04/02/2020 ISSUE 14

United Way leads response to
community needs. P12
Surplus hotel space
offered to hospital. P7

Island real estate market
still active despite pandemic. P8

For breaking news visit

Behavioral Health Will curbing travel from hotspots help keep COVID-19 at bay?
Center facing new
tests in pandemic
BY LISA ZAHNER
Staff Writer

BY MICHELLE GENZ A driver from New York is intercepted at a COVID-19 checkpoint at the Florida state line on Interstate 95. PHOTO BY JAMES GILBERT Florida, faced with a
Staff Writer mounting coronavirus crisis
in South Florida yet nearly
With emotions on edge, hap- half its counties relatively
py hours on hold, finances im- unscathed by COVID-19,
periled and health on the line, started the week by opt-
even the sunniest dispositions ing to “thread the needle” –
can turn stormy, or worse. Last seeking to protect Floridians
week, Sheriff Deryl Loar an- while keeping the economy
nounced an uptick in domes- as open as possible.
tic violence in the county, and
there are fears that reports of Instead of subjecting all of
increased child abuse can’t be Florida’s 22 million residents
far behind. to veritable house arrest for
weeks, Gov. Ron DeSantis
For those with mental or declined to issue the type of
behavioral disorders, condi- lock-down orders imposed
tions caused by the coronavi- by 30 other states, but parti-
rus pandemic pose even more tioned off South Florida trou-
difficult challenges, poten- ble spots for the restrictions
of a “Safer at Home” order.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
That does not apply to
The coronavirus and its need Indian River County, even
for social distancing need not though Monday brought us
keep Vero’s faithful from get- the highest number of new
ting a blessing and a palm
frond on Palm Sunday. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Community Church plans to COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE
offer parishioners and mem-
bers of the community at large County’s first responders have sufficient Piper Aircraft steps up to manufacture
a drive-through blessing and a personal protective equipment for now face shields needed by Cleveland Clinic
palm cross in the church park-
ing lot on 23rd Street between BY LISA ZAHNER fix, as it takes a lot of equip- BY RAY MCNULTY Cleveland Clinic Indian River
8:30 and 9:30 Sunday morning. Staff Writer ment to protect a force of near- Staff Writer Hospital President Greg Ros-
ly 250 firefighters, paramedics encrance.
Before the COVID-19 out- It was a close call. Indian and EMTs, and to have enough Piper Aircraft executives
break, the church had ordered River County Fire-Rescue was to share with other agencies already were discussing ways He wanted their help.
pieces of palm frond folded down to its last week of N95 and healthcare professionals. the Vero Beach-based com- “Funny you should call,”
into the shape of the cross masks, gowns, suits, goggles, pany might be able to ease Piper President and CEO Si-
to distribute at regular Palm face shields and other person- But every agency in Indian the shortage of personal pro- mon Caldecott told him last
Sunday services, but those are al protective equipment (PPE) River County that needs the tective equipment needed by week. “We’re working on some-
when a shipment arrived last equipment has it right now, local healthcare workers dur- thing right now – a prototype
CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 Thursday. Chief Tad Stone said. ing the coronavirus pandem- for a face shield.”
ic when the call came from The prototype, designed by
But it was only a temporary “Statewide there is a short-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

April 2, 2020 Volume 13, Issue 14 Newsstand Price $1.00 Service League’s
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News 1-12 Faith 51 Pets 50 TO ADVERTISE CALL prove contagious. P14
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Books 32-33 Health 39-42 St. Ed’s 34
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Editorial 28 People 13-18 CALL 772-226-7925

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2 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

First responders Stone said he is expecting a second date yet. We are good for a while so der all this stuff,” DeSantis said. “But
shipment this week, “part of that will be long as we don’t have a huge jump in it’s really cutthroat.”
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 coming from our national stockpiles.” call volume.”
Moskowitz said Florida is compet-
age of Personal Protective Equipment, The Indian River Shores Public Safe- Shaw said the Shores’ supply should ing with “everybody but Antarctica.”
but we have sufficient stocks in house ty Department, with a smaller staff of last “at least three weeks.” That was
today to take us for about the next week 22 full-time sworn officers who are nearly a week ago, so the Shores is ef- On March 20, DeSantis issued an
and a half to two weeks,” Stone said last triple-trained as police, firefighters and fectively down to a two-week supply executive order suspending elective
Friday. “We got an order yesterday and paramedics, plus several part-time po- until the next shipment is received. medical, dental and surgical proce-
those are being distributed primar- lice officers, is in slightly better shape dures in Florida in an effort to reserve
ily through the adult living facilities and – for now – when it comes to protective Florida’s chief emergency manager stocks of PPE for emergency depart-
to the nursing homes throughout the equipment. Jared Moskowitz and Gov. Ron DeSan- ments and critical care personnel in
county because they are at the critical tis have both pointed out how aggres- the event that hospitals get an influx
shortage right now. We also sent some Capt. Mark Shaw said on Friday, sive Florida officials have had to be to of patients presenting with COVID-19
out to our first-responder agencies and “Today we received 60 N95 masks and get needed supplies into the state, in-
so they have adequate supply.” had already received 40 complete PPE cluding PPE, test kits, swabs and ma- symptoms. 
kits from our distributor. We still have terials to set up field hospitals.
more on order but do not have a ship Piper face shields
“We were one of the first states to or- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Piper’s engineering team, was built us-
ing off-the-shelf production materials,
such as sheets of clear plastic, indus-
trial tape, foam and elastic. The face
shield then was sent to the hospital
for evaluation and approval by medi-
cal technicians, who made sure the
protective device met federal Centers
for Disease Control standards.

Before the week was through, Piper
had assigned a team of workers to a
separate manufacturing line at its lo-
cal factory and begun mass-produc-
ing the shields, the first 2,000 of which
were scheduled to be delivered to the
hospital earlier this week.

“These face shields can be worn
anytime protective eyewear is appro-
priate,” Rosencrance said. “They are
easy to clean, reusable, fully protect
the face and help preserve the mask
worn underneath from becoming
soiled, and limit direct exposure.”

Piper spokeswoman Jackie Carlon
said the line has the capacity to make
more than 1,000 shields per day and
that the company might manufacture
as many as 50,000 of them, if it can ob-
tain the additional materials needed
from its wholesale suppliers.

“Cleveland Clinic initially asked for
10,000 for the hospital here, but they
have inquired about getting 50,000 to
use at hospitals throughout their net-
work,” Carlon said. “I guess once word
got out that we were doing this, every-
body wants them.”

Carlon said the shield manufactur-
ing “really isn’t impacting our aircraft
production schedule” because the
project requires only a small team or
workers, adding that Cleveland Clinic
is paying Piper only a “nominal fee”
for the equipment.

Angela Dickens, the hospital’s digi-
tal marketing director, said Piper
plans to supply the face shields “as
long as needed” and the supply of ma-
terials needed to make them remains
available.

In addition to manufacturing the
face shields, Piper donated 1,500 3M
N95 respirator masks to the hospital

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 3

NEWS

Friday. Company workers use such contacts who may have been exposed. “I don’t think we need to close any east, are widely perceived to have
masks in aircraft manufacturing. If this plan works, places like Indian more businesses or do any draconian helped fuel the exponential growth in
measures,” Solari said, adding that cases this past week.
“It’s a time for action, cooperation River County with low density and sen- he did agree with closing the beach
and collaboration,” Piper Chief Opera- sible, compliant residents hopefully can access points two weeks ago during Many of the 25 Indian River patients
tions Officer James Funk said in a pre- avoid a devastating economic melt- spring break. who have tested positive for the coro-
pared statement. “As a team, we can down along with a health pandemic. navirus had recently traveled, about
make a difference for people in need College kids packed like drunk sar- a quarter of them to the greater New
and directly support those fighting the On Monday, County Commissioner dines on beaches in Miami and Fort York epicenter or internationally.
battle on the front lines of this unprec- Bob Solari said he saw no reason for Lauderdale, along with cruise ship pas-
edented crisis. more stringent measures here based sengers and travelers from the North- With stern worldwide and domes-
upon the current case tally.
“This is just one small way that we CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
are trying to help,” he added. “We want
healthcare providers, especially, and
patients to be safe. Therefore, it’s vital
that we all pull together to help our
community, weather this crisis and
come out the other side stronger than
ever.”

Rosencrance said the hospital is “ex-
tremely appreciative” of Piper’s support.
“Their ability to produce face shields
and deliver them in a timely manner
provides additional personal protective
equipment for our caregivers.”

Asked if Piper might produce other
type of personal protective equip-
ment used at the hospital, Carlon said
the company will “focus on just the

face shield for now.” 

Keeping COVID-19 at bay
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

COVID-19 cases here yet – five, raising
the pandemic total for this area to 25 with
three hospitalizations and no deaths.

That compared to a Monday total
of 5,704 cases and 71 deaths for all of
Florida, with Miami and Fort Lauder-
dale accounting for about half.

To deter tourists and part-time resi-
dents from bringing more coronavirus
to low-exposure areas like Vero from
COVID-19 hotspots like New York, New
Jersey, Connecticut and Louisiana, De-
Santis ordered the National Guard and
state troopers to stop those travelers at
airports and highway checkpoints.

At roadblocks on I-95 and I-10, out-
of-staters were forced to declare where
they will self-quarantine in Florida for
14 days under penalty of fines and jail
time.

DeSantis further yanked the wel-
come mat from under visitors by shut-
ting down all short-term vacation rent-
als statewide, and seeking to reduce
the number of flights to Florida. The
message was loud and clear: Stay away
so Florida can tend to its sick and get
the virus under control.

Already, Elite Airways canceled its
April 3 and April 6 flights between New-
ark and Vero.

For the counties like Indian River
where it still seems manageable to iso-
late and contain the spread, DeSantis
wants to expand testing, quarantine
those affected at home or as a last re-
sort in the hospital, and track down

4 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Keeping COVID-19 at bay Healthcare aides prepare to test for COVID-19 at Cleveland Clinic Indian River drive-through. PHOTO BY KAILA JONES ment, and Indian River Shores Pub-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 lic Safety Chief Rich Rosell and Capt.
available intensive-care beds, or the dents at ease, or light a fire under some- Mark Shaw have been an open book
tic travel advisories now in place, and number of ventilators, currently on one to get more beds and ventilators about their department and their sup-
quarantine orders a distinct disincen- hand in Indian River County. ready. But while the situation for the plies, providing numbers and specif-
tive to jet or drive to Florida, these moment appears under control here,
travel-related cases should presum- The best answers our staff can get there is little to no transparency. ics whenever asked. 
ably subside soon. is that we have “adequate” beds and
that the hospitals have access to more On the opposite end of the spec- Staff writer Ray McNulty contribut-
In the meantime, DeSantis is intent ventilators, should we get to the point trum, Indian River County Fire Chief ed to this report.
on flooding Florida with hundreds of where we need to bolster capacity. Tad Stone has been extremely open
thousands of test kits, plus thousands about the challenges he is facing, es- Behavioral Health Center
of doses of a malaria medicine cocktail More forthright answers to these pecially with scarce protective equip- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
just approved by the FDA to try on CO- questions could either put local resi-
VID-19 patients. tially setting off or adding to suffering
that in the best of times requires pro-
State and local agencies are also fessional help to manage.
distributing as many face masks and
pieces of protective equipment as “It might exacerbate a current con-
state officials can get their hands on dition,” said Anne Posey, director of
from manufacturers, the national the Behavioral Health Center, an inpa-
stockpile or even the somewhat-shady tient mental health treatment facility
secondary markets. across the street from Cleveland Clinic
Indian River Hospital that has just
Meanwhile, a number of readers been renovated and upgraded.
have contacted us from homes, con-
dos and assisted living facilities, want- Built in the 1980s and now run by
ing to know why we are not reporting Cleveland Clinic, the 46-bed center
how many intensive-care beds and is a critical cog in the county’s men-
ventilators are ready and waiting in tal health system. As part of the hos-
Indian River County should they, God pital, it is the county’s only designat-
forbid, become infected. ed Baker Act receiving facility, able
to take those children and adults
Despite repeated requests for spe- deemed a danger to themselves or
cifics, neither county health officials others for brief stays under a law
nor the two hospitals have shown any that can mandate inpatient mental
willingness to disclose the number of

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 5

NEWS

health treatment with or without the lobby, the area where visitors wait, as part of a slew of updates the grant has priority in the county, Cleveland Clinic
patient’s consent. has been the case for years. Thanks to a enabled. Florida, since its arrival a year ago, has
$1 million grant from Cleveland Clinic poured significant capital dollars into
It also treats adult patients who choose Indian River Hospital Foundation, a The foundation, legendary for its the aging center that last year saw 1,900
to be admitted. canopied side entrance just for patients fundraising, isn’t alone in paying for admissions – up 22 percent since 2017.
is being built. The new entrance, “safer major improvements at the crucially
Those patients and those admitted and more dignified,” Posey said, is just important clinic. Upgrades include a new roof, a fresh
under the Baker Act will no longer be
entering the building through the main With mental health deemed high CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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6 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Behavioral Health Center foundation] told me to make a wish licenses, Posey says, with a provider in To that end, the Behavioral Health
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 list. I did, and they gave me everything Tampa used most often. Center now has a medical nurse prac-
on it,” said Posey, beaming. titioner or physician assistant on duty
paint job and enhanced security with In the last year alone, more than seven days a week, 12 hours a day.
40 new cameras in the parking lot The telepsychiatry carts will be 2,000 telepsychiatry consults have
and building. A panic button system posted at each of four Cleveland Clinic taken place in the main hospital, with The center’s staff includes two board-
Cleveland installed soon after taking primary care doctors’ offices, linking units wheeled into the patient rooms. certified psychiatrists and a psychi-
over is due to be improved with foun- them to Behavioral Health Center ser- The average wait time for the consult: atric nurse practitioner. Since Posey
dation money to include locator ca- vices. Posey says primary care doctors 37 minutes. took over management of the center
pability so a caregiver’s device will im- are often the first people patients tell in 2017, average patient stays are run-
mediately send a signal of where the of a mental health issue like depres- “Our screens are really big, so there’s ning slightly shorter, from 3.5 days for
problem is happening. sion or sleeplessness. “But if they try a good image of the psychiatrist as children and 4.5 days for adults. Nurse
to pick up the phone and connect pa- the patient talks to them,” Posey said. to patient ratios have come down from
Cleveland Clinic also bought“psych- tients to services, they’re often told it’s “People have some bias about it, like, 10 to 1 when she arrived, to 7 to 1 now.
safe” furniture – heavy enough, it can’t a six- to eight-week wait,” Posey said. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be in the
easily be thrown – for bedrooms and room?’ But when you talk to the pa- Those nurses are all RNs. While
common areas. Patient bathrooms The grant also pays the salary of tient about it, the patient is fine. Most not all have psychiatric certification,
have been remodeled to make them a coordinator at the center who can people are used to Facetime.” each goes through nearly a month
safer for patients. Psych-safe hospital meet with those primary care patients, of intensive training “There’s a lot of
beds were transferred from Cleveland evaluate them and link them to servic- The Behavioral Health Center has also training with regard to handling ag-
Clinic Ohio hospitals, Posey said. es. And if they need an emergency ap- championed receiving patients with gression management,” says Posey,
pointment, they can use the new carts both medical and psychiatric needs, an instructor in crisis prevention in-
Much of the hospital foundation’s to dial into a tele-psychiatrist from the a change from many of the hospitals tervention.
$1 million went toward building the primary care doctor’s office. Posey has worked in over the years.
new side entrance for patients and Also in those 8-hour training ses-
four telepsychiatry carts for use in pri- Currently, telepsychiatry carts are “A lot of behavioral health centers sions are behavioral health techni-
mary care offices. It also paid for new available at the main hospital – one in struggle with that patient population cians, staff that while they don’t hold
outdoor tables and chairs, five new the emergency department and two and they limit the number of patients formal degrees, are essential and in-
wide-screen TVs for the communal accessible to the medical floor – for they can take,” she says. “We have this tensely “in the mix” with patients pro-
gathering spaces, and all kinds of rec- mental health patients admitted to kind of ‘just say yes’ policy. We work viding one-on-one care. “I would tell
reational supplies, including art sup- the hospital with medical needs that very closely with Dr. [Richard] Rothman you they’re some of the most impor-
plies and game tables. must be treated before they transfer to and our hospitalists across the street to tant people in the hospital,” she says.
the center across the street. make sure we have the support to take
“Liz [Bruner, head of the hospital care of those patients that need medi- “I’ve never worked in a facility where
Psychiatrists the units can dial into cal support. Dr. Rothman has a heart for the staffing issue is this good,” Posey
are all board-certified and hold Florida mental and behavioral health.”
said. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 7

