between three and six months. And we don’t expect it to be significantly different coming through this current situation. Q: Public and private insurers have been trying to promote broader use of telemedicine for years. What does this crisis mean for that effort? A: I think a lot of us in the virtual and the telehealth space have been trying to reach the inflection point. In a way, reaching it this way is a little less satisfying because there are so many people going through pain.

I N F O R M AT I O N

ple seeking help. We’re seeing people with anxiety about coronavirus or things related to friends and family and keeping them safe. A lot of people are coming in with anxiety related to their economic circumstances. And then what’s been popping up more and more as we get deeper into social distancing and stay at home orders has been couples seeking counseling or help with relationships. Q: Do you expect these people to become long-term users? A: For a lot of people going through this, what they need is a brief intervention to help them adjust. They’ll need help acclimating with some issues that they’re maybe having with their families. So, there’s going to be a subset of people who cycle through therapy, and a couple weeks or two months is really what meets their needs. And that’s okay. There are other people for whom this

F R E E

By Matthew Perrone The coronavirus pandemic is driving up stress levels for many Americans — and new business for online therapy companies. More than four in 10 U.S. adults say worries tied to the outbreak are impacting their mental health, according to a recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Not surprisingly, companies that offer online therapy are seeing increased demand for video and text-based consultations. Dr. Neil Leibowitz, chief medical officer of Talkspace, spoke with the Associated Press about what the coronavirus may mean for the present and future of teletherapy. The conversation was edited for clarity and length. Q: How is the outbreak affecting Talkspace’s business? A: Unfortunately or fortunately, we’re seeing significant growth, as high as 65 to 70% in the last month, of new clients coming into treatment. And we’re seeing growth coming from every aspect of peo-

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Health Fitness &

BLOOD SUGAR TROUBLE What diabetics should know about the increased risks of COVID-19 complications GLORIOUS GINGER The ancient root can reduce pain and improve mobility in people with arthritis RISKS TO WRISTS What to do if you suffer carpal tunnel syndrome or other painful wrist conditions STROKE RECOVERY If you’ve had a stroke, a new research study you can join from home can help

Blood test can detect some early cancers By Marilynn Marchione For the first time, a blood test has been shown to help detect many types of cancer in a study of thousands of people with no history or symptoms of the disease. The test is still experimental. Even its fans say it needs to be improved and that the recent results are not ideal. Yet they show what benefits and drawbacks might come from using these genebased tests, called liquid biopsies, in routine care — in this case, with PET scans to confirm or rule out suspected tumors. “We think that it’s feasible,” said Nickolas Papadopoulos, a Johns Hopkins University scientist who helped develop the test. Using it along with standard screening methods “doubled the cancers that were detected” in the study, he said. But the test also missed many more cancers than it found, and raised some false

alarms that led to unnecessary follow-up procedures. It was only studied in women 65 to 75 years old and needs to be tried in men, other ages and more diverse groups. “This is not at the place where it could be used today,” said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society. “It will need many more studies to demonstrate value,” including whether it improves survival, he said. Results were published in the journal Science and discussed at an American Association for Cancer Research conference that was held online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Goal is early detection Many companies are working on liquid biopsies, which look for DNA and other things that tumors shed into blood, to try to find cancer at an early stage.

This test was invented by Hopkins doctors who formed a company, Thrive Earlier Detection Corp., to develop it with Third Rock Ventures, a biotechnology finance firm. Until now, these multi-cancer detection tools have been tested on blood samples from people with and without cancer to estimate their accuracy. The new study was the first “real world” test in routine medical care, following patients through surgery or other treatment to see how they fared. Nearly 10,000 women 65 to 75 years old with no history of cancer were recruited through the Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. That’s because some deadly cancers, such as ovarian, have no screening test now, and women in this age group have a higher risk for cancer yet are young enough to benefit from finding it early, Papadopoulos said.

They were encouraged to continue regular screenings such as mammograms and colonoscopies, and were given the blood test, which was repeated if findings suggested cancer. If the second test also was suspicious, they were given a whole-body PET-CT scan, an imaging test that costs around $1,000 and can reveal the location of any tumors. After one year, 96 cancers had been diagnosed. Usual screenings found 24, and the blood test helped find 26 others. The remaining 46 were found because symptoms appeared or the cancer was discovered in other ways, such as an imaging test for a different reason.

Benefits suggest future value Blood testing “made a genuine difference See BLOOD TEST, page 9

Steady diet of bad news is bad for health By David Bauder Heidi Van Roekel makes instructional art videos for YouTube when coronavirus news overwhelms her. Bill Webb takes his boat out. Stacy Mitchell searches her TV for something — anything — to make her laugh. Paradoxically, Kevin Reed, a software designer from Kenmore, Washington, has binged “The Walking Dead” after turning off the news. He’d rather watch fake, flesheating zombies than a real-life pandemic. It’s no surprise that news outlets are in demand with a story that directly affects so many people, whether they’ve gotten sick, lost jobs or are locked down at home. Almost 90% of Americans said they were following coronavirus news either very or fairly closely, according to a Pew Research Center survey taken in late April. Yet that takes a toll. Pew also found that 71% of Americans said they need to take breaks from the news. To watch something else. To do something else. To breathe a little. “A week and a half ago, I just had to throttle it down,” said Webb, a writer and consultant who lives in Sarasota, Florida. “I think you get overwhelmed by it. You’re sitting in your house, and there’s nothing you can do about things.”

Anxiety attacks, PTSD and more Mitchell, a consultant in human resources from Dayton, Ohio, said she watches the “Today” show in the morning, the

network evening news and tries to catch her state’s governor, Mike DeWine, at least at the beginning of his regular briefings. But she hit a wall.

“It was just COVID-19 overload,” Mitchell said. “I was very anxious. I had a full-blown See HEALTH NEWS, page 8

How long before we know if reopenings cause virus spikes? By Carla K. Johnson States in the U.S. and countries worldwide are cautiously relaxing restrictions while watching for potential spikes in coronavirus infections. Getting the timing right is complicated. Disease trackers note the impossibility of seeing clearly what’s happening without widespread testing. Here’s a look at when we might start to see any health impacts of reopening:

When are we going to know? The virus can circulate undetected, then flare up in a nursing home or after a family gathering. So, it could be several weeks to see surges in infections. What’s more, there are still new infections happening now during lockdowns. Some parts of the U.S. are seeing in-

creasing numbers of daily new cases, and some are seeing declines. Health officials will be looking at the number of new cases per day and the percentage of positive COVID-19 tests.

Why does it take that long? After exposure to the virus, it can take three to five days for someone to feel sick, and many infected people won’t have symptoms or only mild ones. Some with mild illness might delay getting tested. It can take another few days to get test results back and report them. All told, it can take two weeks or so — the time for one group of people to spread the virus to another — to have enough testing data. Crystal Watson of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security said it will take a few rounds of in-

fection spread — five to six weeks — to know how reopening has affected epidemic curves.

If there’s a spike, how would we stop it? Ideally, investigators would call people who test positive, track down their contacts and get them into quarantine before they can spread the virus to others. There’s evidence the coronavirus can spread before people feel sick, making it important to act quickly. States are just starting to expand their ability to do this contact tracing. Without adequate testing and contact tracing, returning to restrictions or a lockdown might be necessary if there is a surge in infections. —AP

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Health news From page 7 anxiety attack, and I decided that I was not going to watch more of that stuff.” Science supports them. Roxane Cohen Silver, Dana Rose Garfin and E. Alison Holman — researchers at the University of California at Irvine who have been studying the effect of prolonged media exposure to bad news following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks — wrote an article for Health Psychology magazine in February, warning of this effect before coronavirus was even on the radar for many Americans. People who watch too much news can have nightmares, feelings of anxiety, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, Silver said. In the long run, they’re more likely to report cardiovascular disorders. Some people who consumed a heavy

diet of news about the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 were actually more stressed out than people on the scene, the researchers found. “The news is distressing,” Silver said. “There are not many uplifting stories. It’s the repetitive bad news that is so draining.” The pandemic story is particularly difficult because it’s not a single event that fades with time. There’s no telling how long it will go on. Because of unemployment and so many staying at home, more people have time to follow it. That’s precisely what is happening with Jose Moreno of San Antonio, Texas, a caretaker for his elderly mother. The news makes him overthink, he said. “When I leave the house, I’m wondering, ‘Am I doing something that I shouldn’t be doing?’ It’s a lot of stress,” he said.

J U N E 2 0 2 0 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Positive stories now appearing Some news organizations recognize the impact of a steady diet of sobering news and have sought ways to offer relief. CBS News reporter Steve Hartman, whose regular “On the Road” series has been grounded, is “teaching” an online class in kindness. On the other side of the world, the Sydney Morning Herald and other Australian newspapers hunt for stories to fit their “Good News Initiative.” During a meeting with fellow editors at the Associated Press one morning in March, running down a particularly distressing list of the day’s stories, Sally Stapleton offered some light in the dark clouds. She promoted a story about a homebound woman in Norway who asked people on Facebook to send birthday greetings to her children, and people all over the world did. A college student sent home to New York after classes were suspended organized 1,300 volunteers in three days to shop and make deliveries for shut-ins. The stories got such a positive reaction that “One Good Thing” is now a daily feature. AP journalists all over the world compete to have a story included. “I just think it’s news,” said Stapleton, global religion editor. “These stories are everywhere, all the time. Mostly we ignore them. This is not a time to ignore them.” Fox News has similarly collected more than 700 television and online stories showing resiliency under the “America To-

gether” banner. The featured articles have received more than 25 million page views. “If you’re in a position to spread these stories that warm the heart at a time when there is uncertainty, sadness and fear, I think it’s our obligation to do so,” said Fox News anchor Dana Perino.

Find a happy medium Even people who need to step away from the tough news recognize that it’s essential. UCal-Irvine’s Silver stays informed by reading online news sites in the morning and evening, and gets notifications during the day. She said she watches no television. She doesn’t expect many others will avoid TV altogether — her husband and son certainly don’t — but recommends against keeping the TV or news radio on constantly in the background. “People should make a conscious effort to monitor their exposure,” Silver said. Van Roekel, a stay-at-home mom from Los Alamos, New Mexico, said she limits her exposure to national news to four days a week, and makes sure she stays away from social media before bedtime. She said her husband has been catching up with old sitcoms, and she loves actor John Krasinski’s YouTube series, “Some Good News.” Mitchell and her husband have watched Disney’s “Avengers” movies. “You’ve got to take a break for your mental health,” Van Roekel said. —AP

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What diabetics should know about COVID By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, My husband and I are both in our late 60s, and have diabetes. We would like to find out if our diabetes increases our risk of getting the coronavirus. Concerned Diabetics Dear Concerned, Currently, there’s not enough data to show that people with diabetes are more likely to get coronavirus (COVID-19) than the general population. But the problem for diabetics is, if you do happen to contract the virus, your chance of developing serious complications are much higher. This is especially true if your diabetes isn’t well controlled. Here’s what you should know:

reason is that high blood sugar weakens the immune system and makes it less able to fight off infections. Your risk of severe coronavirus infection is even higher if you also have another condition, like heart or lung disease. If you do get COVID-19, the infection could also put you at greater risk for complications like diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which happens when high levels of acids called ketones build up in your blood. Some people who catch the new coronavirus have a dangerous body-wide response to it, called sepsis. To treat sepsis, doctors need to manage your body’s fluid and electrolyte levels. DKA causes you to lose electrolytes, which can make sepsis harder to control.

Diabetic risks Health data is showing that about 25% of people who go to the hospital with severe COVID-19 infections have diabetes. One

How to avoid COVID-19

Blood test

to move liquid biopsies into routine care. The test still needs to be improved, but “it can become very valuable,” he said. The research was funded by foundations and government grants. Many study leaders have financial ties to Thrive or other companies related to the work, and Johns Hopkins holds some patent rights. Some companies may seek to market liquid biopsies under rules that allow certain tests to be sold without federal Food and Drug Administration approval. Thrive’s CEO Dave Daly said the company plans a larger, definitive study and is committed to working with the FDA, but that “all options are on the table” for developing the test. Cost hasn’t been decided, he said, but will be “in the hundreds of dollars, not the —AP thousands.”

From page 7 in discovering cancers in a small number of patients,” took seven months on average, and led to 1% of women getting a PET scan they incidentally did not need, Lichtenfeld said. The blood test helped reveal six ovarian cancers, including one in Rosemary Jemo, 71, a hairdresser and exercise instructor who lives near Hazleton in eastern Pennsylvania. “I would have never known…I didn’t feel anything” before the football-sized tumor was found, she said. Surgeons were able to remove it, and she is being monitored now. Alberto Bardelli, a cancer specialist at the University of Turin in Italy who discussed the study at the conference, called it “extraordinary” and said it shows a way

The best way to avoid getting sick is to stay home as much as you can. If you have

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to go out, keep at least six feet away from other people. Cover your nose and mouth with a mask. And every time you come back from the supermarket, pharmacy or another public place, wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Also wash your hands before you give yourself a finger stick or insulin shot. Clean each site first with soap and water or rubbing alcohol. To protect you, everyone in your house should wash their hands often, especially

before they cook for the family. Don’t share any utensils or other personal items. And if anyone in your house is sick, they should stay in their own room, as far as possible from you. The CDC also recommends that you stock up on medications and diabetes testing supplies to last for at least a month. The same goes for grocery supplies and other household necessities. See DIABETICS & COVID, page 11

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Age-Friendly Montgomery “I invite you to take part in all the resources our County has to offer.” County Executive Marc Elrich

Join More Than 2,000 Montgomery County Residents on Senior Planet! Now that we are all practicing social distancing, use Senior Planet Montgomery to stay connected. Take advantage of free lectures and workshops via Zoom. Some of the exciting topics that are being offered include: • How to Use Zoom (Basic and Advanced) • Protecting Your Information Online • Online Shopping and Food Delivery Apps • Doctor visits online and telemedicine • Person-to-Person Payment Services (e.g. PayPal, VenMo) • Lowering Your Utility Bill • YouTube and Podcasts • Fitness Classes Classes change on a weekly basis. A home internet connection and a device (such as a smartphone, tablet or computer) is all that is required to participate. Advance registration is not needed.

We All Need to Stay Physically Distant No One Should Be Socially Isolated Practicing social distancing doesn’t mean we have to be socially isolated. Everyone can be active and engaged online! Whether you are 60 or 99 or somewhere in between, if you want to learn how to do more online, or feel more confident about what you do online, join Senior Planet Montgomery for free classes delivered via Zoom. Visit seniorplanet.org/Montgomery, call 240-753-0676, or email us at mocoinfo@seniorplanet.org to find the class for you! Senior Planet Montgomery ofrece clases gratuitas por internet en español para adultos mayores del Condado. Visite seniorplanet.org/Montgomery o seniorplanet.org/eventos-en-espanol-montgomery

Contact Us Today • Aging & Disability Resource Line 240-777-3000 (8:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. T, W, Th/5 p.m. M & F) • 3-1-1 or 240-777-0311 for County programs and services; 9-1-1 for emergency • www.montgomerycountymd.gov/senior • “Seniors Today” airs on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. on Comcast/RCN 6, Verizon 30

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Celery boasts numerous health benefits By Cynthia Sass Celery juice has become a sensation recently. That fad aside (and with the lack of solid support for many of the claims), here’s the lowdown on celery’s nutrients and some of its research-backed potential health benefits: Celery is low in calories and hydrating. One large stalk contains a mere 7 calories and packs 2 ounces of water. That means that chowing down on six stalks adds up to only 42 calories while providing a filling cup-and-a-half of H2O. Research also shows that the act of chewing, which celery most definitely requires, reduces hunger and may boost the release of hormones that trigger satiety — making this crunchy veggie a savvy snack choice for weight management. Celery provides key nutrients. While celery is largely water, it also provides several vital vitamins and minerals. The veg’s vitamin A supports immunity, skin and eye health, and has been linked to retaining lung strength as well as slowing age-relat-

ed cognitive decline. Celery’s vitamin K helps blood to clot and protects bone density. This nutrient is required for bone formation, and a shortfall is tied to increased fracture risk. Folate in celery helps support mental performance; too little has been linked to a higher risk of memory problems, as well as depression. Celery’s potassium supports heart function, muscle contractions and helps maintain muscle mass. The vegetable also provides smaller amounts of vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium, magnesium and manganese. Celery is rich in antioxidants and other bioactive compounds. Celery contains more than a dozen types of antioxidants and dozens of potent anti-inflammatory substances. These compounds are thought to protect against cellular damage that can lead to premature aging and disease. Natural substances in celery have also been shown to help optimize circulation and reduce blood pressure. Quercetin, a flavonoid found in celery,

Diabetics & COVID

often than usual, and check your ketones. COVID-19 can reduce your appetite and cause you to eat less, which could affect your levels. You also need more fluids than usual when you’re sick, so keep water close by, and drink it often. You should also know that many overthe-counter medicines that relieve virus symptoms like fever or cough can affect your blood sugar levels. So, before you take anything, check with your doctor. And be aware that if you start experiencing severe shortness of breath, high levels of ketones or DKA symptoms like severe weakness, body aches, vomiting or belly pain, you need to see your doctor or get to an emergency room right away.

