08/18/2022 ISSUE 17

Townhouses on hold

A10 A12 B5City delays action on project
Heart disease focus It’s awkwardly amusing

Why women face unique risks A.C.T. presents ‘God of Carnage’

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 17 YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2022

WILSON GROVES Progress AS COVID RECEDES ...
OWNER SETTLES at ‘Pioneer’
SUIT WITH CITY St. Lucie sees
PHOTO: CHARLES CALOIA its first 3 cases
BY GEORGE ANDREASSI | Staff Writer of Monkeypox
[email protected] Parks and Recreation Department employees took part in the ceremonial groundbreaking as construction finally began on
long-awaited improvements to the 10-acre Pioneer Park overlooking the North Fork of the St. Lucie River. Story, Page 3. BY GEORGE ANDREASSI | Staff Writer
The owner of Wilson Groves in [email protected]
far southwestern Port St. Lucie space on 14 square miles of ag- to start construction on 7,700 ACR Acquisition dismissed
dismissed its lawsuit against the ricultural land west of Interstate residences on the Wilson Grove its third amended complaint Three St. Lucie County residents
city government after negotiating 95, north of the C-23 Canal, east property because the city failed against Port St. Lucie without have been diagnosed with Mon-
several deals that are expected to of Rangeline Road and south of to require two other developers prejudice on Aug. 9. The City keypox so far this month, but none
result in the long-awaited con- Crosstown Parkway. to build Becker Road through Council had approved the settle- has yet required hospitalization.
struction of Becker Road from their properties and provide ac- ment agreement on Aug. 8.
Village Parkway to the 2,451-acre ACR Acquisition’s lawsuit cess to I-95. The Florida Department of
property. claimed Akel Homes was unable CONTINUED ON PAGE A6 Health in St. Lucie County is con-
ducting epidemiological investi-
But Akel Homes’ parent com- gations to notify people who have
pany, ACR Acquisition LLC, possibly been exposed to Monkey-
threatened to again file suit pox and offering post-exposure
against Port St. Lucie unless the prophylaxis, said county spokes-
5-mile long stretch of Becker man Erick Gill.
Road is built by the deadline set
in the agreements with the city, Vaccination is recommended
the developer of the 3,845-acre within 14 days of exposure to a per-
Riverland project, and Mattamy son infected with Monkeypox, ac-
Palm Beach LLC, which is devel- cording to the Florida Department
oping 2,818 acres. of Health. It is also recommended
for those with risk of exposure,
All told, Akel Homes, River- such as laboratory workers.
land developer GL Homes and
Mattamy Homes’ South Florida Monkeypox is a viral infection
subsidiary plan to build more transmitted by prolonged, face-
than 26,000 new residences and
8 million square feet of business CONTINUED ON PAGE A9

ST. LUCIE COUNTY: Early voting PORT ST. LUCIE: Mayoral and
underway in primary elections City Council races top ballot

BY GEORGE ANDREASSI | Staff Writer BY GEORGE ANDREASSI | Staff Writer
[email protected] [email protected]

Early voting attracted 1,269 St. Lucie County citi- Port St. Lucie voters can choose from among four
zens to the polls as of Tuesday, Aug. 16 to vote in the candidates for mayor, three candidates for City Coun-
Aug. 23 primary and nonpartisan elections and an- cil in District 1 and two candidates for City Council in
other 14,189 citizens cast their ballots by mail. District 3 in the Aug. 23 nonpartisan city elections.

That brings the total number of voters participat- In the race for the $86,517-per-year mayoral post,
ing in the elections so far to 15,458, or 6.57 percent of incumbent Shannon Martin is seeking a four-year

CONTINUED ON PAGE A6 CONTINUED ON PAGE A7

IN THIS ISSUE Local artist revels
in the ‘process of
LOCAL NEWS A1-A11 PETS B19
creating’. P. B6
HEALTH A12-A17 ARTS/PEOPLE B1-B15

ADVICE B20 GAMES B20-B22

REAL ESTATE A20-A36 SPORTS B23

© 2022 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved.



To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | NEWS August 18, 2022 3

Construction commences on long-awaited Pioneer Park projects

BY CHARLES CALOIA | Correspondent Port St. Lucie Vice Mayor Jolien Caraballo speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony. PHOTO: CHARLES CALOIA future park development needs.
Barth wrote about his Port St. Lucie
Construction finally started on nearly ed in 1923 by conservationist Edward Bok, ment,” Martin said, “That was a world-
$10 million in long-awaited improvements boasts amenities including the Hammock class park and playground, and we knew work in his 2020 book “Parks and Recreation
to the 10-acre Pioneer Park overlooking the Hills Children’s Garden, the Blue Palmet- we had to bring that to Port St. Lucie. System Planning: A New Approach for Cre-
North Fork of the St. Lucie River in Eastern to Café and the landmark 205-foot Singing ating Sustainable, Resilient Communities.”
Port St. Lucie. Tower, which houses a 60-bell carillon. “Coming back and having the conver-
sations with our citizens, we knew it was “Port St. Lucie was designed for retirees in
The City Council wielded golden shovels Martin credits city spokeswoman Sarah exactly the model we were looking for,” the 1960s, but it is now one of Florida’s fast-
during an Aug. 3 groundbreaking ceremo- Prohaska for recommending the Bok Tower Martin also said. est-growing cities,” Barth writes. “In addition
ny at the park on Westmoreland Boulevard, retreat with Assistant Parks and Recreation to the need for additional parkland … the
south of the Botanical Gardens. Director Brad Keen and Senior Project St. Lucie Voice reported in March 2019 city is facing numerous resilience and sus-
Manager Kelly Boatright. on certified landscape architect David tainability issues … related to rapid growth
Pioneer Park’s southern segment will see Barth urging the city to purchase as many and the transition from a suburban retire-
the following additions and improvements: “The vision started from that mo- land parcels as possible to accommodate ment community to a vibrant diverse city.”

• The innovative Pioneer Park Playground. Vice Mayor Jolien Caraballo said Barth
• The Dining Docks Restaurant complex. was “a big part of the vision of how to cre-
• An Event Lawn. ate a proper recreation and park district. I’m
• The Historic Homes’ renovation, with sure we’re going to continue to remember
the Peacock Lodge set to become the Port St. him in the time that we bring this forward.”
Lucie Historical Society’s headquarters.
The council awarded a $9.9 Million con- Boatwright, who started working with the
tract to Ferreira on June 13 to build the im- city in 2018, said her work is part of “a vision
provements, city records show. of the city since the early 2000’s.”
St. Lucie Voice reported in March the city
planned $39 million worth of improvements “[A 40-foot wooden alligator] is going to
to the 1.5-mile Port District, which extends be a huge climbing structure,” Boatwright
to the St. Lucie River’s North Fork. spoke of the Pioneer Park Playground’s
Mayor Shannon Martin began the cer- upcoming amenities “There’s five different
emony by recounting a 2018 “field trip” to ‘play-pod’ areas … it’s almost like having
the Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales with [mini] playgrounds inside a larger play-
senior parks officials to scout for ideas for a ground.”
destination park in Port St. Lucie.
The 250-acre Bok Tower Gardens, found- The “play-pods” include a replica schoo-
ner, a rope climbing structure, a playhouse

CONTINUED ON PAGE A4

4 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | NEWS www.stlucievoice.com

Hurricane season: History says stormy September on horizon PIONEER PARK PROJECTS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A3

BY PATRICK McCALLISTER | Correspondent canes in September. August, the second Veteran St. Lucie County residents re- replica of the Peacock Lodge, a swing area
most active month, comes in with about member the 2004 double whammy. Hurri- with a wheelchair-accessible “spinning
While hurricane season runs from 250 in that time. There have been a smidge cane Frances made landfall in the county apparatus” and a trail with musical instru-
June 1 to Nov. 30, the National Oceanic more than 200 hurricanes in October. on Sept. 5 that year; three weeks later Hur- ments.
and Atmospheric Administration ex- ricane Jeanne hit just south of where Fran-
plains that about 60 percent of tropical NOAA released its updated 2022 hur- ces had.struck The Florida Department of Keen also gave a speech, starting with a
storms and hurricanes developare be- ricane season projections on Aug. 4. “At- Environmental Protection reported that series of “did you know” factoids.
tween Aug. 20 and Nov. 10. mospheric and oceanic conditions still St. Lucie’s 22 miles of beach got the high-
favor an above-normal 2022 Atlantic hur- est storm surge on Florida’s coast in both “During the first half of the 20th century,”
And in that stretch, one date in particu- ricane season, according to NOAA’s annu- hurricanes. Keen said, “the North Fork … was known na-
lar stands out: Sept. 10. Using history as a al mid-season update issued today by the tionwide [and] worldwide as a sportsman’s
barometer, it’s a good bet that there will be Climate Prediction Center, a division of the The Treasure Coast Hurricane of 1933 paradise for its wildlife and fishing.”
at least one tropical storm or hurricane in National Weather Service,” the commerce hit St. Lucie with 125 mph winds during
the Atlantic basin or adjoining land mass- department agency said. a Sept. 4 landfall. The storm left hundreds Keen expressed his wishes for preserv-
es on Sept. 10 homeless and destroyed an estimated 4 ing the area’s history, with emphasis on the
“NOAA forecasters have slightly de- million boxes of citrus. In 1979, Hurricane playground. “You will see elements in the
“From mid-August through mid-Octo- creased the likelihood of an above-normal David made an extended Treasure Coast playground,” Keen said, “that allude to …
ber, the activity spikes, accounting for 78 Atlantic hurricane season to 60 percent landfall in early September that reported- not only the history of this site … we will
percent of the tropical storm days, 87 per- (lowered from the outlook issued in May, ly snapped a crane at the St. Lucie Nuclear have connections to the conservation area
cent of the category 1 and 2 hurricane days which predicted a 65 percent chance). The Power Plant. to the south.”
(Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale), likelihood of near-normal activity has risen
and a whopping 96 percent of the ma- to 30 percent and the chances remain at 10 The state’s Division of Emergency Man- Keen also said how the Port District site
jor (category 3, 4 and 5) hurricane days,” percent for a below-normal season.” agement offers hurricane preparation was proposed over two decades ago for
NOAA states on its website. “The statistical tips and checklists at floridadisaster.org/ building townhouses, condominiums and
peak day of the hurricane season – the day In other words, don’t let the seemingly planprepare. even a hotel. “Evidence of that is still here
you are most likely to find a tropical cy- slow season so far fool you. And Florida’s today,” Keen said, in the form of abandoned
clone somewhere in the Atlantic basin – is got a bad history with September storms. Hurricane preparation information water pipes and drainage lines.
September 10th.” The worst of the worst have always come is also at cityofpsl.com/government/de-
in September, including the second partments/emergency-management/hur- Community Redevelopment Agency As-
There’s almost never a cyclone-free Sept. deadliest in U.S. history – the 1928 Lake ricanes-and-storms, and stlucieco.gov/ sistant Director Jennifer Davis said that “the
10. The Atlantic basin, in NOAA parlance, Okeechobee hurricane, which formed departments-services/a-z/public-safety/ site infrastructure and other improvements
includes the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Sept. 6 and made Florida landfall in Palm disaster-preparedness.  are actually the more expensive part of the
Mexico. Since 1851 there have been more Beach County on Sept. 17. [$9.9 million contract].”
than 400 notable Atlantic notable hurri-
As such, the responsibilities of the Port
District’s development are not limited to
Parks, and Rec. Utilities System Director

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Kevin Matyjaszek spoke with St. Lucie Voice producing] grease and such which will be along the river.” Matyjaszek said. “The site ties is working to remove 3,257 tanks in the
about reinstituting these lines. part of that inspection/approval process.” will be designed … with proper disposal and North Fork area alone.
sewage through our pipes…anything dis-
“It’s a collaborative effort amongst the Matyjaszek also said the Historic Houses charged will come to our systems.” City Manager Russ Blackburn also spoke
city’s multiple departments,” said Maty- were recently fitted with temporary meters at the ceremony. “To make a major proj-
jaszek. He also spoke of Public Works’ sup- to monitor water levels during their renova- Matyjaszek’s comments run parallel to ect happen,” Blackburn said, “it takes a
plying “the potable water systems, the tion. All of Pioneer Park will be “served whol- Utilities’ continued efforts in residential/ lot of folks. It starts with our leadership …
wastewater treatment/collection system ly by city facilities,” Matyjaszek said. business septic-to-sewer conversions. St. [they’ve] picked every pocket and said, ‘We
for the site, and of course [the Dining Docks Lucie Voice reported this month that Utili- can’t stop here!’” 
“There will not be any septic systems here

6 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | NEWS www.stlucievoice.com

EARLY VOTING UNDERWAY Center of Excellence, 500 NW the partnership with Indian River State 250 NW Country Club Drive, St. Lucie
California Blvd., St. Lucie West. College to offer the convenience of early West.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1  Paula A. Lewis Library: 2950 SW Ross- voting to one of the fastest growing areas
of Port St. Lucie,” Walker said. “It has been  Walton Road County Administrative
the county’s 235,172 active eligible voters, er Blvd., Port St. Lucie. an exhaustive search for a facility in the To- Annex, 1664 SE Walton Road, Port St. Lucie.
Supervisor of Elections records show.  MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Event rino area, serving St. Lucie West, PGA (Vil-
lage/Verano), the Reserve and Tradition.”  Orange Blossom Business Center,
Early voting started Saturday, Aug. 13 Center: 9221 SE Event Center Place Port St. 4132 Okeechobee Road, Fort Pierce.
and continues through Saturday, Aug. 20 Lucie. Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned at
for a variety of races, including primaries all six early voting sites between 10 a.m. The main event in the Aug. 23 contests
for governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. Representa-  Port St. Lucie Community Center: and 6 p.m., and all four Supervisor of Elec- is the Democratic primary for governor
tive, state Senate, state House and County 2195 SE Airoso Blvd., Port St. Lucie. tions offices during business hours and featuring state Commissioner of Agricul-
Commission and nonpartisan races for until 7 p.m., on Primary Election Day, Aug. ture Nicole “Nikki” Fried (D-Fort Lauder-
county School Board, Port St. Lucie City  Renaissance Business Park, 4132 23. The following are the Supervisor of dale) and U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist (D-St. Pe-
Council and Fort Pierce City Commission. Okeechobee Road, Fort Pierce. Elections office addresses: tersburg).

The following early voting locations are  Zora Neale Hurston Library, 3008  Tax Collector’s Tradition Office, 10264 Other Democrats running for the right
open from 10 a.m. through 6 p.m.: Ave. D, Fort Pierce. SW Village Parkway, Port St. Lucie. to challenge incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis
(R-Ponte Vedra Beach) in the Nov. 8 Gener-
 Indian River State College Veterans This is the first time early voting will be  St. Lucie West South County Annex, al Election are Robert Willis of Cocoa and
held at the IRSC Veterans Center in St. Luc- Daniel Cadance of La Crosse.
ie West, said Supervisor of Elections Ger-
trude Walker. “We are very excited about

WILON GROVES SETTLEMENT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1

Mattamy Homes, which is entitled to
build 7,100 houses and 1.2 million square
feet of business space, agreed to construct
it’s 3.3-mile section of Becker Road pursu-
ant to a settlement with ACR Acquisitions
entered Oct. 14, 2021.

