"Very, very pleased, the extra bit of personal touch was so appreciated." -Joanne J. "Very, very pleased, the extra bit of personal touch was so appreciated." -Joanne J. Visit us at 3016 75th St. Kenosha SR120122 Volume 21 - #23 November 16, 2023 THE TIME IS NOW TO CHANGE YOUR HABITS... ... AND SLOW THE AGING PROCESS
Stop out and visit with Ron Lester, the head of the herd & retired Marine, to learn more about the health benefits of buffalo! Stop out and visit with Ron Lester, the head of the herd & retired Marine, to learn more about the health benefits of buffalo! 31807 60th St. Salem, WI 847-343-8240 www.lestersbisonfarm.com 1807 60th St. Salem, WI 847-343-8240 www.lestersbisonfarm.com 95% Lean Ground Bison Steaks • Sausage • Jerky Bison Ribs • Bison Roast Beef • Lamb • Venison Pork • Elk • Poultry BISON PRODUCTS SPECIALTY MEATS ALL GRASS FED FREE-RANGE HIGHEST QUALITY! CHEESE & BREAD GOURMET SALSA BBQ SAUCE & RUBS JAMS & JELLIES PICKLED GOODS FREE RANGE CAGE FREE EGGS SR111623 100% Made in USA Hats • Gloves • Socks Scarfs & More Check out our Bison Quality Products made from the downy undercoat of Lester’s Bison, warmer, softer and lighter without the itch. 100% Made in USA Hats • Gloves • Socks Scarfs & More Check out our Bison Quality Products made from the downy undercoat of Lester’s Bison, warmer, softer and lighter without the itch. A Family Tradition Family Tradition With some things in life, it’s not all about the final result. It’s about the journey to get there, such as a trip to Ron Lester’s Bison Farm . Families have been visiting Ron for years not just for the food but for the experience. Bring the kids, sit a spell, listen to Ron’s stories. But, don’t forget the cooler! It is a perfect time to stock up your freezer with wholesome meats, free from hormones and chemicals to feed your family right over the holiday season. You can also pick up some farm fresh eggs, delicious bread, a variety of pickled vegetables, jams and jellies. Ron’s farm is 20 minutes west of Green Bay Road on 60th Street. Life is a journey… Enjoy the ride. FFabulous Gifts abulous Gifts We also sell American flags! We also sell American flags!
Keeping the heart healthy may slow the pace of aging and prevent the risk of cardiovascular and agerelated diseases while extending life, a preliminary study suggests. The study was recently presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2023 in Philadelphia. Researchers explored the association between heart and brain health, as measured by the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 checklist and the biological aging process, as computed by phenotypic age. Phenotypic age is a strong measure of biological, or physiological, age. It's calculated using a person's chronological age along with nine blood test results for metabolism, inflammation and organ function. A higher score of phenotypic age acceleration indicates faster biological aging. After accounting for social, economic and demographic factors, having the highest Life's Essential 8 score (high cardiovascular health) was associated with a biological age that is on average six years younger than someone's actual age. "This study really reinforces the fact that it's so important for us to measure our Life's Essential 8 score -- our cardiovascular health status," Dr. Donald M. LloydJones, chair of the writing group for Life's Essential 8 and a past volunteer president of the American Heart Association, said in a prerecorded video interview. Four health behaviors are part of Life's Essential 8 score: "Are we eating healthily? Are we participating in physical activity? Are we getting healthy sleep? And are we avoiding all types of nicotine exposures?" said LloydJones, chair of the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. He noted that it's also essential to be aware of the numbers measured at the doctor's office. "What's our weight and our healthy weight?" LloydJones said. "How's our blood pressure doing? What's our blood cholesterol levels? And, also importantly, what's our blood sugar level? "So, knowing those eight components, we can actually hone in on the cardiovascular health status that is Life's Essential 8 score." After calculating phenotypic age and phenotypic age acceleration for more than 6,500 adults in the 2015-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the analysis found that participants with high cardiovascular health had a negative phenotypic age acceleration -- they were younger than expected physiologically. In contrast, those with low cardiovascular health had a positive phenotypic age acceleration -- they were older than expected physiologically. For instance, the average actual age of those with high cardiovascular health was 41, yet their average biological age was 36. Meanwhile, the average actual age of those who had low cardiovascular health was 53, even though their average biological age was 57. Dr. Ashish Sarraju, a staff cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, who was not involved in the study, told UPI via email that people with high cardiovascular health could possibly be several years younger biologically than their chronological age. This study, Sarraju said, "adds support to the utility of tracking and controlling cardiovascular risk factors for everyday folks. The Life's Essential 8 framework outlines eight key measures for improving cardiovascular health, which are applicable to everyday folks: diet, activity/exercise, tobacco use, sleep, weight, cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure." Dr. Michael Miedema, a preventive cardiologist with Allina Health Minneapolis Heart Institute, told UPI in a telephone interview that maintaining cardiovascular health and staving off aging both depend on multiple factors. Taking medications to manage high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes may help. "Sometimes, in the modern era, people look at preventive medications as potentially toxic, but in reality, the people who controlled the risk factors the best were the people who were the healthiest," Miedema said. Dr. Gretchen Wells, a professor of cardiology at the University of Alabama at B i r m i n g h a m ' s Cardiovascular Institute, told UPI in a telephone interview that the Life's Essential 8 factors impact all of a person's health, not only cardiovascular health. "Patients may expect high-tech testing, but these tools are simple, accessible and effective," Wells said. "Small changes actually make a difference, and you don't achieve a perfect score all in in day," she added. "For example, when we talk about not smoking, cutting down and eventually quitting will make a difference. "And with regular physical activity, you may start walking five or 10 minutes and work up to about 30 minutes a day. Make small changes, but be consistent, and eventually, you will begin to notice a difference." By Susan Kreimer Want to slow aging? Essential Eight checklist holds the key, study suggests Smart Reader is published bi-weekly by Carmichael Communications Editor & Publisher/Frank J. Carmichael Assistant to the Publisher/Reanna Stockdale Sales/Kim Carmichael, Donny Stancato Editorial Manager/Jason Hedman Ad Design & Layout/Kristin Monticelli, Glen Kelly Reception/Sarah Coleman Carmichael Communications 1420 63rd St. Kenosha, WI 53143 November 16, 2023 Volume 21 Number 23 262-564-8800 • 1-800-568-6623 • www.hap2it.com LIFE'S ESSENTIAL EIGHT 1. Are we eating healthy? 2. Are we participating in physical activity? 3. Are we getting healthy sleep? 4. Are we avoiding all types of nicotine exposures? 5. What's our weight and our healthy weight? 6. How's our blood pressure doing? 7. What's our blood cholesterol levels? 8. What's our blood sugar level? 2 SMART READER November 16, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 Locally Owned & Operated for Over 30 Years 5403 52nd St. • 262-656-1717 Kenosha, WI 53142 • bandlofficefurniture.com 111623 New and Like New Remember, sometimes the best values can be found when you shop local! Remember, sometimes the best values can be found when you shop local! We are truly blessed to have such great customers who support our small business. We are truly grateful for your business. We are truly blessed to have such great customers who support our small business. 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Reducing work-life stress linked to improvements in heart health A kinder, more thoughtful workplace can lead to better heart health among older employees, a new study finds. Older workers' heart health risk factors decreased significantly when their office employed interventions designed to reduce workfamily conflicts, researchers report in Wednesday's issue of the American Journal of Public Health. Specifically, their heart risk factors reflected those of people 5 to 10 years younger when their workplace culture provided them better flexibility and support. "The study illustrates how working conditions are important social determinants of health," said co-lead researcher Lisa Berkman, director of the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies. "When stressful workplace conditions and work-family conflict were mitigated, we saw a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease among more vulnerable employees, without any negative impact on their productivity," Berkman added in a Harvard news release. "These findings could be particularly consequential for low- and middle-wage workers who traditionally have less control over their schedules and job demands and are subject to greater health inequities." For the study, researchers worked with two companies -- an IT company with 555 participating employees and a long-term care company with 973 participating employees. The researchers trained company supervisors on strategies that support employees' personal and family lives. Teams of supervisors and employees also attended hands-on trainings to identify new ways to increase employees' control over their schedules and workflow. The workplace changes didn't have a significant effect on all employee's heart health risk factors, researchers found. But there were significant improvements for workers who entered the study with high heart risk scores. Those employees at the IT company saw a reduction in their heart risk scores equivalent to 5.5 years of age-related changes, researchers found. Results were even more striking at the long-term care company, where employees saw a reduction equivalent to 10.3 years. Age also played a role. Employees over 45 with higher heart risk scores were more likely to see an improvement than younger workers. "The intervention was designed to change the culture of the workplace over time, with the intention of reducing conflict between employees' work and personal lives and ultimately improving their health," said co-lead researcher Orfeu Buxton, director of the Sleep, Health & Society Collaboratory at Penn State University. "Now we know such changes can improve employee health and should be more broadly implemented." By Dennis Thompson Older workers' heart health risk factors decreased significantly when their office employed interventions designed to reduce work-family conflicts, researchers said. A new, more comfortable wearable electrocardiogram (ECG) device could be on its way. Researchers from Australia and India have created a compact, lightweight, gel-free hexagonal-shaped ECG patch that they say is ideally suited for point-of-care diagnostics. For those at risk, having a wearable device that can detect heart problems and assess overall cardiac health can save lives. The research team also integrated their device with wireless Bluetooth communication for remote sensing capabilities. "The potential applications are where it gets really exciting," said study author Peter Francis Mathew Elango, a PhD student in functional materials and microsystems at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. "These portable ECG patches could revolutionize remote and ambulatory healthcare, and perhaps even preventive medicine," Elango added in a news release from the American Institute of Physics. "They're light, they can wirelessly transmit data and they're adept at discerning various states of rest or activity. Whether used in a clinical setting, seamlessly integrated into everyday attire, or worn as wearable devices, they could redefine how we monitor cardiac health," he explained. Typically, "wet" electrodes are used in such devices. They include a conductive gel to enhance electrical signaling. But that also makes them uncomfortable to wear because they irritate the skin and tend to dry out. This study focused on the advantages of using active dry electrodes for ECG signaling. "Dry electrodes offer some significant advantages," Elango said. "They prioritize user comfort, remain durable over time and reduce the likelihood of skin irritation. These attributes make them ideal for continuous monitoring, a crucial feature for wearable ECG devices." The researchers considered how the performance of dry electrode sensors is affected by the contact area, conductivity and stability of the electrical contact. "We did a deep dive into the world of wearable ECG devices," Elango noted. "We focused on a critical aspect, how the design and materials of the electrodes impact their performance, and the findings were quite illuminating." Nearly 200 million people around the world have heart disease, the researchers noted. By Cara Murez New wearable electrocardiogram helps monitor heart health Researchers from Australia and India have created a compact, lightweight, gel-free hexagonal-shaped ECG patch that they say is ideally suited for point-of-care diagnostics. 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What you’re about to read might be life-changing. It doesn’t matter if you’re building a new home, adding a room, remodeling a kitchen or bath or even building a deck. I shared the following with my 25,000 free newsletter subscribers recently, and many responded saying I need to share it in my national column that you read. My subscribers told me that it might collectively save tens of millions of dollars. Let me know if you feel the same. Two weeks ago a husband and wife who live in Saratoga Springs, New York, hired me to come to their home. Weeks before that I had done a video conference call with them to help them light a fire under their contractor. Six months ago they had signed a contract with him to build a retaining wall and an exterior detached garage. New siding and windows were also part of the project. Months went by with no work happening even though they had given the contractor a huge five-figure deposit. Had I been involved back in April, I would have made sure that there would not be a deposit, since no special-ordered materials were required for this job. Instead, the contract would have had a biweekly or monthly payment schedule tied to an itemized bid. The homeowners would pay for completed, satisfactory work as it progressed. When I arrived at the house, I discovered the homeowners weren’t sure about a number of things. They didn’t know exactly what type of pavement was going to be put down between the house and the retaining wall. They weren’t sure about stairs from the pavement up to the lawn above the retaining wall. They weren’t sure about positive drainage in the rear of the house but were very concerned about it. The wife showed me some video of water flowing down the hill behind the house, causing a waterfall over a small wall in their front yard. My college degree is in geology with a focus on hydrogeology. Hydrogeology is all about surface and subsurface water. Believe me, I know how to ensure a house or basement stays as dry as an old bone. After a brief meeting with the homeowner, I set up my optical transit. This tool allows me to shoot extremely accurate grade marks. I transferred these marks to the house siding as a roadmap for the workers to follow. An hour later, the builder, his project manager and the excavator showed up. We had a productive meeting of the minds, and the project manager told me I was the first person to come up with a great plan on how to handle all the water coming off the hillside. Other experts before me wanted to install all sorts of field drains and complex underground piping. Field drains tend to clog in a storm when you most need them. My plan was to install a large linear French drain behind the new retaining wall. This hidden gutter in the ground would capture all subsurface and overland water flow that was aimed directly at the house. Piping would route this water to the edge of the property and then send it into Lake Saratoga just across the roadway. I also drew up a plan while there to show how the paving behind the house had to be slanted with enough slope so all overland water flowed by gravity to the walkway between the house and the new detached garage. It’s important to realize all of this should have been done back in April by the contractor. It would have taken but an hour or two of his time. This planning should have been crystal clear to the homeowners. But, alas, it wasn’t. Days after I left, the contractor dropped a $30,000 change order on the homeowners to do all that I said above. They were astonished and stunned because all of this work should have been included in the original six-figure contract sum. They negotiated with the contractor and reduced the change order to just under $20,000.00. I feel there should have been no change order. All that I saw there was plain to see back in the early spring. There were no latent defects hiding behind the grass on the hillside. What is the lesson here? Each week I do autopsies on failed projects like this. It’s disheartening to me. There are several common causes of financial and emotional disasters like this. For starters, you may be one who places too much trust in contractors. Stop doing this. You need to make sure early in the planning process that you understand everything that’s going to happen. Stop hoping things will happen. Make sure the plans show every item that’s going to happen. If you don’t understand the plans — many homeowners don’t — ask for clarification. There is no shame in admitting you don’t understand. If you advance into the contract phase with a foggy vision of what you think might happen, you could lose tens of thousands of dollars. Poor building plans cost these homeowners $20,000 Ask the Builder with Tim Carter Subscribe to Tim’s FREE newsletter at AsktheBuilder.com. Tim offers phone coaching calls if you get stuck during a DIY job. Go here: go.askthebuilder.com /coaching Tim Carter joins Happenings Q&A on Tues., Nov. 21st at 9:20am on AM1050 WLIP 4 SMART READER November 16, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 AUTU M N 2 0 2 COMEDY 3 EVENTS 5125 6th Avenue, Kenosha If It’s Not Live, You’re Not Living! If It’s Not Live, You’re Not Living! FOR EVENT TICKETS & MORE ACTS VISIT HAP2IT.COM STOP IN 1420 63RD ST. M-F 10AM-4PM OR CALL (262)564-8800 No Drink Minimum! UPCOMING: JAN 26 & 27 DR. BILL MILLER • FEB 9 & 10 MR. 