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Published by Vero Beach 32963 Media, 2017-08-02 21:36:06

08/03/2017 ISSUE 31

VB32963_ISSUE31_080317_OPT

Buggy Bunch renovating old
Art-Deco building. P9
Sheriff facing
civil lawsuits. P6

Shores residents to get
$2 million in ‘tax rebates.’ P10

Being late to party Tropical Storm Emily spawned heavy rain bands that led to isolated flooding of roadways, including New student code
slowing construction Beachland at A1A. For the most part, the storm caused little damage here, serving only as a reminder of conduct vetoed
of Shores cell tower we are approaching the height of what is expected to be an active hurricane season. PHOTO BY GORDON RADFORD as too complex

BY LISA ZAHNER Driftwood sued for negligence over fall from deck BY KATHLEEN SLOAN
Staff Writer Staff Writer
BY BETH WALTON
Speculation spread like Staff Writer The School Board has bowed
wildfire through Indian Riv- to pressure from a Gifford com-
er Shores last week that the Summit Hotel Management, The outdoor deck where a small boy fell through a gap in the railing. PHOTO BY GORDON RADFORD munity group and rejected the
much-anticipated cell tower which operates Vero’s historic latest version of the student
project behind the town com- Driftwood Resort, has yet to code of conduct penned by
plex was dead. In response, counter punch in a mount- school district staff as too long
clearly frustrated, Town Man- ing legal battle with a former and complex.
ager Robbie Stabe blasted the guest.
long-paralyzed Town Coun- Parents and others in the
cil and the pack of naysay- Florida resident Michael district have long complained
ers who slowed progress on Buttress sued the hotel for that the code is a booby trap
the project for the pickle the negligence last year, alleg- of sorts. According to crit-
Shores now finds itself in. ing he fell from the property’s ics, even though the 78-page
oceanfront deck in May 2014 code is too complicated and
For more than a decade, while attempting to rescue unclear for students to un-
Shores residents have mud- his toddler son who tumbled derstand, it is used to justify
dled through daily life with through a gap in the railing. punishing them for infrac-
weak, spotty cell service, but tions they may not have been
the “not in my back yard” folks CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 aware of.
repeatedly blocked efforts to
build a tower back when the LaDonna Williams, a law-
market for smartphones was yer with five children in local
schools, said, “It took me four
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 hours to get to page 31 and

Few places locally CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
to be allowed to sell
medical marijuana Schools give no raises
to lowest-paid workers
BY NICK SAMUEL
Staff Writer BY KATHLEEN SLOAN
Staff Writer
Even though medical mari-
juana has a wide range of The largest employer in the
proven therapeutic benefits area, the county School Dis-
and its use was overwhelm- trict, froze the pay scale for its
ingly approved by Florida vot- lowest-paid workers in 2010,
ers last November, dispensa- and the budget for the coming
ries will be banned in most of fiscal year doesn’t do anything
Indian River County. to stem these workers’ gradu-
al descent into poverty.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

August 3, 2017 Volume 10, Issue 31 Newsstand Price $1.00 ‘Sea’ them go!
Tour de Turtles ups
News 1-10 Faith 41 Pets 42 TO ADVERTISE CALL awareness. P20
Arts 23-28 Games 43-45 Real Estate 61-72 772-559-4187
Books 38-39 Health 47-50 Style 51-53
Dining 54 Insight 29-46 Wine 55 FOR CIRCULATION
Editorial 34 People 11-22 CALL 772-226-7925

© 2017 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved.

2 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Student code of conduct Aretha Sanders, a member of Pio- perhaps arbitrary, not subject to due on probation can be locked up for
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 neering Change, the newly-formed process. “If the principal has final au- breaking poorly defined school rules,
Gifford community group that per- thority on everything, does that leave accelerating a downward spiral that
I’m in a Ph.D. program.” suaded the board to reject the code, parents and students with any means damages their prospects in life.
What punishments can be meted said its “unreadability” made it im- of appeal?” she asked the board.
possible for a parent to sit down with Tony Brown, president of the Indian
out for what offenses is equally un- their child and make sure they under- Adding insult to injury, parents River County NAACP, says the code
clear, according to board member stood it. must sign a document indicating defines gang activity so loosely that
Laura Zorc. She said she pored over they understand school rules and kids can be suspended without any
the code after a serious incident at a “They can’t be governed by some- consequences of breaking them – evidence of criminal behavior. And if
local school to make sure proper pro- thing they don’t understand,” Sand- even though the code is virtually in- they have previously been in trouble,
cedure was followed, but “could not ers told the board. comprehensible. suspension can trigger incarceration.
understand what consequence the
principal should impose. Merchon Green, a leader of the Critics say the murkiness of the “There was a kid in court for his
community group, said the lack of code contributes to the criminaliza- hair and eyebrows, “ Brown told the
“I want to see it simplified,” Zorc clarity cedes too much authority to tion of school behavior, with kids board. “Give our kids a chance in this
said. school principals, making their dis- ending up in juvenile court without school district.” He asked that proof
ciplinary decisions absolute and clear cause. Some students who are of criminal activity be added to the
definition of gang activity.

Dr. Jacqueline Warrior, head of the
NAACP education committee, said
campus arrests have increased 85 per-
cent since 2015, partly because of the
code, and that black students are ar-
rested at a disproportionate rate.

Although black students make up
just 17 percent of the student popu-
lation, 65 percent of those arrested at
school are black.

Members of Pioneering Change
and others who spoke at the meet-
ing where the code was discussed
managed to persuade the board to
reject the flawed code, getting several
members to reverse their positions
and join in a unanimous vote, but the
victory turned out to be hollow.

During discussion on redrafting
the document, School Board Admin-
istrative Assistant Judy Stang said the
code must be rewritten and available
to the public for a month before it
can come up again for approval. After
that, the approved code would have
to go to the printer in time for school
opening in mid-August.

So, although the board rejected this
year’s revised code, there is no time to
craft, present and distribute the kind
of short, simple, straightforward code
the public desires. Instead, last year’s
jargon-filled code, which is very simi-
lar in length and complexity to the
code that was rejected, will be printed
again and continue in effect.

The board did direct staff to meet
with Pioneering Change and other
community members in redrafting
the code, and said it will consider
putting an improved student code of
conduct into effect in the middle of
the school year. 

Schools lowest-paid workers
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The wages of the 700 secretaries,
teaching assistants, bus drivers, caf-
eteria workers and janitors represent-
ed by the Communication Workers of
America union have not kept up with
increases in the cost of living since the

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 3

NEWS

end of the recession, and the workers Shores cell tower stroy their quality of life hired a lawyer boosters to be able to use cellphones
no longer receive raises based on length CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 and the town received a letter threat- inside their homes.
of service or good job performance. ening litigation, the council lost its
exploding and carriers were fighting nerve and the project was shelved. But realtors complained that the
The workers, whose average yearly hard for customers by touting bet- lack of decent cell service was run-
wage is about $22,000, asked for a ter coverage, and faster Internet and Faced with lost police and medical ning buyers off – especially younger
modest 2.8 percent raise for this com- data streaming. calls over computers in patrol cars, buyers or semi-retired people try-
ing year, but no raise was included in the Shores Public Safety Department ing to telecommute or still operate a
next year’s budget. Every time town residents who invested in signal boosters for all its business or professional practice. It
feared the sight of a tower would de- vehicles, just to be able to function. made the town look backward.
Instead, the School Board plans to Many residents also purchased signal
give them a one-time lump-sum pay- CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
ment of $222 this year and another $222
“salary enhancement” next year, accord- Exclusively John’s Island
ing to Assistant Superintendent Bruce
Green. Those payments will cost the Overlooking serene pool and Indian Lake views is this beautiful, newly renovated
School District $344,000 over two years – 4BR home. Beamed T&G ceilings, Baltic White Oak hardwood floors and
less than half what it would have cost to custom finishes add warmth to this 5,243± GSF retreat featuring a voluminous
give the workers their requested raise. living room with fireplace adjoining the expansive lanai, bonus theater room
with bar, large center island kitchen with premium appliances, luxurious master
Green recently replaced Assistant suite, 2nd level en-suite guest bedroom with tree-top views and A/C garage.
Superintendent William Fritz as the 631 Indian Harbor Road : $3,200,000
School District’s representative at the
negotiating table. Fritz had the role three championship golf courses : 17 har-tru courts : beach club : squash
for four years, up until July 1, when health & fitness center : pickleball : croquet : vertical equity membership
Superintendent Mark Rendell termi-
nated him after a series of missteps 772.231.0900 : Vero Beach, FL : JohnsIslandRealEstate.com
and problems.

Fritz’s parting shot to CWA workers
was paraphrased by several employ-
ees who spoke at recent School Board
meetings. “He said, ‘We don’t need to
give you a raise, you’re replaceable,’”
they said.

Under Fritz’s leadership, the School
District’s health insurance fund went
$7 million in deficit and required mas-
sive cash infusions to stay afloat. As a
result, support staff were hit with large
health-insurance premium increases
last school year, with some seeing their
costs spike as much as 182 percent,
while their wages remained static.

Support staff is the only School Dis-
trict work group whose pay has not
undergone study and updates.

Fritz justified the lack of regular 5-,
10- and 15-year step raises by saying
pay in Indian River County School Dis-
trict is comparable to nearby school
districts, but CWA Vice President Cus-
todial Staff Representative Maureen
Weisberg said the School District, as
the largest employer, is contributing
to the rising poverty rate in the county.

“In Indian River County 22.5 per-
cent of children are living in poverty,”
Weisberg said. “Who are these chil-
dren and their parents? Sadly, they are
your support staff.”

A teacher assistant with the school
district for 15 years shared her pay stubs
with Vero Beach 32963, asking for ano-
nymity for fear of reprisal. She makes
$21,343 a year now and made $20,394
four years ago, a $949 increase averag-
ing $237 a year. She was paying $490 a
month for family health coverage, but
when the School Board raised it to $870
a month last December, she dropped to
single coverage at $212 a month.

She’s been rated highly effective
many years but dedication guarantees
nothing, she said. “The School Board
doesn’t care about us.” 

4 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Shores cell tower mean less money to invest in costly “Datapath cannot legally start ing last month, despite the fact that
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 annual tower leases – or any new tow- building the tower without at least one information was supposed to be kept
er leases, for that matter. carrier signed on to rent space. We are hush-hush – has taken a look-see at
The lack of this important amenity completely at the mercy of the carrier the Shores site, and at the plans.
was a deal-breaker on some very big Stabe wrote to the council Friday af- at this point,” Stabe said. “Fortunate-
real estate deals, John’s Island Real Es- ternoon, in response to a flurry of ru- ly, they budgeted to get on our tower, “They sent one of their own envi-
tate broker-owner Bob Gibb and oth- mor-fueled questions, “I feel it is im- that alone speeds up the process by ronmental engineers to view the tow-
ers told the Town Council during the portant to remind Council that during one fiscal year. However, they are also er site last month to locate the Public
endless public hearings on the tower. the two-plus years Council spent ob- working on renting space on hundreds Safety fuel tanks and the closest elec-
taining propagation studies . . . [hold- of other cell towers across the nation trical transformer,” Stabe said. “Then
Meanwhile, the world was changing ing] workshops with residents intent and while ours is in the pile with all earlier this week, the carrier requested
while the Shores stood still. on doing away with the tower idea, the others, we don’t know where it is a copy of the environmental survey
and . . . [arguing] about the cell tower or when they will sign the lease.” that Datapath obtained over a year
The market became saturated with location/type/height/etc., there was a ago. So, there is movement and move-
smartphones. Every 10-year-old and major shift in the cell-tower industry. Stabe said he has confirmed all of ment is a good sign.”
every 80-year-old has one now, and this with industry experts, including a
phone numbers are portable from “Out of nowhere, all the major car- town resident in the business – as well Stabe promised to tell the Town
carrier to carrier. Service providers are riers decided they were no longer go- as the consultants the town hired, at Council the minute that first carrier
no longer arguing over who has better ing to pay $3,000 to $5,000 or more per the behest of the naysayers – to ensure signs and the tower is officially a go.
coverage. The war now is over price. month for cell tower space. Datapath that Shores residents were not getting The town has already budgeted the
was looking at around $4,000 to $4,500 ripped off. $150,000 cash for its portion of the
On June 23, the Wall Street Journal per month for the top spot. At this construction of the 115-foot stealth
reported, “The consumer-price index point, tower companies are lucky if There is some good news, however. monopine tower that will look like a
for wireless phone service, an indica- they can get $2,000/month for the top The first interested carrier – Verizon, massive Christmas tree. Construction
tor of current offers from cellphone location. This significantly affected according to town officials who let is expected to take 60 to 90 days when
service providers, dropped 12.5 per- our situation,” Stabe said in his email. that name slip during a council meet- and if final permits are in place. 
cent in May from a year ago, accord-
ing to the Labor Department. The in- The town already renegotiated its Medical marijuana The law does state that dispensa-
dex was down 13 percent in April, the contract with Datapath to take a lesser CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ries may not be within 500 feet of a
largest decline in the history of the cut of the lease revenues. “It’s never re- public or private elementary, middle
category. ... Beyond the consumer im- ally been about the money – it’s about If officials proceed as planned, there or secondary school, said Sheriff's
pact, the rapid collapse in the indus- the service,” Stabe said. will be no dispensaries in the unincor- spokesman Maj. Eric Flowers, but it
try’s pricing power will ripple through porated areas that make up the vast imposes few other restrictions on lo-
its profit margins, federal regulations Technology has also changed. In majority of the county. Likewise there cations.
and antitrust law. “ states like Florida, micro transmitters will be none in Fellsmere. Dispen-
are now legal on every utility pole on saries will also be banned within the “If the county wants to ban them,
Lower profits for service providers the public right of way, and those are Vero Beach city limits, except for one we would support them,” Flowers
much cheaper and quicker to build. that was grandfathered in. said.

The only place dispensaries will be Reingold said the county commis-
allowed in accordance with state law sioners earlier this month voted 5-0
is in the city of Sebastian. for a draft ordinance to ban the dis-
pensaries. He said he'll present the
“We considered the issue very draft ordinance at a public hearing
carefully,” Sebastian Vice Mayor set for August 15.
Andrea Coy said. “The voters over-
whelmingly voted for marijuana. The attorney said another reason
Why would politicians try to deny why commissioners are willing to
the voters’ will?” ban dispensaries is because residents
will have access to them in Sebastian
Vero, Fellsmere and county offi- and at one location in Vero Beach
cials say a lack of local control over that was approved in May before the
dispensary locations is the main fac- state law was passed.
tor pushing them to ban the sale of
medical marijuana in their jurisdic- Even though Vero Beach plans to
tions. block additional medical marijua-
na facilities, that one dispensary on
After months of fumbling around Commerce Avenue will still be allowed
on the issue, the Florida State Leg- to open, said Vero Beach City Manager
islature passed the Medical Use of Jim O'Connor.
Marijuana Act on June 9. It limits
local government’s control over dis- O'Connor said the Vero City Coun-
pensary locations, giving them the cil last month voted to place a mora-
choice of allowing dispensaries any- torium on dispensaries until a city
where a pharmacy can be placed or code that conformed to the state
banning them altogether. could be written. He said an ordi-
nance to ban the dispensaries will be
"Given the stark choices, the board presented to the City Council later
decided to go with banning," said this month.
County Attorney Dylan Reingold.
"The board wouldn't have prohibited "We don't like that the state law
the dispensaries if the state would've will allow them in any commercial
given them more control. zone," O'Connor said. "We feel this
is a new industry that needs more
"We wouldn't be able to control regulation."
them if they're near churches, resi-
dential districts or too close to each Fellsmere also plans to ban the
other," Reingold added. dispensaries, said City Manager Ja-
son Nunemaker.

