11/17/2016 ISSUE 05

MELBOURNE BEACH Delectable taste of Melbourne
at Food & Wine Fest. P8
Brevard's South Barrier Island Newsweekly Don’t miss Eau Gallie’s
www.melbournebeach32951.com ArtWorks festival. P12

Can millions of oysters help
turn around ailing lagoon? P5

Republicans sweep Tally for Matthew’s damage to beaches still being calculated
elections; lagoon
cleanup is funded BY WILLIAM SOKOLIC
Staff Writer

BY CHRIS BONANNO You wouldn’t want to walk
Staff Writer out back of Steve and Karin
Valentine’s house on a dark
Residents of the south Bre- Steve and Karin Valentine on their outside upstairs patio on Floridana Beach. PHOTO BY RYAN CLAPPER night. The drop off from the
vard island cast important lo- edge of the Floridana Beach
cal votes last week, electing a property is a steep fall to the
new State Senator and House beach below.
rep and approving a half-cent
sales tax to fund clean-up of Until early October, the cou-
the Indian River Lagoon. ple had steps leading down to
the beach, but Hurricane Mat-
Melbourne Beach got a thew removed those.
new town commissioner,
Wyatt Hoover, who finished “The stairs were blown
first in the voting and joins away,” Steve said as he sur-
re-elected incumbents Tom veyed his property this past
Davis and Margot Dorfman week.
on the commission. Incum-
Matthew also took away
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 lots of sand. Sea oats too. Por-
tions of the patio ended up in
Vietnam Vet uses the ocean, Karin said.
surfing, films to
deal with cancer CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

BY PETE SKIBA Florida Tech After winning big
Correspondent clinches trip to game, Panthers lose
NCAA playoffs quarterback to DUI
A quote attributed to Wil-
liam Finnegan, author of “Bar- BY CHRIS BONANNO BY CHRIS BONANNO
barian Days: A Surfing Life,” is Staff Writer Staff Writer
close to Melbourne Beach resi-
dent Will Lucas’s heart. The Panthers (8-2) clinched Florida Tech quarterback Mark Cato. PHOTO BY JULIAN LEEK Florida Tech quarterback
their first-ever trip to the Mark Cato was charged with
“Surfing to begin with, was NCAA Division II playoffs driving under the influence
not a ‘sport.’ It was a ‘path.’ after they defeated visiting and two counts of DUI prop-
And the more you poured Delta State (4-6) on Saturday erty damage on Saturday
into it, the more you got back afternoon at Florida Tech night, according to a report
from it – he himself was the Panther Stadium. from the Melbourne Police
exuberant proof of that,” Department, after a car he is
“We’re playing bonus ball alleged to have been driving
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 now. The players get another
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

November 17, 2016 Volume 1, Issue 5 Newsstand Price $1.00 Surfers show off
their skills at
News 1-6 Editorial 27 People 7-10 TO ADVERTISE CALL championships. P10
Arts 11-16 Faith 29 Pets 30 772-559-4187
Books 28 Games 31-33 Real Estate 41-48
Calendar 40 Health 17-20 Style 35-37 FOR CIRCULATION
Dining 38 Insight 21-26 CALL 772-226-7925

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

2 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Matthew damage The storm crushed the municipal Beaches which will seek FEMA and travelers left, the hotels filled up with
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 pier in Melbourne Beach and dam- state funding for all but 12.5 percent utility and construction workers. We
aged 13 homes, according to Town of the cost. do not have the final numbers. We
Matthew didn’t hit Brevard Coun- Manager Tim Day. The area lost pow- could be down a percentage point,
ty nearly as hard as it might have, er for up to a week. But tourism suf- Melbourne Beach is still gathering but nothing like you might expect.
thanks to a last minute jog eastward, fered only a minor loss. estimates for the pier repair so there Hotels have fully recovered and we
but as evidenced by the Valentine’s, it is not yet a timeframe for when it will expect a very strong fourth quarter,”
still inflicted serious damage on the The final tallies are not in on costs be fixed, Day said. Garvey said.
beaches and shoreline. to fix the beaches. Preliminary es-
timates put the South Beaches at $4 “The costs are all over the place. With the exception of the stairs,
In the Brevard County South Beach million, to be funded through the One insurance company said $19,000 the Valentine’s have repaired much
from Indialantic to Melbourne Beach, Federal Emergency Management in damage but we know it far exceeds of the damage, with a little help from
dunes appeared to have rolled land- Agency, the state and county. For the $40,000,” Day said. the county. Approximately 4,000 cu-
ward and buried dune walkovers dur- South Beach restoration will likely bic yards of sand was placed and six
ing Matthew, said Army Corps of En- be around $6 million, though that The city hopes to get a FEMA grant truckloads of potentially dangerous
gineer spokeswoman, Susan Jackson. number has not been finalized by the which would pay 75 percent of what- rubble removed to protect the beach.
But the beach remained relatively Army Corps of Engineers. ever the cost ends up at, with 12.5 The $97,000 cost is expected to qualify
wide post-hurricane, she said. percent from the state and the rest for FEMA assistance, McGarry said.
“To keep these costs on context, it from the town, he said.
The county documented approxi- is important to remember Brevard Homeowners were also very proac-
mately 280,000 cubic yards of erosion County and its residents receive ap- The town also has a contract with tive in protecting their properties after
in the South Beach, said Mike Mc- proximately $1.6 billion in economic the county to remove debris and al- the storm, said Beth Glover, president
Garry, program manager for beaches, benefits from beach-related tourism most all the storm trash has been of the Floridana Beach Civic Asso-
boating and waterways in the coun- each year,” McGarry said. removed. “We still have some wood ciation. Between 20 and 30 of those
ty. In the South Beaches area below from tree limbs left,” Day said. homeowners in the unincorporated
Melbourne Beach to Sebastian Inlet, Beach repairs are funded through enclave paid from $10,000 to $25,000
where the Valentine’s live, approxi- a variety of channels from the feds to Most of the residential damage in- each to truck in sand, Steve said. He
mately 100,000 cubic yards were lost. the state to the county, McGarry said. volved roofs, siding and doors. hopes FEMA, now that it has declared
The county portion comes from the Brevard County an emergency area
“The erosion was significant but Tourism Development Office’s five Tourism has rebounded since a dip eligible for disaster assistance, will re-
the past engineered beach projects percent bed tax on hotel and short around the time of the storm said imburse them for expenses.
did their job,” McGarry said, referring term apartment rentals that includes Eric Garvey, executive director of the
to past sand placement projects that a portion dedicated to beach mainte- Tourism Development Council. Mat- The beaches of Brevard have had
built up the shoreline. “The beaches nance. thew did not result in any significant a long history with attempts to hold
prevented damage to adjacent coastal damage to hotels, restaurants and in- back Mother Nature. Congress autho-
communities.” The County Board of Commission- frastructure. rized $6 million in 2001 to renourish
ers expected to approve a restora- the South Beach. From 2002 to early
tion project this week for the South The storm hit on Friday morning
and most places had reopened by
Sunday, he said.

“While more traditional leisure

Surfing with cancer After 20 years with the plumbing, self. At first, his hands crumpled in vote gives him hope the Veterans Ad-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 heating and air-conditioning supply painful cramps when he tried to play, ministration will allow him to use the
firm and 11 years of night school, he but “instead of giving up the guitar, newly legal drug. He feels it would
Finnegan wrote and, despite a diag- moved into the president’s office. I worked through it, and today at 70 help with the pain without the threat
nosis of terminal bone cancer, Lucas I am playing in a band, Lyrical Soul, of addiction posed by prescription
remains exuberant about his path, Not bad for a U.S. Army grunt. and fortunately the pain is almost opiates.
which includes surfing, playing mu- Surfing all the while, Lucas gone,” Lucas said.
sic and engaging life on a broad front amassed a collection of 60 surfboards Friends and family stay engaged
with family and friends. and continued to shoot the curl. Then Will Lucas. PHOTO BY JULIAN LEEK with the 5-foot-11-inch, 200-pound,
came the diagnosis. Lucas, who looks in great shape, quite
Lucas, a 70-year-old Vietnam War “The doctor told Will he was fragile “I was so fortunate to meet up with simply because they love the guy.
veteran and retired president of Thos. and couldn’t surf,” said Karen Lucas. a group of talented and patient musi-
Somerville Company, said, “The “[But] Surfing is a mutual thing, an cians who took me in. Aside from the Holding forth in his brightly paint-
same things that helped me survive obsession. It is how we met. That ad- physical aspect, playing music, like ed pastel living room, with its collec-
in Vietnam are the things that help vice wouldn’t do. A half-hour surfing, surfing has been extremely therapeu- tion of surfboards, watercolor prints
me today dealing with my terminal the time in the water, will rejuvenate tic, not to mention fun.” of tropical plants and a “Woodie,” the
cancer.” you.” idealized surf station wagon of the
In combat zones with mortar fire Lucas’ other therapies include ex- 1960s, Lucas does not seem like a can-
A documentary filmmaker, Lucas and Viet Cong gunfire around him, ercise and yoga with his wife. He said cer victim. Easy laughter and a strong
showed two short war videos last Sat- Lucas learned to deny that he would the recent pro-medical-marijuana handshake express his philosophy of
urday in the Cocoa Beach Library for be killed. He found the will and cour- living a full life while motivating oth-
about 40 people as part of his “Surfing age to carry on, no matter what, and ers to do the same.
with Cancer, My 2nd Vietnam” series. the same thing happened again
when he got the deadly diagnosis. The motivation behind the free
Serving in heavy combat zones Bone cancer or not, Lucas decided he films he showed at the library was, in
such as Pleiku as a 20-year-old, Lucas would continue living a fulfilling life. part, to explain his three-pronged ap-
and his brothers in arms faced death He might not put his board in on a proach to life and mortality.
daily. The approach to life he learned 10-foot wave, but there were plenty of
while stationed in the war zone where manageable waves left in his life. “Purging the Vietnam experience
the military used the infamous herbi- Letting go of self-pity, it is pos- through the videos and discussion
cide Agent Orange, has three parts, sible to move on to what Lucas calls will help me a great deal,” Lucas said.
Lucas said. The first is denial, the engagement. Life and fulfillment “It may just possibly help someone
second is engagement and the third remain centered in activity. Surfing else with the Vietnam memory, even
is love. when he could, Lucas also continued if it is just one person. I would like
with his filmmaking and picked up to help anyone with an illness too. I
There might be a fourth element the bass guitar again. hope I can help people carry on with
to Lucas’ skill set: Persistence. He That was a tough challenge in it- life and have fun.
started his business career by sweep-
ing floors at the Somerville Company. “Wake up each day and it is a new
day. You can’t control everything but
you can control your smile.” 

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 3

NEWS

2003, 1.57 million cubic yards of sand 2008 and 2009. After Hurricane San- we have been asked to assist state and the storm intensity and track did
was pumped onto the beachfront, dy, the Board of County Commission- local governments,” Jackson said. “The not live up to predictions, Day said.
but then in 2004, Hurricanes Charlie, ers approved a dune restoration proj- goal is to reduce risk and absorb natu- “One little change in the path and it
Frances and Jeanne took chunks out ect in the most severely eroded areas. ral storm and wave action over time, would been a totally different situa-
of the beaches throughout the county which helps reduce damages to roads, tion. They predicted a category 4. If
necessitating replenishment. “We continue to assess beach con- utilities, businesses and residences.” that was what we got, it would have
ditions, both where we have federal changed the geography.” 
Renourishments followed in 2006, shore protection projects and where Melbourne Beach was fortunate

4 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Florida Tech makes playoffs their opening possession concluded the Panthers a lead they would not re- 39 points per game, to 16 points.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 with an errant punt snap out of the linquish on the way to a 42-16 victory. “Unbelievable. They’re stopping the
end zone that gave the Statesmen a
game that wasn’t promised to them 2-0 lead. “The o-line came and played really run, which is huge,” said Engelhart
and they’ve worked for it,” said Ga- good,” said Haynes. “I made some about the Panther defense. “They’re
torade-drenched Florida Tech head But after a hold on defense, Florida pretty good cuts but mostly it was all playing tough, they’re playing togeth-
coach Steve Englehart. “They’ve Tech began to assume control as a on [the offensive line].” er. I think the biggest improvement
earned it. It’s exciting.” methodical drive concluded with a over the last three weeks has been the
13-yard scamper by sophomore run- Defensively, the Panthers had a lot secondary. I mean, it’s pretty special
The Panthers are seeded No. 3 ning back Antwuan Haynes that gave to be proud of as well, holding Delta to watch them together.” 
in Super Region Two of the playoff State, which came in averaging over
bracket and will host No. 6 North
Greenville (7-4) on Saturday. Panthers lose quarterback he had not been driving the car and Dairy Road before the driver lost
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 that he let someone drive him home control, hit a fire hydrant and then,
It’s a remarkable achievement for a because he was drinking. He added subsequently, the house.
program in just its fourth year of ex- crashed into a home off Dairy Road that he remembered going with
istence. In those four years, the team in Melbourne. friends to Meg O’Malley’s in Mel- Cato was booked into the Bre-
has become the biggest sports attrac- bourne and having shots of liquor, vard County Jail under the name of
tion in Brevard County. Cato was also cited for failure to then later hearing a bang before re- Marquis Robins. He has since been
use due care, police say. alizing his car had been wrecked. released on $2,000 bond.
Florida Tech came up just short
last season of making the playoffs, The charges came just The suspect also refused to sub- A three-year starter, Cato had
falling at Valdosta State in the final hours after Cato led Florida mit to a breath or urine test. a solid regular season for
game of the regular season. Had they Tech to their first-ever post- Florida Tech, complet-
won, they likely would have made the season berth after they de- He was transported to Holmes ing over 55 percent of
postseason last year, so being able to feated Delta State 42-16 on Regional Medical Center. While his passes for more than
come through on Saturday had to be Saturday in Palm Bay. there, police found a “group of in- 2,200 yards. He threw for
particularly satisfying. dividuals” who admitted to being 19 touchdowns as com-
According to the report, involved in the crash. pared to 11 interceptions.
To that end, it was that much sweet- police were dispatched on Cato was also effective as a
er of an achievement for seniors who Saturday night to a resi- A female passenger who had threat on the ground, run-
have been there since the beginning dence on the 2500 block of been in the car with the suspect ning for nearly 300 yards
on what was also their Senior Day. Dairy Road after a report told police that she saw the speed- and nine touchdowns.
that a vehicle had struck the ometer hit 100 mph southbound on Florida Tech hosts North
“They’ve been a part of this pro- front porch of a residence Greenville on Saturday in
gram for . . . 1745 days,” said Engle- in the area. When police noon in an NCAA Division II
hart. “That’s how long they’ve been arrived, they found a white first-round playoff contest.
a part of this program from the time Lexus crashed into the The responsibility of
they signed their National Letter of front porch of a home that leading Florida Tech in
Intent and it was all coming down to caused “significant dam- its first playoff game in
one day, one day. To have that all cul- age” to the concrete foundation.
minate into one thing – being Senior school history now will likely will
Day, a chance to go to the playoffs – About ten feet from the car, po- fall on the shoulders of freshman
was pretty special. lice say that a male suspect was sit- Brandon Ziarno, who excelled in
ting on the ground without a shirt high school football across the
“I can’t put it into words, you know? on with blood coming from his street from the FIT campus at
We’ve worked so hard, especially the mouth with what were described Melbourne Central Catholic High
seniors; we’ve worked our butts off as “red, bloodshot eyes.” School. Ziarno is fairly inexperi-
to get here,” said senior linebacker enced at the college level, though
Andrew Adair, a Merritt Island High A resident in the home said the he has had success, having com-
School graduate. “It feels so good to suspect asked her not to call police. pleted 10-of-14 passes for 206
make school history tonight.” yards and a touchdown in 2016. 
In an interview after police ar-
It wasn’t the smoothest of starts for rived, the male suspect stated that
the Panthers against Delta State, as

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 5

NEWS

Can millions of oysters turn around our ailing lagoon?

