South Coast Prime Times - Jan./Feb. 2012

J anuary /F ebruary 2013 路 Volume 9 路 N umber 1

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jan/feb 2013

contents 34

16 F e atures

6

Extra! Extra!

Local news & views

By Elizabeth Morse Read

28 Technology:

Bright lights

by Dan Logan

18

28

32

Prime se ason

P rime living

G ood times

14 Retiring?

16 Dig all the

30 Make your own

26 The gift that keeps

18 Estate Planning

36 Celebrate Mardi Gras

22 Numbers tell tales

40 About that thing

32 Hot soup is cool

Flash

Enjoy the ride!

By Paul Letendre

giving

By Stacie Charbonneau Hess

34 Pop those corks

construction

By Jay Pateakos

By Jane Sullivan

By Sherri Mahoney-Battles

Twinkies

By Kenneth Sutcliffe

By Joyce Rowley

By Paul E. Kandarian

By Alton Long

O n the cover

Happy New Year! Celebrate the opportunities that a new year can bring. To help pick the right wine for that night, see page 24 for Al Long’s tips.

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î Ž

J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

By Brian J. Lowney

20 Expo shares knowledge

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From The Publisher January/February 2013 n Vol. 9 n No. 1 Published by

Coastal Communications Corp.

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

Ljiljana Vasiljevic

Celebrate!

Editors

Michael J. Vieira, Ph.D. Joe Murphy

So what if the economy is still struggling and this year ends in a “13” – which could be good

Contributors

Stacie Charonneau Hess, Paul Kandarian, Paul Letendre, Dan Logan, Alton Long, Brian J. Lowney, Sherri Mahoney-Battles, Jay Pateakos, Elizabeth Morse Read, Joyce Rowley, Jane Sullivan, and Kenneth Sutcliffe

or bad luck depending on your perspective.

Enjoy the fact that you’re still here!

To help start the year right, check out Alton Long’s wine tips, make some soup with Brian Lowney’s recipes or – if you dare – make your own Twinkie. Ken Sutcliffe tells you how.

South Coast Prime Times is published bi-monthly.

Retiring? Paul Letendre suggests that the best you can is enjoy the

Copyright ©2012 Coastal Communications Corp.

ride. Want to give back to your community? GiftsToGive provides many opportunities to help others.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, by any means, without written permission from the Publisher. All information contained herein is believed to be reliable. Coastal Communications Corp. does not assume any financial responsibility for typographical errors in advertisements, but will reprint that portion of an advertisement in which the typographical error occurs.

So, chill out during this winter season. And when you get cabin fever, visit one of our advertisers or find things to do at our website: www.coastalmags.comEnjoy,

Next issue February 15, 2013

Circulation 25,000

Ljiljana Vasiljevic

Subscriptions $14.95 per year

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

M ailing address South Coast Prime Times P.O. Box 3493 Fall River, MA 02722

Phone (508) 677-3000

Website http://www.coastalmags.com

E-mail editor@coastalmags.com

Our advertisers make this publication possible —please support them 4

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J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

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J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

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E xtra! E xtra!

In brief…

We survived the final months of 2012 including Hurricane Sandy, Hallowe’en, the election, Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Now, let a new year begin.

Eliz abeth Morse Read

There’s so much going on this month that it’s impossible to get bored! No matter where you live, there are concerts, festivals, bazaars, outdoor events and religious services – don’t let the weather keep you indoors!

Make sure to remember those whose holiday season may not be all merry and bright – the shut-ins, the homeless, the returning soldiers, and the many families who’re having a hard time financially.

Contribute what you can to the local food pantries, the Salvation Army and “Toys for Tots.” Try to do your holiday shopping locally, especially at the small

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businesses and unique gifts/crafts shops in your home town!

Strange, But True…

Many South Coast residents felt the earthquake that hit southern Maine in mid-October… and there were black bears wandering around the Providence area.

Get ready for a very different holiday cel-

J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

ebration – the second annual “Santacon” on December 15 in Newport. (Think flash mob of Santas singing silly songs and stopping at all the pubs along the way…) Learn more at www.santaconnewport.com.

During a thunderstorm two days after Hurricane Sandy came to town, a 100 mph microburst swept through Wareham, knocking down close to 100 trees.

Two years ago, Mary Lou Manley of Mattapoisett put a message in a bottle and then threw it into the ocean from a friend’s sailboat. In August, it washed ashore in a Norwegian village above the Arctic Circle.

It was the second time one of Manley’s bottles had crossed the Atlantic – in 2010, another was found on the Hebrides Islands off the coast of Scotland. $!@#?? The state’s attorney general has deemed that the town of Middleborough’s ban on public profanity violates constitutional free speech rights. AG Martha Coakley also recommended that the town change a few other bylaws, including one which prohibits throwing snowballs or playing football on a public street.

Kudos!

For the second straight year, Massachusetts was voted the top state for energy efficiency by the ACEEE (American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy). Rhode Island was also in the top ten, placing at #7.

Once again, the Standard-Times newspaper was chosen the “Newspaper of the Year” by the New England Newspaper and Press Association.

Jennel Garcia of Rochester may have been eliminated as a contestant on “The X Factor,” but it’s certain she’s got a bright singing career in her future.

Local artist and first-time graphic novelist Zack Giallongo has seen his graphic novel “Broxo” debut at Number 4 on The New York Times Best Seller list in the paperback graphic novel category.

The winners of this year’s Chowder

A woman in Yarmouth found a black widow spider in the bunch of red grapes she bought at the local grocery store…

In a recent survey, more than half of the students at Wareham High School expressed an interest in wearing school uniforms.

When a Rehoboth ballot machine broke down on election day, causing officials to have to hand count almost 900 ballots, a technician discovered that a spider had taken up residence inside, building a web which blocked the sensor…

At about the same time, a hot air balloon made a surprise landing in the front yard of a Rehoboth home near Rt. 44.

Much to the delight of South Coast bird watchers, Hurricane Sandy diverted many Northern Lapwings from across the Atlantic.

Mattapoisett’s Greta Anderson has been named Elementary Art Educator of the Year by the Massachusetts Arts Education Association.

WWII veteran George Goulart finally received his diploma from Dighton-Rehoboth High school, 70 years after he dropped out at 17 to join the Navy. Current principal Debbie Sarrey made the presentation at the Life Care Center of Raynham, where he currently lives.

Retired UMass Dartmouth history professor Gerard Koot has received a $171,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to take 16 school teachers from across the country on an educational tour of England and the Netherlands.

Lights! Camera! Action!

An indie horror flick called “You Better Watch Out” is being filmed in Tiverton and New Bedford. Check it out at www.indiegogo.com/youbetterwatchoutthemovie.

Four Fairhaven residents were featured in a Chiller TV documentary, “The American Scream,” which aired on October 28. Victor Bariteau, Manny Souza, and Matthew & Richard Brodeur were filmed turning their homes into haunted houses.

Festival were: Me & Ed’s Restaurant (clam chowder), Mike’s Restaurant (kale soup), LaFrance Hospitality (seafood chowder), and The Sail Loft (stuffed quohaugs).

Ten year old Cora Chouinard of Westport was one of nine dance soloists chosen to represent the USA at an international dance competition in Germany in November. She and her teammates competed against dancers from 35 countries.

Equestrians Samantha Chamberland and Amanda Porto, who ride at Driftway Meadows Farm in Westport, both won national and world championship titles at the Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show in Oklahoma City in October.

Biz Buzz…

The Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut laid off more than 300 employees due to declining revenues and increasing competition.

Uh oh… at the

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J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

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Continued from previous page

eleventh hour, the federal government has put the brakes on the compact signed between the Commonwealth and the Mashpee Wampanoag for the gambling casino in Taunton. Stay tuned…

Jerry Remy, retired Red Sox player and broadcaster, has opened his fourth “Remy’s Sports Bar and Grill,” this one at Commonwealth Landing in Fall River. For details, go to www.jerryremys.com/fallriver.

Baker Books is back! Along with “Remains to Be Seen,” it’s open Mon-Sat on the corner of McCabe St. and Rockdale Ave. in Dartmouth. Call 508-997-6700 or go to www.bakerbooks.net.

Auto parts business Precix has been bought by a Chinese-based company, which promises to keep the business and jobs in New Bedford.

Once again Mayor Flanagan is touting Fall River as a great location – this time, he’s trying to convince Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Revolution, to build his new soccer stadium in the Spindle City. Freetown, too, has contacted the Kraft Group about the town’s perfect location for the stadium. No response 8

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yet to either proposal.

The former Star Mill in Middleborough has been converted into 69 loft apartments, spurring much-awaited renovations to the downtown area.

Ocean Spray, headquartered in Middleborough, reported its highest net sales in the company’s history for the fiscal year ending August 31 -- $1.66 billion.

In addition to its cranberry products, Ocean Spray has grown to become North America’s leading producer of bottled juices and juice drinks.

K a-Ching!

The Massachusetts capital investment plan for fiscal 2013-2017 includes millions of dollars for projects on the South Coast. There’s $3M toward the South Coast Rail, $8M for the expansion of the

ment of Energy Resources to build a wind turbine on campus. When completed, the turbine is expected to save BCC more than $200K a year in energy costs.

The YMCA of Southeastern Massachusetts has received a $1M grant from the state to expand the historic Levi Standish house on S. Sixth Street, New Bedford.

Taunton’s downtown renovations will continue with the help of a $1.28 million state grant.

Good News, Bad News…

It seems that whenever the Cape Wind project jumps one hurdle, there’s another one up ahead. The most recent lawsuit challenges the federal approvals for the 130 wind turbine farm planned for Nantucket Sound off Buzzards Bay…

The owner of the centuryold Orpheum Theatre has put it up for sale for $1.1M, much to the dismay of O.R.P.H. (Orpheum Rising Project Helpers), the grassroots group that hopes to raise enough money to restore it to its original vaudevillian splendor. Stay tuned… library at UMass Dartmouth, as well as contributions for the library in Acushnet, the biomanufacturing facility in Fall River, and the reconstruction of Acushnet Ave. in New Bedford.

The Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical High School has received a $13.5M state grant that will cover 80% of the costs for the planned renovation and expansion of its facilities.

If New Bedford, Dartmouth and Fairhaven approve of the project, it could begin as early as the coming spring and be finished in a year.

Bristol Community College received a $600K grant from the state’s Depart-

J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

For everyone who mourned when Antil’s Deli in Fairhaven burned down last year, rejoice in knowing that Jeff Antil is now selling his famous meat pies and deli goods at Emma Jean’s Cupcake Factory (formerly Cox’s Chocolates) on Route 6.

Now that the Sakonnet River Bridge is open again, state Rep. John Edwards wants RIPTA (Rhode Island Public Transit Authority) to restore bus service to Tiverton.

Brooklawn Park in New Bedford has completed a major facelift, including a new water play area and improvements to the playgrounds, tennis courts and skateboard park.

Here’s a breath of fresh air -- Fairhaven and Westport have joined many other South Coast communities by banning the sale of tobacco at any establishment that houses a pharmacy (Walmart, grocery stores, CVS, etc.). In addition, starting next year, smoking will be banned in New Bedford’s public housing.

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The Mount Hope Farmers Market in Bristol is open again for winter in the heated Mount Hope Farm barn on Saturdays, 9-1. Go to www. mounthopefarm.org.

The EPA has given the green light to construction of New Bedford’s South Terminal project. The 28.5 acre port site will position the city to become a major player in the offshore wind industry. The state will now request bids for an accelerated 19-month construction timeline.

