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Page 16 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2021 Baker-Polito Administration kicks off statewide small business tour LT. Governor Karyn Polito joined Housing and Economic Development Secretary Michael Kennealy and local business, community and municipal leaders on the fi rst stop of a statewide small business and downtown conversation tour. The purpose of the tour is to celebrate the Commonwealth’s reopening and discuss the Administration’s $2.9 billion proposal for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to jumpstart the Commonwealth’s economic recovery, including $450 million for economic development. “Our plan for ARPA funding will provide immediate relief to help the Commonwealth’s main streets and downtowns recover from the COVID-19 pandemic in a sustainable way,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Our goal with this tour is to hear directly from business owners in communities hit the hardest and highlight the once-in-a-generation opportunity to make a signifi cant impact for so many in need.” “Small businesses are fundamental to the character of our downtowns and main streets and our proposal to use federal funding targets the communities and neighborhoods hit the hardest to ensure an equitable recovery,” said Polito. “We look forward to getting back out into communities across the state to engage with and work with our partners at the local level in order to restart and re-energize Massachusetts’ economy.” The tour, which officially launched today, will continue throughout the summer and will stop at approximately two dozen city and town centers across Massachusetts. Each stop will include a tour of downtown and main street businesses and a roundtable conversation with business owners, community leaders, and state and local offi - cials to engage directly on how the Administration can continue to off er necessary support for economic recovery. While Massachusetts is known as a global leader in industries such as life sciences and the innovation economy, research conducted by the US Small Business Administration found that prior to the pandemic; more than 45 percent of the entire Commonwealth’s workforce was employed by a small business. “COVID-19 created unprecedented economic pressure on the small business community across Massachusetts,” said Kennealy. “As we continue taking steps to put the eff ects of this virus behind us, our proposal to direct $2.9 billion to existing, proven programs will accelerate the Commonwealth’s economic recovery with a focus on equity and sustainability.” In June, the Baker-Polito Administration fi led a plan to put $2.9 billion of Commonwealth’s direct federal aid from the American Rescue Plan Act to use immediately through existing, proven programs to support key recovery priorities including housing and homeownership, economic development and local downtowns, job training and workforce development, health care, and infrastructure. The proposal expressly targets support for lower-wage workers and communities of color. Included in the Administration’s plan is $450 million for economic development. Of that total, $100 million will be allocated specifi cally for downtown development to concentrate economic growth activities, resources, and investments within local neighborhood areas in municipalities disproportionally impacted by COVID; $250 million will support investments and regional collaboration aimed at invigorating downtowns and main streets throughout Massachusetts; and, $100 million will be designated for eff orts to support cultural facilities and tourism assets throughout Massachusetts. During the pandemic, the Administration established the largest state-sponsored business relief program in the nation that distributed approximately $705 million in direct fi - nancial assistance to over 15,000 small businesses throughout the Commonwealth. That program, which was administered by the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation, awarded grants based on a combination factors including demographic priorities, businesses operating in the sectors most heavily impacted by the pandemic and in Gateway Cities, to ensure funding was distributed equitably throughout Massachusetts. Over the course of the program, 43 percent of grants were awarded to minority-owned businesses, and 46 percent of grants went to women-owned businesses. International Faculty Returns to Brandeis/Israel for Intensive Summer Program The Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University resumes Summer Institute for Israel Studies after pandemic hiatus T he long-running Summer Institute for Israel Studies (SIIS), a competitive faculty fellowship that examines the subject of Israel in all its complexity, is resuming after postponing its 2020 program. When the Covid-19 pandemic precluded travel and gatherings last summer, organizers opted to postpone to 2021, rather than move the program online. Now in its 17th year, SIIS is the fl agship program of the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA. The fellowship prepares professors across the country and around the world to teach about Israel in a nuanced way, grounded in rigorous scholarship, rather than polemics The intensive program begins on the Brandeis campus with a multidisciplinary two-week seminar exploring multiple perspectives on Israeli society, politics and culture. During their Brandeis residency, participants draft a syllabus to teach at their home institution. This year’s group represents disciplines ranging from dance, art and visual culture, to business, literature, religious studies, sociology and comparative politics. Next, fellows travel to Israel for an immersive 10-day study tour. There they engage with Jewish and Arab intellectuals, politicians and community leaders, encountering diverse voices and viewpoints. The 2021 fellows have just begun their Israel study tour. Schusterman Center director Jonathan D. Sarna, said he is thrilled SIIS participants will be able to meet in person. “Never has teaching about Israel been more SIIS | SEE Page 17 The Hidden Dangers of Sleep Apnea Dear Savvy Senior, How can you know when someone has sleep apnea? My husband has become such a terrible snorer that he wakes himself up at night, and he keeps me up too. Tired Teri Dear Teri, If your husband is a loud snorer who wakes himself up during sleep, he probably needs to be tested for sleep apnea, a dangerous disorder that aff ects more than 22 million Americans, but often goes undiagnosed. Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes a person to stop breathing during sleep, hundreds of times during the night, for 10 seconds or more at a time. Left untreated, it can cause extreme daytime sleepiness, as well as a host of serious health conditions like high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, diabetes and dementia. In fact, it’s estimated that every year, around 38,000 Americans die in their sleep from a heart attack or stroke because of sleep apnea. But the good news is that sleep apnea is very treatable and most insurance companies, including Medicare, cover it. Who Has It? There are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central and mixed. Of the three, obstructive sleep apnea (or OSA) is by far the most common and occurs when the throat muscles relax during sleep, blocking the airway. While anyone can have it, sleep apnea is most common in people who are overweight, male, middle-aged and older. For women, the risk increases after menopause. The symptoms include loud snoring (however not everyone who snores has apnea), long pauses of breathing, gasping or choking during sleep and daytime drowsiness. But because most of these symptoms happen during sleep, most people don’t recognize them. It’s usually the person they’re sleeping with who notices it. Diagnosing Sleep Apnea To help you get a handle on your husband’s problem, the American Sleep Apnea Association has several diagnostic tests he can take at SleepApnea.org/ treat – click on “Test Yourself.” If the screening indicates that he may have sleep apnea, make an appointment with his doctor or a sleep specialist who will probably recommend an overnight diagnostic sleep test called polysomnography, which can take place at a sleep center lab (see SleepEducation. com), or at home using a portable device. Treatment Options Your husband is at greater risk for sleep apnea if he’s overweight, smokes, and/or consumes excessive amounts of alcohol. Excess weight, especially around the neck, puts pressure on the airway, which can cause it to collapse. Smoking can increase the amount of infl ammation and fl uid retention in the upper airway. And alcohol and sleeping pills can relax the muscles in the back of his throat, interfering with breathing. Addressing these issues, if necessary, is usually the fi rst line of treatment. If that doesn’t do the trick, mild cases of sleep apnea may respond to oral devices that fi t into the mouth like a removable mouth guard or retainer. These devices work by positioning the lower jaw slightly forward to keep the airway open during sleep. Another noninvasive treatment option to consider is the new FDA approved eXciteOSA device (eXciteOSA.com). This treats sleep apnea and snoring by improving tongue muscle function by delivering electrical stimulation to the tongue through a mouthpiece that’s worn for just 20 minutes during the day. If none of these options work, the most effective and commonly prescribed treatment for OBA is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. This involves sleeping with a snorkel-like mask that’s hooked up to a machine that gently blows air up the nose to keep the passages open. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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