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Rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and lean proteins, a Mediterranean style of eating consistently earns accolades for its long list of health benefits, including the prevention of heart disease and diabetes. Now, new research from Spain shows this way of eating, when combined with regular exercise and fewer calories, can slash dangerous belly fat in older folks while helping to preserve their muscle mass. Fat that accumulates around the midsection is known to cause inflammation and has been linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some forms of cancer. Muscle mass is known to decline with advancing age, and this can lead to weakness, less mobility and a greater chance of falls. The study, led by researcher Dora Romaguera, from the Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands, included just over 1,500 middle-aged and older people who were overweight or obese and had metabolic syndrome, a cluster of disorders that signal a person's increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke. One group of people followed a Mediterranean diet while cutting their calories by 30% and increasing their physical activity. They were also told to limit their consumption of processed foods, meats, butter, added sugar and to eat more whole grains. But the advice did not stop with food: They were also encouraged to increase their physical activity progressively, with a goal of walking 45 minutes per day or more on six days per week, along with exercises to improve strength. A second group of people followed a Mediterranean diet without calorie restrictions or changes in physical activity. Folks who reduced their calories and got regular exercise while adhering to a Mediterranean diet showed decreases in the belly and total fat, and they kept much of it off for three years. In contrast, people in the other group did not see any changes in belly fat. Both groups did gain some lean muscle mass, but the folks in the exercise plus calorie restriction arm lost more fat than muscle. The study, published Monday in the journal JAMA Network Open, presents the three-year results of an ongoing eight-year study designed to see if this style of eating can slash the risk for heart attack and stroke. Two experts were not surprised the combination did the trick. "This is an ambitious and elegant study," said Cewin Chao, director of clinical nutrition services at Montefiore Health System in New York City. "If you eat a high-quality diet, exercise and reduce calories, you will lose more body fat, especially the more dangerous deeper fat around the belly area surrounding your organs, and preserve more muscle. These investments do look like they will pay off at the three-year mark." "If you reduce your calorie intake and increase your physical activity, you will lose weight. This works every time," said Marion Nestle, a retired professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University in New York City. "People following a Mediterranean diet... are able to maintain a reduced calorie intake and better calorie balance for the three years of the study," said Nestle. "This kind of diet is associated with all kinds of good health and is highly recommended." By Denise Mann Mediterranean diet, exercise may help adults burn fat, preserve muscle Gap in life expectancy widens between men and women The gap in life expectancy between American men and women is now the biggest it has been since the mid1990s -- almost six years. The pandemic and opioid overdoses are key factors in the gender difference in longevity, said researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "There's been a lot of research into the decline in life expectancy in recent years, but no one has systematically analyzed why the gap between men and women has been widening since 2010," said first study author Dr. Brandon Yan, a resident in internal medicine at UCSF. In 2021, the gender gap in life expectancy rose to 5.8 years, its largest since 1996, he and his colleagues report. In 2010, the gap was its smallest in recent history, 4.8 years. Life expectancy in the United States was 76.1 years in 2021. That's down from 78.8 years in 2019 and 77 years in 2020. Researchers cited the pandemic as the biggest factor in the widening gender gap; it took a heavier toll on men. Unintentional injuries and poisonings (mostly drug overdoses), accidents and suicide were other contributors. Another factor in Americans' shrinking lifespan: so-called "deaths of despair." That's a nod to the rise in deaths owing to such causes as suicide, drug use disorders and alcoholic liver disease. These are often linked to economic hardship, depression and stress. "While rates of death from drug overdose and homicide have climbed for both men and women, it is clear that men constitute an increasingly disproportionate share of these deaths," Yan said in a joint news release from UCSF and Harvard. He and colleagues from around the country used data from the National Center for Health Statistics to zero in on the causes of death that were contributing most to shrinking life expectancy. After that, they examined how much different causes were contributing to the gap. For a number of reasons, men were more likely to die of COVID during the pandemic. Researchers pointed to differences in health behaviors as well as risk of on-the-job exposure, reticence to seek medical care, being in jail and housing instability. Also factoring in were chronic metabolic disorders, mental illness and gun violence. The findings were published online Nov. 13 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. "We have brought insights to a worrisome trend," Yan said. "Future research ought to help focus public health interventions towards helping reverse this decline in life expectancy." He said the findings raise questions about the need to develop specialized care, such as in mental health, for men. Senior author Dr. Howard Koh, a professor of public health leadership at Harvard, said follow-up will be needed to see if the trends change after 2021. "We need to track these trends closely as the pandemic recedes," he said. "And we must make significant investments in prevention and care to ensure that this widening disparity, among many others, does not become entrenched." By Carole Tanzer Miller FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 SMART READER November 16, 2023 5 The Newest Issue of Out Now! Does Print Advertising Work? It Just DID! Published by Carmicheal Communications 1420 63rd St., Kenosha, 53143 in Partnership with the Downtown Lakeshore Business Improvement District and Visit Kenosha Pick Up The Current Issue Today Or Check It Out Online At Hap2it.com VisitKenosha.com Or GoDowntownKenosha.com Want To Advertise Your Downtown Business? Contact Donny At [email protected] 9, 2024 111623 TORCASO And So Much More... Purses • Backpacks • Belts and most leather goods 3305 60th Street • 262-654-3839 Now Open Mon. - Fri. 9:30am-5pm • Sat. 9:30am-1pm Full Service Repairs Done In House SR100622 Paula Ray Get Ready For Winter!
6 SMART READER November 16, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 Pity the writer who, due to a snippet of conversation 10 years prior, becomes the fool left standing when the man he challenged to a verbal duel unexpectedly dies. This is where Peter Hitchens stands. Hitchens, a British conservative writer and commentator and brother of the late Christopher Hitchens, is cast as the villain who dared to poke at the addiction recovery of the recently deceased actor Matthew Perry. Perry later called Hitchens “a complete tool.” Hitchens earned such name-calling by professing a belief that addiction is a bunch of liberal muck. He pontificated that drug users need a dose of moral conviction and less self-pity to escape the clutches of addiction. He basically told Perry this in a 2013 video that resurfaced and has been making the rounds on social media after Perry’s unexpected death on October 28. The legions of fans of the sitcom Friends now have a new target, a surprising new focus for their grief and welldeserved respect for Perry, who died at the age of 54. Most will skip this point. But Perry’s nemesis had a stronger argument than most realize. Their discussion was part of the BBC’s Newsnight broadcast. Perry was invited to discuss the saliency of drug courts. The programs offer help to those with a nonviolent offense involving drug use. Both North American and British societies are filled with such empathetic discussions about addiction. We love to wax on about how addicts are selfmedicating, doing their best to cope with mental health and often have little control over their brain chemistry and the physiological ways that drugs interact with the human body. But in policy and practice, we’re not all that tolerant or forgiving. We still expect people to get sober. And to remain so, viewing any relapse as a failure. It’s easy to give someone a thumb’s up on social media for posting about a sobriety Matthew Perry’s legacy isn’t ‘Friends,’ but a challenge for thinking about addiction with Mary Sanchez Readers can reach Mary Sanchez at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @msanchezcolumn. SAN ANTONIO – Gov. Gregg Abbott has called a third special legislative session in an attempt to push through three priorities that previous sessions have defeated, surprisingly with some Republicans joining with most Democrats in opposition. School choice is one of those priorities. The last session bowed to scare tactics by the powerful teachers unions and Democrats who promoted claims that allowing parents to send their children to private schools or use tax dollars to underwrite the costs of educating their children at home would force some public schools, especially in rural areas, to close. That’s looking at the issue the wrong way. The real issue is what is being taught in many public schools which minimize fundamental subjects like reading, math, science and history in favor of a progressive worldview. Examples abound. Rachel Hale is a self-described parent advocate for Texas Education 911, an affiliate of Parents United for Freedom (PUFF). Full disclosure: I spoke at a PUFF fundraising dinner, organized by my granddaughter. Hale delivered remarks loaded with examples of the introduction of subjects – and worse – that has outraged growing numbers of parents in Texas and increasingly throughout the country. She mentioned a bill that passed with the objective of removing “pervasively vulgar books out of school libraries.” Opponents have sued to keep the law from taking effect. See how this works? One side gets to introduce anything it wants under the cloak of “academic freedom,” while objecting parents are denounced as censors and inexperienced when it comes to education. Hale offers another example of the condescending attitude some public educators and activists have for parents: “… in the summer of 2021 the Texas House Public Education Committee held two days’ worth of hearings on ‘parent empowerment,’ yet parents were not able to testify until the end of each day after Amazon, the Texas Education Agency, school superintendents and vendors – all of whom had unlimited time to speak and begged for more money … and were only allowed two minutes. “Right after this most recent regular session ended, a ‘special commission’ was formed. … They spent two days hearing invited testimony only and guess who didn’t make the list – parents!!!” Still another example from Hale about where too many public schools are headed: “Child Protective Services were called on a parent in Lewisville ISD (when) her elementary age son responded a certain way after using the Rhitim App for three days in a row. Rhitim is an emojibased survey that asks questions where the students respond with happy or sad faces. The survey was given right before lunch and asked the students if they were hungry. He of course answered with a sad face. After the third day of the same answer to the same question, it triggered CPS intervention.” In the Tioga Independent School District, parents complained of an “inappropriate relationship” between a teacher and their daughter. The school, the parents said, did nothing and renewed the teacher’s contract for another year. Two days after graduating, their daughter left home and moved in with the teacher and his wife. There’s much more and parents must continually educate themselves if they want to avoid further indoctrination and potential danger to their children. Electing new school board members will help and this pro-parent group is focusing on local school board elections next May in hopes of flipping four seats now held by liberals. Perhaps, if they can manage to get some of these horror stories before the special legislative session it might convince fence straddlers to allow parents the same opportunities they and other well-off parents have when it comes to choosing where to send their children to school and what is being taught in them. A third try in Texas for school choice with Cal Thomas Readers may email Cal Thomas at [email protected]. Look for Cal Thomas’ latest book “A Watchman in the Night: What I’ve Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America" my turn Mary Sanchez joins Happenings Q&A on Tue. Nov 28th at 9:20am on AM1050 WLIP Matthew Perry attends the GQ Men of the Year Party 2022, Nov. 17, 2022, in West Hollywood. Choose your future. School choice. story continues on next page
FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 SMART READER November 16, 2023 7 In 1949, after Mao Zedong's communist forces drove Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang from China's mainland to Taiwan, its was wrongly alleged that "America lost China." Of course, China was not America's to lose. Why? America simply lacked sufficient influence on Chiang and the KMT to make any difference. Is the United States also "losing" the wars in Ukraine and Israel because of the lack of influence in Kyiv and Jerusalem? In Ukraine, while U.S. President Joe Biden has repeatedly promised to stay the course for "as long as it takes," it is still Ukraine's war to fight. The meaning is clear. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is calling the shots. Despite Ukraine's valiant stand that stalled Russia's assault to seize Kyiv and then retook some of the territory lost in the invasion, the war has entered a static phase. Neither Ukraine nor Russia can gain more than local tactical advantages. As a result, and with winter quickly approaching, a deadlock seems inevitable with little movement across the 600 mile-long front line. Ukraine was always the David facing the Russian Goliath. The difference is that Ukraine's sling did not have sufficient stones to slay the giant. Given the nearly $200 billion committed by the West to Ukraine, Russia's size and population create what may be the crucial advantage. Ukraine has about 5 million, as opposed to Russia's 25 million pool of potential fighting personnel. And, even taking huge losses in soldiers and material that U.K. Chief of Defense Adm. Tony Radakin estimated was about half of Russia's military capability, it has mounted a formidable defense that has stymied further Ukrainian advances to the east. Gen. Vasily Zaluhzny, Ukraine's chief of defense, wrote a remarkable treatise in The Economist last week. It was a stunning critique of what it will take to defeat Russia. Zaluhzny's targets were Zelensky and Biden. But what he describes as needing to win are air superiority, counterbattery, demining and other capabilities that are not acquirable even in the long term. The West simply does not possess enough of these capabilities to transfer them, even if it could. The lack of influence may be even more significant regarding Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken have not been able to obtain a "pause" in the fighting to allow humanitarian assistance for Gaza. But a pause is not the solution to ending the war, minimizing destruction and reaching a just and lasting peace in the region. Conditions in Gaza are grim as Israel continues its offensive, driving deeper into the strip. However justified is Israel's response to Hamas' heinous attack that claimed nearly 1,500 innocent Israeli lives, in its offensive to destroy Hamas, it is killing Palestinian civilians, many of whom are young, and leveling much of Gaza. The more Palestinian casualties the Israel Defense Force inflicts, the more the hostility against Israel grows. This is the heart of Hamas' strategy: the more death and destruction Israel can impose, the more Israel will become an international pariah. Hamas is also betting that the pressure on Netanyahu, already a prime minister wounded by his attempt to compromise the judiciary and the failure to anticipate the surprise attack, will collapse his government, throwing the country into chaos. And Hamas' strategy cynically gave Israel no option except to react the way it did after the Oct. 7 assault. On the current courses, the outcomes in Ukraine of possible long-term stalemate and in Israel, which could see a political unraveling, are bleak. What, if anything, can the United States and the Biden administration do to change these potentially disastrous outcomes? Can sufficient influence be applied to change Zelensky's and Netanyahu's thinking? In Ukraine, if the stalemate persists, Ukraine will have no choice except to negotiate with Russia, no matter how distasteful. The United States must be making that case now and in private. And a plan for what a negotiation will entail and for post-war reconstruction is essential and needed now. Netanyahu may be a tougher nut to crack. He seems irreversibly opposed to the only possible option: a two-state solution granting Palestinians some form of independence. Yet, without a two-state solution, as the blood bath in Gaza continues and Hamas dominates the public relations war, when will the West Bank explode? If Israel is to survive the consequences of the war, Netanyahu must embrace the two-state solution. And that depends on whether Biden has the vision, courage and perseverance to bring enough influence to change these unsavory outcomes. U.S. influence critical in Ukraine, Israel conflicts with Harlan Ullman my turn Dr Harlan Ullman is senior adviser at Washington's Atlantic Council, the prime author of "shock and awe" and the book "The Fifth Horseman and the New MAD: How Massive Attacks of Disruption Became the Looming Existential Danger to a Divided Nation and the World at Large." Harlan Ullman joins Happenings Q&A on Thu., Nov. 30th at 9:20am on AM1050 WLIP US President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Isreael on October 18th. milestone. But such patience often runs out quickly if the addict is in your home, social circles or among a group of homeless people encamped nearby. Our empathy for the addict has a shelf life. It matters little if the substance is alcohol, powder cocaine, crack, methamphetamine, or the more recent introduction of drugs laced with often fatal fentanyl. Hitchens does come across as dismissive in the recently uncovered clip showing the exchange between Perry and himself. Perry tried to explain how addiction worked in his body and mindset. “I am in control of the first drink,” Perry explained. “So I do all of these things to protect myself from not having that first drink. But once I have that first drink… then I can’t stop after that.” Perry also called himself “a drug addict.” To that admittance, one that is part of most addiction recovery programs, Hitchens replied: “You do choose. You have a choice. You have a choice, whether you drink or not.” Hitchens went on to drill down and around Perry’s attempt at a rebuttal. “Quite often unfashionable ideas are unfashionable because they are unpopular with influential people,” was Hitchens’ dismissive reply. In further interviews, Hitchens later gave this comment: "No, it’s just laughable. I believe in free will. People take drugs because they enjoy it." Few fans of Friends likely knew of Hitchens prior. Christopher Hitchens, his late brother, who was a columnist for Vanity Fair, was the better known of the two. It’s tough to be the less famous sibling. For whatever reason, about 10 years ago, Peter Hitchens latched onto the issue of addiction, which he views as a made-up concept. As a writer, this Hitchens is about as far from the world of Friends as one could get – politically and otherwise. Perry played the selfdeprecating Chandler Bing, who was handsome, engaging and witty. Only in recent years, did the Chandler/Perry imagery take on a harsher edge when he revealed his decades-long struggle with addiction in his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.” Societies tend to enshrine people after they pass. It’s polite to do so. Don’t dance on a grave, or speak ill of the deceased, we’re told. But maybe instead of consuming endless hours of reruns of that once-in-ageneration hit show, we should spend time contemplating Perry’s life beyond the studio. The awareness that he offered just might help someone else in our lives, as most people do know someone fighting addiction. Sanchez continued from page 6
