February 2017 | Howard County Beacon

The Howard County

I N

F O C U S

VOL.7, NO.2

F O R

P E O P L E

O V E R

More than 30,000 readers throughout Howard County

Opposing views on immigration

Lawmakers at odds The proposal, introduced by two Democratic council members, comes up for a

5 0 FEBRUARY 2017

I N S I D E …

PHOTO BY ROBERT FRIEDMAN

By Robert Friedman Should Howard County become a “sanctuary” for immigrants, where county employees, including police and other law enforcers, would be barred from volunteering to work with federal officials on immigration matters or inquiring about the immigration status of those they encounter in their official duties?

That’s the hot topic question that county officials and residents alike are grappling with in an era where immigration has become a particularly charged issue. Some 60,000 residents of Howard County are foreign-born.

“The proposal to make Howard County a sanctuary could bring crime to the area,” said Suzie M., 51, an assistant in a dental office in Ellicott City who was born and raised in Howard County. She asked that her last name not be published.

“It opens the way for more illegal immigrants. You don’t know where they are from,” Suzie said. Then she added: “The election of Donald Trump has nothing to do with what I’m saying.”

On the other hand, Elman Hajiyev, a legal immigrant, favors the proposal.

“Politicians will say anything to get elected, so I won’t know for sure if I am nervous about the election of Donald Trump until he is sworn in and does things,” said Hajiyev, who legally emigrated from Azerbaijan six years ago.

“I favor the proposal, which I think will make things better — just in case.” Hajiyev, a computer technician, runs a kiosk business at Columbia Mall, repairing cell phones and other electronic equipment.

Among other things, the proposal states that county employees must keep information about a person’s immigration status confidential (except for voter registration or passport application).

Nevertheless, it also states that federal or state laws would take precedence. In other words, federal and state authorities could order county officials to cooperate with them on immigration affairs.

Baltimore is a sanctuary city, as is Takoma Park in Montgomery County.

FREE

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

Good times in Louisiana’s Cajun country; plus, a bucket list trip to exotic Bora Bora page 23

Elman Hajiyev legally emigrated from Azerbaijan six years ago, and now runs an electronics repair kiosk at Columbia Mall. He favors a proposal to make Howard County a “sanctuary” where county employees would not disclose immigration status of residents to federal officials unless ordered to do so. Others, including County Executive Allan H. Kittleman, do not want to see the measure passed.

public hearing on Jan. 17 in the George Howard Building in Ellicott City, and is scheduled to be voted on by the County Council on Feb. 6.

Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman, who is a Republican, has vowed to veto the proposal if it is approved. The proposal could still go through if four of the council’s five members vote to override the veto.

Four of those members are Democrats.

Kittleman has called the proposal “a hollow political statement” that would provide a false sense of security.

“I am not willing to jeopardize existing programs and services which benefit all Howard County residents to adopt a label that would not change any of the policies and practices that we already have in place,” he said.

The county executive said the bill does

nothing to protect undocumented immigrants from being deported, and could endanger federal funds and community safety. President-elect Donald Trump has said he would strip sanctuary jurisdictions of federal funding.

Councilman Gregg Fox, the one Republican on the council, called the proposal “a solution in search of a problem.” He especially criticizes the bill’s wording that mentions Trump’s immigration stance.

The bill, introduced by Councilman Calvin Ball and Councilwoman Jen Terrasa, proposes “prohibiting certain discrimination based on citizenship status.”

It asserts: “The recent national political climate has galvanized support for xenophobic, See REFUGEES, page 8

ARTS & STYLE

Exhibit looks at Howard’s first Jewish settlers; plus, Smokey Robinson is still smokin’ after all these years page 26

FITNESS & HEALTH 3 k Lower cholesterol without drugs k Relieve prostate problems THE 50+ CONNECTION 12 k Newsletter from Howard County Office on Aging and Independence LAW & MONEY k Securities fraud hotline k Age in place with tax credits

18

ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

31

PLUS CROSSWORD, BEACON BITS, CLASSIFIEDS & MORE

2

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Dignity vs. quality of life I was struck by a thought the other day Can we honestly say that we have a pain(happens now and then). I still haven’t de- less, easily administered means of death cided exactly how I feel about for those who wish to take it, but I’d like to explore it their own lives, but not for with you. those who have taken the More Americans appear to lives of others? be moving to the view that It seems to me that the capital punishment is not ac“cruel and unusual” claim ceptable. Nearly half of all about lethal injection obfusstates have abolished it or cates what is really going on had their courts overturn it, here. The objection at root, and the number continues to as some opponents admit, is grow. against the death penalty itMany arguments are made self.

FROM THE in support of this position, but As I said before, there are PUBLISHER one of them is that we have no many reasons that people

By Stuart P. Rosenthal means of actually taking the might oppose the death lives of those on death row — penalty, and it is not my purincluding the most popular, lethal injection pose in this column to try to explain or ad— that doesn’t qualify as “cruel and unusual dress those. punishment,” which is forbidden by our ConNor do I have space here to adequately stitution. discuss the arguments for and against asAt the same time, Americans seem to be sisted suicide. These are both huge issues moving, perhaps more slowly, but moving with tremendous ramifications, and I’m still, toward a position in favor of assisted sui- sure we will be debating them as a society cide. That is, they favor allowing certain indi- for years to come. viduals — who are judged mentally fit but But I am interested in raising some terminally ill — to take their own lives questions I think we should be asking as through a fatal, doctor-prescribed dose of we grapple with these life and death matbarbiturates that puts them into a coma with- ters. in minutes and kills within half an hour.

First, I wanted to know how big a “probNow, I don’t know about you, but when I lem” we have, potentially at least, with the considered these two facts at the same infliction of the death penalty. How many time, I experienced cognitive dissonance. people are we talking about?

Beacon The

I N

F O C U S

F O R

P E O P L E

O V E R

5 0

The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Baltimore area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Howard County, Md., Greater Washington DC and Greater Palm Springs, Calif.

Subscriptions are available via third-class mail ($12), prepaid with order. Maryland residents add 6 percent for sales tax. Send subscription order to the office listed below.

Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher.

• Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal • Associate Publisher ..............Judith K. Rosenthal • Vice President, Operations........Gordon Hasenei • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Contributing Editor ..........................Carol Sorgen • Art Director ........................................Kyle Gregory • Advertising Representatives ............Steve Levin, .................................................................... Paul Whipple • Editorial Assistant ......................Rebekah Alcalde

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

The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial 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 31 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions.

© Copyright 2017 The Beacon Newspapers, Inc.

So I went to look up some basic statistics. Perhaps you will find them as surprising as I did.

Over the past couple of years, the estimated number of homicides committed in the United States ranged between 14,000 and 16,000 per year. I thought that sounded pretty ominous. For an unfair comparison, Great Britain, with one-fifth our population, reported one-thirtieth the number of homicides in 2014 (515 total).

So I was surprised to read that, according to FBI data as reported by FactCheck.org, “the murder and nonnegligent manslaughter rate nationwide (4.6 per 100,000 population) in 2014 was at its lowest point since at least the early 1960s.” (For reference, it was 10.2, more than twice as high, in 1980.)

And just as murder rates have been declining, so the number of criminals executed throughout the country has also been falling, from a high of 98 in 1999 to 39 in 2013 and 20 in 2016.

Then I turned to look at the numbers of Americans committing suicide and found more surprises, including a trend in the opposite direction.

The number of Americans committing suicide in recent years exceeds 40,000.

And a study from the CDC last year reported a 24 percent increase in the age-adjusted suicide rate in the United States from 1999 through 2014. In its coverage of the report, the Washington Post noted that “suicide in the United States has surged to the highest levels in nearly 30 years.”

What does it say about our society that our attention to the unfairness of the death penalty increases even as our murder (and execution) rates precipitously decline; while we are tending to greater acceptance

of helping people kill themselves even as our suicide rate explodes?

One thing it might say about us is that we have situational views about the quality of life, or even about the basic dignity of human life.

A major argument made in support of assisted suicide is that it is a legitimate quality-of-life decision that a terminally ill person should be allowed to make for herself.

On the other hand, we understandably don’t seem to worry about the quality of life of convicted murderers. Take Charles Manson, for example, who has spent the last 45 years serving nine life terms in a California prison.

Wouldn’t his execution back at the start have enabled him to escape a poor quality of life on death row all these years? Should we have given him the choice? Or have we decided as a society that this lack of choice is part of his punishment?

Perhaps instead we agree with the Washington Post, which argued in a recent editorial inveighing against the death penalty for Dylann Roof — who murdered nine black people in church during a Bible study class — that “The practice of killing human beings, even with all the due process in the world, is...in tension with the inherent dignity Americans should ascribe to human life.”

But if so, doesn’t the life of a terminally ill person possess that same inherent dignity? Or does “poor quality of life” trump life itself?

I would also like to note that in much of Europe, physician-assisted suicide (termed See FROM THE PUBLISHER, page 29

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

Dear Editor: January’s “From the Publisher” article about Social Security funding is excellent and ought to be required reading for every member of Congress — though I suspect they have heard it before and it’s not for lack of knowledge they choose to do nothing.

I would like to add three other comments: 1. Administration must improve and will be costly. I called Social Security yesterday and had to hold the phone for 50 minutes before an agent took my call, which took 11 minutes more. My phone plan charges by the minute.

The repeated message while holding was that Social Security has over 50 million recipients who will be served in the order in which their calls were received.

What will the wait be like when there are 90 million recipients?

2. Those multiple billions of dollars

“borrowed by Congress and spent on the rest of the government’s bills” since 1940 largely paid for the costs of current wars, interest from past wars, veterans’ services, and other defense expenditures.

I remember in 2005 when the government announced that the last bonds to finance the Vietnam War were gone (that’s 1975 plus 30 years) — but they weren’t paid off, they were refinanced with new bonds!

Indirectly — how do I say it nicely? — Social Security funding is paying for war.

3. Inflation, or the claimed lack of it, will dramatically affect the shortfall in a few decades. In 2017, my supposed 0.3 percent “inflation adjustment” was totally eaten by my Medicare premium increase.

In 2016, the government claimed the inflation rate was zero. It’s apparent that the inflation bean counters don’t rent apartSee LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 28

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Health Fitness &

3

LOWER CHOLESTEROL Limit your intake of saturated fats and refined carbs and eat more avocados, oats and nuts to lower cholesterol naturally CELEBREX EXONERATED A study found Celebrex is no riskier for the heart than Motrin or Tylenol, even when taken long-term by arthritis sufferers FIVE-MINUTE CURES Easy, inexpensive fixes for foot cramps, headaches, hangovers, nasal congestion, chapped lips and more

New statin shrinks artery-clogging plaque

By Marilynn Marchione For the first time, a new drug given along with a cholesterol-lowering statin medicine has proved able to shrink plaque that is clogging arteries, potentially giving a way to undo some of the damage of heart disease.

The difference was very small, but doctors hope it will grow with longer treatment. And any reversal or stabilization of disease would be a win for patients and a long-sought goal.

The drug, Amgen Inc.’s Repatha, also drove LDL, or bad cholesterol, down to levels rarely if ever seen in people before. Heart patients are told to aim for below 70, but some study participants got theirs as low as 15.

“There doesn’t appear to be any level at

which there is harm” from too little LDL, and the lower patients went, the more their plaque shrank, said one study leader, Dr. Steven Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic.

Too much cholesterol, along with other substances, can build up and form plaque in arteries. Statins such as Lipitor and Crestor curb cholesterol production.

Repatha and a similar drug, Praluent, block PCSK9 — a substance that interferes with the liver’s ability to remove cholesterol from the blood.

Expensive, injectable drugs The new drugs have drawbacks, though.

Statins are pills sold as generics for as little as a dime a day. The new ones are biotech

drugs that are expensive to make — Repatha costs $14,000 a year and insurers often won’t pay. They must be given as shots every two weeks or once a month. People can do it themselves with a penlike device.

In the study, about 900 heart disease patients were given a strong statin and monthly shots of either Repatha or a dummy solution. Ultrasound images were taken of an artery with plaque at the start of the trial and 18 months later.

The average for bad cholesterol stayed around 93 for people given only the statin, but dropped to 37 for those on both drugs.

The amount of artery plaque stayed about the same for the statin-only group but shrank 1 percent in those also given

Repatha. Some people with more dramatic LDL declines saw plaque shrink 2 percent.

“It’s small, but it probably took patients 60 years to accumulate that plaque,” so to see any change after just 18 months of treatment is good, said a cholesterol expert, Dr. Raul Santos of the University of Sao Paolo.

Dr. Vincent Bufalino, president of Advocate Medical Group, a large cardiology group in suburban Chicago, agreed. “It sounds small, but it’s a beginning” and still a win, he said.

Amgen sponsored the study, and Santos has consulted for the company. Nissen said his fees for doing the study were doSee NEW STATIN, page 4

FINALLY – Straight Talk About Sciatica Are you suffering from back pain or sciatica? Then it’s likely your biggest problem is pain. But there’s another major problem: bad information.

To end sciatica misery you must have the right information. Pay close attention because I’m going to destroy sciatica myths and give you the facts.

MYTH: Sciatica will just “go away” with some rest.

FACT: If you are dealing with back pain, buttock pain or leg pain, then you must seek help from a sciatica specialist immediately. Left untreated, sciatica can lead to permanent nerve damage - and lifelong pain.

MYTH: Pain is the only problem associated with sciatica.

FACT: In severe cases, sciatica can lead to the inability to control your bowels or bladder.

MYTH: You must take pain medications to deal with sciatica.

FACT: Drugs like muscle relaxants, pain killers, narcotics, antidepressants, and anti-seizure medications have serious potential side-effects and do not cure the root cause of sciatica.

MYTH: “I must have done something wrong to get sciatica.”

FACT: Physical work or simply sitting at a desk for long periods can lead to sciatica.

Accidents and trauma can also be the culprits. Pregnancy can cause sciatica.

Sciatica can affect anyone - including superfit celebrities like Tiger Woods, and Sylvester Stallone.

MYTH: Stop exercising and get several weeks of bed rest to overcome sciatica.

FACT: Staying active can help to relieve sciatic pain and prevent the pain from getting worse. Staying inactive in bed could be the worst advice - based on a recent study in the Netherlands.

MYTH: Sciatica requires surgery.

FACT: NO! There’s been a huge breakthrough in the treatment of sciatica and lower back pain. It’s a new procedure called Non-Surgical Re-Constructive Spinal Care.

