October 2024 | Baltimore Beacon

Free advice for entrepreneurs

By Margaret Foster

When the pandemic hit, Miesha Rice, the owner of a therapy practice in Pikesville, Maryland, had to go virtual or go out of business.

Rice needed help, so she turned to SCORE, a nationwide nonprofit with a mission to help small businesses. Rice now says that was “one of the absolute best decisions I have made, business-wise.”

SCORE matched Rice with a mentor, retired CEO Norman Bickman, who helped her company survive a tough transition — all without charge.

“We went over how to optimize my marketing, my brand, finances — basically anything and everything I needed to know,” Rice said.

Four years later, Rice’s company is going strong, and she is still in touch with Bickman.

“I love my mentor; he’s been amazing. He was always there to troubleshoot, just to listen to me and just be encouraging, because it’s not easy to be in business. There’s not a lot of resources, especially capital, for small businesses to operate.”

Ten thousand mentors

More than 10,000 Americans with business experience volunteer as SCORE mentors in 250 chapters across the country. Maryland has 99 active volunteers.

In 1964, Congress established the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) as the volunteer-led branch of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SCORE’s mission, then and now, is to mentor small business owners and entrepreneurs. The SBA still funds most of SCORE’s budget.

“SCORE’s volunteers tirelessly share their time and expertise as mentors to our nation’s entrepreneurs, fostering vibrant small business communities and bringing the American dream to life,” SCORE CEO Bridget Weston said in a statement.

“Their dedication is measured not only by each small business they support, but in the economic impact of those businesses locally and nationally.”

In Maryland alone, SCORE mentors helped create 736 new businesses that created 16,872 new jobs last year.

How small businesses get help

Here’s how it works: Entrepreneurs go

to SCORE’s website and fill out a form. They can let the website choose a mentor in their field or choose one themselves.

Then the mentor decides whether to accept the client or not. Mentors can choose their own hours but are usually expected to commit to 20 volunteer hours a month, not all necessarily for the same client. All interactions with mentors are free and confidential.

The organization also offers entrepreneurs a wide range of free training sessions on how to write a business plan, secure funding, navigate the governmentsponsored grant system, advertise, etc.

The national office offers several webinars a month. For instance, two free sessions com-

ing up will cover how to start selling in Amazon’s online store and how to self-publish a book on Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing program (sponsored by Amazon).

In addition, Maryland’s SCORE chapters present two to three webinars a week, and have helped 6,657 people so far this year.

Looking for mentors, too

Just like anyone can receive help from SCORE, anyone from any industry can volunteer to become a mentor.

“We’re looking for that generalist, someone who knows business in general,” said See SCORE , page 10

Miesha Rice, a therapist who founded a practice in Pikesville, sought out free business advice from her SCORE mentor, Norman Bickman. Volunteers like Bickman, a retired CEO, enjoy giving back and helping small businesses grow.

It’s Expo season again

Baltimore County’s annual Power of Age Expo will be returning to the Timonium Fairgrounds on October 30. The massive event is a longstanding Baltimore tradition and well worth visiting. Be sure to look for the Baltimore Beacon’s booth there, too.

But I would also like to invite you to come to the Beacon’s own 50+Expos. For 25 years, we have presented these annual events in both Maryland and Virginia to provide useful information and a great time to our readers throughout the area.

nesses providing products and services geared to older adults and their families.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

By Stuart P. Rosenthal

Our Expos attract thousands of older adults and their families to obtain important health screenings, flu shots and other vaccines, hear interesting speakers, and obtain valuable information from dozens of exhibitors and sponsors — including government agencies, nonprofits and area busi-

Oct. 4

I hope you will consider joining us at one (or both) of this year’s events in the Greater Washington area:

Sunday, October 20, from noon to 4 p.m., at the Silver Spring Civic Building in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Sunday, November 3, from noon to 4 p.m., at Springfield Town Center in Springfield, Virginia

Prioritizing the health and well-being of attendees, the Expos will offer free health screenings, including blood pressure, glaucoma, blood glucose and cholesterol tests.

Important vaccines will also be available, including the latest COVID-19 and RSV vaccines, regular and high-dose flu shots, Shin-

INTERGENERATIONAL LUNCHEON

Connect with the Keswick Wise & Well members and staff as well as students from Johns Hopkins University to make some new friends and exchange stories. This free luncheon takes place on Fri., Oct. 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 700 W. 40th St., Baltimore. For more information and to RSVP (by Oct. 2), visit bit.ly/FriendshipLuncheon or call (410) 662-4363 on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

TheBeacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Baltimore area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Howard County, Md. and Greater Washington, D.C. Subscriptions are available via third-class mail ($12), prepaid with order. Maryland residents add 6 percent for sales tax. Send subscription order to the office listed below. Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher.

Publisher/Editor – Stuart P. Rosenthal

President/Associate Publisher – Judith K. Rosenthal

Executive Vice President – Gordon Hasenei

Managing Editor – Margaret Foster

Art Director – Kyle Gregory

Vice President of Operations – Roger King

Advertising Representatives –Steve Levin, M.K. Phillips, Alan Spiegel

Assistant Editor – Ana Preger Hart

grix (shingles), pneumonia and tetanus vaccines. Please bring your Medicare and/or insurance card with you.

In Silver Spring, Md., our keynote program will consist of a conversation I will have with popular writer Laura Stassi, author of Romance Redux; Finding Love in Your Later Years and host of the “Dating While Gray” podcast. She will also answer questions from the audience.

In Springfield, Va., we are pleased to partner with the Fairfax County Area Agency on Aging to offer “Venture into Volunteering” — a collection of more than 35 agencies and nonprofits offering exciting volunteer opportunities.

As always, our exhibitors will include hospitals and a variety of other healthcare providers, retirement communities, home improvement contractors, home care agencies, financial and legal advisors, insurance providers, travel, fitness and senior services and many other valuable services

Our 25th anniversary 50+Expos are made possible through the generous support of our sponsors. Gold Sponsors include AARP Virginia and Giant Pharmacy.

Silver Sponsors are Adventist HealthCare, Johns Hopkins Health Plans, Pepco, Asbury Methodist Village, The Fairfax

and Collette Tours.

Bronze Sponsors include Maryland Relay, Virginia Relay, Xfinity, Housing Initiative Partnership, The Leggett, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Jewish Council for the Aging, Montgomery County Recreation, Montgomery County Aging & Disability Services, and the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging.

For more information, or to exhibit, sponsor or volunteer, call (410) 248-9101, email info@thebeaconnewspapers.com or visit www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/50expos.

While the Beacon staff will be out in force at both events to help everyone find what they are looking for, we would love to have some volunteers as well. If you are planning to come to either event and can spare an hour or so helping out at our information booth, please contact us.

There is also still time for additional sponsors and exhibitors to sign up! Please call us and we will be happy to speak with you. I look forward to seeing you on October 20 and/or November 3! Please be sure to look for me and say hello.

Letters to the editor

Readers are encouraged to share their opinions 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:

Regarding your From the Publisher column in September, “Disability inability,” you did not mention one of the problems that impairs the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program: undeserved benefits.

Every year, the Social Security Disability system must deal with persons who are receiving benefits but who have also rejoined the workforce. By law, SSDI administrators must reclaim these excess payments. The problem is so severe that the television program Sixty Minutes recently devoted a segment to discussing it.

Grant Jacobsen Woodbridge, VA

Dear Editor:

I read your publisher’s column, “Dis-

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Oct. 6+

ability inability,” last month and found it very informative.

However, what was not noted is that Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is available to people who have a disability as soon as they turn 18.

I realize, of course, that the Beacon is geared toward people “of a certain age,” but there may be a parent or a grandparent who is caring for an adult child and was not aware that there is funding available through the Social Security Administration.

I just wanted to add this to your article since I think it is very important that everyone gets the assistance that they need. My son was disabled from birth, and he received SSDI every month as soon as he turned 18.

Ilene Martin Via email

BALTIMORE CITY CIVIL RIGHTS EVENTS

Baltimore City’s Civil Rights Week, an event centered around advancing equity and preserving civil rights, takes place at various locations throughout the city from Sun., Oct. 6 through Sat., Oct. 12. It includes free educational workshops, panel discussions, cultural performances and community outreach initiatives. For more information and a schedule of events, both in-person and virtual, visit bit.ly/CivilRightsWeek.

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Health Fitness &

Health Fitness &

Got leftovers? For tips on how to use every scrap, see page 8.

Simple test may help men avoid biopsies

By Charlie Schmidt

Many doctors caring for older men like to track the results of a blood test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), changes in which can indicate increased risk for prostate cancer.

When a PSA blood test produces an abnormal result, the next step is usually a prostate biopsy. A biopsy can confirm or rule out a cancer diagnosis, but it also has certain drawbacks.

Prostate biopsies are invasive procedures with potential side effects, and they often detect low-grade, slow-growing tumors that may not need immediate treatment — or any treatment at all.

Researchers are exploring various strategies for avoiding unnecessary biopsies.

Specialized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, for instance, can be useful for predicting if a man’s tumor is likely to spread. A blood test called the Prostate Health Index (PHI) measures various forms of PSA and can help doctors determine if a biopsy is needed.

In April, researchers at the University of Michigan published results with a test that screens for prostate cancer in urine samples. Called the MyProstateScore 2.0 (MPS2) test, it looks for 18 different genes associated with high-grade tumors.

“If you’re negative on this test, it’s almost certain that you don’t have aggres-

sive prostate cancer,” said Dr. Arul Chinnaiyan, a professor of pathology and urology at the university, in a press release.

