July 2020 | Howard County Beacon

The Howard County

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Stephen King has called Pelecanos “perhaps the greatest living American crime writer,” and Esquire magazine called him the “poet laureate of the D.C. crime world.”

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.

Characters are survivors

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More than 30,000 readers throughout Howard County

Novelist’s unique take on crime

By Robert Friedman George Pelecanos is the award-winning writer of 21 novels, all researched, he said, “in the street rather than the library.”

Pelecanos, 63, prides himself for prowling mean inner-city streets to get the most accurate descriptions for his crime novels.

Lately, though, the Maryland resident 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,” Pelecanos told the Beacon in a recent interview. “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,” he said.

In addition to publishing bestselling novels, many of which are set in Washington, D.C., 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.

Currently, Pelecanos is working with Simon and writer Ed Burns on a new TV series also to be set in Baltimore.

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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 19

Born and raised in Maryland, 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.

“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 sur-

vive,” Pelecanos said.

As a result, the label of crime fiction doesn’t quite fit his work, he said, which he classifies as “social realism” rather than

Do you enjoy the Beacon? Would you appreciate a monthly email that links directly to our latest issue?

Either email your name and address to info@thebeaconnewspapers.com, or fill out our free e-subscription form at bit.ly/beacondrawing, 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.

ARTS & STYLE

The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s outdoor performances are on hold this summer, but audiences can still be inspired online page 23

See PELECANOS, page 24

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Guest columnist Editor’s Note: The following guest column is cans, many who considered him the savior

by Timothy Cox, one of our contributing writ- who would finally help even the playing ers. Mr. Cox has written for Ganfield in a nation steeped in nett and Scripps-Howard as well Jim Crow laws, its foundaas for newspapers in Augusta, tions embedded in the 18th Atlanta, Baltimore, Pittsburgh century slave trade. and Washington, D.C. A memSen. Kennedy, as well as his ber of the National Association of deceased brother, President Black Journalists, he has a jourJohn F. Kennedy, was considnalism degree from Point Park ered a fair man who would also University. lead the charge as the young, I vividly recall the spring of new politician, with values tar1968. I was 10 years old. geted toward alleviating AmeriThen, America was in a WAKE-UP CALL ca’s unfair treatment of African state of turmoil following the By Timothy Cox Americans.

April 4 assassinations of Dr. In 1968, those bright hopes Martin Luther King, Jr. and, and dreams ended abruptly soon after, the June 5 fatal shooting of then- with their unexpected and sudden deaths.

U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, a candidate Fast-forward some 52 years to the spring well-positioned to win the Democratic nomi- of 2020. I’m now 62. Once again, we’re imnation for the 1968 presidential election. mersed in a series of racially polarizing and The violent death of Dr. King was an world-changing events. Amid the somber event that rocked the core of black Ameri- effects of the coronavirus, many Americans

Congratulations to our survey drawing winners: Mary Crise of Baltimore and JoAnn Marshburn of Bethesda.

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Publisher/Editor – Stuart P. Rosenthal

were already psychologically and emotionally wrecked since the virus took hold in early March, ending jobs and lives.

As a former longtime resident of Georgia, I was personally impacted by the video released in May of two white men who tracked down and killed a young black man, Ahmaud Arbery, who was jogging in “their” neighborhood. It reignited a flame that historically has saddled America’s South.

But within weeks, we saw the groundbreaking video of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. To me, that is when the wake-up call blasted out to end the illegal, racist behavior toward African Americans and other minorities.

The event has and continues to adversely impact billions, nationally and internationally. As of press time, the protest marches continue worldwide.

The video of George Floyd was so unbelievable that it was difficult for me to watch. It is hard to fathom that such an incident could occur in the 21st -century United States.

Like most Americans, I immediately felt sorry for Floyd’s family, and also for the millions of young people of all races and cultures whom had never seen an incident so inhumane. Not in 2020. And hopefully, never again.

As a descendant of two parents who were raised in segregated Georgia in the early 1900s to mid-1940s, I’m proud to say that my upbringing in Western Pennsylvania had a full impact on my life. From the time of my early education to the time I entered the job market, I’ve adopted mechanisms to thrive even when faced with obvious, racially-based oppression and systemic racism.

When I was a young man, my parents ensured that my brothers and sisters were well equipped to appropriately respond when encountered by aggressive law enforcement personnel. “The talk” was and is a protection mechanism passed down the ranks from grandparents, fathers, uncles, cousins and nephews to children and in my case, to my godchildren.

As a lifelong journalist, I have often witnessed unfair hiring practices at America’s premier newspapers. On the rare occasions I was offered a job interview there,

managing editors would often tell me that minority reporters such as myself were not qualified because we lacked daily newsroom experience. But if we were never given an initial opportunity, how were we supposed to acquire the necessary daily newsroom experience?

