How older athletes stay active in winter
Judy Aw tried rock climbing 25 years ago on a whim. Her gym had added an indoor climbing wall, and when she reached the top, she was hooked. “It was such a high,” said Aw, now 74. “It’s a full-body experience — It’s not just physical, it’s the mental part of it, too. I’ve been climbing ever since.” Last year Aw formed a group for climbers over age 55. They meet every ... READ MORE
Former actress sees big picture
Baltimore native Leah Kalish has worn many hats during her career — dancer, actor, yoga instructor, preschool teacher, and now a therapy facilitator. Kalish, who was known as Leah Ayres during her acting career, is most famous for her roles in films like martial arts drama Bloodsport (1988) and horror film The Burning (1981). But Kalish, 68, has always had dreams beyond the big... READ MORE
Cook and learn with Chef Alba
When Chef Alba Carbonaro Johnson steps into a kitchen, she’s not just preparing food. She’s inviting her students into a story that stretches from the markets of Tunisia to the kitchens of Howard County. Johnson’s cooking classes awaken the senses: the soft sizzle of butter hitting a warm pan, the bright snap of chopped herbs, and the earthy perfume of cumin rising from a simmering ... READ MORE
The accidental entrepreneurs
As John Lennon once sang, “Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.” Scientist and college professor Dr. Kan Cao had spent most of her career studying a rare disease, progeria, which causes premature aging in children. Eleven years ago, in her research lab at the University of Maryland, Cao noticed something unusual: Cells with misshapen, diseased nuclei... READ MORE
Park ranger has stories to tell
At Patapsco Valley State Park in Ellicott City, history has a face: that of Edward Johnson, who has volunteered there for nearly 30 years. If you visit the park’s famous Swinging Bridge on a sunny Saturday, you’re likely to meet Johnson, 82, and hear his stories of the park’s history. Before directing you to the popular Cascade Trail nearby, Johnson may tell you that the bridge... READ MORE
Older pets and owners pair up
When a beautiful, fluffy calico cat named Lucy was 12 years old, her family gave her up. Lucy was sick, and they couldn’t afford her medical care, according to Maddie Lederer, an adoption counselor at the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center in Derwood, Maryland. “We looked at her records and saw she had a history of bladder stones,” Lederer said. “We were able... READ MORE
Tattooist helps cancer survivors
About 25 years ago, a cancer survivor visited Vinnie Myers’ tattoo studio outside Baltimore with a request that would spark a new branch of the art form. After her double mastectomy and breast reconstruction, the woman wanted tattoos of nipples to restore what cancer had taken away. “She came to me because I was known for realistic tattooing,” Myers told the Beacon. “We went... READ MORE
Nature photographer looks back
When Michael Oberman was 16 years old, he landed a weekend job as a copy boy at the Washington Star. It was a small footnote in a long career that would encompass journalism, music and photography, but in retrospect, the Columbia resident, now 78, says it feels like destiny. His older brother, Ron, was a music columnist at the paper at the time. When Ron got to interview the Beatles... READ MORE
Time travel with interpreters
Fairfax County resident Lynne Garvey-Hodge says she has learned to sit and get up from a chair like a Victorian lady, but the feisty characters she portrays likely did not live up to the stereotypical Victorian feminine ideal. Garvey-Hodge has portrayed Amelia Himes Walker, a 20th -century American suffragist, more than 100 times, wearing a white Edwardian dress and purple sash, like the ... READ MORE
Vincent Lancisi plans his exit
Vincent M. “Vinny” Lancisi has never been one for grand flourishes. For more than three decades, the founder and artistic director of Baltimore’s Everyman Theatre has preferred the steady rhythm of rehearsal rooms and the slow craft of building a talented ensemble. The recent announcement of Lancisi’s retirement at the end of the 2025-26 season, which is the 35th anniversary of... READ MORE
