The Vegas Voice February 2020

Winner of

11 Awards!

2O20

February

For your Health, Wealth,

and Good Times!

NEVADA’S MOST POWERFUL SENIOR PUBLICATION

You’re never

too old to

be in love...

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Put your home to work for

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SEE HOW ON PAGE 7!

February 2020

PUBLISHER/EDITOR

PRESIDENT

VP ADVERTISING

POLITICAL EDITOR

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

NIGHT LIFE EDITOR

TRAVEL EDITOR

RADIO HOST

GRAPHICS EDITOR

DIGITAL MEDIA

VIDEO EDITOR

PROJECT DIRECTOR

Adrea Barrera

John Bielun

Yvonne Cloutier

Dianne Davis

Chuck Dean

Jan Fair

Howard Galin

Susan Goldfein

Linda Gomez

Volume 16, Issue 12

OUR FANTASTIC COLUMNISTS

PROUD

MEMBERS OF:

Ali Guggenheim

Morris Heldt

Dan Hyde

Mike Landry

Heather Latimer

Joey Kantor

BJ Killeen

Kathy Manney

Kyo Mitchell

Dan Roberts

dan@thevegasvoice.net

Ray Sarbacker

ray@thevegasvoice.net

Debbie Landry

debbie@thevegasvoice.net

Rana Goodman

rana@thevegasvoice.net

Evan Davis

evan@thevegasvoice.net

Sam Wagmeister

Stu Cooper

Rich Natole / Jon Lindquist

Michael Roberts

Ross Roberts

Matthew Moore

Bill Caserta

bill@thevegasvoice.net

Aaron Phillips

Judy Polumbaum

Mary Richard

Renee Riendeau

Crystal Sarbacker

Jim Valkenburg

Beverly Washburn

Vicki Wentz

Kate Wind

About The Vegas Voice

In 2019, The Vegas Voice received 11 national awards from the

North American Mature Publishers Association. The awards were for our

guardianship special efforts, editorial and columns, front page graphics,

overall design and “General Excellence.”

The judges found (and we humbly

agree) that The Vegas Voice puts

a premium on well-informed

columnists who cover a lot of bases.

Serious issues are thoughtfully

discussed, but there’s enough fun

to lighten the mix.

F.T.O. (Family Time Over)

By: Dan Roberts / Roberts Rules

“

That’s a terrible, horrible statement! Stop

that immediately” my Rana demanded.

I concede that my pronouncement might

be considered coarse, crude or even (god forbid!) offensive. But it is

standard practice in the

Roberts household. And I’m

proud to say, very effective.

That one sentence that

drives my Ladylove crazy?

“Family time over” and after

all these years, I can simply

blurt out the initials, “F.T.O.”

for the same effect.

While raising four very

active boys, I realize there

were times when yours truly

lacked Dr. Phil’s parenting

skills. But despite some blunt

language by their old man,

there was no question that the

boys were, and remained loved

by their dad.

And one of my proudest

accomplishment is that

through my ups and downs; including the move from New York to Las

Vegas, the passing of their mother, and all other aspects of life, we’re

still together. A family.

Yes, it might be dysfunctional, but a family nevertheless - which now

includes Rana. And to her everlasting credit, my grown up sons know

that they are always welcome to come over.

Whether to watch the games (by the way, they love that 88 inch

HDTV Rana gave me for my birthday as much as I do) to weekly family

dinners (with their dogs) I assure you that we spend quite a bit of

“family time” together.

It’s the leaving part that at times causes such conflict. I don’t know

about you, but I’ve reached a point that when “times up” – there’s

no need in hesitating that’s it’s time to go. Hence the proclamation:

“Thank you for being here, but family time is over.”

Now I don’t want you to think I sit there watching the clock or with

a stopwatch counting down the minutes (although when I think about

it, it’s not a bad idea) however, when it’s time, it’s time. End of story – at

least for me.

My PILL (partner in love & life) was beyond shocked the first time

I uttered those words, but my boys were so used to it, (take a look

at that Christmas shirt they gave me) they even made up their own

“inside game” between themselves as to when their pop will make the

determination.

Despite my announcement

(and even their shirt) Rana

always follows-up with a stern

admonishment to me to knock

it off and, “of course they can

stay as long as they want.”

I no doubt know that I

won’t win this “point, counterpoint”

with her, and deepdown,

I admit my sons are

more than allowed to stick

around. No need to call the

police.

I just wonder if they’ll get

the hint (or even notice) when

I start to get undressed and

head into the bedroom for the

night.

What Do You Think?

Do you agree with our columnists?

Did anyone get you angry, make you

think or simply put a smile on your

face? Please tell us by forwarding

your comments, thoughts or

suggestions to Publisher Dan at:

dan@thevegasvoice.net.

February 2020

In Celebration of Valentine’s Day

By: Bill Caserta / Bill’s Blurbs

Only a Dream: After she woke up,

a woman told her husband, “I just

dreamed you gave me a diamond necklace

for Valentine’s Day. What do you think it

means?” “You’ll know tonight,” he said.

That evening the husband came home with a

small package and gave it to his wife. Delighted, she opened it….to

find a book entitled “The Meaning of Dreams.”

Thoughtful Husband No. 1: I asked my friend if he’d bought his

wife a gift for Valentine’s Day. He surprised me when he replied, “Yeah,

I’ve got her a belt and a bag.”

I said, “That’s very thoughtful of you. I hope she appreciates it.”

He said, “So do I. And hopefully the vacuum cleaner will work much

better now.”

Thoughtful Husband No. 2: My wife just called me lazy and said

I’d better have something planned for Valentine’s Day.

I said, “Yes, I was thinking of taking the Christmas decorations

down.”

Thoughtful Husband No. 3: This year I’ve got my wife a

Valentine’s Day present that will really take her breath away. A treadmill.

Thoughtful boyfriend: Last Valentine’s Day, my fiancé of four

years bought me a lottery ticket and I won $5 million. I wonder what’s

she doing nowadays?

Valentine’s Advice for Men: If your woman says, “Do what you

want” - DO NOT do what you want. Stand still, do not blink and don’t

even breathe. Just play dead.

And Finally: What’s the difference between a $20 steak and a $55

steak? February 14th.

Bill Caserta is the Project Director for The Vegas Voice and

has a very “unique” sense of humor. He welcomes all funny

submissions at: bill@thevegasvoice.net.

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As Long As You’re Up

By: Susan Goldfein / Susan’s Unfiltered Wit

As Valentine’s Day approaches, it seems

natural that one’s thoughts turn to

relationships. I know mine do. And I’m struck by

the changes that can occur after four decades of

marriage.

Early on, my darling was eager to do my bidding before I even bid.

Now, I’ve registered a tectonic shift.

The shift is back to the 60s and I’m trapped in that old ad for Grant’s

Scotch. I’m not sure how many bottles of whiskey they sold, but the

slogan As long as you’re up, get me a Grant’s had a major impact on

popular culture. It went viral before there was such a thing.

The Grant ads oozed upper-class sophistication, featuring either an

elegant man or woman, dressed for a gala, seated in a chair no doubt

purchased at a Sotheby’s auction. Each body was turned slightly as if

addressing an invisible off-stage partner.

Although the ad has been defunct for years, I’m happy to say that

its spirit is alive and well and living in my house. With some revisions.

The man (my husband) is not wearing a tuxedo but is dressed in golf

shorts and the chair in which he sits was purchased for comfort rather

than its antique value. The woman (me) does not wear a gown, but is

attired in jeans and a T shirt, and is not now, and never has been, as

thin as the woman in the ad.

However, the operative words remain unchanged: As long as you’re

up…

Perhaps it’s my inability to remain seated for extended time periods.

I’m frequently moving about during the course of an hour-long TV

show.

So it doesn’t seem unreasonable that a voice from the other room

calls out “As long as you’re up, get me a club soda.” He swears he has

no recollection of ever seeing that ad, but the words flow from him as

easily as scotch over ice.

It’s not always club soda. Sometimes it’s a piece of chocolate. Or ice

cream. Or a sweater because he’s chilly.

Really, it’s all okay. I’m happy to do it. As long as I’m up.

Occasionally, however, I hear a slightly different request, one preceded

by if you’re getting up…, or, when you go upstairs…, assuming a

fact not in evidence.

Have my hyperactive tendencies created a monster, or at the very

least, a spoiled spouse? Not really, because at the end of the day, I know

there’s a balance.

I bring him a pillow, and he brings me a… Remind me, what is it

he brings me?

In fairness, the favors do go both ways. He graciously plays golf with

me on Sundays, which can’t be much fun for him, and he doesn’t

make me watch football, which is never any fun for me.

But most important, he is someone I rely on, someone who’s always

there for me, someone who loves me unconditionally. So I will happily

continue to bestow him favors. As long as I’m up!

Susan Goldfein’s newest book, How to Complain When There’s

Nothing to Complain About, is available at Amazon.com, BN.com,

Read her blog at: www.SusansUnfilteredWit.com. Email Susan:

SusanGoldfein@aol.com.

February 2020

Sold-Out & Fantastic!

