02/07/2019 ISSUE 06

Atlantic Classical Orchestra’s
founder dead at 95. P34
Gratitude, can-do attitude

propel Haiti Partners. P20
Vero High student creates app
to predict algae blooms in lagoon. P10

For breaking news visit

MY VERO Orchid residents overwhelmingly
oppose Publix shopping center
BY RAY MCNULTY
FOR AN ISLAND FAMILY, THE FRONT IS VERY NEAR BY RAY MCNULTY 87 percent – opposed the proj-
Former finance director of Staff Writer ect, while only 14 (6 percent)
our schools seeking probe Marine Sgt. Erik Rosell and his patrol heading off on a patrol in South Asia. favored it, the association said.
Orchid residents are over- Twenty homeowners, or 7 per-
Confronted by too many BY LISA ZAHNER residents of our community whelmingly opposed to plans cent of the respondents, said
unanswered questions about Staff Writer – do every night. to build a Publix shopping they were “neutral.”
the financial viability of the center in a southwest corner of
school district – particularly, At 3 a.m. in a bedroom He was checking his cell- the seaside town, according to The board of the association,
a shortfall in the projected on a quiet street in Indian phone, hoping for a text the board of the Orchid Island in announcing the survey’s
balance in its general fund – River Shores, one father message from the front lines Community Association. results in an email to Orchid
an exasperated School Board last week was doing what nine time zones away – just homeowners, said it intended
member blurted out at last countless other military a few words confirming that In a digital survey of the to support the “majority view”
week’s meeting what everyone parents – some of them also his son is OK. Unable to town’s homeowners, 221 of the of the community, and en-
in the room was thinking. 255 respondents – a whopping couraged residents to “make
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 your opinions known” to the
“What a mess!” said Jackie Polish Americans members of the Town Council
Rosario, clearly dissatisfied with to finally get their and Local Planning Agency.
Superintendent Mark Rendell’s Social Club back
explanations for a budget so The Orchid Island Golf &
obviously mismanaged that BY FEDERICO MARTINEZ Beach Club’s board of gover-
some board members are call- Staff Writer nors earlier voted unanimously
ing for a spending moratorium. to oppose the proposed devel-
An insurgent group that opment and urged the Town
Well, it’s about to get messier. seized control of Vero Beach’s Council to do the same.
Before resigning in De- longtime Polish-American So-
cember, then School District cial Club three years ago – turn- In an email to club mem-
finance director Julianne Pel- ing it into the Vero Beach Social bers, the board wrote that
letier sent a six-page email to Club – has been ordered to va- the project is “nowhere near
School Board members, alert- compliant” with the town’s
ing them to Rendell’s involve- current zoning and code re-
ment with the budget mess quirements, which were put
and challenging his attempts in place to “assure a develop-
to blame her department.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

Cleveland Clinic Indian River board Defense ordered to share mental info on accused Duve killer
features both new and familiar faces
BY FEDERICO MARTINEZ their findings to state pros-
BY MICHELLE GENZ Indian River Medical Center, Staff Writer ecutors, whose own re-
Staff Writer had been named chairman of quests have been rebuffed
the new board as well. Defense medical experts for months.
A familiar hand was set to for Michael David Jones,
wield the gavel at the first Tuesday’s meeting was his- charged with the gruesome Vaughn, during a Jan. 31
scheduled meeting of the toric not only because of the murder of 26-year-old nurse hearing, approved subpoe-
new board of directors of prestigious new affiliation Diana Duve, have been or- nas ordering the experts,
Cleveland Clinic Indian River. with Cleveland that began dered by Circuit Court Judge including a neurologist and
Wayne Hockmeyer, the for- Jan. 1. It was also likely the Daniel Vaughn to turn over psychiatrist, to provide state
mer chairman of the board of first board of directors meet-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
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2 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Polish-American Social Club Following years of disagreement cision rendered by Circuit Judge Paul Social Club filed their first civil com-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 over the club’s direction, the board of Kanarek in February 2018. Kanarek plaint in October 2015, not long after
directors then in place formed a new found that the actions by the insur- the board dissolved their club.
cate the club’s building within 20 days, corporation – the Vero Beach Social gent board of directors that dissolved
return all property to the Polish faction’s Club – in 2015. It then transferred the the old club and transferred its assets In the decade leading up to that,
member’s, and pay $27,864 in damages. Polish-American Club’s assets to the to the new Vero Beach Social Club vio- membership and revenue from social
new nonprofit and, without a vote by lated the original club’s articles of in- events like dinners and dances had
In a ruling issued Jan. 22, Circuit its membership, dissolved the original corporation. been shrinking. There were some 750
Judge Janet Croom also invalidated all corporation. participants in 2007 but only 325 by
legal documents related to the take- “The articles are clear: the dissolu- 2015. From 2014 to 2015 alone, rev-
over, including deeds and bills of sale. Attorneys for the Polish faction ar- tion of this corporation required the enue dropped nearly $40,000.
gued this was unfair – that while the vote of the general membership and
Croom’s decision concludes a three- club’s bylaws left financial and busi- approval of the general membership,” The board of directors thought it
year legal battle over the clubhouse on ness affairs to the board, major deci- Kanarek said at the time. “If they didn’t could grow the club by expanding cul-
U.S. 1 and an estimated $1.25 million sions were “subject to the approval of have authority to dissolve the corpora- tural offerings. Polka dances turned
in assets once set aside to promote the regular membership,” including any tion, they didn’t have authority to dis- into Salsa night, and the pierogies and
culture and heritage of the Eastern Eu- expenditures over $499. tribute the property.” potato pancakes were replaced by meat
ropean nation. loaf and lasagna.
Croom’s final ruling echoed the de- Members of the Polish-American
A newsletter boasted, “You don’t
have to be Polish to join this club.”

Polish members resented the change
and meetings became so tense police
had to be called. The club was picketed
and there were threats of violence.

Jerry Cygler, who served as the Pol-
ish group’s president for the past
three years, said members of the club
– which continued to meet regularly
at another location while the legal
dispute dragged on – are pleased by
Croom’s decision.

“Everyone is very happy and look-
ing forward to the future,” Cygler said.
“We have a lot of work to do, but we’re
ready.” 

My Vero

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Then this week, Pelletier took her
case to the Florida Department of
Education, filing a complaint with the
Inspector General’s office and asking
for an investigation into her allega-
tions.

If the IG’s office follows up, it would
be the first investigation launched by
an outside agency of the school dis-
trict’s current financial chaos.

“I first looked at the DOE website
after Rendell publicly said my num-
bers regarding the general fund were
wrong,” Pelletier said of the superin-
tendent’s remarks to the School Board
last month. “I remember clicking on
the ‘Complaint Form’ link and think-
ing: That box isn’t big enough.”

She was referring to the section of
the digital form where schools em-
ployees are asked to “describe in de-
tail” the issues and circumstances that
prompted their complaint, identify
witnesses and provide any evidence
pertaining to the case.

As fate would have it, the DOE’s
electronic filing system failed Sunday
night, so she submitted her complaint
via email Monday. And if her corre-
spondence with School Board mem-
bers is any indication, Pelletier had
plenty to report.

Her Dec. 10 email to the board in-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 3

NEWS

cluded six attachments containing his tentative budget the transfer of $2.3 Rendell publicly blamed the short- cies into Morrison’s lap late in the af-
spreadsheets, journal entries, memos million from the general fund to 12 fall on Morrison, saying the CFO ad- ternoon of July 20, the day Morrison
and other relevant documents that of- schools for positions that didn’t exist. mitted he had moved the money from was required to deliver to Rendell a
fered a vigorous defense of her former the general fund to the schools’ ac- tentative budget for a School Board
boss, School District Chief Financial That transfer reduced the projected, counts to cover a long list of vacant workshop.
Officer Carter Morrison, who resigned year-end balance in the general fund teaching positions he received from
in December to take a private-sector to as low as 3.5 percent of the district’s Mike Smeltzer, the district’s position Morrison, who in a written state-
job. overall budget – just above the 3 per- control specialist. ment to investigators said he was
cent cash reserve mandated by state “shocked and taken aback” by Smelt-
Pelletier said Rendell tried to make law but well below the 5 percent re- What no one knew at the time was zer’s request, calculated that the sala-
Morrison – and later the entire finance quired by School Board policy. that Smeltzer had dumped 65 vacan-
department – a “scapegoat” for a lack CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
of control in school district spending.
She also believes Rendell wanted to NEW LISTING
“get rid of Carter” because he was a
holdover from a previous superinten- Exclusively John’s Island
dent’s staff.
This sprawling 6BR/6.5BA retreat enjoys beautiful, expansive multiple fairway and
“Carter was the last assistant super- lake views of the North Course. Set on a dual lot of .86± acres, this 6,063±GSF
intendent he didn’t hire,” Pelletier said, home features a living room with fireplace opening onto a poolside terrace with spa,
“and he wouldn’t let Rendell run free a formal dining room, updated kitchen and den, and two-car garage. Complementing
with the money like he wanted to.” the main home is a guest suite and poolside cabana that provides the opportunity to
accommodate additional guests. 420 Indian Harbor Road : $3,850, 000
Morrison’s departure came after
Rendell accused him in July of wrong- three championship golf courses : 17 har-tru courts : beach club : squash
doing and mismanaging the budget, health & wellness center : pickleball : croquet : vertical equit y memberships
suspended him with pay and wasted
$50,000 of the district’s funds on an 772.231.0900 : Vero Beach, FL : JohnsIslandRealEstate.com
unnecessary, four-month investiga-
tion by an outside law firm.

Rendell later reversed course and
reinstated Morrison as the district’s
CFO in December – despite his earlier
claims that Morrison had done wrong
and deceived him.

Morrison submitted his resignation
the day after he was reinstated.

So did Pelletier, who has since
moved back to her previous home in
New Hampshire and taken a job as a
business administrator with the state’s
Public Utilities Commission.

Unlike Morrison, however, she’s not
going away quietly. In her email to the
board, Pelletier praised her former
boss and cited his many professional
certifications, affiliations and acco-
lades, writing:

“Carter Morrison has always ad-
hered to the utmost ethical, legal,
moral and the highest professional
standards of conduct in all aspects of
his career and the responsibilities of
his position ... His documentation is
meticulous, his work ethic profound
... He is humble and kind and a plea-
sure to work for.”

For those reasons, Pelletier, who
also had great affection and respect for
her colleagues in the finance depart-
ment, was upset by the allegations of
wrongdoing that Rendell included in
his charging letter against Morrison.

“None of us appreciate the state-
ments that Dr. Rendell made about
the finance team in his Nov. 15, 2018
letter to Carter Morrison,” she wrote
in her email. “What a great way to de-
stroy the morale of possibly the only
functional department remaining in
the district since Rendell took over.”

In his charging letter, Rendell al-
leged that Morrison, without authori-
zation and “in an effort to undermine
me and the School Board,” included in

4 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

My Vero She said Rendell would say in cabi- around – and they’re still at 4.2 percent?” their determinations about Jones’
net meetings that he wanted money Rendell did not respond to an email mental health.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 for different programs, and Morrison
would give him a spreadsheet show- sent last week through the district’s “As a representative for the people of
ries and benefits connected to those ing how those expenditures would public information officer, who was this state, I need to know these things,”
vacancies totaled $4.1 million, which impact the general fund balance. asked if the superintendent wished to said Chief Assistant State Attorney Tom
needed to be added to the budget only comment on Pelletier’s email. Bakkedahl.
hours before it was due. At the School Board’s budget work-
shop last week, Rendell said the pro- School Board Chairman Laura Zorc Jones, 36, has pleaded not guilty to
Adding that amount, however, jected end-of-the-year balance is at 4.2 said she could not comment on Pelle- the first-degree murder charge. He is
would’ve dropped the district’s cash percent and promised to provide a full tier’s email until Friday. She didn’t say accused of strangling Duve, a Sebas-
reserves below the state threshold. So report on how he would get to 5 percent. why, though the reason almost certain- tian River Medical Center nurse and
believing Smeltzer had significantly ly is connected to an investigation be- resident of The Moorings, at his Vero
over-budgeted, Morrison opted to add To meet that number, however, he’ll ing conducted by an outside law firm. townhouse, then putting her body in
only $2.3 million for the vacancies, need to shift teachers’ salaries, transfer the trunk of her black Nissan Altima
which put the projected general fund $1.4 million from the capital projects Zorc did acknowledge that Pelletier and driving to Melbourne where he
balance at 3.5 percent. millage fund, defer the purchase of bus- provided information “that put us on abandoned the car in a Publix park-
es and rely on more long-term substi- alert,” and said she valued her input. ing lot.
“Why did this happen at the last min- tutes to fill full-time teaching vacancies.
ute?” Pelletier said. “Why wait until just Pelletier believes her, and she’s en- If convicted, Jones could face the
hours before the tentative budget need- Despite all that, Pelletier said the couraged by the questions School Board death penalty.
ed to be submitted? You’re telling me general fund remains in danger of a members are now asking Rendell.
the district still had all those vacancies shortfall because of pending expen- In an unusual twist, attorney Stanley
three weeks before the start of school ditures that include $600,000 in state “I watch the meetings,” she said, Glenn, who represents Jones, agreed
and nobody knew until that afternoon? fines levied for miscounting bus riders, “and they’re asking the right questions. with Bakkedahl during the July 31
$90,000 for “additional legal fees” and hearing and said he supports the pros-
“It was ridiculous.” $70,000 to clean up a generator fuel- “There’s too much power in the super- ecution’s right to his client’s medical
Morrison said Rendell was aware of tank leak and replace the generator. intendent’s hands,” Pelletier said. “This records. He even offered to help obtain
the transferred money, and Pelletier whole thing is a mess, and it shouldn’t be the evidence himself and turn it over
claims he was much more involved She also cites the potential loss of allowed to happen again. I can only hope to the prosecutor.
with the budget than he let on to the $1.1 million in transportation funding that what I’m doing helps.” 
School Board. the state likely will withhold because The issue is a sensitive one, both at-
Pelletier contradicted Rendell’s of additional rider counting errors. Accused Duve killer torneys told Vaughn. The neurologist
claims that he saw the budget only CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 has threatened to pull out of the case
twice a year, saying Morrison regularly “Rendell stood up there a couple of if the prosecution tries to force him
kept the superintendent up to date on weeks ago and said my numbers were attorneys all medical findings and doc- turn over his raw findings, an action
the district’s finances. wrong,” Pelletier said. “If my numbers uments explaining what instruments that would further delay the five-year-
were wrong, why has he been scram- and techniques were used to make old case coming to trial.
bling for three weeks and moving money
Bakkedahl and Glenn both said, as

