June 2025 | Baltimore Beacon

IN FOCUS FOR PEOPLE OVER 50

Oriole Advocates change lives

By Cathy Habas

On a sunny spring day, an orange-clad crowd flows through the iron gates of Camden Yards. Every now and then, someone joins the line dressed as a cow. It’s baseball season in Baltimore, and Birdland is ready for some fun.

Most folks know the drill. As they approach a cheerful volunteer at the gate, fans reach out for the day’s freebie. Today, it’s bobbleheads.

“Kids love the bobbleheads,” says Howard County resident Mary Jo Neville. “We do a fair number of T-shirts as well: bowling shirts, Hawaiian shirts, the Cedric Mullins shirt. We have a straw hat, knit hats, bracelets, a barbecue spatula, a plushie.”

Neville is decked out in black and orange gear, but you’d expect nothing less from the president of the Oriole Advocates, the 65year-old organization best known for handing out Orioles swag before every game.

“I just love being at the ballpark. Being in the crowd, seeing people come in with crazy outfits, smelling the hot dogs, hearing the crowd cheering — if you’re a baseball person, it’s heaven,” Neville said.

But there’s a lot more to the Oriole Advocates than just giving away free merchandise. The group spearheads multiple programs that preserve baseball history, help others and build the sport’s future.

A lifetime love of baseball

For Neville, baseball has always been about fun and fellowship. She admits she’s never thrown a ball in her life, but like many Marylanders, she grew up cheering for the Orioles.

“As a kid, back in the ‘60s, I remember us listening to the games on the transistor radio, listening to Chuck Thompson and Bill O’Donnell, hearing Brooks Robinson got a hit or Frank Robinson just got a home run. It’s just been part of our lives forever,” she said.

“It was the one thing everybody had in common. You might’ve been of a different religion or went to different schools, but everybody loved the Orioles.”

Neville was introduced to the Oriole Advocates at an early age. In the early ‘70s, she won a Junior Oriole necklace at one of the organization’s giveaways. It’s a keepsake she continues to wear today.

Years later, she realized the same group

LEISURE & TRAVEL Bears, elk, fireflies and hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park; plus, how comfortable is the overnight Auto Train to Orlando? page 15

stood outside the gates of Camden Yards, handing out free merchandise to the crowd.

“I thought, ‘I’d like to do that sometime,’ and when I retired, I decided now’s the time. I became a member nine years ago.”

She quickly fell in love with baseball all over again.

“It’s so much fun. You get to meet people you never would meet otherwise — lots of people from various walks of life and all around the Baltimore area.”

Great seats at games

Although Neville is quick to clarify that the organization isn’t a fan club, Advocates do enjoy some perks. For instance, members who hand out freebies at the gate get to watch the game in a reserved section.

“The Orioles are very kind to us,” she said. “We also have a meeting room in the warehouse, and we’re on the eighth floor.

So we have a pretty good view of the field from up there too.”

The group also manages the Orioles Hall of Fame, which means members and Hall of Famers gather every year for a luncheon to celebrate Orioles history and vote in new inductees.

Helping kids here and abroad

When they’re not handing out swag, watching a game or dining with legends, Oriole Advocates are supporting young baseball players at home and around the world. Neville is most proud of the Challenger Baseball program, which helps kids with developmental or physical challenges play in assisted leagues.

She enjoys “seeing the kids light up” when Advocates bring them gifts or the

ARTS & STYLE

Mystery writer publishes her fifth book, and Ron Chernow releases his latest biography, of Mark Twain

page 18

& HEALTH

How to live longer

Three minutes to calm

& MONEY

Ways to prepare for recession

Skip the line at the bank

PHOTO COURTESY OF ORIOLE ADVOCATES

Jim Palmer, famed Orioles pitcher and sports broadcaster, attended the Orioles Hall of Fame luncheon in 2023 along with Mary Jo Neville, president of the Oriole Advocates. The volunteer group hands out free items at every game; ships used baseball gear to 11 countries; and hosts games for children with disabilities at Camden Yards.

Practice makes (im)perfect

I recently enjoyed a virtual presentation about what musicians can learn from the latest in brain science.

The speaker, a musician and cognitive neuroscientist, was enlisted by the Adult Music Students’ Forum, a local organization I belong to that gives (mostly) older adult musicians the opportunity to perform in front of their peers and, occasionally, the public.

The goal of Dr. Molly Gebrian’s presentation was to help us learn how to practice more effectively and become better, and less nervous, performers. It was fascinating and potentially very helpful to me as a musician.

nerve cells that make up most of our brains communicate with each other by transmitting electrical signals to other cells in their vicinity.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

By Stuart P. Rosenthal

But she drew on studies of athletes as well as musicians, and I believe her message should be taken to heart by just about everybody. Here, in my own words, is a truncated layman’s summary of some of the points she made.

Gebrian began by describing how our brains take information in, embed it in memory, and enable us to retrieve it or take action on it. The billions of spindly

Complex actions involve many nerves that, when frequently engaged in this manner, create a neuronal “pathway” that produces a specific action. Like finding your way through a forest, once you’ve laid down a path and walked it many times, it becomes more and more clear and easily traversed.

This is how we learn to perform any action, and how our brains turn the most repeated ones into automatic, habitual behaviors.

The problem is, nerve cells don’t evaluate the end result to which those paths lead. They simply follow “the road more traveled.” It’s the behaviors we do the most that become “myelinated,” meaning more or less automatic for us, even if they are things we don’t intend to do.

A study of college basketball players doing free throws determined that what makes top performers so much better than the others is how they practice.

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First, they set very specific goals for themselves in each practice session. Second, when they miss a basket, they identify a specific intention to improve and methods for doing so. And finally, they analyze exactly what went wrong whenever they miss until they can make the basket repeatedly.

Of course, every basketball player tries to make the basket during a free throw. They all claim to focus on what they’re doing. But the intense specificity of the best performers — their forethought, self-monitoring and self-reflection — is worlds away from the general intention of the others.

The same principles apply to musicians. If, during a practice session, I frequently or even occasionally hit the wrong notes in a particular passage (as I commonly do), my brain’s nerve cells only know that I am creating a frequently used path.

The fact that I say (ahem) “Darn!” each time I make a mistake doesn’t tell my nerves this is a bad pathway I want to avoid. And when I find myself making different mistakes at different practice sessions, I’m just muddying the path further, not correcting it.

To improve, what’s called for is making a serious, conscious effort to identify each error, analyze how it happens, and determine what I need to do to avoid it next time.

Finally, I need to pay careful attention to repeatedly playing it correctly — according to Gebrian, five to seven times in a row — until the right notes become habitual.

There are a number of other lessons from studies of musicians that reveal addi-

tional, and often counterintuitive, steps to what might be called best practices.

One is that taking breaks every 5 to 10 minutes is a necessary step to making progress. Another is that practicing a little each day is far better than trying to squeeze one long practice in each week.

And randomizing what you work on — jumping around to different pieces or different sections during a practice session — is better than focusing all your attention on one thing.

Let’s face it, our brains are complicated. But fortunately, researchers have been able to tease out some of the best ways to maximize learning.

Even if these methods don’t exactly make sense from a logical perspective, it’s what works that counts. I know I’m going to try putting these ideas into practice.

At the same time, I don’t need to tell myself that I really need to achieve perfection. That’s not why I play the piano or compose music. I do those things because I love doing them.

I’m fond of a saying I heard from a close friend about what we should strive for in making music: “Don’t make it perfect; make it beautiful.”

Those are two different things, and a lot of beauty can coexist with imperfection. That’s what it means to be human.

For more information about music and the brain, see mollygebrian.com. For more about the Adult Music Student Forum, see AMSFperform.org.

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:

I don’t live in your readership area, but I find your paper in a nursing home in Rockville, where my sister is. I always look forward to getting it when I visit her.

I read the Beacon from the front to the back. I have found some very helpful things. Thank you for putting out such a wonderful paper.

Clara Dorsey Mt. Airy, MD

Dear Editor:

Your article about diabetes in the April

issue (“Know the early signs and symptoms of diabetes,” p. 4) is interesting. Type 2 diabetes is an issue for seniors.

If you are in the prediabetes stage now, you should eat healthy proteins and food without too much sugar. Vegetables are usually OK, and limited fruits are good. Daily exercise is very important for seniors, no matter whether you walk or do garden work. No exercise is a big problem for retired seniors.

Jinhai Wang, M.D. Rockville, MD

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Health Fitness &

Health Fitness &

THE EYES HAVE IT

Medicare will pay for some eye surgeries and procedures, but not regular exams

SILENT REFLUX

If you’re constantly clearing your throat, you could have reflux

CALMER MINDS

Meditating for a few minutes a day can transform your brain

SKIP THE SCAN

About 5% of new cancers may be caused by CT scans, so limit your exposure

Ways to increase lifespan and healthspan

By Jacob Schroeder

For centuries, the world’s most powerful figures have tried to cheat death.

The Epic of Gilgamesh tells of a king’s desperate attempt to outwit mortality. China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, obsessed with living forever, financed expeditions for a mythical “Elixir of Life,” only to die at 49 from mercury poisoning.

Fast-forward a few thousand years, and the hunt for longevity remains just as feverish. But instead of kings and emperors, today’s seekers are billionaires and biotech firms, replacing spells and potions with labs and artificial intelligence (AI).

If the nearly 6,000 longevity studies published last year on PubMed are any indication, we’re trying harder than ever — and getting closer than ever.

There’s big money at stake. Research suggests that slowing aging by one year could add $38 trillion in economic value, while a 10-year life extension could be worth $367 trillion.

From obesity drugs like Ozempic that lower heart disease risk to breakthroughs in cellular aging, longevity research is making real strides. As Dr. Luigi Ferrucci, former scientific director at the National Institute on Aging, put it, “This science is extremely promising.”

The latest research

Life expectancy has increased by over 300% since the late 1800s, but some re-

searchers believe we’re just getting started.

