Welcome to AREA -

Androscoggin Retired Educators Association - Many thanks to Crystal Ward , Mona Ervin, and Gina Fuller for the contributions this month. 

Newsletter Notes!

Please feel free to contribute to your newsletter.  You can send contributions to me by emailing them to - area@mainenet.org  or  rfuller@mainenet.org

It's great to hear from our membership!! 

Please note - MEA Retired now has a Facebook page - You can follow us there. 

MEA Retired - Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Maine-Education-Association-Retired-104743981253633/

Here is a great resource for staying healthy, from AARP

Staying Healthy

https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2020/walking-benefits.html

There is a bottom line - keep moving!  More than anything else, the idea of a daily walk should be our daily ritual. 

If you want up-to-date information on the pandemic and its impact, consult this link -

Washington Post Update

or directly at -

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/national/coronavirus-us-cases-death s/?itid=h p_hp-top-table-main_web-gfx-death-tracker%3Ahomepage%2Fstory-ans

This is the best resource for daily updates on both the national and international situation. If you follow the links, you can even get a state by state analysis.

Stay isolated to stay well.  This is a tough and tedious assignment - we can do it!

from

Mona Ervin via Crystal Ward

A NEW SCAM-
The new scam is a phone call from Amazon saying there has been a $299.99 charge made in your name and they are verifying you made it. And you are asked to press 9 DO NOT DO THAT – this is a scam.  It is hard to verify because amazon it on longer taking phone calls for customer service-you must do it on line .
My phone shows the scam coming from 1-402-864-1152

Here is the response from Amazon about this scam -
Although some departments at Amazon.com make outbound calls to customers, we'll never call you asking that you disclose or verify your Amazon.com password, credit card, or banking account number. If you receive a suspicious call, you can report it at http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/contact-us/report-phishing.html. Even though the form is for e-mail, it can also be used for calls.

Amazon phone service is only 1-888-280-4331​

Please be aware of DocuSign Phishing Attacks.

DocuSign is a provider of electronic signing services. Due to the Corona Virus a great deal of business is now being conducted using DocuSign rather than in-person signing. By using the company’s eSignature feature, you can electronically sign documents and then send them to the companies or individuals requesting your signature. Businesses and individuals use DocuSign in order to sign contracts, tax documents, mortgage documents, and a host of other legal matters.

The problem with electronic signatures? They provide one more way for cybercriminals to attempt to steal your identity and your personal and financial information. Here are the warning signs to be aware of if you receive a request via e-mail for a DocuSign signature:

You have not requested any documents. Be wary if you receive an e-mail asking for your electronic signature. If you have not requested a document, it is a phishing attack.

You do not recognize the sender of an e-mail requesting your signature.

Legitimate businesses that request your signature will contact you in advance letting you know that a signature request is on the way. If you receive such as notification wait a brief period of time and then contact the business by phone to verify the request.

Never click on a link on a random e-mail
Watch for miss- spelled words or grammatical errors. Many scammers are from foreign countries and will frequently make errors in spelling and grammar.

Check the e-mail address of the incoming e-mail. DocuSign e-mails end in @docusign.com. Scammers will use a variation on the e-mail address such as @docusgn.com or @docus.com.

POLITICAL UPDATE

from

Crystal Ward

What is going on in Augusta,June 2020?
Some committees are holding oversight hearings. The Appropriations committee met on whether the State had enough money to fund this year’s budget – the answer was YES. The problem is next years. The Labor committee is meeting over problems in unemployment. The Education Committee will start meeting the week of June 15th and is holding hearings on schools and the Pandemic –what/how/when to open. All the Legislators have not been called back into session yet. No movement on any Retired issues.
Remember you can get absentee ballots for the July 2020 election – contact the Secretary of State or your local town office ASAP. Your health could be impacted by going to the polls ,stay safe!

MEABT info --- your new Health care ID card for the new Advantage Plan is being mailed out--- please read all info that comes with it . This plan starts in July 1,2020.

No new info from MainePers we will know after June 30 the impact the stock market had on the plan. No COLA info for next year until August.

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS SOME HELP CALL 211 –they have information on all programs available in your area.

What is going on in Washington D.C.?

Revenue is way down in Maine due to the Covid 19 pandemic, like most states will need the Federal government to step in to help with the short falls. The HEROES ACT (bill) passed by the US House of Representatives is stopped in the US Senate by Sen. Mitch McConnell . There currently is negotiations going on between the House and Senate on helping the state--this is a hot topic ! Contacting Sen. Collins and Sen. King and Representatives Pingree and Golden would really help!

What is going on at NEA?

NEA has joined hundreds of organizations in calling on Congress to take swift and decisive legislative action. As a first step, we are urging legislators to support H. Res. 988 (House resolution#988), introduced by Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), which condemns police brutality, racial profiling, and the use of excessive and militarized force while preserving civil rights, liberties, and protecting all people from police abuses. To Support --Contact Jared Golden, US House of Representatives.

Legislative news from NRTA/AARP
On Social Security Offset they have not seen any movement on the WEP/GPO front lately. Almost all the action from Congress is COVID-19 related. Social Security is part of the mix in that AARP is paying close attention to the President’s calls for an additional payroll tax holiday in the next package.

We are also hearing some calls for a Debt Commission structure to be included in the next package and be set up in the future to consider several programs important to older Americans, including Social Security and Medicare. That is still very ambiguous right now however.

AARP is also working on making sure folks get their stimulus payments, problems with stimulus payment debit cards, getting SSA/SSI beneficiaries with dependent children their $500 payment this year instead of next but that is the extent of “Social Security” related action right now.

We invite you to follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Maine-Education-Association-Retired-104743981253633/

Our partners at AARP Maine are providing information, advocacy, and resources to help our members in the 50+ community. The focus deals with how to protect ourselves from the virus, prevent it from spreading, and cope with the health problems and financial disruptions caused by the virus. Helpful important resources are described below:

Is your loved one in a nursing home? "Six Questions to Ask"

AARP developed six key questions to ask a nursing home for those who have loved ones residing in long-term care facilities. Older adults are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus, especially those living in long-term care settings where patients are grouped in a communal settings. We want to help families and loved ones navigate this difficult time; a document delineating these questions is attached and available online here.

Maine Grocery Resource Listing
We’re all looking for safe ways to get our groceries nowadays. AARP Maine developed an online resource for Mainers looking for information about grocery stores providing senior hours, online ordering, home delivery, and curbside pickup. The information is available at https://bit.ly/AARPGrocery. We will continue to add to the listing so please feel free to send edits/changes/additions to ME@aarp.org.

AARP Community Connections
Many senior Mainers are feeling isolated in the current environment. Some have no internet access and have limited ways to connect to friends and family. AARP has created a program that enables individuals to sign up to receive a friendly call from an AARP volunteer. You can find out more here.
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AARP Live Q&A Events: The Coronavirus
AARP hosts a weekly Coronavirus Information Tele-Town Hall where health and financial experts respond to questions from participants while discussing the latest on how to stay safe and healthy and navigate the new economic landscape. These town halls occur every Thursday at 1 pm ET, and anyone may join by calling, 855-274-9507 toll-free. More information can be found here.

Treasurer's Report

Gina Fuller sends along the Treasurer's Report as a downloadable PDF.

Please note - On June 1. 2020 we had 119 active members. This takes into consideration the death of several members and the addition of new members.

Treasurer's Report

Workaround from Roger - Use a white cake mix, add an additional egg, the yogurt, the lemon juice and lemon zest. Follow Step 4, and well, enjoy a simple, but delicious Limoncello cake! I tried this workaround... easy.