03/04/2021 ISSUE 09

Vero police resume parking
enforcement. P12
Town manager

of Shores resigns. P14
Pandemic college planning
a challenge for St. Ed’s seniors. P10

British takeover of MY For breaking news visit
FlightSafety school VERO
has to be good thing COVID-19 good
news: cases down,
vaccinations up

BY RAY MCNULTY BY LISA ZAHNER
Staff Writer Staff Writer

The decision by FlightSafety PHOTO BY BRENDA AHEARN Indian River County made
International to sell its 55-year- significant progress in Febru-
old Vero Beach pilot acad- Why is school district underreporting COVID-19? ary as new infections contin-
emy to a British flight-training ued to decline – with only 34
school isn’t going to break our BY GEORGE ANDREASSI as have been reported by the tested positive for the virus as people a day testing positive on
hearts – even though the pilot Staff Writer school district, a Vero Beach of Monday, including 594 stu- average this past week – and an
training school once was a sig- 32963 analysis shows. dents, 40 staff members and average of 754 local residents
nificant part of the Vero scene. The Florida Department of 101 people whose role was not per day receiving a COVID-19
Health has reported more than How is this possible? given. vaccine shot last month.
The school has been trou- twice as many COVID-19 cases The latest state report shows
bled for years, with an abysmal in our county’s public schools 741 people in the Indian River But the school district’s an- Hospitalizations on Monday
graduation rate in recent years, County public schools have were lower than they’ve been in
and it tanked badly during the CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 many months, with 17 people
pandemic. A new owner and in the hospital with COVID-19.
new approach to flight train-
ing here seems like a good In more good news, the pre-
thing. viously lengthy wait list for
vaccinations here has dwin-
“With decades of experience dled significantly, according
in training and education, and to county Emergency Services
long-standing relationships with Chief Tad Stone. “Our current
the world’s leading airlines, records show less than 4,000
our team of directors and staff on the county’s waiting list,”
are committed to attracting top Stone said. “This number con-
U.S. talent and building the tinues to go down each week.”
No. 1 flight-training school in
the country,” Skyborne Avia- A good number of people,
when called, have declined their
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Hal Du Pont: Remembered by shooters, photogs and cat lovers Kimberly Thorpe: A meteoric life comes to an untimely end

BY LISA ZAHNER BY STEVEN M. THOMAS
Staff Writer Staff Writer

The loss of 84-year-old Indian The hundreds of people who
River Shores resident S. Hallock Du showed up at Strunk Funeral Home
Pont Jr. last week was felt by many he last Friday during visitation for Kim-
touched with his kindness, from the berly Thorpe were a testament to her
world of competitive shooting sports qualities as a person and to her mete-
to his circle of friends in the local oric career in island real estate.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

March 4, 2021 Volume 14, Issue 9 Newsstand Price $1.00 At ‘Night of Hope,’
tales of believing
News 1-15 Games 41-43 Pets 32 TO ADVERTISE CALL and achieving. P20
Arts 47-52 Health 53-61 Real Estate 73-88 772-559-4187
Books 40 Insight 33-46 St. Ed’s 16
Dining 66-70 People 17-31 Style 62-65 FOR CIRCULATION
Editorial 38 CALL 772-226-7925

© 2021 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved.

2 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

My Vero has not been made public. It wouldn’t
be surprising if the price were heavily
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 discounted.

tion Chief Executive Officer Lee Wod- Two years ago, FlightSafety Academy
ward said in a news release announc- surrendered its accreditation, ending
ing its purchase last week, a three-year struggle to comply with
standards set by an organization that
According to the release: The Sky- evaluates post-secondary vocational
borne group signed a definitive agree- and technical schools.
ment on Feb. 16 to purchase the Vero
Beach academy. The transaction is ex- Among the more-alarming defi-
pected to close in the second quarter ciencies cited by the Accrediting Com-
of this year. No purchase price was an- mission of Career Schools and Colleg-
nounced. es, which had placed the academy on
“warning” in 2017 and then “proba-
Based at the Gloucestershire Airport tion” in 2018, was a failure to maintain
in the United Kingdom, the Skyborne a graduation rate of at least 50 percent
Airline Academy was “established for its professional pilot program.
by industry experts” and will bring a
“fresh approach to airline pilot train- The academy’s reported graduation
ing,” the release stated, adding that its rates for that program plummeted
school here will be rebranded “Sky- from 38 percent in July 2016 to 14 per-
borne Airline Academy Vero Beach” cent in July 2017 to a dismal 3 percent
and open this spring. in February 2018.

The release did not identify Flight- FlightSafety Academy’s performance
Safety as the seller, referring to only a appeared to be improving last year –
“pilot training base” in Vero Beach but until the COVID-19 pandemic arrived,
the coyness was a little silly. crippling the airline industry and send-
ing many of the school’s foreign stu-
The Skyborne release refers to a “10- dents back to their home countries.
acre site” and states: “With over 200
recently renovated bedrooms, a swim- Scher said FlightSafety’s operations
ming pool, soccer field, volleyball court, – takeoffs and landings – dropped to
cafes and book shops, trainees can en- about one-third of their usual num-
joy a full campus experience.” bers.

Of the flight schools in Vero Beach, Flight Safety got its start here in 1966,
only FlightSafety Academy offers such when the company’s founder, Albert
facilities, or anything remotely like Ueltschi, opened the school at what is
them. now Vero Beach Regional Airport.

Nevertheless, FlightSafety Interna- It enjoyed a long, mostly success-
tional officials would not confirm the ful history here, earning national ac-
pending transaction or comment on it. claim in the industry by training en-
try-level pilots and filling the cockpits
They didn’t need to. of commercial airlines and corporate
Vero Beach Airport Director Todd carriers across America and around
Scher said he met with a Skyborne the world. And it played a significant
representative last month to discuss role in the airport’s development and
the procedure for taking over Flight- brought more than 25,000 flight stu-
Safety’s lease with the city. dents to town.
“They were doing their due dili-
gence, making sure FlightSafety is Despite that history, though, few in
in compliance with the terms of the Vero are likely to mourn FlightSafety’s
lease so there’s nothing to hinder departure.
them taking it over,” Scher said. “The
process is pretty straightforward, as Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be, es-
long as they don’t want to change any pecially with more newcomers mov-
of the terms.” ing here every year.
In the meantime, Scher said he’ll be
educating himself on Skyborne. If people don’t miss the Dodgers
“To be perfectly honest, until they and grapefruits – both of which put
came into my office, I had never heard Vero Beach on the map – there’s little
of Skyborne Aviation,” Scher said. “But chance they’ll even notice FlightSafe-
based on what I know now, I’m optimis-
tic that they’ll be a good partner, and ty is gone. 
I’m excited to see what they do here.
“This is their first venture into the COVID-19 good news
U.S. flight-training market, so I’m sure CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
they want to make a good impres-
sion here,” he added. “Everything is in appointments, he said. “I’m not sure of
place to train young, aspiring pilots. the exact reason but with the vaccine
And, obviously, they have the money being available from a number of other
to satisfy FlightSafety.” sites ... I am sure it is having an impact.
I’d love to know how much money It’s shots in arms and a lot of agencies
Skyborne agreed to pay for the Vero are helping bring the numbers down.”
Beach flight school, but that figure
Stone credited many organizations
working in tandem with getting more
than 58,000 shots administered locally.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 3

NEWS

“I am happy to report that we have The newly approved vaccine is sim- erna vaccines, which means there is Johnson and Johnson-Janssen Bio-
reached 67 percent of the estimated pler to ship, store and administer than less chance for error. The new vaccine tech vaccine drove the point home:
65-plus population,” he said. “This the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vac- is better suited to be administered in “The best vaccine is the one you can
could not have taken place without cines. The J&J vaccine can be kept in doctor’s offices and small clinics – a get access to.”
the drive-through operation at the a regular refrigerator for up to two move that would help get everyone
fairgrounds being run by the Health weeks, or stored in a regular freezer for vaccinated much quicker. It’s not yet known where the J&J vac-
Department Indian River County, up to three months. cine will be available in Indian River
Treasure Coast Community Health, The message emphasized by doc- County, or when. To register for the
Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital It comes in vials containing five .5 tors and public health experts dur- Indian River County vaccine waiting
and Whole Family Health.” milliliter doses and does not need to ing the FDA’s all-day panel hearings list, go to www.ircgov.com/coronavirus
be diluted like the Pfizer and Mod- and two days of CDC hearings on the
Gov. Ron DeSantis urged Floridians and complete the form. 
who got frustrated trying to get an ap-
pointment in February to try again
with Publix or their local health de-
partment, saying demand has eased
somewhat statewide.

In response to the decreased demand
among seniors, DeSantis announced
that teachers, sworn police officers and
firefighters age 50 or older could now
get vaccinated. He also loosened re-
strictions on who can identify and vac-
cinate people considered to be particu-
larly vulnerable to COVID-19 infection
due to pre-existing conditions.

Now, individual licensed doctors
practicing outside of a hospital, certi-
fied nurse practitioners and licensed
pharmacists can make the judgment
call about vaccinating sick or at-risk
people younger than 65.

For those waiting for the single-dose
Johnson and Johnson-Janssen Biotech
vaccine, Florida is expecting its first
shipments soon, according to DeSantis.

The vaccine has been approved by
the FDA and the CDC, and DeSantis
said Monday he had an unconfirmed
figure of 173,000 doses headed for
Florida, but he did not know when the
vaccine would arrive and did not say
how it would be distributed.

The FDA found the Johnson and
Johnson vaccine to be extremely ef-
fective at preventing death from CO-
VID-19 complications and severe ill-
ness requiring hospitalization. Tested
on more than 40,000 people in the
United States, Brazil and South Africa,
the new one-dose vaccine offers some
protection starting at day seven after
vaccination, increasing steadily with
good protection at day 14 and excel-
lent protection at day 28.

The efficacy rate for preventing
infection across populations in the
three countries averaged out to about
66 percent (72 percent in the United
States), at the height of the pandemic
surge, with virus variants circulating.
No deaths or hospitalizations from
COVID-19 were found after day 28 in
the clinical trial group of people who
got the one-dose vaccine.

DeSantis said on Monday Florid-
ians should not to be scared off by
the 66 percent efficacy rate, because
the goal is preventing hospitalizations
and death from COVID-19. “If you
have the opportunity to get the J&J
vaccine, take the J&J vaccine,” he said.
“That will absolutely save lives.”

4 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

COVID in schools But the school district did not re- trict’s largest school, exemplifies the year, including 95 students, two staff
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 spond by deadline to a series of ques- long-standing disparity between the members and seven people whose
tions emailed Friday about the dispar- reporting of COVID-19 cases by the role was not characterized.
nouncements of positive COVID-19 ity in the COVID-19 statistics reported school district and the Florida Depart-
cases indicate a much smaller total, with by the school district and the Florida ment of Health. But according to school district
only 312 people in the public schools Department Health. press releases, there were only 58 cases
testing positive for the virus, including Vero Beach High has had 130 cases of COVID-19 at Sebastian River High
244 students and 68 staff members. “COVID-19 data reported to the de- of COVID-19 this school year, as of Feb. School this school year, including 56
partment is immediately integrated 20, according to a summery the state
In the past, the school district has into our reports,” the Health Depart- Health Department released Feb. 26. students and two staff members. 
said the disparity in the statistics is ment’s media office said. “The school
because the district announcements report is updated on a weekly basis.” The state report shows 115 students, Hal Du Pont
only include those going to school in- five staff members and 10 others at
person, while the state figures reflect The comprehensiveness and accu- Vero Beach High have been diagnosed CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
people engaged in both in-person and racy of the school district’s press releas- with the virus this school year.
virtual education via computer. es announcing COVID-19 cases in the photography club, to a community of
public schools came under question last Another 45 students and 6 unknown shelter felines seeking good homes.
But the number of students engaged week after Vero Beach 32963 learned people at the Freshman Learning Cen-
in virtual learning declined to 16 per- Vero Beach High School Principal Shawn ter were diagnosed with COVID-19 as According to Barbara, his wife of 17
cent in the 3rd quarter from 33 percent O’Keefe and an assistant principal were of Feb. 20, the state Health Department years, “Hal” Du Pont was a pioneering
in the 1st quarter, the district’s Febru- out at least two weeks with the virus, report says. pilot, an adventurous world explorer,
ary 2021 Mid-Year Review says. during a period in which the district a successful entrepreneur, a talented
didn’t report any staff members at the However, school district reports in- wildlife photographer and a devoted
So, if you credit the School Board’s ex- high school testing positive for the virus. dicate only 47 students and nine staff humanitarian who left every organi-
planation, fewer than one-third of the members at Vero Beach High School zation, project or endeavor he got in-
student body – those studying at home It wasn’t until Wednesday, Feb. 24, diagnosed with COVID-19 since the volved in much better than he found it.
– accounted for nearly 59 percent of the after repeated inquiries by 32963, new school year started Aug. 24.
594 student COVID-19 cases reported that the district issued a report of two “Whatever Hal did, he did it to the
by the Florida Department of Health. staff members at the high school test- District records show another 23 stu- fullest. He took control and brought it
ing positive. This was weeks after the dents and two staff members at the to its fullest potential,” Barbara said.
Really? school’s principal fell ill. VBHS Freshman Learning Center testing
The state Health Department Mon- positive for the virus this school year. Born in 1936 in the heart of his his-
day told 32963 its COVID-19 case re- School district spokeswoman Cristen toric family’s home turf of Wilmington,
porting is authoritative, and referred Maddux confirmed that O’Keefe was The disparity between the Health Delaware, Du Pont traveled extensive-
questions about the differences in the one of the two mentioned in the report, Department and school district re- ly with his family as a boy, catching a
statistics for the Indian River County but attributed the reporting delay to the porting on COVID-19 cases at Sebas- life-long case of wanderlust.
public schools to the school district. local Health Department office. tian River High School is also glaring.
He loved the great outdoors and
Vero Beach High School, the dis- According to the state Health De- wildlife, especially eagles.
partment, Sebastian River had a total
of 104 cases of the virus this school

