Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, May 25, 2019

MVNews this week:  Page 10

10

Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 25, 2019 

TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills

thechefknows@yahoo.com

SENIOR HAPPENINGS


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …May Birthdays*

Beth Copti, Marilyn Diaz, Anne Schryver, Jo Ann Williams, Paul Hagan, Lenore Crilly 
Joann Serrato-Chi, Harriett Lyle, Jean Coleman, Birgitta Gerlinger, Donna Mathieson, 
Luciana Rosenzweig, Linda Wochnik, Marian Woodford, Debbie Sheridan, Joanne 
Anthony, Carole Axline, Kika Downey, Shirley Hall, Annie Scalzo, Janet Ten Eyck, Jane 
Thomas, Ray Burley.

 * To add your name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. 
YEAR of birth not required

HART PARK HOUSE MONTHLY PROGRAMS: 

Unless listed differently, all activities are at the Hart Park House (Senior Center) 222 W. 
Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre

Hawaiian & Polynesian Dance Class: Every Tuesday Morning from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. 
Join the class with Instructor Barbara Dempsey as she leads you in the art of Hula!

Bingo Time: Every Tuesday beginning at 1:00 p.m. Cards are only $0.25 each! Everyone is welcome to play! Activity may 
be canceled if there are less than five people.

Free Blood Pressure Testing: 2nd Tuesdays Monthly from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. No appointment is necessary.

Brain Games: Every third Thursday of the month at 12:45-1:45pm Join us for Scattergories, a creative thinking game by 
naming objects within a set of categories; or Jenga, a block-building challenge that keeps you stacking and bal-ancing your 
tower. Everyone is welcome, and no experience is needed. A great way to strengthen your mind and make new friends... 
Games are facilitated by Senior Volunteers.

Free Legal Consultation: Wednesday, May 15th from 10:30 a.m. - Noon. Attorney Lem Makupson is available for legal 
consultation. Specializing in Family Law, Wills, Trusts, Estates and Injury. Please call the Hart Park House for an 
appointment, 626-355-5278 ext. 704.

Senior Club: Meets Saturdays, Weekly at Hart Park House Brown Bag Lunch, great company and bingo at 11:30 a.m.

Chair Yoga: Mondays & Wednesdays 11:00 - 11:45 a.m. with Paul Hagen. Classes include Yoga and balance exercises. All 
ability levels are encouraged and welcomed!

Birthday Celebration: Every 2nd Thursday Monthly at the Hart Park House. Share free birthday cake and ice cream 
kindly provided by the Senior Community Commission!

Game Day: Every Thursday Monthly 12:00 Noon come into the Hart Park House and join a lively poker game with 
friends!

Free Strength Training Class: Fridays 12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. with Lisa Brandley.light weights, low impact resistance 
training and body conditioning. Class equipment provided.

Gentle Yoga for Active Seniors: Every Monday & Wednesday from 8:15 - 9:45 a.m. with Andrea Walsh at the Hart Park 
House. Classes include complete floor relaxation, standing and floor postures, balancing, and 

featuring extended meditations on the fourth Wednesdays of the month! 

Call (626)-355-5278 for more information.

Art with Kt - Wednesday, May 15th 1:00 - 2:00p.m.Watercolor florals, realistic and abstract techniques will be 
demonstrated. Reserve your spot today by calling 626-355-5278 x 704.

COMING SOON—TBD Grandparent to Grandparents: Please join a group of grandparents for an afternoon 
of learning, sharing and building community led by Community Services Commissioner Rowinsky. Call 355-
5278 for information.

THE SPIRIT OF MEMORIAL DAY

Over seven billion hot dogs will be eaten by 
Americans between Memorial Day and Labor Day. 
During the July 4th weekend alone (the biggest 
hot-dog holiday of the year), 155 million will be 
downed.

Every year, Americans eat an average of 60 hot dogs 
each. They are clearly one of the country’s most 
loved, but most misunderstood, comfort foods. 
Like most great events in history, there are varying 
accounts of how it all began and who started it. The 
history of the Hot Dog is no different. You will find 
many references throughout history to the origins 
of a Hot Dog-like thing called a sausage. Here are 
some stories of how the Hot Dog was born.

