12/08/2016 ISSUE 08

MELBOURNE BEACH Our gorgeous weather likely to
continue into New Year. P5
Brevard's South Barrier Island Newsweekly No improvement coming
www.melbournebeach32951.com for island cell reception. P6

County Commissioner wants
to be ‘champion for taxpayers.’ P2

MY TAKE Commissioner
Margot Dorfman
BY WILLIAM SOKOLIC suddenly resigns

Death’s waiting room
or paradise on earth?

Last week, my wife Carol Mennonite farm girl now drives BY CHRIS BONANNO
and I were shopping at a store jet dragster for Florida Tech Staff Writer
in downtown Melbourne
when another shopper en- BY TERRY CONWAY dragster into the parking lot Elaine Larsen Vice Mayor Margot Dorf-
gaged us in conversation. She Correspondent in front of their building in man, who was re-elected to
moved to Melbourne from Palm Bay. Under a perfect Larsen is test-firing the the town commission on Nov.
Connecticut and while she It’s show time at Larsen blue sky, a helmeted and fire- 5,000-horsepower engine. 8, has resigned for family rea-
raved about how her daugh- Motorsports. Call the police. suited Elaine Larsen climbs Within seconds the ground is sons, leaving the governing
ter compares our area to Ha- Check. Call the fire depart- into the 1,145-pound vehicle shaking, the sound ear-split- body one member short.
waii, she also blurted out that ment. Check. that travels upwards of 300
Florida is the waiting room. mph over a quarter mile in CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 A special meeting with the
The racing crew has rolled 5.5 seconds. remaining four members of
The waiting room for the the Florida Tech branded jet the town commission took
final reward. For death. The place on Wednesday night
place retirees go to live out Town historian set to make history to determine how Dorfman
their final years. come alive on New Year’s Day tour would be replaced.

A chilling thought – espe- Frank Thomas. BY GEORGE WHITE related to Florida and his Two options were on the
cially for a senior citizen who Staff Writer area of special study, the table: The commission could
moved here for employment, town of Melbourne Beach, either appoint someone to
not for retirement. Historian Frank Thomas which he labels simply as serve a one-year term, or hold
is at home and doesn’t mind “just a square mile.” a special election, allowing
So I pondered her com- sharing his vast knowledge, voters to select a commis-
ments. If her thesis were to surrounded by artifacts, Thomas, 80, who will sioner to serve a three-year
hold up under scrutiny, Bre- books and documents, all conduct his annual histor-
vard County would be crawl- CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
ing with seniors and I don’t CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
mean slow drivers on Palm Town ready for
Bay Road. weekend of four
holiday events
As it turns out, though,
the median age for Brevard BY CHRIS BONANNO
County residents is 46.3 Staff Writer
years. Hardly on death’s door.
The percentage of folks at Four busy days are coming
least 65 in 2015 was 22.9 per- in Melbourne Beach as the
cent, not even a quarter of the town prepares to for a series
county population. Another of festive events meant to put
18.6 percent was under 18. residents in the holiday spirit
– beginning with the annual
Based on the latest cen-
sus stats in 2010, here is the CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
percentage of people 65 and
older and the percentage 18
and younger in Brevard com-
munities: Palm Bay – 15.3
percent in the older category

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

December 8, 2016 Volume 1, Issue 8 Newsstand Price $1.00 Thousands turn out
for Ocean Reef
News 1-6 Editorial 22 People 7-10 TO ADVERTISE CALL Beach Festival. P8
Arts 11-14 Faith 24 Pets 33 772-559-4187
Books 23 Games 25-27 Real Estate 35-40
Calendar 34 Health 15-18 Style 29-30 FOR CIRCULATION
Dining 31 Insight 19-21 CALL 772-226-7925

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

2 Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Our commissioner says he will be ‘champion for taxpayers’

BY WILLIAM SOKOLIC board lacked a conservative, fiscally- John Tobia Fine said Tobia “has always been
Staff Writer responsible voice.” known for his constituent services
generally picking winners and losers and his communication with voters.”
John Tobia is a study in contrasts. As “John is a true conservative will- in the private marketplace.”
a newly elected Brevard County Com- ing to stand on principal even if it’s Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1978,
missioner representing District 3, the unpopular,” said his successor in the Among other concerns, Tobia hopes Tobia moved to Florida in 1990. His
conservative Tobia wants to hold the state legislature, Representative Ran- to streamline county permitting mother is a former public school
line on any new taxes, yet sees fixing dy Fine, who also considers himself for new residential and commercial teacher in Brevard County and his
the infrastructure throughout the a conservative. “He wasn’t popular projects; leverage recreational and father is a retired Air Force Officer.
county as a top priority. with the elite. He can be combative. environmental resources to increase Brother Stephen is a local physician.
A number of groups tried to take him tourism; and implement a scientific,
“The infrastructure problems, out of the recent election.” long-term approach to healing the In- Tobia graduated from Satellite
more specifically, include county dian River Lagoon. High School and received an Associ-
road deterioration, water reclama- Too much taxation is an ongoing ate’s Degree from Brevard Commu-
tion, sewer extension issues and wa- issue in the county, Tobia said. “The nity College. He went on to earn both
ter treatment plant maintenance,” county should not be asking for more his B.A. and M.A. in political science
said the Republican whose district of the residents’ hard-earned dollars from the University of Florida before
includes Melbourne Beach and the and instead should start making wis- landing a position as political science
South Beaches. “The county has not er choices with what it already has.” professor at Valencia College in Or-
been properly prioritizing tax dol- lando. With that kind of background,
lars.” Tobia favors eliminating taxing he was a natural to enter the political
authorities throughout the county – arena. The Palm Bay resident won a
After completing the maximum some established by state law – such seat as a Republican member of the
eight years in the Florida House of as the Community Redevelopment Florida House in 2008, a campaign in
Representatives this year, Tobia set Agencies and the North Brevard which he used an amusing technique
his sights on the County Commis- Economic Development Zone. “I to solicit volunteers.
sion. “As a Brevard resident, I want also want to defund the Economic
to do more with less, fix our roads, Development Commission because He asked his students to volunteer
and be the champion for taxpayers, of the corporate welfare it is respon- in exchange for skipping an exam.
something missing from the current sible for, like providing tens of mil- “Students were offered the oppor-
commission board,” he said. “This lions of dollars to companies like tunity to volunteer on a political
Wal-Mart and Blue Horizon, and campaign,” Tobia said. “While most

Town commissioner resigns Dorfman said that she’s resigning My Take clusive; we have 10 primary consum-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 to be closer to her parents, who live er profiles we target, and of those, just
on Florida’s Gulf Coast. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 four are in an older life stage.”
term. An appointment would need to
be made within 30 days of Dorfman’s “I never expected to be moving so and almost 24 percent 18 or under; And remember, the agency’s ob-
resignation, which was announced soon,” she said. Melbourne – 20 percent older and jective is to draw tourists to the area,
on the town’s website Nov. 28. 18.3 percent younger; Titusville – Garvey said. “[So] our messaging
Dorfman called her three years 20.5 percent for each; Satellite Beach promotes the active lifestyle on the
Before the meeting, Mayor Jim on the committee “very interesting” – 20.3 percent older, 20.6 percent Space Coast. We try to show people
Simmons hadn’t made a decision and “a great learning experience.” younger; Cape Canaveral – 25.7 per- engaging in all the great things to do
about which option he would sup- cent over 65 and 9.9 under 18. Go – bicycling, birding, boating, dining,
port. “A lot’s changed but in a good way,” figure; Cocoa City – just 16.8 percent fishing, etc., etc., etc.”
said Dorfman, who added that Mel- older folks compared to 23 percent
“I’m leaning both ways. I’m firmly bourne Beach is her favorite place under 18; Cocoa Beach – a whopping No rocking chairs or shuffleboard
on the side of each,” Simmons said. among all places she has lived. 34.1 percent golden oldies but only coming out of this marketing plan,
11.1 percent kids. even when it’s directed at retirees.
Town commissioner Tom Davis, Those who worked with Dorfman
after doing some research, favored a on the commission offered praise for Despite Cocoa Beach, you get the I also queried Christian D. Malesic,
special election. her work. picture. president and CEO of the Melbourne
Regional Chamber of East Central
“Even though it’s an expense, I re- “I think it’s a loss to the town,” said I asked Eric Garvey his opinion. Florida, who has young kids and
viewed and considered all these op- commission member Tom Davis. Garvey runs the Brevard County found the waiting room comment
tions and just feel like the fair thing “She brought to the table great busi- Tourist Development Council and astonishing to say the least.
for residents and potential candi- ness knowledge, and [the environ- has a sense of who the area’s visitors
dates is to allow a vote,” Davis said. ment] was one of her real important and seasonal residents are. “This is the tourist capital of the
issues that she always kept on top of, world if you include Orlando,” he
The exact cost of a special election and we’ll miss that.” “Tourists to the Space Coast vary said. “One of the things I hear is that
is unknown, according to Town Clerk by season and by area, so it is hard to we live in paradise” – not the gateway
Gwen Peirce. “She’s been wonderful to work generalize over the entire county,” he to the afterlife.
with and work for,” added town man- said. “We do have a significant num-
If a commissioner is appointed, ager Timothy Day. ber of seniors who visit during the Malesic and his family take full ad-
a likely candidate for the position winter season.” vantage of the beach in their slice of
could be Gail Gowdy, who served on “I’ve enjoyed my time with her and paradise. They attend church in Mel-
the commission for three years prior she’s done a great job.” Truth be told, the agency targets bourne Beach and quite often just sit
to Nov. 8, beginning in 2013. Gowdy the 65-and-up crowd with some of on a bench by the beach after services
sought another term but finished Melbourne Beach 32951 goes to its advertising. “We’ll market to these to soak in paradisiacal surroundings.
fourth in the election in which three press on Monday, so the outcome of targets with a message that is relevant
candidates, including Dorfman, Da- the Wednesday commission meeting and also at a time when they may be Add the shopping, dining and enter-
vis and Wyatt Hoover, were elected to was not known at press time. To find planning to travel. But this is not ex- tainment in Brevard County, and you
the commission. out what happened on Wednesday, don’t need to go anywhere else, he said
go to Melbourne Beach 32951’s new – though I guess we all will, eventually. 
Facebook page or look on Twitter @
MelBeach32951. 

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 3

NEWS

chose President Obama, two select- Rulemaking Oversight & Repeal tee and the Joint Legislative Audit- achievement an effort to stop illegal
ed my campaign. When this story Subcommittee and was a member of ing Committee. immigrants from receiving in-state
arose, the Florida Commission on the Finance and Tax Council, Crimi- tuition and the ability to practice law.
Ethics reviewed it, found no wrong- nal and Civil Justice Appropriations During his time in the House, Tobia
doing, and decided there was no Committee, Health Care Services was not afraid to butt heads with his “Unfortunately, despite my op-
need to take action.” Policy Committee, State Universities own party. While he worked to hold position, the Republican-controlled
and Private Colleges Policy Commit- the line on “wasteful government House ultimately passed these mea-
Tobia served as the chairman of spending,” he cites as his greatest sures.” 





