November 2024 | Baltimore Beacon

In style, thrifty and over 50

By Laura Melamed

Donna Jenkins, 68, owner of The Zone, a popular used clothing store in Mount Vernon, remembers how she discovered her love of vintage. “It was ’77, and I hated the clothing of that time period,” she said, “so I started hunting around for other clothing.”

Jenkins, then a senior at the University of Maryland, found a warehouse in D.C. full of industrial bales of old clothes for sale. The owner, son of a Philadelphia rag dealer who had inherited the old clothing from his father’s business, would pop open the bales for people like Jenkins, who were shopping for something different to wear.

“The stuff would just lie around on the floor and you would just go through piles, try something on, if it didn’t fit, throw it back down, dig around a little more,” Jenkins said. “So I went to him and said, ‘Hey, do you want someone to hang that stuff up for you?’ and so I got a job.”

That job led her to a career in consignment. “It had nothing to do with my major — which was art history — other than that I was using my eyeballs,” Jenkins said.

Now The Zone has been in business 43 years, and Jenkins is a local legend.

At The Zone and Baltimore’s other consignment shops, shoppers can get a great deal on high fashion while reducing waste and contributing to a more sustainable world. And many of these shops were founded by women now over 50, who have dedicated their lives to the hunt for unique clothes, shoes and jewelry for their customers.

The Zone

Jenkins frequents thrift stores nationwide to find high-quality clothing for her shop. “I

LEISURE & TRAVEL

Enjoying the Scottish Highlands by boat and on foot; plus, visit Cooperstown, N.Y., for the baseball and stay for the history, food and natural beauty page 15

ARTS & STYLE

do the hunting for you,” she explained.

Half of her store is vintage clothing, and the other half includes good, usable denim, sweaters, cotton and linen — “anything that seems like really good fabric and a good design,” she said.

Her customers are often people who have the means to buy new clothing but don’t want to contribute to fast fashion,

that is, cheaply made, throwaway clothes.

“They don’t want that,” Jenkins said. “They want something that’s more durable… There’s a lot of consciousness about that.”

Jenkins has always had an eye for quality. When she was working at the warehouse in the late 1970s, she befriended a

See VINTAGE SHOPS , page 13

What to expect of the creepy, kooky Addams Family musical; plus, the story behind the newly-renamed Chamber Music Maryland page 18

Donna Jenkins curates The Zone, a popular vintage store in Mount Vernon she opened in the 1980s. Her shop is “a good place to get good deals on both fashion-forward and ordinary clothing,” Jenkins said. Baltimore’s thrift and consignment shops, many of them run by women over 50, offer unique bargains.

PHOTO BY LAURA MELAMED

A nice pat on the back

I am happy to share with you the kudos the Beacon received at the annual conference of the North American Mature Publishers Association, whose journalism competition we enter every year. Each of our editions gets entered in a different category, based on circulation. And this year, all three of our editions reaped honors.

The Baltimore Beacon brought home three firstplace awards and one secondplace award.

second place for his August 2023 cover story on glass blowing in Baltimore, “Put your lips together and blow.”

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Last September’s cover story, “Enjoy being a student again” by our managing editor Margaret Foster , shared first place in the “senior issues” category with last October’s cover, “Elevating new writers over 50” by freelance writer Laura Melamed , who also wrote this month’s cover story. The judges found both articles “fun, lively and extremely informative.” They also praised each article’s “excellent list of resources.”

By Stuart P. Rosenthal

chance to see them.

And Glenda C. Booth, who regularly writes features for us, won first place in feature writing for her “fascinating and well-written” May cover story, “Devoted to raising, racing pigeons.”

In the “How-to” feature category, our long-time writer Robert Friedman won

The Howard County Beacon won first place in the “feature writing” category for an arts story last September by freelancer Susan Ahearn Called both a “beautiful” and “fun” article, her story “Artists pass down folk art to apprentices” was also praised by the judges as “A wonderful story about keeping a tradition — the art of Black storytelling — alive.”

In the profile category, Foster won second place for her profile of an artist in “Turning scrap wood into wildlife paintings,” earlier this year. She also won a first-place award for her Howard County version of “Enjoy being a student again.”

As you may know, many of the travel and arts stories we write, along with my monthly column, also appear in our flagship edition, the Greater Washington Beacon And because it has the largest circulation of our publications (100,000+), any story that appears there cannot also be entered in the smaller circulation categories.

As a result, many of our awards this year were won by our Washington edition, even though all our readers had the

Beacon

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

We were especially thrilled when the Washington Beacon won first place in the “general excellence” category. The judges said: “This newspaper is rich with outstanding, well-written articles and impeccable editing…Every high-quality issue offers a distinct and easy-to-read layout, good sectioning, good headline writing and a consistent presentation.”

We also won first-place awards in the “profile,” “feature” and “how-to” categories. The second-place award for a feature went to freelancer Laura Sturza, for her cover story “Bachelorettes of the DMV.” (Stay tuned for another story about that reality TV show next month!)

Long-time travel writers Don Mankin and Victor Block were both honored for their “wonderfully written” travel pieces.

In the “theatre review” category, where we had to submit two articles by each reviewer, we were thrilled that two of our freelance reviewers were recognized: Mark Dreisonstok won first place for “insightful” reviews of Sister Act at Toby’s and Hair at Signature Theatre in Virginia. Lynda Lantz won second place for her reviews of others plays in Washington and Virginia.

In the “senior issues” category, two of my “From the Publisher” columns took first place this year. Under the “editorial/opin-

ion” category, three other columns I wrote were honored with first, second and third place awards.

Another trifecta occurred in the “personal essay” category. Foster won another first place, while two freelance submissions that we printed won second and third. May Benatar was honored for her piece on “Move to a new home is a mixed blessing,” while Taya Jackson won for “Lessons learned from a job search at 77.” So for all you writers out there, if you have a personal story to tell that you think our readers will appreciate and/or relate to, feel free to send it to us. (We get a lot of such submissions, but we’re proud to note that we print the best ones and even submit them for awards.)

Of course, the most important honor we receive is from you, our readers, who pick up your copy of the Beacon each month from one of our thousands of free distribution sites, subscribe by mail or read us online at thebeaconnewspapers.com.

However you choose to do it, we thank you for reading the Beacon! By the way, you can look up and read any of the articles mentioned above on our website.

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:

When our book group formed in 1988, we were seven women with teenage or young adult daughters and sons. We read an eclectic selection of fiction and nonfiction, enjoying lively conversations about the chosen book of the month.

Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (410) 248-9101 • Email:

Submissions:

email all submissions. © Copyright 2024 The Beacon Newspapers, Inc.

Each person hosted a Friday afternoon gathering in her living room, accompanied by tea, coffee, cheeses, crackers and homemade sweets.

Serious readers, we all completed the books — most of the time — but put aside time to chat about our work and catch up on our kids’ schooling, marriages and grandchildren.

Over the ensuing two decades, we noticed that fewer of us could remember the names of books and authors, even our favorite ones.

In our 60s, only one or two of us could recall parts of a title, an author’s first or last name, or bits of plot. We worried about los-

tell

ing our memories and whether dementia was invading our now close circle of friends.

One of us researched the kind of forgetting we were experiencing and learned, to our relief, that it was a normal part of aging. Forgetting the name of a book or a movie, in the absence of other kinds of forgetting, happens to everyone over their 50s.

What a relief for us! Wrinkled brows that had accompanied our book-forgetting conversations fell away. After all, we’d retained the gist of these tales.

And then something surprising happened. Over the decades, we’ve gone from grinning to hiccupping laughter each time our group’s “forgetting ritual” occurs. This is a joy limited to our select club of septuagenarians and octogenarians.

As one of our members exclaimed, “I’m so glad we’re all in our 70s and 80s and can laugh together about forgetting!”

Patricia Steckler, Ph.D. Bethesda, MD

advertisers, “I saw you in the Beacon!”

Health Fitness &

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Food allergies are dangerous; an intolerance or sensitivity is manageable

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Some foods, vitamins and herbs that potentially reduce symptoms of depression

Choosing next year’s Medicare drug plan

Dear Savvy Senior,

What’s the easiest way to compare Medicare Part D prescription drug plans? My Part D premium is increasing again in 2025, so I would like to use the fall open enrollment to find and sign up for a cheaper plan.

—Shopping Around

Dear Shopping,

I’m happy to hear you’re comparing your Medicare coverage options this fall!

Here are some tips and tools to help you shop and compare Part D plans.

Research shows that many Medicare beneficiaries with Part D coverage can lower their prescription drug costs by shopping among plans each year during the open enrollment season, which runs Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.

By Jim Miller

There could be another Part D plan in your area that covers the drugs you take with fewer restrictions or with lower costs. You never know until you look.

You’ll also be happy to know that, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, in 2025, annual out-of-pocket costs will be capped at $2,000 for all Medicare Part D beneficiaries.

Health Fitness & Facts to counter five myths about protein

By Matthew Kadey

Your body needs protein — that’s a fact.

“Protein does a lot of great things for us. It helps build and repair muscle and other tissues, moves oxygen and nutrients around our bodies, and is involved in many important bodily functions, including digestion,” said registered dietitian Caroline Susie, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

But many of us are confused about everything from how much protein we need, to whether all sources are created equal.

Let’s clear up some common myths.

Myth 1: We all need the same amount.

For adults, the U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. “This should not be considered an optimal amount for many people,” said Susie. “The RDA is the lowest bar to prevent deficiency.”

Plan Finder Tool

If you have internet access and are comfortable using a computer, you can easily shop for and compare all Medicare drug plans in your area and enroll in a new plan online, and it only takes a few minutes.

