The Heights October 30 - November 13, 2014 Volume 4 :: No. 22

Community News

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Garfield Heights and Maple Heights

The nation’s #1 heart program is now at South Pointe Hospital.

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Cast a vote for the environment by recycling campaign signsWe want YOU to recycle your campaign

signs. After the general election, drop off political yard signs for recycling at the Solid Waste District, 4750 East 131 Street

in Garfield Heights. Our hours are Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. The office is closed on federal holidays. We accept all plastic and cardboard campaign signs plus

the metal stands. The District is a non-partisan recycler. We

encourage all Cuyahoga County residents, candidates, elected officials and ward clubs

to round-up and drop-off election signs so we can keep them out of landfills. When we recycle, everybody wins!

Sonnenberg Station in Bedford Nov. 2Sonnenberg Station, a 15-voice

men’s choral ensemble based in Kidron, Ohio, has performed in more than 30 different venues to appreciative audiences throughout Ohio, from churches and businesses to universities and concert halls. Their repertoire features beloved classical pieces as well as contemporary tunes and everything in between, including several arrangements written by the group’s director, Tim Shue.

This season’s performances offer selections exploring the

theme of “Body and Soul,” songs about spiritual longing and earthly life. Some pieces focus on the joys of life on earth, while others cast an eye toward a heavenly home. All are delivered with Sonnenberg Station’s own take on traditional spirituals, familiar folk songs, and, as always, a few lighthearted surprises

while representing a variety of cultures, eras, and styles.

Join Sonnenberg Station as they share this season’s repertoire at any of the following performances:

Sunday, Nov 2 at 7 pm at Hope United Methodist Church, Bedford

Admission is free of charge; an offering will be taken during intermission. For more information, and for other venues, visitwww.sonnenbergstation.org

VOTE November 4, 2014

2 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: May 22, 2008

www.thenewstandard.com The New Standard

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Help for Garfield Heights families is just a phone call away. The new Family Resource Center at the Garfield Heights Civic Center, 5407 Turney Road, has information to assist families with drug treatment, counseling and

prevention services, support groups, and other needs. Office hours vary, so it is best to call and make an appointment.

Call the Help Line, 216-475-1103, or e-mail rpollack@garfieldhts.org for assistance.

Help Available Through Family Resource Center

The HeightsStandard

Buyers no longer will be required to put repair funds into an escrow account for violations cited during the point-of-sale inspection. Repairs still must be made by the deadline set by the city’s building

department. Buyers will receive a one-year family recreation pass, limit one per family. Members are still required to purchase an identification card at the recreation center.

Garfield Heights New Homebuyer Incentives

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Bring recyclables to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Nov. 15 for a BOGO ticketMaking choices that help the

environment can be as easy as turning off the lights when you leave a room, or turning your thermostat down before you leave the house. It’s just about that easy to score a buy one, get one free ticket to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, too.

On Saturday, November 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. visitors can celebrate America Recycles Day by bringing select recyclables to the Zoo in exchange for one free admission -- with the purchase of a regular admission.

Eligible materials include aluminum cans, cell phones and rechargeable phone batteries,

paper such as newspaper, catalogs, junk mail and magazines, ink jet and toner print cartridges, child car seats and cooking and dinnerware including pots, pans, plates, forks and knives. Just follow the signs to the collection area, and Zoo staff members will be on hand to assist you.

Guests can also celebrate the Year of Zero Waste with the City of Cleveland’s Office of Sustainability and make a recycling craft with the Zoo’s Volunteers.

Proceeds from the aluminum cans collected will benefit wildaid.org, an international organization dedicated to saving many different

animal species by ending the illegal wildlife trade.

Make a difference every day. Compact fluorescent light bulbs, cell phones, rechargeable cell phone batteries, and ink jet and toner cartridges can be dropped off by Zoo visitors any day at the recycling station in the Zoo’s Exhibit Hall. Child car seats can be dropped off by the sign outside the main gate (a program in partnership with University Hospitals). Newspapers, magazines, junk mail and shredded paper (bagged) can be deposited in the yellow and green Abitibi-Bowater Paper Retriever bins in the rear of the Hippo Parking Lot behind

The RainForest.

Aluminum cans and plastic bottles can be recycled throughout the Zoo on a daily basis as well. Look for the solar powered, trash compactors courtesy of Big Belly Solar and the Alcoa Foundation.

