05/04/2018 ISSUE 18

May 4, 2018 | Volume 5, Issue 18 Newsstand Price: $1.00

YOUR LOCAL NEWS SOURCE FOR INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
For breaking news visit VeroNews.com

PAGE B2 7 B2MOTOR RACING LEGEND CHILDREN’S ART FEST PAGE 10
HOBBS PENS MEMOIR IS BIG HIT AT MUSEUM
MALL CONTINUES TO BAN B6
UNACCOMPANIED TEENS

MY TAKE SEBASTIAN RIVER GETS FAILING GRADE FOR HOSPITAL SAFETY Drug-dealing
doctor facing
BY RAY MCNULTY life in prison

How did tire theft scheme By Beth Walton | Staff Writer
pass unnoticed by county?
A federal magistrate was intro-
If now-retired Emergency Ser- PHOTOS: GORDON RADFORD duced to two sides of Dr. Johnny
vices Assistant Chief Brian Bur- Benjamin six months ago as he
keen did what sheriff’s detectives By Michelle Genz | Staff Writer reporting nationally, only 1 er, Steward Health Care, which contemplated whether the sur-
and state prosecutors say he did [email protected] percent got F ratings, and only took over in February 2017. geon, facing felony criminal drug
– if he is found guilty of first-de- two of those were in Florida. charges, should be granted pre-
gree grand theft for charging Sebastian River Medical The failing grade, the low- trial release.
nearly $300,000 worth of tires to Center scored an “F” in the Most of the data going into est possible score, included
the county’s accounts and selling Leapfrog Group’s Safety Grade, the score came from 2014 and the worst rate of patient falls There was the Vero Beach phy-
them for profit – then he deserves the largest hospital safety sur- 2015, when the hospital was among the 2,500 hospitals sur- sician held in high esteem by his
to spend some serious time in jail. vey in the nation. According to owned by Community Health veyed – 1.767 falls per 1,000 neighbors and peers, a respect-
Leapfrog, of the 2,500 hospitals Systems, not its current own- ed community member with no
That part is simple. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 children of his own who once
What’s a bit more complicated offered to help pay for a high
is this: If the allegations are true, Next targets for possible sale: water-sewer and trash school valedictorian’s college ed-
how was Burkeen able to perpe- ucation after hearing about her
trate a scheme of this magnitude financial struggle.
over a period of at least three and
a half years without anyone get- And then there was the
ting suspicious? debt-stricken doctor who abused
How did he get all those Good- his privilege and profession for
year invoices past his boss, John personal and monetary gain.
King, the county’s Emergency This man took advantage of
Services Chief, who was sup- America’s opioid addiction and
posed to sign off on them? supplied toxic painkillers to us-
How could County Adminis- ers on the street with little regard
trator Jason Brown and his pre- for human life.
decessor, Joe Baird, not notice the
purchase of all those tires and not CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 IN CUSTODY

INSIDE Cops arrest suspect in
jewelry theft: Page 7
NEWS 1-8 PETS 14 By Lisa Zahner | Staff Writer
DINING B10 [email protected]
HEALTH 9 GAMES B17
CALENDAR B20 Utility activists Dr. Stephen Faherty and
REAL ESTATE 15 Glenn Heran think Vero should not only get out
B1 of the electric business, but that the city should
ARTS sell its water-sewer system to Indian River
County and turn solid waste collection over to
To advertise call: 772-559-4187 a private company.
For circulation or where to pick up
your issue call: 772-226-7925 It’s all about economies of scale, Moorings
resident Faherty and CPA and South Vero res-
PHOTO: GORDON RADFORD ident Heran say in a PowerPoint presentation
prepared for the May 1 City Council meeting.

Councilman Val Zudans sponsored putting
the matter on the agenda. It’s his general posi-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

© 2016 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved.

2 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS www.veronews.com

MY TAKE feeble attempt at spin we’re getting from went undetected for so long. mine if other people are involved in this
the county, which didn’t notice anything He wrote that such purchases require case and if anyone else is criminally cul-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 unusual until this year, when one of King’s pable.”
assistants flagged an excessive number of “multiple signature authority,” adding
get curious enough to ask about them? tires purchased during the first weeks of that King also “had to sign off” on them. Meanwhile, despite his defense of cur-
How did these expenditures not get 2018. Instead of assigning blame to the chief, rent protocols, Brown said he and his staff
however, Brown seemed to praise him. are reassessing the county’s internal con-
questioned by the county’s Office of Man- King, who retired Monday, alerted the Not for doing anything extraordinary, trol procedures with the purpose of mak-
agement & Budget, or the county’s inde- sheriff’s office on Feb. 27, and detectives but for doing what he should have done ing the improvements necessary to pre-
pendent external auditors, or anyone in immediately launched an investigation in that situation – call the cops when he vent similar thefts in the future.
the offices of Jeff Smith, the county’s Clerk that resulted in Burkeen’s arrest on March finally noticed what was going on and sus-
of the Circuit Court, which under Florida 26. pected a crime had been committed. Brown also wrote: “We will take every
statutes serves as the county’s comptroller measure available to the county to recover
and is responsible for reviewing the coun- “The county has numerous internal Brown continued to embrace that misappropriated taxpayer dollars.”
ty’s finances? controls in place to ensure good over- we-did-what-we-were-supposed-to-do
sight of taxpayer dollars,” Brown wrote theme throughout his responses, citing That is a good thing – as long as the
Clearly, the system set up to prevent last month in an emailed response to this the required reviews of all invoices by the county goes after the right people.
such shady dealings failed, and so did the newspaper’s inquiries regarding Burkeen’s county’s OMB and the finance division of
people manning that system – despite the alleged theft and how the tire purchases the clerk’s office, as well as the annual au- If Burkeen is guilty, go after him, even if
dits done by an independent external firm it means taking his pension to make res-
hired by the county. titution. If sheriff’s detectives and state
prosecutors identify and arrest others
He stated that, in addition to the who were in on the alleged scheme, go af-
law-enforcement investigation, the coun- ter them, too.
ty staff, clerk’s office and independent ex-
ternal auditors have conducted their own As for Goodyear, the county on Monday
re-examination of the tire purchases. hadn’t yet paid the $28,000 it owes for that
last batch of tires, citing concerns about
“The auditors have informed staff that missing information on the invoices.
they deem our internal controls ade-
quate.” In a Feb. 26 letter to the Goodyear Auto
Service Center on 58th Avenue, King dis-
Oh, really? puted the bill, writing that the invoices
Then how, if the allegations against provided “no information identifying the
him are true, was Burkeen able to steal vehicle year, make or mileage.”
$288,000 worth of tires from the county
between June 2014 and February 2018 and In a follow-up letter on March 7, King
sell them privately at a discount for cash? again disputed the invoices, which he
How did those “internal controls” not called “improper,” and refused payment,
catch the $28,000 in tires Burkeen alleged- writing that the company could “chal-
ly purchased in a span of only 20 days lenge” his decision by appealing to Brown.
earlier this year, or set off an alarm when
the funds the county had designated to Brown denied the appeal, saying Good-
pay Goodyear in fiscal 2018, which runs year still hadn’t provided the required in-
through September, were already deplet- formation on the invoices, and the com-
ed in January? pany was expected to appeal Brown’s
Why, despite all the internal reviews of decision to the county commission at
invoices and external audits of expendi- Tuesday’s meeting.
tures, didn’t anyone notice that many of
the tires purchased from the Vero Beach “I have some questions about wheth-
Goodyear stores weren’t the right size to er someone at the Goodyear store knows
fit the vehicles in the Emergency Services more than we’ve been told,” Brown said
Department’s fleet? Monday. “The tires we purchase for
Shouldn’t King have suspected some- fire-rescue vehicles are always mounted,
thing was wrong sooner, knowing that the because we don’t have the equipment to
department didn’t need all those tires? mount and balance them, [but] the tires in
And what about the people who bought question were all loose tires.
the allegedly ill-gotten tires from Burkeen,
particularly his coworkers in the county’s “Before we pay the bill, I need to be sat-
Fire Rescue division? isfied that there wasn’t some involvement
Didn’t any of them wonder why he was by someone at the Goodyear store, either
able to offer such bargains? Or was it sim- on the purchasing or mounting end.”
ply that they didn’t care, as long as they
were getting a deal? If detectives find that someone at
Did any of them suspect something Goodyear was involved in the alleged
was amiss but, fearing a backlash at their theft, then that person should be arrested
workplace, choose to remain silent – at and prosecuted, too. But even if someone
least until the sheriff’s office began inves- at Goodyear was connected to the alleged
tigating? crime, the county must accept the bulk of
For the record: Detectives and prosecu- the blame.
tors said they have no reason to believe, at
this point, that any of the buyers knew the If law-enforcement accounts are ac-
tires were stolen. Similarly, they said they curate, it was Burkeen, a high-ranking,
had found no evidence that any Goodyear long-serving county employee, who
employees were aware of Burkeen’s al- placed the orders and picked up the tires.
leged scheme.
But State Attorney Bruce Colton said It was King, the head of a high-profile
the investigation is continuing to “deter- county agency, who signed off of the pur-
chases without questioning numbers that
didn’t make sense.

It was the county administration, along
with the court clerk’s office, that trusted
the wrong man, failing to notice anything
was wrong and allowing these purchases
to continue for at least three and a half
years. 

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS May 4, 2018 3

SEBASTIAN RIVER HOSPITAL porate-wide chief medical officer who is seen reductions in the incidence of in- and private rooms at Sebastian River
based at the company’s headquarters in juries and infections occurring once a will contribute to better safety scores in
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Quincy, Massachusetts, was optimistic patient is admitted to the three hospi- the years ahead. Another “milestone,”
about improvements at Sebastian, based tals. “We have reduced hospital acquired according to Weinstein, is the pending
patients. The average hospital showed .37 on the grades of the system’s nine Massa- infections and hospital acquired con- implementation of Meditech medical re-
falls per thousand. It also showed a prob- chusetts hospitals: Three A’s, four B’s, one ditions including falls,” he said. “We’ve cords software, that includes computer-
lem with dangerous bed sores, with a rate C, and one rural hospital that lacked the implemented processes to increase the ized ordering of medications. The lack of
three times the average. volume of data to be graded. frequency of handwashing.” that software earned Sebastian another
worst-in-nation grade.
And in a category of errors known as “I’ve been with Steward in this role for Weinstein, a cardiologist who has worked
“never” events – mistakes so horrible they two years, and we have almost always in healthcare for 30 years, became Steward’s Prescribing with software can automat-
should never be made – Sebastian scored been able to improve the quality of the chief medical officer around the time Se- ically check for dosage errors or conflicts
in the red zone on its incidence of dan- hospitals we’ve acquired.” bastian River and the two Brevard County with other medications. Sebastian scored
gerous objects being left in a patient’s hospitals were acquired. Since then, merg- a dismal 5 in the area of problems with
body. The worst-performing hospital in The data for Sebastian River is “remark- ers expanded the system to the largest pri- prescription medicines; the best hospital
the nation had a rate of .397 per thousand ably low,” he said. “[But] a lot of what vate hospital operator in the nation. surveyed scored 100. The average score
patients discharged; pre-Steward Sebas- Leapfrog looks at is in the rearview mir- was 80.8. On the plus side, using more
tian’s rate wasn’t much better: .320. The ror. The data is important from three or He said the current construction of a
average rate was .022 per thousand. four or five years ago, but really doesn’t large patient tower with operating rooms CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
reflect what the hospital looks like today.”
Indian River Medical Center’s rate for
the objects left in bodies post-surgery was “I wish the data were more current,”
also much higher than average: .121 per said the Hospital District’s Jones.
thousand patients.
Weinstein said all three hospitals Stew-
Indian River earned a C Leapfrog rat- ard Health acquired in Florida last year
ing, down from a B last year. – Sebastian River, Rockledge Regional
and Melbourne Regional hospitals – are
“Disappointing scores for both, though making “significant progress” in safety
terrible for SRMC,” said Allen Jones, an with new strategies implemented under
elected Hospital District trustee and a Steward. Both Brevard hospitals saw their
major proponent of metrics as a tool to Leapfrog scores go down in the current
improve health care. Looking at the data, ranking, from C’s to D’s, based mainly on
he noticed that while Sebastian River had data prior to Steward’s takeover.
problems with patient outcomes, Indian
River did significantly better in that arena. “When we acquired these hospitals,
Both hospitals had problems with inade- we went through a lot of time and effort
quate nursing staff, communication with making sure these quality measures are in
patients and leadership to prevent errors. place. I don’t want to say it wasn’t in place,
but we have re-invigorated all the efforts.”
Dr. Joseph Weinstein, Steward’s cor-
Weinstein says Steward has already

