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Published by Vero Beach 32963 Media, 2019-12-20 12:39:23

12/19/2019 ISSUE 51

Melbourne_ISSUE51_121919_OPT

Season of hope. P12 Disease defense. P28 ALL THAT JAZZ

A giving spirit permeates Path to beating breast cancer ... and history
Genesis House Christmas Party. starts with screenings. and cachet
at iconic
Heidi’s.

P. 14

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2019 | VOLUME 04, ISSUE 51 www.melbournebeachsider.com | NEWSSTAND PRICE $1.00

Alleged conspiracy Two councils
to extort 2 officials see a shuffle
key to Isnardi case in leadership

STORIES BY HENRY A. STEPHENS CORRESPONDENT
[email protected]

The state’s case against rack- PHOTO: BENJAMIN THACKER STORY BY GEORGE WHITE STAFF WRITER
eteering defendant David Is- [email protected]
nardi hinges on a conspiracy to FIRE FURY
extort two local elected officials It’s a case of municipal mu-
into voting to rezone a parcel Melbourne Beach Volunteer Fire Department Chief Gavin sical chairs for the leadership
to allow for a scrap-metal busi- Brown at the scene of a shed fire on Banyan Way in Melbourne of two beachside city councils,
ness Isnardi and his partner Beach last Wednesday. No one was injured in the blaze, which with Indian Harbour Beach
planned to open. caused an estimated $25,000 in damage. Story, Page 3. first-time mayor Scott Nickle
replacing David Panicola, who
Lobbyist Tres Holton, a for- PHOTO: JULIAN LEEK will now serve as deputy may-
mer Florida Senate staffer and or, and Satellite Beach first-
former Brevard County Com- time Vice Mayor Mindy Gib-
mission aide, was one of those son replacing Mark Brimer,
officials allegedly targeted, dur- who terms out along with
ing his tenure as Palm Bay’s current Satellite Beach Mayor
deputy mayor. He unwittingly Frank Catino.
became embroiled in the in-
vestigation, police say, because Nickle has served on the
Holton’s “aye” vote on the re- council 13 years, as deputy
zoning was one of two votes Is- mayor for six of those years,
nardi could not bank on. and had considered mayoral
bids several times, until now al-
The dirt police say Isnardi ways declining because of fam-
and co-defendant Jose Aguiar ily and work obligations.
hoped to dig up on Holton was
marital infidelity with profes- “I have thought about it but it
just wasn’t good timing for me.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

COUNTY NIXES BID TO Satellite High star runs into national spotlight
REMOVE 2 FLAGS FROM
PONCE DE LEON PARK STORY BY DAVID JONES CORRESPONDENT Satellite High’s Justin Wilson.

STORY BY JENNIFER TORRES CORRESPONDENT PHOTO: JULIAN LEEK Justin Wilson had already caused a stir PHOTO: TIM WIRTH
[email protected] before he ever toed the starting line in Or-
egon.
Dozens gathered last month at
Juan Ponce de Leon Landing Park As only the third runner from Brevard
in Melbourne Beach to attend a County to ever advance to the prestigious
ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Nike high school national cross country
installation of flags. But this month, championships, Wilson had already caught
Brevard County District 3 Commis- the attention of coaches and competitors
when he advanced from the Southeast
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

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DINING 30 CALENDAR 32 Dining review, Page 30

2 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

NEWS

RACKETEERING CASE Holton had heard rumors of Isnardi’s had furnished as discovery to Isnardi’s had left the district office to work for the
plans to blackmail him, he told Florida
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Department of Law Enforcement Spe- defense attorney, Kepler Funk of Mel- City of Palm Bay.
cial Agent Bradley Lewis, in a recorded
sional sex workers. Holton flatly denies interview from Nov. 30, 2017. But Isnardi bourne. “David was very good at getting things
Isnardi and Aguiar would have found was his friend, Holton said, and so dis-
anything to use against him. counted the rumors. Also, the premise Isnardi, husband of Brevard County done,” Holton recalled to Special Agent
didn’t make any sense to Holton.
Holton, in tape-recorded interviews Commissioner Kristine Isnardi, was ar- Lewis. “Mainly we were like yin and
with state investigators, called Isnardi “That (sex with a prostitute) would
his friend and former colleague, as the have had to be a situation I put myself rested in May on charges of racketeer- yang. He’s a really big guy and I’m kind
two men had both worked with the late in,” Holton told Lewis. “And that wasn’t
former County Commissioner Andy An- going to happen. So I didn’t see this as a ing, conspiracy to commit racketeering, of a little guy.”
derson. Holton assured police he would viable story.”
not have fallen for an alleged attempt to conspiracy to commit extortion, and Holton said he and Isnardi often dis-
blackmail him while he served on City Brevard-Seminole State Attorney Phil
Council because he does not engage in Archer’s office released the recording conspiracy to possess two controlled agreed about county policy in the early
sex with prostitutes. recently among several other items it
substances – Oxycodone and Ethylone years, but bonded over veterans’ affairs.

– with the intent to deliver them. The Isnardi is a retired U.S. Army sergeant

drugs were allegedly tools in and Holton served in the Na-

the plot to blackmail a sepa- tional Guard.

rate elected official. Holton, now 45, later worked

Kristine Isnardi, also of for District 3 Commissioner

Palm Bay, represents the com- Helen Voltz and, even later, for

mission’s District 5, which then-state Sen. Thad Altman

spans much of the south-cen- (R-Indialantic). In 2014 he was

tral part of the county includ- elected to a second stint on

ing the Indialantic area. Tres Holton. City Council, but was defeated

Isnardi’s codefendant Agu- last year by political newcom-

iar, a fellow Palm Bay resident, er Kenny Johnson.

is charged with racketeering and con- Lewis questioned Holton about

spiracy to commit racketeering, records whether Aguiar or Isnardi ever “pres-

show. Both men are out on bail awaiting sured” him into doing anything as a

trial. council member.

Isnardi was Palm Bay’s deputy city At one time, Holton said, he learned

manager from May 2015 through Sep- the day of a meeting that Aguiar was in-

tember 2017. During that period, arrest terested in one of the items.

warrants show, Aguiar wanted to have a “It had to do with a junkyard, kind of

residential property rezoned to industri- a salvage yard,“ Holton said, adding it

al so he and Isnardi could open a scrap- wouldn’t surprise him “at all” if Isnardi

metal business there. was going to be Aguiar’s business part-

But authorities say Holton and fellow ner. But he never felt pressure to vote for

Councilman Jeff Bailey gave Isnardi and it, Holton stressed.

Aguiar reason to doubt they would vote As for Isnardi, Holton said, “David

for the rezoning – without some form of would sometimes … say, ‘Look into this,’

pressure. or ‘You ought to look into that.’”

Lewis told Holton of the plan he had But Holton saw that as part of doing

heard straight from Isnardi and Aguiar. his council job rather than responding

“(Aguiar) and Isnardi were going to go to any kind of pressure, he told Lewis.

buy some cameras, wire them up and In the recording, Holton comes across

record you with people other than your as reluctant to tell Lewis anything nega-

wife,” Lewis said. “They were going to tive about his friend Isnardi. But Lewis

use that information to make sure you insists Isnardi hasn’t acted like a friend

voted certain ways.” of Holton by alleging his weakness for

At one point during the recording, prostitutes.

Lewis offers to play Isnardi’s statements “Because David is protecting David,”

for Holton and takes him out of the mi- Lewis said. “He’s leaving you out in the

crophone’s range. yard. … He cares about himself.”

Isnardi’s recorded deposition, how- Holton mentions a few times in the

ever, has not been released. State At- recording that he would never go to a

torney’s Office spokesman Todd Brown prostitute because he is happily mar-

says it remains confidential. ried. If so, Lewis asks, what would give

Holton told Lewis he had scant con- Isnardi or Aguiar the idea that Holton

tact with Aguiar, and had no idea why was susceptible to a hired prostitute?

the man would be out for him. And he “I don’t know why, other than just ‘guy

had even less of an idea about Isnardi, talk,’” Holton said.

Holton said, because they were friends. While a lobbyist visiting Tallahassee,

Holton said he first met Isnardi in he said, he once had thrown a party and

about 2004, when Isnardi was Andy hired a female entertainer at $100 an

Anderson’s 2008 campaign manager. hour. But it wasn’t for sex, he said.

Holton had spent two years already on And in 2016, an old girlfriend, his “first

the Palm Bay City Council and was a crush” from high school, moved to Bre-

consultant by this time. vard County from South Carolina and

Anderson, who died suddenly Nov. looked him up. “It got a little weird there

15 at 50 years old, served on the County for a while. I came close to doing some-

Commission from 2008 through 2016. thing I shouldn’t have done,” Holton

Anderson was Kristine Isnardi’s imme- said.

diate Disrict 5 predecessor. He said he told his wife all about it.

Before Commissioner Isnardi moved The encounter was a “learning experi-

into Anderson’s old seat, David Isnardi ence” for the marriage. 

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, December 19, 2019 3

NEWS

Will local municipalities have say on implementing possible smoking bans?

STORY BY GEORGE WHITE STAFF WRITER a public beach could be subject to a $25 tion was never heard in a committee (like smoking on the beach/parks and
[email protected] fine as of July 1, 2020. meeting and the effort died. vacation rentals) within their own juris-
dictions. They should be able to regu-
Satellite Beach and Indian Harbour Both the amendment and the “In 2020 we have an opportunity to late it within reason. (Smoking) is one of
Beach city councils are closely watching amended SB 670 passed unanimously change that outcome, and we are active those prohibitions that, if we prohibited
the progress of state bills in Tallahassee in the Senate Community Affairs Com- in our efforts,’’ he said. it statewide, I don’t think a lot of local
aimed at banning smoking in public ar- mittee on Dec. 9, the first of three re- jurisdictions would complain. Maybe
eas and on beaches. quired committee stops for this bill President Pro Tempore Sen. David there is some city where they would like
before it goes to the floor of the Senate. Simmons, a committee member on the to smoke,’’ Simmons said.
At issue is not whether smoking on A Satellite Beach Facebook page post Satellite Beach call lists, said “I am very
the beach is good or bad, or whether published a few days before the com- hopeful and I voted in favor of it. I think Added committee chair Florida Sen.
banning it would reduce litter, but mittee meeting gave addresses of the it’s an excellent idea.” Anitere Flores: “Cigarette butts are lit-
whether or not municipalities will have committee members for local messages tering our parks and coastlines, killing
a say on how to implement any smok- of support. The issue puts the concept of “home our marine life and affecting our qual-
ing bans within their jurisdiction. rule” in the spotlight but in some cases ity of life. The proposed legislation to
Indian Harbour Beach City Manager legislation at the state level is some- allow local governments to ban smok-
State Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota) Mark Ryan was involved in a similar ef- thing required for businesses seeking ing in beaches and parks will be es-
and state Rep. Thad Altman (R-Indial- fort during last year’s session, speaking uniformity when dealing with several sential in creating healthier environ-
antic) filed bills that would ban smok- in favor of related legislation at each jurisdictions, Simmons said. ments for people who live, work and
ing on beaches in Florida. If passed and Senate hearing. Unfortunately for sup- play in Florida.” 
approved through the legislative pro- porters, the House companion legisla- “If that is not a controlling point, I
cess, the law would mean smoking on believe in home rule and the ability of
local governments to regulate practices

Shed destroyed, no injuries in MelBeach blaze

Indialantic firefighter Dennis Greehy. STORY BY JENNIFER TORRES CORRESPONDENT Firefighters were able to save a whole-
[email protected] house generator located right next to
PHOTOS: JULIAN LEEK the shed, valued at between $30,000 and
More than $20,000 in damage was $40,000, but the shed and everything in-
caused after fire erupted in a shed on the side was lost.
property of a residence at 123 Banyan
Way in Melbourne Beach on Dec. 11. “He had a bunch of expensive tools in
there, and the shed was custom-built,
No one was home at the time of the not the kind you pick up from Lowe’s,”
incident and no injuries were reported. Brown said. “We were able to save the
generator without any damage and we
Melbourne Beach Volunteer Fire De- kept the fire off the house, so there was
partment (MBVFD) responded to the no damage to the home, or any neigh-
call along with Indialantic Fire Rescue. boring homes.”

MBVFD Chief Gavin Brown estimated Determined to be accidental, the fire
there could be as much as $25,000 in was caused when the homeowner inad-
damage as a result of the fire. But more vertently left an air compressor inside
was likely averted when the fire chief’s the shed on, with flammable liquids
own mother, Angela Brown, spotted stored nearby.
smoke while riding her bicycle around
the neighborhood that evening, and “Luckily we got it out quick and saved
immediately called her son’s cellphone everything we possibly could,” Brown
to report it. “She said, ‘Gavin, get your said. “The Indialantic Fire Department
people here quick,’” Brown said. “That’s was a huge help.” 
a small town for you.”