From page 9 Medicare is now covering the cost of telehealth visits, so if you have questions for your doctor, you can ask by video chat or phone instead of going into the office.

If you get sick The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are a dry cough, fever or shortness of breath. If you develop any symptoms that are concerning, call your doctor about getting tested. If you find that you have contracted COVID-19, the first level of care is to stay home and check your blood sugar more

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has been shown to combat both acute and chronic inflammation, and is linked to protection against neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s. Quercetin has also been linked to apoptosis, the self-destruct sequence the body uses to kill off worn-out or dysfunctional cells, which may help reduce cancer risk. Celer y supports digestive health. The fiber in celery — 1 gram per large stalk — supports good gut health and bowel regularity. It also boosts fullness and delays the return of hunger, another perk that may aid weight management. Animal research has also shown that celery extract combats ulcer formation. To take advantage of celery’s benefits, incorporate the whole or chopped vegetable

into meals and snacks. Fill two or three stalks with spiced nut butter to simultaneously satisfy a sweet, salty and crunchy craving. Use celery to scoop up hummus, guacamole or seasoned tahini. The vegetable also makes a terrific addition to stir-fries, soups and vegetable stews. Raw celery adds flavor and texture to garden salads, marinated veggies and chilled protein salads, such as egg, tuna or white bean. Juice fan or not, there are smart reasons to incorporate this crispy vegetable into your regular eating routine. Health.com delivers relevant information in clear, jargon-free language. © 2020 Meredith Corporation. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Recent Alzheimer’s prevention research Courtesy of Keck School of Medicine of USC Research from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC) shows that damaged capillaries in the brain — independent of plaques and tangles of abnormal proteins — may set the stage for Alzheimer’s decades before memory problems emerge. “The fact that we’re seeing the blood vessels leaking, independent of tau and independent of amyloid, when people have cognitive impairment on a mild level, suggests

it could be a totally separate process or a very early process,” said Berislav Zlokovic, M.D., Ph.D., and director of the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute at the Keck School. In healthy brains, the cells that form the walls of capillaries fit tightly together to form a barrier that keeps stray cells, pathogens, metals and other unhealthy substances from reaching brain tissue. Scientists call this the blood-brain barrier. In some aging brains, the seams between cells loosen, blood vessels become

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permeable and neurons begin to die.

Mapping blood-brain barrier Zlokovic works closely with Arthur Toga, Ph.D., a world leader in mapping brain structure and functioning, at the Keck School. “Brain imaging is integral to studying Alzheimer’s disease. In visualizing the bloodbrain barrier in people, we actually can see and measure changes where the barrier breaks down,” Toga said. “We’ve been able to correlate greater leakage with increased cognitive decline.” In addition, brain imaging is allowing Toga to detect changes, potentially indicative of disease, in the spaces around blood vessels in the brain. Known as perivascular spaces, they help drain fluid and metabolic waste from the brain. Other USC scientists are also working at the intersection of blood vessels and brain health, including Diana Younan, a senior research associate in the department of preventive medicine at the Keck School. She studies the link between air pollution and dementia. The exact mechanism isn’t fully understood; for instance, does fine particle pollution penetrate the blood-brain barrier and infiltrate brain tissue? Is it a matter of pollution triggering inflammation? In her recent research, Younan looked at this association and explored the protec-

tive effects of higher levels of education, physical activity and challenging work — all of which contribute to “cognitive reserve,” or resilience in the brain’s function. When she and her colleagues studied people exposed to fine particle pollution, they found that higher levels of cognitive reserve seemed to protect against dementia. “Here in Los Angeles, you can’t really avoid air pollution,” Younan said. “So, if people are staying involved in mentally stimulating activities, it could decrease the risk of memory problems later on.”

Diabetes treatment protects Daniel Nation, an assistant professor of psychology at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, found in an observational study that untreated diabetes is associated with elevated tau pathology and risk for dementia, whereas treated diabetes is not. One theory is that diabetes treatment may keep the brain’s blood vessels healthy, staving off dementia. “It’s clear that the medicines for treating diabetes make a difference in the progression of dementia,” Nation said. “But it’s unclear how exactly those medications slow or prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, so that is something we need to investigate.” © 2020 www.awellnessupdate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Finding new benefits for ancient walnuts By Lori Zanteson Walnuts are prized for their delicious flavor as well as their health-promoting nutrients and unique supply of plant compounds. Walnuts are the oldest tree food known to man, dating back to 7,000 BCE. Native to ancient Persia, walnuts were so coveted that only royalty were allowed to eat them. Ancient Greeks then used walnuts for food, medicine and dye for wool and cloth. They came to be called English walnuts because English merchants traded the popular nut in ports all over the world, including North America. Today, California’s Central Valley produces 99% of the commercial U.S. supply of walnuts.

Three types, all good English walnuts (Juglans regia) are the most popular walnut in the U.S., followed by black walnuts (Juglans nigra) and white walnuts (Juglans cinerea). English walnuts have a thinner shell and are more easily cracked than the black variety, which has a more pungent flavor. The white walnut is sweeter but not as easy to find. Walnuts are a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids and are the only nut with significantly high in omega-3 ALA, which is linked to several health benefits. A one-ounce serving of walnuts (about

14 halves) packs 48% DV (Daily Value, based on 2,000 calories/day) of manganese and 11% DV of magnesium, both key players in bone health, along with 22% of the essential nutrient copper.

Recent studies find benefits Walnuts, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, have beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk factors, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. According to a 2019 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the benefits are not just due to replacing saturated fatty acid diets with unsaturated fatty acids; there are benefits to walnuts as a whole food replacement. Another 2019 study in the journal Nutrition Research and Practice found that people with metabolic syndrome who ate 45 grams of walnuts daily for 16 weeks significantly reduced metabolic syndrome risks, experiencing improved HDL (“good”) cholesterol, decreased fasting glucose levels and lower blood pressure.

and bottled as oil. Because of their high fatty acid content, they can go rancid easily, so store them in the refrigerator or freezer. Mix crushed walnuts into hot or cold cereals and yogurt parfaits; sprinkle halves or pieces onto salads, sauteed vegetables and whole grain side dishes; blend into pesto

and serve over pasta or bruschetta; or keep a handful nearby for a satisfying snack. Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC, 1-800-8295384, EnvironmentalNutrition.com. © 2020 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Repetitive motion injuries are on the rise By Mayo Clinic Dear Mayo Clinic: Earlier this year, I began experiencing some pain in my right hand and wrist. I am a systems engineer and have always done a fair amount of typing at work. Now, with the COVID-19 pandemic, I am working at home and spending even more time on a keyboard. I’m finding the pain has increased, and I’m also having some new tingling and numbness in my hand and wrist. I heard about carpal tunnel and was wondering if I may have it. If I do have carpal tunnel, what can I do to help or reverse it? A: There are various things that can cause hand and wrist discomfort. Feelings of pins

and needles, or a sensation of tingling or prickling, can occur in the hands due to pressure on nerves, which are like electrical cables that in part give feeling to your fingers. The exact area of discomfort and symptoms will guide which condition you likely have. Are your symptoms occurring all day or only at certain times? Are you having pain only while typing? Given the situation you describe, it’s most likely you are experiencing one of two common ailments that have become more common in the age of technology. The first is a type of tendonitis known as De Quervain’s tenosynovitis. This is considered an overuse injury caused by repetitive hand or wrist motion. The second possibility is carpal tunnel

syndrome. Activities such as typing or texting, golfing, and gardening can worsen these conditions. Symptoms to look for De Quervain’s tenosynovitis affects the tendons on the thumb side of your wrist. You may have swelling in this area and pain that is exacerbated when you twist your wrist, grasp or lift something heavy like a milk jug. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that can create numbness and a sensation of tingling in your fingers. It occurs when the median nerve, which is on the palm side of the hand, is compressed or irritated in some way. Symptoms typically are limited to your thumb, index finger, middle finger and outer half of your ring finger. If you feel tingling along the inner aspect of your forearm down to your pinky finger, carpal tunnel is not likely the cause. Rather, it may be that you are suffering from cubital tunnel, which is irritation of a nerve by your inner elbow. Many patients with carpal tunnel report initial symptoms at night, although as the condition progresses, carpal tunnel can cause weakness of the thumb’s pinching muscles and lead to difficulties performing routine tasks. Some patients have reported numbness in their hand that is exacerbated, for instance, while holding a phone or driving. Treatment options If your symptoms are related to De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, using ice for swelling and taking a mild pain reliever can help with discomfort. The best treatment, though, is to reduce the activity that is most likely causing your

symptoms. While that can be challenging now, especially if you notice that your pain is exacerbated while you type, consider using a voice-activated dictation system or switch fingers if you text a lot. For instance, if you most often use your thumbs to text and it has become more painful, switch to using your index fingers instead. I also would recommend that you perform an ergonomics check of your athome workspace. Your posture can affect how you function and develop some of these symptoms. Second, look at the position of your wrist. If you are sitting or standing at an awkward height, your wrist could be in a significantly flexed position that puts pressure on the nerves and tendons and increases your risk for issues and symptoms. To help alleviate your carpal tunnel like symptoms at night, try an over-the-counter splint with a metal reinforcement on the palm side. This splint will stop you from flexing your wrist and reduce irritation on the nerve. If your symptoms progress, talk with your healthcare provider about next steps to confirm your diagnosis and the potential for other nonsurgical treatments, such as hand therapy or an injection. — Sanj Kakar, M.D., Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. Email a question to MayoClinicQ&A @mayo.edu or visit mayoclinic.org. © 2020 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Ginger spices up foods and relieves pain By Lori Zanteson Bold, aromatic and pungent, ginger (also called ginger root) has spiced up palates and herbal remedies for thousands of years.

The folklore Thought to be native to southeastern Asia, ginger had long been prized in India, China and the Middle East, before the Chinese brought it to Rome when it grew in demand and became widely traded. It’s been used extensively in the treatment of many ailments, such as colds, nausea and arthritis. It’s also unique, and one of the most wellloved flavors around the globe, starring in favorite recipes like ginger tea, Indian curries, pickled accompaniment to sushi and, of course, gingerbread, especially the beloved gingerbread man cookie. Fortunately for us, ginger also has many powerful antioxidant health-protecting plant compounds.

The facts Ginger (Zingiber officinale), a member of the same plant family as cardamom and turmeric, is the rhizome (underground rootstalk) of the ginger plant. Peek beneath the rough exterior — knobby, basic beige and a bit craggy — to reveal a flesh that may be yellow, white or reddish, depending on the variety. Chinese ginger, or grocery-store ginger, which has a pungent flavor and pale, yellow flesh, is most common in the U.S. As a spice, only small amounts of fresh ginger are used in cooking. So, while a teaspoon-sized serving doesn’t pack vitamins and minerals, it is big on aromatics, flavor and many bioactive compounds, most notably anti-inflammatory gingerols.

Pain relief benefits Ginger may help reduce pain and improve mobility in people with arthritis. A study in patients with rheumatoid arthritis noted that daily ginger powder for 12 weeks improved inflammation (Gene, 2019). Several studies have shown ginger to improve gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting. Another study found that daily ginger supplementation improved these symptoms in patients with advanced cancer (Supportive Care in Cancer, 2019).

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GEORGE WASHINGTON TRIVIA THURSDAY

Do you know George Washington’s middle name? (Hint: That’s a trick question.) Mount Vernon may be closed, but you can join Mount Vernon experts in a family-friendly trivia game every Thursday at 4 p.m. Find out more at mountvernon.org.

Variety of uses There are many forms of ginger: dried, pickled, preserved, crystallized, candied, powdered, ground and, of course, fresh, which packs the most flavor. Refrigerate unpeeled, fresh ginger a few weeks, or freeze for up to six months. Keep ground ginger tightly sealed. Slice, chop or grate ginger into veggie side dishes, stir fries, soups and roasted or mashed winter squash or sweet potatoes. Mix with soy sauce, olive oil and garlic and use as a salad dressing or marinade. Add it to baked goods for warming, sweetsmelling bliss. Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC, 1-800-8295384, EnvironmentalNutrition.com. © 2020 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Q and As on fainting and forgetfulness By Howard LeWine, M.D. Q: What happens inside the body when a person faints? A: Fainting occurs when something interrupts blood flow to the brain. Although usually harmless, fainting can cause injuries and sometimes signals a problem with the heart or circulatory system. If you faint, it’s worth talking with your doctor, especially if there doesn’t seem to be an explanation. Some basic physiology helps explain what happens when a person faints. It’s harder for the heart to pump blood up to the brain than down to the toes. Blood pressure helps overcome the downward tug of gravity and push blood to the head. We tend to think of blood pressure as a relatively stable entity. It isn’t. It changes every time you stand up, sit down, bend over, eat, sneeze, get stressed or relax. The human body is designed to counter these shifts and quickly bring blood pressure back to its usual point. This requires an intricate feedback system that involves sensors in the aorta and in the carotid arteries leading to the brain. These sensors stimulate a host of nerve and hormone signals that change how fast

the heart beats, how much blood it pumps with each beat, and the contraction and relaxation of blood vessels. When blood pressure falls for any reason, heart rate should speed up and blood vessels should contract to maintain blood flow to the brain. The brain requires a constant supply of sugar and oxygen to function. If the heart and blood vessels don’t respond to low blood pressure as they should, the brain quickly goes into an energy-conserving shutdown. The brain’s signals to nerves and muscles stop, and the person slumps to the ground. Once the body is horizontal, it’s easier for the heart to pump blood to the head. Usually the brain “wakes up” again within seconds. That may not be true if loss of consciousness was due to a heart problem. Role of the vagus nerve Most fainting episodes result from excessive stimulation of the vagus nerve. Known as vasovagal syncope, it happens when blood vessels relax and blood pressure starts to fall. The vagus nerve sends signals to the heart to slow down, lowering blood pressure even more. Blood flow to the brain

halts, and the person blacks out and collapses. Many situations can trigger an episode of vasovagal syncope. Standing for a long time in a hot, crowded environment is a common one. Sometimes the trigger is a strong emotion, such as the response to bad news. Some people faint when they see blood, have a coughing spell, laugh hard or strain to urinate or move their bowels. Vasovagal syncope is more common in people under 35, in part because the nervous system is more sensitive in younger people. Q: I am getting more forgetful. I will sometimes walk into a room and not remember what I wanted to do. When are memory changes like these worrisome? A: Memory lapses like what you describe are very common as we get older. They can be unsettling, but they don’t necessarily herald impending dementia. The key is in how often these slips occur. Keep track of the pattern. Is it happening several times a week, or is it happening once or twice a month? Is it a change compared to a few years ago? Is it getting gradually worse? Forgetfulness can be a normal part of growing older. Memory lapses can also stem from several other conditions, including lack of sleep, stress, medications, alcohol or depression. Any of these conditions can be treated. For example, you can adjust your sleep schedule, try deep breathing or other techniques to reduce stress, change the dose or type of medications you take, cut down on your drinking, or get treated for depression. Don’t be alarmed by occasional forget-

fulness. The time to call your doctor is if it’s more persistent or if you develop worsening memory loss that’s interfering with your daily activities and routine. What you can do now Clinical studies continue to show that exercising daily, eating a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, and getting enough sleep are the best ways to maintain brain health. Regular exercise can slow the progression of and may even prevent cognitive decline. Exercise is thought to shield the brain from damage in a number of ways: by improving blood flow, protecting the blood vessels that feed the brain, and reducing stress hormone levels. There have been some large studies showing a benefit of the Mediterraneanstyle diet in slowing and perhaps preventing cognitive decline as we age. The Mediterranean diet includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, nuts, legumes, fish and small amounts of red wine. Growing evidence suggests that enough good quality sleep leads to greater clearance of amyloid from the brain, which can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Aim for seven to nine hours per night. Other ways to help maintain cognitive fitness include staying socially connected and learning new things, such as taking a course at a local college or picking up a new instrument. Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional information, visit health.harvard.edu. © 2020 President and Fellows of Harvard College. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Have you heard of the other green tea? By Lori Zanteson It seems there’s another member in the green tea family. And it’s not even green! That’s because hojicha (pronounced HOE-jee-cha) is made from roasted green tea leaves, stems and stalks, giving it an earthy reddish-brown hue that makes it look more like black tea or coffee than its verdant cousins. Very popular in Japan, mellow, slightly sweet and smooth, hojicha (also houjicha), is patiently steeping its way into North America, popping up at mainstream tea and coffee houses such as Starbucks and flooding social media sites. But how does this emerging trend compare to its ancient green tea ancestry?