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 5

NEWS

Wanting to soar like one, he enrolled eled widely, pursuing title after title in rifles sought by competitive shooters the impressive collection and relocat-
in Air Force ROTC, joined the ranks of competitive skeet, trap and sporting and hunters. In 1983, Du Pont moved ed the business to mainland Vero.
the United States Air Force Auxilia- clays competitions across the U.S. and the business to Vero’s barrier island,
ry, trained as a pilot and became the abroad. serving clients from his Beachland Locally, Hal Du Pont joined and re-
youngest Brigadier General in the Civil Boulevard office for many years. vitalized the Indian River Photo Club,
Air Patrol. In the 1950s, Du Pont founded his Eu- and served on the then-Indian River
ropa Corporation, specializing in rare His daughters Kemble du Pont and Memorial Hospital Board, as well as
With his flying capability, he trav- German-made Krieghoff shotguns and Virginia Whitehouse later took over
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

6 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Hal Du Pont close. “He loved cheetahs because you “When he crossed over the rainbow In her first year, Kimberly Kent Har-
can pet them, and they purr. You can’t bridge, Hal probably had a lot of cats din, her name at the time, was the top
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 pet lions or tigers,” Barbara said. listing agent in the office, with $17 mil-
waiting for him,” Barbara said.  lion in listings. She was the top selling
holding leadership roles in various A long-time volunteer with a local agent the next year, racking up nearly
national competitive shooting organi- no-kill animal rescue, Barbara con- Kimberly Thorpe $20 million in sales.
zations. verted Hal’s affinity for the big cats CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
that roam the savannas of Africa into a “She leveraged her experience with
Members of the shooting community passion for much smaller cats home- Thorpe, 54, who passed away un- the legal profession, the organization-
in online forums posted remembranc- less on the streets of St. Lucie and expectedly in her sleep on Feb. 20, al skills and attention to detail, and
es of Hal over the past week, recalling Indian River counties. Dogs and Cats was “a single mom driving a minivan” figured a way to separate herself from
his kindness, his generosity, his endless Forever remembered Hal Du Pont around Vero Beach when she decided the pack and excel in hard times,” said
willingness to share his knowledge – with great affection. to go back to work in 2008, she told Mike Thorpe.
and even his guns – with up-and-com- Vero Beach 32963 in a 2019 interview.
ing competitors learning their craft. “Throughout the last 14 years, Hal “She was a very creative thinker and
was a true friend to our shelter and Born in Louisville, Kentucky, and came to me with a lot of unbelievable
Seventeen years ago, Hal married supported us in various ways, both raised in Alabama before moving to ideas, things I had never thought of in
Barbara in Vero and they traveled large and small. Recognizing the need Vero in 2000, she had a good educa- my many years in the business. She cre-
about six months of the year so Hal for the 150 plus cats at the shelter to tion and business experience years ated her own systems and check lists
could compete in shooting events and not only have a comfortable place to before but no background in real es- that we still use at the brokerage today.
so they both could photograph land- live while they awaited adoption, but tate when she got her real estate li-
scapes and wildlife all over the world. also to have a building which would cense in January 2009. “I came to see her as a real estate
showcase them to potential adopters, savant, and even though I had always
“We hunted with our cameras; it’s a Hal proposed to finance the construc- Going to work for her future husband, been an independent broker and
passion we developed together,” Bar- tion of a 3,100-square-foot Cat Build- Michael Thorpe, at his Vero brokerage, hadn’t been thinking of taking on a
bara said. Of their globe-trotting photo ing that would be connected to the she looked like just another rookie try- partner, I ended up inviting her to join
shoots, Barbara recalls an expedition rear of the existing shelter building at ing out in a tough business at a very forces with me.”
to Antarctica as the most harrowing. 4600 Selvitz Road in Fort Pierce. tough time for the housing market.
“We flew to South America and went by Kim had some family money be-
ship, I’m talking 40-foot seas,” she said. “The groundbreaking for that struc- But it wasn’t long before Mike Thorpe hind her – her father was Lynn Velde,
ture was held in 2014, and, by 2015, saw something special in his new hire. who owned Velde Ford in Vero Beach
No distance was too far, no trip too the cats had happily moved into their for many years prior to his death – and
extreme in the name of adventure and new accommodations.” “She started out in a partnership she bought half of Mike’s business.
great photography. with another agent but that didn’t work
Personally, Hal and Barbara adopted out and it was sink or swim time,” Mike In January 2010, the new partners
South Africa was Hal’s favorite spot fostered and rescued a large number of Thorpe said on Sunday. rebranded the business as Treasure
for photographing wildlife, and the cats over the years, starting with a bond- Coast Sotheby’s International Realty.
cheetah became his favorite animal af- ed pair named Thelma and Louise. She swam. Like an Olympian.
ter he met some rescued cheetahs up With the cash infusion and their

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9





Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 9

NEWS

Kimberly Thorpe from day one,” Travis said. “She was pe. “She was the love of my life and the pandemic, sharing wine and good
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 always calling or sending me positive much better than I deserved. Because times with friends, attending NBA
texts, checking in, asking how I was I am 12 years older than she was, it games, rock concerts and the opera.
combined talents, they held on doing. On the Friday before she passed never crossed my mind that she would
through the downturn and thrived she was even more excited than I was. go first. I feel lost at times. Her professional peers thought
thereafter, growing sales from around I was jumping up and down and we highly of her as well.
$100 million in 2009 to $450 million in hugged. As she was walking away she “I am OK when I am busy. Work is
2019. said, ‘I can’t wait for next Saturday!’” therapy. Surfing is even better therapy. “She was easy to work with, always
– the day Travis would get the keys to And I have had my family around me, accommodating and at the top of her
After working together for six months her new home. but it is hard. When I am alone in our game,” said Cindy O’Dare, a broker
or so in the apocalyptic market – an ex- bedroom gathering my thoughts, it is associate at Premier Estate Proper-
perience that Mike describes as like That night, Kimberly Thorpe went very hard.” ties who did business with Kim. “I am
“going to war together” – the pair fell to bed in apparent good health with shocked and saddened by her death.
in love and began what Mike calls “an no known medical conditions and Everyone interviewed for this story I spoke to her last week and she was
unbelievably passionate romance and died in her sleep. The cause of death is that knew Kim described her as some- telling me how much she loved Cabo
life together.” still unknown. one who greatly enjoyed life – travel- San Lucas and advised me on some
ing the world with her husband and great places to stay there. It is really
They married a few years later, “I am devastated,” said Mike Thor- son, dining in great restaurants before
forming a blended family with Kim’s CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
son Harrison, and Mike’s two daugh-
ters, Shannon and Rachel Thorpe.

By 2019, the Thorpes’ brokerage
had expanded to Brevard County and
had some 100 agents listing and sell-
ing property from Fort Pierce to Co-
coa Beach. In November of that year,
they cashed in on their success, sell-
ing their business to ONE Sotheby’s
International Realty, a Miami-based
brokerage expanding up the east coast
of Florida.

After the sale, the couple stayed
on as broker associates, returning to
what both described as the “best part
of the business.”

“Listing and selling homes is my
passion, and now we will be able to
really concentrate on that,” Kim told
Vero Beach 32963 at the time of the
sale.

With Mike’s daughters heading off
to college and Kim’s son Harrison
thriving at St. Ed’s, the couple, by all
accounts, was enjoying a happy, suc-
cessful life together, selling lots of lux-
ury real estate while also making time
to enjoy things like surfing, fine wine
and good friends.

That life came to an abrupt and
tragic end two weeks ago.

Kim was at St. Ed’s that Friday, meet-
ing between real estate appointments
with Harrison and Michele Sternberg,
her son’s college counselor, who also
was a close friend of Kim’s.

“We had no idea it was the last time
either of us would see Kim alive,”
Sternberg said of the meeting. “We
talked about Harrison’s transcript and
the opportunities he has ahead of him,
and she could not have been prouder
of him. She was beaming with pride
that Harrison was doing so well in
school and that the teachers were so
impressed with his work.”

Leaving the school that day, Kim
stopped to congratulate Wanda Travis,
who works in the gate guardhouse at
St. Ed’s, and who had just learned she
would soon be a homeowner via the
Habitat for Humanity program.

“When she first found out I was try-
ing to get a home, she stood by me

10 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

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Kimberly Thorpe dry sense of humor.” very, very nice person and was always erous and a mentor to many of our
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 “She was a lovely person,” said very professional in her business agents. There were more than 300 re-
dealings.” plies on Facebook to the notice of her
heart-breaking to lose her. She was Matilde Sorensen, co-owner of Dale death. I was incredibly lucky to have
beautiful, had great style and a funny, Sorensen Real Estate. “I wasn’t close “People liked her, and she assem- the time I had with her and I will never
with her, but I saw her often having bled a wide variety of friends,” Mike
lunch at Quail. She seemed like a Thorpe said. “She was kind and gen- stop missing her.” 

Pandemic makes college planning a challenge for St. Ed’s seniors

BY STEPHANIE LABAFF day, and schools that now plan to open are lower than they have ever been in college application process this year
Staff Writer their campuses in the fall could change the history of college admissions, and that adds additional uncertainty is
their minds if the virus rebounds. there have been fewer early accep- the sweeping shift to “test-optional”
St. Ed’s seniors making college plans tance offers this year, Sternberg said. admissions at most major universities
for next year are contending with a In addition, there are fewer open- “Because of all those factors going and colleges.
challenging array of COVID-19 related ings for college freshmen and more against us, we’ll have a tougher time
obstacles and uncertainties. students than ever vying for available with the Ivies this year, but that will be This new policy, which no longer re-
spots at selective colleges and univer- true at every school in the nation.” quires SAT or ACT scores, has boosted
Saint Edward’s School takes pride sities. student confidence and more stu-
in the fact that 100 percent of its stu- Despite these challenges, “the tone dents than ever are “throwing their hat
dents are accepted to 4-year universi- Last fall, a large number of first-year from the colleges, kids and parents is in the ring” and applying to Ivy League
ties, and more than 90 percent are ac- college students across the country one of cautious optimism for this fall,” schools they previously wouldn’t have
cepted to their first or second choice, chose to defer enrollment – mainly said John MacMullan, associate head considered because their test scores
including an impressive number who because parents did not want to send of school and head of Upper School. weren’t competitive.
have attended Ivy League and other their children so far from home during
upper-tier colleges. the pandemic, or pay for their kids to However, “if things do not break our Despite the test-optional trend,
attend college virtually. way and the COVID precautions con- “we’ll continue to have our rising se-
Things are different this year, though, tinue, I think we will definitely see an niors go through the testing process
said Michele Sternberg, director of Col- Many of those students are now uptick in the number of deferrals. Peo- and submit testing when it’s strong,”
lege Counseling and academic dean. ready to take their place as freshman ple ... don’t want to pay many tens of said MacMullan, noting that informal
at the schools where they were ac- thousands of dollars for an online ex- studies show strong test scores give
College schedules are still uncertain cepted, taking up space that this year’s perience.” most applicants an advantage.
as the pandemic continues. Regula- high school seniors are competing for.
tions vary from state to state and day to Another significant change in the CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
Because of that, admittance rates



12 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

St. Ed’s seniors vised students in this office this year,” Alejandro Wang was recently noti- environmental science, and has not
said Sternberg. “We applied to the fied of his acceptance to Harvey Mudd decided on a major.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 places that we thought were good fits. College in Claremont, Calif., one of
We always look for where we think our the top math, science and engineering While Brown is her top choice, Pines
Colleges and universities adopting kids will be successful. We didn’t have undergraduate colleges in the country. also applied to other Ivy League and
the test-optional model are relying students apply to the highly selec- top-tier colleges and universities. She
more heavily on high school tran- tive schools with low test scores, even Wang is headed to his first-choice said she plans to visit the colleges
scripts, focusing on solid grades, a though they could have applied test- school as an engineering major and where she’s been accepted, “to pick up
strong grade-point average and rigor- optional.” says he opted to submit his test scores, the energy from the school. To really
ous coursework along with activities, reasoning that good test scores would just feel that magic to know where I
athletics, arts, extracurriculars, jobs Currently, about three-quarters of help demonstrate his academic ac- want to go.”
and community service. Saint Edward’s School seniors have complishments.
already been accepted to one of their She also opted to submit her test
Students at St. Ed’s, where college top choices. The remainder either Cristina Pines is among those keep- scores, feeling that it was as much an
counseling begins in eighth grade, tend haven’t decided yet or are anxiously ing her eye on the mailbox, hoping for aspect of integrity as a means to boost
to be well prepared in those categories. awaiting the April 6 deadline for news an acceptance letter from Brown Uni- her chances of acceptance at a great
from schools they have applied to. versity. She has a range of academic school.
“We didn’t change the way we ad- interests, from theater to business to
MacMullan is generally confident
the school’s college-bound students
are where they need to be academical-
ly, despite the pandemic. “We’re very
fortunate to be in an environment
where we’ve been able to be on cam-
pus for 90 percent of this pandemic

with face-to-face instruction.” 

Vero police resume
parking enforcement
in Central Beach

BY RAY MCNULTY

Staff Writer

If you happened to find yourself
strolling through the Central Beach
business district or wandering around
downtown last weekend, you might’ve
noticed something you hadn’t seen in
months.