4 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

NEWS

SMALLER TOWNS’ CHALLENGE:
FINDING – AND HOLDING ON TO –
A QUALIFIED BUILDING OFFICIAL

STORY BY JENNIFER TORRES CORRESPONDENT in 2020 the town budgeted $107,679 Indian Harbour Beach Building Official David Wiles on the job. PHOTO: TIM WIRTH
[email protected] for SafeBuilt services. They also employ
a part-time code enforcement officer ment and retention of qualified build- offering $103,020 to $145,565 annually.
A good sense of intuition, the ability with a separate annual salary and ben- ing officials.” According to Indian Harbour Beach
to think critically, listen carefully, and efit package of around $16,000.
an aptitude for complex problem-solv- Indialantic, with a population of ap- City Manage, Mark Ryan, his city’s
ing are all characteristics that come in Each municipality is allowed one proximately 2,894, combines the office building official has been with them for
handy as a building official. designated building official, although of building official and code enforce- more than three years, and his prede-
larger communities often have sev- ment and budgeted $140,609 for salary cessor worked for the city for 10 years.
It also doesn’t hurt to have thick skin eral building inspectors working un- and benefits in 2020.
and a sense of humor. derneath them. In Melbourne Beach, “Licensed building officials with all
Mascaro said the challenge was finding The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the required certifications are in high
But the challenge for some small an individual who met all the require- classifies the outlook in this field as demand,” Ryan said. “We are fortunate
towns is often finding one who’ll stick ments of the job, including stringent “bright” with employment in the field to have had success in the recruitment
around, because many are tempted by state exam requirements that require expected to grow faster than average. and retention of our building officials.”
larger communities offering higher sal- passing several different licensing ex- Nationally, they predict a 7 percent in-
aries – as has been the case in the Town ams through the Department of Busi- crease from 2018 to 2028. But in Florida, As both the Building Official and
of Melbourne Beach. ness and Professional Regulations. the field is really booming, with a 21 per- Code Enforcement officer for the City
Then, the town requires the official to cent increase in employment over the of Indian Harbour Beach, David Wiles
“Our past building officials have have his Building Code Administrator’s next 10 years – meaning 1,030 annual said a typical day on the job begins
been lured away to bigger cities and license, along with Plans Examiner Li- projected job openings across the state. when he sits down for a conversation
more money,” Town Manager Eliza- cense, Flood Plain Manager License with the fire marshal, mainly about
beth Mascaro said. “It can be difficult and Inspector’s License. And job postings seeking qualified ongoing code enforcement issues.
for some individuals to live and work in building officials across the state are Then it’s on to checking phone mes-
a small community where you are the “Individuals who come from out of numerous. sages, returning calls and reviewing
building official. This a job where you state to work in Florida must pass the construction documents.
are enforcing the town’s and the state’s State of Florida licensing exams,” Mas- The City of Palm Bay is currently seek-
building codes, and not necessarily to caro said. “Due to the extensive nature ing a Chief Building Official with an an- As the building official of a small city,
everyone’s liking.” of the licensing process, building offi- nual salary range of $63,663 to $95,753, he’s also tasked with reviewing zoning
cials are highly sought after and regu- and the City of Tamarac is looking to fill compliance and answering zoning
So, a few years ago, Melbourne Beach larly recruited by other cities and towns the same position for an annual salary questions, such as lot sizes, setbacks,
decided to contract out the building of- paying higher salaries and better ben- ranging from $106,502 to $159,752. In and types of uses permitted.
ficial position though SAFEbuilt Inc., a efits.” Cooper City, they hope to fill the spot
Colorado-based company with more Then it’s time to hit the road for
than 400 certified inspectors in their Indialantic Town Manager Mike
network – a move Mascaro said has Casey said finding and retaining a qual-
resulted in reduced costs for the town ified building official was an issue for
and a higher rate of efficiency. his town in the past.

“SAFEbuilt provides the town with “Indialantic had that problem pre-
a licensed Building Code Administra- viously in the early 2000s, but at this
tor, backup coverage when our regular time we have been very fortunate as
official is on vacation or unavailable, our building official has been with the
and covers all of the expenses associ- Town of Indialantic since 2005,” Casey
ated with payroll,” Mascaro said. “Since said.
SAFEbuilt began working for the town,
we have received the fewest build- “Melbourne Beach is right on finding
ing complaints while issuing the most qualified individuals because the re-
building permits in the town’s history.” quirements make it difficult on recruit-

With a population of around 3,278,

SERVING MELBOURNE BEACH PLUS SATELLITE BEACH, INDIAN HARBOUR BEACH & INDIALANTIC

Community Editor Advertising Director We are here to provide Brevard barrier President and Publisher
Lisa Zahner, 772-584-9121 Stan Blake, 321-615-7626 island readers with the most comprehen- Milton R. Benjamin, 772-559-4187
[email protected] [email protected] sive news coverage of Melbourne Beach, [email protected]
Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite
Staff Reporter Advertising Account Executives Beach, and South Merritt Island. Creative Director
George White, 321-795-3835 Lillian Belmont, 321-604-7833 Dan Alexander, 772-539-2700
[email protected] [email protected] For our advertising partners, we pledge [email protected]
to provide the most complete consulta-
Columnists tive and marketing programs possible for Corporate Editor
Pam Harbaugh, 321-794-3691 the best return on your investment. Steven M. Thomas, 772-453-1196
Jan Wesner Childs, 941-725-0970 [email protected]

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, December 19, 2019 5

NEWS

morning inspections. bucks and aren’t really sure what they’re or return more phone calls. meetings twice a month, and planning
“When there is a failed inspection, doing. The hand-holding process slows “Interruptions are frequent as people and zoning meetings every so often as
us down.” needed. It is definitely a full-time posi-
it takes extra time to write it up and may pop in asking for a quick moment tion. Every decision is important and
notify the contractor resulting in a re- After lunch he returns calls, then with the building official, but it is rarely some of them can keep you up at night.
inspection fee to recoup time lost,” heads out for afternoon inspections. quick,” Wiles said. Life safety is No. 1 and always on my
Wiles said. “My biggest issues are with After that, if there’s still time left in the mind.” 
owner-builders who want to save a few day, he may review construction plans “There are day meetings to attend
from time to time, as well as council

6 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

NEWS

Indian Harbour Beach missed state threshold for additional street lighting

STORY BY GEORGE WHITE STAFF WRITER road configuration, signalization, medi- dicated a score of 59.24, just below the anything that can be done to improve
[email protected] ans and others. 60-point requirement for the system. the statistics or otherwise qualify for the
Also, the night-to-day crash ratio in the lighting system.
Indian Harbour Beach lost out on get- Following a request for adding lights area (based on more crashes occurring
ting additional street lighting for a dark for a safer roadway, the FDOT consid- at night) ranged between 1.1 and 1.5, To that end, the City Council directed
but critical corridor along South Patrick ered several factors including existing below the required 2.0 ratio to continue city staff to contact FDOT to request
Drive because it fell just a hair short in field conditions, traffic volumes and the process. their attendance at an upcoming City
the Florida Department of Transporta- collision data. The denial came in the Council meeting. However, FDOT re-
tion ranking system, so city officials are results of a Lighting Justification Report The Indian Harbour Beach City sponded by requesting questions from
asking FDOT to take another look. submitted to the Indian Harbour Beach Council consensus, considering the the City Council so they may determine
City Council last summer. A lighting narrow margin of defeat, was to re- which of the FDOT staff would be ap-
South Patrick Drive is considered an system was not approved because the quest an FDOT representative to come propriate to send to the meeting to pro-
“urban minor arterial roadway” and has investigation if lighting is warranted in- to council face-to-face to see if there is vide preliminary answers to the council
a slate of rules based on traffic volume, members.

The council is in the process of com-
ing up with questions for FDOT. Mean-
while, during a recent City Council
meeting, a representative expected to
appear before council was delayed af-
ter having an accident on South Patrick
Drive directly in front of City Hall, with-
in the lighting project area. 

NEW LEADERSHIP

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Being on (the) City Council is a way for
me to give back to the community, and
being mayor for our residents is another
way for me to contribute. Ultimately I
have to stay mindful that I represent our
community and being mayor is about
representing the community’s image
and best interests,’’ he said.

Council initiatives he is looking for-
ward to continuing include the con-
struction of the new police department
headquarters on South Patrick Drive, ef-
forts to improve the health of the Indian
River Lagoon by implementation of
stormwater treatment retrofit projects,
and working with other local agencies
to promote infrastructure upgrades that
will benefit the lagoon.

Nickle was elected to a three-year
term to City Council seat number five,
and will serve as mayor until November
2020.

Panicola said he loved serving as
mayor and made a consistent ef-
fort to keep the meetings orderly and
productive. He said if no other coun-
cil member wanted deputy mayor he
would be glad to serve in that role until
reconsideration following the Novem-
ber 2020 election.

Satellite Beach City Council is also in
flux, with City Council member Gibson,
elected in 2016, replacing Brimer as vice
mayor, who is terming out.

Gibson said she has enjoyed many
aspects of serving on the City Council,
including involvement in politics at the
state and national levels on issues such
as the environment. Vice mayor is a
step toward taking a greater leadership
role, possibly one day including run-
ning for mayor. 

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, December 19, 2019 7

NEWS

JUSTIN WILSON

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Regional two weeks prior – finishing Satellite High cross country star Justin Wilson with his father Joel Wilson and grandmother Jill Barlow. PHOTOS: TIM WIRTH
sixth in a time of 15:11.7 in that highly-
competitive race. years left in high school. of distances and I really enjoy run-
“It was (tough),” Wilson said of the ning,” Wilson said.
When Wilson took to the starting
line the second weekend of December race. “I went in expecting it to be very Colleges aren’t allowed to start re-
in the 5,000-meter Nike Cross Nation- cloudy and kind of wet. It made for a cruiting until the summer before his
als (NXN) at Glendoveer Golf Course in really tough race.’’ senior season, but the interest is al-
Portland, the elements were not in his ready exploding.
favor. It was rainy and cold – below 50 But the standout track star is mo-
degrees. The competition, 2,500-mile tivated for the future with the spring In addition to being a standout
flight and the Oregon weather finally track season just ahead and two more athlete, Wilson boasts a grade point
caught up with him. The fatigue from seasons. “Honestly, I really enjoy a lot average above 4.0. 
travel and intense competition, along
with wet grass, combined to send Wil-
son and a host of other runners tum-
bling to the ground after a collision in
the first half mile.

“He got spiked,” Satellite Cross
Country Coach Doug Butler said. “He
got right back up. I didn’t see him go
down, but I saw the mud all over the
front of his uniform. He didn’t panic.’’

The sophomore persevered and
went on to finish 75th as the first Satel-
lite runner from south Florida to ever
make nationals; he also had the sec-
ond-fastest time of any sophomore in
the nation to make it to the title race.

Wilson finished the season with the
ninth-fastest time in the nation. And
the good news for Satellite High and
coach Butler is that he’s got two more

8 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

NEWS

PONCE DE LEON FLAG DISPLAY “Peck never had a history de- PHOTO: JULIAN LEEK quistador. He murdered and enslaved
gree, or was a professor of any people.”
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 sort. He went on a boat ride and said he’s concerned about the specter
on his boat ride he ended up in of racism and has seen the park de- Juanita Zermeno of Titusville also
sioner John Tobia sought to get two of Melbourne Beach,” Tobia said. faced several times with one granite took exception to honoring the vio-
them removed. “This has nothing to do with wall smashed and “KKK” being written lent history. “The original people who
anything else than historical ac- across pavers. were here were wiped out,” Zermeno
The issue came to a head dur- curacy.” said. “They came, they conquered,
ing a Brevard County Commission Others agreed with taking the flags they destroyed.”
meeting on Dec. 10 when a request During the meeting, dozens down.
by Commissioner Tobia to remove filled the room to share their Karen Fenske of Melbourne Beach
the Puerto Rican flag and the Span- opinions. Pat Pasley of Melbourne Beach agreed. “The Ais Indians lived here,
ish flag – and install a POW flag – was said she was “heartbroken” to see the this was their home,” Fenske said. “I
voted down 3-2. Santa Isabel Wright of Palm American flag disrespected by the ad- think the statue should be gone and
Bay insisted that commissioners dition of the other flags. “Our American instead have one of the Ais Indians.”
In 2005 the county officially desig- should do more to promote the flag represents all nationalities,” she
nated the 25-acre park located at 4005 park as a historical landmark, said. “Juan Ponce de Leon was a con- When discussion wrapped and
Highway A1A as Juan Ponce de Leon not discredit it. the vote was called, Commissioner
Landing Park. In 2013, a 10-foot bronze Bryan Lober supported Tobia’s re-
statue of the Spanish conquistador “I am appalled by Mr. Tobia. quest, while Commissioners Kristine
was added, and in November this year, This is not the first time he at- Isnardi, Rita Pritchett and Curt Smith
a dedication wall was unveiled – along tacks the Hispanic community,” voted against it.
with the installation of three flags: the she said. “Ponce de Leon did
American flag, the Puerto Rican flag, land here; accept it, embrace it, But Isnardi agreed they need to do
and the Spanish flag. promote it.” more for the Native American com-
munity. “No one would argue you
Tobia objects to the latter two be- Christina Keshishian of Melbourne were here first,” she said.
cause he doesn’t believe the Spanish Beach said she attended the Novem-
explorer ever landed there. ber ribbon-cutting and loves having UTB’s future plans for the park
the park nearby. “It’s an internation- may include a community center or
While St. Augustine has long been al spot of distinction right near my museum. Tobia said he’d like to put
credited as Ponce de Leon’s first land- house,” she said. “You have the oppor- a stop to it, in addition to removing
ing spot, in 1990, retired Air Force tunity to promote the area rather than the statue, but he said he can’t pursue
Pilot, Lt. Col. John T. Peck re-enacted down play it.” anything further without support.
the original journey – and landed in
Melbourne Beach. His research was Sam Lopez, president of United “I would honestly like to,” Tobia
published by the Florida Historical Third Bridge (U.T.B.) and the Puerto said. “However, if my colleagues
Quarterly and several well-known Rican Chamber of Commerce, whose aren’t willing to take down the flag of
historians came to support it. organization worked toward the de- a nation that has nothing to do with a
velopment of the park for 19 years, park, I hardly think they are going to
But Tobia heartily rejects it. remove the statue.” 

Jolly good St. Nick pics at
‘Selfies with Surfing Santa’

10 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

SEEN & SCENE

Jolly good St. Nick pics at ‘Selfies with Surfing Santa’

Jameson, Surfing Santa, Will and Noah Kraft. PHOTOS: RYAN CLAPPER

Bill and Debbie Tweedie. Emily Benedetti, Kim McGuire Jessica Sticken and Michelle Trepanier.