How the test was developed

To create the test, Chinnaiyan and his colleagues first turned to publicly available databases containing more than 58,000 prostate cancer-associated genes.

From that initial pool, they narrowed down to 54 genes that are uniquely overexpressed in cancers classified as Grade Group 2 (GG2) or higher. The Grade Group system ranks prostate cancers from GG1 (the least dangerous) to GG5 (the most dangerous).

The team tested those 54 genes against archived urine samples from 761 men with elevated PSA who were scheduled for biopsy. This effort yielded 18 genes that consistently correlated with high-grade cancer in the biopsy specimens. These genes now make up MPS2.

Then the team validated the test by performing MPS2 testing on over 800 archived urine samples collected by a national prostate cancer research consortium.

Other researchers affiliated with that consortium assessed the new urine test’s results against patient records.

Highly

accurate findings

Study findings showed that MPS2 correctly identified 95% of the GG2 prostate cancers

and 99% of cancers that were GG3 or higher. Test accuracy was further improved by incorporating estimates of the prostate’s size (or volume, as it’s also called).

According to the team’s calculations, use of the MPS2 would have reduced unnecessary biopsies by 37%. If volume was included in the measure, then 41% of biopsies would have been avoided. By comparison, just 26% of biopsies would have been avoided with the PHI.

Chinnaiyan and his co-authors emphasize that ruling out high-grade cancer with a urine test offers some advantages over MRI.

The specialized multi-parametric MRI scans needed to assess high-grade cancer in men with elevated PSA aren’t always available in community settings, for instance. Moreover, the interpretation of those results can vary from one radiologist to another. Importantly, the MPS2 can be updated over time as new prostate-cancer genes are identified.

Promising results

The new study results were described as promising by Dr. Boris Gershman, a urologist at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and a member of the advisory and editorial board for the Harvard Medical School Guide to Prostate Diseases.

“It does appear that the performance of

the 18-gene urine test is better than PSA alone,” he said. But Gershman adds that it will be important to consider how such a test will fit into the current two-stage approach for PSA screening, which entails prostate MRI when the PSA is abnormal.

Where MRI delivers a yes/no result (meaning lesions that look suspicious for cancer are either present or not), the MPS2 provides numerical risk estimates ranging between 0% and 100%. “The challenge with clinical implementation of a continuous risk score is where to draw the line for biopsy,” Gershman said.

“This research is very encouraging, since many men in rural areas may not have access to prostate MRI machines or the added sophistication that is needed in interpreting these MRI scans,” said Dr. Marc Garnick, the Gorman Brothers Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

“A widely available urine test may eventually help provide more precision in determining who should undergo a prostate biopsy, and may also help to assess the probability that a cancer is clinically significant and in need of treatment.”

Charlie Schmidt is editor of the Harvard Medical School Annual Report on Prostate Diseases.

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

How our brain and innards communicate

It’s interesting how some hormones like serotonin affect mood, and yet they’re made in the gastrointestinal tract — our gut!

The gut-brain axis is a complex network in the body that allows our gut and brain to communicate through both direct and indirect pathways.

This connection explains how gut health impacts brain functions and vice versa. Understanding how this works can help with many mental health issues.

function. And signals from the gut can affect emotional and psychological well-being.

By Suzy Cohen

Imagine the gut and brain as friends having a deep conversation over tea. The brain’s activities, like stress and mood changes, can influence gut

How stress, mood affect gut

• Stress: Stress can upset the stomach, leading to physical symptoms like “gutwrenching” feelings. Chronic stress may contribute to digestive issues and mid-section fat accumulation.

• Mood: The brain’s emotional state can affect gut health. Positive moods can promote a healthy gut environment, while stress, conflict and other negative emotions can disrupt it.

• Anxiety: Anxiety can cause gut dis-

turbances, reflecting the brain’s worrisome state. Most people live with chronic anxiety these days.

• Neurotransmitters: Serotonin, produced mainly in the gut, acts as a messenger, influencing mood and gut function.

Fluctuations in serotonin levels directly impact emotional states and self-esteem. Sufficient serotonin is crucial for feeling calm, happy and emotionally stable.

Disturbances in serotonin production or signaling can lead to mood disorders like depression and anxiety. Its influence on mood also affects self-esteem, as feeling good biochemically can enhance feelings of value and confidence.

Seven ways to boost serotonin 1. Increase tryptophan intake: Con-

suming foods rich in tryptophan, such as turkey, eggs, cheese, nuts and seeds, can boost brain serotonin levels.

2. Exercise regularly: Physical activity enhances serotonin production and receptor sensitivity, with aerobic exercises like running, cycling and swimming being particularly effective.

3. Get plenty of natural light: Sunlight exposure increases serotonin production and helps regulate sleep and mood.

4. Manage stress: Techniques like mindfulness, meditation and yoga can maintain healthy serotonin levels and improve receptor function.

5. Consider probiotics: Probiotics can enhance gut health and potentially boost

DEAR PHARMACIST

serotonin production. Foods like yogurt, sauerkraut and kefir, or probiotic supplements, may be beneficial. Probiotics improve thyroid hormone conversion, and thyroid hormone is your natural antidepressant.

6. Omega-3 fatty acids: Found in fish like salmon and sardines, and in flaxseeds and walnuts, these acids may increase serotonin receptor responsiveness. This can help improve receptor sensitivity rather than ‘make’ more happy hormones.

7. Mindful meditation: Regular meditation can enhance serotonin transmission, potentially increasing receptor sensitivity and effectiveness. As with the omega-3s, this can improve receptor sensitivity over time.

Understanding the role of the gut in serotonin production opens new possibilities for managing mood and self-esteem. By nurturing gut health through diet, exercise and stress management, we can influence the brain’s biochemical landscape, promoting a happier, healthier mental state.

The saying “trust your gut” now has scientifically backed significance, highlighting the importance of maintaining a positive gut-brain connection for overall well-being.

For a more detailed version of this article, sign up for my free weekly emailed newsletter at suzycohen.com.

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

Metropolitan Baltimore National Alliance on Mental Illness offers a variety of free support groups, both in-person and virtual, for individuals living with mental health conditions and their families. For a complete listing of groups, their descriptions, meeting locations and times, and to register, visit namibaltimore.org/findsupport/support-groups. For more information, contact the NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore HelpLine at (410) 435-2600 or email info@namibaltimore.org.

PEACE AND WELLNESS FESTIVAL

5

Join the Greater Baltimore Centers for Spiritual Living and the Ruscombe Community for a day of celebrating peace and experiencing wellness. This free festival features a healthy food and cooking demo, botanical beverage bar, speakers, music, artisans and jewelry makers, drum circle and performances and much more. The event takes place at the Coldspring Community field and labyrinth adjacent to the Ruscombe Mansion Community grounds, 4801 Yellowwood Ave., Baltimore, on Sat., Oct. 5 (rain date Oct. 19) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Advance registration is free, but requested, at peaceandwellness.net.

Housing Communities

❏ Brightview Senior Living (see ads on pages B4, B6)

❏ Caritas House Assisted Living (see ad on page B4)

❏ Catholic Charities (see ad on page B4)

❏ Charlestown/Erickson (see ads on pages B6, B7)

❏ Christ Church Harbor Apts (see ad on page B4)

❏ Harmony at Enterprise (see ads on pages B2, B6)

❏ Harmony at Waldorf (see ad on page B2)

❏ Merion Village (see ad on page B3)

❏ Oak Crest/Erickson (see ads on pages B6, B7)

❏ Park View Laurel (see ad on page B8)

❏ Park View Towson (see ad on page B8)

❏ Park View Fullerton (see ad on page B8)

❏ Park View Rosedale (see ad on page B8)

❏ Pickersgill (see ad on page 8)

❏ St. Mary’s Roland View Towers (see ad on page 13)

❏ Virginia Towers (see ad on page 12)

❏ Warren Place Senior Apartments (see ad on page 13)

Clinical Research Studies

❏ Prediabetes Blood Sugar Study (see ad on page 8)

Check the boxes you’re interested in and return this form to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 or take a picture and email to housing@thebeaconnewspapers.com.

You may return this coupon together with the bus ticket drawing coupon on page B-5.

BEACON BITS

E-cigarettes reduce harm from smoking

By Matthew Perrone

In June, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the first menthol-flavored electronic cigarettes for adult smokers, acknowledging that vaping flavors can reduce the harms of traditional tobacco smoking.

The FDA said it authorized four menthol e-cigarettes from Njoy, the vaping brand recently acquired by tobacco giant Altria, which also sells Marlboro cigarettes.

The decision lends new credibility to vaping companies’ longstanding claim that their products can help blunt the toll of

smoking, which is blamed for 480,000 U.S. deaths annually due to cancer, lung disease and heart disease.

E-cigarettes have been sold in the U.S. since 2007, but in recent years their potential benefits for smokers have been overshadowed due to their use by adolescents and teens.

Altria’s data showed Njoy e-cigarettes helped smokers reduce their exposure to the harmful chemicals in traditional cigarettes, the FDA said.

The agency stressed the products are nei-

ther safe nor “FDA approved,” and that people who don’t smoke shouldn’t use them.

Some criticize decision

Parents and anti-tobacco groups immediately criticized the FDA’s decision, which follows years of advocacy efforts to keep vaping flavors that appeal to teens off the market.

“This decision could mean we’ll never be able to close the Pandora’s box of the youth vaping epidemic,” said Meredith Berkman, co-founder of Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes.

“FDA has once again failed American families by allowing a predatory industry to source its next generation of lifetime customers — America’s children.”

