December 2018 | Baltimore Beacon

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Is medical cannabis for you?

DECEMBER 2018

I N S I D E …

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER MYERS

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

The Golden Isles of Georgia and Florida; plus, an update on deceptive hotel fees, and resorts on the Black Sea in the “other” Georgia page 23

ARTS & STYLE Shane Mayberry counsels a customer on medical cannabis options at Herban Legends in Towson. Dozens of such dispensaries of medical marijuana products have opened recently around Maryland since the state’s Medical Cannabis Commission starting issuing licenses at the end of last year.

ed sleep I need. I now wake up refreshed and ready to start my day,” Sophia said.

She added that cannabis helped her deal with the recent death of her brother as well.

Get MORE out of your retirement in Baltimore County.

Clayworks molds a new vision for the future; plus, an overview of festive holiday events that light up the season page 27

Is it safe and effective?

In recent years, laws legalizing the use

TECHNOLOGY k Help for staying organized

3

See MARIJUANA, page 8

Call 1-800-590-4091 for your FREE brochure.

FITNESS & HEALTH 6 k How to keep osteoporosis at bay k Healthy snacks for all occasions LAW & MONEY 17 k Should you retire with your spouse? k What to keep in an emergency bag ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

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By Carol Sorgen and Robert Friedman Two years ago, Scott Deiter ruptured several discs in his neck. Four neck surgeries later, “between the residual pain from the surgeries and daily migraines, I really couldn’t function because of the pain,” he said.

He felt opioid pain medication impaired him too much to work, so Deiter turned to medical marijuana “in desperation.” But he found relief almost immediately and now calls cannabis (the plant’s scientific name) a “wonder drug.”

Deiter, 66, is one of the many Marylanders turning to medical cannabis when more conventional medications haven’t done the trick.

At Herban Legends of Towson, general manager Shane Mayberry said that they are seeing a steady flow of patients and that the number is increasing weekly. Among those are a lot of older clients who have tried various medications in the past that either have not worked, have run their course, or are causing unwanted side effects.

“A large portion of our older patients are looking for relief from chronic pain caused by various conditions and ailments,” said Mayberry.

For example, Sophia, 57, (a customer at another facility who did not want her last name to be used), turned to cannabis to address anxiety, panic attacks and insomnia.

“I have been having a lot of trouble sleeping at night,” she said. “I didn’t want to keep taking sleeping pills because when I wake in the morning, I am very groggy, and it takes a long time for me to fully wake up,” she said.

“Now that I have been using [cannabis], I am able to relax and get the much-need-

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DECEMBER 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Let’s be more critical No one likes a critic. Criticism is often versy, but also bring you up to date on the shared in harsh ways, in which case it can be science and illustrate the importance of destructive rather than concritical reading. structive. And let’s face it, even First, our Q & A column constructive criticism is selanswered a reader’s question dom appreciated at the time! about whether he should take On the other hand, perfish oil supplements because haps we should all be a bit he doesn’t eat fish. more critical in how we read The doctor’s response began and understand things. Readby noting that those who reguing (and thinking) critically larly eat fatty fish (like salmon, are more important today herring and mackerel) have than ever, living as we are in lower rates of heart attack and an age of tweets, sound bites FROM THE stroke, and that this is attriband screeds. uted to the fishes’ fatty acids, PUBLISHER As a case in point, I’d like to By Stuart P. Rosenthal EPA and DHA. share with you an exchange I But that didn’t mean all peohad this week with a reader who felt a Q & ple who don’t eat fish should be taking ordiA column we published was misleading. nary over-the-counter fish oil supplements, We headlined the story, written by a as the questioner seemed to be asking.

Harvard Medical School professor, “Most The doctor pointed out that studies of us don’t need fish oil supplements.” You show fish oil is effective at reducing high won’t recall this, because the story ap- levels of triglycerides in the blood (which peared two weeks ago in our Greater raise the risk for heart attack and stroke), Washington edition, and was scheduled to and may somewhat reduce the risk of a appear in this issue of the Baltimore Bea- second heart attack. con.

So he suggested those with these condiRather than printing it in this issue, I tions speak with their doctor, and also that want to share some relevant parts of both they ask whether they should take a prethat article and the reader’s criticism in scription fish oil rather than an OTC product. this column. This way, I believe I will not His conclusion was that “for everyone only fill you in on the story and the contro- else...even those prone to cardiovascular

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The Beacon 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., Greater Washington, DC and Richmond, Va. (Fifty Plus).

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 • Associate Publisher ..............Judith K. Rosenthal • Vice President, Operations........Gordon Hasenei • Vice President, Sales & Marketing ....Alan Spiegel • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Art Director ........................................Kyle Gregory • Director of Operations ........................Roger King • Contributing Editor ..........................Carol Sorgen • Advertising Representatives .................................. ..............................Barbara Koscielski, Steve Levin • Assistant Editor ..........................Rebekah Alcalde

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (410) 248-9101 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com Submissions:

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disease...there is no evidence that taking fish oil supplements offers any benefit.”

Our reader took exception to the column because he had been reading about a recent study that seemed to show fish oil supplements were extremely beneficial to people in general.

Even though we published our Q & A column before that study had been announced at the American Heart Association conference in November, and before it had been published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), the reader criticized us for ignoring “well-reported” results that a particular fish oil product (Vascepa) produced by a small company (Amarin) “showed a 25 percent reduction in cardiovascular events with placebo-like side effects.”

He noted that “it is already being called a ‘Wonder’ drug,” and suggested our Harvard professor should attend more meetings and “be updated on recent findings.”

He also chided the Beacon for doing our readers a disservice, and added “your readers have been given incorrect info about a product that significantly reduces their cardio risk because the Dr. did not do basic research.”

We appreciate readers keeping us honest and informing us of errors we no doubt will make on occasion. In this case, however, the reader was overstating his case, probably because he was reading hyped reports online before the study was officially published.

In actuality, the study credited a high dose of Vascepa, a purified, prescription fish oil, with a 25 percent reduction in heart problems and heart-related deaths among people with high triglycerides who were already taking a statin drug for high cholesterol.* That jibes closely with what our column stated.

Furthermore, the same issue of the NEJM featured results of another study, this one of a generic, over-the-counter EPA/DHA fish oil that was tested in ordinary people. In describing the results of that study, the Associated Press reported:

“Fish oil taken by healthy people, at a dose found in many supplements, showed no clear ability to lower heart or cancer risks.” Again, just as our column stated.

In conclusion, whenever you read reports of new studies (whether in the Beacon or elsewhere) — especially about something hailed as a “wonder drug” or “breakthrough” — you probably should remain skeptical until all the facts come out.

Before you tout the results, you’ll want to find out exactly who was tested, with what product(s), and whether or not the study was a double-blind placebo-controlled study (where neither the researchers nor participants know who gets a placebo and who gets the drug being tested).

Furthermore, it is a good idea to wait until a study is published in a reputable peer-reviewed journal before making any judgments. That means the study has been reviewed by other experts in the same field, and any discrepancies or doubtful practices have been examined, or at least will be noted together with the study results upon publication.

And before we criticize any particular story about a study, let’s be careful not to generalize the study’s conclusions or ignore crucial details. We can and should read critically before we become a critic. *I’d like to add an explanatory note regarding the meaning of “reduced risk.” The Amarin study correctly reported “a 25 percent reduction in risk” with its drug. What that means is that major cardiovascular problems (heart attack, stroke, hospitalization for stenting, etc.) occurred in 17 percent of patients taking Vascepa, versus 22 percent of patients taking the placebo.

Viewed that way, the result doesn’t seem so spectacular. But that does constitute a 25 percent reduction in risk, relatively speaking. This is always the case when “lower risk” percentages are announced in studies.

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

Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.

Dear editor: Thank you for the fabulous article about Rebecca Hoffberger and her American Visionary Art Museum in the October Beacon. Over the years, I’ve been a member, yet knew very little about its founder. Rebecca is an American treasure and her museum is world-class magnificent.

In an era that prizes college diplomas, advanced degrees, years of formal study, anyone self-taught is a rare commodity. The many exhibits I’ve visited either inspire or infuriate, but no one leaves without an opinion.

I’ve been fortunate to have worked on several AVAM events, my favorites being Pets on Parade, a 4th of July extravaganza, and the Kinetic Sculpture Parade, a happening in motion that travels the streets of downtown Baltimore.

Hoffberger has put together some amazing events which deserve praise for their originality. The Marriage of Art, Science and Philosophy was a winner, as was We are Not Alone — Angels and Other See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 24

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2018

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Technology &

Innovations Best apps for busy people, self-employed

By Marguerita M. Cheng Whether working, retired, or somewhere in between (working independently as part of the “gig economy”), many of us have so many different tasks to perform on a daily basis that it can get overwhelming.

Fortunately, with a smartphone and some helpful mobile apps, you can stay organized and focused. These are my favorites, some of which are particularly good for entrepreneurs:

Staying organized When you’re juggling a lot of balls, nothing is more important than staying ahead of things. These apps help you do just that.

Evernote Evernote is probably the most popular note-taking app of all. It allows you to collect and organize all your thoughts and ideas in different formats and keep everything in one place. You can attach images, scan documents, and share your notes with others who have the same app.

er, you can manage all your business cards with ease. It’s the perfect app for business development professionals who meet new people every day.

Among other things, you can use CamCard to scan business cards and store their information on your mobile device, access and edit contact information across devices, and exchange e-cards.

By the way, CamCard is able to recognize 17 different languages, including Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian.

With the CamCard business card read-

PC, and the devices of others. What’s more, you can benefit from task prioritization, setSee BEST APPS, page 4

Google Calendar With the Google Calendar, you see all your appointments and meetings in one place. You can switch between different calendar views (month, week and day) and import events from Gmail, as well as set tasks for specific events on your calendar.

The application is compatible with all other calendar apps on your smartphone.

Popular alternative: DigiCal

Todoist CamCard

lists. The best thing: It’s free (although you can make in-app purchases).

Of course, you can sync all your lists across your digital devices, including your

As the name suggests, Todoist is an application for creating and managing to-do

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Best apps

Audible

From page 3 ting alerts and integrations with third-party apps like Dropbox (see more below).

Popular alternative: Wunderlist

Work Log If you are a gigpreneur and like to get paid based on an hourly rate, consider Work Log, a “quick, easy and free way to keep track of your shifts and calculate the number of hours worked and wages paid over your pay period.”

Widgets allow you to enter hours manually and view reports of how many hours you’ve worked by week, month or pay period.

Staying Focused If you want to be a successful entrepreneur (or even a successful retiree), the following three apps can help you:

Why Audible, the audiobook app? Because it offers thousands of audiobooks and podcasts that are a great source for inspiration and personal growth, like learning new things and acquiring new skills.

My favorite podcast? The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss.

DECEMBER 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

est. The beats and tones featured are designed to stimulate your mind.

Atmosphere also lets you create mixes of your favorite sounds, which you can save for later use in situations like “busy mornings” or “during lunch breaks.” Above that, there is an import function to add your own audios.

Storing data Motivation 365 Motivation 365 is motivation for a whole year. The app provides a collection of inspiring wallpapers, quotes and stories.

Every time you open the app, which can be downloaded for free, you will be greeted with new, engaging content.

Atmosphere You can use Atmosphere to clear your mind, calm your thoughts and relieve stress.

The app features a variety of relaxing sounds that can be found in different natural environments, such as waves and seagulls at the beach, or rivers and woodpeckers in the for-

Images, invoices, contracts and all other files that are essential to self-employment or operating a business must be saved somewhere.

Storing them on your local hard drive doesn’t allow you to access them from wherever you want, especially when you are on the go. This is why it’s good to utilize a cloudstoring service.

what time it is. Additional features are the document scanner and offline accessibility.

An option to comment on files facilitates team collaboration and improves productivity. If you’re in business, you should also consider Dropbox Business, as it offers more storage space and additional sharing features.

Popular alternative: Google Drive

Invoicing If you’re self-employed or run any sort of business, you have to create invoices. The more automated the process is, the less time you must spend on this secondary activity, which keeps you from working on the really important stuff. Here are some apps to streamline the invoicing process.

Dropbox

Wave

Dropbox is one of the world’s leading file storage and sharing systems. You can use it to create, edit, view and send all types of documents, no matter where you are or

Wave is one of the more popular invoicing apps for the creation and distribution of professionally designed, customized invoices, as well as estimates and receipts.

The cloud service organizes bookkeeping by helping you record your income and expenses, scan receipts, receive payment notifications, send payment reminders, accept payments, etc.

During the initial setup, you can link

We Turn Addresses

into homes

MOST COMMUNITIE S ARE 62 AND B ET T ER

See BEST APPS, page 5

BEACON BITS ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

BALTIMORE COUNTY (CONT.)

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

Park View at Randallstown: 410-655-5673 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

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

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

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 Counsul: 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 Park View at Fullerton: 410-663-0665 Park View at Miramar Landing: 410-391-8375

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

Call the community nearest you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour. www.rhomecommunities.com MOST COMMUNITIES ARE PET-FRIENDLY

Dec. 14

IRISH CHRISTMAS CONCERT

Get into the holiday spirit with “An Irish Christmas” featuring songs, tunes and airs from Ireland performed by some of the finest musicians in Irish music today, playing a blend of holiday and traditional tunes and songs. The program is on Friday, Dec. 14, at 8 p.m., at Timonium United Methodist Church, 2300 Pot Spring Rd. Tickets are $22. For more information, call (443) 540-0226 or visit www.uptownconcerta.com/cellar-stage-timonium/.

Dec. 7+

FREE SERIES OF CHRISTMAS CONCERTS

The Voices of Faith Chorale will present a series of Christmas concerts on Friday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m. at Perry Hall United Methodist Church, 9515 Belair Rd.; Friday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m. at and Sunday, Dec. 16, at 3 p.m. at St. Luke’s Catholic Church, 7517 Northpoint Road. This year’s concerts are titled, “A Still and Silent Night,” and honor the 200th anniversary of the writing of “Silent Night.”

The concerts include pop, gospel, contemporary and classical Christmas favorites, and also songs with audience participation.

Admission is free.

