December 2022 | Baltimore Beacon

New sports memoir hits home

By Robert Friedman

“I saw Brooks Robinson dive to his right, I saw Cal Ripken Jr. dive to his left” in magical fielding plays for the Baltimore Orioles, writes Baltimore-raised Tom Callahan in his latest book, Gods at Play: An Eyewitness Account of Great Moments in American Sports

“I saw [Johnny] Unitas hand the ball off and still go through his many fakes” to fool would-be tacklers, Callahan writes of the Baltimore Colts’ all-star quarterback.

Callahan recalls in the book basketball behemoths Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes leading the Washington (formerly Baltimore) Bullets (now Wizards) to three NBA finals, with one championship, in 1978.

And that’s just the local sports scene. Gods at Play also captures these quintessential quotes from sports deities of the last half-century:

“Ain’t worried about the spotlight. Ain’t worried about the money. Ain’t worried about all the heavyweights. Ain’t worried about nothin’ but being immortal,” the late, great Muhammed Ali once said.

Seven-foot, two-inch basketball icon Kareem Abdul Jabbar recalled the shame he felt in high school because of his height. His only role models, he said, were “the Empire State Building and the redwood trees.”

Callahan writes about what baseball superstar, Hank Aaron, experienced in 1974 in Cincinnati. The first home game of the season happened to fall on the anniversary of the day Martin Luther King Jr. was slain. (The day before, in Atlanta, Aaron had tied Babe Ruth’s 714 homerun record.)

Aaron was asked by team managers, “Is there anything we can do for you?” Aaron asked for “a moment of silence for Dr. King.”

The Reds’ executive replied, “We don’t get involved in politics.” Then, just before the game got underway, the first symbolic pitch of the season was thrown by politician Gerald Ford.

Aaron, notes Callahan, “didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.”

It’s all there, and much more, in Callahan’s Gods at Play, published by W.W. Norton in 2020 and released in paperback this year.

A Baltimore start

Callahan, 76, is now retired from the dailies and weeklies that printed his bylined

stories and columns for more than 50 years.

Born in Chicago, Callahan grew up in Baltimore and graduated from Loyola High School. “I’m really a Baltimore guy,” he said.

Still, his journalism career has taken him from coast to coast. He did work close to home with stints at the Washington Post, Washington Star and Baltimore Evening Sun. But he also saw sports writing action at the San Diego Union and the Cincinnati Enquirer, as well as Golf Digest, Newsweek and Time, where he worked as a senior writer for 11 years.

He now lives in Reston, Virginia, with Angie, his “high school sweetheart and wife of 55 years,” he said. They live close

to their children and grandchildren.

It all began, Callahan writes in his book, when “halfway through my senior year [at Mount St. Mary’s College], I wondered what an English major does to make a living.”

Soon after, he wandered into the Baltimore Evening Sun, “was passed from editor to editor,” and, because he had some knowledge about a college basketball player (Earl Monroe, who later became a star for the New York Knicks), was hired by the sports department.

Callahan moved on to the Cincinnati Enquirer in the 70s, where he wrote a daily column. There, he said, he wrote “what I

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Cal Ripken Jr. is just one of many famous athletes about whom reporter Tom Callahan shares personal stories in his sports memoir Gods at Play: An Eyewitness Account of Great Moments in American Sports. Callahan grew up in Baltimore and started his sports writing career here.

A time for thanks

I want to thank all our Beacon readers and their guests who attended our two 50+Expo events in late October.

After two years in which we could host only virtual events, we were finally able to return to in-person Expos. I think all who came will agree that it was wonderful to see each other face-to-face and simply to be out and about on a beautiful day in a bustling building, visiting informative exhibits and hearing the hum of the crowd.

I was especially happy to see so many familiar faces and get a chance to speak with you, catch up on your lives, and hear your views on the issues of the day.

recreation and travel opportunities and government and nonprofit agencies that participated.

the Beacon received at the annual conference of the North American Mature Publishers Association, whose journalism competition we enter every year.

which the judges said “make readers feel as if they’re enjoying the destinations he visits right alongside him.”

By Stuart P. Rosenthal

Of course, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that one of the best parts was hearing all the glowing compliments people shared with me about the Beacon, our writers, our sales staff and the events themselves. I was floating out the door at the end of both Expos.

Our exhibitors were equally happy with the event after meeting so many active older adults who were sincerely interested in the housing communities, health providers, financial and legal advisors,

I want to thank our hardworking staff for putting together these fantastic events, and also want to thank our gold sponsors: AARP Maryland, AARP Virginia and Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center. Many thanks, too, to Giant Pharmacy for providing a variety of important vaccines, and the Prevention of Blindness Society for offering glaucoma tests.

If you were unable to hear our keynote speaker, John Kelly of the Washington Post, we have posted a video of his remarks on our website at thebeaconnewspapers.com/50expos.

We are already making plans for next fall’s Expos, and we intend for them to be even bigger and better than this year’s. I hope to see all of this year’s attendees again next year, and many more of you who were not able to attend in October.

Writing awards

I also want to share with you the kudos

This year, we won 13 awards for writing, as well as first place for General Excellence and the Best of Show in our category (publications with circulation of 100,000 or more).

Our managing editor, Margaret Foster, won awards for five of her stories: two cover stories in the Baltimore Beacon , “H&S Bakery rises to the occasion” and “Ballplayer now autism activist;” for her Howard County Beacon cover, “Let them eat steak;” for her Greater Washington Beacon cover story, “Write your memoir — with help,” and for her guest column, where she filled in for me in lieu of my “From the Publisher” column one month.

I have to add the lovely comment the judges offered on Margaret’s H&S Bakery story: “Launching a compelling company profile off a breaking news story is classic reporting at its best. When a local baker ended up supplying hundreds of stranded motorists with food, an uplifting story in the right hands became a history lesson and a comprehensive business report, as well as a very satisfying read.”

Our longtime freelance contributor, Glenda C. Booth, won recognition for her Baltimore cover story, “Designing jewelry for 70 years,” as well as for her Greater Washington cover, “Welcoming today’s refugees.”

Two other freelance writers won prizes as well: Ashley Stimpson, for her Howard County arts story “Lifelong carver prefers using chainsaws,” and Katherine Mahoney for her Washington profile, “He advocates for wronged WWII vets.”

One of our beloved travel writers, Victor Block , won for his travel column,

Our quarterly Housing and Homecare Options pull-out section won top prize for special section. The judges said it “hits all the right buttons…the broad range of topics is impressive…the articles are brisk and easy to understand.”

And I was honored with awards for two of my “From the Publisher” columns, “Alzheimer’s drug saga” and “Living with lemons.”

As we are entering the holiday season and the year draws to a close, I want to add here my thanks to, and admiration for, all of our staff, who work so diligently to produce multiple editions of the Beacon every month.

I’d like to thank them by name: Executive Vice President Gordon Hasenei; Art Director Kyle Gregory; Managing Editor

Margaret Foster; Assistant Editor Ana Preger Hart; Advertising Representatives Dan Kelly, Steve Levin, M.K. Phillips and Alan Spiegel; Marketing & Operations Manager Ashley Griffin , and of course my wife, Judy Rosenthal, the Beacon’s President and Associate Publisher. We also wish the best to our former Director of Operations, Roger King, who has moved on after 17 years with the Beacon, and want to welcome our new Client Liaison, Jaclyn Thompson

The Beacon would not exist without all of their efforts, nor without you who read our publications each month. I offer my sincere appreciation to each of you.

Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season and new year!

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 and Greater Washington, DC. 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.

Dear Editor:

For over a year, Safeway’s weekly flyer has had many digital-only coupons on products. Recently, Giant started digitalonly-priced products. I am writing to both CEOs to voice my displeasure.

Only one store in the area, Green Valley, does not have digital-only coupons. I do much of my shopping there.

and enjoying the articles on the arts, travel, health, finances, but especially your “From the Publisher” column.

Music has been an important part of my life even though I don’t play any instrument or read music. About your “piano camp” at Peabody, you state that it is hard work “to make music sound and look effortless.”

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915

Other stores have asked for my cell phone number, which I decline to give. After all, most of us resent unsolicited calls on our cell phones. How do they get our number? Is it shared with others?

Barbara Green Elkridge, MD

I have heard that said before, so when I hear live music and watch the performers, it seems like I am witnessing a miracle. To have so many players come together to make beautiful music is to experience perfection.

The Beacon welcomes

Deadline for

is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 23 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions. © Copyright 2022 The Beacon Newspapers, Inc.

Dear Editor:

Not for the first time, a friend passed an issue of the Beacon to me recently. I find myself reading your paper cover to cover

Instead of waiting for my friend to pass along her copy, I am enclosing a check for a subscription.

Peggy Eck Nottingham, MD

Health

Health

HOME HEARING EVALUATIONS

Good places to find a quick hearing test on your computer or smartphone

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Why (and how) to change Medicare plans

By Kate Ashford

Medicare’s open enrollment period runs from October 15 to December 7, but 7 in 10 Medicare beneficiaries say they don’t compare Medicare plans during this period, according to a 2021 analysis by KFF, a health policy nonprofit.

That’s not great, since Medicare Advantage plans — which operate much like the private insurance you may have had through an employer — change from year to year.

One of your doctors may have fallen out of network, or your prescription drug prices may have gone up. And people with Original Medicare should compare their Part D prescription drug coverage.

Here’s how to approach switching Medicare plans:

Take advantage of enrollment periods

If you have a Medicare plan, Medicare open enrollment is your opportunity to change coverage. You can switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, or vice versa, or enroll in or change Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.

If you have Medicare Advantage, you can also use Medicare Advantage open enrollment from January 1 to March 31 each year to switch plans or go back to Original Medicare and sign up for a Medicare Part D drug plan.

Review prescription drug plans

If you’re on any prescription medications, it’s important to understand how your cur-

rent plan will cover them in 2023 and whether another plan might be more affordable.

“It can be as simple as putting your drugs into Medicare.gov,” said Scott Maibor, a Medicare advisor based in Boston. The website will display all the drug plans available to you and their costs.

Part D prescription drug plans can change each year. You may find that one of your prescriptions will cost more in 2023, or that your plan will stop covering it. Or you may have started a new medication and you can find a plan that charges you less for it.

And don’t forget to browse your drug plan’s preferred pharmacies. It’s not just a matter of cost. Their location and convenience may also be important to you.

Think hard before giving up your Medigap plan

You’re first eligible for a Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Medigap, plan once you’re 65 or older and you sign up for Medicare Part B.

The six-month Medigap open enrollment period happens only once, and during it you can buy any policy you want, regardless of your health. After that, you may not be able to get a Medigap plan — or it might cost more.

Medigap pays many of the out-of-pocket costs of Original Medicare. If you have a serious or chronic health condition, that can lead to significant cost savings.

With Covid in decline, telemedicine is too

By Tom Murphy

Telemedicine exploded in popularity after Covid hit, but limits are returning for care delivered across state lines.

That complicates follow-up treatments for some cancer patients. It also can affect other types of care, including mental health therapy and routine doctor check-ins.

