12/21/2017 ISSUE 51

American Icon Brewery sues
over online posting. P8
Orchid councilman
pleads to fraud. P10
Shores seeks state funds

for its southern beaches. P9

For breaking news visit

County saves a million No early return for
on health insurance by 3 Vero recreation
limiting acupuncture facilities Irma hit

BY RAY MCNULTY BY LISA ZAHNER
Staff Writer Staff Writer

The County Commission’s With the tropics quiet,
decision last December to
place a cap on the acupuncture coastal Florida is enjoying its
benefit in the health-insurance
plan offered to county employ- off-season when it comes to
ees saved taxpayers nearly $1
million in the 2017 fiscal year hurricanes, but the scars of
that ended on Sept. 30.
Hurricane Irma remain on
County Administrator Ja-
son Brown said he expects the several of Vero’s beloved and
acupuncture costs to decrease
again in 2018. heavily used facilities.

“We didn’t implement the Three iconic city facilities
cap until Feb. 1, so the fiscal
2017 numbers included the are still unrepaired and will
four months before we lim-
ited the acupuncture benefit,” not be back in operation un-
Brown said.
til spring or even next sum-
“With the cap in effect for
the entire year, the 2018 num- mer, according to city officials.
bers should be significantly
lower.” Vero’s Director of Parks and

According to Suzanne Boyll, Recreation Rob Slezak said the
the county’s human resources
director, the county’s health- HeaCrtotnrasntsupclatniotnreocifpitehnet Kloaindgen-aBwraackiteendceSlehborarteinsgcheilsl tthoirwdeCrhraicsttmuaaslliyn gVoerto.underway last PHOTO BY DENISE RITCHIE Royal Palm Pointe Dock, the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 week, with a deep foundation drilled and truckloads of cement then poured. Grand Pavilion at Riverside

Neighbor burglarizes Concern mounts a month after Bethel Creek spill Park and the River House on
Island Club resident
the lagoon “are still closed and
BY BETH WALTON inoperable.”
Staff Writer
The Grand Pavilion, which
An island couple is asking
a judge to go easy on their BY KATHLEEN SLOAN nated creek is not a high priori- Drive. “That’s a shame. When is the three-gazebo structure
neighbor who pled no contest Staff Writer ty with anyone who doesn’t live I look out my window at the at Riverside Park, will cost the
last week to burglarizing their
island home and stealing an along it,” said Mike Johannsen, eastern edge of the creek where most to repair, with estimates
estimated $9,000 worth of
Vero residents living along who lives at 4506 Bethel Creek CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
Bethel Creek say water birds,

marine mammals and other Largest estate on island is
wildlife have vanished from auctioned for $19.6 million
the picturesque waterway in
the aftermath of a 3.2-million-
gallon sewage spill that oc-

curred in mid-November. BY STEVEN M. THOMAS
They believe the pollution Staff Writer

is lingering and fear that city

and county authorities are The largest house on the barrier island

not taking effective action to was auctioned off last week for $19.6

clean up the creek or warn million, including a 12-percent buyer’s

fishermen and boaters about premium added onto the winning bid of

dangers posed by high levels $17.5 million.

of bacteria. The 18-bedroom, 27-bath complex is located in the Estate Section. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

“It seems that the contami-

December 21, 2017 Volume 10, Issue 51 Newsstand Price $1.00 ‘Citrus Christmas’
features festive
News 1-12 Editorial 44 People 13-30 TO ADVERTISE CALL Florida flavor. P18
Arts 31-35 Faith 55-56 Pets 67 772-559-4187
Books 46 Games 47-49 Real Estate 69-80
Calendar 68 Health 51-54 St. Ed’s 36 FOR CIRCULATION
Dining 60 Insight 37-50 Style 57-59 CALL 772-226-7925

2 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

Recreation facilities and club meetings, parties and wed- threat is a constant one for a barrier it, does not mean that federal cash
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ding receptions often held there. “Riv- island community. will be on-hand to fix the dock, how-
erhouse had water intrusion from the ever. Reimbursement is a cumber-
coming in at a quarter-million dol- roof and the ground,” Slezak said. Royal Palm Pointe Dock will likely be some process and often takes years, as
lars to restore this much-used facility closed and fenced off for safety until evidenced by struggles Vero has faced
so it can again host parties and spe- He added that while the city tried to July 2018, Slezak said. Damage to the getting reimbursed for some expenses
cial events. That cost, Slezak said, will accommodate all the events already dock will cost approximately $150,000 from the 2004 hurricanes, Frances and
mostly be covered by the city’s insur- scheduled for the Grand Pavilion, to repair – an expense that should be Jeanne.
ance. Vero’s goal is to have the Grand some could not be successfully moved covered by the Federal Emergency
Pavilion back open for the city’s big and the city had to refund some rental Management Agency (FEMA) since a Indian River Shores sustained dam-
Fourth of July celebration in Riverside deposits. disaster was declared for Indian River age to its Public Safety Complex in
Park. County, and county officials applied Irma. It also lost a public beach access
The re-open goal date for the River- and were approved for the disaster walkway at the end of Beachcomber
Riverhouse had less damage, around house is April 1, and Vero’s insurance, aid slated to help local governments Lane twice in less than 12 months, with
$35,000 worth, but severe enough to Slezak said, should pick up most of the recoup certain types of storm-related Matthew slamming into the wooden
make it unusable for the community tab to repair the roof and water dam- costs. dune crossover in October 2016 and
age. The city also keeps some cash in then Irma whacking the replacement
reserve for hurricane damage as the FEMA funding, or the promise of structure in September. The town is in
the process of getting it repaired, Town
Manager Robbie Stabe said last week.
In the interim there is a makeshift ac-
cess normally used by all-terrain vehi-
cles, a steep path to shimmy down to
the beach – only recommended for the
sure-footed climber. 

Mansion auction
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The nearly $20 million price placed
the sale among the top three in the
history of island home sales but was
far below the MLS list price of $45 mil-
lion.

“We were hoping for more,” said Ka-
tie Lawless, a business development
manager with Concierge Auctions who
was in town for a month showing the
sprawling 40,800-square-foot ocean-
front estate to buyers from around the
country and the world. “But we did
everything we said we were going to
do: We showed the home to more than
50 qualified buyers, delivered a strong
field of competitive bidders, and sold
the house on a date certain, which was
the seller’s top goal.”

“The sale shows that there is liquid-
ity in the very top end of the market
and that people are willing to pay $20
million for a house in Vero,” said Pre-
mier Estate Properties broker associ-
ate Clark French, looking on the bright
side. “It also exposed a new group of
high-end buyers to Vero Beach who
didn’t know about the town before.”

The sale was Concierge’s sixth auc-
tion in Vero in 2017. Unlike earlier auc-
tions, there was no event at the house,
which is located at 1940 S. A1A in the
Estate Section of the island. Instead,
bidding was by phone and online.

Lawless said with buyers for top
properties scattered around the globe,
onsite events don’t usually make sense
anymore. “Ninety-seven percent of
our auctions are online now,” she said.

Nine bidders, from China, Switzer-
land, the U.K. and the United States,
participated in the auction, including
several local families.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 3

The auction opened at 4 p.m. on more,” said French. “Because of that waiting for things to come to them. but McGuire could have declined to
Thursday and the first bid of $6 mil- about 20 percent of Concierge’s cli- They went out and grabbed it.” hold the sale if he was not confident of
lion was placed three minutes later. ents go straight to auction to avoid the an outcome he could accept.
The global sale was held open for 26 long delay and carrying costs and un- That said, McGuire, who was not
hours to accommodate bidders in far- certainty. They don’t have to put their available for comment, likely lost mil- “We reviewed the field of bidders
flung time zones. During that period, lives on hold and have showings at in- lions on the deal, selling for much less and discussed their qualifications and
11 more bids pushed the price up in convenient times.” than the home and land cost him. intentions with the seller, and he gave
million-dollar increments to $17 mil- us a green light to proceed,” French
lion. “Our clients at that level are action The auction was “no-reserve,” said. “We had a strong field of nine
driven,” said Foglia. “They didn’t get which means once it started, the estate buyers who wanted the house and had
The winning bid of $17.5 million to where they are by being passive and would be sold to the highest bidder re-
was placed at 6:02 p.m. on Friday eve- gardless of the amount of the high bid, CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
ning by a buyer designated bidder
#2995, who had offered $9 million the
previous evening.

Concierge declined to identify the
buyer or say where they are from, but
did say they had visited the house
prior to the auction. French said some
international buyers did not visit,
sending relatives, wealth managers or
other representatives in their stead.

The seller was Robert Allen McGuire
Jr., according to county property re-
cords.

French and his partners Cindy O’
Dare and Richard Boga were the lo-
cal listing agents for the property and
they also brought the buyer, earning a
double commission on the substantial
sale.

Situated on a 7-acre parcel with 315
linear feet of Atlantic Ocean frontage,
the 18-bedroom, 27-bath house was
custom built for McGuire by Joe Foglia
of Foglia Custom Homes and Vic Lom-
bardi of JV Enterprises, two leading lo-
cal builder/developers who have part-
nered on a number of projects.

Constructed with luxury finishes
and the latest smart-home technol-
ogy over a period of two years and
completed in 2015, the main house
and guest houses encompass 27,588
square feet of air-conditioned living
space and nearly 41,000 square feet
under roof.

“It was a lot of fun to build,” said
Foglia, prior to the auction. “It was
dream job for a very good client who
made timely decisions and is a really
good guy. There is nothing else that
large on the Treasure Coast. You would
have to get into Palm Beach to find
something comparable.

“There are four kitchens, four eleva-
tors – including one commercial grade
– and a 25-person movie theater. The
pool is extraordinary. An average pool
is 450 square feet. That one is 10 times
as large, with a surface area of 4,500
square feet and a capacity of 186,000
gallons.

“Just in terms of size and scale it is
an incredibly impressive place.”

When he decided to sell the prop-
erty, McGuire listed it for $45 million
with French and his partners in No-
vember but did not aim for a tradi-
tional sale, going straight to the auc-
tion model instead.

