A local podcasting pioneer
In 2014, Paul Vogelzang found himself packing up his desk at computer technology company Oracle as part of a company layoff. “That was a shock to the system in every way,” said Vogelzang, who lives in Reston, Va. “At 58, it was tough to get a job, particularly in the technology sector, which apparently wants to have a younger workforce. It was a rough kind of divorce, in the sense... READ MORE
Is medical marijuana for you?
Howard County Beacon After two surgeries and many downed opioid pills, Stephanie Brooks, 60, still suffered “spinal pain, depression, anxiety and difficulty sleeping,” she said. So Brooks (not her real name) decided to visit Remedy Columbia, one of six state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries in Howard County, to try one of the thousands of different strains of cannabis... READ MORE
Celebrating a visionary’s success
Rebecca Hoffberger, founder and director of the American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM), turns 66 in late September. Most years, her birthday celebration is a cake shared with her staff as they install the upcoming year’s annual exhibition. This year, however, Hoffberger wants a different kind of celebration: She has chosen to honor a few of the individuals who inspire her through “an... READ MORE
Men help each other find their calling
In the book Halftime: From Success to Significance, author Bob Buford compares life to the game of football. As he explains, your success in the second half of your life depends on your halftime strategy. That idea guides a group of retired men who gather twice a month in locations around Richmond to plot out the second halves of their lives. Gordon Prior ran a busy dentistry practice ... READ MORE
Celebrating Area Artists
From limestone sculptures and stained glass, to photos from as far away as the Galapagos, to paintings that detail faces old and young, to poems that evoke love and loss, more than 900 paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs and poems poured into the Beacon’s Celebration of the Arts — our art competition for amateurs over 50. Not only was the number of entries impressive; the... READ MORE
From CIA to pageant circuit
Karen Moore won her first competition at age 4. To reach the microphone in a talent contest at her nursery school teacher’s church, she had to stand on a chair. She crooned a song called “God Bless Us All,” popular in the early 1950s. Now 69 and a resident of Hyattsville, Md., Moore has continued to wow pageant audiences over the years. She was once a finalist for Cherry Blossom... READ MORE
A voice for Virginia’s Native Americans
The cement path in Capitol Square spirals like a nautilus, leading to a fountain and meditation circle inscribed with the names of Virginia Indian tribes and the rivers that ran near their homes. Called “Mantle,” the abstract monument to local Native Americans was dedicated in April. Its name is symbolic on several levels — referring to the mantle of the earth, the mantle of... READ MORE
Christopher Plummer’s new first
Regal and commanding even in his youth, Christopher Plummer has turned into an even mightier force in old age. The 88-year-old Plummer earlier this year became the oldest actor ever nominated for an Oscar (for his J. Paul Getty in All the Money in the World), six years after setting the mark for eldest acting winner (for his coming-out 75-year-old in Beginners). The King Lear phase of ... READ MORE
Making moving less stressful
When Joanne and Martin Neff moved from their large, multi-level home in New York to their new three-bedroom apartment in Pikesville’s North Oaks Senior Living Community, the move could have been daunting, to say the least. “Nobody likes chaos,” said Joanne. But after a friend suggested that a move manager could ease the transition, the Neffs turned to Charna Kinneberg, owner of... READ MORE
Entrepreneurs find niche at farmers markets
Farmers markets benefit our communities on so many levels. They provide the opportunity to support local businesses, which keeps our money in our own communities. They enable us to cut down on the carbon footprint of our meals because the fruits and vegetables we buy do not travel as far to our tables. Farmers markets also strengthen our communities by offering the chance to socialize ... READ MORE