BY TERRY CONWAY Volunteers working on the oyster reef restoration project on Mosquito Lagoon. PHOTO COURTESY OF BREVARD ZOO by Florida Oceanographic Society,
a nonprofit group in Stuart and dis-
Correspondent habitat for fish, crab, shrimp and oth- docks?” Palmer said. “We researched tributed to “gardeners.” So far, 1,032
er aquatic life. programs in other states and then lagoon-side residents have signed up
Chefs call it “merroir.” The new- built our oyster gardening efforts to turn their backyard docks into gar-
ly-minted term refers to the flavors The Brevard Zoo reports 45,237 from their lessons learned.” den plots that will raise baby oysters
imparted by the different areas of oyster mats have been deployed in from newly hatched larvae.
the sea. It’s the taste identifier that the decade-long effort to establish 77 Tiny seed oysters — about the size
makes oysters unique to a region’s new oyster reefs, thanks to the help of of a pinky fingernail — are grown The oysters grow in metal cages
waters. For instance, Long Island’s more than 49,071 volunteers as of No- until they are large enough – in six to
Blue Points are mild, pleasantly salty vember 7. Some 12 million live oysters nine months – to be transplanted into
and very meaty, while Virginia’s will ultimately inhabit the mats if all special areas of the Brevard lagoon
Chincoteagues are long and skinny, goes well, filtering as much as 600 for oyster reef restoration projects.
delivering plenty of salinity with a million gallons of water a day to help Most of the reefs built over the years
sweet finish. Connoisseurs and new- restore the ailing lagoon. have survived the algae blooms, re-
comers to the oyster bar debate sa- duced water quality, and storms like
linity and complexity as well as the “Our mission is to answer the call,” Hurricane Matthew.
finish, perhaps with hints of melon, said Winsten, Executive Director of
copper, or cucumber. Brevard Zoo. “We’re all about com- Over the past few years the zoo has
munity engagement, bringing people staged 42 successful workshops to en-
Even more important than their together to tackle restoring the lagoon courage participation in oyster resto-
interesting range of flavors is the role and the oyster reefs. The numbers, ration.
of oysters in keeping coastal waters the reach and the impact have been
clean. Filter feeders, these hardwork- significant. It’s a quality program and “The oyster restoration program
ing bivalves can strain up to 50 gal- we’re proud to be part of it. In con- with Brevard Zoo and partners is a
lons of water per day per oyster, re- servation efforts people hear a lot of wonderful example of why the con-
moving toxins and improving water negative things, so it’s important to dition of our lagoon is going to turn
quality. tout our successes.” around,” Palmer said. “Seeing so
many citizens engaged and enthu-
Once found in abundance along In recent years the Brevard Zoo has siastic about restoring our estuary
the Indian River Lagoon, the Eastern played a key role in multiple oyster provides hope and confidence for a
oyster gradually died out in many restoration projects. It partnered with healthy future.” 
polluted portions of the waterway, Brevard County’s Natural Resource
decimated by chronic pollutants that Management Department to launch
have resulted in algae super-blooms, the Oyster Gardening Project, a com-
massive fish kills and the deaths of munity-based project where resident
dolphins and manatees. gardeners create special habitats to
grow oysters adjacent to their docks
But the humble oyster is making a on the lagoon.
comeback – playing a starring role in
restoring the IRL’s ecosystem, thanks Jody Palmer worked with The Na-
to a joint 10-year effort by the Uni- ture Conservancy to bring the oyster
versity of Central Florida, The Nature mat project to the Brevard Zoo. To-
Conservancy and the Brevard Zoo. day, she is the Zoo’s Director of Con-
These ecologically inclined institu- servation,
tions have worked together, using
oyster mats, to rebuild oyster reef in “Since only a few small pockets of
the shallow waters of the lagoon in Brevard County had oysters, we knew
suitable areas of the Canaveral Na- that it was important to bring them
tional Seashore. in, and what better way than to have
the residents grow them off their
Oyster mats are created by drilling
holes in oyster shells and using plastic
ties to fasten them to plastic mats that
are weighted to the lagoon bottom.
The mats, a habitat for free-swim-
ming oyster larvae, are arranged in
a quilt-like pattern to create reefs in
a technique developed by UCF’s Dr.
Linda Walters.

Oysters consume bacteria and
other contaminants floating in the
lagoon, little by little cleansing the
water. One adult oyster can filter as
much as 50 gallons of water a day.
Those numbers become staggering
over an oyster’s often 20-year lifes-
pan, especially when thousands of
them are grouped together. In addi-
tion, oysters in living reefs are a key-
stone species that support a healthy
ecosystem, offering a prime nursery

6 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Election recap First, I will work to improve our edu-
cational system, including eliminat-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ing Common Core and ensuring that
our educational system leads to a
bent Gail Gowdy came in fourth and skilled workforce,” Fine said. “Sec-
did not make the cut. ond, I will ensure the state does its
part to restore the Indian River La-
“I’m very excited to be able to serve goon. Third, I will work to improve
Melbourne Beach for another term the business climate so that compa-
and I’m also very appreciative of the nies want to start, build, and grow in
residents who entrusted me with the Brevard County. And fourth, I will
responsibilities to ensure that we seek to fix the social safety net so
preserve the beachside community that we help those who need it and
and its uniqueness,” said Dorfman,
following her re-election. Commissioners Tom Davis, Margot Dorfman and
newly elected Wyatt Hoover. PHOTO BY JULIAN LEEK
Slim margins separated the win-
ning trio, with Hoover garnering not become a way of life to those
1,116 votes, Davis coming in second who do not.
with 1,063, and Dorfman third at
1,016. Gowdy finished with 780 votes, Republican Scott Ellis was re-elect-
according to the Brevard County Su- ed as Brevard’s Clerk of the Circuit
pervisor of Elections website. Court, easily outpacing challenger
Dave Netterstrom, who was running
Of special interest to south beach without party affiliation, by more
residents was approval of a county than a 2-to-1 margin.
referendum that will levy a half-cent
sales tax that will raise an estimated Christina Sanchez defeated Steve
$303 million to fund projects protect- Henderson in the race for Circuit
ing and repairing the ailing Indian Judge of the 18th Judicial Circuit,
River Lagoon. Group 9. This was one race where
south beaches residents did not have
“I think we’ve finally gotten to a a majority vote for the winner, how-
point with the lagoon that people re- ever, with all four precincts siding
alize it affects them, it’s not a politi- with Henderson.
cal thing,” said Leesa Suoto, execu-
tive director of the Marine Resources Kelly McCormack Ingram pre-
Council. vailed over Rod Kernan to become
a county judge in Group 2 by a solid
“We are all affected by the fact that margin.
the lagoon is dying.”
Three of four south beaches pre-
Suoto said a “big chunk” of the new cincts supported McCormack In-
tax money would go towards clean- gram, though a fourth precinct,
ing muck that consumes oxygen and which encompasses much of Mel-
feeds destructive algae blooms from bourne Beach, gave a slight edge to
the bottom of the lagoon. Kernan.

“As long as that muck is in the la- Tina Descovich was elected Dis-
goon, it’s never going to fully recov- trict 3 representative on the Brevard
er,” Suoto said. County School Board, handily defeat-
ing Darcey Addo, with all four south
Residents also approved state- beaches precincts supporting Desco-
wide amendments allowing the use vich.
of medical marijuana and granting
tax exemptions for disabled first-re- Of course, residents also did vote
sponders and low income, senior and in the elections for President and for
long-term residents. U.S. Senator and Representative.

An amendment that would have As one might expect in a tradi-
given residents the chance to own or tionally right-leaning county, south
lease their own solar energy equip- Beaches residents sided with Repub-
ment was defeated. lican candidates in those races with
each precinct in the area supporting
Elsewhere, Republicans had a big now President-Elect Donald Trump,
night in district and county-level Senator Marco Rubio and Represen-
elections. tative Bill Posey. 

Generally speaking, residents of
the south Brevard beaches voted for
GOP candidates by the same strong
margins seen countywide.

Debbie Mayfield (R) defeated Amy
Tidd (D) in the race to become the
State Senator from District 17, and
Randy Fine (R) defeated David Ke-
arns (D) to become District 53’s rep-
resentative in the Florida House of
Representatives.

Fine provided Melbourne Beach
32951 with a list of his legislative pri-
orities:

“I intend to focus on four things.



8 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

PEOPLE

A delectable taste of Melbourne at Food & Wine fest

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF Justin and Kyle Lieneck. PHOTOS: RYAN CLAPPER fessional chefs cast their votes based
on cooking technique, utilization of
Staff Writer Marco Lopez and Mama Quan of Chez Quan. ingredients, timing, workflow, food
handling, placement and organiza-
Tickets had sold out weeks before Melbourne Seafood Station, Anthony tion.
the inaugural Downtown Melbourne Cruz of Cibo Neighborhood Eatery,
Food & Wine Festival, with 1,000 lucky Tim Haire of Trend Kitchen and Jeff While the competition was steep,
connoisseurs of food and wine quick- Kainz of Ocean 302. and any of the creations would have
ly snapping up the chance to sample been quickly gobbled up by hungry
their way down East Haven Avenue. The parking lot of Matt’s Casbah fans if given the chance, chef Tim
Last Saturday evening’s event was a had been turned into an outdoor Haire emerged victorious, taking
huge success, as attendees indulged kitchen and each of the chefs was home the title of Chef of the Year.
in food, music and cultural entertain- given a “mystery basket” from which
ment to celebrate Downtown Mel- they were challenged to create sump- Attendees also had the opportu-
bourne’s culinary arts. tuous masterpieces. The chefs were nity to vote for their favorite dishes
given 15 items and were instructed through a People’s Choice competi-
Festival-goers sipped and sampled to use at least 10 of them to produce tion. Florida Tech Panther Dining Hall
epicurean delights from more than 50 a signature dish. A panel of three pro- claimed Best Bite honors for the night
of the area’s best restaurants, wineries with their luscious seafood chowder.
and breweries. Along the way, add-
ing to the enjoyment of the taste-bud Proceeds from the event will benefit
tour of gastronomic fare, attendees the Melbourne Main Street Light Up
savored the sounds of bands playing a the Night project, which will incor-
wide variety of sounds, including Dix- porate LED lighting to illuminate the
ieland, classical, contemporary, jazz/ downtown Melbourne corridor, creat-
blues and Latin/pop music. ing an ambiance to brand Downtown
Melbourne as a cultural destination.
The range of “bites” was vast. With
everything from shrimp n’ grits to “We’re hoping to make enough to
hamburgers and paella, there was cover the $10,000 lighting project,”
something to appeal to all tastes. An said Eisenberg.
interesting array of wines and brews
was offered for sipping pleasure, and As an organization, Melbourne
sweets ranging from cotton candy to Main Street works to build public and
cookies complemented the traveling private partnerships to revitalize His-
meal. toric Downtown Melbourne. Their
mission is to fuel economic growth
Even those who had missed out on by capitalizing on the community’s
tickets could take part in the festivi- assets, paying particular attention to
ties. Most of the restaurants and shops the physical, cultural and social iden-
remained open for business, offering tity of the downtown Melbourne area.
diners an opportunity to enjoy a full
meal instead of just a taste. For the past 20 years, Main Street
has hosted an arts festival, and they
“One of the goals of this event is to realized recently that capitalizing on
show off downtown Melbourne in a various assets already in the down-
whole different way,” said Jarin Eisen- town area was another great way to
berg, Melbourne Main Street execu- promote the vibrant, eclectic commu-
tive director. “We want to show people nity.
that there are things going on down-
town and celebrate Melbourne’s rich Main Street’s mantra is “Eat, Shop,
cultural diversity.” Play,” and the Food & Wine Festival
was a wonderful way to appeal to the
There was even a friendly competi- masses and demonstrate all the com-
tion among chefs Ron Clemente of the munity has to offer in the areas of art,
culture and entertainment. 

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 9

PEOPLE

La Calle performed some great Latin music. Ron Clemente and Joshua Norris.

Armando Rosario of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. a Wen Yen Serving food from Mangetsu.

Mike Miller serves gumbo.

Beth Digiacinto, Lila Thompson, Jean Farrish.
Carolin Holley, Maria DeCarvalho and Kacee Vincent.

10 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

PEOPLE

Board certified at Altantic Surfing Championships!

Surfers showed off their
skills last week, taking
to the waves to compete
in the Atlantic Surfing
Championships at Se-
bastian Inlet, hosted
by the Atlantic Surfing
Federation. 

Bree Smith. PHOTOS: BILLY OCKER

Sterling Makish. William Hedleston. Jacob Schaffer.

ASF Champs 2016 with Mack Williams (center). Galvin Silver.

GLASS IN SESSION
AT FOOSANER’S ‘LIGHT
UP THE ARTS’ EXHIBIT

PAGE 14

12 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Coming Up: ArtWorks festival takes over Eau Gallie

BY MICHELLE GENZ has been taking place the weekend Pianist Terrence Wilson.
Staff Writer before Thanksgiving for the past
20 years, turning the affable, walk-
Rose Lamp able Highland Avenue into one long
public art studio. This year, for the
first time, the festival includes Art
Outpost, an area set aside for kids
to participate in art-making.

As part of ArtWorks, the Foosan-
er Art Museum is staging a pop-up
Creativity Café, two days of free art
films screened in the Harris Com-
munity Center. “Marina Abramovic:
The Artist is Present” kicks off the
mini film festival at 11 a.m. Satur-
day, followed by “Gerhard Richter
Painting” at 2 p.m. Sunday features
“The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo”
at 11 a.m. and, at 2 p.m., “Jean-Mi-
chel Basquiat: The Radiant Child.”
Beer, wine and popcorn are avail-
able for purchase.

nominated pianist Terrence Wilson, Darmstadt. Prior, she earned a mas-

2 The Brevard Symphony Or- a graduate of Juilliard who has giv- ter’s in vocal performance at Indi-
chestra holds its second con- en recitals at the Wolf Trap, Tangle- ana University.

cert of the season at the King Cen- wood and Ravinia music festivals And conductor Aaron Collins turns

1 Eau Gallie’s ArtWorks festival ter Saturday night. A program of and was featured on NPR’s “Perfor- over the baton to renowned Central
of outdoor art demonstrations Russian masters features Grammy- mance Today,” among many radio Florida trumpeter Gareth Pritchard

and TV appearances. He’ll be play- to conduct Malcolm Arnold’s “Tam

ing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto O’Shanter,” based on the Robert

No. 2. Also on the program: Tchai- Burns poem about a man in the

kovsky’s “Polonaise

from Eugene Onegin”

and Rimsky-Korsakoff’s

“Scheherazade.”

3 You won’t regret
the journey to Mel-

bourne’s aptly named

Scott Center Sunday to

hear the Space Coast

Symphony perform

Ralph Vaughan Wil-

liams’ “Seventh Sym-

phony.” Known in the

Italian as “Sinfonia An-

tartica,” the music was

inspired by the disas-

trous effort of Captain

Robert F. Scott to be-

come the first man to

reach the South Pole.

The English composer

developed the five-part

symphony after writing

the score for the 1947

film “Scott of the Ant-

arctic.” Soprano Mary Anne Kruger.

The program includes

a vocal performance

by Mary Anne Kruger of Richard throes of drink.

Strauss’ “Four Last Songs,” written

in the last year of his life. The Amer- 4 The musical version of the vin-
tage film “Meet Me in St. Lou-
ican-born Kruger enjoyed a two-de-

cade-long opera career in Germany, is” opens this weekend at the Co-

most of it with the state opera of coa Village Playhouse. The original

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 13

ARTS & THEATRE

David Crosby. urday night.
Crosby released two new

albums, “Lighthouse,” a
collaboration with Michael
League of the Grammy-
winning band Snarky Pup-
py; and a still-unnamed
effort with his son James
Raymond. Raymond was
put up for adoption in in-
fancy and reunited with
his father as an adult and
accomplished keyboard-
ist and composer. The two
also worked together on a
2014 album, “Croz.” 

‘Meet Me in St. Louis.’

movie from 1944 is actually set in house in Cocoa Beach. Rob Dick-
1904, with a plot that involves a visit man stars as Max Bialystock, with
to the World’s Fair. It was turned Sarah Camp as Ulla and Anthony
into a Broadway musical in 1989, DeTrano as Leo Bloom. The original
hoping to bank on the huge popu- film was not a musical and marked
larity of its songs, including “Have Brooks’ directorial debut. When it
Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” was rewritten with music and lyr-
“The Trolley Song” and, of course, ics and staged on Broadway in 2001
“Meet Me in St. Louis,” are sure to it was a huge success. The story is
set some heads a-noddin.’ classic Brooks absurdity: Two guys
down on their luck plot to oversell
stock on what they expect to be the SEE THESE AND OTHER FINE THINGS AT VERO’S FINEST
most disastrous show ever staged. COLLECTION OF AMERICAN-MADE ART AND JEWELRY
Instead it’s a huge hit.

The show closes with a Sunday
matinee.

