SENIOR BEACON MARCH 2021 by BeaconNewsGroup

Senior Beacon SB Eldest & Locally-Owned Senior Newspaper in Southern Colorado

MARCH 2021

Vol. 40:2

Established February 1982

470 Consecutive Months!

Committed To Southern Colorado Seniors For 39 Years And Counting!!

RETIREES RETHINK SPENDING, RETIREMENT HOW IS THE PANDEMIC

affecting retirement savings? Forty - eight percent of retirees with retirement accounts say that their savings have not recovered pre-pandemic levels, according to a new survey by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). “There’s no doubt about it, the Coronavirus - caused recession is forcing many older adults to rethink retirement plans,” says Mary Johnson, Social Security and Medicare policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League. “While the U.S. stock market ended 2020 at an all - time high, the retirement savings held by many retired adults do not appear to have benefited from the run up,” Johnson says. “This is exactly why the guaranteed income nature of Social Security is so important,” she notes. The survey, which was conducted from mid - January to mid-February

of this year, asked the following “How has the coronavirus - caused recession affected the value of your retirement savings as of December 31, 2020?” Some 18 percent of survey participants reported that they had no retirement savings at all. Of those with retirement savings, 48 percent reported that the value of their retirement savings was still down on December 31, 2020 from the ending value on December 31, 2019. Thirty-one percent reported that their savings had recovered to about the same value as on December 31, 2019. Only 21 percent reported that their savings had increased by December

(old, grainy logo)

31, 2020. Of this group, only 9 percent said their savings had increased by

more than 10 percent. (The S & P 500 stock index finished the year up by more than 16%.) “Depending on how long it takes one’s retirement savings to recover, the 2020 coronavirus recession could have a deep and life changing impact on the retirement security of older Americans,” says Johnson whose own retirement savings were negatively impacted by the Great Recession of 2007- 09. “Those who have lost significant sums might plan to work longer and retire later if they can,” says Johnson. “Those who were working and have lost

a job and their employer--provided healthcare coverage may wind up working for lower earnings, and could potentially experience worse health,” she notes.All of this adds up to less money for retirement, and greater dependence on Social Security as insurance against retirement savings that are so closely tied to the value of equities and housing. “This situation was caused by COVID-19 and illustrates why Congress needs to strengthen Social Security and Medicare benefits,” Johnson says. The Senior Citizens League supports legislation that would boost Social Security benefits for all retirees and supports legislation that would lower Medicare costs. With 1.2 million supporters, The Senior Citizens League is one of the nation’s largest nonpartisan seniors’ groups. Its mission is to educate and alert senior citizens about their rights and freedoms as U.S. Citizens. Visit www.SeniorsLeague.org for more information.

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FINANCE

Starting A New Career At 50 I HEAR SO MANY people who are nervous or scared to make a career change in their fifties, even if they’re miserable at their current job. I get it. There are a lot of fears and insecurities that can creep up when you’re thinking about making any big change later in life. Don’t let that stop you from doing what you were created to do. Of course, a midlife career change shouldn’t be a spur-of-themoment decision. Take some time to think about whether this move makes sense for you, and if you’re truly in a good place financially, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to make this kind of transition. Then, if you’ve weighed the pros and cons, done the research, and decided that a career change at 50 is the right move for you, here are some tips for making the transition as smooth as possible:

resumé in a few For big life changes like this, it’s important know I’m older years, now’s the to have a support system. Whether it’s your than some, but time. You might be family, friends, church group, or any group I’m passionate overwhelmed at the thought of fitting all of trusted people who play a significant about the work your work experirole in your life, let them know your plans you’re doing ence onto one page, for changing jobs and keep them updated but you don’t have to here and want on your progress. include 30 years of to be part of it.” experience if it’s not for interviews. important. Just focus on the work Remember, you have skills and you’ve done that’s relevant to the USE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS experience that make you a valujob you have in mind. Keep it simple, to the point, and understand able asset in the workplace. And When it comes to getting where there’s no need to mention your you want to be, relationships are the courage it takes to start a new age anywhere on your resumé. everything. But instead of stale, career later in life is an attribute superficial networking, network SUPPORT IS IMPORTANT the right way by using your web of many employers will find very genuine connections. You probably For big life changes like this, impressive! know a lot more people than you it’s important to have a support think, so don’t be afraid to reach system. Whether it’s your famiout. ly, friends, church group, or any Ken Coleman is the nationally Even if you don’t have as many group of trusted people who play connections as you’d like right now, syndicated radio host of The Ken a significant role in your life, let build some by getting to know peoColeman Show and #1 national them know your plans for changple who are doing what you want UPDATE YOUR RESUMÉ ing jobs and keep them updated on to do. Take them to lunch, talk best-selling author. He has been your progress. Not only will they with them about what they love, featured in Forbes, appeared on Fox If you haven’t updated your provide accountability, but they’ll and don’t love, about their jobs. be much-need- You could wind up with a job lead, News, Fox Business Network, and Before You Hire An Agent, Ask These Questions ed cheerleaders or at least get some clarity on what the Rachel Ray Show. Since 2014, and voices you really want to pursue. • How many older adults have you helped sell their homes? of truth and he has served at Ramsey Solutions, • Do you have experience working with any local move reason. DON’T FOCUS ON AGE managers or moving companies? where he offers expert advice to Your support • What will you do to market the home? system can also As you get ready to interview help thousands of people every day I have the answers to these questions! be a sounding for a job, you might be hyper-fo“Let’s write the next chapter of your board for your cused on your age. The interviewer discover what they were meant to life story together. Call me today for a new career might not be thinking about that do and how to land their dream job. free market analysis of your home.” ideas. They at all. Hopefully, they’re looking Follow Ken on Twitter, Instagram, Marlene Berrier, Realtor might even be for the best person for the job. If able to proofthey don’t bring up age, you don’t Facebook , and YouTube or at ken2017 Realtor of Year! #1 in 2017, 2018, 2019 read your cover need to, either. If the interviewer RE/Max of Pueblo West, Inc coleman.com. brings up the age issue, say someletter, or help marleneberrier@remax.net thing simple and confident like, “I you practice Marlene Berrier www.marleneberrier.com http//www.homesforsaleinpueblo.com 719-547-8135 3-21

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The 38th Annual Monte Vista Crane Festival Goes Virtual MONTE VISTA, CO – The Monte

Vista Crane Festival Committee is keeping with the 38-year tradition of a festival in celebration of the annual migration of some 26,000 Sandhill Cranes through the San Luis Valley. But this year’s festival will be a trimmed-down, online event.

On March 12, the Monte Vista Crane Festival invites Sandhill Crane fans from around the country to join in a special web presentation with stunning videos and slideshows featuring wildlife and photography experts, as well as San Luis Valley community members who somehow play a role in how cranes move through the Valley. The two-hour event will offer a live chat option for two-way participation. The lineup includes a feature video—“Cranes of the World”— hosted by crane naturalist Sandra Noll, shorter videos and a slideshow with wildlife and landscape images by award-winning wildlife photographer Ed McKerrow. “The

online event will tell the story of the importance of water and agriculture to the future of the cranes,” said festival committee co-chair Deb Callahan. The event is being held in partnership with the Monte Vista Crane Festival Committee and Friends of the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuges.

Tickets for the online crane festival are $15 and available now on mvcranefest.org. Folks can join the live event on March 12 at 7:00 p.m. or watch the presentation at their leisure from March 13 - 17.

Also available with the ticket purchase are donation options in support of the festival, which is a non-profit event organized by volunteers. “Supporting the festival keeps it coming back year after year, and helps support the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, which creates habitat and a food source for the cranes,” Callahan said.

A video trailer of the online festival is now available to watch on the Monte Vista Crane Festival Facebook page.

Of course, the Sandhill Cranes as well as many duck and other bird species can still be seen during the spring migration in and around the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge. There are currently no restrictions on visiting the refuges. But be aware that refuge restroom facilities may not be open. For more information and to sign up for the March 12, 2021 online crane festival, visit mvcranefest.org.

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Page 4 - Senior Beacon - March 2021

March 2021 MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Beef Pot Pie w/ Buttermilk Biscuit Lima Beans Salad w/ Red Wine Vinaigrette Apple Milk

Chicken Piccata Pasta Winter Blend Vegetables Peaches High Fiber Cookie Milk

Crab Cakes Broccoli Cheddar Rice Green Bean Almandine Applesauce Raisin Nut Cup Milk

Sweet & Sour Meatballs Broccoli Jasmine Rice Tossed salad w/ dressing Pear Milk

Swiss Steak Mashed Potatoes Peas Coleslaw Banana Milk

Baked Parmesan Encrusted Salmon Roasted Sweet Potatoes Broccoli Roll Strawberries Milk

Goulash Green Beans Salad w/ Dressing WW Bread Apple Milk

Beef Stir Fry Peas Brown Rice Asian Cabbage Salad Apple Milk

South Western Chicken Peas & Carrots 3 Bean Salad WW Roll Orange Milk

Pulled Pork Sandwich Corn Seasoned Pinto Beans Apple Sauce Milk

Chicken Parmesan Pasta Cauliflower Tossed Salad w/ Dressing Diced Pears WW Roll Milk

Beef Stew Lima Beans Whole Wheat Roll Pineapple Orange Compote Milk

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SANGRE DE CRISTO ARTS CENTER RECEIVES FIVE STAR CERTIFICATION

Week of 1st-5th

Week of 8th-12th

Connections Café meals are partially funded by the Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging.

Week of 15th-19th

Week of 22nd-26th

The Sangre de Cristo Arts Center is pleased to announce five star certification through the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. Five star certification means the Arts Center has submitted written plans to the Colorado Department of Health and Environment and passed a rigorous inspection. Plans demonstrate a commitment to going above and beyond the state's standard requirements and recommendations related to COVID-19 protocols. The Arts Center has implemented an extensive safety plan dedicated to keeping staff and customers safe, including 100% consistency of precautionary measures, including mask wearing protocols, social distancing and health screenings.

