South Coast Prime Times - July/August 2013

9th

10 ways to celebrate summer July/August 2013 • Volume 9 • Number 4

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contents 6

24

14 30

18

i n e very issue

P rime se Ason

P rime living

g ood times

4 From the publisher 34 Extra! Extra!

6

16 Cut the cable, save

10 Ten red-hot tips for a

18 The missing

14 The island now known

What to see, do and enjoy

By Elizabeth Morse Read

Farm-fresh vitality

By Jay Pateakos

30 Rapid transit moves the economy

By Louise Hardiman

a bundle

By Dan Logan

Portuguese

By Joyce Rowley

South Coast summer

By Michael J. Viera

as Cuttyhunk

By Paul Letendre

20 Estate planning Part II 28 There’s no place like

By Jay Pateakos

24 Don’t be a victim of The South Coast Prime Times welcomes letters to the editor on any subject.

Please keep your letters brief and to the point. No name-calling or libelous attacks will be published, and we ask that all letters be signed. Writers who wish to remain anonymous will have their names withheld on request. Send your letters to The Editor, South Coast Prime Times, PO Box 3493, Fall River MA 02722 or send us an email at editor@coastalmags.com.

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J ULY / AUGUST 2013

ID theft

By Elizabeth Morse Read

home

By Paul Kandarian

40 Getting nailed by age

By Paul Kandarian

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FrOm THe pUBliSHer July/August 2013 ■ Vol. 9 ■ No. 4 PuBlished By

Coastal Communications Corp.

PuBlisher And editor-in-chieF

Welcome to summer and thank you for picking

Ljiljana Vasiljevic

up this latest edition of “Prime Times,” the South

editor

Coast’s only magazine written for “us” and filled

Greg Jones

with the information you need.

contriButors

Louise Hardiman, Paul Kandarian, Paul Letendre, Dan Logan, Jay Pateakos, Elizabeth Morse Read, Joyce Rowley and Michael J. Viera.

June just might be the perfect summer month.

The long summer days and seemingly endless evenings provide time for being with friends and family. Picnics, outdoor concerts, festivals and celebrations can fill your days. Bring along some youngsters, whether yours or your children’s children, and you’ll find yourself having a “second childhood.”

South Coast Prime Times is published bi-monthly.

Inside “Prime Times” this month we have a summer’s worth of events.

Copyright ©2013

Michael Vieira has put together a list of the 10 best things to do along

Coastal Communications Corp.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

the South Coast. Go to page 10 for the list and start checking them off.

reproduced, by any means, without written permission

On a more serious note, identity theft has become a problem

from the Publisher. All information contained herein is

worldwide, but there are things you can do to greatly reduce your risk.

believed to be reliable. Coastal Communications Corp. does not assume any financial responsibility for typo-

Elizabeth Morse Read has all the details, starting on page 24.

graphical errors in advertisements, but will reprint that

If your latest cable TV bill has you thinking back fondly on the days of

portion of an advertisement in which the typographical

free TV and “rabbit ears,” then Dan Logan has some terrific suggestions

error occurs.

on how to save money on your cable TV bill on page 16. neXt issue

As always, we couldn’t bring you this magazine without the generous

August 14, 2013

help of our fine advertisers. They represent the best of South Coast

circulAtion

businesses and deserve your business.

25,000

suBscriPtions $14.95 per year

m Ailing Address

Ljiljana Vasiljevic

South Coast Prime Times

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

P.O. Box 3493 Fall River, MA 02722

Phone (508) 677-3000

WeBsite www.coastalmags.com

e-mAil editor@coastalmags.com

Our advertisers make this publication possible —please support them 4

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prime SeASOn

Farm-fresh vitality I think many of us fall victim to convenience, whether it’s laziness or lack of time.

Many people are not as busy as they think they are, for sure. But when it comes to farms and farmstands, most people, unfortunately, want it both ways.

We cry foul when a farm is suddenly conPAteAKos verted into residential homes or another business, yet we don’t take the time to patronize the farms when they once sold their product right in front of us.

Luckily, the South Coast still has a good number of farmstands–most of them are open by June, but the number is dwindling.

Bucking that trend very nicely is Makepeace Farms, who have just opened a second location in Rochester, at the intersection of routes 28 and 58. In 2006 they opened their first market at the company’s

JAy

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Headquarters, known historically as Tihonet Village. The annual Cranberry Harvest Celebration over the Columbus Day weekend is held at Thonet Village. Makepeace Farms market is much more than cranberries: they have soups, sandwiches and produce from local farms. More info, including schedules, special events and directions, at www.makepeacefarms.com And where would farmer’s markets be without Almeida’s Vegetable Patch, set to open later in the month.

This classic farmstand has been a regional favorite for more than 40 years at 110 GAR Highway. Four generations of the Almeida

J ULY / AUGUST 2013

family have been tilling the fields and running the registers since it opened in 1972.

Nearing age 70, John Almeida III can still be seen working the fields day and night.

The family owns more than 25 acres of farmland on Route 6, renting or leasing another 60-plus acres in Swansea and Somerset to help keep up with demand.

Starting out first as a dairy farm before becoming a vegetable farm in 1955, it was founded by John’s grandfather, John Sr., and then run by John Jr., the present John III, and now his son, John IV, is developing a green thumb.

The corn is picked all summer long, and

will be joined by loads of other native vegetables, like tomatoes and carrots, and later on, pumpkins and gourds, all right off the farm. They also stock fruits and vegetables that don’t grow here, but with an assurance that all the food is grown in the USA. John’s advice? “ you need to always know where your food is coming from.”

where their produce comes from, there’s no better place than a farmstand. “You come here and you know where you stuff is coming from. It’s picked each and every day,” said Cervelli. “You don’t know where any of the stuff comes from in a grocery store.

Any of it.”

Tim Johnson, owner of Johnson’s Road-

‘Picking daily is an especially important factor when it comes to corn’ Almeida’s will be open through the end of October, seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Pumpkin wagon rides will be offered in September and October. Almeida’s will reopen for the holiday season and sell fresh-cut Christmas trees, wreathes, baskets, crafts and other holiday items.

groWn And sold locAlly You can’t love the beauty and tranquility of your local farm without going just a little bit out of your way to support it. Again, you can’t have it both ways. Many of these farmstands still grow about 75-90 percent of what they sell, augmenting their product line with fresh fruit or produce from around the state. Others have thrown bakery products in the mix in order to create a more well-rounded and convenient shopping experience.

“In our case, everything is picked daily, especially the corn,” said Chris Cervelli, co-owner of Cervelli’s Farm, 338 Vaughan Hill Road in Rochester, founded in 1965 with her husband Frank. “Picking daily is an especially important factor when it comes to corn.”

While they own 300 acres, not all of it is planted at any given time. Open June to October, Cervelli’s will offer everything from strawberries to apples and peaches on the fruit side to asparagus, corn, cabbage, broccoli and a dozen other vegetables.

Like many farmers this spring, their crop has been delayed due to a lack of rain but a hearty storm in mid-May should help expedite certain crops whose growth was slowed due to dryness.

As for the difference between the “convenience” of getting anonymous fruits and vegetables at the grocery store or freshlypicked produce at a farmstand, Chris Cervelli said for people who want to know

side Farm Market, 445 Market Street in Swansea with his wife Jeanne, said they, too, can tell customers where the crops came from or when the crops came in, not just from their own crops, but the ones they buy out of state.

“The crops that we purchase in addition to the crops we raise come from family farms just like ours and we can tell people where exactly that product came from and when it was grown,” said Johnson. “These are farms that have been around for generations that count on selling their products to survive. They are not corporations, they are families that are paying taxes and trying to make a living.”

Founded in 1982 and cultivating about 14 acres, Johnson’s Roadside Farm Market is already open for business, Monday to Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sundays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. They offer blueberries, blackberries and raspberries as well as corn, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, lettuce, peppers and more.

K Aren m AKePeAce, mAnAger oF m AKePeAce FArms’ originAl locAtion in t ihonet villAge, WArehAm, is A descendent By mArriAge oF the A.d. m AKePeAce comPAny’s Founder.

cool nights And rAin Johnson said the lack of rain has also hurt some of his crops but the cooler than average nights we had at the beginning of May have prevented corn from being planted. “Last year it was too hot and we never knew when to plant and now, with it still chilly at night, and it’s preventing me from planting certain crops like beans and raspberries,” said Johnson. “We keep records of everything and even though we had rainfall the other day, we only recorded about a

‘You don’t know where any of the stuff comes from in a grocery store. Any of it.’

In addition to his produce, Johnson has added a bakery line of breads and pastries, Willow Tree Chicken Salad, Boar’s Head meats and more to create a better shopping experience for his customers.

“It’s a little bit about convenience, sure. I think this place is like an old-time country market is what we have,” said Johnson.

“We do veggie platters and things like that too and help cater parties. We try to provide good products at a fair price.”

half an inch of rain, which isn’t enough.”

One day after this interview, it rained more than an inch and a half and the crops were on their way to where they needed to be.

“You can still plant the corn in the cooler weather but it’s going to take longer to grow,” said Andrew Orr of Orr’s Farm, 187 Adamsville Road in Westport. “I planted mine on April 23 but with the temperatures getting down into the 30s at night, it took a couple of weeks to germinate out of

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Continued from previous page the ground. In the heat of the summer, it would only take a week to germinate.”

Orr said a lot of farmers put plastic over the corn crop to expedite the growing process but he doesn’t as of yet. He said an average corn crop takes about 70 days from seed to being picked. One of the rare farms in the area to still be fairly new at the game, Orr’s Farm opened in 2007 and offers about a dozen fruits from watermelons to plums and pears and vegetables like onions, potatoes, turnips, zucchini, garlic, kale and some two dozen others. Like Johnson, Orr said the lack of rain has set things back about two weeks and hopes to open by mid-June. He said the half-inch of

rain they had in early May that he hoped would help the crop along did nothing.

“When we went to dig, the ground was still so dry,” said Orr.

suPPort your locAl FArmer As for the battle between farmstands and grocery stores, Orr said farmers can help to educate the consumers on where their crops come from and how they are grown, which makes all the difference.

“Things are just fresher here and people can come in and see where these products were actually grown, which is huge,” said Orr. “We can also teach people about what’s in season and what’s not and what

to expect. People want to know the process and where what they are eating comes from. In the end, that’s what we provide.

It’s picked and sold right here. People like that.”

So next time you pass a farmer’s market, remember how nice having a farm in your neighborhood or your town makes you feel. And then go buy something. Daily. Yes, each sale could make a difference.

JAy PAteAKos has been a freelance writer for more than 10 years including daily and weekly newspapers and monthly magazines. A native of New Bedford, he currently lives in Marion and has three children.

How the pros do it: Corn

Tomatoes

Raspberries

Choose a site that gets full sun and has soil that is rich. Plant seeds outdoors at least a week after the last frost and when the soil temperature has reached at least 55 degrees F. Sow seeds 1an inch to an inch and a half deep, four to six inches apart. Make sure plants get at least an inch of water a week, but never water from above: it can wash away pollen.

Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last expected frost.

Choose a site that gets full sun. Tomatoes need plenty of warmth to taste their best, so provide shelter from chilly breezes. Amend the soil with plenty of compost; tomatoes need soil rich in organic matter. Harden off seedlings, whether store-bought or homegrown, and move them to the garden when nighttime temperatures remain above 50 degrees F.

Choose the best spot for growing raspberries. Most garden plants thrive in full sun and a place where water will drain well. Deer, birds and raccoons like raspberries too, so protect the raspberry plants with wire cages, bird netting or plant them close to the house.

Feed plants with a balanced liquid organic fertilizer three times: when they reach ten inches, then 18 inches, and finally when tassels appear. Harvest when husks are dark green, silks are dry and brown, and full-size kernels reach to the top of the ear. For most varieties, that will be about 20 days after the silks appear.

