May 2018 | Baltimore Beacon

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First lady of public television

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PHOTO COURTESY OF MPT

By Carol Sorgen If you’ve watched television in Baltimore during the past five decades or so, you have undoubtedly watched Rhea Feikin. “I’ve been around a long time!” the native Baltimorean laughed.

Often dubbed the “First Lady” of Maryland Public Television (MPT), Feikin is currently familiar to viewers as host of the station’s on-air membership drives; anchor of MPT’s weekly “Artworks” series, which showcases established, emerging and experimental artists from across the country; host of “Chesapeake Collectibles,” where appraisers value interesting and unique collectibles; and “Impressions with Rhea Feikin,” a periodic interview program in which she talks one-on-one with noted celebrities.

Feikin, who also serves as honorary chair of MPT’s major fundraising campaign, is proud of her 30-year tenure with the television station.

“I’m proud of what we do, and I love the mission of public television and the unique programs we offer every day,” she said.

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New ships and trends in cruising; plus, how to avoid the worst airports page 17

Acting on her dreams Despite her long on-air presence, Feikin — who grew up in Hampden — did not set out to have a career in television, or even in the entertainment industry.

“I loved theater from the time I was young,” she recalled. “But my parents, who were immigrants from Russia and Poland, said I had to major in something that would get me a job.”

So, even though Feikin had always liked to “act and pretend,” and frequently appeared in productions put on by the Children’s Theater Association, once she graduated from Forest Park High School, it was on to the University of Maryland, where she majored in speech pathology.

(One of her UM classmates was Jim Henson, eventual creator of the Muppets.)

Feikin continued to pursue her love of acting, however, appearing in university theater productions such as Hasty Heart and Wonderful Town, and participating in two overseas tours to U.S. Air Force bases from Iceland to the Azores. When she graduated, she received the Hale Award for outstanding drama student.

ARTS & STYLE Rhea Feikin has spent decades on Baltimore-area TV screens, from her popular children’s program, “Miss Rhea and Sunshine,” to her current job hosting “Chesapeake Collectibles” on Maryland Public Television. She also cohosts MPT’s weekly “Artworks” series.

After graduating, Feikin put away her theatrical pursuits and followed her parents’ wishes, becoming a speech therapist for Baltimore City Schools.

But when the City’s Department of Education was looking for a volunteer to host an educational program on WBAL-TV, Feikin jumped at the opportunity.

“It was on TV,” she said. “That was enough for me.”

Feikin was so successful at presenting “Betty Better Speech,” a program that aired in the schools, that WBAL offered her a permanent position.

She hosted the popular children’s pro-

gram, “Miss Rhea and Sunshine,” which she also wrote and produced. Later, she presented the weather forecast (even though she admits that she knew nothing about weather), and hosted a game show for the Maryland Lottery.

After leaving WBAL (Feikin and her weather forecasting co-host, Cal Schumann, heard they were being fired, so they decided to take matters into their own hands and walked off the set in the middle of a broadcast), Feikin began freelancing at MPT. Her first job was on “Consumer Survival See FEIKIN, page 24

Poets bring a lifetime of experience to their writing; plus, an energetic cast enlivens Newsies at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, and a philosopher explores the midlife crisis page 21

FITNESS & HEALTH 3 k Why some have super memories k Can acupuncture replace opioids?

LAW & MONEY k How to spot scams k No-haggle car buying

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M AY 2 0 1 8 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

From the Publisher I seldom cede my space in this column to another writer, but we recently received the article below from Bob Levey, a nationally recognized columnist, and I thought it was worth some special prominence. I hope you agree.

Please feel free to write to us with your thoughts on the topic.

A call to action by all drivers

By Bob Levey My friend Ted is a solid citizen and a dutiful sort. He pays his taxes on time. He does the family grocery shopping cheerfully. When his 90-something parents need something, Ted arranges it, even though he and they live 1,500 miles apart.

But sometimes your true nature pops out at moments when you don’t have time to think about it. So it went for Ted one recent evening.

He was driving home, and the hour was late — about 1:30 a.m., as Ted remembers it. All of a sudden, he noticed a car halfway into a ditch to his right. The car was resting on its side. There had obviously just been an accident.

Ted immediately braked and pulled over. He ran back to see if the driver was all right. He wasn’t.

Obviously woozy, perhaps a victim of whiplash, well over the age of 80 by Ted’s best guess, the driver couldn’t answer Ted’s questions and couldn’t track much of anything. “Obviously, this was a critical situation,” Ted said.

Ted called 911 from his cell phone. The operator dispatched the police and an ambulance right away.

Meanwhile, the driver had gotten out of the car (it was halfway down an embankment) and was clucking over the damage and his misfortune. Ted stayed with the driver until the sirens and red lights were on the scene, even though it was rainy and blustery, and even though he was due at work in six hours.

The good news is that the driver survived, and his car probably has, too. He evidently fell asleep at the wheel and drifted

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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.

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wide on the ramp. It can happen to any of us.

But the bad news — confirmed by both the police and the ambulance crew — is that Good Samaritan Ted was a rare bird.

Almost no one stops to help in situations like the one that Ted came upon, the officials told him. That goes double if the driver is obviously old.

You mean that a Grandpa type standing woozily beside a road is more threatening to the average passerby than, say, a teenager or a young man bearing tattoos? I would never have thought so.

But the police explained it to Ted this way: It’s a very litigious world. People are more afraid than ever of getting dragged into a legal mess. So they step on the gas and keep going.

If they stop to help an elderly person who has just been in an accident, that person may blame them, or he might collapse and his family might sue, or he might try to drive away and do even worse harm to himself when the Good Samaritan might have snatched his keys.

No, it isn’t fair. No, it isn’t sensible. But it proves that older people are often seen as neon-flashing risks rather than deserving, needy citizens.

The police officer who responded to the scene of Ted’s accident told him that he had been at the scene of four other accidents already that night. He told Ted that, in every case, the driver who was involved in the accident was elderly and alone.

According to the officer, one man of about 75 had just been rear-ended and had ended up in a ditch. He had a big gash on his forehead. You couldn’t miss it if you tried.

But even though that man got out of his car and waved for help, blood and all, he got none. The officer said the man had

stood beside his wrecked car for 15 minutes before any motorist stopped.

At the scene of another incident, the officer told Ted, an elderly driver’s car had caught fire on the Beltway. The driver, at least 75, had managed to limp his car off onto the shoulder. Smoke was pouring from under the hood. It was still daylight at the time, so any passerby could see that the driver was both old and in major need of help.

But he got none. No one even called 911 for about three minutes, the officer said.

As a result, the elderly motorist had to stand there and watch as his car, which might have been saved, burned to a crisp.

I realize that sainthood in today’s world is rare. I realize, too, that it’s always safer not to get involved in anything untoward or unusual.

But how in the world can dozens of motorists stream past a man with blood on his forehead, or another whose car is smoking, and not lift a finger?

If this is truly age discrimination — and the police officer says it was — there’s only one answer, by my lights. All of us have to resolve never to pass up an older motorist in need. Not ever.

At the very least, we can spend 15 seconds of our precious time calling 911. The one thing we shouldn’t do is assume that someone else will help, or blame our failure to stop on silly excuses like being late for dinner.

As the saying goes, we’re all in this together. No one knows that better than older people.

By the way, when Ted told his 90-something parents this story, they said he was a good son. He sure is. I know one woozy, needy older motorist who seconds the motion.

Bob Levey is a national award-winning columnist.

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion 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 e-mail to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com.

Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.

Dear Editor: I found Dan Burrows’ article about cheap stocks (“Five cheap stocks to buy for $20 or less”) in your April issue of interest.

However, what I would like to see is information about socially responsible investments. The financial world is so complex and interconnected that doing the research is extremely time consuming — and often frustrating.

I want to make sure I am not funding arms manufacturers, or companies engaging in environmental destruction, or exploitative labor practices.

While I, as an individual, may not be able to solve such problems, I wish to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

Linda K. Brown Baltimore

Editor’s Note: Thank you for your excellent suggestion. We will try to cover this subject in one of our next issues.

Dear Editor: In the New York Times, I read an article stating Medicare’s plans to stop reimbursing for opioid prescriptions starting next January: “Medicare Is Cracking Down on Opioids. Doctors Fear Pain Patients Will Suffer.”

Although I am not a big fan of these medications, I realize that a certain percentage of senior citizens cannot function without them. I know an 83-year-old whose back is totally beyond surgical repair and cannot take blood-thinning painkillers because she is on a blood thinning med, nor can she use a TENS stimulator because of a pacemaker.

See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 18

B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Health Fitness &

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NOW HEAR THIS Explore the options for improving your hearing sooner rather than later LOVE THOSE HORMONES The “love hormone” oxytocin affects both men and women, but differently MEN’S HEALTH Men should never ignore two symptoms, which could indicate cancer SOMETHING FISHY? The verdict is in: Fish oil capsules are seldom helpful and can pose risks

Why do some stay so sharp as they age?

By Lauran Neergaard It’s pretty extraordinary for people in their 80s and 90s to keep the same sharp memory as someone several decades younger, and now scientists are peeking into the brains of these “superagers” to uncover their secret.

The work is the flip side of the disappointing hunt for new drugs to fight or prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Instead, “why don’t we figure out what it is we might need to do to maximize our memory?” asked neuroscientist Emily Rogalski, who leads the SuperAging study at Northwestern University in Chicago.

Less brain shrinkage Parts of the brain shrink with age, one of the reasons why most people experience a gradual slowing of at least some types of memory late in life, even if they avoid diseases like Alzheimer’s.

But it turns out that superagers’ brains aren’t shrinking nearly as fast as their peers’. And autopsies of the first superagers to die during the study show they harbor a lot more of a special kind of nerve cell in a deep brain region that’s important for attention, Rogalski told a recent meet-

ing of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

These elite elders are “more than just an oddity or a rarity,” said neuroscientist Molly Wagster of the National Institute on Aging, which helps fund the research. “There’s the potential for learning an enormous amount and applying it to the rest of us, and even to those who may be on a trajectory for some type of neurodegenerative disease.”

What does it take to be a superager? A youthful brain in the body of someone 80 or older. Rogalski’s team has given a battery of tests to more than 1,000 people who thought they’d qualify, and only about 5 percent pass. The key memory challenge: Listen to 15 unrelated words, and a half-hour later recall at least nine. That’s the norm for 50year-olds, but the average 80-year-old recalls five. Some superagers remember them all.

“It doesn’t mean you’re any smarter,” stressed superager William “Bill” Gurolnick, who turns 87 next month and joined the study two years ago. Nor can he credit protective genes: Gurolnick’s father developed Alzheimer’s in his 50s.

He thinks his own stellar memory is bolstered by keeping busy. He bikes, and

plays tennis and water volleyball. He stays social through regular lunches, and meetings with a men’s group he co-founded.

Social engagement may help Rogalski’s superagers tend to be extroverts and report strong social networks.

But otherwise they come from all walks of life, making it hard to find a common trait for brain health.

But deep in their brains is where she’s finding compelling hints that somehow, superagers are more resilient against the ravages of time.

Early on, brain scans showed that a superager’s cortex — an outer brain layer critical for memory and other key functions — is much thicker than normal for their age. It looks more like the cortex of healthy 50- and 60-year-olds.

It’s not clear if they were born that way.

But Rogalski’s team found another possible explanation: A superager’s cortex doesn’t shrink as fast. Over 18 months, average 80-somethings experienced more than twice the rate of loss.

Another clue: Deeper in the brain, that attention region is larger in superagers,

too. And inside, autopsies showed that brain region was packed with unusual large, spindly neurons — a special and little understood type called von Economo neurons, thought to play a role in social processing and awareness.

The superagers had four to five times more of those neurons than the typical octogenarian, Rogalski said — more even than the average young adult.

The Northwestern study isn’t the only attempt at unraveling long-lasting memory. At the University of California, Irvine, Dr. Claudia Kawas studies the oldest-old, people 90 and above. Some have Alzheimer’s, some have maintained excellent memory, and some are in between.

About 40 percent of the oldest-old who showed no symptoms of dementia in life nonetheless have full-fledged signs of Alzheimer’s disease in their brains at death, Kawas told the AAAS meeting.

