Published by The Beacon Newspapers, Inc. SEPTEMBER 2019 • FREE 2 www.FiftyPlusRichmond.com SEPTEMBER 2019 — FIFTYPLUS That could be true. But in most cases, I scan the QR code (the box on the right), believe, businesses and political candi- or using a tablet or a computer enabled Your opinion, please dates really want to know what you think. with a camera (for Skype, for example) go There’s only one thing that no one can order a product from Amazon and are A business can’t survive if it isn’t meeting to bit.ly/proudest, and after answering one give you or take away from you: your opin- asked to rate it or submit a comment. the needs of its customers. A candidate or question, you can tell us via video what you ion. Especially during campaign politician who wants to represent voters are most proud of in your life. You’ll have What you think in your seasons, we walk down the well needs to know what they think. up to 30 seconds for your video. mind and feel in your heart is street and are asked to sign a So try not to feel too jaded when asked Or if you prefer, you can share with us uniquely and always yours. petition or “answer a few for your opinion. Only you know what you what you think about Fifty Plus, this col- Your opinion might change questions” to help a pollster. think — until you are asked to express it. umn, or any other topic of the day that in- from time to time, even from We take a survey somewhere And that is when your opinion starts to terests you. minute to minute. But at any and find ourselves inundated make a difference elsewhere. We appreciate your reading Fifty Plus, point it’s still yours. And that’s with invitations to take more and look forward to hearing — and seeing something we should cherish. or join a focus group. You oughta be in pictures — what you have to say! Sometimes, however, we Yes, sometimes it seems Speaking of surveys… can feel we are being bom- overdone. Sometimes, in both Here at Fifty Plus, we also frequently barded with opportunities to FROM THE business and political con- seek information from our readers regard- express our opinions, espe- PUBLISHER texts, we might feel the re- ing your views about our newspaper in cially in a commercial or po- By Stuart P. Rosenthal quests are disingenuous. general, as well as about particular arti- litical context. (“They don’t really care how I cles, authors and events we sponsor, such We shop in a retail store feel,” we might think. “They as last year’s Celebration of the Arts. and the receipt invites us to go online to just want to use my opinion, if they like it, to We recently signed up for a new service say how we feel about the salesperson. We influence others.”) that will allow you to respond to such sur- vey questions via video. That way, we can MARK YOUR CALENDAR both see and hear you sharing your opin- ion. AVOID MEDICARE FRAUD Sept. 19 The idea for this service, called Talk Don’t get bamboozled by Medicare scams. Educate yourself at Back Time, comes from a local senior with this free lecture about crimes that target older adults. Marly whom I’ve had the pleasure of working be- Santoro, director of the Virginia Senior Medicare Patrol Program, will teach fore, Allan Horlick. For a story about him you how to detect and report fraudsters. The information session at 10 a.m. and this new venture, see our Technology & Innovations section on page 4. on Thurs., Sept. 19, will be held at Southminster Presbyterian Church, 7500 For now, we are eager to try it out. Will Hull Street Rd., North Chesterfield. For more information, call (804) 768-7878. you help us? If so, using your smartphone camera Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter a publication of The Beacon Newspapers, Inc. addressed in Fifty Plus as well as on political and social issues of the Editorial Mission: Fifty Plus is dedicated to providing readers with accurate day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to Fifty Plus, P.O. Box 2227, Silver information, professional guidance, and useful resources. Our publication is Spring, MD 20915, or e-mail to [email protected]. Please intended to both reflect and enhance fifty-plus lifestyles, and to encourage reader dialogue and input. include your name, address and telephone number for verification. Fifty Plus is published monthly and distributed free of charge. The advertising deadline is the 20th of each month for the upcoming issue. The entire contents Dear Editor: the first time we have repeated a Beacon I picked up Fifty Plus at ACAC right cover story as a cover story in Fifty Plus, of Fifty Plus are ©2019, The Beacon Newspapers, Inc. No portion may be re- after it arrived and enjoyed the cover story and we blew it. Our apologies. produced