12/29/2022 ISSUE 52

December 29, 2022 | Volume 9, Issue 52 | Newsstand Price: $1.00 | For breaking news visit VeroNews.com

YOUR LOCAL NEWS SOURCE FOR INDIAN RIVER COUNTY

MY TAKE ‘World-class’ aquarium coming to the Indian River COVID up around
Florida, but still
BY RAY MCNULTY relatively low here

A New Year’s wish list for RENDERINGS By Lisa Zahner | Staff Writer
our community in 2023 [email protected]
Rays (bottom left), sharks to be part of extraordinary aquarium and lagoon science center planned for Cape Canaveral.
Twelve months ago, No. 1 on my Looks like we’re going to end
annual wish list for the new year By Steven M. Thomas | Staff Writer “When you hear the details of their plan, all 2022 in the green zone.
was that we not allow all the growth [email protected] you can say is ‘wow.’ It is just amazing,” said Ma-
we were experiencing to change rine Bank president Bill Penney, who is helping South Florida, North-Central
who we are as a community. Brevard Zoo is more than halfway through the zoo arrange “show and tell” meetings with Florida and two thirds of the I-4
a $100-million fundraising campaign to build potential donors. “I believe the aquarium will Corridor are now yellow caution
That wish didn’t come true. an extraordinary aquarium and lagoon science be a transformative regional project.” areas on the Centers for Disease
While we remain the last vestige center across from the cruise port in Cape Ca- Control and Prevention’s COVID
of small-town life on Florida’s At- naveral, and it is turning to Vero Beach philan- “As far as I know, it is the only aquarium in the virus map, and Miami-Dade
lantic coast, it saddens me to see thropists to help push it over the top. County has shot past caution to
Vero Beach’s once-folksy feel and CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 bright orange.
“Mayberry-by-the-Sea” charm
continue to erode, washed away But the number of new infec-
by an incoming tide of newcom- tions in and around Vero Beach
ers from more heavily populated remained steady over the past
regions in the Northeast, Midwest week, and hospitalizations de-
and Dade-Broward-Palm Beach creased – leaving Indian River
megalopolis to the south. County still in the green zone for
Growth, however, isn’t the lone Low COVID Community Level,
culprit. with fewer than 100 new cases of
You want to restore the neigh- COVID-19 per week.
borly tone and embrace the sense
of community that has long de- For the week ending Dec. 15,
fined this still-special place? Stop 12 people were hospitalized with
viewing EVERYTHING through complications from COVID ill-
the lens of politics – and, please, ness, but only a handful of peo-
stop talking about it.
That’s my No. 1 wish for 2023. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
There was a time when this
community was immune to the Baird sentenced for
political divisiveness and parti- stalking ex-girlfriend
san incivility that has infected so
much of America in recent years. By Ray McNulty | Staff Writer
We didn’t always know how our [email protected]
neighbors voted, and we didn’t
care. Friendships weren’t based Former county administrator
on party affiliation. We didn’t see Joe Baird has been sentenced to
the other side as the enemy. one year of probation, after being
That was as much a part of the found guilty of stalking his ex-girl-
Vero Beach of yesteryear as smiling friend following the most recent
at strangers as we walked by, wav- breakup of their tumultuous,
ing in fellow motorists waiting to eight-year romantic relationship.
enter the roadway, and generally
showing consideration for others. As a condition of his probation,
Call me stubborn – or perhaps Baird, 65, is prohibited from hav-
ing any contact with the woman.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
County Court Judge Robyn
© 2022 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

INSIDE ATLANTIC CLASSICAL PACEMAKER-LIKE
ORCHESTRA 2023 DEVICE NEW AID
NEWS 1-7 ARTS B1 SEASON PREVIEW FOR SLEEP APNEA

HEALTH 8 GAMES B9 Arts & Theatre, P. B2 Your Health, Page 8

PETS B8 CALENDAR B12

REAL ESTATE 15

To advertise call: 772-559-4187
For circulation or where to pick up
your issue call: 772-226-7925

2 December 29, 2022 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS www.veronews.com

Three Corners site. City Marina. Sheriff Eric Flowers.

MY TAKE Even as home prices seem to have sta-  Unless the Vero Beach Preservation Flowers to recover politically from the run
bilized after a three-year run that has Alliance again takes the city to court and of negative headlines that have defined
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 pushed the county’s population to more emerges with an unlikely victory, we’ll his sophomore year, which opened with
than 165,000, they’re still too high for peo- eventually see the construction of a larger the stunning news of his marital infidelity.
naïve – but I refuse to believe it’s inevitable ple on entry-level salaries. So are rents. and much-needed dry-storage boat facili-
that those nostalgic days of yore have been ty at the municipal marina. Not only did the affair continue after
forever lost. That needs to change, and now – be- Flowers’ public apology in February, but
cause the people who do these essential The new 21,355-square-foot building the sheriff also demoted Deputy Chief
So as we prepare to embark on another jobs for us should be able to live here. will come close to tripling the size of the Milo Thornton for political reasons af-
trip around the sun, let’s seize the opportu-  I’m as excited as anyone about Vero existing and dilapidated 7,850-square- ter a bogus investigation, defended his
nity offered by the new year to put politics Beach’s plan to develop a dining, retail foot structure. quick-triggered deputies after two contro-
aside, reach into our past and set an exam- and recreational hub on the mainland’s versial shootings, and foolishly disclosed
ple by conducting ourselves in a way others waterfront – which is why I’m more than Someday, though, city officials will re- in a TV interview where our school re-
will want to emulate, so much so that it be- a little concerned that the tentative time- gret their attempt to appease the grass- source officers store their AR-15 rifles on
comes contagious. line for the Three Corners project puts the roots neighborhood group by down- campus.
grand opening in the latter half of 2028. sizing from their initial plan to build a
As for the rest of my wish list … 25,700-square foot facility – because, as In addition, he continues to duck ac-
 Our county officials keep saying all A lot can go wrong between now and the community continues to grow, the ad- countability by ignoring interview re-
the right things, but they’re still not doing then, including five years of elections that ditional storage space will be needed. quests and emailed questions from this
enough to entice developers into building can shift power on the City Council and, as newspaper, apparently believing Vero
affordable housing, particularly for the a result, change the commitment to and/ Besides, the alliance members didn’t News readers don’t deserve answers and
new teachers, law-enforcement officers, or direction of the Master Plan Concept, if embrace the compromise, and they cer- explanations.
fire-rescue personnel and even nurses the community doesn’t stay engaged. tainly don’t appreciate it.
needed to service the community. We can only hope Flowers sees the er-
We can’t let that happen. So can we go back to Plan A? rors of his ways in Year 3 and becomes the
 It’s probably too late for Sheriff Eric

NEWS OTHERS MISS, OR CHOOSE TO IGNORE | PUBLISHED WEEKLY

MILTON R. BENJAMIN

President and Publisher | [email protected] | 772.559.4187

STEVEN M. THOMAS

Managing Editor | [email protected] | 772.453.1196

DAN ALEXANDER

Creative Director | [email protected] | 772.539.2700

Associate Editor: Paul Keaney, Asst. Managing Editor: Lisa Zahner, Society Editor: Mary Schenkel,
Reporters: Stephanie LaBaff, Ray McNulty, Samantha Rohlfing Baita, George Andreassi,
Columnists: Kerry Firth, Ellen Fischer, Tina Rondeau, The Bonz, Photographer: Joshua Kodis,
Graphic Designers: Robert Simonson, Jennifer Greenaway, Tania Donghia-Wetmore

ADVERTISING SALES
JUDY DAVIS Director of Advertising
[email protected] | 772.633.1115
KATHLEEN MACGLENNON | [email protected] | 772.633.0753
MARIO CORBICIERO | [email protected] | 772.559.5999

LOCATED AT 4855 NORTH A1A, VERO BEACH, FL 32963 | 772.226.7925

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS December 29, 2022 3

Breeze Airways. Central Beach parking. Brightline.

honest, transparent and accessible sheriff ognition in order to win. 2023, adding that he’ll make an announce- work of the county’s school teachers, who
he promised to be during his campaign. Look for at least two recognizable ment “right after New Year’s.” should be applauded for doing a job that
 Thus far, Fellsmere Police Chief Keith continues to become more difficult as a
Touchberry and former bank adminis- names to announce their candidacy for Seeing is believing. wrongheaded parent’s-rights group at-
trator Deborah Cooney are the only can- the law enforcement position next year.  The county needs to significantly im- tempts to seize control of public educa-
didates to file for the 2024 sheriff’s race,  Breeze Airways is scheduled to launch prove its traffic engineering, which too tion.
while Flowers announced his intention to its Vero Beach operations on Feb. 15, of- often produces rush- and lunch-hour And, oh, by the way, our teachers are not
seek re-election in an interview with his fering service to Hartford, Conn., West- backups that require two signal changes indoctrinating anybody.
local-media lapdog earlier this year. chester County, N.Y., and Norfolk, Va., and to get through our busier intersections,  Surely, the County Commission can
the airline’s spokesman says the response especially during the winter months. find a suitable place somewhere along on
Others need to jump in, and I believe locally has been better than expected.  Local law enforcement agencies should our coast for an off-leash dog beach.
they will – especially with the job expected increase their midday road patrols and  I can only hope Brightline’s high-speed
to pay nearly $200,000 by 2025, when our If so, we can expect the Utah-based car- start ticketing the worst offenders, es- rail service, which eventually will connect
next sheriff is sworn in. rier to add routes next year, perhaps con- pecially the dozens of aggressive and/or Miami and Orlando, proves me wrong and
necting us to the Midwest – a destination careless drivers I see endangering others produces the profits the company expects
Flowers won easily in 2020, but he’s po- not offered by Elite Airways during its on- on a daily basis. – so that it doesn’t need to be bailed out by
litically wounded. again, off-again service in Vero Beach.  The Vero Beach City Council must not Florida’s taxpayers.
allow itself to be pressured into a knee-  And, finally, please join me in wishing
Cooney, who lost that general election As for Elite, which hasn’t flown since jerk reaction by those who complain that 2023 brings the end of COVID-19 as a
in a landslide, based her campaign on bi- June 30, the airline has damaged its brand about parking in the Central Beach busi- public health concern.
zarre claims about police-run drug cartels. here by failing to provide an explanation ness district. There are available spaces, if
for its extended pause in operations. you’re willing to walk a few blocks. Happy New Year! 
Touchberry, who lost to Flowers in  Let’s again respect and appreciate the
the Republican primary, spent 24 years Elite president John Pearsall said the
with the Vero Beach Police Department, airline intends to resume its Vero Beach
but he’ll need to expand his name rec- operations early in the first quarter of

LUNCH WITH AUTHOR

MAYA VAN ROSSUM

JANUARY 10, 2023 11:30 AM
$20/pp, light lunch and beverage included

RSVP REQUIRED AT: IndianRiverNA.com/lunch
Cash or check payable at the door.

At The ELC (Environmental Learning Center)
255 Live Oak Dr.

Maya van Rossum is the author of The Green Amendment.
She is a veteran environmentalist and since 1996 has
served as the Delaware Riverkeeper.

