The Heights March 5 - 19, 20145Volume 5 :: No. 5

Community News

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Garfield Heights and Maple Heights

Bank Donates Garfield Heights Home to Coast Guard Veteran Coast Guard Veteran Steven Thompson

and his family will soon call Garfield Heights home thanks to a home donation from Bank of America and the Nehemiah Community Reinvestment Fund. The partners gave the Willard Avenue home to the Thompson family mortgage-free.

Nehemiah representative Donny Jones said Thompson is a deserving recipient of the Roofs for Troops effort initiated by the Community Reinvestment Fund. Since 1998, Thompson has been a member of the Coast Guard and the family traveled to several duty stations where he has worked as a firefighter and damage controlman. For the past 10 months, he has been at sea. Beginning in June, Thompson will be stationed on land with the Cleveland-based Coast Guard unit. He is taking courses through the American

Military Academy and pursuing a degree in Sports Management. He plans to seek a job in the Sports Management field when he retires from the Coast Guard after his final duty tour here.

Thompson and his wife, Athena, have three children. The family plans to relocate to Garfield Heights from California when the school year is completed.

Mayor Vic Collova welcomed the family to Garfield Heights and said he hopes they will be happy living in the community.

PHOTO (From left): Bank of America Senior Vice President Jake Frego, Nehemiah Community Reinvestment Representative Donny Jones, Steven and Athena Thompson, and Mayor Vic Collova.

Garfield Heights Announces Fresh Start Program for License Suspensions

Hoping to combat the growing number of unlicensed drivers, the Judges of Garfield Heights Municipal Court have announced the Fresh Start Program to enable drivers to clear any forfeitures or blocks issued by Garfield Heights Municipal Court.

The Fresh Start Program began February 23 and ends May 30.

Any person who has deliquent fines and costs may appear any time at the Office of the Clerk and pay the balance in full without arrest, court appearance, or additional court costs.

Any person who cannot pay fines

and costs in full may appear Wednesdays at 8 a.m. for a hearing to request additional time to pay and an immediate release of any license forfeiture or warrant block with minimum payment of $100.

Any person with standing warrant for failure to appear on pending charges may appear on Wednesdays at 8 a.m. for a hearing to finalize the case or obtain a new hearing date without being arrested or being required to post bond.

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

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Budish Administration Urges Supreme Court to Uphold Marriage Equality

Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish announced that the Cuyahoga County Law Department filed an amicus brief with the United States Supreme Court in support of marriage equality.

“It’s disturbing that Ohio is one of just 13 states today that still does not have full marriage equality for all of its citizens,” said Budish. “This is about jobs, and it’s about human rights. Cuyahoga County should welcome all people to work and live here. And for more than a decade, LGBT couples in our state have been denied equal rights under the law. Our employees in the Division of Children and Family Services have seen firsthand the damage this law inflicts on entire families. Cuyahoga County

urges the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down this and other bans on marriage equality as unconstitutional.”

Later this year, the United States Supreme Court will review Federal court decisions from Ohio, Tennessee, Michigan, and Kentucky on the constitutionality of same-sex marriage bans. As the largest child welfare agency in the State of Ohio, Cuyahoga County has a vested interested in the Court’s decision and the impact it will have on families receiving services and benefits through the Division of Children and Family (DCFS) Services.

Over the last decade, DCFS workers have witnessed firsthand the ways that Ohio’s ban on same-sex marriage has negatively impacted children

and denied their families equal rights under the law. According to County caseworkers, several children have articulated their anxiety that their family could be torn apart.

Since Ohio does not recognize same-sex marriage only one person in a same-sex marriage can legally be identified as a child’s “parent.” Accordingly, the death of one parent could result in the removal of a child from the home and the denial of visitation rights to the second parent.

In addition, children in a same-sex household can face challenges in accessing medical care and important social service programs that children of heterosexual parents will not encounter. In many cases, their parent will be denied hospital

visitation rights because of the State law. The stigma of being in a family that is not recognized as ‘legitimate’ makes some c h i l d r e n more likely to be bullied, and County c a s e wo r k e r s suggest that the resulting psychological d a m a g e may last well beyond childhood.