Biotech firm Medtronic suggests that, in theory, a disease-free human body could reach 150 years. Among other things, the company is developing AI-driven tools to detect early signs of disease and predict progression before symptoms appear.

Some researchers believe the first 150year-old human has already been born. Harvard geneticist David Sinclair and others are exploring ways to reset the epigenome — the molecular switches that turn genes on and off.

Early experiments suggest this process can reverse aging in lab mice, raising hopes that similar techniques may help humans combat age-related diseases.

Ferrucci says one of the biggest breakthroughs in longevity science has been recognizing that aging itself is the root cause of most chronic diseases.

Scientists have since developed biological clocks that measure aging through DNA markers and cellular wear, leading to experimental anti-aging treatments like senolytics, which help clear out old, dysfunctional cells.

Another promising drug, rapamycin, appears to slow aging in animals, but its immune-suppressing effects make it controversial for humans.

Yet a key issue remains: Extending lifespan is meaningless if it doesn’t provide better health. That’s why Ferrucci calls longevity a “false objective.”

What you can do today

Modern research confirms what we’ve known for decades: Basic healthy habits work.

A 2023 study of 276,000 U.S. veterans found that adopting eight key habits — including a healthy diet, exercise, quality sleep, and avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol — could add up to 24 years to a person’s life.

Ferrucci calls these classic preventive measures “a magic pill.” Ignoring them, he notes, shortens life expectancy, a fact backed by decades of research.

However, some point to supercentenarians (those who live past 100) who claim to have survived on things like whiskey and bacon, fueling the argument that longevity is all about getting lucky in the genetics lottery.

It’s true that genetics play a role. But studies suggest lifestyle choices determine 70% to 80% of lifespan.

Beyond diet and exercise, new longevity strategies are gaining traction. Cold therapies including cryotherapy and cold plunges have been linked to reduced inflammation and the activation of longevityrelated proteins.

A long-term Finnish study found that regular sauna use was associated with a 40% lower mortality rate from cardiovascular disease.

Another promising approach is intermittent fasting and caloric restriction, which

triggers autophagy — the body’s natural process of clearing damaged cells. This could potentially slow aging and reduce disease risk.

However, researchers recommend that those with eating disorders, diabetes or other conditions avoid intermittent fasting, as well as people over 65.

Reduce stress, loneliness

While we may not all reach 150, we have more control over aging than we once thought — and you don’t need a billionaire’s budget to take advantage of what actually works.

Research consistently finds that one of the strongest predictors of both lifespan and healthspan is social connection.

One of the biggest yet often overlooked factors in aging is stress, which is often caused by social isolation.

“One thing people don’t think about is stress avoidance. People exposed to mistreatment or social stress tend to age faster,” Ferrucci said.

“As a source of stress, it’s becoming clear that loneliness is one of the most significant factors in accelerated aging,” he added.

Good relationships don’t just help people live longer. They make those years worth living.

© 2025 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Any alcohol can adversely affect health

By Carla K. Johnson

Moderate drinking was once thought to have benefits for the heart, but better research methods have thrown cold water on that.

“Drinking less is a great way to be healthier,” said Dr. Timothy Naimi, who directs the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria in British Columbia.

In January, before the Trump administration took office, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called for Congress to update the prior surgeon general’s health warning label on alcoholcontaining beverages to include the risk of cancer.

What’s the harm in alcoholic drinks?

Drinking raises the risk of several types of cancer, including colon, liver, breast and mouth and throat.

Alcohol breaks down in the body into a substance called acetaldehyde, which can damage your cells and stop them from repairing themselves. That creates the conditions for cancer to grow.

Thousands of U.S. deaths per year could be prevented if people followed the government’s dietary guidelines, Naimi said. Those guidelines advise men to limit themselves to two drinks or fewer per day and women to one drink or fewer per day. One drink is the equivalent of about one

12-ounce can of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine or a shot of liquor.

According to Murthy’s advisory, there are about 100,000 alcohol-related cancer cases and about 20,000 alcohol-related cancer deaths annually in the United States.

“As you consider whether or how much to drink, keep in mind that less is better when it comes to cancer risk,” Murthy wrote on social media.

Isn’t moderate drinking good for you?

That idea that moderate drinking has health benefits came from imperfect studies comparing groups of people by how much they drink. Usually, that was measured at one

point in time. And none of the studies randomly assigned people to drink or not drink, so they couldn’t prove cause and effect.

People who report drinking moderately tend to have higher levels of education, higher incomes and better access to health care, said Naimi.

“It turns out that when you adjust for those things, the benefits tend to disappear,” he said.

Another problem: Most studies didn’t include younger people. Almost half of the people who die from alcohol-related causes die before the age of 50.

“If you’re studying people who survived

page 4

into middle age, didn’t quit drinking because of a problem, and didn’t become a heavy drinker, that’s a very select group,” Naimi said. “It creates an appearance of a benefit for moderate drinkers that is actually a statistical illusion.”

Other studies challenge the idea that alcohol has benefits. These studies compare people with a gene variant that makes it unpleasant to drink to people without the gene variant. People with the variant tend to drink very little or not at all.

One of these studies found people with the gene variant have a lower risk of heart disease — another blow to the idea that alcohol protects people from heart problems.

What do other countries say?

Guidelines vary a lot from country to country, but the overall trend is toward drinking less.

BEACON BITS

June 15

The United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Holland and Australia recently reviewed new evidence and lowered their alcohol consumption recommendations. Ireland will require cancer warning labels on alcohol starting in 2026.

“The scientific consensus has shifted due to the overwhelming evidence linking alcohol to over 200 health conditions, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases and injuries,” said Carina Ferreira-Borges, regional adviser for alcohol at the World Health Organization regional office for Europe.

Naimi served on an advisory committee that wanted to lower the U.S. recommendation for men to one drink per day. That advice was considered and rejected when the existing federal recommendations came out in 2020.

“The simple message that’s best supported by the evidence is that, if you drink, less is better when it comes to health,” Naimi said.

© 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Join the Baltimore Amateur Radio Club for their annual Father’s Day Hamfest and Swap Meet on Sun., June 15 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Arcadia Volunteer Fire Company grounds, 16020 Carnival Ave., Upperco. The event features a flea market with amateur radio gear, electronics, disaster preparedness items, food and door prizes. Attendance is $5 or $10 per tailgating space. For more information, visit w3ft.com/hamfest.

Ongoing

GREENDROP CENTER

Visit GreenDrop’s location in Maryland at 204 Baltimore Pk., Bel Air, to donate your lightly used clothing, shoes, blankets, kitchenware and household goods, which will provide critical funding for the American Red Cross. Drive up, and an attendant will collect the items and provide you with a tax receipt. The location is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Other locations incude Towson, Hanover and Laurel. For more information or to schedule a pickup, visit greendrop.org or call 1-888-944-3767.

FREE INFORMATION

Housing Communities

o BrightView (see ad on page 10)

o Charlestown/Erickson (see ad on page 7)

o Christ Church Harbor Apts (see ad on page 6)

o Oak Crest/Erickson (see ad on page 7)

o Park View Laurel (see ad on page 14)

o Park View Towson (see ad on page 14)

o Park View Fullerton (see ad on page 14)

o Park View Rosedale (see ad on page 14)

o Pickersgill (see ad on page 11)

o St. Mary’s Roland View Towers (see ad on page 17)

o Terraces at Park Heights (see ad on page 13)

o Virginia Towers (see ad on page 16)

o Warren Place Senior Apartments (see ad on page 19)

o Westminster House (see ad on page 5)

Clinical Health Studies

o Inactive Movement Study (see ad on page 9)

Check the boxes you’re interested in and return this form to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 or take a picture and email to housing@thebeaconnewspapers.com.

Medicare coverage of vision care, exams

Dear Savvy Senior,

What does Medicare cover when it comes to vision care? I currently have good vision insurance through my employer but will lose it when I retire. —Almost 65

Dear Almost,

Many soon-to-be retirees are a bit blurry about what Medicare does and doesn’t cover when it comes to vision care.

The good news is that Medicare covers most medical issues — like cataract

surgery, treatment of eye diseases and medical emergencies. But unfortunately, routine care like eye exams and eyeglasses are usually the beneficiary’s responsibility.

Here’s a breakdown of what is and isn’t covered.

Eye exams and treatments: Medicare does not cover routine eye exams that test for eyeglasses or contact lenses. But they do cover yearly medical eye exams if you have diabetes or are at high risk for glaucoma.

They will also pay for exams to test and

treat medical eye diseases if you’re having vision issues that indicate a serious eye problem like macular degeneration, dry eye syndrome, glaucoma, eye infections or if you get something in your eye.

Eye surgeries: Medicare will cover most eye surgeries that help repair the eye function, including cataract surgery to remove cataracts and insert standard intraocular lenses to replace your own.

Ways to save

Although original Medicare’s vision coverage is limited to medical issues, there are ways you can save on routine care. Here are several to check into:

Medicare will not, however, pick up the extra cost if you choose a premium multifocal lens that restores full range of vision and reduces your need for glasses after cataract surgery. The extra cost for a premium lens can run $1,500 to $4,000 per eye.

By Jim Miller

Eye surgeries that are usually not covered by Medicare include refractive (LASIK) surgery and cosmetic eye surgery that are not considered medically necessary.

Eyeglasses and contact lenses : Medicare will not pay for eyeglasses or contact lenses, with one exception: If you have had a conventional intraocular lens inserted during cataract surgery, Medicare will pay for eyeglasses or contact lenses following the operation.

Medicare Advantage plans: Many of these plans, which are alternatives to original Medicare and sold through private insurance companies, cover routine eye exams and eyeglasses. But coverage is limited, so be sure you understand the specifics.

While I don’t recommend enrolling in an Advantage plan just to get vision coverage, it is an option you should know about. To locate Advantage plans in your area that provide vision coverage, go to Medicare.gov/plan-compare or call (800) 633-4227.

