The Senior Voice - November 2008

The Senior

I O C V E November 2008

Local Attractions • Scenic Places • History • Money • Health • News

Indian Ghost Attack On the Town Overland Trail In Northern Colorado Fort Saint Longs Vrain Peak Near Greeley Pioneer Climbers

New Local Outlaws History In Early Colorado Book North Colorado

Skiing Money, Steamboat Springs Health and News

2 • November 2008 • The Senior Voice

Question About Inheritance Tax By Ron Rutz, Attorney Legal Correspondent Q:I have not heard much about the “death to death taxes” movement lately. Has the matter gone away? A: Not really. There are two different kinds of death taxes. An inheritance tax occurs when the receiver is taxed at a rate that usually varies with how closely related the beneficiary is to the

deceased and the value of the inheritance received. An estate tax occurs when the size of the deceased’s taxable estate is taxed regardless of who inherits it. A few states like Nebraska have an inheritance tax. The federal government and most states like Colorado have an estate tax. Since Colorado basically follows the federal rules, the planning techniques used to minimize

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federal taxes are also used to reduce the state tax bite. How much can be passed on tax free? Any amount can be left to a surviving spouse. Otherwise, this year a total of $2 million can be left, regardless of who inherits or how many beneficiaries are included. Next year the amount increases to $3.5 million, followed in 2010 by no tax on any amount. But in 2011, the exemption drops back down to $1 million. In addition to having tax wills, planning devices such as the use of a limited liability company (LLC) can cloak from tax exposure up to 40 percent of what is placed inside. So $1 million of estate value might only be counted as low as $600,000 for taxable purposes. Probably less that 3 percent of the population, even including farmers, need to fear death taxes if proper planning is done. Even if the current law is not changed, the cost to do the planning usually ranges from a few hundred dollars to several thousand to have the proper documents

in place for your own personal “death to death taxes.” Yet I see people who refuse to spend even a thousand dollars to eliminate a million dollars of taxes. What makes up the taxable estate? Anything owned by the deceased needs to be included. Thus, items such as the face amount of insurance, certain retirement accounts, annuities where payments are payable to a nonspouse that survives death, etc., must all be added. Therefore, it is important to come up with a ballpark estimate of the taxable estate and then have the proper estate documents put in place. Death taxes are still with us and may be around for a good while longer. But like a bad neighbor, co-existence is possible without being overwhelmed. ________________ Attorney Ron Rutz will answer questions sent to 2625 Redwing Road, #180, Fort Collins, CO 80526; email [email protected]. Or call 970-223-8388. I

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The Senior Voice • November 2008 • 3

Indian Attack in the 1800s Published Locally Since 1980

(Editor ’s Note: The following account of an Indian attack in 1865 on the Overland Stage Line near Saratoga, Wyoming, was written by Joe J. Hurt, who was involved in the attack.)

VOL. 28, NO. 12

email [email protected] www.theseniorvoice.net PUBLICATION INFORMATION The Senior Voice newspaper has been published locally the first of each month since 1980 for residents age 50-plus.

By Joe J. Hurt

T

he Overland stage station occupied ground on the North Platte River several miles below Saratoga. I was there in June, 1865, when the station had been cut off (by Indians) with Sulphur Springs west of us for three weeks. Mail after mail came in for the west until a great pile of it accumulated. One day our superintendent decided to make a night run and get the mail through. That night three big coaches were piled full of mail sacks, and six horses were hitched to each coach. There was a lady in camp on her way to join her husband in San Francisco. When all was ready, she begged so hard to be allowed to go that the superintendent finally permitted her to crawl on top of the mail in one of the coaches. It was 11 at night when we started out...I was a youngster at the time but was one of a party of eight detailed to accompany the expedition as a guard. Nothing had happened to us as day began to break, and we began to be hopeful we would make it without trouble. Vain hope! We had as a driver of one of the coaches a man who went by the name of Heenan on account of his great strength. There wasn’t a man in the camp who could handle him... Our road went up through a narrow canyon several miles long...As we were driving through this just after daybreak, the Indians opened fire on us. At the first volley, two or three of our men were killed, and it was a running fight from there to the top of the canyon. At one time, it looked as if Heenan’s outfit was gone. I saw an Indian with a Colt revolver in his hands, lying prone on the bank of the canyon, his elbows resting on the ground, taking aim at Heenan. He fired five shots in quick

ADVERTISING Ad deadline is 20th of month. For rates, call 970-229-9204; or see www.theseniorvoice.net.

