June 2023 | Howard County Beacon

VOL.13, NO.6

The Howard County FREE

IN FOCUS FOR PEOPLE OVER 50

More than 30,000 readers throughout Howard County

Recalling a beloved puppeteer

By Tina Collins

“As children, we all live in a world of imagination, of fantasy, and for some of us, that world of make-believe continues into adulthood.”

These words by the late puppeteer Jim Henson set the stage for an immersive museum experience into his enduring entertainment legacy.

Henson’s remarkable contributions to pop culture will be showcased at “The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited” — an exhibit that runs from May 26 to December 30 at the Maryland Center for History and Culture (MCHC) in downtown Baltimore.

Marylanders consider Henson a native son, though he was born in Mississippi. In the late 1940s, his family moved to University Park, Maryland, where Henson, who attended Northwestern High School, first began entertaining friends and family with puppet shows.

When Henson was a student at the University of Maryland, in the early 1950s, he created his first Muppet — a hybrid marionette and puppet. His first show, Sam and Friends, aired on local television, and a career was born.

The traveling exhibition celebrates his creations, which span four decades and include The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal and other beloved works.

A puppet innovator

The exhibition features hundreds of objects from Henson’s career: sketches, storyboards and early versions of now beloved characters. A 1969 sketch of Oscar the Grouch shows the same eyes as the finished character, and some of the early puppets on display resemble future Muppets.

One part of the exhibit shows how Henson innovated the primitive technique of puppeteering. For instance, he used cloth instead of wood, which made it easier to manipulate the puppet’s eyes, nose and

mouth into human expressions.

Covering 5,000 square feet, the exhibition is immersive and interactive. Screens,

See JIM HENSON, page 20

Springfield, Va.

Sunday, October 15 • Noon to 4 p.m.

Springfield Town Center

Silver Spring, Md.

Sunday, October 22 • Noon to 4 p.m.

JUNE 2023

INSIDE…

LEISURE & TRAVEL

Make time for an adventure in vast, beautiful Alaska; plus, how to get what you really want from hotel selection apps page 16

ARTS & STYLE

Artist Hal Boyd creates colorful, dreamlike paintings from his Baltimore studio page 19

FITNESS & HEALTH 4

k New drugs for weight loss

k Lonely? Tips that can help

LAW & MONEY 14

k Earn higher, and safer, interest

k Best book on retirement ADVERTISER

PHOTO BY JOHN E. BARRETT. KERMIT THE FROG © DISNEY/MUPPETS. COURTESY THE JIM HENSON COMPANY/MOMI

This photo of the late Jim Henson, snuggling his iconic creation Kermit the Frog, shows him in front of a mural of his other puppet characters painted by Coulter Watt. An interactive exhibition on Henson’s life is on display now through December at the Maryland Museum of History and Culture in Baltimore.

Layers of reality

Since the invention of microscopes and telescopes some four centuries ago, our view of the world around us and the universe in which we live has changed markedly.

What we used to believe about how our bodies worked, how stars and planets moved, and the very nature of reality have been repeatedly disrupted by new knowledge thanks to scientists and their steady improvement in developing technologies and experiments that uncover deeper and deeper layers of reality.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

By Stuart P. Rosenthal

As a result, we have come to be more in awe of our own brainpower even as we lose (or should lose) some faith in our five senses.

We used to say “seeing is believing.” Perhaps we haven’t rejected that completely, but we no longer believe that what we see with our naked eyes is all there is.

Let’s start with what we see when we look at our own skin. We now know that a trillion or more bacteria live on each person’s body, feasting on the dead cells our skin constantly sloughs off. Even if they’re friendly, it’s a good thing we can’t see those little buggers, right?

Speaking of what’s invisible to us, think about our old transistor radios and television sets, and today’s cell phones and Wi-Fi. The air all around us is filled with electromagnetic waves that are transmitting the sounds and images of millions of radio and television programs, streaming movies, personal calls and GPS instructions all at once. Imagine what our lives would be like if our eyes could see such waves or our ears could pick up all those sounds. We would be unable to function!

Sometimes I think back to my seventhgrade science class. That’s where I first encountered the periodic table and learned that all matter — living or dead, organic or inorganic — is made up of atoms, and that those consist of protons, neutrons and electrons, all of which are in constant motion. It always made me wonder how anything apparently solid exists.

I find myself even today sometimes contemplating ordinary items in my daily experience — my desk, my car, a fly on the wall, this copy of the Beacon — and trying to imagine how they can all be composed of the

same, constantly moving subatomic building blocks, only in different combinations.

Speaking of the periodic table, does it make sense that one additional proton distinguishes atoms of the metal lithium from those of the gas helium, or the gas nitrogen from carbon, or mercury from gold? How do so many characteristics of different forms of matter arise from such a seemingly small change?

At the age of 12, I guess I took all this in stride, like just about everything else I learned in school. But the older I get, the more amazed I am by such facts — and by the many additional layers of understanding that physicists now have to explain what lies at the root of our daily reality.

By that, I mean much of what we were simplistically taught in grade school has been completely transformed by quantum physics and its ongoing discoveries. (These took a few decades to trickle down to school textbooks.)

We now “know” that gravity is (probably) caused by the stretching of space-time, and that electrons don’t literally orbit nuclei, but are jumping around in “clouds” that surround them (but defy observation).

We are also told that what Einstein derogatorily called “spooky action at a distance” has been proven: That when two quantum particles interact once, they continue to affect each other even when they are so far apart they can no longer have any way to communicate.

Oh, and by the way, did you know researchers have identified about 200 or so subatomic particles to date, thanks to ex-

IN FOCUS

FOR

PEOPLE

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

Publisher/Editor – Stuart P. Rosenthal

President/Associate Publisher – Judith K. Rosenthal

Executive Vice President – Gordon Hasenei

Managing Editor – Margaret Foster

Art Director – Kyle Gregory

Advertising Representatives –Steve Levin, M.K. Phillips, Alan Spiegel

Marketing & Operations Manager – Ashley Griffin

Assistant Editor – Ana Preger Hart

Client Liaison – Jaclyn Thompson

OVER 50

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (410) 248-9101 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com

Submissions: The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 23 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions.

© Copyright 2023 The Beacon Newspapers, Inc.

periments in the Large Hadron Collider at CERN?

Perhaps even deeper beneath these discoveries are so-called “strings,” which are hypothesized to be the vibrating energy underpinnings of subatomic particles, and hence of all nature.

One of my favorite lines from the theater is when the son Chris in Arthur Miller’s play All My Sons explains that he reads the book reviews in the newspaper because “I like to keep abreast of my ignorance.”

That’s how I feel about my occasional reading about contemporary science or the YouTube videos I often watch for the same reason.

Our understanding of the universe — like the universe itself apparently — is everexpanding and endlessly full of wonder.

I don’t pretend to really understand anything I’ve talked about in this column. But the more I learn (well, hear) about the many layers of what we call reality, the more I find myself agreeing with Trudy, Lily Tomlin’s character in Jane Wagner’s Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, when she says, “Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it.”

Maybe I would amend that to say, “amongst those attempting to stay abreast of our understanding of it.” It’s challenging, mind-bending stuff. But it also continually fuels our sense of wonder and awe at the multi-level reality in which we live.

Letters to the editor

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

Dear Editor:

Thank you for your February cover story about the civil rights history behind the carousel on the National Mall, “Author made history as a baby.” [The writer co-authored a book about its 1963 desegregation.]

As a result, I was invited to give a talk over Zoom to a lunchtime meeting of a Rotary Club and, just this week, I received an email from someone inviting me to give a talk at her church in Baltimore. I also

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

heard from a few others in the area who enjoyed the article.

So, thanks for spreading the word!

Sadly, the carousel on the National Mall has been packed up and sent off for renovation and won’t be back on the Mall for a year or so. It definitely needs repair work. Maybe they’ll have a re-dedication event when it returns.

Amy Nathan Larchmont, New York

PLANT PROPAGATION VOLUNTEER

Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks: Middle Patuxent Environmental Area is looking for an independent volunteer to plant starter plants from seed, water established plants, collect seeds or transplant desired plant species, help with growing plants in designated habitat restoration areas and review the literature to assist with the creation of a propagation notebook for the habitat restoration species list. This position requires a phone interview and onsite training. For more information and to apply, visit bit.ly/PlantPropagationHoCo.

Health Fitness &

WHATCHAMACALLIT

Talking to yourself can help you remember names and where you put things THE SKINNY ON STATINS

If statins make you feel achy, your doctor can adjust your dose or switch drugs ON YOUR TOES

Tools exist to help you deal safely with that most difficult toe-trimming task

SPAIN’S SECRET

For a hearty vegetarian meal, try this Andalusian spinach and chickpeas recipe

Prescription drugs promising weight loss

By Jonel Aleccia

WeightWatchers, the 60-year-old diet firm, announced in March it would acquire a telehealth company whose providers prescribe anti-obesity drugs for growing numbers of eager online subscribers.

The $132 million deal with Sequence is just the latest commercial push into the red-hot market for prescription drugs that promise significant weight loss.

For months, the diabetes drug Ozempic has been touted on social media by celebrities even though it’s not approved for weight loss. The demand for it sparked shortages.

WeightWatchers will introduce its roughly 3.5 million subscribers to a new generation of medications that go beyond

behavioral changes like gym workouts and diet tracking. Obesity experts say the drugs may revolutionize treatment of the disease that affects 42% of American adults.

Here’s a look at the promise of these new medications and cautions about their use.

What are these new drugs?

The drugs that have generated the most buzz are from a class of medications called GLP-1 agonists. Two of the most popular, Ozempic and Wegovy, are different doses of the same drug, semaglutide.

Ozempic has been used for six years to treat Type 2 diabetes and is not approved for weight loss. Wegovy was approved in 2021 to treat obesity in adults and late last

year to treat kids and teens 12 and older.

Doctors prescribe the medications to people with diabetes alone or to people who are obese or who are overweight with additional health problems. Most of these types of drugs are delivered through weekly injections.

Supply problems and soaring demand last year led to a shortage of the drugs, but Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer, said those have been replenished.

How do the drugs work?

They mimic the action of a gut hormone that kicks in after people eat, boosting the release of insulin, blocking sugar production in the liver, and suppressing appetite.