Northeast Ohio’s most-visited year-round attraction, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $12.25 per person, $8.25 for kids ages 2 to 11 and free for children younger than 2 and Zoo members. Parking is free. Located at 3900 Wildlife Way, the Zoo is easily accessible from Interstates 71, 90 and 480.

For more information, visit clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo or call (216) 661-6500.

October 30 - November 13, 2014

May 22, 2008 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: 3

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4 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: May 22, 2008

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Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

November Events at MetroParksThanksgiving is a time of year

traditionally reserved for expressing gratitude and celebrating a bountiful harvest. Today, it conjures up thoughts of a long, four-day weekend filled with feasting, football games, around-the-clock shopping, family gatherings, and parades with floats and balloon characters that are larger-than-life!

Go back to the roots of Thanksgiving by spending time learning about the natural history of Thanksgiving as well as exploring the great outdoors in Cleveland Metroparks. This November, the Park District is offering a variety of programs and hikes centered on this terrific turkey themed holiday. Come by yourself or bring the family.

The Natural History of ThanksgivingSaturday, November 8 ∙ 1 – 2 p.m.Garfield Park Nature Center ∙ Garfield Park ReservationThis national holiday and traditional meal have an interesting and colorful history. How have Thanksgiving foods evolved over the years? Learn the history behind classic side dishes, the ingredients used and turkey as the main course. Garfield Park Nature Center is located off Mill Creek Lane, off the Broadway Avenue entrance of Garfield Park Reservation in Garfield Heights. For more information, call 216-341-3152 or visit clevelandmetroparks.com.

American Indian HikeSaturday, November 15 ∙ 1 – 2:30 p.m.Monarch Bluff Picnic Area ∙ West Creek Reservation Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with a hike through the unpaved trails of West Creek Reservation. Enjoy the transition of seasons while learning about the land, water and inhabitants before the 1800s. Monarch Bluff Picnic Area is located off West Ridgewood Drive in West Creek Reservation in Parma. For more information, call 440-887-1968 or visit clevelandmetroparks.com.

Gobble GobbleSaturday, November 22 ∙ 3 – 4:30 p.m.Hermit’s Hollow Picnic Area ∙ Bedford

Reservation Turkey is on everyone’s mind, but how much do you know about Ohio’s wild turkeys? Enjoy a brisk 2.5 mile hike in search of toms and hens and learn more about these fascinating birds. Hermit’s Hollow Picnic Area is located off Gorge Parkway in Bedford Reservation, just east of Dunham Road in Walton Hills. For more information, call 216-341-3152 or visit clevelandmetroparks.com.

First People FestivalSaturday, November 22 ∙ 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.Rocky River Nature Center ∙ Rocky River ReservationWho were the first people that lived in Ohio, what is known about these past cultures and how have they changed over time? Explore the ways people lived on and with the land through

hands-on activities, demonstrations, displays, naturalist-led hikes, and presentations. Rocky River Nature Center is located at 24000 Valley Parkway in Rocky River Reservation, north of Cedar Point Road in North Olmsted. For more information, call 440-734-6660 or visit clevelandmetroparks.com.

Pre-emptive Strike HikeWednesday, November 26 ∙ 10 a.m. to noonAlexander Bike Lot ∙ Bedford Reservation Everyone is going to “stuff” themselves on Thanksgiving Day! Feel a little less guilty by working off some calories ahead of time on this fast-paced 3.5 mile fall hike. Alexander Bike Lot is located off Alexander Road, between Dunham and Canal roads in Bedford. For more information, call 216-341-3152 or visit clevelandmetroparks.com.

On Thanksgiving Day spend a FREE day at the Zoo making fun, family memories:

Thanksgiving at the ZooThursday, November 27 ∙ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and The RainForestCleveland Metroparks Zoo says “thanks” to all visitors with FREE admission. Visitors can watch the animals enjoy special holiday treats during enrichment demonstrations throughout the day. For more information call 216-661-6500 or visit clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo.

October 30 - November 13, 2014

A lot of us are having tummy prob-lems these days. Medications for acid re-flux are amongst the biggest selling drugs on the market today. Irritable Bowel Syn-drome (IBS) is among the fastest growing new diagnoses in America. Ulcers of the stomach and colon are a common malady. Billions of dollars are spent and endless hours of suffering endured because of stomach and bowel problems.