There is a statewide initiative to place the Right to Clean

Water Amendment on the 2024 ballot. This could provide an

essential tool for citizens to protect our environment. Learn

more at this luncheon! Sponsored By:

4 December 29, 2022 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS www.veronews.com

AQUARIUM

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

country that will spring up in the midst RENDERING staff” and sophisticated equipment that throws off enough cash to support
of the ecosystem it aims to rescue,” said such as a just-acquired MRI machine to major research programs continuously.
Keith Winsten, executive director of Bre- Penney is curating a list of “20 to 30” see inside what Winsten calls “the black To me that has a lot more stability and
vard Zoo and the East Coast Zoological people he thinks might want to support box” of the heavily armored marine legs than going around with a little tin
Society, which operates the zoo and will the aquarium. mammals. cup to get grants.
build and run the aquarium.
The zoo’s outreach to Indian River Also at the aquarium will be a “The lagoon has been very good
“Most aquariums are big concrete County doesn’t come out of the blue. three-story science center with wet labs to me and my family and I want to do
boxes that have to deal with winter, The East Coast Zoological Society al- and other facilities for visiting scientists whatever I can to help,” added Deal.
but ours will be much more immersive, ready has strong ties to the island and from universities doing research along “With the aquarium, we have a chance
putting people into the ecosystems in- the rest of the county. the lagoon; labs and classrooms for stu- to make a difference, not just in Brevard
stead of having them looking at animals dents as part of a high-powered educa- but throughout the entire estuary.
through acrylic barriers,” Winsten told “There are more zoo members in In- tional program; meeting space for vol-
Vero News last week. dian River County than anyplace else unteer groups and nonprofits focused The Zoological Society has a develop-
except Brevard County,” he said. “We on lagoon health; and a manatee rescue ment deal with Port Canaveral Port Au-
Spread out on 14 acres of Port Author- are Indian River County’s zoo. We think and rehabilitation center. thority that requires it to break ground
ity land on the shore of the Banana Riv- people will embrace the aquarium the by October 2024, so the pressure is on to
er, the aquarium “will really be a series same way.” “It is the science and research ele- complete fundraising, engineering and
of habitat adventures we take you on. ment that is most important, I think,” design.
We walk you through the dunes as you Zoo staff have helped forge that con- said Deal, an avid angler who recently
enter and then take you through a whole nection in recent years by working on a sold for $150 million the in-shore boat Of the $100 million capital fund, $85
sea turtle complex, to see animals in re- wide range of conservation and lagoon business he built on the once-clear wa- million will go to create the aquarium.
hab and those ready to go back into the restoration projects in Indian River Coun- ters of the lagoon. The other $15 million will fund expan-
ocean,” Winsten said. ty in partnership with local organizations sion of conservation, education and an-
such as the Indian River Land Trust. “It’ll be the only major aquarium on imal care at Brevard Zoo.
“There is an outdoor shark experi- the east coast of Florida and it will be
ence where it is like you are walking in From planting seagrass and rescu- great to have it just an hour away, as a The Indian River Lagoon stretches for
the flats with them swimming around ing oyster beds in Sebastian, to plant- place to take your kids or visitors,” Deal more than 120 miles, from Titusville to
you and you can actually get in the wa- ing 220,000 water-filtering clams last noted. “But having a brick-and-mortar Stuart, and was long known as the most
ter with the rays.” December and working with the Land headquarters for lagoon science that biodiverse estuary in the United States,
Trust to develop environmental edu- generates a steady stream of income to with more than 4,000 plant and animal
Winsten said he expects the aquar- cation programs at the Trust’s Coastal fund research is paramount. I believe it species. In the past decade pollution
ium to open in late 2026 or early 2027, Oaks Preserve, zoo scientists and volun- will have national implications [for oth- has heavily impacted the waterway’s
and attract about half a million visitors teers are seen frequently here along the er ailing coastal waters]. ecology, resulting in massive fish kills,
a year. The Zoological Society will do- shores of the lagoon. marine mammal deaths, and loss of wa-
nate a dollar from each admission tick- “It is patently obvious to anyone who ter clarity and seagrass.
et to the Indian River Lagoon National “Our biggest impact in Indian River is paying attention that the lagoon is in
Estuary Program to help fund additional County probably is our sea turtle rehab big trouble. A lot of people are working Brevard Zoo is a 75-acre nonprofit fa-
research and restoration along the en- program,” Winsten said. “We built a sea to save it, but it is all grant to grant, and cility located on North Wickham Road
dangered waterway. turtle healing center in 2014 where we grants are very proscriptive, with set be- in Melbourne that is home to more than
have cared for at least 120 sick or injured ginning and ending dates and little flex- 900 animals representing more than 195
“It is a fantastic project that will speed turtles from Indian River County. ibility. species from Florida, South America,
up lagoon restoration and awaken peo- Africa, Asia, and Australia. Opened in
ple to the wonder of this aquatic sys- “Our beaches are one of the most im- “The zoo, which is independent, has a 1994, it frequently ranks in polls among
tem,” said Indian River County District portant turtle nesting areas in the world proven entrepreneurial business model the top 10 zoos in the country. 
1 Commissioner Susan Adams. “The so it was a natural for us. We will have
aquarium will take people into our local a second sea turtle healing center at the
ecological systems and open their eyes aquarium with a world-class veterinary
to how special it is and how important
to save it. The people involved are very
highly regarded with great depth of
knowledge.”

Along with Penney and island resi-
dent Scott Deal, founder of Maverick
Boat Group, Adams is spreading the
word about the project and helping or-
ganize meetings where the zoo’s vision-
ary staff “tell the story” of the aquarium
and seek support for it.

The Zoological Society launched its
capital campaign a year ago, and has
raised $56 million, according to major
gifts officer Brandy Bean.

Penney and his IRC cohorts host-
ed several informational meetings on
the island last season for small, hand-
picked groups of possible donors, and
more meetings are coming up this sea-
son at Sea Oaks, Orchid Island Golf and
Beach Club and other locations, includ-
ing one in the Quail Valley River Club
boathouse.

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS December 29, 2022 5

BAIRD er, after returning to Vero Beach from a had rejected the woman’s stalking claims. messages Baird sent to his ex-girlfriend af-
rented summer home in Rhode Island The woman, however, said Meadows ter their breakup.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 and turning himself in at the County Jail,
where he spent the night before posting a didn’t consider all of the evidence – be- Metcalf praised Stone for what he called
Stone handed down a guilty verdict on the $2,500 bond and being released the next cause he refused to view visual evidence a “very thoughtful ruling,” which he said
first-degree misdemeanor charge after an morning. collected by a private investigator she had included denying the woman’s request
eight-hour, non-jury trial on Dec. 16, rul- hired. that Baird be required to submit to coun-
ing the evidence presented by a state pros- In a probable-cause affidavit used to seling and substance testing.
ecutor proved Baird stalked the woman obtain an arrest warrant on June 24, Vero She said the investigator, who was al-
earlier this year. Beach Police Detective Jennifer Brumley lowed to testify at the hearing, wasn’t per- He said Baird was “embarrassed” by the
wrote that Baird “willfully, maliciously and mitted to support his testimony with pho- publicity the story has received and “dis-
However, Stone then granted Baird’s repeatedly followed, harassed and cyber- tographs and videos that clearly showed appointed” he wasn’t exonerated.
motion to withhold adjudication of guilt, stalked” his former longtime girlfriend be- Baird stalking her.
which means court records will show he tween May 1 and June 27. “When you think about the amount of
was sentenced to probation on the stalking Stone allowed that visual evidence to be court time and taxpayer dollars spent on
charge, but he was not convicted. Metcalf, who also represented Baird at presented during the trial, and Holloman this case – the injuction hearing and then
the earlier hearing, said he was “shocked” said the investigator’s photographs and this trial …,” Metcalf said. “And to accom-
Assistant State Attorney Felicia Hollo- the police pursued a case after Meadows videos were important to her case. The plish what?
man said Stone agreed to the withhold of prosecutor also introduced text and voice
adjudication after considering Baird’s age, “Basically nothing.” 
absence of prior criminal history and his
adherence to the no-contact order after
his arrest in June.

If he successfully completes his proba-
tion, she added, Baird could seek to have
the case expunged from court records.

Andy Metcalf, the Vero Beach attorney
who represented Baird, said he also could
petition the court for early termination of
the probation.

“The judge realized there were a lot of
mitigating circumstances in this case,”
Metcalf said. “If Mr. Baird were perceived
by the court to pose a danger, there would
not have been a withhold of adjudication.”

In November, Stone issued an “Order of
No Imprisonment” after the ex-girlfriend
testified at a hearing that she didn’t want
to see Baird incarcerated, even if he were
found guilty.

The woman, who asked that her identity
be withheld under Florida’s victim’s-rights
law, told Stone she wanted Baird to stop
following and stalking her.

After the trial, the ex-girlfriend said she
was satisfied with the verdict, adding, “The
judge found Joe Baird guilty, and justice
has been served.”

Baird said the case emerged from a “bad
breakup,” adding, “I’ve moved on with my
life, and I hope she moves on with hers.”

The couple had lived together in Baird’s
Indian River Shores home on and off from
April 2019 until the woman moved out this
past spring. The ex-girlfriend claimed he
began stalking her in May, and she went
to court to try to obtain a restraining order
against him.

After listening to the testimony of sev-
en witnesses – including the woman, her
parents, a private investigator and a Vero
Beach police detective – Circuit Judge
Robert Meadows denied her request,
citing the close proximity of the island
homes in which Baird and his ex-girl-
friend resided, and the absence of the
former county executive exhibiting any
threatening behavior.

“There’s not one scintilla of a threat pre-
sented to this court,” Meadows said at the
hearing, adding, “I see a relationship gone
bad, but I don’t see the malice or intent ...
There has to be some kind of action be-
sides being in the same town that she’s in.”

Baird was arrested three weeks lat-

6 December 29, 2022 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS www.veronews.com

ARREST OF DRIVER IN FATAL CRASH
ON A1A IN MAY EXPECTED SHORTLY

By Lisa Zahner | Staff Writer on the suspect’s blood to a forensic
[email protected] consultant who is retired from the
Neill-Chapin Regional Crime Lab at
The long wait is nearly over for the Treasure Coast Public Safety Train-
John’s Island residents seeking justice ing Complex to be converted from a
for their elderly neighbors whose car toxicity screen lab report in milliliters
was struck from behind on A1A in In- format into a blood alcohol level that
dian River Shores in May by a black police use to determine whether or not
Mercedes Benz heading in the same a driver is over the legal limit of .08.
direction at a high rate of speed.
Those blood-alcohol results are now
Chris Ingraham, an 89-year-old avid part of a lengthy warrant affidavit that
golfer, succumbed to his injuries from Shaw expects the State Attorney’s Of-
the crash and died at the hospital. His fice to take before a judge in January.
82-year-old bride Frances was badly
injured but survived the ordeal. In response to our reports about the
ongoing crash investigation, witnesses
The driver of the Mercedes was also who were on the road or nearby that
injured and taken to Lawnwood Re- evening have come forward to help
gional Medical Center where a blood officers reconstruct the sequence of
sample was taken as part of a crash events that led the tragedy just a short
protocol to determine if she was im- distance from the victims’ home.
paired by drugs or alcohol.
Officers have not been able to get
Shores Deputy Public Safety Chief the suspect’s perspective on the crash,
Mark Shaw said officers have been as Shaw said, “She won’t talk to us.”
working on the case for almost eight
months with State Attorney Tom Shaw would not reveal the suspect’s
Bakkedahl’s prosecutors. name, or what charge the Shores Pub-
lic Safety Department is pursuing.
“Her husband is a lawyer,” Shaw
said, adding that the husband has Shaw and Chief Rich Rosell have
called at least twice asking for a status kept in contact with the Ingraham
report on the case. family to make sure they understand
why it’s taken so long – nearly eight
“They know it’s coming. He said she months – to build the case and ready
wants to turn herself in when we get all the evidence and documents need-
the warrant.” ed to make an arrest.