STORY BY KELLIE LANDI CORRESPONDENT with a festive red and white striped large to host at the Trosset’s and the gram and other high school programs
[email protected] umbrella welcomed guests as they event was moved to downtown Co- have also received funds.
entered. He wore long red sleeves un- coa Beach. Each year since the event
While children in colder climates der his tropical Santa garb, complete gathers more crowds and interest “It’s a lot of fun,” Tweedie said about
build snowmen, sit by roaring fires with red and white striped socks, from around the world. The Surf- the main event, which takes place at 2
and make snow angels, children in sunglasses and, of course, a straw hat ing Santas were even featured on a Minutemen Causeway.
Brevard County build sandcastles, with Floridian holiday flair. Children jumbotron live streaming in Times
decorate palm trees and take Selfies and adults both waited to take photos Square. Even if you aren’t one to grab a
with Surfing Santa at Long Doggers. with the man of winter. board and join Santa on the water,
Despite the worldwide attention, don’t worry, there are activities for
Surfing Santas, now in its 10th year, “This all started with George Tros- Surfing Santas do more than just the landlubbers as well. There will
draws crowds of more than 10,000 set,” Bill Tweedie, vice president of bring joy and smiles while keeping a be a costume contest with cash priz-
spectators to Cocoa Beach to watch the Florida Surf Museum said, “and tradition going. They also give back es available for various age groups
more than 800 participants hang now it’s become a world-wide phe- to the community. They have raised and individuals as well as teams. In
ten or frolic in the surf while dressed nomenon.” more than $100,000 for two main addition, an overall crowd-favorite
as elves, snowmen, Santa and Mrs. charities, Ride for Life, which assists costume will be selected. The crowd
Claus. Surfing Santas started nine years cancer patients with transportation, favorite will win a Surfing Santas
ago when Trosset thought it would be and the Florida Surf Museum. Surf board.
As part of the countdown to the big fun to dress as Santa and surf behind
Christmas Eve event, Surfing Santa his house in Cocoa Beach. Trosset In addition, the event has also If you are planning on attending the
is making guest appearances at Long and eight other people went out that raised money for local school pro- main event in Cocoa Beach, be sure to
Doggers restaurants across the coun- first year. A photographer for a Bre- grams. Students and their organiza- arrive early. Parking is expected to fill
ty. Last Wednesday night, Santa took vard County newspaper happened to tions can volunteer to help work the up quickly as heavier crowds than last
a break from ripping to chill with the be at the beach at the same time. Af- Surfing Santas event and receive a year are expected to attend. The Surf-
groms and grab some good grub at ter the picture appeared in the paper, portion of the proceeds. In the past ing Santas event begins at 8 a.m. at 2
Long Doggers in Satellite Beach. a tradition was born. Satellite Beach High School received Minutemen Causeway with the win-
$2,500 for their marine science pro- ter themed costume contest to start at
Surfing Santa propped up on his After a few years the event got too 9 a.m. and Santa surfs at 10 a.m. 
white lifeguard style chair complete

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, December 19, 2019 11

SEEN & SCENE

Cindy and Mike Painter with Surfing Santa.

Kerry and Kailey Clapper. Mrs. Claus with Tayah Greaves.

Surfing Santa, Ella Mason, Joanna McGlothlin, Shelby Duart, Shannon Mulvaney, Tayah Greaves and Mrs. Claus.

12 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

SEEN & SCENE

Giving spirit permeates Genesis House Christmas Party

STORY BY KELLIE LANDI CORRESPONDENT Mrs. Clause and Santa with a little boy. Mary Ellen Allen, founder of Genesis House. playing and made gingerbread man
[email protected] cookies, while the Gemini Elemen-
the Melbourne Beach Rotary Club, and PHOTOS: PAMELA STIMPSON tary Rotary Club students sang classic
The Melbourne Beach Community as a result the two community-based carols and read festive stories to the
Center was festively decorated for the organizations began their annual ployment and to finish their education younger children.
annual Genesis House Christmas Par- Christmas Party tradition. while in residence. According to their
ty. Strands of lights lit the steps to the website, in 2016 “Genesis House pro- “It’s the best thing for us for Christ-
front porch where students from the Genesis House was founded in 1977 vided 16,275 nights of shelter, had 235 mas,” Taryn Rockwell, Melbourne
Gemini Elementary Rotary Club were and offered homeless pregnant women residents and eight births.” Beach Rotary Club president, said as
on hand to greet the attending families. shelter. Genesis House now has three she played with one of the children. She
homes to provide to women in need. The women and children of Gen- has been a part of the event for the last
The Melbourne Beach Rotary Club They assist women with children, preg- esis House filled the room and tables. four years and has witnessed the event
hosted the party last Thursday night nant women and the often-overlooked The Community Center smelled like a blossom.
and Holy Name of Jesus Knights of senior women who may also find them- first-class restaurant. Tables were lined
Columbus, Long Doggers, Melbourne selves homeless. In order to be self-reli- with donated catered food, buffet style, Rockwell coordinated the event this
Beach Market, Ocean 302 and other ant, women are encouraged to find em- which made it feel like a gathering at year and shopped for families attend-
generous donors all contributed in pro- grandma’s house. Families sat at tables ing the party. “I’ve been watching these
viding food, presents and other needs with one another, children ran around women and children come in and it
for the families residing at Genesis makes such an impact on them,” Rock-
House this holiday season. well said.

The annual Christmas Party tradi- In the front of the community center
tion started years ago as Eddie Strutt- were tables piled high with Christmas
mann collected change from a Coca- presents for the children, which they
Cola machine at his Ace Hardware were permitted to open that night.
store. He would then donate the change
to buy presents for the residents of Gen- Guests decked out in Christmas wear
esis House. Struttmann, who knows – lighted headbands, ugly Christmas
Genesis House founder Mary Ellen sweaters and candy cane-striped socks
Allen, decided it was a logical choice – smiled while conversing with their
to donate to them. During those first tablemates. Other guests milled from
years, Struttmann was the president of table to table visiting with friends and
striking up conversations. 

All that jazz – and history and
cachet – at iconic Heidi’s

14 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

ARTS & THEATRE

All that jazz – and history and cachet – at iconic Heidi’s

PHOTOS BY BENJAMIN THACKER

STORY BY PAM HARBAUGH CORRESPONDENT versations are low and intimate, with in the Eau Gallie Arts District occa- Heidi Deleuil, the publisher for Down-
the occasional carefree laugh punctu- sionally presents a sweet little “under- beat stated “this list represents a com-
Jazz on the Space Coast. It sounds like ating the air. Full menus from the adja- ground” jazz experience. Open Mike’s prehensive look at where great jazz and
a natural. But when it comes to finding cent Heidelberg Restaurant are slipped Coffee Lounge in Melbourne has “Wine improvised music is played globally.”
clubs devoted to the musical art form in front of guests by a wait staff with that Me Up” jazz jams on Friday evenings.
and its attendant niceties like drinks kind of understated European elan. And the second floor Blind Lion in Co- Heidi’s Jazz Club grew from the Hei-
and dining, the pickings are pretty slim. coa Village is a good spot to hit on Fri- delberg Restaurant, which Heidi and
You order a drink, settle back with days and Saturdays. Eddie Deleuil opened in 1986. In 1992,
But there’s one spot that for 27 years your companion, the outstanding Ron they built an adjacent room into a tight
has been serving up all of it – music by Teixeira Trio begins playing a bossa Other jazz spots have come and gone spot where jazz artists would perform
jazz veterans and up-and-coming jazz nova and before you know it, you’re on – most notably the Living Room in Mel- and people wanting something differ-
artists, dancing, dining and drinks – the dance floor. bourne and the Mystery Bistro in West ent would crowd.
Heidi’s Jazz Club in Cocoa Beach. Melbourne.
“I recommend it as a good first date The popularity continued to grow, so
“It’s the granddaddy of them all,” said place,” said George Jenkins of Rock- But it’s Heidi’s Jazz Club that has they knocked out a wall more than dou-
Kristen Warren, a popular area jazz ledge. “The food is fantastic, the ser- endured as a full-fledged jazz ven- bling the size of the jazz club. Because it
singer who performs throughout the vice is fantastic and the music is fan- ue bringing in acts from around the is adjacent to the Heidelberg Restaurant,
county and in Orlando as well. “Heidi’s tastic, but not so loud that you have to country and offering a full evening of the kitchen serves both the restaurant
is kind of iconic. Every jazz artist in Cen- scream over it.” delight. In fact, it’s been the jazz spot and the club. For foodies, that’s a good
tral Florida has either played there or since it opened in 1992. thing because its German haute cuisine
wants to play there.” Jenkins especially likes heading to provides some of the best dining expe-
Heidi’s when the Rev. Billy C. Wirtz or Its roster of many great musicians riences on the Space Coast. In 2014, Ed-
Heidi’s, as it’s called, is definitely Jacqueline Jones perform. Wirtz calls who have played there include: Tommy die, its executive chef, was inducted as a
a complete jazz club experience. Its himself the “King of the Atomic Boogie” Flanagan, who was accompanist for Maitre Rotisseur into the prestigious La
softly lighted venue is the perfect and Jones has performed throughout Ella Fitzgerald; the late Boots Randolph, Chaine des Rotisseurs, the world’s old-
backdrop for great music. The room the country and for the USO. who appeared frequently on “Hee Haw” est food and wine society.
glows with color and vivid paintings and was on the charts in Billboard Mag-
imbued with an artsy sensibility by Jenkins holds Heidi’s in such high re- azine; Freddy Cole, the brother of Nat Now, the club is busy Wednesdays
area outsider artists Brian Dowdell, gard that he took a new colleague from King Cole; and Richie Cole, who played through Sundays with jazz.
Kurt Zimmerman and Tony Sasso. New York to Heidi’s to show him what in big bands for Buddy Rich, Lionel
Brevard could offer in jazz. Hampton and Doc Severinsen. Heidi’s showcases young talents
In smart contrast to the colorful, ex- like Mason Margut and Ethan Bailey
plosive art, guests sit at tables with clean, “He had a really, really good time,” In 2012, Downbeat Magazine put Gould in its Liquid Groove Project
starched white table clothes, or gather Jenkins said. Heidi’s Jazz Club on its list of the world’s performances running 7 p.m. to 10
around an inviting sleek wood bar. Con- top jazz venues. In a letter to co-owner p.m. Wednesdays. Popular vocalist
For sure, there are other spots that
serve up jazz. The Standard Collective

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, December 19, 2019 15

ARTS & THEATRE Ron Texeira.

Stan Soloko.

Rev. Billy C. Wirtz. 8:30 p.m. to midnight on Friday and 8 Right now, the excitement is stirring wegian Salmon; and the fourth course
p.m. to midnight on Saturday. over trumpet player Danny Bacher, features German Chocolate Truffle
Sybil Gage performs 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. who plays Jan. 17, and Landau Eugene Torte or Vienna Apple Strudel.
Thursdays. Frequently vocalists will perform Murphy Jr., who won the sixth series in
on Fridays and Saturdays. Some of the “America’s Got Talent.” The cost is $135 per person, plus 7 per-
Warming up the weekends are Steve more popular acts include Sally Hart, cent tax and a 20 percent gratuity for a
Kirsner & Friends, who play from 5 p.m. an area resident who performed for Before that, though, is one of Heidi’s total of $171.45. A cash bar is available.
to 8 p.m. Fridays. years on the Lawrence Welk Show. Also Jazz Club’s most popular and always
appearing regularly is Hella Ayelet Gal, a sold-out events – New Year’s at Heidi’s. Regular entrances into Heidi’s Jazz
Fridays and Saturdays are the times popular Israeli musical artist now living Club ranges from free to $40. Heidi’s Jazz
when the regular house trio, the Ron in the area. The evening includes music, dancing, Club is at 7 N. North Orlando Ave., Cocoa
Teixeira Trio, performs. That group is a four-course dinner, balloons, party fa- Beach. Call 321-783-4559 or visit Heidis-
headed up by Teixeira, a pianist who There are other regular jazz veter- vors and a midnight champagne toast. JazzClub.com. 
studied at the Berklee School of Music. ans like Jesse Jones Jr., Terry Myers and
It also includes Stan Soloko on drums Mose Allison. Doors open at 4 p.m. The menu in-
and Al Dodds on bass. The trio performs cludes a first course of Martini Tiger
Stop in on Sunday evening for the jam Shrimp or Beef Consomme Celestine; a
session, which runs 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., second course of the Heidelberg’s Four
and you might catch former astronaut Season Salad; for the third course, guests
Winston Scott on trumpet or even Kar- may choose Wiener Schnitzel, Fillet of
en Monks, a popular performer in area Organic Free-Range chicken, Tender-
community theater. loin of Angus Beef or Wild Caught Nor-

16 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

COMING UP! ARTS & THEATRE

Bah yes! It’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ at the King

STORY BY SAMANTHA ROHLFING BAITA STAFF WRITER tales, there is a dastardly sorcerer and
some evil spells involved, so things do
1 As usual, the King Center has got not go smoothly. After confusion and
it going ON during this hectic but forgiveness, there is, at last, a happy
ending for the young lovers. The King
hopeful holiday season. That said, we’ll Center raves “this is a unique chance
to see the most famous ballet of all
start off, this Sunday, Dec. 22, with a time. The artistic director of the proj-
ect Artem Yachmennikov, is principal
little bit of Bah! Humbug! Christmas dancer of Dutch National Ballet and
San Francisco Ballet, and first soloist
style. Yes, it’s Dickens’ wonderful holi- of the Mariinsky (St. Petersburg) and
Bolshoi theatres.” If you are a balleto-
day story, “A Christmas Carol,” says mane and/or a patron of the arts, this
is a holiday “must-see.” Curtain: Fri-
the King Center promo, “as you’ve day, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m. Tickets:
start at $25.50. 321-242-2219.
never seen it before.” This lauded mu-

sical adaptation by Charles Jones, says

Wikipedia, is performed annually at 3 “Swan Lake” at King Center Saturday Dec. 27.
the Omaha Community Playhouse

and two of its touring companies with

the Nebraska Theatre Caravan, which “beautiful new arrangements and 2 Should you be in the mood for a
is bringing this production to Mel- moving renditions” of “God Rest Ye change of pace this holiday sea-

bourne. It’s another opportunity to Merry Gentlemen,” “Wassail, Wassail,” son, the King Center has that, as well:

share a time-honored Christmas event “Good Christian Men Rejoice,” “Away How about “A Solo Acoustic Evening 4 Say “Elf” pretty much anywhere
in the world around Christmas
with family, and will offer a show rich in a Manger,” “Greensleeves,” “The with Richard Marx”? Grammy-winning

with thrilling ensemble music, alive Boar’s Head Carol” and many more. pop-rock performer, songwriter and time, and everyone smiles, probably

with color and movement and created With a cast of 23 performers, musi- producer Marx takes the King’s main envisioning an adorably innocent,

to tell the British author’s 1843 story cians and “Broadway-style costumes stage this Friday, Dec. 20, armed with bumbling, sweet 6-foot, 3-inch tall

of Ebenezer Scrooge “in a manner and scenery, audiences will cherish an acoustic guitar and an evening of Will Ferrell in yellow tights and green

that people of all ages will enjoy.” The this sumptuous holiday classic.” Cur- songs from his prolific, three-decades- jacket. This totally charming, funny

tale of a greedy Christmas-hating mi- tain: 3 p.m. Tickets: adults, starting at long (so far) career. According to the and satisfying show, “Elf, the Musi-

ser transformed into a caring, kindly $29.75; children, starting at $20. (Ev- show promo, to this very day Marx is cal,” is on the shelf – make that “stage”

person through the visitations of four eryone, including infants and toddlers, “the only male artist in history to have – for its final performances at the Ti-

ghosts, is told, in this iteration, with will need a ticket.). his first seven singles reach the top five tusville playhouse, Friday (which is

on the Billboard charts.” He’s written sold out) and Saturday, Dec. 21. Cross

Worship With us 14 No. 1 songs, sold north of 30 million your fingers and call for tickets im-
albums and is still active with “an ongo-
ing solo acoustic tour that’s taken him mediately. Curtain: 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
around the world.” Curtain: 8 p.m. Tick-
Tickets, $25 to $34. 321-268-1125.