Origins Compared to traditionally prepared green tea, which has been around for thou-

sands of years, hojicha is a relative newcomer to the tea scene. It’s said to have debuted in the 1920s in Kyoto, Japan, the roasted result of tea merchants attempting to make economic use of the stems and stalks that were mixed among the green tea leaves during harvest. Apparently, the aroma of the roasted concoction was so inviting, it lured people into the shops.

What is it? Hojicha is a general term for any roasted Japanese green tea, so it may be made from sencha, bancha or kukicha leaves, stems and twigs, depending on the preference of the tea maker. Variations produce slightly different flavors and aromas. All Japanese green teas are made from leaves steamed right after harvest. What makes hojicha different is that it is then

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roasted at high temperature, which affects the nutrient profile and flavor. Roasting breaks down the compounds — caffeine, tannins, flavonoids — that make tea bitter tasting and acidic. The result is a milder brew that has a toasted flavor that’s slightly nutty, sweet and smoky, with less of a caffeine jolt.

Health benefits Green tea is well known for its health benefits due to its impressive supply of antioxidants that fight inflammation and protect cells from damage that can lead to illnesses like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It also contains an amino acid, L-thianine, which produces a calming effect to reduce stress.

While roasting does lessen the amounts of these health-protecting compounds, research shows that roasted tea has high antioxidant activity and is beneficial to human health. Hojicha, available as a loose tea or a fine powder, might just be a great addition to a tea lover’s collection, or a worthy new taste for someone who likes the idea of tea’s benefits, but without the bitterness or caffeine. Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC, 1-800-8295384, EnvironmentalNutrition.com. © 2020 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Health Studies

INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Study seeks to improve stroke recovery By Margaret Foster Every year, 750,000 Americans suffer a stroke, which damages the brain’s ability to send messages to nerves and muscles. As a result, about 60% of stroke survivors lose control of their arms and hands. One axiom doctors recite after a stroke is, “Use it or lose it.” In other words, if patients practice using their muscles, they will improve their function. However, inactivity can be dangerous, leading to permanently restricted mobility. For that reason, doctors recommend physical therapy after a stroke. But with PT on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, the likelihood of keeping up with those exercises is low. In addition, some insurance companies won’t cover PT after a certain amount of time. Now researchers at the University of Maryland in College Park are testing a web-based program called Strong, which may motivate people to exercise from home. A new study will compare the difference between paper-based suggestions and a web-based program. People with all levels of stroke impairment are welcome. And everyone can participate from home — no in-person visits are required.

How it works In the randomized, controlled trial, participants will be split into two groups. One group will be given written exercises; the other will be given access to the Strong therapy program for six weeks. (Participants must own a tablet, smartphone or computer.)

Before the study begins, researchers will check in with participants during a video visit. They’ll send an electronic questionnaire and a consent form. “Then it’s up to them,” said Dr. Jill Whithall, professor emerita at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Department of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science. “We’ll see if this is a viable way of improving their functions.” The study asks participants to do arm and hand exercises five days a week for four and a half months. People in the web-based program will be able to choose which exercises to do each day, and some are video games that offer points and other incentives. “We want to see if this [web-based program] is useful.” Those who were assigned to the “paper” group can use the Strong program later if they want, Dr. Whithall said. “After the trial is over, [they] can then be transferred into the web-based program.” Whithall, who spent five years at the University of Southampton, saw a similar study work well in the U.K. “They had done a preliminary trial with good results,” she said. She decided to bring the study to the U.S. Since the program was designed to be done from home, it’s easy to participate despite the current pandemic. And because stroke sur vivors usually spend more time at home, this web-based program could be valuable to stroke patients in the future. Either way, now is a good time to test the program’s efficacy, according to Kelly

Westlake, the study’s principal investigator. “In light of COVID-19, there’s much more use of telehealth now, so this is falling right in line with the development of new at-home therapies,” Westlake said. Motivation is a key element in stroke recovery, Whithall emphasized. “This [program] is an alternative to

doing nothing,” Whithall said, and its benefits “will last a lifetime. Hopefully something like this will be available someday to everyone, for very little money.” The Strong study is open to stroke survivors ages 40 to 80. To find out more or to volunteer, call (410) 706-6779 or email jwhitall@som.umaryland.edu.

Volunteers 45-85 Needed for Studies The Memory Disorders Program at Georgetown University Medical Center investigates new treatments designed to prevent and slow Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, we develop new tools to improve diagnostic and prognostic accuracy We are actively recruiting subjects for current and future clinical trials. You may be eligible if you: • Are between 45-85 years of age • Are in good general health • Are fluent in English • Have a study partner (friend or relative with whom you are in contact at least 10 hours/week and who can accompany you to study visits) • Are cognitively normal, or have a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease

For more information, please call (202) 687-1597 or email bae42@georgetown.edu.

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How to get the most from a clinical trial By Alina Tugend For most of his life, Steve Sultanoff, 66, has had high cholesterol, a problem that runs in his family. When he was younger and didn’t have great health insurance, he decided to participate in clinical trials to get better healthcare and help discover new medicine that might benefit him. He was put on statins, but those gave him muscle aches. It took 30 years of participating in some 10 to 15 clinical studies before Sultanoff hit pay dirt: an injectable medication that lowered his cholesterol with almost no side effects. “I couldn’t be happier,” Sultanoff said. The health industry needs clinical trials to test new medications before they are brought to market, and clinical trials need participants — healthy people and those with chronic conditions. But Americans, especially those age 65

and older, often aren’t part of the very studies for new medications that could treat an aging population. “Historically, aging adults are not in clinical trials, even when testing for diseases that disproportionately impact older adults,” said Lindsay Clarke, vice president of Health Education and Advocacy at the Alliance for Aging Research in Washington, D.C. There are several reasons for this. Some studies impose arbitrary age limits for enrolled participants. Others may use criteria that disproportionately affect older people, such as excluding those with multiple health problems or physical or cognitive impairments, writes Barbara Radziszewska, health scientist administrator, Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology for the National Institute on Aging, on the institute’s website.

As a result, the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration have created new policies and guidelines to ensure that more people, especially those age 65 and older, are included in clinical trials.

How to find a study If you want to participate in a clinical trial, the first step is to ask your general doctor or specialist if they know of any that you could participate in. If the answer is no, it is easy to search and apply for such trials yourself. All clinical trials nationwide — and there are typically thousands going on at any time across the country — are listed on the National Institutes of Health’s searchable database: Clinicaltrials.gov. Another option: The website of the nonprofit Center for Information and Study on

Clinical Research Participation (ciscrp.org) answers common questions and includes links to Clinicaltrials.gov and other clinical study sites. In addition, if you complete a brief form on its website, the group’s staff will try to help you find appropriate clinical trials. For trials that address a particular health condition, check out the website of a well-regarded organization for that condition. For example, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research provides information about clinical studies for Parkinson’s, while the National Organization for Rare Disorders does the same for its constituency. [Ed. Note: Look in the Beacon every month for an article about local trials seeking older volunteers, as well as advertisements for local health studies. You can request more information about them by returning our “Free Information” coupon, on page 5.]

Review all terms Before starting any trial, you will be screened and, if accepted, given information about the trial and asked to sign that you understand the terms for participating. You should not sign on the spot; read all the information and talk it over with a family member or friend. Experts say, among other things, it should be clear: —How long the trial will take (they can be as short as a day or last for years) —How often you’ll need to visit a doctor’s office or hospital —What the potential side effects are —If you can continue taking your regular medication —If researchers will talk with your regular doctor —If you will be reimbursed for travel and other expenses or given a stipend (sometimes you are; sometimes you’re not) For Genma Holmes, 52, from Hermitage, Tennessee, taking part in clinical trials was a matter of health and principle. As an African American woman, she is well aware of the negative association clinical trials have for black people, who have been subjected in the past — without their consent or knowledge — to sterilization and syphilis studies, with horrific results. Holmes is in the maintenance phase of a three-year clinical study for a medical procedure to treat hypertension. She said the ongoing monitoring during the trial helped her change her lifestyle and lose weight. That, plus the procedure, means she is now completely off blood pressure medication. She also recruited about 20 other people to participate in her study and others. Participating in a clinical trial, Holmes said, was about “self-preservation and how to move the conversation in this community — not just for people of color, but for everyone.” © 2020 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Check out any bleeding after menopause By Kelly Bilodeau Bleeding after menopause can be disconcerting, but the good news is, more than 90% of the time it’s not caused by a serious condition, according to a study in JAMA Internal Medicine. That said, the study also reinforces the idea that postmenopausal bleeding should always be checked out by your doctor to rule out endometrial cancer, a cancer of the uterine lining, according to Ross Berkowitz, M.D., William H. Baker professor of gynecology at Harvard Medical School. This is because the study also found more than 90% of women who did have endometrial cancer had experienced postmenopausal bleeding. And screening all women who experience bleeding after menopause for endometrial cancer could potentially find as many as 90% of these cancers, which are highly curable if found early. The analysis found that most postmenopausal bleeding is caused by a noncancerous condition, such as vaginal atrophy, uterine fibroids or polyps. That information doesn’t really differ from what doctors have historically thought about the incidence of endometrial cancer and bleeding, Berkowitz said. But it does finally put solid data behind those figures, which was missing in the past, he said. The researchers who conducted this study were seeking clues about postmenopausal bleeding and how it relates to endometrial cancer.

Why to see your doctor Endometrial cancer, which affects 2 to 3% of American women, is the most common type of gynecological cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, it most often affects postmenopausal women — 60 is the average age of diagnosis. There is currently no way to screen for endometrial cancer. Identifying it early has become a pressing issue, because the incidence of this cancer has risen gradually but steadily over the past 10 years, according to the National Cancer Institute. A woman’s risk of endometrial cancer can increase substantially if she is obese. Generally, risk rises in women who are 50 pounds or more above their ideal body weight, Berkowitz said. This is because estrogen plays a role in endometrial cancer. The most common type of endometrial cancer, known as type

1 cancer, is fueled by estrogen. Estrogen is produced by body fat, so women with a larger amount of fatty tissue generally have higher levels of estrogen. They also typically have more free estrogen, an active form that produces stronger effects. This may lead to cancerous changes in the uterine lining.

How your doctor will diagnose If you do experience unusual or postmenopausal bleeding, make an appointment with your doctor to have the problem investigated, Berkowitz said. Your doctor will likely recommend an ultrasound, a biopsy or both. Ultrasounds can measure the thickness of the lining inside the uterus. In some women with endometrial cancer, this lining becomes thicker than usual, which alerts doctors to the possibility that it is cancerous. Not all

thickened linings mean cancer, though. The ultrasound should be followed by a biopsy, even if the ultrasound doesn’t show any thickening of the uterine lining, Berkowitz said. A biopsy can often be done as an in-office procedure, in which the doctor uses a thin tube with a collection device on the end to gather some uterine cells. The sample is then examined under a microscope to check for cancer or precancerous changes. Berkowitz stressed the importance of doing both tests because not all endometrial cancers thicken the uterine lining. Some cases are caused by type 2 endometrial cancer, which may not produce the thickening typically seen in the more common type 1. If only ultrasound is used for screening, up to 20% of endometrial cancer cases may See MENOPAUSE, page 23

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VIRGINIA COVID RESOURCES

If you live in Virginia, you can find resources for all your coronavirus-related needs, including food, child card, jobs, healthcare and mental health. Check it out at covid.virginia.gov.

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COUCH CONCERTS

You don’t even have to change out of your pajamas to go to a concert! Listen to famous musicians with the Kennedy Center’s Couch Concerts, live every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 4 p.m. You can also view the past concerts. To watch, go to https://bit.ly/CouchConcertKC.

June+

HOMEBOUND TALES

Bring Bethesda’s Roundhouse Theatre into your home with a YouTube series called Homebound that highlights local artists who have been impacted by COVID-19. Watch the web series at https://bit.ly/HomeboundWebSeries.

Help advance COVID-19 vaccine research. Volunteer for a clinical trial. The NIH Vaccine Research Center is looking for healthy adults over age 55 in the DC area to participate in a COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial. The study will evaluate the safety of the vaccine and its ability to generate an immune response. The vaccine does not contain COVID-19 so you cannot become infected from participation. Participants will be compensated for their time and inconvenience. To volunteer, call 1-866-833-5433 (TTY 1-866-411-1010), email VRCCOVIDtrials@nih.gov, or visit www.niaid.nih.gov/about/vrc. Se habla español.

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Many spices are natural blood thinners There’s a healthy balance that’s in-beSadly, we’re hearing more about strokes and blood clots lately. Apparently, this is a tween both extremes, and we call the balance “homeostasis.” rare but possible concern Blood health can be manipwith COVID-19. ulated by foods, spices and It is disheartening because, drugs. Clots do not happen to at first, researchers thought everyone who gets the virus; this virus stayed in the lungs. in fact, some people don’t But now we know it can affect even know they’ve been exall human tissues and organs. posed or infected! A research study led by So, as you read this article, doctors at RCSI University of please know that my intention Medicine and Health Sciences is not to provoke fear or anxiin Dublin found that some paDEAR ety; it is to offer sensible advice, tients admitted to their hospi- PHARMACIST so you can improve your blood tal experienced abnormal clot- By Suzy Cohen health. Furthermore, I am not ting, and that this was the suggesting any of this as a treatmain contributing factor to ment for COVID-19 or any coronavirus. their death. In those patients, they identified hundreds of tiny clots in the lungs. This ex- Your diet and immune system plains why oxygen levels drop so quickly Since the immune system resides in the and so dramatically in the most severe intestinal tract for the most part, your diet is what instantly changes your gut micases of the disease. Clotting in your blood matters. You want croflora and your ability to fight. The foods and spices listed below are it to clot, so you don’t get a paper cut and bleed to death. But you don’t want it to clot some of those that have natural anti-clotting so much that the debris forms an obnox- properties. However, certain foods listed ious piece of gunk that ends up blocking below will interfere with your PT/INR levels blood flow to your brain, heart or lungs. and medications. That’s why people who

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Dried spices • Paprika • Cayenne pepper • Chilies • Thyme • Garlic • Cinnamon (contains coumarin, a powerful blood thinning agent) • Curry powder • Dill • Ginger • Oregano • Curry Powder • Turmeric

Foods • Ginger (fresh, sliced) • Dill (fresh) • Peppermint (fresh) • Beets (high in nitrates) • Walnuts (high in vitamin E) • Salmon (omega 3 fatty acids) • Cherries

• Berries (blueberries, strawberries, cranberries) • Chocolate (due to flavonol) • Citrus (oranges, tangerines) If you join my online community at suzycohen.com, I can email you a comprehensive version of this article with more foods. In the meantime, if you’re worried about the health of your blood and your bone marrow (where your blood cells are made), then consider including the foods and spices above, as long as they don’t interfere with your medication or health conditions. They will greatly improve your immune system and the creation of immune cells that fight for you. It’s simple to upgrade your diet (or expand it) to include one of two new foods or spices listed above every week. A healthy diet is your best bet for a healthy immune system, which is what fights for you. This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit SuzyCohen.com.

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University of California at Berkeley complete a project called Stardust@Home. In 2004, a NASA mission gathered interstellar dust particles, but scientists can’t study them until they find the tiny rocks in the samples. That’s where volunteers, who call themselves “dusters,” come in. Gain access to NASA’s virtual microscope and comb through images for a rare glimpse of galactic dust. Find out more at stardustathome.ssl.berkeley.edu.

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Summer bean, corn and avocado salad By America’s Test Kitchen For an easy, light, summertime bean salad, we combined fiber-rich black beans with fresh corn, bright tomato and creamy avocado. Toasting the corn in a skillet until golden brown will bring out its natural sweetness. Chipotle chile, cilantro and lime juice

Menopause From page 21 be missed. Many of these are Type 2, which tend to be the more aggressive, invasive and deadly. Keep in mind, a Pap test cannot detect endometrial cancer. “Assuming the patient does not have any health issues, such as serious heart disease, and is otherwise healthy, doing a biopsy would be the safest, most assured way to rule out endometrial cancer,” Berkowitz said.

If bleeding continues If your tests suggest that you don’t have

provide the perfect Southwestern flavor profile to this easy-to-prepare salad. Fresh corn is important for the flavor of the salad — don’t substitute frozen or canned corn.