❏ Charlestown (see ad on page 1) ❏ Christ Church Harbor Apts. (see ad on page 19) ❏ Glynn Taff Assisted Living (see ad on page 19) ❏ Linden Park Apts. (see ad on page 19) ❏ Oak Crest (see ad on page 1) ❏ Park View Laurel (see ad on page 4) ❏ Park View Towson (see ad on page 4) ❏ Park View Fullerton (see ad on page 4) ❏ Park View Rosedale (see ad on page 4) ❏ St. Mary’s Roland View Towers

I N F O R M AT I O N ★

(see ad on page 21)

F R E E

❏ Westminster House Apartments (see ad on page 2)

I N F O R M AT I O N

Health Study Volunteers ❏ COPD Study (see ad on page 12) ❏ Healthy Volunteer Study (see ad on page 13) ❏ Knee Osteoarthritis Study (see ad on page 12) ❏ High Fat Diet & Cognition Study (see article on page 12)

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Freelancer is one of the oldest and most popular freelance marketplaces around. It connects skilled talents with those who need to get a job done.

Flights, hotels, car reservations: Thanks to TripIt, you can now collect all your travel plans and documents in a single itinerary. All the info will be available on and offline once you’ve forwarded it to plans@tripit.com, so you won’t find yourself missing booking confirmation numbers and other details.

The TripIt pro version shines with additional features, such as: • sending real-time flight alerts, • sending check-in reminders,

F R E E

Freelancer

TripIt

★

If gigs and freelance work are your bread and butter, in order to find them, you have to be available around the clock.

This can be easily achieved by downloading the app of your favorite freelancer platform onto your smartphone.

MAIL OR FAX FOR FREE INFORMATION

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Gigs and freelance jobs

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In our day and age, traveling around the globe is often part of the everyday life of successful entrepreneurs and active retirees.

Skype is a classic. It feels like it has been around forever, and there is no reason why it could vanish in the next years. It allows you to video and message chat with every-

F R E E

Traveling

Skype

Slack is an indispensable tool for team communication and collaboration. The free cloud-based service with millions of active users combines instant messaging with email and file sharing to make information instantly available to all members in your team.

Because all information on this app is browsable, it’s easy to locate old communication records and bounce ideas around. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

F R E E

FreshBooks targets small-business owners who need help with their invoicing and accounting to save time and money. You can use the app to record payments, scan receipts, accept credit card payments, and track and bill the hours you’ve worked. You can do all this while you’re in your office or on the go.

More features: • Simple and easy-to-use interface • Easily integrates with PayPal, WooCommerce and other third-party platforms

In today’s world, communication is key, whether it’s for business or to keep up with family far and wide. The following apps will facilitate communication and help you stay connected.

★

FreshBooks

one in your private and professional network. And yes, it’s still 100 percent free.

Slack Communicating

I N F O R M AT I O N

your bank account(s). Accounting reports help you prepare for filing taxes (check out the Guest Collaborator to send all your tax information to your accountant.)

Popular alternative: Free Invoice Generator

• providing maps for airports and terminals, Popular alternative: TripCase

F R E E

From page 4

If you are a web designer, a translator, a data analyst or a programmer, this is the ideal platform. You can work from anywhere in the world and connect with a global base of employers.

The app allows you to find and bid on projects while you’re on the move and communicate with clients via instant messaging.

In order to not limit yourself by one platform, consider exploring Upwork, PeoplePerHour, Guru and others.

On a related note: Freelancer, Upwork and all other freelancer marketplace apps are also of great use for entrepreneurs who are looking to hire new talent. With Freelancer in particular, you can post projects and receive bids for free.

★

FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★

Best apps

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2018

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DECEMBER 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Health Fitness &

SNACK ATTACK The best snack foods for every situation, from drowsiness to headaches FEED YOUR BRAIN? Study asks if a higher fat diet can improve cognition in dementia patients CALLING HEALTHY PERSONS Two large studies are recruiting the healthy for Alzheimer’s prevention SOUP’S ON Vegetarian soup recipes: curried red lentil and slow cooker minestrone

More women may benefit from bone drugs

By Marilynn Marchione A bone-strengthening drug given by IV every 18 months greatly lowered the risk of fracture in certain older women, a large study found. The results suggest these medicines might help more people than those who get them now, and can be used less often, too.

Broken bones are a scourge of aging. A hip fracture can start a long decline that lands someone in a nursing home. The risk is most common in women after menopause.

But who should use drugs called bisphosphonates is debatable. They’re recommended for people with severely brittle bones, called osteoporosis, but their value has been less clear for millions of others with moderate bone loss.

Yet “that’s the group in whom 80 percent of fractures occur,” and the new results suggest they also may benefit from treatment, said Dr. Ian Reid of the University of Auckland in New Zealand. He led the study, recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Estrogen drop weakens bones Estrogen keeps bones strong; they

weaken after menopause when levels of that hormone drop. It often gets worse after 65, and women of that age are advised to have a bone mineral density scan — a low-dose X-ray to estimate bone strength.

If osteoporosis is found, treatment usually is Fosamax, Boniva or generic bisphosphonates, which help prevent bone from being lost faster than the body is able to renew it.

Some people don’t stick with the pills or endure digestive side effects, so the medicines also can be given by IV, usually once a year.

However, concern about some rare side effects have limited their use, along with a lack of evidence that they might help before bone loss becomes severe.

The study involved 2,000 women, average age 71, with moderate bone loss. One quarter had previously had a fracture.

They were assigned to get an IV every 18 months of either a Novartis drug (sold as Reclast in the United States and Aclasta elsewhere) or a placebo solution.

After six years, 122 women in the drug group had broken a bone versus 190 of those on placebo — a 37 percent lowered

risk. The drug also cut in half the risk of a vertebral fracture, when bone compression causes part of the spine to collapse.

For every 15 women like this treated for six years, one fracture was prevented — a ratio that some experts said makes treatment worth considering.

Two rare problems are tied to bisphosphonates: deterioration of the jawbone and unusual leg fractures. No cases of either occurred, but the study wasn’t big enough to rule out this risk.

Possible other benefits Other results stood out: Fewer women in the drug group were found to have cancer — 84 versus 121 in the placebo group.

However, the study was not designed to test for this, so other factors such as a family history of cancer may have influenced those numbers.

Deaths and heart attacks also were fewer in the drug group, but the difference was so small it could have occurred by chance alone.

Still, doctors said these were encouraging signs also seen in some earlier research.

“It now raises the question, should we

be doing additional studies” to look for cancer and heart benefits from these drugs, asked Dr. Michael Econs, an Indiana University professor who is president of the bone society.

Novartis supplied the drug but had no role in the study. A New Zealand government health agency sponsored it. Study leader Reid consults for the company and other drug makers.

An IV infusion of generic Reclast costs $200 to $500, depending on insurance and other factors, several doctors said. Other bisphosphonates may give similar benefits “but we can’t be certain of that,” Reid said.

The benefits also can’t be assumed to extend to women under 65 or to men, added Dr. Clifford J. Rosen of Maine Medical Center Research Institute, an editor at the medical journal.

Gauging a patient’s risk and need for treatment should focus on age and previous broken bones, not just the bone mineral density score, Rosen said.

But “if you’re at high risk and you’re going to be treated, this is the kind of therapy you probably should get,” he said.

— AP

Medicare open season; upgraded website

By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar With Medicare sign-up season in full swing, Medicare has modernized its website to make it more useful for beneficiaries already accustomed to searching online for insurers, hospitals and doctors.

But some consumer advocates said the changes reflect a subtle bias toward private plans on the part of the Trump administration.

Medicare Administrator Seema Verma said new features include a five-point questionnaire to help eligible adults decide between original, government-run Medicare and private plans offered under Medicare Advantage, an online calculator to help estimate out-of-pocket costs, a webchat option and a simplified login. All are part of a continuing project to upgrade Medicare’s online presence.

The annual open enrollment for Medicare Advantage and Medicare pre-

scription plans started Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7. That’s a time to shop for new plans or switch coverage. Beneficiaries sign up initially when they turn 65 and become eligible for Medicare.

Biased toward Medicare Advantage?

“We always felt it’s important that every American we serve have a good customer experience,” Verma said. But some consumer groups said the new online features seem to portray Medicare Advantage plans more favorably than original Medicare.

More than 21 million beneficiaries — about 36 percent — are already in private Medicare Advantage plans, a growing share of the program. In exchange for limits on choice of doctors and hospitals, the private plans can offer lower out-of-pocket costs and added benefits, such as vision and dental care.

This year, some plans will start provid-

ing limited assistance to help keep frail seniors safe in their own homes instead of nursing homes.

Attorney David Lipschutz of the nonpartisan Center for Medicare Advocacy said that based on an initial review of the new online features, “it does appear that Medicare Advantage continues to be painted in a light most favorable.” The center is a nonprofit legal organization that acts as a watchdog over the program and represents individual beneficiaries with consumer complaints.

Original Medicare plus medigap Lipschutz pointed to the new five-point online questionnaire as potentially problematic. He said it overlooks some of the limitations of Medicare Advantage as well as reasons why seniors might prefer original Medicare.

Original Medicare has gaps in coverage, but many beneficiaries buy supplemental

“medigap” polices to cover those, along with a private “Part D” prescription plan.

For people in poor health, original Medicare preserves the broadest choice of hospitals and doctors. Coupled with a medigap policy and a prescription plan, it can result in lower out-of-pocket costs for some people dealing with serious health conditions.

Those variables can go beyond the capacity of a quick online questionnaire.

Medicare Administrator Verma said the government is not trying to put its thumb on the scale. “We are not steering any Medicare beneficiary anywhere,” she said.

Medicare has had a long tug-of-war over whether the program should be run entirely by the government or administered by private insurers. Republicans tend to favor privatization, while Democrats prefer government administration.

— AP

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2018

7

Don’t miss out on the flu vaccine this year

By Mike Stobbe An estimated 80,000 Americans died of flu and its complications last winter — the disease’s highest death toll in at least four decades.

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Robert Redfield, revealed the total in a recent interview with the Associated Press.

Flu experts knew it was a very bad season, but at least one found the size of the estimate surprising.

“That’s huge,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University vaccine expert.

The tally was nearly twice as much as what health officials previously considered a bad year, he said.

In recent years, flu-related deaths have ranged from about 12,000 to 56,000, according to the CDC.

Why last year was so bad Last fall and winter, the U.S. went through one of the most severe flu seasons in recent memory. It was driven by a kind of flu that tends to put more people in the hospital and cause more deaths, particularly among young children and the elderly.

The season peaked in early February, and it was mostly over by the end of March.

Making a bad year worse, the flu vaccine didn’t work very well. Experts nevertheless say vaccination is still worth it because it makes illnesses less severe and saves lives.

CDC officials do not have exact counts of how many people die from flu each year.

Flu is so common that not all flu cases are reported, and flu is not always listed on death certificates. So the CDC uses statistical models, which are periodically revised, to make estimates.

Fatal complications from the flu can include pneumonia, stroke and heart attack.

CDC officials called the 80,000 figure preliminary, and it may be slightly revised.

But they said it is not expected to go down.

It eclipses the estimates for every flu season going back to the winter of 19761977. Estimates for many earlier seasons were not readily available.

Last winter was not the worst flu season on record, however. The 1918 flu pandemic, which lasted nearly two years, killed more than 500,000 Americans, historians estimate.

It’s not easy to compare flu seasons through history, partly because the nation’s population is changing. There are more Americans — and more elderly Americans — today than in decades past, noted Dr. Daniel Jernigan, a CDC flu expert.

against expected strains.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen, but we’re seeing more encouraging signs than we were early last year,” Jernigan said.

Flu vaccines are available at most doctor’s offices, drug stores and grocery stores with pharmacies.

— AP

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A milder strain this year And how bad is this season going to be?

So far, the flu that’s been detected is a milder strain, and early signs are that the vaccine is shaping up to be a good match, Jernigan said.

The makeup of the vaccine has been changed this year to try to better protect

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Marijuana From page 1 of cannabis for specific medical conditions have been enacted in 31 states. Nine states plus the District of Columbia permit its recreational use in some fashion. In October, Canada legalized marijuana throughout the country.

The Maryland legislature voted to legalize medical marijuana in 2012, but five years passed before it became available at state-licensed facilities. Since Dec. 1, 2017, the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC) has licensed 67 dispensaries around the state. There are currently 21 in the Baltimore area.

The rapid growth of the industry reflects the widespread acceptance by the public of marijuana as a medical treatment in recent years. A large survey recently found that 81 percent of Americans believe cannabis offers medicinal benefits.

However, in reporting on the survey, the Annals of Internal Medicine, a publication of the American College of Physicians,

noted that “Americans’ view of marijuana use is more favorable than existing evidence supports.” The risks and benefits of use have not been widely studied.

To date, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which has authority to determine the safety and effectiveness of drugs sold in the U.S., has approved only a handful of marijuana derivatives (or synthetic cannabis). All are treatments for particular conditions, including seizures in certain forms of epilepsy, anorexia in AIDS patients, and nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.

One of the reasons for so few approved uses may well be the fact that, since 1970, federal law has classified marijuana as a “Schedule 1” illegal drug — the same category reserved for heroin, LSD and other drugs “with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”

This makes it difficult for researchers to obtain the product legally, limiting their ability to conduct studies and find other uses.

Nonetheless, nearly half of U.S. cancer doctors who responded to a survey said they’ve recommended medical marijuana

DECEMBER 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

to their patients, even while most of them admit they haven’t seen enough medical evidence to support it.

Their recommendations appear to be driven by the desire to help ease patients’ nausea and pain, while limiting the use of opioids.

Some doctors, for example, prescribe a low dose of opioid pain medication together with medical marijuana, which may be both more effective and safer for some patients than the regular dose of opioids alone. (Recent studies go both ways on the question.)

No need to smoke The initial reluctance of some to using cannabis is due to their feelings about inhaling the toxic byproducts of tobacco, many of which are also produced in smoking marijuana. For example, Lynda, 76, said her husband, 80, is a lung cancer survivor, so they wouldn’t consider smoking anything.

But the active ingredient in cannabis lies in oils on the surface of the plant’s leaves, so there are many other ways to consume it.

For example, Herban Legends, in Towson, focuses on smokeless varieties such as vaporizing cartridges, dabbable concentrates, transdermals (which have ability to enter the blood stream and provide all over relief), and dermals (which do not enter the blood system and act only on local receptors).

Currently the state of Maryland does not allow for “edibles” but Herban Legends does have troches (small lozenges) and tablets that dissolve under your tongue.

The wide variety of products containing medical cannabis opened a whole new vista to Lynda and her husband.

“Cannabis capsules have really changed our lives,” she said. “I haven’t had a migraine in a month, and both my husband and I are sleeping better without taking other medications.

