The Best of Times May 2008

-ANY HOSPITALS TREAT CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES /NLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THEM RECEIVE NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR HOW THEY DO IT 7ILLIS +NIGHTON IS PART OF THAT ELITE GROUP

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 May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008 

Make Your Choice...

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 May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Boy, have we got an issue for you!

It’s not often I have an opportunity to use the word “strewn,” so here goes: Strewn throughout this issue are flowers representing a salute to Mother’s Day and in sincere gratitude to mothers everywhere.

From Cloud 9 in Heaven, I know my own mother approves.

IN THE CENTERSPREAD you’ll find, without quarrel, a quaint quartet of quality get-aways even more charming than this alliteration suggests. Spend a day or enjoy a weekend, these close-by “touristy” destinations are completely worth the trip. If you feel your life is at a gallop, these places will rein you back to a leisurely trot, all the better to enjoy the view and, of course, The Best of Times.

The very notion of a knitted calculator tickled us no end. So, if you will overlook (or, perhaps, smile upon) the vaguely naughty word in the display, we hope it will prompt you to actually knit one.

Take a picture of it and mail it to us. We’ll print your version for all the world to admire!

Speaking of sending things in, please note that we are looking for YOU to email your best recipe (and a digital picture of you busy in the kitchen) for the upcoming ADRIAN!COOKSBOOK issue. Adrian is impatiently waiting at my computer for entries. Email them to: Editor.Calligas@ gmail.com. Did I mention there are PRIZES involved? There are! (So send yours now!)

Your response to the April 2008 CAREGIVER’S GUIDE issue has been nothing short of staggering. Thank you for your praise, thank you for caring about this topic as much as we do, thank you for supporting us in our work to inform the community on important issues. Knowledge really is power.

But we haven’t overlooked the fun quotient. Check out this issue for plenty!

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008 

 May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Jason Alderman, Lee Aronson, Al Bolton, Suzy Cohen, Judge Jeff Cox, Mirabai Holland, Ted Kooser, Jea Theis

26 AARP 21 Acadian On Call 23 AGAPE Hospice Care 38 All About Care Home Services 60 Alzheimer’s Association 28 Ark-La-Tex Window and Door 40 ArkLaTex Home Health, Inc. 11 Azalea Estates Assisted Living 20 Balentine Ambulance 23 Barksdale Federal Credit Union 37 Better Hearing Systems 59 Bible Correspondence Course 23 Black Post Farm Flea Market 17 BluePrint Louisiana 51 Brentwood Hospital Senior Care 43 Center for Hand Surgery – Dr. Michelle Ritter 15 Central Monument 48 Centuries Memorial and Hillcrest 53 Certified Limb and Brace 3 Community Hospices of America 19 Cruises, Inc. 43 Daniel C. Scarborough, IV, Attorney 59 Don Huguley – Financial Consultant 55 Dr. Bryan Vekovius 29 Dr. Gary Booker 24 Family Care Services 30 First Response Medical Supply & Equipment 37 Fix My PC

37 George Mills, Attorney 29 Ginger’s 19 Gutter Helmet 43 GWS Mortgage, LLC 11 Home Assistance Services 13 Home Mortgage Protection Plan – Dana Pearson 48 Imperial Wok 43 IV Plus Pharmacy 34 Jayne Marie on Cross Lake 62 Joe Gilsoul, Attorney 48 Judy Holland, realtor 27 Kingsley Place -Shreveport 44 KWKH 1130 AM 19 Larry and Ray’s Handyman Services 29 LifePath Hospice 9 Live Oak 49 Maxoderm 53 Northwest INCS, Inc. 36 New Medicare Advantage Plan 14 NurseCare of Shreveport 50 Pierremont Eye Institute 40 Pilgrim’s Pride 64 Regional Research

Specialists, LLC 15 Rejuvenation for Life – Stop Smoking 40 ResCare Home Care 6 Senior Health and Fitness Fair

58 Seniors Club 35 Serio Investments 51 ShoeBooty’s Restaurant 55 Showcase Kitchen and Bath Remodeling 37 Shreve Hearing Aid Service 27 Shreveport Symphony Orchestra 36 Shreveport Little Theatre 17 Simmons Exterior Cleaning 39 Skin Technology – Jeany Postel 57 Southwood Square

Apartments 20 Spring Lake Assisted Living 18 Steen Hall Eye Institute 63 Sterling Health Plans 25 Stonewall Hospital 27 Susan Mead 53 Synergy Home Care 21 TES Regional Healthcare Federal Credit Union 4 The Bradford, LLC 22 The Center for Families 55 The User Friendly Phone Book 39 The Waterford at Shreveport 57 Town & Country Total Wellness 26 Westside Mini Storage 13 Westwood Mental Health 2 Willis Knighton Health System

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008 

Social Security Board of Trustees Annual Report Released

This just in • Shreveport 2000 Census: 10.9% of residents living alone are 65 years of age or older. Further the population contains 13.9% who are 65 years of age or older.

• Americans grow happier as they grow older, according to one of the most thorough examinations of happiness in America. With age comes positive psychosocial traits, such as self-integration and self-esteem; these signs of maturity could contribute to a better sense of overall well-being. The study also found that baby boomers are not as content as other generations, African Americans are less happy than whites, men are less happy than women, happiness can rise and fall between eras, and that, with age the differences narrow. “Social Inequalities in Happiness in the United States, 19722004: An Age-Period-Cohort Analysis,” was published in the American Sociological Review.

• Among retirees who left the work

force earlier than planned, more than half (54%) say they did so because of health problems or disability. Almost half of retirees (44%) say they have spent more than expected on health care expenses.

More than half of retirees (54%) say they are now more concerned about their financial future than they were right after they retired, a 14 percentage-point increase from a year ago (40% in 2007).

• Americans’ confidence in their ability to afford a comfortable retirement has dropped to its lowest level in seven years, reflecting worries about health costs, the economy, and home values, according to the 18th annual Retirement Confidence Survey® (RCS).

Decreases in confidence occurred across all age groups and income levels but were particularly acute among younger workers and those with lower income.  May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

The Social Security Board of Trustees recently released its annual report on the financial health of the Social Security Trust Funds. The Trustees announced: • The projected point at which tax revenues will fall below program costs comes in 2017 - the same as the estimate in last year’s report.

• The projected point at which the Trust Funds will be exhausted comes in 2041 - the same as the estimate in last year’s report.

• The projected actuarial deficit over the 75-year long-range period is 1.7% of taxable payroll - down from 1.95% in last year’s report.

• Over the 75-year period, the Trust Funds would require additional revenue equivalent to $4.3 trillion in today’s dollars to pay all scheduled benefits.

“Social Security is at a crossroads. We face enormous challenges to shore up the system,” said Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security.

Other highlights of the Trustees Report include:

• Income including interest to the combined Old-Age and Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Trust Funds amounted to $785 billion ($656 billion in net contributions, $19 billion from taxation of benefits and $110 billion in interest) in 2007.

• Total expenditures from the combined OASDI Trust Funds amounted to $595 billion in 2007.

• The assets of the combined OASDI Trust Funds increased by about $190 billion in 2007 to a total of $2.2 trillion.

• During 2007, an estimated 163 million people had earnings covered by Social Security and paid payroll taxes.

• Social Security paid benefits of $585 billion in calendar year 2007. There were almost 50 million beneficiaries at the end of the calendar year.

• The cost of $5.5 billion to administer the program in 2007 was a very low 0.9% of total expenditures.

• The combined Trust Fund assets earned interest at an effective annual rate of 5.3 percent in 2007.

Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 Helps Surviving Spouses The capital gains exclusion is now $500,000 instead of $250,000 for an unmarried individual who sells their primary residence within two years of the time their spouse has died. This new guideline applies to sales after December 31, 2007, and provides relief for widows and widowers by giving them a two year window from the time their spouse has died to sell their home and receive the $500,000 exclusion.

Of course, the same rules apply as before, where the individual(s) need to have lived in the home as their primary residence for 2 out of the last 5 years.

Previously, taxpayers had to sell the home in the same year that their spouse died to qualify for the $500,000 exclusion.

If they waited, they’d only be eligible for the $250,000 exclusion that is provided

to single people.

This provision of the new law has been hailed by advocates for the elderly as it will provide recently widowed home owners with more time to properly grieve and to carefully consider their future housing options, rather than rushing to make a quick sale in order to meet the previous IRS’ guidelines The change is contained in the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, signed into law Dec. 20, 2007.

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Early retirement may mean earlier death

Medical briefs

• Heavy drinkers and heavy smokers develop Alzheimer’s disease years earlier than people with Alzheimer’s who do not drink or smoke heavily, according to research that presented at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting.

• Riding an escalator is not ordinarily considered risky, but a new study reports that from 1991 to 2005, nearly 40,000 people older than 65 were injured while doing so. There were no fatalities, but more than 2,500 people were hospitalized, mostly for broken bones. Slips and falls caused 85% of the injuries, and the rate of injury for women was almost twice as high as for men.

• Elderly women showed measurable improvements in walking speed and balance after a nine-week yoga program - and they gained a centimeter in height, on average, Temple University researchers report. One possible explanation may be that they are standing more upright and not crouching as much.

• Women reporting poor sleep quality and difficulty falling asleep had more psychosocial distress than their peers who slept well, and also had higher blood levels of substances linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other health problems.

• People who suffer from depression or anxiety are much more likely to be obese and to smoke - both major risk factors for chronic disease - according to a nationwide study reported in the journal General Hospital Psychiatry.

• Over 375,000 older Americans become ill or die from medication errors each year, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

10  May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

People looking forward to an early retirement may want to rethink those plans.

New research reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests there may be a connection between retirement and mortality in apparently healthy people. In a study of nearly 17,000 Greek adults, researchers found that those who were retired at enrollment were 51% more likely to die during the study period than their same-age counterparts who were still working. Among people who were retired at the study’s start, the research team found, each 5-year increase in the age at retirement was associated with a 10% reduction in mortality risk. Even when the researchers accounted for factors like participants’ age, education, smoking hab-

its and weight, retirement status itself was related to the odds of dying during the study. In particular, earlier retirement seemed to increase the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. For many people, researchers note, early retirement might bring a higher quality of life. However, it might also have negative effects, like financial problems, a decrease in healthy habits like exercise, or psychological and social effects that take a health toll.

Middle-aged people with excess visceral fat - usually apparent in the thick waist or pot belly of an apple-shaped body - are nearly three times more likely to suffer from dementia in their 70s and 80s than people with little to no belly fat, even after the data was adjusted for factors that can affect dementia - including age, education, sex, and medical conditions such as stroke or heart disease.

Even thin people could be at risk if they have a large pot belly. The study was published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Hear ye! Hear ye!

A new hybrid hearing aid/cochlear implant device designed for patients who can benefit from both is being evaluated by UT Southwestern Medical Center otolaryngologists, as part of a multisite, national study.

The cross-breed device, called the DUET Electric-Acoustic System, or EAS, is already used in Europe, but not yet approved for use in the U.S. It targets a population currently falling through the cracks – borderline cases for which hearing aids don’t adequately distinguish sounds, but for who some natural hearing remains. For these individuals, cochlear implants that entirely replace natural hearing aren’t recommended either. Initial studies on the hybrid device suggest there is a synergistic effect achieved by maintaining the natural hearing and coupling it with the cochlear implant, particularly for distinguishing speech in noisy environments. The device both amplifies low frequencies and electronically stimulates middle and high frequencies.

IN RELATED NEWS: Hearing aids can squeal with feedback and overamplify background noises. But now scientists have come up with a different kind of hearing aid. While the device, called the Lyric, is being used in only 500 patients, it appears to have overcome many of the problems associated with traditional hearing aids - without the expense and uncertainty of surgery and anesthesia. The Lyric is hidden deep inside the ear canal, just four millimeters (about one-sixth of an inch) from the ear drum.

While doctors for years have been implanting hearing devices in the middle ear, the Lyric is not an implant: it can be removed with a small magnet. It is worn 24 hours a day, and its batteries last one to four months. Because it sits so close to the ear drum, doctors say that it works more efficiently and that sounds are more natural because they don’t have to be amplified as much. When the Lyric’s battery dies, the entire device is replaced. Patients do not pay for a new device every time; instead, they pay an annual subscription fee of $2,900 to $3,600 for both ears. Insurance plans typically do not cover the cost of the Lyric, or any other hearing device.

New colon screening recommendations offer a range of choices

New U.S. guidelines on checking people for colon cancer offer a range of choices, including so-called virtual colonoscopies and at-home tests. The recommendations aim to encourage more Americans to get screened for colon cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, with 148,810 cases and 49,960 deaths forecast for 2008.

They include the most strongly recommended test, a regular colonoscopy after age 50. This test, done with a small camera called an endoscope and under sedation, allows doctors to detect precancerous growths and remove them on the spot.

But the guidelines also recognize that many people simply refuse to undergo such an invasive, uncomfortable and embarrassing procedure.

