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Help from healthcare students

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COURTESY OF LORI'S HANDS

By Ivey Noojin In 2009, two college roommates, Sarah LaFave and Liz Bonomo, co-founded a volunteer group called Lori’s Hands. LaFave’s mother, Lori, had passed away from breast cancer while LaFave was in high school, and the nursing major wanted to make a difference within her community at the University of Delaware. From personal experience “I had seen how chronic illness could impact a family’s day-to-day life,” she said. The group’s college-age volunteers helped those with chronic illnesses by shopping for groceries, helping fill out forms, folding laundry, sweeping the floors, mowing the lawn and more. Eleven years later, with $200,000 of grant funding, Lori’s Hands is expanding into Baltimore. LaFave and co-founder Bonomo are currently located at Johns Hopkins University, with LaFave completing a Ph.D. program and Bonomo working in infectious disease research. “Baltimore has faced a lot of social justice and public health issues, and it feels like a privilege to be addressing some of those [through Lori’s Hands],” LaFave said. In July, Community Care Corps, a national cooperative that supports organizations that provide non-medical assistance to seniors, people with disabilities and caregivers, awarded $23 million in grants to 183 organizations. Lori’s Hands’ Baltimore program was one of two recipients based in Maryland.

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

Sardines and Steinbeck once powered the still vibrant seaside city of Monterey, California; plus, French and Dutch cultures coexist on the Caribbean island of St. Martin page 18

ARTS & STYLE

Pikesville poet fulfills his father’s wish with the publication of his first book page 23

From student club to nonprofit The idea for Lori’s Hands struck LaFave one day during her sophomore year, as Bonomo described it. “She was walking down the green [on campus], and it just sort of suddenly occurred to her that college students have these odd schedules with pockets of time they could be using the help the community,” Bonomo recalled. Although Bonomo was studying foreign languages and literature, she decided to join her roommate’s venture. Together, they created a student volunteer club and ran it for the rest of their undergraduate years. After they graduated from University of Delaware, the two, along with some other friends, developed a service-learning

Smiles can bridge the generation gap. Through a nonprofit, college students volunteer to help people with chronic illnesses, often older adults. Lori’s Hands, which started on a campus in Delaware more than a decade ago, has expanded to Baltimore.

course for the university that included classwork in healthcare as well as handson volunteer experience. In 2012, LaFave taught the course. Also that year, LaFave and Bonomo decided to incorporate Lori’s Hands as a nonprofit, which enabled them to apply for grants and have a more consistent volunteer base and cash flow. By 2017, they wanted to professionalize the organization, and hired a full-time director, Maggie Ratnayake. “I was stepping

into an already well-oiled machine,” Ratnayake said. So, she focused on expanding the nonprofit. In three years, she has helped double Lori’s Hands’ client and volunteer bases. “What we would love to see is that this expansion of Lori’s Hands into Baltimore is just the start,” she said. “As aging in place is expensive, we know that there is a need in the community for our services.” See LORI’S HANDS, page 24

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Seizing an opportunity I’ve never been one to keep a daily journal here? Should he wait on the platform to or diary. I do find myself wishing sometimes catch the next train? No, this train no longer that I had done so in the past, continues downtown, I told but not enough to get myself him. You have to switch to anto start keeping one now. other train and change to anHowever, there have been a other after that to get back to few days in my life when I have the Red Line. had such a meaningful (or Not only did he not have traumatic) experience that I feel compelled to write down any idea how to do that, he what happened and how I felt. was looking for an elevator, The other day, I was looksince he had great difficulty ing for a folder on my comwalking. (It turned out the puter and came across one I FROM THE spinner suitcase he pushed had labeled “Memorable Ex- PUBLISHER was actually his “cane,” as he periences.” I opened it up, By Stuart P. Rosenthal told me later. He needed it to and there was one document stay upright and walk.) there. It read more or less as follows: So, I said I would show him how to get Interesting/amazing experience today, back to the Red Line by changing to the July 31, 2018 Green Line and then again to the OrI had an appointment at the Smithsonian ange/Blue Line. office on the National Mall, but since the But as I started to walk with him, not Red Line is being repaired and several knowing where to find the elevator for metro stations are closed down, I had to him, I suddenly saw a uniformed Metro employee just ahead of us and asked if he change trains twice to get there. First, I took the Red Line to Fort Totten. could help. When we arrived at that station, the driver The two of them began talking, and it announced that the train terminated there. turned out the gentleman needed to get to As I was getting off the train to make my Virginia, which was not the route I was first transfer, an older man with a suitcase taking, so at that point I just walked away, was confused. Why was the train stopping saying to myself, “Well, I got him someone

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helpful, and he’ll be OK now.” I was also in a bit of a hurry to make my appointment, and seeing how slowly he walked, I was concerned that if I accompanied him for the rest of his journey, I might be late to my appointment. Still, I was feeling a little bad that I left him. Fast forward about two hours. My meeting at the Smithsonian ended. I sat on a park bench and ate my lunch. Then I headed back on my three-train odyssey to get home. I arrived at the Fort Totten station (this time on the lower level), and as I walked towards the staircase at the far end of the platform, I found myself walking right behind the SAME gentleman with the suitcase (apparently returning from his errand as well)! I greeted him and asked how he was. And he said, very matter-of-factly, as he did earlier that day, “I need an elevator, and I don’t know where it is.” I pointed out that there was an escalator right in front of us, but he said he was afraid to take it, given his gait. I said I would take his suitcase on the escalator for him, so he could just hold onto the side, but he was still afraid to take that first step onto the escalator. I was carrying my jacket and a briefcase and didn’t have another free hand. Just then, a younger man came up and asked if we needed help. I said yes. He took the gentleman’s arm, and we gently guided him onto the escalator. As we got off that escalator, I pointed out we needed to go up yet another one, and the younger man said to me, “You take the suitcase, and I’ll hold his arm.” And we successfully got him up to the train on the upper level. I was so happy that God gave me a second chance to do the good deed I had rather cavalierly jettisoned a couple of hours earlier. It was totally amazing to me that twice in the same day, at the same station, both going and coming back, I found myself at the arm of the same man in need of help. What a blessing! What a day! I share this with you now, although it happened two years ago and I had nearly forgotten about it, because I feel our current times have, in some ways, given us

fewer opportunities to help others, but in other ways, given us more of them. We don’t just “run into” people anymore (or if we do, we must be careful to remain socially distant and masked), making “random acts of kindness,” such as holding the door for someone, feel downright unpatriotic. But if we think about it, we probably know people in our neighborhood who live alone or for other reasons might be having a particularly difficult time of it in this pandemic. If we know their name, hopefully we can pick up the phone and call them. Sometimes just the conversation alone can make a difference for someone, and sometimes they really could use something from the store. A Beacon reader sent us a poignant letter recently that offers another opportunity. You see, she moved to Baltimore recently from another state, and said, “You have no idea how hard it is to get connected” with people who grew up there. The reason? Baltimoreans are so close with their fellow locals, particularly the ones they grew up with, that she couldn’t break in socially. This seems to be true especially among people her age. “Seniors talk about high school and friends they have had since they were born,” she wrote. What’s an out-of-stater to do? The writer asks our help. Can we help her find other people who have moved to Baltimore and didn’t have the good fortune to grow up there? What do you say? Are there any readers out there who can identify with our letter writer and would like to meet others too? Or even any long-time “Balimoreans” who are willing to let a stranger into their friendship circle? This might just be your opportunity of the day. Please email info@thebeaconnewspapers.com (subject line: Friendship offer) with your name and phone number if you would like to be put in touch. Thank you, and stay well.

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 email info@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification. Dear Editor: According to Webster’s dictionary, police typically are responsible for maintaining public order and safety, enforcing the law, and preventing, detecting and investigating criminal activities. We have seen may cases of violence set upon citizens and police alike. Police fear for their lives or loss of authority while citizens fear those who are supposed to be protecting them.

Let’s get rid of this fear. Let’s change how police are viewed. They should be viewed as peace keepers who negotiate and prevent violence. I experienced an event in New York City long ago. We were on a bus when two officers came aboard. A young man stood up and pointed his firearm at them. What did they do? Have a shootout? No. See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 25

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Health Fitness &

HARVARD ADVICE To avoid the pain of kidney stones, start out by drinking plenty of water KICK THE HABIT Some good tips for smoking cessation, and how Medicare pays for it SQUASH SEASON Put your zucchini harvest to good use with this healthy, hearty soup recipe COVID-19 STUDY UMD School of Medicine seeks volunteers of any age for a vaccine trial

Study suggests red light improves vision Courtesy of University College London Staring at a deep red light for three minutes a day can significantly improve declining eyesight, according to a new study from University College London, the first of its kind in humans. Scientists believe the discovery, published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, could signal the dawn of new, affordable home-based eye therapies, helping the millions of people globally with naturally declining vision. “As you age your visual system declines significantly, particularly once over 40,” said lead author, professor Glen Jeffery of the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. “Your retinal sensitivity and your color vision are both gradually undermined, and with an aging population, this is an increasingly important issue. To try to stem or reverse this decline, we sought to reboot the retina’s aging cells with short bursts of longwave light.”

