fiftyplus advocate
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Eastern Edition | Vol. 46 | No. 2 | February 2020
Seeing the country from the seat of his motorcycle page 8
WBZ NewsRadio host reflects on four decades in Boston news
‘The whole game has changed.’
PHOTO/ANDY WEIGL, WEIGL PHOTOGRAPHY
By Bonnie Adams Managing Editor MEDFORD - Talk radio, especially in this day and age, can bring to mind the image of the typical “shock jock,” trying to incite listeners into an inflammatory conversation. As host of WBZ NewsRadio 1030’s show NightSide, which is on every weeknight from 8 p.m. to midnight, Dan Rea tries to stay away from that model as much as possible. It’s not that he does not want to hear opinions other than his, rather, he invites them.
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Con artists don’t care how hard you worked. They steal billions from Americans like you every year. We’re fighting back with the AARP Fraud Watch Network. It provides resources to help you spot and avoid identity theft and fraud so you can protect yourself and your family. Sign up to get watchdog alerts and stay up to date on con artists’ latest tricks. It’s free of charge for everyone – members, non-members and people of all ages. Because for over fifty years AARP has been committed to safeguarding Americans’ financial futures.
aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork
Watchdog Alerts Tips & Resources Free for Everyone
2019 recap -
The year in scams and fraud, and fighting back! By Mike Festa, State Director AARP Massachusetts
F
rom data breaches to DNA testing scams to robocall legislation, 2019 was an eventful year for fraudsters. Here are stories and scams that made news. Illegal robocalls and legislative relief Billions of Mike Festa illegal and unwanted robocalls continue to vex U.S. consumers, and too often result in significant financial loss to victims. According to an AARP survey in early 2019, 90 percent of U.S. adults said they want the government to do more to address this scourge. President Trump has recently signed the TRACED (Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence) Act, which had bipartisan support, into law. Under the measure: • Phone companies must implement call-authentication technology to ensure the information that appears on caller-ID is correct. Consumers would face no additional line-item charge for the service. • The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) within a year must ensure consumers are offered robocall-blocking services with no additional line-item charge. • The FCC will have greater powers to deter violators with larger fines and a longer statute of limitations. • The FCC must tell the U.S. Attorney General if it finds repeated robocall violations with an intent to defraud. The FCC must combat so-called one-ring scams, which originate overseas and ring briefly to induce a return call, with potentially hefty charges for consumers. • Certain robocalls are legal, such as those from legitimate charities and informational calls, for example, about school closures. • Rules on political campaign-related calls vary depending on how they are delivered. The Medicare DNA testing scam Scammers will tell you that
Medicare will cover the cost of a DNA test. The truth is that Medicare pays for DNA tests only in specific cases, and only if your doctor orders the test. The ruse is to get your Medicare or private health insurance information so scammers can bill Medicare for billions in false claims. If you’re approached with an offer for “free” anything from Medicare, it’s a scam. Social Security number fraud The Federal Trade Commission reports that the most common form of government impostor scam involves pretending to be from the Social Security Administration — a scam that ticked up markedly in 2019. A common tactic involves fake Social Security Administration employees calling people with warnings that their Social Security numbers had been linked to criminal activity. The scam takes on many variations, but the threat is that your Social Security account has been suspended and you must take immediate action (usually “confirming” your Social Security number or requiring payment by purchasing gift cards and providing the caller with the card number and PIN). Remember that the Social Security Administration does not block or suspend numbers, ever. And anytime someone seeks payment for a debt or other obligation by gift card, it is a scam. Equifax data breach settlement In 2017, Equifax announced a data breach that exposed the personal information of 147 million people. Under a settlement with the federal government in 2019, Equifax agreed to reimburse those affected with up to 10 years of free credit monitoring service, or a cash payment of up to $125. According to Equifax, the payout is now much lower due to the high number of people claiming this option. You can find out if your information was exposed at ftc.gov/ Equifax. If you spot a scam, or if you or a loved one has fallen victim, our AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline is here for you. Call to talk to staff and trained volunteer fraud fighters at 877- 908-3360. Mike Festa is the state director for AARP Massachusetts. Archives of articles from previous issues can be read at www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.
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No signs of slowing down
Skier’s passion for the slopes remains strong after five decades I am just amazed he is still at it, and with such passion. I can only hope to be going that strong when I’m 81. – Randy Friedman
miserable ski trail layouts, as well as having to coordinate my day with train schedules,” Horowitz recalled. “I have been fortunate enough to ski on weekdays and frequently at out of the way places out west, to avoid lift lines and other inconveniences.” Horowitz noted how skiing has changed over the decades he’s been enjoying it. “The big difference I see over the years are the changes in clothing and ski equipment,” he observed. “When
I started I wore leather boots, stiff metal skis, and cotton underwear.” While skiing in your later years may have some drawbacks, Horowitz notes that there is definitely one big benefit. “Now that I’m over 80 there are many places I can ski for free!” Horowitz offers some advice to older people about skiing. “If you’re capable of doing it, it’s a great way to be outdoors and get exercise and feel good about yourself.”
George Horowitz
By Brett Peruzzi Contributing Writer REGION – George Horowitz, a longtime resident of Newton who recently moved to Dedham, first put on skis in the early 1970s. Now in his fifth decade on the slopes, at age 81 he shows no signs of slowing down yet. “I love being outdoors,” said Horowitz. “Especially in great scenery.” Off the slopes, Horowitz is just as active. He still works full-time running his structural engineering firm, but finds the time to lift weights several times a week, and also go on numerous hiking, biking, and kayaking trips. “I try to take care of myself, food and exercise-wise,” he noted. His love of skiing has taken him on numerous trips far and wide. For years he took two long-distance ski trips annually; one to Europe, and one to the western United States. These days, he goes every year on a trip out west with the Boston Ski & Sports Club, of which he is a long-time member. The club has many older members and offers a variety of ski trips annually to destinations in western North America, including Aspen, Colorado, Mammoth, California, and Whistler, British Columbia.
