06/15/2023 ISSUE 24

With her sister serving 14 years in state prison for her part in stealing more than a halfmillion from an elderly John’s News 1-12 Arts 35-40 Books 30 Dining 54-58 Editorial 28 Games 31-33 Health 41-49 Insight 23-34 People 13-22 Pets 59 Real Estate 61-72 Style 50-53 June 15, 2023 Volume 16, Issue 24 Newsstand Price $2.00 TO ADVERTISE CALL 772-559-4187 FOR CIRCULATION CALL 772-226-7925 ‘Bed tax’ surplus to be used to boost county tourism budget. P8 Endometrial cancer common, curable. P45 Trader Joe’s a no-go here, at least for now. P10 Buggy Bunch on a roll, fetes growth. P14 © 2023 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved. For breaking news visit The people who are supposed to know about such things say Publix’s proposed construction of a 45,000-square-foot, supermarket-anchored shopping center on State Road 510 will not significantly impact traffic flow in the area. The people who live on the northern half of the barrier island – some of them, anyway – say they don’t believe it. Since February, when Vero Beach 32963 broke the news that Publix was planning to build a store just east of the intersection of 510 and U.S. 1, I’ve received phone calls and emails from concerned island readers, particularly those who live in and adjacent to Orchid. All of them have expressed the same sentiment: Putting a Publix shopping center in that location will only make a bad traffic situation worse. “510 can’t handle the traffic that’s already there,” longtime Ira Hatch dies in prison; defrauded clients of millions Convicted fraudster and disbarred attorney Ira Hatch, 76, died on May 31 in state prison while serving a 30-year sentence for stealing more than $4 million from 700 clients of his law firm and from his Vero Beach company Coastal Escrow. A former Castaway Cove resident who famously enticed escrow clients of the barrier island’s elite real estate professionals with lavish cocktail parties, Hatch was arrested in January 2008 after shuttering Coastal Escrow over Labor Day weekend 2007, leaving home buyers, attorneys, brokers and estates wondering where all the money they entrusted to him had gone. Following an eight-week criminal trial during the summer of 2010, Hatch hastily BY LISA ZAHNER Staff Writer CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 BY LISA ZAHNER Staff Writer Land whoa! County sees multibillion surge in property values Second sister takes plea deal in elder abuse case As his 50th birthday rapidly approaches, County Attorney Dylan Reingold wants to reach for new heights – while he still can. That’s why he notified the County Commission last week BY RAY MCNULTY Staff Writer County Attorney resigns. Next stop: Kilimanjaro CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 MY VERO BY RAY MCNULTY A Publix on 510? Some foresee traffic disaster CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 Indian River County got much more valuable over the past year. The dollar value of property taxed to fill the county’s general operating fund jumped nearly $3 billion, from $23.3 billion to $26.2 billion, a bracing 12.4 percent increase, according to estimates released this month by Property Appraiser Wesley Davis. The tax roll numbers are impressive – $26 billion PHOTO BY JOSHUA KODIS Judge Robert Meadows and Sophia Shepherd, who accepted a plea deal, in court Monday. PHOTOS BY JOSHUA KODIS CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 BY STEVEN M. THOMAS Staff Writer Island couple and their banks, 35-year-old former nursing assistant Sophia Monae Shepherd took a plea deal on Monday just as jury selection had begun for her criminal trial. Shepherd, also known as Sophia Brown, agreed to plead no contest to two felony charges, to serve eight years in state prison and to pay back $20,000 to the victims’ family, and $150,000 to American Express

2 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Orchid Isle Estates resident Steve Lewis said. “Now they want to build a shopping center there? It’ll be a nightmare.” Take it from someone who has been stuck in it: The late afternoon traffic congestion on westbound 510 during the busy winter months is a problem, creating backups that extend over the Wabasso Causeway Bridge and beyond. Sometimes, at the height of the season, the conga line of vehicles can stretch from U.S. 1 to State Road A1A. “January through April, you don’t want to be headed west on 510 between 3 and 5 in the afternoon,” said an Old Orchid resident who identified himself only as “Jim” when he called. “Do they really need to put a store there?” Other callers cited the growing numbers of visitors to Wabasso Causeway Park and the new event pavilion at the Environmental Learning Center, both just east of the Publix site, as well as DiVosta Homes’ 270-roof Harbor Isle community now under construction at southeast corner of the 510-U.S. 1 intersection. Some worried about the combined impact on traffic of a new shopping center and the arrival of the Brightline high-speed trains that will zip through the 510 railroad crossing, located only a few feet west of the U.S. 1 intersection. More than one caller reminded us there’s a Fire Rescue station on 510, across from the Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club, and that emergency vehicles sometimes need to wind their way through the westbound backups to get to U.S. 1. “It’s going to be a disaster,” one island woman said. Publix’s Bridge Marketplace project, however, already has been approved by the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission, which carefully reviewed a traffic study that met the requirements imposed by both the county and Florida Department of Transportation. A Publix spokesperson said she could not provide any information as to when construction would begin. But Ryan Sweeney, the county’s chief of current development, said it’s unlikely work crews will break ground before the last quarter of this year. “They still need a few permits,” he said. As for the plan, Sweeney sent me the staff report that describes the roadway improvements Publix is required to make to accommodate traffic flow along 510 and provide entry to and exit from the shopping center. Those improvements include the construction of a new: Eastbound right-turn lane from 510 onto Harbor Isle Way, which is located on the east end of the 7.5-acre property and will serve as the main road into the shopping center. Westbound left-turn lane from 510 on Harbor Isle Way. Eastbound U-turn lane at the intersection of 510 and Harbor Isle Way. This improvement has the potential to become a left-turn lane to property to the north, if it is ever developed. In addition, Publix must install – at the intersection of 510 and Harbor Isle Way – a traffic signal that Sweeney said will be synchronized with the signal at the U.S. 1 intersection and, in an effort to enhance traffic flow, remain green to eastbound and westbound traffic 80 percent of the time. The new signal also will allow traffic exiting the shopping center to safely turn left onto westbound 510. In case you’re wondering: Yes, the two traffic signals on 510 – at the U.S. 1 and Harbor Isle Way intersections – will be only about one-quarter of a mile apart. But FDOT granted Publix a variance that allows the new signal to be installed only 1,350 feet from the one at the U.S. 1 intersection, rather than the required 1,500 feet. “It doesn’t meet the standard separation distance,” Sweeney said, “but I don’t think eastbound traffic is going to back up to U.S. 1.” DiVosta, meanwhile, was required to build a new turn lane along northbound U.S. 1, south of the 510 intersection, to allow traffic to enter Harbor Isle or veer left onto Mayflower Road, which will loop around the gated community’s perimeter and provide access to the shopping center. “If you’re northbound on U.S. 1, you don’t need to go through the intersection to get to Publix,” Sweeney said, adding that Harbor Isle will have entrances off both U.S. 1 and 510. Sweeney said he understands the island residents’ concerns about the Bridge Marketplace – along with a 34,000-square-foot Publix, the plaza will include a liquor store, four other retail spaces, and a bank with drive-thru service – but he believes the mandated improvements should mitigate much of the potential increase in traffic congestion. “All things being equal, it’s easy to think: It’s bad now, and adding to it only makes it worse,” he said. “But the studies were done, and the plan meets all the requirements.” NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 My Vero

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 3 more than $3.25 million in phantom value not included in the $26 billion tax roll. Altogether, the basic $50,000 homestead reduction and the Save Our Homes damper on value increases excludes more than $10 billion in value from taxation, according to Davis’ office, raising what that office calls the Just Value of real estate in the county to more than $40 billion. But there’s still more value that remains hidden. Davis chief deputy, Mickey Umphrey, told Vero Beach 32963 in an email that there are “44 lines of calculations on each property that are not included in the numbers above ... there are exemptions and many other calculations in the 44 lines of the state report that alter the total.” Using last year’s school board numbers as an example, he said that taxable value for the school board was $25.7 billion, with $7 billion in homestead exempted value not included in that figure. Just Value was $37.5 billion.” So those 44 lines would appear to NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Property values rise CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 worth of real estate isn’t bad for a small, mostly rural county with a population less than 165,000. It translates to more than $150,000 worth of real estate for every man, woman and child, and many of the dogs and cats. But the taxable values are only part of the iceberg. The actual value of real estate in the county is likely twice what the tax rolls reflect, more like $50 billion, with a $5 billion or $6 billion increase from last year, though there is no official number. Homestead exemptions are the biggest reason for the discrepancy between taxable and actual value. Most people are familiar with the $50,000 break residents get for a home they live in full time. If the appraiser values a house at $300,000, the owner only pays taxes on $250,000 if it is homesteaded. Just that protected value amounts to several billion dollars that don’t show on the tax roll. But much more value is “concealed” by the Save Our Homes amendment to the Florida constitution that was approved by voters in 1992 and went into effect in 1994. That amendment and subsequent legislation limit the increase in taxable value for homesteaded properties to 3 percent a year, for the most part, and 10 percent a year for non-homesteaded properties. In a booming real estate market like we have had in the past several years, in which property prices have increased by 50-to-100 percent or more in many cases, a huge amount of untaxable value quickly builds up on the ledger. Here are couple of examples pulled at random from the property appraiser’s highly functional and transparent website, which allows anybody who’s interested to look at property tax details: A house in Wave Three of Castaway Cove was valued by the appraiser’s office in 2022 at $1,320,287, but after homestead exemptions were applied, the taxable value was reduced to $978,454. A home in the 800 block of Riomar Drive was valued at $2,870,398 by the appraiser last year, but with homestead exemptions, only $2,062,867 was taxed. And a house on Ocean Drive valued at $6,474,030 had a taxable value of only $4,303,477 last year, due to homestead protections. For just those three houses, which are not abnormal in beachside neighborhoods where home prices skyrocketed in recent years, that leaves

4 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ add billions more to the actual value of land and buildings in Indian River County. On top of that, there is another huge but uncalculated factor that reduces the ratio of taxable value compared to actual market value. The three houses mentioned above illustrate this differential. The house in Castaway Cove that was valued at $1,320,287 before exemptions in 2022 sold last June for $2.55 million, nearly double the official figure, while the home in the 800 block of Riomar Drive, which was assigned a value of $2,870,398, sold last June for $5.1 million. And the house on Ocean Drive valued by the appraiser’s office at $6,474,030 sold for $13.9 million, more than twice the assigned value. So some value was missed last year. The county valued the three homes at $10.7 million in 2022, with a combined taxable value of $7.34 million, but the live real estate market valued the properties decisively at $21.5 million, nearly three times the taxed value. This year, prices have continued to go up, 11 percent during the first four months of the year compared to last year and increase that is hard to accurately assess in the short term and is only partially reflected in the current tax roll estimate. NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 Property values rise DISCLAIMER: Information published or otherwise provided by Premier Estate Properties, Inc. and its representatives including but not limited to prices, measurements, square footages, lot sizes, calculations and statistics are deemed reliable but are not guaranteed and are subject to errors, omissions or changes without notice. All such information should be independently verified by any prospective purchaser or seller. Parties should perform their own due diligence to verify such information prior to a sale or listing. Premier Estate Properties, Inc. expressly disclaims any warranty or representation regarding such information. Prices published are either list price, sold price, and/or last asking price. Premier Estate Properties, Inc. participates in the Multiple Listing Service and IDX. The properties published as listed and sold are not necessarily exclusive to Premier Estate Properties, Inc. and may be listed or have sold with other members of the Multiple Listing Service. Transactions where Premier Estate Properties, Inc. represented both buyers and sellers are calculated as two sales. Cooperating Brokers are advised that in the event of a Buyer default, no commission will be paid to a cooperating Broker on the Deposits retained by the Seller. No commissions are paid to any cooperating broker until title passes or upon actual commencement of a lease. Some affiliations may not be applicable to certain geographic areas. If your property is currently listed with another broker, please disregard any solicitation for services. Copyright 2022 Premier Estate Properties, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Your Trusted Advisor for Vero Beach Luxury Real Estate 772.234.5555 675 Beachland Boulevard OUR INCOMPARABLE GLOBAL NETWORK 730 LAGOON ROAD $3.95 Million Info:www.V266875.com Bob Niederpruem 772.257.7456 548 CONN WAY $1.78 Million Info:www.V266428.com Brown | Talley 772.234.5148 3 WEST SEA COLONY DRIVE $1.95 Million Info:www.V267725.com Lucy Hendricks 772.234.5093 618 LANTANA LANE $3.995 Million Info:www.V266562.com Brown | Talley 772.234.5148 745 LAGOON ROAD $4.399 Million Info:www.V266550.com Bob Niederpruem 772.257.7456 1025 ANDARELLA WAY $2.799 Million Info:www.V250160.com Brown | Talley 772.234.5148 OPEN HOUSE | SATURDAY 12-3 PM Explore More Of Our Exceptional Vero Beach Collection PremierEstateProperties.com 726 Riomar Drive $3.295 Million Info: www.V263499.com Lange Sykes 772.234.5034