How red light helps In humans around 40 years old, cells in the eye’s retina begin to age faster than in

other organs. This is caused, in part, by the decline in ability of the cells’ mitochondria to fuel cell functions by producing ATP (adenosine triphosphate). The retina’s photoreceptor cells include cones, which are responsible for color vision, and rods, which provide peripheral vision and adapt vision in low or dim light. These cells have high-energy demands, so they possess greater numbers of mitochondria. However, over a lifespan, ATP is reduced in retinal cells by 70%, causing a significant decline in photoreceptor function as cells lack the energy needed to perform their normal roles. Researchers built on their previous findings in mice, bumblebees and fruit flies, which all found significant improvements in the function of the retina’s photoreceptors when exposed to 670 nanometer (long wavelength) deep red light. “Mitochondria have specific light-absorbance characteristics influencing their performance: Longer wavelengths spanning 650 to 1,000 nm are absorbed and improve mitochondrial performance to increase energy production,” Jeffery said.

How the study worked Researchers recruited 24 people (12 male and 12 female) without eye disease. All participants’ eyes were tested for the sensitivity of their rods and cones at the start of the study. Rod sensitivity was measured in darkadapted eyes (with pupils dilated) by asking participants to detect dim light signals in the dark. Cone function was tested by subjects identifying colored letters that had very low contrast and appeared increasingly blurred, a process called color contrast. All participants were then given a small LED flashlight to take home and were asked to look into its deep red 670 nm light beam for three minutes a day for two weeks. (Participants placed their eye over the end of the flashlight. Eyes could be closed, as the red light is not filtered by the eyelid.) After the two weeks, they were re-tested for their rod and cone sensitivity. Researchers found the 670 nm light had no impact on the vision of younger individuals, but in those around 40 years and over, significant improvements were observed.

The ability to detect colors (known as cone color contrast sensitivity) improved by approximately 20% in people aged around 40 and over. Improvements were higher in the blue part of the color spectrum that is more vulnerable to aging. Rod sensitivity (the ability to see in low light) also improved significantly in the older subjects, though less than color contrast. “Our study shows that it is possible to significantly improve vision that has declined in aged individuals using simple brief exposures to light wavelengths that recharge the energy system that has declined in the retina cells, rather like recharging a battery,” Jeffery said. “The technology is simple and very safe, using a deep red light of a specific wavelength that is absorbed by mitochondria in the retina that supply energy for cellular function. Our devices cost about $15 to make, so the technology is highly accessible to members of the public.” Jeffery said further studies are continuing to determine the amount of time the red light should be used daily for optimal improvement.

Strengthen your core in minutes a day By Matthew Solan The best exercise I do only takes a minute. Granted, it is often the longest and most grueling 60 seconds of my life. I sweat, I shake, and I often collapse in relief when it’s over. But spending quality time in a plank pose always pays off. The plank pose is holding a push-up position while resting on your forearms. This simple move is the ideal exercise for strengthening crucial core muscles. As you go about your day, almost ever y move you make revolves around your core — from picking up items on the floor to twisting to see if the coast is clear when driving.

Why is a strong core vital? Your core is made up of several muscle groups, including your abdominals, back, hips, pelvis and buttocks. A weak core can cause all kinds of problems. It can lead to poor posture, and inevitably to neck and shoulder pain. Sore

knees and hips often can be traced to a weak core. But the biggest issue with core weakness is low back pain. Your back muscles and core help to stabilize your body before any movement. If your core is weak, the other surrounding muscles have to compensate. Over time, these muscles can suffer strain, which leads to lingering pain.

Better than sit-ups The standard sit-up is often the go-to core strengthener, but it has limits. “It only targets a portion of the core musculature, and the bending-forward motion can strain the neck and lower back,” said Eric L’Italien, a physical therapist with Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Center. By comparison, the plank pose activates all the core muscles at once and doesn’t require extra movements that can cause stress or injury. “And because it has many modifications, it can be done by almost

anyone, regardless of current fitness level,” L’Italien said.

How long to hold a plank The world record for holding a plank is more than four hours, but thankfully, you don’t need to devote that much time! Most experts suggest anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds is plenty. “Focus on doing multiple sets of smaller amounts of time,” L’Italien said. As you progress, you can extend your plank for up to one or even two minutes, but don’t go beyond that. “Two minutes is often considered the maximum, and you don’t get much more benefit after that,” he said. You can perform a plank every day, on alternate days, or simply as part of your regular workouts. (I sometimes like to do mine during workday breaks.)

floor, with your legs extended and your feet together. You can use a mat or towel to make this more comfortable. Push into your forearms as you raise your body, so it forms a straight line from your head and neck to your feet. (Do not let your hips rise or sag.) Keep your gaze down and hold this position as you engage your abdominal muscles. Take steady, even breaths. Try to maintain the position for up to 30 seconds and then lower your body and rest. This completes one set. Work toward completing two to three sets. When you first start to do planks, you may not be able to hold the correct position for very long. Keep practicing, and you’ll find it becomes easier to do. If resting on your forearms is uncomfortable, do the plank from a push-up position, with your arms fully extended. If you have back pain or other back issues, either

How to do a plank correctly Lie facedown with your forearms on the

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dessert. Add a handful of chopped nuts, if you’re so inclined. Kale chips Don’t knock these roasted green “chips” until you’ve tried them. The hefty dose of vitamin K they contain helps repair and build muscles while you sleep. Simply chop up a bunch of kale, toss with olive oil and sea salt, spread on a pan and bake at 350° F until crispy. SHAPE is dedicated to helping you live a healthy and happy life. Online at shape.com. © 2020 Meredith Corporation. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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after a big Thanksgiving feast? Tryptophan, found in turkey, is known to help calm you down and naturally get you to sleep. Not into turkey? Try roasted pumpkin seeds, which also contain tryptophan. Bananas Packed with potassium (which can help you fall asleep faster), frozen bananas are the perfect base for healthy vegan “ice cream” (sometimes called “nice cream”). To make it, place a few frozen bananas in a blender and blend for several minutes. At first, they’ll just look slimy, but eventually they’ll morph into a creamy, delectable

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peeled mango and put it in a blender. Add a handful of ice, a small scoop of plain Greek yogurt and a splash of water or milk. Add a dash of stevia for extra sweetness, if desired. If mango isn’t your thing, substitute frozen berries or watermelon. Chickpeas High-fiber chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) are rich in vitamin B6, which your body uses to produce serenity-boosting serotonin. Try adding rinsed canned chickpeas to salads, soups and stews. Chamomile tea This caffeine-free herbal tea has a calming effect on the body. Plus, a hot drink before bed can make you feel cozy and ready for sleep. Honey A rise in blood sugar can reduce the brain’s production of orexin — a neurotransmitter that has been linked to wakefulness. For a touch of sweet without the sugar rush, add a little honey to your chamomile tea. Dried tart cherries A handful of dried cherries not only provides serotonin-boosting carbs, it’s also one of the few food sources of melatonin, which has been found to promote better sleep and lessen the effects of jet lag. Turkey Wondering why you feel like napping

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By Matthew Kadey Having trouble sleeping? These snoozeinducing snacks can help you escape a slumber slump: Popcorn Eating a heavy meal within two hours of bedtime can keep you awake, but light-andairy popcorn makes a great late-night snack. Popcorn contains carbohydrates that help send the amino acid tryptophan to your brain, where it is used to make serotonin — a sleep-inducing neurotransmitter. Choose plain, fat-free popcorn and jazz it up with a little curry powder or other tasty topping. Halibut and more When it comes to seafood, halibut has a mild flavor and meaty texture that appeals to finicky fish eaters. It’s also packed with two building blocks for better sleep: tryptophan and vitamin B6. Other foods high in tryptophan include poultry, beef, soybeans, milk, cheese, yogurt, nuts and eggs. Mango lassi Full of antioxidants, protein and vitamins, this treat from the Indian subcontinent can satisfy your cravings for creamy and sweet — without the sugar in most ice creams. A lassi is basically a smoothie, but it’s always made with yogurt. To make a mango lassi, cut up one fresh,

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Avoiding kidney stones, digestive issues By Howard LeWine, M.D. Q: I recently passed a kidney stone. I never want to go through that pain again! What’s the best diet to avoid another kidney stone? A: First and foremost, be sure you drink plenty of fluids every day and avoid dehydration. Kidney stones form when certain minerals concentrate in the urine and form hard crystals. By drinking plenty of fluid, you can decrease the concentration of these minerals. Drink 8 to 12 cups (64 to 96 ounces) a day. The most common type of kidney stone is the calcium oxalate stone. About 80% of all kidney stones are made of calcium oxalate. The name might make you think you should eat a low calcium diet to avoid getting them, but you should do the opposite.

