10/21/2021 ISSUE 42

Vero Beach wants to phase out
septic tanks on island. P16
No end in sight for
utility disputes. P15
Jake & pals wow ‘em at

Flamingo Weekend jam. P18

For breaking news visit

MY VERO The first of the new Brightline trains that will be blasting through Vero en route to Orlando Hospital accused
of erasing treatment
BY RAY MCNULTY in early 2023 passed through town last week on its way to West Palm Beach. Story, Page 11. PHOTO BY KAILA JONES info after 30 days

Why is DeSantis picking Shooting at Vero apartment leads to arrest of teachers BY MICHELLE GENZ
fight with John’s Island Staff Writer
BY GEORGE ANDREASSI cords show. He has also been but is expected to make a full
Does Gov. Ron DeSantis re- Staff Writer fired, school officials said. recovery, Sheriff Eric Flowers Cleveland Clinic Indian River
ally want to pick a fight with said Monday during a news Hospital is accused of stalling
the good people at John’s Is- Public school parents The victim was shot one conference. again on still more evidence
land, where the posh, seaside throughout Indian River time in the back near his apart- in a major malpractice case
community is overwhelmingly County must be wondering ment at the Preserve at Oslo, CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 involving a mother of five,
populated by Republicans? about the after-hours conduct Toshuua Hughes, who never
of their children’s educators woke up from anesthesia after
You wouldn’t think so. after two young, newly hired a hysterectomy and remains
Then again, you wouldn’t ex- teachers were arrested in con- unresponsive four years later.
pect a Republican governor to nection with a shooting at an
so easily abandon the party’s apartment complex following The filing for a motion of
long-held principles of free- a night of drinking. civil contempt and request
market capitalism, limited gov- for sanctions comes after the
ernment and local home rule. The suspected triggerman, plaintiffs’ attorneys learned
Certainly, you wouldn’t ex- Darius Tyonne Cohen, 26, a that the underlying data of
pect a professed conservative gym teacher at Indian River the electronic health record
to embrace the flagrant gov- Academy, was being held module where physicians en-
ernment overreach of a state in the county jail in lieu of ter the majority of their notes
prohibiting private businesses, $750,000 bail on one count of on patients was set to erase
clubs, schools and other or- attempted murder, sheriff’s re- after 30 days.
ganizations from taking mea-
sures necessary to slow the The module’s data also did
spread of COVID-19. not automatically flow into
an audit database that could
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 be easily searched to reveal,

Island’s oldest realty CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
company moves into
the future as AMAC Vero Beach Lifeguard Association
president Erik Toomsoo laid off
BY STEVEN M. THOMAS
Staff Writer BY RAY MCNULTY PHOTO BY KAILA JONES
Staff Writer
The oldest real estate compa-
ny on the island – Alex MacWil- Vero Beach Lifeguard Association presi-
liam Inc. – now has the most dent Erik Toomsoo, who rose to the rank of
modern logo, a bold orange jolt assistant captain and served as a training
of a word rooted in the firm’s officer during his nine years on the city’s
family history and intended to beaches, was laid off last week.
carry it into an expansive future.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
AMAC.
“It’s our Nike Swoosh,” says

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

October 21, 2021 Volume 14, Issue 42 Newsstand Price $1.00 Cultural Council
fetes ‘Arts Guide’
News 1-16 Games 35-37 Pets 62 TO ADVERTISE CALL at reveal party. P22
Arts 41-44 Health 45-51 Real Estate 65-76 772-559-4187
Books 32-33 Insight 25-40 Style 52-55
Dining 57-61 People 17-24 Wine 56 FOR CIRCULATION
Editorial 30 CALL 772-226-7925

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

2 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Alex MacWilliam “There’s no other brokerage on the
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 east coast of Florida using orange in
their logo,” says Buzz MacWilliam. “The
marketing manager Tammy Adams, an PHOTO BY KAILA JONES color orange is associated with joy,
emblem designed to evoke a venerable warmth, sunshine, creativity, enthusi-
company with a contemporary flair. reception area will be completely re- asm and success.”
modeled to reflect the company’s new
And the logo is just part of a com- contemporary style. “Orange evokes Florida citrus and
plete rebranding that will be rolled out our sunrises and sunsets,” adds Alex
over the next couple of months, aimed Alex IV says he and Adams started IV. “It has a beachy feel.”
at capturing the attention of younger talking about rebranding a couple years
clients and agents who are a growing ago. They asked for thoughts from local Good as the new AMAC look is, the
part of the island’s changing demo- companies but didn’t see anything that question still arises: Why?
graphic. lit a fire under them. Then the pan-
demic came along, and project was put That is what Buzz MacWilliam want-
Alex MacWilliam IV, who has been on hold until November 2020. At that ed to know when his son and market-
known as “AMAC” since grade school point, the company cast a wider net for ing manager brought up the idea and
and who is now being groomed to lead top designers. began to push for it.
the 72-year-old business into the fu-
ture by his father, owner/broker Buzz The prior logo and look – which
MacWilliam, said his nickname “rolls Buzz describes as “very traditional” –
off the tongue a little easier than Alex was created 20 years ago, granted, but
MacWilliam Real Estate.” it still looks good, and business has
been great in recent years.
Shortening the common name of
the brokerage is part of trend that has “Last year was a record year and this
seen Hewlett Packard become HP,
Dunkin Donuts become Dunkin’ and
Weight Watchers trim its name down
to WW, to cite just a few examples.

As part of the new look, the compa-
ny office, built at the corner of Ocean
Drive and Flamevine in the early
1950s, will be repainted light gray with
orange and burgundy accents – the
colors of the updated brand – and the

Top photo: Alex MacWilliam Real Estate owner/broker Buzz MacWilliam and his son Alex MacWil-
liam IV. Above: A photo of the Alex MacWilliam Real Estate building in 1949.

“We interviewed three ad agencies year so far we have experienced about a
that specialize in brand identity,” says 30-percent increase in both our number
Adams. “One was in Jacksonville, one of sales and sales volume,” says Buzz.
on the west coast of the U. S., and He-
lium Creative, the company we chose, So why change?
which has offices in Fort Lauderdale Adams says shifting demographics
and Baltimore. are at the heart of the move.
“We want to maintain our connec-
“Helium has a very compelling story tion with our primary demographic,
and website, and they describe them- which is the 65-plus community, but
selves as ‘brand junkies,’ which really also be more appealing to woman and
got my attention.” younger buyers and agents.
“Our community is changing. There
A comprehensive rebranding that are a lot more younger people, millen-
Alex IV says soaked up “a six-figure” in- nials like AMAC, 30- or 40-something
vestment began in March and wrapped moving into the community, often com-
up in late September. ing home to be close to parents and have
grandchildren close to grandparents.”
Helium co-founder and creative di- “I meet people around town all the
rector, Ryan Heller, told Vero Beach time, millennials who have just moved
32963 that MacWilliam’s deep roots on here from Chicago, L.A. or New York as
the island were integral to the creation part of the COVID shift in migration,”
of the new brand. says AMAC. “They can work from
home, and they love the lifestyle here.
“You want to make sure there is an “I’m hoping the new look will help
authenticity to who the company is us attract that demographic as cus-
that roots them an idea, a concept, a tomers and agents and allow us to
place, whatever the story stems from,” recapture some of the market share
says Heller. “Knowing that AMAC has we’ve lost as more real estate franchis-
this incredible history in Vero set the es and companies have come to town.
foundation for us. It was great to have “I’d also like to attract some high-
that story and that history, but then we producing agents in the area, and we
had to move on to part two – how do have already heard from some of the
we make it relevant in today’s market?” top agents at other firms that they like
the new look.”
The design process included careful
selection of font and typography along
with in-depth consideration of color
psychology.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 3

NEWS

“I am the oldest one in the office and land and plant groves (that orange now focusing much of his attention on “It will take 12 to 18 months for all
the most conservative and I was like, color), and selling mature citrus land mentoring AMAC to be the third-gen- of this to fully integrate into the com-
‘We have been here all these years and with producing groves to doctors and eration leader of the company. munity so that people see AMAC and
we are doing great, why do we need others looking for tax write-offs. know instantly that is us. We will look
to change?’” says Buzz. “And the color “We have to be forward-thinking.” at where we are a year and a half from
orange – I was very resistant to that at He also sold to Llwyd Ecclestone the says Buzz. “Our investment in rebrand- now to measure the success of the
first, but they gradually won me over. land where Ecclestone created John’s ing is an investment in the future.” new brand, to see if we have picked up
Island Club and developed Riomar market share, had an influx of people
“It isn’t just the demographic change; Bay and other projects. “We wanted to do something that visiting the website or improved in
almost everything in real estate has would help us stand out in the commu-
changed. I believe the human element Buzz took the reins of the company nity and compete with the big brands other ways.” 
is still the most important. Buyers and in 1991 when his father retired and is infiltrating into our area,” says Adams.
sellers still want a good agent to guide
them through the process. But we use
technology now in every aspect of our
business and there is a lot of new com-
petition, and we have to be forward-
looking.

“When my father started the business
in 1949, there was no MLS or Realtors
Association here. He and the other three
real estate agents in town met once a
week at a drugstore with spiral note-
books to share information and find out
who was looking to buy and sell.

“It has been a continual evolution
since then. When I joined the compa-
ny in 1980, we had eight agents. Now
we have 65. The prior logo lasted us 20
years. Hopefully, this new one will last
as long, with tweaks along the way.”

“We believe this design will with-
stand the test of time,” says Heller.
“Any brand needs to undergo modifi-
cations; that is the nature of the beast,
but we see this as a brand that is mini-
mal in its approach but timeless in its
nature that will weave its way into the
community.”

The MacWilliams’ history in Vero
Beach goes back to 1919, when Buzz’s
grandfather, Alex MacWilliam Sr.,
came to town to design the Riomar golf
course.

He was a World War I hero who
was awarded a Silver Star, two Pur-
ple Hearts and the French Croix de
Guerre. Wounded in a mustard gas
attack, he was being treated in Cleve-
land where he was a landscape archi-
tect by one of the doctors who found-
ed Riomar when the doctor asked him
to help design the development.

He met his wife at the Riomar Club,
where she worked in food service. They
settled in Riomar and had a bunch of
kids as he pursued a career that in-
cluded serving as Vero Beach mayor
for 20 years and founding the Indian
River Mosquito Control District.

When his son, Alex MacWilliam Jr.,
Buzz’s father, came home from fight-
ing in the Pacific in World War II he ran
an officer’s club called “Club Mac” in
the building where the Ocean Grill is
now and then decided to go into real
estate, opening an office across from
the downtown post office.

He moved his business to the island
in the early 1950s, building the office
where it still operates. Buzz says he
specialized in selling raw citrus land
to growers, helping them drain the

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

NEWS

Teachers arrested Sheriff Eric Flowers (center) gave a press conference on the arrests on Monday along with School Cohen and Hallback’s bizarre mis-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Superintendent David Moore (right) and Detective Philip Daugherty (left). PHOTO BY KAILA JONES adventure started with a night of
drinking and moved to a tryst in a
“When we spoke to Mr. Cohen, he Hallback was released on $15,000 Adderall pills in a backpack in Hall- woman’s apartment before breaking
admitted to the shooting,” Flowers bond Oct. 14 after being charged with back’s bedroom, Sheriff’s records show. bad as a result of an urgent need to go
said. “His story goes a little differently drug possession, sheriff’s records show. A search of Florida’s pharmacies and to the bathroom, backtracking to the
than the victim’s story and what the He has also been fired. prescription dispensing database in- wrong apartment and getting into a
video shows, but he did admit it.” dicated Hallback lacked the required fight with the renter.
Detectives searching the house at prescription for the drug.
Cohen was about to start teaching 9325 107th Ave. found a bag with 10 “Friday morning (Oct. 15), when staff
his first period class Oct. 14 when an brought this story to me, I just didn’t be-
assistant principal summoned him to lieve it. It didn’t even sound real,” Flow-
the office to meet with law enforce- ers said. “It didn’t even sound real that
ment officers, school district spokes- two PE teachers were involved in shoot-
woman Cristen Maddux said Monday. ing this man in an apartment complex.
I still can’t believe that it’s real.
“He had no idea why he was going to
the office,” Maddux said. “There were “They were out at two of our local
no kids in the office or clinic. They establishments in Vero Beach known
took him out from there.” for drinking,” Flowers said. “Mr. Hall-
back had met a young lady and they
Cohen had been out on leave the decided he wanted to go back. So they
first three days of last week following traveled in his red Challenger to her
the shooting shortly after 4 a.m., Sun- apartment that was off of Oslo Road.
day, Oct. 10, Maddux said.
“He went inside with this young
Detectives were awaiting the result lady,” Flowers said. “Mr. Cohen waited
of ballistics tests on a handgun found outside the apartment while Mr. Hall-
in a house at 9325 107th Ave. that Co- back was inside. A couple of hours go
hen shares with two other teachers to by. At some point, Mr. Hallback came
determine if it was the firearm used in back out and got Mr. Cohen.
the shooting, Flowers said.
“Mr. Cohen had to use the restroom,”
Law enforcement officials are consid- Flowers said. “So they went to go back
ering filing an additional charge against into the apartment that he had been in
Akkua Jamel Hallback, 26, a gym teacher with this young lady. Except they went
at Sebastian Elementary School, who was into the wrong apartment.
with Cohen the night of the shooting.
“Mr. Cohen went into the restroom,

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 5

NEWS

he needed to use the restroom,” Flow- Flowers said. “‘When I got out of bed I stopped and called 911,” Flowers said. obtained videotape of the two men
ers said. “Mr. Hallback got back into the encountered another man in my apart- “They could have said, ‘We’re in the from the apartment complex’s security
bed he thought was the young lady’s ment and we got into a scuffle. The wrong apartment.' They could have camera, Flowers said. After the video
bed. It was actually the couple’s bed. next thing I know, I’m getting shot at.’” stopped. They didn’t. They fled and was published on social media, tipsters
they didn’t involve law enforcement in called the Crimestoppers hotline with
“Our victim in this case says: ‘All I Cohen and Hallback left the scene any way.” the names and address of the suspects.
know is, I was in my apartment, I woke without calling 911, Flowers said.
up to a man getting into the bed,’” The victim called 911 and detectives CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
“At any point they could have

6 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Teachers arrested tests and background checks, School
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 Superintendent David Moore said
Monday during the news conference.
Detective Philip Daugherty said the
security video shows the victim run- “They went through the appropri-
ning for his life. ate process and were cleared to be em-
ployees. This is the first incident they
“What we know is, there is a scuffle had, but unfortunately, it was a very
and on video, you can see the gentle- serious incident. Unfortunately, they
man who lives in the house running made some really bad decisions.”
away on video and Mr. Cohen is chas-
ing after him,” Daugherty said. “Just Since Cohen and Hallback had not
after they get off screen, we hear four passed their 90-day probationary pe-
shots ring out and our victim is shot riod, Moore said he was able to imme-
in the back. He continues to run until diately terminate their employment.
he finds a friendly apartment that lets
him inside and calls 911.” “There is no place for this in our
school system,” Moore said. “There is
Database searches indicate Cohen no place for this in our community.”
and Hallback have no criminal his-
tory, Daugherty said. Archived prep Flowers summed up the situation
football records show that both Cohen this way:
and Hallback were athletes at Moore
Haven High School in Glades County. “For me, the biggest thing we have
Cohen went on to play college football to recognize here is: These guys were
in Connecticut and Iowa. Last year out at 4 a.m., they had been drinking,
he taught middle school science in they’re back in this apartment, one
Moore Haven and Hallback had previ- guy has drugs in his backpack, they’re
ously been employed by Florida Inter- making bad decisions out there. And
national University. at the end of the day, they ended up in
the wrong apartment.
Both passed their required drug
“It could have been way worse than
it was,” Flowers said. “This could have
been a deadly incident. Fortunately,

the victim is still alive today.” 