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 5

NEWS

of now, the case should be ready to go professional guidelines and ethics, psychology in the legal arena, I’m not her missing and co-workers became
to trial in late July or early August. They medical information is only supposed practicing law in psychology.” concerned when she missed her shift
agreed to cooperate in the effort to se- to be shared with other medical experts. as a nurse.
cure the neurologist’s findings so as to Vaughn agreed with Bakkedahl’s ar-
prevent the trial date being pushed fur- “I understand that,” Bakkedahl said. gument. Jones and Duve had a history of
ther into the future. “But they offered their services to the violent, destructive behavior, accord-
court. They need to understand that Duve’s body was found in the trunk ing to depositions from friends and
Glenn explained that according to in this instance they are practicing of her car in Melbourne five years ago
by police after her mother reported CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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6 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Accused Duve killer For those Vero residents named to who come from the Cleveland Clinic Cleveland as director of the Cleveland
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 the new board, it was a time to recon- organization include: Clinic Institute of Medicine. A gradu-
nect – all but one were on the Indian  Dr. Wael Barsoum, former presi- ate of West Virginia University and
co-workers. Jones, who was working River Medical Center board. That one, dent and CEO of Cleveland Clinic Marshall University’s medical school,
as a banker at the time of his arrest, Marybeth Cunningham, is an ex-offi- Weston, who now oversees the Florida he is a West Virginia native who taught
had previously been convicted of ag- cio member of the new board as chair- region, including the Weston, Martin for many years at West Virginia Uni-
gravated stalking in Broward County woman of the Hospital District. Health and Indian River hospitals. Bar- versity’s Charleston campus.
in an incident involving a different soum, an orthopedic surgeon, went to
woman and was on probation when Three other members of the new medical school at Ohio State Univer-  Josette Beran was named chief
police tracked him to a Fort Pierce ho- board were nominated by the old sity and did his residency at the Cleve- strategy officer for Cleveland Clinic
tel room after Duve’s body was found. board – Hockmeyer, founder of Med- land Clinic Lerner College of Medicine in August, after having served as in-
Immune, a biotechnology firm ac- at Case Western Reserve University, in- terim chief strategy officer since
The case has dragged on as Jones quired by AstraZeneca; Dr. Juliette cluding a year as chief resident in or- January. She joined the strategy of-
faced court proceedings in Broward Lomax-Homier, an obstetrician-gy- thopedic surgery at Cleveland Clinic. fice as executive director of network
County and attorneys played a game necologist and regional dean of FSU’s integration in 2014 after three years
of legal chess by making motions and med school campus in Fort Pierce; and  Dr. Joseph Iannotti, an orthopedic in Abu Dhabi, where she worked with
counter motions.  Michael Hammes, former chairman surgeon specializing in the shoulder, Dr. Tom Mihaljevic, now CEO and
and president of Key Bank in Indiana. is chief of staff for the Florida region. president of Cleveland Clinic. Flori-
Cleveland Clinic Indian River For the past 20 years, he chaired the da’s expansion has been a key focus
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Tony Woodruff, chairman of the Orthopedic and Rheumatologic Insti- of Beran’s; she developed the propos-
IRMC Foundation, is an ex-officio tute at Cleveland Clinic’s main cam- als to bring Indian River and Martin
ing in the hospital’s long history that member of the Cleveland board, just pus. Prior, he taught at the University Health into the Cleveland Clinic sys-
was not open to the public. as he was at IRMC. of Pennsylvania for 20 years. He is a tem. For much of last year, she over-
graduate of Northwestern University’s saw the integration of Akron General
Previously, the hospital’s manage- Matt Reiser, co-founder of Data Feinberg School of Medicine and did with the Cleveland Clinic.
ment was required by its lease with Base Management, was also a former his orthopedic residency at the Uni-
the Hospital District to hold certain member of the IRMC board; he was versity of Pennsylvania, later earning a  Ozzie Delgado is Cleveland Clinic
meetings in public, in keeping with picked for the new board by Cleveland Ph.D. in cell biology. Florida’s chief operating officer. Raised
the spirit of the district’s requirement Clinic out of three nominated by the in south Florida and with a Doctor of
to follow government-in-the-sun- Hospital District board.  Dr. Greg Rosencrance, Cleveland Pharmacy degree as well as an MBA,
shine rules. Clinic Indian River’s new president, he joined the Cleveland Clinic in 1999.
Drs. Hal Brown and Pranay Ramdev returned to Florida after a stint in His leadership roles have included di-
continue on the new board in their
roles as chief of staff and physician
representative respectively.

Members of the new hospital board

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 7

NEWS

rector of pharmacy and administra-  William M. Peacock is Cleveland with the town’s feel, quality of life and “In fact, at our last council meeting,
tive director of clinical operations. He Clinic’s system-wide chief of opera- natural surroundings. we passed a resolution stating that
was named COO in 2014 after serving tions, a role he has filled since 2009. we will not allow any input we might
as senior director of operations. Del- He joined the Clinic in 2005 after 24 Homeowners at Old Orchid and The receive before the hearing to be prej-
gado has worked on workflow design years in the Navy, retiring as a cap- Seasons at Orchid – neighboring com- udicial to the matter being consid-
for Cleveland Clinic Weston’s trans- tain in the Civil Engineer Corps. A munities located just outside the town ered.
plant programs and helped with con- graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy limits – also are opposed to Publix’s
struction projects. He also established in electrical engineering, he earned a plans to build a 31,000-square-foot su- “But it’s a little goofy to think, in a
the pharmacy residency program. master’s degree in that field at Purdue permarket and a 6,000-square-foot re- small town like ours, you won’t be im-
University. tail building containing five stores. pacted one way or another.”
 Steven C. Glass is chief financial
officer at Cleveland Clinic Health  Dr. Rodolfo Blandon, who is replac- The survey of Orchid homeowners Besides, Ofstie said, the results of
Systems. He oversees financial mat- ing Barsoum as president of Cleveland was conducted after Publix representa- the association’s survey – as well as
ters for all Cleveland Clinic hospitals Clinic Weston, is an interventional tives held a “town hall meeting” in Or- the opposition expressed by residents
including in Ohio, Florida, Nevada, and diagnostic radiologist. Previous- chid on Jan. 16, where they presented of the neighboring communities – al-
Toronto and Abu Dhabi. He has held ly, he was Weston’s chief of staff. He their plan and answered questions most certainly will be raised at both
that post since 2005, after joining the joined Cleveland Clinic in 2001. Since from the audience, which asked about the Town Council and LPA hearings.
organization in 2002 as controller and 2016, he has served as chairman of the the requested variances and waivers, as
chief accounting officer. department of imaging. Blandon went well as potential problems with noise, Ofstie said he believes Publix rep-
to medical school at the University of light, traffic and operating hours. resentatives are aware of the strong
 David W. Rowan is Cleveland South Florida. He has an MBA from opposition. Asked if the supermarket
Clinic’s chief legal officer. He is also the University of Florida.  “I’m aware of the survey and I have company might decide to abandon its
chief governance officer and secre- my own feelings, but I can’t comment plans, he replied, “That’s a very reason-
tary of Cleveland Clinic. He has a law Orchid opposes Publix because, in these quasi-judicial hear- able question.”
degree from Georgetown University CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ings, the Town Council members are
and is a graduate of the University essentially jurors and are supposed to If Publix opts to move forward with
of Toledo. Before joining Cleveland ment that was compatible” with the keep an open mind,” Orchid Mayor its plan, Ofstie said, it’s unlikely the
Clinic, Rowan was a partner at the Orchid community. Harold Ofstie said. Town Council will hold its quasi-judi-
international law firm Squire, Sand- cial hearing until next month.
ers and Dempsey. He is a trustee of The board stated that the proposal Both the Town Council and the Local
the Diversity Center, a social justice was “completely out of character” Planning Agency are required by law to “Having spoken with our town
organization. hold quasi-judicial public hearings be- manager, I’d say it’ll be later rather
fore voting on Publix’s proposal. than sooner – no earlier than March,
and it could be as late as April or even
“In an ideal judicial world, we May,” Ofstie said. “We want to get this
wouldn’t see any survey or commen- done before people start leaving for
tary before that hearing,” he added. the summer.” 

8 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Area hospitals will help patients predict cost of a procedure

BY MICHELLE GENZ spreadsheet of code names and num- list is the same as it was prior to the further check with their doctors for
Staff Writer bers was considered proprietary in- takeover, spokeswoman Angela Dick- estimates.
formation, used in ultra-confidential ens said.
If there was one positive outcome in negotiations with insurance compa- “Consumers looking for an accu-
the seemingly senseless government nies that discount the chargemaster Dickens said, however, that the hos- rate estimate of the actual cost of care
mandate that hospitals release their figures to arrive at the amount they pital’s Financial Assistance Service should contact their providers and ask
wildly inflated “sticker price” list for will reimburse hospital for a covered Unit is available to “meet face-to-face for a cost estimate relevant to their spe-
treatment known as the chargemas- patient. at our FASU office, over the phone, or cific care needs,” she said.
ter, it is that consumers searching for via our website,” to help patients get
the list may come across initiatives But the figure on the chargemaster an idea of what treatment will cost. Lundquist made it clear the hos-
already in place to help them predict is almost never what a patient pays. pital was concerned about the con-
how much a procedure will cost. “That team works with individuals fusion the chargemaster posting
That’s because chargemaster pric- to determine their financial responsi- may lead to. “In short, the amounts
Both Cleveland Clinic Indian River ing is on average four times the ac- bility whether or not they are covered shown as ‘charges’ are rarely, if ever,
(formerly Indian River Medical Cen- tual cost of the service, according to by insurance or self-pay,” she said. what the hospital actually gets paid,”
ter) and Steward Sebastian River a Johns Hopkins analysis based on “They also help identify potential fi- she said.
Medical Center offer personalized 2013 data. nancial assistance programs and as-
estimates of the cost of treatment or sist patients with those application In Fort Pierce, HCA’s Lawnwood
procedures. And the mark-up can be far higher, processes.” Regional Medical Center posted its
with CT scans and anesthesia among chargemaster list with a disclaimer
For consumers, the chargemaster the most inflated: on average 20 The financial assistance team was that users have to acknowledge before
price list is largely incomprehensible, times the cost, according to the Hop- in place prior to the Cleveland take- viewing the pricing: “You should un-
unnavigable and irrelevant to what kins study. over, Dickens said. derstand that a final bill for services
they can expect to pay, even though rendered . . . may differ substantially
it includes a charge for every possible With the new disclosure law, hos- Sebastian River Medical Center’s from the information provided by this
billable procedure or group of proce- pitals are scrambling to reassure pa- website says that estimates for ser- website,” the disclaimer reads.
dures for a particular diagnosis, plus tients that they likely won’t ever see vices can be provided on request
every test, drug and medical supply. those prices on their bills. At Cleve- through the patient access or sched- Like Sebastian, HCA offers person-
land Clinic Indian River, the charge- uling departments. alized estimates by phone with in-
Until recently, the byzantine master list went public the same day structions online telling patients how
Cleveland took over – Jan. 1. But the Marketing coordinator Andrea to prepare for the call. 
Lundquist suggested patients should

In harm’s way 32963 residents know and respect: In- military. But more than 20 years of his check in. But he and his wife, Darlene,
dian River Shores Public Safety Chief reserve and guard service was spent have heard their son’s voice only once
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Rich Rosell. working as a trainer, preparing young since he shipped out in September.
men and women just like Erik for a
sleep, he scanned international and By day, Chief Rosell usually has a deployment to the hostile Middle East “We got a phone call on Christmas
military news websites for any scrap of smile on his face and a ready joke or and South Asia, where the front line is Day and got to talk to Erik,” Rosell
information about events in the trou- smart remark on his lips. By night, he’s around every street corner. said. “His mom was really not in a
bled area where his son is deployed. the dad who holds an uneasy vigil for good place about him being away
son Erik. “My biggest concern when Erik got and I told him if there was any way he
“I haven’t slept a full night since he left notice of where he was going was that could make it happen, that he need-
and I’m not going to sleep a full night Chief Rosell has nearly 32 years of he get the right kind of training,” Rosell ed to call his mother for Christmas.”
until he’s home safe,” the father said combined active duty, reserve and Na- said. “They trained for three months
over the weekend, admitting the de- tional Guard service with the U.S. Army before they stepped foot on that plane. Every few months, the Rosells get a
ployment of his son, a 24-year-old U.S. and Marines. He still suits up for duty at Erik showed me the curriculum and photograph from their son, who was
Marine Corps sergeant, is even tougher least one weekend per month, plus two after that I had some comfort knowing called up into active duty five years
on his wife, the young Marine’s mother. or more weeks each year. In November, that he was going to be well-trained. into his Reserve service, interrupting
the Army will age him out just before his his university studies. Erik Rosell is
This “hyper vigilance” for months 61st birthday, a forced retirement. “It’s a little easier for me than it is for a registered nurse in addition to be-
or years on end takes an emotional my wife because I used to train troops ing a highly trained infantryman, so
and physical toll on military families. A couple of decades ago, Rosell for missions like this and I understand he’s also a first-responder like his dad.
In this case, the father is a man many was deployed twice to Albania, where the training they get. To her, Erik is still When Medevac choppers come into
he worked closely with the Albanian that kid playing video games,” he said. camp, Erik often jumps in to help tri-
age the wounded.
Rosell declined to say exactly where
Erik is stationed, due to security con- Rosell said he’s always had close
cerns and the nature of his mission. friends serving in dangerous places, but
“He’s in a bad place surrounded by knowing his own son is deployed in a
bad people making certain those combat zone has changed everything.
bad people don’t make it over here to
hurt us. If you wouldn’t mind, please To help deal with the deployment,
include him in your prayers,” Rosell Rosell devotes some of his time to
asked friends on his Facebook page honoring local veterans by serving in
last fall, posting a photo of Erik in fa- a regional honor guard. He also tries to
tigues, fully geared-up and heavily pay more attention to military veter-
armed, riding in a helicopter. ans who live in the area.