Racism was, and continues to be, a reality in our country.

However, one powerful televised moment stands out to me. At a march for George Floyd’s homegoing in Houston, a three-year-old girl saw a line of police SWAT team members and asked her father if the police were coming to “shoot them.”

Then, an officer stopped to comfort the little girl — stating that she and her family were safe and able to march and demonstrate as they pleased. Those types of hopeful images can impact our youth and the law enforcement community.

Who has the answers? Money and support has poured in from corporations, churches, athletes and entertainers, and even Pope Francis has expressed his awareness and support.

As a man of God, I pray that the religious community can step up and develop some type of healthy dialogue with other denominations and religious groups — with the sole purpose of ending the ongoing unfairness in society.

Hopefully, there’ll be a conglomeration of organizations that’ll collectively lead the charge in fixing the wrongs in America, and internationally, that have for so many years utilized systematic racism — again, to unfairly and primarily target and harm people of color. Black men, along with our mothers, sisters and all in between, know and have lived the real story.

Those who march worldwide in the streets to protest current and past inhumane treatment of people of color are clearly reacting to what they believe are racist practices.

To our young people: Continue to march and make the world aware of the inequities that continue to plague black Americans. It’s an ongoing struggle, but facing reality is long overdue. Sadly, George Floyd had to pay the ultimate price in order for the world to awaken.

Stay woke, America!

Letters to the editor

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

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Dear Editor: When I was in my 50s, I had double vision in both eyes. My muscles were very weak, which made walking very difficult. I lost hearing in both ears, and I was in constant, debilitating pain.

I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, M.S., an autoimmune disease that affects 1 million Americans.

When I was first diagnosed with M.S. in 2001, my doctor said he did not know the cause of M.S., and that there was no cure, but, “Don’t worry, it’s not fatal.”

It took all the courage that I had to refuse the only treatment option that the doctors offered me: drugs. I thought the See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 11

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Health Fitness &

BLOOD SUGAR TROUBLE What diabetics should know about the increased risks of COVID complications 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 may help SPICE UP YOUR LIFE Many spices, such as ginger, paprika and cayenne, are natural blood thinners

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 Ameri-

can 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 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 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 See BLOOD TEST, page 7

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How to have an effective telehealth visit ing 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.

See TELEHEALTH, page 6

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Dear Savvy Senior, also works well for some specialties like derI manage a large doctor’s clinic that matology or mental health care (counseltreats hundreds of seniors ing/therapy) services. each month. We are moving So, what can patients exto more telehealth visits to pect from a telehealth visit, help keep our patients safe and how should they prepare? at home during the coronavirus pandemic, but this Have the right tech new way of seeing a doctor is The first step is to call your befuddling to many of our doctor’s of fice to find out older patients. Can you write whether telemedicine visits a column educating patients are available, and whether you on how to prepare for a telewill need to set up an account SAVVY SENIOR health appointment? or install special software on

By Jim Miller Regular Reader your computer, phone or Dear Reader, tablet.

I’d be happy to help! To help keep paUntil recently, doctors were required to tients safe and at home during the coron- conduct telehealth visits through platavirus crisis, more and more doctors and forms such as Doxy, Thera-Link or Myother healthcare providers are turning to Chart that were compliant with the Health telehealth (a.k.a. telemedicine) appoint- Insurance Portability and Accountability ments — remote e-visits using a smart- Act, or HIPAA. phone, tablet or computer.

But some of those requirements have Although telehealth has been around been relaxed in the current crisis, so for a few years now, recent updates to reg- many providers are using popular apps ulations and a surge in demand have made such as FaceTime, Skype and Zoom to it the easiest way to get many different conduct visits. types of medical care.

Most telehealth appointments today tend Become familiar with it to be primary care or follow-up visits that can Once you know what technology you will assess symptoms or check on people who be using, get familiar with it. You don’t want have had a medical procedure. Telehealth to spend the first 10 minutes of your visit try-

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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.

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tions happening now during lockdowns.

Some parts of the U.S. are seeing increasing 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

Telehealth From page 5

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

Hopkins Center for Health Security said it will take a few rounds of infection 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

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.

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BOOK GROUP Even though the Howard County Library System is technically closed, you can still participate in its virtual programs. One,

“Morning Books with Coffee,” is a discussion group about books and films. It takes place every Friday morning from 10 to 11 a.m. The next meeting on June 26 will focus on the book and movie Room. Free registration at least a day in advance is required to receive a link to participate. Register at hclibrary.org, email askhcls@hclibrary.org or call (410) 313-7700.

