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MY VERO An aerial shot of Bethel Creek, a particularly stagnant part of the Indian River Lagoon. PHOTO BY LEAH DUBOIS Hospital District
race to watch on
BY RAY MCNULTY Pilot project would pump sea water into Bethel Creek November ballot

Local vets say Vietnam BY SAMANTHA ROHLFING BAITA cee Park into Bethel Creek, re- a public meeting he organized BY MEG LAUGHLIN
‘chopper pilot’ a phony Staff Writer freshing a particularly stagnant at Bethel Creek house shortly Staff Writer
part of the Indian River lagoon before last week’s election. In
Maybe it doesn't much mat- If County Commissioner Tim in a way that will benefit ma- that balloting, Zorc won an- Voters in November will de-
ter. Zorc gets his way, fresh Atlantic rine life and the local ecology. other four-year term on the cide whether the county Hos-
Ocean water may soon flow County Commission. pital District board acts as a
After all, even if all the al- through large pipes under Jay- Zorc presented details of the careful steward of taxpayer
legations are true, he doesn't pilot project he has in mind at CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 money, or serves as a rubber
appear to have done anything stamp for Indian River Medi-
illegal. He hasn't done any cal Center management, when
real harm to anyone. As far as they chose among a crowded
I can tell, he hasn't reaped any field of candidates vying to
tangible profit. serve as board members.

So why is Richard "Dick" Three incumbents and
Cantner, who moved to Vero eight newbies are running for
Beach 11 years ago and en- five seats on the Hospital Dis-
thusiastically served as both a trict board in an election that
member of the city's Airport attracted very few candidates
Advisory Board and ambassa- and voters before 32963 be-
dor for the county's Chamber gan covering the District and
of Commerce, being vilified its sometimes rocky relation-
on websites and social media ship with its hospital in 2013.
venues as a fraud, phony and
imposter? Since that time, however,
the Hospital District elec-
Why are so many of the tion has attracted more and
men and women who proudly
served our nation so upset CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
with this 70-year-old Vietnam
veteran – including one for-
mer Marine infantryman and

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Dr. Gary M. Weiss, neurologist who Amendment 4 adds impetus to local push for solar
practices in Sebastian, under a cloud
BY LISA ZAHNER statewide voted in favor of
BY RAY MCNULTY ing nearly two dozen patients Staff Writer the measure, which elimi-
Staff Writer for multiple sclerosis, even nates personal property
though they did not have the The overwhelming pas- tax on solar equipment,
A locally practicing neu- incurable disease. sage of Amendment 4 by passing it by a 72-percent
rologist said his decision to Florida voters last Tuesday to 28-percent margin. The
surrender his medical license Dr. Gary M. Weiss, who has may add new impetus to a 20,991 pro-solar votes in
in Colorado two years ago was an office in Sebastian, where push for more solar energy Indian River County were
not connected to malpractice he is affiliated with the Se- underway in the City of Vero more than the combined to-
lawsuits accusing him of mis- bastian River Medical Center, Beach. tal of votes cast here for Sen.
takenly diagnosing and treat- as well as offices in Palm Bay,
Nearly 2 million people CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

September 8, 2016 Volume 9, Issue 36 Newsstand Price $1.00 Skimboarders
make waves at
News 1-10 Faith 39 Pets 40 TO ADVERTISE CALL Vero pro-am. P17
Arts 19-22 Games 41-43 Real Estate 55-64 772-559-4187
Books 38 Health 23-28 Style 45-47
Dining 48 Insight 29-44 Wine 49 FOR CIRCULATION
Editorial 36 People 11-18 CALL 772-226-7925

© 2016 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved.

2 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

My Vero He also seems to have plenty of First, Fagan said, he confronted but he wouldn't say what I was correct
evidence to support his charge that Cantner with his findings earlier this and incorrect about," Fagan said. "If he
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cantner was nothing more than a summer in a series of lengthy text had just admitted he wasn't telling the
transportation sergeant, not the lieu- messages, asking him to explain the truth and had made it all up, I'd have let
Army chopper pilot who once counted tenant colonel and decorated chopper discrepancies or admit to his dishon- it go. But he wouldn't fess up.
Cantner among his closest friends but pilot he says he is. esty and stop telling tales.
is now committed to exposing what "He still maintained that he was an
he staunchly believes is more than a "I've done a lot of digging," said Fa- When Cantner stuck to his claims officer and chopper pilot."
harmless hoax being perpetrated on gan, who was a Chief Warrant Officer of being an officer and pilot – but was
our community? (CW3) when he left the Army in 1997. unable to offer any proof to back them So, two months ago, Fagan took his
"I made phone calls, read old newspa- up – Fagan felt betrayed, even hurt. case to the Internet, posting his first-
"Because he's a liar," said T.J. Fagan, per clips and used the Freedom of In- He also felt an obligation to end their person story and the accompanying
who lives in Vero Beach, "and he's formation Act to get documents from friendship, which had endured for documentation on military, veteran
stealing valor." the government. more than a decade, and embark on a and stolen valor websites and social
mission to expose what he considers media pages.
Those are damning words, but Fa- "There's no record anywhere of him to be a disgraceful deception.
gan strongly believes Cantner has ex- being a lieutenant colonel or flying And it seems to have had an impact:
aggerated his Army service and fabri- choppers, or that he did most of what "I asked him to be honest with me, Cantner has resigned his voluntary,
cated stories of his military career. he claims he did." and he said some of what I said was true, unpaid positions on the airport board
and with the Chamber of Commerce,
as well as his membership with the lo-
cal chapter of the Military Officers As-
sociation of America.

He also took down his Facebook
page, at least temporarily.

When I spoke with Cantner last
week, he confirmed that Fagan's cru-
sade prompted those actions – but he
did not back away from his claims that
he was a chopper pilot during the Viet-
nam War and returned to military duty
as an officer 30 years later, rising to the
rank of lieutenant colonel.

Cantner said he left the airport
board, Chamber and MOAA because
he didn't want Fagan's allegations
against him "to bring any negative at-
tention" to those groups.

"I'm man enough to know that the
odds are big enough against me," he
said. "I don't need to be fired or kicked
off. That's not my style. So I've tried to
stay low-key about this and quietly re-
sign so nobody else would be hurt by
this."

For the record: Cantner's August 2011
application for the airport board in-
cluded claims that he was a "pilot in the
U.S. Army," went through flight training
at Fort Rucker in Alabama in 1969 and
"flew an AH1D Cobra attack helicopter"
in Southeast Asia in 1969-70.

In his resignation letter, Cantner
wrote that he was no longer able to
serve on the board because of "recent
medical conditions and other circum-
stances." The resignation letter, which
was "effective immediately," was dated
July 11 – the same day Fagan confront-
ed him with his stolen valor allegations.

It was at about the same time,
Cantner said, that Chamber of Com-
merce president Penny Chandler asked
to speak to him after a breakfast event.

"I resigned that day," he said.
Cantner said he removed his Face-
book page because his family mem-
bers and friends were getting messag-
es from Fagan and other veterans who
accused him of being a fraud.
"I've always tried to do the right
thing," Cantner said, "and then one
person comes along and tries to
change all that."
Actually, it's more than one.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 3

NEWS

Although Fagan's suspicions mount- Two weeks after that story was pub- early 1970s, during the Vietnam War. country had faded since the Sept.
ed through the years as Cantner re- lished, however, the newspaper ran Canter said he was on a business 11 terrorist attacks in New York and
called different aspects of his military a follow-up – which was essentially a Washington, D.C.
service, he didn't confront his longtime red-faced retraction. trip in Florida during the period he
friend until he connected via Facebook claimed to have been in Afghanistan, "On Sept. 11, everyone had their
with Clint Atwell, a former Chief War- Under the headline, "Man admits returning to Pennsylvania in April, the wake-up call, but after a couple of
rant Officer who retired from the Army fabricating Afghanistan military Eagle reported. months, no one wanted anything to
in 1998 and lives in Sebastian. tale," the Eagle reported that Cantner do with it," he said then. "I was just
admitted he concocted the entire sto- "It was not my intent to mislead trying to stir some patriotism."
"I see you're a friend of Dick ry, saying he has not been involved in anyone," Cantner told the newspa-
Cantner," Atwell wrote. "You do know an official military capacity since the per, adding that he made up the story Last week, Cantner told me the
he's a phony, right?" because he sensed patriotism in the
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
From there, the two CW3s ex-
changed stories and information, with Exclusively John’s Island
Atwell providing much of the early
documentation that convinced Fagan Nestled along picturesque fairway views of the North Course is this charming
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Atwell said he first met Cantner in beautiful pool and sunset views. The living room with fireplace adjoins the
2005, when both Army veterans were dining area and family room with wet bar. Additional features include an island
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Club. He recalled an outing at which 521 Sea Oak Drive : $1,675,000
Cantner "showed up in full flight
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Before Atwell was called back to 772.231.0900 : Vero Beach, FL : JohnsIslandRealEstate.com
active duty in 2009 to fly missions in
Afghanistan, Cantner told him he had
a health issue and had fallen on hard
times, so Atwell offered to help him
find work.

"I told him to send me a resume and
I'd see what I could do," Atwell said.
"He sent me a resume and it was bi-
zarre. A lot of it didn't make sense, so I
Googled his name.

"It made for some interesting read-
ing."

Among the items he found were a
couple of stories published in May
2002 by the Reading Eagle, which
was Cantner's hometown newspaper
when he lived in Pennsylvania.

The first one, a front-page story that
ran on May 5, was headlined: "Apache
Warrior: A 55-year-old Army veteran re-
turns to military action in Afghanistan."

The story said Cantner was called
back to active duty in March 2002 and
was ordered to a military base about
45 kilometers from Afghanistan,
where he flew a dozen missions in an
Apache attack helicopter equipped
with guns and missiles.

His assignment, he told the news-
paper, was to provide support to the
troops by flying 200 to 300 feet above
the ground and fire on enemy forces.
He also said he was fired upon in the
deserts of Afghanistan.

"I've often wondered why I am alive
today," the Eagle quoted Cantner as
saying.

He then provided the answer, in-
ferring that he believes God kept him
alive to carry out combat missions oth-
ers might not have the gumption to do:
"If I don't do it," he said, "who will?"

The story also refers to Cantner's
claim that he flew Cobra attack heli-
copters in Vietnam and was shot down
three times. He said he returned to
duty decades later because the Army
needed pilots with combat experience.

4 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

My Vero warn Fagan that he could be sued for sists, we would like to make him the Hospital District race to watch
libel, but Fagan said he has no inten- most well-known veteran in the state CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 tion of backing off. In fact, when Fagan of Florida."
mentioned the legal threat to another more candidates and voters, making
Army Reserve came to him back in area veteran, he found another ally. Despite his statements to the news- the number of people likely to be in-
2002 and, despite his age, inquired paper in Pennsylvania in 2002, Cantner volved in the November District elec-
about his availability and interest. He Dave Miller, a Palm Bay resident said he is being falsely accused of ex- tion unprecedented.
said he had been recently divorced who served in Vietnam and is the di- aggerating his military service, but he
and jumped at the chance to serve his rector of the Brevard Veterans Memo- cannot produce the records necessary The main difference of opinion be-
country again. rial Center, responded by firing off a to verify that he was a chopper pilot in tween candidates for the Hospital Dis-
letter to Cantner's attorney. Vietnam and later became a lieuten- trict, which consists of seven trustees
"My unit was scheduled to go to Af- ant colonel in the Army Reserve. who reimburse county healthcare pro-
ghanistan, but the equipment wasn't In the letter, Miller offers Cantner viders for indigent care expenses with
ready and we didn't go," Cantner said. three options: produce documenta- Cantner said he served in the Army taxpayer dollars, is whether or not
"Somewhere along the line, however, tion of his military service, meet with Reserve "from the late 1990s until Indian River Medical Center – where
some people got the impression that I several Vietnam era chopper pilots about 2007" and was initially given most of the money goes – is transpar-
went." who served in the same unit he claims the rank of captain. He said he then ent enough and managed well enough.
to have been a member of, or "provide "moved up the ranks" to lieutenant
Apparently, he forgot what he had a written apology to veterans every- colonel. In a nutshell, incumbents Michael
told the Eagle, because when I men- where, confess his lies and promise Weiss and Val Zudans, along with new
tioned his confession, he replied: "I not to use his stolen valor for personal However, the Army has records only candidate Joe Saul, question whether
admitted that I made up the story that gain in the future." of his active duty from 1969-72, which the hospital is well run by top manage-
people said I was going to Afghani- included spending a year in Vietnam ment and deserving of the millions it
stan." He wrote that a "tsunami of shame" as a transportation specialist. He left receives in tax dollars. These candi-
is headed Cantner's way if he fails to the service as a sergeant (E-5). There dates also question whether the hos-
The Eagle reported that Cantner take one of the three options. is no mention of Cantner completing pital abides by public records laws.
also admitted he wasn't a lieutenant flight training or serving as a pilot.
colonel. "The Supreme Court struck down Candidate Tony Woodruff (who is
the ‘Stolen Valor Act’ on protected- As for Cantner's reserve duty, there running against Weiss) and incum-
"He's the phony baloney colonel," speech grounds, so he has a right to is no record of that, either – which bent Ann Marie McCrystal (who is
Atwell said. "I confronted him about wear a bogus uniform decorated with calls into question his claim to have running against Saul) say they believe
it and he apologized. But when I re- medals he didn't earn, and he has a been a lieutenant colonel. the hospital is well run and entitled
turned from Afghanistan, he was still right to embellish and make up sto- to whatever amount it says it needs
at it. So every chance I had, I stuck it to ries about his military service – as long "I'm unable to prove my reserve from taxpayers. Woodruff also says he
him. The last time I saw him was in a as he doesn't profit financially, which status, only my active duty," Cantner believes the hospital abides by public
parking lot, and I told him he was full would make it fraud," Miller said. said. "I tried to pull the records of my records laws, while McCrystal notes
of crap.” reserve duty, but they're not there, so I great improvement in the past year.
"Legally, there's nothing we can do can't produce the information I need
Cantner hired a local attorney to to stop him," he added. "But if he per- to defend myself. Karen Deigl, who is challenging
Zudans, said she is inclined to sup-
"I've heard there was a fire at the port the hospital’s requests for tax-
Reserve Records Center many years payer dollars, but will need to study
ago and that some records were lost," the numbers more closely. She did not
he added. "Were my records in there? offer an opinion on transparency but
I don't know. But as far as the Reserve said she is a long-time supporter of
is concerned, it's like I didn't exist for hospital leadership.
those years."
Incumbent Gene Feinour acknowl-
What does exist are hard feelings. edged past management problems at
Cantner attacked Fagan personally, the hospital, but said those problems
accusing him of being unstable, unre- appear to be improving, along with
liable and jealous. But he said he has transparency at the hospital.
no plans to fight back.
"It's very frustrating to me," said Candidate Robert Savage (who is
Cantner, who is a certified business running against candidate Omar Hus-
consultant with Indian River State samy) said he is aware of past criti-
College’s Small Business Development cism of how the hospital is run, but
Center. "If people want to do this type needs to learn more about it.
of stuff, I guess there's not much I can
do. I don't need this garbage in my life, Three candidates, orthopedist
but, at this point, I don't have to prove Omar Hussamy and two of his em-
myself to anybody. ployees, Barbara Bodnar and Brittany
"I'm just going to go on with my Miller, did not return calls asking for
life." their positions and opinions.
And Fagan, with the support of a
growing number of veterans, plans to Probably the greatest difference of
continue his mission. opinion and choice for voters comes
"You'd think after what happened from incumbent District trustee Mike
in Pennsylvania that he would've Weiss and his challenger Tony Wood-
stopped doing this, but he just brought ruff, a hospital insider who will leave
his act to Vero Beach," Fagan said. his position as board chairman of the
"And it's a shame, really. hospital foundation and board mem-
"He's actually a very nice man who ber of the hospital in September.
served his country and went to Viet-
nam, and even got a Bronze Star for Weiss is outspoken about his con-
meritorious service," he added. "There cern that the hospital is neither well run
was no reason for him to do this, other nor transparent and does not deserve
than to get a level of respect he didn't the money it gets from the District.
earn and make himself look better.” 
“I think that the hospital is so poorly
managed and the Emergency Room is