The excellent results from this treatment have been published in major medical journals.

Success rates are up to 90%.

MYTH: “There’s nothing anyone can really do. I’m just stuck with this for the rest of my life.”

FACT: With the correct treatment from a healthcare professional who specialize in sciatica, you can find relief from the core cause - and the symptoms.

MYTH: Getting sciatica properly diagnosed is expensive.

FACT: Not true. Dr. Steve Silverston of World Class Chiropractic in Ellicott City, MD is currently offering an initial consultation and comprehensive examination for Just $43, this includes all tests and x-rays if necessary.

Dr. Steve Silverston – In Ellicott City, MD has helped over the past 24 years thousands of patients find relief from agonizing back pain and sciatica. He uses Non-Surgical Re-Constructive Spinal Care.

This procedure does not require a hospital stay, drugs or anything invasive. The focus is on finding - and correcting - the original cause of the back pain and sciatica.

According to Dr. Silverston, “We use a combination of gentle, non-invasive, proven techniques, for precisely diagnosing and correcting the cause of your low back pain and sciatica. This means superior long-term results for most people.”

Almost Immediate Relief from Pain!

Because the treatment is non-surgical, safe, and easy, most patients report an almost immediate relief from their back pain.

Patient Brad H. from Eldersburg, MD wrote, “For several years I saw numerous

doctors including chiropractors in an attempt to resolve unrelenting low back pain and sciatica from a serious motor vehicle injury. Nobody could help me resolve it and my work and life were suffering. Dr. Silverston was able to quickly identify my problem and within one week of beginning care, for the first time in years, I’m virtually pain free!

Now, many years later, I am still better.”

Take the Next Step - END the Suffering... Initial Consultation and Comprehensive Examination for Just $43.

This includes all tests and x-rays if necessary.

The first step is a thorough sciatic examination with Dr. Silverston. Call 410-461-3435 to schedule your appointment.

Mention this article (CODE: 43TB0217) and Dr. Steve Silverston will happily reduce his usual consultation fee to just $43!

Only 50 reader consultations are available at this exclusively discounted rate.

Call them now and get a full and thorough examination to pinpoint the cause of your problem for just $43. The normal cost of such an exam is $345 so you will save $302!

Call them now on 410-461-3435 and cut out or tear off this valuable article and take it to your appointment. You’ll be on your way to safe, lasting relief!

You can even call on the weekend and leave a message on their answering machine to secure your spot and they promise to return all calls. During the week staff can be very busy helping patients so if they don’t pick up straight away, do leave a message.

Call 410-461-3435 NOW. If it’s the weekend or they’re away from the phone the staff at World Class Chiropractic promise they will get back to you. So call now on 410-461-3435 and quote this special discount code: 43TB0217.

4

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Ways to improve your cholesterol levels

By Joyce Hendley If one-third of Americans have unhealthy cholesterol levels, why did the U.S. recently change its advice to limit the cholesterol we eat daily?

Well, for most of us, dietary cholesterol has almost no effect on the cholesterol that ends up in our arteries. But keeping your blood cholesterol numbers down is still key to preventing heart disease.

Two types of cholesterol are found in

the blood, LDL and HDL — and LDL is traditionally targeted as the bad stuff that you want to lower.

But it’s now known that not all LDL particles are equally dangerous. Small, dense LDL seems to be able to sneak through artery walls more easily and oxidize more readily into a damaging form, compared to the larger, lighter particles.

Fortunately, eating the right foods can help keep this cholesterol out of your ar-

teries. Here’s what you should know.

Cut saturated fats and refined carbs.

Saturated fats do make LDL cholesterol in the blood, and many experts still urge limiting these fats — especially from meat — to less than 10 percent of your daily calories.

But new research suggests that cutting carbs may be more important for heart health.

“Highly processed carbohydrates — particularly sugary and refined carbs like white bread and cookies — are the main dietary influence on small dense LDL particles,” said Ron Krauss, M.D., director of atherosclerosis research at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute.

When people replace saturated fats with sugary, refined carbs, “good” HDL drops, while LDL and triglycerides rise — as does heart disease risk.

The USDA says to keep added sugars to 10 percent of daily calories, but Krauss

would go further and recommends limiting refined carbs as well.

Yes, you can eat eggs. Dietary cholesterol is officially a nonissue for most healthy folks, so eggs’ cholesterol content — around 185 mg. apiece — shouldn’t pose a problem. (Same goes for shrimp.)

That said, people with diabetes might want to keep to an egg a day. Research has shown that eating eggs raises the risk for heart disease in diabetics, so American Diabetes Association guidelines still recommend keeping daily cholesterol intake under 300 mg.

For better cholesterol levels, exercise. Regular exercise helps boost levels of heart-healthy HDL cholesterol that serves to clean up your arteries.

While any exercise is good, moderate cardio — like jogging — raises HDL levels. And more-intense aerobic exercise, like spinning, tends to up the ante further

New statin

a second one.

“When you have a heart attack, your ability to get cholesterol out of plaque is actually worsened. Your plaques grow more plump....the pipes are getting even more clogged,” said Dr. C. Michael Gibson, professor of medicine at Harvard University.

He led a study in 1,250 people testing infusions of ApoA-1, the main component of HDL, or good cholesterol, which helps remove the bad kind. The substance is taken directly from human blood, not synthesized in a lab.

An earlier version showed side effects on the liver; this one was modified to try to avoid that, and no safety roadblocks were seen, said Gibson, who consults for the treatment’s maker, CSL Behring.

— AP

From page 3

Retire to a warmer climate without leaving Catonsville!

At Charlestown, retirement living is warm and worry-free. We’re here to handle winter while you enjoy amenities like the indoor pool, restaurants, and medical center.

Bad weather won’t spoil your plans for the day.

Our unique climate-controlled walkways keep you safe and active all year round!

Discover a winter-free retirement!

Call 1-800-989-6981 for your FREE brochure with pricing, floor plans, and more.

11796464

Catonsville EricksonLiving.com

nated to charity.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and discussed at a recent American Heart Association conference.

The best test of the new drugs’ value will be large studies underway now to see whether drops in cholesterol will lead to fewer heart attacks and deaths. Results are expected later this year.

Another new drug also helps Also at the conference, doctors gave results of a safety study of an experimental treatment aimed at rapidly removing cholesterol after a heart attack to help prevent

See CHOLESTEROL, page 5

5

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Three pain drugs equally safe for arthritis

Why the concern?

Many of the 52 million Americans with arthritis need long-term pain medicines, and higher doses than over-the-counter ones. But some can cause serious stomach trouble.

The drugs Vioxx and Bextra became blockbusters because they avoided this problem, but heart concerns emerged and

Study results The study tested daily use of Celebrex versus prescription-strength ibuprofen or naproxen in 24,000 arthritis patients with heart disease or a risk factor for it such as See ARTHRITIS DRUGS, page 6

I N F O R M AT I O N F R E E

Housing Communities

F R E E ★

★

City______________________________________State______Zip________________

F R E E

Phone (day)________________________(evening)________________________

Please provide your e-mail address if you would like to receive monthly links to the Beacon online and occasional notices of events and programs of interest.

Email_________________________________________________________________

217HC

Check the boxes you’re interested in and return this form to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 or fax to (410) 248-9102.

I N F O R M AT I O N

I N F O R M AT I O N

I N F O R M AT I O N

Address________________________________________________________________

F R E E

Name_________________________________________________________________

★

❏ Bayleigh Chase/Integrace (see ad on page 24) ❏ Brooke Grove (see ads on pages 16-17 & 32) ❏ Buckingham’s Choice/Integrace (see ad on page 24) ❏ Charlestown/Erickson Living (see ad on page 4) ❏ Fairhaven/Integrace (see ad on page 24) ❏ Gaitherings at Quarry Place (see ad on page 22) ❏ Heartlands of Ellicott City (see ad on page 19) ❏ Homecrest House (see ad on page 11) ❏ Ivy Manor Normandy (see ad on page 18) ❏ Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant (see ad on page 8) ❏ Olney Assisted Living (see ad on page 6) ❏ Park View at Colonial Landing (see ad on page 29) ❏ Park View at Columbia (see ad on page 29) ❏ Park View at Ellicott City (see ad on page 29) ❏ Park View at Emerson (see ad on page 29) ❏ Somerford Place (see ad on page 19) ❏ Vantage House (see ad on page 10)

I N F O R M AT I O N

★

✃

and health studies, just complete and clip this coupon and mail or fax it to the Beacon.

F R E E

I N F O R M AT I O N

FREE INFORMATION For free materials on housing communities

★

★

F R E E

I N F O R M AT I O N

★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★

I N F O R M AT I O N

by lowering LDL and triglycerides.

Eat an avocado. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats, which boost “good” HDL cholesterol while lowering triglycerides and LDL. Also, avocado’s fiber and phytosterols may give its cholesterol-lowering power a boost.

When overweight people ate an avocado daily, their LDL levels dropped significantly more than in those who didn’t eat an avocado.

Sow your oats (and barley). These grains are rich in beta glucan, a soluble fiber and a great way to slash small, dense

the drugs were withdrawn from the market.

Some research suggested that Celebrex, the lone drug left among Cox-2 inhibitors, might pose risks at high doses.

So the government required its maker, Pfizer, to do this new study to prove it was safe enough to keep on the market.

F R E E

From page 4

LDL. Benefits kick in when you get at least 3 grams of beta glucan daily. That’s the amount in 1 1/2 cups cooked oatmeal or 1 1/4 cups cooked pearl barley.

Nibble some nuts. Eating between 1 and 3 ounces of nuts — including walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios — each day can help nudge small dense LDLs down. When people with high cholesterol added about 24 walnut halves a day to their usual diets for six weeks, their small dense LDLs dropped 12.7 points.

EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com. © 2016 Eating Well, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Results were discussed at an American Heart Association conference and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Here are some things to know about the study and options for soothing throbbing joints.

F R E E

Cholesterol

than alternatives proved unfounded, and “on almost every endpoint it actually comes out the best.”

Some other doctors were less confident, partly because follow-up information was missing on one-fourth of the participants, and many others stopped taking their assigned drug. Still, several independent experts said the main results are believable.

“I find this reassuring,” said Dr. Brian Strom, a drug safety expert and chancellor at Rutgers University in Newark. No new side effects emerged and Celebrex “seemed safer that way.”

★

FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★

By Marilynn Marchione A new study gives some reassurance to arthritis sufferers who want pain relief but are worried about side effects. It finds that Celebrex — a drug similar to other Cox-2 inhibitors withdrawn 12 years ago for safety reasons — is no riskier for the heart than some other prescription pain pills that are much tougher on the stomach.

“We do not want patients to suffer with pain, and we need to know what is safe to give them,” said Dr. Steven Nissen, the Cleveland Clinic’s heart chief, who led the study. Fear that Celebrex would be worse

6

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Arthritis drugs From page 5 diabetes.

The results only apply to these drugs and amounts — not to occasional use of lower, over-the-counter doses (ibuprofen is sold as Motrin, Advil and other brands; naproxen is sold as Naprosyn and Aleve), or to other painkillers such as Tylenol.

The findings are not relevant to “somebody who takes an occasional ibuprofen or naproxen for a headache,” Nissen said.

All of these drugs are available as generics, but Celebrex is not sold over the counter.

After more than two years in the study, about 2 percent of participants had suffered a heart attack, stroke, heart-related death or other heart problem, regardless of what drug they were taking. This was a surprise: Earlier studies suggested naproxen would be safest.

Serious stomach problems were more common with ibuprofen and naproxen.

Kidney problems were more common with ibuprofen.

The study was not designed to compare the drugs for pain relief, but naproxen showed a small advantage on one measure of that over Celebrex.

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

interpreting results. Discontinuation rates were similar for all three drugs, though.

Still, researchers did what they could to account for these flaws, and the results are believable, said Dr. Bruce Psaty, a drug safety expert at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Big caveats Still some unknowns The study doesn’t tell us whether any of these drugs is safer than no drug — there was no placebo group. All we can say is that if they raise heart risks, they do so equally.

No information was available on how many participants also were taking aspirin, which can interfere with ibuprofen and naproxen.

Two-thirds of participants stopped taking their assigned drug — a dropout rate typical of pain studies but still a problem for

The study was aimed at people at high heart risk. Yet only 20 percent of participants already had heart disease; the rest just had risk factors.

Also, people on ibuprofen or naproxen had more room to escalate their doses than those on Celebrex did because that drug’s label limits it to what is considered safe now.

“It’s a low risk group getting a low dose” of Celebrex, said Dr. Elliott Antman, a past president of the Heart Association and a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “I remain worried about

the patient with known heart disease,” and do not feel comfortable about any of these pain drugs for them, he said.

Dr. Carl “Chip” Lavie of Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans, said the results confirm what he has been telling patients: Celebrex seems safer than many alternatives, and can be combined more safely with blood thinners and other medicines many people need.

Any vindication of Celebrex may be coming too late to benefit Pfizer. In 2013, the drug had U.S. sales of $2.2 billion, but that fell to around $185 million in 2015, the first full year there was a generic version, which sold $636 million that year, according to QuintilesIMS, a health research company.

In 2015, about 8.3 million prescriptions were filled for Celebrex or its generic version in the U.S., versus 43 million for ibuprofen and nearly 20 million for naproxen.

— AP

BEACON BITS

Feb. 24+

COPING WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS

Howard County General Hospital is offering a six-week workshop on coping with chronic illness for patients and caregivers.

Sessions are on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., starting Feb. 24, and will be held at the Wellness Center in the Medical Pavilion of Howard County General Hospital, 1010 Charter Dr., Columbia. The course includes mild exercises and ways to communicate more effectively with health professionals. A $28 fee includes a textbook and CD. For more information or to register, go to hcgh.org or call (410) 740-7601.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

7

8

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Refugees From page 1 Islamophobic and racist sentiments,” adding: “Unfortunate statements made by our nation’s president-elect have bolstered such dangerous sentiments, and caused many residents throughout our country and within Howard County to fear for their personal safety and the loss of civil liberties.”

During the recent presidential campaign, Trump had called Mexican immigrants criminals and rapists, and called for a national registry of Muslims, while pledging to strip federal funds from the more than 300 sanctuary locations already established across the country. Trump claimed that such sanctuaries have resulted in “many needless deaths.”