6 It’s been six months since Gra-
ham Nash and David Crosby

Mel Brooks’ ‘The Producers.’ had it out over some disputed en-

tries in Nash’s 2013 autobiography,

putting the kibosh on hopes for a

5 If that’s not your idea of a rol- reunion tour of Crosby, Stills and 2910 CARDINAL DR.
lick, how about Mel Brooks’ VERO BEACH, FL
Nash anytime soon. In the mean- 7 72 . 2 3 4 . 6711

“The Producers”? It too is playing in time, we get more David again: He’s THEL AUGHINGDOGGALLERY.COM

our territory – at the Surfside Play- performing at the King Center Sat-

14 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Glass in session at Foosaner’s ‘Light Up the Arts’ exhibit

BY ELLEN FISCHER dium of glass, according to Emery, “That was how we got into glass,” Today hobbyists can buy kits
Correspondent who recently visited the exhibition Emery chuckles. with everything they need to make
to recount the studio’s origin story. their own reproduction Tiffany
Melbourne’s Foosaner Art Muse- He traces the beginning of Pres- lamps. But Preston and Emery had
um has brightened up the short days In the early 1970s, Emery was a ton Studios to 1976, when the duo no step-by-step guidelines to take
of late autumn with a show that will history student at Rollins College (he opened a bank account under that them through the process of craft-
put springtime into the art lover’s graduated in 1974) and Preston was a name for their new business. ing a handmade glass shade. They
step. “Light Up the Arts” is an exhi- field director in the Red Cross. learned the technique as they went.
The short-lived era of bottle cut-
“Jerry is the one who got infected ting, however, was over. Preston Stu-

Chapel, Dr P. Phillips Hospital, Orlando. P HOTOS BY ELLEN FISCHER

bition of stained-glass table lamps with the glass disease first,” says dios was formed to create stained- Although Tiffany lamps are an
and photographs of architectural Emery. glass table lamps of the type made undeniable influence on their own
glass installations by Melbourne’s famous by Tiffany Studios at the work, their aim was not to copy Tif-
own Preston Studios. After the purchase of a Ronco end of the 19th century. (It was, in fany Studios’ distinctive fin-de-siè-
bottle cutter, Preston began glass fact, not Tiffany who designed the cle designs.
Founded 40 years ago by partners cutting as a hobby. With the wine famous lamps but one of his design-
Jerry Preston and John Emery, Pres- bottles Emery brought home from ers, Clara Driscoll.) As with previous “We never did any reproductions,”
ton Studios is a story of success in his restaurant job, the two were generations of Tiffany glass lovers, says Emery. “We started with our
the arts. soon busy making candle holders as Preston and Emery were fascinated own designs from the very begin-
Christmas presents for friends and at first sight. ning.”
Its founding was part serendipity relatives.
and part fascination with the me- Preston took their first success-

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 15

ARTS & THEATRE

Lamp Group. PHOTOS BY ELLEN FISHER

Fung Shui. P HOTOS BY ELLEN FISHER

ful project – a stained-glass shade To date Preston Studios has designed
mounted on an antique bronze vase and hand-crafted decorative glass
– to Palm Beach, where he sold it for doors, side lights and transoms for
$2,500. 150 entryways on the Space Coast
alone.
It would be nice to report that from
there the only way was up, but that That does not include architectur-
was not the case. After two years of al projects in other parts of Florida
production, Preston Studios’ sales and the U.S., nor does it account for
could not keep up with its expenses. works in semi-public spaces. The
studio has created non-denomi-
“People didn’t understand what national stained-glass panels for
we doing,” explains Emery. hospital chapels in Orlando, St. Au-
gustine and Houston, as well as the
He says that potential buyers mis- doors and windows of the narthex
took their work for Tiffany, and soon (entry hall) of Holy Trinity Episcopal
lost interest in purchasing when Church in Melbourne.
it was explained to them that the
lamps were Preston originals. Lining the gallery walls in chrono-
logical order are a number of framed
This financial setback inspired photos of some of the studio’s archi-
the artists to create a less labor-in- tectural projects. Impressive as the
tensive “Birds of the World” series
–small decorative panels intended CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
for display in windows. They fea-
tured stained-glass Rose Lamp Auction Item. P HOTOS BY ELLEN FISHER
depictions of birds
surrounded by clear
glass and finished
with clear, beveled
glass borders. A
new marketing plan
sent those appeal-
ing objects – along
with a few lamps –
to merchandising
marts in Atlanta,
Miami, New York
and Dallas. Their
salability helped
the studio turn the
corner from poverty
to something a bit
closer to prosperity.

Preston Studios
got its long awaited
“big break” – along
with an additional
creative focus – in
1982 when it was
commissioned to
create five decora-
tive glass windows
for Melbourne
Beach’s new Aqua-
rina Country Club.
Other private com-
missions followed.

16 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

John Emery in Foosaner Gallery. P HOTOS BY ELLEN FISCHER

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 Rose Lamp. P HOTOS BY ELLEN FISHER Trumpet Flower. PHOTOS BY ELLEN FISHER lampshades. Preston selects and
cuts the individual pieces of glass
original pieces may be in situ, these All the lamps in the exhibition are Studios with Tiffany Studios is like for the design and solders them to-
small approximations of their splen- for sale. They range in price from comparing apples and oranges.” gether. Every step of the process is
dor are quickly passed by. $5,000-$20,000 depending on size done by hand.
and complexity. A price list is avail- “Tiffany, at the height of his busi-
An early Preston stained-glass able at the museum. ness, had over 300 people working In addition to the two principals,
panel that was at one time installed for him,” says Emery. the studio uses the services of Co-
in a home is on display at the gal- Standing amidst the blazing glo- coa Beach-based enameller Stanley
lery’s entrance. It is mounted in such ries of the studio’s incandescent By contrast, Preston Studios has a Klopfenstine for designs that incor-
a way that both sides of the panel are wares, Emery wants his audience tiny staff. Emery creates the designs porate hand-painted or stenciled
exposed to view but, alas, neither to know that “comparing Preston for everything the studio produces, pieces of glass.
of them is lit. It takes some looking, from large architectural pieces to
but eventually the patchwork of am- In addition to those three artists,
ber and brown glass coalesces into Preston Studios employs a couple of
a variation of Marcel Duchamp’s studio assistants who help with the
abstract “Nude Descending a Stair- copper foiling and other time-con-
case.” suming jobs.

If the photos and the Duchamp Like Tiffany, Preston Studios uses
panel don’t grab you, that might the time-honored technique of edg-
be because the show’s real attrac- ing its stained-glass components
tion are the 22 stained-glass lamps (the individual petals, leafs, butter-
that glow in genial groupings in the fly wings, etc. that make up the fin-
semi-darkened gallery. They feature ished design) in copper foil prior to
dense floral compositions, koi fish in soldering them together.
lily pods, and Asian-themed designs
with dragons, lotus and the Chinese Unlike Tiffany, Preston counts
characters for long life, happiness among its subject matter flowers
and good health. that Tiffany Studios never aspired to
tackle, including daylilies, irises, an-
Several of Preston Studios’ shades gel’s trumpets, and tropical exotics
are mounted on ornate bronze vases like kapok tree blossoms.
that Emery found on eBay. Repro-
duction Tiffany bronze bases that “They did some roses,” admits
the studio purchases from whole- Emery, but not the way we approach
salers are also in the show. These roses.”
display the sometimes-baroque art
nouveau styling that we have come You can see all of these flowers
to expect of stained-glass lamps. and more in the show, which occu-
pies the west side of the Foosaner’s
main gallery through Dec. 31. 



18 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

HEALTH

Impressive stent technology is state-of-the-artery

BY TOM LLOYD
Staff Writer

Some of the biggest breakthroughs Dr. Charles Croft and ARNP Jennifer Konowitz. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE
in medicine come in the smallest pack-
ages.

Take, for example, the stent.
Looking very much like a miniatur-
ized version of a spring from a click-top
ballpoint pen, stents have been in use
to treat blocked arteries, or arterio-
sclerosis, since 1986. But according to
interventional cardiologist Dr. Charles
Croft at the Sebastian River Medical
Center, a new and potentially game-
changing stent technology is now
available.
These new “bio-absorbable polymer
drug-eluting” stents were approved by
the FDA this year.
According to the American Heart
Association, when a coronary artery –
an artery feeding the heart muscle – is
narrowed by a buildup of fatty deposits
called plaque, it reduces blood flow. If
blood flow is reduced to the heart mus-
cle, chest pain can result, and if a clot
forms and completely blocks the blood

CM An example of an unexpanded stent.
COLLINS & MONTZ DENTISTRY
flow to part of the heart muscle, a heart perform the stenting procedure after
cosmetic dentistry  preventive dentistry attack results.” only a few months and, in worse-case
restorative dentistry  dental implants scenarios, to resort to full-blown coro-
Stents – tiny wire mesh tubes that nary bypasses.
Experience the fusion of traditional are inserted into arteries and left there
values and modern dentistry. permanently – help keep arteries open Enter the bio-absorbable polymer
and dramatically reduce the risk of a drug-eluting stent.
Dr. J. Hunter Collins Dr. Roger Montz heart attack.
Made of platinum chromium, these
524 Ocean Avenue But stents can also lead to life- stents are laser-cut and covered with a
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951 threatening problems. smooth, biodegradable polymer coat-
ing containing the drug everolimus
(321) 725-6565 According to the affable Croft, with which “elutes” or dissolves into the
earlier generations of stents there were artery and the bloodstream over a 90-
melbournebeachdentistry.com two main things that could cause prob- day period to help prevent the scarring
lems. “One,” he says, “is they could clot of restenosis, while also reducing the
up, and two is they could re-narrow,” need for patients to adhere to lengthy
just like an artery does before a stent is or even lifelong post-op blood-thinner
installed. and aspirin therapies to reduce the risk
of in-stent thrombosis.
Those problems, also known as “in-
stent thrombosis” and “restenosis,” Moreover, Croft says they are also
have plagued doctors and patients for “more deliverable.”
years.
The National Heart, Lung and Blood
WebMD says in-stent thrombosis Institute’s version of that “delivery” or
(blood clots forming inside that mesh implant procedure is this: To open a
tube), along with the development of narrowed artery and place a stent in-
restenosis (scar tissue forming inside side it, doctors use a procedure called
the artery causing it to re-narrow), a “percutaneous coronary interven-
have sometimes forced doctors to re-

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 19

tion” or angioplasty. A balloon-tipped HEALTH
catheter is inserted into an artery and
moved to the point of blockage. Then According to the American Heart Association, when a coronary
the balloon is inflated. This compress- artery – an artery feeding the heart muscle – is narrowed by a
es the plaque and opens the narrowed buildup of fatty deposits called plaque, it reduces blood flow. If
spot. When the balloon is inflated, blood flow is reduced to the heart muscle, chest pain can result,
the stent expands, locks in place and and if a clot forms and completely blocks the blood flow to part
forms a scaffold which holds the ar- of the heart muscle, a heart attack results.
tery open. The stent stays in the artery
permanently and holds it open.

“It’s not just the [new] stent itself,
but the whole shank of the catheter,
the whole catheter, the whole length
of the shaft that has the stent on it,
is designed with laser cutting on it to
make it more flexible while also main-
taining its strength.”

Croft says these new stents are rack-
ing up some impressive statistical
successes.

In two separate clinical trials, they
had a remarkably low 1.1 percent rate
of restenosis after one year, as op-
posed to a 20-to-30 percent rate for
older stents not coated with a drug.

Even more impressively, the Syn-
ergy stents used at SRMC, which are
made by Boston Scientific, garnered
a perfect zero percent rate of in-stent
thrombosis in clinical trials after four
years.

Croft calls the zero percent clotting
rate at four years “impressive.”

Jennifer Konowitz of the SRMC cath-
eterization laboratory is even more en-
thusiastic, and quickly adds that “this
hospital is really at the cutting edge.
This stent is not even available at some
of the big regional hospitals nearby.”

Croft performed the first implant of
these new stents on July 25 this year
and says, “We’ve done an awful lot of
cases [since] and haven’t had a single
patient come in with a thrombosis or
clotting of the stent.”

In no small part because of advances
such as this, the consulting firm Glo-
balData projects that the market for
stents will grow to the $5.6 billion level
over the next four years.

Dr. Charles Croft is with both the
Sebastian River Medical Center and
the Holmes Regional Medical Center
in Melbourne. The phone number is
321-722-3288. 

20 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

HEALTH

Vero urologist creates new surgical fix for prolapse

BY TOM LLOYD Dr Hugo Davila. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE “Pelvic organ prolapse,”

Staff Writer pain and low abdominal pain. since both are considered minimally says the approachable,
One of the primary approaches to invasive, patients have significantly
You won’t find Vero Beach listed less blood loss and are able to return easy-going Davila,“is
anywhere alongside Boston, Los An- stabilizing these internal structures home the next day.
geles, New York or Baltimore in Beck- used to include the now infamous something that is very
er’s Hospital Review as a center of sur- “trans-vaginal mesh implants” of the Davila’s procedures rely on sutures
gical innovation. 1990s and early 2000s, but serious and existing ligaments inside the pel- common. After 46 years
complications resulting from mesh vic area rather than mesh to hold a
That said, it’s entirely possible that use – along with the ensuing public woman’s internal structures in place. old, about three percent
local urologist Dr. Hugo Davila might outcry – has urologists nationwide Some of those sutures absorb into the
just shake that list up a bit with his searching for a better way. body after about four-to-six months of the female population
newest laparoscopic and robotic pro- and those stitches are reinforced with
cedures for treating and repairing pel- Working with local colleagues in- non-absorbable ones that “hold even will have a prolapse.
vic organ prolapse problems. cluding Dr. Lindsey Bruce and Dr. better.”
Taryn Gallo, Davila came up with a cent, he has prepared a text and video
Davila, who is with Florida Health- pair of minimally invasive alternative Indeed, once the suturing is com- Power Point-type presentation so he
care Specialists in Vero, just had a pa- procedures that don’t involve mesh plete, Davila confides, “It makes your can clearly show his patients – as well
per published on the surgical repair of materials. insides look like you’re [only] 20 years as his colleagues – a step-by-step dem-
pelvic organ prolapse in the Journal old.” onstration of exactly what’s involved.
of Robotic Surgery as well as on the One of Davila’s procedures employs
websites of the National Institutes of the most sophisticated robotic equip- Clearly thrilled by the initial results, That’s especially important, Davila
Health and UroToday, a urology-cen- ment available and both radically re- which, Davila says, have an impres- explains, because, Vero women tend
tric site focusing on new and evolving duce the chance of infection. Further, sive success rate approaching 95 per- to be both medically savvy and ex-
procedures and techniques. tremely active.

Pelvic organ prolapse is a more “Here in Vero Beach,” says Davila,
common condition than many people “women are playing golf, they’re play-
realize in which a woman’s internal ing tennis, they have a social life and
structures, including her uterus, rec- they’re still traveling.”
tum, bladder, urethra, small bowel or
even the vagina itself may shift out of In Davila’s experience, it’s not at all
their normal positions and slip down- unusual for those women to come into
ward. his office and say, “I want a no-mesh
fix.”
The Johns Hopkins Medical Center
in Baltimore says “in severe cases the Davila hastens to add that “surgery
vaginal walls or cervix can protrude is not the first option for everybody,”
beyond the vaginal opening and be and proceeds to list a number of al-
visible outside the body.” ternative procedures and treatments
including pessary devices and Kegel
In the worst cases, a woman’s uter- or “pelvic floor” exercises which may
us can be completely outside of the suit some women better than surgery.
vagina.
Still, as Davila’s colleagues na-
“Pelvic organ prolapse,” says the tionwide review his latest paper
approachable, easy-going Davila, “is and possibly adopt his techniques,
something that is very common. After Vero Beach may edge a little closer
46 years old, about 3 percent of the fe- to someday being considered some-
male population will have a prolapse. thing of a center for surgical innova-
tion – for pelvic organ prolapse sur-
What is even more concerning Da- gery, anyway.
vila says, is that as women age as many
as 12 percent of them will require sur- For more on Davila’s paper go to:
gery to fix this problem. http://www.urotoday.com/recent-
abstracts/endourology-urolithiasis/
As a comparison, Davila points out minimally-invasive-procedures/91245-
that the incidence of diabetes in the robotic-and-laparoendoscopic-single-
population as a whole is about 3.5 per- site-utero-sacral-ligament-suspension-
cent. for-apical-vaginal-prolapse-evaluat-
ion-of-our-technique-and-periopera-
Vaginal childbirth, ruptures of the tive-outcomes.html
paracervical ring, the loss of estrogen
during menopause and possibly even Dr. Hugo Davila is with Florida
genetic pre-dispositions can all con- Healthcare Specialists at 3730 7th Ter-
tribute to the problem as the muscles, rance, Suite 101 in Vero Beach. The
ligaments and even the skin that nor- phone number is 772-581-0528 
mally hold these structures in place
weaken over time.