Why Not Give a Shout Out to

CEO Jim Richerson says, "The Arts Center is committed to the highest levels of safety for our staff and guests. We are open with a limit of 175 socially distanced guests in the galleries and for private play dates in the Buell Children's Museum. Our entire staff is dedicated to a clean, safe environment. We are excited to welcome guests to our campus and honored to be recognized by the state for our commitment to safety on our campus."

Thank them for sponsoring these menus!

For more information on the Arts Center contact Member and Guest Services at 719-295-7200

1 April Pork Pot Roast w/ Onion Celery Carrots Potato Medley Orange Milk

Beef Fajita w/ Chicken Marsala Peppers Onions, Roasted Red Potato Week of 29th-1st Cheese, Sour Brussel Sprouts Cream & Salsa Green Bean Salad Tortillas Apple Spanish Rice Milk SW Black Beans Strawberries Milk Menu substitutions may occur without notice due to Covid-19 and supplies. Diners are advised to keep a threeday supply of non-perishable foods and bottled water if inclement weather or an emergency causes a temporary suspension of services.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY MECHANICAL

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March 2021 - Senior Beacon - Page 5

SRDA NOVEMBER 2020 CALENDAR Special information from Pueblo’s SRDA (Plus)

Recreation Department is currently CLOSED due to Covid - 19. All information provided depends on when SRDA reopens, which includes Matter of Balance. Also, all outside activity start up, like AARP -Taxes and Driver Safety classes will be determined by their national office.

Senior's Shopping Time Scheduled EDITOR'S NOTE: The following article is rerunning because of the COVID-19 relief efforts. MANY STORES IN the area

are offering a separate time for senior only shopping to assist in keeping one of the most vulnerable populations protected from the spread of COVID-19. At this time, information for senior only shopping is as follows: Albertson’s Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7 – 9 AM Dollar General, 1245 Spruce Every day, 8 – 9 AM Dollar General, W. 18th Street Sundays, 8 – 9 AM Dollar General, 1502 Troy Every day, 8 –9 AM Dollar General, 609 Pueblo Boulevard Thursdays, 12 – 1 PM; All other days, 8 –9 AM Dollar General, 1610 Santa Fe Every day, 8 – 9 AM Dollar General, 2417 Prairie

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Everybody has a responsibility to protect the most vulnerable in Pueblo Save-A-Lot Every day, 7 – 8 AM Target Every day, 8 – 9 AM Walmart; South, North, Pueblo West, Neighborhood Market Every day 6 -7 AM All public and media inquiries in Pueblo are answered through the local hotline at Pueblo’s Joint Information Center. Pueblo COVID-19 Hotline is answering questions 8 AM – 5 PM, Monday – Friday, 719-583-4444. Everybody has a responsibility to protect the most vulnerable in Pueblo by: ■ Minimize social activities and being physically close to other people. ■ Do not go to the emergency

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room unless medically necessary. ■ Wash your hands with soap regularly. ■ Cough or sneeze into elbow or tissue. ■ Stay home when you’re sick. ■ Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. Avoid close contact with sick people. ■ Clean surfaces frequently touched. Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment encourages residents to seek out credible, reliable sources of information on COVID-19: www.puebloemergency.info Pueblo’s COVID-19 Hotline 719-583-4444.

Page 6 - Senior Beacon - March 2021

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‘LIGHT FOR THE JOURNEY’

JAN MCLAUGHLIN

Founder of Prayer for Prisoners International

“ISN’T IT TIME TO TAKE OFF YOUR FACE DIAPER?”

drove by and when I saw her, anger flared. Not at the woman. She was alone, raking her lawn, probably in her mid-70s,

with not another soul around and she was wearing a stupid face diaper. I see them everywhere. People riding alone on bikes, walking a dog with no one else around, driving in cars alone, all wearing face diapers. Has everyone lost their minds? When will this craziness end? Aren’t you sick of it? I AM! My anger was not at the woman but at the small group of elitists who have her paralyzed with fear. Fear takes on many forms. Worldwide fear has traumatized people. Fear disables rational thinking of normal, regular, intelligent people and robs them of common sense. Look around! Can you see it? Fear is driving people. Fear is paralyzing. Fear is controlling. Fear makes people behave as puppets. Fear has made people brain dead! Who is manipulating their strings? My friend, Sonny, has the mask mania figured out. “Masks reduce oxygen intake. No oxygen, no brain function.” Makes total sense! A man recently told of watching a woman walking her dog. The dog did his business, and she didn’t have a poop bag. She realized people were

watching and she didn’t want to get harassed for not picking it up. Afraid to walk on, she took off her mask and used it to pick up the dog’s deposit then dumped it out in a trash receptacle. Looking around again and terrified of being caught without a mask or exposed to covid, she looked at her mask and put it back on her face. This was a vivid “no brain function” demo. I find it astounding that covid virus is so incredibly brilliant? You see, you must wear a mask when you enter a restaurant. Covid knows when you are standing with your face diaper on it can’t attack you. It also knows when you sit down and take that thing off, you are off limits, and it can’t touch you. But if you stand up again without that thing on, you can get covid or spread it to someone else. Brilliant virus! Don’t you agree? Spain is waking up and opening up. A sign on the door of a busy restaurant read, “No Face Diapers Allowed.” Isn’t it remarkable that a few “elite” of this world have manipulated millions into compliance with their bidding all with the power of fear? This was a test that began a year ago. Are you still believing the lie? I do not deny that there is a virus. Or that some people have died from it. But isn’t it just incredible how numbers of death from flu are down to nearly nothing? Same with heart attacks and cancer! Everyone is dying of covid. Has the cloud lifted yet? Are you beginning to see the truth? Could the mask be to keep your mouth shut, to muzzle you? Masks have been proven not to work for keeping out the covid virus. When there is 98.9% survival rate, why would I put unknown or even known substances in my body through a vaccine that is still experimental? There are horror stories about people who have had the vaccine and suffered adverse effects, even death but you won’t see them on mainstream media. I confess. I fell for it too. March, April and probably into May, I was wearing masks, cooking my mail, washing my hands 3,000 times a day. I did it all. Then I started listening to real news. I don’t watch CNN, MSNBC or any other MSM even Fox for the same reason I don’t drink out of the toilet stool! Truth set me free. The truth is that we have all been duped. Yes, there is a covid virus. It was manufactured and has a patent number and a purpose. Yes, people have died from covid. They have also died from flu, cancer, heart attacks, gunshot wounds, and many other maladies which have been labeled as covid deaths. Money talks. Fear talks too. Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Do you know what the Bible says about fear? Do you know how many times it says to fear not, or do not be afraid, or fret not? Do you know that fear is sin? Do you know that fear can control you only if you let it? God’s Word says that “greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” So, will you continue to listen to the devil or will you listen to the Savior of your soul. You don’t believe me? Can you honestly still believe this was NOT a Plandemic for worldwide depopulation? Look at history. Do your own research. Find out who is set on depopulation of the world. It goes back nearly 2400 years to Plato discussing population control, right up to Bill and

▶ SEE LIGHT, PAGE 21

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March 2021 - Senior Beacon - Page 7

NEWS

Why Being Stuck At Home–And Unable To Hang Out In Cafes And Bars–Drains Our Creativity WHILE THE PANDEMIC has

by simple habits like exercise, sleep and reading. But another catalyst is unplanned interactions with close friends, casual acquaintances and complete strangers. With the closure of coffee shops – not to mention places like bars, libraries, gyms and museums – these opportunities vanish. By missing out on chance meetings and observations that nudge our curiosity and jolt “a-ha!” moments, new ideas, big and small, go undiscovered.

reclusive of poets, mathematicians or theologians are part of larger conversations among peers, or are reactions and responses to the world. As author Steven Johnson wrote in “Where Good Ideas Come From,” the “trick to having good ideas is not to sit around in glorious isolation and try to think big thoughts.” Instead, he recommends that we “go for a walk,” “embrace serendipity” and “frequent coffeehouses and other liquid networks.” Just as today’s freelance writers might use coffee shops as a second office, it was the tea- and coffeehouses of London in the 18th century that spurred the Age of Enlightenment. Then, as now, people intuitively knew they were “more productive or more creative when working from coffee shops,” according to David Burkus, author of “The Myths of Creativity.” As research shows, it’s not the caffeine; it’s the people. Simply being around other people who are working can motivate us to do the same. In other words, creativity is social.

IT’S NOT THE CAFFEINE, IT’S THE PEOPLE Famous artists, novelists and scientists are often seen as if their ideas and work come from a singular mind. But this is misleading. The ideas of even the most

DESIGNING FOR CREATIVITY Buildings influence a wide range of human functions. Temperature and humidity, for example, affect our ability to concentrate. Daylighting is positively linked to

caused thousands of small businesses to temporarily close or shutter for good, the disappearance of the corner coffee shop means more than lost wages. It also represents a collective loss of creativity. Researchers have shown how creative thinking can be cultivated

productivity, stress management and immune functions. Likewise, a well-designed coffee shop can facilitate creativity – where the unplanned friction between people can ignite sparks of innovation. Two newly completed coffee shops, the Kilogram Coffee Shop in Indonesia and Buckminster’s Cat Cafe in Buffalo, New York, were designed with this kind of interactivity in mind. Each has open, horizontal layouts that actually encourage congestion, which fosters chance encounters. Lightweight and geometric furniture enables occupants to rearrange seating and accommodate groups of various size, such as when a friend unexpectedly arrives. There are views outside, which promote calmness and offer more opportunities to daydream. RESTORING THE SOUL OF

THE COFFEE SHOP Of course, not all coffee shops have closed. All of them have faced the difficult task of implementing safeguards while retaining the atmosphere of their establishments. Some design elements, like lighting, can easily be retained amidst social distancing and other safety measures. While these tweaks allow businesses to stay open and ensure the safety of customers, they sap spaces of their souls. Philosopher Michel de Certeau

said that the spaces we occupy are a backdrop on which the “ensemble of possibilities” and “improvisation” of everyday life occur. When social life fully transitions into the digital realm, these opportunities become limited.