“ C h i l d r e n of same-sex couples in Ohio are impacted by the ban on marriage equality every day, whether they are in DCFS custody or home with their parents,” added Jennifer Croessmann, who serves on the Cuyahoga C o u n t y DCFS LGBTQ C o m m i t t e e . “The same struggles that c h a l l e n g e heterosexual relationships

may leave same sex relationships in perpetual discord. This is because the challenges will not go away unless the ban is lifted.”

“It’s unfortunate that while most of our country has moved forward to protect equal rights for all Americans, Ohio continues to lag behind,” said County Councilwoman Sunny Simon. “No one should ever be denied full protection under the law because of who they love, and the action that our Law Department is taking will make it clear that Cuyahoga County is standing on the right side of history.”

When issuing a writ of certiorari to review the cases, the Court indicated that it would consider two questions:

1) Does the Fourteenth Amendment require a state to license a marriage between two people of the same sex?

2) Does the Fourteenth Amendment require a state to recognize a marriage between two people of the same sex when their marriage was lawfully licensed and performed out of state?

In 2013, the Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in its ruling on U.S. v. Windsor. The County’s upcoming amicus brief will cite Justice Anthony Kennedy’s decision, which reads, in part:

“The differentiation demeans the couple, whose moral and sexual choices the Constitution protects, see Lawrence, 539 U.S. 558, 123 S. Ct. 2472, 156 L. Ed. 2d 508, and whose relationship the State has sought to dignify. And it humiliates tens of thousands of children now being raised by same-sex couples. The law in question makes it even more difficult for the children to understand the integrity and closeness of their own family and its concord with other families in their community and in their daily lives.”

Recognition is due to Cuyahoga County Law Department staff for their countless hours of work and to Cleveland State University Marshall College of Law Professor Doron M. Kalir who assisted the Law Department’s attorneys on a volunteer basis.

March 5 - 19, 2015

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

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

The Heights Standard March 5 - 19, 2015

Sonnenberg Station Performs for Locals in MarchSonnenberg Station, a 16-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 on the theme of Sacred Spaces: Exploring Wayne County’s Historic Buildings with Song as the singers lift their voices in some of Wayne County’s oldest buildings of community and worship. All concerts will be 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.

Their performance on Saturday, March 28 at 7pm will benefit the Kidron Community Historical Society (KCHS) as Sonnenberg Station performs at the Old Sonnenberg Church in Sonnenberg Village, just on the outskirts of Kidron. The Sonnenberg Village is a five-acre campus that maintains and preserve historical buildings and implements sustainable living methods using renewable energy, green building technology, and sustainable gardening and landscaping techniques. The campus currently has five permanent buildings in place with an

additional nine buildings to be installed on their respective sites. All offerings from the Sonnenberg Church performance will go to the KCHS.

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

Saturday, March 21 at 7pm: Dalton Presbyterian Church, 163 West Main

Street, Dalton, OH 44618Sunday, March 22 at 7pm: Sts. Peter

& Paul Catholic Church, 161 W. Clinton Street, Doylestown, OH 44230

Monday, March 23 at 7pm: St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, 68 West Main Street, Apple Creek, OH 44606

Saturday, March 28 at 7pm: Old Sonnenberg Village Church, Sonnenberg Village, 13515 Hackett Road, Apple Creek,

Ohio, 44606Sunday, March 29 at 7pm: First

Presbyterian, 621 College Avenue, Wooster, OH 44691

Admission is free of charge; an offering will be taken during intermission. For more information, visit www.sonnenbergstation.org

Welcome the Buzzards Back to Cleveland MetroparksCheer on the world-famous buzzards

as they return to their summer roosts in Hinckley Reservation heralding the start of spring. Join Cleveland Metroparks on Sunday, March 15 for the Annual Return of the Buzzards at the Buzzard Roost in Hinckley Reservation in Hinckley Township starting at 7 a.m. until the first buzzard is spotted. This year we will surprise the returning buzzards with a few Buzzards of our own. All families with the last name of “Buzzard” from Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania have been invited to join in on the celebration for a

Buzzard Family Reunion.So, grab your binoculars and search

the skies with Cleveland Metroparks “Official Buzzard Spotter” to welcome these remarkable birds back to Greater Cleveland. Visitors from far and wide, armed with binoculars, cameras and, most importantly, a sense of humor, flock to the Buzzard Roost to await the official spotting of the season’s first buzzard (turkey vulture), but remember, “no one spots a buzzard ‘til the ‘Official Buzzard Spotter’ spots one first.”