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4 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS www.veronews.com

SEBASTIAN RIVER HOSPITAL Other nearby Florida hospitals also had spring 2017. It last earned an A in 2015.
less than stellar Leapfrog scores. Two other smaller Health First hospi-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
In Fort Pierce, Lawnwood Regional tals in Brevard County earned A safety
recent data collected mostly on Steward’s Medical Center scored a C. That hospital grades: Viera Hospital, which has 85 beds,
watch, Sebastian River got a perfect score is owned by HCA. and Palm Bay, which has 155 beds.
– 100 – on efforts to track and reduce risks
to patients. Even Cleveland Clinic Florida, now in Taken together, Florida’s hospitals
negotiations to take over IRMC, saw a dip stayed about the same in the Leapfrog
That was just a few points higher than on its safety report card. The Weston hos- ratings, falling one notch in its state
the average among responding hospitals pital scored a B, down from an A grade. rankings, from 23rd to 24th, just below
– 97; the worst hospital score was 25. Pennsylvania. There was only a fractional
Two other hospitals looking to join decrease in the number of Grade A hospi-
The score measures hospital leaders’ Cleveland Clinic’s system, Martin Health tals in Florida – just over 30 percent. The
efforts to learn from past mistakes, zero- and Boca Raton Regional Hospital, both states with the largest number of hospi-
ing in on problem areas and taking steps scored C’s. tals scoring an A in safety were Hawaii,
to prevent issues from recurring includ- Idaho and Rhode Island.
ing assessing risk zones and providing Holmes Regional Hospital, part of the
staff training. Health First system, got a C in the lat- The effort to grade hospitals on safety
est assessment, the same safety score it is not without controversy, and old data
received in fall of 2017. It earned a B in is not the only problem. Still, the issue
of medical errors is an urgent one, and
clearly difficult to wrangle. According to
a widely cited 2016 Johns Hopkins study,
medical error kills an estimated 250,000
people a year, making it third in adult
causes of death after heart attacks and
cancer. Johns Hopkins investigators have
called the problem “an underrecognized
epidemic” that goes beyond surgical er-
rors and infections.

“It’s healthcare gone awry,” said Dr.
Martin Makary, professor of surgery and
health policy at Johns Hopkins University
School of Medicine and a lead author of
the study.

After decades of letting states try to
curb the problem, the federal govern-
ment stepped in around 2012 and built
Medicare reimbursement penalties for
bad safety scores into the Affordable Care
Act. This year, the Center for Medicare
and Medicaid Services, known as CMS,
cut the funding of 751 hospitals for hav-
ing poor safety records. More than 3,300
were examined by CMS.

CMS penalized 47 Florida hospitals for
fiscal year 2017, a more than 50 percent
increase over 2016 and 2015.

As the focus on safety has intensified,
the number of survey companies like
Leapfrog has expanded, and inconsisten-
cies in results have fueled complaints from
hospitals questioning methodologies.

A 2015 academic study led by J. Mat-
thew Austin of Johns Hopkins and pub-
lished in Health Affairs looked at overlap
among the top four consumer-targeted
hospital rating services and found that
out of 844 hospitals surveyed, no single
hospital scored at the top level in all four
national ratings.

Of those scored high-performing by
one rating service, only 10 percent were
scored high-performing by any of the oth-
er rating services. The lack of agreement
was “likely explained by the fact that each
system uses its own rating methods, has a
different focus to its ratings, and stresses
different measures of performance.”

While complaints about both safety
and safety ratings continue, patient advo-
cate groups laud changes that have taken
place and say hospital executives are ad-
dressing safety issues with greater inten-
sity. 

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6 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS www.veronews.com

School Board won’t seek bids for outside lawyer Students get another online tutor

By Kathleen Sloan | Staff Writer “Money is not an issue for me. Lawsuits are millions,” By Kathleen Sloan | Staff Writer
[email protected] Simchick said. [email protected]

The School Board is sticking with its current general D’Agresta is representing the board in the desegrega- The Indian River County School Board just approved yet an-
counsel instead of getting bids for its legal work, despite tion order and shouldn’t be pulled off “the most import- other online learning program without asking even basic ques-
the efforts of one member. ant lawsuit” the district is litigating. Not until D’Agresta tions, this time for high school students scoring in the lower
was hired did the board start addressing the 50-year-old ranges on state reading tests.
Laura Zorc appears to be the only board member con- problem, Simchick said.
cerned with the large fees the district pays each year to The new program is Achieve 3000, which will cost about
its board attorney, Suzanne D’Agresta, her firm earning Simchick asked Zorc point blank, “Are you unhappy $85,000 a year and will be used by 9th- through 12th-graders
about $400,000 a year over the last five years, which in- with this attorney?” and questioned if something had achieving poorly – at level one or two – on the Florida Stan-
cludes her $264,000 yearly retainer. happened recently to make Zorc suggest seeking other dards Assessment in English Language Arts. The new program
counsel. will replace two existing online programs – AimsWeb Plus and
D’Agresta, first hired by the board in 2006, said her fees Smart Horizons – that have a combined cost of $60,000 a year.
have not changed since 2009. “That is not part of this discussion,” Zorc said, remind-
ing Simchick she had brought it up last June and made Smart Horizons is an accredited online school that’s geared
Last June, in an attempt to cut costs, Zorc asked the legal fees a campaign plank after listening to constituent toward helping students pass state tests needed for graduation,
board to issue a “Request for Professional Services” solic- complaints in 2016. “I’m not looking to oust Husch Black- while also getting certified in work programs such as child care,
itation for the post of board attorney or “general counsel,” well, who is handling the desegregation case,” Zorc said. homeland security, and food and hospitality. If students failed
instead of simply rehiring D’Agresta, a discussion that the state tests and couldn’t graduate, they were transferred into
went nowhere. Attorney John Borkowski of Chicago-based Husch Smart Horizons before the end of the year, getting a diploma
Blackwell is the lead attorney in the case, hired about two from the online school, but walking down the aisle with their
When she brought it up again at the April 24 meeting, and a half years ago. As of March 31, the firm has been cohorts getting a standard diploma.
she asked an RFP be issued for several legal services, in- paid about $417,500.
cluding in-house general counsel. The last time the mar- Board members, however, didn’t ask why Smart Horizons
ket was queried to see how much general council services Member Charles Searcy took exception to Simchick’s and AimsWeb Plus are out and the new program is in. No cur-
would cost was 2012, she said, and “we owe it to the pub- interpretation, saying “The fire got lit [to address the de- riculum committee was convened and no report or research
lic to do our due diligence.” segregation order] when a new board came on; it wasn’t supporting selection of Achieve 3000 was shared by Assis-
the attorney.” tant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Pamela
According to Director of Purchasing Jeffrey Carv- Dampier.
er, three other firms submitted proposals in 2012, but For this fiscal year, which started in October, the school
D’Agresta stayed in place. district budget for legal fees is nearly $1 million, with Superintendent Mark Rendell said “It’s similar to i-Ready,”
$300,000 going to the desegregation case. hinting at the reason for Achieve 3000’s adoption.
During the latest discussion, three members waffled as
they had in June. But Dale Simchick, who mildly rebuffed As of March 31, the district had spent about $452,000 of I-Ready was purchased without question by the board for
the idea last summer, gave an impassioned defense for the million, with nearly $220,000 going to Brown Garga- elementary schools two years ago for nearly $300,000 annu-
keeping D’Agresta last week. Several times she said, “I nese Weiss & D’Agresta and $150,000 to Husch Blackwell. ally. Despite bad reviews from teachers, the board expanded
have absolute confidence in our attorney,” adding that an the program to middle schools this school year, adding about
RFP would indicate “a vote of no confidence.” Last year the district paid about $740,000 in legal fees. $200,000 to the yearly expense. 
The year before, the tab was nearly $655,000. 

It’s Time For A Fresh VERO WATER-SEWAGE UTILITY On the trash side, Faherty and Her-
Perspective With New Ideas. an say Vero should liquidate its manual
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 trash collection trucks, shut down its
Secure Our Campuses  Retain Our Teachers solid waste building and fleet services
Scrutinize Superintendent’s Performance tion that the city should take a hard look and use the savings to pay down the
at all of its enterprises and activities to employee pension fund. Since the sol-
Enforce the Discipline Policy  Expand S.T.E.M. Programs seek greater efficiencies, possible part- id waste department has no debt, Her-
Improve Exceptional Student Education nerships or even privatization of services an and Faherty say it could be a clean
Decrease the Amount of Testing if that makes sense for taxpayers. break, and Vero could simply piggyback
on the deal Indian River County struck
H: (772) 794-1327 I C: (786) 512-7017 Selling the water-sewer utility is an two years ago with Waste Management
www.randyheimler.com old idea that cropped up around 2009- for automated trash collection and re-
2010 but was rejected, in part because cycling services.
Paid for by Randy Heimler for School Board District 4 then-Mayor Jay Kramer led the charge
against the sale, saying that the $48 mil- At press time, the presentation had
lion price the county was offering was not even been made yet but had already
akin to highway robbery of the city’s as- drawn major opposition from the Indian
sets. River Neighborhood Association, which
sent an email blast to its members and
The deal also failed to gain traction to the media about renewed efforts to
because – much as Central Beach resi- dispose of the means to provide city ser-
dents want the sewer plant off the river- vices, as well as recent proposals involv-
front – a pricey “optimization study” per- ing the city marina.
formed by GAI Consultants showed that
Vero’s wastewater treatment plant on “These are all valuable assets which
the river had another dozen good years have enhanced the ability of the City to
to function before it was past its useful retain a small town charm with excel-
lifespan. lent services, zoning that protects low
heights and densities and a low tax rate.
More than half of that dozen years – It is a concern that these matters have
which seemed an eternity in 2011 when come forward with almost no public
the study was performed – has now awareness,” said IRNA Board Chair
passed, and in just five years, Big Blue Honey Minuse. Minuse took exception
and the electric substation will be off the to the presentation not being vetted
riverfront and the sewer plant will stick through or even mentioned at an April
out like even more of an eyesore. Some, meeting of the city’s Finance Commis-
like Zudans, want the plant moved off sion. 
the river sooner than later.

