$30 Million for Homeless Veterans Grants

Many people with glaucoma who have normal pressures inside the eye have low blood pressure. Reducing pressure inside the eye remains the preferred treatment. I appreciate the clarifications, especially from Dr. Peter Libre at Columbia University.

* * *

Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is gearing up to award $30 million to organizations to hire case managers across the country to support homeless veterans for two years beginning this October. Those 150 case managers will assist with searching for and obtaining permanent housing and troubleshooting any barriers to keeping that housing.

Those barriers to finding and keeping housing can range from having a poor credit history, to being behind in rent, to having legal problems and more.

Jan. 1 - New Year’s Day

The VA goes by the Housing First philosophy: The veteran needs the stability of housing before taking additional steps to improve quality of life. Once the veteran is in permanent housing, the rest of the work starts -- job training, mental health care, education assistance, medical care ... whatever it takes to keep them in their home.

Jan. 17 - MLK Jr. Day

Feb. 12 - Lincoln’s B-day

Feb. 21 - Presidents Day

The Housing First model was tested early on, and the results were promising: In a test of the first 177 homeless veterans, the program reduced the waiting time for housing placement from 235 days to 35.

March 29 - Nat’l Vietnam War Veterans Day

April 17 - Easter Sunday

May 21 - Armed Forces Day

May 30 - Memorial Day

June 6 - D-Day

June 14 - Flag Day

If you’re a homeless veteran or know someone who is, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-4AID-VET (877-424-3838) or see www.va.gov/homeless. If you know that you’re likely to be homeless soon, don’t wait until the last minute. Reach out for help now. There are resources to help you with health care, employment, housing and much more. You can also go to your closest VA medical center. While you’re there, ask about Community Resource and Referral Centers (CRRCs) and their list of contacts who have the resources to help.

July 4 - Independence Day

July 27 - Nat’l Korean War Veterans Armistice Day

If your community group works to assist homeless veterans, take a look at the Housing First information at www.va.gov/HOMELESS/ nchav/resources/housing-programs/housingfirst.asp

Sept. 5 - Labor Day

Sept. 11 - Patriot Day

Sept. 17 - Constitution Day

Oct. 10 - Columbus Day

Applications for the Case Management Grants must be received by May 4, 2023. See the notice in the Federal Register at https://tinyurl. com/27x3djay. If you have questions, contact the Grant and Per Diem Program at GPDGrants@ va.gov.

* * *

Oct. 27 - Navy Day

Nov. 11 - Veterans Day

Freddy Groves regrets that he cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@gmail.com.

Nov. 24 - Thanksgiving Day

Dec. 7 - Pearl Harbor Day

Dec. 25 - Christmas Day

-- by Jim Miller

Tips and tools to help you make an informed decision

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: What are the key factors to consider when contemplating retiring abroad? My husband and I will soon be retiring and are interested in moving overseas to a country that’s cheaper and warmer than the U.S., but we don't want to take a major step like this before doing our homework. -- Looking Ahead

Dear Looking: Whatever your reasons for aspiring to retire abroad – a lower cost of living, a better climate or a desire for adventure – you are wise to first do your homework and learn everything you can about the country you’re interested in because it’s not an easy move. Here are some different tips and tools to help you make an informed decision.

Researching Tools

If you’re in the decision-making process of where to retire, InternationalLiving. com and LiveAndInvestOverseas.com are two excellent websites that provide articles, information and lists of the top retirement destinations abroad based on cost of living, climate, health care, housing, visas, infrastructure and more.

Once you pick a country or two that interest you, a smart move is to talk or network with some expats who have already made the move you’re thinking about making. They can give you tips and suggestions on many issues, as well as the advantages and disadvantages and day-to-day reality of living in a particular country. Facebook is a good resource for locating expat groups.

