February 2024 | Baltimore Beacon by The Beacon Newspapers

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For Jayne Miller, the beat goes on

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By Robert Friedman She “retired” last year after 40 years in front of the WBAL-TV cameras, but awardwinning investigative reporter Jayne Miller says she’s continuing her “conversation with people involved in the news” via her weekly radio broadcasts. Being in front of the mike rather than the TV cameras “isn’t really reporting as much as it is informing through conversation,” said the 69-year-old journalist, who interviews key newsmakers on Saturdays at 11 a.m. on WBAL NewsRadio. Neither television nor radio were in her original career plans, Miller said in a recent interview with the Beacon. She started out as a reporter in 1976 for a small daily newspaper in State College, Pennsylvania, after she graduated from Penn State with a major in journalism. Miller soon moved in front of the TV cameras in Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, and then, in 1979, to WBAL-TV. She worked a two-year stint at CBS News in Washington in the early 80s but returned to Baltimore for the remainder of her career. The cameras may now be gone, but Miller indicated that the conversational means over radio of finding out what’s what can be as enlightening as oft-times confrontational newspaper and TV reporting. “News gathering and reporting require the same skills, regardless if it is for newspapers, radio or TV,” she said. Among her many accolades while in front of the cameras as WBAL-TV’s chief investigative reporter, Miller received in 2022 the Radio Television Digital News Foundation’s lifetime achievement award. In 2016 she won the Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award, the top prize for broadcast journalism. She was cited for a National Edward R. Murrow Award in

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LEISURE & TRAVEL

Explore London’s hidden pockets of peace; plus, the perks of premium economy airline seating page 16

Although Jayne Miller retired from WBAL-TV last year, she’s on the radio every week. On her Saturday morning talk show on WBAL NewsRadio, the investigative journalist interviews key players in Baltimore, covering topics from vacant housing to horse racing.

2012. Baltimore Magazine has twice named her as one of the 50 most powerful people in the region.

The power of questions Miller has said it was curiosity that drove her to journalism, that as an eightyear-old girl, when the fire siren went off

Welcome Home to Harmony

in the middle of the night in her small Pennsylvania hometown, she was the first one out the door. “I tell folks that want to be involved in journalism,” she said, “if you’re not a curious person — if you don’t always wonder,

ARTS & STYLE

A shocking Agatha Christie mystery takes center stage at Vagabond Players page 19

See JAYNE MILLER, page 21

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The last move Those of us who were lucky enough to The staff smile at people and call the resigo to college may have cozy memories of dents by their names. The hallways are imcampus life. Everything we maculate. There’s always someneeded was close by. thing to do. The food smells A short stroll through a better than college grub, too. tree-lined campus led us to the So why do so many of us dining hall, library, gym and vow to live and die at home? classrooms. On the way, we’d An AARP poll found that alrecognize fellow students and most 90 percent of people wave or stop to chat. over age 65 want to stay in It was hard to be lonely in their homes permanently. college. Just outside our My parents seem to be in dorm rooms, there were conthat bucket. They are relucversations to be had in the tant to move because they AS I SEE IT hallways, TV shows to watch want to maintain their By Margaret Foster together in the common lifestyle: lunches with friends, room, a lawn to flop down on tai chi classes, walks in the a blanket to study, play guitar or shoot the woods. As my father put it recently, breeze with friends. “Women love retirement homes. Men die Part of me would love to go back to col- within a few months.” lege — to live near my friends again, to He suspects that men don’t make social have every meal prepared for me, to learn connections as quickly as some women, so, new things every day. without enough to do, they decline. (His From my vantage point, at age 52, the own father, who made friends wherever he closest thing to a college campus is a re- went, adored his weekly “Chatterbox Club” tirement community. Every time I stop by with other men at his retirement communione, either for work or a visit, I think, ty.) So my parents are staying put. “Now this is living.” My in-laws were also determined to stay

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with mobility issues and her with arthritis. Then it became difficult to keep up with all the work, from laundry to cooking to home repairs. “Yes, I love the house, but after a while, it becomes a burden,” my mother-in-law said. They didn’t come to a decision overnight, she said; it was a process that took months, even years. They needed to psychologically accept that the house was too much to handle, she explained, that maybe life would be easier elsewhere. Besides, the retirement community they chose looks rather fun. Folks were hanging out at the bar, reading the paper. Others chatted on a bench outside. To me, it sounds ideal, just like a university campus. And yes, their children and grandchildren will still visit every Sunday. And as for their longtime home, it will make a perfect party venue for a new generation.

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinions on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or email info@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.

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The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Baltimore area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Howard County, Md. and Greater Washington, D.C. Subscriptions are available via third-class mail ($12), prepaid with order. Maryland residents add 6 percent for sales tax. Send subscription order to the office listed below. Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher.

Publisher/Editor – Stuart P. Rosenthal President/Associate Publisher – Judith K. Rosenthal Executive Vice President – Gordon Hasenei Managing Editor – Margaret Foster Art Director – Kyle Gregory Vice President of Operations – Roger King Advertising Representatives – Steve Levin, M.K. Phillips, Alan Spiegel Marketing & Operations Manager – Ashley Griffin Assistant Editor – Ana Preger Hart

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (410) 248-9101 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com Submissions: The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 23 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions.

in the house they’ve lived in for 50 years — a beautiful 100-year-old bungalow that feels warm and welcoming when you walk in the door. The house where they raised three children has a thousand stories. As John Cheever put it, our lives are “chronicled in scuffed baseboards.” So many memories there, so many great parties. Their Fourth of July parties were epic: Everyone wore holiday-appropriate costumes (Thomas Jefferson, the Washington Monument, the Statue of Liberty, even Interstate 85) and whooped it up all day and night. Even now, although my in-laws are hovering around 80, they host us every week for dinner, drinks and laughter. “We love our house,” my mother-in-law said recently, “and we couldn’t imagine leaving.” But she and her husband recently put their names on the waitlist of a popular retirement community in Silver Spring, and they’re excited about the upcoming move. What happened? Well, first their health wobbled; him

Dear Mr. Rosenthal: Congratulations! The Montgomery County Commission on Aging (CoA) has selected you to receive its “Community for a Lifetime Award” for 2023 in recognition of your work as the publisher of the Beacon newspaper. The CoA is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for older adults in the county, irrespective of their abilities, income levels or backgrounds. Your exceptional efforts align perfectly with this mission, earning you this well-deserved recognition. Your commitment shines through as you tirelessly produce the Beacon each month, covering a diverse range of important topics. Congratulations again. Thank you for all that you do to make Montgomery County a “Community for a Lifetime.” What makes life better for older adults, makes life better for all ages. David Engel, Chair Montgomery County Commission on Aging Dear Editor: I really enjoy your newspaper. My daughter met your publisher and instantly liked what he said regarding growing older and remaining active. I’m so glad she arranged for me to receive your publication. Thank you for a

thought provoking, interesting and informative newspaper. Rebecca Faeder Via website Dear Editor: In reference to your December article, “Who can benefit from a cochlear implant?” I’d like to share my experience. I lost my hearing from spinal meningitis when I was 5 months old and wore a hearing aid from the age of 5. I was doing well until my later years when my hearing was worsening, and a hearing aid was no longer helpful. After a few years of stalling getting a cochlear implant, I finally did so at the age of 73. It was the best thing I could have done. I hear everything, even the tiniest sound, and am able to listen to music. As the article states, one needs to consult with an otolaryngologist to work through this process. With any surgical procedure, each person has different experiences, but I had no post-surgical issues. For someone who took so long to pursue this and finally do it, I say to look into it and learn as much as you can to help you decide. Hollace Goodman Rockville, MD

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2024

Ask the Home Care Expert Tom Smith, Business Development Manager, Family & Nursing Care

ince 1968, Family & Nursing Care has helped tens of thousands of families by providing access to caregivers who help older adults with activities of daily living — including bathing, dressing, mobility assistance, errands, meal prep, light

housekeeping, medication reminders, companionship and more. Now serving the Baltimore region, Family & Nursing Care is a leading resource for private duty home care services, providing clients and their families with access to compassionate

and expert-level caregivers to help older adults maintain their independence and quality of life as they age. Ninety-eight percent of surveyed clients have said they would recommend these services to a friend or family member.

This month, we asked Tom Smith, Business Development Manager, Family & Nursing Care to explain just what we mean when we talk about “private duty” home care, and how your Long-Term Care Insurance policy can help cover these services.

Q: What is private duty home care?

Q: Does Long-Term Care Insurance help cover costs for private duty home care?

cognitive impairment, dementia or Alzheimer’s. Family & Nursing Care is unique in having full-time icated to LTCI Managers dedicated igate the helping families navigate often-complex rules and cedures reimbursement procedures associated with LTCII policies. They will ry make a call with every client and their LTCII company, helping ensure clients have a full understanding of their policy’s criteria, benefits

and policyholder responsibilities, as well as next steps for a successful and smooth experience p with the claims process.

A: “Private duty” home care is home care that is paid for “privately” by clients and their families out of their own pocket, or from a long-term care insurance policy, rather than by government programs such as Medicare or Medicaid. There are no eligibility requirements, and clients are free to use the service on a shortterm or long-term basis. In addition, there is the flexibility to match clients with Caregivers based on skills, preferences and overall compatibility.

A: Yes. If you have a Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI) policy, this can be a great way to help you pay for Caregiver support. While a private duty home care company like Family & Nursing Care is not eligible for reimbursement from Medicare, Medicaid or general health insurance, most LTCI policies reimburse their policyholders either a daily, weekly or monthly maximum amount for home care to assist with activities of daily living. Some policies may also have a benefit for home care for specific diagnoses, such as a

d Ę s¾ for Baltimore For ííĘÝ s¾ÂĘs« Ę ±Í«È « , Family & Nursing Care has helped families rest easy knowing their loved ones are in good hands. When you need home care, and you need it now, we are here to help.

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Health Fitness &

SHAKE OFF THE COUGH Coughing can be a side effect of medication or a sign of acid reflux or asthma WINTER BLUES A light box, therapy and exercise can help fight seasonal affective disorder (SAD) ATE THE WHOLE THING Try natural remedies like mastic gum or aloe vera gel to soothe acid reflux

Neanderthal DNA still lives on inside us By Laura Ungar and Maddie Burakoff Neanderthals live on within us. These ancient human cousins, and others called Denisovans, once lived alongside our early Homo sapiens ancestors. They mingled and had children. We now know that some of who they were never went away — it’s in our genes. And science is starting to reveal just how much that shapes us. Using the new and rapidly improving ability to piece together fragments of ancient DNA, scientists are finding that traits inherited from our ancient cousins are still with us now, affecting our fertility, our immune systems, even how our bodies handled the Covid-19 virus. “We’re now carrying [their] genetic legacies and learning about what that means for our bodies and our health,” said Mary Prendergast, a Rice University archeologist. In the past few months alone, researchers have linked Neanderthal DNA to a serious hand disease, the shape of people’s noses and various other human traits. They even inserted a gene carried by Neanderthals and Denisovans into mice to investigate its effects on biology and found

it gave them larger heads and an extra rib. Much of the human journey remains a mystery. But Dr. Hugo Zeberg of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden said new technologies, research and collaborations are helping scientists begin to answer the basic but cosmic questions: “Who are we? Where did we come from?” And the answers point to a profound reality: We have far more in common with our extinct cousins than we ever thought.