A newer drug, called tirzepatide, mimics the action of two hormones for an even greater effect. The Eli Lilly and Co. drug, sold under the brand name Mounjaro, is now approved to treat diabetes, but the FDA granted fast-track status to review it to treat obesity. A decision is expected this spring.

With a lower appetite and a greater feeling of fullness, people using these drugs eat less and lose weight.

How effective are the drugs?

In a clinical trial, adults who took Wegovy saw a mean weight loss of nearly 35

New connections can counter loneliness

By Harvard Health Blogs

Loneliness is complicated. You can feel lonely when you lack friends and miss companionship or when you’re surrounded by people — even friends and family.

Either way, loneliness can have devastating health effects. It boosts the risk of coronary artery disease, stroke, depression, high blood pressure, declining thinking skills, inability to perform daily living tasks, and even an early death.

The remedy?

Not all loneliness can be solved by seeking out people. The loneliness that occurs despite having plenty of relationships may require talk therapy and a journey that

Weight loss

From page 4

pounds, or about 15% of their initial body weight. Adolescents lost about 16% of their body weight.

A clinical trial of Mounjaro, which is still being studied, saw a mean weight loss of 15% to 21% of body weight, depending on the dose, compared with a weight loss of about 3% for people taking a placebo or dummy drug.

Why not just diet and exercise?

In a typical weight-loss program where participants rely only on diet and exercise, about a third of people enrolled will lose 5% or more of their body weight, noted Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Most people find it difficult to lose weight because of the body’s biological reactions to eating less, he said. There are several hormones that respond to reduced

looks inward.

But reducing loneliness caused by a lack of relationships is more of an outward journey to make new friends. Below we offer three ways to ease loneliness and add happiness by helping you expand your social network.

“That’s a challenge as we get older because people are often established in their social groups and aren’t as available as they might have been in a different phase of life. So, you have to be more entrepreneurial and work harder to make friends than you once did,” said Dr. Jacqueline Olds, a psychiatrist at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital and the co-author of two books on loneliness. Trying these strategies can help:

calorie intake to increase hunger and maintain body mass.

“There is a real physical phenomenon,” he said. “There is a resistance mechanism that is a coordinated effort by the body to prevent you from losing weight.”

What are the drugs’ side effects?

The most common side effects are short-lived gastrointestinal issues, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain and constipation.

Other possible side effects include thyroid tumors, cancer, inflammation of the pancreas, kidney and gallbladder, and eye problems. People with a family history of certain thyroid cancers or a rare genetic endocrine disorder should avoid the drugs.

What to watch out for

These new medications could be an effective part of a multifaceted approach to weight loss, said Dr. Amy Rothberg, a University of Michigan endocrinologist who directs a virtual weight management and

I Care About Your Wellness

1. Seek like-minded souls. Being around people who share your interests gives you a head start on making friends: you already have something in common.

Start by considering your interests. Are you a voracious reader, a history lover, a movie aficionado, a gardener, a foodie, a puppy parent or an athlete?

Are you passionate about a cause, your community or your heritage? Do you collect things? Do you love classic cars? Do you enjoy sprucing up old furniture?

Maybe you want to learn something new, like how to cook Chinese food or speak another language. Search for online groups, in-person clubs, volunteer opportunities or classes that match your interests.

diabetes program called Rewind.

But she worries that programs like WeightWatchers are primarily interested in boosting enrollment — and profits.

“My hope is that they do their due diligence and have real monitoring of the pa-

Once you join a group, you’ll need to participate regularly to build bonds. If you can gather in person, it’s even better.

“The part of our brain involved in social connection is stimulated by all five senses. When you’re with someone in the same room, you get a much stronger set of stimuli than you do by watching them on a screen,” Dr. Olds said.

2. Create opportunities. If joining someone else’s group is unappealing, start your own. Host gatherings at your place or elsewhere.

“All it takes is three people. You can say, ‘Let’s read books or talk about a TV show

See LONELINESS, page 6

tients taking the drugs,” Rothberg said. It’s important to make sure that patients are taking the drugs for the intended purpose, that there’s no reason they shouldn’t take the drugs, and that they’re monitored for side effects, she added. —AP

Housing Communities

❏ Brightview Senior Living (see ad on page 9)

❏ Brooke Grove (see ads on pages 14, 24)

❏ Charlestown (see ad on page 7)

❏ Homecrest House (see ad on page 6)

❏ Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant (see ad on page 15)

❏ Oasis Senior Advisors (see ad on page 4)

❏ Park View at Colonial Landing (see ad on page 18)

❏ Park View at Columbia (see ad on page 18)

❏ Park View at Ellicott City (see ad on page 18)

❏ Park View at Emerson (see ad on page 18)

❏ Residences at Vantage Point (see ad on page 3)

❏ Shriner Court (see ad on page 20)

Q&As on memory and statin side effects

By Howard LeWine, M.D.

Q: What are some ways to help remember names and decrease other memory slip-ups?

A: While recurring or worsening memory issues should always be checked out, everyday lapses can be managed. Here are some tips on how to overcome some common memory situations:

Names. When you meet someone for the first time, make the connection meaningful. Many times, we forget a name because we didn’t notice it being said or don’t make an effort to try to remember it.

Repeat the name and immediately link it to something that may help trigger recall, such as the person’s appearance or job. Or associate the name with someone who has

a similar name, like a celebrity, relative or movie character.

You can also connect the name with a rhyming word, a song or an image. For example, link the name Sandy with the idea of a beach, and imagine Sandy on the beach. Use as much detail as possible — picture her walking along the water’s edge or on a beach that’s familiar to you.

Finally, write down the name and the person’s relation to you (for example, your neighbor’s sister) in your smartphone or in a memory notebook specially dedicated to things you want to remember.

Routine tasks. We often forget routine behaviors like locking a door before bed because we are not fully engaged when we do them.

An excellent way to remind yourself of a completed task is to talk to yourself while doing it. Say it out loud, such as, “I’m locking the front door” or “I’m putting the clothes in the dryer.”

Everyday items. Always put things you regularly use in the same place. For example, set up dedicated areas near the front door, in the living room by your favorite seat, and in the bedroom, and use these spaces for all your vital objects like phone, keys, glasses and medicine.

For objects you don’t handle regularly, make a point to focus on the location where you place them and, again, tell yourself out loud what you are doing. For instance, say “I’m placing the scissors in the kitchen drawer below the coffeepot.”

Loneliness

From page 5

or have a dinner group on a regular basis,’” Dr. Olds said.

Other ideas for gatherings — either weekly or monthly — include game nights, trivia nights, hikes, birdwatching expeditions, running or cycling, meditation, museum visits, cooking, knitting, sewing, crafting, shopping, day trips to nearby towns, and even a collector showand-tell (comic books, antique dolls, baseball cards).

The people you invite don’t have to be dear friends; they can just be people you’d like to get to know better — perhaps neighbors or work acquaintances.

If they’re interested in a regular gathering, pin down dates and times. Otherwise, the idea might stay stuck in the talking stages.

“Don’t be timid. Say, ‘Let’s get our calendars out and get this scheduled,’” Dr. Olds said.

3. Brush up on your social skills. Sometimes we’re rusty in surface social graces that help build deeper connections. “It makes a huge difference when you can be enthusiastic rather than just sitting there and hoping someone will realize how interesting you are,” Dr. Olds said.

Here are some tips to practice:

• Smile more. Smiling is welcoming, inviting and hospitable to others.

• Be engaging. Prepare a few topics to talk about or questions to ask — per-

To-do lists . Smartphones also are great for scheduling reminders for tasks and appointments, and their alarms can be set up for one-time or recurring events.

You can also email yourself reminders, or leave yourself a note. Another approach is to create a visual reminder: Put an object associated with the task in a prominent place. For instance, if you need to order concert tickets, leave a picture of the artist near your phone or on your memory table.

Q: I’m told I need to be on a higher dose of atorvastatin (Lipitor) to lower my cholesterol. But I don’t even like taking the 10-milligram dose because I feel more aches and

haps about the news or the reason you’ve gathered. (If it’s a seminar, for example, ask how long someone has been interested in the subject.)

Or look for a conversation starter. “Maybe the person is wearing a pretty brooch. Ask if there’s a story behind it,” Dr. Olds suggested.

• Be a good listener. “Listen in a way that someone realizes you’re paying attention. Hold their gaze, nod your head or say ‘Mm hmm’ as they’re talking so you give feedback. Assume everyone in the world is just yearning for your feedback,” Dr. Olds said.

• Ask follow-up questions. Don’t ignore signals that someone has interesting stories to tell. “If they allude to something, your job is to look fascinated and ask if they can tell you more. They’re dropping crumbs on a path to a deeper exchange,” Dr. Olds noted.

Even chats that don’t lead to friendships can be enriching. A 2022 study found that people who had the most diverse portfolios of social interactions — exchanges with strangers, acquaintances, friends, or family members — were much happier than those with the least diverse social portfolios.

Ultimately, a wide variety of interactions contributes to well-being, whether you’re talking to the cashier at the supermarket, a neighbor, an old friend, or a new one.

And all of these connections combined may go a long way toward helping you feel less lonely.

© 2023 by Harvard University

Tools and methods to safely trim toenails

Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend some good toenail clipping solutions? My toenails have gotten increasingly thick since I’ve gotten older and have become very difficult for me to reach down and cut.

—Almost 80 Dear Almost,

Trimming your toenails is a task that can become very challenging as we get older. For many, toenails can become thicker and harder to cut, and our reduced flexibility can make it more difficult to get into the right position to cut them.

By Jim Miller

Fortunately, there are solutions available that can make this job a little easier.

One of the simplest tricks for cutting thick toenails is to simply take a bath or shower, or soak your feet in warm water, prior to cutting them. The water helps soften them for easier cutting.

There are also toenail softening creams you can buy, like “Miracle of Aloe Toenail Soft” and “Barielle Toenail Softening Cream,” that temporarily soften thick, hard nails. Just rub it into your toenails at bedtime, and in the morning, they’ll be easier to cut and file.

Most people’s toenails grow about 1/16 inch per month, so it’s appropriate to cut them every six to eight weeks.

When cutting nails, take care not to cut too far down.

Overaggressive trimming, and cutting the toenails too short, can lead to ingrown toenails. Podiatrists typically recommend leaving a small bit of nail past the nail bed when trimming.