Vegas Voice Nightlife Editor Sam Wagmeister, Entertainment Editor

Evan Davis with the Folk Legacy Trio and Bob Sachs backstage before

our show last month. Not only was the show “sold-out” but it was the

largest crowd EVER at Sun City MacDonald Ranch. If you missed it, you

really missed an extraordinary performance.

Like a Bridge Over

Troubled Water

By: Yvonne Cloutier / Musical Moments

“

Like a bridge over troubled water, I will

ease your mind.”

When Clive Davis, head of Columbia Records, known for his genius

in recognizing talent and hit songs, heard Simon and Garfunkel first

perform their 1969 song, Bridge Over Troubled Water (no plural in

Water,) he told them it would be a monster hit. He was right.

In 1969, there were war and civil rights tensions. Paul, inspired by

a single line from a gospel song said this song seemed to just come to

him.

This song, composed by Folk Rock Duo composer, Paul Simon was

performed by partner, Art Garfunkel. Garfunkel sang solo (at Simon’s

request, thinking Garfunkel’s voice more appropriate) while Simon

listened, except for the ending harmony. Interestingly, Simon later

regretted his decision due to Garfunkel getting all the applause while

Garfunkel didn’t even want to be the singer.

Amongst that song’s successes were it being on the Hot Hit song list

for 6 weeks, receiving many awards, and selling over 6 million records.

It was a hit in 8 countries, was one of the most performed songs in the

20th century and was their biggest hit single.

Bridge Over Troubled Water is a song about being a good

Samaritan; consoling a troubled mind in need of comfort, thus leaving

the discomfort compared to waves of unruly water. It is a bridge to peace

of mind and solace through assurance that there will be brighter days.

The song was done with the newly used type of sound technic called

Wall of Sound, created by Phil Spector, in which many combined

instruments (such as acoustic piano, electric piano, harpsichord, and/

or other instruments) blended in beautiful, fuller, richer orchestral

accompaniment.

By the way, the 3rd verse about a silver girl, was added at the studio

for a bigger sound at the end. It was not about drugs and needles as

some thought, but about jokingly consoling Simon’s first wife’s concern

about her having a sudden appearance of gray hairs.

This duo had many hit songs including Sound of Silence, Mrs.

Robinson, and The Boxer, all written by Simon.

Yvonne Cloutier, a former teacher/principal, with a music

background, specializes in ragtime piano. She researches and

reports about music on SCA-TV.com/Anthem Alive! You can

contact her at www.mytimeisragtime.com.

EXHIBITION

OPEN NOW

E X T E N D E D

T O A P R I L 1 2

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Oh Happy Days

By: Beverly Washburn / Hollywood Memories

thought I’d write this month about a

I wonderful lady whom I know you are all

familiar with.

She’s the adorable lady in the photo with me.

Yes, that’s Marion Ross, the wonderful lady from the popular TV show

“Happy Days.”

I’ve always been a fan of hers but had never met her. Recently, I was

invited to the Gene Autry Museum in Glendale, California.

Johnny Crawford, (the boy from “The Rifleman”), Darby Hinton

(the boy from “The Daniel Boone” television show) Marion Ross and

I were all invited there for a celebration. I’ve known Johnny for many

years but hadn’t met Marion or Darby.

By the way, Darby was as dear as he could be. I was thrilled to meet

him.

As it so happened, I was seated next to Marion, and there are no

words to tell you how cute and funny she was. Believe it or not, she’s 91!

I couldn’t believe my eyes, as she is so adorable, so friendly, so sharp

and as sweet as she could be! She is truly an inspiration.

I know for most of our readers (and I include myself), that as seniors,

life can be a bit frustrating as we age. Meeting her, however, was such

a treat and shows us that our attitude has a lot to do with the way we

look, act and feel.

She had this “sunny” disposition, and a sense of humor that won’t

quit. She told me that the correct spelling of her name was Marian,

but at thirteen she decided

to change the spelling

to Marion because she

thought it would look

better on a marquee! She

knew from the time she

was a child that (in her

words), she “wanted to be

somebody”’

Well, I can attest that

she certainly IS somebody...

and one of the most special

ladies I have ever met. I am

truly grateful for having met her.

The next time you watch Happy Days in re-runs, you can believe

that she is one special lady who lives her life in joy - which I’m sure is

her secret to longevity..

Until next time remember: Worrying does not take away tomorrow’s

troubles. It takes away today’s joy.

Beverly Washburn graced the silver screen as a child actress and

is the author of Reel Tears. You can contact Beverly at: bjradell@

hotmail.com.

Presents...

Beverly

Washburn's

HOLLYWOOD,

"That was You?!"

March 25th - 7pm

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Some Assembly Required

By: Adrea Nairne-Barrera / 60s to 60

Just when you think the days of putting

together toys and household items has gone

by, the internet orders have taken over and the

words “Some Assembly Required” appear on everything.

You can call someone to come

to your home and put things

together, or you can go to a store

and pay extra for the same guy to

do it there, or just try it yourself.

All the savings of the sale just

get eaten up by assembly fees so

we decided we were smart enough

to do it.

Let’s take the new dog stroller to

start. The sales price was reduced

and seemed like a great deal with

over $150 savings. Quell surprise!

The size looked about the same

but when the box came, the thing was huge and it had giant wheels,

axle and some other miscellaneous parts to connect. I could fit our old

one into this one but we decided the dogs would love having more room

to look around so we’ll keep it.

First lesson learned is that most things are not American made even

if you didn’t notice that when you ordered. So be prepared to read the

loose translation of instructions with thumbnail sized pictures you

can’t see.

My husband figured it out and I just stood there confused. Say what

you will about women doing anything and everything, I am not one

of them.

Then there was a headboard

in exactly the color and style I

wanted. Got a great price on that

too. When all the rails, screws,

washers, bolts and hardware

came however, I was on a

mission and after 2 days, I got

it. As for the little storage shed in

the yard, the weather had to be

just right or the plastic wouldn’t

fit together.

Personally I would be willing

to pay for a bigger box to get it all

put together but sadly, no one offers that. Now when I order something,

I block out a chunk of time for translations, enlarging the diagrams

and hoping I don’t injure myself along the way.

Adrea Nairne-Barrera writes of celebrations, observations &

complaints of life in the 60s to being in your 60s.

February 2020

Foundations

By: Linda Bateman-Gomez / Timeless Beauty

Foundations as we age can be a bit of a hit

and miss. The thicker, full coverage of a

typical foundation may look good for photos, but

in person and in different lights can show caking within creases and

emphasize wrinkles.

I sell a BB cream in my line that I like, but recently I complimented

a friend on her skin and she shared that she was using the Oil of Olay

Total Effects CC Cream. The ads for this particular cream claim that

it can help with wrinkles, fine lines, dry skin, discolored skin and

contains a broad-spectrum sunblock of SPF 15. I had to try it!

I found it at CVS and was a bit surprised that it was $27 for a drug

store product but figured if the claims were true, it would be worth it.

I’m a medium skin tone so I bought the light to medium shade.

Within this color range, I’m not sure it did much color correcting for

discoloration, but it is light and goes on nicely.

It did not settle in any lines being so light, but I am not sure it hid

them much either. I’ve only been using it a couple of weeks so time

will tell if it may help diminish any fine wrinkles.

I am also not as good as I should be at using my sun block, so it is

nice having it in one easy application.

While the coverage is not as heavy compared to my usual BB cream,

for daytime use I actually think this will be my new go-to face cream.

It’s a nice moisturizer as well and my skin has been super dry this

winter so I need all the help I can get.

If you are looking for a new one step moisturizer, light foundation and

sunblock, this just might be worth trying. As always, I also recommend

buying your cosmetics from a reputable store or a company website as

there are many dangerous chemicals in counterfeit online cosmetics.

It is virtually impossible to know when buying online, if it’s real or

counterfeit. So, if your price shopping and it seems too good to be true,

there may be a reason. Luckily in this case, a quick trip the drugstore

is all you need!

Linda Bateman-Gomez has an international beauty company

based in Las Vegas that specializes in cosmetics and other beauty

products. Contact Linda at TimelessBeauty2020@gmail.com or

through her website www.fullips.com.

February Events

By: Evan Davis / Entertainment Editor

What do I have in store for you this year?

How about top-rated entertainers

performing monthly at Sun City MacDonald

Ranch, and any other venues that are interested

in providing entertainment from The Vegas Voice.

Perhaps our return of an “Evening Affair” hosted by me and

starring Genevieve Dew, with stars of the future, present and past. How

about watching my monthly podcast presented by The Vegas Voice, or

our radio broadcasts?

These are just a few of 2020’s new and exciting programs along with

my searching out what’s hot and what’s not for the month. I’ll also be

reprinting my monthly Vegas Voice article on my web site, and other

entertainment information I feel will be of interest to all my readers.

But what do we have coming up in February? How about “From

Sinatra to Tom Jones…and Everything in Between” starring Craig

Canter.

Craig is a fantastic singer impressionist - from Engelbert

Humperdinck, Neil Diamond, Tom Jones, Frank Sinatra and more. His

special guest vocalists include Jennifer Lier who was the principal

singer in shows, such as Folies Bergère, Legends in Concert and various

venues all over the world. As well as a former Miss Nevada.