Often pointed out by sanctuary opponents is the case of an undocumented immigrant

— who had been deported five times to Mexico — who shot to death a woman in San Francisco, which is a sanctuary city. The immigrant had earlier been released from jail despite a request by the Department of Homeland Security to have him deported.

Residents’ concerns Besides the possibility of rising crime in the area, the proposal could mean too many new residents, according to longtime county resident Anita Benson, 80, who lives in Ellicott City.

“Howard County is too congested as it is.

If the county is made a sanctuary, then even more immigrants will come here, making the area even more crowded,” she said.

But Harry Brown, 73, a retired factory operator, is all for the proposal because, among other things, most of the undocumented immigrants he has known “have

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

turned out to be better Americans than the citizens born in the country.”

Brown, a resident of Catonsville, said he worked in the 1970s as foreman of a men’s clothing factory in New York. “The best, most loyal and dedicated employees were the undocumented immigrants,” he said.

He added: “I saw them being lined against the wall in immigration raids, scared, trying to contact their spouses and children, then led out in handcuffs and deported. All they wanted was to earn a living and raise families and be good citizens. It was so very sad,” he said.

Wayne Garrett, a veterinarian in Columbia, sees little need for the sanctuary proposal. “We’re too lenient a country to begin with,” he said. “There are rules in place — why can’t we follow them, especially when it comes to immigration?”

“If you need a place to stay, l have absolutely no problem with you [immigrants] staying here,” he said. “But why have laws if they are not followed?”

Garrett said he believes the sanctuary proposal “would basically make Howard County a place for illegal immigrants.”

A more welcoming Howard?

While sanctuary locations have no legal definition, some see their creation as filling a void created by Congress in its failure to approve an overhaul of U.S. immigration laws.

A sanctuary location is seen as one that has adopted a policy of protecting undocu-

mented immigrants by not prosecuting them solely for violating federal immigration laws. Such a policy can be set out expressly in a law (de jure) or observed only in practice (de facto).

Supporters of the designation argue that local officials should not be required to enforce federal laws against illegal immigrants because, among other things, it would damage the relationship between law enforcers and the immigrant community, and would discourage immigrants from reporting crimes.

Councilman Ball has said he introduced the proposal after hearing from many constituents “who feel unsafe and uncomfortable in our own county. And that’s unacceptable to me.”

He said the bill tells police: “Unless there is a particular crime being committed, they shouldn’t be doing the federal government’s job. They shouldn’t be going and finding someone and saying, ‘let me see your papers’,” the councilman said.

Terrasa and Ball say the sanctuary reaffirms the county’s commitment to immigrants and minorities as prejudice against them grows. Much of this recent climate has been fueled by the president-elect’s statements, according to Ball and Terrasa.

Councilman Fox, meanwhile, dismissed the bill as political posturing. While insisting that the proposal “undermines the hard See REFUGEES, page 9

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

9

Five-minute cures for common problems

By Suzy Cohen Pimple: Put a dab of essential oil of tea tree on it. Or make a clay paste from a dab of bentonite clay mixed with water and put that on it. You can do both back to back (tea tree then clay mask), and leave the paste on it overnight.

Foot cramp or Charlie horse: If these occur only occasionally from over-stretching or dehydration, long travel, wearing high heels too long and so forth, just drink some coconut water (available at grocery stores and pharmacies). The electrolytes in it work to stop the cramp and spasms. If you get them frequently at night, drink some right before bedtime. Any electrolyte drink will work, but many of them

unfortunately contain artificial colors.

Kitchen cuts and wounds: Cayenne powder, the spice, is a well-known hemostat, meaning it stops bleeding within seconds.

Outdoor survivalists know this and often carry it in their backpack. It’s amazing that you can pour this onto a cut and within 10 seconds, the bleeding will pretty much stop.

I found this out when I cut some crusty bread one day and the knife slipped, slicing into my finger! The water from the faucet wasn’t helping, nor any of the shameful words I mumbled while hopping from one foot to another…. So I poured some cayenne pepper on there and took a deep breath waiting for a burn. Surprisingly, no pain! But it did control the bleeding.

Refugees

counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, said the ACLU supported the Howard County proposal.

In a statement to the Beacon, Steiner said, “Cities like Baltimore, Takoma Park and other [sanctuary] jurisdictions across the country have limited irrelevant inquiries into [residents’] immigration status because they rightly believe that [such limitation] improves public safety and helps law enforcement officers enforce criminal law.

“Legislation that disentangles local jurisdictions from unlawfully enforcing federal immigration law, a responsibility of the federal government, furthers public safety by helping build trust between local law enforcement and immigrant communities, preventing the racial profiling of noncitizens by local law enforcement officers, and limiting the incidence of discrimination against people of color,” Steiner added.

“Protecting the civil rights and liberties of all Howard County residents, including vulnerable noncitizen residents, should be a top priority of Howard County.”

From page 8 work of immigrants who have obtained citizenship legally,” it would also make the county “a beacon for illegal immigrants.

That beacon is a problem,” he said.

Nonprofits weigh in Also commenting on the Howard County proposal are two national organizations with an interest in the issue.

Jessica Vaughn, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, which opposes sanctuary jurisdictions, told the Beacon that the proposal gives the “false impression” that local law enforcers don’t have to cooperate with federal officials in any move against immigrants who violate the law.

“The proposal is very incompetently drafted, and not only sets up false impressions, but also false expectations for the public on what can be done” on immigration issues, she said.

Nick Steiner, legal and public policy

Super cool for a hot pepper extract.

Headache: Sometimes a cup of coffee or black tea will help because of the caffeine it contains. You can also take two ibuprofen. If that doesn’t help, put a cool pack on both your temples, and take 250 to 350 mg. of chelated magnesium.

Hangover: Truthfully, I have no experience with this one, as my drinking habits amount to probably one drink (or a few sips of one drink), about 3 times a year. I just don’t like feeling ‘messed up’ in my head,

and drinking causes insomnia for me.

But lots of my friends drink, and some get hangovers. I suggest you take two N-acetylcysteine supplements (approximately 1200 mg. of NAC) and also a B1 (thiamine) tablet together with your drinks or in the morning.

There’s a biochemical reason why this works better than drinking raw eggs or sweating in a sauna. Just take my word for it.

Dr y, chapped lips: Drink more, alSee FIVE-MINUTE CURES, page 11

10

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

11

Eat more nuts for a healthy weight For years, nuts — dense in calories and fat — were considered off limits for people looking to shed a few pounds.

However, in the last two decades research has uncovered numerous health benefits of tree nuts — such as almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, hazelnuts and cashews — for heart health and brain protection.

Now those benefits even extend to achieving a healthy weight, as research shows that consuming nuts can actually help people lose pounds and keep them off.

Results from research suggest that adults who consume nuts regularly may have a lower body weight compared to those who don’t regularly eat nuts. A 2014 Loma Linda University study found that high consumers of tree nuts had the lowest prevalence of obesity compared to those with low nut consumption.

Another study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition compared the body weight of nut-enriched diets to similar control diets without nuts, and found that intake of nuts did not increase

body weight, waist circumference or body mass index. Other research links nut consumption with less weight gain over long periods of time.

Nuts are calorie-dense, but are comprised of nutrient-rich components — including good fats, vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber — which make them high in satiety value, resulting in reduced overall calorie consumption. Studies also have suggested that nuts can boost metabolism.

In addition, nuts have fewer calories than previously thought. Research on pistachios and almonds shows that the calories absorbed by the body are lower than once thought, because the complex matrix of whole nuts makes their fat content resistant to absorption. This means your body is not taking in the full amount of calories contained in the nuts you eat.

Keep in mind that overindulging in nuts can still cause you to pack on pounds. So, practice portion control by keeping consumption to approximately a handful or an ounce (160 to 180 calories) daily.

— Environmental Nutrition

Five-minute cures

essential oil is a good expectorant.

I have a much longer version of this article with more five-minute health solutions.

It’s available free at my website: www.suzycohen.com.

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

Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.

From page 9 ways infuse your water with marshmallow root (keep it in the fridge), and apply honey to your lips instead of lip gloss.

You’re more kissable that way, too.

Stuffy nose: Take a hot shower so it gets really steamy in there, and breathe in the moist air through your nose. Also drop a few drops of essential oil of Eucalyptus (a known decongestant) on your shower floor, which helps the steam work even better. Also, Basil

• Eye Care for All Ages • Specialists in Cataracts, Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy and Macular Degeneration • Contact Lens Specialists • Plastic & Reconstructive Eye Surgery

Full In-House Optical Department Outpatient No-Stitch Cataract Surgery • Laser Surgery MEDICARE ASSIGNMENT ACCEPTED LENARD H. HAMMER, M.D., F.A.C.S. GORDON LUI, M.D. SCOTT B. BECKER, M.D. BRIAN J. WINTER, M.D.

VANESSA LIMA, M.D. JESSICA E. CHAN, M.D. CRISTINA F. ROUILLER, O.D..

410-997-9900

8860 Columbia 100 Parkway, Suite 101, Columbia, MD

Caring places. Healing spaces.

Specializing in Skilled Nursing and Subacute Rehabilitation

Bel Pre

2601 Bel Pre Road Silver Spring, MD 20906

301.598.6000

BridgePark

4017 Liberty Heights Avenue Baltimore, MD 21207

410.542.5306

Ellicott City

3000 N. Ridge Road Ellicott City, MD 21043

410.461.7577

Fayette Health 1217 W. Fayette Street Baltimore, MD 21223

410.727.3947

WE OFFER TWO PROGRAMS

Forestville

7420 Marlboro Pike Forestville, MD 20747

The Edwards Personal Care Community: ·

Daily Meals

·

Bathing Assistance

·

Weekly Laundry & Housekeeping

·

Op•onal Medica•on Administra•on

·

On-site 24-Hour Staff

SERVICE SUBSIDIES

Email: marke•ng@homecresthouse.org Next to Leisure World in Aspen Hill, RT. 200, and La Layhill Rd. on Bus Route 26

Fort Washington MEMBERS OF THE

·

Meal Plan, Full Ac•vi•es Calendar

·

Resident Van, Beauty Salon

·

Convenience Store, Computer Lab

·

Library & Fitness Center

14508 Ho Homecrest Road, Silver Spring, MD 20906 | Take a video tour and access an applica•on pplica•on on our website @ www.homecresthouse.org | TTY MD Relay 7-1-1

12021 Livingston Road Ft. Washington, MD 20744

301.292.0300

The Stein and Moskowitz Communities

You MAY be eligible for RENT or

Call us today for a tour at 301-244-3579!

301.736.0240

Marley Neck Serving with Pride.

800.989.7337 communicarehealth.com

7575 E. Howard Road Glen Burnie, MD 21060

410.768.8200

South River

144 Washington Road Edgewater, MD 21037

410.956.5000

12

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

50+

THE

NEWS and EVENTS from the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence

Connection

Department of Community Resources and Services

Volume 7, No. 2 • February 2017

Are YOU at Risk for Heart Disease?

February is American Heart Month

H

eart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. In 2010, Maryland had the 17th highest death rate from cardiovascular disease in the country, accounting for 25 percent of all deaths. By increasing awareness of heart disease and its effects, the Office on Aging and Independence strives to help Howard County residents lessen their risk of heart disease.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the first step is to become aware of your own personal risk factors for heart disease.

Some risks, such as smoking cigarettes or being overweight, are obvious; all of us know whether we smoke or need to lose a few pounds. But other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, or diabetes, have few visible signs or symptoms.

To determine your risk for heart disease, first make an appointment with your primary care physician for a thorough checkup. Your doctor can help you set and reach goals for heart health, but don’t wait for him or her to ask questions about your current risk levels.

For a list of questions to ask, visit www.nih.gov and view “Your Guide to a Healthy Heart.”

Once you’ve determined your risk for heart disease, take action.

Making healthy lifestyle changes can go a long way toward reducing your risk of developing heart disease. Controlling and preventing known risk factors is also beneficial for people who already have heart disease.

To help you quit smoking, the Howard County Health Department offers free Tobacco Cessation Classes to anyone who lives, works or studies in Howard County. Group classes are held once a week for one hour and 15 minutes. Visit www.hchealth.org or call 410-313-4255 for more information.

If you need to increase your activity level or lose weight, the good news is it doesn’t take a lot of exercise to improve your heart health.

The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate physical activity for most adults each week, or at least 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week, or a mix of both.

The Office on Aging and Independence’s 50+ Centers offer a multitude of health and wellness programs which can help you lower your risks while increasing your activity levels, including:

• Free monthly blood pressure checks in 50+ centers.

• Convenient, individualized or small group nutrition counseling.

• Access to free or low-cost exercise facilities, including indoor cushioned walking tracks and fully equipped fitness rooms at the Glenwood and North Laurel 50+ Centers; and a state-ofthe-art facility just for older adults at the Ellicott City 50+ Fitness Center.

• Classes for every fitness level, from gentle, seated yoga to high energy Zumba.

• Living Well and Living Well with Diabetes, six-week programs to help you take charge of your health and better manage your chronic conditions.

• Stepping On – a seven week program to help increase confidence, strength and balance to reduce falls.

To begin your journey to a healthier heart, call Maryland Access Point at 410-313-1234 to find a 50+Center near you, or visit www.howardcountymd.gov/aging for more information.

A Message from Office on Aging and Independence Administrator

Starr P. Sowers Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing one in three deaths each year, or approximately one woman every minute!

But it doesn’t affect all women alike, and the warning signs for women aren’t always the same that men experience. Recognizing that these misconceptions about heart disease could put women at risk, the American Heart Association launched the “Go Red For Women” movement to advocate for more research and heighten awareness of women’s heart health.

Each year, GoRedForWomen.org highlights real women who represent the different faces of heart disease and stroke nationwide. By sharing their stories, they hope to inspire other women to make healthy lifestyle changes to lessen their risk.

Ruby Hope, 57, spent years volunteering through her church and sorority to raise awareness about heart disease, but it wasn’t until she was diagnosed with coronary artery disease and had a heart attack that she took her own heart health seriously. Like many women, Ruby had put her health concerns aside and focused on caring for others, both professionally in her role as a nurse and personally with her family. Quadruple bypass surgery changed all that; it was the wake-up call she needed. Through cardiac rehab, she learned to listen to her body and put her health first.

She transformed her diet, doubled her cardiovascular activity and incorporated resistance training to build strength.

