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SeniorScene For Seniors & Their Families | Tehachapi & Southeastern Kern County Senior Senior Scene MARCH - APRIL 2013 Your guide to INSIDE Health Finance Discounts Travel Resources & More

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SeniorSceneFor Seniors & Their Families | Tehachapi & Southeastern Kern CountySeniorSeniorScene

MAR

CH-A

PRIL

2013

Your guide toINSIDE• Health • Finance • Discounts• Travel • Resources & More

Page 2: Senior Scene 03-01

2 Friday, March 1, 2013 — The Weekender

SeniorSceneSENIOR SCENE is a publication of the Tehachapi News, 411 N. Mill St., Tehachapi,CA 93561. © 2013, no material may be used without advance permission of theGeneral Manager.

On the Cover

Ed Gordon: globetrottercalls Tehachapi home

BY MATTHEW MARTZTEHACHAPI NEWS

A glass jar full of foreign currency —bills and coins left over from trips goneby — serves as a reminder of anotherside of mild-mannered, suspender-cladTehachapi News reporter Ed Gordon.The 70-year old familiar to local resi-dents as a reporter, community volun-teer and sometime keeper of thedowntown train store owned by hiswife Linda, was once a man of interna-tional flair.

A retired certified professionalbroadcast engineer, Gordon spentnearly five decades trotting the globe,establishing some of the most innova-tive television and radio stations andsystems of the time.

From building and launching one ofthe first pay television services in thecountry in 1980 to being a keynotespeaker for the Canadian governmentat a telecommunications conference inJapan, he enjoyed a successful careerin radio, television, Internet and satel-lite engineering and management.

Named one of the great talents inteleproduction by RCA in 1981 duringhis time as Vice President of Engineer-ing and Operations for Times MirrorSatellite Programming, Gordon mostrecently served as a senior project

manager for the British BroadcastingCompany where he was responsible forhelping to construct three radio sta-tions and one television station on thesmall island of Trinidad and Tobago, aswell as facilities in Santiago, Chile.

Before that, Gordon worked as direc-tor of engineering for E! EntertainmentNetwork and Internet conglomerateFASTV.com, as well as KCOP-TV in LosAngeles, which was once owned by agroup of investors that includedfamous entertainer Bing Crosby.

During his 47 years in the industry,Gordon said he spent a lot of time onthe road and in the sky working onprojects and attending conferences in24 different countries and all but twocontinents on the planet.

And although he said there areplaces that he’d rather forget — likeJakarta, Indonesia with its extremeheat and uncomfortable conditions —there are places he will remember for-ever, like the alluring snow-coveredSwiss countryside.

With such a diverse resume, it's easyto see why many of Gordon’s colleaguesconsider him one of the greatest racon-teurs of broadcast technical history. Histravels clearly have given him a privi-leged view of broadcast evolution.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ED GORDON

Ed Gordon (right) with Gino Lovosolo, president of Technical Electronics Milano, at the 1984 WorldVideo Show in Montreux, Switzerland.

See GORDON • Page 3

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The Weekender — Friday, March 1, 2013 3

Bitten by the broadcast bugGrowing up in western Pennsylvania,

Gordon was a science geek, spendingmany days as an adolescent buildingbeer can rockets and launching themhundreds feet into the air. So it was nosurprise that he would enter college in1960 as an atomic physics major intenton building the first ion-drive space-craft engine.

However, it wasn’t long before thebroadcast bug bit Gordon, and duringhis freshman year at Heidelberg Col-lege in Tiffin, Ohio, he embarked on anotion that would change his majorand his life forever.

“I decided to try out for the collegeradio station right after freshman ori-entation,” Gordon said. “I got hired todo the evening show, got hooked onbroadcasting and it all went down hillfrom there.”

A month later Gordon was hired bylocal radio station WTTF to do a morn-ing drive show and before his third yearin college, he was headed back to theEast Coast where he finally landed hisfirst gig in television.

In those days, disc jockeys needed athird class FCC license, mainly so theycould be held accountable for usingobjectionable words on the air ortransmitting personal messages. So,Gordon took a short test, paid his feeand hit the airwaves. But when theopportunity allowing him to slip fromon-air radio personality to behind-the-scenes television engineering cameknocking on the door — he answered.

“At that time in radio, you could bewearing slip-ons and a guy may not likethe way your shoes were tied and fireyou,” Gordon said. “So, I decided engi-neering looked more stable.”

A few years, jobs, cities and an FCC

first class license later, Gordon eventu-ally landed in Buffalo, New York, as thetechnical operations manager forWGR-TV.

He was immediately thrust intomoving an entire television station inthe middle of the night during a severesnow storm — a meticulous processthat took only four hours and promptedWilliam H. Hansher, Vice President ofEngineering for the Taft BroadcastingGroup, to transfer Gordon to Philadel-phia — the fourth largest televisionmarket in the country at the time.

During his time in Philly as managerof engineering for WTAF-TV, Hansheronce again challenged Gordon, thistime with building a $3 million, 165 kW,five million watt UHF television trans-mitter, which would allow the stationto broadcast its signal into New YorkCity, nearly 100 miles away.

The transmitter, if successful, wouldbe the first of its kind.

“In spite of being told by RCA itcouldn't be done. I felt it could,” Gor-don said. “He (Hansher) told me to ‘Doit your way, but you better be right.’The man’s blind faith in me made anever-ending impression on my life.”

The system worked. Gordon was just26-years-old.

Television’s move to satelliteOn Aug. 12, 1960, NASA launched the

world's first satellite into orbit. It wasonce a distant dream found only in sci-ence fiction books. At the time, Gordonhad little idea of how transmissionsusing a space satellite worked.