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS May 4, 2018 7

Cops nab suspect in jewelry theft from Village Shops

By Lisa Zahner | Staff Writer March 27 during a trunk show. According to court records, the woman town on March 27, the date of the theft at
[email protected] After Shores police put out a be on the asked questions about the neighborhood, the Belle Cose shop and during the time
saying she might buy a house nearby, and frame of the incident.
A tip from a Central Beach resident led to lookout notice on social media with a brief mentioned some recent break-ins in Cen-
the capture and arrest of a woman accused description of the theft and a very clear tral Beach. “It was really strange, she knew Shores police on April 25 presented a
of stealing more than $21,000 worth of jew- surveillance camera image of the yet-un- a lot of details about the break-ins,” the tip- photo lineup to a store employee who pos-
elry from the Belle Cose store in the Village identified Van Dorne, a Club Drive resident ster told police. itively identified Van Dorne as the woman
Shops, and it turns out that she’s wanted in called to say she recognized the blonde he observed in the store looking at jewelry.
California on other criminal charges, ac- woman from an odd encounter in that res- After getting the tip, Shores police con- Based upon all of that, plus various witness
cording to court records and police reports. ident’s front yard and driveway. tacted the Vero Beach Police Department statements and the surveillance footage
for assistance in locating the woman on showing the disappearing jewelry, police
As of press time Monday, 55-year-old The tipster who called police on April Flamevine, and a Vero detective recognized served a search warrant on 610 Flamevine
Dawn Jeannine Van Dorne, who had been 17 said about two weeks prior, she and the woman from calls for service to 610 Drive on April 26, recovered the stolen jew-
living in her parent’s home at 610 Flamevine her husband saw a woman with a small Flamevine Drive in October 2017 and iden- elry and arrested Van Dorne.
Drive, was being held at the Indian River dog, off-leash on their property and brief- tified her as Van Dorne.
County Jail without bond on a Felony Fugi- ly spoke to her. The woman said she lived Van Dorne, who police say also goes by
tive of Justice warrant from California. on Flamevine, west of A1A in her father’s Police then determined that Van Dorne Dawn Jeanine Lake, and who on her book-
house. The reason why the encounter stood had open warrants for her arrest from law ing sheet listed her occupation as “retired,”
Locally, she is facing third-degree grand out to the tipster and her husband was be- enforcement agencies in California. is set to be arraigned on May 23 before
theft charges for allegedly lifting two pink cause the woman came right up into their Judge Cynthia Cox. As of press time, no pri-
tourmaline and diamond rings, valued at driveway near the front door of the home The white Jeep registered to Van Dorne vate defense attorney or public defender is
$15,000 and $6,100, from the top of a dis- and played with her dog and their dog. was also captured on the Shores license listed as counsel for the accused. 
play case at the Belle Cose boutique on plate cameras entering and leaving the

Ban on unaccompanied teens still in effect at Indian River Mall

By Ray McNulty | Staff Writer the first three weeks of April. (The Decem- shoplifting and destroying property. each of the mall’s entrances, states: “If you
[email protected] ber numbers are noticeably higher be- Some posters wrote that they had wit- fail to comply with this Conduct Policy, you
cause of increased mall traffic connected will be asked to leave the property. Refus-
On Feb. 1, the Indian River Mall’s man- to holiday shopping.) nessed physical altercations that prompt- al to leave when asked may result in being
agement adopted a Conduct Policy that ed them to call the sheriff’s office. banned from the Indian River Mall.” 
prohibited teens under age 17 from being The monthly statistics, however, include
on the premises unless they were accom- routine checks, alarms, motor-vehicle ac- The Conduct Policy, which is posted at
panied by a parent or legal guardian. cidents and follow-ups.

Three months later, that policy is still in As for deputies responding to calls relat-
effect. ed to actual incidents and possible crimes
– such as those involving theft, shoplift-
“Nothing has changed – at this moment, ing, harassment, disturbances, suspicious
anyway,” Debbye Hearon, a mall adminis- persons, trespass, burglary, weapons and
trator, said. “We haven’t had time to review drugs – those numbers are down, too.
it. I don’t know when we will.”
There were 70 such calls in November,
The mall’s owner, Michael Kohan, said 106 in December and 75 in January. There
in February that the policy would be re- were only 43 in February and 45 in March.
viewed in 60 days. However, Hearon said
As of midday Monday, there were
management has been “too busy” with only 31 this month.
more pressing matters.
Those numbers do not identify
Besides, she added, the new policy which calls were in response to inci-
seems to be working. dents involving teens, however.

“We’ve had some incidents,” she said, “We didn’t do this for no reason,”
“but it hasn’t been as bad as it was.” Kohan said in February, after mak-
ing the decision to require adult
According to sheriff’s office statistics, in supervision of the 16-and-under
fact, calls-for-service at the mall have de- crowd. “Some things were happen-
creased since the unaccompanied-teen ing and we were receiving com-
policy was implemented. plaints.”

They’ve dropped from 148 in November, Kohan did not offer specifics or
251 in December and 134 in January to 101 cite any specific incidents that prompted
in February, 96 in March and 77 through the mall to implement the policy, but, ap-
parently, far too many unsupervised teens
had been conducting themselves badly
and causing trouble – and the problem was
getting worse.

There were numerous complaints post-
ed on social media outlets, particularly
on Facebook’s Vero Beach Eyes and Ears
Neighborhood Cyber Watch, which pro-
vided detailed examples of teens publicly
using bad language, blatantly disrespect-
ing adults, harassing senior shoppers,

8 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS www.veronews.com

DOCTOR FACES LIFE IN PRISON thousands of deaths. doctor’s pills on the street. Both men plead- Crowley said his wife hurt her back at a
Agents worked with informants to secretly ed guilty and testified for the prosecution country music concert and was prescribed
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 at Benjamin’s trial. “These two individuals oxycodone for pain relief.
record Benjamin discussing large purchases made extremely serious mistakes that result-
Benjamin had “guns galore” at his island of “blues” and “trees,” code words for oxyco- ed in the tragic death of a young woman,” When the family moved to Florida years
home on Painted Bunting Lane, federal pros- done and marijuana. The doctor was caught said Assistant U.S. Attorney John McMillan. later at the height of the state’s pill mill ep-
ecutors alleged, as the doctor stood across on tape accepting thousands of counterfeit “The difference is they have fully acknowl- idemic, however, she had trouble filling her
the courtroom from them weeks after his oxycodone pills that he said he would deliver edged what they did and tried to make prescription, he explained.
Oct. 12 arrest wearing blue prison scrubs and to buyers in the northeast. amends and seek the mercy of the court.”
shackles. A woman is dead because of this She then started getting pain pills from
doctor’s poisonous trade, they said. He is too When he was later stopped at the Mel- This case shows the U.S. government’s Slater, her coworker at an Outback Steak-
dangerous to be allowed to go home. bourne airport with the product, he claimed commitment to ending the opioid crisis, house restaurant.
it was medication for his cancer. McMillan continued. “The jury’s verdict after
The judge, calling the case that day one of listening to the evidence clearly expresses Slater, who called Cowley “a beautiful
the most tragic in his career, agreed, remand- “I felt that he lied,” said juror Shane Kel- their outrage with the conduct of a medical soul,” spoke somberly as he described ac-
ing Benjamin to the custody of U.S. Marshals ly, 26, as he walked out of the federal court- professional who abused his gift.” cidentally selling his friend the fatal dose. “I
as his attorneys prepared for the long trial house alongside another member of the thought she needed them for pain relief,” he
ahead. panel after the seven-day trial. Benjamin stood silently between his law- said. “I believed she was in pain.”
yers as the verdict was read. Unlike during
Last Friday, a jury of 12 sealed Benjamin’s Benjamin said it wasn’t his voice on the re- his detention hearing, the doctor was now Slater testified Stewart had given him the
fate. At the federal courthouse in Fort Lau- corded line, Kelly recalled. His testimony wa- dressed in a pressed white collared shirt and pills to test out a new market, research price
derdale, jurors took less than four hours to vered. He cried as the lawyers made closing navy jacket. The shackles, however, hidden points and find customers. Stewart, he said,
find Benjamin, 52, guilty of five of the seven arguments, but other than that he showed under his khaki pants, remained. was working for a doctor in Vero Beach.
felony counts brought against him. He faces no remorse.
20 years to life in prison. Throughout the trial, West Palm Beach “[Benjamin] was using humans as guinea
It was terribly sad hearing testimony from defense attorney Donnie Murrell reminded pigs,” said Louis DiVita, Maggie Crowley’s
The charges he was convicted of include the victim’s friends and family, the juror ex- jurors of his client’s stature as a medical pro- uncle, who traveled from Stuart to Fort Lau-
conspiracy to possess and distribute the plained. Benjamin’s reference to Crowley’s fessional and surgeon. derdale for the trial.
fentanyl-laced painkiller which caused the death in the recording as just another “page
death of 34-year-old Maggie Crowley and in a large stack” is heartbreaking, he said. The informants, he said, were the real “There are no words,” he said after the
other drug-related crimes. criminals. They are drug dealers. They are verdict. “She’s dead. He’s going to jail.”
“I wouldn’t want him to be my doctor. I only here because they want to avoid prison.
Crowley’s 2016 death prompted a year- wouldn’t want him to be my neighbor.” “Lying is what drug dealers do every day.” Benjamin was acquitted of two gun-relat-
long, undercover investigation led by the ed crimes. It wasn’t clear he used the weap-
U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. Jurors were shown hundreds of pieces of Benjamin’s head dropped as the first guilty ons to bolster his drug sales, jurors said af-
evidence including a scale covered in fentan- charge was read out loud. Rows behind him, terward. That he committed a serious crime,
Fentanyl is a powerful, addictive narcotic yl found at a storage space the doctor rented members of Crowley’s family gasped. They however, was never in doubt.
often used as a cutting agent by illicit drug in Gifford. There were more than 20 guns, touched each other’s hands and pushed
dealers. Misuse and over-prescription of the boxes of ammunition, and pages and pages tears from their eyes. “All the jurors came to the same conclu-
synthetic opioid has become a serious prob- of documents. sion,” Kelly remarked.
lem in the United States resulting in tens of “I feel very happy,” said Shaun Crowley,
The government’s case hinged on the tes- 38, after the trial. “I feel justice was served.” Benjamin’s mother and sisters sat quietly
timony of Kevan Slater and Zachary Stewart, behind the defense table on the final day of
two DEA informants who claimed to sell the the trial. They quickly excited the courthouse
after the verdict was read. 

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ROAD ‘SHOW’: MOBILE HIGH-TECH
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10 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH www.veronews.com

Chew on this: Gum disease ups risk for certain cancers

By Maria Canfield | Correspondent nal of Cancer, shows that the bacterium that The researchers also discovered that, in
[email protected] causes gum disease shares an enzyme with addition to CTLP itself being found in the
certain cancers, including gastrointestinal mouth and in some types of cancer, it can
There is no dispute that oral health af- and pancreatic cancers. This bacterium, weaken the body’s immune system by acti-
fects overall health – gum disease has been “treponema denticola chymotrypsin-like vating other enzymes that cancer cells use
linked to serious health conditions, includ- proteinase” (CTLP for short), is a main “boost- to attack healthy cells. In simpler terms,
ing heart disease, stroke, diabetes, osteopo- ing” agent in the development of gum disease. the CTLP enzyme gives cancer-friendly en-
rosis, rheumatoid arthritis and pneumonia. zymes more of a chance to do their worst.
Vero Beach dentist Dr. Bradley Reiner
Now comes news that raises the stakes says, “We are finding CTLP in the majority The incidence of gum disease – more for-
even higher: A study from Scandinavia has of oral, tonsillar gastric, pancreatic, colon mally called periodontitis – rises with age.
shown that the bacteria associated with adenocarcinomas and esophageal squa- According to the Centers for Disease Con-
gum disease might also increase the risk of mous cell carcinoma tumor samples, which trol and Prevention (CDC), over 70 percent
certain types of cancer. are collectively called orodigestive cancers.” of U.S. adults over the age of 65 have gum
disease, characterized by inflammation of
The study, published in the British Jour- the tissue surrounding the gums or the base
of the teeth. This inflammation, called
gingivitis, pushes bacteria into the blood- Dr. Bradley Reiner.
stream, which can cause the associated
health problems. PHOTOS BY DENISE RITCHIE

Dr. Reiner notes that although there is Sorsa concludes that the inflammation
a higher incidence in the older popula- characteristic of gum disease may make it
tion, periodontitis is also common among easier for harmful bacteria to travel through
younger people; it is present in 47 percent the bloodstream to other parts of the body,
of people over the age of 30. He says “peri- allowing their “virulence” (disease-caus-
odontal disease is one of the most prevalent ing) factors, such as CTLP, to boost the ac-
of all human diseases and is transmittable tivity of cancer cells.
– you can actually ‘catch’ it.”
Adds Dr. Reiner: “Recent studies from the
Periodontitis is caused by bacterial American Association for Cancer Research
plaque; sugared drinks and starchy foods and the American Dental Association inde-
lead to the growth of bacteria, especially pendently agreed that there is a 14 percent
when consumed frequently and left on the increase in the risk of cancer overall indi-
teeth. Any bleeding while brushing teeth is viduals who have periodontal disease.”
a sign of gingivitis, and a cause for concern.
There are lab tests that determine the
The study was conducted by scientists at presence of the CTLP bacterium as well as
the University of Helsinki and Helsinki Uni- other bacteria that can cause periodontitis.
versity Hospital in Finland, and the Karolins- Dr. Reiner says the availability of these tests
ka Institutet in Sweden. Team leader Timo can make a real difference in the health of
Sorsa, a professor at the University of Helsin- the community, adding, “I believe that very
ki, conducted a supplementary study on the soon in the future, the standard of care in
link between the incidence of gum disease medicine will include preventative measures
and the rates of cancer-related death. to reduce the prevalence of periodontal dis-
ease and therefore decrease the risk of can-
In that study, Professor Sorsa and his cer as well as many other serious diseases.”
colleagues analyzed data from over 68,000
adults, sourced over a 10-year period. Alarm- Dr. Reiner’s dental practice is located at
ingly, they found a strong association be- 3975 20th Street in Vero Beach. The office
tween gum disease and death caused by phone is 772-999-5341. 
pancreatic cancer. This research was pub-
lished in the International Journal of Cancer.