“I have known George for about 30 years,” said Randy Friedman, Ski & Travel Director for the Boston Ski & Sports Club. “I have led many of the BSSC ski vacations and George was on a number of them. He is a really nice guy, always gets along well with the diverse group that we get, and is well-liked and respected by others on the trip.” “I am just amazed he is still at it, and with such passion,” Friedman observed. “I can only hope to be going that strong when I’m 81.” Locally, Horowitz’s favorite destinations in New England are Loon Mountain and Waterville Valley in New Hampshire. Interestingly, he didn’t start skiing locally until the 1980s, a decade after he began – in the early years, it was something he did only on vacations out west or in Europe. “I went to Club Med ski resorts in the beginning, where you ski in a group with an instructor all day,” said Horowitz. While many people think of Club Med for tropical beach vacations, the company also offers ski vacations in the Alps at seventeen different resorts in several European countries, including France, Italy, and Switzerland. “The reason I stopped going to Europe was the lack of orderly lines for the chair lifts, not to mention the
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Retired art educator learns to refocus on her own oil paintings By Ed Karvoski Jr. Culture Editor NORTHBOROUGH – After retiring from a 30-plus-year career as an art educator, figurative artist Marsha Gleason of Northborough resumed exploring ways to further develop her long-time love for creating direct oil paintings. She continues to study her favorite subject while publicly exhibiting her artwork. Her creative process began as a second-grader with an award-winning entry in an art contest. “I’ve always loved art and knew that I wanted to be an art teacher,” she declared. “Drawing the figure is most compelling to me, as is the paint itself. Together, they give attention to things that matter.” Gleason worked her last 24 years as an art teacher at Southborough ele-
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mentary public schools. Adorning her classroom was a sign proclaiming a Pablo Picasso quote: “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” “I enjoyed the enthusiasm of students that age because they’re less inhibited,” she recalled. “Art doesn’t need to be a career for everybody, but it’s something the students can appreciate as a lifelong interest just for the joy of it.” Upon retiring in 2013, Gleason began enrolling in continuing education art classes and workshops. She also concentrated on painting figurative art in her studio, which at the time was a restored 1966 Shasta camper stationed in her backyard. “As a teacher, I was involved in art every day, but not doing my own personal artwork because raising a family and having a fulltime job was enough for me,” she shared. “After retiring, my goal was to be a painter and I started taking classes immediately. I was drawn to teachers who focused on figurative work.” While studying at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston, Gleason was particularly inspired by multi-award-winning artist Catherine Kehoe. “Catherine has been a huge influence on me,” Gleason said. “She teaches many figurative courses and I’ve taken pretty much all of them. I continue to study with her.”
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I’ve now progressed to a freer style, where I work fast and looser than I did then. – Marsha Gleason Among other venues where Gleason has studied is the North River Arts Society in Marshfield Hills, which has exhibited her artwork. In September 2019, her work was selected for an Award of Excellence in its members’ show. Last summer, the arts society sponsored her solo show, “Figured Out,” at the Dolphin Gallery in Hingham. Gleason is also an active member of Concord Art, where she currently monitors figure sessions. From mid-February to mid-March 2019, her work was exhibited in a show titled “Figures in Place” in its members’ gallery. For the past three summers, she participated in workshops led by California-based artist Jennifer Pochinski. Gleason is looking forward to studying with Pochinski again this summer at Black Pond Studio in Rehoboth. “Jennifer influenced my most recent style,” Gleason noted. “I’ve evolved. When I started taking class-
es that led me to MassArt, I learned practices that were more methodical. They’ve been invaluable skills that I developed. I’ve now progressed to a freer style, where I work fast and looser than I did then.” A few years ago, Gleason sold her Shasta camper to finance a restoration of her home’s garage, which now serves as her art studio. This past November, she was awarded second prize for her painting “Pa and Pentimento” at Grafton’s Small Stones Festival of the Arts. Also in 2019, Hopkinton Center for the Arts exhibited her painting “Boston Marathon Start Line” and self-portrait “Updating My Profile.” “I used to tell my students that part of the creative process is sharing your work and letting others respond to it,” Gleason relayed. “Now, it’s important for me to show my own work.” View more of her artwork at fiftyplusadvocate.com.
Above: “Anna and Daisy” Right: “Updating My Profile,” a self-portrait
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Hall of Famer
Administrator honored for career in science education Tony DiLuna (left) was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Science Educators by HOF President James Perry.
By Susan Gonsalves Contributing Writer BILLERICA - The first thing Tony DiLuna would ask prospective teachers is if they really like kids, “because if they don’t or get annoyed by them, teaching is not the job for them.” Although DiLuna now works in an administrative role, he still manages to get in the classroom from time to time and looks back fondly on his 13 years as a science teacher in Woburn, his hometown. Last October, DiLuna was inducted into the Massachusetts Hall of Fame for Science Educators. The honor was presented by the state’s Science Education Leadership Association (MSELA). That’s not bad for a person who never intended to become a teacher. After receiving a master’s degree in toxicology and a doctorate in entomology from the University of Kentucky, DiLuna worked as a senior scientist at Serono Repro-
ductive Biology Institute for about a year. “My plan was to be a lab bench scientist,” he recalled. “But I really didn’t like it so I wasn’t sure what to do at that point.” Fortunately for DiLuna, his former eighth grade teacher, (later) an administrator in Woburn Public Schools, suggested that he try substitute teaching for a year. DiLuna was hooked. “I loved it because every day is different. I’m a people-oriented person and education puts you in contact with students, parents, colleagues... And I got to teach science,” he said. “It’s better than being locked away in a lab. The kids keep you young.” DiLuna earned a master’s degree in teaching from Salem State and a doctorate of education in math science education from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He taught primarily biology and chemistry in grades 10 and 11
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www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + FEBRUARY 2020 + fiftyplus advocate as well as courses in forensics and physics. “When you are with students every day, they make you think about things and discover things that you normally wouldn’t--like bands or movies that they’re talking about,” DiLuna said. And although trends and clothes change over the years, DiLuna believes that students are more or less the same whatever the decade. “Sometimes, a particular student will remind me of another from 15 years before. They will amaze and disappoint you...They are what they are. The important thing is not to let them be adults, let them be kids,” he said. Eight years ago, DiLuna moved on to the position of curriculum coordinator for STEM in Billerica Public Schools. He noted that his job puts him more in contact with teachers than students as they work on aligning curriculum with state standards and ensuring that educators have the tools that they need to bring about success in the classroom. “I do a lot of observing in classrooms,” DiLuna said. “I tend to chime in a lot because that’s how I am.” Being a coordinator allows him
to have “greater impact,” while still staying in the sciences. He finds his work rewarding. “It’s a lot of fun,” he said of the educator profession in general. “You can’t go into this thinking you’ll make a lot of money or be highly exalted. But, for me, it has been a great way to spend 20 years.” Hall of Fame President James Perry said that it was an easy decision to select DiLuna for the honor. They worked together as part of an assessment development team for the Department of Education for many years, Perry said. The team edited and developed questions for the MCAS tests in chemistry and biology. “I’m impressed because Tony is all about fairness for students and I’m of a similar mind,” Perry said. “(We) wanted to make sure the questions were accessible not to just the top students, but for all students who study across high schools in the state.” They also collaborated when DiLuna hired him to meet with the person who was creating portfolios, alternatives to MCAS, to make sure they were acceptable. “He bends over backwards to support his teachers,” Perry added. “He’s also committed to students and a really honest and fair guy.”