The problem is oxalate. Most people who develop calcium oxalate absorb too much oxalate. The extra oxalate is absorbed by the intestines and passed into the blood stream. The body uses what it needs, and the extra oxalate is excreted in the urine. In the urine, the higher concentration of oxalate can combine with calcium to cause kidney stones. Many of the foods we eat, including some very healthy foods, contain oxalate. Examples include beets, chocolate, spinach, rhubarb, tea and most nuts. But it’s quite difficult to stay on an oxalate-restricted diet. Instead, concentrate on eating plenty of calcium-rich fools. Inside your intestines, the dietary calcium binds the oxalate before it has a chance to get absorbed into your blood stream, so less oxalate will

need to pass into your urine. Eating too much animal protein, such as meat, eggs and seafood, increases the likelihood of both calcium oxalate and the less common uric acid kidney stones. Highprotein diets boost blood and urine levels of uric acid and reduce the amount of natural stone inhibitors in the urine. A high-sodium diet also can trigger kidney stones because it increases the amount of calcium in your urine. A low-sodium diet is therefore recommended for the stone prone. Federal guidelines suggest limiting total daily sodium intake to 2,300 mg., and this is a good target to help prevent a recurrence. While coffee and most teas contain small amounts of oxalate, some studies suggest that drinking tea and coffee decreases the risk of kidney stones. However, you should avoid too much black tea, as it has four times the concentration of oxalate compared to green tea. Q: I consider myself a healthy eater, but my bowel movements are irregular and I often feel bloated during the day. Would a digestive enzyme supplement help? A: Digestive enzyme supplements are promoted to fix all sorts of abdominal symptoms, including bloating, gas, bowel irregularity and overall gut health. However, for most people there’s little evidence that they do any good. Naturally occurring digestive enzymes help break down food, so we can soak up nutrients. Your mouth, stomach and small

intestine make some digestive enzymes. However, the majority come from your pancreas, which floods the small intestine with enzymes when food arrives there. The main pancreatic enzymes are lipase, which breaks down fats; amylase, which breaks down carbohydrates; and proteases and peptidases, which break down proteins. Once nutrients are broken into small enough molecules, they are absorbed through the wall of the small intestine into the blood and delivered throughout the body. Sometimes the body doesn’t make enough digestive enzymes. This can slow the digestion process and lead to uncomfortable symptoms. For example, if your small intestines don’t make enough of the enzyme lactase, you’ll have a hard time digesting lactose — the sugar in milk and milk-based products. This can lead to bloating, flatulence and loose stools. For people who can’t make enough digestive enzymes because of a health condition such as chronic pancreatitis or cystic fibrosis, doctors prescribe special enzyme pills to substitute for the lack of natural enzyme production. People with known deficiencies clearly get a benefit from the drugs. On the other hand, over-the-counter digestive enzyme supplements — available in health food stores and drugstores and on the Internet — are not medications. The FDA does not regulate them. Therefore, you can’t be sure what the pills are really made of or

Planks

If you need more of a challenge, try alternating leg lifts during the pose: raise one leg for a second or two, and then repeat with the other leg. © 2020 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

From page 4

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do the plank on your knees, or stand straight and lean against a counter, so your body is at a 45-degree angle.

See HARVARD Q & A, page 7

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2020

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Your BMI matters more than weight alone By Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D. Dear Mayo Clinic: At a recent appointment, my blood pressure and cholesterol were normal, but my doctor mentioned that my BMI is at an unhealthy number (28). Does this mean I need to lose weight even though I have no health problems? A: Although weight is an important measure of health, it’s not the only thing to consider when assessing overall health. Other factors play a role as well, such as how active you are and the ratio of muscle versus fat you have in your body. Taken together, these variables can help give you a more comprehensive view of your health. Healthcare providers often assess the effect of a person’s weight on their health

using a calculation called the body mass index, or BMI. It is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. You can find your BMI by going to mayoclinic.org and entering your height, weight and waist size into the online BMI calculator. BMI values between 18.5 and 24.9 are considered normal. Values between 25 and 30 are considered overweight, and values greater than 30 are considered obese. Generally, a BMI that is more than 30 is associated with higher risks to health. These risks include a higher likelihood of developing diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Harvard Q & A

zymes are helpful. Since your symptoms may be due to irritable bowel syndrome, I recommend making an appointment with your primary care clinician. Some dietary changes may be all you need. Howard LeWine, M.D. is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, please visit health.harvard.edu. © 2020 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

From page 6 the exact amounts of enzymes they contain. Taking a nonprescription lactase supplement (such as Lactaid or Lactrase) can help people manage lactose intolerance, and taking an alpha-galactosidase supplement (such as Beano or Bean Relief) may reduce gas and bloating if you have a hard time digesting the sugars in beans. But for other common gut problems there is little evidence that digestive en-

4 great reasons to consider a Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plan

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Learn more from your Kaiser Permanente Medicare Specialist: Call Pauline Gibbs at 1-410-387-1878 or visit mykpagent.org/paulineg.

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That said, BMI does not always provide the full story regarding health risks for some people. That is because it does not take into consideration individual factors, such as bone or muscle mass. For example, if you lead an active lifestyle and regularly participate in both aerobic exercise and weight training activities, you may have a healthy percentage of body fat despite having a BMI above the normal range. So, in that situation, a higher BMI does not necessarily translate to higher health risks. It is important to note, though, that this situation is less likely when BMI values are higher than 35. Beyond that point, additional weight is much more likely to be distributed as fat and not muscle. Research has shown that people who

carry a high proportion of body fat at the waist have increased health risks. If your BMI is less than 35 and you exercise regularly — participating in at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week — you may not be at an increased health risk. If your BMI is 30 or higher, and you do not have an active lifestyle, your health may be at risk. If so, talk to your healthcare provider about changes you can make to improve your health now, as well as lower your risk for health. — Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D., Endocrinology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota Email a question to MayoClinicQ&A@ mayo.edu. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org.

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SEPTEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Tools that can help you stop smoking Dear Savvy Senior, be happy to know that Medicare Part B I understand that COVID-19 hits covers up to eight face-to-face counseling smokers a lot harder than sessions a year to help you nonsmokers, but quitting at quit smoking. my age is very difficult. Does If you have a Medicare Part Medicare offer any coverage D prescription drug plan, certhat helps beneficiaries quit tain smoking-cessation medsmoking? ications are covered too. Here —Must Quit are some other tips that can Dear Must, help you kick the habit: It’s true. Smokers and vapers have a higher risk of It’s never too late severe COVID-19 infection, as According to the Centers for SAVVY SENIOR the coronavirus attacks the Disease Control and Prevention By Jim Miller lungs. That’s why quitting (CDC), 12.5% of Medicare benenow is more important than ficiaries smoke. Many older ever before. smokers, like yourself, indicate that they If you are a Medicare beneficiary, you’ll would like to quit, but because of the nicotine,

which is extremely addictive, it’s very difficult to do. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable illness, responsible for an estimated one-fifth of deaths in the United States each year. But research shows that quitting, even after age 65, greatly reduces your risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, osteoporosis and many other diseases, including COVID-19. It also helps you breathe easier, smell and taste food better and, not incidentally, saves you quite a bit of money. A $6 pack-aday smoker, for example, saves about $180 after one month without cigarettes, and nearly $2,200 after one year.

How to quit The first step you need to take is to set a “quit date,” but give yourself a few weeks to get ready. During that time, you may want to start by reducing the number or the strength of cigarettes you smoke to

begin weaning yourself. Also check out over-the-counter nicotine replacement products such as patches, gum and lozenges to help curb your cravings (these are not covered by Medicare). Just prior to your scheduled quit day, get rid of all cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car and place of work, and try to clean up and even spray air freshener. The smell of smoke can be a powerful trigger.

Take advantage of counseling Studies have shown that you have a much better chance of quitting if you have help. So, tell your friends, family and coworkers about your plan to quit. Don’t go it alone. Start by contacting your doctor about smoking cessation counseling covered by Medicare, and find out about the prescription antismoking drugs that can help reduce your nicotine craving. See STOP SMOKING, page 10

BEACON BITS

Aug. 28

LIBRARY BEATS

Are you passionate about music? Bring your favorite song, album, artist or genre to a Zoom discussion hosted by the Baltimore County Public Library on Fri., Aug. 28 from 7 to 8 p.m. Register at https://bit.ly/LibraryBeats.

Saturdays

VIRTUAL LUNCH

Get some social interaction, even during quarantine, every weekend with a virtual lunch on Saturdays from noon to 1 p.m. All you need is an electronic device with a microphone and screen. Register for the free weekly lunch at https://bit.ly/SatVirtualLunch.

Tuesdays

HEART HEALTHY EATING

Help prevent some heart conditions by choosing foods that are good for you, your blood pressure and your cholesterol. Join a free webinar with dieticians every Tuesday from 1 to 1:30 p.m. Receive the link by email after registering at https://bit.ly/HeartHealthyWebinar.

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SEPTEMBER 2020 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; BALTIMORE BEACON

Mexican zucchini soup is great for summer By Mee McCormick Years ago, my idea of home cooking was purchasing mainly processed foods and serving them along with salads and fruits, thinking I was cooking healthy for my family. Now I know that wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the case. With some detective work, I discovered that I had many food allergies and sensitivities, which led me to master allergyfriendly cooking. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy to say that a year after taking my kitchen back, I have found digestive relief. Soup is a great way to start eating healthier because you can modify soups into powerhouse meals. I add nuts, mushrooms, probiotic miso pastes and bone broths. This soup is a total showstopper â&#x20AC;&#x201D; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rich

and creamy, and kids love it. I use zucchini, but any summertime squash will work. In fact, this soup is super adaptable for any food sensitivity or health need, with a little ingenuity. I love to top this soup with a dollop of cashew sour cream (see my book My Pinewood Kitchen for that recipe), a drop of sriracha sauce and a sprig of cilantro.

Summertime Mexican Zucchini Soup Serves 6 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or 1 tablespoon ghee Â˝ onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed or crushed

4 medium zucchinis with the skin on, sliced into medium rounds 3 small red potatoes with skin, halved Âź cup raw unsalted cashews or pumpkin seeds 2 tablespoons ground cumin 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon ground coriander Âź teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) 6 cups vegetable broth 4 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced 1 heaping tablespoon miso 1 cup fresh cilantro (optional) Directions: Heat the oil or ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the onion, and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and zucchini. Add the potatoes, cashews or pumpkin seeds, cumin, chili pow-

der, coriander and cayenne pepper (if using). Add the broth and mushrooms, and cover with a lid. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Cool the soup for 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor. Add the miso paste and cilantro (if using), and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour the blended mixture into the saucepan, and stir over medium-high heat until hot. [Ed. note: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delicious served hot or cold. We tried it!] Mee McCormick was raised in Northern Appalachia. She owns a farm and restaurant in rural Tennessee called Pinewood Kitchen and Mercantile. This recipe is from her second book, My Pinewood Kitchen: A Southern Culinary Cure. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s available on Amazon, where it has a 5-star rating, for around $20.