“Semper Fi to my favorite Jarhead,” “You know how you’ll see the old
he added. guys around town wearing the World
War II hats or something saying they
He gets a reassuring text message served in Korea or Vietnam? I always
maybe three times a week at random saw them before, but now I stop and
hours from Erik when the Marine is able say hello and thank them for their ser-
to get onWi-Fi and has a free moment to vice,” Rosell said. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 9

NEWS

CLEVELAND CLINIC LAND BUY
HINTS AT A NEW HOSPITAL

BY MICHELLE GENZ was purchased for $4.63 million in
Staff Writer January, according to South Florida
Business Journal.
Could Cleveland Clinic Florida fi-
nally be getting a Palm Beach County Cleveland Clinic confirmed the pur-
hospital the old-fashioned way – by chases but did not offer a timeline or
building it? plans for development.

Speculation about that possibility A 35-acre tract would seem to be a
intensified last week when news came lot more land than necessary for an
that the health system has acquired 35 out-patient surgery center like the
acres of vacant land in unincorporated one Cleveland Clinic recently opened
Palm Beach County, not far from the in Coral Springs in northern Broward
fast-growing town of Wellington and County. That center, at 73,000 square
about four miles from the Wellington feet, was built on only five acres.
Regional Medical Center.
Last year, officials had high hopes of
Cleveland has expanded aggressive- acquiring Boca Regional Medical Cen-
ly in the past year, acquiring hospitals ter in Palm Beach County and made
and clinics in Indian River, St. Lu- the cut when the list of prospective
cie and Martin counties to go with its buyers was whittled from a half-dozen
flagship Florida hospital in Broward interested systems to two. But in July,
County, and it clearly wants to oper- that hospital ultimately chose to part-
ate in the only county along the east ner with Baptist Health, a rapidly ex-
central Florida coast where it does not panding Miami-based system.
have a hospital.
Should Cleveland be looking to
Palm Beach County property re- build, it will have to have a certificate
cords show the 19-acre tract of vacant of need from the state. So far, no cer-
land, zoned agricultural/residential, tificate of need request or letter of in-
was purchased in December for $4.6 tent has been filed, according to the
million. An adjacent 16.3-acre tract Agency for Health Care Administra-
tion website. 

Suspects allegedly attempt to flush drugs
with deputies outside bathroom window

BY FEDERICO MARTINEZ juana plants within a containment
Staff Writer area designed for cultivating” pot.

Two Vero residents are facing mul- There were two other men in the
tiple felony charges after allegedly room, including Frederick Bernard
trying to flush large qualities of mari- Jones III, 21. The deputy ordered the
juana down a toilet in their home as two men and the juvenile to step out-
deputies stood outside the bathroom side the house while he cuffed Music
window, according to an Indian River and put him in his patrol vehicle.
County Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavit.
Instead, the trio dodged back into the
The incident occurred on Jan. 25, bedroom “and locked the door behind
when sheriff’s deputies acting on a tip them,” according to the arrest affidavit.
arrived at 8725 105th Court, looking for
felony suspect Zachary Music, age 23. After putting Music in the patrol vehi-
According to Deputy Dwayne Hollett, cle, Hollett and another deputy returned
when he approached the residence, he to front door of the house and knocked.
saw Music through the window in the When no one answered they went to
front door “walking into a bedroom lo- the back of the house and “could hear
cated in the south end of the residence.” the toilet flushing [and smell] the odor
of marijuana that emanated strongly
When Hollett knocked, a juve- from the bathroom window.”
nile opened the door and admitted
that Music was in the house. As Hol- Narcotics Detective Christopher
lett approached the closed bedroom Reeve arrived with a search warrant
door, Music opened the door and was and the deputies found the remnants
grabbed by the deputy. of marijuana plants and soil floating in
the toilet, according to sheriff’s reports.
As Hollett detained Music, he saw
through the open door “several mari- Jones and the 15-year-old juvenile
were arrested and have been charged
with two felonies. 

10 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Vero High student creates app to predict algae blooms in lagoon

BY SUE COCKING gram that he says can predict blue- cally afflicts lagoon waters – killing fish, Oceanographic Institute's LOBO net-
Staff Writer green algae blooms in the estuary four shellfish and other marine creatures as work of 10 water quality monitoring
to seven days in advance. The 17-year- well as their sea grass habitat. One spe- stations that measure nitrate, salin-
Vero Beach High School science old also developed a phone app to cies, microcystis, produces a toxin that ity and temperature levels from the
whiz Griffin Wagner last Wednesday alert local officials (or anyone else) to makes people sick. St. Lucie Estuary to Sebastian Inlet,
took top honors at the Indian River the location of an impending bloom Wagner developed a computer al-
Regional Science and Engineering Fair and its possible causes, and suggest Wagner, an 11th-grader and top fin- gorithm that calculates whether an
for his project aimed at combating the ways to mitigate its effects. isher at science fairs for the past five algae bloom will occur over the next
region's most pressing environmental years, says he has been researching algae four to seven days. The program, he
problem: algae blooms fouling the In- "It can predict algae blooms with a blooms in the lagoon for more than year, said, can help determine the cause
dian River Lagoon. 93 percent success rate," Wagner said. trying "to create a preventative measure of the bloom, such as fertilizer, leaky
and warning system for the lagoon." sewer pipes or septic tanks.
Wagner created a computer pro- Blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria,
produces the 'green slime' that periodi- Using data from Harbor Branch The accompanying phone app alerts
users to the forecast location, density,
and possible causes and suggests miti-
gation measures – for example, restrict-
ing fertilizer use in the affected area.

Wagner plans to deploy the app
and website for public use after
he consults with experts at Harbor
Branch and the St. Johns River Water
Management District. 

Rare beach closures
on the island likely
to be lifted this week

BY SUE COCKING
Staff Writer

It was a rare event when three island
beaches were closed to swimming last
Thursday because of bacterial con-
tamination.

Vero Beach Recreation Director Rob
Slezak said it was the first no-swim-
ming advisory due to fecal bacteria at
city beaches in at least a decade.

After a record-breaking deluge of rain
on Sunday, Jan. 27, high levels of bacte-
ria associated with feces were measured
at South Beach, Humiston Beach and
Sexton Plaza, prompting the city to post
warnings against going into the water.

“It’s fecal. We had a lot of rain Sun-
day,” said Florida Health Department
spokeswoman Stacy Broc. “It could be
run-off. It could be a number of things.”

The state – which has been testing 16
sites bi-weekly since 2002 – expected
to get results on Tuesday afternoon or
Wednesday from water samples taken
Monday morning at the three beaches.

If levels of the enterococci bacteria
are found to have dropped below the
threshold of 70 colonies in 100-milli-
liter water samples, then the advisory
could be lifted.

Health officials deem any level of
enteric bacteria above 70 as unsafe,
posing an increased risk of illness with
symptoms such as upset stomach, di-
arrhea, eye irritation and rashes. 

Emily Sniegowski
and David Bradshaw.

PIN-UPS DAZZLE AT
DRESSY ‘DOWNTOWN

DAPPER DAZE’ P. 16

12 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Plant-astic time had by all at glorious Gardenfest!

Karen Vatland and Barbara Russell. PHOTOS: STEPHANIE LABAFF Ann Marie McCrystal and Matilde Sorensen. PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
Randy and Sandy Rolf.

BY KERRY FIRTH brilliantly colored annuals, and aro- exactly what they need, even those blend of textures is just begging to be
Correspondent matic gardenias and jasmine. Chefs in hard to find exotic plants.” replicated. It’s what I do.”
the crowd were pleased to find nearly
No groundhogs were needed here every herb imaginable, as well as a va- Volunteers from the Shining Light Others took a break from their
to declare an early spring – not when riety of hydroponic growing systems Garden Foundation proudly displayed shopping to enjoy lunch from as-
we have Gardenfest! Nature’s Finest for patio gardening. samples of the fresh garden vegetables sorted food vendors, relaxing under
Marketplace, presented by the Garden they grow to donate to those in need. the shade trees while pondering their
Club of Indian River County. Spring Even the lushest garden needs to be purchases. As the festival was free,
was definitely in the air last weekend accentuated with statuary, lighting, “Our organization is 100 percent many attendees supported the Gar-
as thousands of gardeners flocked to fountains, pottery and furniture, and volunteer and 100 percent giveaway den Club by purchasing raffle tickets
Riverside Park to attend the 18th an- Gardenfest didn’t disappoint. Visitors for the homeless in our county,” said for more than 100 donated prizes.
nual gardening extravaganza. also enjoyed free lectures from experts Connie Derman. “We grow and har-
on topics ranging from toxic plants vest fresh vegetables on our 20-acre The mission of the Garden Club of
Bright sunshine and clear blue skies and pruning, to backyard beekeeping. farm in west Vero and donate all of it to Indian River County, which celebrat-
enhanced the sea of colorful blooms feed the hungry and homeless.” ed its 80th anniversary last year, is
offered by vendors from around the “There is literally something for ev- to educate the public in gardening,
state, lifting the spirits of visitors who eryone,” said Garden Club volunteer Susannah Wagner Merritt from horticulture, floral arrangement and
walked shoulder to shoulder through- Elizabeth Graves Bass. “Whether you Richmond, Va., took advantage of the landscape design; beautify the com-
out the displays. are a master gardener or an amateur, lush environs, setting up a chair to munity through civic projects; and
you’ll find something. The turnout has work on a lovely colored pencil draw- assist in the protection and conserva-
Numerous vendors offered an im- been overwhelming. Of course, the ing of the spectacularly staged plants tion of native plants and natural re-
pressive selection of plants, including weather is a factor but so is the quality and planters. sources.
decorative palms and bamboo, Flor- of vendors. People come back year af-
ida fruit trees, easy care succulents, ter year because they know they’ll find “I’m a member of the Virginia Plein For more information, visit garden-
Air Painters, so I draw wherever I go,” clubofirc.org. 
said Merritt. “The bursts of color and



14 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 Peter and Tina Tedesko. Jill Chamberlain, Lauren Yarborough and Jan Cavalli.
Judy Stang and Elizabeth Graves Bass.

Bella, Sami and Wendy Curulla. Mary Ellen and Jeff Cowhey. Jerusha Stewart and Bob Stanley.

Diane Henninger, Cathy MacCloud, Patrice Campbell and Amy Patterson. Gail Kinney, Carol Christiansen, Linda Beardslee and Jeff Jones.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 15

PEOPLE

Adam Zens picks out herbs for his garden. Timothy Garcia. PHOTO: KAILA JONES

16 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Swooning over lagoon at Harbor Branch Foundation fete

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF Tuck and Cathy Ferrell. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE Lake Okeechobee discharges was the night is to celebrate the fact that
Staff Writer one of the four key issues Negron we didn’t just talk about a problem.
Branch, the event also provided an focused on during his terms in of- We all worked together to accom-
Aquatic environmentalists gath- opportunity to honor former Sen. fice. In that vein, he was able to se- plish this. I hope that we continue
ered last Friday evening at the Quail Joe Negron for his work on behalf cure funding and set deadlines for in the right direction of accomplish-
Valley River Club for the eighth an- of the Lagoon, the Everglades and the construction of a reservoir to re- ing these great goals to protect our
nual Love Your Lagoon fundraiser to Florida’s most precious asset – wa- duce Lake Okeechobee discharges environment and our community.”
benefit the Harbor Branch Oceano- ter. to coastal estuaries through Senate
graphic Institute Foundation. Bill 10. To date, the foundation has
He noted that protecting Florida’s raised $614,967 through its Love
Mingling over cocktails and hors coastal communities from polluted Negron was honored as the recip- Your Lagoon Events. The nonprofit
d’oeuvres, guests chatted with HBOI ient of the 2019 Love Your Lagoon supports the annual Indian Riv-
Graduate Research Fellows about Lifetime Leadership and Achieve- er Lagoon Symposium, generates
their efforts to conserve and protect ment Award and, in addition to awareness of critical issues facing
the Indian River Lagoon along with the accolades, was presented with the Indian River Lagoon, and funds
our oceans, river basins and coastal a sculpture by local nature artist other lagoon-centric research, edu-
communities. Cathy Ferrell. cation and outreach efforts.