In addition to analyzing the crash Officer Wolfgang Weber, one of the
scene and processing both vehicles for detectives working on the case since
evidence, Shores Public Safety officers May, just retired. Capt. Albert Iovino
tracked down the location where the has been working with Weber on the
suspect and her husband had stopped case for some time for continuity, and
for drinks prior to heading north on he has now taken the lead in the inves-
A1A through the Shores. tigation. 

They sent the hospital lab reports

COVID STILL LOW HERE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

ple were set to spend Christmas in a hos- each week, but fewer than 2 million out
pital bed battling COVID. “We have five of a population of 22 million people have
COVID positive patients in-house today, opted to receive the newly formulated
none in critical care,” said Cleveland Clin- Pfizer or Moderna bivalent booster shots
ic spokesperson Erin Miller just before designed to protect against infection by
Christmas Eve. several Omicron subvariants circulating in
the United States. 
That’s a 58 percent decrease in hospi-
talizations from the previous week. Across
the state, 309 people were hospitalized
with COVID illness.

The Florida Department of Health re-
ported 188 new deaths from complications
of COVID-19 last week, up from 33 the
week before. Sometimes there is a backlog
in reporting COVID deaths so it’s possible
a good number of the 188 people died the
previous week, but if the trend continues
that’s a major cause for concern.

On the vaccine front, tens of thousands
of Floridians are lining up for their jab



8 December 29, 2022 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH www.veronews.com

Pacemaker-like device offers relief for sleep apnea

By Kerry Firth | Correspondent Dr. Timothy Seth Tudor
and Dr. Phillip Nye.
Dr. Timothy Seth Tudor, an ear, nose and
throat doctor at Sebastian River Medical PHOTO: JOSHUA KODIS
Center, is using a hypoglossal nerve stim-
ulator called Inspire to help people with
sleep apnea who haven’t had success with
other treatments. Inspire, which is manu-
factured and distributed by Inspire Medi-
cal Systems, is the only FDA-approved ob-
structive sleep apnea treatment that works
inside the body to treat the root of cause of
sleep apnea with just the click of a button.

As most people know by now, getting a
good night’s sleep is paramount to func-
tioning efficiently throughout the day. The
leading medical cause of sleep deprivation
is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA oc-
curs when the muscles that support the
soft tissues in your throat, such as your
tongue and soft palate, temporary relax.
When those muscles relax, the airway is
narrowed or closed, and breathing is mo-
mentarily cut off.

“When the airway closes off the oxi-
dation level goes down, the thorax dia-
phragm starts to contract and it’s very
difficult to breathe,” said Dr. Phillip Nye,
a board-certified sleep medicine specialist
who collaborates with Dr. Tudor on some

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10



10 December 29, 2022 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH www.veronews.com

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 “CPAP is effective and non-invasive, so severe obstructive sleep apnea, a body your doctor will check the status of the de-
we always start there,” Dr. Nye explained. mass index (BMI) lower than 35, and be vice once or twice a year.
cases and refers patients to him. “It’s like “But roughly 10 percent of people will flat unable to use or get consistent benefit
a straw with a big piece of fruit stuck in it – out refuse to use it for whatever reason. from CPAP. “Inspire looks and functions exactly like
you can’t get the liquid through the open- Sometimes it has to do with the mask a pacemaker,” Dr. Tudor said. “It utilizes
ing. When that happens, you wake up and because they feel claustrophobic. Other “When a patient falls asleep they go the same technology for a novel purpose.
as a result of waking up the oxygenation times they tried it and failed because they into a deep sleep and everything relax- Eventually the battery will need replacing
goes low and you get this sympathetic just couldn’t wrap their head around being es,” Dr. Tudor explained. “What hap- but that would be a very simple procedure
stimulation which is responsible for the attached to a CPAP device. pens then is the airway collapses at the since you don’t have to do the neck inci-
fight or flight response. You wake up gasp- base of the tongue. With Inspire we can sion or the nerve dissection. It’s more of a
ing. People with OSA will do this multiple “Over the years we looked at other ways stimulate the branch of the hypoglossal servicing process and less of an implant.
times a night.” to open the airway, focusing on the mus- nerve that controls tongue protrusion.
cles in the neck right near your larynx, When the tongue goes forward it opens “Since this procedure has only been
The gold standard of care and the first where the windpipe is,” to keep the airway up the airway.” done since 2014, we don’t know the exact
line of treatment for OSA is continu- open during sleep. timing of the battery replacement. We
ous positive airway pressure, otherwise The Inspire device is basically a know that a pacemaker lasts five years
known as CPAP. A CPAP machine uses a One solution for patients CPAP hasn’t pacemaker, but instead of stimulat- stimulating 80 times a minute, 24 hours
hose connected to a mask or nosepiece worked for is the hypoglossal nerve stim- ing the heart to beat, it stimulates the a day, and the Inspire is only stimulat-
to deliver constant, steady air pressure to ulator called Inspire. To be a candidate hypoglossal nerve to help the patient ing 10-15 times a minute only at night. At
help patients breathe as they sleep. for treatment you must have moderate to breathe. Every time the device detects that rate, we estimate a battery would last
an in-breath through built-in sensors, it about 10 years.”
sends the stimulus to the nerve that con-
trols the tongue to expand the airway. Dr. Nye is an anesthesiologist and sleep
This all happens while the patient remains disorder specialist with a medical degree
asleep. The device has a delay feature and from Spartan Health Sciences University.
does not turn until you are asleep for 15 or He completed his fellowship in sleep medi-
20 minutes. You can pause it when you get cine at Eastern Virginia Medical School. His
up to go to the bathroom, and when you go practice Neurologic Health and Restorative
back to bed there will be another delay as Sleep is located at 1485 37th Street, Suite 111
you go back to sleep so that it is not pulsing in Vero Beach, 772-226-6855.
while you are awake.
Dr. Tudor received his medical degree
“I always do an in-lab sleep study and from Oklahoma State University College
an endoscopy before surgery to make sure of Osteopathic Medicine and his residency
the patient’s airway is collapsing in the specializing in Otolaryngology-Head and
way I think it is to determine if Inspire Neck Surgery at Freeman Health Systems
will work,” Dr. Tudor said. “If the patient in Missouri. His office is located in Steward
is a good candidate, then we can proceed Ear Nose and Throat Specialists, 12920 U.S.
with the out-patient procedure done un- 1, Suite B, Sebastian, 772-228-9808. 
der general anesthesia. The surgery takes
about an hour and the patient goes home
the same day.”

Inspire is placed under the skin using
two small incisions. One incision is made
under the chin and second is on the right
side of the chest below the collarbone.
There’s a little cuff that wraps around the
hypoglossal nerve in the neck and a feed
that travels under the skin, over the collar
bone and down to the battery-operated
pulse generator. Inspire is controlled with
a small handheld remote that can be ad-
justed to your sleep patterns.

Approximately 30 days after getting In-
spire, you will meet with your doctor to
activate the device. Once you and your
doctor determine the best settings for you,



12 December 29, 2022 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH www.veronews.com

Coffee vs. tea: Which wins world title for healthiest drink?

By Anahad O’Connor, Aaaron Steckelberg
and Garland Potts
The Washington Post

Do you start your mornings with a potent and tea will help you concentrate. Stud- VS around 100 milligrams of caffeine (Espresso
dose of caffeine from a freshly brewed cup of ies show that caffeine can improve your and instant coffee have less.) By comparison,
Joe? Or do you prefer a slightly less caffeinat- attention span, vigilance, alertness and can end up hurting your performance. an 8-ounce cup of black tea has around 50
ed nudge from a warm and gentle cup of tea? reaction time. But too much caffeine can The amount of caffeine in coffee and tea milligrams of caffeine.
lead to jitteriness and over-arousal, which
Whatever your preference, scientists have can vary widely depending on a lot of factors. The caffeine count breaks down this way:
found that regularly drinking coffee or tea But according to the Mayo Clinic, an 8-ounce
can provide a variety of health benefits. But cup of brewed coffee contains an average of
how do coffee and tea compare in a head-
to-head matchup? We took a look at the re-
search, and here’s what we found.

Did you know that your morning coffee in-
cludes a dose of fiber? One study found that
on average, coffee has between 1.1 and 1.8
grams of fiber per cup, depending on wheth-
er it’s filtered, espresso or instant.

That might not sound like much. But it’s
more fiber than you’ll find in orange juice,
which has about a half gram of fiber per cup.
You’ll still need to eat plenty of fruits and veg-
etables to get the recommended 25 grams of
daily fiber, but two or three cups of coffee a
day can help you get there. A cup of tea on the
other hand typically will not help you meet
your daily fiber requirements – unless of
course you decide to munch on the tea leaves.

Need to get some work done? Studying
for a big exam? The caffeine in both coffee

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | HEALTHY SENIOR December 29, 2022 13

an eight-ounce cup of brewed coffee has Spector and his colleagues can tell wheth- drinkers had a 13 percent lower risk of devel- of chlorogenic acid, a polyphenol that’s been
about 96 milligrams of caffeine; a one-ounce er someone is a coffee drinker just by ana- oping cancer compared to seldom or never shown in some studies to improve insulin
cup of espresso has 64 milligrams; an eight- lyzing their poop. “There are specific [ben- drinkers. Regular coffee drinking may offer sensitivity and blood sugar control.
ounce cup of instant coffee has about 62; an eficial] microbes that seem to grow pretty some protection against colorectal, prostate,
eight-ounce cup of black tea contains 47 mil- well in people who drink a lot of coffee,” he liver, endometrial, oral and breast cancers. A meta-analysis of research that included
ligrams of caffeine, while an eight-ounce cup said. They haven’t found a similar effect in more than 1 million people found that those
of green tea has 28 milligrams of the stimu- tea drinkers. The data aren’t conclusive, but the Amer- who drank up to four cups of coffee daily had
lating chemical. ican Cancer Society says coffee contains a 25 percent lower risk of developing diabetes
So, this round goes to coffee. hundreds of biologically active compounds, compared to people who drank little or no
So, which is better, coffee or tea? One According to large population studies, including some that have been shown to re- coffee. People who drank up to four cups of
study asked people to drink four cups of coffee and tea both appear to be good for duce inflammation, prevent damage to cells, decaf a day had a 20 percent lower risk.
coffee or tea throughout the day. Both bev- your heart, lowering risk for heart disease and regulate genes involved in DNA repair.
erages had similar effects on alertness and and stroke. “Whether it’s cancer, obesity or heart disease, “Coffee is highly beneficial for reducing
cognitive performance. But the tea had one But these studies aren’t conclusive – it may inflammation is the enemy, and one way you the risk of diabetes,” said Cornelis.
big advantage over coffee: It had enough caf- be that coffee and tea drinkers have other can dampen inflammation is by drinking
feine to aid performance, but not so much heart-healthy habits, like exercising more or coffee,” said Sanjiv Chopra, a professor of While tea does not contain chlorogenic
that it disrupted sleep. eating healthier diets. Still, it appears the an- medicine at Harvard Medical School and the acid, it does have other plant compounds that
tioxidants and polyphenols in coffee and tea author of “Coffee! The Magical Elixir.” are thought to be beneficial for blood sugar
Score one for tea! have a protective effect on heart health. control. But studies looking at the relation-
Both coffee and tea are good sources of Clinical trials show that regularly con- So far, studies haven’t found a link be- ship between tea consumption and diabetes
polyphenols – plant compounds that are suming tea, especially green tea, may tween tea consumption and cancer preven- risk have produced conflicting findings.
thought to confer many health benefits. slightly improve blood pressure and cho- tion. One meta-analysis of 113 studies found
Studies suggest that polyphenols can low- lesterol. Drinking decaffeinated coffee – “little evidence to support the hypothesis Some suggest that having four or more
er your risk of developing chronic diseases, about two to four cups a day – has also been that tea drinking is associated with cancer cups of green, black or oolong tea daily can
and they are “rocket fuel” for beneficial bac- linked to reductions in heart disease. This risk.” In this round, at least from the studies reduce diabetes risk. A meta-analysis of ran-
teria that make up your gut microbiome, the suggests that any cardiovascular bene- so far, coffee is the clear favorite. domized trials found that green tea could
communities of trillions of microbes that fits from drinking coffee and tea probably reduce blood sugar levels. But other studies
live inside our guts and are essential to good stem from compounds other than caffeine. Coffee also comes out ahead in reducing have found no clear link between tea and
health in countless ways, said Tim Spector, There are more studies linking coffee to Type 2 Diabetes. diabetes risk. Ultimately experts say the ev-
a professor at King’s College London. Cof- heart health than there are for tea. But you idence that coffee may be protective against
fee has significantly more polyphenols than can’t go wrong either way. A cup of coffee can produce a short-term diabetes is stronger than it is for tea.
green tea, and green tea has more polyphe- Which makes this round a draw. spike in blood sugar levels due to the caffeine
nols than black tea. Many studies over the years have found it contains. Yet large studies show that people Another win for coffee!
Polyphenol concentrations are: 200 mil- that coffee drinkers have lower rates of can- who routinely drink coffee are less likely to However, if you want a smooth and gentle
ligrams per 100 milliliters of brewed coffee; cer, including a meta-analysis of 59 studies develop Type 2 diabetes. Marilyn C. Cornelis, beverage that might even melt some stress
the same amount of green tea has 115 milli- across 40 cohorts that showed regular coffee an associate professor of preventive medicine away, then look no further than tea – or as the
grams; and black tea has 96. at Northwestern University and an expert on famous author P.L. Travers called it, “balm for
coffee, tea and caffeine metabolism, says this the soul.”
could be due to coffee’s large concentration Studies have found that when people are