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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:

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

Blood test From page 4 and Drug Administration approval.

Thrive’s CEO Dave Daly said the company plans a larger, definitive study and is

sponse 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.

How to avoid COVID-19 The best way to avoid getting sick is to stay home as much as you can. If you have 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.

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.

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.”

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 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.

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

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.

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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 happen-

ing 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 forgetfulness. 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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J U L Y 2 0 2 0 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

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 ca-

bles 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

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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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11

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-

Letters to editor From page 2 side effects of the drugs doctors wanted to prescribe would make me worse.

Instead, I instinctively knew that I had to find the source of my pain. I decided to rely on my own research and faith to solve my problem and to find a solution to my medical mystery.

I discovered that I have celiac disease that had been undiagnosed since childhood. I have since learned that gluten is what damaged my immune system, leading to M.S. The dietary changes were difficult at first — avoiding wheat, soy sauce and other com-

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

mon ingredients in most foods. But the diet got easier as my pain started to go away, and my health improved remarkably.

Now, I am symptom free and getting stronger every day. I follow the gluten-free diet and get plenty of rest and sunshine.

And I am still drug-free.

I would encourage anyone who has been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, or who has unexplained symptoms, to start a gluten-free diet immediately.

If all we do is take medicine and ignore our diet and lifestyle, we are wasting our doctors’ time, wasting money and jeopardizing our recovery.

Debbie McGrann Ellicott City

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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.

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

Many spices are natural blood thinners Sadly, we’re hearing more about strokes so much that the debris forms an obnoxand blood clots lately. Apparently, this is a ious piece of gunk that ends up blocking rare but possible concern blood flow to your brain, with COVID-19. heart or lungs.

It is disheartening because, There’s a healthy balance at first, researchers thought that’s in-between both exthis virus stayed in the lungs. tremes, and we call the balBut now we know it can affect ance “homeostasis.” all human tissues and organs.

Blood health can be manipA research study led by ulated by foods, spices and doctors at RCSI University of drugs. Clots do not happen to Medicine and Health Sciences everyone who gets the virus; in Dublin found that some pain fact, some people don’t DEAR tients admitted to their hospi- PHARMACIST even know they’ve been extal experienced abnormal clot- By Suzy Cohen posed or infected! ting, and that this was the So, as you read this article, main contributing factor to please know that my intention is their death. not to provoke fear or anxiety; it is to offer In those patients, they identified hun- sensible advice, so you can improve your dreds of tiny clots in the lungs. This ex- blood health. Furthermore, I am not suggestplains why oxygen levels drop so quickly ing any of this as a treatment for COVID-19 and so dramatically in the most severe or any coronavirus. cases of the disease.

Clotting in your blood matters. You want Your diet and immune system Since the immune system resides in the it to clot, so you don’t get a paper cut and bleed to death. But you don’t want it to clot intestinal tract for the most part, your diet

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is what instantly changes your gut microflora and your ability to fight.

The foods and spices listed below are some of those that have natural anti-clotting properties. However, certain foods listed below will interfere with your PT/INR levels and medications. That’s why people who take anticoagulants may want to avoid these foods and spices, or ask a doctor first if they’re okay for them to consume.

These foods are not listed by strength.

In fact, they are in no particular order:

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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Health Studies

13

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 webbased 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.

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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 ben-

efits “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.

14

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

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A Publication of the Department of Community Resources and Services

Coping with Stress and Anxiety During COVID-19

O

ver the past months, the coronavirus has upended life as we know it in Howard County. Residents found grocery stores emptied of canned and frozen foods, paper products and hand sanitizer, and dealt with closures of schools, parks, libraries and all but essential businesses. All church services and social activities were cancelled and 50+ Centers closed. “Stay home, stay safe” became the new mantra for older adults vulnerable to complications from COVID-19. The pandemic created the perfect storm for anxiety, according to AARP. Coronavirus affects older adults more than any other age group, due to: • complex chronic health conditions, including mental health conditions, substance use disorders, and cognitive impairment; • limited mobility and resources, and food access concerns; • a greater possibility of loss, leading to fear, depression, and anxiety; • less access to social networks and/or caregivers (professional and family).

A Message from Howard County Executive

Calvin Ball

T

his July may look a bit different than usual, as Howard County begins to re-open and recover from COVID-19.

Celebrations with friends and family enjoying summer will be unlike those in years past.

We continue to urge all Howard County residents, especially those with vulnerable health conditions, to continue safe health practices by washing hands regularly, practicing physical distancing and wearing face coverings in public. Our older adult population over 60 should continue to stay at home as much as possible.