Parking tickets stuck on windshields.
That’s because theVero Beach Police
Department, for the first time since
the early months of the COVID-19
pandemic last summer, resumed its
enforcement of parking time-limit vi-
olations throughout the city last week.
The agency announced on its Face-
book page last Friday that it had hired
and trained a new parking enforce-
ment officer, Indian River Charter High
School graduate Shelby Speer, and that
she now is ticketing parking violators.
Vero Beach Police Chief David Cur-
rey said his department temporarily
stopped enforcing parking time lim-
its during the pandemic to help mer-
chants who were struggling during a
state-mandated shutdown of busi-
nesses deemed unessential and the
restricted operations of those permit-
ted to remain open.
In addition to suspending weekday
enforcement of parking time limits,
city police did not extend parking pa-
trols to Saturdays during the Vero ar-
ea’s busy season – from Nov. 1 to June
1 – as it had done since 2016.
Currey said the citywide parking-en-
forcement suspension, which was ap-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 13

NEWS

proved by City Manager Monte Falls, The county will receive another be used for irrigation instead of being reduce flooding during rain events
did not apply to violations pertaining $1.25 million – nearly the entire price dumped straight into the lagoon. but will also provide increased pre-
to the improper use of handicapped tag – for its phase three septic-to-sew- treatment of the water, reducing the
spaces and fire lanes. er conversion project in the West Wa- City water and sewer director Rob total nitrogen, total phosphorus and
basso neighborhood. And that’s not Bolton estimates the new plant will sedimentation entering the Indian
“We relaxed our enforcement because all – it is getting another $800,000 to keep some 9,700 pounds of nitrogen River Lagoon.”
we were in an extraordinary situation help pay for phase two of a septic-to- and 1,500 pounds of phosphorus per
with the pandemic, which was having sewer project in North Sebastian and a year out of the waterway. The city's These grants are among more than
a negative impact on local businesses,” separate conversion along Sebastian's cost share is $500,000 of the $2 million 30 awarded to communities, nonprof-
Currey said. “Merchants called us and Roseland Road. project. its and universities for lagoon restora-
told us they were having a tough time, tion projects from a $25 million ap-
so we wanted to do something to make The city of Vero Beach is set to receive The Town of Indian River Shores got propriation adopted last year by the
it more convenient for their customers. $1.5 million from the water manage- money, too – $234,000 that will foot the Florida Legislature.
ment agency to repurpose part of its wa- entire bill for the town’s stormwater
“We moved John Makolin, who was ter treatment plant to treat up to 3 mil- treatment project in the neighborhood Meanwhile, the Indian River Lagoon
our parking enforcement officer, to lion gallons of stormwater per day. The of Indian Lane and Seminole Lane. Council ranked 10 projects through-
dispatch duty when parking enforce- treated runoff from lawns and roads will out the lagoon’s five counties for re-
ment was suspended, but now that According to project engineers MBV
we’ve hired Shelby and local busi- Engineering, the project “will not only CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
nesses are open to full capacity again,
we decided this is the right time to re-
sume enforcing parking limits again.”

But not on Saturdays.
“We’ll be patrolling Monday through
Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” Currey
said, “but we’re going to forgo Satur-
days for the rest of this season, then re-
evaluate for next year.”
Speer, hired two weeks ago, was
trained in-house for the non-sworn
position, which requires no state certi-
fication. Currey said Speer will contin-
ue her training to possibly expand her
duties, taking courses at Indian River
State College.
Speer also will be trained to oper-
ate an electronic license plate reader
– rather than relying on marking tires
– when the agency begins using the

digital device later this year. 

County, Shores and
Vero get $5 million
for lagoon projects

BY SUE COCKING
Staff Writer

Indian River County, Vero Beach
and Indian River Shores have just re-
ceived a total of more than $5 million
from St. Johns River Water Manage-
ment District to help pay for projects
to restore the ecology of Indian River
Lagoon in this area.

The county is getting $1.25 million
toward its planned $5.5 million con-
struction of the Moorhen Marsh low-
energy aquatic plant system which
uses water lettuce – a common type
of floating freshwater vegetation – to
filter more than 4,800 pounds of ni-
trogen and 785 pounds of phosphorus
per year from the North Relief Canal
before the nutrients are discharged
into the lagoon.

Nitrogen and phosphorus are the
primary culprits feeding harmful al-
gae blooms in the waterway.

14 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Lagoon projects development, is set to receive more
than $60,000 from the council.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
The money would pay about half
ceiving a share of about $1 million in the cost of the second year of the Land
grant funds it is disbursing. Trust’s community-based project to
modify mosquito ditches along the estu-
The Indian River Land Trust, the lo- ary to allow juvenile snook and tarpon to
cal nonprofit conservation group that swim in and out, mixing with adult pop-
buys lagoon-front land to keep it from
ulations and improving fish stocks. 

SHORES TOWN MANAGER STEPS
DOWN DUE TO HEALTH PROBLEMS

BY LISA ZAHNER Christmas, who attained her CPA
Staff Writer designation in 2009, was hired as town
treasurer in 2012.
Indian River Shores Town Manager
Joe Griffin has resigned due to chronic As the town moves into budget sea-
health issues, not related to COVID-19, son for the 2021-22 fiscal year, she
and Town Treasurer Heather Christ- would have been a key player in town
mas will serve in the interim while business over the next six months,
the Shores Town Council conducts a even if she were not serving as interim
search for a permanent replacement. town manager.

Griffin, 75, was hired in January Budgeting for nearly $8 million in
2019 at a $140,000 annual salary seven town operations is one of the council’s
months after retiring from his Sebas- and staff’s major annual tasks, and for-
tian city manager position and mov- mer vice mayor Bob Auwaerter said he
ing to South Carolina. thinks Christmas is more than quali-
fied to take on extra responsibility.
Recently he has been out of the office
for health reasons and Christmas has “I have an enormous amount of
been handling day-to-day operations respect for Heather,” Auwaerter said,
in consultation with Griffin by phone adding that she has comprehensive
and email. That arrangement will con- knowledge of government account-
tinue, as Griffin has agreed to stay on in ing standards and practices, which he
an advisory capacity, and to help find noted are “much more arcane than in
qualified candidates for the council to the private sector.”
consider for the permanent job.
Auwaerter said Christmas adeptly
handles what he called “complex cal-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 15

NEWS

culations” regarding the town’s retiree, mas to assistant town manager, carv- with Heather’s abilities,” Auwaerter said. council members last week discussed
pension and health insurance liabili- ing out a position for her to work in “The town’s going to fare just fine,” additional compensation for Christ-
ties, and that she is a great resource concert with then-manager Robbie mas in recognition of her new duties,
and a valuable member of the town’s Stabe. he said about the interim period. but according to Michelle Pallo-Dar-
leadership team. Griffin did not tender a formal res- nell, assistant to the town clerk, noth-
“I did that to keep her from pursu- ing concrete had been agreed upon
Prior to Griffin being hired, Au- ing other opportunities. It’s important ignation letter. A consulting agree-
waerter proposed promoting Christ- for the town to have someone on board ment was discussed but nothing as of Monday. 
formal has been agreed to yet. Town

16 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ST. EDWARD’S

St. Ed’s gets kick out of successful boys soccer season

St. Edward’s senior Jack Zoltak, 23. St. Edward’s coach Esteban Rosano. PHOTOS: BRENDA AHEARN

BY RON HOLUB Reed Sternberg, 8, hugs his brother Drew. team through in his inaugural sea-
son at St. Ed’s.
Correspondent year head coach Esteban Rosano. tories against eight losses and four
Drew Sternberg (21 goals, 13 as- ties. “I’m also a professional soccer
St. Ed’s varsity boys soccer team referee and my college season last
was one game away from vying for sists), Reed Sternberg (8 goals, 3 as- They progressed from a district spring was canceled thanks to COV-
the Class 2A state championship sists), Jack Zoltak (7 goals, 6 assists) championship and a regional tri- ID. That opened up the opportunity
when a second-half buzz saw ended Ian Horvit (5 goals, 4 assists) and umph last year, to knocking on the for me to coach at St. Ed’s. I didn’t
their hopes last Friday evening in a Marlon Dato-Slattery (4 goals, 3 as- door of a state championship match. think twice and we started work-
semifinal matchup at home. sists) all posted double-digit point It wasn’t that they couldn’t kick that ing together on Oct. 18. I wanted to
totals to pace the season-long at- door in; they were denied entry by a change the culture of the soccer pro-
St. Johns Country Day School tack. Keeper Alex Lee allowed a very worthy and highly skilled op- gram and thankfully these kids re-
broke free from a scoreless first half scant 16 goals in 15 games before the ponent. sponded very well. We created a one
to score four times while completely finale. family type of team,” said Rosano.
throttling any offensive momentum Afterwards Rosano reflected on
the Pirates tried to muster. The 4-0 Over the past three seasons the the spectacular journey he (and as- “It was a great run that we had,
final ended the season for the home core of this team compiled 44 vic- sistant Jeff Lamscha) guided the and what we accomplished over the
team. last four months was incredible. Un-
fortunately, our season ended, but
Simply put, the Pirates fell to a we were close to playing for a state
team that was obviously better that championship for the first time
evening. The visitors had passing ever. We all have to be proud of that.
and control of the ball down to a
science, and their players seemed “Now everyone in the state knows
quicker to the ball when it was con- who St. Ed’s is. That is going to open
tested. up new things and more changes. So
I’m really excited about what is com-
The goals came in a variety of ing next. More kids will want to play
manners during a 20-minute stretch soccer and represent our school. We
starting with about 25 minutes re- are losing half the team, but I am
maining. The first was an own goal going to stay, we are going to build,
when the ball was inadvertently and it’s going to be long term. We are
deflected into the net off a Pirate going to do things the right way.
player. The second came on a pen-
alty kick. The third was a conversion “My goal is also to prepare these
off a corner kick. The fourth was on kids for the next stage in life. We
a short breakaway. want to teach soccer but also the
values and respect they can apply
That was that. The match was on and off the field after they gradu-
one of the most anticipated sports ate.”
events ever at St. Ed’s. Crowd size
restrictions were relaxed and a full Among other individual athletes
house attended. Masks and tem- and teams at the school, the boys in
perature checks were required as a football and the girls in volleyball
reminder that we are not yet beyond had already recorded some remark-
this pandemic. able feats in an unusual year to say
the least. However, despite the de-
The boys left the field embracing feat, this was clearly the crowning
each other while concluding the achievement so far in the calendar
season with a 15-3-1 mark. Seven se- year 2020-21 for St. Ed’s sports. 
niors started for St. Ed’s under first-

FREDO’S FRIENDS
BEAR ‘PARTY’ GIFTS
FOR NEEDIEST POOCHES

P. 30

Joan Gulley and Moby.

18 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

‘Community Partnership’ game-changer for Dodgertown school

BY MARY SCHENKEL
Staff Writer

Thousands of Florida students ar- Aretha Vernette, Sabrina Sampson, Dale Jacobs and Kristen Racine with children from Dodgertown Elementary School,
rive to school each day carrying the
weight of the world on their little the first Community Partnership School on the Treasure Coast. PHOTO: KAILA JONES
shoulders, struggling with issues
such as hunger, homelessness, pover- A Community Leadership Council best work together to serve the chil- toothache or is acting out in class be-
ty, violence, abuse and neglect, men- chaired in Indian River County by dren and the parents.” cause of a mental health issue cannot
tal health issues, and inadequate ac- Nat Bruckner, United Way director of focus on school.
cess to health care, any of which are community impact, includes repre- For example, to promote academic
identified as barriers to education. sentatives from the four pillars along support and enrichment activities, “Vicki Soulé at Treasure Coast
with additional members of the com- they have partnered with Gifford Community Health is working with
To address the problem, Children’s munity. Youth Achievement Center. us to have a wellness coordinator,
Home Society of Florida has devel- who will work with TCCH but will
oped long-term core alliances with “We’re being very strategic in who “They already have a well-estab- come to the school,” says Sampson.
colleges and universities, school dis- we’re inviting to participate, because lished afterschool and tutoring pro- She says the coordinator can identify
tricts and healthcare providers to we want worker bees who are going gram and are doing it really well. We physical, dental and mental health
create 20 Community Partnership to help with the fundraising and sus- don’t need to duplicate that,” says needs, and work with parents to ar-
Schools in Florida, an initiative first tainability,” says Sampson. Sampson. “We reached out to Angelia range appointments.
launched in New York City. Perry and her board and they agreed
The intent of the CPS model is to to scholarship 50 Dodgertown stu- “The greatest challenge here has been
Utilizing a grant from the Univer- provide resources aimed at eliminat- dents for expanded learning and tu- getting families to open up a bit. One of
sity of Central Florida – and in part- ing barriers that limit a child’s ability toring at GYAC, which is huge.” the things we were very, very careful
nership with the School District of to study and obtain a good educa- about is that as we were presenting this
Indian River County, Indian River tion, from recognizing that a child Other UCF grant money is being to the families and to the community,
State College and Treasure Coast needs glasses or new shoes, to pro- used to reimburse teachers for addi- we said we are here to partner with you.
Community Health – Dodgertown viding them with an academic boost, tional hours spent tutoring students We want to hear from you.
Elementary School was selected to healthy food and healthcare. at the school. The school does have
be the first Community Partnership some volunteer tutors, but on a lim- “We would like to hear what it is that
School on the Treasure Coast. “One of the biggest components ited basis due to COVID. you would like, as opposed to saying
of Community Partnership Schools I’ve read a report, and this is what you
Sabrina Sampson, CHS regional is that the model is not designed to Obtaining transportation to the need,” says Sampson, citing the im-
director, says that Dodgertown was come in and be all. It is, how do you Mueller campus is often a struggle portance of parental engagement.
chosen based on a number of factors, serve the community and how do you for low-income and single parents, so
including its demographics and aca- partner with those agencies that are this would remove that barrier. “This is not a fly-by-night model;
demic outcomes, and the school dis- already in the community providing this is a proven model, certified by
trict agreed to a 25-year commitment those services,” says Sampson. “We’ve begun conversations the University of Central Florida. Ev-
to the project. around bringing GED (high school ery partnership, every collaboration,
“I don’t need to have a food bank academic equivalency) and ESOL every service we are providing, we re-
As the school’s nonprofit partner, at the school, I just need to partner (English as a second language) to the port back to the university. So far, the
CHS coordinates efforts and, being a with Treasure Coast Food Bank. I school,” says Sampson, noting that outcomes at Dodgertown as far as the
501(c)3, is eligible to apply for grants. don’t need to have a clinic there, not parental education can ultimately community collaborations and the
when Treasure Coast Community lead to an improved standard of liv- partnerships and where we are with
“We were able to apply to University Health has a clinic around the cor- ing. our working agreement, we’re about
of Central Florida for the seed money ner. six months ahead of where they pro-
to start the Community Partnership “There is always a health part- jected we would be, which is great.”
School model at Dodgertown. Every “I just need to get those people to ner; we understand that sometimes
school has to make their own appli- the table and work out a memoran- health and wellness is a barrier to ed- For more information, visit chsfl.
cation,” Sampson explains, adding dum of agreement on how we can ucation,” says Sampson, adding that org/schools/Dodgertown. 
that she provides UCF with quarterly a child who isn’t feeling well, has a
outcome reports.