But before committing, experts recommend visiting multiple times during different seasons to see whether you can envision yourself living there as a resident and not just exploring the place as a tourist. Here are some other factors you need to look into:

Cost of living:

Retiring abroad used to be seen as a surefire way to live beyond your means, and for many countries it still is. But depending on where you move, the U.S. dollar may not stretch as far as you think. To compare the cost of living in hundreds of cities and countries use Numbeo.com

Visa requirements:

If you want to spend just part of the year living abroad or are willing to move from country to country, most countries offer a three or six-month tourist visa, which is easy to get. But if you want to set up permanent residence abroad you might have to jump over a few more hurdles depending on where you want to retire. To research visa requirements in the countries that interest you, visit VisaGuide.World

Health care:

Most U.S. health insurance companies do not provide coverage outside the U.S., and neither does Medicare. Check with the embassy (see USembassy.gov) of your destination country to see how you can be covered as a foreign resident.

Many countries provide governmentsponsored health care that’s inexpensive, accessible and just as good as what you get in the states, or you may want to buy a policy through Medibroker.com or BupaGlobal. com

Also know that most people who retire abroad eventually return to the U.S., so experts recommend paying your Medicare Part B premiums. If you drop and resume Part B, or delay initial enrollment, you’ll pay a 10 percent premium penalty for every 12-month period you weren’t enrolled.

Housing:

Buying a home in a foreign country can be complicated, so it’s almost always better to rent first until you’re sure you want to permanently reside there.

Money matters:

Opening or maintaining a bank account abroad can also be difficult. You may have to establish a checking account with an institution that has international reach like Citibank or maintain a U.S. bank account that you can access online. Claiming your Social Security benefits, however, should not be a problem as they offer direct deposit to almost every country in the world. See SSA.gov/international/payments.html

Tax considerations:

You also need to research tax rules in your prospective countries and be aware that even if you’re living in another country, as a U.S. citizen you’ll still most likely need to file an annual U.S. tax return – see IRS. gov/pub/irs-pdf/p54.pdf

by Anne McCollam

Q: Enclosed is a photo of an item that is in my possession. It is a glass flask in the shape of a potato. The measurements are approximately 5 inches long by 3 inches wide. This brown flask is embossed and has a screw-on cap. One side says “World’s Fair,” while the other side is labeled with “1893.” It’s in mint condition.

I would appreciate learning more about my flask.

A: You have a very nice souvenir from the Chicago Columbian World’s Fair of 1892-1893. The Columbian Exposition was a celebration of Columbus and the 400th anniversary of his discovery of America.

Your potato flask is a hot collectible and would probably be worth $200 to $250. ***

Q: I still have a tin windup roller coaster toy that was given to me for my birthday in the early 1950s. It has the original two cars and box. The frame is decorated with scenes of children playing arcade games. On the side of the roller coaster, there is a shield with the words: “J. Chein -- Made in U.S.A.” It is in excellent condition and the colors are bright.

What can you tell me about my toy?

A: J. Chein & Co. was located in Burlington, N.J., from 1900 to 1970. They were one of the leading manufacturers of tin windups, pull toys, banks and friction toys. The roller coaster was also available in a ski ride version.

Your tin lithograph toy and its box are extremely collectible and would probably sell in the range of $350 to $500, depending on condition.

Q: This mark is on my porcelain punch bowl, which sits on a matching pedestal. It comes with 12 footed cups. Embellished with gold, each piece is decorated with green grapes, white grapes, green leaves and tendrils. The artist signed it as “Reed.”

Because the set is a family heirloom, I would never sell it, but I would like to know what it is worth.

Tressemanes and Vogt Porcelain Factory is located in Limoges, France.

A: Tressemanes and Vogt Porcelain Factory used this mark. They have produced porcelain in Limoges, France, since 1883. Based on your information, your set was painted by an amateur artist on china blanks made by Tressemanes and Vogt. China painting was a popular hobby around the turn of the 20th century.

Your punch bowl set would probably be worth $3,000 to $3,500.

Antiques expert and columnist Anne McCollam has recently retired and no longer receives inquiries nor answers reader letters. Due to the popularity of her column, this publication will continue to reprint previous columns of interest to our readers.