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 5

NEWS

such a disaster with the long wait-times, But his challenger, Woodruff, strongly parency at IRMC and the availability of upon, rather than concerns expressed
and hospital leadership is so bad about disagrees: “I think the hospital is very documents. The District meetings are by District trustees, and, repeatedly,
sharing public documents and being well managed by Jeff Susi and others open when the hospital reports. The documents that the hospital says it
transparent that I have asked hospital and has an excellent balance between hospital is very transparent.” will produce for District trustees and
CEO Jeff Susi, whose salary is over a mil- what is spent on operations and build- staff don’t materialize. In fact, IRMC
lion dollars, to resign,” Weiss said. ings. And I see no problem with trans- At District meetings, the hospital
usually reports on topics it decides CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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6 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Hospital District race to watch pital has tried to be a good steward of the hospital and, as long as there is Challenger Deigl said she, too, is
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 transparency and is improving in that enough money, I support spreading it concerned with taxpayers getting a
area as well as managing operations around. But if the money were to dry fair deal, but as a former paid em-
kept completely quiet about being sued better,” said McCrystal. up, I’d want to support the hospital ployee of the Hospital District (its di-
in federal court by its competitor Sebas- first and foremost,” she said. rector from 2002 to 2006), she believes
tian River Medical Center – a suit which But Saul, a retired New York den- in a positive relationship with hospital
it settled a year ago for an undisclosed tist and healthcare lawyer, disagrees: Saul counters: “I believe the taxpay- leadership.
amount. But District incumbents Feino- “There is almost a complete lack of ers should be giving the hospital less
ur and McCrystal both say hospital trans- transparency at the hospital even money and giving more to other agen- “I have always gotten along well
parency has improved in the past year. though the laws demand that they op- cies to improve the health of the over- with hospital CEO Jeff Susi, but then
erate in the sunshine. A recent exam- all county.” I have always had a positive relation-
“By about 75 percent,” said Feino- ple is how they ignore questions about ship with most people,” she said.
ur, who is a retired Philadelphia bank the financial results of the new cancer Another clear choice for voters comes
executive. “And the hospital board is center.” with the candidacy of incumbent Zu- Deigl said she has no particular is-
more professional than before, includ- dans, a Vero Beach ophthalmologist, sue to set her apart as a candidate,
ing the chairman of the board.” Further, said Saul, “the hospital and challenger Deigl, director of the but she does believe that the District’s
would be in bankruptcy if it weren’t county’s Senior Resource Association. “main mission” is to fund the hospital,
Along withWeiss andWoodruff, voters for taxpayers, the wonderful philan- over other agencies.
will also have a clear choice of District thropy and not having to pay rent to Zudans points to a $4 million deficit
trustees with incumbent Ann Marie Mc- the District which owns the buildings” between what the hospital-employed Zudans would like other agen-
Crystal and challenger Joseph Saul. – which, he said, raises questions physicians are paid and what they cies like Treasure Coast Community
about how wisely the hospital spends bring in. On average, he said, the hos- Health clinics to get more money and
For years before becoming a District money and whether the money from pital is losing $70,000 per physician. the hospital to get less. He points out
trustee, McCrystal, a retired RN and the District should be spread out so that TCCH clinics do not require the
founder of the Visiting Nurse Associa- that other healthcare agencies get “Why?” he asks.“Are there not enough millions given to the hospital because
tion in Indian River County, attended more. patients for these doctors? Is it an in- they receive federal funding. Further-
District meetings and hospital board centive issue?” more, they offer preventive medicine,
meetings, as well as the meetings of McCrystal says the main mission of including dental services.
other agencies the District funds. Saul the District is to reimburse the hospi- He says if the hospital were more
has been a frequent attendee of Hos- tal for indigent care with taxpayer dol- accountable and transparent, taxpay- “By spreading District money from
pital District meetings for the past two lars and she will continue to support ers and District trustees would have a the taxpayers around, we can improve
and a half years. that mission, despite understanding much-needed picture of how the hos- the health of the community and treat
the need to spread the money around pital spends money and how financial taxpayers more fairly,” he said.
“If you are out there and available as to other agencies to help with preven- losses occur.
much as I am, you get a lot of informa- tive care and other services. “I will be more specific about how
tion which helps you see that the hos- “The Hospital District has an obliga- best to use taxpayer money once I get
“Our main responsibility is to fund tion to taxpayers to make our commu- my fingers into the issues and do more
nity healthier and should not be a rub- reporting,” said Deigl.
ber stamp for the hospital,” he said.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 7

NEWS

Candidate Savage, who was a hospital Bethel Creek were very happy with the project. ing equipment currently available,
CEO in West Virginia for 29 years before “This would be a joint project among residents need not be concerned that
retiring to Vero Beach and who is run- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 noise and vibration from the opera-
ning against Hussamy, said he would all the entities along this portion of the tion would affect their quality of life,
like to see an “increased collaborative The goal of the 89-day pilot project lagoon, including but not limited to Zorc assured the audience.
effort involving other agencies” as part he is proposing would be to determine the County, City of Vero Beach, Indi-
of the “community mission of keeping whether flushing Bethel Creek with an River Shores, St. Johns River Water The audience – city and county
people out of the hospital.” sea water, before it drains into the en- Management District, and the Florida officials, residents of nearby neigh-
dangered Indian River Lagoon, might Inland Navigation District,” Zorc said. borhoods, representatives of envi-
His greatest interest, he said is “im- improve water quality enough to jus- ronmental agencies and individuals
proving the health of the community.” tify a full-scale, long-term project. The pilot project would last 89 days interested in the health of the lagoon –
He acknowledges problems with the for a good reason: A water project that seemed mostly in favor of the concept.
management of the hospital but be- Zorc said Bethel Creek is in “a slow continues for 90 days or more is con-
lieves those problems can and will be decline because of the stormwater sidered permanent and has far more “I think this is a very good idea,”
solved. runoff and drainage from parking complicated, costly and time-con- said Herb Whittall, former chairman of
lots and buildings along a mile-plus suming permitting requirements. the Vero Beach Utilities Commission.
“I look forward to learning more,” stretch of highway A1A.” Bethel Creek and the Vero Beach Ma-
he said. A resident who lives nearby described rina are mid-way between the Sebas-
The creek also receives groundwater Bethel Creek, which is actually an inlet tian and Fort Pierce inlets, the closest
In September, Hussamy, an ortho- contaminated by leaking septic sys- on the lagoon, as “basically stagnant,” sources of fresh ocean water. “[At pres-
pedic surgeon, became employed tems in surrounding neighborhoods, with very little water movement. ent] we have no way of getting sea wa-
full-time by Sebastian River Medical although many of those are being re- ter here in the middle to help cleanse
Center, a competitor of Indian River placed with a new sewer system being The pilot project, as proposed, would the lagoon from runoff that comes
Medical Center. This new job raises installed by the city. utilize existing drainage pipes to pump from roadways, parking lots and septic
questions about whether he should ocean water into the Bethel Creek.Which systems,” Whittall said.
be able to make decisions on IRMC The Bethel Creek project is modeled pipes are best suited to the project, how
funding as a District trustee. on a similar one in Destin, Florida, that much water would be pumped, and the “I think the community response
successfully cleaned up Destin Harbor, size and location of the pump have yet to was positive,” said Zorc. “And I believe
Also, it raises the question of and a member of Destin’s Stormwater be determined, and would be based on the technical and permitting require-
whether two of his employees – Bod- Management staff has visited Indian input from permitting agencies and gov- ments aren’t insurmountable. I just
nar, a licensed registered nurse until River County to consult on the plan. ernment departments involved. heard from our Coastal Engineer that
1998 who is running against Feinour, the updated survey data required ev-
and Miller, a licensed certified nurs- Zorc asked agencies monitoring the To establish a baseline, water char- ery year by the FDEP has been done,
ing assistant until June 1, 2016, who Destin project whether they would rec- acteristics would be monitored at as of July,” so the Bethel Creek project
is running against McCrystal and Saul ommend the concept, now that it has several control points three months will have the data it needs without the
– also will be employed by the Sebas- been under way for a number of years before, during, and three months after cost of a separate survey. 
tian hospital like Hussamy.  in northern Florida, and they said they the 89-day project period.

With the high-tech water mov-

8 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Sebastian doctor under cloud to move back to Florida, where he pre- by her initials, "D.E.," she died in Sep- "Rather than contest this complaint,
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 viously had legal problems, came at tember 2011 – but he voluntarily sur- which I knew to be without merit, I
about the time he was confronted with rendered his Colorado medical license chose not to renew my license, since
Melbourne and Merritt Island, has a Colorado Medical Board complaint on Sept. 22, 2014, when he signed a stip- I could not use it, anyway," Weiss said
said the lawsuits contained "many accusing him of providing substandard ulation order with the Colorado board. in a lengthy statement emailed to Vero
false allegations" and that he "chose care that led to a patient’s death. Beach 32963. "I regret that decision
not to renew" his Colorado medical li- "This order and all its terms shall today, because of the appearance it
cense for health reasons. According to a story published have the same force and effect as an caused that I might be conceding the
Aug. 27 by the Denver Post, Weiss was order entered after a formal disciplin- allegations in the complaint. At the
Weiss, 62, said he had been diag- charged on March 19, 2014, with "two ary hearing," the Post wrote, quoting time, though, it seemed insignificant."
nosed with a medical condition that counts of unprofessional conduct, the document, signed by Weiss and the
doesn't allow him to live at high alti- which encompassed 23 breaches in chairman of the board's Inquiry Panel. Now, Weiss is the target of two fed-
tude and limits the type of airplanes care," including allegations that he eral malpractice lawsuits filed Aug. 19
on which he can fly. He did not divulge misprescribed two drugs, and gave un- By signing the stipulation order, in U.S. District Court in Denver, where
the name of the condition. qualified interpretations of MRI exams. Weiss, whose Vail-based practice in- two women are accusing him of diag-
cluded eight Colorado clinics, waived nosing patients with MS, even though
That diagnosis, however, along with The Post reported that Weiss de- his right to a hearing at which he they didn't have the disease.
what Weiss called a "difficult decision" nied providing substandard care to the would've been given an opportunity to
woman – identified in documents only defend himself against the allegations. The Post reported that the women,
in separate lawsuits, claimed they suf-
fered depression and side effects, in-
cluding debilitating pain, over a span
of several years because of Weiss' sub-
standard care.

In addition, a 2015 lawsuit filed in
Summit County District Court by Dr.
Mark Pithan, who bought Weiss' Colo-
rado practice for $1.3 million in July
2013, alleges that a large percentage of
the doctor's profits were the result of
medically unnecessary MRI and EEG
tests Weiss prescribed.

The Post quoted the lawsuit, which
claims Pithan "discovered through in-
vestigation that many of Dr. Weiss' for-
mer patients were misdiagnosed and
not even afflicted with MS," and that
Pithan has "personally overturned ap-
proximately 20 patients' diagnoses of
MS previously diagnosed by Dr. Weiss."

Pithan contends in his suit that
Weiss knew or should've known his
patients weren't suffering from MS,
the Post reported.

Whether the Florida Department
of Health, which oversees the state's
licensing of doctors, knows Weiss sur-
rendered his Colorado medical license
is unclear.

According to the department's Li-
cense Verification website, the status of
Weiss' license was listed as "clear/ac-
tive" as of Friday, and there were no re-
ports of disciplinary action against him.

Brad Dalton, the department's dep-
uty press secretary, said state law pre-
vents him from commenting publicly
on such matters – was a complaint filed,
the nature of the complaint or if a prac-
titioner was under investigation – until
10 days after probable cause is found.

"If the department receives a com-
plaint and it rises to the level of prob-
able cause being found, then I can
provide that information," Dalton said.
"However, if the department receives a
complaint and does not find sufficient
information to further investigate ...
then the complaint would never be
public record."

However, Dalton said Florida doctors
who've had action taken on their licens-
es in other states are required to alert the
department. He also said the Federation

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

of State Medical Boards has a national
database where states upload any ac-
tions taken against practitioners.

According to Dalton, the depart-
ment usually acts swiftly when licens-
ing action is taken in another state
and that, to his knowledge, in every
case in which a doctor surrendered his
or her license in another state, Florida
had taken the same action.

Yet, nearly two years after Weiss sur-
rendered his medical license in Colo-
rado, he maintains a thriving practice
in Florida, continuing to diagnose and
treat patients, including those with MS.

Weiss, who attended Northwestern
University Medical School in Chicago
and did a residency at the Mayo Clin-
ic, received Florida Medical Associa-
tion recognition as a "Distinguished
Physician" the past four years.

The news accounts of the medical
malpractice lawsuits filed against him
have "created an erroneous impression
of my practice and the reason I did not
renew my Colorado medical license,"
Weiss said, adding that federal privacy
laws prohibit him from disclosing in-
formation about specific patients.

Generally speaking, though, he said
MS is extremely difficult to diagnose.

"Contrary to the implications in
the lawsuits, a physician cannot sim-
ply examine the results of an MRI or
spinal tap and arrive at a definitive
conclusion early on," Weiss said in
his statement. "It can take more than
a year to become confident of an MS
diagnosis, and very good doctors can
and do reach contrary conclusions.

"For this reason, I have nearly al-
ways advised patients whom I believe
to have MS to seek a second opinion."

Once he believes a patient has MS,
Weiss said he thoroughly explains the
risks of the various treatment options
and urges immediate action.

"Research has found that 'super-ear-
ly' treatment of MS symptoms can dra-
matically improve a patient's chances of
controlling the disease for many years
and may, in fact, prevent symptoms
from occurring," he said, adding, "It is
without a doubt the right thing to do,
given the state of our knowledge today."

The complaint filed after the patient
died in Colorado was not brought by
any member of the woman's family,
which Weiss said was "strongly sup-
portive of me and my treatment of
their loved one."

Weiss said Pithan, who filed a law-
suit alleging he overpaid for Weiss'
practice, "was arrested for DUI" and
"lost his medical license" because he
was found to be "unsafe to practice."

He said Pithan encouraged the law-
suits filed against him.

"For whatever reasons," Weiss said,
"Dr. Pithan was unable to maintain
what had been a thriving medical
practice." 