6 Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

No improvement coming for cell reception on island

BY CHRIS BONANNO improve reception for cellphone users Opposition was due to logistical minds of some, Simmons noted.
Staff Writer and raise revenue. But there wasn’t a problems as well as aesthetic worries. “There’s always people who are
lot of interest on the commission for
Even though the mayor and other pursuing the idea, so at least for now, “What happened was, it was ad- concerned about microwave radia-
residents sometimes do not get good the idea has been dropped. dressed years ago,” said town man- tion – like my wife, my kids – none of
cell service in town, no new cellular ager Timothy Day. “Because we are so them will have a microwave in their
phone tower will be coming to Mel- “I just think it’s one of those things built out over here, geography-wise, house,” Simmons said.
bourne Beach anytime soon. that no one was super enthusiastic I’m not even sure where we could put
about and there was opposition,” said it in the town limit. If it happens to be The need for a new cell tower seems
At a commission meeting in No- Melbourne Beach Mayor Jim Sim- a 40- or a 60-foot tower, you need to to largely depend on which cellphone
vember, commissioners discussed the mons. “There was more firm opposi- have a radius should it go down where carrier residents subscribe to, and
idea of having a tower built in town to tion than there was firm support.” it wouldn’t hit anything.” potentially where in the town they
are located.
But appearances matter, too. Mel-
bourne Beach is a beautiful town and As examples, Simmons said he
for some, the sight of a tower stick- doesn’t get very good reception at
ing up in the air nearby would mar his residence, while Commissioner
that beauty. Simmons noted that the Tom Davis said he’s had much bet-
idea of putting a tower near the Mel- ter reception after switching carriers
bourne Beach Volunteer Fire Depart- several years ago to one with a tower
ment station was considered at one closer to Melbourne Beach. Mean-
point but ultimately nixed because of while, Day said he was able to com-
concerns about how it would look. municate with staff members shortly
after Hurricane Matthew passed
“I think there’s always the issue of without any problem.
aesthetics in Melbourne Beach,” Sim-
mons said. “You could put one in the “The bigger the company, the less
middle of Ryckman Park [where it likely you’re going to have a problem,”
would have clear space around it] but Day added.
who’s going to want that?”
For now, with a new tower out of the
A tower potentially could pose picture, heeding Day’s advice may
a health risk as well, in at least the be residents’ best option to improve
their cell phone reception. 

Holiday events to show “Polar Express,” but he’d like
to screen more movies, particularly
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 during cooler times of the year, if the
turnout is strong.
Christmas tree lighting ceremony
in front of Town Hall at 6:30 p.m. on The following day, Sat. Dec. 10,
Thursday, Dec. 8. Melbourne Beach will stage its an-
nual holiday parade beginning at 9
The tree is lit annually by the per- a.m. The parade is organized by the
son named by Melbourne Beach Ro- Melbourne Beach Volunteer Fire De-
tary Club as the town’s “Citizen of the partment.
Year.” This year, that honor falls to
Mayor Jim Simmons. Deputy Chief Gavin Brown said
his department is proud of the event.
“It’s just really happy times. It’s “We’ve been doing it a long time.” He
what the season’s all about,” said added that, “Santa usually rides on top
Simmons about Melbourne Beach’s of the fire truck,” and noted children
holiday events. “Getting out of your are welcome to participate in the pa-
house and laughing and joking. At rade, both on foot and on their bikes.
Christmas, because of these events,
you all see each other.” “We look forward to it every
year. It’s the only parade that you
On Friday night, the town will hold see twice,” said Melanie Griswald,
a movie night at Ryckman Park, also spokeswoman for the Melbourne
beginning at 6:30 p.m. On-screen Beach Police Department, which
that night will be “Polar Express,” a will provide security for the event. “It
holiday-themed movie starring Tom starts at 507 Ocean Avenue, goes east
Hanks. Town Manager Timothy Day all the way to the ocean, loops back
said vendors will be at the event sell- around the flagpole and loops all the
ing hot dogs, drinks and some form of way to Town Hall . . . The kids love
shave ice. it. I’m pretty sure that people from
across the bridge come over to see it.”
“The idea is, if you’re just getting
out of work, you come directly here at Finally, on Sunday, Dec. 11, Santa
5:30, and at 6:30 we’ll show the movie,” will make another appearance, this
Day said. He added it is the first movie time on the front porch of the Ryckman
event in quite some time in the town. House from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., where he
He’s hopeful that at least 100 people will take photographs with people
will turn out to watch the movie. as they campaign to make it onto the
“nice” list ahead of Christmas. 
Day said it will cost the town $325

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

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

PEOPLE

A great environment at Ocean Reef Beach Festival

Dr. Kate Mansfield, director of UCF Marine Turtle Research Group. Jeff Thomas, Tom Whittaker, Jodi Gregg and Irene Librach. Alec Buchness. PHOTOS: RYAN CLAPPER

Peggy Wonorski from Shells. Suzanna Yancey.

Lori Tedesco-Williams, owner of Island Fish Grill.

Andrew Walker and Adam Azar of Island Ties. Daryl Adking and Toni Giovino. Gary Sadler from Son on the Beach.

BY CHRISTINA TASCON were there on hand to give informa- can get involved with great commu- installing in the lagoon for years with
Correspondent tion to patrons on how they can do nity programs that are protecting the the help of hundreds of volunteers.
their part to help the coastal envi- environment,” said Allison Arteaga,
A crowd of several thousand packed ronment. Among them was the Envi- volunteer and events coordinator “We try and encourage the public
Pelican Beach Park in Satellite Beach ronmental Club from Eastern Florida with Keep Brevard Beautiful, who to be as involved as possible and to
on Saturday for the 5th annual Ocean State College in Melbourne. was one of six speakers giving educa- know that we are as invested in the
Reef Beach Festival. tional presentations at Pelican Beach place that we live as they are,” said
“With our community outreach Park. Katey Leban, lagoon restoration spe-
The gathering, according to event that we do, we try to push towards cialist with the zoo.
coordinator James Smith, is designed implementing new ways to both bet- Among the things Arteaga spoke
to celebrate not only the ocean life- ter the environment and better the about was the organization’s “Lagoon There was plenty of fun as well as
style but also about a worm reef, lo- people that live here,” said Jacob Friendly Lawns” program, launched education, with food vendors, chil-
cated just off the coast. Shank, club president. in August, which is a certification dren’s activities and live music, in-
program for homeowners and lawn cluding performances by Marv N
“It started with having a little cook- Shank and club Vice President Na- care providers. Anna, Island Ties and Bill Surf.
off and a beach cleanup and it turned than Dobbs said they were pleasantly
into this giant thing,” Smith said. surprised by the turnout. “We’re trying to get people to re- “We have Hawaiian dancers com-
“The community loved it. We’re in duce sources of nutrient pollution ing in, we have a chowder cook-off,
our fifth year and it’s grown to over “We’re definitely reaching a larg- that can enter the Indian River La- we have a sea turtle obstacle course,
130 vendors – all local – arts, crafts er part of the community than we goon,” Arteaga said. we’ve got scavenging for education
and food vendors.” thought we’d reach today,” Shank for the young kids, all types of stuff,”
said. The Brevard Zoo had a presence Smith said.
The two predominant themes of at the event, too, with literature de-
the event relate to education and en- “This is a great event every year for signed for a wide variety of age groups He said anyone who wants to learn
tertainment. environmental nonprofits and other along with a sample oyster mat, a wa- more about how they can help the
environmentally-minded businesses ter purification tool the zoo has been preserve and protect the coast, can
To that end, a host of organizations to come out and explain how people visit oceanreefbeachfestival.com. 

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 9

PEOPLE

Lori Wneck. Jim Simmons, mayor of Melbourne Beach. Travis and Kylie Brown.

Mike Bryan.

Satellite Beach Surf Team.

Barbara Holser. Allison Arteaga and Randy Parkinson.



COUNTRY STAR
JAKE OWEN
GIVING A FUND-RAISING
CONCERT PAGE 13

12 Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Radiant Messenger: Artist Marks seeks a complex truth

BY ELLEN FISCHER of a master’s pencil sketch. The motion and computer-programmed Barbara’s Boyfriend.
stories the drawings tell are just machine-embroidery.
Columnist as deftly drawn – pointed like dag- ris Museum, Newark Museum and the
gers, in fact. Marks’ career in art has shown that Robeson Gallery at Rutgers University
Subversive, surreal, soapy, socio- in whatever medium she works, pro- are three of the public institutions that
political. Those words spring to mind The medium in this case fits the cess is central to her art. gave her solo shows.
upon viewing “Radiant Messenger: message. Marks’ offbeat combos
Drawings by China Marks” at Florida of clashing colors and patterns, Born and raised in Kansas City, During this time she also amassed
Institute of Technology’s Foosaner Art bizarre sense of relative scale, and Missouri, Marks was educated at the honors for her art, including five fel-
Museum. stagey compositions fit her ab- Kansas City Art Institute, where she lowships from the New Jersey Council
surdist narrative and dark sense majored in sculpture and earned a for the Arts, two fellowships from the
The subversive part of the exhibition of humor to a tee. Bachelor of Fine Arts. Her Master of New York Foundation for the Arts, and
is evident immediately. While the word Fine Arts, also in sculpture, was award- a Mid-Atlantic/NEA Regional Fellow-
“drawings” is part of the exhibition’s A work in the show titled “Bar- ed in 1976 by Washington University in ship.
title, some viewers will be surprised bara’s Boyfriend” combines sur- St. Louis.
to see that all 57 of the artworks on real imagery with soap-opera the- It was at the end of the year 2000,
display are made of machine-embroi- atrics. In a stage-like setting, three With degrees in hand, Marks de- Marks says, when her drawings “told
dered thread on fabric. odd personages express them- parted the Midwest for New York and me they had to be sewn.”
selves via speech bubbles over environs. During the first 24 years of
As I did, you might ask yourself why their heads. her career she exhibited sculpture, That’s when she traded in her
this show is installed at the Foosaner drawings, prints and paintings in pri- power tools and paint brushes for a
rather than Florida Tech’s Ruth Funk As we enter the work, a woman vate galleries in New Jersey. The Mor- portable home sewing machine, on
Center for Textile Arts. Wouldn’t the lat- whose head resembles a boiled which she taught herself to create the
ter have been a more logical venue? potato is saying, “Perhaps as a pet, drawings on fabric with which she is
if you can be sure he’s housebro-
Displayed alongside her works, a text ken, but not as a boyfriend!”
panel bearing Marks’ artist’s statement
does not explain why her artworks are At center stage, a chrysanthe-
called drawings. That the artist says mum-eyed Barbara sobs, “Why
they are, is enough for her. not? He’s affectionate, eager to
please, and faithful, which is more
“I draw with an industrial zigzag sew- than I can say about most of the
ing machine and thread, starting with men I’ve dated!”
patterns and imagery I find on com-
mercially available printed fabric to The creature standing by our hero-
realize complex narratives,” she states. ine’s side (a cock-eyed Clark Kent on
four pegs) gallantly defends her.
Marks is an artist who refuses to be
hemmed in by the old art-versus-craft “Your sister is a fine one to talk! Look
dichotomy. By showing this work in at her baby!” he says, referring to the
a venue that has “art museum” in its swaddled duckling in Potato Head’s
name, Marks, in concert with the Foo- arms.
saner’s administrative staff, are updat-
ing the position taken by the artists of Although the dialogue ends there, the
the 1960s Studio Craft movement: Art story of the artist’s craft has only begun
is art, whether it is made with glass, to beguile. Marks used bright yellow
clay, wood, thread or the traditional and green batik in contrasting patterns
media of oil paint or bronze. for the scene’s backdrop, while a stew
of rusty red, brown and cream threads
As the art-viewing public has done weave the carpet beneath the charac-
with that earlier assertion, today’s ters’ feet. The players themselves are
viewer is bound to agree that Marks’ a confection of commercially printed
drawings, despite their thread and fab- and embroidered fabrics and lace,
ric construction and painstaking at- topped with the artist’s own mix of free
tention to craft, have the spontaneity