You may also want to avoid a rounded cut. It’s best to cut the nails fairly straight across, ensuring that the corners of the nail do not cut into the skin folds of the toe.

And use an emery board to smooth the jagged edges and corners that can snag and potentially tear the nail as it grows.

Top toenail clippers

There are a number of medical-grade or specialty toenail clippers recommended by professionals for older adults.

For thick nails, the “New Huing Podiatrist Toenail Clipper” is a top option. This clipper has a sharp, curved blade that easily cuts through any toenail, no matter how hard or thick it has gotten. It also has a nonslip, cushioned grip that allows for

comfortable clipping.

For those with limited mobility, check out the “Clipperpro Omega Select Toenail Clipper,” which has a long plastic grip that’s much larger than that of a standard set of nail clippers. Also, its blade head swivels 180 degrees. Both of those features make this clipper much easier to use for anyone with arthritis or mobility issues, since users will have more control and an added range for reaching.

For people who have a hard time bend-

ing over, there are long handled toenail clippers like the “DriFeez Long Handle Toenail Clipper,” which comes in four sizes: 20, 24, 28 and 32 inches long. It also has a heavy-duty clipper with a 1/8-inchwide jaw opening designed to cut thick toenails.

All of these clippers are available online at sites like Amazon.com and Walmart.com at prices ranging from $10 to $40.

SAVVY SENIOR

pains. What options do I have?

A: Statin drugs such as atorvastatin are important medications that reduce high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and significantly lower the risk for heart attack, stroke and premature death. Despite the drugs’ effectiveness, many people discontinue it without telling their doctor.

Statins are often abandoned because of side effects (real or perceived). Body aches are the most common complaint. But clinical studies suggest that, most

often, the side effects are not related to the drug.

People frequently have negative expectations even before they take their first statin dose. An example is the claim of cognitive decline as a side effect, which has been disproven several times over.

Work with your doctor to see if one of the following approaches can help you stick with your statin.

Consider a low-dose, alternate-day strategy to ease into statin use. This recalibrates expectations and may give you more of an open mind that you can

tolerate the statin.

Switch to a different statin. For example, rosuvastatin (Crestor) may cause fewer muscle aches.

Try a non-statin cholesterol drug. These drugs don’t cause muscle aches the way statins sometimes do. Bempedoic acid (Nexletol) boosts LDL cholesterol clearance by the liver with less effect on muscles. Ezetimibe (Zetia) works in the intestines to inhibit cholesterol absorption.

Think about other causes of muscle aches. Is it really the medication causing discomfort, or did you perhaps begin to exercise more when you started the statin and you have sore muscles as a result?

Consider drug interactions. Some medications can cause adverse reactions when

Foot care

From page 7

Toenail trimming services

If you get to the point that you can’t, or would rather not, cut your own toenails, a podiatrist can provide both foot and toenail care. But be aware that routine foot care is not covered by Medicare unless you have an underlying condition or injury that re-

Have confidence in every conversation.

Do you find it difficult to use a standard phone? Do people ask you to repeat yourself during telephone conversations? Do you miss important calls because you can’t hear the phone ring? The Maryland Accessible Telecommunications (MAT) program is here to help by giving Maryland residents the opportunity to apply for State-provided telecommunications equipment to independently make and receive calls. Once you qualify, a skilled evaluator meets with you to determine the best device to support your day-to-day communications. The MAT program has a variety of equipment solutions to support clearer communication, including:

• Amplified phones

• Tablets

• Ring signalers

• Phones with large and/or high contrast buttons

• Captioned Telephones

• And more

For more information:

800-552-7724 | 410-767-7253 (Voice/TTY)

410-801-9618 (Video Phone) | MDMAT.org

taken with statins, such as certain calciumchannel blockers, including diltiazem (Cardizem), and certain antifungal medications, such as ketoconazole (Nizoral).

Ask your doctor if it is safe to stop the statin for two to three weeks. You can see if the muscle aches stop. Also, some people find they can restart the statin after a short drug holiday.

Try coenzyme Q10. This supplement has mixed results for relieving muscle aches from statins.

Check your vitamin D levels. There’s an association between low vitamin D levels and higher muscle aches when you take a statin.

© 2023 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

quires a professional to tend to your feet.

If you are generally in good health, regular pedicures at a nail salon are a good option for getting your toenails cut and are much cheaper than visiting a podiatrist.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

Southern Spain’s best-kept secret recipe

By America’s Test Kitchen

Espinacas con Garbanzos is a hyperregional dish native to Seville with strong Moorish influence. It’s a substantive dish that’s full of flavor.

Briefly simmering canned chickpeas (uniformly tender, well-seasoned and convenient) in a combination of chicken broth and chickpea canning liquid tenderizes them and infuses them with savory flavor.

A picada (a paste of garlic and bread cooked in plenty of olive oil) thickens and seasons the sauce. Smoked paprika and Moorish spices such as cumin, cinnamon and saffron imbue the picada with heady aromas, while tomatoes and vinegar boost its tang.

Thawed frozen chopped spinach is perfect here. Already fine and tender, it disperses beautifully throughout the dish and provides plenty of surface area to hold the juices in place.

Espinacas con Garbanzos (Andalusian Spinach and Chickpeas)

Serves 4 as a main dish

Ingredients:

1 loaf crusty bread

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas (1 can drained, 1 can undrained)

1½ cups chicken broth

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon table salt

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 small pinch saffron

2 small plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, flesh shredded on large holes of box grater and skins discarded

4 teaspoons sherry vinegar, plus extra for seasoning

10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Directions:

Cut a 1.5-ounce piece from loaf of bread (thickness will vary depending on the size of the loaf) and tear into 1-inch pieces. Process in a food processor until finely ground (you should have ¾ cup crumbs).

Combine chickpeas and broth in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Adjust heat to maintain simmer and cook until the level of liquid is just below the top layer of chickpeas, about 10 minutes.

While chickpeas cook, heat ¼ cup oil in a 10-inch nonstick or carbon-steel skillet over medium heat until just shimmering. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, cinnamon, cayenne and saffron and cook

until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and vinegar; remove from heat.

Stir bread mixture and spinach into chickpeas. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and stew-like, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Off heat, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Season with salt and extra vinegar to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with remaining bread.

Recipe notes: For a vegan version, sub-

stitute vegetable broth or water for the chicken broth. Use a fruity, spicy, highquality olive oil here. Red wine vinegar can be substituted for the sherry vinegar. For 25 years, confident cooks in the know have relied on America’s Test Kitchen for rigorously tested recipes developed by professional test cooks and vetted by 60,000 at-home recipe testers. See more online at americastestkitchen.com/TCA. © America’s Test Kitchen. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Primary Care At Home

Providing primary care medical services in the comfort and convenience of your home for patients who have difficulty traveling to an office.

Ikon Health offers:

• Care coordination with specialists.

• Access to services such as x-ray and blood work, at home.

• Close communication with patients and their loved ones.

• Accepting Medicare, Medicaid and most major supplemental insurance plans.

Brightview’s award-winning communities in Columbia and Catonsville make life extra bright for area seniors and their families. We invite you to visit, get to know our friendly teams and residents, and discover how our personalized services, support, and enriching lifestyle can make life brighter for your family, too.

VIBRANT CULTURE

On-site fitness classes, recreation, lectures, clubs, and entertainment; outings; access to local shopping, dining, and cultural venues

CONVENIENCE & SUPPORT

Concierge, housekeeping, maintenance, transportation, dining, and supportive services

FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE

Monthly rental communities – no large entrance fee

COMPLETE PEACE OF MIND

Customized services, assistance, and on-site assisted living and specialized dementia care for changing needs

Upcoming Programs for 55 Years + Recreation &

Fitness

• Info/Fitness Waiver: Tessa Hurd, 410-313-7311 or thurd@howardcountymd.gov.

First Step Fitness

with Pamela Schuckman, ACE-CPT, GFI

Are you an Active Aging participant looking to return to a fitness program after illness or injury? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to start a fitness program, but traditional gyms make you feel a little shy? This class helps you take the first steps towards realizing your fitness goals while having fun and building confidence. Focus on core strength, balance, and flexibility while learning proper body mechanics and ways to modify or progress exercises. This class has two goals; to help each person get back to fitness, and to have fun while doing it. You should be able to get up and down from the floor, either independently or with a chair to assist.

Crafts & Fine Arts

• Info: Tessa Hurd, 410-313-7311 or thurd@howardcountymd.gov.

Stained Glass Panel Workshop

This class is appropriate for all skill levels. Make a 6-8-piece stained glass hanging using the copper foil technique. Learn to score, cut, foil, and solder stained glass pieces into a finished hanging. Develop and practice skills needed to score and break glass. (Once you have taken this class, try your hand at more advanced pieces in the below two-day workshop!) Supplies provided.

55 yrs +Instructor: Maureen StoneClasses: 1

RP3536.401N Laurel CCJul 1011am-3pmM$89

Dance

• Info: Tessa Hurd , 410-313-7311 or thurd@howardcountymd.gov.

Beginner/Intermediate Soul Line Dance

This beginner/intermediate level line dance class is fun for all. Line up and learn the step-by-step choreography. Line dancing provides such a good mix of balance, strength, endurance, and cognitive training while having fun. Multiple dances are performed to great pop, rhythm, and blues music.

55 yrs +Harriet Tubman CtrInstructor: Jessie BarnesClasses: 1

RP3511.405Jul 511am-noonW$12

RP3511.406Jul 1211am-noonW$12

RP3511.407Jul 1911am-noonW$12

RP3511.408Jul 2611am-noonW$12

55 yrs +Classes 12

RP3544.401Roger Carter CCJul 119:30-10:30amTu,Th$90

Fitness for Life with Lori Nowicki, ACE, AFPA

Designed for active adults. This class encompasses a warmup, balance work, cardio and strength training with Keiser and Precor equipment. Free weights are optional. A cool down with a complete stretch ends each class. You should be able to get up and down from the floor.

55 yrs +Classes: 14No class 5/29

RP8666.401N Laurel CCJul 1011am-12:15pmM,W$99

RP8666.402Roger Carter CCJul 1112:15-1:30pmTu,Th$99

Yoga in the Park- Pop Ups with Kathy Greisman

Relax while you take in the sights and surrounding beauty of nature as you get fit and improve your health in this outdoor yoga class. All classes are held under the tent at the beautiful Belmont Manor. Walk away feeling refreshed, energized, and ready to take on the day that lies ahead. Join us for the classes that fit your schedule.