10 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Solar will find strong support for more solar punishing exit penalties are seen as sources. “Clearly she didn’t have a
power in Vero’s energy mix. the main stumbling blocks to closing clue,” said Turner, an engineer who is
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 a deal. retired from the oil and gas industry.
The survey exercise originated with
Marco Rubio and Rep. Patrick Murphy in the Florida Municipal Power Agency In a rare moment of agreement,Wing- Auwaerter concurred, but urged the
their respective Senate primary victories. (FMPA) electric co-op, which Vero er and Councilwoman Pilar Turner ex- council not to write-off the value of a
has been a member of since the ear- pressed concern about joining up with survey because of the erroneous data
Vero Beach officials want to capital- ly 1980s. FMPA staff pitched the idea FMPA – which Turner called “a poorly in the presentation.
ize on solar energy opportunities in to Vero of buying into its own solar managed organization” – even for the
Vero’s sunny environment, but aren’t energy project – a scheme that both limited purpose of conducting a survey. “Let’s work off what they have, and
sure how to go about it. For that reason, the utilities commission and the city help modify to make it better,” he said.
they recently tasked Utilities Commis- council wisely panned. Turner and Winger both said the city
sion Vice Chair Bob Auwaerter to help could write and conduct its own survey. Improvements in solar and battery
develop a survey to find out how local “I’m not sure we want to be any more technology, and heightened interest
electric ratepayers feel about solar as a entangled in FMPA than we already Turner said she was highly skep- from large retailers who want to blan-
part of their energy future. are,” Councilman Dick Winger said. tical of a presentation given by the ket their big-box stores with solar pan-
FMPA’s Michelle Jackson that pegged els, could alter the landscape when it
Judging by the landslide vote for In the effort to sell Vero electric to the wholesale cost of producing solar comes to the use of renewable energy,
Amendment 4, it is likely the survey Florida Power and Light, complex power so high it was way above the Auwaerter said.
FMPA membership contracts and market price of electricity from other
“I think it’s important to just under-
stand what’s going on,” Auwaerter said.
“It doesn’t involve getting entangled
with FMPA. All we’re doing is jumping
on with them in terms of doing a sur-
vey . . . there is no obligation at all.”

He said he was told the city’s part of
that cost might be $9,000 to $10,000. “I
think knowledge is power here.”

Local results of the survey could in-
form Vero decision-makers about rate-
payers’ level of interest in solar and
potentially drive the city’s solar goals
going forward.

Vice Mayor Randy Old was among
those who urged moving forward. “The
more we know and the more we can get
input from the public [the better]. I put
a solar system on my house 10 years
ago; I think I was actually the first one in
the city. I feel very strongly that Florida
should have solar and I feel that we’re
behind on it.”

City Manager Jim O’Connor remind-
ed the council that investor-owned
utilities are now required to include re-
newables and solar in their mix of pow-
er, and that down the road, municipal
utilities could come under similar re-
quirements. “It seems to be the choice
of the future,” O’Connor said.

In terms of sending someone qualified
to analyze and question the data being
shoveled out by the FMPA, Auwaerter
seems uniquely qualified to represent
Vero’s 34,000 ratepayers. He serves as the
Town of Indian River Shores’ represen-
tative on Vero’s volunteer commission
that vets utilities issues, and over the past
year has brought a great deal of industry
knowledge and critical thinking to the
Utilities Commission.

During 32 years with the mutual
fund company Vanguard, Auwaerter
served as head of the Fixed Income
Group and specialized in analyzing
utility companies for inclusion in Van-
guard’s mutual fund investments.

Solar options the city is considering
range from constructing a solar farm
at the Vero Beach Regional Airport,
to implementing policies to promote
individual solar energy installations
in residential neighborhoods – an ap-
proach that could gain steam due to
passage of Amendment 4. 



12 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

STEAM dream: Striving 4 Success well on its way

BY MARY SCHENKEL Ben Starkweather, Michelle Ashfield, Willie Finklin, Francisco Rosato, Jorge DeJesus and Matthew McGary. a 3-D printer for students to design and
build something useful. The curricu-
Staff Writer Michelle Ashfield and Jim Kerns. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE lum is aligned with school, state, inter-
national and workforce standards and
The concept for Striving 4 Success, students enrolled in the free and re- the spring to accommodate additional is designed to provide skills that are
a nonprofit launched this summer at duced lunch program, and Rutherford, students. It is open to all students at relevant now and in the future.
Oslo Middle School, began percolating a nine-year science teacher, is its Title 1 Oslo and other middle schools, target-
in the mind of founder Willie Finklin instructional coach. ing sixth- to eighth-graders. “They’ll get a chance to solve crimes
when he worked as an assistant direc- using science,” says Finklin. “Not real
tor of admissions for Florida Atlantic “I’m coaching the teachers to ensure “We’re just getting started, but we’re ones,” Rutherford interjects with a
University and as a recruiter for Florida that our students, even though they’re anticipating serving 60 kids over the laugh.
Institute of Technology. low income, are receiving the same year and another 60 over the summer.
quality education as anybody else; When we talk about unique individu- “It’s enrichment and support,” says
“Both have really good engineering maintaining that standard of educa- als, we’re probably figuring about 100, Rutherford. “It’s focusing on areas
programs, and as I recruited kids who tion,” says Rutherford, who acquired because some will duplicate,” says Fin- where they’ve historically struggled. If
wanted to get into those programs I her love of science from a memorable klin. you look at our statewide and district
realized they hadn’t taken the proper high school science teacher. “I loved assessments, students across the state
course work, the math and sciences, that it applied to every facet of my life; In addition to math tutoring, they have struggled. It’s creating those con-
because no one had guided them,” it’s the end-all subject. It’s what drives will utilize online math software that crete experiences to help build their
says Finklin. “So I wanted to help kids history and social studies. The evolu- tracks student gains in pre-and post- knowledge base, and hopefully make it
gain skills and expose them to careers tion of technology is what wrote our testing, and can adapt questions for applicable for the real world.”
where eventually they can be in a high- history pages. There’s math involved, those above or below their grade levels.
skill, high-wage industry, take care there’s communications and language Science topics will include areas such “Our goal is to make STEAM come to
of their families and ultimately tran- arts; you have to be able to do it all as weather, robotics, forensic science, life,” adds Finklin. “They can see what
scend poverty.” for science to make sense. It’s what it and alternative energy and power it is in the books, but here they see it at
brings it all together.” sources. Students will be assisted with work. They see how it really impacts
Finklin, now a digital communica- their school and county-wide science in the real world and the really cool
tion specialist at The Learning Alli- The STEAM Club’s first weekly after- fair projects and will complete a com- things they can do.”
ance, began formulating the idea with school session was held last Thursday. munity service project.
wife Angela, who has a background They hope to expand to a second day in “It will hopefully give them own-
in children’s ministry and programs. Longer-term goals include acquiring ership and the ability to manipulate
Their initial goal was to encourage facets of the real world that they may-
greater interest in STEM (Science, be didn’t realize they had access to,”
Technology, Engineering and Math), Rutherford agrees.
especially among lower-income and
minority students. Their nonprofit has amassed a di-
verse board of business, education and
“Through her passion for children nonprofit leaders, a staff that includes
and youth and my visioning for pre- a retired doctor, engineer and educa-
paring youth for the future, we came tor, and partnerships with the school
up with the idea for a unique program district, The Learning Alliance and the
that combines digital literacy, civic en- Vero Beach Amateur Radio Associa-
gagement and 21st century skills,” Fin- tion.
klin explains, noting that they soon in-
tegrated the arts into what has become Board member Jim Kerns explains
the STEAM Club. “I started with STEM that the radio club will introduce stu-
but the civic engagement program has dents to a game called Fox Hunting – in
an integrated digital documentation a sense a Pokémon precursor – where
component to it, where the kids record the fox is a short-wave radio transmit-
their volunteer projects or their com- ter hunted using directional antennas.
munity projects.”
“I have a love for science, engineer-
After receiving a $10,000 grant from ing and math,” says Kern, who hopes
the Children’s Services Advisory Com- to pass on that enthusiasm. “Any help
mittee, they kicked off the program that they need to become excited about
this summer with 19 students attend- it, I’m happy to give it. The jobs are
ing a three-day STEM boot camp at great and the jobs are plentiful, but you
Oslo with assistance from teachers have to be qualified.”
Amie Rutherford, Frances Haven-
Walker and Andrew Fallis. “I’m excited because I know kids
are hands-on learners. Not every kid
“The summer program was focused learns the same in the classroom,” says
on creating concrete experiences for Finklin. “Here they have the oppor-
the kids to have a knowledge base tunity to see science and math come
when they got to the weather units in alive and have fun doing it. I know that
their science class,” Rutherford ex- this can lead to so much more in the
plains, noting that the final project for future with their earning potential and
the girls focused on how weather af- preparing them to graduate. They see
fects fashion, and for the boys how it the fun but I see the end goal for them.”
affects warfare.
“There’s definitely some buzz and
Oslo is the first Title 1 middle school excitement on campus about STEAM
in the county, with 76 percent of its Club,” adds Rutherford with a smile.

For more information, visit Explor-
eS4S.org. 



14 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Parents right with PEN project’s literacy mission

BY MARY SCHENKEL
Staff Writer

With their children now securely Anali Vieyra and Pauline Eury distribute PEN flyers to parents at Vero Beach Elementary School. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE
back in school, groups of parents will
soon begin attending free seven-week
programs offered by Literacy Ser-
vices of Indian River County that are
designed to help them become more
engaged and involved in their chil-
dren’s education, while also learning
how interact more comfortably within
the school system. Literacy Services
launched the PEN project – Parents
Engaged Now for the love of their child
– last fall with funding from an Indian
River Impact 100 grant.

The program was introduced last
year at Fellsmere Elementary School,
with 62 out of 70 parents following it
through to graduation. The goal this
year is to introduce PEN at Treasure
Coast, Sebastian, Pelican Island and
Vero Beach elementary schools and in-
crease the number to 100 parents.

“We started this project because I
heard from teachers, school officials
and community leaders that parents

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 15

PEOPLE

tighter. The father says he can see the me.’ She started putting things in place
difference in how the son behaves to- and realized it was making a differ-
ward him. There’s that bond now that ence.”
never existed before, simply because
the father is engaged.” The free program is offered in Eng-
lish or Spanish and is administered
Rather than instruct the class, a fa- wherever it is most convenient for the
cilitator will raise questions for the par- parents. “We don’t want any stumbling
ents to discuss amongst themselves, in blocks,” says Silva.
classes limited to 10 or 12 people to en-
courage dialogue. As an added bonus, she says many
of the parents in the Spanish class now
“We truly want to see, are they get- understand how valuable it is to learn
ting it or not getting it,” says Silva. “If English and have enrolled in Literacy
not, maybe we should ask a different Services’ English as a Second Lan-
question.” guage tutoring.

A question might be: If your child has “It was funny because before the
poor self-esteem, do you think it might class they didn’t see it as important,”
impact his grades in school? Why or says Gomez. “But at the sixth class they
why not. The answers come from the want to be put on the list to enroll for a
parents themselves, demonstrating Literacy Services class.”
that they in fact are the experts. They
learn from the perspectives of other “I really believe that the more educa-
parents that they may need to think tion you receive, the more success you
about problems differently. will have in life. We help them to cre-
ate a supportive home learning envi-
“It’s hands on. The parents talk ronment and assist them to raise high
amongst themselves and make it expectations and build self-esteem
meaningful,” says Gomez. “After they for themselves and for their children,”
sit and hear what other parents strug- says Pauline Eury, PEN coordinator.
gle with, they help each other and “Also, we can teach them how they can
mentor each other.” monitor their children’s progress at
school and educate them how to navi-
Gomez remembers, “We had one gate in their school system. We give
mother who told the class, ‘My child them the confidence to talk with the
is the problem.’ By the third class she teachers and administrators at school.
said, ‘You know what; I figured it out.
It’s not the child that’s the problem, it’s CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Mary Silva and Elida Gomez.

don’t really care, they’re not engaged,” ceed in life. We show them a scenario
says Mary Silva, Literacy Services ex- and ask, ‘Do you want your child to fail
ecutive director. or succeed?’ And of course they want
them to succeed. We tell them, ‘You’re
For more than 45 years, Literacy the director of the movie’ and we show
Services has assisted adults struggling them how to be engaged.”
with literacy and they realized that
many parents felt uncomfortable deal- “We show them how to take their
ing within the school system. children to a better future and a hap-
py ending,” says Elida Gomez, North
“Either they didn’t have an educa- County coordinator. “As the director of
tion themselves, or they did poorly in the movie you can change the ending,
school, or they had a bad experience in direct the whole process.”
school,” says Silva. “It’s intimidating,
and because school policies change Noting that education begins at
every year, even those with college de- home, Silva adds, “If a parent is not en-
grees find it difficult to keep up with gaged, then they’re telling their child
the demands.” that education is not important and
the child feels that they’re not loved.”
The PEN approach is not to teach
parents, but rather to encourage the re- They tell about a PEN parent who
alization that they are their child’s first had rarely interacted with his son, but
and foremost teacher. Parents meet even the neighbors are noticing that he
once a week for 90 minutes and follow now relates to and plays with the boy.
a simple discussion curriculum on a
variety of subjects. “The father is now saying when the
child comes home, ‘Is your homework
“The first one is letting them know done? If not let’s work on it together.’
that they are the experts. It’s not the So the child now knows that he has to
school, it’s not us, it’s them,” Silva do homework before he can play. It’s
stresses. “They need to be engaged or ingrained in him; education is first,”
their child will not graduate or suc- Silva says. “And so their family now is

16 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 these parents, we lose another gen- ents who had graduated from the pro- “What a difference; they beat
eration.” gram had little education themselves. the odds. They’re beating the com-
And I think the most important of all And yet, more than 90 percent of their munity standards and they have
is to encourage them to have a lov- PEN was adopted from the Parents children graduated from high school; changed the direction of education
ing environment at home to help the Advocating for Student Excellence 70 percent went on to college. The in their families,” says Silva. “It’s
children.” (PASE) program offered through The general high school graduation rate the most simplistic program but so
Concilio in Dallas. Silva said what for the area was roughly 70 percent. substantive.” 
“We cannot fail in this project; it’s sold her was that the majority of par-
too important,” says Silva. “If we lose

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 17

PEOPLE

Skimboarders make waves at Vero pro-am, fundraiser

Duke Shenton. PHOTOS: LEAH DUBOIS Adam Barker. Troy Rhoten.

BY CHRISTINA TASCON morning and the finalists competed
at the end, keeping the excitement
Correspondent going throughout the eight-hour
event, as crowds yelled and clapped
There wasn’t a hint of Hermine for the best aerials, barrels or fly-
on our shores last Saturday as skim- aways.
boarders gathered for the ninth
annual Mulligan’s Skim Jam, pre- “A lot of people are really stoked
sented by Shore lb. on the beach at about this competition,” said Tim
Sexton Plaza. Conditions were ide- Capra, VBLA vice president. “I have
al, the storm having pushed waves people tell me this is their favorite
and wind off-shore, making the of all of them, especially because it
waves very clean and keeping the is so family-friendly. We respect ev-
day comfortable for onlookers. erybody and they in turn treat all of
us with respect too.”
The event raised funds for the
Vero Beach Lifeguard Association, Shore lb., a local surf and water-
which is dedicated to keeping our based activity clothing company
beaches safe and supplied with life- with stores in Stuart, Indialantic
saving equipment. The VBLA is also and Vero Beach, was founded by
working to update and build guard Chris and Tiffany Ellison. Chris El-
stations and eventually construct a lison, a VBLA board member, spon-
skateboard park at Leisure Square. sored and organized the event as a
way to give back to the community
Billed as the largest one-day and support the VBLA.
skimboarding contest in the world,
the pro-am is the third and final A robust and very funny voice of
stop of the Shore lb. Triple Crown, the competition, Ellison announced
where more than 70 skimboarders heats while dishing out comple-
compete in four humorously named ments and good-natured digs. He
divisions – I Suck, I’m Good, I’m Bet- got the “job” by default eight years
ter and I’m Turning Pro Tomorrow – ago when the pro announcer could
with finalists named Triple Crown not make an event, and it was easy
Kings at the end of the competition. to see why he was asked to continue
the role.
Sponsors and show affiliates set
up open tents providing welcome “We are having a blast! I love see-
shade for the hundreds who came ing the kids come back each year,
out to watch the action as announc- watch their progression and see the
ers and a disc jockey hyped up the smiles,” enthused Ellison. “There
crowd. The pros competed in the
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

18 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Adam Barker. Roman Hager competing in the “Pro” division. Isaac Alley competing in the “I’m Turning Pro Tomorrow” division.