However, in 1978 during his time atKCOP in Los Angeles, Gordon became aself-taught expert at satellite signalnews gathering, drawing the attentionof Executive Vice President of TimesMirror Cable Television John Cook, whorecruited Gordon to build and operate anew satellite facility that would revolu-tionize popular entertainment andspark an explosion in technologicaldevelopment.

Launched in 1981, Spotlight TVbecame one of the first pay televisionoutlets competing with media giantsHBO and Showtime. It eventuallybecame so successful that Showtime

purchased the channel in1984 for $50 million,

shutting it down andturning it into TheMovie Channel.

Out of a job, Gor-don found workwith several majorcable televisionnetworks, and in1991 helped devel-op a technology toinsert local com-mercials and pro-mos into nearly2,000 networkcable headsthrough customdesigned remotecontrolledswitchingdevices.

The endeavor,

in time, led to the creation of an inter-active data delivery machine, whichwould print a coupon directly tied to acommercial into the homes of televi-sion viewers all across America.

Gordon patented his one-of-a-kindmachine, launching the program in twocities. But in a short time, the ideawould ultimately fall to the rise of theInternet.

“We became a victim of technolo-gy,” Gordon said.

After a brief stint with FASTV.comthat ended during the dot-com bubbleburst of 2000, Gordon went to workfor the BBC, where was hired as a sen-ior project manager.

Spending days, weeks and some-times months at time away fromhome, he bounced around the globelinking countries together via space-age technology, collecting trinkets andbuilding memories, until turning downan offer to work in South Africa just sixweeks before his 65th birthday.

“I just decided it was time to call itquits,” said Gordon who left the BBC in2007. Life as a journalist

Today, Gordon is a reporter for theTehachapi News and lives in StallionSprings with his wife Linda, who afterwalking in to buy a model train, endedup owning downtown Tehachapi’sTrains, Etc.

He also serves on the StallionSprings Community EmergencyResponse Team and belongs to theFriends of the Tehachapi Depot wherehis name is emblazoned on a bronzeplaque in the lobby in honor of his help-ing to restore the historic railroad sta-

tion after a fire destroyed it in 2008.“She (Linda) has stood by me

through all of me crazy long hours atwork, traipsing around the world andtrying things that couldn't work butdid,” Gordon said. “I doubt mostwomen would have put up with it. Shehas been a jewel.”

The couple will celebrate 50 years ofmarriage this July.

Once an editor for Television Broad-cast Magazine, to stay busy today Gor-don spends his time chasing downbreaking news and covering the citygovernment beat for the TehachapiNews, spending countless hours sittingthrough civic meetings and combingover mounds of agendas and legal doc-uments.

Among his most memorable eventsas a reporter, is his coverage of theComanche Fire that plagued StallionSprings in the fall of 2011.

“I was chasing horse trailers, block-ing roads and calling in to the news-room to report my story,” Gordon said.“All while doing my job as a member ofCERT.”

On Feb. 6, Gordon turned 70. Andwhile most retirees top their bucketlists with plans of traveling to placesboth near and abroad, one has to won-der what someone like Gordon whohas already seen it all would do.

“To tell you the truth, I just don’thonestly know,” he said. “What I doknow is that I am not ready to retire(again) just yet. I like doing what I do,sticking my nose in everyone’s busi-ness and sharing the information I getwith people.”

Gordon worked in 24 countries and on nearly ever continent

PHOTO BY TEHACHAPI NEWS

Ed and his wife Linda give a little traditional “train wave” welcoming their customers at Trains Etc., onTehachapi Blvd., where Linda has been the owner since Jan. 2006.

Continued from Page 2

Ed Gordon’s I.D. badge issued by the BBC when he worked as a Sr.Project Manager from 2004 until his “first” retirement in 2007

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4 Friday, March 1, 2013 — The Weekender

TRAVEL

Nostalgic tour of the Central Coast

BY CLAUDIA ELLIOTTTEHACHAPI NEWS

Having spent most of my life in Cen-tral California, ranging from Tehachapinorth to Hanford and Porterville andwest to San Luis Obispo County, theCentral Coast feels to me like an exten-sion of home, just as I think it must toour California Condors.

Yet every so often I meet someone inTehachapi who might have been toMorro Bay or Pismo once, but doesn’treally know our coastal territory.

So this story is for both types ofreaders — those who have years ofmemories of trips to “our coast” andthose who don’t know what they’remissing.

The Central Coast might be consid-ered from Santa Barbara to Monterey,but for me it is the coastline of San LuisObispo County, stretching fromOceano Beach on the south to SanSimeon on the north.

I love this stretch of coastline for itsnatural beauty and for its memories.While you can take in the entire lengthon a weekend, we usually just pick afew favorite places — and often findsomething new to enjoy, as well.

On a recent trip, my husband Chuckput up with my desire to reminisce, sowe started out at Oceano, where I livedfrom second through sixth grade. Inthose days, my dad worked construc-tion and was often out of work in thewinter, so the daily routine was that hewould pick us kids up after school and

we would spend the afternoon on thebeach while our mom was at work. Dadwould go clamming while we played inthe dunes or made sandcastles in thedamp sand closer to the water andthen we’d head home where he’d havea pot of simmering chowder ready bydinner time.

Of course, at the time I didn’t realizehow lucky we were. Playing on thebeach every afternoon was just part oflife. And driving on the beach didn’tseem unusual at all. In those days therewere three beach ramps — one atOceano, another at Grover City (thetown’s original name) and another atPismo. You could drive for miles.

On our recent trip we learned younow have to pay $5 for a day pass andcan only travel a relatively short dis-tance. Still people seemed to be havinga great time.

Other than the beach, there is notthat much to do in Oceano, but theGreat American Melodrama theater islocated there, away from the beach onHighway One, and that is quite a funplace. Oceano is an old working town;when I was a kid the passenger trainstopped there and it is still a hub forlocal agriculture which includes straw-berries. But other than a few touristattractions, it doesn’t look much differ-ent from some poor ag communities inthe San Joaquin Valley.