▶ SEE CAFE, PAGE

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Page 8 - Senior Beacon - March 2021

NEWS OF THE WEIRD

SPECIAL TO THE SENIOR BEACON FROM THE EDITORS OF ANDREWS MCMEEL tried to reach out to the lecturer, Francois-Marc Gagnon, he couldn't find any contact information in the school's portal. So he Googled the professor's name -- and found an obituary. The Verge reported Gagnon passed away in March 2019, and although the course syllabus listed someone else as the class's official instructor, it also noted that Gagnon would be the lecturer. A Concordia spokesperson expressed regret at the misunderstanding, but Asuini is still unsettled about it: "I don't really even want to watch the lectures anymore. ... I think it lacked tact and respect for this teacher's life."

It's a Dog's Life

Bill Dorris, a successful Nashville, Tennessee, businessman, was 84 years old when he passed away late last year, WTVF-TV reported, leaving $5 million to his beloved 8-year-old border collie, Lulu. Dorris, who was unmarried and traveled frequently, often left Lulu in the care of his friend Martha Burton, 88, who will continue to keep the dog and will be reimbursed for reasonable monthly expenses from the trust established for Lulu by the will. Burton was chill about the whole thing: "I don't really know what to think about it to tell you the truth," she said. "He just really loved that dog."

Awesome!

Appalachian Bear Rescue is on the lookout for a wild mother bear to foster three newborn cubs found in the crawl space under a home in Sevier County, Tennessee,

Annals of Education Concordia University student Aaron Asuini wanted to ask a question in the online art history class he was taking, but when he

according to United Press International. Utility workers called to the home on Feb. 13 to repair a gas leak found the "ample caboose of a very large snoozing bear" when they entered the crawl space under the house, the wildlife agency said. "There was no way to safely repair the gas line while the bear was in residence," so wildlife officials tempted the bear out of her den but found three babies had been left behind. They will remain with Appalachian Bear Rescue until a foster mom is found.

Neighborhood Watch

Homeowners in the Quail Hollow neighborhood of Charlotte, North Carolina, have been frustrated by a mail thief since late 2020, so when Lacy Hayes spotted a car lurking near his mailbox on Feb. 11 and saw the driver, who appeared to be an elderly woman, reach inside it, he took action. Hayes reached through the driver's window and removed the keys from the ignition. The woman hit him with her cellphone, so he took that too, called 911, then took a picture of the driver and the tags, The Charlotte Observer reported. The driver got away,

but neighbor Nicole Kern got online and, using Hayes' photo and facial recognition software, soon found a match -- a man, wanted in Greenville, South Carolina. Neighbors rejoiced when a man with the same name was booked into the Mecklenburg County jail on Feb. 13 on a fugitive extradition warrant and a charge of resisting a law enforcement officer. Police declined to comment on whether the man is also a suspect in the mail thefts. The unnamed criminal was held on $2 million bail.

Desperate Times

Police in the Ukrainian village of Hrybova Rudnya determined that the unnamed man who called them Feb. 13 and confessed to seriously injuring his stepfather, made the call in order to get the road in front of his house cleared of snow. Police spokeswoman Yulia Kovtun told the BBC the man insisted that officers would need special equipment to get to him because of the snow, but when police arrived, they found no assault or murder, and the road had already been cleared by a tractor. The man was charged with filing a false report and fined.

Least Competent Criminal

Robert Joseph Hallick of Chat-

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NEWS OF THE WEIRD

SPECIAL TO THE SENIOR BEACON FROM THE EDITORS OF ANDREWS MCMEEL tanooga, Tennessee, was arrested Feb. 11 and charged with perjury, forgery and identity theft after applying for a handgun permit using former President Barack Obama's name, according to court documents. The arrest report also said his application included a letter with a United States of America seal and U.S. Department of State letterhead, along with a $50 check, WTVC-TV reported. In November, Hallick had been denied a handgun permit under his own name due to an active warrant for his arrest in Michigan.

Weird History

In an auction in Chesapeake City, Maryland, that closed on Feb. 8, a white wooden toilet seat pilfered from Adolf Hitler's retreat in the Bavarian Alps sold for about $18,750, The Sun reported. Ragnvald C. Borch, a U.S. soldier who spoke German and French, was one of the first

to arrive at the Berghof at the end of World War II. His senior officers told him to "get what you want" from the damaged property, so Borch grabbed a toilet seat and shipped it home to New Jersey, where he displayed it in his basement. Bill Panagopulos of Alexander Auctions said, "This was as close to a 'throne' as the dictator would ever get." Borch's son put the "trophy" up for auction; the buyer was not identified.

Family Values

Joanna Zielinski, 62, of Naples, Florida, was arrested Feb. 11 after stabbing her sister, Laura, 64, multiple times with an EpiPen, according to authorities. Investigators said the two had spent the evening drinking and taking drugs, and Laura fell asleep on the couch. "At some point," said police, "Joanna went crazy and attacked Laura with an EpiPen," because "I'm allergic to drunks," she told officers, and she

SRDA MONTHLY MENU ABOUT THE MENU

● Nutrition Services (Congregate) Eligibility Policy: Individuals are eligible to participate in the congregate meals service in one of the categories listed in this below: Persons 60 years of age or older and their self-declared spouses of any age; Disabled persons under 60 years of age who reside with persons over 60 years of age, when the care and maintenance of the disabled person otherwise prevents the older adult from participating in the program and when the participation of such individuals does not prevent the participation of older adults and their spouses. The disabled person must accompany the eligible older consumer to the site; Disabled persons under 60 years of age who reside in housing facilities occupied primarily by older adults and at which congregate nutrition services are provided when such participation does not prevent the participation of older adults and their spouse Persons under 60 years of age who provide meal related volunteer services and individuals providing volunteer services at congregate meal sites during meal hours when the participation of such individuals does not prevent the participation of older adults and their spouses; and Staff members of the nutrition pro-

wanted to sober her sister up. The Smoking Gun reported the EpiPen was prescribed to Joanna, but Laura wasn't affected by the medicine because it wasn't actually injected. Joanna was charged with domestic battery.

What's Old Is New Again

The Boston Globe reported on Feb. 15 about the newest hipster craze: typewriters. Manual, heavy, clunky "typers." Tom Furrier, the owner of Cambridge Typewriter, Boston's only remaining typewriter repair shop, first noticed the upward sales trend in April 2020. "I was busy beforehand, but COVID raised my business by 40%." While typewriters can't take the place of digital communications devices, they're attractive to young people for creative endeavors that have become popular during the lockdowns: "My customers use it for journaling, poetry, creative writing," Furrier said. "It's all about writing

NOTE: Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), meal sites are closed. Meals-on-Wheels is still open

gram who are 60 years of age or older when such participation does not prevent the participation of other older adults and their spouses. Nutrition Services (Home Delivered) Eligibility

in one of the categories listed in this below: Persons age 60 years or older who are homebound or who are geographically isolated; Disabled persons under age 60 years who reside with eligible

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Page 10 - Senior Beacon - March 2021

OPINION-EDITORIAL

ANN COULTER

Columnist, author and lawyer

THANK GOD FOR THE PROUD BOYS A LITTLE MORE than a year ago, 2,000 antifa tried to shut down my speech at UC Berkeley, according to police on the scene. The Berkeley police chief had ordered her officers to stand outside the building like mute ninjas, and make no arrests, unless they personally witnessed a felony being committed in front of them. So barring a bank suddenly popping up on the sidewalk and an antifa attempting to rob it, I had no official protection from 2,000 violent, mentally disturbed thugs. Thank God I had the Proud Boys. There had been no warning of the antifa mobilization against me until an hour before the event, when they showed up, with a thousand of them at each entrance to the building where I was to speak. Luckily, I’d invited about

20 Proud Boys from northern California chapters to attend my speech. If I hadn’t, I might not have made it to the campus at all. (If antifa had won, at least you would have heard about my visit to Berkeley, because the media would have reported on it triumphantly.) The College Republicans had booked a private room for dinner in an Oakland restaurant for earlier that evening, so I invited the Proud Boys to meet me there 45 minutes before the students arrived. We all had to recognize one another, in case they were needed to help deal with any violence during my speech. College Republicans are absolutely fantastic, but generally are about as prepared for hand-tohand combat as I am. By contrast, the Proud Boys are brawny, tattooed brutes. Many are ex-military. Some worked security for a living, so my bodyguard planned to use a few of them as auxiliary troops, and the rest would get VIP seats so they could be spread throughout the audience in case of pandemonium. As I was taking pictures with the Proud Boys at the restaurant, a freakish transgender in combat boots, fishnet stockings and a man-bun snuck into our private room via a back staircase. It seems that a rainbow-haired waitress had spotted me during the 30 seconds I was passing through the public part of the restaurant, and had called in my location to her

antifa pals. Poor Fishnet Boy surely had expected to burst in on 99-pound me having a nice dinner with a group of sweet College Republicans. Instead, he (she?) walked into what must have looked like a Hell’s Angels convention. Not so brave, now, eh, Fishnet Boy? He/She bowed his head, pretended to use the cash register, and quickly made his exit. But by now, my whereabouts had been posted on the antifa Facebook page, and they were coming to the restaurant. We found out only because the post was spotted by the wife of a Proud Boy, who was monitoring antifa internet chatter from home. Thank you, Proud Boys’ wife! I’d barely been seated with the students for 15 minutes when my bodyguard told me we had to go. Antifa were starting to gather outside the restaurant. Unfortunately, our Suburban was in a parking lot four blocks away. Again, thank God for the Proud Boys. About a dozen of them surrounded me as we made our way to the garage, so that I was free to wave and smile at the black-clad loons screaming that I was a Nazi white supremacist bitch. Which book have you read? At the garage, the Proud Boys cleared the stairwells and elevator, and safely deposited me into our Suburban, all while I was being trailed by lunatics. On campus, I strolled with my bodyguard by the 200-yard line of officers — ordered to make no

