August 2014 | Howard County Beacon

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Branching out your family tree

Bewitching discovery Ellicott City resident Ayers, 71, who is now president of the society, has been digging into his family history for 20 years. His emotions were stirred, he said, when he found out that his long ago relative was one of the female witchcraft defendants at Salem.

Through his research, Ayers found that Mary Ayer (the “s” was later added to the family name) Parker insisted that she was innocent of the witchcraft charges for which she was hanged. Those defendants who “confessed” to being a witch were spared their lives. Such was the judicial system of the early Puritans.

Ayers has been able to trace his family

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By Robert Friedman Dennis Ayers learned that an eighth generation great-grandaunt on his father’s side was one of the victims of the infamous Salem Witch Trials, hung as a witch in 1692.

Dottie Alshire found out that her grandparents were arrested for selling whiskey during Prohibition in the 1920s.

And Ann Herron recently discovered a host of relatives on her father’s side of the family in Benevento, Italy.

They are three of the 134 members of the Howard County Genealogical Society, which is helping residents study, preserve and collect family history records. Founded in 1976, the society is a local resource for those who share the country’s burgeoning interest in tracing family history.

While hard figures are not easy to come by, ABC News has noted that “genealogy is hot,” and is now probably the second favorite hobby in the country after gardening.

The online genealogy site Ancestry.com was recently sold to a European firm for $1.6 billion. Tim Sullivan, the website’s former owner, said that genealogy “is no longer a niche,” and that the website now has more than 2 million paid subscribers and earned a billion dollars in revenue in 2012.

The majority of the Howard County society members are older adults. But what was once thought of as a pastime for little old ladies in tennis shoes has also now caught on with many male retirees who have the time — and the money — to spend on trips to garner information about their families’ past lives.

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Dennis Ayers, president of the Howard County Genealogical Society, has traced his family tree back nearly 1,000 years, to the Battle of Hastings in England. The society meets monthly to help its members learn family research techniques and to enable them to share their findings.

tree even further back in time. His forefathers came from England to America in 1635, and through English relatives he learned who was who in his family dating back to the Battle of Hastings in 1066 C.E. It gets dicey before that because there are no records of last names, Ayers said.

He explained that the original American settlers have a comparatively easier time of finding out their family history than descendants of those who were part of the massive immigration from Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In general, it’s easier to trace records in the United States, and those with ancestors on the Mayflower and other early ships from England have a fairly straight-

forward path for finding information — and it’s in English.

Centuries of wars, border changes, fires and famines, make finding ancestors more difficult, but certainly not impossible, he said.

Teaching others Dottie Alshire — who has been digging into her mostly Eastern European roots for the past 30 years and has published three family histories — gives genealogy classes at Howard County Community College.

The Ellicott City resident said she tells her students first to fill out a “pedigree chart” listing their name, date of birth, See FAMILY TREE, page 29

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

The villages and hamlets (and salad dressing) of New York’s Thousand Islands; plus, Buffalo beckons beyond wings page 23

FITNESS & HEALTH k Understanding food allergies k Can we prevent Alzheimer’s?

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THE SENIOR CONNECTION 16 k Howard County Office on Aging newsletter LAW & MONEY k Better dividends abroad k Don’t give up on bonds

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

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Awesome subjects Expressing awe at anything nowadays In part, that’s probably because I always makes one appear to be a simpleton, or at remained a student of the liberal arts the very least, uncool. rather than the hard sciences.

Of course, my children and I simply don’t understand their friends say “awesome” much of the underlying at almost any expression of physics and chemistry of good fortune. But I still think today’s developments. true awe — expressing Fortunately, one doesn’t amazement, wonder or astonhave to understand how ishment at something — is a things are made or why they sentiment we are expected to work in order to benefit from keep under wraps, in favor of them. (And perhaps not una more contemporary blasé derstanding the inner workattitude. ings makes their achieveFROM THE So I’ve been feeling rather PUBLISHER ments all the more wonderuncool lately (no big surprise By Stuart P. Rosenthal ful!) At any rate, I love to there, my kids would say), as learn about, and where possiI’ve been finding myself surprised and ble make use of, each day’s new discoverawed on a near-daily basis. ies.

Subjects that I thought were interesting You may have suspected this, if you are in elementary school — genetics, space, a regular Beacon reader. Many of our stomedicine, cars and gadgets (think James ries discuss a new means of medical diagBond) — now utterly amaze me. Or rather, nosis, treatment or cure; a new website or what we have come to know about the app to help make wise investments or save world around us, and the many ways we money on travel; a new gadget to help peohave learned to master and manipulate ple save time or cope with a disability. that world, make me stare in wonder.

It’s not a coincidence: I gravitate toward

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stories that fascinate me, and it seems to me that the world is getting more and more fascinating by the hour.

This is why you will be seeing some changes in the Beacon starting next month. We will be introducing a new section of the paper — “Plain talk on tech” — focusing on the technologies and developments that promise to make our lives better (assuming the technologies of destruction don’t put an end to us first).

We are conceiving this new section broadly. Some of the stories will be those you have come to expect from our Fitness & Health section or our Law & Money section, addressing an app or website or new technique that addresses a health or financial need.

Others will be written specifically for this section, describing local initiatives and programs that can help you learn to use (or use better) your computer, smartphone, tablet and the like.

There will also be explanatory pieces delving into the practical side of technology: how to choose a new device, how to troubleshoot, as well as a question-and-answer column.

And we will be bringing you interesting information gleaned from websites, blogs

and social media sites that you might want to visit yourself.

Overall, the common thread of our new section will be the changing technologies that affect how we live our lives, communicate with each other, interact with the world, and express ourselves and our creativity.

If you’re a techno-phobe — one who keeps your distance from new technologies either because you fear you cannot learn to use them or just feel you have nothing to gain from them — I urge you to give it a look anyway. While each article will address some new technology in some way, we will strive to make them as clear, readable and useful (or at least interesting) as we can.

There’s so much more we can say. But I will let our new section speak for itself.

Please look for it next month. And let me know what you think of it!

Organizations and businesses interested in being a part of this new section are invited to call us at (410) 248-9101.

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or e-mail to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.

Dear Editor: Heartfelt thanks for the $100 check in your random drawing. I can no longer say I’ve never won anything!

So many of us at Charlestown really enjoy your paper.

Peggy Wixted Catonsville, Md.

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LITTLE ITALY SALUTES THE CINEMA Since 1999, Baltimore’s Little Italy has hosted the popular Little

Italy Open Air Festival, screening both adult and family-friendly fare every Friday • Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal

night in July and August. This year’s offerings include Moonstruck, Gladiator, Sil-

• Associate Publisher..............Judith K. Rosenthal

ver Linings Playbook and Cinema Paradiso. Films begin at 9 p.m. Come early and

• Vice President, Operations........Gordon Hasenei

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lawn chair. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.promotioncenterfor-

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• Graphic Designer ..............................Kyle Gregory • Advertising Representatives ........Doug Hallock, ................................................ Steve Levin, Jill Joseph • Editorial Assistant ........................Rebekah Sewell • New Media Associate ..........................Kate Petersen

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (410) 248-9101 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com Submissions: The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial and advertising is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 31 for classified advertising details.

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INFORMATION ON ADVANCE DIRECTIVES An advance directive lets you decide who should make healthcare decisions for you if you cannot do so yourself. You can also specify

what kind of treatments you do or do not want. For more information and advance directive forms, contact the Maryland Attorney General’s Office at (410) 5767000 or www.oaf.state.md.us/health pol/directive.pdf; Caring Connections at 800-658-8898 or www.caringinfo.org; or Aging with Dignity, 800-594-7437 or www.agingwithdignity.org.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 4

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Health Fitness &

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WHEN FOOD MAKES YOU SICK What it means if you’re allergic, intolerant or sensitive to various foods ANTI ANTIBIOTICS Doctors prescribe antibiotics less frequently for many good reasons TWO FOR ONE DEAL Getting cataract surgery? Consider also correcting your astigmatism UNTANGLING ALZHEIMER’S Studies, including one recruiting locally, aim to prevent Alzheimer’s

The facts about genetically modified food

By Dr. Michael Mahr Genetically modified foods have been around for years, but most people in the United States have no idea if they are eating them.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said such foods don’t need to be labeled, so some states are moving forward on their own.

Vermont recently became the first state to require labeling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Bills and ballot initiatives are pending in many more.

What about the rest of the country? And does labeling matter?

There’s much confusion about genetically modified foods and their safety. Opponents, who at times have protested in the streets, say consumers have the right to know whether their food contains GMOs. The food industry and companies that genetically engineer seeds have pushed back against the labeling laws, saying GMOs are safe and labels would be misleading.

Here’s a look at the debate and some of the facts about genetically modified foods:

What are GMOs? Plants and animals are considered genetically modified when genes copied from

other plants or animals are inserted into their natural DNA. It’s not a new idea. Humans have been tinkering with genes for centuries through selective breeding. Think dogs bred to be more docile pets, cattle bred to be beefier, or tomatoes bred to be sweeter. Turkeys have been bred to have bigger breasts — better for Thanksgiving dinner.

What’s different about genetically modified or engineered foods is that the manipulation is done in a lab. There’s no need to wait for nature to produce desirable genes and for farmers to breed the plants or animals that have them. Engineers speed up the process by transferring a gene from one plant or animal to another.

What are the desired traits? Most of the nation’s corn and soybeans are genetically engineered to resist pests and herbicides. A papaya in Hawaii is modified to resist a virus.

The FDA is considering an application from a Massachusetts company to approve a genetically engineered salmon that would grow faster than usual.

Most of the genetically modified corn and soybeans are used in cattle feed or are made into ingredients such as corn oil, corn starch, high fructose corn syrup and soybean oil. Only a small amount of sweet corn,

the corn we eat, is genetically modified.

A few fruits and vegetables are engineered — the Hawaiian papaya and some squash and zucchini, for example. But there’s no genetically modified meat or fish, like the fast-growing salmon, currently in the market for human consumption.

The FDA has yet to approve any.

Few risks found The vast majority of scientific research has found genetically engineered foods to be generally safe.

An Italian scientist’s review of 10 years of research, published in 2013, concluded that the scientific research conducted so far has not detected “any significant hazard directly connected with the use of GM crops.”

One French research team raised safety questions. But their much-criticized 2012 study linking genetically modified corn to rat tumors was retracted in 2013 by the scientific publisher, who cited weak evidence supporting the conclusions.

Even the “food police” say GMOs are safe. The Center for Science in the Public Interest — a well-known critic of food companies and of artificial and unhealthy ingredients in foods — has not opposed genetically modified foods, on the basis that

there’s no evidence they are harmful.

Though what we are eating now appears safe, the main concerns for the future would be new genetically engineered foods, from the United States or abroad, that somehow become allergenic or toxic through the engineering process.

The FDA said the foods they have evaluated to this point have not been any more likely to cause an allergic or toxic reaction than foods from traditionally bred plants.

The FDA is not required to approve genetically engineered crops for consumption. But most companies will go through a voluntary safety review process with FDA before they put them on the market.

There are clear benefits from GMOs for the agricultural industry, such as crops that are engineered to ward off pests or to tolerate herbicides.

Also, companies such as Monsanto, which produce modified seeds, say their technologies will be needed to feed a rising world population as they engineer crops to adapt to certain climates and terrains.

Advocates envision engineering crops to make them more nutritious as well.

Food animals have been engineered to See GMOs, page 5

Common drug may cut Alzheimer’s risk Research shows a common antidepressant may reduce production of one of the chief suspects behind Alzheimer’s, offering a new avenue in the hunt for drugs to prevent the devastating brain disease.

It’s far too early for anyone worried about dementia to try the drug citalopram, which sells as the brand Celexa — and comes with side effects.

“This is not the great new hope. This is a small step,” cautioned Dr. Yvette Sheline of the University of Pennsylvania, who is leading the research with Dr. John Cirrito of Washington University in St. Louis.

Alzheimer’s is characterized by sticky plaques that form in patients’ brains 10 to 15 years before the first memory symptoms are noticed. Scientists have tried treatments to clear away existing plaques, made of a protein named beta-amyloid that somehow goes awry and starts clumping together. So far, they haven’t had success.

The new study is a somewhat different approach, beginning to explore if it’s possible to slow the plaque from building up by altering the body’s production of amyloid.

Testing shows promise First, researchers gave citalopram to older mice with Alzheimer’s-like brain damage. The animals’ existing plaques didn’t go away, but they quit growing. And dramatically fewer new plaques formed compared to mice given sugar water, the research team reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Next, researchers gave a single dose of citalopram or a placebo to 23 healthy young adults, people who neither were depressed nor old enough to have brain plaques. Tests of the volunteers’ spinal fluid over the next day and a half showed their normal amyloid production dropped by 37 percent, the researchers reported.

It will take years of additional research to

tell if that translates into any protective effect. Citalopram and similar drugs called SSRIs alleviate depression by affecting levels of the brain chemical serotonin. Sheline said citalopram probably alters amyloid production in a completely different way.

More studies underway In fact, the next question is whether it’s even possible to tamp amyloid production down for long periods or if the body would just get used to the drug and adjust. Sheline has begun enrolling healthy older adults into a study to see if using citalopram for two weeks has the same effect.

Alzheimer’s affects 1 in 9 people over age 65, and about a third of those 85 and older, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

More than 35 million people worldwide have Alzheimer’s or similar dementia, including about 5 million in the U.S. — numbers expected to rise rapidly as the baby boomers

age. There is no cure, and today’s medications only temporarily ease symptoms.

Scientists still don’t know exactly what causes Alzheimer’s. The leading theory is that those amyloid plaques somehow start the disease process, but that it takes another abnormal protein, named tau, to push someone over the edge.

It’s crucial to investigate ways to intervene in the years before symptoms arise, said Heather Snyder of the Alzheimer’s Association, who wasn’t involved in the new research.

Citalopram has been used to treat depression for nearly two decades, but it does have side effects and the Food and Drug Administration has warned that higher doses may trigger dangerous irregular heartbeats.

Still, separate research published earlier this year suggested citalopram also might calm the agitation that people with advanced Alzheimer’s can suffer.

— AP

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Do you have a food allergy or intolerance?

Walk down the aisles of your local supermarket, and you’ll see something you likely wouldn’t have encountered a decade ago — shelves devoted entirely to glutenfree cereals, breads, muffins and other foods. Restaurants have also jumped on the bandwagon, revising their menus to include dishes without gluten, a protein found in wheat.

The gluten-free diet was designed for people with celiac disease, who can’t tolerate any foods containing gluten because their immune system reacts to it and damages the small intestine in response.

Celiac disease is a very real, very uncomfortable, and potentially very serious condition. Left untreated, it can lead to anemia, osteoporosis and intestinal cancers.

About 1 percent of Americans, or 3 million people, have true celiac disease. Another 6 percent, or 18 million people, are sensitive to gluten. Eating gluten-containing foods doesn’t damage their intestines, but it can still produce gastrointestinal discomfort, along with symptoms like headaches and fatigue.