“It takes an average of 1,000 days to
sell a home priced at $10 million or

4 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

Estate auction Those numbers plummeted in the county’s acupuncture coverage, limit- she only discontinued filing the claims
fiscal year that ran from October 2016 ing plan members to 26 visits per year for her patients.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 through September 2017, when only and a maximum annual payout of
126 members submitted claims for $1,500 per patient per year. “She’s still taking it,” Boyll said, cit-
the resources to buy it on that day.” 3,863 visits and less than $180,000 was ing the nearly $180,000 the county
Bidders had to put down a $100,000 paid to Jaynes’ practice. “Based on the numbers, we can in- paid to Absolute in fiscal 2017.
fer only that the plan change had a
deposit and show proof of funds to “That’s a reduction of more than 84 positive impact,” Boyll said, citing the Asked about the dramatic drop-off
participate and the winner had to im- percent,” Boyll said, “just to one pro- steep reductions in members filing in payouts from the county plan in fis-
mediately execute the purchase con- vider.” claims for acupuncture services pro- cal 2017, Jaynes said her practice is still
tract, put down another $2 million and vided by Jaynes’ practice and payouts thriving.
close within 30 days. It was Boyll who alerted commis- to Absolute. “We’re looking at nearly a
sioners 12 months ago that the coun- $950,000 difference from the previous “County employees still received
“It was a business decision on the ty, which is self-insured, had paid out 12-month period.” treatments at our clinic [in the past
seller’s part,” said Lawless. “He wanted more than $1.1 million in claims to year]. The difference now is they pay
it sold this year on a date certain and Jaynes’ practice in fiscal 2016 – more Boyll said the county has not re- for treatments out of pocket,” Jaynes
we accomplished that.” than to any other non-hospital, health- ceived many complaints from em- wrote in an email to Vero Beach 32963
care provider during that same period. ployees about the cap. last week.
That the auction model has appeal
to many buyers was shown last week To put that number in perspec- “They still can go for treatment; Many of those patients, though, are
when Concierge sold five other homes tive: The Indian River Medical Center they’re just limited to 26 visits and now choosing treatment in a group
in the U.S. and abroad on the same billed the county only $1.6 million for $1,500 per year,” Brown said, adding, setting in Absolute’s less-costly com-
day that 1940 S. A1A was sold.  treating county employees and their “The cap has had the desired effect. munity room, rather than a more-ex-
dependents during that same period; Our health plan did far better last year pensive private room.
Cap on acupuncture coverage and the Sebastian River Medical Cen- than it did the year before.”
ter was paid only $560,000. As for the county blaming her for the
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Jaynes has defended her billing soaring costs that prompted the com-
In fact, Boyll said, the county health practices and disputed the county’s missioners to act, Jaynes wrote: “We
insurance plan paid out more than plan’s payouts to the out-of-network numbers, contending that they’re mis- provided a service year after year after
$1.1 million to one local acupuncture provider had quadrupled over a four- leading and have been twisted to make year, and the insurance company paid
practice – Jill Jaynes’ Absolute Inte- year period. She attributed the surge her the scapegoat for the county’s fail- for it until somebody at the county
grated Medicine – from October 2015 in visits and skyrocketing payouts to ure to properly regulate and monitor decided it was costing too much and
through September 2016. Jaynes’ policy of not requiring a co-in- its health plan, which, until February, wanted to put a cap on it.”
surance payment, essentially allowing allowed patients unlimited access to
That amount covered 34,340 vis- patients to seek free, unlimited treat- acupuncture treatments. Brown and Boyll said the problem
its for 253 plan members who sought ment. was that Absolute billed the insurer –
treatment at Absolute. In response to the cap, Jaynes said Florida Blue serves as the third-party
After a public hearing, the commis- she stopped accepting the county’s administrator off the county’s health
sioners voted to place a cap on the insurance on Jan. 1. Actually, though, plan – but did not require patients to
cover any of the costs of the treatments.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 5

In other words: There was no co-pay. Jaynes, whose practice offers five acu- Blue and the Florida Office of Insur- Division of Investigation and Forensic
That meant patients could seek puncturists and 11 treatments rooms in ance Regulation to investigate Jaynes’ Services, confirmed Monday that his
treatment, free of charge, as much as the Bridgewater Building on Indian Riv- billing and the claims filed by her pa- agency had received two inquiries re-
they needed or wanted. The county er Boulevard, said earlier this year that tients. The OIR has since forwarded lating to Jaynes’ practice.
was picking up the check. she often waived the co-pay for patients the case to the Florida Department of
“Some people were going 200 times experiencing financial hardship. Financial Services. “Currently, the matter is under re-
a year,” Brown said. view,” he said, “but I cannot provide
Brown said he asked both Florida John Moore, spokesman for the DFS’ any specifics at this time.” 

6 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

Man burglarizes neighbors week that Lockwood spend one year three-bedroom residence were left onies last week, including one count
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 in county jail, followed by two years of unlocked and a jewelry box in the of burglary, five counts of giving false
drug offender probation. The defen- closet had been opened, a warrant for information to a pawnbroker and five
jewelry, fine cutlery and cash. dant would be required to pay restitu- Lockwood’s arrest states. counts of dealing in stolen property.
In letter read aloud in Circuit Court tion to the victims immediately and He did not admit guilt, but told the
the issue of adjudication would be left The couple left a key to their house judge he agreed to the plea because it
Judge Cynthia Cox’s courtroom, the to the discretion of the judge. with a neighbor who was also Lock- was in his best interest.
couple requested leniency in the sen- wood’s girlfriend. She was watching
tencing of 33-year-old Christopher The standard minimum sentence the residence for the family, cleaning His lawyer, James Long, did not dis-
Lockwood, who robbed their home for Lockwood’s crimes is just over 3.5 the house and checking the mail. pute any facts presented in the police
while they were out of town last sum- years in prison. report. His parents, present at the
mer. Initially, it didn’t appear anything hearing, declined to comment after.
The more lenient plea bargain was was missing, but weeks later while
“This whole situation is nothing offered at the suggestion of the vic- preparing to host a dinner party, they The judge Wednesday hesitated to
short of tragic to say the least,” the tims, said assistant state attorney Bri- realized their sterling silver flatware accept the prosecution’s lenient offer,
letter says. “We have lived as neigh- an Workman at the hearing. was gone, the warrant notes. The noting Lockwood pled no contest to
bors to the Lockwoods for nine years. couple would eventually discover two petty theft in the past. He stole a pel-
Christopher has done periodic work In the letter to the court the couple diamond rings, an antique gold charm let gun from Walmart in 2014, Cox told
for us. We have been guests in the explained they believed Lockwood bracelet and $1,000 in cash had also the attorneys present.
Lockwoods’ house. We consider them will have more opportunities to im- been taken.
as friends.” prove his life without a felony convic- This wasn’t a fluke, where he got
tion. They told the judge they recently A sheriff’s deputy found items hooked on drugs and made one bad
The couple was not present at the learned Lockwood struggles with ad- matching the descriptions of what choice. “He has a propensity to steal,”
plea hearing, but asked the assistant diction. His punishment should focus was stolen in a pawnshop database. A she said. “I just want to make sure [the
state attorney to share their corre- on rehabilitation, they said. manager at Warrior Pawn in Sebastian victims] understand.”
spondence with the court. The letter told police Lockwood claimed he in-
asks the judge to withhold adjudica- “We don’t know why this tragic herited the items. Cox said she would accept the plea
tion pending Lockwood’s compliance event occurred,” they wrote in the on the condition that the couple ap-
with a reduced sentence. letter. “We surely wish the clock could Other goods were sold to a second- pears at a February sentencing and
be reset.” hand dealer, Square Deal Gold Buy- acknowledge they understand Lock-
Withholding adjudication would ers, in Melbourne. In both instances, wood’s criminal past.
prevent Lockwood, who has been The couple’s home in the Island Club Lockwood signed paperwork indicat-
charged with 11 felonies, from becom- subdivision in Indian River Shores was ing the items he was selling were not Stealing from one’s neighbor is very
ing a convicted felon. burglarized while they were out of stolen. Documents show he received bothersome, Cox said. “But, if the vic-
town for a month over the summer. nearly $1,500 for the goods. tims think it is forgivable and that he
The prosecution recommended last doesn’t need to be punished, that’s
Upon their return they noticed Lockwood pled no contest to 11 fel- their choice.” 
French doors in the back of their

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 7

Bethel Creek spill taminated that anyone who touched warnings have gone out. contract workers hired to help with the
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 the water was advised to immediately After hearing about resident’s con- emergency managed to enclose the
wash their hands to keep from being ruptured pipe in a sleeve that Bolton
there is a seawall, all I can see at low tide sickened by human fecal bacteria. cerns, Bolton promised to post warn- says is working well to keep most of the
is a 2-foot band of poop.” ings at the Vero Beach Marina and be- sewage in the pipe until a permanent
Two weeks after the spill, water from hind Bethel Creek House, where there is fix can be engineered.
Lou Dessart and Bob Prizito, who the creek tested by an independent lab- a small beach on the creek bank within
have homes on Bethel Creek Drive, oratory found bacteria levels 100 times a few yards of where the sewage poured It is a challenging task. The cor-
took their concerns to the county higher than what is considered healthy. into the creek. People often launch kay- roded, 12-inch cast-iron pipe, which
commission, which told them it was aks and dinghies at that location and in Bolton says is more than 50 years old,
an issue for the county office of the As a student volunteer with an en- October a local church held an hour- continues to carry sewage from thou-
state Health Department. But when vironmental group, Lou Dessart’s son, long service there during which chil- sands of households and the repair
they went to the Health Department Benjamin Dessart, has been taking Beth- dren were baptized in the creek. site is wedged tightly between High-
they were told by Environmental Spe- el Creek water samples for four years. way A1A and a massive retaining wall.
cialist Charles Vogt that the depart- Bolton is also looking into aeration
ment isn’t responsible for dealing with “I’ve never seen it like this,” he said, technology, which has revived “dead- Bolton plans to wait until recent
the problem because Bethel Creek is a pointing out particles floating in the end” bodies of water similar to Bethel king tides recede and the water table
“Class III” body of water, which he said water and lack of clarity. Creek. He said aeration oxygenates the drops before making a permanent re-
means it is not for recreational use. water, enlivening good bacteria that eat pair so that excavation at the work site
Following post-spill Florida Depart- bad bacteria, and stirring up the muck will not be instantly flooded.
Vero Beach 32963 got the same re- ment of Environmental Protection so that bacteria-killing ultra-violet rays
sponse from Department of Health requirements, the city is taking daily in sunlight further clear the water. “We only have four to five hours [to
Media and Marketing Manager Devin water samples at five spots in and near make the repair] before sewage starts
Galetta – even though the waterway is the creek, and Rob Bolton, head of The sewage spill, which was the backing up into people’s houses,”
used regularly by kayakers and fisher- Vero’s Water and Sewer Department, fourth largest along the Indian River Bolton said, so it will be at low tide when
man and is lined by residents’ docks agreed water quality is still poor. Lagoon in the past two years, came to only limited de-watering is necessary,
where expensive boats are tied up. light on Thursday, Nov. 16 when resi- allowing the work to proceed quickly.
“We need to keep on testing Bethel dents complained of a foul odor along
“I was rather insulted by that,” said Creek if people are using the water rec- Bethel Creek, an inlet that connects to The DEP sent the city a warning let-
Dessart, “considering they are respon- reationally,” Bolton said. ”They should the lagoon near the city marina north ter about the spill that requires Bolton
sible for health and the dangerous know the dangers are higher back here of the Barber Bridge. to explain how the spill happened and
bacteria in the water.” than in open water.” what the city is doing to prevent an-
After a reporter called the city to check other one. He said because the spill
According to warnings issued short- After the spill, the city hung wa- on the cause of the smell, Bolton investi- was due to an unforeseen accident
ly after the spill, the creek was so con- ter quality warning notices on the gated and discovered the broken line. and the Vero is not a repeat offender,
front doors of people living along the the city likely will not be fined. 
creek and contacted nearby busi- A repair crew of city employees and
nesses, but since then no additional

8 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

American Icon Brewery sues over negative online posting

BY BETH WALTON has been deleted, on Nov. 9 a Face- Weinstein is not familiar with Ameri- “Defendant knew or should have
book user named Joe Tirro gave the can Icon’s lawsuit, but said, in general, known that such false and libelous
Staff Writer establishment one star. He claimed litigation like this is legitimate in the statements would cause injury or harm
the beer was terrible, the food was bad eyes of the court when a posting goes to [American Icon],” the lawsuit alleges.
As his first craft beer venture in Vero and the service was rude. He said the beyond a truthfully presented opinion.
Beach unfolds, developer Michael company fired his friend. Tirro could not be reached for com-
Rechter said American Icon Brewery There has to be factual support be- ment via Facebook or other means.
won’t tolerate false postings online, “Only open for a month and already hind allegations of wrongdoing, he
and he’s not kidding. treating their workers like trash. I will said. It’s one thing to share an opinion A summons dated Nov. 14 says Tirro
never do business with them again,” it with the person next door, but online has 20 days to file a written defense or
American Icon Brewery filed a law- says. people are sharing their thoughts with a default judgment could be entered
suit in November against Indian River the world. against her. As of press time, she had
County resident Marissa Tirro for al- American Icon Brewery is alleging not responded to the court.
legedly posting a review on the brew- defamation, conspiracy to defame “The courts are looking at the facts
ery’s Facebook page that contained and libel. It is asking for monetary behind the opinion and businesses Posts to American Icon Brewery’s
inaccurate information. damages from Marissa Tirro, includ- are being more aggressive in making Facebook page surrounding the date
ing compensation for loss of business sure what is out there is accurate and of Tirro’s alleged offense show some
“Defendant stated, among other reputation. factually supported.” members of the online community
things, that Plaintiff ‘abuses its em- dismayed about the legal action.
ployees,’” says the Nov. 14 complaint Such lawsuits are becoming more American Icon Brewery’s Facebook
drafted by Thomas Tierney, an attor- common as more people voice their page has more than 4,100 followers “Personal opinion of an establish-
ney for the brewery. opinions online, said attorney David and 3,995 likes. Users have given it an ment is a freedom,” wrote user David
Weinstein with Hinshaw & Culbertson average of 4.5 out of five stars. It host- Warden on Nov. 10 giving the brewery
Even after American Icon respond- in Coral Gables. ed a grand opening celebration Dec. 7. one star.
ed that the allegations were false, at
least 14 other people, thought to be Rechter declined to discuss the spe-
connected with the defendant, wrote cifics behind the allegations, but said he
additional inaccurate comments on- stands by the lawsuit. “You can’t go on-
line, the lawsuit contends. line and just write anything you want.”