SRTA has reached a compromise with bus riders who were protesting the proposed

Continued on next page

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Continued from previous page flat-rate fare hikes for “demand service” riders. Now, in addition to modest increases per zone, riders will be able to purchase passes for ten rides for $25, regardless of zones.

Wareham Town Meeting approved the installation of a solar field at the wastewater treatment plant, which is projected to provide a significant savings for the town in energy costs.

Once again, the Social Security office in New Bedford has cut back on hours open to the public. Starting on Jan. 2, the office will only be open from 9 am to noon on Wednesdays and from 9 am to 3 pm on all other weekdays.

Get your fresh veggies at the Fall River Winter Indoor Market at CD Recreation (the former Bank Street Armory) on Dec. 15, Jan. 19, Feb. 16, Mar. 16 and April 20 between 1 – 4 p.m.

In early November, the doors of St. John the Baptist Church in New Bedford, the oldest Portuguese parish in North America, closed for the last time. Parishioners are now welcomed at the nearby Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church.

‘O, Christmas Tree…’

If you want to find a place near you where you can buy or cut-your-own Christmas tree, go to www.pickyourownchristmastree.org.

In Rehoboth, choose and cut your Christmas tree at Elm Knoll Farm – saws provided! Call 508-252-5558. Or go to the Pleasant Street Christmas Tree Farm, offering sleigh rides and a petting zoo (508-252-6206).

Find your Christmas tree in Acushnet at Keith’s Farm. For hours and directions, call 508-763-2622.

At long last, the renovations of Route 18 in New Bedford are finished, reuniting the waterfront with the historic downtown district.

While the Shaw’s supermarkets and Savea-Lot stores throughout the South Coast will remain open, more than 700 nonmanagement positions throughout New England will be eliminated. Meanwhile, Cerberus Capital Management, which owns Steward Health Care, is looking to purchase Supervalu, Inc. the parent company of Shaw’s and Save-a-Lot.

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Choose your tree and greenery at Simcock Farm in Swansea! Hayrides, petting zoo, bonfires and free hot cider. Call 508673-5721 or 508-944-1775.

Enjoy “A World of Christmas Magic,” children’s holiday stories from around the world, every Wednesday in December at Blithewold in Bristol.

Call 401-253-2707 or go to www.blithewold.org.

J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

Get in the holiday spirit at The Silverbrook Farm in Acushnet! Christmas trees, free cocoa, organic turkeys, local honey, pony rides, petting zoo. Call 774-202-1027 or 617-834-5567 for more info or go to www.thesilverbrookfarm.com.

In Lakeville, Mockingbird Hill Christmas Tree Farm will cut down the tree you choose. For hours and directions, call 508-947-6712.

There are some great places to find your Christmas tree in Westport – there’s A Quiet Place (508-636-8390); Bristlecone Farm, offering free coffee and cider (508-636-8433); and Pinecrest Tree Farm (508636-4567).

For a Christmas tree grown with a minimum of chemicals, visit the Corner Store Farm in Rochester. For hours and directions, call 508-763-2795.

Get all your holiday greenery at Miller’s Family Farm in Attleboro.

Hayrides, local honey and gift shop. Call 508-695-4053.

‘On the Road Again…’

Learn more about the bus trips sponsored by the New Bedford Senior Travel Program – Twin Rivers Casino on Jan. 8 and Foxwoods Casino on Feb. 11 -- and plan ahead for the five-day trip to Ottawa and the Thousand Islands on May 20-25.

Call 508-991-6171 for more info.

When the Kiddies Come to Visit…

What would the holiday season on the South Coast be without a trip to Edaville Railroad in Carver? Take the whole family to the Christmas Festival of Lights on selected dates through Jan. 6, or the “Polar Express” on selected dates through Jan. 3.

For complete details, call 508-866-8190 or go to www.edaville.com.

Celebrate a “Holiday Zoobilee” at the Buttonwood Park Zoo on Dec. 15 & 22! Call 508-9914556 or go to www.bpzoo. org.

Enjoy an evening of free family fun and entertainment at AHA! Night in New Bedford. The Jan. 10 theme is “Emancipation Nation,” and the Feb. 14 theme is “Ha! Ha! On AHA!”. Go to www.ahanewbedford. org or call 508-996-8253 x 205.

When the kiddies are on vacation, take them to the Providence Children’s Museum for Sparky’s Puppets on Dec. 27, Rhythm Room activities on Dec. 28, and music by Rolie Polie Guacamole on Dec. 29. Call 401-456-8144 or visit www. childrenmuseum.org.

Don’t miss the spectacular “Disney on Ice” at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence on Dec. 27-30. For info, visit www.dunkindonutscenter.com or call 401745-3000.

The Great Outdoors…

Spend “Christmas in the Barnyard” on Dec. 24 at Coggeshall Farm in Bristol. For details, visit www.coggeshallfarm.org or call 401-253-9062.

Get out on a seal watch tour from Bowen’s Ferry Landing in Newport. Call 401-3246060 or visit www.savebay.org.

South Coast Stars…

U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, who is retiring after 32 years in Congress, is donating his collection of personal papers to UMass Dartmouth.

Former UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Jean MacCormack was named Outstanding Citizen of the Year by the Fall River Area Chamber of Commerce.

Joe Kinan of Lakeville, who was seriously injured in the tragic 2003 Station nightclub fire in Warwick, received a hand transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston in October.

Buttonwood Park Zoo’s veteran elephants Emily and Ruth were featured in the October issue of National Geographic magazine to spotlight the special “toys” created for them by students at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.

the Lion’s Club of Mattapoisett organized a convoy of trucks filled with hot meals; moving company A. Walecka and Sons donated a truck that was filled with cleaning supplies, batteries and blankets.

Even the tall ship Kennedy from the Mass.

Maritime Academy set sail for New Jersey to serve as a floating “hotel” for up to 700 first responders from FEMA and power companies.

Twelveyear old Samantha Gagnon of Dighton raised enough money to purchase protective vests for three police dogs working in Fall River.

The vests are produced by the non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. (www.vik9s.org).

Sights (and Sounds) to Behold…

The late movie giant Anthony Quinn was also a prolific artist/sculptor who worked from his home studio in Bristol RI. A free exhibit, “Duende: The Art of Anthony Quinn,” is on display at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River through December 29. For details, go to www.narrowscenter.com or www.ncfta.org.

Many South Coast individuals and organizations joined in the relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Sandy. For instance,

Celebrate the holiday spirit on the South Coast at the “Festival of Lights” at the La

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J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

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Continued from previous page Salette Shrine in Attleboro through Jan. 6!

Free evening illuminations, with hayrides, a trolley and carousel. Learn more at www. lasalette-shrine.org/Christmas.

Concert on Dec. 16. For complete details, visit www.musicatsaintanthonys.org , www.saintanthonynewbedford.com or call 508-993-1691.

It’ll be “Christmas at the Newport Mansions” through Jan. 1. See the fullydecorated Elms, Breakers and Marble House. Call 401-847-1000 or visit www. newportmansions.org.

On Dec. 15, there will be the annual “Christmas In Sign” celebration at the Casino Theatre at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport. Christmas songs will be performed in black light and sign language. For more info, visit www. mahercenter.org or call 401-846-4600.

Join the ambiance at Common Fence Music in Portmouth – enjoy the Annual Winter Solstice Concert with Aine Minogue on Dec. 22, A Gathering of Fiddlers and Fishermen on Jan. 19, David Jacobs-Strain on Jan. 26, Tom Rush on Feb. 2, and The Amy Black Band on Feb. 16. Call 401-683-5085 or go to www. commonfencemusic.org.

Admission is FREE as the Fall River Historical Society celebrates the holiday season with Christmas Legends and Lore, Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm, Saturday and Sunday 1pm to 5. The Museum Shop is open weekdays 9 to 4, and weekends 12 to 5pm. For details, call 508-679-1671 or go to www.lizzieborden.org.

The 2013 Moby Dick Marathon reading at New Bedford’s Whaling Museum will be held on Jan. 5 & 6. If you’re interested in being a reader, call 508-717-6851 or email mdmarathon@whalingmuseum.org.

Listen to the sopranos of the Sarasa Ensemble on Jan. 20 at the Museum Concerts of Providence. Call 401-274-5073 or visit www.museumconcerts.org.

Listen to the Music…

What more beautiful venue for music could there be than St. Anthony of Padua’s Church in New Bedford’s north end?

There’s the Spirit of St. Anthony Christmas

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The Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River has a great line-up of music –Under the Covers Dec. 15, “Girls, Guns and Glory – a Tribute to Hank Williams” on Dec. 27, and New Riders of the Purple Sage on Dec. 29. For complete details, visit www.ncfta.org, www.narrowscenter.org or call 508-324-1926.

It’s holiday time at the Zeiterion! Bring the family to ”Hear the Cheer – Family Holiday Pops,” which will once again be presented by the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra at the Z on Dec. 22, with guest artist Amanda Carr. For more info, visit www.nbsymphony.org or call 508-9997276, or go to www.zeiterion.org or call 508-994-2900.***

J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

The Z in New Bedford will also be presenting Rockapella on Feb. 10, Mavis Staples and Ruthie Foster on Feb. 15, King Kong on Feb. 16 and The Pink Floyd Experience on Feb. 17. G o to www.zeiterion. org or call 508-994-2900.

Rehoboth’s Arts in the Village Concert Series will present the Boston Trio on Jan. 26 and the Tempus Continuum Ensemble on Feb. 9 at the Goff Memorial Hall. Call 508-252-5718 or visit www.carpentermuseum.org.

Celebrate a Christmas Celtic Sojourn on Dec. 19 at the Providence Performing Arts Center or listen to the Million Dollar Quartet Jan. 15-20. Call 401-421-2787 or go to www.ppacri.org.

Listen to Zefira on Jan. 27 at Westport’s Concerts at the Point at the United Methodist Church. Go to www.concertsatthepoint.org or call 508-636-9927.

Check out who’s playing at the Sandywoods Center for the Arts in Tiverton – there’s the April Verch Band on Jan. 11, the Atwater-Donnelly Trio on Jan. 12, the Jeremy Kittel Band on Feb. 2 – and more!

For info, go to www.sandywoodsmusic. com.

If you enjoy jazz, catch “Jazz at the

The N

ewpo

The Marley Bridges Theatre Company will present “Sink or Swim,” a murder mystery, on Dec. 29 at the Newport Art Museum. Call 401848-8200 or visit www. newportartmuseum. org or www. newportmurdermystery. com.

Lincoln Center” at Providence’s Veterans Memorial Auditorium on Jan. 27. Go to www.vmari.com or call 401-421-2787.

performances of the RI Philharmonic, too!

Produ ced b Matt Sirav y o Jo Direc nathan P and ted b erry y Sand y Cer el

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Written

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Trinity Rep in Providence will be performing “A Christmas Carol” through Dec. 29. Call 401-351-4242 or go to www. trinityrep.com. “The How and The Why” will run through Dec. 30. Trinity Rep offers discounts for seniors, students, educators and heroes (military, police, and firefighters). And get discount tickets there for

zick

If you’re over 50, enjoy free movies and popcorn Fri, Sa t, Wed, Th & Sun Even newpo ings urs, & rtplay Sun M : 6pm house. on Fridays at atinee com s: 11am 102-10 4 Conn ell Hig the Rochester hway, Newpo rt, RI 02840 Senior Center. Call 508-763-8723 for info.

For T icke Info: ts and Call Box the O 401- ffice at 8487529

Theatre One Productions in Middleborough will present “Lovers and Other Strangers” Feb. 7-17. For info, call 508-9477716.

Spend a family-friendly New Year’s Swingin’ Eve with the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra at the Whaling Museum!

For details, call 508-997-0046 x 150.