Stop smoking

go for a walk; read a magazine; listen to music; or take a hot bath. The intense urge to smoke lasts about three to five minutes, so do what you can to wait it out. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also wise to avoid drinking alcohol and to steer clear of other smokers while youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re trying to quit. Both can trigger powerful urges to smoke. For more tips on how to quit â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including managing your cravings, withdrawal symptoms and what to do if you relapse â&#x20AC;&#x201D; visit 60plus.SmokeFree.gov. There are also a variety of helpful quit smoking apps you can download, like SmokeFreeApp.com and QuitGenius.com. Send questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

From page 8 You can also get free one-on-one telephone counseling and referrals to local smoking cessation programs at 1-800-QUITNOW. Or call the National Cancer Instituteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free smoking quit line at 1-877-44UQUIT.

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also important to identify and write down the times and situations youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re most likely to smoke and make a list of things you can do to replace it or distract yourself. Some helpful suggestions when the smoking urge arises are to call a friend or one of the free quit lines; keep your mouth occupied with some sugar-free gum, sunflower seeds, carrots, fruit or hard candy;

BEACON BITS

Aug. 30

MORNING YOGA

Get a relaxing start to your Sunday morning with a virtual beginnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yoga class. The free online class will be held on Sun., Aug. 30 at 8 a.m. Register at https://bit.ly/SundaysYoga.

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Ongoing

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Maryland Accessible Telecommunications is looking for volunteers for a focus group to access telecommunication technologies. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seeking people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, blind or have difficulty speaking, limited mobility or cognitive difficulties. If interested, contact Kevin Steffy at (410) 246-4418 or kevin.steffy@maryland.gov.

Sept. 12

MADD WALK

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) will host a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Virtual Walk Like MADDâ&#x20AC;? event on Sept. 12 at 9 a.m. The walk will begin on its Facebook page with inspiration from local dignitaries, celebrities and sponsors. Then participants will walk in their neighborhoods or even on a treadmill and post pictures of the experience. In this way, MADD hopes to unite Maryland â&#x20AC;&#x153;to get one step closer to ending impaired driving.â&#x20AC;? Register at walklikemadd.org/Maryland.

Ongoing

BLACK FREEDOM IN MARYLAND

Learn about the history of Black freedom in the state, including the colonization movement, African American soldiers in the Civil War and the Jim Crow Era. The free video hosted by the Maryland Historical Society is available at https://bit.ly/2BlackFreedomMD.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2020

Health Studies

INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

UMD recruiting for COVID-19 vaccine trial By Margaret Foster Many vaccines against the coronavirus are currently in development all over the world. In Baltimore, you can help researchers with one of them: Moderna Therapeutics’ mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. The University of Maryland School of Medicine is seeking 500 participants — including people over age 65 — to be part of a nationwide study of 30,000 adults. “Most vaccine trials exclude people 65 and older, but in this case we want to include them because they are a vulnerable population,” said Dr. Matthew Laurens, associate professor at the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Moderna’s vaccine, which uses mRNA or messenger RNA, has been proven to be safe in humans. The current trial is a phase-three trial, meaning that phases one

and two tested and verified the safety of the vaccine. According to the New England Journal of Medicine in July, “no trial-limiting safety concerns were identified” in the vaccine. “This vaccine has showed safety in the early studies,” Laurens emphasized. In phase three, researchers are studying not only the safety of the vaccine, but also how well it works. “This helps us look at safety in a much larger group of individuals. We’ll also be looking at the immune response to the vaccine in different groups of people,” such as people over 65 or people with diabetes or heart conditions, Laurens said. There are two ways a vaccine could be effective against COVID-19: It could prevent people from contracting the disease. Or, like a flu vaccine, it could help people recover faster.

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Seven visits in two years The trial requires seven in-person visits over two years. Participants will travel to the school’s downtown Baltimore location to receive the vaccine and have blood drawn. Compensation up to $1,600 will be provided. Free parking and transportation assistance are also available. Perhaps most importantly, participants can take pride in knowing they helped the country recover. “I consider people who volunteer for this study true American heroes who do

their best to help science without being scientists themselves,” Laurens said. “Most people are at home waiting out COVID-19, as they should be,” he said, “but this is a way to get out and support the effort to end the pandemic.” The University of Maryland School of Medicine is seeking 500 participants age 18 and older from the Baltimore area. To learn more about the trial or to volunteer, email clintrial@som.umaryland.edu, visit medschool.umaryland.edu/cvd/trials or call (410) 706-6156.

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SEPTEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2020

Money Law &

NEW HABITS FOR NEW TIMES The pandemic offers the opportunity to cut costs now and change our spending habits long term. Can’t take a big vacation? Invest what you would have spent HELP HOTLINE A Maryland nonprofit gives free help and legal advice via a phone hotline PROBATE ON PROBATION There are many reasons to avoid probate and several ways to do it

Preferred stocks are worth a closer look Many investors don’t fully understand ferred stockholders would receive their the advantages and disadvantages of buy- dividends in arrears before any dividends ing preferred stocks. Precan be paid to common stockferred stock is really a hybrid holders. security more similar to a Preferred stock generally bond than to a common stock. has no specific end date, unThe primary advantage is like all bond issues. However, consistent high income with less preferred stock generally does downside risk than common have “callable” provisions, stocks. The primary disadvanwhich allows the board of ditage is that when interest rates rectors of the company to purincrease significantly, the value chase outstanding preferred of preferred stocks decrease. stock at par value after a set THE SAVINGS Preferred shareholders have date. However, this provision GAME priority over common stockwould only be an option if interBy Elliot Raphaelson holders when it comes to diviest rates decrease after the inidends, which generate a higher tial issue of the stock. In the case of liquidation, a preferred yield than common stock dividends. Most preferred stocks have a fixed rate, although stockholder’s claim is greater than comsome are variable, in which the rate is based mon stockholders but subordinate to bondholders. on a benchmark such as LIBOR. Dividends can be paid monthly or quarSome preferred stock is convertible to a terly. Generally, dividends on common specific number of shares of common stock can’t be paid until dividends are paid stock under certain circumstances. Natuto the shareholders of preferred stock. If a rally, this feature is attractive when the preferred stock is “cumulative,” then pre- common stock price increases. However,

most issues are not convertible.

For income more than growth In general, investors should look at preferred stock with the objective of high income, not capital growth. For example, currently the largest preferred stock ETF, iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (PFF), has a trailing 12-month yield of 5.61% and an expense ration of 0.46%. Regarding capital growth, even if a company increases its earnings dramatically, it will not have a significant effect on the net asset value of a preferred stock fund unless the preferred is convertible. Investors who are interested in capital growth should be primarily investing in common stock equities, not preferred stock. For investors who have established a specific allocation to fixed income, and are interested in high income, they can consider preferred stock for part of that allocation.

Recommended funds My recommendation would be an investment in one of the large diversified popular

ETF’s such as PFF, First Trust Preferred Securities and Income (FPE), or VanEck Vectors Preferred Securities ex Financials (PFXF). Yields are stable, currently over 5%, and you can re-invest the dividend income back into the funds. You can compare other preferred ETFs at Morningstar. According to the Wall Street Journal, over the last 10 years, preferred stocks underperformed the S&P 500 index and long-term bonds (S&P: 13.52%; preferred stock: 7.29%; long-term bonds: 7.7%). However, preferred stocks were much less volatile than common stocks and longterm bonds over that 10-year period. In general, both preferred stocks and long-term bonds have a low correlation to the stock market indexes. It’s likely that, as long as major banks remain stable financially, a moderate investment in preferred stock ETFs will provide some stability in your portfolio. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com. © 2020 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

How to find financial help in hard times By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, Are there any financial assistance programs you can refer me to? The coronavirus pandemic has cost me my parttime retirement job and has shrunk my measly IRA account. — Needy Retiree Dear Needy, Absolutely! In addition to the $1,200 federal coronavirus stimulus check that was distributed in April and May, there are many other financial-assistance programs (both public and private) that can help struggling retirees, as well as give relief to family members who help provide financial support for their loved ones. To find out what types of assistance you may be eligible for, just go to BenefitsCheckUp.org — a free, confidential Web tool designed for adults 55 and older and their families. It will help you locate federal, state and private benefits programs that can assist with paying for food, medications, utilities, healthcare, housing and other needs. This site, creat-

ed by the National Council on Aging, contains more than 2,500 programs across the country. To identify benefits, you’ll first need to fill out an online questionnaire that asks a series of questions like your date of birth, ZIP code, expenses, income, assets, veteran status, the medications you take and a few other factors. It takes about 15 minutes. Once completed, you’ll get a report detailing all the programs and services you may qualify for, along with detailed information on how to apply. Some programs can be applied for online, some have downloadable application forms that you can print and mail, and some require that you contact the program’s administrative office directly (they provide the necessary contact information). If you don’t have Internet access, you can also get help in-person at any of the 84 Benefit Enrollment Centers located throughout the U.S. Call 888-268-6706 or visit NCOA.org/centerforbenefits/becs to locate a center near you. [There are numer-

ous centers throughout the Baltimore area.] Some centers also offer assistance over the phone.