Hospital accused pital’s lawyer in the Toshuua Hughes
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 case, that the hospital had only re-
cently learned of the failure to copy
among other things, any changes, ad- audit data from the physician hub
ditions or deletions. All other modules over to the audit database.
by the same company have that capa-
bility, according to a Sept. 29 deposi- Yet the software situation, which
tion of the hospital’s IT director, Brian Hughes’ attorneys believe may be in
Myszkowski. violation of state and federal laws, ap-
pears to be no different today than it
The scheduled metadata disappear- was in the summer of 2017.
ance – which may have been in place
as far back as 2012, if not earlier – is In the same email, Hoffman said,
still occurring today, Myszkowski said. “IRMC contacted Allscripts (the hos-
That means while a final report on a pital’s EHR software company at the
patient can be viewed, the underly- time) for assistance in building a pro-
ing data – including any changes that gram to generate the requested report
were made, when they were made and on a per health care provider basis
who made them – does not show up without success.”
after 30 days.
In fact, offers by the hospital’s soft-
Cleveland Clinic Indian River did ware company to give a quote to cre-
not respond to questions about the ate such a tool were “ignored” by the
data issues, and said only that it “re- hospital, according to Hughes’ attor-
mains committed to providing high- neys, David Carter and Dane Ullian.
quality, safe care to the community
we serve.” Such a tool might help recreate key
elements of physicians notes – specifi-
“This case was brought almost a cally, any changes to them – that were
year before Indian River Medical Cen- automatically overwritten. That purge
ter joined the Cleveland Clinic health would have come 30 days after Toshuua
system,” spokesman Scott Samples Hughes, then 42 and just coming out of
said. “Because there is currently liti- a routine hysterectomy, suffered a cata-
gation, Cleveland Clinic Indian River strophic post-operative deprivation
Hospital cannot comment on specif- of oxygen. She remains in a persistent
ics related to the case.” vegetative state, cared for in a special-
ized Sarasota nursing home.
At the time of the incident, the hos-
pital was locally run and not part of Myszkowski said as far as he knew,
Cleveland Clinic, which took over in since the time the module was first
January 2019. put in place, no one had realized it
wasn’t moving data to the audit data-
Myszkowski confirmed an email base where it could be audited like the
statement of June Hoffman, the hos- other modules.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8



8 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Hospital accused tions?” asked Ullian. “Is the data there
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 and you just don’t have the tool to pull
it, or is the data not there?”
But in his deposition, he vacillated
on whether a recoverable “audit trail” “I don’t know,” Myszkowski said.
of changes exists. “Who is working on that problem
right now?” asked Ullian.
“I believe there is a full audit trail “So we are – I don’t know if anyone
that exists, but not necessarily in a is working on that problem right now,”
specific database for this specific re- answered Myszkowski.
port written against it,” he said. The hospital also said it has no way
of providing Hughes’ attorneys with
But when Ullian pressed him on why audit data by medical provider. Carter
that trail wasn’t already in his hands, and Ullian have asked for data on all
Myszkowski seemed to draw a blank. patients seen by a particular provider
on a given date – the anesthesiologist
“Why can’t I get a report that shows was their example.
additions, modifications and dele-

Ullian asked Myszkowski how IT to attorney Carter.
would respond if hospital president Within weeks of the incident, a hos-
Dr. Greg Rosencrance wanted to learn
if a doctor was altering records. Mysz- pital leader circulated a plan to avoid
kowski said they would put together a future scenarios like the one involv-
list of patients assigned to that doctor, ing Hughes. That plan was in an email
and Rosencrance could examine each that took more than three years for the
individual medical record for altera- hospital to provide to Hughes’ attor-
tions. He added that he himself had neys, despite repeated demands for
dealt with a similar scenario in that such evidence.
manner.
While Cleveland Clinic Indian River
For Carter and Ullian, it took hiring was apparently stonewalling on dis-
an IT forensic examiner to find that covery efforts, the hospital’s malprac-
Hughes’ records had been altered to tice insurance company was simul-
reflect that she went without oxygen taneously suing the hospital over the
for a much shorter period than actu- Hughes case in federal court.
ally was the case. In addition, records
showed that a Code Blue was called According to Hughes’ attorneys, the
for Hughes, but a nurse’s handwrit- documents produced in that case re-
ten timeline showed no such emer- vealed a strategy of admitting liability
gency signal ever occurred. in hopes of going to arbitration and
thereby avoiding producing evidence.
The year-long delay in producing But the plaintiffs opted to go to trial
critical evidence requested by the instead, and the flow of evidence has
plaintiffs caused Circuit Judge Janet been constricted, to say the least.
Croom to add punitive damages in the
case. That ruling, in April of this year, In the latest action calling for the
came on top of a ruling in August 2020 judge to hold the hospital in civil con-
to lift Florida’s medical malpractice tempt as well as order further sanc-
caps on awards. tions, attorneys say the hospital has
not complied with an April 29 court
Those two moves, added to the order on discovery issues.
costs of caring for Hughes for her life-
time, could put a possible award into In an August filing, plaintiffs’ at-
the realm of $100 million, according torneys said they believe the 30-day
overwrite policy “– if true – repre-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10



10 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Hospital accused Lifeguard formance,” Toomsoo said. “They got a “costly and inefficient use of city re-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 rid of me because they wanted to shut sources” that “resulted in little added
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 me up. They’ll get rid of anyone who benefit to the city or our beach pa-
sents gross non-compliance of fed- raises issues and asks questions they trons” and “caused additional stress
eral law.” They expressed particular City administrators say Toomsoo’s don’t want to answer.” on our lifeguarding crew …”
dismay over the fact that the routine non-union position was eliminated as
deletion came despite the specter of part of a restructuring of the lifeguard It was Toomsoo, 53, who led the Toomsoo said city lifeguards per-
legal action. staff. campaign to extend the hours of life- formed four rescues – all involving chil-
guard protection at South Beach, Hu- dren – during the extended hours this
“The fact that IRMC would allow Toomsoo said he was targeted for miston and Jaycee parks until 7 p.m. past summer.
this overwrite in the face of a known the layoff because he was an out-front from Memorial Day through Labor
catastrophic outcome and ‘poten- advocate for the city’s lifeguards and Day, convincing the City Council in “Luckily,” Toomsoo said, “the City
tially compensable event’” – the at- their working conditions, and too vo- 2019 to spend up to $25,000 to cover Council rejected the recommendation.”
torneys were quoting a hospital in- cal a critic of “waste, fraud and poor the extra two hours.
ternal communication – “is an issue judgment” in the Recreation Depart- Regarding the loss of his job, Toom-
ment. He also has been urging the city to soo said he began receiving written
plaintiffs must be able to explore.”  equip lifeguards at each of its beaches warnings for not following the chain
“This wasn’t related to my work per- with an ATV. Currently, there are only of command and official reprimands
two, but one is in need of replacement, shortly after O’Connell took charge of
or at least repair. the Recreation Department.

In addition, Toomsoo publishes He said Falls and O’Connell“planned”
the VBLA’s monthly “Beach Report,” his layoff when they adjusted the bud-
which provides an array of statistics get, adding that they could’ve simply
on the city’s beaches, including atten- fired him because he was an at-will em-
dance, weather conditions and life- ployee, not a union lifeguard.
guard activity.
“But they knew if they fired me, I
would have filed a whistleblower law-

Vero Beach Lifeguard
Association president
Erik Toomsoo.

PHOTO BY KAILA JONES

One of Toomsoo’s complaints was suit, so they laid me off,” Toomsoo said.
Recreation Director Jim O’Connell’s “And there’s nothing I can do about it.”
decision to strip him of his duties as
the lifeguard squad’s training officer, Falls and city Human Resources Di-
eliminating the Tuesday morning two- rector Gabrielle Manus denied the al-
hour training sessions. legation in a telephone interview last
Friday with Vero Beach 32963, saying
“We haven’t done any substantial Toomsoo’s disciplinary record and off-
training since he got here,” Toomsoo the-beach conduct was not considered
said of O’Connell, who was hired last when they made the decision to elimi-
year to replace the now-retired Rob nate the assistant captain’s position.
Slezak. “He said our training was ad-
equate.” “Not at all,” Manus said.
Falls said he asked department heads
O’Connell also sought to eliminate during the budget process to identify staff
the extended hours of beach protec- positions that could be eliminated or re-
tion, describing them in an April 28 structured, and O’Connell recommend-
memo to City Manager Monte Falls as ed restructuring the lifeguard squad to

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 11

NEWS

accommodate scheduling that would “Erik had every opportunity to be
put more lifeguards on the beaches. placed on layoff status, but he elected
not to do so,” Falls said. “If a lifeguard
Manus said Toomsoo, as an assistant job became available, we’d post it in-
captain, held a non-union supervisory ternally on our job board and union
position, which was a factor in the re- employees get priority.
structuring of the lifeguard squad.
“But jobs come open all the time,”
“Erik couldn’t be placed in the life- he added, “and lifeguard positions are
guards’ daily rotation because, under among the jobs that come open quite
our agreement with the union, a non- often.”
union employee may not take work
away from a union member,” Manus Toomsoo’s annual salary was
explained. “So the only way a captain $46,000, and the new position – in-
or assistant captain can be put into cluding benefits – will save the city
the rotation is as a fill-in, if there’s no about $8,000. Manus said the layoff
union member available.” was not a cost-cutting measure.

With Toomsoo’s departure, the city “We make decisions based on the
will replace him with a lieutenant’s position, not the person, and what’s
position manned by a union member. best for the city,” Manus said. “This
restructuring enables us to put an-
Union members are not permitted other full-time lifeguard on the beach,
to hold supervisory positions, Manus which was needed. The last six to nine
said, so the new lieutenant will not weeks, we’ve been struggling to put
have any authority to set policy or take lifeguards on the beach.”
disciplinary action.
Last month, Humiston Park Beach
“He’s there to oversee the lifeguards was closed to bathers for five days be-
in the absence of the captain,” she said. cause there weren’t enough lifeguards
available.
Toomsoo said the lieutenant’s posi-
tion was not offered to him – the memo According to O’Connell, the life-
informing him that he was being laid guard squad was left shorthanded by
off stated there were no vacant, non- COVID-related illnesses, scheduled
union positions available for someone vacations and other sick days.
with his qualifications – and he proba-
bly would not have accepted, anyway. At full strength, the squad should
have nine full-time lifeguards and at
“There’s just so much vitriol with least eight part-timers.
the way they came after me,” said
Toomsoo, who defiantly challenged Manus said Toomsoo, a United
the legitimacy of the disciplinary ac- States Lifesaving Association Medal of
tions taken against him. Valor recipient who launched the fun-
draising campaign to build a “House
However, Falls said Toomsoo was of- of Refuge” lifeguard tower and head-
fered the opportunity to be placed on a quarters at Humiston, was a “very
“recall list,” which would have made him competent, very talented lifeguard.”
a candidate for any city positions that
became available during the next year. Toomsoo, who owned and operated
several health clubs in New Jersey be-
Manus said Toomsoo wasn’t imme- fore selling them in 2010 and moving
diately eligible to apply for the new to Vero Beach, said he could retire – or
lieutenant’s position because, under he might run for City Council.
the city’s agreement with the union, the
job must be posted for union members “It’s certainly something I’m consid-
for 10 days before it can be made avail- ering,” he said. “A lot of people know
able to non-union applicants.
who I am.” 

FIRST NEW BRIGHTLINE TRAIN ROLLS
THROUGH DOWNTOWN VERO BEACH

BY GEORGE ANDREASSI ing high-speed passenger service from
Staff Writer South Florida to Orlando in early 2023,
said spokeswoman Katie Mitzner.
A new Brightline high-speed pas-
senger train rolled through downtown The train traveled more than 3,000
Vero Beach without fanfare about 8 miles from the Siemens Mobility North
p.m., last Friday, traveling about 40 America factory in Sacramento to the
mph en route to a maintenance yard Florida East Coast Railway tracks run-
in West Palm Beach. ning along the Florida Atlantic coast,
Mitzner said.
Consisting of a locomotive on each
end and four luxury coaches in the Brightline is upgrading the FECR
middle, it was the first of five newly built tracks between West Palm Beach and
trainsets Brightline is transporting to Cocoa and building new tracks between
South Florida in anticipation of extend- Cocoa and Orlando International Air-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

12 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Brightline and Boca Raton in late 2022, Mitzner
said. The company also wants to ex-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 tend service from Orlando to Disney
Springs and Tampa.
port to handle the high-speed passen-
ger trains. Officials in Stuart, Fort Pierce, Vero
Beach and Cocoa have expressed in-
Construction on the 170-mile ex- terest in hosting a passenger station,
tension is 60 percent complete and but Brightline officials have said a
on schedule to wrap up by the end of decision would depend on ridership
2022, Mitzner said. The project em- studies conducted several years after
ploys about 1,300 construction work- service starts between South Florida
ers daily. and Orlando.

