Smart Reader 040424

"Thankful for the expertise and guidance, so needed during our loss." -JAMES K. "Thankful for the expertise and guidance, so needed during our loss." -JAMES K. Visit us at 3016 75th St. Kenosha SR102022 April 4, 2024 Volume 22 - #7 NEW STUDY: SMOKING DURING ADOLESCENCE DRAMATICALLY INCREASES RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES

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FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 3 SMART READER March 21, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 3 Exposure to tobacco smoke in the womb or picking up the cigarette habit in childhood or adolescence greatly increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in adulthood, a new study finds. The preliminary research, which included more than 400,000 adults in the UK Biobank, was presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and PreventionʔLifestyle and Cardiometabolic Scientific Sessions 2024 in Chicago. Participants who had a genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes and started smoking in childhood or adolescence had the highest risk of developing the illness. Tobacco exposure in adulthood is a wellestablished risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Previous research has uncovered that cigarette smokers are 30% to 40% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than nonsmokers. "The findings emphasize the importance of preventing tobacco exposures in early life stages, including during pregnancy, especially for people with high genetic risk for type 2 diabetes," senior author Victor Wenze Zhong, a professor and department chair of epidemiology and biostatistics at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China, told UPI via email. "Earlier smoking initiation is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes compared with never smoking. Adopting a healthy lifestyle later in adulthood could lower risk of type 2 diabetes among people who have tobacco exposure in utero, childhood or adolescence," said Zhong, who earned a doctorate in nutritional epidemiology from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. In this study, researchers examined data for 433,874 adults in the UK Biobank -- a large biomedical database and research resource with health records of about 500,000 adults enrolled from 2006 to 2010. These adults live in the United Kingdom and obtained health care through the country's National Health Service. The researchers estimated the associations of tobacco exposure before birth and initiation of smoking during childhood (ages 5 to 14) or adolescence (ages 15 to 17) with the development of type 2 diabetes. They also explored whether following a healthy lifestyle as an adult, such as eating a nutritious diet, exercising, getting sufficient sleep, maintaining normal weight and not smoking may have affected high-risk individuals' development of type 2 diabetes. The analysis found that tobacco exposure before birth was associated with a 20% increased risk of type 2 diabetes compared to individuals who never smoked. People who began smoking in childhood had a 118% risk of type 2 diabetes; those who started smoking as adolescents had a 57% higher risk; and those who started smoking as adults had a 34% greater risk compared to those who never smoked. Compared with people who had no early-life tobacco exposure and a low genetic predisposition for type 2 diabetes, participants with a high genetic risk score had a 302% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes if they were also exposed to tobacco before birth, a 593% higher risk if they began smoking in childhood and a 404% higher risk if they took up the habit in adolescence. The elevated risk of type 2 diabetes stemming from early-life tobacco exposures and high genetic risk was reduced by 67% to 81% among individuals who adhered to a healthy lifestyle in later life compared to those who did not. Early exposure to tobacco tied to developing diabetes, study indicates Weight loss won't ensure diabetes remission over long term, study indicates People newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes can manage blood glucose levels without medication if they shed pounds and maintain that weight loss. Yet, few patients stay in remission through weight loss alone over the long term, a new study indicates. Researchers led by Dr. Andrea Luk, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the study's corresponding author, reported these findings in the open access journal PLOS Medicine. "Previous clinical trials demonstrated that type 2 diabetes remission is possible following sustained weight loss. However, whether these findings could be replicated in a lesscontrolled, real-world environment ... remained unclear," the study's first author, Hongjiang Wu, an epidemiologist and research assistant professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, told UPI via email. "This knowledge gap motivated this study. Achieving diabetes remission is important because it can significantly reduce diabetes-related complications, reduce the burden of taking medication and lower the risk of potential side effects." The researchers studied 37,326 people in Hong Kong who were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes to assess whether - - and low long -- individuals could control the illness through weight loss. "Greater weight loss within the first year of diabetes diagnosis was associated with an increased likelihood of achieving diabetes remission," Luk said in a news release. "However, the incidence of diabetes remission was low, with only 6% of people achieving remission over eight years, and half of those with initial remission returned to hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) within three years, indicating poor sustainability of diabetes remission in real-world setting." These rates are much lower than in clinical trials, where remission occurred in as many as 73% of patients at one year after their diagnosis. The study reveals that controlling type 2 diabetes through sustained weight loss is possible in real-world settings, but that few patients will succeed by only managing their weight, particularly over the longterm. "One reason for the discrepancy with clinical trials is that trial participants receive intensive lifestyle interventions, including holistic support for dietary changes, physical exercise and mental health," according to a news release. "The researchers conclude that patients should receive early weight management interventions as a way to increase the odds that they will achieve sustained remission." Dr. Peminda Cabandugama, director of digital obesity at Cleveland Clinic, who was not involved in the research, told UPI via email that "it is encouraging to see more regions of the world doing studies that concern weight management and its related comorbidities. "The obesity pandemic is generally thought to be a more Western issue, but there are multiple epidemiological studies now showing that it is more of a global problem than ever before." Cabandugama added that "hopefully, there will be more robust studies coming out globally, such as this one. This would help provide more evidence to global health authorities to develop comprehensive guidelines on the Participants who had a genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes and started smoking in childhood or adolescence had the highest risk of developing the illness, a new study shows. Smart Reader is published bi-weekly by Carmichael Communications Editor & Publisher/Frank J. Carmichael Assistant to the Publisher/Reanna Stockdale Sales/Kim Carmichael, Elaina Myers Editorial Manager/Jason Hedman Ad Design & Layout/Kristin Monticelli, Glen Kelly Reception/Sarah Coleman Carmichael Communications 1420 63rd St. Kenosha, WI 53143 April 4, 2024 Volume 22 Number 7 262-564-8800 • 1-800-568-6623 • www.hap2it.com story continues on next page story continues on next page Tune in to Happenings Q&A on Thu. April 18th at 10:20am when podiatry specialist Dr. Cynthia Cernak joins the show 2

4 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 F S o V t T & c a a a r f c wo t SMART READER March 21, 2024 4 importance of early and chronic intervention of weight management." A strength of this research is the large number of people in a "real-life" study that includes all the complex variables involved in glucose control in diabetes. These variables include genetic, behavioral, environmental, and cultural factors, Lawrence Mandarino, a professor of medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson, told UPI via email. Meanwhile, the study's weakness stems from it being observational and lacking the rigor of a controlled clinical trial, said Mandarino, who also is director of the Center for Disparities in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism at the college of medicine. In his opinion, "remission" also may not be the best term to describe what occurs when a person with type 2 diabetes achieves normal glucose levels. He favors calling this "reversal of high blood glucose." Reversing to "a healthy level is definitely possible early on in the disease by intensive lifestyle changes, including increased physical activity and reduced caloric consumption," Mandarino said. The Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial, conducted in primary care practices in the United Kingdom, found high rates of type 2 diabetes remission among people who lost a significant amount of weight -- an average of more than about 22 pounds - - and maintained that drop in weight over 12 to 24 months, according to the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Such significant weight loss can be achieved by bariatric surgery or intensive health care professional-guided dietary and lifestyle interventions, Jennifer Nasser, a registered dietitian and associate professor of nutrition science at College of Nursing and Health Professions at Drexel University in Philadelphia, told UPI via email. Obtaining a referral to a diabetes or weight loss center of excellence to assist with this goal may be an optimal strategy, Nasser said. "Physicians and registered dietitians with expertise in managing diabetes and weight loss provide the best chance for achieving weight loss significant enough to promote diabetes remission," she said. Acting soon after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is paramount because it's a progressive disease, Dr. Neda Rasouli, a professor of medicine and pharmacy at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, Colo., told UPI via email. Living with type 2 diabetes longer than 10 years and using multiple glucoselowering medications, including insulin, render weight loss less effective in achieving remission, said Rasouli, who also is associate division head of endocrinology, metabolism and diabetes. "The key factor is effective interventions at the right time," she said. "So, diabetes remission is possible, but it is important to strike early and strike strong." By Susan Kreimer "It's important to investigate whether and what factors in later life could modify the type 2 diabetes risk associated with early-life factors," Zhong said. "Addressing these gaps may provide novel insights into early prevention of type 2 diabetes." The authors acknowledged that this is an observational study, meaning the findings indicate an association, but don't confirm direct cause and effect. In addition, they pointed out that that the participants self-reported information about tobacco exposure, so the data may include possible errors in memory. "Like other observational studies, this one needs to be validated in other populations," Dr. Robert Eckel, a past president of the American Heart Association, told UPI via email. He was not involved in the study. The investigation into "the relationship between tobacco exposure and type 2 diabetes incidence is novel," said Eckel, a professor emeritus of medicine in the division of endocrinology, metabolism and diabetes and the division of cardiology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colo. He added that "type 2 diabetes is not due to one or two genes but numerous genes that all contribute additively to risk." When exposed to tobacco as described, these genes magnify the risk of developing type 2 diabetes three to six times, he noted. "While we have known for over a decade that combustible tobacco use is a cause of type 2 diabetes, the strength of the association to in-utero and childhood exposure to combustible tobacco is still shocking," Dr. Adam Goldstein, a professor of family medicine and director of tobacco intervention programs at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's School of Medicine, told UPI via email. "This new study should force physicians and policymakers to redouble their efforts to not only eliminate combustible tobacco use among adults, but we must immediately eliminate all secondhand smoke exposure to pregnant women and children," Goldstein said. Since the collection of data for this study, vaping devices have proliferated around the world and may be a novel risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes, Dr. Denitza Blagev, a pulmonary and critical care physician and senior medical director for community hospitals at Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City, told UPI via email. "I would not recommend thinking of vaping/e-cigarette use or switching to e-cigs as a way of reducing the risks of smoking described in this study," Blagev said. While "genetic susceptibility isn't under one's control," the study emphasizes that people can take steps to alter their risk, Elizabeth Jensen, an associate professor of epidemiology and prevention at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., told UPI via email. For instance, Jensen said, "Individuals with a family history of type 2 diabetes may be able to modify future risk to their offspring by avoiding smoking during pregnancy." By Susan Kreimer Tobacco, diabetes continued from page 2 Weight loss, diabetes continued from page 2 Fertility rates expected to fall worldwide, pushing population down By 2050, three-quarters of the world's nations will see fertility rates fall to below replacement levels, meaning their populations will be steadily shrinking, a new study predicts. And by 2100, almost all countries (97%) are expected to have fertility rates below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman, the same report concludes. This trend will not happen everywhere all at once. Richer countries will be hit first and hardest by falling birth rates, with poorer nations maintaining higher birth rates. That's according to researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. All of this means big shifts in where the world's babies are being born. According to the report, 29% of babies were born in sub-Saharan Africa in 2021. But by 2100, over half (54%) of all infants will be born in that region, should current trends persist. "We are facing staggering social change through the 21st century," said study senior author Stein Emil Vollset, from IHME. "The world will be simultaneously tackling a 'baby boom' in some countries and a 'baby bust' in others," he explained in a journal news release. "As most of the world contends with the serious challenges to the economic growth of a shrinking workforce and how to care for and pay for aging populations, many of the most resource-limited countries in sub-Saharan Africa will be grappling with how to support the youngest, fastest-growing population on the planet in some of the most politically and economically unstable, heat-stressed and health system-strained places on earth." As Vollset's team noted, much of the decline in fertility rates has already long been underway. In 1950, the average woman globally gave birth to about five children; by 2021 that had shrunk to 2.2 (just over replacement level), with 110 of 204 countries already charting fertility rates below replacement level. In some countries, such as South Korea or Serbia, fertility has fallen to levels as low as 1.1, according to the report. story continues on page 11 Kenosha Funeral Services and Crematory Prepay for your funeral now and the price will be guaranteed. 8226 Sheridan Rd. Kenosha, WI 53143 (262) 652-1943 www.kenosha-funeral-services.com 102623 Quality • Value • Service When you need it the most When you need it the most Complete Funeral…… $7,300 Includes: Professional Service Fee, Embalming, Other Preparations, 1 Hour Visitation, Funeral Service, Graveside Service, Use of Funeral Coach & Other Necessary Vehicles, 20 ga. Steel Non-Sealing Casket. Make An Appointment To Pre-Plan Your Funeral Today