In 1957, Walter Nawalaniec, ranger

for Cleveland Metropolitan Park System (now known as Cleveland Metroparks), told a newspaper reporter that for six straight years on March 15 he had witnessed the turkey vultures returning to Hinckley Reservation. The Cleveland Press printed the story on February 15, 1957, and one month later on March 15 at 2 p.m. the first buzzard was spotted by 9,000 buzzard enthusiasts. Since then, over a hundred-thousand visitors have witnessed the return of the buzzards to Hinckley Reservation.

Continue the celebration of the turkey

vultures’ return at the Buzzard Sunday! event from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The free event features a buzzard scoreboard, naturalist-led hikes, live birds of prey programs, displays and exhibits, Buzzard Bean Bag Toss for kids, bus tours of Hinckley Reservation, refreshments and Cleveland Metroparks Nature Shop with unique buzzard-related merchandise.

The Buzzard Roost is located at the corner of State Road and West Drive in Hinckley Reservation in Hinckley Township.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Great Food and Live Music at Cleveland Metroparks Merwin’s Wharf

This St. Patrick’s Day, make sure to stop by Cleveland Metroparks restaurant Merwin’s Wharf for a celebration on the Irishtown Bend. Located in Cleveland’s industrial Flats neighborhood, Merwin’s Wharf will be celebrating the luck of the Irish all day long with delicious food and live music.

Save some of your green and stop by Merwin’s Wharf for breakfast. From 8

- 11 a.m., Merwin’s Wharf will be serving breakfast for FREE! The breakfast buffet will feature scrambled eggs and corned beef, certainly worth getting up and out early.

After breakfast, the festivities begin – all ages are welcome! From 11 a.m. on, Merwin’s Wharf will be serving a special St. Patrick’s Day themed menu. The menu includes corned beef and Reuben

sandwiches, bangers & mash, a potato pancake burger and fish & chips. If you can’t stay for lunch, there will be “grab and go” corned beef sandwiches from the bar, served with a dill pickle spear.

Merwin’s Wharf has the complete St. Patrick’s Day celebration. To pair with the incredible food, there will be live music by Big in Japan starting at 2 p.m. And in case you forget to wear your green, T-

shirts will be on sale for $15. Located at 1785 Merwin Ave. in

Cleveland, stop by Merwin’s Wharf anytime from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. for St. Patrick’s Day fun. For more information, visit clevelandmetroparks.com/merwinswharf.

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

www.thenewstandard.com The New Standard

Columbus & Ohio4 The Heights Standard

All Aboard at the Isabella Salad LuncheonThe Garfield Heights Isabella Guild

is hosting a Salad Luncheon “ALL ABOARD” on March 21, 2015 at the K of C Annex Hall on Granger Road. Lunch will be served at 100 pm and doors will open at noon. A presentation from the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad will be after an enjoyable delicious lunch of homemade salads.. Come hear about the railroad system, their programs, history

plus upcoming special events. Isabella members will be making salads plus many theme baskets that will be raffled off. For more information and tickets Call Debbie at 216 587-0083 or Marlene at 216-662-6645

Volunteers are so much appreciated and serve in jobs ranging from concessionaire to engineer. As a CVSR volunteer, you will be a part of exciting

Northeast Ohio events like Day out with Thomas and Polar Express. Through on the job training, you will learn about the railroad system, schedules, safety and sign up procedures.

CVSR is one of the premier scenic railroads in the United States – running through the heart of the great Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It stretches from Independence to Canton and parallels the

towpath and canal route with plans for expansion all the way to Cleveland. CVSR, together with the National Park Service, provide entertainment, education and fun for over 185,000 passengers annually. The customer service office located at 1630 Mill Street, Peninsula, OH 44264. This office is open Monday through Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm.