People in a third group are allergic to wheat. When they’re exposed, they get more traditional allergy symptoms — which can range from tingling around the mouth, to hives, throat swelling and difficulty breathing.

“It’s confusing that people can have all these different reactions to the same food,” said Dr. Ciaran Kelly, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and medical director of the Celiac Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Mass.

“It’s important to make the distinction between food allergies and intolerances [see below], because there is a lot of confusion and there are differences in treatments,” Kelly said.

A number of foods — including wheat, milk, eggs and seafood — are notorious for triggering both food allergies and intolerances. If you have symptoms when you eat certain foods, it’s important to distinguish what kind of reaction you’re having and which foods are triggering it.

Food intolerances When you’re intolerant of a particular food, it’s usually because your body lacks an enzyme needed to break down a component in that food (such as lactose, the sugar in milk). Or, your body might be sensitive to a particular chemical or additive in the food.

The process leading to food intolerance often starts early in life, but symptoms can be too subtle to notice at first. “People may become more aware of intolerances as they get older,” Kelly said.

Examples of food intolerance 1. Lactose intolerance. Your body can’t break down the sugar lactose because your gut contains reduced levels of the intestinal enzyme lactase. Lactose is found in dairy foods, such as milk or ice cream. When you eat these foods, you can develop uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms like gas and diarrhea.

2. Gluten sensitivity. You have many of the same symptoms as someone with celiac disease after eating wheat or other foods containing gluten (stomach pains, bloating, fatigue), but your immune system doesn’t produce the blood test abnormalities seen in people with celiac disease, and there is no evidence of damage in the intestines.

3. Sensitivity to food additives. You get symptoms like flushed skin and wheezing from eating additives such as sulfites (found in wine, dried fruits and canned goods), or headaches, palpitations or numbness after eating foods flavored with monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Symptoms of food intolerance You may be able to eat small amounts of the food without having any reaction to it.

Your symptoms will come on gradually after you’ve eaten a particular food.

Often, those symptoms will involve your digestive system — such as nausea, gas or diarrhea. Your reaction will be uncomfortable, but it’s usually not life-threatening.

How to deal with food intolerance Keeping a food diary can help you identify the source of the problem. Every day, write down the foods you eat and any symptoms that occur.

Once you pinpoint one or a few foods that coincide with your symptoms, you can try cutting them all out of your diet. This is called

an elimination diet. Then add one food back in every couple of days. When your symptoms return, you’ve found the offending food.

Ask your doctor or a dietitian for help identifying your trigger food and eliminating it from your diet.

Food allergies A true food allergy involves your immune system. Your body recognizes a normally innocuous food, such as peanuts or milk, as a potentially harmful foreign invader. It goes into defensive mode, producing high levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE).

Often food allergies start when you’re young, but it’s not impossible for them to appear for the first time later in life, Kelly said.

Examples of foods that commonly cause allergic reactions include eggs, fish and shellfish, milk, peanuts, soy, tree nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds) and wheat.

Symptoms of a food allergy 1. You could have a reaction from eating just a tiny amount of the food, or simply from being around the food.

2. You may experience allergic symptoms, such as hives, swelling and itchiness, as well as gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea.

3. If your allergy is severe, you might have an anaphylactic reaction, which can begin with a rash, swelling of the tongue and throat, trouble breathing, dizziness or fainting. It can be life-threatening.

How to treat a food allergy See an allergist with experience treating food allergies. The doctor can do a skin test, placing a solution containing an extract of See FOOD ALLERGIES, page 5

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H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 4

Food allergies From page 4

In fact, cutting out foods like wheat, barley and rye can rob your diet of nutrients such as fiber, calcium and B vitamins.

Going gluten-free could have a similar effect on your purse. One Canadian study found that gluten-free foods cost 242 percent more than comparable regular foods.

Work with a doctor or dietitian to create a diet that’s safe for your system, while still healthy and well rounded.

— Harvard Women’s Health Watch © 2014. President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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A free program explaining the many health benefits of fresh vegetables and tips on how to prepare them will be held on Thursday, Aug. 21 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Elkridge Senior Center, 6540 Washington Blvd., Elkridge. For more information, call (410) 313-5192.

For free materials on housing communities and health studies, just complete and clip this coupon and mail or fax it to the Beacon.

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Area seniors are invited to a training session with Maestro David Dworkin, founder of Conductorcise, an upper body workout combined with classical music on Tuesday, Aug. 26 at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 3604 Chatham Rd., Ellicott City. Sponsored by the Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant, the free program is designed to improve muscle tone, strengthen the heart and relieve stress. For more information and to register, visit www.MillersGrant.org or call 1-877-900-6618.

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Avoid foods that bother you, but don’t do a full-scale purge of your diet without good cause (such as celiac disease or true food allergies).

Because of the abundance of gluten-free foods available, many Americans have begun to think that all wheat and other grain products are bad for them.

“There’s a way of thinking that gluten is an unhealthy food,” Kelly said. “Somehow, if a food is gluten-free, it’s considered healthier, and there’s little basis for that.”

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the food just beneath the skin of your forearm or back. Or you may get a blood test to look for IgE antibodies to the food.

If you have an allergy, you’ll need to avoid the food. If your allergy is severe, your doctor might also recommend that you carry around an epinephrine injector (EpiPen) to treat anaphylaxis.

[See also, “Natural remedies for common allergies,” on page 13.]

Don’t shortchange your diet

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There is an escalating political fight between labeling advocates and the food industry.

In the absence of a federal labeling stan-

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Should GMOs be labeled?

in what is in their food, including GMOs. Labeling proponents say it’s about transparency, not technology. They say there is precedent, like orange juice labels that say whether the juice is from concentrate.

David Ropeik, the author of the book How Risky Is It, Really? Why Our Fears Don’t Always Match the Facts, said he thinks the food industry should endorse labeling so it can move past the debate.

“By supporting labeling, companies would say, `There’s no risk, we have nothing to hide,” he said.

— AP

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be bred to be free of diseases, be cleaner in their environments, or grow more efficiently, though none has yet been approved in the United States.

State Legislatures, there are 85 pending GMO labeling bills in 29 states.

In Congress, the food industry is pushing a House bill that would head off efforts to enact mandatory labeling of genetically modified ingredients by proposing new voluntary labels nationwide — an attempted end run around the state-by-state laws.

Currently, the FDA said labeling of genetically modified foods isn’t needed because their nutritional content is the same as nonv-GMO varieties.

Consumers increasingly are interested

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From page 3

dard, GMO opponents have gone to the states to try to get a patchwork of labeling laws approved. That could eventually force a national standard.

Ballot measures in California and Washington state failed, but the legislative effort prevailed in Vermont. Maine and Connecticut have passed laws requiring labels, but they don’t take effect unless other states follow suit. The food industry has said it will challenge the Vermont law in court.

The state efforts aren’t slowing down.

According to the National Conference of

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GMOs

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Why don’t I get antibiotics like I used to?

Q: I’m generally very healthy, but when I get bronchitis, the cough usually lasts two weeks. I used to get an antibiotic. My new doctor says I don’t need one. Is that right?

A: Yes, your doctor is correct in not prescribing an antibiotic. Antibiotics do not make bronchitis symptoms less severe or help them go away sooner. We know that based on strong evidence from many studies.

Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchial tubes (bronchi) that connect the windpipe (trachea) to the lungs. It’s almost always caused by a virus. Antibiotics are useless against a viral infection.

The main symptom of bronchitis is coughing. It can be a dry hack, but it may also produce phlegm (sputum), which can

be clear, yellow or green. Wheezing and chest tightness sometimes occur if inflammation has narrowed the bronchi.

For many people, these symptoms persist for two to three weeks. And it’s understandable why patients still ask their doctors for an antibiotic. The cough from bronchitis can be a constant nuisance and an embarrassment. It can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep. Over-thecounter cough medicine doesn’t do much.

Many people remain convinced that an antibiotic gets them better faster. But the reality is the cough and other symptoms would last just as long with or without an antibiotic.

That’s not the same as saying there are no helpful treatments. Some ways to ease the symptoms of acute bronchitis include:

1. Get warm, moist air into the bronchi.

Take hot showers or use a humidifier.

2. Get enough rest. You can still go to work or school. But schedule some down time for yourself every day, and more time for sleep at night.

3. Try an over-the-counter cough remedy.

None of them work wonders, but you might find one that helps. It could be simple cough drops. Ask your pharmacist for advice.

4. Consider asking your doctor for an inhaler to open the bronchi. It’s similar to what people with asthma use. This can lessen the cough and ease the wheeze.

It can be hard to resist asking your doctor for an antibiotic. But you’re actually doing yourself a favor if you don’t. Antibiotics won’t help, and you always run the risk of a major side effect from an antibiotic, such as diarrhea that lasts for weeks, or a rash that can be life-threatening.

Q: I share an apartment with another woman. She was told by her doctor that she has a MRSA skin infection.

What’s MRSA? Should I take an antibiotic for protection?

A: MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It’s a type of staph bacteria.

When antibiotics were first invented, penicillin could kill this germ. But over time it developed resistance to penicillin. That means penicillin could no longer kill it.

A newer antibiotic called methicillin was developed that could kill penicillin-resistant staph. But the bacteria developed resistance to methicillin, too.

MRSA behaves much like other staph. It usually exists in the nose or on the skin without causing disease. But all staph bacteria have the potential to cause trouble, from boils and other mild skin infections to life-threatening lung and blood infections.

There are things you and your roommate can do to prevent MRSA from getting onto surfaces in your home, onto your skin, and in your nose. But taking an antibiotic is not one of them; that won’t be effective. And it could lead to you carrying an even more resistant bug.

Here are some preventive tips for both of you: 1. Wash your hands often and thoroughly throughout the day with soap and water.

2. Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer (for times when you can’t wash your hands).

3. Don’t share personal items such as razors, towels, sheets and athletic clothing or equipment.

4. Keep cuts or scrapes clean. Cover them with a bandage.

5. Shower after you work out.

6. Wash your gym clothes every time you wear them.

7. Wash sheets and towels in hot water.

Dry them in a hot dryer.

— Howard LeWine, M.D., a practicing internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Mass., and Chief Medical Editor of Internet Publishing at Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Medical School. ©2014. President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. 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 — A U G U S T 2 0 1 4

7

Cataract surgery that fixes astigmatism

By Dr. Michael Mahr Dear Mayo Clinic: I need to have cataract surgery, but I also have astigmatism. Is it possible to have them both fixed at the same time? If so, what will the recovery be like?

Answer: In many cases, it is possible to correct astigmatism during cataract surgery. The specific technique for how it’s done depends on your individual situation.

It is typically a straightforward procedure that minimizes the need for eyeglasses. Recovery usually is brief. Most people can return to their daily activities a day or so after surgery.

A cataract affects the natural lens inside your eye. The lens is positioned behind the colored part of your eye, called the iris. It focuses light that passes into your eye, producing clear, sharp images on the retina.

Normally, the eye’s lens is transparent and clear. When the lens becomes cloudy, that’s a cataract. Cataract surgery involves removing the clouded lens and replacing it with a plastic lens implant. The replacement lens sits in the same place your natural lens had been.

The artificial lens placed during cataract surgery can provide correction, if needed, for either distance or close-up vision. To correct astigmatism requires a few more steps.

Rather than affecting the lens of the eye, as nearsightedness and farsightedness do, astigmatism usually affects the eye’s cornea — the dome-shaped transparent tissue at the front of the eye.

The cornea functions as a type of front window for your eye. Normally, the cornea is shaped like a basketball. With astigmatism, the shape of the cornea is skewed, and it’s more like a football. Astigmatism blurs vision at all distances.

To correct astigmatism during cataract surgery, a surgeon can change the shape of the cornea with the incisions made in the cornea during surgery, so it becomes shaped more like a basketball, matching the implanted lens and improving vision.

An alternative approach is to use a lens that has a football-like shape similar to the cornea, but to implant it in an orientation opposite to that of the cornea’s shape. That type of lens placement negates the effect of the misshapen cornea and reduces the vision problems of astigmatism.

Your surgeon can determine which approach is best for you based on an evaluation of your eye prior to cataract surgery.

Rarely, astigmatism can result from a problem in the natural lens. When that happens, cataract surgery alone will correct astigmatism without any further intervention. If this is the case for you, your sur-

geon will be able to determine that before your surgery takes place.

In almost all cases, cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure that takes less than 20 minutes. Astigmatism correction generally adds just a few more minutes to that time.

After surgery, your surgeon places a shield and patch on your eye, which need to remain in place for less than 24 hours. Once the patch and shield are removed, most people can return to their usual activities.

A return appointment is scheduled for

several weeks after surgery to check the eyeglass prescription. Usually no further follow-up visits are needed.

Talk to your eye surgeon about your interest in correcting your astigmatism during cataract surgery. The options available for doing so are safe and, for many people, they offer a reliable way to improve vision.

— Michael Mahr, M.D., is an ophthalmologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. ©2014 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All Rights Reserved.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Aug. 7+

FREE BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING Howard County General Hospital will offer free blood pressure

screening and monitoring on Thursdays Aug. 7 and Aug. 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Bain Center, 5470 Ruth Keaton Way, Columbia. For more information, call the center at (410) 313-7213.

Aug. 26

CONSIDERING WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY? The Johns Hopkins Center for Bariatric Surgery is offering a free program on weight loss surgery on Tuesday, Aug. 26 from 5 to

6:30 p.m. at the Howard County General Hospital Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Dr., Columbia. For more information, visit hopkinsmedicine.org/jhbmc/bariatrics or call (410) 550-5669.

8

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Too many caregivers try to go it alone

By Heidi Godman History is repeating itself in my family.

My mother has Parkinson’s disease, and my father is her caregiver. Forty years ago, my mom was the caregiver for her own mother, who had advanced Parkinson’s disease and dementia.

I didn’t know my grandmother before she became frail and sick, but I knew that her children adored her. They couldn’t bear to place her in a nursing home, so they took six-month turns caring for her in their own homes.

Every day, my mother would bathe my grandmother, dress her, feed her and make sure she took her medications. She had no additional help and no support from my grandmother’s doctors. It was exhausting for my mother, and I felt her anguish.

That was in the mid-1970s, when being a caregiver wasn’t a defined role. Now it’s so commonplace that researchers study caregiving.

They estimate that 43.5 million people in the U.S. provide in-home, long-term care for older adult family members with a chronic

BEACON BITS

Aug. 16

“CROP SWAP” OF SURPLUS FOOD

Gardeners who have raised too much of one crop are encouraged to bring extra produce to trade for a different crop from other attendees at a “crop swap” on Saturday, Aug. 16 from 11 a.m. to noon at the Miller Branch Library, 9421 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City. Leftovers will be donated to the Howard County Food Bank. For more details, call the library at (410) 313-1950.

July 25

illness. There’s even an entire industry of services tailored to “aging in place.”