Types of benefits Depending on your income level and where you live, here are some benefits you may be eligible for: Food assistance: Programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can help pay for groceries. The average SNAP benefit for 60-and-older households is around $125 per month. Other programs that may be available include the Emergency Food Assistance Program, Commodity Supplemental Food Program and the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program. Healthcare: Medicaid and Medicare savings programs can help or completely pay for out-of-pocket healthcare costs. And there are special Medicaid waiver programs that provide in-home care and assistance too. Prescription drugs: There are hundreds of programs offered through phar-

maceutical companies, government agencies and charitable organizations that help lower or eliminate prescription drug costs, including the federal low-income subsidy known as “Extra Help” that pays premiums, deductibles and prescription copayments for Medicare Part D beneficiaries. Utility assistance: There’s the LowIncome Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), as well as local utility companies and charitable organizations that provide assistance in lowering home heating and cooling costs. Supplemental Security Income (SSI): Administered by the Social Security Administration, SSI provides monthly payments to very low-income persons 65 and older, as well as to those who are blind or disabled. For 2020, SSI is paying up to $783 per month for a single person and up to $1,175 for couples. In addition to these programs, there are numerous other benefits your nearest Benefits Enrollment Center can help you locate, such as HUD housing, home weatherization See FINANCIAL HELP, page 14

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SEPTEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

A big chance to change spending habits By Josh Monroe No matter how much we earn, the amount we spend often impacts more of a person’s future financial success than their income, savings or investment returns. Try as we might, cutting back our spending is never easy. Until now. The current pandemic has impacted all of us. Nearly everyone I’ve spoken with is spending much less money than they were three months ago. This forced spending reduction may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to re-evaluate our spending habits, invest more and reshuffle the financial deck. Here are some recommendations on how to make at least some of these spending cuts permanent and bolster your finances:

Determine a new monthly budget Many people are likely saving $200 month or more from less car maintenance, lower gasoline prices, no parking fees or dry cleaning, and less dining out at restaurants. Since working from home the past few months, I’ve been sweeping over to savings the money I would have ordinarily spent buying lunch a few days a week and getting gas to drive to my office. You may also consider paying down your mortgage or other debts with this surplus each month. If you are currently retired and spending less, this is a great opportunity to build up your cash reserves. Take a few minutes to determine how much less you are spending now, and see if there are opportunities to convert any

BEACON BITS

Sept. 10

CUT YOUR ENERGY BILLS

If you’re spending more time at home due to the pandemic, you might have seen an increase in your energy bills. Learn how to cut your home energy consumption with a free webinar on Thurs., Sept. 10 from 1 to 3 p.m. Register at https://bit.ly/SaveEnergyPandemic.

Sept. 8

BETTER NETWORKING SKILLS

Bolster your networking skills with a free webinar on communication tips to further your career. Learn about “elevator pitches,” starting conversations and being memorable. Register for the webinar on Tues., Sept. 8 from 9 to 10 p.m. at https://bit.ly/TalkNetworking.

short-term spending reductions into longterm gains.

park, they may now be choosing a less costly vacation that makes it easier to adhere to health and safety guidelines. Others may be canceling these trips and staying at home until new infections in their state or county continue to recede. If you have money that you now won’t be spending for at least three years, consider investing it in a balanced portfolio in a brokerage account. If you’ll need the money sooner, consider opening a highyield savings account with an online bank.

Use a short-term cash surplus wisely Even if some savings are temporary, it’s the perfect time to sweep extra cash over to a savings account, fund a Health Savings Account, an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), Roth IRA or a 529 college education savings plan for your children or grandchildren. It can also be used to contribute to food banks and other charitable organizations to meet the needs of those most directly impacted by coronavirus. On the other hand, you can start some positive habits now and carry them into the future, such as increasing the contribution rate into your 401(k) plan. For example, someone earning $100,000 annually who has been contributing 8% of their income to a 401(k) may be able to bump up that contribution to 10%. The extra $2,000 annual contribution, growing over several years, will likely provide you with a significant increase in your retirement account.

Think twice about a new car Some people who had planned to buy a new car may be re-evaluating the need to drive as much once the economy recovers. If working from home is now a permanent option for one or more persons in the household, it may make more sense to buy a used car and save thousands of dollars, or hold off on a purchase for a few more years. Less mileage on your car now means it could run a lot longer.

Keep those good habits going Everyone needs to save for something. Now we all have the opportunity to create a “new normal” and form new spending and savings habits. A few thoughtful moves now can make a big impact. Josh Monroe, CFP®, is a Chartered Financial Consultant and Financial Planner at Brightworth. © 2020 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Turn that canceled vacation into an investment If you have a pile of cash tucked away for a major trip that’s been canceled, consider the benefits of investing that money. For example, if a couple had planned to spend $5,000 or more on a romantic getaway to Europe or a family trip to a theme

Financial help From page 13 assistance, tax relief, veteran’s benefits, senior transportation, respite care, free legal assistance, job training and employment and

Frank, Frank

debt counseling. Send questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2020

Consumer hotline offers free legal advice By Aja’ Mallory One Maryland nonprofit believes that there should be justice for all, not just for those who can afford to hire a lawyer. Maryland Volunteer Lawyer Service (MVLS) is a nonprofit legal services organization that connects Marylanders experiencing financial hardships with volunteer and staff attorneys and community partners to provide free civil legal assistance and full representation. From a panel of more than 1,800 volunteer attorneys across Maryland, clients receive support for a broad range of civil legal problems, including custody disputes, tax issues, child and adult guardianship, landlord/tenant conflicts, foreclosure defense, criminal record expungements and consumer cases. Over the years, MVLS has evolved to develop special projects that supplement its core pro bono efforts, and one such project is the Consumer Protection Project (CPP).

assists with numerous consumer issues, including credit card debt, car repossession, management of hospital bills, identity theft, and constant calls and harassment from debt collectors. There are several other consumer issues that MVLS and its volunteers are seeing on the rise, including:

Harassment by debt collectors Harassment by debt collectors come in many forms, but the most popular form is repeated phone calls. Many people receiving these calls are under a great deal of stress, often due to loss of income or medical expenses. Creditors know that their continuous phone calls compel people to agree to make payments on debts just because they want the constant phone calls to end. It is very important to not allow debt col-

lectors to pressure you and your family into making a decision.

Medical debt Medical debt is a leading reason why many families fall behind on bills. As we continue to live through this global pandemic, aligning medical needs with finances is so important. The task of managing hospital bills and other medical expenses can be overwhelming especially if one is unsure of how to begin.

Identity theft Identity theft occurs when someone pretends to be you and uses your personal information for financial gain. Disputing identity theft can take weeks or months, and it is easy to lose track of with whom you spoke or what information they gave you.

If you are a victim of identity theft, the MVLS CPP hotline is a valuable resource, as volunteer attorneys will explain the need to place a fraud alert on your credit report, report the crime to the police, and obtain updated free copies of your credit report. The best first step to take if you are being harassed by debt collectors, have rising medical bills, or experienced identity theft, among several other consumer finance issues, is to call the MVLS CPP hotline at (443) 451-4083. Trained and compassionate volunteer and staff lawyers are at the ready to help you navigate these challenges and set you on a path to financial freedom. Aja’ Mallory is consumer staff attorney at Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service. To learn more about the service and its free civil legal services, visit mvlslaw.org.

Pandemic drives needs CPP helps Marylanders who are facing financial hardships and have been sued or threatened by a lawsuit from creditors in District Court collection actions. Too often consumers respond to debt harassment, stress and anxiety by agreeing to make payments to the collectors without realizing that those payments are unaffordable or unnecessary. MLVS can help consumers negotiate settlement agreements or reach a payment plan with creditors. MVLS launched its CPP hotline at (443) 451-4083 to support Marylanders and their consumer-related problems. The hotline

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2020

Probate workarounds may aid your heirs By Liz Weston A reader recently reached out after his elderly mother died, asking how soon he could distribute the $10,000 she had earmarked in her will for each of her two grandchildren. Because she lived in California, I had to break the bad news: He won’t be able to hand over the money any time soon. Probate is the court process to distribute someone’s estate after their death, even if there is a will, and it is notoriously slow in California. A typical probate takes nine to 12 months, and court shutdowns related to COVID-19 mean the wait could be longer. Probate is also expensive in California: By law, an attorney could charge $11,000 in fees to handle the woman’s $400,000 estate. Probate tends to be less onerous in most other states, but the process still costs money and delays when beneficiaries can receive their inheritance. Avoiding probate, however, also requires time or money and sometimes both. If you’re trying to decide whether to make the investment to spare your heirs the expense and hassle of probate, here’s what to keep in mind:

When probate makes sense If you die with a lot of debt, probate can

help by limiting the amount of time creditors have to make claims against your estate, said attorney Betsy Simmons Hannibal, a writer and editor at self-help legal website Nolo. If there isn’t enough to pay all your creditors, the probate court decides how much each creditor gets. Without probate, creditors may surface after your assets have been distributed and sue your heirs or the person who divided up your estate, she said. Probate also provides court supervision, which can be helpful if you worry your wishes won’t be carried out. Your will and the details of your estate are made public, which is bad for the publicity-shy but may prevent greedy or contentious heirs from otherwise disregarding your will. All the assets, debts and costs paid by the estate have to be disclosed, and the court has to approve the distributions to beneficiaries. “There’s going to be much more oversight, which can be useful in some situations,” Hannibal said.

Some probate alternatives States have simplified probate for smaller estates, which can reduce how long probate takes and its cost. What’s considered “small,” though, varies by state. In Maryland, it’s estates worth $50,000 or less, or — if the surviving spouse is the only bene-

ficiary — $100,000 or less. Those limits don’t include assets that can go directly to heirs, such as jointly held property and accounts that have a beneficiary. Retirement funds and life insurance usually require you to name a beneficiary, and you can also name beneficiaries for bank and brokerage accounts. You need to name specific people or organizations, however. If you name your estate as your beneficiary, the assets typically must go through probate. Many states, including Maryland, Virginia and D.C., have “transfer on death” deeds for real estate, and some allow people to register their cars with a form that names a beneficiary. Both methods allow a property transfer without probate.