Ring in the New Year in Providence at “Bright Night 2012” on Dec. 31. Go to www. brightnight.org.

Jef Nickerson

Enjoy a performance at the 2nd Story Theatre in Warren -- “Lost in Yonkers” runs through Dec. 16. For details, call 401-2474200 or go to www.2ndstorytheatre.com.

On December 16, the Rhode Island Ballet Theatre will perform “The Nutcracker” at the Tennis Hall of Fame’s Casino Theatre in Newport. Call 401-847-5301 or visit www. riballet.org.

m Dud

There’s something for everyone at Rhode Island College’s Performing and Fine Arts Series – music, dance, drama, art.

Enjoy The Muir String Quartet on Feb. 4 or The Rap Guide to Evolution on Feb. 11. For complete details, go to www.ric.edu/pfa or call 401-456-8144.

Start the New Year by taking the Special Olympics Penguin Plunge into Narragansett Bay on Jan. 1. Call 401-349-4900 x 321.

Head for the Newport Playhouse and Cabaret Restaurant’s performance of “Greetings” through Dec. 31, and again Feb. 14- Mar. 24. Go to

Elizabeth Morse Read is an award-winning writer, editor and artist who grew up on the South Coast. After twenty years of working in New York City and traveling the world, she came back home with her children and lives in Fairhaven.

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NOV 8 DEC 3 1

Celebrate First Night in New Bedford at AHA! “City Celebrates New Year’s Eve” on Dec. 31. Live music, ice carvings, magic, fireworks and more! Call 508-996-8253 or visit www.ahanewbedford.org.

Start the new year with a national tour performance of “Jekyll and Hyde” at the Providence Performing Arts Center Jan. 1-6 or a performance of “Memphis” starting Dec. 4. For more info, go to www.ppacri.org or call 401421-2787.

yhou se

ts

‘Auld lang syne…’

‘All the world’s a stage…’

Enjoy the magic of “The Nutcracker” on Dec. 15 & 16, performed by The Spindle City Ballet, at BCC’s Jackson Performing Arts Center in Fall River. Call 508-536-6073 or visit www.spindlecityballet.org.

www.newportplayhouse.com or call 401848-7529.

GREE

rt Pla

Prese n

13

Prime season prime

Buckle up, baby boomers During this and the next few years, more of us will be entering into our retirement years than at any other time in history. The timing is not of our choosing, but we Baby Boomers could have done better.

The global economy will affect the U.S. economic situation now and probably forever. And Paul although we think, “What’s that got to do with Letendre me?” -- we will be more than modestly affected by it.

The U.S. and many other nations that were once considered “advanced” now owe a lot of money to nations that we used to consider “not-so-advanced.” And some of those newly advanced nations hold the paper on a lot of our debt.

The most likely scenario for the government (that’s us) becoming able to repay this debt is to do so with devalued dollars. It’s highly likely that purchasing power of our retirement incomes will be greatly diminished.

Throw in the fact that Baby Boomers have a fiscal market value that is dramatically declining, -- our peak earning years are behind us -- and the Boomer dilemma seems obvious.

What’s a Boomer to do?

The situation really sounds worse than it is. As we enter into this post-modern era of retirement, we have the benefit of our experience during the planet’s most dramatically turbulent period. No generation has been better prepared to have a positive impact on new and changing times.

I’ve recently been testing the waters and dipping my toes into that retirement well. Like many in my generation, my retirement dream was of a winter home down South and another home up

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J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

North, closer to family and friends. I visualized my retirement as a pleasantly boring merry-go-round of seasonal occupancies in moderate climates.

There will likely be ups and downs and jolts in sudden turns, more like a roller coaster ride than a carousel. I don’t see anything boring here.

Now that I’m beginning to look more closely, it seems that things might not be as smooth as I had planned. There will likely be ups and downs and jolts in sudden turns, more like a roller coaster ride than a carousel. I don’t see anything boring here.

Those retirement checks will be somewhat less than I had planned on. And that house my wife and I bought several years ago is worth less than we paid for it. And the 401k often seems to depreciate at roughly the same rate as a car.

Suddenly, the winter home down South is no longer realistic. I probably made a few miscalculations somewhere along the way.

We are not invincible, but at times, we need to feel that we are. For

certain, not many of our futures will go as planned, but when have things ever gone as planned?

Enjoy the ride I recently spoke with a younger friend who had worked for me for a number of years. He was lamenting about industry and how it’s changed and it’s not as good as it used to be. In reply, I instinctively reverted back to one of my old lectures that I had forgotten about.

It’s still relevant. I probably needed to hear myself give the sermon.

Both of our generations have seen and will continue to see unprecedented change. Things will never be like they were. Every day we are dealt a new hand. We can react -- piss and moan about it -- or we can respond and make the best of that hand.

The choice is ours In the business world, we are either making progress, going forward, or regressing, going backwards. There is no such thing as standing still. The competition and market pressures don’t allow it.

Status-quo is not viable.

Work rules are changing, retirement rules are changing, and expectations are changing. Everything is changing and will continue to change. What are we supposed to do?

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Work rules are changing, retirement rules are changing, and expectations are changing.

I’d always thought of retirement as a destination, a semi-final resting place. I’m getting re-educated. We could be entering uncharted territory here. We Boomers may be the unwitting pioneers of post-modern retirement.

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Entering new territory I had imagined that my retirement would be a respite from that “push forward.” But even in retirement, there is no status-quo.

If we don’t push forward, then we slip backwards. Even our bodies need more attention to even maintain balance and strength.

Procrastinate a bit -- and suddenly we are regressing.

During my corporate years, following the advent of computer technologies, task progress -- or lack of it -- was impeccably transparent. Performance was incessantly measured against the defined objectives and corporate mandated benchmarks.

As much as I sometimes despised those unending reports, those timelines and schedules and unattainable benchmarks, they provided convenient mile-markers. They lent a sense of importance.

In retirement, the progress reports are gone. A lot of us will be looking for new benchmarks for successful retirement. But, sorry, a successful career doesn’t guarantee that we’ll become AARP poster material.

There will be a lot of folks on a roller coaster, folks who expected to be on the easier carousel. They can react and piss and moan about it, or they can re-create their mojo, respond and make the best of the hand that they have been dealt.

As fortune had it, I thought that I was in line for the merry-goround, but it seems that I’ll end up on the roller coaster. Really, the roller coaster is much more exciting.

PAUL LETENDRE has spent most of his life working for broadline food service distributors in the U.S. and Canada. He also writes an industry blog, “Restaurant Stuff,” at www.la10duh.com and is regular contributor for The Insider.

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Prime Living

If we build it...

Progress continues on Route 18 in New Bedford

Sure, it’s a pain to get stuck in traffic every now and then when we are trying to get to downtown New Bedford or over the new Veteran’s MemoJay rial Bridge in Somerset, Pateakos but this construction is improving the area for the long term.

After all, compared to Boston, or to a lesser degree Providence, what do we really know about traffic in the South Coast anyway? We are lucky in that respect.

Despite the lengthy economic downturn, New Bedford and Fall River have done pretty well fighting the fiscal tide in 2012 and both cities look forward to additional projects in the new year.

New roads ahoy!

New Bedford is set to see the completion of its Route 18 construction in the next few months paving the way toward safer pedes-

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trian traffic and more visitors. This will increase revenue and exposure for downtown businesses which have managed to hold their own quite well – a number have even opened this year during the construction.

And there’s more news, some coming just a few weeks ago.

Matthew Morrissey, Executive Director of the New Bedford Economic Development Council will be the first to admit he remembers when the Route 18 reconstruction project looked like it was never going to get off the ground.

But that seems like ancient history now as the work done over the last few years on the $10.5-million project was done so efficiently that the project – thanks to last winter’s warm weather – will be completed in early 2013, a full year ahead of its spring 2014 estimated date.

Morrissey said in 2013 there will be a continued focus on improving business in downtown which has seen 51 new retail stores open up since 2007 with only four

J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

closing during that span, good for a current vacancy rate of just 6 percent.

Morrissey said Mayor Jon Mitchell has been very aggressive in aiming to improve the economic vitality of the downtown region, hoping to create a cultural district along with a number of different growth initiatives there.

A Downtown Task Force was put together to look at five key areas of the downtown region that are essential to its growth and figure out ways to improve them.

Morrissey said one key part of the plan is expanding the presence of Fall River-based Bristol Community College in the city.

“BCC has been here for many years in the Cherry & Webb Building but we are looking for a more robust 40,000-50,000-square feet,” said Morrissey.

“We want a full waterfront component of students here, not just from UMass but from BCC as well. We want the students from this area attending classes in New

photo by John Robson

If there’s one thing the two biggest South Coast cities have seen over the last twelve months, it’s construction. And that’s not a bad thing at all.

Bedford. We want more of a full-scale campus downtown.”

Morrissey said other parts of the taskforce will look at continued strong advocacy for downtown businesses, helping to constantly evaluate parking, trash collection, policing and cleanliness issues to help downtown businesses do what they need to-conduct business. Morrissey said in addition to the city’s work, businesses will also have to do their part to help.

“The city’s resources are spread so thin from a financial perspective that we all need to have the commercial markets do what they can as well to sustain growth,” added Morrissey.

But as of press time, downtown New Bedford received a huge boost with the Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of the 28.5-acre South Terminal, designed for offshore wind turbine staging that hopes to create hundreds of jobs for the future.

With the project needing to go out to

ing and restaurant to join Market Basket in the front of the plaza.

Morrissey said plans for phase 3 of the project include a second restaurant and boathouse near the back of the property is also well underway. Morrissey said depending on the extent of the Harbor cleaning, the beginnings of the proposed 1.6 mile Riverwalk, where pedestrians can eventually stroll the perimeter of the Acushnet River from Riverside Landing to Wood Street, may also commence in 2013.

Rekindle the ‘Spindle’ Fall River has seen an increase in its downtown offerings as well as a number of new tourist attractions. It looks like the threads are coming together for the Spindle City.

Governor Deval Patrick was on hand in June to help commence the groundbreaking of the new 300-acre South Coast Life Science and Technology Park at Fall River, the UMass Dartmouth bioprocessing facil-

The driving forces behind all of this

come from many different fronts including state, federal and local officials.’ bid, early estimates call for the project to be completed in late 2014 or early 2015.

Morrissey said the terminal should create upwards of 200 jobs and more if the area is used for Cape Wind and other similar projects.

Morrissey said they hope to eventually sign sister city agreements with Cape Harbor and Denmark that would increase the possibility of jobs for the long term.

“The driving forces behind all of this come from many different fronts including state, federal and local officials,” said Morrissey, “to bring offshore wind to Massachusetts and we want to make sure we accommodate that industry.”

The EPA’s approval of $366 million in harbor cleaning will allow the harbor to be cleaned between 5-7 years instead of the initial estimate of 30 years, Morrissey noted. It will be a huge selling point to eventual waterfront developers in cleaning up a harbor contaminated due to industrial short-sightedness for decades.

At Riverside Landing at the tip of Route 18 off Coggeshall Street where Market Basket has enjoyed huge success since its opening, Morrissey said the second phase of development will take place in early 2013 with the construction of a medical office build-

ity that hopes to create thousands of jobs in the region.

The facility, similar in scope to the business incubator Advanced Technology & Manufacturing Center, will be the first of its kind in the country to test biomanufacturing methods and by-products as every stage. With the new exit 8B off Route 24 completed, the city looks forward to continued development of the site that neighbors the Fall River Industrial and Commerce Parks.

Continued remediation of the City Pier cleanup took place in 2012. The initial phase of soil remediation, completed in the summer with the next two phases should proceed through 2013.