Other symptoms that are associ-
ated with pelvic organ prolapse can
include urinary incontinence, dif-
ficulty in urination, discomfort with
sexual intercourse, stool inconti-
nence, difficult defecation, low back



22 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

INSIGHT COVER STORY

R
Raymond Dowd is angry. He shoves
a ream of paper several inches thick “Shepherdess Bringing in Sheep,” by Camille Pissarro (1886), was plundered by the Nazis Those advocates have accused some
across a conference table in his mid- and currently resides in the University of Oklahoma’s Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. of the world’s biggest museums, like
town Manhattan office. The stack con- the Museum of Modern Art in New
tains copies of property declarations once singled it out as a “breathtaking” lanthropist and Estée Lauder cosmet- York City and the Thyssen-Bornemisza
by Jews from nearly 80 years ago. Tax highlight of the collection. ics company executive, who has been Museum in Madrid, of stonewalling
documents aren’t the most thrilling a leader in the mission to return art families, and paintings of dubious
read, but Dowd, a lawyer who has han- It’s also a work the Nazis stole from stolen by the Nazis. Despite massive provenance hang quietly even in mu-
dled several World War II–era restitu- a wealthy Parisian family. Their lone efforts in Europe and the U.S. since seums on American college campuses.
tion cases, says the papers are essen- heir, a Holocaust survivor, spent her World War II to reclaim the plundered
tial to understanding how the Nazis adult life searching for her Shepherd- assets, advocates say some 100,000 The University of Oklahoma and
stripped Jews of so much art. ess. And now she wants it back. works remain missing – and that many at least five other American colleges
museums are fighting to keep them have faced claims against their mu-
By making Jews declare what they “Billions of dollars – many, many from their rightful owners. seums: Yale, Princeton, Rutgers, In-
owned, sometimes in exchange for billions – of works of art are still out diana University and Oberlin. Dowd
travel papers, the Nazis were creating there,” says Ronald Lauder, the phi- says institutions use legal technicali-
an inventory of their belongings. “This ties to block claims, often invoking the
happened on a sunny day. Birds singing, statute of limitations (the deadline to
Jews lining up, a woman with a type- bring legal action), which for Nazi art
writer typing this stuff up. No machine theft varies by state and is typically
guns, no violence,” he says. “Some tax three or four years after a person “rea-
thing. That’s how it happened.” sonably” could have discovered where
the art was. That means courts might
The Nazis used those records of what turn Jewish claimants away, saying
Jews owned and similar methods to they are 70 years too late. “History is
plunder their possessions, including being buried because the courts are
an estimated 650,000 art objects. The
thefts included Van Gogh’s Portrait of
Dr. Gachet, Vermeer’s The Astronomer
and Klimt’s gold-layered art nouveau
masterpiece Adele Bloch-Bauer I.

They also included a painting of a
peasant woman with a flock of sheep,
which now hangs in a wood-paneled
room at the University of Oklahoma’s
Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art.

Painted by Camille Pissarro in 1886,
Shepherdess Bringing in Sheep arrived
at the Fred Jones Jr. museum in 2000
as part of a gift worth $50 million. In
2008, Sotheby’s appraised the painting
at $1.5 million, and a school magazine

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 23

INSIGHT COVER STORY

closing the doors,” Dowd says. “This is After her adopted parents died in the 1970s, Léone Meyer, Holocaust survivor as war was breaking out. Her mother
Holocaust denial.” and “Shepherdess” rightful heir, spent her adult life searching for the painting. reportedly was a Parisian seamstress.
Her father is unknown. She was just
Prior to World War II, Shepherdess U.S. soldiers show stolen art a few years old when her family was
belonged to Théophile Bader, who recovered from the Nazi’s. murdered at Auschwitz. Someone like-
co-founded the upscale department ly put her into hiding, says Pierre Ciric,
store chain Galeries Lafayette. It later her attorney, and she wound up in an
went to Bader’s daughter Yvonne and orphanage near Paris.
her husband, Raoul Meyer. In 1940,
around the time Paris fell to the Nazis, Somewhat like the plot of Annie, the
the Meyers stashed the painting and wealthy Raoul and Yvonne Meyer, who
the rest of their art collection in a bank had been in hiding during the war, ad-
vault in southern France. opted her in 1946. They also tried to
reclaim all their stolen art. By 1952, the
But the Nazis accessed the vault a Meyers had chased down Shepherdess
year later and seized the collection, – it was in Switzerland. They sued its
which also included at least three owner, but the court ruled against them
because they couldn’t prove he had
Van Gogh’s Portrait of Dr. Gachet known the work was stolen when he
acquired it. The dealer, who had a repu-
Vermeer’s The Astronomer tation for handling stolen art, offered to
sell it to the Meyers, but they refused to
Klimt’s Adele Bloch-Bauer I buy something they already owned.

Renoirs and a Derain. They hauled it Léone Meyer’s adoptive parents
back to Paris, where they operated a died in the 1970s, leaving her their
depot for their cultural plunders in sole heir. Then in her 30s, she felt that
a building near the Louvre Museum recovering the painting was a duty to
called the Jeu de Paume. Scholars have both her murdered family and her
described the site, which once served adoptive one. But she had no idea
as Napoleon III’s indoor tennis court, where her Shepherdess was. After the
as a “concentration camp” for more Swiss court decision, the painting
than 22,000 stolen art objects. crossed the Atlantic and made its way
to a gallery in New York City.
Léone Meyer was born in late 1939,
In 1957, a wealthy woman from
Oklahoma bought it. Clara Weitzen-
hoffer’s father and husband were Okla-
homa oilmen, and she channeled her
fortune into collecting English furni-
ture, Chinese porcelain and paintings
resembling her beloved Dalmatians.
She also had a passion for impression-
ist art, says her son, MaxWeitzenhoffer,
a theater owner and producer in New
York City and London. (He’s behind
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.)

Max Weitzenhoffer says he got used
to growing up surrounded by his moth-
er’s art. “Nobody really thought these
things had any value other than what
she paid for them,” he says. “My father
always said, ‘What are you going to do
in time of war? You can’t eat them.’”
Shepherdess was one of his mother’s fa-
vorites, and he recalls her keeping it in
the living room next to her Van Gogh.

After his mother’s death in 2000,
Weitzenhoffer finalized the donation of
her art to the University of Oklahoma,
where he is chairman of the Board of
Regents and his family is the name-
sake of the fine arts school. Within
two months, more than 33,000 people
viewed the 33-work collection, and dai-
ly museum attendance increased eight-
fold. The museum on the university’s
Norman, Oklahoma, campus later built
a new wing and installed the works in
four rooms resembling the inside of
Weitzenhoffer’s childhood home.

But around 2009, an associate cura-
tor at the Indianapolis Museum of Art
discovered that the chain of custody

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

24 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 INSIGHT COVER STORY

for Shepherdess was questionable; Claude Monet's "Riverbank at Lavacourt" at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art at the on to works. The bill is now pending.
the Holocaust Art Restitution Project University of Oklahoma allegedly has no ownership information before 1957. That Dowd, the restitution lawyer, calls the
learned of the finding and later pub- legislation “earth-shattering.”
lished a blog post about it. painting also belonged to the Weitzenhoffer family.
The ending of this tale might be less
Meyer’s son spotted the post in three years or so between a French in- er hurdles to reclaiming their art. In happy for OU. Representative Wessel-
March 2012. Some eight months later, stitution and the Fred Jones Jr. Museum. April, members of U.S. Congress intro- hoft and others think the Fred Jones Jr.
Meyer contacted University President duced a bill that aims to eliminate the Museum’s Weitzenhoffer collection has
David Boren and asked him to return The ownership title goes to Mey- legal roadblocks museums use to hold additional art stolen from Jews. Meyer’s
the work. His response: The University er, and she will eventually gift it to a lawsuit noted that a Renoir was appar-
of Oklahoma Foundation owned the French institution “either during her ently sold by a collector fleeing Nazi Ger-
painting, not the university. Finding lifetime or through her will,” accord- many, a red flag. A work by Mary Cassatt
that response unhelpful, she sued. ing to a settlement document. Boren allegedly lacks ownership information
says he’s satisfied with the outcome: for 1939 to 1957. A Degas is allegedly
The lawsuit named Boren, the foun- “I just wish we could have done it in a missing information for 1918 to 1963. A
dation and OU’s Board of Regents as month instead of the time it’s taken.” Monet allegedly has no ownership infor-
defendants. Oklahoma hired Thadde- mation before 1957. Three other works
us Stauber, a lawyer who was then de- There may also be a happy ending are allegedly connected to a gallery the
fending a Madrid museum that didn’t for more Holocaust victims and their Nazis raided or to dealers who were
want to hand over another Pissarro to families, who could encounter few- known Nazi collaborators. At least seven
a Jewish family. additional paintings allegedly have little
to no provenance information prior to
In May 2014, Stauber convinced a the 1950s or 1960s, or at all. Museum
judge to dismiss Meyer’s lawsuit on Director Mark White says by email that
jurisdictional grounds, insisting she they are making progress on filling in
should have filed her complaint in ownership history gaps, but “such re-
Oklahoma, not New York, the sort of search is an exhaustive process.”
legal technicality that restitution ad-
vocates loathe. Meyer appealed, and it Until their journey overseas is
took another year for the case to restart booked, Meyer’s Shepherdess remains
in Oklahoma. on the wall in the Oklahoma museum.
The room is a popular spot for mar-
By that time, the University of Okla- riage proposals, according to Boren,
homa was getting hammered, and the who knows of at least two there. Both
case had spun into a public relations asked said yes. 
nightmare. “They were really dragging
their feet,” says Oklahoma state Repre-
sentative Paul Wesselhoft. “I can’t really
comprehend why OU would not sim-
ply voluntarily give the painting up….
It’s terribly embarrassing.”

Petitions against the university
amassed hundreds of signatures, and
an advocacy group hired an airplane to
fly over an OU football pregame tailgate
dragging a banner that read: “David
Boren #ReturnTheStolenArt.” In May
2015, the Oklahoma Legislature passed
a resolution demanding that the uni-
versity clean up this mess, pronto.

But when Meyer’s case started again
in Oklahoma, Stauber called for its
dismissal based on the statute of limi-
tations. So in late 2015, Ronald Lauder
stepped in, writing to Boren and urging
resolution. “At first, they did not want
to give it up to the Meyer family,” says
Lauder. “When we first started, it was
really negative, and once we spoke...he
did exactly the right thing.” A mediator
affiliated with Lauder’s World Jewish
Congress and Lauder negotiated the
settlement, and the parties announced
their agreement in February.

Having run the Galeries Lafayette for
several years until 2005 and done hu-
manitarian work as a physician, Meyer,
who turns 77 in November, is now re-
tired but still living in Paris, across the
Seine from the Grand Palais.

At long last, she will have her Shep-
herdess back. Kind of. Ciric, her lawyer,
says the painting will return to France
before the end of November. It will go
on view for five years at an institution
of her choice. Then it will rotate every

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 25

INSIGHT WORLD

Why there are fresh hopes of a reunited Cyprus

BY THE ECONOMIST But analysts believe that a solution consultancy, puts that likelihood at 60 property, and the application of EU
to the Cyprus dispute may be more percent. The islanders themselves are law in the north. The two have agreed
Few places reveal the anguish likely now than at any time in the past less optimistic. In a recent poll, 62 per- on a structure for a loose bizonal, bi-
of a frozen conflict better than the decade. What has changed? cent of Greek Cypriots said reunifica- communal federation.
110-mile-long long buffer zone be- tion seemed no closer today than one
tween the internationally recognized Reunification talks between the year ago Last week, they moved to Switzer-
Republic of Cyprus and the breakaway Greek south and the Turkish north land to talk about territory. The talks
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus started less than a year after the Turk- Many of the pieces needed for a so- broke off after five days, but they now
(TRNC). ish invasion. The closest they came lution are in place. Akinci and Anas- are scheduled to resume next week.
to fruition was in April 2004, when a tasiades, having met at least 25 times, "During these past five days, the chap-
In Nicosia, the island’s divided capi- plan brokered by the United Nations report that consensus is within reach ter on territory and all other issues
tal, barbed wire and sandbags sepa- was put to a nationwide referendum. in several areas, including governance,
CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

The Ledra Street border crossing is seen in the southern Cypriot part in Nicosia

A warning sign is seen on the buffer-zone wall in the Turkish Cypriot

rate a fashionable café from an aban- (Turkish Cypriots backed the deal.
doned bookshop. The former opened Their Greek neighbours rejected it by
last year. The latter closed in the sum- a three-to-one margin. A week later,
mer of 1974, when Turkish troops in- Cyprus entered the EU as a divided is-
vaded the north of the island following land, with the north effectively frozen
years of ethnic bloodshed and a Greek out of the bloc and recognized by only
Cypriot coup. one country, Turkey.)

Deeper in the demilitarized zone, a The election of Mustafa Akinci as
flock of sheep graze along the runway president of the TRNC in the spring of
of an old international airport, a cav- 2015 breathed new life into the peace
ernous time capsule littered with bro- process. Both Akinci and the Greek Cy-
ken glass and forty years of bird drop- priot leader, Nicos Anastasiades, now
pings. An airplane rusts nearby. The say that a settlement is possible by the
scene does not inspire much hope. end of the year. The Eurasia Group, a

26 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 INSIGHT WORLD

were discussed interdependently. Sig- People sit in a café in front of the buffer-zone wall in the southern Cypriot part in Nicosia
nificant progress has been achieved,"
the United Nations said in a brief
statement.

These have been tough negotiations
for Akinci, as the Turkish-Cypriots,
who make up some 20% of the popu-
lation, must give up some of the 37%
of the island they control. The Greek-
Cypriots want the region of Morphou,
a dusty town surrounded by lemon
groves, as well as Varosha, a ruined
beach resort outside Famagusta, and
they may bristle at being offered the
rugged Karpas peninsula.

Yet observers reckon the two leaders

President and Publisher The UN buffer zone (Green line) in divided Nicosia foreign minister, said two weeks ago
Milton R. Benjamin, 772-559-4187 that a sovereign Cyprus could not al-
would not have gone to Switzerland in Trade, tourism and construction low Turkey to keep any troops on the
[email protected] the first place unless they were confi- would all boom. GDP per head might island.
dent of agreement. be 60% higher with a settlement than
Creative Director without, says Fiona Mullen of Sapien- But without Cyprus on board, Er-
Dan Alexander, 772-539-2700 What changed the atmosphere? For ta Economics, a Nicosia consultancy. dogan’s government cannot hope to
[email protected] a start, the Cypriot economy has re- The geopolitical gains in an unstable unlock stalled membership talks with
bounded more strongly than expect- region would also be large. The Euro- the EU. (Anastasiades stresses he will
Managing Editor ed from its 2013 financial meltdown: pean Union badly needs good news, “never” drop his veto on the negotia-
Steven M. Thomas, 772-453-1196 growth over the next three years is and settling its own frozen conflict tions “unless Turkey gives some signs
expected to be nearly double the euro- would be that. Scratchy relations with that they mean business.”)
[email protected] zone average. Turkey would be improved, and an is-
sue that has split NATO eliminated. The road to a deal remains mined
To learn about the cost-effective Discoveries of large gas reserves with misgivings and disagreements
advertising rates being offered in the eastern Mediterranean have Sadly, the obstacles remain large. over territory, power sharing and se-
helped, as they will be harder to ex- Once territory is agreed, the talks move curity guarantees. In the economically
in Melbourne Beach 32951, ploit if the island stays divided. Ameri- to security and outside guarantees. stunted north, any agreement will
please contact the advertising can pressure for a deal has made a This will bring Turkey’s unpredictable have to allay fears of a flood of Greek
representatives listed below: difference. And above all, unlike in president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, into Cypriot capital and underrepresenta-
previous rounds, both Anastasiades the picture, as 30,000 Turkish troops tion in the governing bodies of a unit-
Director of Advertising and Akinci seem extremely keen on an are stationed across the north. ed island.
Judy Davis, 772-633-1115 early settlement.
[email protected] Ioannis Kassoulides, the Cypriot Another hurdle is the cost of a set-
The long-term benefits are clear. tlement. Even with a mix of remedies,
Advertising Account Executives including reinstatement and prop-
Will Gardner, 407-361-2150 erty swaps, compensating the 160,000
[email protected] Greek and 40,000 Turkish Cypriots
who abandoned their homes in the
Kathleen MacGlennon, 772-633-0753 1970s will cost billions of euros.
[email protected]
Hank Wolff, 772-321-5080 There is fear that the momentum is
[email protected] ebbing. The talks have already slowed
Lou Yacolucci, 772-323-8361 ahead of a May 22 parliamentary vote
[email protected] in the south. In the north, Akinci fac-
es potential pushback from a newly
To talk about stories, or invite us to formed cabinet headed by hardliners.
cover social and charitable events,
call 772-453-1196 or email us at “The longer the talks go on, the
[email protected]. greater the chance that we could see
problems arise,” says James Ker-Lind-
say at the London School of Econom-
ics. After four decades of talks and
spilled ink, Cypriots have reason to
hope for the best – and prepare for the
usual. 