Just go to Medicare’s Plan Finder Tool at Medicare.gov/ find-a-plan. You can do a general search on the right side of the page, under the title “Continue without logging in.”

If you wish to save your drugs and pharmacy information (for future ease in returning to the site), you can log into or create your Medicare account on the left side of the page.

Next, type in your ZIP code and choose the type of coverage you’re looking for, enter the drugs you take, choose the pharmacies you use, and indicate whether you are interested in a mail order option.

The plan finder will then display results for plans available in your area.

Be aware that a plan may not cover all the drugs you take, but it may cover alternatives. It will also tell you if the plan has a deductible and how much the monthly premium is.

Initially, the plans will be sorted by “lowest drug + premium costs.” This is the closest estimate to what you may pay out of pocket for your Part D coverage for the year.

You can select “plan details” to find out more specifics about coverage, including any coverage restrictions that might apply to your drugs.

Before enrolling, it is a good idea to call the plan directly to confirm any information you read on the plan finder, as information may not be completely up to date.

If you need help, you can call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227 and they can do this comparison for you over the phone.

Or contact your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which provides free, unbiased Medicare counseling To reach SHIP in Baltimore City, call (410) 396-2273; Baltimore County:

(410) 887-2059.

Any changes to coverage you make will take effect Jan. 1, 2025. If you take no action during open enrollment, your current coverage will continue next year.

Extra Help

If you’re lower-income and having a hard time paying your medication costs, you may be eligible for Medicare’s “Extra Help” program. This is a federal low-income subsidy that helps pay Part D premiums, deductibles and copayments.

To be eligible, your annual income must be under $22,590 ($30,660 for married couples living together), and your assets (not counting your home, personal possessions, vehicles, life insurance policies or burial expenses) must be below $17,220 ($34,360 for married couples).

For more information or to apply, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or visit SSA.gov/medicare/part-d-extra-help. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

Susie said that our ideal intake depends on many factors, including our activity level, age and whether one is pregnant or lactating.

“As we age, we start to lose muscle mass, so we can benefit by eating more protein,” Susie said. All this is to say that you need to individualize your protein intake based on your specific needs.

Myth 2: All plants are created equal.

With the rising popularity of plant-based eating, you may have heard that foods like beans and nuts are great sources of nonmeat protein. Not necessarily.

A cup of cooked black beans has 15 grams of protein, but 41 grams of carbohydrates, so it should be considered as more carbs than protein.

An ounce of almonds has 6 grams of protein, yet double that amount of fat, so should be thought of primarily as a fat source and protein secondary.

“You need to be more careful with plantbased eating that you are getting all the protein you require,” Susie said. There are plant options like tofu, tempeh and seitan that tend to be more protein-dense.

But as long as you are meeting your individual total protein requirements, Susie said it does not matter much if they mostly (or all) come from plants.

Myth 3: Eat only lean protein.

You’ve probably heard that if you are eating animal-based proteins you should focus mostly on “lean proteins.”

The loose definition of a lean protein is one that has no more than three grams of fat per ounce. That would include items like chicken breast and pork tenderloin.

Salmon, full-fat yogurt and eggs, on the other hand, would not be considered lean proteins.

Some of the focus on lean proteins is a holdover from the days when fat was the enemy.

“You want to limit your intake of saturated fat from meats like beef, but you still can eat animal-based protein foods that are higher in fat,” Susie said.

For instance, she zeroes in on salmon, a serving of which has three times as much fat as a serving of ham. But some of those fats are in the form of heart-healthy omega-3s.

Eggs provide not just fat and cholesterol, but also a range of essential micronutrients as well as very high-quality protein.

“Fat in yogurt can make it more satiating,” Susie noted. You need to look at the whole nutrition picture of non-lean proteins.

Myth 4: You need protein powder.

While protein powders are a great protein source, Susie stressed they shouldn’t act as a substitute for whole food sources, both animal and plant alike.

“Food is so much more than protein, and can provide valuable nutrients that

SAVVY SENIOR

you don’t get in powders,” Susie said. And she believes most people can meet their protein needs without using powders.

Myth 5: High

protein diets are best for weight loss.

By increasing both the thermic effect of eating — the energy (calories) you need to spend to process what you eat — and satiety, protein is often heralded as the macronutrient you need more of to shed pounds. And, yes, some research suggests that focusing on eating a bit more protein can help with weight loss efforts.

BEACON BITS

Nov. 9

But Susie cautioned that there is a limit to this effect, and simply adding a lot more protein to your diet is not a weight loss guarantee. “Too much of anything is excess calories that can contribute to weight gain.”

She recommends taking a more personalized approach to your nutrition, and finding what works for you instead of just eating large amounts of protein.

And, yes, it is possible to lose weight and keep it off on a diet that contains a good balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat.

Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC, 1-800829-5384. EnvironmentalNutrition.com.

© 2024 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BALTIMORE VETERANS DAY PARADE

Honor our veterans at Baltimore’s annual Veterans Day Parade on Sat., Nov. 9. The parade starts at noon from the Washington Monument, 699 N. Charles St., proceeds down to Baltimore St. and then Gay St., and ends at War Memorial Plaza. Open to all. If interested, you can apply to participate at bit.ly/bmoreveterans24. For more information, call (443) 615-3363 or email MayorsOffice.Event@baltimorecity.gov.

INTIMACY AND AGING

Nov. 18

Discuss the importance of intimacy throughout our lifespans and how aging impacts relationships. Join in person or virtually on Mon., Nov. 18 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Keswick Multi-Care Center, 700 W. 40th St., Baltimore. Free event. For more information and to register, call (410) 662-4363.

A place of independence

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.

A place of beauty

Living in n this community—ttucked d into a beautiful West Towson neighborhood —you or your loved one beau enjoy a warm welcome and daily activities, and they’ll appreciate the will enjo paths, beautifully landscaped grounds, lovely gardens and more. walking path

A place of caring

House Calls!

Exceptional care in the comfort of your own home by Experienced and Compassionate Practitioners

• In-Home Primary Care

• In-Home Chronic Care Management

• Remote Patient Monitoring

• Home-from-Hospital transition

• Telehealth Visits

• Mobile Weight-loss and IV Infusion Therapy

• And more

Now accepting new patients. Medicare, Medicaid and most private health insurance plans.

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 decorate 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.

MAIL OR EMAIL FOR FREE INFORMATION

For free materials on housing communities and/or research studies, just complete this coupon and mail or email it to the Beacon.

Housing Communities

❏ Brightview Senior Living (see ad on page 7)

❏ Caritas House Assisted Living (see ad on page 9)

❏ Catholic Charities (see ad on page 9)

❏ Charlestown/Erickson (see ad on page 6)

❏ Christ Church Harbor Apts (see ad on page 9)

❏ Harmony at Enterprise (see ads on pages 1, 11)

❏ Harmony at Waldorf (see ads on pages 1, 11)

❏ Merion Village (see ad on page 7)

❏ Oak Crest/Erickson (see ad on page 6)

❏ Park View Laurel (see ad on page 14)

❏ Park View Towson (see ad on page 14)

❏ Park View Fullerton (see ad on page 14)

❏ Park View Rosedale (see ad on page 14)

❏ Pickersgill (see ad on page 5)

❏ St. Mary’s Roland View Towers (see ad on page 21)

❏ Virginia Towers (see ad on page 13)

❏ Warren Place Senior Apartments (see ad on page 21)

Clinical Health Studies

❏ Prediabetes Blood Sugar Study (see ad on page 10)

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.

Is it an allergy, intolerance or sensitivity?

By Howard LeWine, M.D.

Q: My gut seems to be more sensitive to a variety of foods. Does this mean I have developed food allergies?

A: Many people confuse food sensitivity with a food allergy or food intolerance. While these conditions can have similar symptoms, they are quite different.

Food allergy: A food allergy happens when the body mistakes a food ingredient as harmful and defends itself by turning on your immune system, such as producing

high levels of a type of antibody called immunoglobulin E. Sometimes a food allergy is life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.

Common food allergies include immune reactions to shellfish, nuts, fish and eggs. A person with a food allergy may have symptoms similar to an intolerance or sensitivity, but he or she can also experience hives, throat swelling and shortness of breath.

Food intolerance: A food intolerance usually means you lack or have an insuffi-

cient amount of one or more enzymes needed to break down certain ingredients.

For example, the inability to digest lactose — the sugar in dairy products — is a common food intolerance. When lactose is not absorbed, it ferments in the colon and leads to symptoms like gas, bloating, nausea and intestinal pain.

Food sensitivity: This is an individual’s adverse physical response to a certain food, beverage or ingredient. The symptoms might be only digestive problems, such as abdominal pain, bloating and gas. However, you may also have fatigue, headache or “brain fog.”

For example, some people have digestive problems and other symptoms after eating too much gluten — a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. This is different from celiac disease, which is caused by an immune reaction to gluten that requires complete avoidance of the protein.

A good approach to manage food sensitivity is to adopt a short-term elimination diet. It works like this: You eliminate a particular

food for about two to four weeks to see if your symptoms recede. Then you reintroduce the food gradually, according to your tolerance, to see if your symptoms reappear. Elimination diets are trial-and-error, and you may have to try different foods and amounts until you find the right combination. While it’s possible to follow an elimination diet on your own, consider requesting consultation with a nutritionist or dietitian.

These professionals can guide you through the process and help you track your progress, as well as offer support tools like creating a food diary and symptom chart.

A dietitian or nutritionist also can make sure you don’t cut out foods that provide necessary vitamins and nutrients.

Once you’ve identified the problem food (or foods), you are guided on whether to adjust portions, change your eating habits — like when, and how fast, you eat — or switch out the food entirely.