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NORTHBOROUGH – State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey recently announced grants have been awarded to a number of communities across the commonwealth for the fiscal year 2020 Senior S.A.F.E. Program by the state Department of Fire Services. The S.A.F.E. Program provides $1.2 million through the Executive Office of the Public Safety and Security to local fire departments. The Senior SAFE Program provides $600,000 in grant funds from fees paid by tobacco companies to the Fire Standard Compliant Cigarette Program to ensure their products meet the fire safety requirements to be sold in Massachusetts. The programs are administered by the state’s Department of Fire Services. Ostroskey added, “Since consistent comprehensive fire education is the one thing we are doing for children that we are not doing for every other age group, I think it’s fair to say we are proving fire education works.” He added, “We hope to have the same success with the Senior S.A.F.E Program in reducing deaths and injuries to older adults.” For more information call Captain Dan Brillhart at 508-393-1537 or visit www.mass.gov/dfs and type “SAFE” in the “search this organization” box.
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Fifty Plus Advocate is published monthly, 12 times annually by Bagdon Advertising, 32 South Street, Westborough, MA 01581. Fifty Plus Advocate accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or materials and does not return them to sender. Retractions for any inaccuracies will be printed when necessary. Unsolicited letters to the editor become the property of this newspaper and can be reprinted in part or in whole unless otherwise stated. Fifty Plus Advocate columnists writing under a byline are expressing their personal opinions and not necessarily those of the newspaper.
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On the road again
Marlborough man sees the country from the seat of his motorcycle By Brett Peruzzi Contributing Writer
ic serv
Jim D’Angleo
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MARLBOROUGH – Jim D’Angelo of Marlborough started riding motorcycles when he lived in Arizona during the 1980s. Now, four decades later, the 64 year-old is still seeing the country from the seat of his Harley. “I took a long break while raising my three children,” D’Angelo recalled. “In 2012 I began riding again. Mostly day trips within 50 miles of home, with long trips sprinkled in.” And when he says long trips, he means it. “Once each year I meet family and friends somewhere in the US and ride anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 miles,” he said. Past trips have taken him across Arizona, New Mexico, California and Nevada, as well as Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado, and Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. Closer to home, his favorite place to ride is the Granite State. “I like riding in southern New Hampshire. The roads are in great shape, and there’s lots of hills and curves to keep me challenged,” he said. “I like Route 118 between Warren and the Loon Mountain ski area,
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www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + FEBRUARY 2020 + fiftyplus advocate Jim D’Angelo and his wife Ursula
“Riding is therapeutic for me. Focus is paramount, so I’m not thinking much about life’s worries while riding; I’m focused on the road, other vehicles, and the feeling of freedom.” He also noted the positive changes he’s seen over his decades behind the handlebars. “There is much more emphasis on safety and awareness,” he said. “There are more training programs available, and social media provides
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the means to find fun routes anywhere in the country.” D’Angelo doesn’t find a lot of downsides to his two-wheeled adventures. “Bad weather, although not fun while in it, makes for great conversation at the end of the day. Aggressive drivers present significant risk to motorcyclists, so slowing down, yielding, staying alert and being nice goes a long way. What I dislike,” he admitted, “are long stints of stop and go traffic.” He ticked off a list of the positive aspects of riding motorcycles without hesitation. “I meet many interesting people. It’s fun to hear where other people are from, what they do, and sharing experiences.” Also, he remarked, “I find other riders incredibly friendly and helpful, whether it be giving directions or helping out with a mechanical problem.”” D’Angelo concluded with this advice for older motorcyclists. “Ride with friends, find new and interesting routes, keep your skills sharp, and stay fit so you can ride well into your golden years.”
Riding is therapeutic for me. Focus is paramount, so I’m not thinking much about life’s worries while riding; I’m focused on the road, other vehicles, and the feeling of freedom. — Jim D’Angelo and Route 112 (the Kancamagus Highway) to Conway – there’s lots of twisting turns.” These days, D’Angelo rides a 2016 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic, and before that he had a 2013 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy. He started out riding a 1982 Honda Nighthawk. He professes to having no favorite. “I like them all,” he noted. He’s never had a desire to race or ride competitively, either. “I like to take my time and smell the flowers,” he observed. D’Angelo grew up in a small town in New York and has lived in Marlborough for 27 years. He spent his career in the electrical engineering and information technology fields. “Being retired, it’s hard to find others to ride with, so I often do short ships solo. Slightly longer trips are with a couple of close friends from the neighborhood. Long dis-
tance trips,” he noted, “are with a collection of friends and family from different parts of the country.” In addition to his travels around the United States, he’s also rode in the Alps in Germany. He believes there are a few factors at work that keep him still riding after all these years. “I find new and interesting routes, and travel to some very beautiful places in the country.” He also stressed that both continuing education and exercise are key. “I take riding skills courses every couple of years to improve my abilities, and stay in the safety conversation,” he said. “And just as importantly, I keep myself physically fit to make the long rides less demanding on my body.” There is something very calming about being on a motorcycle, said D’Angelo.
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The KITCHEN
at
Boston Public Market
The KITCHEN offers a variety of courses.
