08/03/2023 ISSUE 16

Derecktor Shipyards stands to save money on import duties and fees if the mega-yacht service center at the Port of Fort Pierce gains entry into the federal Foreign Trade Zone program. St. Lucie County commissioners voted unanimously on July 18 to approve a Foreign Trade Zone Operations Agreement with Derecktor Fort Pierce LLC for the 12.35-acre shipyard near the Fort Pierce Inlet. The 20-year agreement can be extended for successive fiveyear terms, unless terminated by either party. Derecktor can terminate the agreement for any reason with 30 days written notice and St. Lucie County can terminate the agreement A Fort Pierce developer plans to build a 264-unit apartment complex and 21,888-square-foot commercial center on an 18.51-acre site on U.S. 1, just south of Savannah Club Drive in eastern Port St. Lucie. The City Council voted unanimously July 24 to approve the site plan for the Town Place mixed-use project. A Tampa-based motor club plans to develop a $107 million private motor sports complex in western St. Lucie County featuring two performance track circuits, a karting/autocross circuit, an offroad circuit, an events center, garage condominiums, residences and an air strip. P1 Motor Club LLC proposed building its latest motor sports complex on a 629-acre agricultural tract at 5324 Summerlin Road, which fronts on Okeechobee Road/State Road 70, about 11 miles west of Florida’s Turnpike. The P1 Motor Club development team has built a similar project, the Monticello Motor Club, in New York State and is building a smaller project called the Motor Enclave Tampa, FL. The P1 Motor Club in St. Lucie County is expected to have a value of $107 million after a decade of Port St. Lucie traded a 13.97- acre parcel in Tradition Commerce Center to a North Miami Beach developer in exchange for a 28.81-acre tract near Torino Regional Park. The City Council voted unanimously July 24 to authorize the land swap agreement with Saint Matilda LLC. The developer plans to build a 390-unit apartment complex on the parcel on the southeast corner of Village Parkway and East/West Road No. 2, just north of the site of a future St. Lucie County Fire District station. The city plans to use the tract on the northwest corner of West Blanton Road and Northwest East Torino Parkway to expand the neighboring 170-acre Torino Regional Park. Saint Matilda LLC had proposed building 263 townhouses on the 13.97-acre parcel bounded on the north and west by Torino Regional Park, which the city is spending $31 million to develop. The city proposed the land swap agreement last fall after the City Council approved a zoning change on the 13.97-acre site that would have allowed the construction of the Torino Parc townhouses. “This was a very unique transaction, so it took a little bit of time to get here,” said Jennifer Davis, the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency director. Mayor Shannon Martin VOLUME 8, ISSUE 16 YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 2023 A3 A9 B6 Distressing lagoon study Clam harvesting threatened New COVID cases rise Highest increase since February You’ll get a kick out of it ‘Kinky Boots’ coming to the Barn Sunrise celebrates its centennial in (Roaring Twenties) style! P. B8 County may get $107M motor sports complex PETS ARTS/PEOPLE GAMES SPORTS A1-A10 A11-A15 A17 A19-A32 A16 B1-B14 B20-B22 B23 © 2023 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved. IN THIS ISSUE LOCAL NEWS HEALTH ADVICE REAL ESTATE ALREADY?!? NEW SCHOOL YEAR IS NEAR BY GEORGE ANDREASSI | Staff Writer [email protected] BY GEORGE ANDREASSI | Staff Writer [email protected] CONTINUED ON PAGE A8 CONTINUED ON PAGE A9 CONTINUED ON PAGE A10 COMMERCE CENTER LAND SWAPPED FOR TRACT NEAR TORINO City Council approves ‘Town Place’ mixed-use complex in eastern PSL Shipyard to save on duties with Foreign Trade Zone status Yes, it’s that time again! Teacher Juli Carbonell sets up her kindergarten classroom at Sunlight Christian Academy of Port St. Lucie this past week. School starts in St. Lucie County on Aug. 10. BY GEORGE ANDREASSI | Staff Writer [email protected] CONTINUED ON PAGE A4 BY GEORGE ANDREASSI | Staff Writer [email protected] PHOTO: LINDA KLOORFAIN PHOTO: LINDA KLOORFAIN

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | NEWS August 3, 2023 3 Cultivating bivalves in the Indian River Lagoon is the topic of a new joint study conducted by the University of Florida and Florida Atlantic University. The troubles facing the Indian River Lagoon and St. Lucie River, however, could prevent much of the clam harvesting industry from finding a foothold in St. Lucie County. A group of local marine biologists completed a two-year survey of conditions affecting hard clam seed cultivation in hatcheries on the Atlantic Coast. They presented their findings July 28 during an Aquaculture Industry Workshop at the FAU/Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute north of Fort Pierce. Leslie Sturmer, of UF’s Aquatic Sciences Division, estimates the state’s clam fishing industry generates around $40 million in annual profits as hatcheries harvest a yearly average of 150-to-175 million clams. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service designated the 2,025-acre SHA #7001 area in the Indian River Lagoon near FAU/Harbor Branch as the only waters open year-round for shellfish harvesting in St. Lucie County. The area was last approved for shellfish collection on Nov. 19, according to the FDACS. By contrast, FDACS cordons off the remaining 9,110 acres of the Indian River Lagoon and St. Lucie River. The 4,055-acre SHA #7005 is closed off to interacting with clams “except during supervised shellfish relay operations with approved participants” according to the FDACS. FDACS prohibits shellfish harvesting in the remaining 4,955 acres of St. Lucie County’s waters. Joseph Gilio, president of the Lake Okeechobee Restoration Initiative (LORI), was among the experts and environmentalists who attended the workshop. “It’s my opinion that the clams and shellfish aren’t there anymore,” Gilio said. “There are many parameters that you must watch for. If we had a cleaner river, we’d have a lot more oysters and clams there like it used to be.” Gilio’s five decades of aquatic work include seeding littoral plants in manmade lakes and wetlands for St. Lucie West’s gated communities. “When you create a new lake as a stormwater treatment system, we grow native plants along the shoreline and under water,” Gilio said. Gilio estimates at least 30 percent of the St. Lucie River’s water flows from Lake Okeechobee. The other approximately 70 percent runs off from inland agricultural operations, he estimates. “Many people who live on these lakes today after 20-to-30 years think that they’ve existed [naturally] and the development was built around them,” Gilio said. “The [runoff] that comes off roofs, roadways and lawns could have extra nitrogen and phosphorus, which are natural fertilizer [byproducts].” Cleanup efforts show their effectiveness when wildlife thrives in the Indian River Lagoon and St. Lucie River, Gilio said. “Just because you have clear water doesn’t mean it’s clean,” Gilio said. “It’s clean and healthy if you have a good natural assembly of fish and invertebrates.” Citing waterway studies conducted by the Ocean Research & Conservation Association, Inc. (ORCA) over the past decade, Gilio said: “The river conditions, especially at the South Fork, have reached a critical point where it’s so dirty.” Study: ‘Dirty’ lagoon water harms clam harvesting industry here BY CHARLES CALOIA | Correspondent Leslie Sturmer of UF’s Aquatic Sciences division discusses study findings at the aquaculture workshop. PHOTO: CHARLES CALOIA

With Breeze Airways opening up a new destination for travelers just in time for winter residents and tourists, the Vero Beach Regional Airport is getting ready to welcome a steady stream of passenger traffic this season and beyond. Beginning Nov. 2, Breeze Airways will add nonstop flights to Providence, R.I., three days per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The new route is the northernmost option for Treasure Coast residents, on top of its current service to Hartford, Conn., and Westchester, N.Y. Also in November the airport will begin taking bids on an expansion project to make guests more comfortable, and to replace a temporary baggage claim area now housed under a tent. The initial plan was to convert a 960-square-foot banquet facility at C.J. Cannon’s restaurant into an indoor baggage claim area. “We have determined the available space is not sufficient for an indoor baggage claim, so we plan to build a permanent shelter for baggage claim outside of the terminal, and provide covered walkways from the airline aircraft to baggage claim, then to the terminal,” Airport Director Todd Scher said. “The former banquet rooms will Providing peace of mind for you and your family ESTATE PLANNING and ELDER LAW SERVICES (772) 333-7770 • [email protected] • TallaridoLaw.com Appointments available in Home, Office or Virtual Estate Planning Long Term Care Planning Wills • Trusts Power of Attorney Asset Protection 4 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | NEWS www.stlucievoice.com Erik J. Ugi Call Erik, your LOCAL AGENT TODAY AUTO HOME LIFE cell 561-714-5588 Complimentary Insurance Review Protect what YOU VALUE most! [email protected] BREEZE ADDING VERO-TO-PROVIDENCE FLIGHTS BY LISA ZAHNER | Staff Writer house new restrooms, waiting area seating for those picking up inbound passengers, and possibly a rental car counter.” Scher said the tent has provided a good, working system in the meantime, and severe weather hasn’t impacted the departures and arrivals so far. “It isn’t fancy or even close to ideal, but it is functional!” Construction should start in February on the new amenities, and most of the cost is being footed by the Florida Department of Transportation. “There are two FDOT grants that will be used for this work, although the funding is for other terminal improvements as well. The two grants total $1.5 million, of which FDOT contributes 80 percent and the Airport contributes the remaining 20 percent. CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1 LAND SWAP called the land swap “a big deal.” “This is pretty much a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the city to get additional parkland,” Martin said. “It was much needed to be able to tie into Torino Park and also to reduce more residential housing being placed in the Torino area, where we know it’s already congested. “I know these things take a lot of time, but we’re finally here and I’m really excited about it,” Martin said. “I know there’s a bunch of residents in Torino who are going to be very happy.” Vice Mayor Jolien Caraballo added, “This was a great deal. We continue to look forward to future projects as well.” The 13.97-acre parcel is part of 1,200 acres in Tradition Commerce Center the city acquired in June 2018 after developer Tradition Land Company Ltd. announced it no longer intended to pay more than $5 million in annual property taxes and assessments. Saint Matilda LLC purchased the 28.81- acre tract for $2.7 million on Oct. 12, 2019, from Magmar Development LLC, of Davie, St. Lucie County Property Appraiser records show. The tract had a market value of $3,976,400 as of Jan. 1.

Brightline tested its new passenger trains at 110 mph in St. Lucie County last weekend in anticipation of starting service between Orlando and South Florida on Sept. 1. Brightline ran high-speed trains through eight railroad crossings in St. Lucie Village and unincorporated St. Lucie County north of Fort Pierce between July 21 and July 23, according to Brightline’s most recent construction update. Brightline anticipates starting passenger service between Orlando and South Floria on Friday, Sept. 1, with tickets selling for $79 and up for adults, according to the company. Brightline plans to operate 32 trains per day between Orlando and South Florida, 16 in each direction between the hours of 5 a.m. and 12:20 a.m. Brightline’s passenger trains will reach speeds of up to 110 mph in St. Lucie County, while Florida East Coast Railway operates approximately 20 freight trains per day at BY PATRICK McCALLISTER | Correspondent 6 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | NEWS www.stlucievoice.com BY GEORGE ANDREASSI | Staff Writer [email protected] Despite St. Lucie’s not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate climbing from 3.1 percent in June to 3.6 percent in July, employment here remains on a record-setting streak. St. Lucie is closing in on two years of full employment. The state’s labor force participation rate rose to its highest level since the start of the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic. Florida’s labor force participation rate rose from 59.4 percent to 59.6 percent May to June. It was at 59.5 in February 2020, the month before the pandemic. The labor force participation rate has been below that since then except for May to August last year. Those months also had a 59.5 percent labor participation rate. The last time Florida’s labor force participation rate was 60 percent or higher was in April 2014. St. Lucie County has been below 5 percent not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment for 22 months – since September 2021. What’s more, the county’s been at or below 4 percent unemployment for 19 months – since December 2021; 5 percent to 5.2 percent is what the Federal Reserve considers full employment, the condition in which virtually all who are able and willing to work are employed. In 12 of the last 16 months the county hass been below the previous record low unemployment rate set in 2006 and again in 2019, which was 3.3 percent. In December 2022 the county set a new record low unemployment rate, 2.7 percent. The county repeated that record performance in April. St. Lucie and Martin counties form the Port St. Lucie metropolitan statistical area. From June 2022 to June 2023 the MSA added 6,900 jobs, a 4.2 percent increase. The area had nearly 170,000 jobs this June. Eight of 10 industries added jobs from June to June. The largest jobs adder was education and health services – 2,200 new jobs to St. Lucie and Martin counties, a 7.6 percent improvement. The next largest job adders were professional and business services and leisure and hospitality. Both industries added 1,300 jobs to the area from June to June. That was a 6.3 percent increase for leisure and hospitality, and a 5.6 percent increase for professional and business services. Government added 1,200 jobs, a 6.7 percent increase. Trade, transportation and utilities added 600 jobs. Manufacturing and “other services” added 100 jobs. Other services includes jobs such as automobile mechanics. Mining, logging, and construction and information remained static from June to June. Unemployment rates are calculated using a variety of methods. Among them are random telephone interviews with people in working ages. In general, those that are able to work and report not having jobs, but looked for employment in the previous 30 days, are counted as unemployed. Discouraged workers – those who are able to work and want jobs, but have not sought employment in the previous 30 days – are not counted in the unemployment figure. Many call this “shadow unemployment,” and it’s inherently difficult to track due to variations for why people don’t seek jobs. County nears employment milestone as state labor force participation rises again Ready To Make a Move? Call Codi Today! CODI FLETCHER,REALTOR® CREN, AHWD, C2EX C: 772-446-2714 O: 772-444-6989 [email protected] Navigating the Real Estate Market with Professionalism and Tenacity BRIGHTLINE CONDUCTS 110 MPH TRACK TESTS IN ST. LUCIE

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | NEWS August 3, 2023 7 speeds ranging from 40-to-60 mph. Brightline started selling tickets on May 17 for the 3.5-hour trip between Orlando and Miami. Brightline started construction in April 2019 on the $2.8 billion project, constructing high-speed railroad tracks between its West Palm Beach station and a new transit terminal at Orlando International Airport. Brightline upgraded the FECR tracks from West Palm Beach to Cocoa and built new high-speed railroad tracks along the Beachline Expressway/State Road 528 between Cocoa and Orlando International Airport. Brightline held a celebration on June 21 to mark the completion of construction on the 170-mile-long project. “Completing this project is the culmination of more than a decade of dedication, determination and hard work,” said Brightline CEO Mike Reininger, during the celebration. “We have built something remarkable.” Palm Beach County is evaluating plans for commuter service along the section of Brightline’s corridor north of West Palm Beach to Jupiter, according to Brightline’s March 2023 bond offering. As many as seven new commuter stations could be built along the route, including in Jupiter. But the 1,834-page Florida Development Finance Corp. document makes no mention of a Treasure Coast or Cocoa station.

