Inside PBS’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’

By Barbara Ruben
Posted on September 11, 2017

A few years ago, a coin shop owner in Vienna, Va., had a customer who coveted a few of the coins in the store. In exchange, the customer offered a set of 15 posters made for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Each poster was signed by the artist, including such modernist luminaries as Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Rauschenberg. The shop owner figured the coins he exchanged were worth about... READ MORE

Passion for people, public policy

By Robert Friedman
Posted on September 01, 2017

“My main goal is to help the citizens of Howard County — the older adult community, the very young — live the best life possible,” said Jackie Scott, the new director of the county’s Department of Community Resources and Services (DCRS). It’s a tall order, but the position puts Scott, who has lived in Columbia for over two decades, in a strong position to work towards it. The ... READ MORE

Climbers reach for new heights

By Carol Sorgen
Posted on August 23, 2017

Whether it’s flying, scuba diving or hiking, Carol Christian likes to be on the move. So when she first moved to Baltimore and friends invited her to join them in rock climbing, she didn’t hesitate. Now, more than 15 years later, she’s still a regular at the Earth Treks indoor climbing gym in Timonium.Christian, who lives in Baltimore City and is an astronomer with the... READ MORE

Appraisals added to annual 50+ Expos

By Beacon
Posted on August 16, 2017

Who will be the lucky winner of a 10-day vacation for two to China? Two lucky registrants at the 2017 Beacon 50+Expos, that’s who! For the 18th year in a row, the Beacon Newspapers expects to attract thousands of attendees to its two expos — free, annual events featuring health screenings, informative resources, an expert speaker, flu shots and entertainment for older adults and... READ MORE

Climbers reach for new heights

By Barbara Ruben
Posted on August 11, 2017

On Leslie Hulse’s 61st birthday, a couple of years ago, her niece took her rock climbing. As she scrabbled over the neon-colored toe and finger holds toward the top of the wall, Hulse had one thought: “‘Oh my gosh, I’m having so much fun!”Today, the Capitol Hill resident regularly scales the walls at Earth Treks indoor climbing gym in Crystal City, Va.“I... READ MORE

Praising volunteers of all ages

By Robert Friedman
Posted on August 03, 2017

Janice and George Vanisko were “sort of embarrassed” to be heralded a few months ago by the County Council and the Volunteer Center of Howard County with the Dynamic Duo Award, one of several awards honoring county volunteers. After all, they say, shouldn’t we all spend hours each week helping those in need? Janice, a 76-year-old retired nurse, and her husband George, 82, a retired ... READ MORE

Country music is his passion

By Carol Sorgen
Posted on July 25, 2017

Mark Brine found his professional calling early on. Today, the 68-year-old writer and singer continues his long career in country music, saying simply (as country singers are apt to), “It’s my life.”Though Brine may not be a household name among casual listeners, country music aficionados know his longstanding reputation in the industry.For example, Pete Smith of Country ... READ MORE

Startups focus on better aging

By Rebekah Alcalde
Posted on July 14, 2017

Can you imagine a pair of glasses that can brighten and enlarge whatever you happen to be reading or looking at, responding to your voice commands? Or can you imagine a phone app that summons a trained driver in a wheelchair-accessible van to take you to a doctor’s appointment? Or can you visualize the difference it would make to an Alzheimer’s patient if his caregivers had instant... READ MORE

Russian Revolution memoirs

By Robert Friedman
Posted on July 05, 2017

While Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly playing down the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, Ellicott City resident Vladimir Marinich is marking the occasion with the publication of his grandparents’ memoirs of that historic event. Marinich, who is 80 and a retired Howard Community College history professor, has spent the last 10 years translating the... READ MORE

Doing good helps body and soul

By Carol Sorgen
Posted on June 19, 2017

Ever experienced a “helper’s high?”The term was coined by psychologist Allan Luks, who discovered that the act of helping others releases endorphins (feel-good chemicals in our brain) the same way that vigorous exercise or meditation does.Also, as with exercise and medication, Luks concluded that this biochemical reaction from volunteering results in stress relief, which... READ MORE