Southwestern Black Bean Salad Servings: 4 Start to finish: 15 minutes

endometrial cancer, but the bleeding comes back or continues, it’s reasonable to have it re-evaluated, Berkowitz said. Most likely it’s not because cancer was missed. However, it’s worth getting checked again. “I don’t recommend waiting much more than six months,” he said. Investigate unusual bleeding early, because most endometrial cancer is curable. “The vast majority of patients with endometrial cancer can be cured with surgery alone,” Berkowitz said. © President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Ingredients: 2 scallions, sliced thin 3 tablespoons lime juice (2 limes) 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 ½ teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce Salt and pepper 2 ears corn, kernels cut from cobs 1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed 1 tomato, cored and chopped 1 avocado, halved, pitted and cut into ½ inch pieces 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro Directions: Whisk scallions, lime juice, 1 tablespoon oil, chipotle, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ tea-

spoon pepper together in large bowl. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add corn and a dash of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer corn, beans and tomato to bowl with dressing and gently toss to coat. Gently fold in avocado and cilantro. Season with pepper to taste and serve. Nutrition information per serving: 302 calories; 145 calories from fat; 16 g. fat (2 g. saturated; 0 g. trans fats); 0 mg. cholesterol; 462 mg. sodium; 35 g. carbohydrate; 13 g. fiber; 5 g. sugar; 10 g. protein. —AP

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VOLUME XXXII, ISSUE 6

A newsletter for D.C. Seniors

June 2020

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE By Laura Newland, Director D.C. Department of Aging and Community Living It’s June! While it’s not how any of us expected to start the summer, staying home, practicing good hygiene, and maintaining a safe social distance has helped keep us safe. Together, we’ve flattened the curve. Last month, Mayor Muriel Bowser presented her Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) Budget and Financial Plan to the Council. While the financial impact of COVID19 requires us all to make sacrifices, the Mayor remains steadfast in the District’s commitment to maintaining the critical services our residents expect and protecting our most vulnerable neighbors. In the FY21 budget proposal, the Mayor is finding ways to save resources so that we don’t lose ground on our shared progress in the District. As the Mayor says, we are all in this together, and we will get through this together. The Mayor’s FY21 budget is driven by DC HOPE — Health, Opportunity, Prosperity, and Equity — and is a testament to the Mayor’s commitment to DC Values, even in times of unprecedented crisis. For DACL, this means continued investments in our vital programs and services, such as nutrition, health and wellness, and in-home support. COVID-19 required all of us to adapt quickly, and DACL launched new programs and activities to provide additional support to our community: • Home-delivered meals. We increased our meal delivery by almost 200%, delivering meals to more than 6,400 District seniors — and that number increases every week. Since the start of the public health emergency, DACL has delivered more than 300,000 meals to seniors! • Launch of DACL’s “call and talk” line. DACL provides a friendly voice and conversation to those in need of a connection. • Regular confidential wellness and reassurance calls. Participants in DACL-funded programs and services are receiving regular check-in calls from our service providers. • Mailings to seniors. We’re plan-

ning two big mailings this fiscal year to seniors to make them aware of DACL and city services with support from the Mayor’s Office. We want to make sure we’re reaching out to those who might not be connected to us yet. • Technology for seniors. In partnership with OCTO and DHCF, we’ll be launching a technology connection program for qualifying seniors to connect with telehealth and online social and wellness programs. In addition to our initial COVID-19 response, the Mayor’s ongoing commitment to seniors remains strong and includes significant investments in critical programs that allow people to stay in their homes longer, including: $5M investment in Safe at Home $1.9M to provide transportation for essential medical trips, such as dialysis and cancer treatments The Mayor also affirmed her capital investments: $11.4M to open a new senior wellness site in Ward 8 by 2022 $35.5M to renovate the Therapeutic Recreation Center, which will have supportive programs for caregivers $1.5M to complete expansion of Ward 5 & 8 Senior Wellness Centers Join me on June 3, 2020 for a Senior budget telephone town hall at 3 p.m. to learn more and provide your thoughts on how DACL should respond to the unique demands of this public health emergency. You can join the conversation by dialing 1-833-946-1802. On Monday, June 15, I’ll be testifying at our annual Budget Oversight Hearing before the Committee on Housing & Neighborhood Revitalization, which will be held virtually this year. To learn more or to submit your testimony, please see the Budget Oversight ad on page 25. I’m proud to talk about the Mayor’s continued commitment to our community, and I can’t wait to hear from you! Stay safe!

The Department of Aging and Community Living is in search of DC residents who are 100 years of age or older to honor and celebrate virtually. If you or someone you know has celebrated their 100th or older birthday by April 30, 2020, please contact us today at dacl.communications@dc.gov or call 202-374-9573.

Five Things to Do While Social Distancing 3 Join DACL’s Call & Talk Line (202-724-5626)

3 Complete the Census (my2020census.gov, or 844-330-2020)

3 Join AroundTown DC

(www.aroundtowndc.org)

3 Join the DC Public Library for Virtual Story Swap (bit.ly/FridayStorySwap)

Ch eck list

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Spotlight on Aging

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Join the Department of Aging and Community Living for our FY 2021 Budget Tele Town Hall. This is your opportunity to learn more about the Mayor’s proposed FY 2021 budget for DC Seniors and to share your feedback with us.

Director Newland to Testify Before the DC Council On Monday, June 15, Director Newland will represent DACL at our annual Budget Oversight Hearing. Due to the public health emergency, all public hearings will be held via virtual meeting platforms. Written or transcribed testimony from the public is highly recommended and will be taken by either voicemail or email. We encourage you to join us and share your thoughts on DACL’s programs and our proposed FY2021 Budget. To submit written testimony, please email housing@dccouncil.us or mail to The Office of At-Large Councilmember Bonds, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 404, Washington, DC 20004. To submit testimony via voicemail, please call (202) 350-0894. All testimony received will be made a part of the official record. To testify live, the Committee on Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization will provide slots for witnesses to testify on a first-come, first-served basis. If you would like to sign up to testify live, send an email

to housing@dccouncil.us and you will be emailed a link to access the virtual hearing. Please include your name, address, phone number, organizational affiliation, and title (if any), your preferred email address, and the name of the agency or program that you are testifying about. If you would like to testify by phone, please call 202-724-8064 and leave your name and phone number. The committee will call you before the hearing to make sure that you are connected. The Committee will contact all witnesses by phone or email on the day before the hearing to confirm that they have received a slot. Please sign up to testify no later than the close of business two days prior to your hearing date. Witnesses will be limited to three (3) minutes. The committee encourages only one witness per organization. For more information, please contact the Committee on Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization at housing@dccouncil.us or 202-724-8064.

Director Laura Newland

Editor Spotlight On Aging is published by the Information Office of the D.C. Department of Aging and Community Living for D.C. senior residents. Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the D.C. Department of Aging and Community Living or by the publisher.

Darlene Nowlin

Photographer Richard Williams 500 K St. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 724-5626 | www.dcoa.dc.gov

Director Newland Joined Facebook for Their Online Safety Webinar On Monday, May 11, Director Newland joined the DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer and Facebook to provide online safety tips for seniors who are staying engaged through social media. Even though we’re practicing social distancing, we don’t want seniors to become socially distant. Director Newland encouraged seniors to stay connected through online programming without compromising their safety. To learn more about how the District is helping seniors use technology, visit connect.dc.gov/seniors.

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Money Law &

FAIR AND SQUARE Should you evenly divide your grown children’s inheritances? There are upsides and downsides, but it’s worth a discussion DOG DREAMS Purchasing a puppy? Evaluate all the costs, and avoid breeder scams by adopting a rescue dog PLAN OF ACTION Save your family future stress by expressing your end-of-life choices now and putting them in writing

How to ask your bank or lender for help By Liz Weston Many banks, credit card issuers and other lenders have promised to help those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. They’re offering to defer or reduce payments and waive interest charges and rebate fees for those who have lost jobs, had their hours reduced or otherwise lost income due to the COVID-19 crisis. The help usually isn’t automatic, however. You have to ask for it — and ask the right way. “In many cases, you only get the help if you contact your creditor and mention that you need relief due to the coronavirus situation,” said Lauren Saunders, associate director of the National Consumer Law Center. “And that’s very frustrating because it’s very difficult to get through to your bank or lender.” Many financial institutions are encouraging people to reach out digitally — through live chats or messaging on the companies’ sites or in their mobile apps. However you connect, there are important questions that need to be answered, including:

What steps do I need to take to qualify? You can start your research on the financial institution’s site to see what kinds of help may be available and how to apply. Generally, you’ll want to confirm the details with a human being, including the steps you must take to apply, said Saunders, who advises keeping a record of the conversation and what you were told. You can take written notes of phone calls, including the time, date and name of the company representative, or take screenshots of electronic communications. “Some people assume that (a hardship program) will automatically kick in if they just miss a payment, which is very dangerous to assume,” said Bruce McClary, a spokesman for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. Skipped payments can lead to credit score damage and collection calls, and could limit the hardship options available. There’s one forbearance program that is automatic, but it pertains only to student loans held by the federal government. Pay-

ments on those loans are suspended until Sept. 30, and interest has been waived.

Exactly how does it work? Companies take different approaches to their hardship programs. One lender may allow you to skip payments but charge you late fees; another may waive the fees but report skipped payments to the credit bureaus. Most will continue to charge interest, and some will expect you to make a lump sum payment of the amount you skipped. “This is not free money,” Saunders said. “It’s just putting off a debt that you’ll have to repay along with your other debts later.” Even if your financial hardship is over, you may not be able to cough up several months’ worth of payments at once, McClary noted. “The last thing you want is to have to drop some big lump sum of money on somebody when you’re in a financially fragile state,” McClary said. “It’s important to try to negotiate different terms,” he said. Ask if the payments can be tacked on to the end of the loan or

paid off over time, McClary suggested. Also request that the account be reported “paid as agreed” to the credit bureaus to avoid a potentially large hit to your credit scores.

How long will the help last? A hardship program may last three to six months, but you could have the option to extend the relief if you ask. If you can’t make the payments on your federally backed mortgage because of the coronavirus pandemic, for example, you have the right to skip payments for nearly a year. The CARES Act requires lenders to give affected borrowers forbearance of up to 180 days, with the option to request an additional 180 days after that. Lenders may not make that clear, however. Some borrowers who asked for mortgage forbearance in recent days were told they would owe a lump sum after three months, with no mention of the potential extensions. These rules apply only to mortgages See ASK FOR HELP, page 27

Coronavirus relief act waives 2020 RMDs The recent coronavirus relief legisla- cordingly reduces your tax liability. tion, or CARES Act, made several imporThe law also changed the rules associattant changes affecting charitable deduced with RMDs for 2020. You no tions as well as Required Minlonger need to make any RMD imum Distributions (RMDs). withdrawals in 2020. It increased the charitable This is very helpful because contribution deduction that a of the significant drop in equity taxpayer is entitled to claim prices this year. (Now, that for cash contributions made money can remain in your acto most public charities durcount, potentially allowing you ing the 2020 calendar year. to recoup some of the investPrior to the CARES Act, ment losses from March and contributing to public charities April.) was limited to 60% of individu- THE SAVINGS These rules are applicable als adjusted gross income GAME not only to individual retire(AGI). Now, if you itemize, the By Elliot Raphaelson ment accounts but also to delimit has been increased to fined-benefit plans and 457 100% of AGI. If you contribute plans. more than your AGI, you can carry forward Because there is no need to take unnecesyour deduction for five years. sary RMDs this year, which would raise The CARES Act also added a new de- your taxable income, taxpayers who normalduction for taxpayers who do not itemize. ly make qualified charitable distributions For 2020, individuals who make a charita- (QCDs) directly from their IRA custodians ble contribution can take a $300 ($600 for may find it to their advantage to postpone joint returns) “above the line” adjustment. charitable contributions to 2021 and make This adjustment reduces the AGI, and ac- larger charitable contributions then. For the

charity to be qualified, it must be eligible to receive tax-deductible donations.

Main advantage The advantage of the QCD is that these contributions reduce your adjusted gross income (AGI), and accordingly reduce your tax liability. By doing this, you may also minimize income-based Medicare Part B and D premiums, and even avoid a 3.8% surtax applicable to net investment income for taxpayers filing joint returns with AGIs above $250,000. The QCD rules apply only to traditional IRAs and not to distributions from SIMPLE IRAs, qualified employer plans, 403(b) plans or SEPS. What if you’ve already taken your RMD? Many individuals have already taken their required minimum distributions (RMDs) prior to the CARES Act being passed. Fortunately, the IRS allows (see Notice 2020-23) any distribution taken between February 1, 2020 and May 15, 2020 to be rolled over back into your retirement account if it is done by July 15, 2020.

If you have had income tax withheld, you will not receive that back immediately. However, when you file your tax return for 2020, if you are entitled to a refund, you will receive back the income tax that was withheld. If you took an RMD in January 2020, you have another option: The CARES Act allows those impacted by the coronavirus to take a loan from their retirement account up to $100,000, or the vested amount in their retirement account, whichever is lower, without penalty, and to repay it over a three-year period. The withdrawal is not taxable if you repay the loan within that period. Regardless of distribution requirements, many taxpayers make QCDs to reduce tax liability. Even though minimum distributions are not required for 2020, the QCD remains a valuable tool to minimize your tax liability if you don’t itemize, and plan on making charitable contributions in 2020. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com. © 2020 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Maryland tax credits for owners, renters By Francine Hyman As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, thinking about the impacts on your household can be overwhelming. But now is an ideal time to learn about the resources available to you and your family. The Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition (MCRC) is ramping up its “Take the Credit” campaign, which reminds Maryland homeowners and renters about two sometimes forgotten tax credits. The Maryland Property Tax Credit programs provide financial assistance to help older adults and low-income families with their property costs. Combined, these tax credits help save homeowners and renters more than $260 million in property taxes each year. Although the programs have been around for decades, few people eligible for the renters and homeowners tax credits even know they exist. It’s time to Take the Credit! You have until Oct. 1 to apply for the 2020 Maryland Property Homeowners’ Tax Credit and Maryland Renters’ Tax Credit. (And you must apply every year for the credits.)

Income-based homeowner relief The Homeowners’ Property Tax Credit Program provides tax relief for eligible Maryland homeowners by setting a limit on the amount of property taxes owed based on their

Ask for help From page 26 backed by federal entities, including Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the Veterans Administration (VA), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

income. Applications received and approved will be credited on your property tax bill. If a resident has already paid their property taxes and applies before Oct. 1, any tax credit that the homeowner may be eligible for will be refunded by their county finance office. Last year, for instance, SOAR applicants received an average of $1,383 in property tax relief. The tax credit is available to Maryland homeowners whose gross household income doesn’t exceed $60,000. In addition, your net worth must be less than $200,000 not including the value of your home; your name must be on the home’s deed; and you must reside in the home. To confirm eligibility for the homeowners’ property tax credit, homeowners can visit marylandtaxcredit.com. MCRC’s Securing Older Adult Resources (SOAR) program provides the following services: —Free comprehensive benefit checkups and case management —Financial counseling and coaching to build and protect individual assets, as well as to connect with, and maximize the efficacy of, existing services —Screening and application assistance for the Renters’ Tax Credit (RTC) and Homeowners’ Property Tax Credit (HOTC). To speak with a SOAR Financial Counselor to determine your eligibility, or if a But most mortgage lenders have some type of hardship program or loan modification options. Don’t put off asking for help if you’re struggling, since it’s not clear when coronavirus-related economic disruptions will end. It’s better to have more help than you need than to need more help than you have. —AP/NerdWallet

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paper application is preferred, call (443) 961-6220 for assistance. Be prepared to provide information about your 2019 household’s gross income and rental payments.

Income-based renter relief The Maryland Renters’ Tax Credit Program similarly provides tax relief for eligible renters who pay high monthly rent relative to their total income. While the majority of recipients of this credit are Marylanders 60 or older, the program is also available to renters who are disabled, as well as renters under age 60 with at least one dependent child under 18 years old, others who meet low-income requirements, and the surviving spouse of a renter who met the eligibility requirements.

The renters’ tax credit is issued in the form of a direct check payment of up to $1,000 a year from the state of Maryland. SOAR applicants who rent in Maryland received an average of $630 in property tax relief in 2019. To confirm eligibility for the renters’ tax credit or download an application, Maryland renters can visit marylandtaxcredit.com. For more information about MCRC and its programs, email info@marylandconsumers.org, call (410) 220-0494, or visit marylandconsumers.org.

For D.C. residents Washington, D.C. offers a senior assessSee TAX CREDITS, page 28

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Steps you should take to protect your car By David Muhlbaum If you’re sheltering at home during the coronavirus pandemic, your car is likely spending a lot of time sitting in your driveway. But, much like people, cars need exercise and don’t do well if they sit for too long. How long is too long? Well, that varies, but with lockdowns in many places running into three months now, that’s too long for a car to go with little or no use. The first sign is often a dead battery, though other problems can crop up as well. Here are a number of ways you can head them off: Give it a spin. The first one is so straightforward that if you do it, you might not need most of the others: Drive the darn thing. Don’t just start it and let it idle or take a

lap of the driveway or the block. You want to drive long enough (and fast enough) that the battery gets fully recharged, and the car’s various fluids get up to temperature. Twenty minutes should do the trick, and highway driving helps. Turn on the air conditioning while you’re at it so that system gets some exercise too. Its lubricant is suspended in the freon. My VW Golf lets me monitor the oil temperature, and I drive until it’s above 212 degrees Fahrenheit so that contaminants like water and gasoline get cooked out of the oil. If there’s some reason you can’t drive the car on the street (the insurance lapsed?), then turn it on and let it run long enough that you hear the engine’s electric cooling fan kick on.