NEWS

Hotel space offered to hospital if extra rooms needed

BY MICHELLE GENZ hospital officials were supposed to be re- Star Suites, owned by Riverside The- cluding caregivers from the hospital,
Staff Writer viewing the concept. “Dr. Rosencrance atre, opened exactly a year ago on Avia- according to Kite. “Some of the nurses
replied to me and said they were very, tion Boulevard near Dodgertown to there right now don’t want to risk in-
Keith Kite was mowing his lawn when very appreciative and they were going to house casts and crews during its season fecting their families,” he said.
an idea came to him: With fears of hos- put it in their logistical capability.” of plays – normally October through
pitals reaching capacity in the COV- April. Kite says it was full of actors until Star Suites, which is managed by
ID-19 pandemic, why not offer the use Monday, he hadn’t heard any update Riverside Theatre canceled the balance Kite, has 60 one-bedroom suites with
of three hotels he manages to Cleveland and assumed the idea was still under of its season in mid-March, leaving the kitchens that all open on an interior
Clinic Indian River, should they need consideration. hotel essentially vacant. courtyard. With that enclosed environ-
space for patients or caregivers? ment, Kite believes it would be an ideal
Cleveland Clinic Indian River did “We closed Star Suites when all the setting for COVID-19-positive patients
Last week, Kite emailed the hospital not respond to requests for comment people had to leave,” he said. “It was full who are recovering but not in need of
president Dr. Greg Rosencrance; Ja- by press time. for the next six weeks.” the acute care of a hospital.
son Brown, county administrator; and
Miranda Hawker, head of the county’s Star Suites Hotel, Springhill Suites The Hampton Inn at Miracle Mile, The hotel is typically occupied for six
Health Department. and Hampton Inn and Suites near which opened in 2015 and is affiliated weeks at a time by the theater’s actors,
Miracle Mile are themselves victims of with Hilton, became the first hotel in many coming from New York, along
“We wish to extend our hotel prop- the COVID-19 pandemic. Occupancy downtown Vero and has appealed to with production crews. In the theater’s
erties to you in your planning and re- rates at Hampton Inn dropped from visitors off season, the hotel is used by visitors
sponse to COVID-19 here in Indian 95 percent to 30 percent, despite rates to Dodgertown next door, now closed
River County,” Kite proposed. that fell commensurately – from $280 a Springhill Suites on Indian River due to the pandemic.
night to between $100 to $149 a night, Boulevard, part of the Marriott brand,
“We have three properties here in in what for Kite is peak season. was built in 2009. It is the closest of the SpringHill Suites, along with the
the county with very close proximity to three to the hospital, and it is suffering Hampton Inn, may be better suited for
Cleveland Clinic that are all well suited If Cleveland Clinic were to use the from the same decline all tourist-relat- non-COVID-19 patients if the hospital
for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 facilities, Kite would agree to operate ed destinations are going through. temporarily took it over, Kite says. He
patients, patient friends or relatives, at a per diem rate set by the govern- envisions its 83 rooms for self-isolat-
caregivers, and first responders,” he ment, he said. Instead, it is hosting people want- ing patients who may have been ex-
wrote. ing to be near their loved ones in the posed but are not ill, as well as family
“The way I see it, our rates are so re- hospital, or others in quarantine who
By Friday morning, according to Kite, duced right now, I might as well,” said don’t want to infect their families, in- CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
Kite.

8 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Hotel space offered COVID-19 patients, caregivers, first re- ness through their (quality assurance Quail Valley Club who died in late
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 sponders and visitors as needed,” Kite and quality control) programs. January in the Dominican Republic.
wrote Rosencrance. Kite called the loss “a surreal experi-
members of patients in the hospital. “We stand ready to assist you in your ence.”
“They’re there to check on loved ones “All three properties are operating planning and needs during this un-
and they want to be close,” Kite says. under the latest guidelines of the CDC precedented health crisis,” Kite added. He’s also thinking of his employ-
as well as strict sanitary and cleanli- ees. “Obviously it’s extremely heart-
Hampton Inn, at 90 rooms, is the ness guidelines of Marriott, Hilton and Kite, a graduate of University of breaking to lay off people,” he said of
largest of the three properties. There, our internal controls,” wrote Kite. Florida, works with his son Kollin in the Star Suites closing. “I furloughed
“we have the ability to house non- commercial real estate. He is facing the them for 30 days to try to find a way
“All properties have consistently pandemic while grieving his brother,
earned the highest ratings in cleanli- Kelly Kite Sr., a founding member of to help them.” 

Island real estate market remains active despite coronavirus

BY STEVEN M. THOMAS Alex MacWilliam real estate. “We aren’t lion in sales in Indian River County percentage of sellers are withdrawing
Staff Writer seeing any panic among our clients.” between March 1 and March 28. their homes from the market.

While the island is quieter than nor- As of March 26, MacWilliam’s long- No one is saying business is great, “Only two or three percent of our
mal for this time of year, real estate established Island firm had written 30 but the bottom hasn’t fallen out either, listings have temporarily withdrawn,”
brokers are still showing homes, writ- new sales contracts during the month according to interviews conducted by says MacWilliam. “Likewise, barely 1
ing sales contracts and closing deals of March. That was down from a com- Vero Beach 32963 with more than a percent of the contracts we have writ-
– all while taking COVID-19 very seri- pany record of 60 contracts in Febru- dozen real estate brokers and agents ten are failing to close, being blamed
ously and operating in ways that keep ary, but still a substantial amount of last week. on the stock market, virus, or future
agents, staff and clients safe. business. economic uncertainty.”
Some high-end deals that were be-
“We are doing business,” says Marsha “The market hasn’t dried up,” Mac- ing negotiated have fallen through, “We have been fortunate,” says
Sherry, broker at The Moorings Realty William says. “It is still there.” either because sellers decided not Sherry. “All our deals have held up till
Sales Company. “The phone is still ring- to list at this time or because buy- this point. Our clients are still confi-
ing, and we are still getting new listings. “Our business has been holding ers, rattled by stock market volatility dent.”
People know this is temporary.” up relatively well considering the cir- or hampered by travel restrictions,
cumstances,” says Dale Sorensen Jr., hit the pause button. But most deals When he spoke to Vero Beach 32963
“Buyers want to buy, and sellers want managing partner at Dale Sorensen written in February and March are last Thursday, Richard Boga, a partner
to sell,” says Buzz MacWilliam, broker at Real Estate, noting that his family’s continuing to close and only a small in the O’Dare Boga Group at Premier
company closed more than $65 mil- Estate Properties, had just returned

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 9

NEWS

from showing two waterfront proper- more virtual in recent years and that
ties to two different clients. is paying off now when people need
to keep their distance to prevent the
“One was oceanfront and one was spread of COVID-19.
riverfront and both buyers seemed in-
terested in making offers – though we All island brokerages had good on-
didn’t hug or shake hands!” Boga says. line property presentations in place,
“They didn’t seem to have any concerns with high-quality photos, videos,
about the impact of the pandemic from specs and other information, prior to
a financial point of view. the pandemic, and they are now dou-
bling down on that capability.
“A lot of wealthy people look to brick
and mortar when the stock market is Daley, for instance, blasted an email
volatile,” Boga adds. “They like Vero and last week that links to beautiful virtual
feel this is a safe place to park money tours of more than a dozen properties
when things are going haywire.” so potential buyers can view the hous-
es from the safety of their own home.
“We had a large group in to look
at the Beach Cottages at the Strand, The team at Alex MacWilliam is
which we recently listed,” says Boga’s beefing up the company’s portfolio of
partner Cindy O’Dare, who notes that 3-D MatterPort tours that take buyers
she picked up a new waterfront listing inside a listed home and allow them to
in Ambersand in March. walk through and view each room.

O’Dare says the slowdown has given “We had this technology before the
her time to network more with oth- current situation, but we are taking
er high-end brokers associated with greater advantage of it now,” says broker
Christy’s. “We have been emailing all associate Kyle Von Kohorn, who along
over the world, sharing our listings and with Alex MacWilliam IV leads the com-
helping each other locate buyers. Per- pany’s online marketing innovations.
sonal contact has become a bigger part
of my marketing now.” O’Dare, like other island agents, has
been providing Facetime tours, walk-
With nightspots closed and no sports ing through listings with remote cli-
on TV, real estate has become a spec- ents, interacting much as she would if
tator sport and Boga says online views the clients were in the house with her.
of O’Dare Boga properties are up 400
percent. Critically, property inquiries, At the same time, actual in-person
where potential buyers provide con- showings are still taking place – with
tact info and reach out for more infor- plenty of precautions – at vacant prop-
mation, are up 200 percent. erties and occupied homes, if sellers
give their permission.
Other brokers up and down the island
are seeing the same spike. Sally Daley, “We are scheduling our showings
broker at Daley and Company Real Es- as we normally would, and most sell-
tate, says online views of her properties ers are being very cooperative,” says
have doubled in recent weeks. Buzz MacWilliam. “We are not show-
ing things back-to-back.”
Real estate activity has become much
CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

A pandemic Palm Sunday ing lot, they should remain in their
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 cars with the windows up,” Jones said.
“When they reach the church en-
not being held and the drive-through trance, one of our ministers will greet
idea was that of senior minister Rev. them with the sign of peace and place
Anna V. Copeland, according to ad- an envelope with a palm cross and a
ministrative assistant Diane Jones. prayer under their windshield wiper,
which they can retrieve safely when
“As people drive through the park-
they return home.” 

10 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Island real estate market pany brought in a tech team to set
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 agents up with everything they need
to do business efficiently from their
“We are asking sellers before they homes, according to Sotheby’s broker
leave to turn on all the interior lights associate Michael Thorpe.
and open all the interior doors to
minimize touching,” says Von Kohorn. “We are doing a lot of online train-
“Normally we would ask the showing ing and holding virtual meetings, as
agent to close doors and turn things well as staying in touch with our cli-
off, but now we are leaving that to the ents,” says Thorpe.
homeowner or the listing agent.”
Brokers and agents are optimistic
Sorensen agents, too, are continu- that the market will snap back once
ing to show houses, with 58 showings restrictions are over, due to low inter-
over the weekend – down from 100 est rates, limited inventory and pent-
showings on the same days in 2019. up demand.

“Daily showings, which we track “Once this is over, I think it will bust
through our software, are down be- loose,” says Chip Landers, a high-
tween 50 and 75 percent when com- volume agent at Berkshire Hathaway
pared to the respective days in 2019,” Home Services.
says Dale Sorensen Jr. “Our associ-
ates and staff are working every day “I wrote three contracts and had
but working differently. On a case by three closings last week, including an
case basis, and with the homeowner’s oceanfront lot and a house in Summer-
approval, our agents will continue to place,” Landers adds. “We were abso-
show homes, following all precautions lutely as busy as we have ever seen it in
outlined by the CDC.” January and February, and I expect we
will have people come back May and
Some brick and mortar real estate June and see the market come back
offices on the island remain open, with stronger than ever.”
regular or reduced hours, while others
are open by appointment or are closed, “We have an amazing community
with staff and agent working remotely. and we are all in this together, adapt-
ing and navigating through these
When ONE Sotheby’s closed its of- unprecedented times,” says Dale So-
fice on A1A two weeks ago, the com- rensen Jr. “The challenges are signifi-
cant, but we will emerge stronger on

the other side.” 

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12 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

United Way leads response of nonprofits to COVID-19

BY STEPHANIE LABAFF River County would feel the impact of als, he says. “We can provide funding Island Community Service League, lo-
Staff Writer this worldwide crisis. The United Way to make sure that they [the nonprofit cal foundations and individuals. A por-
of Indian River County, the Indian Riv- agencies] can get more supplies so tion of the $250,000 already contributed
The nonprofit community of Indian er Community Foundation and other that the food is there. They’ll do the by those sources will be sent out to the
River County is taking the disorder funders sprang into action to handle distribution. They’ll be helping indi- agencies deemed best equipped to
created by the COVID-19 pandemic unmet needs related to COVID-19. viduals.” provide services at this time.
in stride. The message of the men and
women who work each day to provide The first step in the process was to The Treasure Coast Homeless Ser- The Indian River Community Founda-
basic necessities to those who need determine the most crucial needs. vices Council and the Economic Op- tion contributed an additional $100,000
them most is to keep calm and carry on. The United Way facilitated a meeting portunity Council are the recipients of on behalf of the foundation’s donor cli-
with community partners, identify- funding to distribute rent assistance ents, including $50,000 from the Com-
Business is being conducted in a ing three key focus areas – food, rent and utilities, respectively. Additionally, munity Enrichment Fund, according to
slightly different fashion, but Indian and utility payment assistance – and United Against Poverty and the Trea- Pickering.
River County is fortunate to already created the COVID-19 Community sure Coast Food Bank, along with sev-
have the structure in place to deal with Response Fund. eral other food pantries, will receive Based on the United Way’s most re-
a crisis of this magnitude. financial assistance to help with food cent ALICE (Asset Limited, Income
“Its usage will be largely for individu- access and deliveries. Constrained, Employed) report, more
“We’ve got good networks of fund- als who need the basics. Folks that have than 51 percent of Indian River County
ing sources and distribution channels been laid off, lost paychecks, have been These groups already have a proto- households already lack the wherewith-
established based on our regular work cut back or lost tips. We want to make col in place for screening individuals, al to provide necessities for their fami-
together with other funders in the com- sure everybody’s got food. We want to explains Kint. lies. Now that many people are tempo-
munity,” says Jeffery Pickering, Indian make sure rent and utility bills are get- rarily losing their livelihoods, the need
River Community Foundation Presi- ting paid so that they’re not losing their “They usually look at the last three is greater than ever.
dent and CEO. “We go through this ex- homes or losing electricity,” explains months of income, but right now it
ercise every year. We’ve got a funding Michael Kint, United Way CEO. doesn’t matter what they made in the “We might be at this for a little while.
network that’s already primed for doing last three months; this month they As long as there’s a need, and as long
this kind of activity during hurricane The United Way serves as the fis- don’t have any money,” he says. “We as we have the funding, we’re certainly
season.” cal agent in this process and relies on want to make sure that all those im- going to continue to try to help folks in
established, trusted partners for the pacted will qualify.” need,” promises Kint.
As recent events unfolded and some distribution of funds and critical sup-
businesses were forced to shut down, plies, says Kint, According to Kint, in addition to funds For information on how you can do-
it soon became apparent that Indian from the United Way, others have pro- nate, or if you require assistance, visit
“We won’t actually fund individu- vided assistance, including the John’s
unitedwayirc.org. 

Dr. Anthony and Eileen Furino.

SERVICE LEAGUE’S SPIRIT,
GENEROSITY PROVE CONTAGIOUS

14 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Service League’s spirit, generosity prove contagious

Pat Thompson and Hope Woodhouse. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE PHOTOS & STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
Joanie Paulsen.