Caregivers on their own But despite the awareness of these roles, and the support services now available, the attention paid to caregivers isn’t much different from when I was a kid. In fact, a report published in March in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) finds that many physicians overlook caregiver burden.

“Most physicians haven’t been trained to ask patients about it, and it’s a new clinical habit that you have to consciously adopt and work on,” said Dr. Anne Fabiny, a geriatrician and medical editor of “Caregiver’s Handbook,” a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.

The authors of the JAMA study found

See CAREGIVERS, page 11

BEACON BITS

Aug. 5

MAKE YOUR OWN JEWELRY

that caregivers are typically women who spend about 20 to 40 hours a week providing care. They also found that most caregivers feel abandoned and unrecognized by the healthcare system.

Spousal caregivers face greater challenges than caregivers helping a parent for a variety of reasons, one of which is that they tend to be older.

Of these caregivers, 32 percent have a high caregiver burden. There’s no medical classification for “caregiver burden,” but it’s generally known as the toll that caregiving takes on a person. It can manifest in many ways — including physical ailments, mental illness, social isolation and financial problems.

“Caregivers get depressed. Then they

FREE SENIOR ADMISSION TO THE FAIR The Howard County Fair will offer free admission to adults age 62

Learn to design and create a necklace and matching bracelet in a class on Friday, July 25 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Elkridge Senior Center, 6540 Washington Blvd., Elkridge. Class fee is $5 per person; supplies not included. For more information and to register, call the center at (410) 313-5192.

or more, plus free bingo on Tuesday, Aug. 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Howard County Fairgrounds, 2210 Fairgrounds Rd., West Friendship. For more information, call (410) 313-6410.

Aug. 11

JAMES ROUSE EXHIBIT AT MALL An exhibit of items chronicling the life and legacy of Columbia founder James Rouse will be on display on Monday, Aug. 11

through Saturday, Aug. 24 at the Columbia Mall, 10300 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia. Additional Rouse memorabilia is on display during his 100th birthday anniversary year at the Columbia Archives in the American City Building at 10227 Wincopin Circle, Columbia. For more information, visit Columbia.Archives@ColumbiaAssocition.org or call (410) 715-3103.

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9

Almost never too old for a colonoscopy

By Lauran Neergaard How old is too old for a colonoscopy?

A surprising number of people older than 75 haven’t ever been screened for colon cancer. And in a recent report, researchers say that it’s not too late for them to get caught up. Some may even consider screening into their 80s.

Colon cancer screening is powerful.

The American Cancer Society recently calculated that, over the past decade, new cases of colon cancer dropped significantly among middle-aged and older adults, thanks largely to increasing use of colonoscopies that allow removal of precancerous growths before tumors have time to form.

Here are some things we have learned from the latest research on colon cancer screening: National guidelines recommend regular checks starting at age 50 and going up to age 75. Nearly two-thirds in this age group have been appropriately screened for colon cancer, according to the latest government estimates.

Those guidelines don’t recommend routine screening after age 75. After all, a colonoscopy that delivers good news isn’t supposed to be repeated for 10 years, because it takes so long for those precancerous polyps to become dangerous. Average

life expectancy for an 80-year-old is eight to 10 years.

But the guidelines don’t address the 23 percent of Americans over 75 who somehow missed out on screenings when they were a bit younger, before a colon check in your 50s and 60s had become the norm.

Richard C. Wender, the American Cancer Society’s chief of cancer control.

“Our sense was, if we’re going to screen beyond age 75, it should only be in very healthy people,” said Wender, who wasn’t part of the new study. “This model I think will help us give clearer advice to the public.”

First-time screenings at 86?

Certainly screen at 50+

Researchers at Erasmus University in the Netherlands and New York’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center examined whether it’s worth starting screening late in life, when most people already have at least a few other health problems, such as heart disease, that could affect whether detecting an early-stage colon cancer prolongs life.

They used computer modeling to compare the potential effects of different colon checks on 10 million previously unscreened people ages 76 to 90.

They found that someone who’s very healthy should consider some form of screening up to age 86. But even a person with severe health problems could benefit from a first-time check up to age 80, the team reported in Annals of Internal Medicine.

In the healthiest patients, a colonoscopy was the most effective choice up to age 83, while a stool test was the better choice for 85- and 86-year-olds, the researchers found.

The results are a bit surprising, said Dr.

About 137,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year, the cancer society estimates. About 50,000 colon cancer patients will die.

Upper age limits aside, public health officials say not enough of the 50-and-older crowd get potentially life-saving checks.

The cancer society’s new campaign aims for a screening rate of 80 percent, up from two-thirds, by 2018.

“If you’re polyp-free at 70, we have so dramatically reduced your likelihood of a

death from colon cancer, you probably don’t need to ever think about it again,” Wender said.

With a colonoscopy, doctors use a long flexible tube to examine the colon and remove any polyps. While only needed once a decade, it can be uncomfortable and is the priciest form of screening.

Studies show a home stool test done every year can be equally effective. (A third choice, sigmoidoscopy, uses a tube to examine the lower colon. It isn’t commonly used in the U.S.) In the new study, stool testing was a better value for the oldest patients because it targets larger polyps “that have a shorter period of time before they become a real threat,” Wender explained.

But individual preference matters: “There’s a test out there for everybody,” he said.

— AP

BEACON BITS

Aug. 20

BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP A discussion and support group for persons with breast cancer

will meet on Wednesday, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. at the Howard County General Hospital Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Dr., Columbia. To register or for more information, call Mary P. Dowling at (410) 740-5858.

Coalition of Geriatric Services We’re a coalition of nonprofits, agencies, businesses and professionals who come together to advocate for and help older adults.

September Meeting Networking Extravaganza Date: Time: Location: Topic:

Wednesday, September 24, 2014 8:30 – 10:00 a.m.

Oasis Senior Advisors 7230 Lee Deforest Drive, Suite 200, Columbia, MD 21043 Networking Extravaganza

Learn more by calling (410) 997-0610 or visit www.cogsmd.org Thank you to our 2014 Executive Members PLaTiNuM MEMbEr Howard County General Hospital – A Member of Johns Hopkins Medicine The Beacon Newspapers

GoLD MEMbErS Being There Senior Care, LLC • Howard County Office on Aging

SiLvEr MEMbErS Brooke Grove Retirement Village • Carney, Kelehan, Bresler, Bennett & Scherr, LLP Copper Ridge – EMA • Deborah L. Herman, CPA • Oasis Senior Advisors The Bob Lucido Team of Keller Williams Select Realtors

broNzE MEMbErS Earl Wilkinson, M.D., ENT • Gentiva Health Services • Home Instead Senior Care Homewatch CareGivers • Lighthouse Senior Living Village at Ellicott City Paladin Advisor Group • Professional Healthcare Resources, Inc.

PaTroN MEMbErS Alzheimer’s Association – Greater MD Chapter • Candle Light Funeral Home by Craig Witzke Home Call of Maryland • Home With You Senior Care • Ivy Manor Normandy, Inc. New Life Assisted Living • Right At Home In Home Care & Assistance • Visiting Angels

10

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Health Studies Page

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Volunteer for study to prevent Alzheimer’s

By Lauran Neergaard In one of the most ambitious attempts yet to thwart Alzheimer’s disease, a major study got underway in June to see if an experimental drug can protect healthy seniors whose brains harbor silent signs that they’re at risk.

Scientists plan to eventually scan the brains of thousands of older volunteers in the U.S., Canada and Australia to find those

with a sticky build-up believed to play a key role in development of Alzheimer’s. It will be the first time so many people without memory problems get the chance to learn the potentially troubling news.

Having lots of that gunky protein called beta-amyloid doesn’t guarantee someone will develop dementia. But the big question: Could intervening early make a dif-

BEACON BITS

July 21+

ASK A MASTER GARDENER University of Maryland Extension and Howard County Master

Gardeners discuss gardening questions and concerns at the Miller Branch Library on Mondays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon (except holiday weekends). No registration is required. The library is located at 9421 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City. Call (410) 313-1950 for more information.

Aug. 4+

CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE BOOK GROUP Discuss recent novels on the first Monday of the month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Glenwood Branch Library. The book for the Aug.

4 discussion is The Emperor’s Children by Claire Messud. The library is located at 2350 State Route 97, Cooksville. For more information, call (410) 313-5577.

ference for those who do harbor it?

“We have to get them at the stage when we can save their brains,” said Dr. Reisa Sperling of Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, who is leading the huge effort to find out.

Study at Hopkins Researchers are just beginning to recruit volunteers. Locally, Johns Hopkins University is participating.

The first volunteer in the trial, Peter Bristol, 70, of Wakefield, R.I., figured he was at risk because his mother died of Alzheimer’s and his brother has it.

“I felt I needed to be proactive in seeking whatever therapies might be available for myself in the coming years,” said Bristol, who said he was prepared when a PET scan of his brain showed he harbored enough amyloid to qualify for the research.

“Just because I have [amyloid] doesn’t mean I’m going to get Alzheimer’s,” he stressed. But Bristol and his wife are “going into the situation with our eyes wide open.“ He won’t know until the end of the socalled A4 Study — it stands for Anti-Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic

Alzheimer’s — whether he received monthly infusions of the experimental medicine, Eli Lilly & Co.’s solanezumab, or a placebo (dummy drug).

Curbing amyloid Solanezumab is designed to help catch amyloid before it builds into the brain plaques that are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s.

It failed in earlier studies to treat full-blown Alzheimer’s — but it did appear to help slow mental decline in patients with mild disease, raising interest in testing it earlier.

Scientists now think Alzheimer’s begins ravaging the brain at least a decade before memory problems appear, much like heart disease is triggered by quiet cholesterol build-up. Many believe the best chance of preventing, or at least slowing, the disease requires intervening, somehow, when people still appear healthy.

The $140 million study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, Lilly and others, will track if participants’ memory and amyloid levels change over three years.

Whether this particular drug works or See ALZHEIMER’S STUDY, page 11

Do You Experience p Memory Problems?

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H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 4

Caregivers From page 8 neglect their own health or they miss doctor appointments because they can’t extract themselves from their caregiving role,” Fabiny said. “They just don’t have support, so things like exercising, getting enough sleep or engaging in a social life all fall away,“

How physicians can help The JAMA study cites cases of elderly caregivers who are so distraught that they try to commit suicide just to get out of the situation.

The authors of the JAMA report and others are urging physicians to help prevent or reduce mounting desperation among caregivers by playing a part in assessing the caregiver’s health during regular clinic visits for the person who is chronically ill.

Physicians can evaluate the caregiver by asking:

Alzheimer’s study From page 10 not, the Alzheimer’s study is being watched closely as a chance to learn more about how amyloid works, and how people handle the uncertainty of knowing it’s there.

“Amyloid we know is a huge risk factor, but someone can have a head full of amyloid and not decline” mentally, Sperling said. “We need to understand more about why some brains are resilient and some are not.”

Who can take part?

Before any brain scans, interested 65- to 85-year-olds will undergo cognitive tests to be sure their memory is normal. Volunteers also must be willing to learn their amyloid levels, and researchers can turn away those whose psychological assessments suggest they may not cope well with the news.

The study seeks to enroll 1,000 adults who have an “elevated“ level of amyloid plaque in their brain. Physicians and researchers will use an imaging test called a PET scan to determine whether a potential participant has evidence of this plaque buildup.

During the study, participants will be

1. How are you coping with these responsibilities?

2. How would you describe your quality of life these days?

3. How often do you get out?

4. Do you have your own physician?

The answers can help physicians direct caregivers to various services and support systems. These include: 1. Respite for the caregiver, in the form of a home companion or an adult daycare program for the patient; 2. Help with non-medical services, such as housekeeping and cooking; 3. Counseling about caregiver stress and its consequences, from either a therapist or support group; 4. Training so the caregiver learns how to care for her or his loved one without injury, such as learning how to lift the person without suffering back strain.

It’s the type of support that would have eased my mother’s burden when I was a

kid. And it’s especially important to me now that my parents are in a spousal-caregiver relationship.

I might worry about my father, a prince who never complains, except that the situation is a little different this time around.

First, my mother is not as ill as my grandmother was. Second, my parents have me, a bossy health reporter, who is aware of support options and quick to arrange them. Not everyone has that kind of inside scoop.

So I’m grateful that the medical community is stepping up to the plate and shining the spotlight on caregiver wellness.

“The person you’re caring for is only as good as you are, and if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of the person you

11

love and are responsible for,” Fabiny said.

The “Caregiver’s Handbook” includes a detailed questionnaire to help caregivers identify problems and solutions for their caregiving situations. It also offers suggestions for legal and financial planning, and tips for taking care of yourself as the caregiver — with emphasis on your own health and remembering to exercise, eat right, and see friends and family.

To order the “Caregiver’s Handbook” for $20, visit www.health.harvard.edu/special_health_reports/caregivers-handbook.

Heidi Godman is Executive Editor of the Harvard Health Letter. ©2014. President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Aug. 6+

SUNSET SERENADES WRAP UP SUMMER The Wednesday night concerts sponsored by the Department of

monitored for anxiety or distress. “It is breaking new ground,“ said Dr. Laurie Ryan of the NIH’s National Institute on Aging.

“We really do have to understand how [knowing they have plaques] affects people.“ Sperling expects to screen more than 5,000 healthy seniors to find the needed 1,000 participants.

The study lasts for three years, and participants will be required to visit the clinical research site once a month for monitoring and memory tests. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the investigational drug or a placebo.

Volunteers who do not show evidence of elevated amyloid in their brains (and are therefore not eligible for the study) may be asked to participate in a separate study.

This group will not take any drug or placebo, but will complete the same memory tests every six months to compare changes in cognition over time.

For more information about the study, contact Sarah Woody at Johns Hopkins at (410) 550-9054 or swoody1@jhmi.edu.

Also see the study’s website at www.a4study.org.

— AP (with additional reporting by Barbara Ruben)

Want to Prevent Falls in the Elderly?

Seeking Men and Women to participate in a research study at the University of Maryland &Veterans Affairs of Baltimore to better understand balance and the prevention of falls in aging individuals.

You will receive:

• Health evaluation • Balance, step, strength, and/or flexibility exercises • Compensation for your time if interested call: 410-605-7179 & Mention code: LiFT at Baltimore VA/University of Maryland Gerontology Recruitment Line *You must be at least 65 years old and in good health *Participants will be seen at the Baltimore VA Medical Center and University of Maryland School of Medicine *You will attend approximately 41 visits for 1 to 4 hours each per visit

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Recreation and Parks conclude with performances at 7 p.m. by the all-female rock band Wicked Jezebel on Wednesday, Aug. 6, and Proverbs Reggae Band on Wednesday, Aug. 13 at Centennial Park South, 10000 Rt. 108, Ellicott City. Concerts are free, but a $3 parking donation is requested. Canoes are available for rental; lawn space is open for picnickers. For additional information, call (410) 313-4635.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Can foods protect you from skin cancer?