8 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | NEWS www.stlucievoice.com 772-240-1417 Hiring Experienced Caregivers [email protected] www.tcoastangels.com • Meal Preparation • Hygiene Assistance • Light Housekeeping • Errands, Shopping, Walks • Medication Reminders • Affordable Hourly Rates • Hourly to 24 Hour Care • Temporary or Long Term Home Care Services Include: development and employ 126 workers with an average annual wage of $77,000, county records show. St. Lucie County commissioners were set to vote Aug. 1 on a proposal by the developer to change the land use designation of the 629-acre tract to a Special District for a motorsports community from Agricultural-5, which allows one house per five acres. If initially approved by the commissioners, the proposed land use change would face review by state agencies before coming back to the commissioners for a final vote. County Commission approval will also be needed to change the land’s agricultural zoning and authorize the project’s site plan. The P1 Motor Club project will include a 400,000-square-foot research and development park on a 62-acre site on Okeechobee Road for automotive research, assembly and manufacturing activities that do not impose undesirable noise, vibration, odor, dust or other offensive effects. Plans call for garage condos, known as “garagemahals,” and paddock garages totaling 900,000 square feet, 222,500 square feet of auto storage, a 40,000-square-foot event center, a 15,000-square-foot drive center, a 5,000-square-foot corporate office, a 500-square-foot gatehouse, 125 residences, a trackside inn and a 12-acre airfield. Other amenities include a 30,000-squarefoot clubhouse, gym, outdoor pool, outdoor courts, walking trails and sidewalks. “P1 Motor Club is an experimental lifestyle community – a place where family, friends and invited guests create lifetime bonds forged by unforgettable experiences,” according to the company. The facility will feature two separate racing areas with residences, the company says. P1 Circuit and Club will be an exclusive country club and community with a world-class 4-mile “P1 Circuit” that envelopes trackside residences, garagemahals, a clubhouse and a beach club. Treasure Coast Center will be a separate motor sports complex with its own 2.8-mile circuit, 1-mile karting track, offroad track, skid pads and 4,800-foot-long runway. Treasure Coast Center will offer limited rental opportunities for manufacturers, car clubs, corporate events and charity fundraisers. Unlike the Monticello Motor Club, which attracts thousands of spectators to race events, the P1 Motor Club is not a spectator facility, county records show. All guests on site must be participants in the day’s activities. Other than limited events and training exercises, the public will only have access to the research and development office park. The motor club will be served by self-contained treatment plants for water and wastewater. The P1 team consists of some of the world’s foremost experts in the development and management of private automotive country clubs, race sanctioning and management, and commercial and residential real estate development, according to the P1 Motor Club. “We’re true racing enthusiasts who have the know-how, the passion, the location and the financing to bring the world’s ultimate motor sports community to life -- right here along the Treasure Coast,” the P1 Motor Club. Ari Straus, P1 Motor Club’s founding partner and chairman, served as managing partner and chief executive officer of the Monticello Motor Club for 12 years and previously had founded a healthcare software and services provider, the company says. Straus has pursued his passion for motorsports competition since 2000 as a “gentleman driver” in dozens of professional races, the P1 Motor Club added. The 662.93-acre agricultural tract where P1 Motor Sports plans to build its complex is owned by Evans Properties Inc., of Vero Beach, a major St. Lucie County agricultural landowner, county records show. It has a market value of $3,127,490, St. Lucie County Property Appraiser records show. The property includes a 4,345-square-foot house that was built in 1990. The tract is currently a tree farm and had previously been a citrus grove. CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1 MOTOR SPORTS COMPLEX IMAGE COURTESY OF P1MOTORCLUB.COM

Jerome Rich, managing principal of Rich Partners LLC and PSL Townplace Partners LLC, both of Fort Pierce, plans to build six four-story apartment buildings on 14 acres and three one-story commercial buildings on 4.51 acres. The project will feature a 3,500-squarefoot clubhouse, community swimming pool, dog park, pickleball court, playground and fire pit with seating area. It also includes accessory use areas, including a free-standing garage, a maintenance building, a mail kiosk and a bus stop. There will also be a 1.46-acre lake as well as dry detention areas. The site contains a .38-acre wetland and 2.03 acres of native upland habitat, city records show. The developer will maintain .99 acres of uplands in preservation. The project is expected to generate 370 vehicle trips during the evening rush hour, city records show. The developer is adding a right turn lane to U.S. 1 northbound for the driveway into the commercial center. The entrance to the residential area will be on Savannah Club Boulevard. The developer will provide a 10-footwide landscaped buffer on the north, east and south sides of the property. The 18.51-acre parcel has a market value of $2,434,000, according to St. Lucie County Property Appraiser records. In a similar mixed-use project proposed 2 miles north on U.S. 1, Eden Oaks Owner LLC of Coconut Grove plans to build a 200- unit apartment complex on 14.29 acres and a 15,000-square-foot commercial center on 2.38 acres. The site plan and zoning change for the 16.67-acre Eden Oaks site at 6201 South U.S. 1, just south of Saeger Avenue, was to face review by the St. Lucie County Commission on Aug 1. The site has a market value of $1,661,400, according to St. Lucie County Property Appraiser records. Eden Oaks Owner LLC purchased the land for $1.8 million on Jan. 31 from Neal Keys (Trustee). CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1 TOWN PLACE APARTMENTS ARTIST’S RENDERINGS To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | NEWS August 3, 2023 9 The number of new COVID-19 cases in St. Lucie County ticked up to 160 during the week ending July 20, a 31 percent increase from the week ending July 6, according to a Florida Department of Health report. It was the highest number of new cases since the week ending Feb. 2 when there were 285, state Health Department records show. But it was still just eight cases more than the week ending June 22 when there were 152 new cases. The positivity rate among those tested for the virus rose to 17.2 percent during the week ending July 20, a 6 percent increase compared to the week ending July 6, when it was 16.2 percent. Overall, as of July 20, a total of 97,648 county residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since March 2020, or 31.7 percent of the county population of 347,779, state Health Department records show. The overall positivity rate of county residents tested since the pandemic started in March 2020 remained at 31.7 percent as of the week ending July 20. A total of five county residents were vaccinated against COVID-19 during the week ending July 20, state Health Department records show. That represented a increase of 1 vaccinations, or 33 percent, compared to the week ending July 6, when 4 county residents were vaccinated. Altogether, 224,200 county residents age six months and older, or 65 percent of the eligible population, have been vaccinated against COVID-19 as of July 20. NEW COVID-19 CASES GO BACK UP HERE – GEORGE ANDREASSI Apartments. Clubhouse.

10 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | NEWS www.stlucievoice.com Transform Your Life with Buddhist Meditation Classes Please scan code for details Eliminate Stress Improve Relationships Increase Your Wisdom & Compassion Tuesdays 6:30 - 7:45 pm Port St. Lucie Community Center 2195 SE Airoso Blvd. - Room E Sponsored by Kadampa Meditation Center Ft. Lauderdale Meditateinportstlucie.org (954) 372-7481 Fisherman’s Wharf developer proposes buying public boat ramp parking lots for any reason with 180 days written notice. Derecktor Fort Pierce is waiting to receive final approval from the U.S. Commerce Department’s Foreign Trade Zone Board for its Production Notification Application outlining the products and components that will be imported and exported that may qualify for duty rate reductions and/or deferments, county records show. The proposed business activities would initially include the warehousing, refurbishing and exporting mega-yachts at Derecktor’s facilities at 101 Port Ave., Fort Pierce. Derecktor’s facilities are designed specifically for mega-yachts measuring more than 200 feet long and 900 tons. The shipyard features the world’s largest mobile boat hoist. Derecktor also operates shipyards in Dania Beach, Mamaroneck, N.Y., and Robinhood, Maine. All financial and operational info concerning zone site operations shall be kept confidential by St. Lucie County, the agreement states. The developer of the Fisherman’s Wharf project in Fort Pierce has proposed buying two lots from St. Lucie County that are used for boat ramp parking near the Black Pearl Boat Ramp. Christopher Shelli and Pierce 1 Marina LLC, of Fort Edward, N.Y., plan to build a boathouse for 305 boats, a 14-slip marina, on-site fuel service, a mixed-use building with 18 residences and 21,400 square feet of retail space, two restaurants and a tiki bar, Fort Pierce city records show. The Pierce 1 Marina conceptual site plan includes two county-owned lots; a .82-acre lot at 25 Fisherman’s Wharf and a .77-acre lot at 656 N. 2nd St., records show. However, any sale of the lots would involve a lengthy process, including soliciting competitive bids, the construction of additional boat ramps and parking at nearby Harbour Pointe, the closing of Pierce 1 Marina’s purchase of approximately 3 acres at Fisherman’s Wharf from the City of Fort Pierce, and the reimbursement of the money the county and state governments spent on the boat ramp parking lots, county records show. St. Lucie County commissioners voted 3-2 to give Fort Pierce written authorization to review the site plan for Pierce 1 Marina’s Fisherman’s Wharf project, including the two county-owned lots, with the understanding it would create no obligations. Fort Pierce development review officials can’t examine the Pierce 1 Marina’s site plan without the authorization, said Lee Dobbins, a lawyer representing the developer. “We simply want to be able to continue with the process and get all the feedback from the city,” Dobbins said. “It’s a continuing conversation with working out the various issues.” Commissioners Larry Leet and Jamie Fowler dissented, while Commissioners Chris Dzadovsky, Linda Bartz and Cathy Townsend supported the authorization. “I don’t want to put the cart before the horse,” said Fowler. “They need to get themselves squared away with the City of Fort Pierce, let them close and then we can bring it back to talk about possibly selling.” But Townsend, the commission chairwoman, said she wanted to give the developer and Fort Pierce officials the opportunity to negotiate over the site plan and possible improvements to nearby Harbour Pointe. “This is just to allow them to move forward with their conversation,” Townsend said. “Without this, he can no longer negotiate with the City of Fort Pierce. “I was confident with moving this forward because they still can’t do anything until they come back to us,” Townsend said. “We have the final say in this. It’s up to us if we let him have those lots or not. We’re in control either way.” BY GEORGE ANDREASSI | Staff Writer [email protected] Joel Shine, business development director at Derecktor Fort Pierce, said the Foreign Trade Zone designation would help the mega-yacht service center compete against similar facilities in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Savannah and Newport. “In its most basic form, the FTZ allows a foreign flag vessel to come to the United States to be offered for sale to a U.S. citizen without prepaying a duty,” Shine said. “Before the FTZs, boats that went to the U.S. would have to prepay 1.5 percent of their value before they were even offered for sale,” Shine told the commissioners. “What ended up happening is, all those boats would have to be sold in the Bahamas or in Panama.” Joshua Revord, the county’s Port, Inlet and Beaches director, told commissioners he expected the county to review more Foreign Trade Zone agreements in the near future. “In the future we will be working with the Economic Development Council, to establish new potential FTZ zones over some of the industries that are coming to our area,” Revord said. Derecktor Fort Pierce is in the fourth year of a 30-year lease on the former Indian River Terminal property that will pay St. Lucie County at least $1.35 million per year, county records show. The rental income covers the debt service on the loan the county took out to buy the terminal property in January 2018 for $22 million from King Maritime Group LLC. CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1 DERECKTOR SHIPYARDS PHOTO: LINDA KLOORFAIN

BY KERRY FIRTH | Correspondent To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | HEALTH August 3, 2023 11 CONTINUED ON PAGE A12 If you had a crystal ball that could predict the future of your heart health, would you use it? While it’s not a crystal ball, there is a next best thing – an imaging diagnostic tool called calcium scoring that assesses an individual’s risk of developing heart disease by measuring the presence and quantity of calcium deposits in the coronary arteries. These deposits serve as a marker for plaque buildup, a primary contributor to heart disease. “Looking at calcium in the heart is something I have a lot of experience with and I’ve read close to 40,000 of them over the years,” said Dr. Mary (Leslie) Oberst, a cardiologist with Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital who is trained in cardiac CT and advanced imaging, and has been doing calcium scoring since 2002. “I’ve seen first-hand how it helps people. One of the key strengths is [the test’s] ability to identify patients who might be at risk for heart disease, even before any noticeable symptoms emerge.” A calcium score test is quick and noninvasive. There is no contrast and no IV. The patient stays fully clothed and simply lays down on a bench that goes into the scanner, which scans your heart. The scan takes only about a minute and the software scores the calcium level which can range from zero to more than 1,000. Your calcium score tells how much calcium is in your arteries, thereby giving doctors a jump on formulating preventative strategies. This preventative approach allows for early interventions, such as lifestyle modifications or medication, which can significantly reduce the likelihood of future cardiovascular events. “You can’t always tell if someone is sick by looking at them,” Dr. Oberst explained. “The calcium score is done with a non-contact CT scan that scans through the chest and over the heart. The scan can pick up calcium deposits in the heart readily and accurately. The software is able to circle the calcium it sees in the coronary arteries and score based on its density. The higher the score, the more likely you’ll get heart disease. It’s very predictable.” A normal calcium test score is zero. Any score above zero means that there’s some evidence of coronary artery disease and higher scores indicate that you could be at risk for a heart attack. According to Cleveland Clinic, scores of 100 or less are mild proof of coronary artery disease, up to 400 is moderate proof you have CAD, and above 400 is strong proof you have CAD. “Some people are feeling great and out there playing golf,” Dr. Oberst explained. “They don’t think they have anything to worry about yet hidden in the background they have some atherosclerosis and they aren’t being treated because they don’t know it’s there.” Dr. Oberst advises men over the age of 40 and women over the age of 55 to get a calcium scoring test whether they are experiencing any symptoms of heart failure or not. “Everyone can benefit from knowing their calcium score,” Dr. Oberst said. “It’s especially helpful for anyone with a family history of heart disease. Smokers, overweight patients, those with low HDL cholesterol and diabetics are also at a higher risk for heart disease. The calcium score shows coronary disease in people who had no idea they had it. This scan helps determine if you need to take a statin drug – if it shows any calcium all you should take a statin. If the calcium score is zero then there is nothing to worry about. “I had one patient who was a triathlete and the picture of perfect health, and he had a score of over 800,” Dr. Oberst continued. “I thought this score was high so we did a stress test. He didn’t pass the stress test and ultimately needed a stint in the main artery. If not for the calcium score test, he probably would have died while out jogging one day. Another gentleman had fatigue symptoms but no chest pain or shortness of breath. His calcium score came back at almost 5000 and he ended up with triple bypass surgery.” Nuclear stress tests, exercise stress tests on a treadmill and cardiac CT are advanced screening techniques reserved for patients who have symptoms. An exercise stress test uses an EKG to monitor your heart while you’re resting and then while exercising, while a nuclear stress test includes images of your heart. A tracer is injected into your veins and a special camera takes pictures of your heart before and after exercise. The problem is that the nuclear test will only pick up blockage over 70 percent. A preventative calcium score test will pick up a smaller percentage. “Fifty percent of all heart attacks and strokes occur from plaque rupturing, meaning the artery is not 70 percent blocked,” Dr. Oberst said. “Even with only a 40 percent blockage, plaque can rupture and form blood clots that travel to another part of the 772-579-8548 SPECIALIZING IN: Neck and back pain, Sciatica, Shoulder Pain and More. Certified in Manual Lymphatic Drainage, Prenatal Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Cupping. THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE BY STEFANIE GAMBINO Located inside Balance Beauty and Wellness Center massagebook.com/biz/massagebystef 525 NW Lake Whitney Place, Suite 203, PSL MA#42795 MM#43262 Test is reliable predictor of heart disease KNOW THE (CALCIUM) SCORE! Dr. Mary (Leslie) Oberst. PHOTO: JOSHUA KODIS