GL Homes’ Riverland/Kennedy subsid-
iaries, which plans to build 11,700 resi-
dences and nearly 900,000 square feet of
retail space, agreed to construct it’s 1.7-
mile section of Becker Road pursuant to a
settlement with Port St. Lucie entered Feb.
14, 2022.

It costs about $2.5 million per mile to
build a two-lane rural roadway, according
to Florida Department of Transportation
records.

ACR Acquisition first filed suit against
Port St. Lucie in February 2015 seeking a
declaratory judgment and injunctive re-
lieve to force the city to compel the Riv-
erland developer to build its portion of
Becker Road.

ACR Acquisition’s third amended com-
plaint named GL Homes’ Riverland/Ken-
nedy subsidiaries, as well as the city.

The claims against the city included
breach of contract, breach of implied duty
of good faith and fair dealing, conspiracy
to commit breach of contract, taking by
inverse condemnation, and recision of
impact fee prepayment agreement.

However, ACR Acquisition claims
against the Riverland/Kennedy defen-
dants remain pending, court records
show.

Wilson Grove is the last major project
remaining dormant during the construc-
tion boom in western Port St. Lucie that
began in 2018.

As part of the settlement with ACR Ac-
quisition, the city acknowledged ACR has
a road impact fee credit of $6.4 million
and vesting for 2,388 residential units.

The settlement resolved disputes be-
tween ACR Acquisitions and Port St. Lucie
arising out of a 2004 annexation agree-
ment that brought 9,451 acres of agricul-
tural land into the city limits from unin-
corporated St. Lucie County. 

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In another prominent primary, U.S. CITY ELECTIONS er, raised 6,285, elections records show. primary will face Democrat Helen Lurry, a
Rep. Val Demings (D-Orlando) is among In Council District 3, incumbent An- realtor, in the Nov. 8 general election. Lurry
three Democratic candidates running in CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1 has raised $23,665, election records show.
the primary for U.S. Senate for the right to thony Bonna has raised $38,095, election
challenge incumbent U.S. Sen. Marco Ru- term after winning the Sept. 21, 2021, spe- records show. His challenger Fritz Masson The winner will replace outgoing Com-
bio (R-West Miami). cial election to finish the unexpired term of Alexandre, a perennial candidate for City missioner Frannie Hutchinson, who was
former Mayor Greg Oravec, who resigned Council and St. Lucie County Commission, first elected in 1998.
The other Democrats are Brian Rush of for a better paying job. raised $500.
Tampa, who served as a state represen- In addition, Fort Pierce voters can
tative from 1986 through 1994; William Martin raised $89,179 in campaign con- St. Lucie County’s 79,553 Republican choose from among three candidates for
Sanchez of Miami, a first-time candidate; tributions as of Aug. 5, more than seven voters also face a choice in the race for City Commission in District 2.
and Ricardo De La Fuente, whose website times as much as her three challengers County Commission in District 4.
claims he ran for Congress in three states combined, St. Lucie County Supervisor of Michael Broderick, a commercial real es-
in 2020. Elections records show. Martha Lee Hornsby, a former official in tate investor, raised $34,300; James Clasby,
the Clerk of Courts office, raised $55,965, a civics teacher, raised $19,866; and Uline
U.S. Rep. Brian Mast (R-Palm City) at- Martin, whose husband is a detective and Jame Lee Fowler, a small business Daniel, a real estate agent, raised $3,555,
tracted three challengers in the Republi- sergeant in the city police department, was owner, raised $40,515, elections records election records show.
can primary in Congress District 21, which first elected to the City Council in 2010. show.
includes most of St. Lucie County. The winner will replace outgoing Com-
Martin’s three challengers raised a total The winner of the Aug. 23 Republican missioner Tom Perona. 
Mast’s primary opponents are Jeff of $12,690 as of Aug. 5, elections records
Buongiorno, a Jupiter businessman; Melis- show. COMPUTER
sa Martz, a Royal Palm Beach lawyer; and SUPPORT FOR HOME
Ljubo Skrbic, a Palm Beach physician. Michael Moses, a retired attorney with
government experience in Illinois, raised AND BUSINESS
The winner of the Republican primary $6,785; Chauncelor Howell, the president
will move onto the Nov. 8 general election of the Treasure Coast Black Chamber of • ONSITE SERVICE SUPPORT • HOME SERVICES AVAILABLE
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St. Lucie County, state Sen. Gayle Harrell incumbent Stephanie Morgan has raised JDSDeskTop.com
(R-Stuart) won re-election to a second four- $42,879 in campaign contributions, nearly
year term without opposition in District 31, twice as much as her two challengers com-
while state Rep. Erin Grall (R-Vero Beach) bined, elections records show.
cruised unopposed to her first four-year
term as state senator in District 29.  Idony P. Jean Baptiste, a minister and
former sheriff’s deputy, raised $16,310 and
Kevin Zimmerman, a small business own-

8 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | NEWS www.stlucievoice.com

7-ELEVEN WITH FUEL PUMPS PLANNED
AT BECKER ROAD AND PSL BOULEVARD

BY GEORGE ANDREASSI | Staff Writer zoned to PUD from General Commercial,
[email protected] city records show.

A 7-Eleven convenience store with fuel Equity One Florida Portfolio purchased
pumps is the first commercial project pro- the property for $7,633,200 on Nov. 27,
posed for the vacant lots at the corner of the 2006, from St. Lucie Holdings LLP, St. Lucie
busy intersection of Becker Road and Port County property records show. The five par-
St. Lucie Boulevard. cels have a total market value of $3,096,300,
county property records show.
Equity One Florida Portfolio LLC of
Jacksonville proposed developing a The City Council will also review the
5,040-square-foot store with 16 fueling sta- developer’s request for a special excep-
tions on a 1.43-acre parcel carved out from tion use to allow fuel pumps in the Becker
a wooded 15.5-acre tract. Road Overlay District.

The project will feature public art in a The city Planning and Zoning Board
landscaped plaza on the northwest corner voted unanimously on Aug. 2 to recom-
of Becker Road and Port St. Lucie Boule- mend the City Council approve the spe-
vard, said Daniel Sorrow, an agent for the cial exception.
developer.
The developer will construct a turn lane
The developer has not yet decided what to along Becker Road to provide access to the
build on the remaining 14 acres, Sorrow said. 7-Eleven and the rest of the property, Sor-
“We don’t know what’s going to happen on row said.
the balance of the site,” Sorrow told the city
Planning and Zoning Board on Aug. 2. The entrance on Port St. Lucie Boule-
vard was designed to avoid overlapping
The Port St. Lucie City Council voted with the right turn lane onto Becker Road,
unanimously on Aug. 8 to approve the re- Sorrow said. “We’ve been at this project
zoning of the 15.5-acre tract to General for over a year now,” Sorrow said. “We’ve
Commercial from Planned Unit Develop- got some tight timelines.”
ment.
Melissa Veal, a homeowner on nearby
A second and final vote on the rezoning Babbitt Drive, questioned whether the con-
ordinance is set for Aug. 22. venience store would be open 24 hours a
day, seven days a week. 
The property had previously been re-

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MONKEYPOX CASES “At-home COVID-19 antigen tests are tests. The FDA suggests a total of three avoid being around people who are more
less likely to detect the SARS-CoV-2 vi- tests to improve accuracy. likely to get very sick from COVID-19
CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1 rus than molecular tests, such as poly- until at least day 11. You should wear a
merase chain reaction (PCR) tests. This is While the FDA seems focused on more high-quality mask through day 10,” the
to-face contact, direct contact with an ac- especially true early in an infection or in diligent home testing, the Centers for guidance states.
tive rash, or indirect contact with an active people who do not have COVID-19 symp- Disease Control and Prevention issued
rash through clothing, or other contami- toms,” the FDA said. a confusing memo loosening its recom- The CDC also seems to contradict
nated items, the state Health Department mendations about COVID-19 quarantine the FDA by saying people who have
website says. The virus can be transmitted People with COVID-19 symptoms who practices and social distancing. been exposed to someone infected with
during intimate physical contact, such as test negative on an at-home test should COVID-19 do not need to self-isolate if
kissing, cuddling or sex. re-test up to 48 hours later, and if the test The CDC called the new guidance they test negative once. The CDC also
is still negative but symptoms persist, they “streamlined” but it contains many vari- substitutes wearing a “high-quality mask”
Monkeypox is not a very contagious should call their health provider or seek a ables and inconsistencies. for self-isolation in certain circumstances,
disease, and the risk of contracting Mon- molecular-based or PCR test. but the reality is that very few people wear
keypox is generally low, the state Health “If after 5 days you are fever-free for 24 masks properly or consistently.
Department website says. People with a known or suspected ex- hours without the use of medication, and
posure to a COVID-positive person but your symptoms are improving, or you Staff writer Lisa Zahner contributed to
Monkeypox typically begins with flu- no symptoms should test repeatedly, 48 never had symptoms, you may end isola- this report. 
like symptoms such as fever, chills, head- hours apart, to rule out false negative tion after day 5.
ache, tiredness and muscle aches as well
as swelling of the lymph nodes, the state “Regardless of when you end isolation,
Health Department website says. The
virus progresses to a rash on the face
and body and typically lasts two-to-four
weeks.

If a medical provider has concerns that
a patient has symptoms of Monkeypox,
they should immediately contact state
health officials in the St. Lucie Epidemiol-
ogy Program at 772-462-3883.

Meanwhile, new COVID-19 cases in St.
Lucie County declined to their lowest level
since June, Florida Department of Health
reports show.

There were 794 county residents diag-
nosed with COVID-19 during the week
ending August 11, the lowest number of
new cases since the week ending June 2,
state Health Department records show.

That represented a 27 percent decline
from the week ending July 28 when 1,082
county residents tested positive for the
virus.

“The good news is we’ve had a small dip
in our COVID indicators, including new
cases and hospitalizations,” said Port St.
Lucie Emergency Management Division
Director Billy Weinshank.

However, transmissions rates in the city
remained high and Weinshank recom-
mended residents continue taking pro-
tective measures such as wearing a mask
indoors in public places.

Overall, a total of 87,447 county resi-
dents have been diagnosed with COVID-19
since the pandemic began in March 2020,
state Health Department records show.
That amounts to about 25.5 percent of St.
Lucie County’s 342,398 residents.

The number of country residents vac-
cinated against the virus declined to 132
during the week ending Aug. 11, a 37 per-
cent drop compared to the week ending
July 28 when 210 residents received vac-
cinations, state Health Department re-
cords show.

Altogether, a total of 220,159 county
residents have received COVID-19 vacci-
nations, or about 65 percent of those s6
months of age or older,

Meanwhile, the U.S. Food and Drug Ad-
ministration released updated guidance
on do-it-yourself COVID-19 testing, rec-
ommending that people who test negative
should re-test to reduce false negatives.

10 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | NEWS www.stlucievoice.com

CITY COUNCIL POSTPONES
ACTION ON TOWNHOUSE
PROJECT IN ST. LUCIE WEST

BY GEORGE ANDREASSI | Staff Writer
[email protected]

A Fort Lauderdale developer convinced the Port St. “The developer is pulling a thin gloss over its previous ARTIST’S RENDERING
Lucie City Council to postpone action for three months efforts to cram as many high-density structures onto the
on a controversial proposal to rezone a 9-acre commer- property as possible,” said John and Linda Kiehlmeier, in two-story community of clustered housing to this equa-
cial lot in St. Lucie West for a 72-unit townhouse project. a letter to the mayor and council. “The structures are still tion, that traffic is going to be even worse.”
crowded as close to the lakefront as possible, with mini-
Nov. 14 is the new date for the City Council to review mal setbacks and a small buffer zone of vegetation. But a lawyer representing FAR2, Cynthia Angelos, ar-
a request by developer FAR 2 LLC to rezone the prop- gued the townhouses were compatible with the nearby
erty on the southeast corner of Cashmere Boulevard “There are no multi-family developments anywhere single-family houses.
and Old Inlet Drive to Planned Unit Development from in the vicinity,” the Kiehlmeiers wrote. “This scheme
Commercial General. represents a direct threat to the investment in our “The proposed two-story elevations are no high-
homes and futures.” er than the two-story homes across the 250-foot lake
FAR 2’s representatives had previously asked the City separating the project from the surrounding develop-
Council to push back their review of the rezoning and Craig Silberman, another Magnolia Lakes homeowner, ments,” Angelos said in a letter to city planners. “More-
related land use and development map amendments to said he’s concerned the townhouse project would worsen over, there is a significant decrease in traffic from the
July 25 and then Aug. 8. chronic traffic congestion issues in St. Lucie West. previously approved commercial project.”

Initially, FAR 2’s representatives requested a delay “There are three schools along that road between St. FAR 2 scrapped a proposal to build a 136-unit rental
until July 25 “so they may further address citizens’ con- Lucie West and California boulevards,” Silberman wrote apartment complex on the site because of community
cerns and misconceptions associated with the project in an email to the city. “Twice a day, drop off and pickup, opposition, city records show.
proposal,” said Laura Dodd, a city planner, in a memo the traffic around each school is horrendous. If you add a
to the City Council. A 107,992-square-foot commercial project had been
approved on the site in 2007, but was never built, city
But by Aug. 8, FAR 2 wanted “additional time to allow records show. 
for internal team coordination and further discussions
with the city regarding the project,” Dodd said in an-
other memo to the City Council.

Two homeowners in the nearby Magnolia Lakes gat-
ed community called for the City Council to reject the
rezoning and townhouse proposal.

