Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 51
HEALTH
melanoma, the two companies an- they hope to begin that trial next year. quite taking hold because the cycle clinic,” he said.
nounced last Tuesday. In addition to using the break- time was just too long,” he said. “Now “It really sounds like science fiction.
with mRNAs, you can do that so much
After surgery and as long as a year on through mRNA technology, Moderna’s more quickly.” But I really do think that’s the world
the pair of drugs, melanoma patients in proposed vaccine employs a “personal- we’re moving into.”
the trial saw a 44 percent reduced risk ized” approach designed to prompt a Jason Luke, director of the Cancer
of recurrence or death compared with patient’s immune system to attack the Immunotherapeutics Center at UPMC Dozens of clinical trials are testing
patients who received Keytruda alone, specific mutations of his or her tumors. Hillman Cancer Center in Pittsburgh, mRNA treatment vaccines in people
according to the announcement. The agreed that the results, while from a with various types of cancer, includ-
companies did not release the results of Francis S. Collins, former director of Phase 2 study, signal “a tipping point” ing pancreatic cancer and colorectal
the study itself, which have not yet been the National Institutes of Health, said in cancer treatment. cancer in addition to melanoma –
independently reviewed. in an interview with Washington Post some also in combination with drugs
Live last week that development of vac- The ability to assess a tumor to de- that enhance the body’s immune re-
“Today’s results are highly encourag- cines for cancer using mRNA technol- sign a personalized medication, pro- sponse. But no mRNA cancer vaccine
ing for the field of cancer treatment,” ogy may be one of the great medical duce it and get it into a patient within has yet been approved by the FDA.
Stéphane Bancel, Moderna’s chief ex- advances to come out of the pandemic. a matter of weeks is where “genomics
ecutive, said in a news release. “mRNA meets computational biology meets Merck’s drug Keytruda is a mono-
has been transformative for COVID-19, “Cancer vaccines have had a lot of immunology meets my patient in my clonal antibody that helps the im-
and now, for the first time ever, we have promise, but they have been really not mune system fight invading cancers
demonstrated the potential for mRNA by removing barriers that inhibit its
to have an impact on outcomes in a ran- efforts.
domized clinical trial in melanoma.”
“Serious adverse events” related to
Bancel said the full data from the the Moderna and Merck treatments
melanoma study will be shared with occurred in 14.4 percent of patients
health authorities, including the Food who received the drug combination
and Drug Administration, and released and 10 percent of those who received
at a medical conference. The Phase 2b Keytruda alone.
trial involved 157 patients with Stage
3 or 4 melanoma that had spread to a In 2018, the most recent year for
lymph node and who faced a high risk which data is available, 83,996 people
of recurrence. The patients were split were diagnosed with melanoma in
randomly into two groups. the United States and 8,199 died of it,
according to the Centers for Disease
Positive results in a larger Phase 3 Control and Prevention. The five-year
trial are required before the FDA will survival rates of the disease are esti-
consider allowing the drug combina- mated at 60.3 percent for Stage 3 and
tion on the market. The companies said 16.2 percent for Stage 4, according to
the companies.
52 Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 Style Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™
I wore pajamas to Christmas fetes ... and will do it again
BY SARAH BAILEY grown-up girls’ pajama party in the come as no surprise that band ventures that I might get very
The Telegraph Hamptons, where she sported butter- elevated pajama dressing chilly going out in pajamas. I plump
cup yellow ‘day’ pajamas. Net-A-Por- should appeal for party for an Asceno pajama set in ‘Cherry
High-end nightwear is becoming an ter’s marketing director identifies the season this year. Right and Dusk’ stripes. Nicely weighty
increasingly common sight on the red Ukrainian brand Sleeper as one “that now, I’ve got about as (thigh skimming, not clinging), the
carpet and beyond. can take you from the sofa to the fes- much interest in wearing a neat cut means that when I tuck the
tive party.” Their feather pajamas are body-con sheath, as I have top I look like I’m wearing a jumpsuit
Tonight, I’m going out in my paja- increasingly sought after. in poking myself in the eye (without all the dreaded horrors that
mas – and I am not the only one. PJs with a cocktail stick. But make jumpsuits the very worst idea for
have been spotted out on the town London-based luxe sleepwear the question is, can fancy December parties).
a lot recently, and I don’t mean the brand Asceno reports a rise in custom- pajama dressing really
jacket-over-baggy-f lannel-bottoms ers of 75 percent in the last two years. pass muster at all the so- I need a coat of course. A straight
iterations, witnessed on the school Founder Poppy Sexton-Wainwright cial occasions upcoming overcoat is all wrong. I have high
run. can see, via social media that the way on my calendar? hopes for a vintage Kimono jacket,
customers wear them is changing: but sadly it comes across as a bit
These are silk, Valentino numbers “Now customers are wearing our full My first pajama chal- panto. My three-quarters ’60s sequin
resplendent with Chinese dragon PJ set with heels and accessories for lenge is a festive family trench is sharper and, though I’m ini-
prints and feather-trimmed cuffs – parties … Last week I wore [our] vel- dinner. I try a Rixo design tially reluctant, I try the Asceno velvet
think more Katherine Hepburn, less vet mulberry robe to a party and it felt with a cropped flared leg, robe, but to my surprise and delight
Kevin and Perry – which are increas- sophisticated, yet comfortable.” a dark floral print that it works.
ingly popping up on the red carpet. feels much more appro-
The idea of ‘hostess pajamas’, worn priate for a party, than I rather love the flourish as I swing
Hollywood actresses Amy Schum- for anything but sleeping, has been the pale pastel colors available in down the street. I can wrap it around
er, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes around since the 1920s, when wear- this style (fine for a summer soiree me to keep out the cold, and let it slip
wore fancy designs to the Oscars ing fluid silk pants epitomized the in the Hamptons, too ‘Woman In a off my pajama-clad shoulders on the
this year, by Olivia von Halle and La liberated spirit of the era. In the 1960s Dressing Gown’ for dinner with the dance floor.
Ligne. Singer and actor Harry Styles Diana Rigg’s Emma Peel in “The in-laws).
donned Gucci polka dot versions in Avengers” wore a slinky psychedelic- Believe me, I’m going to be wear-
his video for Late Night Talking, while print set for a Bridge party. I feel perfectly soigne and relaxed. I ing this look until New Year. Comfort,
Gwyneth Paltrow recently threw a accessorize with my trusty midnight dear readers, it’s the new black.
With the blurring of boundaries velvet platforms (flat shoes feel too
between work and leisure, it should relaxed).