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 5 None of which should be taken as criticism of the property appraiser’s office, where valuations are necessarily backward looking. Davis and Umphrey lead a staff of 38 professionals who work year-round to update values and pave the way for fair and accurate taxation. But they are operating in a complex matrix of state laws and fast-moving market conditions that create an inevitable time lag in valuations. They are on the lookout for tax cheats, such as people who claim homestead exemptions they are not entitled to, but also want to give taxpayers every break they are entitled to, which include exemptions for widows, disabled people, members of the military, charitable groups and certain types of farmland. Since all three of the houses mentioned above were sold last year, much of the value that was missing from the books in 2022 is included in this year’s higher numbers. And the appraisers and analysts in Davis’ office captured much of the increase in the value of other houses in island and mainland neighborhoods, based on the sales prices of houses that changed hands, but they have to be careful and certainly did not capture all of it. The bottom line is the value of real estate in Indian River County is much higher than shown in the tax rolls and the increase in value from last year to this year was huge – which is good news for all concerned. NEWS DISCLAIMER: Information published or otherwise provided by Premier Estate Properties, Inc. and its representatives including but not limited to prices, measurements, square footages, lot sizes, calculations and statistics are deemed reliable but are not guaranteed and are subject to errors, omissions or changes without notice. All such information should be independently verified by any prospective purchaser or seller. Parties should perform their own due diligence to verify such information prior to a sale or listing. Premier Estate Properties, Inc. expressly disclaims any warranty or representation regarding such information. Prices published are either list price, sold price, and/or last asking price. Premier Estate Properties, Inc. participates in the Multiple Listing Service and IDX. The properties published as listed and sold are not necessarily exclusive to Premier Estate Properties, Inc. and may be listed or have sold with other members of the Multiple Listing Service. Transactions where Premier Estate Properties, Inc. represented both buyers and sellers are calculated as two sales. Cooperating Brokers are advised that in the event of a Buyer default, no commission will be paid to a cooperating Broker on the Deposits retained by the Seller. No commissions are paid to any cooperating broker until title passes or upon actual commencement of a lease. Some affiliations may not be applicable to certain geographic areas. If your property is currently listed with another broker, please disregard any solicitation for services. Copyright 2022 Premier Estate Properties, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Your Trusted Advisor for Vero Beach Luxury Real Estate 772.234.5555 675 Beachland Boulevard OUR INCOMPARABLE GLOBAL NETWORK 730 LAGOON ROAD $3.95 Million Info:www.V266875.com Bob Niederpruem 772.257.7456 548 CONN WAY $1.78 Million Info:www.V266428.com Brown | Talley 772.234.5148 3 WEST SEA COLONY DRIVE $1.95 Million Info:www.V267725.com Lucy Hendricks 772.234.5093 618 LANTANA LANE $3.995 Million Info:www.V266562.com Brown | Talley 772.234.5148 745 LAGOON ROAD $4.399 Million Info:www.V266550.com Bob Niederpruem 772.257.7456 1025 ANDARELLA WAY $2.799 Million Info:www.V250160.com Brown | Talley 772.234.5148 OPEN HOUSE | SATURDAY 12-3 PM Explore More Of Our Exceptional Vero Beach Collection PremierEstateProperties.com 726 Riomar Drive $3.295 Million Info: www.V263499.com Lange Sykes 772.234.5034

6 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ of his intention to resign from his $194,000 job (plus benefits) to pursue his longtime dream of traveling to Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa at 19,341 feet. Reingold, an Indian River Shores resident who has served as the county’s chief legal counsel for the past 10 years, said his last day in the job will be in late July or early August. His resignation comes one month after the commissioners unanimously approved a new one-year contract. “This is something that has been on my mind for a long time, but I wasn’t ready to pull the trigger,” Reingold said last week. “The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized I need to do it now, while I’m still physically able and can enjoy it. “I’m going to be 50 next month, and while I’m healthy, fit and I feel good, I know it’s only a matter of time before I start developing the aches and pains,” he added. “So if I don’t do it now, it’s probably never going to happen. “We don’t have children. We can make it work, financially. Now is the time.” In addition to climbing Kilimanjaro in September and then going on an African safari with his wife, Reingold said he plans to fly to Nepal to join a Mount Everest base camp next March. He said he won’t dare attempt to climb to Everest’s peak – at more than 29,032 feet, it’s the world’s tallest mountain – but he does plan to trek along various trails in the Himalayas. To prepare, Reingold said he’ll need to train to get his body in shape for the rigors of those adventures, as well as acclimate to high altitudes, so he plans to go to the mountains of either New Mexico or Montana this summer. “Coming from Florida, it’s going to take some time to adjust to being at altitude,” he said. “Fortunately, my family has a house in Sante Fe, and my wife has a friend in Montana.” Reingold said he plans to take some down time when he returns from Africa before revving up his training in February for the Everest trip. He knows what he needs to do to prepare. In 2012, Reingold climbed to the summit of Washington’s Mount Rainier, the fifth-tallest – and most glaciated – mountain in the Lower 48. Less than three weeks later, he went on a 10-day trek through the Andes in Peru. “It was right after I met my wife,” he said, “and right before I took the job here.” An experienced rock climber, Reingold also has climbed and competed at several of the sport’s top sites across America: Joshua Tree and Yosemite national parks in California, Devil’s Tower in Wyoming and the Adirondack Mountains in New York, as well as in Tennessee, North Carolina and Alabama. In fact, he contributed to a book – “Fifty Places to Rock Climb Before You Die,” an illustrated guide to some of the world’s best rock-climbing locations – submitting his review of Horse Pens 40, which sits atop Chandler Mountain in northern Alabama and is considered one of the top bouldering sites in the southeastern United States. As for what he will do after he returns from Mount Everest, Reingold isn’t sure. “I really don’t know what post-March 2024 looks like,” he said. “I haven’t gone deep on that yet. I’m sure I’ll be a regularly employed lawyer somewhere, but I don’t have anything lined up. I do know my wife and I still plan to live here.” Would Reingold return to his soonto-be-former job if the situation arose? “I honestly haven’t thought about it,” he said. “I’m not opposed to it. It’s certainly something I’d consider.” Commission Chairman Joe Earman said the county needs to find a new county attorney to help address the many challenges confronting the area as a result of the surge in population and development the past three years. Earman said Reingold’s resignation will be discussed at next week’s meeting, with the search for his replacement expected to begin immediately and Deputy County Attorney William DeBraal likely to serve in the interim. Earman said he was surprised when Reingold told him of his plans. “It caught me completely off-guard, and while I’m happy for him, I hate to see him leave, because he has been a great asset to the county,” Earman said. “He’s not only a really good attorney, he’s very good at negotiating, especially in situations where cooler heads need to prevail.” Reingold, who started on July 1, 2013, said he has enjoyed his 10 years here and will miss working with the commissioners and other county staffers. He said he expects the vacancy to attract plenty of strong candidates. “This is a wonderful community,” he said. “Anyone would be lucky to have this position.” Reingold’s resignation follows a months-long search by the county to replace former county administrator Jason Brown, who left in December to take a job in the Clerk of the Court’s finance department. Brown, like Reingold, resigned for personal reasons, citing job stress and the desire to spend more time with his family. NEWS The Finest Pre-Owned Rolex Watches Le Classique Jewelers and Watchmakers Every Rolex watch comes backed with our 1 year warranty. All Rolex service and repairs are done on premises. Get the Best Price For Your Pre-Owned Rolex We are proud to deliver exceptional customer service and high value offers for your pre-owned Rolex. As your trusted and reputable local jeweler, we make selling your watch a smooth experience with our guaranteed offers. Prices Upon Request 3001 Ocean Drive # 105, Vero Beach, FL 32963 772-231-2060 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Dylan Reingold resigns

8 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ changed his plea while the jury was out deliberating. Convicted on first-degree felony charges, Hatch was sentenced to serve at least 85 percent of a 30-year sentence, minus 21 months credit for time served. Retired assistant state attorney Lev Evans, who prosecuted the case with co-counsel Ryan Butler, said the Hatch case was one of the most complex financial crimes he’d worked on in his career and definitely the longest trial. Numerous victims testified in court to losing their life savings, which they had left with Hatch for safe keeping pending the purchase of a home. Realtors also lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in rental deposits they’d placed with Coastal Escrow. When the market was booming, Hatch was able to replace the money he was stealing with funds from new depositors. But when the real estate and mortgage markets crashed, the scheme began to unravel. Withdrawals outnumbered new deposits and soon the accounts were drained. Longtime husband of Marjorie Hatch – who was deeply involved in the business yet not charged with any crimes – Ira Hatch quietly divorced his wife from jail while awaiting trial, signing over all of the couple’s assets to her while taking on all of their liabilities. After Ira reported to state prison, Marjorie Hatch sold their waterfront home on Winding River Road – which as the couple’s homestead, had been exempt from seizure – for $1.06 million in September 2011 and left the Vero Beach area to live in Gainesville. According to Alachua County property records, Marjorie still owns the fivebedroom, three-bath, 3,100-squarefoot home she purchased in September 2011 in Gainesville’s Ridgemont subdivision. While their father was siphoning off clients’ money to pay for the Hatch family’s lavish lifestyle, son Rory Hatch was attending Rice University and daughter Danielle Hatch (now Eisenmenger) was studying at the University of Florida Levin College of Law. Records show upwards of $200,000 per year from client deposits ended up in the accounts that Hatch used to pay his mortgage, the lease payments on family members’ BMWs, and his children’s college tuition. Meanwhile victims lost tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of dollars. Vero Beach civil attorney Louis B. “Buck” Vocelle represented clients who sought recompense for losses, including one family who had deposited more than $1 million from an estate into Hatch’s escrow account while probate was being settled. Vocelle would not comment on Hatch’s death, but said he stands by his victim impact statement for Hatch’s sentencing, an except of which was published in Vero Beach 32963 in 2010. “Because of Mr. Hatch’s status as a lawyer, he was able to convince Vero Beach’s most respected realtors ... to place their escrow deposits in his escrow company,” Vocelle wrote. His victims assumed that since Hatch was an attorney, there was some measure of regulation of the trust accounts, which allowed Hatch to steal wantonly, he said. “I realize that the Court may have a concern that if a 30-year sentence is imposed, Mr. Hatch will ultimately die in prison,” Vocelle wrote. “If it is any consolation to the Court, I am in agreement with those victims whom I represent, who are also my friends and colleagues, that if Mr. Hatch’s sentence is ultimately cut short as the result of premature or untimely death, we will not complain; nor should the Court.” No cause of death was provided in the letter certain victims received from the Florida Department of Corrections. It’s been a banner tourist season for Vero Beach and last week, the Indian River Board of County Commissioners got to solve an easy government problem – what to do with higher-thanexpected revenues from the 4 percent hotel “bed tax.” The Tourist Development Council’s $1.4 million budget was fully funded and then some by bed tax receipts.But with the $869,000 excess, the commissioners went with the staff’s recommendation to boost the tourist council’ 2023-24 budget by 17 percent. The tourist council then recommended allocating $214,420 – which would otherwise be cash-forward reserves – to the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce. Two commissioners, Laura Moss and Deryl Loar, were hesitant about handing the increase to the Chamber, instead suggesting the funds be banked NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Ira Hatch dies in prison ‘Bed tax’ surplus to benefit county tourism BY CASEY STAVENHAGEN Staff Writer

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 9 NEWS for a potential economic downturn. “You’re talking over 40 percent increase [to the Chamber]. We’re getting into some tough times that you’re going to see,” Loar said. However, the continual increase of tourism hear suggests that additional funds to the agency yields a return on investment. Additionally, the TDC has a rainy day fund where approximately $2.5 million resides that could be used in an economic slump. “We are facing uncertain times right now, but you have to look at the track record of what all of our community partners have done in tourism and how we’re able to collect four cents on a head to bed to equate nearly $4 million,” Commissioner Joseph Flescher said. “And I know there’s talk of five [cents] … It’ll only increase the abundance.” The City of Vero Beach has been seeking a slice of bed tax revenues to use for emergency dune repairs, but in more than a decade of asking, city officials have been sent away emptyhanded time and time again. CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

10 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Maybe you heard the buzz last week about the possibility of a Trader Joe’s grocery store coming to Vero Beach. Turns out, the noise was nothing more than wishful thinking. According to City Planning and Development Director Jason Jeffries, the California-based chain has no plans to open a store here – not in the foreseeable future, anyway. “I don’t know where she came up with Trader Joe’s,” Jeffries said, “other than a lot of people have expressed a desire to have a store here.” The “she” to whom Jeffries was referring was is Irina Woelfle, a Vero Beach resident, founder of a local boutique public-relations and marketing firm, NEWS Despite chatter, a Trader Joe’s here is a no-go... for now BY RAY MCNULTY Staff Writer CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 ‘Bed tax’ surplus CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Plea deal Commissioners ultimately decided to approve the tourist council’s recommendation, allocating the sum to the chamber. Loar and Moss dissented in the 3-2 vote. Commission chair Joe Earman then presented his proposal for the county to increase its tourist tax from 4 percent to 5 percent to produce even more funds for enhancing county beaches. Eventually, commissioners unanimously directed staff to gather more information and come back to a future meeting with a presentation. for the luxury items, trips and services she charged to the platinum card belonging to Michelina Martinelli and her late husband Alfred. The two octogenarians were in the sisters’ care as Shepherd and McGee were hired on as CNAs to work in the Martinelli home. McGee and Shepherd had access to the Martinellis’ credit cards to purchase needed items for the couple’s care and health. In addition to those essentials, they charged clothing, jewelry, shoes, electronics, casino junkets to South Florida, cruises, a trip to New York City, a hotel stay at The Plaza, the rental of a Rolls Royce and even cosmetic surgery. Indian River Shores Public Safety officers seized a roomful of ill-gotten merchandise from McGee and Shepherd, including televisions, Apple watches, and dozens of pairs of high-priced sneakers, many still in the box. Court records show that over a ninemonth period, Shepherd stole more than $200,000 from the Martinellis on top of the more than $300,000 her sister Chiquita Lashae McGee is serving time for stealing. Shores Deputy Chief Mark Shaw, who oversaw the investigation, praised the detectives’ perseverance in building a strong case that led to two pleas. “Exploitation of the elderly in our community will not be tolerated and we will leave no stone unturned in order for justice to be served,” Shaw said. Despite the severity of the felony charges they were facing, both McGee and Shepherd were released on bail and had been out free since their 2018 arrests. Accommodations were made so they could volunteer at their children’s schools while under community control pre-trial release. Even after entering her plea, Shepherd is still free while awaiting sentencing. Judge Robert Meadows scheduled a sentencing hearing for Sept. 14 and ordered a routine pre-sentencing investigation, which will tell him what Shepherd’s recommended sentence would be had she gone to trial and been convicted, based upon various details of her life and her lack of prior criminal history. The maximum sentence for the two felony counts in her plea is 45 years in prison. Meadows is not duty bound to follow the sentence that Shepherd, her defense attorney and the prosecutor negotiated, but if he hands down a harsher sentence, Shepherd can withdraw her plea and take her chances with a jury trial. Seventy-five potential jurors had been called up for the case, which has received a decent amount of publicity since the sisters were arrested in 2018. Just a few minutes into jury selection, the proceedings stopped, the jurors were escorted out and the attorneys notified Meadows of the change of plea.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 11 ‘Rapid response’on beach erosion puts county in better position to replenish BY CASEY STAVENHAGEN Staff Writer NEWS and creator of the “Let’s Talk Vero” website, which she uses to conduct surveys on high-profile development issues in the community. On June 3, Woelfle posted on her website a 10-question survey under the headline: “What kind of retail would you like to see in the future for Vero Beach? Trader Joe’s tops the list – that we know. What else would you like to see? That was followed by the survey’s first question: “We’ve been told one of the things Trader Joe’s takes into consideration when contemplating a new location is community demand. So here’s your chance to register interest. Do you want to see a Trader Joe’s in Vero Beach?” There was no mention of Trader Joe’s in the remainder of the survey, which went on to ask respondents to identify the types of retail establishments they’d like to see in downtown Vero Beach, how often they shop downtown and whether “upgraded and improved shopping, dining and strolling experiences” would increase the likelihood that downtown would become a destination for them. The survey also asked what scale of retail development would they like to see downtown, along Ocean Drive and at the planned Three Corners site, then requested the names, addresses and email addresses of the respondents. Woelfle planned to share the survey’s results with Vero Beach Mayor John Cotugno and make them public this week, then send them to nationally acclaimed urban retail planner Bob Gibbs, whom the city has hired to conduct a retail market study. Jeffries said Gibbs’ findings and recommendations will be presented to the City Council in August and will be used in Vero Beach’s efforts to devise a master plan for future development of its downtown area. Gibbs’ study will encompass all potential retail sites in the city, including the Ocean Drive business district and Three Corners project. “He’s collecting data citywide,” Jeffries said, “because as we develop different destinations, we need to make sure they don’t compete with and cannibalize each other.” Ideally, Jeffries said, the offerings in downtown Vero, along Ocean Drive and at Three Corners should be different enough to attract people for different reasons. How does Trader Joe’s fit into Gibbs’ study? It doesn’t – at least not yet – but Woelfle remembered the public support expressed for the wildly popular grocery store chain during the Three Corners charrette process in 2019. “Everybody wanted a store at the old Post Office annex site,” she said. “It was a constant refrain.” Woelfle knew that putting Trader Joe’s atop her most recent survey would grab attention and generate a greater response. “I led with Trader Joe’s for three reasons,” she explained. “One, because if I hadn’t led with it, everyone would have said, ‘Trader Joe’s,” and we already know that. I wanted to acknowledge it and then get them thinking about, ‘What else?’ “Two, to get a more accurate read on the percentage of people who want Trader Joe’s,” she added. “Three, it can’t hurt to share that data with Trader Joe’s.” Her main objective, though, was to collect information – as to what the community wants and doesn’t want – that she could share with Gibbs in the early phases of his study. As of Sunday, Woelfle said, she had received 1,300 responses to the survey, and she expected at least another 200 before the final tally today (Thursday). She said 97 percent of the respondents want Trader Joe’s to come to Vero Beach. Several hundred respondents checked the “Other” box, with Aldi’s also a popular choice. “What they don’t want in downtown Vero Beach is big-box,” Woelfle said. “That’s pretty close to unanimous.” Having learned from prior storm seasons, Indian River County has retained engineers to rapidly document any beach erosion so the county in the future can be first in line for emergency sand, and for grant funding to replenish the shore. After two storms made landfall in Florida in 2022, affecting nearly every coastal county in the state, mined CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