Sampson also applied for and re-
ceived a 2020 grant from Impact 100
toward the salaries of a Community
Partnership School director and a
Family and Community Engagement
coordinator.

She explains that the director is on-
site at the school daily, working with
the principal to make sure services
are delivered appropriately to the
children and their parents, whereas
the coordinator is out in the commu-
nity seeking whatever resources and
services are needed.

The CPS model is based on four
pillars: Expanded Learning, Wellness
Support, Family and Community En-
gagement, and Collaborative Leader-
ship.



20 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

At Source’s ‘Night of Hope,’ tales of believing and achieving

BY MARY SCHENKEL offered our services the best that
Staff Writer we could to as many people as we
could,” said Pastor Wayne Traverse,
The Source, a Christian ministry Tony Zorbaugh and Cindy O’Dare. PHOTOS: KAILA JONES board vice president. “I believe we
providing transformative care to fulfilled that, and we continue to
the poor and homeless, presented do so. We try to stay in the here and
its 16th annual Night of Hope fun- now and be diligent with the people
draiser as a virtual, but no less no- that God put in our path and try to
table, affair this year. take care of them to the best of our
ability.”
Interspersed throughout the
evening were video presentations Commenting on the continual
about the remarkable accomplish- need for funds to support their ser-
ments of the nonprofit, and musical vices, he added that the people they
interludes by the husband-and-wife serve could be your friends, neigh-
duo of Anne Brummel and Michael bors or family members who have
Williams, who pre-pandemic were fallen on hard times, and that fi-
performing with “My Fair Lady” at nancial assistance and prayers are
Lincoln Center Theater. There were always necessary and appreciated.
also cameo messages of congratula-
tions and support from Kathie Lee Accompanying a photo montage,
Gifford and philanthropist George a voiceover stated that the team at
Shinn, as well as testimonials from the Source works on the front lines
some of the many individuals as- daily, helping broken people change
sisted by the Source. their lives. “Individuals who walk
through our doors have experi-
“I’m very proud of the Source’s enced a great loss. Some have lost
accomplishments this year. De- family, their home, a job and per-
spite the pandemic and all the un- sonal belongings, while others have
certainty, we persevered, and we experienced a severe medical emer-

The Vero Beach Country Club is pleased Henry Restrepo, Maureen Archer and Tony Zorbaugh.
to announce that as of February 2021, W.
Darwin Prillaman, “Bo”, has taken the
position of Croquet Professional.
The growing program on VBCC’s two
manicured lawns demanded a more active
instructional role than Bo took on as a
member over the past three years. He was
instrumental in having helped the lawns
being built at the Club in 2017 and has since
given many clinics in Golf Croquet and
American 6-wicket games for the members.
He has coached numerous beginners to
learn the game and has watched many of
them turn into highly competent players.
The activity on the courts has increased
from three or four players per session to more than 16, necessitating multiple
time slots for players. “The more players we have in the Club, the better”, says
Bo. “We not only create more friendships but we have a larger pool of good
players for our interclub matches.
Bo is a touring player on the Professional Croquet Association, a nationally
ranked GC tournament player, a GC Club Referee and President of both the
Treasure Coast Florida and Virginia Districts of the US Croquet Association.
He is Vice-Chair of the Croquet Foundation of Virginia,
President of the Richmond Croquet Association and
on the advisory board of the Chesapeake Bay Croquet
Club. He also currently coaches and teaches at Riomar
and Windsor Country Clubs.

800 30th Street, Vero Beach
772-567-3320 • vbcountryclub.com

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 21

PEOPLE

Melinda Berg, Heather Brink, Pastor Jimmie Hill and Pastor Wayne Traverse. Tina Nicholson, Barbara DiMarzo and Susan Green.

gency, mental health issues or an sustaining, it supports itself. and
addiction that controls them.” it’s growing bigger and better with
more ideas.”
During a taped presentation from
this past November, when the Indi- Zorbaugh explained that the Food
an River County Board of Commis- Truck was part of the Dining with
sioners presented a Proclamation Dignity Culinary program.
to the Source and recognized Nov.
15-22, 2020 as National Homeless “It gives students the ability to
Awareness Week, Tony Zorbaugh, have hands-on training within the
executive director of the Source, community and it’s the last step for
shared news of the launch of their them to gain employment in our
latest endeavor, the Dignity Bus. community,” said Zorbaugh.

“It’s the first mobile emergency The Food Truck has allowed them
shelter in the country,” said Zor- to partner with other nonprofits in
baugh. “We took a 45-foot motor their fundraisers and to interact
coach that we transformed into 20 with local businesses. And when
sleeping pods, so we’re able to of- Hurricane Sally devastated the
fer sleeping arrangements for 20 Florida Panhandle, they drove the
individuals in our community. We truck up to feed people there.
couldn’t do it if it weren’t for this
amazing community and the peo- “We’re helping them but they’re
ple standing behind me (Source actually helping us,” said Zorbaugh.
employees), so thank you guys so “Because you can’t find another
much.” job, another company, where you
can walk beside somebody to see
Zorbaugh also spoke about an- them from literally sleeping on the
other of their achievements, this street to, in a short amount of time,
summer’s rollout of the Dignity give their life to Christ and see the
Food Truck, enabled by a 2020 Im- amount of blessings that happen in
pact 100 grant. their life. It’s unbelievable; the feel-
ing is just indescribable.”
“Impact 100 is so proud to be
a partner with the Dignity Food Their next vision is to find and
Truck from the Source,” said Gladys purchase 20 acres to build Dignity
LaForge, current Impact president. Village, a self-contained campus
“It has everything that our mem- community with 110 small homes
bers look for. It helps underprivi- for people who are looking for a
leged people in the community, it sense of belonging and purpose.
services the community, it’s self-
For more information, visit
iamthesource.org. 

22 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Guardian ad Litem: A relentless advocate for kids

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF they have continued to give these of-
Staff Writer ten abused, abandoned and neglect-
ed children a voice.
As difficult as it is to believe,
more than 1,000 Treasure Coast and Undeterred, GAL volunteers con-
Okeechobee children are currently tinue to go above and beyond to en-
in the care of the Florida Depart- sure that their charges have some-
ment of Children and Families – re- one in their corner. When the world
moved from their own homes for went virtual, Guardian ad Litem
their safety. purchased tablets so that children
could continue to communicate and
And, as they work their way make visual check-ins with their vol-
through the state foster care system unteers.
and wait to be reunited with their
families, these vulnerable children “We are almost 40 years old, so we
can often get lost in the shuffle. Chil- are a well-oiled machine that runs
dren whose lives have already been off of support, encouragement and
turned upside down risk becoming communication. We’re really built
even more alienated from society. like a family,” said Nicole Hughes,
Guardian ad Litem recruiter. “Con-
Fortunately, an army of nearly 400 sistency and communication are the
Guardian ad Litem (GAL) volunteers bedrock of the program.”
are working to ensure that doesn’t
happen by advocating on their be- She explained that the Guardian
half. ad Litem program began some 40
years ago when a judge asked who
Pre-COVID, these stalwart volun- in the courtroom had met with the
teers visited with the children, at- child they were discussing. No one
tended school meetings and went to in the room raised a hand. It was
court either with or in the children’s clear that decisions were being made
stead. And despite the pandemic, about children’s lives without any

Nicole Hughes and Frank Mannino. PHOTOS: KAILA JONES

input from them. volunteers won’t rest” – to heart.
There are all variety of volunteers “It is my hope that advocating for

(all age 21 or older), who receive on- children in need is as much a com-
line training before being paired fort to them as it is to me. The smiles
with a Guardian ad Litem support on the faces of the children I serve is
team consisting of a child advocate my greatest reward,” said Mannino.
manager, an attorney and a mentor.
Volunteers are asked to visit with
“We lead our volunteers to suc- their child at least once a month
cess in a very specific way, no mat- virtually and to keep in touch with
ter their background, age or demo- the people in the child’s life, such as
graphic,” said Hughes. teachers, guidance counselors, ther-
apists, foster parents and biological
Volunteers work with a child for parents.
the entirety of their case; typically,
18 months to two years. That way “You just need to have some love
they can provide a consistent, re- in your heart and a desire to be the
liable framework so that a child voice of these children and to serve
knows that the volunteer is “their their best interest,” said Mannino.
person,” someone they can rely on “In many cases, I’m the one constant
to listen and speak for them. There in their life.”
are currently some 150 area children
waiting for that special someone to “It’s up to you how involved in
stand up and advocate for them, to the child’s life you want to be,” said
be their voice. Hughes.

“We always want to get the family She explained that pre-COVID,
reunited. However, if that is not able volunteers might take the children
to be achieved, then we head toward to physical therapy, the movies, at-
termination of parental rights and tend their ballet performance or
adoption,” noted Hughes. soccer practice, or other outings.

Frank Mannino, an Indian River “It helps to know the child holisti-
County Guardian ad Litem advo- cally,” said Hughes. “We essentially
cate, speaks loudly and proudly for can change the trajectory of a child’s
the children he has championed. He life for the positive while building up
takes the Guardian ad Litem mantra the resources in a child’s life.”
– “Until every child has a voice, GAL
For more information, visit guard-
ian19.org. 



24 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Homage to heritage at ‘Thunder on the Beach PowWow’

Maclyn, Ashley and Indie Johnson. Juanita Zermeno and Richard Gallant.

The nonprofit Florida Indian Heritage Association hosted the 17th annual
Thunder on the Beach PowWow and Native American Experience at the In-
dian River County Fairgrounds recently – its first since the pandemic began
a year ago – to raise awareness and preserve cultural heritage. The annual
gathering is a social meeting of Native American tribes from the United
States and Canada that features intertribal dancing, music, singing and
crafts that honor their rich culture. The three-day event began with a grand
parade and continued with demonstrations and displays, an encampment
with tipi, drum and story circles, food and traditional wares offered by arti-
sans and crafters that included a wide range of beading, leather goods, pot-
tery, herbs, woven baskets and jewelry. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 25

PEOPLE

Veronia Sosayeh, Carolyn Ruiz, Carol Flecha, Alfonso Duque and Mario Sosayeh. PHOTOS: KAILA JONES

Helga Delventhal and Dorate Muller. Louis Quigley and Allie Burke.

Spencer Powell, Brandon Glass and Adam Lucier.

26 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Cheers and brews at ‘Wing N’ Beer, Anyway Fest’

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF curry, raspberry natural reef’s structure and function.
Staff Writer Concrete additives with a pH similar
chipotle, teri- to seawater are used to create a ma-
When news reached local brewers rine environment that attracts colo-
that the annual Florida Craft Brew & yaki and Buffalo nizing organisms.
Wingfest hosted by the Sunrise Rotary
Vero Beach was being canceled due wings, paired Once funding has been secured,
to pandemic health concerns, Walk- reef balls will be purchased and
ing Tree Brewery stepped up to host a with beers, selt- placed in a location identified for op-
mini version of the popular gathering. timal lagoon restoration. The hope is
zer and hard that oysters, which act as water puri-
The recent Wing N’ Beer, Anyway fying filters, will attach themselves
Fest benefited the Coastal Conser- cider featuring and improve the water quality in the
vation Association of Florida to sup- Indian River Lagoon.
port its mission to “protect not only hints of pine-
the health, habitat and sustainabil- “This will be a way for the spat,
ity of our marine resources, but also apple, coco- or the eggs of the oysters, to adhere
the interests of recreational anglers themselves to a substance that they
and their access to the resources they nut, peach and enjoy and, hopefully, find a home for-
cherish.” ever, and at the same time create a
blueberry, with habitat for other fisheries, crabs and
A sold-out crowd of 350 conser- shrimp,” said Fafeita. “It’s important
vation-minded anglers, and brew names like Not to everything out there. Especially the
and wing lovers sampled their way replenishment of seagrass, a habitat
through a selection of frosty bever- Taco, a Mexi- for a whole host of sea life.”
ages from 15 Florida microbreweries
and homebrew clubs to wash down can lager; Pirate Next up, on March 19, CCA Treasure
tasty wings from chefs competing for Coast will host a Beer-B-Q & Auction at
top honors. Party, a rum Walking Tree Brewery. For more infor-
mation, visit ccaflorida.org. 
The finger-lickin’ first place prize PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 28 raisin porter;

Lauren Sloat, Melissa and Blake Tedder, Sassy Flamingo,
Jessica and Hannah Lapidus, Jennifer Frederick and Lauren Eirls. a cherry sour;

and Blues Had a

went to Chef Scott Busick from High on Baby, a sour blueberry.

the Hog BBQ for his BBQ wings; second Proceeds from the event support

place to Chef Lenny Gagne of Len and CCA’s efforts to clean our waterways,

10 Food Truck for his Sassy wings; and particularly the purchase and place-

third place to Chef Jason Cope from ment of reef balls, according to Paul

Cobalt Restaurant at Kimpton Resorts Fafeita, CCA Treasure Coast Chapter

for his Buffalo wings. president.

Live music filled the air as attendees He explained that reef balls are ar-

mingled over the succulent barbecue, tificial modules designed to mimic a

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28 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Andy Steinbergs, Pete McLeod and Paul Fafeita.

