01/07/2021 ISSUE 01

Undersheriff Harpring, cleared
of wrongdoing, retires. P10
Brightline restarts
work on tracks. P14
What you need to know

about COVID vaccine rollout. P7

For breaking news visit

Frustration as thousands here seek scarce vaccinations New COVID-19
cases set another
BY MICHELLE GENZ record last week
Staff Writer

Forget vaccine clinics. What PHOTO BY BRENDA AHEARN BY LISA ZAHNER
the county’s 65-and-over pop- Staff Writer
ulation really needs now are Danica Zamarripa (right) of TCCH administers a shot of COVID-19 vaccine to Randy Burns-Baker of Vero at county fairgrounds.
blood pressure clinics, after Indian River County did not
last week’s first public offer- The deluge of calls along seniors seeking protection Saturday as, one by one, the start off 2021 on the right foot
ing of the COVID-19 vaccine with a short supply of the vac- from the virus. fortunate 500 people who did in terms of COVID-19 statis-
cine ended up frustrating or manage to sign up to be vacci- tics, setting new weekly re-
Wendy Grow receives vaccine at CCIRH. even infuriating hundreds if At the same time, there nated by a team from Treasure cords as 804 additional people
not thousands of Vero Beach were tears of joy at the Indi- tested positive for the corona-
turned into a frenzy of futile an River County fairgrounds CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 virus, including 56 on the bar-
phone calls – at a rate of sev- rier island.
eral thousand per hour – to
Cleveland Clinic Florida’s vac- The county’s average daily
cine appointment line. case count of 114 over the past
week was more than double
the average of 55 cases per day
during the July summer surge.

The rate of positives discov-
ered among those tested for the
virus last week ranged as high
as a whopping 26.42 percent
on Dec. 28, with the typical day
reporting between 14 percent
and 15 percent positive. For a
span of several months, that
number had almost never
reached double digits.

Thirty-seven people were
newly hospitalized in the week

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

MY Vero should move forward with Hawk’s Nest golf course now ranked one of Florida’s best
VERO
development of lagoon-front property BY RAY MCNULTY
Staff Writer
BY RAY MCNULTY velopers salivating over an op-
Staff Writer portunity to erode our small- For the first time since The
town ambiance. Moorings acquired financially
The “Keep Vero Vero” crowd troubled Hawk’s Nest in 2015,
looks at the 35 acres of lagoon- The folks who want to make the mainland golf course ranks
front property at the intersec- Vero better, meanwhile, see among the best in the state of
tion of 17th Street and Indian that same miscast patch of real Florida, according to at least
River Boulevard, and sees de- estate as a chance to create the
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

January 7, 2021 Volume 14, Issue 1 Newsstand Price $1.00 Revelers ring in
New Year with
News 1-14 Editorial 34 People 15-28 TO ADVERTISE CALL optimism. P16
Arts 43-48 Games 37-39 Pets 66 772-559-4187
Books 36 Health 49-56 Real Estate 67-80
Dining 60-63 Insight 29-42 Style 57-59 FOR CIRCULATION
CALL 772-226-7925

© 2021 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved.

2 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Hawks Nest balanced test of golf this wonderful new entry in Florida,” Gruber said. “I’m and what was then Hawk’s Nest Golf
Florida course represents.” thrilled, but I can’t say I’m surprised. Club began to struggle financially, as did
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 many other golf clubs across America.
The Moorings Golf Director Bob “Everybody who has played this
one influential golf industry website. Gruber said Bender’s reaction was course knows how great Hawk’s Nest is.” By the time Gruber was hired as the
Hawk’s Nest at The Moorings was No. typical of golfers who play the 18-hole, club’s general manager and golf direc-
championship-caliber Hawk’s Nest Gruber said the course, designed tor in 2014, the course was in decline
30 in Top100GolfCourses.com’s recently course for the first time. by highly regarded architect Jim Fazio – so much so that he stopped allowing
released, biennial rankings of Flori- and built in 1987, often received in- raters from industry publications to
da’s 1,300 courses. Indeed, he said he fully expects the dustry recognition into the early review it.
course, which has been refurbished 2000s, despite being overshadowed by
“Without question, the Hawk’s Nest but not redesigned since becoming a John’s Island West, Orchid Island and, “You can’t un-see something once
at The Moorings is the best course in part of The Moorings Yacht & Country later, Quail Valley. you’ve seen it,” Gruber said, “and the
Florida I had never heard of,” wrote Club, to start appearing in other golf course was in such poor shape.”
Marc Bender, who runs three golf-relat- publications’ rankings. (Top100’s current Florida rankings
ed businesses in the state and serves as had John’s Island West at No. 8, Quail Under The Moorings’ banner for the
a rater on Top100’s course review team. “These rankings help significantly in Valley at No. 35, Orchid Island at No. past five years, however, the Hawk’s
terms of branding and notoriety, and the 92 and RedStick at No. 93.) Nest course has enjoyed a renaissance.
“I was shocked at what a solid and Hawk’s Nest course is the highest-ranked
But in 2008, the recession hit hard, After initially clearing some of the
underbrush along the fairways, cre-
ating bail-out areas and adding tees
to make a still-challenging layout
less punitive and more playable, The
Moorings replaced the course’s Tifway
419 grass with Celebration Bermuda-
grass during the summer of 2018.

Gruber said the Celebration grass
has become popular with many Flor-
ida golf clubs because it is “heartier”
and more resistant to shade, drought
and nematodes.

“Jim Fazio’s designs are timeless,”
Gruber said. “The difference now is
that we now have the staff and re-
sources to properly and fully maintain
the course, so, for the past couple of
years, we’ve been ready to show it off.”

In fact, Gruber said he began invit-
ing raters from golf publications to
test drive the Hawk’s Nest course.

Already, though, The Moorings’ ac-
quisition of the Hawk’s Nest course
has paid dividends, attracting new
and younger members to the club,
which also operates The Moorings
course, a shorter waterside Pete Dye-
designed layout within the barrier is-
land country club community.

“To have two terrific-but-different
courses that complement each other
is the best of all worlds – a win-win for
everyone,” Gruber said, adding that
the addition of the Hawk’s Nest course
hasn’t diminished the appeal of The
Moorings course.

“With the new members we’ve
brought in, along with the Hawk’s
Nest members who were given a great
deal to come over, we’re pushing our
maximum membership.

“Sometimes, one plus one equals

more than two.” 

My Vero

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

waterfront dining, nightlife, retail and
recreation destination our mainland
sorely lacks.

I look at the home of the city’s shut-
tered power plant and soon-to-be-relo-
cated wastewater treatment facility, and
see the old Dodgertown golf course.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 3

NEWS

Remember what happened there, they decide the fate of this project: If Vero Beach would be better served by shop retail stores, boutique hotel, pic-
after the city bought the 35-acre par- done right, the finished product would another Riverside Park, and fearlessly nic area and, perhaps, a band shell for
cel, which contained the defunct nine- change the face of Vero Beach and be- seize this wonderful opportunity to do concerts.
hole golf course, from the Los Angeles come as much a part of our commu- something extraordinary.
Dodgers for $9.9 million in 2005? nity’s fabric as downtown and the Cen- If there’s room for a wading pool and
tral Beach business district. The final plan doesn’t need to sat- a couple of beach-volleyball courts,
Nothing. isfy everyone – because it won’t – but it that’s fine, too. The same goes for a boat
The property sat idle for more than But they must proceed. should include a boardwalk and a se- barn, even a food truck area.
14 years while control of the City They must continue to push for- ries of pathways that provide access to
Council shifted with almost every elec- ward, despite the opposition that’s waterfront dining, afternoon cocktails But do we really need a convention
tion, ensuring any discussion of devel- sure to come from those who think and nightlife, as well as a marina, small- center?
opment was derailed and that the only
improvements involved a lawn mower. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
To this day, it remains an empty field
nobody uses – even now, 18 months af-
ter the city sold the property to the coun-
ty, which pretends it’s a park but wanted
the land only to accommodate overflow
parking for special events at the neigh-
boring Jackie Robinson Training Com-
plex, formerly known as Dodgertown.
Is there any reason to believe our
city leaders will do anything differ-
ent with the lagoon-front parcels in
the shadow of the western end of the
Alma Lee Loy Bridge?
I have serious doubts.
At the moment, as our community
continues to feel the effects of the
coronavirus pandemic, no construc-
tion of any kind is expected on the site
until at least 2022. Don’t be surprised,
though, if city officials continue to de-
lay discussions and decisions regard-
ing the project.
We’re already more than a year into
this venture, which included a char-
rette process the city’s hired consul-
tant used to produce a well-received
conceptual plan, followed by a COV-
ID-inspired revision that will prompt
more public input and hearings.
That input and those hearings al-
most certainly will result in additional
changes – because not everyone here
agrees on what a new, lagoon-front
gathering place should include.
So, when city officials say they expect
to adopt a master plan in the coming
months, they’re being incredibly opti-
mistic. Or naïve. Or maybe they’re just
saying what they believe we want to hear.
Whatever the case, much of the
property is protected by the City Char-
ter, which limits its use to governmen-
tal and recreational purposes, meaning
any changes – to include commercial
activity such as restaurants, shops or a
hotel in the plan, for instance – must
be approved by voters.
City officials had hoped to put one
such referendum – covering the initial
phase of the project – on the ballot
this past November, but they opted to
delay the vote until 2021 after the con-
sultant presented them with COVID-
related revisions to the plan in August.
History tells us more postponements
are coming, and that progress will come
slowly.
Not that you can blame city offi-
cials for wanting to proceed thought-
fully, deliberately and cautiously as

4 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

My Vero vent that kind of over-development, Tragically, the deaths of six people Clinic Indian River website, she found
despite the residential and commer- from complications of COVID-19 were the vaccine appointment phone
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 cial growth we’ve been experiencing. reported. number and called it 200 times, she
said, before it finally gave her a sec-
Or an artist colony? Developing that prime stretch of Thankfully, nearly 2,000 doses of the ond number for Indian River vaccina-
I’m not sure apartment buildings are lagoon-front property into Centennial Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were ad- tions. It took another 75 calls before
a good fit, unless they’re built on the for- Place – or whatever it will ultimately ministered to local seniors, front-line someone finally picked up.
mer Post Office Annex property on the be named – doesn’t move us closer to healthcare workers and nursing home
southwest corner of the intersection. South Florida, and it won’t make Vero residents, giving them some amount Just as the agent on the phone had
As for the revised plan: It’s ridicu- less Vero. Vero Beach already has by of protection from getting severely ill wrapped up her registration and was
lous to consider the impacts of COV- far the nicest oceanfront district along from the virus in the coming weeks as looking for an appointment time, the
ID-19 when designing a complex that this stretch of coast, with 4-star re- they await their second vaccine doses. call was disconnected. Grow, beyond
won’t be built until the pandemic is a sorts, fine restaurants and high-end exasperated, set down her phone and
distant memory. boutiques in its postcard-perfect sea- Among the direct-contact caregiv- walked away. A few minutes later, she
What matters more is that the plan side village, but it has nothing remote- ers vaccinated at Cleveland Clinic were picked it up again. There was a voice-
requires everything to be built in a ly like the thriving riverfront dining, five paramedics on the Indian River mail, from a different number – it was
park-like setting that complements entertainment and business districts Shores Public Safety Department staff, the agent, calling her from his own
the lagoon’s natural beauty, embraces in Stuart, Fort Pierce and other towns and 62 firemedics from Indian River cellphone. “The system crashed,” he
our community’s small-town charm to the north and south. said. “I went ahead and made you an
and enhances our quality of life. County Fire-Rescue.  appointment for Monday.”
Clearly, the potential is there for Vero However, it could have, and a well-
Beach to do something special, and it’s designed and executed project would Vaccine sign-up frustrating “He’s my hero,” said Grow. “I felt like
exciting to think about. greatly enhance the city. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 a teenager calling a radio station hun-
When I do, however, I still see the dreds of times for a concert ticket I
Dodgertown Golf Club and remember No matter how you look at it, doing Coast Community Health pulled over couldn’t afford. And then I finally won
how city officials did nothing there for nothing is the wrong thing. and parked next to idling ambulances a ticket!”
14 years. They can’t afford to do the in case they had a reaction to the vac-
same here, regardless of the pressure We’ve seen it before.  cine. Barbara Bachmann du Pont, like
they might get from the “Keep Vero many other local residents, wasn’t so
Vero” crowd. COVID-19 cases set record The required 15-minute wait gave lucky. She tried calling the Cleveland
Nobody wants to see our commu- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 them a chance to absorb not just the Clinic for two hours last week, only
nity morph into another Fort Lauder- vaccine, but a first ray of hope that the getting a busy signal or being discon-
dale or even Port St. Lucie, and local before press time Monday, and the end of the pandemic may finally be in nected. Du Pont is desperate for a vac-
zoning restrictions are in place to pre- daily count of people hospitalized sight. cine, not only for herself but for her
crept up past 50 at times and hov- husband and the home health aides
ered in the mid-40s much of the week. “It was the best shot I ever had,” said who care for him.
Rosie Haas, 71, a retired technology
teacher at Oslo Middle School. Haas Hal du Pont, who is in his 80s with
clicked a link from a Facebook post to several serious medical conditions
get her appointment with TCCH. Min- that put him at high risk for severe
utes later, when she tried to get a spot COVID-19 disease, has required
for her husband, they were all filled. “I round-the-clock care for years, mean-
knew I was going to get it, but I wasn’t ing multiple nursing aides are in and
expecting it so soon.” out of the house in shifts several times
a day.
A larger-than-expected shipment of
2,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine “It’s so frustrating,” said Barbara du
reached the county health depart- Pont. “I spoke with the director of the
ment last Tuesday. The shipment was home health agency and he’s equally
intended to cover healthcare workers frustrated.”
and emergency responders, but 500
left-over doses were handed off to Du Pont is concerned that current
TCCH for residents 65 and over. vaccination setups requiring waits of
an hour and half or more may be a
Separately but in the same time- challenge for Hal if she is able to get
frame, Cleveland Clinic Florida hospi- him an appointment.
tals received a batch of the same vac-
cine and set up a phone line to handle “I guess he could go through a
calls from people 65 and older seeking drive-through if it didn’t take too long,
a vaccination. The vaccine would be but he sure can’t wait for hours in a
offered to qualifying patients of the line somewhere,” Du Pont said.
health system at locations in Broward,
Palm Beach, Martin and Indian River She has tried to register her hus-
counties. band through her home health agen-
cy. “I believe they have the ability to
A press release about the Cleveland put patients on a list, but that was
Clinic vaccine went out to media out- days ago, and nobody’s contacted me
lets just minutes before county resi- or called me.”
dents’ phones pinged with texts from
Alert Indian River, an emergency no- As of Monday, home healthcare
tification system, that the TCCH vac- nurses had not had much success get-
cine clinic was taking place at the fair- ting access to vaccines, according to
grounds. Natalie Kornicks Savadge of Indian
River Home Care, a different agency
Wendy Grow, a social worker with from the du Ponts’. “We are in and out
Indian River County’s Economic Op- of the homes of a very vulnerable pop-
portunities Council, saw the Cleve- ulation,” she said. “You would think it
land Clinic news on WPTV, the local would make sense to reach out to us.”
NBC affiliate. Checking the Cleveland
Lundy Fields, CEO of the VNA, said
43 VNA staffers have been vaccinated
through Cleveland Clinic Indian River