And Janien Valentine who is honored to have been voted “Best

Female Singer by the Las Vegas Review Journal” and continues to costar

with The Scintas. Janien is a diverse and engaging singer who

can belt a Whitney balled, jam a Motown tune, or command standing

ovations with her opera.

This all tales place at Sun City MacDonald Ranch on Saturday

February 22 nd . Or check out The Vegas Voice web site and watch past

podcasts of celebrities that I had fun interviewing, like George Grove

with the Folk Legacy Trio, Vinny Adinolfi of The Bronx Wanderers and

others.

Celebrity Corner Podcast

Craig Cantor joined our Entertainment editor Evan Davis last

month in our Vegas Voice Celebrity Corner podcast. Craig spoke about his

Philadelphia roots, his fabulous show business career and his upcoming

show this month at Sun City MacDonald Ranch “From Sinatra to Tom

Jones…and Everything in Between.”

February 2020

Deciphering Life’s Languages

By: Ali Guggenheim / Psychic Phenomenon

“

Silence is the language of God, all else is

poor translation.” - Rumi

Many moons ago, someone taught me that

life is like a foreign language - all we have to do

is decipher the signs as they appear. This could mean symbolically,

energetically, randomly, etc.

Perhaps a whisper, feeling or a thunderous noise demanding

immediate attention. Ever since, I began watching and questioning. I

can attest to the fact that these little “miracles” appear regularly, and

even profoundly.

Two days before I travelled to Israel last month, I locked my keys

in the car. This has never happened before. Instinctively I knew I was

dealing with key issues.

Fortunately, I had a spare key in my purse, but I couldn’t figure out

what the message was conveying. I tested my guesses trying to figure

it out.

Should I stop driving? Yes! It said, but, why?

The following day, my car locked itself with my purse that contained

my spare key and iPhone in it. At 110 degrees, I knew I had a minimal

amount of time before my phone would fry. I couldn’t leave the

country without a phone.

Frantically, I ran to my neighbor’s house and then went door-todoor

trying to get help. I finally flagged a car down and, miraculously

30 minutes later, a locksmith was at my door.

I knew I was not supposed to drive, but I had to run errands before

I left the next morning As I turned the corner into Trader Joes parking

lot, my tire hit the curb and got a huge gash in it. Luckily the tire did

not go flat.

I also knew I had to fix the tire immediately. Since the freeway was

the shortest distance to get there, I drove ever so slowly in the margin.

When I parked, the tire went completely flat.

Later, the mechanic told me that there were two lug nuts loose on

that tire and another tire with all the lug nuts loose. He said, “It’s a

miracle you’re alive!”

Whether you know it or not… the Universe is communicating with

us all the time! All we have to do is listen.

To contact Ali or for spiritual consultations, coaching, workshops

and readings, email: alivegasvoice@yahoo.com.

Presents

“From Sinatra to Tom Jones...

and Everything in Between”

STARRING

Craig

Canter

Jennifer Lier

WITH

SPECIAL GUESTS:

Janien Valentine

Sun City

MacDonald Ranch

2020 W. Horizon Ridge Pkwy., Henderson, 89012

Sat., Feb. 22, 2020

Doors at 6:30 pm.

Show begins at 7pm.

Or call direct:

TICKET HOTLINE

702 755-3799

Tickets:

2O.

At At the the Clubhouse

Front Desk

Butler Shares His Life in Music

By: Sam Wagmeister / People & Places

The name may not be familiar, but it’s hard

to imagine a world without the songs

of Artie Butler, a self-taught, do-it-yourself

musical arranger. His roots extend to New York’s

iconic Brill Building and the offices of Burt Bacharach and partner

Hal David, Bobby Darin, Ellie Greenwich, Johnny Mercer, Neil Sedaka,

Lieber and Stoller and many more.

As an arranger, it was Butler’s job to take a composer’s work and craft

and customize it for the musicians and individual singers; much like a

master chef’s customize recipes. Butler agrees with the analogy, “Music

is like food…a mixture of textures and spices, colors and smells.”

One late nine hour evening in 1977, Butler and Barry Manilow made

magic. The pair fashioned, constructed and nurtured three blockbusters:

Can’t Smile Without You, Even Now and Copacabana. “I

made sixty-five hundred dollars for that. Barry made 54 million,”

Butler exaggerates with a timid smile.

The 77-year old Butler was just months from his Brooklyn high

school graduation when his counselor urged Butler’s father to take him

out of school and begin a career in music. “Let him chase his dream,”

the counselor urged. “I got my working papers and my musicians’

union card the same day,” said Butler who recalls summers spent in

the Catskills playing drums and piano at 14.

At 17, he landed an apprentice-type job in the Brill Building’s

recording studio. The song writing team of Jerry Leiber and Mike

Stoller were scheduled to

record. When their piano

player failed to show, Butler

volunteered.

After the session, the

Hall of Fame songwriters

(whose careers have been

memorialized in the Tony

and Grammy Award winning

Broadway show Smokey Joe’s

Café) urged Butler to “quit Butler and Louis Armstrong

your job and come to work

with us.”

Butler shares his music and

stories of tuna fish sandwich

lunches composing music

with Sammy Cahn; breakfast

with Louis Armstrong at the

Strip’s Peppermill Restaurant

the morning after they

recorded What a Wonderful

With George Burns & Milton Berle

World and his home-cooked

dinner parties for his friends:

Milton Berle, Red Buttons, Harvey Korman, Lannie Kazan and Buddy

Hackett, all gathered around one table. And the time Sid Caesar recited

the four Passover questions in a crazy mix of Japanese and French,

March 1st in two performances at the Smith Center.

Sam Wagmeister is The Vegas Voice Nightlife Editor. He loves to

hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact him via email:

LasVegasHomeTeam@Gmail.com.

ARTIE BUTLER CREDITS – PARTIAL LIST

I Know I’ll Never Love This Way Again - Dionne Warwick

Neither One Of Us Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye –

Gladys Knight & The Pips

Feelin’ Alright – Joe Cocker

The Boy From New York City – The Ad-Libs

Indian Reservation – Paul Revere And The Raiders featuring

Mark Lindsay

Laughter In The Rain – Neil Sedaka

Cherry Cherry – Neil Diamond

The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia – Vicki Lawrence

Up On The Roof – The Drifters

Solitary Man – Neil Diamond

Arizona – Mark Lindsay

On Broadway – The Drifters

Society’s Child – Janis Ian

Chapel Of Love – The Dixie Cups

You And Me Against The World – Helen Reddy

Hang On Sloopy - The McCoys

February 2020

Uncovering the Truth About Reverse Mortgage

By: Nick Flores / Loan Educator

“

The bank will own my home when I

get a reverse mortgage.” Or: “I will not

qualify on a reverse mortgage because my

home has an existing mortgage on title.” Or: “The reverse

mortgage is too expensive.” Or: “There is nothing left at the

end for my heirs when they inherit the property.”

Usually, these myths are told by your family, friends and co-workers.

These myths are valid concerns, and I held them as truth until I did my

diligence and got my facts.

Here are the facts:

1. The bank will own my home when I get a reverse

mortgage. No. The Reverse Mortgage is a mortgage, and like any

other mortgage you retain title to your property with rights and

responsibilities of homeownership. With a Reverse Mortgage, your

rights allow you to sell and refinance your home if you choose.

Responsibilities as a homeowner are to maintain the property, pay

property taxes, homeowners’ insurance if you have a mortgage and

if any, HOA dues. The main point is that with a Reverse Mortgage

you retain title to your property with rights and responsibilities of

homeownership.

2. I will not qualify on a reverse mortgage because my

home has an existing mortgage on title. No. Your home can have

an existing loan and does not need to be paid off. To qualify for a Reverse

Mortgage, one of you must be 62+ years of age, your spouse can be as

young as 18, and

the property must

be your primary

residence.

You can also

refinance your

existing Reverse

Mortgage to take

advantage of the

increase in value of your home’s equity. Most seniors are unaware of

that, but when they find out, they gladly refinance their existing Reverse

Mortgage to take advantage of the increased value of their home.

3. The reverse mortgage is too expensive. No. Many believe

that the FHA Reverse Mortgage is more expensive than any other

loan. The Reverse Mortgage has the exact same cost as any other FHA

Mortgage except for one fee, $175 which the program requires the

homeowner to complete a counseling session with Housing Urban

Development (HUD).

4. There is nothing left at the end for my heirs when they

inherit the property. No. When you do a Reverse Mortgage, HUD

limits you on what you can take out from your equity. Overtime your

house continues to grow in value. A Reverse Mortgage is the same as

any other loan when it comes to your heirs inheriting the property.

You will receive all the benefits without having to make a payment

until you are done using the loan. Allowing you to age in place.

A L L T O R S V P

7 0 2 ) 8 0 6 - 7 7 7 7

(

Wake Up!

By: Jerry Creed / Trust Jerry

Have your estate plan reviewed before it’s too

late. Many people think they are on safe

ground when in fact they have climbed way out

on a limb or are walking on a high wire.

Most people discover their estate planning is poorly done or

inadequate to their needs only after it’s too late to correct the errors. A

few examples from the last few months.