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

Happy Holidays!

$79 NEUROPATHY RELIEF
NEW PATIENT SPECIAL
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM COSMETIC DENTISTRY PAINFUL, BURNING, OR NUMB FEET?
GENERAL DENTISTRY BALANCE PROBLEMS?
FULL SET XRAYS DENTURES & PARTIALS
TREATMENT PLAN  CLEANING* DENTAL IMPLANTS  WHITENING PAINLESS EFFECTIVE TREATMENT
*Not in combination with any other offer. Offer good for new patients GUM SURGERY  WALK-INS WELCOME
only and cleaning in absence of periodontal disease. Xrays are non CALL NOW! 564-2454
FINANCING & SAVINGS PLAN AVAILABLEtransferable. (D0150) (D1110) (D0210) (D0330) TO DETERMINE IFYOU ARE A CANDIDATE

DENTAL LAB Call 772-562-5051 NEUROPATHY & LASER CENTER
ON PREMISES 780 US 1, SUITE 200
CromerAndCairnsDental.com VERO BEACH, FL 32962

The patient and any other person responsible for payment has a right to refuse to pay, cancel payment, or be reimbursed for DR. SUSAN PERKINS, DC
payment for any other services, examination, or treatment that is preformed as a result of and within 72 hours of responding
to the advertisement for the free, discounted fee, or reduced fee service, examination, or treatment.

1225 US HWY 1, VERO BEACH, FL 32960 JULIE A. CROMER, DDS NeuropathyAndLaser.com

14 December 29, 2022 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH www.veronews.com

“Coffee is highly CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 somnia when consumed in excess.
beneficial for reducing Long story short, if it’s relaxation you’re af-
stressed, drinking green or black tea can help
the risk of diabetes.” them feel more relaxed and lower their levels ter, then a cup of tea is your safest bet.
of cortisol, the stress hormone. Studies sug- When it comes to longevity, both coffee
– Marilyn C. Cornelis, gest that this is in part due to L-theanine, a
compound found in green and black teas that and tea lovers can rejoice! People who reg-
Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine promotes relaxation. “L-theanine has kind of ularly consume coffee and tea tend to live
at Northwestern University a calming effect,” Cornelis at Northwestern longer than people who don’t drink either
said. “It’s sometimes even included in mela- beverage.
tonin supplements to help with sleep.”
For tea drinkers, both green and black tea
Compared to tea, coffee contains are associated with greater longevity. In one
higher levels of caffeine, and caffeine is recent study, scientists followed a half mil-
known to stimulate cortisol levels and lion people over a 14-year period and found
elevate your mood. But as anyone who that people who drank at least two cups of tea
has ever had one too many energy drinks daily had a 9 percent to 13 percent lower risk
or cups of coffee can attest, caffeine can of dying during the study period compared to
also cause jitteriness, anxiety and in- non-tea drinkers. The study was carried out
in the United Kingdom, where most of the
tea-drinkers consumed black tea. But large
studies of green-tea drinkers have reached
similar findings.

Black tea and especially green tea are rich
in polyphenols and other beneficial com-
pounds, “and these compounds could poten-
tially reduce stress and inflammation in the
body,” said Maki Inoue-Choi, a staff scientist
at the National Institutes of Health and lead
author of the recent tea study. More research
is needed to understand the potential mech-
anisms involved.

As for coffee, a study published in July fol-
lowed almost 172,000 people and found that
those who drank 2.5 to 4.5 cups of coffee per
day had a 30 percent lower likelihood of dying
during the seven years of the study compared
to people who didn’t drink coffee. Even those
who drank their coffee with a teaspoon of
sugar seemed to gain a benefit.

These studies come with an important
limitation: They are observational, meaning
they can’t prove causation. But tea and cof-
fee provide so many health benefits that it’s
reasonable to conclude that they could lower
your odds of an early death, say experts.

Chopra at Harvard Medical School point-
ed out that at least five large studies in leading
medical journals have now shown that coffee
drinkers have lower mortality rates. “These
studies keep coming and coming,” he said.

This round is a draw.
But in the battle over health benefits, cof-
fee comes out on top, overall, as coffee drink-
ers raise a mug to fiber, microbiome health
and lowering risk for cancer and diabetes.
Tea drinkers can celebrate as well. Tea
is undoubtedly good for your blood pres-
sure, cholesterol, stress levels and mental
health and productivity. And both drinks
are winners when it comes to heart health
and longevity.
An important caveat about these brag-
ging rights: One reason coffee is linked to
more health benefits than tea is that it’s
been the subject of far more studies, said
Chopra at Harvard Medical School. “I tell
my tea-drinker friends that we may learn
in the years to come that tea has additional
benefits,” he added.
And there is one final category in the tea
and coffee smackdown that should be consid-
ered: popularity. It’s been estimated that the
world drinks three cups of tea for every cup
of coffee. And tea is the second most popular
beverage in the world – right after water! 

Huge Grand Harbor condo
boasts 3 balconies, water views

5620 N. Harbor Village Drive, No. 302: 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath, 3,260-square-foot waterfront condo offered for $2,200,000
by AMAC Alex MacWilliam Real Estate agents Diane De Francisci and Martin Carder: 772-538-1614

16 December 29, 2022 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTATE www.veronews.com

Huge Grand Harbor condo boasts 3 balconies, water views

By Samantha Rohlfing Baita | Staff Writer tone fixtures. The glass walk-in shower has Just beyond the Sensible Closet is the up for large TV, both topped with crown
[email protected] a multi-shade green mosaic tile floor, cor- second en suite guest bedroom, with an- molding. This room also accesses a second
ner bench, grab bar and detachable show- other long closet and a slider wall to the small balcony through a pair of sliders.
The beautiful condo at 5620 N. Harbor erhead, and there is a linen closet. From shared balcony. The bathroom has a glass
Village Dr., No. 302 in Grand Harbor has this lovely suite, a slider opens onto one of door shower with detachable showerhead The kitchen is a sophisticated beau-
a brilliant, one-of-a-kind floorplan, with three inviting balconies. and mosaic tile floor. ty, with cherry cabinets, polished black
3,260 square feet under air, and exception- granite counters with a subtle sparkle,
al river views. Farther along the gallery is the pow- The kitchen, dining room and living stainless steel appliances, tile flooring,
der room, dressed in charming retro wall room make up the spacious central heart a walk-in pantry, and pot lights. The
From the elevator, you’ll step direct- covering with a British vibe – bunches of of the home and, with the three balco- French door fridge has wide double
ly into your foyer, then proceed along a

broad gallery with a golden sweep of man- plump pink and blue shrub roses and soft nies, create an ideal place for all sorts of doors above a large freezer drawer.
ufactured hardwood flooring that flows green leaves. All four bathrooms in the entertaining – large parties, elegant soi- An exhaust fan that blows directly to
into the central living spaces. condo share the same sophisticated cabi- rees, family gatherings, afternoon teas. Or
netry, fixtures and mirrors. simply take a break here with your morn- the outside eliminates the need for a hood
Immediately to the right upon entry is ing joe or evening cocktail and enjoy your vent, and there are pullout bins for trash
the laundry room and the entrance to the At the end of the gallery is a large French amazing home and its beautiful natural and recyclables. There is a sunny break-
first of two guest suites, which is carpeted door closet. Homeowner Liz Melnick ex- surroundings. fast nook at one end, with a view through
and comes with a ceiling fan like the oth- plains that, although it’s considered a coat double plantation-shuttered windows;
er two bedrooms. There is a long walk-in closet, “I had it redone and now call it a Off the dining room is a flexible study/ and the island’s drawers and doors can be
closet and a handsome bathroom featur- ‘Sensible Closet,’” given the minimal need library, featuring a long, built-in wood opened from either side, for easier access
ing warm wood vanity with beveled black for coats in the Sunshine State. The new cabinet and, on an adjacent wall, a smaller to your stuff.
granite top and recessed white oval basin, configuration provides flexible organiza- built-in with display shelfing and a hook-
large framed mirror and chrome-and-gold tion opportunities and easy retrieval. The kitchen opens to the dining room/

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTAT E December 29, 2022 17

living room via a wall-to-wall, two-level peaceful, private primary bedroom suite, the two are both topped with matching from Vero’s charming seaside village with
countertop passthrough that allows unim- where his and hers walk-in closets face molasses-hued crown molding. its beaches, fine restaurants, pubs, salons
peded conversation flow and refreshment each other. The spacious, carpeted bed- and boutiques, live professional theatre,
distribution. This central space extends room features double Plantation-shut- The delicious corner garden tub invites an excellent art museum, the city tennis
well forward of the two side balconies and tered windows and slider access to balco- you to gather a good book, candle, music, center, a riverside dog park and much
accesses them through sliders. ny, both with stunning water views. This maybe a glass of bubbly, and soak away more; or turn west from the boulevard
bedroom also has a door to the study. the day. When you’re in a rush, jump into into the mainland commercial centers
The sliders along the north easterly side the large glass shower. and the downtown art gallery and restau-
open to the large central balcony, the opti- The primary bathroom is gorgeous. It’s rant district. Cleveland Clinic Indian River
mal place to enjoy sunrises over the ocean molasses-hued two-basin vanity glow- This elegant, expansive apartment Hospital and all the surrounding medical
and, Liz Melnick points out, watch rocket ing beneath black granite countertop. comes with two garage spaces and a large, offices are practically across the street
launches at Cape Canaveral. Full mirrors above each white basin and private, air-conditioned storage room. from the community. 
a countertop-to-ceiling cabinet between
Along a hallway from the kitchen is the Located along Indian River Boulevard,
Grand Harbor is a 5- or 10-minute drive

FEATURES FOR 5620 N. HARBOR VILLAGE DRIVE, NO. 302

Neighborhood: River Pointe at Grand Harbor
Year built: 2001 • Construction: CBS; tile roof

Home size: 3,260 square feet
Bedrooms: 3 • Bathrooms: 3 full bathrooms, 1 half-bath
Additional features: Three balconies; 2 garage spaces; air-condi-
tioned storage room; laundry room w/tub; sliding doors; garden
tub; walk-in closets; central vac; crown molding; plantation shut-
ters; hurricane shutters, community pool; gate guarded community

Listing agency: AMAC Alex MacWilliam Real Estate
Listing agents:

Diane De Francisci, 772-538-1614; and
Martin Carder, 772-696-0131
Listing price: $2,200,000

18 December 29, 2022 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTATE www.veronews.com

MAINLAND REAL ESTATE SALES: DEC. 19 THROUGH DEC. 23

TOP SALES OF THE WEEK

Despite the usual slowdown in real estate activity associated with the holidays, a still-impressive
31 transactions of single-family residences and lots were reported last week (some shown below).
The top sale of the week was in Vero Beach, where the 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom home at 8 Sea
Horse Lane – first listed in June for $1,535,000 – sold for $995,000 on Dec. 22.
Representing the seller in the transaction was agent Karl Dietrich of Alex MacWilliam, Inc. Repre-
senting the buyer was agent Gary Sutcliffe of ONE Sotheby’s International Realty.