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 5

NEWS

so far. “Caregivers serving long-term ago; as of last weekend, they had yet former Grace Rehab, has started the assisted living and independent living
care homes are first,” he said. to hear of the follow-up dose being vaccination process. have not yet been scheduled.
scheduled.
The vaccine is finally making it Willowbrooke Court, the nursing At press time Monday, that ap-
into local nursing homes. The fam- Consulate of Vero staff and patients home section of Indian River Estates, peared to be the case at most if not all
ily of one resident at Palm Garden also have been offered the vaccine, as was expecting to get the vaccine for assisted living facilities in Indian River
said those in the nursing home who have those at Florida Baptist’s skilled patients and staff on Jan. 7, a spokes- County. At least one facility sent a let-
wanted the vaccine got it three weeks nursing component. Orchid Cove, the man said. Vaccinations for those in
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

6 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Vaccine sign-up frustrating Nearly all long-term care facilities in wants to contract for 1,000 nurses Cleveland put dedicated vaccine
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 the state have signed on with CVS or to help with inoculations. As he did scheduling lines in place for the Flori-
Walgreens to stage vaccine clinics on- previously with COVID-19 testing, he da region, but they were overwhelmed
ter to residents encouraging them to site for their residents. The pharmacy intends to send emergency response last week. Now Cleveland Clinic says
get vaccinated elsewhere should doses giants will be getting vaccines directly teams into long-term care facilities to it’s “optimizing” its ability to schedule
become available. from the federal government, separate help with vaccine delivery. vaccines and is working to create an
from local health departments and online registration platform – though
Here and around the state, assisted hospital shipments. For Cleveland Clinic Indian River as of Monday, it had used up all the
living facilities have expressed frustra- Hospital executives – and patients – vaccine allotted to it so far.
tion at losing their place in line when Of late, COVID-19 infection in long- the phone issue was deja vu. Last fall,
Gov. Ron DeSantis decided in December term care residents and staff has soared chronic busy signals and dropped Cleveland Clinic Indian River hos-
to go against CDC vaccine priorities and in Florida, with current resident cases calls plagued hospital-owned physi- pital suspended its vaccine schedul-
the state’s own plan and allow people 65 up 122 percent in a month to 3,287, cian practices for two months after ing Monday after booking 2,000 vac-
and over to get the vaccine, even as more and staff cases up 61 percent, to 2,802. the launch of new electronic health re- cinations. It will resume scheduling as
vulnerable populations in eldercare cords software. Finally, in mid-Decem- soon as it gets another shipment.
homes are still waiting to be scheduled. Monday, the governor threatened ber, the hospital linked to a centralized
to withhold vaccines from hospitals appointments phone center in Weston. The state also has an online reg-
that take too long to deliver it. He also istry in development, according to
a Martin County health department
official who spoke at a news con-
ference over the weekend, but that
wasn’t mentioned at the governor’s
Monday press conference. Similar
platforms in Hillsborough and Pinel-
las counties crashed within hours of
launch on Monday.

Up until last week, hospitals were
shouldering the financial burden of
vaccine delivery with only minimal
support from the government. The
CDC sent states a combined $340 mil-
lion to help with vaccination costs,
but there was universal agreement the
process would cost much more.

Now, the recently signed CARES Act
has allotted $8 billion for vaccine de-
livery, lending hope that things may
soon smooth out, especially as vac-
cine makers speed up production.
Monday, Moderna announced it was
raising its minimum production in
2021 by 20 percent.

As of Sunday, Cleveland Clinic Flor-
ida had vaccinated nearly 5,700 peo-
ple across the region, including 4,111
caregivers and 1,583 patients, accord-
ing to a spokesman.

Wendy Grow’s Monday morning ap-
pointment at Cleveland Clinic Indian
River was the last appointment avail-
able that day, she was told in the voice-
mail left by the appointments agent
who called her back on his cellphone
after they were disconnected Thursday.

When the time came, vaccinations
at the hospital were running behind.
“A lot of people were standing out-
side,” Grow said. “They had to bring
extra chairs.”

With her mask on and the line mov-
ing, Grow made it through the hospi-
tal’s main entrance to a hallway off the
lobby. There, she filled out a registra-
tion form, then waited in another hall-
way before going into a room where
the vaccination would take place. Af-
ter the shot, she was shuttled to an-
other room to make an appointment
for the second shot a month from now.

Asked how she felt when it was over,
Grow said she was hungry but other-
wise OK. “It hurt a little when they first
did the injection, but so far so good.
It’s a great feeling to know I’m helping

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 7

NEWS

to rid the world of this devastating vi- kind of made a little outing out of it,” mer and fall, were filled with people far a vaccine that could save their lives.
rus.” she said. glummer than Saturday’s crowd. “I had no idea what to expect,” said

Rosie Haas’ experience at the fair- “I was nervous when we left the house, For six months, the fairgrounds Haas of the vaccine drive-through. “But
grounds wasn’t quite as much fun as a but by the time we got there, I was calm.” have been the site of TCCH’s free everyone was so pleasant, and it was so
visit to the Firefighters Fair, which had COVID-19 testing, and people who well-organized. And I liked that we had
to be canceled last March due to COV- Haas was glad to see the fairgrounds showed up were waiting for a nose to wait 15 minutes at the end – that was
ID-19. But at least she avoided the roll- set-up was a drive-through, just as swab that could bring bad news, smart. And then off we went. Now we
er coaster ride endured by thousands it had been since June – though cars rather than rolling up their sleeves for
of residents who clicked on the sign- that lined up earlier, during the sum- just need to get one for my husband.” 
up link after she did – hopeful after
seeing the availability announcement What you need to know about rollout of COVID vaccines
text Tuesday evening but crushed min-
utes later when they learned that all BY LISA ZAHNER Zoom seminars and fields questions women, because it was not specifically
500 doses were spoken for. Staff Writer from doctors, nurses and caregivers tested on those groups. A handful of
from all over the country – and even women enrolled in the clinical trials
The names of people who clicked on Confused, or even frustrated about these professionals have lots and lots got pregnant during the trials, but their
the sign-up link were logged through the COVID-19 vaccine rollout? You are of questions. Vero Beach 32963 staff- babies have not been born yet. Preg-
to the county’s emergency operations not alone. ers have been taking these online nant women wanting to be vaccinated
center, transposed onto a spreadsheet training courses and listening in to should consult their obstetrician.
by the emergency management co- After the U.S. Food and Drug Ad- the Zoom seminars to learn what our
ordinator and sent to Treasure Coast ministration issued the Emergency readers need to know. Other than a few special cases where
Community Health to be collated with Use Authorizations for the Pfizer and the vaccine was tested on people with
available appointments. Moderna vaccines, it became the Cen- Who can and should get the vac- AIDS and hepatitis, neither vaccine has
ters for Disease Control and Preven- cine? Right now, people age 65 and been tested on people with autoim-
Haas found the process stunning- tion’s job to educate healthcare work- older can get the vaccine – if you can mune conditions. So people with lupus,
ly simple. After clicking on the link, ers about every aspect of the vaccines score an appointment – plus frontline rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis
she filled out her name and scrolled – from a rundown of what’s in them healthcare workers are also being vac- and other conditions that affect im-
through three time slots before she and how they work, to practical han- cinated in the first phase of the vac- mune function, or people with compro-
found one that was free: 1:45 p.m. Sat- dling instructions, side-effect tracking cine rollout. Those are the two sets of mised immune systems due to medical
urday. and follow-up care. populations at the core of the effort treatment, should talk to their doctor.
right now.
“I’m getting a vaccine,” she said to In addition to the CDC’s online The Pfizer vaccine has been ap-
her husband in astonishment. training courses for those administer- Neither vaccine has been officially proved on an emergency-use basis for
ing the two vaccines, the agency holds approved for pregnant or lactating
When Saturday rolled around, the CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
couple grabbed their masks, put the
top down on the convertible, and
headed out to the fairgrounds. “We



Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 9

NEWS

What you need to know vaccine. Others must weigh the risks cine administration site for at least 15 ering to the vaccine site, and the per-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 versus the benefits of getting the vac- minutes after getting the shot to make son giving you the vaccine will also be
cine. Those risks will be explained by sure medical help is on-hand in case wearing a mask. Don’t be alarmed if
people age 16 and older, the Moderna healthcare personnel, and you will be a reaction occurs. People who previ- they are also wearing a face shield and
vaccine for those 18 and older. So, un- asked a series of questions about prior ously have had severe allergic reac- gloves, as this protective equipment
less your child’s pediatrician specifi- allergic reactions before receiving the tions will typically be asked to stay for is recommended by the CDC. They
cally orders a minor to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Your answers will determine 30 minutes, just to be safe. should change gloves and wash their
vaccination, it’s for adults and older what happens from there. hands between each administration
teens only at this point. That’s because People who are prone to passing out of the vaccine.
the clinical trials have not collected You should also tell the vaccine pro- after getting a shot (called Vasovagal
enough data yet on the vaccine’s effects vider if you have a fever, if you have Syncope) also might be asked to stay After the shot, you will be handed a
on kids. Clinical trials involving young- any sort of bleeding disorder or are for 30 minutes to make sure they don’t vaccination card stating the date you
er volunteers are underway but won’t taking blood thinner, if you are immu- pass out while driving home. It also were vaccinated, which vaccine you
be completed for several months. nocompromised, pregnant, breast- might be best to have someone drive received, and other information about
feeding, or if you’ve received another you to get the vaccine if you have se- the lot and batch of the vial your dose
What if you have COVID-19 now or COVID-19 vaccine. vere allergic reactions. of the vaccine was taken from. Be sure
have recently recovered? The CDC ad-
vises that re-infection within 90 days Everyone must stick around the vac- You must wear a mask or face cov- CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
is almost unheard of, so it’s best to
wait 90 days after you’ve tested posi-
tive for COVID-19 to get the first dose
of any of the vaccines.

What if you just had your flu shot?
Or pneumonia shot? Or shingles vac-
cination? The CDC says you must wait
14 days between any other vaccina-
tion and getting the COVID-19 shot.
That means waiting 14 days before
the COVID shot after a prior vaccina-
tion and 14 days after the COVID shot
before you can get any other vaccine.

Do you have to be a Florida resident
to get the vaccine? No. State emer-
gency officials have stated that Florida
residency is not required to get the
vaccine in Florida, so seasonal resi-
dents and visitors who meet the age
criteria are eligible.

What if you have bad allergies to
medicines or food or to something
else? There’s been a lot of talk about
a tiny number of serious reactions to
the COVID vaccine, but these are ex-
tremely rare. Best advice is to ask your
doctor before getting the COVID-19
shot, but the only people the CDC
says should not get the shot are peo-
ple who got the first dose already and
had a severe reaction, or people who
are allergic to a chemical called Poly-
ethylene Glycol, which is commonly
found in vaccines and some laxatives
such as those used to prepare for a
colonoscopy.