E.T. Baker.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

are 20 people on our board and lots
of volunteers who make this hap-
pen. One of our good friends, AJ, a
professional DJ, even donated his
time to play music. We all are just
having a good time.”

“These kids love what they do,”
said Nicky Nickerson. “It’s a great
positive thing for them; they’re here
having fun competing. It is in such
a convenient location, with lots of
restaurants and hotels right here on
the beach, so we can just stay the
night and just walk down for the
competition.”

The fun continued with an after-
party Saturday evening at Walking
Tree Brewery, and an additional
fundraiser, the Waldo’s Wildcard
Poker Stroll, on Sunday. 



20 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Flicker of hope? Flametree Gallery looks for buyer

BY ELLEN FISCHER Karen Ekonomou, Maria Sparsis and Trudy von Linsowe. PHOTOS BY LEAH DUBOIS Sparsis says the affordable prices
Correspondent encourage customers to buy ceramic
if not with them, then with another gal- tention. I can’t emphasize how much art as gifts.
Flametree Clay Art Gallery, a favorite lery in the same space,” Koehler says. I hope the gallery will keep going in
downtown destination for art lovers – some fashion.” “It’s difficult to walk into a painting
and art buyers – will close its doors for- The gallery has been in business gallery and buy a birthday gift for a
ever after Dec. 31, three months before since March 2011. So far the women have been spread- friend, unless it’s a very special friend,”
its sixth anniversary. ing the word of the offering via flyers Sparsis says.
Though Economou, Sparsis and von and Flametree’s Facebook page.
That is, unless the gallery’s current Linsowe hope to sell the gallery before Prices at Flametree start as low as
owners, Karen “Keko” Economou, the date they’ve all agreed to close, The brass tacks of the offer: $5,000 – $15 for a small clay ornament to as high
Maria Sparsis and Trudy von Linsowe, there is no doubt in any of their minds or best offer – buys the Flametree name, as $2,400 for von Linsowe’s master-
can find a new owner willing to pur- that the Flametree as it is today will its extensive customer list, display fix- piece, “Lauren’s Lesson.” It is a realistic
chase Flametree’s business assets and cease to exist come the New Year. tures, office furniture and computer. sculpture of a violin (with a stand in the
negotiate a fresh lease for the space shape an elegantly gowned woman)
the gallery shares with the Cultural They all say the gallery isn’t closing The most valuable asset, though, is made of raku-fired clay.
Council, across from the historic Flor- for lack of business. Flametree’s reputation. The gallery is
ida Theatre. known as a place where a customer can The gallery has also been known for
“We are all too busy,” says Spar- pick up an original work of ceramic art having a different themed exhibition
It’s one of the rare gallery closures or sis. “And we are not doing the gallery for well under $100. every month, from garden art to tea-
changes of ownership the arts district any justice by not giving it enough at- pots to its annual “Deck the Halls” holi-
has faced since it began taking shape a day show and group invitationals. The
decade ago. variety of the gallery’s offerings alone
has made it a favorite stop on down-
If an owner steps up, the lease should town Vero’s First Friday Gallery Stroll.
be no problem, says property man-
And speaking of reputation, the
ager Kirk Koehler. He says galleries gallery’s famously infamous “Sex-
have been a key draw to pot” shows in 2013 and 2015 made for
the downtown area, packed opening nights and brisk sales
contributing to in the weeks that followed. The theme
its revitaliza- was provocative enough to draw nu-
tion along with merous calls of complaint in advance
restaurants and of the show, including threats to pick-
shops. et. Those threats never materialized,
“We are pleased though costumed crowds of gallery-go-
with our relation- ers swarmed the door for hours, wait-
ship with Flametree ing for space to free up inside.
and would like to continue,
Describing the art in the Sexpot
show, von Linsowe says, “Some of it
was just lightly suggestive, and some of
it was over the top.”

“It was looking right back at you,”
laughs Economou.

Von Linsowe, whose duties at the
gallery include logging sales and book-
keeping, says that the gallery’s annual
income rose as much as $8,000 in the
years the Sexpot exhibition took place.

Even having to sign a waiver and
show a doorkeeper that you were 18 or
older to enter did not deter visitors. Sex-
pot had 1,500 visitors on opening night
alone in 2013; in 2015, there were a stag-
gering 1,800 who passed through the
cramped back room.

Von Linsowe notes that on one of
those opening nights, the gallery sold
52 artworks, half of them directly from
the Sexpot exhibition. The rest was G-
rated ware from the main gallery.

If it sounds like Flametree’s three
principals have had their share of joy
as well as hard work in running the
gallery, it is because it has been a la-
bor of love from the start.

All three of the women have been
happy with their own sales through
Flametree, but if a prospective owner
thinks she will make enough money
to pay herself a salary, she’d better

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 21

ARTS & THEATRE

think again. the three moved into was just a wide, fice in the back corner and started ac- Gallery as exhibiting artists?
“Don’t count on it as deep entryway off the street, one wall cepting applications to exhibit other “It is my hope that somebody will
of which was punctuated by a row of clay artists. Currently the gallery has
your primary source of doors to five small offices. 14 exhibitors. buy it who has the time to put in that
income,” says Sparsis. we don’t have,” says Sparsis. “I will pay
Within its first year of operation If a new owner offers them the op- my rent and help as much as I can, but
Before its transfor- Flametree had, in addition to the portunity, would Economou, Sparsis not as much as I’m doing now. I just
mation into a trendy original space, taken over a large of- and von Linsowe stay at the Flametree can’t.” 
art gallery, the space

22 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Coming Up: Two intense plays for serious drama lovers

BY MICHELLE GENZ rebrally, there’s a great new series of sem-
Staff Writer inars called Backstage Access. They’ll
be offered in conjunction with each of
1 A couple of thought-provoking Riverside’s Main Stage productions this
plays open this weekend on stages season. Taught by former college theater
professor Jim Van Valen – he’s the new
a short drive away. Fort Pierce’s Pine- director of education who came up with
all this – the three-hour seminars, four to
apple Playhouse is staging Terrance a course, will look at the history of each
production, the themes involved, and
McNally’s “Mothers and Sons” about a particular staging challenges. Guest art-
ists and crew will lecture too.
mother 20 years after the death of her
The first course starts in mid-October
son who decides to drop in on his sur- in advance of “Ring of Fire,” a jukebox
musical about the life and music of
viving partner, now married with a son. Johnny Cash. The acting classes start in
October; dance classes got underway
McNally’s 90-minute, four-character last week.

drama that played on Broadway in 2014

spans a momentous era, from the AIDS

epidemic to gay marriage.

McNally is a veteran of similarly Coming this weekend to the Pineapple Playhouse in Fort Pierce.

themed dramas, among them “Lips To-

gether, Teeth Apart” in 1991, and four

years later, “Love! Valor! Compassion!” Melbourne’s Henegar Center for Rob- church puppet club, her teenage son
ert Askins’ “Hand of God,” in the cen- turns out to have a puppet with a rag-
He is also the author of “André’s Moth- ter’s upstairs Studio Theatre. “Hand of ing libido, and things quickly go to hell 3 The King Center’s Studio The-
God” just closed on Broadway in Janu- in a hand puppet. atre is an intimate space, but in
er,” the prequel to the play opening at ary after being nominated for a Tony
for Best New Play. The premise, flagged The Henegar Center is at the edge of
Pineapple. “adults only” by Henegar, is based in Melbourne’s historic downtown district a solo concert next Wednesday night
the southern evangelical tradition that at 625 E. New Haven Ave. Both shows
Pineapple Playhouse, the home of St. uses puppets to teach young people run through Sept. 25 and both theaters it will have to contain drummer Terry
how to avoid Satan. When the pastor charge $20. And both flag the plays as
Lucie Community Theatre, a volunteer asks a recent widow to take over the having adult themes and strong lan- Bozzio’s entire drum kit, billed as the
guage. That ought to sound refreshing
theater group that dates back to 1949, to serious drama lovers in Vero, where largest in the world. Bozzio, who once
the community theater, the Theatre
is at 700 W. Weatherbee Road, off S. U.S. Guild, reportedly won’t stage plays played with Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck
that have “God” and “damn” as a com-
1 in Fort Pierce, south of Jetson’s appli- pound word. and the band Missing Persons, looks a

ance store and north of Midway Road. little like Marius at the barricade seat-

Meanwhile, Friday is opening night at ed in the middle of it all.

A passionate drummer since the age

of 6, Bozzio messed around on make-

shift drum sets for seven years before

finally persuading his dad to pay for

drum lessons. That was after seeing

the Beatles on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

2 Speaking of mature audiences, It was a good investment: He not only
Riverside Theatre’s new education-
earned a college scholarship in per-

al program for adults has to be hoping cussion and timpani, he ended up

for at least a little immaturity in its new with a lucrative career.

Stage Combat class starting on Mon- Bozzio’s trademark feat is being able

day. I love imagining how these grown- to play Zappa’s “The Black Page,” a

ups are going to put their knowledge to bear of a work so dense with notes that

good use, but of course, it’s meant for its chart is nearly black. Equally fluent

actors and the instructor, Ben Porch, has in rock and classical drumming, he

a master’s in stage movement and has has played with garage bands and ba-

taught stage combat in the theater de- roque ensembles, and even had a stint

partment at IRSC. on Broadway playing in “Godspell” in

And for those who prefer to perform ce- the 1970s. 



24 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Joint replacement patients get hip to IRMC’s ‘camp’

BY TOM LLOYD too long a name – the National In-
Staff Writer stitute of Arthritis and Musculo-
skeletal and Skin Diseases at the
Dr. Richard Steinfeld, an orthope- National Institutes of Health –
dic surgeon at Indian River Medical shows why that specialized care is
Center, can’t help but crack a smile an important component of health-
when the topic of the hospital’s care overall.
“joint camp” comes up.
Close to 1 million knee replace-
“There are patients that are ments, 332,000 hip replacements
brought to the joint camp before and well over 54,000 shoulder re-
surgery and then after surgery to placements will be performed
rehab their joint replacements,” in this country this year. At Vero
says Steinfeld. “From our perspec- Beach’s Indian River Medical Cen-
tive, the joint camp offers a compre- ter alone, upwards of 1,200 such
hensive approach to recovery from joint replacements are performed
what’s, hopefully, a life-changing annually.
procedure that helps patients re-
gain their quality of life.” And the numbers are rising. The
Centers for Disease Control esti-
The University of Michigan’s mates that by 2030 the number of
Health System agrees, saying “the knee replacements in the U.S. will
specialized care . . . that patients re- skyrocket to over 3 million a year,
ceive in these [joint camp] programs with comparable increases in both
leads to faster recovery times, high- hip and shoulder procedures.
er patient satisfaction, lower risk
of infection and improved clinical The most common culprits be-
outcomes.” hind joint replacement are osteo-
arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis,
A quick look at the numbers is- which cause chronic and often ex-
sued by a federal agency with way treme joint pain.

Nurse Maria Puras, Dr. RIchard Steinfeld and physical therapist Colleen King. PHOTO: DENISE RITCHIE

New technologies and surgi- for patients is growing, and joint
cal techniques have made joint camps have been shown to help
replacements less traumatic, but hospitals gain or keep a competitive
despite advances in surgical tech- advantage.
niques and prosthetic devices, doc-
tors have learned the success or Colleen King, manager of the
failure of any joint replacement de- IRMC rehabilitation department,
pends largely on the patient and the says one of IRMC’s advantages is
coaching he or she gets prior to and what she calls the “multi-disciplin-
after surgery. ary approach” being used at the
hospital.
That’s the main reason why IRMC
launched its joint camp: for the ben- She says joint camp “is an educa-
efit of patients. But better outcomes tional session for patients. We take
also help the hospital. away their fears and let them know
what to expect. We go through their
With nearly two thirds of hospi- whole day in the life of surgery and
tals nationwide now performing their hospitalization. Then we touch
joint replacements, the competition on what’s going to be expected once

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 25

HEALTH

they get home, including their ther- “There are patients that are brought to the
apy as well as the arrangements in joint camp before surgery and then after
their home they have to make.” surgery to rehab their joint replacements,”
says Steinfeld. “From our perspective,
Those “arrangements” may in- the joint camp offers a comprehensive
clude removing throw rugs, mak- approach to recovery from what’s,
ing sure frequently used items are hopefully, a life-changing procedure that
placed at waist or shoulder level for helps patients regain their quality of life.”
easy access, making and freezing
meals in advance and arranging for and rehab are no one’s favorite pas- involved in a patient’s rehab and abilities will increase,” provided
pet care. Campers receive complete time, she is also aware that in the freely admit that even after surgery, the prescribed exercises and rehab
pre- and post-op checklists as well long run they produce results. there will be some pain. At least for work are done.
as counseling. a while.
Steinfeld quickly jumps in with an Steinfeld sums up by saying, “The
IRMC nurse Maria Puras jumps unqualified endorsement for King’s But according to King, “It’s not goal of what we do is to relieve the
into the conversation, saying “my tough task. “Therapy treatments,” the chronic pain they’re used to liv- pain of arthritis and to improve
job, basically, is to take a lot of the he says firmly, “have progressed ing with.” function.”
anxiety away from the patients and tremendously over the past 10 to 15
just enhance the experience. As years and have made a tremendous “There is [some post-surgical] There is no additional fee for joint
soon as they make an appointment, difference in how patients recover.” pain because there’s still some replacement patients participating
they come to my class and then we swelling and edema that goes along in the joint camp program.
start talking. We tell them what to All three members of the joint with having these surgeries,” King
expect during their stay and then camp team also point to the impor- says. “But as those things decrease, For more information, contact the
what to expect after. We’re resourc- tance of family members becoming your range of motion and your Indian River Medical Center’s Joint
es. We try to make them as involved Camp at 772-794-2556. 
as much as we can.”

Puras is also tasked with keeping
patients informed about their an-
esthesia and pain-control medica-
tions.

There is an undeniable sense of
camaraderie between Steinfeld,
King and Puras as they talk about
their respective tasks.

