Columbia Gorge News
www.columbiagorgenews.com
Wednesday, October 6, 2021
B5
SENIOR LIVING
Fall is the season for Medicare insurance plans
Senior
Living
Scott
McKay
H
OW DO YOU KNOW
it’s autumn? The
leaves falling? The
cooler mornings? The
football hysteria? No, it’s a
mailbox full of solicitations
from Medicare insurance
plans.
And why? Because Oct.
15 is the start of the annual
Medicare Open Enrollment
period. Since each year the
insurance companies can
adjust their Medicare plans,
the Open Enrollment period
gives you a chance to decide
if your Medicare plan is still
the best option for you.
To help decide, you
should have received your
plan’s “Annual Notice of
Change,” which describes
any changes for next year.
Review the changes and
then ask yourself the big
three Medicare questions.
Does your plan allow you to
go to the providers you want
including your pharmacy?
Are your prescription drugs
covered? And how much
does the plan cost?
Even if you’re satisfied
with your current plan, you
still may want to look around
to see if there is a better deal,
especially if you have avoid-
ed the hassle and just opted
to automatically renew your
current plan each year.
But choosing the right
Medicare plan can be
frustrating, perplexing, and
downright confusing. (Most
adults can’t identify what
Medicare Parts A, B, C, and
D cover. I always confuse
Part A with Part B and it is
not just my memory!) But all
health insurance is compli-
cated. Before I was enrolled
in Medicare, I relied upon
my employer or insurance
agent — insulating me from
the complexity of choosing a
health insurance plan.
But now it’s our respon-
sibility to wade through the
information and compare
plans to make the best
choice which many of you
know is not easy. It is no
wonder 62% of people have
not changed plans!
But there is help. You can
go online to Medicare.gov
or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-
800-633-4227). Also you can
study your “Medicare & You”
handbook that you should
have received in the mail.
There are also local
options. There are private
insurance brokers who spe-
cialize in Medicare. Or you
can make an appointment
with a trained volunteer
SHIBA counselor who will
help guide you through the
process. It is free, confiden-
tial and they aren’t selling
you any plan. In Oregon
call 541-288-8341 and in
Washington call 800-562-
6900 for assistance with your
Medicare questions.
Most importantly, during
Medicare open enrollment
from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7,
take time to understand your
Medicare options so you can
make the most informed de-
cision — both for your health
and your pocketbook.
•••
this week’s winner of a quilt
raffle ticket.
I remember back in
the ‘50s listening to the
Sunday comics being read
on the radio which would
have included this pop-
ular comic strip. For this
week’s “Remember When”
question, what was the
name of the comic strip for
children and adults — with
a bite of political satire —
first published in 1948,
created by cartoonist Walt
Kelley and included various
animal characters: Possums,
alligators, owls living in
the Okefenokee Swamp?
Email your answer to www.
mcseniorcenter@gmail.com,
leave a message at 541-296-
4788, or mail it on a t-shirt
with the quote “We have met
the enemy and he is us.”
•••
Well, it’s been another
week turning over another
leaf. Until we meet again, the
best accessory you can wear
is a smile.
•••
“Worry is like a rocking
chair. It gives you some-
thing to do, but it gets you
In this month’s column
“Through the Eyes of An
Elder” contributed by the
Aging in the Gorge Alliance,
Dan Farbach interviews Judy
Merrill, a registered nurse
discussing the importance of
foot care for older adults and
her participation in the first
Community Conversations
on Aging in The Dalles.
Another must read! (See
page B12.)
•••
The name for a bruise
created by someone sucking
on your skin so hard that it
becomes discolored was a
hickey. I received correct
answers from Mike Yarnell,
Jeannie Pesicka, Emmett
Sampson, Billie Maxwell,
Sam Bilyeu, Susan Ellis,
Louise Wooderson, Stephen
Woolpert, Barbara Cadwell,
Jay Waterbury, Rose Schulz,
Gene Uczen, Doug Nelson,
Keith Clymer (who men-
tioned you might get one
of those during halftime at
a football game under the
bleachers. I don’t know how
he would know!) and Dorthy
Winterfield, formerly from
The Dalles class of 1965 and
nowhere.”