Youth vaping has declined from all-time highs in recent years, with about 10% of high schoolers reporting e-cigarette use last year.

Most teens who vape use disposable e-cigarettes, including brands like Elf Bar, which come in flavors such as watermelon and blueberry ice.

Currently, the U.S. market includes thousands of fruit- and candy-flavored vapes that are technically illegal but are widely available in convenience stores, gas stations and vape shops.

All the e-cigarettes previously authorized by the FDA have been tobacco flavored, which isn’t widely used by young

Have confidence in every conversation.

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

• Amplified phones

• Tablets

• Ring signalers

• Phones with large and/or high contrast buttons

• Captioned Telephones

• And more

people who vape.

Long under regulatory review

Njoy is one of only three companies that previously received FDA’s OK for vaping products. The company’s products accounted for less than 3% of U.S. e-cigarette sales in the past year, according to retail data from Nielsen.

Two other companies — Vuse, owned by Reynolds American, and Juul — control about 60% of the market, while hundreds of disposable brands account for the rest.

The FDA action is part of a sweeping yearslong review of major vaping brands, including Juul and Vuse. It was intended to bring scientific scrutiny to the multibillion-dollar vaping market after years of regulatory delays.

Those brands have been sold in the U.S. for years, awaiting FDA action on their scientific applications. To stay on the market, companies must show that their e-cigarettes provide an overall health benefit for smokers, without significantly appealing to kids.

“Based upon our rigorous scientific review, in this instance, the strength of evidence of benefits to adult smokers from completely switching to a less harmful product was sufficient to outweigh the risks to youth,” said Matthew Farrelly of FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. AP

Effective treatments for dry eye disease

By Dave Patel, M.D.

Dear Mayo Clinic: As I have gotten older, I notice that my eyes are almost constantly dry. I use over-the-counter eye drops to keep them moist, but I also have some itching and redness. What causes dry eyes? Are there any other treatments available to alleviate the condition?

A: Dry eye disease is a common condition that can cause an array of uncomfortable side effects, including blurry vision, eye redness, sensitivity to light, and a burning, gritty or scratchy feeling in your eyes.

Dry eyes happen because the eyes do not produce enough tears, or if the tears are not of adequate quality to keep the eyes properly lubricated.

To keep your vision clear and your eyes comfortable, you need a smooth layer of tears consistently covering the surface of your eyes. The tear film has three basic components: oil, water and mucus. Problems with any of these can cause dry eyes.

Factors that produce dry eyes

Many people may experience episodes of dry eyes during their lifetime. Aging, environment, hormones, air travel, the outdoors — there are a lot of factors that affect the lubrication of the surface of the eye. Medications, eyelid problems and excessive eye strain may also result in dry eyes. Certain medical conditions increase risk for dry eyes, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, sarcoidosis, thyroid disorders and others.

For some people with chronic dry eyes, the problem stems from glands in the eyelids called the meibomian glands. Normally, these glands make oil that slows the evaporation of tears. If the

glands become blocked, tears do not contain enough oil. Then the tears evaporate too quickly, and eyes become dry.

Eye drops are helpful

The first line of treatment for dry eyes is to try over-the-counter lubricating eye drops. Many brands contain preservatives which help minimize the risk of contamination and infection. However, over time, the preservative can become toxic to the surface of the eye.

For chronic dry eye sufferers — those people who are using lubricating eye drops more than four times a day — preservative-free eye drops are best.

Use caution not to touch the surface of the eye when using drops, which could lead to contamination and infection. Consider single-use vials since they can be discarded after use, minimizing the risk of contamination.

If you have symptoms of dry eyes that do not respond to eye drops or other standard therapies, speak to an eye specialist, as there are prescription treatments available that could help if the problem is blocked tear ducts, including anti-inflammatory medications, neurostimulators that can trigger or increase tear production, and steroids to reduce inflammatory conditions.

Other tips that may help

If you experience dry eyes, pay attention to situations that are most likely to increase your symptoms. For instance:

• Avoid air blowing in your eyes. Don’t direct hair dryers, car heaters, air conditioners or fans toward your eyes.

• Add moisture to the air. In colder months, a humidifier can add moisture to dry, indoor air.

• Consider wearing wraparound sunglasses or other protective eyewear. Safety shields can be added to the tops and sides of eyeglasses to block wind and dry air.

• Take eye breaks during long tasks. If you’re reading or doing other tasks that require visual concentration, take periodic eye breaks. Close your eyes for a few minutes. Or repeatedly blink for a few seconds to help spread your tears.

• Be aware of your environment. The air at high altitudes, in desert areas and

in airplanes can be arid. Frequently close your eyes for a few minutes at a time to minimize the evaporation of your tears.

• Position your computer screen below eye level. If your computer screen is above eye level, you’ll open your eyes wider to view the screen, speeding the evaporation of your tears.

• Stop smoking and avoid smoke.

© 2024 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Join us for warm, participatory, egalitarian year-round Shabbat Services and High Holiday services.

We are a Kehillah Mekabelet – a Welcoming Congregation for all families, couples, and individuals of all races, heritages, ethnicities, gender identities/expressions, and sexual orientations.

Our building, bima (ark podium) and facilities are wheelchair accessible.

Congregation Beit Tikvah

Baltimore’s Jewish Reconstructionist Synagogue in Roland Park 5802 Roland Avenue, 21210-1310 • 410-464-9402 info@beittikvah.org • www.beittikvah.org

Medicare coverage not meeting your needs? Now’s the time to switch.

Get complete coverage with a Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage (HMO) plan.

Medical, hospital, and prescription drug coverage1 all in one plan with premiums as low as $0, 2 plus these added benefits:

• Comprehensive dental plan

• Hearing aid allowance

• $0 copays for mail-order generic drugs

• Over-the-counter (OTC) quarterly wellness benefit

• Transportation to care at no cost

• Thriving After 60 community

• Fitness center membership and online workout classes

Benefits vary by plan option.

NOT A MEMBER YET?

Contact a Kaiser Permanente Medicare specialist today: Pauline Gibbs Pauline.Gibbs@kp.org l 1-410-387-1878

Don’t toss food scraps; repurpose them

By Katlyn Moncada

It’s a pretty safe bet that at some point, we’ve all thrown away a leftover scrap of food. The average American household tosses up to $2,000 worth of food every year.

While making good use of leftovers or preserving and canning foods are excellent ways to prevent food waste, you may be throwing out food scraps that you didn’t even know were edible or could be easily repurposed.

We put together a list of tasty ways to use

food scraps you may not have tried before.

1. Use almost empty jars for sauces. When your jar of mayonnaise or peanut butter is almost empty, use it to shake up a sauce for pasta or make a salad dressing so you’ll use every last bit.

Bonus: Because you don’t have to get out a bowl, this also prevents more dishes from getting dirty!

2. Put a cheese rind in your soup. The rind at the end of your ParmigianoReggiano cheese is packed with a salty,

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umami flavor that can really enhance your dishes. Try throwing a rind into your pot of minestrone or pasta sauce while cooking and remove before serving.

3. Coat your food with bottom-ofthe-bag crumbs. Those crumbs in the bottom of the chip bag or box of crackers don’t have to go to waste. Many dishes such as casseroles benefit from their crunchy addition as a topper. Crushed chips also make great coatings for chicken, fish and other proteins.

4. Freeze herbs for a burst of flavor in your dishes. Before leftover herbs can start to turn bad, blend them in some olive oil and freeze them in ice cube trays. Pop a cube into soups for a quick flavor boost or use for a sauce on top of meat or pasta.

5. Give fruit a new life before it’s too far gone. This is no surprise, but some fruits on the verge of going overripe are even better baked (we’re looking at you, banana bread!). For other fruit that’s a little too soft for your taste, but not rotten, make fruit jams or fruit butters with apples, pears or peaches in your slow cooker.

6. Reap the nutritious benefits of fruit and veggie tops. Those leafy greens on most of your fruits and vegetables can have a life beyond the compost bin:

• Beets: Add the leaves to a roasted

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Pickersgill assisted living residents are rarely in l their rooms! Instead, , theyy’re out and about— participating in a community activity or event or dining with friends.

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beet salad for more flavor.

• Carrots: Some wild carrots may have poisonous tops, but those sold in stores by well-known farms are not poisonous and are actually good for you. Add them to your tray of roasted veggies or try using the tops in pesto.

• Celery: Toss the leaves into veggie soups.

• Radishes: Enjoy the tops raw or chopped into a salad.

• Turnips: These tops have a slightly bitter taste and do best when sauteed with strong flavors like bacon.

7. Save pickle and jalapeño brine for marinades. The not-so-hidden secret ingredient at that popular chicken sandwich restaurant actually uses pickle brine to flavor the chicken breast before breading. So save that jar and use the brine the same way you would vinegar in dressings and marinades.

You can do the same with jalapeño brine. Try adding it to a spicy cocktail.

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

© 2024 Dotdash Meredith. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Each assisted liv g resident enjoys three chef-prepared meals per day, ing re y services, medication administration, help with daily housekeeping and laundry se quest, and all included in a reasonable monthly tasks and more—always by reques o all of the fee. Each h resi s dent also has access to all Pickersgill ameni l ties. private, full bath, and residents are

Our assisted living g residences include a priv wish. This is a lifestyle dedicated to encouraged to decoraate their homes as they al staff. independence and assured by a caring, professionalfessionalstasttaff.

Call 888-877-9883 today for more information or to schedule your personal tour.

By Kathleen Peddicord

[The following is an excerpt from the justpublished book At Home Abroad: Retire Big on Little, by former Baltimorean Kathleen Peddicord.]