Stats were pulled 12/23/22 11:25 AM

SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES AND LOTS

ORIGINAL SELLING
PRICE
TOWN ADDRESS LISTED ASKING PRICE SOLD
$995,000
VERO BEACH 8 SEA HORSE LN 6/4/2022 $1,535,000 12/22/2022 $950,000
SEBASTIAN 13470 OLD DIXIE HWY 10/12/2022 $1,000,000 12/16/2022 $940,000
VERO BEACH 6100 8TH ST 7/15/2022 $1,275,000 12/20/2022 $899,000
VERO BEACH 4665 HAMILTON CT 10/18/2022 $899,000 12/19/2022 $899,000
VERO BEACH 685 CATALINA ST 10/28/2022 $899,000 12/21/2022 $875,000
VERO BEACH 530 STONEY BROOK FARM CT 10/13/2022 $898,000 12/19/2022 $655,084
VERO BEACH 560 CAROLINE DR 4/25/2022 $677,968 12/16/2022 $650,000
VERO BEACH 7614 S VILLAGE SQ 6/30/2022 $725,000 12/19/2022 $455,000
SEBASTIAN 1343 SHORELINE CIR 8/24/2022 $498,549 12/19/2022 $420,000
SEBASTIAN 510 BENEDICTINE TER 10/21/2022 $435,000 12/21/2022 $405,000
VERO BEACH 3109 ASHFORD SQ 11/28/2022 $399,000 12/22/2022 $400,000
VERO BEACH 825 SARINA TER SW 8/24/2022 $489,000 12/20/2022 $385,955
VERO BEACH 2195 CROWNED EAGLE CIR SW 6/10/2022 $400,275 12/16/2022 $375,000
VERO BEACH 7497 GREAT OAK PL 10/11/2022 $379,900 12/16/2022

Established 18 Years in Indian River County

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

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTAT E December 29, 2022 19

HERE ARE SOME OF THE TOP RECENT INDIAN RIVER COUNTY REAL ESTATE SALES.

13470 Old Dixie Hwy, Sebastian 6100 8th St, Vero Beach

Listing Date: 10/12/2022 Listing Date: 7/15/2022
Original Price: $1,000,000 Original Price: $1,275,000
Sold: 12/16/2022 Sold: 12/20/2022
Selling Price: $950,000 Selling Price: $940,000
Listing Agent: Sandra Alexander Listing Agent: Sherri Sproch

Selling Agent: ONE Sotheby’s Int’l Realty Selling Agent: RE/MAX Crown Realty

Eddie Nero Lucy Hendricks

Keller Williams Realty Premier Estate Properties

4665 Hamilton Ct, Vero Beach 685 Catalina St, Vero Beach

Listing Date: 10/18/2022 Listing Date: 10/28/2022
Original Price: $899,000 Original Price: $899,000
Sold: 12/19/2022 Sold: 12/21/2022
Selling Price: $899,000 Selling Price: $899,000
Listing Agent: Claire Higgins Listing Agent: Jason Gill

Selling Agent: Engel & Voelker Selling Agent: Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc.

Rosanne Moler Wendy Wilson

Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc. RE/MAX Associated Realty

20 December 29, 2022 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTATE www.veronews.com

Housing market doesn’t need much for buyers to return

By Conor Sen | Bloomberg that buyers have committed to has hov- quarter next year, traditionally the high that now, though rates remain volatile and
ered in a range of $2,200 a month to just season for home sales. The luxury home- unpredictable. Given the mortgage math I
Surging mortgage rates have brought over $2,500 a month, with the most recent builder Toll Brothers noted on its earnings laid out above, it’s not hard to see why that
the housing market down from its giddy level of about $2,300 being very close to call that while it’s too soon to be sure about would be the case. A rate increase to 6 per-
highs earlier this year. Now the question where it was in late April. the effect of recent rate declines, it’s their cent from 5 percent raises a buyer’s month-
on everyone’s mind is how low will build- view that 30-year mortgage rates of 6 per- ly payment by 11.6 percent But if wages
ing, buying and prices go? We’ve already The rise in mortgage rates has hurt sales cent or lower would be enough to change grow by 5 percent between mid-2022 and
seen people who follow the market specu- activity as many owners decide not to sell buyer psychologies. We’re not far away from mid-2023, and asking prices have dropped
late about housing prices falling 10% from at the lower prices needed to trade homes from the peak, affordability could be better
peak levels. when mortgage rates are above 6 percent than it was in April 2022.
But we’ve also seen that even as mortgage
But that kind of shock-and-awe analysis rates remain high, small declines in the rate We’ll have to continue tracking the data
is incomplete, and based on an assumption will lead to more buyer activity. but pulling together the monthly payments
that housing affordability has to snap back buyers are still committing to, the real-time
to pre-pandemic levels, or match some the- As rates have eased over the past month shift in activity tied to easing mortgage
oretical monthly payment-to-income ratio. or two, mortgage purchase applications rates and recent commentary from home-
rose five of the past six weeks, and Google builders, even a 6 percent mortgage rate
A better guess about where the housing searches for “homes for sale” have picked early next year might be all it takes to re-
market will stabilize would take into ac- up a bit. store some balance to the housing market,
count the fact that housing activity was still contrary to the more negative scenarios fa-
just fine up until April, even though afford- But December is the slowest time of the vored by some. 
ability was much worse than pre-pandem- year for home sales. What matters for the
ic. You also would need to account for the market is how things look in the second
squiggles in the data as mortgage rates have
moved up and back down since then, RENTERS STILL HAVING TROUBLE BUYING THEIR FIRST HOME

And those measures suggest it wouldn’t By Ella Ceron | Bloomberg She and her partner planned to buy a in Kansas, said she and her partner will
take much for the housing market to get two-bedroom apartment at the end of have pay at least $1,000 per month when
back into balance with more stable pricing While 95 percent of millennials who their last lease and saved $35,000 for a student loan payments resume. As it is,
and transactions. It might take as little as rent want to own a home, they’re not sure down payment. But the properties in rent, medical bills and other costs have
mortgage rates falling back to below 6 per- they’ll be able to pull it off any time soon. her price range were worse quality than forced them delay life milestones.
cent, or some additional modest declines she expected.
in home prices combined with a little more First there was the pandemic housing Valentini said she was not sure when,
wage growth for workers. frenzy, with bidding wars and cash offers “It was clear I was going to get less for “we’ll be able to afford a house and chil-
dominating an under-supplied market my money if I bought in this market,” dren – even as two well-educated and
The online real estate brokerage Redfin that was too hot for many first-time buy- she said. privileged women.”
puts out a weekly report looking at a variety ers to crack, even with historically low
of housing metrics, and it was their end of mortgage rates. Additional costs like homeowners as- Being single: It’s even tougher for sin-
April report that first made it clear that the sociation dues and taxes, meant apart- gle people to buy a first home, and mil-
housing market was slowing. Asking pric- Then came interest rate hikes, which ments that cost less than $350,000 were lennials are increasingly in that cohort.
es were up astronomically since two years have driven up borrowing costs. And out of her budget. Instead, the couple They’re getting married later in life than
earlier at the start of the pandemic, mort- while the Fed has managed to cool rented a larger apartment, and are weigh- previous generations, and more than
gage rates had breached 5%, and monthly housing demand, and interest rates ing whether to prioritize getting married. half of the age group are unmarried.
payments had risen by the most on record have fallen more than a point since
compared with the prior year. their peak, the supply of available prop- The median sale price for a home “It really feels like I’ll never be able to
erties is still low and monthly mortgage in the Chicago area in November was buy unless I’m applying for a mortgage
A lot has changed since then. The av- payments remain out of reach for many $310,000, down from a high of $372,750 with a significant other,” said Caitlyn
erage mortgage rate was 6.13 percent last potential buyers. in April but still nearly 20 percent higher Coyle, a 33-year-old store manager in
week after touching 7.3 percent in October. than five years ago, according to Redfin. New Jersey. “I make decent money and
Asking prices for homes have fallen, and To make matters worse, inflation has The online brokerage recently predicted I’m not struggling, but I’m also able to
worker incomes have continued to grow driven up the cost of everything from that Chicago’s housing market would re- save very little from my paycheck to put
– yet despite all that volatility there has groceries and utilities to rent and food, main largely steady in 2023. towards a down payment.”
been remarkable stability in the monthly making it even harder to save for a home.
payment buyers are committing to. Bills, bills, bills: The idea of saving for Racial disparity: Buying a home has
“It’s not just one factor that’s hold- a home is daunting at a time when ev- long been a fundamental way to build
Changes in home prices get headlines, ing back first-time home buyers – it’s a erything from rent to groceries is more wealth. And the struggles for first-time
but what buyers care most about is whether number of factors,” said Jessica Lautz, expensive and wage gains, while strong, buyers have landed especially hard on
they can afford the monthly payments. For the deputy chief economist and vice aren’t keeping up with inflation. people of color, who historically have been
a homebuyer putting 20 percent down on a president of research at the National subjected to redlining and wage gaps.
$400,000 house, a 5 percent mortgage rate – Association of Realtors. “All of them can “The focus right now is to stay afloat
common in April – translates to a monthly compound on each other.” without having to dip into my savings The millennial generation in the U.S.
payment of $1,718. That monthly payment before my next paycheck, which I can is more diverse than prior generations.
rises to $1,918 at a 6 percent rate, creating Here’s a look at some of the issues rarely manage to do,” said Amelia Garri- And Gen Z is outpacing them as well.
an affordability gap. that kept potential first-time buyers, son, a senior recruitment manager for a
many of whom are millennials, on the nonprofit in Columbus, Ohio. Across age demographics, 88 percent of
But there’s more than just mortgage sidelines this year. people who bought a primary residence
rates at work in the market, and when all is Another blow? President Joe Biden’s between July 2021 and June 2022 were
considered, the affordability gap has been Mortgage rates: Higher borrowing student debt forgiveness plan, which white, according to the National Associa-
shrinking in recent months, or at least not costs have cooled the housing mar- some millennials saw as an opportunity tion of Realtors. Among first-time buyers
getting worse. ket, but in many areas prices haven’t to reduce their debt load and accelerate during that period, 82 percent were white,
dropped enough to make properties af- savings for a home, has been stalled by the highest share in at least 20 years. Both
Many sellers have been lowering their fordable for first-time buyers. legal challenges. numbers exceed the percentage of white
asking prices and wage growth continues people in the U.S., which the Census Bu-
faster than it was prior to the pandemic. Kerry Tuttle, a public relations man- Stephanie Valentini, a 32-year-old reau pegs at 75 percent. 
ager in Chicago, had to push back her graduate student and behavioral analyst
The framework for more stable month- timeline for purchasing a property.
ly payments is backed up by Redfin data.
Since April, the average monthly payment