Wolfgang Lambdin Advertising Director Associate Publisher Fort Collins (970) 229-9204 This pioneer cabin still stands south of Saratoga at the Encampment Museum. Senior Voice photo. succession, all of which struck the box just behind Heenan. The Indian saw he had not made enough allowance for the motion of the stage and mended his aim sufficiently that the sixth bullet broke Heenan’s right arm above the elbow. It fell helpless at his side. But not daunted, he caught all the reins in his left hand and never slackened his pace... The sun was just rising as we gained the head of the canyon and drove out onto the level prairie. We formed a corral of our coaches, placed the horses inside it, piled the mail sacks into a circular breast work, and prepared to sell our lives as dearly as possible... What a horrible day that was! A hot broiling sun, no water or shelter, and our little party surrounded by yelling (Indians) who all day long without intermission rode around us, raining arrows and bullets on us. When any of our men were killed, their bodies were piled on top of the mail sacks to help keep out the bullets. It was hard, but it was necessary. I have forgotten the lady’s name, but she had nerve. She was busy all day loading guns and carrying ammunition...Before night, the men

worshipped her for her courage and assistance. About sundown, the devils pulled off...Heenan said, “Up now and let’s get out of this. Hitch up the horses, throw in the mail and we’ll make another try at getting to Sulphur Springs”... How we drove! And how our nerves tingled! We were all nerves, hopes and fears...and we drove like the wind... The Indians did not attack again until we were about a mile and a half from Sulphur Springs station, when they opened another bombardment. It was down hill to the station, and we kept going as fast as we could. The men at the station heard the fighting, and when they rode out to take part, the Indians retreated. We drove the last mile to the station as fast as our horses could run. Strange to say, we did not suffer even a scratch from the last bombardment. And our brave lady did not suffer injury in all the fighting, and lived to join her husband safely in San Francisco. ________________ COVER PICTURE: Cowboy on a horse, courtesy the Wyoming Tourism Office. For more photos, see www.wyomingtourism.org. I

SALES OFFICES:

Ft. Collins and Greeley (970) 229-9204 Loveland and Estes Park (970) 482-8344 EDITORIAL DEADLINE Announcements and stories must be received by the 10th of the month.; ads by the 20th of the month. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Senior Voice welcomes readers' letters and contributions. Enclose a self-addressed envelope and return postage to: The Senior Voice, 1471 Front Nine Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525, or email [email protected]. The Senior Voice assumes no responsibility for damaged or lost material submitted by readers.

© Copyright 2008 The Senior Voice EDITORIAL OFFICE:

1471 Front Nine Drive Fort Collins, CO 80525 (970) 223-9271 email [email protected] www.theseniorvoice.net No material may be reproduced by any means without permission of the publisher.

Dr. William Lambdin, Publisher

44 •• November November 2008 2008 •• The The Senior Senior Voice Voice

New Local History Book By Bill Lambdin

“R

abbit Creek Country” is a new local history book on northern Colorado. It follows the lives of three people born in the late 1800s: rancher John Elliott, his wife Ida, and country school teacher Josephine Lamb. They lived in what is still a backcountry area called Rabbit Creek 20 miles north of Fort Collins—about six miles northwest of the old Livermore Hotel that stands on the Red Feather Lakes road. One of the unusual things about their lives was that Josephine Lamb lived with John Elliott and his wife Ida for 42 years, sharing their house and, according to some people, probably sharing John’s bed. Authors Jon Thiem and Deborah Dimon are not sure Josephine and John had a conjugal relationship, but several of the 100 people they interviewed for the book said they did, including relatives and neighbors. Such a relationship would have been unusual in those days, but Josephine Lamb was an unusual

woman—attractive, independent and determined to have a ranch of her own, which John helped her acquire. Born in 1897 near Fort Collins, she was valedictorian of her 1916 high school class. She was offered a four-year scholarship to the University of Colorado but couldn’t afford to attend and instead took enough classes at the Greeley teachers’ college to become a grade school teacher. When in high school, she won first place at a statewide livestock judging contest, beating 18 boys and becoming the first young woman to win the honor. That was just one of the things that showed her determination. She completed a bachelor’s degree at age 63 when she retired from teaching. She taught mostly in one-room schools in the ranch country of Livermore and the Laramie River valley south of the Wyoming state line. In 1918 she went to live with John and Ida to teach their eightyear-old son, and that’s when the affair might have started. She was 22; John was 40.

All three people came from poor families, but Josephine’s ranch was worth $1 million when she died in 1973. John and Ida eventually owned one of the largest ranches in the area. The conjugal relationship is not the primary focus of this book, and I’ve dealt with only a small part of the story. Author Jon Thiem spent nearly 10 years researching the book and told me he wanted to capture the lives of the people and give readers a sense of the time in which they lived. It was a time different from ours, and the history of it needs to be told so we can understand how the West and our area were settled. “I wanted to show the quality of their lives,” said Thiem, “the epic struggle of the people and the challenges they faced.” I think he succeeded, and I’m glad he captured part of our history that is fast disappearing. The book is available at local bookstores for $30 or from the University of New Mexico Press, call 800-249-7737, email [email protected].