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Dig a hole the size of a basketball for each plant. Add a shovelful of compost and a handful of crushed eggshells. Make sure plants get between one and two inches of water every week. Pick tomatoes when their color is glossy and even, and their texture midway between soft and firm.

J ULY / AUGUST 2013

Prepare the soil for raspberries.

Raspberries need an acidic soil.

Add some compost, mulched leaves or pine needles to the soil to make it more acidic. Plant the raspberries late in the spring once the chance for a hard frost is over. Dig a hole in the selected spot large enough to set the crown halfway into the ground.

Prune old growth from the raspberry plants each year. Remove injured, broken or diseased canes.

Raspberry canes only live for a couple of years. When they die, they turn a grayish color and stop producing any new growth. Pruning out these old canes gives your raspberry plants the chance for new growth and prolongs the life of the plants.

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Recently, we were in Florida with a cousin who relocated to the sunny state. He boasted about how much there was to do there. As we basked in the warm sun, it sounded appealing, and the prospect of being a “snowbird” did cross my mind.

But upon returning to South Coast, it was clear that, especially in the summer, there’s no place like home.

Savor a sunset

Key West may have Mallory Square with its nightly entertainment and the music on a beach in Maui, Hawaii may provide a great soundtrack, but I’ve seen their sunsets and I’m sorry, the South Coast is as good or better.

Grab a chair and just sit at the top of North Park in Fall River– it just might be the best seat in town–or better yet, head down to the boardwalk near Battleship Cove. Thanks to Jerry Remy’s (jerryremys. com/fallriver/) and the Red Cedar on Davol Street, there are now more places with outdoor decks where you can sip a drink while the sun sets into the Taunton River. For a real water view, the Tipsy Seagull near Borden Light Marina (www. thetipsyseagull.com ) is a hopping spot.

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Lick a cone

When going for a ride was still a special treat, many of us would look forward to the Sunday afternoon drive, which usually ended in ice cream. For me, Gray’s Ice Cream (graysicecream.com) at Tiverton Four Corners–and now in Bristol and Fall River–brings back the most memories, but now the Swansea-Somerset area has its own triangle of tasty treats.

Somerset Creamery, with locations on Route 6, County Street and Cataumet on the Cape (www.somersetcreamery.com) has its loyal following, based on the cars and lines on most summer nights. But continue to head down County Street and take a left on Marvel Street, and Simcock Farm’s reasonable scoops licked while checking out the animals on the century-old farm

reminds me of the summer drives of old (www.simcockfarm.com).

Keep going up Marvel and Hailes Hill Road to Hortonville, and then follow that until it turns into Locust and you’ll find the Ice Cream Barn (www.theicecreambarn.com). It also is on a farm, but the all-natural ingredients and unique ice cream creations will make you feel like you’re tasting ice cream for the first time.

Hmmm…in a way, you will be.

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Find a festival

Just about every Portuguese church has a feast at some point during the summer, but my favorite is St. Michael’s festa in Fall River’s north end (smpfr.org/parish/happenings/st-michael-feast-2012). This year, it runs from August 2-4, which also is about the same time (August 1-4) as the Feast of

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Pa

Continued from previous page the Blessed Sacrament, better known as the Madeira Feast, in New Bedford (portuguesefeast.com). The first is an old-school parish celebration with great food and a procession reminiscent of the old days and the old country, while the second is the Disney World of feasts with wine tasting, bands, a road race and parade.

Looking for something a little less ethnic?

It seems there’s always some kind of festival in Newport, many of which happen at the Newport Yachting Center (newportwaterfrontevents.com). Although the Newport folk festival is legendary, you also might want to check out the New Bedford Folk Festival, formerly known as Summerfest (www.newbedfordsummerfest.com/).

It runs on July 6 and 7.

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Zoom to a zoo

Buttonwood Park has been an urban oasis for generations.

In recent years, it’s experienced a transformation and this summer will offer zoo nights and lots of family activities in addition to its regular programs. A new fundraiser for those over-21 this year is “Feast in the Wild,” an event with life music, sampling stations from local restaurants, and more.

Visit www.bpzoo.org for more information.

As a kid, a trip to Roger Williams Park Zoo was a major event, and, for many in the South Coast, it remains a special treat.

It’s one of the oldest zoos in the country and has also made major improvements in the past few years. Visit www.rwpzoo.org for rates, hours and special events.

In addition to the zoo, Roger Williams Park is home to the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium. For just $2 you can explore this little gem which has inspired people since 1896, and for another $3 you can take in a planetarium show at 2:00 p.m. on weekends and during school vacations. But be aware that no credit or debit cards are accepted.

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Tune in to music

The cool news for the summer is that the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River is installing air conditioning around the beginning of August, but the hot event may just be “Block-a-

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Palooza.” Co-sponsored with People, Inc. and the City of Fall River, the Narrows will bring a free event to South Main Street in front of the new courthouse. With Ryan Montbleau and Roomful of Blues already on the schedule, this 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. will be well worth the trip to the Spindle City.

Some big names will visit New Bedford this summer, thanks the Zeiterion Theatre.

Folk legend Joan Baez performs on June 29, right after David Byrne and St. Vincent on June 27. Cyndi Lauper brings her “She’s So Unusual” tour to the stage on July 9.

For more, including information about the New Bedford Festival Theatre’s show, “Singing in the Rain,” visit www.zeiterion. org.

But don’t forget that summer is a great time to support the many local musicians who bring song to the corners of clubs and bars throughout the South Coast. Facebook is a good place to follow folks like Louie Leeman, Colby James, Michael Troy, and others, or take a shot and head to the Pottersville Pub in Somerset, Fat Belly’s or Tinker’s Nest in Warren, the Tap House or Battleship Brewhouse in Fall River, or Aiden’s or Bristol Beer Company in Bristol some weekend.

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Discover museums

One of the best things about the South Coast is that we live surrounded by history. Check out some old favorites like the Whaling Museum in New Bedford and the Fall River Historical Society, both of which are treasures that continue to inspire.

The Children’s Museum of Greater Fall River is now officially open in the old courthouse at 441 North Main Street.

Bring the kids to the new addition to the local attractions, and stop by the Marine Museum at 70 Water Street in Fall River.

After some tough times, it’s back.

Wander around the Battleship Cove area and you ‘ll also find the Old Colony and Fall River Railroad Museum. Although hope springs eternal, as they say, for a train to Boston from the South Coast, enjoy a little trip bit of the history of the lines that still run through the city – and, to the surprise of many, are active with freight trains that bring and carry cargo from the

J uly / august 2013

Fall River pier area. Edaville Railroad is also open again with special events each month, check out edaville.com for details.

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Celebrate America

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Visit a vineyard

The Fourth of July is the obvious excuse, but summer is a great time to reflect on the people and places that made this country great. Battleship Cove always inspires and impresses, but you can also visit other military locations in the region.

Fort Barton on Highland Road in Tiverton was a staging area for the invasion of Aquidneck Island which led to the Battle of Rhode Island. Stroll its three miles of trails or climb the observation tower (www.tiverton.ri.gov/recreation/FtB_TrailGuide.pdf).

And don’t forget Fort Taber in New Bedford (www.forttaber.org) or Fort Adams in Newport (www.fortadams.org) for a sense of the past and a great view of the sea.

The big news in the local wine world is the recent purchase of Sakonnet Vineyards by Carolyn Rafaelian, owner of Alex and Ani. She promises big changes to the 130-acre spot including new flavors, different label designs, and the conversion of a storage building into a lodge with a dining room. Stay tuned or take the scenic ride to Little Compton to check out the progress.

Also in nearby Rhode Island are Diamond Hill Vineyards in Cumberland, Greenvale in Portsmouth, or Newport in Middletown (www.visitrhodeisland.com/what-to-do/ vineyards). Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery on Hix Bridge Road is a great spot for a tasting, as is Coastal Vineyards on Pardon Hill Road in South Dartmouth. Enjoy all these and others along the Coastal Wine Trail (www.coastalwinetrail.com).

9

Hit the beach

From Westport’s Horseneck Beach to the tip of the Cape and around the Ocean State, there’s plenty of shorefront for everybody.

Everybody has a favorite, and the lines of traffic at many indicate which ones are

Steward. The New Health Care.

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the most popular. But for a quick stop on a sunny afternoon, the town beaches in Swansea and Somerset are a good place for a quick dip.

Don’t want to get sandy? Take a ride through Bristol and stop at Colt State Park. With 464 acres of lawn, stone walls and curving roads along the seashore, it’s considered to be the jewel of Rhode Island’s state parks system. But also check out Rockwell Park or Independence Park on Thames Street also in Bristol for a quick stop on a hot day. You can also stroll the boardwalk at Fall River’s Bicentennial Park or relax at Village Waterfront Park in Somerset if you don’t want to drive more than a few minutes.

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Have a cold one

Take a ride to 98 Horseneck Road to see what’s going on at Buzzards Bay Brewing–or is it Just Beer? Despite the confusion, the Westport, MA brewery (buzzardsbrew.com) is a great spot to sip a beer and to relax. Pick up a few bottles for your next cookout and you won’t be disappointed.

For an indoor spot, Battleship Brewhouse at the bottom of President Avenue in Fall River is the place to try new brews. There’s always something new on tap and live music weekend nights. Rose Alley Pub in New Bedford also boasts an impressive beer list and features good tunes in the historic downtown area.

For a real brewery experience, visit Coddington Brewing Company on Coddington Highway in Middletown, RI (www.coddbrew.com). Or better yet, visit Newport Storm Brewery at 293 JT Connell Highway in Newport (www.newportstorm.com/visit.php). It will cost you $7 plus tax for the four samples of beer and tasting glass, but you can also take the $9 rum tour–or set up a private tour for groups larger than 10 and toast the South Coast summer in style.

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michAel vieirA, Ph.d. is the associate vice president for academic affairs at Bristol Community College. Mike has written for several newspapers and magazines and is a regular contributor to “The South Coast Insider” and “South Coast Prime Times.”

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13

gOOD TimeS

the islAnd noW KnoWn

photo by Paul Letendre

As cuttyhunK Cuttyhunk, it’s one of those places that we forget about. That’s good, that’s what makes it so special.

This island, roughly halfway between Horseneck Beach in Westport PAul and Aquinnah (Gay letendre Head) on Martha’s Vineyard, is three-quarters of mile wide and stretches one and a half miles. It is the westernmost of the Elizabeth Islands.

In 1602, Bartholomew Gosnold landed on an island then called Poocutohhunkunnoh by the native residents. Bart stayed for 22 days, which could have seemed like a lifetime on Cuttyhunk. The town is

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now officially Gosnold, named after Bart.

Some time after he left in 1602, Cuttyhunk proved to easier to say and spell than Poocutohhunkunnoh so our Anglophone ancestors adopted the shorter, easier name.

getting Around on cuttyhunK is PrimArily on Foot

J ULY / AUGUST 2013

HIstory is silent as to the feelings of the original residents on this cavalier and unilateral re-naming.

Cuttyhunk has 25 year-round residents, but, according to one resident, “five or six go south for the winter, so it’s really not that crowded come January and February.”

In season, the population can swell up to 70 or 80.

In January of 2011 the school board made the news wires when it was delinquent in submitting an anti-bullying plan. At the time, the school had four students: two in kindergarten, one in first grade and one in second grade. The students were members of two island families. The school board later complied with the law. That must be

an interesting plan. the left—that’s Gosnold County Road.

Without a boat, Cuttyhunk is not real Walk to the end of that road, and take a easy to get to—you can’t drive there and right and walk another half-mile and the the only airstrip is privately owned—and club will be on the right. once you’re there, you experience this The museum of the Elizabeth Island“what now?” feeling. You Cuttyhunk Historical can hike, you can fish, Society is on Tower AlKing onto and you can look at stuff: Road, the second some stuff made by man, right (and last) off of the islAnd lots of stuff that nature Broadway. It’s also a has devised and has yet to short stroll from the stArtles the be altered by man. dock. This little island has a long history senses there dining out At cutso there are loads of tuyhunK is A delightFul Island artifacts here.