While King is keenly aware that
pre- and post-operative exercises

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26 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Skin deep: Study delves further into ‘red-haired gene’

BY MARIA CANFIELD creased risk of developing skin can-
Correspondent cer, and that a gene variant is the
culprit. Now, researchers from the
Only about 2 percent of the U.S. Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in
population – some 6.5 million peo- England have discovered the dan-
ple – are redheads, but redheads ac- ger associated with the “red-haired
count for 16 percent of melanoma gene” can also affect non-redheads.
patients.
Though it is often a person’s
Scientists have long known that crowning glory, red hair is techni-
red-haired people have an in- cally a mutation. The MC1R gene

Dr. Patrick Ottuso. PHOTO: DENISE RITCHIE

provides instructions for making a shows other mechanisms also come
protein involved in the production into play. In a nutshell, the MC1R
of melanin, a substance essential variant might alter or interfere with
for controlling pigmentation of the other pathways, causing tumor mu-
eyes, skin and hair. There are two tations.
types of melanin; mutations found
in a redhead’s MC1R gene causes Dr. Patrick Ottuso, M.D., a Vero
an abundance of pheomelanin, the Beach dermatologist and fellow
type of melanin that does not pro- of the American Academy of Der-
tect against the sun’s rays. matology, says “there are definite
associations between these muta-
Prior to the Sanger Institute tions and the risk of developing ma-
study, it was thought that having lignancies, as these mutations can
too much pheomelanin was the sole affect a person’s immune response,
reason for the increased risk of skin the number of moles they have, and
cancer in redheads. The new study even how DNA damage from ultra-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 27

violet light is repaired.” HEALTH formation can be found at www.
The researchers studied tumor myredhairgene.com.
Only about 2 percent of
DNA sequences from more than the U.S. population – some The results of the Sanger Institute
400 patients around the world, and 6.5 million people – are research were published in the sci-
found that people who carried the redheads, but redheads entific journal Nature Communica-
MC1R gene variant displayed 42 account for 16 percent of tions and reinforce the importance
percent more sun-associated mu- melanoma patients. of red-haired people (and people
tations in their tumors than those who are carriers) to be ultra-cau-
without the variant. A sun-associat- tious about sun exposure. The team
ed mutation occurs when the DNA hopes that the results will help to
in our skin cells is damaged by ul- more easily identify people at risk
traviolet light and creates new ge- of developing skin cancer.
netic mutations that may lead to the
production of cancerous cells. Dr. Ottuso’s practice is part of Vero
Beach Dermatology, located at 1955
As an aside, a DNA lab in Scot- 22nd Ave; the phone number is 772-
land says that every person in the 299-0085. 
world who carries any form of the
red hair gene variant is a direct de-
scendent of the first person to ever
have it – he or she lived some 70,000
years ago in what is now West Asia.
(Scotland’s redheaded population
is about 13 percent, and the red-
hair gene is a topic of much interest
in that country.)

As important as it is to better un-
derstand how skin cancer develops
in redheads, the team’s findings go
beyond that. People have two cop-
ies of most genes; redheads have
the MC1R variant on both copies of
that gene. Dr. David Adams, joint
lead researcher of the study, says
“unexpectedly, we also showed that
people with only a single copy of the
gene variant still have a much high-
er number of tumor mutations than
the rest of the population.”

Up to 25 percent of caucasians in
the United States carry a single copy of
the variant, making them a “red-hair
carrier” and putting them at higher
risk for skin cancer mutations, even
though they do not have read hair.

The red-hair gene is recessive, so
if two carriers have a child, their
chance of having a redheaded child
is 1-in-4. If both parents are red-
heads, they each have two copies
of the red-hair gene, and their child
will definitely be a redhead.

Vero’s Dr. Ottuso says, “While
further study is needed, I do believe
that those with variants of such ge-
netic markers should be monitored
more closely than those who lack
such mutations. In addition, envi-
ronmental factors such as outdoor
activity, use of tanning beds, and
blistering sunburns must also be
factored into the equation.”

Dr. Ottuso says there are tests
physicians can order from repu-
table laboratories that identify and
isolate genetic markers of melano-
ma and other forms of cancer.

If you are so inclined, there also
are genetic tests available online
that decipher your MC1R gene and
identify if you carrying a red-hair
variant. One we came across is
called the RedTracer DNA Test; in-

28 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Survey: More and more
Americans going to pot

BY ARIANA EUNJUNG CHA That said, the data from the Nation-
al Survey on Drug Abuse and Health
Washington Post did offer a positive finding: The preva-
lence of marijuana abuse or depen-
Virtually everyone knows marijuana dence remained stable at about 1.5
use in the United States has skyrock- percent over the period.
eted in recent years thanks to the loos-
ening of state laws that had limited Marijuana has both short- and long-
the drug to medicinal and related pur- term effects on the brain and physi-
poses. But by just how much has been cal health. Scientists are still learning
anybody's guess. more about the different components
of the cannabis plant and how they
A new survey of more than 500,000 impact the human body, but there's
adults now puts a number on the consensus that smoking marijuana
change – and it's big. From 2002 to may irritate breathing passages, that
2014, the percentage of adults using it increases the heart rate and that
marijuana jumped from 10.4 percent it may negatively impact a fetus if a
to 13.3 percent. Those using it daily or woman smokes while pregnant.
close to that went from 1.9 percent to
3.5 percent. That means there could be On the flip side, many people swear
31.9 million adults using marijuana – by it for chronic pain. There's also evi-
with 8.4 million of them using it a lot. dence that it may help with nausea,
sleep disorders, depressed appetite
The results, reported last month in and a number of other conditions.
The Lancet Psychiatry, also noted an
important trend in how marijuana is A lot of the positive publicity
regarded. Although the drug has "be- around marijuana's medicinal use
come increasingly potent over the past has recently focused on how one ex-
decade," the authors wrote, fewer peo- tract made from cannabis may ben-
ple think it's harmful. efit some patients with epilepsy. In
March, GW Pharmaceuticals said its
Wilson M. Compton, a researcher studies showed that its cannabis-
with the National Institute on Drug based drug appeared to dramatically
Abuse who worked on the study, de- reduce seizures in patients with Dra-
scribed this shifting perception as a vet syndrome.
worrisome development and said it
suggests a need for improved educa- The Drug Enforcement Administra-
tion on the risks. tion said in August that while it would
still maintain marijuana on the list of
“Understanding patterns of marijua- the most dangerous drugs, it would
na use and dependence and how these loosen research restrictions to make it
have changed over time is essential for easier for scientists to look into other
policymakers who continue to con- possible medical benefits – a move
sider whether and how to modify laws almost universally applauded, even
related to marijuana and for healthcare by the strictest opponents of national
practitioners who care for patients us- marijuana legalization. 
ing marijuana," he explained.



30 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT COVER STORY

The EpiPen pricing controversy is identical brand-name version at full pharmacies, pharmacy benefit man- than a starting point for negotiations
enough to trigger mental anaphylactic price. Because, um, some people will agers, Congress, presidential candi- between powerful institutional sellers
shock. First, Mylan raised the list price be happy to spend twice as much as dates, and somewhere, down there in and buyers. In other words, a price that
of EpiPens to more than $600 a pair. everyone else for their EpiPens? the smoke and dust, the children with was basically fake has become all too
When protests predictably erupted, life-threatening allergies who need to real.
Chief Executive Officer Heather Bresch None of this, including the original bring EpiPens to school this fall.
went on TV to say that if she cut the price hike, makes sense if you think of This is what Bresch argued in an
price of EpiPens, some people wouldn’t brand-name pharmaceuticals as nor- This system has never worked well, interview on Aug. 25: “It was never
be able to get them anymore. Which is mal products whose prices are set by but it’s working even less well now be- intended that a consumer, that the
weird, because usually a lower price the forces of supply and demand. cause of the profusion of high-deduct- patients, would be paying list price,
makes things easier to get. ible health insurance plans. never. The system wasn’t built for that.”
It does start to make sense if you
Then, on Aug. 29, Mylan announced picture drug pricing as a multisided, Many ordinary Americans who If the system wasn’t built right, why
it will sell a generic version of EpiPens Machiavellian, long-running, high- haven’t reached their deductible limits not build a new system? That would
at half the price—but keep selling the stakes Game of Thrones involving are being exposed to high list prices involve untangling a web of rebates,
drugmakers, insurance companies, that were intended to be no more reimbursements, pass-throughs, co-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 31

INSIGHT COVER STORY

payments, and fees. “It’s not simple Chief Executive Officer of Mylan, Heather Bresch their clients, they can choose not to in-
to fix or change this gigantic machine clude a drug in their formulary, which
we’ve built,” says Adam Fein, president ing sales. In 2013, President Obama negotiate discounts on behalf of insur- means it won’t be covered by insur-
of Philadelphia-based Pembroke Con- signed the School Access to Emergen- ance companies and employers. ance. In the case of EpiPens, it appears
sulting, which advises drugmakers on cy Epinephrine Act, which encouraged that they have negotiated an average
sales and distribution. states to make epinephrine available in Last year, so much money was discount of as much as $300. Whole-
schools. sapped by rebates paid to pharmacy saler fees cost Mylan another $25 or so.
You can learn a lot about a system benefit managers that Mylan’s revenue Mylan says it nets $274 for a pair at the
when it’s under stress and the cracks Bresch has been telling anyone who fell about 1 percent despite a 32 per- new full price of $608.61.
become visible. The EpiPen storm is will listen that Mylan doesn’t keep the cent list price increase, according to a
that kind of a teachable moment. Each whole list price. That’s true. Mylan has calculation by Elizabeth Krutoholow, Bresch perturbed the gatekeepers
seemingly inexplicable step along the to grapple with pharmacy benefit man- an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. when she said she couldn’t outright
way makes sense once you understand agers – the biggest being CVS Caremark, cut the price of EpiPens, as critics de-
the players’ financial incentives. Express Scripts, and OptumRx – that Pharmacy benefit managers are manded, because doing so might pre-
powerful gatekeepers. On behalf of vent some people from getting them.
Start with the price hike, to $608.61
for a pair of EpiPens, the latest in a se- To industry insiders, that was a
ries that began after Mylan acquired broad hint that the pharmacy ben-
U.S. marketing rights from Merck in efit managers would stand in the
2007, when the autoinjectors cost way – providing skimpier coverage
around $100 a pair. Mylan chose to risk for EpiPens if they received smaller
a backlash because it saw generic com- rebates on them. Benefit managers
petition on the horizon and wanted to don’t base coverage on what’s in it for
make hay while the sun was shining. them, says Mark Merritt, president of
the Pharmaceutical Care Management
Bresch has tried to defend the price Association, the industry trade group.
as compensation for investment in
the product, but in fact the device No one believes Mylan’s protesta-
has been changed only slightly since tions of innocence, but the entire sys-
Mylan took it on. (Mylan doesn’t even tem is in on the plot
manufacture the pens; Pfizer does.)
At the same time, Bresch offered
The main investment has been “savings cards” worth up to $300 for
a successful marketing and lobby- EpiPens. Bloomberg Intelligence’s Kru-
ing campaign to make EpiPens more toholow estimates that savings cards
widely available – which is laudable and other subsidies will cut EpiPen
but has the nice side effect of increas-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

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34 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 INSIGHT COVER STORY Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31 workers’ expected contributions in
health plans rose 83 percent from 2005
revenue by around 6 percent this year. to 2015.
But that’s before figuring in gains from
the price hike. Low-income families are least suited
to high-deductible plans because they
Bresch’s latest move, to offer a ge- don’t have spare cash lying around to
neric version of EpiPens at half the cover unexpected expenses. Yet they
price, also makes sense when viewed often sign up for high-deductible plans
as another Game of Thrones gam- when given the chance because the
bit. Some insurers will still cover the premiums are the lowest.
more expensive brand-name EpiPens
because they get such big rebates on The bronze plans of Obamacare re-
them that they end up being cheaper – imburse only 60 percent of all benefi-
for the insurers – than the generics. It’s ciaries’ covered out-of-pocket expens-
even possible that some insurers will es. In principle, high deductibles and
refuse to cover the generic. copayments can rein in unnecessary
spending on discretionary items. But
No wonder people are having for life-and-death items like EpiPens,
trouble taking Bresch’s protestations they just shift costs from insurance
of innocence seriously. “They ben- companies and employers to families
efited from federal legislation. Then while raising the risk that families will
they turned around and raised prices. go without – and suffer possibly fatal
There’s just something untoward about consequences.
that,” says David Toung, an equity ana-
lyst at Argus Research in New York. What’s the answer? Hillary Clinton’s
platform calls for a $250-per-month
Epic drama, to be sure, even if there per person cap on out-of-pocket ex-
aren’t any dragons. Unfortunately, high penses for covered prescription drug
prices for drugs hurt society’s most vul- costs “to provide financial relief for
nerable citizens. patients with chronic or serious health
conditions.”
Even $300 for a pair of generic
EpiPens is steep for families that pay The flaw in her plan is that insur-
full price because their insurance ers would have to raise premiums
doesn’t start kicking in until they’ve to compensate for losses on the cost
spent thousands of dollars. This is an cap. That could accelerate the “death
issue that goes way beyond Mylan, spiral” in which healthy people drop
of course. An employer survey by the
Kaiser Family Foundation found that

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 35

INSIGHT COVER STORY

insurance because of high premiums, parentRx, a boutique pharmacy ben- to set aside money for health expenses “Everyone in the system has built
leaving behind only those most costly efit manager in Henderson, Nev. tax-free. Such accounts are of most val- their economics and contracts on the
to care for. ue to families in high tax brackets. list price that exists. It’s incredibly dif-
Donald Trump’s platform doesn’t ficult to unwind that structure,” says
“It looks good on the surface, but I even attempt to deal with the problem The EpiPen episode is a small part Pembroke Consulting’s Fein. “I can’t
hope the average American can see directly. It encourages high-deductible of the very big problem of high and tell you there’s a simple solution. That’s
what it looks like on the back end,” plans, coupling them with health sav- rising drug prices. But even this small why I’m not a politician.” 
says Tyrone Squires, founder of Trans- ings accounts that families could use problem is kind of intractable.