Josephine Lamb. From the book “Rabbit Creek Country.” ________________ Bill Lambdin is the author of “Doublespeak Dictionary,” about American politics, and publisher of The Senior Voice newspaper (www.theseniorvoice.net). He lives in Fort Collins. I

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The Senior Voice • November 2008 • 5

Mental Health Law

“When I moved to Fort Collins, I wanted a dentist who uses the latest techniques for pain-free, quality dental care. I found this with Drs. Missirlian and Ferguson.”

By U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

A

mericans who seek treatment for a mental health condition often find that the insurer who will cover the cost of treating a broken bone will refuse to cover treatments for bipolar disorder or depression. When a mental illness is covered, deductibles and co-payments are usually higher. As a result, many families have to pay exorbitant out-of-pocket expenses for mental health care. Mothers and fathers wipe out their savings to get help for their children. Many families go bankrupt. Finally, thanks to the tireless efforts of many, Congress recently passed the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. This new law will require that mental health benefits covered by group health plans be as accessible and affordable as other health services covered, thus ensuring that deductibles,

co-payments and treatment limitations are not more restrictive for mental health services than they are for general medical services. This is the second mental health parity battle we have won this year. In July, thanks to our work on the Senate Finance Committee, we enacted a mental health parity law that applies to Medicare. Now we are extending it to private insurance with a national law that complements the mental health parity laws of states like Colorado. By putting benefits for mental health services on the same footing as those for physical health, we are ensuring that 113 million people across the nation will have access to non-discriminatory mental health coverage. ________________ You can call Sen. Salazar ’s Fort Collins office at 224-2200. I

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6 • November 2008 • The Senior Voice

Loveland’s Early Days Editor’s Note: Early-day Loveland resident Althea Shields wrote the following remembrance years ago. By Althea Shields

M

y father, Alvin Shields, came to Colorado the year of the Meeker Indian Massacre in l879. Pa knew Meeker. I have always maintained Meeker was to blame. He tried to get the Utes to plow up their ground and farm. The

Utes had never farmed and didn’t intend to start. The Utes were around Loveland a good deal. They camped at the end of West 8th Street. This was elevated ground and they could see for miles around. Pa never spoke of any trouble with the Utes. They did not seem to be as warlike as the Sioux, Arapahos and Cheyennes. I taught school on Bald Mountain at the Pinewood School. I roomed and boarded with the Browns. The house

was built of logs. I had the second floor of the house. There was no heat and there were cracks between the logs. One night it turned bitter cold and snowed. I had put my clothes on a chair when I retired. The snow blew in and covered my clothes. I shook the snow off my clothes, dressed and went down to breakfast, which that morning was not much but dry corn flakes. Apparently the Browns had run out of government cow (elk meat). Alice Grange was also teaching up on Bald Mountain when I was there. She was in the cattle business. One day the superintendent decided to go up to the school. Upon his arrival, there were no kids, nor Alice. Alice had a dead cow, and she had dismissed school so the kids could help with the skinning job. The superintendent wasn’t pleased, and Alice nearly got fired. Her second husband was an uncle of “Red” Grange. When she got married to him, the neighbors decided to chivaree them. Alice apparently did not approve. She went out with a shotgun and meant business. The crowd left in a hurry. There is a book by Isabella Bird, “A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains.” Isabella undoubtedly had ability as a

The Alice Grange mentioned in this story. Loveland Public Library. writer, but the book is not altogether authentic. She was from England. She stayed with a family that in the book goes by the name of Chalmers. The Chalmers actually were the Alexanders and were related to me. In the book, she depicts them as lazy, shiftless and ignorant. This was not true of the Alexanders. They were intelligent and industrious. They could tell some stories on Isabella that weren’t very complimentary. I

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The Senior Voice • November 2008 • 7

Colorado Crosswords

Rocky Mountain Travel King Book With Experience! 42 Years, 1966-2008

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ACROSS 1. 4. 8. 12. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 20. 21. 22. 24. 26. 27. 30. 31. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 42. 43. 45. 47. 49. 51. 53. 54.