We drove around Oceano to see thehouse where we once lived (my par-

ents paid less than $10,000 in 1958and the house seemed large to us; nowit seems really small and you is proba-bly worth $250,000 — and that’s afterthe price drop). Who could haveknown?Pismo Beach

Next we headed to Pismo Beach.When our kids were teenagers, Pismowas the place they wanted to be whenwe went to the coast. And one thingI’ve noticed about Pismo is that ifyou’re from somewhere in Central Cali-fornia, you can almost count on run-ning into someone you know walkingdown the street in Pismo if you’re there

on the weekend. Yes, happened on thistrip, too.

Fortunately, we didn’t have anyteenagers along and didn’t have towait in the long line at the popularSplash Cafe. We passed up some othereateries we’ve enjoyed through theyears and headed up from the pier tothe Pismo Brewing Company. Wedidn’t know what to expect, but foundthat it was a small operation in an oldhouse with a comfortable atmosphere.Chuck tried one of their local brews, Ihad a root beer float and we tookadvantage of the checker game to take

TEHACHAPI NEWS PHOTOS BY CLAUDIA ELLIOTT

ABOVE: Driving on the beach continus to be a favorite pastime in Oceano; AT LEFT: Aview of Morro Rock from the natural history museum at Morro Bay State Park.

The once funky beach town of Cayucos has been spiffed up within the past few years with old-timefacades and bright paint.

See CENTRAL COAST TOUR • Page 5

Page 5: Senior Scene 03-01

The Weekender — Friday, March 1, 2013 5

Flu shots will be offered to adults only, 18 years and older at a cost of $15.00 a shot, and will be given on a first come first serve basis.

For more information, please call Tehachapi Hospital at 661-823-3000

a break. No matter that there were eight checkersmissing (red and black) and we couldn’t quiteremember the rules. We worked it out.Food

Often our trips to the coast revolve around food.We have our favorites — McClintock’s in Pismo, theOld Custom House in Avila Beach, Garland’s Ham-burgers in Grover Beach, the Great American FishCompany in Morro Bay and the Apple Farm in SanLuis Obispo.

But on this trip we consciously tried to spend moretime doing something or seeing something than wedid eating, so we settled on only one big meal outwhich ended up being brunch at the Apple Farm.

For the uninitiated, the restaurants I’ve mentionedare all great — but there are many more and honestlywe’ve never had a bad meal anywhere.Morro Bay

After brunch on our second day, we headed toMorro Bay where we stopped at the Museum of Nat-ural History in Morro Bay State Park, south of themain part of town.

Visiting this museum was also part of my nostalgiatour. I went there as a child, took my children thereand more recently my grandchildren. It’s small, butworth the visit.

Up in the main part of town was the next stop onthe Morro Bay nostalgia tour — the funky old MorroBay Aquarium. I have to admit, it’s really awful. Firstyou go through the gift shop, buy some stinky fishpieces to feed the seals and then into a dark roomwith grimy fish tanks that look the same as they didwhen I was seven. But there’s something about it Ican’t resist.Cayucos and behond

Sometimes we visit Cambria and San Simeon, butthis time we decided to spend more time in Cayucoswhich we didn’t visit last year.

We were really surprised by some of the changesas Cayucos in the past was pretty much reliably thesame, a funky little beach town.

Paul’s Liquor and Skippers next door looked prettymuch as they always have, but across the street anddown the block Cayucos has become gentrified withnew and remodeled buildings.

Can’t say it’s bad — just different. And I wonder ifI’ll recognize the place in a few years.

Time passes and things change, but fortunatelymany old favorites are at least recognizable, here andon the Central Coast.

And even when what we’re looking at does change,we still have the memories.

Central Coast tour

Longtime favorite restaurants on the Central Coast include theApple Farm Restaurant in San Luis Obispo.

The natural history museum at Morro Bay State Park has been afavorite for generations of families and multitudes of school chil-dren.

Continued from Page 4

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6 Friday, March 1, 2013 — The Weekender

Easy Riders, Tehachapi style

BY NORM HAUGHNESSCONTRIBUTING WRITER

If you’re near Tehachapi’s Burg-er King about 7:30 a.m. on aWednesday morning, you’ll see acluster of motorcycles in theparking lot.

Inside there’ll always be a convivialgroup of coffee drinkers gabbing animat-edly about bikes and any other subjectsthat strike their fancy.

Come eight o’clock, all get up, donjackets, gloves, and helmets, startengines, and head off on a ride. Typicalday-trip destinations include Kernville,Sherman Pass, (from which you canplainly see Mount Whitney), Leona Val-ley, Cambria and Inyokern.

Goal stop is always for a hearty lunchto reward the inner man for the milesbehind and ready him for those ahead.Mileages covered on typical Wednesdayrides range from 120 to such 400-mileround trips as to Solvang’s MotorcycleMuseum or Cambria on the coast. Mostof the expeditions get riders home byearly- to mid-afternoon, but anyone canpeel off early. Whatever works. Occa-sional overnight rides attract a smallernumber of iron-butts.

It’s all pretty casual and easygoing, yetthere’s sensible organization at worktoo. Someone often rides “safety” at thetail end, in continual radio contact withJ.R., our fearless leader. Some other rid-ers are tuned in as well, monitoring andcontributing chatter en route.

So who are the Wednesday easy rid-ers, what do they ride, and why do theyride? In their own words, here are someresponses:

Stan Gilbert, 78, car hauler, rides aCan Am Spyder “for the fellowship. Gofast or be last,” is his advice.

J.R. Collins, 83, equipment operator,

straddles one of his two Honda GoldWings to lead the gang “for the riding."