12 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ sand processed to beach-quality specifications became scarce, and so did the dump trucks needed to haul the sand to jobsites. Hundreds of millions in Florida Department of Environmental Protection funding for storm-ravaged beaches was announced at a moment’s notice by Gov. Ron DeSantis, but only projects that were surveyed, engineered and ready to go got the money. Mindful of this, the County Commission approved two future beach profile surveys, contracted with Morgan and Eklund, Inc., last Tuesday. “Approving these efforts up front will save valuable time in reacting after an event, and will better position the County for a rapid response,” reads a staff report. The surveys, costing $120,000, can be conducted following “post-significant erosional event(s),” according to the report. The conditions for the contract require that Morgan and Eklund, Inc. complete and deliver its survey within 100 days of a notice to proceed from the county. The contract is active for a two-year period. Ryan Butler, one of the seasoned prosecutors who put fraudster Ira Hatch behind bars, has been appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to be Indian River County’s Clerk of the Court and Comptroller for the next 19 months, filling out the balance of Jeff Smith’s term. Butler left the State Attorney’s Office in 2020 to become Smith’s chief deputy and general counsel. “Jeff knew he wasn’t going to run again. He brought me on to learn the side of the clerk’s office that I wasn’t familiar with from working in the court system,” Butler said. “Clerks have literally 1,000 statutory duties, but 70 percent of our personnel and our budget is on the courts side.” The other 30 percent of the job entails auditing all the county agencies, keeping inventories of county capital assets, and guarding against fraud and abuse of county funds and property. The agency also serves as clerk to the Board of County Commissioners. While working together the past three years, Smith and Butler have modernized the court records system to make more documents available online and made numerous frequently used forms available online to help pro se litigants who do not have an attorney. Butler said they’ve also streamlined some of the court processes to increase efficiency and to be more user-friendly for everyone who uses the court system. The evidence system has also been revamped so there are electronicfiled versions of paper exhibits. Butler, 53, will need to qualify and run in the 2024 Republican primary if he wants to stay in office. Beyond being a Vero Beach native, Butler holds degrees from Duke University and the University of Florida Levin School of Law. After a stint in private practice, Butler signed on with State Attorney Bruce Colton in 1995, moving up through the ranks from juvenile cases to misdemeanor supervisor in 1997. He’s worked felony and major economic crimes in Florida and Colorado, and for a five-year period he served as a federal prosector while on loan from the 19th Circuit. NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 Beach erosion surveys If you can picture it, we can build it. Interior & Exterior Painting Flooring Installation Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling Countertops Minor Electrical & Plumbing Custom Woodworking And Much More! Give us a call today! Showroom: 953 Old Dixie Hwy, Ste. 4 & 5 Vero Beach, FL 32960 Workshop: 6745 N. Old Dixie Hwy, Unit 4, Fort Pierce, FL 34946 Hours: Mon-Fri • 8AM to 5PM (772) 321-7390 Check out our Easy-To-Navigate Website with Colors, Styles and Photos of our work treasurecoasthomeimprovement.com Ryan Butler appointed clerk of the court BY LISA ZAHNER Staff Writer

GRAND HARBOR OUTREACH AWARDS: A ‘CELEBRATION OF SUCCESS’ P. 21 Tina Wilcox, Al Gallo, Liz Crowther, Janine Nebons, MaryAnn Braden, Barbara Reis and Marianne Gallo.

14 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 PEOPLE Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Buggy Bunch supporters gathered at the Vero Beach Museum of Art to enjoy a Night at the Museum, celebrating the remarkable growth of the organization since its founding in 2009. Tara Wright, Buggy Bunch executive director, said they are seeing an average of 10 to 15 new moms a week at their Buggy Bunch Family Center. In 2022 they served more than 3,700 men, women and children and provided some 27,000 diapers to families in need. “We provide weekly educational playgroups that are just as important for the mother as they are for the child. We offer a single mom support group, teen mom support, financial classes, various Bible studies, health and fitness classes, marriage building opportunities, parenting seminars, park playgroups, and our diaper closet. And all of our services are free,” said Wright. “Each day we are encountering moms from every socioeconomic background, every religious, nonreligious background, every phase of life,” said Wright. “On behalf of the board of directors, the staff and the families that we serve, I truly thank you for helping us by touching hearts, changing lives and impacting families.” Co-founder and board member Erin Refsland said it all began with four mothers, who had met in a Bible study group and would walk the Barber Bridge with their babies in strollers, while talking about whatever was on their minds. After noticing another group of mothers exercising and learning that it cost $10 a class, they decided to start a free group. “Our eyes were opened to the amount of moms that felt alone and isolated,” said Refsland. As word spread, churches and businesses began offering space and volunteers helped with childcare. “Over time, we could tell God was doing something big with this organization, and when we needed financial support, our generous and beloved donors came through just when we needed it,” said Refsland. “The women at the Buggy Bunch have been my family’s rock and have prayed so, so much for my children,” said Nicole Campanelli, who discovered the nonprofit during COVID. In February 2022 she said, “I felt the Holy Spirit was screaming at me to go home and check on the baby.” She did and found her 18-monthold son unresponsive. He was airlifted to Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando where they discovered brain damage to the cerebellum. Doctors didn’t know if he would be able to walk, talk, speak or swallow, but he continues to improve through hyperbaric oxygen therapy. “Tommy had an army of people praying for him and it worked,” said Campanelli. Remarkably, a benefactor donated a hyperbaric chamber to the Buggy Bunch for her to use. “I knew right then that God was providing exactly what we needed to help continue to heal my son. As a single mother raising two small boys, I am so grateful for this resource, for our family, and for the relationships I’ve gained coming here for the last three years. I cannot begin to express my gratitude for the Buggy Bunch and the lifeline that they’ve been for our family, especially for helping to save my sanity in a world that had gone crazy.” Secretary Shevaun Harris of the Florida Department of Children and Families, spoke about Hope Buggy Bunch on a roll, fetes growth with museum event BY MARY SCHENKEL Staff Writer Jamie Miller with Jean and Bill Borduin. PHOTOS: JOSHUA KODIS Shevaun Harris, Justine Hicks and Nicole Campanelli. Erin Refsland with Sean and Kathy Minix. Carolyn Walker with Reida and Gene Lewis, and Sandy and Bob Brackett. Michele Land, Brooke Marotta and April Muller. Steven and Tracey Offill with Melissa and Nick Carter. Helen and Andy Bowler with Cyndy Hazlewood. PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

PEOPLE Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 15 Florida – A Pathway to Prosperity, spearheaded by Casey DeSantis, wife of Gov. Ron DeSantis, and implemented by DCF and the Florida Department of Elder Affairs in collaboration with the private sector, faith-based communities, nonprofits and government entities. Hope Florida has transformed the way DCF engages with families by using Hope Navigators who form relationships with individuals and families, creating customized plans to connect them with the services they need to meet their individual goals. They have served more than 54,000 families over the past 18 months, including employment, educational and vocational resources, housing, childcare, reduced reliance on public assistance benefits, and those referred by child protective investigators. “We want them to be able to thrive and be economically self-sufficient,” said Harris. For more information, visit TheBuggyBunch.com.

16 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 PEOPLE Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Hope Wright and Taitem Graves. Ryan and Sarah Cobb with John Moore. Sue Dean, Milo Thornton and Carolyn Walker. Deb and Rich Brenner with Bill and Jean Borduin. Trudie Rainone and Elke Fetterolf. Dr. Jonathan and Lauren Braue with Ana and Andy Beindorf. Ruth and Murray Martin. Ashley and Salomon Velazquez. Marie and Robert Fitzgerald with Donna Palmquist. PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

PEOPLE Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 17 The United Way of Indian River County feted its Alexis de Tocqueville and Leadership Society members during a cocktail reception hosted by Northern Trust. “We’re here to celebrate all of you de Tocqueville Society members and show gratitude for the incredible giving spirit that’s impacted and improved so many lives in this community,” said Matthew Rundels, Northern Trust senior vice president and managing director. The worldwide de Tocqueville Society, established in 1984, is named for the French historian and author Alexis de Tocqueville, who, after studying American society in 1831, praised the nation for its sense of volunteerism and spirit of giving. Locally, the society began with three donors, which accounted for 3 percent of the United Way’s campaign, explained Jessica Schmitt, UW director of philanthropy. “Last year, de Tocqueville Society counted 74 donors and provided 40 percent of the funding for the annual campaign. This growth is due to the generosity of this community and the power of passionate donors sharing their commitment with their friends and neighbors,” said Schmitt. She thanked de Tocqueville chairs Fritz and Gay Blaicher for their tireless efforts toward growing this “vital group of donors.” Fritz Blaicher wore a green jacket to honor Publix, the single largest contributor to the United Way, whose combined employee and corporate gifts average between $450,000 and $500,000. “You are changing lives and making Indian River County a healthier place to live. Where families can become financially stable, and children can have access to quality education. Your investment ensures everyone can thrive,” said Schmitt. “I am deeply grateful for your engagement in our efforts to address the most urgent challenges facing our community today,” said Meredith Egan, UW CEO. “It reflects United Way’s belief that everyone deserves a chance to succeed, has a responsibility to act and that we all do better when we work together.” She said that despite the unimagined challenges of the past few years, the power of their work has never been stronger. “Faced with a once-in-a-generation challenge, we have stepped up with your help. Because of you, United Way is supporting 45 vital programs and 36 partner agencies that focus on the education, financial stability, and health of the individuals and families across our community,” said Egan. The most recent ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) report on April 26, 2023, showed that 45 percent of the households in Indian River County struggle to pay for basic needs. Egan said they have seen a 30 percent increase in funding requests in education alone. “No matter what lies ahead, our commitment to the health, education and financial stability of every person in this community will reign. We are uniquely positioned to spring to action and create solutions,” said Egan. She stressed that organizations need to “communicate, collaborate and share the struggles” to overcome identified barriers, and that strategic partnerships can be forged to build sustainable and viable solutions. “We are changing the way we work and leading the co-development of holistic solutions to solve the complex problems facing our community,” said Egan. An example is the Access to Justice Initiative, cooperatively launched by the United Way, John’s Island Community Service League, John’s Island FounGay and Fritz Blaicher with Sue White. George Kazda, Deborah Hawkins and Denise Smith. Bob and Janet Hoffman with Ted Michael. PHOTOS: JOSHUA KODIS Grateful United Way gives it up for ‘de Tocqueville’ donors BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF Staff Writer Tim and Cindy Hultquist, Dennis and Ellen Ferro and Ned Dayton. STORY, PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGES 18-20

18 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 PEOPLE Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ dation, Indian River County Clerk of the Court and the Court Administration, to support legal services. Judge Cynthia Cox spoke about the impact that initiative will have on people who find themselves lost in the judicial system. Another program, the Mental Health Court, has already saved taxpayers millions of dollars in bed recidivism and reincarceration costs. “It’s very expensive for us as taxpayers to have these people that really haven’t done anything wrong, other than be mentally ill, sit in jail for months at a time,” said Cox, noting that medications alone for a mentally ill incarcerated individual can cost $125 a day. She said their Mental Health Court program includes housing, job placement, medication, transportation and benefits, all monitored by case managers, so that those with mental health issues can leave jail and enter society with a support system in place. For more information, visit UnitedWayIRC.org.