ets: start at $53.50. 321-242-2219. 5 All decked out and ready for
holiday visitors: On the Na-

3 Among the most beloved and tional Register of Historic Places,
mesmerizing of classical ballets:
the 1932 Mediterranean-style Pine-

That’s what Aaron Green in liveabout. wood Estate, nestled in the heart of

com calls Tchaikovsky’s first and ar- 7.5 lush acres at Bok Tower Gardens

guably most famous ballet, “Swan in Lake Wales, was built for Charles

Lake.” This timeless, magical ballet Austin Buck, a Bethlehem Steel VP,

comes to the King Center Saturday, and is, says the Gardens website, “a

Christmas Eve Services Dec. 27, fully staged and performed in step back in time to the grandeur

4PM Family Candlelight Service all its glory by the Melbourne City Bal- and glamour of a bygone era.” This
6PM Candlelight Service
8PM Candlelight Service let Theatre, for the first time collabo- year happens to be the Gardens’ 25th

WAELLLCAORMEE! rating with the National Ballet The- anniversary, so, of course, the ex-
106 N. Riverside Dr. • Indialantic, FL 32903
(321) 723-8371 • www.epcfl.org atre of Odessa, showcasing, according tremely popular “Holiday Home Tour

to the King Center promo, “its superb at Pinewood Estate” will be even

troupe of 55 of the brightest ballet more lavishly decorated, celebrating

stars of Ukraine, under the artistic a quarter-century by “bringing the

direction of the company’s Honored majesty of Mother Nature into all its

Artist of Ukraine Garri Sevoyan”; and 20 rooms.” Children are encouraged

the Satellite Symphonic Orchestra. to “participate in a fun search for a

Composed in 1875, “Swan Lake” was family of Pinewood squirrels, among

not well received when it debuted at them Tucker and Tillie, who like to

the Bolshoi in Moscow but, after being hide throughout the Estate.” You’ll

reworked for the St. Petersburg per- also want to keep those cellphone

formance, it has become, more than cameras out for the spectacular holi-

100 years later, a favorite with ballet day foliage. Please note: first thing to

companies and performed through- do when you arrive is to stop at the

out the world. Combining magic, Visitor Center to get your timed ticket

romance and tragedy, “Swan Lake” for entry to this “glittering showcase

is the tale of Prince Siegfried and of holiday cheer.” Times: Estate tour,

Odette, a beautiful swan princess who 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Carillon concerts: 1

swims in a lake of tears. They fall in p.m. and 3 p.m. Tickets: adults, $25;

love, of course, and, as in many fairy- ages 5-12, $12. 863-676-1408. 



18 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

INSIGHT COVER STORY Afghan army recruits attend a
graduation ceremony on the
outskirts of Kabul in 2006.

For almost two decades, U.S. military command- as a U.S. combat adviser from 2007 to 2008, called The army and police have suffered so many casu-
ers have assured the public they are making prog- the soldiers “stealing fools” who habitually looted alties that the Afghan government keeps the exact
ress on the cornerstone of their war strategy: to equipment supplied by the Pentagon. numbers a secret to avoid destroying morale. Esti-
build a strong Afghan army and police force that mates are that more than 60,000 members of Afghan
can defend the country on their own. Since 2002, the United States has allocated more security forces have been killed.
than $83 billion in security assistance to Afghani-
“We’re on the right track now,” Marine Gen. Jim stan, a sum that dwarfs the defense budgets of oth- The national army accounts for most of the Af-
Mattis told Congress in 2010. er developing nations. ghan security forces, with about 162,000 troops. It
reports to the Defense Ministry and includes the Af-
“The Afghan forces are better than we thought they Yet after almost two decades of help from Wash- ghan air force and other units.
were,” Marine Gen. John Allen told Congress in 2012. ington, the Afghan army and police are still too
“The Afghan national security forces are winning,” weak to fend off the Taliban, the Islamic State and The national police number about 91,000. They re-
Army Lt. Gen. Joseph Anderson told reporters in 2014. other insurgents without U.S. military backup. port to the Interior Ministry and are more of a para-
military force than a crime-fighting agency. The police
But in a trove of confidential government interviews Government watchdogs and journalists have guard the border, staff security checkpoints and try to
obtained by The Washington Post, U.S., NATO and Af- chronicled severe shortcomings with the Afghan hold territory that the army has cleared of insurgents.
ghan officials described their efforts to create an Af- security forces over the years. But interview records
ghan proxy force as a long-running calamity.With most obtained by The Post contain new insights into what With the Afghan security forces lagging in quantity
speaking on the assumption that their remarks would went wrong and expose gaping contradictions be- and quality, the U.S. military has been unable to ex-
remain private, they depicted the Afghan security forc- tween what U.S. officials said in public and what they tricate itself from the faraway conflict. Although the
es as incompetent, unmotivated, poorly trained, cor- believed in private as the war unfolded. number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan has dwindled
rupt and riddled with deserters and infiltrators. from 100,000 eight years ago to 13,000 today, the
On paper, the Afghan security forces look robust, Trump administration has had to escalate the war
In one interview, Thomas Johnson, a Navy official with 352,000 soldiers and police officers. But the from the skies to prevent the Taliban from taking over.
who served as a counterinsurgency adviser in Kanda- Afghan government can prove only that 254,000 of
har province, said Afghans viewed the police as preda- them serve in the ranks. During Trump’s presidency, U.S. military aircraft
tory bandits, calling them “the most hated institution” have pounded Afghanistan each month with three
in Afghanistan. An unnamed Norwegian official told For years, Afghan commanders inflated the num- times as many bombs and missiles, on average, as they
interviewers that he estimated 30 percent of Afghan bers so they could pocket salaries – paid by U.S. dropped per month during President Barack Obama’s
police recruits deserted with their government-is- taxpayers – for no-show or imaginary personnel, second term, according to Air Force statistics.
sued weapons so they could “set up their own private according to U.S. government audits. As a result,
checkpoints” and extort payments from travelers. Washington now asks the Afghans to produce bio- In interview documents obtained by The Post, U.S.
metric data, including fingerprints and face scans, and NATO officials partially blamed themselves for
Victor Glaviano, who worked with the Afghan army to verify the existence of people in uniform. the predicament. They said they moved too slowly to

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, December 19, 2019 19

INSIGHT COVER STORY

build up the Afghan forces during the first few years of feld pushed to train the Afghan forces quickly yet In his Lessons Learned interview, Strmecki said
the war when the Taliban presented a minimal threat. wanted to keep them small so the U.S. government another fundamental problem was that the U.S.
Then, after the Taliban rebounded, they rushed and would not get stuck with the expense of sustaining a government lacked the capacity to train and equip
tried to train too many Afghans too quickly. massive foreign army and police force. large foreign armies from scratch.

Marin Strmecki, a civilian adviser to former De- In the Lessons Learned interviews, however, oth- “You wouldn’t invent how to do infantry opera-
fense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, told govern- er Bush administration officials said Rumsfeld was tions at the start of a war. You wouldn’t invent how
ment interviewers in 2015 that the poor timing and stingy and shortsighted. They said Washington to do artillery at the start of a war,” Strmecki said.
inept planning were mortal setbacks. would have saved money in the long run – and per- “Right now, it is all ad hoc.”
haps even subdued the Taliban – if it had built a big-
“These are strategic consequences to this,” Strmecki ger Afghan army and police force sooner. When Obama took office in January 2009, the war
said. “This is not just doing good or it would be nice to was going badly. He unveiled a new counterinsur-
be able to operate better.You succeed or fail on wheth- Strmecki said the dispute dragged on even as it gency strategy and nearly tripled the number of U.S.
er you can do these things in a timely manner.” became clearer in 2004 and 2005 that the Afghan troops in Afghanistan to 100,000.
forces needed to expand quickly to fight a resurgent
The interviews were conducted by the Office of Taliban. “The way it gets resolved is the way every- Obama told the American people that the surge
the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Re- thing gets resolved in Washington – by not getting in U.S. troops was temporary. He later promised to
construction, or SIGAR, an agency created by Con- resolved,” he said. bring home all U.S. troops by the end of his presi-
gress. In 2014, SIGAR launched a special project dency in January 2017.
titled “Lessons Learned” to examine policy failings Afghan policemen after their
from the war. It interviewed more than 600 people graduation ceremony in His war strategy hinged on implementing a huge
who played a direct role in the conflict, from military Marja in 2010. expansion of the Afghan security forces, from 200,000
commanders to aid workers. soldiers and police to 350,000. The idea was for U.S.
U.S. Army advisers train Afghan police and NATO troops to train and advise the Afghans until
Drawing partly on the interviews but largely on other in close-quarters battle techniques in they could take over the fight on their own.
government documents, SIGAR published two Lessons
Learned reports in 2017 and 2019 that highlighted an 2010 in Kandahar province. Despite a persistent shortage of trainers and re-
array of problems with the Afghan security forces. cruits, U.S. military commanders and other senior
Afghan National Police cadets at the Kabul academy in 2012. officials assured the public time and again that the
But the Lessons Learned reports omitted the Arrested Afghan police Afghan security forces were constantly improving
names of the vast majority of those interviewed for personnel board a V-22 and that U.S. troops would eventually no longer
the project, as well as their most biting critiques. Osprey to be shipped out need to serve in combat.
The Post obtained notes and transcripts of the inter- after being caught smoking
views under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) narcotics at a Marine base “This is the worst nightmare for the Taliban, that the
after a three-year legal battle. in Marja in 2010. Afghan army is increasingly effective, partnered with
our forces and moving against an enemy that they know
“We got the [Afghan forces] we deserve,” Douglas better than anyone,” Mattis, the Marine general who
Lute, an Army lieutenant general who served as the later served as Trump’s defense secretary, told a Senate
White House’s Afghan war czar under Presidents George panel in July 2010. “I think this is very heartening.”
W. Bush and Obama, told government interviewers.
Five months later, at a White House news confer-
If the U.S. government had ramped up training ence, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the Afghan
between 2002 and 2006, “when the Taliban was weak security forces were progressing “ahead of schedule,”
and disorganized, things may have been different,” adding, “They are performing well in partnership with
Lute added. coalition troops and will continue to improve with the
right training, equipment and support.”
The disconnect between what U.S. officials really
thought about the Afghan security forces and what Members of Congress from both parties also lav-
they said in public became ingrained during the ear- ished praise on the Afghans.
ly stages of the war.
In 2011, Obama ordered a partial, staged with-
In October 2004, the Pentagon distributed a set of drawal of U.S. troops. With fewer Americans in the
talking points that bragged about the Afghan army fight, setbacks began piling up for the Afghan secu-
and police. The document praised the 15,000 soldiers rity forces, and the Taliban slowly seized more ter-
in the nascent Afghan army as “a highly professional, ritory. But U.S. commanders kept telling the public
multi-ethnic force, which is rapidly becoming a pillar everything was going according to plan.
of the country’s security.”
“This army and this police force have been very, very
It also touted how the Afghan national police – effective in combat against the insurgents every single
partly under the tutelage of NATO ally Germany – day,” then-Army Lt. Gen. Mark A. Milley said during a
had 25,000 newly trained officers. 2013 press briefing from Kabul.

But internally, Bush administration officials shared Today, Milley is a four-star general and chairman
anxieties and sounded alarms. In February 2005, of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Rumsfeld forwarded a confidential report to Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice about the Afghan National As the war continued, news reports from the front
Police, or ANP. The report was titled, “ANP Horror Sto- made clear that the Afghan security forces were strug-
ries” and described how most of the police were illit- gling to hold back the Taliban.
erate, underequipped and barely trained.
In public, Pentagon officials started to revise their
“Please take a look,” Rumsfeld wrote in a memo, assessments. They still said the security forces were
accompanying the report. “This is the Afghan Na- making progress but acknowledged that maybe they
tional Police situation. It is a serious problem.” had overstated the Afghans’ abilities in the past.

One month later, Rumsfeld sent another confiden- By the time Obama left office in January 2017, his plan
tial memo to national security adviser Stephen Hadley. had fallen short. Instead of ending the war as he had
promised, Obama left 8,400 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Saying he was “ready to toss in the towel,” Rumsfeld
added: “I don’t think it is responsible to the American Less than a year later, his successor in the White
taxpayers to leave it like it is. We need a way forward. House decided that was not enough and sent back
I’ve worked on it and worked on it. I am about to con- several thousand more U.S. troops to help the Af-
clude that it is not possible for the U.S. Government ghans. Today, about 13,000 U.S. service members
bureaucracy to do the only sensible thing.” remain in the country.