This month, keep in mind the new tax filing deadline for the IRS is July 15. There are many resources available online if you need support when filing taxes this year. AARP has expanded their online offerings due to the suspension of their in-person services. Information can be found at www.aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp_taxaide/. Maryland CASH Campaign (www.cashmd.org) is also offering remote services.

Additionally, our efforts to become an AARP Age-Friendly community continue virtually, which has created an opportunity to keep our older adults engaged and connected during a time of self-isolation. Age-Friendly work groups have been meeting remotely since mid-March and the initiative will be only as strong as the engagement and participation we receive. Individuals who are interested in joining one of the work groups may contact Terri Hansen, Age-Friendly Manager, at thansen@howardcountymd.gov.

As we continue to manage this pandemic, we will continue to safeguard the critical resources, support services, and health of our older adult population.

Feeling stressed and anxious during these uncertain times is normal; taking steps to combat feelings of social isolation is crucial for older adults.

• Take care of physical and mental health needs. Don’t ignore symptoms of illness; call your doctor if you have concerns. Many providers now offer tele-health services. Keep current medications filled and take as directed. If your anxiety interferes with daily functioning, contact a behavioral health provider or reach out to Grassroots 24-hour Crisis Hotline at 410-531-6677 for help.

• Get regular exercise. Exercise, like walking or stretching, can calm the tension in your body and lift your mood. For more fitness ideas for all activity levels, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/aging and view the Virtual Offerings Guide from the Office on Aging and Independence (OAI). All classes are free and offered through WebEx. • Maintain social networks. Stay in touch with loved ones by phone, text or social media, or try one of OAI’s virtual programs like Coffee and Conversation. Or, volunteer for the new Phone a Senior program and make a weekly call of social support to other older adults. Call 410-313-1234 to volunteer or receive support calls.

• Limit news consumption. Avoid excessive exposure to media coverage – including social media - and follow only reliable sources.

Avoid negative posts and comments; try to share positive actions instead. Check out www.goodnewsnetwork.org for suggestions.

• Practice calming techniques. If you are feeling particularly anxious, try deep breathing, take a warm bath, go for a short walk, or play with your pet. Listen to music or read a book. Visit www.hclibrary for online selections. Start a journal to keep track of your feelings.

• Be productive. Cleaning out closets or your garage can divert attention from anxious thoughts while giving you a sense of accomplishment. Now is the time to try a new hobby or craft project.

• Share support. Share your thoughts and concerns with others in OAI’s weekly SeniorsTogether groups: Think Positive; Men’s Roundtable; Low Vision Support; NewsTalk; Brainteasers; Open Mind; and Trenders. Contact Karen Hull at 410-313-7466 or khull@howardcountymd.gov for the schedule and WebEx links.

For more resources, contact Maryland Access Point of Howard County at map@howardcountymd.gov or 410-313-1234 (voice/relay).

Volume 10, No. 7 • July 2020

WORK GROUP MEETINGS

I

f you are interested in joining one of the work groups, contact Terri Hansen, Age-Friendly Manager, at thansen@howardcountymd.gov.

There is a work group for each of the domains of livability as defined

by AARP and the World Health Organization, meeting on the designated day of each month:

HOUSING Group — 1st Friday • 9:30am to 11:00am TRANSPORTATION Group — 2nd Tuesday • 3:00pm-4:30pm WORK & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT Group — 2nd Thursday • 3:00pm -4:30pm COMMUNITY & HEALTH SERVICES Group — 3rd Tuesday • 9:00am-10:30am OUTDOOR SPACES & BUILDINGS Group — 3rd Wednesday • 9:00am-10:30am COMMUNICATION & INFORMATION Group — 3rd Thursday • 1:00pm-2:30pm SOCIAL PARTICIPATION Group — 4th Monday • 3:00pm-4:30pm RESPECT & SOCIAL INCLUSION Group — 4th Wednesday • 9:00am-10:30am

The 50+ Connection

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

Pets and COVID-19 What You Need to Know from the CDC

T

he Centers for Disease Control (cdc.gov) is still learning about how the virus that causes COVID-19 can affect animals. A small number of pets (cats and dogs) have been confirmed to be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, mostly after close contact with a person with COVID-19. Some pets did not show any signs of illness, but those pets that did get sick all had mild disease that could be treated at home. None of the pets have died. Tests for COVID-19 in animals are available for most types of pets, but testing is only recommended for animals with COVID-19 symptoms and/or those that have been exposed to a person with COVID-19.

Based on the limited information available now, the risk of pets spreading COVID-19 to people is low. Here are some guidelines to follow: • If your pet tests positive for the virus that causes COVID-19, isolate the pet from everyone else, including other pets.

• Do not wipe or bathe your pet with chemical disinfectants, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or any other products not approved for animal use.

