“So glad we preplanned, all I had to do was make a phone call. Everyone should do this.” -Jeff S. “So glad we preplanned, all I had to do was make a phone call. Everyone should do this.” -Jeff S. Visit us at 3016 75th St. Kenosha 010424 Your Eye On Kenosha... Both City & County! Volume 22 - #3 February 22, 2024 WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS ARE ALL THE RAGE... BUT ARE THEY SAFE?
SR022224 F p d o b f m p t A s t a p d a p H h c o p c a O D M c c o H p t a w k a d a c o l o R p a c Z i t e h t Z w a s c g a w D a 2 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800
FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 3 SMART READER February 22, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 3 The benefits of prescription weight-loss drugs for people with obesity override the risks, but compounded formulations of the medications can cause big problems, experts told UPI. Two drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration -- semaglutide, or Wegovy, and tirzepatide, or Zepbound -- are considered safe when prescribed by physicians, despite side effects, according to hospital pharmacist Suzanne K. Higginbotham. However, most overdoses have been reported with compounded formulations of the drugs administered at privately run weight-loss centers, said Higginbotham, a clinical pharmacist at The Ohio State University's Division of General Internal Medicine clinics. "Some weight-loss centers may be using compounded formulations of Wegovy or Zepbound," Higginbotham told UPI in a phone interview. "Compounded forms of the drugs are not FDA approved, so they're not guaranteed to be safe or effective -- they basically take the active ingredients [of these drugs] and mix up the formulation, so you don't know exactly what's in the medication." Overdose reports Semaglutide and tirzepatide are FDAapproved as prescription treatments for weight loss, and both were marketed originally to control blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. For diabetes, semaglutide is sold as Ozempic and tirzepatide is known as Mounjaro. As a weight-loss treatment, they are designed for people with obesity, or those who are severely overweight, Higginbotham said. About 40% of adults in the United States are obese, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. But the concern about overdoses hangs over the heads of many users. Sometimes such overdoses occur because patients reason that if a certain amount can bring about weight loss at a given rate, then a larger dose can increase that rate, experts said. Between Jan. 1 and Nov. 30 of last year, 2,941 semaglutide overdoses were reported nationally, according to America's Poison Centers, a national nonprofit that represents 55 poison control centers in the United States. Aside from potential overdoses, other effects of the weight-loss drugs are being reviewed. For example, in a report released in early January, the FDA said it was investigating 201 cases of suicide or suicidal ideation among people taking medications that contain semaglutide or tirzepatide, although a preliminary evaluation of the latter "does not suggest a causal link," it said. The agency also is also looking into 422 reports of hair loss among users of the drugs, it said. "We encourage patients to use medications according to their FDAapproved labeling or healthcare provider instructions and to consult with their health care provider for any questions or concerns," agency spokeswoman Chanapa Tantibanchachai told UPI in an email. When a drug is not the drug The weight-loss drugs are part of a class called GLP-1 receptor agonists, which means they are intended to mimic a gut hormone called GLP-1, which slows "gastric emptying," or the process in which food moves through the stomach and digestive system, Higginbotham said. "This makes people feel fuller quicker and not feel as hungry after eating, which helps promote weight loss," she said. Because of how these drugs work, they sometimes are associated with digestive-related side effects such as nausea, constipation and diarrhea. Unfortunately, some of these "common" side effects are like the symptoms of overdose, which are "severe nausea, severe constipation and vomiting," Higginbotham said. "If [you're using these drugs] and experiencing symptoms that are more severe than what you discussed with your physician, or if they come on abruptly, you should immediately seek care," she added. Privately compounded formulations of semaglutide and tirzepatide include the main drug, but could be mixed with a "different" salt or prepared at a different dose than the FDAapproved versions, according to Higginbotham. The FDA-approved formulations are the ones typically prescribed by a physician and dispensed at a pharmacy, she said. Still, privately owned weight-loss businesses have suggested they plan to sell versions of these drugs that they have created themselves. Use of these compounded formulations is fueling many of the overdose reports, Higginbotham said. Last month, the FDA issued a specific warning about use of compounded versions of semaglutide. After an overdose Ayman Dandashi, an ambassador for a cannabis company, was prescribed semaglutide for weight loss and "had an accidental overdose of the drug, which resulted in severe nausea, vomiting and stomach pain." "It was a terrifying experience," he said, adding that he required medical treatment after the incident. Dandashi said he hadn't known about the risk before taking the drug, and believes his doctor prescribed a higher-than-recommended dose. The starting dose for semaglutide is 0.25 milligrams once a week for four weeks, but it can be increased to 2.4 mg., according to the prescribing information. Tirzepatide has a starting dose of 2.5 mg. weekly, but can be raised to 15 mg. Both drugs are typically dispensed with autoinjectors, which limit medication delivery to the prescribed dose to limit overdose risk, Higginbotham said. "[These drugs are] intended to be used with diet and exercise, and they're very safe and effective," she said. "It's when patients are utilizing it not for the intended purposes that we see deleterious or adverse effects happening." By Brian Dunleavy Branded weight-loss meds safe, but avoid compounded versions, experts say Two weight-loss drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration -- semaglutide, or Wegovy, and tirzepatide, or Zepbound -- are considered safe when prescribed by physicians Smart Reader is published bi-weekly by Carmichael Communications Editor & Publisher/Frank J. Carmichael Assistant to the Publisher/Reanna Stockdale Sales/Kim Carmichael Editorial Manager/Jason Hedman Ad Design & Layout/Kristin Monticelli, Glen Kelly Reception/Sarah Coleman Carmichael Communications 1420 63rd St. Kenosha, WI 53143 February 22, 2024 Volume 22 Number 4 262-564-8800 • 1-800-568-6623 • www.hap2it.com Weight-loss drug Zepbound now available at U.S. pharmacies The newly approved weight-loss medication known as Zepbound is now available for patients to take, drugmaker Eli Lilly announced. "Today opens another chapter for adults living with obesity who have been looking for a new treatment option like Zepbound," Rhonda Pacheco, group vice president of Lilly Diabetes and Obesity, U.S., said in a company news release. "The availability of Zepbound in U.S. pharmacies is the first step, but we have to work hand-in-hand with employers, government and healthcare industry partners to remove barriers and make Zepbound available to those who need it," Pacheco added. "We are excited to see growing [insurance] coverage in the marketplace, giving millions of Americans access to Zepbound." It was only last month when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Zepbound as a weight-loss medication. Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Zepbound, had already been approved by the FDA as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes called Mounjaro. To trigger weight loss, tirzepatide mimics two hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, which stimulate the release of insulin in the body. It quells appetite and slows the rate at which food moves through the stomach, helping patients feel full. Novo Nordisk's weight-loss medication, Wegovy, uses semaglutide, which only focuses on GLP1. That difference translated to greater weight loss with Zepbound than Wegovy, a recent study found. Zepbound has been found to prompt up to a 20.9% drop in weight at higher doses, while Wegovy patients typically see a 15% reduction in weight. According to the FDA, Zepbound's most common side effects include nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea. The drug's label will also have warnings about the potential for inflammation of the pancreas, gallbladder problems, low blood sugar, acute kidney injury, damage to the retina in people with Type 2 diabetes, and suicidal behavior or thinking. How widely Zepbound will be covered still remains unclear, CNN reported. Medicare and Medicaid can't cover obesity medications, but Lilly said it is offering a savings card for people with private insurance to get Zepbound for $25 for a oneor three-month prescription if their plans cover it. For those whose plans don't cover Zepbound, the savings card would lower the cost to $550 per month, or roughly half the list price, the company said. Amid skyrocketing demand for weight-loss drugs, many of these wildly popular drugs have faced supply shortages in recent months. By Robin Foster Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Zepbound, had already been approved by the FDA as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes called Mounjaro. 0
4 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 F wt n c s r c p s Co p r wp a p i ww2 b d P & S CS V1 S T BSMART READER February 22, 2024 4 Ozempic, Wegovy don't raise risk of suicidal thoughts Folks who take Ozempic or Wegovy for diabetes and weight loss need not worry about a higher risk of suicidal thoughts or feelings while on the medications, a new, large review finds. In the study, which was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, researchers turned to a database of more than 100 million patient records to measure the risks of suicidal ideation among people using semaglutide, which is sold as Ozempic for Type 2 diabetes and Wegovy for weight loss. The results were published in the journal Nature Medicine. Study author Dr. Rong Xu, a professor of biomedical informatics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, told CNN that she decided to look into the issue after European regulators opened a probe into semaglutide and reports of suicidal thoughts last summer. A quarterly report from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration revealed that the agency is looking into similar reports among users of multiple weight-loss drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy. For the new review, Xu and her team, which included National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Dr. Nora Volkow, compared cases of suicidal ideation among people taking semaglutide with those taking other medicines for weight loss or diabetes. "We observed a lower incidence of suicidal ideations in patients who had taken semaglutide than in patients who were treated with non-GLP1Rtargeting medications for the same conditions," Volkow told CNN. The GLP-1 receptor is what semaglutide targets. The analysis included more than 240,000 people with obesity and more than 1.5 million with Type 2 diabetes. It looked at the risk of suicidal ideation within six months of starting the medicines, as well as at later times. At six months, it found that among people taking the drug for weight loss, semaglutide was linked to a 73% lower risk of first-time suicidal ideation and a 56% lower risk of recurrent suicidal ideation, CNN reported. The drugs that semaglutide was compared to included bupropion, naltrexone, orlistat, topiramate and phentermine. For people with Type 2 diabetes, the reductions were 64% and 49%, respectively, CNN reported. Here, the drugs that semaglutide was compared to included insulin, metformin and newer classes of medications known as DPP-4 and SGLT-2 inhibitors. What exactly prompted the review? As the use of Ozempic and Wegovy exploded over the past few years, Xu said she heard anecdotal reports of people experiencing a reduction in addictive behaviors while taking the medications -- showing less interest in things like alcohol or smoking. "It was kind of like a paradox," Xu said of the European probe into suicide and the anecdotal reports of less addictive behaviors. With access to a database that includes de-identified electronic health records from 100.8 million people in 59 U.S. health systems, Xu said she decided to analyze the risk. Ozempic and Wegovy, along with similar drugs like Mounjaro and Zepbound, are now being prescribed to millions of patients. The most common side effects are gastrointestinal issues like nausea, vomiting and constipation, although reports of more serious potential side effects, like stomach paralysis, have emerged. Both Wegovy and Zepbound have warnings in their U.S. prescribing information about the risk of suicidal behavior and ideation. The prescribing information for an older medicine, Saxenda -- part of the same GLP-1 receptor class -- also recommends that patients be monitored for depression or suicidal thoughts or behavior, CNN reported. Volkow also pointed to a previous weight-loss drug, rimonabant, that was withdrawn from the European market in 2008 over concerns about suicidal thoughts while taking the drug. She noted that rimonabant blocks a cannabinoid Type 1 receptor "that, when blocked, can trigger negative emotional states." She added it's also possible that effects of abrupt weight loss could "make some people vulnerable." Even though semaglutide was associated with a lower risk of suicidal ideation in the latest study, Xu and Volkow wrote in a research briefing that the data "do not yet justify off-label treatment" for suicidal thoughts. Still, Volkow noted, "there is interest in testing semaglutide as a potential treatment for depression." In fact, at least one trial is now recruiting patients for that very purpose. By Robin Foster Folks who drop pounds to help control their diabetes receive other substantial heath benefits for all their efforts, a new study says. Substantial weight loss that led to even a shortlived remission in Type 2 diabetes also prompted a 40% lower rate in heart disease and a 33% lower rate of kidney disease, researchers report in Thursday's issue of the journal Diabetologia. "As the first intervention study to associate remission with reduction of d i a b e t e s - r e l a t e d complications, this is encouraging news for those who can achieve remission from Type 2 diabetes," said lead researcher Edward Gregg, head of population health at RSCI University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dublin. For the study, researchers tracked 5,145 overweight or obese adults with Type 2 diabetes for 12 years. About 18% of patients randomly assigned to an intensive diet and lifestyle plan wound up controlling their diabetes to the point they needed no medication and had normal blood sugar levels, which researchers considered remission. Those patients had lower rates of heart and kidney disease than those who didn't achieve remission, researchers found. Further, the risk of heart or kidney disease declined most in people with longerterm remission. Those who experienced at least four years of remission had a 49% reduced risk of heart disease and a 55% reduced risk of kidney disease. Patients were more likely to go into remission if they hadn't had diabetes for long, had more control over their blood sugar and experienced a large magnitude of weight loss, researchers said. It's not easy to remain in remission. Only 3% of patients were still in remission by the eighth year of the study, researchers noted. But even short-lived episodes of remission were associated with lower rates of heart and kidney disease, compared with patients who never achieved remission. "While our study is also a reminder that maintenance of weight loss and remission is difficult, our findings suggests any success with remission is associated with later health benefits," Gregg said in a university news release. By Dennis Thompson Losing weight to control diabetes also cuts risks for heart, kidney diseases A new study found semaglutide was linked to a 73% lower risk of first-time suicidal ideation and a 56% lower risk of recurrent suicidal ideation at six months that among people taking the drug for weight loss. DeRango’s RESTAURANT & SPORTS BAR Hours: Sun. - Thur. 11am - 2am Fri. & Sat. 11am - 2:30am 022224 2135 - 31st St. • 658-8450 • derangoskenosha.com HAVE YOU TRIED OUR FISH FRY? Congratulations Kenosha! You asked for it... YOU GOT IT! 1/2 PRICE PIZZA MONDAYS All Day & Night (Dine in only) All Day Friday. 