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

Shingles are not just a band of blisters

By Jeffery Wheeler, M.D.

Dear Mayo Clinic: A friend recently went through a bout of shingles. I really don’t know much about this condition, but I know it was painful. How do you get it? Is there a treatment or vaccine for it?

A : Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a common condition caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox.

Not everyone who has had chickenpox will develop shingles. However, after years of lying dormant in nerve tissue near the spinal cord and brain, the virus can reactivate in some people.

As it becomes active again, the virus causes pain, tingling and, eventually, a rash of blisters that doesn’t last long.

The reason for shingles is unclear. But it may be due to lowered immunity to infections as you age.

Preventing shingles

Vaccines reduce the risk of developing shingles. The Shingrix vaccine is approved and recommended for people 50 and older, including those who have had shingles or previously received the Zostavax vaccine, which is no longer sold in the U.S. Studies suggest that Shingrix protects against shingles for more than five years.

The vaccine is given in two doses, with two to six months between doses.

Signs and symptoms

Shingles usually affects only a small section on one side of your body and may include:

• Pain, burning, tingling, itching, numbness or extreme sensitivity to touch

• Red rash with fluid-filled blisters that begins a few days after the pain and lasts two to three weeks before scabbing over and healing

• Fever, headache and/or chills

• Sensitivity to light

• General feeling of unease and discomfort

Pain is usually the first symptom of shingles. For some, it can be intense.

Depending on the location of the pain, sometimes it can be mistaken for a symptom of problems affecting the heart, lungs or kidneys. Some people experience shingles pain without ever developing the rash. The shingles rash commonly occurs on one side of the torso. It often appears as a band of blisters that wraps from the middle of the back to the breastbone, following the path of the nerve where the virus has been dormant.

However, the rash can occur around one eye, or on the neck or face.

Shingles generally lasts between two to six

weeks. Most people get shingles only once, but it’s possible to get it two or more times.

It’s important to see a doctor

See a healthcare professional as soon as symptoms of shingles appear, especially if:

• The pain and rash occur near an eye — if left untreated, this infection can lead to permanent eye damage

• You’re 60 or older — because age significantly increases the risk of complications

• You or someone in your family has a weakened immune system due to cancer, medications, chronic illness or other conditions

• The rash is widespread and painful

When identified early, shingles can be treated with prescription medications to

shorten the infection and reduce the risk of complications.

Shingles normally isn’t serious, although the rash can cause an eye infection. Another complication, called “postherpetic neuralgia,” causes the skin to remain painful and sensitive to touch for months or years.

While shingles cannot be cured, getting vaccinated and seeking prompt treatment with antiviral drugs can speed healing and reduce your risk of complications.

Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org.

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

It’s Time for a

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hether your plan is to host lovveed ones at home or to join the millions of Americans hitting the road during the holidaay y season, managing a care r y n f pla fo o yoourself or a loved one shouldn’t be a source of added holidaay y stress.

Below we’ve outlined several waayys Family & Nursing Care can help clients ensure the smooth planning and execution of their care plan heading into the end of the year.

Planning Ahead

g f It can be challengin foor families to find caregivers during a the holidayys. Kelly Ann Sharp, vicesf Director of Client Ser vi foor Family & Nursing Care, explains a y-w that “industr wide, the holiday y season is typically when demand sa f foorqualitycaregiversi attits

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v T To o better proviide high-quality df support, Sharp an feellow v Director of Client Ser viices, Natalie Blickman, recommend clients reach out to their Client

v Ser icesManager as soon as ra holidaay y t avvel and gathering plans are solidified.

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Unique Needs

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ef a Clienttsmay y pr feerto simply request the same services they e y regularly use throughout th yeear ay on a specified holidayy..In other lien cases, c t ts and their families needing extra support during the a busy season may y request onev time ser viices outside of their typical care plan.

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• Overnight support, while a primar yfamilycaregiverisout

primary family caregiver is out of town

• Mobility or companionship assistance during family gatherings

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ce f

• Support/assistan foor seasonal traditions, such as mailing holidaay y cards or preparing a special recipe

• Companionship, to ensure your loved one isn’t alone during this time

lientsa v Careissimmpple:giveec nt annd“Duringho

lidaayygatherings,

’sfliffe e fuullest mom t ”

Care i le: gi d dw their families peace of min whhen they need it most. This promise is , w a ld y eu one w uppho ye e r-round wiith compassionaatte, genuine support o f s w v and Caregiveer wh h feeel like familyy, , so older adults and their lovveed ones can spend less time y e en stressing and more tim njjoyiing ents.

Getting Started

T Tooarrange home care services

en a during the holidayys, curr t clients and families simply need to contact their Client Services Manager, who will review clients’ unique care requests and answer a a anny y questions you may y havve.

a a The holidayys may y also be a time when older adults consider initiating first-time home care services.

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T To o get started, ts ma new clien ay y ea call Family & Nursing Car at t 410-697-8200 tw  to connec with n one of the companyy’s Clients v Ser viicesManagers.

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Sheet pan panko honey mustard chicken

By The Associated Press

Plain ol’ boneless, skinless chicken breasts are given new life in this sheet-pan meal by Caroline Chambers.

The chicken gets coated in a honey mustard sauce, then topped with buttery breadcrumbs that get crunchy and browned in the oven.

Her kids love this dish — they call it giant chicken nuggets (feeding kids is all about the marketing, right?).

The broccoli gets the frico (melted cheese) treatment — crisped up with Parmesan.

Then dunk everything in the extra honey mustard sauce — that’s what it’s there for.

Panko Honey Mustard Chicken (with Frico Broccoli)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

½ cup grainy Dijon mustard

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1½ teaspoons garlic powder

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter

¾ cup panko breadcrumbs

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 pound broccoli florets

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the mustard, honey, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the garlic powder, the red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon salt. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the sauce in a serving bowl.

3. Add another ½ teaspoon salt to the sauce in the large bowl, then add the chicken and turn to coat evenly. If you have time, let the chicken marinate at room temperature for up to 30 minutes (or up to overnight in the refrigerator). But don’t worry if you need to cook it right away!

4. Melt the butter in a microwave-safe medium bowl in 20second bursts, stirring after each, or in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the panko, ¼ cup of the Parmesan, the remaining ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and a big pinch of salt (do this right in the skillet if you used one to melt the butter).

5. On the prepared baking sheet, toss the broccoli florets with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and ¾ teaspoon

salt to coat evenly. Nestle the chicken breasts among the florets. Top with the panko mixture, pressing firmly to adhere.

6. Roast for 12 minutes, then gently toss the broccoli and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan on top. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 160°F, 5 to 7 minutes more.

7. Serve the chicken and broccoli with the reserved honey mustard sauce along-

side for dunking.

Swap: Use finely chopped almonds or hazelnuts instead of breadcrumbs for a gluten-free spin. Swap in asparagus or green beans for the broccoli.

Shortcut : Use store-bought honey mustard instead of making your own. Reprinted with permission from What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking by Caroline Chambers © 2024. Published by Union Square & Co. Photos © Eva Kolenko.

Communities 667-600-2280 Email – housing@cc-md.org

Caritas House Assisted Living 667-600-2660

A residential community of care with personalized assistance in daily activities for adults 62 and older.

Short-term rehabilitation and skilled nursing, long-term and memory care. St. Ann Adult Day Services 667-600-2680

Activities, socialization and medical supervision so older adults can continue to live at home.

Supportive, affordable apartment communities. Total of 24 locations in Maryland, home to more than 1,800 older adults.

Caring Home Service Program

The Caring Home Services (CHS) Program, available at nine of our communities, offers services to support safely aging in place. Services include daily meals served in a group setting, weekly housekeeping, laundry, and personal services, and service management provided by the on-site CHS Supervisor. See cc-md.org/senior-communities for list of 9 locations where CHS is available.

ONE APPLICATION NO APPLICATION FEE

Health Studies INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Survey seeks those with Type 2 diabetes

By Margaret Foster

If you’re a Marylander over 65 years old who is living with Type 2 diabetes, Johns Hopkins researchers would like to hear from you.

The survey, called the Diabetes Care Network Study, hopes to determine how our family and friends interact with our

C

healthcare network.

“We’re interested in seeing if that connection between family and friends and healthcare providers may be related to using services like urgent care or the emergency room,” said Catherine Clair, a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Are you 50 yearsor older?

Are you relatively healthy, without a diabetes diagnosis?

If so, you may be eligible for a new research study in which you learn about your daily blood sugar fluctuations and cognitive abilities. Receive $100 for participating.

For information call 410-605-7179. Mention “CAMPS”

“One of the great things about the survey is that if we’re looking at these groups and their connection, we can be more targeted in the future to help these folks,” she said.

Unlike a clinical trial, this study is simply a series of questions.

“There’s no medication or device. It’s just sitting down with a study team member,” Clair said. Researchers can either ask questions in person — at home or at the Hopkins campus in East Baltimore — or over the phone or Zoom.

The entire survey takes a little over an hour to complete. However, Clair said, “If that feels like a lot of time, we can do it [over] multiple sessions.”

BEACON BITS Nov. 18

After the survey is completed, participants will receive a $30 gift card to Target or Walmart.

People 65+ with Type 2 diabetes are eligible to participate unless they are currently living in a retirement community.

The survey enrollment period ends on December 9, but it’s only “the first step,” Clair said. She envisions future clinical trials that can help design programs to support people with Type 2 diabetes.

“Understanding what these care networks look like and their connections will help us better create programs and interventions that can actually help,” Clair said.

To find out more about the Diabetes Care Network Study, call (443) 885-0842.