Depending on the time Visiting Cuttyhunk of year when you are dePrivAtion is not about what one there, you might be able sees or does there; to buy some ice cream it’s about what one at a little take-out on doesn’t do or see. The the dock. In the summer, there is a pizza island has an other-world ambiance. Walkrestaurant, and the Cuttyhunk Fishing ing onto the island startles the senses— Club serves breakfast through Labor Day. there is a delightful deprivation—it could Sometimes there is a hot dog cart on the take some getting used to. That cacophony street near the dock—that’s about it for of ambient background noise, the sound dining choices. of cars, phones, everyday sounds that we Most overnighters spend it on their own hear and subconsciously dismiss … they’re boats in Cuttyhunk Pond. Accommodagone. tions on the Island are limited to the The peace and quiet can be disconcerting; Cuttyhunk Fishing Club (www.cuttyhunkwe sense an absence … something in us fishingclub-bb.com) and the Avalon (Cutneeds to adjust. We learn to listen differtyhunkInn@gmail.com). ently. Is this what our earth would be like Visitors get to Cuttyhunk either by private if we homo sapiens hadn’t been quite so boat, ferry or water taxi. Both commercial adept at multiplying and altering the earth vessels leave from New Bedford. The ferry to fit our comfort? (www.cuttyhunkferryco.com) departs Any time we travel, we return home with from the State Pier and the water taxi slightly altered views of our own environs. (www.cuttyhunkwatertaxi.com) from We compare some of the differences, the Fisherman’s Wharf. The boat ride will take weather, the architecture, the shopping, about an hour. perhaps the lifestyles. We might question cuttyhunK rAPid trAnsit some of our options, some of our choices.

Getting around on Cuttyhunk is primarA few hours on this island alters one’s ily on foot. There are no taxis, no bike assumptions more dramatically than many rentals, not many land vehicles of any grand voyages will. One’s perception of type. Bring your own bicycle if you wish status-quo is transformed. What is, what to do some biking. A mountain bike will was, what could have been—these assumpdo better on these roads than a slick-tired tions get altered. This is not the Twilight racing-type bike.

Zone, this is real.

From the dock, the street that goes up the Cuttyhunk—visit, stay a short while, don’t hill is Broadway. You can’t miss it: there are judge it, don’t screw it up—just let it be. no other options. Broadway is the main drag, where all the action is. If you walk up PAul letendre has spent most of his life the hill, you’ll see the pizza restaurant (the working for broadline food service distribuisland’s only sit-down restaurant), there’s a tors in the U.S. and Canada. He also writes little store, a post office and a few dwellan industry blog, “Restaurant Stuff,” at www. ings. That’s all the action. la10duh.com and is a regular contributor for To get to the Fishing Club, walk 75 yards “Prime Times.” or so up Broadway and take the street on

W

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prime primeliving living

creAtive cABle cutting To rework an old aphorism, controlling the price of modern television service demands eternal vigilance.

There’s a tidal wave of video programming dAn coming at you these l ogAn days, but part of the price you pay for it isn’t calculated in dollars. If you don’t want a monthly cable or satellite TV bill that rivals your car payment, you’ll spend a fair amount of time developing strategies to get exactly the programming you want for less money.

reAdy to cut the cABle? In other words, if you’re willing to root around the Internet for the shows you want to see, you might be able to save some cash.

A lot of people talk big about cutting the cable–getting rid of their expensive cable or satellite service and pulling in their live news, sports and reality shows via a modern antenna, and getting their movies and TV shows by streaming them over a good Internet connection.

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This would save a ton of money. But breaking up is hard to do. In fact, only a tiny percentage of households that consider it actually perform this entertainment hari-

less thAn one Percent oF suBscriBers Will discontinue their PAy tv suBscriPtions in 2013 kari. Less than one percent of subscribers will discontinue their pay TV subscriptions

J ULY / AUGUST 2013

in 2013, according to a report by Deloitte TMT Predictions. And of those defectors, many return to the fold after a few months.

diFFicult choices News, sports and reality shows are what keep us tied to expensive cable connections, and most people really don’t want to give this up. If you’re one of those who can, you have a lot more flexibility in making radical changes to the delivery of your televised entertainment. If you know you wouldn’t be happy without that programming, think in terms of refining the many choices you make in crafting a TV entertainment strategy, looking for ways to get some parts of the programming through other, less expensive (or free) routes.

Will your family buy into your cost cutting?

Maybe you’re ready to research programming and upgrade your show-finding skills, but what about the other members of your family? A frequent reaction among the non-bill paying set is: damn the price tag, we don’t want to have to hunt for our shows. Your TV entertainment strategy will

have to factor in negotiating time and programming alternatives for family members to produce concrete savings.

Bundling Your cable company, which is supposedly trying so hard to woo you and keep you as customer, will always hit you with an eyepopping rate increase roughly every year in the hope you’re too lazy to make the effort to lower it.

Then you have to get on the phone, go through the exercise of threatening to take your business elsewhere, and they go through the charade of giving you a discount if you stay with them, and they re-jigger your menu of services, and you wind up saving (almost literally) a few bucks, or paying slightly more for more services. At this stage you may realize you can do with one less receiver for which you’re paying a monthly charge, or squeeze a few more dollars from your bill with some simple changes that don’t require much modification of lifestyle.

Another of the ways the cable companies keep you under their wing is to bundle cable, Internet and phone services into one package. Try to buy just one of the three, and you find its cost represents a large portion of the cost of the bundled big three.

You’re probably going to buy into the bundle, so you’re going to have to restrain yourself on the premium stuff (You need the Internet anyway to save on the premium TV channels.)

If you can live without getting the latest movies at the earliest opportunity, you can dump HBO, Showtime and other premium channels and subscribe to such Web services as Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, iTunes or NetFlix, where for about $8 a month you gain access to large collections of TV shows and movies. Using a Roku or similar device you can stream all kinds of programming from the Internet to your TV. You don’t have to watch TV on your computer.

NBC.com, CBS.com and FOX.com stream the most recent shows, usually a day or two after they’re aired on the network.

There are also Web sites that are TVoriented communities that can help you pull together and maintain your viewing schedule, among them are Sidereel.com, TV.com, StreamTVGuide.com and Hulu. com.

At SideReel, users produce a lot of the content, meaning they contribute to updating the information provided, share favorites, and provide information and offer opinions in forums on TV shows and movies.

Sidereel tells you about what shows are available where, gives you access to pilots for shows, and provides lists of upcoming new series premieres. The other sites offer variations on that approach.

YouTube may be the favorite Internet source for video content, but it doesn’t play well with some streaming hardware, namely Roku. Again, there are ways around this if you’re willing to put in the time and effort.

Another old-fashioned but nonetheless effective way to get the movies and TV shows you want is to check the SAILS Library Network in Southeastern Massachusetts or the Ocean State Libraries system online which have thousands of DVDs in their collections. Their DVD holdings can be searched online. The newest and most popular movies usually have a wait list, but the movie will be sent to your local library for pickup when you get to the top of the list.

So, it is possible to whittle down the total cost of your TV service while sacrificing little in the way of programming. You can build a unique package of shows and movie sources tailored to your interests. You’ll have to spend more time coordinating this entertainment schedule, but having a good time in your down time is worth the effort, right?

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dAn logAn is a freelance writer and photographer from Fairhaven, MA. He also teaches classes about Nikon cameras and software at the Learning Connection in Providence. E-mail him at dlogan@thegrid.net.

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prime living

Finding the B y Joyce Rowley

In a one-of-a-kind study, Andrew Revell, director of the Ora M. DeJesus Center for Gerontology at UMass Dartmouth, is capturing data on the South Coast’s older adults, people who are 50-plus and are entering what psychologists call “older adulthood.”

With seed money from the Joseph P. Healey Endowment and the Chancellor’s Fund, the Southcoast Cognitive Aging Study (SCAS) studies the cognitive and health risk indicators for early dementia diseases such as Alzheimer’s dementia.

Originally a study that was disease-based, Revell found that it made more sense to approach the project from a healthy-aging perspective.

“We look at cognitive changes and what people are doing to maintain cognitive abilities into older adulthood,” said Revell, who is also an assistant professor of psychology at UMass.

Part of what makes it so unique is that there have been no similar population studies on South Coast residents.

SCAS is the only study in the U.S. that looks at the PortugueseAmerican aging population Portuguese-A merican Aging Population The study was unique in another way: SCAS is the only study in the U.S. that looks at the Portuguese-American aging

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population. That enabled SCAS to join research teams from UMass Boston, University of Texas at San Antonio, and University of California Davis in population studies that look at culture and neuropsychology.

According to the U.S. Census, the Providence, Rhode Island metropolitan statistical area, which includes Fall River and New Bedford, Massachusetts, has the second-largest population of PortugueseA ndrew Revell Americans, second only to New York City. PortugueseAmericans are not listed Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American in the U.S. Census as a separate group. By Archives and an assistant professor of socipiecing together census data on people ology at UMass Dartmouth, Revell and his who report Portuguese as a primary lanstudents worked together to prepare sesguage, researchers have estimated there are sion materials in Portuguese, find willing 1.6 million Portuguese-Americans in the participants, and to perform interviews.

U.S. SCAS also includes second and third What SCAS Measures generation Portuguese-Americans who Each two-hour session consists of quesmay no longer speak Portuguese as their tions about participants’ health and family primary language. health history, and their overall health The first step was to translate the including their emotional health. Some SCAS survey questions from English to of the other markers for cognitive health Portuguese. Unfortunately, the National include social media use, technology Institute of Health (NIH) has prepared use, and possible impediments to physistandard questions for psychological cal activities. A measure of “lifespace” or studies in multiple languages, but not the amount of travel and activity a person in Portuguese. So with the help of M. gets daily and per month was added to the Gloria DeSa, faculty director of the

J uly / august 2013

study. Low scores of lifespace are predictive of cognitive decline, says Revell.

Participants are asked to bring whatever medications they are taking with them to the session, but only to rule out false outcomes. For example, if participants are on blood pressure medicine, their blood pressure will appear low. Results would show that the population in a region has low blood pressure, when in fact many people may actually have high blood pressure.

SCAS does take blood pressure and pulse of participants, says Revell, mainly to determine whether there are vascular health issues at play.

crystAllized vs. Fluid

intelligence What got Revell interested in this particular field of neuropsychology was that fluid intelligence losses can be reversed—even 14 years after the original damage.

“Crystallized” intelligence is fact-based intelligence; “fluid” intelligence comes from learning new skills such as learning how to play an instrument or how to paint watercolors. From about 25 years of age on, a person’s crystallized intelligence increases until about age 81.

Fluid intelligence, on the other hand, begins to decline by the time a person reaches their 30s. Some measures of fluid intelligence show even earlier decline.

While the first round of interviews provided a baseline for the study, a second interview was needed to detect changes in cognitive ability. Revell said the study continues through the summer. He is seeking additional funds for the next phase that would include a third interview with the original participants and bring in new, older adults from the region. There’s a possibility that other departments at UMass would join in the study, and clinical testing for indicators such as cholesterol and pulmonary oxygen could also be part of the study.

SCAS was approved by the Elder Rights Review Committee of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elderly Affairs and the University’s Institutional Review Board.

If you’d like to participate in the SCAS, contact Dr. Revell at 508-999-8385 or arevell@umass.edu. For a fun way to keep your intelligence fluid, Revell recommends the FitBrains games at www.positscience.com .

Joyce roWley is a freelance writer and regular contributor to “The South Coast Insider” and “South Coast Prime Times.”

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prime living

planning for retirement ii:

Better noW thAn never

When last we spoke in our first installment of this Planning for Retirement series, I admitted–at the age of 43–that I had not started saving for retirement yet. My 12-year-old has asked me about it every week since the article came out so I think that will change soon.