My next date? Girlfriends over to
mine for drinks and desserts. I opt for
floral, silk Yolke pajamas. This set is
cut like proper sleepwear, and needs
a sparkly shoe, plus supersized Miu
Miu vintage earrings to feel dressed.
The silk feels divine, though a bit too
clingy for going out of the house.
Sleeper feather-trimmed ‘Black Tie’
pajamas, instantly puts me in a party
mood. I love the androgynous cut and
the quality of the crepe-de-chine fabric
mean that I don’t need to overcompen-
sate with accessories. My chic friend
tells me she is going to buy a pair to go
to a wedding.
Going out to a launch party in Chel-
sea feels like more of a dare. My hus-
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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Style Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 53
Four staples to transform your wardrobe
BY MAGGIE ALDERSON encers over 60” on Instagram, only to had plenty of opportunity to observe also by Cefinn, which has a highish
find a digital sea of women even slim- at those Paris and Milan fashion waist and structured bodice, so it’s
The Telegraph mer than the newly retrimmed me, shows, where she was always wearing not like the sacks I wore last sum-
but with endless legs. just the right thing. mer. It falls so elegantly and it felt so
Bored of her clothes, and having nice to walk in. I would never have
gained and lost weight, this fashion That was annoying and I didn’t much So, what did Nicola advise me to turn
writer is searching for newness. relate to what they were wearing, either. to? As a new staple, instead of my jeans, CONTINUED ON PAGE 54
she suggests the Every Day Every Way
After 40 years working in the me- My next search was simpler: “fashion Dress. A garment with the same integri-
dia end of the fashion world, I’m hav- trends,” but the results almost sent me ty and comfort as my (formerly) beloved
ing a style crisis. I’ve worn the same rushing back to boho jeans. Having in- denim, which you can build on.
clothes for three years, imprisoned in vestigated “Regencycore” – dressing in-
a micro wardrobe of jeans and “fun” spired by “Bridgerton” – and “Gorpcore” The secret to making this work, we
slogan sweatshirts, with chunky boots, (as if about to set off on a mountain trail decided, was to get such a dress and beat
branching out in summer to an equally with pockets full of Good Old Raisins it into submission, by constant wearing,
limited range of brightly-colored tiered and Peanuts, who knew?), I didn’t feel at so it becomes as much of a no-brainer to
dresses and Birkenstocks. all inspired. put on as favorite jeans.
I am bored out of my gourd with it. And 1980s, 1990s and Y2K style – The Every Day Every Way Dress
Two things put me in this fashion strong current trends – don’t appeal, This corduroy dress (left) by Ce-
cage. The first was lockdown, when either. Nothing reminds you more of finn is the perfect Every Day Every
there was no point in dressing in any- time’s harsh passage than reinserting Way dress, which I can imagine mak-
thing other than the most utilitarian yourself into looks you wore in your ing my new work-day uniform. It’s so
threads and we were all too freaked out youth. The portrait in the attic in an comfortable, but with the high waist
to make any effort, anyway. oversized jacket. and fitted bodice, it has a bit of struc-
Then there was the weight I gained ture, it’s not a great tent. The minute
during lockdown, which meant there No wonder most people give up try- I put it on, I felt like I already owned
was a finite number of things in my ing to be “trendy” at 35 – according it – and it has pockets, which is a dress
wardrobe I could force my burgeoning to a new survey by online personal deal-breaker for me.”
blubber into. shopping portal Stitch Fix. It also re- I absolutely love the swishy materi-
And those voluminous summer veals that more than a third of us feel al of this gorgeous dress (above right),
dresses didn’t help, offering an illusion “overwhelmed” by trends, which,
of chic, with no pinching reminder of given the very notion of Regencycore,
the ever-expanding girth of what used not to mention Cottagecore, doesn’t
to be my waistline. There’s a reason surprise me.
they’re called “buffet dresses.”
Now, I’m released from both those But with my work background, it is
prisons. Lockdown is a weird memory weird for me to be trend befuddled.
and I’ve lost more than 20 pounds on Dr. With all those years at fashion’s cut-
Mosley’s brilliant Fast 800 Keto diet (so ting edge – telling other people what
easy to do, I can’t recommend it highly the trends are going to be – I’m used
enough). to absorbing the “feel” of the moment
So, yahoo, I can now fit back into all and instinctively knowing what felt
the clothes I wore three years ago – the right to wear in it, but my post-lock-
only problem is, I don’t want to wear any down brain just isn’t processing the
of them. vibe the way it used to.
The past is a foreign country and all
that, and after March 2020 it was more So, I realized I needed help – and
foreign than most, with the world and was delighted when the person this
all of us in it completely reset from newspaper suggested to give it to me
who we were before we ever heard the was stylist Nicola Rose, someone I’ve
word COVID.
The problem is, I just don’t know
what to wear in this brave new world
we’re now in. And with life joyously
open again, I need to dress – and well
– for work lunches, actual face-to-face
meetings, socializing with friends and
more special outings.
It’s tough when I don’t even know
what to put on for my normal working
day, writing in the studio space I rent
to get out of the house – only what I
fiercely don’t want to wear. I’m won-
dering if I could heat the house by
putting those fatty-bum-bum jeans
and sweatshirts in the fireplace.
Looking for inspiration, I found my-
self scrolling through “fashion influ-
54 Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 Style Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53 The second genre of dress she sug-
gested I consider is a Wow Dress. A
picked this jacket out in a shop, but really knockout piece that makes you
the cropped length felt great over the feel instantly Dressed (ha-ha), so it
longer dress. I would wear this look can be worn anywhere smart, but is
anywhere. And yes, pockets. so comfortable, you would also feel
fine wearing it with flat boots for day.
The ‘Wow Dress’
“It’s all about learning how to dress
a dress,” said Nicola. “In mild weath-
er, you don’t need a coat, or even a
proper jacket, so you can show your
dress off and add pieces to give it a
different look. A gilet, a big sweater, a
shacket, a cropped jacket …”
The dress at left is such a clever
mix of classic elegance with modern
details, in the front zip, black trim
and stretch cuffs – great for pushing
them up. There is no chance of the
Dinner Dance look, which I particu-
larly dread. And it has pockets, which
is fabulous in a dress you could wear
for any evening do. It felt so comfort-
able, I could imagine wearing it in the
day, too.