NEW RELIEF FOR 8 16HOUSE OFTHEWEEK: SLEIGH-BY-SLEIGH, B8
SLEEP APNEA GRAND HARBOR CONDO VIKKI’S ACCOUNT

Coming Up MAESTRO DAVID AMADO

BUZZ BUILDS FOR MAGNIFICENT MÉLANGE
RIVERSIDE’S ‘MAN
OF LA MANCHA’ ATLANTIC CLASSICAL ORCHESTRA PROMISES ‘GREAT MUSIC’ PAGE B2

By Pam Harbaugh | Correspondent

1 Theater lovers have been ea-
ger for Riverside Theatre’s
next production in its new season.
They’ll be happy to know that’s hap-
pening soon with the opening of a
most memorable musical, “Man of
La Mancha.” The Tony Award-win-
ning musical was a watershed in
the American musical theater can-
on, introducing what’s known as a
“concept musical.” Written by Dale
Wasserman with exquisite music by
Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Dari-
on, it takes us into the mind of Cer-
vantes, the author of “Don Quixote,”
as he is thrown into prison during
the Spanish Inquisition. Inmates
threaten to destroy his life’s work
so Cervantes persuades them not to
by taking on the role of Quixote and
eliciting his inmates into portraying
other roles. This is the wonderful
musical that has “The Impossible
Dream,” “Dulcinea” and “Aldonza.”
It is directed and choreographed by
D.J. Salisbury. It performs on Riv-
erside’s Stark Stage Jan. 3 to Jan. 22

CONTINUED ON PAGE B3

B2 December 29, 2022 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | ARTS & THEATRE www.veronews.com

Atlantic Classical Orchestra promises season of ‘great music’

BY PAM HARBAUGH | CORRESPONDENT proaches,” Amado says. “There are a in music. There is Felix citing aspects of this concert is that it is
lot of ways of examining the possibili- Mendelssohn’s over- being performed by this smaller sized
Choosing a season of symphonic ties. Sometimes it boils down to which ture to “A Midsummer orchestra, sometimes referred to as a
music to please audiences and musi- is the stronger piece.” Night’s Dream,” writ- chamber orchestra.
cians alike is a labor of love for David ten at the ripe old age
Amado, conductor and music director Amado has once again chosen a wide of 17; Maurice Ravel’s The ACO averages about 40 musicians,
for the Treasure Coast’s Atlantic Clas- array of music for the ACO’s 2023 Mas- “Ma Mère l’Oye (Moth- roughly half the size of larger symphonic
sical Orchestra. terworks Series, and it is sure to thrill er Goose),” originally orchestras. Amado, who also has been
the audiences in Vero Beach, Stuart written as a four-hand music director for the 75-piece Dela-
“I love that part,” Amado says. “There’s and North Palm Beach. The upcoming piano piece and later ware Symphony Orchestra for the past
so much great music. It’s an embarrass- season features thrilling symphonic expanded into an or- 20 years, says the intended balance in
ment of riches.” compositions in many musical genres, chestral suite for ballet; classical compositions is more easily
including classical, romantic, modern and the Piano Concerto No. 2 by Freder- achieved with a smaller orchestra, in
Amado, along with a savvy ACO ad- and contemporary. ik Chopin. While the Chopin piece does part because you don’t have some sec-
visory committee, looks at the overall not have an overarching narrative, it tions overpowering others.
themes, listens to what musicians say Amado chose an all-American-influ- certainly may evoke a sense of unfolding
they would like to play, considers what enced theme for the opening concert of drama, Amado says. “It’s wonderful to perform classical
audiences want to hear, and research- the Masterworks Series in January. It in- music with an appropriately sized or-
es the last date certain pieces were cludes highlights from “On the Town,” The third concert lights up Amado’s chestra,” Amado says. “Many modern
performed. by famed American composer Leonard already electrified energy.
Bernstein, and the Violin Concerto by
If it’s a giant work, such as Mahler’s Austrian-born Erich Wolfgang Korngold, “It’s important to me and my audi-
Symphony No.7, chances are it is not who immigrated to the U.S. in 1934. A ence to spend some time during the
something the ACO would include in a musical prodigy, Korngold moved to season playing music that our name in-
season, Amado says. It requires so many Hollywood where he became one of the dicates,” he said, referencing the classi-
musicians that it would not be financial- country’s most influential composers cal music genre.
ly feasible, nor would the orchestra fit of film scores. The third is the Sympho-
onto the stage of some of their venues. ny No. 9 “From the New World” by An- That concert brings to the stage clas-
tonín Dvoář k, said to be inspired by Afri- sical works by composers Wolfgang
And sometimes it’s a matter of fitting can-American spirituals. Amadeus Mozart, Josef Haydn and
together an important puzzle piece – the Haydn’s successor, Johann Nepomuk
availability of required instruments. The next concert explores storytelling Hummel. Perhaps one of the most ex-

“There are no one-size-fits-all ap-

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | ARTS & THEATRE December 29, 2022 B3

orchestras in the 18th century were not Single tickets range from $30 to $65. ven’s Symphony No. 5. CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1
pretty big. At their largest, they looked 7:30 p.m. April 12 in North Palm Beach;
like the ACO, with 40-something people.” Masterworks I with performances beginning 7:30 p.m.
Bernstein’s “On the Town: Three 7:30 p.m. April 13 in Vero Beach; and 4 Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8
The season’s final Masterworks Series Dance Episodes,” Korngold’s Violin Con- p.m. and 8 p.m. April 14 in Stuart. p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on
concert brings a large dramatic arc, from certo featuring violinist Leonid Sigal, Wednesdays, select Thursdays, Saturdays
an unusually intimate Richard Wagner and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 “From the The Chamber Series concerts are held and Sundays. Tickets start at $45. Riverside
piece, to a new work for harp by Brazil- New World.” in two venues: the Vero Beach Museum of Theatre is at 3250 Riverside Park Dr., Vero
ian composer João Rezende Lopes, and 7:30 p.m. Jan. 25 in North Palm Beach; Art, 3001 Riverside Park Dr., Vero Beach, Beach. Call 772-231-6990 or visit Riverside-
finally to Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sym- 7:30 p.m. Jan. 26 in Vero Beach; 4 p.m. and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 621 SE Theatre.com.
phony No. 5, arguably the world’s most and 8 p.m. Jan. 27 in Stuart. Ocean Blvd., Stuart. Series subscriptions
famous symphony. cost $90. Single tickets cost $35. 2 As long as you’re thinking culture,
Masterworks II you may want to plan ahead for
“Moving from turmoil to exuberant, Mendelssohn’s “A Midsummer Night’s “Austrian Masterpieces” the Vero Beach Opera’s fully staged pro-
brilliant triumph, that’s the dramatic Dream: Overture,” Chopin’s Piano Con- With violin, viola, cello, double bass duction of Donezetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore”
arc which was inspiring to generations certo No. 2 with pianist Drew Petersen, and piano performing Haydn’s Piano (“The Elixir of Love”). The production, per-
of composers” Amado says. “To have and Ravel’s “Ma Mère l’Oye (Mother Trio No. 39, and Schubert’s Piano Quin- formed with the Brevard Symphony Or-
this kind of variety over the season is Goose).” tet, “Trout.” chestra, led by Maestro Gregory Buchalter
wonderful.” 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14 in Vero Beach; 7:30 4 p.m. Jan. 13 in Stuart; and 3 p.m. Jan. and directed by Russell Franks, will fea-
p.m. Feb. 15 in North Palm Beach; and 4 15 in Vero Beach. ture English supertitles. “L’Elisir d’Amore”
The ACO also presents a Chamber p.m. and 8 p.m. Feb. 17 in Stuart. is a romantic comic opera in two acts. It is
Series at the Vero Beach Museum of “Three by Three” all about romance, love potions and, ul-
Art and at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church Masterworks III With violin, viola and cello perform- timately, sincerity. The storyline follows
in Stuart featuring musicians from the Haydn’s Symphony No. 90, Hum- ing Boccherini’s String Trio No. 1, and Nemorino (David Margulis) who yearns
Atlantic Classical Orchestra. By design, mel’s Trumpet Concerto with Ansel Dohnányi’s “Serenade.” for Adina (Avery Boettcher). The opera’s
the musicians themselves select the Norris on trumpet, and Mozart’s Sym- 4 p.m. Feb. 24 in Stuart; and 3 p.m. Feb. recognizable work is the tenor aria “Una
works they will perform. phony No. 36 “Linz.” 26 in Vero Beach. furtiva lagrima.” Other lead roles are per-
7:30 p.m. March 15 in North Palm formed by Ashley Nunez, Kenneth Stavert
THE SEASON: Beach; 7:30 p.m. March 16 in Vero Beach; “Winds in the Afternoon Air” and Eleomar Cuello. The chorus includes
The Masterwork Series has the full or- and 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. March 17 in Stuart. With flute, clarinet and bassoon per- Stetson Opera Theatre students and area
chestra led by Maestro David Amado. forming Devienne’s Trio in Bb, Koech- singers. “L’Elisir d’Amore” begins 3 p.m.
It performs in three venues: The Com- Masterworks IV lin’s Trio, and Kummer’s Trio in F. Sunday, Jan. 8, at the Vero Beach High
munity Church of Vero Beach, 1901 Wagner’s “Siegfried Idyll,” Lopes’ 4 p.m. March 31 in Stuart; and 3 p.m. School Performing Arts Center, 1707 16th
23rd St., Vero Beach, the Lyric Theatre, Concerto for Harp, “Recife,” with April 2 in Vero Beach. St., Vero Beach. Tickets are $15 to $100. For
59 SW Flagler Ave., Stuart, and the harpist Bridget Kibbey, and Beetho- For tickets, call 772-460-0851 or visit At- more information, call 772-564-5537 or
First Presbyterian Church, 717 Pros- lanticClassicalOrchestra.com.  visit VeroBeachOpera.org. 
perity Farms Road, North Palm Beach.
Season tickets range from $90 to $220.

B4 December 29, 2022 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | DINING www.veronews.com

Fine Dining, Elevated
Exciting Innovative Cuisine
Award Winning Wine List

Unparalleled Service

Expanded outdoor dining in The Café.
Proud recipient of Trip Advisor’s

Traveler’s Choice Award placing us in
“The Top 10% of restaurants worldwide”.

Wine Spectator Award Catering Now Available
2002 – 2021
(772) 234-3966 • tidesofvero.com
Open 7 Days a Week Starting at 5 PM
3103 Cardinal Drive, Vero Beach, FL

Reservations Highly Recommended • Proper Attire Appreciated

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | DINING December 29, 2022 B5
Serving Dinner
Excellence Tues - Sat from 5pm Happy HourNPirgefhemtal(iyBtuua5mrriO-nSn6gpl:y3i)r0itpsm
AwardWinner (772) 226-7870

enu Innovative Mediterranean Cuisine & Gourmet Market

Pre-Fixe Specials, $18

Includes Entree, Salad, & Bread
$6 Glass Wine

Deli & Prepared Foods Available PrimeSteSa&kpseI,tcaSialeilaatnfieosod Di5nENin-ai5ggrl:hMy3t0lypemnu Down wn
Take & Bake Pizza • Beer & Wine Vero Bea

Featuring Gluten-FreHeoPuizrzsa, Pasta and Entrees 2023 14th Avenue
Market Hours: Mon-Sat 10am - close www.VeroPrime.com

772.234.4181 • 1409 S. A1A, Vero Beach • www.johnnydsvero.com

B6 December 29, 2022 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | DINING www.veronews.com

Where Vero goes
for a Lil bit
of Ireland!