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arrests — with shrieking sociopaths just on the other side of the line. Once inside the building, the Proud Boys stood guard at my green room, behind the stage, in the hallways — already lined with cops — and in the audience, until the speech was over and I left. (It was a huge hit!) I’m trying to imagine how I would have made it from the restaurant to our car without the Proud Boys. At the least, it would have been a nasty scene, and it’s not implausible that I, the College Republicans or restaurant patrons would have been physically assaulted. I certainly would not have been able to stride confidently onto the stage to give my speech without the magnificent Proud Boys there, keeping me safe. Now you know why the left defames the Proud Boys. They want American citizens to be defenseless against antifa stormtroopers. When have the Proud Boys ever started a fight? Answer: Never. Their motto is: “We don’t start fights, we finish them.” And they have, protecting me and the nice people coming to see me, all over the country — Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New York and San Francisco, among other places. Until you’ve been face-to-face with black-clad psychos who want you dead, you will never understand the undyingly devotion to the Proud Boys among those of us who have. Here’s something the media won’t tell you: In a public statement on Dec. 22, 2020, the Proud Boys officially announced they would not be attending Trump’s Jan. 6 rally in Washington, D.C. And you know why? As founder Gavin McInnes said: “It’s one thing when people want you dead. In this case you also have the politicians, and the justice system, and the media also wanting [the Proud Boys] dead. So when you get stabbed, it becomes: ‘FOUR PEOPLE STABBED AT PROUD BOYS THING!’… All of those factors together is a perfect storm for MUR-DER.” A lot of good staying away did them! Of more than 5,000 Proud Boys worldwide, fewer than 10 entered the Capitol that day, and — according to the indictment — took selfies. Media: “PROUD BOYS BEHIND CAPITOL HILL HOLOCAUST.” Liberals want their antifa/BLM goons to be free to intimidate, hospitalize and — in at least two cases last year — murder their opponents. That’s why they must criminalize men who protect the innocent. COPYRIGHT 2021 ANN COULTER

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March 2021 - Senior Beacon - Page 11

The More Women In Government, The Healthier A Population IN NOVEMBER 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau formed the first gender-balanced cabinet in Canadian history. In announcing his cabinet, he ensured that half of his closest advisers (15 out of a total of 30) were women.

(from 8.85 to 5.53 deaths per 1000 people). Using data from provincial election offices and Statistics Canada, we found that as the average per-

COLLABORATIVE WAYS We also found that there was no relationship between the political leanings of women in government — whether they belonged to left-

centage of women in government has historically risen, total mortality rates have declined.

wing, centrist or right-wing parties — and mortality rates. Ideological differences among social democratic (e.g., NDP), centrist (e.g., Liberal), and fiscal conservative (e.g., Conservative) political parties seem to be less important to mortality rates than increasing the actual number of

Canada’s gender-equal cabinet vaulted the country from 20th to fifth place in the world in terms of percentage of women in ministerial positions. When reporters asked Trudeau about why gender parity was important to him, he retorted: “Because it’s 2015.” His simple yet momentous response resonated with those committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. As public health researchers, this got us thinking — if increasing the number of women in positions of power promotes gender equity, could it also promote population health and well-being? Our findings, published recently in the journal SSM - Population Health, support the argument that yes, women in government do in fact advance population health.

women elected to government. This finding supports the idea that women in government tend to work in more collaborative and bipartisan ways than their male counterparts. It’s now 2019 and leading public health scholars still tend to downplay the potential effects of political determinants such as gender politics on population health. Instead, they opt to focus almost exclusively on individual and social determinants of health. We believe gender politics matters in public health because it helps to determine “who gets what, when and how.” We believe that electing more women in government not only promotes gender equality and strengthens democratic institutions but also makes real and substantive contributions to government spending and population health. Given that women in government can bring about desirable changes in population health, let’s figure out how we can genuinely level the political playing field for women.

WOMEN SPEND MORE ON HEALTH AND EDUCATION This link does not of course mean that the increase of women in government has directly caused the decline in mortality. To assess this, we regressed MORE WOMEN IN POWER, mortality rates on women in FEWER DEATHS government while controlling Villa Pueblo is EASY to Find—Located in the Tallest Building in We first dug into the research for several potential confoundliterature to see how male and fePueblo, Residents (Ages 55+) Enjoy the Spectacular Views ers. Our findings support the male politicians might differ from from Our Spacious and Affordable Apartment Homes! each other. Compared to their male hypothesis that women in counterparts, female politicians are government do in fact advance population health. more likely to hold left-wing attiInterestingly, women in govtudes (with regard to issues such ernment in Canada have had a as civil rights, social equality and bigger effect on male mortality egalitarianism) and substantively rates than on female rates (1.00 advance women’s rights in areas such as pay equity, violence against vs 0.44 deaths per 1,000 people). women, health care and family We also found a pathway policy. that connects women in govAlso, research has shown that ernment, population health and women in government tend to the potential role of partisan Mention this Ad work in more collaborative and politics. In an earlier study, we bipartisan ways and employ a to lear n about found that four types of provinmore democratic leadership style the compared to men’s more autocratic cial government spending are predictive of lower mortality “POT OF GOLD” style. Women are also more efrates: medical care, preventive fective at building coalitions and RENT DEAL! care, other social services and reaching consensus. C a l l To d a y. . . post-secondary education. Next, we examined whether When we tested government there’s a historical association beOffer valid in Independent Living Only. spending as a mediating factween women in government and population health among Canada’s tor, we found that women in government in Canada have 10 provinces. Between 1976 and reduced mortality rates by trig2009, the percentage of women in gering these specific types of provincial government increased health-promoting expenditures. six-fold from 4.2 per cent to 25.9 per cent, while mortality from all WOMEN WORK IN MORE causes declined by 37.5 per cent

Page 12 - Senior Beacon - March 2021

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March 2021 - Senior Beacon - Page 13

FOR A HEALTHIER YOU When a Friend Is Grieving: Here’s How To Help WHEN SOMEONE YOU know loses a loved one to death, you want to reach out but may feel unsure of what to say or do. Here is some advice. LISA M. PETSCHE

–Don’t agonize over what to say. Keep it simple and heartfelt – for example, “My heart goes out to you,” “I’m here for you” or perhaps “I’m at a loss for words.” Avoid platitudes such as “It’s for the best” or “You still have a lot to be thankful for.” –Let your friend do the talking and listen attentively and non-judgmentally. Resist the urge to give advice or recount your own experiences. Be prepared for repetition – this is part of working through grief. –Keep in mind that grief affects people emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically, and that, although there may be similarities, no two people grieve alike. –Don’t underestimate the pain your friend is experiencing and don’t discourage tears or urge them to “be strong.” –Share memories of your friend’s loved one – kind or funny things they did or words of wisdom they shared with you. Medical social worker and freelance writer

people need support more than gestive of clinical depression), or –Find a favorite photo of the deceased person, frame it and give ever. if they appear to be stuck in one of –Don’t act as if everything is OK. it to your friend. This makes it hard for your friend the phases of grieving (for exam–If applicable, offer to pray ple, denial or anger). to open up if they feel the need. together. –Don’t avoid the subject of the –Encourage your friend to –Remember special occasions practice self-care, getting adequate deceased person or mention of throughout the year that are likely their name. It’s comforting to the nutrition, exercise and sleep and to be difficult: birthdays, wedding scheduling regular medical check- bereaved to know that others still remember their loved one as time anniversaries and holidays such ups, as well as avoiding unnecesgoes by. sary stress. Discourage the use of as Thanksgiving alcohol or mediRemember special occasions throughout and Christmas, cation as a coping as well as the the year that are likely to be difficult: mechanism. –Offer to help birthdays, wedding anniversaries and hol- anniversary of in practical ways, idays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, death. Call or such as fieldas well as the anniversary of death. Call or send a card to let ing phone calls, send a card to let your friend know your friend know preparing meals, you’re thinking about them. shopping for groyou’re thinking ceries or running about them. errands. Make concrete offers (for Above all, keep in mind that be–Be patient. Since grief saps example, “I’m going to the grocery energy, take the initiative in the store – what can I get you?”) or reaved people don’t expect friends simply go ahead and do things like relationship for now, calling and to provide answers to difficult, ofdeliver a casserole or mow a lawn. arranging visits. ten philosophical questions – such –Recognize that timelines for –Many newly bereaved people healing vary from one person to as “Why did this happen?” – or experience a spiritual crisis, so the next. don’t be alarmed if this happens take away their pain. Don’t pressure your friend into with your friend. Listen patiently What they do want and need is doing things they don’t feel ready and empathetically to doubts and for, such as sorting through and the comfort of knowing they are fears. If they persist, encourage disposing of the loved one’s benot alone. your friend to speak with a relilongings. gious leader, if applicable. –Discourage friends from After the funeral Lisa M. Petsche is a social worker making major life changes – such as relocating – for a while, unless and a freelance writer specializing in –Continue to stay in touch after absolutely necessary. the funeral is over. That’s when the boomer and senior health matters. She –Encourage your friend to seek reality of the loss – with all its imhas experience with grief counseling. professional help if they’re unable plications – sets in, and bereaved to function in day-to-day life (sug-

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Page 14 - Senior Beacon - March 2021

Penrose (719) 372-3872 Florence (719) 784-6493

March 2021 Upper Arkansas Area Agency on Aging Nutrition Program

GAC

GOLDEN AGE CENTER Monday 1 #92 Sweet & Sour Pork Brown Rice California Vegetables Orange WW Roll w/Butter

Tuesday 2 #25 Chicken Cordon Bleu Wild Rice Pilaf Seasoned Asparagus Chilled Apricots WW Bread w/Butter

8 #81 Sloppy Joe on a Bun Scalloped Potatoes Broccoli & Carrots Apple

9 #74 Roast Pork Oven Browned Potatoes w/Gravy Spinach Mandarin Orange Salad Parslied Carrots Apple WW Roll w/Butter

10 #99 Tuna Pasta Salad Creamy Cucumber Salad Peach Orange Juice SF Gelatin w/Banana Raisin Nut Cup Mitzie’s WW Roll

15 #53 Hungarian Goulash California Vegetable Medley Green Peas Pineapple Tidbits WW Bread w/Butter

16 #22 Chicken a la King Green Peas Salad w/Lite Ranch Raisin Nut Cup Orange

22 #14 Beef Stew Green Beans Salad w/Lite Italian Banana WW Bread w/Butter

29 #21 Chicken & Noodles Seasoned Green Beans Baked Acorn Squash Apricot Pineapple Compote WW Bread w/Butter