“This Love Your Lagoon event has “I want to celebrate the incredible An additional $100,000 raised this
been going on for quite some time,” success that we’ve had over the past year will enable the HBOIF to fund
said Michael O’Reilly, HBOIF board couple of years. And it’s really all up to 10 2019 Indian River Lagoon
chairman. “We raise a lot of money, because of everything that each of Graduate Research Fellows, said
and working together we’re going to you has done to support what we’ve Katha Kissman, HBOI Foundation
ensure that our water today is clean, accomplished,” said Negron. president and CEO.
our water tomorrow is clean. This is
our most precious asset.” He added that it may have taken The 2019 Annual Indian River La-
20 years, but told the crowd, “I’m goon Symposium: Quo Vadis? (Where
O’Reilly commented that in addi- happy to report the president of the are you going?) will be hosted at FAU
tion to helping to raise funds to sup- United States has signed actual leg- Harbor Branch in Fort Pierce, Feb. 7
port the critical research projects islation authorizing the construc- and 8. For more information, visit
currently taking place at Harbor tion of this reservoir. The theme of hboifoundation.org. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 17

PEOPLE

Michael O’Reilly, Katha Kissman and Joe Negron. Peter McCarthy, Aditya Nayak and Hunter Hines. Jackie Solari and County Commissioner Bob Solari
with Lucinda Gedeon.

Nick and Fiona Dickens with Melanie and Pat Boles. Catherine Lo, Ian Combs, Grace Roskar and Erin Shilling.

18 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Ed Lippisch and Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch with Linda and Michael Twardowski. Marjorie Raines and Harold Baker. Bill Stewart and Laurie Kaneb Stewart with Rebecca and Brad Emmons.

Shelly Thomas, Richard Giessert, Stephanie LeBlanc and Shelley Adelle.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 19

PEOPLE

Sally and Jim Sullivan. Jennifer and H.M. Ridgely.

Missy and Brett Tougas. Lauren Flood and Jordon Beckler.

Joe Duke, John McConnell, Pud and George Lawrence with Marilyn McConnell.

20 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Gratitude and can-do attitude propel Haiti Partners

Merline and John Engle. Astri Delafield, Penny Johnson, May Brandt, Betsy Huebner and Lisa Rose. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE Adam and Suzanne Bolinger.

BY MARY SCHENKEL you can imagine. So thank you for be- must all volunteer a minimum of four opened with 30 children, all aged 3,
Staff Writer ing part of this work.” hours per week. and has added a grade each year; it
now enrolls 200 children ages 3 to 9.
Supporters of Haiti Partners gath- Giving a brief overview of the orga- “If you’re not working with the par- Some of the children are also emulat-
ered at Costa d’Este last Friday after- nization’s current status and vision for ents, you’re really missing an opportu- ing the type of self-governed Village
noon for its annual Stories of Gratitude the future, he stressed the importance nity,” said Engle. Savings and Loan groups their parents
Luncheon, where John Engle provided of providing a good education and a have entered into as a way to learn how
an update on the Vero Beach-based sense of hope to children in a country They have launched a number of to save money.
nonprofit’s efforts to meet its mission where nearly half of the 11 million resi- entrepreneur programs the parents
of “Helping Haitians change Haiti dents are functionally illiterate, half participate in, from a handmade paper Haiti Partners is currently working
through education.” of school-aged children do not attend business for notecards and artwork, to raise $250,000 to add a third floor
school, 70 percent are unemployed and to growing Caribbean Scotch Bonnet to the facility, which would enable an
Engle, who co-founded Haiti Part- two-thirds live on less than $2 per day. peppers, from which Merline Engle additional 90 students to attend the
ners with Kent Annan 10 years ago, manufactures Merline’s Hot Sauce in school.
said that in terms of gratitude, ev- “The day-in and day-out is intense,” the U.S.
eryone can agree that “the joy that said Engle. “The kids grow up know- On Thursday, Feb. 21, Haiti Partners
comes from helping those less fortu- ing they’re in a country that has lots of “The children need to grow up in an will host Education & Celebrate, 6 p.m.
nate is mollified when we’re engaged problems.” environment where entrepreneurship at Grand Harbor Club, featuring Hai-
in it with people we love. The fact that is part of the culture,” said Engle. “We tian-inspired cuisine, a marketplace of
we have this base in Vero Beach, and In 2012, Engle, with wife Merline, believe in education. We dream of cre- Haitian artwork and crafts, and silent-
we’re developing some hubs around founded a Children’s Academy and ating, in partnership with local com- and live-auction items.
the country, means more to us than Learning Center to not only provide an munities, a school-based community
education to the children, but to also development model that inspires.” For more information, visit HaitiPart-
work closely with their parents, who ners.org. 
The Children’s Academy originally

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 21

PEOPLE

Dale Jacobs, Pat Gale and Frank Alerte. Rosalie Kerr, Roz Allen and Deborah Downs. Sandy Robinson, Barbara Petrillo and Elke Fetterolf.

Don and Carolyn White. Al and Betty Sammartino with Mary and Mark Sammartino.

Cathy De Schouwer and Jean Cravens. Carrie Pietrowski and Pastor Jack Diehl. Leslie Tillery and Stephanie Smith. Robert and Lila Bolinger.

22 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Everything’s scholarship-shape with Orchid Outreach

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF Sylvia and Eddie Brown. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE and Rescue Station. The program during the year,” she added.
Staff Writer was later expanded to include Orchid “To date, you have contributed to
gamut from college majors to post- Island employees and their children,
Agreeing wholeheartedly with Ben- graduate plans. and local students attending Indian the education of 53 young scholars
jamin Franklin, who said, “An invest- River State College. through Orchid Outreach. You have
ment in knowledge pays the best in- Orchid Outreach was originally changed the lives of 53 students at
terest,” Orchid Island residents have founded by Nancy Bryson and the The committee is comprised of 40 a time when tuitions are high, aid is
been investing in the future of Indian late Mary Ellen Strawser to provide women on a mission to help students limited and family savings are slim,”
River County students since 2001. scholarships to the children of first who may not otherwise be able to af- said Lamport. “You should all be very
responders at the then-newly con- ford college. It’s their goal to change proud of what you’ve done. I know I
Gloomy weather did not in the least structed Indian River County Fire lives, enrich the community, help lo- am.”
dampen the spirits of benefactors cal students and make a lasting im-
who gathered recently at the home of pact. To accomplish that, the group Of this year’s five Orchid Island
Sylvia and Eddie Brown to honor this established three endowments to Scholarship recipients, three are em-
year’s batch of scholarship recipients provide scholarships to students they ployed by Orchid Island or are the
at the annual Orchid Outreach Cock- feel will benefit the most. children of employees, and two are
tail Reception. the children of first responders.
“Orchid Outreach awards scholar-
“We’ve lived here for two years and ships to Indian River County first re- “It means a lot to get a scholarship
we love the community,” said Eddie sponders and their family members, from your own community,” said
Brown. “We love doing things to help Orchid Island Beach and Golf Club Melvin Baker, a junior at the Uni-
people. When we were approached to employees and their family mem- versity of South Florida majoring in
host this evening, the purpose struck bers, and to Indian River County stu- marine biology, thanking donors for
a chord with us – scholarships for dents,” said committee chair Tracy their support. “It makes you realize
young people.” Lamport. how many people have your back.
Without the Orchid Island Scholar-
Guests and scholarship recipients “One-hundred percent of your ship and the Scholarship Founda-
mingled as committee members donations go directly to the schol- tion, I would not have been able to
served homemade nibbles while sev- arship fund. The committee un- pursue college.”
eral conscripted spouses served as derwrites all the expenses of this
bartenders. Conversations ran the gathering and all associated costs This year’s Indian River State Col-
lege Scholars are: Erin Mrazek, Ki-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 23

PEOPLE

Dep. Chief Cory Richter, Ann Decker and Julia Keenan. Carol St. John and Diane Leslie. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE Linda Shields with David and Barbara Crosby.

Laurie McGrath with Phil and Joan Gulley. PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
Twig Stickney, Pat Day and Bill Cunningham.
Meg and Jim McLaughlin.

erstin Carroll and Nicole Martz. The
recipients of Orchid Island Schol-
arships administered through the
Scholarship Foundation of Indian
River are: Keyshawna Chambers,
attending Florida State University;
Kaylee Coleman, attending Furman
University; Alexandreah Glover, at-
tending the University of North Flor-
ida in Jacksonville; and Melvin Baker,
attending the University of South
Florida in Tampa. 

24 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 Tracy Lamport, Sylvia Brown, Donna Thrailkill and Gerry Collins.
Nicole Martz with parents Barbara and Ed Martz.

JoAnn Daniel, Sally Spilman and Grace Skrzypczak. Tom and Suzanne Albani with Takisha Frierson and Melvin Baker.

Cliff Henry, Steve Dansky and Allan Lamport. Judy and Paul Stach with Caryn and John Morrow.

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26 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

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Pin-ups dazzle at dressy ‘Downtown Dapper Daze’

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF bevy of 1940s- and 1950s-era pin-
Staff Writer up girls strolled along 14th Avenue,
parasols in hand to shade their deli-
Historic Downtown Vero Beach cate complexions from the sun, be-
experienced a time warp last Satur- fore stopping to pose with antique
day during an inaugural Downtown cars from a bygone era.
Dapper Daze at the Heritage Center
presented by the Parisian Hostess “I love the dapper lifestyle and the
Boutique. look of dressing up in pin-up. I’ve
found such a joy in doing all of it,”
Traffic came to a standstill as a said Tamara Darress, event coordi-

Blake Green, Lindsey Hansen, Abby Smith and Tamara Darress. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE

nator and boutique owner, who has Those looking to “date” their
cultivated a community of enthusi- wardrobe sifted through a wide
asts who love the nostalgia of that range of fashions at the Lotty Dotty
era. Vintage shop, which boasted a sign
poking fun at their love of old fash-
“So many other women have felt ions – “Things they didn’t get buried
empowered dressing up in pin-up in.”
that I started doing Bombshell Acad-
emy Boot Camps and the Dapper Saturday’s entertainment was
Dine-out Nights. People just kept geared toward simpler times as well,
saying we want something more with a magic show, bubble gum
and that’s when I thought to do the blowing and Hula Hoop contests, an
Downtown Dapper Daze.” ice cream social photo op, and a per-
formance by the Indian River Char-
The response was positive enough ter High School Wolves Jazz Band.
that Darress plans to make Down-
town Dapper Daze an annual event, Folks wanting to take full advan-
commenting that participants in the tage of the beautiful day outside par-
Pin-Up Pageant haled from as far ticipated in the Dapper Dash.
away as Miami, Orlando and Tampa.
With maps in hand, dashers vis-
And, although the look is not sim- ited shops along Main Street and
ple to achieve, it does harken back to performed zany mini challenges to
a simpler time. earn a punch on their maps. Com-
pleted maps earned the participants
“Life is more complicated now,” a chance to win a downtown shop-
said Darress. “People don’t have ping spree.
conversations like they did when
families sat down at the dinner table The evening ended with the
every night.” screening of the classic film “Break-
fast at Tiffany’s” before the dance
In a nod to “the good old days,” a floor was turned over so the Dapper
pop-up Vintage Market offered retro Dolls and Dapper Dans could dance
clothing, jewelry and handbags, home- the night away to Beau & the Burners
made goods including jams and jellies, Rockabilly Band. 
quill jewelry and needlework items.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 27

PEOPLE

Catlin Gross. Jesse and Jessica Hatmaker. Indian River Charter High School Jazz Band.

Sandy Clifton and Leila Darress with Henry.

28 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Planting seeds for ‘Sustainable Future’ at Audubon forum

BY MARY SCHENKEL ered an array of topics focused on same caliber as last year,” said Donna
Staff Writer planting sustainable gardens with Halleran, first vice president of the
native plant landscaping to protect all-volunteer PIAS board. She noted
Following on the heels of last year’s and restore the environment. that many of the nearly 200 environ-
successful inaugural event, the Peli- mentally conscious attendees had
can Island Audubon Society hosted its “Fascinating speakers all day,” said also attended last year and had of-
second Transforming Landscapes for Nancy Heinrich. “I came to get some fered suggestions which they took to
a Sustainable Future Conference last new inspiration for my yard and the heart this year.
Saturday at the Indian River County conference met my expectations and
Fairgrounds. Experts in the field cov- exceeded them.” One of those ideas was the inclu-
sion of native plant vendors, so at-
“We had different speakers but the

PHOTOS & STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

Barbie Eliot and Jeanette Kain. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE

tendees were able to purchase plants
from Native Butterfly & Flowers, Nan-
cy’s Nursery, and the Brevard-based
Conradina Native Plant Society. An-
other was providing additional time
for Q&A opportunities with the es-
teemed speakers.