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26 PHOTOS: KAILA JONES Greg and Kathy Hanawalt with Dan Beary. Sue Quimby, Olivia and Nick Gianoulis.
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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 29

PEOPLE

Sandy Curtis, Sue Flak and Terri Bortolotti.
Tom and Gretchen Roberds.

Cheryl Tierney and Tara Ramsey.
Katherine Mackey and Peter Hibberd.

30 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Fredo’s friends bear ‘party’ gifts for neediest pooches

Lorie Clark, George Cooke and Maryann Kann. Kay Falise and Marsha Reardon.

Michele, Cliff and Fredo Henry.

Cheryl Shimp with Daisy May and Abner.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 31

PEOPLE

Sharon Harding with Lulu. Polly Behrens. Jann Moylan with Cooper.

Carla Friedman and Ann Starkey with Daisy.

Fredo Henry’s birthday bash is
one of the most highly anticipated
events of the year for the human
and canine residents of Orchid
Island. On Valentine’s weekend,
partygoers came bearing gifts –
not for the adorable little cavapoo
(a cavalier poodle mix), but for the
animals at the Humane Society of
Vero Beach & Indian River County
and H.A.L.O. Fredo’s mom, Mi-
chele Henry, estimated that 40
pooches and “at least 90 to 100 Or-
chid members” brought bedding,
blankets, towels, dog food and, for
the first time, cat food, ultimately
amassing two vanloads of supplies
and roughly $1,200 in contribu-
tions. Attendees enjoyed dog-cen-
tric conversation and an enticing
array of refreshments for both
species. Pals pitched in to help
Michele and Cliff Henry pull it off,
with Michele noting, “I couldn’t
have done it without Ann and AC
Starkey’s help. Can you believe I
left the corkscrew home?” For the
full story, see Bonzo’s column on
Page 32. 

32 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PETS

Every dog has a great day at Fredo’s B-day Paw-ty

Hi Dog Buddies! kidder), says I’m big as another Ann an AC. We all helped Fredo put
this thing together. Hadda bring our
This week I covered one of my favrite Moby from up in Nantucket, corkscrew cuz Fredo forgot his. A few
events of the Season: Fredo Henry’s years back, I’d be herdin’ this bunch,
Birthday Paw-ty. An I know it’s on the where we go every year. Him an makin sure they stayed inside the
Must-Do list of a buncha of you Orchid lines, if you know what I mean. But,
pooches, too. Mom (she’s Joan) are around at 12-anna-half, I’m slowin’ down a
bit, an besides, I wouldn’t have to go
Fredo’s a Cool Kibbles liddle Cavapoo here somewhere. This shindig to work at THIS pawty anyway, cuz
who lives in Orchid, an extraordinarily these dudes don’t need herdin’, so I’m
Dog-Frenly place. Fredo’s been a good just keeps gettin’ more Cool just hangin’ on the sidelines.”
pal for years, and he’s always been an in- “Great crowd,” I noted. “Not so
spuh-RAY-shun to me cuzza how much Kibbles each year. I mean, the much as a GRRR.”
he not only cares about Pooches Less “No Woof!” said Ziggy. “I’ve seen my
Fortunate; he DOES something about it. eats are duh-LI-shuss! There’s Best Bud Cooper, an Polly, an I buh-
leeve Lexie’s here somewhere. I saw
He got the idea when he saw a news even foodstuffs for the hu- you yappin’ with Lola. I think there’s
story about dogs starving, in tiny liddle some new pooches, too. An the coolest
cages. He had NO IDEA before that. mans. Fredo.PHOTO: KAILA JONES thing, a human lady who didn’t have an
Fredo’d been havin’ birthday “paw-tys” “You know what I ’specially ackshull dog brought this sweet liddle
with his Orchid neighbors his whole life, dog stuffy.”
so he decided he’d make his next one, like about Fredo’s pawty? It’s I wudda stayed the whole time if I
his 4th birthday, just as fun, with treats hadn’t had to get back to write. Fredo
an lotsa runnin’ around, but also have a the duh-VER-sitty. I mean, Woofmailed me later that this year’s
Serious Purpose: collectin’ stuff for the donations were “HUGE! They filled two
Humane Society an H.A.L.O., who both look at all the different dogs. vans with food, cookies, bedding, tow-
rescue Pooches Less Fortunate. He got els, toys, an raised $1,200 of munny.”
his Mom an Dad, Michele an Cliff, to An THIS year, we’re helpin’ Heading home, I was thinkin’ how
help, an they all pitched in an threw a I totally agreed with Moby about duh-
Totally Cool Kibbles Paw-ty for all the CATS, as well. Never thought VER-sitty. I, too, have become a fan of
Orchid pooches, an their humans. It was cats. An the occasional bird. An, should
a huge success, an now Fredo’s Birthday I’d see the day. Me, I’m a fan I ever meet a pig, I would certainly take
Paw-ty is one of the Most Highly Antici- the opportunity to engage him or her in
pated Swah-RAYS of the Canine Social of cats. I also like birds. An Pigs. Pigs are humans did to put this pawsome pawty conversation. I’d probably learn some-
Season. thing.
smart. Didja know that?” together. You ARE The Dog!”
From the looks of the crowd, I think Till next time,
this year, Fredo’s Big One Oh, was the “No. No I didn’t,” I replied. Indeed, I “Thanks, Bonz. I had great vets, an
biggest yet, at least 40 pooches, different The Bonz
sizes, shapes an breeds, havin’ A Blast, thought to myself, I had never consid- great support from my frens. It was
an their humans, too, almost a hundred, Don’t Be Shy
it looked like. ered the intellectual capabilities of fel- all definitely a Team Effort,” he added
We are always looking for pets
One of the poocheroos I met was low creatures of the porcine persuasion. modestly. “Say, there’s someone I’d like with interesting stories.
Moby Gulley, a hansome gruh-GARY-us
Golden Retriever, who trotted over an Fredo’d been workin’ the crowd, glad- you to meet.” To set up an interview, email
introduced himself. “You’re The Bonz, [email protected].
right? I heard you were coming. I fig- pawin,’ makin’ sure everybody had A perky liddle Havanese trotted up
ured it was you, cuzza your notebook.
Great to meet you! I’m Moby Gulley. Got snacks an was havin’ a good time. He and stopped right next to Fredo, smiling
that name cuz my Dad, Phil (he’s a real
spotted me an came over. He was wea- sweetly.

rin’ a crown. “This is my special lady fren, Lola

“Bonz! Dog! Great seein’ you! Crispy Lamport. Lola, this is the writer I’ve told

Biscuits turnout, doncha think? This you about, from the PAY-per: Bonzo.”

pack o’ pooches sure knows how to have “A great pleasure, Miss Lola,” I said.

fun, but without any, you know, ISH- “The pleasure is mine, Mr. Bonzo,”

yous. I mean, this dog park’s real close she replied. “An I’m so happy this won-

to a golf course anna pond, an although derful project of Fredo’s gets the recog-

everybody’s Off Leash, not a single nition it deserves. There are So Many

poocherooo is runnin’ out on the fair- Pooches Less Fortunate. As Rin-Tin-Tin

way or takin’ a dip.” said, ‘From the dog to whom much is

“Definitely impressive, Fredo,” I given, much is expected.’”

agreed, adding, “Couldn’t help but no- Me an Fredo nodded in agreement.

tice your headgear. It’s very jaunty.” Just as Fredo an Lola turned back to the

He laughed. “It is, isn’t it? A nice hu- party-goers, I was approached by a great

man fren of Mom’s, Miss Marylou, gave lookin’ Border Collie, with the casual

it to me in honor of my being The Big swagger those herdin’ superstars all

One Oh, and beating cancer.” seem to have.

“Woof, Fredo, I didn’t know. Dog, that “I know you! The Bonz! I’m Ziggy

musta been ruff. You look great! Thank Starkey, named for Ziggy Stardust cuz I

Lassie, you made it through! I can’t have, see here, one blue an one brown

imagine all the hard work you an your eye. I brought my humans this year,



34 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT COVER STORY

Russia's Vladimir Putin and
Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan
in Istanbul in January 2020. If
Russian and Turkish ambitions
in Libya go unfulfilled, the
country could effectively
be split in two.

The Soviet-era cargo plane rose Youths gather in central Tripoli on the conflict. At a time when there
from a frigid Moscow runway and late on May 25, 2019. In early is no fighting, and new prospects for
banked south toward Syria, landing at April, renegade general Khalifa peace have taken hold, Russia, Tur-
a Russian air base on the coast several Hifter, based in Libya's east, had key and other countries that have in-
hours later. begun an offensive to take the serted themselves into Libya’s strug-
western city. gle “are burrowing in.”
It then took off again and crossed the
Mediterranean Sea. From its transpon- A few of the hundreds of protesters There are now at least 20,000 merce-
der signal, the flight could be traced in Tripoli's Martyrs' Square on May naries in Libya, including fighters and
for most of its path. As it approached 18, 2019, stand in front of a poster military advisers from Russia, Syria,
Libya, however, the signal was lost. denouncing Hifter, marked by an X Chad, Turkey and Sudan, according to
at left in the image. U.S. and U.N. officials. Shipments by
A plane matching that mystery air- air and sea and across the desert bor-
craft was spotted hours later at an air- der with Egypt have introduced fight-
strip 70 miles east of Benghazi disgorg- er jets, armed drones, surface-to-air
ing dozens of “Wagners” and “shabiha,” missiles, armored vehicles, millions
according to a Libyan intelligence oper- of rounds of ammunition, and land
ative, using terms for Russian and Syr- mines that will pose dangers to civil-
ian mercenaries who have flooded the ians for decades. The parties involved
conflict zone. ignored a recent deadline to remove
foreign forces, an ominous sign for a
This December flight was one of U.N.-led attempt to broker a lasting
hundreds, including both Russian and political deal.
Turkish military aircraft, that funneled
fighters and firepower to an already “The foreign intervention today is
war-torn Libya over the past year. beyond all imagination,” said a second
Western official.
There was no apparent need for
Russian reinforcements. The Dec. 7 The influx of arms is all the more
flight came in the midst of a months- extraordinary because it has largely
long cease-fire, as Libyan negotiators been at the invitation of Libya’s clash-
held talks in Tunisia in hopes of ending ing parties. Almost 10 years after the
the civil war that has killed thousands country’s political idealists spurned
of Libyans and displaced hundreds of offers of Western help to build a de-
thousands more. mocracy, the country’s warring sides
have turned to the world’s autocrats to
“This is what is so terrifying for the help them hold power militarily.
Libyans,” said a senior Western diplo-
mat with access to U.S. intelligence

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 35

INSIGHT COVER STORY

Russia and Turkey, the two domi- Khalifa Hifter, center, arrives in eastern Libya in late 2016 after visiting involvement as well as Hifter’s hunger
nant players in Libya, are now jockey- Russia. His government, in Tobruk, has Russia's backing, while the U.N.- for power.
ing for shares of the country’s oil and supported government in Tripoli is backed by Turkey.
gas riches, long-term access to military Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lav-
bases and influence over the shape of A man waves a rifle as buildings rov was remarkably transparent in De-
any future government. If those am- and cars are engulfed in flames cember when he declared that Moscow
bitions go unmet, Russia and Turkey after an attack on the U.S. diplo- was now entitled to help determine the
are in position to effectively split the matic mission in Benghazi late war’s outcome.
country in two, turning the front lines on Sept. 11, 2012. A CIA out-
of Libya’s conflict into a permanent post was also hit. “To settle the conflict, we need to re-
partition. spect the interests of all foreign play-
ABOVE: Checkpoint 17 in Sirte was ers,” Lavrov said in a statement that
Even those determined to avoid the last outpost controlled by the made no mention of Libyan leaders.
this outcome acknowledge that Libya Tripoli-based government in Octo- “I think this is what Russia, Turkey and
may now lack the power to avert it. ber 2019. Hifter's forces controlled other foreign players have managed to
Mohamed Dayri, the former foreign all points east and continued, with achieve.”
minister for Libya’s eastern govern- Russian help, to pound Tripoli.
ment, said in an interview that Libya BELOW: Engineers with the U.N.- President Biden has not indicated
needs more help from Europe and the backed government prepare to whether Libya’s crisis will be a priority
United States to pressure Russia and destroy explosives in Tripoli in for his administration.
Turkey to depart and get Libya’s mili- October 2020. After 14 months of
tias to disarm. fighting, Hifter's forces had been Even if Biden is inclined to try to fix
driven back from the capital in his predecessors’ mistakes, current
“Otherwise, the foreign mercenaries early June 2020. and former officials said, U.S. leverage
and foreign powers that now have the and options will be limited.
upper hand will continue in Libya and
the current status quo will prevail,” “The problem now is that Libya is
Dayri said. “The status quo with all its such an absolute mess that I don’t
miseries.” know how you put it back together,”
said retired U.S. Army Gen. David Pe-
The United States is not directly traeus, who was CIA director when
contributing arms to this powder keg, Gaddafi was killed. “Unless you are
but bears significant responsibility. willing to commit enormous forces
and maybe end up fighting some for-
U.S. airstrikes a decade ago as part midable powers.”
of a broader NATO campaign proved
crucial in toppling Libyan leader Libya is functionally split along a
Muammar Gaddafi. But neither the line that stretches from the port city
United States nor its Western allies of Sirte south to the desert district of
were willing or able to contain the Jufra. Many Libyans have relatives on
chaos that was unleashed. In 2016, both sides of this boundary, but cross-
President Barack Obama described ing over has become perilous.
that failure as one of the biggest re-
grets of his presidency. The east includes much of the
country’s oil wealth, and is controlled
U.S. policy since then has bordered by Hifter’s Libyan National Army, an
on incoherent. Under President Don- amalgam of armed factions propped
ald Trump, the State Department sup- up by Russia, Egypt and the UAE.
ported the interim, U.N.-endorsed Hedging its bets on Hifter, Russia has
Government of National Accord (GNA) also backed Aguila Saleh, the leader
in Tripoli, even while the White House of the Libyan parliament. The parlia-
was quietly engaging with Khalifa ment, itself divided between eastern
Hifter, a Russian-backed militant who and western factions, is now based in
has mounted repeated offensives to the eastern city of Tobruk and serves
seize control of the capital. as a rival seat of power to Tripoli.