Rogalski also found varying amounts of amyloid and tau, hallmark Alzheimer’s proteins, in the brains of some superagers.

Now scientists are exploring how these people deflect damage. Maybe superagers have different pathways to brain health. — AP

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M AY 2 0 1 8 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

Can acupuncture replace opioids for pain?

By Jennifer McDermott, Dake Kang and Mike Stobbe Marine veteran Jeff Harris was among the first to sign up when the Providence VA hospital started offering acupuncture for chronic pain.

“I don’t like taking pain medication. I don’t like the way it makes me feel,” he said.

Harris also didn’t want to risk getting addicted to heavy-duty prescription painkillers.

Although long derided as pseudoscience and still questioned by many medical experts, acupuncture is increasingly being embraced by patients and doctors, sometimes as an alternative to the powerful painkillers behind the nation’s opioid crisis.

The military and Veterans Affairs medical system has been offering acupuncture

for pain for several years, some insurance companies cover it, and now a small but growing number of Medicaid programs in states hit hard by opioid overdoses have started providing it for low-income patients.

Ohio’s Medicaid program recently expanded its coverage after an opioid task force urged state officials to explore alternative pain therapies.

“We have a really serious problem here,” said Dr. Mary Applegate, medical director for Ohio’s Medicaid department. “If it’s proven to be effective, we don’t want to have barriers in the way of what could work.”

The epidemic was triggered by an explosion in prescriptions of powerful painkiller pills, though many of the recent overdose opioid deaths are attributed to heroin and

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illicit fentanyl.

Many opioid addictions begin with patients in pain seeking help, and acupuncture is increasingly seen as a way to help keep some patients from ever having to go on opioids in the first place.

Mixed study results For a long time in the U.S., acupuncture was considered unstudied and unproven — some skeptics called it “quack-u-puncture.” While there’s now been a lot of research on acupuncture for different types of pain, the quality of the studies has been mixed, and so have the results.

Federal research evaluators say there’s some good evidence acupuncture can help some patients manage some forms of pain.

But they also have described the benefits of acupuncture as modest, and say more research is needed.

Among doctors, there remains lively debate over how much of any benefit can be attributed simply to patients’ belief that the treatment is working — the so-called “placebo effect.”

“There may be a certain amount of placebo effect. Having said that, it is still quite effective as compared to no treatment,” said Dr. Ankit Maheshwari, a pain medicine specialist at Case Western Reserve University, who sees it as valuable

for neck pain, migraines and a few other types of pain problems.

Many doctors are ambivalent about acupuncture, but still willing to let patients give it a try, said Dr. Steven Novella, a neurologist at Yale University and editor of an alternative medicine-bashing website. He considers acupuncture a form of patientfooling theater.

Acupuncturists and their proponents are “exploiting the opioid crisis to try to promote acupuncture as an alternative treatment,” he said. “But promoting a treatment that doesn’t work is not going to help the crisis.”

Acupuncture has been practiced in China for thousands of years, and customarily involves inserting thin metal needles into specific points in the ears or other parts the body. Practitioners say needles applied at just the right spots can restore the flow of a mystical energy — called “qi” (pronounced CHEE) — through the body, and that can spur natural healing and pain relief.

In government surveys, 1 in 67 U.S. adults say they get acupuncture every year, up from 1 in 91 a decade earlier. That growth has taken place even though most patients pay for it themselves: 2012 figures show that insurance covered the cost of acupuncture for only a quarter of adults.

See ACUPUNCTURE, page 5

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The largest federal government insurance program, Medicare, does not pay for acupuncture. Tricare, the insurance program for active duty and retired military personnel and their families, does not pay for it either.

But VA facilities offer it, charging no more than a copay. Jeff Harris signed up for acupuncture two years ago. The 50-year-old Marine Corp veteran said he injured his back while rappelling, and had other hard falls during his military training in the 1980s.

As a result, he has shooting pain down his legs and deadness of feeling in his feet.

Acupuncture “helped settled my nerve pain down,” said Harris, of Foxboro, Mass.

Another vet, Harry Garcia, 46, of Danielson, Conn., tried acupuncture for his chronic back pain after years of heavy pain medications. Acupuncture is “just like an eraser. It just takes everything away” for a brief period, said Garcia.

There’s a history to the open-mindedness in the military. About a decade ago, the military and Veteran Affairs began promoting a range of alternative approaches to pain treatment, including acupuncture, yoga and chiropractic care.

In 2009, former Army Surgeon General Dr. Eric Schoomaker chartered a task force to re-evaluate the Army’s approach to pain,

I N F O R M AT I O N

Medicare says no; military says yes

F R E E

From page 4

which had centered on opioids. The focus was understandable — “nobody who has his leg blown off screams for acupuncture,” said Schoomaker, who is now a professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, a military medical school in Bethesda, Md. But he added there was also openness to acupuncture and other approaches among soldiers and sailors who, while overseas, had tried non-drug approaches for chronic pain. Schoomaker said he was inspired to seriously consider alternative approaches by his wife, a yoga instructor.

Now two-thirds of military hospitals and other treatment centers offer acupuncture, according to a recent study.

The military’s openness to alternatives is “because the need is so great there,” said Emmeline Edwards of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a federal scientific research agency. “Perhaps some of the approaches have been used without a strong evidence base. They’re more willing to try an approach and see if it works.”

Her agency is teaming up the Pentagon and the VA to spend $81 million on research projects to study the effectiveness of a variety of nondrug approaches to treating chronic pain.

While research continues, insurance coverage of acupuncture keeps expanding. California, Massachusetts, Oregon and Rhode Island pay for acupuncture for pain through their Medicaid insurance programs. — AP

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M AY 2 0 1 8 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

Options for those with hearing problems

By Mary Kane Stephen Moore began to realize he had hearing problems more than a decade ago, when people seemed to mumble in conversations.

He asked his wife to repeat lines at the movies. “It drove her crazy,� he said. He turned the TV volume up so high that family members complained.

Finally, when he felt he was missing out on hearing important details during meetings at work, he got his hearing tested and was then fitted for hearing aids. “Hearing loss is so gradual, you don’t really recognize it until your hearing is impaired and it gets really bad,� said Moore, now 57. An economist for the Heritage

Foundation, a conservative think tank, Moore also works as a TV analyst. He said, “there’s still a little bit of a stigma about wearing hearing aids.�

As people age, they often don’t immediately recognize hearing decline or seek treatment for it, said Barbara Kelley, executive director of the Hearing Loss Association of America. It takes an average of 7 to 10 years from the time someone recognizes he or she has a hearing loss until getting help for it, she said.

According to a report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, about 80 percent of adults who could benefit from a hearing aid don’t get one.

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Baby boomers are sometimes reluctant to take even the first step of getting a hearing test, seeing it as a sign of aging, and fearing having to wear “that brown plastic thing behind your ear,� Kelley said.

There’s also the fact that hearing aids can be expensive — as much as $3,000 per ear — and aren’t covered by Medicare and only sometimes by other insurance.

Over the counter alternatives So it was good news for people with hearing loss when Congress last August authorized the Food and Drug Administration to create a new class of hearing devices, which will be available over the counter and expected to cost far less than what you pay for a device from the audiologist’s office.

The over-the-counter hearing aids are for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss and will be FDA-regulated.

The only way now to purchase a hearing aid is through an audiologist or hearing instrument specialist. In the future, certain hearing aids and other hearing wearable devices will be available in pharmacies and electronics retailers.

What’s often confusing, though, is that some over-the-counter alternatives, sometimes called personal sound amplification products, are available in stores now.

Moore, for example, once grabbed a

cheap pair when he lost his regular hearing aids on a trip. Quality and prices for the devices vary widely. Some disposables sell for $20 to $30 per pair, while high-tech sound amplifiers cost several hundred dollars.

But these devices aren’t considered medical devices or regulated by the FDA, and they can’t be marketed as hearing aids or as a product to improve hearing loss, even with the new law.

The FDA has up to three years to write regulations and set safety and labeling standards for the authorized OTC devices.

An FDA spokesperson said the agency won’t speculate on a time frame for the process. Once regulations are in place, expect lower prices for FDA-approved aids, and more choices.

Getting help now Don’t wait to address your hearing health until the guidance is sorted out. Get tested by an audiologist, take an online screening test, or visit a hearing center that has licensed hearing health providers.

Single device costs range from about $400 to $2,500. Find a hearing aids guide at hearingloss.org.

Take advantage of hearing aid discounts.

Costco offers its own brand of hearing aids See HEARING PROBLEMS, page 9

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 8

7

Explaining love hormones, eye floaters

By Dr. Howard LeWine Q: Do humans really have a love hormone?

A: Yes, we do. It’s called oxytocin. It’s one of the many hormones released into the blood stream from the pituitary gland, a small structure at the base of our brain.

It got the name “love hormone� because of its association with intimacy, both physical and mental. The pituitary gland releases oxytocin in response to a variety of stimuli.

In women, it plays an important role in childbirth by promoting contraction of the uterus during labor. Breastfeeding also raises levels of the hormone. Nipple stimulation sends signals to the pituitary gland to send out more oxytocin, resulting in a positive cycle of loving feelings and bonding with the baby.

Sexual intimacy raises levels of oxytocin. But so do many other types of social bonding, like hugging, holding hands, or just having loving feelings about people close to us.

Oxytocin is a natural stress reliever.

When our love hormone level rises, it acts on our brain to diminish anxiety and induce relaxation. In addition, a higher oxytocin level is associated with lower blood pressures and heart rates.

While there are important biological benefits for women, men also make oxytocin. And they can release just as much of the love hormone as women do.

But the mind and body response to oxytocin is not the same for both sexes. Testosterone dampens the positive effects of oxytocin; estrogen appears to enhance them.

Researchers have found that there are distinct differences in the way women and men experience, and respond to, stress.

This could be related to the dampening vs. enhancing properties of male verses female hormones.

When under stress, both men and women release epinephrine and cortisol — the hormones that help ready us to fight or flee.

Given the greater oxytocin influence in women, they are less likely to fight or flee when faced with stressors. Instead, their tendency is to “tend-and-befriend.� “Tending� is nurturing behavior designed to protect and relieve distress. “Befriending� refers to seeking and maintaining social connections.

BEACON BITS

Apr. 30

INFO ON DONATING YOUR BODY TO SCIENCE

Join the Bykota Senior Center for a free one-hour lecture by the Anatomy Gifts Registry discussing the option of becoming a whole-body donor to support medical research and education. The event will take place on Monday, April 30 at 12:45 p.m. at the Bykota Senior Center, located at 611 Central Ave., Towson. For more information, call (410) 887-3094.

Men under stress release testosterone, which overrides any stress relieving properties of oxytocin. This makes sense from an evolutionary standpoint. Thousands of years ago a heightened fight or flee response was necessary for male survival.

But in modern times, not so much. In fact, tamping down the stress response is an important part of a healthy lifestyle for everyone.

So, what can a man do? As a male, I can’t naturally do anything to alter my testosterone level, and I don’t want to. But the suggestion that I might help boost my oxytocin level with more social bonding sounds very appealing.

Q: I developed spots in my left eye.

My doctor called them floaters. I wear glasses and, other than being a bit annoying, my vision seems fine. Will they go away? If so, how long will it take?

A: As we age, the thick, jelly-like substance that fills the center of the eye — called the vitreous — can form blobs that look like spots, cobwebs or strings. Some of this debris may wind up floating around and blocking some of the light coming into your eyes.

Most floaters are small and don’t bother vision much. But if they are larger or ringshaped, they might indicate that the vitre-

ous, which normally hugs the retina in the back of the eye, has freed itself from the retina.

When there is a sudden appearance of larger floaters, it may be caused by a detached or torn retina. If that happens, you should immediately call your eye doctor or primary care physician. A detached or torn See EYE FLOATERS, page 9

BEACON BITS

May 8

GROWING THROUGH GRIEF

Explore the grieving process with Chesapeake Life Center director Susan Coale and Hospice of the Chesapeake social worker Cassie Bloom at the Glen Burnie Regional Library, 1010 Eastway in Pasadena.

Learn what is “normal,� what to expect, and how to manage your own grief and help those around you. The event is free and will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 8. For more information, visit www.hospicechesapeake.org.