The Versatile Jumpsuit nous trews make me look big all over. glorious and I don’t know why I’ve ne-
One of Nicola’s other standbys are What did work, though, was this glected the skirt for so long. It’s just
Miracle Pants, but although she tried as versatile as the trouser and it feels
very hard to convince me, I just couldn’t denim jumpsuit (above) – and I was strangely liberating.
feel comfortable in trousers with any- thrilled that she found one I felt com-
thing but narrow legs. With swimmer’s fortable in. I’ve been looking for years. This satin skirt by Ghost felt great
shoulders and Mick Jagger hips, I just And trying it on with sturdy boots, from the moment I put it on. The slip-
can’t get past the belief that volumi- then loafers – then a heel – I could see pery feel of the flirty skirt is so nice to
just how versatile it would be. wear, and the sweater will be so cozy,
but glamorous and fun. I’ll wear this
I’ve been looking for a jumpsuit for outfit mostly with flats, but I love how
years – which is hard when you’re 5 it looks here, with heels, for socializ-
feet, 1 inch. Most of them swamp me, ing with friends.
with a crotch down by my knees. I felt
a bit butch with the boots, but loved it I’ve already ordered this one – and
worn with the loafers, which give it a the glorious sweater – and I’m hop-
chic edge, less obvious than a heel. I ing all the other pieces will still be in
would wear this up to town like that, stock next month. It will be a bit of an
for meetings or lunch. investment to restock my exhausted
wardrobe, but I’m taking heed of an-
The Swishy Skirt other of Nicola’s tips: “You have to
The final new style idea for me was spend a few bucks to get something
a return to a garment I feel like I’ve with wardrobe icon status.”
hardly worn for years – the good old
skirt. And how I love this one. The It will be so worth it to look forward
swishy feeling around the legs is just to getting dressed again. Buffet dress-
es need not apply.
Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Style Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 55
Three types of party shoes for those who don’t like heels
BY LISA ARMSTRONG with a feminine dress, which risks
The Telegraph looking passé, stick to slim tuxedo
trousers cropped above the ankle. If
If you’re set on heels and plan you’re going the slingback or sandal
to dance, a mid-height will be route, keep feet in tip-top condition
more of an ally than any tower- by moisturizing them as assiduously
ing daggers.
as you would your face.
I was at a wedding last sum- Don’t even think about step-
mer where they handed out
flip-flops for the evening do. ping out in new shoes unless
I won’t lie, for the first time they’re thoroughly worn in. If
ever at a party, I dumped the there’s not enough time to walk
shoes I’d arrived in. around in them night and day for
a week, consider some wooden shoe
I feel that climbing down trees, which can stretch leather
from my heels is close
to a dereliction of if you get them one size up.
duty. As someone They’re particularly useful
who constantly writes for widening pointed and
about how to be sarto- almond toes.
rially prepared, it
seems the height looking footwear at a party.
of unprepared- If dancing isn’t on the cards, but
ness not to have
thought the shoe there won’t be much chance to sit
situation through down, platforms are the way for-
properly. Also, it ward. The velvet Russell & Bromleys
can wreck your have a 3.5-inch heel that will make
look. If you’re al- maxis and trouser suits look as God
ready small, you’ll intended, while the 1-inch platform
be smaller, and and wide base make for a happy sole.
whatever your height, your toes will I’d be cautious about reckless danc-
be vulnerable to getting stomped on. ing however, as I’ve been known to
topple off my platforms just stepping
In an ideal world, let’s say we off a curb. Yes, I twisted my ankle.
aim to keep the shoes on – in which No, I hadn’t been drinking.
case, forward planning is required.
Camilla Elphick, worn the Princess Kitten heels are a third comfort
Kate, designs lovely sparkly flats. option, provided your feet aren’t ex-
But if you’re set on heels and plan tra wide. Rather than wearing them
to dance, a mid-height will be more
of an ally than the towering daggers
beloved by Melania Trump, Meghan
Markle and co.
The 2.5-inch Gucci-inspired block
heels from LK Bennett are perfect: slim
enough to stay on securely, but not too
narrow. They’re almost sensible, but
saved by the gold – no one wants boring-
56 Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™
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60 Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™
PETS
Everyone loves lively Loki, who’s anything buy low-key
Hi Dog Buddies! Mama was workin’ full time, in This Very dependent Thinker. Loki.
Office, which her Dad (that’s my Grampa “For egg-zample,
I was glad I had just fluffed my ruff Steve) is The Boss Of. Since Mama didn’t PHOTO: JOSHUA KODIS
before this week’s innerview, cuz my want to leave a pupper at home all day, when Mama tried
inner-view-ee is one squared away she had to get per-MISSION to bring it to to Crate Train me, I ference call, which I think possibly
poocheroo. work, like, every day. didn’t wanna NOT do they don’t enjoy as much as I do. Later,
what she asked, but I we go to the post office, then lunch
Loki Lauer is a 12-pound, min-uh-chur “Let’s just say at first Grampa Steve HAD to quickly con- at Casey’s or El Sid, where everybody
poodle an, even tho he’s a pure-bred, wasn’t fond of the idea. At all. But Mama vince her a crate was loves me. They say ‘There’s Loki! Hi,
with PAY-pers an everything, he’s totally didn’t give up. She told Grampa Steve that NOT for me! I’m treat Loki!’ After work me an Mama have
NOT a snob-nose. Mr. Sandy, who runs a bizz-ness on the motivated. The crate dinner, then we hang-out, watch a
first floor, took HIS poocheroo, Rocky, to training efforts last- liddle TV. I’m not ackshully a cuddly
We met at his workplace, where Loki work every day, an it was FINE. ed about 2 hours. I kinda pooch, ’cept when I’m sleepy,
an his Mama and Grampa do some- think it’s a poodle I’m semi-cuddly with Mama.”
thing called LAW which, he explained, “Finally, Grampa Steve agreed (Thank thing.”
means helpin’ humans make good duh- Lassie) an Mama woof-mailed the best “Do you travel?” I inquired.
cisions about important stuff. Loki’s breeder she could find. The recent litter “So, what’re your fave foodstuffs? Toys? “I’m good inna car anna plane. But I
spent preddy much every workday there of puppers had just been ’dopted out but Pooch pals?” miss bein’ here in the office.”
since he was an 8-week-old pupper. a liddle while later, the breeder called an Heading home, I was thinkin’ about
said there’re More Puppies Ready Right “BACON!” he responded with enthu- charming Loki, makin’ so many hu-
Loki came trottin’ up to greet us, with a Away. So Mama rushed out an bought siasm. “An Stinky Fish Snacks! An LED- mans’ day a liddle better just by bein’ his
nice lady right buh-hind. lotsa Puppy Stuff, threw everything DUCE, ever since our bookkeeper ac- outgoing, adorable self.
in the car and took off for Kissimmee, cidentally dropped a liddle leaf of it an I An thinkin’ about checkin’ to see if
“Good afternoon. You must be Bon- where the breeder was. It was JAN-you- gobbled it right UP. Mixed greens are a perhaps there was some bacon in the
zo! I’m Loki Lauer, Receptionist an Of- wary 2021. I was an 8-week-old fluffball. beauty-full thing, doncha think?” fridge, to go with my duh-li-shus evening
ficial Greeter! This is my Mama, Eva. Only weighed 4 pounds. Irresistubble, of bowl of yoghurt.