12 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | HEALTH www.stlucievoice.com CONTINUED FROM PAGE A11 CALCIUM SCORING Q. Is there any cure for psoriasis? A. There’s no cure for psoriasis yet, but there are many ways to get relief from the symptoms of this troublesome disease. Psoriasis is one of the most common skin ailments. More than 125 million people throughout the world have psoriasis. This chronic disorder affects people of all ages. Psoriasis seems to be inherited. Psoriasis causes skin redness and irritation that can appear anywhere on the body. Most people with psoriasis have thick, red skin with flaky, silver-white patches. It is not contagious. Psoriasis is the most common autoimmune disease. Researchers think it probably occurs when the body’s immune system attacks healthy cells mistaking them for dangerous substances. Up to one-third of people with psoriasis may also have arthritis, an autoimmune disease; this is called “psoriatic arthritis.” In many cases, psoriasis goes away and then flares up again. The triggers that bring on psoriasis include stress, dry air, infections, skin injuries, some medicines, too much or too little sun, cold weather, drinking too much alcohol and smoking. If you have a weakened immune system, you can suffer more from psoriasis. A weakened immune system comes with rheumatoid arthritis, chemotherapy and AIDS. There are a variety of psoriasis types. These include: Plaque. This is the most common type of psoriasis. This produces thick, red patches of skin covered by flaky, silver-white scales. Erythrodermic. This is the least common type of psoriasis. The skin redness is very intense and can cover your entire body with a red, peeling rash that can itch or burn intensely. Guttate. This affects people younger than 30 and is usually triggered by a bacterial infection such as strep throat. It’s marked by small sores on the trunk, arms, legs and scalp. Inverse. The symptoms of inverse psoriasis include skin redness and irritation in the armpits, groin, and in between overlapping skin. It’s more common in overweight people and is worsened by friction and sweating. Pustular. This is an uncommon type of psoriasis that can occur in large patches. It generally develops pus-filled blisters after your skin becomes red and tender. Nail. The nails of fingers and toes become pitted. They can grow abnormally with discoloration. Psoriatic nails may become loose and fall off. Scalp. Psoriasis on the scalp appears as red, itchy areas with silvery-white scales. If you scratch your scalp, flakes of dead skin fall to your shoulders. There are three basic methods for treating psoriasis: topical medications, internal medications and photo therapy. Most cases of psoriasis are treated with medications that are placed directly on the skin. These include creams and ointments, dandruff shampoos, moisturizers, medicines containing vitamin D or vitamin A. Severe psoriasis may be treated with medicines to suppress the body’s immune response. These medicines include methotrexate or cyclosporine. Also, new drugs called “biologics” are used to specifically target the body’s immune response. These include Adalimumab (Humira), Etanercept (Enbrel) and Infliximab (Remicade). Photo therapy is a medical treatment in which your skin is carefully exposed to ultraviolet light. Home remedies include oatmeal baths that soothe and loosen scales, moderate sun exposure, and relaxation techniques such as meditation to relieve stress. THE HEALTHY SENIOR / Fred Cicetti body. If a clot blocks a blood vessel that feeds the heart, it causes a heart attack. If it blocks a blood vessel that feeds the brain, it causes a stroke.” Dr. Oberst utilizes calcium scoring as a preventative tool in the broader context of cardiovascular risk assessment using other diagnostic tests and risk assessment tools, such as lipid profiles and stress tests. This allows for a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of the patient’s health. “Calcium scoring identifies heart disease earlier than other diagnostic testing and has a higher predictive value,” Dr. Oberst concluded. “If we catch it earlier in life, we can treat it more aggressively and hopefully prevent life threatening coronary events in the future.” After earning her medical degree at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Kentucky, Dr. Oberst completed the Internal Medicine Residency at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. She went on to complete the Cardiology Fellowship Program at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, and an additional year of training in cardiovascular MRI at Texas Heart in Houston. Her office is in Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital’s Health and Wellness Center at 3450 11th Court in Vero Beach. Call 772-778-8687 for an appointment. No cure yet for psoriasis, but treatments are available

Florida is the fastest growing state in the nation, according to new Census Bureau data, with approximately 900 people per day arriving to live here in recent years – which is making an existing shortage of doctors worse. To combat the shortage, Florida State University College of Medicine operates six regional campuses around the state – including one in Fort Pierce that has already supplied the Vero Beach area with several physicians. “Florida doesn’t have enough primary care, internal and family physicians to serve the population,” said Dr. Juliette Lomax-Homier, Dean of Fort Pierce regional campus. “There’s also a shortage in our area of gynecologists, obstetricians and geriatricians. That is one reason why FSU College of Medicine, which is based in Tallahassee, has seven satellite campus throughout the state including this one on the main campus of Indian River State College.” The Florida State University College of Medicine provides third- and fourth-year clinical training at regional medical schools around the state through affiliations with local physicians, ambulatory care facilities and hospitals. At the Fort Pierce regional campus, students are given the opportunity to rotate in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, obstetrics-gynecology, psychiatry, geriatrics and emergency medicine. Recently, FSU College of Medicine added physician assistant students who spend one year of clinical time on the campus. “Right now, we have 37 enrolled,” said Dr. Lomax-Homier. “Seventeen of them are third-year students, nine are doing their rotations and eight are physician assistant students. We have at least 300 local doctors and physician assistants who serve as our faculty to teach our collective groups of students with clerkship directors assigned for each specialty to implement the curriculum of those particular topics for students as they rotate.” Students attend lectures on campus on Wednesday mornings, but the rest of the week they are doing hands-on clinical training in the field with area doctors. These students are examining patients, watching surgeries, learning how to deliver babies and doing pediatric examinations. “Our doctors love teaching students, and while we do provide a small stipend, many physicians donate it back to the college for student scholarships,” Dr. Lomax-Homier continued. “We invite doctors in to do lectures within their specialty and they generally do this for free as a service to the medical community. None of us became physicians without the guidance of other physicians before us, so teaching our students is a way of giving back. “For the most part, patients welcome our students’ participation in their care,” Dr. Lomax-Homier said. “They understand that their physicians are teachers and that teaching physicians need to be most current in their practice because they have students who are learning from them and watching everything they do. Being a teaching physician adds to the level of service because those physicians work really hard to make sure they are up to date on all the newest procedures and technology. “Until recently, local students had to leave the area to complete their internships and residencies because there were no programs in the area. Now, To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | HEALTH August 3, 2023 13 CONTINUED ON PAGE A14 BY KERRY FIRTH | Correspondent “Caring for women of all ages and stages of their lives for over 50 years” • 10771 SW Trade St., Port St. Lucie • 501 NW Lake Whitney Pl #106, Port St. Lucie • 3498 NW Federal Hwy Jensen Beach Dr. Laura McCurdy joined Women’s Health Specialists in 2013 after achieving her medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans and completed her residency training in OBGYN at Wake Forest University. Dr. McCurdy and her family enjoy all sorts of activities around the Treasure Coast area. Schedule Your Exam and Mammogram Today! 772-261-9636 3 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU! • WWW.WHSFL.COM “Always great bedside manners and staff is wonderful!!! Dr. McCurdy’s the best!!!” “Dr. McCurdy is very personable.” “ Dr. McCurdy is very competent and knowledgeable. I feel well cared for under her watchful eye.” Women’s Health Specialists - our patients recommend us! FORT PIERCE CAMPUS OF FSU’S COLLEGE OF MEDICINE HELPING TO COMBAT DOC SHORTAGE Difference makers:

both internal and surgical residency programs at HCA Lawnwood Hospital. HCA St. Lucie Medical Center in Port St. Lucie offers residencies in family and emergency medicine.” Many of the students at the Fort Pierce campus have ties to South Florida and choose to study there so they can go home on weekends and stay close to family. “I have students at this campus who call Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, Coral Springs, Miami and Fort Lauderdale home,” said Dr. Lomax-Homier. “I even have one student who grew up in Port St. Lucie and is living at home while pursuing his education. It seems that every year I have one or two students who have grown up in the area and they can come back home and live for two years which helps decrease the overall costs.” FSU seeks students who are mission-driven to serve the elderly, minority and underserved populations of Florida, which is why their satellite campuses are located in areas that lack the number of physicians needed to serve the community. Studying at the regional campus in Fort Pierce gives students an idea of what it is CONTINUED FROM PAGE A13 FORT PIERCE CAMPUS 14 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | HEALTH www.stlucievoice.com

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | HEALTH August 3, 2023 15 like to live in the area and the hope is they will return to practice in the community. “There are two people who have completed residencies and come back to practice in Vero Beach and a few in Martin County,” said Dr. Lomax-Homier proudly. “There’s even a pathologist who works at the local medical examiner’s office. “We are thrilled that Indian River State College opened up a part of their campus for our college,” Dr. Lomax-Homier added. “This is not an Indian River State College program but we at the FSU College of Medicine are grateful they are our landlords because of its central location and the amenities they provide for us. Our students are well cared for on their campus and proud to be part of the community.” Dr. Juliette Lomax-Homier received her medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine and completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Boston City Hospital. She relocated to Fort Pierce after residency to fulfill a commitment to the Health Service Corps, where she worked as a staff obstetrician and gynecologist at a Federally Qualified Health Center in Fort Pierce. She became Dean of the Fort Pierce Regional Campus in 2015. For more information about the campus visit med. fsu.edu/ftpierce.

16 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | PETS www.stlucievoice.com Riley an Ruger Dillon live in this amazin’ place, with a house anna barn anna pond anna huge big field where they can run an run, an trees an chiggens an ducks, an its way, way far out onna long sandy road … Oops. I got a liddle carried away. I guess I should start at the buh-ginning. My assistant pushed a coupla buttons an the gate opened and we drove down a liddle road to a pretty house. A lady, two poocheroos an several Very Important Looking Chiggens came out to meet us. The lady puh-litely told my assistant to Not Reach Down to the liddle pooch cuz it’d make him Ner-vuss. Of course, my assistant Took Heed. Both pooches were Very Tidy an had short gold/brown hair. The larger of the two approached for the usual Wag-An-Sniff first and made the introductions. “I’m Riley Dillon,” she said in a soft, pleasant voice. “I’m 9, an this is my liddle brother Ruger, he’s just 5. We’re rescues. THIS is our Mommy, Georgia. Our Daddy, Rob, is elsewhere. We are very pleased to meet you. Come on in, we’ll talk inside where it’s cooler.” “I’m so happy to meet you all,” I replied, following them all (except the chiggens) inside. We got settled an I opened my notebook. “I’ll be spokespooch,” Riley said. “But I’ll add stuff timeto-time, too,” said Ruger. “I ’speshully wish to state, up front, that I’m NOT a Bad Dog. I just have ISHyous.” “Ackshully,” innerjected Riley, “why don’t you tell Mr. Bonzo your story now, Ruger.” “I’m ready when you are,” I said, pencil poised. Rugar began. “I was only about 1 year in human when me an a buncha other pooches got rescued when the puh-LEECE raided a dog fighting ring in Orlando an arrested a buncha horrible, awful humans. Us pooches got taken to a shell-ter. Some of us didn’t make it. I almost didn’t. I am part pit bull and part chihuahua, which, I have come to learn, is a pretty challenging mixture under any circumstances. I was aggressive, but liddle an scrawny, so I had been used for BAIT, which I still can’t even THINK about, even though it’s been years since. All I knew about humans was that they were HORRIBLE. “If my human sister hadn’t got me for Mommy cuz she knew Mommy was the only human who would take care of me, I’da been what’s called Put Down. Mommy an Daddy took the time to understand me an have always given me my space an respect, an lotsa love -- from AFAR often. I am SO LUCKY. But my MEM-rees make me most of the time not wanna be snuggly or get pats an stuff like normal poocheroos, ’cept from Mommy an Daddy, then only on occasion. “I help out by shooing the chiggens off the porch. An I NEVER, EVER eat the chiggens. OR the ducks. I pride myself on that. That would be RUDE. They’re famly, after all. The ducks are Duck-Duck, Lucky Duck (because he was the only survivor of a bobcat raid several years back), Athos, Porthos and D’Artagnan; and the Chiggens are Chiggen 1, Chiggen 2, Chiggen 3, Chiggen 4 an, oh, poo, I can never remember the last one. “Also, unlike Riley, I can SING. Me an Mom sing together.” They proceeded to demonstrate and I was very impressed. They both had Very Big Voices. “Plus,” Ruger added with justified pride, “when I ree-lize I’m bein’ a JERK, I put myself to bed.” He showed me his and Hi Dog Buddies! Resilient Riley and Ruger give rescues a great name Riley and Ruger. PHOTO: JOSHUA KODIS

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | ADVICE August 3, 2023 17 Why did Airbnb ban Solange Reyner? The company won’t tell her. But will it tell this consumer advocate? Will it reinstate her? Q. I recently received an email from Airbnb that it had removed my account from the platform. “Removal means that your account will no longer be accessible, and you won’t be able to create another one,” it said. “We want to assure you that we reviewed your case thoroughly before reaching this conclusion. As such, we won’t be able to offer you additional support on this matter at this time.” I don’t understand why I’m banned. I last booked with Airbnb in September for my husband and his friend in Las Vegas. Airbnb canceled the first booking for that trip because the host said she was no longer accepting guests. Airbnb found me another accommodation at a hotel, and after two days of staying there, my husband realized the listing wasn’t legitimate (someone had booked the hotel rooms months before then and posted them on Airbnb as rentals). I don’t see why I would get banned for that. Airbnb has deactivated my account for no good reason. Can you help? A. You should not get banned for any of this. Your host canceled your booking at the last minute, and another host had an illegitimate listing, neither of which was your fault. So what’s going on here? Lately, many Airbnb bannings I’ve come across have happened because a background check turned up a criminal record. But you say neither you, nor your husband, nor his friend have any criminal record – so we can cross that off the list. In its Terms of Service, Airbnb says it may terminate your account for violating its terms or policies, violating applicable laws, or if “we reasonably believe termination is necessary to protect Airbnb, its members, or third parties.” The two cancellations were a red flag of something happening during that Las Vegas rental – although I don’t know what. When you rent a home or apartment through Airbnb, always look for a property with a positive rating and read the reviews carefully. I was just shopping for an Airbnb in Christchurch, New Zealand, and one of the reviews warned that the host had canceled at the last minute. If you see that, you might want to skip that property. And I am certain that the illegal rental you got in Vegas had no reviews – that’s also a problem. Whatever happened to your husband and friend, it sounds like an innocent mistake on their part. You can always reach out to one of the Airbnb executive contacts I publish on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. I asked Airbnb about your account termination. In response, the company reactivated your account. I asked the company what you had done to deserve being blacklisted, and a representative said, “For privacy reasons, we are not able to share more than that at this point.” Airbnb didn’t tell you why you were banned, either. But at least you have your account back. Get help with any consumer problem by contacting Christopher Elliott at http://www.elliott.org/help. I’ve been banned by Airbnb, and no one will tell me why Dear Carolyn: My son just got engaged, and we are all thrilled. He is giving me such a small list, though, that I can only include some first cousins and not others. I hate to hurt anyone’s feelings, but we are closer to some than others. I’d be happy to give my son and daughter-in-law more money, but my son says it’s about the space, and even more than that, he just wants to keep numbers down. He doesn’t want his wedding filled with people he doesn’t really know. (Our family is quite spread out geographically now, but I grew up with most of them.) I don’t know what to do. Inviting some cousins but not their siblings feels wrong, but not doing what my son wants for HIS wedding feels more wrong. I feel paralyzed and hate that this is already an issue in what should be a joyful time. – In a Quandary In a Quandary: How about no cousins at all? Just because you have these slots doesn’t mean you have to use them. Obviously, you want to, for good reason. But it’s his party. It’s also a reasonable thing he’s asking, but “it’s his party” means it doesn’t have to be reasonable. So, choose the people you want most whom you can invite without directly hurting someone else. If you’re under your allotment, then so be it. Bask in your son’s gratitude. Assure any complainers (ugh) that your allotment was so small, you chose not to pick and choose. Re: Quandary: Would your son be OK with your using the extra money for an engagement party or a celebration of their marriage afterward with the family? Anonymous: That could work, thanks. Though it should be afterward. An engagement party would mislead people into thinking they’re invited to the wedding. GROOM’S PARENT CHAFES AT LIMITATIONS ON GUEST LIST CAROLYN HAX – THE WASHINGTON POST The Bonz DON’T BE SHY! We are always looking for pets with interesting stories. To set up an interview, email [email protected]. Riley’s beds: They were beaudiful, custombuilt-by-their-Daddy wood cubbies one on each side of their Mommy an Daddy’s bed, fitted with comfy, fluffy pillows an blankets. Seriously Cool Kibbles! “Woof, Ruger! Talk about self-awareness!” I exclaimed, impressed. “Thank you for sharin’ your story. You’ve been through so much! I’m glad you have such a wonderful, understandin’ Furever Family!” “Now me,” said Miss Riley. “I am a Black Mouth Cur who my human sisters Gabrielle an Carmela found at the Vero Beach Humane Society cuz they thought Mommy needed another dog when her former pooch, Sage, a Catahoula Bluetick, went to Dog Heaven. “Ackshully, Mommy wasn’t thrilled. At All. Speshully when she found out I don’t bark. I had been abused an became so scared I just stopped barkin’. Period. Forever. Meanwhile, Mommy wanted a dog for security, an barkin’ is pretty much a requirement for that job. But Gabrielle an Carmela persuaded her to come an just take a look. “Well, Mr. Bonzo, it was love at first sight: Turns out we needed each other. We were a perfect match. I am a Total Mommy’s Grrrl. I love to run. She loves to run. We hang out together. I’m cool with the fam. Even the 5 or 6 cats she had back then. My best human buddy is liddle Everleigh. We’re BFFs. WE snuggle a lot. “With Mommy, I am the Fetch Queen. I could play Fetch the Ball for, like, EVER!” “OOOH, I like Fetch, TOO!” Ruger chimed in. “Weeelll,” Riley laughed, “what YOU like is to Fetch the Ball outta MY mouth.” “Yes! I wanna be the one to bring it back to Mommy!” said Ruger. “Any pooch besties? Fave foodstuffs?” I queried. “We love lamm an rice,” they agreed. “An we always have a ball hangin’ out with Daddy’s granddog, Blue, he’s a Huskey. He has these Crispy Biscuits blue eyes,” said Riley. “So beaudiful!” Headin’ home, I was thinkin’ about how lucky Riley an Ruger are to have found a Furever Mom an Dad who love ’em in spite of their backgrounds an challenges. There are so many poocheroos who are in Dire Straits that aren’t their faults an who can be saved with that kinda of love an understanding. It made me wanna give my Gramma an Grampa extra snuggles when I got home, an special thank you’s for my evening dish of yummy yoghurt. Till next time,