Chef
Chet Perrotti

CELEBRATE OPEN
THE HOLIDAYS
CHRISTMAS EVE
WITH US
CLOSED

CHRISTMAS DAY

Live Music  Champagne Toast
Open New Year’s Day

2019 14th Ave  (772) 217-2183
seanryanpub.com

LOCAL • FRESH • ORGANIC • NATURAL • MADE TO ORDER

GLUTEN FREE AND
VEGETARIAN OPTIONS

ALWAYS AVAILABLE

OPEN:

MONDAY THRU FRIDAY 8AM - 3PM
SATURDAY 8:30AM -2:00PM

OUTDOOR SEATING AVAILABLE

SANDWICHES • ACAI BOWL • WRAPS • SOUPS • PASTRIES • SMOOTHIES • JUICES • SHOTS

915 17TH STREET, SUITE 101 • VERO BEACH, FL 32960 • 772-643-4975
PALATOCAFEVERO.COM • [email protected]

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | DINING December 29, 2022 B7

CLOSED NEW YEARS DAY

OPEN TUESDAY NIGHT
ALL YOU CAN
WEDNESDAY - EAT FISH FRY
SUNDAY
HAPPY HOUR 4-6
ORDER ONLINE FOR TUES.- SAT.
DELIVERY OR PICKUP
WE CAN ACCOMMODATE
THROUGH LARGE PARTIES

Pizzoodles.com CLOSED NEW YEARS DAY
or ToastTakeout.com
TUES OPEN FOR DINNER AT 4
TAKING
ORDERS FOR WED-SAT OPEN FOR LUNCH & DINNER
HOLIDAY PARTY
CLOSED SUNDAYS & MONDAYS
PLATTERS
1931 Old Dixie • 772.770.0977 Follow Us
OPEN FOR DINNER WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY BEGINNING AT 4 PM. CLOSED MONDAY & TUESDAY.
fishackverobeach.com • Like us on Facebook!
56 Royal Palm Pointe  772-567-4160  Follow us on Facebook & Instagram Gift Certificates & Private Parties Available

ri BEER & WINE
The G Happy Hour

Specials
4-7pm Fri and Sat
TryciotnhveIeRrBCeedsapttoBoruucrrhg! er

Happy New Year!

$5.00 OFFNocashvalue
One per visit
One per customer
772.770.5970 | Oslo Rd, VB | CWWILLISFAMILYFARMS.COM

B8 December 29, 2022 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | PETS www.veronews.com

Vikki Claus gives Bonz the sleigh-by-sleigh account

Hi Dog Buddies! Eve tech crew? They all say ‘HAY!’) some razzing from my Vikki.
“We had So Many Adventures during fellow team members.
I hope you all had a Totally Cool Kibbles We were onna tile ‘You survived the
Christmas holiday!! I sure did, although the flight. For example, at a house in Boise, roof in a liddle village Flying Over Poland test!’ said Comet.
next year I might not dive into the Punkin we were pawsing on the rooftop as usual, in Lithuania; and the
Spiced Kibbles with the same GUSS-toe as I watching Santa on the monitor, when he elves had loaded the ‘“You’re officially a full-fledged Team
did this past week. radioed that he was stuck in the chimney. gigantic toy bag back Member,’ said Santa.
Santa always goes onna strict diet after onto the sleigh, pre-
Anyway, remember last Christmas when I Christmas Eve because of all the milk an paring for take-off. “I hafta go now,” Vikki’s Hoofmail con-
did an innerview with Vikki (short for Vixen) cookies he’s required to eat. Then, for the Rudolph gave the cluded. “It’s time for Santa’s Post-Flight Re-
Claus, the first fee-male reindeer (reindoe) rest of the year, his maintenance Chim- command – ‘Hoofs view. Hope to see you again someday.
to make Santa’s Christmas Eve team? WELL, ney Diet (an the Magical Christmas Eve UP’ – an off we flew
guess what? She just sent me a Hoofmail to Jelly Belly supplement) keep him within like the down of a “XO, Vikki Claus, Official Christmas Eve
share with all of you! Chimney Girth Range. But this year, Mrs. thistle. Flight Team Crew.”
Claus’ irresistible Frosted Double Choco-
Vikki’s currently enjoying some R&R in late Chip Macadamia Sugar Cookie recipe “Suddenly, with So, pooch pals, whaddya think? Cool Kib-
the team barn at the Super Secret Location blew his diet outta the water, so Chloe, the lights of Poland far below, Bob hol- bles, right?
where we first met and she Hoofmailed Gregor an Bob hadda employ the Magical lared, ‘Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! We for-
about her exciting First Official Christmas Emergency Peppermint Prod to give him got Santa! We gotta go back!] Do you think Santa ever considered a Dog
Eve Around-the-World Trip. a liddle push. Sled team? Or a Cat Sled? On further consid-
‘We CAN’T go back, yelled Rudolph. ‘It’ll eration, reindeer/reindoes do seem to be the
“Hay there, Bonzo!” she began. “I wish “Then, in Bloomington, Indiana, near the throw us into Christmas Day!’ perfect animals for the job.
you cudda been with us. It was the most tree, next to the plate of cookies-an-glassa
exciting adventure of my entire life. I milk, a liddle girl an boy anna fluffy puppy ‘But we can’t deliver toys without Santa!’ I wonder if Santa’s Chimney Diet an Mag-
wanted to say ‘Hay’ when we were at your had fallen asleep onna cozy rug. When San- shouted Donner. ical Christmas Eve Jelly Belly supplement
place Christmas Eve but there wasn’t ta finished the milk an put the glass back, it would help, say, a random slightly rotund
time: We had to cover about 82 million clanked, an the liddle girl woke up. Her eyes ‘It’ll be a global catastrophe!’ screamed pooch, a Springer Spaniel, perhaps, lose a
miles in only 32 hours, considering all the got big as cookie plates an she smiled at San- Chloe. few around the middle.
time zones, so it’s a precision, hoofs-on- ta. He gave her a soft liddle doot on the nose
the-roofs operation with not even a nano- and sprinkled a teensy bit of Sleepy Sand on ‘Wasn’t Vickie s’posed to be the look-out?’ Till next time,
second to spare.” her head so she’d only remember him like a asked Prancer.
happy Christmas dream. The Bonz
I pick-shured Vikki in her festive red ‘WHAT? ME? LOOKOUT? WHAT ARE
harness trimmed with tinkly bells: soft “Of course, in some locations on the YOU TALKING ABOUT?’ I blurted in dismay. Don’t Be Shy
brown an cream hair; long legs, fluff-cov- Big Blue Marble (which is what the World
ered hoofs; big yellow/green eyes; and looks like from way, high above it), there ‘The newest team member is ALWAYS We are always looking for pets
graceful antlers that curved above her aren’t any chimneys an only rooftops the lookout, to make sure Santa’s aboard. with interesting stories.
head like a crown. made of thatch, or maybe none at all, Didn’t you get the memo? I’m positive I
so we hafta paws in fields, or alleys, or sent it!’ said Cupid sternly. To set up an interview, email
“It was SO uh-MAZE-ing, Bonzo,” her wherever we can, an usually do the in- [email protected].
Hoofmail continued, “but, as you can visible-to-grown-ups maneuver. Once in ‘WHAT MEMO?’ I yelled.
imagine, I’m pooped an glad to be back in Africa, we were pawsing in a huge grassy “Well, Bonzo, I was frantic. Was Christ-
the barn. I just enjoyed a nice warm soak place called The Serengeti, where the lid- mas Eve gonna be a global catastrophe for
in the lagoon, had my hoofs done, an got a dle kids learn to herd caddle and there are the first time EVER because of ME?”
lovely massage. fuh-ROW-shus lions. There was this growl “Just when I was about to burst into
an I sorta freaked out (cuz us reindeer are tears, imagining disappointed liddle hu-
“Soon we’ll head out to pasture to get in the prey section of the food chain) until mans, an my brand new career circling
back in shape for next year. But right now I’m I heard Uncle Dash say, ‘Hay there, Nala. the drain, the rest of the team, including
snuggled in my cozy red blanket, munching How’s it goin’? How are the cubs?’ Chloe, Gregor and Bob, burst into laugh-
on duh-lishus molasses-and-clover biscuits ter, an familiar Ho-Ho’s rang out from the
an hangin’ with Chloe, Gregor an Bob. (You “Since I was the team newbie, on my sleigh’s driver’s seat as a red blanketed
remember the elves, right? The Christmas very first flight, I guess I shudda expected figure emerged.
“’SERIOUSLY? A MEMO? REALLY?’ I
yelled, trying to decide whether to be miffed
or join the merry laughter. I chose the latter.
‘Congrats, liddle sis,’ said Rudolph.

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | GAMES December 29, 2022 B9

WHAT DOES HE HAVE IN ADDITION? WEST NORTH EAST
AQJ95 10 3 87
By Phillip Alder - Bridge Columnist K 10 J9753 864
K96 QJ8 10 7 5 4 3 2
Seneca, a Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist and satirist who died in 642 KJ7 93
A.D. 65, wrote, “Desultory reading is delightful, but to be beneficial, our reading
must be carefully directed.” SOUTH
K642
To be successful at the bridge table, you must be capable of reading the cards — AQ2
working out which opponent has what key honors. A
A Q 10 8 5
In this week’s deal, how should South play in three no-trump after West leads the
spade queen? Dealer: East; Vulnerable: Both

North made a negative double, showing four hearts and 6 or more points, or five or The Bidding:
six hearts and 6-9 points. Then, over South’s game-forcing two no-trump, if North
had rebid three hearts, he would have reached four hearts. But after three rounds of SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST OPENING
spades, declarer would have had to ruff with the heart nine or jack to get home. Pass
1 Clubs 1 Spades Dbl. Pass LEAD:
If I (as West) had been the opening bidder, this would have been easier for South 2 NT Pass 3 NT All Pass Q Spades
because West would have been marked with both red-suit kings. He could have
overcalled with only one of them.

Against us, South took the first trick with his spade king and played three rounds
of clubs, ending on the board. Then he led a heart to his queen. Mopping my
perspiring brow, I took the trick and four spades to defeat the contract. South had
misread the deal.

If instead declarer had cashed all five clubs, I would have discarded a diamond, but
then what?

If a spade or a heart, South can play heart ace, heart queen to get home. If another
diamond, South cashes the diamond ace, dropping my king, then exits with a spade.
After cashing my winners, I must lead a heart away from my king.