Over the past year, nearly 40 states and Washington, D.C., have ended emergency declarations that made it easier for doctors to use video visits to see patients in another state, according to the Alliance for Connected Care, which advocates for telemedicine use.

Some, like Virginia, have created exceptions for people who have an existing relationship with a physician. A few, like Arizona and Florida, have made it easier for out-ofstate doctors to practice telemedicine.

Doctors say the resulting patchwork of regulations creates confusion and has led some practices to shut down out-of-state telemedicine entirely. That leaves followup visits, consultations or other care only to patients who have the means to travel for in-person meetings.

Patients forced to travel

Susie Rinehart is planning two upcoming trips to her cancer doctor in Boston. She needs regular scans and doctor visits to monitor bone cancer that has spread

from her skull to her spine.

Rinehart doesn’t have a specialist near her home outside Denver who can treat her. These visits were done virtually during the pandemic.

She will travel without her husband to save money, but that presents another problem: If she gets bad news, she’ll handle it alone.

“It’s stressful enough to have a rare cancer, and this just adds to the stress,” the 51-year-old said.

Rinehart’s oncologist, Dr. Shannon MacDonald, said telemedicine regulation enforcement seems to be more aggressive now than it was before the pandemic, when video visits were still emerging.

“It just seems so dated,” said MacDonald, who recently co-wrote a piece about the issue in the New England Journal of Medicine.

To state medical boards, the patient’s location during a telemedicine visit is where the appointment takes place. One of MacDonald’s hospitals, Massachusetts General, requires doctors to be licensed in the patient’s state for virtual visits.

That doesn’t help doctors like MacDonald who see patients from around the country.

Cleveland Clinic also draws a lot of patients from out of state. Neurosurgeon Dr. Peter Rasmussen worries about how some will handle upcoming travel, especially because winter can bring icy weather.

A fall “literally could be life-ending” for someone with a condition like Parkinson’s disease who has trouble walking, he said.

Mental health coverage

Psychiatrists have a different concern: Finding doctors for patients who move out of state. This is especially difficult for college students who temporarily leave home.

Most U.S. counties have no child and adolescent psychiatrists, noted Dr. Shabana Khan, chair of the American Psychiatric Association’s telepsychiatry committee.

“If we do try to transition patients, often there is no one there,” Khan said.

Helen Khuri’s mother found a specialist to help her when the 19-year-old’s post-traumatic stress disorder flared up last spring. But the Emory University student had to temporarily move from Atlanta to Boston for treatment.

She rented an apartment so she could be in the same state for telemedicine visits, a situation she deemed “ridiculous.”

“It didn’t necessarily make sense to kind of uproot my life, just to receive this threeweek treatment program,” Khuri said.

Silly rules hurt patients

Even people seeing doctors close to home can be affected. Dr. Ed Sepe’s Washington, D.C., pediatric practice has patients in Maryland who have started driving a few

miles across the border into the city to connect by video. That saves them a 45-minute trip downtown for an in-person visit.

“It’s silly,” he said. “If you are under a doctor’s care, and you are in the U.S., it doesn’t make any sense to have geographic restrictions for telemedicine.”

Sepe noted that low-income families tend to be in jobs that don’t allow time off for in-person visits. Some also have a hard time getting transportation. Video visits were helping with these obstacles.

“It’s bigger than just telemedicine,” he said. “There’s a missed opportunity there to level the playing field.”

States can play an important role in telemedicine’s growth by guarding against fraud and protecting patient safety, according to Lisa Robin, an executive with the Federation of State Medical Boards.

But the federation also recommends that states loosen some telemedicine restrictions. That includes permitting virtual follow-ups for someone who has traveled out of state to seek care, or for people who temporarily move but want to stay with a doctor.

States could also form regional compacts with their neighbors to ease crossborder care, noted Dr. Ateev Mehrotra, a Harvard health policy professor.

“There’s so many ways that these issues can be addressed,” he said. AP

Free online hearing tests to take at home

Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you recommend any good online hearing tests? My husband has hearing loss, but I can’t get him to go in and get his hearing checked, so I thought a simple online test could help him recognize he has a problem.

Loud-Talking Linda Dear Linda,

There’s a growing number of very good online and app-based hearing tests available that will let your husband check his hearing on his own.

understanding what people say, especially in noisier environments or over the phone, should test their hearing. Similarly, if you need a higher volume of music or TV than other people, set aside a few minutes to take a test.

Free hearing tests

By Jim Miller

These tests are a quick and convenient option for the millions of Americans that have mild to moderate hearing loss but often ignore it, or don’t want to go through the hassle or expense of visiting an audiologist for a hearing exam.

Who should test?

Hearing loss for most people develops gradually over many years of wear and tear, which is the reason many people don’t realize they actually have a hearing problem.

Anyone who has difficulty hearing or

Medicare plans

From page 3

Some people switch to Medicare Advantage plans (which are basically HMOs that combine Medicare Parts A, B and usually D) during open enrollment, not realizing they might not be able to switch back to a Medigap plan later if they want to return to Original Medicare.

“Our clients are sitting at home, they’re seeing these commercials on television talking about the free gym membership, zero premiums, and they go ahead and make changes on their own,” said Emily Gang, owner of The Medicare Coach. “They realize early in the year that they made a mistake and can’t go back.”

Complete the process

To sign up for a new plan, you’ll need

Online and app-based hearing tests can serve as a great screening tool. They are not meant to be a diagnosis, but rather to give you an idea of how bad your hearing loss is and what can be done about it.

For most do-it-yourself hearing tests, you’ll be advised to wear ear headphones or earbuds and sit in a quiet spot.

You also need to know that there are two different types of tests available. One type is known as pure-tone testing, where tones are played in decreasing volumes to determine your specific level of hearing loss.

The other type is known as speech-innoise or digits-in-noise (DIN), where you’ll be asked to identify words, numbers or phrases amid background noise.

your Medicare number and the date your Part A and/or Part B coverage started. (Look on your Medicare card.)

You may be able to enroll online, but you might also have to make a call or two:

— If you’re moving from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, you’ll be disenrolled from your previous plan automatically once your new coverage kicks in.

— If you’re switching from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare, call 1-800MEDICARE to make the change or call your plan provider to disenroll. Don’t forget to sign up for prescription drug coverage (Part D) to avoid paying a penalty.

— If you’re switching from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, your new plan will transfer your benefits from Medicare.

— If you’re staying with your current plan, do nothing. Your coverage will renew automatically. —AP/NerdWallet

Where to test

If your husband uses a smartphone or tablet, two of my favorite app-based hearing tests are the hearWHO app created by the World Health Organization, and the Mimi Hearing Test app. Both apps are free to use and are available through the App Store and Google Play.

HearWHO allows users to check their hearing status and monitor it over time using a DIN test, while Mimi uses pure-tone and masked threshold tests to give you a de-

tailed picture of your hearing abilities.

There are also a wide variety of online hearing tests your husband can take on a computer.

Some top online tests — all offered by hearing aid manufacturers — for speech-innoise or DIN testing can be accessed at ReSound (resound.com) and Miracle Ear (miracle-ear.com).

And some good online hearing tests for

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Irregular? What to do and what not to do

By Matthew Kadey

Chances are most of us have experienced constipation, a condition that becomes more prevalent with advancing age.

In fact, constipation is one of the leading gastrointestinal complaints in America — about 63 million people in the United States experience the condition, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

In layman’s terms, constipation is the inability to empty your bowels fully or regu-

larly — when fecal matter (stool) moves through the large bowel (colon) too slowly.

Having three or fewer bowel movements a week is an indicator of constipation. Left unresolved, constipation can lead to increased discomfort and pain, as well as the development of hemorrhoids. Yes, that’s definitely not fun.

While there are myriad causes of constipation, which include stress and the use of certain medications, in many cases the origin may be diet-related.

The following dietary steps may help clear that internal traffic jam:

Eat and drink more of these

Rye bread. Take a cue from the Scandinavians and stuff your sandwich between slices of hearty rye bread. A study in the Journal of Nutrition found that people experiencing constipation who consumed rye bread daily had improvements in frequency and ease of stool passage compared with those eating white bread.

“The added fiber helps to form the feces, giving them weight to help them to get out of your system easier,” said Sandra J. Arévalo Valencia, MPH, RDN, Director of Community Health & Wellness at Montefiore Nyack Hospital.

Dried plums . Yes, it’s true, eating dried plums (aka prunes) can help. One study in the journal Clinical Nutrition discovered that healthy adults with reported infrequent stool habits and who typically consumed low amounts of dietary fiber experienced increased stool weight and frequency by consuming 80 grams of prunes — about 8 dried fruits — daily.

Prunes likely help to treat constipation because they are high in fiber and sorbitol. The latter is a type of indigestible sugar that pulls water into the bowel to help things flow through easier.

Sauerkraut and yogurt. “It is good to increase the number of good bacteria in your digestive system to have more regular bowel movements,” noted Arévalo Valencia, who added that fermented foods such as sauerkraut and yogurt are rich in these beneficial probiotic bacteria.

through the large bowel, this soluble fiber increases stool water content, resulting in soft, easy-to-pass stools.

Chia seeds are very versatile and can considerably boost fiber content without too much effort. They work well sprinkled onto cereal, oatmeal or yogurt.

Kiwi. According to a 2021 paper in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, people with chronic constipation who were provided with two kiwi fruit daily experienced increased spontaneous bowel movements, improved stool consistency, and less straining. Kiwi’s fiber and high-water content may help get things moving.

Water. When dehydrated, the large intestine cannot provide enough water to properly form stools, which leads to hard stools and more constipation.

Note: when adding more fiber-filled foods to your diet, be sure to drink plenty of fluids. “The added water combines with fiber to make feces soft and easier to pass,” Arévalo Valencia said.

High-water foods, like fresh fruits and veggies, can also improve hydration status.

Eat and drink less of these

Highly processed foods. Processed foods tend to be high in fat and low in fiber — a combination that is rough on the colon.

Alcohol. Beer, wine and spirits have diuretic effects (that is, draw water out of the body) and can contribute to constipation.

High-fat meats. If you are prone to constipation, go easy on the sausage and marbled steaks. Some research suggests that too much saturated fat can contribute to constipation.

A place of independence

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

A place of beauty

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

A place of caring

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

Interestingly, an investigation in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition discovered that consuming fiber-rich rye bread alongside a probiotic-rich yogurt helped relieve gastrointestinal complaints like bloating which are often associated with boosting fiber intake as a method to relieve constipation.

Chia seeds. These tiny seeds are a good source of gel-forming soluble fiber. By resisting fermentation and remaining relatively intact during the passage

Hearing tests

pure-tone testing are available by Signia (signia.net/en); Eargo (eargo.com); and MD Hearing Aid (mdhearingaid.com/ hearing-test).

All of these hearing tests are free to use and take less than five minutes.

Note: Constipation may indicate a more serious gastrointestinal disorder, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or other health issues, like cancer. If your constipation lasts for several days, or if it doesn’t respond to dietary remedies, call your doctor.