Have you had that pain in your chest that made you think you might be having a “heart attack”, only to find out that is was “heartburn”? That’s called GERD (Gastroesophogeal reflux disease), and is caused by stomach acid backing up into your swallowing tube. A lot of people who go to the emergency room thinking they’re having a heart attack find out they actually have heartburn.

There are lots of causes of stomach and bowel problems. Hereditary factors (Crohn’s disease), autoimmune factors (Celiac’s Disease), enzyme factors (lac-

tose intolerance), and systemic issues (can-cers, etc.) can all be sources of stomach

and bowel issues. And if you are having stomach discomfort, you should certainly bring it to the attention of your physician. But for most of us, our bowel issues are caused by what we put into our stom-achs!

There are certain foods that seem to be friendly to our digestive systems. Green leafy veggies, raw veggies, lean meats, fish, whole grains, bananas and yogurt are all recommended for good gut health. Nutritionists recommend staying away from high fat meats, fried foods, very spicy foods, dairy products, and ex-cessive alcohol if we want our stomachs to feel good.

By now you’re probably asking “what does this have

to do with my mouth”? Well, here’s the deal. Our digestive system has one job: to break down the food we eat into parts our bodies can use. That process starts in your mouth. Chewing and saliva are supposed to be the first step in the food breakdown process. If your mouth can’t do its part, one of two things will happen. Either your body won’t get the benefit of the food you have eaten, or the other parts of the digestive system will over-work to make up for the mouth’s poor performance. The latter is what happens. When food enters the stomach not well chewed, the stomach pours extra acid on it to make up for the failure of the mouth to do its job. And, of course, the result we see from this extra acid is GERD (acid

reflux, heartburn), and ulcers. And what is the primary cause of not being able to adequately chew your food?

MISSING BACK TEETH!If you have missing teeth in the back

(the molars, which are built to chew food), you have to replace them! At Dodson and Associates we offer a number of options for replacing missing teeth, both the back chewers and the front smilers. Replacing those missing back teeth can mean the dif-ference between good stomach health and an uncomfortable gut. So if you’re hav-ing tummy issues, give us a CALL today at 1-440-439-2230 to discuss appropriate solutions. We love your questions about tummies or teeth or health. Just Call!

Yours In Dental Health,

Dr. Jane L. DodsonDr. Mychael Davis

Having Stomach Issues? Talk to your Dentist or Us

Jane L. Dodson DDS & Associate, Inc.88 Center Rd. Bedford #330, 44146 (Next to Bedford Hospital)

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CALL 440-439-2230 for an appointment!Present this coupon at time of service. Cannot be combined with other coupons.

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May 22, 2008 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: 5

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Columbus & Ohio The Heights Standard

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Enroll now!Take advantage of the

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Easily transfer your credits to a four-year university

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October 30 - November 13, 2014

University Hospitals proudly launches the Center for Lifelong Health and its Senior Assessment program.

Under the direction of a board-certified geriatrician, patients receive a comprehensive physical, psychological and functional evaluation. The results and recommendations of the assessment are then forwarded to a physician or caregiver of the patient’s choice.

To schedule an assessment at a location near you, call 216-UH4-LIFE (844-5433) or 1-866-UH4-LIFE (toll-free).

© 2014 University Hospitals REG 00132

I N T R O D U C I N G T H E

Center for Lifelong Health

UHhospitals.org/LifelongHealth

UH Bedford Medical Center*44 Blaine AvenueBedford, Ohio 44146440-735-3900UHBedford.org

UH Foley ElderHealth Center3619 Park East DriveSuite 109Beachwood, Ohio 44122216-844-6300UHhospitals.org/Foley-ElderHealth

UH Geauga Medical Center13207 Ravenna RoadChardon, Ohio 44024440-285-6000UHGeauga.org

UH Parma Medical Center7007 Powers BoulevardParma, Ohio 44129440-743-3000UHParma.org

*a campus of UH Regional Hospitals

University Hospitals Bedford Medical Center Receives American Heart Association’s “Get With The Guidelines – Stroke” Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award

University Hospitals (UH) Bedford Medical Center recently received the “Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke” Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association. The prestigious award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to and success in implementing a higher standard of care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted guidelines.

UH Bedford Medical Center is a Joint Commission-certified Stroke Center. Get With The Guidelines – Stroke helps the hospital’s specialized stroke care team develop and implement acute and secondary prevention guideline processes to improve patient care and outcomes. The program provides these resources to help the team facilitate outstanding stroke care:

*A web-based patient management tool.*Best-practice discharge protocols and

standing orders.*A robust registry and real-time

benchmarking capabilities to track performance results.