JAy PAteAKos

But this installment deals more with planning for later on in life, dealing with the vital decisions on skilled nursing centers and finally, impending death. I can’t say I’ve thought much about this subject line personally, but that just means I’m typical for a person person in their 40s. But like saving for retirement, I should change that thinking as well.

When my brother died at the age of 38, one of the things I will remember the most was the pain my mother had to go through in selecting my brother’s funeral arrangements including church songs, burial vault and obituary. (After going through that pain, my mother, 14 years later, would pen her own obituary and purchase all her funeral needs ahead of time).

No parents, or children for that matter, should have to go through that. The reality of death was painful enough without trying to comprehend what a loved one would want in a coffin, tombstone or vault.

owner of Albanese Monuments on Route 6 in Westport.

“Once the cemetery part is done, they come to us to select a stone size, color, design; that way it can go in the cemetery and the only thing that will need to be added later (after death) is the date of death. This way they get to choose the memorials they want instead of what their children may want.”

Albanese said years ago, these kinds of decisions were always left to whoever was left behind after a death but that’s one of many things changing with the current generations. People think more about their future than ever, and yes, even things like this that, 20 years ago, would have been unheard of for most people.

“This generation is the one that is burying their parents and making all those JoAn A lBAnese

generAtionAl diFFerences Whether it’s preparing for death or moving from independent to assisted living, times are certainly changing. More than ever, the 40-, 50-, and 60-somethings are thinking more about the future than ever and trying to take the stress of these kinds of decisions off their children.

“That is the thing with this generation.

They start estate planning very early and part of that includes picking the cemetery, deciding on a full burial or crematorium and more,” said Joan Albanese, co-

decisions for their parents. They see the struggles of doing it this way, the stress of it, and don’t want their kids to go through that,” said Albanese.

“They come in now, ahead of time and with no emotion make the decisions they need to make easily. They are practical, open-minded and know what they want.

These people are more informed than any generation before them and they don’t want to leave these decisions to anyone else. It’s nice on our end to not have to deal with someone in tears or full of emotions because everything is already done.”

‘ These people are more informed than any generation before them and they don’t want to leave these decisions to anyone else.’

Having known that my mother took care of all her arrangements ahead of time was a huge lift for my sister and me. Now, we only need to coordinate the services once she passes away. Especially when a death comes suddenly, planning for it ahead of time takes a vital step–probably the most difficult one besides the wake itself–away from the family.

That avoidance of emotional decisions also works well in deciding the next step in

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As we get older, many of us need a helping hand. Whether it means assistance getting dressed, meal preparation or medication management we can help you to live safely on your own! Our goal is to have you live as independently as possible while enjoying our many amenities, outings and activities.

We have both Assisted Living and Memory Care Apartments for residents with Alzheimer’s or memory disorders.

New memories are made for those that are now lost! Our Memory Care neighborhood staff joins residents in their moment, rather than trying to bring them into our reality. Through this approach, we recognize individuality, encourage choice and help residents maintain their dignity.

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Thursday, July 25, starting at 2:00 p.m. Gary Farias sings and plays guitar.

To all our residents we make a simple promise: a promise to be compassionate and kind, understanding and respectful; a promise to become extended family to our seniors and offer them an active lifestyle.

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Continued from previous page a person’s journey toward assisted living, skilled nursing or rehabilitation centers (formerly known as nursing homes but renamed because they are so much more than that now).

Marketing and Public Relations Director Julie Cayer of Diocesan Health Facilities said people who do their homework and figure out either their parents’ or their own healthcare long before they need it will end up far better than those forced to make those decisions.

Julie cAyer

Will PoWer Cayer said she’s still surprised to hear people in their 50s that still don’t have a will, something so helpful in determining what a person wants when they can’t speak for themselves.

“One piece of advice I would give is to seek out professional help. Tour skilled nursing and assisted living centers way far in advance. It’s a lot less stressful that way,” said Cayer.

“We also have Elders Geriatric Case managers that provide human services to help families care for their loved ones as they continue to try and lead an independent life. A lot of people prefer to stay in their home and with a little care, can continue to do so and may just need a little help in living safe, yet still independent lives.”

‘ A lot of people prefer to stay in their home and with a little care, can continue to do so.’

She ought to know. speaking from the experience of working with five facilities, including Catholic Memorial Home in Fall River, Marian Manor in Taunton and Madonna Manor in North Attleboro .

“We try to help people prepare for these steps. It’s really important to have these discussions early on rather than when it’s in a crisis because then it’s not easy, and in an acute situation, makes it that much more difficult,” said Cayer.

“Even if it’s developing your own health care and health care proxy, you want to have all the things lined up that you will need when you’re older, and you never know when there might be an accident, so sooner rather than later would be best.”

Cayer said there’s a great deal of information that will be needed before taking the steps from independent living to assisted living to skilled nursing, which could include everything from daily living needs, current medications, health insurance information, home and automobile policies and retirement bank accounts to wills, power of attorney and much more.

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Andrea Syron is co-director of the Somerset’s Clifton Healthcare Campus, comprised of a skilled rehabilitation nursing center, assisted living facility, outpatient clinic and hospice services. He said the key to preparing for this part of life is to enquire about the services you may eventually need long before you ever need them.

“Seniors today are far more active than they once were and they embrace that active lifestyle and they want to make sure they pick a skilled nursing or assisted living facility that meets with their needs in life,” said Syron.

“When you have an unexpected illness or injury, you want to be ready because you are put in situations where you have to make many decisions rather quickly.”

Like Cayer, Syron said those looking to make early decisions on their own health care or that of their parents should take the time to tour as many facilities as possible.

Some people have preferences about being in facilities where some of their friends are located or many want to be closer to loved ones.

Some facilities are family-owned and others are corporate-based; some are big and

J ULY / AUGUST 2013

A ndreA s yron

others much smaller; some all-inclusive while others are not. These are all decisions that need to be weighed and getting the opinion of the person who will be living there is crucial. Don’t wait for a sudden illness or injury to force the issue.

And many more people are thinking farther ahead than ever before, she said. If there is a favorite choice facility, there may be a waiting list, so Syron suggested getting on that waiting list now. But these preparations are not limited to long-term care.

Doing your research can pay dividends for short stays as well. Syron noted that many people tour the facility and “pre-book” before they go in for knee surgery or other procedures so they know where they are going when they get out of surgery.

“It’s been a wonderful change over the last five years, where people get a connection with us before their procedure and they feel so much more comfortable while they are in the hospital knowing where they are going to be going after,” said Syron.

“You don’t want to be pressed for a quick decision. You want to tour these places and get a feel for the facility. Preparing ahead of time makes the process that much smoother and assures that loved ones are getting what they want, while keeping the decision in the hands of those who know best.”

JAy PAteAKos has been a freelance writer for more than 10 years including daily and weekly newspapers and monthly magazines. A native of New Bedford, he currently lives in Marion and has three children.

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hoW to Avoid

identity theFt “Who steals my purse steals trash/… But he that filches my good name/… makes me poor indeed.” (“Othello,” III, iii, 155-161) Imagine that you’re moving into a new eliz ABeth morse reAd apartment and you apply for new electricity service, only to find out that you’re “guilty” of late or non-payment of utility bills. Or you apply for a car loan and find out that your credit score is in the cellar because you “filed” for bankruptcy. Or you try to legally purchase a gun and find out that there’s a warrant out for your arrest in Arkansas for arson, or that you didn’t register as a sex offender in Arizona, or that you’re on some FBI no-fly list. This is the kind of almost-irreversible damage that Identity theft can do to you.

Read on to learn how you can best protect yourself from becoming a victim.

What, exactly, Is identity theft?

In simplest terms, identity theft occurs when someone wrongfully obtains your personal /financial information and uses

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it to enrich themselves by impersonating you. The damage can be as minor as finding a phony purchase on your credit card statement to having your bank account emptied to having your credit rating and personal reputation destroyed, while also being responsible for thousands of dollars of fraudulent debt.

In 2003, almost 10 million Americans reported that they’d been a victim of some kind of identity theft/fraud. But the incidence of identity theft has exploded since then, as the digital world continues to expand and the cyber-crooks find more creative ways to manipulate all the digital data floating around.

Once cyber-criminals reconstruct the jigsaw-puzzle of your identity, they can run up debt then file for bankruptcy, enter the country illegally, fraudulently file for your tax refund, commit crimes of terrorism, launder money for drug cartels, buy

J ULY / AUGUST 2013

a weapon or run up an arrest record–all in your name.

e veryone is vulnerABle With cyber-crime rising exponentially, you are more vulnerable every year. And when the victim is an institution, bank or national merchant like TJMaxx, their increased costs trickle down to you, the consumer. Customer information is often stolen from supposedly “secure” websites and business databases. A recent global cyber-hacking scam stole up to $45 milion from banks using bogus pre-paid cards (in New York City alone, banks were electronically “robbed” of almost $4 million in just a few hours).

Back in the day, crooks would mug granny for cash or her Social Security checks: now they mug her over the Internet by ferreting out her personal information on Facebook, stealing her mail or rummaging through her trash, or by luring her with

phony pre-approved or “free” offers. If they card for all purchases (the one with the mug granny these days, it’s for her plastic, lowest credit limit), and never a bank debit her passwords and her PINs, not her pencard. Make it harder for an identity thief to sion check. find all the bits and pieces of your personal Most alarming is that your tax records are information. a juicy target for identity thieves. Eighty Never click on a link or open a file atpercent of all federal tax returns are filed tached to an email from a stranger or from electronically now, and all an identity a supposed government agency asking thief needs is your tax for verification of your ID number or Social personal information.

Security number to That link may expose you file a phony tax return, to malware or a virus that change your mailing ever clicK on A will steal or divert data address, and pocket your from your files. refund before you’ve linK AsKing For Create complicated passeven started gathering words (numbers, letters, veriFicAtion oF capitals, symbols, etc.), your April 15 paperwork.

Many people request that change them frequently your PersonAl and don’t use the same their refund payments be made with mailed prepassword for more than inFormAtion paid debit cards (which one account. And you can’t be traced if stolen). obviously should not be According to the U.S. Treasury Departgiving out those passwords to anyone, or ment, the number of tax identity fraud writing them down in a long list on your cases mushroomed from 48,000 cases in bulletin board or in your purse along with 2008 to 1.2 million in 2012. Many victims PINs and answers to security questions. of this kind of identity theft are elderly That’s like handing your keychain to a car (Florida residents are at high risk), but very thief. young children and the recently-deceased Be more vigilAnt are often victimized at tax time, too.

Don’t rattle off your credit card number Not all identity thieves belong to a where anyone can hear you, whether you’re shadowy gang of hackers in eastern Europe at a store, a restaurant, or while orderor Asia. Many crimes are committed by ing pizza on the phone at your friend’s people you know who have access to some house. And never leave behind receipts at of your personal information. It could be restaurants or stores: they contain bits of a family member, neighbor, friend or colinformation about you that you don’t want league. But just as often, it might be a waitstrangers finding. Guard your banking ress or a dentist’s receptionist or that store deposit slips as closely as your checks, and clerk you chat with. Unscrupulous emdon’t print more than your name on your ployees (often temporary or new) can copy checks. Why “tell all” and let some stranger your Social Security or Medicare number behind you in the bank line read your adand sell it, or put electronic “skimmers” on dress and phone number and (God forbid) credit card machines to record your card’s your Social Security number? number or on an ATM to capture your Don’t leave behind car rental agreements account info and PIN. Internet cafes or or hotel registration forms; they carry establishments offering free WiFi are also information about you that an identity hazardous to your financial health. Never thief could use, such your Social Security conduct any financial transactions on your or state ID number, your license plate laptop which could be “overheard” by a number and your home address. Bring it hacker at the next table. all home with you and shred it. Shred your tAKe cAre on the comPuter pay stubs, insurance renewal forms, town Some financial experts advise that you tax receipts and any printed corresponhave a dedicated computer or laptop for dence that includes any of your personal just your financial/business transactions: information. paying bills; buying from Amazon; trackDon’t automatically toss “junk” mail in ing your investments; and another one for the trash unopened. Shred those unsoliceverything else (e-mails, Facebook, etc.). If ited offers for credit cards, life insurance, you shop a lot online, use only one credit etc. as soon as you finish reading them.