20 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 PEOPLE Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Greg and Angela Nelson with John Moore. Marybeth and Chuck Cunningham. Barbara Hauptfuhrer and Anne Posey. Stuart Hirstein and Dillon Roberts. Chad and Lisa Morrison with Ryan Cobb. Jim and Julia Keenan. PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

PEOPLE Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 21 The Grand Harbor Community Outreach Program supports local nonprofits that Reach for the Stars to address the unmet needs of groups and individuals by providing pro - grams and services in the areas of health, education and human ser - vices. During an Awards Breakfast at the Grand Harbor Clubhouse, the Com - munity Outreach Program awarded a total of $486,000 in grants to 30 nonprofits, a 23 percent increase over last year’s disbursement, and three nonprofits had been added to the list of recipients. “We hope you use this opportu - nity to talk about common problems and issues, concerns and how you can further collaborate,” said Tina Wilcox, GHCOP committee co-chair with Al Gallo, explaining that the morning get-together offered every - one a chance to celebrate their work. “You people are really awesome. Every year when our volunteers re - turn from their site visits, they talk about the people they met who work at your agencies and the clients and patients they came in contact with. They appreciate your focus, profes - sionalism, kindness, dedication and, most of all, after the last two or three years, your perseverance in achiev - ing your mission,” said Wilcox. “Today is a wonderful celebration of success. Your success, our suc - cess, and the success of our donors,” said Gallo. He explained that the grant funds are generated within the Grand Har - bor community, raised through an annual fund campaign, their Evening of Giving, a gala dinner and a golf classic. “This year, we received your mes - sage that you need more dollars to accomplish your mission. You are our eyes and ears in the communi - ty,” said Gallo. He added that some of the nonprofits were receiving more funds than they had expected, following limitations that had been placed during COVID. “With the success of our fundrais - ing and recognizing the incredible growth of needs that have occurred, partially as a result of COVID, we re - moved some of those constraints so that many of you are receiving mon - ey in excess of what you had previ - ously been awarded.” Increases were made based on per - formance reports by the nonprofits themselves, as well as recommenda - tions made by the United Way of In - dian River County. Additionally, Liz Crowther, GHCOP board president, noted that the board had established a strategic fund in the event of any special needs by the nonprofits. “We have been working with many of you for 20 years. We believe in your mission and your capacity to deliver that mission. We are here for you and want you to know that we are open 12 months of the year,” said Crowther. “We are so proud of the collective impact you make in our community.” For more information, visit ghcop. org. Grand Harbor Outreach awards: A ‘celebration of success’ BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF Staff Writer GHCOP GRANT RECIPIENTS Alzheimer and Parkinson Associa - tion, Arc of Indian River County, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Camp Haven, Childcare Resources, Children’s Home Society, Crossover Mission, Economic Opportunities Council, Gifford Youth Achievement Cen - ter, Habitat for Humanity, Healthy Start Coalition, Hibiscus Children’s Center, Hope for Families Center, Literacy Services, Mental Health As - sociation, Our Father’s Table, Safe Families for Children, Samaritan Center, Senior Resource Associa - tion, The Source, Special Equestri - ans, Substance Awareness Center, Sunshine Physical Therapy, The Learning Alliance, Treasure Coast Community Health, Tykes and Teens, United Against Poverty, Vet - erans Council, Visiting Nurse Asso - ciation and Youth Guidance Men - toring Academy. Katrena McMahan and Shannon Maitland.

22 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 PEOPLE Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Kathy Tonkel and Janis Case. Carol Kanarek and Phil Barnes. Sherri Watkins and Karen Johnson. Deborah Taylor-Long and Angelia Perry. Marley Butcher, Carrie Maynard-Lester and Bob Marshall. Cynthia Ryan, Shannon McGuire Bowman and Diane DeFrancisci. PHOTOS: JOSHUA KODIS Judi Miller, Anne Posey, Linda Kloss and Vicki Soule. PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

The school bus was displaying its stop sign and flashing red warning lights, a police report said, when Tillman Mitchell, 17, stepped off one afternoon in March. Then a Tesla Model Y approached on North Carolina Highway 561. The car – allegedly in Autopilot mode – never slowed down. It struck Mitchell at 45 mph. The teenager was thrown into the windshield, flew into the air and landed face down in the road, according to his great-aunt, Dorothy Lynch. Mitchell’s father heard the crash and rushed from his porch to find his son lying in the middle of the road. “If it had been a smaller child,” Lynch said, “the child would be dead.” The crash in North Carolina’s Halifax County, where a futuristic technology came barreling down a rural highway with devastating consequences, was one of 736 U.S. crashes since 2019 involving Teslas in Autopilot mode – far more than previously reported, according to a Washington Post analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data. The number of such crashes has surged over the past four years, the data shows, reflecting the hazards associated with increasingly widespread use of Tesla’s futuristic driver-assistance technology as well as the growing presence of the cars on the nation’s roadways. The number of deaths and serious injuries associated with Autopilot also has grown significantly, the data shows. When authorities first released a partial accounting of accidents involving Autopilot in June 2022, they counted only three deaths definitively linked to the technology. The most recent data includes at least 17 fatal incidents, 11 of them since last May, and five serious injuries. Mitchell survived the March crash but suffered a fractured neck and a broken leg and had to be placed on a ventilator. He still suffers from memory problems and has trouble walking. His greataunt said the incident should serve as a warning about the dangers of the technology. “I pray that this is a learning process,” Lynch said. “People are too trusting when it comes to a piece of machinery.” Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said that cars operating in Tesla’s Autopilot mode are safer than those piloted solely by human drivers, citing crash rates when the modes of driving are compared. He has pushed the carmaker to develop and deploy features programmed to maneuver the roads – navigating stopped school buses, fire engines, stop signs and pedestrians – arguing that the technology will usher in a safer, virtually accident-free future. While it’s impossible to say how many crashes may have been averted, the data shows clear flaws in the technology being tested in real time on America’s highways.

COVER STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 Tesla’s 17 fatal crashes reveal distinct patterns, The Post found: Four involved a motorcycle. An - other involved an emergency vehicle. Meanwhile, some of Musk’s decisions – such as widely ex - panding the availability of the features and strip - ping the vehicles of radar sensors – appear to have contributed to the reported uptick in incidents, according to experts who spoke with The Post. Tesla and Elon Musk did not respond to a re - quest for comment. NHTSA said a report of a crash involving driverassistance does not itself imply that the technology was the cause. “NHTSA has an active investigation into Tesla Autopilot, including Full-Self Driving,” spokeswoman Veronica Morales said, noting the agency doesn’t comment on open in - vestigations. “NHTSA reminds the public that all advanced driver assistance systems require the human driver to be in control and fully engaged in the driving task at all times. Accordingly, all state laws hold the human driver responsible for the operation of their vehicles.” Musk has repeatedly defended his decision to push driver-assistance technologies to Tesla own - ers, arguing that the benefit outweighs the harm. “At the point of which you believe that adding autonomy reduces injury and death, I think you have a moral obligation to deploy it even though you’re going to get sued and blamed by a lot of people,” Musk said last year. “Because the people whose lives you saved don’t know that their lives were saved. And the people who do occasionally die or get injured, they definitely know – or their state does.” Former NHTSA senior safety adviser Missy Cummings, a professor at George Mason Univer - sity’s College of Engineering and Computing, said the surge in Tesla crashes is troubling. “Tesla is having more severe – and fatal – crash -

es than people in a normal data set,” she said in response to the figures analyzed by The Post. One likely cause, she said, is the expanded rollout over the past year and a half of Full Self-Driving, which brings driver-assistance to city and residential streets. “The fact that … anybody and everybody can have it. … Is it reasonable to expect that might be leading to increased accident rates? Sure, absolutely.” Cummings said the number of fatalities compared to overall crashes was also a concern. It is unclear whether the data captures every crash involving Tesla’s driver-assistance systems. NHTSA’s data includes some incidents where it is “unknown” whether Autopilot or Full Self-Driving was in use. Those include three fatalities, including one last year. NHTSA, the nation’s top auto safety regulator, began collecting the data after a federal order in 2021 required automakers to disclose crashes involving driver-assistance technology. The total number of crashes involving the technology is minuscule compared with all road incidents; NHTSA estimates that more than 40,000 people died in wrecks of all kinds last year. Since the reporting requirements were introduced, the vast majority of the 807 automationrelated crashes have involved Tesla, the data show. Tesla – which has experimented more aggressively with automation than other automakers – also is linked to almost all of the deaths. Subaru ranks second with 23 reported crashes since 2019. The enormous gulf probably reflects wider deployment and use of automation across Tesla’s fleet of vehicles, as well as the wider range of circumstances in which Tesla drivers are encouraged to use Autopilot. Autopilot, which Tesla introduced in 2014, is a suite of features that enable the car to maneuver itself from highway on-ramp to off-ramp, maintaining speed and distance behind other vehicles and following lane lines. Tesla offers it as a standard feature on its vehicles, of which more than 800,000 are equipped with Autopilot on U.S. roads, though advanced iterations come at a cost. Full Self-Driving, an experimental feature that customers must purchase, allows Teslas to maneuver from point A to B by following turn-byturn directions along a route, halting for stop signs and traffic lights, making turns and lane changes, and responding to hazards along the way. With either system, Tesla says drivers must monitor the road and intervene when necessary. The uptick in crashes coincides with Tesla’s aggressive rollout of Full Self-Driving, which has expanded from around 12,000 users to nearly 400,000 in a little more than a year. Nearly twothirds of all driver-assistance crashes that Tesla has reported to NHTSA occurred in the past year. Philip Koopman, a Carnegie Mellon University professor who has conducted research on autonomous vehicle safety for 25 years, said the prevalence of Teslas in the data raises crucial questions. “A significantly higher number certainly is a cause for concern,” he said. “We need to understand if it’s due to actually worse crashes or if there’s some other factor such as a dramatically larger number of miles being driven with Autopilot on.” In February, Tesla issued a recall of more than 360,000 vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving over concerns that the software prompted its vehicles to disobey traffic lights, stop signs and speed limits. The flouting of traffic laws, documents posted by the safety agency said, “could increase the risk of a collision if the driver does not intervene.” Tesla said it remedied the issues with an over-the-air software update, remotely addressing the risk. While Tesla constantly tweaked its driver-assistance software, it also took the unprecedented step of eliminating its radar sensors from new cars and disabling them from vehicles already on the road – depriving them of a critical sensor as Musk pushed a simpler hardware set amid the global computer chip shortage. Musk said last year, “Only very high resolution radar is relevant.”

It has recently taken steps to reintroduce radar sensors, according to government filings first reported by Electrek. In a March presentation, Tesla claimed Full Self-Driving crashes at a rate at least five times lower than vehicles in normal driving, in a comparison of miles driven per collision. That claim, and Musk’s characterization of Autopilot as “unequivocally safer,” is impossible to test without access to the detailed data that Tesla possesses. Autopilot, largely a highway system, operates in a less complex environment than the range of situations experienced by a typical road user. It is unclear which of the systems was in use in the fatal crashes: Tesla has asked NHTSA not to disclose that information. In the section of the NHTSA data specifying the software version, Tesla’s incidents read – in all capital letters – “redacted, may contain confidential business information.” Both Autopilot and Full Self-Driving have come under scrutiny in recent years. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told the Associated Press last month that Autopilot is not an appropriate name “when the fine print says you need to have your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road at all times.” NHTSA has opened multiple probes into Tesla’s crashes and other problems with its driverassistance software. One has focused on “phantom braking,” a phenomenon in which vehicles abruptly slow down for imagined hazards. In one case last year, detailed by The Intercept, a Tesla Model S allegedly using driver-assistance suddenly braked in traffic on the San Francisco Bay Bridge, resulting in an eight-vehicle pileup that left nine people injured, including a 2-yearold. In other complaints filed with NHTSA, owners say the cars slammed on the brakes when encountering semi-trucks in oncoming lanes. Many crashes involve similar settings and conditions. NHTSA has received more than a dozen reports of Teslas slamming into parked emergency vehicles while in Autopilot, for example. Last year, NHTSA upgraded its investigation of those incidents to an “engineering analysis.” Also last year, NHTSA opened two consecutive special investigations into fatal crashes involving Tesla vehicles and motorcyclists. One occurred in Utah, when a motorcyclist on a Harley-Davidson was traveling in a high-occupancy lane on Interstate 15 outside Salt Lake City, shortly after 1 a.m., according to authorities. A Tesla in Autopilot struck the bike from behind. “The driver of the Tesla did not see the motorcyclist and collided with the back of the motorcycle, which threw the rider from the bike,” the Utah Department of Public Safety said. The motorcyclist died at the scene, Utah authorities said. “It’s very dangerous for motorcycles to be around Teslas,” Cummings said. Of hundreds of Tesla driver-assistance crashes, NHTSA has focused on about 40 Tesla incidents for further analysis, hoping to gain deeper insight into how the technology operates. Among them was the North Carolina crash involving Mitchell, the student disembarking from the school bus. The Tesla driver, Howard G. Yee, was charged with multiple offenses in the crash, including reckless driving, passing a stopped school bus and striking a person, a class I felony, according to North Carolina State Highway Patrol Sgt. Marcus Bethea. Authorities said Yee had fixed weights to the steering wheel to trick Autopilot into registering the presence of a driver’s hands: Autopilot disables the functions if steering pressure is not applied after an extended amount of time. Yee did not respond to a request for comment. NHTSA is still investigating the crash and an agency spokeswoman declined to offer further details, citing the ongoing investigation. Tesla asked the agency to exclude the company’s summary of the incident from public view, saying it “may contain confidential business information.”