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0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 5 SMART READER February 22, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 5 Dine Local during Kenosha Restaurant Week, which happens February 24 through March 3. This is a nine-day celebration of our community's delicious dining scene. Locally owned restaurants, supper clubs, cafés, diners, upscale bistros, pubs, and specialty food shops throughout Kenosha County are participating. Each venue is creating its own specials/discounts. There are 63 venues participating, which is a new record. The previous record was 54 venues in 2022; 53 participated last year. There are 31 businesses participating in Downtown Kenosha. The specials are for dinein only at 40 places. Breakfast/Brunch Specials – whether daily or on the weekends – are offered at 20 places. Lunch specials can be found at 37 places – and dinner specials at 47 venues. Places in the Sweets, Treats & Spirits category include Sandy's Popper, Scoops Ice Cream & Candy, and Smarty's Sweets & Treats. More first-time participants have joined Kenosha Restaurant Week since my last Smart Reader article. Here’s the list of first timers: 24's Rumors Lounge, Anna's on the Lake, Blak Coffee Kenosha, Blast From the Past Pizza, Church & Market, Cut Stone, Hold My Beer, Kenosha Tap House, Ktown Café, Luigi's Pizza Kitchen, Oakfire Pizzeria Napoletana & Bar, Our Kenosha Tap, Red School Café, Ron's Place, Smarty's Sweets & Treats, Sturino's, and Tenuta's Italian Restaurant. Whether you visit a new Restaurant Week venue or a long-time one: thank them for participating! If it weren’t for the amazing owners and staff of the participating businesses, Kenosha Restaurant Week wouldn’t be possible. Please be patient during this busy week, make a reservation if the place accepts them, and continue to dine local all year long! Sadly, this will be Twisted Cuisine’s final Restaurant Week appearance. To spend more time as a grandma, owner Rhonda Bell has accepted an offer to purchase the building and restaurant equipment. The new owner will be transitioning to a new concept. Rhonda will still be offering catering services as Twisted Cuisine. Thank you, Rhonda, for your contribution to Kenosha’s food scene all these years! No tickets, passes, or coupons are required during Restaurant Week. Simply visit/order from participating restaurants and ask for the special Restaurant Week menu. The venues will be offering both their special menu and their regular menu. Go to VisitKenosha.com/RW for all the details about Kenosha Restaurant Week, including a list of the participating venues and their menus. Also at that link is a complete menu guide – which is a pdf file with an ata-glance grid and all the menus. If you’re on Facebook or Instagram, go to the Kenosha Restaurant Week page for a chance to win gifts cards to our local restaurants. As you enjoy the delicious meals and deals during Restaurant Week, please consider giving a helping hand to those who may not know where their next meal will come from. Five local hunger-relief organizations are the official nonprofit partners of Kenosha Restaurant Week: Shalom Center, The Sharing Center, Kenosha County Food Bank, Grace Welcome Center, and The Salvation Army of Kenosha County. All five do incredible work to feed those in need in our community. Online links to donate are listed on our website; go to VisitKenosha.com/RW and then the Dine & Give page. We thank you in advance for your generosity. Since 2019, Visit Kenosha has been the sole producer of Kenosha Restaurant Week with participation open exclusively to our Tourism Partner businesses throughout Kenosha County. Find fun faster! Be sure to use our website VisitKenosha.com when looking for #KenoshaFun. Visit Kenosha has been Kenosha’s official travel resource since 1986. Dine local during Kenosha Restaurant Week by Meridith Jumisko, Visit Kenosha Meridith Jumisko is Public Relations Director at Visit Kenosha. Contact her at [email protected] This fun, entertaining, band is in costume impersonating the look and mannerisms and authentically playing the music without change of original arrangements .Playing the top 10 music hits and deep cuts that spans the decades and is loved by all generations young and old. For Advance Tickets Visit Hap2it.Com, Call 262-564-8800 Or Stop In At 1420 63rd St., Kenosha Between 10am - 4pm M-F 021524 SAT., MARCH 2, 2024 • 7:30PM THE AUTHENTIC ROLLING STONES TRIBUTE SHOW Beggars Banquet Tickets on sale NOW! Rick “Elvis” Saucedo headlined the Broadway Musical Elvis - The legend lives featuring Elvis’ original backup group, The Jordanaires, Elvis’ original drummer, D.J. Fontana, and original backup vocalist Millie Kirkham. 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6 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 F t m m b o h p t g v K a f u p M p t a i m s p u o W w e i e i a H c P t a U t a d c f a d r S H o c “ s b m c u wSeveral months ago I shared a story about my first experience with luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring. I installed the LVP in a basement room that experienced water damage caused by a leaking water pipe. The product was affordable, it was easy to install, and after six months it looks as good as the day it was put down. My son saw the floor and was amazed. He bought a new home two years ago. For some odd reason, the builder installed wall-to-wall carpeting in a sunroom at the rear of the house. An exterior door leading to the backyard is in this room. Keeping the carpeting clean had become a constant battle. “Dad, let’s rip up the carpeting and install some of the LVP like you did at your home," he said to me. "What do you think would be a good look for this room?” “Well, your mom and I were torn between the walnut plank we have and a large-format beige travertine product," I said. "I vote for the travertine one for your sunroom because you’ve got two walls of windows. The sunlight streaming into the room will enhance the lighter LVP. The large format and light color should make the room feel bigger too.” My wife agreed 100 percent and offered up a suggestion that took this room to the next level. She said: “Once you guys install the new LVP, put down a colorful area rug that leaves about a two-foot border around the room. You’ll still see the LVP, but the area rug will add texture, absorb sound, and look spectacular.” We jumped into the project on a Saturday morning. It took just a few minutes to cut the carpeting into strips about 3 feet wide. We rolled them up like sausage links, wrapped a strip of painter’s tape around them, and pitched them into the back of my truck. An hour after that we had the tackless strip up, all the carpet pad staples removed, and the floor was vacuumed clean. We were ready to install the LVP in the room that measured 12 feet by 12 feet. The manufacturer recommended installing a thin foam underlayment. We did this. Unfortunately, the installation instructions for the LVP were sub-standard. The video skipped a few very important steps. We had to use my vibrating multi-tool that works just like a barber’s hair clippers. This tool has a very thin blade that allowed me to undercut the door trim that extended down to the subfloor. We wanted a clean look where the LVP slid under the wood trim. I placed a piece of the LVP upside down next to the wood casing, and the thin blade cut just enough off so the LVP slid under the trim, creating a professional look. My LVP flooring had interlocking ends. In my case, you placed the next piece of flooring tight to the previously installed piece and then whacked it with a rubber mallet to snap the two pieces together. My son’s LVP was different. His LVP panels measured 1 foot wide by 2 feet long. I discovered you had to lock in the long edge first. The trick was to keep the short edge about 1/16th inch away from the previously installed piece. Once you had the long edge tight and flat on the underlayment, you then used a special block to tap the short edge into place. It’s mission-critical that you maintain a 1/4-inch space around the outer edge of the LVP. This is required for expansion and contraction. The best way to do this is to purchase innovative spacers that are shaped like the letter T. The spacer has hard plastic squares 1/4 inch thick at the end of a longer thin strip. One of the squares disappears when you place the first piece of a row against the wall or a baseboard. The spacers prevent the LVP from moving when you start to tap the short edge with the hammer to get the second piece to interlock with the first piece. Without the spacers, you’ll end up tapping the entire row tight to the wall or baseboard. We installed all the LVP in just four hours. The first and last rows consumed 80 percent of the time because of the required cuts. Each full piece that required no cutting was installed in a minute or less. You only need minimal skills and a few tools to install LVP. The subfloor needs to be in the same plane so the LVP interlocks and stays locked when you walk on it. Low spots can be filled in with floor leveling compound. Cutting LVP can be done with a sharp razor knife. Once you cut about 1/4 of the way through the material with repeated strokes, you flip it over and snap it the same way you break a piece of drywall. Once the LVP was installed, we installed a discreet toe strip around the room to hide the required 1/4-inch gap. Then it was time to unroll the stunning red and gold area rug. Once again, my wife’s advice was stellar. The area rug made all the difference. I never doubt her wisdom! Maybe that’s why we’re about to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary in six months! Luxury vinyl plank plus area rug equals a winning combination 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 s g e g t s t a r, , f k r o r o . r a r t r s a o e . SMART READER February 22, 2024 6 5125 6th Avenue Kenosha Live Comedy EVERY Friday & Saturday! If It’s Not Live, You’re Not Living! f It’s Not Live, You’re Not Living! FOR EVENT TICKETS & MORE ACTS VISIT HAP2IT.COM, STOP IN 1420 63RD ST. 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0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 7 SMART READER February 22, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 7 The words about the tragedy tumbled from the mouth of Kansas City’s mayor, grim-faced, who stood before a scrum of reporters outside of police headquarters. Not quite four hours had passed since the shooting that abruptly ended my city’s gloriously joyful Super Bowl victory parade for the Kansas City Chiefs. It was a parade that I attended. As a fan, I loved lifting a friend’s three-year-old son up so he could see the players, the confetti, and the Midwestern community pride on full display. As a reporter, patience tempered by grief now leads, as I verify snippets of new information, along with so many of my colleagues. Mayor Quinton Lucas stands beside the chief of police, regularly issuing updates on the victims, and on the two juvenile perpetrators who were quickly detained. In each press conference, Lucas uses the term “mass shooting.” To some ears, the phrase should be reserved for all of those eerily similar incidents in cities around North America: shootings involving a heavily armed person who typically enters a school, mall, or church with the intention of slaughtering as many people as possible. The shooter often dies by suicide after he committs his murder spree. Later, the media learns that a shooter had mental health issues or acted with racially motivated hatred such as antisemitism. No agreed upon definition for “mass shooting” exists. But the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive uses it when four or more people are shot, not including the perpetrator. Under this definition, the Kansas City case more than qualifies as a mass shooting. One woman was shot and died at Union Station where the parade and rally concluded. She didn’t make it to the hospital, even though it was only blocks away. The victim, Lisa LopezGalvan, disc jockeyed for a recent family reunion of a close friend. I’ve known her brother for decades. He leads the Guadalupe Centers, the more than 100- year-old social service agency and educational system serving my MexicanAmerican community. Besides Lopez-Galvan, there are 22 other victims. Nine of them are children, the youngest is eight years old. “I didn’t think it could Why my beloved Kansas City suffered a mass shooting with Mary Sanchez Readers can reach Mary Sanchez at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @msanchezcolumn. Beginning with the election of John F. Kennedy in 1960 and through the reelection of Richard Nixon in 1972, political journalist and biographer Theodore H. White wrote books called “The Making of a President.” Were he alive today he might title one about Joe Biden “The Unmaking of a President.” The deplorable state of the president is obvious to all but those who are desperately hoping they can drag him across the finish line in November. The administration appears desperate, if not devastated, following the release of a report by Special Counsel Robert Hur that included Hur’s observation that Biden could not be indicted for “willfully” keeping and sharing classified papers because he is an “elderly man with a poor memory.” At a hastily called news conference that seemed to underscore rather than refute Hur’s observations, Biden called the president of Egypt the president of Mexico. He also kept fumbling at what appeared to be pages in a notebook. These pages usually contain anticipated answers to reporters’ questions. He never got to the right pages. As if this wasn’t enough self-inflicted damage, the administration rolled out the equally inarticulate vice president to defend Biden. Kamala Harris, whose remarks have been called “word salads” by critics, tried to convince us that what we are seeing and hearing is not the Biden she knows. In this, she followed the example of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who has repeatedly claimed the southern border is “secure.” They want us to believe them instead of what our “lying eyes” are telling us. The major media, until recently enablers of the president, are starting to show cracks in their alliance. Writing in the largely pro-Biden New York Times, columnist Bret Stephens emphatically states, “Democrats can no longer stay silent about Biden.” The equally fawning Washington Post:“‘Hair on fire’: Democratic worries grow over claims about Biden’s memory lapses.” Politico reported on remarks by longtime Democratic Party strategist Paul Begala: “ I’m a Biden supporter. And I slept like a baby last night. I woke up every two hours and wet the bed. (The Hur report) is terrible for Democrats. And anybody with a functioning brain knows that.” Speaking of the president’s press conference, Begala said, “I think Biden made it worse, no question about it.” Ian Sams, the spokesman for the White House Counsel’s office, called passages in the Hur report about Biden’s mental state “gratuitous” and “inappropriate.” Except they weren’t. After spending five hours in two interviews with the president, Hur’s statements are at the heart of why he thinks a D.C. jury would be sympathetic to Biden and never convict him. It reminds me of then- FBI Director James Comey’s rationale for not recommending Hillary Clinton be indicted for mishandling classified documents: “ Although we did not find clear evidence that Secretary Clinton or her colleagues intended to violate laws governing the handling of classified information, there is evidence that they were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information.” The next time you’re stopped for speeding, try telling the officer you didn’t intend to go 75 in a 30- mile-per-hour zone. No such absolution is granted to Donald Trump, because as Hur claimed, Trump’s case is different. That is unlikely to go down well with Trump supporters. No wonder so many believe there are two-tiers in our justice system. Reporters are starting to interview doctors to get them to speculate about Biden’s mental state. While acknowledging they have not examined the president, some say he should be given a cognitive test. If he does take a test, the full results should be released. If he doesn’t, the media should keep asking why not? Questions are being raised whether the president is fit for a second term. I’m wondering if he can make it to the end of this term and whether America’s enemies may see an opportunity to do things they would probably not do if a fully functioning president were in charge. The unmaking of a president 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 Law enforcement responds to a shooting at Union Station during the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVIII victory parade on Feb. 14, 2024, in Kansas City, Missouri. President Joe Biden delivers remarks in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, in Washington, D.C. story continues on next page easaI ! ehx6
8 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 F f b e A d n d h c f u s m m O D r i J n m s e B p C H r e 2 s h s s t c m s JJSMART READER February 22, 2024 8 One advantage of a nightmare is waking up. In America, life is becoming one continuous nightmare. And waking up does not seem to be an option. The forthcoming presidential election is one nightmare. Some threequarters of Americans do not want either Donald Trump or Joe Biden as president. Last week was indeed a nightmare for both. At both the National Rifle Association meeting in Indiana and then in a South Carolina rally, Trump spoke for two hours, with many of his comments unaffected by truth or fact. Among his stunning revelations, one stood out that provoked outrage and shock here and in Europe. As president, Trump recalled this statement about NATO. Speaking to one leader, Trump vented: "You didn't pay? You're delinquent? Yes, let's say that happened. No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them [Russia] to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay." Whether if elected Trump would leave NATO is arguable. Congress has passed a resolution preventing such a withdrawal without its approval. Yet, given how compliant Republicans in Congress have been to Trump's whims, uncertainties abound. Ironically, do not be surprised if Trump reverses course. Trump could cynically use that threat as a means to compel greater NATO spending on its defense. Many of his followers would regard that as a shrewd move. And that could encourage others to disregard his most outrageous statements in terms of promising to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours or to exact retribution on those who oppose him. But compared to Biden, Trump may have enjoyed a walk in the park. The devastating report of special counsel Robert Hur on Biden's handling of classified material recommended that no charges were warranted. However, the rationale that Biden was "elderly" and had memory loss. The report described the 81- year-old Democrat's memory as "hazy," "fuzzy," "faulty," "poor" and having "significant limitations." And it cited that Biden could not recall when his son Beau died, causing a fiery reaction from the White House and first lady, as well as the president. Put another way, Biden's main problem is that politics is visual and visceral, not rational. Biden looks and acts old. Memory loss is not always a loss in intellect or judgment. Age can bring wisdom. Henry Kissinger looked old. No one questioned his intellect. Biden is not Kissinger. But, he is not Trump. Yet, this report was very damaging, although November is a long way away. Internationally, the Israeli offensive in Gaza has now started on the Rafah Gate, where a reported 1.4 million Palestinian refugees have fled -- a nightmare. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to accept a ceasefire or relent on the aim to destroy Hamas. He has also said that safe passage zones have been opened for Palestinians to move north. But where would these refugees find shelter, food, water and medical facilities, most of which have been destroyed? A cleavage between Washington and Jerusalem is widening. If the Rafah offensive leads to substantial civilian casualties and more destruction, will the United States be forced to put greater pressure on Israel for a cease-fire, or to modify its offensive? And if so, would a serious rift arise? Likewise, the war in Ukraine is not going well for Kyiv. Despite its extraordinary and courageous defense, Russia's overwhelming advantages in size, population and military power have taken their toll. The Ukrainian Army is suffering from attrition and lack of ammunition and other military equipment. While Europe and the United States are increasing production facilities, it will take time to replace. President Volodymyr Zelensky has fired his commander, Valery Zaluhzny, presumably over the general's request for mobilizing more troops and possibly raising the draft age. Currently, Ukraine drafts men from 26 to 60 such that the average age of its soldiers is 40. And Zelensky seems reluctant to lower it substantially. And these are only a few of the nightmares. Massive dysfunction in Congress and the border crisis do not disappear in the morning. As the presidential election draws nearer, do not expect these nightmares lessening or becoming less frightening. What to do? Sadly, no solutions or cures are obvious. The only salvation is that the nation is capable of tolerating a great deal of ruin and that its economy will be resilient and strong enough to get through these nightmares. And perhaps one day, a few leaders will emerge who will provide enough common sense to wake the nation up. Until then, open the aspirin bottles. Life in America is becoming a continuous nightmare 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., Feb. 29th at 9:20am on AM1050 WLIP Some three-quarters of Americans do not want either Donald Trump or Joe Biden as president in the November election happen here” – I’m not naïve enough to proclaim that. Nor am I jaded enough to believe that nothing will change, or to ridicule the heartfelt “thoughts and prayers” being offered. Sometimes, that’s all people can give. Missouri’s Republican Gov. Mike Parson is already referring to the perps as “a bunch of criminals, thugs.” The remark is part code, a dodge to escape addressing the state’s incredibly lax gun laws, which he and his fellow conservatives have championed. They intend to protect Second Amendment “freedoms.” Parson attended the Chiefs victory rally. A colleague asked me if the experience might encourage him to rethink his stance on guns. Was he influenced by the violence he experienced at the parade’s conclusion? I shot back: “He’s a former sheriff. He understands violence,” meaning that this isn’t his first rodeo or first interaction with gunfire. But Parson is firmly in the camp of those who believe that the one who pulls the trigger solely deserves not only blame, but all of the scrutiny. I align with Parson in being livid at the senseless violence of the shooters, their complete lack of regard to others. But it’s negligent to omit a very basic investigative query: What led up to the shooting? Others were quick to say that gun laws must change. But we don’t really know what laws might have prevented this tragedy, not yet at least. Instead, dissect it. Take apart everything about the shooting itself. From the moment it happened and perhaps even weeks and years before the shooting, we should ask how the two juveniles in custody came into possession of the firearms as well as the ammunition. By late in the week, they had been charged with gun-related crimes and resisting arrest. And police said more charges are expected. It’s possible that initially the guns (which have been taken as evidence by police) might have been legally purchased. Perhaps they were sold online through brokers who are not required to run background checks on buyers. Perhaps the shooters altered the guns so they could fire rapidly, an increasingly common practice. Did an adult, a friend or relative of the juveniles callously give them the weapons or irresponsibly leave them readily available for them to take? “A dispute” sparked the shooting, according to the police chief. It’s often said that too many young people have access to guns, but not the skills or empathy to solve issues with words. That’s not normal, nor is it an outcome of a safe environment, and yes solid parenting. Answers to the elusive “what can be done to stop future incidents” question can be found. The answers might make people squirm or run verbal circles around any sense of responsibility. #KansasCity continues to trend on social media for all the wrong reasons. Far fewer will care as the days go by. And that’s fine by me. Because the truth is that a mass shooting was just as likely for Kansas City as any other North American city. Honest answers about the “why” of this and other shootings is where the real work begins. Sanchez continued from page 6
0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 9 SMART READER February 22, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 9 w a i r D j k t C c w t w a k m t a q a p l w The paradox has gone on for so long that it has become a cliché: If the economy is so good, why do Americans feel so bad? This dourness even acquired a name: the “vibecession.” But the bad vibes are dissipating, and optimism has returned. Last Friday, the S&P 500 closed above 5,000 for the first time. The unemployment rate has stayed below 4% for 24 months, a streak not seen in more than a half-century. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that the annual inflation fell to 3.1% in January, although the number was higher than many economists expected. “This is a much more rosy scenario than my data had ever predicted,” says David Blanchflower, economics professor at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, who made his reputation in Britain with early warnings about the 2008 financial crisis. “The sentiment stuff predicted a hard landing, and we got a soft landing.” Many Americans are also scratching their heads. Over the past year or more, comparing consumers’ mood with data has sometimes felt like trying to figure out who’s kidding whom. Were people just not getting how good the economy really was – as inflation decelerated even while jobs continued to grow? Or were official numbers failing to reflect a reality that was bad and maybe about to get worse? Add in dueling political narratives about these issues, and it could feel hard to know which economic perspective to trust. In recent weeks, however, the gap between mood and data has narrowed significantly. The University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index – which hit a record low in mid-2022 and remains below its historical average – has climbed 29% since November. That’s the largest two-month rise in more than 30 years. One lesson of these times may be that perception gaps don’t last forever. Yes, sometimes people can swing too far toward pessimism, and at other times what economists call “animal spirits” can propel optimism into dangerous recklessness. But quite often people’s attitudes line up pretty well with the story told by official numbers. The alignment is important because in years when the numbers and sentiment agree that times are good, more growth is almost always assured. “The correlation is huge,” says Michael Lewis-Beck, professor of political science at the University of Iowa. Only once since 1948 has that combination failed to lead to higher economic output. Consumers usually pull back their spending when they feel uncertain, or pessimistic. Today, while risks remain, economists say the threat of recession really has receded. And the more trust consumers have in good times, the more likely those good times will continue, they add. One of the big mysteries of this era is why the “vibecession” didn’t lead to recession. Plunging consumer confidence has accurately predicted six of the last six U.S. recessions, Dr. Blanchflower says. This time, consumers kept spending despite their dour outlook, which kept the economy humming. No one’s quite sure why. Many economists suspect that the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic scrambled the picture, serving as a mental weight on the national psyche that somehow did not affect American pocketbooks. Or perhaps the recession is simply delayed. Others point to the recent bout of high inflation – which consumers experienced daily when they shopped for groceries, bought office supplies, or priced new cars – as a pessimism enhancer. “The recent experience strongly suggests that inflation – or people’s perceptions of inflation – plays a more powerful role ... than we had known before,” says Christopher Carroll, professor of economics at Johns Hopkins University and research affiliate with the National Bureau of Economic Research. Still others suggest surveys increasingly reflect a society riven by persistent inequality and lagging upward mobility. “I don’t think we should be as surprised as we are by the disconnect between good, economic indicators on average, and how people who are either in despair or very vulnerable economically rate what’s happening,” says Carol Graham, a senior fellow for economics at the Brookings Institution and author of the 2023 book “The Power of Hope.” “What I can tell you would definitely increase happiness is more security. ... Compared to other countries, we don’t have very generous safety nets.” The “vibecession” has Americans feel better on economy. It’s taken a while. A woman checks prices as she shops at a grocery store in Wheeling, Illinois last month. The current inflation rate of 3.1% is higher than the Federal Reserve’s target, but down considerably from as high as 9.1% in mid-2022. North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong opens door to improved ties with Japan Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said that Pyongyang would be open to improving relations with Japan and potentially hosting a visit from Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, state-run media reported. Kim made the remarks on in response to recent calls by Kishida for a summit with Kim Jong Un to help "[raise] Japan-North Korea relations to a new stage" and resolve the longstanding issue of the North's abductions of Japanese citizens. "I think there would be no reason not to appreciate [Kishida's] recent speech as a positive one, if it was prompted by his real intention to boldly free himself from the past fetters and promote the DPRKJapan relations," Kim said in a statement carried by Korean Central News Agency. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the official name of North Korea. However, she cautioned that Tokyo would have to drop its criticisms of Pyongyang's illicit missile and nuclear programs and set aside the "already settled abduction issue" before any steps could be taken. Under such conditions, "there will be no reason for the two countries not to become close and the day of the prime minister's Pyongyang visit might come," Kim said. The abduction issue has remained a deeply contentious one between the two countries for decades. Japan says at least 17 citizens were kidnapped by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s for purposes that included giving language lessons to the North's spies. In 2002, North Korea admitted to abducting 13 Japanese citizens and allowed five to return home, while claiming eight others had died. Japan's top government spokesman said Friday that Tokyo was "paying attention" to the remarks by Kim but called her claims about the abduction issue "completely unacceptable." Kishida raised the issue of a meeting with Kim Jong Un at the U.N. General Assembly in September, saying he was determined to meet the North Korean leader face-to-face without any conditions. The potential thaw in the relationship comes as North Korea has hardened its belligerent stance toward South Korea with a steady stream of threatening words and missile launches. Japan has frequently condemned North Korea's weapons tests, which have included ballistic missiles flying near Japan on several occasions. Tokyo has also grown closer to Seoul and Washington, with security cooperation ramping up in the wake of a trilateral Camp David summit in August. While North Korea generally uses hostile rhetoric toward Tokyo, last month Kim Jong Un sent a rare message of sympathy to Kishida over the deadly New Year's Day earthquake that struck central Japan. In her message, Kim Yo Jong cautioned that the positive response was her "personal view only" and did not represent Pyongyang's official stance. "I think our state leadership still has no idea of repairing the DPRK-Japan relations and has no interest in contact," she said. "It is necessary to watch the ulterior intention of Prime Minister Kishida in the future," she added. By Thomas Maresca Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said Pyongyang could potentially be open to improving ties with Japan. story continues on page 12 8 w e s t g. n t g s o e n e f y g h d w o h e n e p n e l f o l r . a s y e r l
10 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 SMART READER February 22, 2024 10 F Sometimes it’s tough to write about personal finance and make it fresh, but the intersection of a high-profile relationship as Valentine’s Day rapidly approaches, is just the ticket! In fact, when Taylor Swift kissed boyfriend Travis Kelce to celebrate the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory in the AFC championship game, my mind wandered and I thought: If they were to get married, would they sign a prenuptial agreement? (Yes) Would they keep their own money managers? (Probably) Would they combine some of their accounts? (Maybe) All kidding aside, these are questions that many couples ask themselves, especially as people are getting married later in life. Forty years ago, the median age at first marriage was 25.4 for men and 22.8 for women. Compare that with 2023, when it was 30.2 and 28.4, respectively. (Our Super Bowl Sweethearts are 34.) Those extra years mean that couples begin their marriages with wellestablished patterns and habits about money, for better — and sometimes, for worse. Maybe the later in life couples have already been living together, but even so, it’s always a good idea to check in with each other about your approach to money. As every long-lasting couple will tell you, communication is the key. Still, it is challenging to have conversations about finances without judgment, so maybe the best way to start is to acknowledge that everyone carries some emotional baggage about money. Maybe there is shame, or fear and anxiety, or maybe money represents some family of origin feelings (“my parents always exerted control through money” or “my parents worked so hard to get me here, so I can’t let them down”). These conversations are not curative, but they are meant to help your partner better understand you and hopefully, allow you to better understand yourself. It will also help you articulate your financial goals, which will shift over time. After the emotional conversation, the next part should be a breeze! The actual exchange of information should include: the amount of money each of you earns; how much you have saved or invested; your risk tolerance; your outstanding debt and your credit scores. You should also decide on the division of labor, especially when it comes to bill paying and investing. I am often asked whether or not to combine bank or investment accounts. The answer is: do what works for both of you. Regardless, both partners must understand whatever system is in effect, including relevant websites, passwords, automatic payments, and any other pertinent information. The detailing of all of this information will be necessary as you tackle your estate planning. Whether or not you legally tie the knot, it is imperative that partnerships agree to create a will, a power of attorney and a health care proxy, and in some cases, a trust. The process will also include a review of all beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance policies. Finally, a word about prenuptial (pre-nup) agreements, legal documents that set forth how you will divide your money and property in the event of divorce or the death of one or both of you. For our Super Bowl sweethearts, this may seem like a no-brainer, because of the large disparity in wealth, but prenups may also be useful if there are children from a previous marriage, a small business, a family trust, or when assets are owned with others. If circumstances change after you get married (i.e., the sale of a business or a large, unexpected inheritance), you can draft a “post-nup,” and if you are not planning to get married, there’s a “no-nup,” which can be especially helpful for real estate transactions and estate planning. Super Bowl sweethearts 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]. Astounding! Awesome! Boffo! Take your pick… contrary to the negative headlines and worries about the economy, the January employment report crushed it. The economy produced 353,000 jobs to start the year, about two times the expected result. The unemployment rate remained at 3.7 percent and importantly, average annual wages were up by 4.5%, which means that workers continue to earn more than the annual inflation rate (currently 3.4%, as measured by CPI). One quick note about prices. If you have not received a bump in pay over the past few years, inflation has really knocked you for a loop. But according to the U.S. Treasury, wages adjusted for inflation (“real wages”) for the median worker grew 1.7% between 2019 and 2023. “This means that one week of pay for the median worker now buys more than a week of pay did in 2019, despite higher prices.” And the best gains skewed “toward the middle class and the lower end of the income distribution.” The January data also caught many by surprise, because there have been a number of companies that have recently announced layoffs. In parsing these headlines, it’s important to distinguish between industries that are still robust (tech) and those that are actually consolidating (traditional media). For example, Amazon has reduced the number of total employees globally from a peak of 1.6 million in 2021, to about 1.5 million as of the end of last year. But look back to 2019 and Amazon’s workforce was just 800,000, so over the past four years, the growth has been staggering. The same goes for Salesforce, which just announced another round of layoffs of about 10% of its workforce. Even with the cuts, the company has grown the number of employees by 30% since 2020. Meanwhile, job reductions in traditional media could be permanent (whompwhomp), because it is an industry that is facing major headwinds and will likely get smaller. If you are worried about losing your job, you may want to head back to the office. According to new research, workers who are fully remote are 35% more likely to be laid off. Some workplace experts say that working from home makes it harder to build relationships. Management may also find it a little bit easier to let someone go who they don’t see every day. And for those who still seek to work from home despite the risk, you should understand that opportunities are dwindling. When some companies announce layoffs, (UPS and Wayfair), they are pairing them with mandates to bring workers back five days a week. All of this is important information for those seeking a new job. A new report from Monster found that a whopping 95% of workers are looking or planning to look for a job. Now, this could be an aspirational goal to start the New Year, as in “I’m going to work out more and look for a new job.” In other words, this is a survey about what people want, but according to the Labor Department, the number of people quitting voluntarily has been dropping steadily over the past two years. The quits rate peaked at 3% at the end of 2021 (peak “Great Resignation”) and as of December, was at 2.2%. Before the pandemic, the quits rate was 2.3%. If you are seeking a new job, the January report showed active hiring in Professional and Business Services (+74,000), Health Care (+70,000) and Retail (+45,000). Instead of confining your search to your own industry, it may make sense to find a way to deploy your skills and apply them to one of these sectors. January jobs jump with Jill Schlesinger The Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce embraces Taylor Swift on the field after a 17-10 victory against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game AUGUST 2nd , 3rd & 4 A th UGUST 2nd , 3rd & 4th Summer Is Just Around The Corner ummer Is Just Around The Corner SAVE THE DATE! AVE THE DATE! DT 2024-1 Tune In To Happenings Q&A Radio On DOCKSIDE CKSIDE AM 1050 WLIP Weekdays From 9am-11am When Frank Carmichael And Happenings Staff Members Visit With Interesting Guests, Both Local And From Around The Country. 2415 60th Street • Kenosha • 262-654-5328