Traditionally, retirement has been about withdrawing from the rest of the world and a formerly busy life. I’ve never understood why anyone would want to do that. After decades of working hard, paying taxes, raising kids, and deferring what you wanted to do because you had no choice but to spend your time doing what you had to do, this phase — no matter at what age you’re fortunate enough to embrace it — is your chance to be more engaged than ever in the world, in life and in the pursuit of happiness.

Retirement is an opportunity to think big and act boldly, a chance to broaden your perspective and your world, to leverage your decades of experience to take control of your future. Retirement is your chance to add a dose of swagger to your lifestyle.

As you prepare for this critical juncture, don’t let geography get in the way. Looking beyond your borders is the key to ensuring yourself the richest retirement possible.

I made my first international move from Baltimore, Maryland, to Waterford, Ireland, with the support of my longtime employer. He sent me off to establish an EU base for his publishing firm.

When I left Baltimore bound for a job in Ireland in 1998, I had no idea where that move would lead. No idea that seven years later I would swap Waterford for Paris...then, four years after that, Paris for Panama City. Had I tried to plan for the long term, I might never have left Maryland. Looking too far into the future can be overwhelming.

Taking the all-important first step requires a leap of faith.

Whatever nest egg you’ve got — shoestring or luxe — that budget will buy you a more engaging, more satisfying, and more

Retire abroad to broaden your horizons

adventure-filled lifestyle in many, many places around the world than wherever you’re moving from.

Retiring overseas equals retiring up. A Pacific beach home in Panama costs a fraction as much as one on the coast of California, and a penthouse in Medellín, Colombia, one of the most fully appointed cities in the world, can cost less than a singlestory duplex outside Des Moines.

Meeting new people

Another concern for people considering an overseas move is whether they’ll find like-minded friends, a welcoming community, and, in some cases, love.

One of the most unexpected and welcome surprises for many senior expats is the discovery that in their adopted country, their age earns them a level of respect not found back home. Western culture places a higher value on youth than most other cultures. The overall trend in elderly care in the United States has most older folks removed from society at a certain point. This is not how things operate elsewhere.

Other cultures, particularly in Asia, have traditions of treating older people with more consideration. Seniors are recognized for the unique contributions they can make to society at this stage.

As an older woman living overseas, you might find yourself on the receiving end of acts of chivalry such as having the door held open for you. Some Americans may view this as a form of sexism, but in many cultures it’s a sincere form of courtesy and respect.

The family is still the center of society across many Latin American, Asian, and European cultures, and older people are visible participants in that society. Communities across Portugal provide programs for seniors at schools, libraries, plazas, churches and civic centers. In Spain, it’s common to see groups of elegantly dressed elderly ladies socializing over drinks in the town plaza. And in Vietnam you’ll see groups of sen-

iors gathering for exercise and dance classes in local parks. Such activities are a great way for seniors, especially single seniors, to make connections.

Health Insurance

The next important practical issue you should address early in your retire-overseas planning is health insurance. You have four options: an international policy, a local policy, a travel policy, or no policy at all.

Former Baltimorean Kathleen Peddicord, pictured here outside the Louvre at her new home base in Paris, divides her time between France and Panama. Peddiford has been writing about traveling, living and retiring overseas for more than 30 years.

Best states to live as a retiree in the U.S.

By Kathryn Pomroy

Florida, Colorado and Virginia top the list of the best places to retire in the U.S. in 2024, according to a new survey from WalletHub.

The survey compared the 50 states across 46 key indicators — from tax rates and the cost of living, to access to quality medical care and fun activities.

formed before you change your address is a smart move.

Regardless of the reason for moving in retirement — living closer to family, cheaper cost of living, downsizing, better healthcare or just wanting a different view out of the kitchen window — being in-

So, which are the best states to retire in?

We’ve highlighted the top 10.

Among the top 10 states to retire, Florida comes in at number one, followed by Colorado, Virginia, Delaware, Wyoming, Idaho, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Montana and Pennsylvania.

The next 15 states also earn the distinction of being good states to retire in 2024: South Carolina, Utah, South Dakota, Arizona, North Carolina, Massachusetts, California, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Missouri, Michigan, Nebraska, Maine, Alabama and Ohio.

“Being retired brings freedom, but it also naturally comes with financial constraints, with many seniors living on a fixed income,” said Cassandra Happe, WalletHub Analyst.

“To make the most of your retirement savings, you should retire in a state where the cost of living and tax rates are friendly to retirees if you have the resources,” Hope said.

“You should also consider factors like the quality of the state’s healthcare system and the abundance of activities that you enjoy.”

Worst states

The worst states for retirees, according to WalletHub, are those the lack those factors as well as those that have a high cost of living. These 10 worst places to retire in 2024 generally have higher taxes and crime rates and inadequate healthcare facilities.

Of the 10 worst states to retire in, Kentucky holds the unfortunate distinction of being No. 1, followed by New Jersey, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, Louisiana, New York, Washington, Arkansas and Illinois.

To read the full report, visit wallethub.com/edu/best-places-to-retire/6165. © 2024 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Ongoing

PARKINSON’S VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP

This group provides education and support for individuals coping with the physical, emotional and social impact of Parkinson’s disease. It is free and open to the public. The group meets on the second Tuesday of each month, from 2 to 3 p.m., on Zoom. Register at bit.ly/ParkinsonsDiseaseGroup. For more information, contact the group facilitator, Michelle Goldberg, at mgoldberg@jcsbaltimore.org or (410) 843-7355.

Oct. 19

WILDLIFE GARDENING WORKSHOP

Observe monarch butterflies up close as they prepare for their journey to Mexico for winter. Also pick up free milkweed plants and learn about both at this free hands-on wildlife gardening workshop on Sat., Oct. 19 at 10 a.m. at the Rash Field Park, 201 Key Hwy., Baltimore. For more information and to sign up, visit bit.ly/monarchtalk.

BEACON BITS

The final option can be more reasonable than it may seem. In some places — Thailand, for example — medical care is so affordable that it can make sense to pay for it as you need it rather than insuring against it.

Local insurance is cheap but limited in its coverage. International insurance is more expensive — though less expensive than comparable coverage in the United States — and can cover you anywhere you roam.

One of the main advantages of an international health insurance policy is that it can cover you under all circumstances anywhere in the world, making it a good option if you plan to move around among two or three countries. It's also perfect if you intend to divide your time between your chosen overseas haven and the United States, because it can be possible to purchase an international health policy that will also cover you when you return or pass through Stateside.

This is the kind of coverage my husband and I carry through Azimuth. Our policy covers us anywhere in the world,

including in the United States. It’s a relative bargain at $400 or $500 a month or less.

Local medical insurance is even more affordable. Coverage can cost less than $100 a month. In some countries, depending on your age, it can cost less than $50 a month. However, local insurance providers accept new policyholders only through a certain age that is typically younger than the cutoff age for an international policy. You should speak with an expert to decide what makes most sense for you.

Take a test spin

So don’t sell your home. Keep your car if you like it. Lock the lawn mower in the garage. Pack a few bags and head off to some place that’s got your attention for a month or two. Don’t even think about buying a house or anything else. Rent small and modest or arrange an extended stay in a B&B or guesthouse. Keep it low-key and low pressure.

Because this doesn’t have to be like jumping off a cliff; you can ease into the idea. Then, if you find the place you take for a test spin disappointing in some way, you can return home (remember, your

car’s waiting for you in the driveway) and begin planning your next “go-overseas” holiday. Give someplace else a chance. You could continue like this for years. You’d be enjoying some of the benefits of a new life in a new country (maybe a dramatically reduced cost of living, better weather, cheaper medical care, new friends, grand adventures, plus little luxuries you probably can’t afford now like full-time household help), but you’d have a safety net.

What you’ll find is that with each gooverseas foray your confidence will build and your plan will evolve.

You could begin renting out your place back home when you’re not using it. This income would help to subsidize the expense of your adventures abroad. You could, eventually, invest in new digs in a place you decide you like well enough to want to return to regularly.

Take it one step at a time and let your retire-overseas plan develop organically. Just as there’s no one-size-fits-all overseas haven, neither is there a go-overseas plan that suits everyone.

Retired overseas, you’ll become a better you. Everything and everyone will be different. Every day will present discovery. Your brain will work overtime to connect new dots and create new routines. You will grow more resourceful, more self-assured, and quicker on your feet in real time. Six months after you’ve made your move, you might not recognize yourself.

Excerpted from At Home Abroad: Retire Big on Little. Reprinted with permission. Kathleen Peddicord is co-owner of Live and Invest Overseas. She wrote her first book on retiring abroad at the age of 24 and has spent time in 75 countries since then. She divides her time between Paris and Los Islotes, Panama.

Considering a mortgage refi? Consider this

By Alex Veiga

Mortgage rates haven’t been this attractive in more than a year, which is good news for homeowners eager to refinance.

Many homeowners have already jumped at the opportunity to lower their monthly payment, spurring a surge in mortgage refinancing applications.

And that was before the average rate on a 30-year mortgage fell in September to 6.35%, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. As recently as May, the rate averaged 7.22%. It’s now at a 14-month low.

The rush to refinance makes sense, as even a slight drop in mortgage rates can translate into significant savings over the long run.

For a home with the median U.S. listing price of $440,000, a buyer who makes a 20% down payment at today’s average mortgage rate would save over $300 a month compared to what it would have cost to buy the same home in October, when the average rate hit a 23-year high of 7.79%.

Still, there’s more to consider than the

mortgage rate. It can cost thousands of dollars to refinance, and not all the fees can always be rolled into the new loan.