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

© 2022 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

If his hearing loss is mild to moderate, he should look into the new over-thecounter (OTC) hearing aids, which are available now online and at retailers like Best Buy, Walgreens and CVS.

private, full bath, and residents are

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

What to do with results

If the tests indicate your husband has significant hearing loss, it’s best to think of that as a starting point. He should take results to his doctor or an audiologist for further evaluation.

Many insurance providers and Medicare Advantage plans cover routine hearing exams; however, Original Medicare does not.

OTC hearing aids don’t require a prescription or medical examination for purchase, and they’re much more affordable than traditional hearing aids you buy through an audiologist or a licensed hearing instrument specialist. [That’s largely because they do not come with the examination and fitting services an audiologist or specialist would provide. See “Over-the-counter hearing aids here soon,” in the September Beacon.]

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is author of The Savvy Senior

assisted living is living, with the right amount of

Why get a genetic test for metabolism?

By Michael Schuh

Dear Mayo Clinic: I’ve been hearing a lot about lab tests that can look at my genetics to see how I metabolize medications. How does this work and why is it important for me to know how my body metabolizes medicine?

A: Testing for how a person metabolizes medications is called pharmacogenomics testing, or PGx testing for short. This is a prime component of individualized medicine — selecting specific medications for each person based on personalized information.

Pharmacogenetic testing can help determine how a person metabolizes potentially hundreds of common medications, depending on how many genes are tested on a particular laboratory panel.

This specific testing can give pharmacists and healthcare providers better insight into adverse drug reactions and drug interactions as they review the medications patients take.

Knowledge can improve results

These reviews help identify potential and current medication-related problems, especially in patients who take multiple prescriptions and over-the-counter medications, along with herbal and dietary supplements, including cannabis products.

Also, testing can guide therapy, optimiz-

ing medications to achieve the best outcomes. Your healthcare provider can use test results to guide medication selection and dosing.

Pharmacogenetic labs also can help certain patients identify medications that they should never take to avoid serious, adverse drug reactions that could be fatal, such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare but serious skin disorder.

Testing is relatively simple. A cheek swab is sent to a certified medical lab to be processed to determine how a patient metabolizes various medications. The processing takes anywhere from two to five weeks.

Mayo Clinic routinely processes pharmacogenetic panels. Results from directto-consumer labs cannot be used for clinical decision-making, as the results may not have been reviewed by a licensed physician, so it is important to know the type of lab taking and processing the sample. [See “Want to get genetic testing? First ask why,” in the June Beacon.]

At Mayo Clinic, a physician or another Mayo provider must order pharmacogenetic testing. Mayo Clinic also requires a review appointment after the results are available to explain the meaning of the results.

Pharmacogenetic testing results become a permanent part of a patient’s electronic health record for future use by providers to

guide medication therapy long term.

When a provider inputs a future prescription, notices of drug-gene interactions pop up on the computer screen in real time to indicate interactions that may result in an adverse drug reaction or ineffectiveness of therapy. Then, a healthcare provider can choose an alternative medication therapy that is more suitable.

Pharmacogenetic panel testing costs a few hundred dollars, and few insurance plans cover it. But the cost for a panel has decreased from thousands of dollars just a few years ago, and you only need to be tested once.

Another benefit of pharmacogenetic testing is that it can influence future development and use of medications.

May learn about family risks

One example of how pharmacogenetic testing has changed medication therapy is codeine use in young children. For codeine to relieve pain, it must be converted to morphine by an enzyme known as CYP2D6. This enzyme is commonly tested in pharmacogenetics panels.

People can metabolize CYP2D6 enzyme medications at different speeds. It was determined that, if children are ultrarapid metabolizers, they convert codeine to morphine too fast, resulting in morphine overdose that can be fatal.

As a result, federal guidelines were changed for the use of codeine in children

Is tracking your heart rate worthwhile?

By Howard LeWine, M.D.

A resting heart rate that is too low (less than 50 beats per minute) or also one that is 100 or higher could be a sign of trouble and should prompt a call to your doctor.

: Checking your heart rate at rest and with exercise can provide information about your fitness level, and may suggest a heart problem if your pulse is too slow, too fast or irregular.

A

Three good times to check your heart rate are soon after you wake up in the morning, during exercise, and in the immediate post-exercise recovery period.

To get a good sense of your resting heart rate, check it every few mornings over the course of several weeks. In general, a lower resting heart rate translates to better fitness and cardiovascular health.

You can check your heart rate or pulse using just your fingers. With your index and middle fingers, press lightly on the opposite wrist, just below the fat pad of your thumb.

Or press gently on the side of your neck, just below your jawbone. Easier yet, use a smartwatch or wrist-worn fitness tracker to display your resting heart rate.

To track your heart rate with exercise, you will need a smartwatch or fitness tracker. These devices automatically calculate your “target” heart rate, or the heart rate you’re supposed to reach during exercise.

But target heart rate zones aren’t necessarily accurate for many people. Here’s why: These devices calculate your target heart rate as a percentage of your maximum heart rate, which in turn is an estimate based solely on your age.

The estimated maximum heart rate of a 70-year-old is 150. But that figure might be too low for a 70-year-old who is lean and runs five miles several times a week — or too high for a 70-year-old who is overweight and whose only exercise is a daily walk around the block.

If you’re working on improving your cardiovascular fitness, one metric you might want to measure is your heart rate recovery. It’s a gauge of how quickly your heart rate drops or recovers after intense exercise.

To check it, simply measure your heart

Genetic test

From page 7

under 12 and in certain adolescents 12 to 18 who have breathing problems, or following tonsillectomy or adenoidectomies.

Soon after Mayo Clinic started providing pharmacogenetic testing, one patient discovered multiple relatives either had reactions to certain medications or medications did not work well for them. Ultimately, with testing, the patient learned the CYP2D6 gene was prevalent in the family.

After the results confirmed suspicions, the family members now can decide in advance which medications are optimal for their needs.

One misconception is that pharmacogenetic testing about medication metabolism is the same as allergy testing. Although there is some overlap, the body systems involved overall differ.

Allergy testing looks at the immune sys-

rate immediately after exercising, then again two minutes later. The difference between those two values is your heart rate recovery.

A value below 20 suggests poor fitness. As with your resting heart rate, multiple measurements over time provide the most reliable information.

If you’re starting or ramping up an exercise routine, your resting heart rate may gradually drop and your heart rate recovery value may slowly rise — two trends that bode well for your heart and overall health.

Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, visit health.harvard.edu.

© 2022 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

tem’s reaction to a foreign substance. It is important to speak to your healthcare provider about concerns if you believe you are allergic to a medication, but there still may be value in additional testing.

Pharmacogenetic testing has an exciting future in helping healthcare providers prescribe the best medications for each patient. Speak with your healthcare provider or local pharmacist to learn more and determine if it can help based on your healthcare needs.

— Michael Schuh, Pharm.D., R.Ph., Pharmacy, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida

Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. Email a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org.

© 2022 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Q: How does tracking your heart rate provide information about your heart health?

Rice noodle bowls: simple, kid-friendly

By America’s Test Kitchen

Rice noodles are, of course, noodles made out of rice. They come in all shapes and sizes and are made to float in soup or soak up sauce.

Some of the most common types are rice vermicelli (super thin and delicate), rice sticks (straight and flat, used in this noodle bowl recipe), and chow fun (wide, flat and chewy).

Rice noodles are especially popular in Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese cooking. They’re gluten-free and found in every supermarket.

They also come together nicely in this simple dish designed so grandkids can help you prepare it.

Rice Noodle Bowls with Peanut Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 ounces (¼-inch-wide) rice noodles

1½ cups frozen edamame (green soybeans)

½ cup creamy peanut butter

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons lime juice, squeezed from 2 limes

1 tablespoon honey

¼ cup hot water, plus extra for cooking noodles

2 carrots, peeled and shredded (about 1 cup)

¼ cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped

8 fresh Thai basil or sweet Italian basil leaves, torn into pieces

Directions:

1. Fill a large saucepan halfway with water. Bring to boil over high heat. Carefully add noodles and edamame and stir to combine. Return to boil and cook for 3 minutes.

2. Turn off heat. Stir to separate noodles and let sit until tender, about 10 minutes.

3. While noodles and edamame sit, in a large bowl, whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice and honey until smooth, about 1 minute. Whisk in ¼ cup hot water until fully combined.

4. When the noodles and edamame are ready, drain noodles and edamame in a colander in sink. Rinse with hot water and drain well.

5. Add noodles and edamame to the bowl with the peanut sauce. Use tongs to toss noodles and edamame until evenly coated with sauce.

6. Divide noodles and edamame among serving bowls. Top each bowl with shredded carrots, peanuts and basil.

For 25 years, home cooks have relied on America’s Test Kitchen for rigorously tested recipes developed by professional test cooks and vetted by 60,000 at-home recipe

testers. See more online at www.americastestkitchen.com/TCA.

© 2022 America’s Test Kitchen. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

MINDFULNESS PRACTICE

Learn and practice different types of meditation designed to boost your mood and mental health. This free class takes place on Tuesdays in December from 2 to 3 p.m. in person at Keswick Wise & Well, 700 W. 40th St., Baltimore, and virtually. To register, visit bit.ly/DecemberMindfulness. For more information, call (410) 662-4363.

HEALTHY COOKING DEMO

Join Health & Wellness Educator and Coach Crystal Forman for a healthy cooking demo on Sat., Dec. 17 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Brooklyn Library, 300 E. Patapsco Ave., Baltimore. For more information, call (410) 396-1120.

Cookbooks make time in the kitchen fun

A 2019 survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation revealed that a majority of Americans prepare their entire Thanksgiving meal at home. Here are three cookbooks that can help you prepare innovative as well as traditional meals.

The Complete Autumn and Winter Cookbook: 550+ Recipes for Warming Dinners, Holiday Roasts, Seasonal Desserts, Breads, Food Gifts, and More, by America’s Test Kitchen, 458 pages, America’s Test Kitchen softcover, 2021

THE

ters. Complete course menus and accompanying recipes are included for 14 occasions including Thanksgiving, meatless Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve and game day spread.

The emphasis is on seasonal foods. More than 400 color photos of the completed dishes, in addition to step-by-step illustrations of techniques, make The Complete Autumn and Winter Cookbook a feast for the eyes.

but do eat fish. They are creatively constructed with an emphasis both on nutrition and on using sustainably-sourced seafood species.

Whether you want to prepare ravioli or potato salad with a new twist, conjure up a watercress and cilantro salsa verde for two in 20 minutes, or wow your guests with Malaysian laksa, you’ll find the instructions easy to follow. The recipes are organized into 12 chapters.

with milk, ice cream, yogurt or fruit juice.

You might choose to eat more fruits and vegetables for their nutritional benefits if they were easy and quick to prepare and great tasting. Or you may be curious to try exotic produce you’ve seen in the market but are clueless on how to proceed.

BIBLIOPHILE

By Dinah Rokach

More than 250 vegetarian recipes are easy to find. They are flagged in the text, the introduction to each chapter and the index.

Veggies & Fish boasts more than 180 photographs and illustrations. A full-page color photograph accompanies each of the 95 recipes.