Purchase vision insurance: If you get routine eye exams and purchase new eyeglasses annually, a vision insurance plan may be worth the cost. These policies typically range between $5 and $30 per month. Most plans will also have copays or deductibles you’ll be responsible for.

Find cheaper shopping options:

SAVVY SENIOR

Silent reflux can damage your esophagus

A tired, middle-aged man walks into a pharmacy, coughing and clutching his chest. No heartburn, but plenty of discomfort, sharp pains, a lump-inthe-throat sensation, and throat clearing that won’t quit.

He’s been to urgent care twice, worried about a heart attack, but his ECGs came back clean. When the heart’s ruled out, doctors often look south — to the esophagus.

What he might be dealing with is “silent reflux,” formally known as laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), or its more well-known cousin, GERD.

due to chronic exposure to stomach acid. Think of it as the body trying to adapt to a harsh environment. Unfortunately, that adaptation slightly increases cancer risk. The transformation is called “intestinal metaplasia.” Many don’t know they have Barrett’s until they undergo an upper endoscopy for vague symptoms like throat clearing, chest pain, or swallowing difficulties.

DEAR PHARMACIST

By Suzy Cohen

These complaints often get mistaken for allergies or anxiety. Meanwhile, acid quietly irritates the esophagus, causing cellular changes.

Now, having Barrett’s doesn’t mean you’re destined for cancer. Most people don’t progress to dysplasia (the fancy term for precancerous changes). But regular monitoring is key.

Men over 50, especially Caucasians, are at the top of the list. Add in obesity (especially belly fat), smoking (yes, vaping counts), alcohol use, poor diet and longstanding GERD, and you’ve got a high-risk combination.

Prevention and treatments

So how do you treat or prevent Barrett’s? Start by calming the acid storm.

three hours of bedtime, and ditch trigger foods: coffee, citrus, alcohol, chocolate, mint, fried stuff and carbonated drinks.

Weight loss, especially around the waist, can dramatically reduce reflux episodes.

For natural relief, teas like chamomile or marshmallow root can soothe irritation. Supplements such as DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice), slippery elm and zinc carnosine help coat and heal.

Bottom line? If you’ve had reflux for years, even without heartburn, don’t ignore symptoms. Catching Barrett’s early means everything.

Unlike classic reflux with heartburn, silent reflux can creep in without the usual burn but still do significant damage over time. One such consequence? Barrett’s Esophagus.

Barrett’s is when the cells lining your esophagus morph from flat, protective squamous cells to tougher columnar cells, ones more typical of stomach tissue. This occurs

Eye exams

From page 6

Symptoms include constant throat clearing, a feeling of food getting stuck, hoarseness, chronic cough, or a raw, burning chest pain.

In some cases, spasms can make it feel like a knife stabbing from the inside, yet heartburn is nowhere in sight. That’s silent reflux for you.

Many retailers provide discounts — between 10 and 50 percent — on eye exams and eyeglasses if you belong to a membership group like AARP or AAA. You can also save by shopping at discount retailers like Costco Optical, Sam’s Club Optical or Target Optical, which are

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are frontline. Dexilant is a strong option, but others like omeprazole or pantoprazole are commonly used.

Famotidine (Pepcid) is a gentler H2 blocker for nighttime relief. Sucralfate can coat and protect raw tissues, and there are others.

Lifestyle tweaks matter. Elevate your bed, eat smaller meals, skip food within

all recommended by Consumer Reports Or consider buying your glasses online at retailers like ZenniOptical.com, EyeBuyDirect.com or GlassesUSA.com, which offer big savings.

There’s a lot you can do to protect your esophagus and your future. If you’re interested in a deeper dive into this topic, see my longer article at suzycohen.com.

This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement.

Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe

Look for assistance: Some health centers and local clinics provide free or discounted vision exams and eyeglasses to those in need. To find them, call your local Lions Club (see Directory.LionsClubs.org) for referrals.

Meditation changes brain, calms fears

By Maureen Salamon

For neuroscientist Sara Lazar, a form of meditation called open awareness is as fundamental to her day as breathing.

“I just become aware that I am aware, with no particular thing that I focus on,” explained Lazar, an associate researcher in the psychiatry department at Massachusetts General Hospital and assistant professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School.

“This sort of practice helps me become more aware of the subtle thoughts and emotions that briefly flit by, that we usually ignore but are quite useful to tune in to.”

Studies show certain types of meditation offer an array of benefits, from easing chronic pain and stress and lowering high blood pressure to relieving anxiety and depression.

In fact, as Lazar’s research has shown, meditation can actually change the structure and connectivity of brain areas that help us cope with fear and anxiety.

“Just as you build your physical muscles, you can build your calm muscles,” she said. “Meditation is a very effective way of training those muscles.”

What counts as meditation?

Meditation encompasses a broad range of practices. Open awareness, Lazar’s goto meditation, is just one of many forms. Others include focused awareness, slow

deep breathing, guided meditation and mantra meditation.

At their core, Lazar said, is an awareness of the moment, noticing what you’re experiencing and nonjudgmentally disengaging from intrusive thoughts that might interfere with your ability to attend to this task.

A regular meditation practice typically involves slowing down, breathing and observing inner experience.

“Meditation can involve flickering candles, breath awareness or mantras — all of these things,” Lazar said. “But there’s definitely an element of focusing and regulating your attention.”

Brain changes in two months

Small MRI imaging studies have zeroed in on meditation’s effects on the amygdala, an almond-shaped structure deep within the brain that processes fear, anxiety and other emotions.

Lazar and her colleagues have spent years laying the groundwork to show how practicing mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) alters the amygdala after only about two months. The MBSR practice in this research consisted of weekly group meetings and daily home mindfulness practices, including sitting meditation and yoga.

One key study involved 26 people with high levels of perceived stress. After an

eight-week regimen of MBSR, brain scans showed the density of their amygdalae decreased, and these brain changes correlated to lower reported stress levels.

Building on this, Lazar and colleagues designed a study that focused on 26 people diagnosed with generalized anxiety, a disorder marked by excessive, ongoing and often illogical anxiety levels. The researchers randomized participants to either practice MBSR or receive stress management education.

In this first-of-its-kind research, participants were shown a series of images with angry or neutral facial expressions during MRI imaging. At the beginning of the study, anxiety patients showed higher levels of amygdala activation in response to neutral faces than healthy participants. This suggests a stronger fear response to a non-threatening situation.

But after eight weeks of MBSR, MRI imaging showed increased connections between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex, a brain area crucial to emotional regulation.

The amygdalae in participants with generalized anxiety no longer displayed a fear response to neutral faces. These participants also reported their symptoms had improved.

“It seems meditation helps to down-regulate the amygdala in response to things it perceives to be threatening,” Lazar said.

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

Lazar believes training your brain to stop and notice your thoughts in a slightly detached way can calm you amidst the muddle of work deadlines, family friction or distressing news.

“You can watch your reactivity to the situation in a mindful, detached way, which shifts your relationship to it,” she said.

“It’s not indifference. It’s sort of like a bubble bursting — you realize you don’t need to keep going on this loop. Once you see that, it totally shifts your relationship to that reaction bubbling through your brain.”

How to start

Haven’t tried meditating? To get started, Lazar recommends the Three-Minute Breathing Space Meditation.

This offers a quick taste of meditation, walking you through three pared-down but distinct steps. “It’s simple, fast and anyone can do it,” she said.

1. Notice what your experience is right now.

2. Focus on your breath and the sensations of your breath.

3. Expand your awareness to also notice sensations in your body.

After you get the hang of it, “Try either doing a longer session or short hits

Health Shorts

AI uses speech to predict Alzheimer’s

An artificial intelligence (AI) model analyzing transcripts of speech from cognitive tests predicted the progression of cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease within six years with more than 78% accuracy. The results of the study, funded by the National Institute on Aging, were published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia in January.

Scientists applied an AI speech analysis system to evaluate samples from transcripts of cognitive tests given to 166 participants diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The Boston Universityled research team used an AI system to analyze the language structure of automated transcripts of voice recordings of participants’ speech during their cognitive tests.

The results showed the AI model successfully predicted, with an accuracy of 78.2%, which participants progressed from MCI to Alzheimer’s within six years.

The researchers view this as validating the potential of AI speech analysis as a convenient, inexpensive cognitive testing resource that can be used remotely to

Meditation

From page 8

throughout the day, such as a threeminute breathing break four to five times a day,” Lazar suggested.

Another way to enhance your practice is to use ordinary, repetitive moments throughout the day — such as reaching for a doorknob — as a cue to pause for five seconds and no-

complement other tests and biomarkers. They suggest their method is more accurate than other noninvasive tests and can help medical professionals and clinical trial managers better identify people at risk for MCI progressing to Alzheimer’s.

—National Institute on Aging

CT scans may increase cancer risk

As many as 5% of all new cancer diagnoses per year could be caused by computed tomography (CT) scans.

A study published last month in JAMA Internal Medicine projected that as many as 103,000 Americans could develop cancer annually due to exposure to CT scans. The medical imaging test uses ionizing radiation, which damages DNA.

CT scans have increased in the United States in the past decades. Today about 93 million are performed every year, a 35% increase since 2007.

While x-rays also deliver a radiation dose, CT scans can be 100 to 1,000 times higher than x-rays. Often the dose varies depending on the scanning facility; some CT scans can be 50 times stronger than at another clinic.

—Margaret Foster

tice the sensation of your hand on the knob.

“As you walk from your office to your car, for instance, instead of thinking of all the things you have to do, you can be mindful while you’re walking,” Lazar said.

“Feel the sunshine and the pavement under your feet. There are simple ways to work meditation into each day.”

© 2025 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Are You 65 Years And Older?

Do You Sit Too Much and Do You Want To Move More?