Locating the legacy Until recently, the genetic legacy from ancient humans was invisible because scientists were limited to what they could glean from the shape and size of bones. But there has been a steady stream of discoveries from ancient DNA, an area of study pioneered by Nobel Prize winner Svante Paabo, who first pieced together a Neanderthal genome. Advances in finding and interpreting ancient DNA have allowed scientists to see things like genetic changes over time to better adapt to environments or through random chance. It’s even possible to figure out how much genetic material people from differ-

ent regions carry from the ancient relatives our predecessors encountered. Research shows some African populations have almost no Neanderthal DNA, while those from European or Asian backgrounds have 1% to 2%. Denisovan DNA is barely detectable in most parts of the world, but makes up 4% to 6% of the DNA of people in Melanesia, which extends from New Guinea to the Fiji Islands. That may not sound like much, but it adds up: Even though only 100,000 Neanderthals ever lived, “half of the Neanderthal genome is still around, in small pieces scattered around modern humans,” said Zeberg, who collaborates closely with Paabo.

Good and bad elements It’s also enough to affect us in very real ways. Scientists don’t yet know the full extent, but they’re learning it can be both helpful and harmful. For example, Neanderthal DNA has been linked to autoimmune diseases like Graves’ disease and rheumatoid arthritis. When Homo sapiens came out of Africa, they had no immunity to diseases in Europe and Asia. But Neanderthals and Denisovans already living there did.

“By interbreeding with them, we got a quick fix to our immune systems, which was good news 50,000 years ago,” said Chris Stringer, a human evolution researcher at the Natural History Museum in London. On the other hand, “The result today is, for some people, that our immune systems are oversensitive, and sometimes they turn on themselves.” In 2020, research by Zeberg and Paabo found that a major genetic risk factor for severe Covid-19 is inherited from Neanderthals. “We compared it to the Neanderthal genome, and it was a perfect match,” Zeberg said. “I kind of fell off my chair.” The following year, they found a set of DNA variants along a single chromosome inherited from Neanderthals had the opposite effect: protecting people from severe Covid. The list goes on: Research has linked Neanderthal genetic variants to skin and hair color, behavioral traits, skull shape and Type 2 diabetes. One study found that people who report feeling more pain than others are likely to See NEANDERTHALS, page 5

Exercise is key; it doesn’t matter when By Julie Corliss The standard advice about exercise is to do about 30 minutes a day, most days of the week. But in terms of heart-related benefits, does it matter if you rack up most of your exercise minutes over just one or two days — as a “weekend warrior” — instead of spreading them out over an entire week? Earlier research has suggested that both patterns are equally beneficial. But those findings relied on people to self-report their exercise, which can be unreliable. Now, a study of nearly 90,000 adults who used wristband monitors to record their physical activity has reached a similar conclusion. “The findings add to the body of literature showing that it doesn’t matter when you get your exercise, as long as you get the recommended amount each week,” said Dr. I-Min Lee, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and an expert on the role of physical activity in preventing disease.

Volume matters more than pattern The study, published this July in JAMA, doesn’t define the term “weekend warrior” in quite the same way as most people do, said Dr. Lee. “Usually, weekend warriors are seen as people who don’t exercise on weekdays, but then take a long hike or play two hours of tennis on Saturday or Sunday,” she said. Instead, researchers used participants’ physical activity data, recorded over seven consecutive days, to categorize them into groups. About two-thirds of them met the federal physical activity guidelines. About 42% were deemed “weekend warriors,” meaning they met the guidelines but got half or more of their total physical activity — not just exercise — on just one or two days. Another 24% were “regularly active,” meeting the guidelines with activity spread out over the week. The remaining 34% didn’t meet the guidelines.

After roughly six years, the researchers found that participants who followed either activity pattern had a similarly lower risk of heart attack, stroke, atrial fibrillation and heart failure compared with people in the inactive group. Historically, experts have encouraged people to be regularly active, mainly because anecdotal reports suggest that weekend warriors may be more prone to injuries. But this study found no difference in injury rates between the two active groups. That’s likely because of the definition used in the study: the “warrior” group wasn’t necessarily doing the types of high-intensity activities or sports often associated with muscle sprains and related injuries, Dr. Lee said.

Short bouts of activity count Wristband devices enable researchers to capture all the short bouts of activity people do throughout the day that they may not remember.

“If you do jumping jacks occasionally while watching television, you won’t necessarily recall that activity the way you remember that you play tennis three times a week,” said Dr. Lee. Similarly, people whose daily commutes include a few 10-minute bouts of walking may not consider that as counting toward their moderate-intensity activity minutes. But these small spurts of activity — sometimes referred to as exercise “snacks” — seem to be beneficial. If you’re sitting for a long stretch, stand up and move around for a few minutes every hour. Activating your muscles, even just briefly, can help improve your body’s ability to keep your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol in check. It’s also worth noting that if you don’t meet the physical activity guidelines, you’ll still benefit from doing even small amounts of exercise — and every minute counts. © 2023 by Harvard University

From page 4 carry a Neanderthal pain receptor. Another found that a third of women in Europe inherited a Neanderthal receptor for the hormone progesterone, which is associated with increased fertility and fewer miscarriages. Scientists have even found evidence of “ghost populations” — groups whose fossils have yet to be discovered — within modern humans’ genetic code.

So, why did we survive? In the past, the tale of modern humans’ survival “was always told as some success story, almost like a hero’s story,” in which Homo sapiens rose above the rest of the natural world and overcame the “insufficiencies” of their cousins, said Rick Potts, director of the Human Origins Program at the Smithsonian Institution. “Well, that simply is just not the correct story.” Neanderthals and Denisovans had already existed for thousands of years by the time Homo sapiens left Africa. Scientists used to think we won out because we had more complex behavior and superior technology. But recent research shows that Neanderthals talked, cooked with fire, made art objects, had sophisticated tools and hunting behavior, and even wore makeup and jewelry. Several theories now tie our survival to our ability to travel far and wide. “We spread all over the world, much more than these other forms did,” Zeberg said. While Neanderthals were specially adapted to cold climates, Potts said, Homo sapiens were able to disperse to all different kinds of climates after emerging in tropical Africa. “We are so adaptable, culturally adaptable, to so many places in the world,” he said.

Meanwhile, Neanderthals and Denisovans faced harsh conditions in the north, like repeated ice ages and ice sheets that likely trapped them in small areas, said Eleanor Scerri, an archeologist at Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology. They lived in smaller populations with a greater risk of genetic collapse. Plus, we had nimble, efficient bodies, Prendergast said. It takes a lot more calories to feed stocky Neanderthals than comparatively skinny Homo sapiens, so Neanderthals had more trouble getting by and moving around, especially when food got scarce. Janet Young, curator of physical anthropology at the Canadian Museum of History, pointed to another intriguing hypothesis (which anthropologist Pat Shipman shared in one of her books) — that dogs played a big part in our survival. Researchers found the skulls of domesticated dogs in Homo sapiens sites much further back in time than anyone had found before. Scientists believe dogs made hunting easier. By around 30,000 years ago, all the other kinds of hominins on Earth had died off, leaving Homo sapiens as the last humans standing.

The debt we owe Still, every new scientific revelation points to how much we owe our ancient cousins. Human evolution was not about “survival of the fittest and extinction,” said John Hawks, a paleoanthropologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It’s about “interaction and mixture.” Researchers expect to learn more as science continues to advance, allowing them to extract information from ever-tinier traces of ancient lives. Even when fossils aren’t available, scientists today can capture DNA from soil and sediment where archaic humans once lived.

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netic legacy, scientists expect to find even more evidence of how much we mixed with our ancient cousins and all they left us. “Perhaps,” Zeberg said, “we should not see them as so different.” —AP

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And there are less-explored places in the world where they hope to learn more. Zeberg said “biobanks” that collect biological samples will likely be established in more countries. As they delve deeper into humanity’s ge-

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Help for nagging cough; coping with grief By Howard LeWine, M.D. Q: I can’t shake this dr y cough. It’s been more than a month. Otherwise, I feel OK. Do I need to worr y, and what can I do to help relieve it? A: First, I want to know if you were ever a smoker and whether you had cold symptoms or COVID-19 before the cough began. When someone has a cough lasting longer than five to six weeks, and perhaps even sooner for smokers, I usually order a chest x-ray or CT scan to check for an underlying lung problem. It’s common to still have a cough for weeks after a viral upper respiratory infection. After the infection is long gone, inflamed tissues and hypersensitive nerves can persist in the larynx (voice box), trachea (windpipe) or bronchi (airways). These changes can last for much longer than people realize. In addition to a nagging cough, many people also develop wheezing. In these cases, I usually prescribe an albuterol inhaler (Proventil, Ventolin, generic versions) to use as needed. Adults can take up to two puffs every four to six hours. If this does not control the cough, sometimes an inhaler that contains a corticosteroid can be added. Coughing also can be a side effect of medications, particularly ACE inhibitors, such as lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril, others)

or enalapril (Vasotec), that are used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease. The other common causes of a persistent cough in a nonsmoker with clear lungs and a normal chest x-ray are postnasal drip, acid reflux and undiagnosed asthma. Sometimes, people don’t have typical symptoms associated with these conditions. For example, a person might not have nasal congestion yet still have postnasal drip. Acid reflux can cause a cough without heartburn. And sometimes, people with asthma don’t notice wheezing. When there are no clues to the possible cause of a chronic cough, I often first recommend a decongestant, with or without an antihistamine, to treat possible postnasal drip. If that doesn’t help, address the possibility of acid reflux. This includes not lying down for three hours after eating, eating smaller meals, and taking a proton-pump inhibitor like omeprazole (Prilosec). If these approaches don’t help, additional diagnostic tests may be needed. These could include breathing tests to detect undiagnosed asthma or checking for acid in the upper esophagus. Many over-the-counter cold products claim to reduce cough. If you try a cough suppressant, look for one that contains the ingredient dextromethorphan. While clinical study results are mixed, most studies