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 13

ARTS & THEATRE

now widely known. Coming Up: Brevard basks in Baroque
When her portable machine was no
BY MICHELLE GENZ 2 Country star Jake Owen is giving Winter Park native, moved back when
longer up to the artist’s increasingly Staff Writer a fund-raising concert at Vero the couple split up last year.
complex drawings, Marks (aided by
a Pollock-Krasner Foundation grant) Christmas music doesn’t get Beach High School Friday night, af- Owen has a new album out, “Ameri-
purchased a computerized embroi- any more beautiful than what can Love,” his first recording in three
dery machine and a Windows-based 1 ter an announcement last week that years apart from the single “Real Life”
laptop computer. The latter runs a de- in 2015.
sign program that tells the machine – emerged from the Baroque era, and his planned two-day music festival,
which Marks refers to as an extension
of her nervous system – to embroider when it comes to community chorus- thwarted by Hurricane Matthew, won’t
the texts she uses in her drawings.
es, performing Baroque masterworks take place until December 2017. The
Of her free-motion (artist-directed)
stitching, Marks has written, “The in- is one of the chief pleasures of the sea- Nashville-based, Vero-raised Owen 3 Raw Space at Edgewood, the
dustrial zig-zag sewing machine I draw downtown Vero gallery, is hav-
with has only one stitch, a mechanized son. has another reason to come home
version of an artist’s scribble, which
can lay in solid color or produce a thin Saturday at the King Center, the to Florida these days. His 4-year-old ing an opening reception Friday for a
line.”
Brevard Community Chorus pres- daughter Pearl is living here now, ever group exhibition of Miami-based Cu-
As to the supports for her drawings,
Marks’ neighborhood in Queens, N.Y., ents Tidings of Joy: A Baroque Christ- since her mother, Lacey Buchanan, a CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
places her in proximity to fabric stores
all over the city. She also buys second- mas. Under the direction of Robert E.
hand clothing with interesting printed
fabric that she can repurpose for her art. Lamb, the 100-plus voices will be sing-

Several of the drawings in the exhi- ing the Magnificat of J.S. Bach and the
bition are created atop commercially
woven tapestry copies of Old Master Messiah by Handel.
paintings. Marks has given her own
surreal twist – and message – to the Formed in 1969 by Eldon Moen, who
works. They include Vermeer’s “The
Milkmaid” of 1657-58 that Marks re- taught humanities at what was then
interpreted as “Dinner at Our House,”
and “The Battle of Anghiari,” a 1603 Brevard Junior College, and thought it
copy by Peter Paul Rubens of a lost
painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Re-en- would be great to merge voices from
visioned by Marks as “The Patchwork
Pug Rides Again,” the speech bubble First Baptist Church. In 1988, when
above one of the scene’s mounted war-
riors reads, “15 minutes till the parade the 2,000-seat King Center opened on
starts, time to get high!”
the college’s campus, the chorus has
All is not fun and games in these par-
odies, however. A tapestry of the “The called it home. When Lamb joined the
Holy Trinity” by El Greco once depicted
God the Father, surrounded by mourn- faculty of what is now Eastern Florida
ing angels, supporting his crucified
Son’s lifeless body. State College as professor of music

In her variation, “What’s Going On?”, and director of choral studies, he took
Marks has transformed God and the
angels into concerned, Dali-esque by- over the chorus. Lamb, a North Caroli-
standers who react to the inert body of
a semi-nude man with a brown face. na native and graduate of Wake Forest

The speech bubbles in this picture University, earned his doctorate in
say in part: “The second one in a week!”
and “Another man of color D.O.A. who choral conducting at the University
didn’t have a gun after all …”
of Cincinnati College-Conservatory
If you find this or some other of the
messages in “Radiant Messenger” to be of Music. He is also the director of
brutally frank, shockingly audacious
or just plain off the wall, it’s time to go traditional music at Suntree Meth-
back and reread part of Marks’ artist’s
statement. odist Church.

“I am after as complex a truth as pos- The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Sat-
sible. My drawings reflect the world in
all its glory, horror and absurdity, its urday.
workers and slugs, sleepwalkers and
prophets.” Jake Owen.

Radiant Messenger: Drawings by Chi- SEE THESE AND OTHER FINE THINGS AT VERO’S FINEST
na Marks is on view until Jan. 7, 2017. COLLECTION OF AMERICAN-MADE ART AND JEWELRY
The Foosaner Art Museum is located at
1463 Highland Avenue, in Melbourne’s THEL AUGHINGDOGGALLERY.COM 2910 CARDINAL DR.
Eau Gallie Arts District.  VERO BEACH, FL
7 72 . 2 3 4 . 6711

14 Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 Coast Kibble Kitchen, a pet food bank operated as an affiliate of Space Coast 8 Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.,
which supplies pet food to qualifying Pops until 2008, when it became its the Harbor City Harmonizers
ban artists who go way back togeth- families struggling to feed their pets. own entity.
er. “We’ve known each other since we join the Platinum show Chorus at
were 14 years old in Havana,” says The car and memorabilia collec-
Gustavo Acosta. The 58-year-old art- tion features 250 near-mint vintage Rick Braun, Peter White & Euge Groove.
ist will show his paintings along with cars in the private collection of pet
José Bedia, Rubén Torres Llorca and pharmaceutical entrepreneur Mark
Rogelio López Marin. Pielock. The facility, on 42 acres on
Sarno Road, has another charity
Organized by Vero-based indepen- event scheduled for January. Satur-
dent curator Silvia Medina, the exhi- day’s function starts at $100 a person.
bition will continue through January.
Raw Space is in the plaza on the cor-
ner of Old Dixie and 18th Street.

4 If you’ve been anxious to get
a glimpse of Melbourne’s new

American Muscle Car Museum that

opened this fall, you may already

know it’s only going to be open for 7 Guitar great Peter White drops Platinum Show Chorus.
in Monday evening for his tradi-
fundraisers. And there is one coming

up this Saturday: the Muscles, Meows 23 Treez. tional Christmas concert here, thanks

and Mutts fundraiser for the Space to the Florida Smooth Jazz Founda-

Muscles, Meows and Mutts fundraiser. Holy Trinity’s Scott Center. The Har-
monizers are under the direction
5 Another outdoor concert in the tion and the Brevard Music Group. of Gretchen Lux, music director of
Night Sounds series at Sebas- He’ll be joined by Rick Braun and Immaculate Conception Catholic
Euge Groove. White, an extraordinary Church in Melbourne Beach. The
tian Inlet State Park is on tap Satur- and fluent acoustic guitarist, is world- concert is $15.
renowned for his skills. Groove plays
day. Starting just after sunset, at 7 sax with exquisite artistry, and Braun A musical play benefiting Haiti
is a masterful trumpet and flugelhorn takes place at Indialantic’s Holy
p.m., the reggae-funk band 23 Treez player, said to transform the simplest Name of Jesus Catholic Church this
melody into a work of art. The concert weekend. “The Inn: A Christmas
performs until 9 p.m. at the pavil- takes place in the grand ballroom of Journey,” local musician John Torres’
the Hilton at Rialto Place, starting at play with original music by Torres
ions on Coconut Point on the south 7:30. Tickets are $46. and bandmate Billy Payne, is going
to be staged along with an exhibit of
side of the inlet. Regular park admis- 200 nativity scenes. Directed by Terry
Lynch and John Dwyer, with musi-
sion fees apply. The Night Sounds cal direction by George Kobosko, the
play will be performed at 7:30 pm.
concerts are held on the Saturday both nights with a Sunday matinee
at 2:30 p.m. The suggested donations
closest to a full moon from Septem- of $10 and $20 go toward the church’s
Hearts Out to Haiti ministry. 
ber through May.

6 Wednesday and Thursday, the
Melbourne Community Orches-

tra performs its free Christmas con-

certs at the Melbourne Auditorium

on Hibiscus Boulevard. “Snowman’s

Dreams: A Holiday Celebration” starts

at 7:30 p.m. and includes both tradi-

tional and contemporary Christmas

music.

The all-volunteer orchestra, formed Harbor City
Harmonizers.
in 1989 as a string education group,



16 Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

HEALTH

Genetic-based treatment adds to cancer-fighting arsenal

BY TOM LLOYD
Staff Writer

Dr. James Grichnik’s enthusiasm Dr. James Grichnik and Oncology Patient Navigator Sandra Webster. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE
about bringing genetic counseling
and testing for cancer to Vero Beach,
along with newly developed genetic-
based cancer treatments, is palpa-
ble.

“I really do view this as an excit-
ing, cool time. We are now begin-
ning to see patients being cured in
ways that I couldn’t have initially
imagined,” exclaims the youthful-
looking Grichnik, who ignores the
constant beeping of his cellphone
and focuses, instead, on this latest
innovation in cancer research and
treatment.

According to the American Can-
cer Society, “Advances in genetics
and molecular biology have im-
proved our knowledge of the inner
workings of cells and how cells can
change during a person’s life to be-
come cancer and how certain types
of changes can build on inherited
gene changes to speed up the devel-

CM opment of cancer and how this in- cer are still in their infancy. There is
COLLINS & MONTZ DENTISTRY formation can help us better prevent no ironclad cure for cancer at Scully-
and treat cancer.” Welsh or anyplace else. Not yet.
cosmetic dentistry  preventive dentistry
restorative dentistry  dental implants “Right now, a lot of the genetic Still, Grichnik seems so intensely
counseling is based on what are the optimistic that it’s difficult not to get
Experience the fusion of traditional likely genes in your family, but we’re caught up in his excitement.
values and modern dentistry. now moving more toward bigger
panels where we look at essentially “Something on the order of 10 to
Dr. J. Hunter Collins Dr. Roger Montz all the genes that might be associ- 15 percent of cancers may very well
ated with or that have a high risk for be related to your genetics,” Grich-
524 Ocean Avenue cancer,” says Grichnik, director of nik explains. “What you inherited
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951 the Scully-Welsh Cancer Center at from mom or dad. Having knowl-
Indian River Medical Center. edge of those mutations may help us
(321) 725-6565 in different ways to guide your care.
Much of the technical terminology If you’re at high risk for a particu-
melbournebeachdentistry.com Grichnik tosses into each rapid-fire lar cancer, we can increase surveil-
sentence – including terms such as lance, which might allow us to de-
“NRAS mutations, DNA repair path- tect the cancer at a point where it’s
ways, V600E mutations, MEK and much easier to cure.”
ERK molecules, proteins phosphory-
lating and CTLA4 molecules” – can Grichnik quickly adds that not all
be a little daunting to the layman. cancer-causing gene mutations are
inherited. Environmental factors in-
Still, when Grichnik pauses and cluding asbestos and various chemi-
claims that, at least in theory, “we cals, exposure to ultra-violet light as
can sequence your DNA, find a mu- well as cigarette smoking – which
tation and give you a drug that melts Grichnik blames for almost 50 per-
your cancer,” that alphabet soup of cent of all cancer deaths – also cause
tech talk starts to seem well worth mutations that result in cancer.
comprehending.
For the mechanics of how Vero
“We [at Scully-Welsh] have access area residents can get involved in
to all the FDA-approved drugs: the this new approach to diagnosing
BRAF inhibitors and the MEK inhib- cancer risk and treating cancer,
itors; the PD1 inhibitors; the CTLA4 Grichnik turns to registered nurse
inhibitors. We’re using all of them and cancer navigator Sandy Web-
right here.” ster.