Come’on, I’ll show you to our CON- course. Me an Mama knew right away I Fortunately, before I could respond, he
frunce room.” was The Dog!” continued. Till next time,
“A pleasure!” I said, following them “Woof, Loki! That’s SO Crispy Bis- “My grrrlfren, Olive, a Wire Haired The Bonz
into a room with the biggest table I ever cuits! What was it like at first, havin’ your Terrier, lives a coupla houses down. We
saw, with chairs all the way around. I Furever Home? An how’d you get that met as puppies. We have play dates at her Don’t Be Shy
didn’t know what CON-frunces were but Cool Kibbles name?” place. She jumps in her pool, but I don’t
I figured, with a table like that, they must like water that’s not in my bowl. I’m also We are always looking for pets
be Very Serious an Important. (I planned “It was excitin’! Not to brag, but I was frens with Rocky. We share toys, ’cept with interesting stories.
to Google later.) smart even when I was a pupper. I learned when I accidentally grab one of his an
Potty Training right away. I did chew bring it to Mama.” To set up an interview, email
I opened my notebook. “I’m eager to stuff, tho. Like, I’d pull the grass outta the [email protected].
hear your story!” pots of potted plants. An gently nab one Loki suddenly jumped up, zipped out-
of Mom’s shoes and stick my face in it. An ta the room, then zipped back carrying
Loki got comftubble in his Mama’s once I chewed some Important File Fold- what looked like a brownish/orangish
lap. “Here goes,” he said. “Mama hadda ers. But only the corners. I also usta pull stuffy snake with a very odd zig-zaggy
poodle growin’ up, an saw how smart paper towels outta the trash.” face.
we are, so she decided she’d get one
Some Day. Then, after she saw poodle “Typical puppy stuff,” I commented. “THITH ib by FAY-brut toy. Id’s by juh-
puppers in the Puppy Bowl (which is “I KNOW, right? Mama named me Loki RABB!”
the Cool Kibblest part of that big foot- after the first Loki, the God of Miss-chuff
ball game humans get so loud about), in Norse mythology: that’s a buncha He petooied the soggy stuffy out, an I
she started really, REALLY wantin’ one. super old stories humans in a very cold saw it was ackshully a giraffe.
When she was done goin’ to college and place called Norway tell about stuff that
traveling around, an came back here happened, like, a million dog years ago. “Mom hadda sew up his face three
where she grew up, she decided Some An Mama says I’m really skilled at Miss- times! Me an Mama take a run every
Day had arrived. chuff. I prefer to consider myself an In- morning to use up my Extra Energy.
After breakfast we go to work. I greet
“But there was this tiny problem: our CLY-unts an bring ’em a toy; some-
times I squeak my squeaker toys when
Mama an Grampa Steve are on a con-
Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 61
CALENDAR
ONGOING 29-31 Ballet Vero Beach pres-
ents the original produc-
Check with organizations directly for up- tion, Nutcracker on the Indian River, 7:30 p.m.
dates/cancellations. Fri. and 2 p.m. Sat. at Vero Beach High School
PAC, $10 to $75. Hour-long Accessible/Family
Vero Beach Museum of Art: Changing Na- Friendly performance 7:30 p.m. Thurs., $10.
ture: A New Vision, Photographs by James Balletverobeach.org or 772-905-2651
Balog through Dec. 31 and Picasso, Matisse
& Friends: Drawings from a Private Collection 31 Réveillon 2022: An all-white attire
through Jan. 8. 772-231-0707 New Year’s Eve Gala hosted by Man-
ny Moreira and Carla Holbrook to benefit the
Riverside Theatre: Weekly Friday and Sat- Humane Society of VB & IRC, with live music
urday Comedy Zone and Live on the Loop con- by the New Deco Group, a multi-media, im-
certs. RiversideTheatre.com mersive experience, dinner and open bar, 8:30
p.m. (8 p.m. VIP) at the Executive Courthouse,
First Friday Gallery Strolls in Downtown Vero followed at 11 p.m. by champagne and choco-
Beach Arts District, monthly from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. lates at the beach. $275 & $350. NewDeco
Orchestra.com
DECEMBER 31 Heaton’s NYE Party, 8:30 p.m. to 1
a.m., with light bites, party favors and
22|23 Magic of McKee Festival midnight toast. $75. VIP table packages avail-
of Lights, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., able. 772-469-4444
with large-scale train display, Wurlitzer Band
Organ, outdoor holiday light displays, enter- 31 Costa d’Este Poolside NYE Party, 9
tainment, and crafts. General admission rates. p.m. to 12:30 a.m. with music, late-
McKeeGarden.org or 772-794-0601 night bites, and midnight toast. $60; limited VIP
packages available. 772-562-9919
28-30 Magic of McKee Festival of JANUARY
Lights, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., with
outdoor holiday light displays, entertainment and 3-22 Riverside Theatre presents the
daily holiday-themed crafts and games. General ad- Tony Award-winning musical
mission rates. McKeeGarden.org or 772-794-0601
Norma C. (Johnson) Dore
Norma C. (Johnson) Dore, 91 of Whitten Neck
Road., Wolfeboro NH, passed away peacefully
December 6, 2022 at Mountain View Commu-
nity in Ossipee NH surrounded by her family.
She was born on July 15, 1931 in Boston MA
She was daughter of the late Carl A. P. (CAP)
and Esther (Benson) Johnson. Norma grew up
in West Roxbury MA, spending her summers
with her Aunt Alice and cousin Jack Cleary in
Wolfeboro NH, where she met her husband,
Howard F. Dore, who predeceased her in 2000. Norma went to West-
brook College in Maine before marrying Howard in May 1948. They
lived in Dedham and Westwood MA, spending their summers in
Wolfeboro on Lake Wentworth. After Howard retired, they moved to
Wolfeboro NH permanently, spending their winters in Vero Beach FL.
