Welcome to the AREA NEWSLETTER - May 2021

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

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

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With Ten You Get Vaccinated??

https://www.yahoo.com/now/10-people-want-covid-19-001000067.html

Anyone can help the vaccination program in the state of Maine!  If you have ten people in one location who are ready for vaccination, the state of Maine will send a clinic to your location.

"The new vaccination program is free of charge. Any organization — such as a school, workplace or house of worship — can apply online, provided that they have at least 10 people who are willing and available to be vaccinated, Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew said Wednesday. The state will then connect the group with health care providers who can provide an on-site clinic."  From the Bangor Daily News.

For more details, see this link -   With Ten

by

Mona Ervin

Recent 2021 Food Recalls From the US Food and Drug Administration

03/01/21 – Quaker Rice Crisps Sweet Barbeque Flavor
03/03/21 – Wilton Sprinkle Products
03/12/21 – Whole Foods Cranberry Biscotti
03/22/21 – Taste of Inspirations Parmesan Garlic Wing Sauce
03/23/21 – Bobo’s Maple Pecan Oat Bar
03/29/21 – Sabra Classic Hummus
04/10.21 – Hostess SnoBalls
04/12/21 – Meow Mix Original Choice Dry Cat Food
04/14/21 – Trader Joe’s Restuarant Style White Tortilla Corn Chips
04/15/21 – Jose Madrid Strawberry Mild Salsa
04/15/21 – Panara Lobster Bisque
05/08/21 - Hershey’s Chocolate Shell Topping (syrup). If you purchsed prior to April 15 you are OK.
Recalled product code is 25JSAS1

In addition, several varieties of Dole bagged salad mixes have been subject to recall this year. The recalls were earlier, but a word of caution, think twice about purchasing bagged salad mixes. Due to the packaging, bacteria can grow and develop rapidly.
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In other news the AARP does not recommend laminating your vaccination card. In the future
booster shots may ne needed and there is space on the card for this information to be recorded. If your card is laminated this information cannot be added to your vaccination record. Also, in the future we may need to carry our vaccination card at all times like our driver’s liscenses. Instead of laminaing the vaccination record, AARP suggests placing your vaccination record in a plastic ID badge. AARP also recommends using your smart phone to take a picture of your vaccination record.
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The Maine Credit Union Association reminds us that the “grandparent scam” is circulating. Do not send money to scammers posing as a grandchild or other relative. One wrinkle to the scam involves the scammers hacking your computer, getting into your contact list and contacting those people. The scammer claims that the grandparent is away and cannot be reached. The relative (scammer) desperately needs money and will ask you to send the money and the grandparents will reimburse you when they return from their trip.

Detective Quiz

How well do you know these detectives from film, TV and literature? Can you identify the detective or the TV program that featured these investigators?

1. A great detective, he was addicted to cocaine.
2. This overweight armchair detective had a passion for raising orchids.
3. He was a coroner who with his assistant Sam helped police investigate murders.
4. He was shot and paralyzed while on vacation, but continued to consult for the San Francisco Police
department from his wheelchair.
5. Noted for his wrinkled trench coat, a cigar stub and “just one more thing.”
6. Introduced in the Maltese Falcon, this detective set the standard for the hard boiled detective.
7. A brilliant former detective for the San Francisco Police department he solves crimes despite
having OCD.
8. He was a New York policeman fond of Tootsie Roll Pops and “Who loves ya baby?’
9. She is an elderly spinster who solves many crimes from Saint Mary Mead.
10. A Belgian detective noted for using “little gray cells” to solve the most difficult crimes.
11. Known as “Pepper” she was an undercover detective. The program was the first hour long
police drama lead by a female.
12. Known for “just the facts ma'am” although never actually spoken this way by this detective.
13. This detective had a cockatoo.
14. She was a famed mystery writer and amateur detective from Cabot Cove, Maine.
15. This program featured two female leads as police detectives. One was a single woman, the other a
working mother.
16. He wants his martini “shaken not stirred.”
17. He was a Prohibition Era federal agent fighting organized crime in Chicago.
18. A teenager from River Heights she solved many crimes with her friends.
19. African-America detective who sired a family of policemen.
20. While being questioned by the Chief of Police in a southern town he is asked what he is called and
replies, “They call me Mr…..”
21. Based out of Honolulu, this detective had as his assistant his Number One Son.