SUBMIT FAMILY PICS TO JEWISH MUSEUM

The Jewish Museum of Maryland invites anyone who identifies as Jewish and has a connection with Maryland to include their historical and contemporary family photos in the museum’s new core exhibition, “Picturing Past & Present.” Bring three photos representing your family history to the Pikesville Library, 1301 Reisterstown Rd., on Mon., Nov. 18 between 1 and 4 p.m., and a museum staff member will walk you through the submission process. For more information and to register, call (410) 887-1234.

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

For more information:

800-552-7724 | 410-767-7253 (Voice/TTY) 410-801-9618 (Video Phone) | MDMAT.org

Six nutrients that may lessen depression

Depression, a pervasive mental health issue, often leads people into a relentless cycle of medication adjustments without addressing underlying causes.

The prevalent use of antidepressants, although beneficial for some, has drawn criticism due to side effects and the inability to address root causes, such as nutritional deficiencies or hormonal imbalances.

SSRI antidepressants can increase serotonin activity, but only temporarily. And this comes at a cost. Common side effects include nausea, insomnia and sexual dysfunction, among others.

4. Magnesium plays a multifaceted role in mental health, affecting serotonin regulation and helping prevent migraines, a common comorbidity with depression.

5. Nutrients that support the thyroid, such as tyrosine and iodine, are essential for the production of thyroid hormones. Additionally, mood instability is commonly associated with hypothyroidism.

DEAR PHARMACIST

By Suzy Cohen

6. Eleutherococcus senticosus (Siberian ginseng) is an adaptogenic herb that supports adrenal health and helps the body cope with stress, enhancing overall well-being.

Seek a holistic strategy

Despite these drawbacks, the medications are not designed to correct fundamental biochemical imbalances, which are often the precursors to mood disorders.

These meds don’t provide any minerals or vitamins, which are required to make serotonin and norepinephrine — two key neurotransmitters involved in producing “happiness” and mood stability.

Serotonin is predominantly made in the gut, not your brain. Foods rich in tryptophan — such as dates, papaya and bananas — can naturally enhance serotonin levels, potentially reducing depression symptoms.

On the supplement front, several nutrients play crucial roles in neurotransmitter synthesis:

1. Vitamin C is essential for the metabolic pathways that produce serotonin and other neurotransmitters.

2. Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) influences the release of serotonin and norepinephrine, impacting mood and energy levels.

3. The active form of folic acid called 5MTHF facilitates the production of moodregulating neurotransmitters. The prescription drug called Deplin is made of this B vitamin.

CALLING POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS

Join the Baltimore City Health Department’s Retired Senior Volunteer Program to volunteer at local schools, the aquarium and other community locations. Flexible schedules are available. For more information, call (410) 361-9400.

IGNATIAN VOLUNTEER CORPS

Serve one or two days a week, assisting communities in need. Opportunities for those 50+ to use their skills and make a difference through partnerships with nonprofits. For more information, visit ivcusa.org or call (410) 752-4686.

While it’s tempting to seek a simple solution through medication or natural reme-

dies alone, the most effective approach to managing depression involves a comprehensive strategy that addresses dietary, biological and psychological factors.

It’s crucial to consult with healthcare professionals to tailor treatment — whether through dietary adjustments, supplements or conventional medications.

The conversation around depression treatment is evolving, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach that respects both the complexity of the human body and the individual experiences of those affected by mood disorders.

Millions of people are searching for alternatives that tackle the root causes of depression beyond just managing symptoms. And you will probably agree that mental health concerns have become more prevalent in the post-pandemic season…not to mention the constant social

media “irritations” that never let our brain shut off.

This shift towards a more integrative perspective broadens treatment options and aligns more closely with the body’s natural processes. I’m a big believer in holistic approaches and nourishing the body’s metabolic pathways.

Does this topic interest you? I have a more comprehensive version of this article with additional treatment options. To have it emailed, please sign up for my free weekly newsletter at suzycohen.com.

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

Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe

Lisa Shannon runs a consignment shop in Mount Washington. Our cover story continues on the facing page.

MoneyMoney Law & 2.7 billion IDs hacked in recent breach You are probably affected

By the Dominion Post Editorial Board

National Public Data (NPD) is a private company based in Florida that collects information for background checks. Its databases held 2.7 billion people’s full name, address, date of birth, Social Security number and phone number, alternate names and birth dates and email addresses.

NPD was hacked in April, and possibly again this summer, and all that information became available for purchase on the dark web — the seedy underbelly of the internet where criminal activity thrives. [Ed. Note: In addition, the personal information of almost one million Medicare beneficiaries was exposed during a data breach in May 2023.]

This is a sobering reminder that our personal data — everything from our usernames and passwords to our birth dates and Social Security numbers — is just a few keystrokes away from falling into the hands of criminals.

What you need to do

There are a few ways to check if your in-

formation was part of the leak. You can visit NPDbreach.com to see if you were part of this specific leak and, if so, which pieces of your personal information may have been compromised.

Even if you have no reason to think NPD would have your information, it’s still important to check their site. Criminals can do a lot of damage to your credit, finances — even your reputation — with just your full name, date of birth and address, let alone your Social Security number.

If your information has been leaked, you can protect your credit by putting a freeze on it with the three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. The process is not difficult, but you have to contact each of these companies individually. [See box at right for more information.]

If you plan to make any major purchases (like a car or a house) or open any new accounts (like a credit card or with a new bank) that require a credit check, you will have to contact each agency to lift the freeze temporarily. Call it a “thaw,” if you will.

Five tips to protect your ID

• Sign up for 24/7 credit monitoring and activate two-factor authentication.

• Never respond to unsolicited requests for information.

• Review credit card, bank accounts and loans on a regular basis.

• Place a free fraud alert on your credit file. A fraud alert tells creditors to contact you before they open any new accounts or change your existing accounts.

• Freeze your credit reports with these three primary companies: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. In this context, “freezing” means that you prohibit your credit reports from being ac-

Scammers go phishing

One of the things that worries experts about the NPD hack is that it compromised not only identifying personal information but also people’s email addresses. Those things in combination make it easier for scammers to impersonate some-

cessed by most third parties. When you need to access your credit reports to open new accounts or obtain loans, contact all three companies to “unfreeze.” You can open an account and freeze your credit reports at no cost at all three companies (though they offer paid plans for additional services).

Here are the websites you will need to visit: experian.com/freeze/center.html; transunion.com/credit-freeze; equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze.

Donna LeValley © 2024 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

one (spoof their email) or create sophisticated phishing emails targeting specific users.

Phishing scams are designed to get people to voluntarily offer up personal information — usually Social Security or

Got Medicare? You have choices to make

By MedicareResources.org

Here are some tips for choosing insurance and prescription drug coverage for the coming year during Medicare’s open enrollment period, which opens October 15 and closes December 7.

In 2024, about 34 million Americans were enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans — more than half of all Medicare beneficiaries. That’s more than double the percentage enrolled in 2007.

“Medicare Advantage plans are growing in popularity because they are very good at communicating with consumers and offering benefits like dental, vision and hearing care that attract interest,” said Jenny Chumbley Hogue, an analyst for medicareresources.org.

“Ultimately, the choice is one that deserves careful consideration each year. A plan that appears attractive at first glance could end up costing you more

down the road if it’s not the right plan for your needs. The devil is always in the details.”

During Medicare open enrollment, Medicare beneficiaries who are already enrolled have a handful of decisions regarding their coverage. Options include:

• Switching from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, or vice versa.

• Switching from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.

• Switching from one Part D (that is, prescription drug) plan to another.

“There are trade-offs depending on which option you choose,” said Chumbley Hogue.

“Advantage plans tend to have a more limited healthcare provider network, and coverage for specific services may not be as robust as you can get with Original Medicare plus a supplemental (Medigap) policy to fill Medicare’s gaps. But Advan-

tage plans also tend to be less expensive.

“On the other hand, if you are enrolled in Original Medicare and have additional coverage through Medigap and standalone Part D drug coverage, that could end up saving you money in the long run if you develop a serious or chronic health condition.”

Weighing pros and cons

Medicareresources.org suggests consumers take into consideration several factors when deciding between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage:

• Provider network: Original Medicare has a broader provider network with nationwide coverage. Medicare Advantage plans each have their own network, which may be more limited in terms of providers and coverage area.

• Premiums: The average total of premiums for Medicare Advantage (including

the Part B premium that is also paid by Medicare Advantage enrollees) is less than the average total of premiums for Original Medicare plus Medigap and Part D drug coverage.

• Out-of-pocket costs: Original Medicare coupled with Medigap coverage may come at a higher monthly premium, but could result in little to no out-of-pocket exposure (other than the cost of medications, which are covered separately under Part D).

With most Medicare Advantage plans, you’ll pay coinsurance and copays that could total as much as $9,350 in 2025 for services that would be covered under Original Medicare with Parts A and B (plus the cost of medications).

• Prescription drug costs: Most Medicare Advantage plans include Medicare

PHOTO BY LAURA MELAMED

coworker with a degree in clothing and textiles. The two went into business together, becoming street vendors in D.C.’s Dupont Circle and at the Adams Morgan Festival.

Working outside took its toll, though, so she started looking for an affordable brickand-mortar shop.

Jenkins ended up in Baltimore because a friend from college invited her to sell her clothing in the back of his mother’s craft store on Charles Street in Mount Vernon. Jenkins’ clothing sold a lot more than the crafts, and eventually it became her store.

“I didn’t even plan that,” Jenkins said. “I didn’t really know what I was going to do.”

Lisa’s Luxury Consignment

Lisa Shannon, 62, owner of Lisa’s Luxury Consignment in Mount Washington, has always known that, as she puts it, “Fashion is my passion.”