Fed. Agency created in 1953 to grant or guarantee loans to Mom and Pop enterprises, primarily (abbr.) County seat of Jackson County and source of supplies for hunters and fishermen in North Park With #15 across, National Park founded in 1906, which is home to Cliff Palace and Spruce Tree House Snitched Group of musicians who perform at the Denver Center for Performing Arts, briefly See #8 across ___ Canyon near Boulder Mount of the Holy ___, near Vail Summer coolers Clear or free of something (with “of ”) Fairchild’s players Used to be Tide type 1950 Oscar winning role for Jose’ Ferrer Woodwind Sophia Loren’s hubby, Carlo ___ Empire State Building climber, in film Its capital is Vienna (abbr.) Buffalos’ coach or quarterback Meaning, often, of a “thumbs up” motion or “Amen” Tiger prop Phrase before “understand,” or “know” His trading post on the Santa Fe Trail was one of the most important in the West Prospectors’ transports Colorado county that touches Kansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico Retirement plan acronym No problem! Holliday or Hawpe state (abbr.) Heavenly music maker Former Bronco kicker and Family Where a cruise ship might be when not in port Colorado’s governor before Owens Greeting in the ‘hood

ANSWERS

55. 56. 57. 58.

Berth place? Fall guys Info Atty. Gen. under JFK

DOWN 1. 2. 3. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 13. 15. 19. 22. 23. 25. 26. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 38. 39. 40. 41. 43. 44. 46. 48. 50. 51. 52.

___ Springs Unafraid Wood of the birch family used in cabinetmaking Three term Colorado governor whose last term lasted just 66 days Hippies’ drug, briefly Scooby ___ Logan County community named for sheep grazing in the area Make smaller in size, as a beach 60’s political gp. Purported author of “Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched.” A doctor prescribes this Media room device, briefly VanBuren and Scorsese Denver mayor Hickenlooper opened this microbrewery, Denver’s first, in 1988: ___ Brewery ___ Mother Cabrini was the first American one This was the first town in Colorado to have electric lights Town about 10 miles due north of #4 across named for a local resident ___ Vista (Chaffee County local’ which means “beautiful view”) Sugary suffix Shoes and socks, for example #35 across in the Navy Home of the Baldpate Inn and its collection of over 20,000 keys Religious chess piece? Clint of the Rockies Founder of The Rocky Mountain News and namesake for an Arapahoe County town Bailey of the Broncos Ault neighbor Mr. Arafat Russian acronym, once Great Barrier ___ Mauna ___ is an active volcano on Hawaii This might be tied over a Kimono Samovar

Colorado Crosswords are created exclusively for The Voice by Tony Donovan, who lives in Loveland.

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Massacre at Early Fort Near Greeley (Editor’s Note: Greeley historian Hazel E. Johnson wrote the following story years ago.) By Hazel Johnson

A

Fort Saint Vrain marker can be found about four miles west of Gilcrest (south of Greeley), where the fort was established as a fur trading post in 1837 by Ceran St. Vrain. Many years ago, pioneer Marshall Cook wrote a manuscript about an incident at the fort. According to him, an old Indian used to make an annual visit to the fort. “He would paint his face black, sit on the old adobe walls, and mourn and cry in a deplorable manner,” wrote Cook. “At times he would tear his clothing to pieces and rave like a maniac. “At other times, he would sway his body from side to side and howl like a wolf in agonizing

An Indian family on the plains of Colorado in the 1800s. Photo Hazel E. Johnson Collection. lamentations. Eventually I learned from him the cause of his sorrow. “When Ceran St. Vrain would

go to St. Louis to sell buffalo robes, he would leave his squaw and child at the fort. Once some

Arapahos assembled near the fort and discovered them. “The Arapahos considered them members of an enemy tribe, and they killed the squaw and child. “St. Vrain returned and sized up the situation. He kept a plan secret and invited all his Arapaho customers to a feast. “He had cannons mounted in the fort, plus 75 armed men. As the Indians ate, the gates of the fort were closed, and the tables were placed in a line of fire. “So sudden was the surprise that very few Indians escaped the massacre. Among those who did was the old Indian, but his entire family was killed. “St. Vrain cast the bodies into a well until it was full, and piled the rest in a corral. He and the men gathered up the livestock and vacated the fort, wasting no time heading for Bent’s Fort far to the south. “Other warriors later attacked the fort to take revenge, only to find the place abandoned. This explained the old Indian’s pilgrimage to the fort,” wrote Cook. No one knows if that story is true, but strange things happened on the frontier. I