suggest it decreases cough compared with a placebo. Q: I tend to hold on to grief. What steps can I take to ease the pain? A: We associate grief most commonly with the passing of a family member, friend or pet. But it can also arise if someone you know suffers a permanent healthrelated setback, such as dementia, stroke or cancer diagnosis. Grief can also occur from sudden changes in health or important life events, like a recent move or the end of a relationship, or after witnessing traumatic events, such as what is happening in the Middle East conflict. No matter the source, grief can cause deep emotional and physical pain. Grief can manifest as any combination of sadness, hopelessness, depression, numbness, anger and guilt. It also can trigger problems like forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating and fatigue. Going through the grieving process is essential to healing, no matter how long it lasts. The first step is to allow yourself to grieve. Don’t keep it inside and hope it goes away. Other strategies can help you navigate through your grief. For example: Do community outreach. If your grief is related to someone’s death, reach out to their family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Learning more about the per-

son from others and sharing stories helps everyone through the process. Plus, you can fill the role of listener, which is so helpful for other grieving people. Talk it out. Talking about feelings can be challenging. Yet it’s often the best way to confront grief. It can help to open up to a close friend or someone else you trust. Or you may wish to consult with a professional therapist. Explore spirituality. Spirituality can be a powerful healing tool no matter what form it takes. Thinking about the natural course of life and death can be quite transformative. Eat well. Having a well-balanced diet can help you withstand the stress of grieving. That means eating plenty of vegetables, fruits and lean proteins, and drinking plenty of water. Take your medications. Grief makes people more vulnerable to illness, so it’s vital that you keep taking your regular medications. Get enough sleep. Grief can make you feel exhausted, but it’s important to keep a regular sleep schedule. If you feel tired during the day, a 20-minute afternoon nap can help. Exercise daily. Stick to your regular exercise routine or any movement like walking, cycling or yoga. © 2023 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Variety of ways to ease the winter blues Dear Savvy Senior, stronger than typical indoor light, and What can you tell me about seasonal have a diffuser screen that filters out ultraaffective disorder? I’ve alviolet rays and projects downways disliked winter, but ward toward the eyes. [For since I retired and am more about this, see “SADder home a lot more, the gray, in the winter? Try light theracold winter months make py” in the November Beame feel really blue. con.] —Sad Sam Some top-rated light theraDear Sam, py products include the Carex If you get depressed in the Day-Light Classic Plus Bright winter but feel better in spring Lamp ($145); Northern Light and summer, you may indeed Technology Boxelite-OS have seasonal affective disor- SAVVY SENIOR ($205); and the budget-friendder (SAD) — a wintertime de- By Jim Miller ly Verilux HappyLight Luxe pression that affects roughly ($70), all of which are avail5% of Americans. able at Amazon.com. In most cases, SAD is related to the loss of sunlight in the winter months. Reduced Cognitive behavioral therapy Even though SAD is considered to be a sunlight can upset natural sleep-wake cybiological problem, identifying and changcles and other circadian rhythms that can affect the body. It can also cause a drop in the brain chemical serotonin, which affects mood, and can increase the levels of the hormone melatonin, which can make you feel more tired and lethargic. If you think you may have SAD, a trip to your doctor’s office is the best way to diagnose it, or you can take a SAD “self-assessment” test at the Center for Environmental Therapeutics website at CET.org/assessments. If you have SAD, here are several treatment options and remedies that can help:

ing thought and behavior patterns can help alleviate symptoms, too. To help you with this, choose a therapist who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy and who has experience in treating SAD. To locate someone in your area, Psychology Today offers a search tool (PsychologyToday.com/us/therapists/ cognitive-behavioral-cbt).

Antidepressants Some people with SAD benefit from antidepressant treatments, too. Some proven medications to ask your doctor about are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the extended-release antidepressant bupropion. Keep in mind that it may take several weeks to notice the full benefits of an antidepressant. In addition, you may have to try different medications before you find

one that works well for you and has the fewest side effects.

Lifestyle remedies Some other things you can do to help alleviate your SAD symptoms include making your environment sunnier and brighter. So, open up your blinds, sit closer to bright windows and get outside as much as you can. Even on cold or cloudy days, outdoor light can help, especially if you spend some time outside within two hours of getting up in the morning. Moderate exercise such as walking, swimming, yoga and even tai chi can also help alleviate SAD symptoms, as can social activities. Send your questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

Welcome Home to Harmony

Light therapy The most effective treatment for SAD is sitting in front of a specialized light therapy box for 20 to 30 minutes a day within the first hour of waking up in the morning. Light therapy mimics outdoor light to cause a change in brain chemicals linked to mood. While you can buy a light box without a prescription, it’s best to use it under the guidance of a healthcare provider and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Most health insurance plans do not cover the cost. The best light therapy lamps provide 10,000 lux of illumination, many times

BEACON BITS

Ongoing VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES The simple act of volunteering a few hours a week is good for your health. AmeriCorps Seniors welcomes people 55 and older. You can choose to help in any way you want: teach a child to read, deliver groceries to an elderly neighbor, or aid a local nonprofit. To get involved, visit americorps.gov/serve/americorps-seniors or call 1-800-942-2677.

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How to support people with depression By Erik Wing Dear Mayo Clinic: My brother has been diagnosed with depression. I want to help him, but I don’t know what to do. Can you give me ideas for how best to support him? A: When a loved one is affected by depression, it can be difficult to understand what is happening or what you can do to help. Clinical depression is an incredibly complex and individualized process. Understanding depression spans multiple levels of knowledge, from genetics and brain biology to culture and situational stress. Yet despite all the information, universal truths or simple solutions do not exist. Gaining perspective on what your brother is experiencing can be critical to the support process. Visualizing depression as a downward spiral is one way to simplify and understand clinical depression. The downward spiral may begin with the person feeling worse than usual from physical, social or psychological stressors. A worsened mood may lead to taking part in fewer meaningful day-to-day activities. Self-criticism and stress increase due to mounting responsibilities or missed opportunities. Depressive thinking may encompass guilty thoughts, pessimism and irritable behavior. As the spiral develops, a complex dy-

namic emerges. Your loved one becomes increasingly stressed while simultaneously less capable of coping with this stress. The brain’s response to this dynamic is to slow, stop and depress. A person can get stuck at the bottom of the spiral for weeks, months or years. The silver lining is that if people can spiral down, they can spiral back up. However, depression affects the motivation, energy and curiosity needed to do so. It is challenging not to be able to fix a loved one’s depression. But you can help them start to move on an upward path and support them in their journey. Here are some suggestions to offer support and understanding:

Learn the symptoms Depression signs and symptoms vary from person to person and can include: • Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness • Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters • Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities • Insomnia or sleeping too much • Tiredness and lack of energy. Even small tasks take extra effort • Changes in appetite — reduced appetite and weight loss or increased crav-

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ings for food and weight gain • Anxiety, agitation or restlessness • Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements • Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or taking unnecessary blame for things • Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things • Frequent or recurrent mention of death, suicidal thoughts or attempts Symptoms can be severe enough to cause noticeable problems in day-to-day activities, such as work, school, social activities or relationships. Clinical depression does not require profound sadness or intensely negative feelings. Rather, it can be a lack of positive emotion. People may generally feel miserable or unhappy without knowing why.

Encourage treatment People with depression may not recognize or acknowledge their symptoms. They may have difficulty seeing the point of getting treatment. This is where you can be most helpful. Consider the following: • Talk to your brother about what you’ve noticed and why you’re concerned. • Explain that depression is a complex condition — not a personal flaw or weakness — and that effective treatment exists. • Suggest seeking help from a healthcare or mental health professional, such as a licensed counselor, psychologist or psychiatrist. • Express your willingness to help by setting up appointments, going to them with him, and attending family therapy sessions.

Reinforce healing with support You can assist your loved one in the healing process. Consider these ideas: • Encourage sticking with treatment. Help your brother to take prescribed medications and keep appointments. • When your brother wants to talk, listen carefully and intently. Avoid giving too

much advice or too many opinions, or making judgments. Just listening can be a powerful tool. • Give positive reinforcement. Remind your brother about his positive qualities and how much he means to you and others. • Offer assistance. Certain tasks for your brother may be hard to do. Suggest specific tasks you’d be willing to take on. • Help establish a routine. Someone who’s depressed can benefit from having a routine or increased structure. Offer to make a schedule for meals, medication, physical activity, sleep, outside time or time in nature and household chores. • Locate helpful local organizations. Finding mental health treatment can be burdensome. You may be able to obtain help from resources such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness, employee assistance programs and other communitybased groups or programs. • Make plans together. Ask your brother to join you on a walk, see a movie, or work together on a hobby or other activity. But don’t try to force him into doing something. • Be patient. For some people, symptoms can quickly improve after starting treatment. For others, it will take much longer.

Be aware of suicide risk People with depression are at an increased risk of suicide. If you believe your brother’s illness is severe or that he is in a potentially life-threatening emergency, you may need to contact a healthcare professional or hospital. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. To reach the Veterans Crisis Line, use the same number and press “1.” Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. Email a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org. © 2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Health Shorts Return of free Covid tests, telemed visits Last month, the federal government expanded the Home Test to Treat program — a virtual health program that offers free Covid-19 health services including athome rapid tests, telehealth sessions and at-home treatments. Home Test to Treat, which is a collaboration of the National Institutes of Health, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, launched as a pilot in select locations earlier this year. With its expansion, the Home Test to Treat program will now offer nationwide free testing, telehealth and treatment for both Covid-19 and for influenza (flu) A and B. It is the first public health program that includes home-testing technology at such a scale for both Covid-19 and the flu. The program provides Pfizer’s Covid-19 & Flu Home Test, the first FDA-authorized test that can detect both viruses in a single test at home. For people who test positive, treatment

must begin soon after the onset of symptoms. Test to Treat provides these services virtually, while individuals remain at home, to expedite the time to treatment and the convenience of accessing services virtually from home. Any adult (18 years and older) with a current positive test for Covid-19 or the flu can enroll to receive free telehealth care and, if prescribed, medication delivered to their home. Adults who do not have Covid19 or the flu may enroll and receive free tests if they are uninsured or are enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Affairs health care system, or the Indian Health Services. If recipients test positive at a future time, they can receive free telehealth care and, if prescribed, treatment. For more information or to obtain help, visit test2treat.org or call 1-800-682-2829. —National Institutes of Health

Ironically, excessive fear of illness raises risk of death A large Swedish study has uncovered a paradox about people diagnosed with an excessive fear of serious illness: They tend to die earlier than people who aren’t hypervigilant about their health.