These are the first joint recommendations from the American Cancer Society, the American College of Radiology, the American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association, and American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

People can opt for any of the following: • Colonoscopy every 10 years • Sigmoidoscopy, a less-invasive version, every 5 years • Stool DNA testing • Computed tomography colonography, also known as virtual colonoscopy • Double contrast barium enema every 5 years • Annual fecal occult blood test • Annual fecal immunochemical test

Heart attack diagnosis goes high tech

Early diagnosis of a heart attack may now be possible using only a few drops of saliva and a new nano-bio-chip, a multiinstitutional team reported at a recent meeting of the American Association for Dental Research. The researchers tested the saliva from persons who had a heart attack and an equal number of healthy subjects for 32 proteins associated with atherosclerosis, thrombosis and acute coronary syndrome. They found that not only were biochemicals associated with these processes in higher concentrations in saliva of heart attack victims, but specific salivary biochemicals are as accurate in the diagnosis of heart attack as those found in serum using FDA-approved instruments.

The nano-bio-chip assay could some day be used to analyze a patient’s saliva on board an ambulance, at the dentist’s office or at a neighborhood drugstore, helping save lives and prevent damage from cardiac disease. The device is the size of a credit card and can produce results in as little as 15 minutes.

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  11

B vitamins and strokes

This just in

• Eating omega-3-rich fish is a great way to reduce your risk of stroke. But not if you order the fish fried. In fact, eating fried fish actually raises stroke risk. Try broiled or baked -- and no butter.

• Worried about your cholesterol? You may want to schedule a few appointments with a registered dietitian, to get some sound advice about how to shape up your eating habits, according to a new national study. Not only are you likely to lower your cholesterol levels, you may be able to avoid having to take cholesterol medication or having to increase your dose if you’re already taking one. And you’ll probably lose weight in the process, which also helps your heart.

• Want to keep your blood pressure below the danger point? Get at least 4 servings of whole-grain foods a day.

Hypertension risk starts to drop with just one to two servings of whole grains daily, but getting 4 makes the greatest impact. For maximum benefits - younger arteries, better bowel function, and lower cancer risk - you’ll need 6 servings of whole grains daily.

• Drink a glass of orange juice with your oatmeal to help raise your breakfast to superstar status. Researchers have founds that nutrients in oatmeal and OJ work together to provide double the benefits you’d expect from simply adding their powers together. Phenols in oatmeal and the vitamin C in OJ both help make LDL (low density lipoprotein) more stable.

The more stable LDL is, the less likely it is to rupture, stick to artery walls, and cause myocardial infarction (heart attack).

But consume the phenols and vitamin C together and they’ll stabilize LDL at twice the level expected from adding their effects together. It’s like this: 2 + 2 = 8, not 4, when it comes to benefits.

12  May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Folate and vitamin B12 seem to reduce the risk of a very common kind of stroke. In a recent study, men who had the highest folate intake reduced their risk of ischemic stroke by about 30%. The study is part of a growing body of research showing that both folate and vitamin B12 lower levels of homocysteine. High blood levels of homocysteine are linked to cardiovascular problems like stroke. Your diet is a good source of folate and vitamin B12. Most pastas, breads, cereals, fruit juices, and grains produced in the U.S. are fortified with folate. Other good sources are asparagus, artichokes, black-eyed peas, sunflower seeds, avocados, spinach, and broccoli. Vitamin B12 is found primarily in meat, eggs, dairy products and in fortified breakfast cereals.

According to research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, taking vitamin C or E supplements, either individually or in combination, does not appear to lower the risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease in older adults.

Yellow curry ingredient may prevent heart failure

According to a study recently published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers found eating curcumin, a natural ingredient in the spice turmeric, may dramatically reduce the chance of developing heart failure.

The healing properties of turmeric have been well known in eastern cultures for some time. The herb has been used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine

to reduce scar formation. The researchers note that since curcumin is a naturally occurring compound that is readily available at a low cost, it might be a safe and effective means of preventing heart failure in the future.

If clinical trials of curcumin support initial findings of heart enlargement prevention, it may offer hope for millions of patients with heart enlargement in a relatively safe and inexpensive manner.

Curcumin-based treatments are currently in clinical trials for pancreatic and colorectal cancer patients with promising results.

There may not be a sip of difference between bottled water and tap water If you buy certain brands thinking the water is cleaner or safer, experts say you may as well be pouring money down the drain. In fact, 25% of bottled water is actually just repackaged tap water.

Bottled water is regulated by the FDA, but when it’s packaged and sold in the same state - the case with around 60% of bottled waters - it becomes exempt from FDA regulations. It’s been shown some bottled waters do not meet EPA standards so you really have to be careful in your selection. Make sure

you know the company that’s producing it and pay attention to how the water is processed. Ideally it should have been distilled or processed through reverse osmosis.” But experts say that filling your cup at the tap can be just as clean and healthy. In most cases tap water adheres to stricter purity standards than bottled water Also, water should not be kept at anything above room temperature. Leaving water for days in a hot car for instance can cause bacteria in the water to multiply.

Eat more dairy and lose weight Stocking the refrigerator with low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese, and yogurt may make it easier to lose those extra pounds and burn fat.

Although calories still count, the study showed that obese adults who ate a high-dairy diet lost significantly more weight and fat than those who ate a low-dairy diet containing the same number of calories. In addition to losing significantly more body weight, participants also lost significantly more body fat and experienced significantly greater reductions in waist circumference (a measure that is used to check how much abdominal fat is lost).

Besides improved weight loss and body fat reduction, inclusion of fat-free dairy products in slimming diets may prevent the bone loss that accompanies conventional slimming regimens, thus counteracting osteoporosis and may reduce blood pressure for patients with hypertension.

Dairy foods such as fatfree or skim milk, fat-free or low-fat yogurt, and fat-free or low-fat cheeses can be used to increase your calcium and/or dairy intake when you are slimming: Although other dairy products are also rich in calcium, they are generally high in fat and this high fat content could hamper weight loss.

Healthy postmenopausal women taking vitamin D daily with their calcium over 4 years had fewer breast, colon, lung, lymph/leukemia, and uterine cancers than women taking calcium alone. Since the winter months tend to be short on sunlight, taking a supplement and getting more vitamin D in your diet can help protect you from shortages of the sunshine vitamin. You can also get a boost from salmon and other fatty fish, fortified cereal, and dairy products.

THE BEST of TIMES ď&#x192;ź May 2008 ď&#x192;ž 13

14  May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

UPDATE

Marci’s Medicare Answers

Dear Marci, I have been more forgetful than usual these past few months, and would like to go see my doctor. Does Medicare cover screenings for dementia or Alzheimer’s disease? --Eliot Dear Eliot, Yes, Medicare will cover medically necessary visits to the doctor and laboratory tests needed to diagnose any suspected disease or condition, including dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Methods to diagnose these conditions include a consultation with a primary care physician and/or with a neurologist or other specialist, a mental status evaluation, a physical examination, a brain scan and a psychiatric evaluation.

Medicare will cover 80 percent for your initial mental health visit, 80 percent for medication management and 50 percent for ongoing mental health treatment like psychotherapy. If a full diagnostic evaluation fails to clearly show whether your symptoms are the result of Alzheimer’s disease or frontal-temporal lobe dementia, Medicare will pay for a PET scan to clarify the diagnosis. ~Marci

Alzheimer’s disease screenings, bone density test, and state pharmaceutical assistance programs longed period of time (such as a steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). ~Marci Dear Marci, I just heard that some states have programs to help people with drug costs.

How do these work? --Tim Dear Tim, Most states offer a state pharmaceutical assistance program (SPAP) for their residents. Each state can design their program differently, but many states coordinate their drug assistance programs with Medicare’s drug benefit (Part D) and require members to join a Medicare private drug plan. Call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) office to find out if your state has an SPAP and how it works with the Medicare drug benefit.

You can get the number for your SHIP by calling 800-MEDICARE. If your state’s SPAP works with Part D, it may help pay for a drug plan in a number of ways. You may get assistance paying for your monthly premium and copays. You may get help paying for your deductible (the amount you pay out of pocket before your drug coverage begins). In most cases, what the SPAP helps pay for your prescriptions will count toward reaching your

“catastrophic coverage limit”, the amount you must pay out of pocket in your plan before your costs go down substantially. The out-of-pocket limit in all Part D plans in 2008 is $4,050. You should always check with the SPAP directly to see if and how it will work with Part D. ~Marci Marci’s Medicare Answers is a service of the Medicare Rights Center (www. medicarerights.org), the nation’s largest independent source of information and assistance for people with Medicare. To subscribe to “Dear Marci,” MRC’s free educational e-newsletter, simply e-mail dearmarci@medicarerights.org.

Dear Marci, My family has a history of osteoporosis, and I had a bone density test last year. My doctor says I need to have another bone density test soon. Will Medicare pay for it? --Yvonne Dear Yvonne, If your doctor believes you are at risk for osteoporosis and orders the test, Medicare will cover 80 percent of the cost of one bone density test (also known as bone mass measurement) every two years (24 months), after you pay your annual Part B deductible. Medicare will also cover follow-up measurements or more frequent screenings if your doctor prescribes them.

Those at high risk for osteoporosis include people who have a family history of the disease, spinal abnormalities, particular conditions (such as thyroid disorders) or have taken certain medications for a proTHE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  15

16  May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Medicare’s Coverage of Preventive Care Services

Did you know that Medicare covers many preventive care services? It wasn’t always so, and coverage for many services were added only in the past few years. Doctors may not realize that Medicare now covers these services, so it is important to ask your doctor about them.

As long as you meet basic eligibility standards, you have the right to receive these services no matter which Medicare health plan you are enrolled in. Your costs for these services may be different if you are in a Medicare private health plan (like an HMO or PPO). However, private plans cannot charge you anything for the flu or pneumonia vaccine. In addition, private plans cannot require that you get a referral in order to get a screening mammogram or a flu shot.

Be sure to follow the Medicare guidelines for receiving these services in order to ensure that Medicare will cover them. Some services are covered only once every few years and others are covered only if you meet specific criteria. Medicare may cover these tests more frequently if you are at risk for a condition or they are needed for diagnosis or treatment. For example, Medicare will generally cover 80 percent of the cost of a colonoscopy once every ten years if you are not at high risk for colorectal cancer. If, however, you are considered at high risk (have a family history of the disease, have had colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer, or have had inflammatory bowel disease), Medicare will generally cover 80% of the cost of this procedure once every two years.

Some of the preventive screening services are covered only after you’ve met your Part B deductible ($135 in 2008), while others are covered even if you haven’t. Medicare now covers blood tests every five years to screen for cardiovascular disease, and will pay 100% of its approved amount for these tests, even before you have met the Part B deductible. Two procedures used to screen for prostate cancer follow two different guidelines: Medicare covers 100 percent of the cost of a PSA test (with no Part B deductible required) and 80 percent of the cost of a digital rectal exam (after you pay your annual Part B deductible). (If you are in a Medicare private health plan - HMO or PPO - you may have a copay for the PSA test. Call your plan to find out what you will have to pay.)

To learn more about which preventive care services are covered by Medicare, and the guidelines you need to follow to qualify for coverage, log on to Medicare Interactive Counselor at the Medicare Rights Center’s website at www.medicarerights. org/help.html. Medicare Interactive Counselor is a resource provided by the Medicare Rights Center, the largest independent source of health care information and assistance in the United States for people with Medicare.

Louisiana ranked least healthy state in the United States* *United Health Foundation

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It’s time to give our uninsured patients first-class access to health care. Blueprint Louisiana, with input from people like you, has developed a plan that improves access to local care and strengthens doctor training. And we need your help. Spend five minutes at www.blueprintlouisiana.org to learn how you can make a difference in improving not only health care, but ethics, education and roads, too. Together, we will make it happen. lll#WajZeg^ciadj^h^VcV#dg\ Paid for by Blueprint Louisiana

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THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  17

FINANCIAL

Renters Insurance is a Must Landlords usually only insure the building. You’re responsible for any lost or damaged possessions.

Jason Alderman

If you’re a renter and there’s an accident or burglary, the landlord’s insurance will pick up the tab, right? Not true. Landlords usually only insure the building structure itself, so you’re responsible for any lost or damaged possessions. And, if someone falls in your apartment or gets bitten by your dog, guess who they might sue? You. Given this level of risk exposure, it’s surprising more tenants don’t carry renter’s insurance. Many people feel their belongings aren’t valuable enough to insure, but suppose an electrical fire or burst pipe ruined everything: think how much it would cost to replace your possessions - not to mention pay for alternate housing during repairs.

Here are a few tips for finding the right coverage:

18  May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

What it covers. Renter’s insurance commonly covers property that’s lost, damaged or stolen due to most occurrences including fire, lightning, windstorms, hail, explosions, smoke, vandalism, theft, plumbing leaks or falling objects. You’re also usually covered away from home - for example, if your suitcase is stolen, someone breaks into your car or you get mugged. However, flood, hurricane and earthquake damage usually isn’t covered, so you’ll need a separate rider.

Inventory. Write down everything you own and how much it would cost to replace. Consider furniture, clothes, shoes, electronics (television, computer, DVD player, iPod, camera, etc.), watches and jewelry, art and other collectibles, kitchen appliances and dishes, books and CDs, sports equipment, etc. That’s the minimum coverage you need.