Hifter, 77, has long-standing ties to The west includes the historic capital
the CIA and spent years in exile living city of Tripoli and two-thirds of Libya’s
near the agency campus in Virginia af- population. The interim government,
ter taking part in a failed coup against set to be led by newly selected Prime
Gaddafi. Years later, his CIA ties appear Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah until
to remain active. When Hifter spoke elections in December, has the support
with Trump in 2019 during his latest of the United Nations, Washington and
assault on the Libyan capital, U.S. offi- other Western governments, but was
cials said, it was the CIA that arranged on the verge of falling to Hifter last year
and put through the call. before Turkey came to its rescue.

The United States has had no official Hifter has signaled support for the
diplomatic presence in Libya since new government, but it still needs to
2014. Though American diplomats are form a cabinet accepted by Libya’s
actively encouraging reconciliation competing factions and to be recog-
talks, the overriding U.S. focus has nized by the splintered parliament,
been preventing Libya from becoming among other challenges.
a haven for al-Qaeda or Islamic State
terrorist networks. The arms shipments to both sides
are in violation of a U.N. weapons
Russia, eager to demonstrate rel- embargo whose main enforcement
evance in global affairs and upstage mechanism is a Mediterranean naval
Western adversaries, has taken advan- patrol that has intercepted a handful
tage of the West’s aversion to deeper of ships but is powerless to stop the
parade of cargo flights.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

36 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35 INSIGHT COVER STORY

The concentration of weapons and Tunis Sicily GREECE in the Trump administration. “Russia’s
multiethnic militias on sparse, desert I TA LY Mediterranean Sea objective is to be in the game, especial-
terrain draws comparisons to George M A LTA ly anywhere they’ve got a former asset
Lucas films. “It’s like the Star Wars bar Crete or relationship.”
scene,” a former U.S. official said. TUNISIA Controlled by Controlled by
Government of Hifter’s Libyan Tobruk By late 2018, the flow of Russian arms
On a recent reconnaissance mis- National Accord (GNA) National Army (LNA) and fighters had begun. Among those
sion, scouts of the Tripoli government deployed were members of a Wagner
armed with AK-47s and walkie-talk- Tripoli Benghazi “specialist sniper group” and opera-
ies encountered a convoy of pickup tives from the company’s “attack and
trucks 15 miles west of Sirte. Peering Misurata Gulf of reconnaissance company,” according
through a pair of binoculars, Moham- Sirte S i d r a to the U.N. report reviewed by The Post.
med Sadeq, 20, said the lead vehicles al-Watiya
were filled with mercenaries from sub- Wagner set up a training camp near
Saharan Africa while those in the rear ALGERIA Oil fields the eastern coastal town of Tokra, took
carried Libyans from Hifter units. EGYPTand pipelinescontrol of the Jufra air base and began
shipping large quantities of military
“The Janjaweed are always in the Jufra Oil fields hardware.
front and the Libyans behind,” Sadeq and pipelines
said in an interview, using a derisive LIBYA In time, the inventory came to in-
name for Sudanese militias that plun- clude at least 14 fighter jets, surface-
dered that country’s Darfur region in Sabha to-air missile systems mounted on
the early 2000s. Mercenaries from Su- truck beds, grenade launchers, sniper
dan and Chad have reportedly been Airports receiving weapons rifles and land mines.
paid by Gaddafi loyalists as well as in- and support from:
dividuals associated with the UAE. In January 2020, the first planeloads
100 MILES TURKEY RUSSIA of Syrian fighters began landing in
Sadeq and other Libyans described eastern Libya, according to the U.N.
networks of trenches and berms tak- Southern desert area of Libya is sparsely populated report. To cover its tracks, Wagner used
ing shape in the sand along the war’s Cham Wings, a Syrian commercial air-
front lines, and stretches of road Sahara Desert line, to transport the fighters.
strewn with mines.
NIGER Accounts of investigators’ efforts
In Hifter-controlled Sirte, Gaddafi’s to get to the bottom of this ruse are
birthplace, sub-Saharan mercenar- Wagner is a secretive organization there are now at least 2,000 Wagner among the most comical passages in
ies are routinely seen on patrol and in that acts like a private company but mercenaries in Libya, and that the or- the U.N. report. When confronted, the
other visible assignments, breeding functions as an extension of the Krem- ganization has recruited, trained and government of Syrian President Bashar
resentment among residents. The Rus- lin, with facilities adjacent to Russian imported an additional several thou- al-Assad claimed that the flights were
sians, for the most part, avoid appear- military intelligence compounds. sand fighters from Syria. Though Pr- for routine civilian travel between Da-
ing in public, and remain inside the igozhin has denied any involvement, mascus and Benghazi. Investigators
secure confines of the city’s airport. Wagner’s ownership is murky, but he was slapped with sanctions last said they found the Syrian claims “un-
the company is believed to be part of year by the European Union for Wag- convincing” on several fronts.
Farther south, at the sprawling Jufra a private empire run by Yevgeniy Pr- ner’s activities in Libya.
air base, satellite imagery shows that igozhin, an oligarch known as “Putin’s For starters, “it was not possible to
Russia has been on a building spree, chef” because of his rise during Putin’s Ever opportunistic, Putin sees in- book a flight on that route on the air-
installing runways, reinforced hangars tenure from running a hot dog stand tervening in Libya “like picking up a line’s web portal,” U.N. officials said.
and communications gear to serve as to handling government contracts square on a Monopoly board,” said Further, the flights in question were
a nerve center for a growing fleet of worth billions. Fiona Hill, who served as the top White leaving from a military rather than
MiG-29 and other fighter jets, U.S. and House adviser on Russia and Europe civilian terminal. Finally, U.N. investi-
other officials said. U.S. military officials estimate that gators wondered why so “many of the
passengers were dressed in military
Russia’s intervention is both auda- attire.”
cious and cautious, advancing its aims
in the region without committing of- The Russian buildup came as Hift-
ficial Russian troops. Even the aircraft er was receiving encouraging signals
sent are scrubbed of their Russian from the United States.
markings. In this regard, the Libyan
operation has followed an increasingly As Hifter plunged ahead and casu-
familiar Kremlin playbook developed alties mounted in Tripoli, Trump ar-
in Syria and Ukraine. ranged for his own call with the Libyan
commander, again using CIA commu-
The approach shields President nications gear. The White House read-
Vladimir Putin from the political fall- out resembled a Hifter press release.
out that would accompany battlefield
losses by the Russian military or dead Trump “recognized Field Marshall
soldiers in distant war zones. It also Hifter’s significant role in fighting
enables Putin to claim — dubiously terrorism and securing Libya’s oil re-
but persistently — that Russia itself is sources,” the summary said, “and the
not involved in the Libyan conflict or two discussed a shared vision for Lib-
in violation of the arms embargo. Of- ya’s transition to a stable, democratic
ficials at Russia’s Foreign and Defense political system.”
ministries did not respond to requests
for comment. Russia and the United States sud-
denly appeared to be on the same side
Nearly all of the Russian fighters in in the Libyan civil war, an alignment
Libya are contractors with the Wagner that might have proved decisive had
Group, though U.N. documents re- another of Trump’s favored autocrats –
viewed by The Post indicate that other Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey – not
Russian private military companies intervened.
are also involved.
The Russian Pantsir S-1 is a four-ax-
le truck mounted with 10-foot missiles
capable of shooting enemy aircraft

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 37

INSIGHT COVER STORY

– including drones – out of the sky. Libyan military gradu- A plume of smoke rises as naries, and the chaotic retreat exposed
Hifter had a fleet of them, reportedly ates loyal to the U.N.- engineers detonate an explosive seams in those supposed allies’ soli-
purchased by the UAE, and Russian backed government device. darity. Wagner pulled out of key po-
operatives to show his forces how to take part in a parade BELOW: Turkish Defense Minister sitions near Tripoli so abruptly that
use them. southeast of Tripoli in Hulusi Akar, front right, and it fueled speculation that Russia had
November 2020. Their Libyan counterpart Salah Eddine gotten a secret warning from Turkey.
The systems were expected to be training was the result Namrouchin, far left, attend a Hifter units found themselves caught
among the most valuable pieces that of an agreement with December 2020 graduation at off-guard by the Wagner withdrawal,
Wagner brought to the fight, protect- Turkey. the Military College in Tripoli. then scrambled to join it in a frantic
ing Hifter’s ground forces from aerial race east.
attack as they advanced toward Tripoli guns, armored troop carriers, and so- There are recent indications that
across flat, exposed terrain. phisticated electronic systems that Turkey is prepared to escalate its mili- Captured communications between
jammed Hifter’s transmissions, para- tary involvement even further. A West- Wagner operatives in Libya and their
Then, one by one, the Pantsirs start- lyzed the Pantsirs and enabled the ern official with access to intelligence counterparts in St. Petersburg have
ed getting picked off. Turkish drones GNA’s own bombers and fighter jets to on the conflict said that the installa- revealed other tensions. Russian op-
toyed with the lumbering vehicles, gain command of the western Libyan tion of new runways, aircraft shelters eratives complained about the “enor-
tracking their movements and turning skies. and other improvements at al-Watiya mous consumption of ammunition”
them into charred husks. Adding to air base west of Tripoli are seen as by Hifter forces and an equally prodi-
the humiliation for Wagner and Hifter, Turkey also began bringing in Syr- signs that Turkey may soon send in gious consumption of alcohol, accord-
highlight reels started appearing on- ian fighters from anti-Assad militias as U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to offset ing to the U.N. report reviewed by The
line showing Pantsir after Pantisr stray part of an airlift that rivaled the mag- the Russian MiGs. Post. Wagner fighters blamed Hifter
into a Turkish drone’s sights, then dis- nitude of the Russian transports. At militias for friendly-fire incidents, and
appear in a plume of smoke. least 145 Turkish cargo flights arrived Turkey’s intervention turned a near- both sides squabbled about unpaid
in Libya in 2020, according to online ly successful campaign to take Tripoli bills.
The strikes signaled Turkey’s dra- accounts that track the aircraft. into a rout for Hifter and his merce-
matic entry into the Libyan war after By mid-2020, Hifter’s forces had
watching in disgust for months as its fallen back behind the boundary ex-
NATO allies failed to protect the inter- tending southward from Sirte. Turkey-
im government they supposedly sup- backed GNA units briefly swept into
ported from Hifter’s onslaught. central Libya in an attempt to seize
oil facilities, but they, too, were forced
The addition of the Turkish Bayrak- to retreat, in the face of threats from
tar aircraft altered the complexion Egypt and the arrival of more Russian
of a conflict that already involved fighter jets.
Chinese-made “Wing Loong” drones
flown by Emirati pilots on Hifter’s side. As a result, both sides are essentially
By February 2020, U.N. officials were back to their respective corners, just
describing Libya as the “world’s largest more abundantly armed and allied
theater for drone technology,” a con- with dominating foreign partners pur-
sequence of the arms race the United suing agendas of their own. Paradoxi-
States had unleashed in Iraq, Afghani- cally, the buildup has brought a mea-
stan, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia. sure of stability to Libya, a stalemate
between sides that have grown strong
Unlike Russia, Turkey made no at- enough to cling to power in their cor-
tempt to disguise its entry into Libya’s doned portions of the country but not
war. Turkish frigates carrying missiles, strong enough to win.
torpedoes and helicopters began ap-
pearing conspicuously off Tripoli’s A pause in fighting that began in Au-
coast. In a statement to The Post, the gust became a formally declared cease-
Turkish Embassy in Washington said fire in October.
that Turkey’s intervention had helped
stop the fighting in Libya and salvage Both sides had committed to the
peace talks. removal of all foreign fighters by Jan.
23. But neither Russia nor Turkey so
Turkey “is not the cause of the con- much as budged. Negotiators have
flict,” the statement said. “To the con- been meeting for months in Tunisia in
trary, it helped make [the] ceasefire hopes of holding national elections by
and political dialogue achievable by the end of the year. On Dec. 2, Stepha-
counterbalancing Hifter and his at- nie Williams, a U.S. diplomat who un-
tacks by his Wagner, Chadian, Suda- til this month headed the U.N. sup-
nese mercenaries.” port mission in Libya, greeted Libyan
representatives with a searing assess-
“They are one of the root causes of ment of the situation.
the conflict,” the statement said. “When
they start to withdraw, the mercenary “There are now 10 military bases in
problem can be solved.” your country” that are “either fully or
partially occupied by foreign forces,”
The interim government in Libya she said. “There are now 20,000 for-
has been unapologetic about accept- eign forces and/or mercenaries in
ing Turkish help. your country. That is a shocking viola-
tion of Libyan sovereignty.
“Our deal with Turkey is legitimate,”
Brig. Gen. Elhadi Idrah, the spokesman “You may believe that these foreign-
for GNA military operations in Sirte, ers are here as your guests,” she said,
said in an interview. “We are not hiding “but they are now occupying your
anything. It’s not like Hifter bringing house.”
Russians and Janjaweed into the coun-
try with secrecy. We haven’t done that. Six days later, the Russian cargo plane
Everything is placed on the table.” carrying fresh Wagner mercenaries and
Syrian militants touched down. 
In addition to drones, Turkey brought
in surface-to-air missiles, antiaircraft