8 SMART READER November 16, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 Years ago, as disruption was forcing many in the financial services industry to come to terms with declining mutual fund and trading fees, one stockbroker said to me, “I’m going into real estate, because the 6 percent commission is sacred!” I thought about his comment recently, after a federal jury in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri found that the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and some big real estate brokerage companies conspired to artificially inflate commissions on home sales. The $1.8 billion price tag in damages (which the defendants will appeal) may be a small part of what could become a larger dismemberment of the sacred 6% commission that has been in place for decades. Currently, although there are two sides to every housing transaction — a buyer and a seller — only the seller has to pay the brokers involved. They do so by agreeing to cough up 5- 6% of the purchase price to pay the buyer’s broker in addition to their own listing agent. That may not seem like a lot, but if you consider that the median existing home sells for nearly $400,000, this means that $24,000 comes off the top, and is then split between the two agents, regardless of the time spent on the market. This would seem to be a business that is begging for change, but agreeing to a different compensation structure has meant that the home in question would not show up on the ever-present multiple listing services (MLS), where properties can attract attention from would-be buyers and their agents. The Missouri decision and similar other lawsuits winding their way through the courts could mean big changes are coming to the industry. The most obvious is that commissions could be unbundled and those who opt out of paying the buyer’s agent would still have access to MLS. But that also means that buyers who want representation may have to pay their own way. It is doubtful that doing so would mean paying 3% of the purchase price out of pocket. More likely is that there would be an opportunity to pay a flat or hourly fee, or if mortgage companies and their regulators agree to it, buyers might be able to add in the cost of an agent into the overall financing of the home. And some buyers would opt to go it alone, without the assistance of an agent, a practice that is common in other parts of the world. Doing so would likely mean that buyers would lean on real estate attorneys more in the negotiation process. These potential changes to housing transactions could upend the real estate brokerage business. Analysts such as Keefe, Bruyette & Woods predicted that there could be a 30% reduction in the $100 billion that Americans pay in realestate commissions every year. That in turn might push out a sizable portion of the nearly 1.6 million agents currently in the industry. Those likely to call it quits could include part-timers and dabblers, whose exit could make those who remain more valuable to their organizations. The Missouri decision may also allow a startup to succeed in the real estate space. The industry is littered with stories of those who attempted to offer different and more affordable pricing options, but could not find a way to succeed, given the ingrained commission structure and the grip over which the industry kept nonconformers off of MLS. Now there are likely to be more choices for consumers, which should be beneficial over time. In other words, the 6% commission will no longer be sacred and could become extinct. Will 6% real estate commissions become extinct? with Jill Schlesinger jill on money Jill Schlesinger, CFP, is a CBS News business analyst. A former options trader and CIO of an investment advisory firm, she welcomes comments and questions at [email protected]. Real estate is littered with stories of those who attempted to offer different and more affordable pricing options, but could not find a way to succeed, given the ingrained commission structure, writes Jill Schlesinger. As open enrollment packages for healthcare coverage roll in, you might be tempted to tune out and default to whatever you elected for 2023. That would be a shame, because health insurance varies widely from year to year and so too might your healthcare needs. That said, unraveling the choices can be crazy making, because there are so many variables that comprise the total annual cost of insurance. The big one that grabs your attention is the premium, which is the amount that you pay an insurer to participate in a health plan. But then there’s also the deductible, which is the annual sum you have to pay out of pocket before the health insurer starts to pay for services. But wait, don’t forget about co-pays, the flat dollar fees you pay when you visit a doctor and co-insurance, which is a percentage of health costs that you share with the insurer. All of the pieces add up to a lot of money, which is why spending some time with your options could pay off in savings. Employer-based coverage For the 153 million Americans who purchase coverage through workplace plans, costs have been rising steadily for decades. The good news is that the past five years has not been too bad, at least by the broad numbers. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, “over the last five years, the average premium for family coverage has increased by 22% compared to an 27% increase in workers’ wages and 21% inflation.” To start the process of choosing the best option, create a list of your doctors and prescriptions and determine whether they are still covered under your current plan. If not, move on and start comparing the alternative plans. Notably, many more companies are offering High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP), which have lower premiums in exchange for higher annual deductibles. These plans are paired with tax-advantaged Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), which can be an efficient way to save for current, as well as future health care expenses. For many, an HSA can serve as another retirement savings vehicle, because money in it can be used to offset costs of medical care after retirement. Annual HSA contribution limits for 2024 for self-only coverage will be $4,150 and for family coverage, the HSA contribution limit will be $8,300. If you are 55 or older, you can contribute an extra $1,000 to their HSAs. Affordable Care Act (ACA) The open enrollment period for the ACA runs through January 15, 2023, and offers four different types of plans. The main difference among them is that each has a different method for sharing costs. The government notes that “plan categories have nothing to do with quality of care.” Costs vary depending on the plan you choose and your state of residence. You may qualify for help from the government in the form of tax credits and/or the ability to minimize out of pocket expenses. When you enroll and enter your income, you will be prompted to receive either type of assistance. Medicare If you are over 65, Medicare open enrollment has started – and it concludes December 7. (Married couples: remember that each of you must be 65 to qualify for Medicare!) During this period, you can join, switch, or drop a plan. Because insurance companies often change what they cover from year to year, it behooves enrollees to update coverage. Using the same analysis mentioned above, go to Medicare.gov to compare plans and select what’s right for you. If you need financial assistance to help pay for coverage, consider Medicare Savings Programs, which are administered through state Medicaid agencies. Healthcare open enrollment for 2024 with Jill Schlesinger Health insurance varies widely from year to year and so too might your healthcare needs, writes Jill Schlesinger.
FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 SMART READER November 16, 2023 9 If you look at your diet, do you get enough fruits and vegetables? For most of us, the answer is no. Only 1 in 10 Americans get the recommended two cups of fruits per day (for a 2,000- calorie diet). Fruits have important dietary benefits; they are a good source of fiber as well as key vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Fruits are also a source of carbohydrates and can offer a sweet taste without added sugars. One way to increase your consumption is dried fruits: raisins, cranberries, apricots, banana chips. Many shy away from dried fruits because of the concentrated sugar. However, a new study shows that eating dried fruit may help people consume more nutrients and improve their overall diet quality. The study was published in October in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Researchers found that people who eat dried fruit regularly had a higher-quality diet and were more likely to get enough underconsumed nutrients such as fiber and potassium compared with people who didn't include fruit (fresh or dried) in their diets. For the study, researchers wanted to determine whether dried fruits can play a role in filling nutrition gaps and improving diet quality. They performed a cross-sectional analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2007 and 2016 and estimated the average dried fruit intake of 25,590 subjects by dietary recall. According to the data, 7.2% of subjects in the sample consumed dried fruit. Using the Healthy Eating Index as a reference, the researchers concluded that the group consuming dried fruit had overall higher-quality diets compared with subjects who did not eat dried fruit. Dried fruit eaters also had a lower mean body mass index, waist circumference and systolic blood pressure than those who did not eat dried fruit. Dried fruit often contains more fiber, vitamins and minerals per serving than their fresh counterparts. While the drying process does deplete some nutrients, some studies have shown an increase in certain phenolic compounds. But what about the extra calories? In the study, the subjects who consumed dried fruits did appear to consume more calories, but their body mass indexes were still lower and their waist circumferences still smaller. The bottom line? If you are not getting the daily recommended servings of fruit per day, try adding dried fruit to your diet. It will not only help you meet the dietary recommendation but also give you other health benefits of fiber and key nutrients. Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with SIU Med School in Springfield, Ill. food & recipes Dried Fruit Can Be Healthy Nutrition News with Charlyn Fargo 4 scallions, whites and greens separated 1 clove garlic, grated 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, plus more for garnish 1 teaspoon honey 1 teaspoon mirin 1 1/4 pounds skin-on salmon fillet, cut into 4 portions 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon canola oil Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Finely chop scallion whites, and place them in a small bowl (chop and reserve greens for garnish). Add garlic, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, honey and mirin, and stir to combine. Pat salmon dry, and sprinkle with salt. Heat canola oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salmon, skin-side up, and cook until the underside is browned and releases easily from the pan, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the salmon, and spoon the sauce over the top. Transfer the pan to the oven, and bake until the salmon flakes easily with a fork, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle the salmon with scallion greens and more sesame seeds, if desired. Serves 4 (4 ounces each). Per serving: 265 calories; 29 grams protein; 6 grams carbohydrates; 13 grams fat (2 grams saturated); 66 milligrams cholesterol; 1 gram fiber; 3 grams total sugars; 561 milligrams sodium. Pan-Roasted Sesame Salmon Serves 4 (Makes 12 4-inch pancakes) For the pancakes: 1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour 1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar 1/4 cup (1 1/8 ounces) malted milk powder 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/4 teaspoons table salt 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk 2 large eggs 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, plus extra as needed For the Nutella-maple syrup: 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/4 cup Nutella 1/2 teaspoon table salt 1. FOR THE PANCAKES: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and place sheet in oven. 2. Whisk flour, sugar, milk powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter together in a separate bowl (butter may form clumps; this is OK). 3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in buttermilk mixture; gently whisk until just combined (batter should remain lumpy, with few streaks of flour). Do not overmix. Let batter sit for 10 minutes. (Do not stir batter after resting.) 4. FOR THE NUTELLA MAPLE SYRUP: Meanwhile, whisk maple syrup, Nutella, and salt in a bowl until combined. 5. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Using paper towels, carefully wipe out oil, leaving thin film on bottom and sides of skillet. 6. Using a 1/4-cup dry measuring cup, portion batter into skillet in three places. Cook until the edges of the pancakes are set, bubbles on the surface are just beginning to break, and the underside is golden brown, about 3 minutes. 7. Using a thin, wide spatula, flip pancakes and continue to cook until the second side is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer pancakes to the prepared wire rack in the oven (or serve as they’re ready). Repeat with remaining batter, using extra oil and adjusting heat as necessary if pancakes begin to darken too quickly. Serve with Nutella maple syrup. We wanted to step up our pancake game and create a truly memorable breakfast. For rich, full-flavored pancakes (that tasted good even without syrup), we increased the typical amounts of butter, sugar and salt, and added a good amount of malted milk powder, a toasty, savory flavor powerhouse common to diner-style pancakes. To ensure that our cakes cooked up tender and fluffy, we carefully stirred together the wet and dry ingredients until they just formed a lumpy batter (so that it didn’t develop too much chewy gluten), and we gave the batter a short rest to allow the leaveners to aerate the mixture. Finally, we whisked together a simple mixture of Nutella, maple syrup, and salt to make a glossy, decadent chocolate-hazelnut syrup that took our pancakes to the next level. Malted Milk Pancakes with Nutella Maple Syrup
10 SMART READER November 16, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 Dear Cathy, I'm a retired scientist who usually seeks scientific evidence to support my conclusions. In your column regarding a dog that went to the door before its owner's arrival, you stated that it was a function of the dog's superior hearing. There is another factor you should consider. Dr. Rupert Sheldrake, Ph.D., a respected British biologist and author of the book, "Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home," has performed experiments that rule out the pet's auditory acuity as well as time of day expectations as the only explanations of a dog's anticipating its owner's arrival at home. I've provided a link to a less than two-minute YouTube clip, which could point you in the right direction. — Allen, Marana, Arizona Dear Allen, Thank you for your letter. I watched the video, and his conclusion is fascinating. Dr. Sheldrake says many dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, parrots, and other domestic animals seem to know when their owner is coming home by going to a window to wait or announcing it in the case of parrots. Sheldrake proceeded to conduct a test that removed factors like time of day and the sound of the owner's car as explanations for this behavior. In the test, they sent owners five miles away at random times of the day and had them return in taxis or unfamiliar cars. They kept cameras on the dogs to see what they would do. Dr. Sheldrake concluded that "some dogs, not all dogs, could reliably predict the return of their owner over and over again in a way that's highly significant statistically that shows it must be something like telepathy because it can't be explained in any other standard ways." That is very cool, and it doesn't surprise me (nor probably my readers) to learn that animals may have telepathic abilities. Thank you for sharing. I am going to check out his book. Dear Cathy, We have a 13-year-old cat who has suddenly developed a habit I can't explain. He goes down to the basement each day and spends his day there. The litter box has always been there, but it's dark (but dry) there. He comes up to be fed and get petted but then wants to return to the cellar. He lost his companion cat 18 months ago, but they had always kept their distance. He has recently become a lap cat, sits with me, and purrs; he used to never stay in my lap for long. Any ideas about this behavior? — Christopher, Norfolk, Virginia Dear Christopher, It's not uncommon for an animal's behavior to change when another pet dies. Pets have ways of controlling each other's behaviors when they live in the same home. For example, this cat may have wanted to spend time in your lap, but your other cat (who recently passed) may have been the "lap cat," effectively keeping the other cat away. I have seen cats keep other cats from using the litter box, too, which is why several litter boxes should be in a multi-cat home. When your cat died, your other cat was able to move into the old cat's territory, i.e., your lap. This explains why he now spends more time on your lap. As for going into the basement, he may have found a new cozy sleeping spot where no one bothers him, he could have a health problem that makes him want to be in a quieter area of the house, or he could be bored. I always recommend a trip to the vet whenever there are behavior changes. If there are no health problems, going into the basement may be a comfort for him or just the quietest place in the house to enjoy his naps. Go downstairs when he is down there to see what he is doing. He may have found a cozy place to sleep, which you may be able to recreate upstairs. Also, if you think he might be bored, play with him for 10 minutes, three times daily, and introduce a interactive and puzzle toys to engage his mind more. He may simply need some extra incentives to stay upstairs more. Pet World with Cathy Rosenthal Reader offers another reason why dogs may be waiting at the door As well as being a recuring guest on Happenings Q&A, Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 30 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to [email protected]. Moose caught on camera eating pumpkin An Alaska woman's home security camera recorded footage of her Halloween pumpkin being stolen off her porch by a hungry suspect: a moose. Natalie Levy's Ring doorbell camera recorded the early morning visit by a hungry bull moose that stood at the foot of her porch for several minutes while snacking on a pumpkin. "The post-Halloween porch clean-up fairy paid us a morning visit," Levy told Alaska's News Source. The moose wasn't the only wild animal to turn porch pirate in recent days -- an Orlando, Fla., family's security cameras recorded a bear walking up to their home and stealing a bag of Taco Bell food that had just been dropped off on the porch by an Uber Eats driver. Pink baby elephant goes for a swim This pink baby elephant's mother stands by his side despite the raging river to help him cross. Victoria Craddock, a guide from MalaMala in South Africa, had the best seats in the house to watch this adorable display of care from the mother elephant. She shared her story and footage with LatestSightings.com. On this particular afternoon, Victoria headed down towards the Sand River in search of some elephants. When she reached the banks of the river, the scene was tranquil and beautiful. Grunts of hippos filled the air, and the sight of greenery just took them in. They sat scanning the banks for any movement, and not even a few seconds later, they spotted their first herd of elephants. From a distance, the group could make out that it was a small breeding herd with a few young babies, and it looked as if they were going to cross the river. But then something caught her eye elephants are grey, but there was something pink with them! She decided to investigate further and drove closer. As she approached, she realized this was also an elephant -- a pink elephant! The little elephant was clinging to its mother as she approached the water. It looked so scared, but its mother just reassured it with a few nudges every now and again. The reason for the calf's pink skin is due to a condition called leucism. Want to know what that is? Check out our blog "Meet the Pink Elephant" to learn more about this special little elephant and his skin condition. Alligator makes unusual visit to Florida beach An alligator made a rare visit to a Florida beach to soak up the sun and enjoy the saltwater waves before being removed by authorities. The Lee County Sheriff's Office said deputies responded alongside the Boca Grande Fire Department when the gator, a species that typically prefers freshwater, was found enjoying itself on a Boca Grande beach. The sheriff's office said in a Facebook post that the alligator "just couldn't resist the great beaches of Boca Grande." The 10-foot gator was relocated to a more suitable habitat. Calf escapes farm show, leads police on chase A calf escaped from an agricultural show in Edmonton, Alberta, and led police and firefighters on an hours-long chase through multiple neighborhoods. The Edmonton Police Service confirmed officers responded when the young steer escaped from Farmfair International at the Edmonton Expo Center. Multiple Edmonton residents captured video footage of the calf running loose through roads and yards while evading pursuing police and firefighters. Jennifer Belbeck, a farm owner, said the calf ran in front of her vehicle. "At first I thought it was a deer, but then I could see it's obviously a cow," she told CTV News Edmonton. "You know you're in Alberta when you're chasing a cow through downtown Edmonton." Belbeck had some goat feed in her car that she gave to the calf's pursuers in the hopes of luring the bovine. "I've seen it in smaller towns where cows get out before. I've seen pigs get out in downtown Moose Jaw, so it does happen," Belbeck said. Police said the steer was safely tranquilized and captured in a resident's yard and safely returned to its owner. Wolfdog reunited after five days on the loose Animal services personnel in California said a wolf-dog hybrid spotted roaming loose was safely reunited with its owners. The Police Department issued an alert on warning members of the public that the hybrid, commonly known as a wolfdog, had been spotted on the outskirts of town. Members of the public were warned not to approach the animal. The owner of the wolfdog, named Shadow, teamed up with animal control officers and used their other dogs to try to lure in the runaway canine. "He was too much in flight mode, and it was rainy and dark so we decided to let him stay where he was and try again this morning," North Bay Animal Services executive director Mark Scott told SFGate. A day later, the rescuers returned the and were able to reunite Shadow with his owner and canine siblings. North Bay Animal Shelter said in a Facebook post that Shadow is "back home safe and sound."