FLORENCE SENIOR CENTER

Thursday 4 #35 Chili Relleno Casserole Corn & Zucchini Mexicana WW Tortilla w/Salsa Salad w/Lemon Wedge Plums 11 #26 Chicken Fajita Savory Black Beans w/Cilantro Tortilla Whole Wheat Cheddar Cheese Mexicali Corn Orange

Friday 5 #86 Spinach Lasagna Seasoned Green Beans Salad w/Lite Italian Banana WW Bread w/Butter

17 #65 Pork Chow Mein Steamed Brown Rice Cabbage w/Red Pepper Banana Fortune Cookie WW Bread w/Butter

18 #51 Hot Turkey Sandwich Whipped Potatoes Asparagus Amandine Pineapple Mandarin Compote Banana

19 #56 Lemon Baked Fish w/Tarter Sauce Rice Pilaf Creamy Coleslaw Green Beans w/Mushrooms Apple WW Bread w/Butter

23 #73 Roast Chicken Mushroom Sauce Steamed Brown Rice Cauliflower Broccoli Mix Apple Pear Salad w/Almonds WW Bread w/Butter

24 #6 Baked Potato Broccoli w/Cheese Sauce Salad w/Lite French Plum Fruit Cocktail Drop Biscuit w/Butter

25 #95 Taco Salad Salsa, Tomato, and Lettuce Garnish Strawberry Applesauce Flan Custard Cornbread

26 #8 BBQ Beef w/Chicken Rice BBQ Beef Brisket WW Hamburger Bun Chicken Rice Soup Creamy Coleslaw WW Crackers Banana

30 #42 Enchilada Pie Refried Beans Tortilla Chips w/Salsa Clementine

31 #63 Pasta Primavera Spinach Salad w/Egg and Lite Italian Dressing Apple Pear Salad w/Almonds Plum Garlic Bread

A $3.00 suggested donation per meal is appreciated, but not required.

2% milk served with all meals. Most meals served with whole wheat bread.

Wednesday

Canon City (719) 345-4112 Salida (719) 539-3351 March 2021 Florence Senior Center Upper Arkansas Area Agency on Aging Nutrition Program

#88 Stuffed Peppers Chopped Spinach w/Malt Vinegar Applesauce Cake WW Bread w/Butter

12 #49 Hamburger on a Bun Catsup, Mustard, & Onion Split Pea Soup Creamy Coleslaw Banana

Please call (719) 345-3064 before 9:30 a.m. for reservations for grab-n-go meals served Monday – Friday. All menus subject to change.

Tuesday 2 #21 Chicken & Noodles Seasoned Green Beans Baked Acorn Squash Apricot Pineapple Compote WW Bread w/Butter

Thursday 4 #35 Chili Relleno Casserole Corn & Zucchini Mexicana WW Tortilla w/Salsa Salad w/Lemon Wedge Plums

Friday 5 #86 Spinach Lasagna Seasoned Green Beans Salad w/Lite Italian Banana WW Bread w/Butter

9 #91 Sweet and Sour Chicken Brown Rice Asian Vegetable Blend Mandarin Oranges Fortune Cookie WW Bread w/Butter

11 #26 Chicken Fajita Savory Black Beans w/Cilantro Tortilla Whole Wheat Cheddar Cheese Mexicali Corn Orange

12 #49 Hamburger on a Bun Catsup, Mustard, & Onion Split Pea Soup Creamy Coleslaw Banana

16 #75 Roast Pork Loin Brown Gravy Smashed Red Potatoes Orange Spiced Carrots Orange Mitzie’s WW Dinner Rolls

18 #51 Hot Turkey Sandwich Whipped Potatoes Asparagus Amandine Pineapple Mandarin Compote Banana

23 #23 Chicken a la King Smashed Red Potatoes Seasoned Asparagus Salad w/Lite Ranch Apple WW Bread w/Butter

25 #95 Taco Salad Salsa, Tomato, and Lettuce Garnish Strawberry Applesauce Flan Custard Cornbread

30 #13 Beef Barley Soup WW Crackers Sesame Broccoli Apricot Pineapple Compote WW Bread w/Butter Apple

A $3.00 suggested donation per meal is appreciated, but not required.

19 #56 Lemon Baked Fish w/Tarter Sauce Rice Pilaf Creamy Coleslaw Green Beans w/Mushrooms Apple WW Bread w/Butter 26 #8 BBQ Beef w/Chicken Rice BBQ Beef Brisket WW Hamburger Bun Chicken Rice Soup Creamy Coleslaw WW Crackers Banana

2% milk served with all meals. Most meals served with whole wheat bread.

Please call (719) 784-6493 before 9:30 a.m. for reservations for grab-n-go meals served Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. All menus subject to change.

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March 2021 - Senior Beacon - Page 15

SENIOR SAFETY

THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

for the Social Security Administration (SSA) has designated March 4, 2021 as National “Slam the Scam” Day—an outreach campaign to raise public awareness of government imposter telephone scams. This is part of National Consumer Protection Week, February 28 – March 6, 2021. We are asking you to share information about “Slam the Scam” Day with your clients, friends, and family. In 2020, the Federal Trade Commission received over 178,000 complaints of government imposter scams. Of those, 10% said they lost money to a scammer—a total of $174.2 million. To prevent further losses, we urge everyone to exercise caution when receiving calls from someone claiming to be from a government agency. To prevent further losses, we urge everyone to exercise caution when receiving calls from someone claiming to be from a government agency.

Our consumer protection message is simple: * Hang up on suspicious calls from “government officials” calling about a problem with your Social Security number or account. * NEVER make payments with gift cards, wire transfers, or by mailing cash. * Report Social Security scams to OIG.SSA.GOV. *Report other scams to reportfraud.ftc.gov. We have an outreach kit with the following resources you can use in your communications: * Details of National “Slam the Scam” Day events on Twitter and Facebook; * A Social Security phone scam awareness flyer you can email or print; * Facebook and Twitter content that you can customize or use as is; * Infographics you can disseminate or print as bookmarks,

Beware of Phone Scams Social Security wants you to know about widespread phone scams where scammers pretend to be government employees. They may tell you about a Social Security-related problem to gain your trust and steal your money. We want you to hang up on scammers – help us “slam the scam”!

IF YOU RECEIVE A SUSPICIOUS CALL:

UNKN

OWN

CALL

Hang up Do not give money or personal information Report the scam at oig.ssa.gov Social Security may call you in some situations but we will never: » Threaten to arrest you unless you pay a fine or fee » Suspend your Social Security number » Require immediate payment from you by cash, gift card, pre-paid debit card, or wire transfer » Demand secrecy in dealing with a Social Security problem

Protect yourself, friends, and family: don’t forget to “slam the scam”! Social Security Administration | Publication No. 05-10597 | February 2021 | Produced at U.S. taxpayer expense

This month’s Senior Safety Page is Proudly Sponsored byAMERICAN VEIN! Give them a call right away! And thank themfor sponsoring this valuable addition to the Senior Beacon!! coasters, stickers or labels, or card reader that current information stock; and A list of resources and information must be understood in the context about government imposter scams of other events or the reader will be to use and share. With your continued support, together, we can help protect your clients, friends, and family from losing their hard-earned money.

easily misled.

Page 16 - Senior Beacon - March 2021

2020 BEST MUSICAL FILM ADAPTS BROADWAY PLAY DIRECTED BY RYAN MURPHY BETTY JO TUCKER Pueblo award winning film critic

HE PROM opens with two Broadway stars excited about the opening night of their latest musical play. It’s about Eleanor Roosevelt and FDR. They are eagerly waiting the reviews. These co-stars are played by Meryl Streep and James Corden. Now, be honest. Have you ever considered Streep and Corden as a musical comedy duo? Well, I haven’t. But after watching them ham it up together so hilariously,

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REELING

I want to see more of this incongruous team. Although “ The Prom” (a Golden Globe Best Musical/ Comedy nominee) also deals with an important and sensitive theme, it never bogs down, and our two co-stars get camera time to show off their dramatic acting chops as well as their musical talents. Both characters are narcissists with ultra-high levels of self-esteem. However, as they interact with non-Broadway folks during their work to help a high school student, each reveals deeper feelings they’ve been hiding all along. Streep and Corden can steal the show. See “The Prom” and you will know. Together they sing and they dance. They each are funny with a glance.

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Streep plays a diva with great flair. Corden even jumps in the air. When one of their plays gets bad press, They start a project to impress. They try to help a gay girl teen whose prom was cancelled. Oh that’s mean! Broadway actors take on PTA. But will they win and save the day? Lots of pizzazz in this film’s many musical numbers simply boggles my mind. Nicole Kidman, playing one of the Broadway crew, even sings a tribute to Bob Fosse’s famous jazz hands. But my favorite number shows Streep belting out “It’s Not About Me.” Of course, it’s ALL about her character, the Broadway diva. What a stellar performance! If Oscar voters cared anything about movie musicals, they would vote for Streep again this year. (She’s won several before, but all for her work in dramatic flicks.)

Some of the pleasant surprises here include Keegan-Michael Key’s charming portrayal of a high school principal who loves Broadway shows and Kerry Washington’s severe interpretation of a PTA president dead set against “inclusive proms.” Andrew Rannells deserves praise as one of the Broadway team who helps keep the gang together. His rousing rendition of “Love Thy Neighbor” is a highlight here. Directed by Ryan Murphy, this movie adaptation of the original Broadway play (inspired by a true story) does more than entertain. It increases our understanding of how difficult it is for gay teens to let their families and friends know who they really are. Suffering practically jumps off the screen in a touching reconciliation scene between Corden’s character and his mom. Finally, this production needed the right girls to play the courageous teenagers at the center of the story. Jo Ellen Pellman and Ariana DeBose were the right choices. Here’s hoping they get to show off their talent in many more movie roles. (Released by Neflix and rated “PG-13” by MPAA.)

◀ FROM CAFE PAGE 7 Conversations become prearranged, while the side chats that take place before or after a meeting or event have been quashed. In video meetings, participants speak to either the whole room or no one. For cafe owners, employees and customers, the post-pandemic era can’t come soon enough. After all, while customers ostensibly stop by their local coffee shop for a jolt of caffeine, the true draw of the place is in its haptic and hectic spirit.