The vaccine is thawed to room tem-
perature and diluted while still in the
vial with a pure saline solution that is
shipped to the vaccine site specifically
for that purpose. The CDC says that
saline does not contain any preserva-
tives that might cause allergic reac-
tions in people who can’t use saline
with preservatives.

Each vial contains multiple doses,
so the vaccine administrator will draw
several doses of the diluted vaccine
out of each vial, using a brand-new
hypodermic needle for each patient.
The shot is given in the upper arm
near the shoulder.

People who are allergic to Poly-
ethylene Glycol should not get the

10 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

What you need to know Your participation in V-Safe is im- Those two vaccines can be stored utors of vaccine to the general public
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 portant as it gives the CDC real-time in a regular refrigerator so they can be here, outside of nursing homes and
data on what kind of side effects people widely distributed in rural areas and assisted-living facilities.
to obtain and keep this card, as it will across the country are experiencing. used at clinics, medical offices and
also list the date that you must come pharmacies that do not have extreme To be alerted when the Health De-
back for your second dose. For the Typical side effects from either the cold-storage capacities. partment has vaccine appointments
Pfizer vaccine, you will be scheduled Pfizer or the Moderna vaccine are open, go to the Indian River County
to come back in 21 days. For the Mod- pain, swelling or tenderness at the in- Federal officials expect to have enough government website www.ircgov.org
erna vaccine, the second dose will be jection site, fatigue, headache, muscle vaccine to begin supplying Walgreens and subscribe to the Alert Indian River
due in 28 days. pain, joint pain, chills, nausea, vomit- and CVS pharmacies with the Mod- emergency alert system. The Health De-
ing and fever. erna vaccine sometime in January, but partment is using this system – which
Some countries, including the Unit- it’s unknown if Vero Beach-area phar- has been in place for years to distribute
ed Kingdom, have decided to postpone Side effects that require medical at- macies will offer the vaccine. alerts about hurricane warnings, wild-
the second dose for three months, tention include difficulty breathing, fires and other public safety notices – to
in hopes of vaccinating more people swelling of the face or throat, a fast Currently, the Indian River Health let locals know how and when to book
more quickly, and extending the im- heartbeat, a bad rash all over your Department and Cleveland Clinic In-
munity after the second dose. There is body, dizziness and weakness. dian River Hospital are the two distrib- an appointment to get the vaccine. 
talk about doing that in the U.S. but as
of press time, that is not the guidance You might have heard about other High-ranking Sheriff’s Office official,
from the FDA and CDC. vaccines coming down the road, such cleared of criminal wrongdoing, retires
as the one-dose Johnson & Johnson
While you’re sitting around for 15 or vaccine, or the Oxford-AstraZeneca BY RAY MCNULTY to do this from time to time,” Butler
30 minutes, you’ll have some reading vaccine just approved for emergency said. “They want a neutral party to look
material. Each person receiving the use in the U.K. and in India. Should Staff Writer into something to determine whether
vaccine will be given a “fact sheet” on you wait for one of those vaccines? there’s anything that rises to the level of
the vaccine they are receiving. A report from the state attorney's a crime.
At this point, the AstraZeneca vaccine office last month revealed that then
You will also be given information has not been widely tested on people 65 Undersheriff Jim Harpring was inves- “We went pretty quickly.”
on the CDC’s tracking system to report and older, so the data on how effective tigated in late 2020 for possible crimi- Harping, 58, who declined to be in-
how you’re doing after vaccination and it is for seniors has not been present- nal wrongdoing after he intervened to terviewed by State Attorney’s Office
any side effects. The V-Safe system was ed. Last week, Dr. Moncef Slaoui, who let a “family friend” change an answer investigators, said the timing of his
designed specifically for the COVID-19 heads up Operation Warp Speed, said about his drug use on an application decision to retire on Dec. 4 after 15
vaccine rollout. You can download the he expects the AstraZeneca vaccine to for a deputy's job. years with the agency “had nothing to
smartphone application in the Apple be up for emergency approval in April. do with this investigation,” and that
or Google app store on your phone or Johnson & Johnson is expected to pres- Harpring, who has since left the he had been discussing his retirement
go to www.CDC.gov/vsafe. ent its clinical trial data to the FDA in Sheriff's Office, insisted administrative with then Sheriff Loar for the past year.
late January for possible emergency use personnel let deputy candidate Tanner “After their review,” Harping wrote
approval in February. Glass change his application to state in a statement emailed to Vero Beach
that he had used drugs less often and 32963 when the State Attorney’s in-
not as recently as he originally stated, vestigation was complete, “I was fully
allowing his application to be approved. cleared of any wrongdoing because I
did nothing wrong.”
Glass was conditionally hired by the It was Glass’ response to standard
Sheriff’s Office and is attending the law drug-use questions on his application
enforcement academy at Eastern Flor- that prompted Harping, who Glass
ida State College in Brevard County. told investigators was “a family friend,”
to become involved in the process.
Sheriff-elect – now sheriff – Eric According to the prosecutors’ 9-page
Flowers referred the matter to state report, Glass wrote in his original ap-
prosecutors, who cleared Harpring plication, submitted in February, that
of criminal wrongdoing but painted he had smoked marijuana 50 times,
a troubling portrait of the incident in most recently on Jan. 2, 2020, only a
their report, raising questions about month before he applied for the job.
Harping’s tactics and the extent to The Sheriff’s Office’s Selection Pro-
which he intervened in the matter. cess Manual states that candidates
may be disqualified if they used any
A report filed after a separate, inter- illegal drug within two years of fil-
nal affairs investigation at the Sher- ing their applications. Sheriff’s Office
iff’s Office said Flowers alleged that Human Resources employee Anne
Harpring “may have inappropriately Cochran discovered the problem and
facilitated an applicant, Tanner Glass, disqualified Glass, who, apparently,
to wrongly portray himself within his wasn’t aware of the policy.
application for employment at the In- Interviewed at the police academy
dian River County Sheriff’s Office.” by State Attorney’s Office Investigator
Jeffrey Hamrick, Glass said he didn’t
The State Attorney’s Office launched know of the drug disqualification pol-
its month-long investigation in Novem- icy until he “researched” it after sub-
ber and issued its report on Dec. 14. mitting his application.
It was then that Glass “remembered
Assistant State Attorney Ryan But-
ler said Flowers provided statements CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
from Sheriff’s Office employees in-
volved in the incident as well as docu-
ments that included copies of both
versions of Glass’ application.

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12 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Undersheriff Harpring retires lier than he originally said – and that
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 he had used it only 20 times, not 50.

he made a mistake” when answering The changes in Glass’ responses
those questions. raised the investigators’ doubts about
their veracity.
“Undersheriff Harping was a family
friend and his contact at the Sheriff’s “Glass explained that, after sub-
Office, so he contacted him and asked mitting his application, he discov-
if he could change his answers,” the ered recent drug use would disqualify
report states. “He said Harpring told him from employment as a deputy,
him that he could submit a second ap- and this research jogged his memory
plication.” about when he had really last used
marijuana,” the report states.
Glass told Hamrick that Harpring
“never told him he needed to change “A reasonable person could con-
his answer about marijuana use.” clude that this explanation was not
credible,” the report continues, citing
The investigator noted, however, not only the change in dates of his last
that Glass was “physically trembling” marijuana use but also a noticeable
during the interview, and his respons- decrease in the number of times he
es were “guarded and required addi- used the drug over a longer period of
tional questioning to obtain more in- time.
formation.”
“His newly recovered memory of
A Sheriff’s Office background in- last drug use was both coincidental
vestigator who reviewed a computer and fortuitous,” the report states, “be-
voice-stress analysis performed dur- cause it no longer disqualified him
ing Glass’ application process said the from employment as a deputy.”
results showed the applicant “exhib-
ited signs of deception on questions While State Attorney’s Office inves-
about drug use.” tigators found grounds for suspicion,
they were unable to uncover sufficient
The prosecutors’ report states that evidence to pursue criminal charges
Harping intervened by phoning Sher- against Glass, who maintained he
iff’s Office Human Resources Director simply made a mistake and that no
Laura Turner to inquire about cor- one told him to change his answers.
rective measures when applicants for
deputy jobs make mistakes filling out “The state’s evidence of the falsity of
their applications. Glass’ altered application would con-
sist solely of reasonable suspicions,”
Turner told Harping the agency the report states. “Reasonable suspi-
didn’t allow applicants to alter their cions are less than proof beyond a rea-
applications, which are electronically sonable doubt.”
locked upon their submission. Still, he
asked her to unlock Glass’ application. The State Attorney’s Office report
said investigators uncovered no evi-
Turner told an investigator she was dence that Harpring “falsified an of-
“uncomfortable” with Harpring’s re- ficial record” or “acted with corrupt
quest that she allow Glass to correct intent.”
his responses on the job application
and suggested he take his request to The Sheriff’s Office’s Internal Affairs
Cochran, who handled the applica- Division report, which was released on
tion. Dec. 23, found no fault with Harpring’s
actions.
When interviewed by investigators,
Cochran told Hamrick she had never Instead, the IA report stated: “There
before been asked to allow an appli- is no evidence that Undersheriff
cant to change an answer on an ap- Harpring instructed any party to lie or
plication, but she had allowed them to otherwise be dishonest,” or that he vio-
include additional information. lated any agency policy or procedure.

Cochran told investigators she felt The IA report did not mention the
Harping had “ordered her” to unlock concerns Turner and Cochran ex-
the electronically filed document. pressed about Harpring’s interven-
tion or their objections to letting Glass
“She was extremely uncomfortable change his drug use answer.
with the request,” the report states,
adding that after consulting with In its report, the State Attorney’s Of-
Turner and other HR employees, Co- fice found a “weakness in the Sheriff’s
chran printed a copy of Glass’ origi- Office’s maintenance of employment
nal application before unlocking it so applications” and recommended the
Glass could alter it. agency review its electronic employ-
ment-application system to avoid vio-
Turner told Hamrick the system the lating Florida’s public-records law.
agency uses does not automatically
retain original versions of applications “The software program used for ap-
once they’re altered. plications allows for the possibility
that an applicant could overwrite a
With his application unlocked, public record, with no retention of the
Glass changed his drug-use answers, original application,” the report states.
stating he hadn’t used marijuana since
July 4, 2017 – two and a half years ear- “This possibility could subject the
agency to liability for the inadvertent

destruction of public records.” 



14 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

45 new COVID-19 cases reported in Brightline restarts work on tracks through
county schools despite holiday break Indian River County for high-speed trains

BY GEORGE ANDREASSI tested positive for COVID-19 during BY GEORGE ANDREASSI HSR Constructors is using a massive
Staff Writer the week of Dec. 20 to Dec. 26, bring- Staff Writer crane whose boom towers above the
ing the total number of cases at the Woodlawn Manor mobile home park to
A holiday break provided no re- barrier island prep school to 12, the Brightline contractors resumed install a temporary work trestle for cranes
spite from the spread of COVID-19 report shows. work Monday clearing brush near the on the east side of the FECR bridge.
to students and educators at schools 49th Street railroad crossing in Gif-
throughout Indian River County as the Three more students at St. Helen ford after taking a holiday break since The company already built the bed for
state Health Department reported 45 Catholic School in Vero Beach tested Christmas Eve. a second track and new drainage facili-
new cases last week. positive for COVID-19 between Dec. ties at the 4th Street railroad crossing.
20 and Dec. 26. So far this school year, HSR Constructors deployed a John
A total of 32 students, one staff mem- the K-8 school has had 22 cases in- Deere 245G LC mid-size excavator in Brightline also is replacing the 94-year-
ber and 12 unknown people associated volving 18 students, two staff mem- the Florida East Coast Railway right- old St. Sebastian River Railroad Bridge.
with 20 public and private schools in bers and two unknowns. of-way as Brightline prepares to up-
the county tested positive for COV- grade the tracks to handle high-speed A temporary work trestle with plat-
ID-19 between Dec. 20 and Dec. 26. Suncoast Primary School in Gifford passenger trains. forms for cranes has been partially erect-
saw its first case of the year between ed along the east side of the old bridge.
That compared to 47 cases involv- Dec. 20 and Dec. 26, when a student Brightline envisions running as many The new 1,625-foot-long concrete bridge
ing 41 students, three staff members tested positive. as 34 passenger trains per day on dual is expected to be completed in 2022.
and three unknown people during the tracks through Indian River County at
week of Dec. 13 through Dec. 19, the Altogether, private schools in the speeds of up to 110 mph by late 2022. Brightline provided passenger train
last week before winter recess. county had five COVID-19 cases last service between Miami and West Palm
week, all involving students, the re- The 170-mile-long project involves Beach from early 2018 until March 2020,
Overall, there have been 355 cases port shows. Five private schools have 925 construction workers building new when it stopped operations to slow the
of COVID-19 in 33 public and private had a total of 43 cases this school year, high-speed tracks from Orlando to Co- spread of COVID-19.
schools in Indian River County during 33 involving students. coa and upgrading the FECR tracks
the first half of the school year, accord- from Cocoa to West Palm Beach. The company was hemorrhaging
ing to the report. The virus has infected There were a total of 40 new CO- money up until the closure, but “sus-
277 students, 23 staff members and 55 VID-19 cases at 17 public and charter The extension includes the construc- pending service on the commuter-rail-
unknown people. schools between Dec. 20 and Dec. 26. tion of a new $1 million concrete railroad length segment between West Palm
That includes 27 students, one staff bridge across the South Canal near the Beach and Miami spared Brightline
A student at St. Edward’s School 4th Street railroad crossing in SouthVero. operating losses it was incurring before
member and 12 unknowns. 
the pandemic.” 