Ruby’s story underscores the importance for all women to understand their risk factors for heart disease and stroke, and take action if needed. Go Red For Women encourages all women to schedule a visit with their doctor to learn their personal health numbers including blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and body mass index (BMI) and assess their risk for heart disease and stroke. Don’t put it off any longer – your heart depends on it.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

The 50+ Connection

AARP TAX-AIDE FREE 2016 INCOME TAX PREPARATION Evening and weekend appointments available; no age limits.

AARP and the IRS will offer personal income tax preparation for Howard County residents from February 1 through April 15 at Howard County 50+ Centers. This service is available to ALL middle and low income taxpayers, with emphasis on those age 60 and older. Bring your photo ID, Social Security card, 2015 Federal and Maryland tax returns, and all 2016 tax documents. Self-employment returns with more than $10,000 in expenses and complex returns are not eligible for this service.

Tax Assistance Sites Howard County 50+ Centers Appointments Required at All Locations Bain 50+ Center • 443-741-1220 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia, MD 21044 Monday and Tuesday afternoons; Thursday afternoons and evenings; Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings

East Columbia 50+ Center • 410-313-7680 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045 Wednesday mornings

Elkridge 50+ Center • 410-313-5192 5660 Furnace Ave., Elkridge, MD 21075 Friday mornings

Ellicott City 50+ Fitness Center 443-741-1220 9411 Frederick Road, Ellicott City, MD 21042 Mondays and Fridays; Tuesday evenings

Glenwood 50+ Center • 410-313-5440 2400 Route 97, Cooksville, MD 21723 Thursday mornings

North Laurel 50+ Center • 410-313-0380 9411 Whiskey Bottom Road, Laurel, MD 20723 Wednesday and Thursday afternoons

Say you saw it in the Beacon

13

Make YOUR Tax Time Less Taxing Helpful advice for smoother sailing during tax preparation, courtesy of the Howard County Office of Consumer Protection FILE EARLY. Identity thieves try to steal money from the IRS by filing returns using stolen Social Security numbers. This also results in a lot of hassle and delayed refunds for tax payers. By filing early, you can reduce the odds of becoming a victim.

CHECK OUT YOUR PREPARER. All tax preparers, whether working individually or as part of a national tax preparation chain, must be licensed by the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation. Make sure your preparer is properly licensed by going to DLLR’s web site: http://www.dllr.state.md.us/pq/. In addition, ask about fees. Some tax preparers do not fully disclose all their fees up front. So to avoid surprises, ask for a list of all charges and potential fees before your taxes are prepared.

AVOID REFUND ANTICIPATION LOANS. Many tax preparers offer to provide your refund immediately in the form of a refund anticipation “loan” (aka Refund Anticipation Check). If you take this option, however, fees and interest on that loan will be deducted from your refund. Instead, choose to get your refund directly deposited into your bank account. The deposit is usually made in just a few days, and you will get the full amount of your refund.

STAY ALERT FOR IRS IMPOSTERS. The IRS does not call taxpayers who owe back taxes. Hang up on callers who claim that you will be jailed or deported if you don’t immediately pay money using credit cards, prepaid debit cards, gift cards, bank account debits or wire transfers.

GET HELP. If you made less than $54,000 in 2016 and need assistance with tax preparation and filing, you can obtain free tax preparation services through: • Making Change, a Howard County non-profit organization which offers free tax prep and filing through its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. Call 410-880-5917 or visit www.makingchangecenter.org for details.

• AARP Tax-Aide Program offers its services at various locations around the County. See schedule at left for contact information to make an appointment at a Howard County 50+ Center.

For more information on this and other consumer topics, visit the Howard County Office of Consumer Protection at www.howardcountymd.gov/consumer; email consumer@howardcountymd.gov or call 410-313-6420.

Howard County Office on Aging and Independence

2017 Resource Guide The latest edition is now available at: • Office on Aging and Independence 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia 21046

• Howard County 50+ Centers • Howard County Libraries • By Mail – Contact MAP at 410-313-1234 To view the guide online, visit www.custommediaoptions.com/digital/hocoresourceguide2017

The 50+ Connection is published monthly by the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence.

This publication is available in alternate formats upon request.

To join our subscriber list, email kahenry@howardcountymd.gov 6751 Columbia Gateway Dr., Suite 200, Columbia, MD 21046 410-313-6410 (VOICE/RELAY) • www.howardcountymd.gov/aging Find us on

www.Facebook.com/HoCoCommunity Kim Higdon Henry, Editor kahenry@howardcountymd.gov

Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the Office on Aging and Independence or by the publisher.

14

The 50+ Connection

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

START LIVING WELL TODAY!

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM FOR CAREGIVERS

DIABETES and other CHRONIC CONDITIONS

can be managed with our evidence-based, self-management LIVING WELL PROGRAM. Participants can experience positive health outcomes, as well as reduce health complications and the need for emergency care.

LIVING WELL: Take Charge of Your Health UPCOMING CLASSES To achieve maximum benefits from this program, we encourage a commitment to attend all six sessions of the class.

$28 fee includes 15 hours of workshop and materials

Medical Pavilion at Howard County Wellness Center, Columbia Conference Room 10710 Charter Dr., Suite 100, Columbia, MD 21044

February 24 • March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 10:00 am – 12:30 pm Columbia Community Church 8516 Thomas Williams Way, Columbia, MD 21044

February 16, 23 • March 2, 9, 16, 23 12:00 noon – 2:30 pm OR 6:00 - 8:30 pm

This six-week series of 90-minute classes will offer caregivers opportunities to explore a variety of self-care tools in a supportive environment.

These self-care tools will help you: • reduce personal stress • change negative self-talk • communicate more effectively in challenging situations • manage your emotions • make tough, caregiving decisions

March 2 through April 6 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. (six consecutive Thursdays) Bain 50+ Center 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia 21044 Fee of $30 covers all materials

— FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER — Kathy Wehr, Caregiver Program Support Manager 410-313-5955 (voice/relay) On-site respite is available; arrangements can be made when registering.

If you need accommodations to attend, call at least one week before the first session.

CONTACT: Nicole Jones • 410-313-3506 (VOICE/RELAY) OR njones@howardcountymd.gov

www.howardcountymd.gov/aging

JOIN US FOR THE 2017

Nominations must be submitted by March 3!

Saturday, April 29 • 10 am - 3 pm Gary J. Arthur Community Center at Glenwood 2400 Route 97, Cooksville, MD 21723

Please take the time to recognize and nominate someone you know and admire — a teacher, childcare provider, coach, volunteer, or a selfless high school student — who has made a difference in the lives of Howard County children and youth... they deserve to be celebrated!

For details and to nominate your candidate(s): www.howardcountymd.gov/celebratingsuccesses

410.313.1940 (VOICE/RELAY)

Now in its 9th year, WomenFest delivers a wide range of health screenings, engaging seminars, workshops, and demos to inspire women to improve their health and wellness. Don't miss this opportunity to join other exceptional women as you explore ways to lead a more balanced, healthy, and full life.

410-313-5440 (VOICE/RELAY) www.howardcountymd.gov/womenfest INCLEMENT WEATHER INFORMATION For 50+ Center closings and program cancellations: call 410-313-7777 (VOICE/RELAY); or online at www.howardcountymd.gov/aging, or www.Facebook.com/HoCoCommunity

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

The 50+ Connection

Say you saw it in the Beacon

15

Howard County 50+ Centers

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS Go to www.howardcountymd.gov/50pluscenters for a complete list of events, programs and services.

Bain 50+ Center Friday, February 3 • 10 to 11:30 a.m. —

Ellicott City 50+ Center

Know Your Numbers? They Could Just Save Your Life!

Tuesdays, February 14 to March 7 • 11 a.m. —

Learn your personal health numbers including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and body mass index (BMI) to assess your risk for heart disease and stroke. Sign up in the lobby.

Tuesday, February 14 • 10 to 11:30 a.m.

The Glory of Love Featuring: Frank & Trish Currei Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Frank and Trish Currei as they present the Glory of Love through the decades from the 1940’s through the 80’s.

FREE; light refreshments served. RSVP to 410-313-7213.

Tuesday, February 28 • 11 a.m. to noon — Black History

Month Program: Renowned Sculptor, James Earl Reid Learn about renowned sculptor James Earl Reid, who created a sculpture of jazz legend Billie Holiday, unveiled in Baltimore in 1985. FREE; RSVP to 410-313-7213.

East Columbia 50+ Center Tuesday, February 7 • 6:30 p.m. —

Chinese New Year Celebration Celebrate the Year of the Rooster, complete with Lion Head Dance and holiday Hors d’oeuvres. Donations accepted. Call 410-313-7680 to register.

Wednesday, February 8 • Noon —

Laughter and Lunch with the Stress Doctor

Living Meditation Class Learn how to calm your mind and meditate in a class led by Betty Caldwell, author and private healer. Discover pathways to inner peace and a stronger personal foundation. $28 for 4 classes; register at 410-313-1400.

Tuesday, February 14 • Noon — Valentine’s Day Brunch Enjoy chef-created omelettes, sausage, fruit, pastries, juice and coffee.

Suggested donation: $5.39, due at sign-up. Call 410-313-1400 to register.

Thursday, February 23 • 12:30 p.m. —

Marian Anderson – A Legacy of Hope Celebrate Marian Anderson, the first African American singer to perform at the New York’s Metropolitan Opera and explore her repertoire of spirituals, art songs and operatic excerpts. FREE; register at 410-313-1400.

Glenwood 50+ Center Wednesday, February 1 • 10 a.m. — The Story of Rosa Parks Join Janice Green, accomplished storyteller and American Griot for her portrayal of Rosa Parks. FREE; for details, call 410-313-5440.

Wednesdays, February 15 and March 1 • 1 p.m. —

Working with Textures in Clay

Take the stress out of your day and let someone else do the cooking!

Lunch donation; register at 410-313-7680.

Join Charlene Randolph to explore hand-building with clay and techniques to design and glaze your own vase. $20/person. Class size is limited; call 410-313-5440 to register.

Wednesday, February 22 • Noon —

Wednesday, February 8 • 11 a.m. — The Colony of Maryland

Marian Anderson – A Legacy of Hope Enjoy a luncheon celebration and tribute to the first African-American singer to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.

Cost: lunch donation; register at 410-313-7680.

Elkridge 50+ Center Temporary Location: 5660 Furnace Avenue, Elkridge 21075 Fridays in February • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Tax-Aide FREE AARP Tax Preparation assistance will be offered; appointments necessary. Call 410-313-4930 or 410-313-5192 to make an appointment.

Ryan Cox from the Maryland State Archives will discuss the settlement of the colony, tobacco agriculture and the formation of slavery in Maryland.

FREE; register at 410-313-5440.

North Laurel 50+ Center Friday, February 3 • 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Super Bowl Tailgate Join in the football season ending festivities with trivia and enjoy a chili meal with your favorite game day foods. $3/person; call 410-313-0380 to reserve a seat by January 25.

Thursday, February 16 • 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. —

Tuesday, February 14 • 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. —

Marian Anderson – A Legacy of Hope

Valentine’s Day Party

Celebrate Marian Anderson, the first African American singer to perform at the New York’s Metropolitan Opera and explore her repertoire of spirituals, art songs and operatic excerpts. Cost: lunch donation. Call 410-313-0380 to reserve a seat.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with us! Enjoy a homemade lunch, games, music and sweet goodies for everyone. $5/person. Call 410-313-4930 or 410-313-5192 to register.

Wednesday, February 21 • 9 to 10:30 a.m. —

Heart Pancakes and Health Talk Enjoy homemade pancakes, sausage, eggs and more. Following breakfast, get healthy tips for the New Year. Donations accepted. To register, call 410-313-4930 or 410-313-5192.

Wednesday, February 22 • 11 a.m. to noon —

Sleep and Aging Well Dr. Eliasson will share how sleep affects overall health as we age and what we can do to get a better night’s rest. Learn about sleep disorders such as insomnia, snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, and sleep deprivation. FREE; call 410-313-0380 to reserve a seat.

16

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2017

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Rehabilitation

Return to the

LIFE YOU LOVE

New, state-of-the-art Rehab CENTER opening early 2017 Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center’s innovative, new place to heal and revitalize will be simply different from any other option in the region.

Imagine the best therapies and equipment—in a beautiful environment that rejuvenates and restores.

Physical therapy spaces bathed in sunlight. Fireside gathering places and restaurant-style dining with sunset views over the lake. The quiet comfort of a garden walk or a relaxing massage.

Because what surrounds you Really matters.

Fully dedicated to short-term rehab • Innovative therapies for faster healing Expansive private rooms and companion suites • Covered porches, courtyard and walking trails Lounge and coffee bar with two-story fireplace • Open, sun-filled living and dining rooms with made-to-order meals • Salon • Spa with massage room and soaking tub

Independent living assisted living rehabilitation long-term care memory support

18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860 301-260-2320 • www.bgf.org

17

18

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Money Law &

MORE TAX CREDITS An expansion of county tax credits to help older residents age in place by improving their homes’ accessibility is in the works FAILURE TO LAUNCH How to help adult children with money while helping them become more responsible for their financial futures ANNUITIES FOR ILLNESS With a medically underwritten annuity, the sicker you are, the higher your monthly income

Securities hotline protects you from fraud It’s no secret that many people reach re- ligent investment decisions. tirement with a nest egg inadequate to last FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatothe rest of their expected life. ry Authority — the largest inMany will be looking for independent regulator for all sevestments with above-average curities firms doing business rates of return. in the U.S. — can help. Its acBut higher returns retivities touch every aspect of quires assuming higher risk. the securities business, and it This can make retirees espeadministers the largest discially vulnerable to fraud. pute resolution forum for inStudies have shown that vestors and firms. people start losing mental caImpartial portfolio review pacity after age 70. After 85, it FINRA operates the Securican be much worse.

THE SAVINGS ties Helpline for Seniors at 1Accordingly, it may be dan- GAME 844-574-3577. The helpline ingerous for older investors to By Elliot Raphaelson forms investors how to review initiate new types of investments, and they may be especially suscep- their investment portfolio and account tible to promises of high returns from statements, and it addresses concerns about the handling of a brokerage account. questionable financial salespersons.