0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 5 SMART READER March 21, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 5 Visit Kenosha’s NEW Spring/Summer 2024 FUN 101 list has been added to our website. Go to VisitKenosha.com/FUN101 to check out the list of 101 Things to See & Do for $10 & Under (Many are FREE!). FUN 101 is part events calendar and part seasonal activity guide. FUN 101 is for all ages – and visitors and residents alike will find it’s a great resource when looking for fun things to do in our community. This list is useful when you’re looking for free or budget-friendly activities to do on a date – or with the family. Use the list when planning what to do with out-of-town guests, coworkers, a scout troop, and so on. We have the list divided into categories to make it easier to digest: Life By The Lake, Nature Break, Meet At The Market, Free Outdoor Concert Series (eight series are listed!), Preserving History, Fun Festivals and Events, Artsy Side, and More #KenoshaFun. FUN 101 shares when Free Fishing Weekend is in Wisconsin (June 1-2). The list also tells you how to celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week with Visit Kenosha, May 19-25; National Outlet Shopping Day at Pleasant Prairie Premium Outlets, June 8-9; International Mud Day at Pringle Nature Center on June 29; and National Ice Cream Day on July 21 at Sandy’s Popper (new location!), Scoops Ice Cream & Candy, Smarty’s Sweets & Treats, and Sweet Corner Ice Cream. Mark your calendar for May 18-19 when the everpopular Lego Brick Show is at Uke's Harley-Davidson. See the amazing creations of the Kenosha Lego Users Group. Take time to smell the roses at the free Gateway Rose Society Annual Rose Show on June 22 at the Kenosha Public Museum. Kenosha HarborMarket and Kenosha Public Market begin their outdoor seasons on May 11. The Wilmot Flea Market opens on April 21 at the Kenosha County Fairgrounds. Cruise-in Nights outside of the Kenosha History Center start on May 31. Also on the list: why you should Go Downtown Kenosha before the weekend begins. Take advantage of special activities, extended hours, deals, and more at participating businesses as part of Third Thursdays in Downtown Kenosha. If you haven’t gone downtown in a while, be sure to! There is such a variety of locally owned shops and restaurants to explore! Sports events on FUN 101 – with free admission for spectators – include the Monday and Tuesday night bicycle races at the historic Washington Park Velodrome, as well as the 24th annual Harborfest 7s Rugby Tournament at Kennedy Park on June 29. Also, for the first time, the United States Hickory Open Golf Tournament is coming to Kenosha. The tournament is September 9-10. (Speaking of sports – single game tickets for Kenosha Kingfish baseball games go on sale April 15.) FUN 101 serves as a supplement to our Official Kenosha Area Visitors Guide. Have you seen the 2024 Kenosha Area Visitors Guide yet? If not, go to VisitKenosha.com/Guide to view the digital version or to request a FREE copy to be mailed to you. The guide is also available at our Visitor Information Centers, as well as hotels, restaurants, attractions, shops, and other businesses throughout the Kenosha Area. Find fun faster! Be sure to use our website VisitKenosha.com when looking for #KenoshaFun. You’ll find the Visit Kenosha Events Calendar; pages and pages of attractions, shops, restaurants, and hotels; informative blog posts, articles, and itineraries; and much more on our website. Visit Kenosha has been Kenosha’s official travel resource since 1986. Visit Kenosha has produced the FUN 101 list since 2010. Event information is subject to change. New Spring/Summer FUN 101 List by Meridith Jumisko, Visit Kenosha Meridith Jumisko is Public Relations Director at Visit Kenosha. Contact her at [email protected] C O M E D Y E V E N T S 5125 6th Ave. Kenosha 5125 6th Ave. Kenosha If It ’ s N o t Liv e , Yo u ’ r e N o t Livin g! 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 PLAY & STAY! Don’t go home, stay with us! Call now to book a room at a great rate! (262) 658-3281 MR. SHOWTIME JULY 19/20 STEVEN MICHAEL QUEZADA 040424 CHRIS BARNES RICH GUZZI MIKE BALL ANDY BENINGO TAMMY PESCATELLI MAY 31 JUN 1 MICHELLE TRAINA Special Thursday Show Hypnotist Comedian DARYL FELSBERG FRED RUBINO PRESENTS Divorce Diaries APRIL 5/6 APRIL 11/12 APRIL 12/13 APRIL 19/20 APRIL 26/27 MAY 3/4 MAY 10/11 No Drink Minimum! Live Comedy EVERY Friday & Saturday! Live Comedy EVERY Friday & Saturday! JAMES CAMACHO MAY 17/18 “The man of many faces.” “The King ofBrooklyn” & The Voice of American Italians MAY 24/25 4 e a e n a s s s a d r f d n h e g n y , h n , n y e o t h y w s , s e 102623 ay

6 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 F w f l e l a E w A d t a r r e p t i n p s M p t a t A w c k p s w d r c i h r E a a r S C s k w E a B a t a m b s wy e t c k e s t . e g t g e e a s e s o o o e s r , r e o e . a , ; , . t e . t DEAR MAYO CLINIC: A friend has a family history of diabetes and obesity. She is diligent about eating healthfully and enjoys sharing new recipes and information about food. Recently she mentioned a sugar substitute called erythritol. I’m not familiar with this product. Can you explain what it is and if it is healthy? ANSWER: Sugar is one of those ingredients that always seems to be in the news. Eating and drinking too much sugar can negatively affect one’s health. Sugar found naturally in food, such as whole fruits, is not associated with increased health issues. But added sugar has been shown to contribute to dental cavities and is associated with multiple chronic diseases such as heart disease, obesity, fatty liver disease and Type 2 diabetes. Sugar has many forms. Most people are familiar with sucrose, the white granulated sugar found most often in kitchens, and raw sugar, also called turbinado sugar, which is crystalized and light brown. Other examples of sugar include high-fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners, which are often added to drinks and baked goods. Because of the known health risks associated with added sugars, the food industry has produced numerous sugar substitutes to feed our collective sweet tooth while minimizing the negative consequences of sugar. Saccharin was the first commercially produced sugar substitute. Over the years, saccharin has fallen out of favor as it was found to negatively affect the good bacteria in our small intestines and gut, putting people at increased risk for Type 2 diabetes and obesity. But dozens of other sugar substitutes have been developed. One class of sugar substitutes that seemed promising is a group called “sugar alcohols," of which erythritol is a member. Sugar alcohols are sweet but are neither sugar nor alcohol. Sugar alcohols are derived from sugar, usually created by hydrogenating sugar or by fermenting it. Examples of sugar alcohols include xylitol, sorbitol and mannitol. Often, we find these in processed foods, such as gum or candy. Erythritol occurs naturally with the fermentation of fructose (fruit sugar) and is found in extremely low levels in various fruits such as melon, pears, grapes and in fermented foods, including dairy cheese and soy sauce. Our red blood cells also naturally make very low levels of erythritol. When used as a food additive, erythritol is used at concentrations at least 1,000 times the natural levels found in food or our bodies. While your friend may hope to lessen her risk for chronic illness by avoiding added sugar, it is important to note that sugar substitutes are not without risk. In recent decades, some concerning research has been published about possible adverse health effects of erythritol. An American study from 2001 found that people who used erythritol as a sweetener had a three-year increased risk of major adverse cardiac events — defined as non-fatal heart attack or stroke. While this was an incidental finding — meaning that the erythritol did not necessarily cause or contribute to their cardiac issues — it highlighted the need for more research to determine if using a sugar substitute predisposes a person to higher heart attack or stroke rates. A 2021 study examined people who consumed erythritol or a similar sugar alcohol, xylitol. The results found that ingesting erythritol as a sugar substitute caused a spike in blood levels and increased the stickiness of the volunteers’ platelets. Platelets help the blood to clot if we cut ourselves, but if they are sticky, the risk of blood clots in the body increases, raising our risk of heart attack, stroke or other vascular issues. While the findings still do not definitely prove that erythritol directly increases the risk for cardiovascular issues, the results indicate it may be best to avoid it until we have more evidence to suggest that it is or is not safe. Rather than chasing the perfect sugar substitute, it is best to minimize added sugars in our diet and reprogram a sweet tooth through other means. If you are craving a sweet treat, grab a piece of whole fruit, such as an apple, pear, peach or plum. Fruit is a much healthier investment than foods sweetened with added sugar or sugar substitutes. Besides, research shows that a whole-food, plant-based diet prevents chronic diseases. There are no shortcuts to healthy eating. The American Heart Association recommends that adults limit their daily sugar intake to 24 grams (six teaspoons) for women and 36 grams (nine teaspoons) for men. If you feel you need more guidance or want more information about how to make positive changes in your diet, consider making an appointment with a nutritionist or dietitian. — Jennifer Drost, P.A., and Dawn Mussallem, D.O., Integrative Medicine and Health, Lifestyle Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, and Jacksonville, Florida Mayo Clinic Is erythritol a safe and healthy sugar substitute? health Study shows heart damage from COVID-19 COVID-19 can damage a person's heart even if the coronavirus doesn't directly infect the heart tissue, a new study has found. The severe inflammation that COVID-19 causes in other organs, like the lungs, appears to indirectly cause heart damage associated with the infection, researchers report. "After a COVID infection, the immune system can inflict remote damage on other organs by triggering serious inflammation throughout the body - and this is in addition to damage the virus itself has directly inflicted on the lung tissue," senior author Dr. Matthais Nahrendorf, a professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School, said in a news release. For the study, researchers analyzed heart tissue samples taken from 21 patients who died with COVID-related lung failure. These samples were compared to specimens from 33 patients who died from causes unrelated to COVID-19. The research team specifically focused on immune cells called cardiac macrophages. These cells normally help keep heart tissue healthy by sustaining metabolism and clearing out harmful bacteria, but can cause harmful inflammation in response to a heart attack or heart failure. Researchers found that COVID-19 infection increased the total number of cardiac macrophages in human heart tissue, and caused them to shift from their normal routine and become inflammatory. This inflammation can weaken the heart, Nahrendorf said A mouse study confirmed what researchers found in human tissue samples. Mice infected with COVID-19 had immune responses strong enough to cause the same heart macrophage shift from helpful to harmful, researchers said. "These findings can also be applied more generally, as our results suggest that any severe infection can send shockwaves through the whole body," Nahrendorf said. The research team also found that blocking the immune response in mice with an antibody treatment stopped the flow of inflammatory cardiac macrophages and prevented heart damage. This suggests that "suppressing the inflammation through treatments might help minimize these complications," researcher Michelle Olive, associate director of the Basic and Early Translational Research Program at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, said in a news release. However, preventive measures to help COVID-19 patients avoid heart damage need to be tested in humans, Nahrendorf said. The new study appears in the journal Circulation. By Dennis Thompson SMART READER March 21, 2024 6 STARTING AT Stop in and slect the fabric of your choice! Steelcase Chairs $ 369 RESTORED Stop in and slect the fabric of your choice! $ 369 We Restore Steelcase Think, Leap & Amia Chairs - Includes New Foam Scat & New Fabric Of Your Choice. Steelcase Chairs Locally Owned & Operated for Over 30 Years 5403 52nd Street • Kenosha Phone (262) 656-1717 www.bandlofficefurniture.com 022224 A CUSTOM MADE QUALITY CHAIR WITHOUT THE CUSTOM PRICE! A CUSTOM MADE QUALITY CHAIR WITHOUT THE CUSTOM PRICE! 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0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 7 SMART READER March 21, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 7 The world has now watched the stunning footage of the collapse in looping video feeds. The expansive bridge broke apart like a child’s toy. The trusses appeared to crumble like an Erector Set, crashing into the water below. Just as quickly, the worst of America reacted. They displayed some disturbing thought patterns, ideas that are being shaped by a wide range of cable news hosts, rightwing politicians, and everyday keyboard pounders. Unfortunately, we can look to Baltimore for an indication of just how shrill, nativist, and let’s just say it, plain old racist, this election season is poised to become. This is no slight on Maryland, its people, or its political leadership. The angry hordes throughout the country, always on alert, sniffed a new target and pounced. Here is a taste of what swept through the Internet not long after the Dali cargo ship struck the bridge: “BREAKING: Shipping company responsible for Bridge Collapse in Baltimore has EXTENSIVE Gender Diversity and DEI hiring practices and CEO awards to prove it!!” If you’re sane, rational and reasonable, you might wonder why widely practiced business efforts were cited at that moment. Rather than thinking about what might possibly have caused a vessel that large to lose power, the foolish reached for these strains sweeping through school boards and statehouses, the same voices that have stripped public funds from any efforts around DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion). DEI is a nod to achieving workforce diversity. It acknowledges that indeed humans are born into multiple races and ethnicities. But no, it is not to be tolerated, or so goes the backward thinking of its opponents. Somehow the link was made that the crash surely had something to do with the DEI efforts of the company connected to the ship. Never mind that a group of Latino immigrants, road construction workers, who were repairing potholes when the bridge collapsed, had already perished. They would become fodder in the coming days, with some people posing questions about their legal status and A bridge collapsed, and almost simultaneously so did our discourse with Mary Sanchez Readers can reach Mary Sanchez at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @msanchezcolumn. A mass shooting at a concert hall in Moscow killed more than 130 people. With many others seriously or gravely wounded the number of dead is likely to rise. The Islamic state released a statement claiming “credit” for the incident. Eleven suspects have been arrested. Early reports suggested the U.S. Embassy in Moscow had advance warning of the attack. The Daily Mail reported White House Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said:“ Right now we don’t know to what extent this warning [from the US Embassy in early March] and this attack are related. But we had some concerns about the possibility of a terrorist attack in and around Moscow earlier this month.” The question that must be asked, as it has been suggested for some time, due to our open southern border, is this: Could it happen here? The answer must be an unequivocal yes. In fact, it has already happened here on Sept. 11, 2001. Does anyone seriously think America’s enemies would not be encouraged by that previous attack and the Moscow atrocity to conduct a repeat operation in America? With such easy access to the country and with so many fanatical beliefs floating around the world, what would deter them? The Cato Institute has noted t hat since 2017, “US Border Patrol has apprehended 342 border crossers who were on the Terrorist Screening Dataset, also known as the terror watchlist. Those numbers have shot up in recent years to 169 in FY2023 and 49 to date this fiscal year. Last month, The Daily Caller reported that Border Patrol apprehended an al-Shabaab terrorist and released him into the United States in March 2023 after a mismatch on the watch list. Later, the government discovered that he was on the watchlist, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested him within 48 hours. The Daily Caller’s headline was “ICE Confirms It Finally Nabbed Terrorist Allowed To Roam Free For Almost A Year.” FBI Director Christopher Wray has testified several times before congressional committees about his belief that a national security threat exists because of the 1.8 million “known gotaways.” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is unable to confirm that every suspected terrorist who crosses t he border without proper documentation has been detained by Border Patrol. It doesn’t take many as we saw on 9/11 and have seen in the Moscow concert hall incident to produce mayhem. While 9/11 was predictable – Osama bin Laden and other members of al-Qaida issued fatwas calling for attacks on the U.S. and American citizens and declared war on the United States and the terrorists trained in how to takeoff in airplanes, but not land – so the warning signs will have been seen should infiltrators pull off another 9/11, or worse. If that happens, count on the Biden administration to blame Republicans as they are currently doing for refusing to vote for a bill that would legalize 5,000 migrants per day coming to America. In 2003, Tom Clancy published a timely novel titled “Teeth of the Tiger.” The plot in part is about Islamic terrorists who make a deal with Colombian drug smugglers. Crossing the U.S. border, they head for four shopping malls in Middle America where they murder innocent civilians. Again, it doesn’t take much to wreak havoc, tank the economy and strike fear into the hearts of everyone. It could happen again here and likely will unless this or a new administration moves quickly to find the suspected terrorists who have already snuck in before they can activate a plot worthy of a Tom Clancy’s novel. Moscow massacre: Could it happen here? 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 Thu. April 18th at 9:20am on AM1050 WLIP The cargo ship Dali sits in the water after running into and collapsing the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024, in Baltimore. People lay flowers at a makeshift memorial for the victims of the March 22 Crocus City Hall terrorist attack. story continues on next page , o s e f e e o g a — , , , , , 6 d 9d 9c rs 022224 R R