The Senior Voice • November 2008 • 9

Local Events and Exhibits Greeley Model Railroad Museum One of the world’s largest working, model railroad displays, recently completed, has drawn visitors from 11 foreign countries and 38 states. It has over 5,000 feet of HO gauge tracks, 1,100 railroad artifacts, hundreds of buildings, and more. Fully functional, located at 680 10th Street, phone 3922934, www.gfsm.org. Red Feather Lakes Library Writing workshop by local writer Kerrie Flanagan, November 1. Travelogue “Song of Ireland” by Bette Sailors, November 13. Holidays craft workshop by Debbie Joncas, November 15. Class on making greeting cards on a computer, by Sarah Myers, November 19. Holiday craft table and Santa visit for children, December 6. Call 881-2664. Loveland Christmas Concert The GunnPoint Band will perform Christmas music December 2, 7:30 pm, at the Rialto Theater in Loveland. The group has performed with Wynonna, Diamond Rio and other famous people as well as at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Call 420-8237. Johnstown Senior Center Two events December 6 at 9 am:

A Christmas Boutique with Santa visit, quilt raffle, silent auction, crafts and lunch at the Johnstown Town Hall. A Christmas crafts fair and bake sale at Faith Lutheran Church. Call 587-5251. Fort Lupton Museum Exhibit of buffalo soldiers’ uniforms and equipment from the 1800s, November and December, 453 Denver Avenue, Fort Lupton, 303-857-1634. Wyoming Historical Calendar The Wyoming Historical Society’s calendar for 2009 is available by calling 307-322-4237 or emailing linda@ dancewyoming.com. This year ’s calendar depicts historical photos and information about the state’s boom-andbust cycles. Cheyenne Concert Canadian Brass star trumpet player Brandon Ridenour will perform November 15, 7:30 pm, at Cheyenne’s East High School Auditorium. A Juilliard graduate, he will perform with his father, Rich Ridenour. The two also use comedy. Brandon won the International Trumpet Guild competition in 2006 and has performed with famous orchestras. Call 307-634-8606. I

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ow-income Medicare participants will have fewer Part D drug plans to choose from in 2009, according to researchers at Avalere Health. Participants in Nevada will have only one private Part D plan available. Those in Arizona will have two. Five plans will be available in Florida, Hawaii, New Hampshire and Maine. Approximately 1.3 million lowincome Medicare participants will have to find a new Part D plan in 2009 because numerous insurance companies chose not to offer the low deductibles and low monthly premiums the government requires of plans for low-income people. Humana will not offer any plans for those people in 2009. Cigna will offer such plans in only 14 states; it offered plans in 29 states in 2008. But UnitedHealth Group will increase the number of states in which it offers such plans, from 30 in 2008 to 42 in 2009. Federal Medicare officials said 97 percent of all Part D participants (not just low-income) will have

access to drug plans that cost the same as or less than they paid in 2008. But Sen. Henry Waxman (DCalif.) believes that information is incorrect. Waxman said his staff researchers found that 92 percent of Part D participants will pay higher premiums in 2009 if they stay with the same drug plan they had in 2008. Average premiums in 2009 will be 22 percent higher than 2008, he said. Part D premiums have increased nearly 50 percent since the drug program began. That’s considerably more than the rate of inflation, and such increases make it difficult for fixed-income retirees to pay for medicines they need, said Waxman. Medicare officials insist that people can find lower premiums if they shop around among insurance companies participating in Part D. But critics like Waxman point out that many retirees do not have access to computers and information needed to compare the many plans available in some states. I

Change in Medicare Payments

A

new Medicare rule recently went into effect that will deny payment to hospitals for what Medicare terms “reasonably preventable” medical errors. Medicare will no longer pay hospitals to treat patient falls, urinary tract infections caused by improper use of catheters, pressure ulcers, blood incompatibility, objects left in the body during surgery, and several other things. Medicare officials say hospitals will not be allowed to charge patients

for such things either. The change is expected to save Medicare about $21 million a year, not a large amount in Medicare’s total expenditures of $110 billion a year. But officials say the change sends a message to hospitals and other providers that some common, easily preventable errors will not be tolerated. American Hospital Association officials say some of the things are unfair, such as falls caused by a patient getting out of bed when told not to. I

Social Security Increase

S

ocial Security benefits will increase 5.8 percent for 2009, according to government officials. The increase also applies to people receiving SSI (Supplemental Security Income). This is the largest increase since 1982. It is more than double the 2.3 percent increase of last year. The average retiree will receive $63 more per month in Social Security than last year—$1,153 instead of $1,090. The average couple will receive $103 more per

month. The average SSI payment for one person will be $674 per month instead of $637, said officials. The average SSI payment for a couple will be $1,011 per month instead of $956. For a disabled worker, the average monthly payment will be $1,064 instead of $1,006. More than 55 million Americans receive Social Security payments. The annual increase is determined by how much the Consumer Price Index rises. I

The Senior Voice • November 2008 • 11

Horsetooth Lake

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Horsetooth in 2000 when drained. Photo by Harry Ahlbrandt.