To find out more about Anne McCollam and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com

COPYRIGHT 2022 CREATORS.COM leaving every boat in the harbor resting on the sea bottom. All the other boats with V-shaped hulls ended up lying on their sides, while the flat-bottomed Wateree sat comfortably upright on the mud. Soon the sea rushed back as a large tsunami wave. All the ships were suddenly thrashed around, rolling over and breaking up, but the Wateree remained upright and rode the tide inland, scraping the tops of the city’s trees and rooftops until it was deposited, unharmed, in a residential neighborhood almost two miles inland.

● On Feb. 19, 1473, Nicolaus Copernicus is born in Torun, Poland, on the Vistula River. Revered as the father of modern astronomy, Copernicus was the first European scientist to propose that Earth and other planets revolve around the sun.

● On Feb. 22, 1819, Spanish minister Do Luis de Onis and U.S. Secretary of State John Quincy Adams sign the Florida Purchase Treaty, in which Spain agrees to cede the remainder of its old province of Florida to the United States. The Treaty put Florida into U.S. hands at no cost beyond the U.S. assumption of $5 million in claims by U.S. citizens against Spain.

● On Feb. 21, 1926, glamorous Swedish actress Greta Garbo makes her U.S. screen debut in "The Torrent." Unlike many of her contemporaries, the Nordic beauty successfully made the transition to sound after becoming a star during the silent film era.

● On Feb. 18, 1964, the United States cuts off military assistance to Britain, France and Yugoslavia in retaliation for their continuing trade with communist Cuba. The action was chiefly symbolic, but represented the continued U.S. effort to destabilize the Cuban regime of Fidel Castro.

● On Feb. 20, 1974, Reg Murphy, an editor of The Atlanta Constitution, is kidnapped. Kidnapper William Williams drove Murphy around the city, stopping to phone in ransom demands to the newspaper. Managing editor G. James Minter delivered the money to Williams, and Murphy was released. After being caught, Williams was sentenced to 40 years for kidnapping and extortion.

● On Feb. 16, 1984, Bill Johnson becomes the first American man to win an Olympic gold medal in downhill skiing, a sport long dominated by European athletes. Johnson quickly became a national hero, though his fame was short-lived and he never again competed in the Olympics.

● On Feb. 17, 1996, in the final game of a six-game match, world chess champion Garry Kasparov triumphs over Deep Blue, IBM's chess-playing computer, and wins the match, 4-2. However, Deep Blue would go on to defeat Kasparov in a rematch the following year.

© 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.

What would you call a group of certain small flatfish that start a company together?

Co-flounders.

"Of all the places in the world to have a romantic picnic together, you have to choose a driving range!!"

• In 1952, an Air Force captain was in a cargo plane over Korea when he accidentally fell out of the open rear cargo door. Just as he was trying to pull the ripcord on his parachute, the plane hit a sudden strong downdraft and dropped rapidly. The free-falling captain tumbled back into the plane through the same door he had just fallen out of.

• During the bombing of London in World War II, a pretty young lady was taking a bath when her home was directly hit by a bomb. The bathtub was thrown in the air and landed upside-down in the yard with the girl trapped underneath, sheltering her from falling debris and collapsing rubble. Later, rescuers later digging through the ruins looking for survivors were quite startled to discover a naked girl, shivering but basically unharmed, under the bathtub.

• Shigeyoshi Morimoto lived in Nagasaki, Japan but was working at a job in Hiroshima. He was in a store less than 900 yards from ground zero when the first atomic bomb exploded over Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The building's thick stone walls offered him shelter from the ensuing heat blast and immense shockwave. He quickly left the devastated city and hurried to his home in Nagasaki, arriving three days later. As he was describing his terrifying bomb experience to his wife, to his horror he saw another bright flash out the window. He quickly shoved his family into the cellar, only seconds before the enormous blast leveled his home. Incredibly, Morimoto had survived the devastation of two atomic bomb blasts! �