Breaking even on the costs of refinancing may take months or years, depending on the difference between your current rate and your new rate. So, refinancing may not make sense if you plan to sell the home before that happens.

Here are some key factors to consider as you weigh whether now is the right time to refinance your home loan:

• Are rates attractive enough to make refinancing worthwhile?

While mortgage rates have come down, the average rate on a 30-year home loan is still more than double what it was just three years ago.

Some 86% of all outstanding home mortgages have an interest rate below 6%, and more than three-quarters have a rate of 5% or lower, according to Realtor.com.

If your mortgage rate falls within that range, you’ll want to make sure you can refinance to a significantly lower rate than you have now.

One rule of thumb to consider is whether you can reduce your rate by half to three-quarters of a percentage point, said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate. “That’s when it’s time to start thinking about it,” he said.

Someone with a 30-year mortgage at

7.5% or 8%, for example, should be looking for rates to be in the low 6% range.

Homeowners with an adjustable-rate mortgage, or ARM, that’s set to adjust to a higher rate may also want to consider refinancing while rates head lower.

• How long will it take to break even on the refi costs?

The break-even period on a mortgage refinance will be shorter the more significant your savings are. For example, if you’re refinancing from a rate of 8% down to 6%, the break-even period is going to be far shorter than if you refinance from 6.75% down to 6.25%.

So, it’s important to factor in how long you plan to live in the home to make sure you’re going to make up the cost of refinancing.

• Consider the overall and upfront costs

Charges and fees can shortchange refinancers who are focused only on the potential savings. And just because you can typically roll over many or most of the costs into a new loan doesn’t mean the loan is free.

If you’re rolling over the costs into your new loan, you’re either taking on a larger balance or paying a slightly higher rate to compensate for those costs.

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FREE HOUSING AND OTHER INFORMATION

For free information from advertisers in this special section, check off those that interest you below and mail, or take a picture of, and email, this coupon to the Beacon. All coupons received by October 20 will be entered into a random drawing for tickets. You need not request advertiser info to win.

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Refinance

From page B-4

And there may be fees that you have to pay at closing, including costs for an appraisal, title insurance, a survey fee or local taxes outside the lender’s control.

• Should you wait for rates to ease further?

Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including how the bond market reacts to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions. That can move the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

The yield, which topped 4.7% in late April, slid briefly last month to around 3.7% as nervous investors sought out the safety of U.S. bonds following worse-than-expected labor market data. Yields fall as bond prices go up.

Beyond that, signs of waning inflation have raised expectations that the Fed will

cut its benchmark interest rate for the first time in four years.

If bond yields continue to decline in anticipation of the Fed lowering rates this fall, that could lead mortgage rates to ease further, though most economists expect the average rate on a 30-year home loan to remain above 6% this year.

But an argument could be made that the bond market’s expectations of a Fed rate cut have already been priced in, which could mean rates don’t come down as much in coming months.

If you’re on the fence about whether to refinance now or hold out for lower rates, it’s good to at least get ready and speak with your lender or shop around so that you can move quickly when you’re able to lock in an attractive rate.

“We are likely to see mortgage rates trend lower, but rates can move suddenly, and it pays to jump on it when the opportunity arises,” McBride said. —AP

CATHOLIC CHARITIES VOLUNTEERS

Catholic Charities of Baltimore offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for older adults in the Baltimore area. Search all open positions on the volunteer portal by going to bit.ly/CatholicCharitiesVolunteer. For more information on volunteering for Catholic Charities of Maryland, visit cc-md.org/get-involved/volunteer or call (667) 600-2000.

Ongoing

BECOME A SENIOR COMPANION

Baltimore City’s Health Department seeks volunteers to regularly visit older homebound neighbors. This program provides a small hourly stipend (which won’t interfere with Social Security benefits) and a monthly bus pass. To apply for the Senior Companion Program, visit bit.ly/SCPinBaltimore. For more information, call (410) 396-2273.

FREE EVENTS AT COPPIN STATE

Oct. 4

Enjoy two free events that combine entertainment with information on dementia as part of the Alzheimer’s Association’s outreach efforts to Maryland residents. On Fri., Oct. 4 at 7 p.m., hear saxophonist Adrian Crutchfield perform in concert at Coppin State University’s James Weldon Johnson Auditorium, 2500 W. North Ave., Baltimore. On Sat., Oct. 5 at 2 p.m., see the play Unforgettable, also at the auditorium. Registration for both events is required at unforgettableplay.com.

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BEACON BITS

After downsizing, should you buy or rent?

By Evan T. Beach

I grew up in a Red Sox household. The mere sight of the Yankees’ logo caused a gag reflex until my early 30s when I realized just how ridiculous that was.

People tend to have similar feelings about renting vs. owning a home. They pick a side and stick with it. Logic be damned.

For retirees, there are many more fans of owning than there are of renting, with Vanguard estimating that 80% of retirees are homeowners.

In the first half of this article, I’ll side with the majority and give you the four reasons it may make sense to buy a property again in retirement. In the second half, I’ll point out four reasons to rent (or move to a retirement community) as a retiree.

Reasons to buy

1. You’ll have stability. Homeowners don’t have rent increases. Homeowners don’t have landlords who decide to sell their house. The homeowner is ultimately the one who gets to decide whether they stay.

Moving in your 20s with a friend’s pickup truck is not fun. Moving in your 70s after trying to get rid of 40 years’ worth of stuff is much, much less fun.

Buying your retirement home increases the odds you’ll stay put.

2. You could benefit from possible tax advantages. Prior to 2018, I would have deleted the “possible” above. Under the current tax code, the Tax Foundation estimates that only 13.7% of filers itemize their deductions.

If you fall in that group, or would because of a purchase instead of a rental, then there are tax advantages to homeownership. You can deduct property taxes and mortgage interest, subject to various significant limits, from your gross income.

[Ed. Note: However, you may have to pay capital gains taxes if you don’t reinvest in another home.You can exclude up to $250,000 of gains ($500,000 if married filing jointly) if you have owned and lived in the home you sell as your primary residence for two out of the last five years.]

3. You’ll have control. If modifications are necessary in order to stay in the new home — a ramp, hand railings, etc. — there is no landlord who has to approve that decision.As a homeowner, you control pretty much every aspect of the interior.

4. Your home would be an inflation hedge. Ah, the “i” word. Inflation hedges today are as beloved as the Macarena was in the 90s. Unfortunately, homeownership as an inflation hedge was much more powerful when mortgage rates were at 3% instead of over 6%.

The idea here is that the principal and

interest portions of your monthly payment are fixed so long as your mortgage is fixed. Your payments should not increase by as much as rent can.

The decision to downsize, followed by what you downsize into, can be a make-orbreak moment for many retirees. Do it properly, and you’ll be financially secure as you sail into the sunset. Make a location mistake or overextend yourself, and you could be in a very precarious position.

Start with location. Social circles are especially important in this decision. From there, establish both rental and purchase budgets. Knowing where you’re going to go and what you can spend makes the other parts a lot easier. Happy hunting!

Reasons to rent instead

I know: You’re a homeowner. You’ve owned a home for 40 years. You’d rather pay your mortgage than someone else’s. I have heard it before. And, sometimes, I agree.

When I finished college, I moved to Philadelphia. It was a city that I knew very little about outside of its snowball-throwing football fans. A year later, I moved again. A year after that, my company moved me to Virginia.

The point is that when life is shifting quickly, it makes sense to have housing that is flexible enough to shift with it. I find the re-

tirement downsize to be one of those times.

1. You can try (the neighborhood or new city) before you buy. If you’re moving to a new location, a Google search of “best neighborhoods in (fill in the blank) for retirees” probably isn’t sufficient. My retired dad loves the walkability of his neighborhood. My retired father-in-law loves the privacy his neighborhood offers him.

I worked with two couples who bought and sold, sold and bought, all during Covid. It turned out that the places they loved to vacation weren’t as appealing when they moved there. This eliminated almost 25% of the equity they originally had.

The option to rent is admittedly easier in urban locations than in rural ones. It’s possible that the home style, layout or location is only available for purchase.

That said, there are a number of companies, such as AMH (formerly American Homes 4 Rent), that are attempting to institutionalize single-family rentals. In the future, the rental experience may be more consistent across the country.

2. Your costs are more predictable. Initial homeownership costs tend to be unpredictable. The third home I bought required three new basement floors within the first year due to flooding.

When you rent, you can reliably plan

See RENT OR BUY? , page B-8

BEACON BITS

ALZHEIMER’S FOUNDATION HELPLINE

Have questions about Alzheimer’s disease? Connect with licensed social workers seven days a week through the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s National Toll-Free Helpline. Call 1-866-232-8484, text (646) 5865283, or web chat at alzfdn.org by clicking the blue and white chat icon in the righthand corner of the page. Web and text help are available in more than 90 languages.

DONATE BLOOD IF YOU CAN

The American Red Cross is experiencing a national blood shortage. There is an emergency need for platelet donors and type O blood donors, but donors of all blood types are needed. To schedule an appointment or find upcoming blood donation drives, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1800-RED CROSS.

Sept. 21+

COMMUNITY SHRED DAYS

Did you know that local libraries host a free paper shredding day every month? Shred your confidential paperwork on Saturday, Sept. 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Owings Mills Branch, 10302 Grand Central Avenue, Owings Mills, MD. On Sat., Oct. 19, from 10 a.m. to noon, visit the Lansdowne Branch, 500 3rd Ave., Lansdowne, MD. Limit of three boxes per household. For more information, visit events.bcpl.info or ask your local branch.