38 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT WORLD NEWS AND OPINION

There was a time when China could cause the So predictably, diversifying is exactly what happened. the World Trade Organization over rare earths.
world to tremble by threatening its supply of rare- Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp., a state- Occasional saber-rattling over the past year has
earth metals. owned enterprise set up to guarantee the country’s
access to essential materials, funded Australian pro- already driven up the valuations of non-Chinese
That’s right, rare-earth metals. You know: house- ducer Lynas Rare Earths Ltd. at well below market producers, making it even easier for them to fund
hold names like Neodymium, Europium, Terbium, rates to encourage a non-Chinese supply chain. expansions of mining and processing capacity.
Dysprosium, Yttrium and 12 others. Thanks to that investment, Lynas now produces
nearly 20,000 metric tons a year of rare-earth oxides Lynas last August raised A$425 million ($335 mil-
Large quantities of some rare-earth elements are from its Mount Weld mine in Australia and process- lion) selling new shares to pay for a processing facil-
used in clean energy and defense technologies. Oth- ing plant in Malaysia, more than enough to meet ity in Australia and upgrades at its Malaysian plant.
ers are used as components in smart phones, digi- all of America’s demand let alone the 500 tons or so
tal cameras, computer hard disks, fluorescent and needed for defense-critical applications. Nothing about this turn of events should surprise
light-emitting-diode (LED) lights, flat screen televi- Last month it signed a contract to build a new fa- anyone. When Arab countries used their dominance
sions, computer monitors, and electronic displays. cility processing 5,000 tons a year of rare earths in of oil exports to push up the price of crude in the
Texas, jointly funded with the U.S. Department of 1970s, the outcome was not a permanent Gulf stran-
The problem: The U.S. has only one operational Defense. The Pentagon also last year helped fund a glehold on energy but a rush to diversify. Rich coun-
rare-earths mine – the Mountain Pass site in Califor- series of other projects to guarantee more processing tries retired oil-fired power stations and built coal
nia – with a handful of others a decade away from in the U.S., including from the Mountain Pass mine. and nuclear generators instead, while new wells were
starting production. China’ has dozens of mines and The result of all this has been dramatic. From 98% tapped in the North Sea, Siberia, Mexico and Texas.
hundreds of refining and separation facilities, and of global mined production in 2010, China’s market
right now, the mined ore from Mountain Pass all gets share had fallen to 58% by 2020. When Richard Nixon imposed an export embargo
sent to China for processing. Meanwhile, the Pentagon also set up a government on soybeans shortly before the 1973 Arab oil em-
stockpile of rare-earth elements analogous to the U.S. bargo to help rein in galloping domestic inflation in
But there’s no reason to worry too much about Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and announced plans the U.S., there was a similar outcome. Japan, which
news that Beijing is planning to ban exports of tech- to buy about 5,000 tons last year. Separately, major depended on America for about 92% of its soybean
nology for refining rare-earth elements. importers brought and won a case against China at supply, helped establish a Brazilian industry to di-
versify its import base. It’s now the bigger global pro-
Any effort by China to ban exports of technology ducer of such oilseeds.
for refining these rare-earth elements is likely to
backfire even more spectacularly than its previous The world depends on sprawling supply chains of
attempts to weaponize the trade in rare earths itself. scarce materials for a range of essential products, from
electric vehicle batteries to fertilizer and MRI scanners.
In 2010, a dispute between China and Japan over Most of the time, we pay little attention to the interde-
which country owns a group of islands off the north- pendency that’s built into these trade networks, because
east coast of Taiwan caused Beijing to impose export no player is reckless enough to damage its own position
restrictions on all 17 rare earths. in the market by using it as geopolitical leverage.

That was a problem for Japan, which depends on As China itself is striving to demonstrate in the far
neodymium, dysprosium and terbium as essential more technically complex market for semiconductors,
components of equipment such as motors, LEDs, though, political restrictions on exports will only cause
lasers and fuel cells. At the time, China had a near major importers to reconfigure their supply chains.
monopoly of the world’s production of the metals.
Without alternative sources of supply, Japan’s hi- Beijing’s control of rare earths is as much of a pa-
tech industry would be crippled. per tiger as it ever was. 

There was a simple lesson from that crisis: Given A version of this column by David Fickling first ap-
China’s willingness to use rare earths as a geopolitical peared on Bloomberg. It does not necessarily reflect
weapon, diversifying would be an absolute necessity. the views of Vero Beach 32963.

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

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 39

INSIGHT WORLD NEWS AND OPINION

Terry Barber orders a laptop com- first have to find the laptop. Then they a week – to find the lost package. After a way of making up for the delay. But
puter from Sam's Club. It never shows could issue a refund. that, it shouldn't have held up your re- that didn't fix the problem. It would
up. Two months later, her refund is fund. You didn't lose your package, the have been nice to see a Sam's Club
also missing. What's the problem? It's been two months since Sam's Club company did. employee taking ownership of this
promised me a refund. Can you help me problem, by which I mean sending you
Q: I ordered an HP Pavilion laptop get my money back? – Terry Barber If it's any consolation, lost orders are a replacement quickly instead of mak-
from Sam's Club recently and paid pretty rare. Companies like Sam's Club ing you wait for the company to find
$856 for it. I never received it. A: Two months is plenty of time use a sophisticated, and almost fool- the lost device.
to track down a lost package, don't proof, system to track their orders. The
I contacted customer support and you think? In a perfect world, your re- handoff to FedEx should have been I list the names, numbers and email
they verified that the laptop never left fund should have taken minutes, not easy. I'm looking at your order, and you addresses of the Sam's Club executives
the warehouse. I asked for a refund, months. But Sam's Club says it had to even had a FedEx tracking number. It on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.
but a representative said they would find your package, which was some- isn't immediately clear what happened org. A brief, polite email to one of them
where in the warehouse. I think it would to your laptop. might have fixed this. Really, there's no
have been nice of you to give Sam's excuse for making you wait two months
Club a reasonable amount of time – say, Sam's Club looks as if it tried to help, for a refund – especially for something
even offering a 5 percent discount as that isn't even your fault.

Sam's Club prides itself in being
"the membership you love most."
But after your long wait for your lap-
top, I don't think there's a lot of love.
I was curious to see how the company
would fix this and make it up to you.
So I asked.

Sam's Club quickly refunded the
$856. 

Get help with any consumer prob-
lem by contacting Christopher Elliott
at http://www.elliott.org/help

40 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BOOKS

In October 1895, the most erate, rational, con- in neuropsychology involved research on sleep and
mysterious mechanisms of templative styles of dreams. When Solms began studying the nervous
the mind suddenly clicked into thinking). Because of system in the 1980s, dreams were an unlikely path to
place for Sigmund Freud. The the “theoretical iner- proving Freud right. At the time, researchers associ-
Viennese psychoanalyst report- tia” of these obses- ated dreaming with REM sleep, a particularly “mind-
ed his discovery in a breathless sions, contemporary less” state. Solms sums up the scientific consensus
letter to his colleague and con- neuroscience, Solms with the words of the researcher Allan Hobson: “The
fidant, Wilhelm Fliess. After “an thinks, has neglect- primary motivating force for dreaming is not psycho-
industrious night,” he wrote, logical but physiological.” Dreams, according to this
“the barriers suddenly lifted, the ed some of the more model, were more like neural indigestion than deep-
veils dropped, and everything fundamental as- ly meaningful fantasies.
became transparent – from the pects of the psyche
details of the neuroses to the that Freud set out to For Freud, by contrast, every dream is the expres-
determinants of consciousness.” explore: the roiling sion of an unconscious wish. By digging through
The result of that night was one desires, emotions the dross of the dream’s explicit imagery (which he
of Freud’s earliest works, the for- and pressures that called its “manifest content”), the analyst and patient
biddingly titled “Project for a Sci- feed so much of could discern the stifled desires (“latent content,” in
entific Psychology.” Freudian lingo) buried beneath. Solms soon came to
our mental life. the conclusion that this story – in which dreams are
Freud’s “Project” bears only the To better under- meaningful – was closer to the truth than contem-
most rudimentary resemblance to porary neuroscientists realized. Through his neu-
the later theories that would make stand such phe- rological research he discovered that “patients with
his name. In labored pages, thick nomena, Solms damage to the part of the brain that generates REM
with cryptic mathematical symbols seeks to dig deep- sleep still experience dreams.” While REM sleep cer-
and ornamented with rough, quiz- er into the mind. tainly had some connection to dreams, another bit of
zical sketches of the nervous sys- He makes a con- the brain – a bundle of nerves often referred to as the
tem’s branchings, Freud described vincing case for psyche’s “reward system” or “wanting system” – also
the psyche as an energetic “appara- paying more at- played a role. This is the “one part of the brain that
tus.” The mind was a machine, something like a bat- tention to the might be considered responsible for ‘wishes,’” Solms
tery that built up excitation only to discharge it – in “densely knotted core of the brainstem.” writes. “It rapidly became clear that neuroscience
a great rush of relief – through the nervous system’s It’s here, and not in the cortex, “where consciousness owed Freud an apology.”
complicated coils. Though Freud’s enthusiasm for arises: it is the hidden wellspring of the mind, the
the “Project” soon cooled, parts of it survived into his source of its essence.” Hence, his book’s title. Readers of Freud’s writings on dreams are often
more mature thinking, most of all in the basic work With that shift in anatomy comes a corresponding drawn to his accounts of decrypting his patients’
of talk therapy, in which he encouraged his patients shift in psychology. In focusing their research on the puzzling nocturnal imaginings, which read like virtu-
to vent their accumulated passions. cerebral cortex, neuroscientists have tended to em- osic detective stories. Solms, however, seems to have
phasize the centrality of high-level cognition. But the been taken by something more fundamental: the fact
Since so much modern brain research tends to brainstem, as Solms shows, is the seat of our emo- that for Freud, dreams are, at their core, manifesta-
treat Freud with indifference or disdain, the idea that tions, pleasures and desires. And since, he writes, tions of wishes. What Freud got right, then, and what
his psychology ever sought to be “scientific” may “the neurological sources of affect and of conscious- Solms hopes modern brain science will soon em-
come as a surprise. But in his exciting new book, ness are, at a minimum, deeply entangled with one brace, is the importance of drive and desire in our
“The Hidden Spring: A Journey to the Source of Con- another,” it follows that “feelings pervade conscious mental life.
sciousness,” the neuropsychologist and psychoana- experience.” In other words, Solms wants to move
lyst Mark Solms picks up where Freud left off on that past the model of mind that sees clear-eyed thought Building on that core insight, “The Hidden Spring”
October night. Drawing on extensive cognitive sci- as somehow separable from our baser feelings. In- constructs a model of mind that, like Freud’s, is
ence research — much of it his own — Solms argues stead, our seemingly mindless drives are, to a large sensitive to the psyche’s efforts to balance compet-
that Freud’s theories anticipate some key findings in extent, the basis of our more sophisticated forms of ing needs and pressures. Indeed, Solms shows how
current brain research. In Solms’ reckoning, those conscious thinking. Our mental life – perception, throbs of pleasure and pain guide our interactions
controversial ideas weren’t just ahead of their time; memory, volition – is not the work of what Shake- with the world, making it possible for us to navigate
he proposes that they still have something to teach speare called “cool reason” alone. a sea of uncertainty. 
neuroscience today. What is perhaps most striking about Solms’ proj-
ect, though, is his insistence that Freud already laid THE HIDDEN SPRING
In Solms’ telling, neuroscience has found itself the groundwork. As Solms explains in the opening
weighed down by a fixation on the cerebral cortex chapters of “The Hidden Spring,” he came to accept A JOURNEY TO THE SOURCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS
— the outer layers at the crown of the brain – and Freudian psychoanalysis by simply following where
on what we might call higher-order cognition (delib- the science led him. For instance, his earliest work BY MARK SOLMS | W.W. NORTON & COMPANY, 432 PP. $28.95
REVIEW BY JESS KEISER, THE WASHINGTON POST

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 41

INSIGHT BRIDGE

TRY TO PRE-EMPT WITH FLEXIBILITY WEST NORTH EAST
AKQJ 872 10 9 6 4 3
By Phillip Alder - Bridge Columnist 10 6 KJ53 AQ8
A9762 K3 J854
Everett McKinley Dirksen, who represented Illinois in the House of Representatives A2 K 10 8 7 3
and the Senate, said, “I am a man of fixed and unbending principles, the first of which
is to be flexible at all times.” SOUTH
5
How do you view pre-emptive bidding? It pays to be flexible; otherwise, your 9742
opponents will always know what to expect. In addition, when nonvulnerable and Q 10
partner is a passed hand, bid one level higher than you would have done in first or QJ9654
second seat.
Dealer: North; Vulnerable: East-West
In this deal, for example, how would you critique the auction?
The Bidding:
At Bridge Base Online, three Souths (out of 15) opened three clubs. In another seat,
this would have been very pushy, but not when partner was a passed hand. Surely the SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST OPENING
opponents were cold for game and maybe slam. (At the other 12 tables, West and 3 Clubs Dbl. Pass Pass
East bid one diamond - one spade - four spades - pass and scored plus 680.) 5 Clubs All Pass LEAD:
K Spades
Over three clubs, West had to make a takeout double and worry about partner’s
bidding hearts if it happened. Then North applied pressure by jumping to five clubs.
West should not have passed this out; he should have doubled.

West led the spade king, asking for count. At trick two, West shifted to the heart 10:
jack, queen, two. East went back to spades, and when South ruffed, West dropped
the ace as a suit-preference signal for hearts. But when West took the next trick with
the club ace and led his second heart, East, thinking his partner had started with 10-
9-6(-4), covered dummy’s three with his eight. Now the heart ruff had evaporated, and
South was out for down three, minus only 150.

42 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT GAMES

SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (FEBRUARY 25) ON PAGE 72

ACROSS DOWN
1 Breed of dog (6,7) 1 Fortress (7)
8 Trudge or trek (7) 2 Sequence (5)
9 Area of land (5) 3 Feat (7)
10 Australian wild dog(5) 4 Dialogue (6)
11 Bright-red pigment (7) 5 Subsequently (5)
12 Frivolity (6) 6 Visualise (7)
14 UK’s longest river (6) 7 Unit of capacity (5)
18 Variety of cherry (7) 13 Adaptation (7)
20 Ski run (5) 15 Specialists (7)
22 Barbecue (5) 16 Sewing implements (7)
23 Squash drink (7) 17 Blanket-like cloak (6)
24 Awareness (13) 18 Sorcery (5)
19 Flowering plant, Syringa (5)
21 Set of rooms (5)

The Telegraph

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and three-by-three
square.