Looking at the two studies in tandem,



12 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH www.veronews.com

Road ‘show’: Mobile high-tech scanners draw raves

By Tom Lloyd | Staff Writer livering a new – only 1 year old – Siemens mCT tests for finding and looking at a tumor in simply “it doesn’t.”
[email protected] 20 PET/CT scanner right to the backyard of the kidney. It can provide precise informa- After all, he says, each air-conditioned unit
Florida Cancer Specialists’ Vero Beach offices tion about the size, shape and location of a
When it comes to learning about “some- at 3730 7th Terrace. The tractor departs after tumor. It is also useful in checking to see if is also equipped with its own backup genera-
thing big” in the world of potentially lifesav- delivery, leaving the special trailer with the a cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes tor as well as an industrial chairlift to provide
ing medical scans – specifically, positron scanner inside. or to organs and tissues outside the kidney. easy access to patients in wheelchairs as well
emission tomography (PET scans) and com- as fully ambulatory patients.
puted tomography (CT scans) – the person to Two or three days later, another “big rig” “With our CT scans,” Davila continues,
ask is Jeff Esham. hauls it away, but in the meantime, local phy- “we can do 3D reconstruction of the imag- The “bore” or “donut hole” into which pa-
sicians like Drs. Hugo Davila, Raul Storey and ing to identify important structures before tients slide while the scan is being done is
Esham, vice president of radiation on- Noor Merchant have full access to some of the surgery (robotic radical nephrectomy or quite large. It’s not nearly “as tight a fit” as
cology and radiology for Florida Cancer newest scanning technology available to di- partial nephrectomy). This allows me to most older scanners, Esham says.
Specialists, is responsible for imaging at the agnose their patients. review the anatomy and discuss the surgi-
nearly 100 statewide offices of Florida Can- cal steps with my team” well in advance of He couldn’t be much happier with the re-
cer Specialists, and for putting those ser- According to Esham, FCS already has surgery. sponse this particular scanner has gotten
vices on the road. three such mobile scan labs statewide and from Vero Beach patients.
he proudly revealed they have just added As the Center for Diagnostic Imaging
Once each week, a large a fourth in order to, as he puts it, “bring the explains, combined PET/CT scanners use In fact, if the number of scans and the
tractor trailer has newest technologies to communities [like modern imaging techniques along with so- patient reactions continue the way they’re
been de- Vero] even faster.” phisticated computer technology to produce going now, Esham hints that FCS’s Vero
360-degree, cross-sectional views of the body, office may soon have its own, permanent
PHOTOS BY DENISE RITCHIE If the sheer logistics of moving so- its bones, soft tissue and even its individual PET/CT system while the mobile version
phisticated imaging equip- blood vessels – all at the same time. sets out on the road again to other parts of
ment here and there the state.
all across the state Perhaps more importantly, radilogyinfo.
doesn’t impress you, org says these scanners can “evaluate your And if keeping an eye on Medicare’s pock-
maybe the capa- organ and tissue functions and by identifying etbook interests you, Esham claims his “fleet”
bilities of that body changes at the cellular level, they can of mobile PET/CT scanners can be 17 percent
equipment will. detect the early onset of disease before it is ev- less expensive for Medicare than in-hospital
Wel l-k now n ident on other imaging tests.” scans.
Vero urologist
Dr. Davila says the Of course, it is certainly reasonable to ask Dr. Hugo Davila is with Florida Cancer
how Florida’s heat and humidity might affect Specialists and Florida Healthcare Specialists
mCT 20’s scans are “one of the most useful these high-tech scanners, but Esham says at 3730 7th Terrace, Suite 101 in Vero Beach.
The phone number is 772-581-0528. 

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14 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | PETS www.veronews.com

Bonz makes fast friends with sweet, shy Sammie

how’d you find your Forev- this liddle jump where all four feet are

Hi Dog Buddies! er Famly?” off the ground at the same time. Me an

This week I innerviewed Sammie Wil- “I’ve only been with Mom Dad pal around a lot, too. I also love
liams, a shiny black Lab/Chow mix.
an Dad about two months, playin’ with Mom’s granddog, Tucker, a
I met her over on Ocean Drive, where she
works with her Mom in a shop with lotsa now. It’s wunnerful. See, Brittany Spaniel. He’s my Bestie! Anoth-
priddy stuff for human ladies. I had figured,
cuzza her bein’ a Lab/Chow, she’d be real Mom wanted a dog, but er fun thing’s runnin’ on the beach, the
bouncy, an kinda short. But she wasn’t.
DEFINITELY NOT a black sea breeze in my ears, sand in my toes.
We heard a few woofs as we opened
the door, but she didn’t run up. Her Mom dog, cuz she has white so- But not swimmin’! When Tucker goes
greeted us, an Sammie stood behind her
peekin’ out, real shy. She looked most- fas. So she was pooch shop- in without me, I stand on the shore an
ly like a Lab, long-leggedy, but her face
an muzzle were shorter an rounder, very pin’ at the Humane Society, pout, cuz he’d rather get all soggy and
feminine an pretty. She was wearin’ a big
yellow bow on her collar, which looked where I was livin,’ due to Wet Dog, than play with ME. I don’t
real nice with her black coat.
Unavoidable Circumstances. even like the rain. If it rains onna walk,
“Good morning, Miss Sammie. I’m Bonzo
the Columnist, an this is my Assistant. It is a Lotsa humans only want a I put my ears back an try to get Mom to
great pleasure to meet you.”
cute puppy, an I was already head home. The only Wet I can’t escape
Her ears perked an she tilted her head,
but she didn’t move. Or speak. about 3, I think. But I was is a bath. Ukkk. Mom says I Can Run,

“Er … that’s a very attractive bow you’re very puh-lite an well-trained. But I Can’t Hide.”
wearin,’” I said, by way of conversation.
“Nice color choice.” I already knew how to shake “I understand you have a cat.”

After a reassuring pat an a liddle push paws, an sit, an wait, and do “Yes. Sweet Pea. When I first ar-
from her Mom, Sammie came out from be-
hind her and said softly, “Thank you, Mr. “down.” PLUS, I enjoy the rived, she hid in the bedroom. I was
Bonzo the Columnist. My ribbon’s ’spose to
let humans know I’m a liddle shy. Won’t you company of most humans, an curious an tried to introduce myself,
have a seat? This is my first week as appren-
tuce greeter, an there’s so much to learn. most cats, once I get to know but she wasn’t innersted. She hissed
Please don’t think me rude.”
’em. But I’m Super Shy, ’spe- at me. Now we are engaged in a
“Not at all, Miss. Sammie. And you can
call me Bonzo.” cially when a human comes Semi-Peaceful Co-existence.”

“OK, Mr. Bonzo. This is my Mom, Lynn. up to me all bouncy an wants A lady came in from The Back, and
We’re Posh Girls. My Dad’s Mike. He’s Else-
where.” to pat me, or a pooch comes Sammie jumped up an energetical-

“Um, ’scuse me but, what’s a Posh girl?” right up for the Wag-an-Sniff. I ly wiggle-wagged over to her. I was
“Oh, see, we all work here at this store
which is called Posh. So, we’re Posh girls!” just kinda freeze. (I’m still wor- surprised an impressed. “This is my
“Cool Kibbles,” I exclaimed.
We got settled, an I took my notebook kin’ on that, ackshully.) best human fren, Linda,” Sammie ex-
out. “I’m ready to hear your story when-
ever you’re ready, Miss Sammie. First off, “Anyway, when Mom spot- plained. “She’s a Posh Girl, too.”

ted me, she stopped, even Sammie trotted over to the window

though I am, obviously, a Black PHOTO: GORDON RADFORD Sammie and woofed a coupla times at some
Dog. I’m pretty sure the Hu- humans walkin’ by, then trotted back.

mane Society humans were “I’m learning how to be puh-lite

tellin’ her what a well behaved, to CUSS-tummers. I’m not s’pose to

smart girl I am. Which is TRUE. to Not Shed. (Holdin’ your breath doesn’t bark too much. Just a frenly Welcome Woof,

“Mom still had to do more ponderin,’ work, by the way.) at most. An I do a little growly thing to re-

though, cuz getting a dog is a Big Decision. “So, what’s home life like now?” I in- mind Linda when it’s time to Open Up in the

So she visited the Humane Society again, quired. morning. That’s bein’ Helpful, right?”

and there I was again. That time she took me “It’s lovely. I ’specially like goin’ for walks “Absolutely, Miss Sammie!” I assured her.

for a liddle leash walk, an we sat in a meet- with Mom. Sometimes I get excited an do Heading home, I was thinking about

an-greet room to see if we hadda Good sweet, shy Miss Sammie an her pretty yel-

Vibe. I was still Really Shy, but I secretly DON’T BE SHY low bow. I bet she’d totally win that Amer-
hoped she’d want me anyway. But Mom still ican Rescue Dog Wiggle-Butt competition,

had to Think About It. I, on the other paw, We are always looking for pets Paws Down!
had already picked HER an Dad. with interesting stories.
The Bonz
“Finally, the next day, she ree-lized I was To set up an interview, email
The One, Thank Lassie. I guess she wanted [email protected].
me more than she didn’t want black dog

hair on the white sofas. An I really, really try

Bridgehampton subdivision
to rise across from Walmart

16 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTATE www.veronews.com

Bridgehampton subdivision to rise across from Walmart

By Kathleen Sloan | Staff Writer adding further distance between homes
[email protected] and the road.

Building activity around Walmart on Five-foot-wide sidewalks will be built
20th Street is fulfilling Indian River Coun- on each side of the center road that will
ty’s intention to have a lively mix of com- be edged with a low-profile “Miami curb”
mercial and residential development in that’s good-looking, easy on car tires and
the area; the comprehensive plan lays provides good drainage.
both zoning types side by side on the map.
Keith’s Oil Can is to the east of the devel-
Last month, Vero News reported what is opment and Lake Park Subdivision, dating
coming on a 10-acre parcel that has been from 1953, is to the west.
cleared for a commercial venture, Vero
Square, a small shopping center with a Sweeney said the preliminary plat was
110-room hotel at 5125 20th Street, on the approved about two years ago, the first step
south side of the highway. Ten acres across in a three-part process. Bridgehampton is
the street has also been cleared, roughing amidst the second step, having been grant-
out Bridgehampton, a 29-home residential ed the land development permit approv-
ing construction drawings for stormwater,

PHOTOS BY GORDON RADFORD

community at 4900 20th Street, where new 2010 46th Ave. Heine is also the developer Short & Associates, also of Vero Beach. sewer, landscaping and roads. The develop-
homes will start “in the $300s.” of Legend Lakes, a 160-home community The long, narrow parcel has about 330 ment will get final plat approval after pass-
near 43rd Avenue and Oslo Road. ing final inspections for infrastructure.
The 10-acre parcel is zoned R-6, which feet of road frontage. There will be one
allows up to six single-family homes on He bought the land Bridgehampton land road going in and out of the development, “The final plat is the legal document
an acre, but Indian River County Planner from the Brackett family in June 2016 for with access directly off 20th Street, which that is recorded and creates the lots and
Ryan Sweeney said it is very difficult to at- $870,000, according to the county records. is also Route 60. The county is not requir- rights of way,” Sweeney said, which is
tain that density and also conform to green ing off-site traffic improvements. needed before lots can be sold to prospec-
space, interior road, stormwater contain- A sign at the site says homes will be built tive homebuyers.
ment and other requirements. About three by Proformance Construction but that ar- Cars turning in will come to a gated
homes an acre will be achieved at Bridge- rangement is off and Heine said he has entrance, with 6-foot-high buffer hedges Engineer Wesley Mills said, “About three
hampton. hired Passage Island Homes of Vero Beach on either side running parallel to Route months ago we were approved for land de-
to be the builder at Bridgehampton, hav- 60 to shield the community from the velopment permits ... [and] the site devel-
The owner and developer is Chris Heine ing worked with Jim and Paul Adams on sight and some of the sound created by oper, Palm Beach Grading, is currently in-
of North Palm Beach, who is also respon- other projects, he said, when they owned traffic on the busy road. stalling all required infrastructure. I would
sible for The Gardens at River Grove, a 39- Ameritrend Homes. think they would start selling the lots in
home development a few blocks south at The planners put two stormwater maybe three months.” 
The engineer on the project is Mills, ponds at the front of the development,

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTAT E May 4, 2018 17

$643 million: Island brokerage among top 500 in U.S.