“Few, if any of defendant’s friends Think of it as a shot across the bow,
and family members had actually Rechter said. “We’re not going to let
been to Plaintiff’s brewery restaurant,” someone say whatever they damn well
it says. “One of the additional false re- please without repercussions.”
views stated that the ‘owner is the rud-
est person I ever met.’” Businesses that elect to use Face-
book’s review function cannot delete
American Icon Brewery didn’t sue comments, he explained. The Internet
because it had a bad review – no com- message board allows the brewery to
pany wants to sue the members of the advertise its product and get instant
community it is trying to serve, said feedback from its customers.
Rechter, reached by phone.
American Icon takes what people
American Icon Brewery sued because write seriously, said Rechter, who of-
what was said was not true and the ten chimes in on the message board.
business has an obligation to stand up The majority of the postings are posi-
for its hardworking team of employees. tive, he said. “We want people to walk
out of there having a great experience
Though Marissa Tirro’s Nov. 7 post every time.” 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 9

Shores seeks ‘critically eroded’ designation for its beaches

BY LISA ZAHNER the Florida Legislature’s next budget sand. Beach replenishment projects Florida Department of Environmen-
Staff Writer cycle in 2018. The area in-between often span years and cost millions of tal Protection for emergency dune
is what Vice Mayor Michael Ochsner dollars. repairs after a hurricane, and many
Beaches in the City of Vero Beach and John’s Island residents are wor- did just that after Hurricanes Matthew
have been deemed “critically eroded” ried about. “If any money is available, at least and Irma.
by county engineers and state officials we would have a shot at it,” Auwaert-
and are in the county’s beach resto- That area, termed Sector 4 in the er said. The catch is those residents or con-
ration plan for a major project in late county’s published beach plan, runs dos or homeowners’ associations
2018 or early 2019, and Indian River from John’s Island south to the Vero Ochsner said there are plans to up- must pay for the engineering, the per-
Shores wants its southern beaches – city limits, and Ochsner said recent date the status of the Shores’ southern mitting work, the sand, trucking and
which in the past few years have been technical data shows that stretch of beaches when the county revamps its labor themselves. Putting sand on the
losing ground – to be viewed with the beach has lost sand faster, compara- overall beach strategy document in dune is not as environmentally sensi-
same urgency. tively, than other beaches in the coun- two or three years, but he wants it de- tive or laborious as dumping sand on
ty over the past 15 years. clared critically eroded sooner rather the beach itself where sea turtles nest
The county’s northern beaches from than later. and there is a greater risk of washout
Windsor to the north end of John’s Is- “Sector 4 has historically been a onto the near-shore reef commonly
land have been bolstered by massive stable to accretional beach. However The Shores’ standing argument with referred to as the “hard bottom.”
dumps of mined, upland sand twice in since 2002 the shoreline has trended regard to beach sand – though detrac-
recent years, partially paid for by state towards erosional. This is in part from tors of engineered beach projects say John’s Island applied for a dune re-
documentary stamp fees and partial- multiple impacts from hurricanes be- it’s a waste of time and money – is pair permit and, according to John’s
ly from sales tax revenues and other tween 2004 and 2017,” said County that Town residents pay an awful lot Island Property Owners Association
funds from Indian River County. Coastal Engineer James Gray. of taxes to Indian River County and, President Jim Moller, plans to begin
because the vast majority of the roads placing 64,000 tons of dune-compati-
That area, called Sector 3, also Ochsner and Councilman Bob Au- and facilities within the Shores are pri- ble sand on its shoreline in early 2018.
benefits from drifts of sand that are waerter have been working through vately owned and maintained, about
placed periodically by the Sebastian the county’s Beaches and Shores the only thing Shores residents get Moller said John’s Island and its
Inlet District to mitigate sand loss Preservation Committee to get that for their tax dollars is the occasional consultants would work with the town
from the inlet’s jetty. Vero’s beaches, stretch of shoreline declared critical- dump of beach sand to protect their to achieve the “critically eroded” des-
called Sector 5, are next up for large- ly eroded. That would put the Shores high-end properties from erosion. ignation, as the club has already paid
scale beach replenishment and will at least in the running to compete for the surveys and engineering work
be ranked and considered as part of for state funding with all the other Until those state and county dol- needed to obtain the permits to shore
coastal areas in Florida that also need lars come through, private property up the dunes. 
owners can apply for permits from the

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10 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

Building in Indian River Shores approaches 2005 boom

BY KATHLEEN SLOAN peaked in 2005, when nearly 3,000 mits” for swimming pools, screened cent and the current fiscal years, from
Staff Writer were pulled, and later declined drasti- enclosures or building trades, such as $410,000 to $645,000.
cally during the housing downturn. electrical, mechanical and plumbing.
Construction in Indian River Shores New home building is divided be-
has been ramping up in recent years, The number of permits started Indian River Shores Building Offi- tween tear-down and rebuild projects
despite the seemingly built-out status creeping back up in 2013 and grown cial Jose Guanch said 53 new single- and new home developments.
of the town, and is now approaching steadily since then, from 1,430 in 2013 family or attached homes were built
levels last seen during the building to 2,260 in fiscal 2016-17. in the prior 12 months. Because of in- Commercial permits hardly figure
boom in the mid-2000s. creased permit revenue the budget for into the totals because there is very
Among the 2,260 permits, 426 were Guanch’s department jumped by more little commercial property in Indian
Building and renovation permits building permits, for new homes or than 50 percent between the most re- River Shores, Guanch said, “We have
additions, and 1,832 were “other per- the 7-Eleven, the Village Shops and

Former Orchid town official pleads guilty to securities fraud

BY BETH WALTON who has a northern residence in Car- $2 million, the DOJ alleges. Officials The Securities Exchange Commis-
Staff Writer mel, Indiana, was a registered finan- there worked with the FBI, Merrill sion also brought a civil complaint
cial advisor with Merrill Lynch and Lynch and individual investors to against Buck. A $5 million settlement
Former Orchid Town Council other firms, according a statement understand the alleged scheme and was announced the same day the DOJ
member Thomas Buck must appear from federal prosecutors in India- gather evidence. reported Buck would plead guilty in
in federal court next month. Buck, napolis. federal court.
63, agreed Oct. 31 to plead guilty to “These are not victimless crimes.
securities fraud following an exten- He counseled thousands of clients These are crimes that can wipe out Buck resigned from his town coun-
sive investigation by the FBI, accord- on their investments, it says. a family’s life savings and leave their cil post Oct. 24, one week prior to
ing to the U.S. Department of Justice. financial future in ruins,” W. Jay Ab- the DOJ’s announcement. He was
He could face 25 years in prison. Buck charged excessive commis- bott, special agent in charge of the charged Sept. 6. Buck was elected to
sions and intentionally failed to ad- FBI’s Indianapolis Division, said in the civic body last November, running
For more than three decades, Buck, vise his clients of cheaper pricing the statement. unopposed in the 2016 election. 
options, defrauding them of some

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CVS. About 99.5 percent of our per- bought 5.2 acres from Indian River ty’s Tracking Station Beach Park and expand its buildable acreage.
mits are residential.” The number of Shores for $4.84 million last May. The FIT’s 4-acre site that was used for Zoning allows up to 30 units on the
new homes next year should break town retained the ocean-front proper- marine research for decades and is
prior records, Guanch said. Big resi- ty for years to provide public access to now for sale. Lutgert Companies has 5.2-acre property Lutgert Compa-
dential projects have recently broken the beach, but recent council members expressed interest in buying the FIT nies already owns, Guanch said. He’s
ground or are on the horizon. decided to return it to the tax rolls. tract and doing a land swap involv- heard the company is close to sub-
ing the three properties that would mitting a “preliminary plan” to the
Naples-based Lutgert Companies The site is near Indian River Coun- town council. 

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12 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

MY Sheriff fights most lawsuits, and usually wins
VERO

BY RAY MCNULTY plaintiffs than it would be to fight them Undersheriff Jim Harpring, the Sher- "The way we see it: That sends the
Staff Writer in court and gamble with a jury. iff's Office's second-in-command and wrong message."
in-house attorney. "But that's not our
All too often, for-profit businesses Our Sheriff's Office isn't a for-profit philosophy. And that message he doesn’t want to
choose to settle civil claims against business. It's a self-insured, govern- send is?
them, even when there's no evidence of mental entity that faces exposure to po- "If we determine that our employees
wrongdoing and the pending lawsuits tential lawsuits on a daily basis. And, as did nothing wrong and there's no cause "That we'll settle, whether it's a good
have no real merit. such, it sees a long-term danger in set- for the claim, then we'll vigorously de- claim or not, just because it's less costly
tling bogus claims merely to avoid the fend the case," he added. "We won't and less risky," Harpring said. "We be-
These businesses opt to settle such cost and risk of contesting them. engage in any cost-benefit analysis. We lieve settling baseless or fraudulent
cases because they or their insurance don't want to be an agency that throws claims opens you up to more lawsuits,
providers determine that it's more eco- "Objectively speaking, I under- money at potential plaintiffs just to particularly from people looking for a
nomical – and less risky – to pay off stand why businesses make those make them go away. quick payoff."
decisions," said Indian River County
Refusing to settle bogus claims also
sends a strong message to deputies who
patrol our community and oversee jail
inmates. It tells them: Sheriff Deryl Loar
has your back.

Law enforcement is a potentially dan-
gerous profession that requires poise
under pressure as well as proficiency.
Deputies sometimes find themselves in
situations where they make split-second,
life-and-death decisions. "And we don't
want them looking over their shoul-
ders," Harpring said. "We want the men
and women in the field to act with con-
fidence, without having to worry about
being second-guessed later on. We want
them to know that, if they've done noth-
ing wrong, we will defend them.

"We, as a law enforcement agency,
engage is so many different activities,"
he continued. "We have deputies driv-
ing around the county all day long, and
there's going to be the occasional auto
accident. We also have deputies man-
ning the jail, and there are going to be
inmates who make accusations. You'll
also see claims related to the conditions
of confinement.

"The courthouse doors are open to
everyone and, even when the claims are
baseless or fraudulent, you still need to
defend yourself," he added.

The decision to settle claims or contest
them in court ultimately rests with Loar,
whose agency participates in the Florida
Sheriffs Risk Management Fund, which
collects premiums from 59 of the state's
sheriff's offices and provides liability, au-
tomobile and workman's compensation
insurance for their employees.