He said the main concern for Fells-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 5

NEWS

mere was that a majority of other allowed them," Nunemaker said. "I April, City Clerk Jeanette Williams according to the Sebastian and Fells-
jurisdictions on the Treasure Coast don't think we're prepared for it." said. Council members stuck by their mere Police Departments.
were banning them. decision after the state made chang-
That thinking did not sway the Se- es in June to the law. “It’s not law enforcement’s role to
"We were concerned about the bastian City Council, which unani- determine what the law should be,”
impact it would have on the city if mously approved an ordinance in Local law enforcement agencies Sebastian police spokesman Com-
we were one of the few areas that favor of the facilities in March and have a neutral stance on the issue,
CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

6 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Indian River Sheriff faces multiple civil lawsuits

BY BETH WALTON Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar tion to attend a child’s birthday party
Staff Writer and parked in a line of cars on the side
of a residential street.
Indian River County’s top lawman
has been sued and is headed to trial At the time of the accident, the
next week for an automobile accident deputy told the responding officers
involving one of his deputies that hap- that he didn’t see the Nissan. He had
pened three years ago. been searching for a fugitive at a
nearby residence when Brown and
Defending himself, his employees her acquaintance pulled up behind
and his department in court is not his vehicle.
that uncommon for Sheriff Deryl Loar,
who is currently involved in three civil Her lawyers claim negligence and
suits. More often than not, for a case are seeking damages for injuries
to go forward, the sheriff himself has Brown alleges she sustained in the
to be named. June 2014 crash, even though an ac-
cident report filed at the time notes
Brown v. Loar is set to go to trial Aug. no significant damage to either vehi-
8 in the courtroom of Circuit 19 Judge cle and that Brown said she was not
Paul Kanarek. hurt.

Olivia Brown, the plaintiff in the Felice wouldn’t stipulate before trial
case, was sitting in the passenger seat how Brown was hurt, but said the ac-
of a black Nissan Altima when a dep- cident caused a “significant” injury
uty in an SUV-style Chevrolet Tahoe and required “significant” medical
shifted into reverse and smashed into treatment.
the car.
The Sherriff’s Office has argued that
Timothy Felice, of Felice & Ehrlich any injuries sustained were caused by
in Palm Beach Gardens, said Brown Brown and her own negligence.
and an acquaintance went to the loca-
The two parties attempted me-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 7

NEWS

diation in June but court documents Loar’s legal team, which includes The courthouse doors are open to Medical marijuana
show the outcome was impasse. outside counsel on an as-needed ba- anyone who wants to file a lawsuit, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
sis, is also fighting a suit from a for- Harpring continued.
Under Florida law, auto insurance mer jail employee, Mario Pratt. Pratt mander John Blackledge said. “Our
only covers the first $10,000 when says he was fired because of his race Complaints themselves don’t indi- responsibility is to carry out the will
someone is injured in a car accident. after an October 2013 incident at the cate a governmental entity did any- of elected officials.”
If someone’s medical costs soar above jail. The Sheriff’s Office has denied thing wrong.
that amount, suing is “the only avenue wrongdoing. “It’s not for me to decide,” said
that someone has,” Felice said. Nonetheless, none can be ignored, Fellsmere police Chief Keith Touch-
The third current lawsuit was he said, recalling the time a former berry. He also said his biggest con-
Brown’s case was initially filed brought against the Sheriff by An- inmate sued the sheriff alleging he cern would be protecting the facili-
against Ronald Adamson, the deputy drew Coffee IV, who alleges he sus- was given commissary items like pea- ties.
driving the SUV and the Indian River tained serious and unnecessary inju- nut butter crackers, even though he
Sheriff’s office, but was not allowed ries from the bite of a police K-9 dog was allergic. “There’s no state requirement for
to go forward. in the summer of 2013. law enforcement to be at the build-
The jail wouldn’t have provided ings for physical security,” Touch-
Indian River County Sheriff’s Office Coffee IV has since been charged something like that unless he was berry said. “There would have to be
is not a legal entity capable of being with murder, attempted murder and purchasing them, but the depart- a city ordinance put in place for pro-
sued, successfully argued Adriana Jisa other crimes after a March shootout ment still had to prepare a defense, tection.”
with Purdy, Jolly, Giuffreda & Barranco with police that resulted in the death Harping said.
in Fort Lauderdale in a June 2015 mo- of a 21-year-old woman and the The Florida Medical Marijuana
tion to dismiss Brown’s lawsuit. wounding of a deputy. The Indian River Sheriff’s Office Legalization Initiative, or Amend-
pays premiums on a case-by-case ment 2, was approved Nov. 8, 2016
“To the extent that a governmental Paperwork has yet to be filed on basis to the Florida Sherriffs’ Risk by some 70 percent of Florida voters.
entity is liable for any conduct as al- behalf of the Sheriff’s Office in re- Management Fund to cover legal ex-
leged, such suit is properly brought sponse to Coffee IV’s complaint and penses. The amendment states qualify-
against the named office holder,” Jisa Harpring declined to comment on ing patients with certain diseases or
wrote. open investigations. Often, a for-profit business will conditions who use medical mari-
settle pending civil suits because the juana are not subject to civil or crim-
“When suits are brought against this “Generally, the philosophy of the cost-benefit analysis shows that is inal punishment under Florida law.
department, the legal entity is the Of- sheriff is that if we don’t believe based more economical than going to court, Diseases and conditions covered
fice of the Sheriff,” said James Harpring, on our evaluation of the case that there but the Sheriff’s Office fears that set- by the amendment and subsequent
general counsel and undersheriff at the is liability, or to put it another way, if tling civil cases brought against it out state law include cancer, epilepsy,
Indian River County Sheriff’s Office. we don’t believe that our employees of court would open a floodgate of Parkinson’s disease, Crohn’s disease
“Since at this particular time Loar is the did anything wrong, then we will vig- lawsuits. “As a government entity, we and a number of others. 
sheriff, he is the person that has to be orously defend the case,” he said. have to be better stewards of the tax
named in court filings.” payer dollars,” Harpring said. 

8 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Driftwood Inn gency situation which Mr. Buttress,
as a loving father, instinctively re-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 sponded to.”

Judge Paul Kanarek last Wednesday The child was not hurt, but his fa-
granted Buttress’ motion for a default ther struck his head and injured his
judgment after Driftwood’s manage- neck so seriously he required surgery,
ment company failed to respond to Huber said. At the time, the accident
the December 2016 filing. was reported to hotel staff and the
Indian River County Fire Rescue re-
Brevard County Sheriff’s Office sponded, he said.
served the Indialantic-based com-
pany with the civil action summons County records confirm Fire Rescue
March 17, 2017, according to an affi- responded to the incident. No one was
davit filed with the court. taken to the hospital at that time, but
Huber alleges Buttress’ injury result-
Yet, the management firm made ed in pain, physical impairment and
no legal response to the complaint or mental anguish. There were medical
a July 5 hearing notice, leaving But- expenses and lost earnings as a conse-
tress’ lawyer to advocate for his client quence.
in front of a judge last week alone and
without dissent. In his complaint for damages in
excess of $15,000, Huber argues that

The defendants now have a small Summit had a duty to provide reason-
window of time to obtain a relief from able care and ensure its facility was
judgment and regain the opportunity safe for all guests.
to litigate the case.
Huber wrote there was no warning
Driftwood Resort General Manager the guardrail was faulty, and alleges it
Jean Radlet seemed to be unaware of wasn’t being inspected or maintained
the lawsuit when contacted by Vero properly.
Beach 32963 last week and declined
to comment for this article. “We are alleging that a dangerous
condition was created on The Drift-
Summit Hotel Management Com- wood premises by having ineffective/
pany did not respond to a request for improper railing around the deck de-
comment. spite the fact that there is a consid-
erable drop to the ground and it was
“Mr. Buttress and his family were foreseeable that children would be in
patrons of The Driftwood and had the area,” Huber said.
gone down to the beach with their
children,” said Gregory Huber with “If the dangerous condition had
Zele Huber Trial Attorneys in Jupiter. not been created, the emergency
situation – a child falling through the
“Afterwards, while Mr. Buttress and railing – never would have occurred
his family were cleaning up at the and Mr. Buttress would not have
shower on the Driftwood deck, his been seriously injured trying to res-
16-month-old son fell through the cue his son.” 
gap in the railing creating an emer-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 9

NEWS

Buggy Bunch renovating old building in Vero’s downtown

BY BETH WALTON section of 58th Avenue and 20th Street Renovations include slight modifi- Debbie Morgan, media relations man-
was no longer large enough for the cations to the exterior of the building ager for the group. Chances are every-
Staff Writer staff of 15, Sartain said. and upgrades inside. The second-floor one in the county has been touched
indoor balcony will be expanded to by The Buggy Bunch in some way, she
The Buggy Bunch, which promotes Meetings were taking place in restau- maximize space. said. Either they know a mom involved
itself as “the fastest growing mom’s rants and cafes to accommodate guests. or someone else who has benefited
group in the State of Florida,” has tak- Programs held at churches, businesses, In the first four months of its campaign, from the programming.
en over the old Vero Furniture Mart at community centers and parks were The Buggy Bunch raised $1.2 million,
the corner of 21st Street and 15th Av- filling up so fast that interested partici- mostly from island residents. It’s now up “(This building) is for the commu-
enue with plans to renovate the build- pants had to be put on a waiting list. to $1.8 million in cash and pledges and is nity,” Morgan said.
ing, transforming it into a community hoping the entire community will help
center with designated stroller parking. “If you have your own space, you them cross the finish line. For more information on The Buggy
can have classes all day long every day Bunch and renovation project go to:
The popular mother’s club bought of week and on Sunday,” Sartain said. The goal is to raise $2 million, said www.thebuggybunch.com. 
the Art Deco-inspired building, which
was erected downtown during the post-
WWII building boom, for $530,000. In-
terior demolition of the 9,000-square-
foot space is set to begin this week with
construction of new office and activity
space following soon after.

The club, which was founded in
2009, offers a wide range of classes,
activities, trips and support services
for island and mainland mothers,
said Executive Director Kelly Sartain.
There are picnics, camping trips,
cooking classes, exercise groups, play
groups, financial literacy events, Bible
studies and guest speakers. There are
mom mentors, free diapers and teen-
age mother support groups.

“It’s moms from all walks of life,
from the island, from the mainland,
from Fellsmere, Gifford, the High-
lands and Sebastian,” Sartain said.
“[There are] old moms, young moms,
grandmas, 13-year-olds with babies.”

The one thing everyone has is com-
mon is motherhood.

The Buggy Bunch began when four
new mothers from Indian River County
got together to exercise and socialize af-
ter giving birth. As they walked back and
forth across the Merrill Barber Bridge,
they met other women in the same
stage of life, and within eight months the
group expanded to 500 mothers, all with
different needs, abilities and resources.

Getting organized, the women
formed a faith-based nonprofit organi-
zation to meet the needs of all the mem-
bers. There were grandmothers wanting
to donate their time and young pregnant
teens needing support and advice, Sar-
tain said. Some mothers couldn’t afford
diapers. Others were struggling to help
their premature babies thrive.

Rapid growth continued and Sartain
said the group now has 7,700 members.

Hundreds of people came to a recent
diaper drive hosted by The Buggy Bunch,
and the organization has a goal of giving
out 100,000 diapers a year, she added.

The Buggy Bunch launched a capi-
tal campaign in October 2016 to pur-
chase the old Vero Furniture Mart
and renovate the space. Its current
300-square-foot office near the inter-

10 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Shores residents to get $2 million in tax rebates

BY LISA ZAHNER have been a slight decrease from the homesteaded residence with an assessed drastically reduce taxes without this
Staff Writer existing rate but would have produced value of $1 million would be about $850 heightened oversight.
approximately the same amount of tax on the Shores municipal tax portion of
The Indian River Shores Town Coun- dollars because of increased property the bill. Nothing would change on the Four members of the council voted
cil last week took first steps to return values in the Town. county, school board or special taxing to return $2 million in one chunk this
$2 million of the $4.4 million proceeds district portions of the tax bill. fall by reducing the tax rate. Council
from a recent land sale to residents via If the proposed “tax rebate” is ap- member Bob Auwaerter dissented,
a temporary property tax reduction. proved, the Shores rate for 2017-18 Florida law protects property own- saying he would rather reduce the tax
would be 86 cents per $1,000 of as- ers from extreme and sudden hikes burden by $1 million this year, with the
In the first round of budget talks, the sessed property value, about half the in the tax rate by requiring increasing intent to deliver the other $1 million in
staff had recommended approving a current year’s rate of $1.71 per $1,000 thresholds of approval when the rate tax cuts next year, thereby leveling the
tax rate for the next fiscal year of $1.56 of assessed property value. jumps significantly from the previ- rate out and not creating such a dras-
per $1,000 of taxable value. That would ous year, but local governments can tic dip and then a drastic hike the next
The savings to the owner of a non- year to return taxes to a level where
the town can operate, pay its bills and
make payroll.

The council’s failure to get four
votes next year to hike taxes back up
to near the current level would re-
quire the town to drain its reserves, or
perhaps activate its $1 million line of
credit it has in place for emergencies.

The council also voted to pay nearly
$1.2 million of the sale proceeds to shore
up retirees’ health benefits by keeping
the premium cost for the aging retirees
the same as if they were still employed.

Finance Director Heather Christ-
mas assured the council at the be-
ginning of the budget process that if
they dropped the tax rate, it would be
no problem boosting it back up the
following year. Christmas said that
since the Florida Department of Rev-
enue looks at the prior year and that
the allowed rate hike is a blended or
smoothed rate of the previous two
years, the increase would be greater
than what three council members
could approve, but that only four yes
votes would be required.

Still, Christmas and Town Attorney
Chester Clem said they would double
check to make sure that only four votes
would be required next year, and not a
unanimous vote or a referendum.

“We can always un-do it if we find
something out to the contrary,” Coun-
cilman Dick Haverland said.

Christmas said there is no alterna-
tive mechanism by which the town
could refund the cash to residents.

The next scheduled Shores election
would be two months after the 2018
budget process is concluded, so the
same council members committing to
the one-year “rebate” would presum-
ably, barring a resignation or recall,
be the same five people voting to hike
taxes back to their previous level.

But they would be doing so during
an election season with possible chal-
lengers who could use the hike from
the artificially low rebate-rate as politi-
cal fodder.

The Shores will have two public hear-
ings on the budget and the property tax
rate, on Sept. 14 and Sept. 28. 

SEA THEM GO! TOUR DE TURTLES
RAISES AWARENESS P. 20

12 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

Joseph Sparkman and Barry Swartz. PHOTOS: GORDON RADFORD Paula Minshull and Illyana Durkin. Jessica and Jordan Stewart with daughter Avery.

Bucs stop here for arrrsome Vero Beach Pirate Fest

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF enjoy as well. Friday watched living his- minstrels, sword fights and weapons
Staff Writer evening an adults-only tory reenactments. demonstrations.
Pirate Ball gave the There were plenty
When a crew of marauding pirates young at heart an ex- of treasure hunters, Those festival-goers wanting to
got wind that there was a trove of cuse to dress up as brig- artists, authors and test their intelligence-gathering skills
treasure to be had in Vero Beach, the ands and tip back a pint historians on hand made their way through the park on
brigands dropped anchor off River- of beer or bottle of rum to answer questions the hunt for wanted pirates by follow-
side Park last weekend for the third while listening to raucous for those tempted by the ing a treasure map where “X” marked
annual Vero Beach Pirate Festival. sea shanties and ballads. A few seafaring life and people the spot, leading to interesting char-
Not even summer rains could deter brave souls even walked the plank to could pay their respects at the Bone- acters.
the privateers from their swashbuck- show off their best pirate and wench yard, a makeshift memorial honor-
ling debauchery as the festival kicked finery in a costume contest. ing the more than 1,000 souls who “We’re expecting between 15,000
off Friday with all the fanfare befit- were lost to a watery grave in 1715. and 20,000 people to visit the festi-
ting the most ruthless of cutthroats. Youngsters reveled in pirate games Captain Jack Sparrow and Black- val,” said Kathy Gilbert, festival orga-
in the Little Buccaneer Kids Zone beard were among the cutthroats nizer, noting that to spice things up
As every pirate worth his salt and, to further their knowledge, found roaming about the island. a bit, a mermaid tank and additional
knows, there’s still treasure to be dis- little pirates in training took a turn When asked their plans for our is- pirate ships were added this year.
covered off the shores of Vero Beach. through historical encampments, land paradise, all the scallywags had “There’s something for everyone to
Remnants were spread across the hunting for treasure, tying knots, to say was, “Argh!” and “Shiver me enjoy as we commemorate the 1715
ocean floor more than 300 years ago earning eye patches and fending off timbers matey.” Treasure fleet.”
when 11 of the 12 ships in the 1715 others with balloon cutlasses. Some With temperatures soaring into
Treasure Fleet ferrying Spanish trea- “ruffians” even found themselves the 90s, attendees sought shelter un- Hosted by the Vero Beach Chamber
sure were lost at sea in the midst of a locked up in the stockade. der the big tent to quench their thirst, of Commerce, the Vero Beach Pirate
hurricane. enjoy maritime songs and nibble on Festival began as a means to attract
Little ones could also test their dragon toes and tails before turn- summer visitors while celebrating
Billed as a three-day family-friend- mettle on the Avenger, a 40-foot pi- ing their attention to the wandering the rich history of the Treasure Coast.
ly celebration of piracy, there was rate ship with five decks to conquer, A portion of the proceeds will benefit
plenty for mature swashbucklers to heard tales of life on the high seas and the Rotary Club of Vero Beach Sun-
rise Foundation. 