The Johns Hopkins University research study is examining if sitting less by moving more helps promote an active lifestyle in older adults vulnerable to illness and injury.

• You may qualify if you are 65 years and older and inactive

• There are a total of 2 visits at Johns Hopkins ProHealth, Woodlawn, MD

• We offer compensation of $200 for your participation and free parking

For more information and to find out if you qualify, please call 410-281-1600.

Topical hair-loss med is better swallowed

Dermatologists are increasingly prescribing a drug known generically as minoxidil in low-dose pills to help men and women maintain or regrow hair.

Several recent studies suggest the ingredient, which is also in over-the-counter topical treatments like Rogaine, works as well — or possibly better — when swallowed, rather than applied to hair follicles on the head.

Minoxidil was originally developed in the 1970s as a pill to treat high blood pressure. Researchers noticed that some patients taking it experienced increased hair growth as a side effect.

Rogaine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1988, the first drug

June 21+

to win the agency’s endorsement for male pattern baldness. Studies showed that men on the medication, which was applied directly to the scalp, had a slower rate of hair loss and, in some cases, regrew hair.

The drug’s ability to slow hair loss is likely related to its effect on blood circulation, according to experts.

“By increasing blood flow to the scalp, it signals hairs to stay in their growth phase for longer,” said Dr. Adam Friedman, chair of dermatology at George Washington University.

A recent consensus paper by more than 40 U.S. and international dermatologists concluded that minoxidil pills are effective and often more convenient than the liquid formulation. It’s also affordable, with some pharmacies offering a month’s supply for less than $5.

—Matthew Perrone/AP

ROLAND PARK YARD SALE

Join neighbors at Roland Park Community Center for this rain-or-shine yard sale, held indoors in the reception hall in case of rain. Rent a booth for $10 and bring your own pop-up tent and folding table(s), or rent a table for an additional $10. Free parking is included. Sign up at bit.ly/RPYardSale. Upcoming dates are Saturday, June 21, July 12 and Aug. 9 from 9 a.m. to noon at 5902 Roland Ave. For more information, contact Angela Taylor at angelataylorcns@gmail.com.

BEACON BITS

How to live with high-functioning anxiety

By Linda Hubbard

Dear Mayo Clinic: I’ve always been a high achiever, both personally and professionally. But I struggle with a whirlwind of worries and thoughts, constantly second-guessing myself and pushing for perfection.

I’ve heard the term “high-functioning anxiety,” and I feel like it is what I’m experiencing. How can I navigate and cope with this?

A: It’s normal to feel anxious sometimes, especially in stressful situations. However, for some people, excessive and ongoing anxiety can be a challenge to control and can interfere with daily activities.

There are several types of anxiety disorders. The term “high-functioning anxiety” represents people with anxiety symptoms who maintain a high level of functionality in various aspects of their lives.

Often, such people are successful in their careers or other roles, yet internally struggle with persistent feelings of stress, self-doubt and the fear of not measuring up. They feel extremely uncomfortable inside and struggle with significant self-criticism.

High-functioning anxiety isn’t recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders but instead is a subset of generalized anxiety.

Many emotional and physical symptoms

are associated with generalized anxiety disorder. The symptoms of high-functioning anxiety mirror many of these, but some may be more prominent.

General anxiety symptoms

Some symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder include overall general nervousness and worry. Other symptoms that may lead you towards high-functioning anxiety include internal struggles with:

• Fears of criticism or significant selfcriticism

• Fears of looking inadequate or foolish to others

• Feeling on the edge or on the verge of losing control

• Restlessness

• Sense of impending doom

• Significant stress

It’s important that you meet with a mental health professional to talk about your symptoms and obtain an accurate diagnosis. Then, if they determine that you have high-functioning anxiety, you can develop a care plan for having the best quality of life.

Therapies that can help

Counseling and therapy play crucial roles in helping people with high-functioning anxiety manage their symptoms effectively.

Cognitive behavioral therapy can help you

learn to reframe your thoughts about life and transform behaviors that may feed your anxiety. Instead of being self-critical and looking for what could go wrong, you can be taught to manage your thoughts, seek solutions and guide yourself through anxious feelings.

In addition to therapy, other coping strategies to ease symptoms include:

• Creating a support network. A positive support network of people who care for you, regardless of outcomes, can help ease anxiety symptoms.

• Establishing healthy boundaries. Saying “no” can help improve relationships with others and establish rules for yourself, because many people overextend themselves.

But some people with high-functioning anxiety also should embrace saying “yes” to opportunities that stretch their comfort levels. Their lives grow in experiences and fulfillment the more they face their fears.

• Ditching comparisons. People with anxiety tend to compare themselves to others, feel the need to improve, and want to be more like someone else. Comparison can rob you of joy and contentment.

• Identifying core values. Some people with high-functioning anxiety become fixated on society-defined success, like having the “right” job, car or house. A therapist can help you uncover what is important to you

outside society’s expectations and align your thoughts and actions with your core values.

• Learning to accept criticism. This can be difficult for many people, especially people with high-functioning anxiety. A therapist can help you identify ways to step back and evaluate the feedback neutrally without emotion.

• Practicing mindfulness. This is the practice of purposefully being aware of and focusing on the present moment. Concentrating on one thing or a moment can increase feelings of calm and peace.

Medications can help some people with high-functioning anxiety but should only be used in conjunction with other coping strategies and under the care of a healthcare professional.

Talk with your healthcare team about how you are feeling. They can connect you to a skilled mental health counselor or therapist, if needed, and assist you with coping strategies to manage your anxiety and lead a fulfilling life.

Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. This Mayo Clinic Q&A represents inquiries this healthcare expert has received from patients. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org.

© 2025 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

A recipe for making fajitas in the oven

By Cecelia Jenkins, America’s Test Kitchen

Fajitas are a sizzling spectacle, but we wanted a recipe that was more about flavor than theater and used only one baking sheet.

We chose flank steak, preferred by tasters for its beefy flavor, tenderness and availability.

Since we couldn’t sear it on a baking sheet in the oven (even at a hot 475 degrees), we relied on a potent, dark-colored spice rub to make up for the missing flavor and color. A mixture of chili powder, brown sugar, salt and pepper did the trick.

After tossing strips of bell peppers, rings of red onion and slices of garlic in vegetable oil, salt and pepper, we spread them out on the baking sheet and slid it into the oven on the lower-middle rack to ensure that the vegetables browned and didn’t steam.

We then pushed the vegetables to one side of the baking sheet and added the rubbed steak, cut into three equal pieces, to the other side of the sheet.

In just eight minutes, the meat was at the target temperature of 135 degrees. Cooked to medium instead of mediumrare, the steak was less chewy when sliced and dropped into a tortilla.

Once the steak was rested and sliced, we tossed it with the browned, tender vegetables plus chopped cilantro and a spritz of lime juice to brighten the flavors.

One-Pan Steak Fajitas

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

3 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips

1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inchthick rounds

3 garlic cloves, sliced thin

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

1 ½ tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon packed brown sugar

1 (1 ½-pound) flank steak, trimmed

8 (6-inch) flour tortillas

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Toss bell peppers, onion, garlic, oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper together on a rimmed baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Roast until vegetables are lightly browned around edges, about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine chili powder, sugar, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Cut steak lengthwise with grain into three equal pieces. Pat steaks dry with paper towels, then sprinkle all over with spice mixture. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil; set aside.

3. Remove sheet pan from oven. Using a

Senior Adventures in Learning at CCBC

rubber spatula, push vegetables to one half of the sheet. Place steaks on the other half of the sheet, leaving space between steaks. Roast until vegetables are spotty brown and meat registers 135 degrees (for medium), about 8 minutes.

4. Remove sheet from oven, transfer steaks to cutting board and let rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Place tortillas in oven until warm, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a serving platter and toss with lime juice.

5. Slice steaks thin against grain and

transfer to platter with vegetables. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve steak and vegetables.

For 25 years, home cooks 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. The family of brands — which includes Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country — offers reliable recipes for cooks of all skill levels. See more online at americastestkitchen.com/TCA.

© 2025 America’s Test Kitchen. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Here, assisted living is living, with the right amount of personal assistance… …at a great value.

A place of independence

Pickersgill assisted living residents are rarely in l their rooms! Instead, theyy’re out and about— participating in a community activity or event or dining with friends.

A place of beauty

Living in this community tucked into a beautiful West Towson neighborhood —you or your loved one beau njoy a warm welcome and daily activities, and they’ll appreciate the will enj paths, beautifully landscaped grounds, lovely gardens and more. walking path

A place of caring

Each assisted liv g resident enjoys three chef-prepared meals per day, ing re y services, medication administration, help with daily housekeeping and laundry se quest, and all included in a reasonable monthly tasks and more—always by reques o all of the fee. Each h resi s dent also has access to all Pickersgill ameni l ties. private, full bath, and residents are Our assisted living g residences include a priv wish. This is a lifestyle dedicated to encouraged to decorate their homes as they al staff. independence and assured by a caring, professionalfessionalstasttaff.

PHOTO BY JOE KELLER

MoneyMoney Law & Tips for investors during volatile markets

By Dennis D. Coughlin

[Ed. Note: This story offers a different way of looking at volatility than our story with a similar title last September.]

Navigating financial markets can often feel like trying to predict the weather a month in advance — frustrating, unreliable and prone to sudden changes.

While markets thrive on speculation, successful investing is built on logic and discipline. Rather than attempting to foresee the future, investors can benefit from a rational, structured approach to market dynamics.

Investors can make informed decisions without being swayed by emotion or market hysteria by focusing on three fundamental aspects:

• Federal Reserve policy and interest rates

• Market valuations and earnings growth

• Geopolitical and macroeconomic risks

Understanding Federal Reserve policy and interest rates

The Federal Reserve plays a pivotal role in economic stability, influencing everything from corporate borrowing costs to consumer mortgage rates.

However, rather than reacting impulsively to Fed announcements, investors should take a measured approach to understanding monetary policy.