Document everything. To help settle claims faster and verify losses for tax

purposes, save receipts and photograph or videotape everything; store a copy of the file in a safe deposit box or other offsite location. Many personal finance software packages include an inventory program.

Payout options. Actual cash value (ACV) coverage pays the amount needed to repair or replace your belongings, minus depreciation and deductible. The alternative method, replacement cost coverage, pays the amount needed to replace the items in today’s dollars (minus deductible).

Here’s the difference: Say your TV cost $500 five years ago - it’s worth a fraction of that today. ACV would pay that depreciated amount, while replacement cost coverage would pay enough to buy a comparable new television. Replacement cost coverage is slightly more expensive, but probably worth it.

Liability coverage. Most policies cover amounts you’re liable for (including legal

fees) if you’re sued by someone harmed in your home. Given how expensive lawsuits are today, consider increasing this coverage well beyond the minimum amount.

Loss-of-use coverage. Many policies pay an allowance for housing and living expenses if you’re forced to move out temporarily. Check if this is included or costs extra.

High-value items. Standard policies typically place limits on how much they’ll pay to replace certain expensive items like jewelry, antiques, art and high-end electronics, so you may want to purchase additional riders to cover the difference.

Here are a few tips to lower your premium: • Higher deductibles carry lower premiums.

• Ask about discounts for added security devices like deadbolt locks, alarm systems and smoke detectors.

• Many carriers offer discounts if you have multiple policies through them (auto, life).

• Premiums often down after age 55.

To learn more about renter’s insurance and other issues renters face, like leases and security deposits, visit Visa’s

free personal financial management site, Practical Money Skills for Life (www. practicalmoneyskills.com/renters).

Nobody expects to be burgled or have a pipe burst, but you can lessen the pain by being properly insured.

Jason Alderman directs Visa’s financial education programs. To participate in a free, online Financial Literacy and Education Summit, go to www.practicalmoneyskills.com/summit2008. To sign up for a free monthly personal finance e-Newsletter, go to www.practicalmoneyskills.com/newsletter.

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  19

LEGAL

Foreclosure Rescue Scams

Scam artists are having no problems finding desperate people who fear they are about to lose their homes Lee Aronson

Fred (not his real name) recently came into my office with stacks and stacks of paperwork. He explained that he had bought a home about 3 years ago and had not had any problems making his monthly mortgage payment. So he was shocked when he got a notice in the mail saying that his mortgage payment was about to go up by approximately $200 per month. Fred knew he couldn’t afford to pay the extra $200 a month so he was thrilled when he saw an advertisement for a “service” offering to help him save his house.

Fred called the phone number in the ad and was told that he could actually lower his monthly mortgage payment rather than face a $200/month increase. All Fred would have to do is to sign some “refinancing papers” that the service would send to him by overnight mail. The next

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day, a huge stack of paperwork came in the mail with about 30 different places for Fred to sign.

Fred started to sign the paperwork but realized that he really didn’t understand all of the legalese and jargon. He also saw where he was supposed to sign some of the papers in front of a notary, so he called me.

I asked Fred to bring me his paperwork and as I went through it, I found buried in the stack a document called a quitclaim deed. If Fred had signed this paper, he wouldn’t have been refinancing his home: he would have been giving away his ownership interest in the home. In other words, if Fred had fallen for this scam, not only would he still be responsible for his mortgage payments, but he would also no longer be the owner of his home.

Unfortunately, Fred is not the only person in our local area to encounter this “foreclosure rescue” scam. Today’s housing market has brought many new scams to our area.

These scams are specifically designed to victimize homeowners facing an increase in their adjustable rate mortgage as well as the increasing number of homeowners in danger of foreclosure. In Louisiana, your mortgage is a public record. Anyone can go down to the courthouse and see your mortgage. Scam artists can study the mortgage records and find out who has an adjustable rate mortgage and exactly when the mortgage payments are scheduled to go up. Foreclosures are also public records. And with today’s economy, scam artists are having no problems finding lots and lots of desperate people who are fearful that they are about to lose their homes.

In addition to the quitclaim deed scam that Fred almost fell victim to, other “foreclosure rescue” scams involve an individual or business that takes the consumer’s money up-front and then disappears. Or does minimum work or no work at all. One scam artist based out of state charged a consumer $750 to make 3 phone calls to her mortgage company and then told the consumer that there was nothing else that could be done.

Something else desperate mortgage holders should watch out for: putting your home in trust. This scam involves trust documents with complex language and even if you keep a beneficial interest in the trust, you usually end up having to pay rent or other outrageous fees to the trustee in order to stay in your home.

For homeowners concerned about their mortgages, and even for those facing foreclosure, there are some things that you can do to help your situation but there are some things that you absolutely should not do. Unfortunately, none of these options are simple or easy to understand.

Legal Services of North Louisiana, a not-for-profit law firm, is offering free counseling to homeowners concerned about making their mortgage payments.

These services are available to everyone regardless of age or income. And unlike these many new scams, Legal Services of North Louisiana will not charge you anything. Ever. That’s because Legal Services of North Louisiana is a charitable organization dedicated to helping the public good. Their phone number is 222-7186 extension 233.

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  21

TRAVEL “Vacations with friends and family should be an enjoyable and memorable time away. But certain safety precautions should be given priority equal to that of flight arrangements and hotel locations,” says Lawrence Loesch, former NYPD Deputy Chief and Vice President and General Manager for AlliedBarton Security Services.

“Vacationers can face a host of problems from theft and minor personal injury to violence, arrests, and illnesses. We recommend that vacationers use common sense and take safety precautions that can help travelers enjoy a safe and relaxing vacation.” Loesch’s counsel includes:

Physical Safety: • Always stay with people you trust.

• Do not go anywhere with a stranger – even during the day.

• Carry a cell phone at all times in case of an emergency.

• Call home periodically to let family members know you are safe.

• Keep your identification with you.

• Be aware of local laws regarding alcohol.

• Do not drink and drive.

• To avoid being a target of crime, do not wear conspicuous clothing or jewelry and do not carry excessive amounts of money.

• Do not leave unattended luggage in

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Vacation Safety Tips

Use common sense to avoid travel-related problems public areas and do not accept packages from strangers.

• Always lock and bolt your hotel room when you are inside it.

Property Safety: • Always keep your hotel room locked.

• Try to leave valuables at home.

• Lock any valuables you do take in the hotel safe.

• Beware of scam artists or pick pockets.

• If your cell phone or credit card is stolen, report it immediately and cancel service.

• Do not carry or accept packages from strangers.

Beach Safety: • Always use sun block.

• Never swim alone and only swim when lifeguards are present.

• Do not consume alcohol when swimming or operating boating equipment.

• Take strong current and riptide warnings seriously.

Traveling Out of the Country: • Keep your passport in a secure location.

• Make sure you have a signed, valid passport, and a visa, if required, and fill in the emergency information page of your passport.

• Bring a photocopy of your passport and keep it in a safe place, in the event something happens to the original.

• Be cognizant of laws that may be different than what you are accustomed to.

• Know that safety standards may be different and roads and balconies may pose safety risks.

• Leave a copy of your itinerary and passport data page with family or friends at home.

• Familiarize yourself with local laws and safety concerns at the State Department website at www. travel.state.gov.

• Ask your medical insurance company if your policy applies overseas, and if it covers emergency expenses such as medical evacuation. If it does not, consider supplemental insurance. Note that Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide coverage for hospital or medical costs outside the United States.

• Any medications being carried overseas should be left in their original containers and be clearly labeled. Pack medicines and extra eyeglasses in your hand luggage so they will be available in case your checked luggage is lost. Make sure you have enough to last the duration of the trip, including extra medicine in case you are delayed.

• Register your travel plans with the State Department through a free online service at www.travelregistration.state. gov. This is important in the event of an emergency.

Lawrence Loesch is the former NYPD Deputy Chief and Vice President and General Manager for AlliedBarton Security Services, America’s leading physical security services firm.

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  23

LEGAL

Online Legal Instruments: Are They Worth It?

Money you save today may cost your family tomorrow Judge Jeff Cox

Each day, I hear about numerous people who are trying to save money by writing their own will, power of attorney, or living will. In the notary class that I teach, people come in with the misconception that as long as the will is notarized that it is valid. Others in the class ask about will forms that are on-line and can be used by the subscriber for a very small fee. In this article, I will attempt to explain why you should not use these forms.

The biggest problem with these forms is that they are almost always geared to common law states. As readers of this article have been told in the past, Louisiana is a civil law state which makes us different than all other states in the union.

Wills, powers of attorney, and living wills are written on the internet in common

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law terms that can cause confusion to judges and lawyers in Louisiana trying to interpret what the person intended. If the subscriber to the service looks at most of these forms, he or she will see that the form has a disclaimer provision which states that the form does not apply to the State of Louisiana. In addition, the form may have other disclaimers which may claim that different states have different provisions and the service is not responsible to advise of different state’s laws.

The next big problem with these services is that the person using these forms obtains no advice from an attorney. Each person’s estate is different. Each person has a different problem. These problems can range from wanting to leave specific items to a particular person to tax problems that could have been avoided with proper planning. Many problems are caused by persons wishing to save a little

money. In the long run, more money can be spent on correcting the problem than would have ever been spent on preventing the problem.

Another problem with powers of attorney and living wills is that certain language required to be placed in the instrument in other states is not required language in Louisiana. And, Louisiana requires certain language other states do not require. If the language is left out or put in, then the instrument can be misinterpreted and the person’s wishes may not be followed by the court due to the misinterpretation of the instrument.

As you can see, many problems can be avoided by seeking competent legal advice. The money you try to save today may cost your family tomorrow.

Jeff Cox is the 26th Judicial District Court Judge for Bossier/Webster Parishes, Division C.

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  25

ADVICE

The Road to Relationship Success

Five strategies for rejuvenating your relationship Jea Theis

The silver years can be marked by significant life changes – adult children leaving home, becoming a grandparent, switching jobs, retiring or decreasing work hours. For many, this may be the first time in decades since you have had the house (and your spouse) all to yourself. If you are like the majority of other couples, you may have spent more time cultivating your occupational success or watching your children’s romances blossom than building your own. The good news is, now is the perfect time to rejuvenate your own relationship! Whether you feel your relationship requires a tiny tune-up or a complete overhaul, below are five strategies to help you begin: 1. Make your relationship a priority – There are many worthwhile endeavors that

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clamor for our attention on a daily basis.

Children and grandchildren are likely to be among your top priorities, as is work. You may also be involved with friends, church, or volunteering, not to mention fitting in some much needed time for yourself. With all of these activities, it is no wonder that our intimate relationships tend to take a back seat in our busy lives. Your relationship deserves scheduled, non-negotiable time just like all of your other activities.

Both you and your partner must commit to making your relationship a priority if you desire successful changes.

2. Brush up on your communication skills – Communication is made up of two parts – speaking and listening. The term “active listening” is often used to describe the type of listening that we want (but often fail) to achieve. How many times have you sat there while your partner is talking, throwing in the odd “mmm-hmms”

or nods, all the while giving more attention to your newspaper or other task at hand?

We are all guilty of being inattentive listeners at times! In order to be a more effective listener, experiment with some of the following strategies (your partner will thank you): • When your partner begins a conversation, put down what you are doing to let them know they have your undivided attention.

• Try to identify the emotion behind the

information that your significant other is sharing – are they happy, upset, excited, or frustrated?

• Ask questions to clarify information.

• Try to refrain from offering a quick solution. Listen to the entire issue at hand, and then ask questions such as: “What do you think your options are?” or “Have you thought about a possible solution?”

3. Take an interest in your significant other – As humans, we are engaged by others showing an interest in us. When we have been with someone for years we occasionally take for granted that we know everything about them. However, people are dynamic and constantly changing. Even if you don’t share all of the same interests, try participating in your partner’s favorite activities from time to time. They will be honored that you want to be involved, and who knows – you might even enjoy it yourself!

4. Develop relationship rituals – Relationship rituals provide an opportunity to reconnect and honor your relationship.

They can be as simple as saying “I love you” every night before you go to bed, or as extravagant as a yearly cruise with just the two of you. Some couples choose to set

aside a “date night” every week or every two weeks when they devote time to spend together. If you enjoy physical activity, you can plan walks, camping trips, or weekends away. The key is to pick an activity you both enjoy that provides important bonding time with each other.

5. Use Humor – We have all heard that “laughter is the best medicine”, and it is also a sign of a healthy relationship. Life can be pretty boring if we don’t incorporate humor into our everyday lives, and since laughter is contagious, sharing humor with your partner can brighten their day as well!

Taking care of your relationship is a little bit like taking care of your car – it requires regular maintenance to keep it running as smoothly as possible. You can use the five strategies described above as a checklist to insure that the relationship with your significant other is your greatest support in times of happiness and in times of sorrow.

Jea Theis, MSSW, GSW is a licensed social worker at The Center for Families.

She holds a Masters of Science in Social Work degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  27

FITNESS

Moving Free® with Mirabai May is Osteoporosis Awareness Month Mirabai Holland, MFA

Osteoporosis is one of those silent diseases that can creep up on you before you know you have it. To combat Osteoporosis and help keep your bones healthy for a lifetime, it’s important to increase your Skeletal Fitness!