14 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Alan and Roxanne Durkin. Braden and Abby Bryan with Mackenzie Crocker. Bridgette Earney and Emily Guglielmo.

Grace Ferguson-Hart and Taylor Turosz. Per and Sandy Andreasen. Leah and Lane Thompson with son Olin and Oaty.

Pirate’s Ball

Rusty Cutlass Band.

David and Olga Mullins. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 15

PEOPLE

Jenny and Ken Tyndall. Charles Sigg and Linda Seok. Jennifer Whiting and Paige Meldrum.

Sheila and Joe Dattoli with childern Reese and Chase. Maria Niemi with daughter Julianna. Christine Krupa and dog Buddy with Chelsea Cordary and daughter Annabelle.

Ivette Figueroa and Gabe Grisalez.

Sandi English with children Layla and Eliza.

16 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

‘Wreck’-ing crew: Swimmers race to benefit lifeguards

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF Madison Stahler and Hava Stenn. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE Tim and Nicole Capra with their children: Marleigh, Kai and Fin.
Staff Writer

Vero Beach lifeguards protect
hundreds of beachgoers on a daily
basis, risking their lives to ensure
that visitors under their watch re-
turn home with sandy toes and rosy
cheeks, having enjoyed the sun and
surf in safety. Last Saturday, given
the opportunity to do something in
return, beach lovers hit the water for
the fourth annual Race to the Wreck
to benefit the Vero Beach Lifeguard
Association.

Two heats of racers took off from
Humiston Park and headed to the
wreck of the S.S. Breconshire, a Brit-
ish steamship that sank en route
from New York to Tampa in 1894
after hitting a reef about 150 feet
from Vero’s shore. The “boiler” is a
favorite dive for locals; resting in 15
feet of water, it’s home to a wealth of
marine life.

More than 50 swimmers made
the 1,000-yard swim, preceded by
a handful of paddlers who took a

The Art & Science 3-mile paddle out to the wreck, be- can build a tower at Humiston,” said
of Cosmetic Surgery ginning this year from a starting Toomsoo. “We want to be proactive
line in front of the Humiston Park when it comes to public safety so
SPECIALTIES INCLUDE: lifeguard station. what we’re trying to do is have the
• Minimal Incision Lift for the lifeguards in Vero keep prepared
Face, Body, Neck & Brow “We moved the starting line so with equipment, personnel and
• Breast Augmentations & Reductions swimmers could avoid getting cut towers. The last thing we want to be
• Post Cancer Reconstructions up on the PEP Reef. The area in front is reactive where someone gets hurt
• Chemical Peels • Botox of the lifeguard station is marked or drowns.”
• Obagi Medical Products • Laser Surgery with two balloons where there is a
• Liposculpture • Tummy Tucks break in the reef. It only adds an ex- Vero Beach Mayor Laura Moss and
• Skin Cancer Treatments tra 75 yards,” explained Erik Toom- councilman Lange Sykes turned out
soo, president of the VBLA. Their to show their support, with Sykes
Celebrating Over 25 mission is to promote lifeguarding even taking the plunge into the
Years in Vero Beach and water safety and to raise funds calm, tropical waters.
to purchase lifesaving equipment
3790 7th Terrace and supplies. “I am so happy to see such a high
Suite 101 level of participation,” said Moss.
Participants exited the ocean “They really need a lifeguard station
Vero Beach, Florida near Costa d’Este and ran the final at Humiston.” Indicating a special
leg of the race before gathering with connection to the crucial role of life-
772.562.5859 onlookers on the back deck at Wal- guards in a beach town, she shared,
do’s for the awards ceremony and “My mother was a lifeguard during
www.rosatoplasticsurgery.com celebration. WWII while the men were overseas.”

Ralph M. Rosato Ian Montgelas, a Martin County In 2016 nearly 700,000 people vis-
MD, FACS lifeguard, took first place in the ited the pristine guarded beaches
men’s division again this year with within the city limits, according
Matilda Jarvis following a few steps to the VBLA Annual Beach Report.
behind for the women. Highlighting growing demands,
last year’s statistics are impressive:
Montgelas said he enjoys the race 12,291 preventative actions, nearly
because it fits in with his active life- 300 medical assists and 34 rescues.
style in the water. “They do an awe- Sadly, there was one fatality; a man
some job with this event. It’s a great who died of a broken neck after be-
little race for everyone to come out ing hit by a large wave.
and enjoy.”
The VBLA will be the featured
“We’ve got a lot of swimmers and charity at the Summer Crush Win-
paddlers this year. It’s a unique ery: Crush on Charity on Aug. 13. For
event, and it’s growing each year. more information visit vbla.org. 
We’re looking to raise money so we

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 17

PEOPLE

Pat Draper and Heather Reeb. Samantha Toomsoo, Lin Reading and Pam Meredith. Vero Beach Mayor Laura Moss and Eric Toomsoo.

Lange Sykes, Will Collins, Dan Richey, Paul Genke and Paul Muller. First female swimmer Matilda Jarvis.

First male swimmer Ian Montgelas. Terry Thompson with Hank.

18 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

In the bag: Waterway Cleanup not messin’ around

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF
Staff Writer

For nearly four hours last Satur- Paula and Dean Nunnari with Jerry DiAngelo and Mary Lou Martin. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE AND STEPHANIE LABAFF
day morning, volunteers fanned out
along the Indian River Lagoon, snak-
ing gloved hands between mangrove
roots and weaving their way through
Australian pines on spoil islands as
participants in the 10th Annual Trea-
sure Coast Waterway Cleanup. The
environmentally friendly event oc-
curred simultaneously along 125 miles
of Treasure Coast waterways span-
ning Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin
counties.

Approximately 150 Indian River
County participants, their black plastic
bags in hand, had risen with the sun to
walk, paddle and motor around pick-
ing up trash left behind by others. They
had gathered at various spots, includ-
ing the Riverside Park Boat Ramp, Vero
Beach Municipal Marina, Vero Marine
Center, Suntex Marina at Grand Har-
bor (formerly Loggerhead Marina), Wa-
basso Causeway Boat Ramp, Sebastian
Main Street Boat Ramp and Sebastian

Jan Mooney. “We found a couple of hundred
pounds of trash there. A lot of it was fast
Inlet Marina. food packaging stuck in the mangroves
As updates trickled in from sev- and there was quite a bit of old dock
too,” shared Haigis. “I am happy to say
eral locations, event coordinator April that I’ve seen a big decrease since we
Price noted the encouraging news that started doing this 10 years ago.”
less garbage was found this year.
Explaining that no one had done
“I wouldn’t be surprised if last year’s a cleanup after the 2004 hurricanes,
trash count of 1.4 tons hits the one-ton Haigis added, “the first couple of years
mark,” said Price excitedly. “We want we found a lot of stuff. This cleanup has
to work our way out of a job. That will brought the problem to the forefront.
happen when there isn’t any more People are more aware and realize
trash to be picked up.” plastic doesn’t go away.”

Stephen Haigis, the Indian River Dick Myers said that 25 volunteers
County site leader, has participated met at Riverside Park, noting “people
since the cleanup began and said he took off in kayaks and on a pontoon
was asked by the County Commission boat while others collected trash here
to add the Oslo Boat Ramp to the list of in the park.”
cleanup locations this year.
Paula Nunnari and three other kay-
akers were among those who pushed
off on their trash hunt from Riverside
Park, joined by a friend from Mel-
bourne who brought his boat down to
provide backup.

“We spend a lot of time on the wa-
ter, so we’re here to do our part,” said
Nunnari as she unloaded her kayak.
“We’re still finding broken chairs,
tents and grills,” explained Price.
“We would really like to get the mes-
sage out, if you take it out to an island,
please bring it back with you and dis-
card it properly when you return to
shore.” Volunteers are invited to an
appreciation barbecue on Aug. 13 at
the Fort Pierce Yacht Club. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 19

PEOPLE

Paula and Dean Nunnari. Vernon Pastirchak, Dick Myers, Larry Ebstein and Carol Pastirchak.

Norman Ridgely and Pat Hays Steinbergs.

Trash collected along the river near Riverside Park.
Pete McLeod, Neil MacMillan, Pat Hays Steinbergs and Capt. Paul Fafeita.

20 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

‘Sea’ them go! Tour de
Turtles raises awareness

BY CYNTHIA VAN GAASBECK
Correspondent

One week after a certain famous Vince Ramos and Jessica Gilbert.
bicycle tour wrapped up in France,
a highly motivated and mysterious lite telemetry. It helps us learn where
group of 20 sea turtles embarked on turtles go after they leave nesting
their own marathon, to the cheers beaches,” Godfrey said.
and tears of hundreds of fans.
Scientists were intrigued to find
Each year, the Gainesville-based that ordinary citizens were interest-
Sea Turtle Conservancy organizes ed in their research and also wanted
the Tour de Turtles, a race with a to track the turtles.
multifold purpose. Top of the list is to
raise awareness about the various sea “We came up with the idea of a
turtle species and the threats to their race, the Tour de Turtles. We release
survival. the turtles at approximately the same
time at a number of sites and all of the
The Barrier Island Center in Mel- turtles are tracked over the course of
bourne Beach hosted a capacity three months,” Godfrey said. “The
crowd of 300 people last Saturday to turtle that travels the furthest during
kick off the 10th annual race, which that three months wins the race. Be-
concludes Oct. 31. cause these are different species, go-
ing different places, it can’t be a race
“It’s become a fun way for the com- to a destination.”
munity to show its support for sea
turtle conservation. There is no place The species in question are leather-
in the United States more important back, green, loggerhead and hawks-
to sea turtles than South Melbourne bill. The four flippered athletes likely
Beach,” said David Godfrey, execu- to be favored by residents of Brevard
tive director of the STC. and Indian River counties are log-
gerheads. Sally and Cruz began Sat-
Participants were treated to din- urday at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort,
ner catered by Petty’s of Melbourne with transmitters epoxied to their
and free T-shirts and exotic drinks by carapaces. Sally is sponsored by Dis-
a crew from The Naked Turtle Rum ney’s Animals, Science and Environ-
Co., while being serenaded by uku- ment and Cruz is sponsored by Dis-
lele band Big Tiki and the Mai-Tais. ney’s Conservation Fund. Released
A silent auction of items provided by Sunday from the BIC within the Ar-
more than 80 donors kept the crowd chie Carr National Wildlife Refuge
moving between the displays inside were Odyssey, sponsored by Ripley’s
and the food, spirits, music and gor- Aquariums, and Caroline, sponsored
geous ocean views outside. by Carolina Skiff.

“We just saw our very first leath- Lexie Beach, communications co-
erback hatchling at our crossover ordinator for the STC, fell for turtles
on Sea Dunes Drive in Melbourne as a Disney volunteer on an earlier
Beach,” said Judi Boggs. Tour. She understands the fervor.
“This event is always so exciting.
“It happened about 7:30 in the We love to see the support from the
morning, four days ago. This leath- community. We sold out really fast
erback was so much bigger than the this year,” Beach said. “The people
loggerheads, which is what we usual- here are just so passionate about sea
ly see. We always keep our eyes open turtles. It’s great because most of the
this time of year,” Boggs said as she people who come live here, so people
sorted through pictures on her phone look forward to the event every year.
to find the ones of her baby. Sea turtle conservation is woven
throughout the community.”
That young one is off and running
in its own personal race to survive. As Join the fun, track the turtles and
far as the marathon goes, land dwell- support the mission at www.tourde-
ers obviously need high technology turtles.org. 
to keep track of the pelagic peloton.

“Our organization has been study-
ing sea turtles for about 60 years and
we use that research and the infor-
mation from it to better advocate for
turtle conservation; to try to get laws
and regulations passed to help them.
One of our most useful tools is satel-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 21

PEOPLE

Vanessa Orzechowski with children Avery and Dylan along PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 22
with Will and Alice Grace Lockwood. PHOTOS: GORDON RADFORD Victor and Damaris Oliver with children Edward and Jazmyn.
Rachel Smith and Lexie Beach from the

Sea Turtle Conservancy.

Traci Flanagan with son Christopher.

Cori Schmuke with son Andrew.

Mike Schacter and Eleanor Friedman.

Ramfa Chaves and Isabel Gerzon.

22 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 PHOTOS: BENJAMIN THACKER
Nancy Crawford and Tina Pomeroy.

Kim, Michael and Heather Arnold David Godfrey and Lexie Beach. Becky Klipin and Lesley Cohen.

Donna Jacobson and Keith Henry. Mila Fletcher and Anna Thompson.

‘COMPANY’ MAN: KYLE ATKINS
IS RIVERSIDE’S GO-TO GUY

24 Vero Beach 32963 /August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

‘Company’ man: Kyle Atkins is Riverside’s go-to guy

BY STEPHANIE LABAFF
Staff Writer

There are days when the name most Kyle Atkins. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE
often heard at Riverside Theatre isn’t
the star of the show, or even the di- side’s ambitious, record-breaking pro- that this is where he put down roots. sure the production runs smoothly.
rector. It’s Kyle Atkins, the man who duction of “42nd Street,” a show that “Not many places have that kind of Once Atkins obtains the rights to
for the past seven years has been that was a milestone in the trajectory of the
man behind the curtain, the unseen theater. From then on, with the help donor base. This is a community that a show, Allen Cornell, CEO and pro-
hand helping to resolve an endless of the newly inaugurated “patron pro- wants the arts and is willing to invest ducing artistic director, puts together
run of confounding problems. The ducers,” the theater has staged much in them.” the creative team. Next, the set is de-
result – unfailingly, so far – is that the more massive productions. signed and built, and then they head
show has gone on. For years, Atkins wore the hats of into auditions. Atkins coordinates
Atkins has proved a critical part of both the production manager and both local and New York auditions.
This season, as Riverside stages that path. company manager. Then, last year, Then, as actors fly into town from
from scratch a Broadway-worthy sea- Richard Crowell came on board as New York, L.A. and elsewhere, it’s
son that includes “Mama Mia” and Following “42nd Street,” he re- production manager, freeing up At- time for rehearsal.
“Gypsy,” Atkins will have new title turned the next season for “The Pro- kins to shift his focus.
in the playbill: He has been named ducers,” then joined the staff full- “It’s all very fast. When we say we’re
company manager. time as production stage manager for As the company manager, his po- working on these shows for years, we
such large-scale productions as “The sition is pivotal. He must be versa- might not be doing it every day, but
Putting out fires, keeping things Full Monty,” “Funny Girl” and “A tile and adept at many things, and the process began long ago. Some-
organized and being familiar with Funny Thing Happened on the Way for productions to flow smoothly the times you have three or four produc-
every niche of the theater is what At- to the Forum.” company manager must be familiar tions going on at once that you need
kins does every day. with every stage of the production to handle,” explains Atkins.
All the while, he has kept a low pro- process. Armed with an intimate
“No two days are alike,” he says file, and built a reputation as the go- knowledge of each department, he Another crucial aspect of Atkins’
without so much as an eye-roll at the to guy who never says no. balances the theater’s needs with the job is to take care of the actors. This
chaos he reins in daily. artistic mindset of the performers. multi-faceted job encompasses every-
“This place is special for me. I’ve thing from auditions to rehearsals and
“We have a lot to do over the sum- grown a lot here. I love our staff. “It is a big puzzle, and one piece af- maintaining a green room. It is Atkins
mer. In the shops, they’ve already And we’re only three blocks from the fects all the others,” explains Atkins. who must secure housing for visit-
built sets for two of our shows,” says beach,” he adds with a chuckle. ing performers, a task that should be
Atkins, his brain switching gears to By dabbling in each of the depart- eased by Riverside’s newly announced
the next item on his list. Looking back on his days interning ments over the years, Atkins knows actors’ housing expected to break
under the leaking roof of Arkansas where the pieces of the puzzle go, in or- ground this fall on Aviation Boulevard.
The 32-year-old Atkins may have Repertory Theatre, then finding him- der for all of the intricate details to fit to-
been destined to work in the theater: self at Riverside Theatre fresh from a gether. As liaison between the cast, crew Atkins’ role is to create a welcom-
He’s a native of Jamestown, N.Y., the $22 million renovation, it’s no surprise and director, Atkins’ goal is to make
birthplace of Lucille Ball. It was in
high school when he was struggling
to find his place in the world that he
discovered theater.