Hypochondriasis, now called illness anxiety disorder, is a rare condition with symptoms that go beyond average health worries. People with the disorder are unable to shake their fears despite normal physical exams and lab tests. Some may change doctors repeatedly. Others may avoid medical care. “Many of us are mild hypochondriacs. But there are also people on the other extreme of the spectrum who live in a perpetual state of worry and suffering and rumination about having a serious illness,” said Dr. Jonathan E. Alpert of Montefiore Medical Center in New York. People with the disorder are suffering, and “it’s important to take it seriously and to treat it,” said Alpert, who was not involved in the new study. Treatment can involve cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques, education and sometimes antidepressant medication. The researchers found that people with the diagnosis have an increased risk of death from both natural and unnatural causes, particularly suicide. Chronic stress and its impact on the body could explain some of the difference, the authors wrote. Older research had suggested the risk of suicide might be lower for people with the condition, but “our hunch, based on clinical experience, was that

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this would be incorrect,” said David Mataix-Cols, of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, who led the recent research. In the study, the risk of suicide death was four times higher for the people with the diagnosis. They looked at 4,100 people diagnosed with hypochondriasis and matched them with 41,000 people similar in age, sex and county of residence. They used a measurement called person years, which accounts for the number of people and how long they were tracked. Overall death rates were higher in the people with hypochondriasis, 8.5 versus 5.5 per 1,000 person years. People with the condition died younger than the others, a mean age of 70 versus 75. Their risk of death from circulatory and respiratory diseases was higher. Cancer was an exception; the risk of death was about the same. Referring an excessively anxious patient to mental health professionals takes care, said Alpert, who leads the American Psychiatric Association’s council on research. Patients can be offended, because they feel they’re being accused of imagining symptoms. “It takes a great deal of respect and sensitivity conveyed to patients that this itself is a kind of condition, that it has a name,” Alpert said. “And, fortunately, there are good treatments.” —AP

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Ways apples can help with weight loss By Novella Lui, RD, M.H.Sc. There is such a range of tips and diets promising weight-loss results, it’s easy to forget that some everyday foods can add volume to your meals and snacks without adding many calories. Apples are an excellent option for a healthy weight-loss diet. The sweet and tart fruit is budget-friendly, convenient and loaded with nutrients. Here are some reasons why registered dieticians say apples have an edge

when it comes to losing weight. Low in calories: Apples help to promote weight loss because they are naturally low in calories. Depending on size, apples provide 80 to 130 calories per fruit. The natural sugars in apples can also help keep cravings for sweets at bay, according to Melissa Mitri, MS, RDN, a nutrition writer and owner of Melissa Mitri Nutrition. High in fiber: The main mechanism in weight loss is reducing your calorie

intake. Foods that have fiber can help you eat less because they are satiating. Apples are one of these foods that promote fullness. According to the USDA, an apple packs 4 to 5 grams of fiber, providing about 12% to 16% of your recommended daily fiber intake. Low-glycemic food: The glycemic index, a relative ranking system, measures how fast and how much certain foods’ sugars raise your blood sugar levels. According to the American Diabetes Association, apples are a low-glycemic food, with a glycemic index between 34 and 38, depending on the variety, meaning they won’t cause blood sugar spikes after eating. High in fluids: Apples are so juicy because of their high water content, with water making up around 85% of their weight. Along with fiber, the moisture in apples keeps you full and hydrated, helping temper your appetite. Rich in antioxidants: One of the reasons you could experience weight gain could be due to increased inflammation in the body. Apples have anti-inflammatory benefits due to their antioxidant nutrients. A 2022 review in the Journal of Inflammation Research indicates that quercetin, a type of antioxidant flavonoid (plant pigment) found in apples, may have anti-inflammatory properties to ward off insulin

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resistance and the development of atherosclerosis. Convenient snack: Apples are a quick and convenient snack that you will need to chew and swallow, pacing you so you can fully listen to your body for fullness cues.

Just part of a healthy diet Apples have beneficial nutrients your body needs, but eating the fruit alone can’t help promote weight loss. Rather, eating a wide array of foods that includes nutritious carbs, protein and unsaturated fats could support managing a healthy weight. • Enjoy them as a snack with protein: One classic way to eat apples is by pairing them with nut butter or cheese to make a filling snack. • Add them to your morning meal: Start with a nutritious and filling breakfast to help set the tone for the day. This way, you will be less likely to experience the symptoms of skipping meals, such as anxiety, low energy and cravings. • Include them in your mains: Who says apples are only for desserts? Apples go great with savory dishes, creating endless possibilities of flavor. © 2023 Dotdash Meredith. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Acid reflux is common; so are remedies My son, Michael, a lover of spicy advice. cuisines, once accepted a taco-eating chalNexium (Esomeprazole): A protonlenge in Orlando. After conpump inhibitor (PPI) reducing suming 20-something street acid production, designed for tacos complete with spicy long-term treatment. However, salsa, he felt the aftermath, long-term use risks magnesium leading him to seek antacids. deficiency and bone fractures. But acid reflux doesn’t only Mylanta: Mixes antacids affect food contestants. and alginic acid for quick relief In fact, approximately 20% and stomach protection. Cauof Americans suffer from gastion for interactions with other troesophageal reflux disease medications. (GERD), a more severe form DEAR Prilosec (Omeprazole): of acid reflux. Symptoms vary PHARMACIST Another PPI for treating GERD from heartburn and regurgi- By Suzy Cohen and ulcers, suitable for chronic tation to dental erosion. A conditions. Long-term use can study also indicates that people with celiac lead to vitamin B12 deficiency and kidney disdisease may experience more GERD. ease. When choosing an acid reducer, considProtonix (Pantoprazole): A prescriper both traditional and natural options. It’s tion drug effective for severe acid reflux important to understand each option’s and esophageal damage. Similar precaumechanism and suitability to your condition and to speak to a practitioner in the know. Here’s a brief overview of both types of treatments.

tions as other PPIs. Zegerid OTC (Omeprazole with Sodium Bicarbonate): Combines PPI with an antacid for immediate and sustained relief. Caution for those on a low-sodium diet.

Natural alternatives Mastic gum: Anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, suitable for mild symptoms. You should avoid if allergic to tree sap. Zinc carnosine: This is not the same supplement as chelated zinc, which is used to increase levels of zinc in the body. Zinc carnosine supports the gut lining and is ideal for GI problems and acid reflux. Marshmallow root: Offers protective mucilage, ideal for gentle relief. Not recommended for diabetics or those on diuretics. I have a YouTube video of me making this infusion if you want to find it. Aloe vera gel supplements: These

ENTERPRISE RESIDENTIAL

Traditional antacids TUMS (Calcium Carbonate): Offers quick relief by neutralizing stomach acid, ideal for mild heartburn. People with kidney issues should use caution. Zantac: Now contains famotidine, previously recalled as ranitidine. Pepcid AC (Famotidine): Reduces acid production and is suitable for persistent symptoms. Requires caution for kidney problems. Pepcid Complete: Combines Famotidine with calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide for immediate and long-lasting relief. Not for chronic GERD without medical

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

BALTIMORE COUNTY (CONT.)

The Greens at Hammonds Lane: 410-636-1141 Park View at Furnace Branch: 410-761-4150 Park View at Severna Park: 410-544-3411

Park View at Rosedale: 410-866-1886 Park View at Taylor: 410-663-0363 Park View at Towson: 410-828-7185 Park View at Woodlawn: 410-281-1120

BALTIMORE CITY

HEALTH LIFELINE Maryland has a new

BALTIMORE COUNTY

Ongoing 988 MENTAL way to connect with behavioral health crisis services in your area. Dial 988 to reach the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which can assist with all behavioral crisis services, including mental health and problems with drugs and alcohol.

Jan. 26

MOST COMMUNITIES ARE 62 AND BETTER

Ednor Apartments I: 410-243-0180 Ednor Apartments II: 410-243-4301 The Greens at Irvington Mews: 410-644-4487 Park Heights Place: 410-578-3445 Park View at Ashland Terrace: 410-276-6440 Park View at Coldspring: 410-542-4400

BEACON BITS

SENIOR SIP AND SOCIAL Visit the Glen Burnie

Library on Fri., Jan. 26, from 11 a.m. to noon to meet other older adults

can soothe the stomach lining and are ideal for gastrointestinal discomfort. Use juice prepared for internal use only and start with smaller amounts to gauge tolerability. Apple cider vinegar: Balances stomach acidity, suitable for mild symptoms. Must be diluted, not for ulcers or esophagitis. The best thing to do, of course, is to avoid trigger foods like spicy tacos and citrus items. Eating smaller portions and avoiding heavy meals before exercise can also help. For a longer version of this article, see my website, suzycohen.com. This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe.

EASTERN SHORE Park View at Easton: 410-770-3070

HARFORD COUNTY Park View at Bel Air: 410-893-0064 Park View at Box Hill: 410-515-6115

HOWARD COUNTY

Cove Point Apartments I: 410-288-2344 Cove Point Apartments II: 410-288-1660 Evergreen Senior Apartments: 410-780-4888 The Greens at English Consul: 410-789-3000 The Greens at Liberty Road: 410-655-1100 The Greens at Logan Field: 410-288-2000 The Greens at Rolling Road: 410-744-9988 Park View at Catonsville: 410-719-9464 Park View at Dundalk: 410-288-5483 • 55 & Better Park View at Fullerton: 410-663-0665 Park View at Miramar Landing: 410-391-8375 Park View at Randallstown: 410-655-5673

Park View at Colonial Landing: 410-796-4399 Park View at Columbia: 410-381-1118 Park View at Ellicott City: 410-203-9501 Park View at Ellicott City II: 410-203-2096 Park View at Emerson: 301-483-3322 Park View at Snowden River: 410-290-0384

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY Park View at Bladensburg: 301-699-9785 • 55 & Better Park View at Laurel: 301-490-1526 Park View at Laurel II: 301-490-9730

from the neighborhood and enjoy a hot beverage. This free monthly social hour takes place at 1010 Eastway, Glen Burnie. Registration isn’t necessary. For more information, call the library at (410) 2226270.

Call the community of interest to you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour.

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Money Law &

These books provide sound financial advice. See article on page 15.

Protect your documents from a disaster By Kate Ashford Floods, wildfires, historic storms — severe weather events are on the rise. If your home was hit by high water or a fire, would your important papers be safe? “Unfortunately, I’ve had clients who’ve been victims of fires, flooding, hurricanes,” said Sev Tamayo, an agent with Goosehead Insurance in Palm Coast, Florida. “Some of them were prepared, and some of them weren’t.” Don’t be unprepared. Protect things that are difficult to replicate, which include documents that prove identity, legal process or ownership. If you’d have to call a government agency to process a replacement, you probably want to store it somewhere where it can stay damage-free. You should also consider what documents you’d need to access if a disaster strikes.

Important items to protect Here are some items to consider, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency: —Birth, adoption, death, marriage and divorce certificates —Passports, green cards and Social Security cards —Property documents pertaining to your home or rental properties, mortgage or lease, and vehicles —Pet ownership paperwork —Paper stock and bond certificates

—Military discharge papers —Health records, health insurance information and disabilities documentation —Estate planning documents (powers of attorney, wills, advance directives and trust agreements) —Property insurance documents, including policy numbers and declarations pages —Tax records —Financial statements (loans, credit cards, banks, retirement accounts and investment accounts), as well as income records (pay stubs and government benefits) —Copies of driver’s licenses and other IDs, health insurance cards and credit cards —Family photos or heirlooms For a complete checklist, visit ready.gov.