“Beemer Dave” Trunkey, whoadmits, “Okay, I’m on Medicare," rideshis BMW 1200 “for the camaraderie.Woulda, shoulda, coulda don’t make forcrap. Never have, never will. Just do it!"

Jim Matteson, 68, correctional work-er, who drives a Yamaha V-Star, likes “therest of the riders. And to discover wherewe’ll have breakfast.”

Gene Gary, 78.5, truck driver, rides“for the friendship and to see a differentplace each week. Hey, if I’d known I’d livethis long, I’d have taken better care ofmyself.”

Harley Charlie (Chuck), 70, retiredwater superintendent, mounts his HarleyDavidson or his Gold Wing. “I may kidaround with these old folks, but I’d neverhang out with them.”

Bob Schmidt, 79, aerospace engineer,rides a Honda Valkyrie Interstate: “I likethe group I ride with.” His advice: “Beready to fall down, but never think aboutit.”

Dave Lamkin, 71, a retired firemanwho drives a Yamaha FJR and a TriumphScrambler, says he likes “the B.S. stories”he hears during these excursions.

Dennis Tope, 70, former schooladministrator, rides his BMW 1150 “forthe biker camaraderie and the rides tointeresting places. Never put off tilltomorrow what you can do today. Youcan quote me.”

Ron Cruse, 69, who riding a Honda ST-1100, claims to be “retired.” From what?He’s cagey, but he’s been around. Whyhe likes the rides? “They scare me.”

Lee Price, 78, “retired,” enjoys ridinghis Gold Wing 1800 “on great roads witha bunch of great men. Well, most ofthem.”

Eddie Meeks, 71, rides his Honda Gold

Wing and likes “the good friends and the(sometimes) nice weather,” adding,“Remember, watch the road in front ofyou!”

Eugen Kunstmann, 60, retired, getson his Suzuki Boulevard S83, “to get out-doors and ride with friends.”

Ron McCoy, 65, school bus driver(and a lot of etc.), mounts his TriumphBonneville, Honda ST-1300, or YamahaXZ-550 and likes “sharing the enjoymentof riding. His comment: “You don’t stopriding because you get old. You get oldbecause you stop riding.”

Norm, who won’t see 85 again, rideshis Yamaha Virago 1100 and Vision 550“for the wind in the face and great inter-action with a variety of really accom-plished guys.”

This is a pretty eclectic group. Defi-nitely not, as one rider’s wife joshed,“Just a bunch of old fogies who sitaround, gab, and drink coffee.” Although,okay, that may be part of the fun.

Over the decade or more that this

loosely knit gang has been burning upthe byways of Kern County and beyond,people from many walks of life havetaken part. Current ages range fromupper 40s to pushing 86.

The rule is, show up on a sound bike,and you’re welcome.

We have some memorable boredom-killers, like being buzzed last week by alow-flying Navy F-18 fighter jet on a roadnear China Lake. One rider swore hecould see the pilot grinning at him as hisviolent wake wobbled our helmets. Hav-ing to thread your way carefully througha herd of skittish cattle, as on the way toTwin Oaks, keeps you awake too. Thenthere’s the continuing thrill of trying tokeep up with J.R.

By now almost a local institution,Tehachapi’s Wednesday morning easyriders have become one of the featuresthat make our community unique. As Iwrote in a 2007 Tehachapi News reporton this bunch, it’s a privilege to partici-pate.

Left to right, Bob Schmidt, Dave Lamkin, J.R. Collins, Dave Trunkey, Gene Gary and Ron Cruse after a meal in a Ridgecrest restaurant.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NORM HAUGHNESS

Nine bikes from Tehachapi in a row at the private motor museum at Kramer Junction

Page 7: Senior Scene 03-01

Metro — The trend oflong-married couplescalling it quits has beengrowing. However, thereare some steps couplescan take to keep theirrelationships goingstrong.

According to the AARP,divorces among peopleover the age of 50 havedoubled since 1990.According to SusanBrown, codirector of theNational Center for Fami-ly & Marriage Researchat Bowling Green StateUniversity, one out ofthree Boomers will facetheir golden yearsunmarried.

There are a number ofreasons why divorcerates have skyrocketedamong the over-50 set.Understanding just whythese divorces are takingplace and taking proac-tive steps to alleviatesome of the divorce trig-gers can be a recipe for ahappy marriage thatcontinues throughout acouple's golden years.

• Increase accounta-bility. Ours is a transientsociety where familiesno longer bat an eyelashover moving great dis-tances away from otherfamily members. As aresult, Boomers may feellike they are not con-nected to children orgrandchildren. With thisin mind, they may feelless attached to their

marriage or their respon-sibilities or believe thatno one will get hurt by adivorce. Keeping familiesclose and remaining infrequent contact canincrease accountabilityand reduce the propensi-ty for divorce.

• Get things out in theopen. A major reason fora failed marriage is yearsof avoiding significantissues rather thanaddressing problems.Couples should maketime to talk to each otherabout anything thatmight be bothering themrather than letting too

many things slide. Ifthese conversations turninto shouting matches,there is always theoption of bringing in athird party to serve as amediator.

• Spend time apart.After retirement, cou-ples may find them-selves spending hoursupon hours in eachother's company. Whiletogetherness can bebeneficial, too muchtime spent together maylead to feelings of suffo-cation and the percep-tion that each memberof the relationship is no

longer his or her ownperson. Individuals canremedy this by doingmore things on theirown, whether spendingtime apart with friendsor engaging in hobbytime without yourspouse. After all,absence makes the heartgrow fonder. Brief peri-ods of separation canmake the time marriedcouples do spendtogether feel moremeaningful.

• Recommit to yourvows. After 30 or moreyears, the vows youshared on your weddingmay be a distant memo-ry. Some people mayhave different views onthe permanence of vows,putting personal happi-ness ahead of the happi-ness of the couple. Takestock of what you prom-ised one another on yourwedding day and stick tothose words.