Norma was the first woman to waterski in NH using the skis her hus-
band, Howard, had made after seeing the sport in Florida. She lived an
adventurous life and enjoyed swimming, waterskiing, boating, snow-
mobiling, traveling, reading, cribbage and scrabble. Norma’s greatest
pleasure was her family. She is survived by her son David and his wife
Dawn of Wolfeboro NH, her daughter Deborah Dore Cotter and her
husband Jerry of Provincetown MA, seven grandchildren and seven
great-grand children. A Memorial Service will be held 1:00 PM, April
8, 2023 at the Baker-Gagne Funeral Home, 85 Mill Street, Wolfeboro
NH. Burial will be in Pine Hill Cemetery. The Baker-Gagne Funeral
Home and Cremation Service is assisting the family with their arrange-
ments. To view an online memorial, leave a message of condolences or
for more information go to: www.baker-gagnefuneralhomes.com
62 Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™
“Man of la Mancha” on the Stark Stage. 772- 8 Vero Beach Opera presents “L’Esisir
231-6990 or RiversideTheatre.com d’Amore,” a fully staged, original VBO pro-
duction joined by the Brevard Symphony Or-
4 to April 26 – Free Pelican Island National chestra, 3 p.m. at Vero Beach High School PAC.
Wildlife Refuge tours, Wednesdays at 8 VeroBeachOpera.org
a.m. Limited seating; reserve at 772-581-5557
10 Emerson Center E-Series presents
7 Quail Valley Charities 5K Walk/Run, 7:30 a.m. famed oceanographer John Englander
1-Mile Kids Fun Run, 8 a.m. 5K Walk/Run to on Rising Sea Level and the Path Forward, 7 p.m.
benefit children- and education-based nonprofits at the Emerson Center. Free. 772-778-5249
supported by Quail Valley Charities, with pre-race
refreshments and kids zone. RunSignUp.com 13 Indian River Symphonic Association
presents the Lviv National Philhar-
7 Bark in the Park to benefit Humane Society monic Orchestra of Ukraine, with musical direc-
of VB & IRC, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Riverside tor Theodore Kuchar and pianist Stanislav Khris-
Park, with performances by Disconnected K-9 tenko, 7:30 p.m. at Community Church of VB.
Frisbee dogs Diving Dogs, Comedic Stunt dogs, 772-778-1070 or IRSymphonic.org
and IRC K-9 officers, food trucks, adoptions, kids
zone and vendors. Free; dogs welcome. HSVB.org 13-15 Ballet Vero Beach pres-
ents Tastemakers, 7:30
Solutions from Games Pages ACROSS DOWN p.m. Fri., 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sat. at Vero
in December 15, 2022 Edition 1 SEOUL 1 SCRAM Beach High School PAC, $10 to $75. Hour-long
4 DOUBT 2 OUT Accessible/Family Friendly performance 2
8 ADO 3 LEISURE p.m. Sun., $10. Balletverobeach.org or 772-
9 RETRIBUTION 4 DAUBED 905-2651
10 MEASURE 5 UNITS
12 STAIR 6 TANTALISE 13 to 29 Vero Beach Theatre Guild pres-
13 UPKEEP 7 MONGREL ents the comedy “Visiting Mr. Green.”
14 GENIAL 11 AWKWARDLY VeroBeachTheatreGuild.com or 772-562-8300
17 PEACH 13 UMPTEEN
19 RIVIERA 15 ENVIOUS 14 Atlantic Classical Orchestra and Vero
21 DERMATOLOGY 16 ERRAND Beach Museum of Art Chamber Series
23 EEL 18 HORSE I, Austrian Masterpieces, 4 p.m. at VBMA. 772-
24 YIELD 20 ABYSS 460-0851 or AtlanticClassicalOrchestra.com
25 SIDES 22 ODD
Sudoku Page 36 Sudoku Page 37 Crossword Page 36 Crossword Page 37 (SOMETHING IN THE AIR)
VERO BEACH 32963 BUSINESS DIRECTORY
Advertising Vero Beach Services | If you would like your business to appear in our directory, please call 772-633-0753
GETTING BIT?
MOSQUITO SHIELD
CAN HELP.
(772) 213-8403
MoshieldVB.com
Our directory gives small business people eager to provide services to the community an opportunity to make themselves known to our readers at an affordable cost.
This is the only business directory mailed each week. If you would like your business to appear in our directory, please call
772-633-0753 or email [email protected].
‘BEST VIEW ON ALL OF SPRINGLINE’
MOORINGS POOL HOME WITH DOCK
122 Springline Dr. in the Anchor at the Moorings: 4-bedroom, 5-bath, 5,780-square-foot waterfront
home offered for $4,450,000 by Villa Realty Associates broker Chris Butler: 772-453-4318
64 Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™
REAL ESTATE
Moorings pool home with dock has
‘best view on all of Springline’
BY STEPHANIE LABAFF
Staff Writer
While living in the British Virgin One look at the view from the open- and they were hooked, Ed says. terway. And there’s no better place to
Islands, Ed and Barbara Pascoe heard concept living space with the river Sitting at the apex of a cove, the watch the sunset.
about Vero Beach from their neigh- framed by floor-to-ceiling windows
bor, Sandy Koufax, who was famil- at 122 Springline Dr. in the Moorings home is ideally placed to take in a “This particular lot has the best
iar with Vero from attending spring wide views of the Intracoastal Wa- view on all of Springline,” claims
training here while pitching for the
Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers.
Years later, when the Pascoes de-
cided it was time to find a summer
place a little warmer than where they
lived in Northern California, they
recalled what the pitching great had
told them.
After visiting Vero Beach, the couple
decided to sell their California vineyard
and make a permanent move here.
Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 65
REAL ESTATE
Villa Realty Associates broker Chris the air conditioners, the flooring and
Butler, who is the listing agent. “It’s in kitchen countertops.
the perfect location, looking right out
the channel. You get the ‘wow’ factor Red bricks pave the way to the front
as you walk through the door and see entry, where a half wall creates a cozy,
those long views through the glass all welcoming garden, one of the many
the way out to the Intracoastal.” outdoor spaces that extend the living
space of the home.
In addition to providing protection
during storms, the cove is teeming As you step over the threshold into
with wildlife, says Butler. the vaulted living and dining room,
skylights and a wall of sliders that
“There’s an eddy here that attracts open onto the patio reveal that long
the fish, and the dolphins are incred- view of the Indian River Lagoon.
ible. We have a couple of pairs that
feed in here and manatees that have “One thing we really like about the
come right up to the seawall,” Ed house is that it’s so bright,” says Ed.
adds. “And the dining room is great when
we have company. You can just open
The couple painted, updated the the doors” to let the outdoors in.
electrical, replaced the roof, two of
An artist’s loft with a sunset bal-
66 Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™
REAL ESTATE
cony overlooks the living room.