The group’s website (www. finra.org) proFor all of these reasons, investors should take advantage of the support of in- vides several investor tools and resources, dependent parties to help them make intel- such as BrokerCheck — a research tool that

BEACON BITS

Feb. 7

RESPONSE TO AN ACTIVE ASSAILANT A domestic terrorism workshop offered by the National Center for

Citizen Safety takes place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at the Miller Branch Library. Learn about resources and get basic training on how to shelter in place and lock down in the event of an incident. The library is located at 9421 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City. Registration is required by calling (410) 313-1950.

provides investors valuable information about brokerage firms and individual brokers, such as recent work history, qualifications, state licenses, regulatory actions, and violations and complaints.

Since the helpline was initiated in 2015, FINRA has received more than 7,000 questions and complaints from people in all age groups. These calls have resulted in more than $2.6 million in voluntary reimbursements from firms to callers.

Callers were concerned about products associated with variable annuities, mutual funds, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and energy-sector investments.

Thanks to these calls, FINRA has been able to identify frauds associated with taxes, bogus lottery wins, fake check scams, and binary options. FINRA reports examples of these frauds on its website as “investor alerts.”

Here are two examples: If you receive a call from the IRS, it is fraudulent — the IRS will never contact you by phone. Neither will they ask you to wire transfer funds.

FINRA points out that binary options (a type of option, but considered by some regulators to be a form of gambling) are high risk. Often the product offered is fraudulent.

When you initiate a complaint to FINRA on its helpline, it can result in an investigation. If FINRA discovers fraudulent activity that is not under its jurisdiction, it will report that information to the appropriate regulator or Adult Protective Services (APS) organization.

FINRA has made 110 referrals to 16 APS agencies and to additional state agencies; 483 other issues have been referred to state, federal and foreign regulators.

Better investment information Many of the callers to the helpline are looking for additional information about products they are being solicited to buy.

FINRA provides additional sources to callers so they can do better research before committing to buy.

Other agencies can also provide important information about possible fraud in financial and other products, for example: AARP, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Office of Investor Education, NASAA’s Serving our Seniors, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Unfortunately, most scams are reported after they have already ensnared many victims. If you are uncertain about the value of a product being offered to you — or the reliability of the organization or individual selling it to you — take advantage of the resources of FINRA and other independent agencies before you buy.

If you have family members who you suspect may lose, or are losing, mental capacity, do what you can to make sure that they do not make any new financial transactions without input from you or an independent organization such as FINRA. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com. © 2016 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

DISCOVER A BETTER WINTER AT FIVE STAR SENIOR LIVING

Country Living Magazine shared that the Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts a “colder than normal” winter, with “above normal” precipitation in many regions.

Lean on your neighbors at Five Star this year.

• Independent Living offered with an array of apartment styles and garden cottages with full kitchens and patios at Heartlands at Ellicott City • Award-winning memory care offered at Somerford Place Columbia BOTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES PROUDLY OFFER: • Three Five Star meals daily featuring celebrity-chef inspired signature selections • Weekly housekeeping and laundry services • Lifestyle360 activities and wellness programming • On-site Rehabilitation offering Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy

“Better start preparing... this one is going to be a real doozy.”

- Country Living Magazine, 8/11/2016

CALL TODAY TO SCHEDULE YOUR TOUR AND LEARN HOW WE CAN MAKE WINTER WARM AND FUN FOR YOU OR YOUR LOVED ONE. HEARTLANDS AT ELLICOTT CITY 3004 North Ridge Road • Ellicott City, MD 21043 • 410-461-9494 Independent Living • Assisted Living • Respite Care • On-site Rehabilitation SOMERFORD PLAC E CO LUMBIA 8220 Snowden River Parkway • Columbia, MD 21045 • 410-313-9744 Assisted Living • Memory Care • On-site Rehabilitation www.FiveStarSeniorLiving.com ©2016 Five Star Senior Living

19

20

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Expanding tax credits for aging in place Howard County Executive Allan H. Kittleman has proposed a bill that would expand a tax credit to help residents who are adapting their homes to “age in place.”

The expansion of the preexisting Livable Homes Tax Credit is in response to recommendations from the county’s Commission on Aging.

Unlike deductions or exemptions, which reduce the amount of income subject to tax, tax credits directly reduce the amount of tax a person owes. And for those who do

not owe taxes, tax credits are returned as a refund. Governments usually grant a tax credit to promote a specific behavior, in this case to allow residents to age safely in their homes.

The legislation filed with the County Council would amend the Livable Home Tax Credit to include a greater variety of projects that make it easier for seniors, as well as individuals with disabilities, to remain in their homes — such as accessible pathways between parking and residence,

adding railings to hallways, installing slip-resistant flooring, and improving stair design.

Credit covers full cost The tax credit allowed would be increased from 50 percent of eligible costs to the full amount of eligible costs, or a total of $2,500 per project, whichever is less.

There is an annual cap of $100,000 on the total credits that can be issued by the County, and that will remain unchanged.

Improving services and initiatives for the county’s older population has been a priority for Kittleman since taking office two years ago. He elevated the office of the Aging and Independence administrator to a cabinet-level position, and renamed “senior centers” as “50+ Centers” to accommodate growing services for all older adults, including aging baby boomers.

The county’s senior population continues to grow rapidly. In 2010, 10 percent of county residents were 65 and older. By 2025, this will increase to 18 percent, and by 2035, to nearly 22 percent.

The County Council is scheduled to vote on the expanded Livable Home Tax Credit bill on Feb. 6.

Other senior tax credits

credits. With the expansion of the existing Senior Tax Credit, he proposed lowering the age for eligibility from 70 to 65, effectively expanding the potential number of property owners who qualify from 26,000 to more than 40,000.

Property owners eligible for this credit must use their property as their primary residence, have a combined gross income not exceeding 500 percent of the federal poverty guidelines for a household of two (approximately $80,000 for Fiscal Year 2017), and have a net worth not to exceed $500,000.

Kittleman also proposed creating a brand new tax credit, called the Aging-inPlace Tax Credit, which reduces by 20 percent the amount owed in property taxes on up to $500,000 of assessed property value for a period of up to five years.

Although it sounds similar to the Livable Homes Tax Credit mentioned earlier, the Aging-in-Place Tax Credit is a separate benefit. The idea behind the name is that, with less money owed in property taxes, older residents who have lived in the county for 40 years or more will have more money to focus on successfully aging in place.

Although the Maryland General Assem-

In October, Kittleman also filed legislation regarding two other senior-related tax

See TAX CREDITS, page 22

Do Better with Our High-Yield Certificates 1-YEAR:

15-MONTH:

2-YEAR:

1 1 1 .36 .41 *

% APY

*

% APY

.51 % APY*

Visit PenFed.org/GreatRates or call 866-367-0231.

No military service required.

To receive any advertised product, you must become a member of PenFed Credit Union. * Annual Percentage Yield effective as of 01/06/2016 and is subject to change at any time. Minimum opening deposit of $1,000. A penalty will be imposed for early withdrawal, which will reduce the earnings on the account. © 2017 PenFed Credit Union. All rights reserved.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

21

When your kid is a financial train wreck

By Liz Weston Financial planners and credit counselors see plenty of examples: The grown son who lost a job, moved home and stopped looking for work. The daughter who constantly mismanaged her checking account — and turned to payday lenders when parents stopped covering her overdrafts. The father working into his 70s to support spendthrift children in their 40s and 50s.

Kristi Sullivan, a certified financial planner in Denver, once worked with an older couple whose offspring constantly turned to them for help.

“The clients couldn’t understand why their grandchildren had all the latest iPads and phones, but when a car or home repair came up, their adult children always had to ask them for money,” Sullivan said.

Giving adult children money is the norm in the U.S. Six out of 10 parents with adult children said they had given those children financial help in the previous 12 months, according to a 2014 Pew Research Center survey.

Damaging results Parents usually give because it feels good. Eight out of 10 parents who help adult children — with money, child care, housework or home repairs — said doing so is rewarding, Pew found.

But the toll can be steep, advisers say.

Supporting able-bodied children, or repeatedly bailing them out of debt, creates dependency when parents should help them become self-sufficient.

The unwise spending also can: • Delay or derail the parents’ retirement.

• Fuel sibling resentment and family discord.

• Enable dangerous behavior, including

Frank, Frank

addiction or untreated mental illness.

The advice to “just say no” doesn’t get far with parents stuck in these patterns, advisers say. Many parents don’t understand the harm they’re doing, and the children certainly have no incentive to change, said Bruce McClary, a former credit counselor and spokesman for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling in Washington, D.C. Change is possible, though, when parents set limits and communicate those limits to their kids.

emergency help. If possible, avoid kneejerk responses, planners say.

Parents who decide to step in should set and communicate limits, Fernandez said.

For example, they can offer to pay one or two months’ rent to stave off an eviction, but tell the offspring to find affordable shelter after that.

Target your help. Very wealthy parents may hand over annual checks as a way to reduce their estates and avoid future estate taxes.

But giving cash to irresponsible adult children is a bad idea. Instead, parents should direct the money toward something specific, such as paying the mechanic for a car repair or taking over certain bills, planners say.

Consider your other kids. Money shouldn’t equal love, but it often does in the siblings’ minds when financial help is doled out unequally, said Laura ScharrBykowsky, a certified financial planner.

— NerdWallet via AP

What planners advise Figure out what you can af ford, Delia Fernandez, a certified financial planner, uses retirement planning software to show what happens if clients continue spending on their kids at their current level. Often, the results are eye-opening.

“They’ll say, ‘Why is the chart turning red?’” Fernandez said. “They thought they’d be retiring at 62, but now they’re looking at 66 or later.”

If parents can’t agree on a figure, a third party — such as a planner, accountant or even a therapist — may be able to help.

Set expectations. Many parents who support adult kids have never talked about money with those children, planners say.

Parents should be clear about when they will and won’t help.

If the children aren’t trying to be selfsufficient, any help should have an expiration date. If the offspring needs basic budgeting help, credit counselors can offer advice, classes or debt-management plans.

Plan for ‘emergencies.’ Those who are financially irresponsible often limp from crisis to crisis, so parents who set boundaries should expect to get pleas for

& Scherr, LLC

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Elder Law, Estate & Special Needs Planning Medical Assistance Planning and Eligibility Advance Medical Directives / Living Wills Trusts / Estate Planning and Administration Wills / Powers of Attorney Disability Planning / Special Needs Trusts Guardianship

410.337.8900 | www.frankelderlaw.com | 1.888.338.0400 Towson | Columbia | Easton

Sol Levinson & Bros. Funeral Services, PA A 5560 Sterrett Place, Suite 204 Columbia, MD 21044 Restricted - Operating out of Sol Levinson & Bros., Inc., Pikesville, MD

410-730-7230 Pre ree-Planning Available le howardcounty@sollevinson.com y@sollllevins levinson com levin

www.sollevinson.com ww ww sol solle

22

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Can’t qualify for insurance? Try an annuity

By Eleanor Laise The vast majority of older adults don’t have long-term care insurance. For all but the wealthiest, deteriorating health or an imminent need for care can raise real concerns about running out of money.

One solution: a medically underwritten single-premium immediate annuity (SPIA).

Like traditional immediate annuities, these contracts offer a lifetime of monthly payments in exchange for a single up-front investment.

But unlike plain-vanilla immediate annuities, which base payouts on your age and gender, a medically underwritten annuity throws your health into the mix: the sicker you are, the higher your monthly income.

That feature can make these annuities critical tools for seniors with serious health conditions.

“When you’re sick, you can’t qualify for

long-term care insurance,” said Stan Haithcock, an annuity agent. If you are in that boat and need care, he said, a medically underwritten SPIA may be “the only hope you have of enhancing a payout to cover those expenses.”

are niche products today, offered by just a handful of insurers, industry experts expect the market to grow as baby boomers age. One sign of fresh interest in the products: The insurance giant Genworth recently launched its first medically underwritten SPIA.

No claims to file Unlike long-term care insurance, medically underwritten SPIAs don’t require any claims filing or ongoing assessment of your eligibility for benefits. And you can use the money for any purpose — whether it’s paying for care or covering other living expenses.

But the annuities do have their drawbacks: You’re typically locking up a big chunk of money, and if you die shortly after buying the product, you may receive far less in benefits than you paid in premium.

Although medically underwritten SPIAs

Assessing eligibility To qualify for the higher payouts offered by medically underwritten SPIAs, you’ll need to prove that your life expectancy is shorter than standard actuarial tables suggest.

Some insurers, such as Genworth, require an in-person assessment by a nurse.

Others may simply ask you to complete a detailed health questionnaire and provide medical records.

At Mutual of Omaha, for example, applicants are asked to list all medications, and disclose any cigarette use, cancer, heart at-

Maintenance-Free Living At Its Finest.

Live Life. Lakeside.

BEAUTIFUL LAKEVIEW CONDOS AVAILABLE NOW. Gatherings at Quarry Place from the $270s 601 Quicksilver Court, Reisterstown, MD 21136 (intersection of Franklin Blvd. and Nicodemus Road)

55-and-better condominium homes overlooking a beautiful 30-acre quarry lake.

• Elevator-served, secured entrance buildings which provide extra security, peace-of-mind and low-maintenance living • Large, private one-car garages included with each condominium.

In addition, a limited number of storage spaces are available for purchase in each building.

• Resort-like community amenities including a clubhouse with fitness center and swimming pool, dog park, community garden, and more • Shopping, dining and modern conveniences planned minutes from your front door • One-mile walking path around the 30-acre quarry lake

Visit or contact us today: 410-630-1371

GET MORE IN A NEW HOME | BEAZER.COM * Pricing, features and availability subject to change without notice. See New Home Counselor for complete details. MHBR #93 ©2016 Beazer Homes. 7/16 133341

tacks, lung disease, diabetes, strokes and other conditions, said D.J. Kohlhaase, an actuary at the firm. The underwriting process may take 30 days or more.

The payoff: People in poor health can get significantly more income than they would receive from a traditional SPIA. Consider a 75-year-old widower with heart disease, diabetes and dementia, who needs help with some daily activities such as bathing. He needs $30,000 in annual income to help cover his care expenses.

If he opts for a traditional SPIA that pays income for his life only, with no inflation protection, he’d have to spend roughly $336,000 to get that much income. But Genworth’s medically underwritten SPIA, the Income Assurance Immediate Need Annuity, would give him $30,000 in annual income for just over a $150,000 payment.

Generally speaking, “if someone is in poor health, they can get a quarter to a third more from this annuity than from a traditional non-underwritten SPIA,” said Debapriya Mitra, senior vice president for product and business strategy at Genworth.