18 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | PERSONAL FINANCE www.stlucievoice.com BY MICHELLE SINGLETARY | The Washington Post Residential & Commercial FL LIC# CCC1330976 Office: 772-332-8450 [email protected] Scan Me Don’t wait until it’s too late! NO CREDIT CHECK FINANCING OPTIONS AVAILABLE IT’S HURRICANE SEASON!! FREE ROOF INSPECTIONS Make sure you’re Hurricane Ready, Schedule Today! How to survive without a paycheck if a financial emergency strikes Life is full of lessons. Strikes, furloughs and layoffs may not be happening to you right now, but watching others try to make ends meet during these situations should be a wake-up call. How long could you survive without a paycheck if a financial emergency strikes? Am I trying to scare you? Yes, I am, because good money management involves preparing for the worst. Here are five moves you should make before and during a disruption in your income: Always look for ways to slash your spending You should regularly reexamine your budget for bloating. When things are going well, it’s hard to spot overspending. An extra $20 or $30 here and there doesn’t get noticed. But closing off that money drain can become your savings grace if your paychecks stop. Don’t wait until you’re in the middle of a crisis to start controlling your spending. Even if you stay employed, what have you lost by budgeting better? Nothing. My husband retired at the end of June. We are fine, yet with the inflow of money now limited, every expense is being scrutinized. One of the first things we did was make a list of subscription services. I was able to halve the price of one monthly subscription from a company that wanted to keep our business. Comb through your budget now and trim unnecessary spending. Then put the savings into your emergency fund. Even tiny amounts add up and can have a big impact if you lose your job or have to weather a layoff or strike. Save enough to cover at least two missed paychecks During the historic 35- day federal shutdown in 2019, about 800,000 government employees missed two paychecks. Although they were eventually paid, many had to do some scrambling to cover their expenses during the furlough. Like so many others, I have long encouraged people to save three to six months’ worth of expenses for a rainy day. However, meeting that goal could amount to a few thousand dollars or more. The natural response for many when a goal is too high is to do nothing. Why bother if you know something is near impossible? OK, so set the bar lower. Aim to be able to survive at least a month without a paycheck. It will give you some time to find other work. And rather than calculate all the money needed to fulfill your monthly obligations – credit card payments, utilities, cable, or online streaming services – focus on just necessities, such as food and housing expenses. When money is tight, you can let some things go for a little while so that you can keep a roof over your head and food on the table. Communicate with your creditors Your savings goal of amassing enough to cover just the bare necessities is a compromise if you are struggling to build an emergency fund. Here’s the second half of this strategy if your paychecks stop: Don’t wait until you get behind before notifying your creditors. Make preemptive contact to strike a deal if you think you might not be able to make a payment. Your creditor may not give you a break, but you’ll never know if you don’t call. Contact every creditor and ask for a reprieve on your bill. Explain your situation – I’m on strike, I’ve been furloughed – and see if you can get a month or even two months of forbearance. If you find you need more time, call back. Better to ask for help than stay silent and suffer as you try to manage bills with money you don’t have. Delay your debt reduction plan Until you’ve built up a cash cushion to at least cover necessities for one month, don’t pay more on your debt than required. Yes, you’ve been told to make more than the minimum payment. But you need a sufficient cash cushion. Your aggressive push to get rid of your debt has to wait. You can’t afford to pay extra on your debt until you have that emergency fund established. Once you’ve accomplished that mission, then go back to paying the debt down. View your credit card as a ‘frenemy’ If you can’t pay that credit card bill off by the next due date, you are living beyond your means. This is exactly when you should see credit as an enemy. In times of financial trouble, consumers often turn to credit to get by. That’s when they see credit as a friend – a bridge to temporarily pay for what their income would normally cover. Don’t carry a balance, so when you feel you have no choice but to use credit, you aren’t adding to an already ugly debt situation.

Brand-new Verano home presents endless possibilities 9039 SW Roccia Way in Cresswind at PGA Verano: 3-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom, 3,561-square-foot pool home offered for $899,900 by Isabelle Pollock, 772-713-3221 of Lang Realty

20 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE www.stlucievoice.com How often do you have the opportunity to take a blank canvas – a brand-new home – and make it your own? The house at 9039 SW Roccia Way, in the 55+ community of Cresswind in PGA Village Verano, is such a home. Completed in 2023, this 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath home has a den, a club room and a loft, making it versatile for multi-generational living and ideal for entertaining friends and family. From the moment you step inside, the house is light and bright, with light-colored wood floors. The great room (a spacious 19 feet by 23 feet, 6 inches) is adjacent to the kitchen and looks to the lake. This is the place where friends and family will gather to watch ball games, have parties … and just because. For birthdays and holidays, there is a formal dining room (13-8-by-11-3) that’s just perfect for special events or family meals that you whip up in the beautiful kitchen nearby. That room, an enviable 13-1-by-12- 1, has light cabinetry, quartz counters, lots of counter space and storage, additional pantry space, a large center island, custom hood and stainless-steel appliances. You’ll be proud to show it off to your guests as you serve up something special. A breakfast area with lake views opens onto the lanai and is a great spot for morning coffee. The master bedroom, a generous 15-by17, also has views of the lake. The master bath is all elegance, with muted colors and dual vanities, and a separate shower and tub. There is an additional bedroom and ensuite bath downstairs, as well as a powder room. Upstairs, there is a loft that is 22-by-20-1. How to use it is limited only by imagination and need. It’s the perfect place for grandkids to gather; maybe after a celebration, the adults stay downstairs and the kids go upstairs and build a fort or play video games. They’d also love using it as their sleeping space, going camping at grandma’s and grandpa’s. Another bedroom and bath also make this an ideal space for guests. There is just so much flexibility. For Isabelle Pollock of Lang Realty, Brand-new Verano home presents endless possibilities BY SHELLEY KOPPEL | Columnist [email protected] D ™ owDecorating ecorating Over 39 Years Experience Your new home for decorating in St. Lucie West IN-HOME SERVICE - MEASURE - INSTALL Mon-Thu 10am-5pm Fri 10am-4pm or By Appointment Kathy & David Blinds, Shades & Shutters New Upholstered Furniture MADE IN AMERICA … right here in Florida! Come on in & have a seat Draperies Upholstery Beautiful Fabrics Valances & Cornices Pillows Bedspreads & More!

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE August 3, 2023 21 this is a rare opportunity. “You don’t have to wait to build with this new home in the 55+ community of Cresswind in Verano,” she said. “The home offers three bedrooms, a den, clubroom, loft, and a floor plan that is ideal for multi-generational living. This home, with lake views from so many rooms, features elegant finishes around every turn, with wood flooring throughout the majority of the first floor and a beautiful kitchen with many custom features. This home has never been lived in and is ready for your personal touches as you enjoy resort-style living.” This is Verano, so you have the many amenities that both Cresswind and Verano offer, from 27 pickleball courts to pools, fitness centers and tennis. The clubhouse offers activities galore, and you can make new friends and have fun with friends and family before returning to your own private oasis. This is a home that is just waiting to be filled with life and laughter. You truly have the opportunity to make it your own. Neighborhood: Cresswind at PGA Verano Year built: 2023 • Construction: CBS, stucco Square footage: 3,561 sq, ft • Total square footage: 4,326 sq. ft. Bedrooms: 3 • Bathrooms: 3.5 • Flooring: wood Security: manned gate Additional features: new construction complete in 2023, lake views, 55+ community, bonus suite upstairs, loft space, threecar garage with finished flooring, pre-plumbed for pool equipment, impact glass windows and doors, central vacuum Community amenities: 27-court pickleball center, walking paths, multiple community pools, multiple fitness centers, sauna, dog park, tennis courts, clubhouse, cart path to PGA Golf Club directly from community Listing brokerage: Lang Realty Listing agent: Isabelle Pollock, 772-713-3221 Listing price: $899,900 FEATURES FOR 9039 SW ROCCIA WAY Practice areas Main Headquarters: 2940 S. 25th Street, Fort Pierce, FL 34981 The Estate, Trust & Elder Law Firm,PL_SPEC 4_PR561 COMPLIMENTARY 1 Hour Nursing Home Consult* *Provided that our firm is a good fit for your goals Do you have a loved one in a nursing home? Are you a family caregiver? Do you have a loved one paying out of pocket for in-home, assisted living, or skilled nursing home expenses? Does your spouses income go to the nursing home? “ETELF got my husband’s nursing home bill paid!” Kathy Graham, Wife of actual client Prospective clients may not obtain same or similar results Don’t wait until your family is out of money and options! Your family has questions and we have over 60 years of experience combined. Visit www.ETELF.com WesLey r. Harvin ii, j.d., LL.m. micHaeL d. FoWLer, j.d., LL.m., b.c.s Board Certified Elder Law Attorney Of-Counsel • Long-Term Care Medicaid • Estate and Trust Planning • Senior Exploitation • Probate & Trust Administration RSVP to An Upcoming Seminar (772) 828-2588 Additional Offices In Port St. Lucie And Stuart

22 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE www.stlucievoice.com TOP SALES OF THE WEEK A very strong fortnight for real estate sales locally saw 55 transactions of single-family residences and lots reported (some shown below). The top recent sale was of the residence at 7956 Plantation Lakes Drive. Listed in May for $1,949,000, this 5-bedroom, 6.5-bathroom home fetched $1,750,000 on July 27. Representing the seller in the transaction was agent Kay Rodriguez of Lang Realty. Representing the buyer was agent Teri Branker of Weston International Realty. SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES AND LOTS PORT SAINT LUCIE 7956 PLANTATION LAKES DRIVE 5/1/2023 $1,949,000 7/27/2023 $1,750,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 9328 SCARBOROUGH COURT 6/21/2023 $1,189,900 7/27/2023 $1,168,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 11541 SW ROSSANO LANE 7/3/2023 $925,000 7/28/2023 $925,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 8254 RIVIERA WAY 6/15/2023 $989,000 7/21/2023 $910,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 8737 BALLY BUNION ROAD 3/11/2023 $929,000 7/21/2023 $900,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 5840 NW CULLOM CIRCLE 4/16/2023 $665,000 7/24/2023 $645,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 23050 SW ACCESI WAY 1/1/2023 $675,000 7/27/2023 $640,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 10844 SW CREMONA WAY 6/14/2023 $599,000 7/27/2023 $590,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 5876 NW LEGHORN AVENUE 2/14/2023 $595,000 7/17/2023 $583,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 9149 PUMPKIN RIDGE ROAD 5/8/2023 $599,900 7/18/2023 $574,900 PORT SAINT LUCIE 10266 SW FERNWOOD AVENUE 7/29/2022 $659,000 7/21/2023 $539,500 PORT SAINT LUCIE 701 SW MYAKKA RIVER TRACE 6/28/2023 $549,000 7/27/2023 $535,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 9649 SW FORESTWOOD AVENUE 6/8/2023 $520,000 7/18/2023 $530,000 ORIGINAL SELLING TOWN ADDRESS LISTED ASKING PRICE SOLD PRICE TRADITION AND ST. LUCIE WEST REAL ESTATE SALES Stats were pulled 7/29/23 10:25 AM

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE August 3, 2023 23 Listing Date: Original Price: Sold: Selling Price: Listing Agent: Selling Agent: Listing Date: Original Price: Sold: Selling Price: Listing Agent: Selling Agent: Listing Date: Original Price: Sold: Selling Price: Listing Agent: Selling Agent: Listing Date: Original Price: Sold: Selling Price: Listing Agent: Selling Agent: HERE ARE SOME OF THE TOP RECENT TRADITION AND ST. LUCIE WEST REAL ESTATE SALES 3/11/2023 $929,000 7/21/2023 $900,000 Kay Rodriguez Lang Realty Darci Margeson Southern Key Realty 8737 Bally Bunion Road, Port Saint Lucie 6/15/2023 $989,000 7/21/2023 $910,000 Stephanie Mordes Compass Florida LLC Karl Taylor Redfin Corporation 8254 Riviera Way, Port Saint Lucie 7/3/2023 $925,000 7/28/2023 $925,000 David Colson Outrigger Real Estate Marlene Medina Lang Realty 11541 SW Rossano Lane, Port Saint Lucie 6/21/2023 $1,189,900 7/27/2023 $1,168,000 Margaret Brigati Century 21 WC Realty Shannon Andersen Keller Williams Realty 9328 Scarborough Court, Port Saint Lucie

24 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE www.stlucievoice.com The share of U.S. mortgage borrowers who are equity-rich climbed to a new high last quarter as the housing market rebounded. Equity-rich mortgages – those that have a loan-to value ratio of 50 percent or lower, meaning the mortgage holder’s equity stake is at least half the property’s worth – made up some 49 percent of the national total in the second quarter of this year, according to a report by Attom, a real estate data provider. That’s up about 2 percentage points from the previous quarter – and it’s higher than the peak levels reached last year before higher interest rates slowed the housing market down, at least for a while. By comparison, the share of equity-rich mortgages at the end of 2019 – before the pandemic hit – was around 27 percent “The second-quarter market revival bestowed immediate benefits on homeowners around the nation, in the form of better profits for sellers and rising equity for those staying put,” said Rob Barber, Attom’s chief executive officer. “Equity levels were high even during the recent downturn, and now they are going back up and better than ever.” The proportion of equity-rich mortgage-payers increased in 45 of the nation’s 50 states last quarter. And even among the other five, three of them still have relatively high shares – not to mention large numbers of homeowners who don’t owe anything at all. The Attom report shows how housing has rapidly returned to being a wealth-accumulator for U.S. households, defying the expectations of analysts who had expected a longer decline in prices thanks to steeper mortgage rates. Less than 3 percent of mortgaged homes in the U.S. were considered seriously underwater – meaning that the borrower’s loan balance was at least 25 percent higher than the property’s value – in the second quarter of 2023. What’s more, Attom found that even among the 255,700 homes facing foreclosure last quarter, some 92 percent of the borrowers had at least some equity, which means that the bank holding the mortgage should recover a large portion of the outstanding debt. About 20 percent of seriously underwater mortgaged homes are concentrated in 45 ZIP codes. Among the five districts with the highest share of underwater homes, two are in New York State and two in Illinois. U.S. HOMEOWNER EQUITY CLIMBS TO A RECORD HIGH BY ALEXANDRE TANZI | Bloomberg