8 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 F H RRA SMART READER March 21, 2024 8 Charles Dickens called it the "best and worst of times" in his Tale of Two Cities. His great novel contrasted the relative stability and prosperity in London with the chaos and confusion in revolutionary Paris. In some ways, this mirrors the profound differences between our two political parties. The U.S. public appears irreversibly divided on virtually all issues, whether vital or trivial, along party lines. On those few issues that are supported by a large majority -- gun control and a woman's right to choose -- progress is blocked by small minorities. Some 75% of Americans don't want either Joe Biden or Donald Trump as president; the Republican Party in Congress is imploding; the wars in Gaza and Ukraine are worsening; China is flexing its economic and military muscles; unnamed gunmen kill over 130 Russians at a Moscow concert; and parallels with 1914 are being drawn. To many Americans, this is definitely not the best of times. Can anything be done to reverse this dire outlook? If the answer is yes, that depends on Biden's willingness to throw away the traditional way of doing business. Biden must not think outside the box. He must discard any box. Biden must understand that the presidency will likely be decided on whether he can convince Americans he is fit to serve another term and/or if Trump suffers a selfinflicted mortal wound, possibly through the legal cases he faces. Biden's overarching message must be that this can be the best of times. To start, the economy is far better than most Americans believe. But Biden must convince Americans why that is the case and how the crippling increased costs of living will be controlled. Unless he can do this, he will not relieve the source of much of the political disenchantment that infects the country today. Next, Biden must address the immigration crisis, even if this is a political volte face. Yes, he will be attacked for a flip-flop. But so what? And if his executive actions are overturned by courts, he was right that only Congress can fix immigration with new laws. Focus on domestic issues is made imperative by the November election. But international crises cannot be ignored. This is what House Republicans are doing by refusing to pass legislation to aid Ukraine and Israel unless or until the border crisis is addressed. And if America is not capable of dealing with more than one issue at a time, these will be the worst of times. Internationally, the United States has many advantages. Expansion of NATO to include Finland and Sweden and the 800- mile border Finland shares with Russia and Sweden's dominance in the Baltic present Russia with a huge strategic problem. How does Russia counter these new geographic challenges? Politically, Biden can use these arguments to demolish Trump's "let Putin do whatever the hell he wants." The revision of the U.S.- Japanese treaty and the restructuring of the command relationship will not be missed in Beijing. Along with the AUKUS partnership, in which the United States and United Kingdom will provide nuclear submarines to Australia and share technology, these minialliances serve as a further bulwark to China. And other Asian states should be incorporated as part of the AUKUS Pillar 2 technology initiative. Regarding Ukraine and Gaza, Biden must prepare the public for negotiations that are the only way to resolve these conflicts, despite the seemingly immovable obstacles to peace. Friends of Israel cannot allow Israel to act in ways that are selfdestructive. To end the Ukraine war, both sides must make concessions. A good way to connect to the public is for Biden to emulate Franklin D. Roosevelt's "fireside chats" that reassured the nation in the midst of a deep depression. A series of major policy addresses would be given. His theme: "This can be the best of times ...if." And his job is to fill in the "if." Ironically, Trump's "Make America Great Again" that plagiarized statements of past presidents could have worked if properly executed. It was not. And anyone who thinks we were better off four years ago in the midst of COVID-19 is wrong. Biden's team must make clear, Trump's reach always exceeded his grasp. Presidents do not easily accept advice, especially political advice. After all, they were elected. If Biden wants to win, he must not ignore the current polls. But he needs a winning message and a way to connect with the public. A series of fireside chats can accomplish both. Joe Biden needs to make voters understand how to make this 'the best of times' 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., April 11th at 9:20am on AM1050 WLIP President Joe Biden should emulate Franklin D. Roosevelt’s "fireside chats" with a series of major policy addresses on the theme of "This can be the best of times …if." His job is to fill in the "if." more surmising about the “horrors” of our increasingly diverse nation. In those first few hours, the fact that the ship was owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd and flew a Singapore flag raised red flags for many online trolls: Singapore = foreign = Asian = bad. Any negative incident, an accident and not, is now subject to this type of insanity. In reality, the massive cargo ship is simply a reflection of global commerce, the supply chains that fuel our economy. According to the Associated Press, the Dali was built by a South Korean firm, Hyundai Heavy Industries, and had been chartered by a Danish firm to travel from Baltimore to Sri Lanka. The massive vessel had passed an inspection in Chile after some repairs in June of 2023. The U.S. Coast Guard inspected it in September and approved it for operation. Understanding these factors, illustrative of the inter-related and multiple layers of international governance that impact trade routes, apparently isn’t nearly as interesting to these sleuths, who love to weave complicated conspiracy theories. Those efforts geared up when the ship’s black boxes were recovered and the National Transportation Safety Board had barely begun what will be an exhaustive yearlong study to dissect the incident. But wait, there’s more! Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott was swiftly labeled the “DEI mayor” in social media slams posted after the crash. He’s a Black man. Some blamed him for the crash. Shortly after the collapse, Scott appeared alongside Maryland Governor Wes Moore at a press conference and was ridiculed because he wasn’t wearing a spiffy suit at the time, in the early morning hours. Even worse, some GOP candidates for office around the nation jumped in, somehow twisting the incident to imply that it happened because Scott is Black. The following day, March 28, Scott spoke strongly in an interview with MSNBC:“But they don’t have the courage to say the N-word, and the fact that I don’t believe in their untruthful and wrong ideology, and I am very proud of my heritage and who I am and where I come from, scares them,” he said. DEI has been stricken by the same fate as CRT before it, which stands for Critical Race Theory. Critics use the acronyms as a shorthand for racial slurs. GOP Utah gubernatorial candidate Phil Lyman outdid himself. Rep. Lyman – yes, people have already foolishly voted him into elected office – pointed a finger at a Black woman, the Maryland port commissioner. He posted on social media the following: “This is what happens when you have Governors who prioritize diversity over the wellbeing and security of citizens.” He later added: “DEI=DIE.” The Francis Scott Key Bridge fell with shocking swiftness, a calamity created at least in part because cargo ships have massively increased in size in recent decades and sail by bridges built in different eras. Engineering experts will pinpoint the causes, complicating factors and accurately place blame, if blame is due. As for America, we must begin challenging what is happening to our discourse, fairness, and the respect we should show to our fellow Americans. Calling out the madness is the first step. The ease with which people reach for such racist diatribe is galling. The attacks are swift. But repairing the damage will take far longer. Sanchez continued from page 6

0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 9 SMART READER March 21, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 9 a m t A ( s a o m a d c b m c a b c W w As the pandemic wound down, life expectancy in the United States began to bounce back in 2022, although deaths among children increased and drug overdose deaths continued to reach record highs, new government research shows. Final data for 2022 was published by the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It showed that a 1.1-year increase brought overall life expectancy at birth to 77.5 years. While promising news, that increase makes up for less than half of the 2.4 years of life lost during the first two years of the pandemic, and Americans' life expectancy is still lower than it's been in nearly two decades, experts said. "Life expectancy gives us a snapshot of the health of a population," Dr. Steven Woolf, director emeritus of the Virginia Commonwealth University Center on Society and Health, told CNN. "Vaccination of the population brought a welcome reduction in COVID-19 mortality, and medical care for chronic diseases has thankfully begun to return to normal and that is reflected in the rebound in life expectancy rates." Still, many other wealthy countries have made more "substantial" recoveries in life expectancy, he added. "Put simply, the fact that life expectancy in 2022 was lower than in 2019 means that Americans continue to die at higher rates than they did before the pandemic, despite the rebound," Woolf said. "We are hardly out of the woods." But the report did deliver some good news. The age-adjusted death rate for COVID-19 fell more than half between 2021 and 2022, and it was a driving factor in shrinking the overall death rate by 9%. Heart disease remained the leading cause of death, followed by cancer. Death rates for these two killers ticked down about 4% and 3%, respectively. Together, heart disease and cancer still caused about 2 out of every 5 deaths nationwide, the report showed. However, a rising death rate among children is a worrying trend, experts say. The death rate among children ages 1 to 4 jumped 12% between 2021 and 2022, while the death rate for children ages 5 to 14 increased 7% year-over-year, according to the CDC data. The infant mortality rate also increased, while the death rate for all other age groups decreased. "This is a red flashing light about the poor health status of Americans and how it now puts our children at risk," Woolf said. "This trend does not explain decreases in life expectancy for the total population, which is driven by deaths in adults, but it is alarming nonetheless because it means that our children, our most cherished population, are less likely to survive to adulthood." Last year, Woolf coauthored an editorial in the journal JAMA reflecting on the crisis of increasing mortality among children and adolescents, pointing to homicides, suicides, drug overdoses and car accidents as the leading causes of deaths. "Importantly, these are the same causes of death that have been claiming the lives of young adults in their 20s. What this means is that the causes of death that have been claiming the lives of young adults have now reached down to younger age groups, claiming the lives of teenagers," Woolf noted. Drug overdoses fueled many of these deaths, and the devastating effects of the drug epidemic persisted into 2022, with drug overdoses killing more people than any other year on record. Nearly 108,000 people died from a drug overdose in 2022, about 1,200 more than in 2021, according to another CDC report There are a lot of factors contributing to the overdose epidemic, Susan Sherman, a Bloomberg Professor of American Health at the Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health, told CNN. "It's a lot easier to go up than it is to come down without really implementing and scaling up services and understanding the drug markets and giving people the power to make informed decisions about using, or quitting using, and then having options afterwards," Sherman explained. She noted that while the pandemic may have contributed to the overdose epidemic, it also created opportunities to better reach people with telehealth services and support. "There are these e v i d e n c e - b a s e d interventions that really need to be scaled up in a way to reduce the burden of harm in people's lives," Sherman said. "We know that this whole continuum of care is something that needs to be accessible to people, but they don't have the maximum benefit when they're not scaled up." By Robin Foster U.S. life expectancy improves despite record-high overdose deaths In contrast, the fertility rate of the sub-Saharan nation of Chad stood at 7 in 2021. There are a lot of positive reasons that many women -- especially those in more affluent countries -- are having fewer children. "In many ways, tumbling fertility rates are a success story, reflecting not only better, easily available contraception but also many women choosing to delay or have fewer children, as well as more opportunities for education and employment," Vollset explained. Those are changes that, if replicated in Africa and elsewhere, might help curb burgeoning populations in resource-poor nations. "It's clear that tackling the population explosion in higher-fertility countries depends greatly on accelerating progress in education for girls and reproductive rights," said study co-lead author and acting assistant professor from IHME, Dr. Austin Schumacher. Meanwhile, some richer nations are already promoting "pro-natal" policies to boost their fertility rates. The Seattle researchers say those policies probably can't bring birth rates back up to replacement levels, but they might stop them from hitting serious lows. "There's no silver bullet," said co-lead author and IHME lead research scientist Dr. Natalia Bhattacharjee. "Social policies to improve birth rates such as enhanced parental leave, free childcare, financial incentives and extra employment rights, may provide a small boost to fertility rates, but most countries will remain below replacement levels." What's clear is that in coming decades, what the study authors describe as a 'demographically divided world' will place pressure on rich and poor nations alike - - especially when it comes to emigration and immigration. "Once nearly every country's population is shrinking, reliance on open immigration will become necessary to sustain economic growth," Bhattacharjee said. "SubSaharan African countries have a vital resource that aging societies are losing -- a youthful population." Fertility rates continued from page 3 5125 6th AVE. KENOSHA April 6th • 7:30PM May 4th • 7:30PM May 11th • 7:00PM Pat McCurdy at McCurdy We are always adding new acts! For the latest updates go to Yesterday’s Children Bringing his unique style of comedy, music & audience intaction, Pat McCurdy has been entertaining throughout the Midwest, and across the nation for decades. The Midwest's legendary 10-piece horn group, now celebrating over 50 years of making memorable music! Rick started as Elvis in the New York Broadway play "Elvis-The Legend Lives" along with the Jordanaires and D.J. Fontana. S o o 6:30pm - 9:30pm 7:00pm - 9:00pm All Star Join Us Every Wednesday! Karaoke S S S o o Yesterday’s Children May 17th & 18th • 7:30PM HARMONIX HARMONIX ROCK & ROLL BINGO FREE 032124 FOR EVENT TICKETS VISIT HAP2IT.COM STOP IN 1420 63RD ST. M-F 10AM-4PM OR CALL 1-262-564-8800 RRIICCKK ““EELLVVIISS”” SSAAUUCCEEDDOO We are always adding new acts! For the latest updates go to An A Cappella event you won’t want to miss! Singing the hits from yesterday & today! Re In sidency In Residency Returns for Two Big SHOWS! April 27th • 5:30PM Bill Serritella & Elliot Wimbush Bill Serritella & Elliot Wimbush Sinatra, Sammy, Soul & Such! PLAY & STAY Ater the show, why not make it extra special with an overnight stay? ONLY $99 Plus tax and fees. Now through April. Just call 262-658-3281 8 p f s e: f o e t f e y d e n s t h y y , n t t e h f n y t s , d f t s , e w s t s e