Feel Good Smoothies will show you how to transform just a few ingredients into a delicious drink. Forty smoothie recipes are organized by chapter. The serving size is two. An introduction explains the more exotic ingredients and their nutritional values.

This cookbook with more than 500 recipes is a treasure for Thanksgiving meal-planners. It’s a primer for nervous novices and a resource replete with new ideas for experienced cooks.

Each recipe includes information on serving size, whether it can be prepared ahead of time, and total prep time. Calorie counts and nutritional values for all the recipes are listed in the back of the book.

There’s a recipe index and a metric conversion chart. Kitchen tools are recommended by brand name.

The recipes are organized into 15 chap-

America’s Test Kitchen consists of a staff of 60 recipe-testers who employ a scientific approach to the art of food preparation. You may be familiar with the eponymous PBS series, which has been broadcast since 2001.

Veggies & Fish: Inspired New Recipes for Plant-Forward Pescatarian Cooking, by Bart van Olphen, translated by Laura Vroomen, 256 pages, The Experiment hardcover, 2021

This cookbook provides recipes for pescatarians — those who don’t eat meat

The vast majority of the recipes are apportioned for two. They all indicate prep time and total calories. A complete listing of nutritional values, measured in grams, is provided. There’s a handy index as well.

Bart van Olphen is co-founder of Bart’s Fish Tales, a YouTube channel highlighting the chef’s worldwide travels and presenting his recipes for fresh, sustainablycaught fish.

Feel Good Smoothies: 40 Smoothies to Power Your Body and Mind, by Sandra Wu, illustrations by Rocio Egio, 121 pages, Chronicle Books hardcover, 2022

A smoothie is a creamy, thick cold beverage made of fruit or vegetables blended

Each recipe is labeled with its health benefits. There is a helpful index of ingredients. Alas, there is no calorie count.

Smoothies may aid in weight loss because they keep you full. However, the calories add up quickly, so beware of too much indulgence.

Ingredients include papaya, açai, goji berries, spirulina powder, chia seeds, hemp hearts and pepitas. Wow your family and company as you serve them a magenta dragon, hazelnut mocha shake, or black forest cherry shake.

Sandra Wu is a food writer based in San Francisco. The charming and sunny illustrations are by Rocio Egio, who lives in Switzerland.

Grab your blender. Get ready to embark on a culinary adventure.

Throughout the ages, there have been many important advances in mobility. Canes, walkers, rollators, and scooters were created to help people with mobility issues get around and retain their independence. Lately, however, there haven’t been any new improvements to these existing products or developments in this field. Until now. Recently, an innovative design engineer who’s developed one of the world’s most popular products created a completely new breakthrough . . . a personal electric vehicle. It’s called the Zinger, and there is nothing out there quite like it.

“What my wife especially loves is it gives her back feelings of safety and independence which has given a real boost to her confidence and happiness! Thank You!”

–Kent

C., California

The first thing you’ll notice about the Zinger is its unique look. It doesn’t look like a scooter. Its sleek, lightweight yet durable frame is made with aircraft grade aluminum so it weighs only 47.2 lbs. It features one-touch folding and unfolding –

when folded it can be wheeled around like a suitcase and fits easily into a backseat or trunk. Then, there are the steering levers. They enable the Zinger to move forward, backward, turn on a dime and even pull right up to a table or desk. With its compact yet powerful motor it can go up to 6 miles an hour and its rechargeable battery can go up to 8 miles on a single charge. With its low center of gravity and inflatable tires it can handle rugged terrain and is virtually tip-proof. Think about it, you can take your Zinger almost anywhere, so you don’t have to let mobility issues rule your life.

Why take our word for it? Call now, and find out how you can get a Zinger of your very own.

ON AREA

A scratch-and-sniff test for Parkinson’s

By Margaret Foster

A seasonal cold or case of Covid can cause people to lose their sense of smell temporarily. But people whose sense of smell has disappeared for good may be at risk for brain disease. In fact, people with enduring smell loss have a 30% chance of having brain changes associated with Parkinson’s disease.

Now, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research is using a screening tool for smell loss. It’s a free “smell test” for people over age 60, developed by scientists at the University of Pennsylvania.

“Many people don’t know they have smell loss,” said Maggie McGuire Kuhl, vice president of research engagement at the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

“In addition to helping further brain disease research, taking the smell test is something people can do to monitor their own brain health.”

The test arrives in the mail: 40 scratchand-sniff multiple-choice questions, e.g., Does this page smell like a rose, mint or coffee?

“It’s an opportunity to help others, to partner together toward this end goal of prevention. It’s also a little fun.”

Volunteers over 60 can request a free test at mysmelltest.org/beacon and then enter answers to the 40 questions via the website.

“This scratch-and-sniff test could be a good screening tool,” Kuhl said.

Possible invitation to other studies

Later, you may be invited to participate in the foundation’s landmark study, the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI).

Currently under way at 50 sites in 12 countries, the longitudinal study is taking note of the link between smell loss and brain health. One study site is Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. If you are invited to participate, the foundation will cover all travel expenses for volunteers and a companion.

“You could be enrolled in the PPMI study, and you could be eligible for prevention trials we’re planning,” Kuhl said.

Interested volunteers can visit mysmelltest.org/beacon and answer a couple of short

TEACH UKRAINIANS ENGLISH ONLINE

ENGin pairs you up with a Ukrainian student to video chat each week at times convenient for you. They match students and volunteers based on interests and schedules. All students have a basic knowledge of English. Volunteers can commit to at least one hour per week. For more information, please email info@enginprogram.org or visit enginprogram.org.

SENIOR CRAFT GALLERY

Senior Craft Gallery provides a consignment outlet for the sale of art produced by Baltimore County craftspersons aged 55 and older. Consign your art, volunteer your time in the gallery or attend craft fairs and bazaars to sell gallery items. The gallery is open Mon. to Fri. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sat. from 9 a.m. to noon. It is located at 1801 Glen Keith Blvd., Parkville. For more information, call (410) 887-5399.

questions. If you’re over 60 without Parkinson’s, you’ll receive a smell test in the mail.

In addition to smell loss, Kuhl pointed out, another condition linked to Parkinson’s disease is REM Sleep Behavior Disorder. People who act out their dreams are at risk for Parkinson’s disease. If you or someone you love is sleepwalking, gestur-

ing or otherwise acting out during dreams, call your doctor.

PPMI is recruiting people with this sleep condition and people recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s. To find out more about this longitudinal study, call 1-877-525-PPMI. To request a smell test, visit mysmelltest.org/ beacon or call 1-888-830-6299.

Seeking Volunteers for a Flu

Money Law &

A new website makes it easier to search thrift deals from Goodwill and to order online. See story on opposite page.

Best ways to invest in the current market

Investors in both the stock and the bond markets are understandably nervous. The Federal Reserve has indicated that, until inflation is under control, it will continue to increase interest rates.

As long as that happens, it is likely that both bond prices and stock prices will remain under pressure and may continue to fall in value. Most investors are not sure what action, if any, is best.

In late September, Burton Malkiel wrote a column in the Wall Street Journal with sound advice for investors both years away from retirement and currently in retirement.

Early this year, he recommended that investors seriously consider investing in Series I inflation-protected savings bonds because of the safety of the investment and the high interest rate. This investment still has these features. [See “How to protect your portfolio this year,” in the July Beacon.]

century, and he believes this will continue to be true.

THE SAVINGS GAME

By Elliot Raphaelson

In the Wall Street Journal, Malkiel pointed out that, even with the recent fall in stock market values, the cyclically adjusted price-earnings ratio, known as CAPE, is still pretty high historically. He indicated that, historically, with CAPE values at this level, 10-year returns have been well below average.

Malkiel recommends diversified index mutual funds and ETFs with low costs. He points out that even during periods in which the returns on common stock investments are below average, when investors invest a specific dollar amount each month over an extended time frame (known as dollar-cost averaging), the overall results will be above the inflation rate.

He does not recommend dollar-cost averaging of equities in this situation. He believes that the appropriate approach is holding a diversified portfolio, including limited-duration fixed-income instruments, such as short-term bonds.

Malkiel has a stellar reputation in the investment field. He wrote the excellent book, A Random Walk Down Wall Street: The Time-Tested Strategy for Successful Investing, which he regularly updates. A revised edition will be published in 2023.

Malkiel believes, as I do, that most investors in the stock market — on a long-term basis — should be investing in low-cost mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) using dollar-cost averaging.

Common stocks best for long-term

However, he doesn’t believe that this is a time to give up on equities. He believes that long-term investors saving to build a retirement nest egg should be investing in a portfolio heavily weighted with common stocks.

He believes that common stocks representing the ownership of real assets have been an inflation hedge for more than a

In his article, he provides positive historical results during time frames in which common stock returns were below average. For example, in the period between the beginning of 1968 and the end of 1979, when the stock market was in a downturn with stagflation and a volatile stock market, those who invested in a low-cost S&P index fund received a return of 5.2% per year.

The bottom line is that even during periods of below-average common stock returns, those who invest steadily in a diversified lowcost index fund can still come out ahead.

What to sell to pay RMDs

Malkiel makes an important point for retirees who need to sell some of their investments.

He recommends liquidating these fixedincome investments in order to meet Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). He also believes that in order to provide inflation protection, one’s other investments should be tilted toward common stock holdings that pay high dividends.

I have been following this approach. In my portfolio, I have concentrated my bond portfolio to those of shorter duration. That’s because when interest rates increase, longterm bonds fall in value more steeply than shorter-term bond holdings.

I am required to take RMDs from my portfolio and, rather than sell equities, I generally take my withdrawals from shorter-term bond holdings.

In my stock portfolio, I have concentrated the majority of my investments in equities with a history of increasing dividends.

Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com.

© 2022 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Situations where you might need a trust

By Roxanne Alexander

Some simple estate planning techniques that you can use to avoid probate include adding beneficiaries to your retirement accounts and adding transfer-on-death (TOD) designations to after-tax accounts.

When you pass away, these assets will avoid probate and can be transferred directly to the listed beneficiary. Once the beneficiary receives the proceeds, they can do whatever they like with the funds. However, if having assets distributed outright to a beneficiary could cause potential problems, there are several reasons to think about creating a trust.

Limiting distributions

If you are leaving money to young grandchildren, you might prefer to place specific conditions on the funds, and in that case, you should have a trust in place.

Many trusts specify that distributions can only take place at future ages; for example, one-third of the inheritance received at age 30, one-third at age 35, and the rest at age 40.

Some clauses require that the beneficiary pass a drug test or have stable employment before the trust will pay out.

Trusts can be especially important with second marriages where one spouse wants to leave their assets to their kids and not their stepchildren.

For example, a client with a large IRA may want to pass the account to his wife for use during her lifetime, but do so through a trust, which ensures that the remainder of the assets go to his kids or whichever beneficiaries he has chosen prior to his passing.

If he leaves the account outright to his wife, she has the ability to add whomever she chooses as beneficiary and ultimately bypass his wishes.