While medically underwritten annuities aren’t for people in good health, they’re also not appropriate for the sickest seniors. If you have a very short life expectancy, it doesn’t make sense to pay the big upfront premium for this product.

Insurers offer optional features, such as inflation protection and enhanced death benefits. But these bells and whistles can take a big bite out of your monthly income.

For example, a 75-year-old man with heart and lung disease investing $100,000 in Genworth’s annuity would reduce his monthly income by 12 percent by opting for a death benefit that would guarantee him at least three years’ worth of income.

(The Genworth annuity comes with a built-in early death benefit if you die within six months of buying the product.) © 2016, Kiplinger. All Rights Reserved.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Tax credits From page 20 bly had already passed state-wide legislation for this tax credit during the 2016 legislative session, local legislation was needed to make it available in Howard County.

Both the legislation affecting the Senior Tax Credit and the Aging-in-Place tax credit were approved by the County Council on Dec. 5.

In the meantime, Kittleman has been in talks with Howard County State Senator Gail Bates to reduce the required amount of time lived in Howard County for the Aging in Place tax credit — from 40 years to 25 years — which would allow many more long-time residents to take advantage of this tax credit.

This discussion is ongoing, while the county waits for the state to approve the change.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Travel

23

Leisure &

Resorts in Bora Bora offer private glass-bottomed huts above the crystal clear Pacific. See story on page 25.

Good times in Louisiana Cajun country This is also Creole country — home to people descended from settlers of French or Spanish origin. Some have African or Native American ancestry, too. Acadiana is truly an ethnic potpourri known for its unique culture and history.

Bayous and zydeco The region is a mushy, marshy maze of sluggish channels called bayous that connect sprawling floodplain forests, cypress-tupelo swamps, backwater lakes and wetlands.

These hot and humid wilderness “saunas” exude mystery and enticement, qualities that inspire a savory cuisine, like famous slowcooking gumbos, shrimp étoufeé and crawfish stew. Many Cajun dishes merge multiple ingredients that gurgle and simmer like a smarmy swamp on a hot day.

And there’s something about these wetlands that brings out the musical talents of the people, both professionals and amateurs. Remember the song that goes “Shrimp boats are acomin’. There’s dancing tonight”? Or that Hank Williams line, “Jambalaya, crawfish pie, filé gumbo”?

It doesn’t take much to get most locals onto the dance floor twirling to fast-paced, zydeco tunes like “Lache Pas Pa La Pate” (Don’t Let Go of the Potato) or “Les Haricot Sont Pas Salés” (The Snap Beans Aren’t Salty). Zydeco bands, featuring guitars, accordions and apron washboards called frot-

© PHILIP GOULD/LAFAYETTE TRAVEL

By Glenda C. Booth Let the good times roll, they say. In French, “Laissez les bons temps rouler.”

And roll they do in southern Louisiana’s Cajun Country.

Locals love to sing, dance, cook, eat and party hard in year-round festivals that celebrate cracklin’s, catfish, crawfish, shrimp, boudin, gumbo, okra, frogs, ducks, alligators, zydeco, petroleum and sugarcane, for starters.

And that’s all in addition to the big February blowout — Mardi Gras — with its orgy of beads, masks, parades, king cakes and extravagant balls.

New Orleans’ revelry is renowned, but Mardi Gras also explodes in Cajun Country towns like Lafayette, Eunice, Jeanerette and New Iberia.

Cajun Country is a part of southern Louisiana consisting of 22 parishes (or counties) in the 150-mile Atchafalaya Basin — the nation’s largest river wetland.

Also called Acadiana, the region is named for L’Acadie, the Nova Scotia homeland of French-speaking settlers who were kicked out by the British when they refused to pledge allegiance to Britain and forsake Catholicism in the 1700s. The refugees were attracted to Louisiana’s French heritage (Louisiana is named for France’s king Louis XIV), and they adapted over time to the region’s watery landscape.

Each year, the town of Mamou, La., like many in the Cajun country of Louisiana, holds a colorful and raucous Mardi Gras celebration on the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent.

toirs, are as common as coffee pots.

Happy Lafayette

COURTESY OF LAFAYETTE CONVENTION & VISITORS COMMISSION

Acadian Village in Lafayette, La., depicts life in 19th century southwest Louisiana, showcasing historic homes alongside winding bayous, as well as a blacksmith shop and general store. Most of the buildings are authentic and were relocated to the village from nearby towns.

Lafayette is the unofficial “capital” of Acadiana, and the center of Cajun lore, the region’s rich mix of French, Spanish, African and Caribbean traditions.

“If you want to know Cajun culture, this is the place to come,” said Dianne Monteleone, a retired history teacher and volunteer at the visitor’s center. The Wall Street Journal’s Marketwatch.com labeled Lafayette “the Happiest City in America.”

The Acadian Cultural Center tells the Cajuns’ story through exhibits, ranger programs, films, wetland walks and boat tours. It recounts how, after decades of suppressing their heritage (speaking French in school was stigmatized as a sign of ignorance), Cajuns restored pride in their culture.

This National Park Service site shows a film, The Cajun Way: Echoes of Acadia, documenting the Cajuns’ exile. It includes clips from a 1929 silent film, Evangeline — the story related in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1847 poem about an Acadian girl searching for her lost love, Gabriel, during the deportation.

Vermilionville, a 23-acre living history folk life park, honors Acadian, Native American and Creole 18th and 19th century cultures. In 19 Acadian-style structures,

including traditional homes, artisans spin cotton, carve wooden decoys, make cornhusk dolls and weave palmetto leaves.

Front and center is the dance hall, where jam sessions heat up every Saturday and dancers of all skill levels take to the floor in lively jigs, waltzes and two-steps.

In the St. John the Evangelist Cathedral, a Dutch-Romanesque edifice, visitors seeking spiritual comfort are reminded of nature’s wrath in these parts by a flyer, the “Prayer for Safety in Hurricane Season.” It reads in part: “The Gulf, like a provoked and angry giant, can awake from its seeming lethargy...yearning for a stormless eternity.”

Union soldiers once camped on the church’s grounds, under the now-500-yearold, 126-foot-high St. John oak, and among the churchyard’s aboveground tombs dating back to 1820.

Small towns and swamps Straying from America’s happiest city may be tough, but many gems await the curious in nearby small towns, eateries, historic churches, oyster bars, antique shops and dance halls.

St. Martinville spotlights Evangeline with a statue in the graveyard next to the Mother Church of the Acadians, St. MarSee LOUISIANA page 24

24

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Louisiana From page 23 tin de Tours. At the Acadian Memorial, a bronze wall of names honors 3,000 Acadians who fled to Louisiana, and an eternal flame symbolizes human resilience. Next door, the African American Museum traces the diaspora from West Africa.

Alligators are part of life here, central to the local culture. Confederate soldiers wore alligator shoes, and today, farmed alligators end up on dinner plates.

Chances are you’ll see some on a boat tour in the Atchafalaya Basin’s 860,000

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

acres of swamps, bayous and backwater lakes. You’ll also likely see slithering snakes, great white egrets taking flight and basking turtles.

Passionate cooking, eating Whether it’s sauce piquant, gumbo, jambalaya, turtle soup, oyster pie, shrimp remoulade, catfish Orleans, oysters Rockefeller, crawfish étoufée or grilled gator tail, people in southern Louisiana live to eat, they say.

In her Cajun cookbook, titled Who’s Your Mama, Are You Catholic and Can You Make a Roux?, Marcelle Bienvenu, the

Going Home Cremation Service Beverly L. Heckrotte, P.A. Personalized

Professional

Dignified

Affordable

• 24-hour service specializing in direct cremation • Return of the urn and memorial merchandise to your home • Serving Maryland and Washington, D.C. • Serving Md. & Washington, D.C. since 2000 without any increase in prices!

(301) 854-9038 or 1 (866) 728-4663 (toll free) call for your FREE information package

Visit us at www.GoingHomeCremation.com

“Queen of Cajun Cooking,” says that cooking is a passion, and preparing and serving it are “an intimate form of communication.”

The cuisine, like the people, is a rich mélange: tomatoes from the Creoles; the spicy herb filé from Native Americans; okra from Africans; rice from the Chinese; the roux from the French. Gourmands might say that Cajun cooking combines multiple ingredients in a single dish that Cajuns created originally to feed large families. Creole dishes, with French and Spanish origins, often feature sauces.

Today, these distinctions are blurred.

Louisiana chefs maintain that Cajun and Creole dishes start with the “holy trinity”: sautéed celery, bell pepper and onion.

And good food is a good reason to party.

For example, Scott, Louisiana, the “Boudin Capital of the World,” just west of Lafayette, stages the annual Boudin Festival.

Boudin? “Boudin is a unique Cajun specialty, a familiar recipe that has been passed down from one generation to the next,” explains the festival’s website. “It’s basically a combination of rice, a special blend of seasonings, and traditionally pork, but you may also find Boudin made with shrimp, crawfish or even some alligator, and rolled up in sausage casing.” This popping-eating-dancing fest made the top 20 events compiled by the Southeast Tourism Society in 2016.

Speaking of zingy cuisine, tabasco sauce was invented on Avery Island, 28 miles south of Lafayette. The 70,000-square-foot Tabasco Pepper Sauce Factory, run by the founder’s great-grandson, spews out 700,000

bottles of the signature sauce daily — a tangy elixir that “excites the appetite, promotes digestion, and is pronounced by connoisseurs to be the finest condiment in the world.” It’s made from capsicum peppers using the founder’s patented 1868 recipe.

Visitors can watch a conveyor belt of bottles jiggle along being filled and capped before heading off to 160 countries. The tasting bar tempts with flavors like garlic, chipotle and habanero. The tabasco name?

A Native American word, it means “land of the hot and humid.”

Friendly small towns, azaleas blooming year-round, crawfish boils, praline-flavored bacon, shrimp freshly plucked from the water, mysterious swamps, live oaks draped in dangly Spanish moss, zydeco spilling out of dance halls — it’s all in Cajun country, where the natural, cultural, culinary and musical combine into a really good time. Let the good times roll!

If you go Visit www.lafayettetravel.com for a trip planner, lodging, events, food and swamp tours and more.

Lafayette is 153 miles east of New Orleans, a 2.5- to 3-hour drive. In late January and early February, round-trip flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to New Orleans range from $285 to $450; from Reagan National, $220 and up.

Spring and fall are the best times to visit weather-wise, with average daytime temperatures in the 70s and 80s. In February and March, the average temperatures are from the mid-40s to 70s.

Please patronize our advertisers.

They keep the Beacon free!

community leader.

I’M NOT A SENIOR. I’M A

At Integrace, we know your age does not define you.

So we’ve created a family of life plan communities where you can live the life that’s most meaningful to you.

Anne Neary Bayleigh Chase resident council president and Chesapeake College professor

Call now to schedule your tour Bayleigh Chase | Easton | 410-763-7167 Buckingham’s Choice | Adamstown | 301-644-1604 Fairhaven | Sykesville | 410-795-8801 Integrace.org A Not-for-profit Community

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

25

A bucket list trip to exotic Bora Bora

By Jennifer McDermott Somehow, I convinced my husband that the fifth wedding anniversary is the Tahitian anniversary. (The traditional gift, actually, is wood.)

For years, I had dreamed of going to Bora Bora in French Polynesia. The lagoon’s glimmering turquoise, jade and cobalt blue waters, the overwater bungalows, the seclusion — for me, it was the ultimate bucket list destination.

Some of the world’s most famous celebrities vacation in Bora Bora. Jennifer Aniston honeymooned there. Pictures of Justin Bieber swimming naked in Bora Bora circulated far and wide online. Usain Bolt celebrated his Olympic victories there last September.

A real splurge That doesn’t mean normal couples can’t go too — if they can afford it, that is. Our trip for a week, including flights and our hotel stay (with breakfast), cost just under $10,000.

My husband and I spent a week lounging on the deck of our bungalow at Le Meridien Bora Bora. We woke early to catch brilliant orange and pink sunrises.

We got up-close-and-personal with sea creatures, from moray eels and trumpetfish, to sea turtles, sharks and stingrays.

We discovered that the saying heard in

pearl shops, “You don’t choose the pearl, the pearl chooses you” is surprisingly true.

Most of all, we tried to relax and take it all in.

Bora Bora, located about 160 miles northwest of Tahiti, was formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago.

Mount Otemanu, a remnant of the volcano, rises nearly 2,400 feet on the island and serves as the backdrop of many photos.

About 9,000 people live in Bora Bora.

The temperature is a relatively consistent 80 degrees.

The island is set in a lagoon and surrounded by a string of motus, or small islets, where luxury resorts are located.

The colors are stunning. A friend said my photo looked like a watercolor painting.

We flew to Los Angeles, where many U.S. flights to Tahiti converge. From Los Angeles, it’s about an eight-hour overnight flight to Papeete, Tahiti. It’s less than an hour by plane from there to Bora Bora.

Then it’s a short boat ride to the main city, Vaitape, or to one of the luxury resorts. We didn’t need vaccinations or a visa.

Our overwater bungalow faced outward to the lagoon, which we requested when booking. Others are turned in, toward the resort. It featured a glass floor for fish watching, and a spiral staircase for climbing directly into the lagoon.

We splurged on massages early in the

week, before our pale skin turned a reddish hue. And we fed baby sea turtles at the Turtle Center established at Le Meridien.

We took the hotel’s boat to The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort to dine at the exclusive Lagoon restaurant by acclaimed French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and to check out the lavish bungalows with private swimming pools over the lagoon.

Aquatic adventures We tried paddle boarding. Then we tried snorkeling to find the sunglasses we lost while paddle boarding. Adventurous couples buzzed around the island on jet skis.

Feeling adventurous ourselves, we signed up for a snorkeling trip to swim with stingrays and sharks. There are so many stingrays there, you feel their slick, rubbery bodies hitting your legs. One is an older, docile stingray the guides call “grandma.” Our guide from Teiva Tours lifted grandma and kissed it — on the mouth!

But when the guides started “chumming” the waters with fish parts to draw blacktip sharks, we climbed back into the boat. The sharks were much more interested in the fish than in us, but we weren’t taking any chances of a misdirected chomp. In deeper waters, we snorkeled at the surface as 9-foot lemon sharks glided along the bottom.

We also spent a day in Vaitape. There’s a

center where locals sell their crafts, a small marketplace to stock up on sunscreen, juice and inexpensive French wine, and a cafe.