• Become a comedian.Laughter has a way ofdissolving a tenuous sit-uation. Focus energy onlaughing at mistakesinstead of pointingblame. Couples canmake fun of themselvesand resolve to not takethings too seriously.

• Act like you're dat-ing. Couples oftenbecome complacentafter many years of mar-riage. They may forgetabout the little details

that made the relation-ship fun in the earlyyears. The personalnotes and cards andother surprises may fallby the wayside afterbeing together for sometime. Make an effort togo on dates, write lovenotes and think of whatwas appreciated by yourpartners when you werein the dating stage.

• Practice selflessness.Sometimes all that isneeded to rekindle a rela-tionship is a selfless actthat shows how muchyou care for your partner.

Couples who are onthe fence with regard todivorce can make aneffort to improve therelationship rather thansimply see divorce as thebest option.

The Weekender — Friday, March 1, 2013 7

How to keep marriage going strong into your golden years

SOURCE: METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS

Going on dates is a great way for older married couples to createexcitement and romance.

Metro — Moving in together issomething typically associated withyoung couples, but more and moreunmarried men and women over theage of 50 are choosing to cohabitate.According to an analysis of 2012 U.S.Census data conducted by the Per-formance Reference Bureau, roughly10 percent of the 15.3 million opposite-sex unmarried cohabiting partners inthe United States are between theages of 55 and 64, while 15 percent arebetween the ages of 45 and 54.

Such figures indicate that livingtogether as an unmarried couple is nolonger exclusive to younger couples.The incentives for older, unmarriedcouples to cohabitate are similar tothose for younger ones, but older cou-ples should heed a few financial point-ers before deciding to move in together.

• Iron out the financial details aheadof time. Young couples who move intogether often do so as a precursor togetting married. Such couples do not

typically have much in the way offinancial assets and, as a result, do notneed to come to any formal agreementregarding their finances. Older cou-ples, however, might be bringing amore substantial financial portfoliointo the relationship, and thesefinances can complicate matters.Before moving in together, older cou-ples should document their financesand how household expenses, includ-ing a mortgage if one exists, will bepaid. Decisions regarding who willreceive the tax breaks you might be eli-gible for when paying a mortgageshould also be considered. Document-ing your financial situation can protectyour assets should you break up. Ifthese arrangements are not docu-mented, unmarried couples who breakup could find themselves in a con-tentious financial battle not unlike cou-ples going through a divorce.

• Maintain some financial independ-ence. Older, unmarried men and

women who choose to cohabitate withtheir partners should still maintainsome financial independence aftermoving in together. A joint checking orsavings account might work down theroad, but initially keep these accountsseparate to avoid any disputes. Keeppaying your own bills, including carpayments and credit cards, at theonset as well.

• Update certain documents andpolicies. Upon your death, a partnerwith whom you cohabitate does nothave the same legal rights of inheri-tance as would a spouse. As a result,it's important for unmarried individu-als who cohabitate with their partnersto update their wills, especially if theyhave been cohabitating for an extend-ed period of time and want their part-ner to be taken care of in case of theirdeath. In addition to updating informa-tion regarding beneficiaries, older menand women might want to update cer-tain information regarding their health,

like who should take legal responsibili-ty for medical decisions should onepartner become incapacitated.

In addition to updating your will,update any existing life insurance poli-cies and retirement benefits to includeyour partner if you so desire.

• Discuss any changes with yourfamily, especially any children. Whenyou make changes to your will, thosechanges will affect your beneficiaries.Upon making these changes, discussthem with your existing beneficiariesso your partner does not have to dealwith relatives whose feelings might behurt upon your death. This might notbe an easy discussion, but you willwant your partner to have your familyas a support system upon your death.

Older, unmarried couples are choos-ing to cohabitate more and more.While the incentives to doing so arenumerous, there are some precaution-ary measures couples should takebefore moving in together.

Financial pointers for older, unmarried couples

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Page 8: Senior Scene 03-01

FINANCE

8 Friday, March 1, 2013 — The Weekender

Simple ways to avoid overspending as retirement nearsMetro — When the nest is empty

and the kids no longer needfinancial support, many men andwomen find themselves withsome extra money in their budg-et. Fewer mouths to feed and nomore college tuition bills can giveparents a sense of financial free-dom they may not have had sincebefore starting their family. Butthat freedom can also lead tooverspending, something thatcan put retirement in jeopardy ifpeople are not careful.

Though it's understandable for menand women to splurge on a well-deserved getaway once the kids havefinally left the house, it's important foradults to ensure that such splurgingdoes not become routine. The follow-ing are a few ways men and womenwith some newfound disposableincome can avoid overspending andputting themselves in financial hotwater as they get closer to retirement.

• Pay with cash whenever possible.Swiping a debit card or credit card iscertainly a convenient way to shop, butit can also be dangerous. Many peoplefind it difficult to keep track of theirspending when they use debit cards orcredit cards to make their purchases.Using cash to make purchases, espe-cially daily purchases like a morningcup of coffee, reduces the likelihood ofoverspending. This can help you get abetter idea of how much money you'respending and if there are any steps youcan take to curtail that spending.

An effective way to use cash is towithdraw money from the bank onceper week and use that as your weekly

supply of money. If you find yourselffrequently running out of money eachweek, then you're likely spending morethan you should.

• Keep a financial journal. Men andwomen who must adapt to havingnewfound disposable income may findit is not much different from youngermen and women learning to managetheir money when they first start

working. Some of those lessons, likesaving more than you spend, mightneed to be relearned.