“We work closely with all of our
partners to try to enhance Indian Riv-
er County,” said Halleran. “Another
focus issue for us is we are planting
5,000 trees; we have a program called
Trees for Life. We have begun plant-
ing live oak trees from acorns, and we
have a little over 675 saplings so far.
We’re really putting our efforts into
helping the community to work with
native plants.”

PIAS board president Richard Bak-
er, Ph.D., said they have 22 partners
for the Trees for Life project. “We’re
going to be planting 100,000 trees in
Indian River County. We’re starting
out with 5,000 trees in the first two
years. The other thing we want to do
is change the landscaping ordinances
in our counties and in our cities. We
want to cut back on the amount of
water that we’re using and the chemi-
cals.”

Speakers this year included Vince
Lamb, nature photographer and Flor-
ida Master Naturalist; Craig Huegel,
Ph.D., author and owner/operator of
Hawthorn Hill Native Wildflowers;
Chris Waltz, a member of the Flori-
da Native Plant Society and Florida
Wildflower Foundation; Michelle
Peterson, founder/president of the
Treasure Coast Beekeepers Associa-
tion and a Florida Master Beekeeper
specializing in Native Bee Apiculture;
interdisciplinary scientist and author
Marc Minno, Ph.D., a Water Resource
Coordinator with the Suwannee River
Water Management District; Kirsten



30 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Craig Huegel, Richard Baker and Michael Kuras. Luanne Cartier and Rebeca Siplak. Terry Greene.

PHOTOS & STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28 non-native plants and that we can
have beautiful yards for the butter-
Hines, author, photographer and con- flies, bees and birds, that are consis-
servationist; James Kushlan, Ph.D., tent with saving the environment; not
ornithologist, educator, author and just for them but for us,” said Baker.
conservationist; and Michael Kuras, “We’re in trouble.”
a Florida landscape designer who uti-
lizes native plants and environmen- PIAS hosts informative talks and
tally friendly materials. workshops at its Pelican Island Audu-
bon House on Oslo Road, including a
“We’re trying to educate folks that free monthly series on Fridays at 9 a.m.
we need to think about removing For more information, visit Pelican-
some of our current practices with IslandAudubon.org. 

Ryan and Melissa Weaver, Agency Owners Felicity Rask, Lin Herz and Nancy Silvestri.
Ryan Weaver Insurance, Inc. is a locally owned George Glenn, Steve Goff and Bill Loftus.

independent agency that has been serving
Indian River County for over 12 years.

All lines of commercial or personal insurance available.

OLD DOMINION
INSURANCE COMPANY

A member of Main Street America Group

855 21st Street – CenterState Bank Building
2nd Floor – Vero Beach

(772) 567-4930 • [email protected]
www.rweaverinsurance.com

Conveniently located just off of Miracle Mile,
across from Classic Car Wash on US-1

FILMMAKER GRUBER FINDS
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION IN VERO

32 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Filmmaker Gruber finds lights, camera, action in Vero

BY ELLEN FISCHER Xaque Gruber. A selection of films from his 13-year
Columnist West Coast career comprised the greater
PHOTOS BY LEIGH GREEN part of the “Hollywood to Vero” program.
Xaque Gruber loves Vero Beach. And These included his 2007 interview with
Vero Beach loves him. The love flowed Phyllis Diller on her 90th birthday; a clip
at recent matinee and evening presen-
tations of short films on “Hollywood to of Gruber’s appearances as “Fran-
Vero: The Film and TV Work of Xaque cisco,” a fictional party planner
Gruber.” on the FOXTV reality show, “Hell’s
Kitchen”; a segment from a 2008 TV
Presenting the programs in the Le- docu-series Gruber directed pro-
onhardt Auditorium at the Vero Beach filing cancer survivor Mary Olsen
Museum of Art, Gruber began with
a 2002 documentary short he made Kelly; and a movie trailer for the 2012
as a Boston University graduate stu- feature film “Broken Roads,” a drama
dent and ended with two comedies he for which Gruber wrote the script.
filmed here in Vero Beach.
Gruber also introduced “Humans of
Gruber moved to Vero from Los An- Vero Beach,” a documentary short di-
geles in 2016 to be near his parents, rected by Vero resident Kenneth George
David and Joann Gruber, after his fa- that was dedicated to the memory of
ther was diagnosed with a life-limiting Gruber’s father, who died from compli-
illness. In happier times, the younger cations of Alzheimer’s last May. When
Gruber had made brief annual visits the elder Gruber entered a care facility
to our city. After three sometimes dif- here in 2017, Xaque found a way to en-
ficult, often joyful years here, he has liven not only his father’s days there, but
decided to make Vero his home base those of other patients, as well. The film
while continuing his work in film. features an exuberant Gruber in a color-
ful chef’s apron, leading sing-alongs in
“I felt very bogged down in Los Ange- the common room with residents whose
les,” he says. “I would never have made illness does not preclude their capacity
these shorts if I’d stayed in Los Angeles.” for creative fulfillment.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 33

ARTS & THEATRE

Highlighting his presentations were Jared Thomas, location manager Marie cepting the film for screening at Cannes “If everything moves as it should, we
the two comedy shorts Gruber wrote, Healy, sound director James Fleck and Court Métrage, a forum for short film- should be shooting maybe in May in Los
produced and directed in Vero Beach. sound assistant Ethan Denniston. makers the festival sponsors apart from Angeles,” Gruber says.
“The Pistol” is the story of a plucky its international competition.
80-something who apprehends an in- It was more difficult to find local ac- Starring Kirkland, it will see Gruber
truder with the help of her late husband’s tors to audition for the film; Gruber’s first Gruber went to Cannes to enjoy directing his first feature length film.
revolver. And “The” (yes, that’s the name casting call attracted only one hopeful. the 2018 Festival, which began May 8
of the film) is the tale of the English lan- and continued through May 19, when In the meantime, “The,” edited in the
guage’s most commonly used word and “If this was Los Angeles, I’d have a line “The Pistol” was screened in between nick of time for inclusion in the “Hol-
‘her’ search for meaning. The title char- of people wanting to audition stretching a Spanish horror film and an Israeli lywood to Vero” program, employed an
acter is played by local actor Isabel Gar- two blocks,” he says. documentary. all-Vero film crew and cast. Anne Talbot
rett, wearing a sandwich board embla- played “Of,” the sympathetic buddy of
zoned with a single word: “The.” On a visit to the Vero Beach Theatre The exposure also led to a production Garrett’s despondent “The,” a word that
Guild to drum up actors, Gruber met company representative from Canada has no meaning by itself.
When the museum originally sched- Anne Talbot and another Guild mem- asking to read “Sallywood,” a script Gr-
uled the event last August, the idea was ber in the parking lot, sweeping up uber wrote in 2015 based on his expe- Says Gruber, “I will enter ‘The’ in
to screen only the “The Pistol.” broken glass. rience as personal assistant to actress Cannes; I will enter it far and wide. I’ll
Sally Kirkland. be very excited to see where it lands and
“I said, ‘Folks, that’s a 10-minute “I said, ‘Excuse me. Are you actors?’ how it plays.” 
movie! If we are going to make a special And they said, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘I’m a direc-
program, I’d like to show an actual body tor, and I’m directing a local film. I’d
of work,’” says Gruber, recalling that he really love for you to audition.’ They
offered to fill a two-hour program with looked at me and said, ‘You don’t want
film clips from his other projects. us – we’re too old for you.’ I said, ‘No –
you are exactly what I want. The charac-
Instead, Gruber decided he had time ters are your age.’”
to make “The,” which was edited just in
time to premiere at the museum. He eventually cast Talbot as Mildred,
breezy best friend to the story’s crusty
Because “The Pistol” was his first foray protagonist, Claire. Nicholas Keeler, an-
into directing, he assembled a profes- other Guild member, was selected to play
sional crew for the filming in Vero and Aldo, a persistent young burglar.
paid them accordingly.
Garrett was recommended to Gruber
“I didn’t cut corners,” says Gruber. by Michelle Genz, 32963’s assistant man-
His director of photography, Mathias aging editor, who profiled Gruber in this
Fain, holds a graduate degree in produc- paper a couple of years ago.
tion from the American Film Institute
and has worked in the Los Angeles movie “She called me out of nowhere and
industry since 1998. His experience in- said, ‘You know what? I know the per-
cludes everything from set dresser to art fect crazy older lady. She has character;
director; camera operator to director of you’ve got to meet her.’ And then Isabel
photography. His skills also include di- called and left a message.”
recting movie shorts, which was espe-
cially useful on “The Pistol.” Gruber mimics Garrett’s raspy voice:
Gruber says, “At times, when the ac- “She said, ‘I’m really good at playing
tors weren’t giving me what I really want- crazy ladies.’ I just heard her voice and I
ed, he would pull them gently aside and thought, that’s her.”
work with them, and step in like a direc-
tor. I observed Mathias and his expertise, A house near St. Helen’s Church was
which helped make me a better director.” selected for an exterior scene of Clair’s
Out-of-town pros on the set included house, which was supposed to be in
assistant photographer Lia Gaitan of Mi- Queens, N.Y. The interior of a modest
ami, script supervisor Aleshia Mueller house in the Rockridge subdivision was
of Atlanta, lighting director Scott Oldis used for indoor scenes, and a beach in
of Chicago, and first assistant director Indian River Shores was used as the loca-
Quinton Macari of Orlando. Local crew tion for the final scene.
members included production designer
The film was shot in early Decem-
ber 2017. In late February, Gruber sent a
rough cut of it to the Cannes Film Festi-
val for consideration. Very soon thereaf-
ter he was thrilled to receive an email ac-

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Music Director & Conductor

34 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

McMullan, orchestra founder, recalled as brilliant visionary

BY MICHELLE GENZ Andrew McMullan The McMullans built a chamber or-
Staff Writer with his wife Jean. chestra that by 2009, as Palm Beach Post
music critic Charles Passy wrote, “could
When conductor, pianist and horn PHOTO BY MARY SCHENKEL claim an honored place in even the most
player Andrew McMullan moved to culturally rich communities.”
Vero Beach from Maine 30 years ago, he
longed for the orchestras he left behind, The orchestra has drawn national
including one he founded, the Portland and international musicians, commis-
Chamber Orchestra. sioning works by up-and-coming com-
posers and eventually recording under
So he founded another one, the Atlan- McMullan’s successor, Stewart Robert-
tic Classical Orchestra. McMullan, who son, the former conductor of Florida
conducted the orchestra until his retire- Grand Opera.
ment in 2004, died Jan. 26 at the age of 95.
Today, under Maestro David Amado,
Within months of moving here, Mc- who also serves as music director of
Mullan was already mapping out plans the Delaware Symphony, the season
at the dining room table along with includes four concerts in each of three
wife Jean, a former cellist. Cobbling to- cities – Vero, Stuart and Palm Beach Gar-
gether 28 musicians, they drove back dens – by an orchestra of 30 to 45 musi-
and forth between the orchestra’s dual cians, often featuring a prominent guest
homes – Vero and Stuart, toting their soloist. It also stages smaller chamber
Shih Tzu dogs and sometimes sneaking performances in Vero and Stuart.
them into concerts.
It was in November 1988 that McMul-
“Andy McMullan had an inspired vi- lan led the chamber orchestra in its first
sion to start a high-quality orchestra concert, in the Vero Beach Museum of
for the Treasure Coast,” said Jean Beck- Art’s Leonhardt auditorium. The all-Mo-
ert, president of the Vero Friends of the zart program was played by a group that
ACO. “The team of Andy and Jean Mc- was half professional and half volunteer.
Mullan worked tirelessly to make that It proved an inspirational concert – do-
dream come true.” nations poured in. The group’s first sea-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 35