10 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 F s U h w o w w c law C p c v v s b O v a s l c n C O a a a a w I r c 2 it z a p f c o P c 1 a p p a m c a f C B s t z D f b f t it v g a c s SMART READER March 21, 2024 10 There has been seismic action in the real estate market – and it has nothing to do with bidding wars. On March 15, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced a settlement to end an antitrust lawsuit. The organization will pay $418 million in damages and agreed to blow up its decades-long practice on commissions paid to brokers. The settlement came five months after a Missouri court ruled that the NAR and other large real estate brokerage firms had conspired to keep home sale commissions artificially high. The penalty for doing so was steep: $1.78 billion to more than 260,000 Missouri sellers of residential homes in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois from 2015 through 2022. At the time, the defendants said they would appeal the verdict, but that process would have been a huge risk: Under U.S. antitrust law, the damages could have been tripled to more than $5.3 billion. Losing an appeal would effectively have put the NAR out of commission (pun intended!) Real estate agents have long been compensated on a model that was skewed. When a home was sold, the brokers would be paid 5- 6 percent of a home’s sale price, with half of the amount paid to the seller’s representative (the listing agent) and half paid to the buyer’s rep. (For context, commission rates in other developed economies range between 1 and 3%.) Both sellers and buyers have complained that the existing model was out of date with the marketplace and squashed competition. Under the old arrangement, sellers were forced to agree to the organization’s pricing model in order to access the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) – that’s the portal where homes are available for all would-be buyers to view. According to the NAR, MLS “is a private offer of cooperation and compensation by listing brokers to other real estate brokers.” In other words, if you want everyone to see your house that’s for sale, you must comply with the commission structure where both agents are paid by the seller. The model also frustrated buyers who have complained that they are held to a structure that allows the best and worst agents to be compensated equally —and that the price of the house was always a bit higher, because both sides had to be paid equally from only the purchase price. Presuming that the settlement is approved by a federal court, starting in July, sellers will no longer have to pay the entire freight for the transaction, buyers will be able to directly negotiate fees with their agents and those agreements will have to be put in writing. This is a win for consumers, but a big loss for agents and their companies. Last October, analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods predicted that a change in the real estate compensation model could reduce the $100 billion consumers pay in commissions by 30%. The big question is whether the settlement will lead to lower home prices? Currently, the median price of a home sold is $417,700, which means that the total commission paid would be about $25,000. If that fee were to fall by 30%, would median home prices drop by $8,000? In a real estate market that remains dislocated due to low levels of inventory, the answer is probably not any time soon. The near-term aftershock of the NAR settlement is more likely to impact the amount of money that real estate agents earn, and thereby potentially reduce the number of the more than 1.5 million brokers by half. The culling could help those superstar agents earn more but may mean that many others will need to find another profession. Will real estate commissions settlement impact home prices? 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]. You have changed your clocks, filed your taxes and March Madness has begun, which means that spring is upon us. The season could prompt a cleanup of the house, preparing the garden, or putting away the heavy parkas. For me, this time of year is an opportunity to clean out the physical and electronic financial clutter in life, and to attend to some important to-dos. I have written these columns over the years because these evergreen ideas never get old. Let’s start with what to keep (and for how long) — and what to shred. Tax returns We are in the middle of tax season, which means that you may have stumbled upon a box of returns from the 1990s. The good news is that you can shred anything from the Friends era. However, the IRS can include returns filed within the last three years in an audit. If they identify a substantial error, they may add additional years, but the agency usually does not go back more than six years. Therefore, keep your returns and all supporting documents for six years, just to be safe. If you work with a tax preparer, ask whether they will maintain electronic copies of all returns filed. Everything before that should be shredded— and no cheating on this because scammers would love your valuable personal confidential information. Bank/investment statements You can usually access statements for the past year electronically, but it may be helpful to highlight any purchase and sales confirmations for tax purposes. To keep things tidy, create either a physical or electronic folder called “tax prep,” so that you can easily access the information next year. NOTE: If you or a relative may be applying for Medicaid, many states require that you show five years’ worth of statements. Credit card/ utility/phone bills Unless you need to reference something for tax or business purposes, or for proof of purchase for a specific item, you can shred these after 45 days. Like the bank statements, flag what you may need for taxes, including charitable contributions. Real estate closing /mortgage/home improvement docs That pile of documents that you signed when you purchased your home seems positively 1985, but some of them are important to retain for as long as you own the property. They include: Property deed: Proves that you own your home and will be necessary if/when you sell your property. Home inspection /Home warranty/Survey: Can be useful for future projects. Mortgage documents: Keep the promissory note, deed of trust, proof of title insurance for the life of the loan. While you can request copies of the originals, replacements can take time and effort, so keep them in a safe place. Home improvements/major purchases: These may be necessary if you need to make an insurance claim or for tax purposes when you sell your home (some improvements can increase the cost basis on your home, which can minimize a potential capital gains tax exposure.) Keep forever (which is a long time!) If you maintain paper versions of any of these, make digital copies and then store them in a fireproof safe. — Birth and death certificates — Social Security cards — Marriage licenses and divorce decrees — Military Discharge papers — Estate documents While you’re at it… check your credit record/score While many people have access to their credit scores through their credit card companies or banks, now is a perfect time to access AnnualCreditReport.com for your FREE copy. If you identify an error on your credit report, you should contact the credit reporting company and put in writing what you think is wrong, why, and include copies of documents that support your dispute. Financial cleanup — What to keep and what to shred with Jill Schlesinger SR 030724 If you’re thinking of changing jobs or getting close to retirement . . . . . . you owe it to yourself to meet with a financial professional. If you’re thinking of changing jobs or getting close to retirement . . . . . . you owe it to yourself to meet with a financial professional. We can review and discuss your 401k rollover or help you explore your retirement options I can help you plan for life. Let’s talk. I can help you plan for life. Let’s talk. SR032124 Tune In To Happenings Q&A Radio On AM 1050 WLIP Weekdays From Noon-3pm When Frank Carmichael And Happenings Staff Members Visit With Interesting Guests, Both Local And From Around The Country.

0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 11 SMART READER March 21, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 11 Houses of worship in some frigid parts of the United States are allowing homeless people seeking a warm place to sleep to stay overnight in their buildings when temperatures drop -- which can put them in conflict with city or state laws. Some have found workarounds or try to fight City Hall. The disputes often pit zoning and safety concerns against Christian values of caring for vulnerable people, even saving lives. Criminal charges have been dropped against an Ohio pastor accused of violating zoning laws by allowing homeless people to sleep at his church, but a legal battle in the case is continuing. Dad's Place, a n o n d e n o m i n a t i o n a l Christian church in Bryan, Ohio, began operating around the clock last March and has permitted an average of eight people -- about a dozen in extreme weather -- to stay overnight. In November, the church received a letter from the city ordering it to cease its 24-hour operations because it is in a central business zoning district that does not allow people to sleep on the property and prohibits firstfloor residences. But the church decided to continue to keep its doors open 24 hours a day, and Pastor Chris Avell was charged in December with 18 zoning violations for allegedly allowing homeless people to reside on the property "for an extended amount of time." The maximum penalty for each charge is six months in jail and a $500 fine. That led Dad's Place to file a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Toledo against Bryan and its officials, seeking a declaration that the city's application of the zoning ordinances violates Dad's Place's religious freedom rights and an order barring the city from taking further steps to enforce them. "The city's application of its ordinances implicates the very core of a religious group's activities -- worship and religious activities on church property," the suit says. Caring for the vulnerable Avell has been operating Dad's Place since 2018 from a rented building in downtown Bryan, a small town in northwest Ohio about 50 miles from Toledo. The decision to never close the doors of the church to the public was part of a ministry focusing on "the hurting, marginalized and outcasts living in and around the city," according to the suit. Attorney Ryan Gardner, counsel with the First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit legal organization that represents Dad's Place, said that even before the church began operating 24 hours a day, the doors would be open overnight to provide shelter during extreme weather. Allowing people into a church at all hours of the night goes back to the earliest days of Christianity and even earlier with other religions, he said. "It's touched a lot of hearts for people to see the church doing what most people would think the church should be doing -- caring for the most vulnerable, helping those who need it most, loving those who maybe don't have a family and don't have that support system," Gardner said. The church does not intend to be a permanent residence but rather operates as an emergency shelter for anyone in need of a temporary place to stay while they look for permanent housing, the suit says. "The church's policy on staying overnight is simple: The church's doors are always open, and it will not ask anyone to leave unless there is a biblically valid reason for doing so or if someone at the property poses a danger to himself or others at the church," the suit says. For months, Dad's Place engaged in its "Rest and Refresh in the Lord" ministry from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. each night without incident, the suit says. The lights were dimmed, Scripture was read over speakers and people could come and go as they pleased. But in November, as winter was beginning, the city issued an ultimatum that the church cease operating 24 hours a day. After Dad's Place refused to force people onto the streets, the city began engaging in a campaign to harass, intimidate and shut down the church, the suit alleges. City officials say in a press release the Bryan Police Department started getting more calls beginning last May about "inappropriate activity" at Dad's Place. Some of the calls were about criminal mischief, trespassing, overdose, larceny, harassment, disturbing the peace and sexual assault. In addition, Ohio fire code violations were discovered in an inspection, according to the press release. "The city enforces its zoning code equally to all," the release says. "A church does not have any special rights under the zoning code and the city expects Pastor Avell and Dad's Place to follow the law as it does for all within the city." The city also said it has been working with a homeless shelter next to Dad's Place to find room for people coming to the church and with social organizations to find additional help for them. The two sides are mediating their dispute. The city dropped all charges on Feb. 8 and the church is continuing its 24/7 ministry as the parties conduct settlement discussions. Avell is grateful for city officials' willingness to work with him, saying in a statement, "I am thankful to God, the city and for everyone who has been praying for this day to come." Special use permits First Baptist Church in Edwardsville, Ill., near St. Louis, Mo., was issued a $750 citation in December for operating an overnight warming location without obtaining a special use permit. The Rev. Drew Patton believes one wasn't needed. First Baptist has a permit to operate as a church in the downtown mixed-use zoning district, he said. "We believe we were operating within our rights as a church to provide ministry to those who need it," Patton said. "We believe we were operating under the previous special use permit because the services we were providing, the ministry we were providing, are core to our identity as Christians." First Baptist has continued to operate its warming location when temperatures plunge. Patton and other church leaders sent a letter Jan. 10 to Mayor Art Risavy and the city "respectfully" declining the request to get a special use permit. "While we affirm and support the city's responsibility and authority to regulate the commercial activities of businesses, it does not extend to regulating the religious activities of churches," the letter says, adding legal representation has been lined up should the matter go to court. Risavy directed his staff in January to suspend the citation issued to First Baptist, saying it was never the city's intent to stop the operation of the warming location, especially during dangerous weather conditions. At the time, the temperature was dropping into the single digits some nights, sometimes reaching negative numbers. The church is in talks with the city to try to get the request for the permit dropped. A special use permit costs $750. Edwardsville officials say in a press release First Baptist is being treated the same as any hotel, overnight warming location, adult or child-care facility or any other uses that are not specifically included in the zoning district. A special use permit helps to ensure appropriate safety measures and operations are in place. A fire marshal who did a walk-through recently of the First Baptist warming location had only one recommendation, the addition of a carbon monoxide monitor, and said everything was in great shape, Patton said. Freezing temperatures Safety also was a concern for Rapid City, S.D., officials when Woyatan Lutheran Church put up an Arctic weather tent to accommodate more people overnight. The city issued an order Jan. 12 barring the use of the tent as an overnight warming shelter but not requiring its removal. With a low of -19 degrees that day, the officials were worried about the possibility of fire from efforts to heat the tent. "The city has had little issue with facilities or organizations, including churches, wishing to provide day services and warming shelters to those in need during the day," Rapid City officials said in a statement. "The city does have concerns when tents or temporary facilities are set up for overnight sheltering. These temporary facilities pose safety risks." The officials also noted an encampment near the city limits set up a few years prior for homeless people had caught fire and said existing facilities have available space. The Rev. Joe Hubbard of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Rapid City said religious liberties under the First Amendment have been threatened by the possibility of being charged with zoning and permitting violations. The tent was put up in preparation for a wake and funeral the next day and to accommodate the deceased person's family, he said. Hubbard describes his church and Woyatan Lutheran as allies that together offer the spectrum of what a Christian community ought to be. They have removed the pews at Woyatan and replaced them with bunks to ensure everyone has a warm place to sleep and moved traditional church worship, such as Sunday services and funerals, to St. Churches, city officials clash over sheltering homeless overnight story continues on page 15 Chris Avell, pastor at Dad’s Place, a nondenominational Christian church in Bryan, Ohio, was charged with violating zoning laws for allowing people to sleep at the church. 0 n n e y s l n s t d f %, s l s s s k s e l d e n f. e e y d fk,fSR 030724 n n

12 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 F SMART READER March 21, 2024 12 Dear Cathy, I was appalled to read that you support spaying puppies as young as three months old to avoid accidental litters. That is not a good reason. Early spaying can hinder a female dog's healthy development. Preventing unwanted litters can be achieved by keeping intact female dogs away from intact males. I live with a large-dog breeder who has two intact males who have not fathered any unexpected litters. This breeder separates males from females in heat in different parts of the home/yard. I do likewise.  Similarly, I have managed my female dog through her heats using dog diapers. Now that she has completed her second heat, I plan to have her spayed, ensuring her body has benefited from optimal hormonal development. My vet agrees. Check out AKC.org. — Terry, Castle Rock, WA Dear Terry, Pediatric spaying and neutering, a practice that has gained significant traction over the past two decades, involves the surgical sterilization of puppies and kittens at a very young age, typically before they reach sexual maturity. This procedure has become commonplace in animal shelters and spay-neuter clinics across the United States. The development of safe techniques and advancements in anesthesia have made pediatric spaying and neutering a viable option for pet owners. The procedure is also performed by highly trained veterinary surgeons. Contrary to common misconceptions, surgical complications for animals in this age group appear no more frequently than those sterilized at the traditional age of five to seven months. Furthermore, veterinarians trained to do these surgical procedures say they can often perform them more efficiently, resulting in shorter surgery times and reduced recovery periods for the animals. Numerous studies and papers support the safety and efficacy of pediatric spayneuter, which has been supported by reputable organizations such as the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). The question of whether pediatric spaying and neutering can stunt an animal's growth has been debated among veterinarians and researchers for many years. While there isn't conclusive evidence to definitively state this, the American Kennel Club suggests dogs not be fixed until after sexual maturity and states that "different breeds and different sized dogs mature at different ages, which means that early spay/neuter may not be bad for all dogs." I haven’t seen any health issues or stunted growth from my 65- to 100-pound dogs who were all neutered at three months old. Research has shown that pediatric spaying and neutering can also reduce the chances of certain types of cancer, especially when female dogs are spayed before their first heat cycle. In addressing your belief that people can easily prevent their dogs and cats from getting pregnant, I haven't seen evidence of that in my three decades of animal welfare work. Most dogs and cats get pregnant before the pet owner even realizes their pet is in heat. When male dogs get out of their houses and yards for a day, their owners aren’t making the connection that their intact dog was looking for a female in heat. Ultimately, when to spay or neuter a dog or cat should be made in consultation with one’s veterinarian. If the veterinarian recommends holding off for a particular reason, then that is between the pet owner and the veterinarian. However, many veterinary clinics and animal welfare organizations promote and provide pediatric spay/neuter services as part of their efforts to promote responsible pet ownership and control animal populations. It's a safe and effective solution for reducing unwanted litters and the euthanasia of healthy pets. Pet World with Cathy Rosenthal Readers chime in with challenges to common pet practices and phrases 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]. Dog reunited with owner after airport escape A dog who escaped while being loaded onto a plane in North Carolina was reunited with his owner after an extensive search. The dog, named Moose, was not loaded onto his owner's flight from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to Seattle due to "a misstep in the loading process," an Alaska Airlines spokesman told WTVDTV. Moose spent the night at the airport and was taken for a walk the morning before he was due to be loaded onto a replacement flight to Seattle to join his owner. "When it was time to load [him] into the crate, [Moose] pulled away, shook loose from [his] collar and ran away," an airline spokesman told WRAL-TV. Moose led airline employees on a chase around the tarmac, and even ended up on the taxiway at one point. The canine ended up giving his pursuers the slip and seemingly vanished. Alaska Airlines paid for Moose's owner to fly back to the airport to join the search. Airport officials said the saga had a tail-wagging ending when a search party consisting of airport workers, firefighters and law enforcement officers located Moose and reunited him with his owner. Moose "is safe and sound and had a good breakfast courtesy of an RDU K9 officer," an airport spokesman said. Police confuse security camera cat photo for mountain lion Police in California shared a resident's security camera photo of what was initially said to be a mountain lion, but later clarified the animal was merely a "big cat." The South San Francisco Police Department said in a Facebook post that the photo captured by a resident's Ring camera depicted a mountain lion walking along a fence. Police later edited the post, revealing the animal in the picture was actually just a particularly large domestic cat. Crash releases cattle onto Virginia highway A portion of a Virginia highway was shut down when a three-vehicle crash resulted in cattle escaping onto the roadway. Virginia State Police said the tractor-trailer hauling the cattle was involved in a three-vehicle crash in Augusta County. The crash allowed "several cows" to escape onto the roadway, causing traffic to back up more than 9 miles. Augusta County Animal Control personnel were summoned to the scene to round up the cows and assess their condition. Stranded horse air-lifted from California river Firefighters and other emergency crews in Riverside County, Calif., worked together to hoist a horse that was stranded in the Santa Ana River for nearly 24 hours. Personnel with Cal Fire, the Riverside County Fire Department, the city of Norco Animal Rescue Team and the Riverside County Sheriff's Office responded when a horse named Conquistador became stranded in the river. Diana Solis said her husband and some friends had been out riding horses when two horses became spooked and ran off. One of the equines was safely recovered, but Conquistador was nowhere to be found. Cal Fire officials later learned from social media that the horse had fled into the river and became stuck. Emergency teams were able to get Conquistador's legs unstuck from the mud, but the horse was too tired to move. They ended up using a sheriff's office helicopter to air-lift the animal to safety. "I'm happy, I'm glad he's OK. He's a beautiful horse, he dances, he's well taken care of and loved so, I'm glad he's OK," Solis told KABC-TV. IUP General Feed Store 2429 Sheridan Road • Zion, IL 60099 847-731-3333 Your local stop for... Your local stop for... IUP General Feed Store 2429 Sheridan Road • Zion, IL 60099 SR040424 • Wild Birdseed • Dog & Cat Food • Grass Seed • Garden Seeds • High Quality Dog Treats • Homemade Soaps • Honey Dog Walking Vacation Pet Sitting Drop-in Visits Puppy Care Pets home alone while you are at work or on vacation? Book us now for: Fully Insured, Bonded & Certified In Pet CPR & First Aid www.kenoshapetsitter.com (262) 492-7949 Pets home alone while you are at work or on vacation? 040424 www.kenoshapetsitter.com (262) 492-7949 Your Ticket to Local Events