Q: Are there foods or nutrients that Green tea contains a compound called can protect my skin from damage due EGCG studied for its cancer-preventive poto sun exposure? tential. Researchers are lookA: There is no substitute for ing at whether it may offer protecting yourself from UV protection against UV rays. light, which is one of the most Finally, there are some important factors in the develstudies looking at whether opment of both melanoma and omega-3 fatty acids, found in non-melanoma skin cancer. some types of fish, might link There are a handful of into lower risk for skin cancers. triguing lab studies on how Evidence is not strong certain food components may enough to think that any of offer UV protection, but for these foods provide protection now, there’s no clear evi- NUTRITION for your skin. However, makWISE dence. ing a variety of vegetables and

By Karen Collins, Cell and animal studies, fruits a major part of every MS, RD, CDM and small human trials, sugmeal is a move already recomgest foods rich in lycopene mended for lower overall can(tomatoes, watermelon, papaya, pink or cer risk, and fish seems to support heart red grapefruit), as well as dark green leafy health. vegetables and deep orange vegetables But nothing replaces the protection you and fruits (including spinach, kale, broc- get from limiting your skin’s exposure to coli, carrots and cantaloupe) might help UV light (both from sunlight and from tanprotect skin with long-term consumption. ning beds) through limited time in the sun Laboratory studies have also shown po- and by using sunscreen. tential protection from compounds in the Q: I’d like to eat avocados more herb rosemary and the spice turmeric often, but I have trouble getting them (which is part of curry powder). But we at the right stage of ripeness and using don’t have studies in humans yet to show them before they turn mushy. What’s whether amounts we get from enjoying the secret? them as seasonings makes a difference in A: Avocados, like most fruit, do have a sun protection. distinct period in which they are best to

use. Color may change with ripeness, but the best indicator of ripeness is by feel: a ripe avocado yields to gentle pressure, but is not mushy.

If you happen to find a ripe avocado at the grocery store or farmers’ market, and you are ready to use it in the next day or so, that’s great.

However, don’t hesitate to buy too-firm avocados. To ripen avocados, store them at room temperature. Normally they will ripen in four to five days at about 65 to 75 degrees; in extra hot weather, they will likely ripen faster. Refrigerate to ripen more slowly, or to hold your avocados two or three days after they’ve reached desired softness.

If you’d like to use firm avocados sooner, put them in a brown paper bag with one of the following fruits: apple, banana, peach, pear, kiwi, plum or papaya. All these fruits produce and give off ethylene gas, a plant hormone that triggers the ripening process.

Once your avocado is ripe, if you use only half of it, sprinkle the remaining half with lemon or lime juice (or even orange juice in a pinch), then cover tightly with plastic wrap to reduce exposure to air, and

refrigerate. It will still be good the next day; if there is a trace of browning, just scrape it off and enjoy the rest of the fruit.

You can also mash or puree ripe avocado with lemon or lime juice (about one to two teaspoons per avocado half) and freeze for later use in guacamole or other dips or salad dressings.

As long as you watch your portion size to control calories, avocados make a great addition to many dishes. Although avocados contain fat, saturated fat is very low.

The vast majority of the fat consists of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat (sometimes called MUFA and PUFA), both of which are healthful fats. And sodium content is zero.

The American Institute for Cancer Research offers a Nutrition Hotline, 1-800843-8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This free service allows you to ask questions about diet, nutrition and cancer. A registered dietitian will return your call, usually within three business days.

Courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research. Questions for this column may be sent to “Nutrition Wise,” 1759 R St. NW, Washington, DC 20009. Collins cannot respond to questions personally.

BEACON BITS

Aug. 15

ARMCHAIR TOUR OF REGIONAL LIGHTHOUSES Corey Talbott, from the United States Lighthouse Society

Chesapeake Chapter, will show slides and discuss the Lighthouses of the MidAtlantic Region on Friday, Aug. 15 at 12:45 p.m. at the Arbutus Senior Center, 855 A Sulphur Spring Rd. RSVP by Aug. 12 to (410) 887-1410.

Ongoing

YOGA FOR STROKE SURVIVORS This ongoing class at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center

(GBMC) is offered Mondays from 9 to 11 a.m. and Fridays 9 to 10:30 a.m., in the Civiletti Conference Center. Call or email Kelli Bethel at (410) 302-7603 or info@bodyharmonyyoga.com for more information. GBMC is located at 6701 N.

More ways to say “I love you.”

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You may also qualify for a free assistive device through the Maryland Accessible Telecommunications program.

Calling Options t TTY (Text Telephone) t Voice Carry-Over t Hearing Carry-Over t Speech-to-Speech t Captioned Telephone t Spanish Relay Just dial 7-1-1 to make a Relay call.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 4

13

Natural remedies for common allergies Dear Pharmacist: tion, show that probiotics reduce allergy I take loratadine because of my aller- symptoms. In this particular trial, the pargies to pollen and grass. Is that the ticipants noticed a reduction in hay fever best antihistamine, and are symptoms, but it took a couple there natural alternatives? of months of daily supplemen— S.M. tation to see results.

Dear S.M.: Another interesting study I like loratadine (Claritin) found that babies born to when it comes to choosing antimothers who supplemented histamines because it’s not sewith probiotics had fewer dating. I take it on occasion, and problems with allergies and I break the 10 mg. tablets in asthma. The results were not half, to get 5 mg. daily, because as supportive if the babies that works for me and doesn’t were started on probiotics DEAR dry me up as much. I use plain after birth, so tell friends and PHARMACIST tablets, because you can’t break family to take their probiotics

By Suzy Cohen the long-acting ones. before and during pregnancy.

Diphenhydramine is anothQuercetin: This is a piger popular antihistamine, but it’s very se- ment found in plants and citrus. It’s also a dating. So take it at night, and expect a potent natural antihistamine in high doses, morning hangover. like 500 mg. two to three times daily. This These antihistamines — and also smacks down histamine, the chemical that Zyrtec, Allegra and Chlor-trimeton — are triggers the assault, all the sneezing and constipating. Well, of course! They’re in- bloodshot, itchy eyes. Vitamin C can be tended to dry you, so they dry up every- substituted. thing!

Green tea: This improves your chance Ask your practitioner about some of the to fight against germs, and it reduces hisfollowing natural options and home reme- tamine and inflammatory chemicals dies, which also help: (called cytokines).

Probiotics (top of the list): Numerous Butterbur: This is the same herbal exwell-designed clinical trials, including one tract I’ve talked about for migraine prevenin the European Journal of Clinical Nutri- tion, and guess what? It is also useful for al-

lergies, and for the same reason.

It reduces leukotrienes, which are compounds that upset your body, just like histamine. Leukotrienes are the chemicals that actually sustain the misery, the swelling and inflammation, the stuffiness in your nose and so forth.

Rather than get addicted to those nasal sprays, you can just reduce the production of the compounds with Butterbur. It’s sold at health food stores nationwide as well as online, like all the other supplements above.

Steam inhalation: I love easy! Heat up water in a pot, and carefully inhale the warm steam (add a drop of eucalyptus oil) to the water.

Eye wash: Every home should have

this in case a household cleanser splashes in your eye. It’s sold at pharmacies and online, from various brands, including Bausch & Lomb. Rinsing your hot, red eyes feels amazing. Then you can put a cool compress on it. Try not to scratch!

Natural Similasin Allergy Eye Relief eye drops are soothing, and you can also ask for a prescription for Zaditor (ketotofin) antihistamine eye drops.

This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement.

Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.

BEACON BITS

July 23+

KNIT ONE, READ TOO Quilt, knit and get a sneak peek at books on needlecrafts,

including works of fiction, at the Central Branch Library on the third Wednesday of the month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in a group called Crafty Readers. The library is located at 10375 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia. Call (410) 313-7800 for more information.

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Call Jennifer at 410-988-3957 to reserve your spot.

Space is limited call today. Ask about our new Free Signature Club Membership to receive special invitations to Vantage House Events.

14

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 4

15

When an optimist is married to a pessimist Dear Solutions: Now that I’m widowed, my son just My husband is a pessimist. He calls assumes that I must need help managme a crazy optimist because I always ing my finances. I’ve told him that I did want to at least try things. most of the financial stuff It’s true that a lot of times even when his dad was alive, he’s right to be pessimistic, but he argues with me and but not always. I often go often gets angry. along with what he says in I think he thinks that I order to keep the peace. don’t want him to know Now I have a big projwhat I have or don’t have. ect that I want to do, and How can I put a stop to this he says I’ll be wasting my argument? time and my money be— Millie cause it can’t work. I have Dear Millie: SOLUTIONS made plans and thought “Yes” should come before

By Helen Oxenberg, of special ways to do it.

“No.” Tell him that, yes, you MSW, ACSW What do you say to would love to share some of someone who keeps saythese chores with him so you ing ‘it can’t be done’? will feel more confident at how you’re han— Naomi dling them.

Dear Naomi: Remember that he feels good about stepTell him to stop interrupting you while ping in, now that his father is gone. It probyou’re doing what can’t be done! ably helps him to feel close to his father, so You did mention “your money,” and I hope try to see this as a gift you can give him. that’s true because that can give you the inMake it mutual. Explain to him that dependence to take the chances you wish. doing most of this yourself helps you to Also, tell him you appreciate his judg- hold on to a feeling of independence. ment, since his constantly spelling out the Also, see this as a bonus. Make it a food worst that can happen allows you to take and finance lunch for the two of you once a the worst into consideration, put it behind month. And enjoy. you, and start from there.

Dear Solutions: At the same time, you probably help him I have recently moved into an estabkeep his spirits up by pointing out the lished community without knowing good things around him. anyone there. I’m alone, and I’m wonWhen he asks what present you would dering if I made a big mistake, belike for your birthday or holiday, tell him cause now I feel even more alone. to get you a big beautiful umbrella, which The agent who got me here also lives you can use when he rains on your parade. here. He is having a party and urges Anyway, you know the optimist thinks me to come. I panic at the thought of this is the best of all possible worlds, and the walking into a room where I know no pessimist is afraid that’s true. Good luck. one. Is there any easy way to do this?

Dear Solutions: — Alice

Dear Alice: There’s probably no easy way to be “new in the neighborhood,” especially if the neighborhood is not new.

Okay, so the other people know each other already. Be brave. Assume they’re nice people who have also been through this sometime in their lives.

Try this: Walk over to any little group talking to each other and say, “I was assured by the hostess that, since I’m new here, I’m allowed to break into other peo-

ple’s little groups and introduce myself.” (take a deep breath) “There, I said it, and I didn’t have a heart attack.”

I’m willing to bet that you’ll walk out of that party knowing and being known. Let me know. © Helen Oxenberg, 2014. Questions to be considered for this column may be sent to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915.

You may also email the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

VOLUME 4, NO. 8 • AUGUST 2014

A Message from the Administrator

By Dayna Brown, Office on Aging Administrator To date, we have received more than 1,100 responses to our Master Plan for the Aging Population online survey! Thank you to everyone who shared their perspectives about the types of older adult programs and services you would like to see offered in Howard County over the next 20 years. To stay informed about the Master Planning process, and view survey results when they are ready, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/agingmasterplan.

Although the Master Plan will focus on planning for the next two decades, the Office on Aging has lots of new programs and events happening over the next two months as well. We are especially excited to announce that the Bain Center and the Ellicott City Senior Center will now offer evening programming on selected days of the week. Bain will be open until 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays, and Ellicott City will extend its hours to 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. And don’t forget our East Columbia 50+ Center is open until 8:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. Come in out of the heat and join us!

Howard County Fairgoers can also beat the heat at Senior Day at the Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Not only will you get free admission to the Fair (if you are age 62 or older), you’ll find a cool oasis at the 4-H Activities Building, with free entertainment, lots of great exhibits, exercise demos and free bingo with great prizes. Don’t miss it!

Staying active this summer has never been easier, indoors or out. Check out the cushioned walking tracks and fitness facilities at the North Laurel and Glenwood 50+ Centers, or join our Cycle2Health biking program (there’s even a new group for those just starting out, or returning to cycling after a long absence).

For more information on these and other older adult fitness options, visit www.howardcountyaging.org. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Explore the Possibilities for “Your Next Chapter” at the 16th Annual 50+EXPO Do you ever wonder what could be?

Explore the possibilities and begin planning your own “Next Chapter” at the 16th annual 50+EXPO, with the help of keynote speaker Anne Herbster, vice president of Marketing & Integration at AARP Services and the creative force behind the “Life Reimagined, Real Possibilities” campaign.

The premier event for older adults in Howard County, the 50+EXPO will be held on Friday, Oct. 17, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Wilde Lake High School, 5460 Trumpeter Rd. in Columbia.

Herbster, a marketing and sales executive with more than 20 years in financial services and affinity marketing, describes the “Life Reimagined, Real Possibilities” campaign as a new way of thinking about “What’s Next” in your life. “It’s all about possibilities — envisioning them, evaluating them and making them a reality through unique tools, resources and experiences,” she says. Drawing on her experiences with Life Reimagined, Herbster’s keynote address will help 50+EXPO attendees identify “what’s next” possibilities for their own lives, in keeping with the event’s 2014 theme, “Your Next Chapter.”

“Your Next Chapter” is all about helping the 50+ community transition into the next phase of their lives, whether it’s landing a dream job, discovering a new passion, or finding volunteer opportunities,” explains Starr Sowers, manager of the Office on Aging’s Health & Wellness Division, which coordinates the 50+EXPO each year.

In addition, a variety of free seminars and workshops will be offered, on topics related to financial, physical and mental well-being, including: Anatomy of a Scam — How to Detect and Avoid the Latest Cons, with Rebecca Bowman, administrator of Howard County’s Office of Consumer Affairs; Designing Your Life’s Next Chapter, by Candy Spitz, career/life coach with Unlimited Paths Coaching; Wisdom Through the Ages with Leah Turner and

Molly Dearstine, acupuncturists from WisdomWell Family Acupuncture & Wellness; Eat This, Treat That, by Brooks Wuerdemann, WisdomWell’s Chinese medicine practitioner; and Sleep from A to Zzzzz’s: How to Sleep Well as You Age, by Dr. Raya Wehbeh of NeurExpand Brain Center.

Each year, the 50+EXPO draws more than 4,000 attendees and features more than 150 commercial and non-profit vendors of products and services, a comprehensive health fair with free screenings, flu shots and more. The Capitol Steps will once again headline the entertainment this year, with two shows in the James Rouse Theatre at noon and 2 pm.

Vendor and exhibitor space is available on a first-come, first-served basis; vendor packets, as well as information on sponsorship opportunities, are available online at www.howardcountyaging.org/50plusexpo.

For more information, contact Lisa Coster, 50+EXPO Coordinator, at 410-442-3734 (voice/relay) or e-mail lbcoster@costercommunications.com.

The Senior Connection is published monthly by the Howard County Department of Citizen Services’ Office on Aging.

We welcome your comments and suggestions.