0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 11 SMART READER February 22, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 11 A rule change for basketball players at Dartmouth College could be a harbinger of things to come in college sports. Last week, an official with the National Labor Relations Board, which governs private sector businesses, ruled that members of the men’s team are employees, opening the door for the first union for NCAA athletes. The decision comes amid a number of ongoing legal challenges to the NCAA and a system that limits the compensation that students – who often help bring schools millions, sometimes billions of dollars – can receive. In the New Hampshire case, Dartmouth plans to appeal the decision. And any effect of athletes unionizing would likely be felt first in the all-private Ivy League conference. But not unlike the 2021 name, image, and likeness change that allowed collegiate players to profit from branding, the new ruling raises questions about the staying power of amateur status. “The decision reflects what was a good argument and good reasoning offered by the players,” says Michael McCann, law professor and director of the Sports and Entertainment Law Institute at the University of New Hampshire. “We’ll see what happens from here, but of course this is big news.” Professor McCann says Dartmouth players were smart to use labor law to make their case. They presented examples of other students at the school, those who are paid to work in dining halls, for example, who have unionized. “I think it’s about equality. Why is it that some college students can be employees and unionize, but not others?” Mr. McCann says. Members of the team feel as though they spend more than 40 hours a week committed to playing sports and that their time is controlled, he adds, citing conditions that are associated with employment. In a September opinion column in the student paper The Dartmouth, players Cade Haskins and Romeo Myrthil described their hope of helping to transform college sports “into a less exploitative business.” They argued that some of their teammates work parttime jobs to help pay bills, including medical expenses related to sports-related injuries. Even though players get some financial aid (though not athletic scholarships, which are not offered in the Ivy League), they wrote that they want hourly pay, like that of other unionized students and employees on campus. “We are excited to see how this decision will impact college sports nationwide,” the pair said in a statement released after the Feb. 5 ruling from a regional National Labor Relations Board official. They added that they are forming an Ivy League Players Association for basketball athletes across the eight-school conference. In a statement to the Monitor, Dartmouth spokesperson Diana Lawrence said the college is “extremely proud” of its varsity athletics program. But, she adds, “it’s important to understand that unlike other institutions where athletics generates millions of dollars in net revenue, the costs of Dartmouth’s athletics program far exceed any revenue from the program – costs that Dartmouth bears as part of our participation in the Ivy League.” Given that, and that athletes are not compensated nor do they receive sports scholarships, Ms. Lawrence says, “we believe firmly that unionization is not appropriate in this instance and will be seeking a review of the decision.” Dartmouth has until March 5 – the day the players plan to vote on whether to unionize – to appeal. In 2014, a similar case involved football players at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. In that instance, Northwestern prevailed in part because it is the only private school in the Big Ten, says Michael LeRoy, the LER Alumni professor of labor and employment relations at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In the Ivy League conference, there are no public universities, he notes. The schools are all governed by the federal National Labor Relations Act – which means the potential for more unions and conferencewide bargaining. “There’s no jurisdiction problem anymore, so that makes this a blockbuster,” Professor LeRoy says. Other legal experts have noted that student-athletes as employees could mean high costs for colleges and universities in terms of benefits they are required to offer under labor laws, for example. The Monitor contacted the other seven members of the Ivy League conference. Only Cornell University’s department of athletics responded, declining to comment. It will likely be years before a final resolution is reached in the Dartmouth dispute. On the opposite coast, the University of Southern California, the NCAA, and the Pac-12 Conference are also facing a National Labor Relations Board complaint relating to whether “student-athletes,” as the NCAA calls them, should instead be “employees.” It’s one of many battles the NCAA is managing, including multiple antitrust lawsuits in states from California to West Virginia. The cases deal with everything from player pay to transfer eligibility. Some coaches – and the NCAA – have said name, image, and likeness deals need strict guidelines, even asking Congress to intervene with regulation. Multimilliondollar NIL contracts for student-athletes have shifted attitudes about students being considered amateurs. Charlie Baker, the NCAA president, submitted a proposal to several hundred member schools in December calling for toptier Division I schools to set up trust funds to pay at least half of their student players at least $30,000 annually and set up NIL licensing deals. The proposal, which wouldn’t consider players employees or allow them to unionize, is expected to be considered over the next year. For his part, Mr. LeRoy – who filed an amicus brief in Johnson v. NCAA, a case looking at whether college athletes are employees – sees an uncertain future for the status quo. “The money has gotten so big, and the competition for the premium TV contracts has gotten so cutthroat, that it has exposed the hypocrisy of their amateurism model,” he says. “They have built a house, a foundation, that is cracking.” By Ira Porter No more amateur hour: How Dartmouth ruling could change college sports Dartmouth's Romeo Myrthil (20) stands next to Duke's Caleb Foster (1) during an NCAA game in Durham, North Carolina, Nov. 6, 2023. Mr. Myrthil and teammate Cade Haskins are working to unionize their basketball team. In an unprecedented intervention in the Gaza conflict, Britain's Prince William, the heir to the throne, called for hostilities to be halted at the earliest opportunity. "I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7," he said in a statement, adding that "too many have been killed." "I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible. There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. It's critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released," said William, the prince of Wales. "Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home. "Even in the darkest hour, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair," William wrote ahead of a series of upcoming engagements in London at which he will hear about the work of humanitarian agencies in Gaza and a spike in antiSemitism sparked by the war. The royal family is traditionally apolitical in line with the dictates of constitutional monarchy, but William's outspoken comments eclipse those he and Kate, princess of Wales, made following Oct. 7 "utterly condemning" Hamas's attack in which they spoke of "profound distress" at the "devastating" violence. William's latest comments come as he is fulfilling a pivotal role in the monarchy standing in for his 75-yearold father, King Charles, who has stepped back from frontline royal duties to get treatment for a cancer diagnosed in February. His statement echoes a plea by Charles in October for tolerance and understanding between different faiths and cultures in which he talked of "heartbreaking loss of life" in Gaza and Israel. In his Christmas Day message to the nation he said that "tragic" conflicts were time for universal religious values to be applied. In 2020, Charles became the most senior member of the monarchy to visit Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. By Paul Godfrey Prince William urges an end to fighting in Gaza 'as soon as possible' In an unprecedented intervention in the Gaza conflict, Prince William called for the fighting to be halted as quickly as possible. 0 n e a y t e t ) s l d f e l m f , e n a t, d e , a d a t , n l d f.,rDT 2024-1
12 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 F M g f t s i b c c l W a w J c t s p c t a g 2 d l a u w t t l i t C w a m i m l F p s SMART READER February 22, 2024 12 Dear Cathy,I have a beautiful three-year-old white Havanese named Penny. This past July 4th, she became spooked by fireworks and has been an extremely frightened dog ever since. At the slightest noise, she scurries under the bed and remains there for several hours. It can be as simple as my son dropping the soap in the shower or a loud noise from the TV. I am uncertain how to approach this behavior. We all love Penny, dearly, however, this is no life for her, and we want our precious dog back. How can I treat her and return her behavior to six months ago? — Fran, Oyster Bay, New York Dear Fran, Penny is exhibiting behaviors consistent with being a noisesensitive dog. Some dogs are noise-sensitive from birth; others have traumatic experiences that set the stage for this anxiety and behavior change. There are many things that can frighten dogs, but fireworks are probably the number one thing causing them stress. There are things you can do to help Penny overcome this behavior. These suggestions are not foolproof and can take time to accomplish. It also may take a combination of things and not just one thing to work. So don’t just try one of the following suggestions on its own. Combine things until you find the right combination that reduces her fear and anxiety. I recommend getting her a pheromone collar to reduce some of her anxiety and jumpiness when it comes to general noises around the house. Start her on over-thecounter calming chews available online or at a pet store. Get her an Anxiety Wrap® or Thundershirt® to wear as much as possible as the snugness of these products may make her feel safer and less likely to startle. After laying this groundwork to create a more calming environment, spend time counter-conditioning her b y exposing her to a low-level noise that you know she won’t react to and rewarding her for remaining calming. Continue increasing the volume of the sound, slowly, over time, and rewarding her for each baby step she takes towards remaining calm when she hears certain noises. This will take time, so be patient with her as you teach her there is nothing to be afraid of. Pet World with Cathy Rosenthal Managing a noise-sensitive dog requires the right combination of things that create calm 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]. Raccoon captured after nearly two months on the loose in England A raccoon on the loose for nearly two months in England was captured close to home and safely returned to his farm. Male raccoon Meeko was one of three raccoons to escape from the Sunderland Training and Education Farm in South Hylton just before Christmas. The other two raccoons, females named Rocket and Pinch, were recaptured in late January, leaving Meeko as the sole furry fugitive. Iain Watson, of Hartlepool-based Raccoon Rescue U.K., said he received a call that Meeko had been spotted nearby the farm and had fled up a tree. Watson said he was on his way to the scene when he learned farm workers had felled the tree and safely captured Meeko. "It's his territory. He knows there was food there. He was raiding other animals' enclosures," Watson told the BBC. "It's amazing none of the cameras had spotted him. Maybe he needs a job with MI5 or MI6." Meeko was not injured and was reunited with the rest of the farm's raccoons. Police hunt for peacock on the loose in Ohio Police in Ohio are asking members of the public to be on the lookout for a blue and green peacock on the loose. The Willoughby Police Department said in a Facebook post that one feathered fugitive remains on the loose after four birds escaped from their owner's home near Bell Road and Lost Nation Road. Police Lt. John Begovic said the peacocks escaped when the door to their feeding pen was accidentally left open. Two of the peacocks were safely captured and a third was struck by a car along State Route 2, leaving one blue and green bird unaccounted for, Begovic said. Zoo removes $7 in coins from alligator's stomach A Nebraska zoo said its 36-year-old white alligator underwent surgery to remove $7 worth of loose change from his stomach. The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha said on social media that the leucistic American alligator, named Thibodaux, underwent blood collection and radiographs as part of routine care, and veterinarians spotted objects in his stomach that turned out to be coins. "With the help of his training, Thibodaux was anesthetized and intubated to allow us to safely manage him during the procedure," Christina Ploog, an associate veterinarian at the zoo, said in the social media post. "A plastic pipe was placed to protect his mouth and safely pass the tools used to access the coins, such as a camera that helped us guide the retrieval of these objects," she said. The veterinarians ended up removing 70 coins -- about $7 worth -- from Thibodaux's stomach. A follow-up X-ray confirmed the alligator's stomach was now free of coins. "Guests should not throw coins into any bodies of water at the zoo," the post said. "Any loose change can instead be turned in for a souvenir coin in one of the several machines around the zoo or in our coin wishing well located in the atrium of the Desert Dome." Cathy Rosenthal joins Happenings Q&A on Mon. Feb. 26 at 9:20 on AM1050 WLIP. AUGUST 2nd , 3rd & 4 A th UGUST 2nd , 3rd & 4th Summer Is Just Around The Corner ummer Is Just Around The Corner SAVE THE DATE! AVE THE DATE! DT 2024-1 DOCKSIDE CKSIDE IUP General Feed Store 2429 Sheridan Road Zion, IL 60099 847-731-3333 Your local stop for... • Wild Birdseed • Dog & Cat Food • Grass Seed • Wide Variety Of Garden Seeds • High Quality Dog Treats • Homemade Soaps • Honey Your local stop for... IUP General Feed Store 2429 Sheridan Road Zion, IL 60099 847-731-3333 SR101923 Your Ticket to Local Events