The other way to avoid probate You may not be able to divide your estate the way you want to simply by using beneficiary designations and “transfer on death” forms. Or you may want a more comprehensive solution, especially if you have a lot of assets or complicated finances. Living trusts are the other way to avoid probate. Living trusts are legal documents,

like wills, that allow you to detail how you want your property divided and who should care for any minor children. Unlike wills, living trusts take effect while you’re still alive. Once a living trust is created, you must transfer ownership of your property to the trust, which requires changing titles and deeds, to avoid probate. These trusts are revocable — you can change them at any time. You will be the trustee, so you continue to have control over your property, and you’ll name a successor trustee or trustees to take over if you become incapacitated or die. Living trusts typically aren’t cheap to create, however. Lawyers usually charge $1,000 to $2,500, Hannibal noted. You can create a living trust without an attorney using software or do-it-yourself legal sites, but consult one if you have a large estate, or foresee problems such as spendthrift heirs or people who might challenge your estate plan. “If that’s your situation, your best bet is to go to a lawyer and say, ‘I anticipate trouble. How can you help me?’” Hannibal said. —AP/NerdWallet

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Travel Leisure &

The French side of the French-Dutch island of St. Martin is known for having some of the best cuisine in the Caribbean. See story on page 20.

Drawn to Monterey’s heritage, sea life mate and a mix of outdoor recreation, seafood restaurants and rich history. For centuries, the Rumsien Native Americans lived on the Pacific Coast, where they fished for sardines, anchovies and rockfish, crafted abalone-decorated baskets, and thrived on local plants and wildlife. That is, until the Spanish arrived with livestock and new diseases. By 1770, Franciscan Father Junipero Serra established the Mission de San Carlos Borromeo de Monterey, the second mission in the Spanish colonial province called Alta California. For a quarter century, Monterey was the region’s capital. By the mid-1800s, the town was California’s main port. That’s when an entrepreneur named David Jack sold some cheese that some say he stole from area Franciscan friars. At some point, it became known as Monterey Jack cheese, another bragging point.

PHOTO BY SEEMONTEREY.COM

By Glenda C. Booth [Editor’s Note: Given the worldwide reach of the coronavirus and the fact that COVID19 cases in California and elsewhere are still rising, this is not the time to travel there (or possibly anywhere) for enjoyment. Statewide, many parks and beaches are temporarily closed or have very limited access. Please enjoy this article as armchair entertainment and for planning your future travel in healthier times.] For Monterey, California, a tiny silver fish has brought both fame and infamy. In the first half of the 20th century, the pungent scent of sardines wafted from the town’s booming canneries and powered its economy, prompting town leaders to trumpet Monterey as “the sardine capital of the world.” Nobel Prize-winning fiction writer John Steinbeck made Monterey’s booming fish processors famous in his 1945 novella Cannery Row, and the town of olfactory renown lured all kinds of characters to cannery jobs — and dicey diversions. Today, Cannery Row has been repurposed with trendy shops, restaurants and one of the country’s finest aquariums. Located on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on California’s central coast, Monterey has a balmy Mediterranean cli-

Cannery Row, above, got its name from John Steinbeck’s 1945 novel, not the other way around. Many of its former fish processing plants have been converted to restaurants, shops and wine bars.

Spanish-Mexican heritage Today the town’s Spanish-Mexican heritage is preserved in 21 historic adobes. Nineteenth-century author Richard Dana wrote that the adobe buildings sparkled in the sun because of their ground-up abalone shells. Monterey State Historic Park preserves PHOTO © PETER SVEC/DREAMSTIME

Steven Whyte’s Cannery Row monument in effect honors its important fish in bronze as well as the rowdy characters of Monterey’s fish-packing heyday. Steinbeck is immortalized, too, surrounded by eight others, including the prosperous “Madam” Flora Woods, who ran the Lone Star Café and house of ill repute in the sardine-canning days. The monument also honors Chinese fishermen and four entrepreneurs who revived Cannery Row.

and interprets 12 such buildings, including the Custom House, the oldest government building in California. Starting at the park’s headquarters in the Pacific House Museum, visitors can amble along a marked two-mile trail and see a whalebone sidewalk, historic gardens and adobes. At the Cooper-Molera Adobe, built in 1827, visitors learn that early locals made sun-dried adobe bricks from clay soil, straw, crushed seashells and horse manure. Its garden has a working, beehiveshaped oven, called an horno, which originated in Spain. The Joseph Boston Store in the Casa del Oro, built in 1845, was the first general store in Monterey; it now sells 1850sthemed merchandise, such as artisan soaps, elderberry syrups and balsamic vinegars. At the Custom House in 1846, Commodore John Drake Sloat raised the American flag and claimed more than 600,000 square miles of territory for the United States, ending Mexican rule without firing a shot. Exhibits explain that Boston seafaring merchants brought iron tools, bear traps and metal buckets to locals. They paid $1 each for cattle hides, which they sold to

belt-makers for $10 each in Boston in the 1800s. The Russians came for the region’s otter pelts, and Chinese traders brought goods like firecrackers and dishes. The free Museum of Monterey explores the town’s connection to the sea, with exhibits on the cannery workers, nautical memorabilia, boat types, a Fresnel lighthouse lens from Point Sur, and a tutorial on sardine fishing, processing and packing. At the industry’s height, there were 19 canneries and reduction plants employing hundreds of workers. (Reduction plants convert fish into feed meal, oil and other consumer products.) During World War I, the canneries shipped 1.4 million cases of sardines to troops. They had another boom in World War II.

Underwater forests The sea is both indoors and out at the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, where 100 exhibits highlight the beach, ocean and wetland habitats of a full range of marine life, including sea slugs, jellyfish, sea turtles, limpets and anemones. In an underwater kelp forest, “the redwoods of the sea,” divers plunge into the See MONTEREY, page 19

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2020

Monterey From page 18 glass tanks to feed the fish and talk to visitors from underwater. Visitors can also watch sea otters and penguins eat and play. An aviary has shorebirds and two species of penguins, tufted and horned. There’s plenty of life outside the building, too — tidal pool critters darting around, common murres skimming the surface, kingfishers and cormorants diving, and brown pelicans flapping or perching on the rocks. With museum scopes, tourists can scan the ocean for whales, seals and sea otters. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is known as the “Serengeti of the Sea” for its rich wildlife diversity. It’s the site of North America’s biggest and deepest underwater canyon, plunging more than two miles deep, and one of the largest kelp forests in the U.S. In this 6,100-square-mile sanctuary, there are 334 known species of marine mammals, more than 180 species of sea and shorebirds and at least 525 species of fish. Several operators offer boat tours to see humpback, blue, gray and killer whales, as well as seals, dolphins, sea lions, otters, sea turtles and seabirds.

The nearby outdoors Multiple parks and preserves near Monterey offer breathtaking views and stunning nature. Pinnacles National Park near Soledad has talus caves, rolling chaparral, and dramatic rock spires and crags formed by volcanic action 23 million years ago. Lucky visitors may see an endangered California condor. Big Sur is well known for its dramatic coastal scenery, wave-sculpted blowholes, sea stacks, ancient coastal redwood trees, beaches and hiking trails. In the 19th century Point Sur Light Station, situated on a large volcanic rock promontory 316 feet above the ocean, docents tell tales of lighthouse keepers, and explain the importance of lighthouses to seafaring vessels. For wetland explorers, the Elkhorn Slough is a tidal salt marsh stretching

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seven miles inland from Monterey Bay, home to oak woodlands, maritime chaparral, sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions and over 340 species of birds. Here, if you look really hard, you might spot a sardine shimmering in the water.

If you go In pre-pandemic times, the Monterey Regional Airport typically offered more than 40 daily flights. The San Jose International Airport is one hour north, and San Francisco’s airport is two hours north. Currently, one-stop flights from BWI to Monterey in September start at $280 round trip on American Airlines. Check cdc.gov for current travel recommendations. To plan your trip, visit seemonterey.com or Monterey.org. There are many guided tours available to explore the region’s history, food, wine, movies, gardens and whale watching. Upon arrival, start at the Visitors Cen-

ter, 401 Camino El Estero, or call them at 1-888-221-1010. Monterey’s cuisine highlights local artichokes, mushrooms and wine from Salinas and Carmel Valley farms, located less than an hour away. Several tour companies offer food, wine and agriculture tours to “California’s Salad Bowl.” If you can’t travel now, get a glimpse of

Monterey Bay’s spectacular wildlife from home. At montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams, viewers can explore kelp forest life, “swim” with sharks and sea turtles, and watch moon jellies open and close like fancy, upside-down parasols. At elkhornslough.org/ottercam, you can watch otters, including playful pups, at Elkhorn Slough.

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

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BALTIMORE COUNTY Cove Point Apartments I: 410-288-2344 Cove Point Apartments II: 410-288-1660 Evergreen Senior Apartments: 410-780-4888 The Greens at English Consul: 410-789-3000 The Greens at Liberty Road: 410-655-1100 The Greens at Logan Field: 410-288-2000 The Greens at Rolling Road: 410-744-9988 Park View at Catonsville: 410-719-9464 Park View at Dundalk: 410-288-5483 • 55 & Better Park View at Fullerton: 410-663-0665 Park View at Miramar Landing: 410-391-8375 Park View at Randallstown: 410-655-5673

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$6,000 for the travel grant. Submissions at https://bit.ly/MASBTravel are open until Mon., Aug. 31. Public project funding is $10,000 and is open until Tues., Sept. 15 at https://bit.ly/MASBProject.