To contact us, or to join our email subscriber list, email seniorconnection@howardcountymd.gov with “subscribe” in the subject box. !"#$%&'!()*+&,-./0&!)&123)2 4567&'!8(9:3#&;#*0"#+&<$= '!8(9:3#>&?<&@7AB4 B7ACD7DC4B7A """=E!"#$%/!()*+#23)2=!$2 """=F#/0:!!G=/!9H !'!'3*3I0) <#+)#&?=&J$!")>&1%93)3K*$#*!$ Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the Howard County Office on Aging or by the publisher.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 4

Say you saw it in the Beacon

The Senior Connection

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Tuesdays, July 15 – Aug. 12, 12:30 pm Downton Abbey: Season Four • Ellicott City Senior Center

Tuesday, Aug. 26, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

End of Summer Cookout • Bain Center

Join us for Season Four of Downton Abbey; view two episodes each week, plus a bonus feature after the season finale. Free; call 410-3131400 to register.

Enjoy live entertainment by Men-N-Motion, voted the region’s #1 Dance Band, and feast on cookout treats. Cost: lunch donation; call 410-313-7213 to sign up by Aug. 20.

Monday, Aug. 4, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Medicare 101 • Bain Center

Wednesday, Aug. 27, 9 to 11 a.m.

Pancake Breakfast • Elkridge Senior Center

Learn how Medicare Parts A (Hospital), B (Medical) and D (Prescription Drug) work, and what the benefits are. Free; sponsored

by SHIP. Call 410-313-7391 to register.

Start your day right with an all-you-can-eat breakfast of homemade pancakes, sausage, eggs and fruit. Donations accepted; call 410-313-5192 to register.

Tuesday, Aug. 5, 9 a.m. to noon Clarity Audiology Hearing Screening • Ellicott City Senior Center

Wednesday, Aug. 27, 1 p.m.

Late Summer Sweets and Teas • East Columbia 50+ Center

Dr. Mary Carson from Clarity Audiology will perform free hearing screenings. To schedule your 15 minute appointment, call 410-313-1400.

Slow down and rediscover late summer bliss with the help of Leah Turner from WisdomWell. Teas and sweets will be served. Cost: lunch donation; call 410-313-7680 to register.

Tuesday, Aug. 5, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Senior Day at the Fair • Howard County Fairgrounds Features free all day fair admission for adults age 62+ plus music, exhibits, information and free bingo with great prizes – join us! For details, call 410-313-6410.

Tuesday, Aug. 5, 6 to 8:30 p.m.

National Night Out 2014 • North Laurel Community Center Join in America’s night out against crime, with a free concert, plus info from Howard County Police and concessions by the North Laurel Senior Council. For details, call 410-313-0390.

Wednesday, Aug. 6, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Crab Feast • Bain Center Enjoy crab soup, BBQ chicken, salads and more! Cost: lunch donation plus $15 per half dozen crabs; order by July 30. For details, call 410-313-7213.

Wednesday, Aug. 6, Noon Howard History Lunch • East Columbia 50+ Center Join us for lunch as we learn about the Ellicott City Colored School, the first public school for black children in Howard County. Cost: lunch donation; call 410-313-7680 to register.

Wednesdays, Aug. 6, 13 & 20, 1 to 3 p.m.

Hatfield’s & McCoy’s • Glenwood 50+ Center Doug Estep hosts this three-week series on the Hatfields and McCoys, whose infamous feud has become synonymous with the perils of family honor, justice, and revenge. Free; call 410-313-5440 to register.

Monday, Aug. 11, 11 a.m.

Golden Age of Broadway, Part II • Glenwood 50+ Center Steve Friedman presents part II of the “Golden Age” of Broadway, focusing on the years 1963-1965. Enjoy live music and a discussion.

Free; call 410-313-5440 to register.

Monday, Aug. 18, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Medicare 102 • Bain Center Learn about Medicare Part C/Health Plans and Medicare Supplement Policies (Medigap Plans). Free; sponsored by SHIP. Call 410-313-7391 to register.

Tuesday, Aug. 19, 10 a.m.

Healthy Tastings: Peachy Treats • North Laurel 50+ Center Join Nutrition Program Specialist Laurie Hunter in the lobby for information and recipes using summer’s favorite fruit — peaches.

Sampling encouraged. For details, call 410-313-0380.

Wednesday, Aug. 20, 12:30 p.m.

Surprise! Barbershop Quartet • Ellicott City Senior Center

Wed/Fri, Sept. 10 – Oct. 3, 10 a.m. to noon Matter of Balance • Elkridge Senior Center Tuesdays, Sept. 16 – Nov. 4, 1 to 3 p.m.

Matter of Balance • North Laurel 50+ Center Learn practical strategies to manage falls; control your fear of falling; set realistic activity goals; incorporate exercise to increase strength and balance; and make changes to your environment to reduce risk factors.

Cost: $28 includes supplies and a snack; call Wendy Farthing, 410-3133506, for more information or to register.

Thursday, Sept. 25, 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Prepare to Care • Owen Brown Community Center, 6800 Cradlerock Way, Columbia Learn about services and programs to assist aging family members, how to assess needs, and design a care plan. Free; call 410-313-5980 to register.

To request accommodations to attend any of these events, call 410-313-5980 one week in advance.

Riding High with your Feet on the Ground!

SENIOR DAY AT THE FAIR Howard County Fair 2014 FREE ADMISSION for ADULTS 62+ Tuesday, August 5 • 10 am - 3 pm VISIT THE ACTIVITIES BUILDING FOR FUN THINGS TO DO... Healthy Aging Programs Entertainment & Exhibits Bingo, Games & Prizes Great Information Demonstrations

DON’T MISS SENIOR DAY AT THE FAIR!

Surprise’s talented quartet — Cross, John, Bob & Bruce — will entertain us with harmonious golden oldies and more. Free; call 410-313-1400 for details.

Thursday, Aug. 21, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Love your Veggies • Elkridge Senior Center Fresh veggies are here; learn how to love them, and get great tips on how to shop and cook delicious veggie dishes. Free; call 410-313-5192 to register.

www.howardcountymd.gov/aging

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Money Law &

DON’T ABANDON BONDS While bond funds have slipped in the last few years, they still have a place in your portfolio TAKING STOCK Although the stock market has surged so far this year, what does the rest of 2014 hold?

ON THE FAST TRACK Those with certain illnesses, including pancreatic cancer and ALS, get priority for Social Security disability benefits

Investors looking abroad for dividends

By Stan Choe In the search for dividends, it can pay for investors to head abroad.

Markets outside the United States have long been fertile ground for dividend hunters because their stronger cultures of paying dividends have resulted in higher yields.

U.S. companies have boosted their own dividends, and paid a record amount last year. But many mutual-fund managers say the most attractive dividend stocks are still outside the country. Investors also are showing a preference for foreign dividend payers: That’s where they’re putting more of their money.

“The U.S. is an actively hostile dividend market and has been for years,” said Daniel Peris, senior portfolio manager at Federated Investors. He helps run the Federated International Strategic Value Dividend fund (IVFAX), among others.

Differing approaches In the U.S., companies often use their cash to buy back stock instead of paying dividends. But in other developed markets, Peris said there’s a strong assumption that companies will pay out much or most of their earnings to shareholders as

dividends.

Consider HSBC Holdings, the largest company by market value in the United Kingdom. The financial giant paid out 58 percent of its earnings per share last year in the form of dividends. In the U.S., companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index paid about 35 percent of their earnings as dividends. That’s more than they paid just a few years ago, but it’s down from earlier decades.

The yields are also higher abroad. U.K. stocks have an average dividend yield of 3.3 percent, and stocks in Europe outside the U.K. offer 3.1 percent, according to MSCI indexes. Stocks from emerging markets, such as Brazil and China, pay 2.7 percent. All are ahead of the 2 percent yield of U.S. stocks.

Interest in dividends has climbed after they helped to stem losses during the “lost decade” of 2000-09 for stocks. The S&P 500 fell 24.1 percent after the dot-com bust and financial crisis swamped markets in succession. But after including dividends, the decade’s loss was a less distasteful 9.1 percent.

Besides potentially smoothing out the ride of stock investing, dividend payers can also supply income to investors con-

tending with relatively low interest rates on bonds.

Dividends = fiscal discipline?

Perhaps most importantly, companies that pay dividends force themselves to be more disciplined in how they spend money, which can lead to better performance, said David Ruff. He is a portfolio manager at Forward Management and helps run Forward Select Emerging Markets Dividend (FSLRX) and other dividend funds.

When a company has to budget for its dividend, its managers are less likely to waste money on an ill-fitting acquisition or expansion. And companies typically fight to maintain their dividend even when times are tight for fear of an investor backlash.

That’s why Ruff sees a company’s promise to pay a dividend as a signal of discipline. He also said he generally sees better signals for dividend stocks abroad than at home.

Investors plugged a net $6 billion into foreign large-cap value stock mutual funds through the first four months of the year, according to Morningstar. Such funds tend to focus on dividend-paying stocks,

and their U.S. counterparts attracted a smaller $4.5 billion over the same time, even though they’re a bigger category by assets.

Risks overseas To be sure, foreign stocks present their own set of risks. Emerging-market stocks in particular can gyrate sharply. Other considerations that investors should be aware of include: Irregular schedule. In the U.S., investors have become accustomed to companies paying out steady dividends every three months. Abroad, the payment schedule isn’t uniform. Some companies pay twice a year, others four. And the amounts may vary.

Nestle, for example, is the biggest nonU.S. company in the MSCI High Dividend Yield index. The Swiss-based company pays a dividend once a year, about a week after its annual general meeting. This year, it was paid on April 10.

Like Nestle, many European companies pay much or most of their dividends during the second quarter, from April through June.

HSBC meanwhile pays four dividends a See DIVIDENDS ABROAD, page 19

Do you cheat on your spouse (financially)?

By Anne Kates Smith According to a recent survey, one-third of adults who combine finances with a partner or spouse have committed financial infidelity.

Of those who said they had cheated, three in 10 hid cash, a purchase, a statement or bill, or even a bank account from their significant other. And 13 percent engaged in more-significant deceptions, such as lying about how much they earn or what they owe.

Not surprisingly, a financial deception ultimately caused an argument nearly half the time. What may surprise you, however, is that fights about money lead to divorce more often than disagreements about chores, in-laws, spending time together or even sex, according to research by Utah State University professor Jeffrey Dew, an expert in money and family relationships.

You can often spot the signs of financial infidelity the same way you spot the other kind — by finding a stray receipt or a statement you don’t recognize.

Sometimes financial infidelity is a symptom of something more serious, such as addiction, gambling or a compulsive buying disorder. Or it could be deeper relationship issues, such as a lack of trust or an abuse of power.

Extreme cases call for a therapist equipped to deal with money issues. Increasingly, therapists are on staff or on call in financial-planning practices.

How to establish trust Most couples can address financial infidelity with financial psychologist Brad Klontz’s four-step process, which he calls SAFE. First, “Speak the truth.” It’s crucial to

‘fess up, and then have a serious conversation about your budget, spending habits and goals for the future.

Start by determining whether you and your partner are aligned in your money values. Maybe one of you is focused on the physical comforts of life (a nice house, car, wardrobe), and the other cares more about experiences (travel, the arts or professional sports).

In Klontz’s program, A stands for “Agree to a plan.” Determine joint goals (a down payment on a home, say), then compromise by budgeting for the vacation and the new car.

Maybe you’ll agree to keep a certain portion of your finances separate. (About 35 percent of those committing financial infidelity said they did it because they believe some aspects of their finances should remain private.)

Or perhaps you’ll decide to have a discussion when spending anything over a certain threshold — $100, $200, or whatever the two of you deem appropriate.

F is for “Follow the agreement,” which sounds easier than it is. Revisit your plan in a month or two, so that you can tweak it instead of giving up.

Finally, “Establish an emergency plan.”

If you’re fighting a lot or you’re at an impasse, it’s time to consult with a counselor.

Anne Kates Smith is a senior editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.

Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com. © 2014 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 4

19

Despite performance, don’t purge bonds Common stock investors have certainly creased 25 percent of the time, or one out been pleased with the overall stock market of four years. performance over the last five years. For He also points out that in the worst year example, the S&P 500 index increased for common stocks, prices fell 67.6 per19.1 percent in that period; cent, while in the worst year for bonds, prices fell only 13.9 Vanguard’s total stock market index fund has increased 19.6 percent.

In the periods between Ocpercent. tober 2007 and March 2009, Investors in bond funds, excommon stocks fell 57 percept for high-yield (junk) bond funds, saw their bond cent, high-yield bonds fell 26 percent, and real estate inportfolios decrease approxivestment trusts fell 71 permately 2 percent in 2013. As a cent. The U.S. aggregate result, many investors have bond index increased 5 perreduced the proportion of THE SAVINGS bonds in their portfolios. cent during that period; the GAME Based on the email I re- By Elliot Raphaelson Treasury Index increased 15 ceive, it seems many inpercent. vestors are considering lowerWhat are the lessons from ing the long-term allocation of bonds in these statistics? To me, they prove the their portfolios even further. This is under- value of a diversified portfolio at all times. standable as many (if not most) bond ex- If you look at the five-year period prior to perts are predicting a 10-year return of the five years when common stocks had only 2 to 3 percent for a conservative bond such a great run, bonds outperformed stocks by a wide margin. If you had a 100 portfolio. percent stock portfolio during those five Those who forget the past years, you would have had a negative perUnfortunately, many investors have formance. short memories. There is a blog post For the last 15 years, during my retireworth reading on Vanguard’s website, “A ment, I have had a significant percentage second look at bond investing in a rising- of both bonds and common stocks in my rate environment,” written by Brian Scott. portfolio (at least 40 percent in each). ObScott points out that, historically, aggre- viously, I would have done better if I had a gate bond prices have shown a net loss 100 percent bond allocation for five years only 15 percent of the time, or one out of and then a 100 percent stock allocation for six years. Aggregate stock prices have de- the next five years. I don’t know anyone

Dividends abroad From page 18 year, but the amount varies. The first three quarterly payments are the same, but the fourth can swing depending on the company’s earnings. For 2013, HSBC paid an annual dividend of 49 cents per share. The first three payments were 10 cents, and the final one was 19 cents.

Currency risk. One of the main risks of foreign investing is that swings in currency values can quickly erode any potential profit.

If a stock’s price rises on the London Stock Exchange, for example, but the British pound falls in value against the dollar, it could negate the gain for a U.S. investor. The value of dividend payments can also take a hit.

Last quarter, for example, Japanese companies paid the equivalent of $2 billion in dividends, according to Henderson Global Investors. That’s down 21 percent from the first quarter of 2013, but half of that decline was due to the falling value of the Japanese yen.

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who did that.

Shaping your portfolio My point is that peaks and valleys in both the stock and bond market are unpredictable. It is true that on a long-term basis stocks have outperformed bonds, and even retired investors should maintain a significant percent of stocks in their portfolio.