Rumsfeld disclosed the two memos about the Af- In the Lessons Learned interviews, U.S. and NATO
ghan police when he published a memoir in 2011. officials said the glowing progress reports delivered
The memos and other documents show that Rums- to the public were largely an illusion and glossed over
major deficiencies that were visible from the outset. 

ADVANCE CARE PLANNING, PART V  I am Worried I won’t get enough care; Worried I’ll get
overly aggressive care; or Somewhere in-between.
Questions to Ask Yourself  I Wouldn’t mind spending my last days in a hospital; Want
to spend my last days at home; or Somewhere in-between.
It’s time to start thinking about tough choices that need to be con-
sidered about end-of-life decisions. As you develop your personal- 3. ROLE DO I WANT LOVED ONES TO PLAY?
ized advance care plan, remember you can change your instruc-  I want my loved ones to do Exactly what I’ve said, even if it
tions at any time – as you get older, if your health changes or if makes them a little uncomfortable; What brings them
your viewpoint alters. peace, even if it goes against what I’ve said; or Somewhere
Just as important as it is to prepare your last will and testament to in-between.
make sure finances and family matters are in order, so too should  When the time comes, I want To be alone; To be sur-
you think about what you want and don’t want done medically if rounded by my loved ones; or Somewhere in-between.
you become near death, and are not able to speak for yourself.  I Don’t want my loved ones to know everything about my
By answering the questions below, you’ll become better prepared health; Am comfortable with those close to me to know
to share your decisions with loved ones so they can make your everything about my health; or Somewhere in-between.
wishes known if you can’t. To locate advance directive (living will/appointment of a health-
WHAT… care surrogate to be your spokesperson) forms, contact your local
1. ROLE DO I WANT TO PLAY IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS? Area Agency on Aging by calling the Eldercare Locator toll-free at
 I want To only know the basics; To know all the details; or 1.800.677.1116 or go online to www.eldercare.acl.gov.
Somewhere in-between. Give copies to your primary doctor and your healthcare surrogate.
 I want My doctor to make all the decisions; To be in- Keep copies – easily accessible – in your files as well. Hospitals
volved in every decision; or Somewhere in-between. might ask for a copy when you are admitted, even if you are not
 I prefer Not to know how quickly my disease is progressing; seriously ill.
To know my doctor’s best estimate for how long I have to To help you start the conversation, go online to www.theconversa-
live; or Somewhere in-between. tionprojectirc.org. By thinking about it and letting others know how
2. KIND OF CARE DO I WANT TO RECEIVE? you feel now, the better prepared you and your loved ones will be
 I want To receive medical care indefinitely, no matter how for the future. 
uncomfortable treatments are; Good quality of life vs. Your comments and suggestions for future topics are always wel-
quantity of life; or Somewhere in-between. come. Email us at [email protected].

© 2019 Vero Beach 32963 Media, all rights reserved

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, December 19, 2019 21

INSIGHT BOOK REVIEW

The rise of the Islamic State has haunted head- Giglio casts the YPG in a somewhat negative glio notes that he traveled to Ras al-Ayn and al-
lines throughout the world for the better part of a light, describing it as a group that sided with Syr- Yarubiyah, two strategic border cities in northeast
decade and has disrupted American plans to pivot ian President Bashar al-Assad, is hated by fellow Syria, and that he witnessed firsthand the activities
to its intensifying competition with China and Rus- Syrians and is a proxy for the Kurdistan Workers’ of the YPG. However, he does not explain that in
sia. In “Shatter the Nations: ISIS and the War for the Party, which is listed as a terrorist organization by both these cities the YPG worked closely with Arab
Caliphate,” Mike Giglio, an intelligence and national Turkey and the United States. Giglio characterizes allies to defeat the Islamic State and other radical
security correspondent for the Atlantic, tracks the the YPG as “of another place and time, a throwback militant Sunni Islamist groups, and that the al-
growth and decline of the terrorist group in Iraq and to leftist radical groups that flourished across Eu- liances built between the YPG and Arab allies in
Syria at the ground level, among local Syrians, Iraqis, rope during the presidencies of Jimmy Carter and these areas endure today. As I have seen over the
Turks and others who experienced the war firsthand. Ronald Reagan” and one that “killed or kidnapped” past five years on field trips to northeast Syria, the
Syrians, causing some family members to join the SDF (including the YPG) is building a multiethnic,
Giglio, who was previously based in Istanbul for Islamic State. multisectarian political, administrative and secu-
BuzzFeed, draws heavily from his experiences min- rity organization to stabilize post-Islamic State ar-
gling with the smugglers, spies, refugees, aid work- It is true that a significant part of the YPG has eas, placing women and minorities into decision-
ers, journalists and jihadists on Turkey’s southern been influenced by the social movement led by making positions. Perhaps most important, at least
frontier with Syria. Giglio even travels into the heart Abdullah Ocalan, whom the Kurdistan Workers’ hundreds of members of the Syrian opposition,
of darkness itself, the Islamic State’s so-called capi- Party considers a spiritual father, and that some mostly Arabs, have returned to northeast Syria af-
tal – the northwestern Iraqi city of Mosul – where he Syrian veterans of the party joined the YPG. Gi- ter they were forced into exile by the Islamic State
chronicles the battle to wrest the city away from the and are now working to help build SDF-led gover-
terrorists, a grinding, bloody endeavor waged by var- nance operations.
ious barely coordinated Iraqi security forces (Kurds,
Arabs and others), all backed by the United States That is why, while by no means perfect, the YPG
and its allies. (and the SDF) is much more than the caricature
that Giglio presents in “Shatter the Nations.” Unfor-
“Shatter the Nations” is not a comprehensive re- tunately, Giglio missed an opportunity to help the
pository of all things related to the Islamic State, in reader understand why the United States chose to
Syria and Iraq or globally. Instead, readers should partner with this group.
expect quirky and important discoveries about the
war and its transnational impact on oil smuggling, Nevertheless, “Shatter the Nations” mostly suc-
the running of refugees into Europe and the black ceeds as both a firsthand account of the war against
market for antiquities. These activities helped sup- the Islamic State and as something of a philosophi-
port the Islamic State’s war machine, and Giglio is in cal rumination on the larger “forever war” that the
his element explaining how they fit together as the United States launched after al-Qaeda’s Sept. 11,
militant group started to grow into a monster force. 2001, attacks. Giglio has written an engaging and
He rolled into battle with members of America’s lo- valuable account of the battle against the Islamic
cal counter-Islamic State partners, and he captures State and its regional and international effects. He
the makeup of this motley crew. captures, better than most any other author, the
gritty, confusing and often cynical nature of this
But Giglio might have provided a more nuanced war fought by local actors on behalf of the United
portrait of the People’s Protection Units, commonly States. Readers who embark with Giglio on his har-
known as the YPG, a Syrian Kurdish-majority force rowing adventures will gain much from his eye for
that includes Arabs and other groups. The YPG be- the details that humanize his tale. Readers also will
came the backbone of the larger, multiethnic, multi- come away with a strong understanding of why
sectarian Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) coalition, the uprisings in Syria and Iraq metastasized into a
which emerged as a close U.S. partner against the Is- multinational conflict that will reverberate for gen-
lamic State in Syria. It was the YPG’s work with Arabs erations to come. 
that caught the eye of the U.S. military as it sought to
open a front against the Islamic State in Syria. Over SHATTER THE NATIONS
time – and with the encouragement and support of
the United States and its allies – the YPG built up ISIS AND THE WAR FOR THE CALIPHATE
the SDF into a force numbering tens of thousands
that remains the key U.S. partner against the Islamic BY MIKE GIGLIO | PUBLICAFFAIRS. 303 PP. $28
State. REVIEW BY NICHOLAS A. HERAS, THE WASHINGTON POST

RECOMMENDED CHILDREN’S BOOKS AND VERO BEACH BEST SELLERS

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON TOP 5 FICTION TOP 5 NON-FICTION BESTSELLER | KIDS
DISCOVER SHOPPING 1. The Dutch House 1. Sam Houston & the Alamo 1. Dasher BY MATT TAVARES
2. The Serious Goose
AS YOU’VE ALWAYS BY ANN PATCHETT Avengers BY BRIAN KILMEADE
WISHED IT WOULD BE! 2. The Master Plan BY JIMMY KIMMEL
The Latest & Greatest Books 2. Blue Moon BY LEE CHILD
3. A Minute to Midnight BY CHRIS WILSON 3. Wrecking Ball (Diary of a Wimy
Are Here... Kid #14) BY JEFF KINNEY
The Cards, Wrap and BY DAVID BALDACCI 3. The Body BY BILL BRYSON
4. Three Days at the Brink 4. Dog Man: Fetch-22
Ribbon are Here... 4. The Guardians (Dog Man #8) BY DAV PILKEY
The Calendars, Puzzles and BY BRET BAIER
Gift Certificates are Here... BY JOHN GRISHAM 5. Pete the Cat Saves Christmas
5. A Warning BY ANONYMOUS
SOMETHING FOR 5. The Deserter BY ERIC LITWIN & JAMES DEAN
EVERYONE IS HERE!
BY NELSON & ALEX DEMILLE

392 Miracle Mile (21st Street), Vero Beach | 772.569.2050 | www.verobeachbookcenter.com

22 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

INSIGHT PETS

Bonz has a barn good time with spunky Sedona

Hi Dog Buddies! SEDONA GREER 4. I lick them gently, remind Mommy
when it’s time to feed them, an make
Woof, did I ever have a fun time doin’ PHOTO BY KAILA JONES sure they’re all safely in at night.
my innerview this week. I got to go to a They’re sorta my babies. I also have
BARN, which is only the second time I scared of The Dark. So, when we walk own babies, but I always felt like I was some Barn Frens. Wanna meet them?”
ever did that. Me an my assistant drove at night, I stay right up against Mom- Rambo’s Mommy.”
down this long dirt lane, through lotsa my’s legs Just In Case. “Um, sure,” I said, still trying to pro-
trees an liddle fenced PASS-churs, on “Who’s Rambo,” I asked. cess the squirrel thing. Sedona led the
our way to meet Sedona Greer, a bull- “There were other animals already “Oh, he’s a squirrel.” way over to the fence, where a pretty
dog mix. in the famly: Jazz, Skye an Levi were “’Scuse me?” dark horse with white snowflakes all
Schnauzers. Zola was a Blue Tick. They “One day Mommy say me pokin’ over her stood next to a very short
We arrived first. Pretty soon another were really nice to me, but at first I around in the bushes. She came over to cream-an-tan horse with super long
car pulls up and out jumps this pretty wasn’t quite sure of My Place. I didn’t see what I was doin’ an there was this ears. It was as close as I’d ever been to
brindle pooch, very sturdy, big, square bark till I was 3. Now I only bark when I teeny baby squirrel. Its eyes weren’t horses an I was a liddle intimidated.
head, all bouncy an EEE-ger, and runs think there’s Stranger Danger, then I do even open yet. I thought maybe it was But they seemed frenly. I tilted my head
up for the Wag-an-Sniff. this fuh-ROW-shus growl that Mommy a puppy. I wanted to help, but didn’t wa-ay back, and found myself looking
says sounds like a 900-pound dog. But know what to do. Fortunately, Mommy up their noses, which were, ackshully,
“HI! YOU’RE MR. BONZO, RIGHT? you know, Mr. Bonzo, I’m ackshully a did. Now we have four more: Robbie, pretty cool – big an soft-looking.
I’M SEDONA GREER. THIS IS MY FEMI-nun girrrl. I didn’t get to have my Sausage, Squirrel No. 3 an Squirrel No.
MOMMY, MAGGIE! IT’S SO-OO COOL “This is Tika. An this liddle goof-
KIBBLES THAT YOUR GONNA DO Don’t be shy! ball is Jake-from-State-Farm,” Sedona
AN INNERVIEW! IT’S LIKE TALKIN’, We are always looking for pets with interesting stories. To set up said. “This,” she turned to them, “Is
RIGHT? AN YOU’RE GONNA TAKE MY an interview, please email [email protected]. Bonzo. He’s writing a story about me.”
PICK-SHUR, TOO, RIGHT? I GOT ALL
BRUSHED AN SPIFFY, SEE?” The snowflake horse said, “Hello,
young fellow. So, you’re a writer, are you.
“A pleasure, Miss Sedona. You look How very exciting.Welcome to our barn.”
extremely spiffy, for sure.” She nudged Jake-from-State-Farm. “Say
hello to Mr. Bonzo.”
She lowered her voice and contin-
ued to wiggle an wag. “I just LOVE this “HEEE-haaaaaw,” said Jake. “To be
barn. Isn’t it So Great?” precise, Mr. B, I am a donkey. Sorta a
horse cousin. Make yourself at home.”
Sedona’s Mom was holdin’ a long stick:
a liddle basket on the end contained a “A pleasure, Miss Tika. Thank you,
well chewed-and-slobbered-on ball. Jake. I admire your ears. You’ve got a
“Watch THIS, Mr. Bonzo,” she said, sta- great place here!” They wandered back
rin’ at her Mom intently, ready to launch. into the pasture an began munching
clumps of grass.
Her Mom flung that ball as hard as
she could, sending it sailing across Sedona trotted into the barn.
the field. Sedona shot off like a rocket, “Come’on!” It was cozy, with stalls on
snatched that soggy orb right out of the both sides an straw on the floor. She
air, an came flyin’ back. She plopped led us to a stall where a handsome little
the ball at her Mom’s feet and waited dark-chocolate horse was munching
for the next throw. After three or four hay from a bag hanging on the wall.
more fetches she skidded to a stop.
“This is my step-brother, Cupid,” Se-
“I do that every morning. Mommy dona said. “He was born on Valentine’s
says I have lotsa extra energy I hafta Day. He’s a Rocky Mountain Horse.
run off. So, whaddya wanna know?” Hey, Cupid. Come meet Bonzo. He’s
that writer I told you about.”
“First, how you got your Forever Famly.”
“OK. So, four years ago, my Mommy Cupid turned and came to the
was on Vay-Cay in Sedona, Arizona, gate. “How’s it going, Bonz? I follow
when a fren, Cara, sent her a PICK-shur of your work. I always wanted to write.
herself with this Totally Adorable Puppy.” But, well, hooves, you know. It’s Cool
“I’m guessing that was you,” I ven- Clover you’re doin’ a story about Se-
tured. dona.”
“It WAS! Cara said I was the only one
of eight puppies that hadn’t got ad- The time had totally zoomed by.
opted. She asked Mom if she would Heading home, I was thinking about
take me. WELL, even though Mommy sweet Sedona tenderly caring for the
didn’t NEED another animal, she to- liddle squirrels. I hope I can get back
tally couldn’t resist me. So, soon as she out to the barn again. Oh, and I got a
returned home, she adopted me an Christmas Woof-Out from a lady fren,
named me Sedona. I’m glad she wasn’t Lily Livingston, who was in my column
in Katmandu when Miss Cara sent her years ago. When her Mom Pat went to
my pick-shur. Heaven and her Dad Brian couldn’t
“Word,” I agreed. look after her anymore, she went to
“Mommy taught me lotsa Impor- live with her human sister, Jean, in Ire-
tant Dog Stuff. Still does. Since I have land. She loves it there an sends Best
so much energy, we take many looong Woofs to all us pooches. 
walks. But I have this liddle ISSUE: I’m
-The Bonz