Here’s how to respond to Fed policy:

• Focus on data, not sensationalism. The Fed’s decisions are based on economic indicators such as inflation rates, employment levels and GDP growth. Investors should prioritize reputable sources like the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) or Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) over media speculation.

• Recognize cause and effect. When interest rates rise, borrowing becomes more expensive, which can slow corporate expansion. Conversely, lower rates typically stimulate economic activity. The key is assessing how these shifts impact specific sectors rather than attempting to anticipate policy changes.

• Differentiate short-term reactions from long-term implications. Markets often respond sharply to Federal Reserve statements, but investors should focus on the broader trajectory of monetary policy rather than momentary fluctuations.

Like a thermostat regulating temperature, the Federal Reserve adjusts interest

rates to maintain economic balance. Investors who recognize these patterns and avoid knee-jerk reactions will be better positioned to make informed decisions.

Market valuations

and earnings growth: Distinguishing substance from speculation

A strong earnings report or a surge in stock price can create excitement, but discerning long-term investment opportunities requires more than enthusiasm. A logical approach to valuations can help separate sustainable growth from speculative bubbles. Here are some logical ways to analyze valuations and earnings:

• Rely on fundamental metrics. Instead of responding to market narratives, investors should evaluate key indicators such as price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios, price-to-book (P/B) ratios and revenue growth trends.

• Adopt a long-term perspective. One quarter of exceptional performance does not guarantee a company’s future success, just as a weak earnings period does not necessarily indicate long-term decline. Examining multi-year performance and management strategy provides a clearer picture.

• Recognize the difference between hype and fundamentals. Stocks experiencing rapid appreciation based solely on speculation pose risks. While high-growth investments can be rewarding, they must be supported by realistic growth projections and solid business models.

A prudent investor approaches market valuations with the same care as purchasing a home — conducting thorough due diligence rather than making decisions based on impulse.

Geopolitical and macroeconomic risks: Managing uncertainty with rationality

Global events — from trade conflicts to inflation concerns — can have profound implications for markets. While uncertainty is inherent in investing, a structured approach to assessing geopolitical risks can mitigate emotional decision-making. Rational approaches to geopolitical risks: • Acknowledge the persistent nature of uncertainty. Markets have endured wars, recessions and regulatory changes

INVESTING , page 13

How to prepare for a possible recession

By Maurie Backman

If you are retired and worried about a recession, join the crowd. For current retirees or those planning retirement soon, just the whiff of a possible recession is alarming.

The American economy has been remarkably strong, but confidence in the economy is plunging in the face of multiple economic and political challenges.

Economists have been flirting with the idea of a recession ever since the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates in early 2022 in response to soaring inflation.

Despite 11 interest rate hikes between March 2022 and July 2023, consumer spending held steady. It wasn’t until January 2025 that spending fell by 0.2%, marking the first monthly decline since March 2023.

But while consumers may have been equipped to withstand a years-long period of elevated inflation and interest rates, the question is whether recent tariff policies will push them over the edge. If tariffs

drive prices up even more, it could lead to a broad consumer pullback and more inflationary pressure.

Plus, tariffs could burden U.S. companies to the point where they have to make payroll cuts. That could lead to an uptick in unemployment and fuel a broad economic downturn.

6 of 10 expect a recession

An early April Ipsos poll found that 61% of Americans think the economy is headed for a recession within the next year. And JPMorgan recently upgraded the likelihood of a global recession to 60% by yearend, up from 40%.

If you’re retired, recent economic news and events may have you understandably worried. Although you may not have to concern yourself with job loss the way working Americans do, you may be fearful that a prolonged economic slump will wreak havoc on your portfolio and upend your finances.

But if you prepare accordingly, you can set yourself up to get through a recession relatively unharmed.

Here are some steps every retiree can take to prepare for a recession.

1. Boost your cash reserves

Portfolio values can decline dramatically during a recession. That’s problematic when you’re at a stage of life when you’re tapping your portfolio regularly for income.

To avoid locking in portfolio losses during a recession, boost your cash reserves so you can leave your non-cash assets alone to ride out the storm.

Generally, it’s wise to have enough cash to cover a year or two of bills. You may want to veer toward the higher end of that range in case your portfolio plunges and it takes months for its value to come back up.

2. Assess your portfolio

Risk assessment is an integral part of

managing a retirement portfolio, so it’s something you should be doing regularly. But it’s particularly important to check up on your asset allocation now, when recession fears loom.

It’s also wise to be deliberate and stay calm. Try to take emotion and worry out of your decision-making.

If you’re uncomfortable with the share of your portfolio in equities, consider shifting some of those assets into bonds. Given recent market events, now may not be the best time to sell stocks.

But the S&P 500 enjoyed gangbuster returns in 2024. If you cashed in some gains earlier on in the year, losses you take now as part of a rebalance could help offset an associated tax bill.

If you are just about to retire or at the start of retirement, tread cautiously. The sequence of returns risk (that is, the risk

Deposit a check without waiting in line.

our online banking story on page 14.

throughout history. Investors who remain focused on long-term strategies rather than reacting to short-term disruptions may experience more sustainable outcomes over time.

• Diversification as a risk management tool. Spreading investments across industries and geographies can help cushion the impact of geopolitical volatility. Rather than concentrating exposure in a single sector or region, a well-diversified

Recession

From page 12

you’ll need to sell stocks to meet expenses early in retirement), could put a serious dent in your retirement nest egg if you decide to sell too many equities.

3. Revisit your spending and withdrawal rate

When you’ve worked hard your entire life, you deserve to enjoy retirement — not penny-pinch your way through it.

But if you’re worried about a recession and its impact on your retirement income, now’s the time to review your spending, see if there’s room to cut back and commit to a budget.

And if you’re not keen on reducing your

portfolio aims to provide resilience. Note, however, that diversification does not assure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets, and cannot guarantee that any objective or goal will be achieved.

• Analyze real economic implications. Not all geopolitical events affect markets equally. For example, supply chain disruptions may negatively impact manufacturers but benefit local producers. A logical investor assesses industry-specific effects rather than reacting indiscriminately.

By remaining analytical and avoiding

spending, one thing you can do is pledge not to take on any new expenses until things settle down. For example, if you were considering upgrading a car, you may want to hold off on that as long as your current vehicle is drivable.

Finally, if you are following the 4% rule rate of retirement withdrawal, you may want to pare back to a lower withdrawal rate. Before you act, talk to your financial adviser.

4. Consider part-time work

Retirees often struggle to make peace with the idea of living off of savings. If you’re capable of working in some capacity, then there’s no reason not to do it. There’s even a term for this trend: “unretiring.”

Today’s gig economy offers ample opportunity to earn money without having to resort

emotion-driven decisions, investors can navigate uncertainty with confidence and clarity.

Bottom line: Rational approach

While financial markets will always experience periods of unpredictability, investors do not have to follow suit.

By applying logic to Federal Reserve policy, market valuations and geopolitical risks, individuals can make strategic decisions grounded in data rather than speculation.

Investors who maintain discipline, stay informed and embrace a long-term per-

to a traditional desk or retail job. And if you’re worried about the impact of a job on your Social Security benefit, rest assured that you’re allowed to work while receiving benefits.

One you reach full retirement age, you can earn any amount of money from a job without negatively impacting your monthly benefits. However, if you filed early, you will lose some Social Security benefits, depending on how much you earn and your age.

5. Explore options for tapping home equity

If recession fears are worrying you, see how much equity you have in your home, and shop around for borrowing options in case you wind up needing to tap it.

Granted, any home equity loan or HELOC you sign today is likely to come

spective rather than attempt to outguess the market will be better equipped to handle market volatility.

In an environment where emotions can drive costly mistakes, logical analysis remains a reliable tool for staying grounded while working toward long-term financial success.

Dennis D. Coughlin, CFP, AIF, co-founded CG Capital with Christopher C. Giambrone in 1999.

© 2025 Kiplinger Consumer News Service. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.

with an interest rate that’s higher than what you want to pay. But it could make sense to have that option in your back pocket in case you need to exercise it.

6. Find the silver lining

It may be hard to believe that a recession can bring opportunity to retirees, but for those who are well-positioned, a recession can bolster financial security.

For example, there are ways your estate can benefit when markets are down. You could, for example, do a Roth conversion from a traditional 401(k) or IRA. By doing so, you could convert your investments at a lower tax cost and then benefit from tax-free growth when the market recovers.

© 2025 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Banking you can do online or on an app

By Donna Fuscaldo

The brick-and-mortar banking experience that retirees relied on growing up is waning. You may be aware that bank closings are becoming common these days as more people shift to mobile apps and online banking.

There may be a bit of a learning curve for retirees, but once they make the switch, it can open up a world of convenience.

After all, you can do much more than check your balance with an online banking website or mobile app. Plus, you don’t have to get off your couch.

“Smartphone apps are a great way to bank,” said Alison Pahlkotter, innovation product designer and research analyst at GreenPath Financial Wellness, a nonprofit financial wellness counseling service. “They are secure and often easy to use.”

Digital banking services

Digital banking services are popular. An American Bankers Association survey found more than half of U.S. adults (55%) use mobile apps to do their banking, while 22% use online banking via laptop or PC.

And it’s not just tech-savvy youngsters who embrace this way of banking. Fiftyfive percent of Generation Xers and 41% of baby boomers are banking online.

It doesn’t hurt that online-only banks — think Ally Bank, SoFi and Capital One 360 — tend to offer better savings rates and lower fees, said Stephen Kates, a financial analyst at Bankrate. They don’t have the overhead of a traditional bank and, therefore, pass along the savings to their customers.

If you are among the holdouts or are new to the online banking world, here is a look at everything you can do without going into a physical bank.

1. Deposit a check online: Most banks enable you to deposit checks via their mobile app using your smartphone camera — and it’s easy to do.