CHEERS TO Conservationists worry about right whales
THE NEW YEAR!
Thank God it’s Here! BY SUE COCKING which can be 45 feet long and weigh
up to 50,000 pounds – make their way
From our families to yours, Happy New Year Staff Writer between their feeding grounds in the
from your friends at Warren Capital! Canadian maritime provinces and
A year ago, the National Oceanic and their calving grounds off east-central
Alexander S. Batt, Barbara E. Magee, Charlene Padgett Tucker Atmospheric Administration, the feder- Florida.
Sue M.Tompkins and Thomas J. Rollando al agency responsible for marine mam-
mal conservation, estimated the popu- And the 2021 season already is off to
Investment Management • Trust & Estate Services • Financial Strategies lation of North Atlantic right whales a grim start, with the first known calf
772.494.7660 l 3055 Cardinal Dr, Suite 305, Vero Beach, FL 32963 – the huge, critically-endangered ani- death occurring last month off Cape
mals we spot in our nearshore waters Lookout, N.C. – a male believed to
www.warrencapitalmanagement.com most winters – numbered around 400. have died during birth.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Today, at the start of the 2021 calv- The 2020 season also brought bad
Member SIPC. Warren Capital Management is a separate entity from WFAFN. ing season here in Florida, researchers news when a calf spotted with its
from the North Atlantic Right Whale mother by beachgoers in Vero Beach
Consortium – a group of hundreds was found dead in New Jersey waters
of scientists, conservationists and re- after being struck by two vessels in
source managers headquartered at separate incidents several weeks apart.
the New England Aquarium – estimate
the population is actually down to 356. But Albert remains hopeful the
And if that news isn’t bleak enough, whales can avoid extinction.
they fear biological extinction by 2040.
Albert urged whale fans to lobby
“There’s still going to be some right Congress to pass the SAVE Right Whales
whales out there, but they are not go- Act – a bill introduced in 2019 that
ing to be able to reproduce,” said Julie would provide $50 million over 10 years
Albert, right whale coordinator for the to develop technologies to prevent ves-
Palm Bay-based nonprofit Marine Re- sel strikes and entanglements and track
sources Council. the whales’ plankton food supply.

Albert says the right whale popu- She also encouraged locals to pur-
lation, which once numbered many chase specialty “Protect FloridaWhales”
thousands, now is being decimated license plates that generate funds for
by entanglement in fishing gear and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Insti-
strikes by big ships as the animals – tute Foundation, which funds ocean re-

search and education projects. 

’21 FUN SALUTE! REVELERS RING
IN NEW YEAR WITH OPTIMISM

16 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

’21 fun salute! Revelers ring in new year with optimism

Chantal Conto, Jane LaFevers and Jaslyn Binafif. PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 Dick and Priscilla Peterson.

BY MARY SCHENKEL & STEPHANIE LaBAFF PHOTOS: BRENDA AHEARN
Staff Writers

Charles Dickens could easily have Sharon and Rich Slovak. terrible, horrible no-good year and “We are the Baby Zoomers,” de-
had 2020 in mind when he wrote: “It our wishes for the (hopefully better) clared Jane Bialosky.
was the best of times, it was the worst Resort & Spa were rumored to be pre- New Year.”
of times, it was the age of wisdom, it dominantly hotel guests, whether “Imagine 100 years ago, when
was the age of foolishness, it was the from out of town or locals taking stay- “A lot of good things have come out they had that other pandemic, they
epoch of belief, it was the epoch of cations. of a lot of bad situations,” said Rhonda had no way of communicating at
incredulity, it was the season of light, Ward, who Zoomed in from Connecti- all,” said Neli Santamarina. “Were
it was the season of darkness, it was Nearby, other merrymakers rocked cut. “It’s been a very interesting year. it not for this technology that we
the spring of hope, it was the winter the night away at Waldo’s under the It’s been a challenging year on a lot of have, we Baby Zoomers, as Jane
of despair.” luminous Cold Moon – the 13th full levels, but in everything, I think, there christened us, would not be able to
moon of the year. Across the street at is some good.” feel that intimacy that we’ve been
New Year’s Eve celebrations were Grind + Grape, spotlights drew par- able to. I think about how dreadful
not spared the curse of 2020, with tiers like moths to a flame, all eager to One of the positives has been tech- it would have been for all of us with-
more people than not choosing to err flip the page to a new year. nology itself, as it has allowed people out it.”
on the side of safety, popping the cork around the world to safely celebrate
at home with family or small groups Earlier in the week, Faces of Eve, occasions such as weddings, birth- But perhaps the best bit of advice
of friends in their ‘bubble.’ Many ush- a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to days, Thanksgiving and Christmas. came from Ernst Furnsinn, who
ered in the new year with traditions honoring and celebrating women, The same technology that has been emailed that a friend counseled:
such as making lots of noise (fire- hosted a ‘Virtually Anything Goes blamed for disconnecting us, has now “First rule of 2021, don’t talk about
works were heard all over town) or Holiday Party’ via the now ubiqui- connected us in an unexpected way. 2020!” 
opening the windows at midnight to tous Zoom platform, to share stories
clear the way for the new year. about “how we made the best of a

But there were others last Thursday
evening who wished to bid farewell
– or good riddance – to 2020 in style,
opting to dine out and enjoy some
bubbly at various local hotspots. In
years past, revelers would spill out
onto the streets from their favorite
haunts along Ocean Drive, but folks
reflected on the ups and downs of the
tumultuous year differently this time.

Partygoers at Kimpton Vero Beach
Hotel and Spa and Costa d’Este Beach



18 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 Katherine Holland and Dr. Fateh Kapur.
Tessa and Dallas Romanowski.

Andrew Hovey, Megan Stubblefield, Jeff and Julie Hovey, and Alex Stubblefield. Chad Basinger, Amanda Perry and Craig Balzano.

Antavius Gierer and Isabella Schutte.

A Moment’s Notice

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 19

PEOPLE

Steve Izzi and Jane Gigliotti. Ann and Jay Grosskopf.
Brad Wonka, Brianna Murphy and Mark Zorc.

Melissa Bailey and Ashlee Wykoff.

Erin Hegarty, Maria Castellon and Brian Carey.

20 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Jolly roll! St. Nicks give it their all at ‘Run Run Santa’

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF Wendy Graff.
Staff Writer Rachel Garrett, Ryan Garrett and Debbie Garrett.

Hundreds of Santas were sighted
in Vero Beach this year, just a few
short days before Christmas would
be here.

Running down Main Street and
grinning from ear to ear, Santas in
red suits and beards came out to
spread good cheer, trading in jolly
bellies and lacing up running shoes
for the third annual Run Run Santa
1-Mile Fun Run.

The Santas took off from Poca-
hontas Park to help raise money for
the Indian River Healthy Start Coali-
tion’s Babies and Beyond Program,
which assists women and their fam-
ilies before, during and after preg-
nancy.

Changes were made this year to
ensure everyone’s safety, said Brit-
tany Streufert, event organizer with
Mike Acosta of Power of Pizza Chari-
ties. Runners were grouped for roll-
ing starts, and the after-party was
modified to a social distancing af-

Marilyn Espinosa, Tina Deonarine and Nilda Negron. PHOTOS: KAILA JONES

Kaylee Coleman, Sherrie Coleman and Sherri Glaab.

Chase Colontrelle and Dylan Colontrelle.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 21

PEOPLE

fair, with Santas receiving to-go events,” said Streufert. Many of those who ran in both Wisc., broke a course record this
treat bags and awards. “With ours being outdoors, we Viera and Vero as part of the Santa year, with a time of 4:44:09 as over-
Challenge were hoping that twice all winner. Mary Lunn of Vero Beach
“As the pandemic has progressed have a little bit more flexibility. as many runs would increase their took honors for the women at 6:10:62.
over these past couple of months, a We’ve seen a lot of outdoor races chances of making sure they were on
lot of the charities just aren’t receiv- have great success during the pan- Santa’s “nice” list. For more information about the
ing the funding that they were be- demic. Plus, who doesn’t have a soft Babies and Beyond Program, visit
fore, because they can’t hold their spot for Santa?” Nicholas Holmes from Milwaukee, irchealthystartcoalition.org. 

22 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Ride on! Kids rejoice in ‘Christmas Bike Giveaway’

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF Tom and Carol Corr family. PHOTOS: KAILA JONES means to provide one.
Staff Writer “With all the things that hap-
Acknowledging the “amazing job” Thornton said that given the fi-
The Indian River County Sher- of law enforcement to protect our nancial devastation the pandemic pened this year, I wanted to try to
iff’s Office rolled out the spirit of the community, he added, “On behalf of has wreaked on so many families, make sure we had a good Christmas
season during their second annual all the great heroes that work at the many of whom were already strug- for these kids,” said Oby Oses, Vero
Christmas Bike Giveaway at the In- Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, gling, their needs were even greater Beach Walmart manager.
tergenerational Recreation Center. thank you. We love our community, – and so was the response.
and we’re excited to be here for you.” He said they had to request bikes
“We notified Santa Claus that we The number of bikes given away directly from the factory to meet the
needed some help, and he respond- increased from 75 last year to 263 need.
ed in a very, very great way,” said this year, thanks to the largesse of
Maj. Milo Thornton to the crowd of generous businesses, civic groups Thornton shared that his moth-
youngsters anxiously awaiting their and residents. er had worked three jobs and still
new rides. struggled to put food on the table
Thornton credited Walmart and and keep the lights on. Despite real-
“We consider all of you family, and IRSCO team members Jennifer Ge- izing there might not be a lot under
we want to make sure that we help lesky, Dep. Cliff Labbe, Dep. Jes- the tree, he still always wished for a
wherever we can. This year has been sica Ogonoski, Jera Torres and Dep. bike.
tough for a lot of our families with Teddy Floyd with making the event a
COVID and the economic impact success. “It represented freedom. I could
that it has had on our community,” ride around the block with my
Thornton added. “This isn’t something that happens friends and jump boards that we set
everywhere across the United States. up in the street. Just being kids,” he
“We’re incredibly blessed to have This is what living in a community is recalled.
some great friends that can help out all about,” said David Moore, Indian
with this. If we can make lives special River County school superintendent. Thornton said the relationships
and touch people, we want to be able built by the Community Affairs Unit
to do that,” said Sheriff Eric Flowers, Walmart staff had assembled the and School Resource officers help
referencing the collaborative com- bicycles, and helmets were given to identify those families needing a
munity and law enforcement effort. children who didn’t already have little extra help.
one, or whose parents didn’t have the
“When we have kids that are un-
derprivileged or in a tight financial
situation, it can lead to frustration
and other things. I want to make
sure that those kids felt comfortable
with the school resource officers.
This program helps build that bridge
of trust with those kids,” explained
Thornton.

As the crowd chanted “Move that
bus!” two yellow school buses part-
ed to reveal Santa Claus surrounded
by a sea of bicycles. With eyes as big
as saucers, children waited their
turn to receive bicycles adorned
with streamers, bells, racing stripes
and even training wheels. They
were escorted by officers from the
IRSCO, VBPD and Sebastian PD,
who sent them off into the prover-
bial sunset. 

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 23

PEOPLE

Carol and Tom Smoyer. Jennifer and David Moore, Ofc. Darrell Rivers, Katie Moore and Louis Anthony. Maj. Milo Thornton, Santa Claus (aka George Blythe) and Sheriff Eric Flowers.

Volunteer Coordinator Jennifer Gelesky.

Ofc. Hector Hurtado and Oby Oses.

Jamir Clark with Santa Claus.
Larhiya Ortiz and Serenity Ortiz.