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, December 19, 2019 23

INSIGHT GAMES BRIDGE

NORTH

IF YOU MUST HOPE, ASSUME GOOD FORTUNE J2

By Phillip Alder - Bridge Columnist AQJ53

Mae West said, “I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it.” 10 7

Sometimes at the bridge table, you will need to be fortunate to make — or break — the K875
contract. Then just assume the censors are placing the cards where you require them to be.
WEST EAST
In this deal, for example, how should South play in five clubs after West leads a low spade? K976
K964 Q 10 5 4
South’s two-club rebid promised at least a six-card suit and minimum opening values. It also AQ984
denied three hearts because he had not made a support double. Then North bid what he — 10 8 2
hoped his side could make.
KJ3
South saw that he had only eight top tricks: one spade, one heart and six clubs. After losing
two diamonds, he could have gained a ruff on the board for an extra trick. But that still left 632
him two short. He needed three heart winners. Who had the heart king?
SOUTH
Since West had not led a diamond or spade honor, he presumably did not have touching
honors in those suits (except perhaps ace-queen-jack of diamonds). This made it almost A83
censor-proof that West had the heart king.
7
South won with his spade ace, cashed his club ace and played a heart to dummy’s jack.
When the finesse worked, declarer ruffed a heart high in his hand, overtook the club queen 652
with dummy’s king and ruffed another heart high. Then, he returned to the board by leading
his carefully conserved club four to dummy’s seven and discarded his remaining spades on A Q J 10 9 4
the heart ace (which swallowed West’s king) and heart queen. Finally, South pointed out that
he would ruff his third diamond on the board. Dealer: South; Vulnerable: Both

The Bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST OPENING
1 Clubs Dbl. 1 Hearts 1 Spades
2 Clubs 2 Spades 5 Clubs All Pass LEAD:
6 Hearts

24 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly
SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (DECEMBER 12) ON PAGE 68
INSIGHT GAMES

ACROSS DOWN
1 Harvester (6) 1 Make payment to (10)
4 Debris (6) 2 Independent (10)
7 Part of bed (8) 3 Channel link (8)
9 Hunting dog (7) 4 Got up (4)
12 Forbidden actions (23) 5 Haze (4)
13 Root (5) 6 Mineral vein (4)
15 Cuban dance (5) 8 Impale; attempt (4)
16 The cream (5) 10 Unbeatable (10)
17 Mad; raging (5) 11 Inexorable (10)
19 Racecourse (5) 14 Urgent warning (3,5)
20 Bliss (7) 18 Purchases (4)
24 Gather (8) 21 Bivouac (4)
25 Field; globe (6) 22 Steal (4)
26 Tension (6) 23 Strongbox (4)

The Telegraph

How to do Sudoku:

Fill in the grid so the
numbers one through
nine appear just once
in every column, row
and three-by-three
square.

The Telegraph

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, December 19, 2019 25

INSIGHT GAMES

ACROSS 100 Desert ship 56 Where mold on dishes is The Washington Post
101 Rock group, ___ Lobos normal
1 Fortify anew, missile-wise 102 Rolling Stones title woman THIS ’N’ THAT 2 By Merl Reagle
6 Juan Perón married her 103 Judy’s kid 58 Falco of The Sopranos
9 Rabbit’s mountain relative 105 Volcanic mountain of 60 Ness, e.g.
13 Mass-produce, 61 Start of a G&S work
Antarctica 62 Strong enough
in a way 109 In stock 63 ___ beef
18 Actor Milo 111 One way to differentiate the 64 Shaker’s partner
19 The ___ scare 65 Even one
20 Ginseng, for one Smothers Brothers? 67 Program
21 “Aha!” 114 The CIA, for one 68 Sitar man
22 Grand old punishments? 115 Where to store 53 Across 69 Vertical-car inventor
25 Gave the heave-ho 116 Dale’s guy 70 Theater-of-war boss: abbr.
26 Baldheaded baby? 117 River through Burgundy 71 What Einstein called her
27 F-16 marking 118 Late 72 Green pizza topper
28 Teller of animal tales 119 The yoke’s on them 73 End of many bio titles
30 Anger 120 A small price to pay 74 Indentured one
31 Unnatural 121 Do dough 77 Entered apace
33 Cheap diner’s version of 78 Baron in Der Rosenkavalier
DOWN 79 Lady’s escort
pheasant under glass? 1 Joseph Kennedy’s wife 82 1945 film, ___ To Remember
36 Muscat-eers? 2 With bien, Spanish for “fine” 83 Stud farm resident
38 Singer-turned-Congressman 3 “Don’t be ___!” (“C’mon, 84 Footnote tag
39 “... high ___ elephant’s 86 Nascence
share!”) 88 Part of “to love,” in Latin
eye” 4 Dusted again 89 It has Bulls but not Bears:
40 Like TV fare, to a critic? 5 ___ meet
44 Part of N.A.S. 6 Chunk of time abbr.
48 W.C. Fields assent 7 Locality, in law 90 Flappers and molls
49 Creme-filled treat 8 Says as an afterthought 92 Nobody’s Fool actress
50 “Not guilty,” for one 9 Basso ___ (deep voice) 95 Parade entry
52 Coleridge effort 10 Take-charge type? 96 Rate has one; rat doesn’t
53 Rancher’s expense 11 Eastman’s camera 97 The Poe House
54 Cemetery vacancies 12 Lost 98 Boozer, briefly
56 Hilo souvenir 13 Warhol subject 99 Composer Mendelssohn
57 Carvey’s “pump you up” pal 14 Scoring meth. 100 Way across the river
59 Mismeasure, e.g. 15 Play part 104 Coffee cup holder
60 1930 tune, “___ There Eyes” 16 Reporter’s question 106 Elks sign
61 Like a bullet? 17 Crashing the Party author 107 Arm bone
63 Church agreement 21 Merchandise 108 John Chapman morsel
64 Poisonous snake 23 Furrow or stripe 110 “___ another
66 Lure of the sea? 24 Severe instances of
67 Warden’s guests? thing ...”
71 Actress Fanning anything, as quakes or 112 Music hall mugful
72 It starts relief accidents 113 Tyrian purple, e.g.
75 Hispanic’s cousin 29 Catch
76 Wall climber 32 Where Acre is: abbr.
77 Broadway openings? 34 Andy Sipowicz, e.g.
79 Serious wind 35 “Adam and Eve ___”
80 Enthusiastic (poached eggs on toast)
81 Horse hair 36 None of the above
83 Gallbladders, e.g. 37 Part of MGM
84 The Odin-Thor-Tyr gang 38 Springfield underachiever
85 Certain 40 Not out
41 Pessimistic forecast
Japanese-American 42 Phantom’s haunt
87 Pretty much everything my 43 Stinky
45 Home guy Bob
dog plans to do today? 46 Pop singer Tori
91 Latch ___ (grab firmly) 47 When to give up?
51 Chronicles
93 Ginnie and Fannie followers 54 Awesomely talented one
94 Bull Run, for one 55 Do a bank job
95 Omelet instructions?

The Telegraph

26 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

INSIGHT BACK PAGE

Divorcee doesn’t want to be angry the rest of her life

BY CAROLYN HAX ma of divorce. The person who couldn’t see living
Washington Post without you suddenly can; it’s devastating – and you
have to process that while virtually every piece of
Dear Carolyn: I am a newly di- your day-to-day and long-range existence changes. It
is a legitimately defining, transformative switch.
vorced, middle-aged woman who
But the anger it generates doesn’t have to be. The
did not see the end coming. He sense that you were personally targeted and done
wrong can give way to the understanding that peo-
cheated but wanted to stay mar- ple’s priorities, feelings, choices and fundamental
understanding of themselves – yours or his – can
ried and keep the girlfriend. I said change, and do change all the time, for reasons that
often aren’t personal. The fury over his mistreatment
OK because I was in shock and of you can give way to the relief of understanding
this says more about him than about anyone else.
didn't want to react; I wanted to give him a chance
The sense that all your current hardships are his
to decide if this is what he really wanted, a chance to fault can give way to an acceptance – even apprecia-
tion – that no one else has any say in how you handle
change his mind. them. No one but you.

After six months, I changed mine. I decided I could That’s where the imagination comes in. You can
see either a life plan wrecked behind you, or a do-
no longer stay. over opportunity ahead of you – into which you build
any joy you can. Even the idea or intention of joy, be-
I was sad, but now I am mad. I am so mad at what fore you’re actually able to feel it, will help shift your
center from regretful-then to hopeful-now.
he did and how he treated me, I am now building a
After you sort through the grief, of course; it’s nor-
new life with wonderful people I never would have mal and healthy to be as mad as you want to be.

met otherwise, most of them divorced. I have noticed But what often gets people unstuck is not want-
ing to be mad anymore. Getting sick of it. Growing
many of the women – divorced 20 or more years – are weary of endless talk with people who are still mad
about it themselves. Though it’s not a failure if you
just as angry as I am at what happened to them. Still. don’t get there – it just means you might need some
help. 
I understand I'm in the grieving process, but I had

hoped I would get to a place where I wouldn't be as

angry. The thought of not getting to the other side is

almost as upsetting as going through the actual di-

vorce. I don't know what to do, and I get angry when cruelly. Especially if that “someone else” is hastily or
mindlessly acquired primarily in the interest of pain
people wave away my anger with, "You will find relief.

someone else." I’m also sorry you don’t have better examples to
learn from. Anger 20 years after the initiating fact
– So Mad sounds like a waste of time – and, worse, a lack of
imagination, encouraged by groupthink.
So Mad: Ew. That response angers me, and I have
no stake in it whatsoever. A “someone else” can put I won’t minimize the pain of rejection or the trau-
you through the wringer, too, duh. Possibly even more

Path to beating breast cancer
starts with screenings

28 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

YOUR HEALTH

Path to beating breast cancer starts with screenings

STORY BY TOM LLOYD STAFF WRITER “So, I have a special interest in can-
[email protected] cer, particularly in breast cancer, and
I’ve been very active with the Ameri-
October is now long gone and with can Cancer Society here in town.”
it went the pink shoes on NFL football
players, the seemingly endless TV ads Outside of skin cancer, breast can-
for car dealers offering pink license- cer is the most commonly diagnosed
plate holders and all the other hoopla cancer among women in this country
associated with Breast Cancer Aware- and, yes, it is a disease that can also
ness Month. strike men.

Now it’s time to get down to the According to BreastCancer.org,
nuts and bolts of breast cancer sur- about one in eight American women
gery with Cleveland Clinic Indian will develop invasive breast cancer at
River Hospital’s Dr. Daniel Glotzer. some point and just this year an esti-
mated 268,600 new cases of invasive
Though Glotzer’s business card breast cancer are expected to be di-
calls him a “general surgeon,” his agnosed in women in the U.S. along
own, personal experience with breast with 62,930 new cases of non-invasive
cancer is about as specific as it gets. (in situ) breast cancer.

“My wife is a breast cancer survi- Meanwhile, about 2,670 new cases of
vor” says Glotzer. “We were married invasive breast cancer are expected to
for six months when we wanted to be diagnosed in American men in 2019.
begin to put a family together so she
goes through her checklist: ‘I’ve got to Still, according to Glotzer, “the
get my mammogram, my Pap smear,’ good news is that because of our ag-
and so on. gressive screening and good treat-
ment, we can say [breast cancer] be-
“And when they did the mammo- comes more of a chronic disease or a
gram, she showed me the film and it chronic issue than actually an acute
was like … well … she saw my face. I healthcare problem.”
didn’t have to say anything. And that
was 18 years ago. That all starts with screenings.

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Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, December 19, 2019 29

“The current recommendations,” YOUR HEALTH sands of women for more than 20
says Glotzer, “are to consider a mam- years show that when breast conser-
mogram starting at the age of 40, but vation surgery is done with radiation,
certainly to start yearly mammo- survival is the same as having a mas-
grams from age 45 to 54.” After age tectomy in people who are candidates
55, Glotzer says woman can dial back for both types of surgery.”
and “do it every two years.”
The bottom line: The best defense
However, “people who have a histo- against breast cancer is to have regu-
ry of early breast cancer in their fam- lar checkups with your primary care
ily should start mammograms earlier. doctor and annual mammogram to
If mom or dad or grandma had breast catch the disease in its earliest stages.
cancer when they were in their 40s or
30s, those people should start mam- Dr. Daniel Glotzer is a general sur-
mograms at the age of 30.” geon at the Cleveland Clinic Indian
River Hospital. His office is at 3450 11th
Glotzer says that here in Vero there Court, Suite 204. The phone number is
are outstanding imaging options, in- 772-770-6850. 
cluding tomosynthesis or 3D mam-
mography as well as high-definition
ultrasound and MRIs.