ARTS & THEATRE

son officially began two months later. Joio’s 90th birthday. “He conducted one for emotional support. The night of the Jean McMullan recalls the time the
In 1994, McMullan scored a major of his pieces at every concert that sea- concert, the therapy failed and the flutist town wouldn’t heed her pleas to re-route
son,” said Kopani. froze; it was left to the student to fake the a road that ran straight through the
coup for his fledging orchestra: a perfor- solo: “She put the flute up to her mouth, camp. “I was so afraid one of my girls was
mance by 13-year-old violin prodigy Hil- Though his life as a professional musi- and looked quickly at the key to see what going to get hit. Finally Andy said, ‘Let’s
ary Hahn, who by then had played with cian was mostly in Maine and Connecti- we were playing in, and she blew four just move all the buildings to other side
the Philadelphia Orchestra, New York cut, McMullan was a Southerner. Born notes: toot, toot, toot, toot!” of the road.’ And we did. He was always
Philharmonic and Cleveland Orchestra. in Decatur, Miss., a small town near Me- thinking outside the box.”
Hahn, lured in part by a relative in Stu- ridian, he credited his musical ear with That was enough. Impressed with the
art, would perform four more times, the keeping a Southern accent at bay. He stand-in’s pluck, McMullan went back In Maine, music continued to be
last time in 2004. studied piano as a child, and by high stage to express his thanks. The stand-in part of their lives, as Jean played cello
school knew every brass instrument in was Jean McMullan; he caught her “just and Andy played French horn with the
“It was Andy’s hope that our audiences the band. He went on to study music at as I was creeping out horrified.” The two Portland Symphony. He founded the
would love to watch Hilary’s artistic de- Louisiana State University, settling on married in 1950. “He announced our en- Portland Chamber Orchestra, and for
velopment,” said Kathy Kopani, McMul- French horn, a challenging instrument. gagement by having his marching band eight summers conducted the Maine
lan’s daughter and a violinist with the perform in the pattern of a diamond on Opera Association.
orchestra for 18 years. But it was his natural leadership and the football field,” recalls Jean.
organizational skills that caught the eye This season, Atlantic Classical Orches-
By 1995, the group had enough funds of the LSU dean. He asked McMullan At 23, with his master’s in music, Mc- tra relocated its Vero concerts from St.
to pay all the musicians. Throughout to take over the marching band when Mullan was hired to teach at the Univer- Edward’s School to Community Church.
McMullan’s tenure, the orchestra main- its director left right before the opening sity of Connecticut, again directing the It was hoped that Andy McMullan would
tained enough support to stay in the game of football season. When he was college band. Jean got a job playing cello join in the 30th anniversary of the or-
black; only twice did it dip into the red. called to the dean’s office a second time, with the Eastern Connecticut Sympho- chestration he founded. Instead, con-
Even then, it was only a few days before he thought, “What have I done now?” he ny, but her dream from childhood was to ductor David Amado will speak at his
donors stepped up. told 32963 in an interview for a 2010 pro- own a summer camp for girls. As would memorial service at the church Feb. 15;
file. The dean asked him to finish out the happen repeatedly in their 68-year mar- violinist Elmar Oliveira, a frequent guest
Another McMullan coup was per- season, taking over all three LSU bands riage, one partner helped the other make soloist with ACO, will perform.
forming a work written for the ACO by and conducting three concerts. His suc- a dream come true.
the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer cess earned him a full scholarship to Then Amado – and a substantial por-
Norman Dello Joio. graduate school at Eastman School of Moving to Maine, Jean bought Alford tion of the congregation – will rush down
Music at the University of Rochester. Lake Camp, while Andy bought a small to Stuart for a 4 p.m. matinee. It’s the sort
“Somebody said he was visiting Vero, uniform manufacturing business with of feat McMullan himself might have
and Andy was just electrified that he McMullan was conducting at East- 12 employees. Over the next 34 years, he enjoyed, assuming the concert goes on
was here,” recalls Jean McMullan. “I man when one of his flutists developed built the Hanold Company into a mul- without a hitch. “There is story after sto-
don’t know how he ended up at the con- stage fright. McMullan got the idea to timillion-dollar business with 150 em- ry after story of the things Andy pulled
cert, but he and Andy struck up a huge ask a grad student who played cello to sit, ployees. Jean’s camp similarly expanded, off with his wits,” says Jean McMullan.
friendship.” flute in hand, next to the anxious flutist hosting 250 girls every summer. “He was amazing.” 

The final year of McMullan’s tenure
as conductor, 2003, coincided with Dello

36 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Foosaner, Funk broaden appeal as Sensory Inclusive venues

BY ANNETTE CLIFFORD Kathie Elias and one
Correspondent of the Sensory Bags.

Almost three decades after the Amer- PHOTOS BY BENJAMIN THACKER
icans with Disabilities Act was signed, a
concerted effort is now also being made
at cultural venues to better include in-
dividuals with sensory special needs.
That work took a big step forward re-
cently when the Foosaner Art Museum,
Renee Foosaner Education Center and

‘I think the biggest
benefit is that they
can appreciate art
with no pressure.’

– Kathie Elias

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 37

ARTS & THEATRE

Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts, all of Julian and Zuri in the quiet room. Coast Early Intervention Center, the
which operate under the umbrella of state of Florida’s Early Steps program,
Florida Institute of Technology in Bre- ties. At the Foosaner museum, a small and public and private schools in Bre-
vard County, announced their certifi- room between galleries will serve as a vard, are also expected to make use of
cation as Sensory Inclusive venues. space where visitors can step away from the sensory tool kits.
the hustle and bustle to calm down, ac-
Broadly defined, that inclusion re- cording to Elias. The room will contain Elias stresses that the sensory-
fers to making it easier for individuals a table with provided art materials, friendly resource is not limited to just
with such challenges as autism, de- such as crayons and drawing paper. one hour or a particular day, and that
mentia, post-traumatic stress disorder no special tour is required. The expe-
or other sensory processing disorders Signs at entryways will alert the rience is available to the community
to visit and enjoy cultural facilities. public to the availability of sensory any time that the facilities are open.
bags at the front desk, and they are also
“These kinds of disorders are not reaching out to community groups Sensory-inclusive planning at pub-
always obvious or visual,” says Kathie and providers to promote awareness lic and private venues is a burgeoning
Elias, curator of education for the Foo- of the new certifications. trend nationwide. KultureCity has al-
saner Museum and Education Cen- ready assisted zoos, sporting arenas
ter. While she doesn’t have estimated The Scott Center for Autism Treat- and stadiums to better serve the needs
numbers on how many residents with ment in Melbourne, also part of Flor- of their sensory-challenged visitors.
sensory-related challenges might visit ida Tech, plans to take advantage of
the museum, several recent studies the new sensory resources this spring. In some cities, movie theaters,
have found that between 5 percent and Other organizations, such as the Space amusement parks and even restau-
16 percent of children deal with some rants are trying out ways to accommo-
form of sensory processing difficul- date children and adults with sensory
ties, from startling at loud noises to a processing differences, according to
hypersensitivity to touch and texture. an Oct. 18, 2018 forbes.com article by
contributor Michele Hermann.
Staff members at the three facilities
received online training through Kultu- In the past, families and caregivers
reCity, a Birmingham, Alabama-based were sometime hesitant to take sen-
nonprofit created to promote acceptance sory-challenged individuals to muse-
and inclusion for all individuals, particu- ums, not knowing what their reaction
larly those with ‘invisible’ disabilities. would be. Now, Elias says, they “can
enjoy at their own pace. I think the
The training helps staff to more read- biggest benefit is that they can appre-
ily recognize those guests who might ciate art with no pressure.”
have sensory challenges. KultureCity
also provides kits of assorted tools to For more information, visit foosaner-
make the experience better for mu- artmuseum.org or textiles.fit.edu. 
seum visitors, such as noise-canceling
headphones for guests who might be- Celebrate the renowned African American Artists • Museum Exhibition on view through March 3
come over-stimulated by a noisy envi-
ronment. Elias mentions their popular
summer arts camps as an example of
where auditory-overload might occur.

Elias says verbal cue cards, “an emo-
tional thermometer of nonverbal images
that looks like a comic strip,” can also
be used, explaining: “A child with sen-
sory overload can point at images of how
they’re feeling, such as angry and sad.”

Fidget tools – toys which can help
people with autism, ADHD, anxiety
and other issues calm themselves when
under stress – are part of the kit as well.

Quiet spaces are another important
way to aid those with sensory difficul-

DONC’ETLMEBISRSATTIHOENHWIGEHEWKEAYNMD EN

February 15 - 17, 2019

Free Admission until 4 pm
Vintage Paintings for Sale on the Outdoor Mural Plaza

Saturday Gallery Talks (11 am - 1 pm - 3 pm)
Saturday trolley shuttles to the 4th Annual
Highwaymen Heritage Trail Art Show & Festival

Sunday Gallery Talks (1 pm - 3 pm)

Opening Reception - Friday, February 15 - Museum Members free / Not-Yet Members $20
Opening Lecture by Roger Lightle (6 - 7 pm)

Reception (7 - 8 pm)

Museum & Gallery A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery

500 North Indian River Drive Historic Downtown Fort Pierce
(772) 465-0630

www.BackusMuseum.com

38 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Coming Up: Ridenour’s piano will crackle with ‘POPS’

BY SAMANTHA ROHLFING BAITA (and a hanky) and share an evening
Staff Writer of gorgeous, romantic music. Time:

7:30 p.m. Tickets: $85. 772-778-1070.

1 The Indian River Symphonic 3 If you’re jonesin’ for a little
Association’s 2019 Festival of Fleetwood Mac, the Emerson

Orchestras continues this Friday,

Feb. 8, at Community Church of Center is the place to be this Friday,

Vero Beach as the Brevard Sympho- Feb. 8, when Classic Albums Live

ny Orchestra welcomes back vastly brings its production of “Fleetwood

entertaining pianist Rich Ridenour Mac: Rumours” to the stage for a mu-

for “Great Movies, Grand Piano – sical journey back to February 1977,

POPS.” Ridenour has been described when the English rock band released

by critics as “amazingly versatile, its 11th studio album, “Rumours.” It

masterfully musical and wickedly has over the years become an endur-

funny,” and, in this new iteration of ing classic, and, to this day, continues

the show audiences loved two years to engage listeners with its “soothing

ago, says the promo, this concert sound and emotional lyrics.” Ironi-

is packed with memorable movie cally, according to Wikipedia, the

themes from “The Sting,” “The Pink 1 Rich Ridenour at Community Church Friday. “Rumours” studio sessions “were
Panther,” “Forrest Gump,” “Some- marked by hedonistic behaviour

where in Time,” “Exodus” and “Up.” and interpersonal strife among band

The wonderful BSO, under the baton It’s the return to Community Church at numerous international music fes- members, which shaped the album’s

of Christopher Confessore, will per- of the Russian National Orchestra tivals. According to its website bio, lyrics.” Classic Albums Live is known

form music from “Lord of the Rings,” with a Feb. 14 St. Valentine’s Day when the RNO debuted at the BBC for taking classic albums and rec-

“Superman” and more. Time: 7:30 concert “of pure romance.” The or- Proms in London (a summer series reating them live, on stage, note for

p.m. Tickets: $36-$50. 772-778-1070. chestra was founded in 1990 by pia- at the Royal Albert Hall), the Evening note, cut for cut without, they prom-

nist and conductor Mikhail Plenev, Standard reported they played “with ise, “all the gimmickry and cheesy

2 But wait. There’s more. This and performs in the music capitals of such captivating beauty that the au- impersonations, but relying only on
time from Russia, with music. Europe, Asia and the Americas, and dience gave an involuntary sigh of the music.” Time: 7 p.m. Tickets: $30

pleasure”; and the Miami Herald has to $75. 772-777-9321.

described the orchestra as “a living

symbol of the best in Russian art.” 4 Sex Pots. The name pretty
For its Valentine’s Day concert, says much says it all. Well, that, and

the show promo, the Russian Na- the venue: Flametree Clay Arts Gal-

tional will perform some of the most lery. So, are you ready for the only

romantic numbers from the Roman- erotic clay art exhibition around,

tic Era, including, of course, works by as far we know? I believe this is the

Chopin and Rachmaninoff. Special exhibition’s second season at the

guest performer will be “the brilliant Flametree and also that the first

IS YOUR ADVISOR virtuoso pianist George Li,” play- year was a pottery hit. In any case,
A FIDUCIARY? ing Chopin’s beautiful and moving “Sex Pots” is on exhibit through
Chances are you “Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor.” February, and you can check them
have no idea. The 23-year-old Li won the Silver all out for yourself at the gallery
Medal in 2015’s International Tchai- in Vero’s mainland 14th Avenue
kovsky Competition, and is lauded gallery district. Hours: Tuesdays,
as having amazing “technical prow- Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m.

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40 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 INSIGHT COVER STORY Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

A bald eagle named Challenger shot museum will welcome visitors into
into the sky on that day in April 2008 its light-splashed atrium on their way
as the Newseum celebrated the un- to see artifacts as heartbreaking as a
veiling of its sumptuous building with charred remnant of the New York tower
the soaring facade just steps from the that terrorists toppled on September
U.S. Capitol. 11 and as inspiring as its popular gal-
lery of Pulitzer-winning photographs.
A Marine band played before an A-
list audience that included the speak- Even as visitors walk past those
er of the House of Representatives and sights, planning will be underway to
the chief justice of the Supreme Court. scatter the collection into a storage
facility and, in some cases, to return
Al Neuharth, the brash USA To- items to donors.
day founder whose grand vision was
coming to fruition, enthused about “We plan to continue the Newse-
“this glamorous glass house” that had um’s crucial work of increasing public
sprouted on land bought at the high- understanding of the importance of a
est price ever for a chunk of real estate free press and the First Amendment
in the city’s history. for decades to come – through digital
outreach, traveling exhibits, and web-
The new museum’s chief executive, based programs in schools around the
Charles Overby, like Neuharth a for- world, as well as hopefully in a new
mer Gannett executive, declared that physical home in the area,” Maeve
they were “laying down a marker right Gaynor Scott, the Newseum’s direc-
here on Pennsylvania Avenue that the tor of collections, said in an email last
First Amendment is the cornerstone week to individuals and institutions
of our democracy.” that have lent pieces to the museum.

It was a dazzling start that gave no Neuharth’s daughter, Jan Neuharth,
hint of the dizzying fall to come. who helms the Freedom Forum, the
museum’s primary benefactor, has
“Everyone was so mesmerized,” re- said a new location in the city will be
called University of Maryland journal- found after the $372.5 million sale to
ism professor Edward Alwood. “We Hopkins.
thought . . . this thing can’t lose.”
But in an interview with The Wash-
Just 10 years later, the Newseum is ington Post last year as the depth of
shrinking into an uncertain future, the the museum’s financial woes were
distress sale of its building to Johns deepening, Neuharth mused aloud
Hopkins University marking the end about myriad possibilities, including
of a troubled tenure that has become a home in some digital “cloud.”
a cautionary tale of bloated budgets
and unrealized ambition. “The short answer,” she said then,
“is we don’t know what it will look like.”
Weighted down by crushing debt
and beset by management upheaval, The Newseum originally opened in
the museum’s downfall has long been 1997 in an office building over a Metro
foretold, but it is still a gut punch to an stop in Rosslyn, with a geodesic dome
industry struggling with digital-era fi- its only recognizable feature. About
nancial troubles galore. 400,000 visitors a year enjoyed free en-
try to its interactive exhibitions, inno-
Over the next year – before it closes vative video displays and a memorial
to the public in January 2020 – the to fallen journalists.