36 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT EDITORIAL

Meet parents who won’t let their children study literature

BY STEVEN PEARLSTEIN | WASHINGTON POST recalled hosting an information ses- an information session this spring for This focus on college as job training
sion for undergraduates interested in high school seniors who had been ac- reflects not only a misreading of the data
When I assigned an 800-page biog- a program she directs on history and cepted to George Mason. on jobs and pay, but also a fundamental
raphy of Andrew Carnegie for a new literature. One student who attended, misunderstanding of the way labor mar-
undergraduate course on wealth and Lepore said, kept getting text messages “To spend $80,000 on a history de- kets work, the way careers develop and
poverty at George Mason University from her parents ordering her to leave gree, I’d need to see a way forward” to the purpose of higher education.
a few years ago, I wasn’t sure the stu- the meeting immediately. a career, said Kyle Tucker as he stood
dents would actually read it. Not only with his son in the long line in front of You might not expect college fresh-
did most of them make it to the end, “I have heard from many different the engineering school’s booth. men to understand that careers don’t
however, but many thanked me for giv- colleges that there is now a consid- proceed in straight lines, but surely
ing them the chance to read a popular erable – and disturbing – amount of Bradley Gray of Richmond told me their parents ought to. In the real
work of history. parental pressure against the liberal that he enjoys history, but “it’s hard to world, most physics majors don’t be-
arts,” reports Debra Humphreys, a se- get a job with a history degree – that’s come physicists, most psychology ma-
Curious, I inquired how many were nior vice president at the Association what I hear, anyway. The only oppor- jors don’t become psychologists, and
history majors. Of the 24 honors stu- of American Colleges and Universities. tunities are in teaching or working in a most English majors don’t become
dents in the seminar, there were none. museum.” Bradley is aiming for some- writers or teachers.
English? Philosophy? Fine arts? Only One reason for the “explosion” of thing in STEM – science, technology,
one. How was this possible? I asked. double majors – as high as 40 percent engineering or math. You’ll find a surprising number of
Almost in unison, half a dozen replied: of students at some elite schools – is philosophy majors at hedge funds and
“Our parents wouldn’t let us.” that students want one major to sat- “We’re on the defensive,” acknowl- lots of political-science majors at law
isfy Mom and Dad and another to sat- edges Robert Matz, a Shakespearean firms. Choosing a major is not choos-
The results were similar when I sur- isfy their own interests, she says. scholar who, as an associate dean in ing a career,” says Jeff Selingo, author of
veyed freshmen in another honors sem- George Mason’s College of Humanities “There Is Life After College.”
inar this spring. This time, I asked how Parents are becoming more deeply and Social Sciences, is leading an effort
many would have been humanities ma- engaged in nearly every aspect of their to promote the value of liberal arts de- For me, there’s nothing more de-
jors if the only criteria were what they children’s lives, and it’s carrying over grees. The English department’s web- pressing than meeting incoming fresh-
were interested in and what they were even to their choice of major. “A lot of site, for example, now has a prominent men at Mason who have declared
good at. Ten of the 24 raised their hands. our students feel parental pressure to go section, “What Can I Do With a Degree themselves as accounting majors.
into business, economics, medicine,” in English?,” that lists famous actors, They’re 18 years old, they haven’t had a
I was aware, of course, of the drift says Christy Buchanan, who heads the musicians, judges, politicians and cor- chance to take a course in Shakespeare
toward pre-professionalism on col- office of academic advising at North porate executives who were English or evolutionary biology or the history of
lege campuses, of widespread concern Carolina’s Wake Forest University. majors. economic thought, and already they’ve
over student debt, of stories about col- decided to devote the rest of their lives
lege-educated baristas living in base- Matthew Boyce, George Mason’s di- Over the past 30 years, the shift in to accountancy.
ments, of governors threatening to cut rector of undergraduate admissions, college majors hasn’t been as dramatic
off state funding for French literature reports that parents are more interest- as many assume. As the total number In today’s fast-changing global
and anthropology. ed than ever in the direct path between of students has doubled, the humani- economy, the most successful enter-
a degree program and a first job, and ties have suffered modest losses in prises aren’t looking for workers who
Even so, I found it shocking that the eventual salary associated with that market share, while natural and social know a lot about only one thing. They
some of the brightest students had degree. “To many of them, that path- sciences have been the big winners. are seeking employees who are nimble,
been misled – by parents, the media, way from liberal arts seems a little more curious and innovative.
politicians and, alas, each other – into muddled,” he said. Adds Saskia Clay- But in the wake of the Great Reces-
thinking that choosing English or his- Rooks, Mason’s acting director of career sion, the number of degrees in the The good jobs of the future will go
tory as a major would doom them to services: “What parents are thinking core humanities disciplines – English, to those who can collaborate widely,
lives as impecunious schoolteachers. about is return on investment.” history, philosophy – has fallen sharp- think broadly and challenge conven-
ly . In the mid-1960s, they represented tional wisdom – precisely the capaci-
And it’s not just at state schools. Har- I certainly got that sense when I up to 17 percent of degrees conferred; ties that a liberal arts education is
vard University professor Jill Lepore buttonholed students and parents at now that figure is just over 6 percent. meant to develop. 

MEDICARE ENROLLMENT care plan (Parts A and B) run by the federal gov- tient procedures, rehabilitation therapy, labora-
PERIOD, PART I ernment or a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) tory tests, X-rays, mental health services, ambu-
that delivers care through a private health main- lance services and blood.
Are you ready for Medicare Enrollment for 2017? tenance organization (HMO) or preferred pro-
If you’re 65 or above, you need to make some vider organization (PPO) approved by Medicare. The standard premium for Part B (2016 figure)
important decisions between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7, is $121.80/month. People with higher incomes
2016. HOW DOES ORIGINAL MEDICARE WORK? – above $85,000 annually for an individual or
Almost all hospitals and doctors across the coun- $170,000 for a couple – pay higher rates. After a
Since inception in 1965, Medicare has grown try accept Original Medicare reimbursement. If deductible of $147 is met, the patient typically
from one-size-fits-all to include multiple models you enroll in Original Medicare, the government pays the remaining 20 percent of Medicare-
of care. Different types of Medicare plans help pays Medicare’s share of your medical bills di- approved charges for most doctor (outpatient)
pay for inpatient hospital care, doctor visits, out- rectly to participating hospitals and doctors. services, outpatient therapy and durable medi-
patient services, home health care, prescription cal equipment.
drugs, some care in a skilled nursing facility and PART A – HOSPITAL COVERAGE
more, depending on the plan or plans you choose. Part A covers hospital stays, skilled nursing care The patient pays a deductible each time he or
after a hospital stay, some home health services she is hospitalized (unless readmitted within
WHAT IS MEDICARE? and hospice care. It does not cover doctors’ fees. 60 days; that hospitalization’s deductible is
Medicare is a national social insurance program (Doctors are paid through Part B.) waived). There is no limit to the amount of out-
administered by the United States federal govern- of-pocket expenses the patient incurs.
ment. It provides health insurance for Americans Most people don’t have to pay a monthly premi-
age 65 and older who have worked and paid into um for Part A; the taxes they paid into Medicare As of this writing, the costs for premiums, deduct-
the system, and younger people with disabilities, over the years cover that cost. Currently, enrollees ibles and co-pays for 2017 have not been set.
end-stage renal disease and amyotrophic lateral pay a deductible of $1,288, then Medicare pays
sclerosis. about 80 percent of approved inpatient costs for Next time we’ll cover Medicare’s supplemental
the first 60 days of hospitalization. For longer hos- plan called Medigap; Part C (Medicare Advantage
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION pital stays, patients pay a larger share of the costs. plans); and Part D (Medicare’s prescription plan).
REGARDING MEDICARE?
The single most important decision related to PART B – MEDICAL COVERAGE Your comments and suggestions for future topics are
Medicare is whether to choose the Original Medi- Part B pays for a portion of doctor visits, some always welcome. Email us at [email protected].
home health care, medical equipment, outpa-
© 2016 Vero Beach 32963 Media, all rights reserved

38 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BOOK REVIEW

Beginning in 1914, and continuing ries Garden, a beloved and obligatory film and photography, never made a the larger world without leaving home.
almost until his death in 1926, Claude stop on every tourist’s Paris itinerary. telephone call, and resented the intru- They brought him to the edge of pure
Monet was preoccupied with a massive, King, author of books on Michelan- sion of telegraph poles into the exurban abstraction, even as he claimed that
multipart installation project known as gelo, Leonardo and Machiavelli, offers sanctuary of Giverny) and mostly un- they were still intimately connected to
the Grande Decoration. Inspired by his a well-researched and in-depth ac- fazed by innovations in the arts by the the paintings he had always made, pas-
garden at Giverny outside Paris, these count, based on Monet’s letters and the generations that succeeded him. His sionate and ultimately futile efforts to
paintings were devoted to the play of reminiscences and writings of his many primary concerns were the integrity of fix the evanescent on canvas.
light and color Monet discovered in his friends and admirers. Neither the cre- his art and the comforts of his home.
lush private water park, where he had ation of the paintings, which were vastly He was a gourmand, liked his wine, He was exacting and hypercritical
lovingly cultivated water lilies, wisteria, larger than the work Monet had pursued enjoyed a stiff bracer of plum brandy about his final masterpiece, in ways
rhododendrons and weeping willows before, nor the circuitous route whereby with his meal and used his influence as that tormented his most ardent and
for decades. But unlike the Nymphéas they were donated to the French people France’s most renowned painter to be selfless friends. The most touching
(or water lilies) paintings he had been were straightforward, and King charts sure his coal scuttles and the gas tanks pages of “Mad Enchantment” are those
producing since the 1890s, the Grande every tortuous twist, turn and divaga- of his beloved cars were full, even in pe- devoted to Georges Clemenceau, the
Decoration evolved as a cycle, meant tion in this drawn-out saga. riods of wartime privation. French statesman who led his coun-
for permanent installation in a gallery try to victory – ultimately pyrrhic – in
devoted to the series, and was present- Unfortunately, as a narrative arma- As he grew older, and as he sensed the Great War. He and the artist had
ed as a gift to the nation in a contract ture, the creation of Monet’s Grande time running out on the completion of been friends for decades, and more
Monet signed in 1922. Decoration isn’t sufficient to merit this his Grande Decoration, he became in- than anyone else, including Monet, it
400-page account. King compensates creasingly peevish. He scorned rich and was Clemenceau who shepherded the
Ross King’s “Mad Enchantment” is with long digressions, many of them unsophisticated collectors who paid as- Grande Decoration to completion. But
a history of those paintings, installed fascinating, into the larger social and tronomical sums for his paintings, and by the end of the drama, Monet’s vacil-
since 1927 at the Orangerie in the Tuile- political backstory. Of that, there is he was baffled by an American admirer lation, self-doubt, second thoughts and
plenty. The gestation of Monet’s Or- who asked for a paintbrush as a souve- interpersonal deceptions (at one point
angerie paintings covers some of the nir of their meeting. He also suffered the he canceled the project without telling
most tumultuous years in French his- pains of aging, among which the loss of Clemenceau) had alienated even his
tory, including the repugnant anti-Sem- his eyesight was the most debilitating. greatest and oldest friend. The two were
itism of the Dreyfus affair, the shatter- Despite operations, special eye drops reconciled, uneasily, but the rupture is
ing of the Belle Epoque, the madness of and custom-made glasses, by the end one of the book’s saddest moments and
World War I, and the uneasy armistice of his life Monet suffered periods of a painful comment on the collateral
and aftermath of that carnage, which, near-blindness, which made him doubt damage aging takes on many relation-
King writes, claimed “a quarter of all his work and delay delivery of the over- ships.
French men born in the 1890s.” scaled and wildly ambitious Orangerie
paintings. They didn’t leave Giverny un- Readers will come away with an en-
Then there is the simultaneous his- til after his death. hanced understanding of Monet’s art,
tory of art through this period, during about which King is insightful and ar-
which Monet grew old and outlasted In Giverny, the world came to him, ticulate. And when King animates the
the other great Impressionists, while and for the most part he received visi- colorful politics of Monet’s France, the
new figures such as the Fauves (includ- tors graciously. But Giverny was also a book sparkles. But of Monet himself, we
ing Matisse) and the Cubists (includ- retreat from the world, from the larger learn mainly this: Over time he grew old,
ing Picasso and Braque) challenged French landscape that had inspired his selfish and cussed. 
not just the popularity of Impression- work in earlier decades, and by the end
ism but the powerful and lingering old of his life he had become a bit of a her- MAD ENCHANTMENT: CLAUDE MONET AND
guard that still painted in the grandilo- mit. The water lily paintings were a self- THE PAINTING OF THE WATER LILIES
quent academic style. generated creative sandbox, a bit like BY ROSS KING
the poems of Emily Dickinson or the Bloomsbury. 416 pp. $30.
Through all of this, Monet pursued great novel of Marcel Proust, a private Review by Philip Kennicott,
his work, untroubled by developments space in which Monet could process The Washington Post
in technology (he was uninterested in

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 39

INSIGHT ON FAITH

Want to feel good? Celebrate life’s blessings daily

BY REV. DRS. CASEY AND BOB BAGGOTT
Columnists

King Duncan tells of reading a book for them? Mrs. Rosemary might tell offered us can utterly change our lives freed from slavery, being led to new
about a kindergarten teacher, Mrs. us that if we limit our reflection upon – for the better. land, being restored after devastation,
Rosemary, who was someone with a our blessings to our annual Thanksgiv- and being given new life when the old
talent for celebration. In fact, she be- ing celebrations, we are impoverishing Now undoubtedly someone might has been taken. And so, even in the
lieved in celebrating every day. Why ourselves. And she would have plenty argue that all that positive thinking and midst of our current struggles, there is
wait for the calendar to offer some pre- of backing in that assessment. endless celebrating is a little naïve. After always reason for trusting in a better
scribed day for revelry? Her students’ all, are we to deny the real hardships we future and for thanking God.
birthdays were celebrated at least three Author Amit Amin recalls he was a face and the world endures? What of the
times per year. And as for the big an- little suspicious about the claims that failures, disappointments and betrayals In fact, the oftener we thank God, the
nual events like Memorial Day, Labor gratitude has multiple benefits for our we have known? Do we simply ignore more joyful we become because, as Pas-
Day, Valentine’s Day and Thanksgiving lives, until he began his research. He them or deny their significance by some tor Martha Graybeal Rowlett writes, “a
– why, they too were celebrated several eventually wrote about no fewer than mandate for gratitude? thankful person tastes joy twice – once
times a year under Mrs. Rosemary’s 31 demonstrable benefits to gratitude. when it happens, and again when grati-
festive oversight. Gratitude, it seems, impacts lives wide- We don’t think so. The practice of tude is expressed to God for the joy.”
ly and deeply. Its positive influence celebrating life’s blessings daily and en-
Mrs. Rosemary must have been a very is clear in aspects of physical health, gendering deeper and deeper gratitude So let’s be grateful this Thanksgiv-
popular teacher among the kindergar- emotional health, career advance- needn’t be reality-denying. It is simply ing for every good thing – but let’s be
ten set. But teaching her students to ap- ment and social relationships. In other the practice of focusing and trusting. thankful far beyond that day. Why not
preciate all the wonder of their lives and words, adopting the practice of grati- Most religious traditions acknowledge make every day a day to offer thanks?
celebrating it regularly was surely more tude and celebrating all that life has that God’s love and power are redemp- God has been good to us, and will con-
than a popularity ploy. Mrs. Rosemary tive. People of faith remember being tinue to be. Let’s celebrate! 
was actually offering her young pupils a
chance to adopt an outlook that would
have lasting positive impact. She was
instilling in them the practice of feeling
gratitude for life’s blessings.