First, a couple that has been together more than 40 years has done

only a Will. One spouse loses capacity due to disease and the other

spouse needs to sell their family home but finds in order to do the sale,

they need a court order (guardianship) or a Durable Power of Attorney

for their spouse, which they can no longer get.

Second, a spouse is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s; the healthy spouse

has COPD but wants to do some advanced planning for his spouse. They

have a trust and a durable power of attorney for financial matters, but

when you look at the details within the power of attorney, the spouse is

not allowed to create or fund irrevocable living trusts.

This means no advanced planning is allowed. No advanced planning

means the spouse was going to have to live out their golden years

impoverished, without financial options.

Third, a family’s three adult children were all special needs and

on disability and government assistance. Their trusts did not have

adequate Special Needs provisions.

When the parents passed, all three children had their assistance

disrupted. Had the parents done proper planning the children could

have gained benefit from their inheritance without interrupting their

disability assistance.

Proper skilled nursing planning or memory care planning can

result in saving people hundreds of thousands of dollars. If your estate

planning did not include a discussion of paying for a skilled nursing

or memory care facility, you are way out on a limb, or unknowingly

walking on a high wire.

The simple way to avoid these tragic outcomes is to have your Trust or

Estate plan reviewed by an attorney who specializes in Estate Planning

or Elder Law.

FREE LIVING TRUST SEMINAR

L A W O F F I C E O F J E R R Y C R E E D

Join us as we discuss how a properly designed Living Trust Estate

Plan can protect you and your loved ones

Elder Law vs. Traditional Planning ~ How to avoid Probate and Guardianship

The tragedies of not using an attorney to do your estate plan

The new changes in Medicaid ~ Revocable Living Trusts ~ Irrevocable Trusts

Asset Protection options ~ Buckets and Pigs

ATTEND A SEMINAR AND RECEIVE A FREE 30 MINUTE CONSULTATION ($195 VALUE)

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February 12th at 11am

2020 W Horizon Ridge Pkwy

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February 18th at 1pm

10360 Sun City Blvd

Las Vegas, NV 89134

Speaker: Attorney Jerry Creed

One of seven licensed Elder Law Specialists in NV

Over a decade of experience in Estate Planning

www.trustjerry.com

NOTICE: THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT! BY THE LAW OFFICE OF JERRY CREED

February 2020

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World Handicap System

By: Mike Landry / Golf Fore Ever

January 2019 brought us huge changes in the

USGA rules of golf. And January of 2020 is

no different as the USGA and R&A got together to

bring us a new golf handicapping system.

What does all that mean? The old GHIN Handicap system that we’ve

been accustomed to and used for years is being replaced with a new

World Handicap System (WHS).

Once again the USGA and R&A came together to create a new

handicap system. They named it “World Handicap System.” The idea

of the handicap is to enable golfers of different abilities to play and

compete on a fair and equitable basis in any format, and on any course,

anywhere in the world.

I didn’t know this, but apparently handicap systems around the world

were not compiled the same way, so different results were achieved.

When golfers of various regions competed using the results of different

handicap computations, handicaps were different for each region

and this did not provide a fair playing field. The new WHS system is

supposed to fix all that.

Our current GHIN handicap system used the golfer’s best 10 out of

20 scores with a .96 multiplier to arrive at a handicap, and one revision

was available each 15 day period. This delay may not have been the best

reflection of the golfer’s abilities but the new WHS system (which will

update golfer’s scores daily) will be more reflective of a true handicap.

The golfer should benefit from this new system. For example, when

playing tough course conditions and battling weather conditions,

scores are generally higher than under normal conditions.

With the new system, the golfer doesn’t have to wait 15 days for his

handicap to change as the scores will be adjusted the next day. There

are other benefits and I plan to bring those to you in my next article. If

you need additional information now, visit www.USGA.org.

Mike Landry resides in Sun City MacDonald Ranch and is a member

of both the Nevada State Seniors Golf Club and Winterwood Men’s

Group. He can be reached at: airmikel1@cox.net

February 2020

Where’s My Package?

By: Rana Goodman / On My Soapbox

It seems delusional to ask, when hearing

about a scam, how could anyone fall for it?

Yet you must admit some of the approaches used

by scammers are very convincing.

What would you do if you were expecting purchases to arrive via

UPS, US Postal Service, FEDX, Amazon or any of the other legitimate

carriers? And while waiting, you receive an email stating; “We’ve got

a message for you since our company’s courier couldn’t make the

delivery” Click here to get started!

Would you call the carrier, vendor or ignore the message? First and

foremost, glance at the “From” part of the email. For example; a

reader forwarded one of these emails from “US Postal Service” however,

the return email was a personal one, not USPS.

Since so many people use PayPal, have you seen this one? This

came From a “no-reply” along with a long list of numbers, followed

by the PayPal logo.

We’ve noticed some unidentified information on your account

ID: PP-009-536-987. Please log in to your PPL account and

complete the steps to confirm your identity and your recent account

activity. As a security measure you won’t be able to send or receive

money until you complete the necessary steps.”

If you don’t use PayPal, just delete it, but if you do, for goodness

sakes don’t log in or click any links on that email. Pick up the phone

and call PayPal Customer Service if you believe the email is a scam

and they most likely are.

How about this one that I received last week? It was an email from

NV Energy stating that my power would be shut off in 24 hours if

my bill was not brought current in that time frame.

Coincidentally just a few days prior, I had been on the phone with NV

Energy because I was not receiving the hard copy billing. Rather than

click the link to pay online, I phoned customer service and asked why

the heck they couldn’t get my account straight after we had just spoken

a few days before.

I felt my face flush when the clerk confirmed my account was up to

date and the email must have been a scam. Another lesson learned: You

can’t be too careful in cyberspace.

If you receive such an email and you would like to help The Vegas

Voice on our campaign to expose and stop these scammers, please

forward the email to scams@thevegasvoice.net. We want to drop them

all on the Attorney General’s desk.

*Right at our deadline all those wishing to run for office as

Judges had to file with the County. To our horror no one stepped up to

challenge Charles Hoskin. Hoskin was THE guardianship judge that

allowed this scandal to occur in Nevada.

Finally at just about the last minute and with numerous off-therecord

conversations, Thomas Kurtz placed his name in nomination.

We are so grateful that Tom had the “courage” to take on that wellfunded,

guardianship lawyers’ favorite judge.

And to top it off, Kurtz is experienced, knowledgeable and impartial

– everything that those who are passionate in guardianship reform was

hoping for in a judge.

Are we supporting Mr. Kurtz? You better believe it. We MUST toss

Hoskin from the bench.

We will have more (a lot more) information in the upcoming

months.

You can contact Rana by email: Rana@thevegasvoice.net. Also

check out her blog about life in Sun City Anthem at:

Anthemtoday.com

By: Rana Goodman & Dan Roberts to interview the FBI for our March video podcast.

We also want to thank Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen for her

e figured The Vegas Voice would

insightful article (page 24) concerning the explosion of robocalls and

get a response to our request for

more importantly, what the federal government is doing about it.

scam emails and listing of robocalls.

Unfortunately, we have not received any word from our state officials

We did not, however, expect such an

and agencies charged with combating this financial epidemic. We are

overwhelming response.

prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt (for now) and hopefully,

Let’s begin with our most sincere “thank you” for the 150+ readers

they’ll get back to us this month.

who forwarded their scam emails. Be assured we are collecting them as

Please feel free to send over those scam emails to us at: scams@

well as trying to determine a pattern of robocalls.

thevegasvoice.net as well as your listing of any robocalls. A sample is

It’s been quite a month. We have tentatively formed an anti-scam

on page 24.

task force with the Better Business Bureau and made arrangements

February 2020

It’s Overwhelming

Vegas Voice Editorial

Get the

“Chuck”

out of

there!

Toss

Guardian

Judge

Charles

“Chuck”

Hoskin off

the Bench!

Vote for

Thomas G. Kurtz

District Court,

Family Div. Dept. E

Paid for solely and

unconditionally by

The Vegas Voice

Putting a Stop to Phone Spam and Fradulent Robocalls

By: Jacky Rosen / U.S. Senator

Last year, Americans across the country

received nearly 60 billion robocalls. These

fraudulent schemes have left consumers angry

and present a serious risk for those who answer.

Like millions of Americans, I have experienced this firsthand. This

past summer, after stepping off the Senate floor to answer a call from

a number I did not know, the robot voice on the other line claimed

my Social Security number had been deactivated and asked me for my

personal information.

These fraudulent calls present a real risk of compromising the

sensitive and personal information of those who answer, and they can

affect everyone in our communities, even U.S. Senators.

Unfortunately, Nevada ranks as the state that’s been hit second

hardest in the country by this epidemic of spam calls. During this past

holiday season alone, one area code in Nevada was spammed with

nearly 50 million robocalls.

Calls like these target unsuspecting seniors who may believe the

caller on the other line is legitimate. These calls have led to countless

Americans divulging sensitive data to scammers looking to take

advantage of them.

Nevada residents, including our seniors, have been spammed with

unwanted identity theft schemes and scam payments that threaten their

hard-earned savings. Senior citizens often have to budget carefully and

falling victim to a fraudulent robocall could put their financial health

in jeopardy. This incessant spamming must stop.