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is one of the leading causes of death and serious, long-term disability in the United States. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and someone dies of a stroke every four minutes. UH Bedford Medical Center’s quick and efficient use of

national guideline procedures can improve the quality of care for stroke patients, reduce disability and save lives.

“Recent studies show that patients treated according to the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines – Stroke program receive a higher quality of care and experience better outcomes,” says James Williams, RN, MSN, Chief Nursing Officer, UH Bedford Medical Center. “In a stroke situation, ‘time is brain,’ and we are equipped and trained to provide the fastest, most advanced stoke care possible to patients in Bedford and the surrounding communities.”

Following Get With The Guidelines – Stroke treatment at UH Bedford Medical Center, patients are started on aggressive risk-reduction therapies. These are all aimed at reducing death and disability and improving the lives of stroke patients.

“Our care for stroke patients is among the best in the nation and the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines – Stroke program helps us achieve that consistent quality,” says Robert David, President, UH Bedford Medical Center. “This award demonstrates that we are committed to unparalleled stroke care, delivered by an exceptional team of physicians and nurses.”

For more information about the certified Stroke Center capabilities at UH Bedford Medical Center, call 440-735-4203.

6 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: May 22, 2008

www.thenewstandard.com The New Standard

Columbus & Ohio6 The Heights StandardOctober 30 - November 13, 2014

Ellen Augustine, M.A.

What’s up, America? The New Jim Crow

An invisible underpinning of this society has been irrefutably brought to the surface. Though pundits claim we now live in a “post-racial” nation since the election of Obama, Michelle Alexander shows the opposite is true in her riveting book, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Color Blindness. Extensive excerpts follow.

“Jarvious Cotton cannot vote. Like his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great grandfather, he has been denied the right to vote for those who will make the rules and laws that govern one’s life. Cotton’s great-great-grandfather could not vote as a slave. His great-grandfather was beaten to death by the Ku Klux Klan for attempting to vote. His grandfather was prevented from voting by Klan intimidation. His father was barred from voting by poll taxes and literacy tests. Today Jarvious Cotton cannot vote because he, like many black men in the United States, has been labeled a felon and is currently on parole.” (p. 1)

“Denying African-Americans citizenship was deemed essential to the formation of the original union. Hundreds of years later, America is still not an egalitarian democracy.” (p. 1) And it is rife with fear of the other.

Blacks and whites haven’t always been pitted against each other. “In the early colonial period, indentured servitude was the dominant means of securing cheap labor. Under this system, whites and blacks struggled to survive against a common enemy, what historian Lerone Bennett Jr. describes as ‘the big planter apparatus and a social system that legalized terror against black and white bondsmen.’ Initially, blacks brought to this country were not all enslaved; many were treated as indentured servants.” (p. 23) As the need for more labor arose, blacks were imported as slaves.

After the Civil War, “with the protection of federal troops, African Americans began to vote in large numbers. Literacy rates climbed, and educated blacks began to populate legislatures, open schools, and initiate successful businesses. In 1867, at the dawn of the Reconstruction Era, no black man held political office in the South, yet 3 years later, at least 15% of all elected officials were black. This is particularly extraordinary in the light of the fact that 15 years after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 fewer than 8% of all Southern officials were black. (p. 29)

The post-Civil War backlash against blacks took many forms. “Notably absent from the 15th Amendment was language prohibiting the states from imposing educational, residential, or other qualifications for voting thus leaving the door open to states to impose poll taxes, literacy tests, and other devices to prevent blacks from voting. The threat of violence often deterred blacks from pressing legitimate claims, making the ‘civil rights’ of former slaves largely illusory—existing on paper but rarely to be found in real life. (p. 30)

“Nine southern states adopted vagrancy laws—which essentially made it a criminal

offense not to work and were aggressively enforced against blacks—and 8 of those states enacted convict laws allowing for the hiring out of county prisoners. . . . They were sold as forced laborers to lumber camps, brickyards, railroads, farms, plantations, and dozens of corporations. Death rates were shockingly high, for the private contractors had no interest in the health and well-being of their laborers, unlike the earlier slave-owners who needed their slaves, at a minimum, to be healthy enough to survive hard labor. Laborers were subject to almost continuous lashing by long horse whips. . . . The convict population grew 10 times faster than the general population.” (p. 28-32)