The next stage of the project would include the development of a marina at the 4.5-acre site off Davol Street. The current project work will include capping about three-fourths of the 4.5 acres, installing utility conduits, permitting, and design and cost estimates to build a marina.

The Veterans Memorial Bridge, literally decades in the making as a project to replace the aging Brightman Street Bridge, opened in 2012. The former bridge, a popular fishing spot, was closed, leaving many long-time businesses around it in

perpetual limbo.

The long-awaited SRTA bus terminal finally broke ground on its new 8,000-square-foot facility on Fourth Street.

Occupying a temporary trailer for nearly 8 years since being booted out of its last spot when the Fall River Justice Center was built, the new terminal should be completed by June, 2013.

Downtown, known in years past more for its empty storefronts, saw resurgence in 2012 that is expected to continue next year.

Themed block parties took up a number of weekends in the last few months of 2012 when parts of South Main Street were blocked off and restaurants cooked outside as stores sold their wares to passerby who enjoyed tastings with music. Many more block parties are planned for 2013.

In 2012, Fall River saw a number of business openings and expansions including Drewbi Salon, Toniq Lounge and Sole Central downtown, to the expansion of the Bristol Community College’s footprint with the opening of the Commonwealth Landing on Davol Street that welcomed two new restaurants, Remy’s Sports Bar & Grill and Red Cedar.

History also came full circle with the reopening of the newly renovated Quequechan Club and the Belmont Club, owner of the state’s longest standing liquor license. Belmont Club owner Priscilla Poirier plans eventually to offer an array of food offerings to complement the welcoming atmosphere created with the Club’s new renovations.

Future plans call for even more construction, including at least two more restaurants. With BayCoast Bank moving its headquarters to Swansea Mall Drive in Swansea, People Incorporated took over the former bank building at 4 South Main Street this year, and is remodeling the building into a new state-of-the-art center.

Down South Main Street, St. Anne’s Hospital broke ground on a new inpatient wing and parking garage, the first phase of a $35 million expansion.

HealthFirst Family Care Center more than doubled their existing facility when they moved into a new site at 387 Quarry Street in August, with a total footage of just over 40,000-square-feet at the former Quaker Fabric plant.

As for 2013, Fall River looks to further BioPark development, City pier design, Ferry service to Block Island, and expanded

Continued on page 19

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prime living

Lifetime estate planning more important than ever A common objective of estate planning is to avoid probate upon death. The recent enactment of the Uniform Probate Code here in Massachusetts makes it even more important to avoid the Probate Court during your lifetime.

Jane

Sullivan

One of the most important “lifetime” estate planning documents is the Durable

Power of Attorney.

A Durable Power designates someone who can act on your behalf with respect to legal and financial matters. The individual who signs a Power of Attorney must be competent, that is, able to understand the nature of the document and the authority that they are delegating to someone else.

Often, this determination of competency must be made by a physician.

If someone is not competent to execute a Durable Power of Attorney, and if the individual has income or assets that must be managed and protected, then we must petition the Probate Court for the appointment of a Conservator for the “protected person.”

Likewise, if someone cannot execute a Health Care Proxy for medical decision making authority, then we must also request the appointment of a Guardian of the “incapacitated person”.

Prior to the enactment of the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code (MUPC), a Guardian could be appointed for both the person and the estate of an individual.

Under the MUPC, these roles are separated, which means two separate filings are required, and two separate appointments will be made by the Court.

Historically, once the appointment of a Guardian was made, unless annual reviews were required by the Probate Court pursuant to a “Rogers” Guardianship, which involves authorization for the administration and monitoring of anti-psychotic medication, the Probate Court did not actively monitor Guardians on an ongoing basis.

Although Guardians of the Estate were required by law to file annual accountings,

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there was no policing mechanism in place.

accordingly.

➣ Under the MUPC, the Probate Court now plays a much more active role in monitoring Guardians and Conservators.

An annual Care Plan Report must be filed by a Guardian to report on the care and placement of the incapacitated person, and an annual financial accounting must be filed by a Conservator.

➣ A Clinical Team Report signed by a physician, psychologist and a licensed social worker is still required for the Guardianship and/or Conservatorship of a “mentally retarded” person (old terminology that is still used).

➣ If these reports are not filed on time a reminder notice will be issued, a review hearing scheduled, and ultimately, contempt orders can be issued. ➣ The MUPC provisions apply not only to new matters filed with the Court, but also to existing cases that come before the Court. If any action must be taken or any order is required on an existing case, even as simple as the request for a current Certificate of Appointment, then separate Probate files will be created. ➣ The former Guardian of the person and estate of an incapacitated person will then automatically become the Guardian of the person and Conservator of the estate, and all of the annual reporting requirements will be triggered. ➣ One of the goals of the MUPC is to encourage the autonomy of the incapacitated individual, stressing what the individual is capable of doing. ➣ If possible, only a limited Guardianship or Conservatorship will be granted, with the Decree outlining what powers the individual retains. The Medical Certificate must be completed by a physician, licensed psychologist or certified nurse clinical specialist and must explain in detail what abilities the incapacitated person does have, so that the Decree can be tailored

J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

➣ If a Guardian has been appointed for a minor who is incapacitated, then when the minor attains the age of eighteen, new petitions must be filed for the appointment of a Guardian and Conservator of an incapacitated adult, and all of the requirements of the MUPC apply. ➣ One very beneficial new provision of the MUPC is that a Special Conservator can be appointed for the purpose of conducting a single transaction, thus limiting the degree of Probate Court involvement necessary. In such cases, the appointment of a permanent Conservator is not necessary, saving considerable time and expense.

The Probate Guardianship/Conservatorship process is time consuming, intrusive and expensive, so if at all possible, these proceedings should be avoided. If an individual is capable of executing a Health Care Proxy and Durable Power of Attorney, by all means, put these lifetime estate planning documents in place. * This article is solely advisory and does not constitute legal advice. A qualified estate planning attorney should be consulted before making any Estate or Medicaid Planning decision.

Attorney Jane E. Sullivan has been providing Estate and Medicaid legal services for more than 27 years. Her office is conveniently located at 624 Brayton Avenue, Fall River, and she can be reached at 508-679-0535 or jsullivan@janesullivanlaw.com.

Continued from page 17 waterfront development. While the city tinkered with its first ever Block Island Ferry ride on June 23, city officials are hoping for a more permanent service come 2013.

After a successful run on the Harbor Queen dinner cruise this summer and fall, Harbor Queen officials hope to return in 2013 with a full-service ticket booth near the state pier to allow more exposure and have people purchase dinner cruise tickets in person like they once did with BayQueen.

Cape Cod Rail helped to bring the firstever Fall River Dinner Train to the city in April and are working with the city to expand its offerings for 2013. Battleship

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Battleship Cove

plans to continue its Disney-like Pearl Harbor E xperience and The Fall River Marine Museum reopened to the public and plans even more offerings in

2013.

Cove plans to continue its Disney-like Pearl Harbor Experience and The Fall River Marine Museum reopened to the public and plans even more offerings in 2013.

“In 2012 we have seen many important projects move forward as well as new businesses opening in Fall River,” said Fall River Mayor Will Flanagan.

“This is a good indicator for the City and I look forward to seeing this positive momentum and economic opportunity carried into 2013.”

For both cities and the South Coast in general, there was a lot to be thankful for in 2012 and even more to look forward to in the new year.

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

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FLASH

Expo provides key “The Key is Knowledge” said the coordinators of the Independent Living Expo, held on November 14 at Hawthorne Country Club in Dartmouth. Sponsored by 4C (Community Cross Continuum Collaborative), the event provided seniors, caregivers and families the information, options and resources they need to make educated decisions about lifestyle choices.

Partners featured at the event included Southcoast Hospitals Group, assisted living communities, skilled

nursing facilities, rehabilitation hospitals and centers, Councils on Aging, Coastline Elderly and Bristol Elder Services, area medical centers, visiting nurse organizations, and community and governmental agencies dedicated to seniors.

1

2

For more information, visit www.keytoindependentliving.com

6

5

4

10

1.) Jane Sullivan, Esq., Law Offices of Jane Sullivan 2.) Lori Frechette, Vivian Demers, Athena Cosmo, Clifton Hospice Services 3.) Gay Martin, New Bedford Rehab 4.) Kathy Santos, Michelle Barroso, Royal Health 5.) Katie Librera, Somerset Ridge Center

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6.) Brenda Cormier-Riley, Karen Wadlow, Brandon Woods 7.) Lisa Haupt, The Cedars 8.) Ellen Woods, Sylvia Insurance 9.) Bo Bokanovich, SolAmor Hospice, Kristine Celorier, Kindred Forestview 10.) Katie Johnson, The Oaks 11.) John Fredette, Robin Gould, South-

eastern Mass Health & 12.) Yvanna Wilkinso Spooner, Khristen Ha 13) Jan Tabor, Southc 14.) Jennifer Sousa, S Southpointe Rehab

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& Rehab. Center on, Christine aworth, Gentiva coast VNA Sheila Duval,

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Prime Living

The

story in the

numbers

Sherri MahoneyBattles

As a young girl I developed a love for reading. I read every book within reach, devouring them at a rapid speed. At times, it seemed the library in my small town would run dry before my thirst could be quenched.

Certain authors drew me in, and I fell in love with the characters my imagination created, painting rich scenes in my head that no actress, movie, or television show could ever compete with.

Now I’m an adult, with a career in numbers.

People often comment on my career choice, confident I suffer through my days surrounded by piles of stuffy paperwork and dry numbers in a state of misery.

Clients are often apologetic for dumping their tax and financial disasters into my hands, unaware of my eagerness to dig through their boxes and files.

You see, for me it’s always been about the stories.

Taxes tell tales Every tax return, pile of paperwork or box that gets dumped on my desk tells a story.

Some of my clients have been with me for over twenty-five years. They have married, divorced, raised children, gotten jobs, been laid off, collected alimony, paid alimony, been in lawsuits, sold homes and retired.

Their numberless piles of paper are their

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stories, rich with all of the pieces of their lives. As the years have gone by I have enjoyed traveling that journey with them watching their stories unfurl.

A new client will come in, and we start our journey. Years pass, and the story grows and changes.

Over the years their children grow older.

One year we are working on plans for funding college education, a few years later we are working on credits for college education, and then they are showing me pictures of grandchildren.

The story continues, and we talk about plans to sell the family home and how to maximize their investments to make their retirement years more comfortable. My phone rings, and their grown children set up appointments and come in with jobs, a new home purchase, a baby on the way and another story starts.

Can you see the story?

Most people hate to look at numbers. It may be they don’t like the story they see or they don’t like the truths the numbers tell.

But sometimes they just don’t realize that there is a story in the numbers. The reality

J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

is that we get to write the stories and numbers that make up our lives. You are the author of your own financial story.

Maybe you would rather be an artist than an author. So, paint your financial picture. Can you see scenes from different periods of your life? Do you see scenes or landscapes rich with colors that illustrate financial periods of comfort or success and others darker and more dismal during times of financial stress or failures?

As your travel through your life the scenes and the stories change. Whether you are a writer or an artist the numbers in your life offer stories and pictures that are parts of your journey.

So, I encourage you to embrace your numbers. Read the story they tell, and look at the pictures they paint. If you don’t like the story or if the painting isn’t one you want to hang on your wall, rewrite it.

After all, it’s your story and your work of art.

Sherri M ahoney-Battles, of Taxing Matters specializes in income tax preparation for small businesses and individuals. As an Enrolled Agent, licensed by the IRS, Sherri has been representing clients for over twenty-five years in cases of audit, collections, and appeals and does extensive work with non-filers. Visit her website at www.taxingmatters.com email Sherilyn@taxingmatters.com or call her at 508-636-9829.