Nevadans from across the state have contacted my office to voice

their concerns about robocalls and I want you to know that I’m

supporting bipartisan legislation in Congress to bring an end to this

growing problem.

Last year, I co-sponsored legislation to prevent phone “spoofing,” the

act of using an existing phone number to conceal a caller’s identity

while committing robocall scams. This bipartisan bill would double

the penalties faced by fraudsters who commit robocall crimes.

I also co-sponsored the TRACED Act, a bipartisan bill that was

recently signed into law. The new law, which takes effect this year, will

require telecom carriers to improve caller-ID accuracy.

The law will also allow regulators to track down and prosecute

scammers, as well as prohibit telephone carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile,

and Verizon from charging consumers for these new systems.

We must protect our seniors, and all communities, from these kinds

of predatory practices by enacting and implementing innovative

solutions, like passing anti-spoofing legislation and signing the

TRACED Act into law.

I’m proud to cross the aisle and work with my colleagues to find

common ground that will improve the lives of all Nevadans. I will

always be an independent voice for Nevada, and I remain committed

to protecting all Americans, especially our seniors, from attacks that

compromises them, their personal information, and impacts their

financial security.

February 2020

Contact Information Forms

By: Heather Latimer / Heather’s Self-Help Tips

Josef died in August, just one week before

our 17 th anniversary. I didn’t feel so chipper

myself so, suddenly, it became imperative that

I remove and replace his name on Contact

Information Forms.

I had completed those at various locations and basked in the

security that he’d come running if something serious happened to me.

No more!

With grave determination I hurried to Neptune Cremation Services.

Big shock! On the CIF form and on the first line - the name of an

attorney appeared as the primary person to be notified of my death.

Goodness gracious! I hadn’t spoken to that gentleman since 1999,

three years before I met Josef. Over 20 years ago!

Whilst rushing around trying to unearth more oversights I

encountered four ladies who admitted they had never thought about

CIF’s they’d signed - let alone updating them. Another said “My late

husband fastened a Vial of Life packet on the side of the refrigerator

in 2013. Now you’re reminding me I’ve never changed the names or

medical information. “

Then there was Frank, who spoke with all the confidence of a

dedicated organizer. “I’ve made a notebook titled: Upcoming Dates

that I check once a month,” he said. “I’ve arranged separate sections

for entering Contact Information Forms; End-dates of warranties;

Bank CD expirations; Due dates for quarterly and annual fees; IRS

estimate dates and Renewal/canceling dates for regular services.”

In addition,” he laughed, “to keep myself out of the doghouse, I’ve

included birthdays and anniversaries too.”

Heather Latimer is a nationally recognized specialist in making

difficult subjects easy and author of 17 books. Her biography, and

latest non-fiction “How To Overcome Once-Easy Tasks That Are

Now Pains In The You-Know-What,” can be found at: amazon.

com/heatherlatimer/howtoovercomeonceeasy.

Our Vegas Voice Family

Our Movie Revelations columnist Renee Riendeau with Publisher

Dan at last month’s Vegas Voice video podcast. Renee explained how she

became a movie critic and more importantly, how she was able to do

what everyone dreams of – singing at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

February 2020

Midway

By: Renee Riendeau / Movie Revelations

Director Roland Emmerich is somewhat

of a patchwork storyteller as this remake

film cuts back and forth between Japanese

commanders and the American military leaders.

It’s more of an authentic combat movie than a historical one between

the American and Japanese forces from June 4-7 in 1942.

It takes place near the Midway atoll in the Pacific theater of World War

II. The film is basically a follow up to Pearl Harbor that was planned by

the Japanese but later fell into a trap laid out by the Americans who had

figured out the attack was going to happened. The element of surprise

was key.

We see this film from a pilot’s viewpoint where it looks like a roller

coaster drop from hell while showers of enemy gunfire shoot up from

the carrier. To say the pilots were “brave” is an understatement.

The bombers dove at a vertical angle, hurling to the ocean to destroy

the ships with pinpoint accuracy. This director gives you a sense of how

the battle unfolds and how it turned the tide of our fight against the

Japanese.

In 1976 the first “Midway” was a hit filmed with three top actors;

Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, and Robert Mitchum. This “Midway”

may not be good enough for any movie awards but it is large scale

entertainment and the cast make it captivating.

Woody Harrelson as Admiral Nimitz, Commander of the Pacific Fleet;

Dennis Quaid as Vice Admiral “Bull” Halsey; and Aaron Eckhart as Lt.

Colonel Jimmy Doolittle who led the response raid on Tokyo.

When it comes to storytelling, this was a “B” movie but the stages of

battle were convincing as genuine combat spectacles. The destructive

metal-on-metal inferno of what war is, makes this film definitely worth

seeing.

I give this film a cinema score of “B+”. And I hope to see YOU at the

movies.

Renee Riendeau is the movie critic for “Renee’s Revelations”

on Anthem Alive SCA-TV. As a dog sitter she operates “ Renee’s

Roommates” out of her home and can be reached at

rriendeau@aol.com.

LES BALLETS TROCKADERO

DE MONTE CARLO

“The funniest night you will ever have at the ballet.” –Sunday Times

FRI, MAR 20 • 7:30PM

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Solomon Dumas, Jamar Roberts and Jacqueline Green.

Photo by Andrew Eccles

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Room for Everyone

By: Carol Chapman

According

to the U.S.

Census Bureau,

the population of people aged 65 and older

worldwide is projected to nearly double to 1 billion people by 2030. The

senior population is growing worldwide thanks to modern medicine

and improved lifestyle changes from generation to generation.

Even better, it means our loved ones get to stay around longer than

ever before. Our mission is to aid this growing population across the

Las Vegas Valley. In Nevada by 2025, seniors over 65 are projected to be

17% of the population.

As the senior population rises, so does the need for the services

that we are able to provide. In addition to providing free equipment,

transportation, and medication reminder programs to seniors, we also

have the HowRU program for seniors nationwide to get a daily call,

offering support and peace of mind to subscribers and their family

members.

Since 2002, through all of these wonderful programs, The Foundation

has been able to respond to over 260,000 requests for assistance - and

the number only continues to grow.

We want everyone to know that help is available to any senior that

needs it. There is always room at the table and it is our mission to assist

anyone that may be in need of our services.

We welcome new faces willing to provide any time or resources

with open arms. If you are interested in joining The Foundation as a

volunteer, or know of a senior who would benefit from one or more of

our services, call The Foundation Assisting Seniors at 725/244-4200

or visit us at www.foundationassistingseniors.com

February 2020

Urgent Care or VA Emergency?

By: Chuck Dean / Vet 2 Vet

When should you use Urgent Care Centers

or VA Emergency Departments? Do you

know the difference? Well the new Mission Act is

causing some confusion.

The last time I went to the VA emergency on Pecos Road I was queried

a bit more intensely than usual about my reason for being there. When

I told them I was having chest pains, the standard procedures were

followed.

I then did some querying and found out that in many cases veterans

should no longer go to the VA, but to a local Urgent Care facility.

Hopefully this will provide you with enough information to save a trip

in the wrong direction - especially if you have something like a cold,

rash, or earache.

Urgent care providers partnering with the VA provide easy access to

health care when a Veteran does not have time to wait to see a regular

primary care provider at the VA, or the office is closed. Choosing to visit

an urgent care center in the community will be best if the illness or

injury is non-life-threatening.

Here’s the first rule of thumb: For life-threatening emergencies,

such as cardiac/stroke symptoms, head trauma, breathing and

bleeding issues that require a speedy visit to your closest emergency

department – either the VA Medical Center, or an Emergency Center in

the community.

Minor injuries or illnesses that do not appear to be life threatening

should be treated at an urgent care center. Eligibility for urgent care,

Veterans must:

1. Be enrolled in the VA health care system AND

2. Have received care through VA from either a VA or community

provider within the past 24 months

(If you are uncertain of eligibility, you can contact your local VA

medical facility by phone or in person. Veterans do not need to get

prior authorization from VA to visit an urgent care provider in the VA’s

contracted network.)

I’ve located the one nearest to my home. I also keep handy the

handout (a locator that can be obtained from the VA) that lists the

various urgent care centers in town.

This webpage will give you further direction:

www.va.gov/communitycare/programs/veterans/Urgent_

Care.asp

So, be safe, and here’s to your health.

Chuck Dean served as an Army paratrooper in Vietnam and

through that experience was led to address the many transitional

issues veterans struggle with. He is the author of several important

books for veterans. All can be found on Amazon at: http://www.

amazon.com/author/chuckdeanbooks

The Second New Year of 2020

By: Kate Wind / Kate’s Insight

January 25, 2020 marked the beginning of

the Chinese New Year. Below are 5 tips to get

ready for the second New Year of 2020!

1. Intentionally clean the home. Using a

vacuum or broom, sweep from the four corners

of the home and push this energy out the front or back door. Set the

intention of creating a fresh foundation for the new year.

2. Since we are celebrating the Year of the Rat, watercolors symbolize

wealth. New purses and wallets in blues and whites should be carried

with the intention of prosperity.

3. Red envelopes set the intention of cash flow and abundance. Red

envelopes should be filled with new, crisp dollars.