Brightline plans to zip 32 passenger Indian River County was the last
trains through Indian River County at bastion of opposition to the Bright-
speeds of up to 110 mph as part of a line project. Brightline agreed to pay
3-hour, 15-minute trip between South for $31.6 million worth of safety im-
Florida and Orlando International Air- provements at 32 railroad crossings
port. in Indian River County to settle a state
lawsuit in June.
FECR currently runs 10 to 20 freight
trains per day along its tracks at speeds City, county, state and Brightline
of 40 mph to 60 mph. engineers are in the process of review-
ing construction drawings for the im-
Brightline plans to resume service be- provements at the crossings.
tween Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West
Palm Beach in November, Mitzner said. The county had taken its unsuccess-
Service was suspended in March 2020 ful appeal of Brightline’s approval by the
because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal Railroad Administration all the
way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which
Brightline expects to finish building
new passenger stations in Aventura rejected the case last October. 

PHOTO BY KAILA JONES

My Vero ward’s School, but school spokesper-
son Monica Jennings said the Health
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Department was mistaken.

But that’s what DeSantis has done. “We never had a vaccine mandate
Last week, in fact, John’s Island Club and don’t plan to,” Jennings said.
was among the 100-plus private and “We don’t know how we got on the
public entities – including Orlando’s list, because it was never even a dis-
Amway Center, Carnival Cruise Line cussion.”
and the Miami Marlins – under review
by the Florida Department of Health The Health Department’s response?
for possibly violating a recently en- We didn’t get one, despite leaving a
acted state law banning vaccine pass- phone message and sending an email
ports. to its communications staff, so the de-
The offenses, if proven, could result tails pertaining to John’s Island Club
in hefty fines more suited for doing and St. Edward’s School being listed as
actual harm, rather than for protect- violators remain a mystery.
ing people from a potentially deadly According to one longtime John’s
pandemic. Island resident, however, members
Just so you know: The state’s list of were notified by management last
alleged violators also includes St. Ed- month that the Health Department
was investigating the club’s require-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

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14 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

My Vero publicans but oppose this law. Don’t be
surprised, though, if more than a few –
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 many of them generous contributors in
the past to GOP campaigns – remember
ment that anyone using its facilities be this embarrassing situation when De-
vaccinated against COVID-19. Santis seeks re-election next year.

The club also required all employ- “I’d hate to speculate how much
ees to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 15 to money that otherwise would go to De-
keep their jobs. Santis’ campaign might not be there,”
a prominent John’s Island Republican
“A lot of the members have been said. “He’s a smart guy, but sometimes I
gone for the summer, and things can don’t understand why he does things.”
change pretty quickly,” the resident
said, “but I don’t think anyone really The Health Department last week
had a problem with the vaccine re- publicly released a notice issued to
quirement.” Leon County that it was being fined $3.5
million for requiring 714 employees to
Someone did, however. provide documentation of their COV-
Perhaps it was a staunch DeSantis ID-19 vaccinations and firing 14 people
supporter or, more likely, a disgrun- for their refusal or failure to comply.
tled employee, but somebody must’ve
contacted the Health Department and How, exactly, does that help the
filed a complaint – something anyone people of Leon County?
can do via email at vaxpassfreefl@fl-
health.gov. How will these silly fines help anyone?
“We’re a private club,” another “It’s completely unacceptable for
John’s Island resident said. “We should either the government or the private
be able to decide for ourselves.” sector to impose upon you the re-
quirement that you show proof of vac-

John’s Island clubhouse. PHOTO BY ROSS ROWLINSON

Both of the John’s Island residents cine to just simply be able to partici-
interviewed are registered Republi- pate in normal society,” DeSantis said
cans who agreed to speak only on the at a news conference in April.
condition they remain anonymous,
but at least they were willing to talk. He ignored – and continues to
downplay – the strain on our health-
John’s Island Club General Manager care workers, serious illness and loss
Brian Kroh, who had always returned of life caused by this ongoing pan-
my calls in the past, didn’t respond last demic, which has been allowed to per-
week to two phone messages, a text sist because too many people refuse,
and an email seeking comment on the for no good reason, to get vaccinated.
vaccine-passport situation.
Truth is, the vaccine-passport ban,
“I doubt you’ll hear from him,” the much like DeSantis’ emergency order
GM of another island club told me. prohibiting school districts from im-
“He can’t talk about this.” posing mask mandates on campus, is
as wrongheaded as it is un-Republican.
That’s understandable.
Not only are there legal and financial Real free-market, capitalist Repub-
concerns – the so-called vaccine-pass- licans would allow private businesses,
port law signed by DeSantis in May clubs and schools to choose for them-
carries penalties of $5,000 per violation selves. They’d resist big-government
– but Kroh probably isn’t eager to speak overreach. They’d make the personal
against a Republican governor. decisions that directly impact their
The same goes for the many John’s lives and livelihoods at home, or at
Island members who identify as Re- least in their local community.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 15

NEWS

That’s what John’s Island did. normalcy – without having to worry
The members opted to adopt a vac- about a neighbor unknowingly infect-
cine policy that allowed them to fully ing them with COVID.
enjoy the club’s amenities while expe-
riencing some sense of pre-pandemic Hard to understand why DeSantis is

opposed to that. 

No end in sight for Vero utility disputes
with the county and Indian River Shores

BY LISA ZAHNER The next step in that dispute is a
joint meeting of the elected officials
Staff Writer from both the town and the city. The
date of that meeting has not yet been
The City of Vero Beach – once at set, but the parties have been using
odds with all of its neighbors over its Indian River Charter High School as a
electric utility rates – is embroiled in neutral venue.
three separate disputes over its wa-
ter-sewer utility, and none of these Meanwhile the Shores is eagerly
confrontations seems to have an easy awaiting the results of a study into
resolution. whether or not it would be practical
and economically possible to get wa-
In fact, the opposing sides appear to ter-sewer service from the county, or
be digging in their heels, meaning the from another provider.
disputes could result in costly, drawn-
out litigation. That means the next it- In response to a public records re-
eration of the Vero City Council – with quest, the town said it has received no
either one or two new members – will interim reports, or even a timeline for
need to carry on the defense of the the final report from its Tampa-based
city’s water-sewer utility territory. consultant, Arcadis. So far the town
has paid $43,000 on the $121,000 job.
Last week, Vero and Indian River Still pending are the major deliver-
Shores’ negotiating teams met in an ables – the funding analysis, roadmap
effort to resolve a federal antitrust law- and final report, according to a Sept.
suit filed by the Shores, but the parties 22 invoice.
declared an impasse. Both sides stat-
ed their arguments in the strongest Vero is also at odds with Indian
terms, with their positions as far apart River County. Earlier this month,
as ever. Vero and Indian River County con-
tinued a series of talks that revolve
The Shores has asked the federal around the same utility issue –
court to rule on whether or not a 1989 whether or not Vero enjoys the right
agreement between Vero and Indian to a permanent water-sewer service
River County setting each entity’s ser- territory which extends out from
vice territories violates federal anti- the city limits to include Indian Riv-
trust law. Vero is claiming its territory er Shores and the unincorporated
is permanent, and was intended to be South barrier Island.
permanent by the parties that drafted
and approved it in 1989. A permanent The top staffers from Vero and the
Vero service territory would give In- county have met numerous times,
dian River Shores no opportunity to and the two elected boards have met
seek a competitive alternative for an in joint session. No settlement agree-
essential service. ment has been reached, because Vero
has refused to entertain the county’s
Vero City Manager Monte Falls asked request for a predictable, phased-in
the Shores’ delegation headed by Town rate scheme for unincorporated South
Manager Jim Harpring and outside le- Beach customers.
gal counsel Bruce May of Holland and
Knight, “What do you want?” Vero city manager Falls has been
adamant that the city “will no longer
That question was a non-starter, as charge rates that do not reflect the
it’s clear the Shores wants a divorce cost of providing service,” and that Ve-
from Vero’s utility system. A separate ro’s rates will not be tied to the rates of
civil dispute – town’s breach of con- a different utility such as Indian River
tract lawsuit filed against Vero in state County Utilities.
circuit court – makes that pretty clear.
On Oct. 5, the Vero Beach City Coun-
Falls said Vero has never said Indian cil unanimously approved two resolu-
River County can’t serve the Shores, tions indicating Vero intends to stand
but that Vero must give its permission. its ground at all costs. The first reso-
Short of having the court nullify the lution affirmed Vero’s permanent ser-
1989 territorial agreement, how many vice territory and Vero’s intention to
millions of dollars it might cost for the conduct a rate study and adjust rates
Shores to buy that permission to leave
Vero’s system is unknown. CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

16 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Vero Beach wants to phase out septic tanks on island

BY LISA ZAHNER the matter up for discussion at a recent years,” Vero’s Water-Sewer Utility Di- diverts effluent from septic drainfields.
Staff Writer council meeting, saying that sewer rector Rob Bolton said. “I would have loved to have a before
service is now widely available on the
One of the first issues on tap for the island and, while Vero can’t do much No policy has been set yet, but and after, but there’s no monitoring of
new Vero Beach City Council after the about septic tanks located outside the council members suggested that 2029 the lagoon,” Bolton said. “No one is
November election will be whether to city limits, the council can set a date or 2030 could be a fair deadline giving doing tests on nutrients or anything
force city residents on the barrier is- certain when all city homes still on sep- homeowners time to plan. It would else in the lagoon water.”
land to move off of reliance on their tic tanks must be converted to a Septic also give the city staff a chance to seek
septic tanks and hook up to Vero’s Tank Effluent Pump (STEP) system. grant funding to offset the cost of con- It’s the city’s position that STEP sys-
sewer system. verting hundreds of septic users to tems – along with a fertilizer ordinance
“We finished laying pipe four years sewer customers. plus costly stormwater management
Councilman Dick Winger brought ago, we laid 93,000 feet of pipe in two projects and street sweeping – work to-
Bolton said the city started out six gether to positively impact the lagoon.
years ago with 1,500 septic tanks, in- But the fertilizer ordinance is not being
cluding 900 on the barrier island, half enforced, and there’s no hard data to
of which have hooked up to sewer prove that water quality is improving
service via a STEP system. That leaves as a direct result of these efforts.
roughly 450 STEP-eligible septic tanks
remaining on the barrier island. Not- The STEP system does not require
ing that people tend to wait until the the excavation and removal of the sep-
last minute to comply, Bolton sug- tic tank. While leaving the septic tank in
gested the deadline might be different place to break down solids, it pumps the
for each neighborhood – maybe 2027 nutrient-rich liquid waste called effluent
for Bethel Creek, 2028 for Live Oak and off into a pipe leading to the city’s sani-
2029 for Riomar and Central Beach. tary sewer lines, reducing the chance
that the liquid waste would end up run-
“I wish that back six years ago we ning off into the Indian River Lagoon.
would have had the courage to say that
by 2030 or something we’d do away When Vero began installing STEP
with the drainfields,” Winger said. systems on the barrier island six years
ago, the city offered incentives to early
Winger also sees home sales as an adopters. The council would like to
opportunity to get rid of septics. “On see some type of help for people who
the barrier island if a house is sold, at would be forced to connect.
that point in time it needs to be con-
verted to a STEP system,” Winger said, The typical cost is $6,000 to $9,000
clarifying that he means only homes but the cost can vary widely depending
within the city limits. upon the location and condition of the
septic system. The city does not do the
Mayor Robbie Brackett said a septic installation, so residents must apply to
tank inspection is typically done when the city for conversion and then find a
the house is sold, that the buyer does private septic contractor to do the work.
the inspection and the seller gets a
copy if repairs are needed. Then the Vero would not be able to impose
parties negotiate based on that. But STEP system hookup requirements on
right now, no one is required to furnish Indian River Shores customers or on
a copy of the inspection to the city. unincorporated South Beach custom-
ers in Vero’s water-sewer service terri-
“There are issues with implemen- tory as that type of regulation would
tation and grants. We need to have a need to come from the Shores Town
plan,” Brackett said. Council and the Indian River Board of
County Commissioners, respectively.
Council candidate Tracey Zudans
rose to the public podium during the Bolton said he had spoken to former
discussion and asked if there is any Shores town manage Joe Griffin about
data showing that STEP conversion is offering STEP conversions to Shores
worth the cost to homeowners. residents, but that “all communica-
tion stopped” when the Shores filed a
“If we’ve done half the barrier island, breach of contract lawsuit against Vero
have we checked the lagoon’s health regarding the water-sewer utility.
since then to see if lagoon health im-
proved?” Zudans said. A council workshop on how to deal
with septic tanks in the city is tenta-
Bolton explained that the city has tively scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Nov. 29
no way to determine the success of the
STEP program other than knowing it in council chambers. 

Utility disputes Since a previous county settlement
proposal would temporarily control
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 rates for South barrier island custom-
ers, Vero’s recent posture doubling
in 2022. The second resolution af- down on its rate-making authority
firmed that Vero “should not concede leaves little hope for the kind of com-
its ability to make rates” for customers promise the county had hoped to
within its service territory.
achieve. 