55 yrs +Classes: 1

RP3541.407BelmontJul 1710-11amM$14

RP3541.408BelmontJul 2410-11amM$14

RP3541.409BelmontJul 3110-11amM$14

Lifelong Learning

• Info: Tessa Hurd, 410-313-7311 or thurd@howardcountymd.gov.

Social Media: How I Can Use It

Learn how to get more use out of your mobile devices (ex: smartphone, laptop or iPad) and how to receive important information automatically (ex: weather alerts). Find out how you can become more connected with your grandchildren and friends through social media. Bring your smart phone, laptop or tablet.

55 yrs +Instructor: Constance LoweClasses: 1

RP3523.401N Laurel CCJul 121-2pmW$25

Speaker Series

• Info: Stephanie Kennedy, 410-313-0422 r skennedylarosa@howardcountymd.gov.

NEW! The Railroad Becomes a Battlefield

Commemorate the 159th anniversary of the Battle of Monocacy with a special Civil War History tour of the B&O Ellicott City Station Museum. Learn about the vital role that the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad played during the Civil War and how the Civil War came to Ellicott’s Mills.

All agesB&O EC Station MuseumClasses: 1

RP9975.401Jul 92:30-3:30pmSu$15

Sports & Leagues

• For info, visit www.hcrpsports.org.

• Sign up for the following programs has begun!

AquaticsFencingMartial ArtsSquash

BadmintonField HockeyPickleballSoccer

BaseballFootballJump RopeTennis

BasketballGolfPickleballTennis

BilliardsKickballSoftballVolleyball

CricketLacrosseSpikeballTherapeutic Rec

• Info: Tracy Adkins, 410-313-7279 or tadkins@howardcountymd.gov.

MGM Grand Casino and National Market

The MGM Grand Casino at National Harbor is a Las Vegas-style luxury facility just south of Washington, D.C. Try your luck at the ultimate casino and gaming experience! Enjoy lunch on your own at one of the many award-winning restaurants nearby or shop several of the boutique venues.

21 yrs +Bus provided RP4548.401Jul 149am-3pmF$69

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Delve into the fascinating story of our planet, from its fiery beginnings through billions of years of transformation, and explore life on Earth through exhibitions and activities, collection objects and research that happens in the lab and in the field. The museum is larger than 18 football fields and is home to the largest natural history collection in the world.Lunch on your own available at Café Natural on-site.

18 yrs +Bus provided RP4549.401Jul 209:30am-4:30pmTh$69

Ladew Topiary Gardens

Visit one of the top five gardens in North America! Enjoy Ladew’s 22 acres, featuring 15 formal “garden rooms” and more than 100 larger-than-life topiary forms, historic Manor House, Nature Walk, and Butterfly House! Enjoy your own picnic lunch.

21 yrs +Bus provided RP4550.401Jul 219am-3pmF$79

Vacationland – Discover Maine!

Travelers immerse themselves in beautiful New England fall colors on this 5-day/4-night exciting escape to Maine. Visit the Portland Head Light and Victoria Mansion. You view the boyhood home of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the restored Old Port Exchange, and have a breathtaking view of Casco Bay as you relax and take a narrated cruise through Calendar Islands. Along your travels, you see quaint towns of Brunswick, Bath, and Wiscasset before arriving to the Boothbay Harbor area to enjoy shopping, exploration, unique gifts, antiques, art galleries, and amazing food! After enjoying lunch at a waterfront café, the trip stops at L.L. Bean and Factory Outlets in Freeport and the Nubble Lighthouse, before you enjoy a delicious lobster bake dinner. Finally, the group has the opportunity to tour Kennebunkport, which includes Walker’s Point – the Bush family compound. Kennebunkport is filled with art galleries, craft shops, restored mansions, and historic boutiques. Trip includes round-trip deluxe charter coach, four nights lodging, four breakfasts, three dinners, a lobster bake dinner, and tours of several amazing locations!

21 yrs +Sep 25-29Bus provided RP4561.501Single OccupancyM-F$1,459

RP4561.502Double OccupancyM-F$1,079

Scan the QR code or visit tinyurl.com/hcrptrips for more trips & tours!

Volume 13, No. 6 • June 2023

PROTECT Week aims to curb financial exploitation of elders

Your computer has a virus. You owe money to the IRS. Your grandchild is in trouble halfway across the world and needs cash. Nearly everyone has gotten a scam call like this—and we keep getting them because they work.

— Steve Lewis, Inside the FBI podcast

Each year, millions of older Americans fall victim to some type of financial fraud, including tech support, romance, lottery, and sweepstakes scams. In 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reported $3.1 billion in elder fraud losses, an 84% increase from 2021.

Identity thieves and con artists target older adults who often have financial savings, own a home and have good credit—which makes them attractive to scammers (bit.ly/FBI-elderfraud). Unfortunately, they are also less likely to file a report because they either don’t know how, are ashamed at having been scammed or concerned that relatives will lose confidence in their abilities to manage their own financial affairs.

While one in five adults over age 65 has been a victim of identity thieves and con artists, even more are exploited by family members, friends or caregivers. “Financial exploitation is the most common type of elder abuse that I see,” says Katy Lee, manager of the Office on Aging and Independence’s (OAI) Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. “This type of abuse occurs when a family member or trusted representative misuses a power of attorney; once authorized to pay the bills, they may try to take money for themselves. This can escalate to claims that their loved one can no longer make decisions for themselves, to gain further control.”

PROTECT Week, June 12-16, is a statewide education and awareness campaign led by the Maryland Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to combat the financial exploitation of older adults. Each year, OAI, the Office of Consumer Protection, and other government agencies join the OAG, AARP and consumer protection groups to share information about the warning signs of financial abuse. These include a caregiver or family member who suddenly asks for access to a loved one’s accounts or possessions, changes in financial practices such as new credit cards or unopened bank statements, and a financial agent who isn’t following a loved one’s wishes.

The OAG has also produced a Consumer Guide for Marylanders to educate consumers about common scams and fraud, and whom to contact if you suspect you are a victim. Read it online or request a free copy by calling 410-576-6500 or toll-free 1-888-743-0023.

In Howard County, we remain dedicated to providing access to quality care for our aging population. Since becoming an Age-Friendly community in 2019, our team has committed resources to ensure older adults can enjoy where they live and thrive. The comprehensive Howard County Age-Friendly Action Plan includes improving housing options, expanding social services and providing more options for our residents who are aging in place.

My Fiscal Year 2024 Operating and Capital budgets help us expand on these efforts with record investments in housing, public safety, transportation, environment protection, and more. Through our sustained funding, we can ensure every resident is safe, supported and strong.

June is World Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and the perfect time to check in on the older adults in our lives. There are five types of elder abuse: physical, emotional, sexual, financial exploitation, neglect, and abandonment. Learning how to recognize signs of any type of abuse is imperative to keeping our older adults safe and healthy. Find out how at www.howardcountymd.gov/eldersafety.

All older adults deserve to age with respect and loving care. We have many resources to ensure our aging adult population can enjoy their golden years in Howard County, as well as resources to help protect them from the dangers they face. Aging is one thing no one can avoid, so let’s work together to help everyone age with dignity. Find more resources at https://www.howardcountymd.gov/aging-independence.

June 8 • 6:00 to 8:00 pm

Ellicott City 50+

Center

Ever wonder what happens when you report a consumer scam or elder fraud?  The Office of Consumer Protection will host Deputy State’s Attorney Joshua Felsen and Howard County Police Detective Ryan McCrone to give an overview of how agencies work collaboratively to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. A Q&A session follows the presentation. Register at bit.ly/HoCoProtectWeek2023.

A message from Howard County Executive Calvin Ball

Coming in June

Nutrition Education: Boost Brain health and Alzheimer’s awareness

ELKRIDGE 50+ CENTER

June 15, 11 a.m. to noon

Registered Dietitian Carmen Roberts will discuss how nutrition can help prevent and manage disease and how your diet can boost brain health. Free; call 410-313-5192 to reserve a seat.

Carroll County Cloggers

ELLICOTT CITY 50+ CENTER

June 21, 1 p.m. / A02631.300

The Carroll County Cloggers demonstrate contemporary clogging, influenced by tap, Canadian step dancing, Irish hard shoe, street dancing and hip hop. Grandkids welcome! Free; register on ActiveNet.

Grow flowers & veggies in containers

GLENWOOD 50+ CENTER

June 6, 11 a.m. / A03637.300

Join the Howard County Master Gardeners for an interactive presentation about what flowers and vegetables do best in containers. Free; register on ActiveNet.

Group talk: Resiliency

NORTH LAUREL 50+ CENTER

June 7, 11 a.m. to noon

Self-compassion feeds your soul and helps you appreciate others as well as yourself. Join a discussion to appreciate where you have been, while loving where you are going. Free; register at the front desk.

The Forgotten Discipline: Fiction craftmanship

BAIN 50+ CENTER

June 9, 10 a.m. / A01910.300

Are you a fiction writer with aspirations of getting published? This class covers required reference materials, formatting, copy editing, structure/ wording, and dialogue. Cost: $10. Register at the front desk.

Summer Sing-along

EAST COLUMBIA 50+ CENTER

June 13, 3 p.m. / A04532.300

Grease is the word! Come sing your heart out with Grease on the big screen while enjoying root beer floats and sliders! Suggested donation: $5.00. Register on ActiveNet.

To register or find more events, visit https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/howardcounty/

Enroll in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)

NORTH LAUREL 50+ CENTER

9411 Whiskey Bottom Road, Laurel 20723

June 15, 1:30 to 4 p.m. / Appointments required

The Affordable Connectivity Program is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program that helps low-income households access and afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare, and more. Eligible households can receive up to a $30/month discount on internet service and a discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet or desktop computer. For eligibility guidelines and more information, visit www.affordableconnectivity.gov or call 877-384-2575.

The Office on Aging and Independence encourages all qualifying older adult residents in Howard County to sign up for an appointment at our North Laurel application assistance event. In addition to getting help with the application process, we will have various internet/wireless service providers onsite for you to learn about options and/or set up your service. For more information or to reserve a spot, call 410-313-6542 or email mburgess@howardcountymd.gov.