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March 2021 - Senior Beacon - Page 17

THE WELL-DRESSED GARDEN

Miniature Flowering Bulbs That Add a Splash in Early Spring THE BEST GARDENS areRight about when things get sloppy due to melting snow MARTY ROSS in late winter or Freelance garden journalist and early spring, the syndicated come-back flowgardening columnist ers of miniature bulbs make their cheerful appearance. And they often multiply in the ground or spread by seed over the years, increasing their colorful display without you having to do anything. These flowers look beautiful on their own, or you can mix different varieties of them to mimic the look of a woodland and play up each one's color and form. Here's a selection of the prettiest types of small bulbs to plant and tips for growing them successfully, plus ideas for how to use them in your garden.

To deter them, firmly pat the soil over bulbs and cover with bird netting or chicken wire secured with rocks. After blooming, allow the leaves to mature and fade naturally; they supply nutrition to the bulbs for next year's flowers. Adding fertilizer isn't necessary. The Best Small Bulbs to Plant in Fall Most of these tiny bulbs are hardy in Zones 3-8, except for winter aconite, rock garden iris, and windflowers, which are hardy in Zones 5-8. They're 4-6 inches tall with a few exceptions. Siberian Squill Evoke spring’s blue skies and puffy white clouds with the starry little flowers of Scilla siberica. Try them in drifts around deciduous trees and shrubs for some early floral color before the branches leaf out after winter. Striped Squill The luxuriously ruffled, pale blue flowers of Puschkinia sport a darker blue stripe down the middle of each petal. Pair them with a pink

tulip like 'Heart's Delight' for an eye-catching spring show.

Crocus Bees love these silky, goblet-shape blooms. Use crocus complement larger hellebore, a hardy perennial which blooms around the same time. Winter Aconite One cold morning, you'll be greeted by a 3-inch-tall carpet of yellow blossoms. The golden

blooms look even more stunning when paired with purple crocus. Grape Hyacinth Named for their dense clusters of spring flowers, grape hyacinth (Muscari spp.) foliage often comes up in fall. Use these small bulbs as markers to remind you where you planted other later-blooming bulbs. Snowdrop Bright white flowers with distinctive green markings dangle like charms on 6- to 8-inch-tall stems, depending on the variety of Galanthus. They look even more crisp alongside purple rock garden iris. Rock Garden Iris This tiny flower looks best planted in clusters at the front of garden beds. It's also easy to force indoors in a container. Grecian Windflower Daisy-like flowers of Anemone blanda all but hide the leaves while in bloom. Varieties are available in shades of purple, pink, and white, as well as bicolors. Glory-of-the-Snow The star-shape flowers of Chionodoxa bulbs range from pale pink to blue. Mix them with grape hyacinth to mimic the look of a river winding through your garden beds.

How to Grow Miniature Bulbs Early fall is the time you'll find small bulbs in nurseries and plant them in your garden. A sunny spot in welldrained soil suits most types—except for winter aconite which grows best in part shade, and for snowdrops and Grecian windflower which are fine in filtered light. Although all of these tiny early bloomers are often referred to as bulbs, that's a misnomer for some. True bulbs are under“Your Residential and Commercial Flooring Experts” ground storage structures that have fleshy layers and a papery outer layer like an onion. Gloryof-the-snow, grape hyacinths, rock garden iris, snowdrops, and squills do grow from bulbs. But crocus are, in fact, corms, and winter aconite and Grecian windflower grow from hard, lumpy tubers. Both corms and tubers don't have layers but instead are solid stem tissue. * 1 Year Warranty on Installations Collectively, all these different underground storage structures * free estimates * we have MANY are technically known as geophytes. window coverings!! Soak tubers overnight before planting to help them break dormancy. To plant, dig a hole about three times as deep as the bulbs are tall and place a dozen or more bulbs in each hole with a few inches between each of them. Bulbs and corms should be planted pointed end 300 Dozier * Cañon City, CO 81212 * Open M-F: 7-5, Sat: 8-Noon up, tubers sideways. Water thoroughly after planting, then Visit: SchleicherFloorCovering.com (719) let them be. Squirrels may dig up bulbs in fall after planting.

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Page 18 - Senior Beacon - March 2021

SENIOR CLASSIFIEDS

* * * NEED HELP TAKING WANTED: VINYL RECORDS: IMPERIAL MEMORIAL GARSPECIALIZING IN SEN- CARE OF your loved ones? I do from 1950s and 1960s; 45s, DENS Cemetery plot for sale, 489IOR house cleaning and home quality senior care. Reliable and lov- 78s, LPs. Also sheet music from 4 Calvary section. Asking $1800. *

help.... affordable..Pueblo area.... ing, 20 plus years experience. Pueb- same period. Also 10 and 12 cent comics. (719) 566-7975 after references....Call Debby 719- lo and Pueblo West area Contact: Peggy 719-778-7570 11:00am. 564-5865......HOME HELPING #0521 #0321 #0521 HANDS. IN EXCELLENT CONDITION * * * SWM 5'9" ROCKVILLE: loves 2016 Ford Escape Titanium. One * * * to dance, seeking 50ish female with owner (Senior). 60,000 miles. energy of 40-yr old for companionI AM A PRIVATE INDIPrice $22,500. For more info call ship. VIDUAL looking to buy a Elaine at 303-345-3023 #0421 Phone: 301-310-9761 used motorcycle and it doesn't #0221 TWO (2) IMPERIAL GARhave to run. Please call 719-

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cated in the Garden of Last Supper section.Lot #935 spaces 1 & 2 includes vaults. Selling Price for the two plots is $4,200.00 Contact: J. Patti 719-252-7892

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LOOKING FOR PART-TIME income?? Do you enjoy working with people? This is flexible schedule, independent (but with plenty of support), commission #0421 SPECIALIZING IN SPECIAL work. Needs ramps, doors painting, Call or text the Senior Beacon at plus much more. Carl 251- (719) 247-6580

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This classified ad section of the Senior Beacon carries advertising of all sorts. The cost is $15.00 for the first 20 words or less and $.25 for each word over twenty words. TO PLACE AN AD either: (1) Write your ad in the space provided below. Please print clearly. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ Phone:_________________ Your Name:______________________ Then mail ad and check (send no cash) to: Senior Beacon

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Deadline is the 20th of the month

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March 2021 - Senior Beacon - Page 19

SOCIAL SECURITY & YOU

JOSH WELLER, PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST-SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION - PUEBLO COUNTY, FREMONT COUNTY AND EL PASO COUNTY

Social Security and Women's History Month IN MARCH, we celebrate Women’s History Month. Social Security has served a vital role in the lives of women for more than 80 years. Women have longer life expectancies than men, which means they live more years in retirement and have a greater chance of exhausting other sources of income. It’s important for women to plan early and wisely for retirement. Our benefits portal at www.ssa. gov/benefits/retirement provides detailed information about how life events can affect your Social Security retirement benefits. These events may include marriage, widowhood, divorce, self-employment, government service, and other life or career changes. Your earnings history will determine your benefits, so we encourage you to verify that this information is correct. You can create your personal my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount and view your earnings history. If you find an error with your earnings, it is important to get it corrected so you receive the benefits you earned. Our publication, How to Correct Your Social Security Earnings Record at www.ssa.gov/ pubs/EN-05-10081.pdf, provides you with details on making a correction. If you would like to learn more about how we can help women plan for retirement, check out our online booklet, Social Security: What Every Woman Should Know. You can find it at www.ssa.gov/ pubs/EN-05-10127.pdf. Please consider sharing it with family and friends. It could change their lives for the better. WHAT ARE SOCIAL SECURITY REPRESENTATIVE PAYEES?

Millions of people get monthly Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income payments. Some need help managing their money. When we receive information that indicates you need help, we’ll assign a representative payee to manage your benefits for you. We try to select someone who knows you and wants to help you. A representative payee receives your monthly benefit payment on your behalf and must use the money to pay for your current needs, including: · Housing and utilities. · Food. · Medical and dental expenses. · Personal care items.

· Clothing. · Rehabilitation expenses (if you’re disabled). If you need help managing your benefits, tell a Social Security representative that there is someone you want to be your representative payee. They should be someone you trust and see often, and who clearly understands your needs. Social service agencies, nursing homes, or other organizations are also qualified to be your representative payee. Ask them to contact us. You can write to us within 60 days of being assigned a representative payee if you don’t agree that you need one or if you want a different representative payee. We also offer an option, called Advance Designation, which allows you to choose a representative payee in advance. In the event you can no longer make your own financial decisions, you and your family will have peace of mind knowing you already chose someone you trust to manage your benefits. You can submit your advance designation request when you apply for benefits or after you are already receiving benefits. You may do so through your personal my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount, by telephone, or in person. You can find more information at http://www.ssa.gov/payee.

APPLY FOR MEDICARE ONLINE WITH SOCIAL SECURITY

Did you know that you can apply for Medicare online even if you are not ready to retire? Applying online can take less than 10 minutes. There are no forms to sign and usually no required documentation. We’ll process your application and contact you if we need more information. Visit www.ssa.gov/benefits/ medicare to begin. There, you can apply for Medicare and find other important information. People are usually eligible for Medicare at age 65. If you want to start receiving Medicare at age 65, your initial enrollment period begins three months before your 65th birthday and ends three months after that birthday. Some Medicare beneficiaries may qualify for Extra Help to pay for the monthly premiums,

annual deductibles, and co-payments related to the Medicare Prescription Drug program. You must be receiving Medicare, have limited resources and income, and reside in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia to qualify for the Extra Help. More information on Extra Help is available at www. ssa.gov/benefits/medicare/prescriptionhelp. You may also be interested in reading these publications: Apply Online for Medicare — Even if You Are Not Ready to Retire When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits Help a friend or family member by sharing this information. It can improve the quality of their life.

APPLY FOR RETIREMENT BENEFITS ONLINE WITH SOCIAL SECURITY

ning for retirement, and our online tools can make your planning easier. Visit www.ssa.gov/myaccount to access your my Social Security account, get a personalized estimate of your retirement benefits based on your earnings record, and find out how your benefit amount increases depending on the age you start them. Don’t have a my Social Security account? You can create one at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. You can also review your entire earnings history in your my Social Security account. It is important that your earnings history is correct because we base your benefit amount on the earnings reported to us. If you find an error, the publication, How to Correct Your Social Security Earnings Record, at www. ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10081.pdf, tells you how to get your information corrected.