“This house was laid out beauti-
fully,” says Ed, noting the two guest
suites in the southern wing of the
house, affording everyone plenty of
privacy.
A two-car garage, laundry room
and third bedroom, which the Pas-
coes use as an office, fill out the front
of the northern wing of the house.
The kitchen, breakfast nook and fam-
ily room with a fireplace are conve-
niently located between the pool and
grill area – optimal for entertaining.
The primary suite enjoys complete
seclusion at the rear of the house,
where the Pascoes can relax and en-
joy private views of the river. A walk-
in closet is located at the entrance to
the updated bathroom, which now
has a soaking tub, water closet, dual
sinks and a walk-in shower.
In the kitchen, a farmer’s sink and
seating at the island provide an ideal
space for meal prep and extra storage
space. High-end appliances, a wine
cooler, a gas cooktop and a wet bar
ensure entertaining can be handled
with ease.
“This is a great house for entertain-
ing,” says Butler.
All of the rooms open onto patio
spaces, enhancing the home’s indoor-
outdoor lifestyle.
Outside, the Pascoes replaced the
irrigation system, put in a new drain
system and gutters, re-stuccoed the
back of the house, put in unpolished
travertine around the pool, added
new pool equipment, re-wired and
re-landscaped, and put in 500 new
Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 67
REAL ESTATE
VITAL STATISTICS
122 SPRINGLINE DR.
plants, including orange, lime and couple wants to be. heir decision to try Club offers a full slate of ameni- Neighborhood:
mango trees and a triple palm. head west was made with mixed emo- ties, including a yacht club, Pete Dye’s Anchor at the Moorings
tions, admits Ed. But once they get signature golf course in the commu-
“The outdoor area was worth the resettled in California, he says they nity, Jim Fazio’s Hawk’s Nest cham- Year built: 1981
work we put into it. It kept us out of hope to return to Vero for the season. pionship course on the mainland, Lot Size: 130 feet by 156 feet
trouble during COVID,” adds Ed. a sprawling tennis center, croquet
He says they have enjoyed their courts, and a state-of-the-art fitness Home size: 5,780 sq. ft.
In the backyard, there’s room to time in Vero Beach, but after visit- center with pool and spa, as well as Construction: Concrete block
play before heading down to the boat ing friends during crush [harvest fine and casual dining.
dock, where a 26,000-pound boat lift season] this year, he felt drawn to Bedrooms: 4
is at the ready along 155 feet of water the vine again, and they have pur- The Moorings is a short drive away Bathrooms: 5
frontage. chased a small vineyard. They say from shopping and dining in Vero’s View: Intracoastal Waterway
they both need something to keep seaside village. Nearby Riverside
Initially, Ed and Barbara thought them busy. Theatre and Vero Beach Museum of Pool:
moving to the East Coast would mean Art offer world-class cultural outings. Salt/chlorine swimming pool
seeing more of their grandchildren in As Moorings Property Owners As- For families with children, Saint Ed-
the British Virgin Islands. sociation members, residents have ward’s School conveniently abuts the Additional features:
private beach access and patrolled community. Gated subdivision; security-
However, notes Ed, their grand- security. The Moorings Yacht & Coun- patrolled community; fireplace;
children now spend their summers 176 bottle wine cooler; garden
in California, so that’s where the tub; loft; sunset balcony; impact
glass and storm panels; backup
generator; two-car garage; dock
with 26,000-lb. boat lift; new tile
roof; granted beach and water-
way access.
Listing agency:
Villa Realty Associates, Inc.
Listing broker:
Chris Butler, 772-453-4318
Listing price: $4,450,000
68 Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™
REAL ESTATE
As housing prices soar, wealthy county rethinks idea of suburbia
BY TEO ARMUS lution may lie in the county’s zoning liver housing. It’s just lifting the bar- and state governments have embraced
code. riers to do so,” said Arlington County this idea recently.
The Washington Post Board member Takis P. Karantonis,
A proposal expected to go before the who has vocally supported this push Of course, as localities like Arlington
The email from the mortgage loan Arlington County Board this fall would for “missing middle” housing. “If we consider changing their rules on what
officer was supposed to be good news relax these rules, allowing develop- succeed to have more production over can be built where, they face plenty
for Maureen Coffey. ers to build duplexes, townhouses and the years, more people will have a real of pushback – especially from long-
small apartment buildings in the leafy chance to buy and stay here.” time residents who own single-family
A 27-year-old nonprofit employee, suburban neighborhoods that take up homes who fear their home values
she never thought she would be able much of Arlington’s 26 square miles. “Missing middle” housing is a term could be affected.
to afford to buy in Arlington County that refers to small multiunit residen-
– a wealthy suburb across the river It’s an idea that would do away with tial buildings like townhouses, duplex- These skeptics also worry about how
from Washington, D.C. – until he told single-family zoning, which remains es and fourplexes. more homes and people may impact
her otherwise. Her steady income and central to the American idea of sub- local infrastructure. They say “upzon-
strong credit would qualify her for urbia. And it’s being considered by It covers a range of housing types ing” will crowd schools, clog storm sew-
a condominium costing as much as more communities around the coun- that fit into the “middle” between de- ers, remove trees and make it harder to
$300,000. try as their housing stock has failed to tached single-family houses and high- find parking. They say zoning changes
keep up with all the people trying to rise apartment buildings – in terms of could displace low-income residents
But the properties within her budget live there. form, scale, number of units – and cost. while making money for developers.
in this slice of Northern Virginia were
all nonstarters: either tiny studios with Officials in Gainesville, Fla., hope In many suburban neighborhoods, Residents and civic groups who sup-
$500-a-month condo fees, or units so such a plan will lower rents in their it’s long been illegal to build this kind of port “missing middle” say it will create
far from public transit that she would increasingly costly college town. Spo- housing. That’s why housing advocates more – and more affordable – housing
have to commute an hour to work. “I kane Washington city planners think say it’s “missing.” options.
had done everything right,” Coffey it might accommodate the influx of
said, “and that still was not enough to transplants who moved in during the “Single-family zoning” says home- If this newly built housing is less ex-
buy something.” pandemic. And in Arlington, where owners and developers can build pensive than what already exists, they
empty land is scarce and most people only one detached house on each lot. say, it will reduce competition for older
Across the country, low housing stock live in single-family houses or high-rise Changes that legalize missing middle homes and keep those affordable.