Play SCAMO to protect yourself against scams & fraud

HOWARD COUNTY

PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM

CENTRAL BRANCH, STUDIO ROOM

10375 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia 21044

June 22, 2 to 3 p.m. / Register in advance

The Howard County Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) introduces SCAMO, a fun and interactive way to learn about scams and fraud, consumer protection issues and your rights as a consumer. Patterned after Bingo, SCAMO uses games to teach instead of classroom presentations. If you want to learn about scams while having fun, this game is for you! Small prizes will be awarded to winner(s). Register at bit.ly/OCP-SCAMO or call OCP at 410-313-6420 for more information.

Money Law &

Treasury bills good for earning interest

By Erin Bendig

Savings rates have continued to go up this year, so if you’ve been looking for a place to store your savings and earn interest in the short term, you’ve probably considered a high-yield savings account or CD. And while these are both good options, there’s another short-term investment alternative you should also consider: Treasury bills.

Treasury bills (T-bills) have maturity dates of less than a year. While longer-term Treasuries typically pay higher yields, shortterm Treasury yields are currently higher.

As this paper goes to press, the 3-month Treasury bill rate is 4.97%, while the 30year Treasury rate is 3.78%. So, if you’re looking for a risk-free way to earn interest

on your cash over a short period, investing in a T-bill could be a good choice.

Treasury bills are good investments for individuals looking to make a large purchase in a short timeline, as the money will only be tied-up for at most a year.

Although T-bills don’t typically earn as much as other securities, or in some cases CDs, they still offer higher returns than traditional savings accounts.

Plus, they’re one of the safest places you can save your money, making them a great fit for conservative investors who want to avoid risk-taking but still want to earn interest.

How to buy a Treasury bill

You can buy a Treasury bill through a

broker, or directly from the government through TreasuryDirect.gov. The minimum purchase is $100.

To start an account with TreasuryDirect, you’ll need to provide a U.S. address, Social Security number and a bank account. Afterward, since T-bills are sold on auction, those looking to invest will need to place a bid. Once it’s accepted, it will arrive in your TreasuryDirect account.

If using a brokerage account, T-bills can also be bought through ETFs and mutual funds.

If you’re looking to buy a T-bill for your IRA, you’ll need to go through a broker, as you cannot do so on TreasuryDirect.

How a Treasury bill works

A T-bill is a short-term debt obligation backed by the U.S. Treasury Department. It’s one of the safest places you can save your cash, as it’s backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

T-bills are auctioned off at a discount and then redeemed at maturity for the full amount. “Interest” on T-bills is the difference between how much you pay for it and how much value you get when the bill matures. The most common maturity dates for T-Bills are four, eight, 13, 26 and 52 weeks.

In addition to Treasury bills, there are

See TREASURY BILLS, page 15

f gyg driven discussion i fo o you! vent or emai yoour questions Village Director of Mar eting R frreshments will be served.

a g T

visit bit lyy/ RV V E

Dav v is at 301-388-

s f Ask the expert during thi fr r in advance to Brooke e Grove Tooni Davis at tdavvis@bgf..or Maasks required.

M

EricStewart by June 6

Financial writer Elliot Raphaelson recommends this retirement guide. See article on opposite page.

Comprehensive retirement planning guide

In December 2021, I wrote a favorable review of Wade Pfau’s Retirement Planning Guidebook, published by Retirement Resources.

Pfau has recently produced a second edition of his book, which addresses all the major regulations passed since then. Many experts agree this book is the most comprehensive and best-written personal finance book ever written. I agree.

If you are approaching retirement and need guidance regarding any of the most important aspects of retirement, you should obtain this book. It is required reading not only for prospective retirees but for all financial planners as well.

into considerable detail, with reliable sources, to help you make critical decisions with a full understanding of all options, knowing the pros and cons of each.

Reverse mortgages

regular income.

With a HECM, which is used for most reverse mortgages, the homeowner would have higher up-front fees and has the option to repay the loan voluntarily, but is under no obligation to make any repayment as long as he/she is eligible for the loan.

Furthermore, the HECM has flexible payback options and is noncancellable.

For homeowners who want to establish a liquid contingency fund, the HECM has advantages that HELOCs don’t have.

By Elliot Raphaelson

The guide discusses four general retirement income styles. You can determine your style, before obtaining the book, by filling out a questionnaire. You’ll get input to develop a strategy that will allow you to meet your retirement objectives.

You can visit risaprofile.com/guidebook to take the questionnaire and make your profile without cost or any future obligation.

The book covers investments, withdrawal options, annuities, Social Security, Medicare, health insurance, long-term care options, housing decisions, tax planning and estate planning.

In every one of these subjects, Pfau goes

Treasury bills

From page 14

other Treasury securities one can invest in as well.

Treasury bonds, or T-bonds, pay a fixed interest rate every six months and have

One of my favorite parts of the book is the section on housing decisions. Pfau has developed expertise regarding reverse mortgages and has covered the advantages in this book at a depth that no other author has, to my knowledge.

Not everyone in retirement wants to remain in their home long-term. But for those who do, this section is a must-read. (Pfau has also written a separate comprehensive book, Reverse Mortgages: How to Use Reverse Mortgages to Secure Your Retirement , which I have reviewed favorably.)

Pfau explains clearly the differences between a home equity line of credit, or HELOC, and a home equity conversion mortgage, or HECM.

With a HELOC, a homeowner borrows the money using the home as collateral, generally with low start-up fees, and is required to repay the loan in a relatively short time frame. Retirees may not be eligible for a HELOC loan if they don’t have a

the longest maturity periods, either 20 or 30 years.

Treasury notes also pay a fixed rate of interest every six months but have shorter maturity periods than T-bonds, ranging from two to 10 years.

© 2023 The Kiplinger Washington Editors

HECMs added new safeguards in 2015 to make sure that they are not used solely as a last resort by those who have otherwise depleted their resources.

However, the qualifications for HECMS are less stringent than those for a HELOC. A HECM is generally available as long as set-asides are included to cover taxes, insurance and maintenance.

Pfau points out that the major advantage of the HECM is that a line of credit cannot be canceled, frozen or reduced. No such protection is available for HELOCS. This was a significant problem for HELOCs during the financial crisis in 2008.

Pfau also emphasizes that the principal limit and line of credit for HECMS will grow throughout retirement, independent of home value, unlike the fixed amount available with HELOCs.

At the end of the book, Pfau discusses the non-financial aspects of retirement success. For example, the relationship between work and retirement is discussed, and the importance of strengthening relationships and social connection. Also covered is the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle.

Each chapter recommends valuable sources for further reading if you want to investigate any subject in more detail.

Bottom line: The guide is very comprehensive. There is no major category associated with retirement that is not covered in depth. You will find the guide an essential tool to a prosperous retirement.

The second edition of Retirement Planning Guidebook was released March 15, 2023 and is available on Amazon and other online booksellers.

© 2022 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

“I saw you in the Beacon!”

Leisure & Travel Leisure &

Make time for wild adventures in Alaska

By Glenda C. Booth

As our travel group hiked on a lupinelined trail in Alaska, the guide called out, “Here bear, here bear,” every minute or so, advising us to make some noise and not surprise Ursus arctos, the Alaska grizzly.

Soon we spotted a dark brown mound shrouded in the bushes about six car lengths away — a bear’s head. Out came the guide’s bear spray. We didn’t need it; our 500-pluspound visitor ambled off into the wilderness.

Viewing wildlife is a top attraction in the 49th state, 365 million acres far up in the continent’s Northwest and 55 miles across the Bering Strait from Russia. Wildlife abounds: bears, moose, whales, wolves, bald eagles, red-throated loons, salmon and Dall sheep, for example. In fact, Alaska has twice as many caribous as people.

The state’s fjords, glaciers, ice fields, islands, rivers, lakes and forests remain mostly untouched. Civilization has encroached on about 160,000 acres — or just one percent — of the state.

Every year 2.2 million tourists visit Alaska for its 15 national parks, 16 national wildlife refuges, two national forests and even more public lands. But it never feels crowded.

Most people visit Alaska between May and September, when the weather is variable but temperate. The Alaska Journal of Commerce reported last June, “Tempera-

tures soared and reached the high 70s.” Summer sunlight can last 19 to 22 hours, which is great for growing giant cabbages but challenging for some sleepers.

The most critical thing to remember when planning a trip to Alaska is this: It’s a very big state, larger than Texas, California and Montana combined. Distances can be long. Many areas are roadless. Getting around may require a cruise ship, boat, ferry, van, bus, train or seaplane.

“It may not always be easy to get here,” said Harrison Brown, a guide with Alaska Wildland Adventures, “but Alaska always delivers.”

Start in Anchorage

Anchorage, the largest city, sits between 5,000-foot peaks and the fish-rich Cook Inlet. Many of its sites are accessible on foot or by trolley tours from the downtown visitors center, which is located in a log cabin.

Stop by the Public Lands Museum for an overview of the state’s plant and animal life, glaciology, peat bogs and permafrost.

A film titled “The Day the Earth Shook” recounts the 9.2-magnitude earthquake that caved in one side of Fourth Avenue in 1964. “It sounded like a freight train coming through,” said a survivor. Today’s Earthquake Park commemorates an entire neighborhood that slid into the ocean.

The Anchorage Museum is a must for understanding Alaska’s past and present. Its Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center examines Alaska Native cultures, and how people have adapted to and survived their environment. On Alaska’s cold, a sign reads, “It’s inhospitable white nothingness, but it engenders human commonality and fosters perseverance.”

Not to mention resourcefulness: Seal intestines made parkas waterproof, fish nets could float with inflatable animal bladders, and whale bones were used to make snow goggles and sled runners.

The Anchorage Museum’s other exhibits examine Russian settlement in the state, and the Klondike Gold Rush from 1896 to 1899, which offered the mythic promise of great wealth. Similarly, drilling for oil has brought both prosperity and dismay to the region.

Alaska has almost as many airplanes as cars, celebrated at the four-hangar Alaska Aviation Museum. It’s next to Lake Hood, the world’s most extensive seaplane base, with 87,000 landings and takeoffs a year.

Some airplanes have pontoons for water landings; others, fat tires for the tundra. “Aviation is the lynchpin of the state,” in-

tones a video, because planes facilitated settlement and industry.