One way to get a grip on your spend-ing is to keep a financial journal totrack your daily and monthly expensesas well as larger purchases like a newtelevision. Write down the monthlyexpenses you know you have eachmonth, such as a mortgage payment or

a car note, and each and every pur-chase you make, including how muchyou spend on dining out each month.Do this for at least a couple of months.When you have logged several months'activity, examine your journal to see ifthere are any expenses that can betrimmed to save money.

• Don't go overboard rewardingyourself. Once your last child has leftthe nest, the temptation to rewardyourself with a luxury item or twomight prove overwhelming. After all,raising a family and paying for collegetuition has no doubt required substan-tial sacrifice on your part, so it's wellwithin reason that you want to rewardyourself after all these years. Avoidoverdoing it so your finances aren'tstretched too thinly. A vacation withyour spouse is reasonable, but buying avilla overseas might be a little over thetop. Luxuries can be nice, but they canalso drain a budget. Your monthlyexpenses once the kids have movedout should be lower, so if you find yourcost of living has increased now thatyour nest is empty, you might beforced to determine which of yourexpenses are luxuries and which arenecessities.

• Take advantage of your "experi-ence." Though accepting a "senior"discount might be a blow to your pride,it also can be a boon to your bottomline. Many establishments, includinggyms, restaurants and movie theaters,offer discounts to men and women age55 and older. This can help you save asubstantial amount of money overtime, and no one has to know you'vestarted cashing in on your experience.

Things to consider as retirement approachesMetro — Though many people are

delaying retirement, the day will stillcome when they leave their jobsbehind and retire. Retirement can be adifficult adjustment that takes somegetting used to, but it can also prove anexciting time, especially for those whoplanned ahead to ensure their retire-ment was a time to be cherished andnot feared.

Whether retirement is right aroundthe corner or still a decade or so away,men and women should consider sev-eral factors to make sure their retire-ment years are an enjoyable time thatallows them to live life to the fullest.

• Income: Just because you're nolonger working doesn't mean youwon't have income. Government bene-fits, retirement accounts and perhapseven some light consulting work arejust a few ways retirees can earn an

income. Though your retirementincome will likely pale in comparison toyour income as an adult working full-time, estimate what that income willbe so you can get at least an idea ofhow much will be coming in eachmonth.

• Monthly expenses: Once you havean idea of what's coming in, estimatehow much will be going out eachmonth. Certain costs associated withworking, such as the cost of commut-ing and maintaining a professionalwardrobe, can be removed from theledger. But other expenses, includingutilities, car payments and possiblyeven a mortgage payment, will stillneed to be made. Once you have anidea of your projected income and yourexpenses during retirement, you canget to work on a prospective budget toshow you what you will need to live on

during retirement.• Employment: Many people now

look at retirement as the end of onecareer and the beginning of another. Asretirement draws closer, men andwomen might want to consider turningan interest or passion into a secondcareer. Such a move might make retire-ment more exciting while removingsome of the fear of finding enoughthings to pass the time that many peo-ple have with regard to retirement.

• Relocation: Where to spend yourretirement years is another thing toconsider before the big day arrives. Doyou, like many retirees, prefer to stay inyour own home?Do you want to relo-cate to a warmer climate or move toanother country? Do you want to movecloser to your children and grandchil-dren? Do you want to split your time inseparate cities? Is a retirement village

something you might be amenable to?Each of these options is different, andeach requires a different financial com-mitment, so carefully consider whereyou want to spend your retirement andthen consider how you can make thosewishes a reality.

• Medical costs: Private insuranceor government-sponsored programslikely won't cover all of your medicalcosts, which typically increase as aperson ages. There are various ways toprepare for the medical costs thatmight arise during retirement, and theearlier you start that preparation theless stressful paying for medical careas you age figures to be.

Retirement should be an excitingtime for men and women, especiallyfor those who have spent years plan-ning their retirement to ensure it's asenjoyable as possible.

METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS

Empty nesters can track their monthly expenses, including how much they spend on dining out, toensure they aren't overspending as they inch closer to retirement.

Page 9: Senior Scene 03-01

Metro — Losing some weight is agoal for many people regardless ofage. While youngsters and youngadults might be able to get awaywith a few extra pounds without suf-fering any significant consequences,older adults carrying some extraweight might be putting their overallhealth at considerable risk.

Shedding weight after the age of 50is not always easy. As a person ages,muscle mass tends to dwindle whilebody fat has a tendency to increase.Since fat burns fewer calories thanmuscle, weight gain as a person ages isbound to happen. But that doesn'tmean such weight gain is inevitable. Infact, men and women willing to makecertain changes with regard to diet andexercise can shed pounds after 50while preventing future weight gain.Diet

Men and women need fewer caloriesas they age. For example, men andwomen in their 40s may need as manyas 200 calories more per day than theywill when they reach their 50s. Count-ing calories might seem difficult, somen and women in their 50s and olderwho don't think they can count calo-ries can try to eat more low-caloriefoods like fruits, vegetables and wholegrains.

Consuming fewer calories oftenrequires changing dietary habits, notonly with regard to what you're eatingbut also how you're eating and evenhow you shop for food. Men andwomen used to dining out for lunchevery day can start bringing their ownlunches so they can gain greater con-trol of their daily caloric intake. Forthose who find they're frequently tooexhausted to cook each night, they canprepare meals in advance to havehealthy, homemade meals waitinginstead of always ordering takeout ordelivery. When shopping for food, peo-ple should avoid doing so on an empty

stomach so they're less inclined to buyunhealthy snacks.Exercise

Exercise is another essential compo-nent to shedding pounds after 50,though men and women over 50should always consult a physicianbefore they begin a new exercise regi-men. The Centers for Disease Controland Prevention points out that regularexercise can help older men andwomen prevent the onset of a host ofailments, including heart disease anddiabetes. In addition, the CDC notesthat regular physical activity as oneages helps muscles grow stronger,which increases the chances that anindividual will be able to perform nec-

essary daily activities without theassistance of others. Maintaining thatindependence into older adulthood is a

goal for many men and women, and it'sa goal that's far more realistic for menand women who exercise than it is forthose who don't.

