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The 15th Turner Classic Movies Film Festival is scheduled for April 18-21, in Hollywood. Canceled for a couple of years due to the pandemic, no one was more pleased to attend the festival when it resumed in person two years ago than actress Diane Baker, a popular guest at many of the past festivals. "I love them!" said Baker from Los Angeles, who noted that the 2020 and 2021 events had been held virtually. The five current TCM hosts-Ben Mankiewicz, Alicia Malone, Dave Karger, Eddie Muller and...
For those of us who lived through the 70s and 80s, the comedic impressionist Rich Little was everywhere on television. While he guest-starred in many classic TV shows, Little will always be remembered for his hilarious appearances on the Dean Martin Celebrity Roast TV series in the 1970s and early 80s. "I look back on those Dean Martin Roasts – and I did 24 of them – with much affection," said Little from Las Vegas, where he has been a long-time resident. "Aside from Ruth Buzzi, I'm the only reg...
With a new 400+ page autobiography recently published, Bill Mumy's "Danger Will Robinson: The Full Mumy – A Memoir," is crammed with fascinating facts and stories recalling his long acting and musical career (see www.NCPBooks.com). "'Lost in Space' is definitely covered and certainly Will Robinson is the character most people identify with me," said Mumy from Los Angeles. But despite the book's title, the author examines much more than just the galaxy-wandering Robinson family. Riveted to his o...
Older Persons Action Group, Inc., earned honors for its monthly, statewide publication Senior Voice in the 31st annual National Mature Media Awards Program. The program, presented by the Mature Market Resource Center, a national clearinghouse for the senior market, recognizes the nation's finest marketing, communications, educational materials and programs designed and produced for older adults. OPAG and Senior Voice won five awards: Merit Award in the Photograph category for photographer...
Older Persons Action Group will hold its 2021 annual membership meeting virtually on Thursday, Nov. 18, at 12:15 p.m. The board business meeting starts at 11:30 a.m., followed immediately by the membership meeting. Due to COVID concerns, meetings will be conducted online via the Zoom web platform. Attendance will require a Zoom log-in link, provided by email to those who RSVP no later than Nov. 16. To RSVP, call 276-1059 or 1-800-478-1059, or email admin@opagak.com. Senior Voice wins awards Seni...
September is Emergency Preparedness Month, and Alaska's unique geography can leave us vulnerable to a multitude of emergency situations like wildfires, earthquakes and tsunamis--to name a few. The Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness encourages all Alaskans to have two weeks worth of emergency supplies on hand, as well as a plan mapped out in advance. Logan Stolpe, Emergency Management Specialist at Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management,...
Fall is back to school time, with educational programs for older adults kicking off their fall semesters. Here is an overview of the OLE and OLLI programs’ offerings. OLÉ! Anchorage OLÉ, which stands for Opportunities for Lifelong Education, is raring to go after a summer off with classes both online and – on Fridays – in person. Whether you want to learn about invasive plants in Alaska, films from storytellers around the globe, seabirds and shorebirds, Antarctica or electric vehicles, OLÉ has classes! Online classes through Zoom take place Tu...
The COVID-19 pandemic solidified our dependence on the internet. Throughout the Lower 48, high speed internet access is a given. In Alaska’s rural – and at times, urban – communities, high speed internet access can be hard to come by. According to the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) Broadband Deployment Report, 85% of Alaskans have internet access at 25 megabits per second (mbs) or higher, the minimum speed standard outlined by the FCC. This breaks down further when considering rural communities, where 63.7% have access to internet wit...
In the fall of 2019, representative payees in Alaska were involved in a controversy with the Social Security Administration over the legality of charging a certain fee for representative payee services. A representative payee is a person or organization appointed by the Social Security Administration to receive the Social Security or Social Security Income (SSI) benefits for beneficiaries who can’t manage or direct the management of their benefits. Millions of Americans who receive monthly Social Security or SSI benefits need help managing t...
Like flowers in spring, senior centers across the state of Alaska are beginning to open up again. Most have been closed since March 2020, a time we collectively remember as the end of "normal" life. "Today, a woman came to the center that I had not seen in a year," Marlene Munsell, Assistant Executive Director of Wasilla Area Seniors, Inc. (WASI), said in April. "As more people are vaccinated and feeling comfortable, we expect to see more people return to the center." Senior centers statewide...
The Alaska State Legislature is still working on the next steps for the Department of Administration’s (DOA) proposed closing of six rural DMV locations around the state of Alaska, including Delta Junction, Eagle River, Haines, Valdez, Tok and Homer for the FY2022 budget. On Mar. 18, Rep. Sara Vance, R-Homer, proposed HB 140 with the support of several constituents, including Rep. Mike Cronk, R-Tok, a representative from one of the impacted DMV locations. HB 140 repeals the requirement for Alaskans – specifically for seniors age 69 and old...
Friends of Seniors, Catholic Community Service (CCS) Juneau's latest volunteer program, addresses gaps in community care. The program matches senior participants age 60 and older with local volunteers to assist with non-medical, advocacy and daily support care. Friends of Seniors supports seniors with a variety of needs, and the only requirement is the age limit: anyone needing support can participate. Before the COVID-19 pandemic settled in last March, Jennifer Carson, Director of Home and...