Even in the city of Anchorage, wildlife’s at home, like bald eagles foraging for salmon on Ship Creek. Locals estimate that there are 1,500 moose nibbling in the city’s backyards.

Kenai Peninsula’s glaciers

Alaska offers almost countless adventures in the great outdoors, depending on time, budget and logistics.

The Kenai Peninsula is a favorite destination, with the fishing town of Seward, 120 miles south of Anchorage, a convenient jumping-off point.

The peninsula juts out into the Gulf of Alaska, where glaciers calve, whales breach and Arctic terns dive for food. The Gulf attracts kittiwakes, seals, sea lions, sea otters, porpoises and numerous fish species.

The 607,000-acre Kenai Fjords National Park has rugged wilderness and 38 named glaciers, some 1,000 feet thick, and many with mountain peaks piercing the ice. Glacier ice is nine times denser than snow, rangers explain.

A grizzly bear is at home at the foot of 20,210-foot Denali, formerly known as Mt. McKinley, in Alaska’s Denali National Park.

PHOTO © DAVID HOFFMANN PHOTOGRAPHY | DREAMSTIME.COM

A tourist takes in the scenery on a cruise through the College Fjord, which has dozens of pristine glaciers named after schools like Harvard, Vassar and Yale.

PHOTO © TONYMPIX | DREAMSTIME.COM

To find the perfect hotel room online, see tips on page 18.

Alaska

From page 16

Inside the park, the Harding Icefield Trail rises 3,000 feet, providing a view of ice and snow as far as the eye can see. Kayaking on crystal clear waters recalls the 18th-century Alutiiq way of life and even earlier times.

One place to unplug and commune with nature’s majesty is the Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge, which is only accessible by boat. The lodge and its 16 rustic cabins are tucked away in woodsy settings on a tidal lagoon where seals and loons stir the silky waters.

Lodge visitors can take guided paddling trips and walking excursions in the spongy forests. A favorite happy hour top-off is a glacierita, a margarita with glacial ice.

Denali National Park & Preserve

The six-million-acre Denali National Park is the crème de la crème of an Alaska trip for many.

BEACON BITS

June 11

At 20,320 feet, Denali is the tallest mountain in North America. While a favorite attraction for many Alaska-goers, remember that Denali’s peak is visible only around one-third of the time due to cloud cover.

On a park tour by bus, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) or “flightseeing” plane, visitors learn about various habitats, including taiga and tundra, while looking out for moose, bears and wolves.

Alaska is a big, bucket-list state, well worth an adventure into the wild.

If you go

Roundtrip flights from BWI to Anchorage in July start at $1,050 on Alaska Airlines.

Dixie Sommers, who will make her seventh trip to Alaska this summer, advises spending as much time there as possible: “It’s a big place, and takes time to get there.” She also suggests:

Don’t hurry. Things operate on “Alaska time” because of distances, dependence

COLUMBIA ORCHESTRA SALUTE TO VETS

The Columbia Orchestra will hold a free concert saluting military veterans on Sun., June 11, at 4 p.m. at St. Louis Church, 12500 Clarksville Pk. The program, “Songs from Sea to Shining Sea,” features patriotic favorites by American composers, including Samuel Barber, Aaron Copeland, John Philip Sousa and Julia Ward Howe. For more information, visit stlconcertseries.org.

on air travel and ferries, and constantly changing weather. (Dress in layers for the weather.)

Go on guided outings. Look around for tour groups. You’ll see a lot more and have fewer logistics to manage.

Take a sleep mask. It is daylight most

of the time from spring through fall.

Be aware. Bears can be almost anywhere. Moose are very large and dangerous.

Pay attention to the Alaska Native cultures. Buy their beautiful artwork.

Take binoculars. Be prepared for spectacular scenery.

To search appropriate hotels, use filters

When you search for a hotel online, most of you have a few deal-breaker requirements. For me, it’s an elevator — I’m an old geezer and don’t do stairs very well. But it can range from a kitchen to being pet-friendly.

You can save time and hassle if you can limit your search to hotels that meet your needs, without cluttering up your response list with places that wouldn’t do, no matter what the price or other features.

To cater to that need, almost all hotel search engines include filters that allow you to exclude those unwanted responses. I checked eight top hotel search systems — Booking.com, Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Hotwire.com, Kayak.com, Priceline.com, Tripadvisor.com,

By Ed Perkins

and Trivago.com — and although they all use filters, each uses a somewhat different set of filters.

All eight include some basic filters:

– Price range

– Access to promotional prices

– Location/neighborhood within a larger city and map view search options

– Type of property: hotel, motel, B&B, vacation rental, etc.

– Some measure of attractiveness, such as star ratings or user reviews

– Acceptance of pets

– Accessible room availability

But I found some differences in treatment of what I figured might be among the

more important deal-breaker features for most travelers:

– Pricing. I’m amazed that Kayak is still the only top engine that allows you to search for what you really pay, including taxes and fees, from the get-go. All of the others ultimately show you the phony “resort” and similar add-on fees and taxes before you book, but only Kayak lets you choose to see the real price in big numbers from the start of your search.

This isn’t important if you’re searching for roadside motels or outside North America, where such fees are rare. But it can make a big difference if you’re looking in a popular North American vacation destination.

– Cancellation policy. Most big systems allow you to limit your search to bookings that don’t require nonrefundable prepayment, but I couldn’t find that filter on Hotwire.

ENTERPRISE RESIDENTIAL

MOST COMMUNITIES ARE 62 AND BETTER

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

The Greens at Hammonds Lane: 410-636-1141

Park View at Furnace Branch: 410-761-4150

Park View at Severna Park: 410-544-3411

BALTIMORE CITY

Ednor Apartments I: 410-243-0180

Ednor Apartments II: 410-243-4301

The Greens at Irvington Mews: 410-644-4487

Park Heights Place: 410-578-3445

Park View at Ashland Terrace: 410-276-6440

Park View at Coldspring: 410-542-4400

BALTIMORE COUNTY

Cove Point Apartments I: 410-288-2344

Cove Point Apartments II: 410-288-1660

Evergreen Senior Apartments: 410-780-4888

The Greens at English Consul: 410-789-3000

The Greens at Liberty Road: 410-655-1100

The Greens at Logan Field: 410-288-2000

The Greens at Rolling Road: 410-744-9988

Park View at Catonsville: 410-719-9464

Park View at Dundalk: 410-288-5483 • 55 & Better

Park View at Fullerton: 410-663-0665

Park View at Miramar Landing: 410-391-8375

Park View at Randallstown: 410-655-5673

BALTIMORE COUNTY (CONT.)

Park View at Rosedale: 410-866-1886

Park View at Taylor: 410-663-0363

Park View at Towson: 410-828-7185

Park View at Woodlawn: 410-281-1120

EASTERN SHORE

Park View at Easton: 410-770-3070

HARFORD COUNTY

Park View at Bel Air: 410-893-0064

Park View at Box Hill: 410-515-6115

HOWARD COUNTY

Park View at Colonial Landing: 410-796-4399

Park View at Columbia: 410-381-1118

Park View at Ellicott City: 410-203-9501

Park View at Ellicott City II: 410-203-2096

Park View at Emerson: 301-483-3322

Park View at Snowden River: 410-290-0384

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Park View at Bladensburg: 301-699-9785 • 55 & Better

Park View at Laurel: 301-490-1526

Park View at Laurel II: 301-490-9730

– Electric Vehicle Charging Station.

This was a big surprise: Despite the increasing popularity of EVs, I didn’t find filters for availability of EV charging stations on Hotwire, Priceline or Trivago. I’m guessing those systems will get with it soon.

– Kitchen facilities . Not a filter on Priceline, Tripadvisor or Trivago.

– Washer-Dryer. Not a filter on Kayak, Priceline, Tripadvisor or Trivago.

– Elevator. Not a filter on Priceline, Tripadvisor or Trivago.

– Free Wi-Fi. Not a filter on Priceline or Trivago — possibly because everybody expects free Wi-Fi everywhere these days — but those two don’t specify “free.”

– Free Parking. Most provide a parking filter, but Booking, Expedia and Hotels do not specify “free.”

– Free Airport Shuttle. Most provide an airport shuttle filter, but Booking, Hotwire and Priceline do not specify “free.”

Specifying a filter for a feature as available but not saying “free” doesn’t mean it isn’t free; just that free isn’t promised.

All eight systems provide additional filters and detailed subcategories of the most important filters. Trivago employs fewer filters than the others, and Booking is possibly the most granular.

A few provide filters that leave you in the dark: Expedia and Hotels let you filter for “LGBTQ friendly,” for example, without indicating exactly what that entails. Of more importance for most travelers is the detail they can add into such categories as “accessible” and “property type.”

Hotwire and Priceline remain the only two online agencies that offer an “opaque” pricing option: In exchange for a big cost reduction, the agency selects the hotel and doesn’t name it until after you’ve made a nonrefundable payment. Given the high fees, opaque buying isn’t as useful to bargain seekers as it once was.

You no doubt have your own set of necessities and deal-breakers. I suggest that you take a look at all of the systems to see which best accommodate your individual needs and preferences. If possible, however, use all that work — prices and promotional deals do vary among them.

Email Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net or check out his website at rail-guru.com.

© 2023 Ed Perkins. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Arts & Style

Artist Hal Boyd makes ‘art that is mine’

By Ana Preger Hart

Baltimore artist Hal Boyd’s paintings give observers the feeling that they’re in a dream: People dressed to the nines are waltzing in the moonlight while a gazelle looks on nearby (“Gazelle,” 2012); a bride and groom pose for a traditional wedding portrait, while candles dance behind the bride and two ghostly figures kiss in the background (“Bride & Groom,” 1989); a reclining woman admires her manicure, while a miniature pig beside her shows off its painted hoof (“Drying our Nails,” 2017).

Boyd was born in 1934 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, a small city in the Mississippi River Delta. His earliest memory of making art is as a first-grader at Columbus School in Cincinnati, Ohio. He had been drawing with pencils and crayons for some time but discovered poster paints at school.

“Each month, first-graders voted on which of their anonymous entries would be easel-painted to illustrate the next month’s calendar,” Boyd wrote in an email to the Beacon. His drawing of Santa with a Christmas tree and gifts won for December 1939.