Creditor protection

If your profession has a high probability for liability, having assets passed down in trust (once the trust becomes irrevocable) may shelter funds from being subject to payout in a lawsuit. This can be very specific with respect to state law and the type of lawsuit, so discussing this with your attorney before making any decisions is advisable.

Passing funds outside the estate

For large estates that are expected to grow even larger, creating trusts during your lifetime and gifting assets can remove the growth from your estate and lower future estate taxes.

If your estate is likely going to be higher than the exemption (currently at $12.06 million per person for federal estate taxes, but often much lower than that for some states) and you have more funds than you need to live on, funding an irrevocable

trust now may be beneficial.

Also remember, revocable (or living) trusts become irrevocable on your passing, so anything in the revocable trust will be out of the beneficiary’s estate.

Complex beneficiaries

If you have many beneficiaries in different proportions and want to specify who gets what — for example, if you have four children and you want to leave 25% to each child, but if a child passes away their share goes to specific charities — you may need to use a trust.

Also, if you want to leave one beneficiary a specific amount, this can get complicated. Sometimes custodians will review and accept complex beneficiary requests, but they usually have to be reviewed and modified by their legal department.

Goodwill is moving some thrifting online

By Anne D’Innocenzio

Goodwill is expanding its online presence, promising high-tech features from digitized receipts to personalized alerts.

Last month, the 120-year-old Marylandbased nonprofit organization launched GoodwillFinds.com — a shopping venture that is making roughly 100,000 donated items available for purchase online.

It’s expanding Goodwill’s internet presence that, until now, had been limited to auction sites like ShopGoodwill.com or individual stores selling donations online via eBay and Amazon. GoodwillFinds aims to offer a million items online in the next year or two.

Spearheading the venture is Matthew Kaness, newly appointed CEO of the online shopping arm, who has 20 years of retail experience.

GoodwillFinds is a separate entity from Goodwill Industries International Inc., but it will support the larger organization by helping fund its community-based programs across the U.S. It will also provide professional training, job placement and youth mentorship.

Its launch should also increase donations, while helping to expand Goodwill’s base of customers.

The Associated Press spoke to Kaness about the online experience and why the venture’s timing is right. The interview

has been edited for clarity and length.

Q: What makes this venture different from the existing Goodwill online experience?

A: Access to shopping and thrifting on Goodwill will be [easier] online, compared to going to your one store location or trying to go through a sea of items on Amazon and eBay.

The second thing is that because of technology, we’re going to be able to personalize the discovery, the recommendations, the notifications, the email alerts, everything that you’re accustomed to when shopping at other brands.

Q: How will a greater presence online amplify Goodwill’s mission?

A: We are going to be elevating the global story around the impact that Goodwill has. Last year, Goodwill provided social services to 2 million individuals across the country.

Also, last year all the Goodwills diverted 3 billion pounds of goods away from landfill based on the donations received and sold.

Q: Why is the timing right?

A: There’s a reason why secondhand sales are growing eight times faster than the overall industry. Consumers, in particular younger consumers, Gen Z, generally love thrifting from a fashion perspective

and from a retail store shopping perspective.

They really care about the impact that their dollars have on the environment — that, coupled with the incredible value that families for 100 years have found [at Goodwill stores], especially during times of economic hardship.

Q: Will this increased shift to online hurt Goodwill’s physical stores?

A: When you are a store-based company and you’re only selling a little bit online

through marketplaces, you don’t know who your customer is. You have to reacquire that customer over and over again.

There are so many online competitors that are keeping your customers from getting to your store because they’re making it so convenient for shopping secondhand online.

[Our new site] is going to massively expand the audience and the customer base for each one of our Goodwill members.

What to know about working after age 65

By Kate Ashford

Continuing to work past the traditional retirement age gives many the opportunity to add more money to their nest egg — and to delay Social Security, which will bump up their eventual benefits check.

In May, 21.9% of Americans ages 65 and older were working, compared with 19.5% in May 2020, according to a study released in June by MagnifyMoney, which analyzed U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey data.

It’s important to know how working affects your Medicare benefits, Social Security and tax situation. Here are some things to understand about staying in the workforce later in life.

You may be able to delay Medicare enrollment

If you’re still working at 65 and have ac-

cess to health benefits through your employer — or your spouse’s employer — you may be able to delay enrolling in Medicare.

If your company has fewer than 20 employees, however, you should sign up for Medicare. If it has 20-plus employees, you may be able to put it off.

If you have the choice, compare what you would pay for group benefits with what you’d pay for Medicare, including any supplemental coverage and prescription drug benefits you’d need with Medicare.

“If the group coverage is less, then it may make sense to not get Medicare Part B and wait until you retire,” said Julie Hall, a certified financial planner (CFP) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Part A is free for most people, so there’s no point in delaying that unless you have an HSA — more on that below.)

Contact your benefits department before delaying to make sure your employer

doesn’t require you to enroll in Medicare.

An HSA and Medicare don’t mix

If you have a high-deductible health plan along with a health savings account, or HSA, be aware that you can’t save to an HSA once you’ve enrolled in Medicare.

An HSA can be a valuable retirement savings tool, so it’s worth weighing your options if you have access to employer benefits that allow you to delay Medicare.

“I see [an HSA] as a triple tax benefit,” said Diane Pearson, a CFP in Pennsylvania, about the fact that money can be saved pretax, grow tax-free, and be withdrawn pretax to pay for eligible medical expenses.

If you’re collecting Social Security, you’ll be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A when you turn 65; if you want to save to an HSA, you’ll have to delay Social Security benefits.

ENTERPRISE RESIDENTIAL

MOST COMMUNITIES ARE 62 AND BETTER

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

The Greens at Hammonds Lane: 410-636-1141

Park View at Furnace Branch: 410-761-4150

Park View at Severna Park: 410-544-3411

BALTIMORE CITY

Ednor Apartments I: 410-243-0180

Ednor Apartments II: 410-243-4301

The Greens at Irvington Mews: 410-644-4487

Park Heights Place: 410-578-3445

Park View at Ashland Terrace: 410-276-6440

Park View at Coldspring: 410-542-4400

BALTIMORE COUNTY

Cove Point Apartments I: 410-288-2344

Cove Point Apartments II: 410-288-1660

Evergreen Senior Apartments: 410-780-4888

The Greens at English Consul: 410-789-3000

The Greens at Liberty Road: 410-655-1100

The Greens at Logan Field: 410-288-2000

The Greens at Rolling Road: 410-744-9988

Park View at Catonsville: 410-719-9464

Park View at Dundalk: 410-288-5483 • 55 & Better

Park View at Fullerton: 410-663-0665

Park View at Miramar Landing: 410-391-8375

Park View at Randallstown: 410-655-5673

BALTIMORE COUNTY (CONT.)

Park View at Rosedale: 410-866-1886

Park View at Taylor: 410-663-0363

Park View at Towson: 410-828-7185

Park View at Woodlawn: 410-281-1120

EASTERN SHORE

Park View at Easton: 410-770-3070

HARFORD COUNTY

Park View at Bel Air: 410-893-0064 Park View at Box Hill: 410-515-6115

HOWARD COUNTY

Park View at Colonial Landing: 410-796-4399

Park View at Columbia: 410-381-1118

Park View at Ellicott City: 410-203-9501

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

Park View at Emerson: 301-483-3322 Park View at Snowden River: 410-290-0384

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Park View at Bladensburg: 301-699-9785 • 55 & Better Park View at Laurel: 301-490-1526 Park View at Laurel II: 301-490-9730

If you plan to enroll in Medicare and you have an HSA, both you and your employer should cease contributions at least six months before you apply for Medicare to prevent tax headaches.

Your earnings affect your Social Security benefits

If you claim Social Security during the last few years of your working life, your income can affect your benefits.

For instance, in 2022, your Social Security benefits will be reduced $1 for every $2 you earn over $19,560.

In the year you hit your full retirement age, the calculations are different: Your benefits are reduced $1 for every $3 earned over $51,960 up to the month before the one you hit full retirement age. Once you reach full retirement age, there’s no benefit reduction, no matter how much you earn.

Additionally, your Social Security benefits may be taxed. In 2022, people filing an individual tax return with a combined income of more than $25,000, or filing jointly with a combined income of more than $32,000, will pay taxes on up to 85% of their Social Security benefits. (Social Security defines “combined income” as the total of your adjusted gross income, nontaxable interest and half of your Social Security benefits.)

“It doesn’t take a whole lot of income to get people to the point where they pay tax on a portion of their Social Security,” said Barbara O’Neill, a CFP in Florida.

Your income affects your Medicare premiums

Medicare Part B and Part D are subject to the income-related monthly adjustment amount, known as IRMAA. The more you earn, the higher your premiums will be.

In 2022, you’ll pay more for Part B and Part D if your modified adjusted gross income from two years ago was more than $91,000 as a single tax filer or more than $182,000 if you filed jointly. The extra costs can add up, and experts recommend factoring this into your work plans.

“People might say, ‘I’ll work, but I can only earn so much,’” O’Neill said. “You’ve got to be careful of triggering the IRMAA.”

—AP/NerdWallet

BEACON BITS Dec. 15+

CAREER HELP FOR VETERANS

Stop by the Business, Science and Technology Department of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, where a specialist from Easter Seals is available to assist veterans who have questions or need guidance about jobs and careers. This free event takes place on Thu., Dec. 15 and 29 from 11 a.m. to noon at Central Library, 400 Cathedral St., Baltimore. For more information, call (410) 662-4363.

Minor children

Trusts are important when minor children are involved because you are also going to require a legal guardian for the child, who may be in charge of the funds. Since minors cannot own assets outright, you would want to make sure the funds are protected. The trust should specify your intentions for the funds and the conditions for use so that the child (or the guardian) cannot be frivolous with the funds.

If you leave funds outright to the minor,

the guardian can easily spend those funds or list their own beneficiaries.

Provide for grandchildren

If your intention is to provide for grandchildren on your passing, or you don’t trust the parents to set inheritance funds aside for their kids, creating a trust for the grandkids (or future grandkids) is an option. If you leave assets outright to their parents, there is no guarantee that the funds will trickle down.

Protect against fraud

There have been multiple stories of elder abuse and fraud. Older people can be

ESTATE PLANNING AND LEGAL COUNSELING

If you are a Baltimore City resident age 60 and over, an attorney is available to prepare wills, advance medical directives and power of attorney documents free of charge. This service is by appointment only. For more information and to schedule an appointment, call Action in Maturity at (410) 889-7915.

HOW TO SELECT A MEDICARE PLAN

Join this free virtual class to learn how Medicare supplement plans work and what you should look for in a policy. This event takes place on Fri., Dec. 2 at 1 p.m. on GetSetUp. Use the coupon Baltimore for free access through the Baltimore County Department of Aging. Register at bit.ly/GetSetUpBaltimore. For more information, email help@getsetup.io or call 1888-559-1614.

STAYING SAFE ONLINE

Learn tips to keep your information private and safe while you’re online. This free class takes place on Mon., Dec. 5 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in room 109 of Bykota Senior Center, 611 Central Ave., Towson. Register at the front desk. For more information, email bykotasc@baltimorecountymd.gov or call (410) 887-3094.