24 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

‘Santa for Seniors’: Bringing
gifts and joy to the elderly

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF
Staff Writer

When the Senior Resource Asso- Eileen Barnum and Dave Maisel.
ciation put out the call that Santa
needed help providing gifts for local for independence and dignity of all
seniors, Indian River County resi- adults,” such as Meals on Wheels,
dents answered with jingle bells all adult daycare, information refer-
the way. More than 900 lonely and ral, in-home services, public and
homebound seniors received pres- demand-response transportation
ents through the seventh annual services.
Santa for Seniors holiday gift drive.
“The demand for our programs
“It was truly a collaborative ef- and services has nearly doubled
fort,” said Emily Wilcox, SRA busi- since March. I am humbled by the
ness development director. outpouring of compassion and gen-
erosity that our community has
White Glove Moving and Stor- shown to so many of our seniors in
age donation boxes were placed at need during this holiday season,”
more than 30 locations throughout said Karen Deigl, SRA president/
the county, and Sunrise Rotary Vero CEO.
Beach stepped up in a big way, help-
ing to collect, sort and wrap. Dona- Because of the pandemic, Deigl
tions by individuals, organizations added, “now we all know what it
and businesses exceeded the SRA feels like to be isolated and separat-
goal of 655 gifts, enabling them to ed from our loved ones. For seniors
also provide gifts to Visiting Nurse who are alone and homebound
Association and Alzheimer and Par- year-round, these holiday gifts
kinson Association clients. bring joy and reassurance that our
community cares for them.”
To make the most of their ask,
items that would be helpful to se- The SRA client base increased
niors were requested, including by 77 percent since the start of the
blankets, puzzles, games, pet toys pandemic, with 135 people still on
and appliances. In some cases when the Meals on Wheels waiting list.
volunteers dropped off gifts, they To meet the demand, the SRA needs
saw a need for something else and additional funding and volunteers.
circled back.
The SRA is taking its 16th annual
“For some of these people, this spring fundraiser online this year,
is the only gift they will get,” said hosting a Virtual Musical Bingo on
Angela Bosman, SRA events coor- March 18. For more information, vis-
dinator, adding that recipients were it seniorresourceassociation.org. 
humbled and grateful.

With the focus on keeping the
magic of the season alive for chil-
dren, the elderly are often forgot-
ten, despite their being especially
vulnerable during the holidays.

“Many of the SRA’s clients don’t
have any family, so it meant a lot
to them to be given something for
Christmas; to know that we care
about them,” said Trudie Rainone,
SRA board member and volunteer.

She added that the increased iso-
lation created by COVID has mag-
nified feelings of loneliness and de-
pression this year.

“More people than ever need
help,” said Rainone. “The SRA
helps the elderly in so many differ-
ent ways. Delivering 16,000 meals a
month is just one of the things they
do.”

For more than 40 years, the SRA
has provided “programs and ser-
vices that support and advocate

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 25

PEOPLE

Emily Wilcox and Trish Olsen. PHOTOS: KAILA JONES & STEPHANIE LaBAFF

Angela Bosman and Trudie Rainone.

Diane Anderson and Rex Enriquez.

26 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Creature comfort – and cuteness – at ‘Cowboy Christmas’

Laura LaPorte (center) with Ingrid and Victor Hernandez

and their children. PHOTOS: BRENDA AHEARN Gabriel Simpson rides a horse led by Kathleen Stanton. Danielle Mehmel and Debbie Wilson with Isabella, Jenelle and Mackenzie.

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF Having grown up on a farm, Laura
Staff Writer LaPorte founded the facility in 1994 to
share her love of animals, while also
Families flocked to LaPorte Farms providing them a sanctuary. Proceeds
recently for the 23rd annual Cowboy support the nonprofit’s mission to “pro-
Christmas, which featured a flurry of vide a safe environment for all people,
activity – if no real snow – as young- regardless of age or ability, to interact
sters made their way around the farm, with animals while enjoying nature
making friends with its varied critters. and bringing lifetime memories.”

Dr. Lourdes Rivera-Colon with Briana Colon and Stephen Williams.

“I love Christmas,” said LaPorte. In addition to the usual menagerie of
“This is my way of giving to the com- animals – llamas, turtles, horses, goats,
munity.” ponies, birds and other barnyard crit-
ters – two of Santa’s reindeer stopped
LaPorte noted that Cowboy Christ- by for a visit. Children oohed and aa-
mas is their primary fundraiser, and hed at the antlered creatures, before
that this year they hope to rescue two moving on to feed other animals, take
camels, a hedgehog, porcupines and pony rides, have their faces painted,
sloths. She added that people playing or practice lassoing bulls and milking
a small part in making that wish come cows.
true was better than any present found
under the tree come Christmas morn- Parents got in some last-minute
ing. shopping at vendor tables, snuck in a
few family photos, and treated every-
The farm had been decorated with one to such goodies as cotton candy,
care, with hints of holiday magic float- s’mores and fried bologna.
ing in the air lit by more than 80,000
twinkling lights. To the delight of one and all, a very
merry Santa rode in on horseback, be-
A variety of trees were themed for fore families were loaded up for hay-
a special purpose, including a Blue rides back to their cars.
Lives Matter tree, one honoring lost
loved ones, a memory tree, one dec- January events at LaPorte Farms in-
orated with fishing lures and a cen- clude a Jan. 9 Kids Fishing Tournament
terpiece tree, decorated with burlap and a Jan. 16 Special Needs Western
and bandanas and topped with a Hoedown & Drumming Circle. For more
cowboy hat. information, visit laportefarms.com. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 27

PEOPLE

James Eggers. Sarah and Chris Hoey with their son Darian.

Jessica Shephard with sons Austin and Benjamin. Hannah Kurhajec and son Lucas. Brittney Lakes with her children Dujuan and Miyah.

Rebecca and Corey Grace with Aria and Corey Jr.





A 33-year-old mother
of six in Kandahar. She
was recently tormented
by young men in her
deeply conservative
village.

Above: Students leave the Haji
Mirwais high school in Kanda-
har. The school was once used
as a Taliban recruitment center.

A resident of Mazar-e
Sharif, this man commutes
to Taliban-controlled territory
to work at his father's brick
factory.

KABUL – The Taliban is stronger nor as possessing the wrong SIM card. absent from public life, largely denied a government-owned company. Zabiul-
now than it has been since it was How the Taliban governs – and how equal access to education and employ- lah Mujahid, a spokesman for the group,
forced from power in 2001. ment. Access to health care and some defended the punishments as neces-
its tactics have changed over time – education has expanded under the Tal- sary to prevent infractions and keep ci-
During two decades of conflict and provides a window into how the group iban, but that is largely a result of work vilians under Taliban control safe.
politicking, it has captured territory might rule if it reaches a political set- by select international aid groups the
across the country and today exercises tlement with the Afghan government militants have allowed to operate. The Taliban formed in 1994 in Af-
control or influence over at least half in peace talks that were scheduled to ghanistan’s southern Kandahar prov-
of Afghanistan. resume in Qatar this week. “All their changes are only for their ince, imposing a hard-line interpreta-
own benefit,” said a 22-year-old uni- tion of Islamic law to quell the chaos
Overall, fear and intimidation re- Interviews with 19 civilians living versity student from Helmand province of the country’s civil war. In 1996, the
main at the heart of the militant group’s or working in Taliban territory reveal who has lived in Taliban-controlled group took control of Kabul.
command. But it’s control has become a governing force capable of making territory on and off his entire life. Like
a patchwork of edicts and codes, with slight changes – such as rules on beard others in this article, he spoke on the Afghanistan under Taliban control
some areas seeing modest reform. length – to appease local communities. condition of anonymity out of fear of became an international pariah. The
retribution by the Taliban. regime, largely cut off from the outside
In one district, elders successfully But the group remains rooted in world because of its horrific human
lobbied Taliban fighters to open a high an extreme interpretation of Islamic “If you start criticizing the Taliban, rights record, produced millions of
school for girls. In other provinces, clin- law that appears to leave no room for you are their enemy,” he said. “Noth- refugees, plunged an already impover-
ics funded by international aid groups compromise with the more liberal ing has ever changed with that.” ished country deeper into distress and
are now allowed to function. laws in government-held parts of Af- forced more than 7 million Afghans to
ghanistan. In a statement, the Taliban did not the brink of starvation.
But in those same places, harsh, of- deny using beatings as punishment or
ten public punishments remain com- Public beatings and executions are imprisoning civilians for minor offens- If the Taliban assumes a share of
mon. Torture and imprisonment are routine inside the Taliban’s Afghani- es, such as using a SIM card issued by formal power in Afghanistan – the ul-
widely used for infringements as mi- stan. And women are almost entirely

Muhammad, 39, was A former Taliban
detained by the Taliban member who moved to
and punished with 109 government-controlled
lashes for his member- territory after the mili-
ship in a pro-govern- tants reached a peace
ment militia.
deal with the United
timate goal of peace talks between the States.
militants and the government – many
fear the group will bring its draconian Mohammed Ibrahim,
approach to Islamic law and use of in- 34, works as a teacher
timidation with it.
in Kabul. He used to
Balkh, northern Afghanistan work in the Taliban-con-
The 27-year-old teacher’s story of
torture began with a short phone call. trolled Charkh district
The voice was a woman he knew. in Logar province.
They had been neighbors and child-
hood friends. But the call instantly ter- Taliban base, where he was handcuffed
rified him, he recalled seven months and led to a cell. At the base, he said, he
later. The woman was married, and saw members of a family feuding with
communicating with him, a nonrela- his relatives and realized he had been
tive male, was strictly forbidden in his set up.
Taliban-controlled district in Balkh
province. He ended the conversation “I’m an educated man. In our soci-
as quickly as possible. ety, I was somebody,” he said.
The next day, he was summoned to a
Hours or a day passed in complete
darkness, then the district governor of
the Taliban’s shadow government ap-
peared and demanded a confession,
accusing the teacher of committing
adultery with the woman who had
called him. When the teacher pleaded
his innocence, the district governor
beat him with a tree branch and threat-
ened to lynch him by dragging his body
around the village behind a motorbike.

He was released two days later, after
a group of tribal elders vouched for his
innocence. For weeks, he refused to

CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

32 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31 INSIGHT COVER STORY

leave his home, then he fled his dis- ern Logar province nearly 15 years A camp for internally tants adopt a more conciliatory ap-
trict completely. Only months later did ago, families locked themselves inside displaced people near proach. But in territory that lacks those
he return home. their homes, terrified of the unfamiliar ties, there is no incentive for the Tali-
fighters roaming their streets. But as Mazar-e Sharif. ban to move away from strict rules and
“It destroyed my dignity,” he said. “I security steadily improved, residents harsh punishments.
totally lost myself.” grew accustomed to the militants’ A road damaged by
rules, and the Taliban began recruiting a bomb blast leads to The Taliban uses “intimidation as
Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, locally, a move that built trust within much as they can,” he said,“but they also
said the teacher was found having “il- the community, Ibrahim said. Taliban-controlled know the limitation of intimidation.”
licit relations with a woman, which is territory near the
a punishable crime under sharia.” “I remember those days,” said Ibra- Helmand and Kandahar, southern
him, 34. The Taliban was “not organized provincial capital in Afghanistan
“Taliban didn’t beat him on their own, then and all the fighters were so young.” Wardak province.
but it was a verdict of the court,” he said. Until just a few months ago, Kanda-
“Though it wasn’t proved that he com- Over the years, as the group consoli- the district to travel to government-held har was an island of government-held
mitted adultery, he was punished to dated its hold on the district and sur- territory to attend university. territory in Afghanistan’s south, the
warn him from indulging any such ac- rounding areas, it developed a system Taliban’s traditional heartland.
tivities in the future." for lodging complaints. One of the most “The Taliban realized it was in their
significant changes came when a group own interest,” after considerable com- That began to change this year when
Several of the people interviewed by of tribal elders successfully lobbied the munity pressure, Ibrahim said. “The the militants, emboldened by their
TheWashington Post said they or some- militants to open a girls’ high school elders told them, if our children study deal with the United States, launched
one close to them had suffered torture and allow young men and women from agriculture, they can return to the vil- offensives to expand their control in
at the hands of the Taliban. A Human lage and help recognize the diseases Kandahar and neighboring Helmand.
Rights Watch report published this year affecting our crops.”
described the Taliban justice system As fighters inched closer to Kandahar
as one that is “focused on punishment But the developments in Ibrahim’s city, the provincial capital, women at a
and largely relies on confessions, often village are not mirrored elsewhere, even community center in the city began re-
obtained by beatings and other forms of in bordering provinces. porting harassment as they traveled to
torture.” and from classes, said Maryam Durani, a
“The Taliban are not just a bunch of women’s rights activist. She established
Abuse and imprisonment are used thugs that don’t understand the local the center to help women from both
in response to all kinds of infractions, dynamics,” said an Afghan researcher Taliban and government-controlled ter-
large and small. Sali Khan Momand, a who studies the group and works in ritory, and it operated for years without
28-year-old tailor who also lives in Tal- Taliban territory on a regular basis. serious harassment, she said.
iban-controlled territory in Balkh prov-
ince, said Taliban fighters beat his uncle In areas where local community ties In one recent incident, a 33-year-old
with their rifle butts on the side of the are strong enough to stand up to the mother of six taking lessons in handi-
road when they found he was carrying Taliban, the researcher said, the mili- crafts at the center was tormented by
a SIM card banned by the militants. He young men on a motorbike.
was held in prison for four days.
“Why are you leaving your home?
Mujahid confirmed that a SIM card Why are you even going to school?” they
was confiscated but did not comment shouted. As they whizzed past, they par-
on the allegation of violence. tially pulled off her headscarf, exposing
her hair, a deeply shameful act in the con-
Muhammad, 39, an ethnic Uzbek from servative village where the woman lives.
the Taliban-held district of Zari in Balkh,
was detained by the Taliban and pun- Objection to girls’ education was a
ished with 109 lashes for his membership hallmark of the pre-2001 Taliban, and
in a pro-government militia. Like many it appears to be a characteristic that
Afghans, he goes by a single name. persists in the militants’ strongholds,
despite pressure elsewhere for change.
The Taliban held him for months
before he was released in a prisoner While local Taliban leadership in
swap. Once free, he fled his home with Afghanistan’s northern and central
his family and went to a desolate camp regions have allowed girls’ schools to
for the displaced on the edge of Mazar- operate for years, much of the coun-
e Sharif, where nearly a year later his try’s south had none. To this day, not
back still bears the scars of the torture. a single school for girls exists in either
Helmand or Uruzgan, both deeply
The Taliban confirmed that he was conservative and rural provinces.
arrested and punished.
“The only change in their rule is that
“This is our right to punish such there is more cruelty,” said a farmer
people who are fighting against us and from Helmand. The 34-year-old man is
want to kill us,” Mujahid said. from Nadali, a district controlled by the
Taliban from 2008 to 2011. Last year,
Other civilians said they prefer the it was one of the areas the militants
Taliban’s justice system to that of the brought back under their command.
government. A taxi driver who lives in
Mazar-e Sharif said he repeatedly trav- During the earlier period of Tali-
eled into Taliban territory to obtain a ban rule, he said, the militants were
ruling on a family property dispute after disorganized and largely preoccu-
government courts proved ineffective. pied by fighting, and rarely enforced
dress codes. But after the Taliban so-
“The Taliban’s process is faster than the lidified its control of the area in recent
government,” said the driver, Mubarak- months, its leniency evaporated.
sha Zafar, 38,“and there is no corruption.”
Fighters now forcefully collect taxes,
Logar, central Afghanistan
When the Taliban swept into Mo-
hammed Ibrahim’s district in south-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 33