‘The Civil Rights Act of 1964 formally dismantled the Jim Crow system of discrimination in public accommodations, employment, voting, education, and federally-financed activities.” (p. 38)

“After the passage of the Civil Rights Act, the public debate shifted focus from segregation to crime. Members of Congress who voted against civil rights measures proactively designed crime legislation.” (p. 42) This was “a thinly veiled effort to appeal to poor and working class whites to put blacks back ‘in their place.’” (p. 186)

“Conservatives argued that poverty was caused not by structural factors related to race and class but rather by culture—particularly black culture. Black ‘welfare cheats’ and their dangerous offspring emerged, for the first time, in the political discourse and media imagery. . . . Reagan rode into office condemning ‘welfare queens’ and criminal ‘predators.’ By waging a war on drug users and dealers, Reagan made good on his promise to crack down on the undeserving.” (p. 45-7) “For more than three decades images of black men in handcuffs have been a regular staple of the evening news.” (p. 177)

“In the early 1980s, just as the drug war was kicking off, inner city communities were suffering from economic collapse. The blue-collar factory jobs that had been plentiful in urban areas in the 1950s and 1960s were relocated to the suburbs and were globalized. During the much heralded economic boom of the 1990s, the jobless rate among noncollege black men was a staggering 42%.” (p. 217)

The drug epidemic that tore poor black neighborhoods and families apart did not just “happen.” “The CIA admitted in 1998 that guerilla armies it actively supported in Nicaragua were smuggling illegal drugs into the United States—drugs that were making their way onto the streets of inner-city black neighborhoods in the form of crack cocaine. The CIA also admitted that, in the midst of the War on Drugs, it blocked law enforcement efforts to investigate illegal drug networks that were helping to fund its covert war in Nicaragua.” (p. 6)

“In fact, the War on Drugs began when illegal drug use was actually on the decline. The United States imprisons a larger percentage of its black population than South Africa did at the height of apartheid. The U.S. now boasts an incarceration rate 6 to 10 times greater than that of other industrialized nations. (p. 7)

“Conviction for drug offenses is the single most important cause for the explosion of incarceration rates in the U.S. They account for 2/3rds of the rise of the federal inmate population, and more than half of state

prisoners. The vast majority of those arrested are not charged with serious offenses. In 2005, for example, 4 out of 5 arrests were for possession; only 1 of 5 was for sales. Most people in prison for drug offenses have no history of violence. Arrests for marijuana possession—a drug less harmful than tobacco or alcohol—accounted for nearly 80% of the growth in drug arrests in the 1990s (p. 59). . . . One study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that white and black high school seniors use marijuana at nearly identical percentages. White students use both cocaine and heroin at 7 times the rate of black students. (p. 97) Mandatory minimum sentences for cocaine carry far more severe punishment for crack—associated with blacks—than powder, associated with whites.” (p. 52) “In fact, studies suggest that white professionals may be the most likely of any group to have engaged in illegal drug activity in their lifetime, yet they are the least likely to be made criminals.” (p. 192) In some states, black men have been admitted to prison on drug charges at rates 20 to 50 times greater than those of white men.” (p. 8)

In contrast, “At the close of the decade, drunk drivers were responsible for approximately 22,000 deaths annually, while overall alcohol-related deaths were close to 100,000 per year. During the same time period there were no prevalent statistics at all on crack, let alone crack-related deaths. Drunk drivers are predominantly white and male. They are generally charged with misdemeanors and receive sentences involving fines, license suspension, and community service. Although drunk driving carries a far greater risk of violent death, the societal response has generally emphasized keeping the person functional and in society, with treatment and counseling.” (p. 201)

“The percentage of drug arrests that result in prison (rather than dismissal, community service, or probation) has quadrupled, resulting in a prison-building boom the likes of which the world has never seen. By the end of 2007, more than 7 million Americans—or 1 in every 31 adults—were behind bars, on probation, or on parole.” (p. 59)

“Once upon a time, it was generally understood that the police could not stop and search someone without a warrant unless there was probable cause to believe that the individual was engaged in criminal activity. . . . Today it is no longer necessary for the police to have any reason to believe that people are engaged in criminal activity or actually dangerous to stop and search them. As long as you give ‘consent’” (generally after being intimidated and bullied), “the police can stop, interrogate, and search you.” (p. 63) Who and where are the police employing stop and frisk, and forcibly entering homes? Mostly black and brown people, in the poor neighborhoods.