"There is a risk to going to court and
fighting these cases, because, if you get
to trial, you never know what a jury is
going to do," Harpring said. "But that
risk has to be weighed against the cost
of having a flood of people filing base-
less or fraudulent claims.

"We evaluate whether it's a legitimate
claim or not," he said. "If we find there
was liability on our part, we will reach
out and try to settle the claim, and we
will be fair."

But they won't be foolish: Despite his
aversion to settling baseless claims and
longshot lawsuits, Loar seldom loses in
court. 

‘CITRUS CHRISTMAS’ FEATURES
FESTIVE FLORIDA FLAVOR P. 18

14 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Guitar stars mesmerize at ACO Benefit Concert

Eileen Henry, Bob and Maureen Bauchman, and David Amado. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE Anne Lanier and Sue Yahraes with Ron and Peg Kindy.

Warren and Virginia Schwerin with Lynn and Scott Bayman. BY MARY SCHENKEL generous and warm people, just to
know. And what a joy that is, to meet
PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 Staff Writer people like that who play music at
Douglas Lora and João Luiz. that level. It makes me just want to be
With flawless harmony, Brasil around them all the time.”
Guitar Duo musicians João Luiz and
Douglas Lora gave a virtuoso perfor- The audience concurred, capti-
mance last Tuesday evening at the vated as they listened to the intri-
Atlantic Classical Orchestra’s sixth cate synchronization of the duo, who
annual Benefit Concert at the Orchid have each earned master’s degrees in
Island Beach Club, hosted by Vero music and have played together for
Friends of the ACO. 20 years. Their pieces included one
by French Baroque composer Jean-
“This is the start of the 28th sea- Philippe Rameau, originally writ-
son of the ACO,” said Jean Beckert, ten for harpsichord; Mario Casteln-
Friends president, in her welcome ad- uovo-Tedesco’s Prelude and Fugue
dress. “Many of you have supported in C-Sharp minor, No. 7; a tango by
the ACO from the very early years and Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla;
that speaks volumes for our very spe- and Karaté, by Brazilian composer
cial orchestra.” Egberto Gismonti.

Maestro David Amado shared his The pair also played three of the
excitement about the upcoming ACO four movements of Sonata de los Via-
season, saying, “You don’t have to jeros, by Cuban composer Leo Brou-
look much further than January to wer. Lora described it as possibly the
see how spectacular it is. We have got greatest piece written for two guitars
so many great things on the docket, in this century and noted that they
with a whole pile of wonderful col- were pleased to be the first duo to
laborations.” ever record it.

He noted that for their ambitious “That was so wonderful,” said Nan-
first Masterworks concert, featuring cy Briggs after the performance.
the Beethoven Symphony No. 9, they
will be joined by the Community “Outstanding ensemble,” agreed
Church Chancel Choir, Vero Beach Raz Allen. “The way they played off
Choral Society, Treasure Coast Com- each other and their voicing was ex-
munity Singers, and Benenson Young traordinary.”
Artists of the Palm Beach Orchestra.
“The ACO is actually miraculous
“It’s a season that represents such because it’s situated in three beauti-
a wide range of music with such great ful communities, all of which have
guest artists and such great collabo- enough connoisseurs of fine classi-
rations. I’m really, really fired up cal music to keep the orchestra per-
about the quality of what we’ve got forming,” said Jean McMullan, wife of
going on this year. I think you will be Conductor Laureate Andy McMullan,
very pleased,” said Amado. adding that the small orchestra has
maintained the highest possible qual-
Introducing the Brasil Guitar Duo, ity; augmenting when needed to play
Amado said he was struck by the vir- music not normally in their range.
tuosity of their musicianship after “Imagine starting the 28th season
hearing them for the first time. “Not with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony!”
only do they sound as musicians like
incredibly generous, warm people, For more information, visit ACO-
but as it turns out they are incredibly music.org. 



16 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 Mary Dowling, Ann Zugelter and Shirley Wertz.
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PEOPLE

Cheer sailing at county’s Christmas Boat Parade

PHOTOS: GORDON RADFORD

18 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

‘Citrus Christmas’ features festive Florida flavor

Laura Moss, Diana Grossi and Louise Schmitt. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE Lydia Lander and David Moshier.

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF for Families Center. Busch Wildlife Sanctuary presenta-
Staff Writer The afternoon was filled with tion and encountered some of the
critters from Otter John’s Wildlife
The scent of orange blossoms wildlife shows, music, crafts, bounce Show.
filled the air at Riverside Park last houses, games, food, shopping and,
weekend during A Citrus Christmas: of course, a visit from Santa. Gone Youngsters also chatted with a Ha-
All Things Florida Holiday Celebra- were the traditional snowmen and waiian shirt-clad Santa as he made
tion. Proceeds from the two-day in- sleds. In their place were flamin- his rounds in a Florida-style sleigh –
augural event will help provide gen- goes, oranges and sharks. a golf cart topped with presents. And
eral operations funding for the Hope still others wrote letters to Santa in
“We wanted to do something a the North Pole … just in case.
little different this year, focusing
“We wanted to make it a family
on Christmas in Florida because it’s event. Something that would bring
very different from Chicago, where families together,” said Grossi. “A lot
I’m from,” said Diana Grossi, HFC of events are geared toward adults or
executive director. high-end parties at this time of year.
We wanted something that wouldn’t
Guests took in musical perfor- cost people a lot of money. We want
mances while munching on gyros to make people aware of who we are.
and barbecue, and many took ad- A lot of people don’t know that there
vantage of the opportunity to shop is a homeless family shelter in Vero
for last-minute Christmas gifts. Beach. This is a fundraiser, but we
While mom browsed selections of also wanted to establish a family
essential oils, jewelry and hand- event here in Vero that will continue
made soaps, the children met alliga- year after year; an event where chil-
tors and snakes up close during the dren and families can get together
and have a good time.”

For more information about the
Hope for Families Center, visit hope-
forfamiliescenter.org. 

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 19

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Clay Art by Judy Schmoldt.

Joan and Al DeCrane. Brooklyn Gignac.

20 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Jim Clemons and Ryan Pinnell with Wyatt, Watson and Walker Pinnell. Kasey Shaw and Summer Almand.

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 Jorge and Cyntheria Payne with Jayla Payne and Destinee Perry. Miguel Ortiz with Carol and Jim Gilman.
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22 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

All Swede-ness and light at St. Lucia Celebration

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF upon her head, the eldest daughter
Staff Writer of the family welcomes St. Lucia Day
in Sweden by bringing hot coffee and
The Indian River County Histori- Madelene McCain. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE Sara White and Isaac Tannery. sweet buns to her parents, joined
cal Society shined a light on the im- by her siblings dressed as star boys,
portance of honoring cultural holiday and its contents. handmaidens and gingerbread men.
traditions with its annual St. Lucia Guests sampled lingonberry juice
Celebration and Tree Lighting at the “Sweden is such a dark place at this
Hallstrom House. and an assortment of authentic Scan- time of year and this ceremony is a
dinavian treats, including sandbake- beacon of hope; a way to spread love,
County Historian Ruth Stanbridge lser (sand tarts), pepparkakor (ginger hope and light,” said Maddie McCain,
provided visitors with tours of the cookies), prinsesstarta (princess cake) who has participated her entire life. “I
century-old homestead, pointing and the Lussekatter (St. Lucia saffron do it because it keeps me connected to
out the traditional Swedish Christ- buns), traditionally served by the el- my heritage. It represents Christmas
mas decorations scattered about the dest daughter on Dec. 13, St. Lucia to me.”
house. Among them were straw hearts Day.
representing love and peace, straw Carolyn Bayless, IRCHS board pres-
yule goats called Jublock, and gnomes Wearing a wreath of lingonberry ident, thanked guests for partaking of
known as tomtes that live in the barn branches with seven lighted candles their annual Swedish celebration and,
and keep misfortune at bay. as she lit the Hallstrom House Christ-
mas tree, proclaimed, “It’s officially
Noting that the sand pine standing Christmas in Vero Beach.”
sentinel over the day’s festivities was
the same type of tree the Hallstroms Bayless also announced that the
would have gathered around to cel- Hallstrom House will celebrate its
ebrate Christmas so many years ago, 100th birthday next year, adding,
Stanbridge shared the significance “We’re going to have some special
of each of the ornaments Ruth Hall- events with special things on display
strom bequeathed to the Historical that we normally don’t have out.”
Society, along with the historic home
For more information, visit irchis-
torical.org. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 23

PEOPLE

Sam Hjalmeby, Rhonda Jelmby, Peter Hjalmeby, Carl and Mimmie Hjalmeby, and Martina Tannery.
Steve and Tania Weibel with their daughters Cora, Dani and Mila.

Kristina Hofmann and Kelly Thompson.

24 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Ranch blessing: Cattlemen’s Christmas bash raises cash

BY CHRISTINA TASCON
Correspondent

The Indian River County Cattle- Jim Handley and Sean Sexton. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE
men’s Association held its annual
Christmas Celebration and Charity Penny Barker with Ireland Barker and Rob Tripson. personally designed necklaces, which nate to be invited to come down here,”
Auction at Waldo’s Secret Garden last brought in a stunning $1,000 apiece. said Griner. “Any organization is only
week, raising approximately $13,000 as strong as its members and we know
for its scholarship endowment at In- “This is our fifth year giving schol- we can depend on our Indian River
dian River State College. arships to those who want to study members to always participate and
courses with an agricultural and for- show up.”
As twinkling lights danced overhead estry connection at IRSC,” said Trip-
in the chilly breeze, members enjoyed son. “Right now, we are trying to grow Griner explained that FCA’s main
cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before an endowment so we can give $2,000 focus is conservation of the land, pre-
boisterously outbidding each other scholarships every year. Once the en- serving water and maintaining the
on auction items, raising the highest dowment is there, the scholarships ecological balance of Florida resourc-
amount to date through their Christ- will be funded forever. All the auction es. He was encouraged by the propen-
mas gatherings. Families relished the items are donated and our members sity of offspring who remain on their
chance to socialize and reconnect coming out is what makes our event a family homesteads as farmers and
with their ranching neighbors and, success. It gives me goosebumps; it re- cattle ranchers, continuing the legacy
as the auction heated up, the mouth- ally does.” of keeping Florida green.
watering aroma of steaks on the grill
filled the night air. “When you get a group of farm- “I hope my son Will does whatever
ers and ranchers together it is always he wants to do, but I wouldn’t mind if
Rob Tripson, current president of so magical,” said his mother, Hildie he wanted to be a rancher,” said Trip-
the Florida Cattlemen’s Association Tripson. “We estimate that there are son of his 12-year-old son. “He’s begin-
Indian River division, had little time to almost 200 people here, all just being ning to be one and I am getting to the
party as he helped auctioneer Wesley together and raising money for the point where I am depending on him.”
Davis incite the crowd to outbid each children’s scholarships.”
other, especially for Chris Sexton’s As for his daughter, 6-year-old Isa-
Division officers from the state-wide bella, Tripson laughed heartily and
association were also invited, includ- said, “She’s going to be an even better
ing its president, Ken Griner. cowboy than either me or Will. She’s
gritty! She wants to go with me every
“We always try to participate in all of time we go.” 
the officers’ events and we were fortu-

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 25

PEOPLE

Ken Crawford, Tony Young and Ken Griner. Wendall Welker, Audrey Sexton, Velma Spencer and Ray Welker.

Kristin Tripson and Diane Parentela. Wesley Davis with Rabe Rabon and Matt Pearce. Brittany and David Pitman.