Shannon started out in retail at the age of 18. She received a scholarship to study commercial art and fundamentals of design from Baltimore City College. She became a model at 23, working with Flare Modeling Agencies, one of the first Blackowned modeling agencies in Baltimore. Later, she freelanced, doing murals, face painting and designing prom and wedding dresses.

Shannon was working as a manager at La Chic Boutique, a consignment shop in Mount Washington, when she bought it from the owners and rebranded it as Lisa’s Luxury Consignment LLC.

Her shop opened in January 2020, right before the pandemic, so she “had to survive almost a year on faith and support of the community and trying different ideas,” Shannon said.

In the spring of 2020, for instance, she

hosted happy hours on the wraparound veranda outside her shop on Friday evenings. A few visitors wandered into the shop, wearing masks, and bought unique designer tops, pants and skirts.

Shannon also hosted fashion shows and skate parties. She visited public schools and taught students how to build an affordable, sustainable wardrobe. “I also donated prom dresses to schools,” she said.

Now that business is picking up postpandemic, Shannon is excited to share her fashion knowledge with more people in the community. Shannon brings her dog, Sammy, to work with her every day, and he is excited to meet customers, too.

ReDeux Apparel

ReDeux Apparel, a consignment shop in Roland Park, houses a carefully curated collection of designer labels. Its curators are co-owners Jan Braun and Linda Eisenbrandt.

Their shop sits in a cozy nook of stores, somewhat hidden away in a charming outdoor space where, twice a year, you can shop at the ReDeux Apparel Sidewalk Sale.

Braun was inspired by her mother, a world traveler and shopper. From her mother, she learned to spot the latest trends and choose quality fabrics.

Eisenbrandt was an interior designer before she was a consigner. Putting together colors and textures comes naturally to her. She loves to help her customers combine the old with the new. “Re-use, Refine, Re-wear, Rejoice,” is their motto, Eisenbrandt said.

ReDeux Apparel donates clothing to Johns Hopkins and the Maryland nonprofit Success in Style.

Last Tango

Ella Rosson, 68 opened her cozy Pikesville shop, Last Tango, in 2000.

Peace of Mind is Priceless

Before she opened Last Tango, Rosson was creating knitwear for Neiman Marcus. Rosson grew up in Russia and learned to knit when she was in school in Leningrad. She has a degree in library science and loves treasure hunting.

“We want to find treasure,” she said. “I am sure my customers, when they come here, they are trying to find treasure. Most of the time, they are successful. It’s just a question of what you see as treasure. Sometimes it’s a ring. Sometimes it’s a scarf. Sometimes it’s a dress.”

Rosson sees her industry as a way to time travel, in a sense.

“A consignment shop gives you a variety of things — you can go through time and just to be able to touch and see things that have not

been around for a while,” Rosson said.

“I love to shop consignment myself because it gives you the ability to find something that’s not widely available,” Rosson said.

“You want to be you,” she added. “Everyone is different.”

Shoppers are invited to sell their clothing by appointment only. Contact each store at the number below:

The Zone, 813 N Charles St. A, Baltimore, (410) 539-2817.

Lisa’s Luxury Consignment Shop, 1501 Sulgrave Ave. # 104, Baltimore, (443) 869-2247.

ReDeux Apparel, 5002 Lawndale Ave., Baltimore, (410) 323-2140.

Last Tango, 1017 Reisterstown Rd., Pikesville, MD, (410) 484-9958.

Explore ideologies like Black Feminism and Black Marxism, followed by a discussion between participants on Sat., Nov. 2 at 2:30 p.m. at the Central Library, 400 Cathedral St., Baltimore. Free and open to the public. For more information, call (410) 396-5430.

Learn how to start researching your family history and explore resources with Eva Slezak from the Enoch Pratt Free Library. This free class is on Tue., Nov. 26 from 2 to 3 p.m. at Keswick, 700 W. 40th St., Baltimore, or virtually. For more information and to register, call (410) 662-4363.

Part D drug coverage. Check it to make sure. Each Medicare Advantage plan will also have its own preferred drug list, which determines how much you will pay.

If you stick with Original Medicare, you will need to choose and pay for a standalone Part D plan if you need prescription drug coverage. [See "Choosing next year's Medicare drug plan" on page 4.]

• Extra benefits: Medicare Advantage plans often include extra benefits — like dental, vision, hearing aids and gym memberships — that are not offered by Original Medicare (or typically covered by a Medigap plan).

• Special plans: People with certain health conditions or applicants with low incomes (e.g., eligible for Medicaid) may be eligible for special types of Medicare Advantage plans with additional benefits.

Can you change your mind?

Consumers should also consider their ability to change their Medicare coverage later on.

“If the ability to easily switch back and forth among plans is important to you, a Medicare Advantage plan offers that flexibility,” Chumbley Hogue said.

“On the other hand, your ability to switch from Medicare Advantage altogether (and enroll in or return to Original Medicare plus Medigap) could be hindered by your medical history. That’s because enrollees who have had Medicare Advantage coverage for more than a year may be denied Medigap coverage for preexisting conditions,” she said.

[Ed. Note: The only times a Medicare beneficiary can be guaranteed a choice of any Medigap plan without regard to pre-existing conditions is during their initial enrollment period, which occurs around the time one turns 65 or if they qualify for guaranteed issue (for example, their Medicare Advan-

tage plan stops offering coverage in their area).]

How to compare plans

If you currently are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, here’s how to evaluate your coverage during Medicare open enrollment:

• Check whether your preferred providers are still in-network.

• Review whether your prescription drug costs change in the upcoming plan year, and always check multiple pharmacies to determine the right plan for you.

• Consider all of the available Medicare Advantage plans — comparing premiums, provider networks and prescription drug costs. See Medicare.gov/plan-compare.

“You really need to pay close attention to the details,” said Chumbley Hogue. “Read the fine print and reassess your plan each year to make sure you understand your plan costs and your plan benefits.”

[The same holds true for those on Origi-

ENTERPRISE RESIDENTIAL

MOST COMMUNITIES ARE 62 AND BETTER

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

The Greens at Hammonds Lane: 410-636-1141

Park View at Furnace Branch: 410-761-4150

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

nal Medicare, who may choose a new Part D prescription drug plan during Open Enrollment. Go to Medicare.gov and compare all your options.]

For additional information about Medicare open enrollment, and assistance in making your choice, visit the websites mentioned above, call 1-800-MEDICARE, or contact your local SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program).

To reach SHIP in Baltimore City, call (410) 396-2273; Baltimore County: (410) 887-2059.

Medicareresources.org, an online source of information about Medicare since 2011, is owned by HealthInsurance.org, LLC, a corporate affiliate of a group of insurance agencies and marketers. The site provides an overview of the basics of Medicare coverage options, enrollment and eligibility; coverage FAQs; state-specific Medicare information; and a glossary of Medicare terms. Medicareresources.org is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.

Data breach

From page 12

credit card numbers — or click on malicious links, often by pretending to be legitimate companies or by scaring people into clicking links to avoid supposed late fees or other strange charges to their accounts.

Unfortunately, it’s fairly common for people’s email addresses to be leaked as part of — for lack of a better word — minor data breaches. So many apps and websites require us to put in our email addresses, even if we don’t set up an account with them. That information gets stored and can be compromised. Same with usernames and passwords.

You can check to see if your email address — and related information — has been leaked in any data breach at haveibeenpwned.com. If your email address has been part of any known hack, this site will tell you, along with which data breach compromised your address and what other kind of information may also have been exposed by that hack.

Prevention

There are several things we can do to protect ourselves: use unique passwords for every site (we know — much easier said than done), two-factor authentication, and specific online security services, including antiviral software, to safeguard our information, and credit monitoring to alert us when something has happened.

The hazard of modern life is that even the most basic things we do now require us to give up personal information that is then stored electronically. And unfortunately, that information is never as safe as we wish it to be.

Travel Leisure &

Check out Cooperstown, N.Y. for the baseball, but stay for much more. See story on page 16.

Visit Scottish Highlands aboard a barge

By Don Mankin

I leaned back in my deck chair, basking in the sun and enjoying the warm breeze. Languorously I gazed at the lush Scottish scenery slowly slipping by.

Wait, what? Sun? Warm breeze? Scotland?

It was August, and my wife, Katherine, and I were cruising down the Caledonian Canal from Inverness, through Loch Ness, to Fort William on a colorful, retrofitted barge during what passes for a heat wave in Scotland.

The Caledonian Canal was constructed in the early 19th century to connect the west coast of Scotland near Fort William to the east coast at Inverness on the Moray Firth.

About a third of the 60-mile length of the canal is manmade. The rest runs through several lakes, including Loch Ness.

In addition to lochs, there are locks — 29 of them — to raise the canal more than 100 feet at its highest point.

The canal is located along the Great Glen, a straight geological fault that runs through the highlands, featuring some of the most historic and beautiful scenery in Scotland.

The Ros Crana — the name of the red, green and yellow barge operated by Caledonian Discovery — contains six cabins with private baths, a lounge, dining area, and spacious outdoor deck where I spent much of the week-long cruise.

River walk and Old Town

Our trip started in Inverness, the largest city in the Scottish Highlands. This walkable city features an Old Town, with historic buildings dating back to the 18th and 19th century, and the River Ness flowing through the heart of the city to Loch Ness.

For three days prior to our cruise, we wandered leisurely through Old Town and along the Ness Walk, a leafy promenade that lines the river on both banks. Along the flat, peaceful walk are stately homes, cafes, restaurants, a botanical garden and the 19th-century Saint Andrew Cathedral.