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE August 3, 2023 25 Asset prices are supposed to reflect risk, but the coastal real estate market has been challenging that notion for years. Not only is the threat of rising seas not “priced in,” but many of the most vulnerable markets in the country – think Florida – are also among the frothiest, with Miami area home prices up around 64 percent since 2019. Logically, buyers must either lack information about the climate threat or they’re intentionally choosing to disregard it, perhaps under the influence of climate-skeptical politicians. Let’s start with the former – arguably the biggest source of concern and opportunity. Even if homebuyers have a broad sense of climate risks (i.e., Florida is more exposed than Ohio), they tend to lack knowledge of the specifics (i.e., how one property in Miami-Dade County compares with another). Even federal flood maps come up short because they reflect backward-looking information. Despite the availability of better tools, including the Flood Factor platform from nonprofit First Street Foundation, state and local governments as a whole have made only incremental improvements in requiring disclosures. Preliminary research presented this week at a National Bureau of Economic Research conference provides some of the strongest evidence yet about the effects of this information deficit. The paper – a version of which was released on Redfin’s website last year – is based on a three-month nationwide field experiment among 17.5 million Redfin users, half of whom received detailed flood probability information from Flood Factor and half of whom did not. The authors say that the experiment affected the sales of 8,150 homes at high risk of flooding collectively worth $5.3 billion, reducing their prices by $57 million (about $7,000 per home on average). Meanwhile, the project affected 186,000 properties at low risk of flooding, increasing their collective prices by about $100 million (around $500 each) to $129.5 billion. Interestingly, the experiment also provided feedback on the other theory of warped flood-risk pricing: that politics were clouding people’s decision-making. The authors found that Democrats and Republicans showed similar responses to the newly provided information. They also concluded that experiment participants who received the extra flood information were willing to make trade-offs – i.e., they were willing to forgo certain property characteristics and amenities – to buy a home with better flood ratings. That study adds to a 2022 paper by Freddie Mac economists that found that Florida homes exposed to rising sea levels commanded no discount over those that aren’t. Another paper published this year estimated that flood-exposed residential properties were overvalued by $121 billion to $237 billion. In its totality, the available evidence suggests that the market has been insufficiently discounting the risk of rising seas because of a shortage of high-quality information – or at least an information asymmetry between sellers and buyers – and that the best way to address it is to get the right data in front of people. While most U.S. states lack laws that require even the disclosure of flood history – let alone forward-looking vulnerability assessments – some jurisdictions are starting to make progress toward that end. In June, the New York Legislature voted in favor of extending mandatory disclosure of flood history to homebuyers. In March, a related effort cleared the New Jersey Legislature (and has since been signed by Governor Phil Murphy) to extend disclosure to both buyers and renters. And last year, Hawaii became the first state to specifically require disclosures related to sea-level rise. More states still need to follow including – maybe most urgently – Florida. “It’s absurd that states want to hide information about flood risk from their own citizens,” Rob Moore, a senior policy analyst with the Natural Resources Defense Council, told me by phone. Naturally, many property owners would prefer to delay the market’s reckoning with climate change until after they’ve cashed out, and it’s easy to understand where they’re coming from. But kicking the can down the road will only make adaptation and climate migration harder on the population in the future. And as the new research shows, the best way forward is to get specific actionable information into the hands of every wouldbe homebuyer. Coastal real estate can’t seem to price climate risk BY JONATHAN LEVIN | Bloomberg

26 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE www.stlucievoice.com There’s so much misinformation out there, so let me help clear the clutter and steer you on ways to save money or avoid financial heartache. Below is a transcript of questions received recently. Questions and answers have been edited for clarity. Q: Home interest rates don’t seem to be falling anytime soon. Is it a bad idea to purchase a home interest rate between 6 to 8 percent? Or does one hold off until it’s under, say, 6 percent? A: It’s so hard to predict where mortgage rates will go, I would work the numbers and just determine if this is the right time to purchase a home using current rates. If the numbers tell you it’s a stretch and that you can’t also save for emergencies or retirement, then hold off until you’re in a better financial position. Q: I’m 60 and my husband is 64. We hope to retire in the next couple of years. We have retirement plans from our jobs but we have also been saving money into our saving account. What’s the max we should have in a regular banking account? What should we do with the rest? A: My husband will be retiring soon so we are right where you are – thinking about how to manage money on retirement income and savings. First be sure you have a retirement budget, and indicate how you will pay for things using the various sources of income – pension, investments, savings. Based on interviews with financial planners they suggest you have a least a year’s worth of expenses saved or funds coming from fixed income. The idea is to have money not subject to the whims of the stock market if it goes into a tailspin. And saved money/emergency funds should be kept in the highest yielding account you can find with an institution that serves your needs and is FDIC insured. So if you like banking online, move money to an online-only institution. But if you need to visit branches or travel a lot and will be making a lot of ATM withdrawals, consider a financial institution that will serve those needs. Q: Hi, this is not exactly a finance question but it relates. I am 61 and was laid off two years ago (on Inauguration Day!) from an executive assistant position. My salary was six figures. After severance and unemployment, I’m now living off the savings I was proud to have accumulated. Do you have any suggestions for someone who is too young to retire but seemingly too old to get a new job? A: Although we keep hearing that there are plenty of jobs out there, as you and others are finding out, many of the jobs aren’t what people are looking for. In your case, think about what additional training you might be able to get to boost your skills and marketability. Look at what the local community college is offering for career transitions. You may find a certificate 651 NW Enterprise Dr., Ste 111 Port St. Lucie 34986 Residential / Commercial / Service FREE ESTIMATES 772.281.2650 www.TraditionElectricInc.com Licensed & Insured lic# EC13003314 $50 OFF “High Quality & Prompt Service is our Tradition” • SERVICE UPGRADES • NEW OUTLETS & CIRCUITS • ANNUAL HOME ELECTRICAL CHECKUP • CEILING FANS/LIGHT FIXTURES • GENERATOR/HOME SURGE PROTECTION • LANDSCAPE LIGHTING • RENOVATIONS WHOLE HOME SURGE SUPPRESSOR Must present coupon when scheduling for discount. Exp. 9/14/23 NEED A RELIABLE ELECTRICIAN? Family Owned & Operated Answers, please! Advice on real estate and personal finance BY MICHELLE SINGLETARY | The Washington Post

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE August 3, 2023 27 Independent Senior Living in a Coastal Community All Inclusive Carefree Living at Affordable Monthly Rates! Conveniently Located Between Historic Downtown Stuart and the Oceanfront. Call Today to Schedule a Tour! 772-286-9384 2750 SE Ocean Boulevard, Stuart, FL 34996 Mention code “PSL Voice” to Receive a Discount Between the Fresh Market & Sewells Point Bridge program that can help you find a position right for you and your bank account. Q: What is the best advice you’d give to newlyweds? A: One thing I recommend to newly married couples is to schedule a weekly financial date. Not a budget meeting, but a date to share your thoughts on your finances. Talk about your financial goals, or spending that may have gotten out of hand that week. The date is to just talk – no numbers crunching. You want to establish an open line of communication with no judgment, fussing (or cussing). Q: My daughter just graduated college and wants to use her gifted graduation money to open a Roth IRA. What are some reliable sources she can use to research and learn how to choose an investment and provider? A: First, keep in mind she has to have taxable income equal to the gifted graduation money to contribute to a Roth IRA. To learn more, I recommend that you send your daughter to Investopedia.com. Have her first read what a Roth is, how much she can contribute each year, etc. As for a provider, have her research lowcost index funds and providers to put into her Roth. Q: Hi Michelle! Recently, I’ve been trying to figure out if, or when, I should convert my 401(k) to a Roth 401(k). I know about the nontaxable part of the Roth 401(k) during retirement, but I also know about the tax costs when converting a 401(k) to a Roth 401(k) as well as how I’d be contributing post-tax dollars to this plan. So here are my questions: 1) How do I calculate how much it would cost me to convert from a 401(k) to a Roth 401(k)? 2) With my current tax bracket (22 percent), would converting hurt me more than help me? Do you actually save more with a Roth 401(k) in the long run, compared to a traditional 401(k)? I already have a Roth IRA separate from work, so do I really need a Roth 401(k)? A: You are asking great questions. I would recommend you seek advice from a fee-only financial planner who can take a look at your entire retirement plan to see what’s best for you. Q: I have a question about nontaxable investment accounts! I have a nontaxable investment account that was started for me over 20 years ago. It only has mutual funds in it. The growth is good, but should I try to make this account more passive than active in investing? I thought about selling all of the mutual funds and using that money (as well as what’s been earned) and investing in more exchange-traded funds or target date funds. But not sure if that’s a good idea or not. A: I would recommend you seek advice from a fee-only financial planner who can take a look at your entire retirement plan to see what’s best for you.

28 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE www.stlucievoice.com [email protected] www.JacquelineSellsFL.com 772-529-1368 Jacqueline Cohen Real Estate Agent YOUR FIRST CHOICE FOR LESS STRESS WITH AN AGENT WHO CARES As fall draws nearer, the days are inching shorter and temperatures in some parts of the country are starting to drop a bit. August can still be sweltering, though, making it an ideal time for indoor projects and preparations for heading on vacation. Here are some home tasks to tackle this month. Upgrade locks More residential burglaries occur in the summer than in any other season. (Winter is least risky.) To keep your house from becoming a statistic, replace or repair any locks that don’t work. If your house doesn’t have deadbolts, install them. Deadbolts that require a key to open on the inside might make you feel more secure, especially if you have a door with glass, but they aren’t legal in many communities because someone without a key couldn’t escape a fire. Although you can install a lock yourself if you are handy, hiring a locksmith might be wise. A professional can also evaluate your doors and door frames and make sure you have high-security strike plates and heavy-duty screws long enough to bite into the framing behind the door trim. The most secure locks have a high-security ANSI Grade 1 rating; locks labeled as Grades 2 and 3 offer less protection. If the packaging doesn’t specify, check the manufacturer’s website. Is it time to switch to a smart lock? Maybe one with fingerprint or voice sensors, allowing you to open the door without a key or a code? Most models have an industrial look, but the Level Lock Bolt (the Touch Edition lists for $329 at level. co) works with your existing hardware. Replace only the deadbolt so the door looks no different on the front or back; only the edge of the door reveals the switch. Fix leaks A dripping faucet might seem like a trivial home maintenance issue if the water lands in a sink, and can’t damage the floor or furniture. But one drip a second adds up to 3,153.6 gallons of water a year, according to a drip calculator at drinktap.org, sponsored by the American Water Works Association. Fixing a leak is simple enough once you understand the type of faucet you have. This Old House has a guide on how to determine whether you have a cartridge, compression, ceramic disk or ball type faucet and how to fix each one. A toilet flapper that doesn’t seal tightly between flushes is another kind of leak, one that might not even make a sound. But it can waste 200 gallons of water a day – enough to make a significant difference on a water bill. Test for a toilet leak by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank. Wait at least 10 minutes without flushing. If the color shows up in the bowl, you have a leak. When you go to a hardware store for a replacement flapper, take the old one with you so you get one that fits. Replace toilets Toilets typically account for almost 30 percent of the water used in a home, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Replacing an old one – or even a relatively new one that you have to flush multiple times to get the job done – is the perfect indoor task for hot weather. The best new toilets work on the first flush and use dramatically less water than old ones, enough to save more than $140 a year in water costs, according to the EPA’s WaterSense program. Don’t choose one based on price; instead, look for toilets with the WaterSense label, an EPA partnership program that identifies Eight tasks for your August home maintenance checklist BY JEANNE HUBER | The Washington Post CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

30 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE www.stlucievoice.com toilets that work well and are water-efficient. To find toilets that work even better, look at the model-specific ratings from a program known as Maximum Performance. Toilets with a MaP Premium rating use 14 percent less water and reliably flush 170 percent more waste than the WaterSense standards require. Replace air conditioner filters Unless you’ve done it recently, replace or clean your air conditioner’s filter. This one step can lower the air conditioner’s energy use by 5 percent to 15 percent, according to the U.S. Energy Department. An air conditioner works better when the filter is clean because it takes extra energy to pull air through a dirty filter. Although some manufacturers recommend cleaning or changing the filter only every three to nine months, the Department of Energy recommends doing it every month or two during the cooling season, and even more frequently if you have furry indoor pets. While you’re thinking of air conditioner maintenance, also check and clean the evaporator and the outdoor condenser. If the fins on the coils are bent, straighten them with a fin comb (a set that works on six spacings between fins lists for $7.99 on Amazon). Tackle an easy upgrade It’s easy to be in a languid mood on a hot August day, but sometimes you just want to feel like you accomplished something. Look around and pick one easy upgrade, such as updating hardware on kitchen cabinets, installing new curtains, or swapping a standard shower curtain rod with a curved one to make the space less cramped. Or you can reduce the clutter in your primary home entry by adding shelves, hooks and a chair or bench for taking shoes on and off. Piggyback on back-to-school sales August is the month for back-to-school sales at stores selling office supplies, office furniture, linens and storage containers. If you need to set up a home office or want to redo one you already have, it’s a great time to get the furniture and supplies. Or if a summer of hosting guests on the couch has convinced you to set up a dedicated guest room, check out the sales aimed at teens shopping for a dorm or a first apartment. Tidy up the garden Cut back spent flowers and vegetable plants that are no longer producing or look tired. Forgo that last handful of beans or zucchini and clear out the bed so you can grow varieties that have short growing seasons and thrive in cool weather. Depending on where you live, you may be able to plant seeds or transplant nursery seedlings in time for fall harvests of leafy greens such as Swiss chard and kale, peas or string beans (bush beans usually mature earlier than pole beans) and more. Check with your local nursery because options vary considerably depending on latitude and climate. Prepare to sneak away When your other chores are done and you’re ready to head out on vacation, protect your home from break-ins by making it look as if you never left. Buy a couple of timers and set them to turn a radio and key lights on and off at hours similar to what you usually do. Keep shades and blinds in their normal position. Arrange to have mail stopped, newspapers taken in and the lawn mowed. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

Elise Danielian 772-418-2992 [email protected] Ingrid Hewitt 772-203-7800 [email protected] Isabelle Pollock 772-713-3221 [email protected] TREASURE COAST TRIO Top Producing Team WE’VE BEEN BUSY! Elise Danielian 772-418-2992 [email protected] Ingrid Hewitt 772-203-7800 [email protected] Isabelle Pollock 772-713-3221 [email protected] 17004 SW AMBROSE WAY • VERANO OFFERED AT $639,900 11958 SW LAGUNA BAY PARKWAY • VALENCIA GROVE OFFERED AT $775,000 11959 SW VANO WAY • VERANO OFFERED AT $1,125,000 11250 SW LUNATA WAY • CRESSWIND AT VERANO OFFERED AT $625,000 11311 SW VISCONTI WAY • VERANO OFFERED AT $475,000 8032 LINKS WAY • PGA VILLAGE OFFERED AT $799,900 612 SE VILLANDRY WAY • VERANDA GARDENS OFFERED AT $519,000 10618 SW VISCONTI WAY • VERANO OFFERED AT $599,900 8614 SW FELICITA WAY • VERANO OFFERED AT $828,360 9039 SW ROCCIA WAY • CRESSWIND AT VERANO OFFERED AT $899,900 7370 PINE CREEK WAY • PGA VILLAGE OFFERED AT $389,900 1812 SW IMPORT DRIVE • GATLIN AREA OFFERED AT $325,000 NEW LISTING AVAILABLE AVAILABLE NEW LISTING AVAILABLE AVAILABLE AVAILABLE AVAILABLE — FEATURED LISTINGS — UNDER CONTRACT UNDER CONTRACT SOLD SOLD

fun, festivities food THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 2023 YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SECTION The MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Event Center is the spot to help get your children ready for school. It starts this Saturday with the Christian FM Back to School Family Expo. There will be food, fun, education and fellowship at this event. It runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free and it is open to the public. For more information, visit ChristianFM.com/backtoschool or call 833- 735-6637. The following day, children can get free haircuts for back to school at the “3rd Annual Cuttin’ It United.” The event includes giveaways and food. It runs from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Both events will be held at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Event Center, 9221 SE Event Center Place, Port St. Lucie. For more information, visit CityOfPSL.com. The Southern Slam by Nuthin’ Fancy – Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd performs at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, at Sunrise Theatre. Expect the classics like “Gimme Three Steps,” “Sweet Home Alabama” and, of course, “Free Bird.” Based in Tampa Bay, Nuthin’ Fancy has played at theaters, festivals and large venues. Members have toured or recorded with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet, Blackfoot & The Outlaws and more. Also on stage will be Gator Country. Tickets range from $30 to $50. Sunrise Theatre is at 117 S 2nd St., Fort Pierce. Call 772-461-4775 or visit SunriseTheatre.com. The Lyric Theatre is busy with shows. First is the free family fun book event, when Sherry Dunn reads and signs copies of her children’s book “Maddie and Jasmine.” That takes place at 2 p.m. CONTINUED ON PAGE B10 2 BY PAM HARBAUGH | Correspondent 1 Coming Up! LOTS OF ‘BACK TO SCHOOL’ BUZZ AT THE EVENT CENTER 3 PHOTOS: LINDA KLOORFAIN YOU HAD TO ‘BEE’ THERE! F-U-N was the word at the 17th Annual Adult Spelling Bee last Thursday. Clockwise from above left: Shannon Glendinning of the St. Lucie County Humane Society gets a $4,000 check from Veronica Kolibab after fundraising for a place to be at the judges’ table; Crystal Monhollen, Victoria Lewis and Jennifer Richards of All Area Roofing react to a judge’s call; a big crowd attends the event – a fundraiser for the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce – at Sailfish Brewery in Fort Pierce; Derrick Neese smiles as his dad, Larry Neese of Neese Roofing, pulls another mulligan from his pocket to continue in the Bee; and Laurie Blandford celebrates with her team after being announced as the winners.