How practiced are you at discern-
ing your blessings and giving thanks

40 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT PETS

Bonz’s Basset bud Huck is all ears … and all fun

Hi Dog Buddies! an exception to their Bassets Only rule the yummy stuff is all
and rescued him. Mom and Dad think
This week I got to meet Huck Mar- he’s sorta a Coon Hound with maybe gone she puts ’em in
tin, he’s almost 2. He’s a Mostly Basset some German Shepherd. Soon as they
Hound and, since I haven’t interviewed got back home they got a call from the a bone basket and we
too many Bassets, I thought I should lady they had got Mako from. She said
bone up on the breed (get it, bone up?). Mako’s pooch Mom and Dad were hav- chew on ‘em till they
I did remember their pawsome bark. ing another litter. WELL, Mom called
Made me wanna take voice lessons. Any- right away and said she HAD TO HAVE fall apart. And there is
way, I Googled and found out Bassets are FIRST PICK. ABSOLUTELY! NO MAT-
friendly, outgoing and playful. Yep, I re- TERWHAT! So guess who she picked out one other little thing
membered that part, and that they have, of that big pile of puppies?”
like, the best sniffers in the World. I love to do. Guess
I took a wild guess. “Um, you?”
Huck and his Mom were waiting for “Yep! ME! So, guess what. I’m Mako’s what?”
us at the door. “Welcome Mr. Bonzo,” little brother.”
he said, and came right up for the Wag- “That is Totally Cool Dog Biscuits!” I “I have no idea.”
and-Sniff. He was a nice black and tan exclaimed. “What was it like when you
with white places and Really, Really Big first got to your Forever Home?” “Pillow corners!”
Paws. And loooong ears. And then aN- “Mom had her hands full, with three
OTHER Basset Hound, a white and tan pooches and two little kids. At first, “How’s that?”
one, also came up for theWag-and-Sniff. me and Finn each had our own Baby
Crates. Radar took to us right away. I “I have always
“Er …” I said brilliantly. was used to bein’ around other pooch-
The white and tan pooch nudged es, from bein’ in my litter. Me and Finn loved chewing pil-
Huck. “So, Huckleberry, introduce us, puppied around a lot together. Radar
why doncha.” was already grown up, so he mostly just low corners off.
“Oh, right. I’m Huck, I’m the Spoke- watched and shook his head. But now
spooch. THIS is my older brother, Ra- he plays with us, too. Mom and Dad Mom would rath-
dar, and my Mom, Jennifer. Our Dad, taught us to swim in case we accidently
Eric’s back in the back somewhere with fall in the pool, but we don’t like it. Us er I didn’t, and I
our other brother, Finn, who’s VERY Basset Hounds have heavy cabooses
bouncy. He’s my age. He’s the only non- and we don’t bob around like regular sometimes sorta
Basset in the family. But he looks like dogs. We swim like rocks.
me anyway, ’cept taller.” “When I was little, I was always trip- try not to, but
“This is gonna be fun,” I thought, ping over my ears. They dragged on the
opening my notebook. “I’m ready when ground, cuz I hadn’t grown all the way there they ARE! All Huck, the Basset Hound. PHOTO BY LEAH DUBOIS
you are,” I told him. up yet. Radar told me a pooch called fluffy! With those
“Mom and Dad are Basset People. Be- Shakespeare wrote about our ears. He delicious corners.
fore me, they had Radar and Mako, who called ’em ‘Ears which sweep away the
looked a lot like me. Then, it was so sad. morning dew.’ Mine did do that, and I mean, what’s a pooch s’pose to do? “Bonz, how’s it goin?” Finn
Mako ate one of those frogs you’re not they got all soggy and ukky. I was real
s’pose to eat and went to Dog Heaven. glad when I grew into ‘em. I don’t think And sometimes a lot of fluff falls out said. “Just dropped in to say Hey. Gotta
Well, when Mom and Dad took my hu- Shakespeare was a Basset Hound.”
man brother Tyler to college in North “Probly not,” I agreed, then asked, and goes everywhere. Talk about FUN! go back out and guard the perimeters.
Carolina, they found Finn in a shelter. “What’s your favorite thing to do?”
He was a stray and he couldn’t even lift “CHEW BONES! Mom freezes beef Once when Mom came home and Gotta keep my family safe, ya’ know.”
his head, he was so weak. So they made bones, then I slurp ’em all day long.When
found pillow pieces and fluff every- And back out he went.

where, and we didn’t wanna rat each “You’ve got great family here,” I told

other out, she said, “NO MORE BONES Huck.

TODAY!” I know! I’m a lucky pooch,” he said.

“Bummer! Where do you guys go I couldn’t believe an hour had passed

when your folks are at work?” and I had to say goodbye.

“Mom used to take us to Doggy Day Heading home, I was smiling, pictur-

Care. but now Grampa Richard ushully ing Huck as a happy little puppy, glee-

dogsits us. He’s SO FUN. He calls us The fully ripping pillow corners to shreds,

Boys. We always know when our Dad and tumbling over his ears.

or Mom or our brother Tyler or sister

Gracie are coming home. We race to the Till next time,
door and wait.”
The Bonz
Just then their Dad walked in with

this good lookin’ poocheroo. He had Don’t Be Shy
the same coloring as Huck, but was
shaped more like a shepherd. “This is We are always looking for pets
Finn,” Huck said. with interesting stories.

It was hard to imagine he’d ever been To set up an interview, email
sick. “He’s our official guard dog,” said

Huck. “He keeps watch over all of us. He [email protected].

can hear the slightest thing.”

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 41

INSIGHT GAMES BRIDGE

INSTRUCTIVE DEALS FROM AN INSTRUCTOR WEST NORTH EAST
Q54 K93 10 8 7 2
By Phillip Alder - Bridge Columnist QJ543 K7 A 10 8 6
Q65 A84 10 9 2
My most frequent correspondent is Steve Conrad, of Manhasset, New York. He has a 96 Q J 10 8 2 53
good eye for an instructive deal, so this week let’s look at a sextet of them.
SOUTH
First, we have a defense that requires deduction and disobeying the textbook. It is not AJ6
as straightforward as it appears when you look at the full diagram. 92
KJ73
Against three no-trump, West was right to lead his fourth-highest heart, not the AK74
queen. Only lead an honor from three touchers (Q-J-10) or two touchers and a gap of
one card to a near-toucher (A-Q-J or Q-J-9). Dealer: South; Vulnerable: Both

South plays dummy’s king in the hope that West holds the ace. The Bidding:

Now the spotlight falls on East. The textbook says that if you win the first trick, you SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST OPENING
return the lowest from three remaining cards (or the higher from two). Here, though, 1NT Pass 3NT All Pass
if East leads back the heart six, it blocks the suit. West wins with his jack and plays LEAD:
another heart, but East can take only two more tricks with his 10 and eight. South 4 Hearts
then claims nine winners: two spades, two diamonds and five clubs.

From the Rule of Eleven (4 from 11 is 7), East knows that South started with only one
heart higher than the four, which must be the jack (declarer misguessed at trick one)
or the nine. If it is the jack, South must have begun with only two hearts; otherwise,
he would have played low from the dummy at trick one to guarantee a heart trick. So,
East should lead back his 10. Here, he wins the trick and plays another heart. But if
South could cover the 10 with the jack, West must make that deduction about jack-
doubleton and lead a low heart at trick three, not cash his nine from an original Q-9-5-
4-3. Tough.

42 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT GAMES & CO.

SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (SEPTEMBER 1) ON PAGE 54

ACROSS DOWN
7 Depart (4) 1 Ordinary (8)
8 Purple gem (8) 2 Vigour (4)
9 Note (6) 3 Permit (7)
10 Stylish (6) 4 Barrier (5)
11 Agreement (7) 5 Game bird (8)
13 Lightweight timber (5) 6 Questions (4)
16 Domain (5) 12 Hat maker (8)
17 Stance (7) 14 Strive (8)
19 High pitched (6) 15 Comfort (7)
21 Type of cake (6) 18 Rock face (5)
23 Dominant (8) 20 Circle, ring (4)
24 Self possessed (4) 22 Killer whale (4)

The Telegraph

How to do Sudoku:

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

The Telegraph

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 43

INSIGHT GAMES & CO.

ACROSS on Jabberwocky 49 Heavens The Washington Post
62 3 Down, for 2 Fontella Bass hit 50 Golfball elevators
1 Giants’ step? 3 The Rock 51 Armored vehicle A PIECE OF THE ROCK By Merl Reagle
6 NYC subway example? 4 Slavonic Dances 52 Enjoy a few rinks,
63 Strong as ___
initials 64 Bailiwick composer perhaps
9 JFK’s 65 Guard’s 5 Poet’s contraction 54 Inmate’s life
6 Scott of Charles
predecessor excitement? story?
12 Screen test goal 68 Coal Miner’s in Charge 55 Inmate’s
16 Inmate’s tune? 7 Bald grime fighter
19 Patriotic chant Daughter subject accusation
22 Believes strongly 69 TV diner owner with an earring against the guard
70 Furniture wood 8 What doctors’ in D block?
in prison life? 71 Yangtze 56 Heart org.
23 “Hospital smell” exams for 58 Turner or Wood
metropolis consumption are 59 Sign
chemical 73 A minimum of called today 60 “___ news?”
24 Homolka of 75 Slangy coffee 9 Bob and Ray et 61 ___ Camera
77 Foofaraw al. 63 Some H.S. math
Hollywood 78 “So long, 10 Room for relaxing 65 Actor Parker
25 “___, achieve 11 Tried 66 Squealer
Sollozzo” 12 Insect stages 67 Version (of the
more” 82 People with 13 Like a fireplace story)
(productivity grate 70 Protector from
mantra) handles 14 See 72 Down rain
26 On a trip, say 83 Snarly dog 15 Inmate’s dream 72 With 14 Down, a
28 Name of many a 84 Lay to rest of escaping? labor rights movie
revolutionary grp. 86 Get an eyeful of 16 Granting that, 74 Architect
29 Its state bird is 87 Note designation for short Saarinen
the seagull 88 Total failure 17 Big name in 75 Checkers move
31 Educated guess: 89 Maiden-name undies 76 Eyeball or planet
abbr. 18 Santa has a 78 Gets all bent out
32 Bread choices word famous one of shape
33 Princess with 90 Like NASA’s 20 Problem 79 “Forget what I
oft-satirized hair prisoner? just said”
34 Caretakers of Mercury 21 Italian sports 80 Taproom order
bureaucracies missions cars, briefly 81 Massive ref.
36 Cambodia’s 92 It means “cell” 27 Tie the knot 83 Visits
Angkor ___ 93 Like a wet 30 Fish-and-chips 84 For a long time
37 Marijuana, for noodle chain that once 85 “You ___ worry”
one 94 Have payments merged with KFC 87 Comprehensiveness
38 Word in M&M due 32 Lone Ranger 88 Lighter maker
ads 95 Lincoln or Ford John 91 The ___-Hungarian
39 Fellini’s citta 96 Life ingredient or his Empire
40 Bates and others 97 Brownish purple grandnephew 93 City near Karnak
42 Went behind a 98 Nailed the test Britt, the Green 94 Tetra times two
tree? 101 Palindromic Hornet 97 Editor’s unit
43 Tropical fruit financier 33 Jacob’s first wife 98 Over again
44 Courtroom call 104 Phone-number 34 ___-Magnon 99 Some RN workplaces
45 Parking place part 35 She played 100 Carbon ___ (common
46 Piscatorial 106 Prison shrink’s Mrs. Charles solvent, for short)
purchase specialty? 36 Shower massage 102 Bones
47 Actor Mifune 109 Nobelist Fermi brand 103 European streaker, once
49 Concluding 110 Inmate who 37 Which individual 105 “A pox!”
passages played escaped with 38 Clio, for one 107 Pitching stat
at faster tempos style? 41 Lady’s man 108 Mil. defense acronym
52 “Gotcha” 111 Wine expert’s 43 Takes one’s turn
53 C, H, O, or N, concern 46 It goes on the
e.g. 112 Veer off course black ten
54 Pierre’s loc. 113 E and G in D.C., 47 Said twice,
57 Detest e.g. “Naughty,
confinement? 114 ___ del Sol naughty!”
60 Gets ready to fire 48 Siberian city
61 Eager to move DOWN
1 Start of The

The Telegraph

44 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BACK PAGE

She’s had her fill of their diets-and-exercise chatter

BY CAROLYN HAX permanent place in life. At some point, you’ll be
Washington Post greeting the new youngest-person-to-work-here,
and the next, and the next, and your place in the
conversation will change accordingly.

Hi Carolyn,

I work in an environment Re: Not Dieting: You may find yourself in an office

where I’m usually the youngest culture where baby topics are prevalent, and you’re the

in the room by at least a decade. one without kids. You may find yourself in a cohort of

This is my first real job and it getting-marrieds when you aren’t even dating. Look

happens to be in an organiza- for some other things you can bond over with your

tion where people stay for years co-workers, and find a few polite ways to ease yourself

and years. out of conversations.You’ll find yourself in these situa-

Professionally, I don’t mind, but socially I feel like tions again over the years.

I’m constantly finding myself roped into conversa- – Anonymous

tions about dieting and weight. I’m in my late 20s,

still flying off the coattails of my youthful metabo- Re: Not Dieting: I am upset by the way a lot of

lism and the good luck of healthy habits and no med- women feel obligated to talk about their bodies in de-

ical history adding complications. My mom was very rogatory ways. It seems you can’t go to the bathroom

conscientious about never making weight an issue at without hearing a woman put herself down in terms

home – never commenting on our weight or her own of weight, attractiveness, breast size, etc. I usually say,

in front of us – and she cooked healthy meals. thing, roping-in on a single subject is a drag – plus, “Oh, I hate the way women feel like they need to do
food and weight have a way of becoming more
I find it uncomfortable to join these (mostly) wom- problematic the more people dwell on them. that. I think you look great!” Because I’m older, a lot of

en in their lamentations about restrictive diets or ex- So I am sympathetic. But only so much: You’re women listen and laugh and say, “Yeah, you’re right!”
there to do a job, not make friends (though the
ercise regimens. Do I owe anything besides a superfi- latter does make the days go by faster). So stick to – Anonymous 2
your superficial “Oh, that sounds neat” and treat
cial “Oh, that sounds neat” or “Maybe you would like the broader, bigger, larger underlying issue like
it’s radioactive. If you see openings to change the
walks if you hate sweating”? subject, then go for it, but at a minimum keep your Re: Dieting: Guy here. That’s really interesting, and
personal relationship with dessert to yourself.
– Not Dieting sad. Come join us in the near-silent men’s room …
Remember, too, that this is a moment, not your
I guess that’s not workable.

Dear 'Not Dieting': – Guy
I’m sorry, that sounds really boring. Even if you
didn’t have your great maternal and metabolic Guy: But it’s one of the sweeter invitations I’ve seen,
luck, this topic would be unfortunate. For one somehow. Thanks. 

Our barrier island got its name
from this fragrant flower

BY JANICE BRODA, EUGENIA CHAPTER OF THE FLORIDA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY
PHOTO BY SUSAN WARMER

The once bountiful and still beautiful butterfly orchid (Enclycia tampensis) is the
reason our barrier island, which spans from Sebastian Inlet to Fort Pierce Inlet,
is called Orchid Island.

Look carefully into the canopy of stately live oaks to see its unassuming strappy
green leaves, usually from 6” to 12” long and about ½” wide, growing along with
resurrection fern, Spanish moss, and other epiphytes. Butterfly orchids do not
harm the trees on which they grow and miraculously perform photosynthesis
without the benefit of having their roots in soil.

From May through August, stunning sprays of flowers, often dozens on older
plants, grace our native butterfly orchids. Fluttering in gentle breezes, these 1” to
2” flowers look like butterflies. The flowers are variable in color: Shades of yellow,
copper, green or bronze, often flecked with purple or brown. The central white
lip is deeply lobed and festooned with magenta, purple or maroon.

A sweet fragrance emanates from these long-lasting flowers from mid-day
through the afternoon to attract its pollinators – small, solitary native bees. After
pollination, 1” elliptical seed capsules begin to form, ultimately releasing loads
of tiny, dust-like seeds during the fall.

Over-collecting, cold temperatures, and development have diminished butterfly
orchid populations but these flowers still grace our island. Enjoy and protect this
tropical and native namesake orchid.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Style Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 45

Let’s brooch the subject: The new ways to wear jewelry

BY LISA ARMSTRONG earrings, things generally work out bet- lapels. Brooches work wonderfully a set of mix and match geometric
The Telegraph ter if you stick to a theme: different col- placed on the waist, hips, an evening Hermes lacquered wood bangles.
ored pearls, variously shaped diamond bag, a velvet choker at your throat or
After all, when Alessandra Rich can specks or a crocodile of insects … wrist, or attached to a grip in your hair. • To hell with rules: Rubies and em-
sell an embellished denim ball dress eralds with jeans? Far chicer than sav-
for $2,065 and J Crew can make se- Brooches? • Layering: Long chains look lovely ing them for your best, and more styl-
quined trimmed skirts for the office, Most definitely! with shorter necklaces and collars, but ish than wearing actual jeweled jeans.
it’s fair to say that dress codes are remember you’re not a Christmas tree.
more fluid than they’ve ever been. A A single piece, even a small, discreet • Knuckledusting: If you’ve been
silk T-shirt and pantsuit with a dia- one, can sometimes outclass a galaxy of there and done that with stack-
mond necklace or a fabulous pair of jewelry. Let your mood and outfit dic- ing rings, try the lateral approach. A
drop earrings looks far more stylish tate and never allow your neckline fight chunky ring on every finger, a la Vic-
than a fussy dress that isn’t you. or sleeves to fight with your jewelry. toire de Castellane, Alessandro Mi-
chele or Maria Grazia Chiuri can look
But first, some admin. Although • Nurture your inner Kandinsky: exceptionally dramatic, especially if
jewelry trends date far more slowly Update the classic bracelet cuff with the rings tend to the dark side: mo-
than clothes or shoes (and vintage mento mori, skulls, daggers are all
jewelry never goes out of fashion, conversation pieces. Alternatively, a
whatever the era which makes the lattice-work of skinny and midi-rings
cost-per-wear value exceedingly vir- can look entrancing. 
tuous), your jewelry wardrobe still
requires pruning and updating.