I don’t think a 50 percent holding in common stocks for most retirees is too high. With inflation at approximately 3 percent, and expected bond returns of 2 to 3 percent, retirees should have a significant portion of their portfolio in stocks to protect against inflation on an intermediateterm basis.

Most of my bond portfolio is in intermediate-term mutual funds. Investing this way provides reasonable interest without a great deal of capital risk.

Short-term bonds currently pay very low returns. According to Scott, investments in 1- to 3-year bonds currently yield only 0.66 percent. Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (which has a longer duration) currently yields 2.4 percent.

Although long-term bonds yield a little more than the average intermediate-term bond portfolio, there is much greater capital risk if interest rates do increase a great deal.

It would be great if we could predict peaks and valleys in the stock and bond markets. No one can. There is a danger in having too high an allocation in either stocks or bonds. There is too great a temptation to make drastic changes at exactly the wrong times.

At the end of 2008, and at the start of 2009, many investors who had a high percentage of their portfolio in common stocks sold most or all of their holdings in stocks, and missed most or all of the fiveyear boom.

If you maintain a diversified portfolio, balancing your positions on an annual basis, you should be able to obtain reasonable returns without having to guess market tops and bottoms. You may not get rich, but you will be able to sleep soundly.

Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at elliotraph@gmail.com © 2014 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

COUNTY SCAM ALERT WEBSITE

The county’s Department of Citizen Services has launched a new website where residents can learn about the latest, most common scams and how to identify and report them. The website is www.howardcountymd.gov/scamalert.htm. The Office of Consumer Affairs urges residents who believe they may have been contacted by a potential con artist, whether by phone call, email, or door-to-door solicitation, to report the incident immediately via the website or by calling (410) 313-6420. Residents who have lost money or feel that their personal safety is at risk due to a scam should contact the Howard County Police using the non-emergency phone number (410) 313-2200 to file a report.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Some disability benefits are fast-tracked

By Judi Hasson It used to be that some people with serious disabilities would die before the Social Security Administration finally got around to reviewing their applications for disability benefits. Today, applicants with one of 225 of the severest medical conditions can win approval within 15 days.

The government’s “compassionate allowances” program provides fast-track review of applicants who can prove they have one of the medical conditions on the list, which includes various cancers, heart disease, and immune system and neurological disorders. (For the list, go to www.ssa.gov/

compassionateallowances.)

Nearly 95 percent of compassionate allowances applications are approved. The other 5 percent are placed on an expedited appeals process. The average monthly benefit was $1,146 in December 2013. As with all applications for Social Security disability benefits, compassionate allowances applicants must be unable to work.

The program was a godsend for Robert C., 55, a businessman who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January 2013.

Robert, who did not want his last name used, applied in March 2013 and started receiving $2,400 a month in April — the

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

LEGAL AID FOR SENIORS Maryland Legal Aid provides a full range of civil legal services to

financially qualified Marylanders and people over 60 from 13 offices around the state. For more information, visit www.mdlab.org.

Ongoing

LAWYERS OFFER ADVICE TO ARTISTS Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts delivers legal services and legal information to over 10,000 members of the arts community each

year. For information on services available in Maryland, contact Maryland Lawyers for the Arts, 113 W. North Ave., (410) 752-1633, info@mdartslaw.org, or www.mdartslaw.org.

full retirement benefit he would have received at age 66.

“It’s helped us retain our home and helped us get back on our feet,” he said.

For those with urgent need The program began in 2008 to help the most severely ill cut through the huge backlog of applications for disability benefits.

Before then, Social Security employees had no way to distinguish between the most urgent applications from tens of thousands of other disability claims received each year. With a lengthy backlog and a time-consuming appeals process, many qualified applicants died before getting payments.

Diseases and conditions are added to the list each year. There is no backlog for compassionate allowances applications, even though the application rolls grow as new diseases are approved. About 200,000 people have received benefits through the program since it started.

The program is one of Social Security’s “best kept secrets,” said Cheryl Bates-Harris, senior disability advocate for the National Disability Rights Organization.

“In the past, disability decisions were made by Social Security personnel who weren’t medical professionals, and they were unaware of unusual diseases and their outcomes. The compassionate allowances program makes it easier for people to get benefits without having to wait two, three or five years,” she said.

Doctors send medical records

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Dr. JoAnn Udovich brings passion and humor to baroque classical music while Adam Bridge creates a journey through western architecture. Join Werner Schumann to learn about the life of a documentary filmmaker, study the Chesapeake Bay, the surprising pivotal point in the war of 1812.

Three friends registering together get $30 off the annual membership fee. New Associate Memberships are available for classes held at the Vantage House Retirement Community in Columbia.

Registration is now open. Classes begin September 12. Call (410) 516-9719 for more information.

Here’s how it works: Once an individual claims a compassionate allowances condition during the initial application, special software alerts the Social Security Admin-

•

istration that the case needs to be fasttracked. Applicants must provide medical evidence, including medical records and recent test results.

After an applicant provides authorization, Social Security adjudicators will ask the applicant’s doctors for information if all medical records aren’t supplied. When the condition is confirmed, disability payments start flowing. You don’t need a lawyer or advocate to help as long as you have a diagnosis that falls within the category.

“There are diagnoses, like pancreatic cancer, where the outcome is dire. If you can prove you have the disease from your medical record, we will fast-forward your application,” said Art Spencer, who recently retired as Social Security’s associate commissioner for the office of disability programs.

For the quickest results, Bates-Harris suggests applying immediately after a diagnosis. Also, make sure every one of your doctors sends medical records quickly.

If your disability is not on the list, expect a lengthy wait. The average processing time for an initial disability claim under the normal procedures is 86 days, plus more than 450 additional days for a rejected applicant to complete the appeals process.

You can apply at www.ssa.gov/dibplan/dapply.htm, by phone at 800-7721213, or at your local Social Security office.

You’ll need information about your healthcare providers and medications, laboratory results, and any medical records you have.

Kimberly Lankford is a contributing editor to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. © 2014 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A U G U S T 2 0 1 4

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Predicting the midyear outlook for stocks

By Anne Kates Smith We predicted in January that Standard & Poorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 500-stock index would finish the year in the vicinity of 1900, and the Dow Jones industrial average would close above 17,000. We still think thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good, conservative bet, although itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible that stocks could tack on a little more â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with the S&P 500 closing between 1950 and 2000.

That would produce gains of 6 percent for the year and would translate to roughly 17,500 for the Dow. Stock returns will mirror growth in corporate earnings, which analysts estimate at 6 to 7 percent this year. Dividends will add another two percentage points to the marketâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s return.

tion from a market driven by super-easy monetary policies and little competition from fixed-income investments to one more focused on corporate profits.

The Federal Reserve is unwinding its bond-buying program aimed at keeping long-term rates low, and will eventually look toward raising short-term rates, most likely next year.

As investors begin to anticipate that tightening, the market could suffer a 5 to 10 percent pullback, perhaps in the fourth quarter, said David Joy, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial. But if raising interest rates to a more normal level is seen as a vote of confidence in the economy, it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be the end of the bull market.

Where to look for growth

Focus on revenues

But the market has grown more complicated. In order to prosper, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to be choosier about where you invest.

In general, we think the rest of the year will favor larger companies over smaller ones; companies that sell at reasonable values over high-growth, high-priced stocks; and companies that are more sensitive to improvement in the economy than those considered more defensive.

For the 5-year-old bull market to continue, it will have to meet several midlife challenges. The first will be making the transi-

A second challenge: Companies must become less dependent on the plump profit margins engineered by cost-cutting and other maneuvers and more reliant on revenue growth. Since the financial crisis, pershare earnings growth has been strong as companies have cut costs, refinanced high-cost debt, lowered tax bills and bought back shares.

A recent spike in mergers and buyouts is aimed at buying revenue growth, said John Toohey, who directs stock investments for USAA. But he and others would

prefer to see more growth coming from actually selling more goods and services.

Such growth will hinge on whether the economy can finally accelerate convincingly. Kiplingerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expects gross domestic product to expand by 2.4 percent this year, up from 1.9 percent growth in 2013, with the growth rate picking up to 3 percent or

better in the second half.

Anne Kates Smith is a senior editor at Kiplingerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com. Š2014 Kiplingerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Personal Finance; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

ONLINE COURSES FOR ENTREPRENEURS A variety of business and entrepreneur-focused courses, including

computers, languages and legal subjects, are available online from Howard County Community College, with new sessions starting every six to eight weeks. Courses are generally $120, although some cost more. Seniors can get $30 off each course.

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Ongoing

COUNTY NEEDS VOLUNTEERS The Volunteer Center, a community-based organization that match-

es individuals and groups with volunteer opportunities throughout Howard County, lists current possibilities at www.volunteerhoward.org. The information is also available by calling (410) 715-3176.

22

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 4

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Travel

23

Leisure &

Niagara Falls is a 20-minute drive from Buffalo, N.Y. See story on page 25.

Villages and hamlets of the 1,000 Islands Some highlights: Thirty lighthouses, 28 of which are historic (some open to the public); a replica of an 18th century European castle; a 19th century Army barracks; a town celebrating the War of 1812; unique museums; a contest to catapult pumpkins into the river; and the place where Thousand Island Salad Dressing was created.

If you want to take a tour, there are boat, balloon and helicopter options. There are also many excellent opportunities for fishing, boating, golfing and hiking. Diehard adventurers can dive for liquor bottles tossed overboard during Prohibition.

If you’re in your own car, New York’s 518mile Seaway Trail bypasses busy interstates and meanders from one small scenic town to the next. On the southern end, Route 12 follows the shoreline through rolling green fields punctuated by silos, dairy cows, barns, farmhouses, and villages right out of a Norman Rockwell painting.

Sackets Harbor

PHOTO BY GEORGE FISHER

I started my journey up the river in the village of Sackets Harbor on Lake Ontario.

I found the tourism director, Cheryl Payne, chatting on a bench in front of her store, the Calla Lilies Shop, with Timothy Scee, the town supervisor.

Tim instantly offered a personal tour, which started on Main Street, lined with pink roses, and wound through the Madison barracks, the battlefield and past the water tower. Robust, 12-foot lilac bushes seemed to leap up everywhere.

Sackets Harbor residents brag that their town was a critical 19th century U.S. naval station and shipbuilding center, as well as the stage for two battles in the War of 1812 where the British were vanquished. In the first, British warships arrived but then withdrew after suffering damage. In the second, the Americans repelled a landing force.

The town is having a three-year-long bicentennial commemoration of the war through 2015.

Tibbetts Point Lighthouse, built in 1827, marks the point The battlefield comwhere Lake Ontario meets the St. Lawrence River in northern New York. mandant’s house is fur-

PHOTO COURTESY OF 1000 ISLANDS TOURISM COUNCIL

By Glenda C. Booth The great St. Lawrence River, which flows from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean, is inviting. It invites curious travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, pumpkin catapulters and even would-be princes and princesses who harbor fantasies of living in castles.

Throughout history, it has lured Native Americans, Canada’s First Nations people, fur traders, explorers, international merchants and warring nations.

The St. Lawrence River Seaway, which includes a system of rivers, canals, locks and dams from Lake Superior to the Atlantic, constitutes the largest freshwater waterway in the world, stretching 2,300 miles.

But this story is about a very special 50mile section of the St. Lawrence that straddles the border between New York state and Ontario, Canada. It is dotted with 1,864 chunks of rocky earth — islands that range from 50 square miles to the size of a carport.

Native Americans called the region the “Garden of the Great Spirit.” According to an Iroquois legend, the Great Spirit gave people a magical garden, on the condition that they not fight. The tribes started warring against each other, so the Great Spirit picked up the paradise, and somehow the garden slipped from the Spirit’s hands, shattering into many islands.

Today, adventurous ramblers can find numerous intriguing nooks and crannies on and off the beaten path throughout the region.

The unfinished Boldt Castle sprawls across one of the more than 1,000 islands in a portion of the St. Lawrence River that divides New York and Ontario. The castle, off the coast of the town of Alexandria Bay, was being built by George Boldt, proprietor of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, for his wife. He called off the project when she suddenly passed away during its construction in 1904.

nished as Commodore Josiah Tattnall’s was in the mid-1800s. The Madison Barracks, a living history museum of military architecture, had a role in every war from the War of 1812 to World War II. For more history, visit http://paththroughhistory.ny.gov/.

Locals trumpet Funny Cide, the thoroughbred winner of the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness races, because the racehorse was owned by six locals. The Boathouse Restaurant displays the jockey’s jersey and other paraphernalia.

Sackets Harborites are also proud of Caroline, the 2013 American Girl doll heroine, modeled after a local girl whose father was a shipbuilder taken prisoner in 1812 by the Brits. There is a blonde-haired Caroline doll in a long pink dress, as well as seven fiction books about her “life.”

For relief from war themes, Old McDonald’s Farm is a 1,000-cow dairy farm featuring a state-of-the-art milking parlor. Its computer technology tracks a cow’s activities, milk production, breeding and calf delivery dates.

The town’s visitor center in the FederalGeorgian-style Augustus Sacket House can supply additional suggestions.

Clayton The hamlet of Clayton, perched on a peninsula jutting out into the St. Lawrence River, was founded as a lumber and shipbuilding center and port in 1822.

A walking map from the Chamber of Commerce on Riverside Drive will guide your amble around the five-block historic district. It consists of 31 buildings erected between 1854 and the 1920s in Italianate and Richardsonian Romanesque styles.

Some feature pressed metal and cast iron cornices and window crowns.

Given the town’s orientation to the river, locals are known as River Rats. So be sure to sample the local aged cheddar, River Rat Cheese.

The village centerpiece is the Thousand Islands Inn, which opened in 1897 to serve visitors arriving by rail. It’s the only one of three dozen inns in the 1,000 islands region to survive from that era. Its early 1900s décor is a step back in time, creating an ambience that landed the hotel on television’s Travel Channel 33 times.

The Antique Boat Museum, brimming with over 320 boats, is home to the largest collection of antique freshwater recreational boats in the U.S., from canoes to racing boats to the 106-foot, Gilded Age houseboat, La Duchesse, owned by hotel magnate George Boldt of Waldorf Astoria fame.

The houseboat has a steel hull, brass fireplace, nine bedrooms, five bathrooms, servants’ quarters, a dancing deck, and a flower potting room. Museum exhibits explore See 1,000 ISLANDS, page 24

24

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

1,000 Islands From page 23 boating history, starting with dugout canoes.

The Thousand Islands Museum at 312 James St. documents life along the St. Lawrence River. It features duck decoys and the Muskie Hall of Fame, dedicated to fishing for the large, elusive trophy fish known as the muskellunge (or muskie).

Guides take visitors out to snag bass, pike, walleye, trout, salmon and muskie.

Alexandria Bay Alexandria Bay has the feel of a beach town. When you tire of knickknack shops, sit back and gaze at the river, watch the cormorants and loons dive, and relax to the soft, droning sounds of passing ships.