It is important to note that, despite “Out in the community,” says
rapid and dramatic progress, gene- Webster, “if a provider [primary care
centric approaches to fighting can- or specialist] is doing a family his-

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

tory assessment and is picking up HEALTH
that there might be some history of
ovarian, breast, pancreatic, melano- “Right now, a lot of the genetic counseling is based
ma, colon [or other cancer], they can on what are the likely genes in your family, but
send a referral our way and ask us to we’re now moving more toward bigger panels where
do an assessment on the patient … we look at essentially all the genes that might be
to see whether they have an inher- associated with or that have a high risk for cancer,”
ited risk.” says Grichnik, director of the Scully-Welsh Cancer
Center at Indian River Medical Center.
That family history is key and both
Grichnik and Webster admit that
can be difficult to come by. Relatives
pass away, people move and those
who were adopted and don’t know
their birth parents start out with a
definite disadvantage. Still, Web-
ster says through the genetic cancer
counseling sessions, as much infor-
mation as possible is gathered and
sent to Scully-Welsh’s partners at
Duke Health.

“Duke,” Webster explains, “has
a whole hereditary cancer clinic.
They look at it. They talk between
the counselors. Those counselors
are Ph.D.’s and they’re certified in
genetic counseling and everybody
decides whether or not this person
meets criteria after looking at the ac-
tual family history.” If those criteria
are met, blood tests may be offered to
provide the Duke and Scully-Welsh
teams the DNA evidence needed to
proceed further.

“Most insurances,” says Webster,
“are jumping on board with this.”
The cost for a counseling session is
$200. The price for blood tests, if or-
dered, may vary, but many insurers
are willing to pick that up.

Why? Because, as Grichnik states,
the three-pronged approach of de-
veloping new drugs to eradicate
cancerous mutations, blocking the
pathways mutated genes use to
spread and activating the body’s
own immune system to better fight
those mutations have all been show-
ing impressive clinical study suc-
cesses.

Genetic counseling for cancer is
now being offered at the Scully-Welsh
Cancer Center adjacent to the Indian
River Medical Center. The number
there, for those who want more infor-
mation about this promising medical
approach, is 772-226-3762. 

18 Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

HEALTH

Anxiety disorder doubles men’s cancer-death risk

BY MARIA CANFIELD with a great deal of bodily stress, and Dr. Georgia Daniela Shapiro.
that is bound to have a major impact
Correspondent on many physiological processes in- PHOTO: DENISE RITCHIE
cluding immune supervision of can-
If another reason is needed for men cerous cells.”
to seek treatment when suffering
from anxiety, a large European study People with GAD experience per-
has come up with one: Men who suf- sistent, excessive and unrealistic
fer from anxiety are more than twice worry about everyday things. The
as likely to die from cancer as men Anxiety and Depression Association
who don’t. of America says that GAD is diag-
nosed when a person finds it difficult
To arrive at their conclusion, the to control worry more days than not
researchers started with data from a for at least six months, and has three
study conducted from 1996 to 2000. or more related symptoms, which in-
One of the health issues tracked in clude:
that study was generalized anxiety
disorder (GAD). Using death records,  Restlessness or feeling on edge
researchers then determined how  Being easily fatigued
many of the 16,000 participants died  Difficulty concentrating
from cancer over the next 15 years.  Irritability
From this analysis, they found that  Muscle tension
GAD was a significant risk factor for  Sleep disturbance (difficulty
death from cancer in men. Strikingly, falling or staying asleep, or restless,
their results showed no association unsatisfying sleep)
between GAD and cancer death in GAD symptoms occur on a spec-
women. trum from mild to severe. In mild
GAD, the sufferer can function so-
Dr. Georgia Daniela Shapiro, a Vero cially and at work. People with a se-
Beach oncologist, is familiar with vere form of the disorder can have
the study. She believes the study has difficulty carrying out the simplest
value, even though a relatively small daily activities.
number (126) of male participants In any given year, GAD affects
were diagnosed with GAD, saying, nearly 7 million adults, more than
“The negative impact that uncon- 3 percent of the U.S. population; it
trolled mental health disorders has is twice as likely to occur in women
on individuals being treated for can-
cer has been clearly shown in the “The negative impact that uncontrolled mental
literature. This study reviews the
potential association of the two, and health disorders has on individuals being treated
raises awareness of the impact that
GAD can have.” for cancer has been clearly shown in the literature.

Speaking of the association of GAD This study reviews the potential association of the
and cancer deaths, lead researcher
Olivia Remes says “we can’t say that two, and raises awareness of the impact that GAD
one causes the other; it is possible
that men with anxiety have lifestyles can have.” – Dr. Georgia Daniela Shapiro
or other risk factors that increase
cancer risk that we did not account than in men. The exact cause of GAD allow for the gradual return to activi- She adds, “It is important for anyone
for completely. However, this asso- is unknown, although there is some ties that have been avoided because – regardless of gender – to seek help
ciation does raise questions, and so- evidence that biological factors, fam- of anxiety. Medications include if they are suffering with symptoms
ciety may need to consider anxiety as ily background and stressful life ex- anti-depressants such as selective associated with GAD or any mental
a warning signal for poor health.” periences can play a role. It most serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SS- health condition. If they are experi-
often comes on gradually between RIs) and serotonin norepinephrine encing these symptoms, and under
“I believe that increased stress and childhood and middle age. reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs); an anti- the care of any healthcare provider,
anxiety, regardless of gender, could anxiety medication called buspirone I would encourage them to feel em-
potentially serve as a catalyst for Treatments for GAD are typically (trade name Buspar) may also be pre- powered to discuss their symptoms
many severe conditions, including psychotherapy and medications, scribed. with them.”
cancer,” says Shapiro. In other words, with a combination of the two often
untreated GAD may, in fact, put both providing the most benefit. The type Shapiro says that openly address- Dr. Shapiro practices as part of Scott,
men and women at a higher risk for of psychotherapy often used is called ing, and consistently assessing, the Weeks & McGarry, located at 1460 36th
cancer and other serious illnesses. cognitive behavioral therapy, which presence of GAD symptoms is an St in Vero Beach; the office number is
focuses on teaching specific skills to important part of any doctor visit. 772-562-7777. 
The study results were recently
presented at the European College of
Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP)
conference in Vienna. Professor Da-
vid Nutt, a psychiatrist and ex-pres-
ident of the ECNP, says “the intense
distress that these people suffer often
on a daily basis is usually associated



20 Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

INSIGHT COVER STORY

Sometime in the next few weeks, ident and the civilian components of concluded, cared little about ethics, vilian Atomic Energy Commission (the
Donald Trump will be briefed on the the executive branch. democracy or international politics. precursor to the present-day Energy
procedures for how to activate the U.S. Department), while the military con-
nuclear arsenal. It was a momentous and controver- Even during World War II, some ci- trolled the nonnuclear parts. The pres-
sial law, crafted in the months follow- vilians involved with developing the ident had the power to transfer these
All year, the prospect of giving the ing the atomic bombings of Hiroshi- atomic bomb feared that the military pits to the military and order their use.
real estate and reality TV mogul the ma and Nagasaki, with an eye toward had become too eager to leave Ger-
power to launch attacks that would kill future standoffs with the Soviet Union. man and Japanese cities in cinders. During the Eisenhower adminis-
millions of people was one of the main The secretary of war, Henry Stimson, tration, more compact and complex
reasons his opponents argued against The members of Congress who learned about the ruinous firebomb- weapons were developed whose nu-
electing him president. wrote the law, largely with the back- ing of Tokyo from the press. He warned clear and nonnuclear parts could not
ing of the scientists who worked on Truman that letting the military run be separated. Fearing a Soviet sneak
Now, when Trump takes office in the Manhattan Project, framed it ex- the show might cause the United States attack, President Dwight D. Eisenhow-
January, he will have sole authority plicitly as a question of who controls to “get the reputation of outdoing Hit- er put the military in charge of most of
over more than 7,000 warheads. There the power to use nuclear weapons: Is ler in atrocities.” the U.S. nuclear stockpile to streamline
is no failsafe. dropping an atomic bomb a military a possible response.
act or a political one? This division between military and
When the legal framework for nu- civilian control over nuclear weap- Eisenhower also “pre-delegated”
clear weapons was developed, the fear Ultimately, the President was sup- ons has been weaker or stronger at authority to the military to use tactical
wasn’t about presidents but trigger- posed to be the check against the various points. In the late 1940s, U.S. nuclear weapons (aimed at tanks, not
happy generals. Pentagon pushing to use nukes more nuclear weapons could have their nu- cities) without getting specific presi-
often. clear components – the plutonium or dential approval in certain situations,
The Atomic Energy Act of 1946, uranium “pits” needed to start their such as if Soviet tank columns rolled
which was passed with President The scientists’ fears were based reactions – removed and inserted as into Germany’s Fulda Gap.
Harry Truman’s signature after nine on their experiences in World War II. needed. The nuclear parts of the atom-
months of acrimonious congressional Their work under the Army Corps of ic bombs were in the custody of the ci- Fears of low-level commanders set-
hearings, firmly put the power of the Engineers and the Army Air Forces left ting off nuclear conflagrations during
atomic bomb in the hands of the pres- them with a sour taste: Generals, they

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 21

INSIGHT COVER STORY

the tensions of the early 1960s per- A military aide carries the nuclear 'football' and accompanies the president at all times. Commanders further down the
suaded President John F. Kennedy to pipeline are trained to act quickly on
dial some of this back. Miscommuni- President-elect Donald Trump will soon be able to order the use of nuclear weapons. any orders that do come in. The launch
cations during the Cuban missile crisis officers are trained to launch weapons,
almost led to the use of nuclear weap- cruise missiles, and weapons capable identity, authenticate orders and com- not to debate the legality or advisabil-
ons by both U.S. and Soviet troops, of being dropped from bombers. municate with the military about im- ity of the action. Hence the problem
and U.S. weapons stationed abroad, plementing them. with Hering’s question in 1973: While
such as the Jupiter missiles in Turkey, The chain of command requires that nuclear launch officers are not meant
could have been used by any army that the president order the secretary of de- Could the secretary of defense re- to be strictly mechanical (and indeed,
seized control of them. fense to carry out a launch; the secretary fuse to carry out a presidential order the United States has always resisted
serves as the conduit for implementa- for a nuclear attack? The legal and con- fully automating the process), if they
There were also lingering concerns tion by the military. There are succes- stitutional aspects are not clear. The stopped to question whether their
about “Strangelove”-esque rogue gen- sion policies in place so that the proce- official doctrine that has been released authenticated orders were legitimate,
erals. The head of the Strategic Air dure can be continued in the event of says nothing about this question, and they would put the credibility of U.S.
Command, Gen. Thomas Power, was the death or incapacitation of either the the cryptic public responses to official nuclear deterrence at risk.
an enthusiastic proponent of preemp- president or the secretary of defense – inquiries, even from Congress, indicate
tive nuclear war. or their designated successors. that it is not something that experts Congress held hearings on these is-
feel should be openly talked about. sues in the mid-1970s, but nothing came
These concerns within the upper Most details of how a nuclear war of them. The debate faded away except
reaches of the Kennedy administra- would be started are classified, because “Only the president can authorize the among a small circle of nuclear wonks.
tion led to a push for technologies to an enemy who knew enough about the use of nuclear weapons” is essentially
“lock” the nuclear weapons and pre- system might be able to come up with the only reply officials ever give to any In the early 1980s, Jeremy Stone,
vent their use without some kind of ways to complicate or defeat it. questions about nuclear controls. Could then the president of the Federation
codes or authorization. Some early the president simply fire the defense of American Scientists, proposed that
versions were as primitive as combi- What is known is that an aide is al- secretary and move on to the deputy Congress ought to pass a law restricting
nation locks, but later versions were ways following the president, carry- secretary, the secretary of the Army and presidential use of nuclear weapons.
complex electro-mechanical systems ing at least one large satchel (often so on through the chain of command?
that could physically disable a weapon two) known as the “nuclear football,” Maybe. Such an action would at least The idea was fairly simple: So long
if it were tampered with or if the wrong reportedly containing information slow things down, even if the refusal to as no nuclear weapons had been used
code was entered too many times. about nuclear attack possibilities and carry out the order was illegal. by another power in a conflict, the
how the president could verify his president should not be able to order a
Eventually, the brass adopted the first strike with nuclear weapons with-
idea that, when it came to nuclear out getting approval from a fairly large
matters, they were at the beck and call committee of high-ranking members
of the president. It was not generals’ of Congress. It would not eliminate the
responsibility to give the order; it was possibility of an American first strike,
their responsibility to carry it out. but would spread the responsibility
more democratically.
That the president would be the
only person competent to use nuclear The idea was pooh-poohed by legal
weapons was never challenged. Even scholars, who noted that Congress has
asking the question would throw the often been far more belligerent than
entire system into disarray, as Maj. presidents and that the logistics could
Harold Hering learned in 1973. be complicated.