— Erma Bombeck
•••
Nutritious home-deliv-
ered meals and pick-ups are
available for anyone over
sixty. For more information,
you can call the meal site in
your area.
Hood River Valley Adult
Center at 541-386-2060 —
now open for in-person
dining;
Sherman County Senior
and Community Center at
541-565-3191 — now open
for in-person dining;
The Dalles Meals-on-
Wheels at 541-298-8333;
Klickitat County Senior
Services — Goldendale
at 509-773-3757 or White
Salmon at 509-493-3068;
Skamania County Senior
Services at 509-427-3990.;
Seniors of Mosier Valley
— call 541-980-1157 at least
one day in advance to order
a Grab-N-Go meal. Monday
and Wednesdays from 11-
11:30 a.m.
LYLE NEWS
Construction projects limit access
between Oregon and Washington
■ By Mildred E. Lykens
The Lyle Community
Council’s focus is to promote
the interest and welfare of
Lyle citizens by promoting
community involvement,
providing updates on issues
affecting the community,
organizing a collective voice
to decision makers, and pro-
viding a forum for individ-
ual citizens to express their
concerns and opinions. They
need to hear from you.
The family of Tom Amery,
one of our High Prairie
neighbors, wish to inform
his friends and neighbors
that he passed on Sept. 9,
2021. They also requests
that in lieu of flowers any
donations
be sent to
the charity
of their
choice or
to the High
Prairie Fire
Department,
Mildred E.
PO Box 853,
Lykens
Lyle, WA
98635. Because of the con-
cern of the virus at this time,
they will have a small family
service later in the month
at their farm in his remem-
brance. They will include
sharing happy memories of
him and his living here. They
also want to send “a special
thank you to those hardy
souls who have continued to
give time and expertise for
the activities which will bless
both the Fire Department
and the Community Center.”
The sky is falling! Paranoia
is setting in. It’s a conspir-
acy! We are being cut off
from the outside world.
Washingtonian’s Gorge
residents will not be able to
cross over to Oregon ever
again! Three bridges in a
row!
And the road to Biggs
Bridge even had road
construction signs. This
was recently posted: “The
Bridge of the Gods will have
a temporary 11 ton weight
limit Sept. 27 through Oct.
31. The Oregon Department
of Transportation recently
issued new load ratings for
the Bridge of The Gods that
spans the Columbia River
between Cascade Locks and
Washington State Highway
14. The new posting will ...
limit the maximum gross
vehicle weight to 11 tons.
The Bridge of the Gods
will return to legal load
limits following a sched-
uled Strengthening Project
expected to conclude by the
end of October 2021. For
more information, contact
the Port of Cascade Locks
Bridge Manager Jeremiah
Blue via email to jblue@
portofcascadelocks.org.”
Hmm, wait a minute, I
wonder — how heavy is my
car?
News break: The
construction along Highway
14 is coming along so
quickly that they’ve changed
the hold-up time from 45
minutes to only 20 minute
delays. Sounds like they
are working as getting it all
cleared up more quickly
than planned. Whew —
good to hear. Forget the first
sentence.
For dog owners: Pepi
Gerald from the Hood River
Kiteboarders wants you to
be aware there is a “Blue
Algae” along the shores of
our Columbia River (as close
as Mosier) that is poisonous
to dogs which can be fatal
within 30 minutes. Also
the dead salmon causing
Salmonella can be almost as
bad. Probably best to keep
them away from that area
for now.
High Prairie neighbors
wish to invite you all to make
plans to visit their upcoming
Christmas Bazaar scheduled
for Dec. 2-4 from 10 a.m. to 6
p.m. each day.
I know, you’re asking,
“Why tell us so far in ad-
vance?” Well, it’s because if
any vendors want to have a
booth they have to schedule
by Oct. 16 and that’s coming
up pretty quick. Tami is in
charge: 360-241-3537. And,
yes, I’ll keep you posted!
•••
Send news to Mildred E.
Lykens, 509-365-2273 or
lykensme41@gmail.com.
GLENWOOD NEWS
Youth groups, Kids Jam begin at
Glenwood Community Church
■ By Mary Pierce
Here is one more result
from the Junior High School
rodeo held in Glenwood
recently. Emma Patterson
placed third in the barrels
on Saturday. That was in
addition to her third place
in poles on Friday, so she
had a pretty great rodeo
weekend here in front of the
home crowd. She attended
the High School/Junior High
School Rodeo in Coulee
City Sept. 24-26, where she
placed sixth in Junior High
goat tying and second in
pole bending
on Friday
and 10th in
the poles on
Saturday.