28 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ INSIGHT EDITORIAL During the coronavirus crisis, our Pelican Plaza office is closed to visitors. We appreciate your understanding. Just when China and America seemed to be moving past the spy-balloon saga of February, a new flashpoint has emerged in the form of an alleged plan for China to establish a listening station in Cuba. Chinese and Cuban authorities have reached a secret agreement on setting up the electronic eavesdropping facility, the Wall Street Journal reported last week, quoting unidentified American officials. Other outlets, such as the New York Times, have since published similar reports. The Journal said China had agreed to pay Cuba several billion dollars in the deal. The White House, the Pentagon and the Cuban government all denied the reports. “We are not aware of China and Cuba developing a new type of spy station,” said Brigadier-General Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesperson. John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, said the American government had real concerns about China’s relationship with Cuba but was confident it could meet America’s security commitments at home and in the region. The reports nonetheless sparked outrage from China hawks in Congress, posing a fresh challenge for President Joe Biden’s recent efforts to resume high-level exchanges with China. “We urge the Biden administration to take steps to prevent this serious threat to our national security and sovereignty,” the top lawmakers on the Senate Intelligence Committee said in a joint statement. “We are deeply disturbed,” said Mark Warner, the Democrat who chairs the panel, and Marco Rubio, the Republican vice-chairman. The strategic significance of such an agreement remains unclear. China has long been reported to have a small military presence in Cuba as well as access to listening stations at Bejucal, near Havana, and at Santiago de Cuba on its south-east coast. China is also thought to have several other such facilities around the world, including one in Argentina. The U.S. is believed to have plenty of its own too, including ones near China, and American navy ships and aircraft regularly conduct surveillance operations off the Chinese coast. Even so, a new listening station some 100 miles from the coast of Florida could enhance China’s ability to monitor electronic communications, ship and aircraft movements, and other potentially sensitive activity around the south-eastern United States, which is home to several important military bases. It would no doubt fuel concerns among American and allied officials about what they describe as efforts by China to expand its military presence and intelligence operations around the world, while conducting more aggressive interceptions of American and allied surveillance operations around its own borders. The reported Chinese plans in Cuba are also bound to provoke a strong political reaction in America given hawkish sentiment towards China among the public and on both sides of the aisle in Congress. Cuba’s involvement resonates all the more because of its role in the cold war, when the Soviet Union’s decision to deploy nuclear-capable missiles there in 1962 caused a standoff with the U.S. that almost escalated into atomic war. Cuba also hosted the Soviets’ biggest overseas listening station at Lourdes, near Havana, and allowed Russia to use it until the early 2000s. Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin congressman who chairs the House of Representatives’ new bipartisan Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, invoked the Cuban missile crisis in his response to the reported plan. It “reminds us we are in a New Cold War that, once again, has come to our doorstep,” he said in a statement, calling for restrictions on outbound investment to China and on Chinese land purchases near American military bases. A listening station poses a negligible threat compared to nuclear missiles. Yet the potential for overreaction in the current political climate became clear in February when an American fighter jet shot down a high-altitude balloon that the Pentagon said was part of a global Chinese spying operation and had been monitoring American military bases. China said it was monitoring the weather and blew off course, but America rejected that explanation and postponed a planned visit to Beijing by Antony Blinken, the secretary of state. That stalled efforts to revive high-level talks that were frozen after a visit to Taiwan in August by then House speaker Nancy Pelosi Meetings between some senior officials have resumed in recent weeks, including a secret visit to Beijing in May by the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, William Burns. Jake Sullivan, America’s national security adviser, also held talks with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, in Vienna that month. Blinken’s visit is said to have been rescheduled for the middle of this month. China has forged close ties with Cuba since the end of the cold war and is now its largest trading partner and one of its biggest lenders. America severed diplomatic ties with Cuba shortly after Fidel Castro’s communist regime came to power in 1959 and only restored them in 2014. Former President Donald Trump reinstated sanctions on the country while in office. President Biden has lifted some of these. America also continues to operate a military base in Guantánamo Bay – which it has used a signalsintelligence station in the past. A version of this column first appeared in The Economist. It does not necessarily reflect the views of Vero Beach 32963.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 29 INSIGHT OP-ED Nicholas Butler gets charged $7,853 under shady circumstances. Will Wells Fargo help him undo the charges? QUESTION: While I was on vacation in Istanbul last year, I fell victim to a scam. Some local thugs lured me into a "club." Once I was inside, it was clear that the locals I had come with were working with the "club" to lure single male tourists in and bilk them of their money. There was one exit down a flight of stairs and a bouncer who made sure no one was leaving. I realized I had no choice. Some charges they made me sign for; others they continued to charge to my card now that they had it. They charged me on two credit cards: one Wells Fargo card and one Chase card. I eventually was able to leave and contacted both credit card companies the next day. I also filed a police re-port. The police were aware of this fraudulent establishment and showed me mug shots of the owner, who I recognized. Immediately after I filed my police report, another tourist came in com-plaining of the same club – only he had tried to leave. They threw him down the stairs. Chase reversed the charges immediately. But Wells Fargo allowed every charge to go through. I contacted Wells Fargo's fraud department, told them what happened, and sent them the police report. Weeks later, they informed me that this could not be handled as fraud. They then said they had transferred the problem to Disputes. Disputes told me it was being handled by the Fraud department. Fraud sent it back to Disputes. Meanwhile, they reinstated the charges without any notice. Wells Fargo has dragged its feet on this issue for almost three months. ANSWER: Wells Fargo have never charged your credit card. Why? Well, $8,000 at a bar in Istanbul should have triggered its fraud detection algorithms. Wells Fargo's algorithms are highly sensitive in my experience, and it should have flagged a charge of this size quickly. What happened? Wells Fargo has two separate departments – one for fraud, the other for chargebacks. Neither department wanted to handle your charge, so they were going back and forth. There's a way to break this impasse. You could have contacted an executive at Wells Fargo. I publish their names, numbers and email addresses on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. Wells Fargo's credit cards have a "Zero Liability" protection and say you won't be held responsi-ble for any promptly reported unauthorized card transactions. Clearly, the charges to your card were made without your authorization. I contacted Wells Fargo on your behalf. It reversed your charges and also helped you clear up the problem they had caused with your credit score. Get help with any consumer problem by contacting Christopher Elliott at http://www.elliott.org/help BY CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT

30 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ “It has been suggested that one reason so many of us are attracted to disaster movies … is because they offer ways to visualize, and perhaps prepare for, such events ourselves,” writes journalist John Vaillant in “Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World.” His book appeals for much the same reason – but the cataclysms for which it prepares us are not fictions. Vaillant’s nemesis of choice is more elusive and more imperceptible than it may at first appear. “Our experience of fire occurs in the realm of the visible,” he writes, “but it is made possible by the invisible” – by oxygen in the atmosphere, declining humidity levels, rising temperatures and the ever-expanding catalogue of flammable petroleum products that we wear and use on a daily basis. “Fire Weather” drags all of these abstractions into the spotlight, then turns its attention to another potent invisibility: Not only are the sources of increasing threats from fires out of sight and therefore out of mind (at least until rampant wildfires in Canada bathed the entire East Coast and Mid-Atlantic in toxic fumes), but environmental crises in general, and forest fires in particular, are unthinkably huge and horrific. A conflagration in the subarctic Canadian region of Alberta, in 2001, was so explosive that its volatility was, per Vaillant, “difficult to express in ordinary thermal terms.” “If you’re having trouble imagining a quarter of a million space heaters compressed into the length of a yardstick and then multiplied by several miles, you’re not alone,” he concedes. Chroniclers resorted to new units of measurement: Scientists determined that, at the fire’s peak, the energy it released was equivalent to the amount that would be released by “four Hiroshima bombs per minute.” But even this comparison is unhelpfully notional. What does the energy of four atomic bombs look like? More palpable is the intimate, experiential language favored by a pilot who flew over the flames and remarked, almost lyrically, “I have to be careful because the plane is going to crumple up like a butterfly.” Vaillant’s narrative, which also takes place in Alberta, begins in May 2016, when the region was unusually hot and dry. Fires are a regular and natural occurrence in that part of the world – they are the subarctic forest’s way of revitalizing itself, and native flora have adapted to withstand them – but in recent years, blazes have been unprecedentedly frequent and extreme. That spring, “winter snowfall had been far below average for two years running,” and a perfect storm was brewing. A fire was crackling, and winds were gusting toward the small city of Fort McMurray. INSIGHT BOOKS The city’s authorities had all of the relevant information at their fingertips, but as the flames advanced, they remained in a state of disbelief and paralysis. By the end of the debacle, the Fort McMurray fire was unspeakable because of its inhuman intensity; at the beginning, it was unspeakable because the mayor and the fire chief refused to speak about it. “Something that is ‘infandous’ is a thing too horrible to be named or uttered,” Vaillant writes. Everyone in charge in Fort McMurray found the looming inferno infandous, and “Fire Weather” slows almost to a standstill as the crisis builds, unbearable and looming. “The energy releasing at lunchtime on May 3 was equivalent to a nuclear explosion,” Vaillant reports. The fire was a “half mile west of the only road out of town.” Meanwhile, fire chief Darby Allen was still counseling residents to go about their day as usual. It is impossible to keep reading, impossible to stop. By the afternoon, the smoke was visible on the horizon. A firefighter “in the midst of showing his pumper truck to a class of kindergarteners” turned and glimpsed a black mass. A wife and husband were packing up their belongings when the woman turned and cried, “The fire!” Her husband replied soothingly, “I know there’s a fire coming, but it’s not a big deal.” “No! You don’t understand,” she screamed. “The fire’s on our street!” An evacuation order was not issued until 2 p.m., by which time the suburbs were already engulfed. “The citizenry of Fort McMurray discovered that their city was burning mostly by personal observation and word of mouth.” Tragic incongruities multiplied as evacuees clung to consoling mundanities, relics of the normal life they had been leading until just moments prior. The owner of a dry-cleaning store shrieked “Get out, get out, get out” on the phone to his wife, then turned to a client and asked if she could pick up her garments on Tuesday. Given the ferocity of the blaze that bore down on the city, it is miraculous that there were no fire-related deaths during the sudden and haphazard exodus of 90,000 people that ensued. As a long line of cars wound down the highway, the streets behind them were rapidly becoming unrecognizable. Household fixtures melted and writhed into monstrous forms. Soon, gas stations were exploding, and cars and propane tanks affixed to grills were no more than “flying shrapnel.” The fire “created its own weather,” as one harrowed survivor told Vaillant. Entire houses disappeared in close to five minutes. The same fire chief who had lately reassured residents started calling the fire “the beast.” Normal tactics were paltry defenses against such a fiend. “Most of the hose streams deployed were evaporating long before they reached the flames,” and hydrants were running dry. The department of forestry, expert in combating conflagrations in the woods, teamed up with the fire department, expert in stamping out urban blazes, to face a situation that neither was equipped to handle: a forest fire in a city. Responders were forced to devise new strategies on the spot, many of them failures. The beast was not contained until a month later and “would not be declared fully extinguished until August of the following year.” “With the sole exception of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina,” Vaillant writes, “no modern North American city has been disinhabited for so long.” “Fire Weather” mounts a systematic investigation into all the factors that conspired to wreak such havoc on Fort McMurray. A book about an isolated disaster thereby unfurls into a book about boreal forest ecosystems, the chemistry of combustion, the flammability of modern furniture, the history of environmental exploitation in Alberta, the climactic conditions that are making forest fires increasingly dangerous and ubiquitous, and much more – at times, too much more. “Fire Weather” fails when it trades in familiar warnings, which are easily relegated to the dustbin of the mind. It succeeds when it concretizes the unimaginable in terms that seize readers by the throat. Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World By John Vaillant | Knopf. 414 pp. $32.50 Review by Becca Rothfeld | The Washington Post

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 31 The deuce is low but informative By Phillip Alder - Bridge Columnist Segal’s Law is “A man with a watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure.” At the bridge table after an uncontested auction, when a two is led against a no-trump contract, third hand can be confident that his partner has a four-card suit headed by at least one honor. Against a suit contract, though, the lead might be ambiguous. It could also be from a suit headed by at least one honor. (Yes, now the leader won’t have the ace or two touching honors, both of which are possible against no-trump.) However, it could also be a singleton. How does third hand decide which it is? Usually the bidding will give the game away, but sometimes third hand must be guided by declarer’s play from the board. Take today’s deal as an example. Against two spades, West led the heart two, and declarer played low from the board. What should East have done? If West had led from length, surely declarer would have won with dummy’s ace. So, East should have won with his king and returned the heart three, both giving his partner a ruff and sending a suit-preference signal for clubs. A trusting West would underlead his club ace. East would win with his king and deliver a second club ruff. After the club ace survived, the contract would be down one, with the spade ace still to come. At the table, East played the heart 10 at trick one, so South won with his queen, led a trump and got home. (Finally, yes, here, declarer guessed wrongly at trick one in not winning with dummy’s ace.) Dealer: North; Vulnerable: Neither NORTH K Q J 3 A J 8 5 J 9 5 6 3 WEST A 9 5 4 2 K 3 2 A 10 8 7 4 SOUTH 10 8 7 6 Q 9 4 A 10 8 4 Q 5 EAST 2 K 10 7 6 3 Q 7 6 K J 9 2 The Bidding: OPENING LEAD: 2 Hearts SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST 1 Diamonds Pass 1 Spades Pass 2 Spades All Pass INSIGHT BRIDGE