Sign the back of the check like usual, write “For Mobile Deposit Only” below your signature, open the mobile deposit feature on your banking app and take a photo of the front and back of the check.

You’ll be asked to input the check amount and click deposit — and you’re done.

2. Shop for and apply for a credit card: Whether you are looking for a cash back credit card or travel rewards, it is easy to search and apply for a credit card on your bank’s website or mobile app.

Many banking apps will provide information about their credit card offerings, let you search by specific features and even ask you to take a quiz to find the one that’s right for you. The best part is that it’s all ag-

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HOWARD COUNTY

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Park View at Ellicott City: 410-203-9501

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

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Park View at Snowden River: 410-290-0384

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Park View at Laurel: 301-490-1526

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gregated for you. [Ed. Note: But you may find better credit card deals elsewhere.]

3. Get a car loan or mortgage: Even getting a car loan or mortgage can be done digitally through your bank’s app or website. Remember that the rates you get may not be the best, but if you have already done the research and are ready to apply with your bank, it’s made much easier thanks to the bank’s mobile app and website.

4. Order checks online: Most banks let you order checks through their banking app or website. You can typically find this feature under the “Account Services,” “Account Features” or “Order Checks” part of the bank’s mobile app or website.

5. Buy stocks and bonds: This online feature typically requires a separate brokerage account (which you can set up online, too).

Once it’s created, you can buy stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs and even cryptocurrencies directly from your bank’s website or mobile app.

Some banks will even let you connect with a financial adviser by requesting a call on the spot or scheduling a call for a later date.

6. Check your credit score: Banks want to help you build, improve and maintain your credit score. After all, the higher your credit score, the more likely they are to approve you for loans and credit cards, all of which make them money.

Most banks now team up with one of the three credit rating firms — Experian, TransUnion or TransAmerica — or they may use third-party services to provide your credit score for free.

7. Find ATMs: This tip is handy if your local bank branch is closed. Most banks have built-in features that let you search for ATMs near you.

You’ll receive the address and distance from your home when you search. Some have a map to make it even easier to get to.

Tap away, but with caution

Once you get the hang of using online banking apps, you may not want to bother with waiting in line at a brick-and-mortar bank.

Just remember that the price of such convenience is that scammers hope to get your retirement savings or break into other financial accounts. So, practice caution with any online financial apps you decide to use.

© 2025 Kiplinger Consumer News Service. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.

Travel Leisure &

See Great Smoky Mountains National Park

By Glenda C. Booth

Many people visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park hoping to spot megafauna — such as one of the park’s 1,500 black bears or an impressively-antlered elk.

Seeing such large animals can surely elevate one’s heart rate. But this national park offers much more than big animals.

Every June, thousands of flickering fireflies fill the night skies with a magical light show. One species, Photinus carolinus, is famous because the males flash in unison.

Or consider the recently discovered red-cheeked salamander, which lives exclusively in these mountains. The park, with 31 species of salamanders, is known as the “Salamander Capital of the World.”

Then there’s the rock gnome lichen, an endangered species that’s a symbiotic combination of fungus and cyanobacterium. It grows in colonies and clings to vertical rock faces at foggy high elevations or in deep gorges.

The 522,990-acre park — which straddles the Appalachian Mountains in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina — is also home to 135 tree species, more than 250 species of birds and 69 of mammals, making it one of Earth’s most biodiverse places in a temperate climate zone.

More than 19,000 species have been

documented at Great Smoky Mountains

National Park and another 80,000 to 100,000 may be there awaiting discovery, park scientists say.

The park is surrounded by three states and three national forests, totaling altogether more than three million acres of preserved land. This makes it the largest federally-protected landmass east of the Mississippi River.

With 14 million visitors a year, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most visited parks in the country, perhaps because it’s less than a day’s drive from one-third of the U.S. population.

Varied

vegetation

What geysers are to Yellowstone, vegetation is to this park, as the National Park Service puts it. Here visitors can glimpse the same plant and wildlife diversity as they would if they hiked from Georgia to Maine on the Appalachian Trail.

Standing under a giant tulip tree over 200 years old — with its lowest branch 35 feet overhead and a five-foot-wide trunk — gives one perspective.

Not only does the park have 1,600 native flowering plants, trees and shrubs, but it also has 450 species of what are called “bryophytes” — ferns, mosses and liver-

worts, for example.

To experience the park, visitors can walk, hike, bike, paddle or just drive. The park has several self-guided vehicle routes along its 384 miles of roads.

An 11-mile, one-way loop road circles Cades Cove. Here, an open-air museum depicts homestead life from the late 1880s to the early 1930s with rustic log buildings, split rail fences, corn cribs and appleeating Yorkshire hogs.

Truly absorbing the park means taking to the trails to discover spring wildflowers, giant rhododendrons, towering trees and sedimentary rocks that are 200 to 300 million years old.

It means going up to Clingman’s Dome — at 6,643 feet the park’s highest point — to be dazzled by millions of stars and maybe a meteor shower. It means being mesmerized by a roaring waterfall, or fly fishing for brook trout in one of the park’s 800 streams.

Don’t be shy about approaching rangers with your questions. With a little help, you may get a peek at a southern flying squirrel or the endangered spruce moss spider, which lives under moss at 5,500 feet and up.

Special attractions

The flashing of synchronous fireflies in the

Elkmont area of the park is a phenomenon that occurs in only a few places in the world.

The park holds a public lottery to manage limited viewing of the phenomenon. Last year, 140 vehicles per night were admitted during the two-week period in June.

In the fall, male elk, some weighing more than 1,000 pounds, compete for mates by bugling, prancing and occasionally locking antlers with rivals, a behavior called the rut.

The park has a herd of around 200, and the best places to see them are the Cataloochee Valley and Oconaluftee Visitor Center at dawn and dusk.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the park in 1940 “for the permanent enjoyment of the people.”

The park’s superintendent, Cassius Cash, likes to quote a local judge, Justice Gary Wade, who said, “I cannot think of a more spiritual place than Great Smoky Mountains National Park.”

Theme parks, kitsch and more

After exploring the park, if you crave some civilization and amusement, Dollywood offers a resort-spa-amusement-water park destination in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee,

A bluish haze surrounds the Appalachian Mountains of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Cherokee called the area, which straddles Tennessee and North Carolina, the “land of blue smoke.”

Elk roam the park’s historic areas, like this cabin at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in Cherokee, North Carolina, the southern gateway to the park.

You and your car can get a lift from Amtrak’s Auto Train to Florida. See story on page 16.

The Auto Train is part of your vacation

By Victor Block

Last winter my wife, Fyllis, and I, along with our 2015 Honda, headed for warmer weather. Rather than navigating the car, though, we watched a movie and then enjoyed an excellent dinner with a fine wine.

We were able to savor this pleasant journey to Florida because we were passengers on the Amtrak Auto Train. While we relaxed in our comfortable sleeper compartment, our car was riding with us elsewhere on the train.

In addition to being a convenient way to travel, the Auto Train from Lorton, Virginia — less than two hours from the Baltimore area — is more than just a mode of transportation. The train ride becomes part of your vacation experience, a transition from everyday life to a warm getaway.

Before deciding to ride the rails, Fyllis and I did a bit of research. Driving 900 miles meant hours of traffic tension; the cost of meals, hotels, gas and tolls; and wear and tear on our vehicle. Plus, we’d save on the cost of renting a car in Florida.

While our total expenditure would have been less than the train, we concluded that the benefits of train travel exceeded any monetary savings.

As we arrived at the station in Lorton, metal palm trees provided a hint of what awaits passengers at the end of the journey.

As vehicles were loaded into two-level train cars, I glanced around the waiting room and concluded that the majority of passengers were people who, like me, were older adults who chose to avoid the long drive to Florida.

A conductor later explained that most Auto Train riders in the winter are middleaged and older snowbirds seeking to escape frigid weather.

During the spring and summer seasons the train is known as the Disney Train, whisking families to Orlando to visit Disney World and the other amusement parks.

Hands-on help available

When we reached our sleeper car, Debbie, a congenial on-board cabin attendant, greeted us, directed us to our cabin and asked if we needed help with our carry-on luggage. We didn’t because our larger suitcases remained in the car.

Fyllis and I could have stretched our dollars further by choosing to ride coach and sleeping in a reclining seat. Instead, we decided to splurge on a bedroom. When we were ready to turn in for the night, Debbie transformed the seats into comfortable upper and lower beds. If we had more questions or required assistance, we could press the call button

in our bedroom, and Debbie would show up to answer or help. She told us that she and the conductors stroll through the car during the night in case anyone needs anything.

Our roomette was compact but had enough conveniences for our basic needs, including a private bathroom with a shower and a miniscule sink. We also had ample storage space for our luggage, adequate lighting and temperature controls.

Dinner and a movie

While we could have dined in our room, Fyllis and I chose to sip an adult beverage in the lounge before being seated in the dining car.

Talk about a moveable feast! The white tablecloth was decorated with a vase of fresh roses, the silverware was immaculate, and the food — I devoured a steak, Fyllis chose salmon — rivaled that of a first-rate restaurant.

Dinner seatings are available at 5, 7 and 9 p.m., and continental breakfast is offered between 6 and 8 a.m.

While a conductor occasionally described over the intercom what town or interesting site the train was rolling past, we thought there could have been more announcements about practical matters, such as why we made sporadic stops.

When we asked, we were told that because there are stretches of single track, we were literally side-tracked to allow another train to pass.

When we awoke and looked out the window, we saw sun and palm trees rather than the snow flurries and dark sky we spotted at the beginning of our journey. We arrived at the Sanford, Florida station at 9:30 a.m., well rested and ready for a vacation. We had avoided many hours of driving, staying in hotels and scarfing meals at restaurants along the way — and were ready for all the sun and fun that Florida offers.