JAM-TASTIC! JAKE & PALS
WOW ’EM AT FLAMINGO WEEKEND

18 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Jam-tastic! Jake & pals wow ’em at Flamingo Weekend

Scotty Emerick. PHOTOS: KAILA JONES Daves Highway. FLAMINGO JAM

BY KERRY FIRTH AND MARY SCHENKEL to the stage to sing alongside Owen. children’s-related charities on a na- an indoor venue where weather isn’t a
Throughout the evening Owen in- tional and local level. factor. This year’s concert sold out in
Staff Writers less than 48 hours.”
troduced other country artists, song- Nationally, the foundation supports
Jake Owen was welcomed home writers and up-and-coming perform- children battling cancer at the St. Jude The Flamingo weekend had kicked
by adoring fans during a jam-packed ers, providing the audience with a Children’s Research Hospital and has off with a cocktail reception at the
weekend titled ‘The Flamingo’ to ben- variety of sounds and styles, all in the recently begun providing funding Quail Valley River Club for players who
efit the Jake Owen Foundation, which spirit of charity. to organizations around the coun- would be participating the next day in
supports local youth nonprofit orga- try; and locally to numerous Indian the Flamingo Golf Classic at the Quail
nizations and the St. Jude Children’s “I have a lot of friends in Nashville, River County youth organizations Valley Golf Club.
Research Hospital in Memphis. and I’m thrilled to have them here to- and charities, including the Boys &
night,” said Owen, flashing his char- Girls Clubs, Youth Guidance, Hibiscus “Well, it’s always good to have him
The main event was a sold-out Fla- ismatic smile. “You know, living in Children’s Center, and the Education back home because we don’t get to see
mingo Jam concert, held Saturday, Nashville is exciting and humbling at Foundation. him as much with him being on the
Oct. 9 at the Corporate Air hangar at the same time because you are sur- road all the time, so that part is great,”
the Vero Beach Regional Airport. Nev- rounded by people better than you.” “The foundation has given away said Jake’s father, Steve Owen.
er one to disappoint his hometown over $3.5 million in the past decade,”
fans, Owen brought along nine of his While that statement may have re- said Jake’s twin brother, Jarrod Owen, “But one of the things that I’m most
singer/songwriter friends to wow the flected Owen’s homegrown unpreten- who serves as president of the founda- proud of that he’s done, is that he does
audience. tiousness, his fans would most assur- tion. take the time to come back and do his
edly disagree. annual concert for local charities and
Ever humble and willing to share “This is actually the 11th anniver- St. Jude. There’s a lot of people that have
the spotlight, he proudly introduced Owen quickly had the crowd up on sary of the foundation, but Jake has the platform that he has that won’t take
each of the performers and shared their feet, dancing in the aisles to his been giving charity concerts since be- the time to do that. But growing up in
personal anecdotes about their rela- highly energetic performance. And fore its inception,” he said, adding that Vero I think it’s very important to him
tionships. then there was that special ‘that’s our the Flamingo weekend would support to come back to town. And to me, that’s
song moment’ when he sang his hit more than a dozen local charities. something that I really take pride in.”
Mississippi-born siblings Del- song “Beachin’.” The Vero audience,
aney, Zachary and Erika Daves of claiming it as their own, sang along “His first concert was held in the The weekend also included a Fla-
the Daves Highway band opened the with personal pride. Vero Beach High School auditorium, mingo Fishing Tournament, and gave
evening’s performances with their and then moved to Riverside Theatre, the stage to up-and-coming songwrit-
musical blend of what people in the Owen has supported the Vero Beach Dodgertown, the high school stadium, ers at showcase events at Waldo’s, Vero
South call ‘blood harmony.’ Next, community philanthropically since the Indian River County Fairgrounds Beach Hotel and Spa and Riverside
Ryan Hurd belted out one of his new- 2006, soon after releasing his debut and now the Corporate Air hangar. We Café.
est hits, “Tab with My Name on It,” studio album, “Startin’ with Me.” The found the fans preferred a more inti-
and Vero’s own Scotty Emerick took nonprofit Jake Owen Foundation was mate experience and the protection of For more information, visit Jake-
established in 2010 to offer support to OwenFoundation.org. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 19

PEOPLE

Veda Claud, Amber Dugan and Betsy Rothermel. Jarrod Owen, Mitzi and Steve Owen, Jake Owen and Erica Hartlein. PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
Andrew and Brittany Corr with Dana and Tim Corr.

Taylor and Alex Brown.

Fred and Pam DiRocco.

Camille and Rusty Cappelen.
Tori Barnett and Sarah Scott.

20 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

FLAMINGO FISHING CLASSIC

Kiernan Moylan. Brian and Gabriel Dapelo.
Rowen Phillips.

Kate Talley.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 21

PEOPLE

‘Ad’-mirable support for Sebastian Chamber’s auction

Mark Lewis and Cara Irwin. PHOTOS: MARY SCHENKEL Joel Stout and Pete Anderson. Beth Mitchell and Peter O’Bryan.

Nick Hall, Robin Raiff, Sally Spires and Michael Natale. Brittany Melchiori, Cheryl Thibault and Sue Skirvin. Gary and Michele Soto with Renee and Tom MacLear.

BY MARY SCHENKEL thought that was cute,” she added. “We
didn’t sell all of the items that night, so
Staff Writer we extended it over the weekend and
until Monday to give other people a
Hoping to stretch their advertising chance to bid.”
dollars, representatives of businesses
and nonprofit organizations made Brittany Melchiori and Michael Na-
their way recently to the Pareidolia tale, who each have a long history with
Brewing Company to attend Bids & the chamber, acted as event MCs with
Brews, the 28th annual Lifestyle & Me- Thibault. Melchiori, a former longtime
dia Auction to benefit the Sebastian chamber employee before resigning to
River Area Chamber of Commerce and co-found the Marketing Branch, and
its Pelican Porch Visitor Center. Natale, owner of MN Worldwide, wan-
dered about with microphones to chat
With a nod to making it a pandemic- with attendees and even did a little Pa-
friendly event, the hybrid affair was reidolia brew tasting.
held outdoors and also offered some
virtual bidding items for those not Bids and Brews was presented by
comfortable attending in-person. Tight Line Productions and hosted by
Pareidolia Brewing; the food sponsor
Their icy mugs of craft brews or wine was Sandpiper Pest Control; and the
in hand, guests perused tables laden beverage sponsor was MN Worldwide.
with various silent-auction items while
networking with fellow bidders. Thibault said they expected that the
event would raise close to $9,000 which
More than 40 live-, silent- and virtual will help underwrite the chamber’s oper-
auction items, valued at roughly $20,000, ating costs and keep dues affordable. The
included radio, print and website adver- Sebastian River Area Chamber of Com-
tising, marketing and printing packages, merce, founded in 1958, works to “pro-
and assorted lifestyle packages. mote business development, encourage
growth of tourism and enhance the qual-
“Overall, it was a good event, but ity of life in the Sebastian River Area.”
we had lower attendance this year,
and I think that had to do with CO- The chamber’s next big event is Light
VID-19. Other than that, the food was Up Night, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on
delicious, and the weather was perfect Dec. 3. Members whose businesses are
‘chamber of commerce’ weather,” said on and around U.S. 1, most within
Cheryl Thibault, the chamber’s opera- walking distance from the chamber,
tions director. will welcome in the public with a little
holiday cheer. For more information,
“I think everything ran smoothly. Peter visit sebastianchamber.com. 
O’Bryan was phenomenal; he was train-
ing them how to raise their paddles and I

22 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Cultural Council fetes its all-encompassing ‘Arts Guide’

BY MARY SCHENKEL arts and cultural opportunities of- taken, including an expansion of Art
Staff Writer fered to residents and visitors, with in Public Places locations to the en-
listings by date and in six sections: tire county. Currently, the alternat-
Supporters of the Cultural Council Theater and Dance; Concerts, Op- ing shows of local artists’ works are
of Indian River County gathered at era, Orchestra and Symphony; Fine coordinated by Mark Wygonik at the
Post & Vine recently to attend a Cul- Arts, Galleries and Museums; Speaker County Administration Buildings A
tural Arts Guide 2021-22 Reveal Party, Series, Lectures, Literary and Film; and B, the Intergenerational (IG) Cen-
where they were given a first look at Community Events and Festivals; and ter and Vero Beach Regional Airport
the newly released publication, now Children’s Activities. and by Lee Smith for the Indian River
in its 17th year. County Courthouse. The next loca-
Board chair Alicia Quinn expound- tion will be the Fellsmere City Hall,
The guide highlights the myriad ed on other projects being under-

Sailfish CRISTELLE CAY Anna Valencia Tillery and Shotsi Lajoie.

One must not wait until dusk to see how splendid life can be and they are working to secure a site
in Sebastian.
Oceanfront Cristelle Cay is entirely surrounded by preserves in perpetuity
Find matchless quality and value in a wide pristine beach setting Additionally, the Vero Beach Mu-
Each condominium has a 32’ x 8’ direct oceanfront patio balcony seum of Art invited Cultural Coun-
cil members to take part in a juried
All windows and sliding glass doors exceed the Florida Building Code exhibition of about 50 pieces in con-
Custom design ceilings~Marble Bathrooms~Engineered wood floors~Painting junction with their recently opened
‘American Perspective: Stories from
Custom Gourmet Kitchen the American Folk Art Museum Col-
9-unit SAILFISH has four 3-bedroom & 3-bathroom condos remaining lection.’
12-unit MAHI-MAHI has six 2-bedroom & 3-bathroom condos remaining
Garage parking - AC storage units - Gym - Gated Entry - Dog Walk - Barbecue A call to artists was issued over
the summer to CCIRC members and
Design-Developed by Cardinal Ocean Development LLC those affiliated with a member gallery
52-years Florida oceanfront condominium development or club to submit 2D or 3D artworks.
The exhibition opens in the Patten
Peer-reviewed engineering integrity Community Gallery on Oct. 27 and
runs through Nov. 28.
Now Under Construction
“We’re very much looking forward
4804 Atlantic Beach Boulevard (A1A) North Hutchinson Island, Florida to it; it’s a very exciting show of con-
Fifteen minutes south of Vero Beach 17th Street Bridge temporary folk art,” said Quinn.
Email: [email protected] Tel: 772.321.9590
from $1,025,000 Another project has just entered
phase one, funded by a state grant, to
Mahi Mahi address potential areas of need within
the arts.

“The initial grant was to survey all
of the arts organizations in our coun-
ty, to get a feeling for what they estab-
lish as the needs of the artists and arts
organizations, and suggestions as to
how they feel things should move for-
ward,” said Quinn.

The goal, she said, is to develop a
countywide arts plan that will ad-
dress those identified needs. Cynthia
Callander was recently hired as a con-
tractor to oversee the first phase, and
they are in the process of writing a
grant request to fund phase two.

“That’s just taking off, but I think
it’s going to go very well. The second
part, if we get the grant, will be taking
the results of this survey and applying
them,” said Quinn.

Looking ahead, she said they have
applied for a grant from the National
Endowment for the Arts to look into
ways of augmenting their weekly e-
newsletter, possibly through a podcast,
to provide increased publicity about
cultural and arts events in the county.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 23

PEOPLE

Carol Ludwig and Sara Klein. PHOTOS: KAILA JONES & MARY SCHENKEL PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
Joanne and Walter Johnson.
And they are working with the Arts Mid-Hudson group in New York’s Ulster and Dutchess counties through
an exchange of ads. Alicia Quinn and Elise Mahovlich.

“There are many of the same kinds of arts establishments available in those areas,” Quinn explained.
“We’re thinking people who want to get out of the cold climate in the winter might like to come to a place that
has the cultural arts they’re used to.”

The Cultural Council is now situated within the IRC Chamber of Commerce Alma Lee Loy building, which
Quinn says has increased their visibility.

“It’s been wonderful. It’s a great location for us and the collaboration with the chamber has been very good
for us,” said Quinn.

For more information, visit cultural-council.org. 

Emily Helmick and Brenda Lloyd.

24 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Eileen and Joe Lovre.

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 Patricia Wills, Caesar Mistretta and Yvonne Steere. Huey Zaplin and Quentin Walter.
Paulette Visceglia and Jaclyn Jennings.

Established 18 Years in Indian River County

(772) 562-2288 | www.kitchensvero.com
3920 US Hwy 1, Vero Beach FL 32960



– Steering scrape the side of the hull. Below deck,
the ship from her perch 93 feet above the constant vibration caused by the
the Arctic waterline, U.S. Coast Guard severing sheet can feel like an earth-
Ensign Valerie Hines guides the vessel quake.
through ice cover laid out like a vast
white puzzle starting to tear apart. Yet the bulldozing task here has its
moments of beauty, too: Some of the
She nudges the 420-foot U.S. Coast ice chunks peeling away from the bow
Guard cutter Healy forward – ram- glow with an iridescent blue, as if be-
ming, then backing up and ramming ing lit by a flashlight from underneath
again, ice that is several feet thick. The the sea.
noise is deafening as cleaved chunks
The ship’s journey is part of a rare

The Russian-flagged tanker
Renda follows the U.S. Coast

Guard Cutter Healy

Healy crew launch an unmanned
underwater vehicle under the
sea ice in the Chukchi Sea.

Right: Ensign Valerie Hines pilots the U.S.
Coast Guard cutter Healy through the ice
during its Northwest Passage transit.

transit through the fabled Northwest and rescue expertise, enhanced envi- back behind us. It’s definitely a multi-
Passage that is helping the U.S. project ronmental protection, and coopera- sensory experience.”
influence in what is one of the most tion with local populations in the high
geostrategic – and quickly changing – latitudes. But, first, Ensign Hines has to ac-
places on Earth. tually get the Healy through the en-
It has also set off a global race to lay tombed tundra. It’s the ship’s third
With a warming Arctic and polar ice claim to routes and resources in the journey across the Northwest Passage.
cap in retreat, the rooftop of the world austere but all-important region. Ensign Hines says piloting the bull-
is more navigable than at any time in nosed boat through the ice field takes
modern history. And that is opening “They are pretty crazy pieces of composure and problem-solving: de-
up the potential for new commercial ice,” says Ensign Hines. “They would ciding when and how far to veer off
lanes and the need for better search roll down the side of the hull and you
would see them flip over on their side, CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

28 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 INSIGHT COVER STORY Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27 The 420-foot U.S. Coast
Guard cutter Healy breaks

ice in the Bering Sea.

Above: Senior Chief Petty Officer Donald
Selby participates in a dive beneath the
U.S. Coast Guard cutter Healy in the
Chukchi Sea, between Russia and Alaska.

Adm. Karl L. Schultz,
commandant of the U.S.
Coast Guard, in the North-
west Passage in Resolute
Bay, Nunavut, to watch the
Healy make a rare transit.

a particular path, sometimes weav- northerly communities in the world, scientists warn that within the next der a 1988 accord that requires the U.S.
ing and sometimes turning sharply where Inuit were forcefully relocated two decades the waterways could to seek prior consent from Canada be-
through a multiyear ice field. Other by the Canadian government begin- be ice-free in summertime. That has fore passage, but tensions flared under
times the best option is simply to bat- ning in 1953 to exert sovereignty in the generated new tensions over Russian the Trump administration. The Ameri-
ter ahead. High Arctic, unstable ice has upended militarization of the Arctic, a hungry cans floated what’s called a “freedom
everything from hunting patterns and China vying for its resources, and in- of navigation operation” and called
“One of the things I’ve learned is just the availability of food to hockey tour- creased competitions for sea lanes. Canada’s claim to the Northwest Pas-
how much patience icebreaking re- naments normally reached by snow- sage “illegitimate.”
quires,” says Ensign Hines. mobile over frozen ice. Even this passageway is contested:
Canada views the Northwest Passage The Healy passage, which sought
That knowledge is one of the main At sea, the changes are felt not just as an internal waterway, while the U.S. prior consent and contains a strong
points of this voyage through the by ice pilots and scientists. U.S. Coast claims it’s an international seaway. science focus, is about shoring up the
Northwest Passage, which was first tra- Guard electrician’s mate Master Chief U.S. partnership with its Arctic allies,
versed by a Norwegian explorer, Roald Petty Officer Mark Hulen, whose job it The dispute remains, managed un-
Amundsen, in 1906. Since Amundsen’s is to power the Healy, was on the ship’s
first voyage, only 318 vessels, as of maiden voyage, and made a handful of
2020, have successfully crossed it. Arctic journeys since.