One of my favorite sights was the 18thcentury Old High Church, the oldest church in Inverness, whose graveyard overlooks the river.

A series of Victorian footbridges less than a mile from the city center led to a cluster of small, wooded islands in the middle of the river, then across to the other bank.

On one of the islands, I sat on a fallen tree trunk that had been carved into an imagined likeness of Nessie (the Loch Ness monster). From my perch on the Nessie log, I contemplated the rivulets on the shallow river as it flowed past.

Through lochs and locks

After three days in Inverness, it was time to board the barge and begin our cruise. For the first couple of hours, the

boat glided down the narrow canal, the gentle put-put of the engine and the tinkling of water flowing past the bow were the only sounds.

Everyone sat on the deck, drinking beer or gin and tonics, soaking up the sun and gazing at the lush, emerald green countryside.

For the next several days, we cruised, basked in the sun and hiked. The hikes ranged from a few easy miles along the shore of a loch past a castle, to a more challenging trek up and down “Wee Hill,” which wasn’t anywhere near as “wee” as we expected.

We trudged through knee high heather and pointy, shoulder high gorse. Roots, weeds and underbrush grabbed at our boots. When we finally reached the crest of the hill, we were rewarded with a spectacular view of Loch Oich in the distance.

We also hiked up a gorge, alongside plunging falls, to a café at the top for ice cream. Then we took an easy stroll on shore to explore the ruins of Invergarry castle, stronghold of the MacDonells of Glengarry, built in the 17th century.

After the castle, we walked through the woods along the shoreline, then stopped for tea and scones at the Glengarry Castle Hotel, an elegant 19th-century baronial

mansion.

Leisurely hikes

My favorite hike was up a gentle slope overlooking Loch Lochy to the estate of the Cameron Clan in Achnacarry. Besides being the historical home of such luminaries as David Cameron, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and James Cameron, director of the movies Terminator, Titanic and Avatar, it was also the training site for WWII commandos from the U.S., Britain and other allied nations.

More of a leisurely walk than a hike, it was the most serene of all the hikes we took. It was just Katherine and I plus another couple, so the peaceful walk unfolded at our own pace.

The scenery was bucolic, the views of the bay and our colorful barge at anchor were sublime, and the weather was balmy and bright. The easy path took us past flocks of grazing sheep, the Clan Cameron Castle, a small clan museum, and an old, rustic church.

A sailboat, stand-up paddle boards, bikes and canoes were also available on board the cruise for use by the guests. Most every day, many of the guests rode

A

“Wee Hill” in the Scottish Highlands was a challenging hike for the author and his wife, Katherine, above. The couple spent six days cruising on a retrofitted barge down a 60-mile waterway with 29 locks, stopping for short hikes along the way.

PHOTO BY DON MANKIN

Inverness, Scotland, has a walkable historic downtown as well as a waterfront path along the Ness River.

Hitting a homerun in Cooperstown, N.Y.

By Victor Block

I recently got an up-close view of the types of World Series winner rings given to baseball players of the 1966, 1970 and 1893 Baltimore Orioles.

Nearby, in another display case, were ballcaps worn by Orioles Rick Dempsey and Stephen Strasburg when they were named Most Valuable Player in the World Series.

These almost sacred artifacts are part of the collection at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown — a mecca for fans of America’s pastime. It’s the main reason why many people visit the little village (population about 1,800) in the foothills of New York’s Catskill Mountains.

The museum showcases the popular game through memorabilia and exhibits that provide both entertainment and education. When I asked how much time most visitors spend there, I was told, “From two hours to two weeks.”

Beyond baseball

After my introduction to countless baseball-related displays, I did a little more exploring and came up with this marketing motto for the town: “Come for the baseball, stay for a lot more.”

Begin with Cooperstown itself. There are good reasons why it has been referred

to as “America’s most perfect village” and included by Travel + Leisure magazine on lists of best places to visit and best road trips from New York City.

The setting is a magnet for those seeking breathtaking scenery: rolling farm fields tucked among pockets of forest, tranquil lakes surrounded by low mountains. The town could be a movie set. (Indeed, four movies were filmed in the area in the past five years.)

The centerpiece of the landscape is Otsego Lake, a glacier-created body of water. Cooperstown’s walkable streets lead to a spectacular lakefront park, and other leafy parks add welcome touches of Mother Nature.

Adding to the storybook décor is an architectural mixture of stone, brick and wood-frame colonial buildings and gingerbread Victorian homes, many painted in vibrant eye-catching colors.

Historic Main Street

It’s not easy to escape references to the sport for which Cooperstown is most famous. While the Hall of Fame is the main attraction here, it’s only one of an eclectic plethora of other attractions related to the sport.

At the Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum, I came face-to-face with life-size repli-

of

Lou

and other iconic players, along with surprises like Bud Abbott and Lou Costello of “Who’s on first” fame.

On historic Main Street, I dropped by the Cooperstown Bat Company to see their professional models. You can also

tour its factory, a short drive away in Hartwick, where the wood bats are made for major league players, minor leaguers and college teams.

I stepped into Main Street’s other shops

cas

Babe Ruth,

Gehrig

A Cooperstown farm once owned by James Fenimore Cooper has been a living history museum since 1944. At The Farmers’ Museum, guests can peek into more than two dozen historic buildings, including a tavern, blacksmith’s shop, doctor’s office and general store where interpreters portray workers from the 1800s.

Cooperstown

From page 16

and became immersed in an avalanche of apparel, baseball cards and other collectibles. I spotted men wearing baseball uniforms who had just played a few innings at Doubleday Field, which is named for the man who has been credited (erroneously) with inventing the game.

Strolling into the Doubleday Café, I encountered walls plastered with baseball paraphernalia and photos, including one myth-spreading picture titled “Abner Doubleday, Father of Dreams.”

James Fenimore Cooper

As enjoyable as reliving the glory days of the Washington baseball team was, that only scratched the surface of the history Cooperstown offers visitors.

Some sites warrant a look-see. The 1790 House is the oldest in town, and the Nancy Williams House (1797) ranks as the oldest

Scotland

From page 15

bikes along the canal path, meeting up with the barge at the next dock or lock.

A transcendent moment

This was a trip filled with memorable moments, but nothing matched the afterdinner light show on the fourth day of the cruise.

We were anchored in a secluded corner of Loch Oich, just offshore the castle ruins. There was little else around us, other than water, trees, sky and a couple of other boats. The slanting rays of the setting sun, filtered through patches of mist, turned the emerald hills to gold.

As we were finishing our dinner, we spotted a rainbow through the windows of the dining cabin. We rushed outside with our cameras to capture the most incredible rainbow I have ever seen.

brick home. Pomeroy Place (1804) was built by William Cooper as a wedding gift for his daughter Ann.

William, the founder of Cooperstown in 1786, was the father of James Fenimore Cooper, the renowned author who spent his boyhood and last 15 years there.

Cooper is best known for his 1826 novel The Last of the Mohicans as well as the earlier Leatherstocking Tales, historical novels of the frontier period that he wrote between 1823 and 1841.

Otsego Lake’s name was derived from the Iroquois word meaning “place of the rock,” which referred to a boulder known as Council Rock, a meeting place for Native Americans.

But the body of water is known as Lake Glimmerglass in Cooper’s books. So you’ll spot references to Glimmerglass all over town, in café names and an annual summer festival at the Glimmerglass Opera.

Among welcome surprises in a town so

With a full 180-degree arch and brilliant sunbreaks illuminating the rainbow, ground and puffs of mist, it was a spectacular symphony of vivid color. All chatter stopped. We stood hushed, enthralled by the scene.

Then our guide, sitting on the roof of the wheelhouse, began to play a wistful tune on a recorder, followed by Martin, our skipper, playing a traditional Scottish tune on a tin whistle. A sweet sound of music to accompany a long moment of breathtaking beauty.

In the words of one of the guests, “I think we found God.”

If you go

Round-trip airfare with one stop to Inverness is about $1,000 on British Airways, American Airlines, KLM and Air France.

Contact Caledonian Discovery, our hosts for the canal cruise, for more information: caledonian-discovery.co.uk.

POWWOW AT THE LIBRARY

This free powwow-style event features dancing, drumming and singing by the Indigenous people of the Chesapeake Bay and Tidewater regions of Maryland. The performance takes place at the Central Library, 400 Cathedral St., Baltimore. For more information, call (410) 396-5430.

DAN DEACON AT THE NATIONAL AQUARIUM

Experience an interactive musical experience by Dan Deacon, inspired by ecosystem feedback loops. Enjoy the National Aquarium exhibits and a party at this unique event that combines art and science on Thu., Nov. 21 from 6 to 11 p.m. at the National Aquarium, 501 E. Pratt St., Baltimore. Food and drinks are available for purchase. Ages 21+. For more information and to purchase tickets ($60), visit tinyurl.com/DanDeaconattheAquarium, call (410) 576-3833 or email reserve@aqua.org.

HELP DELIVER MEALS ON WHEELS

Deliver meals and companionship to homebound seniors throughout Baltimore. Various roles are available, including meal packing and grocery assistance. For more information and to volunteer, or to receive meals yourself, visit mealsonwheelsmd.org or call (410) 558-0827.

small is the Fenimore Art Museum. It houses world-class displays of American folk and Indian art, and offers a constant lineup of changing exhibits.

While hardly any of the historic sites related to James Fenimore Cooper have survived, there is one place that literary fans can visit.

The Farmers’ Museum, a living history village that re-creates mid-19 th-century rural life, has been a working farm since 1813, when it was owned by Cooper. Collections run the gamut from an early 18thcentury plow to home-made hay rakes and a 19th-century milkfat tester.