The mountainside is home to cannons left behind by U.S. forces during World War II. The main thing we did, though, was shop for Tahitian pearls. We were leaving one of the stores when I caught a glimpse of a pair of green pearl earrings. I walked away but no other pearl could compare, so we returned at the end of the day to buy the pearl that chose me.

There’s a must-visit spot along the coastline, about 3 miles from the city center: Bloody Mary’s, a funky restaurant known for its seafood and celebrity visits. I enjoyed the restaurant’s signature plate of teriyaki wahoo, and the house drink — a Bloody Mary of course — while my husband loved trying meka, a broadbill swordfish found in the South Pacific. By the entrance, there’s a long list of famous people who have dined there.

At the hotel, we ended the week as we began. We lounged on the deck, telling each other how unbelievable it was that we got to see such beauty in person and check Bora Bora off our bucket list.

Flights to Papeete in French Polynesia start at $1,800 roundtrip from BWI, and take 17 to 24 hours, depending on layovers.

— AP

26

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Style Arts &

Smokey Robinson was recently awarded the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Catch up with the singer on page 27.

Exhibit looks at Howard’s Jewish settlers tlers, noted that they were eventually attracted to the big cities, like Baltimore, where many moved and set up businesses.

“Later generations had no interest in carrying out the dreams of their parents,” Linz added.

Finding freedom A 1906 article appearing in the Baltimore Sun headlined “Russia in Maryland” noted that a colony of Russian-Jewish immigrants had settled “three miles west of Ellicott City” to “live a secluded life in their own peculiar way, free from the rush and bustle of the world, and with a freedom of speech that was impossible in [their native] Russia.”

Linz noted that his research found the reasons for the immigration extended beyond a desire for free speech. Massacres of Jews across Russia — known as pogroms — were occurring at the time.

In 1891, the Jewish Colonialization Association was formed in London, to, among other things, help Jews emigrate from antiSemitic countries in general, and from Russia in particular.

The association — founded by Baron Maurice de Hirsch, a German-Jewish fin-

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HOWARD COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

By Robert Friedman For the Howard County history books: Even before early Israeli settlers established collective agricultural communities (kibbutzim) there in 1909, Russian Jews attempted something similar in the early 1900s along the Patapsco River outside of Ellicott City.

The evidence is in the exhibit being put together at the Howard County Historical Society museum by Dustin Linz, the museum manager, who also is busy doing research on the Yaazor agricultural settlement for a master’s degree thesis.

“In Hebrew, Yaazor means ‘God will help’,” Linz said. That was a fitting name, as those who settled at Yaazor had little farming knowhow.

While they longed for a new way of life, “The immigrants were not skilled farmers, and they had to hire farmers from outside the community” to help them, Linz said.

The settlement, which grew to include 29 families — some 200 residents who spoke only Russian and Yiddish — disbanded in the early 1930s.

Debra Weinberg, whose great grandparents were among the original Yaazor set-

Woolf and Toba Singer (foreground) lived in the Yaazor agricultural community outside Ellicott City in the first years of the 20th century. The Howard County Historical Society is putting together an exhibit about this settlement of 200 Russian-Jewish immigrants, which disbanded in the 1930s.

ancier and philanthropist — purchased land for the immigrants around the United States, as well as in Argentina and Brazil.

In recounting how the original settlers lived, the Sun noted that “the spirit of fairness pervades the entire conduct of the community. If any land is sold to a new settler, the proceeds are placed in the public treasury, to be applied to the payment of the mortgage.”

The article continued: “The spirit of

freedom, cleanliness and industry pervades the whole community. There are no idlers. Everyone is busy in the fields or in the homes. Only the younger children seem to have time to play.”

Another Sun article, in 1991, said one survivor described the life in Yaazor as “a kind of Fiddler on the Roof shtetl (village) in America.”

See JEWISH SETTLERS, page 29

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

27

He’s still smokin’ after all these years

By Rebekah Alcalde When William “Smokey” Robinson, Jr. was a young boy, his godfather Claude nicknamed him “Smokey Joe” since they both loved cowboy films. In his early teens, he shortened it to “Smokey.” Though his dreams of the Wild West had faded, he still loved the nickname.

Now 76, the singer, songwriter and producer was recently in Washington, D.C. to receive the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Music. According to the Library of Congress, the prize “celebrates the work of an artist whose career reflects lifetime achievement in promoting song as a vehicle of musical expression and cultural understanding.”

Getting this award is “one of the proudest achievements of my life,” he told the Beacon. “I grew up in a very musical home where the Gershwins’ music was played all the time. To think that, as a songwriter, I could be mentioned in the same breath as them is an amazing honor for me.”

Over the years, Robinson has enjoyed an extensive and varied career in music and management. The public still remembers him for his contributions to Motown, his time as front man for the rhythm-and-blues group the Miracles, his subsequent solo career, and his prolific songwriting. In fact, many consider him to be one of the greatest songwriters of our time.

Writing songs is so personal for the artist that he often has a hard time picking a favorite. “Selecting a favorite song is like asking me to choose one of my kids as a favorite. I love all of them equally,” he joked.

In 1987, Robinson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his impact on music, and since then has been given many other accolades — ranging from placement in the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, to numerous nominations and Grammys wins, to honorary doctorates in music from both Howard University and Berklee College of Music.

“I live a richly rewarded life,” he said. “A life I could have never imagined as a child.”

Early life and career Robinson had humble beginnings. He

was born and grew up in a poor neighborhood in Detroit, Mich. At age 10, his mother passed away, so his sister Geraldine looked after him and raised him alongside her 10 children. Their family was very close.

Even as a child, he always had a love for music, listening to Nolan Strong & the Diablos and Billy Ward and his Dominos.

Their dynamic inspired him to form a doowop group with his friends Ronald White and Pete Moore called the Five Chimes.

Two years later, Bobby Rogers joined the Five Chimes, and they began experimenting with rhythm and blues as their musical focus.

They also changed their name to the Matadors. Another group member, Emerson “Sonny” Rogers, joined the army, and his sister Geraldine became his replacement.

In 1957, the Miracles met songwriter and budding impresario Berry Gordy.

Robinson presented him with a notebook filled with some songs he wrote in high school. Impressed with the group’s talent and Robinson’s songwriting ambition, Gordy agreed to help them. It was the beginning of a successful collaboration.

It’s only fitting that the first single the Miracles released was called “Got a Job” — a musical response to the Silhouettes’ hit single “Get a Job.” Robinson dropped out of school when the group released its first record. He also fell in love with and married Claudette Rogers (Bobby’s cousin) in 1959.

The Miracles did not achieve instant stardom. “Got a Job” came in at 93 on the Billboard Top 100 — enough to make a debut, but not enough to break through onto the music scene.

Gordy hadn’t earned much from his distribution of the group’s single, so Robinson convinced him to form his own label.

He opened Tamla Records, which soon merged with Motown — the legendary and iconic record company we know today.

The Miracles became one of Motown’s first signed groups.

The group’s success began to pick up, but after a dismal reception at the Apollo Theater in 1959, Robinson knew something was missing. He recruited guitarist Marv Tarplin, who had been on tour with the teenage Supremes (then the Primettes). Tarplin turned out to be

the missing element, and the group’s classic lineup was born.

Songwriting success A year after adding Tarplin, the Miracles finally exploded onto the music scene with the hit single “Shop Around.” The song’s catchy lyrics and pop sound appealed to mainstream audiences, and became the Miracles’ and Motown’s first million-seller record. It remained at number 1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for eight consecutive weeks.

Fun fact: Robinson told The Beacon that “Shop Around” “took about 30 minutes” to compose.

When it comes to songwriting technique, Robinson explained, “I don’t have a process. I know some songwriters need to retreat to the mountains or something like that to write songs, but songwriting for me is an everyday process.

“I could hear a phrase or see something, and be inspired to write a song. [Although] some songs take longer to write than others,” he added.

Between 1960 and 1970, Robinson sang, wrote and produced 26 top-40 hits with the Miracles — including top-10 features like “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” and “Mickey’s Monkey.”

He also did a lot of work behind the

scenes for Motown and its other artists.

His “everyday” style of songwriting led to hits for other artists as well, such as his classics “My Guy” for Mary Wells, and “The Way You Do the Things You Do” and “Ain’t That Peculiar” for Marvin Gaye.

Robinson also wrote and produced the megahit song “My Girl” for the Temptations.

The lyrics were inspired by his then-wife Claudette. In choosing David Ruffin, a background singer for the Temptations, for the lead on this song, Robinson also launched Ruffin to the forefront of that group.

In 1962, Robinson became vice president of Motown Records, a job that came with increasingly heavy responsibilities.

By 1968, when his first son Berry was born, he was ready to retire from touring.

He only stayed with the Miracles a few more years after the success of his hit “Tears of a Clown,” and officially left the group in 1972. The Miracles remained together and kept touring.

For a time, Robinson focused on his executive position at Motown, but soon realized he missed music and recording, so he returned to the studio as a solo artist. His solo material departed from the upbeat stylings of his time with the Miracles, and it brought out a more mellow, thoughtful sound.

See SMOKEY ROBINSON, page 28

SPANISH BRASS Sat Jan 21, 8 pm ”They play with amazing cohesion and set the highest standards.”

- Maurice André, trumpet

TICKETS: $35

EDGAR MOREAU Sat Feb 25, 8 pm YCA First Place Winner, 2014 “...the rising star of the French cello.”

- Le Figaro Magazine

TICKETS: $35 7 pm PRE-CONCERT RECEPTION: FRENCH WINE AND FRIENDS. $12

7 pm PRE-CONCERT RECEPTION: SPANISH WINE AND OLIVE OIL TASTINGS. $12

BRASS, BRASS, BRASS! UNRAVELED! Sun Jan 22, 2 & 4 pm AKROPOLIS REED QUINTET A fun hour-long introduction to brass Sun Feb 26, 2 & 4 pm instruments, designed for young audiences.

TICKETS: $12

A fun hour-long interactive introduction to reed instruments, designed for young audiences.

TICKETS: $12 Smith Theatre, Horowitz Center, Howard Community College

410-997-2324 www.candlelightconcerts.org

28

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Smokey Robinson From page 27 By the 1980s, Robinson was rounding his third decade in the music business and was still well-regarded by critics. He even won his first Grammy for the single “Just to See Her.” But coping with pressure and fame wasn’t always easy for the star. In the mid-‘80s, he was crippled by an addition to cocaine, which he revealed in his 1989 autobiography Smokey: Inside My Life.

He credits an intervention by his pastor with helping him overcome his drug use.

Robinson also had several extramarital affairs during his marriage to Claudette, which led to their separation and subsequent divorce in 1986.

In the ‘90s, Robinson’s contract with Motown Record expired, and he moved to SBK Records for the album Double Good Everything (1991). Motown had been sold to

Letters to editor From page 2 ments, carry insurance, purchase food and cars and utilities, or go to the pharmacy or dentist. I’ve fallen behind 3 or 4 percent over two years. This trend will eventually kill Social Security unless addressed and rectified.

Thank you for bringing up the subject.

Kenneth Kepler Columbia

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Nowadays, Robinson lets his heart take him wherever it wants. Every day, he practices Transcendental Meditation (TM) — a mantra-based meditation — and lives an active lifestyle.

He and his wife Frances enjoy being outdoors, and are self-proclaimed “sun wor-

shipers.” The couple met through mutual friends, and will soon celebrate their 15th anniversary.

In addition to being his wife, Frances is his business partner in Robinson’s newest venture — Skinphonic, a skincare brand for people with pigmented skin. They founded the line after having trouble finding anything on the market aimed specifically at pigmented skin. Robinson’s outdoorsy life had unfortunately taken a toll on his skin.

“We knew that there are biological differences in pigmented skin,” he explained.

“We also knew that the skincare industry was largely ignoring this. This is why we set out to specifically formulate solutions to the unique biology of pigmented skin.”

The brand currently has two lines, aptlynamed Get Ready (‘Cause Here I Come), for men’s skin, and My Girl. Both lines focus on hydration and protection against sun damage. You can find out more at www.skin-

phonic.com or call 1-866-280-3714.

In 2017, Robinson also plans on reviving his “Soul in the Bowl” food products. The popular Gumbo, Red Beans and Rice product hit shelves in 2005, and will be back due to “public demand,” he said.

In the meantime, he still continues to be celebrated for his lifetime of achievement and contributions to music. His career helped popularize soul music, and his continued performances never seem to falter in quality.

Yet despite all his awards and accomplishments, Robinson still makes time for the little things. The surprising thing he thinks no one knows? “I make ice cream sodas at night,” he revealed.

The awards ceremony for the Gershwin Prize will air on PBS on Feb. 10. In addition to a variety of performers paying musical tribute to Robinson, Berry Gordy also makes a special appearance.

Dear Editor: I commend Stuart Rosenthal on his common sense, on-the-mark “From the Publisher” column in December.

He points out “how nearly half of all Americans must have felt when President Obama won reelection in 2012 with 51 percent of the vote.” Mr. Rosenthal further points out that “our system is not a pure democracy. It incorporates elements purposefully crafted by our founding fathers to elevate the influence of states and dilute

the voting power of individuals.”

I realize our condo community is an example of this democratic and republic difference. We may have different opinions — but we are subject to decisions made by board members we elected to represent us.

Earlier [last] year, our residents received a letter stating we cannot have a table by our door due to fire regulations.

We were also told we cannot have any Christmas decorations on our decks.

I was told by our on-site management office that other condos in this community are allowed to have decorations at that time of year. Perhaps if everyone in our building signed a petition asking for permission to display them, our Board members would reconsider and allow their neighbors to decorate their decks for several weeks at the end of each year.

Barbara G. Green Elkridge

MCA, and Robinson had already given up his executive position to focus on music.

Since then, he’s released Intimate (1999) — which represented a temporary re-signing to Motown, a gospel album Food for the Soul (2003), and standard albums Timeless Love (2006), Time Flies When You’re Having Fun (2009), and Now and Then (2010).

His most recent album, Smokey & Friends (2014), is a compilation of duets featuring Elton John, Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor. It has become his second most successful album.

Adventurous spirit

Coalition of Geriatric Services We’re a coalition of nonprofits, agencies, businesses and professionals who come together to advocate for and help older adults.

January Meeting Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2017 Time: 8:30 – 10:00 a.m.