B10 December 29, 2022 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | GAMES www.veronews.com

SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (DECEMBER 22) ON PAGE B12

The Telegraph ACROSS DOWN
1 Tomb cloth (4) 2 I’m sorry to say (4)
4 Utters (4) 3 German romantic songs (6)
8 Queen from 1707 to 1714 (4) 4 Apex (6)
9 Line on note? (9) 5 Ball at batter’s feet (6)
11 Murderer (6) 6 Very upset; soapy? (2,1,6)
13 Inhabitant (7) 7Equipment (4)
15 Raucous bird (6) 10 Relating to motion (7)
16 Let (6) 12 Type of gem (4)
18 Ornamental case (6) 13 Harsh (9)
20 Warning horns (6) 14 Fodder sack (7)
22 Heavy on the door? (7) 17 Hurry (4)
23 Small chicken (6) 19 Beef fruit? (6)
25 Massive figure (9) 20 Escargots (6)
26 Talon (4) 21 Are you sure? (6)
27 Heads or tails moment (4) 23 Dollar (4)
28 Pull (4) 24 Ripped (4)

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

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | GAMES December 29, 2022 B11

ACROSS 91 Place to skate 46 Within spitting distance of The Washington Post
1 Good name for a kidder? 93 Cheer (for) 47 Skippy rival
5 Pack (down), 94 Ms. Farrow 48 Open, as a latch CATCH OF THE DAY By Merl Reagle
95 Dance, to Danielle 49 Medit. nation
as tobacco 98 Navy scandal of 1991 51 Apiece
9 What bad 101 Burrito alternative 52 Composing key: abbr.
104 Popular reading program 53 Top ___ List
vaudevillians get 108 Born 55 Schlep
13 Cut, in a way 109 Eye features 60 Duds in bed
16 Shop shaper 111 It may hold gold 62 Devout, to da Vinci
17 Casual greeting 112 Additional 63 Fruit coating
18 A moral fellow 113 Nickname for Reynolds 64 Gratuity container
20 Attorneys’ org. 114 Elvis line 65 Exotic water pipe
21 Painfully anxious 117 M*A*S*H author 66 Loan org.
23 Ditching class 120 Go bad 67 NBC news show
25 Flower-to-be 121 Foolishly affected 68 Historic times
26 Lover boy 122 Hebrew month 69 Past one’s bedtime
27 Choice: abbr. 123 Schnauzer arousers 70 Hendrix of rock
28 Japanese noodles 124 Nickname of basketball’s 71 Kenton of jazz
29 Shell quart 72 “___ chance!”
30 Any way possible Julius Erving 73 Acquire
34 Kismet 125 “The longest time” 74 Martin Van Buren’s
35 1950s exclamation 126 Picasso contemporary
37 Passé: abbr. 127 Actor Cobb nickname
38 Ambulance stops: abbr. 75 Magazine cover abbr.
39 Liquefy DOWN 76 Wonder
41 Nap 1 Fire truck 77 Uris’s The ___
43 Old-time actress Joanne 2 Mel the Giant 78 Yahoo
44 Noted crocodile victim 3 That witch 79 Do a sailor’s job
48 Abbr. before 4 Patriot Patrick 80 Humor mag
5 Organized crime 81 Gershon or Lollobrigida
“choice beef” 6 Broadcasters 83 ___ Paulo
50 Type of punch 7 “I’m just doin’ ___” 84 The Manhattan, for one:
54 Reveals suddenly 8 Farmer fathers
9 Narrows, as a shirt abbr.
(with “out”) 10 Phone word 88 Disagree, dog-style
56 Maui memento 11 Conductor 90 Light golf stroke
57 Thumbs-downski ___-Pekka Salonen 92 “___ hopeless”
58 Dolls and molls 12 “___ to the World” 94 Changes, sci-fi-style
59 Electrical connections 13 Molten stuff 95 Train unit
60 Cabaret great 14 ___ d’art 96 College course, briefly
61 Author Tolkien 15 Singer Newton 97 Bit of old Italian dough
62 Pie nut 16 Comic Anderson 99 Looks (at) lasciviously
63 ___ the Dog 19 With “squared,” a circle’s 100 Ex-Florida governor Bush
64 Shatner series 101 Classic Ford
66 Grouper grabber area 102 Knight-time protection
67 Christmas, for one 22 Japanese general of WWII 103 Where to park your parka
68 Sewing machine inventor 24 Tariff-cutting plan 105 Toss water on
106 Ms. Fleiss
Howe of 1994 107 Ms. Heiss
70 Basketball maneuver 25 Good, to Gide 110 “Army” of ’74
72 90’s phone printout 27 Bird of Florida 115 Place with towels
73 Auto finish? 30 Dickens pseudonym or 116 Little dance
74 Eggs 117 Flock member
77 ___ homer singer Scaggs 118 Pres. monogram
78 Little smart aleck 31 “Get ___ paper here!” 119 Eastwood’s Kidd
80 Beef tool or slang 32 Bradley et al.
33 Maintained Furniture • Coastal Home Décor • Art • Gifts & MUCH MORE!
for “hand” 36 Perfectly
81 Aura 40 Army mbrs. Don’t pay new prices when you can
82 Doctors’ org. 42 Firstborn
83 Elf’s cousin 43 CD players? have quality preowned furniture and decor
85 On a sub, perhaps 44 Latte need for up to 70% off retail
86 Not engaged 45 Netter Nastase
87 Doing Persian work?
89 Foreign inc.

HUGE Selection - Lowest Prices In Area
Inventory Changes Daily

20% OFF 50% OFF We Take
Delivery Consignments
Any One Item & Buy Estates!
(Excluding Furniture) Any Purchase Of
$20 minimum purchase $500 or More Store Is Over
9,000 SQ. FT. !
VN 1 coupon per purchase per day. (1 Hour Limit)
Expires 1/12/23 Mon-Friday 10-5
VN 1 coupon per purchase per day. & Sat 10-4
10% OFF Expires 1/12/23

Furniture
(On 1 Piece)

Excludes red line markdowns
VN 1 coupon per purchase per day.

Expires 1/12/23

The Telegraph Voted Best Consignment Store

(772)226-5719
644 Old Dixie Hwy SW
(Between 4th St. & Oslo)
Blue Heron Plaza, Vero Beach

kaleidoscopeconsignments.com

B12 December 29, 2022 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | CALENDAR www.veronews.com

ONGOING 29-31 Ballet Vero Beach presents the JANUARY Park, with performances by Disconnected K-9
original production “Nutcracker Frisbee dogs Diving Dogs, Comedic Stunt dogs,
Check with organizations directly for updates/ on the Indian River,” 7:30 p.m. Fri. and 2 p.m. Sat. at 3-22 Riverside Theatre presents the and IRC K-9 officers, food trucks, adoptions, kids
cancellations. Vero Beach High School PAC, $10 to $75. Hour-long Tony Award-winning musical zone and vendors. Free; dogs welcome. HSVB.org
Accessible/Family Friendly performance 7:30 p.m. “Man of la Mancha” on the Stark Stage. 772-
Vero Beach Museum of Art: Changing Nature: A New Thurs., $10. Balletverobeach.org or 772-905-2651 231-6990 or RiversideTheatre.com 8 Vero Beach Opera presents L’Esisir
Vision, Photographs by James Balog through Dec. 30 d’Amore, a fully staged, original VBO pro-
and Picasso, Matisse & Friends: Drawings from a Pri- 31 Réveillon 2022: An all-white attire 4 to April 26 – Free Pelican Island National duction joined by the Brevard Symphony Or-
vate Collection through Jan. 8. 772-231-0707 New Year’s Eve Gala hosted by Man- Wildlife Refuge tours, Wednesdays at 8 chestra, 3 p.m. at Vero Beach High School PAC.
ny Moreira and Carla Holbrook to benefit the a.m. Limited seating; reserve at 772-581-5557 VeroBeachOpera.org
Riverside Theatre: Weekly Friday and Saturday Humane Society of VB & IRC, with live music by
Comedy Zone and Live on the Loop concerts. the New Deco Group, a multi-media, immersive 6 Concerts in the Park presents the Bobby 10 Emerson Center E-Series presents
RiversideTheatre.com experience, dinner and open bar, 8:30 p.m. (8 Owen Band, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at River- famed oceanographer John Englander
p.m. VIP) at the Executive Courthouse, followed view Park. Free; BYO chairs/blankets. Sebastian- on Rising Sea Level and the Path Forward, 7 p.m.
First Friday Gallery Strolls in Downtown Vero at 11 p.m. by champagne and chocolates at the Chamber.com or 772-589-5969 at the Emerson Center. Free. 772-778-5249
Beach Arts District, monthly from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. beach. $275 & $350. NewDecoOrchestra.com
7 Quail Valley Charities 5K Walk/Run, 7:30 13 Indian River Symphonic Association
DECEMBER 31 Heaton’s NYE Party, 8:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. 1-Mile Kids Fun Run, 8 a.m. 5K Walk/ presents the Lviv National Philharmon-
a.m., with light bites, party favors and Run to benefit children- and education-based ic Orchestra of Ukraine, with musical director
28-30 Magic of McKee Festival of midnight toast. $75. VIP table packages avail- nonprofits supported by Quail Valley Chari- Theodore Kuchar and pianist Stanislav Khristen-
Lights, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., with able. 772-469-4444 ties, with pre-race refreshments and kids zone. ko, 7:30 p.m. at Community Church of VB. 772-
outdoor holiday light displays, entertainment and RunSignUp.com 778-1070 or IRSymphonic.org
daily holiday-themed crafts and games. General ad- 31 Costa d’Este Poolside NYE Party, 9 p.m.
mission rates. McKeeGarden.org or 772-794-0601 to 12:30 a.m. with music, late-night 7 Bark in the Park to benefit Humane Society 13 to 15 Ballet Vero Beach presents Taste-
bites, and midnight toast. $60; limited VIP pack- of VB & IRC, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Riverside makers, 7:30 p.m. Fri., 2 p.m. and 7:30
ages available. 772-562-9919 p.m. Sat. at Vero Beach High School PAC, $10 to
Crossword Page B15 (IT’S A PUN-DERFUL LIFE) $75. Hour-long Accessible/Family Friendly per-
Solutions from Games Pages ACROSS DOWN formance 2 p.m. Sun., $10. Balletverobeach.org
in December 22, 2022 Edition 1 CAM 1 CATCH or 772-905-2651
3 PIN 2 MISTAKE
5 CITES 3 POST 13-29 Vero Beach Theatre Guild
8 TESTS 4 NEEDED presents the comedy “Visit-
9 EVIDENT 5 CRIMINAL ing Mr. Green.” VeroBeachTheatreGuild.com or
10 HEAL 6 THEME 772-562-8300
11 DENIZENS 7 SATISFY
13 CLEVER 12 DEPARTED 15 Space Coast Symphony Orchestra pres-
14 RARELY 13 CHOOSES ents Fan Favorites, Jazz Edition, 3 p.m.
17 OPERATED 15 EXCITED at the Emerson Center. SpaceCoastSymphony.org
19 ECHO 16 HEARTS
22 SMARTER 18 ERASE 15 Atlantic Classical Orchestra and Vero
23 EATEN 20 OWNED Beach Museum of Art Chamber Series
24 SPEED 21 KEEN I, Austrian Masterpieces, 4 p.m. at VBMA. 772-
25 SIN 460-0851 or AtlanticClassicalOrchestra.com
26 DAD

Sudoku Page B14 Sudoku Page B15 Crossword Page B14

BUSINESS DIRECTORY - ADVERTISING INDIAN RIVER COUNTY BUSINESSES

Time to Clean Your Carpets/Furniture? Our directory gives small business people eager to provide services to the community an opportunity to make themselves known to
our readers at an affordable cost. This is the only business directory mailed each week. If you would like your business to appear in
Three Reasons to Call Mitch Maxfield:
our directory, please call 772-633-0753.
QUALITY: My “2-step system” removes even tough ground-in dirt. All work guaranteed. This is also where we publish Fictitious Name or “Doing Business As” notices, Public Notices and Employment ads.
SERVICE: I, personally, will clean your carpets and furniture.
PRICE: Two (2) Rooms (any size)...$77, 6’ Sofa or 2 Chairs...$66 To place one, please email [email protected].

Maxfield Carpet Cleaning • 772-538-0213
5300 N. A1A, Vero Beach • SINCE 1979

ARE you turning 65 or new to Medicare?

ARE you looking to review Medicare Choices for 2023.

I can help you with over 10+years of
experience, the dedication and honesty of a

LOCAL INDEPENDENT agent that
specializes in Medicare choices.

MAKE IT YOUR CHOICE!

772-766-1558

Rose Mary
McIlvain

Treasure Coast
Insurance Sources