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HEART DISEASE: WHY WOMEN FACE UNIQUE RISK FACTORS

BY KERRY FIRTH | Correspondent women need to be evaluated [immediately] Dr. Laura Sullivan. to refrain from performing
to make sure it’s not a heart event.” CPR on a woman in public
Heart disease is the No. 1 leading cause PHOTO: JOSHUA KODIS for fear of being accused of
of death for American women, accounting According to heart.org, the first thing sexual assault or touching
for one out of every five female deaths. Yet you should do if you are experience any of ways show a heart attack and women are a woman inappropriate-
women are less likely to recognize heart these symptoms is to call 911. The 911 op- prone to be left in the emergency room and ly. Women rescuers feared
disease symptoms and often chalk them up erator may recommend that you take an not receive immediate care. The ambulance they might cause physical
them to less life-threatening conditions like aspirin if he or she can make sure that you puts you in front of the line.” injury or harm to the cardi-
acid reflux, the flu or normal aging. Adding don’t have an allergy to aspirin or a condi- ac arrest victim. Both gen-
to the danger, bystanders are less likely to tion that makes it risky. If the 911 operator Statistics also show that women are less ders perceived that cardiac
come to the aid of female heart attack vic- doesn’t talk to you about taking an aspirin, likely to receive CPR or a lifesaving shock arrest occurs primarily in
tims than they are to aid males who appear the emergency technicians will give you with a defibrillator from a bystander in the males or that women may
to be having a heart attack. one if it’s right for you. event of an out of hospital cardiac arrest, act more dramatically than
often due to unfounded fears and miscon- men in medical crises.
“Women in general tend to disregard “It’s so important to take an ambulance to ceptions.
their symptoms because they are so busy the hospital because the EMTs will call the “There are concerns
taking care of everyone else,” said Dr. Lau- hospital and set the care in motion needed to A recent survey from the American Heart about touching a woman’s
ra Sullivan, a board-certified cardiologist at receive a potential heart attack patient,” Dr. Association (AHA) determined that men breast and in order to use
Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital. “And Sullivan implored. “There have been many receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation a defibrillator you have to
their symptoms are generally more subtle cases of women walking into the emergency (CPR) from a bystander 45 percent of the pull the woman’s bra up to
than the typical elephant on the chest pain room with chest discomfort and shortness of time while women receive bystander CPR the neck and place a pad on
that we see in men. breath and it does not get recognized. They in only 39 percent of the cases. As a result, either side of the chest. You
get triaged with an EKG but that doesn’t al- men have a higher survival rate. may even have to move the
“There are two basic ways for chest pains breast out of the way,” Dr.
to express themselves in women. The first is The AHA surveyed 520 non-healthcare Sullivan said. “But immedi-
through symptoms that are noticed when providers and found that potential rescu- ate CPR is critical to survival
engaging in physical activity but go away ers would react differently based on the and should be administered
with rest. This might include discomfort in gender of the victim. Men were most likely as quickly as possible.”
the chest, shortness of breath, dizziness, in-
digestion, unusual fatigue and a significant It’s important to note that
reduction in your tolerance for exercise. laws in most jurisdictions
These could be early signs of heart blockage.” protect bystanders who treat cardiac arrest
victims in good faith, so if you know how to
According to ClevelandClinic.org, many administer CPR, do so as quickly as possible
women have these early warning signs without fear of repercussions. If a defibrilla-
hours, weeks or even months prior to a heart tor is available and you know how to use it,
attack. Women often don’t seek care until the do so.
symptoms persist but it is very important to Traditional risk factors for heart disease
get help as soon as you notice any unusual like high blood pressure, obesity, high
symptoms so you have a chance of prevent- cholesterol, smoking and family histo-
ing a heart attack. ry affect women and men alike. Women,
however, face other unique risks making it
“The second way is with a sudden heart more likely for them to have multiple risks
attack that occurs when a blood clot rup- at the same time.
tures the heart artery,” Dr. Sullivan contin- Women are more prone to depression
ued. “The pain and pressure in the chest and more likely to experience psychoso-
and left breast is intense. In women it often cial stress, meaning their stress comes from
feels like the world’s worst heartburn and work, home, money problems and major life
can be associated with nausea and sweat- events. Women make up about 80 percent of
ing or any pain that radiates from the chest people diagnosed with autoimmune diseas-
up to the neck or jaw or down the shoulder es such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus,
and arm. Women often feel like their bra is which increase their risk for heart attack.
crushing their chest and they have a sense
of impending doom. These symptoms mir-
ror those of a panic attack, which is why

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And, of course, pregnancy complications like SIMPLE TIPS FOR CUTTING YOUR SODIUM CONSUMPTION
preeclampsia and gestational diabetes com-
pound the risks, as does menopause, which BY FRED CICETTI
causes estrogen levels to drop, resulting in a
higher risk of blood clots, plaque in the arter- Q. I’ve noticed that food labels list sodium
ies and high cholesterol. content, but the numbers mean nothing to
me. How much is bad?
“The best way for women to prevent
heart disease is to manage stress, eat THE HEALTHY SENIOR
healthy, sleep well and get plenty of exer-
cise,” Dr. Sullivan concluded. Diet experts recommend a daily con- es it by sweating and urinating. Healthy kid- need them.
sumption of less than 2,300 milligrams (mg), neys maintain a consistent level of sodium in  About 45 percent of body weight is flu-
“People don’t realize how powerful move- which is the amount of sodium in a teaspoon the body by adjusting the amount excreted
ment is. I tell my patients that ‘walking is life of table salt. If you have high blood pressure, in the urine. id in healthy older people, compared with
– sitting is death.’ Moving is the key. your doctor may advise limiting yourself to 60 percent in younger people. Even a slight
1,500 mg of sodium a day. The average daily Seniors have to be especially careful about loss of fluid and sodium in a senior can cause
“Women should spend a minimum of 150 intake among Americans is 3,400 mg. sodium consumption because their bodies health problems.
minutes a week doing moderate exercise, can’t handle it as well as they did when they
such as walking briskly, biking or swimming, High-sodium diets are linked to increased were younger. Here are some reasons:  Some older people have physical prob-
or a minimum of 75 minutes a week vigor- blood pressure and a greater risk for heart lems that prevent them from getting some-
ously exercising – running, rowing or power disease and stroke. Reducing the amount of  Kidneys may not work as well as they thing to drink.
biking – to reduce the risk of heart attack.” sodium you consume can help lower blood did.
pressure or prevent it from developing. Less Hyponatremia is a low sodium level in
Dr. Sullivan earned her medical degree sodium also makes blood-pressure medica-  As we age, we are not as sensitive to blood. In seniors, this can be caused by water
at the University of Nevada School of Med- tions more efficient. thirst and may not drink fluids when we
icine and completed her internal medicine CONTINUED ON PAGE A15
residency at the University of Tennessee, Table salt (sodium chloride) is not the only
Knoxville Graduate School of Medicine. problem. The main sources of sodium in the
She completed her Cardiology Fellowship average U.S. diet are 5 percent added while
at St. Vincent Hospitals & Health Services cooking, 6 percent added while eating, 12
in Indiana. percent from natural sources and 77 percent
from processed foods.
Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Indian
River Hospital, Dr. Laura Sullivan served as Most of the body’s sodium is in blood and
director of the echocardiography lab at Re- other fluids. Sodium helps keep fluids in a
nown Institute for Heart & Vascular Health normal balance and helps maintain normal
in Nevada. She can be reached at Cleve- nerve and muscle function. The body gets
land Clinic Indian River Hospital Health sodium through eating and drinking and los-
and Wellness Center, 3450 11th Court, Vero
Beach, 772-778-8687. 

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PROTECTING TEEN ATHLETES FROM HIGH HEAT AND HUMIDITY

BY SUSAN YEARGIN | The Washington Post system to work more efficiently. like Texas, the recommended cutoff tem- but the muscles are not knotted and tight to
The rate of sweating also increases, allow- perature for canceling practice is 92 degrees the touch, then that person could be expe-
High school sports practices are starting (32.2 Celsius). The risk is about more than riencing an emergency condition related to
amid a brutally hot summer in much of the ing more heat to dissipate from the body. The the temperature – it’s also about humidity, sickle cell trait called exertional sickling.
country. As temperatures rise, heat illnesses body increases its retention of salt, which is sun and wind. Humidity hinders sweat evap-
are becoming an increasing risk for athletes, good because it allows for better electrolyte oration, the body’s primary heat dissipation Heat exhaustion can occur when a person
particularly in the first few weeks of practice. balance within the body to maintain hydra- mechanism. So when humidity is high, no is dehydrated and exercising in warm con-
Susan Yeargin, an associate professor of ath- tion and keep muscles working optimally. matter the air temperature, that creates a ditions. Eventually, the body is unable send
letic training at the University of South Car- The heart rate decreases, so there is less heat safety concern. enough blood to both the working muscles
olina and co-author of the National Athletic strain on the cardiovascular system. And the and the skin for heat dissipation. It will pri-
Trainers Association’s position statement core body temperature decreases, represent- Athletic trainers often use wet bulb globe oritize the heat dissipation, and the person
on heat illness, explains the risks and what ing a lower risk for exertional heat stroke. temperature – which takes all four of those either collapses or can’t continue exercising.
coaches and players need to remember to variables into account – to determine when This should be treated by placing the person
keep children safe. But even with all of these adaptations, the teams should shorten or cancel practice and in shade or air conditioning, giving them
body isn’t fully protected from heat illness, how often rest and cooling breaks should be something to drink, and cooling them with
Q:Why are athletes particularly vulnerable which is why other prevention strategies are required. It’s a better gauge of risk than the fans or cold towels. If they don’t respond
to heat during the first few weeks of training? needed. heat index, which uses only air temperature quickly, they may need medical attention.
and humidity. Anyone can check their area’s
A: When an athlete of any age begins to Also, just because athletes have been projected wet bulb globe temperature using Exertional heat stroke is a medical emer-
exercise or train for a sport in hot conditions, training over the summer doesn’t mean they a National Weather Service website. gency in which a person’s body temperature
the body needs time to adapt. In a natural are fully adapted to heat under the condi- is over 105 degrees (40.6 Celsius). Unfortu-
outdoor environment, this is called heat ac- tions that a sport season imposes. The sports Q: How can you tell when someone is suf- nately, traditional temperature devices like
climatization. season brings new exercise intensity, often fering from heat illness? oral and forehead thermometers don’t mea-
higher heat than earlier in the summer, and sure body temperature accurately in these
In the first three days of heat exposure, the heavier equipment, like pads and helmets, A: There are several conditions that fall situations. If a person has been exercising
body hasn’t started to adapt, which is why and an increased pressure to perform. within the realm of “heat illnesses,” but these in warm conditions and their personality
those are the riskiest days for heat illness. are the primary ones: changes, they start acting weird or different
Most acclimatization happens by the 10th Q: At what point do temperatures start get- or become confused, you should suspect ex-
day, but it takes about two weeks for the body ting dangerous for young athletes? Heat cramps, also referred to as exer- ertional heat stroke. First responders should
to reach its peak heat acclimatization. cise-associated muscle cramps, are caused place the heat stroke victim in a cold water
A: That varies across the country. Athletes either by dehydration and electrolyte losses immersion tub up to their shoulders and
The most important change within the who live in milder climates should not be or tired muscle groups. They’re easy to spot make the water as cold as possible with ice. If
body is plasma volume expansion, giving practicing in environmental conditions over when a muscle group tightens and knots. that’s not available, any kind of water immer-
the body more blood to help dissipate 86.2 degrees Fahrenheit (30.1 degrees Cel- Heat cramps can typically be treated with sion like a baby pool, creek, tarp filled with
heat and supply exercising muscles. sius), based on wet bulb globe temperature. rest, stretching and hydration with electro- water, or dousing should be used. Emergen-
For those in traditionally hotter climates, lytes. If someone is complaining of cramps
In short, it allows the cardiovascular

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cy medical services should be called imme- wet bulb globe temperature tables for their
diately. part of the country and avoid exercising in
the hottest part of the day, generally 10 a.m.
An important clue in all of these heat ill- to 6 p.m.
nesses is that the person is almost always
sweating. It is a myth that the person will The National Athletic Trainers Associa-
stop sweating; this rarely happens. tion also recommends using “weight charts”
to help players understand how much they
Q: What do athletic trainers recommend need to drink to stay hydrated; having on-
for keeping athletes safe in the heat, particu- site athletic trainers with treatment resourc-
larly in those first weeks? es, such as cold-water tubs; encouraging
good sleep and nutrition; and providing a
A: Teams should follow heat acclimati- safe work-to-rest ratio during conditioning
zation guidance to gradually increase the and practice sessions. Breaks should be in
length of training sessions and the intensity the shade, ideally with cooling devices such
of workouts. For example, an expert group as fans, misters and cold towels. If a hard or
that reviewed research on youth sports rec- intense drill is completed, players should
ommended always keeping training or prac- have an equally long break.
tice sessions under two hours and only once
a day in the first week. Conditioning, such as A buddy system is also beneficial. With
repetitive running and timed drills, should a buddy, someone is more likely to notice
be held in an air-conditioned area or not in- when an athlete isn’t feeling well or is start-
tegrated for the first two weeks. ing to act out of character and needs to be
stopped for evaluation. 
In addition, teams should pay attention to

HEALTHY SENIOR  Decrease your use of salt gradually. As
you use less salt, your preference for it di-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE A13 minishes.

retention brought on by heart failure.  Keep the saltshaker off the table.
Hypernatremia is a high sodium level in  Buy fresh, plain frozen, or canned “with
no salt added” vegetables.
blood. This is common in older people. It  Use fresh poultry, fish and lean meat,
is caused by dehydration from not getting rather than canned or processed types.
enough fluid.  Use herbs, spices and salt-free season-
ing blends.
Symptoms of hyponatremia or hyperna-  Cook rice, pasta and hot cereals with-
tremia are usually more severe in older peo- out salt.
ple. For example, hyponatremia can cause  Cut back on flavored rice, frozen din-
confusion, agitation, or lethargy. ners, pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups
and packaged salad dressings.
About 9 out of 10 Americans consume too  Rinse canned foods, such as tuna, to re-
much sodium. How can you cut down? move some sodium.
 Select unsalted nuts or seeds, dried
When you buy prepared and packaged beans, peas and lentils.
foods, read the “Nutritional Facts” panel for  Limit salty snacks like chips and pret-
the amount of sodium. Some products also zels.
include sodium terms.  Add fresh lemon juice instead of salt to
fish and vegetables.
Here’s what the terms mean: “sodi-  When eating out, ask your server about
um-free,” less than 5 mg per serving; “very reducing sodium in your meal.
low-sodium,” 35 mg or less per serving;  Remove salt from recipes whenever
“low-sodium” 140 mg or less per serving; “re- possible.
duced sodium,” 25 percent less sodium than  Cut down on sodium-rich condiments
usual; “lite or light in sodium,” 50 percent such as soy sauce, ketchup, mustard and rel-
less sodium than the regular version; “un- ish. 
salted,” “no salt added” or “without added
salt,” contains only the sodium that’s a nat-
ural part of the food.