32 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ ACROSS 1 Emulates Salome 7 Fingerprint’s cousin 10 Acronym for Dale Jarrett 16 Holy day 17 Track event 18 Short threat 19 “___ ... in My Size?” 22 Salad-bar sphere 23 “Once” follower 24 Captain’s place 25 Scratch 26 Procrastinator’s word 30 and 38 “___ ... Your In-Laws Say” 34 Girl in “Our Gang” comedies 36 Destination of qtly. payments 37 Surgery ctrs. 38 (See 30 Across) 43 Actress Velez 45 Lethal slitherer 48 Actress Verdugo 49 Actress Adams 50 Old Ford 51 Hymn-singer’s spot 52 Some kind of a nut 54 “___ ... and Other Christmas Ideas by Stephen King” 58 Resort, for short 59 Negotiator’s knack 62 Say 63 Sale preceder? 64 Milosevic, e.g. 66 and 79 “___ ... Without Licking, Begging, or Rolling Over” 70 Greek letters 73 Diving shorebird 75 Michael who played Jennifer Beals’s hunky blue-collar boyfriend in Flashdance 76 Some costs 78 Nome knife 79 (See 66 Across) 84 Game official 86 Tie the knot 87 Shift 9 or Shift 0 mark: abbr. 88 Galley props 91 Ryan of Zero Effect 92 Meadow 93 Skiers’ boon 94 and 100 “___ ... Order a Pizza and Hand Him the Remote” 97 Pine-___ 98 Living Nativity sound 99 Altercation 100 (See 94 Across) 106 Quite a while 110 Stir-fry need 111 Lupino et al. 112 Feathery accessories 114 Café or thé need 115 “___ ... and Run Like Hell” 122 Call it a day 123 Nevada-Arizona lake 124 Comparatively poor 125 Serious series 126 Do simple math 127 Lure DOWN 1 Six-Day War figure 2 Spin City network 3 Bouncin’ ball org. 4 Pop’s place? 5 Caesar’s reaction 6 Berthplace? 7 Investigator: abbr. 8 Bob’s show 9 Where the Erechtheum was erected 10 Words of denial 11 Jackie’s second 12 Work with a Singer 13 Gripping tools 14 No sweat 15 Sit in judgment of again 16 World Series site, 1969 17 Eat sheet 19 Typing-speed stat 20 Sticky stuff 21 Where Pukë is: abbr. 27 Bell town 28 Floating 29 Frameworks? 31 Famed chefs’ sch. 32 Hurry up 33 “All bets ___” 35 Fredericksburg victor 38 Approaches 39 North of San Antonio 40 Notes 41 Mot ingredient 42 Palindromic laugh 43 The ___ Riley 44 Less than accurate 45 Openings 46 The Ligurian, e.g. 47 On-off abbr. 50 Town Without ___ 53 Morse word 55 Pianist Blake 56 Former phone co. 57 35 Down, to Grant 60 Daniel Ortega opponent 61 Ticket bargain 65 Fella 67 Reason for signaling 68 “... she goes ___ go” 69 Home: abbr. 71 Shake like ___ 72 Hostile and uncivil 74 Continued 77 Soprano Renata 79 Mail deliverer, in the Harry Potter books 80 Very early 81 Weasel’s cousin 82 Instantly 83 Obsolete recording medium 85 French soup need 89 No. 1 sitcom of the early 1990s 90 The way you’re going, perhaps: abbr. 94 Rube 95 Meal starter? 96 Robo-teller 97 Harold who played Odd Job in Goldfinger 98 Universe creator, in Hinduism 100 Jury prize 101 Lawncare need 102 Tarzan transit 103 Springtime abbr. 104 Bartlett’s abbr. 105 Extinct bird 107 Little one’s laugh 108 Fall feature? 109 Baltimore paper 113 British gun 116 Kipling orphan 117 Period 118 Wander 119 ___ blanket 120 Infamous Kakwa 121 Nervous reaction The Telegraph The Washington Post DOWN 2. Counting everything (2,3) 3. Nervous (7) 4. Dodge (5) 5. Ask for (7) 6. Stinks (5) 7. Betrayal (7) 10. Ta-ra (3) 13. Former student (7) 14. Evil demon (7) 15. Irritates (7) 16. Viscous substance (3) 18. Suffering (5) 20. Wanderer (5) 21. Figurative expression (5) The Telegraph Self-Help and Beyond By Merl Reagle 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 SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (JUNE 8) ON PAGE 60 ACROSS 1. Water vapour (4) 4. Go wrong (3) 6. Ceremony (4) 8. Filled tortilla (6) 9. Q in the NATO alphabet (6) 10. Shiner (5,3) 11. Middling (2-2) 12. Pleasant music (4,9) 17. Large cat (4) 19. Beethoven’s Emperor, e.g. (8) 22. Bury (6) 23. Paradise Lost author (6) 24. Catch sight of (4) 25. Miserable (3) 26. Ooze (4) DOWN 2. Counting everything (2,3) 3. Nervous (7) 4. Dodge (5) 5. Ask for (7) 6. Stinks (5) 7. Betrayal (7) 10. Ta-ra (3) 13. Former student (7) 14. Evil demon (7) 15. Irritates (7) 16. Viscous substance (3) 18. Suffering (5) 20. Wanderer (5) 21. Figurative expression (5) INSIGHT GAMES Proudly Serving the Treasure Coast for over 40 years 640 Old Dixie Highway Vero Beach, FL 32962 772-569-3874 [email protected] ISA Certified Arborist Hazardous Tree Removal Oak Tree Trimming Specialist Professional Mangrove Trimmers Fully Licensed and Insured

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 33 ACROSS 1 Emulates Salome 7 Fingerprint’s cousin 10 Acronym for Dale Jarrett 16 Holy day 17 Track event 18 Short threat 19 “___ ... in My Size?” 22 Salad-bar sphere 23 “Once” follower 24 Captain’s place 25 Scratch 26 Procrastinator’s word 30 and 38 “___ ... Your In-Laws Say” 34 Girl in “Our Gang” comedies 36 Destination of qtly. payments 37 Surgery ctrs. 38 (See 30 Across) 43 Actress Velez 45 Lethal slitherer 48 Actress Verdugo 49 Actress Adams 50 Old Ford 51 Hymn-singer’s spot 52 Some kind of a nut 54 “___ ... and Other Christmas Ideas by Stephen King” 58 Resort, for short 59 Negotiator’s knack 62 Say 63 Sale preceder? 64 Milosevic, e.g. 66 and 79 “___ ... Without Licking, Begging, or Rolling Over” 70 Greek letters 73 Diving shorebird 75 Michael who played Jennifer Beals’s hunky blue-collar boyfriend in Flashdance 76 Some costs 78 Nome knife 79 (See 66 Across) 84 Game official 86 Tie the knot 87 Shift 9 or Shift 0 mark: abbr. 88 Galley props 91 Ryan of Zero Effect 92 Meadow 93 Skiers’ boon 94 and 100 “___ ... Order a Pizza and Hand Him the Remote” 97 Pine-___ 98 Living Nativity sound 99 Altercation 100 (See 94 Across) 106 Quite a while 110 Stir-fry need 111 Lupino et al. 112 Feathery accessories 114 Café or thé need 115 “___ ... and Run Like Hell” 122 Call it a day 123 Nevada-Arizona lake 124 Comparatively poor 125 Serious series 126 Do simple math 127 Lure DOWN 1 Six-Day War figure 2 Spin City network 3 Bouncin’ ball org. 4 Pop’s place? 5 Caesar’s reaction 6 Berthplace? 7 Investigator: abbr. 8 Bob’s show 9 Where the Erechtheum was erected 10 Words of denial 11 Jackie’s second 12 Work with a Singer 13 Gripping tools 14 No sweat 15 Sit in judgment of again 16 World Series site, 1969 17 Eat sheet 19 Typing-speed stat 20 Sticky stuff 21 Where Pukë is: abbr. 27 Bell town 28 Floating 29 Frameworks? 31 Famed chefs’ sch. 32 Hurry up 33 “All bets ___” 35 Fredericksburg victor 38 Approaches 39 North of San Antonio 40 Notes 41 Mot ingredient 42 Palindromic laugh 43 The ___ Riley 44 Less than accurate 45 Openings 46 The Ligurian, e.g. 47 On-off abbr. 50 Town Without ___ 53 Morse word 55 Pianist Blake 56 Former phone co. 57 35 Down, to Grant 60 Daniel Ortega opponent 61 Ticket bargain 65 Fella 67 Reason for signaling 68 “... she goes ___ go” 69 Home: abbr. 71 Shake like ___ 72 Hostile and uncivil 74 Continued 77 Soprano Renata 79 Mail deliverer, in the Harry Potter books 80 Very early 81 Weasel’s cousin 82 Instantly 83 Obsolete recording medium 85 French soup need 89 No. 1 sitcom of the early 1990s 90 The way you’re going, perhaps: abbr. 94 Rube 95 Meal starter? 96 Robo-teller 97 Harold who played Odd Job in Goldfinger 98 Universe creator, in Hinduism 100 Jury prize 101 Lawncare need 102 Tarzan transit 103 Springtime abbr. 104 Bartlett’s abbr. 105 Extinct bird 107 Little one’s laugh 108 Fall feature? 109 Baltimore paper 113 British gun 116 Kipling orphan 117 Period 118 Wander 119 ___ blanket 120 Infamous Kakwa 121 Nervous reaction The Telegraph The Washington Post DOWN 2. Counting everything (2,3) 3. Nervous (7) 4. Dodge (5) 5. Ask for (7) 6. Stinks (5) 7. Betrayal (7) 10. Ta-ra (3) 13. Former student (7) 14. Evil demon (7) 15. Irritates (7) 16. Viscous substance (3) 18. Suffering (5) 20. Wanderer (5) 21. Figurative expression (5) Self-Help and Beyond By Merl Reagle INSIGHT GAMES

34 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ INSIGHT BACK PAGE Hi Carolyn: After a complicated first pregnancy and delivery of a healthy baby boy, it seems unlikely that I can physically have another child. I am secretly struggling, because I was hoping to have a daughter at some point in this life and am feeling very sad that it’s unlikely to happen (unless we decide to adopt or foster). I am so excited about my son and love him immensely, and I’m looking forward to raising this human being, but simultaneously I feel a deep sadness that I have not given birth to a girl and am unlikely to have one in the future. I know this is super sensitive and I have not told anyone, because it sounds so awful, especially after the struggle to get to this point and have my son. But I have not been able to shake this feeling since giving birth a couple of months ago, and I have no other anxiety or depression symptoms that I’m aware of – just sadness that I don’t have a daughter. I would appreciate any advice you have about coming to terms with this and/or the joys of only having a son. Thanks. – Had a Boy Had a Boy: I can definitely speak to the joys of having only sons. I had visions of having a girl, too, but they were just that – figments of my imagination. The boys I have are my reality, and they are absorbing and exhausting and wonderful in ways I couldn’t have imagined going into this. They are what people used to refer to as “all boy,” and they are also distinctly different from each other (including the identical twins), so what is “boy,” anyway, in the context of my experience as a parent? If I’d had a girl, then she would have been herself, entirely independent of any vision I had about what raising a girl would have been like. Lace, mud, both, neither, whatever: She’d have been her own thing. You can honor your feelings and step back from them far enough to see they’re based entirely on the abstract. Who your boy will be someday is unknown to you. Who a girl would have been is unknown to you. Gender is too tight a box for so many people anyway, so factor that, too, into your visions and very real child. Be sure to account for the impact, too, of a difficult birth followed by difficult news about your fertility. You are only a couple of months removed, and that is nowhere near enough time for your body and mind to recover. So although you identify no specific “other anxiety or depression symptoms,” give yourself some grace; just adapting to being a new parent is a hard thing. Your feelings of loss are only “so awful” if you allow them to affect how you love your son. It’s OK to be complicated. Focus on your baby and your recovery, and trust this to settle into a more manageable place as your son’s reality grows and displaces this abstraction. If it still feels heavy after you’ve had time to recover, or if at any time you’re feeling sadness or hopelessness that interferes with your ability to function, then please talk to your obstetrician about an evaluation for postpartum depression. One reader’s thought: ·Even if you are able to have another child, there’s a 50 percent chance of a boy. Having been through postpartum depression, I second the recommendation to be screened. BY CAROLYN HAX Washington Post New mom of a boy can’t shake sadness at not having a girl

Local artists’ sublime skills shine in ‘TreasureCoastCreates’

ARTS & THEATRE 38 Vero Beach 32963 / May 18, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ ing task of choosing from more than 800 pieces submitted (only one per artist was selected). “They asked me to pick 100, but they were such a strong group that we added 35. It was difficult to choose,” said Roberts. “I particularly am impressed Local artists’ sublime skills shine in ‘Treasure Coast Creates’ BY MARY SCHENKEL Staff Writer The extraordinary talents of area artists are on full display at the Vero Beach Museum of Art in the juried fine art exhibition Treasure Coast Creates: A Tribute to Local Artists, on view through Sept. 3. “This show stemmed from the immense popularity of Vero Collects, which we did last winter. And, as a result of seeing the level of talent that we have within our artistic community, there was this really strong feeling that we wanted to showcase that talent,” says Sophie Bentham-Wood, VBMA director of marketing and communications. “It’s not going to be the first show of its kind. This is the beginning of a continued relationship and connection with our very lively artist community.” The application process, which began in September, was extended to Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie county residents, and to museum members. Ellen Roberts, the former senior curator of American Art at the Norton Museum of Art, was given the dauntRoberts conducted the juried process remotely, and judged the works the evening before the show’s opening reception on May 26, when winners were announced. The show was judged in its entirety, as opposed to mediums, due to the diversity of works, from sculpture and paintings to drawings, photography and mixed media. “They asked me to choose first, second and third prize overall. But I thought, it’s such a strong group, let’s choose some honorable mentions as well. So there’s also seven honorable mentions,” Roberts explains. First Place was awarded to Jensen Beach artist Eduardo Gomez Rojas for “Mountain of Grief,” an exquisitely by the great talent of this community in all of these different media.” The hanging of the show came at a transitional time for Anke Van Wagenberg, then VBMA senior curator. Van Wagenberg was appointed effective June 1 to replace Roberts in an expanded capacity at the Norton as senior curator of American and European Art. To best display the diversity of the works, Van Wagenberg and her curatorial staff hung the show in sections, categorized as cityscape, landscape and seascape; abstract; figurative; and photography; with sculpture, ceramic and other 3D pieces disbursed throughout the galleries. “It’s a really nice mix. And I think they did a really nice job of grouping the pieces. It could feel very much disjointed, because there are so many different media, but because they chose to organize it by these different sections, it works better,” says Roberts. PHOTOS BY JOSHUA KODIS

it’s kind of a nice way to highlight that whole aspect of it.” Third Place was awarded to Torenzo Gann of Martin County for his acrylic painting “Breakthrough.” “I love this one also. The artist has written a haiku about it, which I think helps you kind of see what they’re thinking about in terms of emerging from the ashes,” says Roberts of the haiku: ‘Out of the Ashes After the Raging Battles The Victor Rises’ “But also, it just says acrylic, but there’s a thickness to it and holes, so the surface is very interesting,” says Roberts. Honorable Mentions were awarded to the following seven artists. Dennis Bartholomew of Vero Beach received one for “Conflict,” a striking bronze sculpture of conjoined faces. “I think this is a very strong sculpture,” says Roberts. “I love the fact that these two people in conflict are so close to each other. It kind of makes you realize how personal conflict is. And the way he’s kind of distorted the forms of their faces really conveys that very effectively.” Lawrence Behunek of Vero Beach received it for his mixed polymer abstraction “Boundaries.” “I honestly had not realized until I saw it in person that it’s two different canvasses, immediately right next to each other. It’s called ‘Boundaries’ and it makes you really think about boundaries,” says Roberts. “I love the fact that the two sides of it are so different, yet some elements have crossed into both sides, so it's almost like a permeable boundary. Then you start thinking about, are any boundaries actually absolute?” Bill Brody of Port St. Lucie received one for his woodcut “Begguyya.” “I love this one. The title is a native carved marble sculpture that clearly emotes sadness despite its beauty. “There’s some great sculpture in the show, which is impressive to me, because these are very hard media to work with. I think this artist is very talented in terms of the ability to carve marble, which is very difficult, and also to convey this emotion just through this posture,” says Roberts. Second Place was awarded to Danielle Deptula Pokrandt, a Vero Beach Art Club member, for “Fentanyl,” a thoughtprovoking mixed media artwork. “This one is just very dark, about the fentanyl opioid epidemic, but I think it’s very powerful. To me they look like tombstones, but it’s like you’re looking through an arcade at this landscape. And, when you look closely, these are maps of certain places,” says Roberts, referencing the area behind each tombstone. “I feel like the opioid epidemic is so much worse in certain places, so ARTS & THEATRE Vero Beach 32963 / May 18, 2023 39 CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