Support the Garfield Heights Family Resource Center by recycling your paper products in the River Valley Paper Company bin at the Civic Center, 5407

Turney Road. The Resource Center helps at-risk families

and youth and offers referral services. Items accepted include newspaper, mail, phonebooks, office/school paper, magazines,

catalogs, paper bags, hard and soft bound books and cardboard. All proceeds generated from the yearlong paper drive will benefit the Resource Center. For information about the resource center, call Ruth Pollack, center

manager, at 216-475-1103 or e-mail rpollack@garfieldhts.org. For information about recycling, call Pat Salemi at 216-475-1100, ext. 2425 or e-mail psalemi@garfieldhts.org.

Yearlong Paper Drive

March 5 - 19, 2015

At Jane L. Dodson D.D.S. and Asso-ciates, we place major emphasis on mak-ing sure your gums are healthy. We’ve been doing that for a long time. In the beginning it was because we knew that if your gums weren’t healthy your teeth would fall out. In fact, far more people lose their teeth to gum disease than to de-cay. But now, there is overwhelming evi-dence that gum disease also contributes to heart disease, diabetes, strokes, respirato-ry diseases, and cancer. Let’s take a brief look at each of these.

Tooth loss As you know, your gums are the

foundation that holds your teeth solidly in place. When your gums become infected (yes, gum disease is a bacterial infection) the bond between the gums and teeth is lost. If the disease is allowed to progress, the bone holding the teeth in place begins to shrink away. Once enough bone is lost, the teeth become loose and eventually fall out.

DiabetesPeople with diabetes are more like-

ly to have gum disease because they have a harder time fighting off all infections. But severe gum disease also raises blood sugar levels, making it harder to control diabetes and making diabetic complica-tions more likely.

Heart Diseases and StrokeGum disease, like all other infec-

tions, causes inflammation throughout your body, as your immune system strug-gles to fight the infection. This inflamma-tion contributes to certain heart diseases and to strokes. And if you already have

heart disease, the germs released from your gums into your

bloodstream can cause your heart to be-come infected as well.

Respiratory DiseasesResearch has shown that bacteria in

infected gums can be aspirated into your lungs, causing pneumonia and other lung and breathing disorders.

CancerResearchers have found that men

with gum disease are 49% more likely to develop kidney cancer, 54% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer, and 30% more likely to develop blood cancers like leukemia.

Clearly, having healthy gums is im-portant to your overall health. The only way to keep your gums healthy is good brushing and flossing habits at home (es-pecially before bed) and regular visits to your dentist. We can spot developing gum disease early and treat it before it gets too advanced. If you already have gum disease, only your dentist can treat it. At Dodson and Associates we have a comprehensive plan for getting your gums healthy and keeping them healthy.

So if one of your New Year’s resolu-tions is to get healthy, call 440-439-2230 for an appointment today to get on the road to healthy gums and a healthy you.

Yours in Good Health,

Mychael E. Davis, D.D.S.Jane L. Dodson, D.D.S.

A HEALTHY YOU STARTS WITH HEALTHY GUMS!

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

In the Bedford University Hospital Health Center- 3rd Floordodsonsmiles@yahoo.com

www.clevelandgentledentist.com

CALL 440-439-2230 for an appointment!

New Patient Exam & X-ray Special!! $85.00 ($220 value)

Jane L. Dodson DDS & Associates, Inc.

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

Expires April 15, 2015- Bedford Standard

MychaelDavis, DDS

DebraLeonardi,

RDH

Kiwanis Empty Bowl GH KIWANIS is having their 2nd annual

“Empty Bowl Project” on Thursday, April 23, 2015 at the Garfield Heights High School from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. “Empty Bowls” is an international project to fight

hunger. “Empty Bowls” allow local artists, art groups and craftsmen to create and donate groups. Guests are invited to choose a bowl and enjoy a simple meal of soup, salad and bread in exchange for

a minimum cash donation. The guests keep their bowls as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. The last Empty Bowl project raised over $5000 with all proceeds from the event went

to support local food banks. Interested in donating or joining in this worthwhile cause? Call Mary at 216 663-0238 or Debbie at 216 587-0083 or contact any GH Kiwanis Member.