Five women made history in St. Paul by winning separate political races to become the first all-female city council, making it "the youngest, most progressive and most diverse in Saint Paul's history," a designation the women gave themselves in a news release. The newly elected representatives Anika Bowie, Saura Jost, HwaJeong Kim and Cheniqua Johnson will join Councilmembers Mitra Jalali, Rebecca Noecker and Nelsie Yang in January to make decisions that will impact the city. In the coming years, they hope to focus on issues that include rent stabilization, equitable development and housing, community wealthbuilding and climate resilience, among other things. "These historic results reflect Saint Paul's voters and their values," the councilmembers said in the joint statement. "Despite over a quarter-million dollars of conservative special interest spending citywide, organized people beat organized money." The women called it a "historic moment" and said it "was made possible by the relentless work of these campaigns alongside a community coalition of faith leaders, labor allies, frontline city workers, educators, public safety, housing and climate action advocates, and more." The vote came to an end after a hand count of paper ballots. Johnson said it's the biggest change to the city council since the 1990s. "This is a huge milestone, but it's not just about the fact that we're all women," she said. "We are experienced. We love and care about our city. And we have garnered the trust of our communities throughout the entire city of St. Paul. That's what we heard at the ballot box." By Amy Connelly All-female city council makes history in St. Paul Climate study: October 2023 bookends hottest 12 months in recorded history Man-made climate change helped push global temperatures to a new 12- month high, making November 2022 through October 2023 the hottest year since records began, impacting 90% of Earth's population, U.S. climate scientists said. The average warming recorded was more than 1.3 degrees Celsius but with the worst of the temperatureboosting effects of the El Nino oscillation likely to be felt next year, rapid annual reductions in carbon emissions are necessary to halt the trend, Climate Central said in a new report. High temperatures resulting from climate change affected 7.8 billion people for at least 10 days during the year; 5.8 billion people experienced them for more than a month; and 1 in 4 were exposed to "dangerous, extreme" heatwaves that last for a minimum of five days. Mean temperatures exceeded 30-year norms across all but two nations, exposing 99% of humanity to warmer-than-average temperatures. Iceland and Lesotho were the only states that saw temperatures that were below normal. Scientists at the Princeton, N.J.-based climate project said their weather attribution analysis showed the 30 days of above-average temperatures that affected almost three-quarters of people on Earth during the year was made at least three times more likely by climate change. India and China were impacted disproportionately -- in part due to their latitudes and larger populations -- but also affected were virtually everyone in Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Italy, France, Spain, Britain, Brazil, Mexico and all Caribbean and Central American nations, Climate Central said. "This 12-month record is exactly what we expect from a global climate fueled by carbon pollution," said Climate Central's Science Vice President Andrew Pershing. "Records will continue to fall next year, especially as the growing El Nino begins to take hold, exposing billions to unusual heat. While climate impacts are most acute in developing countries near the equator, seeing climate-fueled streaks of extreme heat in the U.S., India, Japan and Europe underscores that no one is safe from climate change." Metropolitan areas were hit particularly hard with more than 500 million people in 200 cities experiencing extreme heatwaves of at least five days when temperatures were in the 99th percentile, compared with 30-year norms. Four Texas cities -- Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Dallas -- were among seven cities around the world that endured extreme heat events of up to three weeks. The other three were New Orleans and the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Tangerang. In those heat waves, Climate Central's "Climate Shift Index" reached its maximum "Level 5," indicating that climate change made the extreme heat at least five times more likely. Climate Central's report comes a day after European Union scientists also said October was the warmest in recorded history and that global "surface air temperature anomalies" had placed 2023 on track to be Earth's warmest ever year. With an average temperature of 15.3 degrees Celsius, almost one degree above the 1991-2020 average and 0.4 degrees Celsius above the previous warmest October in 2019, the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service said October was the warmest since records began in 1850. By Paul Godfrey FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 SMART READER November 16, 2023 11 5125 6th AVE. KENOSHA Nov. 25 • 7:30pm • $10 Pat’s next performance - Dec. 16 Pat McCurdy S o o 6:30pm - 9:30pm 7:00pm - 9:00pm All Star Join Us Every Wednesday! 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Colleges grapple with academic freedom, student safety amid Israel-Palestine protests The Israel-Hamas war has provoked large-scale divisions on U.S. college campuses, where students lining up behind Israel and Palestine call on their universities for support of their views -- and in some cases to condemn the other side. Dueling demonstrations have veered into accusations of hate speech, with students on both sides saying they feel unsupported, or even unsafe walking around campus. The situation has left administrators walking a fine line between maintaining the academic freedom of giving space to diverse viewpoints and keeping students from harm, while facing public pressure to stake a position. Scholars say universities risk their moral authority when they take sides, as some have learned since the war started with Hamas' invasion of Israel on Oct. 7. "Universities should just stay quiet and as neutral as possible," Steve Sanders, associate dean of academic affairs at Indiana University, told UPI. "Faculty and scholars -- those are the people who can stay engaged." Indiana faculty have worked to emphasize the humanity of the situation. "We are conditioned to think in tribal terms. A much more healthy way to look at this is from a humanistic perspective," said Abdulkader Sinno, an associate professor of political science who is of Muslim heritage. "Those who see the humanity in each other come from all groups. They are natural allies of each other." Turmoil at Cornell On Capitol Hill, Cornell student Amanda Silberstein, a board member of Chabad Cornell, testified to the House Judiciary Committee about anti-Semitic incidents on campus in the wake of the war. She described feeling intimidated and unsafe as posters of Hamas captives have been defaced and threats have been made against the campus' Jewish community. On Oct. 31, Cornell student Patrick Dai, 21, was arrested, accused of threatening to shoot up the campus' kosher dining hall and kill Jewish students. "I have seen and heard things on and around Cornell's campus that just over a month ago I could not have imagined," Silberstein said. Silberstein alleged that professors have pressured students who have expressed sympathy for Israel to change their points of view. In one instance, a professor made students feel "probed" and concerned about their grades for their views on the conflict. Another incident caused backlash against a professor. On Oct. 15, speaking at a pro-Palestine rally, history Professor Russell Rickford described the attack by Hamas as "exhilarating" and "energizing." He added that it was a "challenge to the monopoly of violence" and a shift in the balance of power. Silberstein said Rickford's comments have fueled animosity and incited violence on campus. Rickford apologized for the comments, adding that he does not support violence or the targeting of civilians. He has been put on leave by the university as it reviews the incident. Cornell President Martha Pollack said during a faculty senate meeting Wednesday that the university should not ban speech like Rickford's, even if it is "deeply offensive or hateful." Instead, the university and individuals should respond to such statements by supporting those affected and delivering counter statements. However, Pollack warned that the university should deliver counter statements "only rarely, in cases where the speech is truly egregious." "I've been very concerned with a growing chorus of voices calling for universities to step back from their fundamental commitment to free speech in light of recent events," Pollack said. "This manifests itself in calls to ban hate speech. There is, of course, no such legal category." Free speech 'chilled' State universities like Indiana are not allowed to engage in viewpoint discrimination. This means that groups must be allowed to reserve space to hold demonstrations, whether they are supportive of Israel or Palestine. However, outside pressure has pushed many universities to release statements showing support for Israel, condemnation of Hamas or equal sympathy for all affected. After the Hamas attack, Indiana University President Pamela Whitten released a statement expressing "empathy and compassion" for those affected. She said the university had counseling and support services available for students, faculty and staff who need them. She did not mention Israel or Palestine directly. She was lambasted for not issuing direct support for Israel or condemnation of the Hamas attack. She then released a second statement, expressing sympathy for the campus Jewish community. That statement was criticized for not showing sympathy to Palestinian victims or the university's Muslim community. "The different sides in these cultural and political issues want the moral authority of the university on their side," Sanders told UPI. "The irony is the more universities do that, the more they lose their moral authority. They appear as one more partisan actor in political theater." A statement like Whitten's can have a chilling effect on opposing viewpoints, he said. By showing support for the Jewish community, and by extension Israel, students that are more supportive of Palestine have been left feeling ostracized. Universities have long been asked to weigh in on social and political issues, domestically and abroad, dating back to the Vietnam War. "It does feel like a product of when these kinds of movements for corporate social responsibility gained traction," Sanders said. In 1967, the University of Chicago appointed the Kalven Committee, which delivered widely accepted guidance on how institutions of higher learning can protect academic freedom, urging them to stay neutral. "The university is the home and sponsor of critics; it is not itself the critic," the report reads. By Joe Fisher Amanda Silberstein, a student at Cornell University, testified to the House Judiciary Committee about anti-Semitic incidents on campus since the war broke out between Israel and Hamas. 12 SMART READER November 16, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 110923 110923
Ho Ho Ho! Gather the kids, grandkids, nieces, and nephews to meet Santa. You have your pick from many locations, dates, and times! Go to VisitKenosha. com/Santa for a quick at-aglance look at Santa’s upcoming appearances in the Kenosha Area. November 24 is the City of Kenosha Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony outside of the Kenosha Public Museum. A program featuring holiday music and dance performances – and a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus – begins at 3:45 p.m. The tree lighting is at 4:30 p.m. Afterwards, head to Friendship Park (5834 6th Avenue) to see its own tree. On the same evening, enjoy Lightin’ Up in Downtown Kenosha. There will be family activities, live entertainment, and special promotions at participating Downtown businesses. Enjoy the decorated storefronts and vote for your favorite one. You can write letters to Santa with Mrs. Claus at Actor's Craft. Visit Santa at Rhode Center for the Arts. Santa is also scheduled to be at the Rhode on November 29 and December 6, 13, and 20. November 24 through December 17, Jerry Smith Farm hosts its Holiday Light Walk. Santa is expected to be at the farm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings. Your pet can have a photo taken with Santa at K9 Kibble on November 25. December 1-2, the Trees On Parade and Holiday Shopping event happens in Twin Lakes. Santa will be there! Plan ahead to enter the Tree Decorating, Ugly Sweater, or Gingerbread House contests. December 2 is a busy day for Santa. Meet a Civil War era Santa at Victorian Christmas, which is held at the Civil War Museum. Have Breakfast with Santa at the Kenosha YMCA. Also see Santa at the Holiday Boutique & Bakery at Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum and at the Light Up The Town Holiday Light Parade & Tree Lighting in Bristol. Visit with Santa December 9 and 16 at the Kenosha History Center. Tthe Southport Light Station Museum will be open to help Santa navigate his way to Simmons Island. The lighthouse tower will be open to climb (weather permitting, must be 8 or older) and maritime historian Ron Luttrell will give a short presentation on the Rouse Simmons Christmas Tree Ship. Let Santa serve you ice cream at Scoops Ice Cream & Candy on Dec 9. Have brunch with Santa at The 1844 Table & Mash inside The Stella Hotel & Ballroom on December 10 and 17. Meet Santa and Mrs. Claus at Millie Bo Peep on December 16. Shop for gifts while you’re there. This boutique is a one-stop shop for all things baby, toddler, and children up to size 10. Parent gifts are available, too! Visit with Santa (and see the Annual Winter Juried Show) at Anderson Arts Center on December 21. This is just a sampling of Santa appearances as more continue to be added to our website. Go to VisitKenosha.com/Santa for specific times, addresses, and other details. Refer to VisitKenosha.com/Holidays for the latest list of Merry & Bright holiday events and activities. Consider donating new and gently used coats, gloves, scarves, and hats, as well as new socks for Visit Kenosha’s "Bundle Up Kenosha" winter-wear collection drive. Donations are being accepted at our Visitor Information Center at 600 52nd Street, Suite 140, and the Wisconsin Welcome Center – Kenosha at I-94/41 and Hwy. 165. All items donated will remain in our community. Visit Kenosha has been Kenosha’s official travel resource since 1986. Here Comes Santa by Meridith Jumisko, Visit Kenosha Meridith Jumisko is Public Relations Director at Visit Kenosha. Contact her at [email protected] FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 SMART READER November 16, 2023 13 111623 SR060222 7110 74th PL, Kenosha, WI • (262) 694-1500 “Located next to Menards” AS YOUR CERTIFIED GM SERVICE CENTER... WE USE GENUINE GM PARTS 30 day guaranteed lowest price! 