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Continued from previous page If you get a “pre-approved” credit card or membership card in the mail, cut it up into little pieces before you toss it out. Identity thieves will go “dumpster diving” and steal trash bags off the sidewalk looking for carelessly-discarded personal mail.

Unless you can hand your outgoing mail directly to your mailman, put it into a USPS mailbox, not your office out-basket or your home’s unattended mailbox.

Identity thieves can find valuable information about you just by stealing your paid bills. They can open bogus utility accounts in your name, request a duplicate credit/ rewards card, file for a change-of-address or even apply for a home equity loan!

guArd your PersonAl

inFormAtion Never carry your Social Security card, birth certificate or passport in your wallet or purse, and carry only those credit cards, checkbooks, and other identifying cards (driver’s license, insurance cards, etc.) as you need that day. Keep checkbooks, mail and personal records in a private spot of your home, not out on a kitchen counter near the back door. Make photocopies of the front and back of every piece of plastic you own in case you need to report them stolen or lost, and keep the photocopies in a safe place.

If you have any pre-paid cards, such as tax refund cards, SNAP (food stamp) cards, long-distance calling cards, gift cards, travel money cards, etc., don’t put them in your wallet until the day you plan on using them (If they’re stolen, you’re out of luck.).

It goes without saying that you should never give anyone your Social Security number or PINs, but it’s equally important that you don’t give away seeminglyinnocent information like your mother’s maiden name, your children’s birthdays, your pet’s name, etc. If you’ve ever had to answer security questions to open or access an account, these are the most common questions you’ll be asked. Identity thieves research you thoroughly before they take over your life. They will troll Facebook and LinkedIn, medical and public records, employer/alumni/military records in order to create a new identity based on your personal/ financial information.

It’s essential that you scrutinize your monthly banking, credit card and investment statements, whether you get hard copy in the mail or review them online.

The sooner you spot fraudulent activity, the

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faster you can recover before further damage is done. Don’t dismiss small charges (usually under $10) that appear on any statements; oftentimes, fraudsters will send out a probe charge to see whether or not it gets through undetected. If you don’t challenge that little “error,” they’ll know you’re not being vigilant and will take a bigger bite the next time. And if you suddenly notice that regular mail from a bank or business is not arriving at your home address,

✔ revieW your credit rePort At leAst once A yeAr contact them immediately to make sure that it’s not being sent to another address.

Identity thieves will file phony “change of address” forms so that they can get their hands on your personal information.

tAKe stePs to Protect your

FinAnciAl inFormAtion Americans receive 90 billion pieces of junk mail each year. Fully 60 percent of all mail delivered to homes is unrequested junk, such as catalogues, coupons, offers for pre-approved credit/insurance and solicitations from charities. If you’re getting a lot of junk mail or junk emails or junk phone calls, it means that someone has rented out your personal information to a mailing list. And the major credit reporting agencies– TransUnion, Experian, Equifax– are notorious for renting out information about consumers to marketers. Get your name removed from those lists by calling 1-888-5OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688).

Also visit www.dmachoice.org and www. optoutprescreen.com.

Find out if your bank and credit card issuers will send you free alerts when they detect unusual activity on your account.

If your bank card or credit cards are stolen or lost, report that immediately, cancel them and request replacements. Whenever possible, ask for replacement “smart cards” or cards with your photograph on it. Ask your Internet provider if they offer free antivirus software; if they do, set it for automatic security updates and weekly scans.

J ULY / AUGUST 2013

Always file a fraud/identity theft report with the local police so that it’s on record.

Contact your state’s attorney general’s office for guidance, as well as the federal Department of Justice at www.justice.gov/ criminal/fraud. But the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the official federal clearinghouse and starting point for victims of identity fraud or theft.

Call the FTC toll free 877-IDTHEFT (877438-4338), 1-877-FTC-HELP (877-3824357). Consider contacting other federal agencies, such as the FBI, Postal Inspection Service, the Social Security Administration (800-269-0271), the IRS (800-829-0433) and/or the US Secret Service. Identity theft has been a federal offense since 1998 with the passage of the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act. These agencies are keenly aware of the link between local identity theft cases and organized crime, global security threats and cyber-terrorism.

Your tax dollars are at work when it comes to combatting identity theft.

Review your credit report at least once a year by visiting www.annualcreditreport. com – challenge any questionable entry or evidence of identity theft. Immediately contact the fraud units of the three major credit reporting agencies: Equifax at 800525-6285 or www.equifax.com ; Experian (formerly TRW) at 1-888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742) or www.experian.com; and TransUnion at 800-680-7289 or www. transunion.com. If you’ve become a victim of identity theft or fraud, your hard-earned credit rating is going to take a kidney punch. It’s critical that you work very hard to win over the credit agencies to help you clean up the damage.

If all of the above sounds like some paranoid conspiracy theory, watch “The Net,” a 1995 cyber-thriller featuring Sandra Bullock, whose character’s entire life was “erased” by identity thieves and hackers.

What was fiction in 1995 is all-too-real now. elizABeth morse reAd is an awardwinning writer, editor and artist who grew up on the South Coast. After 20 years of working in New York City and traveling the world, she came back home with her children and lives in Fairhaven.

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By michelle d. BenesKi

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hat a wild year it has been.

Unfortunately, things I could only imagine in my worst nightmares happened right here. I know two families who lost their homes in Super Storm Sandy. The Boston Marathon bombings were terrifying to watch and heartbreaking. I still can’t conceive of a tornado wiping out a whole town. Fifteen thousand homes were completely destroyed. When I hear about these disasters I think about how we all think “that could never happen to me.” Luckily these seem to be rare events, still they happened and it seems likely they will happen again. We can be fine one moment and the next hit by a car, have a stroke or a heart attack or be injured in some freaky weather event.

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Having an up-to-date-estate with everythingplan is more than having a death plan (a will). It is Home Healthsmith having in placedone. those documents you and has your family need if youpleased are unexpectedly I’ve been -Katherine O. | Warren, RI injured orwith killed.everything I know if I get injured my familyHome has theHealthsmith ability to make my has done. medical decisions and pay my bills if I Being a Vietnam can’t-Katherine do it for Knowing this gives O. myself. | Warren, RI Vet,ofI mind. appreciate me peace

At Home Healthsmith, we believe freedom and peace of mind are the greatest gifts we can offer our customers. We provide mobility and safety, ensuring you At Homeyour Healthsmith, we believe maintain dignity, despite freedom and limitations. peace of mind are your physical Imagine the peace greatest gifts we can the that comes withoffer our customers.

We provide knowing your home can be mobility and safety, ensuring you changed to accommodate your maintain your dignity, despite needs. your physical limitations. Imagine the peace with With more that thancomes 30 years of knowing your home can be experience in the stairlift service changed to accommodate industry, we understand theyour needs.of living with a disability stress can be overwhelming. Home With more than 30 years of Healthsmith provides in-home experience in allow the stairlift solutions that you toservice industry, we understand the maintain your level of comfort stress ofcompromising living with a disability without your can beand overwhelming.

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that a contribution

Are you prepared if you was made to are injured? Can Being a care Vietnam your family take of you and legally Wounded Warriors Vet, I name. appreciate step in and decisions for you if you in mymake thatthem a contribution can’t make for yourself? If you die was made to set to transfer unexpectedly is everything -Paul W. | Middletown, RI Warriors to yourWounded spouse or your children easily? If my name. you areinnot sure of the answers to these questions you should seeLinda an elder–care Bill & -Paul W. | Middletown, RI attorney.

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Wounded Warriors should consult a qualified attorney. This knees say, Michelle in myMy name. article was written by Attorney thanks! -John W. | Wakefield, RI D.W.Beneski of Surprenant & Beneski, P.C. -Paul | Middletown, RI The law firm has offices in New Bedford, -Michelle G. | Woonsocket, RI knees– say, HyannisMy and specializes in Bill Boston & Lindathat thanks!

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gOOD TimeS

There’s no place

like home

Growing old sometimes isn’t easy. Worse still is being forced from your house into assisted living or nursing home because of physical conditions preventing you from getting around. And with 10,000 people a day turning 65, that rapidly growPAul K AndAriAn ing aging demographic can turn to people like Bill and Linda Bohmbach, owners of Home Healthsmith based in Portsmouth, R.I., a company that outfits homes to make life easier on people who want to stay put.

The company provides products and services that enable older or physically challenged people to stay in their homes longer, including installing and repairing stair lifts, bath lifts, grab bars and wheelchair ramps, and also repairing wheelchairs and scooters, and doing general property management services. The coverage area includes all of Rhode Island, Cape Cod, Southeastern Massachusetts and up to the Worcester area.

“It’s a big force, there’s big changes coming down the pike on how people handle their older days,” Bill Bohmbach said. “There isn’t enough money or facilities to handle people who will need some kind of help, so staying in their home is a good option.”

Bohmbach, whose wife, Linda, is the firm’s marketing director, has more than 30 years’ experience in the trade, running an elevator company

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for many years before selling it to an international company less than three years ago. He had another company, American Stair Lift Company, which he kep and rebranded into Home Healthsmith.

J ULY / AUGUST 2013

Anyone wondering if they can outfit their home can call the company and schedule a free SafeHome Audit. The second step is a SafeHome Install. The SafeHome Advantage then protects the client’s safety and mobility year round, with a technician checking things out every four months.

Also, if the company installs a stair lift or ramp, they donate a portion of the revenue to the Wounded Warriors Project, a nonprofit that assists injured military members.

Their services include checking loose stair railings, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, loose screens, door knobs, making recommendations on lighting and electrical appliances, even checking things like throw rugs that could present a tripping hazard.

They use the team approach, working with a variety of agencies to audit homes and see what needs to be done to ensure client safety and comfort.

“The work we do is very individualized, it’s customized,” Bill Bohmbach said. “For example, someone with multiple sclerosis, I can guarantee one client will be quite different from another

in what they can do. Our assessment is designed to get a feel for what they’re capable of doing and taking that information and making recommendations.”

They work closely with visiting nurses, doctors, physical therapists and the like to tailor a program to client needs, they said.

Bill Bohmbach isn’t just anyone doing the work: He has earned the Certified Agingin-Place Specialist designation from the National Association of Home Builders.

And if you’re thinking products are ugly and sterile (think stainless steel grab bars), think again.

“Looking at the choices 10, 15 years ago, we didn’t have many,” Bill Bohmbach said.

And if you’re thinking products are ugly and sterile (think stainless steel grab bars), think again “That’s completely changed, the aesthetics offered by manufacturers are amazing, there are a lot of imaginative people getting out really good stuff.”

As an example, he said a female client with beautiful bathrooms didn’t want those stainless grab bars. With a wide range of designer colors, Bohmbach said, “we put bars in there that matched beautifully.”

As to the cost, the company doesn’t list that on the website, preferring to do a free audit and make estimates from that, he said. The company also does rentals, and sells refurbished ramps, for those looking to save money.

“Linda and I have a personal concern for the people we serve,” he said. “We work hard to understand what each client wants, whether it’s equipment or something more personal. Our goal at Home Healthsmith is to connect our clients with whatever they need to live a full and rewarding life.”

For information, visit www. homehealthsmith.com or call 855-447-6484.

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srtA drives the

economic Bus

By louise h ArdimAn, director oF trAnsit, srPedd

Transition is happening at the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority(SRTA) since a new operator and administrator took charge a little more than a year ago. SRTA introduced the Charlie Card and eliminated fare zones. Free transfers are now available at the terminal. The long-awaited Fall River Terminal will open July 1st. These changes are good for the region and address longstanding needs.