“I didn’t seem to fit into this group
or that group,” he says of those awk-
ward years. “When I did my first
musical, I knew that was where I be-
longed. It just made sense to me, and
I realized these were the people I
wanted to be around. From that point
on I was in love with theater.”

At first young Kyle was interested
in performing “like everybody is
when they get into the theater.”

“Once I was in college, I quickly re-
alized it was not my thing – I really
hated auditioning,” he recalls. “Then
I started to stage-manage, and some-
thing just clicked. It just made sense
to my Type A personality.”

Atkins graduated with a BFA in the-
ater studies from Niagara University.
It was 2007. For the next few years he
learned the ropes as an intern in Ar-
kansas, Maine, New York, Virginia and
Connecticut. He even did a stint as the
assistant stage manager at Riverside
Theatre during the 2008-2009 season,
which is when he earned his card from
the Actors’ Equity Association.

A year later, he came back to Vero as
production stage manager on River-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 /August 3, 2017 25

ARTS & THEATRE

ing environment for the performers Surfside’s ‘Deadwood’: Wild (West) and woolly
so they can funnel their creative en-
ergy into the performance. BY PAM HARBAUGH many stages throughout Brevard, is The hardest part for the cast,
the villainous Josephat Redburn. Bergeron said, is not to laugh at the
That isn’t a 40-hour a week job, ac- Correspondent “Monty Pythonesque humor,” much of
cording to Atkins. One day he might Bergeron has done “a million” which is word play and some physical.
be helping out with the sets and an- Forget everything you hear about melodramas over his 42 years direct-
other taking care of an injured cast bad audience behavior at live the- ing theater here. By far, melodramas Rhett Pennell, a Merritt Island toy
member while keeping the rest of the ater. At “Deadwood Dick or A Game bring out the biggest laughs in re- designer, was the villain in Surfside’s
crew calm and formulating plan B. of Gold,” the audience is expected to hearsals. The director’s only hard production of “No, No, a Million
get loud. part, he said, is waiting for the swing- Times No.” This time, he plays Wild
One thing Atkins found surprising ing saloon doors to be installed so Bill Hickock, a sidekick to the hero,
was many performers want to clean Well, maybe you should hold off he can show his cast exactly how he Ned Harris. He hopes this time he’ll get
their own rooms before settling in. climbing on stage to look for a power wants them to go through the doors.
Atkins started to protest until he re- outlet to charge your cellphone. (That CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
alized the source of their urge. “I take actually happened at the Broadway
pride in the housing we provide. I’d production of “Hand to God.”) But WHALE HELLO THERE!
get offended when they wanted to you’re still invited to boo, hiss, cheer
clean their rooms. Then I realized and jeer at the old-timey melodrama Made in Pennsylvania from recycled metal
that this was a way for them to make opening Friday and running through and old farm equipment, our new friend
the place their own, even if it’s just for Aug. 13 at Surfside Playhouse in Co-
a few weeks.” coa Beach. is making waves.

Over the years he’s had some in- “Oh, absolutely,” said director Bry- SEE THESE AND OTHER FINE THINGS AT VERO’S FINEST
teresting requests from performers. an Bergeron. “We have a lady who COLLECTION OF AMERICAN-MADE ART AND JEWELRY
“They all have different personalities comes out at the beginning of the
and quirks. You get a wide variety of show and tells the audience that’s THEL AUGHINGDOGGALLERY.COM 2910 CARDINAL DR.
requests, most in that first week. I try their job.” VERO BEACH, FL
to do what I can. You’d be surprised at 7 72 . 2 3 4 . 6711
how many people don’t pack properly The comic melodrama, written by
to come down here. It isn’t shorts and Tom Taggert, has all the expected
sandals weather in January.” tropes: a conniving villain, strong he-
roes and damsels in distress. Its set-
After years of practice, Atkins ting is a Wild West saloon in the Gay
knows there is a psychology to as- ’90s (no, the other Gay ’90s, from the
signing housing. Performers often Victorian age).
share an apartment, a car and a
dressing room along with being on In it, hero Ned Harris assumes the
stage together. Being in each other’s identity of Deadwood Dick, a legend-
pockets 24/7 can be too much, so ary highwayman with a heart of gold.
Atkins keeps their on-stage roles in Harris secrets away damsel Rose
mind when he parcels out off-stage Blossom, sister to Lily Blossom, both
housing – he sometimes checks so- played by the same actress. The sis-
cial media for help formulating as- ters have come to Deadwood Gulch to
signments. find the goldmine owned by their late
father, done in by arch-villain Josep-
Next year’s opening of the actors’ hat Redburn.
hotel, to be called Star Suites, will
change things drastically, according “It’s a comedy with pathos,” ex-
to Atkins. “Right now we have about plains Bergeron. “It’s done broad.
25 apartments and they’re all over It’s a western, so it’s not your Snidely
the place, which means I do a lot of Whiplash kind of villain. There’s no
running around.” Having the hous- ‘nya-ha-ha’ in the show.”
ing in one location with local devel-
oper Keith Kite’s property manage- In fact, he said, the story has a lot of
ment team helping will make things dark humor and downright insensi-
much easier, he says. tive portrayals, especially of a Chinese
cook named Pong Ping.
“There aren’t many other regional
theaters in the country that have a set- “It’s the most un-PC thing I’ve ever
up like we will have. It will make us seen,” he said. “But, like most melo-
pretty unique in the fact that we will dramas, it’s very campy.”
have our own housing complex for all
of our guest artists,” says Atkins. It’s also something Surfside audi-
ences have come to expect as summer
He expects that the hotel will have fun. Surfside’s philosophy is to have a
a positive effect on the already high big community show which can bring
caliber of the Riverside casts. Per- together both newcomers to the stage
formers are drawn to Riverside not as well as veteran community theater
only for the beaches warm winters, actors.
but because of the “quality of the pro-
ductions we work on and how we take Ed Johnson, a performer with the
care of the actors.” Not Quite Right Players improvisa-
tion troupe, plays Ned Harris. This is
All that hard work is rewarded on his first time in a bona fide play. Sarah
opening night for Atkins. “It’s the one Camp, who has been in a few shows
time you can put everything aside and at Surfside, is Rose and Lily Blossom.
just watch the show. Then to hear our And Gordon Ringer, a popular ac-
audience raving that this show is now tor who has appeared many times in
their favorite, you know you did it. 

26 Vero Beach 32963 /August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 ARTS & THEATRE

Gordon Ringer, Ed Johnson and Rhett Pennell . PHOTO BY BENJAMIN THACKER Kate Schwartz, Lisa Farrall, Rhett Pennell, Katie McCall (Bottom Left) Miranda Kane. PHOTO BY BENJAMIN THACKER

Come in and let us create a masterful blend of function cheered rather than booed. means of expression and gesture only,
and esthetics for the kitchen of your dreams. A former professional actor who had without uttering a single syllable; mov-
ing the spectators to tears, exciting
f e at u r i n g : his Equity card, Pennell said these over- them to enthusiasm, or thrilling them
the-top melodramas are big fun to do. with terror at his will; in a word com-
Established 18 Years in Indian River County They require an actor to, well, overact, pletely magnetizing them.”
which is great for a natural “ham,” he
• The Treasure Coast’s most Comprehensive, Professional Showroom said, making fun of himself. Some theater historians argue that
• Extensive Collection of Styles and Finishes to Meet Your Budget the broad style of acting was born out of
• Convenient Hours or By Appointment • Remodeling specialists When a character falls in love, it’s ob- need. At this time, this overacting melo-
vious. Their response to the wickedness drama was necessary because lighting
(772) 562-2288 | www.kitchensvero.com of a villain can never be too big. was so poor that large gestures were
3920 US Hwy 1, Vero Beach FL 32960 needed for the audience to understand
“Oh, the horror,” Pennell mocked. character and plot.
“You have to let loose and be as dra-
matic as possible. Hopefully it winds up Whatever the academic reason, audi-
being funny as well.” ences love it, Bergeron said, especially
when the characters speak in asides to
Although modern audiences laugh at the audience.
this style of acting, it was once consid-
ered the highest form of stage poetry, if “They think they know what’s going
you will. to happen but they don’t,” he said with
a laugh. “We have a character named
One of the first theorists in the Tiny Dan, played by Chris Tsocanos.
field of acting – Frenchman Francois He’s this giant Roy Rogers who comes
Delsarte (1811-1871) – had a popu- in, sings a cowboy song, walks out at the
lar method which became known as sunset.
Delsarte acting.
“It’s a great date night show,” said
Delsarte acting has a set of gestures, Bergeron. “It’s campy humor, so people
postures and facial expressions which just come and have a good time.”
were designed to convey specific emo-
tions. His disciples would record those “Deadwood Dick: A Game of Gold”
actions, describing how an actor should melodrama opens Aug. 4 and runs
raise their arm in order to convey through the 13th at Surfside Playhouse,
thought and emotion; i.e., the more cer- 301 Ramp Road (5th St. S.), Cocoa Beach.
tain of the truth, the higher one should Performances are at 8 p.m. Fridays and
raise one’s arm, and vice versa. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets
are $15 general admission, $13 for se-
Here is a quote, according to Dart- niors and military and $10 for children 17
mouth.edu, from Francis Durivage who years and younger. 
observed Delsarte’s style:

“He depicted the various passions
and emotions of the human soul, by

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 /August 3, 2017 27

ARTS & THEATRE

Coming Up: ‘Ariel Rivka’ highlights Dance Festival

BY SAMANTHA BAITA you might even come upon that spe- gymnasts. Showcasing gymnastic,
Staff Writer cial piece that calls your name. Several aerial and dance routines, “Fire and
restaurants are within leisurely stroll- Ice” looks to be an exciting evening
Ariel Rivka Dance. ing distance, as well. The Gallery Stroll of family entertainment. You’ll en-
is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. joy the energy, enthusiasm and skill
of this talented troupe. Show time is
4 A beloved annual event in Indian 7 p.m. all three nights. Tickets are $7
River County is the Vero Beach and $8.

Recreation Department’s Aerial An-

tics Youth Circus, now, unbelievably, 5 How about dinner and a show,
all in one place? This Sunday,
in its 43rd year. The 2017 show, “Fire

and Ice,” will take place this Thurs- Theatre-Go-Round Dinner Theatre

day, Friday and Saturday in the Gon- at the Quilted Giraffe Restaurant is

Steven Lin. zalez Activities Center gymnasium at presenting “Forever in Blue Jeans,
Francisco Vila-Haas.
Saint Edward’s School. The program the Best of Neil Diamond,” featuring

is sponsored in part by Florida’s Divi- talented professional singers who’ll

sion of Cultural Affairs and the Flor- knock your socks off with their vocal

ida Arts Council, and the Recreation abilities (and, this Sunday, have you

Department runs it at Leisure Square. humming “Sweet Caroline” or “Crack-

In over four decades, generations – lin’ Rosie” under your breath). Reser-

approximately 10,000 people from 3 vations are suggested. Dinner is at 4:30

to 33, says Rec Department Director p.m. Show starts at 6 p.m. Theatre-Go-

Rob Slezak – have gone through the Round brings you “Suburban dining

1 The critically acclaimed New program, spending countless hours with a Broadway flair,” in classic caba-
York/New Jersey-based, all-fe-
learning and training for the big an- ret style, on selected Sundays all year

male contemporary dance company nual show. Many start in pre-K and “round.” Dinner with a show is $55 per

Ariel Rivka Dance will perform at continue through high school and person. PLUS, the Quilted Giraffe has

Riverside Theatre this Friday and Sat- beyond, transforming from little kids live music on Wednesdays, Thursdays

urday at the Sixth Annual Riverside learning to tumble into experienced and Saturdays, as well. 

Dance Festival, the culmination of the

Ballet Vero Beach/Riverside Theatre

Intensive Summer Study Program. The

program’s gifted young dancers have

spent the summer studying ballet and

contemporary dance technique un-

der Ariel Rivka and Riverside’s faculty. lude of which renowned cellist Chris-
topher Constanza calls “possibly the
They’ve participated in master classes most immediately recognizable solo
work for the instrument.” Lin will then
and open rehearsals, and ultimately perform Beethoven’s Waldstein So-
nata, which the New York Times de-
have created their own work, which scribes as “thrillingly brilliant.” Works
by Dvorak, Saint Saens, Davidoff and
will be presented with Ariel Rivka in others will follow. The concert begins
at 7 p.m. Admission is $20 general ad-
a mixed repertory concert. The com- mission; and free for 18 and under or
with student ID.
pany is led by a married team: Ariel

Grossman, artistic director/choreog-

rapher, and David Homan, executive

director/composer. Performances

from this all-female troupe will show-

case their “unique storytelling and

exceptionally structured contempo-

rary dance works.” Cecly Placenti of 3 The First Friday Gallery Stroll
this Friday in Historic Downtown
Critical Dance called the troupe’s 1916

ninth season festival performance “a Vero Beach will feature an exhibit-

powerful evening of contemporary opening reception for August guest

dance.” Performances are 8 p.m. Fri- artist Carolyn M. Shea-Kleinpeter,

day and Saturday. Tickets are $10. painter and photographer, in the Main

Street Vero Beach Studios and Gallery

2 The Space Coast Symphony Or- on 14th Avenue. The monthly events
chestra will present interna-
provide the opportunity to meet the

tional musicians Francisco Vila-Haas, artists and chat about their work and

cellist, and pianist Steven Lin, per- the work of others. There are 10 gal-

forming together for the first time in leries to explore, clustered within the

“Summer of Love: Steven and Fran- three-block area, exhibiting a wide

cisco in Concert” at First Presbyterian range of excellent works in various

Church in Vero Beach, Thursday, Aug. media, by some of the area’s top artists

10. Vila-Haas will open the program as well as works by national and inter-

with Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1, consid- national artists. On a pleasant evening

ered to be among the most profound walk along 14th Avenue, enjoy art, mu-

of all classical music works, the pre- sic and refreshments, and who knows,





30 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT COVER STORY

Mark Luther’s dream home has a window that looks The area is due for a major even though signs of impacts from climate change
out to a world of water. He can slip out the back door hurricane, and it is not pre- abound all around.
and watch dolphins swim by his private dock. Shore pared. If a big one scores a
birds squawk from nearby nests in giant mangroves. direct hit, the damage would State leaders could be part of the reason. Republi-
can Gov. Rick Scott’s administration has discouraged
He said it’s hard to imagine ever leaving this slice likely surpass Katrina. employees from using the words “climate change”
of paradise on St. Petersburg’s Bayou Grande, even in official communications. Last month, the Re-
though the water he adores is starting to get a little World Bank study called Tampa Bay one of the 10 publican-controlled state legislature approved bills
creepy. most at-risk areas on the globe. allowing any citizen to challenge textbooks and in-
structional materials, including those that teach the
Over the 24 years since he moved into the house, Yet the bay area – greater Tampa, St. Petersburg science of evolution and global warming.
the bayou has inched up a protective sea wall and and Clearwater – has barely begun to assess the
crept toward his front door. As sea level rises, a re- rate of sea-level rise and address its effects. Its slow The sea in Tampa Bay has risen naturally through-
sult of global warming, it contributes to flooding in response to a major threat is a case study in how out time, about an inch per decade. But in the early
his Venetian Isle neighborhood and Shore Acres, a American cities reluctantly prepare for the worst, 1990s, scientists say, it accelerated to several inches
neighboring community of homes worth up to $2.5 above normal, so much that recent projections have
million, about 70 times per year. the bay rising between six inches and more than two
feet by the middle of the century and up to nearly
“Why stay?” asked Luther, an oceanographer who seven feet when it ends. On top of that, natural set-
knows perfectly well a hurricane could one day shove tling is causing land to slowly sink.
15 feet of water into his living room. “It’s just so nice.”
Sea-level rise worsens the severity of even small
Tampa Bay is mesmerizing, with 700 miles of storms, adding to the water that can be pushed
shoreline and some of the finest white sand beaches ashore. Hard rains now regularly flood neighbor-
in the nation. But analysts say the metropolitan area hoods in St. Petersburg, Tampa and Clearwater.
is the most vulnerable in the United States to flood-
ing and damage if a major hurricane ever scores a By a stroke of gambler’s luck, Tampa Bay hasn’t suf-
direct hit. fered a direct hit from a hurricane as powerful as a cate-
gory 3 or higher in nearly a century.Tampa has doubled
A Boston firm that analyzes potential catastrophic down on a bet that another won’t strike anytime soon,
damage reported that the region would lose $175 investing billions of dollars in high-rise condominiums
billion in a storm the size of Hurricane Katrina. A

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 31

INSIGHT COVER STORY

“They weren’t doing a lot scribed what would happen if a hurricane as small hurricane like one of several that barely missed the
to address climate change as a category 3 with 110 to 130 mile per hour winds bay in recent years would have a devastating effect.
hit downtown.
and sea-level rise.” There are few hurricane-proof buildings in the
“Where you’re standing now would be 15 feet un- bay area. One is a gallery, the Salvador Dali Museum
ELIZABETH CARNAHAN, der water,” he said. in downtown St. Petersburg with 18-inch-thick con-
crete walls and pressured glass supported by steel
Pinellas County director of sustainable living Video simulations of hurricanes that strafed Flor- frames that could withstand anything the aforemen-
ida but missed Tampa Bay look like an epic game of tioned storms could dish out. The building supervi-
along the waterfront and shipping port upgrades and dodgeball. sor could stand at the windows and watch a hurri-
expanding a hospital on an island in the middle of the cane pass as though it were on the Weather Channel.
bay to make it one of the largest in the state. “It’s like we’re in this sweet spot. It’s like we’re blessed
somehow, protected,” said Allison Yeh, a planner for The museum is better protected than one of the larg-
Once-sleepy St. Petersburg has gradually followed Hillsborough County in Tampa. est hospitals in the state, Tampa General, which sits
suit, adorning its downtown coast with high-rise con- on Davis Island, a spit of earth that was dredged from
dominiums, new shops and hotels. The city is in the The last direct hit from a category 3 in 1921 left muck at the bottom of the bay a few years after the last
final stages of a plan to build a $45 million pier as a the area in ruins, but few people lived there then. A hurricane hit. Buckhorn said a category 3 hurricane
major attraction that would extend out into the bay. single death was recorded. would level the island’s houses, including his own.