in whole or in part by any means without the express written consent on Carol Burnett. I was impressed years Dear Editor: of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed by writers and columnists ago that Burnett’s long-time marriage to a Regarding your July cover headline on do not necessarily represent those of Fifty Plus or its staff. man 23 years her junior seemed to be a the Carol Burnett story. The edition was good one — a great tribute to their indi- published before Burnett’s appearance, vidual attributes! but the headline reads “Carol Burnett vis- Publisher/Editor — Stuart Rosenthal I was glad you added the Richmond in- its Richmond.” President/Associate Publisher — Judith K. Rosenthal formation re: Burnett’s appearance in the In headlinese, this headline expresses Vice President, Operations — Gordon Hasenei cover blurb, as the piece appeared to have the past tense and so means that Carol been moved directly from the Beacon to Burnett had already visited Richmond Vice President, Sales and Marketing — Alan Spiegel Fifty Plus without changing any info until when the paper was published; the reader Managing Editor — Margaret Foster the end of the article, where the Richmond would therefore expect to see a review of Art Director — Kyle Gregory info appeared — so all was good in the end. the performance in this edition. Director of Operations — Roger King Martha Steger Headlines expressing something that is Richmond coming up are written using the infinitive Editor’s Note: Yes, we regret not having (Carol Burnett to Visit Richmond) or the Fifty Plus Richmond • PO Box 2227 • Silver Spring, MD 20915 more carefully edited our July cover story for present participle without an auxiliary PH: 804-673-5203 • [email protected] Fifty Plus. We pride ourselves on having © Copyright 2019 The Beacon Newspapers, Inc. new, local material on our covers. This is See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 25 FIFTYPLUS — SEPTEMBER 2019 www.FiftyPlusRichmond.com 3 Feature Story Daphne Maxwell Reid enjoys the journey By Catherine Brown had met before in Chicago, but both were the board of Virginia Hu- HUTCHINS/SHUTTERSTOCK BY KATHY PHOTO Though she recently turned 71, when married at the time and Reid admits she manities. She is currently actress Daphne Maxwell Reid appears at didn’t find Tim all that interesting. on the board of ChildFund the Senior Connections’ Empty Plate This time, though, they went on what International and the Rich- Luncheon in Richmond on October 2, au- was supposed to be a five-minute date. mond Ballet. dience members shouldn’t expect the That five-minute date lasted for five hours. While working and vol- Richmond resident to talk about her quiet, The two married in 1982, and this year will unteering, Reid has also peaceful retirement. celebrate their 37th anniversary. used her skills to design “I don’t retire,” Reid said. “I’ll take my With her husband, Reid appeared on and make clothing, and she pension, but I’ll still be busy.” “WKRP in Cincinnati” and “Simon & has published a cookbook/ Reid has been busy for decades. After Simon” and then “Frank’s Place,” written memoir. graduating from high school in New York, by Tim Reid and Hugh Wilson. She de- An avid traveler, Reid is Reid left for Chicago to study architecture scribes that show as having the “richest, also now a photographer. For and interior design at Northwestern Uni- most delectable cast, words and situations.” years, she would take photos versity, where she became the school’s first She went on to appear on many famous of the doors she saw while African American Homecoming Queen. shows in the 70s and 80s, including “Hill traveling abroad. Before long, she found herself flying back Street Blues,” “Cagney & Lacey,” “The A- “Friends will be walking and forth between New York and Chicago Team” and “Murder, She Wrote.” along the street with me,” for modeling jobs, and she became the first Then came the show Reid is most well- Reid said, “and I will have black woman to appear on the cover of known for: “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” run down an alley because I Glamour. starring Will Smith. saw a door and wanted to “I wasn’t thinking I had to be a model,” That was the one gig that didn’t come take a picture.” Reid said. “I thought, ‘This is fun, and easily, Reid remembers. She had the oppor- Encouraged by friends when it stops being fun, I’ll do something tunity to audition for the show in its early and family to take her pho- else.’” years, but in 1990 she was overwhelmed tography seriously, Reid ex- after shooting 72 one-hour episodes of “The hibited and sold her work, Unexpected success Tim and Daphne Show,” so she declined.