Rent or buy?

From page B-7

your costs during your lease term. The flip side of this is that you have no control upon renewal of the lease and may find yourself moving again.

3. Your home is turnkey or move-in ready. We often think of turnkey in terms of moving in. You “turn the key,” and your move-in is complete. I view the benefit of renting as being turnkey more based on the fact that you can “turn the key” and leave. It is rare that I come across a retiree who doesn’t have travel as a major line item in their annual budget. When I leave my own home for vacations, I check the HVAC, sump pump and outside drains, and I make sure my dog is taken care of. Renters only have to think about their dog.

4. Your kids won’t fight (as much). Several years ago, I was teaching a course to a local group of estate attorneys. One of the attendees, a well-respected trust and estate attorney, claimed he had never han-

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Park View at Severna Park: 410-544-3411

BALTIMORE CITY

Ednor Apartments I: 410-243-0180

Ednor Apartments II: 410-243-4301

The Greens at Irvington Mews: 410-644-4487

Park Heights Place: 410-578-3445

Park View at Ashland Terrace: 410-276-6440

Park View at Coldspring: 410-542-4400

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

BALTIMORE COUNTY (CONT.)

Park View at Rosedale: 410-866-1886

Park View at Taylor: 410-663-0363

Park View at Towson: 410-828-7185

Park View at Woodlawn: 410-281-1120

EASTERN SHORE

Park View at Easton: 410-770-3070

HARFORD COUNTY

Park View at Bel Air: 410-893-0064

Park View at Box Hill: 410-515-6115

HOWARD COUNTY

Park View at Colonial Landing: 410-796-4399

Park View at Columbia: 410-381-1118

Park View at Ellicott City: 410-203-9501

Park View at Ellicott City II: 410-203-2096

Park View at Emerson: 301-483-3322

Park View at Snowden River: 410-290-0384

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Park View at Bladensburg: 301-699-9785 • 55 & Better

Park View at Laurel: 301-490-1526

Park View at Laurel II: 301-490-9730

dled an estate with three or more children where there wasn’t conflict.

The center of the conflict is often the real estate. Michael wants to hang on to the property so all the grandkids have a place to gather. Katie wants to turn it into a rental to increase passive income. Sean wants to sell it because he needs the cash.

People incorrectly assume that real estate is more tax-friendly to inherit than a more liquid taxable investment account. This is incorrect. Both are considered capital assets that should receive a “step-up” in basis at death.

Of course, your financial situation and the life you want to lead should dictate whether you rent or own. The Financial Planning Association published extensive research in six different markets to try to figure out which was more advantageous. It was inconclusive.

To be clear, I am not for one over the other. I am for being open-minded.

I am against the idea that all of us should count on this scenario: “You get married, you buy a house, you have kids, you die happy.” Life is more complicated than that.

Evan T. Beach is a certified financial planner.

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

BEACON BITS

Ongoing Ongoing

NATURE CENTER VOLUNTEERS

Irvine Nature Center seeks volunteers of all ages and abilities to share their love of the environment and education with the community. To browse all volunteer opportunities at Irvine Nature Center, located at 11201 Garrison Forest Rd., Owings Mills, visit explorenature.org/individualvolunteers. For more information, call (443) 738-9200.

DONATE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

Donate your unused medical equipment to the Maryland Department of Aging for others to use. Donation centers are located in multiple counties; for locations and more information, visit bit.ly/MDMedicEquip or call (240) 230-8000.

Ongoing

DISCOUNTED THEATER, MUSEUM TICKETS

Senior Box Office, a volunteer program supported in part by the Baltimore County Department on Aging, offers discounts on tickets to performances, museums and other events. The tickets are available to all Marylanders 55 years or older as well as their household members. To apply, call Senior Box Office at (410) 887-5399 or email sbo@seniorboxoffice.org to have an application mailed to you.

MoneyMoney Law &

Giving back helps mentors, too. Our cover story continues on page 10.

How to organize important documents

By Ella Vincent

Even if your estate plan is in order, it won’t be of much help to your heirs if they can’t locate important documents when you’re no longer around.

Organizing your financial and estateplanning documents — and letting your family know where you’ve stored them — will make it easier for your loved ones to care for you if you become incapacitated, and it will smooth the process of settling your estate after you’re gone.

Plus, while you’re still alive, you’ll be able to quickly track down paperwork.

Start with a file

To organize your records, you can use an accordion file or binder and divide the documents into different categories, such as estate planning, life insurance policies, property titles and investment statements.

You should also include categories for health insurance, long-term-care insurance, and bank account and credit card information. That way, your family will have the details they need to pay medical bills if you’re hospitalized for a long period.

Use Microsoft Word or Google Docs to write down additional details — such as who you want to take care of your pets, a list of subscriptions and memberships, and passcodes to any home security systems or online accounts.

Once you draw up the documents, print them and place them in your binder. (You

can also store them digitally — more on that below.)

Where to store documents

Store your documents in a secure area, such as a locked filing cabinet or fireproof safe in your home. Make sure your loved ones know the location of your cabinet or safe, and give them any keys, combinations or codes required to access it.

If you don’t want to keep the documents in your home, you can entrust them with your estate lawyer, said George Taylor, estate attorney with Brinkley Morgan.

“Your estate attorney can store original documents, like your will and titles to your house and car. Then you and the executor of your will can have copies,” he said.

You can put copies of your will and other important documentsin a safe-deposit box, but it’s usually not a good idea to keep originals there if you’re the sole owner.

After your death, the bank will seal the safe-deposit box until an executor can prove he or she has the legal right to access it. That could lead to long and potentially costly delays before your will is executed.

Digital options

You should keep original, paper versions of your will, power of attorney and other key estate-planning documents. But if you’d like to create a backup of your paper documents, consider using a flash drive (which you can plug into your computer’s USB

port) to collect them all in one place.

Alternatively, you can use a cloud storage system, such as Microsoft’s OneDrive or Apple’s iCloud. OneDrive’s free version gives you 5 gigabytes (GB) of cloud storage. Its family version, which allows up to six individuals to share and access documents, costs $99.99 a year.

Apple’s iCloud Drive also provides 5GB of free storage. For 99 cents a month, you can upgrade to iCloud+, which provides 50GB of storage, and you can share it with up to five family members.

Whichever option you choose, protect documents in the cloud by creating strong passwords and adding two-step verification [Ed. Note: which may, for example, require you to reply to an email or text message to gain access].

Your heirs will need passwords to log in to your online accounts, so make sure they have easy access to them [Ed. Note: and to any device they might need for two-step verification].

You can write them down in a document to store in your binder, or use a secure password-management tool. A family membership to 1Password ($4.99 a month after a

two-week free trial) offers shared account access for up to five family members. With Bitwarden, you can share your account with one other person free. Or sign up for a family membership ($40 a year), which allows access for up to six people.

How to make updates

Update your documents each time you have a life change. For example, you may need to alter the beneficiaries in your will or life insurance policies if you get divorced or have grandchildren, and living trusts should be updated to reflect the purchase or sale of property included in the trust. Even if you haven’t undergone any big changes, check your documents at least once a year to make sure the information is current.

If you entrusted your estate attorney with your documents, he or she can also help you keep them up to date, Taylor said. Ask your estate attorney to send you an annual email or letter reminding you to update your information, and make sure the right person is still in charge of your affairs, he said.

page 1

Marge Everett, co-chair of the Greater Baltimore chapter of SCORE.

Everett started volunteering with SCORE eight years ago, when she retired from banking. She has mentored hundreds of people and enjoys passing on what she knows about writing business plans and launching a company.

“SCORE is the perfect volunteer experi-

BEACON BITS

Oct. 22

ence for retired businesspeople,” she said.

“It’s a perfect use for the knowledge and experience you have if you want to give back, it you want to be involved, if you want to stay engaged.”

A way to stay in the game

When Ed Coleman retired after 40 years in direct marketing, he “was looking for an opportunity to give back,” he said, so he became a SCORE mentor.

After all, he said, “We’ve all had mentors

HOW TO SELL IN AMAZON’S STORE

This free webinar by SCORE, an organization that helps individuals start and grow small businesses, introduces the basics of selling with Amazon, including what to sell and when, how to list and deliver your products, and how to grow and scale your brand online. The event takes place online on Tue., Oct. 22 at noon. Register at bit.ly/AmazonStoreWebinar. For more information and other free webinars, visit score.org/business-education.

throughout our careers and lifetimes who have helped us grow. So this is the opportunity to give back.”

Coleman is proud that in the past nine years, he has helped hundreds of small business owners.

“We’re contributing to the economic development and growth in the communities in which we live,” he said.

Coleman is now the vice president for the Mid-Atlantic Region of SCORE, which includes 30 chapters. But he’s still a mentor and remains in touch with the clients he had when he first started volunteering in 2015.

“It’s an interesting opportunity to meet people from all walks of life, age, ethnicity, gender,” he said. “It’s a broad cross-section of people.”

Just like teachers learn as they teach, SCORE helps mentors stay current in the business world. As a volunteer, they have access to free educational opportunities about everything from social media strate-

gies to AI (artificial intelligence).

“One of SCORE’s values is lifelong learning, and that applies to our volunteers as well as to our clients,” Coleman said.

Don’t have to be retired

Despite the nonprofit’s original name, which referenced “retired executives,” you don’t have to be retired to join SCORE. About half of SCORE volunteers are still working, like Michael Gallagher of Severna Park, Maryland.

Gallagher, a sales representative, heard about SCORE from a client and signed up for free mentoring. His mentor was so helpful that, two years later, Gallagher decided to become a mentor himself.