Worried that area leaders weren’t adequately fo- Now, with 4 million residents and gleaming new Tampa General has a thorough evacuation plan, in-
cused on the downside of living in a tropic, the Tam- infrastructure, the stakes are higher, and Yeh and door generators that can supply energy for several days
pa Bay Regional Planning Council reminded them her fellow planners are wary. They know a major and safe floors with reinforced walls and windows.
of the risks by simulating a worst-case scenario hur-
ricane, a category 5 with winds exceeding 156 miles “You hear when But parts of two bridges that lead to and from the
per hour, to demonstrate what would happen if it it starts to storm island would be cut off by floodwaters, a concern of
entered the Gulf of Mexico and turned their way. and you can’t officials in spite of assurances by the hospital’s man-
sleep.” agers that there’s a contingency for that too.
The fictitious Phoenix hurricane scenario proj-
ects that wind damage would destroy nearly half a JESSICA LOPEZ LIVES IN THE MARINERS COVE MOBILE HOME Floridians view hurricanes with the same bravado
million homes and businesses. About 2 million resi- PARK. LAST YEAR DURING TROPICAL STORM HERMINE THE of Oklahomans who face tornadoes and Californians
dents would require medical treatment, and the es- who brave earthquakes and wildfire: They come with
timated death toll, more than 2,000, would top the WATER, FILLED WITH SEWAGE FROM A DAMAGED SEPTIC the territory, a fact of life in a tropic, they say.
number of people who perished from Hurricane Ka- TANK, CAME UP TO HER FRONT DOOR.
trina in Louisiana and Mississippi. But other problems are less abstract than big hur-
“People who want ricanes. Sea-level rise doesn’t need a megastorm to
Florida’s most densely populated county, Pinellas, to live on the water- make its presence felt.
could be sliced in half by a wave of water. The low- front will always live
lying county of about a million is growing so fast that on the waterfront.” “Even when we don’t take a direct hit, even when
there’s no land left to develop, and main roads and it’s a tropical storm or a category 1, the rain it deliv-
an interstate connecting it to Tampa get clogged with MARK LUTHER, A PROFESSOR OF MARINE SCIENCE WHO ers to our city puts enormous stress on our rainwa-
traffic even on a clear day. STUDIES CLIMATE CHANGE, LIVES NEAR THE WATER. HE SAYS ter and sewer collection system,” Rice said.

“If a hurricane 4 or 5 hit us,” St. Petersburg City IF A MAJOR HURRICANE WERE TO HIT, HIS HOME WOULD Water is bubbling up all over Florida. Within the
Council Chairman Darden Rice said, referring to the LIKELY BE DESTROYED. next 12 years, according to an assessment by a group
two highest category storms, “there’s no doubt about of researchers, Risky Business, the value of state prop-
it. The plan is you’d better get out of Dodge.” erty that will vanish under encroaching water could
reach $15 billion. By 2050, it could reach $23 billion.
Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn’s warning was even
starker. Standing outside City Hall last year, he de- Along the barrier islands that lured more than 6
million tourists who spent nearly $10 billion last
year, governments spend a mix of local and feder-
al to renourish beaches lost to erosion that even a
tropical storm can cause.

“The bay’s getting higher and the bay needs to go
somewhere else. But there’s nowhere for the water to
go,” said Mark Hafen, a University of South Florida
associate professor who specializes in environmen-
tal science and coastal planning.

A team of planners in Hillsborough County said
they fight against the potential impact of rising wa-
ter every day, creating alternative bus routes and
detours for flooded roads and trying to get the mes-
sage out to residents in low-lying areas that their
homes could be ruined.

“You live in a paradise and that’s wonderful, but it
has storms,” said Eugene Henry, mitigation manag-
er for Hillsborough County. He preaches about im-
proved coastal inspection, color-coded warnings for
residents depending on how low their homes are in a
flood zone, making them more aware of the threat so
they can take steps to protect themselves.

“If the inevitable monster storm comes, it’s not going
to keep you safe from 30 feet of storm surge,” he said,
but they’ll know when the tide rises to put shutters up.
New structures built on the Florida coast, along with
homes seeking major renovations, are mandated to
have three feet of clearance from floodwaters.

Planners in Tampa Bay are noticing that floodwa-
ter is sticking around longer. As the water rises, it’s
filling huge outfall pipes, pushing water that would

STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

32 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31 INSIGHT COVER STORY

flow down a storm drain back onto cials in the 30 cities in Pinellas County. The rain hadn’t stopped, and water when Tropical Storm Hermine took a
streets. “I could see them calling each other from an overflowing creek had climbed swipe at Tampa Bay.
the stairs to her front door.
Tampa and Hillsborough County a lot more to share what each other Now Lopez is frightened whenever it
officials have considered levying a tax were doing,” she said. Watching this, Lopez, her husband, Matt, and their rains. “You hear when it starts to storm
to help fix a growing problem, but in Carnahan’s boss, Mary Campbell, daughter, Aurora, were trapped. Wa- and you can’t sleep,” she said. “I’m con-
a state where Republicans opposed to floated an idea to get scientists togeth- ter was four feet deep in places, up to stantly worried now when it floods and
taxes control the governor’s office and er to make climate related recommen- her neck. She was six months pregnant the dirt shifts, it’ll tilt us more and more
the legislature, that’s a tough sell. dations to local governments. with a second daughter. sideways.”

“We do have a real challenge with That group became the Climate Sci- At least two venomous water mocca- She and her husband had no idea
our storm water drainage system,” ence Advisory Panel. Within months, sins swam past a trailer. A community that the mobile park home was a county
said Beth Alden, the executive director they helped establish the One Bay Resil- septic tank that sits directly behind Lo- hot spot when they moved there about
of Hillsborough Metropolitan Plan- ient Community, looping Hillsborough pez’s back window flooded. “The feces,” a year ago. Like several residents there,
ning Organization, which recently she said managers didn’t include that
spent millions to clear huge pipes and Pasco counties into a network that she said, “was everywhere.” She put her information when they signed leases
blocked by barnacles left by increas- works on climate related problems. head in her hands. “It was so gross.” for the land where their trailers sat.
ingly swollen tides. “This isn’t a glam-
orous expenditure, something you’re Tampa Bay now produces a climate The problem got worse.Wet dirt shift- The county’s floodplain coordinator
going to go have a ribbon cutting for. report that compares to the National ed under her trailer, causing it to tilt. Lo- told Levy that notifying potential ten-
Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis- pez worried they would not survive. ants of a flood risk is recommended
“It’s something that if we don’t have tration’s National Climate Assessment, but not required. Renters and lease
the funding to keep up, it’s not going to offering projections for sea-level rise But Pinellas County rescuers quick- holders are often left in the dark.
be there.What we’ve been seeing is a very specifically for their region. It is used ly rushed to the scene. The county is
conservative state legislature that has to plan bridges and roads, to site gov- so flood prone that the Mariners Cove Leaving is not much of an option,
been coming out and trying to reduce the ernment buildings that are supposed Mobile Home Park is one of numer- Lopez said. “If we were to move with-
ability of local governments to levy taxes.” to last at least 75 years. ous “hot spots” that emergency man- out paying off the trailer, they would
agement department officials watch undo everything we’ve done. We’ve
In Hafen’s eyes, there’s an additional Living in near-poverty in Clearwa- closely when it storms. paid about $2,000. They would just
problem, one that officials who work ter, Jessica Lopez said she has little void that.”
at the pleasure of politicians are reluc- time to worry about a threat that might “We know at those locations if we
tant to discuss. arrive years down the road. For her, the get too much rain and get high tide, Repetitive flooding is so dire that
future is now. we know they’re vulnerable,” said Kelli county officials considered buying out
“We’ve had a really hard time getting Hammer Levy, director of the county’s the mobile home leasers and relocat-
buy-in on sea-level rise on this side of the Last year around June, she fell environmental management division. ing them but lacked the funds, Levy
bay,” Hafen said. “Hillsborough Coun- asleep as rain pounded her mobile said. The county had already spent
ty and Tampa are super conservative. home and awoke to a terrifying sight. Three months later, Mariners Cove $300,000 to purchase nearly three doz-
They’re burying their heads in the sand.” Mobile Home Park flooded again en homes near McKay and Allen creeks
in Largo and relocate the owners.
Pinellas County, on the other side
of the bay, is more progressive about In Shore Acres, the wealthy commu-
addressing climate change impacts, nity next to Mark Luther’s neighbor-
Hafen said. But that didn’t happen hood, residents are much better in-
until fairly recently. It took a nerdy formed about the area’s flooding, and
University of Florida county extension have far more options.
agent to help open everyone’s eyes.
Like Lopez, they’re staying. Many
Elizabeth Carnahan was plucked Venetian Isle and Shore Acres residents
from academia by the county’s direc- have poured thousands of dollars into
tor of sustainable living. Her new role homes to accent their bayou views.
was to focus on climate change and
engage with others to make the county But it might be a trap.
more resilient to its impacts, and Car- Nearly all of Shore Acres is con-
nahan took it seriously. sidered a repetitive loss area where
homes have flooded more than once
But Carnahan didn’t see a lot of area and required compensation from in-
collaboration in planning. surers. Street flooding happens after
rains and high tides.
“They weren’t doing a lot to address cli- Eighty percent of homes in the
mate change and sea-level rise,” she said. area are what planners call “slab-on-
“They were willing, but no one was going grade.” It means their living rooms are
to the head of the pack to take it on.” one step from the ground or less. More
than 1,500 are subject to flooding, ac-
But they were elsewhere, in Gulf cording to an analysis of repetitive loss
Coast states that were hit by Hurricane flooding by the city of St. Petersburg.
Katrina and the Southeast Florida area Since 1978, 29 homes have made 129
of Fort Lauderdale and Miami that was flood insurance claims totaling $2.9 mil-
raked by hurricanes constantly in the lion. A significant flood or a catastroph-
first years of the new century. ic storm could ruin a thousand more,
triggering major insurance claims.
Carnahan dropped in on their meet- St. Petersburg, like Tampa, is spend-
ings, talked to planners and listened ing millions in an attempt to clear
to their sea-level rise projections and storm drains that are supposed to col-
vulnerability assessments. After three lect water from streets and dump it
years of networking outside the bay, back into Tampa Bay. The city is also
she gathered what she considered the imploring owners of slab-on-grade
best ideas she heard and imported homes to consider building mounds to
them to Pinellas County. raise them three feet from the ground.
It’s a tough sell for someone like Lu-
The county sponsored a three-hour ther, whose home was built long be-
workshop at the Weedon Island Pre-
serve that Mark Luther can see from
his flood-risk home. After that gather-
ing, Carnahan noticed a change in offi-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 33

INSIGHT COVER STORY

fore anyone started talking about ac- But there’s one option that Venetian terfront will always live on the water- Carnahan seconded that. On the
celerated sea-level rise. Isle residents have that Lopez in her front,” Luther said, a reference to the edge of Tampa Bay, where the danger
Clearwater trailer park does not, and rich. “Every house on my street that from a colossal storm is worse, homes
“I’m not sure you can elevate this Luther is considering it. The real estate sold within the past 10 years, they’ve Venetian Isle and flood prone Shore
type of house,” he said. “It’s U-shaped market in paradise is hot, and he can knocked it down and built a 10,000 or Acres are still being snatched up.
and fairly large, 3,700 square feet.” Lu- sell. 12,000 square foot mini-mansion on
ther’s house is brick with terrazzo floors top of it.” “I can’t believe what houses here are
“that would crack to pieces.” “People who want to live on the wa- selling for,” she said. 

34 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT OPINION

Lawmakers must now work together on health care

Everyone agrees that the troubled and he has been in touch with his Re- But the GOP’s House and Senate bills if they wanted to – as long as they still
Affordable Care Act (ACA) needs fixing. publican colleagues on health care. included variations on reinsurance – as fulfill the conditions of the ACA.
well as a “stabilization” fund – so there
But regaining bipartisan trust is a Manchin and others offer these ideas, is room for common ground. Last year, Alaska successfully used
very tall order in a Congress that just among many, that could help steady the the ACA’s 1332 provision in a narrow
went through six months of a highly insurance exchanges in the near term, in- “We should look at reinsurance,” way to create a reinsurance program
partisan effort by Republicans to fulfill crease health-care access, and lower costs. said Senate minority leader Charles that significantly controlled its rise in
their campaign promise to repeal and Schumer (D) of New York in a press premium costs. Insurance rates were
replace Obamacare. A CASH INFUSION? conference last week. expected to rise by more than 40 per-
cent in 2017. Instead, they only rose by
The parties have plenty of reasons One reason the insurance exchang- GIVING GOP WINS? about 7 percent.
not to cooperate, including raw feelings, es are in flux has to do with something
ideological differences over health pol- known as cost-sharing reductions. Democrats are going to have to “give The other waiver, 1115, allows states
icy, and the midterm elections of 2018. Republicans some wins,” says Billy to get creative with Medicaid. Senators
Under the ACA, the federal govern- Wynne, former health policy counsel Collins and Manchin point to Indiana
But several Democrats and Repub- ment is required to help certain low- to the Senate Finance Committee. as a potential state model. The Hoo-
licans in both chambers, feeling the er-income patients reduce the cost of sier State has both lowered costs per
urgency of the partial collapse of ACA their deductibles and co-pays. Democrats could, for instance, do beneficiary and improved health out-
and anticipating that the GOP repeal more to encourage Health Savings comes, according to Collins.
effort might fail, have been talking Federal subsidies for these reductions Accounts, maybe using them to pay
behind the scenes. They, along with are seen as crucial to insurers being able premiums or provide subsidies. They “It’s clear the ACA has serious flaws
outside experts, can see several ways to provide plans to such patients. could back getting rid of some Obam- that require us to act,” said Collins in
to help the law, both in the short- and acare taxes – such as the so-called “Ca- an interview. “We’re on the verge of a
longer-term. Amidst a legal challenge, the Trump dillac tax” on high-end employer plans crisis as far as the stability of the mar-
administration has rattled insurers by or the tax on medical devices – moves ket is concerned.”
A bipartisan group of about 40 repre- going month-to-month on this federal which have some bipartisan support.
sentatives in the House, known as the spending. Last weekend she held an informal
Problem-Solvers caucus, has been gath- And they might find an alternative dinner with some Democrats and Re-
ering regularly to talk about health care. If insurers receive no guarantee of to the individual mandate by embrac- publicans to just get together and ex-
And Sen. Lamar Alexander (R) of Ten- payment for “cost-shares,” then “the ing “automatic enrollment” with an plore ideas, she said. “There are some
nessee, chair of the Senate committee markets in several states will be in opt-out possibility. good options out there” and she said she
that deals with health issues, is open to very bad states and premiums will go was encouraged by Schumer’s coopera-
hearings and already trading ideas with up almost everywhere,” says Timothy “We know from our experience with re- tive tone after the GOP bill went down.
the panel’s ranking minority member, Stoltzfus Jost, a health-care expert. tirement programs that most people stay
Sen. Patty Murray (D) of Washington. in” when there is auto-enrollment, says “It was very different from his highly
Either the administration needs to Sen. Susan Collins (R) Maine, who voted inflammatory previous speeches he’s
There’s no question that ACA is in give a clear signal that it intends to keep against the GOP measure last week. given … and I was very glad to hear it,”
trouble. Premiums are rising and about up the payments, or Congress needs to she said.
25,000 customers buying individual act, says Jost. BETTER USE OF WAIVERS
insurance on the law’s private market And the mood of Republicans? There
exchanges face the possibility that no Democrats and some Republicans Most Americans are probably un- are still divisions and hard feelings
insurers will cover them next year. also urge extending and funding “rein- familiar with two existing waivers in within the caucus, she said. “But I don’t
surance” that protects insurers from big current law that give states a great deal think doing nothing is an option.” 
“First of all, both sides understand losses from high-cost patients. The law’s of flexibility, known as 1332 and 1115.
how critical it is for us to stabilize the reinsurance provision expired in 2016. Under 1332, states could actually drop The above column was written by
market,” says Sen. Joe Manchin (D) of the individual and employer mandates Francine Kiefer of the Christian Science
West Virginia. He is perhaps the most Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc- Monitor. The views do not necessarily
conservative Democrat in the Senate Connell (R) of Kentucky warned that reflect the views of Vero Beach 32963.
Republicans would oppose any “bail-
out” of insurers without “reforms.”