While prison is hellacious, being released is traumatic as well. “Aside from figuring out where to sleep, nothing is more worrisome for people leaving prison than figuring out where to work. Some of the pressure to find work comes directly from the criminal justice system. According to one survey of state parole agencies, 40 of 51 required parolees to “maintain gainful employment.” Failure to do so could mean more prison time. Even beyond the need to comply with conditions of parole, employment satisfies a more basic

human need—the fundamental need to be self-sufficient, to contribute, to support one’s family, and to add value to society at large. Deprivation of work, particularly among men, is strongly associated with depression and violence.” (p. 145)

Considering that the economy has recovered splendidly for the 1%, but most of the rest of us are still struggling and the real unemployment rate is almost double the official rate, just how likely do you think it is that someone who has served time will be hired?

“Mass incarceration has nullified many of the gains of the Civil Rights Movement. (p. 187) Former prisoners enter a hidden underworld of legalized discrimination in employment, housing, education, public benefits, voting, and jury service. They are members of America’s new social undercaste. America has the belief that mobility is always possible, so failure to move up reflects on one’s character. By extension, the failure of a race or ethnic group to move up reflects very poorly on the group as a whole.” (p. 13)

If we are to end mass incarceration, we must end the War on Drugs. Besides the decimated lives, there are economic reasons, too. “With budgets busting, more than 2 dozen states have reduced or eliminated harsh mandatory minimum sentences, restored early release programs, and offered treatment instead of incarceration for some drug offenders. A promising indicator to the public’s change in course is California’s Proposition 36, which mandated treatment rather than jail for first-time offenders; it was approved by more than 60% of the electorate.” (p. 226)

“We must see black and brown men in their humanness, entitled to the same care, compassion, and concern that would be extended to one’s friends, neighbors, and loved ones.” (p. 229)

Will treating black men this way hurt white men? “The empirical evidence strongly supports the conclusion that declining wages, downsizing, deindustrialization, globalization, and cutbacks in government services represent much greater threats.” (p. 232)

To my mind, nothing less than massive reparations are called for--both for the inhumane injustice of slavery, and for the decades of second class citizenship. A good beginning would be an acknowledgement and an apology. And then real reparations of intensive education upgrades--sterling preschools, state of the art elementary, middle, and high schools; free college scholarships; community centers; extensive job training in new green economy sectors; money for small business incubation and mentorships from successful business persons. Meaningful reentry programs. And, of course, restored voting rights. Where will the money for this come from? How about the billions for war?

Nothing less will restore the full humanity of the dominant culture, too.

Ellen Augustine, M.A., is a speaker and author on national currents and the emerging sustainable economy. She may be reached at ellenaugustine@earthlink.net, 510-428-1832, www.storiesofhope.us. Questions, feedback, and topic ideas for future columns are welcome.

May 22, 2008 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: 7

Celebrating 5 Years of Award-Winning Journalism in Central Ohio www.thenewstandard.com

Columbus & Ohio The Heights StandardThe Heights Standard October 30 - November 13, 2014

INTRODUCTION: For most people, life is a series of (more or less) predictable events. You get an education, perhaps marry, have children, earn money, acquire things, plan for retirement, grow old, and die. Have you ever thought about how your legal planning should change as you progress down through the decades? Today’s column will address this.

JOHNNY JUMP-UP is only 23 when he falls in love with his college sweetheart, Lily. They marry, and soon they have a little daughter, Rose. Perhaps for the first time in his young life, Johnny Jump-Up feels an awesome sense of responsibility for his growing family. What will happen to them if he gets hit by a truck and dies?

“What will happen” is the key. The answer is, Johnny Jump-Up needs legal planning. At any stage in life, you need to address two essential questions: Who is in charge? And what can they do?

BASIC LEGAL PLANNING As a young couple, Johnny and Lily

should have a legal plan for distributing their $tuff after they die. This is done by means of a Last Will and Testament. The person in charge of carrying out their wishes is called an Executor. But who will take care of little Rose if she is orphaned? Who will protect her, raise her, educate

her? Who will use Johnny and Lily’s $tuff to benefit Rose as she grows up? And who will make sure that Rose inherits the rest of their $tuff when she becomes an adult? Johnny and Lily can name a Guardian in their Will to handle all of this.