HIPPA: HOW IT PROTECTS PATIENT PRIVACY records (with the exception of some mental health-related
diagnoses) and request amendments.
Through the grapevine, you hear your golf buddy is in
the hospital and you decide to stop by to let him know you Caregivers are allowed to have information on a ‘need to
care. The front desk receptionist can’t find his name in the know’ basis that is necessary for them to deliver needed care or
computer. Could you be at the wrong hospital? Even worse, complete their assigned duties/job function. Businesses that help
might he have unexpectedly passed away? healthcare providers manage and store data, billing companies
and, in special circumstances, public health authorities are also
Before panic sets in, consider a third scenario. He may authorized to receive information in accordance with the laws.
have ‘opted out’ of the hospital directory when registering to
be admitted. He may prefer to keep his hospitalization con- But whether recorded on paper or in an electronic (com-
fidential, and not have his location in the hospital disclosed. puterized) format, a patient’s health information is private
and can only be shared following HIPAA guidelines. How the
While not many patients opt out of being in a hospital’s information is stored, accessed, transmitted and audited is
directory, a patient’s right to have his or her medical mandated by federal law.

Record and health information secured from unauthor- Hospitals and other healthcare providers take keeping
ized use has become a national priority. patient information private seriously. Employees are trained
to follow HIPAA regulations and cautioned about disclosing
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act information about patients to co-workers or anyone not di-
(HIPAA), signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996, sets rules rectly involved in the patient’s care. Staff is prohibited from
for protecting an individual’s protected health information. sharing patient health information with unauthorized indi-
viduals, friends, family members and neighbors.
HIPAA requires appropriate safeguards be put in place to
protect the privacy of patient medical information. It sets If a breach of confidentiality is in question, the organization
limits and conditions on the use and disclosure of informa- is responsible for conducting a thorough investigation. Anyone
tion without patient authorization. found to violate the privacy of an individual’s PHI is held ac-
countable and subject to sanctions (up to and including termi-
Under HIPAA guidelines, unless you have asked for no nation from employment), as well as civil and criminal penalties.
information to be released, a hospital can disclose general
information about your condition (such as “fair condition”) You — and your golf buddies — can rest assured. Hospi-
to anyone who asks. tals, doctors and healthcare agencies are working together
to keep your health information safe and securely protected.
However, only people directly involved in your care are
allowed access to your “Protected Health Information” (PHI), ©2016 Vero Beach 32963 Media, all rights reserved
and even that access is limited.

Patients have the right to obtain a copy of their health

28 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

INSIGHT BOOKS

Two surprise events made Harry S so confident about the prospects ofTru- this incident, showing the slow escala- trast, viewed the prevention of another
Truman president of the United States. man’s Republican rival, Thomas Dewey, tion of a personal as well as strategic catastrophic global war as his highest
The first was Franklin Roosevelt’s sud- that editors went ahead and declared conflict in a rapidly shifting postwar order of business. Other men in other
den death by cerebral hemorrhage on victory before the votes were counted environment where, frankly, nobody circumstances might have been able to
April 12, 1945, less than three months out West – thus producing the famous knew quite what to do. mediate such a difference of opinion,
into Truman’s term as vice president. photograph of a gleeful Truman hold- but in 1951 neither Truman nor Ma-
The second was Truman’s election in his ing a Tribune declaring “Dewey Defeats His opening chapters offer portraits cArthur saw much room for compro-
own right in November 1948, a race that Truman.” In the end Truman pulled off of two men hurtling through the world mise. Brands’ book follows this tragic
almost nobody in the punditocracy pre- a comfortable victory, with more than along different paths, one military arc, describing the two figures as their
dicted he would win. 49 percent of the popular vote to Dew- and one civilian, one brimming with conflict widens and deepens and then,
ey’s 45.1 percent. self-confidence, the other less sure inexorably, erupts.
That race bore certain similarities to he belonged in his position of power.
our present one. As the awkward suc- Not long after this, as historian H.W. At 70 years old, the “old soldier” Ma- Though he maintains an admirable
cessor to a charismatic Democratic Brands notes in his engaging new book, cArthur, who had defeated and then even-handedness, Brands seems to
president, Truman found it hard to gin “The General vs. the President,” Tru- reconstructed Japan, felt sure he had side with the long-suffering Truman,
up enthusiasm among ordinary voters. man began to have second thoughts all the answers. Truman, by contrast, who ultimately had no choice but to
Two offshoot anti-establishment can- about whether the whole presidency often seemed out of his element, an put the aggressive, pipe-smoking gen-
didacies added to his troubles: Henry thing was such a good idea after all. One accidental president besieged on all eral in his place. But as Brands shows,
Wallace’s Progressive Party and Strom of the country’s most prolific political sides. Truman knew that MacArthur in 1951 this was an act fraught with
Thurmond’s States’ Rights Democratic historians, Brands has made a name for harbored presidential ambitions; the political peril. MacArthur’s return to
(or Dixiecrat) Party both drew votes himself recounting the high drama of general had even floated the idea of the United States started as one long
from Truman’s base. national politics, from “The Heartbreak running for the Republican nomina- celebrity pageant, with millions of
of Aaron Burr” through Ronald Reagan’s tion in 1948. Concluding that his post Americans lining the streets for his
Under those circumstances, the unlikely ascendancy as president. in Tokyo did not make an ideal base for motorcade in San Francisco, and mil-
arch-reactionary Chicago Tribune felt a U.S. presidential campaign, MacAr- lions more gazing toward the sky as his
Though Truman rarely sought out thur never fully entered the race, but plane flew over the Midwest toward
such political drama, it had a way of the possibility that he might, or felt that Washington. When MacArthur finally
finding him. In 1949, the first year of he should, still rankled. landed in the capital, he was whisked
his second term, the Russians exploded before Congress to testify about Korea
their first atom bomb and theWest“lost” Then came Korea. In the annals of and – to nobody’s surprise – implicitly
China to the communists. The following modern U.S. warfare, Korea is often the to denounce the president. Truman’s
year, accused Soviet spy Alger Hiss went neglected middle child, caught between reputation was saved not by his own
to jail on perjury charges, Sen. Joseph the glories of World War II and debacle actions but by the somber rebuttal of
McCarthy burst on the political scene, of Vietnam. Brands’ book reminds us Gen. George Marshall, who informed
and North Korea invaded South Korea – what a terrifying – and unexpected – Congress in no uncertain terms that
and that was just the first six months. Of conflict it was. Sharing borders with the MacArthur did not know what he
all these second-term events, though, Soviet Union and China, Korea was no was talking about. The president who
none loomed larger in Washington than mere regional outpost or proxy battle- fired a general, in short, also had to be
Truman’s showdown with Gen. Douglas ground. It had the potential to erupt saved by one. 
MacArthur, supreme allied commander into a global nuclear conflict and to set
in Asia and one of the most decorated off a war for the fate of the world. THE GENERAL VS. THE PRESIDENT:
soldiers in U.S. history. MACARTHUR AND TRUMAN AT THE BRINK OF
Both Truman and MacArthur recog-
In textbook accounts, their clash nized this danger, but as Brands shows, NUCLEAR WAR
usually boils down to a single moment: they viewed the challenge in profound- BY H.W. BRANDS
In April 1951, Truman fired MacArthur ly different ways. MacArthur sought Doubleday. 437 pp. $30.
for insubordination, thus restoring the a crushing military victory, modeling Review by Beverly Gage, Washington Post
primacy of civilian control over the his actions on his recent total-war tri-
military. Brands takes the long view of umphs in the Pacific. Truman, by con-

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Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 29

INSIGHT ON FAITH

Goodness knows we should all aspire to greatness

BY REV. DRS. CASEY AND BOB BAGGOTT a selection. We purchased a magnet Greatness comes in a host of forms, words: “God blows through you since
Columnists that depicts a baby who is bald, smil- doesn’t it? Across the years we’ve ac- time began, And when your heart
ing though toothless, and stylishly tually witnessed unexpected great- glows warm and remains true, He
We were amazed to discover a sou- equipped with large sunglasses and ness again and again and again. works his plan.”
venir shop last summer that sold only a twinkling tiara. The caption reads: We’ve witnessed the greatness of
refrigerator magnets. We occupied “You’re the bomb.” self-sacrifice, in firefighters who run Maybe true human greatness
ourselves for quite a long time reading into the flames as everyone else runs comes into being when the spirit of
those with humorous sayings such as: Now, in case you haven’t heard that out, in mothers who work and pray God, blowing into and through every
“If at first you don’t succeed, skydiv- particular slang phrase, being “the for their children whose futures they life, is allowed to warm our hearts,
ing isn’t for you,” and “I find my short bomb” means nothing derogatory. On value more than their own. We’ve polish away our imperfections, make
term memory isn’t what it used to be, the contrary, to be called “the bomb” witnessed the greatness of compas- us faithful, and inspire us to live lives
also my short term memory isn’t what is highly complimentary. It means sion, in healthcare workers whose that bear glimmers of self-sacrifice,
it used to be.” Eventually, we made you are wondrous, awesome,and in- rigorous training is employed to heal compassion and hope.
spiring. and restore the sick, in friends who
open their arms to hold and comfort We can all aspire to greatness on
Actually, we’ve never been called a friend who grieves. We’ve witnessed that model. What an extraordinary
“the bomb,” but one can always as- the greatness of hope, in teachers way to demonstrate that we’re the
pire to greatness. The magnet on who spy talent in young lives and en- bomb! 
our fridge offers daily inducement to courage its flowering, in the generos-
consider how any of us might become ity of donors whose dreams to bring THE BAGGOTTS
more wondrous, awesome and in- change have amply funded countless
spiring. For the baby on our magnet, efforts for good. Rev. Dr. Robert Baggott is Senior
sunglasses, a tiara and a toothless grin
sealed the status of that sort of great- Do we have the capacity for real Minister of Community Church
ness. But for most of us, simple exter- greatness, too? Maybe we all have it,
nal decoration probably isn’t enough even if we fail to recognize it. The poet of Vero Beach. Rev. Dr. Casey
to achieve greatness. What would it Rainer Maria Rilke once wrote these
take? How would it look? Baggott is Executive Minister.

The Baggotts write a regular faith

column.

30 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

INSIGHT PETS

Bonz has a Springer in his step after meeting Mitzi

Hi Dog Buddies! other dog after all!” they saved me and gave me
“A happy ending!” I said.
This week I interviewed Mitzi Bengyak, “Yes. But I had lotsa troubles right away. a Forever Family.”
a little pooch who found her Forever Fam-
ily because of a hurry-cane. She’s one of the I hadda have SURgery, three times! Heart Mizi had gotten real seri-
sweetest little pooch gals I’ve ever met AND surgery and a coupla others.”
– she’s a Springer Spaniel, like ME! Woof! ous, but then she bounced
“Oh, for Lassie’s Sake!” I blurted.
She was very polite, came right up for “It’s OK. I’m almost totally better now.” up. “Oh, Bonz, I wanna
the Wag-and-Sniff, then gave my Assistant “Whaddya do for fun? Any dog buddies?”
some friendly nosebumps. Then she gave “Woof, yes! Lots! The Dogs for Life Dog show you my pawsome toy
me a Really Big Smile, and I noticed her Park’s just across the street. Didja know I’m
sparkly brown eyes, the shiny black curls a co-founder? So’s Mom. We go over there crate!”
on her long, floppy ears, and the fashion- all the time. The other pooches call me
forward, black-and-white polka dots on her Queen of the Park. There’s a little Corgie Her Mom brought it in.
right front leg. (Hey, I read the magazines.) – Rowdy – we call him The Sheriff. He’s al-
ways breaking up scuffles and Keepin’ the It was super nice: a wood-
“Welcome Mr. Bonzo! This is my Mom, Peace. My friend Ellie’s a Springer like me,
Eleanor. We can sit right here by the kitch- but I’m mostly black, she’s mostly white. en crate with black wood
en table. So, what would you like to know?” And Georgie Girl, she’s a Mix! Then there’s
Rufus, a Golden Retriever. He’s a Service letters that said “Mitzi’s
Reminding myself that I was On The Job, Dog, too. And a big ol’ German Shepherd.
I opened my notebook. “Please, call me I can’t pronounce his name. Didja know we Toys,” and a picture of
Bonz! I hear you found your Mom and Dad have scholarships at the Dog Park in case
because of a hurry-cane.” some pooches can’t afford the member- Mitzi painted on the side.
ship fee. That was my idea.”
“That’s true! Back in 2005, there was “That’s Totally Cool Dog Biscuits!” I told It was full of stuffed ani-
this kennel in Sebastian that bred Spring- her.
er Spaniels and Dachshunds. There were “I also enjoy playing on the beach. I mals and some squishy
so many pooches it had got way outta LOVE water. Well, you know, you’re a Span-
hand. There were, like, 50 of us, all sorta iel, too! And the rain! That’s way fun! Cuz of balls. On the top of the
crammed together. Me and my littermates the puddles! Do you like puddles?”
were just pupsters when we had this hurry- “I do!” heap was a big stuffed
cane called Wilma. The kennel people went “But I also do Important Stuff: When my
Elsewhere, and all us pooches hadda be Dad, Victor, got sick, I took special classes bone covered with soft
rescued by a bunch of nice humans from at Dogs for Life. After I passed the Canine
the Humane Society. Good Citizen class, and the Pet Assisted green fabric.
Therapy Dog class, I took other classes so
“Meanwhile, my Mom and Dad’s Golden I could be an Official Service Dog for Dad. “That’s a really nice
Retriever, Taffy, had gone to Dog Heaven, Like when he fell asleep in his chair I’d go
and they said they NEVER, EVER wanted lift up his arm so he wouldn’t tip over. And bone,” I remarked. “I’ve
another dog. After the hurry-cane, Mom I learned how to hit the button on his spe-
and Dad went down to the Humane Soci- cial phone to call for help, if he told me to. never seen one like it.”
ety to help out with all the rescued dogs We were best buddies. My Dad’s in Heaven
just when another helper was bringing in now, and me and Mom are still sad. But we “It’s my favorite!”
a load of puppies, including ME. I was the have each other, and now I’m HER Service
smallest. We were all sorta huddled togeth- Dog and I get to take care of her. Right now, Mitzi said. “It’s the
er, and then – you know how you just have I’m studying for my annual re-certification.
a FEELing? – I spotted Mom and Dad and I thank Lassie that I could help Mom and most special thing I
something told me I should make a move. Dad, you know, show ‘em I love ‘em, cuz
So I smiled really big and came over to ‘em. have. You know why?
And we all knew they were gonna get an-
Cuz I got it from Mom

and Dad’s children

and grandchildren,

Sharon, Patrick, B.J., Mitzi the Springer Spaniel. PHOTO BY DENISE RITCHIE
Cheyenne, Ava and
Alayna. They had it

made specially for me out of one of Dad’s standing in her big,

favorite shirts. When I snuggle up against fenced yard, waving her paw.”

it, it reminds me of him. And look what Sigh.

they gave Mom.”

It was a soft green teddy bear, made Till next time,

from the same shirt. I had to wipe my eyes The Bonz
with my paw.

“You are a lucky pooch to have such a lov-

ing family,” I told her. “And they’re lucky, too.” Don’t Be Shy
She smiled. “I know you have to get back
We are always looking for pets
to the office, but maybe you could come with interesting stories.
over sometime and we could play in the
park. I’ll introduce you to all my pooch To set up an interview, email
pals.”

“That’d be great,” I said, sincere- [email protected].

ly. As we drove off, I could see her still

Celebrating 65 years in business...in dog years of course

Gr1oFio0Orsm%t FVinFigsitCToottage Dr. Rebecca Colombo is a graduate
of the University of Florida College of

Veterinary Medicine Class of 2000.
She is a Brevard County native who
currently lives in Indialantic with her
three children Vincent, Maria, Joseph

and her husband Robert.