Here are more tips:

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KIDS WHO VAPE Vaping is growing more prevalent among ing that adolescents who use e-cigarettes are
TOBACCO MORE young people – in 2021, 1 in 9 high school over three times more likely to use cannabis
LIKELY TO GO ON students said they had vaped in the past than those who don’t – and that more than 1
TO USE CANNABIS month, according to the Centers for Disease in 10 youths who say they have never used
Control and Prevention. Increasingly, those cannabis go on to do so within a year.
kids are vaping cannabis. But is vaping a
gateway to marijuana use? The research, published in JAMA Network
Open, relies on the Population Assessment
A new study suggests that is the case, find- of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study, which

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has been surveying a nationally representa- who reported vaping were more likely to say even those who had never used tobacco. But haviors, the researchers write, adding that
tive group of people about their use of to- they had begun using cannabis one year lat- those who said they had smoked e-cigarettes
bacco since 2013. Researchers from the Uni- er than those who didn’t use e-cigarettes. The were far more likely to move on to cannabis. the fact that vaping devices can be used to
versity of Alabama at Birmingham and the researchers ruled out factors such as socio- E-cigarette users were 3.2 times more likely
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor looked economic status and other substance use. to use cannabis and 2.9 percent more likely smoke both tobacco and cannabis could ac-
at a cohort of 9,828 youths who reported that to say they had used it within the past month.
they had never used marijuana. Of the adolescents who hadn’t used can- count for the association. Despite the link,
nabis at the beginning of the study, nearly 11 Youths who vape could be more likely to
Between 2017 and 2019, they found, those percent used cannabis in the following year, be friends with kids who engage in risky be- the researchers said that vaping cannabis

doesn’t seem to make much of a difference

in the overall population of adolescents who

use marijuana.  –­ THE WASHINGTON POST





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Mortgage rates rebound on strong employment and inflation data

BY KATHY ORTON | The Washington Post mortgage rates, which were bound play out,” said Robert Heck, vice president to Mortgage Bankers Association data.
to bounce back after last week’s plunge,” of mortgage at Morty, an online mortgage The refinance index, which is more sen-
After a brief dip below 5 percent for the Holden Lewis, home and mortgage expert marketplace. “While mortgage rates have
first time in four months, the 30-year fixed at NerdWallet, wrote in an email. “Three been reflecting the current state of infla- sitive to rate drops, rose 4 percent from
rate shot above that level last week. facts are correct at the same time: Infla- tion and the likelihood of more hikes for the previous week but was 82 percent
tion is easing, the inflation rate is still far some time, we’ve seen the impact of new lower than a year ago. The purchase index
According to the latest data released too high, and the Federal Reserve will data and other announcements lessen slipped 1 percent. The refinance share of
last Thursday by Freddie Mac, the 30-year most likely raise rates by a lot at its Sep- somewhat over the past few months.” mortgage activity accounted for 32 per-
fixed-rate average jumped to 5.22 percent tember meeting. In such an environment, cent of applications.
with an average 0.7 point. (A point is a fee mortgage rates will trend upward, with an Inflation tends to cause mortgage rates
paid to a lender equal to 1 percent of the occasional brief downward squiggle.” to rise, while a recession usually sends “Mortgage applications increased for
loan amount. It is in addition to the inter- them lower. Much of the recent volatility the second consecutive week, as a rise
est rate.) It was 4.99 percent two weeks ago The Labor Department released the in mortgage rates is due to investors waf- in refinancing offset a small decrease in
and 2.87 percent a year ago. consumer price index, a measure of what fling between worries about inflation and purchase activity,” Bob Broeksmit, MBA’s
consumers pay for goods and services, last a recession. The most recent jobs numbers president and chief executive, wrote in an
Freddie Mac, the federally chartered Wednesday. It showed annual inflation gave a boost to the sentiment that a re- email.
mortgage investor, aggregates rates from fell slightly last month from its four-de- cession is not imminent. Data showed the
about 80 lenders across the country to cade high, rising 8.5 percent in July from unemployment rate dropped to a pre-pan- “Mortgage rates have been volatile re-
come up with weekly national averages. the same month a year ago. On a monthly demic low of 3.5 percent. cently, allowing borrowers on some days
The survey is based on home purchase basis, the CPI was flat after more than two to take advantage of a lower rate. Refi-
mortgages. Rates for refinances may be years of monthly increases. “Markets are seeking more certainty nancing has now climbed for two straight
different. It uses rates for high-quality around the economic outlook, as incom- weeks. Prospective home buyers continue
borrowers with strong credit scores and The inflation data may cause the Feder- ing data continue to highlight a steady to delay decisions on buying a home be-
large down payments. Because of the cri- al Reserve to moderate its rate hikes. For level of business activity and consumer cause of ongoing inflationary pressures,
teria, these rates are not available to every most of this year, the Fed has been trying to spending,” said George Ratiu, manag- affordability challenges, and still-low in-
borrower. tame inflation by raising the federal funds er of economic research at Realtor.com. ventory levels – especially at the lower end
rate. It has raised the benchmark rate four “While concerns of a recession remain of the market. Purchase applications have
The 15-year fixed-rate average climbed times this year. It meets again next month elevated, August seems to be offering a now declined in five of the last six weeks.”
to 4.59 percent with an average 0.7 point. to consider another increase. Fed Chair Je- slight breather.”
It was 4.26 percent two weeks ago and 2.15 rome H. Powell has said the central bank The MBA also released its mortgage
percent a year ago. The five-year adjust- wants clear evidence that prices are sub- Meanwhile, mortgage demand was up credit availability index (MCAI) that
able-rate average rose to 4.43 percent with siding before slowing rate increases. again. showed credit availability declined in
no points. It was 4.25 percent two weeks July. The MCAI fell 9 percent to 108.8 last
ago and 2.44 percent a year ago. “CPI data shows that the impact of the The market composite index – a measure month. A decrease in the MCAI indicates
Fed’s aggressive actions have started to of total loan application volume – increased lending standards are tightening, while an
“Prices moderated a little bit in July, but 0.2 percent from a week earlier, according increase signals they are loosening. 
the inflation report had little influence on

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PGA Village pool home worthy of many superlatives

BY SHELLEY KOPPEL | Columnist 12 feet, with honey-toned wood cabinets busy day. The family room, a spacious 19- with a summer kitchen outside, you can
[email protected] with glass doors, granite countertops, by-17, has slider doors to the patio and feed family and friends at poolside. What
stainless-steel appliances, cooktop, dou- pool, and it’s easy to imagine friends and a great spot for a grandchild’s birthday
The beautiful house at 9600 Crooked ble wall ovens and a sunny breakfast nook family taking the party outside and them party, a book club meeting or lunch with
Stick Lane, in the Clubside section of PGA which is the perfect place to plan your coming in for a quick bite. Of course, friends. If you want to retreat from the
Village, is nicely set back so that you can

approach it slowly and appreciate the land-
scaping and the lovely expanse of lawn.
Then you open the decorative double front
doors and step inside to a foyer bathed in
natural light. There is a formal dining room
and living room, with archways providing
architectural interest, but your family and
guests will undoubtedly spend most of
their time in the family room and adjacent
kitchen.

The kitchen is a generous 10 feet by

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activity, the den (12-by-12) is the perfect and a master bath with dual vanities, a Outside, there is a covered patio and PGA Village is brimming with upgrades,”
place and, of course, it would also make a separate shower and a Jacuzzi tub with a screened area with the pool and the sum- she said. “This home has been meticu-
great home office. surround that would hold a candle a book mer kitchen. A lovely touch is the expanse lously maintained and shows the pride of
and a glass of wine. What a perfect way to of lawn and the preserve behind, providing ownership on the quality finishes, from
The master suite begins with the mas- relax! There is a second bedroom (12-by- a lovely view and lots of privacy. A party or molding to designer light fixtures. The
ter bedroom, a nicely sized 14-by-16 with 13) and a full bath and half bath, as well. even a wedding in that setting would be kitchen features granite countertops and
wood floors. There are walk-in closets just delightful. wood and glass cabinetry, the owner suite
is a perfect retreat, and outside, there is
For Lisa Baetzold of Keller Williams Re- a heated pool, summer kitchen and trees
alty of Port St. Lucie, this house is a “Wow.” to provide privacy. It is designed for en-

“This former Design Center model CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
home in the desired Clubside section of

FEATURES FOR 9600 CROOKED STICK LANE

Neighborhood: Clubside in PGA Village
Year built: 2003
Construction: CBS

Square footage: 2,193 sq. ft.
Total square footage: 3,846 sq. ft.

Bedrooms: 2 • Baths: 2.5
Flooring: ceramic tile, wood floor
Security: manned gate, security patrol, owner system
Additional features: private lot, heated, in-ground heated
pool, summer kitchen, panel shutters
Community amenities: billiards, clubhouse, fitness center,
library, pickleball, playground, pool, tennis
Listing brokerage: Keller Williams Realty of Port St. Lucie
Listing agent: Lisa Baetzold, 772-618-0026

Listing price: $669,000

24 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE www.stlucievoice.com

TRADITION AND ST. LUCIE WEST REAL ESTATE SALES

TOP SALES OF THE WEEK

The past fortnight saw a modest 40 transactions of single-family residences and lots in the Tra-
dition and St. Lucie West real estate markets (some shown below).
The top recent sale was of the brand-new residence at 7828 Saddlebrook Dr. First listed in
March for $1,700,000, this 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom home sold for $925,000 on Aug. 9.
Representing the seller in the transaction was agent Katrina Dimare of Luxury Real Estate Group
LLC. Representing the buyer was agent Christin Assi of EXP Realty LLC.

SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES AND LOTS ORIGINAL SELLING
PRICE

TOWN ADDRESS LISTED ASKING PRICE SOLD $925,000
$737,000
PORT SAINT LUCIE 7828 SADDLEBROOK DRIVE 3/29/2022 $1,700,000 8/9/2022 $726,000
PORT SAINT LUCIE 11493 SW HALF MOON LAKE LANE 5/9/2022 $789,000 8/1/2022 $710,000
PORT SAINT LUCIE 772 SW PELICAN COVE 6/16/2022 $795,000 8/12/2022 $670,000
PORT SAINT LUCIE 9000 ONE PUTT PLACE 6/28/2022 $715,000 8/2/2022 $625,000
PORT SAINT LUCIE 18001 SW COSENZA WAY 6/24/2022 $680,000 8/12/2022 $624,558
PORT SAINT LUCIE 10602 SW CAPRAIA WAY 5/24/2022 $725,000 8/5/2022 $550,000
PORT SAINT LUCIE 12917 SW AMBRA STREET 3/19/2022 $617,558 8/11/2022 $550,000
PORT SAINT LUCIE 12185 SW KEATING DRIVE 5/13/2022 $600,000 8/9/2022 $540,000
PORT SAINT LUCIE 8899 SW BREVE WAY 5/25/2022 $569,900 8/5/2022 $535,000
PORT SAINT LUCIE 5256 NW NORTH DELWOOD DRIVE 4/18/2022 $649,900 8/2/2022 $515,000
PORT SAINT LUCIE 11622 SW RIVER CROSSING PLACE 7/10/2022 $525,000 8/12/2022 $500,000
PORT SAINT LUCIE 1329 SW COTTONWOOD COVE 6/20/2022 $529,000 8/5/2022
SAINT LUCIE WEST 820 SW GRAND RESERVES BLVD 3/23/2022 $644,000 8/11/2022

PUT TEAM

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THE INVENTORY OF HOMES FOR SALE IS VERY LOW AND WE HAVE CLIENTS ACTIVELY LOOKING ALL ALONG THE
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HERE ARE SOME OF THE TOP RECENT TRADITION AND ST. LUCIE WEST REAL ESTATE SALES

11493 SW Half Moon Lake Lane, Port Saint Lucie 772 SW Pelican Cove, Port Saint Lucie

Listing Date: 5/9/2022 Listing Date: 6/16/2022
Original Price: $789,000 Original Price: $795,000
Sold: 8/1/2022 Sold: 8/12/2022
Selling Price: $737,000 Selling Price: $726,000
Listing Agent: Lili Gonzalez Listing Agent: Jeffrey Tricoli

Selling Agent: Atlantic Shores Rlty Expertise Selling Agent: KW Reserve

Emilio Gonzalez David Kelly

Atlantic Shores Rlty Expertise Real Estate of Florida

9000 One Putt Place, Port Saint Lucie 18001 SW Cosenza Way, Port Saint Lucie

Listing Date: 6/28/2022 Listing Date: 6/24/2022
Original Price: $715,000 Original Price: $680,000
Sold: 8/2/2022 Sold: 8/12/2022
Selling Price: $710,000 Selling Price: $670,000
Listing Agent: Patricia Ayres Listing Agent: Isabelle Pollock

Selling Agent: Keller Williams Realty Selling Agent: Lang Realty

Patricia Ayres Jason Sinclair

Keller Williams Realty RE/MAX Masterpiece Realty

26 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE www.stlucievoice.com

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 playground for the youngsters, a pool and
tennis. Of course, golf is never far away.
tertaining or to be your own vision of the
Florida lifestyle. The choice is yours.” This is a lovely home, beautifully situated
and lovingly maintained. It has a beautiful
This is PGA Village, so there is plenty to aspect in the front, is full of upgrades and
do if you want to leave your own private high-end details inside and has everything
resort. Indoors, in the clubhouse, there is you could desire in the back, including a great
everything from billiards to a fitness center, view. Come see it and you’ll want to stay. 
to a library. Outdoor, there is pickleball, a

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28 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE www.stlucievoice.com

Be wary of mail offer from firm selling title protection

BY ILYCE GLINK & SAMUEL J. TAMKIN | The Washington Post diction to get the discount. However, some nies that offer this service for a fee even come with a monthly charge of around
companies monitor homeowners’ tax bills though you may be able to get access to $20. That is not a small amount.
Q: I received an offer in the mail from a and will send out mailings letting home- the same information free.
company in San Diego. They offer a service to owners know that they provide them with Frankly, if you’re concerned about your
protect the title on our home from someone a service to get a tax reduction for a fee. You asked if this is even a “thing.” Yes, credit and home equity, you might be bet-
stealing it to take out loans for credit lines it’s fraud and it happens. Some home- ter off freezing your credit with the cred-
and second mortgages without our knowl- In other jurisdictions, the office that owners have lost hundreds of thousands it reporting bureaus. Once you do this, a
edge. According to the company, these thieves handles the recording or filing of real es- of dollars in equity in the blink of an eye. fraudster would have a hard time imper-
would take the money and leave us with the tate documents may offer a service that sonating you to try to obtain credit or a
legal obligation to pay back the funds. will notify homeowners if a document Here’s a brief description of how you mortgage using your name.
transferring ownership of the home has transfer ownership of a home from a sell-
Is this kind of fraud even possible? Do been recorded or filed. Ask if your local er to a buyer. A seller prepares a document Sam has come across situations where
we need this service? I’m sure others have recorder of deeds office or other office conveying the seller’s ownership interest a fraudster used fraudulent documents to
received this mailing. Any information that handles the recording of documents in the home to a buyer and that document change the ownership of the home from
would be appreciated. Thank you. provides that service to homeowners. If then gets filed or recorded with the office the legitimate owner to the fraudster.
they do, you can simply sign up for their that handles the land records where the Then, the fraudster sold the home under
A: There are a multitude of businesses automated system, which will send you home is located. It’s that simple. (In some their own name. However, it’s harder to
out there trying to make money offering information if something changes on places, they may use a title registration sys- do this when you live in your own home.
services that you may or may not need. your title. And, yes, there are compa- tem and the manner in which you file docu- When you live in your own home, buy-
Be vigilant when you assess these offers, ments may require some additional steps.) ers will want to see the home or lenders
since many may themselves be scams. will want to access the home for mort-
You certainly don’t want to give out any If someone steals your title, they will gage purposes. As such, it’s unlikely that
personal information to any company have to create documentation that says a scam artist will try to do this when you
or person without understanding what they are you and fraudulently sign the can see people coming to your door.
you’re getting into and without verifying transfer documents to themselves. Then,
the company independently. they’ll try to get a loan against the equity Over the years, we’ve seen companies
(cash-out refinance or home equity loan offering insurance that protects the val-
Sometimes companies send out mail- or line of credit) and immediately strip ue of your home. If the value goes down
ings to homes offering services that a out the equity. and you sell, they pay you some of the dif-
homeowner might get free from a gov- ference. Other companies will provide a
ernment service. In some states, you’re If you live in the home you own, it’s method that claims to “lock” the title to
entitled to a reduction on your home’s real unlikely that you would need any title your home to protect you. You also have
estate taxes if you live in the home as a protection services. From what we can warranty companies that will service and
primary residence. For the most part, you gather online, these services will moni- replace appliances and fixtures in your
simply fill out a form with the taxing juris- tor any documents that may get record- home should they break down. If you
ed against the title to your home. These were to obtain all of these services, you’d
FURNITURE / DECOR services claim that they will assist you if be out thousands of dollars each year.
LIGHTING someone records something against the
title to your home that they should not Our advice is to stay vigilant, and find
have done. However, their service can out if you can go online and look for any
changes on the title to your home. If you
can, then monitor the online system ev-
ery couple of months. Next, freeze your
credit with the three major credit bureaus
and you’ll be well on your way to protect-
ing your single largest asset – while sav-
ing yourself some money along the way.