Check the fuel. The next issue for keeping your car in good health during COVID19 is the condition of the fuel. People who use gas-powered tools, have a boat or some other recreational vehicle probably already know that gasoline, particularly gasoline that’s mixed with ethanol, has a shelf life. That’s why a lawn mower needs to be “run dry” at the end of the season, or have a stabilizer chemical mixed into the fuel. How long will the gas in your car’s tank last before chemical degradation causes it to gum something up? It’s very hard to get a clear answer on this. For one thing, there are oodles of variables. (Is your weather humid? How old was the gas when you bought it? What’s the ethanol percentage?)

Another is that the people who actually make fuel, i.e., refiners, have little interest in discussing how long it will last. Here’s my best guess: months, not years. When did you fill your tank last? And when do you think you will again, based on how much you’re driving now? Most people will be fine, but if you think it could be, well, months, then an easy and cheap bit of insurance is to add fuel stabilizer to your tank. A popular brand with a memorable name is Sta-Bil, but there are others. Because fuel stabilizers won’t “fix” fuel that’s already gone bad, sooner is better than later for using one of these, and if you have

Tax credits

and click on the “Real Property Tax Service Center” for more information about property tax relief.

From page 27 ment cap tax credit to counteract the surge in property values. Under this credit, the property cannot be taxed by more than a 5% increase in the original assessed value of your home. To be applied automatically, the homeowner must also be receiving a homestead deduction (a decrease in the yearly tax liability due to its status as the principle residence) and Senior Real Property Tax Relief. There is also a lower income, long-term homeowner tax credit available. You must have lived in the property for at least seven years, be receiving the homestead deduction, and not exceed the household income limit, which depends on the number of household members. Renters can also receive a tax credit by up to $1,000 if your gross income was $40,000 or less, or less than $60,000 for ages 70 and older. Call (202) 727-4829 or visit otr.cfo.dc.gov

See PROTECT YOUR CAR, page 30

For Virginia residents Virginia also has tax credits for certain homeowners. If your home requires accessibility features, including ramps for wheelchairs, you could receive $5,000 for retrofitting an existing residence or purchasing a new accessible residence. The credit cannot be greater than your tax liability. If you and your family live below the poverty line, you can receive a tax credit of up to $300 per person. You cannot, however, receive this credit if you already have applied for an age-based tax deduction. There is no tax credit for renters in Virginia. For more information, visit tax.virginia.gov. Ivey Noojin contributed the D.C. and Virginia sections of this story. Francine Hyman is program manager of Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition’s SOAR Program.

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It’s smart to make end-of-life plans now By Sarah Skidmore Sell The coronavirus pandemic has more people addressing their end-of-life planning. For those who haven’t done so yet, it’s a great time to take it on. People are traditionally rather hesitant to take the steps that experts suggest — creating an advance directive, writing a will and more — in part because they don’t

want to ponder their own mortality. But the pandemic has sharpened awareness and focused concern on this front. Consider the advice of Jenni Neahring, a kidney specialist and palliative care doctor, who works daily with patients with chronic and serious illnesses. She said it’s better to make these decisions before an emergency in order to avoid putting extra stress and ur-

gency on loved ones if something should happen. If a patient is unconscious, healthcare professionals must spend critical time hunting down relatives or friends to help determine their preferred next steps. Things have gotten harder with COVID19, Neahring said, as no one is allowed to enter hospitals with these patients, and those

on ventilators cannot speak for themselves. “It has brought into sharp relief how necessary these conversations are, and how much worse it is to have to do them at the end,” she said. Here are a few things you can do now to help you and your loved ones later:

Protect your car

when the car sits. This is normal; brake rotors on all but the most expensive cars are made of cast iron, and corrode quickly. Simply braking while you drive cleans them right up as the pads scrape away the corrosion. If you’re using your car less, you might notice a “graunch” sound the first few times you apply the brakes. It should go away. If you park somewhere that’s damp and can’t use the car for a while, consider NOT applying the parking brake so that it doesn’t corrode in place. Make sure the car is in gear and safely situated, though. Critters. Animals can make short work of an automobile. Their usual target is wiring, which in many cars has a soybased insulation that’s attractive to rodents. (The little buggers took out my Toyota Highlander!) A car that’s less frequently driven can be prime wildlife habitat. Potential solutions: Parking it farther away from landscape features (rock walls, say) that are already animal friendly. Putting the cat on patrol, possibly even with a visit INSIDE the car. A variety of repellents are available. And, of course, traps. Cosmetics. Garaging is best, of course. If that’s not an option, consider using sunshades to keep damaging UV rays from the interior. If you’re considering covering your car, remember to buy something car-specific. Plastic tarps from the hardware store

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From page 28 room in the tank to add some fresh fuel when you pour in the stabilizer, do so. A few other considerations for a car less used: The battery. Conventional car batteries (we’re not talking about the drive batteries in EVs or hybrids) like to be regularly charged up. Regular driving does that, obviously. Car batteries also don’t like to be stored without charge. So, if you have let one go dead, get on that quickly with a jump start. If you can’t give the car its proper exercise, consider buying a trickle charger. Tires. Keep your pressure up, but also be aware that a car that isn’t moved regularly can get flat spots on its tires. When you finally drive off, you’ll hear a speed-dependent “whomp-whomp-whomp.” If you’re lucky, it will go away when the tire warms up, but it might not. Following our “just drive it” advice will head this off, but if you can’t drive a car, at least try to move it forward and back a bit while it’s idling. The only certain way to avoid flat spotting is to put the car on stands, but that’s more trouble than most will want to take. Brakes. Depending on the conditions where the car is stored, brakes may corrode

See END-OF-LIFE PLANS, page 30

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Tips before you adopt or buy a puppy By Courtney Jespersen Puppies provide us with comfort, happiness and love. But bringing a four-legged friend into your daily life is quite an investment — a pup requires a considerable amount of your time, money and attention. Here’s what to know and do before bringing Fido home:

Evaluate your budget, lifestyle Ensure that you’re ready for a puppy and everything that goes along with one. Your new family member will need to fit into your home and budget, according to Kristen Levine, founder of the Pet Living blog. To get in the right mindset, ask yourself questions — and be honest with your answers. Levine, who is based in Tampa, Florida, recommended the following: Do you really have time for a puppy? Will your family’s lifestyle accommodate a puppy? Can you afford to feed, train and care for a puppy? And are you ready for a 12- to 15-year obligation (the potential life span of the dog)?

End-of-life plans From page 29 Choose your point people Who will make medical decisions for you if you cannot speak for yourself? This person is known as your healthcare proxy. They will be named in a legal document known as the durable power of attorney for healthcare. Then choose someone who can oversee your financial affairs, such as paying your mortgage or other bills, if you are incapacitated. This person would be given financial power of attorney. It doesn’t have to be the same person as your healthcare proxy. Choose someone you know well and trust for these roles. Pick a backup as well, in case your first choice is unavailable. Write it down After you’ve addressed the healthcare and financial representatives, consider writing a living will, or “advance directive.” An advance directive says exactly what medical care you do and do not want. Each state has its own advance directive form. They can be found at the Medicare.gov website. If you are having trouble getting started, check out online resources such as the Conversation Project, Prepare for Your Care or AARP’s website. Consider writing a will to let people know what to do with your assets after you die. Without a will, your estate could end up in probate, potentially causing more headaches and costs for those you leave behind. Many people look at end-of-life planning, including wills, estates and trusts, as an issue for the wealthy, but that’s untrue, said Chas

“Puppies are fun and adorable,” Levine said. “But they’re a puppy for only about a year. Then you have an animal that you are responsible for and that is completely dependent on you for everything it needs.” Aside from the upfront cost of getting the puppy home and other one-time expenses, anticipate paying about $150 in average monthly expenses, according to a 2018 analysis by Rover.com, a pet sitter website. That includes food, toys, flea and tick prevention, dental chews and more.

Find a puppy who needs love If you still feel like you’re ready for a dog, visit your local shelters and rescue groups, so you can consider adoption first before you shop. Through an adoption, Levine said, you’re saving the life of an animal that was at some point unwanted. You’re also freeing up space for another animal to be rescued. If you’re not ready to decide, some shelters See PUPPY TIPS, page 31

Rampenthal, general counsel at LegalZoom. “It’s not about how much you have; it’s about making your wishes known,” he said. And while life insurance isn’t always considered part of end-of-life planning, it can be an important step to protect your family financially. Term life insurance, a policy in place for a limited period of time, works best for most families, versus whole life, which is much more expensive and complex (but also has long-term value). Consider a lawyer It’s not a great time to meet with people in person. But estate attorney Matthew D’Emilio said that most lawyers are able to arrange phone, video or other consultations during the pandemic. Many states have provided alternatives for witnessing and signing documents to cope with the social distancing rules. If the idea or cost of seeing an attorney is too daunting, there are many online options for legal documents, some of which provide direct consultation. Share your wishes Let your friends and family know what you want, who is in charge and what documents you have. Provide a copy of critical paperwork to your loved ones. Share your advance directive with your physician as well. Neahring recommends keeping the name and number of your medical decision maker in your wallet for emergencies. And while most details will be addressed in the legal documents, some experts suggest writing a short letter reiterating your preferences and reasoning to help provide clarity and comfort to your loved ones later on. —AP

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Puppy tips From page 30 offer foster programs. In this arrangement, you can take on the responsibility of temporarily caring for an animal until it has a permanent home. “Oftentimes you fall in love with the animal you’re fostering, and you end up keeping it. But you’re not making a commitment to keep it just because you want to foster,” Levine said. Still, there are some reasons you may want to buy a puppy instead of adopting one. For example, you may be looking to show a dog, or you might have an affinity for a specific breed.

Sniff out tricks Buying a puppy is usually more expensive than adopting (which often comes with a minimal fee), so research breeders thoroughly before making a purchase or putting down a nonrefundable deposit to reserve your spot in a future litter. You can look up breeders online or rely on word of mouth. Ask potential breeders what they’ll provide you with, so you can set expectations and get clear information. Reputable breeders like to show off their puppies, so they’ll likely send pictures, take videos, talk to you on the phone and encourage you to visit in person, according to Brandi Hunter, vice president

of public relations and communications at the American Kennel Club. And if the breeder claims to have purebred AKC-registered dogs, the puppies should come with paperwork, Hunter said. Make sure you get a registration certificate at the time you get the pup. Whether you’re buying a purebred Yorkshire Terrier or a hybrid Goldendoodle, watch out for scams. You could stand to lose hundreds or even $1,000 in a puppy scam, depending on the price of the dog, according to Lori Wilson, president and CEO for the Better Business Bureau serving the San Francisco Bay area. To avoid being scammed, Wilson recommends doing a web search on any pictures the breeder sends you of the supposed puppy to ensure they’re not fake stock photos. Don’t get reeled into a purchase decision based on the appearance of the breeder’s website. A fancy online presence isn’t an indication of whether the breeder is legitimate. After all, Wilson said, scammers will set the stage right. Perhaps most importantly, the experts say not to hand over money too soon. If you do, you might risk never seeing your deposit or payment again. “You want to see [the puppy] first,” Hunter said. “You want to know it exists. You don’t want to be taken for a ride.” —AP/NerdWallet

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If you love maps and want to contribute to the work of the U.S. Geological Survey, join the National Map Corps. The agency needs volunteer editors to help update data from their home computer. After creating an account and reading a brief how-to guide, volunteers can get to work right away. To get involved, visit bit.ly/mapcorps or email nationalmapcorps@usgs.gov.

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Souvenirs like this Tunisian camel keep trip memories alive. See story on page 34.

Nebraska, from corn fields to fine art

The crane spectacular The Platte River in Central Nebraska is nature’s stage for one of the planet’s greatest spectacles. From mid-February to midApril, half a million sandhill cranes migrating north rest on the Platte’s sandbars and feed in the cornfields. “I’ve traveled far and wide,” Jane Goodall once said, “and coming to Nebraska and seeing and hearing the cranes always restores my soul.” Even non-birders are captivated by these gangly birds. From viewing blinds at sunrise, eco-tourists can watch the cranes awaken from sandbar roosts and jump like marionettes in a mating dance. Then, in a

big whoosh, thousands ascend to the skies in one of the greatest migrations on Earth.

Paths of progress The Great Platte River that snakes across the state was a formative influence for human civilization, too. Indigenous people lived along the river long before Europeans arrived. It was a major route for pioneers going West and later for the Pony Express, Union Pacific Railroad and today’s Interstate 80. The Lincoln Highway, America’s first coastto-coast paved roadway, tracked the river. Archway Monument over Interstate 80 in Kearney (locally pronounced “Carknee”) honors the past with life-sized figures and exhibits. Listen to an audio guide about the personal stories of pioneers, watch a rider switch horses at a Pony Express station, and experience a thundering buffalo stampede.

PHOTO BY NEBRASKA TOURISM

By Glenda C. Booth Editor’s Note: Given the worldwide reach of the coronavirus and the fact that COVID19 cases are still rising in Nebraska, this is not the time to travel there, or anywhere, for enjoyment. Please enjoy this article as armchair entertainment and for planning your future travel in healthier times. In the Cornhusker State, corn may be at almost every turn, but there’s much more to explore. Want to drift down a placid river in a steel tank? Watch birds strutting in a colorful courtship dance? Visit a sod house or study fine art? Nebraska’s got it.

During a vast annual migration, 80% of the world’s cranes gather on the banks of Nebraska’s Platte River on their way to Arctic nesting grounds. Tourists and wildlife photographers also flock to Nebraska every February to April to admire the sights and sounds of hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes.

Classic art and classic cars The Museum of Nebraska Art in Kearney is housed in a 100-year-old former post office. Inside are 5,000 works by artists who were born, lived, trained or worked in Nebraska or who created art reflecting the state. The museum displays paintings and photographs of cornfields, of course, along with sandhill cranes, prairies, buffalo hunts and settlers by artists like Albert Bierstadt, PHOTO BY RICK NEIBEL/NEBRASKA TOURISM

Nebraskans enjoy a tranquil day of “tanking” downstream. Floating in repurposed livestock watering tanks can be a leisurely way to get a closer look at the state’s wildlife and scenery.

Thomas Moran and George Catlin. Fiber arts feature quilts, weavings and rugs spanning over 100 years. John James Audubon’s wildlife art works are standouts. Study the art of automotive design (while remembering your high school dating scene) in Kearney’s Classic Car Collection, home to over 200 automobiles from different eras. There’s a 1959 Cadillac with its distinctive tailfins, a 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, a supercharged Shelby Mustang GT 350 and a recreated 1950s gas station and drive-in theater ticket booth. Even older are the 1938 Rolls Royce Wraith Limo, two Pierce Arrows and a 1917 VIM Huckster Canopy truck. Its manufacturer, Touraine Company, claimed it could make 250 stops in a 20-mile radius in four hours, compared to a horse and wagon which took six hours to make 200 stops. In Kearney’s Look What’s Cookin’ kitchen store, chefs can expand their “cornware” with utensils like de-silking brushes, butter boys, buttering brushes, corn picks and corn dishes that “prevent ears from rolling away.” In nearby Minden, Nebraska, the centerpiece is the Pioneer Village (self-dubbed “Authentic Americana”) in the shadow of iconic grain storage silos. Opened in 1953, the 20acre campus tells Nebraska’s story through a sod house, general store with bygone

items, antique farm machinery, a working blacksmith’s shop, a telephone switchboard and the country’s oldest steam-powered carousel.

Pony Express Two Pony Express Relay Stations are worth a stop at Gothenburg. In 1860 and 1861, after charging across the land for 60 to 70 miles, riders could switch mounts in two minutes flat and transfer the mail in a mochila, a knapsack that carried 20 pounds of mail. Pony Express riders had to be willing to die, and orphans were preferred. One of the fastest riders transported President Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural address 2,000 miles in eight days. Every June, the National Pony Express Association stages a 1,996-mile, 10-day “reride” from Sacramento, California, through Nebraska to St. Joseph, Missouri.

The Sandhills The late television journalist Charles Kuralt called Nebraska’s Sandhills “one of the most beautiful areas of nothingness.” Don’t take his term “nothingness” literally, though. The region’s 13 million acres of soothing, rolling grasslands are home to Buffalo Bill’s ranch and the largest railSee NEBRASKA, page 34

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Souvenirs evoke fine vacation memories By Victor Block My body is home these days, but my mind is roaming the globe. I’m stalking endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda, interacting with animals and people in the Amazon, and clinging to a tiny saddle on a camel strolling through the Sahara Desert. These are among countless memories

Nebraska From page 33 road servicing yard in the world. You can experience the placid beauty by “tanking,” a local term for floating down a river in a steel water tank for farm animals. Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World was anything but boring. At William Cody’s former ranch, now a historic park in North

undated during the rainy season, when the rivers can rise 40 feet or more. A few are floating houses that rise and fall with the water. As the small motorboat in which I rode pulled up to each village, a few people, mostly children, came to the river’s edge

As intriguing to me as the jungles and wildlife of the Amazon region are the peo-

ple who live in tiny villages strung out along the mighty river. Most consist of a few to several dozen to several dozen houses made of crudely cut wood planks covered by a metal roof. Small gardens provide vegetables, and the surrounding forest provides fruits, nuts and medicinal plants. Most houses rest on rickety stilts that keep them high enough to avoid being in-

Platte, visitors can return to the Old West through videos of a rollicking spectacle of bronco riding, bronco busting, cow roping, gun battles and stagecoach attacks, a show that had 200 performers and 250 horses in the 1890s. Still standing is Bill’s restored Victorian house that cost $4,000 in 1886. The wallpaper features one of his performers, Annie Oakley, a legendary woman who could shoot backwards on a horse.