Hering was a 21-year Air Force vet- The people who set up the current
eran who was decorated for his fly- command-and-control system did be-
ing in Vietnam before being sent for lieve there was a check in place: elec-
training as a nuclear missile squadron tions. But this isn’t necessarily much of
commander. He had been taught that a check – rational presidents can have
officers had an obligation to disobey il- bad days, and even high-functioning
legal orders. So when he was told how people can succumb to mental illness
to launch a nuclear attack, he asked or substance abuse.
what seemed like a simple question:
How could he be sure that an order to It might be worth resurrecting this
launch his missiles was lawful? How debate, if we take seriously the idea
could he be sure, for example, that the that the president should not have the
president wasn’t insane? Instead of an legal authority to conduct unilateral
answer, he got the boot. nuclear war. Perhaps now, decades af-
ter the end of the Cold War, we are past
The Air Force’s problem, in short, the moment when we need to entrust
was that once a serviceman starts that power in a single person.
down the rabbit hole of doubt, he be-
comes an unreliable second-guesser One can imagine a law that would
– and suddenly he is in a position of allow the president to use nuclear
deciding whether nuclear weapons weapons in the face of imminent
are used. danger, the sort of situation in which
a matter of minutes or even seconds
The procedure for ordering a nu- could make a difference, but would
clear attack involves more than one enact formal requirements for outside
person: The president cannot literally consensus when more options were
press a button on his desk and start on the table.
World War III. There is no “nuclear but-
ton” at all. It would not require a full renuncia-
tion of the possibility of a first-strike
Instead, the U.S. nuclear command- nuclear attack (something the United
and-control system is bureaucratically States has never been willing to make),
and technically complex, stretching but might add some reassurances that
out to encompass land-based missile such decisions would not be made
silos, submarine-based ballistic and unilaterally. 

RATING HOSPITALS: PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS tion, staging, optimal treatment, rehabilitation, surveillance for
How can you be sure a hospital provides quality care? recurrent disease, support services and end-of-life care. Pursu-
ing accreditation by the CoC requires rigorous performance re-
Last week, we discussed how government agencies per- views, plus on-site surveys every three years.
form mandated reviews. This week, we will look at a second
category – professional medical associations. To make sure they provide top imaging and laboratory/pa-
thology services, hospitals look to accreditation from the Amer-
Most physicians, nurses and other clinical professionals join ican College of Radiology (ACR) and the College of American
organizations that establish standards for healthcare providers Pathologists (CAP), respectively.
to follow to assure patients receive “best practices” in their
specialty. Members volunteer their knowledge and expertise Like physicians and clinical professionals, hospitals also join
to help achieve positive patient outcomes. peer organizations to share information, benchmark perfor-
mance, and continuously improve quality. For example, mem-
So when hospitals develop specific programs and want to be ber hospitals of the Florida Hospital Association (FHA) volun-
the best in those fields, they turn to these professional orga- tarily participate in ‘blind studies’ conducted by the FHA to
nizations. Meeting stringent guidelines to become accredited, determine best practices for hospitals to emulate.
certified or rated by these societies and associations helps as-
sure top quality care. Other not-for-profit organizations, such as the American
Heart Association and the American Stroke Association, also
For cardiac services, one such organization is the Society certify, accredit and rate healthcare providers based on quanti-
of Thoracic Surgeons (STS). Cardiothoracic surgeons, and the tative, objective data.
hospitals in which they perform surgery, voluntarily submit key
information to STS on every heart, lung, chest and esophagus Likewise, academic medical centers such as Duke Univer-
surgery they perform. By benchmarking themselves against sity School of Medicine affiliate with select hospitals that are
their peers, surgeons and hospitals strive to continuously im- seeking oversight to ensure they provide the highest levels of
prove and maintain quality. care. Hospitals may also partner with specialty hospitals, such
as Nemours Pediatric Hospital, to provide access to care that’s
Other cardiac professional medical associations that create not locally available.
guidelines for hospitals are the American College of Cardiology
(ACC) and the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pul- Does your hospital provide top quality care? You can tell a lot
monary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). about a hospital by the organizations it voluntarily turns to for
accreditations and certifications.
For cancer care, programs seek accreditation from the Amer-
ican College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC). The CoC Your comments and suggestions for future topics are always
recognizes hospitals and treatment centers that are concerned welcome. Email us at: [email protected].
with cancer prevention, early diagnosis, pretreatment evalua-
© 2016 Vero Beach 32963 Media, all rights reserved

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 23

INSIGHT BOOKS

Playwright Eugene O’Neill has com- than 750 pages minent. (The Gelbs describe his first The Gelbs interpret O’Neill’s plays
manded a substantial portion of the of prose that ad- union, to Kathleen Jenkins, in 1909 through the traumas of his life, scruti-
life work of Arthur Gelb and Barbara mirably captures when he was 20, as an “irresponsible nizing his mother’s role in the creation
Gelb. In 1962, the writing duo pub- O’Neill’s tem- forced marriage” due to Jenkins’ preg- of Mary Tyrone in “Long Day’s Journey
lished the titanic biography “O’Neill,” pestuous life. nancy.) O’Neill’s life with Boulton, five Into Night” and Deborah Harford in
a foundation they built upon with Bar- The book deliv- years his junior, was as overheated as “More Stately Mansions.” Describing
bara Gelb’s “My Gene” in 1986, their ers new material: the pulp genre fiction she was writing O’Neill’s portrayal of Harford, the au-
“O’Neill: Life With Monte Cristo” in previously un- when they met. The Gelbs present a thors write that it was “a vicious indict-
2000 and the documentary “Eugene available diaries portrait of O’Neill as myopic, selective ment by a son who could not forgive his
O’Neill” in 2006. As the couple were of O’Neill’s widow with facts, and intensely vengeful as mother for wishing him dead at birth.”
working on their latest volume, “By Carlotta Mon- his marriage crumbles because of his In the character of Sara Melody, who
Women Possessed: A Life of Eugene terey, unpub- infidelity, hypocrisy and wild accusa- wars with her father in “A Touch of the
O’Neill,” in 2014, Arthur, a former man- lished parts of tions against his wife. He was also of- Poet,” the Gelbs see echoes of O’Neill’s
aging editor of the New York Times, earlier interviews ten profoundly drunk and dangerous: daughter Oona, who infuriated her fa-
died, and Barbara completed the work the Gelbs con- O’Neill’s bouts with both Boulton and ther by marrying Charlie Chaplin, who
on her own. ducted and an as- Monterey ranged from punches to a was nearly the same age as O’Neill.
sessment of “Ex- brandished gun. “It’s a fair guess that to some degree
“By Women Possessed” is more orcism,” O’Neill’s O’Neill’s consuming anger over Oona’s
1920 play discov- O’Neill divorced Boulton in 1929 evident disregard for her father’s sensi-
ered in 2011 that and within weeks married Monterey, bility influenced his reshaping of Sara
portrays his 1912 who occupies a conspicuous place in Melody’s character,” the Gelbs write.
suicide attempt. the volume thanks to the new diaries,
which the Gelbs call “revelatory and of- Inevitably, the Gelbs recast old mate-
The Gelbs re- ten stunning.” rial and repurpose it – sometimes even
turn to O’Neill reprint it. They revisit the question of
again to pursue We get a thorough depiction of whether Monterey rewrote O’Neill’s
the angle an- O’Neill’s consuming, corrosive re- diaries after his death, a subject they
nounced by the lationship with her, a death spiral pondered in the 1987 epilogue to
book’s title. In described at one point as “Grand “O’Neill.” “She would have to have
“By Women Pos- Guignol” but that began cheerfully been an extremely skillful forger to
sessed” we find enough. In their early years the couple simulate O’Neill’s distinctive, crabbed
O’Neill bedeviled doted on each other, scrawling pussy- penmanship,” they wrote then. In the
by his morphine- cats on their mash notes. For insight epilogue of “By Women Possessed,”
riddled mother, into the relationship, the Gelbs exam- they write: “She would have to have
Ella, and bedevil- ine O’Neill’s 1934 play “Days Without been a master forger to simulate his
ing his own wives and lovers as a maud- End,” a work that mixes notions of ro- distinctive crabbed penmanship.”
lin and violent drunk. In this narrative mance and eternity into an incoherent
of the years O’Neill was married to Ag- spiritual mess; it was a flop, prompting O’Neill’s unmatched creative career
nes Boulton and then to Monterey, the the Gelbs to surmise, “Perhaps, in one and his dark family backstory make for
Gelbs provide a steady, unflinching ex- of his mind’s smoky tunnels, [O’Neill] compelling reading. It is as difficult to
amination of the influence the women blames the play’s ill-conceived con- put down this exhaustively reported
in his life had on his work. cept on his hyperbolic adoration of reexamination of America’s first major
The saga begins with the 1928 Carlotta at that time.” playwright as it is to ignore fresh pro-
Broadway opening of “Strange In- ductions of his great plays. 
terlude,” O’Neill’s experimental five- Toward the end of the marriage,
hour drama that uses soliloquies to when the relationship was deteriorat- BY WOMEN POSSESSED
reveal the characters’ inner thoughts. ing, O’Neill broke his leg in the front A LIFE OF EUGENE O’NEILL
At the time, O’Neill’s career was flour- yard and lay in the snow as his wife BY ARTHUR GELB AND BARBARA GELB
ishing – he received his third Pulitzer gloated – or so the famous story goes. Marian Wood/Putnam. 869 pp. $50
Prize for “Strange Interlude” – yet his The incident is rehashed from all con- Review by Nelson Pressley, The Washington Post
divorce from writer Boulton was im- ceivable angles; so is a fraught dinner
with friends, which gets seven full pag-
es parsing their marital collapse.

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26 Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT GAMES & CO.

SOLUSTOILOUNTSIOTNOS TPORPERVEIOVIUOSUSISISSSUUEE((DDEECCEEMMBBEERR1)1O) NONPAPGAEG3E4 76

ACROSS DOWN
7 Conceal, veil (4) 1 Resembling (4)
8 Abode (8) 2 Conclude (6)
9 Catlike (6) 3 Borders (5)
10 Feelings (6) 4 Pudding (7)
11 Fastener, rivet (5) 5 Scheme (4)
13 Savoury biscuit (7) 6 Curiosity (8)
15 Under (7) 12 Administrative (8)
16 Celebration (5) 14 Cheese variety (7)
19 Gloomy (6) 17 Fearful (6)
21 Rumpus (6) 18 Tranquil (5)
23 Courage (8) 20 Create, form (4)
24 Thought (4) 22 Eras (4)

The Telegraph

How to do Sudoku:

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

The Telegraph

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 27

INSIGHT GAMES & CO.