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14 SMART READER November 16, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My daughter is 19 and just finished her first year of college. It has been a stressful transition for her, but she has managed to stay quite active. She is a swimmer and runner, and she also plays volleyball. About eight months ago, she noticed her periods becoming irregular. Her family medicine physician said this sometimes happens in athletes, and we should not be overly concerned about it. Now, my daughter hasn’t had a period in four months. Can you explain what causes this, and will her cycle return to normal? ANSWER: A woman’s menstrual cycle can be affected by many things, including stress, exercise and disordered eating. Some young women who exercise a lot, such as elite athletes, may notice that their periods stop while they are in peak training. Others who are under a significant amount of stress or who lose a lot of weight also may stop their period. The condition is known as functional hypothalamic amenorrhea. Basically, what occurs is hormones that are normally produced in the brain and then cascade down to signal follicular-stimulating hormones in the ovary are not produced. That signal does not translate to the production of estrogen and progesterone, so a woman loses her periods. They may become irregular initially, and then they may stop altogether. In addition to the changes that occur to the ovarian hormones, there also is increased production of the stress hormone, cortisol. Generally, this condition is reversible once a woman decreases the intensity of her workouts, regains lost weight or manages stress levels. While not having a period for a short time is not dangerous, in the long term, not having a menstrual cycle can be damaging. For instance, if you are without estrogen for an extended length of time — more than 6 months, it can weaken your bones. It also is important to understand that women in their early 20s are still building peak bone mass. We reach peak bone mass around age 30. While the risk is low, bone thinning at an early age can lead to the development of osteopenia or osteoporosis. If most of those years have been spent in an amenorrhea state — no periods, a woman may never build that peak bone mass, and she will end up having osteoporosis later in life. So that is one worry since it may not be reversible. Another worry is potential cardiovascular risk because, again, estrogen during the reproductive years is not there to protect the heart, so there are longterm effects on the heart. In addition, estrogen is important to keep blood vessels healthy, so exercising with low estrogen and high cortisol levels is not good for your heart. I often am asked about how the loss of periods may affect a woman’s ability to conceive later in life. Once periods are back and regular, a woman is ovulating again. So, if she was able to conceive prior to losing her periods, she will be able to again. Young, busy women might not feel the need to see a specialist for their missed menstrual cycles, especially when they know they are not pregnant or they are not concerned about having a baby. However, having regular, monthly periods is a marker of good health. Having regular women’s health checkups is important to monitor and addressother factors, too. If a young woman has stopped having a period for longer than three months, it is advisable to visit with a health care professional. — Chrisandra Shufelt, M.D., General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florid Mayo Clinic Menstrual cycle changes in young women — when to worry health Ketamine marketed online using false, misleading claims, study indicates Hundreds of clinics may be using false and misleading statements in online advertising to sell off-label and unapproved ketamine -- an injectable, short-acting anesthetic -- to treat mental health conditions and pain, a new study published Tuesday in JAMA Network Open indicates. The researchers -- at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore -- found evidence of false statements on the clinics' websites, which they say misrepresent the drug's Food and Drug Administration approval status. "One advertiser falsely stated that ketamine was approved to treat depression, and then three falsely stated that ketamine was nonaddictive," Michael DiStefano, co-author of the study and an assistant professor in the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences on the Anschutz Medical Campus, told UPI in a telephone interview. DiStefano added that "the use of ketamine to treat a variety of mental health and pain conditions seems to be growing, and we wanted to understand how this use is being advertised to potential patients and consumers." Ketamine "has some hallucinogenic effects. It distorts perceptions of sight and sound and makes the user feel disconnected and not in control," and "it makes patients feel detached from their pain and environment," according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Off-label treatments advertised by these clinics are costly and patients typically must pay out of pocket, while the evidence for unapproved uses often isn't robust, the researchers noted. Being transparent and accurate in explaining the potential risks and benefits of these treatments is important, they said. Not approved for mental health The FDA has not approved ketamine for any mental health condition, but it is sometimes used off-label for such purposes. Oral formulations are unapproved drugs frequently advertised to produce a hallucinogenic experience at home. Researchers identified online direct-to-consumer ketamine advertisers with at least one clinic in Maryland and a website by using six national ketamine databases. They found 17 advertisers operating across 26 locations in Maryland that promoted infusions or ketamine assisted therapy for a wide range of conditions including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and chronic pain. The advertising uncovered many misleading representations regarding treatment and safety. Although the study centered on clinics in Maryland, DiStefano said the research team's compilation of the six directories for ketamine treatment suggests that about 800 such clinics exist across the country. Several companies will send customers oral ketamine through the mail. DiStefano added that the researchers hope to carry out a national survey with an expanded analysis soon. "It is not too surprising that there are misleading claims floating around" in the form of online advertisements, Dr. Michael Barnett, an associate professor of health policy and management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, told UPI in a telephone interview. Large demand The reasons for the claims and unapproved uses of ketamine stem from a number of factors, including enormous demand for effective mental health treatment and an inadequate supply of clinicians, Barnett said. "There is a big market opportunity for clinics advertising a quick fix," Barnett said. "Because ketamine is being used offlabel and it's not really in mainstream psychiatry right now, that's an environment where you can have these fringe clinics proliferate." Joseph Palamar, an associate professor of population health at NYU Langone Health in New York City, told UPI via email that many practitioners meet Hundreds of clinics may be using false and misleading statements in online advertising to sell off-label and unapproved ketamine -– an injectable, short-acting anesthetic -- to treat mental health conditions and pain story continues on next page
FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 SMART READER November 16, 2023 15 CT scans are significantly linked to an increased risk of blood cancers in young people, a major multinational study has found. Analysis of data from nearly 1 million people under 22 who underwent at least one CT scan found a strong and clear link between exposure to the scans' radiation and blood cancers, according to findings published recently in the journal Nature Medicine. Accumulated radiation doses to the bone marrow of 100 milligrays triples the risk of developing a blood cancer, researchers found. Given that, a single CT scan -- with an average dose of 8 milligrays -- appears to increase the risk of blood cancer in children by about 16%, the researchers concluded. "In terms of absolute risk, this means that, for every 10,000 children who have a CT scan, we can expect to see about 1-2 cases of cancer in the 12 years following the examination," said lead researcher Magda Bosch de Basea, who did the study as a postdoctoral research fellow with the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) in Spain. For the study, researchers from nine European countries -- Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the U.K. -- pooled resources to explore the risk of CT scans on children. The extensive use of CT scanning in recent decades has led to concerns about the potential cancer risks associated with the radiation exposure involved, particularly in young patients, researchers said in background notes. In the United States, about 5 to 9 million CT scans are performed annually on children, according to the National Cancer Institute. More than 1 million children in Europe undergo CT scans every year, the researchers said in an ISGlobal news release. "Although CT scans comprise up to about 12% of diagnostic radiological procedures in large U.S. hospitals, it is estimated that they account for approximately 49% of the U.S. population's collective radiation dose from all medical X-ray examinations," the National Cancer Institute says on its website. "CT is the largest contributor to medical radiation exposure among the U.S. population." Children are much more sensitive to radiation than adults, are more likely to develop the health effects of radiation damage after receiving a scan at a young age, and might receive a higher radiation dose than necessary if doctors don't adjust CT settings to account for their smaller size. "The exposure associated with CT scans is considered low, but it is still higher than for other diagnostic procedures," said Elisabeth Cardis, head of the Radiation Group at ISGlobal. "Implementing this large, multinational study was challenging -- it involved extracting data from radiology records of 276 hospitals and linking them to population-based registries in nine countries, all while maintaining the confidentiality of the individuals' data," Cardis added. Researchers tracked individuals' health for nearly eight years, on average, although they were able to monitor cancer incidence in some for more than 20 years after their first CT scan. Although radiation doses from CT scans have decreased substantially in recent years, researchers said these findings underline the need to be careful with its use in young patients. "The procedure must be properly justified -- taking into account possible alternatives -- and optimized to ensure that doses are kept as low as possible while maintaining good image quality for the diagnosis," Cardis said. By Dennis Thompson CT scans linked to higher risk for health blood cancer in kids, study confirms Analysis of data from nearly 1 million people under 22 who underwent at least one CT scan found a strong and clear link between exposure to the scans' radiation and blood cancers. There's good news for folks who lost some of their sense of taste and smell after a bout of mild COVID-19: New research shows this side effect largely resolves by three years after infection. Italian researchers looked at post-COVID outcomes for 88 people who lost their sense of taste and smell early in in the pandemic, with everyone contracting "mild" COVID-19 during March and April of 2020. Patients averaged 49 years of age at the study's start. Mild COVID-19 was defined as an illness without any evidence of lower respiratory disease. Compared to 88 people who had never tested positive for COVID-19, rates of loss of smell and/or taste (as measured by standard tests) were roughly equal three years later, said a team led by Dr. Paolo BoscoloRizzo of the University of Trieste in Italy. "At the 3-year study end point, olfactory dysfunction was comparable between both groups," the group reported Nov. 9 in the journal JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. As for a loss of the sense of taste ("gustatory dysfunction"), BoscoloRizzo's group similarly found "no significant differences" between folks who'd had mild COVID-19 and the never-COVID-19 groups, two and three years later. The findings should be welcome news because, until now, "no data exist regarding psychophysical assessment of olfactory dysfunction and gustatory dysfunction after COVID-19, to our knowledge," the team said. While many patients who went through a bout of COVID-19 did complain of deadened senses of taste and smell, the new study finds that sense recovery does happen over time. For example, while about two-thirds (64.8%) of people with mild COVID-19 said they'd lost their sense of smell and/or taste at the time they were ill, that number dropped to about 32% one year later, then to 20.5% two years after infection, and finally to about 16% three years later. That last number differed only slightly from the group of people who had never tested positive for COVID19, the researchers noted. The bottom line, according to the researchers: Former COVID-19 patients "should be reassured that a recovery of olfaction appears to continue over 3 years after initial infection." By Ernie Wundell Loss of taste, smell resolves within 3 years of COVID-19, study shows While many patients who went through a bout of COVID-19 did complain of deadened senses of taste and smell, the new study finds that sense recovery does happen over time. with potential patients on Zoom and prescribe ketamine to take at home. Palamar published an analysis in JAMA Psychiatry in May, noting that law enforcement seizures of ketamine are rising. "This suggests that availability of illicit ketamine has been increasing," he said. "We need more research to determine whether all of the positive coverage of these ketamine clinics is encouraging recreational use." Dr. Smita Das, a clinical associate professor and an addiction psychiatrist at Stanford Medicine in Palo Alto, Calif., told UPI in a telephone interview that a "staggering" number of clinics have been advertising ketamine for a variety of conditions without FDA approval or national practice guidelines. Not a benign substance "This is very concerning, and ketamine is not a benign substance," Das said. "Both from a medical and psychiatric perspective, it's important to treat it with the care that it deserves." Because of false claims, people with depression or other mental health conditions "may forgo the actual evidence-based treatments that we have," she said. "I'm hopeful for new treatments that can help with mental health, but I would want them to be part of an evidence-based set of guidelines." Das added that the "club drug" can commonly cause nausea, drowsiness, hallucinations and increased blood pressure. On rare occasions, it also can incite paranoia and thoughts of suicide. Other complications include vocal cord spasms, agitation and confusion, as well as adverse effects on the bladder and kidneys, Dr. Chris Holstege, director of the University of Virginia Health's Blue Ridge Poison Center in Charlottesville, told UPI in a telephone interview. "Patients who have mental health conditions are a vulnerable population, and we need to as a society assure that they are getting appropriate treatments," Holstege said. Dr. Gerard Sanacora, a professor of psychiatry and director of the Yale Depression Research Program at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., told UPI in a telephone interview that there is an FDA-approved version of ketamine -- esketamine, which is sold as a nasal spray under the brand name Spravato and used for two challenging-to-treat forms of major depressive disorder. Spravato comes with very specific safety monitoring instructions, including a mandatory two hours of observation by a clinician after a patient takes the drug. The clinics marketing regular ketamine, Sanacora said, "are not always abiding by spirit of the safety regulations the FDA put in place." By Susan Kreimer Ketamine continued from page 14