ARE YOU AN INPATIENT OR IF NOT ON ORIGINAL MEDICARE
OBSERVATION PATIENT? PART IV If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, like a Medicare
HMO or PPO, or another Medicare health plan (Plan C), costs and
The topic of whether your hospital stay is designated inpatient or coverages may be different. Check with Medicare to find out about
observation status is confusing. To make it easier to understand, coverage for outpatient (observation) services.
in August 2015 Congress passed the Federal Notice of Observa-
tion Treatment and Implication for Care Eligibility (NOTICE) Act. If you have Medicaid or are covered by another health plan,
The NOTICE Act requires all hospitals to provide written and oral check with your insurer – it may have different rules for coverage.
notification to patients enrolled in Original Medicare about speci-
fied guidelines. For more information, including a copy of the MOON document,
visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
MOON (MEDICARE OUTPATIENT OBSERVATION NOTIFICATION)
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires Now, let’s see how much you’ve learned:
that patients who have been receiving observation services in a
hospital for more than 24 hours receive an explanation of benefits. QUICK POST QUIZ
MOON is a standardized document designed for hospitals that in-
forms beneficiaries they are not an inpatient; they are an outpa- 1. True False To be considered an inpatient the doctor must
tient receiving observation services within the hospital. The docu-
ment explains observation is not covered by Medicare Part A but is formally admit you to the hospital.
covered by Medicare Part B.
2. True False If you have been an observation patient for more
PAYING FOR ROUTINE MEDICATIONS
If you are an observation patient, Medicare will not pay for rou- than 24 hours, the hospital will notify you ver-
tine medications taken during your hospital stay. Generally, drugs
you take by mouth for conditions other than the reason you are in bally and in writing through a MOON document
the hospital are considered “self-administered drugs.” The MOON
document explains prescription medications and over-the-counter that your stay will not be covered by Medicare © 2017 Vero Beach 32963 Media, all rights reserved
drugs observation patients receive in a hospital setting (like the ER
or observation unit) aren’t covered by Part A or Part B. Part A, but will be covered Medicare Part B, and

If you have a Medicare prescription drug plan (Part D), your plan you will likely have more out-of-pocket expenses.
may help you pay for these drugs once you submit a claim for reim-
bursement. Contact your drug plan for more information. 3. True False The observation period is a decision-making pe-

riod that is most frequently less than 24 hours, but

can range from 8 to 48 hours, and sometimes up to

72 hours.

4. True False Even if you stay overnight in a regular hospital bed,

you might be considered an outpatient (observa-

tion) patient.

Answers: All true.

Your comments and suggestions for future topics are always wel-
come. Email us at [email protected].

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38 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BOOK REVIEW

The world is an unreliable place. sponsibility to play from his father, the psychic, was real. Gehrig’s streak caused boiled down to management promot-
Friends let you down, people you love baseball lifer Cal Sr. We see how Geh- a public fissure between him and Babe ing relentless work for no extra benefits,
change, and your boss makes you work rig, born in poverty to a domineering Ruth, who chided Gehrig for caring too a theme especially worthy of exploration
the weekend.You cannot count on many German mother, started with a deep much about a streak that only took years given Ripken’s role as a savior after the
things, but one of them is baseball. Seven work ethic and came to embrace the off his career. Gehrig responded by tell- 1994 strike and canceled World Series.
months of the year, every year, baseball fame associated with his streak. ing an interviewer that Honus Wagner –
begs to be used. It can be background not Ruth – was the best player he’d ever But that quibble may be asking the
noise on May afternoons or a template Eisenberg dives into the evolution of seen, in part for “doing a grand job with- book to be something it never strives
for forensic study on September nights. the public’s view of consecutive-game out any thought of himself.” The squab- for. Eisenberg details Ripken’s achieve-
It can be a companion in a lonely apart- streaks, from ignorance in the earliest ble, as Eisenberg writes, made continu- ment without over-reliance on cel-
ment or cause for frenzied communion days through fixation during Ripken’s ing his streak “personal” for Gehrig. ebrating Ripken for personifying an
inside an emerald cathedral. It can be run. The prose is straightforward, and everyman ethos, the go-to cliche to de-
distraction or obsession. The game’s the details are rich. When Ripken played poorly, the scribe the streak’s attraction. Instead, he
central appeal lies in its ubiquity. Base- streak made him a target. Fans and focuses on a more subtle and powerful
ball is always there for you. The depth of his research about Geh- reporters labeled him selfish, too con- notion, connected to the heart of base-
rig and his precursors delights. We learn cerned about the streak to rest and, ball’s central appeal.
It figures, then, that the sport’s most the story of Everett Scott, who to play in presumably, improve his performance.
revered figures are the men who are al- his 971st straight game endured a jour- Ripken tells Eisenberg that manager “Indelible moments are not baseball’s
ways there for baseball. In his new book, ney from Fort Wayne, Ind., to Chicago Frank Robinson informed him years currency,” Eisenberg writes near the
“The Streak: Lou Gehrig, Cal Ripken and that feels incomprehensible today. A later that he considered ending Rip- book’s conclusion. “This is a sport that
Baseball’s Most Historic Record,” long- blown cylinder head caused his train to ken’s streak in 1990, during a wicked rewards consistency and perseverance.
time Baltimore sportswriter John Eisen- break down; he banged on a farmhouse slump. Ripken states he remembers Its truths crystalize gradually rather than
berg explores the motivations, travails door so he could use the phone; a ga- games 1,300 through 1,800 as uni- immediately, over weeks, over months,
and triumphs of Ripken and Gehrig, the rage manager drove him to South Bend, formly “negative.” Billy Williams, who sometimes even over years. Ripken’s re-
only two men to appear in 2,000 con- Ind., where he caught a trolley to Gary compiled the National League’s lon- cord was a reflection of that subtle sensi-
secutive major league baseball games. and then a cab to Chicago. He arrived at gest streak for the Cubs, ultimately ex- bility, its value becoming evident almost
The book uses historical study and new the ballpark in the seventh inning, just pressed his regret of the pursuit. imperceptibly, inning by inning, game by
reporting to explain how Gehrig and in time to continue the streak. game, year by year. He delivered indelible
Ripken did it and why it mattered. It Eisenberg provides enough detail moments, none more enduring than the
tackles the allure of human endurance As Eisenberg shows, the streaks were to allow the reader to arrive at insights. night he passed Gehrig, but what mat-
and the pitfalls of fame, but it is mostly in many ways contrivances. One early Among them: Technology has advanced tered, what constituted the very essence
a baseball book for baseball fans. It suc- streak continued only when a sports- so much, and so quickly, that Ripken’s of baseball, was his consistent presence,
ceeds as both a thorough accounting writer hustled from the press box to the era feels more similar to Gehrig’s time his dependability, the simple fact that he
and a love note to the game. dugout to inform a manager that his than baseball today. Newspapers re- was there, always there.”
player’s streak was about to end. When mained the primary medium through
“The Streak” opens with Ripken cir- Gehrig had played 1,060 straight games, which fans consumed coverage. Eisen- For baseball to persist, somebody
cling Camden Yards on the night he a court date involving his mother forced berg notes the absence of cellphones as has to play. “The Streak” is a worthy
played in his 2,131st consecutive game, him away from the park. The Yankees’ Ripken circled the Camden Yards field study of those who played with more
which nudged him past Gehrig as the owner, Jacob Ruppert, canceled the – try to imagine such a moment lived reliability than any others. 
sport’s all-time Iron Man. Eisenberg game on account of threatening weath- entirely through human eyes instead
unspools the stories of Ripken and er and rescheduled it as part of a dou- of rectangular screens, fans lunging for THE STREAK: LOU GEHRIG, CAL RIPKEN JR.,
Gehrig in alternating chapters, inter- bleheader; no rain ever fell. At the end handshakes rather than snapping selfies. AND BASEBALL’S MOST HISTORIC RECORD
rupted by inter-chapters on themes, of his streak, Gehrig routinely took one
titled “Ironmen.” We learn how Ripken at-bat and then exited because of an in- Some larger questions are left unculti- BY JOHN EISENBERG
developed an intense feeling of re- jury, just to keep his streak alive. vated. Eisenberg never grapples with the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 299 pp. $26.
idea that the consecutive-game streaks
But the toll on the men, physical and Review by Adam Kilgore,
The Washington Post

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 39

INSIGHT BOOK REVIEW

Along with Billie Holiday and Ella Vaughan established herself as an in- ducing them to “everything new and central in making sure broader audi-
Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan is part of the novative bebop vocalist, she spent modern” through her sophisticated, ences heard her.
triumvirate of classic jazz vocalists. To- much of her life trying to break free of avant-garde singing.
gether they laid the foundation of con- the limitations of category. Hayes doc- But if the communities that pro-
temporary jazz singing and, as such, uments this journey with painstaking Vaughan, who started out as a pia- duced Vaughan nurtured innovation,
helped to shape all of popular music. detail. Having collected a rich trove of nist, brought a knowledge of music’s the world she sought to enter did any-
material, she organizes her presenta- underlying harmonic structure to her thing but. Hayes does an especially
Holiday has been the subject of sev- tion around the concept of crossover, singing. “I’m really a singer,” she once good job of explaining the musical
eral significant biographies, and there is as a way to honor Vaughan’s “flexibility said. “I wish I could play piano like I landscape of postwar white America.
at least one authoritative tome devoted as a performer and the breadth of her think, but I can’t. My fingers. My mind. In the second phase of her crossover,
to Fitzgerald, with another long-await- career.” Following that crossover jour- I sing faster. I can think what I’m think- Columbia Records signed Vaughan
ed one soon to follow. But Vaughan has ney yields a solid narrative that docu- ing and sing it, but I can’t play it.” De- and assigned Mitch Miller to produce
not inspired the same attention, which ments Vaughan’s struggles, triumphs spite its vast possibilities, the piano was her records. Hayes correctly identifies
makes “Queen of Bebop,” by Elaine M. and unprecedented success as a “sym- too limiting for Vaughan’s quick think- Miller as committed to commercial-
Hayes, all the more necessary and ex- phonic diva, singing jazz in venues ing creativity. Her voice was the only ism. He produced hits for other art-
citing. This comprehensive examina- previously reserved for classical music instrument that allowed her to express ists with novelty songs and stereotypic
tion of Vaughan’s life and work benefits and opera.” the full range, tone and depth of what ethnic tunes, a strategy that limited
from Hayes’ technical knowledge of she heard in her head. artists both black and white but satis-
music and her thorough research on As a Newark choirgirl, Vaughan won fied the tastes of pop music audiences.
the historical context. the Apollo’s famed Amateur Night and In addition to its insightful discus- “Mitch Miller didn’t know … how not
toured with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie sions of Vaughan’s technical genius, to use race (or ethnicity) as a novelty
In a sense, though, “Queen of Bebop” Parker and Billy Eckstine. After her “Queen of Bebop” also examines the device,” Hayes writes. “He was in tune
is a misleading title. It limits the scope appearance at New York’s Town Hall times in which she worked. Born in with white, mainstream America, but
of Vaughan’s music and the book’s ac- in 1947, critics took notice and iden- 1924 in Newark, Vaughan was a child he struggled to present the creations of
tual exploration of her career. Although tified her as the bearer of something of the Great Migration and lived under black artists in a way that wasn’t stereo-
new. Here was a vocalist who, like the painful reality of Jim Crow America. typical or reductive.”
her instrument-playing compatriots, Her parents went North from Virginia
transformed jazz from the dominance in search of greater economic oppor- Vaughan resisted both “the blatant
of swing to the realm of a complex, tunity and political freedom. However, commercialism of Miller” and the “an-
abstract, high art through bebop. For the Newark to which they moved had ti-commercialism of jazz purists” by
Hayes, this marked the first phase of an established history of racial segre- carving her own path. She took her mu-
Vaughan’s journey from “obscurity” to gation and oppression, which shaped sic to places unimagined by previous
“crossover.” Vaughan’s experiences as a young art- jazz vocalists. By the end of her career,
ist. On tour she and her bandmates en- especially with the success of her inter-
While useful for organizing a linear countered one indignity after another. pretation of Stephen Sondheim’s “Send
narrative of Vaughan’s career, one of in the Clowns,” Vaughan emerged as
the unfortunate limitations of this ap- While all the musicians with whom a singular artist who merged her jazz
proach is a devaluation of the so-called she traveled faced racial violence, foundation, her popular music aspira-
obscure period. Just because Vaughan Vaughan also faced gender-based vio- tions and her desire for the respect of-
was unknown to white fans of popu- lence. Her colleagues beat her. It was a fered to the grand opera divas. 
lar music does not mean that Vaughan high price to pay for admission into the
languished in “obscurity.” Her musi- boys club of jazz instrumentalists. But QUEEN OF BEBOP: THE MUSICAL LIVES OF
cianship was widely recognized and these conditions both in Newark and SARAH VAUGHAN
appreciated in the communities that within the Earl Hines and Billy Ecks-
most valued the art form. Furthermore, tine bands provided Vaughan opportu- BY ELAINE M. HAYES
as Hayes herself notes, when Vaughan nities to hone her natural abilities and Ecco. 419 pp. $27.99.
crossed over, she broadened the sonic to experiment within a community Review by Farah Jasmine Griffin,
palate of American audiences, intro- that appreciated invention. Black audi- The Washington Post
ences and white jazz fans and DJs were

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40 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT TRAVEL

Hide and shriek: Travelers burned by ‘hidden’ resort fees

BY CHRISTOPER ELLIOTT checkout, which added $306 to the folio.
The Washington Post Gotcha.
“I did my due diligence,” insists Myers,
Tamara Myers thought that her ho-
tel bill at the Westgate Las Vegas Re- who lives in Indianapolis and works for
sort & Casino would come to $415. At the military. She’d made the reservation
least that’s what Otel.com, the website for her 88-year-old mother, who was car-
through which she booked the room, ing for her brother in Las Vegas. “The fee
promised her. was listed nowhere on Otel.com.”