• If you think your pet has COVID-19, call your veterinarian first to discuss what you should do.

• Pets with confirmed infection with the virus that causes COVID-19 should be restricted to isolation in the home until a veterinarian or public health official has determined that they can be around other pets and people.

• There is no reason to abandon or surrender pets that have been confirmed positive for the virus that causes COVID-19.

For more information about pet precautions and care during the current pandemic, visit the Office on Aging and Independence’s Paws4Comfort web page at www.howardcountymd.gov/paws.

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Pet Food Bank Steps Up to Meet Growing Needs Did you know that the Howard County Police Department’s Animal Control and Adoption Center operates a pet food bank? To respond to increasing demand in the wake of COVID-19, the center has joined Howard County Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) at pop up pantries in the community, assisted a local church to provide pet food and supplies to congregation members in need, and answered calls from more than a hundred households asking for help.

Want to donate to the pet food bank?

The easiest way to help is through the Amazon wish list at https://bit.ly/hocoanimalcontrol

Donations from the wish list may also be dropped off under the front overhang of the center at 8576 Davis Road, Columbia 21045 Anyone who needs assistance with animal food or supplies can reach out to Animal Control directly at animalcontrol@howardcountymd.gov.

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This publication is available in alternate formats upon request.

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

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Money Law &

Cars need exercise, too. See what yours needs on page 14.

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.

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 backed by federal entities.

But most mortgage lenders have some type of hardship program or loan modifica—AP/NerdWallet tion options.

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 Feb. 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.

You have until Oct. 1 to apply for the 2020 Maryland Property Homeowners’ Tax Credit and Maryland Renters’ Tax Credit. (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 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 eli-

gible for will be refunded by their county finance office.

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 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.

To confirm eligibility for either tax credit or to download an application, visit marylandtaxcredit.com.

For more information about MCRC and its programs, email info@marylandconsumers.org, call (410) 220-0494, or visit marylandconsumers.org.

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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 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 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 soy-based 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 don’t cut it and will damage your paint. © 2020 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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

Travel

19

Leisure &

Souvenirs like this Tunisian camel keep trip memories alive. See story on page 20.

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 20

20

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

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 19 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 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

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 As intriguing to me as the jungles and 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.

Omaha and Lincoln In the state capital of Lincoln, the Indiana-limestone state Capitol building, 400

wildlife of the Amazon region are the people 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 inundated 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

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.

See SOUVENIRS, page 21

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 Baltimore 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.

Tunisia 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 —

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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.

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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, hand-made 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.

the largest stretch of sand in the world, covering one-quarter of Africa.

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 car ved wooden camel, wearing the traditional saddle and exhibiting the usual rather haughty expression, serves as a reminder of that experience.

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pulled up to each village, a few people, mostly children, came to the river’s edge 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.

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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 hande d i t o v e r, o n e e x plained, with a twinkle in his eyes, “The Soviets always do things like that just to hassle Americans.”

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Uganda 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.

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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Leisure & Travel | Subscribe for half-price. See p. 26

Celebration of the

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Mixed Media/ Textile

Photography/ Digital Art

First Place

First Place

Young Ae Yi Bevadine Zoma Terrell

Third Place

First Place Leigh Partington

Second Place Barbara Frey

Third Place Janet Mazor

Honorable Mention

First Place Ruth Sentelle

Second Place

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

Second Place

Third Place

Raymond Finkleman

Addison Newton Likins

Honorable Mentions Nico Ambush Pearl B. Chang Manny Eisner Sandra Valeria Franklin Don 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

First Place

Honorable Mentions

Ellen Yahuda

Kenneth Bachman Phyllis Brent Christine Fendley Greenland Jacquelyn Diane Harris Gayle Magruder Michael Thomas Mohr

Second Place Ray Goodrow

Third Place

Third Place

Gillian Collins

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

A. Barry Belman

Painting

Angela White

Honorable Mentions

Second Place

Beth Altman

Leigh Partington

Drawing

Pearl B. Chang

Third Place

Lisa Trevino

Honorable Mentions

Ceramic/Pottery

First Place

David Allen Corbell

Second Place

2020

Sculpture/Carving

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

Stained Glass/Jewelry First Place

Honorable Mentions

Lori Ann Grant

Marylou Bono Clarice Burrell Regine Camacho Gregory J. Cannizzaro Thomas S. Corbit

Second Place Meredith Anne Weiser

Third Place Je Bulman

Lori Ann Grant Nathalie Pouliquen Lisa M. Scarbath Meredith Anne Weiser

To see all the winning artworks, visit thebeaconnewspapers.com

Say you saw it in the Beacon

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

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Great old movies can be a lifeline when you're stuck at home. See some suggestions on page 25.