But dying isn’t the only tragedy that may occur. What if Johnny or Lily get sick and cannot make personal medical decisions? Legal planning for this is accomplished by means of a Health Care Power of Attorney and a Living Will Declaration. And who can handle finances if Johnny or Lily become incompetent? They can appoint an agent under a Power of Attorney for Property.

This is basic legal planning that every adult should have, no matter what age they are. And these basic documents need to be updated throughout your life!

GROWING INTO MIDDLE AGE Johnny Jump-Up has had some

successes and also a few regrets. After he and Lily got divorced, he remarried and acquired step-children and more natural children with his second wife. For many years Johnny saved to pay for his children’s education, and then the money slipped away like lightning while they were in college. By this time, Johnny’s parents have died. Johnny’s brothers and sisters have moved away and had families of their own.

All of these changes in life require Johnny’s legal documents to be updated. When Johnny was a young man, he had named his father or brother as Executor in his Will. But now that Dad has died and his brother has moved away, Johnny thinks it

would be good to name one of his adult children as Executor. Johnny also needs to verify who are the beneficiaries of his life insurance and his retirement plan.

When Johnny was young, he earned a living in the construction trade. As the years went by, he started his own business. Johnny had his lawyer set up a legal corporation for the business. As Johnny’s assets grew, he saw the wisdom of setting up a Trust to avoid probate. And middle age has made Johnny consider Long-Term-Care Insurance in case he needs to go into a nursing home in later life.

THE TWILIGHT YEARS In his 60’s, Johnny Jump-Up has

to decide when to retire and when to start collecting Social Security. Another milestone will happen when he turns 65 and qualifies for health insurance through Medicare. Johnny has to decide what kind of supplemental health insurance he should get, as well as a Medicare Part D plan to pay for medications.

Johnny decides it’s a good idea to get an elder-law lawyer, who can advise him about Medicaid planning and asset protection. Johnny also wants to make sure his $tuff is used wisely when it’s inherited by his children and grandchildren. And Johnny wants nothing to go to that little witch who married his grandson!

Johnny realizes he needs to tell his children what kind of medical treatment he wants and doesn’t want when he’s dying. He buys a pre-need funeral package. Once again, Johnny updates his Health-care Power of Attorney, his

Living Will Declaration, and his Power of Attorney for Property, his Last Will and Testament, and his Trusts. Once again, Johnny verifies the beneficiaries under his life insurance and retirement plans. And with his lawyer, Johnny sets things up for business-succession planning.

CONCLUSION: Throughout his life, Johnny Jump-Up has paid attention to two questions: who is in charge, and what can they do. It’s a good feeling to be able to answer those questions by saying, “The person I want will be in charge, and they’ll do what I have instructed them to do!”

THE AUTHOR: Linda J. How is an elder-law lawyer in Bedford, providing Medicaid counseling and estate planning. She has legal training from the national organization, Medicaid Practice Systems (now known as Lawyers With Purpose). To help people understand the value of planning, Mrs. How presents FREE educational workshops called, “Seven Threats to Your Family Security.” UPCOMING EVENING WORKSHOPS: Mondays, from 6 to 8 p.m., on November 10 and December 8, 2014. UPCOMING AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS: Wednesdays, from 2 to 4 p.m., on November 12, and December 10, 2014. For an office appointment or to reserve seats at a Workshop, Mrs. How may be reached at law@lindahow.com or 440-786-9449.

How Should Your Legal Planning Change as You Age?Making Sense

of the LawLinda J. How, J.D.

8 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: May 22, 2008

www.thenewstandard.com The New Standard

Columbus & Ohio8 The Heights Standard

John F. Kennedy Elementary Awarded Apple and ConnectED Grant

John F. Kennedy Elementary School is pleased to announce that it has been selected to receive an Apple grant as part of the ConnectED program. The award will enable John F. Kennedy Elementary School to provide a comprehensive 1:1 technology solution for every student and teacher, including Apple hardware, software, and services.

By providing students, teachers, and administrators with Apple technology, John F. Kennedy Elementary will be able to enrich its classroom experience and expand opportunities for its students.

“This grant will have a tremendous impact on our students and our greater community. I am so excited about the many possibilities that await our students, and staff as we move toward a digital learning community, “says John F. Kennedy principal Zelina Pames. “Receiving the Apple ConnectED Grant will assist our teachers in preparing students for a global society. Students will receive personalized learning and be able to experience the world outside.”