The freighters’ lights shine like strings of pearls in the black night.

The main attraction is the 127-room, Rhineland-style Boldt Castle on Heart Island, a 15-minute boat ride away (www.boldtcastle.com). Boldt, who was of Prussian ori-

BEACON BITS

Aug. 13

SEE OKLAHOMA! IN PENNSYLVANIA A bus trip to Allenberry Playhouse in Boiling Springs, Pa., will

leave at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 13 and return at 5 p.m. to see the musical Oklahoma! Sponsored by the Department of Recreation & Parks, tickets are $93 and include a buffet lunch. For more information, call (410) 313-7279 or (410) 313-7275 to register.

Aug. 27

LUNCH WITH “PIRATES” AT TOBY’S A Recreation & Parks bus leaves at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 27 for lunch and a performance of Gilbert & Sullivan’s

Pirates of Penzance at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia, with return trip scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The $49 fee includes lunch. Call (410) 313-7279 for more

A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

gin, was building this ornate $2.5 million edifice for his wife, Louise, the love of his life.

Upon her sudden death in 1904, Boldt immediately halted work by its 300 craftsmen. The unfinished mansion remained that way until the property was acquired by the government over 70 years later.

Today a tourist attraction, the castle’s first floor looks as the Boldts intended.

Modeled after European castles, Boldt Castle rises six stories from the indoor swimming pool to the highest tower room.

A visit to Ogdensberg’s Fredrick Remington Museum, 36 miles north of Alexandria Bay, is worth a few hours. Remington’s paintings and sculpture, many centered on horses and Old West scenes, fill a house built in 1810.

What about the famous salad dressing?

In the early 1900s, George LaLonde, a Clayton fishing guide, was hosting May Irwin, a prominent New York City actress and her husband. Irwin commended the tasty salad dressing made by LaLonde’s wife, Sophia.

Irwin requested the original recipe, naming it “Thousand Island Dressing.”

Back in New York, Irwin gave the recipe to Boldt, and he immediately ordered his Waldorf Astoria maitre d’ to put the dressing on the hotel restaurant’s menu, thus introducing it to the world.

It’s the only salad dressing named for a

region of the U.S. You can buy it online at www.1000-islands.com/dressing.

If you go Before taking a jaunt into Canada, research border crossing requirements. Regulations change, so check both U.S. and Canadian regulations at http://www.cbp.gov/travel and www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca. A passport is accepted at the borders, but check the sites for other acceptable types of identification if you don’t have one.

The closest local airports are in Watertown (www.watertownairport.com) and Kingston, Ontario (www.cityofkingston.ca /residents/airport). Sackets Harbor is one hour north of Syracuse, N.Y. The least expensive roundtrip flight to Syracuse from BWI in mid-August is $481 on Delta Airways. But if you fly from Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Va, the fare is only $215 on US Airways.

Visit the following websites for more information: Thousand Islands Tourism, www.visit 1000Islands.com The Seaway Trail, www.seawaytrail.com Sackets Harbor, www.sacketsharborhistoricalsociety.org, www.visitsackets.com, www.sacketsharborny.com Clayton, www.1000islands-clayton.com Alexandria Bay, www.alexbay.org

information or to purchase tickets.

Upcoming 1,000 Islands events Aug. 30: 1812 U.S. Marine Guard Living History Camp, Sackets Harbor. http://www.sacketsharborbattlefield.o rg/schedule.htm Sept. 20: 5th Annual Boldt Castle Wine Festival and Farmers Market, Alexandria Bay. Tastings and sales, including cheese, chocolates and alpaca-fiber clothing. www.boldtcastle.com Sept. 27 to 28: Doors Open Gananoque, Gananoque, Ontario. Visit historic public and private homes, churches and museums not normally open to visitors. www.gananoque.ca Oct. 3 to Nov. 1: Pumpkinferno, Upper Canada Village, Morrisburg, Ontario. Thousands of hand-car ved

pumpkins light up the 1800s village at night. www.uppercanadavillage.com Oct. 4: Oktoberfest at Thousand Islands Winery, Alexandria Bay. German festival including live oompah band, grape-stomping competitions, wine, beer, food and vendors. www.thousandislandswinery.com Oct. 11: Harvest Festival at Coyote Moon Vineyard, Clayton. Live music, wine, beer, children’s activities and vendors. www.coyotemoonvineyard.com Oct. 18: 3rd Annual Punkin Chunkin and BBQ Contest, Clayton. Competitors launch pumpkins into the river from homemade catapults. Restaurants compete for the best BBQ. www.1000islands-clayton.com

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H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 4

25

Buffalo’s natural and man-made wonders

By Brian Hayden Last winter, Buffalo was blanketed with 130 inches of snow, the seventh-snowiest season since World War II. Even in years with more benign winters, moisture off Lake Erie pushes the average snowfall to about eight feet.

But while the Washington area swelters during July and August, Buffalo gets its reward: High temperatures average 78 to 80 delightful degrees.

No matter the weather, Buffalo offers visitors numerous sites and activities to explore.

At the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, you can see one of the world’s most impressive collections of modern and contemporary art, including works by Van Gogh, Picasso and Warhol. Across the street, you’ll find the Burchfield Penney Art Center, which is committed to the art of Buffalo and Western New York.

Buffalo has some two dozen theaters, anchored by Shea’s Performing Arts Center, which hosts an annual Broadway series. The Grammy Award-winning Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is led by JoAnn Falletta, who has been hailed by the New York Times as one of the finest conductors of her generation.

Buffalo’s emerging Canalside district showcases the city’s waterfront and history of shipping along Lake Erie and the Erie Canal. The centerpiece of this district is the commercial slip — the re-excavated and restored western terminus of the Erie Canal, dating from 1825.

A system of bike trails, parks and boardwalks comprise Buffalo’s Outer Harbor, offering stunning views of the lake and city skyline.

That skyline features the work of some of the most renowned architects of the

19th and early 20th centuries, including Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, H.H. Richardson, Richard Upjohn, and Eliel and Eero Saarinen.

There are also two large residences designed by Wright open to visitors: the Darwin Martin House complex, and the Martin’s summer estate nearby, Graycliff. Both continue to undergo restoration to their original magnificence.

Other unique sites include the spot where Teddy Roosevelt took the presidential oath of office. The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site was recently renovated.

Mark Twain spent time in Buffalo in the late 19th century as a newspaper editor.

Leaves from the original manuscript of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are on display in the Mark Twain Room at down-

town’s central library.

Learn about Buffalo’s Native American, ethnic and industrial heritage at the Buffalo History Museum. The city is also filled with African American heritage. Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie and other giants of jazz performed at the Colored Musicians Club, which is now a museum and still hosts regular gigs by area musicians.

Winging it While Buffalo is justifiably proud of its chicken wings — and no trip to Buffalo is complete without a stop at the Anchor Bar, where Buffalo wings first took flight 50 years ago this year — it also boasts 400 independently-owned restaurants offering delicious local specialties, plus a pair of See BUFFALO, page 26

BEACON BITS BEACON BITS

Sept. 14

D.C. HOUSE AND EMBASSY TOUR A bus trip to several Washington, D.C. landmarks will be offered

Sept. 13

REVEL AT THE RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL The Department of Recreation & Parks is sponsoring a bus trip to

the Maryland Renaissance Festival in Annapolis on Saturday, September 13, leaving at 9 a.m. and returning at 5 p.m. The $49 ticket covers entry fee and trans-

by the Department of Recreation & Parks on Sunday, Sept. 14. Leaving at 10:30 a.m., the tour will return at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $49, entry fee and lunch on your own. Call (410) 313-7275 to register or (410) 313-7279 for more information.

Sept. 26+

NEW ORLEANS-NASHVILLE TOUR The Department of Recreation & Parks is offering an early fall bus

trip to New Orleans and Nashville from Sept. 26 to Oct. 4. The fee is $1,700 for a double room-per person. Call (410) 313-7279 for details.

portation, lunch is not included. For more information, call (410) 313-7279. Call (410) 313-7275 to register.

26

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

From page 25 wine trails and vibrant farmers markets.

Don’t miss some Western New York culinary favorites, including beef-on-weck sandwiches (thinly cut roast beef served on a salt and caraway seed topped kummelweck roll), sponge candy (made with chocolate and caramelized sugar, with a texture and taste that even its creators say is hard to describe), and charcoal broiled hot dogs.

Buffalo is also home to several breweries, including Flying Bison Brewing Co. and Hamburg Brewing Company. The first distillery in Buffalo since Prohibition, Lockhouse Distillery, opened in 2013 to produce artisanal vodka.

Shoppers will find everything from hip boutiques in Buffalo’s trendy Elmwood Village, Allentown and Hertel neighborhoods, to major department stores at a number of local shopping centers and malls.

Sports fan? Buffalo has a wealth of options, including the NFL’s Bills, NHL’s Sabres, AAA baseball’s Bisons, world-class fishing, great skiing and fantastic water sports. Kayak through the city’s historic grain elevator district on the Buffalo River or rock climb up those elevators on Silo City Rocks, which is set to open later this year.

Spend a day in the natural splendor of the Tifft Nature Preserve, only minutes from downtown Buffalo, or admire floral beauty during a stroll in the Buffalo and

Erie County Botanical Gardens. A series of parks and parkways throughout Buffalo designed by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted provide a scenic respite in the heart of the city.

The region also offers a host of familyfriendly activities, from the Buffalo Zoo and Buffalo Museum of Science to the Explore and More Children’s Museum in East Aurora.

Military buffs can view the submarine, destroyer and cruiser permanently docked at the Buffalo harbor — part of the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park, the largest inland naval park in the country.

PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT BUFFALO-NIAGARA

Buffalo

A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Upcoming festivals Buffalo seems to have a festival for everything, ranging from the Taste of Buffalo on July 12 and 13, the largest two-day food festival in the country, to GardenWalk Buffalo, the nation’s largest free garden tour, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year on July 26 and 27, to the Erie County Fair (Aug. 6 to 17), celebrating its 175th, to the National Buffalo Wing Festival on Aug. 30 and 31.

Buffalo also offers a host of ethnic celebrations, from two St. Patrick’s Day parades to the Galbani Buffalo Italian Heritage Festival, reflecting the city’s diverse roots. There’s also Dyngus Day, the day after Easter Sunday, when polka bands, Polish food and a parade ring in the end of the Lenten season.

Fourth of July fireworks explode over the Erie Canal Harbor in Buffalo, N.Y. The city has several art museums, two dozen theaters, and a skyline filled with the works of prominent 19th and early 20th century architects.

Niagara Falls is 20 minutes away. At Niagara Falls State Park, you can get up close to the roaring waters at the Cave of the Winds or venture to the base of the falls on a Maid of the Mist boat tour. Be sure to wear your souvenir rain ponchos!

Southwest Airlines has a roundtrip fare from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Buffalo of $204 in mid-August, as does U.S. Airways from Reagan National Airport.

For more information about events, attractions and things to do in the Buffalo/Niagara area, go to www.visitbuffaloniagara.com or contact Visit Buffalo Niagara at 1-800-Buffalo.

[If you plan to visit the Canadian side of the Falls, see the “If you go” tips at the end of “Villages and hamlets of the 1,000 islands” for border-crossing information.]

Brian Hayden is communications manager with Visit Buffalo.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 4

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Style

27

Arts &

Swashbuckling pirates take center stage at Toby’s Dinner Theater.

Pirates of Penzance goes adrift at Toby’s

Hard to hear Helping to keep the show’s charms

largely hidden from the youngsters is Toby’s sound system, which is marginal at best. As satire, The Pirates of Penzance relies on snappy lyrics in its songs, often delivered in rapid patter.

Lyrics can be understood in solos, provided the music is in a quiet passage. Ballads, by their nature, are quieter than big production numbers, and are usually sung by one or two voices. Those are mostly communicated competently.

But when there are more than one or two voices singing together, which is quite often, or when the orchestra swells, lyrics get lost in a muddy swirl of incoherent sound. Words sung by female choruses, with their higher registers, are particularly difficult to understand.

Song after song flies by with lyrics completely unintelligible. Forget the finer points of satire or the cleverness of the rhyme; just figuring out the subject of the songs is rendered impossible. The satirical points have no punch. They don’t even have presence. And following the story?

Forget that.

Pirates and their maidens This is the tale of a group of orphaned, dim-witted pirates who become captivated by a group of lovely, but equally dim-witted maidens under the care of a major-general.

There is the requisite pair of young lovers at the center of the story.

A newly-21-year-old pirate struggles to leave that life, to which he was mistakenly in-

dentured as a lad, and wed one of the young ladies. A swashbuckling but silly Pirate King schemes to thwart the young man, even as the major general schemes to make the most of the pirates’ ardor for his girls.

Toby’s says it is performing Joseph Papp’s “updated” version of the show, which was a hit on Broadway in the early 1980s. Papp beefed up the Pirate King’s role and broadened the humor. He moved the music away somewhat from its light

PHOTO BY CHRIS CHRISTIANSEN

By Michael Toscano A recent Sunday matinee performance of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance at Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia probably did not convince many of the kids in the audience to become fans of light opera or satire.

It’s not because their doting parents and grandparents did not try; there were quite a few pre-teens in attendance, evidenced by the number of electronic devices scattered on the tables along with the buffet foods and drink.

And it is not that the work is inaccessible to modern ears, despite being light opera and having premiered in 1879 when audiences must have ridden their dinosaurs to the theater.

Despite its age, the music remains charmingly entertaining, and the story begs for hammy, over-the-top performances. And kids love that.

The problem is that this is a middling production, neither particularly good nor especially bad. And with satire, there is no such thing as almost getting it right. Either it hits the spot, or it misses completely.

Director and choreographer Mark Minnick has a cast seemingly capable enough to handle the show. But he has staged a production that is a rote, by-the-numbers roll-out of the songs. There is no spark, no attempt to infuse the presentation with a specific sensibility or attitude.

See PIRATES, page 28

David Jennings plays the Pirate King in Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic operetta The Pirates of Penzance, which runs at Toby’s Dinner Theatre through Aug. 31.

“Always Be Yourself. Unless You Can Be A Pirate, Then Always Be A Pirate!”

THROUGH AUGUST 31

You won’t want to miss this updated version of Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular musical comedy.

Wacky, irreverent and entertaining!

TOBY’S DINNER THEATRE OF COLUMBIA • CALL 410-730-8311 Based on availability. Due to the nature of theatre bookings, all shows, dates and times are subject to change.

D in

TobysDinnerTheatre.com

ner & S h o w

RESERVE YOUR SEATS TODAY!

28

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Pirates

ic swagger, sword brandishing, and broad stereotypical gestures from the maidens.

From page 27 opera origins, adapting a more generic musical comedy style and leaving the book more or less intact.

But it no longer seems all that fresh. In fact, it is a bit dated. Many theater companies have since staged versions with modern references and settings, adding a layer of contemporary flair to this satire of power, duty and honor.