“He was very warm and helpful and easy to get ahold of. It was like finding a long-lost friend,” Gallagher said.

Now Gallagher advises SCORE clients from all over the country, from Florida to Texas to Oregon. He talks on the phone, on Zoom or in person.

“I try to meet face to face, but if you’re in Oregon that’s a tough ask,” Gallagher said. “A lot of [entrepreneurs] are working by themselves and just need someone to bounce ideas off of.”

The benefits can go both ways. Not only do business owners get free advice, mentors feel useful when they pass it on.

“Things I take for granted, things I’ve known a long time, are not known by everybody,” Gallagher said.

“I like the feeling I get from helping someone. I like being there and being available.”

October 15 and 22:

Morgan State nutritionists explore foods that support healthy aging. Learn to personalize your plate for maximum health benefits with plantbased foods.

Learning Experiences: You and Osher at JHU

Then, culinary students from Morgan State demonstrate the depth and simplicity of Nigerian Rice and Stew, followed by Mediterranean Kale and Chickpea Skillet so you can make these at home.

November 12 and 19:

Dr. Bart Paulhamus presents the work of The Intelligent Systems Center (ISC) based at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab (APL), where Hopkins’ expertise in national security, space exploration, and health come together to address national challenges.

In week two, tour the ISC to see first-hand its research and development in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Neuroscience.

December 10:

Enjoy the Octopodes—Johns Hopkins’ oldest premier acapella group whose voices bring a tour de force of raw energy and sound sharing a mix of music for your listening pleasure.

Register: 240-595-2219 osher@jhu.edu

For more information about finding a mentor or becoming one, visit Score.org/ greaterbaltimore or call 1-800-634-0245.

Documents to share with family

Make sure to include the following information in a binder or digital file:

• Will or trust

• Powers of attorney for finances and healthcare

• Organ donation form

• Living will

• Letter of instruction for your heirs

• Beneficiary designations

• HIPAA release (allows healthcare providers to share information about you with authorized individuals)

• Bank and financial statements

• Real estate deeds and titles

• Retirement account documents

• Life insurance policies

• List of important personal property, such as jewelry and artwork, and estimated values

• Funeral instruction

Note: This article first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make.

Travel Leisure &

Three-day olive-harvest getaway in Spain

By Martha Steger

Standing in an olive grove in southwestern Spain, I felt a bit like Moses raising his staff and parting the Red Sea.

Stick in hand, I struck an olive tree’s large limbs, and voila! A hail of ripe, green olives thundered to the ground. How different this was from the slow picking of blueberries, strawberries and even peaches on my family’s farm on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

Travel experiences such as olive harvests needn’t be like going to the theater and watching others do it. They can — and should — have a participatory component.

After decades of traveling, I had that epiphany a few years ago: Firsthand experiences, beyond talking to the locals, are what make or break our travels.

Last September, after a conference in Madrid, five other journalists and I sought out a long weekend in the olive-growing region of Extremadura.

The bonus, it turned out, was that the area has more Roman ruins than anywhere else in Spain. We combined traditional sightseeing with hands-on experiences for an ideal getaway.

Roman roots

Extremadura’s capital, Mérida, helped us understand the development of a European city from its beginnings 2,000 years ago.

Here, in the westernmost province of

ancient Rome (founded in the first century B.C.E.), we spent a full day strolling among sites, including Early Christian basilicas.

Most memorable was our five-minute walk covering more than a thousand years historically and architecturally. We went from Plaza de España to a half-mile-long bridge — the Puente Romano — spanning the Rio Guadiana.

The later Muslim era is also represented, as the bridge adjoins Alcazaba, an 11th century Islamic fortress built over Roman walls.

City founders seem to have had us 21 century visitors in mind by building spectacular sights such as the Roman Theatre and the Temple of Diana close to the scenic bridge.

We jaw-dropped at the Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida, built when Augustus completed the conquest of the north of Hispania in 25 B.C.E. He intended this farflung post of the Roman Empire to present as an idealized model of Rome.

Approximately halfway (an hour’s drive) between Mérida and our more hands-on destination in Villamiel was Cáceres, a medieval walled city and province that’s a UNESCO World Heritage site.

No traveler can do everything on one trip, and I knew this place merited a return to cover Roman and Moorish occupations, as well as the Golden Age of Jewish culture in Spain.

Picnicking in olive groves

“Un-touristy” was how one of my travel companions described Villamiel, with its iffy internet service, lack of box stores, and few visitors to the municipality with fewer than a thousand inhabitants.

Cáceres was the closest population center to our rural accommodations for the next three nights — the olive mill-turnedfour-star-resort named Hotel Aqua et Oleum (Water and Oil). The hotel reflects the countryside: rustic and elegantly charming for its authenticity in presentation and service.

A decade ago, an American entrepreneur, Joseph Shortell, saw the potential in the dilapidated structure with worn stones and water wheel. In restoring the place, he preserved as much as possible of the olive mill while renovating spaces into attractive guestrooms and adding a fine chef and concierge.

Among the three dinners we enjoyed were pork cheek prepared in a stew with a seasonal fruit sauce, and semolina with walnuts. A dessert featured fresh pears cooked with pepper, cumin, honey and raisin wine — recipes worthy of internet viral distribution, if we could get online.

Our full breakfast might be crepe-like scrambled eggs with Spain’s artisanal ham

or scallion pancakes. For lunch, we picnicked on farm food either on the grounds (after striking olive trees to gather fruit) or at a nearby olive grove: charcuterie with fruit, crusty baguette and wine.

With an olive culture from trees to oil, Extremadura is about community connection. At an olive-processing plant, we witnessed a long line of cars packed with crates of homegrown olives to be pressed into oil — which, for an extra fee, might bear the label of the individual grower or family.

It’s not all work and no play: We couldn’t help but notice how often locals in the nearby towns of El Gasco, Asegur and Casares de las Hurdes laughed as they enjoyed shopping, dining, drinking and conversing with one another. That’s reason enough for a return trip.

If you go

Round-trip flights to Madrid in October start at $546. Prices vary with currency values, but it’s wise to budget an inclusive $2,500 per person for a weekend of three nights, including transportation to and from the Madrid airport, a Mérida stopover and visits to nearby sites while in Villamiel.

For travel resources, visit turismoextremadura.com/en/index.html.

In Mérida, Spain, a Roman amphitheater completed in 8 B.C.E. still hosts outdoor performances. The country’s southwestern province of Extremadura has more Roman ruins than anywhere else in Spain, including a nearby gladiator arena.

Every

Extremadura’s olive farmers harvest their crops, and some invite tourists to participate.

An 1879 lighthouse is now part of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels. See story on page 12.

PHOTO BY

Unwind along Maryland’s Eastern Shore

By Victor Block

As I drove into the tiny town of Oxford, Maryland (population about 600), I immediately began to relax. My breathing slowed, my body slouched, and when I turned to glance at my wife, Fyllis, seated beside me, she was having the same reaction.

We were looking forward to leisurely exploring the minuscule municipalities scattered about Talbot County to immerse ourselves in bygone days.

Locals pronounce the name of their county in several ways. We heard it called Tahl-but, Tall-but and Taw-but. However you say it, the destination offers a deep dive into intriguing chapters of our coun-

try’s past.

Captain John Smith surveyed the region in 1608. Indigenous people who lived in the area maintained good relations with the first English settlers, who arrived in the 1630s, and over time were assimilated into their culture through intermarriage.

The English established tobacco plantations and formally created Talbot County in 1662. The enclave was named for Lady Grace Talbot, sister of the second Lord Baltimore. He is remembered for instituting freedom of religion and separation of church and state, first in Newfoundland and Labrador in present-day Canada, and then in the Maryland colony.

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Many early immigrants were Quakers or Puritans seeking a haven from persecution, or people from Ireland and Scotland transported to the colony as indentured servants. Adding to the mix were both free and enslaved African Americans.

Lots of local museums

Fyllis and I were delighted to learn that each town in Talbot County has a museum that relates its history.

The Tilghman Watermen’s Museum, for instance, celebrates the work and culture of people who earn their livelihood on rivers and bays. Occupying what once was the island’s barbershop, the museum brings their stories to life with videos, boat models, tools of the trade and art.

The centerpiece of the Oxford Museum is a lighthouse lens named for AugustinJean Fresnel, a French engineer who, in the 1820s, invented a lens that intensifies light. Other exhibits are devoted to oysters, ducks and watermen.

This region is home to the oldest Black community in the United States, and you’ll

find museums, trails and other references to this history. The Water’s Edge Museum in Oxford portrays the lives of Black farmers, watermen, sailmakers and others who played important roles in the area’s commerce and culture.

Our favorite museum was the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, an 18-acre campus that has evolved from a humble beginning into a world-class display. Fyllis and I marveled at the historic structures, more than 100 boats and boat models, decoys and a relocated lighthouse.

St. Michaels was founded in the mid1600s as a trading post for trappers and tobacco farmers. It later became a shipbuilding center.

One major claim to fame relates to the British Navy’s bombardment during the Battle of 1812. Townspeople turned off their house lights and hung lanterns in nearby trees, at which the Brits aimed their cannons. That trick resulted in St.

Eastern Shore

From page 12

Michaels becoming known as “the town that fooled the British.”

Serene, charming Oxford

Fyllis and I chose Oxford as our home base for a variety of reasons, including its serene setting. Officially established in 1683, this is a charming town of brick side-

walks, white picket fences and elegant historic homes.

In Colonial days, Oxford became a booming port, and later an active boatbuilding business thrived there. Much later, the author James Michener chose it as the place where he wrote his novel Chesapeake.