“In fact, I’m pretty sure my images won

every month of first grade,” he added. Boyd later studied drawing, painting and sculpture at the University of Nebraska and the University of Mississippi, where his teachers included abstract expressionist painter Jack Tworkov and sculptor David Smith. Nevertheless, Boyd thinks of himself as largely self-taught.

Painting ‘to keep my sanity’

As with many artists whose careers span decades, Boyd’s need to create is visceral and ever-present.

He says he is at his best, mentally, physically and emotionally, when he paints every day. “[While] painting, I lose any sense of time — I lose myself. I have to paint.”

Boyd, now in his late 80s, has been hospitalized several times but still paints every day in his home studio. “When hospitalized, I sketch — to scare up painting ideas and to keep my sanity,” he said. Where does the endless inspiration come from? In one word: everywhere.

“I am inspired by ideas, by memories and experiences, by individual human beings, by the human figure, by animals, by poems and plays, by newspaper reports, by photo-

graphs, by other people’s paintings, by my dreams and the dreams of others, by philosophical and psychological concepts, by stories both oral and in print,” Boyd said.

Boyd’s paintings are lively, with bold colors and rich, layered textures. The physical spaces he depicts often appear wavy or offkilter, resembling the surreal landscape of dreams.

As a child, he had pet cats, and his daughter keeps several, so cats (as well as other animals and imaginary creatures) feature prominently in his work.

So do women, musicians and people kissing. Large, colorful flowers, the sun, the moon and other natural elements

Peace of Mind is Priceless

Pre-planning a funeral is a great gift, to your family and to you: It relieves the pressure on them to imagine what you might have wanted while they deal with grief and loss. Your funeral service will be exactly as you wish.

Your family can enjoy peace of mind knowing everything has been arranged. If you choose to pre-fund, the cost is fixed and protected from later price change or inflation.

Call us to learn more.

Ask about our price-match guarantee!

Ask for Jim Schwartz or Chris Boggs: 410-747-4770

Our cover story about the Jim Henson Exhibition continues on page 20.

See ARTIST, page 21

PHOTO COURTESY OF HAL BOYD

Artist Howell “Hal” Boyd, who began winning people over with his art in first grade, creates colorful, dreamlike paintings from his home studio. The Baltimore painter is “happiest when I paint,” he told the Beacon

scripts, sketches and prototypes show what went on behind the scenes.

A 1969 sketch of Oscar the Grouch shows the same eyes as the finished character, and some of the early puppets on display resemble future Muppets.

Visitors can also see a different side of Henson in ventures he explored outside of children’s entertainment. For instance, in the 1960s, Henson worked as an experimental filmmaker on commercials, documentaries and short films, one of which was

nominated for an Academy Award in 1965.

As a television pioneer, Henson maintained the eye of a filmmaker, emphasizing consistency of character and message.

Admirers worldwide

Though Henson’s life was tragically cut short at age 53 (he died of pneumonia in 1990), what he created connects us all: Bert and Ernie, Big Bird, Kermit the Frog.

After all, images we come to love in childhood, uncrowded by other memories, often become the best-remembered lessons and emotional experiences. With its global reach, Henson’s work may be one of the

things much of the world has in common.

One display reveals what Henson scribbled on a script for the 1980s television series Fraggle Rock: “What the show is really about is people getting along with other people, and understanding the delicate balances of the natural world.”

Henson imagined new worlds and new ways of seeing our world. In a 2007 press release for an earlier tour of his work at the Smithsonian, Sesame Street producer Jon Stone captured the spirit of Henson’s magic:

“Jim didn’t think in terms of boundaries at all the way the rest of us do. There are always these fences we build around ourselves and our ideas. Jim seemed to have no fences.”

Traveling exhibit

“The Jim Henson Exhibition” is actually the traveling version of a permanent exhibit at the Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) in New York City, which explores the art, history and technology of the moving image in all its forms.

Its Jim Henson exhibit started with a major donation by Henson’s family to MoMI in 2013. The final production is a collaboration between the museum, the family, and the multiple companies, workshops and studios that encompass the Henson universe.

Since 2017, the traveling version of the MoMI Henson exhibit has delighted museum visitors across the nation. MoMI’s director of curatorial affairs, Barbara Miller, said the Henson family was eager to bring the exhibition to Maryland, where Henson first established his creative genius. The Maryland Center for History and Culture is the tenth venue to host the show. MoMI works with each venue to ensure a smooth installation. Since “the puppets are essential to the experience,” Miller ex-

plained, a puppeteer from the Jim Henson Company visits each venue to “pose the characters in order to bring them to life.”

The Maryland Center for History and Culture — a combined museum, library and virtual learning center, founded in 1844 as the Maryland Historical Society — considers itself the oldest cultural institution in the state.

Today, under its first female president and CEO, Katie Caljean, the center is embracing its purpose with renewed energy. Caljean’s vision of a “warm and welcoming” place where “everyone can find themselves and feel accepted” aligns with Henson’s delightful vision of caring communities.

It is an ideal environment to display the depth of Henson’s vision. Miller explains that “Henson’s career was truly unique, as it is realized across generations, media platforms and spans history from the earliest days of television to the early days of digital puppetry. Henson and his team of writers, builders, composers and performers conceived a model of collaboration that is timeless.”

The MCHC is located at 610 Park Ave., Baltimore, and is open Wednesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

“The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited” opens May 26. Tickets are $19 for adults, $18 for seniors, $17 for students and children, and free for MCHC members and those under 2.

On Saturday, June 3, is an all-day “opening festival” featuring puppet shows, films, live music and more. The museum will also host a puppet-making workshop on June 10 and a screening of The Muppet Movie on July 15.

For more information on these and other events around the exhibition, visit the MCHC website at mdhistory.org or call (410) 685-3750.

Artist

From page 19

often appear in the background.

Boyd is an avid reader of fiction and a lifelong philosophy and psychology student. Perhaps it’s not surprising, then, that his fascination with psychoanalysts Freud, Jung and Lacan shows up in his work.

“Viewers ask where my ideas come from. If by ‘ideas,’ they mean ‘images,’ they come from somewhere I can go only through painting — from the unconscious,” Boyd said. “The unconscious encodes aspects of itself on the canvas. In that sense, every painting is a discovery.”

Boyd feels it’s not easy to pin down his influences. “I’ve been affected by the work of so many artists,” he said. “Earliest influences were the Sunday funnies and comic books, including Milton Caniff’s Terry and the Pirates.”

Classifieds continued from page 23

TV/Cable

DIRECTV. New 2-Year Price Guarantee. The most live MLB games this season, 200+ channels and over 45,000 on-demand titles. $84.99/mo for 24 months with CHOICE Package. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-572-4953

DISH NETWORK: Only from Dish- 3 year TV Price Guarantee! 99% Signal Reliability, backed by guarantee. Includes Multi-Sport with NFL Redzone. Switch and Get a FREE $100 Gift Card. Call today! 1-844-560-5837

PAYING CASH FOR MERCHANDISE

PRE 1980S Old toys, silver, records, old beer cans, ephemera, antiques and collectables. If you have old stuff for sale Call Carl 312-3167553 located Silver spring

WANTED OLD MOTORCYCLES: 1970’s & Older. Any condition good or bad. Buying AS IS paying CASH & PICKING UP. Kawasaki Norton Honda Triumph BMW Yamaha Harley BSA Suzuki Ducati Etc. Call for cash offer 1(800)220-9683, website: www.wantedoldmotorcycles.com

CASH FOR ESTATES; I buy a wide range of items. Art, antiques, jewelry, cultural items, furniture, rugs, collections/accumulations. TheAtticLLC.com. Gary Roman; 301520-0755

NEED CASH? COLLECTOR PAYING

CASH FOR COMIC BOOKS from the 1940’s to the 1980’s. So check your attic and your closets and let me know if have any you would like to sell! Call or text Joe at 443-5628082 or by email: joebuyscomics@gmail.com.

CASH FOR JEWELRY; Gold, silver, costume. Watches, coins, turquoise, dental gold, etc. TheAtticLLC.com. Gary Roman; 301520-0755. 18-SH-004233

CASH FOR MILITARY MEMORABILIA. Civil War, WW1, WW2, Vietnam War. Helmets, Flags, Daggers, Medals, Swords ETC. FAIR CASH PAID, COME TO YOU! ANY CONDITION. HISTORY PRESERVED by LOCAL COLLECTOR. CALL 443-712-8500

COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY

ITEMS: helmets, antique weapons, knives, swords, web gear, uniforms, WW2 jeep parts, etc. from all wars and countries. Also slots/pinball/jukeboxes and all coin op machines. Covid safe. call Fred 301-910-0783

Later influences include Balthus, Max Beckmann, Pierre Bonnard, Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse.

Happy to be in Baltimore

Family members — wife Clif and children Jenifer, Patrick and Betsy — have always supported his efforts and often contributed valuable suggestions regarding individual works-in-progress, Boyd said.

“They have posed for me occasionally, and I often base characters on one or another family memory, painting him or her basically from memory — more or less faithful to his or her lineaments.”

After spending 32 years in San Antonio, Texas, and 20 years in Brevard, North Carolina, Boyd and his wife moved to Baltimore County in 2018 to be near their younger daughter and her twin boys.

“I like big cities, and love Baltimore,” he commented, “especially the galleries and the Baltimore Museum of Art.”

Boyd quickly gained local recognition

and has exhibited in several Baltimore galleries, most recently with a solo exhibit titled “Active Imagination” at Gallery Blue Door in Mount Vernon.

“Baltimore is definitely an artist’s city. The art community is warm and welcoming, generous and fun,” Boyd said. He has

also exhibited at the Forum Gallery in New York City, the Brooks Museum of Art in Memphis, Tennessee and the Laguna Gloria Museum in Austin, Texas.

What’s next for Boyd? “The next painting is always very much what’s next for me,” he said. And, hopefully, another show or two.

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD FROM PAGE 22

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

Scrabble answers on p. 21.