We’re conquering cancer in Baltimore City.

To treat cancer effectively, you need the most advanced cancer-fighting resources available. That’s exactly what you’ll find in MedStar Health Cancer Network. Now, with the opening of the new MedStar Franklin Square Cancer Center at Loch Raven Campus, access to the region’s top cancer specialists is more convenient than ever in our new 7,800-square-foot cancer center.

Learn more about our screenings for early cancer detection, our physicians and their approach to cancer care and treatment at MedStarCancer.org/1ow2pen. For an appointment, call .

MEDSTAR FRANKLIN SQUARE CANCER CENTER AT LOCH RAVEN CAMPUS

8

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M AY 2 0 1 8 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

Men: never ignore these two symptoms

By Dr. Eric A. Klein Do you put off seeing a doctor for regular checkups or to discuss a health concern? This can be risky.

While symptoms often can be benign or require minimal treatment, in some cases, they also can be early signs of cancer. By dismissing them without talking to a doctor, you could miss a chance for early cancer diagnosis — and early treatment.

Doctors identify each of the most common cancers in men — prostate, testes, bladder and kidney — differently. Some

signs may suggest cancer, while others may indicate some other condition.

Even if it is simply to rule out more serious problems, you should see a doctor if you experience these two symptoms: 1. Changes and pain in your testicles Testes cancer, or testicular cancer, occurs mainly in men between the ages of 15 and 35, but it can also develop in children and older men. The most common symptoms are pain, swelling, hardness or a lump in the testicle. You can detect all of

BEACON BITS

May 6

BALTIMORE KIDNEY WALK The National Kidney Foundation Serving Maryland and Delaware

is hosting the annual Greater Baltimore Kidney Walk on Sunday, May 6 at The

these signs with a self-exam.

If you do notice any of these changes in either of your testicles, see your primary care doctor for an evaluation.

2. Blood in your urine As a sign by itself, blood in the urine (hematuria) is usually associated with other non-cancerous conditions, such as an enlarged prostate or a kidney or bladder stone. However, this is also one of the signs of both kidney cancer and bladder cancer. It’s important to talk to your doctor if you ever see blood in your urine.

If you detect either of these two symptoms, it’s best to see your doctor first for an initial evaluation and further instructions. Your doctor may then send you to a urologist for a more detailed assessment and possible testing.

Weinberg Y in Waverly, located at 900 E. 33rd St. Check in begins at 9 a.m., and the walk kicks off at 10 a.m. For more information or to register, visit www.kidneywalk.org.

Apr. 27

STROKE AWARENESS The Cockeysville Senior Center is hosting a free interactive educational session on the risk factors, signs and prevention of

stroke on Friday, April 27 at 11 a.m. at the center, located at 10635 York Rd. in Cockeysville. For more information, call (410) 887-7694.

Testing for cancer If needed, tests for these cancers will include the following: — If you notice changes in your testicles, an ultrasound of the testicles is the first step; depending on the results, your doctor may order additional tests and treatments.

— For blood in the urine, a urine culture and cytology test (to analyze contents of urine), CT urogram (imaging exam for urinary tract) and cystoscopy (visual exam of

bladder) are typical tests.

In prostate cancer, there are usually no symptoms, so it is usually diagnosed with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. This is a simple blood test to determine the levels of PSA, a protein produced by the prostate gland.

I suggest having your first PSA test at age 50. The results will determine how often you need to get tested in the future. If it is at or below average, then you should have another PSA in five years. If it’s above average, I recommend a PSA every two years.

Younger men should also perform a monthly self-exam of the testicles and be aware of any changes or lumps that may develop. Watching for these symptoms, and checking with your doctor if you notice anything unusual, will increase your chances of detecting cancer early and getting the necessary treatment.

For self-exam instructions, see testicularcancersociety.org/testicular-self-exam.html.

This information provided by Cleveland Clinic HealthEssentials. A Wellness Update is a magazine devoted to up-to-the minute information on health issues from physicians, major hospitals and clinics, universities and healthcare agencies across the U.S. Online at www.awellnessupdate.com. © 2018 www.awellnessupdate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 8

Eye floaters From page 7 retina requires prompt diagnosis and treatment.

People at risk for retinal tears include those who are older, are nearsighted, have a family history of a retinal detachment, or have had eye surgery.

Most floaters are usually just a nuisance.

In many cases, floaters become less noticeable or more tolerable over time, and can even disappear. But how much they bother you and how long it lasts varies.

In extreme cases, surgery can be considered. The traditional procedure is known as a vitrectomy. The eye surgeon removes the gel — along with its floaters. It’s effective, but it has risks, including cataracts (cloudy lenses) and retinal detachment. It’s usually

a last resort for people whose floaters make it hard for them to see.

Another treatment called YAG vitreolysis uses a laser procedure to vaporize floaters by heating them. Although most eye surgeons don’t recommend it, a recent study suggested that for very large floaters it appears to be effective and safe, at least in the short run. However, the researchers acknowledge that larger and longer studies are needed.

Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, please visit www.health.harvard.edu. © 2018 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Hearing problems

company co-founder David Cannington.

From page 6

Do you need a hearing aid?

and other hearing services. Drugstore chain CVS has opened 32 hearing centers in seven states, with plans to expand this year, a company spokesperson said.

Or try a high-tech device that’s not a hearing aid. Hearing technology company Nuheara sells wireless earbuds that work with a smartphone app for about $300 a pair. Wearers can tune out background noise at restaurants, offices or outdoors, and can “control how they hear the world around them,” said

The following are some signs of when to consider having your hearing tested, according to the FDA: You hear better out of one ear than the other.

People say you are shouting when you talk.

You often ask people to repeat themselves.

You can’t hear a dripping faucet or highpitched musical notes. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Everyone deserves a break…

Start yours today!

For caregivers, whether you are making plans to go to the beach with the family, travel out of town, or desire socialization for your loved one, Springhouse can help.

Springhouse Invites You to Take Time for YOU! Our respite/vacation/trial stay programs give you the opportunity to: • Try Springhouse on a 30-day trial basis • Make vacation plans knowing your loved one is being cared for by professionals • Relieve caregiver stress, recharge, and restore balance in your life

Call (410) 486-5500 to set a date for respite care or a 30-day trial.

BEACON BITS

May 24

LOW VISION RESEARCH TALK Jewish Community Services (JCS) offers a free support group for

adults with low vision that meets twice a month. The group will host special guest Deborah Donohue, the senior research program coordinator for the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, on Thursday, May 24 at the Myerberg Center, 3101 Fallstaff Rd. at 1:30 p.m. Donohue will speak about exciting research into the treatment of macular degeneration. For more information, email jkurland@jcsbaltimore.org, call (410) 466-9200, or visit www.jcsbaltimore.org.

Treating Difficulty Standing, Walking, Sitting, and Sleeping attributed to Arthritis, Spinal Stenosis, Neuropathy, Fibromyalgia, Painful Swollen Legs, Poor Circulation, and "Growing Pains" in Children.

As a podiatrist with over 36 years experience, I have always focused on non-surgical treatment of foot and leg pain. I find that most people with foot or leg symptoms (arthritic, aching, burning, cramping or difficulty walking) , even those who have had other treatments, including surgery of the foot (or back), can be helped, usually in 1 or 2 visits.

— Dr. Stuart Goldman

Stuart Goldman, DPM

410-235-2345

HelpForYourFeet.com

4000 Old Court, Suite 301 Pikesville, MD 21208

springhouse-al.com 8911 Reisterstown Road • Pikesville, MD 21208 (410) 486-5500 • Pikesville@springhouse-al.com

Fellow American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons Marquis Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare Author, multiple articles on Foot & Leg Symptoms

Author: Walking Well Again

See Patient Testimonials at WalkingWellAgain.com

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Health Studies Page

M AY 2 0 1 8 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Blood pressure study offers free groceries

By Carol Sorgen More than 40 percent of African American men and women have high blood pressure. For African Americans, high blood pressure also tends to develop earlier in life and is usually more severe than in other populations.

Researchers suggest that higher rates of obesity and diabetes among African-Americans lead to the higher rates of high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease.

They have also found that there may be a gene that makes African Americans much more sensitive to salt. For people with this gene, as little as one extra gram (half a teaspoon) of salt can raise blood pressure as much as 5 mm Hg. High blood pressure is one of the most common conditions that increase the risk of heart dis-

ease and stroke.

Johns Hopkins University, in collaboration with the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, is currently recruiting participants for its “Five, Plus Nuts and Beans for Kidneys Study.” This study will test whether nutritional advice to adopt a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-like diet, coupled with $30 per week worth of fruits, vegetables, nuts and beans will reduce kidney damage in African Americans with hypertension and chronic kidney disease.

The study will include dietary advice by a study coach and assistance with weekly online ordering of $30 worth of potassiumrich foods delivered by a local grocer to a community location.

One-hundred and fifty participants who

have been diagnosed with hypertension and mild to moderate chronic kidney disease will be recruited from Johns Hopkins primary care clinics in Baltimore, and randomly assigned to one of two study arms for 12 months.

and dietary advice from the study coach.

Blood pressure will be measured at the beginning of the study and also at the end of the first and fourth months, as well as at the end of the study.

Who can take part?

How the study works The study consists of two phases. In Phase 1, which lasts for four months, one study group will receive brochures on the DASH diet and chronic kidney disease from the study team, but no other dietary guidance. They will get a weekly allowance of $30 to purchase food and drinks of their choosing from a local grocer.

During Phase 1, the second group will receive dietary guidance from the study coach and assistance with ordering and purchasing $30 a week of high potassium foods from the same local grocer.

In Phase 2, which will last for another eight months, neither study group will receive a food allowance, though the second group will receive regularly scheduled telephone calls

African Americans between the ages of 21 and 100 with a blood pressure reading of less than 160/100 can join the study.

They must also have a have a urine albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR) of 30 mg/g or higher, indicating possible kidney disease.

They must also be taking blood pressure medications for at least two months before the study begins.

Study participants cannot have more than 14 alcoholic drinks per week or have had a cardiovascular event, like a heart attack, within the last six months. Those with poorly controlled diabetes also cannot take part.

For more information, contact Jasmine Mensah at (410) 710-2693 or jmensah2@jhmi.edu.

BEACON BITS

May 6

CYCLE TO THE FARMER’S MARKET The Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar is calling all cyclists to

bike down to the market on Sunday, May 6, to celebrate National Bike Month. In addition to its usual food stations and local artisans, the market will also have a giveaway, advocacy group and more. The market is taking place on Saratoga Street, between Holliday and Gay Streets, underneath the Jones Falls Expressway, and is open from 7 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/BmoreFarmersMarket.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 8

11

Fish oil capsules may not help your heart

By Julie Corliss Every day, millions of people swallow fish oil capsules, many of them lured by the promise that the pills will help them cast off heart disease. In fact, the label of one popular brand includes the line, “May reduce coronary heart disease risk.”

Don’t take the bait: these bold marketing claims haven’t caught up with the latest science. Last year, the American Heart Association (AHA) issued an updated advisory about fish oil supplements and their cardiovascular benefits.

Their verdict: fish oil supplements may slightly lower the risk of dying of heart failure or after a recent heart attack. But they do not prevent heart disease.

The AHA’s earlier recommendation, published in 2002, advised people with known heart disease to consume about a gram per day of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, ideally from eating fatty fish. But people could also consider omega-3 fatty acid supplements in consultation with a physician.

The early evidence for fish oil supplements looked promising. But over the past 15 years, many trials have compared them with placebos.

There is no evidence that taking fish oil supplements offers any benefit for people prone to cardiovascular disease, including those with diabetes, atrial fibrillation, or stroke.

Modest benefits for some

Not necessarily risk-free

“It’s probably not wise for any middleaged person to start taking fish oil supplements without the advice of a physician,” said Eric Rimm, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Even for people who do have heart disease, the potential benefits are quite modest, he noted.

If you’ve had a heart attack, taking about a gram (1,000 mg.) of fish oil per day may lower your risk of sudden cardiac death by about 10 percent. In people with heart failure, fish oil supplements may reduce death and hospitalizations by about 9 percent.