16 SMART READER November 16, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 books Like everybody else in America, I was looking for a side hustle. Something to make a few extra bucks so I can afford my favorite grande cappulatte Machu Picchu with xtra xpresso. So I read all the clickbait articles about taking surveys (for pennies) or becoming a remote receptionist (too much work). I even briefly considered delivering pizza but realized I’d be fired after the first night for picking all the pepperoni off of customers’ pizzas and leaving just the naked dough. I looked around my house for inspiration, peering over and around the piles of books tottering like enormous games of Jenga. “Maybe I can sell my clothes. Surely somebody would want the Size 6 Calvin Kleins I wore in high school. They’re vintage. I can’t get them past my knees.” I leafed idly through one of my four copies of “Infinite Jest” (which I’ve never read), and an idea slowly formed. I could sell books. My books. No, not books I’ve actually written, but all of the hundreds of books I’ve compulsively purchased over the years and never quite gotten around to. Like “Candide” and “The Gulag Archipelago,” both of which feel like homework. Or real page-turners like “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,” which I presume is about mindfulness and small-engine repair, neither of which interests me. I watched a YouTube video by somebody who was (allegedly) earning $3,000 a month selling books online. I was sold. Since all roads lead to Amazon, I requested permission to join Amazon Marketplace. All I had to do now was choose which books to sell, post them to my account, ship them off to my millions of happy customers, and watch the money roll in. I needed a system. Piles are, technically, a system. But I needed different piles. I needed “keep” and “sell” piles. I started out strong because I own three copies of Stephen King’s “The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger.” No, I don’t know why. It was easy enough to post a copy to Amazon and follow it up with several other less-than-beloved books like Sir Thomas More’s “Utopia” and Gary Zukav’s “The Dancing Wu Li Masters.” After a certain age, you forget about the person you used to be. Apparently, I was a person who thought deep thoughts and bought books like Gary Zukav’s “The Dancing Wu Li Masters.” Part of me wishes I was still that person. Someone with intellectual curiosity and without the fatal allure of the internet calling to me like the sirens of Homer’s “The Odyssey,” which I also haven’t read, but I think I’ve got a copy lying around somewhere and I know there are sirens in it and something about a sheep. But I forgot about all that when I discovered that my copy of Steve Martin’s 1977 masterpiece “Cruel Shoes” is worth $35. Should I hang onto it? Maybe I should hang onto it. It can only appreciate in value, right? What if Steve Martin dies? Well, not if, but at least before me. The price will go through the roof. My copy of “Cruel Shoes” will become memorabilia. And everybody knows memorabilia is worth Uncovering Shakespeare’s rare First Folios – paw prints and all His work is a combination of “CSI” and “Antiques Roadshow.” For two decades, Eric Rasmussen has traveled the globe to investigate and authenticate Shakespeare First Folios – the earliest printed compilations of the Bard’s plays – which celebrate their 400th anniversary this month. First Folios can command millions of dollars when one surfaces for sale. Along the way, he has encountered bumbling book thieves, eccentric owners, quirky historical footnotes, and even a copy with a bullet hole through the middle (the slug stopped at “Titus Andronicus,” proving that it’s “an impenetrable play,” he says). The folios were published in lavish fashion seven years after William Shakespeare’s death in 1616 and solidified his stardom. Without them, 18 works – including “Macbeth” and “The Taming of the Shrew” – would have been lost, says Dr. Rasmussen, a professor of English at the University of Nevada, Reno. “It’s one of the most iconic cultural artifacts in the world,” he adds. Dr. Rasmussen’s Shakespeare scholarship dates back to junior high, when he wrote a report comparing “The Tempest” to “Gilligan’s Island.” He learned literary forensics at the University of Chicago, from a professor who used an electron microscope to analyze typeface variations in early texts. “We can reconstruct what happened in a printing house 400 years ago,” Dr. Rasmussen says, including which typesetters produced which pages. Tradespeople also thought their inking equipment worked better if soaked in urine, which means their shops probably “smelled like a subway,” he adds. In 2004, he joined forces with Anthony James West, a British business executive who spent most of the 1990s – and much of his personal fortune – tracking down surviving First Folios. Building on a 1902 census that located 152 copies – from an estimated press run of 750 – Dr. West’s legwork boosted the tally to 232. Then, at London’s legendary Reform Club, where novelist Jules Verne’s “Around the World in Eighty Days” got underway, he asked a research team led by Dr. Rasmussen to retrace his steps and thoroughly document the condition and provenance of each folio. The seven-year project turned up a slew of oddities. Flipping through the volumes page by page (without gloves, which cause more damage than bare fingers, Dr. Rasmussen says), the folio detectives ran across food and wine stains, rusty silhouettes of scissors used as bookmarks, and margins scribbled with personal notes and math problems. In one case, a cat left five paw prints on a folio opened to “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” Dr. Rasmussen says. Before the kitty could take a sixth step, it was apparently “snatched off the book,” he adds. Although some scholars prefer pristine copies, Dr. Rasmussen favors editions that reflect their owners, such as the University of Glasgow folio in which a preface that names the actors in Shakespeare’s troupe is scrawled with comments “by someone who actually saw them perform.” Other owners have included dukes, bishops, oil barons, a female psychoanalyst who studied under Sigmund Freud, and an 18th-century astronomer with a namesake crater on the moon. For some collectors, possessing a Shakespeare folio has proved hazardous to their health. “A surprising number died within a year of getting their hands on one,” Dr. Rasmussen says. Today, most First Folios belong to museums, universities, or libraries. No two copies are alike, thanks largely to typographical errors that got fixed as the press run continued but still made it into print because the paper was expensive and flawed pages weren’t discarded. In 2011, the idiosyncrasies and histories of each folio were chronicled in two books based on the research of Dr. West and Dr. Rasmussen’s team. The first, a 600,000-word reference, “The Shakespeare First Folios: A Descriptive Catalogue,” inventoried in “retina-detaching detail” (as one critic put it) every watermark, crease, tear, margin note, and more. It’s the literary equivalent of a fingerprint, Dr. Rasmussen says. The second book, “The Shakespeare Thefts: In Search of the First Folios,” recounted stories for a nonacademic audience. In recent years, three more First Folios have surfaced – along with a few false alarms – and Dr. Rasmussen commonly gets called to investigate. “He is a trusted expert – by scholars, auction houses, libraries, and bibliophiles,” says Emma Smith, a Shakespeare authority who has written two books on First Folios and authenticated one of the newly discovered copies. “No one else I can think of has his credibility with these different groups.” Ayanna Thompson, director of the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, agrees: “Professor Rasmussen’s work has been invaluable for our understanding of First Folios.” And wannabe First Folios. Over the last century, news reports periodically swirled that a civil engineering college in Roorkee, India, had a copy – and the book’s dimensions were larger than any other First Folio. Yet no experts had managed to inspect the relic. Finally, last year, after a new round of articles, Dr. Rasmussen hopped on a plane to settle the issue. Flower bouquets, gifts, and photographers greeted his arrival at the school’s Mahatma Gandhi Central Library, where he was whisked to a gallery that also houses a signed copy of India’s Constitution. To his surprise, the folio was in tatters. “The fragments reminded me of the Dead Sea Scrolls,” he writes in “Shakespeare’s First Folio Revisited,” a 4 0 0 t h - a n n i v e r s a r y collection of essays. “In a moment of romantic reverie, it seemed to me that surely only a survivor from the early 17th century, one that had long endured the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, would be found in such a state.” But alas, poor Yorick, when Dr. Rasmussen powered up his portable light box – a device normally used for viewing photo negatives and slides – and backlit each of the folio’s 908 pages, he couldn’t find any of the 21 telltale original watermarks. The verdict wasn’t all bad for his hosts, however. Although Dr. Rasmussen concluded the volume was a 19th-century replica, he tagged it as one of the first created via photolithography. That’s rare too, he notes. A book doesn’t have to be a First Folio to hold a silver lining. By Roy Rivenberg Please don’t buy my books story continues on page 18 A 1623 copy of the First Folio, bound in calfskin, was sold at Sotheby’s in 2006 for $5.2 million to an unnamed London book dealer.
Politeness or civility? Alexandra Hudson untangles the difference For Alexandra Hudson, working in Washington, D.C., was a culture shock. Ms. Hudson hails from Canada, land of the nice, where her mother is a renowned coach of good manners. So when working at a U.S. government agency, she was taken aback by brusque, sharp-elbowed office politics. To her relief, she also met colleagues who were well mannered. “At first, I thought, ‘OK, these are my people,’” says Ms. Hudson, in a video interview from her Indianapolis home. “And then I realized that these people would smile at you, flatter you, and stab you in the back the moment that you no longer served their purposes.” It prompted Ms. Hudson to consider the difference between politeness and civility. Her first book, “The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles To Heal Society and Ourselves,” looks at how to bridge gaps and find commonalities. Ms. Hudson spoke with Monitor staff writer Stephen Humphries. Can you recall an insight that surprised you while writing this book? Clarity came when I understood there was a difference between civility and politeness. That politeness, I argue in my book, is a technique. It’s etiquette. Manners is the superficial stuff. Civility, by contrast, is a disposition of the heart, a way of seeing others as our moral equals and worthy of respect because of our shared dignity as human beings. The Latin root of politeness is polire, which means to smooth or to polish. And that’s what politeness does. It polishes over differences. ... Whereas civility comes from the Latin word civitas, which means city and citizenship. And that’s what civility is. It’s the habits and duties of citizenship that sometimes requires telling hard truths, sometimes requires protest and civil disobedience. What is the “soul” of civility? When we are cruel and malicious to others, it doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s not just us hurting someone else. We are hurt as well. It deforms us, our souls, as well. The soul of civility [is] acting in ways that cultivate our soul. ... We further appreciate the humanity and dignity and personhood of those around us. ... And in light of that, the differences that may exist between us are far outweighed by the commonalities we have as members of the human community. In your own life, do you have any stories of being uncivil to someone and then, upon reflection, changing course? I was on this very highend store’s website trying to purchase an item. And I was frustrated that my coupon code that I got from registering with the store wasn’t working. So I called the customer service line and they told me, “Oh, sorry, there’s fine print. This is exempt from the discount.” I was apoplectic. It was after [the customer service agent] had actually given me the discount because I had thrown this little mini tantrum that I was like, “Oh my gosh, what have I done?” I deeply apologized to her. And she so graciously forgave me. And looking back, you know, it wasn’t even about the coupon code. There were other things going on in my life that made me frustrated and less gracious than I otherwise might be and should be. ... That’s something that I’ve learned. When I encounter a person clearly having a bad day, [I try] to have that attitude of, “OK. There’s clearly something else going on here.” ... That might give us a greater spirit of graciousness and compassion that I was so grateful to have been shown when I was not at my best. You write that “our very civilization is held together by small common courtesies, which is why such small, simple daily acts matter.” Can you expand on why that is? If we go through life without a care in the world for how our actions affect others, that has a negative, vicious ripple effect. We’re annoyed that our boss was unkind to us. Then we take that out on the bus driver on our way home from work, or the clerk at the grocery store, and they go home and are mean to their child. Then that child goes to school the next day and is mean to their teacher. Less often do we hear examples of the inverse. Stories of one magnanimous soul’s power to sow seeds of light and grace that germinate and create a mellifluous echo across time and place. So we can’t change the world, but we can change ourselves. And if enough of us choose to reclaim the soul of civility, I think we might be able to change the world. How do we bridge divides when we don’t have contact with people who are unlike us? There’s a person I feature in my book named Joanna Taft, who is staging a revolution against this era of animosity and atomization from her front porch. She intentionally invites people to her porch from different racial, ethnic, geographic, religious backgrounds. It’s essential to find opportunities to not just be around people like us and to have the exposure to people of different perspectives and from different walks of life. ... It’s an attitude towards others in the world around us. One of openness. It’s a welcoming spirit and one that wants to reach across the divide and to be a gatekeeper, not in the exclusive sense, but in the inclusive sense that welcomes people into our home and into our lives. By Stephen Humphries PRINT & E-BOOKS NONFICTION PRINT & E-BOOKS FICTION 1. Dirty Thirty (Evanovich) 2. The Exchange (Grisham) 3. Fourth Wing (Yarros) 4. A Fire in the Flesh (Arementrout) 5. The Secret (Child/Child) 6. The Graham Effect (Kennedy) 7. Lessons In Chemistry (Garmus) 8. All the Light We Cannot See (Doerr) 9. Wildfire (Grace) 10. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (Reid) 1. The Woman In Me (Spears) 2. Friends, Lovers, and the Big... (Perry) 3. Killers of the Flower Moon (Grann) 4. Being Henry (Winkler/Kaplan) 5. Outlive (Attia/Gifford) 6. Prequel (Maddow) 7. Elon Musk (Isaacson) 8. Renegade (Kinzinger/D’Antonio) 9. The Body Keeps the Score (van der Kolk) 10. Romney (Coppins) NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLERS Author Alexandra O. Hudson joins Happenings Q&A on Mon. Nov. 27 at 9:20am on AM1050 WLIP. In an increasingly polarized and fragmented society, kindness can sometimes feel like a chore. But one author emphasizes how kind gestures can reach across the gap. FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 SMART READER November 16, 2023 17 Shiela Heg 262-945-6069 25 Years Experience 2011 Realtor of the Year 2019 Honor Society Broker-Owner 061523 We’re Here For You... 62 Years of Experience, Ready to Assist You with all of Your Real Estate Needs Free Real Estate Book Reveals... BEST SELLING OPTIONS IN A DIVORCE Discover The Formula Successful Real Estate Agents Use To Sell Homes Fast For More Money! Want A Free Copy Of My Book? Just Scan The QR Code And Let Us Know Where To Send It! or Call/Text me at 262-945-6069