A must-do in North Platte is taking in the eighth-floor, 360-degree views atop the Golden Spike Tower. Down below, thousands of trains crawl through Union Pacific’s 2,850-acre Bailey Yard, the world’s largest railroad classification yard. The yard dates from 1869, one year after the Transcontinental Railroad was completed. Watching trains connect, disconnect and connect again is mesmerizing; it’s as if an invisible giant is playing with toy

trains in the vast flatlands. And for a bit of wacky Nebraska, there’s Carhenge in Alliance, a full-scale replica of England’s Stonehenge, but the Nebraska version is a series of 38 old cars painted gray. Or try Grain Bin Antique Town near North Platte, with its 20 historic octagonal granaries full of antiques and yard-sale treasures.

that remain alive in souvenirs brought back from the more than 70 countries, including ours, that I have visited. This is a good time to relive travel experiences through mementos you’ve purchased.

Amazonia

See SOUVENIRS, page 37

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In the state capital of Lincoln, the Indiana-limestone state Capitol building, 400 feet tall and topped by a 20-foot man sowing wheat and corn, dominates the skyline. The Museum of Nebraska History covers 12,000 years of history, and the University of Nebraska State Museum of Natural History features Elephant Hall, with towering mammoth, mastodon and other skeletons. Omaha, once dominated by cattle stockyards, is Nebraska’s largest city. It’s the center of the state’s transportation, insurance and agribusiness, and also home of Omaha steaks, Mutual of Omaha and billionaire Warren Buffett. The Joslyn Art Museum, an art deco building of pink Georgia marble, has an outdoor sculpture garden and artworks by El Greco, Titian, Degas and Monet. At the Durham Museum in a former train station, visitors can explore the Cornhusker Club car, which President Harry Truman used for his 30,000-mile whistlestop tour in 1948. Exhibits highlight Native American, Omaha and ranching history. After your tour, enjoy a chocolate malt at its authentic soda fountain.

If you go Check cdc.gov for current travel notices. Most travelers fly to Omaha and then drive west along I-80 and deviate off the interstate to various sites. Omaha is a 17-hour drive from D.C. From Omaha, on the state’s eastern border, to the western border is about 455 miles. Amtrak’s California Zephyr (a daily train connecting Chicago and San Francisco) stops at five stations. The Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island, showcasing agriculture, industry, commerce, arts, sciences and more is the state’s largest event. It’s scheduled for Aug. 28 through Sept. 7. Visit statefair.org. For planning information, visit visitnebraska.com; westnebraska.com; visitomaha.com; LincolnHighwayNebraskaByway.com or cranetrust.org.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 2 0

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

Likely changes to travel through 2020 We’re getting conflicting information travel “passports,” certifying that the bearer about the COVID-19 outlook for the rest of (1) is immune to coronavirus, (2) has tested negative, (3) has recovered the year. On one side, some of from COVID-19, (4) has been the medical folks are saying vaccinated — after there really that the pandemic won’t be is a vaccine — or (5) some over until 2021, and we should combination of those. keep isolating for the foreseeable future. Others are saying To date, the World Health we might have a vaccine withOrganization (WHO) has come in a few months. And some poout against the passport idea, litical leaders were “reopenmainly because currently availing” in May. able tests are not adequate to Don’t ask me which of offer the requisite degree of asthese is the most likely — ex- TRAVEL TIPS surance: They provide too tended lockdown or quick re- By Ed Perkins many of both false positives and covery. In some ways, they all false negatives to be reliable inmight be. In any case, however, you can dicators of safety. expect some coronavirus-related travel reMy guess is that the WHO view will prequirements that will last at least through vail, at least for the next several months. the end of the year and maybe longer. That could change, however, if the pharMasks. Get used to the idea of wearing maceutical labs can come up with an effeca face mask in almost all travel situations. tive vaccine. Already, the biggest U.S. airlines, and sevIn that case, a vaccination certificate eral foreign ones, have announced that might well become important, just as we you won’t be able to travel unless you wear old timers remember those yellow certifia mask. Most others will adopt the policy, cations of various vaccinations and inocufairly quickly. lations we carried decades ago. Railroads, hotels, theme parks, malls, Vouchers. At present, when you make museums, auditoriums — most such ven- even a supposedly “refundable” payment ues are also likely to require masks when to a travel supplier, you’ll likely have a they reopen. tough time getting your money back if you Disposable or renewable, ordinary or cancel. Instead, the supplier will try to fob chic, figure out which type you prefer and you off with a voucher for credit you can add it to the list of “don’t leave home without apply to a future trip — often with gotchas. Some airlines are doing that today, deit” items. My guess is that mask requirements will remain well after the country set- spite hard government rules in the U.S. tles back to normal or at least sort of normal. and Europe that they must refund your “Passports.” Suggestions are flying prepayment if they cancel a flight. around that some agency should issue safeMost travel suppliers are now in a seri-

Write a letter to the editor. See page 2.

ous cash bind, and many will stay that way for several years. So, for the next several years, you can expect many airlines, hotels and other suppliers to modify their “refundability” policies to confine refunds solely to future credit vouchers. In a related development, trip-cancellation insurance policies are likely to include fine print that future-credit vouchers specifically satisfy the requirement for recovery from a supplier. Airports. Even after they nominally reopen, airports will remain different places for a long time — in some cases, indefinitely. First, public access will be more strictly limited than it was before the shutdown. That means, at some airports, that nobody

but air travelers will get past the front doors. Although moving the security process to different locations may not be feasible, airports will likely go to boarding-passonly access screening. I’ve already experienced this at some airports overseas, and it’s likely to arrive here. Travelers in an airport might have to wear masks. Also possible is some sort of health screening, such as fever checks, that may be added to the TSA process. It will probably be more theatric than effective, but don’t be surprised to encounter it — maybe on arrival from international flights, too. Email Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net or visit his website at rail-guru.com. © 2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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China It’s challenging to choose from among the many items I have brought back from “the Middle Kingdom,” as that country was known historically, but one stands out. While following the ancient Silk Road years ago, I spotted a man in the distance on horseback. He brandished an interesting, handmade whip with which he occasionally tapped the animal if it slowed its pace. That scene — a horseman riding bareback along the fabled route using what elsewhere would be manufactured — spoke to me of much that makes China such a fascinating place. I asked my guide to call the rider over and ask if he would sell the whip. He agreed, and after discussing the price, which was so low that offered I bit more, the worn but treasured object now rests on a shelf in my home.

Russia

Going into (what then was) the Soviet Union on a bus tour from Finland, Russian guards found a small decorative knife I had purchased in Helsinki and said I couldn’t bring it into their country. I guess they thought I might use it to overthrow the government. They told me to leave it at the customs hut on the Finnish side of the border. To do so, I had to walk back through a high, barbed-wire-topped double fence and gates, past snarling guard dogs, and under the watchful eyes of Soviet guards who kept their rifles trained on me as I made the round trip. When my tour group returned through the same checkpoint days later, I was able to retrieve the memento from the Finnish sentries. As they handed it over, one explained, with a twinkle in his eyes, “The Soviets always do things like that just to hassle Americans.” BY

Tunisia PH

During my visit to Tunisia, I was able to experience its surprising variety of landscapes. The north is characterized by mountains that give way to its dry central plain, then to a semi-arid region. Much of the extreme south is blanketed by the dry sands of the Sahara Desert — the largest stretch of sand in the world, covering one-quarter of Africa.

Uganda

to greet us. They were followed by women who shyly offered to sell seed and shell necklaces, woven items and other handicrafts. Among my purchases was a woven decorative plate, simple in design but exquisite in workmanship.

LO OR B

From page 34

This enthralling setting is characterized by small settlements clustered round oases and people astride camels that provide a sense of times past. My memorable camel ride began with a brief lesson that included details about how to maintain my mount as the dromedary went through its ungainly exercise of standing, and advice about how to overcome any efforts it might make to head off in a direction other than where I, and my fellow riders, wished to go. A fairly realistic carved wooden camel, wearing the traditional saddle and exhibiting the usual rather haughty expression, serves as a reminder of that experience.

One of my most challenging travel experiences was following the footsteps of endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda. Those majestic beasts live in the aptly named Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. My group was accompanied by guides who had scoped out the location of our prey early that morning. However, after traipsing and climbing for hours through the thick forest, we discovered the uncooperative creatures had moved. We eventually found them and settled down to watch the youngsters swinging from limbs and wrestling on the ground under the watchful eyes of their mothers. Suddenly the mammoth silverback who ruled the band began advancing menacingly toward us. One guide waved the AK-47 assault rifle that he carried specifically for that purpose, the alpha male gorilla retreated — and we hiked back to our tent camp with great memories and photos. CT Y VI TO B O H P

Souvenirs

United States For more than 2,000 years, the Pueblo people, who live in what is now the Southwest United States, have prayed to spirits to bring them good weather, abundant game and a bountiful harvest. They have believed that beings known as Kachinas act as messengers between humans and the spirit world. The Hopi people were first to create Kachina dolls, as a way to teach their children about them. Later, other tribes began making their own Kachina dolls to sell, adding beads, turquoise and other decorations. The Kachina that I bought at an Indian market in Arizona reminds me of the rich and complex role of Native Americans in our country’s history and culture. What memories do your souvenirs bring back?

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For thrills this summer, pick up a historical mystery novel. See story on page 42.

Mary Cliff, folk music and radio legend es, “Let’s see where we go.”

A one-time singer herself In the late 1950s and early ‘60s, Cliff, an alto, sang with her boyfriend and future husband, Chip Cliff, in local hootenannies, spontaneous sing-alongs, and at Washington’s Cellar Door nightclub — where, she recalled, “Nobody got paid.” When the club’s managers learned she was an Army stenographer by day, they hired her to type contracts and take reservations. At the time, Dick Cerri hosted “Music Americana, the Folk Music of America” on WAVA-FM. “Chip and I learned much of our music from Dick’s show,” Cliff said. Cerri needed someone to type up his playlists, pack up records and take them to the transmitter site, so she moved to WAVA. In 1968 on WAVA, preferring live hosting to pre-recorded voice-tracking, Cliff said she played “whatever the Beatles opened the door for” — Joni Mitchell, Tom Paxton, the Doors, the Everly Brothers, microtonal piano — music that at that time she dubbed “underground” music, now known as “progressive rock.”

Cerri was her mentor, Cliff said. “He gave me space to learn.” Throughout her career, she did programming, producing and engineering. She has written scripts and conducted interviews. The show she created and still hosts, “Traditions” — Washington’s longestrunning radio show devoted to folk music — first aired on WETA in 1973, then on WAMU, from 2007 to 2015. In 2018, she was inductSee MARY CLIFF, page 41 Mary Cliff, a member of the Folk DJ Hall of Fame, hosts “Traditions,” a radio show dedicated to folk music, every Saturday night at 9 p.m. on WERA. The show, which Cliff created, has aired for more than 45 years.

PHOTO BY TONY FIORINI

By Glenda C. Booth Growing up in the 1950s, Mary Cliff sang along to the radio with her mom while doing the dishes at their home in Arlington, Virginia. “Radio was the thing in our house,” she said. “I learned all my music from the radio.” She also sang along to 78 records played on a wind-up turntable, which she still owns. Cliff, 77, started working in radio in 1966 as a stenographer, and since then has done just about everything required to produce a radio show, from engineering to interviewing. As host of the weekly show “Traditions” on WERA (96.7), every Saturday night from 9 p.m. to midnight she plays a mishmash of music: folk, blues, ballads, country, old-time, gospel, bluegrass, honkytonk, ethnic and more for thousands of fans across the Washington region. Cliff’s gentle, soothing voice draws listeners in to hear beautifully blended harmonies, plinking banjos, moaning harmonicas and twanging fiddles. Between songs, Cliff offers commentary on the local folk music scene and odds and ends. Unscripted, she often teas-

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Pelecanos From page 1 he classifies as “social realism” rather than hardboiled fiction. “I am a crime writer, but crime is the way I get into what I’m most interested in, which are social issues,” Pelecanos said. Literary critics, as well as higher learning institutes, are now looking more seriously at novelists, like Pelecanos, who write about the crime scene. Students at U.S. universities study and write thesis papers on such 20th-century crime writers as Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. A master’s degree in “crime and thriller writing” is currently offered at the prestigious University of Cambridge. “I think of myself as a novelist first and foremost,” Pelecanos said. “I see myself as more of a spiritual descendant of [John] Steinbeck than of Agatha Christie.”

Shaped by childhood in D.C. Pelecanos, who was born and raised in the D.C. area, said he took a crime fiction class in his senior year at the University of Maryland. The class included the works of Hammett, Chandler, John D. MacDonald, Ross MacDonald, Mickey Spillane, John le Carré and Elmore Leonard, Pelecanos’ alltime favorite crime novelist. His interest in the lives of everyday people in and around D.C. began when he worked as a delivery boy at his Greekborn father’s diner in downtown D.C.: the Jefferson Coffee Shop at 19th Street and Jefferson Place NW. “I was 11 years old in 1968, two months after the riots. I took a bus every day down Georgia Avenue to my father’s lunch counter,” he recalled. “The D.C. transit passed through parts of town that had been completely destroyed. Some of the people on the bus had lost entire neighborhoods.

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UNDERSTANDING TELEHEALTH

Are you curious about using telehealth for doctor appointments? Learn more about the practice of video conferencing with doctors during the pandemic at telehealth.hhs.gov/patients.

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MENTAL HEALTH HELP

If coronavirus is affecting your mental health, there are resources to support you. Read articles and access helplines, local and national, 24/7 at covidmentalhealthsupport.org.

J U N E 2 0 2 0 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

“But clearly they had won something, too. I could see it in their posture, style of dress and attitude. It registered with me on a gut [level] rather than an intellectual level. “Since then, I have always wanted to find out what happened. Writing a novel set during the riots (Hard Revolution) offered me the opportunity. Know the past, and soon the present starts to make sense, right?” When Pelecanos started writing novels, he felt a duty to create characters who represented the people he observed when he was a child. “I didn’t feel that Washington, D.C., had been fully represented in literature — the real, living, working-class side of the city,” he said. “The cliché is that Washington is a transient town of people who blow in and out every four years with the new administration. But the reality is that people have lived in Washington for generations, and their lives are worth examining.” At the moment, Pelecanos is involved in writing and producing a mini-series for HBO about a squad of corrupt police in Baltimore. His most recent novel, The Man Who Came Uptown, was published in 2018. Whether he’s writing a book or screenplay, though, Pelecanos said his work has the same goal. “I’m attempting to give humanity and dignity to the kinds of people who are often ignored or misrepresented in American literature.

Win a free copy of George Pelecanos’ latest book, The Man Who Came Uptown. See cover for details.

“I’m interested in the societal aspect of crime, the social conditions and inequalities that push people to make choices that others, frankly, never have to consider,” Pelecanos said. “Crime is the narrative engine in my books, but really I’m interested in the people and their lives. “And,” he said, “I want to tell a good story.”

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; J U N E 2 0 2 0

Mary Cliff From page 39 ed into the Folk Alliance Internationalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Folk DJ Hall of Fame, which honors broadcasters passionate about the promotion and preservation of folk music. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ms. Cliff,â&#x20AC;? lauds the World Music Central magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website, â&#x20AC;&#x153;has risen to the challenge.â&#x20AC;? Broad variety of songs, themes On Saturday nights, Cliff weaves a tapestry of folk music, which she defines as â&#x20AC;&#x153;culturally-related music, the stuff that got us here.â&#x20AC;? She unreels a list: Anglo-Celtic, African jubilee, Gospel, blues, Piedmont, Western swing and â&#x20AC;&#x153;ethnicâ&#x20AC;? (such as Klezmer, Swedish or Polish). â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what made us what we are,â&#x20AC;? Cliff said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;American music would not be American without all the cultures. Folk music is about stories, how you connect to each other.â&#x20AC;?