But it’s not enough. the neW FAll river Bus terminAl neAring comPletion

diverse voices Coalitions of advocates for strengthening transit have formed around diverse values– social equity, environmental and human health, economic competitiveness. The voices of these advocates are being heard in Massachusetts as some political leaders are ready to support increased funding for regional transit authorities. In this region, advocates are most vocal about the need for Sunday and evening service. There are additional needs for the aging population in the suburbs and for inter-regional connections to Rhode Island, Taunton and Cape Cod. Once upon a time, the region was well served by trains and trolleys. Transit was popular, until the era of cars began.

Then the tracks were ripped up or paved over and motorbuses replaced rail cars.

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Automobiles gained in popularity and bus ridership fell. Service cuts further eroded ridership in a downward spiral that led to the bus system we have today, used mainly by the transit-dependent. A SRPEDD onboard bus survey conducted in April 2012

J ULY / AUGUST 2013

showed that incomes of SRTA bus riders are extremely low, with 63 percent of riders reporting annual household income under $25,000 and only six percent reporting a household income greater than $40,000.

Clearly, the existing bus system does not attract riders who have options.

There are signs that transit is regaining popularity. The “Wall Street Journal” reports that the number of people 19 years old and younger with driver’s licenses fell from 64 per cent in 1998 to 46 percent in 2008. Increasingly, young adults prefer to live and work in places where they can walk, bike and use transit while connecting with friends, playing games or working online. Older adults also want to live in places where they can drive less and perhaps, get

by with one less car in their household.

sKimPy schedules But in southeastern Massachusetts anyone who chooses to give up a car and depend upon public transit would find their life suddenly constricted by a bus schedule that promises no service on Sundays, limited evening service and waits of up to 60 minutes between buses. This is less than basic service, and that doesn’t work in a place where retail and service jobs dominate.

So, what kind of regional transit system do South Coast residents want? A lifeline service that is only used by people who have no choice and which limits access to employment and evening classes?

A better system nearly suggest itself, one that is part of the transportation infrastructure and contributes to the economic development of the area, is able to provide convenient access to jobs in the region, and allows teens to hold jobs and participate in youth activities; a transit system that allows older adults to not drive when they choose to, without feeling trapped or losing their independence; a system that offers tourists a way to visit historic and recreational attractions without getting lost or stressed out; a system that attracts young people, who start new businesses and become customers for existing ones; a system that allows more households to shed a car and therefore, have more disposable income to spend in the community.

testing And hoPing SRTA has come up with a plan to provide a limited evening service that includes nine of its existing bus routes. This service is sustainable until June 30, 2014. It is a risky and imperfect test to see how a few later hours on one-third of its routes will impact overall ridership. Going beyond commiserating with the riders who want later hours of service, the SRTA Administration has put its money where its mouth is. The hope is that improved state funding will allow ongoing evening service on all bus routes, as well as Sunday service and the ability to address other needs.

SRTA is doing what it can to improve the system and transition from a lifeline service to a regional economic development contributor. As the political debate about the Commonwealth’s transportation system and financing plan takes place, the public must consider the existing transit system and the role it could have in the region’s future economic development and quality of life.

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Treasures in your jewelry box By n Ancy PlAnte

At Plante Jewelers, I often chat with customers who tell me that they don’t need any new jewelry: they have jewelry at home that they never even wear. We’ve been having a lot of fun with our customers, looking at jewelry they have and coming up with ways to re-use, re-set, and re-style their jewelry into exciting new pieces that they love to wear! Let’s take a look at your jewelry box.

1

Jewelry you always loved but don’t wear any more.

You may wonder why you quit wearing some items. There are many reasons why we all have our little stash of unworn jewelry. Our tastes change. Maybe you used to love yellow gold, and now you prefer silver or white gold.

Our lifestyles change. If you’ve gone from power suits to yoga pants you won’t need the career-style earrings you wore before.

Many women just don’t dress up as much as they used to.

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Jewelry that you have inherited from family members or friends can often be precious beyond monetary value, yet sometimes it stays in the jewelry box.

Why? Emotions can keep us from wearing certain personal items, especially if you just recently lost a loved one. Give yourself time to grieve before you even think of going through the jewelry.

Older jewelry items may be fragile. It is always a good idea to have a jeweler check any older jewelry. It is a shame to lose a gemstone out of a ring, but it is especially heartbreaking if the gemstone was grandma’s engagement diamond.

Maybe the person who gave you the jewelry was very dear to you, but you just don’t like the jewelry itself. Don’t feel guilty over it, consider resetting.

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You can have your grandmother’s gemstone, and have a setting that is your design. Then the jewelry piece has elements of both you and your grandmother. You may not want to wear a ring, but you can have a pendant made with your grandmother’s gemstone. There are many, many possibilities.

If you inherit a fine piece of vintage jewelry that is never going to be your style, it may be best not to restyle it. In this case you could keep it as a memento, or you can sell the item and use the money to purchase a jewelry piece that will be a remembrance of your loved one. This is obviously a decision that might take some thought.

My husband Pierre has contacts in the world of antique jewelry. He can send photos and descriptions of an item and get quotes from dealers. Your jewelry item will be appreciated by someone who loves that kind of style, and you will be able to enjoy a piece that is your style.

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Jewelry from a previous relationship is another category of jewelry that is often tied up with emotion, good or bad! Sometimes women want nothing to do with their old engagement or wedding rings, so selling the rings might be the right thing to do. However, diamonds and gemstones are still beautiful, even if the meaning of the original setting is lost.

You can make a diamond ring or pendant out of an engagement ring. We’ve had

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customers come in with all their jewelry— engagement ring, earrings—and we help them figure out what they’d like to make.

An engagement diamond and a pair of diamond studs can become a beautiful three-diamond ring for your right hand.

Many small diamonds can be set into a gold bangle bracelet.

We did a project for a divorced couple, transforming their engagement diamond into a pendant for their daughter. She wore it for her wedding.

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Jewelry that is difficult to put on. Sometimes it’s not that you don’t want to wear your jewelry; it’s that you CAN’T wear it because you can’t manage the clasp. Don’t despair! There are lots of

Before

and After

things we can do to make your favorite jewelry wearable again.

We can replace a tiny clasp with a larger one, or one that works easier. Many of our customers are enjoying their bracelets again with a magnetic clasp.

Necklaces can also benefit from a change of clasp, or you might want to lengthen your necklace so you can put it on over your head without having to use the clasp.

Rings can be frustrating when your knuckles are enlarged. The ring is difficult to get on and off, yet spins loosely once it’s on. Pierre is an expert in helping our customers who can no longer wear their precious rings. From simple solutions like a ring guard or sizing beads, to more complex alterations, like shanks that open and close, there is an answer for every ring and every finger.

Earrings can sometimes be restyled, depending on the type of earring. Bring them in and we can sit with you and see what can be done to help you wear them again.

In the very bottom of the jewelry box–broken chains, earrings without a mate, worn-out bracelets, and other little bits of gold or silver: These can be sold to your jeweler for refining and the money used for a restyling project.

Now that we’ve found what’s in your jewelry box, let’s talk about what you can do with it!

The very first thing is the easiest. If there’s something that you forgot you had, but you think it’s pretty, maybe all it needs is a good cleaning. You can clean most jewelry at home, but why not bring it to us for a professional cleaning and a checkup to

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207 Swansea Mall Drive Swansea Crossing Plaza Swansea, Massachusetts 02777 Phone: 508-673-0561 Toll Free: 877-754-0800 Fax: 508-673-0119 info@plantejewelers.com

www.plantejewelers.com

make sure everything is tight.

The second thing is to think of how to wear your rediscovered jewelry. You can slip a pendant onto a different chain, a neckwire or a black cord. A large pendant looks completely different on a short cord or wire, close to your face, or on a long chain to hang lower over a sweater.

Many gemstone pendants set with diamonds all around take on a whole new life when you use a white gold chain instead of the original yellow one. The white gold works with the white diamonds to change

Before

and After

the look.

If you have a charm bracelet that is too bulky to wear, have some of your favorite ones removed so you can put them on a necklace chain. Your charms are also a fun gift for a young girl who has her own charm bracelet. One of our customers was a gymnast in high school, so she gave her own “vintage”gymnast charm to her niece, who is now taking gymnastics.

Large clip-on earrings can have a new life as decorative shoe clips, or you can use one on a pretty evening clutch to dress it up.

Now let’s see what can be done to restyle some of your treasures. Diamonds or gemstones can be removed from a piece of jewelry, and used in a completely new piece: A woman had a diamond brooch that had belonged to her grandmother. She didn’t want to wear it, so we took out the

diamonds and made three pairs of studs for her three granddaughters. When each one turns 13, she will receive a pair of diamond earrings that are from her great-great grandmother.

Earring gemstones can be set on each side of a new center-diamond ring.

Gather your diamond earrings, pendants, whatever you have, and we can make a ring that uses all of the diamonds in a design of your choice.

The new piece might use a mounting from a manufacturer, or it can be a custom creation designed and fabricated just for you. We can re-set diamond stud earrings to dangle-style for a completely new look.

A ring or necklace can be restyled, keeping elements of the original piece to create the new one: We saw an interesting example of this when a customer brought her husband’s diamond ring to us. Recently widowed, she wanted a pendant made from his ring, so she could wear it every day.

We removed the top of the ring, which was a square shape with five diamonds set in white gold, and oriented it to hang as a diamond shape. Our customer purchased a diamond chain, which made a beautiful complement to the pendant.

The wide, yellow gold shank of the original ring now had an empty space at the top. We re-set it with a square black onyx gemstone with a diamond in the center.

This created a handsome man’s ring, which our customer gave to her great-nephew.

What a wonderful project that was, creating two treasured pieces of jewelry that will always bring memories of a man who was loved.

Wedding rings make meaningful pendants when we shape them into hearts.

Your engagement diamond can be added, if you like.

Pearl strands can be restrung into different pieces. Pearls are wonderfully versatile!

They can always be restrung—two strands made into one, or a long strand made into two strands for two daughters. A great set can be made from a long strand: have the pearls restrung as a bracelet and necklace, with matching clasps so you can wear the two clasped together when you want a longer look.

Take a look inside your jewelry box, and see what you can find that gets your imagination working!

For a no-obligation consultation, contact Nancy Plante of Plante Jewelers in Swansea at 508-673-0561 or www.plantejewelers.com.

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e XtrA! e XtrA!

in BrieF… eliz ABeth morse reAd

“Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer…” The South Coast is the best place to be in summertime. Enjoy every sunny minute of it!

Students in the robotics club at New Bedford High School won second place at the National SeaPerch Challenge in Indianapolis.

south coAst stArs

Wareham Middle School math teacher Bonnie Lasorsa was awarded second place for the Public Broadcasting System Innovator Award by WGBH in Boston for her innovative “Ladder of Success” mathematics curriculum.

New Bedford native David Barboza won two Pulitzer Prizes for his work as the Shanghai bureau chief of the “New York Times.”

Amateur photographer Bob Leonard of Taunton, who was taking candid shots at the Boston Marathon, was instrumental in helping the FBI identify the bombers.

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New Bedford native Anne Marie Bettencourt, who teaches English at Springfield High School, received the state’s 2013 Teacher of the Year award.

Fall River native Ernest Moniz has been confirmed as President Obama’s new Secretary of Energy.

The new pilot of President Obama’s official helicopter, Marine One, is Ryan Lynch, a 2001 graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

J ULY / AUGUST 2013

Students at the Rogers Elementary School in Fairhaven, which has closed its doors, donated almost 2,000 of their library books to the students of Hathaway Elementary School in New Bedford.

The indie movie “Fairhaven” was selected as “movie of the week” when first released by iTunes, and made the “top 10 rentals” list the first week, just one spot behind “Lincoln.”

“Men Who Cook–Summer Sizzler” will be held July 14 in Mattapoisett’s Shipyard Park. Proceeds will benefit The Women’s Center. Go to www.thewomenscenter.com or call 508-996-3343 x 25.

Red Cross volunteer Paula Ferrales of Taunton was recognized as the Massachusetts Unsung Heroine 2013 by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women.