“With today’s products, you know exactly what [amount] you’re getting. We took some free classes at Curio Wellness in Ti-

monium, and learned how to use them; what works for what. Also, they have a pharmacist on staff, which was very helpful.”

Typically, dosing amounts are decided by the patient, according to Mayberry.

“Everyone’s bio-psychology is vastly different and taxed in different ways depending on their illness/ailment.”

Mayberry said that he always recommends to patients who are new to cannabis to start low and go slow. “Move up your dosage only as you feel comfortable. Keeping a dosing log is a great way to find the therapeutic dosage that is right for you,” he added.

Concerns for older users A recent article in U.S. News and World Report reported on the research findings of Margaret Haney, a professor of neurobiology in psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center in New York.

Haney is quoted as saying that “there is some suggestion that cannabinoids can be useful for a type of pain that isn’t well-treated by other drugs — neuropathic pain.”

This type of pain, which is caused by nerve damage, is associated with diabetes, HIV infection or medications, and cancer chemotherapy.

Haney also is quoted as saying “it’s certainly reasonable to try [cannabis] for [poor] appetite....Just be cautious.”

Among the cautions older adults should be particularly aware of are the following: — Do not drive when under the influence of marijuana. “It doubles the risk of accidents,” Haney said.

— Haney also noted that while some use marijuana for anxiety relief, “many others find it enhances anxiety tremendously.”

— Fall risk is a serious concern for See MARIJUANA, page 9

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2018

Marijuana From page 8 older adults. In connection with this, the U.S. News article quoted Laura Borgelt, a professor at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy, saying, “We know that marijuana can create cognitive impairment and slow cognitive processes.

It has also shown some [short-term] memory impairment.”

— Also, marijuana may interact dangerously with a number of types of prescription drugs commonly taken by older adults. These include sleep medications, blood thinners, blood pressure medications and diabetes drugs.

“Edible marijuana products pose the most risk for interactions with prescription medications,” Borgelt said.

The buying process For those who want to give medical marijuana a try, purchasing it is a little more complicated than just walking into a dispensary.

A Maryland resident must first register with the MMCC and get an ID number.

Then the patient visits a physician registered with the MMCC for an evaluation and recommendation. (Some dispensaries have a physician on staff.)

The patient then brings the doctor’s recommendation and their ID number to a dispensary, where the patient’s case is discussed, and recommendations about particular products are made.

Among the medical conditions that qualify for treatment at Maryland dispensaries are anorexia, wasting syndrome, severe and chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, persistent muscle spasms, glaucoma and post-traumatic stress disorder.

At Nature’s Therapy in Parkville, coowner Meredith Shelton, a nurse practitioner, assists patients in achieving safe access to medical cannabis. She does not sell

any cannabis products.

“We provide medical cannabis evaluations,” said Shelton. An evaluation will include a thorough medical history, a review of medications you’re taking, and a discussion of potential benefits and risks of using medical cannabis.

Because many patients have an extensive medical history and take a number of prescriptions, Shelton strongly advises users to keep their medical practitioners advised of any cannabis use.

What does it cost?

At this time, neither Medicare nor private insurance cover medical marijuana, so customers must pay privately for the products.

Most dispensaries list the price of the various forms of cannabis they sell on their website. The cost of cannabis to smoke typically ranges from $35 to $65 per 1/8 ounce, while oil cartridges that are vaporized cost $40 to $80. Tinctures and chewable tablets may range from $30 to $80.

In all these cases, the number of doses one gets from these types of purchases will depend on the condition being treated and each person’s reaction to the various products. For example, those transitioning off opioids will get fewer days’ use from a given amount than those with less severe needs.

For Lynda and her husband, “it’s not cheap, it’s not exorbitant. But it’s been marvelous. We’re very active and play couples tennis. There are a lot of people out there with aches and pains. We encourage our friends to try it,” she said.

Having been young adults in the 1960s and 70s, “with all those years of whispering,” it’s exciting to be able to legally obtain and benefit from cannabis today, she added.

“I can’t believe this is really happening. I love the freedom of being able to say, ‘Oh, yeah, want to see my card?’ That’s a high!”

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DECEMBER 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2018

11

Snacks tailor made to help you feel better

By Greg Luna Not all snack attacks are created equal.

Some happen because you’re tired, or can’t sleep, or you have to wait too long until your next meal.

No matter which kind you’re having, there’s an appropriate snack for that. #1: Your head is throbbing, and your stomach is growling.

If you’re having a tension headache and you’re also hungry, try some magnesium.

“Magnesium helps relax blood vessels, which can help relieve tension and pain,” said Keri Glassman, R.D., author of The Snack Factor Diet.

Sweet potatoes are a great source of this mineral, so you can eat one cooked, or try making your own baked sweet potato chips. Cut a sweet potato into thin slices, drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and bake at 250 F for two hours, flipping once.

No time for that? Try a bowl of magnesium-rich bran flakes with inflammationcalming blueberries, which are high in potassium. #2: You’ll be eating a late dinner, but you’re hungry now.

If you want to tide yourself over without getting overly full, try crunching on celery sticks dipped in hummus, or roasted red peppers with mozzarella and basil.

“Water-dense foods will fill you up and curb your appetite, and protein will keep that feeling going until dinner,” Glassman

said. A few endive leaves topped with tuna salad will do the trick, too. #3: You tossed and turned all night, and have a meeting that will run into lunch.

After a healthy breakfast of whole-grain carbs and protein, make sure you have a midmorning snack. Coffee’s the obvious perk-up, and we give you permission to grab a second or third mug (research shows that coffee hydrates you almost as well as water).

Just pair it with food that has fiber and healthy fats, Glassman said. “This will give you a steady flow of energy and help you stay satisfied until you can break for lunch,” she said.

A smart snack is five or six whole-grain crackers (with at least 3 grams fiber per serving) topped with 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter. More options: whole-wheat

toast topped with a sliced avocado, or a small handful of nuts. #4: It’s 3 p.m. and your eyelids are heavy, but a nap isn’t in the cards.

“Vitamin C-rich foods will give you the quick energy boost you need until it’s quitting time,” said Dana James, a nutritional therapist and owner of Food Coach NYC. Have a cup of sliced papaya with a squeeze of lime juice for an extra dose of C. Other C-rich options include strawberries, or a snack mix of chopped dried apricots and coconut flakes. #5: You can’t sleep because your mind is racing.

“Magnesium is a natural relaxant that encourages a deeper level of sleep,” said James. Drink a glass of warmed almond milk (almonds give it the magnesium) with a few dashes of cinnamon. Or try half a banana drizzled with honey.

#6: You’re giving a big presentation in half an hour and feel drained.

You need B vitamins, which will help keep your memory sharp, and zinc to enhance mental clarity.

Enjoy a small spinach side salad with pumpkin seeds, which, like most nuts and seeds, are loaded with zinc. It’s nice and light, so you won’t get sluggish.

You can also snack on B-rich pear slices dipped in tahini (a sesame paste you can find in the ethnic aisle of your grocery store), or sesame crackers with guacamole.

— Better Homes and Gardens, a magazine and website devoted to ideas and improvement projects for your home and garden, plus recipes and entertaining ideas. Online at www.bhg.com. © 2018 Meredith Corporation. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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BEACON BITS

Dec. 11

CAREGIVER CHALLENGES AND RESOURCES

Jewish Community Services will host an “ask the expert” luncheon on Tuesday, Dec. 11, at noon, at Tark’s Grill in Greenspring Station. The presentation will cover the challenges facing family caregivers, and provide information about helpful resources to ease the burden. Information will also be provided by Sol Levinson Funeral Home about the benefits of funeral pre-planning. Lunch is free, but registration is required by Nov. 23. Email AskTheExpert@sollevinson.com or call (410) 653-8900.

Ongoing

FREE LIBRARY SERVICE FOR THE BLIND AND PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED

The Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped in Baltimore provides library service to all eligible citizens of Maryland. For more information, call (410) 2302424, TTY, (410) 333-8679, or visit www.marylandlibraries.org.

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For an appointment, call 443-444-HOPE (4673).

BREAST CENTER

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Health Studies Page

DECEMBER 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Can a high-fat diet improve cognition?

By Carol Sorgen Johns Hopkins Memory and Alzheimer’s Treatment Center is currently recruiting adults over the age of 60 who have been diagnosed with mild memory impairment (especially those with early Alzheimer’s disease) for a research study of dietary treatments for the condition.

Alzheimer’s disease is known to be associated with insulin resistance, or abnormal glucose metabolism. Abnormalities in the brain’s use of glucose can be observed on imaging studies even before clinical symptoms have begun to appear.

And in patients who already have established dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease, there is a strong link between the severity of cognitive impairment and the decrease in glucose uptake.

When glucose is unavailable, ketone bodies, which are produced by the metabolism of fats, can act as a “backup” fuel, possibly slowing cognitive decline or even improving cognition in Alzheimer’s patients.

Two diets to be tested The Hopkins study is a 12-week clinical trial of a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet vs. a low-fat diet high in fruits, vegetables and grains. Both diets are considered safe for most physically healthy older adults.

All education, support and vitamin supplements are provided free of charge. Participants may stay on their existing medications. Your physician will be asked to agree to your participation.

Each patient will have a study partner who is cognitively healthy, lives with the participant, and can help him or her adhere to the diet. A research dietitian will teach participants and partners the new diet and monitor adherence with food logs, in-person assessments and urine ketone testing.

After an initial baseline visit, participants will complete four in-person assessments, during which adherence to the diet will be assessed and neurocognitive tests will be administered.

Researchers expect that the diet will be manageable and well-tolerated by those with moderate cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. They also hope to demonstrate that following such a diet will result in a greater increase (or less decline) in cognitive test scores than the comparison diet.

Those following the study diet will consume fewer than 20 mg. of carbohydrates a day, supplemented by extra dietary fats.

Those in the comparison group will follow the National Institute on Aging diet for seniors, which includes selections from grains, proteins, fruits, vegetables, dairy, oils, solid fats and added sugars.

Success in small study In a similar but smaller study conducted at the University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Center, researchers fed 10 Alzheimer’s patients a diet comprised of 70 percent fat for three months.

The researchers evaluated whether the

higher-fat diet resulted in better scoring on a standard Alzheimer’s assessment of cognitive functions including memory, language, orientation and praxis (the ability to put an idea or theory into practice).

Using that test, cognition in Alzheimer’s patients has been found to generally decline by five points or so per year. But the University of Kansas researchers found that the higher-fat diet partially reversed the decline, with participants improving an average of four points on the scale.

In other trials, patients with Alzheimer’s disease who did not change their diet but were taking the medication Aricept (donapezil) only improved by about two points on the scale. In the University of Kansas study, the patients’ scores didn’t decline at all, and everyone who stayed on the diet and on their medications improved to some degree.

For more information on the Hopkins study, or to volunteer, call Alison Buchholz, Ph.D., (410) 502-6352.

BEACON BITS

Nov. 27

FREE WORKSHOP FOR FAMILY DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS

Baltimore County Department of Aging is hosting an evidencebased workshop on “Dealing with Dementia” on Tuesday, Nov. 27, at the Pikesville Senior Center, 1301 Reisterstown Rd., from noon to 4 p.m. The workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of tips, strategies and best practices to care for someone with behavior concerns due to Alzheimer’s Disease and other form of dementia. For more information, call (410) 887-1662.

Ongoing

VOLUNTEER WITH MARYLAND AARP Make a difference in the state of Maryland through a variety of volunteer opportunities through AARP. Visit www.aarp.org or call (410) 895-7614.

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2018

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

13

Studies aim to prevent Alzheimer’s disease

By Marilyn Marchione It may be too late to stop Alzheimer’s in people who already have some mental decline. But what if a treatment could target the very earliest brain changes while memory and thinking skills are still intact, in hope of preventing the disease?

Two big studies are going all out to try.

Clinics throughout the United States and some other countries are signing up participants — the only studies of this type enrolling healthy older people.

“The excitement in the Alzheimer’s field right now is prevention,” said Dr. Eric Reiman, executive director of the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute in Phoenix, which is leading the work.

Science so far has failed to find a drug that can alter the progression of Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia; 146 attempts have failed over the last decade, a recent industry report found. Even drugs that help remove the sticky plaques that clog the brains of people with the disease have not yet proved able to stave off mental decline.

It may be that they were tried too late, like lowering cholesterol after someone has suffered a heart attack whose damage can’t be undone, Reiman said.

“What we have been learning, painfully, is that if we really want to come up with therapies that will modify the disease, we need to start very, very, very early,” said Dr. Eliezer Masliah, neuroscience chief at the National Institute on Aging.

His agency is funding the prevention studies with the Alzheimer’s Association, several foundations, and Novartis and Amgen, makers of two experimental drugs being tested.

Impeding plaque The goal is to try to block the earliest steps of plaque formation in healthy people who show no symptoms of dementia but are at higher risk for it because of age and a gene that makes it more likely.

To participate, people must first join GeneMatch, a confidential registry of folks interested in volunteering for various Alzheimer’s studies who are ages 55 to 75 and have not been diagnosed with any mental decline.

They are checked for the APOE4 gene, which doesn’t destine someone to develop Alzheimer’s but raises that risk. About one in four people have one copy of the gene and about 2 percent have two copies, one from each parent.

More than 70,000 people have signed up since the registry began three years ago, said Jessica Langbaum, one of the Banner study leaders.

“Most of them have been touched by the disease personally,” either by having a family member or close friend with it, she said.

Langbaum’s 67-year-old mother, Ivy Segal, gave a DNA sample through a cheek swab and joined the registry in August. Her father was a patient at Banner and died of Alzheimer’s in 2011 at age 87.

Watching him go from a mild-mannered man whose smile could light up a room to what he was like when he died was devastating, she said.

Must have APOE4 gene Just being in GeneMatch doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll find out if you have the gene — folks with and without it may be contacted about various studies.

But to be in one of the two prevention studies, people must agree to learn their APOE4 status and have at least one copy of the gene.

Participants get periodic brain scans and memory and thinking tests every six months. They are given experimental drugs or placebo versions of them for several years.

One study is enrolling people with two copies of the gene. They are given either shots every few months of a drug intended to help the immune system clear plaque

from the brain, or daily pills of a drug intended to prevent the first steps of plaque formation — or placebo versions of these experimental treatments.

The other study is in people who either have two copies of APOE4 or one copy of the gene plus evidence on brain scans of plaque starting to build. They will get one of two doses of the drug to prevent plaque formation or placebo pills.