Even so, some people — including those who aren’t in that small group who might benefit from the supplement — may be tempted to keep taking fish oil. They figure that it can’t hurt and just might help.

But that’s not necessarily true, according to Rimm. Although “there’s still good evidence that eating fish twice a week may help lower heart disease risk,” he said, the concentrated oil found in supplements is not entirely without risk.

As is true for all dietary supplements, there is no oversight or regulation regarding the source, quality or amount of active ingredient in these over-the-counter products.

BEACON BITS

May 9

BONE DENSITY SCREENING The Essex Senior Center is hosting free bone density screenings

on Wednesday, May 9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The center is located at 600 Dorsey Ave. For more information, call (410) 887-0267.

Some studies have detected trace amounts of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in some brands of fish oil supplements. Although these industrial chemicals were banned in 1979 after they were linked to cancer, they’re still found in fish exposed to water contaminated from soil runoff.

Other research has revealed that some supplement brands don’t provide the amounts of DHA and EPA advertised on their labels.

It’s also worth noting that fish oil may reduce formation of blood clots. That’s potentially beneficial, but only up to a point.

Too much fish oil may increase bleeding risk, particularly in people who also take anti-clotting medications, including warfarin (Coumadin) and low-dose aspirin.

Many people take low-dose aspirin for heart attack prevention, Rimm pointed out. “Taking fish oil on top of that may not only have no benefit, it may even have some risks that we don’t realize because we haven’t studied them.”

Julie Corliss is executive editor of Harvard Heart Letter. © 2018. President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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M AY 2 0 1 8 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

Try stuffed tomatoes instead of peppers

By Melissa D’Arabian Does your meatless Monday game need an overhaul?

As a meat-eater myself, I find that the trick to meatless meal-making is to have a small repertoire of recipes that can work as a side dish or first course, or be eaten in larger quantities as a vegetarian main dish.

This is the same strategy I use when hosting a vegetarian in my home.

Today’s Quinoa-Stuffed Tomatoes fits the bill perfectly. Serve one tomato as a tasty and toothsome side along some roasted chicken or sliced beef tenderloin, or double up for a vegetarian meal that will fill you up, even if you aren’t vegetarian.

These tomatoes can be made in advance, so they are equally brilliant for both company dinners and weeknight family suppers.

For this recipe, tomatoes, a favorite source of heart-healthy lycopene, are

stuffed with quinoa and sauteed eggplant and mushrooms, both hefty, meaty vegetables. You can swap out the quinoa for brown rice, and use whatever veggies you find in the crisper drawer, or even in your freezer.

Baking tomatoes is an excellent strategy for using up the less-than-perfectly-sweet ones that winter can bring. A big bonus: roasted tomatoes are simply gorgeous, appealing to our farm-to-table sensibilities.

While I don’t think you’ll miss the meat, if you must, feel free to add a little cooked ground meat right into the filling. Either way, you’ll have a healthy and hearty dish that is a nice change from the classic stuffed pepper.

And as for the pulpy, fleshy middle of the tomato that you’ll remove to stuff it: don’t throw it out! Blend it up — juice, seeds and all — with a little garlic and onion, and then mix it into your next tomato-based pasta sauce, or use it as part of

your liquid next time you make rice.

Quinoa-Stuffed Tomatoes Servings: 8 (side); 4 (main) Start to finish: 1 hour, including inactive cooking time 8 medium sized tomatoes 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 3/4 cup) 1 small eggplant, cut into small dice (1/2 inch), about 2 cups 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup roughly chopped or sliced white mushrooms 3 tablespoons dry white wine 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 1 1/2 cup cooked quinoa 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Our legacy is going strong.

Just like our patients.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Slice off the top of each tomato, reserving the tops.

Run a paring knife around the inner rim of the tomato, loosening up the flesh on the inside of the tomato. Use a small spoon and scoop out the flesh, juice and seeds of the tomato. (Either discard or pulse in blender to use in a tomato sauce.)

Sprinkle the insides of the tomatoes with half the salt and set aside. In a large saute pan, cook the onion and eggplant in the olive oil over medium high heat until vegetables start to soften, about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms soften, about 5 more minutes.

Pour in the wine and stir to let it evaporate. Add the basil, quinoa, remaining salt and pepper and turn off the heat. Stir in the parmesan cheese. Gently spoon the filling into the empty tomatoes, and top each one with a reserved tomato top.

Place the tomatoes in a baking dish sprayed with a little olive oil from a mister (or nonstick spray). Then mist the tomatoes themselves with a quick spray of olive oil from a mister.

Cover the dish with an oven-safe lid or foil. (Tip: Crinkle up foil into a ball if you need to secure tomatoes in baking dish so they don’t slide around.) Bake until the tomatoes are tender and quinoa mixture is hot, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Chef’s note: The recipe works well with up to a half pound of cooked ground meat added to the filling, if desired.

Nutrition information per serving: 115 calories; 26 calories from fat; 3 g. fat (1 g. saturated; 0 g. trans fats); 2 mg. cholesterol; 176 mg. sodium; 19 g. carbohydrate; 5 g. fiber; 6 g. sugar; 5 g. protein.

Food Network star Melissa d’Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook, “Supermarket Healthy.” Online: http://www.melissadarabian.net

BEACON BITS

May 17

BLACK PANTHER COMICS TALK

Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer and author of Marvel’s The Black Panther

For nearly 50 years, MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital has provided comprehensive

comic book series Ta-Nehisi Coates

inpatient rehabilitation for patients recovering from stroke, amputation, spinal cord injury

will visit the Baltimore Museum of Art

and complex medical conditions. In partnership with MedStar National Rehabilitation Network, our team focuses on each patient’s capabilities rather than disabilities, so

as part of the museum’s Necessity of Tomorrow(s) series on Thursday, May

he or she can become as independent as possible, adding life to years®. To learn more, visit MedStarGoodSam.org/PatientRehab or call 855-546-1864.

17 from 6 to 10 p.m. Admission is free, and seating will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, call (443) 573-1700 or visit www.artbma.org.

B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Money Law &

13

NON-NEGOTIABLE If you hate to haggle at auto dealerships, do your homework first to determine the best prices, and get offers via email NO PENSION? Take Social Security at 70, stick with stocks, and draw down savings carefully to help your money last through retirement

How to spot scams in the mail and online

By Sean McDonnell There is no shortage of ways for crooks to try to separate you from your money. All it takes is letting your guard down for one moment, or overlooking the warning signs of fraud, for scammers to steal your personal information.

In 2016, thieves stole more than $16 billion from 15.4 million consumers, according to a report by Javelin Strategy & Research. Older adults are frequently the targets. A report published last August in the American Journal of Public Health found that one in 18 older Americans falls victim to a financial fraud or scam each year.

As a financial adviser to many retired clients, I can attest that identity theft and cybersecurity are among the top financial concerns of older adults.

It’s now common for me to talk with clients not about their portfolios, but about a suspicious email or letter. I’ve also been the target of financial scam attempts myself.

In the past couple of months, I’ve encountered three types of scams for the first time. All told, I’ve learned to decipher the tell-tale signs of financial scam artists.

Here are three real-life examples of fi-

nancial scams, and how to tell when someone is trying to take advantage of you.

Your long-lost relative Although digital data breaches and pandemic malware get the headlines, thieves continue to use old-fashioned forms of communication, such as the phone and regular postal mail, to deceive their victims.

You should have seen the looks on my teen sons’ faces when I showed them the letter that arrived in our mailbox. It was sent from Alfred Consultants in Newmarket, Ontario, and it detailed some fantastic news — my recently deceased ancestor, James McDonnell, had left me $4.2 million.

The letter looked official. It had the consultant’s name in big bold letters. It was marked “private and personal” and it even listed a reference number.

The consultant explained in the letter that he was already in possession of the funds and could easily transfer them to me. My boys were excited about our newfound wealth and asked how soon we would get the money.

That’s when I pointed out the letter’s

many flaws, which are also prevalent in spam emails: • There were many grammatical errors and inconsistencies. For example, the letter omitted proper salutations and my first name. It was addressed not to “Sean” or “Mr.” but to “Dear McDonnell.” Further, the contact email provided was bernardoconsultants@gmail.com, which is not consistent with the company’s name, Alfred Consultants. (Not to mention, using a gmail address rather than an official company email address is suspicious in itself.)

• The consultant requested that we only communicate by email or fax — not by phone or mail. That’s a red flag suggesting they are attempting to avoid federal antifraud laws.

• While I do have multiple ancestors named James, it’s also a common name that could have been easily pulled from public records or simply guessed.

• The consultant should not already have possession of the funds, even if they really existed, for obvious reasons.

• Finally, the consultant had already deemed me as the sole heir, instead of first trying to determine if I was of any relation

to the late James McDonnell he spoke of.

While it may seem that these apparent mistakes are the work of an unintelligent scammer, there’s actually a method to the ineptitude. Fraudsters purposefully place errors in letters and emails to quickly weed out more discerning individuals who are least likely to give up valuable personal information.

Needless to say, my sons’ dreams of shiny new sports cars for their 16th birthdays were dashed. But they learned the valuable lesson that things that seem too good to be true often are.

Social media quizzes Social media is, well, social. Every day we share photos and experiences with our friends and family. But, unknowingly, we may be also sharing valuable information with unwanted strangers. With more than 2 billion active users worldwide on Facebook alone, scammers are all over social media platforms, searching for users to con.

One popular ploy used by scammers are those quizzes and surveys people freSee SPOT SCAMS, page 14

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Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Spot scams From page 13 quently complete and share. They typically promise a free gift, or offer to reveal what movie character you’re most like or what city you should live in.

All you have to do is answer what seem like innocuous personal questions, such as: What’s your favorite color? Who was your favorite teacher? What’s the name of the street you grew up on? Who was your best man/maid of honor? What was the model of your first car? And, so on.

Take a moment to think about these

questions. You may realize they are familiar. That’s because many websites require you to answer similar security questions before you can gain access to things like your bank or credit card account. What seems like a harmless gimmick is a way for scammers to collect personally identifiable information that can be used to defraud you.

By filling out one of these surveys, you could unwittingly be giving crooks the keys to your money. Further, people often click “accept” on the terms and conditions of a social media site or app without a second thought, granting permission to pass

M AY 2 0 1 8 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

on their data.

When in doubt, never click on an unfamiliar link or widely share your personal details. Consider even setting your social profiles to private so that you can better control who sees your posts.

Social media can be a great way to keep in touch with family and friends, but always be careful with what you share. There’s no way to know who is keeping watch.

Warning! Warning! Click this link!

Imagine that while you’re reading this article, a window pops up on your computer screen that said: “*Microsoft Warning Alert*: Your computer has been hacked!

Please call us immediately at 800-555-5555.

Do not ignore this critical alert. If you close this page, your computer will be disabled. If you do not call in the next five minutes your data will be lost.”

Scammers like to try to use our emotions against us. In this case, preying on our anxiety when an alert suddenly appears.

A friend of mine recently received a warning message just like it, and with no time to spare, quickly called the number listed. A member of the “Microsoft Security Team” informed him that he did, indeed, have a breach on his computer.

They told him they could clean the hard drive remotely for $550. All he needed to do was provide his banking information and then click on a link in an email they would send, which would allow remote access to his computer.

The red flags in this scam are relatively easy to spot. First, Microsoft is not going to contact you about a hack on your individual computer.

Second, no one other than a legitimate financial institution should ever ask for your bank account information.

Finally, no one with good intentions will solicit you for remote access to your computer. Once in, scammers can further infect your computer with malware and steal any personal information that you may have stored or that you enter thereafter.

Commands to take immediate action to resolve an issue should be met with a healthy dose of skepticism. Better yet, always treat anyone or anything that involves your money or personal information with the utmost caution.

Ask a lot of questions. When in doubt, seek the advice of friends or relatives. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

BEACON BITS

Apr. 23

FINANCIAL MARKET UPDATE

Join Matthew Dunigan from Edward Jones to get a free market update and to discuss investments at the Arbutus Senior Center on Monday, April 23 at 10 a.m. The center is located at 855A Sulphur Spring Rd. in Arbutus. For more information, call (410) 887-1410.