“Cars and art have always been part of my life,” says Jim Cohoe, who, like others raised in Michigan, considers himself a car guy. As a child, he customized his bicycles to look cool and as a teenager hung out at local gas stations after school, plopping peanuts in his Coca Cola bottle and talking cars with his buddies, and he also enjoys attending autocrosses, drag races and sports car races. There was also, however, a softer, artistic side to life in Detroit, where his father was a watercolor artist and other family members were painters and museum docents. Although Cohoe is now a well-regarded potter, his first artistic passion was fine art photography. He began to dabble in photography in the 1960’s, and had pieces accepted into juried exhibits at Michigan’s Flint Institute of Arts, but didn’t begin to seriously pursue it until he took some classes in Vero Beach. “I wasn’t able to hone into my artistic skills until later in life. My wife and I started spending winters in Vero Beach about 25 years ago and I started taking classes at the Vero Beach Museum of Art,” says Cohoe, who moved to the Treasure Coast permanently about eight years ago. “What really ignited my creative fire ARTIST PROFILE B2 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | ARTS www.stlucievoice.com BY KERRY FIRTH | Correspondent was a photography class I took with Aric Attis at the Vero Beach Museum of Art. We would take photos and then critique them in class. Attis described my photos in ways I didn’t understand at first, until it dawned on me that he was reading me based on my photographs,” says Cohoe. “It was then that I realized that if you are into art, you are expressing yourself through your art. It could be any medium – music, brush, clay. It was an awakening to me.” He had great success with his photography, gaining recognition and having his work shown in several national shows, including at the iconic Soho Gallery in New York City. “As I grew older, photography was getting physically demanding. I also found myself competing with younger people at juried art shows who were intuitively more adept at different photography apps. I found myself working extra hard just to keep up,” says Cohoe. “For recreation I started working with my hands in clay and it felt good.” Working in clay offered another way to express himself artistically and he spent several years studying various techniques and developing a style that hearkened back to his Michigan days. “My love of cars shows in my clay art,” says Cohoe. “Sometimes, it’s subtle and sometimes it smacks you in the face. My tall floor or garden vases are reminders of the sensual lines we see on European sports cars like the Jaguar XKE. The lines of some of my vases are also similar to the sweeping curves on the Art Deco vehicles recently shown at the Vero Beach Museum of Art,” he explains. “The smacks-you-in-the-face part shows up big in my mechanical clay works. I show designer nuts and bolts. A big old clay nut with a beautiful floral arrangement in it makes a whole new statement for the dining room table.” Cohoe often uses coils to shape his garden vases, similar to the way it has been done for thousands of years. Occasionally he will sketch out his ideas and other times he just allows the clay to progress on its own. “One of the beauties of working with clay is that a sculpture often takes on a life of its own and evolves into something different along the way. I like to work freehand and make changes throughout the process.” Cohoe’s nuts, bolts and other mechanically themed pieces are primarily worked as slab pottery. In that process, the clay is laid out flat on a machine with slab rollers that allow it to be uniformly cut as thick or thin as he wants. Once it’s sliced to the desired thickness, Cohoe cuts it into whatever shape he wishes, molding the clay into his own unique creation. “I like to have fun with people’s eyes,” he says, explaining that he often likes to make his bolts off center, in a fashion that would render them Revved up about pottery Car guy Jim Cohoe ‘nuts’ for clay art, too Jim Cohoe. PHOTOS: JOSHUA KODIS

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | ARTS August 3, 2023 B3 totally useless in their intended life. “But people who are a bit quirky or off-centered relate to this and find it amusing.” Also in keeping with his car guy image, Cohoe often finishes his pieces with red and burnt umber oxides to give a metallic or rusty metal appearance, using glazes with names such as ancient copper and bronze temmoku. Other times he prefers to not glaze the piece, letting it take on its natural hues during a second firing. These days, Cohoe can be found playing with clay at Indian River Clay nearly every afternoon, after a rousing game of pickleball or morning walk with his wife. “I enjoy pushing myself and stretching my creativity,” he says. “I like building something that nobody else has. This is strictly a hobby for me, and I make it for my own self-satisfaction. If it sells, that’s fine, but if it doesn’t, I’ll take it over to the Humane Society thrift shop and let them sell it.” Cohoe has exhibited his ceramics in juried shows locally and has received multiple awards in the 3D/sculpture categories in the Vero Beach Art Club’s Art by the Sea show at the Vero Beach Museum of Art and the Best of the Best show at the A.E. Backus Museum and Gallery in Fort Pierce. He collaborated on several sculptures with fellow potter Mallory Wixson-O’Malley including for this past spring’s Yours, Mine and Ours exhibition at Raw Space Gallery in Vero Beach, and their joint piece, Metallica, was accepted into the juried show Treasure Coast Creates: A Tribute to Local Artists, currently on display at the VBMA. In November, Cohoe will be showcasing his nuts and bolts sculptures and garden vases at Gallery 14, 1911 14th Ave., Vero Beach (gallery14verobeach.com), with the preview occurring during the Nov. 3 First Friday Art Stroll in the Vero Beach arts district.

Picture Oscar. It will be presented Nov. 3-19. Take some time for the holidays with “Jingle Bells & Christmas Melodies,” which takes the stage Dec. 1-10. Enjoy favorite holiday tunes and holiday-themed skits to put you in the mood for the season. A perfect holiday gift would be tickets to “Nana’s Naughty Knickers,” which runs from Jan. 12-28. The Katherine DiSavino play features Bridget, who is about to become roommates with the grandmother. She discovers that grandma is running an illegal boutique from the apartment, selling naughty handmade knickers to senior citizens in all five New York boroughs. Celebrate Valentine’s Day with A.R. Gurney’s “Love Letters,” running from Feb. 9-18. The two-person show is about a pair who grew up together and exchange letters over a lifetime. As they read the letters aloud, what is created is an evocative, touching, often funny and revealing character study that tells as much about the writers as the letters themselves do. “The Bridges of Madison County” was a blockbuster book and movie that was One of the great things that has happened in the last decade or so is that theater is available in our area virtually year-round. The Treasure Coast Theatre’s dramatic musical “Next to Normal” is featured in the accompanying story, and they have a 2023-2024 season that extends through next June. “Crossing Delancey,” which runs from Sept. 15-Oct. 1, is Susan Sandler’s romantic comedy that inspired the Golden Globe-nominated 1988 film. A young Jewish woman looks for love in New York City, and with the help of her irascible grandmother, struggles to choose between a handsome, successful author and a gentle, unpretentious pickle vendor. November brings Dale Wasserman’s adaptation of Ken Kesey’s classic novel, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” This Tony Award -winning stage adaptation explores the brutality of life in a mental institution with humor, honesty and unforgettable characters, including Nurse Ratched, whose name has become synonymous for cruelty. The play was later made into a film that won the Best B4 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | ARTS www.stlucievoice.com BY SHELLEY KOPPEL | Staff Writer [email protected] The Lyric Theatre 59 SW Flagler Ave., Stuart LyricTheatre.com Box Office 10 am - 4 pm Mon - Sat 772-286-7827 Saturday, August 12th, 7:00 pm “Quite possibly the best 120min of 50’s, 60’s music that you will experience on one stage!” The Lyric Theatre presents The NY Rockabilly Rockets “A nostalgic Journey through Vintage Rock & Roll. A Dynamic full production Vegas show. If you love Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis, Johnny Cash, Bill Haley & his Comets, Eddie Arnold, the Stray Cats, Dion, Del Shannon, Bobby Vee, Chuck Berry, the Ronettes and many other greats, don’t miss this show. Strap yourself in, hold on and “ Get Ready for Lift Off ” Musicals have a long history of dealing with challenging subjects. Two of the most beloved, “West Side Story” and “South Pacific,” deal with issues of race. Yes, in South Pacific, there are entertaining songs like “There is Nothing Like a Dame” and “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair,” but there’s also the poignant “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught,” which tells how people learn to fear those that are not like them. “Next to Normal” is another musical with something to say. The musical by Brian Yorkey and Tom Witt won three Tony Awards in 2009 and the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, only the eighth musical to receive that honor. The Pulitzer Board called it “a powerful rock musical that grapples with mental illness in a suburban family and expands the scope of subject matter for musicals.” The Treasure Coast Theatre will present the challenging musical Aug. 11-27 and assistant director and BY SHELLEY KOPPEL | Staff Writer [email protected] TREASURE COAST IT’S SITUATION THEATRE OFFERS ENTICING LINEUP Trinna Pye (Diana) and Scott Laird (Dan) in “Next to Normal.” PHOTO COURTESY OF TREASURE COAST THEATRE

made into a Tony-winning musical, based on Marsha Norman’s book, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown. Focusing on a love affair between a disillusioned housewife (and do we use that word anymore?) and a photographer, the show runs from March 8-24. Alan Menchell’s “The Cemetery Club” is a moving and funny comedy about three very different Jewish widows who meet once a month for tea and to visit their husbands’ graves. They support and guide each other as they try to move on with their lives. It will be presented April 12-28. Get ready to tap your feet as “Broadway Through the Years” comes to town. From the earliest days on the Great White Way to today’s Broadway, local singers will present tunes from musicals from each of the last 10 decades. Enjoy songs from Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hammerstein. Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim and more May 10-19. The season ends with a Neil Simon play, “Barefoot in the Park,” which runs from June 7-23. This tale of newlyweds Paul and Corie is a little love letter to New York and young love, which is not without its trials as they quickly get a visit from Corie’s loopy mom. It’s an everything-that-can-go-wrong-does outing that will leave you laughing. The Treasure Coast Theatre is located at 10175 S. U.S. 1, in the Bealls Shopping Plaza in Port St. Lucie. For ticket information, visit the website at treasurecoasttheatre.com or call 772-418-2439. To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | ARTS August 3, 2023 B5 co-founder Rosemary Knight spoke about why they chose it. “It is moving and the music is powerful,” she said. “There is a reason it won the awards. The music is amazing and it loops in my head. It has a great story about relationships, not just mental illness. It’s about how they grow as a family. We do the occasional farces, but I like the stories with meat where you can laugh, cry and leave the theater thinking about it. ‘Next to Normal’ does have funny moments and there is a shocking plot twist that comes in half-way. While there are major family issues, there is a lot of love. The bottom line is that the mother’s mental illness drives the dynamic of the family. They are a loving family and they support each other, but it comes at a price.” The production is a family affair, with Rosemary Knight’s daughter, Samantha, who was on vacation at the time of the interview, serving as the director. Samantha Knight is the theater director at Jupiter High School. “This is one of her favorite shows,” Rosemary Knight said. “She lobbied for me to do it. She felt it was important to do it, to do something about mental health.” Knight has high praise for the cast, which has three drama teachers in the adult roles. Trinna Pye of St. Lucie West Centennial High School plays Diana Goodman, Scott Laird of Tradition Preparatory High School plays Dan Goodman, and Christopher Ketchum of Renaissance Charter School is the doctor. Knight noted that teachers have the opportunity to show their acting chops in the summer, when they’re not teaching. The actors playing the younger roles have impressive resumes, as well. “Alex Martinez is the son, Gabe,” Knight said. “He’s done quite a lot of local theater. Elizabeth Leinhardt is Natalie, the daughter. She’s in college at FAU and did one show with us before. She’s grown up in the theater. We met her at the Barn Theatre Summer Camp when she was 10. It’s nice to see her grow up into such a role. Jayzen Shader, who plays Henry, the boyfriend, is still in high school, at Centennial. It’s a really cohesive cast and they’re all incredibly talented. It’s a complex score but they are amazingly talented and will not disappoint. Even though the subject matter is serious, the music is so moving that you will leave the theater with songs you will not forget.” It is exciting when we have an opportunity on the Treasure Coast to see thoughtful theater that entertains in the broadest sense. This show covers the gamut. “There are sad moments, but also levity, comedy and amazing music,” Knight said. “Everything is wrapped up in one.” The Treasure Coast Theatre is located at 10175 S. U.S. 1, in the Bealls Shopping Plaza in Port St. Lucie. For ticket information, visit the website at treasurecoasttheatre. com or call 772-418-2439. ‘NEXT TO NORMAL’ FOR UP-TO-CHALLENGE TROUPE

B6 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | ARTS www.stlucievoice.com The musical “Kinky Boots” is another of one of those shows with an amazing pedigree. With a book by Harvey Fierstein and music by Cyndi Lauper, the show won three Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score for Lauper in her first Broadway effort. She was the first woman to gain a solo win in that category. It also won a British Olivier Award for Best New Musical. The Barn Theatre in Stuart will present the award-winning show Sept. 14-Oct. 1. It tells the story of Charlie, who inherits a shoe factory from his father, but is struggling to keep it afloat. He partners with drag queen Lola to produce high-heeled boots and save the business. Bryan Childe, the Barn’s theatrical director, spoke about why he believes this show is so important right now. “It is a show about being who you are,” he said. “Especially now, it is a powerful show about accepting who you are and who others are. It’s a wonderful show.” The cast is led by Serenity Jade-Paris as Lola and Jake Sanders as Charlie. “What I’m very happy about is that we have an eclectic array of drag queens, all types of people,” Childe said. “It’s really fun. We’re very fortunate to be renting costumes from a theatrical company and we bought custom boots made for each actor.” That’s 20 pairs of custom boots, ladies and gentlemen. After all, they have to dance in them. “We have an amazing set designer, Gus McCall, and I’m bringing down a gentleman from Orlando, Nick Hogan. He started in the internship program when he was at Martin County High School, and now he does professional theater. He’s coming down to do the lighting. We have a stellar choreographer, Andy Morejon, and the vocal coach, Mariano Garcia IV. This show cannot be done alone, without an entire team and production staff. It’s a monster show.” Rounding out the production team are producer Mary Murphy, stage and props manager Kathleen Weaver, costumer Marcia Molinari, sound designer Sophia Fuentes, and makeup and hair designer Jennifer Bradshaw. Childe said that this show has a message that speaks to everyone, as did a previous show, “La Cage aux Folles.” “This show says it’s OK to be who you are,” he said. “I think this show is universal. I’m fortunate to be able to bring this to the stage – and who doesn’t love Cyndi Lauper? We hope to entertain, first. Then, we don’t know who’s in the audience. Maybe it will give hope. Theater is supposed to be about being able to express yourself. That’s what theater is, expressing who you are. If you saw ‘La Cage,’ you’re in for a wonderful night.” Up next for the Barn is the Ken Ludwig comedy “Lend Me a Tenor.” Check the website for the entire 53rd season. The Barn Theatre, 2400 SE Ocean Blvd., Stuart, presents Kinky Boots Sept. 14-Oct. 1. Call 772-287-4884 or visit the website barn-theatre.com. High-heeled entertainment at the Barn BY SHELLEY KOPPEL | Staff Writer [email protected] PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BARN THEATRE ‘KINKY BOOTS’ PHOTOS: LINDA KLOORFAIN Rakhshan Cain as Carlos and Taraji Harrison as Cruella, right, perform with E.N.D. It! in the Descendants Musical at the McAlpin Fine Arts Center in Fort Pierce last Friday. E.N.D. It! stands for ‘Everybody Is Not Doing It,’ and aims to provide positive peer pressure to youth in the community. Above: Jakhia Lifhred performs as Maleficent with Yazmin Sosa as Mal. ‘E.N.D. IT!’ ENLIGHTENS ...