Osteoporosis is a disease, which, over time, causes bones to become thinner, more porous and less able to support the body. Usually there’s no pain in the early stages.

44 million of us are at risk for Osteoporosis. The vast majority are women.

Women often develop Osteopenia (low bone mass that can lead to Osteoporosis) in the first few years after menopause because they lose bone-protecting estrogen.

But, we can prevent and help reverse the effects of Osteoporosis by working out our bones. On the outside, bones look solid and rocklike, but they’re not.

They’re living tissue.

There is a smooth, hard, outside layer made of cortical bone, and the inside, is a strong, light weight, honeycomb-like structure, called trabecular bone, which contains blood vessels, and bone marrow. The combination

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of cortical and trabecular bone enables the skeleton to be light, strong, flexible and efficient.

By young adulthood, our bones have grown to their full size and density. But activity in our bones is far from over.

In a cycle called remodeling, old and weakened areas of our skeletons are broken down and replaced with new well-formed tissue. Adults have about 10 to 15% of their bone replaced each year.

In bones with Osteoporosis, the remodeling cycle is out of balance. Bone is broken down but little or nothing takes its place. The outside hard cortical layer gets thinner, and the honeycombed, trabecular inside becomes more porous.

Most people don’t discover they have Osteoporosis until a fracture occurs.

Fractures occur most often at the spine, at the hip, and at the wrist.

The good news is since bones are living tissue they can become denser with weight bearing exercise.

For example, astronauts lose bone mass in the weightlessness of space. To combat this, NASA is training astronauts for a

mission to Mars, to do weight bearing exercise that simulates the exercises they will need to do in space to maintain their bone mass. Weight bearing exercise for Skeletal Fitness is called bone loading. When working out your bones it’s important to load the areas most at risk for fracture: the spine, the hip, and the wrist.

So for instance try these Do’s to help load the three areas most at risk: • Carrying a backpack instead of a purse to help load your spine.

• Take stairs instead of the elevator whenever you can to load your hips.

• Grab some soup cans and do 8-16 reps of wrist curls and when that gets too light invest in some hand weights. Remember; always exhale on exertion when you’re lifting a weight. Start with a comfortable weight and add one pound every couple of weeks, or, when it feels too easy.

• As you get stronger you can add a full body weight-training program with special emphasis on the areas at risk for Osteoporosis.

Weight train every other day, because your body needs time to recover and grow stronger.

If you are at risk for or have Osteoporosis, here are some Don’ts • As a general rule, don’t do anything that requires you to bend forward from the waist with the back rounded; this is called spinal flexion and increases the risk of collapsed vertebra so no toe touches.

• Avoid sit-ups, and crunches. Instead, you can strengthen your abdominals by keeping them pulled in, navel back to your spine during daily activity.

Also, always consult with your doctor, get all the information you can, together you can decide what’s best for you. The

National Osteoporosis Foundation has great info at www.nof.com And remember, it’s never too early or too late to start working out your bones!

For more information on bone-loading workouts please visit www.movingfree. com. Mirabai Holland M.F.A. is one of the leading authorities in the Health & Fitness industry, and public health activist who specializing in preventive and rehabilitative exercise for women. Her Moving Free® approach to exercise is designed to provide a movement experience so pleasant it doesn’t feel like work.

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  29

30  May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

May is here and it is a wonderful month to travel. April showers have passed and the unbearable heat of summer has yet to begin. With school still in session, most families haven’t started vacationing and that means crowds are still at a minimum.

So, if the travel bug has bitten you and you want to try a new destination, somewhere off the beaten path, then pack your bags and set off for any four of the convenient destinations we have picked for you. Their proximity makes them perfect for a weekend getaway and their small size makes them easy to navigate once you’re there. (Population counts are from 2000 U.S. Census numbers.)

Opelousas, Louisiana Distance from Shreveport: 190 miles Estimated Travel Time: 2.0 hours 53 minutes Population: 22,860 Maybe you have driven through Opelousas many times on your way to Lafayette. But, have you ever considered making Opelousas your destination?

You should. This southern Louisiana town is full of fun and interesting things to do.

As the third oldest city in Louisiana, Opelousas has a very interesting history. As early as 1690, French “Coureur de Bois”

traders came to the area to trade with the Opelousas Indians.

There is not an exact date for the founding of the city, but records indicate that the first land grant was issued in 1764. The name Opelousas means Blackleg.

A visit to Opelousas should definitely include a stop at La Vieux Village, a recreated village depicting earlier life in Opelousas. The village was created in 1988 and many of its structures were donated by families from the area. Two of the structures located at the village include: the Whiteville Schoolhouse, a two-room country schoolhouse constructed about 1911 in the Whiteville area of St. Landry Parish; Palmetto African-American Methodist Church, a former African-American Methodist Church built in 1948 in the village of Palmetto. Guided tours of the village are available by request.

Another must-see site in Opelousas is the Creole Heritage Folklife Center. The center was founded to promote the rich African-American heritage and culture in the area. At the center you will hear stories and learn about the African-American culture in South Louisiana. Be sure to step into the “Designs by Rebecca” area which showcases handcrafted gourds, homemade soaps and potpourri, and okra angels.

It is always a good idea to visit the local visitor center THE BEST ofTHE TIMES  ofMay 2008April 31 BEST TIMES

Murfreesboro, Arkansas Distance from Shreveport: 144 miles Estimated Travel Time: 2.0 hours 48 minutes Population: 1,764

If you are happiest when you are outdoors, communing with nature, then Murfreesboro is the ideal getaway spot for you. This little town in southwest Arkansas is a nature lovers dream. Six miles north of Murfreesboro is Narrows Dam, which creates Lake Greeson. If relaxing on the water is what your heart desires, book a stay at Self Creek Lodge and Marina or On permanent display at Swaha Lodge and Marina.

Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds Both facilities offer cabin State Park, where it was disand boat rentals. Be sure covered, the “Strawn-Wagner and bring binoculars as Diamond” is the most perfect Lake Greeson is a great diamond the American Gem place for bird watching.

Society (AGS) ever certified.

Almost 200 species of Graded the perfect grade of birds have been confirmed O/O/O (Ideal cut/D color/ Flawin the area, and eagles can less), or “Triple Zero,” it is the often be spotted around highest grade a diamond can the lake. achieve. A diamond this perfect Just below Narrows is so rare than most jewelers and Dam, the Little Missouri gemologists will never see one River flows and it is clear during their entire career. and cold, making it ideal “Uncle Sam,” a 40.23-carat, for rainbow trout. If fly white diamond found here in fishing is a hobby, or you 1924, is the largest diamond have always wanted to try ever found in North America. your hand at it, this is the Legend has it that the diamond place. was named after it’s finder, No trip to Murfreesboro W.D. Bassum, who went by the is complete without a trip to nickname, “Uncle Sam.” Over their claim to fame: Crater the years, it was cut twice; the of Diamonds State Park. second cutting resulted in a The park is located just two 12.42-carat, emerald-cut gem. miles southeast of town Other notable finds include and is a must for those that the “Star of Murfreesboro,” like to dig in the dirt or like which weighed 34.25 carats; sparkly diamonds. This the “Star of Arkansas,” which is the only place in North was 15.33 carats and the 8.82America where, for a small carat “Star of Shreveport.” fee, you can dig for real The 4.25-carat “Kahn Canary” diamonds. Best of all, you diamond was found here in 1977 get to keep what you find. and was worn by Hillary Clinton The trained park staff can during the presidential inaugural verify if you have a pretty balls as well as two gubernatorock or a real diamond. rial inaugurations.

Maybe you will find your own “Uncle Sam,” a 40.42 carat diamond that holds the record as the largest diamond found at the park.

For a unique look at the lives of people who lived in southwest Arkansas long before white settlers, visit the KA-DO-HA

Crater of Diamonds Big Finds

(CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE) when visiting a town. When you visit the Opelousas Visitor & Welcome Center you will get an extra treat. The center houses the Jim Bowie Display and Museum, with artifacts and memorabilia on the life of Jim Bowie, who was an Opelousas citizen.

If you tire of history and want a little modern excitement, head down the road to Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino.

Evangeline Downs has a new one mile oval and, this year, a seven-eighths of a mile turf course will be ready for racing.

Within a year, there will be a new attraction in Opelousas.

The city will be the site of the second Orphan Train Museum in the nation. The museum will document the experiences of an estimated 200,000 orphaned, abandoned and homeless children who were placed out in what is known today as the Orphan Train Era (1854-1929).

There are so many reasons to visit Opelousas. In fact, Melanie Lee, tourism director for Opelousas, said one weekend might not be enough time to take it all in.

“Opelousas has got so much culture,” she said. “Our musical heritage is made up of Cajun and Creole and zydeco music.

Adding to that even more is our food that can be found here.

We have, of course, Cajun and Creole food. I think people are kind of enchanted by our culture and our hospitality.”

So go on down south and take advantage of the culture and hospitality in Opelousas.

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Indian Village. Just a mile from town, this prehistoric site was populated by Mound builders approximately 1000 years ago. There is an audio museum on site, tours of the excavations, and a trading post with Indian crafts and souvenirs. If you didn’t get your fill of digging in the dirt at the Crater of Diamonds, then do a little more hunting in the KA-DO-HA arrowhead hunting field. And, yes, like the diamond park, you get to keep what you find.

History buffs will want to take a short trip south to Historic Arkansas State Park. This 19th century museum village is full of restored homes and public buildings filled with antiques.

This is where James Black forged an original Bowie knife for Jim Bowie. This was also the site of the Arkansas Confederate Capital after the fall of Little Rock in September 1863.

As you step back in time, guides dressed in period attire will greet you at each stop and share stories of the site’s past. Be sure and visit the B.W. Weapons Museum on the grounds of the park. It houses a collection of over 600 firearms and an impressive collection of edged weapons, including, of course, an original Bowie knife. If you get hungry, dine at the circa 1832 Williams’ Tavern Restaurant. The food might not be period authentic, but the home-style Southern fare is sure to please.

Cynthia Mobley, who works for the Murfreesboro Chamber of Commerce, said the Crater of Diamonds State Park and the trout fishing seems to lure most visitors to the area.

But there are a lot of historic sites in the area, she added.

“It’s pretty easy to get to surrounding attractions and we are only 56 miles from Hot Springs,” she said.

Jefferson,Texas

Distance from Shreveport: 57 miles Estimated Travel Time: 1 hour 1 minute Population: 2,024 This little Texas town, just an hour from Shreveport, has something to offer everybody. A historic town, with a well preserved downtown, Jefferson has a colorful background.

Jefferson, situated on Big Cypress Bayou, was a river port town, and has been called the “River Port to the Southwest.”

The boats came up the Mississippi River into the Red River, through Caddo Lake, and up Big Cypress to what was known as the “Turning Basin,” where

the stern-wheelers loaded and unloaded cargo.

Jefferson was a happening place in the years after the Civil War. In 1872, Jefferson saw the arrival of 226 steamboats, with an average capacity of 425 tons each. Jefferson began declining after the U.S. Corps FROM THE INTERNET: of Engineers, in 1873, removed The town of Jefferson will the Great Raft from the Red delight you with its nineteenthRiver above Shreveport, drop- century charm and endless ping the water level in Big variety of recreational activities.

Cypress Bayou and making Browse through dozens of antique shops. Go on a steamboat shipping unfeasible.

Thankfully, the city has on Caddo Lake at sunset. Hear done a wonderful job of pre- its history on the Riverboat tour. serving its history. Many of Walk through the doors of the finthe town’s historic homes have est homes in town open daily for been preserved and are bed tours. Water-ski or swim in Lake O’ the Pines, fish in Caddo, canoe and breakfasts or are open for or paddleboat along Cypress tours. The McKay House was Bayou in this wet, wonderful, built in 1851 by Daniel Alley, beautiful corner of Texas. one of Jefferson’s founders.

Area attractions include Caddo The home has been fully re- Lake State Park, Lake O’ the stored and is now a bed and Pines, Texas History Museum, breakfast. The Wise Manor is Freeman Plantation, and Jeffera Victorian cottage, built circa son Historical Society Museum.

1851, and is also completely www.virtualcities.com/ons/tx/city/txjefferson.htm restored. It is open to tours by appointment.

If looking at all of the antiques in the historic homes makes you yearn for a few of your own, then you are in the right city.

Jefferson abounds with antique shops; among them are LizBet’s Antiques, River City Mercantile, Three Rivers Antiques and Walnut Street Market. There are many more and most are located downtown.

While downtown, be sure and visit Jefferson Historical Museum. This interesting museum is full of antiques, Civil War collections, Caddo Indian artifacts and early pioneer implements. A visit to the museum’s basement will reward you with an early 19th century Jefferson kitchen, complete with cookery, furniture and cooking utensils.

Jefferson is located between two lakes: Caddo Lake to the east, and Lake O’ the Pines to the west. Caddo Lake is the largest natural lake in the South and is beautiful, with draping Spanish moss and Cyprus trees. The lake has a history all of its very own. Lake O’the Pines is a manmade lake, and is perfect for THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  33

(CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE) swimming and boating. If you visit Caddo Lake, be sure and book a tour on a riverboat. One boat, The Graceful Ghost, run by the Caddo Lake Steamboat Company, is an authentic recreation of a 1800s steamboat. It will be a unique way to take in all the wildlife and nature the lake offers.