That’s a major advance from the ear-
ly days of breast cancer screening and
there has been even more pronounced
improvement in the surgeries em-
ployed when screening reveals cancer.

Glotzer rattles off a sometimes-
gruesome history of the surgical pro-
cedures used to treat breast cancer,
including one that removed not only
the entire breast but also all the mus-
cles on that side of the chest as well.

It wasn’t until the 1972, Glotzer
points out, that Dr. John Madden in-
troduced what we now know as “the
modified radical mastectomy,” which
preserves the pectoral muscles.

Today, says the Susan G. Komen
Foundation, mastectomies (total
removal of the breast) and lumpec-
tomies (a “breast conservation” ap-
proach) are the two most commonly
used procedures.

Another change is that more medi-
cal professionals are involved in the
decision-making process ahead of
surgery now than years ago.

“Here”, says Glotzer, “we have a tu-
mor board that meets every month on
every breast cancer case that is newly
diagnosed in our community. It’s a
multidisciplinary approach in that
you have the surgeons, the medical
oncologists, the plastic surgeons, the
radiation oncologists and the nurses”
conferring to decide the best course of
treatment to recommend to a patient.

In addition to himself, Glotzer says
Drs. Murphy, Perry and Paul “all do
local breast cancer surgeries.

“In this community,” Glotzer con-
tinues, “the most commonly per-
formed procedure probably is what
we would call a partial mastectomy.
Most people call that procedure a
‘lumpectomy.’”

That’s because, as Glotzer puts it,
“no woman should feel that you have
to give up your breast to live longer.”

The American Cancer Society says
“some women might worry that hav-
ing a less extensive surgery might
raise their risk of the cancer coming
back. But studies following thou-

30 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

FINE & CASUAL DINING

First Bites: Yoshi’s Izakaya in Indian Harbour Beach

REVIEW BY LISA ZAHNER STAFF WRITER wanese menu which we did not try
[email protected] yet. The Japanese food is com-
ing, Yoshi says. We’ll be
Soft openings of new restaurants back. We can’t wait to
typically last a few nights or a couple try it.
of weeks at most, so when we drove by I welcome your
Yoshi’s and saw that the door sign still comments, and en-
listed “soft opening hours” six months courage you to send
after its launch in June, we were more feedback to me at
than curious. lisamelbourne-
beachsider@gmail.
True foodies will relish the atmo- com.
sphere at Yoshi’s. There’s a black- The reviewer
and-white paper menu that chang- is a Brevard resi-
es as the chef tests dishes and dent who dines
caters to his customers’ palates. anonymously at
It’s slightly chaotic with a flurry of restaurants at the
delivery and takeout orders flying expense of this
in by phone and by text, and owner newspaper. 
Jeff Liu “Yoshi” Yoshiyuki calling
out tickets to the line cooks in the Mongolian Beef.
back to expedite, “Pork fried rice!
General Tso’s Chicken!” Vegetable Spring Rolls.

A very clean, utilitarian Japanese- House Special Lo Mein.
style dining area with stools and long ta-
bles greets you when you walk through your party will be given an Wonton
the door. To the left is a homey, welcom- empty bowl instead of a Soup.
ing self-serve sauce and tea island where plate. Chopsticks and
you can customize and brew your own forks are handy at the Beef Fried Rice. RESTAURANT HOURS
pot of loose tea, gather flatware, nap- self-serve island. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mon., Tues. and
kins, soy and sriracha sauce. The fried rice and
lo mein were very Thurs. through Sat.;
If you’ve ever frequented other busi- tasty and not 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wed. and Sun.
nesses in the strip mall like Happy too salty, and
Healthy Human or the laundromat, the Mongolian BEVERAGES
you know the retail spaces are nar- Beef was fan- Beer and Wine
row and deep, so based upon the tiny tastic – slightly
dining area, Yoshi’s kitchen must be spicy, sweet ADDRESS
huge. I tried to catch a glimpse as the and tangy with 1875 S. Patrick Drive,
bright blue barn-style door slid open tender slices of Indian Harbour Beach
and closed, but we could only hear the beef and fresh
animated call-and-response between stir-fry vegeta- PHONE
Yoshi and his kitchen staff. bles. 321-773-2353

Our order came out of that mysteri- Yoshi’s offers a Tai-
ous kitchen fast, hot and everything
exceeded expectations.

We started out with an order of Veg-
etable Spring Rolls ($2) and a pint bowl
of Wonton Soup ($3.50). The spring
rolls were crispy and fresh out of the
fryer and not at all greasy. The vegeta-
ble filling was fresh and perfectly firm
yet cooked through. If you’re under-
whelmed by the wimpy broth in the
typical wonton soup, you’ll be pleased
with this amber-colored rich and fla-
vorful broth, tender pork-filled won-
ton dumplings. And as you’re happily
slurping, know that Yoshi’s donates $1
from every soup sold to help pay off
school lunch debt for kids at nearby
Ocean Breeze Elementary.

We ordered three dishes to pass
around the table – Beef Fried Rice
($5.45) House Special Lo Mein ($8.95)
and Mongolian Beef ($10.50) served
with steamed rice. If you dine in at
Yoshi’s, your food will arrive on plat-
ters with tongs (or you’ll grab serving
spoons for rice) and each member of

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, December 19, 2019 31

WINE COLUMN

Dessert wine: A grand finale for the end of your meal

STORY BY DAVE MCINTYRE mistakes we make is thinking of an Perhaps the quintessential coda to a the latter), iris (antiseptic), and saffron
The Washington Post after-dinner drink as excessive rather big meal is an amaro. From the Ital- (energy and mood boost).
than digestive. That last little dram ian word for bitter, amaro is a forti-
We tend to fret about what wines to – emphasis on little – can help settle fied neutral spirit or wine flavored It can be an acquired taste. Or some-
have with dinner, especially dinner par- your stomach and provide a fitting with medicinal herbs. Vermouth fits in thing, as the saying used to go, we would
ties or family feasts around the holidays. coda to your meal. this category and can be a stimulating drink “for medicinal purposes only.”
But we overlook dessert, which offers a aperitif, especially over ice with a slice
wide array of wine pairing possibilities. “I love a Frasqueira madeira after a of orange, or after dinner. “I used to think amaro was the most
And what about after dessert? long holiday meal, especially a drier vile thing I ever tasted,” says Erik Segel-
style like Sercial,” says Matt Stamp, a The most bitter type of amaro, the baum, a sommelier, consultant and
When the feast is finished, la grande master sommelier and co-owner of bitterest of the bitter, is called fern- wine educator. “But then I realized it
bouffe is done and you can’t imagine Compline wine bar and restaurant in et, and the darling of this category is made me feel better after a big meal.
ever eating another bite, not even a Napa, Calif. Fernet-Branca. This entrancing bitter Now I love it, and that flavor signals to
wafer-thin mint . . . well, you need an- liqueur is flavored with as many as 27 me that I will feel better.”
other drink. My own introduction to the joys of roots and herbs, according to the com-
the digestif came many years ago at pany website. These include cinchona A shot of Fernet-Branca, or another
When dessert comes around, wheth- Restaurant Hélène Darroze in Paris. bark (helps with digestion), chamomile amaro, is a fitting end to a meal, Segel-
er we’re having cheese, cake or pastry, I usually have trouble remembering (helps with relaxation), cinnamon (an- baum says. “It’s like the period at the
we tend to sip whatever wines were not what I ate for breakfast, but I vividly tioxidant, aphrodisiac), linden (more of end of a sentence,” he says. “It doesn’t
finished with the main course. That’s recall a tasting menu that began with change the meaning, it just says, ‘We’re
a missed opportunity. But there are foie gras ice cream in roasted chestnut done!’” 
ways to boost the end of your meal into soup, followed by a slab of foie gras, a
a grand finale. scallop course, the most amazing pork
loin in memory, cheese and one or two
A cheese course is a great partner desserts.
for sweet white wines, such as late-
harvest rieslings, sauternes or even Just when I thought I would burst
moscatos. The sweetness of the wine from overindulgence, a server trundled
helps cut the fat of the cheese, espe- to the table a cart laden with vintage
cially the creamier, funkier curds. The armagnacs made by Francis Darroze,
earthiness in the cheese meets the the chef’s father. Not wanting to waste
unctuous fruitiness of the wine in a an opportunity, I chose what I hoped
way that enhances the flavors of both. would be a modestly priced glass of the
These wines would also be great with vintage from the year I graduated from
fruit tarts. high school. It was delicious. It settled
my stomach, and I walked out of the
For chocolate desserts, I recommend restaurant fantasizing about the next
a ruby-style port to match richness with morning’s croissant.
richness. For contrast, look to a lighter,
slightly sweet sparkling red such as bra- Armagnac and other brandies are
chetto from Italy classic after-dinner drinks. So are fruit-
flavored schnapps and eaux de vie, po-
Aged tawny ports and madeiras are tent marc from Burgundy or grappa
lovely by themselves or with custard from Italy. A shot of grappa can awaken
desserts such as flan or puddings. The the senses while settling the stomach.
roasted nut flavors in the wine, accented
with a hint of citrus rind, also pair well Brandies and eaux de vie combine
with nut-based cakes and tarts. flavors of fruit and alcoholic heat.

And after dessert? One of the biggest

Fine Dining, Elevated

Exciting Innovative Cuisine
Award Winning Wine List

Unparalleled Service

Reservations Highly Recommended  Proper Attire Appreciated

Zagat Rated (772) 234-3966  tidesofvero.com  Open 7 Days
2013 - 2017 3103 Cardinal Drive , Vero Beach, FL
Wine Spectator Award
2002 – 2017

32 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

CALENDAR

Please send calendar information 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Call 321-208-
at least two weeks prior to your 7074 for more information.

event to 21 Christmas Car, truck and bike show
[email protected] and toy drive for Brevard Children and
Families in need. Dunkin Donuts Indialantic, 8
DECEMBER a.m.-noon. All makes and models welcome. For
more information, please call Bill Antonetz at
321-725-3648

17 Skydiving Santas of Cocoa Beach will 21 Jewish Federation of Brevard, Winter Lions Club of Satellite Beach has the perfect gift for that person who has it all. Feed a needy
host an event from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Solstice Gala at the Muscle Car Muse- family for a $30 donation in honor of whomever the donor designates. Each recipient of a
at the Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier. um. Hors d’oeuvres, bar, auctions, to benefit the basket will receive a letter explaining who gifted their basket. This year the Lions Club would
Jewish Federation of Brevard. Tickets start at $90, like to fill 122 baskets to serve the community, with a special emphasis on our local veterans in
19 Sound Bath Meditation with Anthony Pro- cocktail attire. For tickets or more information need. Any boxes not specifically earmarked for a family will be donated to the Veterans Health
feta in the Foosaner Art Museum’s domed please call 321-951-1836 or email [email protected] Association. A standard basket contains milk, margarine, stuffing, boxed mashed potatoes, a
Harris Auditorium. For more information and tick- ham, canned fruit and vegetables along with items to make sandwiches and soup. Contact
ets call 914-319-3477 or visit eventbrite.com 21 French Intermediate Group meets at Frank Armitage at 321-773-3264 to dedicate a donation box.
Panera Bread, Indian Harbour Beach,
20-22 Galmont Ballet Nutcracker $10. For more information, visit https://www.
at the Historic Cocoa Village eventbrite.com/e/french-intermediate-group-
Playhouse, 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and tickets-72316822563?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

24 Surfing Santas from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. will open on Dec. 30 with a First Friday Open-
Watch Santa and ride the waves at ing Reception on Jan. 3, 2020, from 5:30 p.m.
3 Minutemen Causeway, Cocoa Beach to ben- to 8:30 pm.
efit local, charitable causes. Family friendly.
Please visit https://surfingsantas.org or call 31 Swingtime presents a New Year’s Eve
321-223-6400. Gala Dinner and Dance from 7:30
pm to 12:30 am at the Hilton Rialto, 200 Ri-
30 Fifth Avenue Art Gallery will be alto Place, Melbourne. Music will be provided
hosting Florida artist Brett Pigon by a 22-member with vocalists Sally Hart and
through Feb. 1 as the featured solo artist. Len Fallen. Tickets are $125 and more infor-
Journey in Landscapes is a body of work mation call 321-339-7705 or visit http://www.
based on Brett’s recent travels. The exhibit melbournemunicipalband.org.

Solutions from Games Pages ACROSS DOWN JANUARY
in December 12, 2019 Edition 1 FOCUS 1 FEAST
4 DELIGHT 2 CATER
8 AUTHORITATIVE 3 SHOWOFF 1 The 36th Annual New Year’s Day Walk-
9 TURNOUT 4 DAINTY ing History Tour of Old Melbourne
10 ENDED 5 LEAVE Beach with commentary by town historians
11 CLIFFS 6 GRINDER Frank Thomas and Bruce Morgan, plus histori-
13 DEGREE 7 TREADLE cal photographs, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Meet at
16 ELITE 11 CLEANSE the Melbourne Beach Pier at the west end of
18 APPAREL 12 INITIAL Ocean Avenue in Melbourne Beach.
21 NEIGHBOURHOOD 14 EXPIRES
22 ENLISTS 15 FAMOUS 4 Huge Indoor Rummage Sale, 8 a.m. to 1
23 STYLE 17 ETHOS p.m. Eau Gallie Civic Center with more
19 ROOMY than 90 vendors. Free admission. Vendors call
20 LODGE 321-608-7400 for details.

Sudoku Page 2520 SudokuPPaaggee2531 CrosswordPPaage 5202 Crossword Page 2531 (OPPOSITE ATTRACTION)

THE MELBOURNE BUSINESS DIRECTORY

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ALUMINUM AND WINDOWS INC. Aluminum Structures the South Brevard barrier island communitites. This is the
“Everything You Need To Be” Screen Room’s only directory mailed each week into homes in 32951,

CLAY COOK Car Ports Indialantic, Indian Harbour and Satellite Beach.
Contact Lillian Belmont, 321-604-7833
[email protected] CGC 1524354 [email protected].