By Nance Ebert Contributing Writer REGION- The KITCHEN at Boston Public Market is a very special place that offers hands on programs, workshops, demonstrations and more while emphasizing health, wellness and sustainability while reflecting the seasons with local, high
quality ingredients. The KITCHEN is managed by the Trustees, which is the oldest land trust in Massachusetts and oversees 120 properties around the commonwealth that include museums, beaches, parks, cultural sites, woodlands, old homes, working farms and more. The nonprofit organization helps to preserve these beauti-
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ful places for all to enjoy that would otherwise be developed. Sara Moser is the associate director of the KITCHEN at the Boston Public Market. “There are a lot of cooking schools in Boston but the way in which we differentiate ourselves is firstly, by the fact that we are housed in the Boston Public Market. We source almost entirely from our local vendors. If you’re eating a carrot, it is likely that it was pulled from the ground earlier the same day. If you’re eating fresh fish from Red’s Best, it is likely to have been caught earlier by a local fisherman,” she explained. “Their vision is to source locally, employ locally, to revive our port towns and help people understand that there are a lot of other fish caught in the nets that are delicious
but not as familiar,” she added. . The classes offer something for everyone and vary from bread making, seafood and steak workshops, sushi rolling, pasta making, wine tasting, mixology and more. “We also offer three-course seasonal cooking classes featuring flavors from Italy Asia, India, France and classic New England. These always seem to be quite popular. One thing that highlights our cooking classes is the fact that they are very hands on. Participants are not merely watching a chef demonstrate but they are actively engaged in the process while the chef is guiding you,” said Moser. There are classes that meet daily and sometimes they are offered twice each day. There are evening offerings as well as three to four
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PHOTO COURTESY BOSTON PUBLIC MARKET
weekend classes. Participants always get to eat what they make. The Signature Class is called Farm to Kitchen. These classes teach you how to cook seasonably year round as well as from around the world. There is Farm to Kitchen Rome, Farm to Kitchen Asian Flavors, Farm to Kitchen Indian Flavors and more. “We are taking these recipes and chefs that specialize in these types of foods and we are showing people that you can cook a most delicious ethnic meal, making a couple of tweaks to source locally. It’s just as delicious and you are helping your body, the community and the planet. That is our mission in the KITCHEN,” said Moser. Most of the class offering at the KITCHEN are geared towards adults but there are kids’ programs and one of the popular ones is a pasta mak-
We also offer three-course seasonal cooking classes featuring flavors from Italy Asia, India, France and classic New England. — Sara Moser
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ing class for children with a parent. There is a special monthly program called “What Unites Us!” This senior program is sponsored by BCBSMA and is in collaboration with Age Friendly Boston, Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement, and Friends of Heritage Park on The Greenway. It invites the senior community to partake in a meal. “This program is held once each month and helps to celebrate the immigrant experience, build community and cross-cultural understanding and promote healthy living for aging residents in Boston,” said Moser. For upcoming programs: www. thetrustees.org/kitchenevents For information about the What Unites Us! Program go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ celebrating-what-unites-us-tickets-60123891177
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• 13
‘The whole game has changed.’ WBZ NewsRadio host Dan Rea reflects on four decades in Boston news Dan Rea with producer Nancy Shack
Dan Rea | from page 1
“As long as they are respectful, I will listen,” he said. “In fact I want to hear opposing views.” And for the past 13 years, thousands of listeners, from all over New England and further, including the Canadian Maritime provinces, have felt the exact same way. The show, which Rea touts as “North America’s Virtual Back Porch,” is broadcast from a modern glassed-in studio at the iHeartRadio building in Medford. Rea brings to the show an impressive news pedigree. For nearly four decades he was a general assignment, investigative and political news reporter for WBZ-TV, covering major news stories and asking the hard questions to the leaders of the day including every president since Gerald Ford, (with the exception of the current one, Donald Trump). It was a career that was also filled with accolades and awards, including two Regional Emmys, nine Regional Emmy Nominations, and induction into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall Of Fame. A native Bostonian, Rea is a graduate of Boston State College and Boston University School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor in 1974. He and his wife Jeanne live in Newton and have two children, Daniel III, and Catherine Florence. Now as the host of NightSide, he still covers hard news stories but readily admits that it is “definitely a changing newscape. It used to be that watching the news was ‘appointment viewing’ – it is so splintered now. The whole game has changed.” “From a news point of view it used to be like going into a diner 60 years ago, now it’s like an endless buf-
fet,” he added. “It’s great to have different options (as to where you get your news) - being exposed to just one view contributes to polarization,” he added. “When you choose to only listen to one side, it isolates you. Like dining at the buffet but only eating the same one thing.” And on the topic that is the bane of many a creditable reporter, he too must be wary of the issue of “fake news.” “Just as it is for everyone, I try to use only trusted sources when I am doing background work,” he said. Many times he is working out a gym after his show finishes, catching up on different news programs. Each afternoon, several hours before the start of each show, Rea, along with his producer Nancy Shack, do a “Pregame” on his Facebook page where they have an informal chat about the stories that will be discussed on the show that night. Sometimes listeners are invited into the studio audience as well. His shows can also be listened to as podcasts via the website https://wbznewsradio. iheart.com/featured/nightside-withdan-rea. Rea is known to have a conservative bent but is just as eager to hear opposite opinions. “I want more people to call me who disagree with me,” he stressed. “I don’t care what you are thinking – I just want you to think and be willing to engage in conversation.” He gets about 150-180 calls a week and most are “reasonable,” he said. “I actually hate to end conversations but sometimes I have to – I give them 30 seconds to make their point and if it’s not given in a respectful
way, I end it,” he added. Guests on the show have included Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, U.S. representatives Joe Kennedy III and Stephen Lynch, and
PHOTO/ANDY WEIGL, WEIGL PHOTOGRAPHY
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, to name just a few. “Sometimes we disagree more than we agree but they are always forthcoming and I appreciate that,” Rea said.
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Grafton man recalls posing for iconic Norman Rockwell painting By Christine Galeone Contributing Writer
PHOTO/CHRISTINE GALEONE
GRAFTON – In 1958, Ed Locke was an eight-year-old boy having lunch in his school’s cafeteria, when fellow Stockbridge resident and iconic artist Norman Rockwell strolled into the lunchroom with the school’s principal. The child didn’t know that the artist had selected him to pose for “The Runaway,” one of Rockwell’s most beloved paintings, which was also the cover of the September 20, 1958 issue of “The Saturday Evening Post.” Rockwell had visited the school hoping to find a boy to model for the painting and chose Locke, because he had the look he envisioned, Locke said. When Rockwell lived in New York, he used professional models, but when he moved to Stockbridge, it was much easier to use his neighbors as models, instead, he added. “My mother said to me one day ‘Put on a good shirt,’” Locke recalled,
Ed Locke, who posed for Norman Rockwell’s “The Runaway,” as a child, stands beside a print of the painting at the Massachusetts State Police Museum and Learning Center in Grafton.