“Jefferson is unique,” said Juanita Wakefield Chitwood, director of tourism development. “There is a certain ambiance or feeling about Jefferson when people first arrive that they say they can’t quite put their finger on - can’t quite describe. It is a great place to come visit. Everything is in walking distance. You can come to Jefferson, park your car and stroll. You can come in and do a lot, or you can come in and do

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nothing - sit on a park bench and watch the world go by and listen to the birds.”

With this historic little town so close, and so accessible once you get there, there is no reason not to make this your destination for a weekend getaway. Go ahead and step back in time.

Nacogdoches, Texas

Distance from Shreveport: 104 miles Estimated Travel Time: 1 hour 58 minutes Population: 29,914

By now, most of us have heard that blueberries are considered a super food. They are so good and good for you. If you love all things blueberry, get yourself to Nacogdoches the second weekend in June. This Texas town, the oldest in the state, is home to the only state sanctioned blueberry

festival. The town is celebrating its 20th festival this year and it promises to be a fantastic time.

City leaders say they will “paint the town blue.”

Nacogdoches County is one of the leading blueberry producers in the state, with the peak harvest coming in early summer.

The festival features live music, blueberry farm tours and all manner of blueberry fare. This is a family friendly and free festival.

“This is the largest festival held in downtown Nacogdoches, and we’re hoping this year’s will be the best ever,” said festival chair Joe Scifo.

“We’ll have vendors downtown on the brick streets and in Festival Park offering everything from tacos to Texas flags to barbecue and, of course, fresh blueberries,” Scifo said.

“As always, we’ll have some great live music and plenty of fun things for the kids to do as well.”

Besides blueberries, another Nacogdoches claim to fame is the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University. It is the largest azalea garden in the state of Texas. Nacogdoches was also the first city in the United States to earn the distinction of “Azalea City of America” by the Azalea Society

of America.

As the oldest town in Texas, Nacogdoches is absolutely steeped in history. The town is named for the Caddo family of Indians who once lived in the area. The town remained an Indian settlement until Spain established a mission there in 1716.

The mission was later abandoned, but in 1779 a prominent Spanish trader named Antonio Gil Y’Barbo led a group of settlers returning to Nacogdoches. That year, Spain designated Nacogdoches as a pueblo, making it the first “town” in Texas.

Be sure and visit The Stone Fort Museum, a 1936 replica of Y’Barbo’s stone house, which now sits on the Stephen F. Austin campus and houses displays about East Texas history.

Other historical Nacogdoches sites that are definitely worth a visit are Millard’s Crossing Historical Village, a reconstructed 19th century village in East Texas; Oak Grove Cemetery, where four signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence are buried; and the Sterne-Hoya House Museum, built in 1830 by a leader in the fight for an independent Texas.

An interesting fact, at least to history buffs, is that nine flags have flown over

Nacogdoches, as opposed to the six that have represented the state of Texas. That is just one of the many interesting facts to be learned in Nacogdoches.

Many historic sites are included in downtown walking tours and audio driving tours offered by the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau. The tours begin at the downtown Visitors’ Center.

“Our big (attraction) is our historic downtown district,” said Sarah O’Brien, media coordinator for Nacogdoches. “We have a self-guided walking tour that goes to the 15 historic sites in the downtown area, which includes three of our downtown museums.”

So, whether you’re fond of flowers, fruit or fascinating history, Nacogdoches is a town you are sure to love.

For more information on these cities, visit: www.murfreesboroark.com www.visitnacogdoches.org www.cityofopelousas.com www.jefferson-texas.com

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  35

PHARMACY

No Guts, No Glory: Better Ways to Banish the Burn Suzy tumors. Prilosec OTC (omeprazole) is sold rogenes and bifidobacterium. Florastor Cohen, R.Ph. over-the-counter, giving access to anyone. contains a friendly yeast probiotic which is

I have had stomach problems for years with gas, bloating and heartburn. I am still not feeling well, despite taking Maalox, Zantac, Prilosec OTC and Nexium. How do all these medications work, and do you have other tips? – J.M., Madison, Wisconsin Here’s how medication works: Antacids: These sop up the acid in your stomach kind of like a sponge. They work quickly like when that Chicken Enchilada revisits you at 4am. Every medicine cabinet should stock an antacid like Mylanta, Maalox, Riopan or Tums.

H2 Blockers: These reduce the amount of acid your body makes. They take more time to kick in, but work longer than antacids. The two most popular meds include Zantac (ranitidine) and Pepcid AC (famotidine).

Proton Pump Inhibitors: These drugs suppress acid 24/7 in people with peptic ulcer disease, Barrett’s esophagus, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and gastric

36  May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

These drugs require prescription: Prevacid, Aciphex and Nexium.

But do we need a pill to eat? This mindset has been hammered into us thanks to aggressive marketing campaigns and television commercials. I assure you, there are great ways to improve gut integrity, and we should be more focused on this, rather than on shutting down acid. You need acid to digest your food, do you realize that?!

Many people who take acid blockers, may be acid deficient (digestive acids are sold as betaine hydrochloride or trimethylglycine or TMG).

Here are other ways to restore health: Probiotics: Replenish the friendly camp of beneficial organisms in your gut and crowd out disease-causing bacteria or yeast. These help you digest food so it may contribute to weight loss, stop the gas, and lower your risk for urinary tract or yeast infections. Quality supplements like Culturelle contain a well-studied and proven organism called Lactobacillus GG. Other good brands contain L. acidophilus, L. spo-

great for kids and adults, especially when taking antibiotics. It may prevent diarrhea and cramping.

Enzymes: These are chemicals naturally found in fresh, raw fruits and veggies which help you break down your meals. Lipase is an enzyme which breaks down fat; amylase breaks down carbs and lactase breaks down dairy foods. I recommend Digest because it is plant-derived (Enzymedica) and take it with every meal. Another choice is pancreatin enzymes, especially for those with cystic fibrosis; enzymes relieve burping, bloating, gas, heartburn, abdominal pain and help with allergies...maybe even cancer.

L-glutamine: A natural amino acid which nourishes and protects your gut lining. It helps all digestive disorders including Crohn’s, Celiac, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and ulcerative colitis. It seems to soothe and heal ulcers by stimulating the production of healing ‘mucoproteins.’

Amazingly, L-glutamine might curb your crave for alcohol. Supplements provide a pure and easy way to get beneficial amounts.

Dosage: L-glutamine 1000 – 2000 mg twice daily (capsules or powders are perfect).

This information is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Suzy Cohen is the author of “The 24-Hour Pharmacist.” For more information, visit www.DearPharmacist.com. © 2008 Suzy Cohen, RPh. Distributed by Dear Pharmacist, Inc.

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  37

Mary-Ann Valiulis, 67, of Shreveport, does not consider being older an excuse to stop learning. She is currently enrolled at Louisiana State University-Shreveport and is a candidate for a Master of Liberal Arts. And, after she earns that degree, she intends to keep going out to LSU-S to take any class that might interest her.

Born and raised in New York City, she came to Shreveport in 1972. Her husband, a physician from the Midwest, had an opportunity to visit Shreveport for a job position and the family decided to stay.

38  May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

“We fell in love with it and have been very happy,” she said. “Two of my children are back here in Shreveport, living and raising their families. It has been a very good fit for us.”

Valiulis earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in secondary education from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The mother of five children and grandmother of 10 was a stay at home mother.

Her children attended St. Joseph Catholic School and she did a lot of volunteer and substitute teaching there.

Education has always been very important to her family. All of her children have graduate degrees.

Her children and grandchildren all think her pursuit of another degree is great, but they probably aren’t surprised by it as she has always made learning a part of her life.

When asked why she decided to go back to school for this degree, Valiulis said she will take pride in the accomplishment, but the real reason is because it is a great opportunity for her to continue her education (both in and out of the classroom) and to become very aware of the world situation.

“I like to learn,” she said. “I am a reader.

I am very stimulated by it (learning) and I enjoy it very much.”

She also really enjoys LSU-S. “It is an asset for this community. (I

think) it is important that they are part of the community. I can’t say enough about it. It’s easy to get to and parking is very convenient. The library facilities are amazing. They will obtain any book that you need for a project and you can do that in the library or over the internet from home.

And they are all extremely helpful.”

Students pursuing a master’s degree can go to school part-time, as Valiulis does. That equates to about six credit hours a semester. She does, however, take additional classes that are not part of her degree program. She audits those classes, which means she is not required to write papers for them or make presentations, but gets to enjoy all of the lectures and class discussions.

“When you audit there is no pressure,” she said. “You just come and enjoy and listen. But you do participate. Everybody wants to know what you are thinking.”

Auditing a class might mean the pressure is off, but her classes that count towards her degree require her to do a good deal of work.

She is not just coasting along, but putting in the time and effort just like any other student would.

“I am a much more serious student now (than when I was younger),” she said. “I am absolutely the oldest in my classes, but they learn that I am just as serious. Because I am working for a degree, I have papers and I am working on a thesis.”

Every teacher she has had at LSU-S is

a Ph.D. She said she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how many schools can say that. Her teachers are extremely interested in their students and extremely helpful. They will meet with people anytime that they need help or just even extra discussion, she said.

She is equally as fond of her fellow students. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The students are very bright. I am very impressed at how very astute they are about situations. It is fun to listen to them.

I have never had one where I thought â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;they are young and they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what they are talking about.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; It is not like that at all.

Everybody is coming from where they are coming from and it is great. It is a great experience for everyone in the class.â&#x20AC;?

Valiulis said most her classes are small, seminar type classes. Many of her classes only have eight or so students in them. You really get to know the other people in the class, as well as the professors, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They (fellow students) love senior citizens because we come with a whole different perspective from say a 20-year-old or a 25-year-old. It is a lot of fun because they listen to our experiences and we listen to theirs. Everyone brings something into these classes.â&#x20AC;?

She will â&#x20AC;&#x153;absolutely go back and audit classesâ&#x20AC;? after she earns her degree. By auditing, she said she will take all of the best from the classes without the pressure.

She has no intention of putting an end to her search for more knowledge and understanding about the world she lives in. Best of all, she has found the perfect place to keep learning and age doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Senior citizens are very welcomed at the school by everyone - faculty and students.â&#x20AC;?

OVER 65?

LSUS students sixty-five years of age or older are exempt from tuition and certain fees. Students apply in the Admissions and Records Office at least one week prior to the beginning of the term. Louisiana State University in Shreveport, One University Place, Shreveport, LA 71115. (318) 7975000. www.lsus.edu

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Here is the original

Mother’s Day Proclamation

from 1872, written by Julia Ward Howe, famed poet and writer of The Battle Hymn of the Republic “Arise, then, women of this day!

Arise all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or of tears!

Say firmly: “We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies.

Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.

We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.

From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says “Disarm, Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice.”

Blood does not wipe our dishonor nor violence indicate possession. As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.

Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means whereby the great human family can live in peace, each bearing after their own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God. In the name of womanhood and of humanity, I earnestly ask that a general congress of women without limit of nationality may be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient and at the earliest period consistent with its objects, to promote the alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, the great and general interests of peace.”

Mother’s Day was originally started after the Civil War, as a protest to the carnage of that war, by women who had lost their sons.

Julia Ward Howe failed in her attempt to get formal recognition of a Mother’s Day for Peace. Her idea was influenced

by Anna Jarvis, a young Appalachian homemaker who had attempted starting in 1858 to improve sanitation through what she called Mothers’ Work Days.

She organized women throughout the Civil War to work for better sanitary conditions for both sides, and in 1868 she began work to reconcile Union and Confederate neighbors.

Anna Jarvis’ daughter, also named Anna Jarvis, would of course have known of her mother’s work, and the work of Julia Ward Howe. Much later, when her mother died, this second Anna Jarvis started her own crusade to found a memorial day for women who helped improve the human condition. In 1914 the President, Woodrow Wilson, declared the first national Mother’s Day. By then, the growing consumer culture had successfully redefined women as consumers for their families. Politicians and businessmen eagerly embraced the idea of celebrating the act of motherhood and mothering. As the Florists’ Review, the industry’s trade journal, bluntly put it, “This was a holiday that could be exploited.”

The new advertising industry quickly taught Americans how to honor their mothers - by buying flowers.

Outraged by florists who were selling carnations for the exorbitant price of $1 apiece ($98 in today’s money), Anna Jarvis’ daughter undertook a campaign against those who “would undermine Mother’s Day with their greed.”

But she fought a losing battle. Within a few years, the Florists’ Review triumphantly announced that it was “Miss Jarvis who was completely squelched.”

~ Happy Mother’s Day. THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  41

Review exclusive to THE BEST OF TIMES by Mike Jameson, with Tina Calligas, José Navarro, and Adrian Kimberly.

Photos of the food by Gary Calligas.

Along the bottom of each spotless and oversized-card-stock daily menu at bella fresca are words from Jeremiah Tower, who, along with Alice Waters, is generally credited with inventing “California cuisine.” It amuses chef/owner David Bridges that the quote has nothing to do with food and everything to do with the mental state of those who do what he does for a living. Having owned three restaurants and worked in many more, I can assure you that this is truth in advertising!