If any of our readers have had any posi-
tive experiences with companies that pro-
vide this title service when a fraudster has
recorded a document against you, please let
us know how things turned out. We’ll share
the information in a future column. 

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Rents and home prices still rising, but at a slower pace

BY AARON GREGG AND YIWEN LU | The Washington Post have pulled back, analysts and real estate studio apartment but says the price of a it, I’m stuck,’” he said. “I’m a pretty success-
professionals say. smaller unit in his apartment complex ful guy financially. I can afford stuff, but it’s
The boom in the U.S. housing market jumped to $1,300 on the website. The av- hard to make sense of this.”
that has enriched property owners in re- The recent moderation in rent growth “is erage rent for a one-bedroom in Lakev-
cent years while squeezing renters and directly tied to the lackluster demand that iew, where he lives, is $1,700, a 22 percent He’s among many Americans show-
first-time home buyers is showing flickers we have seen over the past 90 days,” said increase from last year, according to the ing trepidation about what happens next.
of slowing down. Jay Lybik, national director of multifamily rental platform Zumper. The consumer sentiment index, a widely
analytics at CoStar. followed measure of consumer attitudes
Though rents and home prices are still He faces a predicament: Is it better to maintained by the University of Michigan,
climbing, the pace is more subdued as in- Mortgage rates have been steadily buy a home in an overheated market when is near a 50-year low.
flation and rising mortgage rates weaken climbing since the Federal Reserve be- a recession might be around the corner, or
demand. In June, the average home price gan raising its benchmark interest rate in stay put and run the risk of a big rent in- For sellers, it marks the end of the “name
climbed 17.3 percent year over year, a sig- March to put a lid on runaway inflation. crease? These days, it’s hard to tell. Martin your price” era. Johnson, who works in res-
nificant pullback from the 19.3 percent Would-be buyers in turn, are looking at was still renting as of Monday. idential lending, said more sellers are ac-
increase recorded in May, according to larger monthly payments when they’re al- cepting offers below their asking price.
the data analytics firm Black Knight. That ready paying more for staples like groceries Others are trading down amid rising
two full percentage points is “the greatest and gas. It’s also more difficult to save for a costs. Penn Johnson, 62, says he sold his “[Sellers] felt like they had a lot of mar-
single-month slowdown on record since at down payment. house in affluent Fairfield County, Conn., ket power, and I think that market power
least the 1970s,” said Ben Graboske, Black last year and started renting. He owned a went away as the market became more bal-
Knight’s president of data and analytics. As a result, fewer people are seeking home there for 32 years before downsizing. anced,” he said.
mortgages, with demand hitting a 22-year
Rents followed a similar trajectory in the low in June as rising interest rates and re- “I figured I’d rent for a year and decide Because consumer spending accounts
second quarter, with the average monthly cession fears hold off potential purchasers. what I needed to do next,” Johnson said, for two-thirds of the U.S. economy, pol-
payment for an apartment rising 9.2 per- not knowing that the volatile housing mar- icymakers have been closely watching
cent in the three-month period that ended With landlords still increasing rent, and ket would push mortgage rates up nearly 50 for signs of contraction. So far, it has not
June 30, year over year, according to the home loans becoming more expensive, percent. slowed much: Spending climbed a healthy
real estate data firm CoStar. That compares many renters find themselves playing a 1.1 percent in June, the Bureau of Econom-
with back-to-back spikes above 11 percent game of inflationary whack-a-mole to Now he doesn’t know what to do: While ic Analysis reported last Friday, up from the
in the preceding two quarters. maintain their standard of living. renting is comfortable enough, he didn’t 0.2 percent recorded in May.
want to do it forever. But at an age close
The shift comes as the broader econo- Josh Martin, a 25-year-old tech work- to retirement, he didn’t want to pay thou- But that increase came during a month
my has shrunk and sparked fears of a re- er who lives in the north side of Chicago, sands in monthly mortgage, either. Plus, when gas prices were hovering near record
cession. Housing inventory has surged in wants to buy a condo in the $250,000 range the rent is hardly cheap: He is paying highs – the national average breached $5 a
parts of the country as would-be home- because “rent is crazy right now, and I am $4,200 a month for a place that probably gallon for the first time. And there are signs
buyers, priced out by soaring inflation, scared that it’s going up.” used to go for $3,000. “And I’m like, ‘Darn that some consumers are cycling down to
cheaper options. 
He currently pays around $1,000 for a

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30 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE www.stlucievoice.com

Experts detail the right time to lock in your mortgage rate

BY MICHELE LERNER | The Washington Post There are two basic types of rate locks. lock would be a 0.125 percent higher inter- comparing the additional increase in rate
The first is often a built-in 30- or 60-day est rate for the longer lock period. and cost of extending the rate.
Whether you optimistically hope that rate lock. During this time, the application
mortgage rates will decline or are resigned is processed, income is verified, inspections Williams: For lenders who do not offer If the borrower cannot afford to risk the
that rates will stay elevated above the his- are completed and the lender, the seller and an initial 30- to 60-day rate lock, they may rate being higher, and they believe there is
toric lows of 2021, you may be wondering the borrower work together to get to the offer a lower rate at first and then charge a possibility in delays in closing, there may
when it makes sense to sign an agreement closing on the home. The buyer can often between 0.25 percent to 0.50 percent of the be a reason to investigate an extended rate
with your lender that locks in a specific rate. choose when during this process to lock loan amount for that specified period rate lock – especially if the buyer is purchasing
in the rate. The second is an “extended rate lock. Typically, the more volatility in the in- at the top of their budget.
We asked two experts for advice: Eric lock.” This is an additional extended lock for terest rate market, the higher the cost.
Johnson, a branch manager and mortgage a varying period (usually an additional 30 to When should buyers consider a longer rate
originator in Green Bay, Wis., with Inlanta 60 days but can be extended up to almost a The difference in how and when the lock?
Mortgage, which is based in Pewaukee, Wis.; year for new construction) and used when costs are assessed for an extended rate
and T.J. Williams, a regional vice president the borrower believes the initial 30 to 60 lock, and how much the cost may be, can Johnson: Borrowers should consider a
and real estate consultant in New York City days may not be enough time to successful- vary widely from lender to lender and pro- longer-term rate lock when in a rising inter-
with Wealth Enhancement Group, a regis- ly close on the home. gram to program. For instance, one lender est rate environment, such as the one we are
tered investment adviser. Both responded may assess between 0.05 percent to 0.375 experiencing right now.
via email, and their responses were edited. What are typical costs to lock in a rate for percent of the loan amount to lock in a rate
different periods? upfront. Williams: Typically, if a buyer is buying
How does a typical rate lock work? new construction where the time to close
Williams: Mortgage rate locks allow bor- Johnson: Most loan programs don’t re- Why should buyers consider locking in may be months rather than weeks, or in the
rowers to lock in a specified interest rate for quire an upfront cost for locking in a rate. their rate? event the buyer has reason to believe there
a stated period after the purchase agree- When locking in a rate, borrowers are made may be extended delays in closing, they
ment is signed to buy a home. This helps the aware that the lock confirms their inter- Johnson: Borrowers should consider should consider a longer rate lock. In times
borrower in that the expected cost of own- est rate which has been agreed to by both locking in their mortgage rate as soon as when interest rate increases are apparent
ership of the home will not change based on lender and borrower. Longer lock periods, their purchase offer is accepted. I always and sometimes dramatic, the longer time
a possible increase in interest rates between such as six-month locks, are more likely to recommend a borrower work with a li- between offer and closing may warrant a
the time that they made the offer or locked require an upfront fee from the borrow- censed professional to advise them of all longer rate lock.
in the rate and the time when they close on er that is forfeited if the borrower doesn’t available options and when the best time to
the home. Often, the buyer can lock in the close with the lender that provided the rate lock a rate would be. What happens if a buyer doesn’t lock their
rate any time after they are approved and lock. Generally, the difference in interest rate? Could they lose the loan approval?
sign the purchase agreement up to five to 10 rate between a 30-day lock and a 75-day Williams: A buyer must determine if the
days before closing. cost of a rate lock or extended rate lock is Johnson: Not locking in a rate can be a
truly worth the investment by calculating risk in situations where a borrower’s pur-
the cost of a loan without a rate lock and chase and loan request are near or at the

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE August 18, 2022 31

maximum of what they are qualified to Williams: During the mortgage applica- what you, as a buyer, are approved for, but is protected if interest rates increase after
buy and borrow and could jeopardize their tion process and underwriting, if interest more importantly, what you can actually af- locking. Unless the borrower has purchased
ability to qualify for the loan. If the interest rates increase to a point where the lender ford and be financially healthy. a “float down” option, the interest rate can’t
rate increases, it would push the borrower’s believes the loan is no longer affordable to be reduced if rates go down before closing.
monthly payment higher and could prevent the buyer and the rate was not locked, it is What happens if rates go down during a The term “lock in” confirms that the rate has
loan approval if other adjustments can’t be possible – and likely – that the lender may rate lock? been agreed to by all parties.
made. Borrowers should work closely with rescind approval of the mortgage.
a licensed mortgage originator to go over Johnson: A rate lock is a commitment Williams: The availability of a “Float
their full financial circumstances and to en- A buyer and the lender should have an from the lender to make a loan at the rate Down Option” varies between lenders and
sure the loan is set up to help the borrower open dialogue to know at what rate the buy- quoted to the borrower. It is also a com- programs, and costs are often between an
meet their financial goals. er may no longer be able to afford the home. mitment from the borrower to accept and additional 0.5 percent and 1 percent of the
A more critical step is knowing not only close at the agreed upon rate. The borrower loan amount. 

32 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE www.stlucievoice.com

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34 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | REAL ESTATE www.stlucievoice.com

Installing a floor can be difficult. Here’s how to do it right

BY MICHELE LERNER | The Washington Post floors are the best to avoid. Too many things are crooked, sometimes one inch of floor is footage, then add 10 percent. Tile, depend-
can go wrong. revealed, sometimes a half-inch, sometimes ing on the pattern, might require adding 20
When you watch a home renovation show two inches, but it looks terrific – very inten- percent (for diagonal patterns).
on TV, every project looks easy. Knocking Does the flooring type depend on the tional – and I didn’t have to cut each tile to
down walls may look like the most fun, but room? What else goes into choosing the right fit snugly against the wall. Any other tips to upgrade your flooring?
that can be one of the more dangerous proj- flooring to DIY? Khiel: I know you can learn many things on
ects to take on if you don’t know what you’re Some people are hesitant to install hard- YouTube, but some floor installations simply re-
doing. Painting is probably one of the easiest Khiel: Flooring types can be dependent on wood floors in kitchens. Don’t be! First, if the quire someone of a certain skill set for the proj-
options. what the room might be used for, but the size rest of the house has hardwood floors, con- ect to go smoothly. For a DIY flooring project,
of the room does not matter. Certainly, things tinuing them into the kitchen provides nice you really need to consider the ins and outs, as
But what about replacing your floors? like maintenance should come into play continuity. Second, a medium stain doesn’t best you can, before attempting the project.
It seems like that could be a relatively when considering use of the room. Another show crumbs and spills – you’ll clean up Elliott: If you have a 60-year-old house
simple process with a big result, especially factor is durability. Some floors just hold up eventually, but your kitchen won’t look hor- with original wood floors, chances are high
if you’re only doing one room rather than better to pet claws and kids’ toys than others. rible until then. (Dirt practically glows on that you can’t refinish it: The floors have
your whole house. We sought advice from white or light floors, and dark floors show probably been sanded so many times that
Chuck Khiel, senior vice president of Fred Elliott: Offices need tight, flatweave rugs every speck of dust.) And third, a glass or the nail heads are showing. If you don’t
Home Improvement in Bethesda, Md.; and or carpeting so chairs can roll over them plate will have a fighting chance of survival want to replace it, painting the floor is a
Annie Elliott, owner of Annie Elliott Design easily. Wall-to-wall carpeting is terrific, but if you drop it on a wood floor. If your floor is viable option. I was utterly charmed when
in Washington. Both responded via email, it’s a commitment. Carpet tiles are a fan- ceramic tile, forget it. I walked into a house with a floor painted
and their responses were edited. tastic alternative. They’re not inexpensive, in a checkerboard pattern: dark green and
What are the biggest mistakes homeown- but you can install them yourself, they don’t What tools do you need to install new the original natural wood, with a coating of
ers make when trying to DIY a new floor? damage the floor and you can replace indi- flooring? polyurethane over the whole thing.
Khiel: One of the biggest mistakes we vidual tiles if one gets stained. Painting the floor a single color is an op-
see homeowners make is not thinking the Khiel: The type of tools needed depends tion, too, of course, and it’s a much easier
project all the way through. They either do I installed “Fedora” FLOR tiles in my of- directly on the type of flooring being in- project to tackle yourself. White, light gray
not have the right tools or the knowledge fice by myself, and I love them. The office stalled. Luxury vinyl floors may just need a and light blue are fantastic color options for a
to complete the task. Or something occurs was already furnished, so my method was to razor knife and a tape measure. Tile floors country house or informal space. Super dark
with the floor that they did not factor in and move furniture out of one corner and start may need a wet saw, grinder and trowels. blue or dark green floors create a more for-
they get stuck with not knowing what to do. laying tiles there, then once I had a few rows You may need several different types of saws mal look, but I cannot lie: Painted floors will
Which flooring types are easiest to work down, I’d move furniture onto that part and to install wood floors. not look as formal as stained wood – unless
with? Which are best to avoid for a DIY? keep going. The great thing about carpet your house is in Colonial Williamsburg, that
Khiel: The luxury vinyl snap lock or click tiles is that you can install them almost wall- How do you make sure you measure cor- is. Painted floors look quite refined there. 
locking floor are fairly easy to install. Tile to-wall without a lot of trimming. I laid the rectly?
floor tiles straight, starting approximately
one-inch from the wall, but since the walls Khiel: Typically, you would measure the
length times the width to get the square

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fun, food SECTION
festivities
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2022 YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Coming Up! Quite a racket!

MUST-GO CULTURAL The action was fast PHOTOS: LINDA KLOORFAIN
EVENTS ON TAP AT and furious at the
MIDFLORIDA CENTER 2022 United Way Pick-
leball Tournament last
BY PAM HARBAUGH | Correspondent Saturday at the Fenn
Center in Fort Pierce.
1 The MIDFLORIDA Credit Above: Silvia Emery
Union Event Center has a and her partner Juli-
couple of jubilant events sched- anne Molina compete
uled in the next few days. First in the Women’s Under
up is the Dominican Republic 50 bracket. Left: Mi-
Celebration of Restoration Day chelle Gass reaches
which runs 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. low for a return in
Saturday, Aug. 20. That event the Women’s Under
features Tropical 772 Radio, 50 bracket. Right:
Yovanny Cabrera and Nikki La Ben Dico returns a
Monstra. Admission is $15 gen- volley in the Men’s
eral, $5 for children between 5 Under 50 bracket.
and 12 years of age, and free to The event served as a
children under the age of 5 years. fundraiser for United
For more information, call 772- Way of St. Lucie and
924-8758 or 772-675-5945. That Okeechobee. 
celebration will be followed by Il
Mercato, which runs 3 p.m. to 8
p.m. the following Saturday, Aug.
27. That event will have music,
drinks, food trucks, local ven-
dors, a kids zone, a photobooth
and more. More than 40 booths
of arts and crafts-inspired cre-
ations will showcase handmade
soaps, handmade jewelry, baked
goods, handmade candles, ham-
mocks, hats and more. Admis-
sion is free, but do be sure to go
online to download tickets. The
Event Center is at 9221 SE Event
Center Place, Port St. Lucie. For
more information, go to City
OfPSL.com.