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noting that she announced that his dad would pick him up at school and take him to pose for the painting. He later joked that his mom was furious when she saw that Rockwell had portrayed the boy wearing an inferior shirt. He added, “Rockwell was famous for changing things to fit what his vision was.” At a recent “Runaway Day” event held at the Massachusetts State Police Museum and Learning Center in Grafton, Locke – who also posed for “Before the Shot” – captivated fans of the painting with insights into its creation and its significance. And utilizing the museum’s “The Runaway” exhibit, he happily posed for
pictures with visitors. Besides the shirt, Locke told event attendees about other changes as well. The major ones were the change in setting from the Howard Johnson’s restaurant where Locke posed with the then 30-year-old Massachusetts State Trooper Richard Clemens to a diner, because Rockwell wanted it to look like the runaway got farther away, and the replacement of the young man behind the counter, who posed with Locke and Clemens, to an older man, since the artist decided it would be better to show three generations. The alterations were illustrated by a copy of a photo that Rockwell took to originally capture the models. A print of “The Runaway,” which depicts a runaway telling his woes to a kind police officer, while the man behind the counter listens as well, also hangs in the museum’s exhibit. Not only did Locke learn how well Rockwell worked with neighbors who posed for him after the artist moved from New York to Stockbridge, but he also developed a good friendship with Clemens, which began when Locke was in his 20s and both men were taking courses at a community college. That friendship lasted until Clemens passed away in 2012. And even though he enjoys having his likeness on a Pez dispenser, and he’s happy that he gets “to meet nice folks,” Locke said he is also honored to be part of the painting’s legacy, which he began to understand when he was in his 40s and signing prints at a golf tournament. He was moved by police officers who told him how much the painting meant to them. “It was then that I realized how important it was,” he said. Thomas Daly, the curator of education at the Norman Rockwell Muse-
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www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + FEBRUARY 2020 + fiftyplus advocate “The Runaway”, Norman Rockwell, 1958. Cover illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, September 20, 1958. From the permanent collection of Norman Rockwell Museum.
um in Stockbridge, is also aware of that importance. He was at the event to give a talk. “It’s been very impactful,” Daly said about “The Runaway.” He noted that his museum’s staff has been amazed at how much interest in the painting there has been from people throughout the country and Canada. He said that members of the military are also drawn to it. He added, “It is an image that tells people about the other side of Law Enforcement.” Hervey Cote, the MSPMLC’s director of exhibits, was also at the event. Like Locke and Daly, he appreciates the reassuring message the painting sends. “We take pride in that it was a Massachusetts State Police Trooper in the picture,” Cote said. He added that it was nice that the boy pictured could “find a police officer there to take care of him to make sure he got home safely.” Ultimately, that’s what Locke hopes people today will see in “The Runaway.” “I would like it to be an image of the police as people who help,” Locke shared. “They’re there to help you when you need it.”
PHOTO/COURTESY NORMAN ROCKWELL MUSEUM.
I would like it to be an image of the police as people who help. They’re there to help you when you need it.
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Shrewsbury volunteer continues family legacy as food pantry coordinator By Lori Berkey Contributing Writer SHREWSBURY – Back in the mid1990s, Shrewsbury resident Maria Kassos took to heart the values instilled by her parents by signing up to volunteer at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral’s food pantry in Worcester. Her father was a key player in the food pantry in its early years and his example inspired her help there, too. When her father became ill in 2013, she took over his responsibility of coordinating with the Worcester County Food Bank and organizing volunteer schedules. She has sustained a leadership role with the pantry ever since. Kassos passed her father’s example along to her own children and began bringing them as toddlers to help at the food pantry. “I am honored to carry on the tradition,” she said. “Today, the volunteer base includes three generations of my family, including my mom, my sister, and our children.” Although Kassos takes on the bulk of the oversight, she said she would be lost without the support of her family members and other helpers. “When I am in a bind and need
someone to open up the pantry or cover for me, I can always depend on my family or one of our dedicated volunteers to back me up,” she said. According to Kassos, since its early days, the food pantry’s goal was to bridge unmet hunger issues, addressing a temporary need or a crisis situation until more permanent services could be obtained. The pantry continues to provide the 48-hour emergency supply of groceries that has been their standard offering from day one. Currently, outside of her work as a full-time pharmacist and busy family life, Kassos manages the pantry and the monthly food distribution, keeping in close communication with volunteer leaders at their sister churches and Worcester County Food Bank. She also organizes additional programs, including an annual turkey drive, winter coat drive and breakfast with Santa. Between July 2018 and June 2019, the pantry fed 1,410 households representing 4,137 people, Kassos noted. The organization recently embarked on a new partnership with the Worcester Housing Authority to provide food supplies to families unable to visit the pantry in person.
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Shrewsbury volunteer Maria Kassos prepares to distribute groceries to people need at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Worcester.
“It is exciting to see our role within the Orthodox Food Pantry expanding,” she said. “Hunger is real and a growing problem in Worcester County. As an organization, I believe we are doing our part to fight hunger. By volunteering, I have realized how vital our mission truly is to serving the needs of Worcester’s hungry.” She is pleased the pantry is able to be a vital support while people are struggling to obtain a more stable food supply for themselves and their families. “Many of the families we support
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are immigrants and knowing that we can help them get on their feet makes me realize how important our work is,” she said. “Likewise, when a client who recently lost his job tells us how grateful he is for our support, I know I have done my job.” The Food Pantry is located at St. Spyridon Cathedral, 102 Russell St., in Worcester. Non-perishable donations are accepted and may be dropped off at St. Spyridon Cathedral. For more information about obtaining food or to volunteer, contact Saint Spyridon Cathedral at 508-791-7326.
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• 17
By Marianne Delorey, Ph.D. Executive Director, Colony Retirement Homes
M
y 13-year-old son suggested I write an article about cleanliness. I wonder if it was an attempt to get me to back off on my prompting for him to clean his room (because it IS clean, Mom *eye roll*). But I also thought it was timely because about now people are starting to think about spring cleaning. When you have lived your life by your own standards, but then you move into an apartment, why do your standards have to change? Why does your landlord have the right to tell you to clean your apartment? The answer is pretty simple. In multifamily housing, what affects one apartment often affects another, so many cleanliness issues can become the neighbor’s issues. There are also legal reasons you should listen to your landlord. Most leases do have sections requiring the apartment be kept in “a clean and sanitary condition.” There are also laws in Massachusetts, the most important of which is the State Sanitary Code. This code covers a lot of topics, most of which are not about cleanliness, so here is my summary of the relevant parts. The landlord is responsible for providing a place that meets minimum standards. The tenant cannot jeopardize those standards. For instance, there must not be holes in the wall that harbor pests. Tenants must not accumulate garbage that draws pests. If pests become an issue, they need to work together to solve the problem. As a landlord, my definition of acceptable is “clean and clutter free, such that there are no odors, no pests, and you can easily move around the apartment and out the doors.” Of course, my history affects how I see the world and one of my bigger concerns is clutter. I am the daughter of a firefighter. When I talk to people about clutter, I appeal to their duty to care for our first responders. To me this means seeing their apartment through their eyes.