The Taunton Farmer’s Market returns to the grounds of the First Parish Church on Sundays 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., starting July 7. Fresh seafood and meat will be available this year.

UMass Dartmouth students plan a 55mile relay to Boston to raise money for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.

The “Torch Relay” is tentatively scheduled for the weekend after Fourth of July . For more info, go to www.umassd.edu/torchrelay.

Sample “Taste of the Town” under the tent July 16 at Mattapoisett’s Shipyard Park.

Proceeds will benefit the Mattapoisett Women’s Club scholarship fund. Call 508758-2188 or 508-748-1282.

Eight-year-old Morgan Coughlan of Taunton wanted to help young victims of the Boston Marathon bombing, so with her mother raised almost $800 to buy American Girl dolls and books to give them.

New Bedford native Melissa DeMello was selected to be a cheerleader for the New England Patriots.

“Standard-Times” photographer Peter Pereira won an “award of excellence” in the China International Press Photo contest for his shots of the fire at the GB Knowles landscaping business in Fairhaven.

Ashley Bendiksen, Miss New Bedford 2009, was valedictorian of this year’s graduating class at Salve Regina University.

Dartmouth ranks second as “Most Solar Community in the State,” second only to Boston.

Food! Food! Food!

The Sunday afternoon Farmers Market on Fairhaven High School’s lawn has returned through October. Free parking.

Get ready for the 99th Feast of the Blessed Sacrament at Madeira Field in New Bedford Aug. 1-4. Free admission. Learn more at www.PortugueseFeast.com or 508992-6911.

Head for New Bedford’s Madeira Field on Aug. 16-18 for the Senhor da Pedra Feast.

Take the family to Westport’s River Day Festival at Westport Landing on June 22.

Visit www.westportwatershed.org or call 508-636-3016.

Head for the Annual Greek Food Festival at St. George’s Orthodox Church in Dartmouth July 26-28.

Experience a “Farm to Table Dinner” at the Dartmouth YMCA on July 27–BYOP (Bring Your Own Plate). The food will be from the on-site Sharing the Harvest Community Garden, a non-profit volunteerdriven farm which donates thousands of pounds of fresh produce to food banks throughout the South Coast every year.

Call 508-993-3361 or go to www.ymcasouthcoast.org.

FeAsts, FAirs And FestivAls! Plan ahead for the Great Feast of the Holy Ghost in Fall River Aug. 22-25. For info, call 508-675-1368 or go to www. grandesfestas.org.

Don’t miss the New Bedford Folk Festival (formerly called Summerfest) July 6 and 7. For info, visit www.newbedfordfolkfestival.com.

June 29 is Fairhaven’s Annual Homecoming Day, a free street fair of crafts, food, entertainment and kids’ activities. Go to www.fairhavenhomecoming.wordpress. com.

Take the kids to an old-time Agricultural Fair July 17-21 at 200 Pine Hill Rd. in Westport. 4-H animals, country bands, tractor pull, and more!

It’s the annual Harbor Days Festival July 20-21 at Mattapoisett’s Shipyard Park, rain or shine. For info, visit www.mattapoisettlionsclub.org.

photo by Westport Watershed

Portsmouth resident Eily Cournoyer, a recent graduate of URI, received a cancer research Fulbright Grant to study at the Cancer Institute in London. She was also awarded the Whitaker International Program Fellowship. Before studying biology and chemical engineering at URI, Eily graduated from Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth.

Don’t miss “Celebrate Tiverton!” July 26-29, a three-day festival of concerts, cookouts, parades and road races. Go to www.celebratetiverton.org.

Make plans for the annual Feast of Our Lady of Angels in north Fairhaven 8/309/2. Call 508-990-0502.

K A-ching!

New Bedford homeowners who abut abandoned vacant lots can now purchase them for as low as $250 through the city’s new “Side Yard Program.” Contact the treasurer’s office or visit www.newbedford-ma. gov/treasurers/treasurers.html.

Thanks to Senator Mark Montigny, New Bedford’s Zeiterion (“the Z”) was earmarked for $200,000 in funding in the state’s proposed budget.

SouthCoast Mentoring Initiative for Learning, Education and Service, better known as SMILES, raised almost $80,000 at its fifth annual run/walk/bike/skateathon at UMass Dartmouth.

The Ocean Explorium in New Bedford has kicked off a major fund-raising campaign, “Save Your Ocean Explorium.” To learn more or donate, go to www.oceanexplorium.org.

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Continued from previous page The Whaling Museum’s capital campaign raised $6 million, bringing its total endowment to $7.6 million.

The Lloyd Center for the Environment in Dartmouth received a $35,000 grant from the Braitmayer Foundation. The funds support the center’s Climate Science Learning Projects in schools throughout the South Coast.

The Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River has a great line-up: there’s Caravan of Thieves June 20; Sonny Landreth June 27; Block-a-Palooza with Roomful of Blues (FREE!) July 18; Buckwheat Zydeco August 9; and more! For complete details, visit www.narrowscenter.com, www.ncfta.org or call 508-324-1926.

to-Hyannis CapeFLYER train would come flying through town at almost 60 mph. At the last minute, they petitioned the state for flashing lights at a dangerous crossing on County Rd. School cafeteria workers at the Coelho Middle School in Attleboro denied lunch

Caravan of T hieves

The UMass system has created the James J. Karam Scholarship Fund for South Coast students planning to attend any of the UMass system’s campuses.

Starting July 1, drivers will have to pay a toll to cross the Sakonnet River Bridge in East Bay RI. Commuters can use their Newport Pell Bridge E-ZPass transponders or pay $.75 one way. Separate rates will be in place for out-of-state vehicles and trucks.

The good news is that bus service between New Bedford and Fall River now runs into the evening, along with many other SRTA routes. For new schedules, go to www.

SRTAbus.com or call 508-999-5211.

Listen to the Music Mark your calendars for the 20th Annual Onset Blues Festival in Wareham on August 3. Call 508-295-7072 or go to www. onsetvillage.org.

The free “Summer of Love” concerts return to Onset Bay in Wareham every Wednesday starting June 26. Call 508-2957072 or go to www.onsetvillage.org.

photo by Chad Anderson

MassDevelopment issued a $57.8 million bond on behalf of Southcoast Hospital Group’s new primary and specialty health care center in Fairhaven.

From July 11 to August 29, enjoy free “Thursday Evenings in the Park Concerts” at the Whaling National Historical Park garden in New Bedford. 508-996-4095 or www.nps.gov/nebe.

Pack a blanket and a picnic for “Music at Sunset” at Blithewold in Bristol June 26, July 10, July 14, August 7 and August 21. For the concert schedule, go to www. blithewold.org or call 401-253-2707.

Don’t miss the New Bedford Folk Festival (formerly called Summerfest) July 6 and 7. For info, visit www.newbedfordfolkfestival.com.

The Sandywoods Center for the Arts in Tiverton will present Billy Mitchell June 21, Cliff Eberhardt June 28, the New Bedford Sea Chantey Chorus July 12, Village Harmony July 20, “Forever Young” July 31, Otis Read August 3, and more! Go to www.sandywoodsmusic.com or call 401241-7349.

The Zeiterion in New Bedford presents David Byrne & St. Vincent June 27, Joan Baez June 29 and Cindi Lauper Juuy 9. Go to www.zeiterion.org or call 508-997-5664.

Strange, But True Town officials in Rochester received almost no advance notice that the Boston-

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to 25 students a few months ago because their pre-paid lunch accounts were short on funds. Not only did this incident go viral and attract national attention, but it also resulted in death threats for some school administrators. Then-Attleboro school superintendent Pia Durkin, the incoming superintendent for the New Bedford schools, was one of those threatened.

Lunchtime patrons at the Olive Garden restaurant in Taunton were startled back in April when a diner wearing a kilt lifted it up to show everyone what he wasn’t wearing underneath. One of the other diners happened to be an off-duty state trooper…

Eel poaching has become big (illegal) business in Rhode Island lately, with demand for tiny American eels (“elvers”) fetching $2,000/pound in Asia.

Things were hoppin’ in Lakeville a few months ago when two kids found supposed “Bigfoot” bones in the woods. Calls came in from national media and the Discovery Channel, but the medical examiner said they were most likely from a large bear. (Bigfoot, call home…)

A man who stole almost $800 left behind on a store counter in New Bedford had second thoughts when he found out that it was a woman’s SSI money, her sole

source of income. He returned it to police (through an attorney) the next day.

Rhode Island’s tallest building, sometimes called the “Superman Building,” will go dark when the last tenant, Bank of America, moves out. (“Will the last person to leave please turn off the lights?”)

The Little Theatre in Fall River will perform “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” through June 23, “Surviving Grace” starting July 18; and “How the Other Half Loves” starting August 15. For details, call 508-675-1852 or visit www. littletheatre.net.

A Sight to Behold Stroll through the Gallery and Open Studios of Bristol and Warren on Art Night June 27. Go to www.artnightbristolwarren. org.

A double header! The “Arctic Visions” exhibit of William Bradford’s classic paintings is on display at the Whaling Museum.

Up the street is a complementary exhibit of Bradford’s work at the New Bedford Art Museum, “The Frigid Zone.” Admission to both is free on AHA! Nights. For more info, visit www.whalingmuseum.org or www.newbedfordartmuseum.org.

Special Events June

Enjoy a performance of “The Exonerated” through June 30, “The Mousetrap” July 5 throuigh August 30, and “The Murder Room” July 12 through Sept.

1 at the 2nd Story Theatre in Warren.

For details, call 401-247-4200 or go to www.2ndstorytheatre.com.

Head for the Newport Playhouse’s performance of “Beau Jest” through July 7, and “The Hallelujah Girls” July 11 to August 18.

Go to www.newportplayhouse.com or call 401-848-7529.

Family Fun Learn about “The Art of Knots” at the Mattapoisett Museum on June 25. Call 508-758-2844 or go to www.mattapoisetthistoricalsociety.org.

Explore the South Coast’s industrial past at “The Mill Children” exhibit at the UMass Dartmouth’s Cherry & Webb Gallery in Fall River through Labor Day. Call 845-661-3593 or email info@brillgallery109.com.

All the World’s a Stage

June 29 is Fairhaven’s Annual Homecoming Day, a free street fair of crafts, food, entertainment and kids’ activities. Go to www.fairhavenhomecoming.wordpress. com.

Don’t miss “Celebrate Tiverton!” July 26-29, a three-day festival of concerts, cookouts, parades and road races. Go to www.celebratetiverton.org.

Bristol is to the Fourth of July what Plymouth is to Thanksgiving: put it on your bucket list. Call 401-253-0390.

CAMP MASSASOIT FAMILY BBQ Mattapoisett ∙ 6/21 FLICK & FLOAT Fall River ∙ 6/21 FAMILY DAY Wareham ∙ 6/23

July

CAMP METACOMET FAMILY BINGO Dartmouth ∙ 7/10 CAMP MASSASOIT FAMILY NIGHT Mattapoisett ∙ 7/18 FLICK & FLOAT Dartmouth ∙ 7/19 CAMP METACOMET FAMILY PUZZLE NIGHT Dartmouth ∙ 7/24 FARM TO TABLE DINNER Dartmouth ∙ 7/27

August

CAMP MASSASOIT ALUMNI SOFTBALL Mattapoisett ∙ 8/2 CAMP MASSASOIT ALUMNI COCKTAILS Mattapoisett ∙ 8/2 CAMP MASSASOIT ALUMNI FAMILY DAY Mattapoisett ∙ 8/3 CAMP METACOMET FAMILY CLIMB NIGHT Dartmouth ∙ 8/7 SHARING THE HARVEST ICE CREAM SOCIAL Dartmouth ∙ 8/8 BIRD ISLAND CHALLENGE Wareham ∙ 8/11 CAMP MASSASOIT FAMILY NIGHT Mattapoisett ∙ 8/17 SHINING TIDES PRESCHOOL BEACH PARTY Mattapoisett ∙ 8/15 CAMP METACOMET FAMILY GAME NIGHT Dartmouth ∙ 8/21

Contact the branch for information and event times. For a listing of more events visit ymcasouthcoast.org.