2 The Lyric Theatre has a
great offer – free movies.
It’s the Free Movie Summer and
on the schedule for the next two
weeks are: “All the President’s
Men” (Robert Redford and Dustin
Hoffman as Washington Post re-
porters Bob Woodward and Carl
Bernstein investigating the Wa-
tergate break-in), 3 p.m. Saturday,
Aug. 20 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug.
21; “Goodfellas” (Robert De Niro,
Joe Pesci, the late Ray Liotta and
the late Paul Sorvino star in di-

CONTINUED ON PAGE B7

2 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | ARTS www.stlucievoice.com

‘MASTERS IN BLACK & WHITE’: RARE TREATS ON VIEW

BY MARY SCHENKEL | Staff Writer Yorker Magazine cover.”
Shot from above, the composition
The Masters in Black & White exhi-
is awash in spirals, from its snow-cov-
bition at the Vero Beach Museum of ered paths, on which can be viewed
a woman in the top left and a man
Art, a little gem of a show, is on display more central, to the curvatures made
by benches, fences, decorative street-
ART through Sept. lights, and even the curvature of the
11 in the Stark leafless trees.

REVIEW Gallery, featuring “I thought it was so interesting,”
selections from the says Van Wagenberg. “He was very
much part of this bohemian culture. It
vintage photography collection of Vero really is fantastic art.”

Beach resident Elizabeth Stewart. Of course, there are a couple by
the legendary Ansel Adams (1902-
“She’s really a very active and 1984) photos, including “Oaktree,
Snowstorm, Yosemite Valley” 1948 of a
generous collector to us at the muse- magnificent oak tree whose snow-cov-
ered branches are captured in lacy
um,” says Anke Van Wagenberg, VBMA grandeur.

senior curator. “She’s been collecting “That’s a favorite because Ansel
Adams was so instrumental in devel-
this vintage photography of masters oping photography as an art form. He
considered using the camera almost
from the past and today. The works are like a paintbrush,” says Van Wagenberg.
“He was commissioned by the govern-
magnificent. It’s great fun to work with ment to go into the National Parks and
photograph them. He was the first artist to
such a knowledgeable collector.” do that, so it’s really of significance.”
“Mt. Williamson, The Sierra Nevada, from
Van Wagenberg says Stewart allowed Manzanar, California” 1944 was taken at the
Manzanar War Relocation Center, where
her to select which pieces to include. Japanese Americans were incarcerated.
“There are lots of pictures from other
“That’s always the hard part. I tried photographers there, but they always took
pictures of the camp and the people living
to collect and display attractive images there,” Van Wagenberg explains.
“But this is a picture looking out of the
for a wider audience. We always try to camp; so actually, the view of the Sierra
Nevada mountains, the view that the people
please everyone,” she explains. who lived in the camps had.”
Against the majestic mountains, the
“We have a lot of summer campers bleakness of that camp life is underscored
by the rocky barrenness surrounding them.
in the building. And I thought all of these What’s immediately striking, especially the Greenwich Village art scene after fleeing “He always had very original ideas and
in light of today’s helicopter parents, is the Nazi Germany. original viewpoints,” says Van Wagenberg.
works were really appealing to a wide element of danger. “I think it’s a broken mir- Another exceptional photograph is “Two
ror frame that they’re holding. It’s almost as A master of shadows and light, Ray-
audience, from still life to landscapes. Some if they’re posing for a picture, like it comes mond’s depiction of four apples on a Trees on Hill with Shadows,
so naturally to them,” says Van Wagenberg, tabletop, suffused by light, is representative Paso Robles, California”
landscapes are very pictorial; they’re almost referencing a toddler on a tricycle, perfectly of her minimalist style. “It reminds me 1974, by American William
positioned within a frame held upright by very much of a 17th century Dutch still life, Garnett (1916-2006). A pilot
painterly.” two, only slightly older, boys. where artists in genre painting would take with some 10,000 hours of
very ordinary objects and make them into flying, Garnett was an early
Children are likely to be drawn to two One boy, standing in the street with his something special; see something else in aerial photographer.
back to unseen traffic, and another squat- them,” says Van Wagenberg.
in particular. “That little boy with the wine “That’s such a great pho-
ting on the curb are Hungarian-born André Kertész (1894- tograph. It looks so paint-
bottles is one of my favorites. Henri Cart- picking up broken 1985) emigrated from Paris to escape Jewish erly,” says Van Wagenberg.
mirror shards with persecution. He also landed in Greenwich “And actually, what you see is
ier-Bresson (1908-2004) is a very famous their bare hands – Village, eventually residing in a top floor of the shadow of the trees seen
yipes. 2 Fifth Ave., where he used a telephoto lens from above. It’s an aerial
French artist,” says Van Wagenberg. to take a series of photographs, including view of the edge of the cloud
Of those with a “Washington Square Park” 1954. landscape.”
“Rue Mouffetard” 1954 brilliantly show- still life quality is
“4 Apples” 1983 by “That’s the view from his window. He’s The curved lines, seem-
cases why the art- German-born Lilo one of my favorite artists,” says Van Wa- ingly pencil-drawn, that
Raymond (1922- genberg. “That image, with all the spirals, swipe above the trees, she
ist was renowned 2009), who entered reminds me very much of a design for a New explains, are the plow lines
on the landscape.
for capturing PHOTOS: JOSHUA KODIS
“So you’re looking at the
street photogra-
CONTINUED ON PAGE B4
phy at what he

called “the deci-

sive moment.”

In it, a little

French boy,

attired in belted

oversized shorts

and a sweater, his

knobby knees and

hands displaying

a residue of grime,

walks toward the camera with a self-satis-

fied grin, enormous wine bottles cradled

expertly on each arm, as two little girls look

on, seemingly with glee.

“That’s a very classic image,” says Van

Wagenberg. “And he’s such a naughty boy. I

think he maybe stole those bottles and he’s

extremely proud to have taken them.”

Children are also the centerpiece in

“Broken Mirror” c. 1940, taken by American

Helen Levitt (1913-2009), this time in New

York City’s lower East side.

It, too, is an excellent representation of

street photography, capturing a slice of

urban America. In the foreground, a group

of very young boys plays together by a street

curb, as behind them, adults and older chil-

dren carry on with their daily lives.



4 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | ARTS www.stlucievoice.com

For priceless puppetry, all roads lead to ‘Avenue Q’ MASTERS IN BLACK & WHITE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE B2

BY SHELLEY KOPPEL | Staff Writer The play tells the story of Princeton, a “Avenue Q” trees as if they’re seen from the side, but
[email protected] recent college graduate, who looks for an cast: front row they’re actually seen from above. You’re
apartment in New York City and ends up from left, Aurora looking at the shadow. It’s a really very clever
“Avenue Q” is not your children’s puppet on Avenue Q with a bunch of ragtag friends image,” she says. “Not a lot of people had
show. The Broadway hit, which won the that include Kate Monster, Lucy the Slut, Jenkins, Josh done this for artistic photography.”
Tony Awards trifecta for Best Musical, Best Trekkie Monster, Nicky and Rod, the closet Roland-Bram-
Book and Best Original Score, is meant for Republican, Christmas Eve and building kamp, Cathy Among works by living artists is “Portraits
an adult audience. With songs like “If You superintendent Gary Coleman (yes, that Randaz- of Solitude” 2004 by Sebastião Salgado,
Were Gay,” “Everyone’s a little Bit Racist” Gary Coleman). They become a big family. zo-Olsen, Kyle born in Brazil in 1944, which captures the
and “I’m Not Wearing Underwear,” this is splendor of an Antarctic iceberg, seemingly
definitely a show for mature sensibilities. Amidst all the fun is a musical that is a Duncan and Andy carved, Salgado says, as a medieval castle.
challenge to stage, with four puppeteers Morejon; second
The Barn Theatre will present the mu- and three human actors. The puppet char- row, Kristal Davis, The joy of dance comes into play in “Lo
sical, which has three regular characters acters, including Princeton, are played by Brittany Hooper non ho mani che mi accarezzino il volto
and a bevy of puppets Sept. 15-Oct. 2. The the unconcealed puppeteers. and Kyle Weber; (There are no hands to caress my face)” c.
Jeffrey Marx/Robert Lopez show is funny, third row, Brandon 1960, by Italian Mario Giacomelli (1925-
funny and more funny, but you’ll want to “It’s new and different,” Childe said. Snyder and Matt 2000).
leave wokeness at the door. “I’ve never worked with puppets. They Wood.
have to come to life, to talk, move and Photographed from above, it’s a study of
Bryan Childe, who is directing the pro- breathe. Heidi Condon, my assistant di- PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BARN THEATRE black and white, as a group of men in long
duction, loves the show. rector, has done the show before and she black cassocks, seen against an all-white
knows how it works. Having her has been The puppets have been rented from background, joyfully dances in a circle.
“What is there not to love?” he asked. a godsend. We’ve been having Zoom meet- Swazzle, a professional company that sup-
“It’s your normal adult humor show mak- ing with professional puppeteers, teaching plies the puppets for Jim Carrey’s Show- “He was commissioned by the Catholic
ing fun of ‘Sesame Street.’ It answers all how to puppeteer. The puppets are the live time program. church to photograph life in monasteries
the questions you had, back in the day, like people. The actors are just there to be the and seminaries,” says Van Wagenberg. “So
‘Were Bert and Ernie gay?’ If you always puppeteers.” “They’re beautiful,” Childe said. these are young men studying to be priests,
had questions about ‘Sesame Street,’ ‘Ave- “They’re true professional puppets. There and this is what they do for fun.”
nue Q’ answers them.” are 28 in different costumes. Princeton
first is a puppet with a graduation cap An entirely different dance form is
and the next time, he’s in street clothes. portrayed in the iconic “Martha Graham,
Each puppeteer has three to four puppets. Letter to the World, Kick” 1940, by American
They’re considered actors. We have five Barbara Morgan (1900-1992), whose rela-
‘puppet wranglers’ who keep track of them tionship with Graham lasted more than six
and hand them off to the puppeteers. It’s a decades. “It’s a classic image; the silhouette,
challenge, but it’s fun.” the dance, and the motion. It’s amazing,”
says Van Wagenberg.
While there are songs with great titles in
the show, my favorite is the one with the Van Wagenberg says she chose “Carey,
pressing question countless worried par- Farmington, Georgia” 1996 by American
ents have asked their children: “What Do Mark Steinmetz (b. 1961) as the quintessen-
You Do with a B.A. in English?” tial summertime image, portraying a young
woman in a simple frock seen resting on a
Maybe you write a Tony-winning show. grassy field.

The Barn Theatre, 2400 SE Ocean Blvd, “And even without summer colors, you
Stuart, presents “Avenue Q” Sept. 15-Oct. 2. It know what the colors are. You don’t miss the
is recommended for those 16 and older. Call colors in most of these images,” she says.
772-287-4884 or visit barn-theatre.com. 
All works were made using the gelatin
silver print medium, an analog process
introduced in the 1880s. A description at the
entrance to the exhibit includes a QR Code
to access a video about the process.

The Vero Beach Museum of Art is located
at 3001 Riverside Park Dr.,Vero Beach. For
more information, visit VBMuseum.org. 

BOGO VISIT THE ELLIOTT
MUSEUM & BRING A
FRIEND FOR FREE

You must present this coupon.
One COMPLIMENTARY

ADMISSION with one paid
admission of equal or greater

value per coupon.

Not valid for special events.
No cash value. Exp 11/1/2022

825 NE Ocean Blvd. Stuart, FL 34996
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Awkwardly amusing ‘God of Carnage’ addresses family fractures

BY SHELLEY KOPPEL | Staff Writer as the layers get stripped away,” O’Donovan

[email protected] said. “The comedy is in the awkwardness. If

The term “black comedy” might have you like ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm,’ you’ll love

been created for Yasmina Reza’s play “God this. It has a sort of Larry David feel to it. It’s

of Carnage,” translated from the French by the absurdity of it, the squirminess that is

Christopher Hampton. The play won the the fun. There’s not one who’s really, really

2009 Tony Award for Best Play and concerns good. There’s a bit of schadenfreude. They

two sets of parents, one of whose 11-year-old held themselves out as good and they’re no

child has hurt the other in the park. They live better than I am.”

in an enlightened section of Brooklyn and The weaknesses in both marriages are

agree to discuss the matter like the adults exposed and confronted by the respective

they are. Unfortunately, civilized conversa- spouses. “Each has a moment where who

tion soon degenerates into arguments and they are is revealed,” O’Donovan said. “The

topics range far afield from a children’s fight spouses look at them and say, ‘Who are you?’

to talk of sexism, racism, homophobia and They all but come to blows with each other.”

the states of their own marriages. O’Donovan is pleased with his cast,

A.C.T. Studio Theatre in Stuart will pres- which he calls “crackerjack.” The cast in-

ent “God of Carnage” Sept. 9-18 and director cludes Clelia Patrizio as Veronica, David

Dennis O’Donovan spoke about a show he In the A.C.T. Studio Theatre’s production of “God of Carnage,” from left, Lou Larsens (as Alan Raleigh), Jennifer Tanner as Michael, Jennifer Sade as Annette
likens to “an updated, more Yuppified ‘Who’s Trethaway (Annette Raleigh), Clelia Patrizio (Veronica Novak) and David Tanner (Michael Novak) get together and Lou Larsen as Alan. “All of the four are
Afraid of Virginia Woolf.’” to discuss their sons’ playground altercation. What could possibly go wrong? PHOTO COURTESY OF THE A.C.T. STUDIO THEATRE like Central Casting,” he said.

“These are two couples getting together The play will be like a black box, with the

for what should be a genteel conversation,” he said. “Their lower-class lines are very clear. “When the two men discuss minimalist set called for in the Broadway production. There

sons have had an altercation and broken the teeth of one. what they do for a living, the lawyer shows disdain and is will be a couch, two chairs, a coffee table and curtains.

They’re meeting to discuss it. As it goes along, each of patronizing,” O’Donovan said. “The hardware guy is a peace O’Donovan, who didn’t want to give away a lot of se-

the four people reveals who they are, bit by bit. They get with who he is and doesn’t realize the other guy is laughing.” crets, promises a bumpy ride. “Strap yourself in, boys and

on each other’s nerves and become openly hostile so that As the play progresses, the relationship within the pair- girls,” he said.

nothing gets accomplished.” ings begins to break down. The play bills itself as “a comedy

One of the couples is a lawyer and a “wealth manager” of manners without the manners” and this becomes more A.C.T. Studio Theatre, 2399 SE Ocean Blvd, Stuart, presents

while the other is a hardware store owner and writer/teach- and more clear. “God of Carnage” Sept. 9-18. Call 772-932-8880 or visit act

er. The lawyer patronizes the store owner and the upper- and “None of the people is necessarily nice or sympathetic studiotheatre.com. Contains adult language. 