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Protect your estate by michelle d. beneski

I

t is said that we never stop being parents even after our children are fully grown. We want them to be happy and secure; we want to do our best for them, and we know how unpredictable life can be.

As attorneys, we hear it all the time: “Our daughter’s a great kid but she can’t say no to her husband and he spends money like it’s water.” Or, “I love all my daughters-in-law but you don’t know what will happen in the future and I don’t want half my son’s inheritance lost in a divorce.” Or, “Joe’s a great kid, but he’s in a risky business and has gone bankrupt twice; is there any way to protect his inheritance so he won’t lose it?”

The short answer is “Yes!” You can create a trust to receive the inheritance and hold it for the benefit of your child.

A trust created by parents can protect the inheritance from bad spending habits, divorce, bankruptcy, and much more. The trust will hold and manage money for a child and protect the inheritance from the child’s creditors.

It can make sure that your spouse can benefit from your assets during her/his lifetime but at your spouse’s death the property goes to your children and not a new spouse or an entirely different beneficiary.

If you have concerns about your children or grandchildren’s ability to manage an inheritance or that the inheritance could be lost to a divorce, remarriage, bankruptcy or other creditors, then you should explore the appropriateness of leaving your child’s inheritance to a trust rather than outright.

Call our office at 508-994-5200 to talk with an estate planning attorney and learn more about trusts. The laws are complex and change often, but asset protection is possible with the proper guidance. This information is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

T

oday, with nursing homes costing an average of $9,000 a month, you must plan ahead. As Elder Law Attorneys, we can show you how to protect your assets from nursing homes, probate fees and estate taxes.

Even with a relative in a nursing home now, assets can still be protected. Call us today to set up a consultation.

Michelle D. Beneski, Esq.

Daniel M. Surprenant, Esq.

Robert L. Surprenant, Esq. of Counsel

The family team of Attorney Robert L. Surprenant, Attorney Michelle D. Beneski and Attorney Daniel M. Surprenant are resolute in their goal of providing the highest quality of services to their clients.

This also includes presenting free educational talks in the community on topics of Medicaid, Estate Planning, Veterans Benefits and Elder Care.

All you need to do is call us at our toll free number 1-800-929-0491 and request which guide you need us to send you.

We are members of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the Bristol County Estate Planning Council.

Attorney Beneski is a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) and she also has her Masters in Taxation (LLM).

Inc.

Michelle D. Beneski is an Attorney at Surprenant & Beneski, P.C. For specific questions call her at 508-994-5200 or send e-mail to mdb@nbelderlaw.com

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A ndrea Greenwood-S yron, with resident of the A ssisted Living Fred Govain, on the grounds of Clifton Healthcare Campus

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A legacy of caring Clifton Healthcare is a family-run, third generation local business, a multi-faceted health care campus which offers services for a wide range of needs.

But caring, long-term staff is what makes Clifton Healthcare exceptional, say owners Eric Greenwood and Andrea GreenwoodSyron.

Overlooking Mt. Hope Bay on a secluded area of Wilbur Avenue, Clifton’s nineteenacre campus is comprised of the Clifton Rehabilitative Nursing Center, Clifton Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinic, Clifton Assisted Living Community and Clifton Hospice Services.

A family’s commitment The Greenwoods’ grandmother, Nellie Greenwood, started the business in 1954 in Fall River, and named it for her son. It was eventually relocated to Somerset, and now the owners are completing the largest renovation/expansion project in Clifton’s history.

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Eric and Andrea, who have each worked at the facility for more than 20 years, have invested millions of dollars over the past couple of years in the Clifton Rehabilitative Nursing Center to meet the changing needs of its patients, residents and outpatients.

“Many of our patients are short-term, coming to us directly from the hospital with varied conditions, joint replace-

patient rehab therapy,” he adds. “Remaining with the same therapy team helps to provide continuity of care.

“We have relationships with both local hospitals as well as others located in Boston and Providence. Clifton is both Medicare and Medicaid certified, and contracted with most insurers.”

‘In addition to a wide array of services and amenities, the caring, long-term staff is what makes Clifton Healthcare exceptional.’

Patients at Clifton’s Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinic are pleasantly greeted with an elegant waiting room that’s a smaller version of the music room in its assisted living building. The soft green, coral and yellow throughout the new area are a relaxing note that accompanies a state-of-the art therapy center complete with a brand new aqua therapy pool that has an underwater treadmill and a resistance current for patient rehabilitation.

“The water temperature is always 92 degrees so it’s very comfortable. It’s great for patients who can’t tolerate treadmills,” says Lori Frechette, a physical therapist and rehabilitation director.

Though a lot of people associate the clinic with older patients, Frechette says they work with all ages including local athletes from area schools with general sports-

ments, post-surgical rehab, cardiac, stroke, transitional care, etc, and we are able to provide individualized intensive nursing and therapy care.” says Eric.

“And even after our short-term patients leave, many continue to come here for out-

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Unexpected amenities

related injuries.

“We have a field outdoors and a putting green to work with athletes and golfers,” she says of the area outside of the clinic’s window-lined therapy room. The clinic, which offers physical, occupational and speech therapy, sees about 150 patients a week.

“We have a lot of repeat patients, patient referrals and we also treat a lot of the staff’s families, which I think says a lot,” says Andrea.

‘The clinic, which offers physical, occupational and speech therapy, sees about 150 patients a week.’

The expansion and relocation of the rehabilitation clinic to the western end of the building also opened up space in the existing center for amenities for its residents to enjoy.

Up-to-date and elegant “We’re heading where we need to be in the future; the entire building is WiFi,

Lori Frechette A nd Eric Greenwood

at the aqua therapy pool

something our short-term clients wanted,” says Frechette.

The new short-term lounge is beautifully decorated in a Floridian style, equipped with computers for public use, a wides-

Frechette and Lori Plourde, PT, working with a patient at the Clifton Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinic

creen TV, and a casual dining area. The new library is a quieter area, offering a large variety of books, ample space for reading and public use computers. Another area for patients to enjoy is the casual Bottoms-up Pub, where families and residents gather for a cup of coffee or to enjoy a game on the widescreen TV. The elegant cornerstone of the Clifton campus is its Assisted Living building, perched on the hill above the nursing center.

Here, the health care staff promote an active lifestyle. Varied apartments with balconies and a community living area on the first floor offer varied rooms where patients and their families can socialize.

On one side of the grand staircase entrance is the Daniel Webster room with a baby grand piano and comfortable sofas for lounging; the opposite end offers an intimate room with a fireplace.

Leather couches and a fireplace highlight the library in the Longfellow Room, and across the hall, the Yum-Yum Shoppe, named after a bakery the siblings used to visit in New Hampshire, features a public kitchen, baked goods, mailboxes and general store items. Dining is available in the more formal Hancock Room or the casual Garden Café.

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prime season

GiftsToGive

keeps giving

You could easily drive by the building that houses GiftsToGive in New Bedford’s south end and not even see it. With its roughedged exterior, it looks like the S tacie Charbonneau myriad of mills that dot our Hess landscape along the coast of Massachusetts, so you have to know what you are looking for.

Once you finally find it, however, you suspect it is not your typical mill building. There is a makeshift garden out front behind the chain link fence, and painted murals with inspiring quotes on the outside of the building.

A sense of magic Inside the door you feel a pleasant tingling thrill akin to the magic of entering Roald Dahl’s Chocolate Factory. No chocolate fountains or Oompaloompas here, just dozens of volunteers, thousands of pounds of donations, and the one man who started it all.

Jim Stevens, a gregarious man of retirement age, shares his skill for mentoring budding philanthropists and volunteers and does not give any indication of slowing down during his sunset years.

He’s the South Coast’s Willy Wonka.

GiftsToGive is a repurposing facility that accepts gently used items and redistributes them for use for people who need them. In their own words, they have “A tangible mission”: “Kids donate their gently-used clothes, toys, books and things they no longer need or use and volunteer at our huge re-purposing center to process, organize and package... individual gift packages.

“Hundreds of local agencies and caregivers go online and order customized gift packages for homeless and at-risk children in their care. All this is made possible through the skill sets and commitment of our 100% volunteer management team.”

Jim Stevens talks with young volunteers about their role at ‘GiftstoGive’

Kids helping kids In the past few months alone, in addition to making plans to relocate to an even larger facility to increase the production of GiftsToGive, Jim also helped found a new “Sorority” of middle school girls, a mentoring program that currently serves 16 New Bedford girls in sixth and seventh grade, twice a week after school and on Fridays at lunch.

While Jim hopes to eventually bring the program to as many schools as possible, the pilot program is underway at Normandin Middle School, and, true to his style, Jim’s idea has enabled the community to connect in unexpected ways with each other.

“The Sorority” (as it is currently called – the girls themselves are charged with the task of naming their own program) was inspired by the Gentleman’s Round Table, a program for boys in New Bedford at the Roosevelt Middle School.

One of the most dynamic aspects of the Gentleman’s Round Table is the male guest speakers from the community who spend time with the same group of young men over the course of the school year.

Through Jim’s involvement as speaker and benefactor of the Round Table, he believed the program could be emulated to benefit middle school girls as well.

His vision included several regular mentors to serve as role models for the girls, augmenting their education and getting them thinking and talking about important issues, placing emphasis on good decision-making and personal responsibility.

Jim Stevens is the South Coast’s Willy Wonka.

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The catch, of course, as with most of Jim’s endeavors, is that he sought to make the Sorority function on an all-volunteer basis. No payroll means several things: it’s easier to convince a School Committee to accept a new program when dipping into the budget is not an issue; volunteers must take ownership of different tasks and work together to pull off a long-term program; and most importantly, “Community Service” becomes an action, rather than an abstract concept.

Service in action At GiftsToGive, the idea of service in action has definitely caught on.

At any given moment in the mill facility, the phone is ringing as people who have heard of GiftsToGive inquire about how to make a donation, where to drop off their gently-used items, their board games and toys, warm coats, and other items that gather dust in the back of the closet.

Jim cheerfully answers and is never surprised by other people’s generosity; he has made a living being generous to others. Schools frequently visit GiftsToGive because Jim makes it so easy to volunteer.

One tour and orientation, and volunteers are ready to roll up their sleeves and chip in doing any number of tasks: sorting clothes, fulfilling orders for a family in need, cleaning toys. In a 30,000 square foot mill, with items lining most of the visible walls, there is much to be done.

Tabor Academy, Friends Academy, UMASS Dartmouth and over 32 SouthCoast public schools throughout the area have all sent students here to “work” for a few hours. Some get hooked, and come back again and again.

Some volunteers “work” on a regular basis, such as Karen LeBlanc, the first ever Sorority Mentor Manager.

Karen already has a full-time job, and a demanding one at that, in her position as Social Worker at Global Learning Charter Public School. She is at a point in her life, however, where her kids are grown and the thought of changing the course of a young girl’s life Young volunteers inspect toys to include in

individualized gift packages for children in need

is very appealing to Karen.

“You know, I have been through a lot in my own life, and I have a lot of personal experience to draw from. I can relate to these girls,” she said, adding: “I see them, and I see the need they have for guidance and structure. I am here for them, every week, along with Natasha and

Brittany (two young women who volunteer regularly), and they trust us. It’s just a few weeks into the program really, and the teachers and principal have already said they’ve noticed a change in the girls’ behavior.”

Service to others Upcoming events for the Sorority include learning about fitness at the YMCA, learning to cook nutritious food, a babysitting course, and conversing with over twenty volunteers speakers from the community – from pastors to survivors of abuse to personal trainers.