ACROSS 85 Russell in 30 Castaway’s spot 92 Algerian port
Tombstone 31 Certain pro 93 Dead-end job
1 Tear canal
5 Moisten (a turkey) 86 I told her ___ ... baseball player, situation
10 Coxcombs 94 One little Indian in sports page 98 Take a breather
14 Confederate 95 Señor’s shout shorthand 99 Terrific bargain
96 Play a uke 32 1958 Oscar film 101 Given the use of
general Stuart 97 Bluegrass genus 33 Exploited
17 It all started 98 W preceders 34 Knowledge briefly
100 In the least 36 Rodeo mount 102 Refrain from
when ___ 103 But as usual, ___ 37 Mer content
21 Chopper 109 Sushi candidate 41 Bowling ball disturbing
22 I said to my wife, 111 Area meas. feature 103 Early western,
112 Sugar ending 42 Scot’s topper
“___, dear?” 113 Sheet of Disney 44 Most complex The ___ Man
23 Coal holder 45 Abbr. in an old 104 Words from a
24 Charlton’s co-star art Chevrolet slogan
114 Health, to Henri 46 Irish commercial blackjack player
in Touch of Evil 116 “Beat it!” flyer, ___Lingus 105 Ballplayer Mario’s
25 Confucian 117 Boy, ___! 47 Emotional
123 Hoover, for one release family
concept 124 I ___! 48 King’s address 106 Move (over)
26 Rhubarb, e.g. 125 Great wonder 49 AWOL retrievers 107 Watches, as
27 Forward 126 Mud dauber insect 50 Prompt, as
28 Hotel units: abbr. 127 ERAs and RBIs Prowse sheep
29 And she said, 128 Singer Pinza 51 Aware of 108 Abel or Wiesel
52 Quick ___ wink 110 Lascivious look
“Forget about me. DOWN 53 Comical Kyser 111 Pop
How come you’re 1 Obeys 58 Bristle 114 A canal
___?” 2 Spy plane or rock 59 Chessboard and 115 Italian wine city
35 Successful in AA pieces 117 ENE about-face
38 Rock launcher band 61 ___ pro nobis 118 “So that’s it!”
39 Tofu source 3 Hard cash? 62 A dog or a 119 Docs
40 “Love Sneakin’ Up 4 Open Mon. ___ bounder 120 Bran source
on 63 New Zealand 121 Cytoplasm stuff
You” singer Sat. parrot 122 Brit. award
43 Drumstick 5 ___ the moon 64 Stock pg.
44 The 6 On ___ heading The Washington Post
Subterraneans 65 Poking, gouging
author (carousing) Howard A CURRENT AFFAIR By Merl Reagle
48 “Were you doin’ 7 Big D school 68 Vaccines
the 8 Frank McCourt 71 Stick around
samba with that 72 Part of ips
___?” book 73 Slangy mouth
52 Related 9 Summer hrs. in 74 “Come on in!”
54 Diamond expert 75 Cook fish
55 Spanish number Philly and D.C. 76 Day, in Durango
56 Not (a one) 10 Organizing the 78 Skin layer
57 Cutting remarks 79 Postal code
60 I could tell she office 80 Actress Aulin
wanted to ___ 11 Eyeballs 81 Dumb bunny
66 Affirmative 12 Dien Bien ___, 84 Cobb and Hardin
67 Places to get 87 Fiddler on the
stuck Vietnam ___
69 French street 13 Granatelli product 88 Biblical birthright
70 Chancellor’s first 14 Blouse trimming seller
name 15 Isolation 89 Comics section,
71 Covert type 16 Compromise old-style
74 She hit me with a 17 First name in 90 Hebrew month
lamp, right ___! 91 San Francisco
77 Summer drink helicopters Strauss
79 Peel for flavoring 18 Sterilization
82 Hockey’s Bobby
83 Addition to targets
Canaan 19 Hand (out), as

justice
20 ___ the bud
27 City in New

Jersey
29 True ___

The Telegraph

28 Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BACKPAGE

Father (thinks he always) knows best. That’s the problem.

BY CAROLYN HAX ing conversation. When you stick to your argu- lem that he’s too insecure to accept that anyone
Washington Post ment like this, I feel like you don’t respect what I knows something he doesn’t. Understanding that
have to say.” it’s not your boyfriend’s problem besides being a
Hi, Carolyn: My boy- conversational nuisance will free him to ignore
friend and I are in our late If that fails, there’s the tactic of co-opting his it. “Oh-kay, Dad. [Change subject.]” Granted, this
20s, living together, three dad’s ego for his own cause. “Dad, remember you will feel as if he’s distancing himself from Dad,
hours away from our re- did a great job raising me – to have my own strong but it’s actually the father’s need to be right all
spective parents. We both opinions, like you.” [Boyish grin.] the time that widens the distance between them.
grew up generally well, no
huge battle wounds from childhood. We are If that fails, your boyfriend can, with time and Actually, I recommend this last tactic regard-
both very lucky. emotional hard work, see that it’s his father’s prob- less. When we go into an exchange with someone
His parents are great. They raised three boys, expecting it to go the way we want it to, we open
all happy and healthy and leading their own ourselves to a subway map of possible routes to
lives. Dad holds strong family values but has a disappointment and frustration. When instead
really hard time even considering anyone else’s we go in with a completely open mind or, where
point of view, especially his kids’. I see how upset that’s not possible, with the expectation that the
this makes my boyfriend and am running out people we’re talking to will conduct themselves
of ways to say: “I get it. He either doesn’t want to exactly as history tells us they will, it’s an almost
or can’t.” It’s making for tense phone calls and visceral feeling of relief. The big unclench. Even
what I anticipate to be a rough holiday season. when it still doesn’t break our way.
Is there a way to ask for someone else’s toler-
ance of your opinion and thoughts? So at least try to convey these ideas to your
– Sad and Frustrated boyfriend next time he’s upset.
– Sad and Frustrated: There’s always a way to ask.
But asking doesn’t make it so, as you know, un- And apply them yourself: Understand that
less the askee bends to your will. And it sounds as your boyfriend might be as stuck as his father is,
if this dad’s image of himself is of the person to at least on this issue and at least for now. If so, then
whom all others bend. It’s a fight his ego needs him quit trying to enlighten or reassure him, and instead
to win. just reflect his feelings back on him. “It’s upsetting
That doesn’t make it hopeless – just difficult. for you, I know.” It’s not your rift to mend.
There are a few ways to go. One is for your boy- If and when he appears receptive to new ideas,
friend to be blunt but kind: “Dad, this is a frustrat- then assume he already has one and ask, “Have
you thought about what you’ll do next?” He’ll like
the answer better when he thinks his way there for
himself. 

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Style Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 29

First Lady rarely discussed her clothes, but they spoke volumes

BY ROBIN GIVHAN revealed the challenges of a business
The Washington Post that traffics in glamour and fantasy.
Her midmarket wardrobe choices
At the Hay-Adams this fall, mem- sparked sales. But her attentions could
bers of Washington’s diplomatic com- not save those same brands from the
munity gathered inside the historic financial pressures of a recession or
hotel’s glass-walled loft, with its post- overexpansion.
card views of the White House, for a
conversation about fashion. About She underscored how most fashion
clothes and their place on the world companies are entrepreneurial en-
stage. The program, hosted by the deavors, not big publicly traded cor-
State Department and Elle magazine, porations; they are the very definition
included a panel discussion, in which of small businesses. She thrust once
I was invited to participate, that fea- little-known brands – Jason Wu, Bran-
tured designer Derek Lam. When the don Maxwell, Azede Jean-Pierre, Nar-
conversation came around to first ciso Rodriguez, Maria Cornejo, Pinto
lady Michelle Obama – because how – into the spotlight, giving them price-
could it not? – Lam dropped his head less publicity and a leg up in expanding
in a mournful manner and lamented: their business. But press notices can-
Her departure from the East Wing not form the foundation of a company.
signaled the end of a singular era for
American fashion. She helped young people see that
fashion is more than catwalk extrava-
During her tenure, Obama brought ganzas and “Project Runway.” In Octo-
widespread attention to Seventh Av- ber 2014, she brought fashion design-
enue. She energized designers, editors ers to the White House as part of her
and stylists with her fashion-forward education initiative Reach Higher.
wardrobe choices. She made indus-
try insiders stand taller both at home And she connected fashion to the
and abroad. She’s been an exemplar of broader popular culture.
modern, fit and confident middle age.
She instilled pride and kinship among “Fashion is really about passion
countless black women.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
And she has been the most high-
profile cheerleader for the sleeveless don. But for the grand occasion of a
sheath as the 21st-century power uni- state dinner at Buckingham Palace,
form. “It’s been accepted everywhere,” Obama wore a regal white gown and
says designer Maria Pinto, who cre- long white gloves by an American de-
ated many of Obama’s 2008 campaign signer, Tom Ford – but one with deep
dresses, including the purple sheath business roots in London, where he
she wore when she fist-bumped the also maintains a home.
presumptive Democratic nominee.
“You don’t have to be in a suit. There’s She wore a flowing violet gown by
other ways to get that power look.” Japan-born designer Tadashi Shoji,
whose business is based in Los Ange-
Lam is among the many Seventh les, to a state dinner in honor of Japan,
Avenue designers whose clothes have a dress by Korean American designer
been part of the first lady’s public Doo-Ri Chung for the South Korea
wardrobe and whose life story has state dinner and a student-designed
been fundamental to her version of frock to a White House education
fashion diplomacy. Obama wore Lam’s workshop on careers in the fashion in-
block-printed dress for her arrival in dustry. Her fashion choices served as a
Beijing in March 2014. The black dress, grace note to the moment.
with a geometric pattern in ivory and
taupe, was contemporary in its design, Her clothes were unexpected: a
sophisticated and sleek. But there was cardigan to meet Queen Elizabeth
more: Lam, who grew up in San Fran- II. They spoke of Hollywood glam-
cisco, is of Chinese descent. In wear- our: a Vera Wang mermaid gown at
ing his design, Obama quietly noted the China state dinner. They evoked
that in addition to trade agreements Everywoman: hiking shorts at the
and intellectual property concerns, Grand Canyon. The pictures are cap-
there is a very real, human connection tivating. But are they the totality of
between the United States and China. her fashion legacy?

For the Obamas’ first state dinner, When Obama leaves the White
in honor of India, she wore a white House in January, what precisely will
strapless gown by the Indian Ameri- she leave behind besides multiple cov-
can designer Naeem Khan. In 2011, ers of Vogue and an impressive array
she donned an array of British brands of evening gowns destined for a presi-
– Preen, Roksanda – for a visit to Lon- dential library?