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6 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | ARTS www.stlucievoice.com

LIFELONG ARTIST FINDS ‘PROCESS OF CREATING’ DEEPLY FULFILLING

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF | Staff Writer you won’t be able to make all
of them in a lifetime.”
“I’ve been an artist since kindergarten,” says Treasure
Street says that, for her,
Coast artist Ginny Piech Street, commenting on her life- working with clay is medita-
tive, noting, “I love the tactile
long love affair with art. nature of clay. There’s so
much to learn with clay.”
“I came from a creative family. My mother painted, and
Some might say her work is
ARTIST my father was a musician. I have two “for the birds,” based on the
siblings. All of us were creative in some number of feathered crea-
tures that seem to creep their
PROFILE way, which my parents encouraged,” way into much of her work.
says Street, adding that her parents
“The birds have been good
knew from her early childhood that she would one day be to me. If I just made all the
birds that I’ve made collages
an artist. of, I would have more birds
than I could possibly make
She initiated the first art club at her high school and for the rest of my life,” Street
says.
was its first president. Later, she attended Murray State
Pointing out the details in
University in Western Kentucky, where she earned her a small, black and white clay
figure – a rare choice as Street
Bachelor of Fine Arts in studio art, with a focus on print- is generally drawn toward
bold colors – she comments
making. While there, she received the President’s Award, that her printmaking back-
ground comes through in
the highest honor bestowed on an art student. the contrasting textures of
the feathers and the bird’s
After graduating, she taught elementary art spotted underbelly.

before heading back to college, where she earned “I like a little quirkiness. I
like for things to be a little edgy and different. I like func-
a master’s degree in environmental education. tional things that are weird,” says Street.

Despite the change in degree topics, she Sharing that she has used a baby doll head on wine
glasses and a butter dish, she admits, “They’re a little
again began to focus more on her art career. creepy.”

The one difficulty was that Street has worked in a wide variety of artistic media,
from her first pinch pot in kindergarten to her quirky
by then she was living on clay creations and vibrant collages.

a sailboat, which did vie Although she finds it much easier to
turn an idea into a three-dimensional
for the amount of time she piece than it is to put it on paper, she
adds, “I have a love affair with paper,
could spend on her creative too. I have a paper studio and a clay
studio at home.”
exploits.
In fact, well before her clay days,
“Sailing and art have Street had used her printmaking skills
to paint her own paper, cut it and create
competed with each other collage images. She explains that she
enjoys collage making as it gives her the
my whole life. I learned to teaches basic hand-building and in- freedom to “move and play with the parts”
termediate skill level classes there. until the arrangement feels right.
be an artist before I learned Explaining her creative process, she says she
“I enjoy teaching here. Indian conjures images in her head and then draws them
to sail. If I couldn’t do art, I’d River Clay is part of my heart. in a sketchbook, noting, “I think people should sketch a
When I teach the classes, I tell the little bit every day.”
sail,” Street says. participants it’s not the product However, she admits that the actual piece evolves once
that is important. If you end up she begins to work on it. “The sketch is a jumping-off
Fortunately, she was able with a product that you like, place. That is the gate that opens so I can get into the
great. The process idea. From there, whatever happens, happens.”
to balance the two during is the most important thing,” says While most of her clay pieces are small-scale, she has
Street. three large-scale public art installations in Fort Pierce and
the years she, her husband She imparts to her students what St. Lucie County and would like to continue working on
she herself learned over the years as bigger pieces.
and their first child lived she expanded her own artistic skills. Outside of Vero, her work has been exhibited in New
“There are no mistakes. There are York City’s Chelsea neighborhood and the LeMoyne Art
aboard a sailboat in Key no rules. Perfection is high- Foundation in Tallahassee, and is currently on view at the
ly overrated. And the Peacock Clay Collaborative and in the Backus Museum
West. Given the limited confines of their 28-foot boat, she process of creating art gift shop. 
is what matters.”
says she could only work with the types of media con- She adds that she
enjoys teaching as well as
ducive to the space, so she concentrated on knot works, creating, but for different reasons.
“I love teaching because I constantly
collages and smaller craft items. learn from the people in my class. I love
to create but creating is a lot scarier than
“I sold little nautical things, friendship bracelets, sail- teaching. Trying to support yourself with
your art is a very courageous thing.”
ors’ bracelets and key rings at sunset,” she explains. Street shares that the biggest problem the
majority of her students have is decid-
When they decided to leave Key West, they
ing what they want to make.
headed north and dropped anchor at Vero “The solution to that issue
is to just start making some-
Beach, opting to stay south of the freeze line. thing. Just get your hands
in there, and the ideas will
She was a regularly featured artist at the start to come. The more
you make, the more ideas
A.E. Backus Gallery in Fort Pierce before it you have. You’ll end up
with so many ideas that
transitioned into a museum. She was also

part owner of the Peacock Clay Collab-

orative and co-founded the Art Mundo

Center for Creative Expression in Fort

Pierce.

After a fire in an adjacent shop caused a

great deal of smoke damage to the Peacock

Clay Collaborative, Street got involved with

a group of pottery artists in Vero

Beach who wanted to create

a membership-based clay

studio, which eventually

opened as Indian River

Clay.

“I was the first man-

ager at Indian River Ginny Piech Street.
Clay,” says Street,
who currently PHOTOS: JOSHUA KODIS

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | ARTS/PEOPLE August 18, 2022 7

WELCOME

(to your new)

HOME!
PHOTOS: LINDA KLOORFAIN

Tameshia Martin rejoices as she enters her new St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity home for the first time
following a home dedication ceremony on Aug. 3 in Fort Pierce. Above left, Lavienia Crenshaw blesses
the keys to Martin’s new home, while, below left, Paul Bobo of Garber Buick GMC hands Martin the keys.
St. Lucie Habitat applicants must meet qualifications for the mortgage, in addition to giving 300 hours of
“sweat equity” and completing courses. For more information, visit stluciehabitat.org. 

COMING UP Ave., Stuart. Call 772-286-7827 or visit starts 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 at Sunrise Get there early and enjoy the free outdoor
LyricTheatre.com. Theatre, 117 S. 2nd St., Fort Pierce. Call 772- concerts in “Live in the Loop.” This week-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1 461-4775 or visit SunriseTheatre.com. end, the musical acts are the Joey Tenu-
3 Sunrise Theatre is the place for “Art- to Band on Friday and the Lattitudes on
rector Martin Scorsese’s iconic mob film), 7 ists for MS Present: Summer Bash 4 Riverside Theatre’s Comedy Zone Saturday. Music runs 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 and 1 p.m. Sunday, The Pure Zeppelin Experience” this Satur- brings Sean Finnerty to the stage as And remember, you can eat and drink as
Aug. 21; “A Star is Born” (Bradley Cooper day. This is the show touted as the “top LED its headliner this weekend. Finnerty was well. Concessions are open throughout
and Lady Gaga trying to have a personal re- Zeppelin tribute show in the Southeast.” It born in Ireland and began doing stand- the evening and in the comedy club. Riv-
lationship in the harsh world of music, fea- is designed to give you the mesmerizing, art up in Orlando. He’s been the announcer erside Theatre is at 3250 Riverside Park
tures the award-winning song “Shallow”), 3 laser light show coupled with the mesmer- for Season 9 on Amazon Prime and was Dr., Vero Beach. Call 772-231-6990 or visit
p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27 and 5 p.m. Sunday, izing music of Great Britain’s Led Zeppelin. selected for Comedy Central’s “Up Next” RiversideTheatre.com.
Aug. 28; and “Jersey Boys” (Clint Eastwood’s The show stars Treasure Coast resident Mi- competition. He was a 2014 Florida’s Fun-
movie version of the Tony Award-winning chael McGoorty in the role of lead singer niest Comedian semifinalist. Comedian 5 Make plans next week to see “The
Broadway musical about the Four Seasons Robert Plant. It also stars Gary Renshaw Dylan Vattelana will open the show. Based Fabulous Thunderbirds” band when
band starring Frankie Valli), 7 p.m. Satur- on drums, Mike Murray on guitar and Gary in Richmond, Va., Vattelana is known for they perform blues, R&B and rock ’n’ roll 7
day, Aug. 27 and 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28. Ad- Bivona on bass and keyboards. There will his quick-witted, jubilant style. The eve- p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24 at the Lyric The-
mission for these movies is free, but you do also be a performance by Pure Heart and a ning’s emcee is Josh Armenteros. The atre. Tickets are $47. The Lyric Theatre is
need to pick up a ticket at the theater’s box special performance with the Florida Aeri- shows begin 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. at 59 SW Flagler Ave., Stuart. Call 772-286-
office. The Lyric Theatre is at 59 SW Flagler al Dance Circus. Tickets are $33. The show 19 and Saturday, Aug. 20. Tickets are $23. 7827 or visit LyricTheatre.com. 

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8 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | PEOPLE www.stlucievoice.com

‘WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS’: CITY HOSTS Awareness Day remembrance will be about
OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY REMEMBRANCE 90 minutes. “We provide participants with
battery-operated candles that represent
BY PATRICK McCALLISTER | Correspondent reation. “I think we had 200 people. Some vestigated that year, drugs were present, al- their loved ones,” said Roberts. “They pro-
came from far away, because they couldn’t though not necessarily the cause of death, in ceed down the boardwalk. They do their
The City of Port St. Lucie’s Parks and Rec- not find a ceremony in their area.” 14,577 of the dead. procession up and down the boardwalk.”
reation Department is hosting its second
International Overdose Awareness Day re- The Centers for Disease Control and Pre- Roberts is, sadly, familiar with the strug- Accompanied by music.
membrance on Wednesday, Aug. 31. vention reports that in 2020, the last year gles of losing family members to drug over- “We have a classical guitarist,” Roberts
collected data’s available for, more than doses. Her son died of an overdose. “He died said. “He did a phenomenal job last year. He
The remembrance ceremony will be at 7 93,000 people died by drug overdose in the right here in Port St. Lucie,” she said. “He plays classical music from the riverbank.”
p.m. at Veterans Park at Rivergate, 2200 SE U.S. Florida, by CDC accounting, had more fought for eight years with his substance use
Veterans Memorial Parkway. than 7,500 such deaths. According to the and mental-health problems.” After the procession, “we will have
Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the reading of the names,” said Roberts.
“We did have an overwhelming response of the 44,577 deaths medical examiners in- Which included a lot of family therapy, “When they arrive, we have postcards with
last year for our very first time,” said Patricia drug rehabilitation programs, and more. He pens that sit right there. You’re invited to
Roberts, deputy director of Parks and Rec- died in 2018 at 22. write down the name of the loved one they
lost. All the names are put in a basket. We
“We need to build a culture that under- take a moment to remember all of those
stands and recognizes the need for recovery that we’ve lost.”
for these people,” Roberts said.
Attendees are welcomed to take shoes,
One step in building that understanding, sandals or boots representing their deceased
she said, is families publicly mourning and loved ones. They’ll be displayed as a com-
celebrating loved ones who died by overdos- memoration of those who have died of drug
es. “It’s good to celebrate their life,” she said. overdoses, then given to the Salvation Army
“They did live. They made a difference in for distribution to those who need them.
this world. We need to celebrate that.”
“I can’t stress enough, I know there con-
At its website, the Mayo Clinic describes tinue to be people who shy away from
substance use disorder as “a disease that talking about their loved ones they lost due
affects a person’s brain and behavior and to substance use,” said Roberts. “If you take
leads to an inability to control the use of a nothing else away, I would hope people un-
legal or illegal drug or medication.” In other derstand we need to talk about this.
words, substance use disorder, which usu-
ally precedes overdose deaths, is a disease, “My hope is that one day we can talk
not a moral failing. about substance use disorder in the same
way we talk about cancer or diabetes.”
The Port St. Lucie International Overdose
Roberts can be contacted at proberts@city-
ofpsl.com. 

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New number, same care: Calls to national 988 suicide/crisis lifeline still go to local counselors

BY PATRICK McCALLISTER | Correspondent 988 for callers with mental-health sub- to help veterans navigate the system.” That’s expected to grow with the intro-
stance-abuse crises. In November 2021, “the The Florida Legislature created that pro- duction of 988. “They’re telling us to expect
Although the National Suicide Prevention FCC adopted rules to expand access to the volume increases from 300 to 800 percent,”
Lifeline has a new number – 988 – callers National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by es- gram administered by the Florida Depart- said L’Herrou. “... We did ramp up our staff in
from St. Lucie County to that number will tablishing the ability to text 988.” ment of Veterans Affairs, because veterans, order to prepare.”
still be connected to local crisis counselors. particularly women veterans, are at high-
When local residents call 988, they have er-than-average risk for death by suicide The community can help.
When dialed locally, it connects the access to more than telephone counseling. than non-veterans in similar demographics. “We have recently had a funding cut,”
caller to 211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast, The 211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast works L’Herrou said. “We are very worried about
whose staff has been answering National with the local crisis mobile response team, L’Herrou said she’s certain many are our ability to maintain service in the com-
Suicide Prevention Lifeline calls for a while. mental-health professionals able to quietly alive today because of the National Suicide munity in light of that situation.”
Just people were dialing a much longer go to people in crisis. Prevention Lifeline. “We serve five coun-
number before. ties,” she said. “In our entire service region Donations to 211 Palm Beach/Treasure
“(New Horizons of the Treasure Coast and we respond to 10 suicide-related contacts Coast can be made at 211palmbeach.org. 
“The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Okeechobee) and its mobile response team every single day.”
has been operational since 2005,” said Sha- is one of our core partners,” said L’Herrou.
ron L’Herrou, president and CEO of the local
211 center. “It’s not a new lifeline. It’s just an She explained that typically when tele-
easier-to-remember number.” phone counselors are talking to people
experiencing suicidal thoughts, others are
On July 16 the former National Suicide preparing for multiple types of responses
Prevention Lifeline number, 800-273-8255, including sending the mobile response
transitioned nationwide to 988. There will be team to the person if he or she requests or
a period during which either will work. accepts that help.

“The idea is just to give everybody an eas- The growing consensus in the sui-
ier-to-remember number,” continued L’Her- cide-prevention community is those con-
rou. “We’ve been here answering (800-273- cerned about others who may be experi-
8255) since its inception.” encing thoughts of death by suicide should
use the S.A.V.E. (Signs, Ask, Validate, En-
The local 211 operator has American As- courage) model to help them. Look for, and
sociation of Suicidology accreditation. Addi- don’t dismiss, Signs of suicidal thoughts.
tionally, those who call 211 from Port St. Luc- Bluntly Ask if the person is experiencing
ie will get to the same crisis counselors with suicidal thoughts. Validate the person’s ex-
the same resources as they would by dialing periences contributing to the thoughts of
988. Either works the same. death by suicide. Encourage and help them
get immediate help.
The Federal Communications Commis-
sion released a report in August 2019 recom- In addition to answering calls for the
mending the adoption of a three-digit men- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 211
tal-health and substance-abuse crisis line to Palm Beach/Treasure Coast is also part
replace the then 10-digit National Suicide of the Florida Veterans Support Line at
Prevention Lifeline. The reason was simple 1-844-MyFLVet (693-5838).
enough – it’s a lot easier during crises to re-
member three digits than 10. People can get that, also, by calling 211
and identifying themselves as veterans or
In July 2020 the FCC designated 988, in the calling for veterans during the prompts or
agency’s words, “for individuals in crisis to when talking to a telephone counselor.
connect with suicide prevention and mental
health crisis counselors.” “We have two veterans peers,” L’Herrou
said. “Two people who are veterans them-
On Oct. 17 that year, then President Don- selves and are employed as veterans peers
ald Trump signed the National Suicide Ho-
tline Designation Act of 2020 solidifying

BLUE ANGELS: LET’S TALK SHOP!