0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 13 SMART READER February 22, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 13 U.S. court could order gunmakers to pay billions to Mexico for arming gangs The government of Mexico is suing U.S. gunmakers for their role in facilitating cross-border gun trafficking that has supercharged violent crime in Mexico. The lawsuit seeks $10 billion in damages and a court order to force the companies named in the lawsuit -- including Smith & Wesson, Colt, Glock, Beretta and Ruger -- to change the way they do business. In January, a federal appeals court in Boston decided that the industry's immunity shield, which so far has protected gunmakers from civil liability, does not apply to Mexico's lawsuit. As a legal scholar who has analyzed lawsuits against the gun industry for more than 25 years, I believe this decision to allow Mexico's lawsuit to proceed could be a game changer. To understand why, let's begin with some background about the federal law that protects the gun industry from civil lawsuits. Gun industry immunity In 2005, Congress passed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which prohibits lawsuits against firearm manufacturers and sellers for injuries arising from criminal misuse of a gun. Importantly, there are limits to this immunity shield. For example, it doesn't protect a manufacturer or seller who "knowingly violated a State or Federal statute applicable to the sale or marketing" of a firearm. Mexico's lawsuit alleges that U.S. gunmakers aided and abetted illegal weapons sales to gun traffickers in violation of federal law. Mexico's allegations Mexico claims that U.S. gunmakers engaged in "deliberate efforts to create and maintain an illegal market for their weapons in Mexico." According to the lawsuit, the manufacturers intentionally design their weapons to be attractive to criminal organizations in Mexico by including features such as easy conversion to fully automatic fire, compatibility with highcapacity magazines and removable serial numbers. Mexico also points to industry marketing that promises buyers a tactical military experience for civilians. And Mexico alleges that manufacturers distribute their products to dealers whom they know serve as transit points for illegal gunrunning through illegal straw sales, unlicensed sales at gun shows and online, and off-book sales disguised as inventory theft. In short, Mexico claims that illegal gun trafficking isn't just an unwanted byproduct of the industry's design choices, marketing campaigns and distribution practices. Instead, according to the lawsuit, feeding demand for illegal weapons is central to the industry's business model. In response, the gunmakers insist that Mexico's attempt to hold them legally responsible for the criminal activity of others is precisely the type of lawsuit that the federal immunity shield was designed to block. They argue that merely selling a product that someone later uses in a crime does not amount to a violation of federal law that would deprive a manufacturer of immunity. Additionally, the gunmakers assert that, even if Mexico's lawsuit were not barred by the immunity law, they have no legal duty to prevent criminal violence that occurs outside the U.S. The next legal steps In January 2024, a federal appeals court in Massachusetts decided that Mexico's allegations, if true, would deprive the gunmakers of immunity, and it sent the case back to trial court. Mexico now needs to produce evidence to prove its allegations that the industry is not only aware of but actively facilitates illegal gun trafficking. Additionally, to win, Mexico will need to convince a Boston jury that the manufacturers' design choices, marketing campaigns and distribution practices are closely enough connected to street crime in Mexico to consider the companies responsible for the problem. This is known as "proximate cause" in the law. For their part, the gunmakers have asked the trial judge to put the case on hold while they pursue an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. However, the Supreme Court has been reluctant to weigh in on gun industry cases until they have reached their conclusion in the lower courts, where most of them are dismissed and a few have settled. High stakes for the industry If Mexico does win at trial, its demand for $10 billion in damages could drive several of the nation's largest firearm manufacturers into bankruptcy. Even if the case were to settle for much less, a victory by Mexico would provide a template for a wave of future lawsuits that could change the way the gun industry operates. Similar theories about dangerous product designs, irresponsible marketing and reckless distribution practices in opioid litigation have transformed the pharmaceutical industry. Civil lawsuits have forced the drugmakers to take public responsibility for a nationwide health crisis, overhaul the way they do business and pay billions of dollars in judgments and settlements. Mexico's lawsuit holds out the prospect that the gun industry could be next.The Conversation By Timothy D. Lytton The lawsuit seeks $10 billion in damages and a court order to force the companies named in the lawsuit -- including Smith & Wesson, Colt, Glock, Beretta and Ruger -- to change the way they do business. also spilled over into politics. Supporters of Joe Biden worry the president is getting little credit for an improving economy. It’s long been true that voters whose candidate occupies the White House are more sanguine about the economy than those whose party is out of power. And Americans are more politically polarized than before, says Joanne Hsu, director of the Surveys of Consumers at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Still, actual economic conditions continue to affect consumer optimism, she adds. “Even Republicans are at their highest [level] in two years.” Plenty could upset the new optimism. Some analysts worry that inflation could prove more intractable than expected. The layoffs now piling up in the technology sector could spread. Global issues including a slower Chinese economy or a wider Middle East conflict could tug against growth. But for the moment, pay hikes are again outpacing inflation, which means Americans have more money to spend, despite high prices. The Federal Reserve, which was tightening financial spigots in 2022 and 2023 to tame high inflation, is now talking about loosening them by cutting interest rates later this year. And the United States appears on the cusp of accomplishing something rare – a slowdown in inflation without a job-destroying recession, a feat known as a soft landing for the economy. By Laurent Belsie Americans feel better about the economy continued from page 8 022224 2129 Birch Road Kenosha, WI For more information call 262-551-7171 www.casacapri.com 022224 Lenten Specials Friday Fish Fry Try our incredible beer battered or in house hand breaded Additonal Lenten Specials are available, also serving our complete menu. Complete Dinner $14.95 Lenten Specials Friday Fish Fry 2 y r e c d o m n e d n , s , d e a e t d a f e 0 m y s o e d e o n rDT 2024-1
14 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 SMART READER February 22, 2024 14 F Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines of the war with Russia were jubilant when HIMARS, the U.S. Army’s coveted multiple rocket launcher, arrived on the battlefield in July 2022. Not only was the launcher considered lightyears ahead of the mostly Soviet-era equipment that the Ukrainians had at their disposal. But perhaps even more important, delivery of the sophisticated American weaponry offered ironclad evidence that the United States would, in President Joe Biden’s words, stand with Ukraine “as long as it takes” to repel the Russian aggression. As recently as last week, a HIMARS rocket attack obliterated a group of elite Russian drone pilots operating in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk province. But these days, the HIMARS is also becoming a symbol of something else. Amid stalled U.S. assistance, and a trickling supply of arms and ammunition, the launchers are reminders of how the U.S. and some Western partners are tiring of a war Russian President Vladimir Putin launched two years ago next month. As Congress sits on a $60 billion Ukraine aid package that Mr. Biden first proposed in October, the idling of air defense systems due to a lack of ammunition is increasingly exposing Ukrainian cities to Russian missile strikes. And soldiers are running dangerously low on the ammunition that has enabled them to hold off the Russians. An exhausted superpower? For Ukraine, the outlook is increasingly sobering – with some military experts foreseeing rapidly deteriorating battlefield positions and even accelerating territorial losses in coming months. Moreover, some predict dire consequences if Washington’s abandonment of Ukraine serves to solidify a global perception that the U.S. is an exhausted and divided superpower that no longer stands by its word. “There’s no question that for at least a year, Putin’s strategy has been to wait out the U.S. and Europe, so if we turn our back on Ukraine now it will be vindication of his thinking that in a conflict, the U.S. and NATO will eventually get tired,” says Mark Cancian, a retired Marine Corps officer and a senior adviser with the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “And it won’t just be Moscow,” he says. “I think the Chinese, too, will conclude that if a war goes long, the U.S. will give up. The lesson for them and probably the Iranians might then be,” he adds, “if they start a war, they will have the advantage of endurance on their side.” Not everyone agrees with the notion that a U.S. shift on Ukraine from “as long as it takes” to “as long as we could” will have significant global implications. Rajan Menon, director of grand strategy at Defense Priorities, a realist foreign policy think tank in Washington, says he finds those concerns about China “far-fetched.” The Chinese, he says, “are going to look at the balance of forces in their region and what the costs will be of launching a war, and less at how long the Americans stuck it out with Ukraine.” Ukraine hostage to U.S. politics? Yet virtually everyone from Kyiv and Western European capitals to Washington seems to agree on one thing. A drying up of U.S. military assistance would spell disaster for Ukraine’s aspirations of taking back and reestablishing sovereignty over any more of the nearly 20% of the country that Russia still occupies. For months, congressional Republicans have tied up President Biden’s request for supplemental Ukraine aid in a battle over spending and toughening security measures at the southern border. A bipartisan solution to the border-Ukraine funding dispute floated by Senate leaders took another blow last week when former President Donald Trump called on his forces not to approve the proposal. Speaker Mike Johnson declared the plan would be “dead on arrival” in the House. European political and military leaders – including British Conservatives who hoped to hold some sway with Trump-supporting Republicans – have been knocking on congressional doors in recent weeks with the message that not just Ukraine’s survival but Western Europe’s freedom is on the line. “Definitely the leadership and the engagement of the U.S. in the long term, but also in this very important phase, is paramount,” says a European official in Washington. “The supplemental [U.S. funding] is a must-have to continue – not only on the ground,” the official adds, “but as a show of Western resolve ... to make [Mr. Putin] understand that he will not win.” Mr. Menon, who has just returned from his fourth visit to wartime Ukraine, says that for the first time he found “a mood of great pessimism – not over their will or ability to fight this war with Russia, but over how they are now hostage to [U.S.] politics.” The lack of ammunition is one factor in Ukraine’s shift to what military experts dub an “active defense” – meaning a hunkering down along defensive lines, with aerial attacks (weaponry permitting) aimed at disrupting Russian logistics lines. But a halt to U.S. aid would mean that deliveries of munitions and weaponry would shrink even further, Colonel Cancian says – with the worst-case scenario being a “collapse” of Ukraine’s fighting capabilities, perhaps even this year. “The ammunition and artillery delivered in January 2024 is already one-third of what it was in the summer of 2023,” he says. “Without a quick change, that’s going to be down to 8% by June,” he adds. “There’d be a pulling back [from defensive lines], and eventually you’d see a collapse.” What Europeans are doing Countering that grim picture is the more hopeful scenario offered by some analysts that Europe is taking steps to at least partially make up for the U.S. shortfall. Britain, perhaps Ukraine’s most stalwart supporter right now, has pledged additional billions in assistance. France, too, is stepping up, with President Emmanuel Macron recently announcing more air defense missiles and other munitions for Ukraine as he prepares to conclude a bilateral security pact when he visits Kyiv next month. Still, few analysts foresee Europe making up for the U.S. anytime soon. “I’ve been arguing for a while now that Europe should prepare to take over the main support for Ukraine ... but the Europeans keep moving really slowly,” says Sven Biscop, director of the Europe in the World program at Egmont – The Royal Institute for International Relations in Brussels. “So now we are in a situation where if U.S. military support were to suddenly evaporate, it would create a huge hole in Ukraine’s arsenal.” And that, Dr. Biscop says, would very likely mean an intensification of fighting, as it would encourage Russia to go on the offensive. “As we saw from Putin’s recent statements, he still feels he can win,” he says, “but only on the condition of a collapse of [Western] support. So every time the Russians get signals from the U.S. and Europe that our resolve is wavering,” he adds, “Putin feels he’s right – right about us losing interest, and right about his eventual victory in Ukraine.” By Howard LaFranchi In Ukraine and Europe, a concern: Has Putin outlasted the US? House Speaker Mike Johnson exits the White House in Washington, Jan. 17, 2024, following a meeting that President Joe Biden convened to underscore Ukraine's security needs. 7110 74th PL, Kenosha, WI • (262) 694-1500 “Located next to Menards” AS YOUR CERTIFIED GM SERVICE CENTER... WE USE GENUINE GM PARTS 30 day guaranteed lowest price! We will meet or beat any advertised price on any tire we sell! Lifetime Free Tire Rotations With the purchase of 4 tires We offer over 18 different manufactures of tires including BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Michelin, Goodyear and more! 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0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 15 SMART READER February 22, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 15 Ever wonder how many carbohydrates you should be eating? Or if a detox diet really works? Or how often to snack? A Google search can give a variety of answers, but how do you know what the truth is? Make sure the site is reputable -- ending in ".org" or from a registered dietitian. Here are answers you can trust. Do carbs make you gain weight? Carbohydrates are often demonized as the weight-gain devil. They're not. You just want to make sure you're eating complex carbohydrates instead of simple carbs. Complex carbs are important for energy, brain function and even weight loss. Complex carbohydrates include whole grains, beans and vegetables, which are rich in fiber and make you feel full. Simple carbs are those highsugar foods and processed grains, which lead to unsatisfying meals, causing us to overindulge later. Keep in mind any food you eat in excess will cause you to gain weight and eliminating any one of the major food groups is detrimental. You need all the macros -- carbohydrates, fat and protein. Is snacking throughout the day bad for my health? Not necessarily. Six smaller meals work for a lot of people. Snacking on nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein can help increase your intake of vitamins and minerals. A smart snack is one that is planned, consumed when true hunger strikes and helps bridge the gap between meals to ensure you don't overeat later. Avoid chips, candy and sweets that have empty calories and added sugars that will make you feel sluggish later. Can certain foods burn calories? Not really. Caffeine and spicy ingredients (which contain capsaicin) can increase metabolism, but not enough for significant calorie burn or weight loss. The best way to lose weight is to choose healthy foods in the right portions and exercise consistently. Are fat-free or low-fat versions of foods healthier? When a product claims it contains low or no fat, be sure to look at the label for its sugar content. Sometimes, manufacturers replace fat with sugar to make it more palatable, because fat provides food with flavor. In addition, some fat in our salad dressings helps with absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K). Do detox diets rid the body of toxins? There is little evidence to support that detox or cleansing diets eliminate toxins. The body has its own detox system in place with the liver and kidneys, which act as a cleansing system to remove waste from the body. Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with SIU Med School in Springfield, Ill. food & recipes Nutrition Fact or Fiction? Nutrition News with Charlyn Fargo Servings: 6 (serving size: 1 cup oatmeal and about 1/4 cup apples) 3 3/4 cups water 2 1/4 cups 1% milk 1 1/2 cups steel-cut oats 3/4 cup golden raisins (or dried cranberries) 1/2 cup maple syrup 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter 2 large apples, cut into 1/4-inch slices Combine the water, milk, oats, raisins, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a heatproof glass bowl. Set bowl in a 6-quart slow cooker; add cold water to slow cooker, filling until water comes 3/4 of the way up outside of bowl. Cover slow cooker; cook on low 8 hours or until oats are thick and creamy. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Stir oats; spoon into bowls. Top with apples. Per serving: 370 calories; 10 grams protein; 75 grams carbohydrates; 6.5 grams fat; 12 milligrams cholesterol; 7 grams fiber; 211 milligrams sodium. Overnight Maple-Raisin Oatmeal Makes 3 to 4 waffles 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon cornmeal (optional) 1/2 teaspoon table salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 egg, separated 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1. Heat waffle iron. Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Whisk yolk with buttermilk and butter. 2. Beat egg white until it just holds a 2-inch peak. 3. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients in a thin steady stream while gently mixing with a rubber spatula; be careful not to add liquid faster than you can incorporate it. Toward the end of mixing, use a folding motion to incorporate ingredients; gently fold egg white into batter. 4. Spread appropriate amount of batter onto the waffle iron. Following manufacturer’s instructions, cook waffle until golden brown, 2 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately. (You can keep waffles warm on a wire rack in a 200-degree oven for up to 5 minutes.) Classic Buttermilk Waffles We wanted a waffle recipe that produced crisp-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside waffles. We found that a thick batter lets the outside of the waffle become crisp, while the inside remains custardy. Buttermilk made our batter extra thick. Because crispness is so important in waffles, we tried substituting cornmeal for a bit of the flour in our waffle recipe and found that 1 tablespoon per cup of flour adds extra crackle. The extra effort of separating the egg and then whipping the white and folding it into the batter proved worth the trouble. The waffles turned out fluffier inside; we could actually see pockets of air trapped inside when we cut into a cooked waffle. Q: Are smoothies beneficial for weight loss and overall health? A: To have a healthy and safe weight loss, the goal is to maintain satiety (feeling full after eating) and prevent loss of muscle while maximizing fat loss. Satiety can be achieved by consuming proteins, high-fiber and highvolume foods. So, yes, smoothies can be a great way to increase satiety by boosting fiber intake and can be a wonderful substitution for highly processed carbohydrates. Just be sure to include protein (such as Greek yogurt or milk) and veggies (such as spinach or kale) as well as fresh or frozen fruit. 4 e r n n S. o d n s, n s a s l s, n ] e e r e – g s ” itSR022224 F