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SEPTEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Caribbean island has unique dual culture

French vs. Dutch In French St. Martin, for instance, sidewalk cafes tempt passersby with mouthwatering

pâtisseries and other hard-to-resist sweets. Its capital, Marigot (population 5,700), resembles towns of similar size throughout France, with the added attraction of palm trees. Food plays a prominent role in Marigot, especially on market days. That’s when island ladies wearing colorful dresses and big-brimmed straw hats offer fresh-fromthe-sea fish, baked goods and spices at outdoor stalls. Fort Louis has looked out over Marigot Bay since 1789. The mighty fortress was built to protect warehouses that stored salt, sugarcane, rum and other goods from British and French pirates. Sugar was a major crop on the island during the 18th century, and the ruins of sugar houses are scattered about the countryside. On the Dutch side of the island, casinos offer games of chance and skill, as well as nighttime entertainment. Sint Maarten is said to have more gaming machines per resident than any other country in the world. Some casinos are hotspots for live entertainment, dancing and other leisuretime pursuits, including live sporting events beamed from around the world on big-screen televisions. So much for the “Dutch conservatism” described by my acquaintance. Philipsburg, the Dutch capital of the island, is bisected by two main streets, aptly

PHOTO © RICHAIR/DREAMSTIME

By Victor Block The tiny Caribbean island of French St. Martin and Dutch Sint Maarten offers tourists a chance for a traditional sun-andsand getaway, but its unique dual culture keeps vacationers coming back year after year. The 36-square-mile island is the smallest land mass in the world that’s shared by two nationalities. Approximately 60% of the land is part of the French Republic, while the rest belongs to the Netherlands — a division that dates back to 1648. In a display of togetherness that can inspire the rest of the world, these two enclaves coexist in harmony. Just one example: No passport or border-checks are required to pass from one side of the island to the other. The only indications that you’ve entered another nation’s domain are small roadside welcome signs. However, the atmosphere and ambience do undergo a dramatic change. Differences in lifestyle, language, cuisine and customs provide contrasting settings and experiences. One resident described the ambiance as a blend of Dutch conservatism and French joie de vivre.

A Boeing 787’s low approach to Sint Maarten’s airport thrills tourists on Malo Beach, located on the Dutch side of the Caribbean island.

though unimaginatively named Front Street and Back Street. They’re connected by a network of narrow alleyways with Dutch names reminiscent of Amsterdam. The town’s restaurants and shops can be crowded, especially if one or more cruise ships has docked. The duty-free

stores in Sint Maarten have long served as a magnet for people seeking discounts of 50% and even more on items ranging from jewelry, crystal and perfume to alcoholic beverages and cigars. See ST. MARTIN, page 21

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St. Martin From page 20

Beyond the capitals In addition to spending time in the two most sizeable towns, visitors should explore other island attractions by rental car, taxi or the mini-buses that link most points at very reasonable fares. It’s possible to drive around the entire island in about an hour, depending upon the traffic and stops to take in the scenery. As it traverses the coastline of St. Martin and Sint Maarten, the main road ascends tree-blanketed hills and offers views of nearby neighboring islands. It leads to tiny towns like Colombier, a village of Creole huts in a verdant valley, and French Cul de Sac, a cluster of redroofed houses clinging to a hillside. When it comes to dining, even many residents of Dutch Sint Maarten admit that the best food and restaurants are located in “la partie Française.” Gourmets often rank the island’s cuisine among the very best in the Caribbean. Part of its appeal is based upon the combination of French flair with Dutch touches, augmented by traces of West Indian and Creole cooking. Marigot on its own boasts enough restaurants to provide a different dining experience for weeks on end. Then there’s the little town of Grand

Case, which, despite its name, is anything but grand. The village consists of little more than a single road, but that street is lined with inviting places to eat, many of which have an inviting outdoor terrace overlooking the sea. Visitors may dine al fresco in a setting that in ways resembles Paris with palm trees.

Snorkeling, fishing, golf and more In addition, there’s a lengthy list of other to-do’s on the island, including sailing, parasailing, windsurfing and scuba diving. As an avid snorkeler, I enjoyed swimming over multi-colored reefs and through teeming schools of colorful fish. The warm, multihued waters of the Caribbean Sea that surround the island are home to a prolific variety of marine animals. There’s outstanding close-in angling off the beaches, along rocky stretches of shoreline and in saltwater grass beds, and deep-sea fishermen may rent charter boats to seek larger prey. While golf is confined to the course at the Mullet Bay resort, that layout alone offers plenty for both duffers and low-handicap players to enjoy. Palm-tree lined fairways loop around a lovely lagoon, and unusually small greens challenge even the most practiced putters. Tourists head for the broad beaches near the resort hotels, while locals trek to small, crescent-shaped beaches off the

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beaten track. A few adventurous souls who find those lesser-known gems take advantage of their isolation by losing their inhibitions, and their swimsuit, as they seek a full-body tan. A personal favorite during my visit to the 36-square-mile island was Cupecoy, three itty-bitty beaches that hug a low cliff. These isolated beaches couldn’t accommodate a large crowd even if more people sought them out. Adding to the island color at Cupecoy is Dany’s Beach Bar, a nondescript, open-air affair where owner Dany’s mother occasionally hangs out looking for someone to play dominoes. If she challenges you to a game for money or drinks, be forewarned that the innocent-looking older woman plays a killer game. Your money would be better spent on an ample portion of barbecued ribs or chicken.

If you go The island’s airport reopened in July, and round-trip flights from Baltimore start at $380. Accommodations on St. Martin/Sint Maarten range from modest B&Bs to upscale hotels. When I visited last year, I opted for a best-of-both-worlds option at the Sapphire Beach Club. It’s a timeshare and rental resort that has a restaurant, swimming pool and a full menu of activities like Caribbean barbecues, wine and cheese parties, and

fitness classes. Rates for suites with a full kitchen, sitting area and outside deck begin at $136/night. For more information, visit sapphire-beach-club-resort-cupecoy.booked.net. The island’s vast and varied array of restaurants include casual beachside cafes, white-tablecloth gourmet eateries and everything in between. One caveat to keep in mind is that because many ingredients, other than fresh fish and some other local fare, must be imported, restaurant prices can be a bit higher than encountered on some other Caribbean islands. The Rendez-vous at Porto Cupecoy, St. Maarten, has a pleasant courtyard environment. Appetizers include duck or lobster ravioli ($15). After enjoying both grilled red snapper with creole sauce and poached salmon ($22 with sides), I couldn’t decide which was my favorite seafood entrée. For more information, visit rdvlounge.com or call (721) 545-3070. A less formal setting greets a mix of locals and visitors at the lunch-only Lazy Lizard Beach Bar in Philipsburg. Specialties include oxtail, conch and curry goat, served with sides for $18. Less adventurous eaters may prefer a fresh grouper sandwich with fries (also $18). Check lazylizardsxm.com or call (721) 520-4653. For more information about the island, call 1-721-545-2179 or visit st-martin.org or vacationstmaarten.com.

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Style

Arts &

If you’d like free help from college students, call Lori’s Hands, now in the Baltimore area. Our cover story continues on p. 24.

Autobiographical poems lead to first book ago, he finally got around to asking me [to publish them]. Unfortunately, he passed a month later, at the age of 95. I never would have had the book published if my father hadn’t asked.” Noble was born in the D.C. area but has been a Baltimore-area resident for 53 years. He now resides in Pikesville with his wife, Betty, and Bandit, their schnauzer-mix. He describes himself as a self-made poet. Although he’s “not oblivious to other poets,” he said, he seldom, if ever, reads their works. “I’m not one to copy other people in writing or styles,” Noble said. “I want every one of my poems to be based on my own emotions, experiences, something that happened to me, something I have seen, thought of,” without being influenced by other writers, he said. One influence he will admit to, perhaps not in his poetry but certainly in his life, is Martin Luther King Jr., who he saw speak on the National Mall in 1965, when Noble was a teenager. That speech inspired his poem “A Better Man,” written in 1966, when Noble was 18 years old. It’s the first

poem in his book. King’s words, Noble said, also helped solidify his own beliefs and gave him impetus to work in what he called “the ongoing fight for equal civil and human rights of all oppressed people — women, people of color, American Indians, Latinos.”

Building and dreaming Noble, a University of Baltimore graduate with a degree in psychology, wound up doing various jobs in the construction industry. (His father and grandfather were architects.) See POET, page 25 Pikesville resident Neil Noble self-published his first book of poems in 2018 and reprinted it this year. Artwork accompanies each poem in the book, titled Moods of a Lake.