BY MARY SCHENKEL the spot-on theme – ‘You are the Union Jack flags – purchased as table to see how our employees have been
Champions.’ decorations by Connie McGlynn and affected and how we can help them,”
Staff Writer Sue Siegelbaum – the bags included said Thompson. “She is the best.”
“I thought it was just a perfect such items as a Killer Queen Concert
The Party That Was to Be: theme for this year’s celebration,” program, the coveted Little Black Woodhouse, in turn, has nothing
The John’s Island Community Ser- said Thompson. “It’s just a wonderful Book 2020, and a bottle of Chardon- but praise for Thompson and JICSL
vice League has hosted some phe- sentiment for everything that is done nay. members.
nomenal fundraising galas over the in this community. All the agencies,
years, but the 40th Anniversary Cele- the people who support us, the spon- This year’s Little Black Book direc- “The whole board and the extend-
bration scheduled for March 21, with sors, the residents, the volunteers tory of businesses and services was ed team have been working flat out,”
its “You are the Champions” theme, – they are all the champions. It was also filled with photos of John’s Is- said Woodhouse. “Our JICSL board
was gearing up to be even more ex- a salute to everybody for 40 years of land supporters from 1980 to 2020. “I and volunteers have gone beyond all
ceptional – until it too fell victim to success stories.” know people will love the trip down year and especially now. This is really
the coronavirus pandemic. memory lane,” said Thompson. about relationships.”
In a letter that Hope Woodhouse, More than 600 tickets had been
JICSL president, and Pat Thompson, sold, but Thompson says “the vast Additionally, Anne Warhover cre- Commenting that the league
chair of the JICSL 40th Anniversary majority of our ticketholders have ated a video montage of major spon- brings together people of different
Celebration, sent to ticketholders and turned it into a contribution; it’s a sors photographed wearing Freddie backgrounds and interests, who de-
sponsors, they noted that in each of total tax donation for them now be- Mercury mustaches, which will soon velop friendships that they may not
the past three years, the league dis- cause there’s no goods and services be broadcast to residents. have otherwise made, she added,
tributed more than $1 million in do- provided. It’s just such a positive re- “You make really good friends in the
nations to local agencies and scholar- sponse. It’s lifted our spirits for sure.” “Our sponsors missed a valuable Service League. When you work side-
ships to John’s Island employees and opportunity to meet John’s Island- by-side with people in a shared mis-
their children. About half was raised Additionally, she said, “we had ers,” said Thompson. “We want to sion, you get to know them better.”
through galas. more sponsors than ever before and make sure we celebrate their support
The party was to have been held they were very, very generous, recog- as much as we can.” That mission is to provide grants
on the club’s driving range, where a nizing that it was the 40th anniver- for the operating expenses of charita-
stage was to have been set up, with sary.” Later Saturday, Thompson was ble agencies involved with the health,
guests dining in a tent on a meal “fit joined in her driveway by Wood- education and human services is-
for a Queen.” To get people in the mood, in Janu- house, gala treasurer Ashley Lon- sues that affect women, children and
John’s Island was one of the stops ary they had hosted a Film Festival gwell, JICSL membership chair Betsy families in need. Categories include:
on a nationwide tour by the re- showing of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Fox, and Tiffany raffle chair Andrea Adult Health & Wellness, Children’s
nowned Queen Tribute band Killer Thibodeau, to draw the winning tick- and Youth Programs and Shelter.
Queen, featuring Patrick Myers, who “Everyone at the club really em- et for the diamond Tiffany Keys neck-
is said to be a dead ringer – visually braced the mustaches and the Fred- lace donated by Tiffany & Co., Worth Grant co-chairs Lynn Whipple and
and vocally – of the late, great Freddie die outfits. We just had so much fun Avenue. Sara Jane Moore led a committee of
Mercury. this year promoting it and getting ev- 60 volunteers, who extensively re-
“We canceled literally the day be- erybody on board,” said Thompson. And at sunset, when the Killer viewed applications and made site
fore I got the email from them saying “It was disappointing to cancel it, but Queen concert was scheduled to be- visits before making the ultimate
that they were canceling their 15-city as I’ve said to a lot of people, there’s gin, they toasted each other from decision to fund 40 agencies, five of
tour,” said Thompson. no self-pity when you’ve got a world their own homes, safe in the knowl- which were new this year.
Queen’s “We are the Champions” crisis on your doorstep.” edge that help is on the way from JI-
was at the height of popularity when CSL to agencies that need it the most. JICSL dispersed an all-time high of
the Service League was formed in On what would have been event $1,215,700 this year, for a 40-year cu-
1980. A slight modification produced day morning, about 230 colorful gift The Purpose of the Party, Which mulative total of $14,032,567.
bags that had been assembled by Ei- Continues:
leen and Dr. Anthony Furino were In addition to $1,048,000 granted
driven by a small group of gloved vol- “Hope has been all over the com- to 40 agencies, JICSL awarded $57,700
unteers to residents. munity trying to figure out how we in scholarships to John’s Island em-
can help the agencies, and talking to ployees and their children. The JICSL
Decorated with red ribbons and the head of the John’s Island board Strategic Fund granted $60,000 to the



16 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Early Learning Coalition to purchase PHOTOS & STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 show that they have value enough to
quality curriculum and training for Betsy Fox, Pat Thompson, Hope Woodhouse, Ashby Longwell and Andrea Thibodeau. be helped, then they are able to move
16 VPK classrooms in Indian River forward and feel accountable to help
County. And $50,000 was contributed come home from every site visit just Columbia with her husband and the next person.”
to the United Way’s COVID-19 Com- thrilled. When asked ‘How’s it going?’ worked in landscaping at the J.I. West
munity Response Fund, currently fo- I launch into yet another story about Course. Since learning English from The Senior Collaborative was
cused on rent and utilities assistance, a fabulous agency that’s making tre- Literacy Services tutors, they have got- formed in August 2018 to deal with the
food access and distribution, and di- mendous strides, thanks in part to ten driver’s licenses, better jobs and imminent ‘senior tsunami’ by helping
apers and formula. us.” own their own home. Their son is now seniors and their families find infor-
an electrical engineer in the Navy and mation and service referrals. “The Se-
“This is my first year as a co-chair, Stories from a few Agency Site Vis- their daughter received a JICSL schol- nior Collaborative navigation system
along with my excellent partner, its: arship. will make it possible to go online or call
Lynne Whipple,” said Moore. “In ad- and get help from all sorts of different
dition to meeting all the dedicated At Literacy Services of IRC, Moore As a former horse owner, Moore organizations,” says site team member
and inspiring agency leaders, I am met a woman who immigrated from was impressed with the therapeutic Tay Adams.
loving witnessing the excitement, en- horseback riding programs of Special
thusiasm and advocacy the site visits Equestrians of the Treasure Coast. Since 2001, through Take Stock in
have brought out in all of our volun- She met a 9-year-old boy who was com- Children, JICSL has enabled 44 low-
teers.” pletely non-verbal when he first came income, first-generation Indian River
to SETC at age 2. “His first word was County students to obtain 4-year de-
“It’s been very satisfying dusting when he called the horse he was riding grees at Indian River State College.
off 30 years of work skills and putting ‘Baby,’” says Moore. A 10-year-old girl Students apply as eighth-graders and,
them to good use,” said Whipple. “I with cerebral palsy had initially been if they remain drug- and crime-free
thought retirement meant forgetting unable to sit up. Now, assisted by vol- and maintain good grades, their IRSC
about the spreadsheets and confer- unteers, Moore says she is “sitting her tuition is guaranteed. “These students
ence calls, but it looks like they’ll be horse with perfectly erect posture and are capable, responsible kids who typi-
around for another decade or two. a mile-wide grin on her face.” cally don’t identify themselves as col-
And that’s fine with me. The need in lege bound. The ‘Take Stock in Chil-
our county is enormous.” Safe Families for Children, a nation- dren’ program tells them otherwise,”
wide organization that uses volunteers says Whipple.
Noting that roughly half of Indian to take in children on a short-term
River County residents live below emergency basis, opened a Treasure Willis Sports, a baseball and aca-
the federal poverty line or are among Coast chapter in Vero Beach this past demic program for disadvantaged
the working poor, Whipple says, summer. At the site visit, they met a children, now has 250 children who
“With our means and generosity, we young, single mother of three little participate in its afterschool and sum-
have an extraordinary opportunity girls who had collapsed on the street mer programs. JICSL funds its ‘Fun at
to make life-changing differences. I due to a heart problem, and the family Bat RBI’ (Revitalizing Baseball in Inner
who cared for the girls while she was Cities) program, open to children ages
hospitalized. “Now, no longer alone, 6 to 14. “This is a little gem that oper-
she has another family and other sup- ates on a shoestring,” says Whipple.
portive friends circled around her and “The program continues to grow, the
her girls,” says Moore. “There was not a kids love it, and it gives the community
dry eye anywhere at the end of this site an opportunity to use and to take pride
visit.” in Dodgertown again.”

LifeBuilders of the Treasure Coast The Substance Awareness Center’s
was started by Diamond Litty, the 19th ReDirect Program, an indicated, pre-
Judicial Circuit’s Public Defender, to vention program, works with 12- to
help ex-offenders re-enter society and 18-year-olds, identified as engaging in
reduce recidivism. “I saw something substance abuse or other risky behav-
that is so purpose driven and makes iors. ReDirect works in concert with
such a difference,” says site team mem- 250 youth and their parents; the teens
ber Catherine Cooke. “When people focus on identifying their strengths
are at their most desperate and you and goal setting, and the parents focus
on family communication and early
warning signs. “Initially, there was re-
sistance,” says Whipple. “Parents were
worried it would waste their time and
gas money. But early success showed
otherwise.”

Nestled amid Florida foliage near
the lagoon, the Pelican Island Audu-
bon Society is opening up the world
of birds, plants and insects to 155
fifth-graders from low-income fami-
lies. Taken hiking, kayaking and
bird-watching, and recording it all in
their journals, students are taught to
love, respect and protect our natural
surroundings. “Confidence emerges
and some imagine a scientific ca-
reer,” says Whipple. “One girl over-
came her fear of bunnies and another
dipped her toe into the ocean for the
first time. Grades go up; writing skills
and vocabulary improve.” 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 17

PEOPLE

Crisis magnifies Food Pantry’s all-important mission

BY MARY SCHENKEL PHOTOS & STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 “Every story is different,” Zollen-
berg says in agreement, remember-
Staff Writer Ellen Zollenberg, Tom Mackie, Scott Turner, Martin Bireley and Bonnie Simpson. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE ing another man who came to the
window one day and simply said, “I’m
The Food Pantry of Indian River pounds of goods for one person, and derly but beautifully attired woman hungry.”
County has been performing a vital up to 50 pounds for a six-person fam- was discovered slumped against the
service to the community since 1987. ily. wall outside the Food Pantry. She Local places of worship, gated com-
Now, in these stressful and uncer- hadn’t eaten in days and was faint munities, businesses, civic, neighbor-
tain times, the services of this cru- “And I tell you what, we got from hunger. hood and school groups contribute
cial nonprofit are going to be needed slammed today,” says Mackie. “Every- volunteers, money and shelf-stable
more than ever before. one is shutting down, so you’ve got all “You would never have known if you food. The Food Pantry is also the
the service workers losing their jobs. looked at her, that she had no food,” recipient of local contributions to
Even before the COVID-19 pan- We’ve been averaging about 750 fami- Simpson says. “It’s always stunning.” the annual U. S. Postal Service Food
demic, the Treasure Coast – Indian lies a month, but that’s about to take Drive, which student youth groups
River, St. Lucie and Martin counties off.” then help sort in the pantry’s ware-
–had the dubious distinction of hav- house.
ing the highest homeless population Turner explains that while they may
in the country, according to the U.S. serve up to 900 families in the sum- “One summer we were hard on
Department of Housing and Urban mertime, winter is traditionally their cash, and so the volunteers from
Development’s 2019 Annual Home- slower time, when work is available in Grand Harbor started an Octoberfest
less Assessment Report. The report the service and citrus industries. that raised about $7,000 or $8,000.
bases its findings on a point-in-time Now they do something every year,”
count conducted annually during the In addition to people who make says Mackie.
last week of January. their way to a pass-through window
at First Baptist Church to pick up their “People from all over come in and
Also before this latest catastro- allotment, the Food Pantry delivers to bring food to donate it from drives,”
phe, more than half the Indian River agencies and outreach groups, such says Simpson. “We’ve seen them
County population had household as Our Father’s Kitchen in Gifford, for years and years and they’re like
incomes below a realistic survival which then distributes the food to el- friends.”
threshold. With the addition of this derly shut-ins.
pandemic, many low-income workers Referencing the Consignment Gal-
who were already living paycheck to Recipients register (the government lery on 7th Avenue, Mackie says,
paycheck are likely to lose their jobs, requires people to self-attest their
if they haven’t already. eligibility and what other assistance
they may be receiving) and provide
To all of them, the Food Pantry, an proof of ID. A social security num-
all-volunteer nonprofit, is a godsend. ber or birth certificate is required for
each child.
Scott Turner, whose mother was
among the Food Pantry’s founders, “I find that my conversations with
says it began when volunteers from people have been an eye-opener,”
local places of worship banded to- says board member Ellen Zollenberg.
gether to feed the hungry. First Bap- “That’s really why I do this, because
tist Church generously donated rent- it’s a whole different world than I’m
free-space around 1989, where it has familiar with. It gets to you. As soon
remained ever since. as I started here and saw the need, I
just felt like I had to do something.
Turner and Tom Mackie co-chair We’re really making a difference.”
a 10-member board, and roughly 45
volunteers assist in a wide variety “I’ll tell you a story that absolutely
of ways, such as picking up donated stunned me,” adds board member
bread, transporting food from the Bonnie Simpson.
pantry’s warehouse to the church,
registering recipients, and making up During the last recession, she re-
and distributing food boxes. members well-dressed people driv-
ing up in nice cars, embarrassed that
Expenses are kept to a minimum, they needed to ask for help. One el-
Turner says, so that “90 percent of the
money that comes into this place goes
back out as food.”

A lot of food.
When he first got involved about
15 years ago, Mackie says they were
giving out between 80,000 and 90,000
pounds of food a year. Last year that
number was 300,000 pounds and it
will most certainly increase.
“It’s a whole different scale,” says
Mackie. “We provide three to five
days of what we say is emergency food
per month to the underemployed and
unemployed.”
Food boxes range from 10 to 15

18 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Thank You For Your Support PHOTOS & STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