BEWARE OF HOLIDAY SCAMS

Learn about the latest scams to watch out for and keep yourself and your loved ones safe this holiday season. Join AARP for this free webinar on Tue., Dec. 6 from 7 to 8 p.m. and again on Mon., Dec. 26. For more information and to register, visit bit.ly/AARPwebinar or email aarpprograms@aarp.org.

coerced or tricked into updating their beneficiaries when they are in the hospital or under hospice care. If the individual is able to sign a form and their signature matches what is on file with the custodian (bank) — and they have no immediate family to catch the update — this can be a problem. Updating a beneficiary is much easier paperwork than updating an entire trust, which requires the help of an attorney. If an older person is not of sound mind, the attorney will likely be able to notice something is wrong compared to submitting a beneficiary form to a custodian directly.

Special needs beneficiaries

If you have beneficiaries who are incapacitated or require special care due to mental or physical disability, setting up a special needs trust may make sense. These trusts — if set up correctly — should not interfere with government benefits or disability payments.

Speak to your estate attorney about your individual situation and your intentions so they can guide you on how to protect your assets and your wishes.

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

Mellow out in Santa Barbara and environs

By Don Mankin

If you asked Americans where they would live if money were no object, Santa Barbara would be near the top of the list.

With a mild Mediterranean climate, wide beaches and excellent wineries just over the mountains, this coastal California city has been called the American Riviera. But visitors don’t have to spend a bundle to enjoy the region’s many charms. In August my wife, Katherine, and I spent several days sampling its affordable side on a break from our everyday lives in Venice Beach.

I hadn’t visited Santa Barbara in years, not since my young, single, hippie days in the 1970s. This was a tamer, more mature visit, but I did my best to recreate the feelings from those days by driving up the coast in my 1997 Mustang convertible.

The scenery along the way, best viewed from a convertible with the top down, is just as spectacular as the city, with sandy beaches and sparkling waves to your left and mountains to your right. In fact, a number of the vistas are recognizable from the many car and insurance commercials that have used this iconic backdrop.

Slower pace plus ocean views

Once you reach Santa Barbara, you can choose to be active, visit historic and cul-

tural sites, or just eat, drink and shop. Or combine all three, soaking up the gorgeous views regardless of what you do.

After checking into our hotel, the Mason Beach Inn, located just a block from the Pacific Ocean, we walked along the beach to Stearns Wharf, a 150-year-old wooden wharf with shops, places to eat, and some of the best views in the lower 48.

As we watched the ocean sparkle from the wharf, I felt two and a half years of pandemic stress and worry melt away. I could take in the city, sailboats, ocean, sand and mountains in just one view. The light breeze added to the experience. At the risk of dating myself, I was as mellow as I’ve been in quite a while.

From the wharf we walked up State Street, which runs through the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. State Street is lined with bars, restaurants, an axe-throwing emporium (!), and a couple of spas. We passed on the axe-throwing, but treated our weary feet to an excellent massage at the Little Rainbow Foot Spa.

The next morning, I borrowed a bike from the inn and headed out on an hourlong, mostly flat bike ride along the Cabrillo Bike Path to Butterfly Beach in Montecito.

I didn’t see any butterflies, but I did pass a bird refuge on the way. It was a relaxing

way to start the day, as if I needed anything else to mellow me out.

My mellow meter peaked on our last morning. My favorite activity of the trip was a two-hour kayak paddle off the Goleta coast, just north of Santa Barbara, run by the Santa Barbara Adventure Company. This section of the coast is relatively undeveloped, so the views were epic, including many pelicans and cormorants.

Eating and (wine) tasting

Food options abound in Santa Barbara, from funky taco stands to elegant fine dining. The two cuisines that dominate the culinary scene are Mexican and seafood, not surprising given the Southern California city’s location on the ocean. We indulged in both.

Our first meal — a pound of mussels, a pound of clams and a large crab — was at Moby Dick’s on Stearns Wharf, with views of the harbor as we chowed down. Our last meal featured outstanding local fare with a Mexican twist at La Paloma Café, located downtown.

But the culinary highlight of our visit was a wine tasting in the historic Presidio section of the city, near State Street. The Santa Ynez Valley, just a short, scenic drive over the mountains, is home to excellent

wineries. One can drive from one vineyard to another in the Valley, or simply walk a few yards from one tasting room to another in the city.

The wines rival those of Europe, particularly when sipped amid beautiful outdoor patios, cobblestone pathways and historic Spanish Colonial and Mission-style buildings.

We visited two tasting rooms: Jamie Slone, which included a chocolate pairing, is in the historic El Paseo, one of California’s oldest shopping centers. The other, Grassini’s, serves its wines in a quiet, secluded outdoor patio. The vibe, as well as many of the wines, was very chill.

After the tastings, we were able to walk (stagger, weave?) just three blocks to the La Paloma Café for dinner. If we were so inclined, we could have walked another block or two to State Street and all its eateries.

Besides the beach, the Wharf and the Presidio, we also checked out a few of the other sites that make Santa Barbara a great place to visit.

Among our favorite historic places was the Santa Barbara Courthouse, built in 1929 in

Spanish Colonial style with a dis-

There’s so much more than apples to enjoy in Winchester, Virginia. See story on page 17.

PHOTO BY WINCHESTER-FREDERICK

Jutting out into Santa Barbara Harbor is Stearns Wharf, a historic wooden wharf lined with lively restaurants and a natural history museum.

PHOTO BY CHRIS BELL FOR VISIT

SANTA BARBARA

PHOTO

©

Take a day trip to Winchester, Virginia

By Victor Block

My drive from Baltimore to Winchester, Virginia, took only about two hours. But when I arrived there, I felt as if I had traveled back centuries in time.

When I approached the minuscule city (population about 28,000), after crossing the Shenandoah River, there was little hint of the treasure trove of history that lay ahead.

I passed through a phalanx of familiar chain stores and fast-food restaurants. Then, as suddenly as this mass of modernity had appeared, it disappeared and I found myself in another world — a historyrich setting that envelops visitors in the past without fuss or fanfare.

I was beaten to the location by Shawnee and other Native American tribes who lived for thousands of years in what today is Frederick County, Virginia, and more recently by European explorers who came as early as 1606.

Arriving at Winchester is like entering a time capsule. This is no ersatz commercial attraction. Rather, it’s a real place where important chapters of American history were written, offering a glimpse of those memories to those who seek them out.

Yes, GW slept here

George Washington’s life is closely intwined with the story of Winchester. There are so many references to, and touches of, the presence of George Washington that by the time you leave town, you have new insight into the man behind the fame.

Washington arrived in 1748, at the tender age of 16, to help survey land. During the next 10 years, he became commander of Virginia’s militia forces, planned and oversaw construction of more than 80 forts to protect settlers from attacks, and was chosen to serve as a delegate in the

House of Burgesses, representing Winchester and Frederick County.

Remnants of Fort Loudoun, which was Washington’s headquarters from 1756 to 1758, are among numerous traces of his time in the area. So is the tiny log-andstone George Washington’s Office Museum, whose displays include his orders to soldiers concerning “tippling” and Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior, which he wrote at age 14.

Other notable men and women, historic structures and mesmerizing museums add to the appeal of Winchester and its surroundings.

More than 1,100 significant sites dating from the 18th to mid-20th centuries stand in the Winchester Historic District. They range from log buildings and early stone houses, to Federal-style town homes and elegant Victorian residences.

Civil War sites

The heart of the district is marked by the stately Greek Revival Frederick County Courthouse. It was completed in 1840, just in time to serve as a hospital and prison for both the Union and Confederate armies. Graffiti on some walls dates back to the time of military occupation of the building, which today houses the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum.

Reminders of that conflict are scattered about the Winchester area like shotgun shells. That’s not surprising, because the town and county’s location as a transportation hub made it a highly contested prize. Six major battles raged there, and control of Winchester changed hands more than 70 times.

Visitors may relive those skirmishes at three Civil War museums, battlefields, remains of forts and other sites.

One of those, the home used by Stonewall

Jackson as his headquarters during the winter of 1861-2, contains a large collection of his personal objects and memorabilia.

After admiring Jackson’s imposing office desk, and a smaller traveling version, I turned my attention to an unfamiliar Confederate flag. I learned that it’s the battle banner from which the more recognizable Confederate pennant evolved.

More intriguing to me was Jackson’s sword, which earned the nickname “Rusted Blade.” It turns out that Stonewall was not the most fastidious of groomers and his lack of care extended to the ceremonial rapier. It rusted so badly that eventually he could not withdraw it from the scabbard.

Apple orchards and wineries

After delving deeply into the Revolutionary and Civil War history of the Winchester area, I turned my attention to the variety of other attractions the destination offers. Food and beverages rank high on that list.

For many people, Frederick County, Virginia means apples. The Shenandoah Valley was the largest apple-growing region in the country in the early 1800s. While that distinction is no longer true, apples continue to hold an important place in the region’s rich agricultural heritage.

Family-owned farms and farmers markets offer a cornucopia of locally grown

fruit, vegetables and meats. Pick-your-own orchards and micro-farms sell goods ranging from fresh produce and homemade baked wares, to local crafts, goat milk soap, wine, cider and mead.

Outstanding wine, along with other libations, add to the tastebud treats available in the area. My tasting at the familyowned, award-winning Briede Family Winery included its wine ice cream.

A very different experience awaited at Misty Mountain Meadworks, which concocts the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage using Virginia honey.

Where there are apples there is cider, and the English-style hard version is created from locally grown fruit.

Speaking of locally grown, that applies to hero Patsy Cline, the Winchester native who became a leading country and pop music singer whose professional career (1954-1963) was cut short when she died in a plane crash. Her modest house (now a museum) depicts the hardscrabble life she led before she became a local hero.

Heroes of various kinds have been part of the story of Winchester, Virginia. Accounts of their lives are among a number of reasons to visit there — and, as I quickly learned, there are many more.

For more information, go to visitwinchesterva.com.

FREE INTRO TO PORTRAIT DRAWING

Join Enoch Pratt Free Library’s Fine Arts & Music department to learn the fundamentals of portrait drawing with pencil. A trained professional artist will demonstrate how to draw a human face through simple and approachable steps. All skill levels are welcome, and materials will be provided. This free event takes place on Sat., Dec. 10 from noon to 2 p.m. at FAR Mezzanine, 400 Cathedral St., Baltimore. For more information, email info@prattlibrary.org or call (410) 396-5430.

LIBRARY TECH: HOOPLA DIGITAL

Visit the Roland Park Library for this free tech session on using Hoopla Digital to read eBooks, listen to music, and stream videos. Bring your device to class if you would like hands-on instruction. You will need a Pratt Library card and PIN to access materials in Hoopla. Attend in person on Wed., Dec. 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Keswick Wise & Well, 700 W. 40th St., Baltimore, or virtually. To register, visit bit.ly/LearnHoopla. For more information, call (410) 662-4363.

Santa Barbara

From page 16

tinctive clock tower, red-tile roof and lush grounds. The clock tower offers a 360-degree view of the city, ocean and mountains.