0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 SMART READER March 09, 2023 13 You may think that YouTube is an oasis of helpful home improvement videos. After all, anyone with a smartphone can upload a video in seconds. Each week I scour YouTube for videos I feel may help you save time and money. With each passing day, I’m convinced that YouTube is a cesspool of bad advice. For every decent video that contains good information, I see 20 or 30 that are created by fools. Allow me to share a few examples. There are a disturbing number of videos showing an easy way to create concrete walkways, sidewalks and door stoops. The uninformed folks on the video buy bags of dry concrete mix from a local hardware store, lumber yard or big box store. They pour this dry concrete mix into forms and drag a board across the forms to make the top surface smooth. They make fancy imprints or designs in the dry powder. They then lightly mist the surface of the powder to start the chemical hydration reaction. This reaction causes microscopic crystals to form that act like Velcro. These crystals, when allowed to completely coat each individual piece of sand and stone, are the glue that holds the aggregate in concrete. After an hour or so, the uninformed video hosts start to flood the top surface with water. It begins to soak into the dry powder just below the surface. My guess is the video hosts never took a geology course. The heavy water grabs onto the ultra-fine cement powder and starts to transport it down into the mix. Have you ever seen what happens in a rainstorm that falls on dry dusty soil? The heavy rainwater captures Beware of how-not-todo-it videos on YouTube 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 Mon. April 22nd at 9:20am on AM1050 WLIP story continues on next page 13 SMART READER March 21, 2024 ELI’S CAFE AND PANCAKE HOUSE 2731 18th Street, Kenosha ( In Pick N Save Plaza) Open 7 Days A Week 7 am-3 pm Complementary cup of coffee off senior menu! Check out for our daily specials! SR040424 262-764-0288 050423 SR040424 ~ Build To Suit ~ Large or Small Office Suites ~ Charming Storefronts Available ~ Great Retail And Office Locations ~ Vintage Buildings With Today’s Amenities clovispoint.org Why Clovis Point? CELEBRATING 24 YEARS DOWNTOWN! Clovis Point, LLC lovis Point, LLC VISIT OUR SIDEWALK CAFES, BOUTIQUE SHOPS, AND FITNESS BUSINESSES! DT2024-1 BECOME A DOWNTOWN LAKEFRONT BUSINESS Now Leasing With Low Rates! CELEBRATING 24 YEARS DOWNTOWN! BECOME A DOWNTOWN LAKEFRONT BUSINESS VISIT OUR SIDEWALK CAFES, BOUTIQUE SHOPS, AND FITNESS BUSINESSES! Now Leasing With Low Rates! clovispoint.org Downtown’s Premier Real Estate Developer 5522 6th Ave, Suite 200 • Kenosha, WI 53140 Downtown’s Premier Real Estate Developer 5522 6th Ave, Suite 200 • Kenosha, WI 53140 Call For An Appointment Call For An Appointment 847 875 6386 847 875 6386 Why Clovis Point? 2 y , t r y f t . t

14 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 SMART READER March 21, 2024 14 F the ultra-fine silt and begins to move it down and through the soil. This is why creek water turns muddy just after the storm. Go to the creek hours after the storm and the water is magically clear. Think about it. How do you know if you’ve added enough water to the concrete mix? How do you know if you added too much? How strong is the concrete just under the surface where most or all of the cement powder has been carried away by the water? I’m currently working with the Portland Cement Association and its scientists to prove that this method of pouring concrete is perhaps the worst way to do it. Mixing concrete the traditional way, with the proper amount of water, coats the sand and stone with the cement paste. This is the best way to pour concrete, hands down. Perhaps the worst videos are those I see that tell you how to create thicker woodframed walls when building a home or room addition. Many pooh-pooh 2x6 walls and urge you to build two separate 2x4 walls separated by an inch or so. These superinsulated walls are supposed to save you big money on your heating bills. Not one of the videos I have watched bothers to do the math for you. If you follow the advice in these videos without doing the math, you’ll be in for a huge surprise. It’s all about payback. Whenever you spend money on something that claims will lower your utility bills, you must determine how many months or years it will take to claw back in fuel cost savings the extra cost you spent up front on the improvement. Only after you get back all this money do you then start to finally save money. I decided to do the math on this double-wall method of construction. My imaginary two-story house was 50 feet wide and 26 feet deep. It had standard 8-foot ceilings on both floors. My calculations showed you would need 228 extra 2x4 studs, 40 2x4x16s for the top and bottom plates for the extra walls, clear pine for the window and door extension jambs, and 50 rolls of 6-inch fiberglass. The total cost of these materials in 2024 here in New Hampshire with no sales tax was $6,125. It’s safe to say the extra labor, overhead and profit to install all of these things might be around $10,000. The total upcharge for the super-insulated exterior walls would be about $16,000.00. Look online and you’ll discover the 2023 average heating cost in the USA for homeowners was the following: $931 for natural gas, $2,354 for heating oil, and $1,359 for electricity. The heat loss through the windows, doors, attic and floor will be the same. You’ll only reduce your heat loss through the walls. A 20% savings projection would be generous. This means you might save $186 per year if you heat with natural gas, $420 if you heat with oil, and $271 if you heat with electricity. If you use airconditioning, you’ll save maybe an extra $150 per year. It’s your turn to do the rest of the math. Tell me how many years it would take you to break even. If you heat with natural gas, it would only take you 86 years! The break-even calculation is much more complex because of interest and investment income you could have achieved had you not spent the money. The bottom line is: BEWARE of what you see on YouTube. Beware continued from page 12 $ 20 OFF SR040424 YOUR CERTIFIED GM SERVICE CENTER... WE USE GENUINE GM PARTS WE ALSO SERVICE ALL VEHICLE MAKES AND MODELS PALMEN BUICK GMC CADILLAC Cannot be combined with any other coupons. See advisor for details. Expires 05/04/24. 7110 74th PL, Kenosha, WI • (262) 694-1500 “Located next to Menards” SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN’S LARGEST TIRE DEALERSHIP! Transmission or Coolant Flush 10% OFF PALMEN BUICK GMC CADILLAC Cannot be combined with any other coupons. See advisor for details. Expires 05/04/24. 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0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 15 SMART READER March 21, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 15 Most of us know we need to eat more seafood. The new U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend two servings per week. After all, it's heart healthy, low in calories and high in protein. So, why don't we choose it more? Maybe we're intimidated by how to prepare it or just what seafood we should choose. While eating a variety of seafood is always best, you may want to start with salmon and tuna, seafood that has a power trio of vitamin D, omega-3s and selenium, and is easy to prepare. First, the benefits: A 2018 study found 40% of Americans don't get enough vitamin D, a nutrient that helps maintain healthy bones and teeth and fight viral and respiratory infections. While we can make vitamin D from the sun, many of us are at risk because of where we live or how often we go outside or wear sunscreen. Both salmon and tuna (along with some mushrooms) are natural sources of vitamin D. Salmon and tuna are also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are heart-healthy fats. A 2016 study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that people who eat an omega3-rich diet have reduced heart disease risk, lower blood pressure and lower triglyceride levels. The research also found that omega-3s help reduce chronic inflammation, a major contributor to many chronic health problems, including heart disease. Selenium in seafood is another benefit. It's an essential mineral, which means it has to be obtained through your diet. Fatty seafood, such as salmon and tuna, are good sources of selenium. Selenium is an antioxidant, which helps immune function and with oxidative stress, according to research on selenium and immunity published in the journal Nutrients. The benefits of seafood are worth giving it a try. Your heart will be glad you did. Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with SIU Med School in Springfield, Ill. food & recipes Choosing Seafood Nutrition News with Charlyn Fargo Servings: 4 1 cedar plank soaked in water for 60 minutes 1 pound salmon fillet, skin on 1 lemon, cut into wedges Spice Mix: 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon each: dried oregano and dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon each: pepper, cayenne pepper 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon Place cedar plank in a sheet pan with water, and soak for an hour. If the board floats, place a heavy object on top. In a small bowl, combine all the spices (brown sugar through cinnamon). Evenly coat the surface of the salmon with about half the spice mix. Reserve additional spice for later use or as extra spice after cooking the salmon. Heat the grill to medium-high heat (400- 450 degrees). Remove the soaked plank, and lightly dry. Place plank on grill grate, and close the lid. When the plank begins to smoke and lightly char, remove it from the grill for 7-10 minutes. Put the seasoned salmon, skin side down, on the plank (charred side up). Place plank with salmon on the grill, and cook the salmon about 15 minutes, or until fish begins to flake. Serve with lemon wedges. Per serving: 179 calories; 23 grams protein; 5 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams fat (1 gram saturated); 62 milligrams cholesterol; 1 gram fiber; 1 gram sugar, 171 milligrams sodium. Grilled Salmon on a Cedar Plank Serves 4 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, and stems 1 ounce (1 cup) baby spinach 1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped 1 cup water 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 teaspoons lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving 2 teaspoons table salt, divided 1 teaspoon chili powder 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 4 (6- to 8-ounce) skinless cod fillets, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick 2 poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed 2 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 cups chicken broth 1. Process cilantro, spinach, jalapeno and water in a blender until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the blender jar as needed. Transfer 1 tablespoon cilantro mixture to a small bowl and whisk in mayonnaise, lime juice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; set aside sauce. Reserve remaining cilantro mixture separately. 2. Combine chili powder and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Pat cod dry with paper towels and sprinkle all over with salt mixture. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place cod in skillet and cook until well browned on the first side, about 2 minutes. Using 2 spatulas, carefully transfer cod to plate, browned side up. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. 3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the nowempty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add poblanos and 1/8 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in rice, scallion whites, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until edges of rice are translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth, remaining cilantro mixture, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes. 4. Carefully place cod browned side up on top of rice mixture. Cover skillet and cook until remaining liquid is absorbed and cod flakes apart when gently prodded with a paring knife and registers 135 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. Off heat, drizzle cod with sauce and sprinkle with scallion greens. Serve with lime wedges. One-Pan Cod and Green Rice For a light dinner with the convenience of a one-pan meal, we paired a Mexican staple (green rice) with fresh, flaky fish. The trick to perfectly cooked fish and rice all in the same dish? Staggered cooking. To start, we pureed cilantro, spinach, and a jalapeno in a blender to form a bright, piquant base for cooking the rice. Then we sprinkled the otherwise pale fish with chili powder and salt to give the fish an appealing hue and a boost of flavor. We then sauteed poblano, scallion whites, and garlic to increase flavor, followed by the rice. Toasting the rice in the skillet for about 2 minutes helped add another layer of flavor. To give the rice a head start, parcook it in a combination of broth and the cilantro mixture. After 10 minutes, lay golden-brown cod pieces on top of the rice and covered the pan to ensure that both the fish and the rice finished cooking at the same time. Mayonnaise, along with a little of the reserved cilantro mixture, lime juice, and a pinch of salt, created a simple sauce that was not only delicious but also brought the dish together. For a fresh finish, we sprinkled scallion greens on top. Q: Is avocado oil a healthy oil to use? A: Avocado oil is a heart-healthy oil, high in oleic acid, which is an unsaturated fat. It contains vitamin E and helps the body absorb other fat-soluble vitamins (A, D and K). In addition, avocado oil is an excellent source of lutein, which is a carotenoid. It's similar to olive oil in terms of use and nutritional value. Don't be put off that it's green in color; that's because cold-pressed avocado oil is unrefined and retains some of the flavor and color of the fruit. Like other fats, although they are healthy because they are unsaturated, they pack a few calories. All fats have 9 calories per gram. One tablespoon of avocado oil has 14 grams of fat and 124 calories. 4SR040424 S