26 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

For awesome ambiance, it takes a (Christmas) village

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF Judy and Ken Folck. PHOTOS: GORDON RADFORD movie theaters, airports and country
Staff Writer clubs, a working gondola, fountains, a
sign up to her. ly 50 feet and includes more than 150 dam and a running train. She says it’s
The Vero Beach Country Club has a “I know not to ask her where things buildings and more people, trees and the small details that make the differ-
secret. For the past 11 years a Christ- animals than can be counted. ence, adding, “the rocks and trickling
mas village has sprouted up just before go,” shared Ken Folck. “She takes the water, flickering campfires and skiers
Thanksgiving, adding to the festive lead and I trust her judgment.” Each scene portrays a microcosm coming down the hill really bring it to
ambiance as the holidays approach. of life, eliciting a sense of nostalgia as life.”
While one might assume the village When folks stumble across the vil- skiers swoop down the slopes, a bear
was the work of Santa’s elves, an in- lage, located along a long hallway near catches fish in the pond, clowns en- New pieces are added each year –
depth investigation revealed that it’s the dining room, it’s like discovering tertain under the big top, and children this time the big top, bumper cars and
the work of Judy and Ken Folck. “Brigadoon” at Christmastime. Setup gawk at animals in the zoo. parachute drop – all purchased on sale
takes six days and scenes change each or at a second-hand store. The only
Judy Folck began her foray into the year for the village, which runs rough- Snippets of everyday life include item she paid full price for was the gon-
creation of this snapshot of Rock- dola and the one piece she covets is a
wellian life 37 years ago, with the pur- quad chair only available in Europe.
chase of a single blue house that re-
mains part of the display. “Club members start asking about
the village in September. The only year
“I was a young, single mother. The we didn’t set it up was after the renova-
blue house was cheap and I needed tion and the members really missed it,”
decorations,” she recalled. It opened recalled Judy Folck.
the floodgates for a lifelong hobby that
has filled her with as much joy as it has “It’s become a tradition for members
given others. “And I get to play with to bring their grandchildren,” added
dolls and not be ridiculed for it.” her husband.

What started as a singular effort “When it’s all set up I love walking by
became a joint project, with husband and seeing the look on people’s faces.
Ken helping to transport and unpack Some of them spend hours looking at
all the pieces, while leaving the de- it. I’ll keep doing it as long as I’m able,”
vowed Judy Folck. 

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 27

PEOPLE

28 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

‘Pay it forward’ theme resonates at IRCF concert

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF The invited guests chatted over hors to an Americana jam session, the focus
Staff Writer d’oeuvres, beer and wine before set- of the evening was to encourage other
tling in to enjoy the soulful sounds of local businessmen to join the mission
Grammy-nominated New Orleans the Andrew Duhon Trio. Backed by of the BBIRC. Modeled after the suc-
singer/songwriter Andrew Duhon en- Myles Weeks on bass and Shawn My- cessful Impact 100 formula, the group
tertained at a concert last Tuesday eve- ers on drums, Duhon played guitar formed several years ago and enlisted
ning at the Vero Beach Heritage Center and harmonica while singing original the support of the IRCF to make grants
hosted by the Indian River Community songs from his three recordings, the to local nonprofits.
Foundation and members of the Busi- latest of which is “The Moorings.”
ness for a Better Indian River County. “We help generous people simplify
In addition to treating the audience and carry out their charitable giving,”

Scott and Gail Alexander. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE

explained Jeff Pickering, IRCF presi-
dent and CEO. “When you’ve got my
job and you’ve got a foundation with
$44 million in assets and 200 charities
in town, you hear a lot of pitches about
good things being done. And they’re
not always the kinds of things that we
can help out immediately.”

The men formed BBIRC after recog-
nizing the greater impact of pooling
their resources to make more signifi-
cant grants.

“We are a group of about a dozen
guys that have come together to share
friendship, practice philanthropy and
do some good for some unsung hero-
type charities. We practice our phi-
lanthropy on a casual basis. We each
give $1,000 to the pot and make our
decisions over lunch or a cold beverage
at the end of the workday,” said Ryan
Weaver.

“When we choose to give proactive-
ly and intentionally we are practicing
philanthropy. It’s amazing how much
time and treasure the Vero Beach
community has given back. Business
for a Better Indian River County is a
microcosm of this generous commu-
nity.”

Pointing out the importance of ‘pay-
ing it forward’ as the men of BBIRC
are doing, Duhon said he appreciated
having grown up in a loving home
with supportive parents.

“I can’t be thankful enough for the
life they provided me,” said Duhon. “I
have so much to give back in my own
right; to have been given a life and an
opportunity to figure out some way
to be creative and then have enough
freedom and confidence in myself.” 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 29

PEOPLE

Jaci Ruppert, Stephanie Pickerin and Rebecca Chesley. Roger Lynch, Trent Leyda and Mike Kanner. Jim and Jennifer Donnell with Jeff Minton.

Andrew Duhon, Charles Croom, Ryan Weaver, Jeff Pickering, Myles Weeks and Shawn Myers.

Michael and Shannon Hauser with Charles Croom, Dan and Anna Casale.





32 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Coming Up: Enjoy one-of-a-kind Holidays at McKee

BY SAMANTHA ROHLFING BAITA sands of twinkling lights, luminescent
Staff Writer lanterns and other holiday adornment.
The 1924 Wurlitzer vintage band or-
1 This Thursday, Friday and Sat- gan will fill the air with music, and you,
urday, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., McKee young and young-at-heart, will love the
model train and holiday village display.
Botanical Garden, one of Indian River Heartwarming musical performances
by the Imagine School Tangerines; the
county’s true treasures, will be open to First United Methodist Church Hand-
bell Ensemble; and the Tania Tunes Car-
the public for the annual Holidays at olers led by local singer and actor Tania

McKee. Along the broad palm boule-

vard and the myriad pathways, nature’s

artistry will become magical with thou-

PHOTOS BY DENISE RITCHIE

Ortega-Cowan, and McKee Volunteer,
vocalist Claudia Ball. Next Thursday,
Friday and Saturday, Dec. 28-30, the be-
loved Garden will host Nights of Lights,
a wonderful opportunity to welcome in
the new year with family and friends,

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 33

ARTS & THEATRE

surrounded by the peace and harmony 2 Popular music man Bok Tower Gardens Buck’s love of music, espe-
of the wondrous natural world of the Kevin McCullers will cially that of the Jazz Age.
Garden. Regular Garden Admission ap- Buck, according to the Bok
plies for this event. Well worth the drive. be playing on Christ- Tower website, was a Beth-
lehem Steel vice president
mas Day at Capt. Hi- who had Pinewood built in
the early 1930s. Today the
ram's in Sebastian, 20-room Mediterranean-style man-
sion is open to Bok Tower Garden visi-
starting at 6 p.m. tors. The Buck family loves to share
their completely decorated home
Kevin plays a mean during the Christmas season, and this
year the sounds of the Jazz Age will
acoustic guitar, and make the holidays at Pinewood totally
merry and bright. Get tickets at the
you’ll recognize lots of the coun- Visitor Center or at the gate. 

try and rock tunes he’ll be bringing.

Head to Indian River Drive in Se-

bastian for a little musical holiday

diversion.

3 This Friday, over
at Waldo’s on the

beach, you can grab

a little respite from

the holiday hoopla, RING IN THE NEW YEAR

sip on something Resolve to update your look with stacking rings from
Suzy Landa. Worn alone or with your existing rings,
with rum in it, and
they make a stylish statement.
listen to Hair Peace,

a guy-girl acoustic duo with a peace/

love/John Lennon vibe and really

long hair. Music starts at 8 p.m. Rick
Collins and Company bring the mu-
sic to Waldo’s Wednesday, Dec. 27, 7
p.m. to 10 p.m., when we’re regroup-
ing between Christmas and New
Year’s Eve, another opportunity to
take a brief break with some tunes
and a beverage.

4 Another long-time Florida SEE THESE AND OTHER FINE THINGS AT VERO’S
holiday tradition is a visit to CSCSEOEEOLETLL ETLHEHCECETSTSEI OEI AONANNNODODFOFOATAMTHMHEEEERRARRIFMCIFICANEI ANRNEINEC-TM-ATHMAHNI NADI-MNGDEFGAISENADSAEAREASTRTATTTVCARVEATONERANDLRONLDOE’JDSC’EJSJFETWEFIIWWONEI NEENELLERLSORRSYTYFYT

hear the Christmas Carillon Con-

cert at Bok Tower Gardens. Bel-

gium native Geert D’hollander,

Bok Tower Gardens’ full-time caril-

lonneur, performs Christmas mu-

sic from around the world at 1 p.m.

and 3 p.m. every Thursday through

Sunday on the wonderful, 60-bell

Singing Tower carillon. While at

the Gardens, you must do the Holi- 22991100CCAARRDDININAALLDDRR. .
VVEERROOBBEEAACCHH, ,FFLL
day Home Tour at Pinewood Es- TTHHEELLAAUUGGHHI NI NGGDDOOGGGGAALLLLEERRYY. C. COOMM 777722. 2. 23344. 6. 6771111

tate. This year, the tour takes a musi-

cal turn, celebrating Charles Austin

34 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

‘Nutcracker on the Indian River’: Big biz, bigger buzz

BY MICHELLE GENZ Adam Schnell. PHOTO BY DENISE RITCHIE birds and marine life at her destination. about Vero and what would be unique
“The planning for this project start- to it and it turned into this proposal,
Staff Writer Center, where the world premiere was ‘Nutcracker on the Indian River.’
staged in November. ed with the formation of the compa-
“The Nutcracker” is big business; of ny,” Schnell says. “We knew we were “I got a decent grade on the project,”
that Adam Schnell is certain. When he In Vero, Schnell has had to go it alone going to want to do our own Nutcrack- he says. “And I mentioned to the board,
undertook creating the original version in terms of fundraising, though he did er. It just so happened around the time wouldn’t this be nice for our five-year
for Ballet Vero Beach that debuts this have the local chapter of the Land Trust the company was forming, I was doing anniversary?”
weekend, he did it in part to ensure the lending him moral support. Or more my graduate work and one of the first
company’s survival. precisely, ethical support. The Land assignments was to come up with a “We started slowly but surely putting
Trust’s partnership lent the magical proposal for an arts project.” the blocks in place,” recalls Schnell.
With its first two performances Fri- Land of Sweets an environmental con- Approaching local donors, they con-
day and Saturday, “The Nutcracker science; Schnell’s ballet sets it on the Since he and his partner Camilo sidered whether they might target such
on the Indian River” joins the close to Indian River Lagoon. The ballet opens Rodriguez, Ballet Vero Beach’s ballet a production. And they began to write
1,000 Nutcracker productions reeling in New York City in 1919, with a family master, had already formed the Ballet grant applications with the future pro-
in audiences nationwide. Already, the headed to Vero Beach for a Christmas Vero Beach, Schnell turned his focus duction in mind.
reception has been beyond Schnell’s vacation. On the train ride, little Marie to the Nutcracker. “I started thinking
expectations, with 750 seats sold by last dozes, and dreams of dancing shore Schnell says there was no more con-
week, far more than it typically sells for structive process than the Impact 100
its regular performances. grant competition last spring. That
organization, which gives out four
The Nutcracker has been called “the $100,000 grants per year, involves an
engine that drives the machine,” with arduous application process. Ballet
good reason: Ballet companies reap Vero Beach was the first arts organiza-
about half of their annual revenues tion to ever apply.
from the Christmastime story ballet.
As it turns out, the ballet didn’t get
So key is the production to Miami City the large grant, though they did get a
Ballet’s bottom line that it just spent $1 merit award of $13,000. But there was
million to “re-imagine” its Nutcracker. also a less tangible reward.
And that was just for costumes and sets.
For Schnell, the application and its
This weekend, as Miami City Ballet required oral presentation to the board
debuts its freshened-up production forced him to think through aspects he
in West Palm Beach’s Kravis Center, might not have. “It made myself and
Schnell will be rushing around back- my board of directors think about ‘The
stage with the ballet’s requisite cast of Nutcracker’ in a different way. How is
children. Those young dancers are key this going to impact the community
to the ballet’s success. Not only does it besides being a good, pretty fun ballet?”
inspire them to take their own children
when they grow up, ensuing genera- That answer was already embedded
tions of Nutcracker audiences, but it in the lagoon concept. “We had always
also brings in schoolmates, parents, had plans to bring in an environmen-
grandparents and, yes, neighbors. tal partner with the Land Trust. And we
had planned to use outreach kids on
Miami’s pricey upgrade was co- stage from the first. But going through
commissioned by Los Angeles’ Music that (Impact 100) process made us