More than two-thirds of those cross- This latest trip is the first time the
ings have happened in the past 15 crew hasn’t been able to get “ice liber-
years, amid changes the Healy has wit- ty”: That’s when they’ll put out a look-
nessed. When the ship took its maiden out for polar bears and let the crew
voyage through the Northwest Passage climb out and stretch their sea legs on
in 2000, the Arctic had about a quarter a berg of ice, usually about a half mile
more ice cover. Looking over time, the or longer. There’s always a few who
trend lines are clear. It’s declining by start an impromptu football game.
13% per decade. “We really did struggle with finding a
good enough piece of ice to stand on,”
This decline is part of every consid- he says.
eration and conversation that hap-
pens in this part of Canada, from the The Arctic is warming at twice the
most profound to the most mundane. rate of the rest of the globe, and some

Here in Resolute Bay, one of the most

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 29

INSIGHT COVER STORY

as well as expanding its understand- Larry Mayer, founding director of felt well beyond this sea lane. Open New York City in the wake of Hurri-
ing of what’s happening in the region. the Center for Coastal and Ocean waters affect the nature of wind pat- cane Ida and the rest of the weather
Mapping at the University of New terns and the transfer of heat – which events grabbing global headlines.
Passengers include military coun- Hampshire, is the lead scientist on are felt well beyond the Arctic circle.
terparts from Canada, Denmark, and the Healy. An oceanographer from the “Something is different,” Dr. Mayer
Britain carrying out joint exercises, Bronx who was inspired by the book “The Arctic is having a severe impact says. “And if we don’t own up to it, it’s
while a plethora of scientists con- “Boy Beneath the Sea,” today he is es- on storminess in North America and a going to clobber us over and over.”
duct international research crucial sentially a modern-day charter, map- lot of the anomalous weather patterns
to understanding the implications of ping the seafloor for a project called that we’ve seen are really a direct result Admiral Schultz calls himself “ag-
climate change. The vessel arrived in Seabed 2030. of that,” he says. “It’s just such a com- nostic” on the climate debate. But he
Boston last Thursday, its first U.S. port plex system of interconnectivity.” wants Americans to understand what
since leaving Alaska in August. Only about 14% of the Arctic has they are doing up here is not an “eso-
been mapped – and he has just com- As he wraps up a talk on his work teric, long-way-from-home kind of
“We’re demonstrating the U.S. abil- pleted a corridor of the Northwest Pas- aboard Healy, and the U.S. and Ca- topic,” he says. “There’s more water,
ity to increase our reach in the Arc- sage. While knowing the contours of nadian coast guards await a helicop- and there’s water where there didn’t
tic,” says Adm. Karl L. Schultz, com- the seafloor is crucial for vessel safety, ter transfer back to Resolute Bay, the used to be water. The practical reality
mandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. “It’s everything done here has implications discussion quickly turns to the fatal is, there is a crescendo of knowledge
building our organic knowledge in the flooding of basement apartments in that things are changing.” 
area. It’s projecting our interests. It’s
demonstrating to the other nations of
the world that like-minded partners
are collaborating and working in this
important space.”

Both the U.S. and Canadian coast
guards have sought to expand their
Arctic capabilities in recent years. The
U.S. Coast Guard only has two op-
erable icebreakers, a heavy breaker
that is aging and requiring expensive
upgrades, and the medium breaker
Healy. Its Polar Security Cutter pro-
gram foresees three new heavy polar
icebreakers, two of which are fully
funded. The first is currently under
contract.

Amid the talk of warming, Admiral
Schultz says he regularly fields the
question: Why then the need for more
icebreakers?

“I think right now, because pres-
ence equals influence and we have
very little presence, that’s not a hard
conversation for me,” he says, adding
that a warming Arctic means a more
unpredictable one, because of ice that
is rougher and behaves differently.

It also means a more open Arctic,
which will mean more cruise liners,
recreational boaters, and adventur-
ists, which the Canadian Coast Guard
must rescue.

Canada’s Coast Guard, which is not
part of the Canadian military but in
charge of search and rescue and en-
vironmental protection, expanded its
presence here three years ago, creat-
ing a permanent outpost in Yellow-
knife, Northwest Territories.

It is doing so in cooperation with
allies, but a main mission is to sup-
port and cooperate with the Inuit
population at the frontlines of climate
change, says Neil O’Rourke, the as-
sistant commissioner, Arctic region at
Canadian Coast Guard.

All of this can feel far away from the
reality of most Canadian and Ameri-
can lives.

Despite the Arctic comprising more
than 40% of Canadian landmass, two-
thirds of Canadians live within 100 ki-
lometers of the U.S. border. The U.S.
Arctic region is much smaller and far-
ther away from most Americans.

30 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT OPINION

Former secretary of state Colin L. in which the incidence of deaths was to tamp down on the spread of the vi- contracting the virus. This is the goal of
Powell died Monday morning from highest for those age 50 to 79), we see rus broadly. reaching herd immunity, creating a sit-
complications related to covid-19. that the incidence of deaths among the uation in which the virus can’t spread
Powell’s disease resulted from a break- unvaccinated was 21 times higher for If Powell had been at little risk of because it can’t find hosts without an-
through infection; he was fully vacci- those age 50 to 64, 15 times higher for contracting the virus because trans- tibodies prepared to fight it.
nated against the coronavirus. those 65 to 79 and, among those 80 and mission rates were low, he would have
older, more than four times higher. been at almost zero risk of dying from When the United States achieves
But instead of demonstrating that it. But, instead, his death comes at a herd immunity, 84-year-olds with pre-
the vaccine isn’t 100 percent effec- Why the difference? For the very rea- time when more than 80,000 people a existing conditions will be better pro-
tive in preventing death, which was son that so many people last year tried day are still contracting the virus and tected against death simply because
known, his death better serves to show to diminish the danger posed by the more than 1,500 people are dying from they will be at much lower risk of con-
the need to tamp down on coronavi- virus. Older Americans have always it – about as many people as were dy- tracting the virus.
rus cases more broadly to help protect been more at risk from covid, and the ing in early April 2020.
those most at risk. effects of the virus are clearly more As has long been the case, there are
pronounced with members of that age The reason that health experts ad- two paths to herd immunity. One in-
That group included Powell. He was group even when they are vaccinated. vocate vaccination is, in part, because volves a vaccine that is safe, free and
84 years old when he died, well into it offers increased protection to indi- effective. The other involves more peo-
the elderly age group that has been This should not be an impetus to viduals both from infection and death. ple getting sick and building natural
most ravaged by the virus. He had also nihilism, though. It’s not the case that But that, to some extent, is the icing on immunity.
been diagnosed with multiple myelo- this demonstrates that vaccines are the cake.
ma, which can reduce the body’s abil- futile or not useful. Instead, it’s a re- The risk with the latter, of course,
ity to fight infections. minder that the virus still poses a risk The broader advantage in wide- is that it both increases the chances
to the elderly, even when vaccinated, spread vaccination is that the virus has that the virus will spread in a commu-
Last week, the Centers for Disease and therefore that the goal should be far less ability to spread, given how well nity, and it poses a risk to the infected
Control and Prevention released data protected the vaccinated are against person. There is a risk, in other words,
showing the effectiveness of vaccines both to the individual and to the com-
in curtailing new infections and deaths munity, both of which are ameliorated
from the coronavirus. through vaccination.

In August, it found, those who were It seems inevitable in this moment
vaccinated were six times less likely to that Powell’s death will prompt new in-
become infected and 11 times less like- difference to the vaccine, as though his
ly to die of covid-19. But the data also death somehow proves that the vac-
showed a disparity in the death toll: cines don’t work.
The incidence of covid deaths among
those vaccinated who were age 80 and The lesson we should learn instead
over was nearly as high as the incidence is that the vaccines work best when
among the unvaccinated age 50 to 64. they work broadly and that, had Pow-
ell been protected both by the vaccine
This is not to say either that vac- and by low rates of infection in his
cines made no difference even among community, he might still be alive. 
the most elderly or that the incidence
of deaths among vaccinated elderly A version of this column by Philip
individuals was large. If we look at Bump first appeared in The Washing-
one week of the CDC’s data (the one ton Post. It does not necessarily reflect
the views of Vero Beach 32963.

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

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 31

INSIGHT OPINION

Bev Pettit's photo workshop is canceled scheduled" due to Covid. But after one Instead, you received an email from vice as promised, the contract is void.
during the pandemic. But the company year of not hearing anything and now his wife saying that "due to this special Contacting the Raphael Macek Photo
won't give her a refund. Is that their fi- the company refusing to answer emails, situation," you may receive either a
nal answer? texts and phone calls, I have resigned credit of the amount paid for the next Workshop wasn't the problem. It's a
myself to the fact that they will not be workshop or a gift voucher for the val- small operation, and you can be rea-
QUESTION: refunding deposits. I tried to file a credit ue of a Raphael Macek print. sonably certain that your texts and
card dispute with my bank, but they said emails were getting through. The trou-
In early 2020, I signed up for a Raphael it had been too long for me to file a claim. We've seen this kind of thing before. ble was getting the company to take
Macek Photo Workshop in Scottsdale, It is not acceptable. The moment you your messages seriously. I think this is
Ariz. I sent a $1,250 deposit for the May A year after the workshop was sched- noticed the company dragging its feet where a letter from a lawyer may have
2020 event and received a confirmation. uled, I finally received a reply from on a refund, you should have notified been helpful. That said, you don't want
Macek's wife, saying that they needed your bank. Under the Fair Credit Bill- to make threats. The best lawyers I've
A month before the workshop, I be- to stop the workshops. I want my $1,250 ing Act you have 90 days to dispute worked with understand that a lawsuit
gan to receive emails from the company back. I hope you can help me. your purchase. is the last option.
indicating that the workshop will be "re-
ANSWER: The law protects you for items or- In this case, you could have also
dered but not received. However, many taken Macek to small claims court.
Raphael Macek is an up-and-coming banks give you more time to file a dis- The limit on small claims in Arizona is
horse photographer who offers work- pute, especially in "special situations" $3,500, and you can represent yourself
shops around the world. I like his pho- (to borrow a phrase from Macek). in court. I don't think Macek would
tography, but I don't like what hap- have wanted to drive all the way up to
pened to you. I think he should have Simply put, they don't have the right Prescott to deal with your claim, and he
ponied up a refund or credit for the to keep your money, no matter what would have resolved this quickly.
canceled photography workshop. kind of contract you signed. If a com-
pany doesn't deliver a product or ser- As it turns out, that wasn't necessary.
I contacted Macek on your behalf, and
he promptly refund-ed your deposit
without offering a reason for the delay
or responding directly to me. 

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

32 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BOOKS

One day the master spy nov- It’s fitting that “Sil- scandalized Anglican priest.
elist John le Carré was walking verview” should ar- At one point, the younger Lawndsley is easily ma-
on Hampstead Heath in Lon- rive the same month
don with his son, the writer as the latest James nipulated by Avon into delivering a secret message
Nick Cornwell. Bond 007 movie, to a woman with whom Avon claims to be having an
“No Time to Die.” affair. “What does the well-dressed man wear for a
Le Carré, whose real name In Bond films audi- blind date with his father’s friend’s mistress at the Ev-
is David John Moore Cornwell, eryman Cinema in Belsize Park?” he ponders.
was afflicted with cancer, but ences get a cartoon
a kind that you “die with rather depiction of spy- Avon is being tracked by Stewart Proctor, the head
than from,” according to his craft, with triumphs of domestic security – “witchfinder-in-chief” – for the
son’s recollections. Nick Corn- that are plain to see. book’s fictionalized British intelligence service. Proc-
well (who writes under the pen A le Carré book, tor is a man for whom “the very idea of a consuming
name Nick Harkaway) doesn’t in contrast, is so passion” is bewildering, which makes Avon, a man
remember the exact year, though rich – beyond the prone to emotional attachment to people and causes,
it was sometime in the “meta- intricate, perfectly all the more elusive.
phorical summer” of his father’s
life. But he does recall with crystal crafted story lines The people and places Proctor encounters in his
clarity the promise he made: He and brisk writing – inquiries about Avon are relics, stuck in bureaucratic
would finish any incomplete work because his spies, bogs with little or no real relevancy. He speeds off to
le Carré should leave behind after while enmeshed look into a breach at a nuclear silo called the “Hawk
dying. in or at least at the Sanctuary” that he imagines will soon be a tourist
edge of grand mo- trap.
That pledge came to Harkaway’s ments of world
mind in December when Le Carré “It’s a blip, according to Head Office,” the man tells
died at the age of 89 after a fall at affairs, are en- Proctor. “Last night, it was a lapse. Which is worse?
his home in Cornwall in southwest- gaged in a more Blip or lapse?”
ern England. He knew that there nuanced calling,
was, indeed, an unpublished work with outcomes Eventually, Proctor finds his way to the home of
of his father’s called “Silverview.” The son looked it that may not even be clear to themselves. two retired spies – Joan and Philip – once the service’s
over and concluded it was not so much “incomplete” They are often beleaguered victims of office politics – “golden couple.”
as “withheld,” he says in an afterword to “Silverview.” one misstep away from being put out to pasture. They
tend to be cuckolds, loners, misfits and other non- Proctor’s cringeworthy, and frankly offensive, ob-
A posthumously discovered work is one of the art Bondian sorts – wary of each other almost as much as servations of them read like a metaphor for his in-
world’s great intrigues, for it raises so many titillat- they are of the Crown’s enemies. creasingly jaundiced view of the service’s decline. He
ing questions, speculations, suspicions, hopes. Might In “Silverview,” le Carré untangles the life of Ed- makes disparaging comments about Joan’s appear-
this be the true expression of the creator’s soul? Might ward Avon, a sly former intelligence field agent emo- ance and snootily makes note of her “elastic-topped
it be terrible? tionally scarred from harrowing experiences during slacks and … T-shirt with a wide-angle print of Old
the Bosnian conflict. We first encounter Avon in a Vienna.”
Thankfully, what le Carré has left us is a thoroughly broad-brimmed Homburg and a dripping, fawn rain-
enjoyable book, more accessible and less complex coat in a seaside British town in East Anglia where he As Proctor is preparing to leave, Philip pulls him
than his greatest works. This is not the sort of novel, is posing as a retired academic. Avon lives with his aside. “The thing is old boy – between ourselves, don’t
like “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” or “Smiley’s People,” wife, a revered Middle Eastern analyst for the British tell the trainees or you’ll lose your pension – we didn’t
that demands you stop mid-sentence, flip back 50 intelligence services who is dying of cancer, in a fad- do much to alter the course of human history, did
pages and start again from there. But “Silverview” still ing mansion called Silverview that took its name as we?” Philip said. “As one old spy to another, I reckon
manages to build on themes Le Carré has developed an homage to the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s I’d have been more use running a boys’ club.”
so skillfully – betrayal, mendacity, bureaucratic inan- house, Silberblick.
ity and our willingness to accept black-and-white Avon befriends Julian Lawndsley, a 33-year-old In an era when the failures and misdeeds of in-
explanations of a gray world – over decades as one who has dropped out of his lucrative big-city fi- telligence services around the world can shock and
of the world’s best-selling authors. Perhaps, his son nancial trading career to open a small bookstore. alarm, reading Philip’s remarks feels like a clarion call
wonders, le Carré held off publishing “Silverview” in Avon is an odd but irresistible sort, and it takes that slices straight to the bone, and hurts. John le Car-
his lifetime because it cut too “close to the bone,” por- him no time to shimmy into the naive Lawndsley’s ré did not just leave the world an engaging novel, he
traying the British intelligence apparatus as unsure of world by portraying himself as a school chum of also left us with a warning. 
whether it can justify itself and whether its mission is the bookseller’s ne’er-do-well deceased father, a
worth the cost. SILVERVIEW