In Chinese, the number 8 brings great luck and harmony. Stuffing

your red envelope with any denominations of 8 (such as $0.88, $8.00,

$88.00) will serve you well! Avoid the number 4 as it represents bad

luck and death.

4. In Chinese mythology, The Grand Duke is the most highly

respected and feared deity. Each year, he is said to appear in an area

of the house based on the directional location of the animal that rules

the year.

Honoring the Rat, the Grand Duke will show up in the North area of

the home. Just like you would tidy the house for expected company, I

encourage you to make beautifications to this area of the home. Small

changes to tidy the area will make a big impression on the Grand Duke.

5. Mystic knots are red knots made out of one piece of rope. The

idea is that there is no beginning and no end - which is symbolic for

harmonious flow and good fortune.

I like the infinity knots with a chime or lucky coins. Hang one of

these on the inside of the front door and set the intention of always

hearing opportunity knocking.

Kate Wind is second-generation Astrologer and Feng Shui

Consultant. She speaks on an array of topics, from astrological

influences, Chinese New Year, Feng Shui and Tarot. You can contact

her at: the katewind@gmail.com

With the senior industry growing

exponentially during the next decade,

more seniors will navigate towards communities

that provide a variety of modern amenities and opportunities to fuse

comfort, lifestyle and quality of care. In my experience, those who

transition from home to Senior Living are in search of a connection

that makes sense.

Let’s be honest. It’s not a “one size fits all” and finding the right fit

takes patience, a little optimism and a brisk of clarity in order to make

this transition.

But transitioning is just the start; first, it’s building a connection.

Choosing a Senior Living will allow the opportunity to engage with

a diverse group of friends, experience new things, gain support and be

encouraged to maintain your independence.

The bonus is having more freedom to do what you enjoy, with less

upkeep and adding the safety components of having onsite caregivers

to assist when needed. That is what exemplifies the Senior Living

Structure.

It’s a monumental phrase - “Senior Living” and it is not to be taken

lightly. It blends into the next chapter of a person’s life, and what it

means to each individual can determine the willingness for change.

Silver Living is inspiring because even though I’ve had prospects

hesitate over this decision, I’ve witnessed their victory when they

became residents. They became more involved in their life again,

had a sense of purpose and engaged themselves in the process while

attending daily activities.

Coronado Heights Senior Living offers this interpersonal

connection, with a focus on quality programs, tailored care and

abundant amenities. Our team invests in the Silver Living that can

make your new home a healthy one.

We offer modern comfort, nestled in the center of Henderson’s

very best district of entertainment and healthcare. Our state-of-theart

services ensure your journey will be guided with professionalism,

compassion and a motivated staff that works hard to ensure the very

best client satisfaction.

Unwrapping a present for the first time is always a mystery, but once

you uncover the gift, what you hold is a little piece of joy. And that’s

what makes Senior Living a beautiful option.

Samantha Rivero is the Community Lifestyle Director at Coronado

Heights Senior Living. You can contact Samantha at 725/200-3300

Silver Lining

By: Samantha Noelle Riviero / New Heights

February 2020

Blindly Navigating Like a Pro

By: BJ Killeen / Down the Road

The Consumer Electronics Show is an

exciting glimpse into the future. Not just

for televisions and home appliances, but for

technology that’s designed to help us navigate life a lot easier.

While we saw many exciting products (which we’ll cover in upcoming

issues), one of the most interesting was from a company called Sensible

Innovations.

Its technology focuses on ways to explore the world for those who are

visually impaired. More than 21 million adults in the U.S. are visually

impaired, with a full one quarter of those over the age of 65. While we’ve

talked about self-driving cars that can move those who can’t drive, the

Sensible Innovations app, called AWARE, will be used to navigate streets

and locations while walking.

The AWARE is added to a phone and works in conjunction with

landmark beacons located at specific locations - for example, at

a health care facility or a hotel. These beacons, called iBeacon, can

either be permanent or temporary. The iBeacon can also be given to the

customer to help them find their hotel room easily.

When in range of the SmartLandmark, the user will hear a preprogrammed

message, such as “exit,” or a customized message such as

“you’ve arrived at your room, 312.” Messages can be changed as often

as desired by the business and can be extremely detailed, such as, “keep

walking straight toward the south end of the building. Make a quarter

turn left at the hallway intersection.”

You also can ask the app to take you somewhere, get a directory,

find places nearby, highlight venues that support the software, and even

read you audible menus from nearby restaurants.

The app is no charge to customers, but the system is just getting up

and running. The beacons will be for sale shortly, so you’ll want to tell

the local businesses you visit to check online at sensible-innovations.

com and purchase iBeacons to install at their shops.

This is a great idea that will help many visually impaired people

become even more independent.

BJ Killeen has been an automotive journalist for over 30 years.

She welcomes all questions and inquiries, and can be reached at

bjkdtr@gmail.com

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Affordable Housing

By: Dan Hyde / Call to Action

Last month, I suggested a solution to getting

the homeless off the streets by converting

railroad box cars into livable and affordable

transitional housing units. This was not my idea but one championed

by a true visionary, Arnold Stalk.

This “Veteran’s Village” concept has proven to be very effective and

yet, has not been broadly applied to remediate our growing homeless

population. Part of the problem has to do with the word “transitional”

i.e. NOT permanent!

No one really wants to have temporary housing. Everyone wants to

varying degrees a place to call HOME.

Since “affordable housing” has become the oxymoron of today, the

question becomes: “Is anything affordable ever going to occur?” I say

YES and here’s how!

Developers are not in the business to lose money no matter how

altruistic their intent may be. Since land costs are at the heart of the

accelerating cost of housing, why not build on land that is donated free

and clear?

Since 80-90% of the vacant land in this state is owned by the

Bureau of Land Management (BLM), why not allocate 10-40 acres of

land adjacent to the local entities and earmark that land for housing

development for the homeless?

Give the developers tax benefits for building rental and condominium

units for purchase by the homeless and you have affordable housing.

Free Money

By: Don C. Whitaker / Guest Column

Sounds too good to most of us who have either

been swindled or scammed about some long

lost relative. But the truth is there are millions of

dollars out there waiting for citizens to claim.

Most of the funds are from closed bank accounts, refunds from

various vendors and wrong addresses. All 50 states have an unclaimed

property website. Nevada’s https://claims.nevadaunclaimedproperty.

gov/Property/SearchIndex.

I became interested because I wanted to make certain the charities I

support are good stewards of the money that is intended for them. You

will find that most charities are good at fund raising but not at getting

funds from these sites.

The units would be separated to house single women, single men and

families.

Since virtually all homeless have some income and to insure that they

have “buy-in”, earmark 20% of their monthly income into an “Escrow

lock-box” that can’t be touched except for housing. If they abandon

their commitment, the funds revert back to the entities managing the

programs to be re-allocated to others in need.

As the money increases in their designated accounts, charitable

organizations and/or the local governing bodies themselves can match

their “investment” up to an established limit. I think it is worthy of

public debate!

Dan Hyde is a passionate and effective advocate for the senior

community. He can be reached at: dhyde9@cox.net.

It becomes ludicrous when the various states can’t get funds to their

own cities. Case in point: if you put in City of Las Vegas in the Nevada

website, there are 20 entries for this city. Wouldn’t you think someone at

the state level could find the City to return the funds to them?

Lived in California? Have some fun with that site https://ucpi.sco.

ca.gov/UCP/Default.aspx

What I find amazing in the California site is there are entries that

make one cringe with the thought of big government. There are 3,479

listings where the State of California can’t find itself and 149 for the

Franchise Tax Board, their taxing body.

When I get calls from my alma mater (USC) asking for money, I

ask the fund raiser: “Could you explain the 2,136 entries for money for

USC at this site along with 253 for University of Southern California?”

There are 700 entries for UCLA, 391 for American Red Cross and 47 for

Red Cross.

The list goes on and on. I have contacted many charities that I like to

support and told them about their money sitting there and asked them

to call me back in six months to see if they have done anything about

this before I contemplate another gift.

If you lived in other states, it is easy to find such a site from your

previous domicile. It’s like a treasure hunt for you (and your family)

with no cost - but possibly a pot of gold in return. Happy hunting.

February 2020

In reading the wonderful article by Vegas

Voice writer John Beilun on Thomas Paine,

in last month’s edition, it caused me to reflect

back to one of Paine’s more thought provoking quotes:

It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful

to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving,

it consists in professing to believe what one does not believe.

I do not presume to

be arrogant enough to

think my opinion on

any candidates in the

upcoming election is

any more important

than yours. However,

I sincerely hope that

you listen to Thomas Paine and don’t accept the hatred that is being

spewed out by most candidates because they loathe another candidate’s

personality. I suggest you ask yourself do they really believe what they

are saying, or are they just trying to generate support for themselves.

If you travel to Europe, parts of Asia, the Middle East, South America

and even Africa and find some locals in the streets and speak with

them, you quickly learn what happened to the masses that lived under

socialism, communism or just plain dictatorship. Their ancestors grew

up having their possessions taken from them and in many cases, were

hungry most of their lives. These people look at America as the greatest

country in the world.