Venerable Sunrise Theatre celebrates its centennial in (Roaring ’20s) style To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | PEOPLE August 3, 2023 B7 ‘SPEAK’ OF THE REVEL! They arrived in their finest 1920’s attire – women in their sequined flapper gowns adorned with long pearls and tassels, and men in their pinstriped suits with dapper fedoras – for the centennial celebration at Sunrise Theatre last Saturday night. Yet, after posing with the antique automobiles parked out front, they were confronted with locked doors and a sign stating, ‘Closed for violation of the national prohibition acts by order of the United States District Court.’ Not to worry. These special guests knew of an obscure entrance off the side alley and a secret password and knock to gain access to the theater, which had been magically transformed into an underground gin joint reminiscent of those in the Roaring ’20s years of prohibition. Once access was granted, attendees stepped back in time to a glamorous era starting with the Speakeasy jazz room featuring Mark Green & the Rowdy Roosters of the Fort Pierce Jazz and Blues Society. Some kicked up their heels on the dance floor while others grabbed a table adorned with black-and-white features and beads to enjoy the music while indulging on light bites and libations. “We’ve been planning this celebration since last November,” said Sharon Engle, Sunrise Theatre executive director. “The turnout is fantastic as we have sold over 500 tickets. I’m sure all of our guests are going to have a rip-roaring good time tonight.” After passing through a black tunnel, guests entered the Grand Casino (formally the theater lobby) where they could try their luck with slot machines, double down on blackjack, or roll the dice. As in all casinos, gamblers bellied up to the bar for more liquid courage, which of course was all in fun because in reality, it was just funny money they were gambling. Next stop was the Vaudeville Stage, where silent movies were enhanced by the Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra – one of the leading ragtime orchestras in the United States. All-time favorite movies of the era – including “Cops,” starring Buster Keaton, “The Vagabond,” with Charlie Chaplin, and “Big Business,” with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy – were featured throughout the evening. Of course, even big band orchestras need to have a break, and that’s when guests timidly took to the stage to learn to dance the Charleston from seasoned dance pros. After a few how-to tips, their inhibitions faded and they were dancing up a storm. Upstairs in the Friends Lounge and Bourbon Bar, partiers helped themselves to a huge buffet overflowing with delights for everyone’s pallet. More drinks were poured as they mingled and enjoyed music by Indian River State College alumni Dr. Dale Reith, Raven Lawrence and Justin Hines. There was no room for dancing in this venue, however, as it was standing room only for the happy revelers. Rumors spread about a secret room even further upstairs on the third floor where the original owners (the Koblegards) lived. No one would reveal what was happening up there, and with tall tales of past hauntings, only the brave ventured up to Rupert’s Roost, as it was affectionately named by the Koblegard family. As it turned out, in keeping with the stories of hauntings, guests were treated to their personal psychic reading by one of three local psychics. Before the Speakeasy closed to avoid a raid, everyone was invited to gather in the main theater for a thank-you champagne toast and a slice of the Sunrise Theatre’s 100th birthday cake. And just like that, the magical evening came to a close. It’s safe to say that this was a once-in-a-century event that’s hard to duplicate. Hopefully, Sunrise Theatre will revive the ‘Speakeasy’ sooner than that. All proceeds from the event went to the Sunrise Theatre Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)3, to assist with their mission to bring the experience of performing arts to children and to support theatre improvements which will enhance the theatre to fulfill its purpose within the community. BY KERRY FIRTH | Correspondent Robert Bluestone and Joanne Rivers. Don Rinelli and Sharon Engle. John Waite, and Aaron, Karen and John Franke. Ashley Franke and Brooke Steinkemp. Elaine Bell, Chris Medvetz and Toni Medvetz. Joanne McCurby and Michelle Miller. Dan Christopher, Greg Flicks and Joshua Lindoz at the blackjack table. PHOTOS: KERRY FIRTH

B8 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | PEOPLE www.stlucievoice.com More than 1,000 people volunteered for the 16th Annual Treasure Coast Waterway Cleanup, picking up litter and refuse to improve the water quality in the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon. Among the cleanup sites in St. Lucie County last Saturday were the River Park Marina, 500 East Prima Vista Blvd.; Veterans Park at Rivergate, 2100 SE Veterans Memorial Parkway; C-24 Canal Park, 2628 Southeast Oaklyn St.; and White City Park, 2081 West Midway Road. Valerie Lindh, the Waterway Cleanup’s logistics coordinator since its start in 2007, said more than 1,059 people had registered for the cleanup in St. Lucie, Indian River and Martin counties. “Anyone who appreciates and loves the water participates in this event,” Lindh said. “I would like to think that things are getting cleaner.” Workers from local Home Depot stores assisted with the River Park Marina cleanup, collecting refuse ranging from rotting clothes to a junked pedal-boat. Patricia Milazzo, a manager at the Home Depot, 2200 Southwest Gatlin Blvd., said her team’s participation in the event is part of their Team Depot Foundation volunteer efforts. Home Depot donated garbage bags and tools to aid in litter collection, Milazzo said. “We just wish people would be ‘good community partners,’” Milazzo said. “When you’re in the waterways, keep your trash contained; don’t let it blow out. It hurts wildlife.” Veterans Park at Rivergate saw the city’s largest turnout where more than 30 parents and children, including members of Cub Scouts Pack 402, joined the volunteer team. Jinette Stevens, who chaperoned her four granddaughters and younger cousins at the Rivergate cleanup, called for boaters to avoid littering local waterways with even the small bits of trash. “Especially on boats, people tend to throw something overboard, so [they think] ‘who cares?’” Stevens said. “(More awareness) is needed.” Once, while fishing in Jensen Beach, Stevens’ group got an unpleasant surprise after reeling in a fish. “We caught a fish with a cigar butt in its stomach,” Stevens said. Stevens’ granddaughter Natalie Thomas was one of several cleanup organizers at Rivergate. She is preparing to study Environmental Science at Willamette University of Salem, Oregon, this fall. “I’ve always been in love with the water and fond of nature. I felt comfort in it,” Thomas said. Thomas and her family managed the roster and weighed the trash for the Cleanup’s Riverwalk leg. “Last year, I stumbled on the Waterway Cleanups down at Jensen Beach while my family and I were out on the boat,” Thomas said. Meredith Leedham led Cub Scout Pack 402 in their participation with the Waterway Cleanup. “One of the things [the kids] love to do is to leave the community better than they found it,” Leedham said. “The kids come to fish, canoe and swim. That’s why it’s important to come out and clean [the water] up. It’s not going to be as much fun if it’s filled with trash.” Melanie Yanez, a mother of two with Pack 402, said her 8-year-old daughter Grace was eager to share her insights on HEAP OF HELP: Waterway Cleanup here draws over 1,000 volunteers BY CHARLES CALOIA | Correspondent 3,000 Bolts of Cotton & Batik Fabrics. Servicing All Brands of Sewing Machines. Check Our Website For Our Class Schedule www.PamsFabricNook.com Email Us At: [email protected] Authorized Dealer WE HAVE A FULL RANGE OF MACHINES FOR SALE! Visit our Stuart location: 2462 SE Federal Hwy. • 772-600-5455 TUES-FRI 10-4, SAT 10-3 Visit our New Location at 9024 S. US Hwy. 1 • 772-800-3019 Home Depot workers volunteer in the Waterway Cleanup last Saturday at the River Park Marina. Their haul included a junked pedalboat, left, and a rotting jacket, right. Below, Cub Scouts Pack 402 at the Veterans Park site.

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | PEOPLE August 3, 2023 B9 local insects and birds while participating in the cleanup. “I like that we found a lot of trash,” Grace said. The C-24 Canal Park attracted four participants, two working on land and two working from a boat. One of the volunteers, Isabelle Briand, said she keeps informed about water quality issues threatening the Fort Pierce Inlet and Indian River Lagoon. “I’m very concerned about [the state’s] overall ecological health,” Briand said. “I’m hearing the sea grasses are in terrible shape in the lagoon. Part of the problem is the runoff.” Another volunteer, Robert Sherman, said the annual waterway cleanup is a good way to bring attention to local water quality issues. “Once you do some of these pickups, you can’t help it,” Sherman said. “I get here first thing this morning and I’m pulling weeds, it’s all part of it.” The yearly cleanup at White City Park pulled in a glut of trash related to fishing in the North Fork of the St. Lucie River, including traps, nets and lures, all of which pose a danger to local marine life. Tessa Roberts, who works at St. Lucie County’s Oxbow Preserve’s Eco-Center, said she counted 25 volunteers at White City Park who picked up “several hundred pounds” of trash including “glass bottles, take-out containers, cigarette butts and plastic like crazy.” “We’ve been hosting the event at White City Park for the past five years,” Roberts said. The results of this year’s Cleanup will be announced later in August, Lindh said. The 2022 Waterway Cleanup saw 538 people picking up 1.57 tons of trash throughout St. Lucie County. Treasure Coast-wide, 1,181 people picked up 3.90 tons of trash in the three counties last year. Natalie Thomas and her cousin Olympia participate in the cleanup at Veterans Park at Rivergate. Below, volunteers at White City Park peck through large bits of bulk trash including, bottom left and bottom right, abandoned fishing nets and a 30-pound water pump. PHOTOS: CHARLES CALOIA

B10 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | PEOPLE www.stlucievoice.com 4 Welcome to Port Barna Restaurant Port Barna is a family-owned and operated restaurant specializing in healthy cuisine with authentic flavors from around the globe including Mediterranean, Moroccan, Greek, French and Italian food. Founded by noted Chef Pablo, Port Barna provides a warm, cozy dining experience, mixing fresh seasonal dishes with an innovative take on classic cuisine. HAPPY HOUR - Every Day - 3:00 - 6:00 PM You must try our House Cocktails, our Draft Beers and Wine options TUESDAY & THURSDAY - 40% off all TAPAS LUNCH SPECIALS - until 3pm Monday to Friday PAELLA SPECIALS - for 4 every day FULL BAR - Great selection of wines and beers Main entrance Treasure Coast Mall Jensen Beach 3478 NW Federal Hwy., Jensen Beach FL 34957 (772) 232-6738 PortBarna.com Thursday, Aug. 3. The next day, Eric Johanson performs at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 4. Johanson is a multiple top-10 Billboard guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. His genre is blues, rock and progressive Americana. His four solo releases – Live at DBA, New Orleans Bootleg; Covered Tracks, Vol. 1; Covered Tracks, Vol. 2; and Below Sea Level – went into the Top 10 on the Billboard blues charts and the Jan. 23, 2023, issue of Guitar Player magazine listed him as one of 25 Top New Blues Guitarists. Tickets are $35. The following week, blues musician Selwyn Birchwood performs at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 11. Rolling Stone magazine calls Birchwood a “remarkable, contemporary bluesman.” Tickets to that are $35. The New York Rockabilly Rockets will perform “Shake Rattle Roll” beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12. The two-hour show will feature ’50s and ’60s music that could get you to your feet. The Vintage Rock & Roll Vegas-style show includes a spectacle of lights, sound, stage props, wardrobe changes and more. So if you can’t get enough Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis, Johnny Cash and more, then you’ll want to make this show. Tickets are $52. The Lyric Theatre is at 59 SW Flagler Ave., Stuart. For more information, call 772- 286-7827 or visit LyricTheatre.com. The Space Coast Symphony Orchestra has something a little different planned this Sunday. It’s a multi-media experience at the AMC Indian River 24. The orchestra will present “The Wild West,” an epic film music concert taking concert goers through their favorite Hollywood Westerns. The program includes music from “The Magnificent Seven,” “Silverado,” “High Noon,” “The Big Country,” “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” “How the West Was Won,” “The Cowboys” and much more. The orchestra will perform while film clips play behind them on the big screen. The program also features the world premiere of Mark Piszczek’s original composition “American Frontier Suite.” Piszczek’s work is a symphonic one informed by folk songs and songs identified with the Old West and American frontier, including “Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie,” “Tumbling Tumbleweeds,” “Yellow Rose of Texas,” “Red River Valley” and others. Space Coast Symphony Orchestra conductor and artistic director Aaron T. Collins says the audience should enjoy this unusual location for a concert, which is apt considering both the music performed and the Hollywood aspect of it. “These are some of the most amazing soundtracks in cinematic history. Add a bucket of popcorn, cowboys, stagecoaches and larger than life scenery, and you’ve got the perfect summer afternoon.” The performance begins 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 6, at the AMC Indian River 24 located at 6200 20th St, #600, Vero Beach. Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door. Concertgoers 18 and younger or those with a college ID are admitted free. For more information, call 855-252-7276 or visit SpaceCoastSymphony.org. CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1 COMING UP

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | CASUAL AND FINE DINING August 3, 2023 B11 Chef/Family Owned & Operated 1002 SE Port St. Lucie Blvd., Port St. Lucie 772-207-5165 BabalusCubanCafe.com Hours: Tue., Wed., Thur • Sun 11am 8pm • Fri. & Sat. 11am-9pm Chef Favorites Wednesday-Saturday Lunch Specials Tues-Fri 11am-3pm * Appetizers * Salads * Sandwiches * Entrees * Desserts * Cafe * Kids’ Menu Dine In or Take Out WEDNESDAY KIDS’ MEALS 50% OFF 12 & under w/ the purchase of a full priced adult meal. Limited offer. Not to be combined. 1 kid per adult. Lunch Specials Wed-Fri 11am-3pm Appetizers Salads Sandwiches Entrees Desserts Cafe Kids’ Menu Dine In or Take Out SUMMER TEMP HOURS Sun 7am-3pm • Wed & Thurs 7am-8pm • Fri & Sat 7am-9pm • Closed Mon & Tues NOW SERVING BREAKFAST! 7 am-11 am

B12 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | CASUAL AND FINE DINING www.stlucievoice.com Good Food. Good Spirits. Good Times. 2601 SE Morningside Blvd., Port St. Lucie 772-281-2520 • TheSaintsPub.com Follow us on EVERY WEDNESDAY 6:30-9:30 KARAOKE 7-8:30 LINE DANCING LIVE MUSIC & DANCING! FRIDAY 8/4 - Scott Barreta SATURDAY 8/5 - Teri Hines FRIDAY 8/11 - Shepherd & Greene SATURDAY 8/12 - Solid Gold ALL DAY Happy Hour To 6 PM Well Drinks, Wine & Beer! BEST DEAL IN TOWN! DAILY LUNCH MUSIC BINGO - Thurs. 8/17, 6-9 pm SPECIALS $8.99!