and skyrocketing prices mean plenty of apartments, lawmakers say it could housing would still allow for the con-
others are facing a similar reality. With create less expensive options that fill struction of single-family houses. But More dense housing would also re-
new units not being built fast enough the gap in between. they would also make it legal to build duce sprawl in further-out suburbs.
in Arlington to fix the problem, local other housing types.
lawmakers are hoping one possible so- “This is not necessarily going to de- Yet, the question of how exactly the
A growing list of governments of city idea might help aspiring homeown-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 70
70 Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 68 REAL ESTATE
ers is one of many firestorms that have “The county appears to have walked “At the same time, we have to do or cheaper mortgages, while others
erupted across Arlington. Critics point away from any discussion about af- something,” she said. “Would I like to flocked from across Virginia and the
out – and some of its proponents con- fordability,” said Julie Lee, who owns see something with a lower price tag? region for the quality of life: walkable
cede – that many of these new units a four-bedroom house in the Glen- Yeah, absolutely. But it’s still provid- neighborhoods, low crime rates, short
may not be directly affordable to the carlyn neighborhood and works with ing something that does not exist right commutes to job centers and top-
middle class. the group Arlingtonians for Upzoning now.” ranked public schools.
Transparency. “I do not see how the
Outside consultants commissioned missing middle framework as planned For many, Arlington’s housing short- An ahead-of-its-time effort to add
by the county say that on the lowest is going to bring down prices.” age is tied up with all the things that high-rise buildings along the Metro
end, the plan would create small one- make it such an attractive place to live. also brought young professionals like
bedrooms going for about $416,000. Coffey admits that she’s not con- Once a sleepy bedroom community, its Coffey in droves, turning Arlington
Based on their calculations, those vinced, either. She makes less than population exploded in the 1940s and into a county of mostly renters in apart-
apartments would only be attainable $65,000, spends more than a third of ’50s to transform it into what is now ments and a top destination for millen-
for someone making about $100,000 a her income on rent and wants to stay one of the country’s most densely pop- nials.
year – just above the median income in nonprofits. Even the least expen- ulated counties.
for a one-person household in the D.C. sive units of “missing middle” housing But as those millennials have got-
area, or below it for a couple. would be out of her budget. Some families moved from the ten married and started families, the
District in search of bigger houses options for them to buy have not kept
up with population growth. From 2010
through 2019, developers built a net of
11,370 housing units, according to a
county report, while Arlington added
about 30,000 people.
County Board Chair Katie Cristol was
able to find room in the market eight
years ago. Then 29, she and her hus-
band, a federal employee, purchased
a two-bedroom stacked flat in Arling-
ton’s Columbia Heights neighborhood
for less than half a million dollars.
When they decided to have a child,
they used the assets they had built up
to move to a larger property: a more ex-
pensive three-bedroom townhouse in
nearby Douglas Park.
Similar choices, she said, are in
short supply for younger members of
her generation.
Because the county for decades
stood in the way of building multifam-
ily units, “missing middle” units like
Cristol’s make up less than one-third
of Arlington’s housing stock. And in-
tense competition in recent years has
made that limited supply more expen-
sive.
A two-year market frenzy on top of
a period of sustained price growth for
single-family houses, meanwhile, has
made those homes more costly, too.
The average sales price for a single-
family house in Arlington jumped
45 percent over the last decade, from
$744,484 in 2010 to about $1.08 million
in 2019.
“When there is an undersupply of
housing, prices go up,” Cristol said,
“and it means that only the people
who can afford to bid the most for that
housing get that housing.”
The increase in home values has
made the price of land unusually ex-
pensive across Arlington, where there’s
no room left for sprawl. To maximize
profits, builders have torn down some
smaller single-family homes – such as
more affordable Cape Cods and Colo-
nials – and erected dramatically larger
houses in their place.
According to county data, 1,245
single-family homes in Arlington were
torn down from 2009 to 2019, with an
average size of about 1,500 square feet.
The houses built to replace them aver-
Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 71
REAL ESTATE
aged three times that size – and sold Florida home insurance bailout falls short
for an average of about $1.7 million.
BY JONATHAN LEVIN prioritize forward-looking solutions
The idea of “missing middle” is Bloomberg to forestall future crises before they
based on a similar economic propo- begin.
sition. If developers are already going Florida’s legislature has finally – at
to destroy small single-family homes long last – taken meaningful steps to- The Sunshine State, of course, is
and replace them with much larger ward addressing the state’s runaway where expensive real estate bumps
ones, its proponents ask, why not re- property insurance crisis. Unfortu- up against ever-intensifying hurri-
place them with townhouses or du- nately, it waited until the market was canes, the looming threat of rising
plexes or perhaps even eight units – to on the brink of collapse when good seas and the most notoriously liti-
house more people? options were impossible to come by. gious insurance market in the coun-
Going forward, the legislature must try. It’s also a market full of smaller
Coffey, who moved to a Clarendon
rental last year after graduate school, CONTINUED ON PAGE 74
had qualified for virtually every first-
time home buyer program offered in
Virginia. But exorbitant condo fees
– which tend to be higher in more af-
fordable, older buildings that require
greater upkeep – created an impos-
sible calculus on her budget, she said.
Joe Garon, her loan officer, said
about 3 in 4 aspiring first-time home
buyers in Northern Virginia who have
consulted him recently ended up giv-
ing up on their search and going back
to renting.
“It was absolutely heartbreaking to
see the number of people who got dis-
couraged,” Garon, of Embrace Home
Loans in Fairfax, said in an interview.
“Their offers were not even in the ball-
park of what the properties ended up
going under contract for.”
Those who did end up purchasing
“starter homes” often had to compro-
mise significantly on location, he add-
ed. Many successful buyers looking at
properties inside the Beltway moved
to exurbs as far away as Loudoun
County. The one exception? Clients
who had some sort of help from a fam-
ily member – an offer to co-sign a loan
or help with a down payment.
For Coffey, whose parents work as
an elementary school teacher and a
computer programmer, asking for that
kind of assistance was out of the ques-
tion. Back to renting it was.
Frustrated by the lack of options
before her, it felt like all she could do
was speak up about her experience in
hopes that something would change.
So she ended up spending a Mon-
day evening later that month on a
Zoom with county officials and a few
dozen Arlington residents, at first only
watching as her neighbors explained
why they were skeptical about rolling
back the zoning code.
“What’s called ‘missing middle’ is
not going to be low-cost housing be-
cause it’s in Arlington,” one man said.
“We need to do some more work be-
fore we allow developers to start doing
anything,” added a woman who spoke
after.