Larry Rebenack, 71, of the Phoenix suburb of Surprise, Arizona, joined GeneMatch in August.

“I have a lot of friends and acquaintances I’ve seen deteriorate,” including one

who started blowing through stop signs on a route to a golf course they had safely traveled for years, and another who forgot not only where he had parked his car but even what kind of car it was, Rebenack said. “It’s a disease that takes a little part of you away each day.”

Rebenack has decided to learn whether he has the gene if researchers give him the chance to find out.

“It’s like any other piece of information.

It helps you plan your life. And you owe it to all your loved ones, too.”

For details about GeneMatch, visit www.endalznow.org/genematch.

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DECEMBER 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Two warm, filling soups good for cold days Soup season is back. These two soups, lentil and minestrone, are satisfying — and vegetarian.

Small red lentils are one of our favorite legumes. They do not hold their shape when cooked, but break down into a creamy, thick puree, perfect for a hearty, satisfying soup.

Lentils are popular in quick-cooking soups because of their short cooking time and the fact that they don’t require soaking before cooking. To speed things up even further, we precooked the lentils in the microwave while we assembled the soup base.

The mild flavor of the lentils did require some embellishment, which we achieved thanks to curry powder and fresh ginger.

SautĂŠing the curry powder with garlic and the ginger before adding the lentils and the broth was key, as it intensified and deepened their flavors.

Chopped fresh tomato enlivened the soup and added some complexity. Don’t substitute brown lentils for the red lentils here; brown lentils have a very different texture.

Curried red lentil soup Servings: 4 Start to finish: 45 minutes 1 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed 4 cups vegetable broth 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 onion, chopped fine 3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 1 tablespoon curry powder 1 large tomato, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro (optional) 1/2 cup plain yogurt (optional) Microwave lentils and 2 cups broth in bowl until lentils are nearly tender and most liquid is absorbed, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, and curry powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in microwaved lentil mixture, tomato, and remaining 2 cups broth and simmer until lentils are very tender and flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You may sprinkle individual portions with cilantro and dollop with yogurt before serving.

Nutrition information per serving: 289 calories; 68 calories from fat; 8 g. fat (4 g. saturated; 0 g. trans fats); 17 mg. cholesterol; 305 mg. sodium; 39 g. carbohydrate; 10 g. fiber; 7 g. sugar; 18 g. protein.

Slow cooker minestrone

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Creating anything garden-fresh in a slow cooker is a tall order, but we were willing to try to beat the odds and develop a recipe for a bright, lively tasting minestrone that married a flavorful tomato broth with fresh vegetables, beans and pasta.

The base of our soup would be our broth, and after microwaving the aromatics we added broth and canned tomato sauce along with carrots and dried beans — both of which could sustain a long stay in a slow cooker.

Sliced zucchini and chopped chard were simply added during the last 20 minutes of cooking, and the precooked pasta was stirred in at the end. Serve with crusty bread to dip into the broth.

Garden minestrone Servings: 6 to 8 Start to finish: 8 to 10 hours on high

Slow cooker size: 4 to 7 quarts 1 onion, chopped fine 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 cup dried great Northern or cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1/2 cup small pasta, such as ditalini, tubettini, or elbow macaroni Salt and pepper 1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick 8 ounces Swiss chard, stemmed and sliced 1/2 inch thick 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil Grated Parmesan cheese Microwave onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon oil, oregano and pepper flakes in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.

Stir in broth, tomato sauce, beans and carrots. Cover and cook until beans are tender, 8 to 10 hours on high.

Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Add pasta and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Drain pasta, rinse with cold water, then toss with remaining 1 teaspoon oil in bowl; set aside.

Stir zucchini and chard into soup, cover, and cook on high until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in pasta and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve, passing Parmesan and extra oil separately.

Nutrition information per serving: 224 calories; 46 calories from fat; 5 g. fat (1 g. saturated; 0 g. trans fats); 1 mg. cholesterol; 601 mg. sodium; 34 g. carbohydrate; 6 g. fiber; 5 g. sugar; 11 g. protein.

For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews from America’s Test Kitchen, visit www.americastestkitchen.com. — AP

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15

How to avoid unwanted X-rated lunches Dear Solutions: dilemma. I’m a senior and widowed I’ve become ver y friendly with a now, and I’d like to have dinner with woman who moved into friends rather than eat town recently. She’s dialone. vorced. Not too long ago Some of those friends she met a man, and she’s are women I’m not interbeen going out with him a ested in romantically but lot and having a lot of sexuwould enjoy having dinner al experiences. with once in a while. If I She asks me to have ask them to have dinner lunch with her very often, with me, am I expected to and constantly discusses pay? If not, how do I get her sexual activity with her this idea across to them? boyfriend in detail. We’re SOLUTIONS — Phil both seniors, and I’m em- By Helen Oxenberg, Dear Phil: MSW, ACSW barrassed by all this.

I’m afraid you’ll have to use I’m not married and not the “C” word. I know it has interested, although I like her when been banned in many places and is often she’s not talking that way. How can I replaced with “magical thinking,” but it’s get her to stop and still be friendly? time to bring it back and use it.

— Anne The word is “communication”! ShockDear Anne: ing, but not actually vulgar, it has often Tell her you’re too young to go to an X- been used to straighten out and clarify rated lunch! misunderstandings.

Explain that you feel as though Say, honestly, “I really consider you a you’re in bed with her and her boyfriend, friend, and would like to have dinner with and you’re really not interested in a mé- you once in a while. Can we do this as nage a trois. You prefer to choose your equals and each pay for ourselves? I would own bed partners, and right now that’s you enjoy your company.” alone.

At least then it’s not a multiple choice After that, go on to other subjects reas- dilemma — just a “yes” or “no” will do. suring her that you enjoy her company and Dear Solutions: would like to keep meeting with her. But At this age, I shouldn’t be as upset let her know that if she doesn’t clean up as I feel about this problem, but I am, her act, she’ll have to leave town and take and I need help to deal with it. it on the road.

I’m not married anymore, but I’ve Dear Solutions: been living with a widower in a comI don’t know how to get out of this mitted relationship for many years.

We live in a community where there are many widowed women — many more than single men. One of these women, a widow, has been “coming on” to my guy.

She has been doing this for years, and it’s very obvious.

Of course, it’s very flattering to a man, and although he has assured me over and over that he doesn’t want me to leave him and he’s where he wants to be and is not going anywhere, I guess it’s too tempting for him not to react in some way. It’s very seductive.

This has caused some very disturbing arguments, which I’m sure that woman would be glad to hear. Because we are in a tightknit community and are often in social settings togeth-

er, I have said nothing to her. But I’m tired of feeling that women think they can step on another woman, and she will not say anything.

What to say to her, if anything?

— Enough!

Dear Enough!

Actually, “Enough!” is the right answer.

However, to the widow just say, “I’m sorry you don’t have a man in your life right now, but the man I live with is not up for grabs, so CUT IT OUT!” Then smile and move on. © Helen Oxenberg, 2018. Questions to be considered for this column may be sent to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. You may also email the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2018

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Money Law &

17

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY How to prepare your emergency go-bag with food, meds and more PREEXISTING CONDITIONS They aren’t a concern for most insurance, but count when changing medigap plans TEST-DRIVE A SALESPERSON Choose a car salesperson who responds quickly and is a good listener PLANNING FOR YOUR PET Yes, even your pets need an estate plan; what to include

When couples shouldn’t retire together

By Liz Weston Women who retire when their husbands do may be giving up more wealth than they realize.

Married women overall are still in their peak earning years in their 50s and early 60s, while married men’s earnings are on the decline, said economist Nicole Maestas, an associate professor of healthcare policy at Harvard Medical School and the author of a recent study about couples’ income and retirement patterns.

As a result, married women typically sacrifice more Social Security wealth than married men when they retire early, said Maestas, who analyzed the University of Michigan’s Health and Retirement Survey of more than 20,000 people 50 and older.

Social Security benefits are based on a person’s 35 highest-earning years, so each additional year an older married woman works could replace an earlier year when her income was lower or she took time out of the workforce — for instance, to raise children. Because older married men are typically past their peak earning years, the same is not true for them, Maestas found.

But women do typically retire at the

same time as their husbands, Maestas said. Since women in heterosexual couples typically marry men two or three years older, that means married women leave the workforce at younger ages.

Women have more to lose Earlier retirements also mean less time to save for retirements that can stretch decades. That should give women pause, said Jean Setzfand, senior vice president of programs for AARP. “We live longer. We spend more years in retirement. There are more years we have to consider financing,” Setzfand said.

Women’s longer life expectancies mean they’re likely to outlive their husbands, and they’re at greater risk of outliving their savings. Women are 80 percent more likely than men to live in poverty after age 65, according to the National Institute on Retirement Security.

Social Security checks, if they’re big enough, can be a powerful antidote to latein-life poverty. Social Security benefits can’t be outlived, reduced by stock market downturns, or stolen by fraudsters, Maestas noted.

Delay Social Security People don’t have to claim Social Security when they retire, although many do. In 2017, 39 percent of women and 35 percent of men filed at the earliest age, which is 62, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. That locks them into checks that are significantly smaller than if they’d waited a few more years.

Benefits rise by about 7 percent each year between age 62 and full retirement age, which is currently 66. After that, checks increase by 8 percent each year until benefits max out at age 70. A $1,000 monthly benefit at 62 could be over $1,300 at 66 and over $1,700 at 70, even if someone stops working.

No other investment can offer that kind of guaranteed return, which is why planners often encourage their clients to tap other retirement funds if that allows them to delay claiming Social Security.

It’s not just about money Financial considerations are just one part of the decision, financial planners say.

Couples also have to consider the emotional and psychological issues of retiring to-

gether or apart.

“The beginning of retirement is an exciting time, and many couples enjoy starting that journey together,” said Stephanie Mushna, a certified financial planner in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

People approaching retirement age are often keenly aware that their time on earth, and their good health, won’t last forever.

That can make it harder to stick it out at work, especially if it’s at a job they don’t like.

But working even a year or two longer can have a dramatic impact on the viability of a couple’s financial plan, and the amount they can spend in retirement, planners say.

Other options are stepping down to a lower-stress job or one with more flexibility.

Instead of traveling full time with a retired spouse, wives may be able to schedule some extended vacations, Setzfand suggested.

That assumes, of course, that women can find such jobs. Many of the women who will be most dependent on Social Security may be locked into jobs with little flexibility, she said. Health concerns and caregiving for family members also can See RETIRING TOGETHER, page 18

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DECEMBER 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

How to prepare your emergency go-bag

By Melissa Kossler Dutton Heather Kretzer, a health consultant for the Florida Department of Health in Panama City, lives near the water. However, the most recent call for an evacuation in her area wasn’t because of a hurricane but rather because of an active shooter.

The incident, which did not result in any bystanders being injured but did lead to the temporary evacuation of an apartment complex, drove home to Kretzer the need for all families to have a survival bag they can grab in an emergency.

“You can be asked to evacuate your home for a number of emergencies — often with little warning and limited time to gather your possessions,” she said.

No area in the country is immune from disaster and unexpected evacuation, said Jim Judge, emergency management director for Volusia County, Florida, and a member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council. Threats range from weather concerns and wildfires, to hazardous material spills and police matters.

Having a pre-packed bag or bin ready will help reduce the stress of a stressful situation, said Stuart Warshaw, whose company, VLESdesigns, sells stocked emergency bags. He and other safety experts also recommend having a plan about how to evacuate and where to go.

“You need a cool head when there’s little time and potentially critical decisions to

make,” he said.

His bag includes wheels so it can be rolled through urban areas or airports, and it also has straps and a waist belt so it can be worn as a backpack.

Some families prefer an old suitcase or plastic tub stored under a bed or in a closet, Judge said. A duffle bag also works well, Kretzer said.

The contents of your kit should help you survive up to three days, she said. Be sure to think about every member of the family, including pets.

“It’s like going camping — all the things you need to take with you,” Judge said.

What to pack Kretzer, Judge and Warshaw offered the following suggestions on what to include in an emergency bag: Food and water Remember that supplies should last the entire family three days. That includes 1 gallon of water per person per day. Include non-perishable food that requires no water or cooking. Don’t forget plates, silverware and a manual can opener. Protein bars make a good emergency food, Kretzer said.

Tip: Warshaw recommends water purification tablets in case the water supply becomes tainted.

Personal needs This includes eyeglasses, contact solution, hygiene supplies, and prescription

Retiring together

working. But she hopes her research will at least prompt couples to discuss their options.

“It often does make sense to at least delay claiming Social Security,” Maestas said. “But there’s not really one right answer for everyone.”

— NerdWallet via AP

and over-the-counter medicines that are taken regularly. If you have a young child, include diapers, baby food and formula.

Tip: If you are unable to pack prescription medications, tape a note to the bag reminding you to grab them, or prepare a checklist of last-minute additions that’s kept with the bag.

Clothing Three days’ worth for every member of your family.

Tip: Include sturdy shoes and hats.

Safety supplies A go-bag should include a first aid kit, flashlight, extra batteries, matches in a waterproof container and a whistle. It also may be helpful to have strong tape, plastic sheeting and a few tools.

Tip: Remove the batteries from the flashlight and other items to avoid corrosion.

Communications tools The power may be out, so a battery-operated or hand-crank radio is essential, Judge said. Two-way radios also will be useful. Pack phone cords and chargers to use once power is restored.

Tip: Consider identifying an out-of-town relative as a contact point for everyone in the family, to relay important messages and updates.

Paperwork/cash Either include copies of birth certificates, IDs, insurance policies and prescriptions in the kit, or save encrypted copies/photos of

them on a secure online storage spot.

A map with evacuation routes highlighted also will be helpful. Make sure you have cash — preferably smaller bills — in the kit, in case the power is out and you can’t use credit cards and ATMs. Tip: Print out a list of important phone numbers in case you can’t access the contact list in your phone.

Creature comforts Consider taking blankets and pillows to make your stay at a shelter or other evacuation location more comfortable. Add a deck of cards, books, some games or other things that could amuse children in a shelter or hotel room.

Pet plans If you will be evacuating with a pet, identify in advance what shelters allow them, advises Pet Sitters International. Pack a copy of veterinary and vaccination records, pet food, water bowl and leash.

Tip: Be sure you have the right size carrier to transport your pet to a shelter.