16 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 F T c B c t B b l S G “ H p l w T g v c t c r C J E F c f f T b e A d b E r n R n o f w T a r e b T SMART READER March 21, 2024 16 Pandemic-era response to disruptions in college admissions is coming to an end at some of the most highly selective colleges in the United States. Standardized testing largely became optional for admittance for first-year students in fall 2021. It remains that way at a majority of institutions issuing four-year degrees. Earlier this month, Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, became the latest to reinstate a testing requirement. And soon it will no longer be optional at schools such as Yale, Dartmouth, Georgetown, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Some think it’s a sign of what’s to come. In late February, Yale University announced that, to be admitted starting in fall 2025, students will have to submit some form of standardized test results. They can choose from traditional SAT or ACT scores, or subject-based scores from Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate tests. The university says this decision came after a few years of test-optional admissions had been shown to hurt low-income students who withheld test scores. Also in February, Dartmouth College announced a return to s t a n d a r d i z e d - t e s t admissions requirements after school President Sian Beilock ordered an internal study. Dartmouth found that rejected low-income students who omitted SAT scores but scored in the 1400s would otherwise have been admitted. The school would have taken those scores into account had the students reported them. Q: Why has Yale, for example, taken another look at testing? Jeremiah Quinlan, dean of undergraduate admissions at Yale, says that application reviewers and researchers had placed greater weight on other parts of the application for people who applied without submitting test scores. But reviewers noticed it worked to the disadvantage of some applicants. “We found that applicants without scores from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were less likely to be admitted than others, because they were less likely to have that evidence in other parts of their applications,” says Mr. Quinlan via email. Yale said that it has admitted more than 1,000 applicants who did not submit test scores and that those students have performed relatively well in their coursework. Where it noticed a difference was in grade-point averages, with students who submitted test scores getting better grades than those who did not. Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut, has announced that students will have to submit some form of standardized test scores to be admitted in fall 2025. Q: What happened when schools went test-optional? Highly selective schools at one point experienced a backlash for being sticklers in requiring standardized test scores, as critics noted that those tests favored wealthy students who could afford test preparation classes and tutors to improve their results. Complaints also arose that the tests were culturally biased against students of color and those who didn’t speak English as a first language. In 2020, Cornell became the first in the Ivy League to go test-optional. That same year, amid the pandemic, some 650 schools in America did likewise. A 2021 study of 99 colleges that went testoptional between the 2005- 2006 academic year and 2015-2016 found that this resulted in a 3% to 4% gain in low-income Pell Grant recipients and a 10% to 12% gain in Black, Latino, and Native American students. But the study’s author said there were so few of those students on campuses that the effective change in campus makeup was more like a 1% gain in Pell Grant recipients and a 1% gain in Black, Latino, and Indigenous students. Individual schools, such as the University of Chicago – which went test-optional in 2018 – cited broader gains. It saw 20% more firstgeneration and low-income students the year after it dropped the testing requirement, and rural student admissions spiked 56%. It also saw record classes of Black and Latino students. But dropping the testing requirement came amid a slate of policies designed to diversify enrollment, and the university said the increases could not be attributed solely to dropping the SAT and ACT. In a statement, the College Board, which administers the SAT, said schools requiring the test have done so because research shows that SAT scores are more predictive of college success than are high school grades alone. “A growing body of research confirms that the SAT is a valuable, objective measure useful not just in admissions but in creating data-driven programs to ensure admitted students get the supports they need to graduate,” the organization wrote. Q: If not tests, then what? Erik Loomis is an associate professor of history and the director of graduate studies at the University of Rhode Island, and has written about why standardized testing should return as a metric for admissions. He thinks schools should reinstate standardized testing for equity reasons. “It’s a sad state of affairs because everybody who says that standardized tests reflect racial inequality, I think are actually correct. The problem is that everything that replaces that seems to be even worse,” Dr. Loomis says. One main culprit is the college essay, he adds. Just as well-resourced families have a leg up for SAT or ACT prep, people can also pay others to teach students to write an effective essay. Those less scrupulous sometimes pay others to write college essays, or experienced adults simply write them for their children. “And the people who are just trying to tell their stories, but maybe are coming from a situation in which they are totally brilliant, but they live in Central Falls, Rhode Island, which is an incredibly poor, mostly Colombian and African American town – maybe the grammar is not as good, it’s not as sharp and polished, but that person might be incredibly brilliant,” Dr. Loomis notes. Dr. Loomis says that college admissions committees have realized that people game the system and that a return to tests might be a little less problematic. He also guesses that highly selective schools are trying to head off potential lawsuits from students not being admitted while others are under testoptional policies. Q: What about public universities? While some highly selective schools have reinstituted test requirements, the University of Michigan, a premier public university, announced in February that it was moving to a permanent testoptional policy for 2025. The University of California, including its premier Berkeley and Los Angeles campuses, also has test-free admissions. In that regard, Brown, Dartmouth, and Yale look like outliers. “It’s definitely not a harbinger,” says Bob Schaeffer, director of public education for the National Center for Fair & Open Testing. “There are nearly 2,300 four-year colleges in the U.S., and the fact that a handful have reverted to requiring testing when more than 1,700 are permanently test-optional or test-blind is a minor development.” He says that although a small number of schools have concluded that test scores have some value in the admissions process, in the end the proof will be in the numbers. He will be looking to see if diversity declines or if academic performance changes, he says. Research dating to 1969, when Bowdoin College in Maine became the first school to go testoptional, overwhelmingly points to more applications and stronger applicants in terms of grade-point averages and academic rigor, Mr. Schaeffer says. “You get more diversity of all sorts – race, family income, first-generation, immigrants, etc.” By Ira Porter Why some top colleges are requiring the SAT again Matthew's, he said. "Jesus says, 'I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me,'" he said, adding that is the embodiment of what Woyatan is offering. Movie nights, code blue Pastor Justin Banks has held movie nights at his small church in Provo, Utah, for years, an event designed to temporarily shelter homeless people in frigid weather. Utah County has no zoning for shelters and Banks wanted to help unhoused people. So eight years ago, The Genesis Project, a nondenominational Christian church, began opening its doors twice a week on dangerously cold nights. "I made it a churchsanctioned event," Banks said. "We'd offer a cup of noodles for people who wanted something to eat. Then we watched Netflix all night." When it gets late, the lights are turned down and closed captioning replaces the sound as people sleep on chairs and on the floor. "I want to keep people off the street," Banks said. "I want to keep people alive. If I'm doing a churchsanctioned event, you can't stop me." A new law passed last year by the Utah Legislature has expanded the help that homeless people can get. When the temperature drops to a "code blue" level of 15 degrees or lower, including with the wind chill, homeless shelters can increase their allowable capacity and other entities, including churches, can open warming centers. The First United Methodist Church in downtown Salt Lake City formed a coalition last year with advocacy groups to provide temporary shelter for homeless people and used the movie strategy. The church has hosted 31 movie nights when the temperature dropped to 25 degrees or lower, said Mike Green, chair of the church's Board of Trustees. Guests were fed and could watch a movie and "just happened to stay all night," he said. St. Mark's Cathedral, a block from First United Methodist, has opened as a backup. One night a few weeks ago, when temperatures reached the mid-20s, the two churches housed a total of 95 people. "We're still 'bending the rules,'" Green said. "But the range between 15 and 25 degrees is still freezing and we're saving lives in doing so. The whole point is being able to provide that kind of support so that we don't run into losing lives that don't need to be lost." By Pamela Manson Homeless continued from page 10 S’Heelia Marks instructs students to prepare them for the digital SAT.

0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 17 SMART READER March 21, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 17 books The Swan’s Nest, by Laura McNeal Laura McNeal’s historical novel “The Swan’s Nest” captures the great love between poets Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning. McNeal dramatizes the challenges the two Romantics overcame to forge a life together. Becoming Madam Secretary, by Stephanie Dray Frances Perkins, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s secretary of labor, steps crisply and convincingly from the pages of Stephanie Dray’s novel. As events unfold – including the Great Depression – Perkins practices an ethos of “investigate, agitate, legislate” to effect change. Help Wanted, by Adelle Waldman Adelle Waldman’s novel looks at the hardships faced by part-time workers at a big-box store. Her characters, who long for the stability, benefits, and job security of full-time work, cook up a plan that sparks their hopes and dreams. The Hunter, by Tana French Tana French stretches the tension – and the mystery genre – like taffy in her return to the ethically murky Irish village of Ardnakelty. Retired Chicago cop Cal Hooper has crafted a life with veterinarian Lena and Trey, the teen he teaches carpentry and ethics. Then Trey’s father returns, claiming, “There’s gold in them hills.” Only those who have read “The Searcher” first will fully appreciate the stakes as Cal and Lena work to save Trey. James, by Percival Everett Huck Finn’s sidekick Jim earns pride of place in Percival Everett’s retelling of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Here, he becomes James, a smart, self-educated man confronting a vivid cast of ne’er-do-wells, enslavers, and fellow escapees as he wends north hoping to buy his family’s freedom. The Far Side of the Desert, by Joanne Leedom-Ackerman Alliances – familial, situational, political – gird this engrossing thriller from novelist Joanne LeedomAckerman. U.S. foreign service officer Monte disappears during a visit to Spain; the search to find her, spearheaded by older sister Samantha, ricochets from Morocco and Egypt to Washington. Monte’s captivity is brutal, but there’s resilience, too, as both sisters slay old demons and chart new paths. Reading Genesis, by Marilynne Robinson Marilynne Robinson, author of the 2005 Pulitzer-winning novel “Gilead,” offers her idiosyncratic reading of the Book of Genesis. By not taking any of the familiar Bible stories at face value, she makes a case for God’s enduring covenant with creation. The Making of a Leader, by Josiah Bunting III Rather than focusing on George C. Marshall’s military accomplishments during World War II and, later, his role in rebuilding postwar Europe, historian Josiah Bunting III examines Marshall’s early years. His insightful, admiring biography illuminates Marshall’s leadership qualities. Local author B.C. Taylor talks all things fantasy and her young adult book series Born and raised Wisconsinite author B.C. Taylor is best known for her young adult fantasy series Hayden Black and the Salem Witch Trials. This four-book series (with one more coming soon) follows the story of a young witch destined to protect the world from evil, once she learns to master all five elements: air, fire, water, earth, and Spirit. B.C. Taylor’s interest in witches and magic came to her at a young age, and her love for reading and world mythology has stayed true into adulthood. Here, in an exclusive interview to answer some more questions about the series is the author herself. Q: This series is targeted towards a younger aged audience, what are some of the challenges you found writing for that age group? What are some of the advantages or perks? A: I would say the biggest challenge is finding a way to approach the dark and heavy subjects while keeping the story age appropriate. My character experiences a lot of loss throughout the series and she has to cope with that, which is something I hope kids can relate to and learn from as they start to face challenges in their own lives. I would say the main advantage is that I get to be a kid again and have this wholesome mindset as I write a lot of the books. Kids get to grow up alongside these characters and learn empathy, which I feel is invaluable for raising a generation of loving and kind kids. Q: There are so many young adult fantasy series out there nowadays, did you take any inspiration from another series you enjoy? Did this make it more challenging to come up with something new and unique for each book? A: Harry Potter and Percy Jackson were both huge inspirations of mine, but I draw inspiration from anywhere I can even though I feel I’ve created this very unique character and world. A lot of young adult fantasy books have strong heroines, but Hayden is a little different and has a lot of personality flaws that I feel are more relatable to an audience. Hayden’s story is about fighting to save the world, so the cliché romances and character points most YA characters follow don’t apply to this story and is why I didn’t really struggle with creating something new. Q: Assigning the perfect name for your main character that not only matches their personality but also sticks with the reader has got to be a difficult task, what is the reasoning behind choosing the name Hayden Black and was there any other name ideas you bounced around for her? A: I started thinking of this character back in the fall of 2019 and I bounced around some ideas but none of them fit. I wanted my character to have a bit of my personality but be way cooler than me too, so the name had to match all her personality characteristics. Years before I even started writing the series my great uncle did research into our family’s genealogy, and as I was looking through that research I found one of our surnames was Hayden. I thought that was a great way to tie myself into this character and I just liked that the name was unisex. The last name took a little longer to figure out, but I knew I wanted the character to have this captivating look with black hair and blue eyes and wears all black. And one day it hit me in the shower that Black was the perfect last name. Q: I read that you were working full-time and getting your master’s degree while writing this series, what kept you motivated and disciplined to write while juggling everything else? What are some of your writing rituals? A: I am still getting my master’s degree and I graduate this May, but it hasn’t been easy. I’ve been blessed that my parents have really helped me out and supported me throughout this whole process, I wouldn’t have met all my deadlines without them. But I feel like the fact that I am so busy keeps me motivated, because after working all day and doing schoolwork I stay in the mindset of wanting to continue doing things I am passionate about, which is writing. I always do my writing at night during the week, some The 10 best new books story continues on page 17 story continues on next page PRINT & E-BOOKS NONFICTION PRINT & E-BOOKS FICTION 1. The Women (Hannah) 2. The #1 Lawyer (Patterson/Allen) 3. Fourth Wing (Yarros) 4. Iron Flame (Yarros) 5. James (Everett) 6. The Teacher (McFadden) 7. A Court of Silver Flames (Maas) 8. The Housemaid (McFadden) 9. Happy Place (Henry) 10. Icebreaker (Grace) 1. Get It Together (Watters) 2. I’m Glad My Mom Died (McCurdy) 3. The Wager (Grann) 4. The Body Keeps the Score (van der Kolk) 5. Killers of the Flower Moon (Grann) 6. Outlive (Attia/Gifford) 7. Barbie: The World Tour (Robbie/Mukamal) 8. Blood Money (Schweizer) 9. Bad Therapy (Shrier) 10. Burn Book (Swisher) NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLERS B.C. Taylor joins Happenings Q&A on Mon. April 15th at 10 am on AM1050 WLIP 6