For those of you who have never labored in the vineyard of the restaurant biz, know that it’s a brutal (if beautiful pre-)occupation. You must be committed, which comes very close to “committed,” if you know what I mean, and, clearly, David does.

His restaurant has happily rebounded from the initial luke-warm reception a complete redecoration received, and Chef Bridges is about to burst onto the the national cooking scene. As recently announced on Emeril Lagasse’s website, Chef David Bridges was named one of five “Chefs to Watch” by Louisiana Cookin’ magazine, in an upcoming issue (July/August 2008). He is the only chef in all of north Louisiana so awarded by the nationally-distributed magazine.

Is he, in fact, a chef to watch?

Prompted by news of his exciting award, we visited bella fresca to enjoy the fruits of his labors before the stampede that will surely follow when Louisiana Cookin’ hits the stands. Our verdict: With his open kitchen, you can’t overlook genius at work.

And the result is thrilling.

42 42   May May2008 2008   THE THEBEST BESTof ofTIMES TIMES

Gone is the fusty faux “Tuscany” decorating scheme. The watchword now is crisp, clean and fresh. Wainscotted white walls with an eye-catching march of rather stunning framed art greet and rest the eye.

Carpeting, installed after their grand reopening, rests the ear, and opening up a row of windows adds to a sense of spaciousness.

Even when busy, this is a wonderfully comfy place to attend to serious food.

And how serious is this chef about his food? He’s there from 11 a.m. until “late” Monday through Saturday, that’s how much. Yes, that’s him back there; you can watch him create, surrounded and supported by some of the most talented and hardestworking restaurant people in Shreveport.

An excellent example is Ben, our waiter at a Saturday lunch. Experienced, poised, full of information and quick on his feet, Ben’s service was faultless.

Wine by the glass is served in separate little carafes and bread arrives warm and delicious in little brown paper bags. Large pearls of real butter accompany it. There’s something a little precious about it all, but it’s amusing nonetheless.

We opened with Thai fried calamari with sweet chili sauce ($12) and two sides of Fried Green Tomatoes ($5 ea.) to be shared among the five of us at the table. Things got ugly as four of them (they know who they are) engaged in an aerial chop-sticks battle over the mound of squid rings. “Perfect!,” they proclaimed in imperfect unison.

Dollops of fresh remoulade dotted the crispy-coated tomatoes, served atop a bed of baby lettuces and greens. This classic is so rarely done right. Here, it is.

Cups of the soup of the day, Crawfish Bisque, were swimming with the title mudbugs. However, this bisque is brothbased and topped with a delicious floating crustini, which is in turn topped with deli-

cious Louisiana goat cheese. Unexpected and, in our considered opinion, criminally addictive.

A standout in a meal full of standouts is the Steamed Mussels with Andouille & Frittes ($15). Melt-in-your-mouth tender and swimming in a wine-broth that simply stopped the show at our table while everyone greedily sopped it up (er... “sampled it”) with wads of warm bread.

The fries were served on top of the steamed mussels, which caused them to wilt considerably, but they tasted great.

Pecan-crusted Catfish with lemonbutter and Corn Maque Choux ($12) is one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.

Commandingly delicious, crisply tender, perfectly spiced, and presented “swimming” atop a sea of maque choux (“mock shoe”), it is a real achievement in this classic recipe.

Well done, sir!

The photographer ordered the seafood special of the day, Seared Scallops on Fettucine with warm Remoulade sauce.

His delicate palate detected a little more spice than he prefers (he also thinks Pace Mild is too pushy), but he thought it was masterfully prepared. Oh, and he managed to finish it all... .

Two in our party decided to temper the appetizers and soup with a salad, hoping to hold calories at bay. (Silly them.) But their Mixed Greens salad with Louisiana Goat Cheese, spiced pecans and cane vinaigrette ($7) turned out to be quite sensational. Even though they didn’t order the chicken or shrimp that could be added for $1 more or even steak for $2 extra, it was large, tasty and very satisfying.

Finally came dessert. For this specialty Chef Bridges gives reign to Stephanie Parkman, a blindingly talented pastry chef. Regular desserts run $7, but you can order mini-desserts for $4 or three minis for $10. We decided to share three of the smaller ones and selected Goat Cheese Ice Cream (yes, you read that correctly) with miniature Pecan Sandies, Blueberry Cobbler with vanilla bean ice cream, and a Root Beer Pot du Creme. All elevated the art of such things, but the standout was the cobbler. That’s a serious yum. However, I really loved the goat cheese ice cream and pecan sandies, too.

Shreveport is fortunate to have Chef Bridges creating here. Enjoy it before he gets snatched away by the Food Channel or some big-money chain.  THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  43

44  May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Nursing Home Care

Social Security

My father is taking many prescription medications and is about to be admitted to a nursing home. How will he get prescriptions refilled and will Medicare cover them?

The hospital’s discharging physician will write orders for medications. Generally, the nursing home’s primary pharmacy will dispense the meds and they will be delivered to the center the same day. As to cost, if your father admits under Medicare Part A, the medications are paid for by the nursing center. If he admits as private pay, either your father or his prescription drug plan will be billed for the costs. If he is eligible for Medicaid and has been awarded benefits, the pharmacy will bill Medicaid for reimbursement.

Vicki Ott

Will Social Security beneficiaries receive a payment from the economic stimulus package approved by Congress?

Starting in May, the Treasury will begin sending economic stimulus payments. To find out if you are eligible for a stimulus payment or if you have other questions about the stimulus bill, please go to the IRS website at www.irs.gov. If you prefer, you may call IRS toll-free at 1-800-829-1040. Social Security beneficiaries, who are filing a 2007 tax return only to obtain the stimulus payment, will not need a replacement Form 1099 for IRS to determine if they are eligible to receive a stimulus payment. An estimate of Social Security benefits received in 2007 is sufficient.

Neurosurgery

Hospice

My daughter has epilepsy. Are there new treatments?

Epilepsy affects 1 out of 100. While many have seizures controlled by medications, one-third don’t. For those who still have seizures, they can’t drive, be employed in unsupervised positions, or enjoy independence (because a seizure can occur at any time). For these people, two more common procedures are options. With careful screening and a multi-disciplinary team, we have cured about 8 patients recently using temporal lobectomy, some of who have had seizures for over 30 years... none of these have any permanent problems otherwise. Another option is vagus nerve stimulation, which reduces seizures by about 30 - 60% but rarely cures them. This involves putting a pacemaker-like device around a nerve in the neck.

My mother has a terminal illness, but it’s not cancer. Is she eligible for hospice services?

Yes, if your mother has a diagnosis with a life expectancy of six months or less. Hospice is not based on diagnosis, but rather on life expectancy. Patients can have any disease process such as ALS, end-stage Alzheimer’s, heart, or lung disease. Patients often have multiple disease processes contributing to their decline, therefore limiting their life expectancy. However, hospice can be extended past six months as long as the patient continues to meet Medicare and Medicaid guidelines. Some patients have been discharged after improving with good one-on-one care.

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Dr. Ravish Patwardhan

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Dora Miller, Public Affairs Specialist Social Security Administration 318-676-3173; fax 318-676-3141 dora.miller@ssa.gov

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318-861-2150 Toll Free - 866-405-2100 Please see our ad on page 23.

Opthalmology

Orthopaedics (Bone and Joint)

How long do the positive effects of CK last? Will I ever have to wear reading glasses again?

Conductive Keratoplasty, or CK, is a wonderful procedure to help reduce your dependence on reading glasses. The positive effects of CK will last a lifetime, but everyone becomes more presbyopic with advancing age. As time goes on, patients will find themselves needing to use reading glasses more often. The good news is, because CK has such a high safety profile, it can be enhanced years later. For more info on CK and its benefits, visit us online at www.ShelbyEye.com or call us at (318) 212-3937.

My shoulder hurts. Should I play through the pain?

Over 12 million people visit a doctor’s office for a shoulder problem annually. Athletes are particularly prone to shoulder injuries due to repetitive, cumulative stress/injuries. Injuries occur during sports, as well as every day home and work activities. Most shoulder problems involve muscles, tendons, and/or ligaments and can be treated effectively with exercises, medications, physical therapy, etc. Steady pain, limitation of motion, difficulties with work activities of daily living or difficulty with sleep should alert you to seek an orthopedic surgeon for help in diagnosing and treating your shoulder pain.

Christopher Shelby, MD

John J. Ferrell, M.D.

Pierremont Eye Institute 7843 Youree Dr., Shreveport, LA 1105 318-212-3937; www.ShelbyEye.com Please see our ad on page 50.

Mid South Orthopaedics 7925 Youree Drive, Suite 210 Shreveport, LA 71105 (318) 424-3400

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  45

Flowers for Mom

Black eyed Susan Morning glory Blazing star

Phlox

Bluebell

Poppy

Bluebonnet

Primrose

Clover

Rose

Coneflower

Sage

Cornflower

Snapdragon

Daisy

Sunflower

Foxglove

Verbena

Hollyhock

Yarrow

Larkspur

Zinnia

Sudoku

I have a question

Fill in the blank squares in the grid, making sure that every row, column, and 3 x 3 box includes all digits 1 through 9. (Solution on page 48) 46  May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Why do croutons come in airtight packages?

Aren’t they just stale bread to begin with?

If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?

If it’s true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?

If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, then doesn’t it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?

If Fed Ex and UPS were to merge, would they call it Fed UP? Why do they put pictures of criminals up in the Post Office? What are we supposed to do, write to them? Why don’t they just put their pictures on the postage stamps so the mailmen can look for them while they deliver the mail?

Whatever happened to Preparations A through G? Income tax time has just passed, but did you ever notice: When you put the two words ‘The’ and ‘IRS’ together, it spells ‘THEIRS’?

Do Lipton Tea employees take ‘coffee breaks?’

If 4 out of 5 people SUFFER from diarrhea...does that mean that one out of five enjoys it?

ACROSS 1 Davenport 5 Follow 10 Clan 15 Intro to

physics?

19 Bad to the bone 20 Frightening 21 Wading bird 22 Last bio?

23 House

opening?

24 Sub detector 25 “That is to say...”

26 Ear part 27 Certain

vacuum tube 29 Everything- must-go tax?

32 Age proofs 33 MIT part 35 Writer Ferber 36 Singer Travis 37 Small salmon 39 Narrowing 42 Rx watchdog 44 State of the union 46 Israeli guns 47 Like a requiem 52 Succeeded big 54 Nasty kid 55 One of the French 56 Point of a fork 57 Chang’s twin 58 Use a grenade on a fellow soldier 60 California county 62 “Paper Lion” star 63 Integers, briefly 64 Rims 66 Ollie’s chum 67 Photo finish 69 Reference bk.

70 Clasp tightly 72 Actor Borgnine 74 Big time 76 Hindu loincloth 78 City near Santa Fe 80 Mediterranean country 81 Q-U

connection

82 Southeast Asian country 83 Actor/director Tarantino 86 Scoria 87 Mediocre grade 88 Freudian subjects 89 Mary of “Where Eagles Dare” 90 Sink stopper 92 Dining choice 94 Early course additive 96 Old-time newspaper section 97 Son of Eber 98 “__ Poetica” 99 Lethal stuff 101 Jungle vine 104 Fable finale 108 Crunch of cereals?

109 First name in architecture 111 VCR button 112 Generous endowment tax?

117 Cheerful 119 Carol of “Taxi” 120 Muslim VIP: var.

121 Actress Lindsay 123 Gridder Graham 124 Opera song 125 Top position 126 Napped leather 127 British gun 128 Hankerings 129 Peevish 130 Rich tapestry 131 In this place

AFTER TAXES

By Robert H. Wolfe, North Woodmere, NY; Edited by Wayne Robert Williams

Russia 9 Fictional Jane 10 Bourgeoisie tax?

11 Send back 12 “The Faerie Queene” character 13 Former airline of Eng. 14 Feminine ending 15 Back tooth 16 Levi’s “Christ Stopped at DOWN ___” 1 Infected 17 Lhasa’s land 2 Exaggerate 3 Non-dropout’s 18 1950’s Bikini blast tax?

28 Alienate 4 Sax for Bird 30 Antennae 5 German

31 Dateless industrial city 34 Depository for 6 Sgt., e.g. goods 7 Safe places 38 Lyric poem 8 Mountains of

(Solution on page 48) 40 Tavern near a tube station 41 Pound of poetry 42 Locate 43 REM tax?

45 Whiskey tax?

47 Chaperones 48 French state 49 Tar-reduction tax?

50 Submarine 51 Where kine dine 52 Heredity

information carrier 53 Tribe of the Five Nations 59 Overly polite and refined 61 School

teacher of the Old West 65 Look over

68 Riding fast 71 In-demand tax?

73 Certain conic section 75 Egyptian god of the sun 77 Peak in

Thessaly 79 Storing, as grain 82 Bandleader Brown of renown 84 “Exodus” author 85 Loco 91 Slime 93 Luau garland 95 Spanish

surrealist painter 99 Most ashen 100 Of the

underworld

102 More tidy 103 Play start 104 Jim of

“ABC’s Wide World of Sports” 105 Busy hub 106 Arrested 107 Neighbor- hoods 108 Talking truckers 110 Mystical characters 113 27th

President 114 Pierre’s girlfriend 115 Ingrid’s “Casablanca” role 116 Two squared 118 Flapdoodle!