Jim’s idea of service resonates with Martin Luther King Jr.’s quote: “Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace.

A soul generated by love.”

Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve.

You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve.

You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.

This idea of service allows for everyone – even young children - to participate in giving to others, to get in the habit of thinking about the needs of others.

The Sorority is a real life example of how “everyone can be great.”

When selflessness is in action, amazing things begin to happen.

The important lesson here is one of purpose. It’s perhaps all too easy to let a bit of complacency slip into our lives. That well-made wool blazer that hasn’t been worn since 1989 could be someone’s interview jacket. The stuffed animal that hasn’t been touched for seven years could be a child’s only toy.

These are not exaggerations; these are everyday realities for people living among us. There is no need to travel 3,000 miles or send a check to an unknown address to feel as if you are doing some good.

It takes only the willingness to do something small, such as pick up the phone, make an appointment, clean the closet and take the drive – to make a difference in a person’s life.

Not everyone can make such a big impact as Jim Stevens, but he couldn’t do what he does without the contributions of many people, young and old, rich and not rich, people willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work, sharing the gift of themselves.

And who knows, there might be a golden ticket somewhere in that old New Bedford mill.

Find out more about GiftsToGive online at www.giftstogive.org or visit and volunteer at the mill at 21 Cove Street in New Bedford. Reach them by phone by calling (508) 717-8715.

STACIE CHARBONNEAU HESS is a mother, a graduate student, and a freelance writer based in New Bedford, Massachsuetts, where she lives with her husband, three children, and too many pets to mention.

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technology

See the light Dan L ogan

Electronic gadgets always have a learning curve which makes them appear harder rather than easier to use than your older technology (for example, a smart phone rather than a touch tone phone, or an electronic book reader rather than a paperback).

But, with a well-designed product you recognize. Many of us are starting to get over the hump quickly and get more feel the first barely perceptible hints of bang for your time and effort. age-related infirmities but we don’t want The goal is to find tech products that these intimations of mortality exposed might make your life -- and my life -- a to the world. bit easier as we get older. I’ll be celebratSo we won’t buy products that scream, ing my 65th birthday around the time “I’m getting old!” like those giant, cartoonish touchpad phones. Instead, we you read this, so I’m a member of the look for subtle design improvements. demographic that Prime Times aims to reach.

Let me see Some of the gear I write about is obviOne gadget I’ve always liked is the ously electronic exotica that is not to flashlight. I like them more than ever everyone’s taste. now because nights and poorly lit areas Other gear I seem a whole lot murkier cover isn’t so much If it looks good it to me than they once did. high-tech as it is appeals to some Function is much more redesigned and people, and if it important to me than better thought out functions efficiently form--but in the world than earlier versions it appeals to others. of the flashlight, form were. That’s the function are coming If it does both, it and realm I’m working together quite nicely. in here. wins awards and If you haven’t noticed, sells like crazy.

Looks good, technological improveworks great ments in flashlights Increasingly, companies with products (bright and longer-lasting LED bulbs to sell seem to be realizing that the instead of the old incandescent models, products that sell best are those where more powerful rechargeable batteries, form and function blend like yin and smaller and lighter components) are being developed into a wider selection of yang. flashlight designs.

If it looks good it appeals to some Flashlight manufacturers have opened people, and if it functions efficiently it up the market by recognizing differappeals to others. If it does both, it wins ent designs can be targeted toward awards and sells like crazy. particular environments. For example, Apple, of course, is the current poster your traditional handheld torch may be child for industrial design. Its products good for threading your way through are created and marketed with an eye obstacles, but it’s big and clumsy if toward minimizing the learning curve. you’re trying to read under the covers, or They can be operated almost intuitively simply looking for a little dab of light to because their forms contribute to their find the keyhole. functionality.

So why not have a teeny keychain There’s another aspect of design that light for quick convenience, a small but these companies are beginning to

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powerful torch that will light your path at night, and a headlamp for those activities that demand a third hand?

Most of my coat pockets now hold some kind of flashlight. If they don’t, and I plow ahead into the darkness, invariably I bang into something hard or turn a stair step into a life-threatening stumble.

Twist an ankle, gash a hand, whatever--it ain’t worth it at this stage. I want more light and I want it now.

I should count my flashlights some day. I have maybe 30 of them scattered around.

On my keychain I have an eGear Pico light ($10), an unobtrusive inch-and-a-half long cylinder that puts out about 10 lumens of light. A birthday candle puts out about one lumen of light at one foot. One lumen is appropriate for a keychain LED.

If you’re using the flashlight to see where you’re walking, you want the light to reach 6-10 feet ahead of you, which requires about 30 lumens. If you’re biking at night you might want 200 lumens.

LEDs are brighter than incandescent bulbs. I pulled out one of my MagLites of yesteryear, which once seemed so bright, and its incandescent light looks tired by comparison.

Not content with one keychain light, I have several more tucked in coat pockets.

I like the Princeton Tec Impulse ($12),

you can now buy more compact 7-LED models that put out plenty of light and fit easily in a coat pocket or purse. These make up the bulk of my flashlight repertoire. You can buy 4-packs of these stumpy little lights at big box stores (these make great gifts for gadget junkies). They’re inexpensive enough to be disposable if something goes wrong, but they’ve held up surprisingly well for me.

The traditional torch has also undergone some imaginative modifications. Some models have bendable legs that you can wrap around poles or railing, or with legs and adjustable heads that allow you to aim the light where you want it and not have to dedicate a hand to holding it.

Joby’s GorillaTorch Adjustable and Flexible flashlight ($30) comes with twisty legs. The light also has a red filter setting, and emergency flasher settings.

It takes three AA batteries. I keep it in my car.

I also have Stanley’s 3-in-1 Tripod light ($30), which has three separate LED heads mounted to a torch frame that can be stood on foldout legs and each light angled separately.

This is my favorite when I’m working inside a computer.

Headlamps

which has a one lumen LED, weighs half an ounce, and has a handy carabiner clip.

If you’re checking out Princeton Tec’s line you’ll spot the little Pulsar II ($7), which is flatter and only weighs half of the Impulse.

You simply squeeze the sides to turn it on. My problem with the Pulsar II is the amount of effort it takes to squeeze the light into operation. Maybe I got a dog, but this is a good tool gone wrong.

Small torches The traditional torch is still out there, but

Headlamps used to suggest something you’d need for spelunking in an endless wet cave.

My first headlamp, which I still have, is a 15-year old Eveready powered by four AA batteries. It has an industrial strength rub-

ber band to hold it in place so it juts off my forehead like the prow of a great ship and could snap my neck like a toothpick if I got some whipsaw motion going.

Contrast that with my latest headlamp, a featherweight Petzel Petzl? ($35), which a thin, comfortable, retractable wire holds in place.

These days headlamps are suitable for just about any lighting task requiring a third arm, like reading, or working on a computer or car engine. They’re great for mountain biking in total darkness, or for wandering around the house if the power is out.

My collection also includes several Rayovac penlights; three examples of a flat round style called the Stick N Click, which can be stuck to any odd spot where you need light; several clip-on book lights; and one of the early flexible lights called the Black & Decker Snake Light.

As with every piece of consumer technology that’s out there, you have a zillion models from which to choose, and lots of little details to learn about. Keep in mind, not all lumens are created equal, meaning some manufacturers’ ratings may be wildly optimistic. More LEDs mean greater power drain. And you can get lights that operate at three or four power levels, and with tighter or more diffused beams.

The big boys So far I’ve resisted the top-of-the-line models such as those made by Fenix and

SureFire, which not only put out blinding light but are designed to withstand hard use. Many of their models range from $100-200.

I suppose the only reason I haven’t gotten one is I can’t decide which pocket one of these photonic powerhouses will call home.

If you’re like me and your vision in poor light is less than perfect, stash some flashlights in convenient places. And enjoy using them.

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

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good times

RIP, Twinkies, dear Let me begin by making myself perfectly clear: I am not a lover of store bought, plastic-wrapped, long shelf life cakes, cookies, or other such convenience store confections.

Kenneth sutcliffe

Like many of us, I find the need to make this obligatory disclaimer because I am a product of the times, obsessed with health trends, conscientious eating, and other such fanfare. I didn’t even have my first taste of Fluff until college.

In fact, the only times I was allowed to have anything processed and produced by a machine was when Mom was away for a bit and Dad was left to his own devices.

Thank you, Dad! On these exceedingly rare occasions, my sister and I got a taste of what we thought the rest of the world sank its cavity-riddled teeth into on a daily basis: the store-bought treat. This was back in the days, for those of you old enough to remember, when we kiddos were left alone in the car while Dad went into the Corner Store and not a single person batted an eyelid.

Dad would go in with the excuse of picking up milk, eggs, and bread, but he’d inevitably come back out with an extra little something like HoHos, Ding-Dongs, SnoBalls, or even Twinkies.

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These events were better than Christmas.

Early last month, while I was munching

I’ve got to admit that I haven’t actually eaten a Twinkie in, oh, probably more than ten years. The point, however, is that I really like the “idea” of being able to get one. on a handful of organically grown, roasted pumpkin seeds, I heard of the Hostess Company’s imminent demise, followed shortly thereafter by news of their failed negotiations with union representatives.

I was a bit more upset than I would’ve expected myself to be. You see, since those early days in my childhood, when dad would hop into the front seat and toss

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Twinkies over his shoulder at us, I had become a granola-crunching, organic gardening, Mother Earth News subscribing, bona-fide, dyed-in-the-wool hippie.

I guess I just didn’t expect the fall of the Twinkie to affect me so, well, personally.

A cultural love affair So many of my childhood memories were built, not around major events or extravagant vacations, but around the basic, fundamental, and day-to-day events that on the outside appear quite mundane.

That I felt stupefied by the possibility of the Twinkie’s demise speaks, I think, to the depths to which snack food culture and candy cuisine have embedded themselves into the American psyche.

And why not?

After all, who doesn’t love a fluffy bit of non-nutritive stuff from time to time? Who can’t remember a moment of pure bliss from childhood that involves a puffy little cake? I suspect that many of us are just as apt to have memories connected with the home-cooked meal as with the cheap thrill of a corner-store sponge cake.

Even beyond these individual memories, it seems that we have developed a cultural love affair with such foodstuffs. We may profess outwardly to a critical public that we are married to our healthy lifestyles, but on the side we’ve got another thing going, a sordid love-affair with air-puffed junk.

Cake:

T winkettes: A Recipe

4 eggs 1/2 cup of butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm 1 cup water 1 (5.1 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

Filling: 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature 5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 10x15 inch jelly roll pans.

Beat the eggs until combined; stir in the melted butter. Add the water, pudding mix, and yellow cake mix, stirring well to combine. The batter will be very thick. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, spreading it evenly.

Bake until the cakes spring back when pressed lightly with a finger or a tester comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.

To make the filling, combine the room-temperature butter, cream cheese, and confectioners’ sugar. Beat until smooth. Stir in the whipped topping and vanilla extract.

When the cakes are cool, spread the filling mixture on top of one cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top of the first, and cut into bars.

Wrap each bar in plastic wrap and store in the freezer.

Sin and guilt I can still vividly remember my father’s hasty and guilt-filled wrapper clean-up upon our return to our driveway. “Quickly, so your mother doesn’t see.”

It’s just not going to be the same if grabbing a Twinkie is no longer an option. I’ve got to admit that I haven’t actually eaten a Twinkie in, oh, probably more than ten years. The point, however, is that I really like the “idea” of being able to get one.

Now that I might not ever be able to again is really upsetting, you know? I mean, what will take their place? What will I be able to throw to my kids in the back seat, bags of Sunshine Brand Organic Twinkettes?