The invention of the Hot Dog, is often attributed to 
the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition. However, 
similar sausages were made and consumed in 
Europe, particularly in Germany, as early as 1864, 
and the earliest example of a hot dog bun dates to 
New York City in the 1860s. German immigrants 
appear to have sold hot dogs, along with milk 
rolls and sauerkraut, from pushcarts in New York 
City’s Bowery during the 1860s. The Hot Dog’s 
association with baseball also predates the 1904 
World’s Fair. Chris von der Ahe, owner of the St 
Louis Browns, sold Hot Dogs at his ballpark in the 
1880s.

Who’s Served the First Hot Dog? Also in doubt is 
who first served the first Hot Dog. Wieners and 
frankfurters don’t become Hot Dogs until someone 
puts them in a roll or a bun. There are several stories 
or legends as to how this first happened. Specific 
people were have been credited for for supposedly 
inventing the Hot Dog. Charles Feltman and 
Antonoine Feuchtwanger were among the few.

In 1867, Charles Feltman, a German butcher, 
opened up the first Coney Island hot dog stand 
in Brooklyn, New York and sold 3,684 dachshund 
sausages in a roll during his first year in business 
He is also credited with the idea of the warm bun.

Although the exact origins of the Chicago Dog are 
not documented, Vienna Beef of Chicago claims 
the “Chicago-style” Hot Dog was invented by two 
European immigrants at the Chicago World’s Fair 
and Columbian Exhibition in 1893. – I know this 
may be very difficult for some Dodger fans but the 
love of the hotdog and baseball did not start with 
the Dodgers. 
Program Note This Sunday Radio Show will be on 
at *8 AM Go Country 105 


FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett


3 WISE PLANNING TIPS TO 
PROTECT YOUR FAMILY’S 
ASSETS

While most people assume only the uber wealthy 
need to worry about asset protection, those with 
less wealth and fewer assets may be at even greater 
risk. For example, if you’re a multi-millionaire, a 
$50,000 judgment against you might not be that big 
of a burden. But for a family with a modest income, 
home, and savings, it could be catastrophic. 

Asset protection planning isn’t something you can 
put off until something happens. Like all planning, 
to be effective, you must have asset protection 
strategies in place well before you actually need 
them. Plus, your asset protection plan isn’t a one-
and-done deal: It must be regularly updated to accommodate changes to your family structure and 
asset profile. 

There are numerous planning strategies available for asset protection, but three of the most common 
include the following:

1. Insurance


Purchasing different forms of insurance—health, auto, watercraft, and homeowner’s—should 
always be the first line of defense to protect your assets. Whether you’re ultimately found at fault 
or not, if you’re ever sued, defending yourself in court can be extremely costly. 


Insurance is designed not only to help you pay damages if a lawsuit against you is successful, but the 
insurance company is also responsible for hiring you a lawyer and paying his or her attorney’s fees 
to defend you in court, whether you lose or win. However, insurance policies come with various 
amounts of coverage, which can be exceeded by large judgments, so you should also seriously 
consider buying umbrella insurance.

Should your underlying insurance policy max out, an “umbrella” policy will help cover any 
remaining damages and legal expenses. We can help evaluate your current policies and ensure you 
have the right types and amounts of insurance for maximum asset protection.

2. Business entities


Owning a business can be an incredible wealth-generating asset for your family, but it can also 
be a serious liability. Indeed, without the proper protection, your personal assets are extremely 
vulnerable if your company ever runs into trouble. For example, if your business is currently a sole 
proprietorship or general partnership, you are personally liable for any debts or lawsuits incurred 
by your business. 

Structuring your business as a limited liability company (LLC) or S corporation is typically the best 
way to go for many small businesses. When properly set up and maintained, both entities create an 
impenetrable barrier between your personal assets and your business activities. Creditors, clients, 
and other potentially litigious individuals can go after assets owned by your company, but not your 
personal assets. 

If you own any kind of business, even just a side gig to earn extra income, you should seriously 
consider creating a protective entity to ensure any liabilities incurred by your company won’t affect 
your personal assets. We can help you select, put in place, and maintain the proper entity structure 
for your business operation.

3. Estate Planning


While each of the asset-protection scenarios shared above are “maybes,” there is one certainty 
in life—death. It’s going to happen to all of us. And your death, or an incapacity before it, is the 
biggest risk to your family’s assets. Planning in advance for what is certain to come is a gift to the 
people you love the most.