If you go

The Auto Train isn’t cheap, but passengers 65 and older receive a 10% discount on all Amtrak travel. Our total fare, including our bedroom, automobile transport and meals, was $1,871. We guesstimated that the cost of hotels, food, fuel and wearand-tear on the car would have been about two-thirds that much.

While the bedrooms are comfortable for most people, they’re not suitable for very tall folks (basketball players, take note).

Also, our train encountered countless bumps and lurches, so the ride was very different from the much smoother rail trips I’ve experienced in Japan and Europe. For more information, visit amtrak.com.

Mountains

with more than 60 rides and shows. The popular attraction is closely associated with and part-owned by Dolly Parton, who grew up in the area.

In Sevierville, stop into Buc-ee’s. This 75,000-square-foot location dubs itself the largest convenience store in the world. It’s bigger than a football field. Pick up a sixpack of fudge, sweet corn puffs, beef jerky or a smoked brisket sandwich. And check out the pickup truck loaded with plushies of the store’s mascot, Bucky Beaver.

Gatlinburg is honkytonk tackiness 10 times over, crowded with blocks of joints hawking souvenirs, T-shirts, shot glasses, tchotchkes and hemp, plus arcades and tattooers. Still, every now and then, the park’s black bears wander through town.

At Ripley’s Aquarium, sharks, sea turtles, giant stingrays, scorpionfish and other sea creatures “curate curiosity,” ac-

cording to Ripley, a company that has entertained audiences since 1918.

At Anakeesta, a theme park accessible via a 600-foot gondola ride from the middle of Gatlinburg’s downtown, adventurous types can ride a roller coaster or walk a treetop skywalk.

Ole Smoky Moonshine is worth a meander for some real made-in-the-mountains spirits. It’s “Whisky and Shine Redefined,” owners brag.

Bartenders in bib overalls serve enticing (and intoxicating) moonshine with flavors like blackberry, sour watermelon, apple pie, orange sickle and banana pudding. One sign warns, “Y’all came on vacation. Don’t leave on probation.”

Just outside the moonshine bar, groups like the Cory Zink Band rip off lively bluegrass. “Holler out whatcha wanna hear,” shouts the band leader.

Onlookers might hear Gary Biscuit Davis, a five-time world banjo champion, admit, “If you learn to play the banjo, you

County Home Team volunteers provide friendly in-home and

visits to adults 60 and over who lack social support and are at risk of social isolation. This position has a six-month commitment of approximately one hour per week. For more information and to apply, call (410) 887-4141 or email hometeam@baltimorecountymd.gov.

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can be assured of a divorce.”

If you go

The park has four major entrances: Gatlinburg and Townsend in Tennessee, and Cherokee and Oconaluftee in North Carolina.

By car from the Baltimore area, Gatlinburg is about 500 miles; Asheville, N.C., is a little less. Within the park itself, uneven internet service means you shouldn’t depend on your vehicle’s navigation systems or GPS. Instead, pick up a map of park roads at a visitor center.

The two closest airports are Knoxville’s McGhee-Tyson in Alcoa, Tennessee, 50

BEACON BITS

June 26

EXHIBITION RECEPTION

miles northwest of the Gatlinburg entrance, and Asheville Regional Airport, 60 miles east of the Cherokee entrance.

The park is open year-round. Visitation peaks from June to October, when the NPS offers ranger-led programs.

Synchronous firefly viewing is managed by a lottery, which typically opens in April on recreation.gov.

The park has one lodge, open midMarch through mid-November. Unfortunately, it’s accessible only by foot (see lecontelodge.com/reservations).

Towns near the park’s entrances have many lodging options. For more information, see nps.gov/grsm.

Enjoy the opening reception for “Innovators in Bloom: Emerging Artists Exhibition” on Thu., June 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Chesapeake Arts Center, 194 Hammonds Ln., Brooklyn Park. This show features a range of artists using a variety of mediums to explore cultural identity, social issues and the nature of art. The gallery opening is free, and complimentary drinks and snacks will be served. RSVP at bit.ly/CACExhibitionReception. For more information, call (410) 636-6597 or email info@chesapeakearts.org.

Ongoing

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Junior Achievement is seeking volunteers to mentor K-12 students in person, online or in a hybrid environment. Training is provided, and flexible scheduling means you can make your own time commitment. Sign up at bit.ly/MDJuniorAchievementVolunteer. For more information, call (443) 394-7211.

Arts & Style

Mystery writer publishes fifth book

By Laura Melamed

Flo McCahon’s childhood obsession started with Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden.

Hoping to write a mystery novel one day, McCahon kept a journal in which she captured her thoughts, developed characters and started ideas for murder plots.

“Gratefully,” she writes on her website, Dark and Stormy Night Mysteries, “no one found these journals with my murder plots and jumped to a wrong conclusion of what I was planning.”

Now 77, McCahon published her fifth mystery novel, Take a Book for Murder, last September. It’s part of a series of mysteries solved by amateur sleuths the Faradays, a married couple in the vein of Nick and Nora Charles. A soft launch of the new book included appearances at book clubs, book festivals and senior centers in Maryland.

McCahon, who lives in Perry Hall, describes her books as cozy mysteries, a popular genre among those age 55 and older. They contain bloodless crimes, no violence and no car chases, she explains.

Her books are good beach day or rainyday reads solely for “the enjoyment of putting the puzzle pieces together,” she said in

an interview with the Beacon. “An amateur detective — keep in mind, the reader is also an amateur — gets to solve the crime.”

Inspired by her mother

McCahon writes under the pseudonym Millie Mack to honor her mother, Millie, a former librarian.

“I thought it was a good way to honor her — not to mention Millie Mack is easier to remember than my real name,” she said.

Growing up in Philadelphia and later Maryland, McCahon found that neighborhood children had trouble pronouncing her family’s last name. “So my mother used to say, ‘Oh, just call me Mrs. Mack.’”

Her mother was “the one that got me interested in mysteries,” McCahon said.

“From the time I was a little girl until my mother passed away, we would watch mystery movies together and challenge each other to figure out the solution,” she remembered.

When she was too young to read, McCahon’s mother would read mystery stories to her. After watching a Sherlock Holmes movie together when McCahon was five or six years old, her mother would pull out a

Sherlock Holmes book and read it to her.

“Even until late in life, before she passed away, we would watch a particular movie on TV — she came to live with me in her later years — and the game would be the two of us, trying to figure out who did it,” McCahon said.

“Sometimes she would read the end of the book to see who did it and then go back to read the book to see if the author had, in fact, played fair, and led you to that conclusion.”

Although her mother passed away before her first book was published, she lives on through McCahon’s pseudonym and storytelling, McCahon said.

From marketing to mysteries

Despite her early “training,” McCahon didn’t start writing until she was in her late 50s. She graduated from American University in 1975 with a master’s degree in business and a concentration in marketing and public relations.

Later, McCahon became marketing director of Citibank’s Mid-Atlantic area, writing marketing copy. When they offered her a job at its New York headquarters, she decided to resign and take some time off.

“I didn’t want to go [to New York], so I had a very nice [severance] package — and during that time I wrote the first book in my series, which was called Take a Dive for Murder.”

ties, her last job before she retired.

That’s when she had time to write the second book in her mystery series. And the books kept coming.

“The next thing I know, there was a book three,” McCahon said.

Currently, McCahon is working on her sixth book in the series starring Carrie

Later, McCahon worked for T. Rowe Price. Eventually, she became marketing director at Erickson Retirement Communi-

Flo McCahon, 77, started writing cozy mysteries under the name Mille Mack before she retired. Since then, the Perry Hall author has published four more books and is working on another series.

Historian Ron Chernow’s new biography focuses on Samuel Clemens. See story on opposite page.

New book illuminates Mark Twain’s life

By Hillel Italie

Historian Ron Chernow’s latest work may surprise readers who know him best for the book which inspired the musical “Hamilton” and for his biographies of George Washington and Ulysses Grant.

The 1,200-page Mark Twain was published in May. It’s Chernow’s first release since his Grant biography came out in 2017, and the first time he has taken on a literary writer after a career defined by celebrated books about business leaders (John D. Rockefeller, the Morgan dynasty), presidents (Grant and Washington) and Alexander Hamilton.

His many honors include the Pulitzer Prize for Washington: A Life, the National Book Award for TheHouse of Morgan and being a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

But a book on Twain had been in his thoughts for decades, dating back to when he saw Hal Holbrook play him on stage in Philadelphia in the mid-1970s.

“And there he was, with the white suit and cigar and mustache and he was tossing out one hilarious line after another,” the 76-year-old Chernow said, remembering such Twain quips as “There’s no distinctly native American criminal class, except Congress.”

Chernow became fascinated by Twain as a prototype of the modern celebrity and found himself drawn less to “Mark Twain the novelist than the pundit, the personality and the platform artist.”

Chernow admittedly is more comfortable with the researchable world of facts than with the more intangible qualities of the imagination. But he found much to identify with Twain, relating to him as a fellow widower (Twain outlived his wife, Olivia, by six years; Chernow’s wife, Valerie Stearn, died in 2006), as a public speaker and as an author fortunate enough to write full time.

Chernow also looks closely into subjects familiar to him — politics and finance, notably the various failed business ventures that left Twain short of money despite his author royalties and the inherited wealth of his wife.

During a recent interview, Chernow also reflected on Twain’s family, his politics and the sadness in his soul. Chernow’s comments have been condensed for clarity and brevity.

Marrying up

“There’s that time when he goes to the Sandwich Islands and he meets the American diplomat Anson Burlingame, who advises him to ‘cultivate your betters,’ which Twain really takes to heart. I think that with

Twain, if someone asks me, you know, did he marry Olivia for her money? I would say definitely not. It was a true love match. And as Twain said late in life, there was not a single day of his marriage that she didn’t say, ‘I worship you,’ ‘I idolize you.’ This was just kind of pouring out of her and her letters. On the other hand, the more you know about Mark Twain, the more you know that he could never have married a poor woman.