It’s time to retire those Marni-
esque floral statement necklaces

Necklaces now are either very fine
gold and rose gold chains, precious
looking ropes of stones or geometric
brass sculptures. Note how the right
necklace can ring the changes on a
strapless dress or top. Invest in good
necklaces – and plain necklines – as do
Dolce and Gabbana’s Alta Moda clients.

Try something different
• If you’re wearing a dress with
a plunging back, try wearing your
necklaces back to front. Lariats look
particularly elegant dangling be-
tween shoulder blades.

Bracelets
Cuffs will always have a place; for
now, the delicate gold wrist chain is
hugely current. Wear in multiples
(think of them as an upgrade on
friendship bracelets). But don’t forget
the power of a single, twinkly chain.
Elegance, as Coco Chanel, one of the
all-time crusaders of modern jewelry
wearing said, is refusal.

Earrings? Chandeliers are back • Herd mentality: If a single brooch
Further proof that good quality jew- isn’t doing the trick, try a cluster. Work
els don’t go out of fashion, they merely on groupings that go together: flowers,
require occasional sabbaticals. Mis- animals, star-bursts. Don’t stop with
matched constellations also still look
modern. When it comes to multiple

46 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Style Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

Fashion finally realizes power of older women

BY VICTORIA MOSS Nichols bettered everyone with an ad
The Telegraph featuring Bo Gilbert, a 100-year-old
British woman. “I dress for myself, I
Aging is trending. Is it the effect of certainly don’t dress up for boys,” she
the Queen turning 90 or is because as said of her moment in the fashion bible.
a population we’re getting older and
older? (By 2020, the number of people “Fashion is much more open than
over 65 will rise by 1.1 million.) What- it was, in terms of age, shapes and
ever the reason, being old, it seems, is sizes,” says Rosie Vogel-Eades, fash-
cool. OK, old-er. ion bookings editor of Vogue, who
also has her own casting agency.
Older women are popping up in ‘The people who are creating adver-
advertising campaigns – that reflec- tising have realized that they need to
tion not of ourselves but of our aspi- appeal to more of a 360-degree cus-
rations. Since Céline hired writer Joan tomer. It’s not the 18- to 25-year-olds
Didion, 81, as the face of its spring/ who have the buying power now.”
summer 2015 collection, it’s become
quite the thing in the fashion world to Like the fashion world, the beau-
showcase your wares on the body of ty industry is also waking up to the
a woman who would once have been fact that baby boomers are the only
considered past it.
Armani. Then Bette Midler appeared in
Fashion is much more open than it a Marc Jacobs advertisement, followed
was, in terms of age, shapes and sizes this season by an ethereal Sissy Spacek.

The original supermodels haven’t Meanwhile, Grace Coddington is
had such a workload since 1986. Last striking a pose for Calvin Klein, and
season, Cindy Crawford, Claudia on the high street Gillean McLeod, a
Schiffer and Naomi Campbell posed former stylist who didn’t start model-
for Balmain, while Eva Herzigova, Yas- ling until she was 53, is the new body
min Le Bon, Stella Tennant and Nadja of H&M’s swimwear range. And in the
Auermann were scooped up by Giorgio Vogue centenary issue in May, Harvey

Karen Alexander, Helena Christensen, Amber Valletta, Andie MacDowell, and Tatjana Patitz.

How they do it!

Karen Alexander ing treatments for the body and the
“I swear by my Clarisonic. I have face. To me that’s where it’s at.”
dark skin so I don’t do a grainy scrub
because I feel like they make little Andie MacDowell
marks, but a Clarisonic is my magic “Only use makeup to enhance
tool. I probably shouldn’t love it as your natural look. I’m meticulous
much as I do.” about doing my eyebrows. Your skin
gets thinner around your eyes, too;
Helena Christensen conceal that to avoid shadow. And I
“I box and have done for a long like a bit of blush and a little lipstick.”
time. Boxers have incredible bodies.
They’re strong and fast with long, Tatjana Patitz
lean muscles. I find it fascinating how “I have very sensitive skin and
hardcore exercise can recruit every I’m prone to rosacea, so I have to be
little muscle in your body.” careful with heat and also exfoliat-
ing. I use calming chamomile and
Amber Valletta rose creams. The California heat is
“I love new technology. Lasers are not friendly to it. I should just move
the future for non-invasive anti-ag- to Iceland.”

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Style Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 47

ones with any cash to spend on face 15 and I know what goes into a photo-
creams right now. Half of the current graph. A whole team has to be on set,
U.S. beauty market is over 50 – and it’s a fantasy, and I know I don’t really
they spend on average $2,500 per look like that,” she says candidly.
year on cosmetics, according to on-
line retailer Escentual.com. “For me to feel and look beauti-
ful is an inside job. The truth is that
So beauty companies know they have there is nothing that I need to do or
to get their messaging to this group buy or wear to be beautiful.”
right. The latest example is from L’Oréal
Paris, which has gathered together ac- While L’Oréal might query this sen-
tress Andie MacDowell, 58, and models timent, it has hired these women as
Helena Christensen, 47, Tatjana Patitz much for their voices and experiences
and Karen Alexander, both 50, and Am- as their looks. And women of a certain
ber Valletta, 42, to front a campaign for age – well, we will speak our minds. 
its new, most potent anti-aging prod-
uct Revitalift Laser Renew The Double MacDowell agrees. “It’s an ongo-
Care. Presumably because, with their ing process to teach people to be bet-
realistic laughter lines, they’re a fitting ter toward women,” she says over the
endorsement of the skincare’s tagline, phone from her base in Montana. Not
“Better than ever.” seeing women past a certain age in
the media “has everything to do with
Renowned German photographer how we women present ourselves and
Peter Lindbergh, who captured all our sense of self-worth.
the top models of the 1990s and cre-
ated the classic Calvin Klein Eternity “For example, men have always
campaigns, has shot the five women been seen as getting more handsome
barefoot on a beach – part of his mis- as they get older, to the point where
sion to bring realism to an industry women started to believe that as well.
often associated with the opposite. It’s not true! You’ve been brainwashed!
We all age at the same rate yet we’ve
“It should be the responsibility of been told that we’re inferior.”
photographers today to free women,
and finally everyone, from the terror Patitz adds that “you now see people
of youth and perfection,” he says. like Susan Sarandon who are in their
60s or older doing these campaigns.
As you’d expect from a collection Why? Because people are craving it.
of models who have settled comfort- You don’t want to see the plastic-fan-
ably into middle age, they have a few tastic faces of some celebrities today.
things to say about this new move- That’s not a role model for young girls;
ment. Christensen, for one, thinks that’s not a role model for an older
it’s downright insulting that now that woman either.”
she’s over 40 she’s asked about the A-
word at every opportunity. Alexander is a mother to three
daughters, aged 25, 19 and 4. “Part of
“I find it quite trivial to even talk my job,” she says, “is to tell my daugh-
about,” she says. “I have no idea why ters the truth, and the truth is that I’m
there’s so much focus on aging. Get a 50, I’ve got some grays, I’ve got some
great face cream and move on!” wrinkles. This is what life looks like.
It feels dishonest to do something to
Loving that attitude, but there’s my face or body and then tell my girls,
been such a dearth of visible older ‘You’re beautiful just the way you are.’”
beauties in the advertising media (as
her co-star Karen Alexander says, “The Beauty may have made all these
story was, you worked until you were women their fortunes, but that’s just
28 or 30, then you were done”) that we skin-deep, according to Alexander.
probably do need to talk about aging. “I’ve been in the industry since I was

48 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

DINING REVIEW

Joey’s Seafood Shack: Great place to go for fresh fish

BY TINA RONDEAU This time, we decided to forgo ap- Kimmy’s Greek Salad and our companion opted for the lin-
Columnist petizers and simply start with the with Lobster Bisque. guini with a white clam sauce ($16.95).
large Greek salads that come with all
I generally visit Joey’s Seafood Shack entrées. The salads included strawber- Ahi Tuna. The seafood special at Joey’s is a
in the middle of the afternoon. Not to ries, which go surprisingly well with heaping bowl of little neck clams, mus-
dine, mind you. That’s my favorite Vero feta cheese. of the more customary sherry). sels, shrimp and scallops, served in ei-
seafood market – the best place in town For entrées on our most recent out- ther a white-wine garlic butter sauce
to buy beautiful fresh fish and take it But on previous visits, we have en- ing, I had the seafood spe- or a very light marinara sauce over lin-
home for grilling. joyed such appetizers as oysters on the cial ($36), my hus- guini. I absolutely love this dish. Our
half shell (the Chesapeake oysters were band ordered companion enjoyed her linguini with
But on weekend evenings, I don’t as fresh and succulent as you could ahi tuna clams, though – in true Italian fashion
have to do the work. Proprietors Kim possibly hope) and lobster bisque (very ($32), – she thought it might have benefited
Coveny and Joey Fenyak dim the lights flavorful with a dash of brandy instead from a bit more garlic.
of their retail shop, the place takes on
an entirely different vibe, and those My husband’s entrée consisted of
fortunate enough to get a dinner reser- sushi grade tuna seared rare with ses-
vation are treated to some of the best- ame seeds, served with seaweed salad,
tasting seafood dishes around. and, of course, wasabi, ginger and teri-
yaki sauce. The ahi tuna slices were a
I say fortunate because Joey’s only thing of beauty.
serves dinner two nights a week – Fri-
days and Saturdays – and during sea- On previous visits, we have enjoyed
son, last-minute reservations in the the swordfish – which drew raves from
smallish restaurant are hard to come my husband – and the broiled grouper,
by. But for the next couple of months, a beautiful piece of fish, again expertly
those who live here year-round have a prepared. We also gave high marks
great opportunity to see what the fuss to the Scottish salmon, which came
is about. to the table with sundried tomatoes,
mushrooms and artichokes, along
In addition to greeting customers, with wild rice and seaweed. The arti-
Kimmy shares culinary responsibili- chokes and seaweed played perfectly
ties with Joey. He prepares the sea- off the brandy cream sauce – a very
food, and she whips up wonderful successful dish.
soups and pastas from old Long Island
family recipes. Beyond the great food, this restau-
rant has the homey feel of an Italian
On our most recent visit, we ordered family kitchen. On the night we visited,
a bottle of wine from a reasonably Kimmy’s daughter and a couple of her
priced artisanal wine list, and friends from the Vero Beach High Phil-
a basket of very tasty harmonic Orchestra provided a musi-
garlic bread made cal accompaniment by way of raising
it to the table funds for next spring’s trip to perform
even before in Austria.
the wine.
On evenings when the kids are not
there, Kimmy herself often takes a seat
at the piano and sometimes sings. By
day, Joey’s is a great place to purchase
seafood, and on weekend nights, a
most enjoyable place to have a won-
derful seafood dinner.

I welcome your comments, and en-
courage you to send feedback to me at
[email protected].

The reviewer dines anonymously at
restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach
32963. 

Seafood Special with Marinara. Joey’s Seafood Shack

PHOTOS BY LEAH DUBOIS Hours: 5-9 pm,
Friday and Saturday only

Reservations strongly
recommended

Beverages: Beer and wine
Address:

1800 US1, Vero Beach
Phone: 772-918-8855

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 49

WINE COLUMN

What the hail?!? Burgundy wineries battle bad weather

BY DAVE MCINTYRE Mother Nature hasn’t been kind this years, but this year is the toughest.” rison, the hospitality director. She
The Washington Post year. Burgundy has been slammed by That sentiment was echoed by other showed me walls of stone laid in her-
bad weather the past few vintages, ringbone patterns by the Romans in
Maison Joseph Drouhin, founded with wicked hailstorms ripping fruit Burgundy producers I visited. the 4th century and described how
in 1880 and headquartered in the and leaves from the vines. The 2016 “I’ve never seen this much mildew the cellars, and the city above them,
ancient Roman sector of Beaune, is vintage was hard hit from the start were built upon layers of history. An-
one of Burgundy’s oldest and most with a devastating frost in April. A pressure,” said Benjamin Leroux, an other room was part of the duke of
august producers. The cellars at Mai- rainy spring and early summer ham- independent small producer with a Burgundy’s cellar. (The duke’s winery
son Drouhin are perhaps the most pered fruit set and increased disease cult following. above is now a wine museum.)
fascinating I’ve ever visited, steeped pressure.
in history from the Roman era to the David Croix, winemaker at Maison “The new part of the cellar dates
dukes of Burgundy and the French Drouhin drove me to the Clos des Camille Giroud for the past 15 vintag- from the 15th century,” Morrison said.
Resistance during World War II. And, Mouches, a premier cru vineyard on es, put it this way: “It’s been bad four Maison Drouhin recently opened the
of course, in wine. Beaune’s outskirts named for the hon- of the last five years, and this is by far cellars to the public, and Morrison
eybees (mouches de miel, or “honey the worst. Other years we’ve had hail, leads up to three tours daily by ap-
Fréderic is one of four siblings in flies”) that once populated the prop- this year frost. Some vineyards don’t pointment for groups of up to eight
the fourth generation running the erty. Drouhin owns the prime mid- have any fruit at all, but we still have people. I highly recommend it for visi-
firm. His brother Philippe manages slope sectors of the vineyard, half in to mow, and we still have to trellis the tors to Beaune.
the vineyards, approximately 200 chardonnay, half in pinot noir. But vines.”
acres in the Côtes de Beaune and production has been little to nil dur- The tour also included the door
Chablis, with a few farther south in ing the past few years because of the As I tasted his phenomenal 2015s through which Fréderic Drouhin’s
the Mâcon. His sister, Véronique, hail and this year’s frost. He knelt and from barrel, Croix drove home the grandfather, Maurice, who was active
handles the winemaking in Burgun- showed me leaves and vine shoots point that bad weather doesn’t mean in the French Resistance, escaped the
dy and on their sister property, Do- withered by the cold, and the remain- bad wine: It means less and more ex- Gestapo in the last months of World
maine Drouhin Oregon, founded in ing grape clusters struggling to grow. pensive wine. (After my visit, Croix War II. To me, the door symbolized
1987 in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. announced he would leave Camille the defiance of a region that has sur-
Another brother, Laurent, manages “All these vines were killed, so what Giroud after this vintage to concen- vived centuries of foreign occupation
the U.S. and Canadian markets out of you see is the second fruiting,” he said. trate on his own label, Domaine des and political turmoil. No way will a
New York City. “We are tending the vineyards for the Croix, and to work at Domaine Roulot string of bad weather keep Burgundy
2017 vintage. It’s been a rough few in Meursault.) down. 

Back at Maison Drouhin, I toured
the ancient cellars with Jacquie Mor-

50 Vero Beach 32963 / September 8, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

Vero & Casual Dining

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WITH FOOD AND DRINK SPECIALS

4:30-6PM

COMPLIMENTARY VALET PARKING

LOCATED AT THE VERO BEACH HOTEL

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