Apr. 30

ESTATE PLANNING TIPS

James Sweet-Laughlin from The Laughlin Group will give a free presentation about estate planning at the Catonsville Senior Center on Monday, April 30 at 12:45 p.m. RSVP is required by Wednesday, April 25. Admission is free. The center is located at 501 N. Rolling Rd. in Catonsville. For more information, call (410) 887-0900.

Woodholme Gardens

Assisted Living & Memory Care

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 8

15

How to negotiate a car if you hate haggling

By Philip Reed A short stint as a car salesman taught me that dealers are pros who negotiate all day for a living — and they always have the home field advantage.

Later, while buying dozens of test vehicles for an automotive website, I was on the other side of negotiations, and experienced the tricks dealers use to pressure buyers.

I’ve found that simple, non-confrontational negotiating tactics can even help car shoppers who hate to haggle still get the best deal possible. These strategies, combined with online tools, can keep car shopping from turning into a battle with the dealer.

Here are five ways to level the playing field:

1. Know your numbers In the car business, there’s a saying: “Hit ‘em with high numbers — then scrape them off the ceiling and make a deal.” But if you have a good idea of what you should pay for a car, this trick won’t work.

Picture this: The dealer said an SUV is $27,500, but your research found the current price is $24,500. Do you think you’ll have trouble saying no?

Research the key numbers first, and that knowledge will guide you through the negotiation and depersonalize the interaction, since you’re relying on data rather than opinion or emotion to establish the sales price.

Here are the numbers you should know: — The current market value of the car you want to buy, which you can research on sites like Edmunds, Kelley Blue Book or TrueCar — Any incentives you might qualify for,

such as customer cash back or low-interest financing — The trade-in value of your current car — Estimated fees and local sales tax With these figures, you can determine a target price to empower you in negotiations.

2. Negotiate remotely Once you test drive the car and know what you want, leave the dealership, as you can do almost everything else from home.

This means that if you don’t like the numbers or how you’re being treated during a negotiation, you don’t have to physically leave the dealership. Instead, you can just say goodbye if you’re on the phone, or simply stop email or text communications.

To use this approach, call the dealership and ask for the Internet department. Or email the Internet manager through the company’s website.

Often the response to a remote query will be, “Come on down! We’ll take care of you!” Instead, say: “I already test drove the car and I know what I want. Now, I’m shopping for my best price.”

3. Shop your price Once you get a price from one dealership, you can “shop” it by contacting other dealers for a quote. Tell the other dealers that you already have an offer in hand.

Dealers often test competitors prices so they know what figure they’ll have to offer to win the sale.

A dealer might say, “We’ll beat any competitor’s price.” Instead of tipping your hand and giving them a number to beat (so they can shave off a few hundred bucks),

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just ask for their best price.

4. Be unpredictable Salespeople are encouraged to control customers by pressuring them into a test drive, getting them into a sales office, and working to close the deal quickly. If you prefer to visit a dealership to hammer out a deal — which I don’t recommend — make sure you’re calling the shots.

A quick way to show you can’t be controlled is to be unpredictable. When you make an offer on a car, and the salesperson leaves to “take the offer to my boss,” you should also leave the sales office. Tell the salesperson, “I need to get something from my car.” Or leave without explanation and walk around the showroom. Believe me, they’ll find you in a hurry.

5. Negotiate with your feet I had a retired friend with time on his hands who liked to go to dealerships, kick-

ing the tires on a new car. He let the salesman talk awhile, and then he would walk out — twice. On the third visit, my friend bought the car, figuring the salesman negotiated himself down to his lowest offer.

Another friend of mine brought his restless 2-year-old into the sales office. When negotiations stalled, he picked up his child and prepared to leave. That simple move dropped the price $750. Remember, body language can speak louder than words.

Make sure enticing offers are really as good as they appear. Before you agree to any deal, ask for a breakdown of fees to see the total — or the “out the door” — price.

In some cases, dealerships insert bogus charges or inflate the documentation fee to try to take back some profit they gave away. Once you know the total price, and if it still looks good, you can buy with the confidence of knowing that you’re a savvy negotiator.

— AP

16

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M AY 2 0 1 8 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

No pension? How to make your money last

By Anya Kamenetz Delay retirement until age 70. Invest in stocks, not bonds. And draw down your retirement account savings in line with IRS rules on required minimum distributions (RMDs), which start at 3.6 percent a year at age 70 1/2.

That’s the safest recipe for retirement planning, according to a new analysis (“How to Pensionize any IRA or 401(k)”) from the Stanford Center on Longevity at Stanford University.

Steve Vernon, who calls his strategy Spend Safely in Retirement, has spent his career as a consulting actuary for big companies’ retirement plans. For this report, he used statistics to actuarially compare 292 different retirement strategies.

“There is no perfect income solution for retirement, and people can shoot holes in anything you suggest,” he said. But “this

one came out looking pretty good.”

Take Social Security at 70 The first dictate of his strategy — pushing retirement to age 70 — is probably the biggest stumbling block psychologically for a lot of people. But Vernon’s calculations show that about the worst thing you can do for your long-term planning is take early Social Security benefits at age 62.

For every year you delay up to age 70, you get more in monthly benefits for the rest of your life. And that’s a good deal for most people with today’s life expectancies.

“You get a better deal if you can wait,” Vernon said.

The only time he would endorse taking the distribution early is if you have a terminal illness. Even folks who are overweight or smokers should keep working as long as they can, he said.

However, it’s OK to leave a high-powered job and work just to cover living expenses for most of your 60s. Even delaying until age 68 will capture a lot of the benefit here, too.

Stick with stocks The second big insight is that this plan essentially treats Social Security as the guaranteed-income portion of your retirement portfolio.

Classic portfolio planning theory prescribes shifting from all stocks in your early working years, to a mixture of stocks and bonds as you get older, and finally to nearly all bonds at retirement. Vernon’s calculations show that there is no need for this.

For most people with less than a million dollars at retirement, Social Security will represent 66 to 80 percent of your retirement income — and, again, that is a guaranteed, predictable monthly amount. (This

We Turn Addresses

into homes

MOST COMMUNITIE S ARE 62 AND B ET T ER

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

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analysis doesn’t take into consideration the chances of Social Security going away any time soon.)

Vernon’s top recommendation for investment allocation (again, based on actuarial projections) is a 100 percent stock index fund at retirement. But he knows that idea will freak a lot of people out, so he’s willing to permit using a “target-date fund” instead. [These funds automatically adjust their allocation among stocks, bonds and cash investments based on an expected year of retirement.]

How to draw down savings Finally, the third piece of the puzzle is how much money to take out of your retirement funds every year once you do retire.

Vernon said too many people have a haphazard approach. They either sip their drink too slowly and die with money in the bank, or take it down in big gulps and have nothing for a rainy day.

People can spend a lot of money on an annuity that promises guaranteed income, but Vernon said that’s one of the worst things you can do because of the high costs.

Instead, create a predictable income stream out of your own savings by following the IRS RMD standards for 401(k) plans, traditional IRAs and certain other defined-contribution plans. [These are designed to annuitize your withdrawals to help your money last for the rest of your life expectancy.]

This rule of thumb will help you calculate your monthly budget in retirement. If needed, you can start looking now for ways to reduce living expenses.

The Spend Safely in Retirement system is so simple that people should be able to enact it on their own. “This is a way that people who don’t work with a financial adviser can generate income from an IRA or 401(k),” he said. “And it’s also a strategy that any 401(k) operator can put in their plan.”

To read the full report, go to http:// bit.ly/no-pension.

Anya Kamenetz welcomes your questions at diyubook@gmail.com. © 2018 Anya Kamenetz. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Apr. 24

IDENTITY THEFT TALK

Join Public Safety Officer Debby

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Chenoweth from the Baltimore

Park View at Bladensburg: 301-699-9785 • 55 & Better Park View at Laurel: 301-490-1526 Park View at Laurel II: 301-490-9730

County Police Department Financial and Cyber Crimes Unit to learn about identity theft on Tuesday, April 24, at 1 p.m. This free session will be held at the Seven Oaks Senior Center,

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

9210 Seven Courts Dr. Advance sign

www.rhomecommunities.com

up is required. For more information or to register, call (410) 887-5192.

MOST COMMUNITIES ARE PET-FRIENDLY

B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Travel

17

Leisure &

Check ratings to avoid the worst and busiest airports. See story on page 19.

A look at new ships and trends in cruising Cruising with grandkids The Cruise Lines International Association, which represents most of the world’s major cruise brands, noticed another new phenomenon: “skip-gen” cruising.

Grandparents are cruising with grandkids, but sometimes skipping a generation by sailing without mom and dad. Most cruises provide a range of children’s programming so grandparents aren’t baby-sitting all day, while also offering activities, excursions, meals and shows that all ages can enjoy together.

The cruise industry continues to grow, with 27 million cruisers expected in 2018, a million more than last year and up from 18 million in 1979. There are also 27 new ships coming out in 2018, according to CLIA: 10 for river cruising, 17 for ocean.

“We’re in our golden age,” said CLIA Chairman Arnold Donald, who is also CEO of Carnival Corp., at a Jan. 25 meeting in New York. “Cruising has never been more popular.”

Royal, Norwegian and Holland

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROYAL CARIBBEAN

Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas will be the world’s largest cruise ship when it launches this spring. Its inaugural season will be in Europe, with sailings from Miami beginning in November.

Features include a laser tag arena, Bionic Bar where robots make drinks, a 10story racing slide called Ultimate Abyss, rock climbing and ice skating. The ship will host a production of the Broadway hit Hairspray and its sports bar will feature 30 big-screen TVs. A luxury family suite for eight includes a two-story slide, private movie theater, Lego wall and secret crawl space. But it’s not for Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas, which set sail for the first time in April, is the world’s largest cruise ship, with room for 9,000 passengers. The ship includes a “Central Park,” with more than 12,000 trees and plants.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HOLLAND AMERICA

By Beth J. Harpaz What’s new in cruising this year? As usual, there’s lots of razzle-dazzle — laser tag, water slides, zip lines and massive LED screens — along with a continued emphasis on healthy lifestyle options, from dining to fitness.

But there are also changes underway in ship design, itineraries and who’s cruising.

New ships are offering more outdoor spaces and views of the sea — with promenades, boardwalk-style decks, glass walls, transparent walkways and see-through slides.

Small ships, river ships and expedition cruises are booming, with more itineraries in cold-water destinations like Iceland, Greenland and the polar regions. Alaska cruises are as popular as ever, for big and small vessels.

There’s a new focus on marketing to millennials, many of whom cruised as kids. Royal Caribbean says its shorter cruises — like three- and four-night Miami-Bahamas trips on the Mariner of the Seas next summer — appeal to younger travelers who may prefer shorter vacations over weeklong trips. Uniworld is offering “U by Uniworld” river cruises for ages 21 to 45 only, with European itineraries that include music festivals.

Holland America will launch the Nieuw Statendam cruise ship in December. In addition to the outdoor pool and hot tubs, the ship will feature a stage with a two-story, 270-degree wraparound LED screen, and three lounges for various musical genres.

budget cruising: It’s priced in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Bliss also launches this spring and heads to Alaska. It’s designed for enjoying natural scenery, with a 180-degree observation lounge perfect for watching glaciers. Recreation includes laser tag, a race course for electric go-karts, and a waterslide with a transparent tube that swooshes you along the side of the ship.

Other features include a Beatles club with a cover band, and a spa with a snow room and a salt room.

Norwegian is starting to move away from the celebrity chef craze, but dining options will include a barbecue spot called Q, Los Lobos for Mexican food, and Food Republic, where dishes like ceviche or Asian noodles can be ordered from an iPad. Holland America Line launches the Nieuw Statendam in December. The ship’s features include World Stage, an entertainment venue with a two-story, 270-degree wraparound LED screen; Music Walk, where three lounges offer different genres of music; and BLEND, where guests can blend their own wine.

Holland America is also continuing a partnership with O, The Oprah Magazine, through 2018, on 300 cruises with programs for meditation, health, style, and even a book club that’s included onboard appearances by authors like Elizabeth

Strout. Holland America Line is also starting round-trip Boston-Cuba trips this year.

Celebrity, Carnival and MSC Celebrity Edge begins sailing in November. Its futuristic design concepts include the Magic Carpet — a cantilevered movable deck that will serve as a walkway as well as a place to enjoy ocean views and a space for live music and themed dining.