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 43

INSIGHT GAMES

ACROSS 97 Reverence 61 Veronica Lake film, I Married The Washington Post
99 Painter Paul ___
1 Liberal pursuits 103 Sympathetic one NEW POSITIONS By Merl Reagle
5 Horror author’s inits. 104 Japanese food 62 Word seg.
8 Part of a 1960s bonfire 105 Daisylike flowers 63 Connie’s ill-fated husband in
11 They make grating sounds 109 Gardner of Seven Days in
18 New position for The Godfather
May 64 Ye ___ Pie Shoppe
ANN PRIESTLEY 110 Carbon-based 65 Funny Rudner
21 Level 112 New position for 66 Dr. Alzheimer
22 New position for 67 Sad sounds
LARAINE MARTIN 68 Jai ___
CASPER MENOTTI 115 Start of a soap 69 Winning streak
23 Gunpowder inventors 116 New position for 72 Terse review of a great little
24 Toasted ___ cereal
25 Bishop, for one ARTIE BECKMAN film
26 “___ little rusty” 117 Old Spanish dough 73 Bill’s Federico
28 Title giver 118 Dash lengths 74 Flakes material
29 A chord, for short 119 Word on deodorants 76 Smitten
31 A, in Amiens 120 What father knows 78 Some bodies: abbr.
32 New position for 79 Make
DOWN 80 Euripides, for one
NEVIL GATES 82 Actress Donna
34 “___ wouldn’t say that” 1 Mr. T’s TV group 83 Destroyed
36 Editor 2 Luis’s lariat 84 Female deer
39 New position for 3 Destruction worker? 88 E or G, e.g.: abbr.
4 Quick cut 89 Bandit feature?
GORDON WEAVER 5 Ruhr city 90 Frustrated cry
44 1860s soldier 6 Target for Tell 91 Thread again,
45 It means “both” 7 Entreaty
49 To have, to Henri 8 Mac morsel as a shoe
50 Sticks stooges 9 Early U.S. auto 93 Reporter’s quest
51 New position for 10 Get there 94 Chili con ___
11 Took back 95 Impulses
DOUG BRADY 12 Otto’s “oh” 96 Memphis street
53 New position for 13 Tomboy’s injury 97 To go, to Gounod
14 Like some institutions 98 Droll
ROSE PURVIS 15 Varnish resin 100 Strike settings?
55 Dole’s st. 16 Miss America’s armful 101 1976 Wimbledon winner
56 Feel the same 17 Hagar the Horrible’s dog 102 Word before phone or ring
57 Start of a G&S title 19 Destroyed 105 Claim to rights,
58 Photo ___ 20 Get off your butt
59 “What ___ say?” 22 A Pep Boy kid-style
61 Sides 27 Long-vowel mark 106 “How ___ doing?”
63 New position for 30 Iris in Taxi Driver 107 Round of applause
32 Hit a clinker, e.g. 108 Bygone Swedish auto
WALTER RAY COOPER 33 Use as a reference 111 “___ man
67 Baking company that “nobody 35 Munich mister
36 Vacation spot, ___ San Lucas answers ...”
doesn’t like” 37 Gray, as a day 113 War zone, once
70 Understanding response 38 Home: abbr. 114 WW II ally of Monty’s
71 Abner’s adjective 39 Laundry
72 P.D. alert 40 Egg
75 Prayer start 41 Faux pas comment
76 Addams Family cousin 42 Influenza
77 New position for 43 Rene of Ransom
45 Boring tool
GEORGE BOLT 46 Painter Chagall
81 New position for 47 Author Harte
48 Bad time for Julius
LENA BLAIR 51 Appearance insurance
84 Like some columns 52 Look amazed
85 Match site 54 “Eater” ending
86 Missile site 55 Patella, for one
87 Made bigger: abbr. 60 Satisfied a craving
88 New position for

HARMON GELSON
90 They’re out of here
92 Portland-to-Seattle dir.
93 New position for

BRUCE DAVIS

The Telegraph





46 Vero Beach 32963 / March 4, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BACK PAGE

The family that travels together … unravels apart

BY CAROLYN HAX the … millions? roughly everybodies? who have been
Washington Post resoundingly not at their best through this mess.

Dear Carolyn: Our family con- So if you’re open to even the slimmest justification
for granting blanket forgiveness and starting over,
sists of three families, including my there it is for the seizing.

husband and me; our son, his wife I also hope you’ll take a deep breath – once your
hurt feelings settle, if they’re still swirling – and talk
and two college-age children; and to your kids, calmly and directly. Check on their well-
being, exactly as you wish they’d have done for you.
our daughter, son-in-law and teen- When you feel lost, treating others as you hope to be
treated is true north.
age son. Every other year we heavily
And if you think it would help to know the reasons
subsidize a family trip to various countries. This year they’ve been distant, then ask them. Don’t make “You
never call me!!” a recurring theme of your relation-
the gathering is also a celebration of a grandchild grad- ships with your kids, seeing as it’s the ultimate self-
fulfilling prophecy – but also don’t be afraid on rare
uating from high school. occasions to articulate what would make you happy,
as long as it’s not too dramatic a change and you’re
Neither family lives close to us. During the past year, ready to take no for an answer.

one family has never checked on our well-being, even And, finally, invite them to use this pandemic dis-
ruption to rethink the family trips. Do they still want
though COVID has been raging around the country. Re- them? Same schedule? Are their kids still game? Are
they joys or obligations? Grant them immunity from
cently my husband was injured, too, and they have nev- hard feelings in return for telling the truth.

er asked about him. We also live near the Capitol, and And if they’re all-in: Are they ready for more respon-
sibility? If not now, then when? Presumably you didn’t
during the riot in Washington, they never checked on raise ingrates.

our safety. Ditto for the son-in-law in the other family. In other words, another deep breath: Marshal your
resources toward improving this family institution,
My husband and I agree we don’t want to subsidize not killing it. At least try. If it ends, then that’ll be, ap-
propriately, a step the whole family takes. 
a trip this year, but we’re unsure how to say that in a You just got a strong message that your family unity
needs some thoughtful attention – so this is not the
way that doesn’t fracture our family or hurt the feel- time to give it a kick to the groin.

ings of the graduating senior.We would appreciate your Traveling together is your way of connecting. And
the entire foundation of your question seems to be
thoughts. that staying connected is really, really important to
you. So, think goals, not self-defeating retribution.
– Conflicted
You want the effort to go both ways, understand-
Conflicted: I won’t defend these families’ recent ably, yes – and their effort is lacking. But unless you
negligence. It hurts. know more about why they’ve gone silent that you
didn’t include in your letter, it’s possible they’re among
But I also won’t endorse your idea of scrapping the
trip out of pique. (Scrapping for COVID, though? Ab-
solutely.)

THROWBACK:
POTTER EXTRAORDINAIRE’S TALENTS

ROOTED IN HISTORY

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ARTS & THEATRE

ROOTED IN HISTORYTHROWBACK: POTTER EXTRAORDINAIRE’S TALENTS
BY ELLEN FISCHER | COLUMNIST His work is continuously represented
PHOTOS BY BRENDA AHEARN at Gallery 14 in Vero Beach. Earlier this
Walford Campbell is a master potter year the gallery featured his works along
and sculptor in clay whose works speak with those of three other artists. In that
to his command of materials and form. show a trio of his sculptures, “Cotton
From ordinary kitchen wares, such as Bag,” “Rust” and “Sand by the Sea,”
mugs, plates and platters of terracotta commanded a central position in the
clay decorated with colorful majolica exhibition space.
glazes, to decorative wares, vases and
vessels of porcelain, and stoneware of Currently, Campbell is readying piec-
classic shapes and earthy color, Camp- es for his booth at the upcoming Under
bell’s wheel-thrown production is the Oaks Fine Art and Craft Show March
linked to antiquity, while still managing 12-14 at Riverside Park.
to look of the moment.
“I’m making smaller pieces for it,”
And then there are his sculptures, not says Campbell.
thrown on the wheel, but hand-built
in the time-honored coil tradition. The On shelves behind the potter’s wheel
human body, as well as found stones at his Port St. Lucie studio stand a line of
shaped by tide and time, are major in- identical cups on saucers, a cylindrical
spirations for his fine art pieces. stack of mugs, two chubby teapots and
a group of small vases, all bisque-fired
Says Campbell, “I love the female and ready for glazing.
form.”
Directing our attention to an old-
fashioned spring scale that stands be-

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ARTS & THEATRE

Walford Campbell.

hind his works in progress Campbell After finishing his education through
says, “See that scale over there? I got secondary school, at age 16 Campbell
that in Vero Beach, actually. I had a scale entered Sixth Form which, he explains,
exactly like that one in England. It had is the two years in which students who
a copper face, too. That was the scale I intend to go to college study academic
took from England back to Jamaica.” subjects that will prepare them for
higher education. After passing his A-
He values the scale not only for weigh- level exams, Campbell enrolled in the
ing glaze materials, but as a reminder of Walsall School of Art for its one-year
his life’s journey from the New World to foundation program.
the Old World, and back again.
“At age 18 you think you know
Campbell was born in the Common- about art, but you don’t. The founda-
wealth country of Jamaica. In search of tion courses get you to really look,
better opportunities, his dad departed
for England before Campbell was born; CONTINUED ON PAGE 50
when he was 2 years old, his mom went
to England as well, leaving their son in
his grandparents’ care.

The boy thrived. His grandparents
raised cacao, the fruit whose pro-
cessed beans produce chocolate. At
harvest time, the cacao pods would
be split open, and the flesh-cov-
ered seeds removed to ferment and
dry in the sun.

One of Campbell’s fond memo-
ries of his Jamaican childhood was
using his teeth to scrape the deli-
cious, citrus-y pulp from the inside
of the discarded pods.

In honor of that time and place,
Campbell today paints and incises
the stylized form of the cacao pod
on his vessel forms.

“I use it in a lot of my decora-
tion,” he says.

“I suppose that a lot of my ma-
jolica colors go back to the Carib-
bean. Majolica is very colorful,
like the masquerades and festi-
vals you see in the islands. While
it is not the focus of my work, I
like working in majolica a couple
of times a year, to get a little bit of
color into my work.”

In 1970, when Campbell was
9, he followed his parents to the
Midlands of England, which ap-
propriately comprises the mid-
dle section of the vertically ori-
ented island.

“Birmingham, Walsall – in fact,
in the old days they used to call it the
‘Black Country,’ because that was where
England’s main industries (including
coal mining) were,” says Campbell.

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ARTS & THEATRE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 49 “That’s what I did when I moved back like that,” says Campbell. Ruth Stiebel, helped Campbell get
to Jamaica,” he says. “I did not meet Bernard Leach (who a mortgage for the first property he
teaches you the fundamentals of design, owned in Jamaica. Campbell has
art history, etc.” After graduation he took a position died in 1979), but I’d met David Leach, bought and sold real estate to supple-
in England as the ceramics instruc- Bernard Leach’s son, and Michael ment his artist’s income ever since.
Campbell initially thought he wanted tor at Solden Hill House, a residential Cardew, both of whom were of the same
to be a sculptor but, in the land of mod- home with occupational workshops generation of potters as Cecil Baugh. I In addition to teaching, Campbell set
ernist sculptors Henry Moore, Lynn for adults with learning disabilities. put all of that in the letter.” up his pottery business, which picked
Chadwick and Barbara Hepworth, his During that time, he read a magazine up quickly. He exported wares to gift
ignorance of the newer iterations of the article about the esteemed Jamaican The letter must have impressed shops and hotels all over the Caribbean,
ancient art form was his Achilles’ heel. potter Cecil Baugh (1908-2005). Like Baugh, because not long afterward, and at one time had a staff of seven peo-
Campbell, Baugh had studied pottery Campbell received an invitation to join ple to keep production up to demand.
“My idea of sculpting was more real- in England. Unlike Campbell, Baugh the faculty of the school Baugh helped
istic; drawing was very realistic. That had been a pupil of the famed English found: the Edna Manley College of the “The art scene in Jamaica was incred-
was due to my upbringing, and previous potter Bernard Leach. Visual and Performing Arts in Kingston. ible. Every bank and place of business
exposure to art. It was a challenge for After an absence of 15 years, Campbell owned artworks. Not just copies, or
me to throw that all away.” “I wrote to the editor of the maga- moved back to Jamaica in 1985. prints, but actual artwork hanging on
zine. And he sent the letter to Cecil the wall. Interior decorators were com-
He clashed from the start with his Baugh in Jamaica, to the art school After a rough start, in which he missioning artists for works to place in
sculpture teacher, and Campbell re- that he and others founded in 1962. I found that his rent was higher than homes and offices.”
ceived an “F.” To repeat that course, he wrote about my interests and things his teacher’s salary, a student in one
needed to repeat the entire foundation of his night classes, real estate agent Campbell was the beneficiary of
program, which he did not want to do. some well-paid commissions and found
At that point, however, it was time for sell-out venues for his pottery in Ger-
him to rotate into the ceramics section many and Japan via buyers who fell in
of the program. love with his work.

“I did not know how to throw on the After the Jamaican dollar collapsed
wheel then. But touching the ceramic, in the early 1990s, Campbell moved to
the clay, that was it. When I left the foun- Miami, and thence to St. Lucie County.
dation school, I knew pretty much what
I wanted to do. I wanted to be a potter,” Looking back on his life thus far he
says Campbell. says, “God has been good. I’ll be 61 this
year. I’m looking at what I have in front
He subsequently entered Derby Lon- of me as opposed to what I have behind
sdale University, where he learned the me. What I would like to do in the future
ceramist’s art from A to Z. So much so is a lot more sculptural pieces. Showing
that, if someone set him down on a des- in galleries, rather than art fairs. Mak-
ert island, he could set up a pottery stu- ing gallery pieces.” 
dio from scratch.