Store copies in the cloud “It’s also a good idea to keep scans of your critical documents, as well as backups of all your computer files on a storage device at a separate location or in the cloud,” said Pete Duncanson, senior director of training and development at ServiceMaster Restore, a restoration service company, in an email. In some cases, a copy of a document will suffice in an emergency. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep the original — but if you lose the original, you may be able to get by with your digital copy. You can take a photo, scan a document, or create a PDF of an online statement, and use

a cloud service like Google Drive or Dropbox for storage. If you use an external drive (such as a thumb drive or other storage device), keep that somewhere safe as well.

Make a video If you need to file an insurance claim, your insurer will need proof of what you owned. Keeping a record of your things is tedious — but it’s easier if you have a smartphone with a camera. “Start from the front door, turn on the video camera, take a quick two-minute walk around your house,” Tamayo said. “Save it on the cloud.” Do this once a year. Let your insurance renewal be your cue, or set a calendar reminder — and refresh it when you’ve made a major purchase or renovation. “You want to get credit for the newest things that you have,” Tamayo said.

How to store actual documents Store important documents in a container that makes the most sense for your particular risks with an eye toward preparing for the unexpected. Here are some options: Fireproof safe: You can get a fireproof safe box for under $50, but keep in mind that they come in a variety of sizes and temperature ratings. Some are waterproof. Some are more portable than others. Putting items into a zip-close bag or water-

proof container inside a fireproof safe can provide double protection. Safe deposit box: A safe deposit box at a bank can weather a lot of events. But don’t put anything there that you might need in a hurry — such as a passport for a last-minute trip — or anything someone would need in the event of your death, such as your estate documents. “If a family member isn’t on the box, that box has to go through full-blown probate just to get stuff out of the box,” said Patrick Simasko, an estate planning attorney at Simasko Law in Mount Clemens, Michigan. Plastic bin: At the very least, you can put important documents in a watertight plastic bin on a high shelf. “It’s not going to protect you from fire, but it can protect the paperwork from smoke damage and from a burst pipe or flooding incident,” said Adam Lyszczarz, program manager of the documents division of restoration company Prism Specialties in Michigan. Fridge or freezer: Putting your documents in a plastic zip-close bag in your refrigerator or freezer can also protect them, although it’s not a long-term solution. “They are watertight, and the cool temperatures will ensure that things don’t burn, but after a while, they could begin to mold,” Lyszczarz said. © 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Ways to help grandchildren financially By Kimberly Palmer In his early 20s, Chris Chen’s nephew dreamed of becoming a professional photographer. But to pursue that dream, he needed equipment that cost over $5,000. His nephew worked hard to save $1,500; then, his maternal grandmother provided an additional $750. Chen, a certified financial planner in Newton, Massachusetts, covered the rest. “It helped him understand the value of money,” Chen said of his nephew, who now earns his living as a photographer. Grandparents — and other family members — often have the best intentions when it comes to helping their grandchildren financially, but experts say they don’t always know how best to do so, and can accidental-

ly hurt their own finances along the way. Financial advisers recommend following these steps whenever you’re giving grandchildren a financial gift, whether big or small.

Protect your own finances “The first question is, ‘Can you afford to help your grandchildren, and how much?’” said Lorraine Ell, CEO and co-founder at Better Money Decisions, a national wealth management firm. Checking your own retirement funds and overall financial security can help ensure that you’re in a position to give, she said. Grandparents, Ell said, are often pulled to “over give” out of love, but doing so in moderation instead can ensure your gen-

erosity is affordable. Katie Lindquist, a CFP in Madison, Wisconsin, and owner of Lindenwood Financial, cautions against co-signing loans for grandchildren, which can put your own credit on the line. “There are other ways to help, such as giving part of a down payment, that can help them without actually co-signing on the loan,” she said.

Talk to the parents first Before giving a financial gift to a grandchild, Lindquist recommends discussing the idea with their parents. “Make sure everyone is clear on the plan. You can figure out what accounts they already have and what their needs are,” she said.

If you’re giving cash, she adds, you might want to ask the parents to help the child keep it safe, or direct the money to a specific savings account or purchase. Still, Lindquist adds, it’s worth recognizing that once you give the gift, “you can’t control what they spend it on.” Trent Porter, a CFP and CEO at Priority Financial Partners in Durango, Colorado, said in some cases, parents might not want their children receiving money. The fear is that “Grandparents can become a piggy bank,” he said, where they end up enabling overspending. It’s also essential to treat all grandchildren fairly, he adds, even if unique needs reSee HELP GRANDKIDS, page 14

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Smart home devices boost aging in place By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, I’ve been talking to my mobility challenged mother, who lives alone, about automating her house with some smart home products to make it more convenient. She’s very interested, but we’d like to get your opinion as to which types of smart devices are most helpful for older adults aging in place. —Searching Daughter Dear Searching, If your mother is game, smart home products — such as smart lights, video doorbells and voice-activated speakers — can be very useful for aging in place. These devices can add safety and convenience to a home by providing voice and app-controlled operation, which is extremely helpful for those who have mobility issues or reduced vision. Smart home technology can also provide family members peace-of-mind by giving them the ability to electronically keep tabs on their older loved one when they can’t be there. If you’re interested in adding some smart home products to your mom’s house, she’ll need home Wi-Fi installed, and she’ll need either a smartphone, tablet or smart speaker to operate them. To help you get started, here are some

different types of devices to consider that are very helpful to older adults. Smart speakers: A smart speaker — like the Amazon Echo, Google Nest or Apple HomePod — can serve as the brains of a smart home. You can control the devices with voice commands or automate them. These devices can also play your mom’s favorite music, read audiobooks, make calls, set timers and alarms, provide reminders for medications, appointments and other things, check traffic and weather, answer questions, call for help in emergency situations and much more, all done by voice commands. Smart light bulbs: To help prevent home falls — which are often caused by fumbling around a dark room looking for a light switch — smart light bulbs will let your mom turn on and off the lights by voice command, smartphone or tablet. These bulbs can also change brightness

and color and be programmed to come on and off whenever she wants. Smart plugs: These small units plug into a standard outlet and connect to the internet. Then your mom can control whatever she plugs into them — from a space heater to a coffee maker — using her voice or phone. Video doorbell: Safety is also a concern for older adults, especially those who live alone. A video doorbell would let your mom see and speak to visitors at the door without having to walk over and open it. Smart locks: For convenience and safety, smart locks would give your mom keyless entry to her home, let her (or you) provide customized access to family, friends and caregivers, and let you monitor who comes and goes from your mom’s house. Smart thermostat: This lets your mom preprogram or manually control the temperature in her home with voice command or via phone, and let you monitor it too. Smart smoke alarms: These will alert

your mom when smoke or carbon monoxide is detected, and will also send alerts to your phone if a problem is detected. Stovetop shut-off: To prevent home cooking fires, smart stovetop shut-off devices, like the IGuardStove, will turn off electric and gas stovetops when they are left unattended too long, and will alert you via text. Medical alert system: These devices provide wearable wrist and/or necklace emergency buttons that would allow your mom to call for help if she were to fall or need assistance. Many systems today also provide voice activated and fall detection features, as well as tracking apps that help caregivers keep tabs on her. Cameras and smart sensors: If your mom needs more in-depth monitoring, there are indoor cameras you can install so you can see, hear and talk to her from your phone. Or, if that’s too intrusive, you can install smart contact sensors on her doors so you can know when she comes and goes, as well as on her refrigerator door so you can know if she’s eating. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

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FEBRUARY 2024 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Deceptive policies online cost you money By Liz Weston Does any of this sound familiar? You can’t find an easy way to cancel an unwanted subscription, so you let it continue for another month — telling yourself you’ll try again later. You feel rushed into an online purchase you regret, but there’s no option to undo the transaction or demand a refund. You want to read an article or shop at a store online, but you’re bombarded with pop-up requests for your data. There’s no easy option for saying no, so you click “allow” just to get the annoying pop-up out of the way. These are just a few examples of “dark patterns” — intentionally deceptive designs that companies use to steer people into making choices that aren’t in the consumers’ best interest. Dark patterns may sound like a feature of sketchy websites, but these manipulative practices are a common way mainstream companies dupe people into sacrificing their privacy or paying for stuff they don’t really want. Buttons that allow sites to scoop up and sell your data may be prominent, while the buttons for opting out are obscured. Retail sites may use a countdown timer to imply a deal is about to expire when, in reality, there’s no deadline. Or you might see a

fake low-stock warning — “Hurry, limited quantities left” — that pressures you to buy. Making something easy to buy but hard to cancel is another common goal of dark patterns.

How the government is helping The Federal Trade Commission issued a report last year on the rise of dark patterns and has since then taken action against several companies, including online retailer Amazon and Epic Games, which makes the Fortnite video game. In March, Epic Games was ordered to pay consumers $245 million to settle charges it tricked users into making unwanted purchases, allowed children to rack up unauthorized charges and deliberately made refund options hard to find. Then in June, the FTC filed a complaint alleging Amazon duped people into signing up for Amazon Prime subscriptions and then designed a “labyrinthine” cancellation process. “Fittingly, Amazon named that process ‘Iliad,’ which refers to Homer’s epic about the long, arduous Trojan War,” the complaint notes. (Subscriptions that are easy to sign up for and hard to cancel are known as “roach motels,” according to Deceptive Patterns, a site that

The burden shouldn’t be on consumers to prevent companies from deceptively collecting their data and money, Schwartz said. But there are a few ways consumers can fight back: Slow down. Dark patterns often count

on our tendency to move too fast when navigating the web, Hancock said. We need to slow down long enough to read the options on a pop-up and understand what pushing a button actually does. Simply being more aware of dark patterns can help you spot them and defuse their effectiveness. Don’t sign up or buy without knowing how to cancel. Read a site’s refund policies before purchasing. With subscriptions, the FTC recommends investigating the cancellation process before signing up and advises, “If it’s not clear to you how to cancel, walk away.” Make a fuss. Document the dark patterns you find by taking screenshots. You can send those to the Dark Patterns tip line maintained by Consumer Reports and make complaints to the FTC or your state attorney general’s office. Consider not doing business with sites that employ dark patterns — and let them know, via feedback forms on their sites and social media, why you’re walking away, Hancock suggests. “Yell about it,” Hancock advised. “Just keep calling them out.” This column was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. © 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Help grandkids

favorite charity. It’s a beautiful thing to pass on,” Greenhalgh said.

tracks dark patterns.) Meanwhile, state attorneys general from Indiana, Texas, Washington state and Washington, D.C., sued Google over allegations the company used dark patterns to get access to consumers’ location data. Regulators’ actions send a clear signal to companies that they need to clean up their acts, said Alexis Hancock, director of engineering on the public interest technology team at Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates for digital civil liberties, including privacy. But signals may not be enough. These practices are so common that federal laws specifically banning dark patterns may be needed to protect consumer pocketbooks and privacy, said Matt Schwartz, a policy analyst for tech and privacy at Consumer Reports. “People deserve more legal protections against this type of behavior because it’s clear that the industry is not going to selfregulate,” Schwartz said.