If you go

My stay at The Otesaga, a luxurious resort hotel perched at the edge of Otsego Lake, was part of my immersion in the des-

tination. The property transports guests back to a time of elegance and gracious hospitality.

When it was built, in 1909, it offered such then-modern amenities as an icecooled refrigerator, individually adjusted heating and a telephone in each room.

The hotel has an imposing front portico and broad veranda overlooking the 700-foot waterfront vista. Its high-ceilinged guest rooms feature chandeliers and oversized windows with views of the lake. Every detail combines comfort with opulence.

Adding to the mix is a golf course rated among the best on the East Coast, a heated swimming pool, and tennis and pickleball courts. Rooms start at $180 per night.

For more information about Cooperstown, visit thisiscooperstown.com. For The Otesaga, go to otesaga.com.

BELTWAY MOTEL & SUITES

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BEACON

Arts & Style

They’re creepy and kooky, but so funny

By Stuart Rosenthal

The iconic television show “The Addams Family” aired for only two seasons on ABC in the mid-1960s. But it influenced generations of viewers (in part due to decades of syndication), who to this day can chant the theme song with its fingersnapping syncopation.

To be fair, some of us got our first taste of the macabre humor of the Addams Family from the collections of New Yorker cartoons by Charles Addams that graced the waiting rooms of pediatricians and dentists from coast to coast.

But it was the television show, followed by several full-length feature films, that generated the popular interest that led to the successful Broadway musical production in 2010.

Starring Nathan Lane as Gomez and Bebe Neuwirth as Morticia, the show was nominated for multiple Tony, Drama Desk and Drama League Awards, including for outstanding musical, best original score and best actors.

The musical is now on stage at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia, Maryland, through November 10.

A familiar story line

For a show based on the, shall we say, unique characters created by Charles Addams, the musical’s plot feels familiar.

It centers around daughter Wednesday (Lydia Gifford) surprisingly bringing home to dinner a “normal” boyfriend (with whom she’s fallen in love) and his parents.

As in La Cage aux Folles, the tension is about whether the offbeat family hosting the meal can keep a lid on their eccentricities long enough for both sets of parents to agree to the match.

What turns out to be an even bigger part of the tension comes from Wednesday’s begging Gomez (played by Helen Hayes Award winner Jordan B. Stocksdale) to keep the pending engagement a secret from Morticia (well played by MaryKate Brouillet).

That puts him in an untenable position between the two women in his life — “Trapped,” as he sings in one of the show’s funniest numbers. Stocksdale does an excellent job portraying Gomez as both dashing and hen-pecked at the same time.

Almost Broadway

Despite the feelings of déjà vu from the plot, Toby’s pulls off the musical with both humor and heart. Much of that has to do with the excellent direction and choreography (yes, both) by Mark Minnick, who has worked alongside Toby’s founder and artistic director, Toby Orenstein, for some years.

stage even on Toby’s intimate theaterin-the-round.

That’s especially true of the numbers that feature a large cast of Addams Family “ancestors” — ghosts who play a prominent role in the night’s events.

The score, which as noted above was nominated for a Tony, doesn’t feature many tunes you are likely to start humming. But the major numbers manage to convey the spectacle of a big Broadway

The principal cast members all have excellent voices and powerful delivery. But it’s the women who really get to show their chops.

I was particularly struck by Gifford (Wednesday), not only for her superb

PHOTO BY JERI

The Candlelight Concert Society is now known as Chamber Music Maryland. See story on page 20.

See ADDAMS FAMILY , page 19

PHOTO BY HUGO GLENDINNING

The stellar cast of The Addams Family, now playing at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia, Maryland, brings plenty of morbid and physical humor to the Tony Awardnominated musical. The rather racy show runs through November 10.

From page 18

singing, but also her distinctive speaking voice. Call me crazy-with-a-z, but she kept reminding me of the young Liza Minelli in Cabaret . Perhaps it was the heavy eye makeup and black hair, but she really channeled Minelli.

Maybe I had Cabaret on my mind because of the attire worn by Morticia. First, the neckline of her floor-length black gown extends “down to Venezuela,” as Gomez describes it. And for their “Tango De Amor” number near the end of the show, she removes the bottom of the dress to reveal a fishnet hose and garter ensemble worthy of Sally Bowles.

Then there’s Alice Beineke (Anna Phillips-Brown), the mother of Wednesday’s intended. Accidentally given a potion meant to bring out the beast in a person, she convincingly transforms from a ditzy, vapid middle-aged mom into a sex-starved tigress in the middle of the family dinner.

To make it clear, while you might have assumed young children (or grandchildren) would be the intended audience for an Addams Family musical, you would be mistaken. On the other hand, at least some of the constant sexual innuendo might go over the heads of tender youths.

As always, Toby’s live orchestra does an excellent job giving life to the score. And the make-up department deserves special accolades, particularly for the wardrobe of the ancestors, who include character types from throughout world history, all appro-

BEACON BITS

Nov. 9+

BOOK DONATION AND GIVEAWAY

The Book Thing of Baltimore is a monthly book giveaway on the second full weekend of each month. Hours for browsing are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., no reservations required. Bring donations or choose free books at 3001 Vineyard Lane, Baltimore. For more information, see bookthing.org or call (410) 662-5631.

Nov. 16

FREE CLASSICAL GUITAR CONCERT

Shriver Hall Discovery Series presents Raphaël Feuillâtre in his Baltimore debut on Sat., Nov. 16 at 3 p.m. at the Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr. The classical guitarist will perform works by J.S. Bach and his French contemporaries, as well as selections by South American composers spanning the centuries. Free, with a suggested donation of $10. Register at tinyurl.com/ClassicalGuitarinBaltimore. For more information, call (410) 516-7164.

priately dressed for their time and powdered like the ghosts they are.

A special shout-out goes to Toby’s scenic and properties designer, Shane Lowry, for designing jaw-dropping set pieces and props, including the disembodied hand (“Thing”) that fences with Gomez, a walking skeleton pushing a cart, and the “monster under the bed” that helps little Pugsley sleep at night.

All in all, The Addams Family is a fun and funny Broadway musical, well suited for those who are into the macabre humor the characters are known for. On the other hand, if you’re usually (or currently) not in the mood for songs extolling pain and death, you might want to take a pass.

Ticket information

As always, Toby’s includes in the ticket price a multi-course, all-you-can-eat buffet: dinner prior to evening performances or brunch prior to Wednesday and Sunday matinees.

Depending on performance, tickets range from $84 to $92 for adults (those 65+ pay $74 for Tues. evening or any Wed. performance); children 4 and older are $64 to $67. Remember, the tips you leave for waiters also constitute the majority of the actors’ pay, so be generous. Tickets are available from the box office by calling (410) 730-8311 or online via TicketMaster (with a service fee). Toby’s is located at 5900 Symphony Woods Rd. in Columbia, Maryland.

BEACON BITS

Nov.

2

FREE LUTE CONCERT

Enjoy a fusion of Renaissance and modern music with Grammynominated lute player Ronn McFarlane and Ayreheart, featuring Heather Aubrey Lloyd, on Sat., Nov. 2 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Central Library, 400 Cathedral St., Baltimore. Free, but registration is recommended at tinyurl.com/FreeLuteConcert. For more information, call (410) 396-5430.

FREE STEEL BAND CONCERT

Nov.

10

Celebrate the Catonsville High School Steel Band’s 33rd anniversary with a diverse performance of classical, jazz and rock music. Directed by Andrew Hamilton, this concert showcases the sounds of Trinidad and Tobago. It takes place on Sun., Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. at Church of The Immaculate Heart of Mary, 8501 Loch Raven Blvd., Towson. Free admission; a freewill offering will be collected. For more information, visit ihmchurchmd.org or call (410) 668-7935.

Love learning?

Look no further than Osher at JHU— the adult education program of the Johns Hopkins University. Join us for top quality noncredit courses, passionate faculty, and a community that loves learning. • Explore Art, Current Events, History, Music, Science and more! Classes meet in Baltimore, Columbia and online via Zoom.

The events listed are open to the public. Register today by calling the Osher staff cell phone: 240-595-2219.

Discover the Johns Hopkins Intelligent Systems Center

November 12, 1—3 p.m.

at Grace Methodist Church

5407 N. Charles St. Baltimore, 21210

$28 includes lecture, plus tour the following week (see next item)

Dr. Bart Paulhamus’s lecture will showcase The Intelligent Systems Center, which brings together Hopkins’ expertise in national security, space exploration, and health to address our nation’s challenges.

Tour the Intelligent Systems Center at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab

November 19, 1—3 p.m.

11100 Johns Hopkins Rd. Laurel, 20723

Included with the lecture above.

Tour the Intelligent Systems Center to see its research and development in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Neuroscience for yourself.

Music by the Octopodes:

Johns Hopkins’ A Capella Group

December 10, 1—3 p.m.

at Grace Methodist Church

5407 N. Charles St. Baltimore, 21210

$28

Enjoy amazing student voices as they bring a tour de force of raw energy and sound to a mix of music for your listening pleasure.

To sign up for our large variety of classes during the Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer sessions, an Osher Membership is required. For details, visit osher.jhu.edu, call the Osher staff cell phone at 240-595-2219, or email osher@jhu.edu.

New name reflects music group’s growth

By Ana Preger Hart

After more than half a century as the Candlelight Concert Society, the Howard County-based arts organization has changed its name to Chamber Music Maryland.

The new name brings with it some artistic and organizational changes as well. The website and logo have a new look, and the organization is expanding its concert series and educational outreach.

