Year: 2019

Witness from Lancaster County to Testify on How Federal Government Must Act to Improve Medicare Benefits

Casey to Hold Hearing on New Bill Expanding Medicare Coverage for Dental, Vision and Hearing Services
Washington, DC – On Wednesday, September 25, at 10:15 am, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Ranking Member of the Special Committee on Aging, will hold a hearing entitled “Promoting Healthy Aging: Living Your Best Life Long Into Your Golden Years.” During the hearing, Senator Casey will highlight his legislation, the Medicare and Medicaid Dental, Vision and Hearing Benefit Act, which would guarantee that Medicare covers dental, vision and hearing services and would provide states with increased federal funding for Medicaid to provide this care. This bill would ensure standard coverage for all Medicare beneficiaries without the need to purchase supplemental plans or private insurance.
As adults age, dental, vision and hearing often decline, making preventive services and routine care increasingly crucial. Individuals who are unable to access these services are at risk of developing more severe health conditions, may be denied much-needed surgeries and may experience social isolation.
Senator Casey has invited Brian Long, of Lancaster County, to testify. Brian is the Lead Coordinator of the Pennsylvania Link to Aging and Mobility Resources for Berks, Lancaster and Lebanon and a Volunteer Representative for the Southcentral Regional Council on Aging. He will discuss the importance of accessing dental, vision and hearing services for seniors and people with disabilities and urge Congress to expand Medicare and Medicaid coverage for these services.
Witnesses for the hearing will include:
·         Brian Long, Lead Coordinator, Pennsylvania Link to Aging and Mobility Resources for Berks, Lancaster and Lebanon & Volunteer Representative, Southcentral Regional Council on Aging (West Hempfield Township, PA)
·         Dr. Rudolph (Rudy) Tanzi, Director, Genetics and Aging Research Unit, Harvard University (Boston, MA)
·         Dr. Susan Hughes, Co-Director, Center for Research on Health and Aging, University of Illinois at Chicago (Chicago, IL)
·         Diane Dickerson, CEO, Bangor YMCA (Bangor, ME)
When: Wednesday, September 25, 2019 at 10:15 am
Where: Dirksen Senate Office Building, SD-562
*Must RSVP to Aisha_Johnson@casey.senate.gov or call 202-228-6367.
(SOURCE: news release)

About Town 9/22/19

This week’s photos of Columbia

Many folks saw the Goodyear blimp fly over on Saturday at about 12:45 p.m.
The inscription on the side of the gondola reads: “WINGFOOT TWO”
  . . . as does the rudder. The propellers can be seen here, also.
 This might be a planeload of Arabs on their way to Washington on Sunday morning.
Goodbye, Mr. Fish –
This snowy egret dined on a small catfish Saturday morning.
There’s nothing like a fish breakfast.
This guy might be taking a selfie but is more likely taking shots of the former chip factory at 2nd & Locust.
 He and others, including this binder-wielding woman, were taking a look around the place on Thursday morning.
They seemed to be in an awful hurry.

 He wrote notes on the plans.

Even Paul J. Nikolaus III from RLPS Architects was there.

 This blunt-smoking ghoul with a leg protruding from its neck means Halloween is just around the corner.
And here’s another sign of Halloween.

 Going the wrong way in a one-way alley

 This stuff has been here a while.

 Half-hidden

 Ah, Wrightsville!

 Campaign sign
 Beautiful historic brick, with accompanying ghost sign

 Rest STOP

 Sacrilege!

 Time to break out the floss and toothbrush

 A door of Columbia
 A closer look at a door of Columbia

 That’s what they all say.

 Small but fierce
 Number jumble, kind of like the borough budget

 This street sweeper helped clean up after Tuesday’s hydraulic fluid leak on North Sixth Street.

 The fluid trail led from Locust to Maple, as Columbia Spy reported HERE.

 This company showed up, too.

Northridge Group, Inc. Environmental Response
 Another campaign sign

 Hey, it’s Joe’s hideout!
 Everyone’s seen this guy by now.

 Ready for dismissal

 Bridge plaza lights all lit up

 Standing alone against the morning light

 Golden arches

 The door into the mural

 Folks still aren’t grasping the concept.

 Here are some directions.

 Oh well . . .

 Crimson Tide!

 Busy work

 Fancy lettering for a mundane message

 Painting at 220 Locust
Here’s a different view.
 Giant spider about to devour a lamp

 Point of contact

 The former Central National Bank on the 300 block of Locust

 Re-Uzit Shop window

 Coming soon

 Men at work

 A look up at the historic society
 “Posted”: A stray hubcap

 Air-conditioned Bud Light

 Seems like old times

 Don’t forget: Downtown Columbia is historic.

 Surveying on Commerce Street

 Pounding the stake

 Admiring the work

 Sidewalk traffic – 
Good thing that crosssing guard is there.
 Morning fog

 Here’s a heron about to select breakfast

 He sees something he likes.

 And is ready to pounce
 Siesta time at Rotary Park

 The Legion

 An ugly beauty strip

 Morning caw –
Some Columbians crow loudly about nothing of importance.

 It doesn’t really work that way.

 Lair of the CHI-cycle

 Mustard Seed, about to germinate

 New house in the neighborhood

 Paving the driveway

 Cooped-up pigeons
 The tiny house on Perry is still for sale.

It’s right next to this, the Perry Street Laundromat. 

 Multi-colored house

 Corn at 4th & Mill

 A parting of the ways
 Do not perform any unlawful acts here.

 Tie a yellow ribbon.

 An escapee from “The Night Watch”?

 This used to be Bachman’s store.

 Go slow so that this kid can run across the black paint.

 Clean up after your pet and keep them under 15 MPH.

 More beautiful historic brick – with ghost signs

 Possible location for a remake of West Side Story at 12th & Manor

 Tower towering – because that’s what towers do.

 Thoughts & prayers, thoughts & prayers, blah, blah, blah

 Meanwhile, at Glatfelter’s . . .

 That’s a mighty tall flagpole.

 God is love, according to the above-noted verses.

 This might not be enforceable.

 Mailbox on bike frame – 
What’ll they think of next?

 The Catholic sign is fading, but the Lutherans are going strong.

 Island in the stream

 Former fountain

 It’s something more.

Window washing time
This plane landed several times on the river Sunday afternoon.
[Submitted video]