THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023 Page 15 candidates — particularly unsung heroes — to cast a public spotlight on. So, the Editor’s Choice this week goes to a newborn, sixth generation Saugonian — Leila Capano Cross — who was born on Feb. 21, weighing in at 8 pounds and 4 ounces. She is the second child of Mike and Gabriela Cross. Her sister, Luciana, was born on March 16, 2021. They are both sixth-generation Saugonians and the granddaughters of Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano, who received congratulations from his selectmen colleagues when the announcement was made at Tuesday night’s meeting. “Nothing I like better than being a grandfather and now I have another one,” Cogliano told his board members. Excessive recesses If you look at the video on the Saugus TV website for Tuesday night’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting, it looked like the meeting lasted just under 50 minutes. But it actually took an hour and 38 minutes to complete the meeting because of three recesses that were called, which totaled about 48 minutes. With an otherwise light agenda, the meeting nearly doubled timewise because the board was at the mercy of time slots for several public hearings. Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano suggested the board would be better off in eliminating specifi c time slots on the agenda. Want to “Shout Out” a fellow Saugonian? This is an opportunity for our paper’s readers to single out — in a brief mention — remarkable acts or achievements by Saugus residents or an act of kindness or a nice gesture. Just send an email (mvoge@comcast. net) with a mention in the subject line of “An Extra Shout Out.” No more than a paragraph; anything longer might lend itself to a story and/or a photo. Legion breakfasts on Friday mornings Saugus American Legion Post 210 hosts its popular breakfasts from 8-9 a.m. on Fridays. The Legion requests a donation of $8 from those who are looking for a delicious meal at Legion Hall. The Legion also welcomes veterans who can’t aff ord the meal to enjoy a free breakfast. Bon appétit! Shakespeare play hits Saugus stage The Theatre Company of Saugus (TCS) presents “The Comedy of Errors,” one of William Shakespeare’s most popular plays. Performances are the fi rst two weekends of March 2023. “The Comedy of Errors” is a farce about two sets of identical twins who were separated in a shipwreck shortly after birth. Now adults, Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant, Dromio of Syracuse, arrive in the town of Ephesus, which happens to be where their long-lost twins, Antipholus of Ephesus and Dromio of Ephesus, live. When the Syracusan twins encounter the friends and families of their siblings, a series of mishaps based on mistaken identity result in wrongful beatings, a near-seduction, the arrest of the Ephesian twins and false accusations of infi delity, theft, madness and demonic possession. Eventually it all gets sorted out! TCS is pleased to have Waltham resident Francine Davis as the director of the show and a troupe of talented actors from all over the North Shore of Massachusetts. TCS welcomes some performers new to the group: Reading resident Bryan Deroo asAntipholus of Syracuse, Ryan Marchant from Arlington as Antipholus of Ephesus, Amanda Flicop of Malden as Adriana, David Lee Vincent of Newburyport as the Duke, Roland “Boot” Boutwell of Winchester as Egeon, Shelove Duperior of Malden as the Courtesan and Olga Karasik-Updike of Newbury as the Foreign Merchant. TCS welcomes some returning veterans of its stage to the show: Billy Jenkins of Stoneham as Dromio of Ephesus, Vi Patch of Wakefi eld asDromio of Syracuse, John Leonard of Andover as the Map Seller, Kaycee Renee Wilson of Brighton asLuciana, Kathy Rapino of Saugus as the Abbess, Larry Segel of Winthrop as Angelo and Sherri Wilcauskas of Middleton as Nell. Lauren Lyon of Natick is the stage manager. Performances of “The Comedy of Errors” are on March 3-4-5 and 10-11-12, 2023, on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and at Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets purchased at the door are $22-$24. Tickets purchased in advance are $19-$21 — online at TCSaugus.org/tickets. The venue is the American Legion Post 210 at 44 Taylor St. in Saugus, Mass. The performance space is not wheelchair accessible, but it does feature a bar serving alcoholic and soft drinks. Snacks and raffle tickets are available for purchase before the show and during intermission. For more information, see the TCS website at TCSaugus.org. Compost/Recycling DropOff Site open tomorrow The Town of Saugus Compost/Recycling Drop-Off Site is closed for the winter season. But the site will reopen for recycling, weather permitting, on Saturday, March 18, 2023, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please contact Scott Brazis, Director of Solid Waste/Recycling, at 781-2314036 with any questions. by Jim Miller What’s happening at the Saugus Public Library For schoolchildren looking for interesting projects and programs to participate in this fall, there’s plenty to do at the Saugus Public Library. There are some very good programs offered for grownups, too. Join our Teen Advisory Board: first Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Teen Room; Grades 5 and up; meet with the Teen Librarian once a month to talk about what you’d like for