America’s Cup Premier Sponsor “They’ve had a box there for a number meat each week,” adds Turner.
of years and they solicit both food and “The problem is, if you’ve been in
Friends of Youth Sailing Foundation money. Every month, they bring us a
big box of food.” the grocery store the last couple of
Admiral Sponsors days, everything is gone,” says Mack-
“A lot of people, when they’re leav- ie. “So we’re not going to get meat to
Vin Ryan & Carla Meyer  Kendrick R. Wilson, III ing for the summer, clean their pan- give away.”
tries out and donate,” adds Zollen-
Commodore Sponsors berg. As a member of the Community
Church Mission board, Turner says
Bill & Kate Antle  New Vision Eye Center For the Love of Paws, a Fellsmere- he is aware of the needs of other lo-
Tocqueville Asset Management based nonprofit, contributes pack- cal agencies and, while quick to point
ages of cat and dog food, says Mackie, out that they’re all doing good work,
Captain Sponsors “and that’s very popular, because he comments, “I believe that food is
people have pets.” the only thing that you have to have.
Barth Construction, Inc.  Lawrence Brashears You’ve got to have food.”
Bruce & Jane Burton  Dr. Graham & Susan Burton  Judith Carnevale “And a lot of the homeless have
pets,” adds Simpson, before sharing In recent years, Mackie says they
James & Laurie Carney  Nelson & Gretchen Cover that feeding the hungry was instilled have been able to balance their rough-
Dale Sorensen Real Estate  Delray Motorcars in her at an early age. ly $100,000 budget, which is funded
by donations and a few grants.
Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation  Dick & Ellen Gower “I come from an Italian family and
George & Emilie Hinman  Jerry & Susan Hobbs we didn’t have Christmas dinner un- “It’s never enough,” says Simpson
til the poor people were fed, so they with regret. “It’s a big operation.”
Elizabeth Hutchinson  John’s Island Real Estate Company all got spaghetti and meatballs,”
Tom & Louise Kappus  Chris & Kathleen LaCroix  William Lane Simpson recalls. Donations will soon be critical.
Valerie Leffew & Scott Brown  Marine Bank  Ross McConnell This current crisis is clearly going to
In addition to food donations from affect their organization financially,
Bob & Susan McLean  Minuteman Press  Kitty Mountain local Publix stores, they receive a given that they will likely have to pur-
Offutt Barton Schlitt LLC  Charlie & Chris Pope grant from Publix Charities; the Wa- chase more food to keep up with the
basso-based nonprofit Shining Light increased demand.
Al & Betty Sammartino  Meg and Don Steiner Charitable Fund Garden provides fresh produce; and
Vero Marine Center  Jay & Betsy Woodruff  Judy & Allen Zern Pepperidge Farm supplies bread. “I don’t know what percent we can
expect, but I wouldn’t be surprised if
Rock The Boat Supporters They purchase (a nominal han- it were 20 or 30 percent,” says Mack-
dling fee) goods from the Treasure ie. “I think the big thing now is we’re
ABCO Garage Door Company  Mr. & Mrs. Leslie Steele Ash Coast Food Bank, including ‘re- going to have to wrestle with the un-
Pam & Brian Barefoot  Fritz Blaicher  Scott & Penny Buzby claimed’ (past best-buy dates) meat known; we don’t know what we’re get-
and dairy collected by the Food Bank ting into. We know our demand is go-
Stephen & Maureen Carey  Dick & Barbara Carlin from supermarkets and frozen. Other ing up, so we need to figure out how
Edward & Sherry Ann Dayton  Leo & Diane Dilling foodstuffs are purchased by the pal- to handle it. Our goal is that people
Richard & Sky Field  George E Warren LLC  Girard Equipment, Inc. let load from such discount stores as shouldn’t go away hungry. No one
Herb & Patricia Hinkle  Peter & Michele Hollingworth  Eileen Martin Save A Lot. Perishables are stored in should starve.”
Maverick Boat Group, Inc.  MaryEllen McCarthy two commercial refrigerator/freezers
purchased through a John’s Island The pantry is open five half-days
Tim & Debby McWilliams  Rey Neville Foundation grant. each week: from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30
Mr. & Mrs. Jansen Noyes  John Perrigo  Fred & Kathy Peterson p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday;
Keith & Cynthia Polster  Robert & Judith Prosser  David & Ellen Wagner “We beg, borrow and steal wherev- and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and
er we can,” Mackie says with a laugh. Thursday. For more information, visit
Jack & Mary Weisbaum  Verne Westerberg foodpantryirc.org. 
James Wilson  Malcolm Wolcott “We average about 1,000 pounds of

Youth Sailing Foundation extends its sincere appreciation
to all who helped make Rock The Boat 2020 a success!
Current circumstances tried to take the wind out
of our sails, but we did not abandon ship!

The transition from live gala to virtual fundraiser was smooth sailing!

www.ysfirc.org  [email protected]  772-492-3243

STUDIO JEWELER’S SPARKLING
PERSONALITY MATCHES HER TALENT

20 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Studio jeweler’s sparkling personality matches her talent

Susan Gancher.

PHOTOS BY KAILA JONES

BY ELLEN FISCHER turely shut down two Friday's ago, artists and art lovers from all over for “So we’re closing down, and Alicia
Columnist the first day of what should have almost seven decades. Quinn (this year’s Under the Oaks co-
been a three-day event. chair) comes riding up in her golf cart.
A studio jeweler who makes Vero Gancher, whose silver, gold and She says, ‘Susan, you won the Ron
Beach her home base, Susan Ganch- The show, a major fundraiser for gemstone jewelry has been a fair fa- Miller Award.’”
er was at her booth when this year’s the Vero Beach Art Club, was deemed vorite for 20 years, says she wasn’t sur-
Under the Oaks Fine Arts and Crafts unsafe for the spread of the coronavi- prised – nor was she particularly put The prize came with a $100 check, but
Show at Riverside Park was prema- rus due to the popularity of the event, out by the compulsory closure. for Gancher, it wasn’t about the money.
which has been packing the park with
“The number of people that came “The part that touched me most was
that first day was about half of what I being called a friend; that just touched
usually see. It was sparse. People were me to the core,” she says.
already self-isolating, not going out
into crowds. Common sense told a lot As an artist who makes her living
of people something they didn’t need selling her work, Gancher admits to
to hear twice,” she says. thinking about her finances in the
wake of the show’s closure. Fortunate-
Gancher’s loss of income was offset ly, she has otherwise had a good sea-
by a prize awarded by the fair’s three son for sales and doesn’t have to worry
judges, out-of-town art profession- about money for the time being.
als engaged by the club to award cash
prizes to artists whose work the judges During her participation in 50 years’
deem exceptional. worth of outdoor shows, Gancher has
experienced other shutdowns.
Gancher won the Ron Miller Award,
a distinction set aside for an exhibi- “Weather is a big one. We’ve had
tor who is also a Vero Beach Art Club shows canceled for weather at a mo-
member. It honors, in the words of the ment’s notice, the same way this one
award, a “Friend, Artist, Volunteer” of was canceled. So it wasn’t a new expe-
the club, while also recognizing that rience for me.”
member’s “Excellence in Art.”
Gancher reckons that her very first
show was in Sausalito, California,

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 21

ARTS & THEATRE

that make you better. You get it, or you work time generally is the same, we you a left hook, says Gancher.
don’t get it, and I got good at it.” understand each other’s lifestyle.” “You roll with the punches. If you

Gancher explains that technique That is especially true when the don’t learn to roll with the punches in
alone is not an end, but a means. “All road gets bumpy, or when life throws life, forget art!” 
the techniques you learn allow art to
where her “booth” was a portable card come through you.”
table. It was the mid-1960s and Ganch-
er was selling her work via retail shops Gancher picks up one of her floral
as well as shows. neckpieces as an example of her art.
Crafted of silver with gold accents, the
“In the shows you own more of your piece features linked floral sprigs de-
direction, you have more control. The signed to encircle the wearer’s neck like
shops would pick what they wanted a garland. Each leafy stem sports one
from you and buy it for resale. I always large flower with two smaller flowers
went in with work premade and offered on either side of it; no two of the sprays
to sell it to them. I would repeat styles are exactly the same. The flowers’ cen-
and designs that sold,” she explains. ters sparkle with bezel-set blue topaz of
different sizes and values; pale sky blue,
The stores did not always purchase; Swiss blue, deep London blue. Small
some took work on consignment. gold balls further accent the buds and
a few of the smaller flowers.
Says Gancher, “You can only buy my
work through me now.” “I try to keep the eye moving and de-
lighted,” she says.
That is, through a local show like
Under the Oaks, or by appointment in The box clasp at the back of the neck-
Gancher’s studio, a room in her house piece reiterates the silver, blue and
that doubles as workspace and dis- gold theme; the clasp’s flat top displays
play area. Her bench, with materials three tiny blue topaz cabochons with
and tools within easy reach, domi- three gold balls set between them.
nates the space.
That touch hearkens back to her
“I’m home, I’m content. This is a early apprenticeship with another
lovely place for me,” says Gancher, Greenwich Village studio jeweler,
who moved to Vero in 1998. Bill Tendler.

Her cozy house, tucked away in “Bill was a really good technician.
South Vero at the end of a cul de sac, He’s the one who said, ‘When you do
features a yard full of decorative plants your clasp, even if no one sees it, you fol-
as well as a small vegetable garden. low through with your design, because
The backyard is a deck that overlooks that’s important.’ I took that to heart.”
a tree-lined pond.
Gancher says that throughout the
Gancher was born in Connecticut, years she has learned from many artists,
and while she still had family there, and not just lessons about technique.
the state was her “return to” place.
In addition to Florida and California, “Making connections with fellow
Gancher has lived in New York City, artists helps your own work, abso-
Boston, New Mexico and Hawaii. lutely. It doesn’t help your sales, but it
helps you find your own direction. If
It was in New York City’s Greenwich you do your best work, sales will come.
Village that she began learning her I don’t focus on sales, I focus on doing
craft from an Austrian-born studio my best work.”
jeweler named Conrad Gersuny.
This, notes Gancher, has been key
“I was going to NYU; I had an apart- to her artistic journey. It has been a
ment in New York City at age 19. I spent proud and self-sufficient one.
so much time in Conrad’s shop that
one day he said, ‘You’re not going to sit “I’m an American treasure – a wom-
around here doing nothing. I’m put- an who raised her children as a single
ting you to work.’ He started me doing mom with her art. And we lived com-
very, very simple soldering – over and fortably and well, and dressed in de-
over and over again,” says Gancher. cent clothing, and my cars ran.”

“Soldering, which I really am good Gancher reiterates the importance
at, allows you to produce art. There of having a wide circle of artist friends.
are definitely techniques to soldering
“It doesn’t have to be a jeweler. Any
artist – we all work the same way. If
you start breaking it down, inspiration
generally travels the same road. Our

22 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

COMING UP! A web on intriguing online entertainment options

BY PAM HARBAUGH won’t want to miss any of these. And,
Correspondent thanks to the world community of art-
ists and arts providers who want to help
Don’t sit there all isolated with noth- the whole world heal, many of these of-
ing to do. Join the gang and go online ferings are free.
to find quite a wide slate of world-class
entertainment. In fact, there are so 1 The Royal National Theatre in
many offerings, after a while, you may London has begun streaming on
long for some quiet time. So head to
your computer, open up your calendar YouTube some of its more celebrated
app and make some notes, because you
productions. It begins with the slap-

stick comedy “One Man, Two Gu-

vnors,” starring James Corden, who presentations of the Met’s “Live in HD”
won a 2012 Tony Award for his portray- series. They will be available 7:30 p.m.
al of a man working for two employers. until 6:30 p.m. the following day. You
It’s based on Goldoni’s commedia dell- can find them on MetOpera.org or on
arte farce, “Servant of Two Masters.” demand on Apple, Amazon, Roku de-
Don’t let its provenance sentence deter vices and Samsung Smart TVs.
you from watching. This is silly stuff
through and through, stuff that the- 4 The Royal Opera House is offer-
ater critic Ben Brantley called “ideal ing free programs of select on-
escapism for anxious times.” That will
stream through April 8. April also in- line broadcasts on their Facebook and
cludes “Jane Eyre” beginning April 9,
“Treasure Island” begins April 16 and YouTube channels. Here’s this week’s
“Twelfth Night” begins April 23. Each
production will be available to stream schedule: “Acis and Galatea,” 2 p.m. Fri-
2 p.m. Thursdays and be available for
seven days. Go to YouTube.com and day, April 3. They are calling this series
search for National Theatre.
of free broadcasts “From Our House to

Your House.” Go to YouTube.com and

search for Royal Opera House.

5 If you want to delight the little
ones, and perhaps the child

2 And as long as you’ve been bit- inside you as well, then head over
ten by the online theater bug,
to Amazon and rent “SpongeBob

consider BroadwayHD, which is offer- Squarepants: The Broadway Musical.”

ing a seven-day free trial. Just think The cost is $9.99. This is the “perfect

how many shows you could watch in time” to watch this, wrote Diep Tran

that amount of time before you have on Broadway.com’s Broadway Buzz.

to sign up for a membership, which “It’s about optimism in the face of

costs $8.99 a month or $99.99 a year, possible destruction … if you’re won-

by the way. The offerings are pretty dering how to get through this trying

substantial. There are Broadway mu- time, Bikini Bottom has the answers,

sicals, comedies and dramas; classics and you don't have to be a fan of the

(read: Shakespeare); foreign theater; cartoon to understand it.”

documentaries and more. Head to

the “Must See” category and catch Sir 6 Closer to home, the Community
Church of Vero Beach will hold a
Patrick Stewart in “Macbeth,” or see

George Hearn and Angela Lansbury in Lenten Livestream with “Spring and

“Sweeney Todd.” If you never saw Lin- All,” a presentation of classic poetry

coln Center’s amazing updated version of the Lenten season. It begins 11 a.m.

of “An American in Paris,” now’s your Thursday, April 2, at http://livestream.

chance. There is just so much to keep com/account/14662093 or go to

you and your whole family well enter- CCOVB.org and click onto Ministries

tained. Visit BroadwayHD.com. and then, on the drop down menu,

click onto “Music and Fine Arts.”

3 The Metropolitan Opera is into 7 And if you just want to let your
its third week of free Nightly Op- mind wander far from your

era Streams. Unless you are a devoted

Met fan, you’ve missed the entire epic, own four walls, the Sea Turtles Con-

four-part Wagner Ring Cycle. So don’t servancy suggests family time via

miss this week. It begins Thursday, webcams at the Clearwater Marine

April 2, with Verdi’s “Don Carlo,” then Aquarium. You get to peek into wa-

follows Friday, April 3, with Penny tery habitats and more. There are

Woolcock’s celebrated new production quite a few web cameras including

of Bizet’s “Les Pecheurs de Perle.” On that showing dolphin, otters, peli-

Saturday, April 4, you can watch Verdi’s cans and sea turtles. Go to SeeWin-

“Macbeth” and then Sunday, April 5, ter.com, go to the top of the homep-

Bellini’s “Norma.” These are all encore age and click onto the webcams. 



24 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT COVER STORY

YAOXING HUANG, DAVID HO,
AND SHO IKETANI.

It seems obvious now that David Ho, Ho still wasn’t sure if he should get plans to quarantine the city of Wu- can to identify treatments. This virus is
arguably the world’s most famous AIDS involved. “The scientists in China were han, and four other countries reported part of a family they’ve come to know.
researcher, would get involved in seek- already doing so much,” he says. Many cases. Scientists had identified the vi- They’re rushing to test old compounds
ing a treatment for Covid-19, the dis- of those scientists, in Beijing, Hong rus and shared its gene sequence. Ho even as they devise programs to create
ease caused by the new coronavirus. Kong, and Shanghai, are former stu- also believed that this time the Chi- new ones.
dents of his. “They could very well do nese government, for one, would pro-
It seems obvious that he would re- the job.” vide funding for sustained research. Among the furthest along is Gilead
direct the work of his several dozen “They’ve learned their lesson,” he says. Sciences Inc., which is testing remdesi-
scientists at the Aaron Diamond AIDS He’d also seen funders lose inter- He decided to get involved. vir, an antiviral drug tried on Ebola pa-
Research Center. That he would, as est in emerging diseases after the tients, on coronavirus patients around
he says, “rob Peter to pay Paul” to get immediate panic about an outbreak Eight weeks later, the virus has taken the world. Gilead expects to report ini-
started with funds meant for the lab’s subsided. Severe acute respiratory hold around the world. Counting the ill tial results in April.
HIV studies. That he would receive $2.1 syndrome, or SARS, for example, had and calculating the rates of infection
million from the Jack Ma Foundation been contained relatively quickly in and death are daily, hourly exercises in Scientists say they can tame this
in Hangzhou, China, without even ask- 2002, and as soon as it was, money for caution and dread. The 1918 flu pan- coronavirus, but for a while it will move
ing and an additional $6 million from research became scarce. demic killed at least 50 million people. faster than they’ll be able to. It may be a
other private donors, among them a The HIV pandemic has so far infected year or more before any specific treat-
few very concerned businesspeople. Ho’s lab had developed antibodies 75 million and killed 32 million. ment for Covid-19 is available. Until
that could have been used to pursue then we’ll have to contain it with dis-
But in late December, when Ho was treatments for SARS, another corona- The death rate for Covid-19 appears tance and soap and the drugs we al-
tracking reports of a few cases of unex- virus, but it was too late – he couldn’t to be much lower – it remains uncer- ready have.
plained pneumonia in Wuhan, it wasn’t raise the $20 million or so he needed tain – but the illness spreads easily. If it
obvious he’d be needed. “We were pay- to continue pressing forward on his reaches only 1% of the global popula- Even once there’s a treatment, it’s
ing attention but didn’t think we would own. “No one seemed to care,” he says. tion, that would mean 75 million people probable that Covid-19 will remain with
get involved. It seemed rare – and over “That’s frustrating.” If he’d found the would be infected, and at the current us for longer than we’d like. Completely
there,” he says. In early January, as his money, it’s possible he’d be closer to a mortality rates, 1 million would die. wiping out something this widespread
lab changed its affiliation from Rocke- treatment for the new coronavirus. is exceedingly difficult, Ho is quick
feller University to Columbia Universi- Scientists at Ho’s lab, and at Johnson to say. Only one such virus has been
ty and moved to Upper Manhattan, the By mid-January the magnitude of & Johnson, Pfizer, Regeneron, and at eradicated: smallpox. That took about
situation in Wuhan had become worse. this epidemic was becoming clear. least 10 other drug and biotech com- 20 years.
The Chinese government was making panies, are working as quickly as they
On an early March morning, before

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 25

INSIGHT COVER STORY

RIGHT: ALEJANDRO CHAVEZ, CENTER, later was awarded the Presidential Cit-
izens Medal. The plaque hangs on the
WITH DOCTORAL STUDENTS SAMUEL wall behind his desk.