PHOTO:
LINDA
KLOORFAIN

Blue Angel Bobby Cushing helps Amost Pierre, 14, shop for back-to-school clothes during the Blue
Angels’ PSMC inaugural Shop with an Angel event at Walmart in St. Lucie West on Aug. 4.

10 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | PEOPLE www.stlucievoice.com

‘Family Fun Ruck’ dedicated to 9/11 and assisting veterans’ causes

BY PATRICK McCALLISTER | Correspondent Vero Beach Veterans: Next Gen- and himself when he got out.

Vero Beach’s #DoYouGiveARuck? is host- eration. There was consensus #DoYouGiveARuck? focuses on
ing its second annual Family Fun Ruck in St.
Lucie West on Saturday, Sept. 10. that a new organization headed raising money to help organiza-

The veterans-awareness and -assistance by Jackson should organize and tions Jackson believes are better
organization regularly hosts “ruck march-
es,” highly-visible walks with many partic- administer the increasingly pop- equipped than him to help vet-
ipants opting to carry weight in backpacks
representing the struggles some veterans ular ruck marches. Yes, the name erans with specific needs.
carry. Often that weight is non-perishable
food and other necessities that ruck march #DoYouGiveARuck? is a provoc- For example, the Family Fun
participants are later donating to programs
such as Sarah’s Kitchen of the Treasure Coast. ative wordplay. Ruck will raise money for DDS-

“(The Family Fun Ruck is) going to be Jackson explained that the 4Vets, which does various ser-
a big family event dedicated to Sept. 11,”
said Jimmy Lee Jackson, founder. “Last name is not provocation for vices for veterans including get-
year we had 400 people show up. This year
we’re expecting 600.” amusement’s sake. It’s a legit- ting them service dogs.

The Family Fun Ruck will be at the Indi- imate question the organiza- “(The event will) have bounce
an River State College Pruitt Campus, 500
NW California Blvd., from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. tion is asking the community, houses,” said Jackson. “We have
The central activity will be a 1-mile ruck
walk for all ages. There will be more family a question he hopes provokes different entertainment lined
activities, too.
people to take action to help up. There’s going to be a K-9
Sept. 11, of course, is the anniversary of
the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil – the veterans. Jackson doesn’t ap- demonstration set up.” The St.
al-Qaeda coordinated airliner strikes in
2001. Since 2009, Sept. 11 has been the Na- proach veterans issues from an Lucie County Sheriff’s Office will
tional Day of Service and Remembrance,
which is also called 9/11 Day. academic perch. He has lived do the K-9 demonstration.

Jackson started #DoYouGiveARuck? in them, and he is open about how “(There’ll be) live music and
2019. He used to organize ruck marches for
his struggles sent him on a colli- Jimmy Lee Jackson, foreground, is the founder and executive director of a DJ.” Additionally, the Central
sion course with the law. #DoYouGiveARuck?, which is hosting its second Family Fun Ruck on Sept. 10. Florida band 21 to Burn will be
on hand doing a wide variety of
On a Facebook narrative, PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOHN BIONDO/EVENT PHOTOS

Jackson wrote: “In 2015 I was rock and dance music.

arrested for drug trafficking charges. I was like a zombie. Desperate to find a balance. “We’re going to have guest speakers,”

pretty bad on drugs after fighting with the I turned to cocaine and alcohol. The only added Jackson. And vendors, such as Trea-

(Department of Veterans Affairs’ Veterans problem was veterans don’t make a lot of sure Coast Corals and Kona Ice of White City.

Health Administration) over the years about money on disability. So, enter me becoming The event is free. Attendees are urged to take

the medications they were forcing on me. a drug dealer to feed my habits.” items such as diapers and hygiene products

The VA had me on 7 to 8 medications at one Jackson did two and a half years in Mas- to give to Sarah’s Kitchen at the event.

time. I remember my mother having to take sachusetts and used the prison time to

care of my son who was an infant at the time work out how his life had come to that, You can register for the ruck walk at Run-

because his mom was at work and I was and how he could make it better for others signup.com. Search “Family Fun Ruck.” 

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | COMMUNITY August 18, 2022 11

TOP PICKS! BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS KIDS HELP FAU ‘KEEP SEA FREE OF DEBRIS’

Throughout the last two summers, Boys County Solid Waste Division teaching the terways,” said Dr. Gabrielle Barbarite, FAU folds were provided by the St. Lucie County
& Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County partnered teens about recycling and getting their Clubs Harbor Branch Director of Outreach & En- Environmental Resources Department and
with Florida Atlantic University Harbor set up with their very own recycling station. gagement. were designed using upcycled materials.
Branch Oceanographic Institute (FAU Har- These sculptures will be debuted at the Indi-
bor Branch) to provide programming for “Through this partnership, we are not In addition to their hands-on work in the an River Lagoon Science Festival on Oct. 22,
teens that focuses on the harmful effects only training the next generation of ma- community, these teen ambassadors cre- then displayed around the county. 
of marine debris while empowering young rine scientists, but we are also educating ated six ocean-themed art pieces using the
adults to become advocates for the ocean our community and cleaning up local wa- trash they collected. The sea creature scaf- ­– CONTRIBUTED
and their communities. In this time, 18,803
pieces, or 1,569 pounds, of trash were col-
lected and removed from local St. Lucie
County beaches.

Each week-long camp was structured so
that teens spent time learning about marine
debris and impacts on the environment be-
fore visiting various waterfront sites. There,
the teens collected and sorted trash while
recording data that they later submitted to
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration The week closed with St. Lucie

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#1 on Yelp past 8 years open & Trip Advisor
OPEN: Wed & Thurs 5pm-9pm

Fri & Sat 5pm-10pm, Sun 12pm-9pm
Closed Mon & Tues

2214 SE Veterans Memorial Pkwy., Port St. Lucie

772-337-1110

AUTHENTIC PERUVIAN FOOD
AT ITS FINEST!

BREAKFAST • LUNCH • DINNER

Family Owned & Operated FTarWairdPSiIttiLNroe1nAeSN’st CTPWEaoErRrtlyd
1685 NW St. Lucie West Blvd.,

Port St. Lucie

CevicheBar772.com

Hours: Tues-Sat 10am-8pm; Sun 10am-5pm

7 7 2-2 2 7-8152

12 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | CASUAL AND FINE DINING www.stlucievoice.com

THE SANDPIPER ROOM at
THE SAINTS GOLF COURSE

AVAILABLE FOR MEETINGS  EVENTS
BIRTHDAY PARTIES  SHOWERS
WEDDINGS  RETIREMENT

Full Service Catering for Breakfast,
Brunch/Lunch or Dinner. Large room

with beautiful golf course views.

Good Food. Good Spirits. Good Times. For Information & Reservations

LIVE MUSIC & DANCING! Call 772.281.2520

FRIDAY 8/19 - Sheperd & Green 2601 SE Morningside Blvd., Port St. Lucie
SATURDAY 8/20 - Chris Adams Project
1500 NW Courtyard
FRIDAY 8/26 - Leather & Lace Circle, Port St. Lucie
SATURDAY 8/27 - Sha-Boom
772-446-9333
SUMMER HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS
Half-Price Well Drinks, Wine & Beer! Tail-Gators.com

3PM to 6PM • 7 Days Open 7 Days
BEST DEAL IN TOWN!! 11am-11pm
Delivery,
OPEN 10AM-TIL EVERY WEDNESDAY Catering &
THE FUN STOPS!
6:30-9:30 KARAOKE Family Bundle
MUSIC BINGO - Thursday 9/15 5-8pm Specials Available
7-8:30 LINE DANCING
in the Sandpiper Room $5 OFF $20 minimum purchase.
Not combinable.
2601 SE Morningside Blvd., Port St. Lucie Follow us on Exp 9/15/22
772-281-2520 • TheSaintsPub.com

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | CASUAL AND FINE DIN ING August 18, 2022 13

DELIVERY WITH DAILY SPECIALS
DOORDASH SUNDAY
& UBER EATS
$1 OFF SUNDAES
Proudly Serving MONDAY
The Ice Cream Club
$1 OFF MILKSHAKES
and Hershey’s TUESDAY
Ice Cream Cakes
FREE TOPPING
No Sugar WEDNESDAY
Added Flavors BOGO SCOOP
Non Dairy Flavors
Vegan Flavors 2ND SCOOP FREE

Milkshakes THURSDAY
Smoothies FREE SOUVENIR HAT

W/ PURCHASE OF
SNOW CONE

FRIDAY
FAMILY FUN DAY

1 KID SCOOP FREE! PER
ADULT SCOOP PURCHASED

WEEKEND
SUMMER HOURS

FRI-SAT-SUN
11AM-10PM

Order Online @COOLBEANZFL.COM

11200 SW Village Parkway, Suite 103 Port St. Lucie, FL 34987
772-924-0900 [email protected] Open Daily 11-9
Ice Cream truck now available for all events!

Serving Delicious & Heartwarming Classics Since 2005

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

STARTING AT 6PM ON THE PATIO

. . .T. . .U. . .E. . .S. . .D. . .A. . .Y. . . .-. . S. . . A. . .T. . .U. . . R. . . .D. . .A. . .Y. . . .

DINNER SPECIALS

Tuesday - Thursday 4pm to Close
.....................................................

EARLY BIRD SPECIALS (4pm-6pm)

Fresh Seafood, Chicken, Beef, Pasta & More.
Choice of Potato, Vegetables & Dessert of the day.

.....................................................

NO CORKING FEE

Tuesday & Thursday Save $20

When you bring your own bottle of wine to dinner.

(Limit one per couple) Cannot be combined with any other specials or discounts.

WEDNESDAY WINE 2 FOR 1
SPECIAL DRINKS

Order two Dinner entrees and receive a FREE bottle of house wine. 4pm-7pm; Domestic draft beer and house wine. With purchase of
Must present coupon. Cannot be combined with any other discount. any meal except appetizer or dessert. Dine in only.
Exp 09/01/22
Applies to dinner entree selection only. Expires 09/01/22

HOURS: TUESDAY-THURSDAY: 11am-9pm,
FRIDAY & SATURDAY: 11am-9:30pm

OPEN 5 DAYS A WEEK 772-343-1146

Family Ownedw&wwO.pweerastteedndgrillst1lu6c8ie0wSestt..cLoumcie West Blvd.,

Support Your Local Merchants Port St. Lucie (Across from Walmart)

14 August 18, 2022 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ST. LUCIE WEST AND TRADITION | COMMUNITY www.stlucievoice.com

PSL BUSINESS WOMEN SEEKING ‘COMMUNITY ACTION GRANT’ APPLICANTS

Every year the Port St. Lucie Business Grants Committee is seeking applications the projects and make recommenda- St. Lucie County Education Foundation;
Women awards thousands of dollars in from organizations that fulfill its criteria. tions, presenting their recommendations Helping People Succeed; Hibiscus Chil-
grants from money raised in the organi- to the membership for ratification. Agen- dren’s Center; LifeBuilders of the Treasure
zation’s annual spring Fashion Show. The The maximum grant amount is $2,500. cies that receive a grant will be requested Coast; Treasure Coast Food Bank; United
Community Action Grants Committee Grants are to be used for small budget to present the outcome of their program Against Poverty; and WPSL Christmas Kids.
of the organization considers projects to programs that address food insecurity to the members of the Port St. Lucie Busi-
recommend providing financial grants. In and/or the empowering of women and ness Women at one of their regularly The Port St. Lucie Business Women is a
keeping with the mission of the Port St. children in St. Lucie County. Grant funds scheduled meetings. 42-year-old, 501(c)(6) nonprofit profession-
Lucie Business Women, all projects chosen are to be used for program materials, not al organization dedicated to promoting the
must have a primary focus on programs capital projects or salaries. Agencies must For more information or to apply for a interests of businesswomen and serving our
benefiting women and/or children. Now be a 501(c)(3). Proposed programs must grant, contact committee chair Mindi Fet- community effectively. For more informa-
through Aug. 31, the Community Action be completed by Aug. 31, 2023. terman by e-mail at [email protected]. tion, visit PSLBW.com.  ­– CONTRIBUTED

The committee will carefully review Past recipients include Sarah’s Kitchen;

ST. LUCIE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ALL IN ON ‘NIGHT OUT’

PHOTOS: LINDA KLOORFAIN

A St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office employee,
far left, demonstrates how a robot works;
Sean Boyle, near left, CEO of Children’s Ser-
vices Council of St. Lucie County, hands out
books, and Jason and Jonathon, above, sport
moustaches and firehats during the St. Lucie
Sheriff’s Office National Night Out event Aug.
2 at the Havert L. Fenn Center in Fort Pierce.
National Night Out is an annual event that
aims to enhance the relationship between
the community and law enforcement. 

Score! ‘Helmets and Heels’ event provides big boost to Bonneville Scholarship Foundation

The Inaugural Helmets and Heels fundraising Football Academy, a college prep program designed
event benefiting the Bonneville Scholarship Foun- to further develop vital athletic and academic skills
dation kicked off at Los Cocos Bar & Restaurant in a one-semester, post-graduate setting between
in Port St. Lucie recently. Donning high-heels, a high school and college. Foundation funds assist
spirited team of local women strutted in, ready underprivileged youth in the community.
to learn football terminology, player positions
and score-keeping from former Arena and Indoor Sponsored by Jennifer Fleschner, Realtor, South
League player Michael Bonneville. Florida Dance Company, Scott’s Heating and Air,
LLC, Los Cocos, an array of raffle item donors, and
Together with Port St. Lucie resident and uber-vol- several on-site vendors, the event culminated with
unteer Jill Todd, Bonneville owns the Bonneville a Call to the Heart appeal by community advocate

Nikki Leserra. Todd excitedly said, “We
raised over $2,300 to help deserving
young men achieve their college goals
through football!”

“Jill did an amazing job putting this
event together on short notice,” said
Bonneville. “I’m very grateful for ALL
the extraordinary ladies that come
out to support our cause and help our
young student-athletes.”

For more information, visit bonne- Above: Loretta Gibbons, Erin Lowry, Bonnie Spector, Sandee Dougmore, Jacqueline Mikels,
villefootballacademy.com. 
Jill Todd, Jennifer Fleschner and Nikki Leserra. Left: Evans and Reneie Latortue, Michael
–­ BY MARYANN KETCHAM/CONTRIBUTED
Bonneville and Eddy Latortue. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARYANN KETCHAM