Oxford also is notable for two other reasons. One is the Robert Morris Inn, built in 1710 as a home and operating as a venerable

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hotel since 1800. Yes, George Washington slept here, as did Robert Morris, a Britishborn merchant and banker who helped finance the American Revolution and signed the Declaration of Independence.

The town also is home base for the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry, the oldest privately owned ferryboat in the country. It began transporting passengers in 1683 and now carries vehicles, trailers, bicycles and motorcycles across the Tred Avon River.

While we didn’t ride the ferry, we drove across a short drawbridge to the tiny waterman’s village of Tilghman Island (pronounced Till-man), retracing the route of spans that have existed at that site since the late 1600s.

Across the bridge, a 40-foot-tall mural titled “Pride” depicts a waterman in his boat with other vessels docked nearby, as well

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as displays of the seafood for which Talbot County is rightly famous.

A plaque pays tribute to the people “who have been working the Chesapeake Bay waters since the 1800s,” demonstrating and facing “Endurance. Perseverance. Hard Work. Ingenuity. Danger. Drive. Respect for the natural world.”

In this quiet place of beauty, respect for nature comes easily. Talbot County has more than 600 miles of shoreline, so we were never far from water.

We scanned the rivers and the bay, hoping to glimpse eagles, ospreys, cownose rays, bottlenose dolphins or even a bull shark. While we weren’t lucky enough to see rays or sharks, we did spot dolphins and fish and even an osprey gliding through the air.

For more information, visit tourtalbot.org or call (410) 770-8057.

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To schedule a personal tour call 410-889-8255

Mary’s Roland View Towers

In July, 1,500 people attended Big Band Night on the 18-acre campus of the Chesapeake Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Maryland. The facility tells the stories of the Chesapeake Bay, and features a lighthouse, hundreds of historic boats and artifacts, and educational river cruises.

PHOTO BY SHARON THORPE

Scrabble answers on p. 12.

Crossword Puzzle

Stacking 2x2’s

By Stephen Sherr

Across

1. Made a choice

6. Enters an amount into eBay

10. Treasure Ricky Henderson stole over 1400 times

14. Mona Lisa got a new one in 1970

15. Vowels that mean Artificial Intelligence Engine Optimization

Down

1. Frequently, sometimes

2. Golf shop employee

3. Pay voucher deduction

4. Radiate

5. Respectable behavior

6. Youngest person in the dugout, generally

7. It can be read as “four eyes”

8. What you learn after your ABC’s

9. Cyber instructions

16. Get Down ___ (top 10 hit for Kool & the Gang)

17. Unsafe for humans

18. Squabble

19. “Save it ___ rainy day”

20. Like a mega-bank, to some

23. Toward the departed port

26. Studio that made 1933’s King Kong

27. Go courting

28. Swamped with incoming calls

35. Quidditch equipment

36. “___ not to reason why...” (Tennyson)

37. Main character in a second person story

38. Shrieking sounds

39. Boiling over with rage

41. Preparing for sleep

42. Supervising cop, briefly

43. Most BMW’s tires should get 32

44. The last entry in allaboutbirds.org’s alphabetical list of common birds

45. Ripe for skepticism

49. “It doesn’t have to be ___ or none”

50. Fellow or buddy

51. Pedicure place

52. Old and ornery

58. More than suggest

59. Singer Amos

60. Nickname of Piedras Negras who invented a popular Tex-Mex snack in 1943

64. First character to appear on The Simpsons opening credits

65. Times listed on JFK monitors

66. Bitter

67. Downwind

68. It is often at the top of a “How I spent My Summer Vacation” essay

69. Heard, for word

10. Rave reviews

11. Small cattle

12. Popular digital assistant

13. List shortener

21. Green-lights

22. Ends to ball- and bass-

23. Under optimal assumptions

24. Choose to abstain

25. Grew fond of

29. Celtics or Bruins, in box scores

30. Part of IHOP’s Quick 2-Egg Breakfast

31. No longer fashionable

32. Popular grills

33. Score the tying goal

34. Water between Asia and Africa

39. Removes from the general population

40. “The best way to get ___ of kitchen odors is to eat out” (Phyllis Diller)

41. Middle school elective

43. It is horizontal in limbo, but vertical in dance class

44. On-line presentation

46. Reproductive cell

47. Member of the woodwind section

48. Future flower

52. Marching band instrument

53. Face-to-face exam

54. Fairy tale villain

55. Go out on a high ___

56. Golf hazard

57. Per person

61. Watch a tear-jerker

62. That guy

63. Praiseful poem

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PATIENT, PRACTICAL, PERSONAL. I can help you get comfortable and confident using your smartphone, tablet, laptop, printer, TV, Alexa, etc. 20+ years experience with all skill levels, PC, Mac. Julia: 443-436-2612, computercoachbaltimore.weebly.com

FIRST SAT’S SEPT-DEC, HOLIDAY SHOP

with CRAFTS

GALORE Marketplace in Balt County, MD. Find unique handmade goods and homemade food from juried artisans of Vendor Members Group. Interested vendors can exclusively inquire at www.vendormembersgroup.com

PRIME TIMERS OF BALTIMORE is a welcoming community for mature gay and bisexual men. The Prime Timers offer social activities that cater to the mind and body. We meet for dinners, a book club, potlucks, hiking, tours, bowling, and more! Join us! Visit baltimoreprimetimers.org or e-mail primetimersbaltimore@gmail.com for info.

WESLEY FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC Timeshare Cancellation Experts. Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 855-626-8703.

DO YOU OWE $10,000+ TO THE IRS? Call to receive a free, no obligation tax debt relief consultation! Let our tax specialists assist you! Take action now by calling: 1-877-206-7481.

PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES TODAY

with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1-301-960-3174 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.

NEW WINDOWS FROM WINDOW NATION. Special money saving offer - zero down, zero payments, zero interest for TWO years AND buy 2 windows and get 2 FREE! Offer is valid for select models. Labor not included. Other restrictions apply. Call Window Nation today! 855-909-2278.

2 SIDE BY SIDE PLOTS in the last supper section of Dulaney Valley cemetery. New plots from cemetery cost $3,750.00 each. ($7,500.00 for 2) Asking $5,000.00 for both. Call: 410-8777843.

STATIONARY WOODWORKING TOOLS.

Delta 6 inch jointer, Delta 11 inch lathe, Delta 10 inch radial arm saw, RBI 612 planer, Grizzly 2 horsepower dust collector. 410-882-1358.

HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD

All classified ads must be submitted and paid for online, via our website, www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds

Deadlines and Payments: To appear in the next issue, your ad text and payment must be entered by the 5th of the preceding month (for Baltimore and Howard County editions); by the 20th (for Washington edition).

Cost will be based on the number of characters and spaces in your ad: • $25 for 1-250

• $35 for 251-500. • $50 for 501-750 (maximum length). The website will calculate this for you.

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

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

PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR

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THE BATHROOM OF YOUR DREAMS in as little as 1 day. Limited Time Offer - $1000 off or No Payments and No Interest for 18 months for customers who qualify. BCI Bath & Shower. Many options available. Quality materials & professional installation. Senior & Military Discounts Available. Call Today! 1-855-653-0087.

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SAFE STEP. North America’s #1 Walk-In Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-theline installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-866-478-2363.

JACUZZI BATH REMODEL can install a new, custom bath or shower in as little as one day. For a limited time, waving ALL installation costs! (Additional terms apply. Subject to change and vary by dealer. (Offer ends 8/25/24.) Call 1-833-994-0538.

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BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR. We want to Read Your Book! Dorrance PublishingTrusted by Authors Since 1920. Book manuscript submissions currently being reviewed. Comprehensive Services: Consultation, Production, Promotion and Distribution. Call for Your Free Author`s Guide 1-833-992-0110 or visit dorranceinfo.com/beacon

PUBLIC POLICY VOLUNTEERS - The University of Maryland’s Legacy Leadership Institute on Public Policy, in partnership with the state of Maryland, is looking for volunteers age 50+ to serve as volunteer legislative leaders during the 2024-2025 session of the Maryland General Assembly. Classroom training begins in September for 12 weeks, two days per week, at the College Park campus, with site visits to the state complex in Annapolis. The volunteer assignment will be for a minimum of two days per week, starting in Jan. 2025 in the Annapolis offices of various senators and delegates. For more information or for an application, contact Wesley Queen at wqueen@umd.edu or call (301)-405-2529.

EVERY TIME YOU WALK OUTSIDE a layer of microbes lands on your skin. They cause aging. Rose Beauty Cream takes them away. Sharon, a Leisure World resident says, “I won’t be without my Rose Beauty Cream,” www.barbarafrank222.com or call 301-949-4873.

ATTRACTIVE SINGLE WHITE LADY age 67 would like to meet gentleman age 67 or older. Call Patricia at 443-845-7802 if you would like to meet for coffee.

MALE RESIDENT OF TOWSON in his 60’s looking for female for friendship first. Sense of humor and trustworthy and loyal and honest/ethical with varied interests. Good listener. Both sides need patience to try to get to know the other person to gain trust. I have no kids. A nonsmoker who does not hang out in bars. Online dating a waste of time and money. email: verahob@gmail.com

DIRECTV - All your entertainment. Nothing on your roof! Sign up for DIRECTV and get your first three months of Max, Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, MGM+ and Cinemax included. Choice package $84.99/mo. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-572-4953.

Harmony at Waldorf

Merion Village

Oak Crest/Erickson

Park View Apartments

.B2, B6

.B2

.B3

.B6, B7

B8