PHOTO BY STEFANIE VIKTORIA PHOTOGRAPHY

By Robert Friedman “My poems are my autobiography in rhyme,” said Baltimore County resident Neil Noble, 73, whose first book of poetry was published recently. Each of his poems “conveys its own story, as well as a slice of my life,” Noble said in a recent interview. As he puts it in the book’s introduction, “My relief valve has been my writing. I win a battle when I can imprison ‘the demons,’ in black and white, on paper.” Noble has been silencing his so-called demons for the last half century, the retired construction industry employee said. During that time, he has written “five or six poems a year, between 200 and 300 in all.” Noble said his poems were written “as a hobby, for my own pleasure,” and he did not intend them to be published. But he has now gone public with Moods of a Lake and Other Selected Poems, a selfpublished book of 45 of his best poems. The book was published in 2018 and reprinted again in 2020, he said, to fulfill a promise to his father. “I never realized that my father was collecting my poems,” he said. “Three years

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Lori’s Hands From page 1

Fostering personal connection To help those with chronic illnesses, volunteers do odd jobs and run errands for at least two hours each week. Most importantly, though, they talk with the clients, which they have been able to continue doing even during the pandemic. For the past five years, volunteers have helped Thomas Henry of Delaware maintain his home by doing chores like scrubbing the floors. His favorite aspect of Lori’s Hands, however, is companionship, and he

often shares life lessons with the volunteers. “They’re starting out on a new adventure, and life has many twists and turns. We have to be ready for whatever comes; we have to train ourselves,” Henry said. “I’m still training myself now, and I’m 87 years old.” Henry has been able to maintain his connection with Lori’s Hands volunteers despite the pandemic. One calls him every week. “I look forward to it,” Henry said. Rachel Titus, a rising senior at the University of Delaware studying health behavior science, has managed to stay in contact with her Lori’s Hands client, although she

SEPTEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

has been living with her parents in Pennsylvania since March. At least once a week, Titus and her volunteer partner call a Newark resident they have been helping for the past two years. She has Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). “Before COVID happened, we would typically help her with laundry, cleaning around the house…simple things that I wouldn’t need help with that someone else needed,” Titus said. Titus and fellow volunteers are also organizing a Zoom trivia night, and do occasional drive-bys to visit clients, especially those who reside in assisted living facilities. “In healthcare, it’s just as important to have the human connection as it is to have the knowledge to actually perform healthcare duties,” Titus said.

Work can lead to careers Many volunteers acquire this healthcare knowledge from the Lori’s Hands class at the University of Delaware. One student, Corey Perkins, began volunteering a few hours a week for a man with a heart condition. After talking with him, “I was able to learn more about chronic illnesses and how they affect people differently,” she said. Due to these conversations, Perkins, now a graduate student at the University of Florida, has begun studying racial health disparities. Another former volunteer, Amy Sherlock, also credits Lori’s Hands for solidifying her career path as an occupational therapist. “This is a perfect opportunity to gain some experience [in the healthcare field] and hopefully help people along the way,” she said. Sherlock’s time with Lori’s Hands was especially impactful to her as an out-ofstate student. One client who she worked

with for more than a year “was like a grandmother away from home,” said Sherlock, who is from New York. Even though Sherlock graduated from the University of Delaware last year and is currently in a doctoral program for occupational therapy, she still periodically calls the client, just to catch up. In this sense, “We think our students get as much out of [their experience with Lori’s Hands] as our clients,” LaFave said. “It’s a two-way model.”

Coming to Baltimore Lori’s Hands will bring a similar model to its new chapter in Baltimore. The main differences are that the program won’t be focused on one university, and it will employ graduate, instead of undergraduate, students to create a more consistent volunteer system for the clients, according to LaFave. Lori’s Hands now must adapt not only to a new city but also to a novel coronavirus. “It’s not what we had envisioned when we had first applied for the funding,” LaFave said. “We’re just going to have to be really creative.” Lori’s Hands has already developed a contactless model in Delaware that it will transfer to Baltimore. It includes virtual visits and events, assistance with assessing online resources and a pen pal program. In fact, this no-contact model is “more attractive to students than usual,” according to LaFave, as many studying healthcare still need service opportunities that might otherwise be canceled due to the pandemic. When the local chapter launches in September, Lori’s Hands will be seeking clients with chronic illnesses who will benefit from help from the younger generation. For more information about the organization and its services, or to seek help, visit lorishands.org or call (302) 440-5454.

Poet From page 23 His career included everything from hard-hat site work on concrete high-rises, to sales and advising on building materials, to mentoring women in the industry. He also taught construction-related courses both at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) and at various area lumber yards where he was employed. However, Noble said he no longer teaches because, he found, “Young people aren’t interested in experience. They want to reinvent the wheel even though there is only one way to build it.” Now retired, Noble enjoys playing gui-

Letters to editor From page 2 One officer spoke to the young man. The officer knew how to successfully de-escalate the situation. As a clergyman I, too, learned the power of intelligent gabbing. Talk, walk in their shoes and respond. Police and citizens need to learn what it is like to live in one another’s shoes. Pulling a weapon should be a last resort. The power of intelligent thoughts can

tar, composing songs and sculpting wood. In his free time, he designed a website to teach others how to build a deck. And, of course, he writes poems. “Writing poetry and composing music gives me a focal point and structure upon which to concentrate my thoughts,” he said. He used to write a poem every other month, but now, he said, “My poetry and music are coming at an even quicker pace.” Noble noted that he is working on a second book of poetry, as well as a book of short stories.

Poems create ‘unique picture’ In July, Noble participated in a virtual poetry reading, Summer Open Mic Night, sponsored by the Eastern Shore Writers transform a situation of potential violence into an act of peaceful good. Our police need to be trained as peace keepers. The days of turning off body cams, taking a suspect downtown for a beating, and hassling someone because they are in a neighborhood not symbolic of their demographic must end. Police seem to fear loss of their authority. But authority is not as powerful as respect. It is not Them and Us. It is Us. Steven Kaszab Via email

Association. Using Zoom, he read several poems from the book. In “Moods of a Lake,” the book’s title poem, a motorist mistakes a misty veil around a lake at dawn for a crowd looking at the water. The driver hopes to feel what the crowd will feel at the soon-tobe sunrise, as well as their deepest feelings about surviving what he sees as an increasingly hostile world. The last couplet of the poem reads, “I pass a pond beside the road, never is it seen the same twice / Dawn reveals many misty veils, by dusk memory must suffice.” While Noble’s poems battle with those invading “demons,” there are also works in Moods of a Lake that seem triggered by other emotions and experiences — such

as love lost and love found, the beauty of nature, warm memories, even puppies and mischievous cats. In one poem entitled “Like a Flower,” for instance, Noble compares “the softness of the violet” to “your velvet skin.” As far as his thoughts on art and the goals of his poetry, Noble put it this way in the book: “A good artist sees what others see, then creates a unique picture. “A great artist sees what others see, then creates a unique picture of his own vision — and invites everyone else into that vision, so they can see from a different perspective.” Moods of a Lake is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online book sellers, as well as at neilnoble.net, where it sells for $10 a copy.

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

FROM PAGE 26

C A N O A R O L P O O D O K D A L A B T A T E A C E L E E L P O A M E N R E P E G N P U S E E A R

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BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2020

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By Stephen Sherr 5

22 26

45 49

28 33

35 40

51 54

Across 1. Deliverance transport 6. Chocolate source 11. “Hey; I can’t hear the movie” 14. On ___ (getting a lot of 7’s) 15. Prepare to receive the next correspondence 16. Gardener’s tool 17. Wardrobe item useful in a Grease revival 19. Measurement unit named for a German physicist 20. Green-lighted 21. Coniferous tree you may like 22. Prepare for the annual refresher test 24. Spend time inside a bourbon barrel 26. Lawyers’ org. 28. Doctrines 29. Glucose level, for example 34. First-stringers 35. Runs in neutral 36. Like many apples 39. Animation unit 40. Visual effects co. sold from George Lucas to Disney in 2012 42. Enzyme ending 43. Words spoken at the rehearsal dinner 44. Slithery swimmer 45. “___ say more?” 47. One of the Fab Four 49. iPad input tool 52. Last word of the bible 54. ___ few rounds 55. Legal Due Diligence, briefly, in briefs 56. Second-time broadcast 58. 23andMe data source 60. Afore “the land of the free” 63. Econ. value some find disgusting 64. One preparing for a bout 68. “Never let yesterday ___ up too much of today” (Will Rogers) 69. Black tea 70. Hollywood or Rose Bowl 71. Personal pencil holder BB920

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Scrabble answers on p. 25.

18 20

60 66

62 67

72. Stumbling blocks 73. Fancy tie Down 1. It displays the baseball team’s logo 2. End of buck- or kang3. Cozy spot 4. Obsolete information 5. Building wing 6. Open and shut ___ 7. Socially uncomfortable 8. Airport code for Egypt’s busiest airport 9. Where B-52’s are stationed 10. Germany’s von Bismarck 11. Tiny budget 12. Uninspired 13. Strong ropes 18. Stares at, suspiciously 23. Goals in a scoreless tie 25. One born on Memorial Day 27. Ritzy Los Angeles neighborhood 29. Slip someone a Mickey 30. Suit to ___ 31. Ingredient in Sizzling Steak Fajitas 32. At the stroke of 13, it is ___ get a new clock 33. Logon requirement 37. Crispiest brownie piece 38. It opens upwards on a DeLorean 41. Add inches 46. “Nobody kicks a ___” (Dale Carnegie) 48. “Tea to the English is really a picnic ___” (Alice Walker) 50. Last word before “Blastoff!” 51. The Death Star’s thermal exhaust port, for example 52. Try to influence the jury 53. Club for brainiacs 57. Egyptian cobras 59. Yesses and ___ 61. Member of the c-suite 62. The Biggest Little City in the World 65. Acronym on a wanted poster 66. Comment from a black sheep 67. Chef in Ratatouille

Answers on page 25.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2020

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.

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Options for Senior America . . . .23

Health For Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

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TheBeaconNewspapers.com . . .16

Blair House at Stoneleigh . . . . .11 Charlestown/Erickson . . . . . . . . .6 Christ Church Harbor Apts. . . . .24 Enterprise Residential . . . . . . . .19 Oak Crest/Erickson . . . . . . . . . . .6

Perfect Sleep Chair . . . . . . . . . .12 Perfect Walker . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Radio Flea Market . . . . . . . . . . .25 UpBed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

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Beacon Subscription . . . . . . . . .26

CCBC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Subscribe for half-price. See p. 26

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