But the site glossed over a small detail: Mandatory resort fees, tacked onto a
a mandatory daily “resort fee” payable at hotel bill after an initial price quote – and
sometimes even later, as with Myers – are

on the rise again. A total of mark the presence of
1,026 domestic hotels charged a resort our resort fee, consistent with nearly ev-
fee for the first half of 2017, a 14 percent ery other major resort in Las Vegas,” said
increase from just six months ago, ac- Jeff Klein, a resort spokesman. Klein says
cording to new research from Resortfee- it has contacted Otel.com and asked it
checker.com, a site that allows travelers to “make this right with the customer.” I
to look up resort fees at hotels worldwide. did, too, but received no response.
The average resort fee, which covers ev-
erything from “free” WiFi to access to That’s how it goes with most attempts
exercise facilities, now stands at almost to claw back a resort fee. Apparently, ho-
$21, a jump of 8.7 percent from last De- tels and their intermediaries feel as if as-
cember. terisks and hard-to-find disclosures are
adequate, and they are interpreting the
The biggest increases came in large government’s silence on the matter as a
metropolitan cities, including New York, tacit endorsement of their practices.
San Francisco and Los Angeles, where
resort fees are up by a whopping 70 per- Only a few months ago, resort fees
cent in six months. “Until recently, most were headed for extinction. The Federal
hotels in these cities didn’t charge a fee,” Trade Commission signaled that the fees
says Randy Greencorn, publisher of Re- as they are currently advertised by most
sortfeechecker.com. hotels were “unfair and deceptive.” The
agency was poised to announce a policy
No wonder, then, that frustration with shift that would require resort fees to be
resort fees is reaching a boiling point. included in the initial price quote, ac-
They’re difficult to fight once they’ve cording to multiple sources. But after
been added to a bill. Government action the presidential election, the federal
on the fees, once thought to be inevita- government cooled on further regulat-
ble, has stalled. ing the hotel industry. Until a state, the
FTC or a court declares these fees illegal,
Resort fees are classic travel indus- they’re bound to continue multiplying,
try sleight-of-hand – you’re quoted one industry observers say. It’s a source of
price, you pay another – yet for now they frustration for travelers and embarrass-
remain perfectly legal. How so? Hotels ment for tourism officials.
are only required to disclose the fee be-
fore the booking is made, but not when There are a few quick fixes. The first
the initial price quote is made. The is obvious: Review the fine print, espe-
Westgate’s site warns that a resort fee of cially if you’re booking through a third
$29.95 plus tax a night “may” apply. A party. Discount hotel sites may inten-
search for a weekly room rate in August tionally conceal resort fees, or they may
shows a price of $781 for a standard “Sig- not have access to the most current re-
nature” room. The next screen down- sort fee information from the property.
plays the final room rate, which, after You owe it to yourself to check with the
taxes and resort fees, comes to $1,192, a hotel before you make your reservation.
53 percent increase. You have to click an
arrow to get a price breakdown. In some cases, resort fees can be avoid-
ed by joining hotel loyalty programs, Gre-
Otel.com shows an asterisk and refers encorn says. “Sign-up takes only a couple
to resort fees under “Hotel Information” of minutes and can be done online. Be-
on its booking page. “Some hotels do fore booking, travelers should check with
charge a resort fee which must be paid their hotel directly to see if they provide
to the hotel directly,” it warns. “Otel.com this benefit to its members.”
is not responsible for resort fee charges
and has no control over their imple- These are only stopgap measures, but
mentation.” they should help you avoid unpleasant
surprises until the long arm of the law
A Westgate representative said that catches up with hotels that charge resort
the hotel does not contract directly with fees. It’s only a matter of time. 
Otel.com. “All of our direct booking part-
ners and our corporate websites clearly

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 41

INSIGHT ON FAITH

Entombed by grief or anger? God says, ‘Come out!’

BY REV. DRS. CASEY AND BOB BAGGOTT
Columnists

Have you heard the humorous story away, they will not face further loss. you away from life. denly died and was placed in a tomb.
about the friends who were discuss- Do you know people like that? Peo- The danger that comes with linger- When Jesus arrived several days later, he
ing death? One of them asked the oth- called into that place of certain death,
ers, “What would you like people to say ple who have just given up, closed up, ing in self-imposed tombs is that it leads “Come out!” and out came Lazarus, still
about you at your funeral?” The first of boarded up the warmth of their spirits insidiously to further loss. While we wrapped in grave clothes, but stumbling
the friends replied, “I would like them like a beach home before the threat of a may enter as a temporary means of self- toward the bright light and new life.
to say, ‘He was a great humanitarian, hurricane? Maybe you’ve been tempted protection, staying there in those airless,
who cared about his community.’” The to close yourself up and shut yourself dreary places can lead to moral, spiritu- We think the call to newness of life
second of the friends said, “I would like away from engagement with life for al and emotional decline. Finally, those extends to us, too. When we’ve prema-
them to say, ‘She was a caring wife and some reason. Grief or anger can lead places will become the cold sites of our turely entombed ourselves, submitting
mother, who set an example for many to you into a tomb. Resentment, apathy, physical deaths, too. Is that what we re- to the spiritually and emotionally dead-
follow.’” The third friend said, “I would bitterness, or addiction can do it. Even ally want? Is that what God wants for us? ening things of life, that need not be
like them to say, ‘Look, he’s moving!’” grumpiness, cynicism and pessimism, the end. Can you hear it? God’s voice of
those persistent little dissatisfactions The story of Lazarus from the Chris- hope and comfort and renewal is calling
Wouldn’t we all avoid the inevitability with life, can be the maladies that seal tian scriptures seems to say no. Laza- us to something more, “Come out!” 
of death if we possibly could? But, death rus was Jesus’ dear friend who sud-
will come – not just our ultimate physi-
cal deaths, but countless smaller deaths
will precede that final demise. As Rev.
Craig Barnes asked: Do you get to hang
onto your parents forever? Or your chil-
dren? Do you get to keep your youth?
Your work? Your health? Even if you do
succeed in holding onto these things for
a time, eventually you will lose them, or
“die” to them.

In light of the losses we are certain
to experience, some people try to hide
themselves away from life, as a form
of self-protection. Ironically, they take
themselves to virtual tombs of their own
making. They may think that by remain-
ing entombed and unengaged in life, they
won’t be wounded again. Safely tucked

42 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT PETS

Bonz says Critter and Freddie are a delightful duo

Hi Dog Buddies! came from Utah, then to Florida. At first, Critter, the Pomeranian and Freddie, the Chihuahua. PHOTO BY GORDON RADFORD
Mom was Not Thrilled, but I was Super
This week I had a fun yap with Critter Cute, of course, so she decided to try petooied it out. “I have this chewing
and Freddie Meyer, who live with their me out for a month, and she called First
Mom, Karli. They greeted me an my as- Dibs, just in case. Well, I wasn’t exactly a thing. On leash walks, I hold the leash in costume I look pretty snazzy in, if I say
sistant in a very frenly way. We hadda be Shoo-In. I was what Mom calls A Hand-
careful to not step on ’em during the Wag- ful. I’ve always had a lotta energy an I’m my mouth and chew it while we walk. We so myself.”
and-Sniffs, cuz they were real liddle. not snoozy like Freddie. No offense. But,
finally, thank Lassie, my Adorable Factor have cool pooch and human neighbors, His Mom brought in a bag of cos-
Critter is a hundred percent Pomera- saved the day. Now Mom calls us Snarky
nian, and hadda good lookin’, seriously and Snarkier. But we know she loves too. The humans give me nicknames tumes. She put a punkin outfit on Crit-
fluffy gold coat. He looked like cotton us. She even painted this Cool Kibbles
candy with a little fox face in the mid- pickshure of me. She’s an artist. Look!” like Pixel, Chickpea and Creamsicle, ter, an orange hood with green leaves
dle. Freddie’s a long-haired Chihuahua
who’s called tri-color cuzza bein’ black He pointed to a portrait on the wall cuzza my color, I guess.” on top, with his fluffy ears sticking out
an white an gold. I thought he looked of Freddie with leafy stuff in the back-
sorta like that gremlin from the movie. ground. Looked just like him, big boogly Freddie chimed in. “Aunt Jeni an on the sides. I thought I’d fall right over
eyes an everything. “Woof! Sweeet!” I ex-
Critter did the intros then settled into claimed. “So what’s life like these days?” Uncle Frank think Critter’s hilarious. laughing, but restrained myself so I
his Mom’s lap. Freddie plopped down
beside the couch. I got my notebook out. “It’s great,” said Critter. “We get three He can really make ’em laugh. Not me, wouldn’t get The Look. Then she put
“So, how did you pooches find your For- squares a day. An we ride in this paw-
ever Mom?” I inquired. some red Radio Flyer wagon with wood- though. To tell you the true, Mr. Bonzo, Freddie’s devil outfit on and he made a
en sides an a special cooler! Every night,
“I’ll start,” said Freddie. “I was what when Mom reads in bed, we get chewy I don’t play – just never learned how. scary face. I totally lost it.
humans called a Stud, which I think sticks. But we don’t start chewin’ ’em til
means a professional puppydaddy. But I Mom opens her book. That’s our roo- I don’t like toys either, an I get kinda “You pooches are Super Cool Dog Bis-
didn’t ever see my puppies, which made TEEN. An Mom got bells for our collars
me sad. I wudda been a good Dad. Any- so she’ll know where we are at All Times.” nervous when Critter tears all over the cuits!”
way, there was a big bunch of us in this He lowered his voice. “They’re CAT bells.
house, an then the neighbors decided She thinks we don’t know. Ackshully we place. Like, when somebody flushes the Heading home, I was picturing a big
we couldn’t stay and they booted us don’t really mind that much. They’re the
out – me an seven lady pooches. Thank right size for us. Plus, now we have little toilet, Critter will stand there watchin’ portrait of me in a nice frame, hanging
Lassie, some nice humans rescued us an thingys on our collars so Mom can track
Dr. George spiffed us all up. Meanwhile, our whereabouts on her phone. and his head goes round an round with over the mantle. An trying to remember
Mom heard about our sit-chew-ashun.
Her other dogs were all in Dog Heaven, “Oh, we also have another brother, the water. I mean, REALLY? If he gets too whether we have a mantle – and what ex-
so she checked us out and found – ME!” Birdie, he’s a rescue parakeet.” He point-
ed to a big cage by the window. “Birdie obnoxious, I just bare my teeth and give actly a mantle is.
“Cool Kibbles!” I said. learned to bark, just like us. When we
“OK, now me,” said Critter. “Mom has bark, Birdie barks, too. He likes his cage, him The Look. Then I think I look like
worked with dogs an dog rescue groups doesn’t fly around the house. We told
for a long time, but her regular work is him we’d NEVER eat him or anything, that gremlin in the movie, sorta scary, Till next time,
over at Ron Rennick, where humans Dogs’ Honor, but I think he just wants to The Bonz
are always dropping off nice, really old be on the safe side.” and Critter backs off.”
furniture. Well, one day a man dropped “You DO look scary, Fredster,” Critter
off something for Mom. ME. I guess he The whole time we were yapping,
knew that Mom was Good with Dogs. Critter was chewing on the ear of a said. “An can I help it if I’m enthusiastic?” Don’t Be Shy
Mom said, ‘Ron Rennick gets furniture stuffed bunny. “Woof!” I thought to myself, “Hit the
an I get – a dog.’ Mom figured out I was We are always looking for pets
probly a Puppy Mill Dog. I had papers. I “Nice bunny,” I remarked. nail on the head.” with interesting stories.
“I cabe wif id,” he said, his mouth “Well,” Freddie said, sounding a little
full of bunny ear. “Id’s by fay-bwut.” He
miffed, “I may not go zooming around

like a doof-muffin, licking everything To set up an interview, email
in sight, but I do enjoy dressing up on [email protected].
Halloween. I have a black an red devil

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 /August 3, 2017 43

INSIGHT GAMES & CO.

NORTH

PENALTY DOUBLES ARE ALMOST EXTINCT AQ854

Andrew Mason, the founder and former CEO of Groupon, said, “All the trends show that 10 8
email usage among the younger cohorts of internet users is declining. Whether it will take
five or 30 years for email to go extinct, I’m not sure.” 92

I find it hard to believe that email will become extinct. But in bridge, despite the evidence J763
of this deal, it feels as if the penalty double has become extinct, except when the
opponents are clearly sacrificing. WEST EAST
J72
What is North’s double in this auction? How can the defenders defeat three hearts J96 10 9 6
doubled after West leads the club king? A J 10 8 5
K2 2
When each of the first three players bids a different suit, double by the fourth hand is
called Snapdragon. It shows length in the fourth suit (at least five cards) and tolerance KQ73
(commonly honor-doubleton) for partner’s suit. If instead fourth hand bids his suit, it denies
help for partner. A Q 10 8 5

Note that East-West did well not to go to the four-level, where they would have lost four SOUTH
tricks: three spades and one heart or, more likely, two spades, a spade ruff by South and
one heart. K3

West’s penalty double was aggressive, but he knew his side had the balance of power. AKQ7543

After West led the club king (East signaled with the eight) and played another round, the 64
spotlight was on East. If he had continued with a high club, South would have ruffed high
(West would have thrown a spade), drawn two rounds of trumps, and played three rounds 94
of spades, discarding a diamond, to get home.
Dealer: East; Vulnerable: Both
Instead, East accurately cashed his diamond king and diamond queen before leading the
third club, which promoted a trump trick for West. The Bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST OPENING
1 Clubs
1 Hearts 2 Diamonds Dbl. 3 Diamonds LEAD:
3 Hearts Dbl. All Pass K Clubs

44 Vero Beach 32963 /August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT GAMES & CO.

SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (JULY 27) ON PAGE 60

ACROSS DOWN
7 Hear (6) 1 Elevated (4)
8 Engage (6) 2 Pebbles (6)
9 Tibia (8) 3 Cue sport (7)
10 Flat (4) 4 Cut (5)
11 Sideboard (7) 5 Orb (6)
13 Furnishings (5) 6 Preface (8)
15 Talk (5) 12 Journalist (8)
17 Exterior (7) 14 Pudding sauce (7)
20 Worry (4) 16 Shrewd (6)
21 Curiosity (8) 18 Endeavour (6)
23 Mild (6) 19 Folders (5)
24 Assessment (6) 22 Stalk (4)

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 /August 3, 2017 45

INSIGHT GAMES & CO.