BY JOHN LE CARRÉ | 244 PP. $26.99
REVIEW BY MANUAL ROIG FRANZIA, THE WASHINGTON POST

Vero's Largest Book & Specialty Toy Store

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 33

INSIGHT BOOKS

Oscar Wilde’s birthday is Oct. 16 – he was two tragedies: One Queensberry case, he considered, but couldn’t face,
born on that day in 1854 – and there’s a sim- is not getting what killing himself. While he dismally languished in Read-
ple way to both celebrate it and give yourself one wants, and ing Gaol, his once-proud mother died, he was prohib-
a present: Pick up a copy of “Oscar Wilde: A the other is getting ited from seeing his two beloved sons Cyril and Vyvyan,
Life,” by Matthew Sturgis, an authority on the it.” The 20-some- and his brokenhearted wife changed the family name to
1890s whose previous works focused on the thing Wilde had Holland. What’s more, Wilde’s unpaid debts and court
artists Walter Sickert and Aubrey Beardsley. earlier perfected costs left him destitute. The contents of his elegant Tite
Without supplanting Richard Ellmann’s beau- Street home – roughly 2,000 books, all the furnishings,
tifully written “Oscar Wilde” – which a young the delivery of his even the children’s toys – were sold at a bankruptcy auc-
reviewer bearing my name enthusiastically re- pronouncements tion for derisory sums. Unsurprisingly, the repugnant
viewed in 1988 – Sturgis’ biography is now the – the slow enun- Bosie never visited him in prison, didn’t even write. In
fullest one-volume account of the iconic fin- ciation, the casual his misery Wilde eventually penned a many-paged cri
de-siècle writer, aesthete, wit and gay martyr. hand gesture – de coeur to Douglas, “De Profundis,” which bitterly re-
It draws on the most up-to-date manuscript while lecturing traced the history of their stormy relationship.
discoveries and scholarship, but deliberately on aestheticism
sticks closely to Wilde’s life, unlike Ellmann’s and home decoration in America. There, too, Yet three months after his release, finding his creative
magnum opus, which includes substantial he was kissed by Walt Whitman, attended a voodoo cer- spark extinguished and seeing no future to speak of,
commentary on the major emony in New Orleans, got drunk with miners in Lead- Wilde slowly, inexorably drifted back to Bosie. The pair
works. ville, Colo., and gazed at Niagara Falls: “Every American lived together off and on in Italy until Wilde finally set-
bride is taken there, and the sight of the stupendous tled in Paris, surviving on a small allowance and hand-
In the last of those works, waterfall must be one of the earliest, if not the keenest, outs from friends. When, despite surgery, a suppurating
the overlong poem “The disappointments in American married life.” ear infection spread into his brain, he died at age 46, on
Ballad of Reading Gaol,” As Sturgis reminds us, Oscar was always a golden boy. Nov. 30, 1900, as a new century was about to dawn.
Wilde somberly reflects on His parents, Sir William Wilde, a distinguished eye sur-
the upcoming execution geon, and his mother, a noted woman of letters nick- Today Wilde’s reputation is no longer tarnished by his
of a young soldier who has named Speranza, hosted Dublin’s leading artistic salon. homosexuality; it is burnished by it. As Sturgis writes in
murdered his sweetheart. At Oxford, where Wilde lost his Irish brogue and earned his preface, we find admirably contemporary his “de-
Many people will recognize a double-first degree, he had first hearkened to the gos- fiant individualism, his refusal to accept the limiting
its best-known line: “Yet each pel of John Ruskin, prophet of art’s social and moral constraints of society, his sexual heresies, his political
man kills the thing he loves.” force, but later transferred his allegiance to Walter Pa- radicalism, his commitment to style and his canny en-
But what, Lord Alfred Douglas ter, who extolled personal intensity, self-realization and gagement with what is now called ‘celebrity culture.’”
once asked its author, does it style. Desperate to be famous, Wilde then settled in Enchanting, fundamentally kind though unforgivably
mean? As Sturgis writes, Wilde London, where the increasingly flamboyant dandy paid cruel to Constance, a born entertainer, quick-witted yet
answered Bosie – his pet name court to society hostesses, major “influencers” and in- weak or indecisive when it counted most, he was also a
for his boyish young lover – ternational beauties like actress Sarah Bernhardt. Still, mass of contradictions and ambiguities. But then aren’t
by murmuring, “You should as Sturgis reminds us, when he wed Constance Lloyd, we all? Happy birthday, Oscar! 
know.” it was a true love match – at least until Wilde began to
practice what he’d hitherto mainly read about. OSCAR: A LIFE
In 1895, repeatedly egged “Feasting with panthers” – that is, cavorting with
on by Bosie, Wilde had gone to Douglas and louche company – opened Wilde up BY MATTHEW STURGIS | KNOPF. 864 PP. $40
court against the latter’s father, to blackmail, arrest and utter ruin. When he lost the REVIEW BY MICHAEL DIRDA, THE WASHINGTON POST
the Marquess of Queensberry
– for whom the rules of profes-
sional boxing are named – af-
ter the bellicose nobleman ac-
cused him of being a “sodomite.”
Three riveting trials ensued. De-
spite Wilde’s grandstanding and
equivocation, there was no gain-
saying the testimony of various rent-boys detailing car-
nal concurrence. That May, Wilde was duly convicted
of violating the law against “gross indecency” and giv-
en the maximum sentence of two years of hard labor,
largely at Reading Gaol.

In moments of self-pity Prisoner C. 3.3, as Wilde was
designated, would sometimes liken himself to a tragic
hero rudely cut down or even to a persecuted Jesus
Christ. In the past, glorious triumph had followed tri-
umph. Just before Wilde’s own courtroom drama, his
wittiest play, “The Importance of Being Earnest,” had
opened – during a February snowstorm – to an acclaim
that has never diminished. Five years earlier, in 1890,
his Faustian shilling shocker, “The Picture of Dorian
Gray,” garnered over 200 reviews just in its magazine
version. Both play and novel explore the delights – or
depravities – of a secret life. Even his essays of the late
1880s and early ’90s provocatively speculated about
our need for masks, the transgressive nature of art and
Shakespeare’s possible infatuation with a boy-actor.

Not merely a writer, though, Wilde was also a celeb-
rity, notorious for his outrageous after-dinner epigrams
and paradoxes, such as these quips from his unsettling
comedy, “Lady Windermere’s Fan”: “I can resist every-
thing except temptation”; “In this world there are only



Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 35

INSIGHT BRIDGE

NORTH

CAN YOU SQUEEZE OUT AN EXTRA WINNER? AK

By Phillip Alder - Bridge Columnist A96

In “Through the Looking Glass”, Lewis Carroll wrote a song for the White Knight that AJ54
includes the couplet, “Or madly squeeze a right-hand foot / Into a left-hand shoe.”
KQ76
Many bridge players feel that way about squeeze plays; that they work only when in an
expert’s hand. But sometimes one will occur inexorably, without declarer having to do WEST EAST
anything more than cash winners and watch the one specific card. 754
832 10 9 8 6 3 2
How does that apply in this seven-heart deal after West leads the diamond king? K Q 10
J 10 9 8 7
South’s two-heart rebid promised a six-card or longer suit. So North jumped straight
into Roman Key Card Blackwood to learn that his partner had the club ace and heart 9863
king-queen. With many chances for a 13th winner, North plunged into seven hearts.
52
When the dummy came down, South saw that he had only 12 tricks: two spades, six
hearts, one diamond and three clubs. But maybe clubs were 3-3; or if West had at SOUTH
least four clubs, he would be the victim of a madly squeeze!
QJ
South won with dummy’s diamond ace, drew trumps, played off the top spades,
crossed to his hand with a club and cashed the rest of his trumps, just keeping an eye K Q J 10 5 4
open for the diamond queen.
72
With four cards left, dummy had the diamond jack and three clubs. South held one
heart, one diamond and two clubs. West retained the diamond queen and three clubs. A43
But what could he discard on the last heart? He was squeezed. When he threw a
club, declarer discarded dummy’s diamond jack, then ran the clubs. Dealer: South; Vulnerable: East-West

The Bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST OPENING
1 Hearts Pass 2 Clubs Pass
2 Hearts Pass 4 NT Pass LEAD:
5 Spades Pass 7 Hearts All Pass K Diamonds

36 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT GAMES

SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (OCTOBER 14) ON PAGE 62

ACROSS DOWN
1 Illuminates (6) 1 Find (6)
4 Interrogative pronoun (5) 2 Musical group (7)
8 Funny (5) 3 Idle (4,4)
9 Writers (7) 4 Scottish inventor (4)
10 Rebuke (4,3) 5 See 15 Across (2,3)
11 Part of foot (4) 6 Hurry (6)
12 Curve (3) 7 Israeli port (5)
14 Joint (4) 13 Personal
15 & 5 Down Rare golfing
attractiveness(8)
achievement(4) 16 Sleep-inducing song (7)
18 Floor covering (3) 17 Three-legged support (6)
21 OT book (4) 19 Magnificence (5)
23 Siren (7) 20 Beer barrel (6)
25 Wild cat (7) 22 Doctrine (5)
26 Quick meal (5) 24 Persian ruler (4)
27 Jettison (5)
The Telegraph 28 sRavine (6)

How to do Sudoku:

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

The Telegraph

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 37

INSIGHT GAMES

ACROSS 97 Longtime San Francisco 46 How models dress The Washington Post
1 Top-secret org. columnist Herb 47 Wonderland drink
4 Some court victories 48 “Why oh why” follower NINE PEOPLE By Merl Reagle
8 Shows up 98 Well contents 50 Biting quality
13 Drawn like ___ to a flame 99 Lovable Bert 51 1970 World’s THE Art & Science
18 “The list goes on” 100 Michele’s High School
20 A Dog of Flanders author Fair city of Cosmetic Surgery
21 Palmer and Petrie Reunion friend 52 Too ___ (overboard)
23 Creator of the Hardy Boys 101 “Brrrrr!” 55 Written word
25 Total 103 Andy’s predecessor 56 Long dress
26 Go to black 104 Robert III, e.g. 58 Roof feature
27 “Fizzical” relief 105 ’70s rock orch. 59 CEO’s other hat, often
28 Author of Games for the 106 Sub locator 60 Vamp Theda
108 Room, to Rodriguez 61 Financial page abbr.
Superintelligent 110 Everyday verb 62 Stand by Me star
30 Tic-tac-toe row 111 Gasoline Alley character 64 Davis of The Brady Bunch
31 Bootlegger buster 113 Pretty Woman guy 65 Do-it-yourself buys
33 A pre-Zeus biggie 116 Lock together 66 Language of India
35 Impersonal you 118 New ___, Conn. 69 “Love Train” singers, 1973
36 Result of a sedimental 120 Jazz cornetist, 71 Traps, as freshness
73 Suit for 99 Across
journey 1903-31 76 A P.O. alternative
37 Initially a big name in 123 Son of Sheen 78 Prestigious prize
124 Composer Bruckner 82 Paul McCartney’s title
movie studios 125 Absorbed 84 Eats like a T. Rex
38 Family fireside 126 Put on a pedestal 86 Partner of Rodgers
127 “Uh” sound indicator 87 Slightly twisted
41 Casserole candidates 128 Jag 88 Approve, as a university
42 Surrender 129 Chester White’s home 89 China chief, once
43 “The mouth that roared” 90 Patois relatives
44 Mal or plan ending DOWN 91 It has the “to do” pile
45 Chihuahua, por ejemplo 1 Actress Hildegarde 92 Jaguar model
48 Bible verb 2 Stifle, in a way 93 ___-Lorraine
49 Jemima Puddleduck’s 3 Prof’s life 94 It’s knot art
4 Wall St. offering: abbr. 95 Darn this
creator 5 Lengthy fish 96 Lowlifes, of a sort
52 Card game 6 22 Down in a recession 100 Try your granny again
53 Nuclear org., once 7 Driving hazard? 102 Amahl’s night visitors
54 “I ___ Little Prayer” 8 Fish delivery? 106 The ___ Sense
55 31 Across, e.g. 9 Message board, 107 Western classic, The ___
57 Theater co.
60 Swallow building of a sort Incident
63 S.Z. of Casablanca 10 Mingle 109 Ed and Leon
66 Part of 4-H 11 Esau’s land 111 Felucca feature
67 Bluto, for one 12 Redd Foxx’s real name 112 Important mineral
68 Felipé’s friend 13 Karras and North 114 Casino city
70 Mötley Crüe’s bass 14 Tailless cat 115 Therefore
15 Ump’s cry 117 Ecstasy star
player 16 Alice’s neighbor 119 ___ carte
72 Amo 17 Pinter and Ramis 121 Bambi’s aunt
74 Give a lot of gas? 19 Chem. endings
75 Post-coup crew 22 Musical group (in the book)
77 Submitted 24 Crosswalk blinker 122 Gamble
79 Don Juan’s mom 29 Fascinated by
80 Log splitter 32 Split a banana split, e.g. SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:
81 Cop alerts 34 ___ of the town • Minimal Incision Lift for the
82 Herring’s cousin 36 Operation souvenir
83 Some rio nuggets 37 Legendary fairy queen Face, Body, Neck & Brow
85 Actor John ___-Davies 39 Stoltz and Clapton • Breast Augmentations
87 Lifeboat co-star 40 ___-en-Provence, France
93 Oscar bestower: abbr. 41 Canoe need & Reductions
95 Blackmun and • Post Cancer Reconstructions
• Chemical Peels • Botox
Blackstone • Laser Surgery • Tummy Tucks
• Obagi Products • Liposculpture
• Skin Cancer Treatments

The Telegraph Proudly caring for patients over 29 years.