INSIGHT COVER STORY

demand food and shelter from local fami- government-held provincial capital ear- will,” Mujahid said. “The people do sup- taking classes at the women’s center.
lies, and issue pronouncements based on lier this month. port us for the last 20 years. They pro- “The reason I’m going to school is
strict Islamic law over a local radio station. vide food, shelter and pay donations.”
The Taliban denied forcibly collect- because we fear the Taliban are return-
“The free will was stolen from our ing taxes. The Taliban’s recent battlefield advanc- ing, and I want to learn a skill I can
lives,” the farmer said. After his neigh- es and consolidation of control in south- practice when I’m not allowed to leave
bors were brutally beaten for denying “Our leadership has a clear-cut policy ern Afghanistan are what motivated the my home,” she said. “Dark days are
Taliban fighters housing, he fled to the that no one should be forced to pay tax- mother of six from Kandahar to begin coming again.” 
es, but let the people do so of their free

34 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT OPINION

If John McCain were here, the late Republican est was the transformation of simple masks into par- In short, the coronavirus vaccines are the largest
senator from Arizona would no doubt have bid fare- tisan weapons. It hurts to think of sacrifices nobly bipartisan, even nonpartisan, project undertaken by
well to 2020 with one of his favorite lines: “It’s always borne by past generations: lives and limbs lost in the United States and its partners in many years.
darkest before it gets pitch black.” battle, the hardships of rationing.
Not to be naive. Powerful values, biases, senti-
After the year the world has just endured, wouldn’t “We shall pay any price, bear any burden,” a presi- ments and interests will continue to divide Ameri-
low expectations for 2021 be prudent? Like gum on dent once pledged on behalf of the American peo- cans. But there is a difference between partisanship,
the nation’s shoe, 2020 looks determined to stick ple. But for many of us, in these troubled times, it which is baked into American government as one
around. The pandemic, it seems, will get worse be- was too much to wear a lightweight mask in public. of many checks on power, and nihilism. Defeating
fore it gets better. Could the vaccination campaign collapse under the covid-19 one bare upper arm at a time can deliver
same decadent solipsism? a booster shot of common purpose and shared suc-
Yet the big story of 2021 could be a very hopeful cess to hold the civic machinery together.
one. This will be the year of the coronavirus vaccines, Hopefully: no. To an unusual degree, every faction
the vaccines that we have in hand and possibly oth- in American politics has an interest in success. The The coronavirus vaccination campaign is a chance
ers in the research pipeline. vaccines are President Trump’s answer to the charge to regain a measure of public confidence in legislative
that he botched the covid-19 crisis. On the contrary, bodies, government agencies, research universities,
The end of the pandemic is a matter of when, not if. the president launched Operation Warp Speed, a public and private hospitals, philanthropic founda-
Covid-19 won’t be entirely eradicated in 2021, but sprint to vaccination. tions, and pharmaceutical companies large and small.
the tables will turn. We know this from experience,
for these vaccines are just as effective as the vaccines On the other side of Partisan Gulch, the incoming Finally, one hopes the vaccines will relieve Amer-
that tamed smallpox, polio and measles. In the com- Biden administration is equally invested in success. ica’s malady of misplaced pessimism. Historians tell
ing year, the cloud of grief, frustration, resentment and Ending the pandemic is Job One. And the quicker it us this is a chronic disease, flaring up unpredictably
even helplessness bred from the pandemic will lift. ends, the better Biden’s chances to tackle Job Two. in a nation that is otherwise pretty confident.
That’s the promise of a 90 to 95 percent effective vac-
cine. Arm by arm, syringe by syringe, it corners a virus Congress is also stoutly pro-vaccine, House Dem- The past looks pleasant because we know that it
and traps it there. The numbers will be astonishingly ocrats and Senate Republicans alike. Lawmakers put came out fine in the end, even if those in the midst
large: billions of doses eventually, around the world. aside their grudges and stratagems long enough to of it were sure that it wouldn’t. So it can be for 2021.
But the arithmetic of eradication is straightforward. add billions for vaccine development and delivery Despite our divisions and raw emotions, our mis-
There likely will be problems of production and into the Cares Act last spring. And now they have steps and mistakes, we are not defeated, because (as
distribution, continued resistance to basic public added billions more. a poet once put it) we have gone on trying.
health measures, and further spread of conspiracy
theories cynically fomented by enemies foreign and A novel coronavirus got the better of us; knocked
domestic. Without a doubt, there will be sorrow – us on our heels in confusion. But we pressed on.
oceans of it – for those who will die of covid-19 be-
fore the end is reached. Now we will start getting the better of the virus,
Still, no matter how poorly the pandemic is han- thanks to innovative vaccines developed in record
dled in the United States and across the world this time. Underlying strengths of the United States – the
winter, by next winter things will be better. That’s human capital from around the world, the infra-
vaccination math. We might even emerge from this structure of research, the global friendships – will
ordeal having learned a few lessons that will make turn the tide in coming months.
us better prepared for the next emergent pathogen.
And there might be even more to hope for. Of all We need only a sense of urgency and a faith in
the disheartening facts of 2020, perhaps the gloomi- math. That’s reason to be hopeful for 2021, and rea-
son to go on trying, undefeated. 

A version of this column by David Von Drehle first
appeared in The Washington Post. It does not neces-
sarily reflect the views of Vero Beach 32963.

During the coronavirus crisis, our Pelican Plaza office is closed to visitors. We appreciate your understanding.

2020 Quiz  c . Cplaannn.ot be used to recommend a treatment dopamine (a feel-good chemical) and ibuprofen
(a compassion and bonding chemical).
Let’s see how much you’ve retained from the 5. Deep brain stimulation surgery to treat Parkinson’s  True  False
How Healthcare Works series over the last year.
disease 10. Two minimally invasive types of surgery to treat
Pick incorrect answer. mitral valve regurgitation are robotic-assisted
1T.E SOTstYeoOaUrtRhrKitNis OWLEDGE  a. Is a minimally invasive procedure in which surgery and implantation of a
Pick one. electrodes are implanted into the brain and
a pulse generator is implanted under the device called MitraClip.
 a. Is a disease of the joints. skin in the chest.  True  False
 b. Is usually the result of past trauma
or wear and tear as one ages. and/  b. Is a “pacemaker” for the kidneys. A 21..N Td Sr.u W e .E R SMRSheiopnuliamlcdaeelmrlyPeIannivtn.a,4sPi/va2er3tD/X2ir.0e2c/t2A0/n2t0erior Hip
 c. Improves tremors, slowness of movement,
 c. Develops when cartilage between bones stiffness and rigidity.
erodes, causing bones to rub against  d . Danodesadnjoutsdtaebslter.oy brain tissue, is reversible
each other. 3 4.. Fc .a ls e . TCOeanlneem-dtiheaidgrdnic.oinHseee./ar5let/hc2oc8am/r2em0Henedroterse.a4tm/3e0n/2t.0
 d. All of above
6. Convalescent blood plasma therapy to treat
2. Direct anterior hip replacement is a new minimally COVID-19 involves transfusing patients fighting 5 . b. Pacemaker for the brain. Neurosurgery,
invasive surgical technique in which the surgeon the disease with blood plasma donated from Part IV. 7/02/20
goes through the front of the upper thigh bone individuals who have recovered. 6. Tru e. 7D/o3n0a/t2e0Blood Plasma for COVID-19.
between muscle groups with no splitting of the  True  False © 2020 VERO BEACH 32963 MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
muscles or detachment of tendons. 7 98... cTF .rau ls e e. . 1OO202xrgs/y2att4oon/c4D2in00osinn.asBttaeiocankd.Po1af0ii/nb2,u2Pp/ar2ro0tfeVnII.I.T1a0ke/0C8a/r2e0.
 True  False 7. Total facet joint replacement surgery
Pick incorrect answer.
3. In a typical hospital, one-quarter of employees  a. Replaces a damaged facet joint (located be-
are nurses. tween vertebrae) with a new artificial joint. 10. True. Mitral Valve Regurgitation, Part IV. 12/31/20
 True  False  bcd... Is an alternative to spinal fusion surgery.
Is ideal for patients in their 20s to 30s. DCBASAUC+ n O d eRr(((((I135983N0--cc74cGoococcorrroorrrreerrrererccceettct))cct t)t )) 5PKGTEaerxogekceooeteptdlldnyllejeoosgnattobteraonrsdsin!g
4. Telemedicine Is designed to relieve pain and nerve
Pick incorrect answer. decompression, improve spine stability
 a. Enables medical providers to offer clinical and regain normal spine structure.
services real time through a computer,
iPad, Smartphone or other electronic device. 8. There are no age limits on who can donate organs.
 b. Can be used to evaluate and treat aches  True  False
and pains, cold and flu, fevers, infections
such as pink eye or strep throat, minor 9. When a person gives to others, his or her brain Your comments and suggestions for future topics
musculoskeletal injuries, rashes and secretes “feel good” chemicals such as serotonin are always welcome. Email us at editor@32963staff.
uncomplicated urinary tract infections. (a mood-mediating chemical), com.