Shakespeare group adapts to the times while adhering to social distancing guidelines?

Lesley Malin, CSC’s managing director, said the company’s staff and actors experienced “heartbreak” at not being able to perform outdoors in Ellicott City for the first time since the company launched its first outdoor performance in 2003. After all, she said, “Our mission is to present live theater.”

Zounds on Zoom Nevertheless, the company had to adapt to the times. Normally, CSC’s educator program includes both an extensive matinee series, camps, classes and inschool and out-of-school residencies.

This summer, however, all of the theater’s programming will be hosted virtually, including its online summer camps and classes for adults.

One special course is geared to military personnel and veterans. “Why Do You Keep Alone,” a Shakespeare scene study group (presented in partnership with the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easterseals) began in May and continues through July 29.

Under the instruction of Ron Heneghan, CSC’s director of education, the students at a recent Zoom session of the course tackled the linguistic and meaning aspects of four passages from Shakespeare. The selections, taken from Othello, Macbeth and Hamlet, were related to military life.

PHOTO BY CHESAPEAKE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY

By Barbara Trainin Blank All went well during the regular 20192020 season of the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, which included stage productions in its Baltimore location of Measure for Measure and Hamlet as well as A Christmas Carol.

But when it came to the company’s annual outdoor production among the ruins at Patapsco Female Institute in Ellicott City — scheduled this year to be Much Ado about Nothing — the theater hit a glitch, otherwise known as the pandemic.

Just as Much Ado ends happily — as a couple, who nearly destroyed their romance, is reunited by wise villagers — the theater found a resolution. This summer it’s replacing its stage with virtual classes, conversations and camps.

The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company (CSC) had planned to start rehearsing and designing sets in May for a projected June 19 opening.

But when Howard County’s Parks and Recreation announced it was canceling any large events and gatherings through at least July 1, CSC realized it couldn’t get a production ready before the closing, and decided to scrap its plans.

Even had there not been mandated closures, CSC faced the problems all theaters have had during the pandemic: How do you rehearse or seat audience members

PHOTO BY CHESAPEAKE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY

Tamieka Chavis played Lady Macbeth in last June’s outdoor performances of Macbeth (Movable). In the “movable” version of the play, audiences were asked to travel with the actors through the preserved ruins of a 19th-century girls’ school.

Last summer, audiences enjoyed the comedy Love’s Labour’s Lost at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company In-The-Ruins at the Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park.

The company has performed in the outdoor venue every summer since 2003, but had to cancel this year’s performances due to the coronavirus.

Studies have shown that theater can be helpful in treating post-traumatic stress disorder. A monologue recited by Hotspur’s wife in Shakespeare’s Henry IV is remarkably accurate in describing the symptoms of what we call post-traumatic stress disorder today.

Other online courses this summer are “Play On!,” a critical analysis of several plays (July 13-Aug. 17); “Speak the Speech,” for practice of classical monologues (July 14Aug. 18); and an “Introduction to Shakespeare and His Contemporaries” (July 16Aug. 20).

Yorick and more on YouTube Additional online programming will also be available for free on the CSC’s YouTube channel (search Chesapeake Shakespeare Company at youtube.com).

In “Sequestered Shakespeare,” which launched in April, CSC resident actors and company members have been self-producing videos featuring soliloquies, sonnets and songs.

Its YouTube “Past is Prologue” video series, introduced May 15, features a new conversation each week between Ian Gallaner, the CSC’s artistic director, and a member of the global Shakespeare community. They discuss the role of theater in

education, gender and Shakespeare, race in Shakespeare plays, and the “right” way to update Shakespeare.

According to Gallaner, the company will re-evaluate in-person sessions as the government releases new coronavirus guidelines.

The company normally performs out of a renovated building in Baltimore modeled after London’s Globe Theatre, as well as in the ruins of the 19th-century Patapsco Female Institute in Ellicott City. Its goal is to produce “Shakespeare that is not stuffy,” Gallaner said.

“Our mission,” he said, “is to engage our communities in the exploration of what makes Shakespeare so timeless and relevant while strengthening the connection between audience and artist.”

Although the theater remains connected to its audience, the hope is that these online courses will only be temporary. “As things change, we can return to traditional classes and switch to that,” Malin said.

“We will also get back to share outdoor theater under the stars with our friends and neighbors as soon as it’s possible.”

There is a fee for each course except for “Why do You Keep Alone?,” which is subsidized. To learn more, contact the theater at (410) 244-8571 or call info@chesapeakeshakespeare.com.