Ever since Arlington indicated it
might legalize denser housing types,
critics of the idea have descended on
forums like this one, a weekly “open
door” session led by county lawmak-
ers, to raise a litany of concerns.
72 Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™
REAL ESTATE
Real Estate Sales on the Barrier Island: Dec. 8 to Dec. 14
The second week of December saw relatively few real estate closings on the
barrier island with three transactions recorded, but all were for more than $1
million.
Our featured sale of the week was of a waterfront residence in The Estuary.
The home at 115 Rivermist Way was placed on the market Oct. 17 for $2.5
million. The sale closed on Dec. 15 for the full asking price.
The seller in the transaction was represented by Matilde Sorensen of Dale
Sorensen Real Estate. The purchaser was represented by Karen Gaskill of
Coldwell Banker Paradise.
SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES AND LOTS
SUBDIVISION ADDRESS LISTED ORIGINAL MOST RECENT SOLD SELLING
ASKING PRICE ASKING PRICE PRICE
$6,300,000
SUNSET POINT 1355 SUNSET POINT LN 5/12/2022 $8,500,000 $6,999,000 12/15/2022
ESTUARY THE 115 RIVERMIST WAY 10/17/2022 $2,500,000 $2,500,000 12/15/2022 $2,500,000
MARBRISA 80 LA CITA CT 8/26/2022 $1,395,000 $1,395,000 12/14/2022
$1,300,000
Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 73
Here are some of the top recent barrier island sales.
Subdivision: Sunset Point, Address: 1355 Sunset Point Ln
Listing Date: 5/12/2022
Original Price: $8,500,000
Recent Price: $6,999,000
Sold: 12/15/2022
Selling Price: $6,300,000
Listing Agent: Karen Gaskill
Selling Agent: Coldwell Banker Paradise
Brent Conaway
EXP Realty, LLC
Subdivision: Marbrisa, Address: 80 La Cita Ct
Listing Date: 8/26/2022
Original Price: $1,395,000
Recent Price: $1,395,000
Sold: 12/14/2022
Selling Price: $1,300,000
Listing Agent: Lange Sykes
Selling Agent: Premier Estate Properties
Jessa Valentine
Compass Florida LLC
74 Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 71 REAL ESTATE
regional insurers with business mod- needed to make sure that residents the quintessential short-term fix to three-quarters of the nation’s prop-
els that rely on access to reinsurance, retained access to insurance at all. tide the market over until, hopefully, erty insurance lawsuits even though
effectively insurance for insurers. the other measures start to pay divi- it has less than a 10th of the claims.
The rising cost of those policies has The legislation would create a $1 dends. It’s clearly not sustainable to
been at least one cause of the latest billion state-backed reinsurance imagine a world in which the state is Part of the issue, as the argument
turbulence. fund that primary insurers can turn left holding the bag for private insur- goes, is that the state’s laws made it
to for coverage. It also addresses com- ers’ catastrophic risk. so attractive to sue. Until now, the
The popular knock on the new leg- panies’ runaway litigation costs by law has dictated that defendants (in-
islation – which a special session of taking away an advantage that home- The change to the litigation out- surers) had to pay the attorney’s fees
the Florida legislature just approved owners’ had enjoyed against insur- look may have a more enduring im- for prevailing plaintiffs (ostensibly
and sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis for ers in court. Finally, it took steps to pact, but it comes at a cost. Advocates homeowners) – the so-called one-
his signature – is that it amounts to a reduce the number of homeowners for the insurance industry have long way attorney fee statute.
bailout of the insurance industry that covered by a state-backed insurer of contended that the problem with
won’t immediately address home- last resort, which offers below-market Florida is the long tail of claims and The threat of massive attorneys’
owners’ surging premiums. That’s premiums that the industry contends lawsuits that has followed every nat- fees incentivized companies to just
accurate, but more than keeping a hurt its ability to charge fair prices. ural disaster. Gov. DeSantis claims settle claims, and in recent years,
lid on premiums, Florida lawmakers that the state accounts for more than it has devolved into something of a
The reinsurance fund is, of course, racket. In the most egregious cases,
contractors would encourage home-
owners to file claims under false pre-
tenses and then help bring the claims
to opportunistic lawyers. There’s lit-
tle doubt that the lawsuits pushed up
insurers’ costs.
To address the matter, the new leg-
islation does away with the one-way
attorney fee benefit, a politically dif-
ficult move that takes away a benefit
to homeowners that – for all its abuse
– also helped many people stand up
to unscrupulous companies. But the
situation had become so dire that it
was a necessary step to preserve ac-
cess to the market.
The final change of note aims to
ease the burden of the crisis on Citi-
zens Property Insurance Corp., the
state insurer of last resort. It may also
push private insurance premiums
higher, all else being equal.
Homeowners can get a Citizens
policy at an implicitly subsidized
rate as long as private premiums are
at least 20 percent more expensive,
which is increasingly the case. Once
they get there, homeowners tend to
stick with Citizens, pushing the Citi-
zens portfolio above a million homes
this year, including some of the riski-
est properties that simply can’t get
insured anywhere else.
That may be putting an artificial
cap on market prices, too, prevent-
ing insurers from charging what
they deem to be a reasonable price
for the risk. Under the new legisla-
tion, homeowners will be forced to
leave Citizens once they can again
find private-sector policies within 20
percent of the price of those issued by
Citizens.
These reforms were largely neces-
sary to address a crisis unfolding in
real time, but they have come far too
late and address only part of the prob-
lem. This back-against-the-wall situa-
tion arrived after years of the legisla-
ture kicking the can down the road on
an issue that’s only going to get more
challenging as sea levels rise.
On balance, the measures could
control the litigation costs and allow
companies to charge what they view
as a legitimate premium. Ultimate-
Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 22, 2022 75
REAL ESTATE
ly, companies will always be happy fairness for policyholders under the development continues apace in some completely lose access to insurance.
to write new business if they think new regulations. Meanwhile, the un- of the most obviously perilous coastal But how long they’ll be able to af-
they can estimate their exposure and derlying risks themselves – intensify- and barrier island communities. ford the cost is another question, and
make money. The reforms to the liti- ing hurricanes, rising seas and climate the Florida legislature has failed to
gation outlook and the insurer of last change more broadly – aren’t going Insurers will surely be pleased that address the fundamental problem
resort will help them do just that. away, and Florida remains woefully they can better balance risk and re- of having costly real estate facing a
unprepared to deal with the costs as turn going forward, and homeown- looming storm.
But there remain questions about ers should be pleased that they won’t
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