What you can do to fight back

From page 12 quire differing forms of financial help, such as contributing to a wedding for one and a travel abroad opportunity for another.

Talk to grandchildren, too At the same time, it’s worth setting clear expectations with your grandchildren, Porter said. “Be as specific as you can reasonably be: ‘We will give you X number of dollars for tuition,’ instead of, ‘If you need help, here is a blank check,’” he said. When you’re giving money, it’s also a good time to talk about financial topics such as budgeting and saving, Porter added. “Communicating about those things gives them a huge advantage because most kids leave high school and have no idea,” he said. Susan Greenhalgh, a financial coach in the Providence, Rhode Island, area and president of Mind Your Money, which provides financial coaching and workshops, said grandchildren are watching and observing your behavior closely, and modeling healthy financial behavior can be beneficial to them. “Every conversation you have about money in their presence will become their money mindset, so you want to be careful about how you’re showing up for them,” she said. Giving to charity can also be part of that conversation, she said. “One grandparent I know wrote a note to his grandchildren ever y year at the holidays saying he would make a donation in their name to a

Consider 529 or Roth contributions In some cases, contributing money into a specific account allows grandparents to retain more control over how and when it’s spent. Chen recommends funding a 529 college savings account because then grandparents know the money is earmarked for education. It’s also worth noting that you can give up to $18,000 a year per person in cash or other gifts in 2024 without triggering the IRS gift tax. A Roth IRA is another option for older grandchildren who earn money, Lindquist said. One of her clients, a pair of grandparents, told their grandson that they would match any contributions he made to his Roth IRA account up to $500. (Grandparents can contribute directly as long as the total amount saved doesn’t exceed the child’s taxable income.) This approach offered the added benefit of teaching their grandson to save a portion of his wages, she said, which is especially useful to start now, with so many decades ahead of him before retirement. That kind of life lesson is a financial gift, too. This column was provided to the Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. © 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2024

The best sources for financial information If you want to succeed in personal financial planning, you need to use the best-informed, up-to-date and unbiased sources. In this column I’ll share my recommendations.

benefits. The wrong decision can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Retirement and estate planning

When it comes to retirement planning, the most comprehensive book is the RetireRetirement accounts For information about IRAs ment Planning Guidebook: and other retirement savings Navigating the Important Deaccounts, Ed Slott and his pubcisions for Retirement Success lications are simply the best. by Wade Pfau. I regularly attend his semiHe is an expert in this field, THE SAVINGS nars and keep up to date with GAME and the book covers all the his monthly publications. I By Elliot Raphaelson major issues associated with recommend his book The retirement planning. Another New Retirement Savings Time Bomb, advantage is that he makes available reguwhich is available on his website, lar podcasts covering all the subjects he irahelp.com. covers in his book. A book I recommend for both pre-retirement planning and retirement planning is Social Security As for Social Security, unfortunately, How to Make Your Money Last by Jane there is a great deal of confusion and misin- Bryant Quinn. This book covers all the major issues reformation regarding benefits and policies, including from many representatives of the lated to financial planning, is easy to read, and refers readers to many other valuable agency itself. I recommend you obtain Maximizing So- sources of information that I also use. cial Security Benefits by Marybeth Franklin. On the topic of estate planning, Bob Her book (available from her website, max- Carlson is a retirement expert who has imizingsocialsecuritybenefits.com) is reli- also written an excellent retirement book, able and covers all the important Social Se- Retirement Watch: The Essential Guide to curity issues. Retiring in the 2020s. Portions of the book You can’t afford to make mistakes in de- provide excellent advice on effective estate ciding when to apply for Social Security planning.

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Reverse mortgages

Medicare options

If you are considering a reverse mortgage, which allows you to live in your home for several years after retirement while receiving payments for its equity value, you should read How to Use Reverse Mortgages to Secure Your Retirement by Wade Pfau. This book is the most informative one related to reverse mortgages. Pfau points out the advantage of using the “line of credit” option. Don’t consider using a reverse mortgage until you read this book. It is available through Retirement Research Media.

Medicare planning is another area where making the right decisions is crucial. Before you reach 65, it is important to understand the pros and cons of different Medicare options. Get What’s Yours for Health Care by Philip Moeller is comprehensive and covers the advantages and disadvantages of every option available to you. One reason it is crucial to inform yourself prior to age 65 is that some options are available at sign-up and may not be available later or available only with significant financial penalties if you change your mind. Another valuable resource is “Medicare and You,” an official government publication that is available at no cost at Medicare.gov and through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Finally, I also recommend regularly reading financial periodicals such as the Wall Street Journal and Barron’s. You can usually find these publications at your public library, or you can subscribe at reasonable prices when promotions are offered. Make sure you cancel when promotions are ended. Otherwise, you will incur higher costs automatically. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com. ©2023 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.

Annuities The source I recommend for annuities is Stan Haithcock, whom I have worked with for more than 10 years. No one I know has more expertise in this field. He will only recommend annuities that are cost-effective for you. He will make available for you, at no cost, easily readable booklets that summarize the pros and cons of every type of annuity. His website is stantheannuityman.com. His email address is stan@stantheannuityman.com. I have recommended his services to readers for many years and have never received a complaint, only compliments. His podcasts are available weekly.

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FEBRUARY 2024 — BALTIMORE BEACON

PHOTO BY DELTA AIRLINES

Travel Leisure &

Are “premium economy” seats worth the cost? See story on page 18.

Chill out in London, strollin’ and cruisin’

Exploring Hampstead Heath Hampstead Heath fit the bill, with 790 acres of grassy meadows, shaded woodlands, gentle hills, duck ponds, walking paths and even a bona fide but uncrowded tourist attraction, Kenwood House, a 17thcentury mansion. Katherine and I wandered through the heath, veering off into the woods, gazing at a heron in a pond, or scanning the distant London skyline from one of the highest points in the city.

It was one of those days intrepid travelers cherish, free of agendas, schedules and places to be. Hampstead is one of London’s most beautiful residential districts. Cafes, pubs, boutique shops and colorful houses, gardens and hedges line its cobblestone streets. It feels more like a village than a neighborhood in a dense, urban environment. After several hours of exploring in the heath, we headed to one of the many chic gastropubs close by and indulged in a late lunch on a sunny patio on the street. On my first visit to London in 1968, I mostly ate bangers and mash, steak and kidney pies, fish and chips, and tikka masala. London’s cuisine has come a long way since then. Katherine had a salad with enough greens, fruits, nuts and grains to satisfy the pickiest vegan, gluten-free Californian, and I had a robust burger with enough toppings to satisfy an overweight carnivore like me.

PHOTO BY DON MANKIN

By Don Mankin I lie on my back on the cool grass, the sound of quacking ducks and raucous frisbee players wafting my way on the soft breeze drifting across the meadow. Sheer bliss! A welcome respite from the crowds cramming Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral. Worn out from several days of tourist attractions and museums, I was taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather in London one fall to do what I do best — explore interesting, unfamiliar places on foot, quaff the occasional ale and recline at every opportunity. My wife, Katherine, and I had already visited London’s most popular tourist destinations and were looking for something different, something calming to refresh my lagging spirits.

Greenwich Mean Time is measured at the Royal Observatory, which overlooks the Thames River and the London skyline. Far from the madding crowd, Greenwich Hill is a peaceful place to relax.

Regent’s Canal stroll The next day, craving additional agendafree strolling, we embarked on a walk along Regent’s Canal from the Little Venice basin in West London to the hip, buzzy, bohemian enclave of Camden Town. Little Venice, an affluent neighborhood in West London, sits at the conjunction of PHOTO © IOLYA | DREAMSTIME.COM

Colorful houseboats line Regent’s Canal in London’s Little Venice. The canal’s nine-mile towpath connects Little Venice to the Thames.

three waterways: Regent’s Canal, Paddington Basin and the Grand Union Canal. What’s notable about the basin and especially Regent’s Canal are the colorful houseboat barges, each different than the next, docked along the canal. As we strolled, we admired them and the 19th-century townhomes along both sides of the canal, where a bevy of swans glided single-file down the middle of the narrow waterway. We took our time as we sauntered down the towpath, stopping for lunch at a charming Italian café on a short bridge straddling the canal. From our outdoor table in the middle of the bridge, we gazed at the barges lining both sides of the canal and the autumn leaves clinging to the overarching trees on the banks. It was hard to imagine that we were in the middle of bustling, crowded London in the middle of the day. The towpath runs for about two-and-ahalf miles from Little Venice to Camden Town. Along the way were gleaming mansions perched on lush green lawns. The route also passes through a more urban, industrial area. But for someone interested in both the picturesque and the gritty dimensions of the urban environment, the walk was fascinating.

Camden Town is sprawling and crowded with teenagers, tourists and punks. Decidedly bohemian and counterculture, the district is filled with street markets, food carts, trendy stores and music venues. Depending on your point of view, it is either tacky or vibrant. Since I was thoroughly chilled out by the time we reached the end of our walk, I came down on the side of vibrant and was ready to soak up the “groovy” vibe. We checked out the tchotchkes for sale at the many stalls sprinkled throughout the market, and I even sampled a cheesesteak at the “Philly Boys” food cart. How was it? Well, let’s just say that, in this Philly boy’s opinion, world-famous Pat’s Steaks in South Philadelphia has nothing to worry about.

Cruising on the River Thames The high point of our chillin’ out tour of London was a boat ride on the River Thames to Greenwich. At Westminster Pier, we boarded the boat for a one-hour sightseeing cruise to the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site and the Royal Observatory. For techies and others fascinated by See LONDON, page 17

From page 16 19th-century science, the Royal Observatory is literally ground zero for the Prime Meridian of the world: the reference point for mapping, navigation and timekeeping throughout the world. Greenwich is also home to the Cutty Sark (the historic sailing ship, not the whisky), the National Maritime Museum, the Old Royal Naval College and many other shops, restaurants and pubs. The cruise was the primary draw for me — a great way to sightsee without breaking a sweat. My only exercise was sprinting from one side of the boat to the other for photos and unobstructed views of Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, the Globe Theater and such modern architectural wonders as the skyscrapers affectionately known as the Shard and the Gherkin. I also spotted the Prospect of Whitby and The Mayflower, the oldest riverside pubs in London, which date back to the 16th century. The Royal Observatory, situated on a hill overlooking the river, played a major role in the history of astronomy and navigation.