By Steven M. Thomas | Staff Writer Company founders Dale Sorensen Sr. and Matilde Sorensen.
[email protected]
It has expanded to 12 offices, including effective team to help support and grow sell over $300 billion of real estate annu-
For the second year in a row, Dale So- development sales offices and one un- our agents business we enable them to ally, making it the most elite and compre-
rensen Real Estate ranks among the top der construction in Sebastian, staffed by keep their entire focus and energy on pro- hensive luxury real estate network in the
500 real estate brokerages in the United about 180 agents assisted by 35 support viding the highest level of service to their world,” according to press release about
States, based on sales of $643 million in staff. sellers and buyers.” the Sorensen’s upcoming award put out
residential property in 2017. by the organization.
Growth has been especially strong in the Another accolade will come the com-
“That is pretty amazing when you con- past year or two in Brevard County, where pany’s way in May when Dale Sr. and Dale Sorensen Jr. says the Vero and Bre-
sider the size of our market and the fact Sorensen opened its first office in 2012 and Matilde Sorensen will receive the Lifetime vard markets are good shape, with steady
that there are more than 86,000 brokers now has three full-service locations. Achievement Award from Who’s Who in price increases in many areas but little of
in the U.S.,” says managing partner Dale Luxury Real Estate. the speculative excess that preceded the
Sorensen Jr. “So far this year, our sales in Brevard are 2007 real estate crash and he expects the
up 83 percent compared to the same peri- “A worldwide collection of top brokers good times to continue rolling for the next
The recently released Real Trends 500, od in 2017,” Sorensen says. representing the finest luxury properties couple of years. “I am very encouraged
the longest running and most recognized across the globe, Who’s Who in Luxury and optimistic that we will achieve our
ranking of real estate performance, names He attributes much of the company’s Real Estate ... [is comprised of ] more than ninth straight year of sales growth in a row
Sorensen No. 437 in the nation. success to a business philosophy focused 130,000 professionals with properties in in 2018,” he says. 
on empowering its agents. more than 70 countries who collectively
A separate list, put out by Real Estate
magazine, has the company as the 401st “We have two sets of clients – people
largest brokerage in the United States with we represent in home sales and purchases
sales of $669 million. and our agents, who are our clients, too,”
he says.
“We are higher on the Real Estate maga-
zine list because they include commercial “Taking great care of buyers and sellers
sales,” says Sorensen. “Real Trends only is of the upmost importance to us and so
counts residential sales.” is empowering our agents to do just that.”

The company ranks even higher among Agent support includes constant-
independent brokerages – those that ar- ly updated Web tools, training in sales,
en’t franchises of Coldwell Banker, RE/ contracts and transactions, transaction
MAX or some other coast-to-coast organi- assistance, motivational training and one-
zation – coming in at No. 128 nationwide on-one mentoring by top agents, includ-
and No. 6 in Florida. ing Matilde Sorensen, who is constantly
among the sales leaders in the county,
All of the rankings are based on com- selling more than $100 million in 2016.
pany’s combined sales in Indian River,
Brevard and St. Lucie counties. Sorensen’s “My mom is a regular teacher in many
agents sold more than $435 million in of our training sessions, along with oth-
residential property in and around Vero er top-producing agents, managers, and
Beach, $204 million in Brevard and a small marketing team members,” Sorensen
amount in St. Lucie. says. “By providing a comprehensive and

Both Real Trends and Real Estate Maga-
zine demand detailed documentation and
third-party verification of numbers that
are submitted by companies on the list.

RIS Media, publisher of Real Estate
magazine, requires brokers to provide
transactional records signed by an ac-
countant, according to Online Managing
Editor Beth McGuire.

Scott Wright, an executive with Real
Trends, told Vero News his company re-
quires similar documentation, with a CPA
or accountant verified statement of “gross
commission income for 2017. We plug
that number into a formula we have on
our end that outputs a ranking number
that we can confirm.”

Sales reports are also reviewed by the
local board of realtors.

“I look at the reports to make sure they
were run from our MLS,” says Carol Hawk,
CEO of REALTOR Association of Indian
River County.

A family firm started four decades ago
by Dale Sr. and Matilde Sorensen in what
Matilde Sorensen calls “a teeny, tiny office
on Beachland Boulevard,” the company
has grown dramatically over the past de-
cade, from $121 million in sales in 2009
to nearly $670 million in 2017, including
commercial sales.

18 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTATE www.veronews.com

MAINLAND REAL ESTATE SALES: APRIL 23 THROUGH APRIL 27

TOP SALES OF THE WEEK

A very active week in the mainland real estate market saw 38 single-family residences and lots sell
from April 23-27 (some shown below).
The top sale of the week in Vero Beach was the house at 5728 Riverboat Circle. First listed in February
for $395,000, this 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 2,518-square-foot home fetched $390,000 on April 25.
In Sebastian, the week’s top sale was the residence at 770 Holden Avenue. Originally listed in
February for $525,000, this 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom, 3,177-square-foot abode sold for $500,000
on April 24.

SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES AND LOTS

ORIGINAL SELLING
PRICE
TOWN ADDRESS LISTED ASKING PRICE SOLD
$500,000
SEBASTIAN 770 HOLDEN AVENUE 2/3/2018 $525,000 4/24/2018 $390,000
VERO BEACH 5728 RIVERBOAT CIRCLE 2/11/2018 $395,000 4/25/2018 $390,000
VERO BEACH 1666 VICTORIA CIRCLE 2/13/2018 $412,000 4/26/2018 $380,000
VERO BEACH 460 PITTMAN AVENUE 6/8/2017 $425,000 4/25/2018 $370,000
VERO BEACH 6565 36TH PLACE 2/15/2018 $389,900 4/27/2018 $325,000
VERO BEACH 736 34TH TERRACE 3/12/2018 $330,000 4/24/2018 $295,000
VERO BEACH 925 32ND AVENUE 11/27/2017 $325,000 4/24/2018 $290,000
SEBASTIAN 251 BARBOSSA DRIVE 6/16/2017 $325,000 4/25/2018 $285,000
VERO BEACH 1225 45TH COURT SW 1/8/2018 $324,900 4/26/2018 $276,000
VERO BEACH 1765 BELMONT CIRCLE 10/20/2017 $279,000 4/27/2018 $250,000
VERO BEACH 1030 47TH AVENUE 3/12/2018 $245,000 4/27/2018 $250,000
VERO BEACH 4261 ABINGTON WOODS CIRCLE 3/9/2018 $259,800 4/27/2018 $245,000
VERO BEACH 1310 32ND AVENUE 2/8/2018 $259,900 4/24/2018 $240,000
VERO BEACH 104 PRESTWICK CIRCLE 12/7/2017 $249,000 4/24/2018

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTAT E May 4, 2018 19

HERE ARE SOME OF THE TOP RECENT INDIAN RIVER COUNTY REAL ESTATE SALES.

5728 Riverboat Circle, Vero Beach 1666 Victoria Circle, Vero Beach

Listing Date: 2/11/2018 Listing Date: 2/13/2018
Original Price: $395,000 Original Price: $412,000
Sold: 4/25/2018 Sold: 4/26/2018
Selling Price: $390,000 Selling Price: $390,000
Listing Agent: Mike Boyd Listing Agent: Bill Lynch

Selling Agent: Coldwell Banker Paradise Selling Agent: Alex MacWilliam, Inc.

Scott Carson Carl Sciara

Keller Williams Realty Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc.

460 Pittman Avenue, Vero Beach 6565 36th Place, Vero Beach

Listing Date: 6/8/2017 Listing Date: 2/15/2018
Original Price: $425,000 Original Price: $389,900
Sold: 4/25/2018 Sold: 4/27/2018
Selling Price: $380,000 Selling Price: $370,000
Listing Agent: Claudia Pascal Listing Agent: Amanda Brown

Selling Agent: Treasure Coast Sotheby’s Intl Selling Agent: Keller Williams Realty

Sherri Sproch Peter Marini III

RE/MAX Crown Realty Coldwell Banker Paradise

199$ 3DAYS
2 NIGHTS
®

CHILDREN’S ART AT B6 HENEGAR PRESENTS B4 B10RESTAURANT REVIEW:
VERO BEACH MUSEUM MUSICAL ‘BRIDGES’ YEN YEN

Coming Up! Speed read: Motor racing legend Hobbs
pens memoir PAGE B2Adam Schnell.
TRY TO REMEMBER
… ‘FANTASTICKS’ PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE
IS STARTING SOON

By Samantha Baita | Staff Writer
[email protected]

1 Opening May 10 at the
Vero Beach Theatre Guild:
“The Fantasticks.” The original
off-Broadway production ran a
total of 42 years and 17,162 perfor-
mances, making it, to this day, the
world’s longest-running musical.
Even if you’ve never seen this de-
lightful, allegorical show, you are
sure to be familiar with at least one
of its songs, the wistful and beauti-
ful “Try to Remember.” With book
by Harvey Schmidt and lyrics by
Tom Jones, “The Fantasticks,” ac-
cording to IMDb, is the tale of two
teens, Luisa and Matt, who live on
neighboring farms and are care-
fully hiding their romance from
their feuding fathers. What they
don’t know is that their dads are
actually good friends and have
hatched a plan, with the aid of a
mystical, roving side-show and its
mysterious ring master, to get the
lovebirds down the aisle. But – be

CONTINUED ON PAGE B5

B2 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | ARTS & THEATRE www.veronews.com

Speed read: Motor racing legend Hobbs pens memoir

By Stephanie LaBaff | Staff Writer David Hobbs.
[email protected]
PHOTOS BY GORDON RADFORD
Now a Vero Beach resident, David Hobbs
spent nearly 30 years racing through life.
The Motorsports Hall of Famer began his
love affair with speed at age 16, tooling
around the backroads of Warwickshire, En-
gland on a Lambretta motor scooter with
“Mags,” his then girlfriend and now wife of
56 years, on the back.

Following a few inauspicious misadven-
tures – blowing the engine of his mother’s
7-year-old Morris Oxford ‘shopping car’ and
rolling his father’s sporty Jaguar SK140 – his
racing career took off at age 18 when he be-
gan driving a Lotus Elite sports car.

By 1969 Hobbs made the FIA (Federation
International Automobile) list of graded
drivers, a group of 27 racers rated by their
achievements as the best in the world.

“I have driven more cars than anybody
else, except maybe Mario Andretti,” says
Hobbs, who has driven endurance sports
cars, touring cars, Indy cars, International
Motor Sports Association cars, Trans-Ams,
Can-Ams, Formula Ones, Formula 5000s,
Group Cs and NASCAR.