Comprehensive Exams • House Calls • Cold Laser Therapy • Hydrosurge Animal Bathing System • Grooming Cottage

Old World Values, New World Medicine

107 South Riverside PL. • Indialantic, FL 32903 • E: [email protected] • www.rahwc.com • Tel: 321-327-8928

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 31

INSIGHT GAMES BRIDGE

THE TRY MIGHT BE FOR SLAM, NOT GAME WEST NORTH EAST
Q52 KJ94 7
By Phillip Alder - Bridge Columnist QJ98 72 K 10 6 4 3
9873 K6 J5
Bjorn Borg said, “To win the last point in a grand slam tournament, that’s the most K2 AJ873 Q 10 9 5 4
beautiful and most satisfying feeling you can get as a tennis player.”
SOUTH
Many bridge players get nervous when contemplating a slam. But often playing in one A 10 8 6 3
is straightforward because you cannot afford (m)any losers. A5
A Q 10 4 2
The main keys for a good slam are fit and controls. To make a grand slam with no fit, 6
you will need most of the 40 high-card points. But with a good fit — or, even better, a
double fit — you will win more tricks than your combined point-count would suggest. Dealer: North; Vulnerable: Both
Also, you must know that the opponents cannot immediately defeat your contract.
The Bidding:
How do you uncover a double fit? By bidding carefully. What about controls? With
(Roman Key Card) Blackwood, often supplemented by control-bidding. SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1 Clubs Pass
In this week’s deal, after South’s one-spade response is raised, he immediately thinks 1 Spades Pass 2 Spades Pass OPENING
about a slam. But the diamond king is a big card. He can find out if partner holds it by 3 Diamonds Pass 4 Spades Pass
rebidding three diamonds. North will think this is a help-suit game-try, and if he has 4 NT Pass 5 Hearts Pass LEAD:
the diamond king, he will probably jump to four spades; but without that card, he will 6 Spades Pass Pass Pass Q Hearts
settle for three spades. Here, after hearing four spades, South uses RKCB to learn
that North has the spade king and club ace, but not the spade queen.

Against six spades, West leads the heart queen. South wins with his ace, draws
two rounds of trumps, cashes the diamond king, plays a diamond to his ace, and
continues with the diamond queen, discarding dummy’s heart loser. Then he can
claim, conceding one trump trick.

32 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

INSIGHT GAMES & CO.

SOLUTIOSONLSUTTOIONPSRETVOIPORUESVIIOSUSSUIESS(UNEO(VNEOMVEBMEBRE1R01)0O) NONPPAAGGEE7480

ACROSS DOWN
7 Particular feature (6) 1 Aim (6)
8 Twofold (6) 2 Look like (8)
9 Hearth (8) 3 Endeavour (6)
10 Unhurried (4) 4 Stick (6)
11 Frail (6) 5 Furore (4)
12 Glut (6) 6 Flowers (6)
14 Pressure (6) 13 Passageway (8)
17 Small stems (6) 15 Yarn, string (6)
19 Lattice, mesh (4) 16 Porous (6)
21 First (8) 17 Winding (6)
22 Kind (6) 18 Seeds (6)
23 Quantity (6) 20 Trickle (4)

The Telegraph

How to do Sudoku:

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

The Telegraph

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 33

INSIGHT GAMES & CO.

ACROSS 67 Gathered 17 Tulip tree 73 II pix
70 Air over Ayr 18 Monochromatic 74 Actor McClure
1 Fugue master 71 “___ the Chief” 19 The principles 76 A pronoun
7 Get the juice 72 Landlady 77 Bart and Brenda
14 Prop for a spill 73 On the agenda and policies of 79 French fountain
20 The perfect place 74 Indulges idly (in) Argentina, once
21 Haydn’s home 75 “___ the bag” 27 Got rid of pen
22 European Space 76 Old Testament 29 “___ bodkins!” 80 Ramon Estevez,
33 Explode
Agency rocket tongue 34 Least furnished now
23 Last name in 77 Dostoevski 36 “You said it!” 82 Take ___ from
37 Devilfish
Wonderland heroine 38 Composer one’s book
24 Sad songs 78 I Kid You Not Edgard whom 83 Rise and shine
25 Noted sew-and- Frank Zappa 84 Leaves as is
author Jack quoted on 86 The Giving Tree
sew? 79 Sewn-on spangle most of his
26 Representative 80 Button albums author Silverstein
28 Browning opening 81 Falls behind 39 Wearing 87 Make batter
30 Army type, briefly 85 A Khan 40 Oxygen-seeking 88 Acknowledge
31 Church area 86 Plays a ukulele microorganism 90 Mao successor?
32 Ice move 87 Common floor 41 Did over, as a 92 ___ notch
33 Guilty of a Deadly sketch
covering 42 Irons on film (slightly higher)
Sin 89 Shoeing shop 43 Advanced
34 Breakthrough 91 To listen, in Lille 45 Scavenging birds The Washington Post
35 ___-on 93 Touch the clouds, 46 A cure-all, say
sailors WORDS ON THE MARCH By Merl Reagle
(hardened) perhaps 48 Cheated
37 Regrets 94 Boy with bread 49 Salon spool
38 Lead singer of the 51 Handwriting
crumbs expert?
Four Seasons 95 Worse, 52 In Bartlett’s
39 Ricocheted 53 Anna Christie’s
42 Gave the elbow oatmeal-wise creator
43 Cuomo and Puzo 96 Risky whisky 54 Tell
44 Ogling sort 97 Twin Peaks 55 Office folks,
45 Monet ami briefly
46 Pitcher’s woe composer 57 Baptism
47 Eve or Enoch Badalamenti sponsoree
48 Mikrokosmos 98 Thomas ___ Eliot 58 A nut for Chinese
99 Strings of wins cooking
composer 61 Gentleman’s
49 Gives in on DOWN agreement?
50 Actress Diana 1 Herod’s realm 62 Term of
51 The only time that 2 Bamboozle endearment
3 Turkeys 63 Rain dance, for
garbage trucks 4 Pieman’s trash one
can pick up and 5 Single out 65 Exhausting
drop dumpsters, it 6 KO punch 66 Term of
seems 7 Put (away) for the endearment
52 Treasurers of 67 “The Lion of
ancient Rome future Janina”
56 “When Will ___ 8 Cower 68 Robbie the
Loved?” 9 Lee Marvin and Robot, e.g.
57 Automatons 69 Testing, to a
58 Dart poison Oliver North were prospector
59 Volleyball need in it: abbr. 70 LP selection
60 10017, e.g. 10 Bikini time, 71 Silent-movie
62 Fine, white clay in France chase
63 PrompTer prelude 11 Famous cubist? vehicles
64 Does some 12 Anton Karas
yardwork was one
65 He wrote The 13 London district
Virginian 14 Paid a call
66 Dennehy or 15 Commodore
Donlevy Perry, “the Hero
of Lake ___”
16 Bolivian resource

The Telegraph

34 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

INSIGHT BACK PAGE

What to do when a friend’s bratty kid bullies yours

BY CAROLYN HAX do the right thing here, but I don’t know what that is! get along, and your actions are a rational way to deal
Washington Post – Conflicted and Stressed! with that.

Dear Carolyn, Dear Conflicted and Stressed: So stop hiding your logic and instead be upfront
I have two very close girlfriends You’re tiptoeing around this thing because you’re about it. “Emily, this isn’t personal; it’s also tempo-
who live in the same destination- afraid of how Emily will react. rary. The past few visits, Butch and Chachi haven’t
friendly town, “Emily” from col- Fearing Emily’s reaction, though, validates her de- gotten along. I’m taking the pressure off. When they
lege and “Jane” from high school. fensiveness, because it reveals your tacit agreement get older and settle down some, we’ll go back to the
Both have children the same age that protecting your son and reducing your time with way things were.”
as mine, both mean a great deal Emily are mean, terrible things to do to her.
to me. Every summer I visit both, trying to split equal But they’re not. You’ve seen how the boys (don’t) Note, though, that this suggested script is just
time between the two. about the way the boys interact (fact) and not about
I can’t bear to be around Emily’s child. He is impul- her son or her permissiveness as monster-creator
sive, defiant, has been outright malicious toward my (opinion).
son, and in one instance caused him physical harm. I
have tried to confront her about my issues with him, You may well be right about all of it, but her son
and she becomes quite defensive and accusatory, and might also turn out just fine; you won’t know this for
doesn’t seem to see his behavioral issues as cause for years.
alarm. She tends to laugh off his behaviors, and he
takes full advantage of her lackadaisical approach to In the meantime, strong friendships can survive
behavior management. My husband and high school some creative scheduling, but they rarely withstand
friends note the same concerns. one friend’s judging another, especially on her per-
I try to be patient and understanding, but my hus- formance as a parent.
band refuses to come with my son and me on visits to
see Emily. This summer, I have planned to spend most So, you need to protect your boy, done. But what
of my trip with Jane and her family. belongs next on the priority list? Protecting your 20-
Emily is offended that I am not splitting my time year investment in someone strikes me as a valid pri-
equally between the two. I have no issues with her ority over your husband’s protecting himself – at least
as a person and still value her friendship. However, for a once-a-year visit.
I can’t handle the stress of being around her son, and
I don’t know how to express this without hurting her It wouldn’t be unfair to ask your husband to do bet-
feelings and ruining a 20-year friendship. I want to ter than duck for cover: He can enjoy some one-on-
one time with your son while you give Emily her fair
share of your attention, or he can stick around and
directly supervise the boys while you spend unbur-
dened time with your friend. Surely there’s a similar
trade-off, somewhere in your marriage, that you can
make for him in return. 

When everyone’s a writer, no one is

BY GARRISON KEILLOR

In New York the other night, I attended a roof- around from Henry James to Jesse James to the also is the down-
top party in Tribeca that I got invited to via a epistle of James to pajamas to Obama to Alabama side. You can write
well-connected pal, wall-to-wall authors and to Alanon to non-sequiturs, sequins, penguins, whatever you wish,
agents and editors and elegant young women in penal institutions, and it’s all free, and you read and everyone in the
little black dresses, standing, white wine in hand, freely, you’re not committed to anything the way world can exercise
looking out across the Hudson at the lights of you are when you shell out $30 for a book, you’re their right to read the
Hoboken and Jersey City, eating shrimp and scal- like a hummingbird in an endless meadow of first three sentences
lops and spanikopita on toothpicks, all talking at flowers. and delete the rest.
once the way New Yorkers do.
And if you want to write, you just write and pub- Self-publishing will destroy the aura of martyr-
I grew up on the windswept plains with my lish yourself. No need to ask permission, just open dom that writers have enjoyed for centuries. Tor-
nose in a book, so I am awestruck in the presence a website. And if you want to write a book, you tured geniuses, rejected by publishers, etc., etc. If
of book people, even though I have written a cou- just write it, send it to Lulu.com or CreateSpace at you publish yourself, this doesn’t work anymore,
ple books myself. These are anti-elitist times, but Amazon or NOOK press and you’ve got yourself alas.
I admire the elite. an e-book. No problem. And that is the future of
publishing: 18 million authors in America, each Children, I am an author who used to type a
I’m not one of them — I’m a deadline writer, my with an average of 14 readers, eight of whom are book manuscript on a manual typewriter. Yes, I
car has 150,000 miles on it — but I’m sorry about blood relatives. Average annual earnings: $1.75. did. And mailed it to a New York publisher in a big
their downfall. And this book party inTribeca feels manila envelope with actual postage stamps on
like a Historic Moment, like a 1982 convention of Back in the day, we became writers through the it. And kept a carbon copy for myself.
typewriter salesmen or the hunting party of Kai- laying on of hands. Some teacher who we wor-
ser Wilhelm II with his coterie of plumed barons shipped touched our shoulder, and this benedic- I waited for a month or so and then got an ac-
in the fall of 1913 before the Great War sent their tion saw us through a hundred defeats. And then ceptance letter in the mail. It was typed on paper.
world spinning off the precipice. an editor smiled on us and wrote us a check, and They offered to pay me a large sum of money. I
our babies got shoes. read it over and over and ran up and down the
Call me a pessimist, call me Ishmael, but I think rows of corn whooping. It was beautiful, the Old
that book publishing is about to slide into the But in the New Era, writers will be self-anoint- Era. I’m sorry you missed it.
sea. We live in a literate time, and our children ed. No passing of the torch. Just sit down and
are writing up a storm, often combining letters write the book. And editors will vanish. Garrison Keillor, longtime host of “A Prairie
and numerals (U R 2 1derful), blogging like crazy, Home Companion,” writes a column for theWash-
reading for hours off their little screens, surfing The upside of self-publishing is that you can ington Post.
write whatever you wish, utter freedom, and that

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Style Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 35

The Mary Janes comeback: How to tap into the best shoe trend

BY OLIVIA BUXTON SMITH
The Telegraph

As is very often the case in fashion,
Mary Janes have swung in and out of
favor over the decades as frequently
as double denim and flared trousers.
But now the shoe that’s been knock-
ing around in one form or another
since the early 19th century is back in
style. Everyone from The Row, to Miu
Miu, to Marni, to Jimmy Choo and

dig, at some stage we’re going to have lottes? Yes. Skirts? Yes. Mary Janes
to accept defeat and put on tights. look right with just about every-
One of the best things about Mary thing, and it’s exactly that versatility
Janes is that they actually look good which makes them a fail safe option
with a pair of sparkly socks peep- this winter. Wear with an LBD for a
ing through the straps. The same is Christmas party, pair with a folky
even true of sheer or opaque tights. frock layered over a polo neck for
(However, a warning: Do not wear work, or team them with cropped
with nude tights unless you want to jeans, sparkly socks and a chunky
look like something off Strictly Come knit for a weekend get-up. Bonus:
Dancing.) they’ll also work with whatever win-
ter coat you decide to invest in. 
They will go with everything you
own

Trousers? Yes. Dresses? Yes. Cu-

and sexy shoe all rolled into one. (And,
quite frankly, who doesn’t?) As is the
current infiltration of every iteration
of the Mary Jane.

Still not convinced? Here’s why a
pair of Mary Janes will be the hard-
est-working shoe in your wardrobe:

They’re the shoe you can really
wear around the clock

Call us radical, but we like a shoe
that you can actually pound the
pavements in. And Mary Janes are
exactly those. With chunky heels and
straps, these are shoes that are going
to make your outfit rather than break
your ankle, which is why they should
form the backbone of your shoe-
drobe.

On your feet a lot? Opt for a chic flat
pair. Desk bound? Try a mid heel. And
for parties, hunt down a pair that’s
just that touch higher – and in an opu-
lent fabric.

Gucci have revisited this longstand- They’re heels you can wear with
ing favorite to excellent effect. tights and socks

It’s good news for anyone who It’s cold. Although we’d like to kid
wants a classic, feminine, practical ourselves that we can still brave bare
legs or show off a pedicure at a shin-

36 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Style Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

Brrr-ight ideas for cold weather

BY OLIVIA BUXTON SMITH around your core, cold ears or numb your scarf choice as this can really weighty sweater that you love and
The Telegraph toes will creep up on you and make make a cold weather outfit. Build up a want to keep on all day. Make it the
for a miserable time. Invest in a scarf, collection of fluffy ones, shawl-esque focal point of your outfit so that even
With colder weather around the hat and a pair of gloves that you actu- ones and wool ones that you can alter- when you’re indoors you’re not in a
corner, it’s about time we employed ally want to wear. That way you won’t nate between. And don’t forget about rush to whip it off. It’s tempting to
some techniques to keep us toasty. avoid them for fear they ruin your out- socks. If you can get away with wear- get dressed and then pull on any old
fit. We’re loving berets at the moment, ing socks over your tights (hidden navy knit just until you get there, but
Dressing for cold weather can be but a classic pompom beanie never by boots), then this is a good idea as inevitably you end up keeping it.
a bit of a juggling act. You need to goes a miss. If you’re bored of the tights alone can leave your toes feel-
keep warm, while accommodating beanie then why not try a baker boy ing a bit tingly. If you really feel the According to Lyst, pink knitwear
the various components of your day cap (Isabel Marant does a good one). cold then we suggest trying the socks is having a moment as a result of the
(commute/exercise/office/dinner and from Uniqlo’s Heattech range. pink cable-knit sweater by Ganni,
whatever else), while looking stylish There is a plethora of glove options which was an instant sell out after be-
and pulled together (insert exasper- around, but we suggest opting for a A statement knit is your best friend ing spotted on all the bloggers (only to
ated eye roll). fairly neutral pair that go with every- Embrace the cold and wear a be swiftly copied by H&M, whose ver-
thing. You can afford to be bolder with sion is also sold out).
But fear not, because we’ve nar-
rowed it down to a digestible list of the Aiken urges us not to forget the
key things so keep in mind to help you humble cardi. “Transitional dress-
through the frosty period. ing is becoming very popular and the
oversized cardigan offers just that. It’s
Layer up an easy piece to throw on over every-
It’s a cliché, sure, but layering re- thing,” she offers, referencing under-
ally is the answer to all of your winter the-radar brand Alanui as one to look
dressing woes. Not only do layers trap out for this winter.
air between them, which in turn in-
sulates your body, but layers that you Warm your soles
can peel off and pack on are also a sav- Boots, boots, boots. There’s a style
iour when you’re with a lot of people, for everyone regardless of age, shape
sitting in an air conditioned office or and personal style. They are the shoes
darting around on your lunch break. that are going to keep your tootsies
Lisa Aiken, retail fashion director toasty and keep you looking chic in
at Net-A-Porter, says that the oppor- the cold weather.
tunity for layering makes winter her Chunky boots with a track sole
favorite season for dressing. “Adding (thank you, Louis Vuitton) are great
a roll neck underneath a maxi dress for toughening up dresses (short or
is a great way to make your summer long) and for accommodating cosy
wardrobe work harder and avoid the socks.
cold,” she tells The Telegraph. And Over-the-knee boots are having a
Aiken’s not alone. According to Lyst, moment (Russel & Bromley have a
there’s been a spike in searches for number of good options) and grant
polo neck sweaters - up 32 percent in you the double benefit of keeping
the last six weeks, with black being the your legs warm. Colorful ankle boots
most popular (most likely for wearing (check out Penelope Chilvers) will pep
underneath sleeveless dresses). up your winter wardrobe, while also
Choose the fabric wisely. Cash- looking good with everything. As will
mere should be your go-to for keep- velvet booties. If you can find a pair of
ing out the chill, and it doesn’t have boots that you want to wear day and
to break the bank. According to Lyst, night then you’re really winning.
the third best-selling cold weather
piece this year so far is a Uniqlo cash- Keep it chic
mere sweater, and with prices starting Just because it’s cold, it doesn’t
from $60 it’s easy to see why. Think mean you have to resort to slob men-
polo neck, under sleeveless dress, un- tality. Try belting your layers to accen-
der chunky knit, under coat. But also tuate your waist (if you find yourself
think outside the box and don’t be overheating tie your knitwear hap-
afraid to try layering on the bottom. hazardly around your waist as this
Over-the-knee boots paired with a be- will be to similar effect) and don’t for-
low-the-knee hemline is a nifty trick. get to accessorize your coat. A chunky
(Also good for those of us who don’t necklace with a collarless coat is a
love wearing tights, as you won’t be good look. As is a quirky shirt collar
able to see them.) peeping out from under a cashmere
sweater.
Cover the key points The idea that you can’t wear bright
There’s something to be said about colours in winter isn’t true. Your cold
covering the bases. And by that we weather wardrobe is crying out for
mean ensuring your head, neck, injections of color in the form of a
hands and feet are kept warm. No punchy patterned coat or a zingy pair
matter how many layers you have of wide leg trousers. 