It’s just not ever going to be the same.

For those of you as depressed about this whole situation as I am, I’ve included a recipe for homemade “Twinkettes” as found on allrecipes.com.

In Pace Resquiescat, my dear friends. I feel that I hardly knew ye.

KENNETH SUTCLIFFE leads a mysterious double-life. He is a mild-mannered English instructor and father of three by day and a fiendish espresso drinking writer by night. He resides in a woodland paradise in Lakeville, Massachusetts.

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Prime Living

Cool ideas

for

hot soup A ndrew Z alisk, executive chef at S t. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford

There’s nothing more comforting than a steaming mug or bowl of homemade soup on a frigid winter day.

After you’ve been outdoors sledding with your grandchildren or taking a long walk to enjoy the beauty of newly fallen snow, sitting down to savor homemade chicken noodle, beef stew, spicy chili or vegetable minestrone, a big bowl of soup with a thick slice of fresh artisan bread or a hard crusted roll is the perfect lunch or cozy supper when the thermometer drops.

While there are countless soup recipes available, the beauty of this nourishing food is that cooks can be inventive when making soup.

All you need is a good stock – beef, chicken or vegetable – or fish stock if you’re making chowder – and an imagination.

A ham bone adds wonderful flavor to split pea soup, while leftover roast beef is a nice addition to homemade -- and very

Brian J. Lowney

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economical -- vegetable soup, made with produce found in the kitchen, or on sale at the local market.

Take it from the Chef According to Andrew Zalisk, executive chef at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford, soup is popular throughout the year, and especially during winter.

In addition to traditional soups such as cream of broccoli, Philly cheese steak and Portuguese kale soup, the hospital’s popular cafeteria also serves a variety of “wellness soups,” such as chicken rice, vegetable beef and Asian vegetable. These soups are low in fat, sodium and calories.

“It’s a healthier option,” Zalisk emphasizes, adding that many hospital employees, cafeteria guests and patients prefer these nutritious and satisfying soups. The

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kitchen staff prepares about 16 gallons of soup a day, with increased production during colder weather.

Noting that soup is one of the most popular comfort foods, Zalisk says he enjoys split pea, and stew and chili prepared by his wife Kristen at home.

With a little imagination, some recipe research and a shopping trip, local produce can serve as the main ingredient in some tantalizing culinary creations. Zalisk noted that a hearty butternut squash soup recently served at a hospital retiree’s luncheon earned glowing comments from guests.

“Everyone was raving about it,” Zalisk notes, adding that the soup was so popular that it was added to the hospital cafeteria menu.

Let’s go Dutch In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where thousands of Amish live and operate large family farms, homemade soup is a staple in most country homes and many restaurants that offer Amish cuisine.

At the world-famous Miller’s Smorgasbord, Executive Chef Steve Gainer and his talented staff prepare an assortment of treasured favorites using farm fresh produce and locally cured meats.

Gainer shares his recipe for Lancaster County chicken corn soup, a true winter favorite in Amish country.

All you need is a good stock – beef, chicken or vegetable – or fish stock if you’re making chowder – and an imagination.

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BRIAN LOWNEY is an award-winning reporter and freelance writer. He lives in Swansea.

January

Chicken corn soup First, start with about 5 lbs. of skin on, bone-in chicken (whole bird or parts will work the same).

Place chicken in a large pot and cover with about a gallon of water, and add 1 tablespoon of salt and 1½ teaspoons of black pepper. Cover kettle and bring contents to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is done (about 25 min).

Remove chicken from pot and cool enough to be able to remove the meat from the skin and bones. Add the skin and bones back to the stockpot and simmer for thirty minutes longer. Strain stock and return the strained stock to the stockpot.

While chicken stock is simmering, hard boil 4 eggs for later use.

Taste the stock and add salt and pepper to suit your taste. If stock is too salty for you add water until it is to your liking.

At this point, in a mixing bowl, add 1 cup of flour and 1 raw egg. Mix and knead with your hands until the egg is incorpo-

THE TREE IN ME FAMILY EVENT Dartmouth ∙ 1/12 FLICK N’ FLOAT Wareham ∙ 1/18 Fall River ∙ 1/18

rated into the flour. Add 1.5 tablespoons cold water and knead the water into the egg and flour mixture. This mixture will be stiff and will be used for rivels (dough balls) later in the recipe.

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To your strained and seasoned stock, add 1 ½ cups of diced celery, 1 cup diced onions, 1 tablespoon of parsley and 8 cups of shoe peg corn (yellow corn will work also but I prefer shoe peg).

Bring the soup to a boil and pinch off pea sized pieces of rivel dough and drop into boiling soup. Reduce heat to achieve a slow boil.

Chop the peeled hard boiled eggs and chop the chicken meat and add both to the soup. Simmer for about 20 minutes longer, taste once more to be sure the salt and pepper content is to your liking. The soup should now be done.

Personally, I find this soup to be more flavorful if left to cool, refrigerated, and then reheated the next day. This soup also freezes very well.

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prime season

Gifts of

holiday wine

A nice bottle of wine in a pretty holiday bag makes a wonderful gift. Even folks who are not wine enthusiasts but do enjoy a glass A lton of wine every now or then will L ong appreciate a good bottle of wine.

If you know what kind of wine the recipients prefer, they will be especially pleased to receive it.

Fortunately there are some wines that tend to be universally liked; with, perhaps, a few exceptions. But certainly most everyone who enjoys wine will like a nice medium dry or very slightly sweet wine.

A personal favorite One of my favorite wine gifts is a nice bottle of classic German wine with an ornate label. I usually select one from the Mosel Saar Ruwer region, as that was where I first started my enjoyment of German wines.

There are many villages and vineyards along the Mosel, which produce great wines, but again I usually select the ones from near Bernkastle.

One of my favorite classic German Mosels is the Berkasterler Lay Riesling, produced by Dr. Loosen. It runs about $25 a bottle. But there are many good Mosel wines made at Mosel co-operative wineries that can be found in the $12 to $15 range.

Look for the word “Kabinet,” which first means it is in the top category of German wine classifications, and second, it will most

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J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

likely be medium dry, and lastly, it will be 100 per cent Riesling.

Individuals’ preferences If any of your friends to whom you would like to give a gift of wine are inclined to enjoy foods that come from a country that makes wines, you already have a good idea of an ideal gift, especially if you know what they might prefer. A friend of mine who is proud of his Italian heritage and is oriented to the fine wine of Italy, is thrilled when I am able to find some unique Italian wine that he will share with his family.

Some of the most popular Italian wines include the ubiquitous Chianti.

The very best Chiantis are those that are qualified to be labeled “Chianti Classico Reserva;” even a wine expert will appreciate a bottle of that wine. But these tend to be a little expensive, running from the high twenties to well into the forty-dollar range. But they will certainly be appreciated. (Hint, hint to my family!)

The most popular bottle of wine to give for the holidays, as you might expect, is a nice bottle of bubbly. It doesn’t not need to be a genuine French Champagne, but that will always be most impressive. There are many sparkling wine made in California, New York, and even in New England that are very moderately priced and are still a joy to have for the holiday celebrations.

Buying local There is one New England winery that has won many accolades for their sparkling wines: Westport Winery, locate in the southeastern region of Massachusetts, a few miles from a bay that opens to the Atlantic Ocean. The microclimate and local terroir are excellent for growing classic European style grapes, especially Chardonnay.

They produce two sparklers. Their Westport Brut “Robert James Russell” is a fruity and fresh blend of chardonnay and pinot noir, a classic blend. It has a delicious complex bouquet and flavor. Some

detect apples and cherries; others get hints of citrus and roses.

The term “brut” in the name of a sparkling wine implies that it is “Dry”; that is, the wine has no sweetness because it has little or no residual sugar.

In any case, most knowledgeable wine friends of mine to whom I served this wine are pleased with it, and often have a hard time believing it was not from France.

Westport also produces a sparkler made from 100 percent Chardonnay called “Blanc de Blanc.”

Again you can detect a hint of apple and but you get more of the citrus, and a tangy lemon-lime character. This all-chardonnay fizz has hints of herbs, apricot, and marzipan.

Blanc de Blanc is a very “serious” white sparkling wine, aged about eight years. It’s sleek, dry, and delicious. The scent is reminiscent of buttery apple crisp, and there’s lovely sea-air minerality, especially on the finish.

It is very refreshing and goes exceedingly well with shellfish. You can serve it with oysters, grilled fish with lemony potatoes, or salty roe on a bellini with a little creme fraiche. A bottle runs around $30.

Most all of the local wineries in this wonderful wine region will be offering special festive gift packages and decorative bags that cost only a dollar. I prefer to wrap my gift bottles in tissue paper before I put them in the bag.

In case Santa isn’t good to you regarding the wine gifts, don’t forget, a lot of the wine shops will be holding some very special sales after the holiday season. So, don’t feel bad if you have to ‘buy’ your own ‘holiday wine gift;’ it will still be great, no matter how you got it.

Finally, as a reminder, (I wrote about this last year) the little half bottle of a sweet dessert wine can make a nice surprise gift, especially if you can find a small box that might disguise the contents.

I love to make holiday gifts real surprises as much as I like to be surprised.

In case Santa isn’t good to you regarding the wine gifts, don’t forget, a lot of the wine shops will be holding some very special sales after the holiday season. So, don’t feel bad if you have to “buy” you own “holiday wine gift;” it will still be great, no matter how you got it.

Cheers!

ALTON L. LONG is a freelance writer, educator and event producer specializing in wine, food and travel. He is regular contributor in The South Coast Insider.

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35

good times

Jazz it up this winter

By Joyce Rowley

Got the winter blahs? When New Year’s over, there’s at least three months till the cold, slushy, sleety weather outside turns to spring. Why not jazz it up a bit, with a mini-Mardi Gras party? If traveling to New Orleans is not in your plans, you can do it yourself right here on the South Coast.

Celebrate ‘Fat T uesday’?

Mardi Gras—literally “fat Tuesday”—falls on February 12th this year. Celebrations start on any of the Saturdays in February leading up to Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Fat Tuesday, then, is the final day of feasting and fun that leads up to a period of fasting and sacrifices There’s some question about who had the first real American Mardi Gras—whether the LeMoyne brothers started it on March 3, 1699, or whether the current dance and parade party started in Mobile, Alabama, the original capital of the French colony Louisiane in the 1700s.

Mobile still has one of the oldest Mardi Gras celebrations, first held in 1703. New Orleans’ Mardi Gras took prominence soon after as the capital moved there in 1723 and officially became the City’s holiday in 1875.

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Part of the reason New Orleans made the celebration its centerpiece was the “creolization” of New Orleans, a blending of French and Spanish cultures.

Another reason is the historic French Quarter’s intact 18th century architecture provides a dramatic backdrop for revelry.

However, after 1972, grand parades are no longer allowed in the French Quarter since they became too boisterous.

Create a Cajun feast Add a bit of Cajun (a creole word for “Acadian,” or French people from Acadia) music and food, and voilà, you have Mardi Gras a la N’Orleans.

One thing we do have in common with the Gulf Coast is fish. At the heart of any good étoufée, gumbo or jambalaya is shrimp or crawfish mixed with a nice hot spicy sausage.

J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

Here are traditional main dish Cajun recipes, drinks, and desserts to get the party going. The food is rich and fattening, of course. It’s Fat Tuesday!

Crawfish E toufée If you can’t find crawfish tails at the supermarket, and they haven’t come out of the mud yet in your neck of the woods, you can substitute shrimp.