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | CASUAL AND FINE DINING August 3, 2023 B13 Early Bird 4PM-5:30PM lunch dinner OFF OFF 2 COURSE DINNER ANY PURCHASE OF $25 OR MORE ANY PURCHASE OF $50 OR MORE DOES NOT INCLUDE ALREADY DISCOUNTED ITEMS, DRINKS & EXCLUDES EARLY BIRD DINNERS. WITH THIS SLV COUPON. MAY NOT BE COMBINED WITH OTHER OFFERS. EXPIRES 9/14/23 DOES NOT INCLUDE ALREADY DISCOUNTED ITEMS, DRINKS & EXCLUDES EARLY BIRD DINNERS. WITH THIS SLV COUPON. MAY NOT BE COMBINED WITH OTHER OFFERS. EXPIRES 9/14/23 $22 $5 $10 772-249-4516 zestkitchenandbar.com 1347 St. Lucie West Blvd., Port St. Lucie Hours: Mon-Thurs 11am-9pm, Fri & Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 10am-2pm BRUNCH Happy Hour 4-6pm $2 OFF Specialty Cocktails $3.50 Well Drinks • $2.50 Select Beers $4 House Wines • $5 Martinis OUTDOOR DINING Full Service Catering for Breakfast, Brunch/ Lunch or Dinner. Large room with beautiful golf course views. WEDDINGS SHOWERS PARTIES MEETINGS EVENTS For Information & Reservations Call 772.281.2520 2601 SE Morningside Blvd., Port St. Lucie CATERING HALL AVAILABLE Full Service The Sandpiper Room at the Saints Golf Course

B14 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | COMMUNITY www.stlucievoice.com CareerSource Research Coast, in collaboration with its dedicated team of veteran staffers, recently hosted a highly impactful Stand Down event aimed at providing essential supplies, services and referrals to homeless and at-risk veterans in St. Lucie, Indian River and Martin counties. The event was a resounding success, leaving a positive impact on the lives of numerous veterans in need. The Stand Down event, a testament to the commitment and compassion of CareerSource Research Coast and its veteran staffers, offered a wide range of crucial support services to the local homeless veteran population. The primary objective of the event was to address the immediate needs of homeless and at-risk veterans while also connecting them with long-term support and assistance if needed. Chris Rainey, Joe Svendsen, Jonathan Frazier and Raul Molina, all esteemed U.S. veterans and dedicated members of CareerSource Research Coast, spearheaded the initiative by collecting hygiene products and other necessities specifically aimed at meeting the needs of homeless veterans. Their efforts, combined with the generosity of numerous community partners and volunteers, resulted in an abundance of supplies to be distributed during the Stand Down event. The event was met with overwhelming appreciation from the veteran community, who expressed heartfelt gratitude for the priority of service they received, and the genuine care demonstrated by CareerSource Research Coast and its committed team. The veterans were deeply touched by the thoughtfulness of those who donated supplies, knowing that they were not forgotten and that others genuinely cared about their well-being. CareerSource ‘Stand Down’ event uplifting for at-risk veterans The Legal Aid Society of West Palm Beach is back at the VA medical center. “Legal Aid does have a grant that allows them to assist veterans on the Treasure Coast,” said Tamecka King, clinical social worker. King said veterans have been asking for the return of free legal help. “Due to COVID, it’s been canceled for a couple years,” she said. “We finally got it back up and running.” The free legal services are available the third Wednesday of every month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To register, call 561-422-8262 or email [email protected]. King said Legal Aid will make impromptu appointments for walk-ins with urgent issues. Veterans do not have to be enrolled in Veterans Health Administration to attend the legal-assistance clinics. The legal help was around from 2017 to the beginning of 2020. The SARS-CoV-2/ COVID-19 pandemic officially reached Florida in March 2020. The World Health Organization and federal government declared in May the pandemic is over. King said the Legal Aid Society got a few grants to fund lawyers with various areas of expertise. One is the VA’s Legal Services for Homeless Veterans and Veterans At-Risk for Homelessness Grant Program. Additionally, the Legal Aid Society is getting local grant funding from MISSION UNITED, the United Way of Palm Beach County. The program has grants that allow it to assist veterans with service-connected disabilities regardless of their income. Some of the areas in which legal aid can help veterans are estate planning, financial planning, power of attorney, housing issues such as landlord-tenant disputes, driver’s license reinstatement, child support modifications, and veterans benefits. One caveat: Legal Aid Society lawyers “don’t do personal injury and they don’t do criminal,” King said. “We refer (people with criminal cases) to the Veterans Justice Outreach Program.” The Department of Veterans Affairs’ facility is at 7305 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach. BY PATRICK McCALLISTER | Correspondent Joel Rusky, whose mother passed away from dementia and who has seen many of his neighbors and friends impacted by Alzheimer’s, recently coordinated the community of Riverland to host a pickleball tournament to raise funds for their local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. “We have many residents who have been affected by this disease and wanted to support the efforts to raise awareness and support a cure,” said Rusky. “I am proud that we exceeded our fundraising goal due to the efforts of the community and their dedication.” The event raised more than $7,000 with 100 participants through The Longest Day initiative from the Alzheimer’s Association Southeast Florida Chapter. Dollars raised will go to care and support programs, research and outreach. For more information, call the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900 or visit alz.org/sefl. LOCAL ATTORNEY MESSER TO SPEAK AT DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S CLUB The next meeting of the Democratic Women’s Club of St. Lucie County will feature Roger Messer, local attorney and author of “Tort Wars.” Messer will be speaking about the rights of the people under the U.S. Constitution and why elections matter. The meeting will take place on Saturday, Aug. 19, beginning at 9:30 a.m., at Unity of Fort Pierce, 3414 Sunrise Blvd, Fort Pierce. The public is invited. Messer’s book focuses on trials and cases handled by the St. Lucie County-based author in his 46-year career in the Florida courts. He is a civil trial attorney and a native Floridian who currently practices with his son, Steven. Messer obtained his undergraduate degree from Florida State University in 1972 and his Juris Doctorate degree from Stetson University College of Law in 1977. Copies of the book, personalized by Messer, will be available for sale at the meeting. For more information on the event and the Democratic Women’s Club of St. Lucie County, contact [email protected]. Riverland pickleballers net $7K for Alzheimer’s research LEGAL AID SOCIETY BACK AT VA TO OFFER VETS FREE SERVICES Joe Svendsen and Jonathan Frazier, CareerSource Research Coast veteran staffers, bring supplies to distribute to the homeless veteran community. – CONTRIBUTED – CONTRIBUTED – CONTRIBUTED

B16 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | COMMUNITY www.stlucievoice.com WHERE ARE THOSE PROPERTY TAXES GOING? CITY’S NEW TOOL SHOWS YOU There’s a new way to find out what services and entities your property taxes are going to. “It’s called the Taxpayer Receipt Tool,” said Caroline Sturgis, Port St. Lucie’s budget director. “It’s a very user-friendly, simple tool to use. It only takes a couple steps – about 30 seconds of entering (data).” The Taxpayer Receipt Tool is online at CityofPSL.com/Taxes. The link is under “Balancing Act Tax Receipt Tool.” “It is mobile-friendly,” Sturgis said. “You can do it from your phone, your computer, your tablet.” Once at the site, a PSL taxpayer enters her or his property’s taxable value. That’s most often not the appraised value. The taxable value is the appraised value minus exemptions, such as homestead. This fiscal year the average taxable value of a home in Port St. Lucie is $144,433. The average tax bill was $3,322. The Taxpayer Receipt Tool has a link to the county property appraiser’s office for taxpayers to check the taxable value of their properties. “Once you have that information, you go back to our tool and put in the taxable property value,” Sturgis said. The city gets a bit less than a quarter of the property taxes paid. Property taxes are split among 16 entities, which include the county and schools. If a property’s taxable value is the average for this fiscal year, then about $765 of the paid taxes went to the city. “What are your taxes funding?” said Sturgis. The Taxpayer Receipt Tool answers with some of the big numbers. “You see how much is going to the police, how much is going to parks and recreation, how much is going to government services,” Sturgis explained. The property owner with the $144,433 taxable value, for example, paid $288 for police and emergency management. Another $98 of that property owner’s taxes this fiscal year went to the city’s Parks and Recreation department. “It’s just for us to provide an accounting to the public of where their tax dollars are going for city operations,” Sturgis said. “It’s a tool we’re doing to promote transparency and accountability for city spending.” August to September is when Florida’s city and county councils and commissions are in the thick of working on budgets and setting next fiscal year’s property tax rates. Everything is set by the end of September. The state’s fiscal year for cities and counties starts on October 1. “With us approaching the budget and property tax season, we are committed to sharing as much information as possible with our residents,” said Sturgis. BY PATRICK McCALLISTER | Correspondent – BY WENDY VOLIVA/CONTRIBUTED Debbi Dahn, Christine Totten and Joan C. Smith. The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary hosted its annual Christmas in July toy drive and fundraiser at the Dolphin Bar & Shrimp House in Jensen Beach on July 20. The island casual event raised over $5,600 and collected more than 160 toys for the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Christmas Assistance program. Every child deserves to experience the joy of opening a gift on Christmas morning. With the love and support of the community, the Salvation Army Angel Tree program provides Christmas gifts to hundreds of children on the Treasure Coast. Once a child has been registered and accepted as an Angel, their Christmas wish list is shared with donors in the community who purchase gifts of new clothing and toys. The gifts are distributed to the family to place under their family Christmas tree. The organization hopes to adopt over 1,500 children through the Angel Tree program this year. “We are so thankful for the Women’s Auxiliary and everyone who helped support this year’s event. We are not only providing Christmas for these children, but we are also providing hope,” said Captain Deanne Jones. The Women’s Auxiliary group has supported local Salvation Army programs for over 20 years through fundraising and volunteer events. For membership information, please get in touch with committee chair Judy Scott at [email protected]. For more about the programs and services of the Salvation Army Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties, visit salvationarmymartin. org. or call 772-288-1471. Sudoku Page B8 Sudoku Page B9 Crossword Page B8 Solutions from Games Pages in July 20, 2023 Edition Crossword Page B9 (Stairway to Knowledge) Captain Nathan and Captain Deanne Jones. PHOTOS: MARYANN KETCHAM Dawn Blair and Kathie Voldish. Sue Yarusso and Bonnie Haefele. Kathy and Charlie Stracuzzi. Gary Blackmon and Dr. Dustin Pappas. Al and Linda Simbritz. Christmas in July toy drive: Fundraising gift for ‘Angel Tree’ program

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | COMMUNITY August 3, 2023 B17 United Against Poverty CEO Gwendolyn Butson, UAP Development Manager Dawn Knupp, St. Lucie County Commissioner Linda Bartz and UAP Campus Director Sean Howald stand together at the United Against Poverty 20th Anniversary Celebration last Friday in Fort Pierce. Above left: Gerald Saint Fort thanks Butson at the event. Below left: Lynda Cobetti relates her story of how United Against Poverty helped her with job skills. ‘UNITED’ IN THANKS PHOTOS: LINDA KLOORFAIN Treasure Coast Hospice announced recently that it has earned recertification as a Level 5 We Honor Veterans partner in the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s (NHPCO) program with Veteran Affairs. Recertification as Level 5, the highest We Honor Veterans distinction, acknowledges Treasure Coast Hospice as an elite program that cares for and recognizes our nation’s veterans. In Florida, Treasure Coast Hospice is one of only 13 hospices to hold Level 5 status. Established in 2010, the We Honor Veterans program addresses the growing need for veteran-centric hospice and palliative care. The Level 5 distinction demonstrates exceptional commitment to addressing the specialized needs of veterans. Last year, Treasure Coast Hospice cared for 523 veterans residing in Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties. “Treasure Coast Hospice is truly privileged to care for and honor veterans and their families for the many sacrifices they have made for our country,” said Treasure Coast Hospice CEO Jackie Kendrick, CHPCA. “Recertification as a Level 5 partner reflects our team’s steadfast commitment to providing veterans and their families with the compassionate care and support they need at the end of life.” Level 5 certification must be renewed annually. To earn recertification, Treasure Coast Hospice expanded its program to provide veterans with increased services and improved access to care. Developing partnerships with local veterans organizations is an essential component to retaining Level 5 status. Among the many partnerships that Treasure Coast Hospice has fostered with local veterans organizations, notable outreach efforts during the year included: Recognition of Vietnam Veterans at a Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) ceremony commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. Participation in a ‘Welcome Home’ event in partnership with the Ardie R. Copas State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Tradition. Completion of training to earn The Fire Watch’s Veteran Safe Place certification, which empowers staff/volunteers to identify and support a veteran in crisis in order to prevent veteran suicide Rededication ceremonies for veteran Walls of Honor displayed at local senior living residences. For more information, visit treasurehealth.org. TREASURE COAST HOSPICE IS RECERTIFIED AS LEVEL 5 WE HONOR VETERANS PARTNER – CONTRIBUTED

B18 August 3, 2023 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | SERVICE DIRECTORY www.stlucievoice.com Your Source For Precious Metals & Rare Coins Michael O’Higgins Numismatist / Art Appraiser (954) 826-0456 • (954) 491-4423 [email protected] Rare Coins • Bullion • Collectibles • Gems Jewelry • Estates • Trusts • Gold Jewelry Florida Art • Florida Highwaymen Paintings BOARDING & DROP-INS Licensed • Insured • Pet CPR & 1st Aid • Very Experienced! 772-777-8030 LET ME GUIDE YOU THROUGH MEDICARE PLANNING Karen Jones, Licensed Agent • Cell: 908-770-0904 TURNING 65? All Life Insurance * Cancer Plans * Short Term Medical * Long Term Care Learn More at www.OwenInsuranceGroup.net We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. lic#17558518 fifffflffiflfffflfl fifffflfflffiflffiflffi AIRPORT & CRUISE TRANSPORTATION Retired UPS driver with over 25 years safe driving experience. CALL or TEXT John Polinice 954-709-0785 CUSTOM DESIGNS, INSTALLATIONS & TRIMMING Quality Work That Shines! 772-348-1893 [email protected] TRAINING, SETUP & SUPPORT FOR: Smartphones, Tablets, Computers, Smart TVs, QuickBooks, Google, Windows, Microsoft & Apple Mac Books Ginger Kirila: 724-699-1836 [email protected] technigaltech.com (772) 878-8227 LOSE WEIGHT FEEL GREAT Lose Stubborn Fat Reduce Inflammation Balance Hormones Regain Youthful Energy PharaTaylor.com TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH & WELLNESS Our Vitamins Deliver Minerals to your Body just like Nature and 10x more Absorbable. For information visit: MakeGreenGoGreen.com/KarinAndDrJack Karin Mitchell, 305-807-5940 DYSLEXIA * ADD * ADHD TESTING www.JimForgan.com 561-625-4125 Ages 5 - College School Neuropsychologist Pest Control, Termite Control, Lawn Spraying, Bees, Bedbugs, Rodents/Rodent Exclusions, and Mosquitoes Lic & Insured Scan for Website! CALL 772-878-1972 FREE ESTIMATES ST. LUCIE VOICE SERVICE DIRECTORY: ADVERTISING ST. LUCIE AND TRADITION SERVICES Our directory gives small business people eager to provide services and products to the local community an opportunity at a very reasonable cost. Lisa Crawford can help you to reach this audience. Call Lisa at 516-721-0848 or email at [email protected]. WE ALSO OFFER CARPET, TILE & GROUT, AND UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Jose A. Sosa Owner O: 800.807.9291 C: 954.907.2247 FIRE I SMOKE I WIND I WATER I MOLD 24 HR Emergency Service - Direct Insurance Billing PROPERTY DAMAGE EXPERTS AQUASEEKERS.COM I [email protected] Commercial & Residential • Licensed & Insured 772-398-2600 • www.AbsoluteCritter.com • Raccoons • Rats • Bats • Birds • Armadillos WILDLIFE REMOVAL