16 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 F s p r S V n f t d d p m w s b a a s s b n n s r f s a h T m a t c c c l u I p w o s r m a w w c c t v d P f r w t h “ r n a s YDEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’m training for my first longdistance race, and I want to be safe on my runs. Unfortunately, due to where I live, the weather is often a challenge. On other days, I’m finding I cannot get in my miles until after dusk. I’m wondering if you have any advice for staying injury-free in cold, rainy or dark conditions. ANSWER: Training for a distance race means logging a lot of miles — sometimes in cold, rainy or hot weather, sometimes in the early morning or in the evening, sometimes on streets or country roads. No matter the weather, time of day or route, taking precautions to be safe during all your training runs is important. There are many things to consider safety-wise when outdoors, but among the top on my list are being visible, whether to drivers, bicyclists or other runners on the road or trail; preventing injury; and being able to summon help if you need it. You can address these concerns by developing and practicing safe running habits. Having the proper basic gear — down to your socks and shoes — is essential. Also, take advantage of high-tech gadgets designed for runners, such as LEDenhanced gear for running at night and phone apps to track your progress and help motivate you. Preparing to run Dress for the weather and be aware of the forecast. Weather conditions can change rapidly, so consider adding lightweight rain gear or extra gloves to a cinch bag you carry with you. Be visible. Wear bright colors. In poor light conditions, consider reflective or LED-lighted gear. Check out these products at your local sporting goods store, a running specialty shop or online. Some safety gear includes lighted shoe clips, wrist bands, knuckle lights, vests and headlamps, as well as reflective vests and wrist slap bands. Wear well-fitting shoes and low-friction socks. Consider these tips for making sure your shoes fit properly: Shop in the evening since your feet retain water during the day. Visit specialty shoe shops to find the best options, extended sizes and styles as well as support accessories. Be aware of any physical issues, such as bunions or hammertoes, which can pose a challenge to footwear. Look for shoes that can accommodate these concerns. Take time to break in shoes and go for a walk or jog before going for a full run. Speak to a specialist about a gait analysis as the motions you make and the way you run will affect the way a shoe fits. Determine your arch type. This information will help you choose the best shoes. Replace shoes when needed. Your shoes are going to get a workout as you train. In general, a pair of running shoes lasts 400 to 500 miles or three to four months. Keep an eye on the midsoles and outsoles. If they’re compressed or worn, it’s time to buy a new pair. Apply anti-chafing agents to “tender” areas. When you run, body parts can rub together or against clothing. This causes friction, which wears away your skin. Sweat can increase chafing. Places to consider protecting include the inner thighs, groin and nipples. Let someone know your route and what time you expect to return. Vary your routes for safety and to keep you from getting bored during your training runs. Consider running in a group for safety, camaraderie and motivation. Helpful gadgets Carry pepper spray if running in isolated areas or if there are aggressive dogs along your route. Take a fully charged phone with you. Not only is the phone for your safety, but it also can help your motivation and pace if paired with music, podcasts or any of the many training apps available to runners. If your phone isn’t ideal, consider a wearable device, like a watch, that may have the capabilities of your phone and allow you to make a call for help. Use wearable identification with name, address, phone number, emergency contacts and medical information. In a medical emergency, if you can’t speak for yourself, first responders can immediately contact family members and communicate medical conditions or allergy information to medical staff. Tips while running Always stay alert and aware of what’s going on around you. Keep earbud volume low so you can hear sounds around you. When running along roads, follow all traffic rules. Run against the traffic and not with the traffic, run defensively, and be prepared to take evasive action. Look both ways at intersections. Make eye contact with drivers stopped at intersections before crossing. On multiuse trails, follow the rules of the road. If you alter your direction, look over your shoulder before crossing the path to avoid colliding with a passing runner or cyclist. Announce your approach when overtaking and passing other runners. Avoid unlit areas, especially at night, and run clear of parked cars and bushes. Ignore verbal harassment; keep your distance and keep moving. Trust your intuition about a person or an area. Don’t forget to warm up before a run so you can avoid injuries while running. Be safe and enjoy your training runs. — Karla Marley, Physical Therapy, Mayo Clinic Health System, La Crosse, Wisconsin Mayo Clinic Staying safe while running health Rheumatoid arthritis drug may also prevent the disease Philip Day loved playing soccer so much that the 35- year-old software engineer founded a website -- FootballMatcher.com -- to help people connect for pickup games. The fun went on pause when Day developed joint pain so bad it kept him from his favorite sport. "The pain got so terrible I stopped going to football, and I got lazier and felt progressively worse physically and mentally," Day, who lives in the London district of Eltham, said in a news release. "The pain was unpredictable," he recalled. "It would show up in my knees one day, my elbows the next, and then my wrists or even my neck." But Day is now back to playing, thanks to a biologic drug that prevented him from developing full-blown rheumatoid arthritis. Day participated in a clinical trial that showed the drug abatacept (Orencia) -- which is already used to treat diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis -- also can prevent people from progressing to the painful inflammatory disease. Abatacept eases symptoms and prevents joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis patients by dampening the immune system, researchers said. About 1.3 million Americans live with rheumatoid arthritis, which occurs when the body's immune system starts attacking tissues in the joints, causing inflammation, pain and swelling. Day's clinical trial showed that abatacept also is effective in preventing the onset of rheumatoid arthritis. About 6% of patients treated with abatacept developed arthritis compared to 29% given a placebo following a year of treatment, according to clinical trial results published in The Lancet. "This is the largest rheumatoid arthritis prevention trial to date and the first to show that a therapy licensed for use in treating established rheumatoid arthritis is also effective in preventing the onset of disease in people at risk," researcher Andrew Cope, head of the King's College London Center for Rheumatic Diseases, said in a news release. "These initial results could be good news for people at risk of arthritis, as we show that the drug not only prevents disease onset during the treatment phase but can also ease symptoms such as pain and fatigue," he continued. For the clinical trial, researchers recruited 213 patients older than 18 at high risk of rheumatoid arthritis. They all had early symptoms like joint pain, but no swelling that would lead to a formal diagnosis. Rheumatoid arthritis most often begins in middle age, but also can affect much younger adults, researchers said. "Enrolling in the trial was a no-brainer; it was a ray of hope at a dark time," Day said. Half of the participants were treated with abatacept and the other half with a placebo every week for a year. The drug is given by weekly injections at home or in a hospital via an IV drip. After a year of treatment, the drug was stopped and patients were monitored to see how many would develop rheumatoid arthritis. After the full two years, 25% of abatacept patients had progressed to rheumatoid arthritis compared with 37% of those on a placebo. "The results clearly show that during the treatment period almost all individuals receiving the biologic drug showed no symptoms or signs of RA compared with the control population," Ravinder Maini, an emeritus professor of rheumatology at Imperial College London who was not involved in the research, said of the clinical trial. "In the follow up period of 1 year off treatment, it is interesting to note that some appeared to go into remission," he added. Abatacept also improved patient scores on pain, function and quality of life, and reduced inflammation in joints detectable by ultrasound. "Within a few months I had no more aches or pains and five years on I'd say I've been cured," Day said. "Now, I can play football with my three-year-old son and have a normal life." Abatacept isn't cheap, researchers noted. A year's treatment costs about 10,000 pounds in the U.K., equivalent to more than $12,500 in the U.S. Side effects include upper respiratory tract infections, dizziness, nausea and diarrhea, although researchers said these symptoms are usually mild. "There are currently no drugs available that prevent this potentially crippling disease," Cope said. "Our next steps are to understand people at risk in more detail so that we can be absolutely sure that those at highest risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis receive the drug." The clinical trial was funded by Bristol Meyers Squibb, the drug's manufacturer. By Dennis Thompson SMART READER February 22, 2024 16
0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 17 SMART READER February 22, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 17 books The best literary love stories take characters by surprise. They’re especially wonderful when they involve a previously closed-off person opening up and becoming receptive to another living being, whether human or not. Such is the case in Sigrid Nunez’s The Vulnerables. Her narrator is a writer who finds herself more alone than usual in lockeddown New York City during the coronavirus pandemic. She shares many characteristics with Nunez – yet the story is fiction. In the book, the writer’s friend asks her to take care of a macaw named Eureka; she’s happy for something to give shape to her days. Like the writer who becomes attached to an orphaned dog in Nunez’s earlier novel, “The Friend,” her latest narrator is charmed by this needy creature. But things get complicated when the troubled college student who was supposed to take care of the parrot returns as unexpectedly as he had abandoned the job. At first the writer is furious and resents the young man’s sloppy intrusion, seeing him as a rival for the bird’s affections. But what starts as a gradual thaw, when she sees how good he is with Eureka, progresses to tender warmth. The student takes it upon himself to provide tempting meals for the older woman when he notices she’s unwell and isn’t eating properly. “The Vulnerables” isn’t a romance, but it’s a joy to watch two such different people find solace in unlikely companionship. We watch with delight as, over pints of ice cream, they share coping mechanisms for stress and confidences about what they want out of literature and life. Diving into The Frozen River, Ariel Lawhon’s unputdownable tale of a midwife in 1780s Maine, I thought I had a good idea of what lay in wait: an intriguing protagonist, a twisty mystery, rich period detail, lashing weather, and (hopefully minimal) depictions of why labor is often, ahem, labor. What I didn’t think I’d encounter is a singular, stellar marriage. Martha Ballard – smart, industrious, and widely respected for her remarkable midwifery record – has been married to Ephraim for 35 years. A Welsh woodworker and falconer who runs the local lumber mill, Ephraim is the warm, clearheaded calm to Martha’s fierce, determined will. In their Hallowell home along the Kennebec River, the couple work, tend, fix, and craft alongside their brood of children, ages 11 to 27. It’s a life full of the extremes of its time and place – aching loss, unending demands, fits of violence, and brutal winds – and yet their partnership is daringly, and surprisingly, tender. There’s gentleness. Patience. Even playfulness. They banter and tease, parry and flirt. Make no mistake: Martha and Ephraim fling words they regret. There’s disappointment, frustration, and anger. But what feels revolutionary as the book’s turmoil mounts is their bedrock care and kindness. And trust. One night Martha encounters a rare fox on her return home. The face-off feels mysterious and important. “Ephraim will neither laugh at me or be alarmed,” she realizes when determining what to share. “He will simply nod and think on it. In a novel focused on weighty issues and worthy struggles, it was a joy to stumble across this standout, satisfying love story.times. A jazzy new biography unfurls Ella Fitzgerald’s life and career As an aspiring performer, a teenage Ella Fitzgerald competed in the famed Harlem Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater in New York. She had intended to dance, but when the act preceding hers was a dance number, Fitzgerald made a last-minute decision to sing instead. Visibly nervous, she initially drew ridicule from the audience. Pushing past her fear, Fitzgerald delivered a performance that helped launch her iconic career, which spanned the 20th century, shaped the American songbook, and established Fitzgerald as one of the preeminent singers of the modern era. In Becoming Ella Fitzgerald: The Jazz Singer Who T r a n s f o r m e d American Song, Judith Tick recounts the performer’s remarkable career and the impact it had on both the music scene and American society. A professor emerita of music history at Northeastern University, Tick blends her understanding of the era with recent interviews and newly accessible digital copies of Black-owned newspapers of the time. Tick recounts the extraordinary resistance that Fitzgerald faced – and overcame. And while the young performer’s experience at the Apollo hinted at the professional success that would follow, Fitzgerald continued to defy personal and professional expectations. Her success was by no means assured. Born in 1917, Fitzgerald grew up in one of the poorest sections of Yonkers, New York. By all accounts, she was a shy girl, although she aspired to be a dancer and would often sing for her friends. Local competitions provided her with early experience and exposure. But it was her 1934 appearance at the Apollo that revealed another talent – Fitzgerald’s ability to connect with almost any audience. That skill graced her entire career and allowed her to expand beyond the class and racial restrictions of the day as she blazed new musical ground. She contributed to the development of bebop and blurred the line between jazz and pop music. Tick describes how the contest at the Apollo caught the attention of Chick Webb, who invited Fitzgerald to join his band, a partnership that extended through the decade and anchored both of their careers. “Girl singers,” as Tick explains, were common during the era. Usually young and attractive, they would accompany big bands more as novelty acts than as vocalists. Down Beat magazine and other industry publications called these vocalists “decorative furniture,” as they casually referred to the women’s inferiority as musicians. Against this sexist backdrop, Fitzgerald and Webb enjoyed an extraordinary collaboration. And when Webb died in 1939, Fitzgerald assumed the leadership of the band. In the decades that followed, her work with Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, and Louis Armstrong continued to chart new paths. She and Armstrong shared top billing in a 1956 concert, a remarkable achievement for a female singer at the time. Tick places Fitzgerald’s experiences in the context of each decade. Her research is enriched by access to Black-owned newspapers, including the Baltimore Afro-American and The Pittsburgh Courier. Comparing these press accounts with what was published in mainstream news outlets, Tick reveals how the very private Fitzgerald tended to be more candid with the Black press. For example, the singer voiced her dissatisfaction with the management of Decca Records. Fitzgerald’s impact extended beyond music. Her growing success, and the press it garnered, stood in contrast to legally sanctioned segregation. “The more famous she became,” Tick writes, “the more she drew press attention when racial discrimination was involved.” In one example, Pan American Airways bumped Fitzgerald from her firstclass seat, putting her and her band in the back of the plane, a practice that echoed public buses at the time. While the airline was willing to reinstate her reservation, she refused when they would not also seat her band. Fitzgerald accomplished all of this while largely keeping her personal life out of the tabloids. She kept the focus on her music as she further defied expectations, interpreting the American songbook, blending jazz with pop, and expanding the music – and its influence – across audiences of different races and social classes. Judith Tick proves to be the astute biographer that Fitzgerald deserves. By Joan Gaylord Your reading list needs more than romance novels Fauci says newly announced memoir to show 'daunting challenges' in public health Dr. Anthony Fauci will reflect on his expansive career in public health in a new memoir. Publisher Viking Press told news outlets that Fauci's memoir, On Call: A Doctor's Journey in Public Service will come out on June. 18. Fauci, 83, has worked in public health for nearly 50 years. He previously served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institute of Health and was the NIH's AIDs coordinator. He served under seven presidents, going back to Ronald Regan. President George W. Bush in 2008 awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his "his efforts to advance the understanding and treatment of HIV/AIDS." Fauci also gave updates on the Zika and Ebola viruses during the Obama administration and served as chief medical adviser for President Joe Biden until his retirement in 2022. He gained worldwide notoriety for his work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fauci was a strong advocate for vaccines and following public-safety guidelines, which drew the ire of the Trump administration and many conservatives. His clash with the Trump administration has made him the subject of Republican and anti-vax criticism, with prominent figures releasing their own books on the matter. Fauci was mired in another medical controversy prior to COVID. Activist group ACT Up condemned Fauci in the 1980s for what it called his indifferent response to the spread of AIDS. Fauci, however, won over many critics by meeting with ACT Up and agreeing to let people with HIV serve on research committees and accelerate the process of finding treatments. Fauci now serves as a distinguished university professor at Georgetown University. By Ehren Wynder 6