For more information: http://www.redcross.org/flash/brr/En glish-html/kit-contents.asp https://www.ready.gov/kids/build-a-kit http://www.redcross.org/gethelp/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies https://vlesdesigns.com/pages/all— products — AP

BEACON BITS From page 17 push women out of the workforce earlier than they expect.

Maestas understands that not every married woman wants or will be able to keep

Nov. 28

UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL CURRENCY

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2018

19

Preexisiting condition can affect medigap

By Kimberly Lankford Is it true that an insurance company can factor in preexisting conditions when deciding whether to offer you a medigap policy or when setting the premiums?

Answer: That’s correct. Many people don’t realize that even though preexisting conditions can’t affect your ability to get other types of health insurance, the rules are different for medigap.

You can pick any medigap plan available in your area within six months after you initially sign up for Medicare Part B. But after that, medigap insurers in almost all states can reject you or charge more based on your health. This can make it difficult if you’d like to switch to another insurer with better medigap rates, or if you had a Medicare Advantage plan for more than a year and want to switch to traditional Medicare and a medigap policy instead.

There are a few exceptions. Four states — Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine and New York — have special rules that let residents switch medigap plans regardless of preexisting conditions.

You may also buy a medigap policy without concern about preexisting conditions if you move out of your Medicare Advantage plan’s service area or change your mind within 12 months of signing up for Medicare Advantage at age 65. For more information see “When Can I Buy Medigap?” on Medicare.gov.

Also, your insurer may let you switch to a less-comprehensive policy regardless of your health (such as switching from a Plan F to a high-deductible Plan F, for example). See the Medicare Rights Center’s list of what each type of medigap policy covers (www.medicarerights.org).

And if you’re healthy, you may still be

BEACON BITS

Nov. 29

SUPPORT FOR GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDKIDS Come to the first meeting of the Grandparents Raising Grandkids

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able to qualify for a new medigap policy, especially if you’re in your mid to late 60s.

You don’t need to wait until any specific time of year to apply for a new medigap policy because there is no annual open-enrollment period.

For more information about your state’s rules, see your state insurance department website. You can find links at www.naic.org/ map. Most have consumer guides that list medigap prices and provide information for seniors searching for a plan.

Your local senior health insurance counseling program can also help. Here are numbers for the Baltimore area:

Baltimore City (410) 396-2273

Baltimore County (410) 887-2059 All contents © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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DECEMBER 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

You can test-drive your car salesperson

By Philip Reed If you work with a good car salesperson, the shopping process can actually be fun, and you’ll be more confident you’re getting a good deal.

Unfortunately, most people think they have to stick with whichever salesperson latches onto them first, even if they begin to feel pressured, intimidated or misled.

But car buyers can and should test-drive, or vet, their salesperson — and be willing to switch if needed.

‘Qualify’ your salesperson “I can’t imagine buying a car from someone I didn’t think would take care of me,” said Matt Jones, a former car salesman

who’s now a senior consumer advice editor at car site Edmunds.com. Furthermore, Jones said, a good salesperson can alert you to special offers and “push the needle” when it comes to getting a better price.

“Most people don’t realize they have control over which salesman they work with,” said Oren Weintraub, who negotiates and buys cars for his clients as president of Authority Auto in Tarzana, California.

He recommends that shoppers “qualify” salespeople — a popular sales term — similar to the way they qualify you when they ask probing questions about your job and your budget.

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Volunteers will be trained and certified in Federal and State tax law, as well as the tax preparation software used in the program. For more information, email perryhalltaxaide@gmail.com.

What to look for Here’s what these car-buying experts recommend you look for in a salesperson — and the red flags to watch out for.

Car buyers should look for those who: — are highly recommended. Since receptionists at dealerships see everything that goes on, Jones said you can call them and “ask ‘who is the best, most knowledgeable car salesman?’” Other ways to find the right fit are to check Yelp reviews or visit the “About Us” page on the dealership’s site.

— respond quickly. Calling before you go into the dealership gives you a chance to establish a rapport with your salesperson, according to Jones. Or, you can text a question and see how quickly they reply — ideally, within the hour. Then, if you want to move forward, schedule a test drive and ask them to pull the car out and have it ready, Weintraub suggested.

— are expert listeners. Your car salesperson should understand your needs and wants, and meet them. It may sound obvious, but many salespeople try to sell you a more expensive car or whatever they happen to have on the lot. As a test, ask them a question and carefully listen to the response. If they directly answer your question, you’re on the right track.

— have excellent product knowledge. If you ask how much horsepower a car delivers, and the salesperson says, “I think it’s…,” beware, said Weintraub. However, it’s acceptable to hear, “I’m not sure — but I’ll get you the answer right away.”

Red flags to watch out for On the other hand, car shoppers should avoid salespeople who: — use cheesy sales lines. “Are you folks here to buy a car today?” Classic lines like this, designed to trap you into making a specific response, should put you on guard immediately, Weintraub said. A bet-

ter approach is a polite greeting and introduction, along with: “So, how can I help you?”

— create false urgency. Once you’re physically on the lot, salespeople try to turn you into a “today buyer” using every trick in the book. A favorite is, “We had three people look at this car earlier today.

It won’t be here if you leave now.”

— try to check your credit before a test drive. Some salespeople say they’re required to run a credit report before you test-drive a car. This isn’t true. And it should be cause to avoid this salesperson and, perhaps, the dealership.

“Never let them run your credit until you’re ready to buy a specific car,” Weintraub advised. However, asking to see your driver’s license before a test drive is a legitimate request.

— don’t pay attention. If your salesperson is taking calls, texting or joking with buddies on the lot, watch out. As Jones pointed out: “When you’re about to spend 35 grand, the salesman in front of you should be totally dialed in with you and your needs.”

Switching to a new salesperson If your salesperson shows one of these red flags, or you simply don’t feel a rapport, it’s time to ask for the sales manager.

“It’s never a bad idea to get upper management involved,” Weintraub said. “You with your guy and ask for a more knowledgeable salesman.”

Jones added, “This happens all the time, and they’re ready to deal with it rather than have you walk.”

Ultimately, you should have a basic level of trust and confidence in your salesperson since a considerable amount of money is at stake, Weintraub said. But, of course, you still need to stay alert. As the old saying goes, trust but verify.

— Nerdwallet via AP

BEACON BITS

Nov. 24

DANCE MEDICINE WITH MARIA BROOM This non-traditional dance class is open to people of all ages and

all skill levels, and will be led by legendary Baltimore creative artist Maria Broom. The class will be held on Saturday, Nov. 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave. Cost: $10. For more information, visit www.creativealliance.org or call (410) 276-1651.

Nov. 30+

CHARLEY’S AUNT With an original, record-breaking run of 1,466 performances in four years at the Theatre Royal in London in 1892, Charley’s Aunt

has enjoyed several revivals, translations and film adaptations, and has charmed audiences for over a century. Fells Point Corner Theatre presents its adaptation of this popular play from Friday, Nov. 30 to Sunday, Dec. 23. Friday and Saturday performances are at 8 p.m., Sunday performances at 2 p.m. Admission is $24 on Fridays and Saturdays, $19 on Sundays, and there is a Pay What You Can performance on Thursday, Nov. 29 during the final dress rehearsal. Fells Point Corner Theatre is located at 251 South Ann St. For more information, visit www.fpct.org.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2018

21

Your pet also needs to have an estate plan

By Tracy Craig Pet obsession is nothing new, but modern life has taken our love affair with animals to another level. Some people post more photos and videos of their animals online than of their children, and people are spending more money than ever on pet indulgences.

But while “fur babies” have worked their way into a place in the hearts, homes and wallets of their owners, the law sees these relationships quite differently. From a legal perspective, pets are typically considered tangible personal property, no different than your car or your furniture.

In some ways this is beginning to change: Pet custody is being considered in many divorce cases. But little has changed in terms of what happens to pets when their “parents” pass away — unless proper plans have been made.

Just as parents know to name guardians for their children, they should do the same for their pets. Here are two steps to ensure that your pets are covered in an appropriate estate plan.

Step one: Choose your caretaker Start by determining who will care for your pet if something happens to you. This could be a spouse, a child, another relative or a friend. Discuss your wishes with your chosen caretaker. Make certain they agree to assume responsibility for your pet.

If no one in your life fits the bill, consider a local or national charitable or humane organization. Some organizations will care for your pet after you pass. It helps if you give a donation to defray the cost of that care.

Step two: Put it in writing Once you’ve decided who will take care of your pet, put your post-mortem wishes in writing. There are three basic ways to do this: in a will, a memorandum, or what’s called a Pet Trust. Each has its pros and cons, depending on your specific circumstances.

A will: Your will disposes of all of your property (whether tangible, such as pets, or intangible, such as bank accounts) in your sole name when you die (meaning there is no joint owner or named beneficiary).

Leaving your pet to someone in your will can be as simple as including a statement such as: “I leave my pet dog, Tucker, to my sister Jane Smith.” This statement is legally binding and establishes that Jane will inherit Tucker.

But what if Jane doesn’t want Tucker?

Or, what if, after a month, Jane decides it’s not working out with Tucker?

Jane will become Tucker’s owner, and can do whatever she likes with him. If you’ve left a sum of money to help cover costs, there’s nothing stopping Jane from taking the money and dropping Tucker off at a shelter.

Nonetheless, leaving a bequest in a will,

with or without money, can work if you know the person well and trust them to follow your wishes.

Binding letter/memorandum: Some states allow individuals to create a binding letter (or memorandum) leaving their tangible property to specific individuals when they pass, if the document is signed by the pet owner.

A letter or memorandum may be a good option if, for instance, you are going to have surgery or are going on a trip and want to get something in writing quickly so that your pet is protected in case something unexpected happens.

From a legal perspective, this memorandum will be considered separate and apart from any will that disposes of tangible personal property.

Whether or not such a memorandum is valid varies from state to state, so it’s best to consult an attorney in your state to determine if this is a viable option for you.

Pet trust: A pet trust is a more elaborate legal document that attempts to address all the above issues by setting aside a sum of money for your pet’s care. Pet Trusts identify your pet by name, designate a caretaker, appoint a trustee to manage any set-aside money, and dictate the type of care your pet will receive after you’re gone.

The Trustee of the Trust will be in

charge of the money and will have the legal responsibility to ensure that the caretaker uses the money as ordered by the Trust — including food, veterinary care, routine medications and supplements, and any other recurring costs over your pet’s life. The pet will live with the caretaker who will see to their daily needs.

There may be remaining funds in the trust after the pet passes; therefore, a remainder beneficiary must be named. However, naming an individual as a remainder beneficiary (especially one who is not an animal lover) might cause challenges to trusts under certain state laws that allow interested parties to reduce the amount of funds held for the pet’s care if a court deems the trust to be overfunded.

A pet trust is only supposed to cover the expenses of caring for your animal, so clearly documenting your cost assumptions is a good idea. Generally speaking, an attorney can help you set up a pet trust.

The most important thing is that you choose a plan and implement it. An estate planning professional can help with the specific details. You’ll rest easy knowing that your four-legged family member will be in good hands. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2018

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Travel

23

Leisure &

Tbilisi, the capital city of the country of Georgia, offers a mix of architecture, from Medieval to modern. See story on page 26.

The Golden Isles of Georgia and Florida

Jekyll Island Jekyll Island features 10 miles of beaches and 28 miles of trails. To preserve the barrier island ecosystem, the agreement under which the state bought the island in 1947 for $675,000 stipulated that only 35 percent could be developed, and that holds today.

Today’s historic district consists of the erstwhile 240-acre compound of the aforementioned Yankee millionaires. On a 90-

minute tram tour, visitors learn that the original Jekyll Island Club had 53 members, 120 buildings and 16 houses. During the winter, the elite northerners indulged in the “simple life,” while during “club season” they were waited on by more than 200 employees, from cooks to caddies.

Besides the big-name visitors, the club’s other claim to fame is that on Jan. 25, 1915, the first transcontinental phone call originated at the Jekyll Island Club. The building is now a 157-room hotel.

Some of the surviving two- and threestory “cottages” are open to the public, like the 8,000-square-foot Moss Cottage built in 1896. Most had wraparound porches and a game room, great room, sun room, parlor, and third floor quarters for servants, butlers, governesses and nannies.

Tidelands Nature Center, nestled next to a marsh, offers a fitting introduction to outdoor low country with tidal creek kayak tours and nature walks. Exhibits detail wetland wildlife like fish, snails, crabs, coastal birds and other beach critters.

Between December and March, North Atlantic right whales probe the ocean waters, and from May to July, loggerhead turtles, weighing 170 to 315 pounds, come ashore to nest. The center’s Snake Room has black, gray and red rat snakes, corn snakes and a yellow-bellied slider turtle.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLDENISLES.COM

By Glenda Booth Vast saltwater marshes fringe southeast Georgia’s and northern Florida’s barrier islands, acres of luscious wetlands of thick golden reeds and grasses swaying in the gentle breeze as far as the eye can see.

The Spanish dubbed them Islas de Oro (the Golden Isles) in the 1700s, even though they failed to find the hoped-for gold.

But eventually the gold came to them, when northern millionaires with names like Astor, Morgan, Rockefeller, Pulitzer and Vanderbilt capitalized on the beauty of these islands and created an exclusive winter retreat at the Jekyll Island Club in 1886.

Today, Georgia’s barrier islands and Florida’s Amelia Island are a relaxed world of lowkey small towns, subtropical beauty, salty air, tranquility, history, marshes and mosses.

They also boast many golf courses, plenty of sunbathing spots, friendly villages and a dose of southern charm.

PHOTO BY GLENDA BOOTH

Spanish moss is ubiquitous in the Golden Isles, draping live oak trees and even nearby camellia bushes in the crinkly strands. Natives discourage naive amateurs from collecting it because bundles can be full of pesky chiggers. Early settlers used it in mattresses, hence the origin of the advice, “Don’t let the bed bugs bite.”

The Italian Renaissance style Crane Cottage (built in 1917) is the largest of the once privately-owned cottages on the grounds of the Jekyll Island Club Resort, situated just off the Georgia coast. The resort dates back to 1886, and was frequented by such wealthy families as the Rockefellers, Pulitzers and Vanderbilts. Today, the cottages host overnight visitors, weddings and parties.

St. Simon’s Island Though the most developed of the Georgia islands, St. Simon’s Island has a natural feel, too. Scattered around are 20 mysterious, evocative “tree spirits” — carvings in century-old trees, many moss draped, each carving unique. Contemplative faces seem to gaze at unsuspecting visitors.