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 35

ARTS & THEATRE

think about that. OK, you can’t just put with this? But everything is scalable. been in costume design for 15 years. “The intention was to have some-
up some information about the lagoon Between grants, private foundations, Last season, he co-designed and con- thing the community can really get
and put some kids on stage, and that’s fund-raising income and corporation structed the costumes for the second behind: a locally produced but high-
a partnership.” donations, we really had to think about act of Miami City Ballet’s fantastical un- quality production that will be an en-
where we were going to make up that derwater interpretation of Balanchine’s during holiday classic. People have
It was Land Trust executive director price tag in a credible way.” “Midsummer Night’s Dream.” already embraced that and it has sur-
Ken Grudens who told him it would passed my expectations. Now I just
be better to inspire the kids in the cast That meant slowly and deliberately And another obvious budget item: have to deliver.” 
than just the audience. So all 50 kids, crossing off a long list of imperatives. the salaries and travel expenses for
age 6 to 18, outreach and otherwise, Professional designers had to be found the 23 professional dancers flying in “The Nutcracker on the Indian River”
went out to the Tony Robinson Water- and their fees negotiated within the new- from Nebraska. premieres Friday at 8 p.m. with a sec-
front Trail, a Land Trust property on the ly limited budget. The scenery ended up ond performance Saturday at 2 p.m. at
lagoon. There, they sat with journals, costing $100,000, designed by Joseph Marketing is another expense, one the Vero Beach High School Performing
writing and thinking about the fragile Rawda of Fort Lauderdale and built by an that has apparently paid off. Schnell Arts Center. Tickets range from $10 to
waterway. “Those kids who are playing Orlando firm, Bungalow Scenic Studios. says ticket sales have going “excep- $75. Go to balletverobeach.org or call
dolphins and sea turtles and pelicans tionally well.” He is hoping to hit the box office at 772-564-5537.
may not experience the outdoors that Bungalow is turning out exactly 1,000 for the combined two perfor-
way. To get them out with Land Trust what the production needs if it intends mances Friday and Saturday.
scientists was totally transformational.” to tour regionally, which is Schnell’s
ultimate goal.
Grudens also thought to include
cast members in the annual Land “Bungalow has done a lot of work
Trust benefit at Rock City Nursery. with Disney, so the engineering experi-
“That got Land Trust patrons excited ence they have is just incredible. It’s all
about this partnership,” says Schnell. lightweight, portable and long-lasting.”
“If you’re going to do a partnership, it
has to benefit both organizations. We Costumes cost another $75,000,
got to show them we’re not just saving with just the materials alone for the
acres, we’re putting this message out tutus costing $52,000. “That doesn’t in-
there in a completely off-beat way.” clude labor. The really fancy ones can
take over 100 hours of labor to put to-
There was still the major hole in the gether,” says Schnell. “When I describe
budget left when the ballet lost out on to people what it takes to make these, I
the Impact 100 grant. “That was a ma- can tell you they’re at a level no one has
jor hiccup,” says Schnell. “It was prob- ever seen before in Vero, dance-wise.”
ably the biggest road block we had. We
had to ask ourselves, can we go forward That benchmark has been set by Tra-
vis Halsey, a graduate in theater arts
of the University of Nebraska who has

36 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ST. EDWARD’S

All the pieces in place with rebuilt St. Ed’s hoops team

BY RON HOLUB cause I just get so excited. It’s such a fun
Correspondent sport and I love being around the people,
my teammates, and everything. I will be
St. Ed’s varsity girls basketball team St. Ed’s player Tea Tee. PHOTO BY GORDON RADFORD running around everywhere just be-
put on a clinic in its home opener Dec. cause that’s my personality on the court.
4 by holding Somerset College Prep getting all of the moves down and will
Academy to one field goal in a lopsided score some points for us. “Our goals this year are to develop our
63-7 mismatch. skills, play together as a team, and get
“We have more obviously, but I see some W’s. For me personally I should
On the other hand the Pirates couldn’t those three as the leaders next year. This maybe shoot a little more because I’ve
copy and paste that dominance onto is going to be a fun year for me and Tea, always been kind of scared doing that.”
three stronger opponents before re- but it’s also comforting to know that we
grouping last weekend. Turning back won’t be abandoning the team because It’s no secret that St. Ed’s girls bas-
Boca Raton Christian, 51-23, and FAU I know these people can handle it.” ketball program needed an infusion of
High, 41-31, was the ideal way to surge spirit five years ago when Paula Rob-
into the holiday break at 3-3. The continuity that Jenkins and inson took over. It took a while before
Tee contributed to the program was the breakthrough finally came last year
The entire girls basketball program just as meaningful as the consider- when the Pirates posted 10 wins, more
at St. Ed’s has never been in better able skills they regularly display on than doubling the number of the previ-
shape. Fifth-year head coach Paula the court. Jenkins is a reliable dou- ous three seasons combined.
Robinson has engineered a massive ble-digit scorer while Tee will be all
rebuilding project in terms of partici- over the floor doing everything her “I’m excited about how far we’ve come
pation and quality from the middle boundless enthusiasm allows. over the last five years,” Robinson said.
school through the varsity. “This year we have nine girls who are
“This has been amazing,” Tee told us. going to touch the basketball. Everyone
Two seniors have been with Robin- “I have really seen our team develop understands what I tell them and what
son the entire way. Maya Jenkins and we are trying to do. The chemistry seems
Tea Tee have survived the lean years to be working really well right now.
and tell the tale better than anyone.
“We actually have kids playing their
“When I started playing on the var-
sity in eighth grade we really didn’t Maya Jenkins
have much of a team,” Jenkins said.
“We had to build it and this year we
have reached what we were striving
for. We have people who understand
the game and really like playing it.

“To get better at anything there is
going to be some agony. You have
to work hard to get anywhere. Even
when we are doing things like run-
ning suicides, we find a way to have
fun with the group of girls we have.
Our goals this year are to improve
and have fun.

“Katy Rodriguez is a junior and she
does a really good job as one of our
guards. Elise Mallon and Zion At-
water are only sophomores. Elise is
our point guard and she is very good
at seeing what is happening on the
floor. Zion is our post player. She is

over the years. This is the strongest team true positions. We don’t have to switch
we’ve had in a few years. The whole bas- people around. Zion and Maya are the
ketball program has been really great. bigs playing center and power forward.
Everyone seems super excited and su- Bridget Nelson is the small forward.
per happy. We are all into it. I’m really Elise Mallon is our main point guard
excited to see how the season goes. because she is quick, sees the floor well,
and is our best ball handler. Tea and
“As leaders and co-captains Maya Katy (first off the bench) can also play
and I do a lot of team bonding. Before point guard and score.
we had teams that weren’t very big and
everyone was kind of scattered. We “This year we have nine capable
can offer advice from what we learned basketball players. I try my best to use
in the past and we are really trying to all of my players, no matter how many
bring everyone together. I think our re- minutes.”
lationships are really flowering.
The season resumes Jan. 9 at home
“I have a lot of energy in the games be- vs. Trinity Christian. 



38 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT COVER STORY

BY CAITLIN DEWEY | WASHINGTON POST losing to age. But it is already contrib- the Department of Agriculture under kota, the number of beginning farmers
uting to the growth of the local-food President Barack Obama. “The only has grown by 20 percent or more.
Liz Whitehurst dabbled in several movement and could help preserve question is whether they’ll get on the
careers before she ended up crating the place of midsize farms in the rural land, given the challenges.” A survey conducted by the National
fistfuls of fresh-cut arugula in the ear- landscape. Young Farmers Coalition, an advocacy
ly-November chill. The number of farmers age 25 to group, with Merrigan’s help shows that
“We’re going to see a sea change 34 grew 2.2 percent between 2007 the majority of young farmers did not
The hours were better at her non- in American agriculture as the next and 2012, according to the 2014 USDA grow up in agricultural families.
profit jobs. So were the benefits. But generation gets on the land,” said census, a period when other groups
two years ago, the 32-year-old White- Kathleen Merrigan, the head of the of farmers – save the oldest – shrunk They are also far more likely than
hurst – who graduated from a liberal Food Institute at George Washington by double digits. In some states, such the general farming population to
arts college and grew up in the Chicago University and a deputy secretary at as California, Nebraska and South Da- grow organically, limit pesticide and
suburbs – abandoned Washington, DC fertilizer use, diversify their crops or
for a three-acre farm in Maryland. animals, and be deeply involved in
their local food systems via commu-
She joined a growing movement nity supported agriculture (CSA) pro-
of highly educated, ex-urban, first- grams and farmers markets.
time farmers who are capitalizing on
booming consumer demand for local Today’s young farmers also tend to
and sustainable foods and who, ex- operate small farms of less than 50
perts say, could have a broad impact acres, though that number increases
on the food system. with each successive year of experience.

For only the second time in the last Whitehurst bought her farm, Owl’s
century, the number of farmers under Nest, from a retiring farmer in 2015.
35 years old is increasing, according to
the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s The farm sits at the end of a gravel
latest Census of Agriculture. Sixty-nine road, a series of vegetable fields un-
percent of the surveyed young farm- furling from a steep hill capped by her
ers had college degrees – significantly tiny white house. Like the farmer who
higher than the general population. worked this land before her, she leases
the house and the fields from a neigh-
This new generation can’t hope to boring couple in their 70s.
replace the numbers that farming is
She grows organically certified pep-
pers, cabbages, tomatoes and salad

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 39

INSIGHT COVER STORY

greens from baby kale to arugula, ro- Liz Whitehurst picks greens at Owl’s Nest Farm in Upper Marlboro, Md farmer has crept toward 60 over sever-
tating her fields to enrich the soil and al decades, risking the security of mid-
planting cover crops in the offseason. Young farmers are also creating and organic fads will be over,” said Eve size family farms where children aren’t
their own “food hubs,” allowing them Turow Paul, a consultant who advises interested in succeeding their parents.
On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fri- to store, process and market food col- farms and food companies on millen-
days, she and two longtime friends lectively, and supply grocery and res- nial preferences. “It’s my pleasure to Between 1992 and 2012, the coun-
wake up in semidarkness to harvest taurant chains at a price competitive tell them: Look at this generation. Get try lost more than 250,000 midsize
by hand, kneeling in the mud to cut with national suppliers. on board or go out of business.” and small commercial farms, accord-
handfuls of greens before the sun can ing to the USDA. During that same
wilt them. All three young women, That’s strengthening the local and There are also hopes that the influx period, more than 35,000 very large
who also live on the farm, make their organic food movement, experts say. of young farmers could provide some farms started up, and the large farms
living off the produce Whitehurst sells, counter to the aging of American ag- already in existence consolidated
whether to restaurants, through CSA “I get calls all the time from farm- riculture. their acreage.
shares or at a D.C. farmers market. ers – some of the largest farmers in the
country – asking me when the local The age of the average American Midsize farms are critical to rural
Finances can be tight. The women economies, generating jobs, spend-
admit they’ve given up higher stan- ing and tax revenue. And while they’re
dards of living to farm. large enough to supply mainstream
markets, they’re also small enough to
“I wanted to have a positive impact, respond to environmental changes
and that just felt very distant in my other and consumer demand.
jobs out of college,” Whitehurst said. “In
farming, on the other hand, you make If today’s young farmers can con-
a difference. Your impact is immediate.” tinue to grow their operations, said
Shoshanah Inwood, a rural sociolo-
That impact could grow as young gist at Ohio State University, they
farmers scale up and become a larger could bolster these sorts of farms –
part of the commercial food system, and in the process prevent the land
Merrigan said. from falling into the hands of large-
scale industrial operations or resi-
Already, several national grocery dential developers.
chains, including Walmart and Super-
Valu, have built out local-food-buying “Multigenerational family farms are
programs, according to AT Kearney, a
management consulting firm. STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