Housing Options
Clean and clutter free, such that there are no odors, no pests, and you can easily move around the apartment and out the doors. You were just called to a fire. Someone might be inside. You put on 40 pounds of protective equipment, making some passageways a tight fit. You try to follow the wall, but there is so much furniture. You keep tripping because there is so much stuff in the way. Are you going to stay in there any longer than you have to? You found someone, how can you carry them out through the clutter? The state sanitary code backs these concerns, but I find that many people need something more concrete than, “keep egresses clear.” For people who need something more concrete, here are my standards: 1. No storage (not even temporary) on stairs or behind doors. 2. No storage where items do not typically belong (no papers in oven, no clothes in tub, and yes, I have seen them both). 3. No overloading outlets or cords across the floor (many people who have large furniture will overload the most accessible outlet and have extension cords around their apartment to that outlet). 4. Stuff must not be piled higher than 3 feet. 5. A pathway must be clear from each entrance and through each room in the apartment. The pathway must be as wide as a doorway. Most residents keep their apartments very tidy. As a landlord, I do not care about dust or when the windows were last washed. I do care about the safety of my residents and about the first responders who take care of them. Ok, so my son was right. He does not have piles of junk impeding egress or pests. His room sometimes smells like 13-year-old boy, but if that is the worst I can say, maybe I need to look from his perspective. That might hurt, though, because I think he strained his eyes from rolling them at me.
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o r tg a g e verse m ved e r l ia ic o T h e o ff r b o o k le ta p p r e t c o n s u m . D e p a r tm e n .S U e th by s in g of Hou n a b r &U pment lo e v e D
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Marianne Delorey, Ph.D. is the executive director of Colony Retirement Homes. She can be reached at 508-755-0444 or mdelorey@colonyretirement.com and www.colonyretirementhomes.com. Archives of articles from previous issues can be read at www.fiftyplusadvocate.com
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money matters
Reverse mortgages - Top uses and recent changes By Alain Valles, CRMP, CSA, MS, MBA Nonprofit Charitable Managing Director As Managing Director of the self-funded nonprofit charitable mortgage company, Helping Hands Community Partners, our mission is to educate people about housing options — including reverse mortgages. A reverse mortgage gives a qualified borrower the option to receive cash as a lump sum, a monthly check, or a line of credit with NO minimum required monthly mortgage payment. The homeowner is, of course, required to pay ongoing real estate taxes and insurance and meet
Reverse Mortgage
other loan guidelines. By not having a monthly mortgage payment, thousands of eligible homeowners have utilized a reverse mortgage to: • Increase monthly cash flow • Pay off a current mortgage or home equity line • Payoff credit cards • Pay real estate taxes & property insurance • Complete needed home repairs or desired improvements • Ability to pay for at home care or nursing home expenses • Finalize divorce situations • Pay IRS obligations • Settle legal matters • Use a reverse to purchase a new home • Purchase a second home or condo in warmer weather • Install a new septic system • Purchase a new or used car • Buy an RV • Support grandchildren educational needs • Gift to adult children for their home purchase dreams
• Prepay funeral expenses • Estate & financial planning purposes • Cash reserves for unforeseen emergency life events • Estate planning • Lifestyle improvement options • Travel • Home accessibility improvements • The option of receiving a lump sum of cash, a monthly distribution, a line off credit or a combination of the three – all income tax free • Peace of mind knowing that cash is available if needed • And, the list goes on! What are your needs and desires? The key point is a reverse mortgage is a very flexible financial tool that can achieve varied goals. The first step is to obtain accurate factual information. A reverse mortgage might not be the magic wand to solve all the above life challenges and goals, but it very well could be the next best thing. Take the first step and get informed. I would enjoy the opportunity of hav-
ing that conversation! Obtain your free “How to Use Your Home to Stay at Home” 36page book approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and published by the National Council on Aging. We will also send you a detailed summary based on your: • Estimated home value; • Current mortgage balance, if any; • A few financial questions; and • Your age Please give me a call at 781-7246221 or email reversemortgage info@ hhcp.org to receive your free copy of “Use Your Home to Stay at Home,” the official reverse mortgage consumer booklet approved by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development and published by the National Council on Aging. This is a great place to get basic information. BREAKING NEWS: 1. Condominium rules for reverse mortgage have changed for the better. The requirement that the entire complex must be FHA ap-
SUPER CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Reverse mortgage | 20
“CONTINUING ED” (answers on page 19)
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viewpoint
• 19
There’s no such thing as a vacant lot By Janice Lindsay I once read an article in which the writer tried to describe Alaska. When I read the first sentence, I choked on my tea. The writer began, “With 3 million lakes, more than 3,000 rivers, and 17 of the country’s 20 tallest mountains, Alaska is vast, beautiful, wild — and largely empty.” “Empty?” I coughed. “With all those lakes, rivers, and mountains, you call it empty?” (I tend to talk back, even to inanimate objects who will never relay the message.) What the writer meant, of course, is that the state of Alaska, which covers more physical space than most countries, is largely empty of humans and their habitations.