We also visited the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, with many trails winding through 76 acres of native plants, including a grove of redwoods; and the historic Santa Barbara Mission, established in 1786, which includes a museum, historic gardens, cemetery and mausoleum.

Easy day trips

If we had more time, we would have explored other nearby destinations. Montecito, a ritzy town just outside Santa Barbara, is home to lavish estates and celebrities so famous that only a first name need suffice (Oprah, Ellen, Meghan and Harry).

The Santa Ynez Valley, as noted earlier, is home to several wineries, as well as quaint, small towns and a former stagecoach stop,

Cold Spring Tavern, now a restaurant that hosts rowdy rock ‘n’ roll shows.

The valley was home to many celebrities, past and present, including Ronald Reagan and Michael Jackson. The views of Santa Barbara, the ocean and the Channel Islands in the distance are spectacular from Highway 154, a scenic bypass.

The Channel Islands are among the newest additions to the U.S. National Park system. Two of those islands, Anacapa and Santa Cruz, are only a one-hour boat ride away from Santa Barbara.

From a boat, you can spot dolphins, and (very) occasionally you might even catch a glimpse of a whale. You can hike on Santa Cruz as well as take a sea cave kayak tour run by the Santa Barbara Adventure Company.

Find out for yourself why this city and the region surrounding it is one of the most desired places to live. A short trip here is guaranteed to mellow you out.

If you go

Copper can stop germs before they spread

Scientists have discovered a natural way to kill germs fast.

Now thousands of people are using it against unwanted viruses and bacteria in the nose and on the skin.

Germs, such as viruses and bacteria, can multiply fast. When unwanted germs get in your nose they can spread and cause misery unless you stop them early.

In the last 20 years, hundreds of studies by government and university scientists show the natural element copper kills germs just by touch.

clared copper to be antimicrobial, which means it kills microbes, including viruses, bacteria, and fungus.

The National Institutes of Health says, “The antimicrobial activity of copper is now well established.”

Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used copper to purify water and heal wounds. They didn’t know about microbes, but now we do.

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

Some hospitals tried copper for touch surfaces like faucets and doorknobs. This cut the spread of MRSA, and other illnesses, by over half and saved lives.

inventor Doug Cornell an idea. He made the bottom of his nose.

The next time he felt a tickle in his nose that felt like a cold about to start, he rubbed the copper gently in his nose for 60 seconds.

“The cold never got going,” he exclaimed. “That was September 2012. I use copper in the nose every time and I have not had a single cold since then.”

He asked relatives and friends to try it. They reported the same thing, so he patented CopperZap® and put it on the market.

Soon hundreds of people had tried it. The feedback was 99% positive if they used the copper within 3 hours after the

germs, like a tickle in the nose or a scratchy throat.

Early user Mary Pickrell said, “I can’t believe how good my nose feels.”

“What a wonderful thing!” exclaimed Physician’s Assistant Julie. Another customer asked, “Is it supposed to work that fast?”

Pat McAllister, 70, received one for Christmas and called it “one of the best presents ever. This little jewel really works.”

people around her show signs of unwanted germs, she uses copper morning and night. “It saved me last holidays,” she said. “The kids had crud going round and round, but not me.”

tried copper for her sinus. “I am shocked!” she said. “My head cleared, no more headache, no more congestion.”

A man with trouble breathing through his nose at night tried copper just before bed. he said.

In a lab test, technicians CopperZap. No viruses were found alive soon after.

Some people press copper on a lip right away if a warning tingle suggests unwanted germs gathering there.

The handle is curved and textured to increase contact. Copper can kill germs picked up on

touch things other people have touched.

The EPA says copper still works even when tarnished.

Made in America of pure copper. 90-day full money back guarantee.

each CopperZap with code MDSB10

www.CopperZap.com or call toll-free 1-888-411-6114.

Round-trip flights from BWI to Santa Barbara start at $454 in January; check Kayak.com for current fares.

Hotels near Santa Barbara’s harbor, wharf and beach district tend to be pricier than those inland. At the Mason Beach Inn, a Mission-style hotel with a heated pool, rooms start at $200 per night.

Nearby, the Marina Beach Motel has more affordable yet charming rooms, some with kitchenettes, for as low as $176 per night on the off season. If you don’t mind staying a few miles inland, several chain hotels have rooms with mountain views for $97 per night.

Many of Santa Barbara Adventure Company’s kayak tours include a lesson and lunch (sbadventureco.com); tours start at $59, but its Channel Islands National Park tours are four times that price, due to ferry ticket costs.

Condor Express (condorexpress.com) offers whale-watch tours via catamaran with a guarantee: a free future trip if you don’t spot any whales. Celebration’s cruises (celebrationsantabarbara.com) start at $30 for a one-hour sunset tour and $50 for a two-hour whale-watching seasonal tour.

Admission to Old Mission Santa Barbara, open seven days a week, is $15 ($13 for those 65+). No reservations are required. However, you must make a reservation to visit the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (sbbotanicgarden.org; $18, $14 for those over 60).

Don and Katherine Mankin were hosted on this trip by Visit Santa Barbara. To read more stories by Don, go to adventuretransformations.com and click on Articles.

tical, she tried copper on travel days for

Statements herein are not intended and should not be interpreted as product health claims, and have not been evaluated by the FDA. Not claimed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

(paid advertisement)

“We don’t make product health claims,” he said, “so I can’t say cause and bial.”

Natural device puts copper right where you need it.

Dr. Bill Keevil: Copper quickly kills viruses.

Flick even more wonderful as a musical

By Mark Dreisonstok

The classic Frank Capra film, It’s a Wonderful Life, is one of cinema’s greatest gifts to Americana. It was released in 1946, and in the decades since has aired on television every Christmas Eve.

Some years ago, Toby Orenstein, founder and director of Toby’s Dinner Theatre, discovered that the movie had entered the public domain. So, she commissioned actor/singer David Nehls and pianist/composer Michael Tilford to write a musical treatment of the film.

It debuted at Toby’s in 1989, has been performed nationally at a number of venues over the years, and now returns to its home in Columbia, Maryland, to delight fans once again.

A quick recap

The musical incarnation of It’s a Wonderful Life faithfully recreates most of the scenes and dialogue in the film, adding songs which, at their best, further develop the characters.

For those who have not seen the film, starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, a plot summary is in order: Young George Bailey, talented scion of a middle-class family operating a small savings and loan company, has dreams of seeing the world, attaining a college education, and becoming an architect.

However, his sense of duty leads him to stay in his small town of Bedford Falls, New York, to run the family bank and

serve the community. But faced with crises, George begins to question the wisdom of this decision to place others before self, and contemplates taking his own life.

An aspiring angel, however, steps in to show George an alternative reality in which he had never been born. David James is both funny and effective as the would-be angel Clarence, hoping to earn his wings by helping George.

Clarence is supervised by Joseph, the lead angel, and is portrayed winningly by DeCarlo Raspberry. The two angels serve as an anchor for the show, with Joseph being featured more here than in the original film.

Joseph serves as a watchful presence high above the stage, sometimes providing Clarence with guidance. At one point, he memorably tells the younger angel, “You have faith and a gentle heart. Let them be your guide!” Later in the show, Clarence performs one of the show’s standout numbers, “Ya Gotta Have Wings.”

Some fine acting

Justin Calhoun, playing George Bailey, delivers a fine performance. He makes the Jimmy Stewart role his own by embodying the decent everyman. He is expressive in song, including “I’m on My Way” at the beginning of the show.

MaryKate Brouillet is similarly excellent as Mary, George’s wife, including in her expressive “My Wish is for You” and,

15, 2023.

with George, “I’m at Home.” Mary and Clarence also duet beautifully, and unexpectedly, in “If Only I Could Reach Him.”

Robert Biedermann does a wonderful turn as crotchety, mean-spirited Mr. Pot-

ter, the local villain. He is especially so in his number, “It’s Time to Get Back Down to Business,” which establishes him as the

Justin Calhoun and MaryKate Brouillet star as George and Mary Bailey in a musical version of the famous film It’s a Wonderful Life. Commissioned in 1989 by Toby Orenstein, owner of Toby’s Dinner Theatre, the musical is once again on stage there, now through Jan.

PHOTO BY JERI TIDWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

Baltimore native Tom Callahan’s latest sports memoir is out in paperback. Our cover story continues on p. 20.

pleased: court cases, the death of Elvis Presley in Memphis, the prison escape of James Earl Ray in Brushy Mountain, a hostage siege in Indianapolis…dramatic events and ordinary ones,” Callahan told the Beacon in a recent interview.

He soon realized there was more than enough comedy, drama and tragedy in the sports world to keep any writer busy.

“The writing was the same, though nothing in the real world moved me as much as standing at the finish line for Secretariat’s [victory at] Belmont,” Callahan said.

Mentor was writer Red Smith

At the Enquirer, he found a mentor in the great columnist Red Smith, the first of only three sportswriters to ever win a Pulitzer Prize (in 1976).

“I formed a friendship with Red when I was a 25-year-old columnist in Cincinnati and Red was a 70-year-old columnist at the New York Times,” Callahan remembered.

“I was Red Smith’s last best friend,” he

said in a 2017 interview. “Red was the best sportswriter ever. Even Hemingway knew he was great.”

During his career, Callahan found time to write nine books covering the lives and hard and swell times of such sports luminaries as Arthur Ashe, Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods and Johnny Unitas. His book Johnny U, which was published in 2006, became a New York Times bestseller.

Callahan’s first book, Around the World in Eighteen Holes, published in 1994 with co-author Dave Kindred, chronicles their 37,319-mile journey to play 18 holes of golf on 18 of the world’s most famous golf courses.

They began at the St. Andrews Links course in Scotland, of course, and ended up at Augusta National in Georgia. In between they visited courses in Iceland, Scotland, Russia, Nepal and Singapore.

Who’s the greatest?

Let’s cut to the chase: In his decades on the sports beat, who was the greatest baseball player Callahan ever saw play?

That would be Roberto Clemente of the Pittsburgh Pirates. “Clemente would be

more celebrated if he hadn’t played in Pittsburgh,” but rather in a big city like New York or Chicago, Callahan said of the Puerto Rico-born right fielder.

Who was the most interesting athlete of Callahan’s time?

“No doubt, Muhammad Ali. He was the most memorable. In his way, the most profound.

“He was synonymous with so much of his era: the 60s, the fight against racism, [opposition to] the Vietnam War. Ali was the embodiment of a time. It was hard not to be moved by him.”

Speaking of which, Callahan and others have noted how boxing appears to be waning as a spectator sport.

“Muhammed Ali today would never be a fighter,” Callahan said. “He would be a tight end” on a Super Bowl championship team, said the veteran sportswriter-author with what might have been a wink on his end during the telephone interview.

What does Callahan see as the future of sports?

“Playing the games will continue,” Callahan said. “But who plays what and the recognition given one sport over another is definitely undergoing changes.”

For instance, he pointed out, “Baseball is no longer the national pastime. The national pastime is played out every Sunday afternoon, when the National Football League games are televised into homes around the country.”