122 Vladimir Nabokov novel

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  47

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48 ď&#x192;ž May 2008 ď&#x192;ź THE BEST of TIMES

Puzzle Solutions {from pages 46 - 47}

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  49

This month in 1908, The Best of Times was breathless with news of the day. Not yet a magazine for “Those of Us 50+,” it covered more general news for a readership that still tends to be the more mature, moneyed and matriculated amongst the citizens of the area.

First up in that issue were the results of the 34th annual Kentucky Derby, which ran on May 5. The winner was a horse named “Stone Street, ridden by jockey Arthur

50  May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Pickens. The nag came in at 2:15.2, the slowest winning time ever recorded. That record has stood for 100 years, and appears unassailable.

The issue also contained a picture of the ”Great White Fleet” as it arrived in San Francisco as part of its global tour to impress the natives everywhere with the might of our Navy.

Nine well-prepared years later we joined the as yet unnumbered World War, already in progress. Twenty-one months later, it was over.

On May 10, the mothers of Shreveport and all of Louisiana enjoyed the first “official” Mother’s Day. (But see “Hidden History” for more on this important event.)

Big events in Shreveport included the welcomed opening

of Centenary College.

The first American flight death occurred in 1908, when Orville Wright crashed a plane, killing Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge and severely injuring himself.

“Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” the very first “horror movie,” opened in Shreveport in May of 1908, starring the handsome Hobart Bosworth.

No copies are known to exist today.

We reported that the first federal workmen’s compensation law was approved. Injured workers finally get a little badly needed help.

And, finally, an apology: We overlooked mentioning the “leap day” birth of Shreveport’s Fern Neumeyer on Feb. 29, 1908. Rumor has it that she reads The Best of Times today, even though she’s only 25! 

WHAT MANY WOMEN THINK: Oh sure, it may have starred in a movie (2002’s “Red Green Show”-inspired “Duct Tape Forever!”), but isn’t duct tape over-rated?

THE STICKY TRUTH: As any man will assure you ladies, the invention of duct tape is second only in importance to, say, the discovery of Buffalo Wings or the brilliant idea of using general anesthesia for the removal of splinters from their fingers. NASA has pressed it into service on at least four occasions, including one life-saving incident during the Apollo 13 mission. It was used to improvise a carbon dioxide filter in the Lunar Module after the crew had to evacuate the damaged Command Module.

In 2001, space station workers built a kitchen table using leftover aluminum pieces and duct tape. And astronaut Stephen Robinson made a DIY hacksaw for a needed repair using a blade, some plastic twist-ties, Velcro, and our honored guest tape.

KNOWLEDGE THAT GIVES US HOPE FOR CERTAIN OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS: We’d like to think our founding fathers were a bunch of go-getters out to seize freedom and liberty for all. But there was at least one who gave his parents and entire extended family a case of seething animosity. A complete lay-about, he could only barely rouse himself to partake of snacks on the divan and let his young life dwindle away.

When his frustrated dad set him up in business, the young man promptly drove it into the ground. Nothing motivated him. Finally, as his entire family threw up their hands, he got off his butt to study law. From there he became a statesman. He wrote the famous phrase: “Give me liberty or give me death!” He was Patrick Henry, colonial slacker.

WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW: The big news of 1492 had something to do with a lost Italian sailing the ocean blue under a Spanish flag, who bumped into a land full of folks he called “Indians,” because he thought he was in India.

SPEAKING OF ITALIANS IN THE NEWS: That same year, and of much more note at the time, Pope Innocent VIII, in Rome, had an apoplectic stroke. He became weak and lapsed into a coma. His physician advised what he called a “blood transfusion” as a therapy. It is the first such treatment ever documented.

Unfortunately, it employed crude methods and the Pope didn’t benefit from this new idea in medicine. He died by the end of that year.

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  51

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THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  53

Maybe you’re thinking, “Why would I want to knit a giant calculator?” So I’ll tell you.

It makes a great gift for anyone you know who is a connoisseur of numbers: your accountant, favorite rocket scientist, algebra teacher, local math-bee winner, or maybe it could be a subtle hint for that girl at the supermarket who always rings up my regular bananas as the more expensive organic bananas.

This giant calculator also makes a very stylish throw pillow.

By the way, if you haven’t yet figured out why I named my new creation “boo-

Front

Materials needed:

2 skeins Bernat Softee Chunky in black 1 skein Bernat Softee Chunky in gray Size US 10 straight needles 1 piece of 2 inch thick chair foam cushion

Using 2 strands of gray yarn and size 10 needles, CO 30.

Knit 65 rows.

Bind off.

Assembly

Lightly press both pieces. Seam together corners of the back Or piece to form an open box.

Quilt backing Using front of calculator as a guide, Assorted pieces of craft felt trace onto piece of foam or quilt backEmbroidery floss ing. Cut out the foam, subtracting a ¼ Yarn needle inch from each side for seam allowance.

Embroidery needle (Note: the foam is a little thick to cut with scissors, but it can still easily be done by Gauge cutting through a few layers at a time, and 12 stitches and 16 rows over 4 inches working your way through.) using 2 strands of yarn on US 10 needles If you are using quilt backing, you will over stockinette stitch. need to cut out 3 or 4 layers to create the thickness of the calculator. Put the foam or Back backing into the back of calculator. Seam Using 2 strands of black yarn and size 10 top to back using ladder stitch, being care needles, CO 30. ful to evenly match corners.

Knit 9 rows in stockinet stitch. At end of 9th row, CO 6. 36 sts.

Using the button template, cut 20 Next row: P36, CO 6. 42 sts. buttons from felt in desired colors. Use Knit 65 rows. a running stitch to embroider the letters Next row: Bind off 6, p36. 36 sts. and numbers. It might be easier to trace Next row: Bind off 6, k30. 30 sts. the letters with a fabric marker first, or Knit 9 row. Bind off. to use sticker numbers as a guide. Use a

54  May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

bies”, you might want to turn the design upside down. [Boys of all ages find a smiling juvenile nostalgia in this “calculator word.”]

Instead of “boobies”, you might want to try another one of these other words: belle, besiege, blesses (5355379), boggle, booze, ego, eligible, giggles, gigolo, hello, high, hill, hobbies, ibis, sizzle, sleigh, slosh, soothe, thigh (etc.).

I find the idea of my calculator / pillow popping up in retirement communities and nursing homes really amusing, so I was delighted to be asked to share this pattern with the readers of THE BEST OF TIMES. -- Katie Park, http://caffaknitted.typepad.com/caffaknitted blanket stitch to sew the numbers to the front of the calculator. Use the stitches on the front as a guide to evenly space and enter the buttons.

For the calculator display, use the template to cut the felt pieces, and attach them to the front using a blanket stitch.

You can enter whatever numbers you desire into the display. If you rather not enter 5319009 (boobies) then perhaps 07734 (hello). Happy calculating!

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  55

Bossier Council on Aging Bearkat Site (741-8302), 706 Bearkat Drive, Bossier City 8 AM - 4:30 PM Plain Dealing Site (326-5722), 101 E. Oak Street, Plain Dealing, 9 AM - 1 PM Transportation - Vans available to seniors 60+ who have no means of transportation for medical appointments, grocery store, drug store and other necessary stops.

Wheelchair accessible. 3 day notice required. $3 round trip suggested. Also provide medical transportation through referrals from Medicaid.

Outreach - Home visits are made to help qualify seniors for services.

Homemaker - Trained employees will come to your home to provide light housekeeping for those seniors having difficulty maintaining their homes. $3/visit suggested.

Information & referrals - Call us if a senior needs assistance in any way. 741-8302

Caregiver - Support services are provided for family caregivers including in-home respite care for the caregiver, education for the family, and material aid and personal care for the patient.

Legal Services - Education on elder legal issues provided at the sites. Counseling for individuals is accessible monthly with a local lawyer or by referrals.

Congregate (Site) Meals - Hot, nutritious meals served at 11:30 AM at the sites, Mon - Fri . $1.25 per meal is suggested.

Home Delivered Meals - Meals provided 5 days per week for elderly homebound in Bossier Parish, $1.25/meal suggested.

Personal Medical Response System With a referral from BCOA, an auto dial unit is available for installation on your phone.

Necklace, wristband, or pocket clip styles provided. Just press the button for immediate help. $20 fee per month.

Senior Centers - Fun and fellowship for the active senior! Enjoy recreation, crafts, educational seminars, and health information. Also provided: day trips, extended trips, exercise and dance classes, bingo, cards, dominoes, health screenings, exercise equipment room, Senior Games and Thursday night dances with a live band.

Medication Management - Seminars, brown bag services provided by pharmacists and programs provided by health care providers so seniors know about their prescriptions and the proper way to take them. Drug plan assistance available.

Medicaid Applications - We are an application center and provide assistance to seniors in filling out the forms. By appointment only.

(AARP) Money Management - BCOA provides financial assistance to seniors: bill paying, balancing checkbooks, etc.

Caddo Council on Aging 4015 Greenwood Road, (318) 632-2090.

Website-www.caddocouncilonaging.org Email-ccoa@caddocoa.org Info & Referral - 632-2090 Outreach/Individual Needs Assessment632-2090 - Visits are made to the home to explain services available and to enroll the elderly in our various service programs Home Delivered Meals - 632-2090 - Each week 5 meals can be delivered to homebound seniors. Suggested donation $1.25/day.

Homemaker Services - 632-2090 - Personal care and household tasks provided for homebound persons unable to perform these tasks without assistance. $5/month donation requested.

Personal Care - 632-2090 - Personal care provided to homebound person by trained staff once a week. $5/month donation requested.

Family Caregiver - 632-2090 - Sitter and respite provided for full time caregiver of a senior. Donation requested.

Telephone Reassurance - 632-2090 - Volunteers make regular phone calls to seniors to offer comfort and support.

Medical Alert - 632-2090 -Emergency response system that protects sen iors in case of accident or falls in the home. $20/month fee SenioRX Program - 632-5900 or 1800-793-1198-Assists seniors applying for pharmaceutical aid programs.

Nursing Home Ombudsman - 632-2090-

56  May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Professional weekly visits to nursing home to investigate and resolve issues made by the elderly resident or the resident’s family.

Covering 7 parishes in NWLA. RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) 632-2113 - Provides volunteer opportunities in the community and nutrition sites for persons 55 years of age or older.

Foster Grandparents (FGP) - 632-2199Seniors serve as mentor, tutor and caregivers to youth with social needs. FGPs that meet special requirements may serve 20hrs/wk and receive a stipend.

Legal Services - 632-2090- Referrals for individual counseling.

Emergency Blinking Light - Flashing light installed in your porch light by the Caddo Sheriff Dept. to help guide emergency medical personnel to the house during lifethreatening emergencies. No charge.

SOS Program - Sheriff’s Operational Safeguard. Helps identify and reunite lost, memory-impaired persons with families. Participants are given a bracelet engraved with the name and phone number of the Sheriff’s Office and an ID number that corresponds to personal information. Confidential Call 681.0875 to register. No charge.

Senior Centers and Meal Sites - 6322080-Area sites located in Caddo Parish that offer fun activities, recreation, wellness, exercise, safety programs, sewing, crafts, bingo, and just plain old fun. Lunch served at all sites for a $1.25 donation. Transportation is provided to sites, call 632-2080 to sign up

for a meal or transport to the sites.

• Myrtle B. Pickering Senior Center4017 Greenwood Rd, Shreveport. Open Mon-Fri 8:30am-3:30pm.

• Blanchard Cross Roads Church - 356 Warriner, Blanchard. Open Mon-Wed-Fri 9:00am-12noon.

• Broadmoor Methodist Church - 3715 Youree Drive, Shreveport. Open 9:30 12:30.

• Canaan Towers Apartments - 500 North Dale, Shreveport. Open Mon-Wed-Fri 9:30am-12:30pm.

• Cooper Road Community Center - 1422 MLK Blvd, Shreveport. Open MonFriday 9:30am-12:30pm • Greenwood Library - Hwy 80, Downtown Greenwood. Open Mon-Fri 9:30 am - 12:30pm • Mooringsport Community CenterLattimer Street, Mooringsport across from the school. Open Tue-Wed-Thurs 9:30am to 12:30pm • Morning Star Baptist Church 5340 Jewella, Sport Open Mon-Fri 9:30am-12:30pm • New Hill CME Church - 8725 Springridge Texas Line Rd, Keithville Tue & Thurs 10am-1:00pm • Oil City Community Center - Savage Street, Oil City Open Mon-Wed-Fri 9am to noon • Vivian Community Center - in the City Park 522 E. Tennessee Open Mon-Fri 9am-12noon

Al Bolton

Weather Facts for Thought

The hurricane season will begin on June 1st and will continue for six months through November. An average of about ten tropical storms develop each season, of which about half of those intensify to hurricane strength. Tropical storm winds range from 39 mph to 74 mph. Winds of 75 mph are classified hurricane force winds. This season has been predicted to be a very active season with fifteen tropical storms developing. Eight of those are expected to become hurricanes with four increasing in strength to become major hurricanes with winds of 111 mph or higher.