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Page 20 - Senior Beacon - March 2021

VISIT US ONLINE AT: SeniorBeacon.info

SOCIAL SECURITY & YOU

Question: What is substantial gainful activity (SGA)? Answer: We use the term “substantial gainful activity,” or “SGA,” to describe a level of work activity and earnings. Work is “substantial” if it involves doing significant physical or mental activities or a combination of both. If you earn more than a certain amount and are doing productive work, we generally consider that you are engaging in SGA. For example, the monthly SGA amount for 2018 is $1,180. For statutorily blind individuals, that amount is $1,970. In these cases, you would not be eligible for disability benefits if you made over those amounts. You can read more about substantial gainful activity and if your earnings qualify as SGA at www.socialsecurity.gov/oact/cola/ sga.html.

else who provides services for you. In addition, you must report these wages once a year. There are exceptions, for example, when you are hiring a company or independent contractor and paying them a fee for services instead of wages to an individual. You can learn more about household workers and tax deductions by reading our publication, Household Workers, at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.

Question: What can I do at www.socialsecurity.gov? Answer: There are many things you can do on Social Security’s website. You can conduct most of your Social Security business with us online at www.socialsecurity.gov/ onlineservices. You can get an estimate of future benefits, find out if you qualify for benefits now, and even apply for benefits. You can complete a number of other Question: tasks online, too, including replacNow that my husband and I have ing your Social Security card in a large family, we’ve hired a house- some states. You can estimate your keeper that comes once a week. retirement benefit using our ReDo we have to withhold Social tirement Estimator, which allows Security taxes from our houseyou to get an instant, personalized keeper’s earnings? estimate of your future benefit Answer: based on different retirement ages It depends on how much you’re and scenarios. You can even open paying the housekeeper. If you your own my Social Security acpay a housekeeper or other house- count to plan for and manage your hold worker $2,100 or more in benefits at www.socialsecurity.gov/ cash wages throughout the year, myaccount. you must deduct Social Security and Medicare taxes. This holds Question: true for a cleaning person, cook, Can I refuse to give my Social gardener, babysitter, or anyone Security number to a private busi-

ness? Answer: Yes, you can refuse to disclose your Social Security number, and you should be careful about giving out your number. But, be aware, the person requesting your number can refuse services if you don’t give it. Businesses, banks, schools, private agencies, etc., are free to request someone's number and use it for any purpose that doesn’t violate a federal or state law. To learn more about your Social Security number, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber. Question: I’m 17 and eager to start my first summer job, but my mother misplaced my Social Security card. How can I get another? Answer: If you know your Social Security number, you may not need to get a replacement card to obtain employment. However, if a prospective employer requests it, you can get a replacement Social Security card by following the steps below. There is no charge for a Social Security card, but you are limited to three per calendar year and 10 replacement cards during your lifetime. You will need to: * Show the required documents. We need to see different documents depending on your citizenship and the type of card you are requesting. Go to www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber to find out what documents you will have to show; * Fill out an Application for a Social Security Card; and * Take or mail your application and original or certified copies of the original documents to your local Social Security office. For more information, read our pamphlet, Your Social Security Number and Card at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs. Question: Why should I sign up for a my Social Security online account? Answer: my Social Security gives you a personal online account you can securely use to check your Social Security information and do business with us. With a my Social Security account you can: * Keep track of your earnings and verify them every year; * Get an estimate of your future benefits if you are still working; * Get a replacement Social Security card if you meet certain criteria and reside in these locations; * Get a letter with proof

of your benefits if you currently receive them; and * Manage your benefits: * Change your address or telephone number; * Start or change your direct deposit; * Get a replacement Medicare card; and * Get a replacement SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S for tax season. To find all of the services available and set up an account, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/ myaccount. Question: I prefer reading by audio book. Does Social Security have audio publications? Answer: Yes, we do. You can find them at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs. Some of the publications available include What You Can Do Online, How Social Security Can Help You When a Family Member Dies, Apply Online for Social Security Benefits, and Your Social Security Card and Number. You can listen now at www.socialsecurity.gov/ pubs. Question: I am receiving Social Security retirement benefits and I recently went back to work. Do I have to pay Social Security (FICA) taxes on my income? Answer: Yes. By law, your employer must withhold FICA taxes from your paycheck. Although you are retired, you do receive credit for those new earnings. Each year Social Security automatically credits the new earnings and, if your new earnings are higher than in any earlier year used to calculate your current benefit, your monthly benefit could increase. For more information, visit www.socialsecurity. gov or call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Question: Do Members of Congress have to pay into Social Security? Answer: Yes, they do. Members of Congress, the President and Vice President, federal judges, and most political appointees, have paid taxes into the Social Security program since January 1984. They pay into the system just like everyone else, no matter how long they have been in office. Learn more about Social Security benefits at www. socialsecurity.gov.

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◀ FROM LIGHT PAGE 6 Melinda Gates’ evil depopulation agenda today. The sinister players involved in the agenda to depopulate the earth are a few elitists who have money. With money comes power. Real power is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the God who is in control of the universe. He knows exactly who the players are and what their evil plan is. Do you trust Him? “First, they came. . .” is a confessional prose by German Lutheran pastor, Martin Niemöller, He included it in his speech for his church in Frankfurt on January 6, 1946. An engraving of his confessional poem is at the New England Holocaust Memorial in Boston, Massachusetts. Will we be forced to get an experimental vaccine that had not even been tested on humans? Will we have to have a certificate of vaccine to leave our homes, to purchase gasoline and food? Will we have to have that certificate to travel? I could go on, but you get the point. Yes, I know much of what is happening today is a walk through the book of Daniel and Revelation. Yet we are to “occupy” until the Lord returns. How do we do that? We do it by faith and trust in our Lord who bled and died for us. The One Who knows exactly what is happening and why. The One who has His plan in process and is working it out, day by day. We do it by standing for truth. I will close with Pastor Niemöller’s Poem. If you are still with me, read this poem and reflect on what is happening today and how you are responding.

AFLDS UNVEILS NEW ‘VACCINE BILL OF RIGHTS’

March 2021 - Senior Beacon - Page 21

Clean Ducts And Save

(NAPSI)—If your home is like most, one of the biggest sources of energy consumption is the HVAC system, and that can be expensive. Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Energy reports, families can cut their energy bill by as much as 20% to 30% BUT WE CAN’T DO IT ALONE. simply by doing proper equipment As part of the AFLDS commitment maintenance. Air duct cleaning, for to science-based information exinstance. change, transparency, and accountUNDERSTANDING HVAC ability, our organization recently As air recirculates through the developed a Vaccine Bill of Rights system, contaminants build up in the (VBOR) so that state legislatures can ductwork and other components. re-affirm their commitment to indiDirty HVAC systems work harder, vidual rights of conscience, assembly, use up to 30% more energy to heat or and movement. Read the Vaccine cool the home and are more likely to Bill of Rights at www.Americasneed replacing sooner. FrontlineDoctors.com, and protect WHAT TO DO your freedoms as an American. Replacing filters can help to maintain air ducts, however, filters can’t TELL YOUR STATE REPRESENTcatch everything. Having your home’s ATIVE TO PASS THE VACCINE air ducts properly cleaned helps your BILL OF RIGHTS HVAC system run more efficiently The Vaccine Bill of Rights contains by removing debris from mechanical six general categories of protections for individuals against government overreach and attempted interventions by private businesses and organizations. These are:

▪ No persons will be mandated, coerced, forced or pressured to take a COVID-19 vaccine. ▪ No physician or nurse shall be asked by their employer to promote a COVID-19 vaccine. ▪ All persons reserve the right, at all times, to determine what is in their own best medical interest without threat to their livelihood or freedom of movement. ▪ All persons must be given access First, they came for the socialists, and to independent information to help them determine what is in their own I did not speak out— best medical interest, including the Because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade union- risk of death based upon age/conists, and I did not speak out— dition from contracting COVID-19 Because I was not a trade unionist. naturally. Then they came for the Jews, and I did ▪ The elderly are additionally entinot speak out— tled to a knowledgeable, independBecause I was not a Jew. ent advocate with medical training Then they came for me—and there to help them determine their own was no one left to speak for me. medical interest. © 2021 Jan McLaughlin. Jan ▪ Private businesses operating within the jurisdiction have no legal can be contacted by e-mail Jansmail@reagan.com. authority to require or mandate or coerce medication or experimental medication for any persons.

components. The most effective way to clean the HVAC system is through source removal. This requires a professional contractor to place the system under negative pressure using a specialized, powerful vacuum. While the vacuum draws air through the system, brushes, air whips and compressed air nozzles remove any debris that might be stuck to interior surfaces. CONTACTING A CONTRACTOR To be sure you’re getting a qualified contractor so the job is done right, use one who is certified by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA). That organization offers a handy Homeowner’s Guide to Air Duct Cleaning with helpful tips for finding reputable contractors and an online directory to find a nearby NADCA member with advanced training and certification in HVAC system cleaning, at www.NADCA.com.

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Page 22 - Senior Beacon - March 2021 ANCIENT FAERIE LORE: FAERIE HERBS AND POTIONS

GLEN VOLLMECKE Author: "Intermission a Place in Time."