The new ship also features a venue called Eden with a three-level window on the ocean, al fresco seating, walkways, and an “Eve at Eden” experience that will blend performance art and unique culinary offerings.

Carnival Horizon debuts in April with a Dr. Seuss-themed water park, an eatery called Smokehouse Brewhouse featuring Guy Fieri barbecue and craft beers brewed onboard, and an LED Dreamscape atrium sculpture that will show artwork by patients of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a Carnival charity partner.

Carnival Vista already has the threedeck-high Dreamscape light panels. Other fun features on Carnival ships range from “Green Eggs and Ham”-themed breakfasts for kids, to “Lip Sync Battles” a la the popular Spike TV (now Paramount) show, to custom cocktails at the Alchemy Bar. MSC Cruises are better known in EuSee CRUISING, page 18

18

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Letters to editor From page 2 She visits a pain center every month, is prescribed painkillers, and must account for every pill. With this opioid painkiller, she can walk her dog, go to church, take care of her needs — and she has never felt euphoria from them.

M AY 2 0 1 8 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

The decision to stop Medicare reimbursement has, according to the Times article, been made by Dr. Demetrios Kouzoukas, Principal Administrative Director for Medicare, 7500 Security Blvd., Baltimore, Md. 21244.

I am hoping that your publication will give senior citizens the heads-up so that any person who truly needs these medications, and their advocates, will convince Medicare

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC TEACHER

The Marching Elite Foundation is looking for volunteer teachers of marching brass and woodwinds. Volunteers should be proficient in either brass or woodwinds, and should be able to commit to Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 6 to 8 p.m., or Saturdays, from 1 to 3 p.m. Positions are available in Cherry Hill and Owings Mills. For more information, visit www.themarchingelite.org.

May 12

needed to go get an apple for my diabetes.

By the time I got back to the front door the driver had left (less than 3 minutes).

I am supposed to go out to the van and risk a diabetic fit to meet their needs? This is supposed to be a service for people with disabilities?

Alice Dole Baltimore

Cruising

walks, two zip lines, a four-deck atrium, Aurea spa with a snow room, and beach like condo suites. You can even see the sea from glass elevators.

Seaside, with a 4,100-guest capacity, is based in Miami for Caribbean itineraries.

Its sister ship, MSC Seaview, launches in June with Mediterranean cruises for its in— AP augural season.

From page 17 rope than North America, but the brand is working to change that. In December, MSC Seaside launched and was named best new ship of 2017 by CruiseCritic.com.

It features an interactive aqua-park, open-air promenade with glass-floor cat-

PLANT A RAIN GARDEN

The Gunpowder Valley Conservancy is looking for volunteers to help install a rain garden on Saturday, May 12 at the Zion United Church of Christ in Nottingham at 8701 Cottington Rd. No experience is necessary. The work begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m. For more information, contact Amy Young at ayoung@gunpowdervc.org.

Ongoing

to come out with a more flexible plan.

Dorian Borsella Baltimore Dear Editor: I was waiting for Mobility to pick me up and fell asleep. When I heard my phone ring, I jumped up and ran outside. I told the driver I was ready to go, but I felt shaky on running down the stairs, and just

HELP KIDS LEARN COOL THINGS

The Maryland Science Center is looking for team members to facilitate the running of The Shed, a “makerspace” program for children. Duties include supporting children’s learning through hands-on activities, maintenance and customer service. The center is located at 601 Light St. Four-hour shifts are available, Tuesday through Friday. For more information, visit www.marylandsciencecenter.org.

BEACON BITS

Apr. 27

CAPTIONED PHONES

There will be a free Lunch and Learn program to explain how to qualify for a Clear Captions Ensemble Amplified Captioned phone on Friday, April 27 at 12:45 p.m. The phone displays text of conversations on a large color touch screen. Lunch takes place at the Seven Oaks Senior Center, 9210 Seven Courts Dr. Advance sign-up is required. For more information, call (410) 887-5192.

May 1

LAW DAY SESSIONS In honor of Law Day, attorneys will be hosting free sessions in senior centers in the Baltimore area. To find out when they are coming to a center near you, call (410) 887-4724.

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There is finally a computer that’s designed for simplicity and ease of use. It’s the WOW Computer, and it was designed with you in mind. This computer is easy-to-use, worryfree and literally puts the world at your fingertips. From the moment you open the box, you’ll realize how different the WOW Computer is. The components are all connected; all you do is plug it into an outlet and your highspeed Internet connection. Then you’ll see the screen. This is a completely new touch screen system, without the cluttered look of the normal computer screen. The “buttons” on the screen are easy to see and easy to understand. All you do is touch one of them, from the Web, Email, Calendar to Games– you name it… and a new screen opens up. It’s so easy to use you won’t have to ask your children or grandchildren for help. Until

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B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

19

Look at ratings to avoid the worst airports With airport ratings, checking out the with varying satisfaction scores: “best” list doesn’t really matter much.

• Chicago: Midway outscores O’Hare After all, if you want to go to Alby at least a little bit. buquerque, the fact that Orlan• Dallas-Ft. Worth: Love do Airport earns better scores Field outscores Internationdoesn’t help much. al, but both score well.

At the other end of the scale, • Houston: Both airports however, looking at the “worst” score well. airport lists can sometimes help • Los Angeles: Burbank you decrease your risk of proband Orange County outscore lems and hassles: International; Long Beach • At a multi-airport city, you isn’t scored. might want to try for a flight • New York: All three mega to/from the better of the alterna- TRAVEL TIPS airports earn embarrassingly

By Ed Perkins tives. low scores, but JFK does some• If you’re making a connection, you what better than La Guardia or Newark, might want to select an itinerary that which are the only airports scoring below 700 avoids the least friendly hub airports. on Power’s 1,000-point scale.

• San Francisco: International outscores Bad big airports Oakland and San Jose, but all score reasonAccording to the latest J. D. Power sur- ably well. vey of U.S. airport customer satisfaction, a • Washington: Baltimore, Dulles and few rate well below average for their size: Reagan National all score well and about • The lowest-rated mega airports are the same.

New York/JFK, Chicago/O’Hare, Los AnTraffic concerns geles, and Newark.

A new consideration in airport choice is • The lowest-rated large airports are Philadelphia and New York/La Guardia; in emerging: avoiding city traffic congestion. fact, La Guardia scores lowest of all air- Urban traffic jams have become so annoying that “other side of town” airports are ports in the report.

• The lowest-ranking medium airports starting to become important.

In the San Francisco Bay area, for exam— the smallest that Power studied — are Columbus, Omaha, San Antonio, Kahului, ple, traffic across the Golden Gate Bridge Cleveland, and Hartford-Springfield. But and through the city has become so bad all six earn scores that are well above the for folks heading to/from Marin and Sonoma that airlines have recently added a average scored in the larger two groups. bunch of new destinations and flights at Santa Rosa.

Cities with a choice Seattle traffic has become bad enough You have no real alternative in most U.S. cities. If you’re heading to Philadelphia, for that Alaska has decided to start flying example, you can’t escape its low-scoring to/from Everett, north of the city center, airport. But seven big U.S. metro areas with other lines to follow.

And you see frequent reports from folks provide two or more alternatives, some

BEACON BITS

Apr. 28

COMMUNTIY CLEAN-UP

Join the St. Francis Neighborhood Center for a Community CleanUp on Saturday, April 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at South Lot, German Park and SFNC yard. Registration is not required. For more information, email rzuckerman@stfranciscenter.org.

in Georgia, who want to open a new Atlanta airport north of the city.

Although access to Manhattan is terrible, travelers heading to/from some parts of the New York area can minimize traffic problems by flying at Islip, Newburgh, or White Plains, despite much fewer flight options.

J. D. Power scores can also help influence choice of hub airports: • Avoid hubbing in New York/Newark or New York/JFK on any airline connections if alternatives are available. Both airports are especially difficult for connections between different airlines.

• American’s hubs at Charlotte and Dallas-Ft. Worth International outscore its hubs at Chicago/O’Hare and Philadelphia.

• Delta’s main hubs at Atlanta, Detroit,

Minneapolis-St. Paul and Salt Lake City all score well.

• United’s hubs at Newark and Chicago/ O’Hare both score poorly; Houston/ Bush, San Francisco and Washington/ Dulles are better alternatives when they work.

The Power study did not include any foreign airports, but Munich has become Europe’s consensus “best hub.” Low-fare travelers also find Reykjavik an easy airport to navigate, although rapid traffic growth is apparently creating some crowding.

At this point, Asia’s many big, new airports all make hubbing relatively easy, although you can expect some long walks.

Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. © 2018 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

20

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M AY 2 0 1 8 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Style

21

Arts &

Newsies dances across the stage at Toby’s Dinner Theatre. Read a review on page 22.

Bringing a lifetime of experience to writing Mary Azrael) Kendra Kopelke, was to bring attention to writers over 50 by giving them opportunities to publish with a nationally recognized press.

“At that time, it was unusual to find men and women writing in their 80s and 90s.

But now, more and more authors join those ranks every day,” said Kopelke, noting that in each issue, approximately 18 writers in a mix of genres are published.

“We look for originality and imagination, either something said in a new way or something new being said,” Kopelke said.

Passager Books was founded in 2005, and has published anthologies, poetry collections, short fiction and memoirs by authors whose work has appeared in the Passager journal. The writers range from firsttimers to well-known authors.

In a video on Passager’s website (www.passagerbooks.com), Kopelke talks about one writer who calls her writing a “fairy tale,” Kopelke related, “because at 92 her dream is coming true.”

That writer, Joyce Abell, said that older writers write because “we want our children and our grandchildren to remember us. And to know this remarkable era we were part of.”

A press for poets 50+

Celebrating a long life

Brewer’s first book, A Little Breast Music, was published by the journal Passager, which is headquartered here in Baltimore. Founded in 1990, the idea behind Passager, according to co-editor (with

Another of Passager’s published authors is Henry Morgenthau III, whose father, Henry Morgenthau, Jr., was the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury during the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Morgenthau’s first book was published

by Passager Books when he was 99. He’s now 101, and giving readings of his work.

He doesn’t want to be known as “Henry, the third,” but simply as Henry, a poet who brings audience members to their feet.

“Writing poetry is a celebration of the evening of a long life, a coda, a striking new expression of my inner being,” said Morgenthau. “Why I waited so long, I don’t know.”

Brewer works on her writing every day — whether she’s reading, daydreaming, tutoring aspiring writers from youngsters to retirement community residents, or actually writing herself.

Brewer believes that older writers bring a lifetime of experience to their work. “I still write about things that happened in high school,” she said.

“Older writers write about the same things as younger writers,” said Kopelke, whether that’s love, family, adventure, their relationships to others, work, nature, etc.

“But older writers see those subjects through the lens of more experience,” Kopelke continued. “Additionally, they are wanting to reframe their lives in meaningful ways, wanting to understand who they

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHIRLEY BREWERA

By Carol Sorgen It’s never too late to become a published poet (or a writer of any genre, for that matter).

Just look at Shirley Brewer. The 70-yearold Charles Village resident wrote poetry while she was in high school and college, but then put her writing aside as she worked as a speech therapist for 32 years.

“I used poetry with my clients to help them with their pronunciation,” Brewer said. But it wasn’t until she took a creative writing course at the age of 49 that her own poetic leanings were rejuvenated.

“I was hooked,” she said. “I was using my imagination again.”

Brewer then took a poetry class and several workshops. And when she retired in 2001, she went back to school to pursue a graduate degree in Creative Writing and Publishing Arts at the University of Baltimore.

Since graduating (which is not a pre-requisite for becoming a published writer, Brewer hastens to say), she has had three books of poetry published: A Little Breast Music, After Words, and Bistro in Another Realm.

She is now working on two new manuscripts, saying proudly, “I’m not slowing down!”

Shirley Brewer wrote poetry in her youth, and then rekindled her interest decades later. She has since published three books of poetry, and is working on two more.

are now.