T W W e h p l w m P h H k i p r h C h h n S T o s i f e E f a d o d s t C t h l h e The Alzheimer’s Association today announces a landmark $100 million investment into research initiatives in 2023. This unparalleled commitment stands as the largest single-year investment since the organization’s founding in 1980. In 2023, the Alzheimer’s Association funded 271 scientific investigations from researchers at all career levels examining topics across the spectrum of dementia science. The Association’s global, cumulative impact on research now includes more than $360 million invested in over 1,000 active research projects in 53 countries, spanning six continents. Here in Wisconsin, nearly $450,000 has been awarded to advance research efforts. This includes research being conducted in Madison investigating how fasting may promote healthy aging and protect against the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a new tool that could help emergency departments better meet the needs of people living with dementia. “The FDA's recent approval of the first-ever treatment proven to slow the progression of Alzheimer's is a monumental step forward in our fight against the disease,” said Dave Grams, Executive Director, Alzheimer’s Association Wisconsin Chapter. “Research funding is so critical in allowing us to get closer to these kinds of discoveries, not only in treatment, but also in diagnosis and prevention." In addition to research grant funding, the Association’s investment in research supports a wide range of global leadership initiatives: • Global scientific/medical conferences, including the field’s largest and most prestigious event: the annual Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC). Nearly 11,000 scientists attended AAIC 2023 from 110 countries. • Three influential peerreviewed journals, including the flagship Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association. • TrialMatch® — a free clinical studies matching service. • The Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART) — an inclusive global network of more than 10,000 members representing over 120 countries. Alzheimer’s is the sixthleading cause of death in the United States. It kills more Americans than diabetes, and more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2023 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. By 2050, the number of people with Alzheimer's is projected to increase to nearly 13 million, barring the development of medical breakthroughs to prevent, slow or stop the disease. In Wisconsin, there will be 130,000 living with the disease by 2025 and there are over 191,000 individuals serving as their unpaid caregivers. More than 53% of those caregivers report having their own chronic health conditions. About the Alzheimer’s Association® The Alzheimer’s Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia®. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900. Lisa Groon, Senior Health Systems Director and Research Champion of the Alzheimer’s Association joins Happenings Q&A on Mon. Nov. 27th at 10:20 on AM1050 WLIP. more than ordinary stuff. And what about all these other books I’ve never read? I should read them first, and then I’ll sell them. A year has gone by. I’ve added a measly 10 books to the “sell” pile, and only after the kind of tortured internal debate usually reserved for buying a new home. I sold one copy of “The Gunslinger” and shipped it to Colorado at a loss. And even though I owned three copies of “The Gunslinger,” I felt ambivalent about letting it go. It was a book, and I loved it. I loved the feel of the slick cardboard cover in my hands and the smell of the musty paper it was printed on. I loved the memories of where I was in my life when I first bought it at a mall bookstore. But each book reminds me that authors live forever through their work. Each book, too, reminds me of a younger me, and I don’t want to let that younger me go. So, please, whatever you do, don’t buy my books. By Bev Potter Don’t buy my books continued from page 16 Alzheimer’s Association announces milestone of $100 million invested in research in 2023 18 SMART READER November 16, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 REMINDER: PLEASE RESUBMIT AD TO RUN FOR EACH ISSUE. Maximum 3 Listings Per Person. MISC MODEL TRAIN SWAP Meet. Sunday, November 1. 9am To 1pm. Kenosha Union Club, 3030 39th Ave. For More Information Call Bill @ 262-331-0392 G E R M A N CONVERSATIONALIST GROUP - KENOSHA/RACINE If you speak German or are enthusiastic about the German language and culture, come and join us. There are no membership fees and attendance is whenever you are available to join. Meetings will be held in the Kenosha and Racine area. This is an excellent group to practice speaking German as members' language skills are from beginners to advance and we all have a good time. Please contact me if you are interested in joining - Susan Blust at [email protected]. LIONS CLUB BINGO Come have some fun! Doors open at 4:00. Raffles, pull-tabs and pregames start at 6:45. Bingo 7:00-9pm. Wednesdays. 2700 9th St., Schlader Building, Winthrop Harbor. Food Sales. FOR SALE BRAND NEW MEN'S CAPS: Milwaukee Brewer cap $10; Badgers cap $22. Call or text your interest to 262-902-5663. CHRISTMAS TREES: FAUX Christmas Tree $100; Ceramic Christmas Tree $50; Faux Christmas Tree $5. Many Christmas Items. Just inquire by calling or texting 262-902-5663. WINTER SPORTS: Women's ski pants $25; Women's ski pants $60; Women's Salomon SX52 Lady ski boots $235; Women's Downhill skis $140; Tingley Men's Medium Size Rubber Over The Shoe Boots $10; Men's Boots$10; Jeep Jacket $200; Boy's Figure Skates $10; Men's Figure Skates $10; Cross Country Ski Poles- 2 pairs $10 each; Men's Snow Pants $10. Call or text 262- 902-5663. Snow Blower 24” Like New 262-771-7860 Beer Cans For Sale 262-694-7573, Leave A Message. Crystal round platter 12 inch diameter $10.00 perfect condition Great for the holidays 317-764-7662 BEADS. Boxes and boxes Of New Beads. All Sorts And Sizes. $49.00 For All. Phone 262-657-6049 CHILDREN'S ITEMS: Vintage Riding Wonder Horse-$100; Eddie Bauer Beach Sport Bag With Many Sand Play Toys Included-$8; Speedo Dive Snorkel And Mask (Unopened) $15; Mini Indoor Basketball Hoop- $3; Plastic Kitchen Toys- All For $2; Many Legos- All For $3; Star Trek, The Motion Picture Vhs SeriesAll 8 Tapes-$25; Many Toys (Call With What You Are Looking For!) Call Or Text: 262-902-5663. Sports Items: Pinnacle Sports Bbb Baseball Quadcore Technology Baseball Bat With Lizardskin Grip- $25; Men's Bike Shorts-$2; Men's Brewer Cap (Gently Worn) $10; Men's Badger Cap (Never Worn)- $22 (Regularly, $30); Men's Golf Jacket (Worn Once)-$5; Men's Nb Tennies-$5; Kelsyus Inflatable Beach Mat With Mesh Backpack Bag- $20; Indoor Golf Training Aid- $3; Speedo Mask & Snorkel (Unopened)- $15; New Golf Balls- $2; Softball-$3. Call Or Text 262-902-5663. Winter Items: Women's Elan 763 Downhill Skiis-$200; Women's Ski Pant-$25; Women's Edelweiss Ski Pant-$60; Salomon Sx52 Lady Ski Boots-$235; Men's Figure Skates- $10; Boy's Figure Skates-$10; 2 Pair Cross Country Ski Poles $10 Each; Men's Snowpant-$10. Call Or Text 262-902-5663 Two Bicycles, Schwinn $100 OBO and Autobike by CSA, 6-speed $175 OBO Call 262-654-6485 Please leave message M&M Stand, large, new $60 Kewpie Doll, original $15 Rockwell Plates $10 each Air Fryer, new $50 Call 262-771-8764 VINTAGE TOYS- Many toys from the 1970s such as Sesame Street; some from the 1980s such as Tonka. If you are interested, please, call or text 262-902-5663 to find items and price BASEBALL CAPS- Brand new Badgers Cap for $22 bought for $30 plus tax; gently used Brewers Cap for $10 bought for $20 plus tax! Call or text 262-902-5663 MEN'S FOOTWEAR-New Balance Tennis Shoes gently worn $5; Tingley over-the-shoe Boot never worn $10. Both fit a size 91/2 foot. 262-902-5663 Save 50% ON Burial Plots! Private Owner Of Two (2) (Side By Side) Section H Sunset Ridge Memorial Park Kenosha, Wi. Dont’ Pay $11,390.00... I’ Selling For $5,695.00 Obo! (262)914-5977 Ed Barbie doll, remote control corvette, that fits two Barbie dolls, about 25 in long x 10 in wide, best offer. Other small auto models available from classic days. Ron 847-340-3446. Beanie Babies - large inventory, includes McDonald's line, price varies. Call 262-654-6485 - please leave message Sony Reel To Reel Tape Decks! TC-630 & TC-580 $200 OBO for both. Call Kent 262-960-0621 [email protected] Two side-by-side burial plots at Sunset Ridge Memorial Park, section H, privately owned. Willing to negotiate on price. Please call Ed - 262-914-5977 V.F.W. VINTAGE BANNER Veterans Of Foreign Wars banner with logo, Professionally framed under glass. Very large & in great condition. $175. Leave message if no answer. 262-914-4767 WANTED. Experienced Grill Cook Flexible Hours, Fun Atmosphere. Lakeside Deck At The Wyndham Hotel Call Kim 262-496-7182 Singer and narrator wanted for Roger Miller tribute.Call 262-554- 8205. Ask for Marv. STREET PAVER BRICKS wanted Please call 262.697.3545 and leave a message. WANTED TO BUY: Vintage Movie Posters, Comic Books, LP Records, Vintage Toys, Horror VHS, Horror Memorabilia, Science Fiction Pulps & Magazines, Video Store Promotional Items. PH 262-237- 0318. WANTED TO BUY: Old Post Cards, B&W Photos, B&W Photo Albums, Vintage Advertising, Old Hunting Licenses & Advertising, Scrapbooks, Old Misc.Paper, Old Automobile Advertising, Fountain Pens, Gillette Razors & More. Local Collector/Neutral Safe & Secure Site to meet if desired. Cash Paid. Call or Text Stan 262- 496-1822 ARCADE DRIVERS SCHOOL is looking for classroom & driver instructors. Starting pay $17.00 per hour. If interested please call 262-637-9193 or email us at [email protected] LOOKING FOR NURSES Aid for in home care. Call Barbara 262-455-3953 SERVICES. “Tax Preparation & Advisory Services. 20+ Years Experience. Virtual Or In-Person. For Appointment Call Or Text 262-496- 2208. I Will Do Seamstress Work, Run Errands, Do Shopping & Dr. Appointments., Etc.If Interested Please Call Gayle At 262-748-4748 I'M LOOKING FOR house to share for reasonable rent in exchange for household needs for a senior vet consideration. 847-340-3446 Ron. Kenosha/Union Grove area. LAWN MOWING SERVICES Reliable lawn care services in Kenosha & Pleasant Prairie. call/text 262-914-9796 [email protected] TAX & MEDICARE EXPERT. Appointments only. Se Habla Español. 262.833.7070 CHINESE LANGUAGE / CALLIGRAPHY LESSONS: Fun, fascinating and very cool. Beginning and advanced - all ages! Text Dr. Tim at 520.704.3832. FOR RENT Finished Suite private, in-home entrance, in Kenosha. For details call between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM, 262-843-1630. DRUM LESSONS Private instruction. Band, orchestra, marching and drum set. Rock and many other musical styles. Learn to read music. Call Tom for details. 262-818-2869. PROFESSIONAL LED TEETH WHITENING for a fraction of the price! $99 at cabana tan spa. call to book: 262-843-2411. 20 minute session = a bright white smile! mycabanatan.com NURSING CARE /CONSULTATION: $35.00/hour. Call or text to (262)758-1974 FAST COMPUTER SERVICE including network support, spyware removal, upgrades and PC repair. For friendly service with a smile, call Vikkex today! Phone 262-694-7746 BABYSITTING YOUNG LADY good with kids can watch 1 or 2 children call 262-620-4745 House cleaning woman + a bucket - reliable, dependable. Also clean vacant houses. Call for estimates - Sandy 262-221-2289 Houses And/Or Business Sun Shine Klean Is Having A Special This Month For First Time Customers Free Upholstery Cleaning With At Basic Cleaning For Only $39.95 262-287-5103 CNAS TO JOIN wellness team at Barton of Zion, five star assisted living. Send resume [email protected] apply within at 3500 Sheridan Road Zion, IL 60099 847-872-1500 FREE HOME HEATING Fuel Oil Removal I will remove your unused home heating fuel oil for free..clean and safe . Inquire about tank removal also ... 262 818 1967 ..ask for Dave TYPING. I am an experienced legal secretary with excellent typing skills wanting to type for you at home. Please contact Alicia at 2 5 6 - 6 5 8 - 4 4 8 4 . VEHICLES0 SEE IN KENOSHA At 4121-7th. Ave. 53140 Russ 262-237-1343 Call Or Text. Awd 190k Miles 3 Row Seating $9495 3.5 Liter 6 Cly 2007 CHEVY TRUCK F O U R - W H E E L D R I V E SILVERADO DUALLY 8' Stake body Dump bed 75,000 miles Needs major engine work Best offer - As is Call Steve 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM 262-694-2051 2003 soft tail Harley Davidson 18000 miles $5000 worth of chrome added in 2006. Perfect condition Asking $7500 Call Lloyd at 262 694 7359 or 262 515 1366. Located In Pleasant Prairie 95 CAMERO convert green/tan top. many newer parts best offer will trade for other vehicle, negotiate price. 847-340-3446 Ron - dealers welcome to participate. 1997 Jaguar XK8 Convertible 75K in great condition Contact Bob: 262-484-4848 or text 262-945-9224 1973 FORD F250, Camper Special2wd,California Original, Rebuilt Motor/Trans, Auto, Ac, New Interior, Can Send Pics. $13,500 Obo. 630-945-8320. 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA See In Kenosha At 4121-7th. Ave. 53140 262-237-1343 Russ Call Or Text 212k Miles $2950 2012 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN See In Kenosha At 4121-7th. Ave. 53140 Russ 262- 237-1343 Call Or Text Nice Car At A Nice Price $5450 174k Miles . FREE CLASSIFIEDS! E-mail your 170 character classified to: [email protected] Please include your contact information in the classified. (Name and Phone number / e-mail address) First 3 words will be boldface type. NO ANIMALS. • NO PERSONALS ALLOWED. 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FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 SMART READER November 16, 2023 19 health lifestyle community Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center news November 16, 2023 Your Kenosha ADRC Update Remembering Terry Lynch, a Wisconsin SelfDirection Pioneer Terry Lynch moved back to Wisconsin in the 1980s to help his elderly mom, Leila, stay in her own home. Long before the IRIS program, (a current self-directed long-term care program) he worked with his mom’s county case manager in the Community Options Program to cobble together a homemade version of self-direction. He called it “The Campaign” to keep Leila out of the nursing home, in spite of her increasing mental and physical frailty. As her only child, he recruited friends, neighbors, and home care workers to join The Campaign. It worked. Leila’s workers became her family. Leila’s health declined and her dementia increased, but she never set foot in the nursing home. She had some medical crises, but Terry and Leila’s team consistently overcame them. At her memorial service, her home care workers sat in the family pew. Terry took the lessons he learned from that experience and wrote an excellent book, But I Don’t Want Eldercare. He also supported families, IRIS consultants, and selfadvocates to help make selfdirection work in the lives of many older people and people with disabilities in Wisconsin and other states and countries. He was one of the founding Board members of In Control Wisconsin. 30 years later, Terry needed longterm care himself. Just like his mom, he wanted to keep living at home as long as possible (in the same house he had shared with Leila). He enrolled in IRIS and stayed at home until his long-term care needs outstripped the supports the system was able to provide in the midst of the workforce crisis. He spent one and a half years in three different nursing homes until he passed away on September 10, 2023. The Terry and Leila Story contains several important lessons, which reflect many of the core principles in Terry’s book. Here are some examples: • “Tap into the Power of Community” (say Yes to friends and neighbors who offer to help – Terry and Leila did that a lot) • “Be open to finding allies among paid providers of services” (Terry and Leila developed close friendships with their paid caregivers - that positively impacted service quality and kept staff turnover low) • “Age is Not a Diagnosis” (when the doctor told Terry that his mom was losing her balance “because she’s old”, he insisted on getting more tests to find the true cause, which turned out to be her medications) • “Rehab is not only for the Young” (Terry advocated for aggressive physical therapy for his mom and later for himself, even as his physical abilities declined, and even when rehabilitation was initially denied by his doctors because he wasn’t progressing) • “Preoccupation with Safety can be Risky” (Terry was willing to take some risks to stay in his own home – he considered that to be part of self-direction; if safety had been the highest priority, he would have had to move into a nursing home much earlier) Terry and Leila live on, through the example of their tenacious determination to keep living at home as long as possible; due to Terry’s deep belief in the power of self-direction; and with the legacy of the practical and timeless wisdom contained in Terry’s book. Wisconsin’s IRIS is a self-directed long-term care program for elders and adults with disabilities. Introduced in 2008, it allows the person, with help from a nurse, more control over their personal care services and providers. The foundation of the IRIS program was built upon the premise that everyone, regardless of age or ability, has the right to live their best life. IRIS focuses on home, remaining safe and healthy, earning money or having a fulfilling retirement, being active in the community, maintaining and building relationships and having access and control over transportation. To learn more about IRIS, selfdirected care, and other long-term care programs, contact the Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center at 262-605-6646. By Lynn Breedlove Breedlove is the former director of Disability Rights Wisconsin Memory Café Memory Café is a place for persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment, early-stage Alzheimer’s, or related dementia, and their care partners to socialize and have fun. Join the Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center’s Dementia Care Specialist, Susan Johnson on the second Tuesday of every month, 1-2 p.m. The next meeting will be on December 12, 2023, Kenosha Southwest Neighborhood Library, 7979 38th Avenue. Registration is required for new members. Call the ADRC at 262-605-6646.eimer's Association 800-272-3900.