As produced here, Act One is played with little scenery. There’s the suggestion of a pirate ship, with a few rope ladders and a rudimentary mast. Act Two is placed mostly in “a ruined chapel,” so there are a few headstones and a center-stage fountain. It has the look of a scenic designer rummaging through a storage area and pulling out a few old pieces.

Lighting is mostly flat, and the orchestra seems uninspired by the scaled-down score. Movement consists of a lot of gener-

Some star singers Nonetheless, there are a few stand-out performances.

Jane C. Boyle has a delightful voice, used to good effect early in Act One as she portrays Ruth — the nursemaid who mistakenly gets her young charge bound over to the pirates, because she thinks she is hearing the word “pilots.”

Now that he is 21 and hunky, he longs to leave — and she is determined not to be left behind. Boyle does not mine all the comic gold layered in the part, but she sings beautifully in such numbers as “When Frederic was a Little Lad.” Laura Whittenberger’s sweet soprano is delicate and pure in the role of Mabel, the young lady who sets Frederic’s heart beating faster. Whittenberger’s voice may be sweet, but it is also powerful. Her trills led to a few high notes that almost set the

A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

water glasses on the table tinkling.

As the Pirate King, David Jennings has a robust voice and enough dashing charisma to swash his buckle around the set.

He’s not afraid to appear silly, which helps.

Nick Lehan is earnest and appealing as Frederic. And in the supporting role as the Sergeant of Police, David James brings valiant comic commitment to several of the most popular numbers.

Robert John Biederman 125 (this is the actor’s chosen name) does his best as the Major-General, especially in what is probably the show’s most famous song: “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General.” The lyrics come rapid-fire in an outpouring of increasingly rapid patter, only some of which was audible over the orchestra during the reviewed performance.

It is possible the performances will become sharper, and the parody and satire more vibrant, as time goes by. Perhaps somebody will take charge of the sound design.

Toby’s generally does a more than capable job with musicals. Some of its work is as good as it gets. But these pirates are, at this point, on a ship with no wind in its sails.

Ticket information The Pirates of Penzance continues through Aug. 31 at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, 5900 Symphony Woods Rd., Columbia.

The show runs seven days a week with evening and matinee performances. Monday through Saturday evenings feature an all-you-can-eat dinner buffet, for which doors open at 6 p.m., followed by an 8 p.m. performance. On Sunday evenings, doors open for dinner at 5 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m. performance.

Matinees are performed Wednesdays and Sundays, preceded by an all-you-caneat buffet brunch starting at 10:30 a.m. The matinee performance begins at 12:30 p.m.

Reservations are required. Tickets, which include the meal and basic drinks, but not specialty drinks or waiter tip, range from $37.50 (for children under 12) to $56 (depending on which performance is selected).

There is ample, free parking on the premises.

For reservations and information, call (410) 730-8311 or 1-800-88TOBYS (8886297). You may also visit www.tobysdinnertheatre.com.

FROM PAGE 30

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD P R U N E A S E R I N G D A L I F I N G F L E E S L E E F R I T O S

R U N W A Y

E L I N E W A E R T S T R O O G I N N U P S A N I N K L R A I Y E S

L U G O S I

I T I N

N A A T T C T H

W E L L

R I E L

M O N S E R I P N T H E E S R E C H I D T H E N O S I A E R E A S T U D E T H R O M I S O E N P P N T H E E D O A K S I N E

G R A D E S

M O R O S E

C H I O A T D Y E E N R T

Please tell our advertisers, “I saw you in the Beacon.”

Family tree From page 1 marital status, the name of their spouse, the names of their parents, when and where their parents were born, when and where they were married, etc.

Then the students are told to interview all the living relatives they can find. “Ask them the background of their families, what they remember of your family. That’s the quickest way to get information,” she said.

Also to be checked are passenger lists (manifests) of ships sailing from the homeland of ancestors, possible newspaper accounts of their exploits, and census records.

“Each step you take, each document you find, tells you a story,” Alshire said.

She also has students look into the 1940 census, whose full information was released in 2012 after a 72-year waiting period. The release of the 1940 records marked the first time researchers, genealogists and history hunters could find detailed records online in one place for free.

One group that gives free access to the census is the nonprofit FamilySearch.

Search the census by name at https://familysearch.org/1940census.

Alshire said the release of the 1940 census records was “a very important genealogical event for everyone who had a family member who served in World War II.” It was the last time the men and women killed in the war were recorded with their families, she said.

The government kept the records from public view all these years to ensure privacy for the respondents during their lifetimes.

Of course, the history can get convoluted, especially if, like Alshire’s family, most of its members came to the U.S. in the 1870s and 1880s from Poland, Austria, Ger-

many and Lithuania.

You have to know European history — what country was ruling what lands in Europe at the time, who was speaking what language. Also, which wars, floods and fires may have taken their tolls on the census, church, tax, and other records in the old country.

“If you can trace your roots in Eastern Europe back to the 1600s, you’re doing well,” Alshire said.

Why has she spent so much of the last 30 years digging into her family history?

“It’s a human thing,” Alshire said. “Like Sherlock Holmes, I need to know. One of the first things a child says is, ‘Where do I come from?’ Everyone wants to know.”

The family finding that surprised Alshire the most was a story in a newspaper about her grandparents, who had owned a tavern in the family’s home town of Baltimore.

During Prohibition, they opened a candy store. But old business interests apparently were difficult to leave behind, and her grandfather and grandmother were arrested for selling illegal liquor and fined $500.

“My grandmother was a tall, stately woman. I’m sure she must have been greatly embarrassed” to be arrested, said Alshire.

Finding her father’s family Ann Herron joined the society about 10 years ago. Herron, who puts her age at “over 60,” said she is involved in finding her family history because “as we get older, we want to have the history to pass on,” in her case, to her daughter and granddaughter.

Five years ago, Herron, whose parents were of Italian origin, visited a small village near Benevento, Italy, which she knew was the hometown of her mother’s family.

She found to her surprise that her paternal side was also from the area. By show-

Trace your past through Mormon records One of the most comprehensive local sites for those digging into their family past is the Columbia Maryland Family History Center, located on Columbia Road in Ellicott City.

The center, which is operated by the Mormon Church, has links to the huge number of genealogy records at the headquarters of the Church of Latter Day Saints in Salt Lake City.

One of the core tenets of the Mormon faith is that the dead can be baptized as Mormons — a doctrine evolved from church beliefs that baptism is necessary for salvation and that the family can continue to exist together beyond mortal life if all its members are baptized.

As Mormons put a high priority on finding family roots, the Church has sent members all over the world to mi-

crofilm church, court and other records for genealogical purposes.

The records — about 2.4 million rolls of microfilm containing 2 billion names that have been traced — are stored behind 14-ton doors in a climate-controlled repository designed to survive a nuclear impact. The vault is built into the Wasatch mountain range, about 20 miles southeast of Salt Lake City.

The Family History Center is open to anyone free of charge, although obtaining microfilm records incurs a small fee. Many of its databases may be searched from its website.

For more information, including hours of operation, see https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Columbia_Maryland_Family_History_Center, call (410) 465-1642, or email md_columbia@ldsmail.net.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 4

ing relatives there a photo of a cousin that she obtained after an aunt on her father’s side died, she was able to make contact with her father’s family.

“It was a very serendipitous experience.

It opened up a whole treasure chest of new relatives for me,” Herron said.

The Howard County society charges its members $15 a year and meets the second

Wednesday of each month, September through June, at the Ellicott City Senior Center. Family history experts address the members, who also share their research techniques in trying to trace their family roots.

Learn more about the society at http://hcgsmd.org or by calling (410) 7507430.

BEACON BITS

Aug. 3

FREE ALL STATE BAND CONCERT

A free concert by the 2014 Maryland All State Community Band will be presented by the Columbia Bands on Sunday, Aug. 3 at 3 p.m. in the Jim Rouse Theater, 5460 Trumpeter Rd., Columbia. The All State Band is composed of community band musicians throughout the state who auditioned to be part of it. The conductor is Dr. Harlan Parker, conductor of the Peabody Conservatory’s newly-formed Peabody Modern Orchestra. For more information, visit www.columbiabands.org or email MASCBinfo@columbiabands.org.

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

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

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Puzzle Page

Crossword Puzzle Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus 75% Solution

by Stephen Sherr 1

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Scrabble answers on p. 28.

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1. Cut back, strategically 6. Citrus flavor of Bacardi 11. Mil. shorthand for “Sergeant Major” 14. Flip chart holder 15. Starter homes (biologically speaking) 16. In favor of 17. Signal that someone is talking about you 20. NFC East city 21. Looooonnng time 22. Update the decor 23. “__ blind, but now I see” 25. Shakes ones finger at 27. Uncouth posture 32. Flotillas 33. Home to 3 out of every 5 Earthlings 34. Part of a “wintry mix” 35. Had haddock 36. Arrive at one’s destination 41. Univ. marchers 43. Where the news is cast 44. Inability to speak clearly 49. Event prelims.

50. Appetizer at the sushi house 51. Gone ___ instant 52. Songbird 54. Abbrev. on a box score with no score 57. Light of one’s life 62. Viking striking tool 63. Had a tummy ache 64. Like many whiskey barrels 65. Part of Cable’s TBS, but not TNT 66. Calls out “Geronimo” 67. Motionless

Down

Answer: How the professor got his doctorate — BY DEGREES Jumbles: CRAZE USURY JUGGLE BOILED

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1. According to 2. Panty ___ 3. Annapolis inst.

4. Woman’s nightwear 5. Manning with most superbowl rings 6. Dracula actor

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7. “Put ___ high gear” 8. Department store department 9. Bit of food 10. Distributer of grants to med. researchers 11. Swimware sponsor of British Swimming 12. Assigns letters to words 13. Gloomy 18. Approaches 19. Julia’s Oscar title role 24. Vacation in the Pacific Northwest, probably 25. Phi phollower 26. They keep the home fires burning 27. DVR readouts 28. ___ fitting (as baggy clothes) 29. Spice Girl Victoria Beckham ___ Adams 30. “But of course!”

31. Follower of Mao 35. A.B.A. member 37. Old-worlder 38. Fuss 39. “The Company” org.

40. All the rage 42. Switch positions 43. Tour of duty 44. Dip holders 45. Model/airplane path 46. Signs in a 43 Across 47. Late 50’s detective with a jazzy soundtrack 48. Revises a manuscript 52. ___ known (such as Jack and Jill) 53. Cambodian currency 55. Lap dog, for short 56. Textile worker 58. Eleventh letter 59. Overstate one’s credentials 60. ___ polloi 61. One who can cure 75% of this puzzle’s maladies

Answers on page 28.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 4

CLASSIFIEDS The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on the right.

CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either.

Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment.

EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

Caregivers NURSING STUDENT & LICENSED, bonded, highly experienced CNA seeks fulltime, overnight caregiving position. Extensive resume & sterling references available.

If interested, please call Jacqueline at 301787-3555.

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

Financial Services ACCOUNTING, BOOKKEEPING, TAXES – conscientious CPA, 37 years experience, reasonable rates, looking for additional business, personal and eldercare clients. Call 410653-3363.

For Sale CHOLESTEROL SPINACH and other medicinal plants for diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and triglycerides, kidney problems, etc. (propagate and grow your own easily). Email: alpong@verizon.net. 301-8549969.

2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed.

Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve 410-913-1653.

Home/Handyman Services HAULING & JUNK REMOVAL – Low upfront pricing. Free estimates! 365 days. Licensed and insured. Demolition, Estate and eviction services, Recycling and Organizing.

Attic Sweepers Hauling. 443-838-2353.

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Home/Handyman Services BALTIMORE’S BEST JUNK REMOVAL – Clean Outs: Whole House, Emergency, Attics/Basements. Furniture and Junk Removal, Yard Waste Removal, General Hauling, Construction Debris Removal. Free estimates. 10% Senior Discount. Licensed, Bonded and Insured. Call Jesse, 443-379-HAUL (4285).

SANFORD & SON HAULING & RECYCLING. Trash + Junk removal, house & estate cleanouts, garage+ basement cleanouts.

Demolition – Shed, deck fence + pool removal. Licensed + insured. Free estimates over the phone. Call 7 days a week, 7 am to 7 pm. 410-746-5090.

Personal Services LEARN ENGLISH – SPANISH – ITALIAN – FRENCH – PORTUGUESE Conversational. Grammatical. Private lessons. Reasonable Rates. Tutoring students. 443-352-8200.

Wanted WE BUY OLD AND NEW COINS, Jewelry, Silver and Gold, Paper Money too. Watches, Clocks and Parts, Military Badges and Patches Old and New. Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

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

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 5th of each month.

Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards.

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Aug. 4+

LOCAL ARTISTS FEATURED AT GALLERY A juried show of works by artists from the Maryland and

OLD AND NEW WE BUY Sterling Silver Flatware, Tea Sets or Single Pieces., Furniture, Tools, Cameras, Good Glassware, Artwork Too. Toys From Trains to Hotwheels, Action Figures to Star Wars. Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

Washington, D.C. areas will open at 10 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 4 and continue

CASH BUYER for old costume jewelry, pocket and wrist watches (any condition). Also buying watchmaker tools and parts, train sets and accessories, old toys, old glassware & coins. 410-655-0412.

Friday, Aug. 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.artistsgalleryco-

through Friday, Aug. 29 at the Artists’ Gallery, American City Building, 10227 Wincopin Circle, Columbia. A reception and awards presentation will be held on

lumbia.com or call (410) 730-9286.

FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS AND QUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS wanted by a serious capable buyer. I am very well educated [law degree] knowledgeable [over 40 years in the antique business] and have the finances and wherewithal to handle virtually any situation. If you have a special item, collection or important estate I would like to hear from you. I pay great prices for great things in all categories from oriental rugs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks to firearms, from silver and gold to classic cars.

If it is wonderful, I am interested. No phony promises or messy consignments. References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan, 301-279-8834. Thank you.

MILITARY ITEMS Collector seeks: helmets, weapons, knives, swords, bayonets, webgear, uniforms, inert ordnance, ETC. From 1875 to 1960, US, German, Britain, Japan, France, Russian. Please call Fred 301910-0783, Thank you. Also Lionel Trains.

Thanks for reading!

BEACON BITS

Aug. 2

GREENBRIDGE POTTERY OPEN HOUSE

Greenbridge Pottery will celebrate 30 years of creating colorful, practical and fanciful clay-based pottery at an open house on Saturday, Aug. 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the studio and farm, 5159 Green Bridge Rd., Dayton. For more information, visit www.greenbridgepottery.com or call (410) 531-5920.

Aug. 2

OUTDOOR MOVIE

To Catch a Thief (PG rated) is the free featured film at the outdoor showing on Saturday, Aug. 16 at 9 p.m. at the Wine Bin, 8390 Main St., Ellicott City. A wine tasting is offered before the screening and the Bin sells popcorn and bottled water to benefit Voices for Children of Howard County. For more details, visit winebinec.com or call (410) 465-7892

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