Inklings
Answers to Super Crossword (puzzle on page 18)
It’s as if an eagle flew over Manhattan and wrote, ‘Except for about 850 wooded acres near its center, the island is largely empty.’ Setting aside the question of whether that lack of humanity might, in fact, be a good thing, I am most struck by the human-centered pride and arrogance of calling the place “empty.” It’s as if an eagle flew over Manhattan and wrote, “Except for about 850 wooded acres near its center, the island is largely empty.” I’ve never been in the Alaskan wilderness, but I can pretty much guarantee that it is far from empty. It teems with life. That life is just as lively as human life except that it doesn’t write magazine articles completely discounting the existence of other species. I know that Alaska teems with life because of my own back yard. Check your own neighborhood — well, maybe not right this minute. Wait until the snow melts. In winter, New England teems with life, but a lot of it – with the exception of a few foolish mammals including us, and some birds who don’t leave — has the good sense to be more or less asleep in lairs, dens, and tunnels, or buried in the earth. But in the summer, look at all that life! Ants, beetles, spiders, worms, caterpillars, moths, butterflies, toads, frogs, snakes, grasses, wildflowers, berry bushes, growing trees, all those previously sleepy mammals, and back-from-the-south birds. Thousands of species, none of which would appreciate, if they could read English, being referred to as “nothing.” (Dictionary definition of
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empty: “containing nothing.”) Science and travel writer Hannah Holmes spent a year intensely studying wildlife in her tiny urban yard, two-tenths of an acre including the house, in South Portland, Maine. She described her experience in a lively, moving book, “Suburban Safari: A Year on the Lawn.” She wrote, “I dug into the home turf — and found it every bit as weird as any other place I’ve been. All the creatures and plants we disregard on a daily basis proved to be utterly absorbing, once I observed the details of their behavior. (And make no mistake, plants behave. They also misbehave.”) I have not knowingly witnessed plant misbehavior. But I’ve watched
a crow family teach their baby (Fred) how to get along in this world. I’ve watched baby squirrels practice climbing high in a blue spruce when they were too young for ground travel. I’ve visited dozens of jack-in-thepulpits in a tiny suburban patch of woods. I’ve watched monarch caterpillars enclose themselves in chrysalises and emerge as butterflies. So don’t tell me that the Alaska wilderness is empty. Moose to mice to microbes, Alaska is my back yard multiplied by a zillion billion. Cities and suburbs often contain bits of land that people call “vacant lots.” But they are far from empty. They are full of life. It’s just that this life doesn’t happen to live in buildings. When we label a piece of land “vacant,” sooner or later some person feels compelled to put a building on it. Then the eagle, flying over, would say, “It used to be full of life. Now it’s empty.” Contact jlindsay@tidewater.net
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Heart healthy tips for Valentine’s Day A
ccording to a study from the American Heart Association, 121.5 million Americans, or about 48.5 percent, dealt with heart or blood vessel disease as of 2016. The study says deaths from cardiovascular disease rose from more than 836,000 in 2015 to more than 840,000 in 2016. And according to the Centers for Disease Control, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women - about 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year. Those are frightening statistics indeed. But there are ways you can protect your heart. As always, you should start with a physical with your doctor and follow his or her advice. Here are some other ways you can start right now: 1. Give up smoking once and for all. Talk to your doctor about the many options available that can help you kick the habit. Your heart, lungs, and wallet will thank you. 2. Manage your blood cholesterol. This can be tricky because
your body needs cholesterol to be healthy, but an imbalance of cholesterol in your blood can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Visit www.heart.org for some tips for maintaining a healthy cholesterol. 3. Manage your blood pressure. A healthy diet and regular exercise can be a great way to manage this. But sometimes you need medication to help. Get your blood pressure checked regularly (there are some great home blood pressure cuffs on the market) and follow your doctor’s instructions. 4. Be physically active. We have heard this time and time again – and with good reason. If you don’t like a gym, get outside. New England has a myriad of great places to walk, hike, and explore. Just walking around a city like Boston is a great way to get a lot of steps in. 5. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Was losing weight one of your New Year’s goals that has fallen by the wayside? If so, you are not alone. But be one of
Reverse mortgages - Top uses and recent changes Reverse mortgage | from page 18
proved has changed to only one unit. Please call for details. 2. A portfolio “jumbo” reverse mortgage is scheduled to be approved in Massachusetts. This may be of benefit for homes in excess of $800,000. The maximum
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loan amount will be $1.5 million. Please call for details. 3. We’re hiring! Please contact me If you or a friend have interest in becoming a reverse mortgage specialist. Nothing is more rewarding than helping someone with diminishing financial hope.
Alain Valles is a managing director of Helping Hands Community Partners, Inc. and was the first designated Certified Reverse Mortgage Professional in New England. He obtained a master of science from the M.I.T. Center for Real Estate, an MBA from the Wharton School, and graduated summa cum laude from UMass Amherst. He can be reached directly at 781-724-6221 or by email at av@hhcp.org. Archives of articles from previous issues can be read at www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.
BRAIN ACTIVATION AND BALANCE STUDY
Seeking volunteers aged 70 or older with type 2 diabetes OR Alzheimer’s disease. Brain blood flow and oxygen levels will be recorded during sitting, standing, and standing while completing additional cognitive tasks. Cognitive and balance assessments will also be conducted. Noninvasive and no medication involved.
Call 857-364-6339 or send an email to azizahjordan@hsl.harvard.edu Department of Psychiatry, HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
• One visit lasting up to 3.5 hours at Hebrew Senior Life (1200 Centre Street) • Compensation up to $75 • Free parking/Transportation if needed
www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + FEBRUARY 2020 + fiftyplus advocate those ready to dust yourself off and try again. Commit to trying a new healthy food each week. Or try deleting an unhealthy one from your diet. Small steps can lead to big changes. 6. Limit alcohol. Again, you don’t have to give up your favorite wine or beer. But perhaps make that more of a treat. Try enjoying a special type of tea served in a beautiful china teacup. Or a flavored water with some added fresh fruit in a sparkling glass can be delightful as well. 7. Look after your mental health. It can be a stressful world out there – but there is also a lot of good. Commit to reading positive publications, visiting with friends, partaking in nature and making enjoyment a priority in your life. And remember – there is no shame at all if life gets too hard and you need to ask for help. That could be the greatest gift you could give yourself.
For more information visit the American Heart Association at www.heart.org or call 1-800-242-8721.
fiftyplus
advocate.com
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Tips from the American Heart Association Symptoms of a heart attack
Symptoms of a stroke
Chest discomfort – Most heart attacks involve
Spot a stroke F.A.S.T.
discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
Face drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
Discomfort in other parts of the upper body – Symptoms can
Arm weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
Shortness of breath – With or without chest discomfort.
Other signs – May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness. According to the AHA, as with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain (angina) or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
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Speech difficulty – Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “the sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly? Time to call 9-1-1 – If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.
ALIGN YOUR RETIREMENT STRATEGY WITH YOUR RETIREMENT DREAMS. RETIREMENT CHALLENGES:
• Inspiring articles • Tips for caregivers
• Helpful information about finances, downsizing, travel and more
The longest continuously running mature market publication in the United States
www.fiftyplusadvocate.com
Living Longer – Am I going to outlive my money? Taxes – Are there tax implications for my retirement? Market Uncertainty – Is market volatility and low interest rates eroding my retirement? Where is my money coming from – What can I do with my Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) and/or Deferred Compensation?