“Next year, we have quite a few very famous international groups,” its artistic director, Irina Kaplan Lande, said of the upcoming season.

It opens on October 5 with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields chamber ensemble from London. The Tallis Scholars vocal ensemble performs on December 8 at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ellicott City.

“It’s a lot of expansion in every direction,” Kaplan Lande said.

Group

has grown beyond Columbia

Founded in 1972, Candlelight Concert Society began shortly after the establishment of Columbia, Maryland. As the planned community grew, so did the music organization, deepening its ties there and bringing great music from all over the world to the county.

The 2024-2025 season will be the organi-

zation’s first as Chamber Music Maryland and its biggest to date. What remains the same, its leaders say, is the group’s commitment to bringing world-class chamber music concerts, children’s programs, community outreach programs, master classes and pre-concert lectures and discussions to the area’s music lovers.

The group announced its new name in May during the final concert of the 20232024 season, featuring Grammy Awardwinning wind quintet Imani Winds.

However, the organization had been considering how best to accommodate its evolving identity for some time now.

“Over the years, we’ve been expanding the number of people in Maryland that we serve and the number of communities that we serve,” said Bryan Young, board president.

“And so today, we’re not just in Howard County. We also have a series in Baltimore County at Linehan Hall at UMBC,” referring to the organization’s popular piano concerts that take place there. In addition, the group launched a new series at Baltimore’s Peel Museum two seasons ago.

Another reason for the change was the confusion created by the frequent use of the name “candlelight” by other organizations. Some of these include an international concert presenter doing a lot of on-

line advertising, a concert series at Baltimore’s First Unitarian Church, and even a Howard County funeral home.

While considering rebranding, the Chamber Music Maryland board received support and encouragement from the Howard County Arts Council, which helped them finalize the “bold decision and the big change” concerning the organization’s identity, said Kaplan Lande.

The Tallis Scholars, hailed by the New YorkTimes as “the rock stars of Renaissance vocal music,” will perform a traditional Christmas celebration on December 8 for Chamber Music Maryland.

State budget cuts of concern

Despite its extensive programming expansion over the past several years, Chamber Music Maryland aims to maintain its close relationships with core audiences, patrons, public schools and institutions within Howard County.

At the same time, “We see places around the state that are either underserved or would just love to have more great music,” Young said.

“And since we’re in a position to share our artists out of Howard County into Baltimore City, Baltimore County and per-

haps other places in the future, we’re looking forward to adding those as opportunities for people, especially for people who can’t get into Columbia.”

Young emphasized the need for increased access to chamber music for people across Maryland and to bring music closer to where people live.

The nonprofit organization started its first endowment fund in the last few years, before the rebranding, as part of its overall push for sustainability and accessibility. The group wants to take on the “mantle as one of Maryland’s leading music presenters,” Young said.

Speaking of Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s plan to cut nearly $150 million

from the state’s budget for the current fiscal year, Young noted that “The governor has proposed some cuts to arts funding, and so we’re very interested in having people be aware of that…and of how important that funding is to organizations like ours.”

“We’re really deeply concerned about the future of classical music and classical contemporary, and, especially in our case, chamber music,” Kaplan Lande added.

“We’re very committed to nurturing a deep appreciation and love of this music,

and that’s why we go into schools, to community centers, and [why we] work with the kids, do a lot of master classes, workshops,” she said. “We’re really trying to nurture it from the very, very early ages. It’s very important to us.”

You can explore Chamber Music Maryland’s 2024-2025 season in detail, buy a subscription package or tickets to individual concerts, and learn more about the rebranding at their new website, chambermusicmaryland.org or call (410) 997-2324.

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Scrabble answers on p. 21.

Crossword Puzzle

Downtowning

By Stephen Sherr

Across

1. Piece of ancient pottery

6. Music teacher of Prince and David Bowie

10. Classic slot machine feature

14. Guy in multiple nursery rhymes

15. Cop Eddie Murphy played for the fourth time in 2024

16. Game theory game

17. Some of the best ones come in the shower

Down

1. Worked for the CIA

2. Living fence

3. 1980s TV mercenaries

4. Good towns for accounts payable clerks

5. M*A*S*H officers

6. Pittsburgh ___ (veggies and french fries)

7. Visible word in a dark theater

8. Writer Stan or Harper

18. Stead

19. Facts and figures

20. “Goodness gracious!”

21. Louisville Slugger product

22. Pull out all the ___

24. Mortal, with a promotion

26. Finish in the money

27. Next most popular after .com and .org

28. Estrange

32. Lexicographer’s interest

35. A secret evil one is often called a scheme

36. A digital thumb-up, for example

37. Ticket remnant

38. “Sorry, ___ number”

39. Hermione Granger or Napoleon Dynamite

40. Prefix with -scope or -meter

41. Weightiness

42. Shrek and Fiona’s triplets

43. Dopey, of the Seven Dwarfs

45. Possesses

46. Uses “alternative facts”

47. Taylor Swift song inspired by her freshman year

51. Release oil into water

53. Part of 27 Across’ clue

54. Take another stab at

55. It has eight phases

56. Homophone for idle and idyll

58. Type of badge or pay

59. Give a shoutout

60. Yuletide

61. Make the wings safe for flight

62. Mix of spicy toppings

63. Like any movie in the I Spit on Your Grave series

64. Leaves in, as text

9. Good NY town for plumbers

10. Appropriately placed vacation address for this puzzle’s characters

11. Stat!

12. Unproductive habits

13. Sport often battled in an octagon

21. Autonomous program

23. Last body part in the pool for a diver, usually

25. It is silent in design, but not in designation

26. It is usually about 8 degrees for italic letters

28. Towards the heavens

29. Serena Williams, 70 times in the 1999 US Open

30. Suffered an Achilles injury

31. Burn the candle at both ___

32. Letter carrier’s letters

33. Boutonniere attachment spot

34. Ambience

35. First Amendment word

38. Good WV town for a motorcycle gang

42. Stumblebum

44. Rapper Wayne or Kim

45. the Road Jack (Ray Charles #1 hit)

47. Foolishness

48. Goosebumps inducing

49. Official proclamation

50. Do, re and mi

51. Skywalker’s pal

52. Make a sulky gesture

53. One who walks the walk

55. Dashboard info.

57. ___-wop (1950s musical style)

58. ENTs and OB/GYNs

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

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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.

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Life-Changing

No more common sickness

By Doug Cornell, PhD

Most of us live our lives expecting to get sick now and then.

It doesn’t have to be that way! Medicine cabinets are full of remedies for after we get sick. Wouldn’t it be better not to

Scientists have found a natural way to kill the germs that cause common illnesses, like colds before we get sick.

That’s lifechanging!

Don’t just avoid having the

• Kill the viruses that cause colds, sores and fever blisters.

• Kill the fungus that causes sinus trouble and mold allergies.

•

antibiotic-resistant germs, which defy even

surfaces like faucets and doorknobs. Those that and saved lives.

an idea. He had been getting 2-3 bad colds

to reach where germs collect in the nostril.

The next time he felt a tickle in his nose which warned him he was about to get a cold, he touched

for 60 seconds.

Nearly all the reviews are 5-star, because it works so well.

Users say: “It changed my life!”

“I was skeptical, but it works!”

“I can’t believe how good my nose feels.”

“I’m thrilled and amazed.”

“Is it supposed to work that fast?”

“One of the best presents ever.”

“Cold sores gone!” ”I love it!”

“It saved me last holidays. The kids all got sick, but not me.”

“I am shocked! My sinus cleared, no more headache or congestion.”

“You guys have made my Christmas shopping easy.”

“So grateful Mom told me about it.”

“It’s made my quality of life so much better.”

“Best sleep I’ve had in years!”

• thrush, ringworm, and other infections, even after they start.

germs instantly, just by touch.

wounds. They didn’t know about bacteria and viruses, but now we do.

were overusing them, however, and often using them against viruses, though they cannot kill viruses, only bacteria.

As a result, many disease-causing bacteria

antibiotics, with little success.

That’s why the Environmental Protection which the EPA regulates.

bacteria, viruses, and fungus, that cause illness. Covid virus start to die instantly touches them.

destroying them in seconds.

The National Institutes of Health, the EPA,

“It worked! The cold never started,” he exclaimed. “Now I use it at any warning gone over 12 YEARS without a single cold. He asked relatives and friends to try it. it a

®

Soon hundreds had tried it. Over 99% said of bad germs, like a tickle in the nose or a scratchy throat.

kill germs that cause sickness.

The handle is curved and textured for lots

touched recently.

microbes like bacteria, viruses, and fungus.

Customers use pure copper against:

Colds, Flu, Covid

Sinus trouble from germs

Cold sores or Fever blisters

Canker sores that get infected

Sleep loss from congestion

Stuffy nose, drippy nose

Mold allergies

Hay fever worsened by bacteria

Strep throat

Pink Eye and Styes

Skin infections, warts, ringworm

Infected sores

Cuts and Wounds

Thrush and Tongue Infections

Getting sick after air travel

Longtime users say they haven’t been sick in from germs the kids bring home from school. Use it when you feel any sign of bad germs in your nose or when you are around sick

around others or in any crowd, gathering, store,

often during the day and in your nose 3-4 ® on

it if you want, but it is not necessary. ® are easy to use, easy to clean,

Save money. Save time. Cut better. Probably live longer, too. Buy once, useforever. Never wears out. Price $79.95. Get withcode NMPA Guaranteed to work or your money back.

Users say, “Best money I ever spent.” And “Worth every penny.” Also “I would pay ten times as much for this.”

888411-6114

Statements not evaluated by the FDA. Not claimed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

CopperZap®: pure copper kills germs in nose, mouth, skin.