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Style Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 37

Donatella Versace: Women are better designers than men

Some of her latest womenswear the brand.
collections incorporated a mili- She added: “We are strong. Wom-
tary style, with the inclusion of flat
shoes that was seen as radical for en are strong … and sexiness does
not have to go against power.” 

BY TELEGRAPH REPORTERS some of the designers, when they de-
The Telegraph sign for a woman, they design for the
woman they want to be, you know.
Donatella Versace has suggested They are thinking of themselves.
women are better than men at de-
signing clothes because gay fashion “But themselves and the woman
designers are releasing collections are not the same … I want to design
“for the woman they want to be.” clothes that say, ‘This is a woman’s
clothes.’
The Italian fashion designer, vice
president and chief designer of the “Riccardo Tisci is amazing, so
Versace Group, said she believes many [male] designers are amaz-
women understand their bodies ing, too – but sometimes there is
better. this little thing where they need to
make themselves a little bit behind
Her comments in the Times who they are, and to look at the real
Magazine are likely to raise a few woman.”
eyebrows among her peers, but she
believes female designers have an Versace, rumored to have pop star
advantage because they “under- Lady Gaga play her in a new series of
stand a woman’s body, a woman’s “American Crime Story” depicting
security and a woman’s attitude”. the real-life murder of her brother
Gianni in 1997, recently told how
The 61-year-old added: “I love gay she wanted to empower women
people. My friends are all gay. But with her latest designs.

38 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

& Casual Dining

Osceola Bistro: Finally realizing its full potential

BY TINA RONDEAU gus. Excellent. House-made Tuna au Poivre.
For dessert, we shared a slice of Key Lime Pie.
Columnist PHOTOS BY DENISE RITCHIE
house-made Key Lime pie (sumptu- As we dined this past week, our eyes
After five years, Osceola Bistro has ous). kept straying to the far wall, which was This beautifully executed graphic
moved solidly into the top tier of restau- covered by this large graphic done in really does capture the vision and
rants in Vero’s old downtown. Our dinner – with a modest colored chalk by Vero artist Teri Bar- spirit of this excellent restaurant.
bottle of wine and no ap- rett. Beyond being decorative, the “All
The potential has always been there. petizer – came to $110 be- you need is local” graphic pays tribute I welcome your comments, and en-
The Osceola’s courtyard garden – fore tax and tip. But you to the farmers who provide the food courage you to send feedback to me at
with fountain and flowers – is the most can enjoy a variety of that chef Bireley prepares. [email protected] .
attractive patio setting on either side small plates here and
of the Indian River lagoon. And if you probably come away The reviewer dines anonymously
prefer to eat inside, the restaurant’s with a tab for two at restaurants at the expense of Vero
dining room – with its new colorful in the $60 or $70 Beach 32963. 
“All you need is local” chalk wall – is as range. My shrimp
stylish as any around. and pasta dish, for Osceola Bistro
With chef/owner Christopher Bi- example, comes in a
reley totally committed to fashioning Hours: Monday - Friday
imaginative dishes out of the freshest Scotch Egg with House- 11 am to 9:30 pm
possible ingredients obtained from Made Italian Sausage.
local farmers and fishermen, this res- Saturday: 5:30 to 9:30 pm
taurant has from the start had the po- Porterhouse Pork Chop. Beverages: Full bar
tential to be a big winner. Address:
And starting its sixth year, all the small size – which would have been 2045 13th Avenue,
pieces – the food, the ambiance, the ser- more than enough – for $24. Vero Beach, FL
vice – have all come together to make
the Osceola Bistro one of our favorite You can lower the bill even fur- Phone: (772) 569-1299
places to dine. ther, if you are inclined to dine early,
On a recent weeknight, the court- by coming between 4:30 and 6, when
yard was being used for a private par- Osceola serves the same soups and
ty. But we were ushered to a very nice salads, and a selection of entrées
table inside, and server Kevin quickly from the regular menu, for $16.
appeared to take drink orders.
But first, Kevin mentioned one of
the evening’s specials was poached
monkfish. I love this ugly North At-
lantic fish, which is infrequently found
on menus here because it only makes
it to waters off Florida in small num-
bers. Kevin rushed off to the kitchen to
reserve it, but alas, another server beat
him to the last available order.
So I decided to have the local shrimp
with pasta ($29), and my husband
opted for the evening’s other special,
peppercorn crusted yellowfin tuna au
poivre ($36).
First, though, came the starters – a
choice of soups, which vary from day to
day, or a house or Caesar salad.
On this evening, I chose to go with
the local mushroom and jalapeno
soup, and my husband decided to try
the local pumpkin puree. The jalapeno
added a bit of brightness that stood up
well to the mushroom puree, and the
pumpkin soup was velvety smooth.
We then moved onto the entrées. My
Fellsmere organic shrimp were won-
derful, sautéed with lemon, capers,
tomato, chili flake, and feta cheese in
a white wine broth, and served over
housemade spinach linguine.
And my husband’s beautifully pre-
pared and presented tuna au poivre
was served in a delicious peppercorn
brandy cream sauce, accompanied by
mashed potatoes and grilled aspara-

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 39

& Casual Dining

40 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

CALENDAR

ONGOING night to benefit the Brevard Heart Foundation, garitas, live music, auction and keynote speak- Platinum Show Chorus, 1:30 p.m. at Holy Trin-
with dinner and cocktails, casino games and Tex- er to benefit Marine Resources Council. $25. ity Episcopal Academy. $15. 321-6266726
Surfside Playhouse, Cocoa Beach – The Pro- as Hold ‘em. $100. Brevardheartfoundation.org 321-978-8862
ducers thru Nov. 20. surfsideplayers.com 10 Friends of Sebastian Inlet State Park
19 Brevard Symphony Orchestra pres- 2 Holiday Ball Swingtime Dance with Mel- Night Sounds concert series features
Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts at FIT - ents Russian Masters, 8 p.m. at King bourne Swingtime Jazz Band, 7 p.m. at 23 Treez, 7 p.m. at Coconut Point pavilions.
Transformers: Re-contextualizing Our Material Center for the Performing Arts, showcasing Melbourne Auditorium, with $5 lessons 6 to 7 Standard park entry fee. 321-984-4852
Culture exhibit thru Dec. 17. 321-674-8313 pianist Terrence Wilson performing Rach- p.m. $7 advance; $10 at door. 321-724-0555.
maninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. brevardsym- 11 Space Coast Jazz Society presents A
Foosaner Art Museum – Radiant Messenger: phony.com 2 Space Coast Symphony and Aaron Collins Tribute to Cole Porter by the NY jazz
Drawings by China Marks exhibit, thru Jan. 7. lead Central Florida’s Messiah Sing Along, trio Under Hot Sun, 2 p.m. at Cocoa Beach
321-674-8916 19|20 ArtWorks of Eau Gal- 7 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Com- Country Club. $10 - $15. 321-960-4897 or
lie Fine Arts Festival, 10 munity in Melbourne. spacecoastsymphony.org spacecoastjazzsociety.org
EGAD First Friday in Eau Gallie Arts District a.m. to 5 p.m. around Highland Avenue, with
on Highland Ave., 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. every first 80-plus artists working en plein air, live mu- 2 Melbourne Chamber Music Society pres- 14|15 Melbourne Municipal
Friday; and Melbourne Main Street’s Friday sic, food vendors and simultaneous events at ents St. Lawrence String Quartet, 7:30 p.m. Band Winter Wonderland
Fest, 6 to 10 p.m. every second Friday. Free. Foosaner Art Museum and local galleries. Free. at St. Marks United Methodist Church in Indial- Concerts, 7:30 p.m. at Melbourne Auditorium.
eaugalliearts.com antic. melbournechambermusicsociety.org Free, but unwrapped toys and nonperishable
food items will be collected for South Brevard
Science Cafés hosted by Brevard Zoo and 20 Space Coast Symphony Orchestra 2-18 Henegar Center for the Arts in Sharing Center. 321-724-0555
Florida Institute of Technology, every second presents Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Melbourne presents A Christ-
Wednesday thru June at Duran Golf Club’s Sinfonia Antarctica, 3 p.m. at Scott Center for mas Story: The Musical. henegar.org 16-18 Historic Cocoa Village Play-
Tradewinds Restaurant, Melbourne. Free. Performing Arts in Melbourne. spacecoast- house Broadway Bonus
symphony.org 2-24 Melbourne Civic Theatre pres- Series presents Galmont Ballet’s The American
NOVEMBER ents A Tuna Christmas (week- Nutcracker. 321-636-5050
20 To January 1 - Space Coast Lightfest ends including Dec. 23). Mymct.org
18 Free Movie in the Park, Finding Dory, featuring 2.7 million holiday lights, 20 Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse Broad-
7:30 p.m. at Wickham Park hosted 6:30 to 10 p.m. nightly at Wickham Park in 3 Ocean Reef Beach Festival, 10 a.m. to way Bonus Series presents Michael Law,
by Brevard County Parks and Recreation; food Melbourne: Nov. 20 5K Run and Grand Light- 5 p.m. at Pelican Beach Park in Satellite The Holidays Unwrapped. 321-636-5050
trucks at 5:30 p.m. brevardcounty.us ing Ceremony; weekend Carriage Rides (res- Beach, with Chowder Cook-off, art vendors,
ervations required, 321-917-8752); Hay Rides marine education, live music, food and bever- 31 New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner and Dance,
18 To December 4 - Historic Cocoa Vil- every Thursday and Friday; Dec. 3 & 4 Stroll ages, and children’s activities. Free. oceanreef- 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Holiday Inn in
lage Playhouse presents the musical, Through the Lights (no cars); Jan 1 - Say Good beachfestival.com Viera hosted by Melbourne Municipal Band,
Meet Me in St. Louis. 321-636-5050 Bye to the Lights Stroll (no cars). Details/ tick- with hors d’oeuvres, sit-down dinner, dancing to
ets at Spacecoastlightfest.com 3 Barrier Island Center Dune-to-Lagoon 20-piece Swingtime band, floorshow by Swing-
Guided Hike, 1 p.m. with Master Natural- timers Vocal Trio, balloon drop and champagne
19 12th annual Golf Fundraiser to ben- 23 Dune-to-Lagoon Guided Hike, 10 a.m. ist Jay Barnhart. 321-723-3556 toast at midnight. $100. 321-339-7705.
efit the Melbourne Beach Volunteer from Maritime Hammock Sanctuary
Fire Dept., 8 a.m. shotgun start at Spessard with naturalist John Boltz. 321-723-3556 3 The Nutcracker, presented by Space Coast JANUARY 2017
Holland Golf Course followed by awards lunch. Ballet Company, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at King
$50 registration. 321-288-5507 30 Learn about early days of Melbourne Center for the Performing Arts. 321-242-2219 3-22 Riverside Theatre presents the
Beach and Indialantic from historian Broadway musical Chicago on
19 Restore Our Shore, 9 a.m. at Ryckman Frank Thomas, 1:30 p.m. at Barrier Island Cen- 7|8 Melbourne Community Orches- the Stark Stage. 772-231-6990
Park, a joint project with Surfrider ter. 321-723-3556 tra Holiday Celebration Concert,
and Barrier Island Center to replace native 7:30 p.m. at Melbourne Auditorium. Free. 6-8 Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse
plants and mulch lost during Hurricane Mat- DECEMBER 321-285-6724. presents Gibson’s dramatic play,
thew. 321-723-3556 The Miracle Worker. 321-636-5050
8 Tree Lighting at Melbourne Beach Town
19 Space Coast Home Show and Active 1 Seahawks Dancing Under the Stars, 7 Hall. Time TBD. 321-724-5860. 8 Space Coast Jazz Society presents
Living, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Viera Re- p.m. at Satellite Beach Civic Center, with Grammy winner Robert Navarro, 2 p.m.
gional Community Center, showcasing goods auction, food, beverages and entertainment to 10 Melbourne Beach Christmas Parade at Cocoa Beach Country Club to benefit SCJS
and services for home improvement, health benefit SouthBeach Seahawks Youth Football presented by Melbourne Beach Fire Student Jazz Workshops. $20. Spacecoast-
care and active living. Free. and Cheer Association. $15. Department. Time TBD. 321-724-5860. jazzsociety.org

19 2Casino Royale, 6:30 p.m. at Eau Gal- Margaritas for Mangroves, 6:30 p.m. at 10 Harbor City Harmonizers presents 11 Atlantic Classical Orchestra con-
lie Yacht Club, a Bond-themed casino Melbourne BMW, with tapas and mar- Sounds of the Season XIII, with The ducted by David Amado features
soloist Vyacheslav Gryaznov performing
Solutions from Games Pages ACROSS DOWN Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1, 6:40 p.m.
in November 10, 2016 Edition 5 SHORE 1 JOKE lecture; 7:30 p.m. concert at St. Edward’s
6 OFTEN 2 DESIRE School’s Waxlax Center for Performing Arts,
8 MATERIAL 3 FOLLOW Vero Beach. 772-460-0850
9 EELS 4 STRENGTH
10 RESCUE 5 STAGE 12 Indian River Symphonic Association
12 WAGONS 7 NYLON presents Prague Philharmonia, fea-
13 ASSENT 11 CHESTNUT turing violinist Sarah Chang, 7:30 p.m. at Com-
16 SPHERE 14 SNOOP munity Church of Vero Beach. 772-778-1070
18 SOFT 15 TICKET
19 CHARCOAL 16 SNAPPY
21 PAUSE 17 REACT
22 POINT 20 CHIP

Sudoku Page 5342 Sudoku Page 3535 Crossword Pagee5342 Crossword Page 5353(SWAPPING SPREE) 13-29 Henegar Center for the
Arts in Melbourne pres-
ents the romantic comedy, It Shoulda Been
You. henegar.org

CAREFREE LIVING, EXHILARATING VIEWS
IN UPGRADED OCEANFRONT CONDO

6307 South A1A, Apt. 253 in Melbourne Beach: 3 bedroom, 2-bath, 1658-square-foot, top-floor condo-
minium offered by Carola Mayerhoeffer of Treasure Coast Sotheby’s International Realty: 321-704-9769

42 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

REAL ESTATE

Carefree living in this upgraded oceanfront condo

BY MARIA CANFIELD
Correspondent

The next owner of the home located
in Melbourne Beach’s Sterling House
condominium complex will need to
do only one thing before enjoying
carefree, beachfront living – open
the front door. This fifth-floor corner
unit, which comes fully furnished,
was completely redone in the last
10 years with high-end features and
great attention to detail.