“They have an urgency and passion to write. Older writers may be less interested in pleasing an audience and more interestSee POETS, page 23

NOW ON STAGE - JUNE 10

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M AY 2 0 1 8 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

Energetic cast enlivens Disney’s Newsies to Toby’s small stage at its theater-in-theround. A dozen newsies manage perfectly synchronized dance moves, handstands and even aerial flips without crashing into each other as they move the story along.

On strike And the story is this: Pulitzer decides he wants to add to his vast fortune by forcing the newsies to pay a higher wholesale price to buy the papers (or “papes” as they’re called in the vernacular of the time) that they sell on the streets.

As the boys bemoan this latest twist of fate, leader Jack Kelly takes a stand and calls for a strike by the newsies in his neighborhood. Then he works to organize a strike throughout all of New York’s boroughs.

Scabs are called in to take over the jobs.

Thugs crash onto stage to bash the newsies in several scenes of violence.

Somewhat incongruously tacked onto this is a love story between Jack and reporter Katherine Plumber, who endeavors to cover the strike before her boss censors her.

Katherine, along with the sporadic appearance of Medda Larkin, who owns a vaudeville theater, may be in Newsies because they are the only two women with roles of any substance in a show filled with

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By Barbara Ruben The ragtag group of orphans and homeless youth who hawked newspapers on street corners in 1899 never could have dreamed how the delivery of news would be transformed 120 years in the future.

Nor could they have imagined that their story would be danced across stages throughout the country.

But the story told by Newsies has quite literally leapt from a dusty corner of history into an adroitly acrobatic musical. Now onstage at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, the show tells the story of how the impoverished New York newsies staged a strike against the newspaper magnates of the day, Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst.

It’s not exactly the kind of story you’d expect from Disney, but the company known for generally fluffier fare attempted to breathe life into the tale as musical movie in 1992 — and it promptly bombed at the box office.

However, it found a cult following on video, and Disney took it to Broadway a decade later, where it played for two years and garnered two Tony Awards: for Best Score, by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman, and for Best Choreography.

The same infectious energy that helped Newsies win for choreography carries over

Gregory Banks, who plays newspaper boy Specs in Newsies at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, leaps into the air in a scene from the musical, which is filled with song, dance and acrobatics.

young men portraying the newsies and older ones in the newspaper’s management.

At the same time, the story of the newsies seems to flag a bit in the middle, and all the fleet-footed dancing can’t disguise a book by Harvey Fierstein (who also wrote La Cage aux Folles and Kinky Boots) that can be a bit flat.

Excellent, energetic cast Toby’s has worked to overcome that by casting superb actors in many roles. Nineyear-old Cooper Trump as the youngest newsie Les may be Toby’s most outstanding newcomer. In his first acting role ever, he’s both adorable and shrewd, not to mention gymnastically gifted as he walks on his hands across the stage.

Tyler Smallwood, who played Michael in Toby’s production of Mary Poppins, portrays Les on alternate nights.

Matt Hirsh ably carries the role of Jack, who before leading the strike, pines to leave New York for the wide open space of Santa Fe. He implores his friend Crutchie (movingly played by Tyler Witt), so named for a disability that makes it difficult for him to walk, to go with him instead of dodging incarceration in the ironically named orphanage, the Refuge.

Gregory Banks, who plays newsie Specs, is a standout dancer and gymnast, defying gravity again and again.

In fact, all the newsies deserve credit for their agility and sheer energy, clambering See NEWSIES, page 23

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 8

Poets From page 21 ed in discovering their own truth.”

For Brewer, poetry has enriched her life in many ways. Reading and writing stimulate her imagination, not to mention her vocabulary, and the authors’ readings, writing workshops, and literary festivals

Newsies From page 22 up and down the scaffolding that cleverly serves as additional performance space above the audience. Each hour-long act, while they are in near-constant motion, must be exhausting, but they appear to never tire.

In an era of fake news accusations and ever-shrinking newspaper newsrooms, it’s refreshing to see just how dynamic and vital newspapers — and the boys who sold them — were to the fabric of daily life in the 19th century.

Newsies continues through June 10 at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, located at 5900 Symphony Woods Rd. in Columbia, Md. The show runs every day except Mondays, with evening and matinee performances. Doors open at 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, for dinner prior to the evening performances, which begin at 8 p.m. For Sunday evening performances,

form a large part of her social life.

“Poetry is definitely my passion,” said Brewer. “I want to get my books into the hands of people who will be inspired by what I’ve written.”

For those who feel the poetic muse calling, Brewer suggests reading the book poemcrazy: freeing your life with words.

And then, she advised, “Just get start-

ed. Take a class, get together with friends to read poetry or write your own and discuss it with each other, and attend events such as Baltimore’s CityLit or Baltimore Book Festival.

“Everyone has a creative capacity, but we don’t often give ourselves permission to go into that space,” said Brewer. “Don’t hesitate to begin.”

To learn more about Passager Books, see passagerbooks.com or email editors@ passagerbooks.com.

Area amateur poets are invited to enter the Beacon Celebration of the Arts, an online competition for amateur artists, poets and photographers 50 and over. For contest rules and to upload entries, visit mdfedart.com/BeaconCelebration.

which begin at 7 p.m., doors open at 5 p.m. for dinner.

On Wednesdays and Sundays, there are matinee performances, which open for brunch at 10:30 a.m., with shows beginning at 12:30 p.m.

Reservations are required. Ticket prices range from $45.50 (for children under 12) to $64, depending on the performance.

Ticket prices include buffet dinner or brunch, tea and coffee. Alcoholic drinks are extra.

The buffet meal features a selection of meats and sides (all helpfully marked vegetarian or gluten-free if applicable), including prime rib, roast turkey, fried fish, cocktail shrimp, a variety of vegetables, salad bar and more. Included on the menu during Newsies are Pulitzer’s Pasta with a three-cream sauce and Crutchie’s Chicken, with apples, onions and peppers.

Cake and unlimited ice cream are also included. You can also arrange to have coffee or alcohol brought to you during inter-

mission.

At Toby’s, the show’s actors also wait on tables. Their tips constitute much of their pay for their performances, so be sure to

tip well.

For more information or to reserve tickets, call (410) 730-8311 or visit www.tobysdinnertheatre.com.

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24

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Feikin From page 1 Kit,” which aired during the 1970s. At the same time, she also appeared in commercials and corporate videos throughout Baltimore and Washington, and returned to her love of acting, appearing in several films, including the popular Hairspray, where she played a geometry teacher.

Many awards and boards An avid supporter of the arts, Feikin has served on the boards of the Baltimore

School for the Arts and the Gordon Center for Performing Arts. She was a founder of Baltimore’s Center Stage in 1963, where she appeared in its first production, La Ronde.

For her longtime work in the broadcasting industry, Feikin has received the Women in Film and Video’s Charm City Award; was inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Gold Circle; and was named to Maryland’s Top 100 Women by The Daily Record newspaper. And when MPT created its Walk of Fame in 2010, hers was the first star un-

BEACON BITS

Apr. 21

PROHIBITION IN MARYLAND

The Enoch Pratt Library will host Michael T. Walsh, author of Baltimore Prohibition: Wet and Dry In the Free State, on Saturday, April 21 at 3 p.m. to discuss his findings about prohibition in Maryland. Free admission. The library is located at 1251 Light St. For more information, email info@theivybookshop.com.

May 10

D.C. DAYTRIP

Tour Hillwood Museum and Gardens, Marjorie Merriweather Post’s home, and enjoy a three-course lunch for $82 on a daytrip to Washington, D.C. on Thursday, May 10. For more information, call (410) 882-3797.

M AY 2 0 1 8 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

veiled.

Today Feikin marvels at how the television landscape has changed through the years. “Who would have thought you would be able to watch TV on all these devices at any time of the day?”

Filming at breakneck speed Feikin has cut back somewhat on her television projects, and works solely for MPT these days, but she continues to love what she does. Her work weeks vary.

When “Chesapeake Collectibles” is filming, for example, an entire season of 13 shows is filmed in two days.

“That means showing up with 13 different outfits from my own closet, with coordinating accessories!” she remarked. “I come in with a load of people to help me.”

What she doesn’t need, she said, are shoes. “They don’t film my feet,” she explained. “Usually I’m just wearing tennis shoes.”

When she’s not at MPT — “my home away from home” — Feikin enjoys yoga, exercise classes, movies and reading, especially mysteries.

Several years ago, she sold her home in Stevenson, where she had lived for 43 years and raised her two children, and now lives in midtown.

“I love being in the city and being able to take advantage of the incredible restaurants, museums, theater and symphony,” she said.

Feikin appreciates the fact that even in today’s youth culture, she does not feel any stigma about being an older woman on television.

“I think I’m the oldest woman working in TV in this area,” she said. “I’m proud of the fact that I’ve paved the way for other people to work longer in this medium, because I’ve done it.”

When Feikin looks back at her long career, she said, “I think I’m the luckiest person in the world. I never had a plan. I just took advantage of every opportunity.”

The next series of “Chesapeake Collectibles” will be taped on August 18 and 19 at Turf Valley Resort. Register online at http://www.mpt.org/programs/chesapeakecollectibles/register for the opportunity to be chosen to appear in Season 9.

BEACON BITS

Apr. 28

EVENT PIANIST NEEDED

The Maryland Theatre for the Performing Arts is looking for a talented pianist to play for 30 to 45 minutes at an intimate house reception on Saturday, April 28 at 6 p.m. at 3 Park Place, Suite 4, in Annapolis. For more information, visit www.MTPA-ANNAPOLIS.org.

May 6

JAZZ CONCERT

Pianist and five-time Grammy nominee Christian Sands will perform with the Baltimore Chamber Jazz Society at the Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr., on Sunday, May 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. Tickets cost $45 for adults; $43 for members of the museum. For more information, visit www.artbma.org or call (410) 385-5888.

Ongoing

VISIONARY ART

The American Visionary Art Museum is hosting the first national retrospective of Reverend Albert Lee Wagner’s autobiographical art, which is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wagner turned to both art and religion at age 50. The museum is located at 800 Key Highway and has a $13.95 entry fee for those 60 and older; $15.95 for others. For more information, visit www.avam.org.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 8

A philosopher explores the midlife crisis

Less crisis than constraint While people often use the term midlife crisis — which wasn’t coined until the

1960s — Setiya doesn’t think this common feeling is, for most people, a real crisis.

It’s more a sense of feeling constrained by the responsibilities many of us face at this time of life — even if the responsibilities (career, marriage, parenting, etc.) are what we wanted for ourselves.

Throw in media images that idealize youth, and Facebook posts of the exciting lives everyone else seems to be living, and you may well be left with the feeling that you’re “aging out.”

Setiya notes in his slim, highly readable book that using philosophy to address the issues of well-being is nothing new. In fact, it’s more than 2,500 years old.

Plato’s Republic, for example, concerns the role of justice in living one’s best human life, while Aristotle writes in the Nicomachean Ethics that a good life is one of virtuous activity done with reason.

Existential questions “The questions we associate with midlife...questions about value and meaning in life...are existential ones,” Setiya writes.

Being caught between the life we live and the life we think we want to live or ought to have lived is, for most of us, a common experience. There are ways, however, to reframe that personal conflict, Setiya advised, not unlike the notion promoted in the classic ‘60s book, Be Here Now. Setiya suggests recognizing the difference between goal-oriented “telic” activities (derived from “telos,” the Greek work for goal), and “atelic” activities, which we do purely for pleasure, whether it’s talking with friends, taking a walk, or in Setiya’s

case, meditating.

Telic projects have an end point — like finishing a big project at work, getting a long-sought promotion, or buying a home — but don’t necessarily result in satisfaction because you’ll soon be on to your next goal. Atelic activities “don’t have a point,” he says. “They’re happening right now.”

Of course, making that shift is often easier said than done, Setiya acknowledged, noting that he’s trying to change his Type A, goal-oriented behavior. “But it’s a work in progress,” he admitted.

Midlife: A Philosophical Guide by Kieran Setiya, Princeton University Press, 2017, $22.95.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KIERAN SETIYA

By Carol Sorgen We’ve probably all been there. That question we ask ourselves when we hit our middle years: Is this all there is?

For some of us, the so-called midlife crisis can hit in our 30s, for some not until their 40s or even 50s. No matter how successful we may be, personally and professionally, the realization that there are fewer years ahead of us than behind us, that our waistline may be widening while our hair is thinning, and that opportunities are narrowing, can hit us hard.