Let’s assess your situation. Develop a strategy, and help you build a secure future. Joseph McManus, RICP® Financial Planner
(508) 382-4904 293 Boston Post Road West Marlborough, MA 01752 Life Insurance is issued by The Prudential Insurance Company of America and its affiliates. Securities products and services are offered through Pruco Securities LLC (Pruco)(member SIPC). Each is a Prudential Financial company located in Newark, NJ and is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. Offering financial planning and investment advisory services through Pruco Securities, LLC (Pruco), doing business as Prudential Financial Planning Services (PFPS), pursuant to separate client agreement. Offering insurance and securities products and services as a registered representative of Pruco, and an agent of issuing insurance companies. 1-800-201-6690. Prudential, the Prudential logo, the Rock symbol and Bring Your Challenges are service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc., and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. 1011367-00001-00
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Honoring Westborough’s Frank and Fannie Forbes By Bonnie Adams Managing Editor
PHOTO/BONNIE ADAMS
WESTBOROUGH - Ed Turner, owner of the Art & Frame Emporium in the Westborough Shopping Center, grew up in Westborough. Although he no longer resides in the town, his memories of living there are happy ones. Turner is also an avid history fan and has a deep appreciation for those residents in the past who have helped to make the town what it is today. Over the past years, he has found a way to merge his business experience with his love of Westborough history in a way that honors the past and is a gift to future residents. As the town went through major renovations over the past few years of three of its most significant buildings – the Town Hall, Fire Station and Forbes Municipal Building (FMB) Turner has worked with town officials on restoring, framing and hanging old historical photos in the buildings. The Town Hall and Fire Station work was done in the fall of 2015. Now that the FMB renovation is complete, Turner has been working with officials there on photos for that building.
Ed Turner with portraits of Frank and Fannie Forbes
HOW TO SAFELY STORE AND DISPOSE OF EXPIRED OR UNWANTED OPIOIDS AND BENZODIAZEPINES
For Turner, honoring the late Frank and Fannie Forbes, for who the FMB is named, is a particularly significant project. “Growing up here in Westborough, I know many people know about Eli Whitney being from Westborough, but maybe not the Forbes’. I myself wasn’t really that familiar with them,” he said. “But in researching their lives, I now know just how much they gave to this town.” The Forbes’ were a wealthy couple who also generously donated funds to many organizations and paid for infrastructure improvements in the town. They helped to fund a new high school that was located at
the site of the current FMB in 1926. It served in that capacity for 30 years, before becoming a municipal building. Over the past two years, the building underwent a $15 million renovation, completely updating the Police Department and School Department offices, as well as several other town departments. The building re-opened in September 2019. Entering the main door of the FMB, one is now greeted by large photos of the couple, resplendent in period-style frames. Turner is actively working with School Superintendent Amber Bock and Police Chief Jeffrey Lourie on selecting photos for their respective departments, both of which are located in the FMB. After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design, Turner freelanced and then worked for the Art & Frame Emporium before buying it in 2011. He noted that he has enjoyed working with his clients, many of whom were big companies, and still enjoys doing so. But he also finds satisfaction in giving back to his original hometown in a multitude of ways. Turner credits with gratitude the historical knowledge that many residents shared with him, including town historians Kris Allen, Leslie Leslie, Phil Kittredge, and the late Jacqueline Tidman and Charlotte Spinney, as well as the Westborough Public Library’s Anthony Vaver and Maureen Ambrosino. “I am so happy that others believe in using art to showcase the town’s history,” he said. He also is grateful, he added, that officials and the town’s voters approved funds for photo and frame restorations. “This is our history, and it’s great to showcase an incredible couple and give them their proper just due,” he said. “Their important legacy will live on for future generations.”
508-886-6565
Call Bonnie Besse for more information
Check the Package
Convenient Locations
In-Home Services
Free service for residents.
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tate-of-the-art affordable retirement village in the center of Rutland.
We cannot accept medicines from businesses. Maple Avenue (Some House plans offer Garages) “Lighting the way…to a new beginning”
www.med-project.org This material has been provided for the purpose of compliance with legislation and does not necessarily reflect the views of MED-Project or the Producers participating in the MED-Project Product Stewardship Plan.
This a land lease community so all of your money goes directly into your home, not the land.
Custom Homes
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Social Security expands field offices hours
www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + FEBRUARY 2020 + fiftyplus advocate
• 23
Call today to connect with a
SENIOR LIVING ADVISOR INDEPENDENT LIVING • ASSISTED LIVING • MEMORY CARE UNDERSTAND YOUR OPTIONS — Learn the different types of senior care available LOCAL KNOWLEDGE — Our Advisors have the local knowledge to help you hand pick communities in your area SIMPLIFY — Your dedicated Advisor will simplify your search and help schedule tours
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By Kristen Alberino Social Security Public Affairs Specialist, Boston
A Place for Mom has helped over a million families find senior living solutions that meet their unique needs. Our Advisors are trusted, local experts who can help you understand your options.
REGION - Beginning on January 8, 2020, field offices will remain open until 4 p.m. on Wednesdays, with typical field office hours from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can locate the closest field office to you using our field office locator. In another move to improve service to the public, Commissioner Andrew Saul announced in his Open Letter to the Public at www.socialsecurity.gov/agency/coss-message.html that the agency is hiring 1,100 front line employees to provide service on the agency’s National 800 Number and in its processing centers. The agency is currently bringing onboard 100 new processing center employees and approximately 500 new teleservice representatives for the 800 Number. An additional 500 hires for the 800 Number will occur later in 2020.
Andrew Saul “Improving service is my top priority. Increasing full public service hours at our nationwide network of more than 1,200 field offices is the right thing to do and will provide additional access,” Saul said. The additional hiring of National 800 Number and processing center employees is an important step in the right direction to greatly improve the service we provide.” While we continue to improve both the access to and the experience with our services, it is important to note that most Social Security services do not require the public to take time to visit an office. People may create a my Social Security account, a personalized online service, at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. Through their personal my Social Security account, people can check personal information and conduct business with Social Security. If they already receive Social Security benefits, they can start or change direct deposit online, and if they need proof of their benefits, they can print or download a current Benefit Verification Letter from their account. People not yet receiving benefits can use their online account to get a personalized Social Security Statement, which provides earnings history information as well as estimates of future benefits. Currently, residents in 40 states and the District of Columbia may request a replacement Social Security card online if they meet certain requirements. The portal also includes a retirement calculator and links to information about other online services, such as applications for retirement, disability, and Medicare benefits. Many Social Security services are also conveniently available by dialing our toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778.
We’re Hiring!
We’re Hiring!
Improving service is my top priority. Increasing full public service hours at our nationwide network of more than 1,200 field offices is the right thing to do and will provide additional access.
Joan Lunden Lunden, journalist, best-selling author, former host of Good Morning America and senior living advocate.
Community Advocate Newspaper Fifty Plus Advocate Newspaper Westborough, MA
Please contact Dave Bagdon adguy@communityadvocate.com
Community Advocate Your Community. Your News.
Your Paper.
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fiftyplus advocate + FEBRUARY 2020 + www.fiftyplusadvocate.com
I WILL
often pretend to understand what people say. Even when my surroundings are quiet, it can be hard to
HEAR
My wife says that our relationship would be so much
BETTER
if she didn’t have to repeat herself so often.
THIS YEAR is our year. I’m doing it for us.
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