We seniors have seen many elections in our lifetime, but perhaps

nothing more important as this upcoming one. Please take a moment

before voting and seriously think about all our candidates.

Which ones really want our country, our world, to be what you want

for your great-grandchildren? Please don’t convince yourself to believe

something you deep down don’t believe. Infidelity is a hard thing to

live with.

Do Americans Accept Infidelity?

By: Morris Heldt / A Senior’s P.O.V.

Morris Heldt is a retired award winning film and television

producer and published author. He and his wife moved to the Las

Vegas valley from the beach in 2004.

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Why Caucus?

By: Judy Polumbaum / Our View

Jimmy Carter, again. This unknown peanut

grower from Georgia rocketed to recognition

by winning the Iowa caucuses, got the Democratic

nomination for president, and won the White House in 1976. After that,

caucuses became a thing.

Caucuses actually go back to the early 1800s. These party-managed

gatherings to advocate for candidates in real time were more common

than primaries until 1972. Primaries, managed by local government

under state law, then became the dominant system of the presidential

prelude.

You might think you’re choosing candidates at a caucus or

primary. Actually, you’re choosing delegates, usually to county party

conventions. They may or may not support your favorites; sometimes

it’s proportional, sometimes winner-take-all. County delegates choose

state delegates, who choose delegates to the national conventions, who

choose the nominees.

Then we determine the makeup of that shadowy body called the

Electoral College. Once we vote nationally, the electors either confirm

or deform the popular vote. The system funnels upward, stripping away

some of the nuisances of grassroots democracy.

Why even bother?

After fiddling around with various configurations of caucuses and

primaries and nothing at all, Nevada reinstituted caucuses in 2008,

reportedly because Harry Reid wanted us to be first in the West. That

in itself is reason to attend the Democratic caucuses on February 22nd

(the Republicans are passing this time).

We can pretend

to throw our weight

around, while

bragging about

how much more

representative

Nevada (majorityminority)

is than

Iowa (91% white,

caucuses Feb. 3) or New Hampshire (94% white, primary Feb. 11).

Some think caucuses are profoundly undemocratic. They are more

time-consuming than primaries and attract fewer participants. The

face-to-face discussion, precisely the appeal for some, is a deterrent for

others.

Nevadans with limited time, or aversion to debate, can cast early

caucus votes (Feb. 15-18).

To anyone else who’d like a teensy role in the Democratic nominating

process: Caucus because it’s interesting and fun! I moved here from

Iowa, so I can say that.

Creating a caucus culture as convivial as Iowa’s may take a few more

cycles, but we need the practice - and the more the merrier.

Judy is a professor emerita of journalism and a transplant to

Las Vegas from New England via China, the West Coast and the

Midwest.

…

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Call or email Debbie Landry: 702-592-4818 or by email: debbie@thevegasvoice.net

My New Vision

By: Mary Richard / Health Fitness

OK – here it is February, the 2 nd month of

the New Year! How many have already

broken their New Year’s Resolutions? I don’t make

resolutions, I make changes!

2020 has been mentioned as “new vision or clarity.” Yes, I will look

at all through new vision. Resolutions? Nah. Changes? Yes. I’m looking

at 2020 as the new year and decade to make some changes.

I’m trying my best to eliminate negativity out of my life. I just

celebrated my 75th birthday in December, so I look at this next chapter

as a new beginning.

Did you gain a few pounds during 2019? Don’t stress about it. Just try

to cut back on calories, sugars, etc. and exercise more. Better to lose a

few pounds at a time then to crash diet.

One “change” that I’m making this year is to be more organized.

This will pertain not only to my house, but also to my eating habits.

By that I mean, by grocery shopping and also preparing 2 or 3 meals

ahead of time – due to my very busy working schedules. Sunday nights

I cook up a few dinners, labeling in individual containers to freeze.

I try to NEVER go grocery shopping on an empty stomach! How

many times have you ventured into a grocery store with hunger pains

lurking and gobbled up

every “sample” taste

tidbit that is offered

(especially at COSTCO!)

or found some strange

item that wandered into

your grocery cart? Make

a grocery list before

heading to the store.

For example, after

buying a stalk of celery,

wash it well, then cut them into smaller pieces and place into a zip-lock

bag. That way, when I come home and while preparing my dinner, I

can munch on a celery stalk or two. I do the same with carrot sticks –

or better yet – buy a bag of baby carrots to munch on!

Keeping fresh fruit in a bowl on the kitchen counter also allows me

to have something “quick” to munch on when I get the hunger urge.

POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND HAPPY HEALTH TO ALL!

Mary Richard is a long term supporter of senior fitness. She

teaches Zumba, toning and dance classes throughout the Las Vegas

Valley. She can be reached at zumbaqueen@cox.net.

By: Kyo Mitchell / A Healthier You

Far, far too many people suffer from chronic

pain. Beyond the physical unpleasantness,

chronic pain has many other negative effects.

It can be exhausting and make sleeping difficult. It can keep you

from spending time with family and friends and doing the things you

love. It may even affect your ability to make a living or do what needs

to be done on a daily basis.

Pain is caused by tissue damage. To have a hope of resolving pain,

you have to correct the underlying problem - the tissue damage.

Just blocking the pain will never resolve the problem. This requires

the tissue to go through a series of steps to stop the inflammation and

then create new healthy tissue if possible.

For those suffering from chronic pain, you need to understand

Drug Free Ways To Effectively Resolve Pain

February 2020

the limits of the conventional strategies currently employed. Antiinflammatories,

opioids and gabapentin, the most commonly

prescribed drugs for pain, are designed to block the pain signal.

They do not address what caused the underlying damage, much

less help to resolve it. These drugs do not always work well and the

person may continue to suffer. There are also potential side effects to

each of these approaches; addiction to opioids being the most prevalent

example.

Surgery sometimes corrects the problem. Other times it does not

resolve the problem and can actually cause additional problems

So, is there any hope for those suffering from chronic pain? Research

is beginning to show that electrical signals carried in the body can stop

the inflammation and give the tissues the necessary signals to begin

to heal.

If the body cannot do this on its own, specific medical devices can

send these signals through the affected tissue. It should be noted that

we are not talking here about a TENS unit which many patients own

but rather medical equipment that is much more advanced.

I have spent decades treating both acute and chronic pain using such

methods. With as few as six treatments, I have seen many individuals

with chronic pain achieve resolution.

If you want your life back, this may be an option for you. For further

information, please feel free to contact me.

Dr. Kyo Mitchell served as faculty at Bastyr University in Seattle

and Wongu University in Las Vegas for over a decade. Dr. Mitchell

practices in Summerlin and can be reached at 702-481-6216 or

rkyomitchell@gmail.com.

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Cruise Ship Mania

By: Stu Cooper / Happy Adventures

As all of you know who have read my travel

articles over the years, I am an avid cruiser.

I have been on too many cruises to count and

have visited even more ships while doing ship inspections when they

first come out.

As part of my cruise ship craziness I’ve watched all the festivities

leading up to that exciting moment when the “Big” bottle of

champagne hits the side of the vessel as the words: “I christen you (put

name of ship in here).” And I have enjoyed every one of these.

Most of these inaugural cruises have been with the Carnival Cruise

Line. And to name just a few I was present for inaugurations of the

Fantasy, Fascination, Destiny, Triumph, Conquest and Glory.

At the festivities for the Carnival Triumph several years ago I got to

meet my childhood football hero Frank Gifford as he accompanied his

wife Kathy Lee to the ceremonies. My wife Sharon and I got to chat with

them for a few minutes and they were just the most wonderful people.

Turns out we all had something in common. We were all born on

August 16. And that Cathy Lee and I were born in the same year. Twins

from a different mother.

Frank had 20 years on us but was also born August 16. It did give us

a six degrees of separation moment and was a cool coincidence.

It is these kinds of interactions that I find so enjoyable associated

with travel. I also enjoy meeting new people, chatting with them and

learning about the experiences of other people from around the world.

Hearing what they have to say is always enjoyable.

We have a lot going on with the VEGAS VOYAGERS. We added a

number of “Bus to the Boat” cruises, as well as a Canadian Rockies

trip and a number of European river cruises with Emerald and Scenic

River Cruises.

As always please feel free to call us at 800/698-1101 with any question

you might have. Happy Adventures to all.

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www.thevegasvoice.net

November 2019

Before arriving you must travel a serpentine

mountain road, light with traffic while

rising and falling along the plunging contours of the hills.

Set in the southern Sierra Nevada, in Kern County is the California

town of Kernville. Kernville is a day’s drive from Las Vegas and within

50 miles of Bakersfield.

The beautiful Kern River runs through Kernville, which is named for

the artist Edward Kern. Kern accompanied John C. Fremont on his 1845

expedition.

Today, Kernville

remains a picturesque,

purist relic of early

California. The 1858

gold rush led to the

town’s formation,

back when gold often

washed down from

the mountains. Many

Kernville - Quaint Relic of

Gold Rush California

By: Kathy Manney / Around Our World

local families trace

their ancestry to the

original 19th century

homesteaders.

The town was briefly called Rogersville, then Williamsburg, before

becoming Whiskey Flat after a town bar opened. In 1864, the township

was named Kernville and has remained Kernville, even following the

Isabella Dam project which begun in 1948.