Relax with a performance of “Singin’ in the Rain” at the Zeiterion by the New Bedford Festival Theatre July 26 through August 4. Go to www.zeiterion.org or call 508-997-5664.

DARTMOUTH 508.993.3361 FALL RIVER 508.675.7841 GLEASON FAMILY 508.295.9622 MATTAPOISETT 508.758.4203 NEW BEDFORD 508.997.0734

Catch “House” and “Garden” through June 30 at Trinity Rep in Providence. Call 401-351-4242 or go to www.trinityrep. com.

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YMCA SOUTHCOAST ymcasouthcoast.org

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Continued from previous page

Check out the old-time Agricultural Fair July 17-21 at 200 Pine Hill Rd. in Westport: 4-H animals; country bands; tractor pull; and more!

It’s Free Family Day on July 19 at New Bedford’s Buttonwood Park Zoo! Visit www.bpzoo.org or call 508-991-6178.

Take the family to Westport’s River Day Festival at Westport Landing on June 22.

Visit www.westportwatershed.org or call 508-636-3016.

Bizz Buzz Tourism officials in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts have joined together to create “So New,” a marketing program to attract more tourism to southern New England.

Southcoast Health Systems and Silverbrook Farm of Dartmouth have joined together to form a CSA (community assisted agriculture) program to provide weekly deliveries of fresh local produce in Wareham, Fairhaven, New Bedford and Fall River, starting June 17. To sign up, visit www.southcoast.org/farmersmarket/csa or call 508-961-5079. photo: Silverbrook Farm

Take the kids for a ride with Thomas the Tank Engine June 21-24 at Edaville Railroad in Carver. Call 508-866-8190 or visit www.edaville.com.

Enjoy free family fun and entertainment at AHA! Night in New Bedford. The theme for July 11 is “Kids Rule” and for August 8 is “Dancing in the Streets”! www.ahanewbedford.org or 508-996-8253 x 205.

photo: Mattapoisett Lions

It’s the annual Harbor Days Festival July 20-21 at Mattapoisett’s Shipyard Park, rain or shine. For info, visit www.mattapoisettlionsclub.org.

Watch free movies at Island Wharf in Marion starting July 10. And get ready for the annual Town Block Party on August 24! Contact the Marion Recreation Department at 774-217-8355.

Support your library! The Middleboro Public Library is having massive,, townwide yard sale on Saturday, July 6, at the library, 102 North Main Street from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Get there early, get the best choice of treasures gleaned from attics, garages, and cellars, plus select items donated to the cause.

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Valet parking is now available at New Bedford’s St. Luke’s Hospital and Fall River’s Charlton Memorial Hospital Monday to Friday. 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The US Department of Agriculture will purchase $5 million worth of cranberry products for federal nutrition assistance programs, including food banks.

Uh oh… Fairhaven’s two wind turbines were found to be in violation of state noise regulations, according to a preliminary study conducted by the Depatment of Environmental Protection. Stay tuned…

The Center for Alternative Life Medicine (CALM) may soon become the first licensed medical marijuana dispensary in the New Bedford area, operating from an old mill building in the city’s South End. Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank will open a branch in Wareham’s Rosebrook Place next spring.

A $3 million expansion of the New Bedford Industrial Park will hopefully attract

J uly / august 2013

new marine commerce and offshore wind companies.

Hawthorne Oncology Center in North Dartmouth has been purchased by St. Anne’s Hospital in Fall River.

The Southcoast Health System’s Centers for Cancer Care will be participating in a ground-breaking CPS-3 (Cancer Prevention Study) conducted by the American Cancer Society. For info, call 888-604-5888 or visit www.cancer.ord/CPS3NE. The greater New Bedford area will receive almost $300 million in state transportation funding, 50 percent more than last year, for local road and infrastructure projects.

Bristol County Savings Bank opened four new branch locations, two in New Bedford and one each in Fall River and Raynham, and plans to open another soon in Freetown.

The newly-renovated ferry terminal for the SeaStreak Martha’s Vineyard will include a concession stand operated by The Celtic Coffeehouse and more convenient parking next door. Tourists on Martha’s Vineyard will be offered a special $50 adventure day pass to visit New Bedford via the SeaStreak.

If you thought the whiplash developments in the South Coast Rail story were confusing, the proposed Wampanoag casino in Taunton is battling the Gaming Commission, the bureaucrats in Washington DC and commercial competitors who claim the tribe had an unfair advantage.

On the Road Again If you’re over 50, check out the trips sponsored by the New Bedford Senior Travel Program: the Bass River lunch cruise June 26; the Kennebunkport Clambake July 17; the Charles River Boat ride and Cheesecake Factory July 31, and the Provincetown Carnival Parade August 15.

Call 508-991-6171.

For Kids Only Check out Adventure Camp and daily activities at Friends Academy in Dartmouth.

Call 508-999-1356.

Send the kids (K-4) to Camp Sequoia at

Express Yourself! at the ArtWorks children’s workshops in New Bedford July 8 to August 23. Call 508-984-1588 or go to www.artworksforyou.org/programs/kids.

The Southcoast VNA will once again sponsor Camp Angel Wings July 13 and 14 at Cathedral Camp in Freetown. The free camp is open to children 6-15 who have lost a loved one. Call 508-973-3219 or go to www.southcoast.org/campangelwings.

Learn about the Summer ZooCamp at Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence.

Visit www.rwpzoo.org.

Check out the Summer Adventures program for K-8 kids at the Lloyd Center for the Environment in Dartmouth. Call 508-990-0505 x 15 or visit www.lloydcenter.org.

On June 21, the Trustees of Reservations will host a free candlelit summer solstice walk at Copicut Woods in Fall River.

You’ll learn how to make your own candle lantern! Call 508-636-4693 or visit www. thetrustees.org.

NEXT: Sept/October issue (available on August14th)

Copy deadline: July 31st photo: Trustees of Reservations

Blithewold in Bristol. Eight one-week sessions starting July 1. Visit www.blithewold. org or call 401-253-2707.

Theme: Harvest Time For space reservation and more info, contact us today at 508-677-3000 or editor@coastalmags.com

The Trustees of Reservations has acquired the famous Haskell Nurseries in New Bedford to create a unique six-acre urban parkland.

Camp Silvershell in Marion returns for eight, one-week sessions starting in June.

Contact the Marion Recreation Dep’t. at 774-217-8355.

The Great Outdoors Sign up now for the 1.2 mile open water Buzzards Bay Swim, scheduled for July 13.

Learn more at www.savebuzzardsbay.org/ swim or www.splashseries.org.

The herring are back and running again in the Acushnet River since the removal of three dams and the construction of a multi-stepped fishway.

The state’s recent Department of Fisheries and Wildlife survey identified 30 active bald eagle nesting sites, and one of them is at North Watuppa Pond in Fall River.

Cruise New Bedford’s historic harbor with Whaling City Expeditions from midJune through Labor Day. Call 508-9844979 or visit www.whalingcityexpeditions. com.

Follow the “Nature Tracks” at the Audubon Environmental Education Center in Bristol on the first Saturday of every month. Visit www.asri.org or call 401-9495454 x 3041.

Stroll through the Newport Flower Show at Rosecliff Manor June 21 to23. Call 401-847-1000 or go to www.newportflowershow.org.

photo: Newport Flower Show

photo: Lloyd Center

Get in touch with nature at the Westport’s Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary.

Learn more at www.massaudubon.org or call 508-636-2437.

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gOOD TimeS

Getting nailed by age Part of the wonder of growing older is just growing, finding new things to delight you, relishing old things you always have with a PAul renewed sense of delight.

K AndAriAn And then there’s just growing, parts of your body I mean, in ways that are, well, just a lot short of delight.

This is probably gross, but I’ve noticed most recently how that applies to toenails.

Now, toenails are nothing people really talk about in polite circles, they are kind of nasty, those big, gnarled things at the end of your feet you’d just as soon forget about.

Unless you’re a woman. Then you trim and paint them like they were works of art. I mean c’mon, ladies, they’re toenails, for heaven’s sake, not miniature Picassos.

But as I get older, hitting the big 6-0 this year, I can’t help but notice those suckers growing like I’ve never seen them grow.

I’m not sure why that is, but more often than ever, I have to take the clippers to things that are stubbornly more resistant as time goes on. If they make bolt cutters small enough, I may have to buy some.

Fingernails, no problem. Them I just bite away, not a pretty habit but pretty convenient.

I mean, really, when you were younger, you’d clip toenails away easily and forget about them for a good long time. No more.

Now I notice them growing–not by sight but by the uncomfortable push they make into the toes of my shoes, or more painfully, my ice skates when I play hockey.

So I break out the regular clippers and hack away, shards of nails flying this way and that like miniature projectiles, landing…well, I have no idea. The big chunks I can pick up. The little ones that bounce off walls? Forget it, I figure sooner or later I’ll find them, most likely embedded in my

40

S OU TH C OAST P R IME T IMES

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soles as I walk around barefoot.

Can anyone explain why these things get tougher as we age? I remember when my kids were little, my father pointing to his toenails, which by then were starting to resemble hardened, sepia-toned facial moles usually found on trolls, and asking them to cut them for him. They did, when they were younger and didn’t know better, gagging at the task and probably picking up fodder for future mental-health counseling as they did.

I’ve never seen anyone labor so intently over a task so seemingly small, but there she was I can’t ask my kids to do the same for me now. They’re in their 20s, for one thing, and if I do ask, they’d just tell me to go to Home Depot and get some tiny bolt cutters.

I had Achille’s tendon surgery in late 2011, and for eight weeks or so, that foot was confined to a cast and then a walking boot. It’s recovered completely now, but left behind a weird reminder: For some reason that I’m pretty sure defies medical explanation, the middle toenail of that foot has thickened and hardened into an entity resembling the troll’s moles of my father. It defies routine cutting, so I have to sort of chew away at it with a toenail clipper, leaving a gruesome, uneven mess behind. I can’t believe how hard this thing is. If I sharpen it enough, I swear it could cut glass.

I was in Aruba recently and for the first time in my life, had a pedicure and manicure. It was weird. For one thing, I’m totally not used to having anyone pay that much attention to my hands and feet. For another, I kept apologizing for not just the size of

J ULY / AUGUST 2013

my feet (friends tell me my shoes resemble canoes) but for the size of the nails as well.

This poor lady had at my feet with, I believe, a pumice stone, scraping away dead flesh that had been perfectly fine for the last six or so decades, and then took to those toenails. I’ve never seen anyone labor so intently over a task so seemingly small, but there she was, digging under the nail with some device resembling an industrial belt sander, but chipping away, smiling and sweating and finally trimming them down, as proud of her accomplishment as a sculptor would be looking at a giant slab of marble and then whittling it into a masterpiece.

Of course within a week or so, my toes were back to troll status, but it was fun while it lasted.

And then there’s hair, growing more as we get older but not where it counts. Like on my big bald head. No, this hair pops up in places like my eyebrows, the occasional, renegade follicle sticking out straight and gray, which my daughter delights in grabbing and plucking out, no doubt thankful it’s not my toenail she feels obliged to fix.

And ears, for the love of God, why does hair grow in a man’s ears like a lawn tended by a swarm of TruGreen landscapers? And to be really gross, the nose, too?

I mean,really, what kind of cruel paradox is this? To grow hair in places that close to where you really need it? Couldn’t evolution have been kinder and had it miss those spots around the head and sprout up on it instead?

These are all questions for minds far greater than mine. Which I hope includes inventing a perfect, small bolt cutter. I wish they’d hurry, my nails are killing me. pAUl KAnDAriAn is a lifelong area resident and has been a professional writer since 1982, as columnist, contributor in national magazines, websites and other publications.

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