H

orsetooth Reservoir west of Fort Collins has provided water for northern Colorado for almost 60 years. Engineers diverted water from Colorado’s west slope through a tunnel beneath the Continental Divide to several lakes on the east slope. Horsetooth is 6.5 miles long, with an original depth of 188 feet that has been deepened. The shoreline is 25 miles. The dams holding back the reservoir’s water are named Spring Creek, Dixon, Soldier Canyon, and the northernmost dam Horsetooth. In 1998 the water was lowered to begin a project to modernize the dams. The northern dam was leaking 200 gallons per minute. Congress appropriated over $110 million for the project. Some sink

holes were found that suggested water was flowing in limestone under the north dam. The water level was drained to 1.2 percent of capacity, and the bottom revealed many objects and artifacts. Remnants and old building foundations were exposed. Even an old car body, which was a mystery, was discovered at the bottom. Volunteers cleaned out trash and animal bones. In 1820 explorer Stephen Long (for whom Longs Peak was named) said, “Water is essential because you must remember this is an arid land.” Years later in 1985, former Colorado Governor Dick Lamb said, “Without dams, without reservoirs and without the ability to store water, Colorado cannot survive.” I

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12 • November 2008 • The Senior Voice

Treatment for Keratoconus

“Dr. Colvin will forever be my eye doctor. His dedication allows me to have excellent and comfortable vision while I work and play.” — Joan Creed, Loveland

J

oan Creed is a busy working mom, who loves watching her children participate in football, volleyball and basketball.

John D. Kirk, MD, FACS & John W. Colvin, OD

3650 East 15th Street Loveland, Colorado

669-1107

When Joan went back to work, she needed a better contact prescription for close-up work on the computer. She came to Dr. Colvin and asked for his help. Keratoconus, a thinning of the cornea, keeps Joan from good vision with glasses and makes contact fitting difficult. “He took the time to fit my contacts more comfortably and made sure that my vision was the very best it could be. My specialized soft contacts are expensive and he worked with my prescription for the best fit and vision possible.” If you’d like to see your future more clearly choose Kirk Eye Center as your eye care provider. You’ll be glad you did.

w w w. K i r k E y e C e n t e r. c o m

I am now carrying Medicare prescription drug coverage from Humana®. Call me today to sign up or if you have questions about what’s right for you.

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Humana Prescription Drug Plans are offered by Humana Insurance Company, Louisville, KY, which is financially responsible for these products. No member of the State Farm family of companies is financially responsible for these products. Humana Inc., Humana MarketPoint, Inc. and Humana Insurance Company are not affiliates of State Farm. A Medicare approved Prescription Drug Plan available to anyone entitled to Part A and/or enrolled in Part B of Medicare through age or disability. Copayment, service area, and benefit limitations may apply. Contact your State Farm agent for details on coverage, costs, restrictions and renewability. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company • Bloomington, IL S5884_GH 19213 12/05

P054039 12/05

Conflicts of Interest By Bill Lambdin

F

inancial ties of university researchers to drug companies have prompted criticism from people like Dr. Catherine DeAngelis, editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association. She recently said, “The influence that the pharmaceutical companies, the for-profits, are having on every aspect of medicine...is so blatant now you’d have to be deaf, blind and dumb not to see it.” Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has asked major universities like Harvard and Stanford to reveal their financial ties to drug companies that could prompt conflicts of interest. Recent reports have shown that some academic researchers accept money from drug companies to publish bogus articles in medical journals recommending drugs. This misleads consumers and health practitioners— and amounts to bribes. Grassley has asked the government’s National Institutes of Health to withhold grants from universities that refuse to disclose such financial ties. Some university medical schools could

lose millions of dollars in research funds if that happened. Jerome Kassirer, former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, said “Universities have been treading on dangerous ground with their increasingly complex financial ties to industry.” Recent media attention is apparently prompting some universities to reveal financial ties that have been hidden for years. “They are worried that these things could ultimately affect their taxfree status,” said Kassirer. Some local doctors are beginning to refuse even small gifts from drug companies. But it is unlikely that major research centers at universities will completely cut financial ties. “Industries’ dealings remain fraught with potential conflict because the sectors depend on each other so much—medicine on drug makers’ research dollars and drug makers on the credibility researchers give them,” said Associated Press researchers. People like Sen. Grassley don’t want to cut off all funding for research, but they do want honesty from professors and others who receive such funding. So does the public. I