Answers

1. Sherlock Holmes, he first appeared in 1887 in A Study in Scarlet. He was created by Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle. He appears in 58 short stories by Doyle.
2. Nero Wolfe is a fictional character created by Rex Strout. Thirty-three novels and forty-one
novella and short stories featured Wolfe.
3. The program was Quincy, ME and starred Jack Klugman. It aired from 1976 to 1983 and was
based on an earlier Canadian program.
4. The program was Ironside and starred Raymond Burr (Perry Mason) as the wheelchair detective
Robert T. Ironside. The program ran from 1967 to 1975.
5. This program and detective was Colombo. It starred Peter Falk as the Los Angeles police detective
who was called in to solve high profile crimes. The program was part of a rotating series of
mysteries on The NBC Mystery Movie program.
6. Sam Spade was created by Dashiell Hammett in 1930. He was noted for his keen eye, detached
manner and attention to detail. Humphrey Bogart is the actor most noted for portraying Spade.
7. Adrien Monk was protrayed by Tony Shalhoub for 8 seasons. It brought to light obsessive
compulsive disorder.
8. Telly Savallas starred as Lt. Theo Kojak. TV Guide named Kojak as number 18 out of the 50
greatest TV characters.
9. Miss Jane Maple was created by Dame Agatha Cristie in 1927 in the short story The Tuesday
Night Club. Miss Marple appeared in stories from 1927 to 1976.
10. Hercule Poirot was created by Dame Agatha Christie in 1920 in The Mysterious Affair at Styles and
remains as one of her most popular characters. Poirot appears in 33 novels, 2 plays and over 50
short stories between 1920 – 1975.
11. Police Woman was the name of the program that intoduced Pepper to TV audiences. The character
was portrayed by Angie Dickinson. The program ran on TV for 4 seasons.
12. The program was Dragnet and on TV starred Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe Friday. The series was
popular on radio, TV and in movies. While Joe Friday was portrayed by several actors, Jack
Webb is most identified as the no-nonsense Los Angeles police detective. His partner was Bill
Gannon (Harry Morgan – Col. Potter on MASH).
13. The detective with the cockatoo was Baretta. Tony Baretta was an unconventional undercover
policeman for the NYPD. He was portrayed by Robert Blake (Our Gang child actor). The
program was originally titled Toma and starred another actor who left the progam after one year. It
was retooled as Baretta and Blake was cast in the staring role. In 2005 Blake was tried and aquitted
of the murder of his second wife. He was later found guilty in civil court of wrongfull death.
14. Writter and sleuth Jessica Fletcher was portrayed for 12 seasons by Angela Landsbury. For her
work in the popular series Murder She Wrote, Landsbury was nominated for 10 Golden Globes
(won 4) and many Emmy nominations.
15. The program is Cagney and Lacey. It starred Tyne Daly and Sharron Gless as the female partners.
The show aried for seven seasons and received numerous nominations for both lead actresses with
several victories. After the show was canceled four TV movies were made that united the
characters.
16. James Bond, known as Agent 007. Bond was created in 1953 by Ian Fleming who featured him in
12 novels and 2 short story collections. Since Flemings death in 1984, 8 other authors have been
authorized to write Bond stories. Bond films are the longest running series of all times.
17. Elliot Ness led the Untouchables. The team was so named for the courage, moral character and
uncorruptability of its team members. The stories were based on the memoir of the real Elliot
Ness an agaent with the Department of Justice.
18. The teen sleuth is Nancy Drew. Nancy was intorduced in 1930 and was created by Edward
Stratemeyer to be a counterpart to his Hardy Boys series. The stories were ghost writted by
numerous writers using the pseudonym Carolyn Keene.
19. John Shaft is the noted African American detective. The original 1971 movie introduced John Shaft.
A 2002 movie introduced John Shaft II as his son and in 2019 John Shaft, Jr. was introduced as the
grandson of the original Shaft.
20. Mr. Tibbs, was intorduced to audiences in the 1965 movie, In the Heat of the Night. Virgil Tibbs
was created by writer John Ball. The character has appeared in several novels, short stories,
movies and a TV program. The actor most coannected to Virgil Tibbs is Sidney Poitier.
21. Charlie Chan was loosely based on the real detective Chang Apana. Chan was conceived as an
alternative to the “Yellow Peril” stereotypes prevelant in the 1920’s. Unfortunately still with us
today. The first Chan film came in 1926 and many more followed, as well as radio programs and
comic books based on Chan.