RESNICK AND DEBBIE HONG. Ho is 67 years old, measured and
focused, and central to a network of
New York City began closing down, Ho former colleagues and students who’ve
took some time to talk about the work known that a moment like this was
under way at his lab. He wore a suit, coming: a pandemic that could be the
and though he seemed perfectly com- biggest viral threat to humanity since
fortable, he’d normally be in jeans. HIV emerged in the 1980s.

He’d be busy, but his phone wouldn’t Ho has developed an ambitious
be constantly ringing. He wouldn’t be and expedited effort to come up with
meeting with university trustees, or coronavirus drugs. The early stages of
advising the NBA, or conferring with drug development typically take from
the head of China’s center for disease five to 10 years, but he thinks it’s pos-
control and prevention, or appearing sible to have the most promising com-
on the Rachel Maddow Show. He’d be pounds ready for animal testing in
expecting his staff to have unpacked only one. His hope is to create a single
their moving boxes. pill that could treat this coronavirus
and the ones that will come after.
But this isn’t a normal time for any-
one, and especially not for a scientist “Surely there will be another one,” he
such as Ho. He was among the first to says. “This is the third outbreak in two
champion a powerful combination of decades.” SARS started in China and
drugs to attack HIV and to push for eventually killed almost 800 people; Mid-
them to be administered early instead dle East respiratory syndrome emerged
of after a patient developed symptoms. in 2012 and has killed more than 850 in
It was an unconventional approach sporadic outbreaks since then.
that became the standard of care and
helps explain why HIV is a chronic dis- CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
ease but not necessarily a deadly one.

It also explains why Ho was the first
doctor to be named Time magazine’s
Man of the Year, in 1996, and five years

26 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 INSIGHT COVER STORY

“We’re reading strange literature about ory B cells, from patients who have In late January, Ho called on his con- sent to Ho’s lab by a specialized courier
bat research,” Ho says. “Bats account recovered from Covid-19. These cells, nections in Hong Kong to take blood service. They arrived intact in late Feb-
for one-fifth of the mammals on this named because they can remember a samples from two convalescent pa- ruary.
planet. That’s trivia we didn’t know. virus for decades, contain markers on tients. His New York staff spent days
There are so many viruses that reside in their surfaces that allow the body to getting permission from the govern- As soon as they received the cells,
bats – SARS and Ebola and perhaps this rapidly generate many antibodies to ments and arranging the shipping. The Ho’s lab went to work sorting out the
coronavirus.” Covid-19 isn’t the first, that virus. These antibodies help pro- cells were purified, placed in tiny vials, B cells, extracting RNA, making DNA
and it won’t be the last. Ho wants to pre- tect against Covid-19 infection. frozen in liquid nitrogen at –150C, and for numerous anti-coronavirus anti-
pare for the next one now. bodies, and expressing those antibod-
COLUMBIA’SDAVIDHOISLEADINGAGROUPTHAT’S ies on the surface of yeast cells. “Then
Hearing that was good enough for TRYINGTOCOMPRESSAFIVE-YEARPROCESSINTOONE. we go fishing,” Ho says. “And we come
Jack Ma, the richest man in Asia. And with bait.” The bait is the spike pro-
it was sufficient for Zhi Hong, chief ex- COVID-19 CELLS teins that protrude from the surface of
ecutive officer of Brii Biosciences, to the virus – or, in this instance, the lab-
also put in $2 million. Hong had been created pseudo virus.
an infectious disease expert at Glaxo-
SmithKline Plc and has known Ho for The tighter an antibody binds to the
years. protein, the better. “We pull out many,
compare activity, and select the best,”
“David has put together a quick but he says. “We could then change parts of
very reasonable program,” Hong says. the antibody to make it fit even tighter.”
If Ho’s lab comes up with a drug, a
big pharmaceutical company would The chances that this research, or
have to come in to test and produce it. similar research elsewhere, will yield a
There’s no formal agreement yet about treatment are relatively high. The strat-
how that would happen. There was no egy worked for Ebola. Regeneron Phar-
time for lawyers. “Right now we’re just maceuticals Inc., which developed a
investing in faith and trust in the rela- successful Ebola antibody treatment,
tionship and David’s reputation,” Hong is also working on a coronavirus anti-
says. “We just said, ‘Take the money.’ ” body “cocktail” and says human trials
could begin by early summer.
The most straightforward of the
lab’s projects aims to find an antibody But any such drug would have to be
to block the virus from entering cells, injected, which would likely require
either to prevent infection or to treat it to be refrigerated and administered
it. The first step was getting hold of by doctors – all of which would limit
specific white blood cells, called mem- its use. It’s not the ideal. But it’s what
might be good enough as a start.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 27

INSIGHT COVER STORY day give me the right answer? Does the
answer ever change? Do I see things I
Ho’s early HIV research focused on a A PH.D. STUDENT IN THE LAB know shouldn’t happen?”
crucial enzyme called protease, which
acts as a kind of molecular scissors, AT THE AARON DIAMOND AIDS Chavez expects to begin testing the
cutting up viral proteins to help them actual compounds in early April. In
replicate. One key set of drugs he test- RESEARCH CENTER AT COLUMBIA the meantime, “we’ve been busy col-
ed on HIV patients in the 1990s were lecting those compounds from chem-
protease inhibitors: They interrupted UNIVERSITY, WHERE DAVID HO AND ical libraries,” Ho says. He was able to
that stage of the viral life cycle in an obtain a curated selection of potential
infected patient. HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE TURNED protease-inhibiting molecules from a
research company in Shanghai called
He’s hoping to identify potential THEIR ATTENTION TO COVID-19. WuXi AppTec Co.
coronavirus protease inhibitors, which
would act in much the same way. “Even for a patent and isn’t sure how much he The founder is a friend of Ho’s who
if the protease is different, there are wants to reveal. “I’ve never tried to ex- received his doctorate in chemistry
enough similarities to apply our knowl- plain this to a layperson and obfuscate from Columbia. Chavez says that with-
edge and the chemistry,” he says. at the same time,” he says.“I’ve only ever out Ho’s connections, his lab wouldn’t
presented this once. I’ve been trying to have known how to get such a high-
Alejandro Chavez, an assistant pro- stay stealth. OK, I’ll just disclose it.” quality collection of compounds so
fessor of pathology and biology at Co- quickly.
lumbia, is helping Ho in this part of One of the problems with screening
the research. Traditional labs at phar- drugs against more than one viral pro- It might take three to six months
maceutical companies test potential tease at a time is that it’s hard to tell for Chavez to detect a few lead com-
drug compounds on one viral strain at which drugs are blocking which pro- pounds that efficiently block coronavi-
a time. Chavez has devised a radically teases. Chavez solved this problem by rus proteases. If – when – he does, Ho
different screening system that al- putting proteases from each virus into will connect him to chemists who will,
lows him to simultaneously test com- different cells, then creating what he over a matter of a few more months, in-
pounds on dozens – and if successful, calls nametags for each of the cells. He crease the potency of the compounds
find the ones that will work not only adds possible drug compounds to the by 100%, maybe 1,000%.
on Covid-19 but on other coronavi- cells and uses genome sequencing to
ruses as well. read the tags, which allows him to see “We know that kind of gain is do-
whether any of the viral proteases are able,” Ho says. It would be an impor-
Chavez, 37, runs his own lab at Co- blocked by each drug. tant but still early step in creating a
lumbia, located across the street from drug that would stop not only one vi-
Ho’s. He packs bundles of information “I look at how abundant each of the ral protease but proteases from many
into every sentence without pause. nametags are – ‘How are you doing, coronaviruses. Because now we all
He’s animated and energized by the Bob, John?’– and I see if the protease is know they’re out there. 
moment. His office is small, his desk on or off. If it’s off, then that compound
crowded with papers and a huge jar of inhibited it. If the protease is on, then
cheap candy. Perched on a ledge be- that compound didn’t do anything.”
hind his desk is an award from his fel-
low residents at Massachusetts General Chavez is speaking hypothetically.
Hospital: The “ ‘Yo dude I have this crazy He’s still working out the controls.
idea let me explain it to you in one long “We’re not insane. We’re going to be
stream-of-consciousness email’ award very methodical,” he says. “So if I put
for exuberant scientific creativity.” in a compound that I know its activity,
do I see that activity? Do I see that ac-
In January, Chavez and Debbie Hong, tivity over four days? Does every single
one of the doctoral students work-
ing in his lab, were reading about the
coronavirus like everyone else. When
its genome was posted on a public-
health website, they downloaded the
sequence, found the protease gene, and
paid a bioscience company about $80
to synthesize it.

Soon after, they got a call from Ho. “Ho
nucleated a team,” Chavez says. Nucle-
ated? “Yeah, he nucleated a team.” He
means one of Hong’s thesis advisers at
Columbia, Stephen Goff, decided to com-
bine his research efforts with Ho’s. Then,
because he knew Ho was still looking for
university scientists to join his effort, Goff
told him, “There’s these crazy people –
maybe we should bring them in.”

That was Chavez, Hong, and a few
others in the lab. Ho was impressed
by how rapidly they could screen the
molecules that might inhibit all kinds
of coronavirus protease enzymes;
his search could be accelerated be-
yond what he could do on his own.
“He wants to push it forward at warp
speed,” Chavez says.

Chavez starts to explain his method.
Then stops. Then starts. He’s applied

28 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT EDITORIAL

It hardly seems possible that only a few weeks We cancelled the trip – a good thing, it turns out, be- Then last week, we chanced to take another
ago, my wife and I were making preparations to fly cause the cruise ship never made it to Singapore, and look at what was happening in Singapore – a place
to Singapore. getting home to Vero would have been a nightmare. where the virus appeared to be five or six weeks
ahead of Indian River County.
Beyond our desire to see this amazing island city-
state, we were going to board a cruise ship there, Singapore, from all accounts, has done a very aggres-
and sail on to Thailand, Ceylon, India, the Middle sive job in attempting to control COVID-19 ‘s spread.
East and ultimately Rome.
So we were a bit surprised to find Singapore re-
Then the world began to change. Singapore began porting 73 new cases March 25th, 52 more new cas-
discovering coronavirus cases at a rate of a couple a es March 26th, another 47 new cases March 27th,
day. Two new cases Feb. 10. Two more new cases Feb. and 70 new cases March 28th.
11. Three new cases Feb. 12.
Is a surge in COVID-19 cases what we have to
It didn’t sound all that frightening. But interestingly, look forward to here a month from now?
the number of new COVID-19 cases being discovered
daily in Singapore at that point was about what was Certainly, there are enormous differences be-
being reported here in Indian River County last week. tween Singapore and Vero Beach. But the continu-
ing steady climb in the number of new cases there
gives us something more to ponder. 

Being confined to your home dur- their chitchat to get energy. Alone great poets. He was sick from tuber- he saw an apple fall from a tree, and
ing a pandemic can be traumatic, it they soon feel deflated or isolated. culosis in 1820, when during a trip to realized that it responded to the same
goes without saying. But like all diffi- Naples typhoid broke out. Keats was force as the moon orbiting the earth,
cult times, it’s not equally harrowing Introverts are the opposite. They’re quarantined on a boat for 10 days. He which led him to a theory of gravity.
for everybody, and potentially even drained by the random noise of small spent the time writing moving letters
liberating for some. That includes talk, dazed by people speaking be- and a memoir of his childhood. He also observed light in its many
many in the large minority of the pop- fore they think. colors and began thinking about op-
ulation who happen to be introverts. Or consider another introvert, Isaac tics. And he applied his logic to nature
To recharge their batteries, intro- Newton (who later in life rarely min- in a way that led him to pioneer cal-
The modern world in normal times verts need to be alone, or with a few gled with students, or anybody). He culus. Historians call this period New-
– that is, without pandemics and “stay- people whom they know intimately. was at Cambridge University when, ton’s annus mirabilis, or miracle year.
at-home” orders – belongs indubitably in 1665-66, the bubonic plague broke
to extroverts. That, of course, is the essence of out. Cambridge closed and Newton At some point – the sooner the bet-
“social distancing.” was stuck on his family estate in rural ter – the coronavirus will recede. Until
The difference between the two lies Lincolnshire. then, we might as well hope something
in what, cognitively, somebody finds Introverts obeying “stay-at-home” good comes out of lockdowns. 
stimulating as opposed to exhausting. orders are less likely than extroverts to Except that “stuck” isn’t the word.
feel bored, and are more likely in fact “Liberated” seems more like it. Once A version of this column by Andreas
Extroverts need other people and to be energized. Kluth first appeared on Bloomberg.

Take John Keats, one of England’s

During the coronavirus crisis, our Pelican Plaza off ice is closed to visitors. We appreciate your understanding.

© 2020 VERO BEACH 32963 MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Diagnosis and Treatment  Probenecid and lesinurad (also known uricosurics) to
of Gout of the Shoulder help your kidneys eliminate more uric acid
Work closely with your physician as all these drugs have side
People with chronic long-term gout can develop complica- effects. Some may also interact with other medications or
tions. Uric acid crystals over time can damage the joints, worsen other conditions you have.
including the shoulder, albeit rare.
DRUGS UNDER DEVELOPMENT
DIAGNOSING GOUT OF THE SHOULDER
Your rheumatologist may want to try using a new drug “off
Your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms, ex- label,” meaning it’s approved to treat another condition.
amine you and review your medical history. Tests – such Some of these drugs include:
as X-rays, ultrasound and MRI – will be ordered to rule out  Pegloticase, which reduces uric acid and is approved in
other possible causes for your shoulder pain. A blood test the United States for treatment of severe refractory
to check for elevated levels of uric acid will be performed. chronic gout
But to make the diagnosis definitive, the more specific test  Canakinumab, a monoclonal antibody that suppresses
is joint aspiration, also called arthrocentesis, in which a inflammation
sample of shoulder joint synovial fluid is removed using a  Anakinra, an interleukin-1 beta antagonist that suppresses
very thin needle. A laboratory then looks for uric acid crys- inflammation
tals under a microscope. Check with your insurance provider to see if you have cover-
age for the medication if used off-label.
TREATMENT OF GOUT OF THE SHOULDER
DIET, ICE AND PHYSICAL THERAPY
There is no cure for gout. However, many recently devel-
oped medications can help resolve shoulder pain flare-ups While reducing intake of red meat, sugars and alcohol low-
and even prevent future flares. These medications are de- ers levels of uric acid, the American College of Physicians
signed to lower levels of uric acid, reduce inflammation and reports it is not clear that it improves symptoms. Ice packs
decrease pain. and physical therapy may be recommended to help relieve
Standard medications include over-the-counter NSAIDs inflammation.
(nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) or prescription
drugs such as indomethacin, celecoxib or prednisone (a PSEUDOGOUT
corticosteroid which is usually injected into the affected
joint, but can be given orally if many joints are involved) to Pseudogout is a different type of arthritis that also causes
reduce inflammation that causes pain. sudden painful swelling in joints, but uric acid crystals aren’t
If symptoms are severe, your rheumatologist may prescribe: involved. Pseudogout is caused by the accumulation of crys-
 Colchicine or other similar drugs to inhibit white blood tals of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate. Analysis of the
cells from attacking uric acid crystals crystals in your synovial fluid can determine whether your
 Allopurinol and/or febuxostat (also known as xanthine shoulder inflammation is pseudogout or shoulder gout.
oxidase inhibitors) which reduce the amount of uric acid Treatment and outlook for gout in the shoulder are the
production same as for gout in other joints. Stick to your medication
and treatment plan to get the best outcome. 
YOUR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE TOPICS ARE
ALWAYS WELCOME. EMAIL US AT [email protected].