Hobbs won the 1971 U.S. Formula 5000
championship and the 1983 Trans-Am
championships, and has participated in

By Ellen Fischer | Columnist
[email protected]

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | ARTS & THEATRE May 4, 2018 B3

the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Day- David Hobbs and his wife Hobbs admits that he didn’t were so young when he started racing.
tona, and made 20 starts in the 24 Hours of Margaret Hobbs. speed through the writing of the Right at the beginning, I was cheering him
Le Mans. book, a 10-year journey that began on. Go David, faster, faster. I was right in
1983 comedy “Stroker Ace” and in 2011 as with his recording stories and was there with him. I guess it’s the ignorance of
He says racing was one of those things the voice of David Hobbscap, a 1963 Jaguar, revived by Andrew Marriott, who youth. It takes quite a while for you to sort
you could do in the “old” days. He had the in the movie “Cars 2,” when Lightning Mc- Hobbs met when he first started of get a bit mature and think, ‘Hang on, this
added advantage of access to his father’s Queen races in the World Grand Prix. club racing. is mad.’”
auto shop, where his father, an engineering
inventor, had devised an automatic gearbox “You don’t get as hot driving the camera as “I don’t know if my stories will “Every time I left she didn’t know if she’d
that was way ahead of its time. But, while you do driving the car. Everybody says you fall flat in print, but I gave it a go ever see me again. I don’t know how she did
racing costs were considerably less, so were have to be so brave to be a driver, but you’re anyway. Whether it’s as good as it,” says Hobbs.
safety measures. not brave so much as confident in your abil- my verbal stories, I don’t know.
ity,” says Hobbs. He adds that he doesn’t The jury’s out on that.” The Vero Beach Book Center will host Hobbs
“I started in the golden era. Things were miss racing as much as he thought he would, at 4 p.m. on May 10 for a Book Talk and signing
much simpler and inexpensive, but it was a thanks to his work as a commentator. “So I The book even includes of his book, “Hobbo: The Autobiography of Da-
very dangerous time,” Hobbs recalls. got my fix without actually having to get all a section on places they vid Hobbs: Motor Racer, Motor Mouth.” 
hot and sweaty and risk my life.” lived over the years, favorite
Noting the similarities to other sports, he restaurants and hotels vis- Michael Enns
says, “You need endurance, quick reactions, Although he may have downshifted, his ited during his time on the
good eyesight and you need to be fairly con- life is still filled with fast cars. Hobbs served racing circuit. The afterword,
fident and brave. As you get older, you lose a recently as a judge and panelist at Amelia written by his wife, adds a lev-
lot of that stuff.” Island Concours d’Elegance, he emcees the el of validity shared by someone who
Race Car Hall of Fame induction ceremony has been there from the start.
Even after he finally took off his racing at the Daytona Speedway each year, and he
gloves, Hobbs lived and breathed the sport. regularly makes public appearances. “It was David’s way of becoming his fa-
He changed gears to become a race analyst vorite cartoon character: ‘Dan Dare, Pilot of
and color commentator, endearing himself His latest adventure is again taking him the Future,’” says Mags Hobbs, of her hus-
to race fans with anecdotes from his own on the road, to publicize his new autobiog- band’s entry into racing.
experiences in the driver’s seat. raphy, “Hobbo: The Autobiography of David
Hobbs: Motor Racer, Motor Mouth.” She admits that waiting by the phone
“I got on the TV in 1973 for CBS and I nev- for news after each race was at times wor-
er missed a race for CBS for the next 20 years At just over 300 pages, the book is chock- risome, but says the excitement overshad-
until I left in 1996,” said Hobbs of the start full of photographs and stories about in- owed it.
of a 40-year career as a flag-to-flag com- ternational racing from a perspective only
mentator on American television for CBS, someone previously behind the wheel can “With the energy and innocence of
ESPN, NBC, NBC Sports Speedvision and give. youth, you do not dwell on the bad things
the Speed Channel. that can happen,” she says, adding that
Written with the skill of a natural-born knowing her husband was a “thinking
His quick wit, knowledge and posh British storyteller, Hobbs weaves in his trademark driver” put her mind at ease, realizing that
accent also opened the door to Hollywood, comedic insights, from a childhood in En- he wouldn’t take unnecessary risks. “We
parlaying roles as a race announcer in the gland during World War II, to firsts on the
tracks, changes in the racing industry and his Stephanie Jaffe
time as a color commentator.

Skip Hartzell Alison LaMons

Big Dogs!
Wild Neon!
Whimsical Notions!
Bric-a-Brac Dreams!

OPENING RECEPTION
FRIDAY, May 11
6:00 - 8:00 PM

May 4 - June 22, 2018

A.E. BACKUS MUSEUM & GALLERY

500 N. Indian River Drive Fort Pierce, FL 34950
772.465.0630 www.BackusMuseum.com

B4 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | ARTS & THEATRE www.veronews.com

Henegar covers new ground with musical ‘Bridges’

By Pam Harbaugh | Correspondent score and the best orchestration. an operetta, but it also incorporates multiple Kyle McDonald as Robert Kincaid
[email protected] In fact, the reason McDonald auditioned different styles and genres to express each and Beth Shestak as Francesca.
character in a different and unique way.”
Romance takes center stage Friday with for it was because of the music. the Henegar will bring “Bonnie and Clyde” to
the opening of the musical “The Bridges of “One thing that was on my ‘bucket list’ as Producing “Bridges” is also part of the the area.
Madison County,” at the Henegar Center. Henegar’s continuing trademark to bring
a performer was to be a part of a Jason Robert new shows to the stage. In fact, it can claim And chances are, after theater patrons see
The musical is based on the 1995 movie Brown musical,” he said. “He is such a smart Brevard debuts of many shows. In 2015, it be- “The Bridges of Madison County” and famil-
starring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood. writer and able to write in a way that makes came the country’s first community theater iarize themselves with the music, the show
That, in turn, had been based on Robert sense to the story. When I saw auditions, I to mount “Cry Baby: The Musical.” The next eventually will come to life in other theaters
James Waller’s 1992 novel set in the farm- knew I had to be a part of it.” season, it brought “Witches of Eastwick,” “It as well.
lands of Iowa. It centers on Francesca, a Shoulda Been You,” “Hands on a Hardbody”
lonely married woman who meets a photog- Shestak got a chance to see the show on and “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” to Of course, there is more to the show than
rapher, Robert Kincaid, taking pictures of fa- Broadway and knew right away that if she ever the stage. This season, in addition to “Bridg- the music and the given circumstances.
mous covered bridges where she lives. had a chance to be in it, she’d jump for it be- es,” it brought the popular drama “I and You” There is the nuance of character, the moral
cause “it’s a singer’s show.” to the Brevard’s theater scene. Next season, choice, the yearning of desire and the tug of
It all turned into a 2014 Broadway musical family.
when producers turned to Marsha Norman “I loved it,” she said. “The music in this
(“Secret Garden”) to write the book and Ja- show is absolutely gorgeous. It has the feel of Francesca’s husband and children have
son Robert Brown (“Prince of Broadway”) to gone out of town. She meets Robert Kincaid
compose the music and write the lyrics. and shares deep secrets. He awakens her

And just as the two characters fall in love,
the two leads in the Henegar’s production are
totally smitten by the music.

“It’s a dream role,” said Beth Shestak, who
has worked professionally on Off-Broadway
and in television and film.

“The emotional weight and lush orches-
tration make it some of the most fulfilling
(vocals) I’ve ever sung,” said Kyle McDonald,
a well-respected singer/conductor who has
performed in more than two dozen musicals
at Titusville Playhouse.

Indeed, the show’s music became almost
immediately legendary, and resonated more
than the production. The Broadway produc-
tion had two heavyweights attached to it: Di-
rector Barlett Sher, America’s pre-eminent di-
rector of musicals including “An American in
Paris” and most recently, “My Fair Lady”; and
starred Kelli O’Hara, who worked with Sher in
two Lincoln Center productions, “The Light
in the Piazza” and “South Pacific.” However,
the show lasted almost four months, and that
was after more than a month of previews.

Its score always has had people rhapso-
dizing about the musical. The show’s only
awards – both the Tony and the Drama
Desk – went to Brown for the best original

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Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | ARTS & THEATRE May 4, 2018 B5

PHOTO BY GORDON RADFORD CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

careful what you wish for because “to bring
these families together, they must first be
torn apart.” The show has played through-
out the U.S. and in 67 foreign countries,
and about 250 new productions still run
on regional, community and high school
stages each year. (The original investors
have earned 240 times their original invest-
ments.) At the helm of the VBTG production
is award-winning actor/director Clara Mc-
Carthy. Show times: Thursdays, 7 p.m.; Fri-
days, 8 p.m.; Saturday, May 12, 2 p.m.; Sat-
urday, May 19, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2
p.m. Tickets: $15 to $30. 772-562-8300.

heart, long buried by duty. Within a day, they 2 Art lovers will find an hour or so 1 Opening May 10 at VB Theatre Guild. vania gave Lauver an “interesting perspective
fall in love and make plans to leave the small wandering among the collections on life.” He shares stories about family and
Iowa town. in the stylish “Galleries at First Pres” time Pizzo and Bob Lauver. The theatre website work, including a comedic journey from his
well spent. Vero’s First Presbyterian Church says Del Pizzo came to the world of stand-up adventures in the Navy to his more recent
Actors have to not only be able to let their opened its quarterly rotation Spring 2018 comedy from “the real world” – in his case, position as manager of a “gentlemen’s” club.
voices sail on the soaring tunes, but also dig gallery exhibition last month with works by an auto mechanic shop, where he worked (As you might surmise, the Comedy Zone is
into themselves to deliver multiple layers to three local artists and, if by chance, you’re for a decade, leaving him well prepared to suggested for 18 and above.) Show times are
what are believable characters thrown into not yet aware of the rich abundance of ar- tell people exactly what he was thinking. Del 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 to $18.
what some may say is an unlikely scenario. tistic talent on your doorstep, do take this Pizzo’s true stories – and attitude – provide a 772-231-6990. 
opportunity. This quarter’s artists are Suze “breath of fresh air in a business that’s full of
“This role is definitely one of the more Lavender, Keith Mills and George Pillorgé. hot air.” Growing up in rural central Pennsyl-
demanding roles I have ever done,” Shestak Lavender’s ebullient personality and love of
said. the sea are apparent in the bright colors and
textures she employs. Mills’ serene watercol-
“It’s a very emotional ride,” McDonald ors and exquisite photographic works speak
said. “The star-crossed love of Francesca and of his love of nature and great patience, a
Robert is beautiful and heart-wrenching.” requirement when seeking that elusive, per-
fect shot. Flowers and waterfront scenes in
Helping them both has been not only the soft pastels reflect retired architect Pillorge’s
direction of Amanda Cheyenne Manis but skills in drafting and presentation, as well as
also the cast, they said. his colorful, brush-free personal style. The
galleries are located throughout the First
“Working with the cast has been great,” Pres campus. Gallery hours are: noon to 3
Shestak said. “You always go through a get- p.m., Monday through Thursday. Guided
ting to know you stage, but everyone has been tours are available Wednesdays, 3 p.m. to 5
easy to get along with and that always makes p.m. Admission is free.
the process very enjoyable. I didn’t know my
leading man, Kyle McDonald, until we start- 3 Lift your spirits and welcome spring
ed rehearsals. He has been just a gem to work with wonderful music next Thursday,
with. Extremely talented and knowledgeable May 10, when the talented young men and
and I couldn’t be happier.” women of the Indian River Charter High
School Choral Program present their an-
It’s been especially grueling for McDonald, nual Spring Choral Concert. The show will
who had to split his time rehearsing “Bridg- take place at St. John of the Cross Catholic
es” with conducting for Titusville Playhouse’s Church, and is part of the church’s Fine Arts
“Hunchback of Notre Dame,” which ended its Series. Always a family-friendly evening, the
run last Sunday. concert will be a mix of classical and folk mu-
sic and Broadway tunes, concluding with a
“I’ve been very privileged to work with medley of Disney songs you’ll be humming
production teams that allow me to split my as you head home. The Concert Choir, Wom-
time,” he said. “The talent in ‘Bridges’ is top en’s Choir, Men’s Ensemble and Show Choir
notch so working with them during the re- will perform under the direction of Gary Mill-
hearsal process has been wonderful.” er, director of choral activities at IRCHS and
director of the music ministry at First Unit-
Both actors say audiences will love this ed Methodist Church of Vero Beach, with
show. Just be sure to bring hankies. 32 years in music education to his credit. In
collaboration with the Vero Beach Choral So-
“Bridges only ran for about three months ciety, this chorus has been invited to perform
on Broadway, unfortunately,” McDonald at Carnegie Hall next March. The music be-
said. “But I always say, Broadway’s loss is gins at 7 p.m. Admission is free to all.
Brevard’s gain. This is a gorgeous, beautifully
written musical.” 4 Punctuate your workweek with laugh-
ter at Riverside Theatre this Friday or
“The Bridges of Madison County” opens Fri- Saturday. Yep, it’s Riverside’s popular Com-
day and runs through May 20 at the Henegar edy Zone series: appearing on Riverside’s
Center, 625 E. New Haven Ave., Melbourne. It Waxlax Stage this weekend will be Frank Del
performs 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2
p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $26 general, $23 se-
niors and military and $16 students. There is
a $3 service fee per ticket. Call 321-723-8698 or
visit Henegar.org. 