He continued, “In the Black communities, basketball is now much bigger than baseball, which is becoming a strong sport for Latinos.”

‘A sportswriter all the way’

One of the book’s most moving stories involves Orioles player and manager Frank Robinson, who once played for the Cincinnati Reds. The year was 1963, and a new guy named Pete Rose was just starting his career.

“In those earliest days, Rose was unpopular among most of his teammates,” Callahan writes. One of the rookie Rose’s principal sins was that he was closest to the team’s Black players, Vada Pinson and Frank Robinson.

Rose, who became the undisputed star of what was called the Big Red Machine while winning four pennants and two World Series in the 1970s, confided in Callahan about his early days with the Reds. “The Black players were the only ones who treated me like a human being,” Rose told him.

Callahan published the words of sports greats like Rose, Hank Aaron and Muhammad Ali to all his readers, present and future.

Looking back on his career, Callahan is pleased to be remembered “as a sportswriter all the way,” he said. “I have no regrets. Keeping the public informed on any subject is worthwhile work.”

antithesis of the broad-spirited George.

Music in many styles

The musical employs an interesting mix of musical styles, mixing pop and Broadway show sounds with those from the 1940s and earlier.

One of the best examples of the earlier styles is the “Syncopation Rag” — a Charleston-style number set during a ball. This scene is highly effective in establishing the time period in which the show is set, as well as capturing George and Mary’s relationship.

There is also an outstanding, if dark, scene set in the alternative reality world missing George Baily. The staging and choreography truly shine in this film noir moment, again using 1940s music to set the time period. Here the character of Violet (a stunning Santina Maiolatesi) sings

“Dream Man,” an outstanding torch song. She is also strong in “Syncopation Rag.”

With the show’s transition to George’s later adult life and Christmastime, we encounter the excellent “Vespers for the Common Man,” in which mixed voices provide a church-like atmosphere, accentuated on stage by stained-glass windows and candles. This and other Christmas elements provide holiday spirit.

Despite limited props, Toby’s theater in the round effectively recreates a smalltown Christmas in the 1940s. This holiday atmosphere will move audiences throughout the holidays, helping us to realize, like George Bailey, that “The lives I had touched make me more than just me!”

Directed by Orenstein with choreography by Tina Marie DeSimone, It’s a Wonderful Life offers an excellent way to enjoy a family-friendly Christmas classic this holiday season. The show runs three hours, including a 15-minute intermission, and can be seen through January 15, 2023.

Toby’s is located at 5900 Symphony Woods Rd. in Columbia, Maryland. Advance reservations are required. Performances are Tuesday through Sunday nights, with Wednesday and Sunday matinees.

Tickets are $74-$79 for adults and $57$60 for children 12 and under. All tickets in-

BEACON BITS

clude an all-you-can-eat buffet (dinner or brunch).

Patrons 65 and over can attend any Tuesday or Wednesday performance for $62.90. Tickets may be purchased online at ticketmaster.com or by phone from the box office at (410) 730-8311.

Trial Mix

Stephen Sherr

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UP TO $15,000.00 OF GUARANTEED LIFE INSURANCE! No medical exam or health questions. Cash to help pay funeral and other final expenses. Call Physicians Life Insurance Company866-212-1092 or visit www.Life55plus.info/beacon

PUT ON YOUR TV EARS and hear TV with unmatched clarity. TV Ears Original were originally $129.95 - NOW WITH THIS SPECIAL OFFER are only $59.95 with code MCB59! Call 1-833-934-0843.

PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES TODAY with a GENERAC home standby generator $0 Money Down + Low Monthly Payment Options. Request a FREE Quote. Call now before the next power outage: 1-866-964-8106. VIVINT. SMART SECURITY. Professionally installed. One connected system for total peace of mind. FREE professional installation! Four FREE months of monitoring! Call now to customize your system. 1-844-758-7925.

MOBILEHELP, America’s Premier Mobile Medical Alert System. Whether You’re Home or Away. For Safety and Peace of Mind. No Long Term Contracts! Free Brochure! Call Today! 1240-650-9189.

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.

DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 350 plus procedures. Real dental insurance - NOT just a discount plan. Do not wait! Call now! Get your FREE Dental Information Kit with all the details! 1-844366-1003 www.dental50plus.com/320 #6258.

STROKE AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE are leading causes of death, according to the American Heart Association. Screenings can provide peace of mind or early detection! Contact Life Line Screening to schedule your screening. Special offer - 5 screenings for just $149. Call 1-844-485-7035.

HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD

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

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

Cost will be based on the number of characters and spaces in your ad: • $25 for 1-250 • $35 for 251-500. • $50 for 501-750 (maximum length). The website will calculate this for you.

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

DON’T LET THE STAIRS LIMIT YOUR MOBILITY! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 1866-365-5170.

WE CAN FIX ANYTHING. 3 generations of builders, cabinet makers, remodelers and crafters completing kitchens, baths and additions got us to this point. If it’s broken, disassembled, ugly, out of date, needs replacement or renewal: please call Bob at R. W. Wood Improvements 410.294.2800, MHIC 92322. If it’s electronics or computers, we suggest you contact your grandchildren.

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

ATTENTION GRANDPARENTS: Should your grandchild or grandchildren have fallen behind due to the Covid pandemic I am offering one on one tutoring services for grades kindergarten through third grade in Baltimore County. I tutor students in Reading, Spelling and Math at the Towson and Perry Hall libraries which have quiet, reserved areas. Periodic progress reports and all learning materials provided. My fee is $40 for a one hour session. An opportunity to give a gift to your child or children in helping theirs! Contact me at jorapisar@gmail.com or 410-404-5511.

DIRECTV for $79.99/mo for 12 months with CHOICE Package. Watch your favorite live sports, news & entertainment anywhere. First 3 months of HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz and Epix included! Directv is #1 in Customer Satisfaction (JD Power & Assoc.) Some restrictions apply. Call 1-888-572-4953.

VENDOR MEMBERS GROUP annually organizes multiple craft shows in Baltimore County, MD. Shop with us! For more information: www.vendormembersgroup.com

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

DO YOU OWE $10,000+ TO THE IRS? Call to receive a free, no obligation tax debt relief consultation! Let our tax specialists assist you! Take action now by calling: 1-844-594-0094. www.ReliefFromTaxDebt.com

THE GENERAC PWRCELL, a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing Option. Request a FREE, no obligation, quote today. Call 1-866-944-0699

NEED MOVERS? Contact the Pro’s today and get your FREE MOVING QUOTE. 443.506.7905 www.FocusMovers.info We have the Trucks and the manpower to care for all of your moving needs.

THE BATHROOM OF YOUR DREAMS for as little as $149/month! BCI Bath & Shower. Many options available. Quality materials & professional installation. Senior & Military Discounts Available. Limited Time Offer - FREE virtual in-home consultation now and SAVE 15%! Call Today! 1-855-653-0087.

APPLYING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY or Appealing a Denied Claim? Call Bill Gordon & Assoc. Our case managers simplify the process & work hard to help with your case. Call 1-866-970-0779 FREE Consultation. Local Attorneys Nationwide [Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington DC. Office: Broward Co. FL (TX/NM Bar.)]

DISH NETWORK. $64.99 for 190 Channels! Blazing Fast Internet, $19.99/mo. (where available.) Switch & Get a FREE $100 Visa Gift Card. FREE Voice Remote. FREE HD DVR. FREE Streaming on ALL Devices. Call today! 1-844-560-5837.

CASH FOR ESTATES; I buy a wide range of items; jewelry, silver, art, rugs, furniture, cultural items, collections, etc. Buy out/clean up. I have trucks, a crew & insurance. Website; theatticllc.com. Gary Roman; 301-520-0755

Diabetes

Events

John

Cremation

Health

Apex Neuropathy . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Copper Zap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Greenspring Podiatry . . . . . . . . . . .3

Richard Rosenblatt DPM . . . . . . . .9

Home Health Care/ Companion Services

Family & Nursing Care . . . . . . . . .8

Housing

Catholic Charities . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Charlestown/Erickson . . . . . . . . . .9

Christ Church Harbor Apts . . . . . .6

Enterprise Residential . . . . . . . . .14

Inspirations Memory Care . . . . . . .7

Oak Crest/Erickson . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Park View Apartments . . . . . . . . .14

Pickersgill 6

I WILL BUY YOUR UNWANTED REAL ESTATE for CASH! AS IS! No repairs, inspections and no Realtors Fees or Closing Fees! No need to clean the house out, take what you want and leave the rest! You can have your MONEY in 14 DAYS! CALL NEAL for your cash offer now! 410-419-1289.

DWM IN SEARCH OF HOUSEMAID parttime 410-242-2249

PAYING CASH FOR MERCHANDISE PRE 1980S Old toys, silver, records, smoking pipes, photographs. If you old stuff for sale Call Carl 312-316-7553 located Silver Spring

PAYING TOP CASH FOR ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES. Housecalls made with prompt, courteous service seven days a week and 25 years of experience! Buying jewelry, toys, trains, militaria, glassware, advertising merchandise, paper items and much more! Contact Mason or Megan at: 443-306-8816

St. Mary’s Roland View Towers . .13

Virginia Towers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Warren Place Apts. . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Retail

Perfect Sleep Chair . . . . . . . . . . .24

Radio Flea Market . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Upbed Independence . . . . . . . . . .20

Zinger Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Senior Resources

Maryland Relay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation

Catholic Charities . . . . . . . . . . . .17

ProMedica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Subscriptions

Beacon Newspapers . . . . . . . . . . .22

Technology

Computer Doctors . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Theater/ Entertainment

Everyman Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . . .21

Travel

Eyre Tour & Travel . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Superior Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

You can’t always lie down in bed and sleep. Heartburn, cardiac problems, hip or back aches –and dozens of other ailments and worries. Those are the nights you’d give anything for a comfortable chair to sleep in: one that reclines to exactly the right degree, raises your feet and legs just where you want them, supports your head and shoulders properly, and operates at the touch of a button.

Our Perfect Sleep Chair® does all that and more. More than a chair or recliner, it’s designed to provide total comfort. Choose your preferred heat and massage settings, for hours of soothing relaxation. Reading or watching TV? Our chair’s recline technology allows you to pause the chair in an infinite number of settings. And best of all, it features a powerful lift mechanism that tilts the entire chair forward, making it easy to stand. You’ll love the other benefits, too. It helps with correct spinal alignment and promotes back pressure relief, to prevent back and muscle pain. The overstuffed, oversized biscuit style back and unique seat design

will cradle you in comfort. Generously filled, wide armrests provide enhanced arm support when sitting or reclining. It even has a battery backup in case of a power outage.

White glove delivery included in shipping charge. Professionals will deliver the chair to the exact spot in your home where you want it, unpack it, inspect it, test it, position it, and even carry the packaging away! You get your choice of Luxurious and Lasting Brisa, Genuine Italian Leather, stain and liquid repellent Duralux with the classic leather look, or plush MicroLux microfiber, all handcrafted in a variety of colors to fit any decor. Call now!

“To you, it’s the perfect lift chair. To