The academic focus at John F. Kennedy Elementary School is on balanced literacy, content area literacy, and balanced math instruction. Located in the city of Maple Heights, Ohio, Kennedy School educates

570 second and third grade students. Creating a Climate of Joyful Learning (CCJL) is the focus of Kennedy School integration of instructional technology that blends teacher direct instruction with personalized learning for students. Raising Student Achievement through Building Strong Relationships and Focusing on Engaging Work is the Maple Heights City Schools’ district mission and vision embraced at Kennedy School.

John F. Kennedy Elementary School teachers provide students with daily opportunities to read and write. Leveled readers and interactive notebooks are utilized in literacy lessons. Students are provided instruction that is differentiated. During math instruction, exploration with manipulatives and small group instruction can been seen. The fiction and nonfiction Common Core State Standards are taught during Science and Social Studies. Students are assessed quarterly, using adaptive technology.

John F. Kennedy School’s first priority is to prepare students for a global diverse society. Additional information about Apple and ConnectED is available at www.apple.com/education/connect

Backyard compost bins for saleThe Solid Waste District has backyard compost bins available for purchase. You can buy a bin directly from the District offices in Garfield Heights. We carry the Ultimate Dirt Machine ($50) and Wishing Well Composter ($50). We also have a smaller kitchen compost pail ($5). Purchase by cash or check only; all sales are final. For more information about backyard composting, call (216) 443-3731.

October 30 - November 13, 2014

While many Americans are fixated on the threat of Ebola, Cleveland’s health care community wants to remind people to protect themselves against a tangible threat that kills 3,000 to 49,000 Americans annually – influenza. University Hospitals has joined with the City of Cleveland and other local hospitals in a collaborative public awareness effort, Focus on Flu, aimed at educating residents about the importance of flu vaccinations.

Unlike the common cold and many other viral respiratory infections, the flu can cause severe illness and life-threatening complications in many people. It is estimated that in the United States, each year on average 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from seasonal flu-related complications.

“Getting a flu shot is one of the best things that you can do for your health,” said Michael Anderson, MD, Chief Medical Officer of University Hospitals Case Medical Center. “It not only offers personal protection to an individual, it also helps stop the spread of the flu to other people – family members, friends, co-workers. I cannot stress enough the importance of getting a flu shot.”

UH will be holding flu shot clinics at all UH community hospitals on Saturday, November 1 from 9 to 11 am. Shots will be $15 and free for Medicare recipients. The flu clinics will be held in the main lobby at:

UH Ahuja Medical Center, 3999 Richmond Road, BeachwoodUH Bedford Medical Center, 44 Blaine Avenue, Bedford

UH Conneaut Medical Center, 158 West Main Road, ConneautUH Elyria Medical Center, 630 East River Street, ElyriaUH Geauga Medical Center, 13207 Ravenna Road, ChardonUH Geneva Medical Center, 870 West Main Street, GenevaUH Parma Medical Center, 7007 Powers Blvd., ParmaUH Richmond Medical Center, 27100 Chardon Road, Richmond HeightsSt. John Medical Center, 299000 Center Ridge Road, Westlake

No appointments necessary. For more information go to UHhospitals.org/FocusOnFlu.

University Hospitals Joins Focus on Flu – Public Awareness Campaign, Health System to hold flu clinics Saturday, November 1, 9-11 am

Shipwrecks & Scuba70th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion

Shipwrecks of World War II & More

November 8, 2014Sawmill Creek Lodge

Huron, Ohio

Ralph Wilbanks

Marine Archaeologist, Shipwreck Hunter, The man who found the CSS Hunley

“Aftermath on the Bottom — The Nor-mandy Invasion”

Joe Hoyt

NOAA Marine Archaeologist, Marine Photographer

“Hitler’s Secret Attack on America”

Ralph WilbanksMarine Archaeologist, Shipwreck Hunter, The man who

Ralph Wilbanks is probably best known for discoveriHunley. However, this extraordinary accomplishment fullness of this singular individual’s life. Ralph

Joe HoytNOAA Marine Archaeologist, Bay Area Diver, Marine P

One of Bay Area Divers own, Joe Hoyt has gone on toGeographic special,

More information atShipWrecksAndScuba.com

Special Evening Banquet: 6:30pm - 9:30pmFeatured Speakers:

Daytime Programs: 9:30am - 4:30pmFeaturing workshops, presentations, booths, and vendors.