ACROSS Roman 14 Madonna role 82 “That was close!” The Washington Post
80 See 67 Across 15 Sheer fabric 84 Bone prefix
1 Sitting ___ 83 Lonely film fan’s 17 One or the other 85 Very legible
stoplight 18 Like Bjorn’s locks 86 Midnight movie
wish? 20 Key with five 87 “Vaya Con ___”
4 “Last of his tribe” 89 Sun­Times city, 88 Husk­y bunch
Indian of Califor­ sharps: abbr. 90 Allstate’s bus.
nia familiarly 22 The African 94 She expresses
91 Moses watched
8 Fuss Queen scriptwriter herself easel­ly
11 Ruhr city this part 24 Half a Samoan 96 Cigar’s end
16 Conspicuousness 92 Friend of la famille 98 “I’m ___ you could
93 Common verb city
symbol 94 Church closing? 25 J. ___ Muggs make it!”
19 Knighting words, 95 Appease totally 99 Dress length
97 Schindler and (Garroway’s 100 “___ of grass­
“___ thee” Today show
21 Baryshnikov’s Werner chimp) green silk she
101 Football fan’s 31 Turns sharply wore” (Tennyson)
birthplace 32 May auto race 101 Masked marauder
23 Humpty Dumpty’s quaffs 33 Vintage valley 102 Dogmatic topics
102 With 115 Across, 34 Person with 103 “Sheesh! ___
911 class? grouch!”
call? “Weird Al” 35 True, to a Scot 104 Makes a pile in
26 Poky tree dwellers Yankovic’s boast? 36 Peking kingpin, autumn
27 Boob 108 ___ Na Na once 105 Pvt. Benjamin’s
28 They might be full 109 Sports figure? 37 Fool’s day: abbr. portrayer
of beans 110 It did a Prizm 38 Black 7 topper, 106 Allen or Frome
29 Gymnast’s make in solitaire 107 Discontinues
pointer? 111 Baker and Bryant 42 “Just say what 112 Ramon’s relatives
30 Infrequent flyer’s 115 See 102 Across you want” 113 Curtain raiser
worry? 121 Sound car 44 Cat fancier from 114 Agenda, briefly
36 Stable females investment? Melmac 116 No way to
39 Samantha’s mom 122 Peter Pan pooch 45 Fails a stoic’s test address
40 Critical 123 Wink 47 Moroccan capital Hemingway?
41 Imitator 124 Good ___ (cured) 48 Snuffy or Loweezy 117 Some people
42 Beatty or Buntline 125 Noggin bob 49 Goes from better drive off it
43 Norm of golf 126 Fifth of five, e.g. to worse 118 Two Virgins album
46 Texturally rough 127 Mr. Caesar 51 To spice, as cider poser
50 Local law: abbr. 52 Position of control 119 Cruet contents
51 Transplant DOWN 53 Where Van Gogh 120 Elvis’s record
outcome? painted label
56 Drastic cure for an 1 Indiana Jones Sunflowers
acid stomach? hates them 54 “ ... in the pot, MAIM THAT TUNE! By Merl Reagle
58 Period nine ___”
59 Air safety org. 2 Hammer or sickle 55 France, once
60 Lobster catcher? 3 Group W bench 57 Pinball penalty
61 ___ de la Cité 62 Hercule’s creator
62 Actor Joslyn sitter, in a 1960s 63 “The truth”
64 Junior on the song and movie 65 Three­___ card
journal 4 Makes one 66 Jazz jobs
66 Nitti’s pistols scratch 67 Actor Brasselle
67 With 80 Across, 5 Tom Jones hit, 68 Grant­___
Friday the 13th, “___ Lady” (scholarship)
Part 10? 6 “ ’Scuse me?” 69 Like a snoop
72 Speakeasy 7 George Harrison 70 Irish nationalist
passphrase, book, ___ Mine org.,
“Joe ___ me” 8 Have one’s sights Sinn ___
73 ___ large extent set on 71 Smart­mouthed
74 They get walked 9 Pres. from 72 Confinement
on Denison, Tex. 78 Thanksgiving
75 Pear­shaped fruit 10 Prophetic board sweet
76 Drink “for two” 11 Stretchy, to Maria 80 Author Fannie
77 Wallower’s home 12 Abe Vigoda’s 81 Zenith
79 Deck total, to a Godfather role,
___ Tessio
13 Letters on a
Cardinal’s cap

The Telegraph

46 Vero Beach 32963 /August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BACK PAGE

Mom may be skeptical, but she shouldn’t skip the wedding

STORY BY CAROLYN HAX THE WASHINGTON POST band (my son’s father is deceased) and I showing up for your son, and liking his fiancee,
decided we would not go to the wedding. and believing his recent turnaround will stick,
Dear Carolyn: My son, who is and toasting the triumph of hope.
46 and lives on the West Coast, Am I right to make that decision? I feel
has been in a tumultuous rela- terrible for not supporting my son, but I He did, after all, turn things around, and you
tionship with a woman 10 years wouldn’t feel honest in celebrating some- can’t be sure it’s temporary until it is.
his junior. He was married previ- thing I don’t believe in, not to mention
ously and has been divorced for the expense of the trip. And, he’s your kid. You love him, yes? So go and
over 10 years. He met his current say, “Your bride is lovely. I wish you nothing but
girlfriend about four years ago, – S. happiness.” Where’s the lie in that? 
but the relationship has been off
and on, and he never failed to S.: What do you hope to accomplish
call and cry on my shoulder about it. by not going?
Recently he brought the girlfriend here to the
Midwest to visit and announce their engagement. I Saving money – I see that.
got to know his fiancee and like her very much and But the other part you cite is that you
was thrilled to hear about the wedding plans. “wouldn’t feel honest.” So, by not going,
A couple of months after this visit, the fiancee is that what you accomplish – honesty?
texted that my son hadn’t worked for three months, And if so, is that (and its attendant face-
won’t look for a job and is hanging out with unsa- slap to your son) a worthier outcome
vory characters. She vowed she would not marry “a than showing support, or love, or faith,
46-year-old man with no job.” or whatever your son would take away
I talked to my son, who was defensive as you from having his mom show up?
might expect, and encouraged them to put off the Read this aloud in the right tone of
wedding, get counseling and not marry until mu- voice and no doubt it’ll sound like a
tual respect, love and trust are assured. guilt trip. That’s not at all what I intend.
Since then, he has gotten a job, which he likes, I’m advising you to do the emotional
and the wedding is back on, in California in six math: Would you rather be right, or there?
weeks. He said they “talked about” their issues and You are right to question the chances of such a
decided to go ahead with the plans. volatile couple. You were right about patience and
I still haven’t gotten over the dismay and sadness counseling (though staying out of it seems wiser
around this scenario and I fear he’s going down the and overdue). You’re right to be mindful of your
same path he did in his first marriage. So my hus- son’s history, and skeptical of their rush to wed.
But. Sometimes there is glory in being wrong.
In the willingness to be wrong, at least: in

STEWARD HEALTH
OUTLINES ITS ‘MODEL’
FOR AREA HOSPITALS

48 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Steward Health outlines its ‘model’ for area hospitals

BY TOM LLOYD Dr. Mark Girard. cians’ practices and putting those phy- tient medical records both in and out of
Staff Writer sicians directly on hospital payrolls, the hospital.
PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE often swelling costs and driving con-
Spotting a polar bear here on the sumer prices upward. “We’re a very analytic-driven orga-
Treasure Coast in July or August is defi- model of a physician-led integrated de- nization,” Girard says warming up to
nitely not a common occurrence. livery system … [that is] fundamentally Steward’s model, according to Girard, the topic. “It’s not about what we think
different than anything else that’s hap- is different. “We don’t think of ourselves [might be] the right thing to do, it’s
At least, it isn’t unless the polar bear pened down here.” as just a hospital company. We think of about looking at what the data tells us
in question just happens to be Dr. Mark ourselves as a physician-led integrated is the right thing to do,” adding that,
Girard, a graduate of Maine’s Bowdoin Change – at least in terms of own- delivery system. We try to coordinate “We’ll begin to improve care where we
College (whose mascot is the polar bear) ership – is nothing new at SRMC. The care from the home to the hospital and think there’s a quality opportunity and
as well as Harvard Medical School. hospital first opened its doors in 1974. really encourage and collaborate with fill service-line gaps where we think
In 1978 it was purchased by Humana [other] providers to do the right care that there are needs here in the com-
Girard, an interventional radiolo- Corp., which in turn sold it to Health in the right location and in the right munity.
gist, also happens to be the president Management Associates in 1993. In amount.
of the Steward Health Care Network, 2014, HMA was acquired by Commu- “We know that there’s a lot of care
which in February purchased Sebas- nity Health Systems, which sold SRMC “We collaborate with all providers. done in a hospital-based setting that if
tian River Medical Center along with to Steward earlier this year, making the Our goal is to achieve the highest quali- you did it in a more convenient location,
the Wuesthoff medical centers in Mel- Boston-based company the fifth owner ty care we can in the most cost-efficient whether it’s a doctor’s office or a lab out
bourne and Rockledge. of the Sebastian hospital. manner that we can that is accessible, in the community – whatever the case
affordable and sustainable.” may be – you could reduce total medical
Three months later, Steward set in What is new is the Steward model. expense by 10 or 15 percent with com-
motion a merger with IASIS Healthcare In the past two decades, many U.S. Becker’s Hospital Review cites Stew- parable quality,” according to Girard.
LLC, a Tennessee-based company that hospitals chose a centralized approach ard as one of the “integrated health
operates 18 hospitals. If approved, the to healthcare, buying individual physi- systems to know” with its focus on “the “Our goal is to make this work for
merger will make Boston-based Stew- continuum of care from wellness and the people of Rockledge, the people of
ard the largest for-profit hospital opera- preventive services to urgent care, in- Melbourne and the people here in the
tor in the country, with 36 hospitals in patient care and outpatient care.” Sebastian River area. If we’re doing our
10 states. job [they] should see better care that’s
Steward turns to data, analytics and, more affordable and more accessible.”
Girard was in town last week to visit in some cases, proprietary software
SRMC and the newly acquired medi- to accomplish its goals and make its Girard is now back at Steward head-
cal centers in Brevard County and talk healthcare model more efficient. quarters in Boston but the specific rec-
about how Steward plans to improve ommendations he makes for Sebastian,
healthcare at the three facilities. That, says Girard, includes much Rockledge and Melbourne will soon be
more than just the advanced electronic going into effect at all three Treasure
“The first thing we’re trying to do,” medical records system that allows all Coast facilities. 
explains Girard, is “implement our Steward providers instant access to pa-

Do’s and don’ts of CPAP cleaning (and yes, Scotch works)

BY TOM LLOYD Far fewer, however, properly per- PHOTO: GORDON RADFORD
Staff Writer form the essential task of cleaning
the tubes, tubs, masks and filters that
Millions of Americans use contin- come with these life-saving devices.
uous positive air pressure – or CPAP
– machines to combat obstructive Just ask Mike Misserville at Vero
sleep apnea. Beach’s Perkins Medical Supply on
10th Court.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 49

HEALTH

After nearly 16 years of helping ery 30 days and rinse out the humid- the vinegar and water, it’s going to A wry smile instantly crosses
sleep apnea patients get the most out ifier tub daily with the same Ivory kill about 80 percent of bacteria and Misserville’s face when he says, “I
of their CPAP therapy, Misserville soap and water, shake out the excess germs.” did have a patient who used Scotch.
has seen just about every wrong way and leave it out of the sunlight to air- And that does work.”
people attempt to clean their equip- dry. A water and vinegar solution can If you’ve got a spare $327 or so to
ment. And it’s not just first-time us- also be used. spend, you can kill 99.9 percent of Whether bonded or blended,
ers, either. those bacteria and germs with an au- Misserville maintains, Scotch “will
Misserville also recommends tomated sterilizer called a “SoClean” kill about 95 percent of bacteria and
“I have patients coming in here cleaning the tubing every week with device which attaches to your CPAP you’ll get the smell of the scotch all
that got all set up five or eight months either a vinegar and water solution or and cleans the mask, tubing, humid- night,” he adds, rolling his eyes,
ago,” Misserville volunteers, “and soap and water; but never even think ifier tub as well as the rest of the ma- “and that might just put you to sleep
they still come in with questions.” about using bleach to clean your chine. The SoClean, however, is not quicker.”
CPAP supplies. Misserville says he’s covered by Medicare.
That’s actually fine by Misserville, had customers who turned to Clorox For more detailed information on
because, as he puts it, “we’re here to and promptly regretted it. There are also other solutions to cleaning your CPAP machine and ac-
help the public. We’re here for peo- keeping the equip germ-free, includ- cessories, Misserville invites people to
ple.” “When you use the mild soap,” ing one that would have played well visit any Perkins Medical Supply store
says Misserville, “it’s killing about on the acclaimed 2007-2015 AMC TV or to call him at 772-569-3798 and
And Phillips Respironics, one of 75 percent of germs. When you use series “Mad Men.” come in for a consultation. 
the leading manufacturers of CPAP
devices, says a great many people
need that help. Phillips calls the
proper cleaning of CPAP supplies
“absolutely essential” and “vitally
important” but adds it’s often over-
looked.

The Sleep Apnea Center of Amer-
ica gets more graphic. It points out
that CPAP hoses, tubing, humidifier
tubs and masks are “prime breeding
grounds for a wide variety of bacteria
and mold.”

The last thing anyone needs is
mold or bacteria finding their way
into the lungs.

Obstructive sleep apnea is “a se-
rious sleep disorder [that] causes
breathing to repeatedly stop and
start during sleep,” according to the
Mayo Clinic.

It can lead to a host of problems
including “coronary artery dis-
ease, heart attack, heart failure and
stroke” along with “memory prob-
lems, mood swings and depression,”
and if mold spores or bacteria find
their way into the bronchioles and
alveoli inside the lungs, things can
get worse. Fast.

Turning to the doctor who pre-
scribed your CPAP machine for ad-
vice on how to maintain it properly
may not be much help.

In many cases those physicians
have never used – let alone attempted
to clean – the various components of
a CPAP machine. They simply “farm
out” the process of shipping these
devices and accessories to medi-
cal warehouse operations like Apria
Healthcare.

Because preventing the growth of
bacteria and mold is so important,
many people automatically reach for
anti-bacterial soaps. That, Misser-
ville says, is a bad call because, as he
says, the soap “starts to eat away” the
structural and chemical integrity of
the various components.

Fortunately there is an easy way to
keep your CPAP equipment safe and
clean – simply clean the face mask
every morning with a mild, non-anti-
bacterial soap like Ivory. Change the
CPAP machine’s air filter at least ev-

50 Vero Beach 32963 / August 3, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Drop in men’s sperm quality is fertile ground for concern

BY ARIANA EUNJUNG CHA volving data from 185 studies and criticized the studies over factors such sperm quality. A study published earli-
The Washington Post 42,000 men around the world between as the age of the men included, the size er this year about China’s Hunan prov-
1973 and 2011 – appears to confirm of the study, bias in counting systems ince found that 56 percent of sperm
The quality of sperm from men in fears that male reproductive health or other aspects of the methodologies. donations met the criteria for health
North America, Europe and Australia may be declining. in 2001 vs. only 18 percent in 2015.)
has declined dramatically over the Some of the other concerns are
past 40 years, with a 52.4 percent drop The state of male fertility has been outlined in an analysis published by The most important data points in
in sperm concentration, according to a one of the most hotly debated subjects the American Society of Andrology, the new study involved sperm concen-
study published last week. in medical science in recent years. which focuses on the male reproduc- trations for what are known as “un-
While a number of previous studies tive system. The skepticism also has selected” men who haven’t yet proven
The research – the largest and most found that sperm counts and quality to do with the difficulty of comparing they are fertile. These are men in the
comprehensive look at the topic, in- have been falling, some dismissed or records from a fertility center in the studies who are on the younger side
1970s with one from today and with and are not yet fathers or do not have
the fact a single man’s sperm count partners who are pregnant. Research-
may fluctuate during his life span due ers estimated that these men had an
to his weight, use of alcohol and many average sperm concentration of 99
million per milliliter in 1973 but that
Researchers said that had dropped to an average 47 mil-
lion per milliliter in 2011.
the declining sperm
That is a disturbing number given
counts are a ‘canary that, according to World Health Or-
ganization criteria, men with a sperm
in the coal mine’ concentration of less than 40 million
are considered to have an impaired
signaling that men chance of conceiving and those with
a sperm concentration of less than 15
around the world million per milliliter are unlikely to be
able to have children.
may be being
These numbers mean “surprisingly
exposed to broader higher proportions of men are falling
into the infertile and sub fertile cat-
risks to their health. egories,” Swan said.

other factors. There are numerous theories about
However, Shanna H. Swan, one of what may be happening to sperm.
Many scientists say the most sensi-
the authors of the new study published tive period may be during the first
in the Human Reproduction Update, trimester, when the developing fetus’
said that the new meta-analysis is so reproductive system may be impacted
broad and comprehensive, involving by a mother smoking, stress she expe-
all the relevant research published in rienced or food she ate. Exposure to
English, that she hoped it would put chemicals that can change hormone
some of the uncertainty to rest. Then levels, known as endocrine disrupters,
the scientific community could move are among the issues being studied.
forward into putting its resources into
figuring out the why of what is going Over the life span, men are also ex-
on, she said. posed to a number of other things that
could potentially influence sperm
“It shows the decline is strong and concentration: pesticides, lead, X-
that the decline is continuing,” Swan rays, stress and countless other fac-
said in an interview. tors.

The analysis found drops only for The changes in the womb can cause
men in Europe, North America and permanent damage, Swan explained,
Australia and not for those in South while the adult exposures are mostly
America, Asia and Africa. Swan ex- reversible.
plained that this could mean that
there’s something specific to certain The issue of sperm isn’t just about
cultures or regions that affects sperm, having babies.
but that it’s also possible that there just
isn’t enough data yet to draw firm con- It has larger implications for men’s
clusions about the rest of the world. health. Poor sperm health has been
There have been far fewer sperm stud- linked to cardiovascular issues, obe-
ies conducted in non-Western coun- sity, cancer and more generally to
tries. (Some of the most recent ones higher rates of hospitalization and
have also noted a decline in aspects of death. While men’s life expectancy is
increasing overall thanks to advances
in medical care, nutrition and sani-
tation, it isn’t unthinkable that that
could one day reverse.

“Having a low sperm count is a sig-
nal,” Swan said, “that there’s something
wrong in men’s health overall.” 


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