Garfield Heights Women’s ClubThe Garfield Heights Women’s Club

will meet on Wed., Mar. 11 at 7:00 at the Civic Center, 5407 Turney Rd. Foster

Brown, historical/naturalist from the Cleveland Metroparks, will give a living history presentation bringing to life

the Canal Era through song and story. Refreshments will be served. New members are welcome.

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

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

Columbus & Ohio The Heights Standard March 5 - 19, 2015

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Dr. Welches sees patients at Euclid and South Pointe hospitals. For an appointment with Dr. Welches or another Cleveland Clinic Pain Management specialist, call 216.444.PAIN (7246). Cleveland Clinic offers same-day appointments.

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

www.thenewstandard.com The New Standard

Columbus & Ohio6 The Heights Standard

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EMPLOYERS, JOB SEEKERS & YOUTH

Though our name is changing, our “commitment to service” to Cuyahoga County residents seeking

employment and training opportunities remainsa “high priority”!

To better assist you, shortly we will roll out a new, easier-to-navigate, more informative website.

The new website address will be: ohiomeansjobs.com/cuyahoga

For assistance, visit one of our locations:Downtown:1020 Bolivar Rd, Cleveland, OH 44115 (216) 664-4673

Parma: 11699 Brookpark Rd, Parma, OH 44130 (216) 898-1366Southgate: 5398-1/2 Northfield Rd, Maple Heights, OH 44137 (216) 518-4954

Westshore: 9830 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, OH 44102 (216) 939-2599

March 5 - 19, 2015

You Know You’re from Cleveland if...

You don’t have to leave the city to see all the Broadway

shows

You define where you live by East side or West side

You know what the friendship border ring is

You eat walleye and perch

You celebrate Sweetest Day

The names Eliot Ness and Edmund Fitzgerald make you

think of beer

You’ve seen Robert Lockwood Jr. play live

You know where the old League Park is

You never make an Easter Basket from anything but

Malley’s

You can tell an accordion from a button box

Winter sports enthusiasts spend ample time outdoors, often hitting the slopes for skiing and snowboarding. Despite cold temperatures, clouds and dreary weather, winter sports lovers are still at risk for sun damage and skin cancer. In fact, about 86 percent of melanomas and 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. In addition, the sun’s UV rays are also responsible for 90 percent of the visible changes commonly attributed to skin aging including wrinkles, leathery skin and brown spots.

Snow reflects up to 80 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. As a result, the same rays can reach the skin twice. Additionally, up to 80 percent of UV rays burn right through the clouds. Skiers and snowboarders are at an even greater risk, as these sports take place at a higher altitude, where the thinner atmosphere absorbs less UV radiation. Sun exposure increases four to five percent with every 1,000 feet above sea level.

“Frostbite and windburn are common concerns during the winter, and people often don’t realize that the sun’s UV rays can be just as damaging on the slopes as they are on the beach,” said Perry Robins, MD, President of The Skin Cancer Foundation.

“That’s why it’s so important to practice proper sun protection year-round, even in cold or cloudy weather.”

The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends the following tips to stay sun-safe during outdoor winter sports:

Use a broad spectrum (UBA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher whenever spending extended time outdoors. Apply sunscreen to all exposed areas, and reapply every two hours or after excessive sweating. Don’t forget the often-missed spots: This includes the ears, around the eyes, the neck, the underside of the chin and hands. Use a moisturizing sunscreen with ingredients like lanolin or glycerin. Winter conditions can be particularly harsh on the skin. Protect the lips by wearing a lip balm with an SPF 30 or higher. Cover up with clothing: Look for sunglasses or goggles that offer 99 percent or greater UV protection and have wraparound or large frames, which will protect your eyes, eyelids and the sensitive skin around your eyes- all common sites for skin cancer. In addition, consider a ski mask for even more protection.