During normal (that is, non-pandemic) times, Cliff often chooses songs by musicians who are performing in the area. She posts a weekly â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Whereâ&#x20AC;? list on her website, marycliff.net. She spins some sing-alongs for people at home, tunes like â&#x20AC;&#x153;This Land Is You Land,â&#x20AC;? by Woody Guthrie, or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Where Have All the Flowers Gone?â&#x20AC;? by Peter, Paul and Mary. She builds some shows around a theme. For instance, on May 2, with unemployment numbers rising, she played songs about money and jobs, like â&#x20AC;&#x153;All about the Cashâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Guy who Changes the Lightbulb,â&#x20AC;? with the refrain, â&#x20AC;&#x153;the most important job.â&#x20AC;? On the night before Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day, her show honored moms with â&#x20AC;&#x153;If I Could Hear My Mother Pray,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Got the Bluesâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mama Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Allow No Easy Riders Here.â&#x20AC;? She deftly shifts from Tom Rushâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;San Francisco Bay Bluesâ&#x20AC;? to Burl Ives croon-

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ing â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Bluetail Fly.â&#x20AC;? She might follow a plaintive song like Bob Dylanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buckets of Rainâ&#x20AC;? with a lively Irish fiddle jig. Source: pre-digital archives As the showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sole creator, Cliff digs into her basement library of records, CDs, reelto-reel tapes, cassettes, videotapes and digital audio tapes â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an archive consisting of 29 file drawers of 250 alphabetized CDs

Enjoy a museum tour â&#x20AC;&#x201D; virtually, of course. The Frick Collection in New York is offering a closer look at its famous artwork on its YouTube chan-

June+

VIRTUAL SMITHSONIAN TOURS

June+

VEGGIE COOKING DEMOS

The Smithsonian museums may be closed, but they are offering virtual tours on their website. Get inspired for your next trip at smithsonianjourneys.com and take a daily quiz to identify the location of a photo.

Use this time in your home to learn new recipes with fruits and vegetables that are easy to grow at home. Plant butter lettuce, sugar snap peas and tomatoes. Watch videos of nutritionists and cooking instructors from the U.S. Botanical Garden, along with written directions, at usbg.gov/cooking.

delivers 20-minute weekly lectures about masterpieces by Bellini, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Turner and Constable. Join at https://bit.ly/CocktailsWithCurator.

VIRTUAL CANAL CRUISE TOUR

You can check out Virginiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s riverfronts without actually leaving your home. Enjoy a 360Â° tour of the Kanawha Canal on the James River in Richmond with narration about the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history. To access, visit https://bit.ly/CanalTour.

nel every Friday at 5 p.m. Learn more about the collection of Henry Clay Frick, housed in his Gilded Age mansion on Fifth Avenue. A Frick Collection curator

arranged so she can easily read the spines. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do download,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t play music on my phone.â&#x20AC;? Instead, each week Cliff hauls to the studio two bags of CDs and LPs, sorted as â&#x20AC;&#x153;ought to playâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;if I have time to play.â&#x20AC;? During the show, she scribbles notes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The music tells me where it wants to go,â&#x20AC;? she said.

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COCKTAILS WITH A CURATOR

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SEA, AIR AND SPACE

Visit the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum of New York online, with exhibits, photos and virtual tours to learn more about the legendary aircraft carrier called Intrepid. Go to https://bit.ly/IntrepidOnline.

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J U N E 2 0 2 0 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Go back in time to solve these mysteries assassinate Teddy Roosevelt was behind By Dinah Rokach Historical thrillers are sure to keep you the “accident.” In the novel, President Roooccupied and your mind ensevelt asks 63-year-old Secregaged. Follow these canny tary of State John Hay to insleuths who solve crimes of vestigate the circumstances of the sort that mesmerized the the collision and uncover public in previous times. what TR presumes was a plot The Attempted Murder of to kill him. Teddy Roosevelt: A Novel, Solomon, a resident of Arby Burt Solomon, 304 pages, lington, Virginia, and retired reForge Books hardcover, porter who covered the White 2019; paperback November House, skillfully weaves into 2020 THE his narrative the tenor of the Theodore Roosevelt as- BIBLIOPHILE times, the contemporaneous sumed the presidency upon By Dinah Rokach events of the day, and a rich dethe assassination of William McKinley in 1901. The following year, a scription of the District of Columbia at the collision in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, be- turn of the 20th century. The Attempted Murder of Teddy Roosevelt tween an electric streetcar and the carriage in which Roosevelt and his party is written from the perspective of John Hay were traveling, ended in tragedy. A Secret as he pieces together the clues of the puzService agent was killed, and Roosevelt zle — and becomes the target of assassinawas injured. The incident was deemed an tion himself. Visit Lafayette Square, Union Station, the New Willard Hotel, Capitol accident. Septuagenarian author Burt Solomon Hill and what we now call Roosevelt Island has written a well-researched speculative as they existed more than a century ago. Mycroft and Sherlock: The Empty account of this episode as if a conspiracy to

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Birdcage, by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anna Waterhouse, 336 pages, Titan Book hardcover, 2019 In 1873, a calling card left at eight deadly crime scenes leaves a trail of unsolved murders that otherwise appeared to be random. Nineteen-year-old Sherlock Holmes applies his keen powers of observation to solve the mystery. Sherlock must convince his older brother, Mycroft, who is his sole financial support, to allow him to abandon his studies at Cambridge and follow his calling. Mycroft and Sherlock comes to a surprising resolution, resolving all the mysteries, murders and mayhem and identifying the murderer, motives and villains. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, now 73, and coauthor Anna Waterhouse imagine the young Sherlock as he embarks on his storied career as chronicled by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The NBA great is a self-described Holmesian. This is his third novel, all revolving around the young brothers Holmes. The multicultural cast of characters includes a wealthy black colleague of Mycroft who hails from Trinidad, a Chinese shipping magnate and a Turkish arms dealer. Travel to the royal palace, the watering holes for the rich and powerful, the Irish slums of London and the small towns and

seaports of England, all from the comforts of home. Gallows Court, by Martin Edwards, 368 pages, Poisoned Pen Press paperback, 2019 Mayhem and murder, secret clubs and seductive charmers, corrupt policemen and crafty criminals — master mystery writer Martin Edwards blends these elements into a riveting story. The award-winning British author, who is in his mid-60s, has crafted an enthralling tale set in London and its environs in the early 20th-century. Follow cub reporter Jacob Flint as he follows a trail of shocking crimes. See beneath the facade of upstanding British upper-crust society, and wander along the streets of the capital city — its squares and haunts, restaurants and theaters, exclusive clubs and out-of-the way cottages. Visit the charming countr yside and mysterious offshore island. Enjoy unraveling the mystery with the aid of flashbacks and meager clues strewn along the way. Edwards, a lawyer and crime-fiction critic, has been penning historical thrillers since 1991 — many in the form of short stories. He is a talented writer able to paint a mood, describe a landscape, define character and weave conversation into a taut narrative and a complex, compelling story.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 2 0

A dash of Bobby Bright Side positivity Time that allows an extended visit to a Before COVID, I would place a phone call and silently think about ending it after a storage unit, where dust has gathered on old photos and old children’s couple of minutes. Let’s get on toys. But dust can be whisked with it. Too much else to do. away, and has been. The phoBefore COVID, I would take tos and the toys are back in on a household chore and do our lives (and the life of our only the bare minimum (sorry, grandson) once again. dear). Deep cleaning would Then there are the smaller have taken far too long. things. Before COVID, reading a Shampoos that don’t have to book was a sometime thing. be hurried because some comRe-reading an old favorite was mand performance looms. a never thing. Press of other HOW I SEE IT Breakfasts that can be business, you know. By Bob Levey eaten bite by bite, rather than And before COVID, friendships that required watering and weeding inhaled. Memory Lane excursions with one’s never got either. They got a little, but only a little. Have to run to another meeting. spouse that sometimes last 15 minutes — because they can. Make another deadline. Am I arguing that there’s a silver lining But now, in this odd world of New Normal, pressure is massively reduced and ex- to the pandemic? I would never be quite so Bobby Bright Side. Death, deprivation and cuses ring hollow. We are living in a patch of Found Time. danger are everywhere. The proverbial Time that can be used to expand our hori- light at the end of the tunnel might not apzons, via Zooms that don’t have to end pear for many months. So, we have a choice. Will we use Found after exactly 30 minutes. Time that permits long walks, during Time to stew in our own juices — to curse which we can cogitate on our own, or real- the fact that we’re not living the anythinggoes existence we enjoyed such a short ly dig into the thoughts of a walk buddy. Time that gets us a conversation with a time ago? Or will we use Found Time to long-lost cousin — in my case, a cousin who climb new mountains? I’m going for mountains. had been a ghost for more than five years. That means 10 minutes to swab the He turns out to be kind of interesting (even if I used to crush him at basketball when we walls of the shower stall with detergent. I were teenagers). We will soon return for had never previously spent more than about three. more.

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BASKING IN BAKING

Sometimes we all just need some comfort food. Get new baking recipes from Christina Tosi, founder of a bakery chain called Milk Bar, at christinatosi.com/recipes. You can also watch her bake on Instagram Live every day at 2 p.m. See Instagram.com/christinatosi.

June+

FREE ART COURSES FROM MOMA

The MoMA is offering art courses online, including photography, fashion, postwar abstract painting and more. The classes can be taken at your own pace for free. To learn more, go to moma.org/research-and-learning/classes.

FROM PAGE 44 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD A L F I C A R N T H E S R S T H E J U M P O N E T O N G O H O P A A N I S E R B S W A Y L A T E E Y E S

E E K I R M O I N R Y A C T L O E W S W I S

T A P E J A R N E V A D A

A L P S

P O E T I A C N E D G O G C

S E R R K O

B A S I E S L K O L E S S

M U S R E E F L I L N A I S S H U L F F C U C R

I G U A N A

C L I M B S

K I T S C H

I N I T I A T E

L S A P D Y E M E I N T E

ANSWERS TO JUMBLE Jumbles: SWIFT SHIFT ADVENT BRAZEN Answer: He lost after going “all in” and had to give his wife the — FIRST-HAND NEWS

That means pausing over a turn of phrase in a novel that rings especially true. In the past, I would smirk briefly and keep flipping pages. That means stopping as I walk through a nearby park and bending over to study a flower. I hadn’t done this since high school biology class — the stamen and the pistil, remember? But during Found Time, I can let myself be struck by the utter perfection of a wild black-eyed Susan. Meanwhile, I’m reaching out to the best kinds of friends — the old ones. I called a high school classmate who lives in South Carolina. His wife was trapped in New York City when the pandemic hit. So, he’s all alone in a big beach house, cooking for himself and junking on movies. Before my call, he said he was merely coping. Now, thanks to my encouragement, he has decided to sort through his stash of back-in-the-day photos. He’ll send me the best ones. I texted with another high school classmate who lives alone, way out on the eastern tip of Long Island. She is scared about many things — her local hospital (tiny and understaffed), her children (packed into close-quarters Manhattan), her corner grocery (running out of all sorts of goods on a regular basis).

But when I told her that I was always available on the other end of the text chain, she said she hadn’t heard such good news in days. Then there was the college classmate who somehow appeared on my Facebook feed (in my next life, I will understand algorithms — I certainly don’t understand them in this life). This guy lived at the other end of our freshman dorm. We weren’t at all close. We have gone in sharply different directions as adults. But when we reminisced about the rotten pizza that we used to buy at the corner joint at 3 a.m., well, 1962 was back, in spades. Of course, Found Time is not available to everyone. Many of us still need to work. Many more of us are feeling sick, or supervulnerable. Reminiscing about pizza is a luxury that depends on four walls and a full refrigerator. If you don’t have either or both, smiles may be in short supply. But for those of us who are learning how to breathe a little more deeply and to listen a little more attentively, these weird days are somewhat welcome. Wash your hands. Wash them again. Savor the meadow of moments that we suddenly have. Bob Levey is a national award-winning columnist.

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J U N E 2 0 2 0 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Crossword Puzzle

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

By Stephen Sherr 5

38 45

39 46

48 53

Across 1. Michael Caine starred in the 1966 original; Jude Law in the 2004 remake 6. Bugle tune 10. Lead singer of 28 Across 14. Chili con ___ 15. Soothing band-aid add-in 16. Another name for a Jamaican tangelo 17. One of seven castaways in 1964 19. Matching jacket and pants 20. Last of FIRST 21. Take five 22. At least 1000 sheets of paper 23. Prefix indicating blood 25. Hot temper 27. SNL network 28. Narrator of the Stones’ most performed song 33. “___ of these days, Alice...” 34. Actor Gosling or O’Neal 35. Ingredient in Caesar salad dressing 36. Polynesian nation of 169 islands 38. Primary color in Netflix’ logo 40. Target of a mani pedi 44. Cal. page a with picture of ghosts 46. Asian desert 48. Toddler’s down-time 49. Cowboy, first filmed in 1935 54. “Wheel of Fortune” purchase 55. Lamb, later 56. Open and ___ case 57. Residents of Belgrade 59. Competes 62. “The check is in the mail”, often 64. Move to the groove 65. Suitable place to honor this puzzle’s characters 68. Arriving after the first pitch 69. Homophone to idol and idyll 70. Take over dancing duties 71. Ski mask holes 72. Disrespectful talk 73. Minotaur’s home

Down

1. Feign innocence

37 44

22 25

Jumble answers on p. 43.

10 16

21 23

Scrabble answers on p. 43.

18 20

63 67

2. Bert, who played the Cowardly Lion 3. Ones who may get lost on campus 4. Coordinated with the rest of the marching band 5. “Oh no, a mouse!” 6. Reconstruct a torn-up love letter 7. Their highest peak borders Italy and France 8. Type of justice or license 9. Spanish verb, often confused with Estar 10. Ponder over 11. New world lizard 12. Tries to reach the summit 13. A crass menagerie 18. “I’m not into cartoons; that’s the ___ of it” (Gary Larson) 22. Fix up old flooring 24. Criteria for beatification 26. One of the Big Five studios of Hollywood’s Golden Age 28. Make a quick note of 29. Tres menos dos 30. Cookie holder 31. Humpty Dumpty, basically 32. Latitude, longitude, and altitude (abbrev.) 37. ___ long way 39. Disney’s dwarf with glasses 41. Kick off 42. Young fellow 43. Secret agent 45. Pull a boat on land 47. One with a low deep voice 49. Annoyance 50. Like most of Madison Avenue 51. Download illegally 52. Home to Area 51 53. Element with the same letter symbol as Superman 58. Tournament passes 60. Misfortunes 61. Barely gets by 63. Put carbon dioxide into the air 65. St. with shores on two Great Lakes 66. Fed. agency that monitors dirty words 67. Dir. from Vancouver to Calgary

Answers on page 43.

Letters to editor From page 2 You witnessed a woman severely criticizing a man she observed parking in a space reserved for people with handicaps. In your article, you asked, “What gave this lady the right to criticize him? Was she the police?” My answer is the woman had no right to criticize this man because he may have been one of thousands of drivers who suffer from invisible disabilities, such as hearing loss, heart problems that cause limited mobility, or other discomfort such as arthritis, etc. The man, however, by his own admission, had no disability and was simply in a hurry. At this point, she had the opportunity to say something to spark improvement in his attitude and behavior rather than chastise and threaten to report him. Her basic question could have been: “What if you were disabled and watched someone like yourself take the reserved space?” Even if he had no answer for her at the time, she will have left him with a question he could probably remember the next time he wanted to park in a space reserved for those with a handicap. Keep up the good work. Your readers luv ya. Gerri Barnes Ellicott City, MD Dear Editor: Regarding a typo in your May Beacon Bit “Doodle Videos” — The talented children’s author, Mo Willems, of Knuffle Bunny fame, is the artist in residence at the Kennedy Center. (His name is not spelled Williams, like Venus or Serena, the tennis pros.) Clearly, you need to hire a grandparent as a copy editor. BTW, I’m looking for parttime work; I used to copy edit Bob Levey at The Post. (Ask him how many times I saved his bacon.) Suzanne Tobin Via email Dear Editor: I want to commend you for including Glenda Booth’s articles about historic sights and significant people in our neighborhood. The most recent article on Mari-

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 2 0

ONE BIG HAPPY By Rick Detorie

am Van Landingham was outstanding. Seldom do we learn about our fascinating and significant personalities until they’re gone. I look forward to learning something each time I find her articles. Louise Potter Via email

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LIVING ROOM CONCERTS

Listening to music can be a wonderful distraction. Enjoy Broadway stars and their hits from musicals like “Mean Girls” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” Check out these living room concerts at https://bit.ly/BroadwayConcerts.

June+

ALL ABOUT PLANTS

Visit the New York Botanical Garden from your electronic device. Watch virtual tours of plant exhibits, learn how to prepare your garden for summer crops, and get instruction on nature-inspired crafts. Go to https://bit.ly/PlantTalks for more information.

June+

DANCE PARTY WORKOUT

Get some healthy exercise with free, biweekly fitness classes that include aerobics along with a dance party. “Dance Church Go” is available every Wednesday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. on livestream. Check it out at go.dancechurch.com.