3790 7th Terrace, Suite 101, Vero Beach, Florida

772.562.5859

www.rosatoplasticsurgery.com

Ralph M. Rosato
MD, FACS





40 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BACK PAGE

How to manage visits to a lonely, bored, critical mom

BY CAROLYN HAX Your mom touts her baking abilities, so maybe
Washington Post next time bake muffins together when you get
there. Maybe she can teach you her pastry tech-
Dear Carolyn: Every time I see nique or her secrets in making your old favorites.
This can satisfy a need to be heard.
my mother, I wind up feeling like
If she has (or had) a craft, then ask to do it with
dirt. She lives alone and seems to her or have her teach it to you.

have lost (or never had) the abil- How’s her memory – can she recount family his-
tory? On video? Does she have old photos that need
ity to have a normal conversation. sorting, or priceless recordings in outdated for-
mats?
She turns everything back to an op-
If not, how about a movie night?
portunity to praise herself. If I arrive with homemade Think of what you have to offer each other be-
sides a dissection of each other’s day, and refocus
muffins, she will brag about her own baking abilities, your visits on that, with patience. Less talking, more
doing.
without even saying thank you. If I mention a friend This advice hinges on one interpretation of your
bad feelings: that you don’t enjoy your mom’s com-
who is getting divorced, she will launch into a mono- pany lately, feel bad about that, feel bad you’re not
able to conceal this from her, and feel bad when
logue about how well she handled her own divorce. she lashes out against that with criticism. If the
bad feelings run deeper, then playing a board game
It is clear that I’m supposed to praise her, something won’t fix it.
But two people at work on a joint project they
I never do to her satisfaction. I get annoyed, then she both value or enjoy rarely want for things to say,
and often the topics are emotionally neutral. Mak-
criticizes me for that. She’s a lonely woman with a bor- ing these new memories could be good for your
mother’s health, too, not just your relationship’s.
ing, limited life. How can I let this roll off my back? And companionship doesn’t even have to include
conversation to be companionable. In fact, it can
– Annoyed be more so the less you try to say. 

Annoyed: Even someone with decent skills would daily lives generating too few things to talk about
struggle to converse – and lapse helplessly into and abnormal daily news generating too many:
muffin monologuing – at some point in a “boring, Sometimes conversation is too much to ask. We’re
limited life.” tired and scraping by and spending more time than
ever with a smaller circle of people and oh please
Which is, of course, the real problem. People gen- don’t bring up the news, thank you.
erally don’t get happier or more interesting when
they lie mentally fallow for any length of time. The “better” or “simpler” times to go back to
There’s also the companion to the real problem, right now might be the ones that actually did exist
which is your … frustration? disgust? contempt? for – where people dug out the Scrabble board or read
her letting things get to this point. to each other aloud or played cards. Dust off the pi-
anoforte! (Yes, I’ve read too much Jane Austen.)
I’ve been thinking this a lot lately, with normal

THAT’S ALL … FOLK!
MUSEUM CELEBRATES
ALL-AMERICAN GENRE

42 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

That’s all … folk! Museum celebrates all-American genre

BY ELLEN FISCHER | COLUMNIST

Artmaking is in our genes, even in the PHOTOS BY KAILA JONES
United States, the country whose no-
nonsense, self-sufficient mindset has travel by the museum’s curator Eme-
reigned for as long as our country has lie Gevalt, who presented the VBMA’s
been a country. Far from being an im- members’ opening lecture earlier this
pediment, our pioneer attitude encour- month via Zoom.
aged our uniquely American, self-taught
art forms made by, and for, regular folks. Gevalt noted that the 80
An exhibition on display at the Vero artworks in the show are
Beach Museum of Art through Jan. 2, organized into four
2022, pays homage to this artform. sections: Founders,
Travelers, Seekers and
American Perspectives: Stories from
the American Folk Art Museum Collec-
tion is a traveling exhibition that origi-
nated at that New York City museum.
It is touring into 2023 through the aus-
pices of Art Bridges, a foundation that
partners with museums to bring shows
to a wider public.

American Perspectives was origi-
nally assembled by independent cura-
tor Stacy C. Hollander from the Folk Art
Museum’s collection and mounted in
its galleries from February 2020 to Janu-
ary 2021. The exhibition was curated for

Philosophers. The exhibition includes silk fabric, which fea-
objects that speak to American ideals tures a mother with
of nationhood, freedom, community, her children in a fan-
imagination, opportunity and legacy. ciful landscape. The
maker of the picture
The artists represented lived from was 12-year-old Sally
the early days of the republic to our Hathaway, whose fam-
own times. They are male and female; ily lived in New York
young, middle-aged, and elderly; Black City and Massachu-
and white, enslaved and free; immi- setts, and were well-to-
grant and Indigenous. In short, the ex- do, or aspired in that
hibition strives to include all variety of direction.
persons who helped to build, and com- The people in it are dressed to the
ment upon the building, of the country nines in late-18th century fashion.
as we know it today. Mother wears a turban with a spray
of feathers erupting from its top; the
Gevalt led a virtual tour of the exhi- little girl at her knee sports a green
bition’s highlights, as well as those she top hat with an artificial flower, her
deemed her personal favorites. orange shoes matching her elegant,
full-length gown. A boy, accompanied
The first object she spoke on was a by his dogs, is shown carrying a little
1794 needlework picture embroidered bird to the group. He wears a blue coat
in silk thread on a 17- by 20-inch piece of and ruffled shirt, and his stockings
are of silk. Sally competed her pic-
ture with a trompe l’oeil curtain that
frames the top and sides of the scene,
as though it were a stage set on which
the curtain has just risen.
Gevalt noted the importance of such
a needlework creation to a girl’s pros-
pects for her role in society as a woman
of culture and grace, who nevertheless

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 43

ARTS & THEATRE

knows her way around the practical tion, “David Drake, Pot- summery white outfits with white shoes building circus wagons. By his teens he
matter of a needle and thread. Sally’s ter and Poet,” appeared and socks. Unlike the absent father in was documented as being in England,
subject matter presages the life that in the Schumann Gal- Hathaway’s scene, “Memories of the where he embarked on his specialty of
her mother no doubt envisioned for lery and was reviewed Veteran” includes a head and shoulders carousel horses. He immigrated to the
her – that of a mother and wife whose by Vero Beach 32963. portrait of the missing father in uniform, U.S. in 1888, where he carved horses and
husband is off somewhere, amassing That exhibition was or- hanging on the wall directly above his other animals for a Coney Island car-
the family’s wealth. ganized by the VBMA, wife’s head. He, no doubt, is the founder ousel manufacturer. Illions opened his
which promoted it as of the comfortably furnished, middle- own carousel company in 1909.
A painted wood blanket chest is the the “first major mu- class parlor in which his family sits.
oldest object on display. Emblazoned seum of pottery by the The horse in the current exhibition is
with the name of its owner, a Schoha- enslaved African potter Memories of childhood will also be fit for a prince or princess. The galloping
rie Valley, N.Y., farmer named Jacob known as ‘Dave’” since a 1998 survey ex- recalled by an elaborately carved and white steed with gilded mane and green,
Kniskern, the chest may have been hibition curated by Jay Williams for the painted carousel horse by Marcus Il- blue and gold caparison is just the thing
made for him by his brother, Johannes. University of South Carolina’s McKissick lions, dubbed “the Michelangelo of car- to ride merrily upon into the holidays.
The date on the chest, 1778, was an Museum. Thirty-one of Drake’s large ousel carvers” by the New York Times.
eventful year for Jacob. A Continental vessels and storage jars, complete with Born about 1870 in the Russian Empire Your seasonal guests will love this
Army soldier, he was taken prisoner by inscribed verses, were on display in that or in England, Illions began his career show, and so will you, no matter how of-
British forces and held in Canada. After memorable exhibition. ten you visit. 
escaping, Jacob returned home to find A more recent Freedom Quilt, stitched
his farm and community burned to the in 1983 by Jessie B. Telfair of Parrott, Ga.,
ground. The chest survived the war, and honors the civil rights movement of the
so did Jacob, who rebuilt his farm when mid-20th century. The 74- by 86-inch
the war was won. By the end of his life, artwork shouts the word “FREEDOM”
he was wealthy enough to own six ad- seven times, spelled out in letters of dark
ditional chests, which would have held blue fabric against the quilt’s fiery back-
valuable belongings and textiles. ground of red; the whole punctuated
with white accent squares. Among the
The story of early America was not exhibit’s marvels, Telfair’s quilt is nota-
all wealth realized and reinvention ac- ble for its dazzling combination of craft,
complished. A jug by master potter Da- graphic design and message. This object
vid Drake bears testimony to this. The will simply not allow you to ignore it.
utilitarian object, created in 1853 in As well it should not. In the 1960s, Tel-
Edgefield County, S.C., bears the cur- fair was fired from her job as a cafeteria
sive inscription “Dave.” As an enslaved worker when her white employers found
man, Drake’s habit of signing his work out that she, as a Black woman, had reg-
was exceedingly rare for the time, said istered to vote, and was part of an or-
Gevalt. In antebellum America, it was ganized effort to register other African
against the law in many southern lo- Americans to do the same.
calities to teach enslaved people to read Born in 1958 in New York City to Puer-
and write. Yet Drake managed not to Rican parents, Nick Quijano Torres,
only to sign and date his work, like “Grandma Moses” (aka Ann Mary
he sometimes also inscribed Robertson, also represented in this exhi-
Bible verses or rhyming cou- bition), is a memory painter, who recalls
plets on his vessels. in his work the imagery and people of his
childhood. Instead of Moses’ New Eng-
In 2016, a VBMA exhibi- land country snow scenes, where sleigh-
bells jingle and boys fight snowball
battles, Quijano Torres’ visual memories
are densely packed portrayals of
the people that that populat-
ed his neighborhoods – first
in New York and, after the
age of 13, in Puerto Rico,
where he completed his
degrees in architecture and
environmental design.
In this show, his “Memo-
ries of the Veteran” is a tiny,
6.25-inch-square painting that
depicts a woman with two chil-
dren, a boy and girl,
dressed in their best
clothes. Seated indoors

on a sofa, Mother
wears a green dress
and sips a cup of tea.
Like the woman in Sal-
ly Hathaway’s needlework
picture, Quijano Torres’ figure
is an idealized woman of leisure.
Her boy, standing at her right, and
daughter, seated at her left, wear

44 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

COMING UP! ‘Hay’ now: It’s LaPorte Farms Fall Fest time!

BY PAM HARBAUGH val, which takes place this weekend Halloween costume
Correspondent at Riverside Park in Vero Beach. The contest for adults
festival is designed for the unapolo- and a separate cos-
1 Get out and enjoy the gentler getic bacon lover and for Keto-dieters tume contest for
weather at LaPorte Farms Fall everywhere. There will be thick-cut, kids. There will be
deep-fried and chocolate-covered Halloween trick-or-
Festival this Saturday. In case you’ve bacon. There will be bacon-wrapped treat bags to all who
scallops and bacon-wrapped pickles. finish the 4K, along
never been to this popular spot, La- And if all that isn’t enough to raise with other Hallow-
your cholesterol, then check out the een-themed awards
Porte Farms is a 5-acre family farm bacon mac ’n cheese dishes. There and a random give-
will also be libations (perhaps Bakon away of a $500 gift
that welcomes the public to enjoy na- Vodka?) for sale, interactive bacon card. The event also
games, live entertainment, a Kids Fun has a free Kids Run. Advanced reg-
ture, interact with animals, go fish- Zone, vendors and more to make this istration costs $30 and runs through
a most tasty event. The Bacon Festi- Thursday, Oct. 21. It costs $35 the day
ing, take advantage of some great val runs 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday of the race. Kids registration is $15 in
and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at 3258 advance and $20 the day of the race. If
photo ops and just basically have Riverside Park Dr. Admission is free; you don’t want the T-shirt, you can de-
the food is available for purchase. duct $5 from the registration fee. The
some down-home fun. Its annual For more information, visit Treasure- race begins 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, at 25 at Church of Christ, 3306 20th St.
CoastBaconFest.com. Indian River State College, 6155 Col- The event includes story time, au-
Fall Festival serves up pony rides, a lege Lane, Vero Beach. You can register tumn crafts, snacks, that “corn pit,”
online at RunSignUp.com, then search children’s games and the chance for
mechanical bull, face painting and for Frightening 4K in Vero Beach and your child to choose their own little
click on that, then click onto Race Info pumpkin. The cost is $7 per child.
hayrides. Arrive hungry because at the top. Call 772-226-0066 or visit TheBuggy-
Bunch.com.
there will also be hamburgers, hot

dogs, popcorn, cotton candy and

more for sale. The Fall Festival runs

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday, Oct.