But for the time being, what does the month of May have in store for us? The average daily normal high temperature is 83°.

The average daily normal low temperature is 62°. Normal May rainfall is 5.25 inches. Our wettest May of record was 14.47 inches in 1884. The hottest temperature of record was 102° on the 31st in 1998. Coldest was 42° on the 12th in 1960 and on the 1st in 1903. Last May, the highest temperature was 92° on the 14th.

Lowest temperature was 55° on the 17th, 19th, and 20th. Rainfall measured 4.26 inches.

Al Bolton, a member of the Amer. Meteorological Soc. and the National Weather Assn, began reporting with KSLA-TV in Feb., 1954.

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  57

PlAces2GO

Get Up & Go! Concert

“Hot Jazz on the Red” Summer Concert Series - Shreveport riverfront at the Barnwell Garden and Art Center.

Every Thursday, May 1 – June 26, from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Bring your lawn chair and blanket or enjoy the pre-set tables as you relax on the patio of the Barnwell Garden & Art Center to the sounds of jazz performed by the finest musicians from the Ark-La-Tex. The hours of the Barnwell Garden and Art Center are Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Sunday from 1p.m.-5 p.m. The Barnwell will stay open from 10 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. on concert dates. Admission to the Barnwell Center and “Hot Jazz on the Red” is free. The Barnwell Center is located at 601 Clyde Fant Parkway, adjacent to Riverview Park and next to Eldorado Resort Casino. The May schedule is as follows: May 1 – Luke Jazz Quintet May 8 - New Dimension Brass Quintet May 15 – The Bluebirds May 22 - Jazziana May 29 –The John Adams Trio. The trio will also present a “How to Listen to Jazz” workshop before their concert at 6 p.m. The interactive workshop is scheduled from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. and is open to the public.

58  May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Theatre

Support Groups

“Nunsense” A Musical by Dan Goggin - May 2,3,9,10 at 8 p.m.; May 4 & 11 at 2 p.m., East Bank Theatre, 630 Barksdale Blvd., Bossier City. Accidents will happen! When the convent cook unintentionally poisons the Little Sisters of Hoboken, the remaining dis-order-ly angels throw a riotous revue to earn enough money to rescue their dearly departed sisters from the freezer and bury them!

Adults, $15; seniors, students, military, $13. For further information call 318-7418310. www.bossierarts.org

Bereavement Support Group - Every Thursday, 5:30 p.m. Willis Knighton Medical Center, Hospice Family Room, 3300 Albert L. Bicknell Drive Suite 3.

“Move Over Mrs. Markham” by Ray Cooney and John Chapman - Thursday, May 15 - Saturday, May 17. 8 p.m.

University Theater, One University Pl., Shreveport. This hilarious comedy mixes three separate couples all seeking illicit liaisons, unknowingly at the same time and place. Add a straight laced children’s author, a sexy au pair girl and a flamboyant interior decorator, misplaced love notes, and a full liquor cabinet and the game is on. For ticket info call 318-424-4439.

Adults, $15; students/military/seniors, $13.

Air Show Barksdale Open House and Defenders of Liberty Air Show - Saturday, May 10 - Sunday, May 11. Barksdale AFB, Bossier City. The open house will feature military and civilian aerial demonstration teams, aircraft static displays, entertainment, and food. The U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels and the U.S. Army’s precision parachute demonstration team, the Golden Knights, will be this year’s headliners.

Free admission and parking. 318-4565503. www.barksdaleafbairshow.com

Caregiver’s Support Group - May 12, Noon. ARK at Noel UMC, 520 Herndon, Shreveport. Program - organizing personal health information by Corlis Vance. Light lunch is available for $3. Reservations requested by Friday, May 9. Call 221-5207 or email skamm@noelumc.org.

Grandparents raising Grandchildren Support Group - Held at 6:45pm the last Monday of each month. Grace Community Church, 9400 Ellerbe Road, Shreveport. Everyone is welcome. Please call Pete Bollinger for more information. at 318-865-2070.

Fitness

Fit for Life - Hosted by SPAR. May 9-10. Featuring a host of activities that include fun and fitness for all citizens, young and old. For a complete listing visit www.myspar.org. Just click on the “Fit-For-Life” icon. For additional info, call Camille B. Webb, at 673-7845 or email- Camille.Webb@ci.shreveport.la.us Memory Walk – May 10th. Registration starts at 7:30am, walk starts at 9am.

Walk located at the Louisiana Boardwalk.

Sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association to take steps to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. For more info e-mail Tammi.

Philyaw@alz.org or call 861-8613.

Krewe of Elders Fish Fry - Sponsored by The Krewe of Elders. Saturday, May 17, 1 - 6 p.m American Legion Hall, 5315 South Lakeshore Dr., Shreveport. Cash bar, music from Homemade Jam, door prizes, raffle. $15 per person. The Krewe is also having a dance at the American Legion Hall on May 25 from 2:30 - 6:30, $10 per couple, $5 single. Bobby Langston Trio, cash bar, door prizes and raffle. Members and interested members are invited. Send checks to Krewe of Elders, P.O. Box 6484, Bossier City, LA 71171 or purchase at door. Contact Jay Prudhomme at 635-4901 or Wanda Smith at 752-9175.

Senior Olympics

Festival

Exhibit

May 1 - Bocce Ball, 9 a.m., Betty Virginia Park, 3901 Fairfield Ave., Shreveport.

May 5 - Washer Pitch, 9 a.m., Cypress Baptist Church, 4701 Palmetto Road, Bossier City.

May 7 - Senior Health Fair and Opening Ceremonies 9 a.m., Bossier Civic Center, 620 Benton Rd. Note: Arts & Crafts voting from 9 a.m. to noon. Awards and Final Prize Drawings 3 p.m. Dance Team 9:30 a.m.; Accuracy Throws 10 a.m.; Darts 10 a.m.; Senior Residence Beanbag Finals 10 a.m.; Bean Bag Baseball Finals 1 p.m.

May 8 - Marksmanship, 9 a.m. Shooters USA 357 Magnum Drive, Bossier City. .22 rifles and pistols. Use own weapons.

May 8 - Miniature Golf, 6:30 p.m. at Party Central, 4401 Viking Drive in Bossier City. $3.50 facility fee.

May 9 - Chess, 8:30 a.m., Randle T. Moore Center, 3101 Fairfield, Shreveport.

May 9 - Bowling Mixed Doubles, 1 p.m. All Star Lanes, 9130 Mansfield Road, Shreveport. $6.00 facility fee.

May 9 - Table Tennis, 5:30 p.m., Parkview Baptist Church, 2307 Samford Avenue, Shreveport.

May 10 - Horseshoes, Recreation 8 a.m., Advanced 9 a.m. KC Hall, 5400 E. Texas, Bossier City.

May 10 - Red Neck Golf, 10 a.m., KC Hall, 5400 E. Texas, Bossier City.

May 12 - Shuffleboard Singles, 8 a.m.

Advanced, Bossier Civic Center, 620 Benton Road, Bossier City.

May 13 - Shuffleboard Doubles, 8 a.m.

Bossier Civic Center, 620 Benton Road, Bossier City.

May 14 - Bowling Doubles, 1 p.m., All Star Lanes, 9130 Mansfield Road, Shreveport. $6.00 facility fee applies.

May 15 - Table Games (Skipbo, Pinochle, Dominos, Phase 10, Checkers), 9 a.m.

BCOA, 710 Bearkat Dr, Bossier City.

May 16 - Recreation Walk, 9 a.m.

Southern Hills Park, 1002 Bert Kouns Loop, Shreveport.

May 16 - Bowling Singles, 1 p.m. All Star Lanes 9310 Mansfield Road, Shreveport. $6.00 facility fee applies.

May 17 - Track and Field, 8:30 a.m.

Bossier High Field, 777 Bearkat Dr, Bossier. City.

May 17 - Celebration of Athletes, 6 p.m. Southern Hills gym, 1002 Bert Kouns Loop, Shreveport.

5 th annual Benton on the Square History and Folk Art Festival - 9 a.m.5 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 at Heritage Village, 414 Sibley St., Benton. Features crafts and food booths, demonstrators, artists, Blue Grass and Gospel musicians, and other musical entertainment, storytelling, reenactments and hands-on activities for children - including a youth art contest.

In addition, a working blacksmith shop, flint knapping, weaving, spinning, tatting, covered wagon and surrey rides and much more will be highlighted.

Six historic structures, which make up Heritage Village, also will be open for tours. The structures include a circa 1840 six-room dogtrot, an 1884 log cabin, a movable plantation kitchen, a one-room schoolhouse, an early 1900 corn crib and a blacksmith shop. Admission is free.

For more information about the festival or to be a food or craft vendor, call (318) 965-4610, (318) 965-9862 or email bentononsquare@bellsouth.net.

Artspace Spaceart - Saturday, May 3 - Saturday, June 14. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Artspace at the West Edge, 710 E. Texas St., Shreveport. Artspace in collaboration with the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra is producing this exhibition inspired by Gustav Holsts Symphony, “The Planets”.

318-673-6500. www.shrevearts.org.

Free.

Driver Education AARP Driver Safety Program - An 8 hour classroom refresher course for drivers age 50+ which may qualify participants for an automobile insurance premium reduction or discount. Where two days are listed, participants must attend both days. Call to preregister. Fee: $10 • May 19 & 20 - 8:30am to 12:30pm.

First United Methodist Church, Head of Texas, Shreveport. Contact: Rev. Regina Wren (318) 424-7771; Instr: Ray Branton • May 27 & 28 - 12:00pm to 4pm.

Bossier Council on Aging, 706 Bearkat Drive, Bossier City. Contact: Cathy (318) 741-8302; Instructor: Bill Hudson.

E. Wayne Roberts and Ron Kidwell: Wildlife Painting - Sunday, May 4 Sunday, June 15. Louisiana State Exhibit Museum, 3015 Greenwood Rd., Shreveport. Paintings depicting different wildlife scenes will be displayed. 318-632-2020. www.sos.louisiana.gov/museums. Free.

Blossom: Art of Flowers - Tuesday, May 13 - Sunday, Aug. 3. Tues.-Fri., 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sat. and Sun., 1 - 5 p.m. R. W. Norton Art Gallery, 4747 Creswell Ave., Shreveport. Sponsored by the Susan K. Black Foundation, this juried traveling exhibition of 61 artworks were chosen from 1742 entries that depict and interpret flowers of all kinds. Free. 318-865-4201.

THE BEST of TIMES  May 2008  59

Parting Shots

1 - Mrs. Driver of the La. State Museum welcomes Westwood Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center residents John Deaton (left) and Charlie Anderson.

2 - Connie Waters, Barbara Delony, Wilma Chevalier, Kathleen Connell, Bonnie Barron, Jeraldine Watson attend the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New Orleans. They are known as the “Green Hat Ladies from Shreveport.”

3 - 77 year-old Dale Whipple from Benton finished first in the men’s 75-79 age category at Samaritan Counseling Center’s 6th Annual 5K Spirit Run/Walk at Mall St. Vincent on Saturday, April 19th.

4 - Gary Calligas gave a presentation to members of Diamond Set of First Baptist Church of Bossier City. Pictured with Gary are (left to right) Mary Tyson, Marjorie Keith, and Carol Middleton.

5 - Dr. and Mrs Gary Jones, Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover, Billy Justice, and Leslie Jones at the opening of Vantage Health Plans’ new office in Shreveport.

6 - Charles Canfield trims one of his beautiful bonsai trees at Asian Arts and Crafts Festival in Downtown Plaza gardens.

7 - Dianne and Don Shea enjoy a ride on the mini- Hummer, one of the auction items at CORK Festival’s Premier Wine event on April 4th at the El Dorado Casino.

8 - Enjoying the fabulous wine dinner at Superior’s Steakhouse featuring B.R. Cohn wines are Charles and Dottie Statham and Pat and Kimberly Pool.

9 - Enjoying the CORK Festival Premier Wine and Food event on April 4th at Eldorado Casino and Resort in Shreveport were Wayne and Carolyn Johnson and Karen and Scott Kennedy.

10 - Live Oak Retirement Center’s Bean Bag Baseball Team with cheerleaders at the April 11th senior residences games at Southern Hills Recreation Center as part of Senior Olympics.

11 - Joe Taylor and Claudia Burns enjoy CORK Wine Festival in Festival Plaza on April 5th.

12 - Tammi Philyaw, Bob Stephens, and Sherri McConnell at the opening of the Alzheimer’s Association office on April 15th.

13 - Helen Black (center), with Winzer and Vivian Andrews at the CORK Wine Festival on April 5th.

60  May 2008  THE BEST of TIMES

Celebrating a special occasion or just having dinner with friends?

Share your photos with us.

Email to: editor.calligas@gmail.com or mail to: Parting Shots c/o The Best of Times P.O. Box 19510 Shreveport, LA 71149 THE BEST of TIMES ď&#x192;ź May 2008 ď&#x192;ž 61

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