Good reviews and enthusiastic
crowds prompted retired Gannett
chairman Al Neuharth – who had
formed the Freedom Forum to foster
"free press, free speech and free spirit”
– to dream ever bigger, and he began

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 41

INSIGHT COVER STORY

imagining a splashier space across the 2008-2017, admission revenue never annual subsidy of $29 million, accord-
Potomac River. broke $10 million, meaning the average ing to tax filings. Even with that yearly
ticket was steeply discounted to under injection of cash, the Newseum has
The Freedom Forum had a repu- $10. During the same 10-year span, the had deficits every year.
tation for excess, so it wasn’t a shock Newseum’s rental and catering revenue
that it plunked down $100 million for kept the organization afloat, averaging While operating in the red, the New-
a parcel on Pennsylvania Avenue with $15.2 million – more than double the seum kept paying big salaries to up-
a prime view of the Capitol – a record- amount generated by admissions. per management, including $1.2 mil-
setting sale. lion to chief executive James C. Duff
Meanwhile, the museum cut ex- in 2014. His successor, Jeffrey Herbst,
To pull off the real estate deal, the penses. There have been five rounds pocketed $632,441 in 2016. Even so,
Freedom Forum had to make a choice: of staff cuts in the past 10 years, the the museum has had five chief execu-
pay for the building in Washington first in 2009 and the most recent in tives since 2014.
or continue to maintain its network 2017, when it laid off 10 percent of its
of overseas offices, which supported staff. All the while, the Freedom Fo- Jan Neuharth, who declined to be
democratic ideals. rum poured money into the struggling interviewed for this article, has blamed
operation, handing over an average the economy for the institution’s fi-
“We chose Washington,” Overby told nancial problems. The Great Reces-
the American Journalism Review in 2001. sion hit just months after Newseum
2.0 opened in Washington, cutting into
Eliminating the overseas offices its admissions and donations. By 2013,
wasn’t enough. The next year, the foun- the Freedom Forum’s $1.1 billion en-
dation axed its Freedom Forum Fel- dowment had shriveled to about $340
lows program, which helped working million, tax records show.
journalists get academic credentials
to teach at universities. It shuttered its When the economy rebounded af-
old location in Rosslyn, as well. ter the 2008 stock market convulsions,
the Newseum failed to bounce back.
With its plans fixed on swanky new The stock market roared to record
digs in Washington, the foundation highs, but the museum couldn’t man-
also needed piles of cash. It took out age to capitalize by attracting some of
$350 million in loans to pay for con- that newly created wealth.
struction. The risks were acceptable,
according to executives involved, be- The news industry was contracting
cause their coffers were fat. The Free- and consolidating, leaving the muse-
dom Forum’s assets topped $1.1 billion um with fewer doors to knock on and
in the late 1990s, when planning for smaller grants from its early support-
the new building began. ers. Big fundraising campaigns were
promised but never materialized.
Marrying vision and execution More than $300 million in loans be-
proved problematic. Costs soared. De- came the organization’s albatross, and
lays mounted. By the time the News- donors traditionally have little enthu-
eum was ready to open its doors, the siasm for making gifts to retire debt.
project was three years behind sched-
ule, and its price tag would eventually One of the hallmarks of the origi-
swell to $477 million. nal Newseum was its forward-leaning
embrace of technology. At its new lo-
“I thought this day would never cation, however, it struggled to reflect
come,” Overby said at the dedica- dramatic changes in the media indus-
tion ceremony for the steel-and-glass try. It opened a year after the iPhone
building – with the First Amendment hit the market. But its galleries dis-
etched in stone and facing Pennsylva- played another era’s idea of advanced
nia Avenue. news technology, such as satellite
trucks and studios with green screens,
The museum’s leaders brimmed at a time when the most innovative
with confidence. They looked at the news organizations were beginning to
millions who visited the Smithson- fling themselves into the digital era.
ian’s Air and Space and Natural His-
tory museums – which had average “I don’t think we all agree, as we did
annual attendance of 7.4 million and in the past, about what ‘news’ means,”
5.3 million in the early 2000s – and said Alwood, the Maryland professor.
figured they could reasonably expect “The Newseum is trying to portray an
to draw 1 million a year. High-tech industry that is ill-defined, therefore
exhibits, a conference space and a res- the Newseum is ill-defined.”
taurant from famous chef Wolfgang
Puck would serve as the lure. Still, there was something that visi-
tors – especially journalists – found en-
But there was a difference between dearing about the place. As its financial
troubles spiked to crisis levels, many
their museum and the popular, admis- journalists turned to social media to
sion-free Smithsonians: They would share their despair. They thought it
charge an entrance fee – one of the high- was something worth saving, even af-
est in city. It now stands at $25 a person. ter a decade of frustration.

They never met their goal. In 2017, In August, Douglas Cumming, a jour-
the museum’s best attendance year, it nalism professor at Washington and
fell short with 855,000 visitors. And the Lee University who had been a Free-
money wasn’t coming in, either. From dom Forum fellow, proposed a panel
on redesigning the Newseum.

STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

42 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 INSIGHT COVER STORY

“Surely the history of journal-
ism and the inspiration of the First
Amendment deserve a museum for
the masses,” according to his propos-
al. “It may be too late or irrelevant for
saving the Newseum, but what ideas
might be generated for a sustainable
business model.”

He asked Newseum officials to par-
ticipate.

They turned him down.
Cumming is one of many professors
who rely on the museum.
“We used to take classes there, bus-
loads of kids,” he said. “It’s good. The
civil rights exhibit, the history section,
with primary sources. They are a good
resource for journalism education.
Maybe they can come up with some-
thing new that doesn’t have to do with
a dazzling building in the middle of
Washington.”
Erika Pribanic-Smith, a professor
at the University of Texas at Arling-
ton, wants the Newseum to expand its
digital content to better serve a soci-
ety gripped by partisan bickering and
suspicious of media bias.
“We need journalism education
now more than ever,” she said, noting
that she uses the museum’s digital ar-
chives and “Today’s Front Pages” fre-
quently. “Anything that they can do,
like traveling exhibitions, is fantastic.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 43

INSIGHT COVER STORY

I think the building was a wonderful difficult. In 2011, the American Folk problems forced the National Acad- “They have to suck up the loss,”
beacon, a wonderful monument to Art Museum in New York was forced emy of Design in New York to sell two Andrew Taylor, an arts management
journalism. But the more they can to sell its 10-year-old showcase space of its three buildings, including one professor at American University,
do with their digital space, to get the next to the Museum of Modern Art on Fifth Avenue. Its school and mu- said of the sale. “It feels like a failure,
word out there, that’s so much more because it defaulted on construc- seum are “on hiatus.” and it’s disappointing. But if they
accessible.” tion loans. It returned to its smaller care about the mission, they need to
building at Lincoln Square. Financial The Newseum’s next chapter is less regroup.” 
Such retrenchments are rare, and certain.

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46 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT OPINION

Think we’re spending too much on defense? Think again

BY ROBERT J. SAMUELSON

Whenever anyone suggests America “Due to differences in purchasing respected Stockholm International potential enemies by about 7- or 8-to-
needs higher defense spending, there power across economies . . . two coun- Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). It 1 is preposterous. If that were so, you’d
is an incredulous response from critics: tries could hypothetically field the collects data on defense spending in expect the U.S. military to be many
U.S. military spending equals the outlays same size and quality force at dramati- local currencies and converts them times larger than any rival. This is not
of the next eight countries combined. cally different spending levels,” said a into dollars at prevailing exchange the case. Glance at the table that ac-
2017 report from the Center for Na- rates. But there’s another way to make companies this column. It gives some
How can we possibly be spending tional Defense at the Heritage Foun- the conversion from local currencies common indicators of military strength
too little when we spend so much more dation, a conservative think tank. to dollars, called purchasing power (tanks, combat aircraft and the like).
than any conceivable adversary? The parity, or PPP. It assumes that things
answer is that, while technically accu- Precisely. Let’s see how this works in of equal value in different countries The idea here is not to prescribe
rate, this argument is so distorted that practice. Using 2016 figures, the Heri- should have equal prices. Two compa- precisely what our defense policy
it becomes a fiction. tage report put U.S. defense spending rable jet fighters in different countries should be. The object is more modest:
at $606 billion. The next eight coun- should have the same price. to discredit the false – and dangerous
Global comparisons of military tries also totaled $606 billion, led by – notion, promoted by many, that our
spending mislead for several reasons. China at $226 billion, Russia at $70 When the Heritage experts made a military dominance is so overwhelm-
One is secrecy. “What they report is billion and Saudi Arabia at $61 billion; crude PPP adjustment, total defense ing that we can afford further cuts and
not what they spend,” says Todd Har- the other countries were France, $56 spending of the eight countries nearly can take refuge in our superior tech-
rison of the Center for Strategic and billion; India, $56 billion; the United doubled, from $606 billion to $1.1 tril- nology.
International Studies. Kingdom, $54 billion; Japan, $42 bil- lion. China’s spending rose 66 percent
lion; and Germany, $41 billion. to $376 billion; Russia’s increased 150 The truth is that any advantage in size
A second reason is that, since World percent to $176 billion. has shrunk dramatically, and, if experts
War II, the United States has assumed This is the conventional wisdom, are to be believed, we lag in some criti-
strategic responsibility for ensuring based on estimates compiled by the The idea that we’re outspending our cal new technologies, including cyber-
stability in Europe, Asia and the Middle warfare and artificial intelligence.
East. Neither China nor Russia has yet
embraced similarly sweeping goals. Defense no longer dominates the
federal budget, as it once did. That dis-
This boosts our spending and re- tinction has fallen to health and retire-
strains theirs, says Harrison. Hence, ment benefits. During the Cold War
we have 10 full-size aircraft carriers – from 1950 to 1990 – military outlays
to project our power abroad; no other averaged 40 percent of federal spend-
country comes close. Moving all those ing and 7.4 percent of the economy’s
troops, tanks, ships and planes around output (gross domestic product). Now
the globe is expensive. In fiscal 2017, those figures are 15 percent and 3.13
the U.S military consumed 98 million percent, respectively, according to a
barrels of oil, costing $8.8 billion. recent CSIS report co- written by Har-
rison and Seamus P. Daniels.
But there’s another reason Chinese
and Russian spending is understated. It’s also true, as we’ve learned in Iraq
Put simply, their soldiers and sailors and Afghanistan, that military power
cost less; ours cost more. We are a has its limits. We can’t spend our way
rich country with a volunteer military. to victory; but we can probably skimp
Given the personal sacrifices that ser- our way to defeat. 
vice members make, their wages and
fringe benefits must be competitive to This column by Robert Samuelson
attract the needed recruits. China and first appeared in the Washington Post.
Russia have lower costs and can buy It does not necessarily reflect the views
more for less. of Vero Beach 32963.

PATIENTS: SPEAK UP ABOUT YOUR CARE Educate yourself  Ask for a printed prescription if you can’t
read the handwriting
Patient safety is a major priority for all hospitals.  So you can make well-informed decisions  Read the label on the bag of intravenous (IV)
To help hospitals continuously improve safety, The about your care fluid so you know what’s in it and that it is
Joint Commission, the nation’s leading hospital ac-  Ask doctors and nurses about their training for you
crediting organization, sponsors an initiative called and experience treating your condition  Ask how long it will take the IV to run out
the “Speak Up™” program. By following this simple  Ask for written information about your
advice, patients can contribute to making their hos- condition Use a quality health care organization that…
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SPEAK UP  Ask for instruction on how to use your medi- your condition
cal equipment  Your doctor believes has the best care for
 If you don’t understand something or if your condition
something doesn’t seem right Advocates (family members and friends) can help  Is accredited, meaning it meets certain qual-
 If you speak another language and would ity standards
like a translator  Give advice and support – but they should  Has a culture that values safety and quality,
 If you need medical forms explained respect your decisions about the care you and works every day to improve care
 If you think you’re being confused with an- want
other patient  Ask questions, and write down important Participate in all decisions about your care…
 If you don’t recognize a medicine or think information and instructions for you
you’re about to get the wrong medicine  Make sure you get the correct medicines  Discuss each step of your care with your doctor
 If you are not getting your medicine or treat- and treatments  Don’t be afraid to get a second or third opinion
ment when you should  Go over the consent form, so you all under-  Share your up-to-date list of medicines and
 About your allergies and reactions you’ve stand it vitamins with doctors and nurses
had to medicines  Get instructions for follow-up care, and find  Share copies of your medical records with
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Pay attention For more information, go to www.jointcommission.
Know about your new medicine org and search for “Speak Up About Your Care.” 
 Check identification (ID) badges worn by Your comments and suggestions for future topics are
doctors, nurses and other staff  Find out how it will help always welcome. Email us at [email protected].
 Check the ID badge of anyone who asks to  Ask for information about it, including brand
take your newborn baby and generic names © 2019 VERO BEACH 32963 MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
 Don’t be afraid to remind doctors and nurses  Ask about side effects
to wash their hands  Find out if it is safe to take with your other
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48 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BOOKS