32 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BOOKS

How do you write venture capitalists, ing, marketing, logistics. Fortunately, he’s a natural
a business book MBAs, Ivy Leaguers storyteller with a playful ear for language.
about a gold rush – and trust fund kids
as it’s happening? to start thousands of The entrepreneurs’ stories, despite Ingrassia’s
Do you offer tips on these brands. Collec- best efforts, tend to follow a common arc: The young
where to buy pick- tively investors have would-be founders are minding their own business
axes and how to read poured some $5 bil- until an unexpected hassle or rip-off in their shop-
geologic maps? Do lion into new brands ping lives derails everything (These glasses are too
you recount the sto- expensive! This mattress store is confusing!). Inevi-
ries of the most wildly making all manner tably the heroes quit whatever they are doing (typi-
successful prospec- of household items, cally management consulting, business school or
tors, in hopes that which have subse- some other résumé-builder) and dedicate their lives
readers might (figu-
ratively) emulate their quently swiped billions in sales from Dollar Shave Club.
(literally) ground- their more-established competitors. The phenom-
breaking habits and enon’s crowning moment – so far, at least – came in to solving the problem, naturally by offering a new
strategies later on? Or 2016, when consumer-products giant Unilever paid product to a sizable target market.
do you step back and $1 billion in cash to buy Dollar Shave Club, a sub-
write a broader cultur- scription seller of discount safety razors that had The convenient economy may sound familiar if
al study, fingers crossed been founded four years earlier by an improv come- you hang around entrepreneurs. These days, found-
that you’ll correctly dis- dian. There’s gold in them thar sundries. ers hone their personal tall tales down to easily re-
tinguish the truly bril- peated bullet points they can shoot at investors,
liant from the frauds Ingrassia ventures into the hubbub, on the lookout reporters, you name it. While researching the book,
and the hucksters, dis- for entrepreneurs like Dollar Shave Club’s improv Ingrassia takes the incoming fire from the founders.
miss the fads, and pin- comedian, Michael Dubin, who are “emblematic of
point the craze’s lasting the capitalist zeitgeist of his era.” He organizes the Billion Dollar Brand Club
influence on business book as a series of self-contained narratives, each
and society – all by your one focused on a different aspect of the DTC boom HOW DOLLAR SHAVE CLUB, WARBY PARKER, AND OTHER
publisher’s deadline? that he considers transformative: sourcing, financ- DISRUPTORS ARE REMAKING WHAT WE BUY
BY LAWRENCE IGRASSIA | HOLT. 256 PP. $30
Lawrence Ingrassia
gamely faces down the REVIEW BY BURT HELM, THE WASHINGTON POST
present-day equivalent of
this challenge with “Bil- lion Dollar Brand
Club.” His subject is the rise of direct-to-consumer
(DTC) companies – start-ups, often with playful
names (Warby Parker, Glossier, Casper), that skip
traditional retailers to market their own products
and brands straight to shoppers, online. By now, if
you haven’t purchased a DTC product, you’ve cer-
tainly scrolled past their ads on Instagram and Face-
book. They promise stylish, inexpensive versions of
everyday products: eyeglasses, makeup, mattresses
(offered by the above names, respectively) as well as
electric toothbrushes, underwear, baby clothes – the
list goes on. But you may not know their backstory.
Over the past 10 years, there’s been a mad dash by

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 33

INSIGHT BOOKS

Warby Parker.

To his credit, he also gathers novel perspectives from the supporting cast that
helps shape these businesses: the zealous venture capitalists in San Francisco,
the bemused manufacturers in Taiwan, the chagrined executives at the blue-
chip consumer-products giant in Cincinnati who can’t believe what hit them.
Collectively, they populate the book like the residents of a bustling boom town,
albeit one where many folks seem to have recently left a stint at Wharton.

But as the book hops from one part of the cottage industry to the next, skepti-
cal readers begin to wonder: Is everything in direct-to-consumer-land as hun-
ky-dory as its citizens would have Ingrassia believe? For instance, is anybody
in this town actually making any money – or are they just raising and spending
piles of it?

Early on, Ingrassia introduces us to DTC’s de facto mayor: a chic, influential
venture capitalist named Kirsten Green. Green, a founding partner of Forerun-
ner Ventures, invested in Warby Parker in the same year it started, 2010, thereby
spotting the boom before practically anyone. Her subsequent early bets on fu-
ture unicorns (Dollar Shave Club, Glossier) cement her status as the industry’s
oracle and kingmaker.

“Like pilgrims heading to Mecca, the entrepreneurs trek to Forerunner’s
office just south of downtown San Francisco’s Tenderloin district, passing or
stepping over homeless people on the way,” he writes. To the faithful, Green’s
blessing guarantees success. “I’m on board. I’m in,” declares one executive, Liz
Reifsnyder, upon hearing that the company trying to hire her, Ritual, has Green
as an investor. Ingrassia dubs Green “one of the pied pipers of the direct-to-
consumer brand world.” She and her cohort happen to attract MBAs and risk-
hungry investors instead of rats.

But has Ingrassia joined this entranced flock, too? He’s plenty pedigreed him-
self, of course, with a career as a longtime senior editor at the New York Times,
the Los Angeles Times and the Wall Street Journal. Green’s charisma, mean-
while, sounds tough to resist: “Fashionable and photogenic, with a megawatt
smile, [she] no doubt is the only venture capitalist ever named to both Time
magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list and Vanity Fair’s International Best-
Dressed List – in the same year,” writes Ingrassia, the piper’s music filling his
ears.

Too often, Ingrassia relies on the venture capitalists’ measures of success –
big investment rounds, big valuations, big buyouts – rather than digging for
generally accepted standards like profits or product quality. Those hard metrics
are crucial in determining these companies’ eventual legacy, especially now
that more of these companies are beginning to lay off employees and partner
with traditional retailers.

In other words, which feats of these enterprising founders will be remem-
bered: their witty viral videos and savvy social media strategies – or the way
they persuaded investors to hand them gobs of money, or wooed management
consultants to join them for a fraction of their salaries, or inspired seen-it-all
business reporters (this writer included) to gush about something as mundane
as a safety razor? Hindsight will certainly render these illustrious members of
the Billion Dollar Brand Club as brilliant marketers and salesmen. It may just
turn out that their true marks weren’t actually the consumers. 

34 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ST. EDWARD’S

St. Ed’s senior shows wisdom, clarity in surreal situation

BY RON HOLUB
Correspondent

For St. Ed’s graduating class of University of Virginia. very confusing safety of our
2020, hindsight will forever be fro- time. I’ll try my
zen in the strange Before and After. the swim team in eighth and ninth best to speak for c om mu n it y.
As we have all witnessed, the on- grade, and discovered that basket- the senior class in
set of the bizarre demarcation oc- ball was “not for me” upon realiz- our new situation: However, these
curred practically overnight just last ing the true meaning of being voted
month. The state of disbelief, how- “most improved player” in a one year “I have gone to lost traditions
ever, seems to have no end. stint as a sophomore. Saint Edward’s
School my whole need mourn-
We interviewed senior Bridget Nel- “Lacrosse is my major sport,” life, so I have set-
son in person before the school shut she said. “I started playing in rec tled in nicely with ing. We, se-
down. More recently she emailed leagues when I was 7 or 8. I gave up the remarkable
her thoughts on the newly initiated club lacrosse in eighth grade to fo- traditions we have niors, need to
schooling at home paradigm. cus on playing for the varsity at St. here. Some of the
Edward’s. I looked forward to every most special tradi- find a way to
Everything pertinent seemed to season and I’m glad that I grew up tions lie near the
be in order Before. College plans with a sport that I love so much.” end of senior year say goodbye.
were settled and the remainder of – spring season senior night, senior
the senior year was about to unfold The lacrosse season ended with a walk, senior prom, final words with “The first
in grand style. Then came the After. whimper only four games in. Nelson first-grade buddies, and of course,
may pick it up again on a club team graduation. thing to go for
“I’m going to the University of Vir- at UVA. During the early days of the
ginia,” Nelson told us, proudly clad shutdown, she emailed the follow- “These special moments always me was lacrosse
in Cavalier gear. “I like it for a lot of ing: came to mind whilst studying for a
the same reasons I like St. Edward’s. hard calc test or working through Bridget Nelson. season, so I am
I can pick and choose what I want to “I hope you are doing well in this a tough sprint in lacrosse practice; currently work-
do. It’s like a small liberal arts col- they were always there as a sort of
lege with the freedom designed in hope, a prize. Now that these mo- ing on how to
their course structure. Of course, ments are no longer guaranteed with
the school in not small anymore, but the recent COVID-19 pandemic, I say goodbye
I can craft my major in the same way find myself reflecting a lot. That may
I could at St. Edward’s. be because there’s not much else to to a sport I have played for most of
do in quarantine, but it may be be-
“I take a lot of science courses be- cause I might never play on the la- my life. It is difficult to know that
cause they interest me more than crosse field again, never sit in a high
others. I plan on doing something school classroom again, or never just a few weeks ago, I was probably
with biochemistry or environmental jump off the dock like I saw my older
science in college. I attribute all of brother do in 2017. playing my last high school lacrosse
that to my experiences in the science
classrooms at St. Edward’s. I have “These things sit small next to the game, and didn’t know. Coach (Rick)
definitely appreciated the academ- horrible sufferings from COVID-19,
ics here.” and I certainly stand by any precau-
tions my high school makes for the
That’s not all she appreciated.
There was a sports component as
well. Despite admitting that “run-
ning was not my style,” this year she
was on the first girls cross country
team ever to make states. She was on

Cassara has done a fantastic job and

is using virtual scavenger hunts and

Words with Friends tournaments to

keep team morale high.

“The rest of the year is all very

uncertain, but I trust that Saint Ed-

ward’s will find a way to make this

work like they always have.

“In the meantime, it’s best to stay

busy. I’ve been spending a lot of time

with my dog, Lucy, who is thrilled to

have us at home with her all day. I’ve

also finally started to make a dent

in some of the books on my unread

bookshelf, which has been nice. My

mom and I are trying to stay active,

and this quarantine has brought us

much closer, both in our relation-

ship and in our personal space.” 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 35

INSIGHT BRIDGE

NORTH

IT NEVER HURTS TO BE LUCKY AQ7643

By Phillip Alder - Bridge Columnist K98

J.K. Rowling, in her Harvard Commencement Address in 2008, said, “It is impossible to live 7
without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well have not
lived at all. In which case, you’ve failed by default.” QJ2

In this week’s deal, look first at the East hand. With both sides vulnerable, the dealer on your WEST EAST
right opens one spade. Would you pass, make a takeout double or overcall one no-trump? J2
Q J 10 6 5 K 10 5
Then look at the North hand. With the opponents maintaining a respectful silence, you open 93
one spade, and partner responds one forcing no-trump, showing 6-12 points. (He will have K986 A743
three spades only with 10-12 points.) What would you rebid?
A 10 8
This deal was played 16 times at Bridge Base Online. Surprisingly, no East, human or robot,
entered the auction, which was a losing pass here because East-West were cold for five A43
hearts. (If you do bid, I think one no-trump is better than double. I dislike takeout doubles
with 4-3-3-3 shape.) SOUTH

At numerous tables, North rebid two spades, and South continued with three diamonds, 98
which ended the auction.
2
One North, who requested anonymity, did not like the quality of his spade suit, so rebid two
clubs, which promised only three cards in the suit, but then his hand would normally have KQJ6542
had 5=2=3=3 or 5=3=2=3 distribution. After South rebid two diamonds, North kept up
his good work by passing — and getting the only North-South plus score! 10 7 5

The play was not testing. South lost one spade, one heart, one diamond and two clubs. The Dealer: North; Vulnerable: Both
seventh diamond was protection against being tapped in hearts.
The Bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST OPENING
1NT Pass 1 Spades Pass
?? LEAD:
9 Diamonds

36 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT GAMES SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (MARCH 26) ON PAGE 52

ACROSS DOWN
1 Inn (6,5) 2 Biased (7)
9 Mint liqueur (5,2,6) 3 Fib (3)
10 Descend (7) 4 Compose (6)
12 Cancel (5) 5 Functioning (9)
13 Combine (5) 6 Glossy textile (5)
14 Presents (5) 7 Range (5)
19 Theatrical play (5) 8 Gelatinous pudding (5)
21 Extraordinary (7) 11 Small-scale (9)
22 Boundary (13) 15 Rout (7)
24 Saturated (11) 16 Official order (5)
17 Legal (6)
18 Discourage (5)
20 Body’s main artery (5)
23 Kit (3)

The Telegraph

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

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 37

INSIGHT GAMES

ACROSS 91 Org. that grabbed 36 Seriously fighting The Washington Post
Patty Hearst 37 Beethoven’s
1 “Nuke,” as a burrito SPOONERIZED NAMES By Merl Reagle
4 Seas of humanity 92 Not lopsided “Ode ___”
8 Stationed 93 River to the Baltic 38 “Okay, it’s done”
13 Old travel case of song 95 “... the spring, ___-la” 39 Sword
19 Docs’ org. 96 Mr. X’s last name 40 New Hampshire state flowers
20 River to the Caspian 97 Saddles R Us rival? 41 Q&A intermediary of the gods
21 Was mentioned 99 Pioneer Pike, to pals 42 Waiter’s windfall
22 Get some air 100 Freeh assn., once 43 Alfonso’s “queen”
23 What the new blackjack 101 Salon goos 44 Horse yummy
102 Halt legally 50 Large paper sheet
dealer did when a player said 103 Circle segment 52 Bulwer-Lytton’s Eugene
“hit me”? 105 Kids’ event at the bakery? 54 Sock length
26 Verdi opera 108 How a pirate 55 See 109 Down
27 Customers might describe a prizefighter? 60 East or west end
28 Born 111 U.S. Open prop 62 Bullwinkle feature
29 Stairmaster station 112 Alfonso’s queen 63 Unexciting
30 Secondhand state 113 Blue lines on mapas 65 They have motors and meters
31 Mr. Whitney 114 Les ___ 66 Banned spray
33 Where to see Arthur 116 Bugs and buses 68 “___ man with
or Clifford 118 The British and
35 Normal labwear if you’re Dr. seven wives”
Frankenstein? the Greek 71 Anti-sleep product
40 Distance a high-flyin’ 122 Disobeyer 72 Mass of grass
tennis ball will go? 125 Sound that a perfectly 74 Swapped
45 “To name a few”: abbr. 75 Early gold-seekers’ quest, the
46 Hilo hi ripe cantaloupe makes?
47 Flower girl’s name? 128 Not moving Seven Cities of ___
48 Land of Hamburgers 129 Concert hall 76 Abelard’s crime
and Frankfurters: abbr. 130 Available 78 Piping-hot spew
49 Brit. flyers 131 Popular ending? 79 2000 Super Bowl champs
51 Get a Bush to pay 132 Scarcity 82 Done no later
attention? 133 Ex-CIA chief William
53 Fall (behind) 134 Nourish than, on a dry cleaner’s sign
54 The Cards, on a sports ticker 135 Her place is a sty 83 Slangy writer
55 Belafonte shout 84 Powdery remains
56 Well-ventilated DOWN 85 Move clumsily through water
57 Earth-shaking discovery? 86 Vermicelli
58 Dramatic unit 1 Peachy Pitts 88 Between, to Céline
59 Morning hour 2 Second Bible book, 89 Credit-card entry
61 Stage of development 92 Most vacuous
63 Color changer alphabetically 94 ___ Moines
64 A light switch being turned 3 Gait rate 98 More pathetic
off? 4 Swiss cereal 100 ___ the handle
66 Clamor 5 Civil War general 101 Grind (the teeth)
67 Sultan crony 6 Path, in Berlin 104 Tourist’s neckwear
69 Flower part 7 Pullman 106 Mr. Strauss
70 Dashes? 8 Crummy 107 Married
73 Paris magazine 9 War god 109 With 55 Down,
77 Obi kin 10 Potato and tomato
80 Little one 11 Break free a state
81 Shoe-bottom buildup at a 12 Actress Sandra 110 Frasier’s brother
wine-and-cheese party? 13 Newsstand 115 Serling’s milieu
84 Snakes 14 Closeness 117 Confident
87 Leading 15 Hit ___ (bail out) 119 Baseball’s Tiant or Aparicio
89 Take away 16 French gala 120 Automaker Ferrari
90 Condensed, as 17 Miller’s ___ My Sons 121 Distort
the OED 18 Earth opening? 122 Word on a June card
24 Gillis’s goateed buddy 123 Juin through septembre
25 Singer McEntire 124 Monk’s title
30 Store papers for safekeeping 125 Big, chili, or tar
32 She was Ilsa 126 Thumbs down
34 “Beat it!” 127 Get the point