That’s what happened to Kieran Setiya, a philosophy professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Setiya was enjoying his professional pursuits of teaching and writing, had (and still has) a happy marriage to another professor, and is a loving father. Still, he recalls in his recently published book, Midlife: A Philosophical Guide, he was feeling, as he put it, “hollow.”

“You see that what you are doing is worthwhile, but you still feel that life isn’t quite what it should be,” Setiya said in explaining that unsettling feeling.

Fortunately, Setiya didn’t go the stereotypical route and throw his life over for a fresh start. Instead, he began to explore how philosophy can help cure the midlife blahs.

Setiya is quick to acknowledge that this isn’t a typical self-help book. “I’m not a mental health professional,” he said. “I’m a philosopher seeking a better life.”

Philosophy professor and author Kieran Setiya

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ANSWERS TO JUMBLE Jumbles: BATHE GUARD SUBMIT FORMAL Answer: When the sculpture was unveiled, critics said it was -- FOR THE "BIRDS"

Classifieds continued from page 27.

Wanted CASH BUYER FOR OLD COSTUME JEWELRY — wrist and pocket watches (any condition). Also buying watchmaker tools and parts, coins, quilts, old toys, postcards, trains, guns, pocket and hunting knives, linens, fishing equipment and tackle boxes, fountain pens, Christmas garden items, crocks and jugs, lamps and lanterns, pottery, military items, sports memorabilia, advertising signs, paintings and contents of attics, basements and garages. Professional, no pressure individual with over forty years of experience.

Lloyd D. Baker. 410-409-4965.

OLD BOTTLES OF BOURBON, RYE AND CHARTREUSE. Seeking full and sealed bottles of vintage bourbon, rye and chartreuse. I am particularly interested in the following proofs: 100, 101, 107, 114. Alex, 443-223-7669.

BUYING VINYL RECORDS from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-5966201.

FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS AND QUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS wanted by a serious, capable buyer. I am very well educated [law degree], knowledgeable [over 40 years in the antique business] and have the finances and wherewithal to handle virtually any situation. If you have a special item, collection or important estate, I would like to hear from you. I pay great prices for great things in all categories from Oriental rugs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks to classic cars. If it is wonderful, I am interested. No phony promises or messy consignments. References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan, 301-279-8834. Thank you.

MILITARY ITEMS WANTED: Collector seeks to purchase military uniforms; flight jackets, patches, insignia, medals, etc. from the Civil War through Vietnam. Especially seeking U.S. Army Air Corps, USMC, Airborne, and German/Japanese/Italian items from WWII. ALSO BUYING old Boy Scout, Airline Items, Toys, Lighters. Call Dan, 202-841-3062.

COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, knives, swords, bayonets, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars and countries. Also Lionel Toy Trains, and coin operated machines. Will pay top prices for my personal collection. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-910-0783.

BB5/18

CASH FOR ESTATES, PARTIAL ESTATES, DOWNSIZING. I buy a wide range of items. Buy-out/cleanup. Gary Roman, 301520-0755.

Wanted

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M AY 2 0 1 8 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

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Crossword Puzzle Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus Fast Food 1

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1. Weeps 5. A Yoga accessory 8. Ocean’s Eleven targets 13. Mr. E Coyote, to pals 14. Man from Sudan 16. TV teaser 17. “Thanks ___!”

18. Get on one’s nerves 19. Nick at Nite broadcast, usually 20. Fast ... dairy/seafood 23. Scarecrow and ___ King 24. IRS term for “Employer Identification Number” 25. “Wow; what a great matador”, briefly 26. 23 Across network 29. SCIENCE center 30. Response to a ques.

31. Lower-case end to TN state capital 32. ... appetizer 36. Smell or taste 37. Annual HS volumes 38. Little map in a big map 39. ... sidedish 42. End in ___ 43. Ft. Sumter summer setting 44. Busiest airport in TX 45. Ice beer container 46. Ice cream container 47. ___-doo economics 48. Numberless billiard ball 51. ... veggies 55. The U in UHF 57. The U in ICU 58. Legal document 59. Long-distance runner 60. Slight advantage 61. Real head-scratchers 62. ___ a fox 63. First across in every puzzle 64. Use a hot-air balloon

1. Bee plentiful 2. Wildcatter 3. ‘net diaries 4. ___ poor example 5. Gin and vermouth 6. Suffix with parliament7. After-bath powder 8. Indulgent outing 9. Greek god who could have used anger management classes 10. Take back a house 11. Bird which lays two-pound green eggs 12. Cain, to Adam 15. Tell the truth 21. Giggle sound 22. Ultimatum ender 27. Royal and baby 28. Natl. Bourbon Heritage Month 29. ___ Really Going Out with Him? 30. Monastery leader 31. “The future ___!”

32. Consumed a second time 33. Not looking good 34. Two-time Outstanding Drama Emmy winner in the 90’s 35. ___ tat 36. 60-ft. tall Washington state 40. Fifth book of the OT 41. Chosen child 46. Peter and Paul (but not Mary) 47. Victorious hand-gesture 48. Knickknack 49. Erie canal city, inside the word NAUTICAL 50. Poly-___ blend fabric 52. Output of the liver 53. Opposite of ecto54. Those that violate Ben Franklin’s sleep advice 55. Speaker’s filler words 56. “___ Abner”

Answers on page 25.

B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 8

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; 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.

Caregivers MATURE LADY THAT SPEAKS RUSSIAN and Ukrainian is looking for caregiver opportunities. Light cooking/cleaning can be provided. Livein is preferred. Caregiver has legal status and is a responsible hard worker. Call 443-794-5867.

Financial DONATE YOUR CAR, TRUCK OR BOAT to Heritage for the Blind. Free 3-Day Vacation, Tax Deductible, Free Towing, All Paperwork Taken Care Of. CALL 1-844-855-7670.

GOT AN OLDER CAR, VAN OR SUV? Do the humane thing. Donate it to the Humane Society. Call 1-844-230-2952.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate TOWSON ONE BEDROOM PLUS DEN — Includes all utilities. Free tennis, pool, sauna.

24-hour guarded, gated community, $1,450. Vivian Feen, Remax. 443-794-4106, VivianFeen1@gmail.com.

For Sale 2 CEMETERY LOTS, SIDE-BY-SIDE, Meadowridge, paid $6,000, asking $2,500 for one, $4,000 for both. 443-250-6697.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

For Sale 2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed.

Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve, 410-913-1653.

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TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 5th of each month.

Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards.

Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $10 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word.

Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $25 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word.

Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad.

Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

The Beacon, Baltimore Classified Dept.

P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227

Home/Handyman Services

Miscellaneous

TV/Cable

T’S HAULING & MOVING — I will move your possessions or haul them away. Don’t pay hefty delivery fees. Call Tim, 410-889-3795 or 443-6906525. Senior and military discounts. www.tshaulingandmoving.com. Like us on Facebook.

ENJOY 100% GUARANTEED, DELIVERED to-the-door Omaha Steaks! Save 75% plus get 4 more Burgers & 4 more Kielbasa FREE! Order The Family Gourmet Buffet — ONLY $49.99. Call 1-844-302-3754, mention code 51689JCT or visit www.omahasteaks.com.

DIRECTV. CALL AND SWITCH NOW — Get NFL Sunday Ticket for FREE! Every Game.

Every Sunday. CHOICE- All-Included Package.

Over 185 Channels. $60/month (for 12 Months.)

CALL 1- 888-572-4953.

BORN AGAIN REFINISHING c/o Vernon E. Madairy Sr. Because your antique and fine furniture is an investment. Photographs at www.bornagainrefinishing.com. Furniture refinishing & repairs. All pieces hand stripped. Restorations.

Missing pieces hand-carved. Veneer repair and replaced. Upholstery. Kitchen cabinets refinished.

Hand-woven natural cane. Cane webbing. Natural rush. Fiber rush. Wood splint. Residential and commercial. Since 1973 (43 years). 410-323-0467.

RESIDENTIAL PAINTING: RETIRED PAINTER seeking residential, light commercial work in Baltimore area. Call Mark at 443324-0091. Good work at good prices.

Legal Services SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY? Up to $2,671/mo. (Based on paid-in amount.) Free evaluation! Call Bill Gordon & Associates. 1866-970-0779. Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington, D.C. Office: Broward Co. FL., member TX/NM Bar. WERE YOU AN INDUSTRIAL OR CONSTRUCTION TRADESMAN and recently diagnosed with lung cancer? You and your family may be entitled to a significant cash reward.

Call 1-888-351-0312 for your risk free consultation.

DONATE VEHICLES. Your donation to Auted helps train disadvantaged at-risk youths in basic auto repairs and maintenance, also vehicles donations to low-income families. MVA Registered Charity Accepted to Receive Donated Vehicles.

100% Tax-deductible. Complete donation form at www.auted.org or mail@auted.org, 301-355-9333.

Personals A MATURE INDIVIDUAL WILL PAY RENT (right on time) for a 1 or 2-bedroom rancher, cottage, bungalow or mobile home on private land.

Will do minor repairs, paint, etc. Keep living quarters up. Sincere calls only, 443-600-0971.

Leave message.

LOOKING FOR EDDIE COLVIN, approximately 83 years old and lived near Ashland Avenue and Castle Street. If you know him or knew of him, please call his long-ago elementary school friend. 410-882-6328 in the evening.

Personal Services CHAIR REPAIR — WE REPAIR broken chairs, tables, benches, stools, cabinets, drawer fronts, boxes, chests, etc. Pickup and delivery available. 410-499-7757.

DISH Network. 190+ CHANNELS. FREE Install. FREE Hopper HD-DVR. $49.99/month (24 months) Add High Speed Internet - $14.95 (where avail.) CALL Today & SAVE 25%! 1844-560-5837.

SPECTRUM TRIPLE PLAY! TV, Internet & Voice for $29.99 ea. 60 MB per second speed. No contract or commitment. More Channels.

Faster Internet. Unlimited Voice. Call 1-888366-7573.

Wanted MONEY, TIME TO SELL! Make the right choice. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. We buy jewelry, coins, silver, antiques, watches, gold, art, paper money, toys, bottles, etc. No middleman, no fees, no overhead means more money for your stuff. Give me a call, and let’s do business.717-658-7954.

Classifieds continued on page 25.

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Research Studies COPD Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Knee Osteoarthritis Study . . . .10 Memory Loss Research Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Overweight COPD Study . . . .11

Dental Services Denture Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Diamond Dental . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Events Ageless Grace . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Celebration of the Arts . . . . . .20 Kidney Walk . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Financial Services d.a. Hawkins Insurance Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Spencer Gordon Insurance . . .13

27

Home Health Care

Medical/Health

Technology

Options for Senior America . .22

Carle Center For Pain Management . . . . . . . . . .5 FIT! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 MedStar Cancer Network . . . . .7 MedStar Good Samaritan . . . .12 Rosenblatt Foot Care . . . . . . . . .6 Skin Cancer EB . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Steady Strides Fall Prevention .3 Stuart Goldman, DPM . . . . . . .9

Beacon Silver Pages . . . . . . . .28 TechMedic4U . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 TheBeaconNewspapers.com . .28 WOW Computer . . . . . . . . . . .18

Housing Aigburth Vale Senior Community . . . . . . . .23 Alta at Regency Crest . . . . . . . .9 Charlestown/Erickson . . . . . . .4 Christ Church Harbor Apts. . .14 Linden Park Apts. . . . . . . . . . .14 Oak Crest/Erickson . . . . . . . . . .4 Park View Apartments . . . . . .16 Springhouse Pikesville . . . . . . .9 St. Mary’s Roland View Towers 23 Woodholme Gardens . . . . . . . .14

Legal Services Angels of Elder Care Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Frank, Frank & Scherr Law Firm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Shopping Radio Flea Market . . . . . . . . . .21

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Keswick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Manor Care Health Services . . .4

Subscriptions Beacon Subscription . . . . . . . .25

Theatres/ Entertainment Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . .21

Travel Eyre Bus, Tour & Travel . . . . .19 Festive Holidays . . . . . . . . . . .19 Nexus Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Superior Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Utilities BGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

28 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

M AY 2 0 1 8 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N