When coupled with a healthy, low-calorie diet, routine exercise can helpmen and women over 50 shed extraweight and keep the weight off onceit's gone. According to the CDC, olderadults need at least 2 hours and 30minutes of moderate-intensity aerobicactivity, such as brisk walking, everyweek and muscle-strengthening activi-ties on 2 more days a week. Thesemuscle-strengthening activitiesshould work all the major musclegroups, including the legs, hips, back,abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms.Muscle-strengthening activitiesinclude lifting weights, working outwith resistance bands, exercise suchas push-ups and sit-ups that use bodyweight for resistance, and yoga. Evengardening that involves digging andshoveling can be considered a muscle-strengthening activity.

Weight gain is often an expectedside effect of aging. But men andwomen don't have to gain weight asthey get older. Some simple dietarychanges and a commitment to routineexercise is all it takes to shed weightafter 50 and keep that weight off onceit's gone.

HEALTH

RESOURCES

The Weekender — Friday, March 1, 2013 9

The challenge of shedding pounds after 50

Local and Kern County resources forseniors include:Aging & Adult Services868-1000 / (800) 277-7866Elder Abuse/Adult Protective Services868-1006 / (800) 277-7866In-Home Supportive Services868-1000 / (800) 510-2020Meals on Wheels822-6255 / 256-0557 (Rosamond)Part of the Tehachapi Senior NutritionProgram, providing hot, nutritiousmeals to area seniors. Call for moreinformation. Multipurpose Senior Services Program(800) 510-2020

Probate Conservatorship/Public Guardian(800) 277-7866Senior Center500 E. “F” St., Tehachapi822-5412Senior Nutrition822-6255 / (800) 277-7866Senior Outreach AssessmentResponse (SOAR)(800) 277-7866Social Security Administration, BakersfieldInformation661-861-4242To make an appointment1-800-772-1213www.ssa.gov

METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS

Muscle-strengthening activities, including yoga, can help men and women over 50 lose weight andkeep the weight off.

Page 10: Senior Scene 03-01

10 Friday, March 1, 2013 — The Weekender

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Coming soon: A new wayto buy health insurance

BY DAVID SAYENCONTRIBUTING WRITER

When key parts of the health carelaw take effect in 2014, you’ll have anew way to buy health insurance foryourself, your family, or your smallbusiness: the Health Insurance Market-

place. The Marketplaceis designed to help youfind health insurancethat fits your budget,with less hassle.

Every health insur-ance plan in the newMarketplace will offercomprehensive cover-

age, from doctors to medications tohospital visits. You can compare allyour insurance options based on price,benefits, quality, and other featuresthat may be important to you, in plainlanguage that makes sense.

You’ll know you’re getting a qualityhealth plan at a reasonable price,because there’s nothing buried in thefine print.

When you shop at the Marketplace,all your costs are stated upfront. Soyou’ll get a clear picture of what you’repaying and what you’re getting beforeyou make a choice.

California’s Marketplace is calledCovered California(www.CoveredCa.com).

Under the health care law, you andyour family also will have new protec-tions. Health insurance companiescan’t refuse to cover you, or charge youmore just because you have a chronicor pre-existing condition. And theycan’t charge more for women than formen.

Here are three things to keep in mindabout the Health Insurance Market-place:• It’s an easier way to shop for healthinsurance. The Health Insurance Mar-ketplace simplifies your search forinsurance by gathering all your optionsin one place. One application, one time,and you and your family can exploreevery qualified insurance plan in yourarea -- including any free or low-costinsurance programs you may qualifyfor, such as Medi-Cal or the Children’sHealth Insurance Program.• Most people will be able to get abreak on costs. Programs that lowercosts are available for almost every-one. You may be eligible for a free orlow-cost plan, or a new kind of taxcredit that lowers your monthly premi-ums right away. New rules and expand-ed programs mean that even workingfamilies can get help paying for health

insurance at the Marketplace.• Clear, apples-to-apples compar-isons. All health insurance plans in theMarketplace present their price andbenefit information in simple termsyou can understand, so you don’t haveto guess about your costs.

Starting on Oct. 1, 2013, you’ll beable to enroll in a health plan throughCovered California. Detailed informa-tion will be available about all theinsurance plans offered in your area.

You can sign up now at www.Cov-eredCa.com to get email updates thatwill let you know how to get ready toenroll in the plan of your choice.

If you have difficulty finding a planthat meets your needs and budget,there’ll be people available to give youpersonalized help with your choices.These helpers aren’t associated withany particular plan, and they don’treceive any type of commission, so thehelp they give you will be completelyunbiased.

www.CoveredCa.com will be muchmore than any health insurance web-site you’ve used before. Insurancecompanies will compete for your business on a level and transparent playingfield, with no hidden costs or mislead-ing fine print. You’ll have more choice,more control, and more clout when itcomes to health insurance.

Insurance coverage offered throughCovered California takes effect on Jan.1, 2014.

DAVID SAYEN is Medicare’s regional administrator forCalifornia, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, and the PacificTrust Territories. You can always get answers to yourMedicare questions by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Medicare Update

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Page 11: Senior Scene 03-01

The Weekender — Friday, March 1, 2013 11

DISCOUNTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE — PLEASE CONFIRM BEFORE ORDERINGIF YOUR BUSINESS offers a senior discount and you would like to be included in the next Senior Scene discount guide, call 822-6828.