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38 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BACK PAGE

A contrite step-parent acknowledges a past betrayal

BY CAROLYN HAX Whoever shows up and does it.) Is this trip to apolo-
Washington Post gize, but not to resume a parenting role? Or is this a
step toward that? Or is this for you?
Dear Carolyn: I did something
a couple of years ago regarding If there’s any any any chance you can talk to a
my two stepchildren that I’m not child psychologist before you go, please do that.
really proud of. Now I’m meeting Even 1 hour of expert planning beats 0 hours.
with them to explain myself and
I’m not sure I can. As for what you say you want to say: No. This can’t
I married their mother when my stepdaughter be about anything that sounds even remotely like
was 10 and my stepson was 8. I didn’t have much an excuse for what you did.
experience with children, but their father was out of
the picture, so I did try to step up and fill that role as “I just couldn’t cope with the grief”? Excuse. “I
much as I could. was in over my head”? Excuse. “I saw no other way
Shortly after our fifth anniversary my wife was di- out”? Excuse.
agnosed with lung cancer and she died nine months
later. The kids and I struggled along until the school I don’t doubt you felt these things. But they don’t
year ended, and then my mother-in-law invited want to hear how you felt. They suffered. They want
them to stay for the summer. to hear you acknowledge and express remorse for
That August I let her know that I wasn’t coming to that. They want you to demonstrate to their satis-
get them and that she and my father-in-law would faction that you understand what you did to hurt
need to take care of them. I just couldn’t cope with them.
the grief of losing my wife and parenting teenagers
– I’m not cut out to be a single parent. The text mes- If they ask why? “There’s no reason good enough.”
sages I got from my stepchildren were pretty bitter,
but I didn’t blame them. I also didn’t know what to with dread. I have no idea what to say to them. The
say so I never answered.
Two years later I still miss them and recently start- truth seems too inadequate to explain what they see Re: Apologies: The reason the bulk of apologies
ed corresponding with my stepdaughter. She is will-
ing to hear me out, so I’m flying out to see her and as a huge betrayal. I don’t want to make excuses but fail is the transgressor doesn’t empathize with the
my stepson next week. I’m both excited and filled
I was in way over my head and saw no other way victim. There’s too much focus on forgiveness and

out. Is that what I tell them? absolution.

– Making Up – Anonymous

Making Up: Oh, my. So much pain and sadness Anonymous: “This American Life” did an epi-
here. sode about apologies that unfolds into almost a
workshopping of one, from a totally self-serving
I’m not clear what your purpose is for the trip, rough draft to an effective expression of remorse.
though. Do you still think you’re “not cut out to be Riveting. 
a single parent”? (Do you know who is, by the way?

COPING WITH FOOT, LEG WOUNDS
WHILE SHELTERING IN PLACE

40 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Coping with foot, leg wounds while sheltering in place

BY TOM LLOYD
Staff Writer

More than 21 million Americans ric Medical Association, “diabetes is “In these types of patients – people Dr. Timothy Caballes.
have been diagnosed with diabetes, the leading cause of non-traumatic that have hammer toes, that have bun-
and roughly 20 percent of those will lower extremity amputations in the ions – you’d be surprised how many PHOTOS BY KAILA JONES
develop – or already have developed United States, and approximately 14- times they’re wearing inappropriate
– an ulcer in one of their extremities. 24 percent of patients with diabetes type of shoe wear that might cause try to take care of it yourself.”
Usually the foot. who develop a foot ulcer will require excess rubbing against their toes and While ‘bathroom surgery’ is a
an amputation. Foot ulceration pre- the skin. And then they’ll get these
A huge proportion of that subset are cedes 85 percent of diabetes-related blisters, they develop into wounds be- memorable line, perhaps his most im-
over the age of 65 which is, essentially, a amputations.” cause they don’t feel it happening and portant advice is that these patients
snapshot of Vero Beach’s demographic. then it just gets out of control. should always have the Wound Care
Caballes says those with neuropa- Center’s phone number handy or that
Dr. Timothy Caballes, a doctor of thy who also have a foot deformity “So, these high-risk diabetics that of their own podiatrist.
Podiatry with Vero Beach’s Advanced face additional danger. have neuropathy, these ones that have
Foot & Ankle of Indian River and the wounds on the bottom of their feet or “You can call the Wound Care Cen-
Wound Care Center at the Cleveland even on their legs, we do typically like ter. We see tons of skin tears, wounds,
Clinic Indian River Hospital, has some to see them weekly,” Caballes says. But bottom of foot, et cetera. And it’s not
advice for those people who, thanks given the current uncertainty about just lower extremity conditions – [we
to the COVID-19 pandemic, may be COVID-19, “we can set them up with also treat] upper extremity, anything
seeking to “shelter-in-place” and a home healthcare company – espe- that they may be concerned about.
are trying to avoid any outside-the- cially for our patients that don’t need
home contact, including their regular as much close intensive care. “They see a lot of people that have
wound care appointments. cancer excision, skin biopsies re-
“We’re actually updating our home moved, slow-healing wounds. Those
“People who are sheltering in healthcare orders and we’ll extend are the type of patients that definitely
place,” says Caballes, should be aware them out just because of these high- can call the Wound Care Center.
of what are all-too-common problems risk individuals over 65.”
for those with leg wounds. “Some of “For other type of things, minor inju-
those things,” he continues, can seem Caballes’ top suggestion: “You want ries, we can also see those in the office.”
innocuous including, “little contu- to check your feet daily. You want to
sion injuries. Meaning someone will do inspections every single day. Dr. Timothy Caballes is a Podiatric
just bump their leg or foot against an surgeon with Advanced Foot & Ankle of
object [but] they’ll develop a bruise. "Check your feet for any cuts, any Indian River and the Wound Care Cen-
They might have an underlying stress bruises, any sores, any blisters and if ter at the Cleveland Clinic Indian River
fracture or fractures. They might have you have any calluses or any corns, Hospital. He can be reached at his Vero
a skin tear and those skin tears, espe- don’t do any bathroom surgery. Don’t office at 3735 11th Circle, Suite 201 or at
cially in people that are diabetic, are his Sebastian office at 1627 U.S. 1. That
very prone to infections.” number is 772-299-7009. He can also be
reached at the Cleveland Clinic Wound
Advises Caballes: “Patients who are Care Center at 772-563-4645. 
diabetic – that have neuropathy in
their feet – cannot feel anything. So,
they really have to check their shoes
and look for any foreign objects. There
might be pebbles. I’ve even seen nails
in shoes. People have no clue that it’s
laying in the sole of the shoe and then
it causes infections.”

This is serious stuff.
According to the American Podiat-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 41

HEALTH

What to focus on in choosing good-quality sunglasses

BY FRED CICETTI Prevent Blindness America, a vol- are used by many pilots and hunters. tom and lighter in the middle. These
unteer eye health and safety organiza- Polarized lenses cut reflected glare are suitable for skiing.
Columnist tion, recommends lenses that are neu-
tral gray, amber, brown or green. and are especially helpful for driving. Lenses with mirror finishes reduce
Q. There's a lot of bright sunshine where A photochromic glass lens automati- the amount of light that passes through
I live and I know I should wear sunglasses There’s a controversy over the pos- to your eyes. These make an emphatic
to protect my eyes, but what should I look sible harm done by blue light. There cally darkens in bright light and be- fashion statement.
for when I buy them? is blue light in the bright glare from comes lighter in low light. These are con-
snow or water. venient for people who are in and out of A good way to check the quality of
This is a question with year-round, doors all day. nonprescription sunglasses is to look
and country-wide relevance; the Lenses that block all blue light are at a rectangular pattern such as tiles.
sun is around every day of the year. usually amber colored. This color is Single-gradient lenses are dark on You’ll know the glasses are good ones if
In places like Florida, Arizona and supposed to help you see distant ob- top and lighter on the bottom. These the lines stay straight when you move
Southern California, eye protection is jects more easily. Amber sunglasses are great for driving. Double-gradient your head. 
especially important. lenses are dark along the top and bot-

The most important feature in sun-
glasses is the ability to protect your eyes
from invisible ultraviolet (UV) light,
which also causes sunburn.

Long-term exposure to the high-en-
ergy ultraviolet radiation in sunlight
is linked to eye disease. Buy sunglass-
es that block 99 percent or 100 percent
of all UV light. Look for a label that
lists protection.

If you want to be extra careful, get
wrap-around sunglasses because
they keep out more light. Eye doctors
also recommend wearing a brimmed
hat when you’re going to be in the sun
for a long time.

If you don’t protect your eyes from
the sun, you risk getting cataracts,
macular degeneration and cancer-
ous growths on the eye. A cataract is
a clouding of the lens, the clear part of
the eye that helps focus images like the
lens in a camera. The macula is at the
center of the retina in the back of your
eye. The retina transmits light from the
eye to the brain.

Most of the eye damage caused by
ultraviolet light rays is gradual and ir-
reversible. People have different levels of
sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation.

Some studies show that people with
eye diseases such as macular degen-
eration may be at greater risk from UV
rays. As a precaution, they should wear
sunglasses whenever they are outdoors.
This precaution is wise, too, for anyone
who has had cataract surgery.

If you take drugs that make your skin
more light sensitive, discuss eye pro-
tection with your doctor. These medi-
cines can make your eyes more sensi-
tive to light.

There are other features in sunglasses
that you should consider. None of these
features is linked to UV protection. Re-
member, always check a pair of sun-
glasses for a UV rating.

You’ll need a dark lens if you are in
bright sun frequently. However, a me-
dium lens will suit you for most days.
Sunglasses should be dark enough to
reduce glare, but not dark enough to
distort colors.

42 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Gym closed? Don’t let that keep you from working out

BY PAM MOORE St. Pierre suggests starting with 20 to sources. Roser recommends stream- strength workout, Harbour recom-
30 minutes of running every other day ing services such as Daily Burn and mends Tony Horton’s P90X program,
The Washington Post and gradually increasing as it becomes Peloton, both of which offer a variety of which requires some equipment. If
easier. He notes that someone fit enough HIIT classes (and more). you’re looking for a workout that re-
The novel coronavirus is increasingly to handle a one-hour spin class is not quires zero equipment, Roser suggests
upending our rhythms and routines – necessarily prepared for the impact of a Both platforms allow you to live- bodyweight-only strength-training
including our workout schedules. Many one-hour run. “You’ve got to break into stream classes or choose from a library videos from Daily Burn or Peloton.
gyms and studios – including all gyms running slowly,” he says. Otherwise, you of archived workouts. To easily narrow
in Florida – have announced temporary risk common running injuries such as down the dizzying array of options, you Yoga: “Yoga helps us to access calm
closures. Other gyms are limiting occu- shin splints and IT band issues. can take advantage of filters, which al- within the storm,” Sarada Erickson, co-
pancy and ramping up cleaning prac- low you to search for classes by dura- founder of Om Ananda Yoga in Fort Col-
tices. But that doesn’t mean we need to For those looking for a structured tion, preferred instructor, intensity level lins, Colo., said in an email. No matter
abandon our workouts – nor should we. plan, St. Pierre recommends programs and more. Daily Burn also offers virtual what’s happening around us, she adds,
from Jeff Galloway, whom he refers to personal training. “yoga shows us the breath is a constant
Regular exercise supports optimal as “the father of the run-walk method,” and always in the moment. We can stay
functioning of the immune system and Hal Higdon, another well-known Strength training: Karen Harbour more in the present rather than project
and is an excellent stress management running coach. Both offer simple, easy- credits barbells with transforming her into the world of ‘what-ifs.’”
tool. “Working out is the best thing you to-follow training plans for everything body and building her confidence. As the
can possibly do right now,” says Holly from completing your first 5K to run- co-founder of Bella Strength, a strength To practice yoga in your home, Erick-
Roser, a San Mateo, Calif., fitness stu- ning your fastest marathon, with op- and conditioning gym in Boulder, she’s son suggests finding out whether the
dio owner and personal trainer. Here tions for athletes of all ability levels. focused on helping clients do the same, studio you normally attend is offering
are some resources to help you stay Both resources offer free training plans by teaching skills and creating a sup- online classes. “This way, you get to see
consistent with your fitness routine (or as well as paid ones. portive community. Yet, she says, even your favorite teachers and have some
even start one) regardless of access to a if you don’t have access to equipment familiarity in your practice in a time of
facility or equipment. High-intensity interval training: If or workout buddies, there are still lots of change.” If your studio isn’t operating
you want to keep doing high-intensity great options for strength training. remotely, check on other local studios;
Running/walking: If the start of the interval training (HIIT) workouts with this is a way to continue to support your
new year came and went and you’re still your group instructor or personal train- No weights? No problem, Harbour community. If this isn’t an option, either,
meaning to begin an exercise plan, this er remotely, your favorite fitness profes- says. Household items that can double Erickson recommends Gaia and Glo,
is the perfect time to lace up your sneak- sionals might have you covered. All you as weights include a 20-pound bag of which offer subscription-based paid
ers and start a run-walk program. You need are an Internet connection and rice, luggage (packed with anything plans, and DoYogaWithMe, which offers
can do it outdoors with no problem – just some motivation. from clothing to textbooks) or a heavy a wide selection of free classes.
stay 6 feet away from others. backpack. In place of your 8-pound
Roser is among a growing group of dumbbells, Roser recommends a gallon When choosing an online yoga class,
For beginners and those coming off fitness professionals who are turning to jug of water. (When completely full, a the most important consideration
a long fitness hiatus, running coach technology to keep their clients moving, gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds; use should be finding one that’s aligned
Adam St. Pierre recommends starting as regional mandates to stay home keep less water for less weight.) with your skill level, Erickson says. This
with walking, which he says is “actu- people out of gyms and fitness studios, is of particular importance in a virtual
ally one of the best activities you can offering group classes and one-on-one If you’re craving fresh air, consider class, because your teacher can’t see
do.” If you want to add intensity, he personal training sessions over Face- going to the park with a backpack and you or respond to your needs. Addition-
suggests inserting intermittent 30-sec- book Live, Zoom and FaceTime. wearing it while performing push-ups, ally, you may not have access to props
ond bursts of running, adopting a brisk step-ups onto a picnic bench or pull- that help with alignment, so Erickson
pace on hills, or walking with a weight- If your favorite HIIT instructor or ups on the monkey bars. (Remember to advises people to “be more mindful
ed vest or a backpack. personal trainer isn’t offering online sanitize your hands.) with your poses.” 
workouts, there are plenty of other re-
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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Style Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 43