Obama was good for fashion. Mostly
because she got people talking about
it. But look closely and see that the
bright light she shone on fashion also

30 Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 Style Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

and creativity, just like music or Obama did not rely on a single de- one can’t ignore this reality: J. Crew of her dress and Hillary Clinton an-
dance or poetry,” Obama said dur- signer as a de facto personal dress- has also been suffering financially. In nounced that Oscar de la Renta would
ing her welcome to students. “For so maker, as had been the case with her the afterglow of the 2013 inauguration, be her designer of choice.
many people across the country, it is a most recent predecessors. Nancy sales have been spiraling downward.
calling; it is a career. It’s the way they Reagan favored the late James Gala- Company executives have attributed Details of Obama’s fashion selec-
feed their families.” nos; Barbara Bush was a fan of Arnold the decline to the quality of the mer- tions were typically shared by flattered
Scaasi, and both Laura Bush and Hill- chandise and a fashion point-of-view designers who took to social media, an
A good portion of the population has ary Clinton came to rely on Oscar de la that has been off the mark. Customers observant reporter who managed to
always been stubbornly committed to Renta. Obama had no such loyalties. don’t want what J. Crew is selling de- identify the garment from a runway
the idea that clothes don’t matter and spite it having one of the world’s big- collection or a savvy publicist who
to give them more than a moment’s When she first stepped onto the na- gest celebrities as a customer. The Gap trumpeted the news.
consideration is evidence of superfici- tional stage, Obama, a Chicago native, has also been suffering financially.
ality, snobbishness or weak character. relied heavily on the simple, sleeveless Obama didn’t dress and tell. But she
But dressing with consideration and sheaths of hometown designer Maria And consider Rodriguez, who offered the public something more
care is part of the social contract. It is Pinto. And once in the White House, designed the black-and-red dress than silk and satin to consider.
part of what makes a civil society. certain designers became staples in Obama wore on election night in 2008
her wardrobe – Khan, Rodriguez, Wu, that appeared on front pages around What was it about Obama’s clothes
Our choice of attire is a measure Michael Kors, Tracy Reese. But she the world. Even as Obama continued that kept people talking? What made
of our respect for those around us pulled from a wide range of collections to wear his clothes, his business tee- critics roar over her bare arms when
and our own personal dignity. And – some of them quite esoteric, such as tered on the edge of closing before it she wore a sleeveless, eggplant-col-
in the largely symbolic role of first Thom Browne. Her fashion vocabu- began to right itself in 2012 thanks to ored Narciso Rodriguez dress to her
lady, Obama turned fashion into an lary was deep and rich. a reorganization. husband’s first address to Congress?
especially eloquent form of commu- The fascination with Obama’s style
nication. The result was a wardrobe that Obama can turn a spotlight on a has not simply been about the clothes,
spoke eloquently about an entire in- designer. But she has not been an an- but the body in them.
She made people anticipate fashion, dustry. No one brand defined her style. tidote to a recession, overextended fi-
notice it, parse it and wonder about In that way, it was both uniquely her nances, bad luck or poor choices. No A lot of people had never seen a
the folks who made it. The conversa- own and broadly American. one could be. That was not her intent. black woman so confidently glamor-
tion mainly focused on aesthetics and ous – one who had not won an Oscar
authorship. Fashion in the Obama The country’s interest in Obama’s As much as Obama’s clothes have or a Grammy or spent her profession-
administration was not a source of clothes began during the 2008 presi- been rich with symbolism, the East al life raising Cain on reality televi-
scandal or ethics investigations, as it dential campaign. The fascination in- Wing has been loath to discuss the sion. Obama was not model-thin; she
was during the Reagan era when the creased once she became first lady, in thought that goes into her fashion wasn’t an ingenue. She was a grown-
first lady was taken to task for borrow- part because she didn’t dress like the choices. up with an impressive résumé staking
ing and not returning designer fare. stereotypical Washington matron in her claim on fashion. She was a uni-
Obama was buying her clothes, not the boxy suits, nude panty hose and sensi- Her office rarely announced, con- corn on the political circuit.
taxpayers. Her first inaugural gown, ble pumps. Her favorite accessory was firmed or mentioned the designer of
the white one with its single strap and a wide, embellished Azzedine Alaia her attire except for occasions of his- There remain those who cling to
romantic embroidery, is displayed at belt that emphasized her hourglass torical significance, such as inaugura- stereotypes, who use racist imagery to
the National Museum of American figure. She did not wear panty hose. tions or state dinners. But even then, describe her and who assess her body
History. Other gowns were stored at She wore over-the-knee suede boots. the statement was hardly more than as if it were on an auction block. The
the National Archives until they were She stood out, not because she was set- a single sentence, with the sparest de- rewrite is a work in progress.
recently shipped to Chicago along ting trends or even leading the charge tails about the dress and the designer.
with boxes of other Obama adminis- in embracing those offered up by the It wasn’t that women like Obama
tration artifacts. fashion industry. She simply looked For the Italy state dinner, the White didn’t already exist. They did. Her
engaged with fashion. Her clothes House noted: “Tonight, Mrs. Obama Chicago social circle was filled with
In countless state appearances, Mi- were part of the fashion conversation. is wearing a floor length, rose gold women who shopped at the upper
chelle Obama highlighted the absolute She looked modern. chainmail gown designed by Atelier echelons of fashion, who saw vanity
best that Seventh Avenue had to offer, Versace.” as a form of empowerment.
in the same way that one might expect The mainstream media, bloggers
the White House to offer the non plus and Twitter celebrated her clothes, A confidential transition memo She was their representative on
ultra of American culinary skill at a and as with any celebrity christened from July 2008, released by WikiLeaks, the world stage. And her wardrobe
state dinner, or present the most ac- a style icon, Obama had the ability to offered advice on handling public in- choices underscored a simple but
complished musicians at a concert. spark a shopping frenzy. Women cop- terest in the new first lady’s wardrobe: often overlooked aspect of fashion:
ied Mamie Eisenhower’s bangs and “Former First Ladies’ Chiefs of Staff It should be a confidence-building
Every now and then – mostly when Jackie Kennedy’s bouffant, but com- recommend throwing a bone to the pleasure, not a burden.
asked – she spoke about her personal panies such as J. Crew, the Gap and press and public – show the inaugural
appreciation and affection for the White House Black Market benefited gown or at least disclose the designer; Other first ladies have expressed
American fashion industry. She joked from the culture’s Obama obsession. answer questions about hair styles. ... their gratitude to Seventh Avenue for
about her devotion to Spanx, for ex- One researcher tracked Obama’s abili- In other words, fulfill the public’s fas- keeping them looking tastefully ap-
ample, or noted her love of glamour. ty to create consumer demand and es- cination with celebrity and the mys- propriate or have been supportive of
Just recently, in Harper’s Bazaar, she timated the “Obama Effect” was worth tique of the White House – most of it industry initiatives aimed at breast
expressed thanks to her longtime styl- $38 million to a company. will die down as the Administration cancer research or the prevention of
ist, Meredith Koop. Still, as first lady progresses.” heart disease. Hillary Clinton recog-
she has not been especially forthcom- Still, while Obama could ignite a run nized fashion’s philanthropy as first
ing in discussing fashion. Her office on J. Crew cardigans and pencil skirts, Her staff did not follow that advice, lady. And back in the 1960s, Lady Bird
declined a request for an interview on not even for inaugural gowns. In con- Johnson hosted a White House fashion
the subject. trast, Laura Bush previewed sketches show to highlight American style and
to juice the economy.
Fashion is, perhaps, no longer a
“third rail” topic for any woman who Obama engaged in a different,
wants to be taken seriously, but it still broader kind of conversation that
isn’t broached with the same enthusi- was about the challenges and aes-
astic patriotism as, say, baseball or a thetics of fashion and its role in the
March Madness bracket. economy, in diplomacy and in our
daily lives. Her clothes reflected
Even for a style-conscious first fashion’s global reach and the reality
lady, her relationship to fashion is that American designers come from
complicated. all over the world. She spoke as much
to fashion’s insiders as she did to ev-
eryone else. 

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 31

& Casual Dining

Djon’s Steak and Lobster House: Great food and fun

BY TINA RONDEAU Breaded Baked Brie with
Columnist orange marmalade
and fresh fruit.

One of my favorite restaurants Pan Seared Scallops with
in all of Brevard County is Djon’s jasmine rice and sautéed kale.
Steak and Lobster House, located on
Ocean Avenue across from Ryckman Filet Mignon served over
Park. whipped potatoes and
green beans.
The food there is as good as it gets.
The very white dining room is truly Grouper with sautéed spinach, the seared scallops, served in a roast-
elegant. And if you crave live music jasmine rice topped with ed garlic cream sauce, and the yellow
with your dinner, Djon’s offers con- fin ahi tuna au poivre.
temporary and jazz stylings in an ad- bruschetta. PHOTOS BY RYAN CLAPPER
jacent piano bar that you can either Ironically, we have yet to try the
enjoy with your meal, or adjourn to steaks at Djon’s, but observed a cou-
on weekends for dancing later. ple that looked mighty good headed
for neighboring tables.
Djon’s focus, as you might guess
from the name, is on steakhouse fare On this evening, we decided to for-
and fresh seafood (including both go dessert, but have on previous occa-
Maine and Florida lobsters). sions enjoyed the bread pudding.

On our most recent visit, I started Dinner here is not inexpensive
with the seafood crepe Djon ($14) and (wine prices are a bit stiff as well), and
my husband opted for the escargot the tab for two is likely to run $130 to
($12). $150 before tax and tip.

The Djon crepe was not the French But the daily happy hour around
batter crepe we are all familiar with, the piano bar from 5 to 7 is a great
deal of fun, with $6 martinis, $5 cock-
tails, and small plates that include
filet tips and garlic shrimp and scal-
lops. And beyond the great food, the
lounge with its dance floor provides
another argument for giving this res-
taurant a try.

I welcome your comments, and en-
courage you to send feedback to me at
[email protected].

The reviewer dines anonymously
at restaurants at the expense of Vero
Beach. 

but was formed from thinly sliced ed with all entrées. I chose the house My perfectly seasoned lamb chops Djon’s
eggplant. This crepe was then filled salad, and my husband and our com- were absolutely wonderful, served
with nice little shrimp and bay scal- panion both had Djon’s Caesar ($1 ex- with mashed potato and baby green Hours: Nightly from 5 pm
lops, and topped with a pesto crème tra if you want anchovies). beans. My husband’s huge veal chop,
sauce. A wonderful appetizer. And again perfectly prepared, was topped Beverages: Full Bar
the very garlicky pesto crème sauce For entrées, I decided to go with with a gorgonzola spinach sauce. It
atop my husband’s escargot was even the double cut Australian lamb chops couldn’t have been more tender or fla- Address:
tastier than the crepe sauce. Two great ($29), my husband could not resist vorful. And our companion also raved 522 Ocean Ave.,
dishes to start the meal. the veal rib chop Djon ($42), and our about her roasted lobster tail. Melbourne Beach
companion went with the roasted 10
We then enjoyed the salads includ- ounce lobster tail ($42). On previous visits, we have enjoyed Phone: 321-722-2737

32 Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

& Casual Dining

E GOT CRABSW !

HAPPY HOUR EVERYDAY!

11AM - 7PM

EARLY BIRD DINNER

3:30 - 5:30 • $9.95

3830 HWY A1A • MELBOURNE BEACH • PH: 321.914.0995

(IN PUBLIX SHOPPING CENTER) OPEN 11AM LUNCH & DINNER • PICKUP & DELIVERY

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Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 33

PETS

Bonzo says for a cool Catahoula, Sug is spot-on!

Hi Dog Buddies!