40 Vero Beach 32963 / May 18, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ the United Way of Indian River County. The Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club is at 4985 Club Terrace, Vero Beach. For more information, call 772-567-8900 or visit UnitedWayIRC.org. The 18th Annual Waterlily Celebration runs Saturday at McKee Botanical Garden in Vero Beach. The annual event shows off one of Florida’s largest arrays of waterlilies. They can be seen at McKee’s ponds and waterways. The event will educate visitors about the importance of waterlilies, their various species, colors, blooming and growing habits. Expect to see plain air artists painting throughout the garCaptains for Clean Water and the Indian River Firefighters Benevolent Association will hold the Second Annual Offshore Fishing Tournament this weekend. This is part of the two groups’ “Fighting for the Lagoon” campaign which aims, in part, to raise awareness of the lagoon’s health and the health of surrounding water in the ecosystem. The event starts with a captain’s meeting 5:30 p.m. Friday, June 16, at the Sebastian Saltwater Marina. It then proceeds to the fishing tournament, which starts with lines in at 6 a.m. with weighing taking place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 17. The maximum number of anglers (rod and reel) per boat is six. The entry fee per boat is $250 and there is a $13,000 awards purse ranging from $300 to $1,000 for grouper, dolphin, kingfish and tilefish; $500 to $1,000 for amberjack; and $2,000 for top boat. Sebastian Saltwater Marina is at 1732 Indian River Dr., Sebastian. Call 772-643-1361 or visit irffb.com. Saturday is the time for a couple of golf tournaments. The Vietnam and All Veterans of Indian County will host the 2023 Mary Snyder Annual Golf Tournament on Saturday, June 17, at Sandridge Golf Club in Vero Beach. It begins with a 7 a.m. registration then an 8 a.m. shotgun scramble. Lunch and awards ceremony will be held immediately after the tournament. Fees are $75. The Sandridge Golf Course is at 5300 73rd St., Vero Beach. Call 772- 538-2484 or visit VVIRC.org. The Citrus Golf Tournament begins with an 8:30 a.m. registration then a 9 a.m. shotgun start Saturday, June 17, at Grand Harbor Golf Club’s River Course. It includes breakfast, lunch and awards, which are held immediately after the tournament. Fees are $200. The event helps raise money for agencies supported by 2 4 6 3 5 BY PAM HARBAUGH Correspondent CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39 Alaskan word, and it is the name of the mountain chain in Alaska. I love the way he’s used this woodcut medium to really kind of emphasize the dynamism of that landscape. It looks like it’s alive, to me,” says Roberts. “Leaf Bird,” a mythical bird mélange drawn with Mars Lumograph pencil, earned one for Nancy Baur Dillen of Melbourne. “This is kind of crazy. The artist is so talented in rendering these leaves and the bird’s feet. It’s such a weird but fascinating piece. It’s a drawing but it packs a big punch,” says Roberts. Israel Guevara of Port St. Lucie received it for “Abacu,” a colorful multipiece installation featuring four rows of 10 acrylic works on wood, that greets viewers as they enter the Holmes Gallery. Bentham-Wood notes that the pieces were installed exactly to the artist’s specifications. “I really love this piece,” comments Roberts. “It’s so interesting because of how it looks so different from all the different angles. I love the way it changes as you move around and the way the shadows become part of it.” Vero Beach photographer Nicole Leiner received one for her whimsical “Sunny Side Up,” showcasing the head of a woman resting on plate, a sunny side up egg plastered to her cheek. “I love, love this photograph. It just makes me laugh, because I feel like that’s how we all feel in the morning. We’re trying to be optimistic that it’s going to be a sunny side up day and instead you just want to go back to bed,” says Roberts. Vero Beach artist Lori Rowe received it for her radiant oil painting “Summer Breeze.” “I love the brilliant colors in this one. To me it kind of throbs, in an amazing way, just all the layers” says Roberts. “When you look at it, it seems very static at first glance, but it’s actually not. I think partially because the colors are so vibrant and also the lines are not quite straight. So it kind of gives you that throbbing sense of South Florida.” “It really is a beautiful show,” says Roberts. For more information, visit VBMuseum.org, where a full list of the show’s artists is available. den and see demonstrations of potting. There will also be plant sales. The Annual Waterlily Photo Contests submissions will be on display in McKee’s Hall of Giants. The garden will open early for this event, which runs 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 17, at McKee Botanical Garden, 350 U.S. 1, Vero Beach. Admission is $15 general, $10 children 2 to 12 years, $13 seniors 65 and older, and youth 13 to 17 years, and $10 for active or veteran military with ID. It is free to children under 2 years. For more information, call 772-794-0601 or visit McKeeGarden.org. The Indian River County Department of Emergency Services will host a Hurricane Preparedness Expo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 17, at the Indian River County Fairgrounds, 7955 58th Ave., Vero Beach. Admission is free. Call 772-226-3900. Learn about local history and maybe even see a spirit or two when Garrett and Stephanie Puzzo lead you through newly renovated Tangelo House, a historic spot formerly known as the Ryburne Apartment Building. The newly restored building will be “investigated” for ghostly activity by the Florida Bureau of Paranormal Investigation and Indian River Hauntings. The tours will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 17, and cost $6 per person. The paranormal experience tours will be held 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 17, and cost $11 per person. Funds raised will benefit the Indian River County Historical Society. Cash only at the door. The Tangelo House is at 1110 Royal Palm Blvd., Vero Beach. Flash back to disco when the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra performs “’70s & ’80s Broadway: Bellbottoms & Afros” this Sunday afternoon. The concert includes music from “Evita,” “Chicago,” “Hair,” “The Who’s Tommy” and more. You’ll also hear “YMCA,” “D.I.S.C.O.,” “Funky Town” and more. Tickets are $30 and available at Marine Bank & Trust or at SCSO’s website. Tickets at the door are $35. Those 18 years and younger or with a college ID are admitted free. The concert begins at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 18, at the Emerson Center, 1590 27th Ave., Vero Beach. Call 855-252-7276 or visit SpaceCoastSymphony.org.

HEALTH BODY DYSMORPHIC DISORDER A painful search for perfection 32963

42 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 HEALTH Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Body dysmorphic disorder: A painful search for perfection Two-time Academy Award-winning actress Jane Fonda made headlines in May when she revealed in People Magazine that she has suffered from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) for most of her life. The same month, Hollywood beauty Megan Fox made a similar confession during an interview reported in the Washington Post. What exactly is BDD? Ironically, in the cases of Fonda and Fox, it is a condition characterized by a preoccupation with one or more perceived defects or flaws in appearance, which are unnoticeable to others. Occasionally a perceived flaw is actual and noticeable, but it’s usually a normal variation in appearance and not nearly as prominent as the sufferer believes. Media reports sometimes refer to BDD as “Imagined Ugliness Syndrome,” but the ugliness is very real to the individual concerned, causing severe mental and emotional distress. Dr. Susana Marikle, a clinical psychologist with a practice in Vero Beach, said we all have a little bit of BDD. “It is the intensity and severity that make it a diagnosable mental health disorder.” The number of people who suffer from BDD may surprise you. According to the National Institutes of Health, it appears to be relatively common, seen in up to 2.4 percent of the general population, making it BY JACKIE HOLFELDER Correspondent “Why put up with something this painful when there’s so much that can be done?” Dr. Susana Marikle. PHOTOS: JOSHUA KODIS

Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 43 HEALTH Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ more common than schizophrenia or anorexia nervosa. “We frequently find depression and anxiety to be concurrent diagnoses,” Dr. Marikle says. She said that if your preoccupation with your appearance gets in the way of your normal ability to function, it’s a red flag. “Does it interfere with work, family time, hobbies? Are you unable to leave your home?” Johns Hopkins Medical School reports that patients may find that negative thoughts about their bodies are hard to control and they may spend hours each day worrying about how they look. Thoughts can become so negative and persistent that some consider suicide. To be diagnosed with BDD, you must be abnormally concerned about a small or nonexistent body flaw. Your thoughts about your body flaw must be severe enough that they interfere with your ability to live normally. And other mental health disorders must be ruled out as a cause of your symptoms. “Many people are rewarded, praised and given validation by their family from a young age for their good looks,” said Dr. Marikle. You learn early that being attractive gets you attention and you don’t forget that, even in your 60s, 70s and 80s. Nobody knows the cause of BDD but it usually begins in adolescence, with males and females equally affected. Contributing factors may include: • A family history of BDD or a similar mental disorder. • Abnormal levels of certain brain chemicals. • Personality type. • Life experiences. The most common areas of obsession for people suffering from BDD are face, hair, skin, chest and stomach. There are many symptoms of the disorder, including: • Constantly checking yourself in the mirror or avoiding mirrors. • Trying to hide your body part under a hat, scarf or makeup. • Constantly exercising or grooming. • Constantly comparing yourself with others. • Always asking other people whether you look OK. • Not believing other people when they say you look fine. • Avoiding social activities. • Not going out of the house, especially in the daytime. • Seeing multiple healthcare providers about your appearance. • Having unnecessary plastic surgeries. • Picking at your skin with fingers or tweezers. • Feeling anxious, depressed and ashamed. • Thinking of suicide. Being in treatment early with a provider who is experienced with BDD can bring positive results. “Early intervention is critically important,” says Dr. Marikle. “It’s easier to get successful results if a patient starts at 16 rather 60.” Treatment may include talk therapy or medicines. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most effective talk therapy and it is what Dr. Marikle uses. In CBT, a mental health professional helps patients replace negative thoughts and thought patterns with positive thoughts, teaching the patient to think in a healthier more realistic way. BetterHelp, the world’s largest therapy platform, states that there is no known way to prevent body dysmorphic disorder, and it’s important that people understand that body dysmorphia symptoms are not their fault. Although this life-altering disorder can be treated, proper diagnosis is essential. Dr. Marikle adds, “People often suffer with body dysmorphic disease far too long before seeking treatment. Why put up with something this painful when there’s so much that can be done? There’s always something we can do to make ourselves better.” Dr. Susana Marikle is a clinical psychologist, licensed in Florida. She earned her doctorate from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale and completed her pre-doctoral internship at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Dr. Marikle’s postdoctoral fellowship was at the Center for Eating Disorders at the Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital in Baltimore. She has helped individuals with body dysmorphic disorder, anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder and behaviors such as overeating, emotional eating and obsessive habits. Dr. Marikle’s practice is located at 847 20th Place, Vero Beach. The phone number is 772-663-2929. She is accepting new virtual or in-person patients.

44 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 HEALTH Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ A fall may be minor, leading to only a bit of bruising. But some can cause traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, even death. In fact, falls are a leading cause of death for adults over 65. Each year, 3 million older people are treated in emergency rooms because they’ve had a serious fall. Following a recovery plan can help you heal. When to seek care: One-fifth of falls cause significant injuries, but even a small tumble might signify that something is amiss. “Falls can be predictive of functional decline as well as future injuries,” says Lisa Caruso, director of quality and patient safety in the Department of Medicine at Boston Medical Center. That’s one reason it’s wise to let your doctor know about any fall, Caruso says, as well as any “unintentional change in position from a higher level to a lower level,” such as slipping out of a chair or rolling out of bed. Tell your doctor even if you don’t think you’re hurt, says Mary Campagnolo, a family physician in Bordentown, N.J., and a member of the board of directors of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Some injuries are not immediately apparent. Also, your doctor may be able to help identify (and deal with) the cause of your fall, whether it’s a health issue such as a vision problem, a drug side effect, or factors at home, such as throw rugs that pose tripping hazards. Call your doctor immediately if you are in any pain from a fall. If you have trouble moving – which could indicate a fracture – or you hit your head, seek emergency care, says Janna Friedly, a professor of rehabilitation medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle. (Loss of consciousness or confusion, lightheadedness, headaches and dizziness are all signs of potential head trauma.) How recovery works: Whether you were seriously injured or not, your doctor will probably set you up with physical therapy afterward, Caruso says. (If you broke a bone, your doctor may also recommend a scan to check the health of your bones.) Physical therapy can help you recover if you were hurt and, if you weren’t injured, can reduce the risk of future falls. “The only intervention that has been shown to have any evidence in preventing falls is activity in a supervised setting,” she says. More serious injuries may call for a long recovery process. For instance, falls are a common cause of traumatic brain injury in older adults, and it can take weeks, months or sometimes more than a year to heal. Physical therapy, sufficient sleep, and good nutrition and hydration all help. For a hip fracture – more than 300,000 adults are hospitalized for these each year in the United States – surgery may be required. The procedure could be followed by a hospital stay of at least a few days and then weeks in a physical rehabilitation facility. Medicare typically covers inpatient rehabilitation for about three weeks, Campagnolo says. But many people need physical therapy and require help with daily activities for longer. For various fall-related injuries, physical therapy can take months or more than a year. Some people also need occupational therapy to get back to their regular activities, or speech therapy after a serious brain injury, Campagnolo says. For anyone, the mobility losses and slow progress can be frustrating. “Try to have patience,” Caruso says. Facing the fear: For some people, overcoming the worry about another fall can be a challenge. Physical therapy can help you regain physical confidence, Campagnolo says. Also, those who don’t build their activity levels back up are more likely to fall again – and more likely to experience a more serious injury the next time around. An assistive device such as a cane or a walker can also help you feel steadier, she says. And once you feel ready for a post-physical therapy workout, and your doctor gives the OK, you’ll want to try exercises that help build strength, balance and flexibility, experts say. BY KEVIN LORIA The Washington Post and Consumer Reports IF YOU’RE HURT IN A FALL, FOLLOW THESE TIPS FOR RECOVERY

Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 45 HEALTH Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Endometrial cancer, also known as uterine cancer, is a serious threat to women’s health worldwide, with 417,000 new cases in 2020, including 61,738 cases in the United States, according to the World Cancer Research Fund. It is the sixth most common cancer in women worldwide and the 15th most common cancer overall. Happily, it’s also one of the most curable cancers out there, according to Dr. Christopher McCann, D.O., a gynecologic oncologist affiliated with HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital. Hysterectomy, the surgical removal of the uterus, is the most common treatment for this cancer and with the advent of robotic surgery the procedure can be done as an outpatient, with no need for a hospital stay. “I always tell my patients that if you are going to get cancer, endometrial cancer is a good one to get because it is very curable,” said Dr. McCann. “It’s curable because it’s generally caught early on when the post-menopausal patient presents with bleeding. Most of the time all they need is surgery, which includes a hysterectomy, removal of tubes and inspection of the lymph nodes.” Endometrial cancer affects the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium. The uterus is a hollow, pearshaped organ located in the pelvis where a fetus grows during pregnancy. The cancer occurs when the cells in the endometrium grow excessively, forming a tumor. While the exact cause is unknown, there are several factors that contribute to development of this cancer. The risk rises with age, and the disease primarily affects women in their postmenopausal years. The decline in hormone production during menopause can disrupt the delicate hormonal balance, leading to abnormal cell growth. Excess body weight and genetic predisposition also increase the risk of developing endometrial cancer. “Ten or 20 years ago, a hysterectomy was done through larger incisions that would require admission to the hospital for a couple of days,” Dr. McCann explained. “Then we started doing it laparoscopically and those patients would stay one night in the hospital. We now treat hysterectomies with [less traumatic] robotic surgery. “While some physicians still require patients to be hospitalized, I don’t. If the patient doesn’t have any comorbidities, I get them home the same day where they can recover more comfortably. I do same-day surgeries using the robotic platform about once a month at HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital.” Surprisingly, same-day hysterectomies were born from the era of COVID when patients didn’t want to spend time in the hospital. “Because these were cancer patients, we were allowed to still operate BY KERRY FIRTH Correspondent ENDOMETRIAL CANCER: Common but ‘very curable’ CONTINUED ON PAGE 46 Dr. Christopher McCann.

46 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 HEALTH Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ while other specialties were not,” Dr. McCann said. “One-day surgeries worked out so well that I’ve continued doing it that way in my practice. Recovery is so much easier with the small incisions and the pain is minimal, so they might as well be comfortable in their own home.” Robotic surgery has revolutionized the field of gynecologic oncology, offering multiple advantages over traditional open surgery and other laparoscopic techniques. The robotic surgical platform enables surgeons to perform precise and minimally invasive hysterectomies for endometrial cancer. The patient is placed under general anesthesia and small incisions are made in the abdomen to accommodate robotic arms and instruments. The anesthesiologist, surgical assistant, nurse and scrub technician remain by the patient’s side while the surgeon sits at a console away from the patient and controls the robotic arms, manipulating instruments that are inserted through the ports. These instruments include a high-definition camera and specialized surgical tools. The surgeon carefully removes the uterus, fallopian tubes, cervix and, if necessary, nearby lymph nodes. The robotic system provides enhanced visualization and instrument control allowing for precise dissection and removal of the cancerous tissue. Dr. McCann said the high-definition camera provides a magnified 3D view that allows the surgeon to view the surgical site with exceptional clarity. Additionally, the robotic system offers increased dexterity and range of motion enabling surgeons to perform intricate procedures with enhanced precision. After the surgery, the incisions are closed and the patient is sent to the recovery room, and then home with postoperative care instructions. “Endometrial cancer has a five-year survival rate of 90 percent and nearly all patients can benefit from the use of the robotic platform,” Dr. McCann added. “The smaller incisions result in less scarring, less blood loss and faster recovery compared to open surgery. The only time we’d have to use larger incisions would be if the cancer had metastasized to other parts of the body and we had to cut the disease out. “Robotic technology continues to advance and evolve, enabling us to perform intricate procedures with improved patient outcomes,” Dr. McCann concluded. “It’s become so common now that most residency programs only teach the robotic platform for hysterectomies.” Dr. Christopher McCann, D.O., received his medical degree from the University of New England and completed residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford, Conn. He completed fellowships in gynecology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He is a full-time physician with Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute in Palm Beach County and is often referred to Treasure Coast patients by their local gynecologists for specialized surgeries. HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital is located at 1800 SE Tiffany Ave, Port St. Lucie. The phone number is 772- 335-4000. Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute is at 1309 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach: 561- 366-4100. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45

Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 47 HEALTH Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Q. What exactly causes my old teeth to decay? A. Tooth decay – and gum disease – are caused by plaque, a layer of bacteria. This plaque can build up quickly on the teeth of older people. In addition, seniors have a greater tendency to get decay around older fillings. And we have more fillings than younger people because we didn’t all grow up with fluoride. Cavities in the roots of teeth are also more common among older adults, because the roots are exposed when our gums recede and we become “long in the tooth.” The root surfaces are softer than tooth enamel and decay more easily. Dry mouth, which is a lack of saliva, promotes tooth decay. Saliva is needed to neutralize the cavitycausing acids produced by plaque. Most dry mouth – a condition also known as xerostomia – is related to the medications taken by older adults rather than to the effects of aging. Despite all the dental problems related to age, seniors are holding onto their teeth longer than they used to. One reputable survey showed that the rate that seniors lose their teeth has dropped by 60 percent since 1960. This improvement has been attributed to advancements in treatment and better oral hygiene. Q. How common are headaches? A. More than 45 million Americans suffer from recurring headaches. About 70 percent of headache sufferers are women. There are primary headaches that are unrelated to another condition, and secondary headaches, which are related. Primary headaches include tension, migraine, mixed headache syndrome and cluster headaches. Secondary headaches include chronic progressive, sinus and hormone headaches. About 90 percent of primary headaches are caused by tension. These muscle-contraction headaches cause mild-to-moderate pain and come and go. Tension headaches are called chronic if you have them more than 15 days per month. They are episodic if you get them less than 15 days per month. Most tension headaches can be treated with over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen, aspirin and ibuprofen. Q. What should I do if someone in my home is poisoned? A. If you have a poison emergency, here are some steps you can take. The order of the steps depends upon the severity of the problem. You can call 911, call your poison control center at 800- 222-1222 or search the poison’s label for instructions and an emergency phone number. The following are some general first-aid instructions for poison victims: • If you get a poison onto your skin or in your eyes, rinse the affected area in the shower for at least 15 minutes. • If you inhale toxic fumes, get fresh air immediately. • If poison is swallowed, do not use an emetic medicine such as syrup of ipecac to induce vomiting. Doctors no longer recommend using these medicines because there is no evidence they prevent poisons from entering the bloodstream. Addressing tooth decay, headaches … and poison emergencies BY FRED CICETTI/THE HEALTHY SENIOR

48 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 HEALTH Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ If you’re struggling to reach 10,000 steps a day, here’s some good news: The latest science suggests fewer daily steps may be the sweet spot for many of us, depending on our age, fitness and health goals. There is nothing magical or evidence-based about 10,000 steps a day. So feel free to let go of that goal. The notion to take 10,000 daily steps stems from a marketing ploy: As the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics approached, a Japanese researcher decided to nudge his nation to be more active by offering pedometers with a name that loosely translated as “10,000-step meter.” (The Japanese character for the number 10,000 looks a little like a person walking.) More recently, scientists have come up with evidence-based recommendations about step-count goals. I recently spoke with some of the world’s leading experts on the science of step counting. Here’s their advice. 1. Your step count goal may be lower than you think In the past few years, multiple large-scale studies have stepped up, looking closely into how many steps we probably need for our health and longevity. In the largest, published last year in the Lancet Public Health, dozens of global researchers pooled BY GRETCHEN REYNOLDS The Washington Post Forget 10,000 steps – 7 surprising tips for step counters data from 15 earlier step-count studies, some unpublished, covering 47,471 adults of all ages, and compared their typical daily step counts to their longevity. The sweet spot for step counts was not 10,000 or more. In general, the pooled data showed that for men and women younger than age 60, the greatest relative reductions in the risk of dying prematurely came with step counts of between about 8,000 and 10,000 per day. For people older than age 60, the threshold was a little lower. For them, the sweet spot in terms of reduced mortality risk came at between 6,000 and 8,000 steps a day. Walking more than 10,000 steps a day wasn’t bad for people – it didn’t increase the risk of dying – but also didn’t add much, in terms of reducing mortality risks. The benefits also weren’t confined to longevity. In other studies, step counts of at least 8,000 a day for adults substantially lowered risks for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression, many types of cancer and even sleep apnea, said Janet Fulton, the chief of the Physical Activity and Health Branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2. Even a small increase in daily steps is good for you Not managing 8,000 steps a day at the moment? Or 6,000? Or even 5,000? You’re not alone. Even before the pandemic, most Americans were averaging fewer than 6,000 steps a day. And COVID-19 seems to have reduced many people’s daily step counts by 10 percent or more, according to some recent research, with daily activity levels only slowly returning to prepandemic levels. “I suggest starting with an increase of about 500 to 1,000 steps per day,” said Ulf Ekelund, a professor at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences who studies physical activity and was one of the co-authors of the Lancet step-count study. Other researchers agree. “We currently consider 500 steps a day as the minimum target for increased activity in inactive individuals,” said Thomas Yates, a professor of physical activity, sedentary behavior and health at the University of Leicester in England. Every week or two, try accumulating another 500 or 1,000 steps, Ekelund said, until you reach at least 8,000 a day, or 6,000 if you’re past age 60. 3. You don’t need an expensive step counter “Phones or watches are reasonably

Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 49 HEALTH Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ accurate,” said I-Min Lee, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who studies physical activity. But not everyone owns a watch or similar activity tracker, Fulton said, while “almost everyone has a smartphone now.” And almost every smartphone, Apple or Android, contains an accelerometer, which is a movement tracker, that can tell you how many steps you take, Fulton said. These devices are not as accurate as the research-grade accelerometers used in scientific studies, Ekelund said, and their readings may differ enough that your step count will be different from mine at the end of our identical walk. But these issues are relatively trivial, Yates said. Most phones and other types of trackers “are reasonably reliable,” he said, and if they over- or underestimate your steps somewhat, they’ll do so “consistently,” so you can track your progress. 4. Learn step count math Here’s some basic step-count math: 1,000 steps is about half a mile. Want to go that extra mile? For most of us, 2,000 steps is about a mile, depending on stride length. Taking 10,000 steps would mean walking for about five miles. 5. Speed doesn’t matter In terms of time, a half-hour of walking equals around 3,000 steps for most of us, if we don’t hurry. The good news is we probably don’t need to hurry. In almost all of the recent studies of step counts and mortality, the intensity of the steps, meaning how fast people walked, didn’t seem to matter much. It’s the overall number of steps they took throughout the day that made a difference. Intensity is the “icing” on the cake, Matthews said. Walking faster has the potential to amplify the health benefits of walking, but only slightly, he said. The key is to walk as frequently as you can manage, whatever your pace. 6. Step goals aren’t about weight loss Walking is not a calorie zapper. In broad terms, accumulating 2,000 steps, which is walking for about a mile, burns about 100 calories for an average adult moving at a strolling pace. Your typical doughnut contains about 300 calories. An apple has about 100. Even 10,000 steps a day adds up to only about 500 calories. 7. It’s easier to count steps than minutes of exercise Why count steps at all? Because, for most of us, it’s a simpler, moreconcrete goal than accumulating “at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderateintensity aerobic activity” every week, which happens to be the formal advice in the U.S. government’s 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines. “I have stopped trying to explain and prescribe the physical activity guidelines to my patients,” said William Kraus, a professor of medicine at Duke University, who was involved in writing the 2018 guidelines. “They do not understand them and cannot absorb them. I have gone to prescribing steps. I tell them they need to get to a minimum of 7,000 steps per day.” Stepping goals weren’t included in the 2018 guidelines, since a scientific advisory board believed the evidence then was thin, but most experts expect step counts to be included in future recommendations. Meanwhile, the advice for most of us is the same, however we measure our movements (and assuming we are physically capable of walking). “Some is good, more is better,” Lee said, and the first step is to just get up and take a few steps.

50 Vero Beach 32963 / June 15, 2023 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Style Monoplaits, butterflies and waistcoats: Dior’s Mexican show celebrated Frida Kahlo. Many designers know how to take a theme and run with it. The stress test is whether they can also extrapolate clothes that are desirable and relevant out of it. The irony of big luxury brands presenting cruise shows in splashy, James Bond-worthy locations is that these are precisely the collections that were originally conceived to be the most wearable. Give a designer the budget to show in Cuba, Kyoto, Rio or by the Great Wall of China – previous locations for Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Fendi cruise shows – and the impulse to go over the top can prove irresistible. So when I heard that Dior’s cruise collection would be shown in Mexico City and its key influence would be Frida Kahlo, I did wonder. Kahlo, who died in 1954, is such familiar fodder for designers, is there anything left to say that isn’t clichéd or fancy dress? But Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior’s creative director, a far more supple and subtle designer than she is sometimes given credit for, found fresh ways to connect with Kahlo in this often poetically beautiful collection. She’s wanted to show in Mexico since she joined Dior almost seven years ago, she said. “It’s complicated,” Dior told her. So the first few years she settled for Mexico by proxy: the California desert, where, in 2017, she staged a collection that drew heavily on Georgia O’Keeffe, with whom Kahlo had an affair; and Chantilly, just outside Paris, in 2018, when she hired some Mexican horsewomen to liven things up. Kahlo turns out to be one of those protagonists who feels so of our time, she could have been written yesterday by Greta Gerwig. Except no one would dare give a fictional character polio when she was 6, leaving her with one leg shorter than the other, then have BY LISA ARMSTRONG The Telegraph The five perfect pieces you need from Dior’s 2024 Cruise Show