Why wearing color is a proven way to boost your mood

BY CAROLINE LEAPER encourage us to keep busy, get some want your image to have on others
energy together to do that exercise around you. Seeing color on yourself
The Telegraph routine in the living room, and stay is one thing, but allowing others to
mentally active. see it on you will also spread the pos-
“Sweatpants are a sign of defeat,” itivity, and pass on the subliminal
the late fashion designer Karl Lager- “However, in this time of great message that you are happy and fun
feld once said. “You lost control of anxiety and fear, the cooler colors to be around. From working-from-
your life, so you bought some sweat- that produce calming hormones, home conference calls to video chats
pants.” like blue, green and purple, will ac- with my mother, I’ve favored a laven-
tually help to make us feel more in der cardigan and rose pink lipstick;
I wonder what Lagerfeld would control,” Standish continues. “Blue she can see, instantly, that I’m well.
have made of the amount of lounge- is considered the ‘communicator,’
wear currently being worn around green keeps the balance and purple “While seeing color in nature and
the world? While I thoroughly dis- is the ‘meditator.’ These release re- interiors is very powerful, the colors
agree with his damning of this most laxing hormones which, in contrast we choose to wear can have a real
useful piece of comfort clothing, I to the hotter colors, help to reduce emotional connection, creating a
would like to offer another thought – blood pressure and balance our ner- sense of well-being,” says Standish.
sweatpants could be a sign of defeat, vous systems. They will help us to get “When people are wearing colors
if they come in black or gray. some proper sleep, to keep our im- that harmonize with their natural
mune systems strong, and could have coloring and temperament, they feel
In times like these, why not choose an important place in homes where happier and more at peace within
trousers in forest green and wear there are lots of family members to- themselves. Particularly when they
them with a sky blue T-shirt? Why gether for long periods of time.” can look in the mirror and see that
not do burgundy bottoms with a the color they are wearing makes
baby pink top? If wearing gray loungewear has them look healthy, happy and glow-
become your default at the moment, ing. That’s a reason to smile.”
You don’t need to go shopping; the Standish says that you should be
point is that picking out something conscious of the atmosphere you are In these times, it’s the little things
in your wardrobe each morning with setting. like this which might just make the
a flash of color in it could be the sar- difference and perk us up – even if
torial equivalent of smiling for a mo- “Black doesn’t occur in nature, temporarily. 
ment. Any beam of happiness, or and is the absence of color,” she con-
flicker of confidence, which can be siders. “It absorbs all colors which
salvaged right now is surely some- means that no light is reflected. Gray
thing to celebrate, isn’t it? is achromatic [without color] be-
cause it is only black and white. Gray
“Seeing color can have an impact from a psychological viewpoint is an
on everything that we feel and do,” impartial color, it shows a detached
explains Jules Standish color coun- stance, but worn in abundance it
sellor, and author of “How Not To can appear unfriendly and cold. For
Wear Black.” “Due to the emotional those who crave some ‘space’ from
responses that we all have to dif- family members, go for gray, but
ferent colors, we can influence our those who need to engage, get cre-
moods to feel more uplifted, positive ative or need some emotional sup-
and even creative at this time of in- port, try to choose to wear your gray
creased isolation.” with a color that makes you feel more
upbeat and fun loving.”
Standish says that seeing a bright
or interesting color will stimulate Consider, also, the effect you might
our eyes, triggering the release of
positive endorphins in the brain.

“We all need light – it’s one of the
reasons why on short, dark, winter
days, some people suffer from Sea-
sonal Affective Disorder,” she ex-
plains. “Color is light, and light ap-
pears to us visually in wavelengths. It
affects our hormones via our glandu-
lar system, namely the hypothalamus
gland. This has a direct impact on our
body temperature and behavior.”

Various colors will have different
effects on our mood; the hotter end
of the spectrum will excite us, while
the cooler end will calm us.

“Red, orange and yellow, due to
their long and powerful wavelengths,
have the ability to stimulate,”
Standish says. “Red is the hottest
color, releasing the hormone adren-
aline, which gives us a well needed
energy boost, raising our blood pres-
sure and metabolism. Hotter colors

44 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Style Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

WHY DEBORAH BIRX’S STYLE IS SO REASSURING

BY ROBIN GIVHAN
The Washington Post

The diplomatic doctor was missing
from last weekend's coronavirus task
force briefings. Deborah Birx, the
task force coordinator, was not in her
usual position, behind the lectern
and to President Donald Trump’s
left. She was not there with her calm
expression and her talk of the need
to get granular and her explana-
tion that the seeds for everything
happening now were planted four-
teen days ago and we won’t see any
fruits of social distancing for another
week or so. She was not there with
her soothing directness, reassuring
competence and a style of dress that
distinguishes her from all the suits
and the bureaucrats who usually
stand alongside her.

Birx had had a low-grade fever, she
explained last Monday evening when
she returned to the stage. So she’d
stayed away. She had taken one of
those elusive coronavirus tests and it
came back negative. As she explained
this to the small group of assembled

journalists, the president stepped politics. Birx at least acknowledges
away from her with a wry smile at the that sometimes her audience needs
mention of a fever. She shrugged off a little hand-holding to choke down
his move with an eye roll and a wave, the truth.
the way a patient parent might deal
with a rambunctious child. Fauci has been the more public
of the two doctors. He’s known for
Birx isn’t the only medical profes- speaking the language of science,
sional regularly in front of the televi- not hunches. He can be politically
sion cameras. Anthony S. Fauci, the diplomatic – except in recent inter-
director of the National Institute of views when his words have suggest-
Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is ed exasperation. He is sober but not
typically there, too. The diminutive paralyzingly grim.
immunologist with the gray hair
and the wire-rimmed glasses usu- In contrast, Birx comes across as
ally stands next to Birx. The medical more nimble at navigating the com-
community has had a rocky relation- plex web of human emotions.
ship with the prickly president.
She does so with an encouraging
Fauci delivers the facts raw and nod and with an outstretched hand.
keeps faith that they can rise above If there is a subtext to her gestures,
it’s this: “Come on now. You can do

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Style Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 45

tional intelligence. While the regular posed. The only hint of uneasiness is
briefings are filled with folks in suits her rapidly blinking eyes as she looks
and uniforms – clipboard types who straight ahead.
are very good at going through the
motions of competence – Birx makes She is a perfectly calibrated vi-
one feel like she’d be the one willing sion of comfort and intelligence. A
to put a cool compress to a fevered consoling meditation of personable
brow while everyone else was back- style, facts and figures. 
ing out of the room. (And then she’d
wash her hands and duly self-quar-
antine.)

Birx stands at the lectern as part
of the president’s team, but her style
sets her apart. She sometimes refers
to him, but judiciously.

She’s part of Trump’s ecosystem
but she remains a unique organism.
When she speaks, it’s not the presi-
dent this or the president that.

It’s all about the data, the data,
the data. No one spends more time
telling the public about the presi-
dent’s leadership than Vice President
Pence. When he steps to the micro-
phone during briefings, he begins
almost every sentence by noting that
whatever action was taken, it was
done “at the president’s direction.”

As briefings often meander past
the one-hour mark and the presi-
dent’s message sometimes becomes
muddled off course, one’s eyes are
drawn to Birx.

She’s standing there utterly com-

it. I have faith in you.” She never looks bland or nonde-
Her tone is gentle but firm. From script. She doesn’t look like an au-
tomaton or someone who has lost
her background as a diplomat, she herself in the data and computer
is skilled in soft force – the art of models.
getting people to do what you want
them to do but having them think it And in doing so, she offers a subtle
was their brilliant idea all along. She but important reminder to people
stands out on what was a distress- that while this crisis is serious and
ingly crowded stage until it recently meeting it is hard, we are still hu-
thinned out: Women are in the mi- man. Do not lose yourself. Be kind to
nority during these public exposi- yourself.
tions. But she’s also distinctive be-
cause of her attire. Her style could go anywhere. It’s a
multitasking aesthetic, modest but
Birx doesn’t dress like a lady poli- sophisticated. Contemporary but not
tician in jewel-tone suits and state- trendy. It telegraphs competence and
ment jewelry. She doesn’t wear pow- dependability.
er dresses, those sleek sheaths that
are a critical part of House Speaker Her style is not a statement of pow-
Nancy Pelosi’s professional ward- er. It’s more likely to call to mind the
robe. She doesn’t turn up in a white image of a school nurse than a su-
coat as if she’s there to take the na- perhero. Studious determination is
tion’s collective temperature. going to get us out of this, not swag-
gering braggadocio. The heroes wear
Birx’s style can be called classically wire-rimmed glasses and silk ker-
feminine when she wears her shirt- chiefs.
waist dresses and knots silk scarves
around her shoulders. That’s not to say that Birx doesn’t
have a tremendous amount of clout.
She exudes academic wonkiness She simply doesn’t display it for all
with her earth tones and tunics and the world to see. Revealing it would,
mufflers double-wrapped around in fact, dilute it.
her neck.
Birx’s style speaks to her emo-

46 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

DINING & WINE COLUMN

Restaurants temporarily pivoting to takeout and delivery

Scott Varrichio. Citrus curbside pickup.

PHOTOS BY KAILA JONES

Rachel Bourdon. The Tides to go orders.

BY TINA RONDEAU skills from yesteryear.
Columnist Under normal circumstances, I

A number of Vero Beach restau- dine out so frequently to produce
rants have gone takeout-only – rather weekly restaurant reviews that I’ve
than closing entirely – in the couple of started to forget how I prepared some
weeks since in-restaurant dining was of the dishes that used to be staples at
barred. dinner parties we would host in the
old days in Washington, D.C., or New
Several have inquired whether we York.
would provide reviews of their ap-
proach to takeout until fine dining re- I’m trying to recapture my ability to
sumes, and we can once again begin produce some of those dishes, and my
running restaurant reviews. husband – your restaurant reviewer’s
severest critic – has been pretty gen-
The short answer is, “No.” erous in his appreciation of some of
Hopefully, this bizarre time will these meals from bygone days.
end in the not-too-distant future,
and we would only be able to review Having said that, if unlike me you
a handful of these ad hoc takeout res- don’t want to spend hours in the
taurants before they go back to doing kitchen, some of the eateries adver-
what they do best – namely, serving tising on these pages are offering
great meals in their dining rooms. meals that will keep you well fed dur-
But beyond that, I’m trying to use ing the current restaurant shutdown.
this time to sharpen up my culinary
I would encourage you to give them
a try. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 47

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 49

Vero & Casual Dining

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50 Vero Beach 32963 / April 2, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PETS

Bonz is smitten with the lovely, fluffy Sophie

Hi Dog Buddies! what? I found out us Great Pyrenees Sophie and Sophie said, “Look, Mr. Bonzo,
are mountain dogs, from the Pyrenees Mommy found this at a charity event.
This week I met my first Great Pyr- Mountains between France an Spain, “Did I hear you mention a cat?” I Isn’t it perfect?”
enees. Her name’s Sophia Winger and so I guess I am sorta a French lady. We asked.
she a tall, beautiful pooch, all white, had a very important job: to guard stuff. The plaque said, “This home is filled
with a thick, wavy coat, a really kind, Mostly sheep. I do have an in-stink to “Oh, yes. Come on in. I’ll introduce with Kisses, Wagging Tails, Wet Noses
wise face, these amazin’ eyelashes, an guard stuff – like the yard, the grass, the you to my BFF, Catrick Swayze.” and Love.”
the fluffiest, longest tail I ever SAW. It trees, the flowers, the cat. An, if I ever
ackshully brushes the GROUND. She met any sheep, I’d totally guard them.” Inside, Sophie called, “Hey, Catrick, “It IS perfect, Miss Sophie. Absolutely
looks like the Queen of All Dogs. come meet Mr. Bonzo.” perfect!”
Note to self: Remember to ask about
We met in her front yard, which isWay the cat. A slender tuxedo cat appeared and To My Fellow Pooches: You’ve probly
Cool Kibbles, with a wunnerful garden ran right over to Sophie. The two rolled noticed that your humans are behavin’
where Sophie loves to play an hang out. “Any pooch pals?” around briefly, then settled together on a liddle different these days, right? I sent
“I’ve got tons of pooch pals, like Mol- the carpet. Catrick was mostly black, out a coupla Woofmails an found out
I introduced myself an my assistant. ly, she’s a Labradoodle. Anna buncha with that white tuxedo bib, white paws it’s cuz there’s this really Dismal Dog
“A great pleasure, Mr. Bonzo. I’m So- others. Sometimes, they come play with an big green eyes. Very handsome. Biscuits duh-zees that’s makin’ humans
phia Winger. You may call me Sophie. me in my yard when they’re on their real sick all over the world, an it’s chan-
I’m almost 3. This is my Mommy, Bob- walks. I also have a pooch pal up in at- “A pleasure, Catrick,” I said. gin’ a lotta the stuff our humans usu-
bie. My Daddy, Dick, is inside. If I seem LANNA: my nephew Jack, he’s a black- “Likewise! Mommy spotted me at ally do. ’Speshully like gettin’ together
a bit tired, it’s cuz I had a long day at the an-white mix who was adopted by my Petsupermarket and – that was IT! She with each other, which we all know
vet yesterday. I got a cut-an-style, anna human brother, Scott. I love when we called Daddy and said, ‘Bring the crate. they really, really like to do, but now
mani-pedi, so I’d look my best for my can visit.” We have a cat.’ My first birthday’s gon- they can’t cuz this duh-zees can sneakily
innerview,” she smiled a sweet smile, “Do you like swimmin’?” I randomly na be May 5, but then I was just a tiny jump from one human to other humans.
“an also three shots, which made me a wondered. kitten. Soon as I saw Sophie, I went Dogs can’t get it, though, Thank Lassie.
liddle barfy an outta sorts.” “NO. I am a MOUNTAIN dog, NOT A straight to her. We’ve been besties ever What all us pooches CAN do is to be the
“I completely understand,” I replied. beach dog. Well, the sand’s pretty fun. since. I didn’t even ree-lize I was a cat Best Pooches Ever for our humans. Like,
“An you look beautiful, Miss Sophie,” I But NOT the water.” an she was a dog til way later. It doesn’t don’t whine, don’t bark at those squirrels
had to add, cuz she did. “Whaddya like to do? What’s a typical matter anyway.” for 4 hours, don’t chew furniture, don’t
Opening my notebook, I asked, “How day for you?” I inquired. “He’s right,” agreed Sophie. “It doesn’t dig unnecessary holes in the garden,
did you find your Forever Family?” “I play in my yard a lot. There’s a fence, matter one bit.” stuff like that. Just give ’em lotsa extra
“My Mommy an Daddy have this but I’ve never ackshully SEEN it. Daddy With that, Catrick became focused on snuggles, an kisses, an nose bumps, an
good fren, Sheff, in Quincy, whose Great says it in-VIZZ-ubble. I don’t know what batting feathers attached to a long stick. show ’em you love ’um an uh-PREE-she-
Pyrenees (Sophia and Pirate) hadda lid- that means, but I always somehow Sophie’s Mom had fetched a plaque, ate ’em. (An if you can figure out a way to
der – my lidder – an he invited Mommy know how far I can go. It’s miss-TEARY- remind ’em to wash their paws, that’d be
an Daddy to come see us. So they did. us! I even taught them to shake paws. good, too.)
Well, you can imagine how irresistibly Oh, an I taught myself to shake paws.
adorable we were, all 10 of us, like fluffy Humans really like that, I have noticed. Till next time,
white bowling balls. I was the liddlest I’m good at snoozin’, too. I like to nap on
AN the smartest AN the cutest, an I Mommy’s an Daddy’s feet. Mommy got The Bonz
knew they were my Forever Famly right me three lovely dog beds, but I usually
away – so we picked each other!” sleep on the nice cool floor. Or the car- Don’t Be Shy
“Mommy an Daddy named me So- pet. Oh, an I excel at sheddin’, although
phia after my pooch mommy, but, Mommy an Daddy don’t seemed real We are always looking for pets with
when we go to Humiston Park or Down- impressed with that. interesting stories.
town Friday, Daddy likes to introduce “I have, like, millions of toys, which
me by my FULL name – Sophia Jean I NEVER chew (except for the tennis To set up an interview, email
Claudia Annemarie Jureau Winger. He balls). My favorite’s the Kong, cuz Mom- [email protected].
thinks I look like a French lady an, guess my puts Milk Bone treats in it. I also love
chicken jerky.”