“And the irony of Twain’s life is that he spends his entire life attacking the plutocrats on the one hand, and on the other, he’s doing everything in his power to become one. This man embodies in his person every tendency of the time.”

The great man’s children

“To actually read about the children of famous personalities is almost invariably sad, as it often is with Mark Twain. The one who suffered from this most acutely, I think, was the middle daughter, Clara, who was kind of insanely competitive with her father and felt overshadowed by him, wanted to kind of trade on his reputation, but

then didn’t want him to get the attention.

“She said that she would be in a room with her father, and she felt she was only Mark Twain’s daughter, that she was reduced to the level of a footstool. And she also had a very interesting line, one that has a very contemporary ring: He would come into the room and he would flood the room with talk.”

Laughing through the tears

“There’s a tremendous amount of selfloathing in him. I have a quote later in the book — he says that (poet Lord) Byron detested life because he detested himself. Twain said, ‘I’m the same way.’ You know, that’s a really harsh, harsh thing to say.

“But I think that he saw all these impulses within himself that he was really powerless to stop. And then he realized he hurt other people. I think that Mark Twain did fit the stereotype of the funny man who’s sad and depressed under the surface and is kind of releasing that through the humor.”

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From

Oriole Bird attends one of their games. “They just love the Oriole Bird. Who doesn’t?”

Oriole Advocates organize tournaments and picnics for Challenger teams and invite them to games at Camden Yards.

The organization’s second flagship program, Cardboard to Leather, sends used baseball equipment to children in 11 countries.

“It started because somebody saw an article in the newspaper about kids playing ball using cardboard as mitts,” Neville said.

“We send uniforms and bats and balls, and they’re so thrilled that they actually have real baseball equipment to play with.”

Since launching the program in 1992, Oriole Advocates have sent baseball gear to more than 17,000 children in 11 countries. They currently ship about 500 boxes each year.

Mystery writer

From page 18

and Charles Faraday. The two detectives first met when Carrie dated Charles’ brother in college. Decades later, when the brother died suspiciously, she got together with Charles to investigate.

New characters

Now McCahon is writing a second series of mystery books set in an Irish pub and restaurant. She hopes they’ll be out by this fall or early next year.

In addition to writing, McCahon is conference chair for the Maryland Writers Association. She also takes classes at the Community College of Baltimore County,

They’re also helping to fund a baseball field in Kenya, where the sport has become increasingly popular, but facilities are scarce.

On the home front, scholarships are available for baseball players at the Community College of Baltimore County’s Catonsville, Essex and Dundalk campuses, as well as Mount Saint Joseph’s High School.

You can also thank this organization for helping to save and restore what is now the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum on Emory Street, just a five-minute walk from Camden Yards.

All ages can volunteer

If the Oriole Advocates sound like your kind of people, you can become a membervolunteer. Volunteers are expected to show up on time and be able to stand at the gates for a couple of hours.

“We have all age groups. Our oldest member is 95 years old, and we also have people who are in their mid- or late-20s or 30s,” Neville said.

including courses on antiques. Subsequently, antiques will be a theme in her upcoming book.

On her internationally read mystery blog (darkandstormynightmysteries.com), McCahon writes about the characters in famous mystery books and publishes related crossword and word-search puzzles with titles of mystery novels and television shows.

Although it’s hard to choose between all the mystery writers she loves, her favorite is Agatha Christie, author of 66 novels.

“She follows the rules of good mystery writing and offers the reader complex plots,” McCahon said. “As a result, if I reread one of her works, I always spot something I missed the first time.”

Peace of Mind is Priceless

Most members are, unsurprisingly, Orioles fans. If your heart belongs to a rival team, expect some light-hearted ribbing.

“We do laugh a lot and carry on, but we work hard,” she said.

Craig Ey, an Oriole Advocates member since 2020, shared what it’s like to be a part of the organization.

“It’s just been fantastic, being at the games, helping out with Cardboard to Leather and Challenger. It’s such a great experience being around other fans and sharing that camaraderie.”

Members play an important role in the organization, but so do donors. The group accepts new or gently used baseball and softball equipment for its Cardboard to

Leather program.

You can also make a tax-deductible donation online or leave cash donations in the orange collection buckets at the stadium gates.

And if you have an empty warehouse in the Baltimore area, the Advocates need a new space to store and pack donations.

Oriole Advocates demonstrate how baseball can bring people together to make a difference.

“Sometimes politics separates us, and what neighborhood you’re from, and this and that,” Neville said. “But we all love the Birds and the Baby Birds and wearing orange and black.”

Visit orioleadvocates.org.

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Crossword Puzzle

Two (2) Words By Stephen Sherr

Across

1. Scoreboard abbrev. for a SoCal NFL team

4. Synagogue

8. Number 2 on the American Physical Society’s list of all-time best physicists

14. Greek vowel

15. Second oldest of the Jackson 5

16. Apple Store purchase

17. Pizza slice’s crust (geometrically)

18. ___ car! (Plinko prize)

19. Cheated at Marco Polo

20. Suitable

23. He won 7 gold medals in 1972

24. Have a balance after settling the charges

25. ___ A Sketch

29. Without exception

33. “Oh my God,” in text-speak

36. Holder of two (or more) peas

37. Wish granter

38. Item on an expense report

41. Change doctor to dr.

43. Send up a ___ balloon

44. White pool ball

45. Mrs., in Madrid

46. Helps with a crime

51. Winner of 2005’s Emmy for best drama

52. Billions of years

53. Uneasy feeling

57. Legally unencumbered

61. Six-faced shape

64. “___ and ye shall find”

65. Grp. with Rockets and Thunder

66. Sign up for classes

67. “Don’t wake me up ___ noon”

68. Lightning McQueen’s main color

69. Cup-a-Soup content

70. Toward shelter, nautically

71. Prior to, poetically Down

1. Toronto Maple ___

2. ___ down memory lane

3. The Chihuahuan Desert has over 500 species of them

4. Group of lines in a poem

5. Back half

6. School along the Rio Grande

7. Unscrupulous approach

8. Bit, barely

9. Thrusting fencing sword

10. “___ you go, go with all your heart” (Confucius)

11. Tik ___

12. Ranking for the least attractive

13. Dad of Rod and Todd Flanders

21. Had the blue-plate special

22. The Oprah Winfrey Network, in program listings

26. Pup and dome

27. One who makes public announcements

28. Villainous henchman in The Lion King

30. EMT’s specialty

31. Weeding tool

32. Self-image

33. Number system where the highest digit is 7

34. Twin brother of Luigi

35. Graph paper patterns

39. Offerings from Dairy Queen and Burger King

40. Pie ___ mode

41. Hoagie

42. Half-assed remark

44. Game that uses 108 cards

47. Ozempic injection tool

48. A dear, a female dear

49. Quarterback’s protector

50. NBC late night show

54. Section at Barnes & Noble

55. Slashing fencing sword

56. Profession

58. Small brook

59. He sang about Sweet Caroline

60. Mark for removal

61. 100 yrs.

62. Tres menos dos

63. Dude

CLASSIFIEDS

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

CAVEAT EMPTOR!

The Beacon does not know ingly accept ob scene, of fensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. How ever, we do not investi gate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integ rity of either. Respondents to classified ad vertising 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 prohib iting discrim ination based on race, color, national origin, sex, famil ial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

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COMPANION NEEDED FOR 2 ELDERLY GENTLEMEN. Seeking help with personal care, scheduling requiring computer skills, driving, light housekeeping and meal prep and other help as needed. In Potomac, MD. 30+ hours/week. Reference required. Respond to lensrink@yahoo.com.

PATIENT, PRACTICAL, PERSONAL. 20+ years experience with all skill levels. Learn how to protect from scams. Get comfortable confident with smartphones, tablets, laptops, TV, Alexa, etc. Julia: 443-436-2612. computercoachbaltimore.weebly.com

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THE MARKETS OF CRAFTS GALORE! Shop, Eat, Mingle. Homemade goods and food. 5/3, 6/7, 9/6, 10/4, 11/1, 12/6. Free admission to public 9:30am-2:30pm. Held by Vendor Members Group at Timonium United Methodist Church 2300 Pot Spring Road, Timonium, MD. www.VendorMembersGroup.com

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 Company 866-212-1092 or visit www.Life55plus.info/beacon

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2 CEMETERY PLOTS AT KING DAVID MEMORIAL GARDENS in Falls Church Virginia. (Jewish Cemetery). Reduced sale price $3995.00/ each or best offer 510-326-2493.

PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES

TODAY with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with a qualifying purchase. Call 1-301-9603174 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.

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MARYLAND SENIOR MOBILE NAIL

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MEDICARE HELP IS HERE. am a Senior helping Seniors...now 75 have mastered all things MEDICARE and am Licensed by the State of Maryland. An INDEPENDENT BROKER who represents all major Carriers in Maryland including AETNA, ALTERWOOD, ALLSTATE, CIGNA, HUMANA, CAREFIRST, HOPKINS, KAISER, UNITED HEALTH CARE and more. We can have a phone call...meet in person at your home, nearest Dunkin Donuts, the Library...wherever it is convenient for you...MEDICARE is complicated and is unique to each client. MEDIGAP or MED SUPP...MEDICARE ADVANTAGE...PDP PLANS...VISION DRUGS HEARING DENTAL...how do you know which Plan or Plans fit your health needs, budget, and includes your Doctors and your Prescriptions? Call “Herman” at 410340-9324.

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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

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AXS TILE CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

INC. MHIC#115085 Residential/Commercial, Landscape Design-Build-Install Renovation. Patios, Walkways, Pavers, Stone Concrete. Handyman Services. Yard Maintenance, Mulching, Pruning Trimming. Tree Removal/Storm Damage. Emergency Services. Power Washing, Painting. Professional Work Affordable Prices. Fast Reliable Services! 15% OFF SPRING SPECIAL Call For Free Estimate Today. 410-285-5452 or 443-472-3528.

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