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42 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39 INSIGHT COVER STORY

From left, Liz
Whitehurst, Rachel
Clement and Foster

Gettys pick and
weigh greens at
Owl’s Nest Farm

shrinking. And big farms are getting The number of young farmers enter- challenges to starting and scaling their cent of young farmers consider a “chal-
bigger,” Inwood said. “For the resilien- ing the field is nowhere near enough to businesses. The costs of farmland and lenge,” according to the National Young
cy of the food system and of rural com- replace the number exiting, according farm equipment are prohibitive. Young Farmers Coalition – can strain already
munities, we need more agriculture of to the USDA: Between 2007 and 2012, farmers are frequently dependent tight finances and disqualify them from
the middle.” agriculture gained 2,384 farmers be- on government programs, including receiving other forms of credit.
tween ages 25 and 34 – and lost nearly child-care subsidies and public health
It’s too early to say at this point 100,000 between 45 and 54. insurance, to cover basic needs. But Lindsey Lusher Shute, the ex-
whether young farmers will effect that ecutive director of the coalition, said
sort of change. And young farmers face formidable And student loan debt – which 46 per- she has seen the first wave of back-to-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 43

INSIGHT COVER STORY

the-landers grow up in the eight years and sell to direct markets, because that’s that wanted to buy her vegetables. things, she feared that she could not af-
since she co-founded the advocacy a viable way for them to get into farm- While Owl’s Nest produces too little to ford to sell her vegetables at the lower
group. And she suggested that new ing,” Lusher Shute said. “But many are supply such a large buyer on its own, price point the service wanted.
policy initiatives, including student shifting gears as they get into it – getting the service planned to buy produce
loan forgiveness and farm transition bigger or moving into wholesale.” from multiple small, local farmers. “For now, I’m focused on getting
programs, could further help them. better, not bigger,” she said. “But in a
Just last year, Whitehurst was ap- Whitehurst ultimately turned the few years, who knows. Ask me again
“Young farmers tend to start small proached by an online grocery service deal down, however. Among other then.” 

44 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT OPINION

Sorry, Gannett, but The Stuart News is NOT yourVero paper

Last week, Vero residents who still reading the letter from The Stuart News need – at no charge. Our experienced of maintaining the largest news staff in
subscribe to the Press Journal received (why would they), so some number reporters provide in-depth coverage of Indian River County (three times the
a letter from The Stuart News. may well not even be aware of – or no- the major institutions of our commu- size of the Press Journal).
tice – the hike of almost 40 percent (!) in nity: the local governments, the School
That’s right. The letter was obvi- their monthly charge. Hmmm. Maybe District, the hospital, the environment Take a minute this holiday season
ously intended for Press Journal sub- Gannett is counting on that. – stories that appear nowhere else. and think about which news organiza-
scribers, but it wasn’t from the Press tion actually deserves your support.
Journal! It was on the letter head of The letter concluded: “Thank you for We aren’t going to suggest cancelling
The Stuart News. supporting local journalism.” the Press Journal – though if Gannett Make a New Year’s resolution to join
can’t tell the difference between The readers helping support the journal-
It began: “We know how much you Well let us humbly offer a sugges- Stuart News and their Vero paper, we ism of 32963. You can send a voluntary
appreciate receiving your subscription tion. If you really want to support lo- ought to. contribution to: Vero Beach 32963, 4855
to The Stuart News ....The Stuart News cal journalism in Indian River County, Highway A1A, Vero Beach, FL 32963.
is your trusted source for everything how about supporting the newspaper But your contribution of any fraction Any amount would help us cover the
you love about our community . . .” that provides it – Vero Beach 32963. of the $500 Gannett plans to extract rising costs of bringing you 32963 each
from subscribers to the daily in 2018 week, and would be greatly appreciated.
So there you have it. We not only no We deliver this paper to your mailbox would certainly help us with the cost
longer get any local news of conse- every week – filled with the news you Thank you, and happy holidays. 
quence from the no-longer-local daily,
but Gannett can’t even get the name of While the public’s commemora- U.S. adults say they celebrate the Christmas Day, little changed since
their Indian River County paper right. tion of Christmas may have less of holiday, which is nearly identical to 2013, the last time the Pew Research
Pretty pathetic. a religious component now than the share who said this in 2013. Center asked the question.
in the past, the share of Americans
But the real outrage was the letter who say they celebrate Christmas in Two-thirds of Americans contin- Some 82 percent say they plan
went on to announce a huge hike in the some way has hardly budged at all, ue to say that Christian displays like to gather with friends or family at
cost of a home subscription. according to a new Pew survey. nativity scenes should be permitted Christmas.
on government property during the
As of Jan. 1, the letter said, the rate for Despite the talk in recent years of holidays, and half say they plan to That last figure is the cheeriest
your subscription to the daily paper will a “war on Christmas,” nine-in-ten attend church on Christmas Eve or news of all. 
be $38.50 per month (plus applicable
taxes) – or almost $500 per year!!! BLOOMBERG

This follows on what Gannett told fi-
nancial analysts in late summer, when
they admitted that circulation was
plunging – but said they planned to
make up the lost revenue by soaking
the readers who don’t cancel.

Gannett has a clever system work-
ing here. Many of the remaining sub-
scribers to the daily have their sub-
scription fee automatically debited
monthly – which makes the charge
relatively invisible, and provides less
sticker shock than the amount would
if it was billed quarterly or annually.

In fact, many Indian River County
readers probably didn’t even bother

HEALTHCARE’S RAPIDLY MERGING cuses on keeping people in a community well. ordinated high-quality care to their Medicare
ENVIRONMENT, Part 1 Hospitals, with assistance through community- patients. The goals of coordinated care are to
based organizations and social services, gather ensure that patients, especially the chronically
From the establishment of Medicare in 1965 data, address health problems seen in their ill, get the right care at the right time, to avoid
to a proliferation of for-profit conglomerates community and seek evidence-based interven- unnecessary duplication of services and to pre-
purchasing independent community hospitals tions that lead to better health for everyone. vent medical errors. ACOs are another value-
in the 80s and 90s, healthcare is ever-chang- This model works to prevent disease, close based reimbursement model. Hospitals must
ing. And with the federal government footing care gaps and provide cost savings. It offers meet specific quality benchmarks, focus on
more and more of the bill through Medicare telehealth services, community-based clinics prevention and carefully manage patients with
and Medicaid, the way healthcare is delivered (steering people away from using the ER for chronic diseases. Providers get paid more for
is very much determined by government agen- primary care) and patient care coordinators keeping patients healthy and out of the hospi-
cies, especially the Centers for Medicare and to coordinate healthcare services across the tal.
Medicaid Services (CMS). care continuum. For providers the popula-
tion health model presents substantial finan-  Bundled Payments
To lower cost and increase quality, CMS and cial risk. If many patients require extensive, Bundled payments are essentially “packaged
other insurers are transitioning from paying expensive care, they will have to pay for that pricing” for hospitals, physicians and other
hospitals based on volume (“fee-for-service”) care from the lump sum they are allotted, and providers based on the expected cost for clini-
to based on value (“fee-for-value”). Under spend more than they are reimbursed. Most cally-defined episodes of care. It’s like a middle
value-based healthcare, providers are reim- stand-alone hospitals will not have a large ground between fee-for-service reimburse-
bursed a lump sum for providing needed care enough pool of patients to spread the risk. ment (in which providers are paid for each ser-
with adjustments to the payment, up or down, This is a reason independent, not-for-profit vice rendered to a patient) and capitation (in
based on outcomes. hospitals are seeking partnerships with bigger which providers are paid a “lump sum” per
healthcare systems. By being part of a large patient regardless of how many services the
Here are some terms that will become more fa- network, more patients are included in the patient receives).
miliar in the coming years. “population,” lowering the financial risk.
Your comments and suggestions for future
HEALTHCARE TERMS TO LEARN  Accountable Care Organization topics are always welcome. Email us at
Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are [email protected].
 Population Health Management groups of doctors, hospitals and other health-
This is a value-based model of care that fo- care providers who come together to give co- © 2017 Vero Beach 32963 Media, all rights reserved

46 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BOOK REVIEW

The CIA has long tried to recruit young brought on behalf of three victims of this terrain across decades of the institu- and schemers, including legendary early
people by offering them career opportu- the alleged torture. After the CIA failed tion’s history. The ghosts of Prados’ title directors Walter Bedell Smith and Allen
nities with the promise of excitement, to sanction those involved in the case form the undead legacy of a succession Dulles. It is an account that relies notably
intrigue and patriotism. “Be account- or, with few exceptions, others similarly of CIA directors, managers and legal on documents including those released
able to the President, Congress, and accused, it took the threat of civil litiga- counselors whose “operations, especial- by the CIA itself, as detailed in 22 pages
the American public,” reads one recent tion to finally obtain some measure of ly the failed ones, have driven the spies of endnotes.
announcement directed at students at justice on the eve of a trial likely to have to contrive arguments and explanations
Brigham Young University. “Strengthen embarrassed the two defendants and they have relied upon – repeatedly – to While acknowledging CIA successes
national security and foreign policy ob- the agency that enriched them. How’s escape from criticism and accountabil- such as the U2 and subsequent spy plane
jectives through the clandestine collec- that for CIA accountability? ity.” programs, Prados’ principal theme is the
tion of human intelligence … and by recurring refusal to publicly acknowl-
conducting Covert Action … this is what Or what about the official CIA Ac- It never seems to end. Prados’ conclu- edge error or penalize those responsible.
you’ll do in the CIA’s Directorate of Op- countability Board that overruled the sion is that, after decades of skirmishing At one point he resurrects a quote from
erations.” agency’s inspector general? The in- with Congress, the courts and the media, Iran-contra-era director William Casey’s
spector general had determined that the CIA has “finally decoupled itself – top legal adviser, Stanley Sporkin, who
It’s nice to know that graduates can five employees were improperly in- from government accountability.” This, recalls how his boss would demand:
work off their college debt as spies, but volved in breaking into computers he argues, is not just bad for America but “Don’t tell me it can’t be done legally.
as the CIA marks its 70th birthday this used by Senate staffers investigating also gravely undermines the interests of Find me a legal way to do it.” Prados
year, its help-wanted ads extol an ac- allegations of CIA torture. Three of the CIA itself, where zealotry and con- notes that more recently, as CIA leader-
countability more imagined than real. them displayed a “lack of candor” in cealment trump the need to anchor its ship passed from George Tenet to Porter
Just a few months ago, two psycholo- response to the probe, the inspector legitimacy in American democracy. As a Goss, Hayden, David Petraeus, Leon Pa-
gists whom the CIA had paid more than general found. But the Accountability result, he contends, the CIA is sowing the netta and then John Brennan, successive
$80 million to develop “enhanced inter- Board recommended that no one be “seeds of its coming failure.” directors found reasons to continue the
rogation” techniques settled a lawsuit punished, declaring that all had told obfuscation.
the truth and their lapses did not involve Given that the phenomenon Prados
bad faith. describes has been going on for years, Enter Mike Pompeo, the current CIA
It may be all too easy to second-guess it’s unclear why continuing on the same director. Purportedly a favorite of Presi-
much of what the CIA does. As former di- path is now any more likely to trigger a dent Trump’s, the former tea party con-
rector Michael Hayden argued this year grand reckoning than before. That said, gressman from Kansas arrived in of-
when explaining his decision not to dis- the appearance of an accountability fice too late for more than a mention in
cipline a subordinate, “The one message deficit at the CIA and elsewhere in the the “The Ghosts of Langley.” But given
I could not afford to send … was ‘Take intelligence community has contributed Trump’s penchant for rough tactics and
hard jobs and make tough choices, but if to a proliferation of leaks, whistleblower willingness to bring back waterboarding
you f--- up, we’re coming after you.’” claims, aggressive press coverage and ef- “and a hell of a lot worse,” as candidate
During his confirmation as direc- forts to obtain CIA documents under the Trump declared, Pompeo must hope
tor in 2006, Hayden claimed that “the Freedom of Information Act (a specialty that the president will have the agency’s
best way to strengthen the trust of the of Prados and the National Security Ar- back in the event of renewed scandal.
American people [in the CIA] is to earn chive that employs him). The spectacle
it by obeying the law and showing what of CIA directors testifying before Con- In the end, “The Ghosts of Langley”
is best about America.” Other CIA direc- gress to explain away intelligence fail- can be read as a tartly worded, at times
tors have expressed equally noble sen- ures and deny facts about torture, rendi- garrulous prayer that the CIA learn from
timents, only to be undercut when the tions and other unsavory practices has and publicly admit its mistakes. 
agency’s actions were later exposed. fueled calls for more oversight.
In “The Ghosts of Langley: Into the THE GHOSTS OF LANGLEY
CIA’s Heart of Darkness,” longtime agen- “The Ghosts of Langley” offers a de- INTO THE CIA’S HEART OF DARKNESS
cy critic John Prados, a senior fellow at tail-rich, often relentless litany of CIA
the National Security Archive, explores scandals and mini-scandals, with a fo- BY BY JOHN PRADOS
cus on operations. Along the way, Prados New Press. 446 pp. $28.95
features the agency’s heroes, patriots
Review by Adam Zagorin
The Washington Post