WB620

J U N E 2 0 2 0 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

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CLASSIFIEDS The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on page 47. CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment. EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate. Caregivers CAREGIVER, I WILL CARE FOR YOUR LOVE ONES night or day. Great references and own transportation. Willing to work immediately. If interested, please call 301-502-2258. A HOME HEALTHCARE- Experienced nurses, CNA, GNA are available 24/7. Cooking, companionship, personal care, housekeeping, driving. Full/Part-time or live-in care. 15 years’ experience. 2405336599) A CARE AGENCY - Been in business for more than 10 years. Experienced nurses, CNAs, GNAs. Any hours you need. Flat rate for live-in. Duties include cooking, housekeeping, bathing, errands, etc. Tel: 667-231-8235 MATURE, HONEST, RELIABLE, Experienced Home Health Aide. Its a very fulfilling job for me. I can also help with dog walking, downsizing, organizing, all around personal assistant or Home Helper. References available. Elizabeth 301-605-3777

Computer Services PROBLEM WITH YOUR PC/MAC OR NETWORK? Computer Systems Engineer will come to you with help. Call David G. Computer Services at 301-642-4526.

For Sale CEMETERY LOTS FOR SALE in National Memorial Park cemetery in Falls Church, Va. Lots are located in Block I, Section 258, Sites 3 and 4. Current value if purchased through cemetery is $15,800. Asking $12,500, but willing to negotiate. Will pay ownership transfer fees. Call 703-989-6965. WESTHAMPTON MEMORIAL AND CREMATION PARK, 10000 Patterson Ave, Richmond VA. 2 side by side cemetery plots. $ 3500.00 per plot. Negotiable. Section 2, Garden of Meditation. Will sell separately. Call Jeanne 804 297 6076. PUT ON YOUR TV EARS and hear TV with unmatched clarity. TV Ears Original were originally $129.95 - NOW WITH THIS SPECIAL OFFER are only $59.95 with code MCB59! Call 1-833-934-0843.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate

Personal Services

Wanted

MID-ATLANTIC FUNDING GROUP — Pays cash for Owner Financed Mortgages. Professional Service / Fast Closing. Call Us Today! 1 (800) 641-9521 or visit midatlanticnotes.com

SELL YOUR SILVER AND OLD GOLD JEWELRY. Gold 4 Good (8241 Georgia Ave., Suite 100, Silver Spring, MD 20910) buys gold and silver jewelry, including broken pieces, all sterling silver and silver flatware, gold watches and gold and silver coins. I can come to your home and give you a free evaluation of what I can pay. If you decide to sell, I can buy your items at that time, but there is no obligation. Licensed with both Maryland and Montgomery County (lic. #2327). Call Bob, (240) 938-9694. Gold 4 Good pays an additional 5 percent to all military veterans (and their spouses). Gold 4 Good is a Maryland licensed precious metals company, not a pawnshop or private home based business.

TURN YOUR SILVER AND OLD GOLD JEWELRY INTO CASH. Gold 4 Good (8241 Georgia Ave., Suite 100, Silver Spring, MD 20910) buys gold and silver jewelry, including broken pieces, all sterling silver and silver flatware, gold watches and gold and silver coins. I can come to your home and give you a free evaluation of what I can pay. If you decide to sell, I can buy your items at that time, but there is no obligation. Licensed with both Maryland and Montgomery County (lic. #2327). Call Bob, (240) 938-9694. Gold 4 Good pays an additional 5 percent to all military veterans (and their spouses). Gold 4 Good is a Maryland licensed precious metals company, not a pawnshop or private home based business.

Health RESEARCH STUDY: Seeking adults helping a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia for research study. This study is trying to understand how dementia caregivers who have a chronic condition use technology (PI: Hae-Ra Han, PhD, RN; Johns Hopkins IRB00198665). The study involves doing a phone or online survey. Help us understand how you use technology so we can build technology that helps caregivers. If interested, please contact the study team at 410-9294327 or tech4caregiverhopkinstudy@gmail.com TIP OF THE MONTH - Healthy Does Not Have To Be Hard or Expensive! Enhancing your immune system can help fight against viruses and infectious diseases. AT CTFO, We offer solutions! Christian oriented, Global and Dept Free. The most Exclusive Wholesale Buying Club with Patented Products. NO Fees! No Gimmicks! Join us and help yourself fight in this environment. Check the short Videos at www.dcJoinFree.com” PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-851-0949. MOBILEHELP, America’s Premier Mobile Medical Alert System. Whether You?re Home or Away. For Safety and Peace of Mind. No Long Term Contracts! Free Brochure! Call Today! 1240-650-9189 DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. NOT just a discount plan, REAL coverage for [350] procedures. Call 1-844366-1003 for details. www.dental50plus.com/320. [6118-0219] LIFE ALERT. One press of a button sends help FAST, 24/7! At home and on the go. Mobile Pendant with GPS. FREE First Aid Kit (with subscription.) CALL 240-847-6732 FREE Brochure.

Home/Handyman Services SLOWING DOWN AFTER 38 YEARS of contracting. Small to medium jobs, mainly residential $42.50 an hour from arrival on job. Andy 703-906-5429. THE BATHROOM OF YOUR DREAMS for as little as $149/month! BCI Bath & Shower. Many options available. Quality materials & professional installation. Senior & Military Discounts Available. Limited Time Offer - FREE virtual in-home consultation now and SAVE 15%! Call Today! 1-855-653-0087. ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING FOREVER! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-844359-6933. STAY IN YOUR HOME LONGER with an American Standard Walk-In Bathtub. Receive up to $1,500 off, including a free toilet, and a lifetime warranty on the tub and installation! Call us at 1-877-240-2061 or visit www.walkintubquote.com/beacon ARTHRITIS, COPD, JOINT PAIN or Mobility Issues on the Stairs? **STOP STRUGGLING** Give Your Life A Lift! An Acorn Stairlift is a perfect solution! A BBB Rating. Call now for $250 OFF your purchase. FREE DVD & brochure. 1-844-818-1364.

Legal Services APPLYING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY or Appealing a Denied Claim? Call Bill Gordon & Assoc. Our case managers simplify the process & work hard to help with your case. Call 1-866-970-0779 FREE Consultation. Local Attorneys Nationwide [Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington DC. Office: Broward Co. FL (TX/NM Bar.)]

Miscellaneous THANK YOU GLORIOUS ST JUDE, for answering my prayers. Eternally thankful.

TV/Cable DIRECTV - Switch and Save! $39.99/month. Select All-Included Package. 155 Channels. 1000s of Shows/Movies On Demand. FREE Genie HD DVR Upgrade. Premium movie channels, FREE for 3 mos! Call 1-888-572-4953. DISH NETWORK. $59.99 for 190 Channels! Blazing Fast Internet, $19.99/mo. (where available.) Switch & Get a FREE $100 Visa Gift Card. FREE Voice Remote. FREE HD DVR. FREE Streaming on ALL Devices. Call today! 1844-560-5837.

Wanted CASH FOR JEWELRY; I buy a wide range of jewelry; gold, silver, costume, watches, turquoise, coins, school rings, etc. Gary Roman; 301-520-0755. LADY WHO LIKES CHINA and other pretty things would like to buy yours. Favorites include Coalport, Herend, Meissen, Royal Copenhagen, Shelley and Villeroy & Boch. Some Lenox and Johnson Brothers. I love English bone china cups and saucers. Paintings and pottery. I’ve collected antique Christmas and Halloween for thirty years and am always looking to add to my collection. Sterling and jewelry. MD license no. 2753. Call, 301-785-1129. BUYING VINYL RECORDS from 1950 to 1990. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae, Punk, Blues, and Disco. 33 1/3 LP’s, 45’s and some 78’s, Some Groups Of CD’s Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201. CASH FOR JEWELRY: Buying jewelry, diamonds, gold, platinum, silver, watches, coins, flatware, etc. Ask for Tom. Call anytime, 301654-8678 (Reg. 883). ALWAYS BUYING OLD STUFF! Old Silverware and Holloware (even some silverplate) Very Old books, Costume Jewelry, Pinup magazines before 1970, Metal purses, Comic Books, Old School Rings, Pinup magazines before 1970, Old Coins U.S. & Foreign, Antique Metal Pens & Pencils, Posters, Dental Gold( Yellow & White),Pocket & Wrist Watches, Old Toys, Broken Jewelry, Coins, other “old stuff”. What do you have? Call Now: Alex 571-426-5363 or send to: 8409 Lee Highway, Suite 825 Merrifield, VA 22116 TOP PRICES PAID FOR FINE ANTIQUES, artwork and decorative objects including decorated crocks and jugs, unusual antique clocks, music boxes and mechanical things, coin operated devices, furniture, rare antique dolls and toys etc. I am 67 years old, well educated, financially capable, and have over 40 years in this business. Why pay outlandish auction house, estate agent or consignment store commissions when you can get a fair upfront price for your pieces with no hassle? If you have something interesting or unusual, rare and valuable and are prepared to sell it I would like to speak with you. Please call Jake Lenihan, 301 279 8834. No calls after 7 pm please. OLD TOYS, COINS, BASEBALL CARDS, memorabilia, pre-1970, antique golf, comic books, dolls, trains, ephemera, pre-1920 photographs, books, militaria, firearms, knives, fountain pens, men’s wristwatches, jewelry, original art, Montgomery County resident, will travel to District, Virginia, call Tom 240 476 3441, thank you. STAMP COLLECTIONS Purchased/Appraised; U.S., Foreign, Worldwide - anything philatelic! I also advise on how to best dispose of collections that I don’t purchase. Contact Alex: 301-309-3622; ARogolsky@gmail.com; American Philatelic Society Member

CASH FOR RECORDS, CDS AND DVDS. Best price guaranteed. Free appraisals. All types of music {33, 45, 78 & CDs.} Also buying turntables and stereo equipment. Will make house calls with CURBSIDE PICKUPS. Call or text Steve at 301-646-5403. PAYING CASH merchandise pre 1980. Old toys, silver, records, books, photographs, smoking pipes and lighters, fountain pens,florsheim shoes. If you have old stuff to sell cal Carl 312316-7553. Sorry no furniture or glassware. Located Silver Spring MD. OLD VIOLINS AND POCKET WATCHES WANTED by 84 year old codger who remembers when things were hand made VIOLINS and POCKET WATCHES have one thing in common... Time :) Please call Ken. 240-731-016” WANTED: OLDER VIOLINS, GUITARS, BANJOS, MANDOLINS, UKULELES, ETC. Musician/collector will pay cash for older string instruments. Jack (301) 279-2158. BUYING OLD STEREO/Audio Components from 1940’s - 1980’s Speakers, Receivers, Amplifiers, Turntables, etc. working or not. Also interested in parts. (540)999-1486 BOOK COLLECTIONS WANTED. Moving? Downsizing? Estate? Together the Bonafide Book Buyers have over 85 years experience as professional buyers & sellers of quality books in the D. C. area. Best prices paid for good books. Examples: Easton Press, Folio Society, First Edition Science Fiction & Mysteries, Military, History, Scholarly & Academic Press publications. Call Nelson at 240-472-4615 for an appointment at your house. Also will consider DVDs & CDs. Curbside pickup possible, phone for details. WILL BUY MILITARY, WWII, WWI, Civil War memorabilia items. Uniforms, weapons, helmets, photos, war souvenirs, medals, photos or any other items associated with U.S., German, Japanese or other military history. Call Dave (240-4640958) or email (david.obal63@gmail.com). CASH FOR ESTATES, moving etc; I buy a wide range of items. Buy out/clean up. www.atticllc.com Gary Roman; 301-520-0755.

BEACON BITS

June+

ACCESSING ASTRONOMY

Take to space with live astronomy shows from the Science Museum of Virginia’s astronomer, Justin Bartel. Each Thursday at 2 p.m. he will discuss a different topic for a half hour, including planets, asteroids and stars. Check it out on facebook.com/ScienceMuseumofVirginia.

Thank you for reading the Beacon! Stay safe.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 2 0

BEACON BITS

June+

THE PLAY’S THE THING Viewing theater has never been easier. Watch full-length hit plays

from the United Kingdom’s National Theatre on YouTube. Each week, a play will be uploaded and available free for seven days. To watch, go to https://bit.ly/UKPlays.

June+

VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS You don’t need to be a student to take a field trip. Learn about

community engagement, health, technology, financial literacy and more with Discovery Education. Take a video field trip of a tractor factory or innovative greenhouse on https://bit.ly/DiscoveryFieldTrip.

June+

FOREST BATHING We all could use a walk in nature. Explore a beautiful Finnish for-

est online on a virtual trip with up-close looks at hidden pathways and native species. Check it out at upmforestlife.com.

HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD All classified ads must be submitted and paid for online, via our website, www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds Deadlines and Payments: To appear in the next issue, your ad text and payment must be entered by the 5th of the preceding month (for Baltimore and Howard County editions); by the 20th (for Washington and Richmond editions). Cost will be based on the number of characters and spaces in your ad: • $25 for 1-250 • $35 for 251-500. • $50 for 501-750 (maximum length). The website will calculate this amount for you. Note: Maryland contractors must provide a valid MHIC number. • Each real estate listing qualifies as one ad. • All ads are subject to publisher’s discretion. Payment will be refunded if unacceptable for any reason.

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

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Studies Alzheimer’s Depression Study .................................19 Alzheimer’s Prevention Study .................................20

Montgomery County Recreation Department .......9

Homecrest House.................22

Home Health Care/Companion Services

Homewood at Frederick.......17

COVID-19 Vaccine Study....21

Best Senior Care . . . . . . . . .13

Heart Attack/Stroke

Options for Senior America .28

Overweight Study .............19

TheBeaconNewspapers.com..38

Events Brooke Grove/Eric Stewart Realtor.................................6 World Elder Abuse Awareness Day ..................12

Funeral Services Going Home Cremation.......22

Shenandoah Senior Living...16

Oakridge Auction Gallery....29

Sommerset ...........................23

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation

Legal Services

901 W. Street ........................23

Farr Law Firm ......................27

Abrams Hall Senior Apts. ......9

Law Offices

Charles E. Smith Life Communities .............15 Chesterbrook Residences ........................11 Chevy Chase House .............11 Churchill Senior Living .......16

DC Office on Aging.........24-25

Enterprise Residential..........34

Montgomery County

Falcons Landing ..................48

Services.......................10, 22

Cherry Blossom CBD..........16

Housing

Retirement Village ..............6

Culpepper Garden ..........13, 15

Five Star Premier Residences..............................13

Eric Stewart.............6, 30, 41

Pointe View at Aspen Hill.........5

Wren, The ............................17

Brooke Grove

Long & Foster/

Retail/Auction

LeafGuard . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

AlfredHouse.........................14

Real Estate

Park View Apartments ............34

Springvale Terrace .........12, 23

Government Services

Aging and Disability

Quantum Property Mgmt .......37

Home Improvement

Memory Disorders Studies ..19

Computer/ Technology

Friendship Terrace................17

of Lee Holdmann ..............28 Law Offices of Nancy Feldman .................29 Law Offices of Paul Riekhof .....................31

Medical/Health Acumedicine Health ..............8 Adventist HealthCare.............8

Manor Care Health Services.............................14

Subscriptions Beacon Newspaper ..............45

Theatre/ Entertainment F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre ...39 Senior Zone..........................42

Tour & Travel Martinsburg West Virginia .......35

Medical Eye Center .............12

Volunteers & Careers

Steven Freidman, DDS ........29

Beacon Salesperson .............28

Miscellaneous

Career Gateway....................27

Lesner Hearing.......................9

City of Rockville Mansion...35

J U N E 2 0 2 0 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Subscribe for half-price. See p. 45

E ARE STRONGER

united

Falcons Landing is home to some of the bravest men and women who have honorably served and shaped our country. They are leaders, thinkers and active community volunteers. They are our family, and in this time of adversity, we are here continuing strong with our mission to not only keep our residents safe, but to value, support and enhance their lives. kƚų ÚåÚĜÏ±ƋåÚ ŸƋ±ý ĜŸ ÏŅĵĵĜƋƋåÚ ƋŅ ŞųŅƴĜÚĜĹč ƋĘå ŸåųƴĜÏåŸ Ņƚų ųåŸĜÚåĹƋŸ ÚåŸåųƴå ±Ƌ ƋĘå ĘĜčĘåŸƋ ĬåƴåĬ ŞŅŸŸĜÆĬåţ å ±ųå ÚŅĜĹč åƴåųƼƋĘĜĹč ĜĹ Ņƚų ŞŅƵåų ƋŅ ŞųŅƋåÏƋ ƋĘåĜų Ęå±ĬƋĘ ±ĹÚ ƋŅ ŸƚŞŞŅųƋ ƋĘåĵ ÚƚųĜĹč ƋĘĜŸ k F%ěŏŀ ŞƚÆĬĜÏ Ęå±ĬƋĘ åĵåųčåĹÏƼţ

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