321.508.3896 772.226.7688

BREVARD INDIAN RIVER

Spacious townhome just
steps from Atlantic surf

2701 State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach: 2-bedroom, 2.5-bath, 1,848-square-foot townhouse
offered for $625,000 by Kevin Hill, REMAX Alternative Realty: 321-308-2270

34 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

REAL ESTATE

Spacious townhome just steps from Atlantic surf

STORY BY BRENDA EGGERT BRADER CORRESPONDENT grabs your attention. Those doors through sliders that open onto a bal- three comfortably and a floor to ceil-
also provide access to a deck that cony. The kitchen takes up almost the ing pantry offers additional storage.
Dip your toes in surf right outside yields to miles of white sandy Mel- entire second floor, with misty gray
your door – 15 steps, 20 at the most, bourne Beach. walls and white KraftMaid cabinetry The washer and dryer are found
from your townhouse at 2701 State with dovetailed, soft-close drawers, nestled behind double folding louver
Road A1A in Melbourne Beach and The living room windows are including two cupboards with glass doors at the back of the kitchen and a
you are walking into the sparkling At- equipped with plantation shutters fronts. half-bath is nearby.
lantic. and bamboo is the hardwood floor-
ing of choice for the townhouse. The gray granite countertops ac- Continue up to the third level and
Three floors of fantastic ocean cent the light neutral tile backsplash find two bedrooms, each with its own
views highlight the 1,848-square-foot Climb the open stainless-steel and large undermount sink. A cup- full bathroom.
home complete with two bedrooms, cable and wood railing stairwell to board bin hides the trash and recycla-
two full baths and one half-bath, the second level where you can treat bles, while a corner cupboard opens A private deck facing the Indian
one-car attached garage and multiple yourself to yet another ocean view to a spacious lazy Susan for storage of River highlights the guest room with
porches and balconies that provide casserole dishes and larger pots and walk-in closet. A queen bed leaves
the perfect perches from which to sit pans. The Samsung stainless-steel plenty of space for furniture and a
and listen to waves crashing on the appliances include a French door re- niche for reading or conversation.
shore. This idyllic island home is list- frigerator, oven, wine refrigerator and The combination tub and shower
ed by Kevin Hill, REMAX Alternative dishwasher. The breakfast bar seats are found here with a single under-
Realty, for $625,000. mounted sink.

“The second house situation is pop- The master bedroom has the No. 1
ular, with people really getting into
vacation homes,” said Hill. “These
owners are from Orlando and have
this as a vacation home. The furniture
also is available for an additional fee.”

Walk along a pretty paver sidewalk
and step into the townhouse en-
trance, which opens to the ground-
floor living room. A grand ocean
view seen through wide sliding doors

Todd Ostrander Top 1% of Brevard
“Door to the East Shore” ® County Agents
321.749.8405
Over 200 Million

SOLD!

Hall of Fame
Producer

www.DoorToTheEastShore.com
[email protected]

Opening Doors To the Beaches & More!

Just a Short Walk to the Beach!! - $437,500 Ocean Side Village Townhome - $349,000

SOLD SOLD
Spectacular Top Floor end unit - $285,000 Canal Front in Merritt Island - $459,000

Representing Both Buyers and Sellers With Their Best Interest in Mind!

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, December 19, 2019 35

REAL ESTATE

VITAL STATISTICS
2701 S. A1A,

MELBOURNE BEACH

view in the townhouse, which is locat- ous vanity to complete the bathroom. downtown Melbourne Beach. Neighborhood:
ed on the corner of the complex with Sunlight abounds in this oceanside A security system, plantation shut- Summerwind Condominium
views in multiple directions. A vault-
ed ceiling and walk-in closet enhance townhouse with expansive window ters, private decks and balconies, and Year built: 1979
this spacious room. Soft ocean-blue the let in the beautiful natural world. impact windows and doors add this Construction:
glass tile brightens the plush shower Add to that the view and this home home’s appeal. Concrete block/stucco
stall with rain shower head and glass can’t be beat. The location is per- Architecture: Florida modern
door in the master bathroom. Dual fectly situated, a little bit out of town To view this exceptional property, Lot size: 3,920 Sq. Ft.
integral sinks are placed in a gener- but only a mile and half away from all contact luxury specialist Kevin Hill at Home size: 1,848 Sq. Ft.
the seaside shops and restaurants in 321-308-2270.  Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2.5
View: Atlantic Ocean
Additional features:
Privacy fencing, single-car
garage, impact windows, doors;
security system, plantation
shutters, remodeled interior.
Listing agency:
REMAX Alternative Realty, Inc.
Listing agent:
Kevin Hill, realtor,
luxury specialist
Listing price: $625,000

36 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

REAL ESTATE

Real Estate Sales on South Brevard island: Dec. 6 to Dec. 12

The real estate market came to life last week in ZIP codes 32951, 32903 and 32937. Satellite Beach led
the way with 11 transactions, followed by Indialantic with 10, Melbourne Beach with eight, and Indian
Harbour Beach reporting five.
Our featured sale this week was of a home in River Oaks West in Indialantic. The residence at 517 South
River Oaks Drive was placed on the market Aug. 2 with an asking price of $535,000. The asking price more
recently was $499,500. The sale closed on Dec. 6 for $485,000.
The seller in the transaction was represented by Todd Ostrander of RE/MAX Elite. The purchaser was
represented by Scott Loveridge of EXP Realty.

SALES FOR 32951

SUBDIVISION ADDRESS LISTED ORIGINAL MOST RECENT SOLD SELLING
ASKING PRICE ASKING PRICE PRICE

$665,000
SOUTH SHORES OCEANSI 5635 S HIGHWAY A1A 701 10/18/2019 $700,000 $700,000 12/6/2019 $570,000
BREAKERS CONDO P3 2203 ATLANTIC ST 723 9/27/2019 $599,000 $599,000 12/9/2019 $550,000
TURTLE BAY 218 LOGGERHEAD DR 7/22/2019 $589,900 $575,000 12/6/2019 $510,000
WILCOX MELBOURNE BEA 212 FIFTH AVE 10/16/2019 $525,000 $525,000 12/11/2019 $407,215
CRYSTAL LAKES SUBD 220 SPOONBILL LN 1/20/2019 $389,710 $407,215 12/6/2019 $407,215
CRYSTAL LAKES SUBD 210 SPOONBILL LN 5/5/2019 $407,215 $407,215 12/6/2019 $363,000
ISLAND SHORES OF MEL 307 HIBISCUS TRAIL 11/19/2019 $399,900 $399,900 12/6/2019 $330,000
RIVERIA ESTATES SUBD 2060 BONITA AVE 9/23/2019 $325,000 $335,000 12/6/2019

SALES FOR 32903

SHADY SHORES 3RD ADD 787 OAK RIDGE DR 1/23/2019 $1,495,000 $1,290,000 12/6/2019 $1,220,000
RIO VILLA UNIT V 421 RIO VILLA BLVD 4/19/2019 $599,500 $569,900 12/6/2019 $549,500
SANCTUARY THE 629 HUMMINGBIRD DR 7/26/2019 $569,000 $559,000 12/12/2019 $512,500
INDIALANTIC HGHTS 2A 331 BAHAMA DR 11/24/2019 $364,900 $364,900 12/6/2019 $355,000
OCEAN SD VIL P2 B8P9 87 CALCUTTA CT 11/11/2019 $229,900 $229,900 12/6/2019 $225,000

SALES FOR 32937

WINDWARD COVE 142 WINDWARD WAY 10/16/2019 $1,095,000 $1,095,000 12/9/2019 $1,025,000
OCEANA OCEANFRONT SAT BCH 1025 HIGHWAY A1A 201 9/24/2018 $739,900 $739,900 12/12/2019 $739,900
OCEANA OCEANFRONT SAT BCH 1025 HIGHWAY A1A 702 5/28/2019 $689,900 $689,900 12/12/2019 $689,900
OCEANA OCEANFRONT SAT BCH 1025 HIGHWAY A1A 204 6/5/2017 $589,900 $589,900 12/12/2019 $589,900
SILVER SANDS CNDO P2 297 HIGHWAY A1A 211 10/4/2019 $559,900 $549,900 12/11/2019 $517,000
CRISTAL CONDO PHS 2 1907 HIGHWAY A1A 404 10/21/2019 $529,900 $529,900 12/6/2019 $500,000
WATERWAY ESTATES 1ST 409 NAUTILUS DR 9/6/2019 $524,900 $509,000 12/11/2019 $495,000
WATERWAY ESTATES 1ST 409 NAUTILUS DR 9/6/2019 $524,900 $509,000 12/11/2019 $495,000
NONE 607 TRADEWINDS DR 607 5/30/2019 $475,000 $475,000 12/6/2019 $460,000
MONTECITO PHASE 1B 676 CARLSBAD DR 7/17/2018 $335,990 $340,000 12/10/2019 $330,000
FLAMINGO HOMES SEC A 210 PRICE COURT 11/8/2019 $329,900 $329,900 12/12/2019 $329,900
PINEDA OCEAN CLB P3 175 HIGHWAY A1A 109 5/25/2019 $349,000 $334,900 12/6/2019 $315,000
SEACOAST SHORES U5S2 103 FREDDIE ST 9/23/2019 $329,000 $329,000 12/12/2019 $310,000

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, December 19, 2019 37

REAL ESTATE

Here are some of the top recent barrier island sales.

Subdivision: Wilcox Melbourne Bea, Address: 212 Fifth Ave Subdivision: Shady Shores 3rd Add, Address: 787 Oak Ridge Dr

Listing Date: 10/16/2019 Listing Date: 1/23/2019
Original Price: $525,000 Original Price: $1,495,000
Recent Price: $525,000 Recent Price: $1,290,000
Sold: 12/11/2019 Sold: 12/6/2019
Selling Price: $510,000 Selling Price: $1,220,000
Listing Agent: Tina Murphy Listing Agent: Donna Ellis

Selling Agent: ONE Sotheby’s International Selling Agent: National Realty of Brevard

Bernadette Day Brianne Heath

RE/MAX Elite RLL Real Estate Group

Subdivision: Rio Villa Unit V, Address: 421 Rio Villa Blvd Subdivision: Windward Cove, Address: 142 Windward Way

Listing Date: 4/19/2019 Listing Date: 10/16/2019
Original Price: $599,500 Original Price: $1,095,000
Recent Price: $569,900 Recent Price: $1,095,000
Sold: 12/6/2019 Sold: 12/9/2019
Selling Price: $549,500 Selling Price: $1,025,000
Listing Agent: Sandra Sheibani Listing Agent: Benjamin Glover

Selling Agent: ONE Sotheby’s International Selling Agent: National Realty of Brevard

Corey Craigie Brenda Burton

Curri Kirschner R. E. Grp. LLC Ellingson Properties

38 Thursday, December 19, 2019 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

REAL ESTATE

Here are some of the top recent barrier island sales.

Subdivision: Turtle Bay, Address: 218 Loggerhead Dr Subdivision: South Shores Oceanside, Address: 5635 S Highway A1A 701

Listing Date: 7/22/2019 Listing Date: 10/18/2019
Original Price: $589,900 Original Price: $700,000
Recent Price: $575,000 Recent Price: $700,000
Sold: 12/6/2019 Sold: 12/6/2019
Selling Price: $550,000 Selling Price: $665,000
Listing Agent: Carolyn Smith Listing Agent: Brenda Teter

Selling Agent: RE/MAX Elite Selling Agent: Keller Williams Realty

Brenda Teter Ulla Crofton

Keller Williams Realty Coldwell Banker Residential RE

WATERFRONTBREVARD.COM Subdivision: The Sanctuary, Address: 629 Hummingbird Dr
JUST LISTED IN THE CLOISTERS!

BEACHSIDE LISTINGS Listing Date: 7/26/2019
Original Price: $569,000
Recent Price: $559,000
Sold: 12/12/2019
Selling Price: $512,500
Listing Agent: Keith Mauter

Selling Agent: Derrick Real Estate Group, Inc

Stacey Sanzone

Stacey Sanzone

2355 SUNSET AVE, INDIALANTIC 517 ANDREWS DR, MELBOURNE BEACH Subdivision: Oceana Oceanfront Sat Bch, Address: 1025 Highway A1A 702
JUST LISTED! $289,000 HUGE LOT! $729,000

4 Beds, 2 Baths, 1,784 SF · Brand New Roof! 5 Beds, 4 Baths, 3,373 SF · Sparkling Pool!

ACTIVE LISTINGS UNDER CONTRACT Listing Date: 5/28/2019
Original Price: $689,900
1105 Pine Tree Dr, Indian Harbour Beach, Recent Price: $689,900
$325,000 · 2,063 SF Sold: 12/12/2019
Selling Price: $689,900
204 N Emerald Dr, Indian Harbour Beach, 212 CHALET AVE, INDIALANTIC Listing Agent: Jason Soares
$259,000 · 1,788 SF
JUST SOLD Selling Agent: Blue Oceans Realty LLC
258 Lansing Island Dr, Satellite Beach,
$745,000 · .81 Acres of Vacant Land Jason Soares

Blue Oceans Realty LLC

0 Highway A1A, Melbourne Beach, $420,000
$549,000 · .72 Acres of Vacant Land

Subdivision: Oceana Oceanfront Sat Bch, Address: 1025 Highway A1A 201

200 First Ave, Indialantic, Listing Date: 9/24/2018
$365,000 · .29 Acre Corner Lot Original Price: $739,900
Recent Price: $739,900
280 POMPANO DR, MELBOURNE BEACH Sold: 12/12/2019
Selling Price: $739,900
David Curri Broker/Owner Listing Agent: Jason Soares

321.890.9911 Selling Agent: Blue Oceans Realty LLC

davidcurri.com Jason Soares

[email protected] Blue Oceans Realty LLC

2 Offices to Serve You!
• 325 Fifth Ave, Indialantic
• Downtown Eau Gallie Arts District

Get Your Home Value Today, Visit: value.myckhome.com



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