Location: Lighthouse Senior Living at Ellicott City 3100 North Ridge Road, Ellicott City, MD Topic: The Next Step – Members will be introduced to a 2017 Member Benefit Opportunity offered for the first time. This meeting is the first official follow-up discussion after the September launch of the COGS Business Development Series and one you will not want to miss.

Go to www.cogsmd.org for more information Or learn more by calling (410) 997-0610.

Thank you to our 2016 Executive Members PLATINUM MEMBERS: The Beacon Newspapers • Vantage House Retirement Community GOLD MEMBERS Howard County General Hospital • Howard County Office on Aging and Independence SILVER MEMBERS Being There Senior Care, LLC • Brightview Rolling Hills • Brooke Grove Retirement Village Deborah L. Herman, CPA • Ellicott City Healthcare Center • Home Call • Oasis Senior Advisors Right At Home In-home Care & Assistance • The Bob Lucido Team of Keller Williams Integrity BRONZE MEMBERS ComForCare Home Care of Howard County • Earl Wilkinson, M.D. (ENT) Gentiva Home Health an Affiliate of Kindred at Home • Let’s Move, LLC Professional Healthcare Resources, Inc. • Lighthouse Senior Living Village

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Jewish settlers From page 26 The 351-acre tract purchased by the association and turned over to the farmers, who paid $1 a week to help pay the mortgage, was located between Johnnycake Road and the Patapsco River. Patapsco State Park now occupies some of the land of the original colony.

A growing population Linz said the museum exhibit also de-

scribes the culture and lives of early Jewish families in Ellicott City.

He noted that the few Jewish families in the area at the turn of the 20th century faced such difficulties as having to obey local laws requiring stores to be closed on Sundays, which created financial hardship when they also wished to close on Saturdays, the Jewish Sabbath.

Jewish weddings in Ellicott City, he said, were held in Caplan’s Department Store, now shuttered, but whose sign lingers on the store’s building on Main Street.

The small Jewish population of Howard County in the early decades has grown substantially — to 17,200 in 2010. In fact, Linz’s research has shown that during the 1980s, Howard led all counties in the nation for Jewish population growth.

The museum, which has been closed for several weeks for its yearly maintenance, reopens Jan. 27 at 1 p.m. The Yaazor exhibit will be part of the museum’s permanent displays.

Currently on display are photos, maps and written material. Linz said he will be adding

further artifacts about life in the settlement.

Shawn Gladden, executive director of the county’s historical society, noted that while the exhibit now is small, “it does tell part of a story that not a lot of people know about.”

The museum is located at 8328 Court Ave., Ellicott City, and is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Memberships with additional benefits are also available.

For more information, see http://hchsmd. org/museum or call (410) 480-3250.

BEACON BITS

From the publisher From page 2 “euthanasia”) has grown significantly in popularity in recent years. Even in countries like the Netherlands, where it is officially illegal, it is widely practiced because the government turns a blind eye.

And importantly, the original practice to limit it to the terminally ill has dropped by the wayside. In a 2015 cover story, Newsweek reported that “the Dutch don’t require proof of a terminal illness to allow doctors to ‘help’ patients die...The Dutch can now choose death if they’re tired of living.”

One last set of stats: In 2013, 4,829 Dutch turned to a doctor to end their lives. That constituted one in every 28 deaths that year.

Were the United States to have had a similar proportion of voluntary deaths last year, the number would be 93,800 people.

I share these thoughts about capital punishment and assisted suicide to inspire you to think about these issues.

I make no pretense of adequately addressing either of them, much less squaring them with each other. I just wanted to raise some questions I think we need to start asking ourselves.

FROM PAGE 30 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

I invite you to share your thoughts.

Please email info@thebeaconnewspapers.com, or mail us a letter to the editor.

We will print a representative sample of responses in future issues.

Ongoing

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD W I N S A H A L A W I N L E D S W I M

W E N C H

S W I N E

I N U R E

N A M E R

A K P E B Y A S I L T U M S M O S O M A L O G A N E M E L L B A E N D

C O N D O

O B O E S

B E L O W

A L A

C A O S M E E S

D E E Y S E G E L L A B S O S W B A R G A E S N T

C H O R O U S N E

R O B O T

L E S O G A S O R E A S R L S T E V E E P E P

A L I V E

M E T E R

A Y M E P S H E A P S

Y A M S

SIGN UP FOR LIFELONG LEARNING CLASSES Registration is open now for 24 weeks of noncredit courses given

by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute for those age 50 and older. Classes start Feb. 20. Subjects include history, film, literature, philosophy, art, science, music, theater and politics. Call (410) 516-9719 for an information packet, or visit www.osher.jhu.edu and look for “Current Offerings, Baltimore & Columbia.”

lifestyle

Your NEW begins here

AL

communLi are SMOKties E FREE

-

APARTMENT HOMES FOR THOSE 62 AND BETTER

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

HARFORD COUNTY

Furnace Branch 410-761-4150 Severna Park 410-544-3411

Bel Air 410-893-0064 Box Hill 410-515-6115

BALTIMORE CITY

HOWARD COUNTY

Ashland Terrace 410-276-6440 Coldspring 410-542-4400

Colonial Landing 410-796-4399 Columbia 410-381-1118 Ellicott City 410-203-9501 Ellicott City II 410-203-2096 Emerson 301-483-3322 Snowden River 410-290-0384

BALTIMORE COUNTY Catonsville 410-719-9464 Dundalk 410-288-5483 Fullerton 410-663-0665 Miramar Landing 410-391-8375 Randallstown 410-655-5673 Rosedale 410-866-1886 Taylor 410-663-0363 Towson 410-828-7185 Woodlawn 410-281-1120

29

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY Bladensburg 301-699-9785 55 AND BETTER! Laurel 301-490-1526 Laurel II 301-490-9730

EASTERN SHORE

ALL PARK VIEW COMMUNITIES

Easton 410-770-3070

ARE

PET-FRIENDLY

www.ParkViewSeniorLiving.com Call the community nearest you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour or email parkviewliving@sheltergrp.com.

Professionally managed by The Shelter Group. www.thesheltergroup.com

30

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Crossword Puzzle

PUZZLE PAGE

Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus Imperfection 1

2

3

By Stephen Sherr

4

5

13

9

24 27

21 25

34

35

36

53

54

26 29 32

31

33

38

39

41

42

43

48

12

22

37

47

11

18

28

44

10

15

20

23

40

46

45

49

50

55

HC217

8

17

19

Scrabble answers on p. 29.

7

14

16

30

6

51

56

52 57

59

60

63

64

65

66

67

68

61

58 62

Across

Down

1. Envelope letters, smeared by lipstick 5. Create software 9. Study past midnight 13. Authorize a credit card 14. Follow orders 15. Jeans flaw (or improvement, to some) 16. Eke out a narrow victory 18. Passing notice 19. ___ and outs 20. Polygon’s edge 21. Track which spirals through vinyl 23. Vegetarian’s no-no 25. Fade over time 27. Performs vocal exercises 29. Daily Planet byline 30. Rental car company named for a Texas landmark 32. Streisand, in the tabloids 34. Early potato chip baron Herman 37. Be imperfect (like this puzzle) 41. Reached the quarter pole first 42. “There oughta be ___” 43. Responds to stunning news 44. Corporate image 46. Talk shop at a party 47. Do well on The Price is Right 52. Like most of the Pacific Northwest in May 1980 55. The hardest substance in a human body 56. Gelatin substitute 58. Grassland 59. Prepare a patient for a root canal 60. Gets all tuckered out 63. Native Canadian 64. Word of approval, stated 25 times in the Gospel of John 65. FDR had the most, at 3 66. Organize one’s sheep 67. Bird’s ___ soup 68. Enlivens

1. Flu strain since 2009 2. Earns all the poker chips 3. (Police band) radio call letters 4. Southernmost part of Florida 5. Vacation rental 6. Double-reed instruments 7. ___ Moines, Iowa 8. Personal light bender 9. Pick a side 10. Citizen of Westworld 11. Still breathing 12. It’s a little longer than a yard 13. Use the deep end 17. Is under the weather 22. Get away from the zombies 24. Antacid sold since 1930 26. River’s bend 28. Jersey “sure” 30. Piercing tool 31. Party icebreaker: Two Truths and a ___ 32. South of 33. Pie ___ mode 34. Stay up too late 35. Roadie’s responsibility 36. Word on the top-left of a Ouija board 38. He started (but did not complete) the first trip around the globe 39. Megalomaniac’s specialty 40. She played Darlene on Roseanne 44. Gave birth (according to ewe) 45. ___ hit wonder 46. Most clip in the back 47. Working girl 48. Become accustomed to 49. Informant 50. Dozens of cans of beer 51. Human phone operator 53. Untidy piles 54. Thanksgiving sidedish 57. Respond to an Evite 61. Cockney residence 62. Golf gadget that looks more like the letter l

Answers on page 29.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon

For Rent/Real Estate NEEDED, RETIRED COUPLE OR SINGLE, mature, nice professional person to rent a spacious lovely 2 bedroom basement suite with private bath located in upscale neighborhood, with lots of amenities! Has big kitchen, complete appliances, including W/D. Large backyard and private walkout. Not pets or smoking. Rent is $600/room with free utilities. 2 room available. If interested, please call 301-310-9481 or leave a message. Transportation close to I-95, 295, ICC, Marc train, bus stops, hospital, and shopping center.

31

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 5th of each month.

Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question.

Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards.

Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $10 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word.

Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $25 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word.

Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad.

Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment.

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

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

Personals

Wanted

Wanted

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

PRETTY WF 50s YOUTHFUL LADY, nonsmoker, down to earth, seeks SWM, 50s-60s, honest, sincere, handsome gentleman with hefty build, non-smoker, for old fashioned fun, friendship, possible relationship, who enjoys the great outdoors, dining out, cinema and dancing. Be my Valentine! 301-880-6977. Please leave a voice message with your phone number.

COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, rifles, shot guns, knives, swords, bayonets, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars and countries. Large quantities are okay. Will pay top prices for my personal collection. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-9100783.

Business & Employment Opportunities

Personal Services

TIRED OF POLISHING YOUR SILVER? Turn it into cash which does not tarnish. I will come to your home and give you a free evaluation of what I can pay. I buy all gold and silver jewelry, including broken pieces, all sterling silver, gold and silver coins, gold watches, etc. I am licensed with both Maryland and Montgomery County (lic. #2327). If you decide to sell, I can buy your items at that time, but there is no obligation. Call Bob, Gold 4 Good, (240) 938-9694.

PERFECT JOB FOR SENIORS! Drive a school bus in Howard County. Rewarding parttime work. Enjoy time off for summer and school breaks. Will train qualified individuals.

410-992-4395.

Financial Services TAXES, ACCOUNTING, AND BOOKKEEPING, eldercare. CPA Over 40 years of experience, reasonable rates. Call 410-653-3363.

For Sale

TURN YOUR SILVER AND OLD GOLD jewelry into cash and do something good for yourself. Gold 4 Good buys gold and silver jewelry, including broken pieces, all sterling silver, gold watches and gold and silver coins. I will come to your house and give you a free evaluation of what I can pay. If you decide to sell, I can buy your items at that time, but there is no obligation. Licensed with both Maryland and Montgomery County (lic. #2327). Call Bob, (240) 9389694.

The Beacon, Baltimore Classified Dept.

P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227

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

Please call Jake Lenihan, 301-279-8834.

Thank you.

BUYING VINYL RECORDS from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201.

WE BUY STERLING SILVER FLATWARE, tea sets, single pieces of silver, large pieces of silver plate. Attic, basement, garage. You have something to SELL, we like to BUY. Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

WE BUY GOLD AND SILVER JEWELRY. Costume too. Gold and silver coins, paper money, military, crocks, old bottles and jars, etc.

Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Events COGS Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Financial Services PENFED Financial Services . . . .20 Moriarity Financial Services . . .21

Funeral Services Harry H. Witzke’s Family Funeral Home, Inc. . . . . . . . . . .8 Going Home Cremations . . . . . .24 Sol Levinson & Bros., Inc. . . . . .21

Hearing Services Designer Audiology . . . . . . . . . . .4 Miracle-Ear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Home Health Care A-1 Action Nursing Care . . . . . . .4 ComForCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Hands That Touch . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Options for Senior America . . . .20

Housing Bayleigh Chase/Integrace . . . . . .24

Brooke Grove . . . . . . . . .16-17, 32 Buckingham’s Choice/ Integrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Charlestown/Erickson Living . . . .4 Fairhaven/Integrace . . . . . . . . . . .24 Gatherings at Quarry Place/Beazer Homes . .22 Heartlands of Ellicott City . . . . .19 Homecrest House . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Ivy Manor Normandy . . . . . . . . .18 Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant 8 Olney Assisted Living . . . . . . . . .6 Park View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Somerford Place . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Vantage House . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Legal Services Frank, Frank & Scherr, LLC . . . .21 Law Office of Karen Ellsworth .20

Medical/Health Lee Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Medical Eye Center . . . . . . . . . .11 Virginia University of Oriental Medicine . . . . . . . . . . .9 World Class Chiropractic . . . . . . .3

Retail/Services Columbia’s Village Centers . . . .24 Crossroads Pharmacy . . . . . . . . . .9 Senior CompuCare . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Senior Services Senior Connection . . . . . . . . .12-15

Skilled Nursing & Rehab CommuniCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Subscription Services The Beacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Theatre/Entertainment Candlelight Concerts Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Columbia Orchestra, The . . . . . .26 Columbia ProCantare . . . . . . . . .27 Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . . .26

Tour & Travel Eyre Tour & Travel . . . . . . . . . . .24 Nexus Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

32 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Ass sisted living - mem m ory support

SIM IMPLY P Y

DIIFFFE DIF FF REN REENNT NT

Partnering ne with naational a at leaders in thee field, we’ve set se a new benchmark nch in m memory support. pp A of our staff have specialized training in All n assisting people eop with h memory m y losss using u g redirection an nd anxiety-reducing y du g techniques iques q that decrease the he needd for medication. Creeatively designed g programs og ograms stimulate la memo ory and build indepeendence and self-esteem. teem. because be se what t su s rr r ou o nds yo you u really y mat t ters.

3LADE 3CHOOL 2OAD s 3ANDY 3PRING -$ OR

www..bgf.org b f Residential Cot ta ages Assisted d Living Skilled Nursing Care M ory support Mem Rehabilita at tion