programs and materials at the library. Your opinion matters! No registration required. Snacks provided! sauguspubliclibrary.org — 781-231-4168. A neat teen group called Manga & Anime Club: The Manga & Anime Club, from all accounts, is a lot of fun for kids in Grades 6 and up. So, if you are curious, check out the Teen Room. Chat with friends! Make crafts! Try Japanese snacks! Club meetings will continue on Saturdays through May from 10-11 a.m. They will be held on March 4, April 1 and May 13. Please sign up in advance; call 781-2314168 or stop by the Reference Desk (https://www.sauguspubliclibrary.org/new-manga-animeclub.../) —/ Saugus Public Library, 295 Central St., Saugus, Mass.) Adult Coloring Group: Come relax with the continuing Adult Coloring Group. It’s a great opportunity to take time to unwind, be creative and have fun — no experience necessary! There are pencils and coloring pages ready and waiting. See you there! Space is limited; please call 781-231-4168 x 3106 to register. When: Wednesday, March 8, at 10 a.m. Where: Saugus Public Library, 295 Central St., Saugus, Brooks Room on the second fl oor. First Baptist Church presents “Can We Talk…” First Baptist Church Pastor Leroy Mahoney invites troubled people to join others in a special program called “Can We Talk … Community conversations on Trauma and Healing” the fi rst Thursday of every month from 6 to 7 p.m. at Rev. Isaac Mitchell Jr. Fellowship Hall (105 Main St. in Saugus). “Join us as we gather in community to share our stories, thoughts and feelings about whatever you are going through,” Rev. Mahoney states in a written announcement. “As always, it is a safe space to come together in community,” he says. THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 16 Could You Have a Thyroid Problem and Not Know It? Dear Savvy Senior, What are the symptoms of thyroid disease? I’ve been dealing with a number of health issues over the past few years, and a friend of mine recently suggested I get my thyroid checked because it might be causing my problems. Almost 66 What to Know The thyroid is a small butterfl y-shaped gland located at the base of your neck that has a huge job. It produces hormones (called T3 and T4) that help regulate the rate of many of your body’s activities, from how quickly you burn calories to how fast your heart beats. It also infl uences the function of the brain, liver, kidneys and skin. If the gland is underactive and doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones, it causes body systems to slow down. If it’s overactive, and churns out too much thyroid, it has the opposite effect, speeding up the body’s processes. The symptoms for an underactive thyroid (also known as hypothyroidism) – the most common thyroid disorder in older adults – will vary but may include fatigue and weakness, unexplained weight gain, increased sensitivity to cold, constipation, joint pain, a puff y face, hoarseness, thinning hair, muscle stiffness, dry skin and depression. Some patients may even develop an enlarged thyroid (goiter) at the base of the neck. However, in older adults, it can cause other symptoms like memory impairment, loss of appetite, weight loss, falls or even incontinence. And the symptoms of an overactive thyroid (or hyperthyroidism) may include a rapid heart rate, anxiety, irritability, fatigue, insomnia, increased appetite, weight loss, tremors of the hand, frequent bowel movements, sweating, as well as an enlarged thyroid gland. Too much thyroid can also cause atrial fi brillation, aff ect blood pressure and decrease bone density, which increases the risk of osteoporosis. Those with the greatest risk of developing thyroid disorders are women who have a family history of the disease. Other factors that can trigger thyroid problems include: autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s or Graves disease; thyroid surgery; radiation treatments to the neck or upper chest; and certain medications including interferon alpha and interleukin-2 cancer medications, amiodarone heart medication and lithium for bipolar disorder. Get Tested If you have any of the aforementioned symptoms, or if you’ve had previous thyroid problems or notice a lump in the base of your neck, ask your doctor to check your thyroid levels. The TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) blood test is used to diagnosis thyroid disorders but depending on what they fi nd, additional blood tests may be necessary. If you are diagnosed with a thyroid problem, it’s easily treated. Standard treatment for hypothyroidism involves daily use of the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine (Levothroid, Synthroid and others), which is an oral medication that restores adequate hormone levels. And treatments for hyperthyroidism may include an anti-thyroid medication such as methimazole and propylthiouracil, which blocks the production of thyroid hormones. Another option is radioactive iodine, which is taken orally and destroys the overactive thyroid cells and causes the gland to shrink. But this can leave the thyroid unable to produce any hormone and it’s likely that you’ll eventually become hypothyroid and need to start taking thyroid medication. For more information on thyroid disorders, visit the American Thyroid Association at Thyroid.org. 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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