Their creator, Keith Jennings, said he works with each tree’s soul: “The trees do it all. I don’t have that much to do with it.

The wood speaks to you.”

This Manhattan-sized island is slowpaced too, with winding roads, beaches, marshes, inlets and rivers, and a salty ocean aroma always pushing in.

The Coastal Georgia Lighthouse and Museum explores the life of African Africans forcibly brought to the area, people who introduced West African basketmaking and fish net weaving.

Former slaves established communities and toiled on plantation rice fields — the “golden grain” that brought their masters wealth before cotton was king. The barrier islands are part of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, a designation recognizing the enslaved Africans who created a unique culture along the coast.

The quaint Christ Episcopal Church, designed like an overturned ship, is made of never-stained Georgia heart pine and

has no nails in the walls because of its tongue-in-groove construction.

The Spanish invaded the British colony of Georgia in 1742, and Fort Frederica’s visitor center tells the story of how locals repulsed these unwelcomed aggressors in the Battle of Bloody Marsh.

Cumberland Island Cumberland Island is a Georgia barrier island still “in the raw.” It is 36,000 acres of pristine maritime forests, beaches, dunes, marshes and moss. The largest barrier island wilderness on the East Coast, Cumberland is a national park of quiet trails and dunes secured by sea oats that thrive in sun and salty air.

A ferry from St. Mary’s takes adventurers for day trips to Cumberland Island twice a day to see turkeys, armadillos, gopher tortoises, lizards, anoles, alligators, saw palmettos, live oaks and cordgrass marshes. Lucky visitors might see a stealthy bobcat in the dense vegetation.

In these marshes, freshwater meets salt water and nurtures tiny creatures like fiddler and ghost crabs, periwinkle snails and various mollusks. Wild horses graze on spartina grasses near the shoreline.

The Carnegies once owned 90 percent See GOLDEN ISLES, page 24

24

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Golden Isles From page 23 of the island, but it became a national park in 1972. There is only one place to stay —

the pricey, Georgian-style mansion, the Greyfield Inn — which has 17 rooms with four-poster beds and clawfoot bathtubs.

John F., Jr., and Carolyn Kennedy had their wedding reception in the Greyfield.

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IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH

Baltimore County Department of Aging senior centers offer a variety of physical activities and exercise programs. There are a wide range of classes to suit your interests. If you are 60 or older, visit your local senior center, or call (410) 887-2594.

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HELP FOR FAMILIES WITH ADDICTION

Partnership for Drug-Free Kids partners with parents and families to get help for kids whose drug or alcohol use threatens their lives with addiction. For more information, call 1-844-319-5999 or text HOPEMA to 55753.

Nov. 28

VISIT CHARMING LITITZ

Join the Essex Senior Center on Wednesday, Nov. 28, on this excursion to Lititz, Pennsylvania. Visit Shady Maple followed by shopping at Kitchen Kettle Village and the Christmas Tree Shop. Cost is $55. Call Essex Senior Center at (410) 687-5113.

DECEMBER 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Amelia Island Just south of the Georgia-Florida line, Amelia Island is the southernmost in the chain. The island doesn’t have the laid-back, close-to-nature feel of Georgia’s islands, but rather offers a taste of old Florida.

The visitor center in the 1878 railroad station has materials for a self-guided walking tour through downtown — 50 blocks of historic gems. The Museum of History recounts that long before English settlement in the New World, there was a lot going on in Florida.

The pre-Columbian Timacuans were here 4,000 years ago. Eight flags were flown over the area, including the British, Spanish and French. The 1800s saw rampant piracy and slave smuggling because of an embargo on slave sales.

The Golden Age brought steamships full of northern vacationers who visited “for the vapors.” The museum is in the old Nassau County jail, which was racially segregated and held drunks, rum runners

New device stops a cold before it starts New research shows you can stop a cold in its tracks if you take one simple !"#$%&!'$($)"%$*"+&,"$%'")$-./$01 !$2""3$ a cold coming on.

Colds start when cold viruses get in your nose. Viruses multiply fast. If you don’t stop them early, they spread in your airways and cause misery.

But scientists have found a quick way to kill a virus. Touch it with copper. Researchers at labs and universities agree, copper is “antimicrobial.” It kills microbes, such as viruses and bacteria, just by touch.

That’s why ancient Greeks and Egyptians used copper to purify water and heal wounds. That’s why Hippocrates, the “father of modern medicine”, used copper to heal skin ulcers, and why Civil War doctors used it to prevent infection of bat!3"0"3*$%./)* 4$5'"-$*&*)6!$7).%$(8./!$ viruses and bacteria, but now we do.

Scientists say the high conductance of copper disrupts the electrical balance in a microbe cell and destroys the cell in seconds.

Tests by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show copper surfaces kill germs that are left on them. That way the next person to touch that surface does not spread the germ. As a result of this new knowledge, some hospitals switched to copper for various touch surfaces, like faucets and doorknobs. This cut the spread of MRSA and other illnesses by over half, and saved lives.

5'"$ !1.)9$ ,&")!&0,$ "+&*"),"$ 9(+"$ inventor Doug Cornell an idea. When he felt a cold coming on he fashioned a smooth copper probe and rubbed it gently in his nose for 60 seconds.

“It worked!” he exclaimed. “The cold went away completely.” It worked again every time he felt a cold coming on and he hasn’t had a cold since.

He asked relatives and friends to try it.

They said it worked for them so he patented CopperZap™ and put it on the market.

Soon hundreds of people had tried it and given feedback. Nearly 100 percent said the copper stops their colds if used within 3 hours (2!"1$!'"$01 !$ &9)4$:+")$ up to 2 days, if they still get the cold it is milder than usual and they feel better.

Users wrote things New research: Copper stops colds if used early. like, “It stopped my cold right away,” and “Is it supposed to work ($%'(,7$I.8DE$$J/!$'"$0)(33-$!1&"*$&!$()*K$ to his surprise, the copper cleared up his that fast?”

Pat McAllister, age 70, received one sinuses right away. Judy and their daughfor Christmas and called it “one of the ter both said, “It has changed our lives!”

Some users say copper stops nighttime best presents ever. This little jewel real!/L)" K$ !..K$ &2$ !'"-$ / "$ &!$ I/ !$ 8"2.1"$ ly works.” Now thousands of users have bed. One man said, “Best sleep I’ve had simply stopped getting colds. ;.##"1$<(-$"+")$ !.#$=/$!'(!$ !(1! $&)$ in years.”

People have used it on cold sores the nose if used right away and for several days. In a lab test, scientists placed 25 and say it can completely prevent ugly <&33&.)$ 3&+"$ =/$ +&1/ " $ .)$ ($ ;.##"1>(#4$ outbreaks. You can also rub it gently on wounds, cuts, or lesions to combat infecNo viruses were found alive soon after.

People often use CopperZap preven- tions.

5'"$ '()*3"$ & $ ,/1+"*$ ()*$ 0)"3-$ !"F!&+"3-4$?1"@/")!$=&"1$A(1")$B(/,&$/ "*$!.$ 9"!$ ,.3* $ (2!"1$ ,1.%*"*$ =&9'! 4$ 5'./9'$ tured to improve contact. It kills germs skeptical, she tried it several times a day #&,7"*$/#$.)$0)9"1 $()*$'()* $!.$#1.!",!$ on travel days for 2 months. “Sixteen you and your family.

Copper even kills deadly germs that =&9'! $()*$).!$($ )&C"DE$ '"$"F,3(&<"*4 Businesswoman Rosaleen says when have become resistant to antibiotics. If people are sick around her she uses Cop- you are near sick people, a moment of perZap morning and night. “It saved me handling it may keep serious infection last holidays,” she said. “The kids had away from you and your loved ones. It colds going round and round, but not me.” may even save a life.

The EPA says copper still works even Some say it also helps with sinuses.

Attorney Donna Blight had a 2-day sinus when tarnished. It kills hundreds of difheadache. When her CopperZap arrived, ferent disease germs so it can prevent seshe tried it. “I am shocked!” she said. rious or even fatal illness.

CopperZap is made in the U.S. of pure “My head cleared, no more headache, no copper. It has a 90-day full money back more congestion.”

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Go to www.CopperZap.com or call out with friends. His wife Judy bought CopperZaps for both of them. He was so toll-free 1-888-411-6114.

Buy once, use forever. skeptical he said, “Oh Judy, you are such (paid advertisement)

and moonshiners from 1878 to 1938.

The historic Tabby House is made of a distinctive local concrete containing crushed shells. The Palace Saloon is Florida’s oldest operating saloon and may have sold ice cream during Prohibition.

The Florida House, dating to 1857, is the oldest operating hotel in Florida. Here, Ulysses S. Grant campaigned for president in 1866, and Cuban patriot Jose Marti lived in 1893.

The Maritime Museum is devoted to sunken treasures recovered from the sea.

The owners have hauled up objects from Spanish and Dutch galleon ships wrecked along the Florida coast prior to 1750.

Guides tout their 20 years of finds, including jewelry, tools, nails, belt plates, brass spikes, pipes and eyeglasses. The most prized item is a jeweler’s furnace used by Spain’s Royal Jeweler to check for purity of gold.

These islands are made for leisurely meandering and slow-paced savoring. A local guide noted that Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon in 1512 wrote back home, “There’s nothing in Florida. Only bugs, snakes and alligators.” Seems like he missed the mystery of the marshes and mosses.

If you go Jacksonville, Fla., is the most convenient airport. Jekyll Island is 73 miles, and Amelia Island is 34 miles, from Jacksonville. The lowest roundtrip airfare from BWI in early December is $291 on American Airlines.

Rooms at the Florida House Inn on Amelia Island start at $150 per night. For more information, see www.floridahouseinn.com or call (904) 491-3322.

The following websites provide additional lodging, dining and tour options. www.Goldenisles.com www.Jekyllisland.com www.stsimonsguide.com www.gullahgeecheecorridor.org www.ameliaisland.com

Letters to editor From page 2 Aliens equally inspired. There is so much more I could brag about, but your space is limited.

What thrills me now is Hoffberger’s play about the friendship of author Mark Twain and inventor Nikola Tesla. I’d no idea two such different personalities were on the same wavelength. How wonderful there was an age when professional categories were blurred.

Apparently, Tesla saw nothing unusual about inviting friends into his laboratory to view experiments. Now each time I turn on an electric light, I’ll remember his outreach — not only in science but also in the realm of human relations.

We need more of this today. and I’m hoping Rebecca Hoffberger’s play will be staged very soon. Happy Birthday, Rebecca, and keep up the fantastic work!

Rosalind Ellis Heid Baltimore

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2018

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

25

Deceptive hotel fees, pricing continue Why should the airlines have all the fun?

A hotel in Vegas wants to get, say, $80 a Apparently, the hotel business gazed at the night for a room. Instead of giving that rate airlines’ use of various fees to the search engines, howevand deceptions and decided er, the hotelier posts a room to get into the act. rate at $50. It makes up the As a result, the next time you $30 difference by calling it a book a hotel, you face some se“resort fee,” which you have rious barriers to getting accuto pay. rate and complete cost informaTypically, the hotelier lists tion before you buy — and services the fee supposedly maybe not even then. covers, including Wi-Fi, adBig hotel chains have been mission to a fitness center, a telling you that booking business center and such. But TRAVEL TIPS through their own websites althat’s blather: If you have to

By Ed Perkins ways gives you the lowest rate. pay the fee, it should be includThat’s true sometimes, but not always. Inde- ed in the first posted price. pendent online travel agencies (OTA) such Recently, this insidious practice has as Booking.com and Hotels.com can some- spread to big-city hotels, where terms times undercut the best deal you find such as “facility fee” replace “resort” when through a hotel’s system directly. that would appear ludicrous. Mandatory OTAs undercut published rates by sell- valet parking is another way to squeeze ing rooms at wholesale rates that are sup- more money out of you. posed to be reserved for air/hotel packages. The hotels don’t like that, and they’re Used to be free Don’t be surprised when hotels channel trying to stop it, but so far the battle is a draw. Offering wholesale package-tour airlines, by calling services that used to be rates is an established practice in the hotel, included in the rate “optional” and adding package tour, and airline businesses, and a fee for them.

The most popular target so far is “houseOTAs have open access to those rates.

Still, booking direct is often your best bet. keeping” services. But you’re starting to see These days, several of the biggest hotel separate fees for room selection, open-air chains have started limiting free Wi-Fi to self-parking, early check-in and other preferguests who book direct and belong to the ences.

This class of fees is newer than the rechain’s loyalty program. sort fees, and unlike the resort fee, you can actually stay at the hotel without payMandatory fees These fees are the worst: Hotels omit ing them — if you don’t mind having your them in the prices they post initially, but bed unmade and no fresh towels, waiting you can’t avoid them. You have to pay be- around in a lobby for the official 3 p.m. check-in time to roll around, or parking on fore you check out of the hotel.

These are, of course, the notorious “re- the street outside the hotel property.

I’ve seen several surveys recently that sort” fees that have become all too common at vacation destinations. And they’re list free in-room Wi-Fi as the most important single feature of a hotel accommodapure deception.

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The Home Team is a community-based volunteer program serving homebound Baltimore County residents 60 years of age or older who lack social supports and are at risk of social isolation. Eligible clients are matched with a volunteer who provides friendly in-home and telephone visits. To learn more, call (410) 887-4141.

Dec. 12

Dec. 2

The take-away: You have to assume that any hotel rate you see posted on any initial search display (1) is less than the best price you can find on a hotel website, but (2) may not include free Wi-Fi and whatever else you need. You have to work harder to get at the real price and avoid a bad decision, but working harder is better than being gouged.

Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. Also, check out Ed’s new rail travel website at www.rail-guru.com. © 2018 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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CHRISTMAS ON THE POTOMAC,

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Cockeysville Senior Center invites you to lunch and a visit to the National Harbor on Wednesday, Dec. 12, for a cost of $134. Call Cockeysville Senior Center at (410) 666-0896 for reservations.

Check out our new video—What do we do? at: mealsonwheelsmd.org/Volunteer

ARMY CONCERT AND DINNER IN D.C.

Join Senior Box Office on Sunday, Dec. 2, for an outing to the U.S. Army Holiday Spectacular at DAR Constitution Hall after lunch at Carmine’s Italian Restaurant. Cost is $76. For more information, call (410) 882-3797.

Dec. 8

tion. Most budget chains recognize this, and they typically oblige. The upscale chains, however, seem to be using free WiFi as a way to get you to book direct.