Governor’s Farm Apartments 701 6th Street • Windsor, CO • (970) 352-5860 Designed for people 62 years of age and older, or disabled. Governor’s Farm is located in a pleasant rural community, offers affordable rent, one-bedroom ground level apartments, laundry facility, free maintenance and small pets are welcome. USDA-RD

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13 • November 2008 • The Senior Voice

Laughter Is the Best Medicine E

xplanation of the recent government bailout on Wall Street: Once upon a time in a village, a man appeared and announced that he would buy monkeys for $5 each. The villagers, seeing that there were many monkeys around, went to the forest and started catching monkeys. The man bought thousands at $5. As the supply of monkeys started to diminish, the villagers stopped their effort. The man announced that he would now buy monkeys for $10. This renewed the efforts of the villagers until the supply diminished, and the people stopped collecting monkeys. The man increased his offer to $50, and the supply of monkeys decreased so much that it was difficult to find them. But a few were sold. Then the man went to the city on other business and told the villagers his assistant would now buy on his behalf. The assistant told the villagers, “Look at all these monkeys the man has collected. I will sell them to you at $35 each, and when the man returns from the city, you can sell them to him for $50.” The villagers gathered all of their savings and bought the monkeys. But they never saw the man or his assistant again. A little boy asked his father, “How did humans get started?” His father said, “God made Adam and Eve. They had children, and all other humans came from them.” Later the child asked his mother the same question and she said, “Millions of years ago, monkeys evolved from earlier forms of life; and humans evolved from the monkeys.” The boy found his dad and said, “You said humans were created by God, but Mommy said they came from monkeys. Which was it?” His dad said, “I told you about my side of the family. Your mother was talking about hers.” Bubba walked into a doctor’s office, and the receptionist asked, “What do you have?”

“Shingles,” he said. She gave him several forms to fill out, and he sat waiting. A half hour later, a nurse came out and said, “What do you have?” “Shingles.” She took his blood pressure, weighed him, gave him a blood test and told him to go into the exam room and take off his clothes. He sat there for nearly an hour before the doctor came in and said, “What do you have?” “Shingles.” “Where?” asked the doctor. “On my truck outside. Where do you want them?” The redneck governor’s mansion burned down when a fire destroyed the entire trailer park. The library was a total loss; both books went up in flames, and the governor hadn’t finished coloring in one of them. I

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The Senior Voice • November 2008 • 14

Pioneers in the Fort Collins Area By Bill Lambdin

“B

azille Provost was the fourth child of nine children born to John Baptiste Provost and his Oglala Sioux (or Cheyenne) wife, White Owl... “He was born on February 17, 1862, four years after his parents settled along the Cache la Poudre River. He lived only one summer and died when he was nine months old... “Bazille Provost had the distinction of having the oldest known gravestone in Larimer County.” That’s how Rose Brinks began the story of northern Colorado settler John Provost in her book “History of the Bingham Hill Cemetery.” The book tells many interesting stories about some of northern Colorado’s earliest settlers. “It is not a morbid necrology but a celebration of ordinary lives,” said Brinks. It is a book about pioneers, not just a cemetery; and it contains excellent research. Since Brinks’ first book on the subject was published in 1988, more

than 10,000 people have visited Bingham Hill Cemetery north of Fort Collins, and some have been able to trace their ancestors back to the early 1800s, thanks to Brinks’ research. To reach Bingham Hill from the village of LaPorte (north of Fort Collins), go south on Overland Trail from Highway 287 for six-tenths of a mile to County Road 50E. Turn west and drive about one-tenth of a mile. Park on the side of the road when you see a small sign and old grave stones off to the right. There is no parking lot. Walk through a small metal gate with a wooden sign that says Bingham Hill Cemetery. Follow a path along an irrigation ditch for about 100 yards to the east edge of the cemetery. Brinks’ house was built immediately east of the cemetery. That’s why she became interested in it. Her story about John Provost, founder of the cemetery, is especially interesting. She said he was born in Canada in 1822 and came to Colorado with a small group of FrenchCanadian fur trappers around 1858.

The group founded the little settlement of LaPorte, and Provost took an Indian wife called White Owl. When their infant son, Bazille, died in 1862, they buried him in a pasture where they could see his grave from their house. That was how the cemetery began. Later in 1865, their 10-year-old daughter was also buried there, in Indian style with all her possessions placed in the grave. One of their sons, Charles, fought in the Battle of Wounded Knee and later rode for several years with Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West show. Of the other Provost children, Brinks wrote: “Two committed murder, two committed suicide, one died in jail, four sons led fairly normal lives for half-breeds...” John Provost was called “one of the old French trappers” by early newspapers, and some reports referred to him as the “founder of LaPorte.” He was the only trapper who did not leave LaPorte when sentiment turned against the Indians and “squaw