When you first enter the home, it’s
impossible not to be struck by what’s
outside; the sliding glass doors and
tall, wide windows provide an un-
surpassable view of the ocean. It
takes a while to turn your attention
away from the grandeur; once you do,
you’ll find there’s also much to ad-
mire inside the home.

There is diagonal large-tile flooring
throughout; in the living areas and
master bedroom, the tiles alternate
in color from cream to dark tan, for a
stylish, parquet-like effect. The spa-
cious living room – 24-foot by 14-foot
– enveloped on two sides by the stun-

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 43

ning view, allows for separate con- REAL ESTATE
versation zones; alternatively, part of
the room could serve as an office or
work space. The screened-in, beach-
view lanai, with its casual-feel knock-
down-textured walls and ceilings, is
accessible from both the living room
and the master bedroom.

The remodeled kitchen has quartz
countertops, known for being low-
maintenance: They are non-porous
and never require sealing. The coun-
tertops and backsplash – also quartz
– are an appealing shade of rose tan,
and blend beautifully with the plen-
tiful custom cabinetry. Many of the
appliances are built into cabinets, for
an organized, clutter-free look. The
laundry room is conveniently locat-
ed beyond the kitchen, tucked away
from the rest of the home.

Although the floor plan is open,
there is a formal dining room adja-
cent to both the kitchen and living
room. High-hat lighting abounds in
both the dining room and kitchen,
tying those two spaces together
nicely.

The 17-foot by 13-foot master bed-
room is light and airy, with the same
generously-proportioned windows
as are in the living room; the room
is angled in such a way to maximize
the impact of that gorgeous view.
There is a huge walk-in closet with
ample shelving, and the tiled en
suite bathroom has a large shower
and a mirrored, lighted Robern med-
icine cabinet.

The second bedroom – from which
you can see the river – has direct ac-
cess to the second full bathroom, a
very nice feature for overnight guests.
(There is also access into this bath-

VITAL STATISTICS
6307 SOUTH A1A, APT. 253

Community: Sterling House
Year Built: 1981

Construction: Concrete block
Home Size: 1,658 square feet

Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Views: Spectacular ocean vistas
Furniture: Included (art work
not included)
Additional Features: Com-
pletely remodeled, attractive
tile floors, quartz countertops,
upgraded PGT windows with
electric storm shutters, accor-
dion storm shutters on lanai,
new air conditioning system as
of June 2016
Listing Agency: Treasure Coast
Sotheby’s International Realty
Listing Agent: Carola Mayer-
hoeffer 321-704-9769
List Price: $524,999

44 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

REAL ESTATE

room from the hall.) The shower Sterling House is comprised of age space within the garage. The This home offers carefree, low-
and backsplash are tiled in varying three buildings, each with five lovely grounds are very well main- maintenance living; it could also be
shades of brown and tan, providing a floors. There are only three units per tained, and the common features in- an investment opportunity – rentals
striking mosaic effect. floor, so there isn’t the “motel feel” clude a sparkling solar-heated pool, are allowed, with just a one-month
that is sometimes present in condo- a pavilion with a gas barbeque – per- minimum.
The third bedroom could also be a minium homes. fect for planned or impromptu get-
den or an office; it has a built-in desk togethers – and a tennis court. There It is offered by Treasure Coast
with a granite top, and built-in shelv- Each building has its own garage, is, of course, private beach access. Sotheby’s International Realty for
ing for books, files, or decorative items. and each unit is provided with stor- $524,999. 

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 45

REAL ESTATE

Freddie Mac wants to KO traditional appraisals

BY KENNETH R. HARNEY agement practices appears to harken the second-largest retail mortgage system.” He’d like to see the industry
back to the loan production-driven lender, told me “we’re in support of move toward an approach that makes
Washington Post days in the years leading up to the doing something to alleviate the situ- maximum use of the huge property-
2007-2008 financial crisis” – abuses ation today,” where appraisal delays specific databases built up from pre-
Can computers, big data and ad- that “turned out to be disastrous for can cause rate locks to expire and vious appraisals along with inspec-
vanced analytics replace real live the entire economy,” the group wrote. closings to be postponed. tions when needed.
humans when it comes to accurately
valuing the house you want to buy? Veteran appraisers such as Pat Although “a large percentage of Where’s this all headed? We’ll be-
One of the two largest financial play- Turner of Richmond believe that loans do require an appraisal,” he gin to know in a few months. But
ers in U.S. real estate thinks so and is
preparing to introduce changes that abandoning traditional valuation said, others could be safely under- don’t expect appraisers to suddenly
could prove momentous – and highly practices will leave Freddie Mac es- written with a combination of strong disappear. The best of them add es-
controversial. sentially “flying blind” in many in- previous valuation data on the prop- sential value to the process of telling
stances. In a phone interview, he said erty possibly combined with a “walk- a lender or investor what a house is
Giant mortgage investor Freddie he has inspected houses where the in- through” inspection. truly worth, based on up-to-the-
Mac plans to dispense with tradition- terior damage and neglect have been minute market information and a
al appraisals on some loan applica- so extensive – none of it on public re- Bill Dallas, chairman and chief ex- hands-on physical inspection – ser-
tions for home purchases, replacing cords or visible to automated systems ecutive of Skyline Financial in Cala- vices no computer can perform, at
them with an alternative valuation – that the differences in market value basas, Calif., calls the traditional use least not yet. 
system that would be free to both arrived at by a computer compared of appraisers “a really screwed-up
lenders and borrowers. The compa- with a trained professional are po-
ny confirmed to me last week that it tentially catastrophic for any inves-
may begin the no-appraisal concept tor. Similarly, without an inspection,
as early as next spring. Instead of us- an automated valuation might not
ing professional appraisers, Freddie reflect whatever significant improve-
plans to tap into what it says is a vast ments you’ve made that are not on
trove of data it has assembled on mil- any public records.
lions of houses nationwide, supple-
ment that with additional, unspeci- For years an outspoken critic of
fied information related to valuation, the popular but frequently inaccu-
and use the results in its assessments rate automated valuation systems
of applications. offered free by Zillow and other web-
sites, Turner asked, “When was the
For consumers, the company be- last time a Zillow computer walked
lieves, this could not only eliminate into your house?” Computerized es-
appraisal expenses – which typically timates “can’t tell you everything you
range from $350 to $600 or more – need to know about value,” he said.
but also cut down on closing delays
attributable to appraisals. It could But Freddie’s idea has strong de-
also relieve lenders of their burdens fenders in the mortgage industry. Jay
of responsibility for the accuracy of Farner, president of Quicken Loans,
appraisals – a major sore point with
banks that sell loans to Freddie sub-
ject to potential buyback demands if
significant errors are later found in
appraisals.

But critics argue that Freddie is
headed down a perilous road. Do-
ing away with formal appraisals by
trained professionals could massive-
ly increase the company’s exposure
to losses on defaults, they say, and
would likely end up being paid for
by American taxpayers. Reliance on
publicly available data without care-
ful physical inspections of properties
verges on “craziness,” said Joe Ada-
maitis, residential lending manager
for Insignia Bank in Sarasota, Fla.
“We would never allow it here.”

Not surprisingly, appraisers who
know about the plans are up in arms.
The Chicago-based Appraisal Insti-
tute, the largest professional group
in the valuation field, has written to
Freddie Mac’s regulator, Mel Watt, di-
rector of the Federal Housing Finance
Agency, urging him to take a hard
look. Freddie Mac’s “decision to veer
away from fundamental risk man-

46 Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

REAL ESTATE

Real Estate Sales on South Brevard island: Nov. 4 to 10

Election week saw real estate activity in the two South Brevard island zip codes, 32951 and 32903, slow to a
crawl.
There were no sales at all last week in Melbourne Beach, and only two properties closed in 32903. The
top sale of the week there was of townhome with three bedrooms in Indialantic. The property at 1045
Wavecrest Avenue in Indialantic by the Sea was placed on the market with an asking price of $405,000. The
transaction closed Nov. 5 for $405,000.
Both the seller and the purchaser in the transaction were represented by Joanie Shepherd of Prominent
Properties of Florida.

SALES FOR 32903

SUBDIVISION ADDRESS LISTED ORIGINAL MOST RECENT SOLD SELLING
ASKING PRICE ASKING PRICE PRICE

$405,000
INDIALANTIC BY SEA 1045 WAVECREST AVE 10/31/2012 $405,000 $405,000 11/4/2012 $194,900
255 PARADISE BLVD 22 9/29/2012 $199,900 $199,900 11/3/2012

Secret payoff schemes – and their cost to consumers

BY KENNETH R. HARNEY reau’s constitutionality. ferrals practices that are widespread in reau’s investigative efforts, it said, “it
Washington Post The constitutional challenge fo- the real estate industry, the ruling has appears that many [marketing services
called into question the legitimacy of agreements] are designed to evade RE-
A recent decision by a federal appel- cused on the unusual structure of the the bureau’s regulatory interpretations SPA’s prohibitions against kickbacks
late court is casting new light on prac- bureau, which is headed by a single di- on “marketing services agreements” and unearned fees.”
tices in the real estate field that buyers rector who can be terminated only “for and certain “affiliated business” rela-
and sellers often know little about: cre- cause.” The court agreed with PHH tionships. As a result of the bureau’s statement,
ative, under-the-table payoff schemes on the statutory-interpretation issue, some major lenders said that they were
among realty brokers, mortgage lend- vacated the fine and ruled that hence- In a typical marketing services terminating whatever marketing ser-
ers and title companies that can stifle forth the CFPB director would be like agreement, a title company or lender vices arrangements they had to avoid
market competition and raise settle- other executive branch agency heads: agrees to pay a real estate broker or an the risk of being hit with penalties by
ment costs to consumers by hundreds removable by the president at will. individual agent fees for promotional the CFPB.
or even thousands of dollars. assistance – say, by prominently dis-
Created by Congress in the Dodd- playing a title company’s brochures or But now, in the wake of the PHH
The court case involved a $109 mil- Frank Wall Street Reform and Con- actively making recommendations to decision that calls into question the
lion fine levied against mortgage sumer Protection Act of 2010, the bu- home buyers about the benefits of us- CFPB’s interpretations of RESPA, there
lender PHH by the Consumer Finan- reau has substantial oversight powers. ing its services. The money involved are concerns in the industry that some
cial Protection Bureau for allegedly During its short life, the CFPB has lev- can be significant – thousands of dol- companies no longer will feel con-
violating the federal real estate anti- ied fines or provided financial relief to lars a month in some cases. One title strained and may return to old referral-
kickback statute through its mortgage consumers totaling what it estimates agency head who refuses to participate scheme practices or invent new ones.
insurance operations. PHH disputed to be in excess of $11 billion from in such arrangements, Todd Ewing of
the charges and filed suit, challenging banks and other entities accused of il- Federal Title & Escrow, told me that One legal expert on RESPA, Marx
not only the CFPB’s interpretation of legal activities. the “going rate” for marketing services Sterbcow of New Orleans, told me, “My
the anti-kickback law but also the bu- that was quoted to him by a brokerage fear is that we’re going to see [compa-
Although the PHH case did not di- firm in the Washington, D.C., area was nies] think, ‘OK, now there are no more
rectly involve the types of fees-for-re- $15,000 per month. In exchange, the rules,’ ’’ which might lead to a resur-
brokerage firm would steer new buyers gence of illegal payoff schemes.
to Ewing’s title firm.
What can you do to avoid settlement
Mark Greene, a loan originator for cost rip-offs? Sterbcow recommends
HomeBridge Financial Services in New you ask this question of any realty agent
Jersey, says that some large realty bro- who seems to be nudging you toward
kerage firms essentially “put it out for a specific title agency or lender: “Does
bid”: They ask lenders who would like your broker or do you have any type of
to receive referrals from their agents, business relationship with this com-
“What do you offer us?” pany?” Ask for any written disclosure
about the relationship, which may be
“It goes to the highest bidder,” he tucked away with other boilerplate doc-
told me in an interview. uments you received, and easy to miss.

Late last year, the CFPB issued a Most important of all: Always shop
stern warning about marketing servic- the market aggressively for your mort-
es agreements: Large numbers of them gage, title and settlement services.
may violate the anti-kickback law, the Compare quotes. When service provid-
Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, ers aren’t paying for what may amount
known as RESPA. Based on the bu- to referrals, they often can offer you
better prices. 

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | November 17, 2016 47

REAL ESTATE

Trying to sell a condo? What you REALLY need to know

BY KENNETH R. HARNEY
Washington Post

Call it a housing policy head fake, allow the lower owner-occupancy ects or consumers who want to buy said the request for three years of “ac-
one with potentially painful conse- threshold. Condo boards of direc- or sell units. ceptable” financial documents “is a
quences for moderate-income buy- tors will have to document that their Pandora’s box of ways” to reject an
ers, sellers and seniors in condomin- project’s financial reserves equal 20 Christopher L. Gardner, manag- application.
ium projects around the country. If percent or more of their budget and ing member of California-based FHA
you were thinking about purchasing that no more than 10 percent of all Pros, told me the 20 percent reserves Jon Eberhardt, president of Condo
a condo unit with a low-down-pay- units are in arrears on homeowner requirement alone is a “deal killer.” Approvals, based in Torrance, Calif.,
ment FHA mortgage in the coming dues. They also must provide three told me, “I don’t know one [project]
year, this may affect you. years of “acceptable” financial doc- “I can probably count on two that would fit” into FHA’s combined
uments for review. hands the number of associations requirements. “Not one. It’s egre-
Last week, ostensibly yielding to a I’ve seen that reserve 20 percent,” gious,” he said.
congressional mandate to make con- How many noncertified condo he said. “Homeowners hate [having]
sumer-friendly Federal Housing Ad- projects can meet these tests? I asked their dues increased,” and condo Philip J. Sutcliffe, owner of Proj-
ministration mortgages more widely FHA spokesman Brian Sullivan, who boards “hate to vote for increases ect Support Services in Philadelphia,
available in condominiums, the gov- said in an email that although the because they want to stay on the who favors retention of the 50 percent
ernment announced a move to do agency is not certain, it believes that board.” Locating projects that meet owner-occupancy standard, said
precisely that: Starting immediately, “many well-managed developments all the new criteria, he said, would “very few, if any” projects will be able
projects with fewer than half of their will indeed qualify for the lower 35 be “like finding a unicorn holding a to pass the tests announced by FHA.
units occupied by owners may be eli- percent threshold.” four-leaf clover.”
gible for certification for FHA financ- Bottom line: Congress may have
ing. Under “certain circumstances,” Sounds great. The million-member Rusty McInerney, president of In- instructed FHA to increase the num-
the government said, projects with National Association of Realtors cer- terIsland Mortgage of Bradenton, ber of condo units available for mod-
rates of owner occupancy as low as 35 tainly thought so. Its president, Tom Fla., which has conducted more than erate-income buyers, but apparently
percent might now be eligible. Salomone, hailed FHA’s policy switch 56,000 reviews of condo financials, FHA had a different idea. 
as “a big win.”
Currently, the minimum owner-
occupancy ratio is 50 percent, a level But a closer look suggests some-
that critics in Congress and the real thing starkly different. FHA has cre-
estate industry believe excludes too ated test criteria that appear virtually
many first-time and minority buyers guaranteed to flunk most condo proj-
from access to FHA financing. FHA ects that might like to take advantage
insists it needs such a threshold to of the loosened standard.
avoid defaults and losses on mort-
gages. In July, legislation that passed I spoke with the heads of four of
Congress unanimously gave FHA 90 the best-known consulting firms
days to lower its owner-occupancy that work with condo boards nation-
minimum to 35 percent or provide wide to attain FHA certifications and
“justification” for keeping it higher. with a top official of the Community
Associations Institute, which repre-
That was important because histor- sents more than 30,000 homeown-
ically, FHA has been the go-to option ers associations and management
for consumers with modest resourc- companies. Everyone agreed: FHA’s
es. In some markets, FHA financing policy change won’t help many proj-
once accounted for upward of three-
quarters of first-time purchases. In
addition, its reverse-mortgage pro-
gram accounts for an estimated 90-
plus percent of all such loans made to
seniors needing to supplement their
retirement incomes.

In recent years, however, the agen-
cy has severely tightened eligibility
requirements for condominiums and
has experienced drastic declines in
the volume of condo loans as a result.
Less than 10 percent of the estimated
150,000 potentially eligible condo-
minium projects in the country are
now certified for FHA financing,
according to the Community Asso-
ciations Institute, a trade group. If a
project is not certified by the FHA, no
individual units within it can qualify
for one of its loans.

Now for the head fake: In its an-
nouncement, FHA spelled out the
conditions under which it would

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