The following Tehachapi businesses offersenior discounts, as follows:

58 RESTAURANT, (55 yrs. +) 15% daily, 480E. Steuber Rd., 822-9992.ALL AMERICAN TIRE, (62yrs.+) 10% daily,787 W. Tehachapi Blvd., 822-4950.APPLE SHED, (65 yrs. +) free non-alcoholicbeverage w/ purchase of food, 333 E.Tehachapi Blvd., 823-3333.BASKIN ROBBINS, (65 yrs. +) 10% daily, 785Tucker Rd., 822-3496.BURGER SPOT, (60 yrs. +) 10%, 208 W.Tehachapi Blvd., 822-3145.CANINE CREEK, (55 yrs. +) 50% off justbathing on Wed. only, 538 E. TehachapiBlvd., 822-0307.CITY SLICKERS, (62 yrs. +) 10% daily, 1001W. Tehachapi Blvd., 822-4939.DENNY’S, (55 yrs. +) 20% daily, $1 coffeewith AARP card, senior. menu, 9000 Magel-lan Dr., 823-7380.DOMINGO’S, (55 yrs. +) senior menu daily,20416 W. Valley Blvd., 822-7611.THE DRESSING ROOM, (62 yrs. +) 10%Wed., 20406 Brian Way Ste 3C, 822-4924.EXPRESSIONS, (65 yrs. +) $5 off any serviceany day, 20608 South St. Ste. D, 823-7007.GOLDEN HILLS SALON, (60 yrs. +) 10%daily, 20021 W. Valley Blvd., 823-0880.JAVA LOOP, (55 yrs. +) 10% daily, 20001 W.Valley Blvd., 822-9987.KELCY’S CAFÉ, (60 yrs. +) 10% daily, 110 W.Tehachapi Blvd., 822-4207.

KELLY’S CAFÉ, (60yrs. +) 10% daily, 20424Brian Way, 822-1608.KING OF SIAM, (55 yrs. +) 15% daily, 760Tucker Rd., 823-9977.LAS PALMAS, (55 yrs. +) Sr. menu, 108 S.Green St., 822-5506.LINDA’S CAKES N’ THINGS (55 yrs. +) 10%on cakes and goodies (not including wed-ding cakes), 822-1122.M&M FISH AND CHIPS, (60 yrs. +) 10% onTues., 640 W. Tehachapi Blvd., 822-3411.McDONALD’S, (55 yrs. +) 75 cent bever-ages, 2000 E. Tehachapi Blvd., 823-8300.OLD TOWNE PIZZA, (55 yrs. +) 10% daily,20430 Brian Way, 822-3558.P-DUBS GRILLE & BAR, (55 yrs. +) 10% onWed., 27725 Stallion Springs Dr., 823-7777.PACINO’S SPAGHETTI FACTORY, (62 yrs. +)10% daily, 1100 W. Tehachapi Blvd., 822-9400.PETRA MEDITERRANEAN DELI, (65 yrs. +)10% daily, 200 S. Green St., 822-1900.PRIMO BURGER, (55 yrs. +) 10% daily, 118East F St., 823-7202.

QUIZNO’S, (62 yrs. +) 10% daily, 1001 W.Tehachapi Blvd., 823-9886.RAVEN’S NEST RESTAURANT, (62 yrs. +)10% daily, 16332 Harris Rd., 822-5267.RED CARPET GROOMING, (60 yrs. +) 5%daily, 20608 South St. #C, 823-1119.RED HOUSE BBQ, (60 yrs. +) 10% daily, 426E. Tehachapi Blvd., 822-0772.SAVE MART (55 yrs. +) 5% Wed. only, 841Tucker Rd., 822-6849.STUDIO J ask for LINDA, (55 yrs. +) $5 offcut/style, 114 East F St., 822-3669 ext. 227.THAI PALMS RESTAURANT (60 yrs. +) 10%daily, 20909 South St. #3, 822-8121.TEHACHAPI COLLISION CENTER, 10%,2601 Santa Lucia, 822-5997.TEHACHAPI FITNESS CENTER, 20936 SageLane, 823.8205.TKO REMODELING, 15%, 822-0703-1998.VILLAGE GRILL, (55 yrs. +) 10% daily, 410 E.Tehachapi Blvd., 822-1128.TO BE INCLUDED on this list in the next edition of Senior Scene call 822-6828.

Seniors receive

Cage Free Dog Boarding

50% Off

King of SiamT H A I R E S T A U R A N T

823-9977 760-B Tucker Rd.

Under new Ownership and ManagementEat in or Take-out

15%Senior Discount

Every day of

the week

15%Senior Discount

Every day of

the week

Open 7 daysa week

11am to 9pmSun.-Thurs.

11am to 10pmFri. & Sat.

Open 7 daysa week

11am to 9pmSun.-Thurs.

11am to 10pmFri. & Sat.

Books & CranniesBooks & CranniesKern County’s only new and used book store

(661) 822-8440Corner Of Valley Blvd and Tucker Road, next to Radio Shack

Open 7 days a week

Senior Class ScheduleSENIOR FIT - a low impact class designed to improve cardiovascular fitness, strengthen heart & muscles, increase flexibility and balance.JAZZERCISE - Dance exercise! GO-minute workouts are a fusion of Dance & Muscle Toning choreographed to a Mix of today's hottest music!PILATES - Tone up that wobbly middle! Designed to strengthen your core.YOGA - Iyengar Yoga, created by BKS Iyengar of India, characterized by a focus on precision of physical alignment, as well as by its use of props & holding poses over long periods versus moving quickly from one pose to the next.ZUMBA® - Party yourself into shape? Exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitnessparty!

20936 Sage Lane823-8205

822-5997 | 20601 Santa Lucia822-5997 | 20601 Santa Lucia

Mark and Juanita TorresOwner/Operator

In House

Rentals

10%10%Discount forDiscount for55 years +55 years +

10%Discount for55 years +

for repairs

Page 12: Senior Scene 03-01

12 Friday, March 1, 2013 — The Weekender

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