23. LaPorte Farms is at 7700 129th

St., Sebastian. Call 772-633-0813 or 5 Time to plan ahead for the re-
turn of “LIVE! From Vero Beach”
visit LaPorteFarms.com. 3 You might want to prepare for
all that bacon by taking part in
concerts at the Emerson Center. After

2 Get ready to loosen your belts: It’s the Frightening 4K run on Saturday having to stop suddenly because of the
the Treasure Coast Bacon Festi-
evening. The run fun incudes a best pandemic, LIVE! is roaring back, bet-

ter than ever, with a ninth season of

4 You might want to prepare for all 15 concerts awash in classic folk and
The Buggy Bunch at the Church
rock. The season starts with Classic

of Christ in Vero Beach will be busy Albums Live performing the Rolling

this month with its Pumpkin Patch. Stones’ “Let It Bleed” on Dec. 30. In lat-

From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays, Oct. er concerts, Classic Albums Live also

23 and Oct. 30, they will hold a Family performs music by the Who and then

Fun Day with hot dogs, hamburgers, by the Beatles. Other shows feature

popcorn, baked treats, pumpkins and music by Elton John, Neil Young and

more, all for purchase. Admission is so much more. The season then runs

free, but for a $7 per child ticket (or $25 through April 14, 2022. While the sea-

per family), your child can participate son doesn’t start for a couple months,

in fun activities like hayrides, bounce fans of this series will be getting their

house, giant slide, a “corn pit,” games, tickets, which are currently on sale for

prizes and more. There will also be all concerts, held at the Emerson Cen-

pumpkins for sale. In addition to the ter, 1590 27th Ave., Vero Beach. Ticket

Family Fun Day, the Buggy Bunch cost ranges from $30 to $135. Call

will hold a Pumpkin Patch Story Hour 800-595-4849 or visit MusicWorksCon-

from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. certs.com. 

INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST
ADVISES: GET THE FLU SHOT

46 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Infectious disease specialist advises: Get the flu shot

BY KERRY FIRTH Dr. Kruti Yagnik. Flu symptoms come on suddenly
Correspondent with fever, chills, sore throat, mus-
PHOTOS: KAILA JONES cle aches, headaches, coughing and
Amid the push for increased CO- fatigue. It can last a few days or a
VID-19 vaccination to halt the pan- illness that spreads easily from per- spreading the flu to those around couple of weeks; in rare cases it can
demic, U.S. health experts are urg- son to person through coughing, you before you realize you are sick. lead to inflammation of the brain,
ing people not to forget to get their sneezing and even talking. It some- Adults can spread the flu for up to respiratory kidney failure and even
yearly flu shot. times takes up to four days after seven days after first becoming sick death. Experts agree that getting a
infection before you notice symp- and children can spread it for even vaccine is the most effective way to
While it’s true flu cases dropped toms, which means you could be longer. prevent the onset of flu.
to historic lows during the COV-
ID-19 pandemic due to masks and The Centers for Disease Control
social distancing, with schools and Prevention recommends an
and businesses fully reopened and annual flu vaccine for everyone
fewer people wearing masks the flu starting at age 6 months, including
could make a big comeback. pregnant women. It is also recom-
mended to get the vaccine before
“The best way to protect against the end of October, as most cases of
the flu is to get the vaccine,” said the flu occur in the cooler months
Dr. Kruti Yagnik, an infectious dis- of November, December and Janu-
ease doctor with Cleveland Clinic ary. It takes about two weeks to de-
Indian River Hospital. “Last year velop antibodies so you’ll want to
the flu season wasn’t bad at all be- be protected prior to its peak and
cause people were masking and so- the holiday gatherings where it can
cial distancing due to COVID. Be- spread quickly.
cause immunity wanes over time
and last year was a very mild sea- “The flu changes every year, and
son, we need to prepare ourselves the yearly vaccine is based on the
for something that could be quite flu strains that international ex-
severe.” perts think will be most prevalent,”
said Dr. Yagnik. “They look at the
Influenza (the flu) is a respiratory

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 47

HEALTH

flu that is circulating and tailor the “They are two completely differ- right treatment for you will be. up as it’s been proven to be effective
vaccine to cover those strains.” ent viruses and need two complete- An at-home COVID test can also in the prevention of flu and COVID.
ly different vaccines. You can get
Flu seasons occur at separate them both together and it doesn’t rule out COVID. It’s sometimes hard Dr. Kruti Yagnik received her med-
times in each hemisphere. Typical- change the efficacy, but some to differentiate a common cold from ical education at Nova Southeastern
ly, the flu season lasts from April to people prefer to wait a few days or the flu, but flu generally has a fever College of Osteopathic Medicine in
September in the Southern Hemi- weeks in between the vaccinations whereas a cold will manifest with Fort Lauderdale, her internship and
sphere and from October to May in in case there are any side effects nasal congestion. In any case, get residency in Internal Medicine at
the Northern Hemisphere. like a sore arm, fatigue or fever. It lots of rest and drink lots of fluids. Shands at the University of Florida,
would be good to know which vac- and her fellowship in Infectious Dis-
Decisions on the composition of cine caused the reaction.” In addition to the flu vaccine, eases and Geographic Medicine at
the flu vaccines are made months there are a few other things you can the University of Texas Southwest-
in advance so that the vaccine can If you do get the flu, it’s best to do to protect your family. Limit your ern Medical Center. Her office is in
be produced and available in time see your primary care or urgent contact with sick people, wash your the Health and Wellness Building at
for the season. Since flu viruses are care doctor right away. Some of the hands frequently, and if you have Cleveland Clinic, Suite 203, 3450 11th
always changing, different strains symptoms of COVID and the flu received a prescription for antiviral Court in Vero Beach. To schedule an
can circulate in different areas of overlap but a lab test can pinpoint medication to fight the flu, take is as appointment, call 772-794-5631. 
the world at various times of the which virus you have and what the directed by your healthcare provid-
year. As a result, separate recom- er. And of course, continue to mask
mendations are made for the flu
vaccines produced in Northern and
Southern hemispheres based on
the data available at the time vac-
cine composition recommenda-
tions are made.

The flu vaccines for each hemi-
sphere are optimized to protect
against the flu virus that research
indicates will circulate during the
upcoming flu season in each hemi-
sphere.

According to the CDC, all flu vac-
cines in the U.S. will be quadrivalent,
designed to protect against four dif-
ferent flu viruses including two in-
fluenza A viruses and two influenza
B viruses. Different vaccines are ap-
proved for different age groups.

A quadrivalent nasal spray is ap-
proved for use in non-pregnant in-
dividuals, 2 years through 49 years
old. And older adults (65 or older)
have the option to receive a high-
dose vaccine specifically formu-
lated with more antigens for better
protection against the flu.

Flu shots do not contain a live vi-
rus and are either inactivated or re-
combinant (containing no virus at
all), so you cannot get the flu from
the vaccine. The shots are admin-
istered in the upper arm. The nasal
spray flu vaccine contains live-at-
tenuated (weakened) influenza vi-
rus. Your doctor or pharmacists can
help you determine which vaccine
is best for you.

“The flu vaccine has an efficacy
of 50-to-80 percent,” Dr. Yagnik
told Vero Beach 32963. “Getting
the shot doesn’t always mean you
won’t get the flu, but if you do get it
will be less severe and it lowers the
risk of hospitalization and death.

“Anyone with an egg allergy
should tell their administrator be-
cause there are some egg products
in the vaccine. [However], there
also are two completely egg-free
options available so you can still
get vaccinated safely.”

Dr. Yagnik emphasized the need
to receive both the COVID and flu
vaccines.

48 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

ANSWERS TO 3 COMMON HEALTH QUESTIONS

BY FRED CICETTI tinence. For men, there are medicines The chances of getting it increase ing on their skin. What are some of
Columnist that relax muscles, helping the bladder with age. But other risk factors include the harmless growths?
to empty more fully during urination. polyps, your history, diet and whether
Q. Are there different forms of urinary Others tighten muscles in the bladder you’ve had ulcerative colitis. The following are some common
incontinence? and urethra to cut down leakage. and benign growths you may find on
Polyps are benign growths on the in- your body:
There are several types of urinary in- Surgery can improve or cure incon- ner wall of the colon and rectum. Not
continence: tinence if it is caused by a problem all polyps become cancerous, but near- Keratoses: Seborrheic keratoses are
such as a change in the position of the ly all colon cancers start as polyps. brown or black raised spots, or wart-
 If urine leaks when you sneeze, bladder or blockage due to an enlarged like growths that appear to be stuck to
cough, laugh or put pressure on the prostate. Colorectal cancer seems to run in the skin. Actinic keratoses are thick,
bladder in other ways, you have stress families. And someone who has already warty, rough, reddish growths. While
incontinence. Q. Who is at risk of getting colon can- had colorectal cancer may develop this these are harmless, they may be a pre-
cer? disease a second time. So greater vigi- cursor to skin cancer.
 When you can’t hold urine, you lance is a good idea if you or your rela-
have urge incontinence. Colorectal cancer – cancer of the tives have had it. Liver spots: The official name for liv-
colon or rectum – is the second lead- er or age spots is “lentigines” from the
* When small amounts of urine leak ing cause of death from cancer in the This form of cancer is more likely Latin for “lentil.” These are flat, brown
from a bladder that is always full, you United States. Early detection of colon among people on a diet high in fat, pro- with rounded edges and are larger than
have overflow incontinence. cancer is especially important because, tein, calories, alcohol, and both red and freckles.
if it is found in its early stages, it can be white meat. Low-fat, high-fiber diets
 Many seniors who have normal cured nine out of 10 times. seem better for the colon. Cherry angiomas: These are small,
bladder control but have difficulty get- bright-red raised bumps created by di-
ting to the bathroom in time have func- Ulcerative colitis is a condition in lated blood vessels. They occur in more
tional incontinence. which there is a chronic break in the than 85 percent of seniors, usually on
lining of the colon. Having this condi- the trunk.
There are many ways to treat urinary tion increases a person’s chance of de-
incontinence. You can train your blad- veloping colorectal cancer. Skin tags: These are bits of skin that
der with exercises and biofeedback. project outward. They may be smooth
You can also chart your urination and Q. Fair skin runs in my family, so or irregular, flesh colored or more
then empty your bladder before you we are all vigilant about checking for deeply pigmented. They can either be
might leak. dangerous moles. But older people raised above the surrounding skin or
tend to have lots of little things grow- have a stalk so that the tag hangs from
Your doctor has other tools he can the skin. 
use. There are urethral plugs and vagi-
nal inserts for women with stress incon-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 49

HEALTH

Obese should get tested for
diabetes starting at age 35

BY LINDA SEARING 88 million adults have what is called
The Washington Post prediabetes, when blood sugar levels
are higher than normal but not high
Adults who are overweight or enough to elicit a diabetes diagnosis.
obese should now start getting test- Prediabetes often progresses to full-
ed for diabetes at age 35, according fledged diabetes, however.
to a new recommendation from the
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The task force’s report noted that
That is five years earlier than the screening for prediabetes and diabe-
federally appointed group of medi- tes at a younger age, done via a sim-
cal experts had previously recom- ple blood test, should enable earlier
mended. detection, diagnosis and treatment
of a condition that can cause seri-
The updated advice, published in ous, even life-threatening, health
the journal JAMA, is aimed at trying problems over time, including heart
to reduce the number of adults who disease, vision loss and kidney dis-
have diabetes, now roughly 34 mil- ease.
lion people (13 percent of the U.S.
adult population), according to the Lifestyle modifications – healthi-
Centers for Disease Control and Pre- er eating, more exercise and weight
vention. loss – are seen as important first
steps in preventing or treating the
Excess weight is considered one condition. Under the Affordable
of the strongest risk factors for dia- Care Act, insurers must fully cover
betes. People with diabetes have too testing that has been endorsed by
much glucose (sugar) in their blood. the task force, with no out-of-pock-
In addition, the CDC says that about et costs to a patient. 

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50 Vero Beach 32963 / October 21, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Why you may taste blood sometimes when working out

BY ALLYSON CHIU Medicine. “It’s continuous, and that’s or in environments with dry or cold gives blood its metallic taste.
The Washington Post when things get more compromised in air. When exercising, the effort exerted
the body.” on top of the existing irritation might “Exercise-induced pulmonary
Most people are familiar with the cause the mucous membranes to
signs of an intense workout. You’re But Lucchino and other experts em- “bleed just ever so slightly,” Miller said. edema” has been documented in re-
breathless and sweaty. Your heart is phasized you shouldn’t panic if you
pounding. Your muscles are burning. experience the off-putting taste every “That blood can leak down into the search, but Robinson said a proven
But what if you start detecting a dis- so often while exercising. “The good back of your throat, eventually touch-
tinctive taste in your mouth: blood? news is that it tends not to be some- ing your taste buds on your tongue,” he connection between that phenome-
thing that people should be overly said.
You’re not imagining it, experts say. concerned about, because it tends to non and the bloody taste has not been
Tasting blood during or after vigorous be a temporary phenomenon,” Bryant Another possible cause is oral hy-
physical exercise is a rare but gener- said. “And unless it’s associated with giene, Lucchino said. Old or loose established. And although pulmo-
ally benign phenomenon. And it’s of- other more troubling symptoms, it’s dental fillings or tooth decay are also
ten simply “your body telling you that, really more of a nuisance byproduct of known to produce a metallic taste. nary edema is “usually a pretty scary
‘You’re probably doing a little bit more the intensity of training.”
than what I’m ready to handle,’” said The “most popular theory” involves phrase,” Miller said, “there’s a very low
Cedric X. Bryant, president and chief Although this sensation has not the heart and the lungs, said James
science officer of the American Coun- been extensively researched, experts Robinson, a sports medicine physician or very mild amount of that that takes
cil on Exercise. said, there are several scientific theo- at the Hospital for Special Surgery in
ries that could explain the taste, which New York. During intense exercise, the place just from increasing intensity
Reportsofpeoplenoticingthebloody often occurs without any visible blood. heart can become overworked, which
or metallic taste in their mouths have may lead to some fluid buildup in the and effort during a workout.
largely been anecdotal, with some ex- One of the simplest reasons is that small air sacs of the lungs, known as
perts noting that it appears to be more the mucous membranes of your nose pulmonary edema, a condition com- “It’s not enough to cause heart fail-
common among endurance athletes, and throat are irritated, said Timothy monly connected to heart problems.
such as distance runners, triathletes Miller, a sports medicine physician ure or anything like that,” he added,
and cyclists. “There’s no pause in what and orthopedic surgeon at Ohio State In this case, experts believe that
they do,” said Jeffrey Lucchino, direc- University’s Wexner Medical Center. the pressure on the lungs could cause but it may be “enough to make some of
tor of sports nutrition for the Universi- This irritation can come from being some of the red blood cells in lung tis-
ty of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports sick and blowing your nose frequently sue to “escape into the airway,” Rob- those air sacs leak a little bit of blood.”
or from working out at higher altitudes inson said. Red blood cells contain
hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein that Tasting blood during or after a work-

out is generally associated with exer-

cise intensity and duration as well as

certain environmental conditions,

Robinson said. The reason some ex-

perts think it may occur more in en-

durance athletes, such as distance

runners, “is because of the length of

the exercise,” he said. Other work-

outs, such as weight training, can give

people more opportunities to rest and

recover.

It’s possible that some people run-