Spring is signified by the cuckoo's arrival, a faerie bird. Winter hides

Even Creatures great this mystical creature in the Land of the Dead, where it enters the faand small. Whilst enduring erie mounds awaiting spring. In fact spring starts in Sussex the U.K. these turbulent times, when the old hag, woman/god of winter shakes her apron to release creatures and insects both wild and domestic this fabled bird into a season of warmth. remain our dedicated and loyal companions. Within the Celtic were also considered the embodiment they walk in straight lines while culture the existence of butterflies of evil faeries. Faerie cats continually pursuing their victims. Barking only encompass highly spiritual conno- appear while haunting Britain, occathree times, they overtake their prey. tations of ancestral spirits being sionally large but always black as coal. British legends tell of the Wild Hunt the symbol of the human soul. King of the cats Arved continuously ghostly flying dogs, a hunting pack Often faeries use of this delicate disturbs Europe, roaming the country known to Saxons as Einherier or insect's ability to chariot them in the dark of night to avoid detection. Herlathing also known as Dartmoor across the skies is typical and efMy own sister a staunch cat lover Hounds. A white stag is their usual fective. Wings of the butterfly still would accept without a doubt that her prey, or a white boar, and sometimes adorn mediaeval angels and faerie compulsive adoration of these feline white breasted maidens or souls of sculptures and paintings, while creatures was derived from a mystical the damned. Souls of unbaptized butterfly badges were worn by soul-mate connection. children are also connected to these ancient Celts as a sign of respect Spring is signified by the cuckoo's hounds. for ancestral spirits. Continuing arrival, a faerie bird. Winter hides Even today, you may have noticed with Celt culture, (Cait sith) the this mystical creature in the Land of that our domestic pets are acutely 'Wild Cats" are as large as dogs, the Dead, where it enters the faerie aware of ghostly manifestations… black with a white spot on their mounds awaiting spring. In fact spring spirits and faeries to be exact. chest. Backs arched, their hair starts in Sussex the U.K. when the old However chasing faeries isn't a safe stands stiffly on end. They're often hag, woman/god of winter shakes her activity…a deadly practice actually. It alleged to be witches in disguise. apron to release this fabled bird into a The ever popular Manx cat from usually results in an animal's extreme season of warmth. Either, good or bad the faerie Isle of Man is purported luck arrives depending on one's activiloss of hair. Death follows soon after. to be bred by the faeries. Histoties when the call of the bird is heard. No doubt this column has stirred ry relates ancient goddesses for Our beloved dog isn't neglected many past experiences which until instance the Egyptian cat Bast or here (cu sith) as guides to faerie now haven't seemed rational or Bastet (Soul of Isis.) Not forgetting realms leading us into the underexplicable to others. Thought prothe Scandinavian goddess of the world. They're usually green or white voking as they seem, justification for moon who used cats to lead her animals with red ears. White dogs certain life's events, can only inspire chariots. Looking into a Scotin Wales are faeries. Eastern Europe an awareness and acceptance for the boasts of white ringed necked beasts. tish cats' dark green eyes (with future. On this long and infinite road They carry faeries around in the dead extraordinary long ears) enable of life, appreciate, learn and move of night. Living in the clefts of rocks visions of the 'other world.' Cats forward. Fear not…

THE LUCK OF THE IRISH

Wow, it’s hard to believe that spring is right around the corner.

Here a GAC and Fremont Transit we are gearing up for a busy spring. Join us on March 12th at 1pm for a St. Patrick’s Day craft. Don’t forget about Koffee Club that meets every morning at 9am, Silver sneakers Monday-Thursday at 9am, and Arkansas River Wood Carvers every Thursday at 1pm. Please make sure you follow us on Facebook, or our website for the most up to date information. Also, as we start to resume normal activities at the GAC, Transit is staying busy; please try to schedule rides at least 48 hours in advance.

Also, we are still providing grab-n-go meals. Just call 719-345-3064 the day you would like to receive a meal. Fremont County Transit is also running as usual. Call 719-276-5200 to schedule your ride. If you would like to receive our newsletter via email, send an email to newsletter@theccgac.com requesting to be added. We’ll get you on the list! “Wherever you go and whatever you do, May the luck of the Irish be there with you. May your day be touched by a bit of Irish luck, brightened by a song in your heart, and warmed by the smiles of the people you love.”

GA C

Golden Age Center 728 Main Street

Canon City, CO 81212

(719) 275-5177

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March 2021 - Senior Beacon - Page 23

OPINION-EDITORIAL

DAVID SHRIBMAN

David M. Shribman is a North Shore native and Pulitzer Prize winner

CANADA SIGHS WITH RELIEF AFTER BIDEN, TRUDEAU MEETING NO FIERY EXCHANGES.

States has 5,800 more nuclear weapons than Canada, which has none. That represented perhaps the lowest point in the relationship since the War of 1812, when an American invasion of Canada was repelled. “Trump was the most difficult president we have ever had,” said Colin Robertson, vice president of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. “Yes, there were differences before, but they pale in comparison to the way he treated Mr. Trudeau — and the way he treated others. This warm opening with Mr. Biden is being watched not only in Ottawa but also in London, Paris, Berlin, Canberra and Tokyo.” It did not help that there has been no American ambassador in Ottawa for 18 months and that the last envoy, Kelly Knight Craft, spent half of the time she was in the post in the United States. “Canadians have great hopes for the Biden administration,” said John English, a former Liberal Party member of Parliament and the biographer of Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, father of the current prime minister. “People here were deeply offended by the threat to Canada, and the way Mr. Trump handled Mr. Trudeau was terrible. Richard Nixon had a hard time with Mr. Trudeau’s father, but publicly he was civil and respectful, and in the end, Pierre Trudeau had a measure of respect for Nixon. That is not the case

with Justin Trudeau.” “Like everything in the context of this relationship, almost everything is more important for Canada,” said Christopher Kirkey, director of the Center for the Study of Canada and Institute on Quebec Studies at the State University of New York in Plattsburgh. “But,” he continued, “Mr. Trudeau shouldn’t think that all of a sudden there will be a profoundly warm embrace.” Indeed, one of Mr. Biden’s first actions in the White House was to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have allowed the conveyance of Alberta oil to refineries in Texas. Canadian officials also are concerned about the president’s “Buy American” initiative. And they’re hoping for American intervention to extricate from China Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian consultant Michael Spavor, both arrested in 2018 after Canada, at the request of American officials, arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, charged south of the border with fraud. Mr. Biden vowed “to work together until we get their safe return.” The two agreed to a continental alliance against climate change, setting a goal of zero emissions by 2050. Their conversations touched on other issues, but the principal effect of their session was to smooth relations

between the two countries, whose borders have been closed except to essential travel and commerce for nearly a year. Wait times to travel between western New York and Ontario can sometimes extend for nearly an hour; when I checked just before noon Wednesday, there were no delays at either the Lewiston-Queenston or Rainbow bridges. When President John F. Kennedy visited Ottawa four months into his presidency, he told Parliament, “Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. And necessity has made us allies. Those whom nature hath so joined together, let no man put asunder.” This month, two men put it back together.

No angry tweets. No insults. No bruised feelings. No problem. You may not have noticed — the dutiful “PBS NewsHour” Senior Beacon serves Pueblo, El devoted only three sentences to Paso, Fremont and the 12 surroundit 12 minutes into its broadcast, ing counties that make up most The New York Times buried it of Southeastern Colorado. It is a at the bottom of Page A12, and monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, educate and entertain The Boston Globe ignored it the Senior Community of these arecompletely — but the president as. Subscriptions are available, preof the United States and the paid with order, at $34.95 for one prime minister of Canada held 12-month period. Send your order a video meeting the other day. to the mailing list below. Talk about a new world order, Publication of advertising conor at least a new North Amertained herein does not necessariican order. The operative word ly constitute endorsement. Signed here is “order.” Add two characcolumns are the opinions of the ters — and by that I don’t mean writers and not necessarily that Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Justin of the publisher. Senior Beacon Trudeau— and you have the is locally owned and operated. Founded in February of 1982. word “orderly.” Then it’s a mere hop, skip and lexicological leap BEACON NEWS GROUP to the word “ordinary.” d/b/a Senior Beacon As in: the orderly transaction P.O. Box 8485 of ordinary business. Pueblo, CO 81008 Mr. Biden and Mr. Trudeau Publisher “met” to discuss environmental, Beacon News Group international and pandemPublisher Emeritus, CCO ic-related issues, all of which James R. Grasso Serving Cañon City, CO, for Over a Century are consequential. But the most Advertising Manager consequential part of their Ronald S. Phillips · Single and double rooms 90-minute parley was that they More of a Family Advertising Executives · Free Wi-fi met at all, and that the president Jan McLaughlin Than a “Facility” · Flat-screen tv in every room didn’t call the prime minister Rick Forman · Persons with disability accessible “dishonest” and “weak,” and one Mark Phillips Jim Grasso of his top advisers didn’t suggest · Relaxing environment there was a “special place in Graphic Design and Layout · Mature trees Christine Ina Casillas hell” for Mr. Trudeau. · Gazebos “More than anything,” wrote Distribution Manager · Chapel and beauty shop on-site Braden Phillips The Globe and Mail columnist John Ibbitson, “everyone just 1020 N. 15th Street IT Support Robin Eckelberry seemed so relieved.” Cañon City, CO 81212 Which is why Canadians Business Hours: were so unsettled by Donald J. Monday Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Trump, who brandished trade *Closed Saturday - Sunday www.SeniorBeacon.info Staff is on premises 24/7 penalties on steel and alumiBeaconNewsGroup@gmail.com num while claiming that Cana719-247-6580 Call Tisha or Marisela at (719) 275-7451 da — which has had a military SUBMISSIONS: Senior Beacon welunderstanding with the United to schedule a tour comes reader contributions in the form States since the Franklin Rooof senior groups news, stories, poetsevelt years — was a national sery, recipes and happenings. Letters to All views expressed in these pages are that of the curity threat. The United States the Editor must be typed and double author/s and not necessarily endorsed by the has 22 times more people on spaced, signed with address and phone Senior Beacon or Beacon News Group. number submitted. Deadline active military duty than does More ofFurther, Single and double rooms (with living area and dining area) is the a Family a “Facility” by Than reading this paper you agree to a Hold Harmless Agreement pertain- 10th of the month prior to publication. Canada, which has fewer peopleWe believeing that providing comto the publisher (Evergrowth Media, LLC), it's principals, and all writers. Copyright 2021-Evergrowth Media, LLC in arms than Nepal. The United passionate, affordable assisted Free Wifi · care is essential. Your loved ones Flat-screen tv in every room deserve to live a full life even after the years they could take care of Persons with disability accessible (no stairs — all elevators and themselves. That’s why our deramps) pendable caregivers are trained to cater to their overall well-being, Relaxing environment comfort, and happiness.

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