Gov. Dunleavy's FY2022 budget includes the same fiscal agenda he has long promised: budget cuts. Released on Dec. 11, 2020, the FY2022 proposal calls for the closure of six Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) locations around the state - Haines, Valdez, Tok, Delta Junction, Homer and Eagle River. Budget proposals are always debated and altered by the state legislature, meaning the proposed DMV closures - mostly located in rural communities - could be nixed in the final FY2022 budget. Nevertheless,...
Municipality of Anchorage residents have another option for utility relief during the COVID-19 pandemic: The Anchorage Aging & Disability Resource Center’s (ADRC) Utility Assistance Program. Separate from the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services’ Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), also called the Heating Assistance Program (HAP), the Anchorage ADRC’s Utility Assistance Program works with Chugach Electric customers to cover one electric bill up to $500. While the Anchorage ADRC assists with the appli...
Congress has released funding for the Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), granting Alaska a total of $17.4 million to award assistance to low income households struggling with utility bills for the 2020-2021 season. LIHEAP is designed to safeguard the health and well-being of Alaskans by offsetting the cost of home heating for eligible Alaskan residents. LIHEAP assists households with income at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty income guidelines. The benefit is a one-time payment to the household’s vendor, sen...
Older Persons Action Group, Inc., earned honors for its monthly, statewide publication Senior Voice in the 29th annual National Mature Media Awards Program. The program, presented by the Mature Market Resource Center, a national clearinghouse for the senior market, recognizes the nation’s finest marketing, communications, educational materials and programs designed and produced for older adults. OPAG and Senior Voice won four awards: Merit Award to Erin Kirkland for her articles in the monthly travel column, “Going Places” Merit Award to Macken...
If you don't think Jimmy Stewart put the classic in 'classic movies,' consider these titles in which he starred: "It's a Wonderful Life," "The Philadelphia Story," "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," "Rear Window," "Vertigo," "Harvey," and the list goes on. No wonder Stewart appears near the top of just about every list of all-time most popular classic film actors. With such a resume, it's hard to imagine the man didn't develop an ego the size of the famous Hollywood Sign on Mount Lee in the Santa...
This article is a follow-up to the Feb. 2020 edition story “Pioneer Home residents file lawsuit over rate increases.” On Nov. 4, 2019, a lawsuit was filed against Alaska Pioneer Homes Director Clinton Lasley, Commissioner of the Dept. of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Adam Crum, Alaska State Governor Michael J. Dunleavy and the State of Alaska on behalf of Alaska Pioneer Home residents Eileen Casey of Ketchikan, Marion and Howard Rider of Juneau and all Pioneer Home residents. The lawsuit is in response to the state’s recent decision to im...
On Nov. 4, 2019, a lawsuit was filed against Alaska Pioneer Homes Director Clinton Lasley, Commissioner of the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Adam Crum, Alaska State Governor Michael J. Dunleavy and the State of Alaska on behalf of Alaska Pioneer Home residents Eileen Casey of Ketchikan, Marion and Howard Rider of Juneau and all Pioneer Home residents. The lawsuit is in response to the state’s recent decision to implement an extreme rate increase, a move that is considered a financial necessity by Lasley and other state o...
Alaska's vast geographic space dictates more than its beauty. In the case of the statewide Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) it determines access and the providing of services for Alaskans with disabilities and for seniors and caregivers seeking long term support in their community. From Cantwell to the south and Utqiagvik to the north, Galena to the west and Northway to the east, ADRC North operates out of Fairbanks Senior Center and strives to match individuals living in the...
It’s silent. It’s sneaky. Suddenly, clutter is there. Clutter is all around us in our modern lives and is a growing problem. According to the National Self-Storage Association, one out of every 11 people in the United States rent storage space during a given year, including off-site units and storage pods stored in a homeowner’s yard, meaning not only can clutter invade your home, but can even outgrow it. Whether you’re looking to regain momentum on a New Year’s resolution, optimize and organize your living space, or bravely part ways with...
Originally airing on NBC from 1962 to 1971 and currently rerunning on several cable networks (INSP and Starz), the enduring popularity of the "The Virginian" doesn't surprise 85-year-old James Drury, who starred throughout the series in the title role (see www.thevirginian.net). "It still holds up," said Drury from his home in Houston. "The old westerns were morality plays that showed the triumph of good over evil and I think that's important for young people to see on screen these days because...
Alaska's vast geographic space dictates more than its beauty-- in the case of the statewide Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) it determines access and the providing of services for Alaskans with disabilities and seniors and caregivers seeking long term support in their community. In Southeast Alaska, the ADRC operates within Southeast Alaska Independent Living, Inc. (SAIL). Originally solely an independent living center serving people with disabilities of all ages, SAIL took on the...
Older Persons Action Group, Inc., earned honors for its monthly, statewide publication Senior Voice recently in two national awards contests: the 28th Annual National Mature Media Awards Program and the annual awards contest of the North American Mature Publishers Association (NAMPA). Mature Media Awards OPAG earned a Merit Award for its Senior Voice publication in the Mature Media Awards. Presented by the Mature Market Resource Center, a national clearinghouse for the senior market, the contest recognizes the nation’s finest marketing, c...
After a legislative session of extreme budget fluctuations, the Alaska Pioneer Homes and the Senior Benefits program are the next state-funded senior assistance programs to see a shift in funding. Alaska Pioneer Homes rate increase Starting Sept. 1, the Alaska Pioneer Homes (AKPH) will be increasing monthly rates for residents. Clinton Lasley, Alaska Pioneer Homes director, stresses that rate increases do not mean that residents - both current and those subjected to the waitlist - will be turned away for an inability to pay. The Dept. of...