18 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 F N f M r g s d w h B r T r p w j r jo( s los e w d j e l p n s " p w w 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 4:0SMART READER February 22, 2024 18 More than any other American president, Abraham Lincoln has been considered a source of wisdom for subsequent generations. New books on Lincoln reliably appear every February to coincide with Presidents Day, joining an already vast library. This year brings two excellent studies of the 16th president that explicitly look to him for insight into questions currently besetting the American republic. Allen C. Guelzo’s Our Ancient Faith: Lincoln, Democracy, and the American Experiment explores Lincoln’s vision of democratic government, while Harold Holzer’s Brought Forth on This Continent: Abraham Lincoln and A m e r i c a n Immigration centers on Lincoln’s handling of an issue that was as divisive in the antebellum period as it is today. Interestingly, there is little overlap between the two books. “Our Ancient Faith” is a slim, meditative volume whose primary focus is slavery and the Civil War. “Brought Forth on This Continent,” meanwhile, is a broad examination of immigration’s impact on 19th-century politics. Holzer notes that the subject has been neglected by historians precisely because of the overwhelming significance of race to the cataclysmic events of Lincoln’s time. Princeton University historian Guelzo, the author of more than a dozen books on Lincoln and his times, establishes at the outset that his latest is an explicit response to the dire state of American democracy. He writes in a brief preface that he has long “taken consolation” in Lincoln, “who gave democracy a new lease on life and a fresh sense of its purpose.” He continues, “To all those who have despaired of the future or whose lives have been ruined by the failures of the present, I offer this man’s example.” The author proceeds to establish that both before and during his presidency, Lincoln’s actions were guided by his ardent faith in democracy, which he saw as, in Guelzo’s words, “the most natural, the most just, and the most enlightened form of human government.” (The book’s title comes from Lincoln’s reference to democracy as “my ancient faith.”) Only in a democracy, Lincoln observed, could somebody like him, formerly “a strange, friendless, uneducated, penniless boy,” aspire to reach the highest office in the land. Guelzo notes that in his speeches and writings, Lincoln had more to say about what a democracy is not than about what it is. A country with masters and slaves, he insisted, fell short of a true democracy. Since childhood, Lincoln had believed that slavery was wrong. He was vocal in opposing the growing view in the South that slavery was not just a “necessary evil” but a “positive good.” In a speech before he became president, he noted acidly, “Although volume upon volume is written to prove slavery a very good thing, we never hear of the man who wishes to take the good of it, by being a slave himself.” Critics of Lincoln have often painted him not as a lover of democracy but as a tyrant, pointing to his suspension of habeas corpus during the Civil War. Guelzo concedes that the wartime president did encroach on civil liberties by, among other things, arresting political dissenters and shutting down unfriendly newspapers. But as part of his vigorous defense of his subject from the “Lincolnhaters,” the author argues that while in some cases Lincoln strayed too far from democratic ideals, his temporary actions “were not civil cataclysms.” And he suggests that they pale next to Lincoln’s issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, which the president believed would revitalize American democracy. Finally, Guelzo reasons that we should be reassured by the fact that the United States has already weathered a period of extreme polarization. He confidently concludes that it is “comforting that these frustrations are not novelties, however much they feel like them, and that the American democracy has endured, risen, and surmounted them once, and will do so again.” Like Guelzo, Holzer is a prolific Lincoln scholar. His latest book opens in 1863 with the president urging Congress to establish “a system for the encouragement of immigration.” Nearly 10 million Europeans had arrived on American shores between 1830 and the start of the Civil War, but the conflict had slowed the tide. Lincoln, who called immigration a “source of national wealth and strength,” wanted the government to take active measures to attract foreigners to fill warrelated labor shortages in agriculture and industry. As the author demonstrates, however, many of Lincoln’s fellow citizens did not share his positive view of immigration. In fact, early in his political career, Lincoln’s Whig Party was home to a vocal nativist, anti-Catholic faction. “Not all Whigs were nativists,” Holzer explains, “but nearly all nativists were Whigs.” Lincoln did not belong to this intolerant sect. But he did refrain from publicly rebuking the nativists, as he feared driving them out of the party. Holzer deftly summarizes the complicated politics of the antebellum period, including the rise of the secretive, nativist KnowNothing movement, the collapse of the Whigs, and the formation of the antislavery Republican Party. (Lincoln was the first Republican to be elected president.) While the proslavery Democratic Party, favored by Irish Americans, warned its Irish voters that Lincoln’s party would prioritize Black people over foreign-born white citizens, the Republicans attracted German immigrants who were generally strong supporters of abolition. German and Irish immigrants became the two largest foreign-born contingents fighting for the Union side when war broke out, with 175,000 German men and 150,000 Irish men enlisting. With soldiers from Poland, Italy, Switzerland, and elsewhere, Holzer calls the war a “multiethnic crusade.” (Lincoln only permitted Black men to enlist after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863.) According to the author, Irish soldiers were committed to the Union side “as long as federal war goals remained fixed on defending the Constitution and the flag and restoring the Union, not on eradicating slavery.” Ironically, the Lincoln who promoted European immigration came close to losing reelection in part because of lack of support from both Irish and German voters; Irish Americans had long opposed emancipation, fearing that freed African Americans would compete with them for low-paying jobs, while German Americans faulted the president for moving too slowly to free those who were enslaved. Both authors are admiring of their subject, but not unreservedly so. Guelzo notes that Lincoln did not support political and social equality between Black and white people and that he “can be judged too passive and acquiescent in the racism all around him.” In a similar vein, Holzer observes that Lincoln was unsympathetic toward Native Americans and that his expansive view of immigration largely excluded those from Asia and Spanish America. The authors seem to disagree on one particular point, however. In considering Lincoln’s increasingly progressive policy stances, Holzer argues that the 16th president “evolved on immigration, just as he would evolve on the issue of Black freedom and rights.” Guelzo, for his part, rejects the idea that Lincoln significantly transformed during his lifetime, referring to “useless tropes like growth or evolution to argue that, over time, Lincoln changed for the better.” Guelzo instead sides with historians who believe that Lincoln’s character remained consistent – that shifts in external conditions, more than any internal conversion, enabled his most righteous achievements. If nothing else, such scholarly debates should help ensure a steady stream of Lincoln books for years to come. By Barbara Spindel PRINT & E-BOOKS NONFICTION PRINT & E-BOOKS FICTION 1. The Women (Hannah) 2. The Teacher (McFadden) 3. House of Flame and Shadow (Maas) 4. Bride (Hazelwood) 5. Fourth Wing (Yarros) 6. Iron Flame (Yarros) 7. House of Earth and Blood (Maas) 8. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store (McBride) 9. The Ghost Orchid (Kellerman) 10. The Housemaid (McFadden) 1. Killers of the Flower Moon (Grann) 2. The Body Keeps the Score (van der Kolk) 3. The Wager (Grann) 4. The Boys in the Boat (Brown) 5. Medgar & Myrlie (Reid) 6. Outlive (Attia/Gifford) 7. Caste (Wilkerson) 8. Oath and Honor (Cheney) 9. Capote’s Women (Leamer) 10. Masters of the Air (Miller) NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLERS President Lincoln has long provided wisdom. What can he offer today?
0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 19 SMART READER February 22, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 19 News Literacy Week: There's still hope for local news Last year, the Pulitzer Prize for Local Journalism went to Mississippi Today for reporting how the state's governor used his office to steer millions of welfare dollars to family and friends. Alabama's AL.com also was honored for exposing how police in the town of Brookside preyed on local residents to inflate revenue. The latter led to the resignation of the local police chief. Beyond the Pulitzer winners, investigative journalist Joseph Cranney recently celebrated local journalism in a thread on X (formerly Twitter) that showcased an example of local reporting from every state in the nation that exposed corruption and wrongdoing in 2023. In a functioning democracy, high-quality local journalism is essential to ensuring that community leaders are working in the public's best interest. Local news unites communities, serving as the proverbial "water cooler" where people gather to find out what the city council is working on, who won school board elections, what the high school football scores were, which roads are under repair and numerous other developments that residents need to know. But local news is in crisis. Since 2005, almost 2,900 newspapers in the United States have shut down, leaving many communities without a reliable source of information. According to Northwestern University's Local News Initiative, residents in more than half of U.S. counties have little or no access to reliable local news. When you consider that more than two-thirds of newspaper journalists across the country have lost their jobs, it's easy to see how it's become harder to hold those in power accountable and keep communities wellinformed. That loss can change a community. When local newspapers are shut down, communities have lower voter turnout, decreased civic engagement, less wellfunctioning government and increased polarization. Ironically, even with fewer community newspapers, Americans tend to trust local news more than they do national news. A recent Gallup poll shows only 23% of people believe national news organizations care about the best interests of their audience, as opposed to 47% who believe local news outlets care. There are solutions to this crisis and ways to build greater trust in the fourth estate. Last year, an initiative called Press Forward announced that it will inject $500 million into the local news landscape. The goal is to support sustainable news organizations that will "recenter local journalism as a force for community cohesion" through technological innovation and hiring of diverse staff representative of the regions they report on. Rebuild Local News is taking important steps on the legislative front by introducing bipartisan solutions such as tax credits for hiring local journalists, new antitrust policies to discourage newspaper consolidation and other incentives for advertisers and subscribers. And they aren't alone. Many initiatives and groups are addressing this crisis, including Trusting News, which offers detailed plans for news outlets to demonstrate their credibility and trustworthiness to the communities and the National Trust for Local News, which helps to find capital for new ownership structures of local media. The public also has a role. People can subscribe and donate to their local news outlets. Producing highquality news costs money and highlighting local accountability journalism that improves lives in the community helps news consumers who value credible reporting understand the need to pay for it. A less obvious but equally important step is to become more news-literate. News literacy is the ability to identify credible sources of news and information. It empowers people to think critically about social media posts and news reports to determine for themselves whether the information is factual and trustworthy. Now is a great time to start. The News Literacy Project, the organization I lead, in conjunction with the E.W. Scripps Co., will present the fifth annual National News Literacy Week this week. This year's theme is "spotlight on local news." We're hosting several events to showcase how we can help keep our communities informed, what students are doing to address this crisis, how educators can teach news literacy skills to their students and ways the public can apply simple tips and tools to find reliable information. I hope you'll join us and be part of a national conversation about the role of local news in a democracy and the responsibilities we, as voters, must ensure that we're all well-informed about what's happening in our communities. By Charles Slater Hannah Covington, education director for the News Literacy Project joins Happenings Q&A on Thu. Feb. 29th at 10:20 on AM1050 WLIP. 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 Sears sewing machine. Model 1750. Zig zag. All attachments included. $99.00. Joan Pucazo 262-656-6048, Kenosha, WI 53140 [email protected]. CHRISTMAS TREES: FAUX Christmas Tree $100; Ceramic Christmas Tree $50; Faux Christmas Tree $5. Many Christmas Items. Just inquire by calling or texting 262-902-5663. WINTER SPORTS: Women's 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 BEADS. Boxes and boxes Of New Beads. All Sorts And Sizes. $49.00 For All. Phone 262-657-6049 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 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. 2007 HYUNDAI SONATA See In Kenosha At 4121-7th. Ave. 53140 262-237-1343 Russ Call Or Text 212k Miles $2950 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, MARCH 1, 2023 AT 12 NOON FREE CLASSIFIEDS! Employment/Opportunities • Lost & Found • Miscellaneous Real Estate • Rentals • Rummage Sales • Vehicles • Wanted 8
20 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 SMART READER February 22, 2024 20 F health lifestyle community Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center news February 22, 2024 Your Kenosha ADRC Update Exploring Brain Health Is it normal age-related changes in memory or possibly signs of dementia? You forgot that coffee date with a friend and seem to be losing things around the house more often. “What is going on?” you wonder. There are differences between normal age-related changes in memory and thinking abilities and possible signs of dementia. Learn about these warning signs, along with specific actions and practices that can help keep your brain healthy as you age. Join Susan Johnson, Dementia Care Specialist, Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center, for a presentation, Exploring Brain Health. This event will be held at the Kenosha County Job Center (North Conference Room 2), 8600 Sheridan Rd., Kenosha, on Wednesday, February 28, from 12-1 p.m. Park at the north end of the building, enter Entrance A. For questions, or to register, 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. 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: Tuesday, March 26, 10 a.m. – noon at Bristol Village Hall, 19801 83rd St. Thursday, April 25, 10 a.m. – noon at Salem Community Library, 24615 89th St. Tuesday, May 21, 10 a.m. - noon at Kenosha County Job Center, 8600 Sheridan Road, Entrance A, Room N2 Due to limited seating, reservations are required. Call the ADRC at 262-605-6646 to make a reservation or to learn more. Memory Cafe Memory Café is a place for persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment, early-stage Alzheimer’s, or related dementia, and their care partners to socialize and have fun. Join the Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center’s Dementia Care Specialist, Susan Johnson, on the second Tuesday of every month, 1-2 p.m. The next meeting will be on March 12, 2024, Kenosha Southwest Neighborhood Library, 7979 38th Avenue. Registration is required for new members. Call the ADRC at 262- 605-6646..
200FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 21 SMART READER February 22, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 21
22 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 F VwSMART READER February 22, 2024 22 Kenosha County ADRC to Offer Powerful Tools for Caregivers Online Class Next free, six-week course to begin March 13 The Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center is now accepting reservations for its next Powerful Tools for Caregivers course. Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a free, sixweek educational series intended to teach skills for how to take care of yourself while caring for a loved one. The class helps family caregivers reduce stress, improve self-confidence, communicate feelings better, balance their lives, increase their ability to make tough decisions and locate helpful resources. The 6-week online classes will be held Wednesdays, beginning March 13 – April 17, 2 – 3:30 p.m. To participate, caregivers will need internet access and access to a computer, iPad or other tablet. They will receive a brief phone call from the program leader prior to the first session on how to use the Zoom video conference program. Registration is required by March 8. To register, call the ADRC at 262-605- 6646. Ask about our classes in Spanish! 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] Senior group offers free lecture series Adventures in Lifelong Learning (ALL), an organization of mostly retired people ages 55 and older, offers lectures on various topics. Next Lecture: March 1, 2024, 2 p.m. at UWParkside, Tallent Hall, Room L182 Topic: Recent developments in Racine with speaker Racine Mayor, Corey Mason From 2007 to 2018, Mayor Mason served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly representing the city of Racine and eastern Racine County. He has been the mayor of Racine since 2017. Mason's mayoral administration has resulted in increased residential and commercial development such as the Gold Medal Loft project in Uptown Racine and the construction of apartments at the former Walker Manufacturing site along the shores of Lake Michigan in Downtown Racine. He has also overseen downtown investment from global technology company Foxconn. Adventures in Lifelong Learning is an active senior group with a wide variety of educationoriented activities, a friendly environment, and lots of interactive opportunities. An annual membership fee of $50 includes access to Lectures, Focus groups, Classes and Day trips at a cost. Learn more at www.uwp.edu/ALL or call 262-595-2793. In-person or Virtual Caregiver Coffee Club ADRC offers support group for those caring for someone with dementia Kenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) offers a support group to help family caregivers who care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or other form of dementia. Join others engaged in helping their loved ones manage day to day living. Relax, chat and learn helpful tips and strategies. The Caregiver Coffee Club meets the first Wednesday of each month from 10-11 a.m., the next meeting will be on March 6. The support group is available in-person or virtually. Facilitated by Susan Johnson, Dementia Care Specialist with the Kenosha County ADRC. To register call 262-605-6646. Your Kenosha ADRC Update Call 262.653.9132 SR121423 JR PROPERTIES 2409 52nd Street, Suite 3 • Kenosha 1, 2 & 3 Bedrooms Available In Kenosha & Racine John and Shelley Rogowski, Owners $28 Eye Exam 262 - 554 -1121 • 3701 Durand Ave. Racine $18 Eyeglasses Place SR090822 Eyeglasses exam $49 without purchase of eyeglasses. See store for details.
0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 23 SMART READER February 22, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 23 Although another Valentine’s Day has come and gone, every day can be a day to celebrate love. And it was 50 years ago, on Valentine's Day, that my soon-to-be wife and I went out on our first date. How that came about makes for a cute story. I had just started working for the Social Security office in the small farming community of Litchfield, Illinois. I had moved there from my hometown in Wisconsin just a month or so before. So I didn't know anybody in town. One of my duties was to verify Medicare numbers for the billing department of the Litchfield hospital. A local lass named Becky worked in that department and called me every day to check those numbers. Becky's boss knew that she was single and somehow learned that I was single, too. And he decided to play matchmaker. He invited me to the hospital for lunch. But the real purpose was so that I could meet Becky. If it wasn't love at first sight, it was close. And I was smitten enough that a week or so later, I finally worked up the courage to call Becky and ask her out on a date. And being the poster boy for anxiety and anal retentiveness, I had scripted out my entire conversation with her. It was in diagram form. For example, if she said yes, it led to one series of questions and comments. If she said no, it led to another and much shorter series of questions and comments. Fortunately, after some nervous small talk, her answer to my first question ("Hey, do you want to go to a movie?") was "Yes." So that led me down the positive side of my scripted question list. I was asking her out to the hit movie of the time, "American Graffiti," about the last summer together of a group of high school seniors. The movie supposedly took place in 1962, and the tagline for the movie was "Where were you in '62?" And that led to one of my clever scripted questions, "Hey Becky, where were you in '62?" Now in 1962, I was in 7th grade. And based on my one meeting with Becky at the hospital, I guessed she was about my age. So her answer surprised me. She said, "Oh, 1962 was the year I graduated from high school." Oh, my god! There was nothing on my sheet of questions that covered that answer! I was asking an "older woman" out on a date! I stammered! I panicked! I gave some thought to saying, "Oh wait a minute, I can't go out. I'm polishing my shoes that evening." There was nothing in my script to save me. I didn't know what to do! OK, long story short, I ended up going out on the date. And now here it is, 50 years later. Becky is still five years older than me. But I've long since gotten over the shock and panic of that discovery and I've been back on script ever since. But that story reminds me that not everyone stays married forever. And the rest of this column deals with folks whose marriages didn't last as long as ours has. Q: I'm part of a group of old geezers who gets together every week at the local coffee place. Social Security is a frequent topic of conversation. At our last meeting, the subject of benefits for divorcees came up. One of our geezers was married to his first wife for 16 years and has been married to his second wife for 30 years. His first wife remarried, but she is now divorced from that guy after 20 years of marriage. Our geezer pal is curious who will get what when he dies. He's mostly wondering if his first wife will get Social Security from him or from her second husband. A: Well, the answer depends on a lot of "ifs ands or buts" not made clear in your email to me -- such as people's ages and Social Security benefit rates. So I'll make up a scenario to give you an example of how all this would play out. We've got four people: -- Geezer is 68 years old, started his benefits at age 67 and gets $2,100 per month from Social Security. -- Princess, his current wife, is 62 and gets her own Social Security retirement benefit amounting to $900 per month. -- Floozie, Geezer's first wife, is 68, and she gets $1,200 per month in her own Social Security retirement checks. -- Wheezer is Floozie's second husband, the guy she divorced after 20 years of marriage. Let's say he is 70, still living, and gets $2,200 per month from Social Security. And now let's say Geezer dies, and we'll see what happens. Princess has a couple choices to make. If she wants, she can immediately switch to widow's benefits. She'd keep getting her own retirement check, and that would be supplemented up to about 82% of his full rate, or about $1,722. So, she'd get $900 on her own account and $822 in widow's benefits. Or, she can opt to continue receiving just her $900 retirement check for now, and then at age 67 get that supplemented up to Geezer's full rate. So, at age 67 she'd get her own $900 plus $1,200 in widow's benefits for a total of $2,100. And no matter which decision she makes, she'd get the one-time $255 death benefit. Floozie is also eligible for widow's benefits on Geezer's record, because she was married to him for more than 10 years and she is currently unmarried. Since she is over her full retirement age, her own retirement benefit can be supplemented up to Geezer's full rate. So, she'll continue to get her own $1,200 per month, and she'll get $900 from Geezer's account to take her up to Geezer's full $2,100 benefit rate. (And please note that anything paid to Floozie, the divorced wife, doesn't take a nickel away from the benefits due to Princess.) Floozie isn't due anything on Wheezer's (her second husband's) Social Security account -- at least not while he is still living. She's technically due a divorced wife's benefit (at a 50% rate) on his record, but she can't get that because her own benefit, $1,200, exceeds half his rate, or $1,100. And of course, now that we also add in Geezer's widow's benefit, her combined Social Security benefits greatly exceed anything she is due from Wheezer. However, when Wheezer dies, she can then switch to divorced widow's benefits on his record. Her checks from Geezer would stop. And her own $1,200 retirement benefit would be supplemented with $1,000 from Wheezer's record to take her total income up to $2,200. Is the moral of this story to be a Floozie, dump a Geezer, marry a Wheezer, then dump him, too, and hope they both die -- then watch the checks roll in? You tell me! And should I worry that after 50 years, Becky will start looking around for a Geezer or Wheezer to replace me? Probably not. She's already got quite a Doozie! social security Geezers, Floozies and Valentines 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. Tom Margenau joins Happenings Q&A on Tue. Feb. 27th at 10:20 on AM1050 WLIP. and you 22 d l o t l e p h . s n t e r a . SR121423 y rs
24 SMART READER March 09, 2023 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 F Af AASR121720SMART READER February 22, 2024 24 Dear Amy: My daughter is 37, and has been married for 15 years. She and her husband have three boys, ages 13, 10, and 3. She pursued a divorce in the most destructive way possible, by moving a male “friend” (who has three children of his own) into her marital home. He needed lodging because of his pending divorce. My son-in-law allowed it. Later, when the “friend” moved into his apartment, my daughter moved in with him. My daughter and sonin-law are now at the point where they need to decide who, if either of them, keeps the house. Both of them want to buy the other out, but will not be able to do so without financial help from my husband and me. To keep my grandsons in their home, I am inclined to assist my sonin-law instead of my daughter. He has a wellpaying job that negates the possibility of foreclosure, while my daughter has just entered the workforce and is making a low wage. I don’t see how she could possibly make house payments. I am perfectly willing to help my daughter financially in other ways – with rent on an apartment, for instance. I want what is best for my grandchildren. Should I butt out and let the home be sold and any profit divided between them? Neither of them will find comparable living space they will be able to afford, and the children having to move and “downgrade” is distressing. I’m trying to avoid a battle with my daughter, but she will be upset if we help her soon-to-be ex retain the house, no matter what we may offer to her. Butt in or stay out of it? – Financially Secure Dear Financially Secure: You are already quite involved in this split, but in my opinion, you should not offer to finance this house. For the time being, in order to keep the children in their home, the couple might consider “nesting,” which is when the kids stay in the house and the estranged parents trade off staying in the home. You might consider helping with rent on a small nearby apartment where the non-custodial parent will stay during the days the other is in the home with the kids. Your daughter voluntarily left the home and partnered up with this “friend,” who has children. If she ended up owning the home, she could move this man (and possibly his kids) into the home; marking a major disruption for all of the children. If you financed the house, you might be tempted to try to control who lives there, embroiling you further in this mess. You can benefit the grandchildren (without interfering) by always welcoming them into your home as a neverchanging and stable safe harbor. Dear Amy: I’m a mid-50’s mother of adult children. I have healthy relationships with my folks, siblings, children, and my loving partner. All that said: I crave being alone. I have never lived alone. I lived with my family, then in dorms, with roommates, with a spouse, then children. I divorced but had kids at home, developed a new loving relationship, merged households, and now the kids are grown and all doing well. The world may be going to Hell in a handbasket, but I am grateful that my tiny corner of the world is happy and healthy. I am a brand-new empty nester and that has thrilled me — because I get to be alone more. I love my partner and family, but I want to be fully and completely alone in my own home for weeks on end. (I am not talking about downtime or a weekend away.) My job is such that I could arrange to be alone for one to three months, but I feel like my family would be so hurt! I share a home with my partner so they would need to leave – or I would. I could afford this option. It has nothing to do with anyone but me. I just want to live in isolation for a while. Any advice on how I might broach this with those I love and those who love and need me? I’d like a script to explain that it’s not them, it’s me! – Modern-day Greta Garbo Dear Greta: Every year for the past 15 years, I have spent one month alone – isolated and away from family and friends – and so I well understand this distinct drive. Women of our generation tend to be the “kinship” keepers, and once the chickens leave the roost, the desire to take stock and perhaps not see to anyone else’s needs for a while can be very strong. But you don’t have to ask permission of your children or other family members to be alone. They are all adults and they are going to have to come to terms with what might seem like a quirk to them, but which is a real need for you. So, no script is necessary. You’re trying something new (and – if your folks are healthy and toddling along – the time is right for you to do this). Did you take it personally or feel hurt when your children left home? You didn’t, and they shouldn’t, either. You and your partner could work this out in any number of creative ways. You might rent a place nearby where you trade off living in the house for two weeks at a time, perhaps spending an occasional night together. Dear Amy: Twenty years ago, “Sadie” and I divorced after 12 years of marriage and two children. Sadie developed a cocaine habit, which destroyed our finances and threw us into debt. She also had a string of affairs and then divorced me. After the divorce, while I was in shock, “Deana,” a coworker, asked me out. Deana and I had an affair that lasted for several months. Although she was a wonderful woman, and I was falling for her, I was not ready. I broke it off and left the company for another job. After five years taking care of my children, I remarried. Deana married at about the same time. Her husband is a terrific man who adores her. Now I hear that Deana, who lives in another state, is in an assisted-care facility with MS and in declining health. Although the timing was not right for Deana and me after my divorce, I have always retained – but have not acted on – my admiration and affection for her. I would like to fly out to see Deana before she passes, but I think it would be inappropriate to do so. I sent a holiday card to her and her husband, expressing my sympathy for her illness. Should I leave it at that? – K Dear K: If you think it would be inappropriate to get on a plane to visit this long-ago inamorata, then carefully examine your motives, and decide not to do it. “Deana’s” illness has not robbed her of her memories or relationships. Aside from your recent contact, you don’t seem to have maintained a friendship with her. Years ago, after she pursued you and you two engaged in a relationship, you broke up with her and left. My point is that she might not have lingering fond memories of you and might not want to see you. And feeling sorry for her or closing the circle on your own unresolved feelings for her would not be the best reason to connect now. Before hopping on a plane, you should at the very least contact her and ask if she would like for you to visit. ask amy Parent wonders whether to bail out daughter 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
0FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800 25 SMART READER February 22, 2024 SMART READER March 09, 2023 25 At Dr. Lee’s office, our quality care, along with our sensible payments plans, ensure a bright dental future for you and your family. Your dental health is our main concern, and your comfort our priority. 3103-75th St. • 694-6055 Dr. Rand A. Lee Family Dentistry Our Staff Is Friendly To The Core! 021121 A Little Bit Different But... A Whole Bite Better! February is National Children’s Dental Health Month! 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! Senior Citizens Receive a 10% DISCOUNT SR121720 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 (262) 220-2555 262) 220-2555 No Job Too BIG Or Too Small, We Do It All! Time to spruce up your home! •Painting Indoors & Out •Tree Trimming & Removal •Yard Clean-Up •Junk Removal We have you covered every season! •Power Washing •Demolition •Fence Installation & Repair •Gutter Cleaning SR022224 Your Ticket to Local Events 24 , – – d t e t e o , y ? t e t a, e e s r r m u e p e o p, r e g u o y e n r e t a e r e