Find

Crossword Puzzle

She Cares

By Stephen

Sherr

HB623

Across

1. Atom Ant or Jiminy Cricket

7. It knows how to get to Sesame St.

10. “I’m sorry, I was talking on ___”

14. Boil over with rage

15. “I do not like that mouse”

16. On a naval mission

17. She cares for the last of 20, 38, and 54 Across

18. Rear ends

20. Gravity, or one of three others

22. Hullabaloos

24. Dir. from Key West to Key Largo

25. Nation with 8 of Earth’s 10 tallest mountains

26. “Hey; I could use some more hay”

27. A final abbreviation

28. The Adventures of ___ Rabbit

30. Some lower than sopranos

32. Delays a placekicker

34. Maker of “Perfect Portions” Healthy Kitten Cuts

38. Misstatement

41. Last word of the year’s last song

42. One who could bat as a DH prior to 2022

43. Encouraged foolish behavior

44. It comes before Descartes

46. Shift scheduler at TGI Fridays

48. 66 went from Chicago to LA

49. Upon face value terms, as a bond

52. ___ de sac

53. George Santos or Costanza

54. Very relaxed

58. “I would rather trust a woman’s ___ than a man’s reason” (Stanley Baldwin)

59. Standing ovation shouts

62. ___ bad example

63. Kindergartener

64. Fall flowers

65. Occupant of a Winter Palace

66. Pig parlor

67. Setbacks

Down

1. End of magnet- or mystic-

2. Keanu, in The Matrix

3. Enter

4. Community spirit

5. Sonny’s Babe in the early 70’s

6. 20th century Toyota subcompact

7. Black tea

8. Meatball meat, maybe

9. Largest organ of the body

10. Having relevance

11. Get to the bottom of the bottle

12. ___ Haute, Indiana

13. Prop for Bob Ross

19. In possession of all of one’s marbles

21. Provide justification for

22. Accumulate

23. She was first played by Carol Channing!

27. It brought Marilyn Monroe to Korea to entertain GIs in 1954

28. Stein

29. They are all up to U

31. Diva

33. Friend of Fidel

35. Oppresses

36. Epsilon ___ (engineering honor society)

37. Passover service

39. Geisha’s prop

40. “___ the fields we go...”

45. Able was I ___ saw Elba

47. Worldwide

49. Those allowed to pass through the velvet rope

50. Voice mail prompts

51. ___ job listing (advertise on LinkedIn)

52. Spiteful

53. Tests most SCOTUS members have once taken

55. Kitchen pests

56. Sean Connery, but not Roger Moore

57. Guesstimate words

60. Valuable rock formation

61. Leaky tire sound

Answers on page 21.

The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Legal Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on the right.

CAVEAT EMPTOR!

The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment.

EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS:

We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

COMPUTER PROBLEMS CALL — Dial-ANerd at 410 615-3655. The FREE CALL often solves your problem. Talk with a friendly older Nerd who has worked on computers since 1970. If cannot answer my cell phone, please leave a message so I can call you or call after 7 PM. For more information, visit DialANerd.com.

SHOP WITH US! Vendor Members Group annually organizes multiple CRAFTS GALORE! Events (homemade goods & food) in Baltimore County, MD. Customers can register for event notifications. Interested vendors can inquire on: www.vendormembersgroup.com

WESLEY FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC Timeshare Cancellation Experts. Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 855-626-8703.

UP TO $15,000.00 OF GUARANTEED LIFE INSURANCE! No medical exam or health questions. Cash to help pay funeral and other final expenses. Call Physicians Life Insurance Company866-212-1092 or visit www.Life55plus.info/beacon

PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES

TODAY with a GENERAC home standby generator $0 Money Down + Low Monthly Payment Options. Request a FREE Quote. Call now before the next power outage: 1-866-964-8106.

PUT ON YOUR TV EARS and hear TV with unmatched clarity. TV Ears Original were originally $129.95 - NOW WITH THIS SPECIAL OFFER are only $59.95 with code MCB59! Call 1-833-934-0843.

NEED TO SELL YOUR HOME? We’re here to help. The Laura Jones Team with Long & Foster Real Estate offers over 22 years of local experience helping sellers and buyers move on to their next home. We help with staging, clean ups, property preparations and everything you need for a smooth move. Call us today direct 410-707-7246 or office 410-480-3338. TheLauraJonesTeam.com

DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 350 plus procedures. Real dental insurance - NOT just a discount plan. Do not wait! Call now! Get your FREE Dental Information Kit with all the details! 1-844366-1003 www.dental50plus.com/320 #6258.

MOBILEHELP, America’s Premier Mobile Medical Alert System. Whether You’re Home or Away. For Safety and Peace of Mind. No Long Term Contracts! Free Brochure! Call Today! 1240-650-9189.

STROKE AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE are leading causes of death, according to the American Heart Association. Screenings can provide peace of mind or early detection! Contact Life Line Screening to schedule your screening. Special offer - 5 screenings for just $149. Call 1-844-485-7035.

PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR

May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-851-0949.

EDEN PERSONAL CARE/ ST. JOHN DAY CARE — for adults who need personal care & Assistance, light housekeeping & meal prep, companionship & medication reminder. We also have Adult Day Care service from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM. 10947 Golden West Dr. #200, Hunt Valley, MD, 21031. Call 410-329-1444, ask for Ms. Kitty DoctorLessCare.Com - How a regular guy regained prostate health without doctors or surgery. Get 2 free tips at DoctorLessCare.Com

MOBILE HAIR & NAIL SERVICES - WE COME TO YOU. Professional Licensed Hair Stylist. Women and Men’s Services - All Hair Types. Cuts, Styles, Roller Sets, Color, Perms, Men’s Cuts & Facial Grooming, Manicures & more. Call 443-450-3344 for info.

THE BATHROOM OF YOUR DREAMS for as little as $149/month! BCI Bath & Shower. Many options available. Quality materials & professional installation. Senior & Military Discounts Available. Limited Time Offer - FREE virtual in-home consultation now and SAVE 15%! Call Today! 1-855-653-0087.

HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD

All classified ads must be submitted and paid for online, via our website, www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds

Deadlines and Payments: To appear in the next issue, your ad text and payment must be entered by the 5th of the preceding month (for Baltimore and Howard County editions); by the 20th (for Washington edition). Cost will be based on the number of characters and spaces in your ad: • $25 for 1-250 • $35 for 251-500. • $50 for 501-750 (maximum length). The website will calculate this for you.

Note: Maryland contractors must provide a valid MHIC number. • Each real estate listing qualifies as one ad. • All ads are subject to publisher’s discretion. Payment will be refunded if unacceptable for any reason.

To place your classified ad, visit www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds

DON’T LET THE STAIRS LIMIT YOUR MOBILITY! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 1866-365-5170.

THE GENERAC PWRCELL, a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing Option. Request a FREE, no obligation, quote today. Call 1-866-944-0699

SAFE STEP. North America’s #1 Walk-In Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-theline installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-866-478-2363.

WE CAN FIX ANYTHING. 3 generations of builders, cabinet makers, remodelers and crafters completing kitchens, baths and additions got us to this point. If it’s broken, disassembled, ugly, out of date, needs replacement or renewal: please call Bob at R. W. Wood Improvements 410.294.2800, MHIC 92322. If it’s electronics or computers, we suggest you contact your grandchildren.

CIRCLE OF LIFE ESTATE PLANNING

WORKBOOK (188 pages) removes the stress and anxiety of Will and Trust preparation. All you need to do is to fill in the blanks that relate to you. When completed, you will have a complete inventory of your estate. Order by credit card to: Workbook, PO BOX 169, Kensington, MD 20895. All major credit cards accepted. (301)565-2917. Cost: $59.99 plus tax, s/h free APPLYING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY or Appealing a Denied Claim? Call Bill Gordon & Assoc. Our case managers simplify the process & work hard to help with your case. Call 1-866-970-0779 FREE Consultation. Local Attorneys Nationwide [Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington DC. Office: Broward Co. FL (TX/NM Bar.)]

VERY EXPERIENCED LAWYER IN FIELD OF CIVIL LITIGATION (auto accidents, family law, etc) and in estate matters (drafting wills, powers of attorney, and health directives). William Mulroney 400 Redland Court, Suite 110, Owings Mills, Md 21117. 240 271-1799. wmulroney@mulroneylawfirm.com. First consultation is free.

CONSUMER CELLULAR. Switch and save up to $250/year on your talk, text and data. No contract and no hidden fees. Unlimited talk and text with flexible data plans. Premium nationwide coverage. 100% U.S. based customer service. For more information, call 1-833-742-1303.

“SELL US YOUR VEHICLE WITH CONFIDENCE” - We offer an Automotive Concierge Service! We will come to you to evaluate your vehicle! No Drama, Easy Process! CMA’s Toyota of Martinsburg WVA. 650 Foxcroft Ave, Martinsburg, WVA 25401. Call Lisa 240-876-8746

TRANSPORT SERVICES FOR AIRPORTS, OUT OF TOWN & SPECIAL EVENTS! Our professional services will cover all of your transportation needs. Call today at 240-2814966 and speak with an agent or visit our website; diaexpressmd.com.

DECLUTTER, ORGANIZE, DOWNSIZE, AND OFFICE WORK — Personalized services designed for the 55 + community. Take control of your life and your home. Call Christine, Certified Senior Advisor at 301.452.5730, ccallahan@mdseniorhelp.com — visit my website - www.mdseniorhelp.com

THIS Y T YEAR A

LIV LI I

VE W

ate t E

y of L al alit it he v t eju e r ienc Exper -of

E S a trehabilit a - ar he t -

t r of

ook t Br a LIFE® ad g he in uvenat l

ional indepen Except

d h

WEL L db LL L

ll

ire et e R ov e Gr k

yDi y Simp

g g in an e in ndent liv

ss ellne oe w t to- d- lne t r

t e i hatinspiresa iont t

oo an on ssist s andrestores•A ic and suppor nerget fferent

illage. i

y • ommunit e c iv t r

,ch , c vement om of mo

Dedic

ace s and embr ement V men ur ures

u t hatnu ingt edliv

i illed n k ional s xcept

• W

s lk

•Ex freedo because ...

-discov - e and se hoic

e an iv vat y • Inno er s A and r

an e • Me ar g c ursin

hs t g pa in alk a ssio ompa ed and c at c

te ommit aff c t e s onat

a

s a t ins ion t lf a

t us rrou t su h e w

her at door g and out

sc e y ou o u

y sup e memor nd s

f nds y reall

ali s in a he pace g s in e ou g g y lpin o he ed t ich enr ® ul LIFE u ning

g a rammin og hment pr

ironment v g en in t out of LI he mos t t

me en IFEFE® g • t ppor

v al

n l Independe care ong-term assist living nt t

a tters. t