The observatory is now maintained almost exclusively as a museum for historic astronomical and navigational tools. We spent several hours touring the observatory and the broad expanse of lawn leading down to the Thames, the Cutty Sark and the town of Greenwich, stopping in a particularly picturesque pub for lunch. On the return cruise, I sat back on a bench on the upper deck and just watched the scenery flow by. I had enough photos to bore even my best friends. Although I like museums, castles, cathedrals and other tourist attractions as much as the next guy, I would rather relax outdoors, experiencing unfamiliar places and locations at my own pace and letting serendipity be my guide.

If you go Nonstop round-trip airfare from BWI is usually less than $800. London hotels can be very expensive. We stayed in a home exchange, so that wasn’t an issue for us. For accommodations, I recommend checking on any of the online travel sites (e.g., TripAdvisor, Kayak, Bookings.com, etc.) or Airbnb for the best choice for your price range and desired location. Where to eat: Near Hampstead Heath, try

BEACON BITS

Jan. 25

PHOTO BY DON MANKIN

London

Makes a great gift! | Leisure & Travel

BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2024

FREE SKETCHING CLASS AT WALTERS Artists of all abilities are invited to spend their evening drawing

A relaxing cruise down the Thames grants close-up views of the Tower of London and other icons.

Wells Tavern (thewellshampstead.co.uk). On the Regent’s Canal, pause at Café Laville (cafelaville.co.uk), and in Greenwich eat at Gipsy Moth (thegipsymothgreenwich.co.uk). For more information about the Thames

Canal tour, visit thamesriversightseeing.com. There is no admission fee at Kenwood House, which is known for its world-class art collection, which includes paintings by Rembrandt and Vermeer.

Tell them you saw it in the Beacon!

to live music at the Walters Art Museum galleries. Light instruction and materials will be provided. This free event takes place on Thu., Jan. 25, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at 600 N. Charles St., Baltimore. Registration isn’t necessary. For more information, call (410) 547-9000.

Jan. 26

IRISH CONCERT The band The Good Folk will perform traditional music and dancing of Ireland on Fri., Jan. 26 and 7:30 p.m. at The Cellar Stage

at The Timonium United Methodist Church, 2300 Pot Spring Rd., Timonium. Tickets are $25. For tickets and more information, see uptownconcerts.com.

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FREDERICK DOUGLASS CELEBRATION Celebrate Frederick Douglass with an organ recital and evensong. The free concert is part of Music at St. David’s series, and it

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Is ‘premium economy’ seating worth it? A recent report from IdeaWorks Company describes the airlines’ premium economy of fering as “an uppermiddle-class seat priced for the upper-middle class” designed for, and marketed to, “upper middle-class consumers who seek an upper middle-class travel experience.” The report’s author, Jay Sorensen, is bullish on premium economy. Should you be?

with usually seven or eight inches more legroom, and a soft product featuring superior meals and maybe better checked and carry-on baggage policies. In many ways, it’s close to what you get in domestic first class 737 and A320 flights. It sits between the economy “plus” many big lines offer — with standard economy seats but a few inches extra legroom, and international TRAVEL TIPS business class — with lavish The basics Premium economy is a dis- By Ed Perkins cabin service and seats that tinct airline product, in a disconvert to a lie-flat bed on tinct cabin on most long-haul wide-body overnight trips. planes. Premium economy was originated more Its hard product provides seats two or than 30 years ago by Taiwan-based EVA Air, three inches wider than standard economy, and soon after picked up by Virgin Atlantic.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing FREE WRITING CLUB Do you love writing? Drop by the Bykota Senior Center every Tuesday at 12:30 p.m.; the Wordsmith Writing Club is open to everyone. Stop by to hear others read their poems, memoirs and short stories. The free club meets in Room 112 at 611 Central Ave., Towson. Registration isn’t necessary. For more information, email bykotasc@baltimorecounty.gov or call (410) 887-

For a long time, it stayed that way. But over the last decade or so, almost all the big international lines have adopted it. Even a few low-fare lines have adopted the idea: Norse Atlantic includes a small premium economy cabin on its 787s, and French Bee has premium economy on its A350s. As far as I know, no line has outfitted 737s or A320s with the five-across seats the manufacturers once described as premium economy. But a few lines sell old-line first-class cabins as premium economy on connecting flights.

The appeal The industry consensus is that premium economy is designed as an upsell to leisure travelers, not as a cost-cutting alternative to business class. And that’s understandable: A lot of leisure travelers are less than delighted by the prospect of book-ending a few wonderful weeks in Europe or Asia between two miserable eight- to 12-hour sessions stuffed into a seat that’s not big enough to accommodate them comfortably. I know that in my senior years I’ve used miles to get out of cattle-car economy on most recent long-haul trips.

The value proposition The problem with premium economy is that, by my measurement, it’s generally overpriced. These days, except at the extremes of range, the capacity of a modern jetliner is determined by the number or people it can accommodate, not their weight. That means what you pay for a seat should be more or less based on the amount of cabin area it occupies. According to Sorensen’s report, a typical

premium economy seat takes about 8-9 square feet, compared with 5-6 square feet for a regular economy seat. That’s about 40% to 60% more space. This tracks with the longstanding Air France claim that its premium economy gives you 40% more space. However, most of the time, you pay more than a 40% to 60% premium over economy. I checked some transatlantic fares for travel in March, and I found that premium economy is generally selling at about double the base economy fare. And “40% more room at double the price” is not a value proposition I’d like to defend with great vigor. On the other hand, a business-class seat takes up about 18 square feet, and business-class fares hover around four to five times economy fares for double the space.

The bottom line Whether premium economy is a good deal for you depends primarily on your view of regular economy. In my senior years, I have concluded that, for a long intercontinental trip, regular economy has dropped from “undesirable” to “unacceptable.” Fortunately, I’ve accumulated enough miles to upgrade — basically saying I’d rather take one comfortable and pleasant trip than two miserable trips. But that’s not a universal trade-off. You have to decide for yourself. Premium economy is the real deal — enough better than regular economy to change your attitude about flying. The question is whether the value proposition works for you. Email Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net or visit his rail travel website at railguru.com. © 2023 Ed Perkins. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.

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Style

Arts &

Keep your mind in tiptop condition with games this year. See page 20.

Agatha Christie’s most convincing witness the audience through his character’s evolvement expertly, with humor and humanity, never falling into caricature. The same can be said of Autumn Koehnlien’s Romaine, wife (or is she?) of the woebegone Leonard, who shows considerable skill in traversing accents from German to cockney in the roles she plays. Payne’s Leonard is extremely believable in his role of a naïve, confused and distraught soul who always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Hessenauer and his rival across the bench, prosecutor Mr. Myers, Q.C., played by Joey Hellman, demonstrate good chemistry as two who have crossed legal briefs before. And keeping both players honest with dry humor and a selfadmitted ignorance on the varieties of “blondes” is the capable Brian Douglas as Justice Wainwright.

PHOTO BY SHEALYN JAE PHOTOGRAPHY

By Dan Collins Even if you’re not that familiar with whodunit writer extraordinaire Agatha Christie, chances are you’ve caught a bit of the myriad stage, film or TV productions of her short story and play “The Witness for the Prosecution.” It’s a murder mystery and trial drama which has starred everyone from Marlene Dietrich and Tyrone Power to Edward G. Robinson and Beau Bridges. “Witness” is an anomaly of sorts for Christie, as in its original form, the short story “Traitor’s Hands,” the evil murderer in question escapes punishment — a rather significant “no-no” for audiences when it was first published in a British magazine in 1925 to its U.S. publication 1948. How Christie ultimately solved this problem in subsequent rewrites can be discovered by taking a seat in the Vagabond Players’ theater for a showing of Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution, now playing through January. Kudos to director Robert W. Oppel, who managed a cast of 13 actors (and two understudies), with some of the ensemble playing multiple roles over two intermissions, three acts, four scene changes and a backstage smoke machine (the play is set in foggy ol’ London, don’tcha know). In this standout cast, Toby Hessenauer shines as Sir Wilfrid Robarts, Q.C., the elder sage defense attorney charged with saving Matthew Payne’s Leonard Vole from the hangman’s noose. It’s a role with multiple layers, and Hessenauer guides

Immersive set and period costumes

Autumn Koehnlein stars as Romaine, the wife of an accused murderer, in Vagabond Players’ production of Witness for the Prosecution, which runs through the end of January.

Much praise for the efforts of Sammy Jungwirth and Tammy Oppel, who handled set and costume design. The actors’ wardrobes were appropriate for the era, right down to the barristers’ black raiment and the actresses’ 40s-style pencil skirts, hats and wedges, while the simple but striking set is appealing, with the scales of justice prominent in every scene. Stage managers Jess Corso and Kerry Simons agilely handle a modular set, quickly transforming Sir Wilfrid’s chambers into an PHOTO BY SHEALYN JAE PHOTOGRAPHY

Old Bailey courtroom and twice back again. As so often occurs with community theater productions of this size, there’s a tiny stumble or two — Peri Walker’s secretary Greta endures a moment of prop-itis (in her case, a struggle to open an envelope); Hessenauer, who at one point finds he’s kept his barrister’s wig on a bit too long; and Hellman’s Myers, who inadvertently calls for the wrong witness — but, as is also the case in good community theater

like this, everyone powered through. The show must and did go on, reaching a powerful and shocking conclusion. Witness continues its run at Vagabond Players, 806 S. Broadway in downtown Baltimore, through Sunday, Jan. 28. Performances are held Fridays/Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. with a special “$10 Thursdays on Broadway” performance Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. For tickets, cast and show info visit vagabondplayers.org.

BEACON BITS

Jan. 20

JANE AUSTEN BOOK TALK

Join the Enoch Pratt Free Library and Juliette Wells, professor of literary studies at Goucher College, to discuss Jane Austen and her novels’ enduring appeal. Wells will also talk about her new book, A New Jane Austen. This free event is presented in person and virtually on Sat., Jan. 20, from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Poe Reading Room, Central Library, 400 Cathedral St., Baltimore, and on EPFL’s Facebook and YouTube pages. To attend in person, register at bit.ly/AustenBookTalk. For more information, call (410) 396-5430.

POETRY MEET-UP

Ongoing Bring one to two poems to the Hereford Branch of the Baltimore

Brian Douglas as Justice Wainwright reprimands Joey Hellman as Mr. Myers, Q.C., the prosecutor in Witness for the Prosecution.

County Library on the second Wednesday of each month to a workshop with other poets and Michael Fallon, who has taught poetry for 35 years. This free event takes place at 16940 York Rd., Hereford. Email poems ahead of time to fallon@umbc.edu and bring three hard copies to the meet-up. For more information, call (410) 887-1919.