Arts & Style | Subscribe for half-price. See p. 26

Pelecanos From page 1 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 learn-

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

ing 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

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Ongoing

HELP FOR HOMELESS

Health Care for the Homeless is open to care for people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness in the Baltimore area. They provide medical care, therapy, income and food assistance, housing and more. Call (410) 837-5533 or visit hchmd.org to schedule a phone or in-person appointment. No insurance or co-pay required.

Ongoing

VEGGIE COOKING DEMOS

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

Ongoing

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.

Ongoing

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.

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 Maryland childhood Pelecanos, who was born and raised in the Maryland suburbs of D.C., 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’ all-time favorite crime novelist.

His interest in the lives of everyday people began when he worked as a delivery boy at his Greek-born father’s diner— the Jefferson Coffee Shop at 19th Street and Jefferson Place NW in downtown D.C. “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,” Pelecanos recalled. “[It] passed through parts of town that had been completely destroyed. Some of the people on the bus had lost entire neighborhoods.

“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 he started writing novels, Pelecanos 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.

At the moment, Pelecanos is once again focused on Baltimore. He is involved in writing and producing a mini-series for HBO about a squad of corrupt police. 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.

“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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Need an escape? Try these classic movies

By Jake Coyle When many were rushing to rewatch “Contagion,” the eerily prophetic 2011 Steven Soderbergh film about the outbreak of an easily transmitted virus, I was searching for more comforting escapes. I reached for “North by Northwest” the way a baby grasps for a pacifier.

Even in a pandemic, it’s incredibly hard to watch “North by Northwest” without a perpetual grin on your face. Its jauntiness, buoyed by Bernard Herrmann’s score, can outlast any calamity.

The situation we find ourselves in now doesn’t feel so dissimilar to the blindsiding, why-me mystery Cary Grant stumbles into.

We were just standing there, minding our own business, when suddenly a crop duster on the horizon turned and headed straight for us.

What to watch has been one of the most common quandaries of quarantine. For me, even “Groundhog Day” hits too close to home right now. But less obvious movies can also take on surprising relevancy.

I had forgotten, for example, that “Hud,” Martin Ritt’s 1963 black-and-white Western, involves an outbreak of hoof-and-mouth disease. Just when you’re agog at Patricia Neal or swooning at Paul Newman (both refuges unto themselves), the film suddenly steps out of 1960s Texas and into today. Newman’s Hud, standing over dead livestock, decries a larger injustice: “This country is run on epidemics; where you been?”

The Depression spawned some of the most effervescent movies ever made.

Moviegoers, yearning for escape, flocked to lavish musicals, delirious screwball comedies and shadowy film noirs. That movie diet is as good now as it was then.

Since then, “escapism” has become big business and the domain of superheroes.

But escape comes in many forms. Even the most challenging films transport, enveloping you in another world, another life — something that, when so much is cut off from us, feels like a lifeline.

In that spirit, here are some films, old and new, that can provide some comfort through their humanity and wit: “My Man Godfrey” — Most of the best screwballs of the Depression unleashed a wild, freewheeling farce on American high

FROM PAGE 26 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

society. In this 1936 classic, William Powell plays a vagrant plucked off the street by a wealthy sponsor (Carole Lombard).

As in the best screwballs, the animal kingdom makes an occasional cameo.

Here, it’s a goat and a gorilla impression.

In “Bringing Up Baby,” it’s a leopard. In “The Awful Truth,” a dog. Powell, star of “The Thin Man” movies, is, as ever, a tonic — or, if you prefer, a cocktail (streaming on Amazon Prime).

“You’ll Never Get Rich” — Like Powell, Fred Astaire is one of those break-in-case-ofemergency movie stars, capable of providing a lift in any time. He’s better known for his pairings with Ginger Rogers, but in this 1941 wartime musical, Rita Hayworth is his dancing partner. She nearly blows him off the screen (available for digital rental).

“Out of the Past” — The noirs of the ‘40s might not seem like the stuff of warm blankets, but the best of them — “Laura,” “Double Indemnity,” “Gilda” and “The Asphalt Jungle” — craft such an intoxicating bed of post-war alienation and fatalism that you can just lay down in them.

“The Nice Guys” — This film is a much more recent detective tale and a whole lot more ridiculous. Shane Black’s 2016 comedy, with Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe as private investigators in ‘70s Los Angeles, is part-noir, part-screwball. It’s irresistible mainly for Gosling’s all-out slapstick performance. Not just a B-side to his more lauded dramatic work, it’s the best thing he’s ever done (available for digital rental).

“I Know Where I’m Going!” — Little in movies reaches the sublimity of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s films (“The Red Shoes,” “A Matter of Life and Death” and “The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp”), and their 1945 romantic adventure, set on the Western Isles of Scotland, is maybe the most purely infectious.