B6 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | SEEN & SCENE www.veronews.com

Children’s Art Festival at Museum: Paint we got fun!

By Stephanie LaBaff | Staff Writer Art Zone – a multi-sensory, hands- Gina Wickel with Gabrielle, Spurgeon and Karl Wickel. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE
on experience – jumped with glee as
[email protected] they watched their creations come out and organize them in a way that
to life in the Sketch Aquarium. people get to experience everything:
The Vero Beach Museum of Art making art, looking at art and see-
was a beehive of activity last Satur- In addition to artwork on display ing the performances,” said Pamela
day as little ones buzzed from one in the 2018 Indian River County Ju- Sommers, VBMA youth and family
creative experience to the next at ried Student Exhibition (through programs manager.
the 37th annual Children’s Art Fes- May 20), there were entertaining
tival. performances of music, dance, ka- “I was trying to engage kids in
rate, singing, baton and theater. looking at art and thinking creative-
The inaugural 1981 festival served ly. A lot of the activities are very
as a catalyst to elicit interest in the “Art is so important for everyone, participatory and child-friendly for
creation of a community muse- from age 2 to 100. You don’t have to whole body learning. We have props
um and the annual event has since be wealthy to enjoy it; everybody and tools that children and families
evolved into a spectacular sensory can do it,” said event chair Barb can use to look at art and view art
shindig that today attracts nearly Dorvee. “You can take a cup of paint and be participating in art.”
4,000 children and families. and pour it and actually make art.”
Some of those tools were em-
Boys and girls moved happily from The focus of the Children’s Art ployed for people to enjoy the mu-
studio to studio dotted with creative Festival has always been to make seum’s current exhibits – Medieval
badges of honor – paint-smeared the museum accessible to everyone. to Metal: The Art & Evolution of the
cheeks from easel painting, inky Guitar, through May 6; Paul Out-
fingers from printmaking, and fin- “When you walk into a museum erbridge: New Color Photographs
gernails showing bits of clay from and see all these paintings it can be from Mexico and California, 1948-
sculpting pottery masterpieces. overwhelming, but these activities 1955, through June 3; and Shadow &
help everyone feel more comfort- Light: The Etchings of Martin Lewis,
As one youngster announced to able,” said Dorvee. “A lot of the peo- through May 13. 
no one in particular, “This is so awe- ple here today don’t usually come
some!” to the museum. They don’t have the
wherewithal, so having a free family
Others were busy painting tiles day allows everyone to experience
or pouring paint on a giant guitar art.”
while sporting bandannas they had
screen-printed themselves. Chil- “We tried to spread the activities
dren enjoying the recently opened

Joshua Stott and Matt Stott.

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | SEEN & SCENE May 4, 2018 B7

Barb Dorvee and Lou Caterina. Cairi Infanzon and Isyss Cherenfant.

Kayla Lambert and Alexia Ruffo. Logan Rosellen and Pamela Sommers Christine Thomas.

B8 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | SEEN & SCENE www.veronews.com

DuBose artifacts, traditions
add glitter to Pioneer Dinner

Mary Jane Stewart, Judy Roberts and Janie Gould. PHOTOS: GORDON RADFORD

Expires 05-11-18 By Kerry Firth | Correspondent his family to Fort Pierce in 1911.
Expires 05-11-18 [email protected] “He was only preaching every two
Expires 05-11-18
The 1923 Fordson tractor parked weeks, so he would travel from Fort
outside the Heritage Center last Satur- Pierce to Sebastian, Wabasso and Quay
day evening was a clear indication that to do ministry work,” said great grand-
something special was happening in- son Mike DuBose. “He’d travel by bicy-
side. Roughly 40 descendants of Dr. J.C. cle on sandy dirt roads, but he always
DuBose were joined by friends and long- said it was better than walking! To
time Vero Beach residents at the annual supplement his income, he did watch
Pioneer Dinner to benefit Vero Heritage repair, carpentry and opened a quality
Inc., which manages the Heritage Cen- used clothing store. He started the First
ter and adjacent Citrus Museum. Baptist Church in Vero in 1915, moved
his family to Vero in 1917 and preached
Guests were treated to a trip down until 1922.”
memory lane featuring a museum-qual-
ity display of antique clocks, watches, Because eyeglasses were then sold in
eyeglasses, photos and other artifacts jewelry stores, J.C. became an optome-
collected and preserved by six genera- trist, opening his first store in the Sem-
tions of the DuBose clan. inole building in 1919 and passed down
a legacy of entrepreneurship and com-
The DuBose family has Florida roots munity activism to subsequent genera-
dating as far back as 1860, when Eze- tions.
kiel Dossy DuBose and wife Cassie Ann
Thompson, hoping to escape the Civil “All six of my siblings worked in the
War, left their South Carolina home and family business into the ’90s,” said Mike
took a six-week-long journey by wagon, DuBose, a fourth-generation jeweler.
children in tow, to settle in Worthington “We had seven stores at one time, but as
Springs, Florida. As fate would have it, the economy slowed and we got older,
their eldest son, James Isaiah DuBose, all retired but me. I’ll continue for a bit,
did serve in the Confederate army. Af- then let my son Todd carry on the tra-
ter the war, he married Mahalie Frances dition.”
Pinkston and they had 12 children. It
was their fifth child, James Calvin Du- Amid the chatter and laughter, loving
Bose, born in 1878, who would begin the stories were shared about the enduring
Vero Beach DuBose legacy. impact the DuBose family has had on
the community.
James Calvin, known simply as J.C.,
graduated from high school in 1898 and “I got my ‘Sweet 16’ bracelet at Du-
received his teaching certificate. After Bose Jewelers,” said Chris Sexton.
meeting his future wife Alice Eleanor
Jones, who was also pursuing a teach- “We got our wedding rings at DuBose
ing degree, they wed in 1899. J.C. took in 1968,” interjected Carole Jean Jordon.
a teaching job at Pine Grove for $25 a “And I’m wearing this bracelet my hus-
month and worked side jobs as a car- band had made at DuBose on our third
penter and watchmaker. When his wife wedding anniversary.”
became gravely ill during childbirth, he
became a Baptist preacher and moved It was obvious to all that the custom
jewelry crafted by the DuBose family
over the years has created lifetimes of
lasting impressions. 

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | SEEN & SCENE May 4, 2018 B9

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Yen Yen: When you have a ‘yen’ for good Chinese food

By TIna Rondeau | Columnist Ginger Duck. choy with garlic was sensational.
[email protected] A week later, we returned to Yen Yen to

From time to time, I receive an email from sample a few more dishes. This time, we tried
P.F. Chang’s updating me on some of their the hot and sour soup ($3.25) and the crab
specials. straw mushroom soup ($3.50). The hot and
sour was the real deal, and the crab soup was
While P.F. Chang’s serves some very good loaded both with crab and delicious straw
Chinese-inspired dishes, they are not really mushrooms. Then we feasted on the Shao
“authentic” – but a recent email got me hun- Mai ($4.95) – steamed open-faced dumplings
gering for a Chinese food fix. stuffed with minced pork, water chestnut,
mushrooms, ginger and scallions.
Alas, there is no good place to go for Chi-
nese food in Vero although the Shandong For entrées on this visit, our server – who
Noodle House, in the Three Avenues shop- was from Beijing – recommended the Beijing
ping plaza, is clearly the best of what’s here. Trio ($16.95), and we also decided to try the
Yen Yen Grand Mix ($17.95). Of the two, we
But I wanted to dine at a Chinese restau- preferred the Beijing Trio – beef, chicken and
rant that had atmosphere, and tablecloths, as shrimp married with fresh mushrooms and
well as good Chinese dishes. lively scallions in a spicy Beijing sauce.

With that as the criteria, we decided this Based on two visits, we would not hesitate
time to take our search north instead of to recommend Yen Yen. It is a pleasant place
south, and ventured an hour up A1A to Co- to dine, with unusually friendly and helpful
coa Beach, where we came upon Yen Yen, a
Chinese restaurant that has been there for

Fried Dumplings. Baby Bok Choy.

almost three decades. waiters, and serves well-prepared classic
From the exterior, it looks like the British Chinese dishes. We will go back.

pub it was until Yen Yen took over 28 years I welcome your comments, and encourage
ago. But inside, Yen Yen is a large and very you to send feedback to me at tina@verobe-
tastefully decorated Chinese restaurant like ach32963.com. The reviewer dines anony-
those that can be found in most major cities. mously at restaurants at the expense of Vero
Beach 32963. 
Shown to a plush banquette along one of
the walls, we ordered a bottle of white wine, Yen Yen Hot and Sour Soup. Hours:
and decided to start with Yen Yen’s wonton Grand Mix. 4:30pm to 9:30pm
soup ($3). The soup was very flavorful, and Tuesday through Sunday
we decided to move next to dumplings. The Beijing Trio.
pork or vegetable dumplings (four for $4.25) Beverages: Full Bar
are offered either steamed or fried. We opted
for the fried. Served with a special soy sauce, Address:
they were wonderful. 2 N. Atlantic Avenue,

Then for entrées, we ordered three dish- Cocoa Beach
es for the table: snow white prawns ($22.50),
ginger duck ($16.95) and baby bok choy with Phone:
garlic ($11.95). (321) 783-9512

The prawns are Yen Yen’s piece de resis-
tance – large butterflied prawns, dusted in
potato flour, then quick fried on both sides
and topped by the chef’s secret cream sauce.
Many diners appear to love this dish, but the
secret sauce was cloyingly creamy, too much
like mayonnaise for me.

The ginger duck, however, was a classic
Cantonese dish, slices of duck meat stir-fried
with fresh ginger, scallions and sweet onions
in a ginger-flavored sauce. Tasty. And the bok

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | DINING May 4, 2018 B11

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B12 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | DINING www.veronews.com

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B14 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | DINING www.veronews.com

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Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | DINING May 4, 2018 B15

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B16 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | SPORTS www.veronews.com

Groody leaves Vero High flag football in better place

By Ron Holub | Correspondent Jenny Quach makes a reception en route to a touchdown. Madzi Rhodes runs the option.
[email protected]

The season ended last week for the Vero
Beach High flag football team with a 6-0
loss to Fort Pierce Central in the District
4-2A championship game. Defenses ruled
the tournament as Vero had beaten Martin
County, 6-0, in the semis, and Central han-
dled Treasure Coast, 7-0.

For head coach Mickey Groody, this was
his swan song with VBHS flag football. He
will finish his six-year tenure at the school
this spring and take over as athletic direc-
tor and head coach of the varsity football
team at John Carroll. He has recently been
pulling double duty at both schools and
handling the time-consuming complexi-
ties in genuine stand-up fashion.