Legislative Update

by

Crystal Ward

“This legislative session is like no other.  The Committee work is being done via Zoom and it feels like your MEA lobbying team is consistently in Zoom meetings to testify on key bills that impact our members.  At the same time, the Legislature has been meeting at the Augusta Civic Center and they have limited their convenings.  The actual State House would not accommodate distancing, so the Legislature has rented out the Civic Center.  So far they have only been in “session” for a total of 9 days”
-From John Kosinski, MEA Government Relations 

In case you missed it, Governor Mills announced an update to her two-year state budget proposal and for the first time ever the Governor has proposed having the state finally provide 55% of the cost of public schools in Maine.  This is an historic announcement. The proposal from Governor Mills recognizes what the voters demanded in 2004 and then again in 2016, via ballot initiatives. The people have spoken, and Governor Mills is delivering – for Maine’s students, for our communities, and for our educators. For 17 years the MEA has advocated for 55% state funding or schools.  Please contact your local Maine Representative and Senator and ask them to support the 55% 

LD 293 the bill to increase the state’s share of health insurance from 45% to 55% has one more vote of the Senate and then to the Appropriations Committee for a vote.  When the bill gets to the Appropriations  Committee you will be asked to send messages to them to support LD293.  The message will include a link to send directly to the committee so all members will receive your thoughts.  It is important you contact them to show support.

 Testimony was given on LD1145 and LD1227 bills that would exempt more of you MEPers pension from Maine Income Taxes theses are in the process of being voted on by the Legislature.  The wide card on all our bills may be Governor Mills and whether she will veto them or not if we get them passed.

Down in Washington D.C. a bill HR82  to completely remove the GPO/WEP (Social Security Offset)was submitted in the US House of Representatives. The latest development was bill S1302 being introduced in the US Senate by Senator Collins.  All of the Maine Delegation is backing these bills.  There is a bill in the US House ,HR2337 to deal with only the WEP, but no companion bill in the US Senate yet.

As soon as information in available it is sent to all affiliate and hopefully members are receiving it in a timely fashion.  If you want to receive a weekly update (Under the Dome) please send you name, affiliate and e-mail address to  Sarah Nichols-snichols@maineea.org

Treasurer's Report

Treasurer's Report

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See this link -  Almond Lemon Pound Cake

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/almond-lemon-pound-cake/

Almond-Lemon Pound Cake

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 40 min. + cooling YIELD: 6 servings.

This lemon-almond cake is the first cake I learned to make more than 30 years ago, and it’s still a favorite of mine. You can freeze any leftover cake and berry sauce for another time. —Michaela Rosenthal, Woodland Hills, California

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon plus 3/4 cup butter, softened, divided
• 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• TOPPING:
• 1 cup each frozen unsweetened raspberries, strawberries and blueberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Directions

• 1. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-in. round baking pan with 1 teaspoon butter. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar; set aside. Place the almonds and sugar in a blender or food processor; cover and process until finely ground.
• 2. In a small bowl, cream remaining butter; beat in almond mixture until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in sour cream and lemon zest. Combine the flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with lemon juice.
• 3. Pour into prepared pan.
• 4. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• 5. For topping, in a heavy saucepan, combine the berries, sugar and lemon juice. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Sprinkle cake with confectioners' sugar. Serve with berry topping.

© 2021 RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC

Roger's Work Around - Use a box cake mix, add a cup of flour, a cup of yogurt or sour cream, milk to texture, three eggs, lemon juice and almonds and almond flavoring.