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ome hospitals and other healthcare providers ask millions of patients across America to pay more than they should through a practice called “balance billing”—charging the patient for the balance their insurance company does not pay. The practice is illegal in most states, but providers get by with it because patients are often confused by bills, few contest them, and states are slow to take any action. Providers use the practice when HMOs and other insurers are slow to

pay or pay lower amounts than providers want. Providers simply bill patients for the difference even though patients are supposed to pay only their deductibles and co-payments. Some consumer advocates estimate that patients pay over a billion dollars annually for such illegal billings, according to a report published in Business Week magazine. Researchers emphasized that not all hospitals and other healthcare providers use balance billing. I

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John Baptiste Provost. Photo from Rose Brinks’ book. men” after the Custer massacre in 1876. The other trappers felt pressured either to leave their Indian wives or accompany them to reservations. Brinks said, “This 1878 exodus explains why there are no continuous French-Canadian-Indian families living in the area today. Their only reminders are the French names of our town (LaPorte) and our river (Cache la Poudre).” Provost’s wife went to a reservation with most of their children, but he stayed in LaPorte and owned a popular road house and saloon for many years. That old log building, with dirt floors, stood for 50 years and was known as the oldest building in LaPorte when it burned down in 1928. John Provost became well known as the last remaining old trapper here. An 1880 newspaper said, “Mr. Provost is known from one end of Colorado to the other as a genial, warm-hearted gentleman, and all persons favoring (his road house) with their patronage may expect right royal treatment.” When he died in 1904 at age 81, Provost’s obituary referred to him as “the first permanent white settler in Larimer County...He was one of the landmarks of this county...The old pioneers feel his passing with special regret.” Provost’s story was just one of many that Brinks told in her book, which is available at the Fort Collins Museum gift shop, Vern’s Cafe, Overland Foods in Laporte, or by calling 970-221-4261. I

15 • November 2008 • The Senior Voice

Aspirin and Heart Attacks

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spirin does not reduce the risk of an initial heart attack or stroke in people who have no heart problems, according to a report in the journal BMJ. It also does not reduce the risk of an initial attack in people with diabetes or peripheral arterial disease (partial blockage of leg arteries). But aspirin does reduce the risk of a second heart attack in people who have already had an attack. “It works if you’ve already had a

heart attack, but there is no proof for primary prevention,” said Dr. Jill Belch, one of the researchers at the University of Dundee in Scotland. She and others said their conclusions were supported by six other studies, and the researchers said the American Heart Association and U.S. government should stop recommending low-dose aspirin for people who have not yet had a heart attack or do not have any heart problems. I

Improving Brain Function

R

egular exercise can actually reverse brain decline in mature people, according to research reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. That’s especially true if the exercise involves aerobic activity that makes you somewhat breathless. This increases the speed and sharpness of thought. It also increases the volume of brain tissue and the way in which the brain functions. Researchers found that six months of aerobic exercise reversed what they called “age-related decline” in brain

activity. The brains developed the ability to grow again, and thinking became sharper. Such exercise also improves the brain function of women going through menopause, regardless of whether or not they have hormone replacement therapy. The research was conducted primarily by University of Illinois professor Art Kramer. He concluded that moderate aerobic exercise can “improve cognitive and brain function, and reverse the neural decay frequently observed in older adults.” I

Retirement Question By Scott Burns Financial Writer Q: I am 56. I retired after 30 years of teaching at the age of 52. I plan to take Social Security at age 62. My understanding is that for the 10 years I will have been retired and have not contributed to Social Security, the benefit I will get will be decreased a small percent each of those 10 years. A friend told me that something has changed and that my amount will be based on the average of my 30 years of salaries and not my last five highest years. And there will be no yearly decrease for each of those 10 years I have not been working. Is this correct? A: Your Social Security benefit is based on your earnings record up to a maximum of 35 years. If you work more than 35 years, the calculation is based on the highest 35 years of earnings. If you work less than 35 years, the no-earnings years

will count as zero and will lower your average and, hence, your benefit. If you visit the Social Security Web site, you will find that it offers three calculators to help you figure out what your benefit is likely to be. The link you want to use is www.ssa.gov/planners/calculators. htm; and the calculator you should use is No. 2, the Online Calculator. It will ask you to select when you want to start benefits and to enter your earnings record. Then it will estimate your future benefit. You’ll find your complete earnings history on the annual statement you receive in the mail each year from Social Security. Given the importance of Social Security for all but the wealthiest people, I think one of the best “investments” we can make is to take the time to become familiar with this very useful and wellmanaged Web site, www.ssa.gov. I

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The Senior Voice • November 2008 • 16

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