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FEBRUARY 2024 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Games, calendars for mental gymnastics When you’re stuck indoors this winter, and, in many cases, greater popularity. exercise your mind. Find a new board game Seven Games will teach you how to imto enjoy or hone your skills prove your game. Casual playmastering your favorite game. ers will learn new tactics and Seven Games: A Human approaches that are wellHistory, by Oliver Roeder, known among the pros and 306 pages, W.W. Norton & serious competitors. Become Company paperback, 2023 intrigued with or take up a Read an engaging account new pastime. of these seven games: checkExamine the current availers, chess, Go, backgammon, ability of online programs — poker, Scrabble and bridge. free and subscription-based Learn their historic origins, — that help players hone how they rose in popularity, THE their skills and achieve the the current state of play, and BIBLIOPHILE next level. Read about the the extent to which computer By Dinah Rokach world of artificial intelligence programs have gained masand the race of machines and tery over top-rated humans. Consider the their developers to beat humans. degree to which logic, chance and mental Roeder is a writer and puzzle editor for agility are important components in mas- FiveThirtyEight, the website that uses statering each of these games. tistical analysis to cover politics, sports Take a seat alongside author Oliver and science. Roeder as he enters championship tournaEverybody Wins: Four Decades of ments. Meet quirky individuals and their the Greatest Board Games Ever Made, quests for fame and championships. Ex- by James Wallis, 223 pages, Aconyte plore how great players and their insights hardcover, 2023 have taken the games to greater heights Spiel des Jahr is a prestigious award for

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er and consultant who lives in London. Wallis created the Diana Jones Award, known as the Nobel Prize of gaming. It is awarded annually at Gen Con, the largest tabletop games convention in North America. Wheel of Fortune® 2024 Day-to-Day Calendar, Andrews McMeel Publishing; Trivial Pursuit® 2024 Day-to-Day Calendar: 2000s Edition, Andrews McMeel Publishing; Trivia Night FullColor Daily Calendar 2024, Willow Creek Press Play a game each time you turn the pages of these 2024 daily calendars. Wheel of Fortune has been broadcast since 1975. Each page of the 2024 Day-to-Day Calendar presents a partially completed game board, category clue and several used letters. The answer is revealed on the back. The Trivial Pursuit® 2000 Edition features 300 trivia cards with questions from six color-coded categories relating to this century: places, science, sports, arts, entertainment and events. Trivia Night has a similar format. The categories, however, are more wide-ranging and the historic time span much broader in scope. Each page is printed on a rainbow of solid-color pages with blank lines for note-taking at the bottom. All three calendars can be mounted for ease of display and are printed with soybased ink on recycled paper.

FROM PAGE 22

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

S E L F

A L T S N O H S H U E H Y P E C A R D L I O T U N A R M O R E D E M U R E B R U A R Y L E A P D A Y S D I T H E Y O P S E M O C I A T O T A L S U N E C L I P S E T O A T N O C R A T A O L Y M P I C S I N P A R I S O D E L I E T R Y A G U E L A S F E D E R A L E L E C T I O N H I N D I I R O N S T O N E J I B E E N D O E L F I N S E S S T O N E I C E S

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family-style board and card games selected by a jury of German game critics. Criteria include originality, playability and comprehensibility. Everybody Wins is a large-format coffee table book that reviews the winners of the award from 1979’s Hare and Tortoise to 2022’s Cascadia. A chapter is devoted to each year’s winner. The game is described succinctly: the number of players, playing time, recommended minimum age and its current availability, whether new, secondhand or out of print. Games include roll-and-move, race, set-making and legacy. (The latter means games played over several sessions.) Author James Wallis opines whether the game is worth playing. He lauds games for their family appeal and their reliance on strategy, and categorizes them as cooperative or antagonistic. Wallis also explores the importance of randomness versus strategy. More than 100 color photographs illustrate the game board, the box and its contents. The book includes Micromacro, Carcassonne, Codenames, CATAN, Qwirkle, Dominion and Bluff. At the end of each chapter, you’ll find the nominees for each year’s award with a short summary of the game. A final chapter discusses notable games that should have won and why. Wallis is a British game designer, publish-

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Makes a great gift! | Arts & Style

BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2024

Jayne Miller From page 1 ‘What happened? Why did that happen?’ — then journalism is not the right profession for you.” Miller told the Beacon that “a sense of fairness” was the other trait that inspired a 46-year career in journalism. “It could be innate, or it could be developed over time,” she said. “It was taught to me by my parents.” That fight for fairness led her in the early 90s to work as Calamity Jayne, investigating consumer’s complaints for WBAL. Miller believes that nowadays, journalists are catching all sorts of criticism in some social and political circles, even from others in the media, for not being fair or objective. One of the biggest complaints, she said, is that journalists are not presenting both sides of the story. Many of those complaints aren’t valid, she said, because, in lots of these stories, “One side is false, so there aren’t two sides.” Journalism, meanwhile, is being threatened, Miller said, by social media, which “can fuel attempts to discredit news reporting,” she said. “We saw this particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic with challenges to information provided by public health authorities.” She added: “The industry is under financial pressure, as advertisers have focused spending elsewhere, particularly social media. We have seen many local papers pull back or close down, robbing communities of coverage of local issues.”

Changing lives Of the many breaking stories that she has worked on, perhaps her best known and consequential, was the Kirk Bloodsworth case. Bloodsworth, a 22-year-old wa-

terman on the Eastern Shore, had been convicted twice for the rape and murder of a 9-year-old girl. He was sentenced to death. Miller and her team’s investigative reporting in 1988 led to DNA testing that cleared Bloodsworth of the crime. Bloodworth, who spent nine years in prison, went on to work as an advocate for possible innocence among prisoners. His case has been cited as the reason Maryland does not have a death penalty. Miller told the Baltimore Fishbowl that Bloodsworth called her from prison in 1993 when DNA testing exonerated him. “He was crying and could barely speak,” she said. “You don’t get a lot of opportunities to do work like that.” One of Miller’s philosophies, even when she was a full-time reporter, was — and still is — that journalists should be involved in their communities. Miller, who owns a home in Baltimore’s Canton neighborhood. has said, “I firmly believe that journalists should get involved in civic affairs. I always say there’s more to life than news, weather and sports.” While talk like that has had Miller mentioned as a possible mayoral candidate, she said that entering politics “is not in my plans at the moment.”

Baltimore’s future What Miller is now mostly interested in is how to get Baltimore back in shape by, among other things, reducing the decadeslong crime rate through addressing “the underlying issues such as poverty lack of opportunity, housing, and more.” She said: “We have major universities, we have a port, we have a wonderful waterfront setting. And we’re struggling. We need to do better. Baltimore needs to capitalize on its assets and its location along the corridor with Washington. Strong regional cooperation would benefit all.” Miller pointed out one very big stum-

12 M

bling block preventing Baltimore from again becoming one of the nation’s most important and livable cities. “Baltimore is an independent jurisdiction,” she said. “It is a city on its own with no relationship in terms of services and government with its surrounding counties.” This so-called independence, Miller said, has resulted in no regional housing plans for the city’s crumbling neighborhoods and no greater funding for all sorts of services, from transit to community protection to utilities and other problems. “The separation between Baltimore and the surrounding counties is a definite barrier to the city’s success,” she said. She noted that Baltimore and St. Louis are the only two major U.S. cities with

such an arrangement. Miller added: “I’m a very strong proponent of strong regional cooperation and coordination of services.” Some of that collaboration may be under way with the recent designation of the Baltimore Tech Hub, which means that the city could compete with 31 other U.S. Commerce Department-designated hubs to receive between $40 million and $70 million federal grant funding, which could mean $4.2 billion for jobs and projects in Baltimore by 2030. Whatever happens, Miller remains dedicated to reporting the news. “The best thing about being a journalist is having a front seat to history,” she told the Baltimore Banner. “And I have had an enormous opportunity to witness history.”

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FEBRUARY 2024 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Crossword Puzzle Find a new crossword every day on our website at www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com/puzzles. 2024 Special Events 1

By Stephen Sherr 7

28 31

44 47

46 49

56 60

59 61

Across 1. Makes a sidewalk less dangerous 6. Japanese drama 9. Best actress nominee for Leaving Las Vegas 13. Untouchable Ness 14. Publicize 15. Item in a magician’s pocket 16. King Julien of Madagascar 17. Defenseless 19. Special event in Winter 2024 21. 1980’s “Star Wars” missile sys. 22. ___ Might be Giants 23. Special and photo 26. ___-ticon, such as :-) 28. Spy agency created following WWII 29. Special event in Spring 2024 36. Precisely 37. Limitation of TikTok 38. Pro ___ (proportionally) 39. Special event in Summer 2024 44. Lyric poem 45. Pull the wool over someone’s eyes 46. Take a stab at 47. Chills and fever 49. Code for Nevada’s busiest airport 51. Special event in Fall 2024 59. Highly magnetic mineral 60. Indian language 61. Be in harmony 62. Prefix meaning “within” 63. Spritelike 64. Makes a sidewalk more dangerous 65. “His/Hers” in French (and center of “HORSESHOE”) 66. Actress Emma or Sharon

Down

BB224

Scrabble answers on p. 20.

9 15

21 23

1. Narcissist’s favorite person 2. Sheltered from the wind 3. An arm or a leg 4. French city, where visitors can take excursions to a chateaux and a cathedral

5. Oktoberfest treat 6. The city so nice, they abbreviated it twice 7. Birthstone of Halloween babes 8. Nonbeliever 9. Listerine rival 10. Boy detective Frank or Joe 11. Product of the liver 12. Bathtub whirlpool 14. 1959 Best Picture Ben-___ 18. Taj ___ 20. Points toward the bullseye 23. Lisa Simpson’s bus driver 24. Amenity at most Holiday Inns 25. Last-minute call from the governor 27. Value of about 11 pennies 28. John Waters movie, ___ B. Demented 30. “At the moment,” in text-speak 31. Some Twenty Questions answers 32. Nest egg fund, briefly 33. Hairstyle’s dividing line 34. Distribute cocoa powder in hot water 35. Lightly cooked, as an egg 40. Applies gravy to the turkey 41. Conceives of 42. River that baby Moses floated on 43. Common cobbler constituents 47. Spanish for “mudbrick” 48. The X-chromosome has more of them than the Y 50. Leg extttennddder 51. Nation of over 300 islands 52. Comedy idol, Idle 53. Like Texas’ star 54. All’s Well That ___ Well 55. Astrological sign of Dodger great Durocher 56. Content of an intelligence briefing 57. Thor’s dad 58. Maximum number of lives for a cat

Answers on page 20

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2024

CLASSIFIEDS The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Legal Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on the right. CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment. EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

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