18 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 F t u h d it U k A th h b d im o s p e y ti t "tc b A o M c g r p RE PL FO 3 L M Su Ke 30 Fo 26 G CO - sp tic an Th an ar wi Ra gr Ge sk ad tim ar Su Bl LI ha 4:0pr 7:09t SMART READER March 21, 2024 18 The past, and how its tentacles can reach into the future, lies at the heart of many a mystery. In five new works, past secrets propel present crimes, threatening the new lives that protagonists are fighting hard to create. One of my rules as a reader: If a character is going to mutter darkly for chapters on end about the Big Secret in their past, it needs to pay off. As far as I’m concerned, the form reached its apotheosis in Stella Gibbons’ classic satire “Cold Comfort Farm,” with the immortal cry, “I saw something nasty in the woodshed!” I am pleased to report that the writers here all understand the stakes. Deceit in an Irish village Tana French uses the temperatures of a scorching heat wave to stretch the tension – and mystery genre conventions – like taffy in The Hunter, her follow-up to “The Searcher.” Both novels are inextricably woven together, and it is impossible to review the second without referring to the events in the first.! “The Hunter” is an unrepentedly slow burn. As the folksy charm of multiple characters wears thin, the novel exposes layers of malevolence and deceit. The full emotional impact of her latest novel comes from readers having already learned to care about the characters in the first. And why deny yourself the pleasure of French at her best? Secrets, some classified There may be people who can resist sisters whose motto comes from Don Marquis’ Archy and Mehitabel, but I am not one of them. “Toujours gai, Archie!” Penny and Josephine Williamson advise their beloved nephew in The Excitements by CJ Wray. Learning to remain stalwartly happy amid a downpour of sorrows is an acquired skill that they strive to teach Archie, along with fly-fishing, camping, and the vanished martial art of Defendu. Now in their 90s, the World War II veterans are headed to France, with Archie in tow, to receive the Legion of Honor medal. Preordained murder As readers of British cozy mysteries know, a village fete is never a safe place to let down your guard. In How To Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin, a fortuneteller predicts teenager Frances Adams’ murder: “Your future contains dry bones,” the inauspicious reading begins. Frances spends the rest of her life trying to forestall that event – only to be found dead in her study after summoning her grandniece Annie to hear her will. Frances kept decades of research in the form of files and journals, and Annie, a would-be mystery writer, feels that she has the tools to put the clues together. The plot has a nice sense of propulsion, the mystery definitely captures interest, and Perrin is a smooth writer. But the past and the present never fully come together – the generoushearted teen morphing into a paranoid lady-of-themanor occurs mostly off the page. And Annie, a friendly presence but hapless sleuth, commits one of the genre’s chief blunders: confronting a potential murderer by herself. Unless your greataunts have trained you in the World War II art of Defendu, please leave this to the professionals. By Yvonne Zipp New mysteries plumb the past for clues to the present Local author Aaron Hunter introduces the first book of his new children’s series Bruce and Angela are two young friends who discovered, through the power of magical postcards sent by Uncle Chuck, they can travel around the world. In the first book of the new children series Tales of The Magical Postcards, the two go on an exciting adventure in Germany where they learn all about its culture and celebrations. This 2024 Golden Wizard Book Prize winning series was created and written by Kenoshanborn author Aaron Hunter. Here, in an exclusive interview to tell us more about the series is Aaron himself. Q: What was the collaborative process between you and the illustrator, Victoria Mikki, for this book? Did you already have an idea of how you wanted everything to look, or did she take the creative liberty to bring your words to life? A: When I first found Victoria, she had never been to Germany before but she really liked the writing and the story, so I sent over pictures of every place in this book and let her do her own research as well. Since every region in Germany looks a little different, it was important for us to get the color schemes and people right and I was happily surprised by how quickly she picked up on the look for each page. Working with her has been wonderful and she’s definitely made my first children’s book experience incredibly enjoyable. Q: When writing this first book, how did you pick and choose which places or events to include over others in Germany? Were there any cuts that had to be made or was it pretty solidified from the beginning? A: As I mentioned before this is my first time writing a book, so it took me about a year to perfect exactly what I wanted to say and include. Throughout that yearly process, I interviewed a few of my German friends and a lot of their childhood memories focused on Christmas time, so in the beginning most of my scenes were set during those celebrations. But as the process went on, I wanted the book to be well-rounded, so I ended up cutting a lot of those scenes to be inclusive to a wider range of German readers. Q: Clearly Uncle Chuck plays a big role in this book; Who is Uncle Chuck and how did your relationship with him in real life inspire the creation of this series? Has this series been in the works for a long time? A: Uncle Chuck is my real uncle and he’s pretty happy about being the inspiration behind this. When my sister and I were little Uncle Chuck was an officer in the US Navy and because of that spent a lot of time traveling the world. At every new place he visited he would send us a postcard, and then once he got home would teach us about each place and its culture. At the time it may not have completely registered to me, but it was my first introduction to the world, so it at least stuck with me. One day, after becoming unemployed, I was sitting on a train leaving Frankfurt and started thinking about what was next for me. I knew I loved traveling and experiencing other cultures, so I decided to write this story about my uncle to spark the curiosity of learning about the world in children as it once did for me. Q: Are there any limitations or disadvantages of writing children’s literature? A: As an independent author, marketing the story is just as important as writing it and I had never done any sort of marketing before, especially for children’s literature. So, I think learning how to restrategize my approach to getting my book noticed and available in as many countries as possible was the most challenging thing for me. Everything about children’s literature was new for me and I got a lot of help from friends around the world during every new stage. A couple of my friends and I hiked up Machu Picchu and our guides constantly said, “the journey is the destination,” and that was something I tried to remind myself throughout this entire process. Q: What’s to come next for this series? A: Just recently I launched a children’s YouTube channel called Beyond the Book that covers everything I wasn’t able to about Germany, because it’s impossible to fit it all in one book. I’m also starting an “exploring the author” YouTube channel which will follow me around as I explore castles and different places I’ll be writing the second book from. So, I will say I am currently writing the second book in the series right now, but the location is yet to be announced. By Elaina Myers 10 best new books Women Behind the Wheel, by Nancy A. Nichols Journalist Nancy A. Nichols offers a spirited exploration of the effects of the automobile on American women. She documents the ways driving has both expanded women’s freedoms and, citing midcentury isolation in the suburbs, limited their opportunities. H Is for Hope, by Elizabeth Kolbert New Yorker science writer Elizabeth Kolbert’s trenchant essays on climate change are combined with haunting illustrations by Wesley Allsbrook into a graphic nonfiction alphabet. It’s an urgent, innovative book. continued from previous page days are dedicated to the business side of publishing other days I will do creative things for my social media, but I always try to do something related to the craft. Writer’s block has been something I’ve experienced so being able to focus my energy on other things is helpful. My weekends though are dedicated to sitting down and writing as much as I can in a day. Q: There are currently 4 completed books in the series with one more coming soon, how do you continue to find ideas and inspiration to keep the story going? Can you tell us a little about your upcoming book in the series? A: As a writer, I really draw on three things: experience, empathy, and imagination. I draw a lot of inspiration from my own life and lessons I’ve learned from major life events, and then the rest is filled in by the empathy and imagination. I haven’t experienced everything life has to offer, but reading and storytelling are things I’ve always loved and keep me motivated to keep going. Book five will be the last book of the series released on July 7th of this year. The major theme of this last book will be sacrifice, which is a culmination of all the other books and trials Hayden has been through. There will be a final battle between good and evil with tons of magic, and I am just so excited for it to come out! By Elaina Myers Author B.C. Taylor continued from previous page Aaron Hunter joins Happenings Q&A on Mon. April 15th at 10 am on AM1050 WLIP

0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 19 SMART READER March 21, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 19 The price of beef is up, the result of Americans' urge to consume hamburgers, steaks and hot dogs, among other food items, and a reduction in U.S. supply. And prices could keep rising. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported earlier this month that cattle prices have become higher because of firm demand, despite the country importing 1.2 billion pounds of beef from international sources. The USDA report predicted beef exports are expected to be down 8.3% year over year due to tightening cattle supplies in the United States and "tougher global competition" from such beef exporting countries as Australia. Dana Ehrlich, the founder of Verde Farms in Woburn, Mass., a provider of USDA certified organic, 100% grass-fed and 100% freerange beef, said U.S. beef prices have risen because of a smaller U.S. cattle supply, largely driven by drought over the past couple of years. "As supply has reduced and demand has remained strong, prices have risen at the wholesale and retail level. Import levels have risen to backfill the lack of U.S. beef supply, which helps to moderate the price inflation," he said. Ehrlich, who also serves as the vice chair of the Meat Importers Council of America and a board member of the Meat Institute, said U.S. consumers have a "strong affinity for beef, which continues to maintain very strong demand despite the higher prices." Gabriel LLaurado, a restaurant owner in Florida told UPI that higher prices result from supply-anddemand economics. LLaurado, the co-founder of online butcher Meat N' Bone, based in Miami, and runs a catering service and a casual steakhouse, The Wagyu Bar, which specializes in certified Wagyu beef products. Wagyu is a Japanese beef cattle brand, which is said to be pinker and more delicate and resistant to drying out if cooked for long periods. "We're looking at a dip in beef production this year, down by 6.5% from 2023," Llaurado said. "This means we'll have the lowest beef availability in the U.S. since way back in 1970. Ranchers, like the cow-calf producers, aren't expanding their herds despite higher cattle prices." LLaurado said rising costs to run a ranch, high interest rates and drought conditions haven't helped shrinking cattle availability, either. "And let's not forget about feed prices staying sky-high since 2022 and a significant drop in hay production," he said. Customers looking for choice beef -- an item LLaurado calls the "heartbeat of U.S. beef prices" -- could be the most affected because of prices in supermarkets, where the more wallet-friendly beef is getting pricier. "We steer clear of broadline sources and instead team up with smaller farmers in highquality programs," he said. "This move means inflation hasn't hit us as hard. "The twist in the tale? We're now more competitively priced than some local grocery spots, even with our top-notch quality. It's a curious twist, no doubt, but it's turning out to be a sweet deal for our business." Omaha Steaks President and CEO Nate Rempe told UPI that the company has seen business jump 52% since 2019, and although he's seen headlines reporting a "crisis," that's the not the case. While the next couples of years might be tough in the cattle cycle, he said, there "signs of life to provide a light at the end of the tunnel." Rempe said while domestic beef production is expected to decrease about 3% compared to 2023 -- the lowest level since 2017 -- the country will still produce 26 billion pounds of beef in 2024. "Rising meat prices are often most noticeable at your local grocery store and restaurants, which typically have quicker reactions to supply chain price increases they pass on to their customers." Distributors more dependent on imported meats can often see prices rise due to transit costs. "The big question is, what will it cost the consumer to buy that beef? Due to factors like higher labor and other input costs, we expect beef prices across the industry will rise higher in 2024 and 2025 than we've seen the last few years," he said. By Dana Forsythe Meat prices keep rising as herds shrink, cost to feed cows increases REMINDER: PLEASE RESUBMIT AD TO RUN FOR EACH ISSUE. Maximum 3 Listings Per Person. MISC MODEL TRAIN SWAP Meet. Sunday, March 10, 9am To 1pm. Kenosha Union Club, 3030 39th Avenue, Kenosha, WI. 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 ENTIRE CONTENTS OF HOME will be sold. Call or text to see if I have what you are looking for. I will give a price. 262-902-5663 Selling Old Magazines! Many titles from the 1930's-1950's. Most in good condition. All subjects! Call Kent at 262-960-0621 or <[email protected]>, the more you buy, the better the deal! Cemetery Plots for sale in Sunset Ridge Memorial Park in Kenosha. Located in Garden of Last Supper, section H, $1000 or OBO. Please contact Mayva at 262-818-1499 HAMILTON MANTEL CLOCK Make an offer on this gem. Ask questions. Call or text 808-359-8474 WINTER SPORTS: Women's Edelweis ski pants $25; Women's ski pants $60; Women's Salomon SX52 Lady ski boots $235; Women's ELAN 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 CHILDREN'S VINTAGE ITEMS: 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. Two Bicycles, Schwinn $100 OBO and Autobike by CSA, 6-speed $175 OBO Call 262-654-6485 Please leave message Original $15 Rockwell Plates $10 each Air Fryer, new $50 Call 262-771-8764 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 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. 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 6 - 6 5 8 - 4 4 8 4 . VEHICLES0 1940 Ford pick-up (red) Street ride V8 automatic Ready to drive and add to your car perfect collection. 65K 262-620-8230 2011 FORD F150 143K MILES SEE IN KENOSHA AT 4121-7TH. AVE. 53140 RUSS 262-237-1343 CALL OR TEXT. NEWER TIRES AND BRAKES. READY TO DRIVE ANYWHERE $7950 NICE TRUCK 2008 HONDA CRV One Owner Well Maintained See In Kenosha At 4121-7th Ave. 53140 Russ 262-237-1343 Call Or Text Very Nice Car $5750 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 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. 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. CLASSIFIED DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2024 AT 12 NOON FREE CLASSIFIEDS! 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20 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 SMART READER March 21, 2024 20 F health lifestyle community Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center news April 4, 2024 Your Kenosha ADRC Update Who will speak for you if you can’t? Free event to be held April 16 The public is invited to a celebration of National Healthcare Decisions Day from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 16 at the Kenosha County Job Center, 8600 Sheridan Road. National Healthcare Decisions Day is an opportunity for Americans to make their future healthcare decisions known to family, friends, and healthcare providers, through the establishment of advance directives, such as a living will or a power of attorney for healthcare. Unlike some states, Wisconsin is not a next-of-kin state, which means your closest family members do not automatically have the right to make health care decisions for you, should you become unable to do so, said Rita Hagen, Executive Director of Hospice Alliance, and a member of the Kenosha County Cares Transition Coalition. An advance directive is a legal document that affords you the opportunity to write your wishes on down so others know and understand what is important to you. It also allows you to choose the person you feel would be best at making decisions that are best aligned with your values and wishes. Therefore, it’s important to be proactive and plan as early as age 18.   “An Advance Directive helps ensure good quality of life and endof-life care,” Hagen said. “It eliminates confusion and conflict, giving peace of mind and reducing stress.” The April 26 event will include a panel of community members and leaders who will share what completing an advance directive means to them. This year’s panel is a reminder that advance directives are important for all adults, from all walks of life. The group includes: Alex Peach, piercing artist; Grace Chapa, Miss Kenosha 2024; Ginger Van Allen, Kenosha Pride Director of Entertainment; and Allison Chieves, RN, with Froedtert South ICU. “Completing an Advance Directive gives our patients and their families a peace of mind,” shared Jaymie L. Laurent, Senior Director of Social Services, Patient Relations, and Spiritual Care, with Froedtert South.  “It answers specific questions regarding health care and guides the health care team on the delivery of care to be carried out.”  The event is sponsored by the Kenosha County Care Transitions Coalition, which includes. Advocate Aurora Health, Brookside Care Center, Community Care, Inc., Crossroads Care Center, CVS Aetna, The Manor of Kenosha, Froedtert South, Good Value Pharmacy, Hospice Alliance, Kenosha Area Family and Aging Services, Kenosha Community Health Center, Kenosha County Division of Aging, Disability & Behavioral Health Services, Kenosha Visiting Nurse Association, My Choice Wisconsin, Right at Home, Superior Health Quality Alliance, and The Bay at Sheridan. The event will be held in Room N2 at the Job Center. Guests are encouraged to use Entrance A on the north side of the building. Registration to the event is encouraged. To register or for additional information, please call the Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center at 262- 605-6646. Be a Volunteer Guardian! Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity? You could be a Volunteer Guardian! The Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center provides training for community members to advocate in health, welfare and/or financial issues for vulnerable adults. Volunteers are then court appointed as the legal decision maker. The program provides training, support and on-going assistance for the volunteer guardian to successfully and capably perform their responsibilities. In as little as one hour each month, you can positively impact the quality of life of an at-risk adult. For more information or to apply, call the ADRC at 262-605-6646.

200FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 21 SMART READER March 21, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 21

22 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 F f t wwaf t ayt af awaaaawf aawaSMART READER March 21, 2024 22 Caring for an adult family member or friend? Family Caregiver Support Group Meets in-person and virtually 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. 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. 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 Margaret Ricchio, ADRC Caregiver Support Specialist. The next meeting will be Thursday, May 2, 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. Memory Screen Mondays The Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) offers free, confidential memory screens every Monday, 8 a.m. - noon. Memory screens are suggested for anyone concerned about memory changes, at risk of Alzheimer’s disease due to family history, or who wants to check their memory now for future comparison. Some memory problems can be readily treated, such as those caused by vitamin deficiencies or thyroid problems. In general, the earlier the diagnosis, the easier it is to treat memory loss. Memory screening can: • Provide relief for individuals concerned about normal memory loss • Lead to diagnosis of treatable conditions • Offer the ability to make lifestyle changes early when they have the greatest potential for positive effect and the opportunity to participate in making future decisions Warning signs of dementia include forgetting people’s names and events, asking repetitive questions, loss of verbal or written skills, confusion over daily routines, and personality changes. Screening results are not a diagnosis, and individuals who have concerns are encouraged to pursue a full medical exam. Appointments are recommended. Interested persons may call the ADRC at 262-605-6646 to make an appointment. Going on Medicare? Learn about the decisions you’ll need to make The Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) offers no-cost, unbiased, Medicare workshops for those new to Medicare, or who want to learn more. Trained benefit specialists will be available to answer your questions and discuss the decisions you’ll need to make, including the basics of Medicare coverage, options for private health and drug coverage, and public benefits that can help with health care costs. Sign up for a workshop 3-4 months before your Medicare starts, if possible. UPCOMING MEDICARE 2024 WORKSHOPS: Twin Lakes Community Library, 110 S Lake Ave., Twin Lakes Thursday, April 25, 10 a.m. – noon Kenosha County Job Center, 8600 Sheridan Road, Entrance A, Room N2 Tuesday, May 21, 10 a.m. – noon Tuesday, June 25, 2 – 4 p.m. Thursday, July 25, 10 a.m. – noon Tuesday, August 20, 10 a.m. - noon Due to limited seating, reservations are required. Call the ADRC at 262-605-6646 to make a reservation or to learn more. Reduce Your Falls Risk with Stepping On Free, six-week course to begin May 9 Wisconsin is ranked #1 in the nation for falls that lead to death among older adults. More than 95% of hip fractures are caused by falling. Kenosha County wants to change those statistics with Stepping On! Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center is hosting a Stepping On course beginning on Thursday, May 9. Stepping On is a free, six-week educational series, to help reduce falls in older adults. In Stepping On, you’ll learn how to build and maintain the physical strength and balance you need to walk confidently. From footwear to prescriptions, you'll learn what increases your risk of a fall, how to avoid it,  and make an individualized action plan to stay on your feet and living life the way you want. The in-person sessions will be held at Library Terrace Apartments, 7905 36th Ave., Kenosha, on Thursdays, May 9 – June 20, 2 – 4 p.m. Registration is required by Thursday, May 2. For questions or to register call the ADRC at 262-605-6646. 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] Your Kenosha ADRC Update

0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 23 SMART READER March 21, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 23 Dear Amy: I retired from a very stressful job three years ago. I usually worked 50 to 60 hours a week. My wife was able to quit work about 25 years ago, staying home to finish raising our son. She is amazing, and though we have been able to afford outside help, she took care of the house and cooked most of our meals. We shared yard work about 50/50, but she ended up doing more because gardening became an almost fulltime hobby for her – she is a master gardener. When we had water leaks in the house, she learned how to repair and redo a lot of damaged sheetrock. She took care of the family bills and almost everything that needed doing in our life. She did not seem stressed, but I know she worked hard. Since retirement I have picked up a few duties around the house, but my wife probably still does about 60 percent inside and 75 percent outside. We both have hobbies and friends. I have suggested we downsize from our rather large house and large yard, but she does not want to. I suggested hiring cleaning help years ago (even before I retired), but she does not want that. She does not complain often about my limited contributions but when she does, she cannot understand why I don't find yard work as fulfilling as she does. I am not bitter at all about our arrangement, but now I want to enjoy my retirement. We're in our late 60s and have the time and energy now to enjoy our life. If I want to avoid working around the house 25 to 30 hours a week, am I in the wrong? Again, she won't accept outside help or downsizing, both of which I am for. – Probably Lazy Dear Probably Lazy: This phase of your life is called “retirement,” and if you want to spend less time planting the roses and more time smelling them, you should! Your wife should also spend this phase of life doing what she wants to do. For gardeners, time spent in the garden is “… like a beach” (to paraphrase Emily Dickinson). What looks like work to you might be a great joy for her. You and your wife should have a formal sitdown meeting where you mutually agree to assess where you are and discuss where you are headed. This should be the first in many conversations about your future. You left your office when you retired, but when your life’s work is maintaining a household and garden, you are always surrounded by a never-ending chore list. What does retirement look like for a hypercompetent drywallhanging worker-bee? Ask your wife! (Should you take on a regular chore, like bill paying?) Many house-proud people resist outside help. Would she be willing to hire someone to handle the mowing (or house cleaning) for a month to see how it goes? Dear Amy: I live four hours from my elderly widowed mother.  I will be in her area for a week very soon doing some work, and I plan to take her for brunch on the Sunday that I am there. She does not drive. Making the arrangements, she managed to slide in, "I thought you might like to go to church with me."  Meaning: "I want you to take me to church before brunch.” Even though I don't disagree with the church’s teachings, I just don't want to go. My mother essentially would not take no for an answer. I felt so pressured that finally I lied and said I had a meeting early that afternoon. I feel manipulated. I would likely have accepted her request with a kinder attitude if she didn't have a history of doing this. The incident that stays in my mind is when my husband and I invited her out to dinner for her birthday. We were planning to make the four-hour trip to take her out. The day before, I found out from someone else that she had, behind my back, invited my estranged sister and her husband.  We ended up staying home. Now I can't seem to get past the idea of her tricking and manipulating me. I'm probably angrier than I need to be. I also have a sense of guilt about the whole thing. Do you have any advice? Should I cave in and take her to church? If I'm being hard-hearted, please tell me. – Tricked In Illinois Dear Tricked: Your mother pushes your buttons because of her history of being manipulative, at least when it comes to you. However, sometimes an elderly woman just wants to go to church, and she will resort to being sneaky in order to get there. (Don’t you remember what it was like to be a teen without a car, and that feeling of always having to shag rides?) Unfortunately, you have a knee-jerk reaction to your mother; this likely goes way back in your shared history. But – I repeat – sometimes an elderly woman just wants to go to church. Yes, you are angrier than you need to be, but you are on high-alert and have over-compensated. (By the way, your lie to get out of this is also sneaky.) Yes, you should cave and take her to church. You can get her seated and sit in your car or the fellowship hall until the service has ended. You should also investigate any programs the church might have to give rides to elders. Having this social lifeline might cause your mother to be less sneaky on Sundays. After church, you should do your best to speak with your mother very honestly about what happened on her birthday. Use “I statements” and be polite, frank and authentic regarding how this made you feel. Dear Amy: My husband and I have been married for 10 years. We both have adult children from previous marriages. My husband isn’t as close with his children as I am with mine. My children and I have always spent a lot of time together and we connect through text or phone calls almost daily. My husband believes this is excessive. He doesn’t see or keep in touch with his children that way. I try to explain to him that my children grew up in a close family, and we remain close. I think we should be glad that they like us and want to spend time with us. I have recently retired. My husband is still working. He travels out of town about twice a month. When he goes out of town, I take the opportunity to see my children. This upsets my husband. He says, “Why do you always have to go somewhere or do something when I go out of town? Why can’t you just stay home?” When I asked why this bothers him, he claimed that it was because “it costs money.” We are not struggling financially, my kids always pay their own way, and most of the time I’m just spending time with them in their homes. I’m not doing anything wrong. It’s not like I am going out to bars. I am always back home no later than 9 p.m. and I always keep in touch with my husband while I’m out. I finally told him that this is his problem, and he needs to get over it because I am not doing anything wrong. Well, it just happened again. Am I missing something? – At a Loss Dear At a Loss: It’s one thing for your husband to try to limit your time with your children when he is around, but his desire to also control who you see when he is away is completely ridiculous, over the top, and – concerning. Your husband’s perspective might be that he would like for the two of you to spend more of your “together-time” socializing with people who are closer to your own age and stage in life. If so, then he should work harder to develop these friendships. And unless your daily phone and texting contact with your children is obsessive, damaging, or taking your attention away from your own work, hobbies, friendships, or unduly interfering with your marriage, then it is simply not his business. Close and intimate marriages thrive when spouses place the marriage at the center of their lives, but it’s a simple fact that your relationship with your children is longer standing, lifelong and unique. One way for your husband to honor his marriage to you would be for him to love and respect the kind of parent you are. Because this is an ongoing issue, you would both benefit from talking it out with the aid of a counselor. ask amy Retired man wants to smell, not plant, the roses 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 22 r n d y n . t y t l a e r a t s l o s s a n s u n a r y e r r t r a o l

24 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 FSR040424 S E d c SMART READER March 21, 2024 24 In my 32 years of experience working for the Social Security Administration and the 27 years I've been writing this column, one of the more common complaints I've heard from people goes something like this: "I don't think I am getting the right Social Security benefit amount. It's less than it should be." Or like this: "Based on what all my friends are getting, I am sure they figured my benefits incorrectly and they are not paying me enough." Or sometimes something very blunt like this: "The government is cheating me out of my hard-earned Social Security!" And here is something interesting: Not once in the past five decades have I heard something like this: "I think Social Security is paying me too much money!" I guess that's just human nature. People tend to expect the worst (especially when it comes to government services) and/or they believe they are being cheated out of something that everyone else is getting. Lots of times, this phenomenon is the result of when senior citizens start talking and comparing government benefit amounts. The people getting less than their friends and neighbors inevitably feel as if they have been left holding the short end of the Social Security stick. What they don't understand is that there are literally dozens of variables that determine the amount of a Social Security check: things like your date of birth, your earnings history, your age when you filed for benefits, any early retirement reductions incurred or any late retirement bonuses earned. And when spousal or widow(er)s benefits are involved, then all those same variables for the husband or wife on whose record benefits are claimed come into play. People just don't realize it is a combination all those variables that affect the amount of a Social Security check. Instead, they tend to believe their check is wrong because someone at the Social Security Administration messed things up. Readers who follow this column know that I have often been critical of incorrect information sometimes given by employees of the SSA and of some of the services provided by the organization as a whole. But I can tell you there is one thing they are very good at: The SSA is very careful and very accurate about calculating Social Security benefits. And I must point out here that almost all calculations are NOT done by pencil-pushing bureaucrats sitting at their desks with a calculator or adding machine. Instead, those calculations are done by the SSA's huge, powerful and very reliable central computing systems. And there have been countless studies done by Congress and other oversight agencies concerning the accuracy of Social Security payments. And the studies show that the SSA pays the right benefit amount something like 99% of the time. I should clarify that I am talking about the accuracy of the initial calculation of a person's basic Social Security benefit amount. People getting ongoing Social Security checks can be paid incorrectly from time to time. But that's usually because the SSA has faulty information. For example, a beneficiary who is under full retirement age and working and making more than the earnings penalty limit fails to inform the government of his or her income, resulting in benefits being paid that were not due. Those kinds of "overpayments" are not uncommon. But the person's basic Social Security benefit amount is still accurate. Here are some examples of questions I've gotten recently from people who think they are being paid incorrectly. Q: I am getting $2,200 per month in widow's benefits. I have a friend at church who gets $2,550 in widow's benefits. Our husband's worked side by side in the same business. So why am I getting $300 less than her? A: Earlier in this column, I mentioned all the variables that come into play in a benefit computation. I'm sure you and your friend and your respective husbands all had different dates of birth. And maybe this lady's husband made just a little more than your husband. Or maybe he waited a little longer before he filed for his benefits before he died? Or maybe you took benefits sooner than she did? Q: I started getting retirement benefits in 2000. And I've always been convinced I'm getting less than I should. This has been bothering me for 24 years! Can I go to my Social Security office now and complain about this? A: Well, I suppose you could. But nothing is going to happen. The time to question a benefit amount is when those benefits start. Back in 2000, you received an "award letter" when your Social Security checks started rolling in. That letter gave you appeal rights. It would have said you have 60 days to ask for a review of your benefit computation. So that was the time to question your benefit rate -- not almost a quarter-century later. Q: I, and all other Social Security beneficiaries, are being cheated out of benefits because I recently learned that all benefits are rounded down. How did this injustice come about? A: For decades, Social Security benefits were always rounded up. But back in the 1980s, a conservative Congress was looking for ways to trim government expenditures in general and Social Security benefits in particular. One of the little gimmicks they came up with was to round down to the nearest dollar all Social Security benefit calculations. So individual Social Security recipients lose a few nickels or dimes every month. But because Social Security is so huge (one-fourth of the entire federal budget), it save billions for the taxpayers. Q: Millions of teachers like me around this country are being cheated by offsets applied to their Social Security benefits. Please explain this travesty! A: You are not being cheated out of anything. I've explained the fairness of those offsets hundreds of times in this column over the years. If you want to understand what's going on, I have an entire chapter devoted to this topic in my book, "Social Security -- Simple And Smart." social security You Are Being Paid Properly 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 a r t r , – t f ” r . y g r , r r , y r y f a r r r r f g a

0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 25 SMART READER March 21, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 25 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 Senior Citizens Receive a 10% DISCOUNT SR121720 2324 18th Street (262)455-0989 aplusmobilitysolutions.com SR040424 Spring into action with our Mobility Scooter Sale! Explore our fantastic deals and hit the road with confidence. Don't miss out - hop on your new ride today! SR 040424 24 r y g s y s w e e t a s o t y r. e p t s r t s f s s s g s e g . e s s f , e