Ingredients 1/2 cup butter, cubed 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1-1/4 cups chopped celery 1 cup chopped green pepper 1/2 cup chopped green onions 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth 1 cup water 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 pounds frozen cooked crawfish tail meat, thawed Hot cooked rice

Directions: In a large heavy skillet, melt butter; stir in flour.

You can Cook and stir over substitute low heat for about 20 shrimp for minutes until mixture crawfish. is a caramel-colored paste. Add the celery, pepper and onions; stir until coated. Add the broth, water, parsley, tomato paste, bay leaf, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf. Add crawfish and heat through. Serve with rice. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Creole Jambalaya Another easy main dish to prepare. In this one, the rice is immersed in the spices during cooking. This takes only 20 minutes of preparation time, cooks for 35 minutes and yields 8 servings.

Ingredients 3/4 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/4 cup chopped green pepper 2 tablespoons butter 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups cubed fully cooked ham 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained 1 can (10-1/2 ounces) condensed beef broth, undiluted 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice 1 cup water 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1-1/2 pounds fresh or frozen uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Directions: In a Dutch oven, sauté the onion, celery and green pepper in butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the next nine ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Add shrimp and parsley; simmer, uncovered, for 7-10 minutes or until shrimp turn pink.

Paula Deen’s Seafood Balls Yes, Paula Deen has since renounced fat and deep frying as a steady diet. But on Fat Tuesday, these are a nice side dish. Prepare ahead in 20 minutes, fry for 5 minutes and they’re done. Makes about 2 dozen.

Ingredients 1/2 pound cooked, cleaned and peeled shrimp 1 (6-ounce) can crabmeat 1 (6-ounce) can salmon fish 1 (7-ounce) can whole corn kernels, drained 1 cup cooked white rice, leftover is fine 1 tablespoon Cajun spice mix 1/2 cup prepared tartar sauce, plus more for serving 1 tablespoon grainy mustard 2 tablespoon dried parsley flakes Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 eggs, beaten, divided 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs Peanut oil, for frying Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions: Pulse the shrimp in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer the shrimp into a large mixing bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients except 1 of the beaten eggs and the bread crumbs, and fold together gently but thoroughly. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls and dip into the beaten egg and then dredge in the bread crumbs.

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Continued from previous page Deep-fry in 350 degree F oil until golden brown.

Yes, Paula Deen has since renounced fat and deep frying as a steady diet. But on Fat Tuesday, these are a nice side dish.

King’s Cake

Drain on paper towels. Serve with lemon wedges and more tartar or remoulade sauce for dipping.

Pecan Pralines Ten minutes to prepare, 15 minutes to cook, and yields 2 dozen cookies. Very sweet!

Ingredients: 1 cup sugar 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup milk 8 large marshmallows 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Dash ground cinnamon Directions: Lightly butter two baking sheets or line with waxed paper; set aside. In a saucepan, combine the sugars, milk and marshmallows. Cook and stir over low heat until marshmallows are completely melted. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reads 234°-240° (soft-ball stage).

Without stirring or scraping, pour hot liquid into another saucepan. Add the pecans, butter, vanilla and cinnamon. Stir rapidly until mixture is thickened and creamy, about 3 minutes. Drop quickly by rounded tablespoons onto prepared pans.

Flatten slightly. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

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And what Mardi Gras party would be complete without a King’s Cake?



This recipe is from Linda Stradley on What’s Cooking America website (www. whatscookingamerica.net). Although there are as many recipes as there are Krewes in New Orleans, this one used a bread machine which helps guarantee results.

King Cake is actually a yeast bread base with traditional Mardi Gras colored frosting: gold, purple and green. Don’t forget to warn your guests about the hidden good luck charm in the cake!

Ingredients: 1/2 cup warm water 1/2 cup warm milk 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon lemon zest 5 egg yolks, room temperature 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 4 3/4 cups bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour 3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon milk 1 tiny (1-inch) plastic doll Colored Sugars (see below) Lemon Frosting (see recipe below)

at a time.

When dough cycle has finished, remove dough from pan and put into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a draft free place to rise for approximately 1 hour or until the dough doubles in volume.

Lightly coat a large baking sheet with butter or vegetable spray; set aside.

Remove dough from bowl and place on a lightly-oiled surface. Using your fist, punch dough down with a heavy blow. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top, pat and shape dough into a cylinder. Twist dough to form a curled cylinder and loop cylinder onto the buttered baking sheet. Pinch the ends together to form a circle. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let sit for approximately 45 minutes or until the dough doubles in volume.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush top and sides of cake with egg white wash and bake on middle rack of oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. (A good check is to use an instant thermometer to test your bread. The temperature should be between 200 and 210 degrees.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

If desired, at this time, you can hide the plastic doll in the cake.

Colored sugars:

3/4 cup granulated sugar Green, purple, and yellow coloring paste Squeeze a dot of paste in Don’t forget palm of hand. Sprinkle to warn your 2 tablespoons sugar over the paste and rub guests about the together quickly. Place hidden good luck this mixture on wax charm in paper and wash hands to the cake! remove color.

Repeat process for other two colors; set aside.

Directions: Place all ingredients in bread pan according to manufacturer’s instructions; select dough setting and press start. NOTE: Check the dough (don’t be afraid to open the lid). It should form a nice elastic ball. If you think the dough is too moist, add additional flour, a tablespoon at a time. The same is true if the dough is looking dry and gnarly. Add warm water, a tablespoon

J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

Lemon frosting: 3/4 cups powdered sugar Juice of 1 lemon In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth (depending on size of lemon, add water if mixture is too thick or additional powdered sugar if too thin).

Spoon icing over top of the cake.

Immediately sprinkle on colored sugar, alternating between the three colors.

. . . and the drinks

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Sources for our recipes are: Taste of Home website, www.tasteofhome.com: Crawfish Etoufée reprinted from “Test Kitchen Favorites,” (p.

156, 2004); Creole Jambalaya reprinted from “Country” magazine, August/September (p.

47, 1993); Pecan Pralines.The Food Network website, www.foodnetwork.com: Paula Deen’s

Seafood Balls, Sazerac, and the Neelys Hurricane drinks.

For more information on Mardi Gras traditions visit your local library or online at Wikipedia at www.wikipedia.org.

Joyce Rowley is a freelance writer and regular contributor to The South Coast Insider.

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39

good times

I have this thing...

So I’m walking down the street with a friend, and he says to me “You OK?” “Yeah, fine, why?”

“Well, you’re limping.”

Paul “No, I’m not limping,” K andarian I say, a little indignantly.

“Yeah, you’re limping,” he says, a little adamantly. “I can tell, you’re limping.”

I turned to a window of an office building and watched myself walk. My eyes saw me limping. My mind saw a healthy, handsome 20-something walking with painless purpose.

Then it dawned on me: It was the guy who I was walking with. He doesn’t limp.

He’s young, he’s a got a lifetime of aging ahead to develop his own limp.

Damn his soul.

My limp So yeah, I have a limp. It’s not permanent, which I take some solace in. Thing is, I have this thing – and this is a list of many things that start with “I have this thing” – a somewhat gimpy knee, probably the result of blowing it up about 10 years ago playing hockey.

It starts with a full feeling in the back, kind of a swollen sensation that makes it feel puffy, and I can’t really bend it all the way up, which is a problem because as an old goalie (Yes, I’m still playing hockey, no, I didn’t learn and never will), going down on the ice means bending the legs. A lot.

And it hurts.

But it goes away. For awhile.

Then the pain abates back there after a few days, but sneaks around the sides for a bit, then the front, then it goes away. Until the next time. And at 59, pushing 124 in goalie years, there is always a next time.

I can see it happening, of course, see it, sense it, know it, but happily ignore it.

I’m sure I’m not alone in this, but I’m convinced I am still the 10-year-old kid who used to bolt down the path to my house from my grandparents’ house next door,

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leaping onto the old metal milk box there, springing off light as air and then bounding into the house.

We ran a lot as kids, it was our right, our mandate in fact. You didn’t walk when you could run, and you could run everywhere.

Today, kids don’t run so much as lope, it seems, in no hurry to get outside and play, rather content to stay inside with video games and YouTube and all manner of sedentary things destined to keep us as the fattest country on the planet until someone flips the fun switch back to physical mode.

But yes, we ran, also rode bikes, rode ‘em everywhere, no matter the distance. We’d drive up to our friends’ house miles away or over to the ball field to play pick-up football or baseball, always outside, always pushing ourselves to the physical limits.

It’s what kids did, it kept us in shape and, I’m convinced, led me to not having serious knee problems or other problems that start with “I have this thing” until much later in life.

I have this thing I have this thing (God, there I go again), another problem area, a frozen shoulder, which sounds horrid but it’s not so bad, just hurts like hell. Every so often. Again, nothing lasting, it comes, it goes.

I went to a chiropractic physician recently who diagnosed it as a frozen shoulder (it has a ghastly sounding Latin name that sounds equally grotesque, but the name escapes me).

What it means is that whenever I make a move with my left arm in what used to be a pretty decent range of motion, I get shooting pains down my shoulder. Like when doing drastic things like putting a belt through the loops in back or tucking in my shirt, or shrugging off a coat.

Used to be a time (a phrase that is an almost necessary adjunct to phrases starting with “I have this thing”) when I would pride myself on being able to reach behind my back with either hand, twist it up and scratch between my shoulder blades.

J a nuary / F ebruary 2013

Hell, I could almost touch my neck. I’d impress my parents and their older friends, who would lament their own loss of youthful flexibility.

I’d laugh. I’m not laughing now.

Then, they were the same age I am now. I never saw them-as-me-coming. Who does when you’re a teenager scratching your shoulder blades with fluid ease?

I was on a trip with other male journalists recently, a guys’ weekend up in Toronto, a superb, supremely walkable city that can be supremely hard on the joints. Especially if one overdoes it, thinking he’s still a kid.

That would be me.

In the Sky Zone We went to a trampoline park called, SkyZone, just outside the city, an indoor facility with massive trampolines, on which you bounce madly, slam into trampoline walls, bounce back, and play dodge ball, whipping foam balls at each others’ heads.

It’s great. Or looked it.

The other guys in my group were mostly in their 20s, meaning they were literally flying around the huge trampoline area, bouncing and jumping and running like I used to on that milk box of my youth.

I tried – and lasted a whopping five minutes before I was so winded, I had to stop. Plus I landed on my feet funny once, and jarred my knee.

Which apparently showed up as a limp the next day. Which was noticed by one of those 20-something guys who had been bouncing with impunity on the trampolines a couple days before. Which led to my refusal to believe that I was walking with a limp. Or was, in fact, showing any signs of aging whatsoever.

OK, so I have this thing.

It’s called denial. Used to be a time, I didn’t need it…

Paul Kandarian is a lifelong area resident and has been a professional writer since 1982, as columnist, contributor in national magazines, websites and other publications.

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Clifton

HEALTHCARE CAMPUS

WILBUR AVENUE, SOMERSET, MASSACHUSETTS

You Have A Choice in Your Care…Ask for Clifton

CLIFTON REHABILITATIVE NURSING CENTER 508-675-7589

CLIFTON ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY 508-324-0200

Compassion Dignity Comfort CLIFTON OUTPATIENT REHABILITATION CLINIC 508-675-0328

 Transitional Care  Short-Term Rehab  Assisted Living

CLIFTON HOSPICE SERVICES (A community hospice agency) 508-675-7583

 Outpatient Rehab  Long-Term Care  Hospice Care

Need Short Term Rehab? For preferred booking status, call our admissions coordinator at 508-675-7589.

Clifton is a fourth generation local family organization that, since 1954, has been providing the highest quality of healthcare services to your community, which is also our community.

Proud to be Celebrating Over 50 Years of Dedication to Excellence.