20 SMART READER November 16, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 Online Learning Platform for Family Caregivers Offered Free The Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center is offering registration support for Trualta. Trualta is a free online educational tool for family caregivers in Wisconsin. Trualta helps caregivers learn about health issues, care techniques, and managing care for loved ones. If you provide care for a loved one, friend or even neighbor, you are a family caregiver. As a family caregiver, it can be hard to find the right resources. Even harder when your time is limited. Trualta’s collection of professional content is designed for the family caregiver to make it easier to manage care at home. Trualta is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 364 days a year. With lessons as short as 5 minutes, Trualta makes it easy for you to fit caregiver training in whenever it works for you. Trualta provides practical caregiver tips and techniques that you can start using right away. With Trualta, you can also learn alongside other caregivers in your area and learn from others’ experiences. In addition to learning skills to manage your loved one’s current care, Trualta’s learning library can help you prepare and plan for what the future holds. Discover ways to connect with your loved one and be confident you’re doing your best. To participate, caregivers will need internet access and access to a computer, iPad or other tablet. Participants will receive an email with a link to register. To register, call Margaret Ricchio at the ADRC, 262-605-6650 or email [email protected] In-person or Virtual Caregiver Coffee Club ADRC offers support group for those caring for someone with dementia Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) offers a support group to help family caregivers who care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or other form of dementia. Join others engaged in helping their loved ones manage day to day living. Relax, chat and learn helpful tips and strategies. The Caregiver Coffee Club meets the first Wednesday of each month from 10-11 a.m., the next meeting will be on December 6, 2023. The support group is available in-person or virtually. Facilitated by Susan Johnson, Dementia Care Specialist with the Kenosha County ADRC. To register call 262-605-6646. Caring for an adult family member or friend? Family Caregiver Support Group Meets in-person and virtually The role of a family caregiver, while rewarding, can also be challenging when trying to balance life’s responsibilities along with supporting the needs of another individual, family member or friend. The Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) offers a Family Caregiver Support Group, the first Thursday of every month. Family caregivers often don’t see themselves as caregivers, they simply think of themselves as the husband, sister, daughter or friend. Defined, a family caregiver is a person who provides support for an adult who needs assistance with daily living activities, such as cooking, driving, shopping, laundry and paying bills. If you are a family caregiver, this group is for you! Join fellow caregivers, either virtually or inperson, as you share your experiences, ask questions and learn from others. The group is facilitated by the ADRC’s Margaret Ricchio, Caregiver Support Specialist, and Susan Johnson, Dementia Care Specialist. The next meeting will be Thursday, December 7, 4-5 p.m. In-person location is 8600 Sheridan Road, entrance D. To register, learn more or to receive the virtual link, call the Kenosha County ADRC, 262-605-6646. Your Kenosha ADRC Update
FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 SMART READER November 16, 2023 21 Someone in Your Life has Dementia A Roadmap for Care – Now offered virtually and in-person The Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center offers a regularly scheduled educational program, Someone in Your Life has Dementia: A Roadmap for Care. The presentation is for anyone caring for an individual living with a form of dementia and will be offered every other month, with the options for both virtual and in-person meetings. Dementia is a general term used to describe memory loss and the impaired ability to process information and make decisions which interferes with daily life. There are many subtypes of dementia, with Alzheimer’s Disease being the most common form, followed by Vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, Frontotemporal degeneration, mixed dementia and others. Dementia is not a part of normal aging; however, 50 million people worldwide are living with some form of this syndrome. Susan Johnson, Dementia Care Specialist with the ADRC, has developed and will facilitate this new presentation. Johnson has a master’s degree in Gerontology and has a passion for improving quality of life for caregiving families. She offers hope and understanding to caregivers, as well as those living with dementia. The presentation will help prepare and guide caregivers, while building confidence for the road ahead. It will address common caregiver concerns, such as: • Whether recently diagnosed or not, what do you need to know about caring for someone living with dementia? • How do you know what to expect and what your person needs, as the disease progresses? Someone in Your Life has Dementia: A Roadmap for Care, will be offered virtually and in-person, the second Wednesday, every other month, noon – 1 p.m. The next class will be offered on December 13, 2023. For more information and to register, call the ADRC, 262- 605-6646. Medicare Annual Open Enrollment Period for Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans Kenosha County offers free assistance Medicare’s Annual Open Enrollment Period is now until December 7. It’s an important time of year for those on Medicare to review current coverage and see if any changes are needed for the coming year. Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plan details often change every year. Sorting through all the options to find the right plan for prescriptions can be confusing but Benefit Specialists at the Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center can assist. There are four basic reasons to check your plan: • Your plan may cost more next year • Your plan may no longer cover all your medications • Your plan may have put restrictions on some of your medications • You may be taking different medications now ADRC Benefit Specialists offer objective and reliable information and assistance. There is no charge for this service. The Benefit Specialists do not sell or endorse any insurance plans. Benefit Specialists at the ADRC are trained to carefully review current coverage and compare plans with other options based on medications and other details. Benefit Specialists also check to see if beneficiaries qualify for programs or benefits that can save money. Sign up for one of the free workshops offered throughout Kenosha County now! Northside Library, 1500 27th Ave., Kenosha, Rm. A • Tuesday, Nov. 29, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Festival Foods Community Room, 2nd floor 3207 80th St., Kenosha • Thursday, Nov. 30, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Southwest Neighborhood Library, Rm. A, 7979 - 38th Ave., Kenosha •Tuesday, Dec. 5, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Job Center, 8600 Sheridan Rd., Kenosha, Door A • Tuesday, Nov. 28, 9:30 - 12:30 p.m. (Rm. N2) It’s recommended that participants bring their own laptop, tablet or smart phone if possible. For further information or to make reservations call the Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center at 262-605-6646. Your Kenosha ADRC Update
22 SMART READER November 16, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 The CBS news program "60 Minutes" ran a story this past Sunday that was critical of the Social Security Administration and the way the agency handles overpayments -- money sent to Social Security beneficiaries that they were not due. I'm going to address that issue in today's column. But before I do, I've got to put things in perspective. If you watched the news story, you could come away thinking something like this: "Those dumb bureaucrats. They can't do anything right. They are sending millions of dollars in incorrect payments to people every year!" But here is the dose of perspective you need to understand. Social Security is a $1.3 trillion per year program. And those millions of dollars in overpayments make up just one-half of 1% of the program's annual payout. Or to turn that around, 99.5 percent of the time, people are being paid correctly. So, overpayments are a problem. But nowhere near as big a problem as sensational news stories would have you believe. Still, millions of dollars are millions of dollars. And the Social Security overpayment problem is an issue that needs to be dealt with. Why do people get overpaid? The biggest reason has to do with a simple law that needs to be changed. More about that in a minute. But first, let's briefly deal with the main issue discussed in the "60 Minutes" story. Once it's been decided that someone has been overpaid, should the SSA take the money back? "60 Minutes" essentially charged that the agency was being too ruthless in its overpayment collection efforts. In a nutshell, one part of the overpayment recovery rules says the incorrect benefits must be repaid if the person who got the extra money was at fault in causing the overpayment. Most people probably would agree that part of the rules makes sense. But what if the overpayment was the agency's fault? On the one hand, you could argue that even though the SSA made a mistake, the overpaid person still got money he or she was not due and the money should be repaid. But others would argue that the government screwed up and they should write off the overpayment as a loss. The rulebook actually says that even if the overpayment was the SSA's fault, it must be repaid IF the overpaid person can afford to repay it. And carrying out that rule can really get messy and be subject to different interpretations. And on that issue, let me make this point. Many years ago, the SSA interpreted that part of the law much more liberally and was writing off ("waiving" is the legal term) many overpayments. And guess what? There were news stories critical of the agency for "wasting the taxpayers' money" by not more aggressively collecting overpayments. So, you can understand why an old civil servant like me might be inclined to throw up his hands and say: "OK, people, what do you want? Do you want us to collect these overpayments or do you want us to write them off?" But we wouldn't have to answer that question if a big part of the problem could be eliminated. So how do we do that? By getting rid of the No. 1 cause of overpayments: a provision of Social Security law that is rather archaically called the "annual earnings test." It is sometimes also called the "retirement test." (More about where those terms come from in a minute.) But I call it the Social Security earnings penalty. And I've never liked this law. Before I explain why, let me clarify what I am talking about. The rules say that if you are a Social Security beneficiary who is under full retirement age and still working, one dollar must be deducted from your Social Security checks for each two dollars you earn over a limit that changes annually. It's currently $21,240. (Once you reach your full retirement age, that penalty goes away.) On the surface, the law seems pretty straightforward and you may wonder why it causes so many overpayments. Well, it's because when you scratch beneath the surface, it is an absolute mess to administer. To illustrate, I'll use my own mother as an example. Back in the 1970s, she was getting Social Security retirement benefits but she was working part time to supplement her rather meager monthly check. She would start out the year reporting her anticipated earnings to her local Social Security office. They would adjust her benefits accordingly, applying the one-dollar deduction for each two dollars earned. Then inevitably, as the year went on, she'd work a little overtime or pick up a couple extra hours of work. She would dutifully report her change in anticipated earnings to the Social Security people, and further adjustments would be made to her monthly retirement checks. More often than not, she'd be charged with an overpayment and be asked to return some of her Social Security funds. Then maybe she'd be laid off for a time, and her earnings would go down, and she'd file yet another report with SSA and there would be more adjustments to her benefits. Sometimes the SSA owed her some extra money. Eventually, once the year was over with and she got her W-2 form, she would make a final report of her earnings to the Social Security office leading to yet another benefit adjustment -- usually another overpayment. And on top of that, they would ask for an estimate of her anticipated earnings for the new year, yet more adjustments would be made, and the whole vicious cycle would start over again. Even though my mom's story took place in the 1970s, the same rules still apply today and the same problems still crop up today with millions of Social Security beneficiaries who are under their full retirement age but working. I've always been puzzled by the earnings penalty law. From a p h i l o s o p h i c a l perspective, I just don't understand why someone should be punished if they try to work and earn a little money to supplement their Social Security benefits. Having voiced that philosophical concern, I should point out that I know the practicality of the law. It goes back to the very beginning of Social Security in the 1930s. Retirement benefits were intended to replace earnings a person loses when he or she retires. Or to put that another way, a person had to retire to get "retirement" benefits. And this provision of the law was a "test" of their retirement status. (Thus, the term "retirement test.") Initially, the law said you had to be completely retired. But over the years, Congress eased up on that restrictive nature of the original law. They said people over FRA could work full time and get benefits. But they set up the messy earnings "penalty" for anyone under FRA. So, get rid of that penalty and you will get rid of millions of dollars in overpayments every year. social security '60 Minutes' and Social Security Overpayments with Tom Margenau If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has the answer. Contact him at thomas.margenau@comcast. net. To find out more about Tom Margenau and to read past columns and see features from other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. and you Food Truck Soup Kitchen offered on Thanksgiving Captain Mike's Beer and Burger Bar’s food truck The Galley will once again serve a FREE hot dinner to anyone in need or who wants a hot meal on Thanksgiving Day. This Galley Giving event will take place in Library Park, 6039 Eighth Avenue in Downtown Kenosha, on November 23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The hot dinner includes turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, Captain’s Mac-N-Cheese, and a dinner roll. Owners Jeanette and Michael Kelly will be there serving the hot meals as part of their holiday tradition. Captain Mike's Beer and Burger Bar is located at 5118 Sixth Avenue in Downtown Kenosha. Contact the restaurant at (262) 764-8889 with any questions.
Dear Amy: My daughter will be getting married in a couple of weeks (her second marriage). They were engaged right before Covid and put the wedding on hold. They’ve now decided to go ahead with a small wedding, but the guest list has exponentially increased to about 26 people. She wanted to host it in her house, but her house is very small and she has four dogs who don’t behave. We offered our (much larger) house and said that we would also help with the food and set-up. Our daughter agreed on one condition – that she bring her dogs. She wants to dress them up and have them be a part of her wedding. Her dogs are not well behaved. They are not consistently housebroken. They bark a lot and jump on people. These dogs have never been to our house. We have hardwood floors and new furniture. Who is going to be responsible for them? My daughter said it’s non-negotiable, so she will have it at her place. Her house is small. Parking and seating will be problems. Also, my husband has lung disease, and so being in a small house with 26 people and all the dog hair and dander is unacceptable to us. My husband said he won’t be going, but hasn’t told her yet. We said we’d pay for a reception hall, but that is also unacceptable to our daughter. Are we wrong in not allowing the dogs at our house for the wedding? Is she wrong for wanting the wedding at her house even though it’s small and wouldn’t be good for her father? I’m heartbroken over this and my daughter and I are not speaking. Don’t get me wrong – we love dogs. But how would this be enjoyable for anyone? – Dog Tired Dear Dog Tired: You and your daughter are at an impasse, but if you can choose to calmly accept her choices – however harebrained you believe them to be – then it will release both of you. Neither one of you is “wrong.” The significant difference between you two is … it’s her wedding. She has named her dogs as her most beloved attendants. You’ve drawn the line about having the dogs in your house (smart move), offered a number of options she deems unacceptable, and so her decision has been made. If it would endanger your husband’s health to attend this wedding, then he should stay home. If you can bear spending a couple of hours in her home under these circumstances, you should try your best to attend, and see if you can FaceTime or set up a Zoom session for your husband to view the ceremony. This whole thing sounds like your nightmare. (It is certainly mine.) But it is her wedding, and if you consciously decide to stop judging and undermining her choices, you should spare yourself both the heartbreak and the tension. Everything after that is up to her. Dear Amy: My husband and I have a friend in her early 70s whose husband is in his early 80s. He has dementia and will need a care facility soon. He knows that. She wants to stay in their home after he moves, but we believe this would be a mistake. Should we share with her other options? How should we proceed? – Concerned Dear Concerned: You don’t note why you think it would be a mistake for your friend to stay in her home after her husband moves, but – if she is healthy, a person in her early 70’s likely can enjoy many years of independent living before making her own move. In my opinion, staying in her home could be the very best thing for her to do – for now. If her husband moves, being in her home during the period of his decline could provide the sense of stability she needs. If she asks for assistance or advice to review her housing options, you could be very helpful by researching local places and offering to tour them with her. Even if she decides not to move right away, being aware of her options will help her to make the decision later. Dear Amy: “Happy Drunk” detailed his excessive daily alcohol use and his desire to quit. He should know that if he goes to hospital for routine surgery or an emergency matter, to please tell his physicians that he is a chronic drinker. I work in healthcare; it's not unusual to see chronic drinkers who drink a little (or a lot) of alcohol. They can go into withdrawal during a procedure, with potentially fatal results. If the physician knows their patient is a chronic drinker, they can provide additional precautions to assure that their patient survives the procedure. – Healthy Healthcare Worker Dear Healthy: I was moved by this man’s honesty regarding his alcohol use. Many readers have responded with support and helpful suggestions. ask amy Wedding celebration must go to the dogs You can email Amy Dickinson at [email protected] or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook. seniors edition FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 SMART READER November 16, 2023 23 FOR EVENT TICKETS VISIT For Group Ticket Sales Call Reanna 262-564-8800 or email [email protected] Ask About Our Stay & Play Overnight Package Starting At $119 Call 262-658-3281 STOP IN 1420 63RD ST. M-F 10am-4pm OR CALL 262-564-8800 5125 6th Ave. Kenosha HARMONIX ARMONIX For Group Ticket Sales Call Reanna 262-564-8800 or email [email protected] FOR EVENT TICKETS VISIT Work Hard Have Fun Make MoneyLaugh A Lot Work Hard Have Fun Make MoneyLaugh A Lot If these are things you like to do, Please Join Our Staff! If these are things you like to do, Please Join Our Staff! 111623 We are looking for servers, bartenders and box office help for the Kenosha Comedy Club and live music events at the Wyndham Hotel. We are looking for servers, bartenders and box office help for the Kenosha Comedy Club and live music events at the Wyndham Hotel. Must be available some Friday and Saturday Nights, but we do offer a flexible schedule. Email [email protected] or call or text 262-496-7182 55125 6 125 6th Ave - Kenosha, WI th Ave - Kenosha, WI
24 SMART READER November 16, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 Senior Citizens Receive a 10% DISCOUNT SR121720 110923 GGlloriaoria && JJaayy Our Family has been serving great food and offering warm hospitality here for 50 years. Yes, it’s true the building is for sale... but we are absolutely here to serve you well into 2024. Please stop by & cozy up to the fireplace for a delicious meal, or give us a call to book your next gathering or holiday party! The Tradition Continues - 090723 4914 7th Ave, DOWNTOWN KENOSHA COFFEPOTKENOSHA.COM Cash Only ATM Available (262) 653-8849 Open Mon.-Sat. 7am-2pm Sun. 7am-1pm • We have a full BEER, WINE, and COCKTAIL menu • Try our top-notch BLOODY MARYS! • Our cuisine is fabulous AMERICAN DINER FARE but you never know what our specials might be • We SHOP LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS and The Harbor Market to get the BEST FOOD the seasons have to offer! 111623 $980 $1,020 Near parks, shopping, restaurants, library, bike trail! Northside Locations Including: 1703 16th Ave • 1550 15th Ave • 1830 22nd Ave • 2524 18th St Family Subsidized Housing: 2 Bedroom Apartments • 3 Bedroom Townhomes Senior Subsidized 1 Bedroom Apartments Villa Nova, 2401 18th Street Tuscan Villas, 8051 25th Avenue REASONABLY PRICED & WELL MAINTAINED 1,000 sq. ft. HEAT INCLUDED! Call Or Visit Our Management Office 262-551-7255 A Standard Of Value & Excellence 110223 Your Ticket to Local Events