David Treuer – a talented novel- resilience, carving out a unique was abandoned (with surplus land sold to whites). Lat-
ist and essayist with a doctorate in place in this country. The U.S. er came the “gift” of citizenship in 1924 and the Indian
anthropology who is also a litera- government, Treuer correctly New Deal in 1934 that reaffirmed tribal rule. Next was
ture professor at the University of points out, did everything in the contradictory effort to terminate all reservations
Southern California – writes in a its power to make the original in the 1950s and to integrate their inhabitants into the
fashion as unconventional as his Americans vanish through un- greater U.S. population, which in turn led to the rise of
own life’s journey. Treuer was raised the violent and, according to Treuer, counterproductive
on the Ojibwe reservation at Leech relenting violence, physical American Indian Movement in the late 1960s. Through
Lake in Minnesota, the son of a Jew- removal and finally forced as- all this American Indians survived, held tenaciously to
ish father and an Ojibwe mother, similation. All three methods their cultural beliefs and tribal loyalties, and rebound-
and his vision of America derived failed. What the government ed in population to number more than 2 million today.
from his upbringing informs every (and most of the people it rep-
page of his new book, “The Heart- resented) could never fully For Native Americans the game changer was gam-
beat of Wounded Knee: Native Amer- comprehend was that Indians bling. An obscure Minnesota property tax case led
ica From 1890 to the Present.” His is a never wished to be assimi- to a 1976 Supreme Court ruling that denied the right
fascinating personal vision and in its of states to tax or regulate Indian reservations. Tribal
own way uniquely American. Readers lated. They would not easily leaders across the country quickly seized on this rul-
in search of conventional history may vanish into the famed melting ing to start selling tax-free tobacco products and run-
be disappointed, for although some- pot. Indians continue to claim ning bingo parlors, and later they upgraded to casinos.
what chronological the book’s struc- a special status that allows Additional court rulings led to a massive expansion
ture is hardly linear, and the historical them to remain separate and of Indian gaming. The states responded by increasing
content, while sound, is minimal. As in his previous somewhat more than equal. legal gambling for all citizens (thus the current lottery
book, “Rez Life: An Indian’s Journey Through Reserva- Treuer’s impassioned book is mania). In 1988 Congress passed and President Ron-
tion Life,” Treuer relies on extended interviews and per- more the literary child of Vine Deloria’s 1969 “Custer ald Reagan signed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act,
sonal memoir to tell his tale. Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto” than Brown’s which established levels of gambling and set up com-
“Wounded Knee.” Deloria argued that native peoples pacts between states and the tribes.
Treuer wishes to revise the image of the Indian long had retained their tribal identity while adapting to
prevalent in American literature and historiography modern American society and struggling for their trea- Indian gambling revenue climbed from $100 mil-
as the Vanishing American, a race so compromised by ty rights and human rights. The embrace of American lion in 1988 to more than $26 billion by 2009. Despite
disease, war and intermarraige that it is destined to life along with a demand for special status has always the increased disparity between wealthy gaming tribes
disappear. His perspective is one of Native American placed Indian people in an awkward position. (with casinos in good locations) and most other tribes,
resiliency and survival. “This book,” Treuer writes, “is In his search for identity – a primary thread of the many Americans came to believe that all Indians were
adamantly, unashamedly, about Indian life rather than book – Treuer is seen to embody the contradictions of now rich. This new wealth allowed some tribes to em-
Indian death.” being Native American. He is educated and successful ploy high-powered law firms to protect their inter-
and moves easily in the world of white America. But he ests and sue for the return of lost land and abrogated
The popular image of Native American death and has no wish to relinquish his Ojibwe identity. Native treaty rights. This rise of Indian sovereignty has gone
destruction took shape as far back as James Fenimore people have continuously “fought to remain Indian just hand in hand with increasing gaming revenue, as has
Cooper’s novel “The Last of the Mohicans,” published as much as they fought for and in order to be Ameri- the growing influence of tribes in political contests
in 1826. In 1881, Helen Hunt Jackson put a historical cans, but Americans on their own terms,” he asserts. in several Western states. (Two Indian women, from
perspective on the mistreatment, removal and mas- Treuer briefly charts Native America from prehis- New Mexico and Kansas, just took seats in the House
sacre of Native Americans in her pathbreaking classic, tory to the Wounded Knee massacre, then outlines the of Representatives.) It is all, as Treuer wryly notes, so
“A Century of Dishonor.” In 1970 Dee Brown popular- perils of federal “benevolence” exerted through some- very American. 
ized perceptions of Indian victimization with “Bury My times well-meaning but continually misguided policies
Heart at Wounded Knee.” and the horrors of tribal dependency. Indians suffered THE HEARTBEAT OF WOUNDED KNEE
through Orwellian boarding schools meant to erase any
While Treuer appreciates the importance of the con- vestiges of native culture or loyalty in their children, NATIVE AMERICA FROM 1890 TO THE PRESENT
tributions of previous historians, he believes that since and the allotment of Indian land through the Dawes
the Wounded Knee massacre in 1890, Native Americans Act with a promise of eventual citizenship if the tribe BY DAVID TREUER | RIVERHEAD. 512 PP. $28
have overcome despair and destruction through their REVIEW BY PAUL ANDREW HUTTON, THE WASHINGTON POST

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BY ISABEL F. CAMPOY, THERESA HOWELL &
BY PAULA MCLAIN 2. The First Conspiracy
RAPHAEL LOPEZ
2. No Sunscreen for BY BRAD MELTZER
2. Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild
the Dead BY TIM DORSEY 3. Becoming BY MICHELLE OBAMA (Dog Man #6) BY DAV PILKEY

3. Crucible 4. The Point of it All 3. Valentine for Linus

BY JAMES ROLLINS BY CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER BY CHARLES SCHULZ & SCOTT JERALDS

4. Where the Crawdad 5. Red Notice BY BILL BROWDER 4. Squirm BY CARL HIAASEN
Sing BY DELIA OWENS 5. Fancy Nancy & the Quest for

5. The Maze at Windermere the Unicorn BY JANE O'CONNOR &

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 49

SPORTS

Vero hoopsters (19-2) rockin’ while foes sing the blues

No. 3 Tommie Lewis. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE Coaches Maximillion Lewis and Damion Whitsett. No. 21 Javian Cuff.

BY RON HOLUB games are cakewalks, including with- the stretch. We want to be prepared for must get rebounds, steals, assists, ev-
Correspondent in the district. The coaching staff is any situation, so we want to get as many erything.
pleased so far, but ever cautious in the players as we can into every game. But
“We’ve been getting it going and our messaging that is continuously drilled about eight usually see some serious “I also feel like we are pretty good
record speaks for itself,” assistant coach into the heads of the players. court time. down low. Our big guys are strong,
Maximillion Lewis said of the fortunes smart and they know what they are do-
of the 2018-19 Vero Beach High varsity “The season has gone well, but we “The teams in our district all put up ing. You can’t look past that. Sure, we
boys basketball team. “We are trying to need to understand that we have to fin- a good fight and I’m glad we are un- have some guards, but if you look at
put up one of the best records that we ish strong,” head coach Damion Whit- defeated. Some of their records don’t our tallest guy, (6-foot-5) Riley Minix,
have ever had here.” sett told us. “We want to be playing our speak to how hard they play. We can’t he plays like a guard. You can’t beat
best basketball when the district tour- afford to look past anybody. We have to that. He gets us about eight rebounds a
What Lewis referred to by “getting it nament starts. I preach to these guys to play every game like it is our last. Any- game, he can handle the ball, and take
going” was the style of play that boost- take it one game at a time. body can put up a good fight and hand you down low. He can basically do it all.
ed the Fighting Indians’ record to 19-2 us a loss.”
after a 79-56 defeat of Treasure Coast “Our district is tough and we can- “At any time somebody can hit you
last week. That concluded the district not take anybody lightly. Our goals are Riley Minix paces a nicely balanced up for 30, maybe even 40. That might
schedule with Vero in firm control at to win the district tournament and see attack with 17 points per game. Javian be a bit of a stretch, but Cuff hit 30,
8-0 and staking claim to the No. 1 seed what we can do in the state playoffs. We Cuff and Tommie Lewis are right be- Riley was close, same with Tommie. I
in the postseason tournament. have some pretty skilled players and hind with 15 ppg. Marquezz Henry is think they all can do it. They are that
they have been playing well together. hovering around 10 ppg. Tyrone An- talented and I feel like these guys can
“Our style is that we like to get out and They just need to stay level headed.” derson is the fifth starter, with Kenny go on to the next level and play com-
run,” Lewis explained. “That’s what we Placide, Jermaine Dawson, Almondo petitively.”
are best at, getting out on the break and Getting out in transition and turning Cyrius and Dustyn Kelly all in the mix.
running. There aren’t many teams in the game into a track meet is obviously The two sophomores in this group, However, the current business at
this area that are as athletic as we are. working. Versatility also appears to be Dawson and Cyrius, have blended in hand is more pressing, but as noted
We are certainly the most athletic team a critical factor for a team counting on well with these seven seniors. that is the style these players have
in our district, so as far as running with dominant guard play. adopted so masterfully. The regu-
us, not many teams can do it. We have “We expect everybody to do every- lar season comes to a close with an
to make that our main focus and use “We try to play at least eight,” Lewis thing out there,” said Lewis. “It’s a team away game at Melbourne High this
that to our advantage.” said. “That’s about as far into the lineup sport and we don’t focus on any indi- Friday. The second season starts
that we really want to go. “If it’s a blow- vidual. We know that nobody can -- or next week with Centennial hosting
None of that implies that any of these out we try to get all of our players in. We will -- slack on the court. Everybody the district tournament. 
still have to prepare for games down

50 Vero Beach 32963 / February 7, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ON FAITH

Local houses of worship key to building bridges

BY REV. DRS. CASEY AND BOB BAGGOTT ral group, more likely to watch TV sports Organizations and small groups that other in responsible, lasting, personal
Columnists than join a softball team, more likely to draw us together in these ways develop ways. And when we do, we all benefit.
be intrigued by the Internet than volun- what social scientists term “social capi-
We often hear people lament that our teer with others at the local food bank. tal.” In other words, all our healthy inter- We happen to believe that the vitality
communities just aren’t what they used actions reap benefits, and make living in of the places of worship in our commu-
to be. People have moved in, or away, the Well, do these changes matter? Does our community a richer experience. So nity is an especially hopeful sign that so-
old community spirit has disappeared, this trend away from group involvement while it is true that our communities may cial capital is building here. Each week
our priorities and activities are changed. have any impact on our lives? Again, the change over time, our deepest needs re- thousands upon thousands of people
Things aren’t the same. Is this perception theorists say “yes.” After all, face-to-face ally do not. We still need one another gather to serve and be served, to en-
accurate? participation in groups requires com- to make our lives whole and stable and courage, to uplift, to welcome, and to
mitment. It encourages responsibil- rooted. We need to connect to one an- inspire. Bonding and bridging is hap-
Social scientists would say, “yes,” ity because group members must be ac- pening here! 
and their statistics are actually alarm- countable to one another in their lasting
ing. According to one national study, all relationship. Group interaction makes
the ways we interact with one another for a social fabric of connectedness in
in groups have declined over the past which people learn to cooperate and
30 years or so. This study claims that trust one another.
across the nation, PTA membership is
down 50 percent, participation in town A society which is well-linked by group
and school board meetings is down 40 involvement is more tolerant and pa-
percent, men’s clubs down 20 percent, tient and responsive to its members.
women’s clubs down more, youth par- Or, as some have said, groups such as
ticipation in extra-curricular activities churches, synagogues, scouting and fra-
has declined, and church attendance has ternal organizations are capable of both
dropped. We’re far more likely to listen to bonding and bridging. By bonding, they
a CD at home alone than join a local cho- mean that deep and powerful ties devel-
op which support people through tough
times. By bridging, they mean that wide-
reaching webs of relationships form
which link people in many helpful ways
beyond the small circle of their most inti-
mate acquaintances.

Cecily
Delafield

Cecily Delafield died in Vero Beach, Florida
on January 28, 2019. She was born in New
York City on March 27, 1932, the daughter of
Margaret Gade Delafield and Richard Delafield.
Ms. Delafield was educated at the Shipley
School and received her bachelor’s degree from
R.I.T. Post-graduate education was at Columbia
University where she received a master’s and a
doctorate. She taught abroad for a number of
years, first at the Beirut College for Women and
then at Cuttington College in Liberia. She also
served as the overseer of the Episcopal Church schools in Liberia.
In retirement she lived in Vero Beach, Florida where she was active
in progressive and cultural movements. She was instrumental in the
establishment of the Junior League of Indian River and was co-chair of the
Planned Parenthood board. Ms. Delafield helped to establish the Vero Beach
Museum of Art. In addition, she was the gallery director of the former foyer
gallery at the Riverside Theater.
She is survived by 5 siblings: Richard Delafield of Paradise Valley, AZ,
Dennis Delafield of New York City, Penelope Johnson of Haydenville, MA,
Astri Delafield of New York City, and May Brandt of Vero Beach, FL. (Her
sister, Felicia Van Praagh predeceased her). Memorial gifts may be made in
her memory to Planned Parenthood of West Palm Beach, 931 Village Blvd.,
West Palm Beach, FL 33409. Arrangements are by Thomas S. Lowther
Funeral Home of Vero Beach. A memorial service will be held on Long
Island at a future date.