The Skin Cancer Foundation Shares Essential Sun Safety Tips for Outdoor Winter Sports

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 March 5 - 19, 2015

INTRODUCTION: The federal government is proposing new regulations that will make it tougher for wartime veterans to get a VA pension. This is HUGE NEWS! Why the changes? The VA believes that some veterans make themselves appear poorer than they really are, to get government money they don’t deserve. The goal is to weed out those veterans and deny them a VA pension. How does the VA plan do this? Could you jeopardize your VA pension and not even intend to? Today’s column will address these questions.

(THANKS to Ms. Victoria Collier, a nationally recognized VA lawyer, for her excellent webinar on this subject.)

BASIC TRAINING Let’s review what we already know.

First, who is affected? The proposed VA regulations will NOT affect eligibility for “VA compensation,” which is paid to wartime veterans because they were injured during their military service. The proposed changes apply ONLY to eligibility for “VA pensions,” which are based on financial need and which are paid to wartime veterans while alive and after death to surviving spouses and children.

Second, how poor do you have to be to get a VA pension? There are three main changes in the proposed VA regulations. (1) A new “net worth” maximum of $119,220 (combined assets and annual income) will define who is poor enough to get a VA pension. (2) New rules on “asset transfers” will create a three-year look-back period, and gifts made during that time could result in a penalty period. (3) And finally, new rules on “income exclusions” will define what

medical expenses can and cannot be deducted from income.

Now, let’s assume YOU are the needy wartime veteran who applies for a VA pension.

CONCERN #1 – YOUR HOME What’s NOT included in the

proposed “net worth” maximum of $119,220? Your home! In other words, when the VA looks at how rich or poor you are, it will completely ignore your home. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

But that’s not the end of the story. Your home will be “exempt” only if the residential lot area is less than two acres! If larger than that, the value of your home is included in your “net worth.” Why? Simply put, you’re not poor enough to get a VA pension.

To fix this, what if you decide to sell your home and buy one on a smaller lot? The sales proceeds will be exempt from your “net worth” only if you buy another home WITHIN THE SAME CALENDAR YEAR. So, if you sell in December and buy in the following January, that’s not going to work. Do you think this is fair? The proposed VA regulations should exempt the entire residential lot AND give people more time when switching houses (for example, six months).

CONCERN #2 – GIFTS Under the proposed VA regulations,

you’ll have to show how you spent your money during the three years prior to your pension application. If you made gifts, you could face a penalty period – meaning, the VA won’t pay.

What is a GIFT? It’s when you give something away, and you don’t get anything of value in return. (Happiness has no monetary value!) Many seniors object to being penalized for helping family members who fall on hard times. That’s bad enough; but under the proposed VA regulations, you could also get penalized for spending money on yourself! How? By buying an annuity or putting money into a trust.

What is an ANNUITY? It’s like buying

a monthly pension check for yourself. You pay a lump sum to an insurance company, which in turn pays you a certain amount of income each month. Many people buy annuities to boost income after retirement, to pay for care in a nursing home, or simply as an investment. Is that really a gift? The VA would say it is!

What is a TRUST? It’s a special way of owning $tuff. Using a lawyer, a Trustmaker creates a trust and puts money into it; then a Trustee uses the trust funds for the benefit of Beneficiaries. There are different kinds of trusts, for different purposes. For example, a Revocable Living Trust avoids probate after death. But the proposed VA regulations would penalize the use of ANY kind of trust.

So, what should be done? The proposed VA regulations should be clarified. The three-year look-back and penalty provisions should NOT apply to annuities, and should apply ONLY to Irrevocable Trusts.

OTHER CONCERNS Laws should tell you when they

will go into effect. But these proposed VA regulations do not! Victoria Collier (mentioned earlier) recommends that changes should go into effect not less than one year after approval.

Also, the proposed VA regulations ASSUME that you made gifts for the evil purpose of getting money you’re not entitled to. You’ll have to prove that’s not so, and the VA will accept only one reason – that you made the gift because of fraud, misrepresentation or unfair business practices. This is too harsh! What if your spouse made the gift without your knowledge? What if you gave money to relatives to help with life’s necessities? What if a family member took the money, spent it and can’t give it back? What if you made gifts while you were healthy, but later on you have a medical crisis and need money to hire caregivers? The point is, the proposed VA regulations include NO hardship provisions. And they should.