Kernville was relocated, along with many of its historic buildings, to

the present location at the northeast corner of the dam created manmade

Lake. Kernville’s Main Street is a craggy row of relocated western

facades from the 1800s.

They charm visitors who come to catch a glimpse of the town’s gold

rush and Old West roots as well as the many scenic sites and outdoor

activities available. The original Kernville townsite is a registered

California Historical Landmark.

Each February, President’s Day weekend attracts countless visitors

who come for the annual Whiskey Flat Days, a celebration of the

community’s Wild West past. Through historic demonstrations, pioneerstyle

camps and a rodeo, the festival showcases the unique charms of

Kernville.

Any time of year, Kernville has tourist activity centered on the white

water rapids of the Kern River. Fly fishing is popular, especially for

golden trout which is catch and release fishing.

Downtown Kernville presents an authentic Old West appearance

with quaint restaurants and plenty of antique shops. Year-round you

are invited to visit and become part of Kernville’s storied history which

makes this small town a bona fide relic of gold rush California.

Kathy Manney enjoys visiting interesting places and being an

Adventure Diva. Her “Must See” travel journeys continue - always

with enthusiasm.

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River Cruises

By: Crystal Merryman-Sarbacker /

Out & About

Which is the Perfect Valentine Day’s Gift?

Assorted chocolates or a River Cruise?

The answer is quite obvious. But for a special surprise, why not tuck

one of our river cruise brochures into that candy box? This is one gift

which is sure to delight your special someone.

Whether you prefer your vacation experiences to be high energy or

at a slower pace, river cruising could quickly become your favorite

getaway. Just imagine bicycling on a river’s edge or relaxing on a

balcony as you watch the castles go by.

Everything is so easy; you’ll wonder why you ever wanted to fight the

crowds on today’s oceangoing megaships.

These gigantic oceangoing vessels often require hours to get

clearance to anchor and offload their passengers. So, it’s not unusual

to see a parade of buses waiting for frustrated vacationers, who’ve

discovered they are not even close to the city center or the historical

areas they came to see.

Even the simplest complication, like a forgotten sweater or headset,

quickly becomes a crisis. You have to negotiate through crowds and

hallways to get back to your stateroom and then try to find your friends

before your tour bus departs.

A riverboat, however, offers a completely different experience.

Typically there are only 150 to 300 passengers, and everything is

designed for their comfort and convenience.

Actually most European riverboats are built to similar specifications

because they must be able to navigate narrow rivers through locks,

canals and bridges. This is a small sacrifice, though, because their

size promotes a feeling of intimacy, while their uniformity allows these

crafts to easily pull into centrally located piers.

Sightseeing, shopping, and personal exploring are often just a few

steps away. And even through the size of most riverboats is similar, each

major cruise line, like Viking and AMA Waterways, has established its

own unique style.

Plus, they dazzle their passengers with personalized service and lots

of guided sightseeing. One of the most exciting things about European

river cruising is its accessibility to medieval city centers and sites.

So, today’s riverboats approach historic towns and buildings as they

were meant to be seen - from the water!

Call Ray or Crystal at:

702/463-0966

February 2020

Travel professional, Crystal Merryman-Sarbacker, has visited all

50 U.S. states and over 40 countries. She was awarded 1st Place for

her 2019 Travel Writing by the North American Mature Publishers

Association. She can be reached at Merryman2@aol.com

An Open Letter To All “Our” Children

By: Vicki Wentz / Vicki’s Voice

Dear sweet niece twinnies. Happy birthday!

I called you out there in Colorado to

sing to you - although I forgot about the time

difference…sorry! But, I miss you!

And, sometimes I feel like you and your cousins - including my own

children! - being scattered …well, it feels like we’re sort of losing each

other.

That’s all wrong, girls! I still want to be part of all of your lives, firmly

and forever, even though you’re far away.

And, so, in honor of your 27th birthday: Top 27 Reasons To Stay

Close to Your Aunts and Uncles.

27. You were born into a big, Italian/German Catholic family filled

with love, dysfunction, laughter, tears and lunacy. YOU ARE SO LUCKY!

26. Your aunts and uncles need constant fashion, technology and

behavioral advice, or one day we will embarrass you...like irreparably.

25. We can be hilarious. Admit it.

24. We (mostly) smell nice.

23. We can cook.

22. We (mostly) believe in the same things.

21. Your cousins’ lives may differ in the particulars, but their

frustrations, anxiety and angst is the same as yours, and united, you

may all one day put your parents in “homes.”

20. We love you - heart-twistingly.

19. We miss you - heart-wrenchingly.

18. We changed your diapers, fed you

strained carrots (which still stain our

favorite blouses...maybe that’s just me),

came to every birthday party and hunted

backyard bugs with you.

17. Some of us have incredible seats

for football games!

16. If you ever need $50 fast (as long

as it’s not illegal, immoral, or stupid) we

will ALWAYS help.

15. You may still resent the “completely

ignorant” parental rules and restrictions to which you were abusively

exposed while growing up (mostly supported by your aunts and uncles)

but I’d wager you’ll raise your children almost exactly the same way!

(Most of you realize that already, although you’ll never admit it.)

14. We babysat for you and told you better bedtime stories than the

ones your parents told you.

13. If you don’t look like either of your parents, chances are you’ll

find your face on one of us.

12. We kept almost everything our children wore and swapped the

best with our siblings so that you could all have cute clothes; even if we

were struggling.

11. We love our brothers - and your mothers. We love our sisters - and

your fathers.

10. Being so close while growing up (in mileage and in age) all of

you cousins have been like siblings to each other. You must NEVER lose

that! (Where do you think that $50 will come from when we’re gone?)

9. If our own children bail, we may end up living with you. You’ll

want to nurture our relationship - think Last Will and Testament.

8. When your parents’ insanity becomes overwhelming (and it will)

who else can you call to vent (and to hear about what underachievers

they’ve always been, since birth...not that I would do that)?

7. We fixed your boo-boos, called your pediatricians, and captured

the teeth that came out (even when bloody and drooly!). And, if you

were spending the night, we personally contacted the tooth fairy.

6. If anyone ever hurts you (EVER) just call. Your parents, aunts,

uncles and cousins will ALL be there, and we will ALL kick some ass

(sorry, Aunt Vicki didn’t mean to cuss).

5. We’ve sent you care packages from the time you left home, and

prayed, like your parents, that you’d “settle in”, find friends, and be

happy...mostly the happy part.

4. We’re SO proud of you.

3. When you laugh, we laugh. When you cry, we cry.

2. The blood in your veins is also in ours. That means something.

1. In the end...and AT the end...there is no one whose hand we want

to hold more than yours. So, please - don’t let go.

Love you, Katherine and Kristen...and Louise, Robby, Becky, Caroline,

Jack, Will, Kate, Luke, Maggie, Michael, Joey and Mac.

February 2020

Vicki Wentz is a writer, teacher and speaker living in North

Carolina. Readers may contact her - and order her new children’s

book! - by visiting her website at www.vickiwentz.com.

Keeping Busy This Month

By: Howard Galin / Happy Gardening

Even though February is the shortest month

of the year, there are numerous activities

that we should do to prepare for the growing

season. Here is my suggestion:

Week 1: Now is the time to go to your garden and do a final

“cleanup.” Complete any “last-minute” pruning and begin the task of

treating your deciduous trees with dormant oil spray to kill insect eggs

that may develop into boring or sucking insects that will attack your

flowering and fruit trees in the coming months.

I recommend neem oil which can be used as both a dormant spray

now as well as a foliar spray during the growing seasons.

This week is a good time to treat your soil against root-eating grubs.

If you have not already done so, treat your agave, yucca, as well as

flowering bushes with systemic insecticide.

This works through the root system protecting them from a variety of

damaging insects. Just keep in mind not to treat plants that you intend

to eat in the near future.

During the winter, your soil may have experienced a rise in pH levels

(alkali buildup). To balance off these levels, apply sulfur to the soil.

Week 2: Now is the time to aerate the soil, check drip systems and to

add mulch where needed. It is also the time to fertilize succulents, fruit

trees and blossoming bushes.

And treat your roses with a solution of Epsom Salt to stimulate

flowering. Remember that palm trees should not be fertilized until late

Spring. Visit the garden nurseries since new fruit trees and roses will be

arriving shortly.

Week 3: By now, plants should be starting to bud. Do some additional

pruning to stimulate growth.

Nurseries should be receiving their new stock and will be having

sales! Spend quality time picking out the best stock and start planting!

Week 4: If you are planning on growing vegetables, this is the time

that nurseries will be receiving palettes of vegetables and tomatoes. If

you are unsure of which varieties do best, call the Master Gardeners’

Hotline (702/257-555) for free advice and printed information.

Have questions? Contact me at: ThePlantwhisperer28@Gmail.com.

Howard Galin, a/k/a: “The Plant Whisperer” is a retired NYC

school administrator, transplanted in Las Vegas who devotes his

time to communicating with and lecturing about our native

plants.

February 2020

Speaking to and for Las Vegas

Valley Seniors since 2003

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PERMIT #3235

The Vegas Voice February 2020

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