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3. Why Christmas Trees Aren't
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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 47

INSIGHT GAMES BRIDGE

A STANDARD RULE IN ANOTHER SETTING NORTH
K92
Charles M. Schwab said, “All successful employers are stalking men who will do the WEST K J 10 EAST
unusual, men who think, men who attract attention by performing more than is expected Q 10 8 7 4 J874 AJ
of them.” A92 KQ5 653
52 10 9 6 3
Successful bridge players stalk tricks, which occasionally requires doing the unusual — 863 SOUTH 10 9 7 4
as in today’s deal. South is in three no-trump. West leads a fourth-highest spade seven. 653
What should happen after that? Q874
AKQ
This is the single most common bidding sequence. South assumes that North will cover AJ2
the spade suit, and North assumes that South will coast home easily with a combined
28-30 points between them. Dealer: South; Vulnerable: Both

South starts with seven top tricks: four diamonds and three clubs. He can easily The Bidding:
establish three more winners in hearts. His only concern is the spade suit. Well, there is
no hurry to put up dummy’s king. That can wait until the second round of the suit. SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST OPENING
1 NT Pass 3 NT All Pass
Now the spotlight falls on East. He knows that when the lead is fourth-highest, he LEAD:
should apply the Rule of Eleven. Seven from 11 is four. So there are four spades higher 7 Spades
than the seven in the North, East and South hands combined. Lo and behold, East can
see all four: the king-nine on the board and the ace-jack in his hand. So South has no
spade higher than the seven.

This would tempt some Easts to win the first trick with the jack — irreparably blocking
the suit. A stalker will win with the ace and return the jack, trusting his partner to
overtake with the queen to drive out dummy’s king. Then, when West gets in with his
heart ace, he cashes the rest of the spades for down one.

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48 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT GAMES

SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (DECEMBER 14) ON PAGE 68

ACROSS DOWN
1 Type of cheese (7) 1 Yuletide (9,4)
5 Textile (5) 2 Mistake (5)
8 Of the countryside (5) 3 Predicament (7)
9 Small table mat (7) 4 Break or alcove (6)
10 Small crustaceans (7) 5 Lesson (5)
11 Beach (5) 6 Result (7)
12 Lose (6) 7 Conker (5,8)
14 Oration (6) 13 Genuine (7)
17 Spanish“Mr”(5) 15 Crepe (7)
19 Sets alight (7) 16 Circus tent (3,3)
21 Approximate (7) 18 All set (5)
22 Decorate (5) 20 Treasure stash (5)
23 Adversary (5)
24 Gift (7)

The Telegraph

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 49

INSIGHT GAMES

ACROSS 64 Reagan’s Star 3 Give rankings to e.g. The Washington Post
1 Mr. Z of Wars prog. 4 Reason to call 63 Bolívar liberated
PALINDROMANIA By Merl Reagle
Hollywood 66 Out-of-it kitties? 911: abbr. it
6 South Seas 70 Quarters with a 5 Utmost, briefly 64 Mark of the
6 Romance
souvenir no. vampire?
9 Low, low opera 71 Go for the gold language 65 Stella of cookie
73 The downbeat is speakers
voice 7 Classic Lotus fame
14 FDR’s dog usually on it sports car model 67 Fill
18 Shopping area 74 Act like a Hun 8 Homelessness, 68 Acted like Lorelei
76 Gray ___ drug 69 “You’ve cut me to
next to the 77 Flan critic’s abuse, etc.
Camel Lot? 9 Cousin of “mac” the quick!”
20 Attorney, at times outburst? 10 In the past 72 Come across
21 “___ written ...” 83 Cheeks describer 11 Wd. ending
22 Mask shop 84 Deletes 12 Vietnam’s region: with the dough
inventory? 85 Old German coin abbr. 75 Salty state
23 Ugly Stepsister’s 86 Teddy, to John Jr. 13 Daniel and 78 Record again,
problem? 89 Captain Kirk’s Humberto
25 Ripening agent 14 Marching-band captain-style
26 Hair care successor, flute 79 Exhausts
products Jean-___ Picard 15 Very sorry 80 I or II Bible bk.
28 Stretch inning 90 Screw up individual 81 Guns the engine
29 Lola in Damn 91 Act like Lisa, not 16 Ray of 82 Attracted
Yankees Bart GoodFellas 87 The truth
31 Production 92 Warning sign at a 17 “And strange ___ 88 Used, as a
construction porcupine farm? may sound ...”
33 Buster Brown’s 97 Stomping 19 Just prayer rug
dog grounds: abbr. 20 On a caravel 91 Type of shower
34 Homer’s H 99 Compass dir. 24 Head off 92 Bombing raid
35 Blueprint details: 100 Surprised cries 27 Respect 93 The Big Bang,
abbr. 101 Actor Carroll 30 Kiangs and
38 Ingrid, in 102 Actress Joanne onagers for one
Casablanca 103 Actress Bonet 32 Recruit 94 27 Down, to a
40 Song of 105 Sells (for) 33 Sung syllables
celebration sung 107 Editorialized 35 Mil. class on mademoiselle
by Noah? 110 Assignment campus 95 Keep one’s ___
43 Without shame 114 “The ___” 36 Movie-rating org.
45 Life in France? (bathroom 37 Nickels? the grindstone
47 ___ bad time edition of Silas 39 Lemmon film set 96 Fox steps?
48 Letters on some Marner, etc.?) in Italy 98 Mournful poeme
Indy cars 118 Proselytize on 41 Of a heart part 104 “Thereby hangs
49 Emulated the islands? 42 “... fetch ___ of
Petruchio 120 1963 role for water” ___”
50 1985 film with a Shirley 44 Hawaiian goose 106 “When I was ___
Neanderthal 121 A real pain in the 46 Pianist
sense of ear Pogorelich ...”
humor 122 Nickname for a 50 Cured with salt 108 Don Juan’s mom
52 Deputy or A.D.C. crook 51 Talk-a-thon 109 Tag info
56 “___ or just no who’s easy to 53 Hamlet’s 111 One mo’ time
good?” (Geraldo track? comment at 112 Nunn and Spade
segment about 123 Gimlet or goggle dinner? 113 Banjo’s resting
Adam and Eve?) follower 54 Hiking of a
59 Actress Rigg 124 A dynamite football place
60 War zone of personality 55 Like lemon 115 Freedom of
January 1991 125 Zuider ___ meringue
61 TV’s Maude or 126 Irritable partner? 57 Intersect mvmt.?
Dorothy DOWN 58 “You ___ like a 116 Resident’s
62 ___ of society 1 Salmon tail? man!”
(Lot’s wife, 2 Something to (Vito Corleone) ending
perhaps) wave 59 Major quakes, 117 Cruet contents
119 Calif. time

The Telegraph

50 Vero Beach 32963 / December 21, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BACK PAGE

Mom of daughter’s pal emits creepy, control-freaky vibe

BY CAROLYN HAX are hosting it. Emma is invited.” When they decline legitimacy to this mother’s argument.
Washington Post the invitation: “I’m sorry to hear that.” I ache for Emma, but it’s time for the group of par-

Hi, Carolyn: My daughter, 11, If the mom persists with why-a-water-park-in- ents to stop caving. Take your turns hosting. If Emma
has three friends from school. One stead-of-their-pool, then stick to facts. “This is our can’t make it, then you say a simple “I’m sorry to hear
girl’s parents are generous hosts. daughter’s party, and we are hosting it.” that; we’ll miss her.”
“Emma” is an only child and has a
pool, fun toys, great snacks. Don’t get sucked into justifications as if there’s any Note that I’m not advising you to take on these
parents or their rules. What I’ve spelled out is simply
The problem is that Emma’s par- your providing your own child with a typical social
ents don’t let Emma be a guest. Sometimes my daugh- life. As in, not bending to the rules of the Emma-
ter wants to have her friends over and Emma’s par- sphere.
ents refuse. The girls would rather all go to Emma’s
than hang out without her. I asked Emma’s mother That’s for the planning part of the problem.
if there was anything about our house that concerns The “creepy vibe” problem warrants further ac-
her. She said no, that Emma isn’t allowed to go any- tion. With Emma’s parents: “I am not comfortable
where else, ever. with my daughter always being the guest. Are you
willing to share why Emma can’t go anywhere? Per-
My daughter invited her friends to a water park for haps it would sit better if I understood it.” It’s framed
her birthday. Emma, of course, isn’t allowed. Emma’s as a matter of your own feelings, and respectfully
mom called and asked why we need to go to a wa- stated. They can always say it’s none of your busi-
ter park when they have a pool. She then offered to ness.
host my daughter’s party herself, saying she knows my It’s also not their business if you decide your
daughter likes tacos so they can do a taco bar, and she daughter can’t go over to Emma’s anymore. That’s
was thinking of ice cream sundaes instead of a cake. the trade-off.
With the other parents: “This one-way hosting
I didn’t really know how to explain to her how out of bothers me. How are you dealing with it?”
bounds she was acting. I’m starting to get a real creepy You can have it both ways – respect boundaries
vibe, but I don’t want to ruin the girl’s friendships. and take the creepiness very seriously.
Re: Emma: The “creepy” aspect is really sticking with
– Creeped Out me. As a former teacher, I would consider having a con-
fidential conversation with Emma’s teacher or the guid-
Creeped Out: This is seriously messed up. You’re ance counselor. Stick to the facts, don’t embellish and
right. approach it from wanting to be sure everything is OK. It
may not get you anywhere, but it may help Emma.. 
Please stand up to Emma’s mom in kind and un-
flinching terms. “This is our daughter’s birthday. We