36 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BOOKS

Benito Mussolini took power France and apparent that Mussolini’s ap-
in Italy in late 1922, making him petite was dangerously out-
Europe’s first fascist leader. Adolf Germany com- running the means required
Hitler, at the time a little-known to assuage it,” Gooch writes.
beer hall agitator for his fledgling bined. On
Nazi Party in Munich, would need Driven by his hunger for
another decade before he was po- April 7, 1939, glory and empire, Mussolini
sitioned for a similar takeover in largely abandoned rational
Germany. Yet in many histories of Italy invad- calculation by throwing his
fascism and World War II, Hitler troops into far-flung battles
and his war machine receive almost ed Albania, in the Balkans, North Africa
all the attention, while Mussolini and the Soviet Union, while
and the role of his armed forces are prompted by Italian ships and submarines
little more than an afterthought. fought for control of vital sup-
Mu s s o l i n i ’s ply routes. The Italians scored
In “Mussolini’s War,” John Gooch, some victories, but they were
a British historian whose specialty eagerness usually outgunned, out-
is the Italian military, puts Mussolini manned and outsmarted.
and his forces front and center. The not to be out- “Mussolini had little if any comprehension of
result is a painstakingly detailed, military strategy and none at all of grand strategy,”
long-overdue chronicle of the at- done by Hitler’s triumphs – his unop- Gooch maintains. Moreover, Mussolini believed
tempts by the smaller Axis power to that any weaknesses could be overcome by sheer
play an outsize – and unrealistically posed annexation of Austria and dismemberment of willpower. His credo: “He wins who wants to win.”
ambitious – role in the global conflict. Hitler was better prepared at first, but he was guilty
This somber account underscores the Czechoslovakia. The two fascist governments then of similar overreach and overconfidence – and, of
multiple failures of Mussolini’s lead- course, of undermining his cause by his relentless
ership, which led to his ouster in 1943 signed their Pact of Steel, committing themselves policy of terror and mass murder in the lands he
and his ignominious execution by his conquered.
countrymen at the end of the war. His body was left to a common fight against all enemies, but it was a While Mussolini’s forces did not commit crimes
on display in Milan, dangling upside down along- on as vast a scale as their German partners, Gooch
side the body of his mistress. dysfunctional alliance from the start. leaves no doubt that they were deeply implicated in
them. An Italian soldier in Slovenia described how
While Hitler comes across as pure evil, Mussolini As eager as Mussolini was to prove himself a great his unit burned peasant houses and carried off the
is often indicted on the lesser charge of buffoonery. animals “just like the Germans taught us” – and how,
But the Italian leader shared many of the traits – conqueror, he knew that his country was far from when the peasants tried to stop them, “we sorted
and, above all, delusions – of his German counter- them out.” In Russia, Italians handed over Jews and
part. ready for a major conflict. He dispatched one of his partisans to the Germans, sealing their fates. Else-
where, Mussolini at times resisted German pressure
Hitler spoke of Lebensraum, the “living space” for generals to Berlin with the message that his military to surrender Jews, but that hardly evened the score.
his people to be acquired by conquest; Mussolini Mussolini recognized sooner than Hitler did that
spoke of spazio vitale, which meant the same thing. needed at least three more years of peace to make they were fighting a losing battle against the Soviet
Hitler played upon his defeated countrymen’s feel- Union, even urging him to try to make a separate
ings of humiliation after World War I; although Italy the necessary preparations. Yet when Hitler ratch- peace again with Stalin. But it was far too late for an-
was on the winning side in that conflict, Mussolini other Nazi-Soviet pact – or for any other last-minute
played upon his countrymen’s wounded pride when eted up the pressure on Poland, Mussolini sent con- act of salvation. Italy was the first Axis power to fall,
exposed to the old refrain that “the Italians can’t before Germany or Japan. In Gooch’s telling, Mus-
fight.” flicting signals. He told the British ambassador in solini’s disastrous leadership allowed for no other
outcome. 
Hitler believed that his Blitzkrieg strategy would Rome that he would back Germany if London made
allow his forces to prevail against larger foes before MUSSOLINI’S WAR
they could mobilize all their resources. Mussolini’s good on its promise to stand with the Poles, while
term for this was a guerra di rapido corso. As Gooch FASCIST ITALY FROM TRIUMPH TO COLLAPSE: 1935-1943
writes, “The enemy would be defeated by a combi- Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano urged his German
nation of speed, surprise and manoeuvre.” BY JOHN GOOCH | PEGASUS. 532 PP. $35
counterpart, Joachim von Ribbentrop, to avoid trig- REVIEW BY ANDREW NAGORSKI, THE WASHINGTON POST
Both dictators could boast initial successes. In
1935, Mussolini sent his troops to Ethiopia, subdu- gering a war with the Western powers.
ing that country, whose territory was larger than
Hitler was not about to be swayed: He had already

decided to invade Poland, hoping that Britain and

France would back down again as they did over

Czechoslovakia. Rather than reconsider, Mussolini

felt he had no choice but to stick with Germany –

and, as long as that was the case, to grab whatever

opportunities the larger conflict offered, including

Yugoslavia and Greece. “It was already becoming

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 37

INSIGHT BRIDGE

MORE POINTERS FOR PLAYS ON POINTS WEST NORTH EAST
AKQ2 10 6 3 8754
By Phillip Alder - Bridge Columnist 83 Q 10 7 6 54
10 8 7 3 A4 652
Napoleon Hill, a self-help author who died in 1970, said, “Strong, deeply rooted desire ?92 K J 10 8 ?754
is the starting point of all achievement.”
SOUTH
That is so true. You have to want to improve. At the bridge table, for example, everyone J9
can count, but only good players do it a lot. Checking top tricks in a no-trump contract AKJ92
or losers in a suit contract is not difficult or time-consuming. Doing only that would KQJ9
improve many players’ results. This week, though, we are taking the next step up the 63
achievement ladder by working out how to make a contract by tracking the high-card
points held by the defenders. Dealer: West; Vulnerable: Neither

In this week’s example, South is in four hearts. West starts the defense with his three The Bidding:
top spades. After ruffing the third, how should South continue?
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST OPENING
Note North’s response over West’s takeout double. Two no-trump, the Truscott Pass Pass Pass
convention, showed a maximum pass with at least four-card heart support. Instead, if 1 Hearts Dbl. 2 NT Pass LEAD:
North had jumped to three hearts, that would have been pre-emptive: a weak hand with 4 Hearts Pass Pass Pass A Spades
four trumps. Remember, two no-trump was not needed in a natural sense, because
North would have started with redouble to show 10 points or more.

South can afford to lose only one club trick. But does West have the queen or ace?

The key is West’s initial pass as dealer. He has already produced nine points in
spades. If he had the club ace, he would have opened the bidding. So, South should
draw trumps, then play a club to dummy’s jack. If that loses to the queen, the contract
was unmakable.

38 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT GAMES

SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (DECEMBER 31) ON PAGE 65

ACROSS DOWN
1 Embryonic membranes (5) 1 Fighting (6)
4 Inserts (6) 2 Below (5)
9 Small amount (7) 3 Fire (4)
10 Singing group (5) 5 Chemical in cigarette (8)
11 Atmosphere (4) 6 Items go (anag.) (7)
12 Hurtful (7) 7 Shoulder movements (6)
13 Wild ox (3) 8 Loose garment (5)
14 Money earned (4) 13 Annual (8)
16 Identify (4) 15 Checker of accounts (7)
18 Misery (3) 17 Winged messenger (6)
20 Back (7) 18 Tired (5)
21 Twosome (4) 19 Alloy (6)
24 Saying (5) 22 Fruit of oak (5)
25 Furry animal (7) 23 Sour (4)
26 Member of rowing crew (6)
The Telegraph 27 Italian poet (5)

How to do Sudoku:

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

The Telegraph

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 39

INSIGHT GAMES

ACROSS 116 O 2 62 Kate’s TV friendThe Washington Post
121 Believer in the Great Pumpkin 64 Last ___ least
1 Elephant features 122 Els using tees 65 Not very much
6 Polite word: abbr. 123 B 1, B 2, B 6, or B 12 66 Beef rating
9 Believers in Odin 127 Summa cum ___ 67 Order to a dog
14 Stroke of luck 128 Astrologer Sydney 69 Least sparse
19 Smooth and shiny 129 Early Beatle Sutcliffe 74 Candy-Moranis comedy show
20 Single exercising action, for 130 In reference to 77 State south of S. Dak.
131 Outbreak 78 Injures
short 132 Puts the kibosh on 79 Abbr. on a phone button
21 City in 77 Down 133 A dimension of mind 80 Doodle
22 The Immense Journey author 134 Beethoven’s last 81 Marcello’s old money unit
83 Mylanta alternative
Eiseley DOWN 85 Halloween cry
23 K 9 88 “___, go!”
25 Interoffice info 1 Recipe abbr. 90 They put things away
26 Epic poem, with The 2 Inuit knife 93 Suggestion
27 B 2 3 Short mo. 94 Snippy
30 Scene 4 Planetary motion guy 95 Throw
33 Restickable note 5 Terrier named for an 97 Mistake
34 “The jig ___!” 98 Maternity ward news
35 Newman classic island 99 Anatomical folds (anagram of
36 Rough from too much singing 6 Utah city
38 Tom and Harry’s pal 7 Denim buy AUGER)
41 Syllable before 8 Exhausted 104 TV crime series, 1965-74
9 Puzzling aspect for a detective 105 Word many parrots know
wan or pei 10 Warning 106 Word on a water bottle
43 Hole poker 11 Incarnation of Vishnu 107 Sheets of eats
44 K 2 109 Restricted refrigerant
53 Port W of Hong Kong mentioned in Harrison’s “My 110 Manhattan Project VIP
55 Teachers’ grp. Sweet Lord” 112 Now hear this?
56 Red dye used in lab staining 12 Rice paper panel or screen in 113 Clumps, as of hairs or grass
Japanese households 114 Exhibited avid interest in
(anagram of 112 Down) 13 Loosens (up) 117 Ill-mannered
57 Succinct 14 Sassy 118 Has ___ to grind
58 Train bridge 15 Lounge (about) 119 Spare, for one
61 Bedding biggie 16 Heep in David Copperfield 120 Group depicted in Birth of a
63 Oscar-winner Sorvino 17 Sandra’s co-star in Speed
64 U 2 18 Reached closure Nation,
68 Pushing 100 24 Stickpin spot with “the”
70 Bran source 28 French author André 124 pH factor?
71 Secretary-general of the U.N., 29 Hippo’s attire in Fantasia 125 Filbert, e.g.
30 Put-on 126 Ordinal ending
1962-71 31 Corny state
72 Under-oath no-no 32 Bath powder JUKEBOX LOGIC By Merl Reagle
73 Tenant 37 Composer’s job
75 Overly 39 Pedestrians, at corners
76 Lee was one: abbr. 40 Mirthful maestro Kay of the
78 V 8 1930s
82 Night, in Nantes 42 Bit of news
84 Put in a different sack 45 One was estab. by Smithson
86 Most agile for one’s age 46 Stimulant drug, for short
87 Happen 47 Cotton unit
89 Mikhail’s successor 48 Shannon Lucid’s “mobile
91 Sound processor home” for half of 1996
92 Kick out 49 Latch ___
96 R 2 (get hold of)
100 Comedy team, usually 50 Relative of a recitative, in
101 “My gal” of song opera
102 Slangy attempt 51 The Knesset’s home
103 Says 52 Tidy up
105 Donna Karan’s edge? 54 Aleutian island
108 Homer Simpson’s 59 Go in
60 Praiser of the departed
favorite beer
111 Essayist Susan
115 Bowlers, e.g.

The Telegraph





42 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BACK PAGE

She says it’s complicated, but his choice is pretty simple

BY CAROLYN HAX Dear Carolyn: My mother-in-law smokes when she
Washington Post visits us, inside the house, despite our request that she
not. Since our child was a newborn, she has smoked
Dear Carolyn: I have been really in the guest room when, I suppose, she thinks we are
asleep.
good friends with a girl for over five
The house reeks of smoke in the morning and I do
years. She used to date one of my not want my child around the smoke.

best friends, but they broke up be- Last time it took months for the bedroom to air out.
For the record, my husband did ask her not to smoke
cause he realized he was gay. in the house four years ago but refuses to bring it up
again.
About a year ago, I started to de-
– Smoked Out
velop feelings for her, and for three months I have been
Smoked Out: Like mother, like son, it seems, in the
seeing her secretly. We usually spend entire nights to- respect department – which is even harder than ciga-
rette stench to get out of the drapes.
gether, just as people who were dating would.
Three years ago, your husband should have reedu-
I know I want to be with her. She admitted she likes cated his mom about house rules and secondhand
smoke, and two years ago he should have started
me. The problem is that she is all freaked out about it booking hotels.

and keeps saying it is complicated. I believe our friend- But they apparently carved his head out of the same
piece of granite as his mom’s.
ship and her ex are getting in the way of her letting her-
Since for four years now you’ve essentially said
self fall for me. you’d rather air out the guest room than force your
husband’s hand, you have three far less appealing
She wants to keep doing what we are doing for now answer.Which is: Imagine she’s the guy here, refusing choices: Keep putting up with the smoke; force your
to give you, his secret sex girl, a commitment. husband’s hand anyway and tell him you’re going
and “figure it out later.” If I keep this up and things don’t to remind your mother-in-law yourself; or install a
How many times do you think you’d have been smoke alarm in your guest room that’ll scream two
work out, I am setting myself up to be hurt. warned by now you’re being used? Point this out to blocks of neighbors awake.
her. Not to insist she commit – you can’t make her, af-
I am upset with the situation, but I enjoy our nights ter all, and have no business trying, and who’d want a I won’t say which I prefer. 
mate who’s there against her will anyway?
together and want them to continue. Should I just back
Instead, say it to demonstrate that she’s making
off? an unfair demand. If she’s going to set terms for your
relationship that deny you something so important
– Trying Not to Get Burned to you, she owes you a better explanation than, “It’s
complicated.”
Trying Not to Get Burned: When you say “hello” to
someone, you set yourself up to get hurt. Being social, Or, if she can’t explain herself, she owes it to you to
to any degree, means investing a little of yourself in spend the night somewhere else.
hopes of getting a pleasant return. Some investments
are just bigger and shakier than others.