WHY SPEAK UP? Two reasons. First, you’ll slow

things down. The VA will consider every comment it receives. The more comments, the more time it’ll take for these proposed regulations to become law. Second, you can improve things! By describing the real-life negative impact on you, the VA has the chance to fix the problem before the regulations become law.

HOW TO SPEAK UP You can make a comment by letter

or by computer. Either way, be sure to say you are commenting about “RIN 2900-AO73 – Net Worth, Asset Transfers, and Income Exclusions for Needs-Based Benefits.” To send a letter, mail it to: Director, Regulation Policy and Management (O2REG), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Room 1068, Washington, D.C. 20420; or fax your letter to (202) 273-9026. To comment online, go to the website www.regulations.gov.

CONCLUSION: Remember, the deadline to submit your comments to the VA is March 24, 2015!

THE AUTHOR: Linda J. How is an elder-law lawyer in Bedford, Ohio. She provides Medicaid counseling and estate planning. She has legal training from the national organization, Medicaid Practice Systems (now known as Lawyers With Purpose). She is also an accredited VA lawyer. To help people understand the value of legal 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 March 9 and on April 13, 2015. UPCOMING AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS: Wednesdays, from 2 to 4 p.m., on March 11 and April 15, 2015.. For an office appointment or to reserve seats at a Workshop, Mrs. How may be reached at law@lindahow.com or 440-786-9449.

Tougher Rules for VA Pensions – SPEAK UP!! Making Sense

of the LawLinda J. How, J.D.

Toddler StorytimeBranch: Maple HeightsDate: Thursday, March 5, 2015 10:30

AMCaregivers and their children ages

19-35 months: Join us for rhymes, songs, fingerplays and stories.

Monday Morning Book LoversBranch: Maple HeightsDate: Monday, March 9, 2015 10:00 AM

– 11:15 AMEnjoy sharing good reads--the March

title is THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS by M. L. Stedman.

Family StorytimeBranch: Maple HeightsDate: Monday, March 9, 2015 6:30 PM

All ages with adult caregiver: Join us for stories, songs and fingerplays.

Preschool StorytimeBranch: Maple HeightsDate: Tuesday, March 10, 2015 10:30

AMCaregivers and their children ages 3-5

not in kindergarten: Join us for rhymes, songs, fingerplays and stories.

Play, Learn and Grow WorkshopBranch: Maple HeightsDate: Tuesday, March 10, 2015 6:30 PM

– 7:30 PMAges 1 to 3 with caregiver: Play, Learn

and Grow Workshop is a five week series for parents and children ages one to three. A 60 minute program each week offers

opportunities for children to play with developmentally appropriate toys in a play group atmosphere and for parents to meet and question community experts in the areas of child development, speech and language, nutrition, play, movement and music.

Registration is required beginning February 16 and siblings from birth to age 5 are welcome. Program will run on Tuesdays, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31.

Kindergarten ClubBranch: Maple HeightsDate: Tuesday, March 10, 2015 6:45 PM

– 7:45 PMDo you have a child entering Kindergarten

in the Fall? Then Kindergarten Club is for you and your child. Join us for FREE food, fun and family activities to prepare you and your child to enter Kindergarten this Fall! This program is intended for children that did not attend preschool. There will be free

books for the children and a family prize for attending. Register in person or call 216-475-5000. Program will run on Tuesdays March 10, April 14, May 12, June 30, July 14, August 11, September 15, October 13 and November 10, 2015.

VENUE: Marymount Place, Women in History: Margaret “Molly” Tobin Brown – Tuesday, March 24th / 3:30 p.m.

Actress, Anne McEvoy, portrays Titanic survivor and a woman who was determined to break the rules of “high society”.

VENUE: Marymount Place, Frank Sinatra’s Music: The Prime Years (1953-1993) – Thursday, April 9th / 3:30 p.m.

Sinatra’s professional signing rebirth began in 1953 with Capitol Records. He achieved artistic heights with arrangers Nelson Riddle and Billy May and big band leaders like Count Basie and Duke Ellington.

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