“I’ve always had aspirations to be the
head coach of my own football program,”
Groody said. “(AD and varsity football
coach) Lenny (Jankowski) is obviously go-
ing to be here for a while. He has helped
groom me toward being a head coach. I
coached the freshman football team for

Addie Teske. PHOTOS: GORDON RADFORD Quarterback Irelynd Kane throws under pressure.

the past four years and I’ve taken on more All of this produced a hectic schedule roll. I made sure they knew that I would be Groody lauded first year starter Irelynd
responsibilities over that time to prep my- for Groody during the flag football season. there with them until the end. I was in it Kane at quarterback. She passed for 1,000
self for this move. He is a math teacher in the morning before just as much as they were.” yards and 15 TDs. Further, Groody said,
making the short trip to Fort Pierce to over- “she was able to read my mind and do ev-
“I’ve always had my eye on John Carroll. see spring football workouts and practices The Fighting Indians lost twice to FPC erything on the field.”
I went to St. Thomas Aquinas High School later in the day. Before the season ended in and finished 7-3. Left behind is an estab-
in Fort Lauderdale, so I’m familiar and the district title game, his early afternoon lished program that should remain com- Standouts on defense were lineback-
comfortable with the Catholic high school in between was devoted to the girls prac- petitive in a tough district. ers DaJah Farr, Alanna Liebman and Au-
setting. So that’s pretty exciting, and the ticing and playing flag football. He was not dra Teske. They led the team in flag pulls;
fact that I will be the coach and athletic di- about to give up the sport he coached from “It wasn’t a year full of the best athletes Farr had 10 in the playoffs and totaled 44
rector just makes it a true dream job. start to finish at VBHS. that I’ve ever had,” Groody said. “But the during the season.
girls came to work every day ready to
“The transition is definitely unique. “A lot of people asked me if I was going learn. They listened to what the coach- “So there’s a lot going on at both schools
Normally when you take this type of job to stop coaching flag football right away,” es preached and implemented it in the right now,” said Groody. “I love what I’m
you give two weeks notice and you’ll be Groody told us. “I’ve coached this team for games, and it really showed.” doing here, I love being here, and leaving
at your new position full time. Luckily for six years and I try to be a man of my word is definitely a hard thing to do. But my wife
me the AD at John Carroll is staying until as much as I can. These girls have done Dual sports athletes Madzi Rhodes and I thought it was great for us and our
July, which is when I will take over that po- everything that I’ve asked them to do. It (soccer) and Catie Jacobs (volleyball) were family to finally get my own program.
sition. I’ve already taken over football re- wouldn’t have felt right to just give that up. one-two in receptions, touchdowns and
sponsibilities at John Carroll and I’m going interceptions. Center Addie Teske was “On top of that, Lisa gave birth to our
to teach here at Vero until the end of the “I told them exactly that as soon as it flawless on snaps and snuck past the line first child (McKenna Faith was born April
school year.” went public that I had the job at John Car- of scrimmage often enough to be third in 21). So we are getting all of the big changes
receptions. out of the way, all in one month.” 

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | GAMES May 4, 2018 B17

NORTH

A BOOK TO HELP BIDDING JUDGMENT K3

By Phillip Alder - Bridge Columnist 10 4

Neil Kimelman’s book “The Right Bid at the Right Time” (Master Point Press) contains AJ98732
more than 80 tough bidding problems, both constructive and competitive. After the
reader decides what he would do, Kimelman analyzes the pros and cons of each WEST A6
possible call, sometimes gives the original full deal and has “lessons to learn.” In A 10 9 2 EAST
general, the advice is sound, but a few times he makes debatable recommendations. 53
10 Q854
I found one deal where he said that a penalty double of three spades led to minus 730. KQ7542
He did not describe the play, though, because declarer had a two-way guess for the AJ9762
club jack that he must have gotten right. If either defender had held the club 10, they
would have been plus 200 for a nice score. (To be honest, the setting was a team game, Q6
not a pair event, when a close double into game should be avoided.)
9
In this week’s deal, taken from a team event, what should North rebid over one no-
trump? SOUTH

While you are considering that, “Out of Hand, Out of Mind” by Bill Buttle (Master Point J76
Press) is a book containing 141 color cartoons with bridge themes, some funnier than
others, of course. KQ8

Back to the deal, North ought to rebid three diamonds (although three no-trump is K54
feasible). This says that North is trying to get to three no-trump, but would like South to
have some help in the suit and, preferably, hearts well held — as he does here. J 10 8 3

Finally, yes, I probably would have responded two no-trump, not one, with that suitable Dealer: North; Vulnerable: East-West
South hand, and hoped for the best in the black suits.
The Bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST OPENING
1 NT Pass 1 Diamonds 1 Hearts
?? LEAD:
5 Hearts

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B18 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | GAMES www.veronews.com

SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (APRIL 27) ON PAGE B20

The Telegraph ACROSS DOWN
1 Mum’s mum (4) 2 Cats and dogs? (4)
4 Well ventilated (4) 3 Subtlety (6)
8 Nurtured (4) 4 Ship’s brake (6)
9 Smoker’s box (5,4) 5 Set free (6)
11 Young farm animals (6) 6 Regions (9)
13 Ocean-dweller (7) 7 Appends (4)
15 Profession (6) 10 From Japan, say (7)
16 Racial (6) 12 Radio operator’s word for‘E’(4)
18 The rest (6) 13 Big band (9)
20 Buddy (6) 14 Ripping (7)
22 Little ones (7) 17 Secret language (4)
23 Crazy (6) 19 Atishoo! (6)
25 Toff (9) 20 Element (6)
26 One’s hearing aids (4) 21 Stifle (anag.) (6)
27 Close to (4) 23 Plan (4)
28 Bubbles (4) 24 Facts (4)

How to do Sudoku:

Fill in the grid so the
numbers one through
nine appear just once
in every column, row
and three-by-three
square.

The Telegraph

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | GAMES May 4, 2018 B19

ACROSS (fleeing) DOWN 57 “___ big girl now The Washington Post
1 Of a Mongolian 68 Even the 1 Yippie Hoffman ...”
2 Loamy deposit B MOVIES By Merl Reagle
mountain range slightest 3 Characteristic 58 Vocal selection
7 Companion of 70 Thirty-two oz. 4 “... some kind 59 Later
73 Meal ingredient 62 Dorothy Parker
coeur 74 Solemn assent of ___?”
10 Run the ___ 76 Jets’ home 5 Addams Family remark
15 Air rifle ammo 78 Studio 65 Casablanca’s
18 1950 Joan cousin
apartment, 6 Most coquettish land: abbr.
Fontaine drama essentially 7 Gave up the 67 Give temporarily
21 Bell burg in a 79 Nurses fresh out 69 Born
of sch. throne: abbr. 71 Charlotte’s home
book 80 1972 horror 8 1993 John 72 Barrie baddie
22 Sushi candidate spoof directed by 75 Reside
23 1946 Cocteau Larry Hagman Goodman 77 Like ___
83 SST heading, comedy featuring
fantasy maybe “AromaVision” (cold and quiet)
25 Bother 84 Hate 9 Old English 78 On the creaky
26 “What time ___?” 86 January, to Juan letters
27 It’s two after 87 A king of 10 Yak side
England: abbr. 11 Summer relief 79 Glasgow
epsilon 88 Hatchet relative pitcher?
28 Sad ending? 89 Gluck’s ___ ed 12 Novelist Peter hoosegow
29 Verb on a freak- Euridice 13 Oust 80 Guy, for short
90 Mr. Chaney 14 A thunderbird 81 Taylor of The
show sign 91 Angie Dickinson tops it
30 Salt Lake player flick, Big Bad ___ 15 With 45 Down, a Nanny
31 Built or begun: 94 Type of oil 1949 82 Bongo whackers
95 Ungraceful type Betty Grable 85 Greek mountain
abbr. 96 1980 comedy comedy
32 School of city-life (with The) 16 1951 Ronald chain where
100 Cottonwood, to Reagan Hercules is said
painters Carlos comedy to have died
34 Typing sound 102 It gives golfers a 17 ___ gin 88 Hirt and others
37 Violin VIP little boost 19 Come clean? 92 Offer ___ (use
39 1975 Bergen- 103 Group of nine 20 Legislators, at money to get
104 Church chair times evidence)
Hackman 107 Letters on old 24 Cutting remark? 93 Pt. of a three-day
western pennies 32 ___ for “apple” weekend
42 Ohio or Peru city 108 Funny 33 Tongue- 94 California fort
44 Certain degs. 110 Uncooked depressing that became
46 Hosea, in the 112 Apr. collectors sounds a university
Douay 113 Sophia’s “so 35 Pond scum 96 California bay
47 Rodeo attendee long” 36 Hugh’s mag where
48 Yield the floor 114 Feeling of 38 Billy Baldwin’s The Birds was
49 House of hay “whoa!” brother filmed
50 Hub of activity: 115 1965 surf movie 39 Halt order 97 Bosnian ___
abbr. 120 Like most 40 “___ ever 98 Start of a toast
52 Sticks around lifeguards tasted!” 99 ___ north
54 Country great 121 Ice house 41 Lanchester and (heading)
Roy 122 1964 Tony Maxwell 101 Major fuel brand
55 Blood letters Randall comedy 43 Doggie 104 A Ford or a horse
56 1970 William (with The) rejoinders 105 A colonel has a
Friedkin 123 Chaplin’s brother 44 1941 Mickey and silver one
drama (with The) 124 Singer Frankie Judy musical 106 Romanced
60 Word that 125 Byrd or Dewey: 45 See 15 Down 107 Boiling vessels
Spanish abbr. 48 Kirk, to Michael 109 Flamboyant
alphabetizers 126 Played with a 49 Getaway isle painter
ignore Duncan 50 Francis or Mack 111 Goya’s duchess
61 Actors Jack and 51 Cobb and Hardin 113 Chaplin’s ___
son Chris 53 Beat the tar out Lights
63 Mrs. with a ghost of 116 Against
64 Yogi, in Yucatan 56 N.Y.C. subdiv. 117 It cuts dirt?
65 Card carrier: 118 Tet Offensive
abbr. land
66 A Star ___ 119 Part of a scare
67 On the ___ tactic?

The Telegraph

B20 May 4, 2018 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | CALENDAR www.veronews.com

BUSINESS DIRECTORY - ADVERTISING INDIAN RIVER COUNTY BUSINESSES ONGOING

Vero Beach Museum of Art - Medieval To Metal: The Art &
Evolution of the Guitar thru May 6, Paul Outerbridge: New Col-
or Photographs from Mexico and California, 1948-1955 thru
June 3 and Shadow & Light: The Etchings of Martin Lewis thru
May 13.

ATTORNEY STEVEN LULICH RELIABLE MORTGAGES, INC. NMLS#1528596 Environmental Learning Center – Lagoon Tour d’Art exhibit;
award winners from Sebastian River Art Club Beautiful Lagoon
PERSONAL INJURY Preferred Partner of Quicken Loans Mortgage Services Fine Art Show, thru May 10. 772-581-8281

Protect Your Rights-No Recovery No Fee Conventional  FHA  VA Loans  Reverse Mortgages MAY
Free Consultations Leon Nichols  772-228-8804
Cell: 772-205-7119 3 Space Coast Symphony Tenth Anniversary Season An-
Concierge Legal Services – We make house calls [email protected] nouncement Party, 6 p.m. at Heritage Center, with wine,
Real Estate Closings-Title Insurance appetizers and live entertainment to introduce plans for the up-
Wills-Probate-Business Law Mortgage Loan Originator NMLS#1642700 coming season. Free. 855-252-7276

(772) 589 5500 www.lulich.com ACROSS DOWN 3 Vero Beach High School Performing Arts
1 ROAM 2 RIDICULOUS Dept. presents Swinging into Spring Jazz
TBheefohrireinygouofdaeclaiadwneyd,eear xsispkeaurniseintmocpepo.rrCotavliinedtnedt eyreocsiuspiwoonnitshtihbfalreteesfohwrorucioltdtsetnnooiftnsbfoueritmbaaatstiesodentstaloeblmeolueytnoto.nuradqvuearltiifsiceamtieonntss. 3 ANTIC 2 MUSTANG Band Concert, 7 p.m. at VBHS PAC. 772-564-5497
7 OMEN 3 ANIMAL
Solutions from Games Pages 8 DOGSDINNER 4 TENDER 4 Vero Beach Wine & Film Festival and Vero
in April 27, 2018 Edition 9 GEMS 5 CORGI Heritage Movie Series presents the film
12 CAMARADERIE 6 HELM “Wonder Woman,” 7:30 p.m. on the lawn at Heri-
13 LODGE 10 EERY tage Center, with wine tasting pre-screening.
15 RAYON 11 SOMNOLENCE
19 PARADOXICAL 14 DOPE 4|5 Riverside Theatre presents James
21 STEM 16 ANISEED and the Giant Peach performed
23 PHENOMENON 17 GAZEBO by RCT students, 7 p.m. Fri. 1:30 p.m. & 5:30
24 JAIL 18 COLONY p.m. Sat., with post-show Kidspot refreshments
25 EBONY 20 AMPLE & activities for children 12 and under. $10.
26 DAZE 22 TEAK 772-231-6990

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