This is just for the record. It doesn’t really affect your

CHAMBER SERIES ALLOWS
ATLANTIC CLASSICAL ORCHESTRA

TO MAKE ITS PRESENCE FELT

44 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Chamber Series allows ACO to make its presence felt

BY MARY SCHENKEL | STAFF WRITER cades, the acclaimed orchestra had
also expanded its reach into Palm
The difficulties caused by the pan- Beach Gardens and Stuart.
demic in 2020 are continuing to take
their toll in 2021 among arts organi- During the 2020 anniversary sea-
zations around the world. That in- son, the ACO was able to perform
cludes the Atlantic Classical Orches- three of its Masterworks Concerts
tra, which continues to experience and two concerts in the Chamber
canceled concerts and limited job op- Series, all to rave audience reviews,
tions for its talented musicians. before the coronavirus brought the
season to a screeching halt.
The ACO, under the direction of
music director David Amado, had “We were just coming out of the
headed into 2020 on a high note. The concert in March, and then all of a
celebratory year marked the 30th An- sudden, boom – COVID hits,” says
niversary of the orchestra’s found- Cindy Roden, ACO executive direc-
ing in Vero Beach. Over the course tor. The statewide shutdown forced
of those three de- the cancelation of their final Master-
work and Chamber concerts. “And
then we were waiting to see what was

happening.”
Like everyone else,

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 45

ARTS & THEATRE

music; to sit back and let it engulf you, tions afterward.
wash over you, feeling it. It’s hard be- “We’d love to do more, obviously,
cause we’ve been away from live mu-
sic so long. It’s a great way to start off and if the situation presents itself, we
the new year.” definitely will. We just cannot bring
the full orchestra together this year,”
Among other safety precautions says Roden.
for the hour-long concerts, the reper-
toires will feature all string players. “It’s just nice to be able to present
something, so that people can have
“We tried to make it as easy as pos- the music, we can once again let the
sible. There’s no piano involved, so musicians share their gifts live with
there’s no moving big parts. We looked the world, and to give people some-
at using just string instruments, and thing to look forward to. It’s going to
David came up with a beautiful rep- be a wonderful afternoon respite of
ertoire,” says Roden. beautiful music. And we’re excited to
be on stage, definitely.”
They will also be unable to host
their traditional food and wine recep- CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

Maestro David Amado.

they were hoping the situation would VID], but it can be transformative,
have improved by now, but clearly it nourishing and deeply satisfying,”
hasn’t. She says it wasn’t until around says Amado. “The ACO is commit-
Thanksgiving that, for the safety of ted to providing great music safely,
patrons and performers alike, they because we understand that what we
made the difficult decision to can- do can be an important part of stay-
cel all four of their 2021 Masterworks ing well-balanced and sane in normal
Concerts. times, and is desperately necessary in
these abnormal ones.”
“One great irony the pandemic has
brought is that it has both increased Roden explains that the concerts at
our need for the nourishment of live the VBMA will be held in the Holmes
music, while prohibiting us from Great Hall rather than the Leonhardt
gathering to hear it in the way we Auditorium to better enable social
have come to expect and enjoy. But distancing.
with careful planning, and with
safety measures in place, we can and “The museum is being wonderful.
will present great live music,” Amado They’re taking all the ticket orders
affirms. because we don’t want to oversell.
When people come, they will have
By enacting strict safety precau- their temperature taken, they will
tions, the ACO will soon be bringing have to wear a mask, and we’ll have
audiences the music they have been everybody spaced out in parties. So, if
craving. Locally, they will continue there’s a party of two they can be to-
to offer the 2021 Chamber Concert gether, but they’ll be 6 feet away from
series in partnership with the Vero the next party,” Roden explains.
Beach Museum of Art. Chamber Con-
“We’re excited about the Chamber
certs will also be performed and continuing our partnership with
in Stuart and, for the the Vero Beach Museum; they’re just
first time, in North so wonderful to work with. It will just
Palm Beach. be really nice for everyone to come
“It, of course, back,” she adds. “Music is so healing,
cannot be like and just to be
music B.C. able to experi-
[before CO- ence that live

46 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Abby Young, Ashley Garritson Gelber and Doug Ferreira. concerts, ticket sales only cover 30
percent of their $1.2 million operat-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45 more open to change.” events, such as weddings, or with sym- ing budget. In this critical year, they
She notes that their musicians have phonies in some of the bigger cities, have enacted an “Emerging Brighter
She notes that as the landscape of where there are more opportunities. and Stronger” campaign to raise $1
COVID changes, they may bring in had a particularly difficult time of million toward sustaining this gem of
other musicians, but adds “it’s hard it, adding that a number of them are “In the beginning, when we were an orchestra.
to plan something when you really music teachers, and they have had to first on lockdown, some of our musi-
can’t plan. The good thing about it is transition to teaching classes online. cians sent us some things about what For those already subscribed to
it’s caused us to be more creative and Others have played at smaller private they were doing at home. Gosh they’re the 2021 Masterworks concerts, the
so talented!” says Roden. ACO is offering a refund or applica-
tion toward the 2022 season. Another
option is to “pay the music forward”
by donating the subscription cost to
the “Emerging Brighter and Stronger”
fundraising campaign.

“We’re very grateful for the oppor-
tunity to perform, and we’re grateful

Chamber Series: All concerts are at 3 p.m. at the Vero
Beach Museum of Art, which is handling the ticketing.
For tickets call VBMA at 772-231-0707, ext. 116 or 139.

Jan. 17 – Game of Paris: Kodály Duo for violin and
cello, Ravel Sonata for violin and cello, and
Handel’s Halvorsen Passacaglia for Violin
and Viola.

Feb. 7 – American Landscapes: Amy Beach String
Quartet and Dvorák String Quartet No. 12,
op. 96, American Quartet.

March 7 – A little Night Music: Reger Serenade, op. 141
and Beethoven Serenade for string trio in
D Major, op. 8-1.

Several of those ACO at Home piec- for those who are supporting us at
es are available for viewing under this time. People have been very kind,
the Watch Listen and Learn section calling and sending notes saying how
on their website and more are in the much they miss us and that they love
works. the ACO. It’s really been an amazing
outpouring of sweetness and lots of
“They’re short little pieces. There’s love for the ACO,” says Roden. “ACO
one on there by our bassist, Doug will prevail; it’s 30 years old
Ferreira; he does a ‘Little Piece from and we’ll make it through
Heaven.’ It’s him playing five differ- the pandemic. And we’re
ent instruments and he melded them excited about 2022. We’re
all together into this cute little song,” already planning it.”
says Roden.
For more information,
“It’s amazing because they’re able visit atlanticclassicalor-
to showcase some of their talents. You chestra.com. 
know, like who knew he was able to
play all these different instruments? It’s
amazing to see what they’re capable
of; especially some of the younger ones
who are really good with video. And it’s
fun to see them in their home element.”

Their all-important Benefit Con-
cert fundraisers, held each De-
cember, also fell victim to the
coronavirus, making their cur-
rent fundraising campaign even
more critical. Even
with Masterworks

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 47

COMING UP! ARTS & THEATRE

Stand-up guys bring the laughs to Comedy Zone

BY PAM HARBAUGH nize him. Garcia comes to comedy
Correspondent via New York’s rough and tumble
Lower East Side. Garcia describes his
1 Ease into the cultural calendar act more as that of a storyteller. He’s
with a couple of entertaining won contests at the Gotham Com-
edy Club in New York and appeared
offerings this weekend. First is the on stages around the country, open-
ing for big names Dan Levy, George
Comedy Zone, a regular go-to spot at Wallace and more. When you head
to the Comedy Zone, be sure to get
Riverside Theatre. That’s when the there early so you can enjoy the free
Live in the Loop concert, which fea-
theater’s smaller venue gets turned tures Jesse & the Thieves on Friday
and Midnight Dawn on Saturday.
into a night club and brings on stand- The comedy shows begin 7 p.m. and
9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets
up comics with a lot of “street cred.” are $20. Seating has been reduced
during the pandemic, so get your
What’s more, you can enjoy some tickets now. You need to wear a face-
mask until you get seated. Riverside
burger-style dinners and order from Theatre is at 3250 Riverside Dr., Vero
Beach. Call 772-231-6990 or visit Riv-
their cash bar. This weekend’s com- ersideTheatre.com.

ics are headliner Brian Bradley and

opening act Kenny Garcia. Bradley is

an Orlando native who got a theater

degree from the University of Cen-

tral Florida. He’s got a long string of

credits to his name, including em-

ceeing at the Comedy Store, doing

improv with the late, greats Robin

Williams and Jonathan Winters. On

Broadway, he shared the stage with

Rosie O’Donnell, Billy Porter, Megan 2 The entertainment continues
Sunday afternoon at the Em-
Mulally and Clay Atkins in the 1994

revival of “Grease.” Add to that a erson Center when the Space Coast Comedian
Brian Bradley.
slew of TV sitcoms, movies and com- Symphony Orchestra performs fa-

mercials, and you’ll be sure to recog- CONTINUED ON PAGE 48

48 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 47 ARTS & THEATRE

vorite music from “Broadway to
Hollywood.” You’ll hear some of the
best-known tunes by Richard Rodg-
ers, Jerome Kern, Leonard Bernstein,
Cole Porter, Andrew Lloyd Webber
and so much more. The music comes
from some of Hollywood and Broad-
way’s favorite musicals, includ-
ing “Camelot,” “The Bodyguard,”
“Beaches,” “Singin’ in the Rain,”
“West Side Story” and “Phantom of
the Opera.” The featured soloists are:
Dorothy Gal, Kit Cleto, Sarah Purser
and David Bracamonte. The concert
will be led by conductor and music

director Aaron Collins. While the
SCSO’s outdoor drive-in concerts
have been popular, they can be a bit
of a challenge for both musicians
and audience. Collins said the group
is happy to be returning to the Em-
erson Center for an indoor concert.
“They were fun to do, but a pain to
pull off,” Collins said. “Throw in the
weather, which was always differ-
ent for each concert.” There will still
be plastic partitions between per-
formers. Audience members need to
wear masks. But they’ll feel right at
home because all the string players,
plus Collins himself, will be wear-
ing them. The soloists will be singing
at separate microphones and kept a
good distance apart from one anoth-
er. Moreover, temperatures will be
taken upon entering and there will
be no intermission. Tickets cost $30.
Expectations are for this to be a real
crowd pleaser, and with audience
capacity reduced by more than half,
it would be a good idea to get those
tickets now. The concert begins 3
p.m. this Sunday at the Emerson
Center, 1590 27th Ave., Vero Beach.
Call 855-252-7276, or visit Space-
CoastSymphony.org or TheEmerson-
Center.com.

3 Summer Crush Vineyard &
Winery just south of the Indian

River County line has you covered if

you’re craving good music in an out-

door setting. Larry Johnson’s Essence

of Motown performs music by the

Temptations, the Drifters and more

1 p.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday, Jan. 9.

Get into an island mood at the “Wine

’n Reggae Sunday with Stormy Rain-

fall Reggae Band” performing 1 p.m.

to 4 p.m. this Sunday. Tickets begin

at $5 for a lawn pass or gate fee. They

go up from there depending on what

you want. Remember, this is an out-

door concert, so bring a lawn chair if

you want. No coolers or off-premises

food or beverage. Those are sold at

the venue. Summer Crush Vineyard

& Winery is at 4200 Johnston Rd.,

Fort Pierce. Call 772-460-0500 or visit

SummerCrushWine.com. 

CONSIDER LOOKING INTO ADVANCED
TREATMENTS FOR THE EYES

50 Vero Beach 32963 / January 7, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Consider looking into advanced treatments for the eyes

BY KERRY FIRTH Dr. David J. O’Brien. of a burning sensation, excessive strains the eyes. Certain medica-
Correspondent tearing and fluctuating vision. tions like antihistamines, deconges-
PHOTOS: KAILA JONES tants and antidepressants can lead
Eyes are often referred to as the “The fact is that we are all just too to dry eye, as well as aggressive use
window to your soul, but they also Conductive Keratoplasty. busy and we may be watching TV, of certain eye whitener drops and
are undisputedly your window to “The most common condition we surfing the web, and sending text viral infections. Even a blasting ceil-
the world, allowing you to experi- messages simultaneously, and this ing fan contributes to this common
ence the beauty of nature, a set of treat is dry eye, a condition that oc- disorder.
steps, traffic lights and the people curs when your eyes aren’t able to
you love. But what happens when provide adequate lubrication,” said “Dry eye is a natural part of the ag-
your window to the world becomes Dr. O’Brien. “Patients will complain ing process,” continued Dr. O’Brien.
blurry or distorted? Fortunately, “Tear production tends to diminish
rapidly advancing technology and as you get older, and dry eye is com-
skilled ophthalmologists and eye mon in people over 50. A lack of tears
surgeons can in many cases restore is more common in women, espe-
damaged and aged eyes to improve cially if they are experiencing hor-
and restore sight. monal changes due to pregnancy,
using birth control pills or meno-
Dr. David J. O’Brien, medical di- pause. It can also be brought on by
rector of the Laser Center at the New wearing contact lenses or having a
Vision Eye Center in Vero Beach, has history of refractive surgery.”
advanced training in medical and
surgical management of corneal dis- Dry eyes can make it difficult to
ease and refractive laser vision cor- perform everyday activities such as
rection. He specializes in treatment reading or working on a computer.
of corneal disorder and external If left untreated, the condition can
diseases of the eye, and is proficient lead to eye inflammation, abrasion
in Laser Vision Correction through of the corneal surface, corneal ul-
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services, examination, or treatment that is preformed as a result of and
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1225 US HWY 1, VERO BEACH, FL 32960