So, if you’ve been putting it off, now is the time to get it handled, and we’ve made it easy for you to 
do that.

You work way too hard to leave your assets at risk. Call us to schedule a Family Estate Planning 
Session, and let’s get this taken care of now. During your Session, you’ll become educated, informed, 
and empowered. 

We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make the very best legal decisions about life and 
death, for yourself and the people you love. 

Dedicated to empowering your family, building 
your wealth and defining your legacy,

A local attorney and father, Marc Garlett is on a 
mission to help parents protect what they love

most. His office is located at 55 Auburn Avenue, Sierra Madre, CA 91024. Schedule an

appointment to sit down and talk about ensuring a legacy of love and financial security for your

family by calling 626.355.4000 or visit www.GarlettLaw.com for more information. 

HOW A GOVERNMENT PENSION MIGHT REDUCE YOUR 
SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS

Dear Savvy Senior:

As a teacher for 20 years, I receive a pension from a 
school system that did not withhold Social Security 
taxes from my pay. After teaching, I’ve been working 
for a small company where I do pay Social Security 
taxes. Now, approaching age 65, I would like to retire 
and apply for my Social Security benefits. But I’ve been told that my teacher’s pension may cause me to 
lose some of my Social Security. Is that true? Ready to Retire

Dear Ready:

Yes, it’s true. It’s very likely that your Social Security retirement benefits will be reduced under the 
terms of a government rule called the Windfall Elimination Provision (or WEP). 

The WEP affects people who receive pensions from jobs in which they were not required to pay Social 
Security taxes – for example, police officers, firefighters, teachers and state and local government 
workers whose employers were not part of the national Social Security system. People who worked for 
nonprofit or religious organizations before 1984 may also be outside the system. 

Many of these people, like you, are also eligible for Social Security retirement or disability benefits 
based on other work they did over the course of their career for which Social Security taxes were paid.

Because of your teacher’s pension, Social Security will use a special formula to calculate your retirement 
benefits, reducing them compared to what you’d otherwise get.

How much they’ll be reduced depends on your work history. But one rule that generally applies is that 
your Social Security retirement benefits cannot be cut by more than half the size of your pension. And 
the WEP does not apply to survivor benefits. If you’re married and die, your dependents can get a full 
Social Security payment, unless your spouse has earned his or her own government pension for which 
they didn’t pay Social Security taxes. If that’s the case, Social Security has another rule known as the 
Government Pension Offset (or GPO) that affects spouses or widows/widowers benefits.

Under the GPO, spousal and survivor benefits will be cut by two-thirds of the amount of their pension. 
And if their pension is large enough, their Social Security spousal or survivor benefits will be zero.

There are a few exceptions to these rules most of which are based on when you entered the Social 
Security workforce.

Why Do These Rules Exist?

According to the Social Security Administration, the reason Congress created the WEP (in 1983) 
and GPO (in 1977) was to create a more equitable system. People who get both a pension from non-
Social Security work and benefits from Social Security-covered work get an unfair windfall due to the 
formula of how benefit amounts are calculated.

These rules ensure that government employees who don’t pay Social Security taxes would end up with 
roughly the same income as people who work in the private sector and do pay them. 

For more information on the WEP visit SSA.gov/planners/retire/wep.html, where you’ll also find a 
link to their WEP online calculator to help you figure out how much your Social Security benefits may 
be reduced. And for more information on GPO, including a GPO calculator, see SSA.gov/planners/
retire/gpo.html.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.
org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.


HELPING FAMILIES COPE 
WITH ANTICIPATORY GRIEF

 A program aimed at helping 
families and other loved ones cope 
with anticipatory grief in cancer cases 
will be given at the Cancer Support 
Community-Pasadena on Tuesday 
June 4 2019 from 6.30 p.m. to 8 p.m. 
The program is free of charge. 

 Jennifer R. Levin, a licensed therapist, 
will discuss how to identify anticipatory 
grief, and how to cope with 
the pain and losses associated with 
cancer. Location is the Cancer Support 
Community-Pasadena, 76 East 
Del Mar Blvd, Suite 215, Pasadena, 
Ca 91105. Reservations at 626-796-
1083. www/cscpasadena.org


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com