The Federal Trade Commission is supposed to police deceptive advertising everywhere but in airfares. Although mandatory hotel fees obviously flunk the FTC test (that they be “per se” deceptive), the agency continues to avoid taking action. Currently, the best hope for consumers is in action by individual state attorney general offices.

CHRISTMAS SHOW IN LANCASTER

Join Parkville Senior Center on Saturday, Dec. 8, for an enjoyable outing to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. You’ll see The Magic and Wonder of Christmas show at Bird in Hand Stage, with lunch at Bird in Hand Restaurant. Cost is $67 for adults; $36 for children, who must be at least 10 years old. Call Parkville Senior Center at (410) 882-6087.

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DECEMBER 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Another Georgia: resort on the Black Sea

By Kevin Begos Want to learn about the origins of winemaking? You’ll have to go about 2,000 miles east of Bordeaux, France, to the Republic of Georgia, in the Caucasus Mountains.

After being part of the Soviet Union for decades, Georgia declared independence in 1991, and the country has embraced tourism and development.

This beautiful and affordable country has many attractions for both budget and sophisticated travelers. There are 1,000year-old churches, wild mountains offering winter and summer splendor, and coastal resorts on the Black Sea. While visiting Georgia to research a book about the origins of wine, I kept having to choose between wine experiences and other tempting options.

Georgian architecture, food, wine and music is a multi-ethnic mix of East and West.

Romans, Persians, Mongols, Arabs and Russians all fought to control the country over the last 2,000-plus years. Now the people are

overwhelmingly Christian, yet street food and Georgian chants have a Middle Eastern or even Asian tinge.

8,000 years of winemaking For wine lovers, a trip to Georgia is like going back to a vineyard Garden of Eden.

Archaeological sites show that Georgians began making wine at least 5,000 years before the French.

Patrick McGovern, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, has examined 8,000-year-old Georgian pottery that is decorated with “grape clusters and jubilant stick-figures, with arms raised high, under grape arbors.” Burial mounds contain ornate gold and silver goblets with depictions of ancient drinking ceremonies.

The classic Georgian chant “Shen Khar Venakhi” (“Thou Art a Vineyard”) was reputedly written by King Demetrius I in the 12th century. It is still popular at weddings.

You can experience and taste some of the wine history throughout the Georgian coun-

Note our new classified ad instructions. See p. 31.

tryside. Small wineries and many, many families still ferment grapes in oval clay containers called qvevri, which may have inspired the later amphora of Greece and Rome.

Georgia has hundreds of native wine grape varieties, including kisi, mtsvane, rkatsiteli and saperavi. Try the unfiltered and natural golden (or orange) wine style for a sense of how wine was first made thousands of years ago.

A “Game of Thrones” episode could be filmed in the eastern Kakheti region, which has numerous vineyards. The Alaverdi monastery and winery, which dates to the year 1011, features a 170-foot tower and high stone walls, with beautiful icons inside the church.

Father Gerasim, bearded and dressed in a traditional long black cassock, said the Alaverdi monks are carrying on a tradition passed down through generations. “I remember when I was about 3 or 4 years old, my grandfather and father took me to the wine cellar every time they went,” Gerasim recalled. “Wine ties, and tied, the human being to his community, to his land.”

For outdoor pursuits, the Caucasus Mountains rise to more than 15,000 feet, with glacial lakes and semi-tropical valleys hidden throughout.

It is untamed land, but also a botanical and human crossroads for Central Europe,

Central Asia and the Middle East that is home to Anatolian leopards, bears, wolves, lynx and golden eagles.

In the capital city Back in Tbilisi, the capital, you’ll find a mix of quaint old world neighborhoods and trendy new riverfront areas. The Georgian State Museum has a fine range of cultural and historical exhibits.

Small bakeries make chewy, crisp, khachapuri bread, shaped like a small alien spacecraft. Try it with the traditional melted cheese and egg in the center.

There are also Georgian flatbreads — like pitas — stuffed with savory mixes of chopped meat and spices, and a wide variety of dumplings.

There are upscale restaurants, too. PurPur combines local dishes with classic Frenchstyle cooking in a 19th century atmosphere.

Try the pkhali appetizer, which is a sort of pate made from ground walnuts and different vegetables, such as beets or spinach.

For a darker experience you can also visit the Joseph Stalin Museum in Gori, his birthplace. Tour groups offer it as a day trip from Tbilisi.

Finally, you can go for a swim or spa visit at numerous Black Sea resorts.

More information on Georgia and wine history can be found at www.kevinbegos.com. — AP

BALTIMORE BEACON â&#x20AC;&#x201D; DECEMBER 2018

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Style

27

Arts &

Numerous events around Baltimore, such as fireworks on New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve, help make the season merry and bright. See story on page 28

Clayworks molds new vision for the future In fact, the regulars, many of whom have taken classes together for years now, have become so close that they even travel together. In 2015, a group of them went to Jamaica, along with their instructor, Sam Wallace, to see where he learned his techniques. A trip to Mexico is currently being planned.

Baltimore Clayworks was founded by nine artists in 1980, and has earned a national and international reputation for artistic excellence, artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; support and community involvement. They provide affordable studio space, equipment and professional opportunities. The studio also brings emerging and established artists to Baltimore through residency programs and exhibitions.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CLAYWORKS

By Carol Sorgen Marsha Smelkinson had recently moved back to Baltimore from San Diego when a friend asked her to help out at a kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pottery class she was teaching at Baltimore Clayworks. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had the opportunity to put my fingers in clay and found it to be fun,â&#x20AC;? said Smelkinson.

Since then, though she had never thought of herself as artistic, the 69-yearold Randallstown resident has become an enthusiastic â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and perpetual â&#x20AC;&#x201D; student at the Mt. Washington ceramics studio.

Clayworks offers studio and community classes in all aspects of pottery, clay sculpture and ceramics for children and adults.

It also presents on-site, off-site and online exhibitions and sales of the work of local, national and international ceramic artists. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very proud of the work I do and the things Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made [in classes],â&#x20AC;? said Smelkinson. She prefers hand-building (as opposed to pottery wheel) classes, and likes to create larger pieces such as vases.

Smelkinson also enjoys the social aspect of the classes, which usually have 8 to 10 students, ranging in age from their mid30s to 70s.

Back from the brink All that, however, was threatened in 2017 when the board then running Clayworks made plans to sell its two buildings, pay off a sizable debt, and relocate to downtown Baltimore. Shortly thereafter, the future of Clayworks was cast into further doubt when the original board, with no notice, began filing for bankruptcy and closed the facilities.

Thanks to enthusiastic supporters such as Smelkinson, the Clayworks community

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Leathia West, right, a long-time student and current Clayworks Board of Directors member, shows off a teapot she made at the long-running studio to Deb Bedwell, the founder of the organization.

joined together to establish a fundraising campaign to pay off the debts and keep Clayworks going. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had to try,â&#x20AC;? said Smelkinson. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We love Clayworks.â&#x20AC;?

Last summer, negotiations between the former board and the Clayworks Community Campaign were finally successful.

See CLAYWORKS, page 29

28

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

DECEMBER 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Baltimore’s streets are lit for the holidays

By Carol Sorgen Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa or the Winter Solstice. Whatever— and how much — you celebrate, this is the most festive time of the year!

Here are a few of Baltimore’s holiday traditions to add to your own.

Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar Underneath the Jones Falls Expressway at Holliday & Saratoga Streets The Market & Bazaar features local crafters, artists and artisans selling handmade items like jewelry, wine racks, clothing and accessories, soaps and candles.

You’ll also find an abundance of trees,

wreaths, greenery, and seasonal food to give as gifts or use for holiday cooking.

The market is open every Sunday through Dec. 22, from 7 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit www.promotionandarts.org.

Holiday Bazaar & Tea Inside the historic Cloisters Castle at 10440 Falls Rd. The Holiday Bazaar & Tea features local and regional artisans selling handmade items on Friday, Nov. 23 and Saturday, Nov. 24. Visitors can find unique gifts while enjoying the beautiful interior and exterior of the Cloisters. For bazaar times,

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

FROM PAGE 30 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

visit www.cloistercastle.com.

Reservations can be made for tea (including an assortment of sandwiches, fruits, pastries and desserts) served at three times each day.

The bazaar is free to attend and shop, but tea is $30. For tea times and reservations, call the Cloisters at (410) 821-7448.

2018 Christmas Village Enjoy an authentic German Christmas market in Charm City. From Nov. 17 through Dec. 24, Christmas Village in Baltimore returns to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor to transform West Shore Park into a European wonderland.

The huge heated festival tent and the beautiful outdoor wooden booths around the majestic Christmas tree will harbor 45 vendors selling high quality arts and crafts from all over the world. Don’t miss the handcrafted items from famous German ornament maker Kathe Wohlfahrt.

When you are done with Christmas shopping, have a seat in the Bavarian Beergarden and enjoy German delicacies such as bratwurst, pretzels, lebkuchen (gingerbread), mulled wine or a good German beer. For more information, visit www.baltimore-Christmas.com.

Pandora ice rink at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor Break the ice at the Pandora Ice Rink at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, complete with a

H O S K O E A M K E A S T F E S O P E T Y I N L E E O E D E N B O G A F S P E A K H A S T E E N T E R

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skate shack, rentals, concessions and entertainment, as well as special events like SkateFest, a learn-to-skate program and more. For more information, visit www.innerharboricerink.org.

46th Annual Mayor’s Christmas Parade The attendance along the 2.5 mile route in Hampden and Medfield reached 25,000 people last year at the Annual Mayor’s Christmas Parade. View Santa Claus and about 160 marching units.

The parade begins at 1 p.m. on Dec. 2, and will feature floats, local TV and radio personalities, over 100 Harley Davidson motorcycles, a steam calliope, great bands, Mummers of Philadelphia, Miss Yuletide and Jr. Miss Yuletide and, of course, Santa! Find out more at www.mayorschristmasparade.com.

Celebrate! A Holiday-Themed Tour of the Walters Manuscript Collection Share the holiday spirit at the Walters Museum on Dec. 12, in a behind-thescenes look at how feasts, festivities and joyful games were depicted in beautifully illuminated manuscripts across time and place. This free tour begins at 12:30 p.m. and is led by Christine Sciacca, Associate Curator of European Art, 300–1400 CE. The Walters is located at 600 N. Charles St., and admission is free. Visit www.theSee HOLIDAY ROUNDUP, page 29

PHOTO BY GERARD BUCKLEMAN

The 46th Annual Mayor’s Christmas Parade will take place along a 2.5 mile route in Hampden and Medfield on Dec. 2.

Cars, boats, furniture, antiques, tools, appliances Everything and anything is sold on

Radio Flea Market Heard every Sunday, 7-8:00 a.m. on 680 WCBM

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2018

Clayworks From page 27 Clayworks reopened in October 2017 with an entirely new board, and classes began again last November.

A new executive director recently took the helm as well. Cyndi Wish has extensive executive experience in nonprofit leadership and management, focusing on arts and cultural programming, education and community development.

In announcing Wish’s appointment, Board of Trustees President Susan Patz said, “This is wonderful timing for Baltimore Clayworks and for Cyndi. We have recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of our reopening with great community support and even a new Clayworks Way street sign.

“With new leadership...Clayworks has the opportunity to further advance its mis-

Holiday roundup From page 28 walters.org or call (410) 547-9000.

Miracle on 34th Street One block in Hampden bursts with light each holiday season, as residents illuminate their row homes and mount quirky ornaments — from a giant snow globe, to a Christmas tree made of hubcaps. It’s a holiday tradition like no other.

The lights will be on from around 6 to 11 p.m. every night except Dec. 24 and Dec. 31, when they stay on all night. Look for 720 W. 34th St. For more information, visit www.christmasstreet.com.

47th Annual Monument Lighting Illuminating the historic Washington Monument at Mount Vernon Place, 699 Washington Place, is a Baltimore tradition that includes caroling, food and good cheer. Fireworks will cap the festive evening that marks the official start of the holiday season on Thursday, Dec. 6, from

sion: creating transformative programming, exhibitions, artist residencies and community partnerships that serve the diverse population of Baltimore.”

artists, and its Project Space Gallery will host weekend pop-up shops featuring mixed media Baltimore artists.

Baltimore Clayworks is located at 5707 Smith Ave. It is open Monday through Fri-

29

day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, visit www.baltimoreclayworks.org or call (410) 5781919.

Upcoming events Clayworks offers classes for all ages, including “try it” workshops, “date night” workshops, potter’s wheel, hand-building and sculpture, and special topics, such as wearable ceramic jewelry.

Now that the existence of Clayworks is no longer in doubt, Smelkinson is happy to return to the classroom and her Clayworks community of friends. “Clay people are humble, generous, and we all share the joy of clay,” she said.

Running through Dec. 31, Clayworks will feature its annual Winterfest exhibition in its Main Gallery, while its Solo Gallery will have cups by its resident

5 to 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.promotionandarts.org.

Little Italy Christmas Tree Lighting Decorate Little Italy’s enormous Christmas tree, sing carols with the Baltimore Choral Arts Society, and enjoy complimentary refreshments, Italian cookies and roasted chestnuts on Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. Visit www.littleitalymd.org for more information.

Kwanzaa Celebration Charles Dugger presents the principles of Kwanzaa at the Light Street Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, 1251 Light St., on Dec. 4, at 11 a.m. Visit www.prattlibrary.org or call (410) 396-5430.

Chanukah Wonderland Celebrate Chanukah on Monday, Dec. 10 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center, 5700 Park Heights Ave., with funfilled activities for the entire family — including an olive press demonstration, donut decorating, Chanukah arts and crafts, moon bounce, face painting, Chanukah photo booth, and food for purchase.

Classifieds cont.from page 31.

Wanted ESTATE LIQUIDATION & COLLECTIBLES: One call solves it all when you hire us to handle your estate liquidation, down-sizing and/or home cleanout. We sell your treasures, take care of charitable donations and provide junk removal. We also purchase partial estate contents/collections. Always buying antiques, jewelry, fine art, vintage toys, collectibles, advertising, sports memorabilia, military items, rare books, MidCentury Modern furniture and more. Based in Silver Spring, we serve Montgomery County, Howard County, Baltimore County, Washington, D.C., NOVA and beyond. No home, barn or warehouse is too packed for us!

Friendly, conscientious staff. Call Chris on cell, 202-731-9447. www.OrionsAttic.com.

FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS AND QUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS wanted by a serious, capable buyer. I am very well educated [law degree], knowledgeable [over 40 years in the antique business] and have the finances and wherewithal to handle virtually any situation. If you have a special item, collection or important estate, I would like to hear from you. I pay great prices for great things in all categories from Oriental rugs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks to classic cars. If it is wonderful, I am interested. No phony promises or messy consignments. References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan, 301-279-8834. Thank you.

Wanted MILITARY ITEMS WANTED: Collector seeks to purchase military uniforms; flight jackets, patches, insignia, medals, etc. from the Civil War through Vietnam. Especially seeking U.S. Army Air Corps, USMC, Airborne, and German/Japanese/Italian items from WWII. ALSO BUYING old Boy Scout, Airline Items, Toys, Lighters. Call Dan, 202841-3062.

BUYING VINYL RECORDS from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-5966201.

COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, knives, swords, bayonets, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars and countries. Also Lionel Toy Trains, and coin operated machines. Will pay top prices for my personal collection. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-910-0783.

Thank you for reading the Beacon!

30

DECEMBER 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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1. SAT section 5. A Brief drawing in a botany textbook 8. Wed with less dread 13. See ya’ manana 15. Nestegg holder 16. Long story 17. Tropical lizard 18. “__ the season to be jolly” 19. The only item in a snowman’s wardrobe 20. Confuse medium well with medium rare 23. Opposite of none 24. Boy doll 25. Letter sequence in PATTERNLESS and STUBBORNLY 26. Buddy 29. Direction afternoon shadows grow 31. _-chrome (it gives us nice bright colors) 32. Prefix for bird words 33. Govt. agents 35. Undergrad foot doc degree, perhaps 36. Good name for a pickpocket 37. A propensity toward letter transposition 41. Floral necklace 42. “It’s not what you want; it’s what ___” 43. Away from port 44. Several eras, in geologic time 45. Dutch cheese 46. The G in OMG, sometimes 48. “Narrow” in Breton (and an acronym of 24 Across) 49. ___ choy 50. Data source for ancestry.com 51. Anger 54. Mix metaphors in a speech 57. Request to a quiet dog 60. Suitable way to abbrev. your room nbr.

61. One of two official languages of India 62. Excessive urgency 63. Use a telescope 64. Shooting game 65. Put your name in the hat 66. Guy who talks at all the conferences these days 67. Gets this puzzle’s puns wrong

1. Hot rocks 2. Let’s Make ___ 3. Joyful 4. Deceptively manipulate stats 5. Conform 6. State flower of Tennessee 7. Snail or slug 8. Grenada greens 9. Key mate 10. Egg cells 11. Part of both MPH and MPG 12. Santa’s subordinate 14. Prepares dishes for cleaning 21. The first thing Harry and Sally did together 22. ___ a high note 26. Congregant 27. “A man without ___ is a man without protection” (Lyndon Johnson) 28. Nation across the Mediterranean from Greece 30. “And so on”, even more briefly 31. Countdowner Casey 33. VA Army base, named for a Confederate leader 34. Keep an ___ (watch closely) 35. Fairfield Inn freebie 38. Chef who requires two dozen blackbirds 39. ___ an era 40. Dal __ Vegas Night (Lone Star casino party) 46. Wildebeest 47. Testimony prerequisites 50. Heaped affection on 52. More like South Park than Northern Exposure 53. Improves a draft 54. Entrypoint to heaven 55. Olympic weapon 56. Approve of, on Facebook 57. First word of three Beatles titles 58. Half-goat Greed god 59. End of both “the biggest” and “the best”

Answers on page 28.

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2018

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

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

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

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

Financial DONATE YOUR CAR, TRUCK OR BOAT to Heritage for the Blind. Free 3-Day Vacation, Tax Deductible, Free Towing, All Paperwork Taken Care Of. CALL 1-844-855-7670.

GOT AN OLDER CAR, VAN OR SUV? Do the humane thing. Donate it to the Humane Society. Call 1-844-230-2952.

GAME PLAN FOR RETIREMENT. 401k, 403B, TSP, and IRA. Rollover to safe lifetime income! 410-902-0464. WTTR 102.3 FM Sat @ 8AM. WCBM 680 AM Sat @ 4 PM.

For Sale TWO CEMETERY LOTS AND VAULTS. Holly Hills Cemetery, $4,000 or best offer. Save approximately $5,500 or more. Call 410-382-7594.

ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR. Invacare Porto — Sure Step, battery and manuals included. Good condition. $500 or best offer. Call 410-382-7594.

2 PLOTS SIDE BY SIDE, in the Valley of the Good Shepherd in Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens. $3,200 film. Call Mrs. Coleman, 410-833-8691.

U.S. AND DUCK STAMPS mint condition, 18002017, in binders. Best offer, 410-653-0759.

4 CEMETERY LOTS, Lakeview Park, Liberty Rd., $1,600. Call 410-737-4630.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

For Sale CEMETERY LOT + VAULT, Dulaney Valley Cemetery, Garden of Apostles, Space 99B #2. Current valley, $4,090. Make offer, call 443-604-4695.

DULANEY VALLEY CEMETERY, 1 LOT in Holy Cross, section no. 4, $1,500. Call 410-388-1102.

If no answer, leave a message.

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

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

Health

NEW PROCEDURE FOR PLACING CLASSIFIED ADS As of 11/12/18, all classified ads must be submitted and paid for online, via our website, www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds Deadlines and Payments: To appear in the next issue, your ad text and payment must be entered by the 5th of the preceding month (for Baltimore and Howard County editions); by the 20th (for Washington and Richmond editions).

PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR — May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-851-0949.

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.

STOP OVERPAYING for your prescriptions!

SAVE! Call our licensed Canadian and International pharmacy, compare prices and get $25.00 OFF your first prescription! CALL 1-888-9817657 Promo Code CDC201725.

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

DENTAL INSURANCE. Call Physicians Mutual Insurance Company for details. Not just a discount plan, real coverage for 350 procedures. 844-366-1003 or http://www.dental50plus.com/320 Ad# 6118.

Home/Handyman Services BORN AGAIN REFINISHING c/o Vernon E. Madairy Sr. Because your antique and fine furniture is an investment. Photographs at www.bornagainrefinishing.com. Furniture refinishing & repairs. All pieces hand stripped. Restorations. Missing pieces hand-carved. Veneer repair and replaced. Upholstery. Kitchen cabinets refinished.

Hand-woven natural cane. Cane webbing. Natural rush. Fiber rush. Wood splint. Residential and commercial. Since 1973 (43 years). 410-323-0467.

RESIDENTIAL PAINTING: RETIRED PAINTER seeking residential, light commercial work in Baltimore area. Call Mark at 443324-0091. Good work at good prices.

Legal Services SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY? Up to $2,671/mo. (Based on paid-in amount.) Free evaluation! Call Bill Gordon & Associates. 1-866-9700779. Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington, D.C. Office: Broward Co. FL., member TX/NM Bar. WERE YOU AN INDUSTRIAL OR CONSTRUCTION TRADESMAN and recently diagnosed with lung cancer? You and your family may be entitled to a significant cash reward. Call 1888-351-0312 for your risk free consultation.

Miscellaneous

TV/Cable

ENJOY 100% GUARANTEED, DELIVERED to-the-door Omaha Steaks! Save 75% plus get 4 more Burgers & 4 more Kielbasa FREE! Order The Family Gourmet Buffet — ONLY $49.99. Call 1-844-302-3754, mention code 51689JCT or visit www.omahasteaks.com.

DISH Network. 190+ CHANNELS. FREE Install. FREE Hopper HD-DVR. $49.99/month (24 months) Add High Speed Internet - $14.95 (where avail.) CALL Today & SAVE 25%! 1844-560-5837.

Personals A PRETTY WF, 52, YOUTHFUL, voluptuous lady, non-smoker, down to earth, seeks SWM, 45-65, attractive, large build gentleman non-smoker for old fashioned fun, friendship, cherished relationship.

Share romance, dates, movies, country slow dancing, cozy campfires, outdoor events, etc. Inquire, 301-4427442. Win my heart with your voice message.

STILL LOOKING FOR EDDIE COLVIN, approximately 84 years old who once lived near Ashlan Avenue and Castle Street, may now live in Dundalk, Middle River, Essex. A nice gentleman said he talked to you last year in White Marsh. No strings attached. An old elementary school classmate just wants to wish you and yours well. Call Rosemarie in evenings, 410-882-6328.

TV/Cable DIRECTV. CALL AND SWITCH NOW — Get NFL Sunday Ticket for FREE! Every Game.

Every Sunday. CHOICE- All-Included Package.

Over 185 Channels. $60/month (for 12 Months.)

CALL 1- 888-572-4953.

SPECTRUM TRIPLE PLAY! TV, Internet & Voice for $29.99 ea. 60 MB per second speed. No contract or commitment. More Channels. Faster Internet. Unlimited Voice. Call 1-888-366-7573.

Wanted CASH FOR JEWELRY: Gold, silver, costume.

Buying whole estates. Gary Roman, 301-5200755. Theatticllc.com.

MONEY, TIME TO SELL! Make the right choice. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. We buy jewelry, coins, silver, antiques, watches, gold, art, paper money, toys, bottles, comic books and records, etc. No middleman, no fees, no overhead means more money for your stuff. Give me a call, and let’s do business.717-658-7954.

SEEKING FULLS/SEALED BOTTLES of vintage Bourbon and Rye. Do you have full/sealed vintage bottles of bourbon or rye collecting dust in your cabinet? Do any of your bottles have an old red and green tax strip? Call Alex, 443-223-7669.

Classifieds cont. on page 29.

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Nature’s Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Pure Life Wellness . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Regenerative Medicine . . . . . . . .7 Rosenblatt Foot Care . . . . . . . . .14 Senior Care Lifestyles . . . . . . . . .7 Skin Cancer EB . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Clinical Research Studies

Housing

COPD Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Healthy Volunteer Study . . . . . .13 Knee Osteoarthritis Study . . . . .12

Edward Myerberg Center . . . . .32

Charlestown/Erickson . . . . . . . .1 Christ Church Harbor Apts. . . . .19 Glynn Taff Assisted Living . . . .19 Linden Park Apartments. . . . . . .19 Oak Crest/Erickson . . . . . . . . . . .1 Rhome Communities . . . . . . . . . .4 St. Marys Roland View Towers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Westminster House Apartments 26

Funeral Services

Legal Services

Shopping

Schimunek/Dignity Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Angels of Elder Care Planning .17 Frank, Frank & Scherr Law Firm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Copper Zap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Perfect Sleep Chair . . . . . . . . . .10 Radio Flea Market . . . . . . . . . . .28 Wilkens Beltway Plaza . . . . . . .29 WOW Computer . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Eyre Bus, Tour & Travel . . . . . .25 Superior Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation

The Beacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Meals on Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Dental Services Denture Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Education

Government Services Baltimore City Senior Companion Program . . . . . . .17

Home Health Care Options for Senior America . . . .18

31

Medical/Health Charm City Wellness . . . . . . . . . .8 Curio Wellness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Herban Legends . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Keswick Wise & Well Center . .14 Kraus Behavioral Health . . . . . .12

Restaurants Glory Days Grill . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Manor Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Subscriptions Beacon Subscription . . . . . . . . .30

Technology Beacon Silver Pages . . . . . . . . .22 TechMedic4U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 TheBeaconNewspapers.com . . .22

Theatres/ Entertainment Chesapeake Shakespeare . . . . . .27 Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . .27

Travel

Volunteers/Jobs

32 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

DECEMBER 2018 — BALTIMORE BEACON

| 410-358-6856 | myerberg.org

BE FIT! BE A MEMBER! AT THE EDWARD A. MYERBERG CENTER 3101 Fallstaff Road, Baltimore, MD 21209 Body, mind and spirit. Discover your new self at the Myerberg.

Visit myerberg.org to see our complete program guide. Call Toba at 443-963-1449 to register for classes today.

!"#$"%#&'(!#)*+, NEW MEMBERS: Stay committed this year! Pay just $419 for a one-year Fitness Center membership AND eight 30-minute personal training sessions.

CURRENT MEMBERS: Buy one eight-session Personal Training package and get a second eight-session package for $50 off.

Packages must be of equal value (30 minutes or one hour). One discount per person.

Both packages must be purchased by December 31.

NE

Cycle Strong Wednesdays, beginning January 2, 10:00 - 10:45 a.m.

W!

Gentle Yoga Fridays, beginning January 4, 9:00 - 9:45 a.m.

$175 Members/ $225 Non-Members

$113 Members/ $158 Non-Members

This class starts with a cardiovascular training experience on our new stationary spin bikes and then off the bike for total body conditioning. This is great for those who want to increase cardio endurance, while building strength.

Instructor: Ross Wilson

Gentle Yoga is for aging bodies, incorporating range of movement exercises, alignment, stretching, strengthening, awareness, breathing and relaxation to refresh, energize, improve posture, deepen breathing and improve wellbeing. Instructor: Mica Saunders

Cycle 45 Tuesdays, beginning January 8, 6:45 - 7:30 a.m. $175 Members/ $225 Non-Members Ride to the rhythm of exciting music, building leg strength, power and speed as you improve your cardiovascular health. If you suffer from knee, hip or other joint issues, cycling is a great way to enjoy a low-impact, non-weight bearing cardio workout. Instructor: Niki Barr

Tai Chi—Basic Fridays, beginning January 4, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. $127 Members/ $177 Non-Members Reduce stress and improve balance and flexibility through gentle movements.

This class is designed for beginners and those with a limited range of motion.

This class is free to residents of Weinberg Woods. Instructor: Claudia Thomas

Total Brain Health Mondays, beginning January 7, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Better Balance 1

$47 Members/ $62 Non-Members

Wednesdays, beginning January 2, 1:15 - 2:00 p.m.

Science shows that we must engage in many ways to support daily thinking skills and reduce risk for memory loss. This program will teach brain healthy lifestyles, using engaging exercises that span the physical, mental and emotional health pillars of well-being. We will learn how memory works and why we forget, plus simple and effective strategies for improving information retention. Instructor: Niki Barr

$99 Members/ $139 Non-Members Studies have shown that the risk of falling increases 40% after age 60 and falls are the leading cause of injury in adults over 70. This class will use seated and standing movements to build balance, stability, strength, mobility and confidence. All fitness levels welcome. Instructor: David Curtis

Be Fit • Be Creative • Be Connected

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