Wendy Hiller plays a woman who, traveling to her fiancé, is trapped by stormy weather on the Isle of Mull — a stay that awakens her to the charms of the windswept isle’s life, including a local naval officer (Roger Livesey). It’s a movie to wrap your arms around (streaming on the Criterion Channel).

“Nobody’s Fool” — The pleasures of this late Paul Newman film, adapted from

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the Richard Russo novel, are endless. Set in wintry upstate New York, Robert Benton’s film radiates warmth, comically but affectionately dramatizing the small-town struggles of Newman’s aged handyman and an exceptional cast of characters, including Jessica Tandy in one of her last films, Gene Saks and a never-better Bruce Willis (streaming on Amazon Prime).

“The Daytrippers” — For whatever reason, I’ve found Parker Posey supremely reassuring during the pandemic. I just can’t

imagine her taking anything from anybody, or a global infectious disease. She’s part of an ensemble in this 1996 comedy

by Greg Motolla alongside Liev Schreiber, Anne Meara, Stanley Tucci and others.

It’s very much a ‘90s New York indie film, full of talk and deadpan humor, as a family navigates a Manhattan odyssey in a station wagon. A marathon of Posey movies (“Kicking and Screaming” and “Best in Show”) may be in order (streaming on Criterion Channel).

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Arts & Style | Subscribe for half-price. See p. 26

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

Crossword Puzzle

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

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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’s 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

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1. Feign innocence

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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 25.

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For Sale 5 PLOTS AVAILABLE ALL TOGETHER or will separate at Meadowridge Memorial Park Westland area Block 38 Lot 97 easy access from Meadowridge Rd. Call Pat Contino 410-3752521 or coninc@verizon.net... will negotiate.

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.

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Legal Services

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

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

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

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

Wanted

PARALEGAL: Is “Where Do I Start” standing in the way of you not having a WILL. I am a paralegal experienced in document preparation for wills, estate and trust preparation. I am available to organize your business documents (personal papers) in such a straight fashion that the time needed to finalize your will, will be greatly reduced. This advance preparation will save you time and hundreds or maybe thousands of dollars in legal fees. Your assets, liabilities, important contacts, final wishes and desires will be accumulated under cover in one workbook document ready to be finalized. Let me help you remove this stress and anxiety from your to do list TODAY. Call me at 301-5652917 for an appointment.

I BUY LARGE WELL-KEPT RECORD LP COLLECTIONS. I come to you, pay cash,+ haul. Jazz, classic rock, metal, alternative + mainstream rock, + unique collections in great condition. Text/call 410-900-5657 or go to Kronysrecords.com some... CD’s and 7’s also.

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CASH FOR JEWELRY; I buy a wide range of jewelry; gold, silver, costume, watches, turquoise, coins, school rings, etc. Gary Roman; 301-520-0755.

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BEACON BITS

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.)]

Ongoing

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.

T

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Studies

Kelbie Home Improvement . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Stroke Rehabilitation Study . . . . . . . . . . .13

Housing

Events

Brooke Grove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Enterprise Residential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Park View Apartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Residences at Vantage Point . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Shriner Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Village at Providence Point, The . . . . . . . .3

Celebration of the Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Funeral Services Cremation Society of Maryland . . . . . . . . .7 Going Home Cremations . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Harry H. Witzke’s Family Funeral Home, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 MacNabb Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Sol Levinson & Bros., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Perfect Sleep Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Perfect Walker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Zinger Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Senior/Government Services Howard County 50+ Connection . . . . .14-15

Subscriptions

Medical/Health

The Beacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Kaiser Permanente . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Medical Eye Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Nourishing Life Wellness . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Technology TheBeaconNewspapers.com . . . . . . . . . . .20

Home Health Care

Real Estate

A-1 Action Nursing Care . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Homewatch Caregivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Options for Senior America . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Coldwell Banker/Debbie McGrann . . . . .17

Volunteers/ Employment

Retail/Services

Meals on Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Home Improvement

Columbia’s Village Centers . . . . . . . . . . .18 Maryland Pipe Dreams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Oakridge Auction Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

J. Johnston Roofing & Contracting . . . . . .7

27

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

WELLNESS WEBINAR “Grief and Self-Care in the Time of Covid-19” Presented by Jim Rossi, director of adult bereavement services, CaringMatters

Tuesday, JUNE 30 • 10 a.m.

With the arrival of COVID-19 and social distancing, much of what we have known and relied on during times of grief and loss has changed. Join us for an enlightening discussion on how the pandemic has complicated how we grieve and what you can do to seek support and practice self-care.

For a link that will connect you to this free Zoom webinar, RSVP to Toni Davis at tdavis@bgf.org by Sunday, June 28.