In other
Coulee City
Rodeo news, Mary Pierce
Glenwood
Junior High rodeo compet-
itor Blaine Arnold placed
sixth in goat tying both
Friday and Saturday.
In the High School Rodeo,
Peyton Sanchey placed sec-
ond in the poles on Saturday.
Joslyn Arnold placed sixth
in goat tying on Saturday
and first on Sunday. I’d say
our Glenwood members
of the Goldendale Rodeo
Club really represented their
home town well over there
in Coulee City. Way to go,
Emma, Blaine, Peyton, and
Joslyn.
The Klickwood volleyball
team is still doing great. They
are 7-2 on the season as of
this writing. The Glenwood
middle school girls have had
two games as of this writing,
beating Klickitat on the
Glenwood home court and
losing a very close match in
Trout Lake, winning the first
game and losing the next
two with very close scores.
They played Centerville here
in Glenwood on Sept. 30 and
Trout Lake on Oct. 4, also on
their home court.
I’m pleased to share the
news that Andrew McFall,
son of Sara and Adam, was
named to the President’s
List at Neumont College of
Computer Science for sum-
mer quarter. Andy is having
a great college experience
and achieved another 4.0
for the quarter. He’s on a
brief break here at home
until his fall term starts
soon. Meanwhile, he’s been
making good use of his time
here, refereeing volleyball
games as needed. With this
year’s shortage of referees,
his help is greatly appre-
ciated. Congratulations,
Andrew, and thank you for
just being you.
Jennifer Hallenbeck
reports that youth activ-
ities are beginning again
at Glenwood Community
Church. Youth Group for
kids in grades 6-12 is meet-
ing every Sunday evening
from 6-7:30 p.m.
Kids Jam will begin on
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Columbia Gorge News
HOME and
GARDEN
hg
Oct. 8 for kids in kindergar-
ten through fifth grade and
will meet the second Friday
of October, November and
December from 6-8 p.m.
Both youth group and Kids
Jam include lots of fun and
games as they study God’s
Word together. Jennifer says,
“Hope to see you there.” Call
Pastor Butch or Jennifer at
364-3517 or facebook.com/
GlenwoodPMCC.
•••
Please send any news items
for next week’s paper to gmp-
ierce09@gmail.com.
Wilkins,
Kaiser,
Compeve
wages Olsen Inc.
Paid Time Off
Compensaon
and benets include:
Medical/Dental/Vision/Prescripon
Insurance Offered
Compeve wages
Life Insurance
Paid Time Off
401K Tradional/Roth
Medical/Dental/Vision/Prescripon
Up to 4% 401K company
Insurance Offered
contribuon match
Life Insurance
401K Tradional/Roth
Up to 4% 401K company
contribuon match
Wilkins, Kaiser, Olsen Inc. is an
Equal Opportunity Employer
WKO lumber facility in Carson, Washington is
WKO lumber
facility in Carson,
expanding produco
expanding
production.
We are Washington
looking to is fill
We are positions
looking to ll
mulple
in our fast
mutiple
in our
fast posions
paced lumber
mill paced lumber m
for for day
shifts. If If interested
interested in in
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and night
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positions
please
apply:
apply:
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We are looking to ll mulple posions in our fast paced lumber m
Forkli Driver
Forklift
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night shis. If interested in any of these posions plea
Log Yard Operator/ Equipment Operator
Log Yard Operator/ Equipment Operator
apply:
Millwright/Mechanic
Millwright/Mechanic
Forkli
Driver
Chain Puller
Chain Puller
Log
Yard
Cleanup Operator/ Equipment Operator
Cleanup
Millwright/Mechanic
job
Chain
Puller
Full
descriptions
and
required
application
ffi
be
Cleanup
can
obtained at
Job main
posngs
can located
also be at
found
on Wind
Indeed.com
the
office
2022
River Hwy.
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ffi
•
•
•
•
•
Job
can also
also be be found
found
Indeed.com
Job postings
posngs can
on on
Indeed.com