This job NEVER gets old! This week I met off me, but now I got them Sug the Catahoula Leopard Dog. PHOTO BY DENISE RITCHIE
a genu-wine Florida Cracker pooch named
Sug (as in “sug-ar”) Gunter. She’s a super little critters figgered out. I go into my Cat ew, Lily
pretty Catahoula Leopard dog who works
at the Indian River Farms Water Manage- Creep and park myself right by the bird an Tripp. Play in the
ment District office with her Dad, David,
who’s The Boss. feeder so they can’t get at it. Drives ‘em sprinkler! An we got this ol’ stray cat out “I got ALLERgies,

It was already burnin’ daylight, but still nuts!” here, Rusty. Him and me do lotsa chasin’ so I get special kibbles. I can always
early, when me and my assistant got to
Sug’s office, out in the boonies, and she’d “Of uh mornin’, I’m out in the com- around. I’ll zoom up and swoosh the feet go fer a nice carrot or some chicken jerky.
already been workin’ for a while. The nice
receptionist, Debbie, led us back to where pound, makin’ sure the guys get goin’ on right out from under him and he goes Or crunchy ice. Throw some ice in my dish,
Sug was, a big kinda garage with a bunch
of machines. Sug gave a coupla friendly their equipment, with No Loiterin’. And I a’flyin’. Then he’ll go to hissin’ at me. So I I’m good all afternoon. Then, at 9 p.m.,
woofs (nice alto voice) to let us know she
was In Charge, then came up for the Wag ride shotgun in the truck with Daddy. We give him a big ol’ bark. Yep, good ol’ Rusty. I Daddy’s snoring in fronta the TV: I wake
and Sniff.
Check Stuff Out. I got my own travel crate usta play Frisbee with Daddy. I’d jump way him up, he gets my treat, and I curl up in
“Hey there, Bonzo, honey. I’m Sug
Gunter. This here’s my Daddy, David. And (got one at home, too). With camo covers. high to catch it. But I blew out my ACL and my good ol’ crate, my safe zone. I never get
this’s my buddy, Tim. He works here, too.
You met Debbie, right? My Momma’s Al- When there’s just me and Debbie in the of- hadda have surgery. I was on leash rehab scolded when I’m in my crate.”
ice. She’s home.”
fice, if I detect a sound or smell that don’t for 3 months. Like to drove me and Daddy Dog, the time went by fast. Heading
“Pleased to meet you Miss Sug,” I
said. Her short coat was all white ‘cept seem right, I make a pretty good racket. I crazy. So no more Frisbee.” home, I was wonderin’ what it’d be like
for her dark brown face and ears. And
showin’ though her hair were lotsa can sound real scary, too! Bad guys do NOT “Soggy Dog Biscuits!” to track something like Sug does. I dunno
dark polka-dots (like leopard spots)
all over her pink skin. She had a white wanna mess with THIS pooch.” “Mostly I just wanna be with Daddy. If know if I’d have enough concentration.
blaze, black mouth, brown eyes with
ice blue around the edges, and the “No Woof!” I exclaimed. “So, you’re the he hasta leave me in the office, I give him Unless it was pizza. Yeah, I’m pretty sure
cutest half-bobtail.
Water Control District Official Mascot, the Stink Eye. But when he’s workin’ on the I could track a nice pepperoni pizza.
We went into her office, and Sug
settled into her daybed. “You’re a right?” welder or somethin’, it gets real loud and
Florida native, I hear,” I said.
“Yup! I’m also Daddy’s Official BS Detec- there’s sparks a’flyin’, so I go outside. If the Till next time,
“Yessiree. My Forever Daddy had met
my pooch Mom’s sister, Aunt Scout. She tor. Soon as I detect any Bogus Stuff, I go door shuts, I go around to the front and The Bonz
was a cur dog, and he liked her right away. right up to the person and just stare.” look in the window so’s Debbie’ll let me
So when Daddy heard my pooch Mom and back in.”
Dad – a cur and a Catahoula Leopard, liv- “Bogus Stuff. Of COURSE.” I managed.
ing on a ranch up near Claremont – were
expecting puppies, he said, ‘I Want One!’ “Daddy says it’s ‘specially helpful when “How do you keep your coat shiny?” Don’t Be Shy
So him an Momma went up and picked we’re in important meetings with LAW- “Well, sometimes I get a hankerin’ to roll
ME outta the litter. I rode back home with
‘em. That was in February 2013, and I’ve yers.” in something, you know? Then go share it We are always looking for pets
been ridin’ with Daddy every day since.” “I SEE,” I replied, skillfully changing with Daddy. So pretty quick he hoses me with interesting stories.
off on the patio. I used to shower inside, till
“Sounds like an exciting life,” I said. the subject. “Whaddya do when you’re off Momma remodeled.” To set up an interview, email
“I reckon it is. Wouldn’t trade it for noth- work?” [email protected].
in’! Me and Daddy usta go huntin’ out on “Any favorite foods?”
the lease. He taught me trackin’! I hadda “Play with my human niece and neph-
wear a harness. When Daddy put it on me,
I knew we were going to work. Then he’d
clip on this 25-foot-long static line, so he
could keep track o’ me but not have to get
drug through a lotta underbrush. I learned
how to trail a scent like you wouldn’t buh-
LIEVE, and I never got tricked by a false
trail. I can follow a scent for half uh mile
cuz I have an outstanding nose and Super
Pooch hearing! Daddy even used me to
teach other humans about tracking. We’d
go out on the lease and I’d git to RUN! I
LOVED it!! Now I’m consumed with squir-
rels. They like tuh aggravate the spots right

34 Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

CALENDAR

ONGOING weekends thru Dec. 24. Mymct.org Transformers: Re-contextualizing Our Material 14|15 Melbourne Municipal
Culture exhibit thru Dec. 17. 321-674-8313 Band Winter Wonderland
Henegar Center for the Arts - A Christmas Space Coast Lightfest, 6:30 to 10 p.m. night- Concerts, 7:30 p.m. at Melbourne Auditorium.
Story: The Musical thru Dec. 18. henegar.org ly at Wickham Park in Melbourne thru Jan. 1. Foosaner Art Museum – Radiant Messenger: Free, but unwrapped toys and nonperishable
Spacecoastlightfest.com Drawings by China Marks exhibit, thru Jan. 7. food items will be collected for South Brevard
Melbourne Civic Theatre - A Tuna Christmas, 321-674-8916 Sharing Center. 321-724-0555
Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts at FIT -
EGAD First Friday in Eau Gallie Arts District, 16 Christmas in the Park, 6 to 8:30 p.m.
5:30 to 8:30 p.m. every first Friday; and Mel- at Gleason Park hosted by Indian Har-
bourne Main Street Friday Fest, 6 to 10 p.m. bour Beach Rec. Dept., with refreshments, live
every second Friday. entertainment and Santa’s arrival, about 7:30
p.m. Free.
Free Science Cafés hosted by Brevard Zoo
and FIT, every second Wednesday thru June at 16-18 Historic Cocoa Village Play-
Duran Golf Club’s Tradewinds Restaurant. Free. house Broadway Bonus
Series presents Galmont Ballet’s The American
DECEMBER Nutcracker. 321-636-5050

8 Melbourne Community Orchestra Holi- 17 Running Zone Foundation Jingle
day Celebration Concert, with beloved Bell 2-Miler, 5:45 p.m. at Satellite
tunes of the season, 7:30 p.m. at Melbourne Beach Library to benefit Satellite High School
Auditorium. Free. 321-285-6724. Running Programs, with appearances by San-
ta and Zippy. $15 children; $30 adults. 321-
8-11 Town of Melbourne Beach Holi- 751-8890
day Fun: tree lighting 6:30 p.m.
Thurs., movie in Ryckman Park Fri. 6:30 p.m., 17 Satellite Beach Christmas Boat Pa-
Christmas Parade Sat. 9 a.m., and Santa on the rade hosted by Banana River Sail
Porch at Ryckman House, 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday. & Power Squadron, with boats assembling 6
Melbournebeachfl.org p.m. at north end of Satellite Beach Grand Ca-
nal and traveling south, circling Lake Shepherd
10 Harbor City Harmonizers presents clockwise and disbanding just north of Mathers
Sounds of the Season XIII, with The Bridge. 321-220-7775
Platinum Show Chorus, 1:30 p.m. at Holy Trin-
ity Episcopal Academy. $15. 321-6266726 17 Star Wars: A Musical Tribute present-
ed by Space Coast Symphony, 7 p.m.
10 Wintergreen Night Lights, 4 to 8 p.m. at the Scott Center featuring John Williams’
at Environmental Learning Center on music from Star Wars films. $20.
Wabasso Island, with music, nature crafts, holi-
day lights and canoeing. Standard admission. 20 Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse Broad-
772-589-5050 way Bonus Series presents Michael Law,
The Holidays Unwrapped. 321-636-5050
10 City of Melbourne Holiday Parade, 6
p.m. from NASA & Airport Blvd. inter- 31 New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner and Dance,
section to Gateway Dr., with floats, bands, dance 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Holiday Inn in
teams and Santa. melbournelightparade.org. Viera hosted by Melbourne Municipal Band,
with hors d’oeuvres, sit-down dinner, dancing to
10 Friends of Sebastian Inlet State Park 20-piece Swingtime band, floorshow by Swing-
Night Sounds concert series features timers Vocal Trio, balloon drop and champagne
23 Treez, 7 p.m. at Coconut Point pavilions. toast at midnight. $100. 321-339-7705.
Standard park entry fee. 321-984-4852
JANUARY
11 Space Coast Jazz Society presents A
Tribute to Cole Porter by the NY jazz 3-22 Riverside Theatre presents the
trio Under Hot Sun, 2 p.m. at Cocoa Beach Broadway musical Chicago on
Country Club. $10 - $15. 321-960-4897 or the Stark Stage. 772-231-6990
spacecoastjazzsociety.org

Solutions from Games Pages ACROSS DOWN 6-8 Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse
in December 1, 2016 Edition 5 INTELLIGENT 1 STANCE presents Gibson’s dramatic play,
7 CHANGE 2 SLEEK The Miracle Worker. 321-636-5050
8 REPEAT 3 LIBRARY
9 CREEL 4 KELP 7 Cops and Robbers 5K Run, 8:30 a.m. at
10 PROMISE 5 INHERITANCE Wickham Park to benefit Melbourne
12 STAMINA 6 TRANSPARENT Police Foundation, with ‘robbers’ given a one-
13 USUAL 11 ANAGRAM minute head start before ‘cops’ give chase.
16 UNPLUG 14 SETTEE $25; $20 students. Uprunningracemanage-
18 HATTER 15 WHITE ment.com
19 ENCHANTMENT 17 LUCK

Sudoku Page 5226 Sudoku Page 2573 Crossword Pagee5226 Crossword Page 5237 (PLACES, EVERYONE) 8 Space Coast Jazz Society presents Grammy
winner Robert Navarro, 2 p.m. at Cocoa
Beach Country Club to benefit SCJS Student Jazz
Workshops. $20. Spacecoastjazzsociety.org



36 Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

REAL ESTATE

Spacious pool home offers serene island lifestyle

BY MARIA CANFIELD vide plenty of storage space. The ceil-
Correspondent ing shelves, with the look of a lowered
beam, are the perfect spot for decora-
The home at 115 Regatta Street in tive touches.
Marks Landing has much to offer:
an open floor plan with a marvelous The kitchen’s tiled floors carry
flow, a solar-heated saltwater pool through to the rest of the living areas,
and spa, a large kitchen with long enhancing the house’s open feel. But
stretches of gorgeous granite coun- in the large living room and formal
tertops, along with state-of-the-art dining room, there’s an interesting
bathrooms remodeled within the last difference – the tile is of varying sizes
year – and we’re just getting started. in alternating shades of beige. The
But the home’s overarching attribute dining room is cleverly situated in a
is its privacy – when inside, there’s not way that manages to be both separate
another house to be seen, making this and part of the house’s overall flow.
home a tranquil and serene retreat.
A good-size family room com-
The beautifully maintained, pletes the first floor living space; it
screened-in pool area is visible from has a view of the expansive backyard
multiple vantage points within the from a window that almost fills an
home, creating the feeling of being entire wall, and access to the pool
area through sliding glass doors. This

at a high-end resort. There’s a large room has a cathedral ceiling that is
porthole-type window in the break- high enough to enhance its spacious-
fast nook, providing a direct view of ness, but without being overbearing.
the pool; the nautical feel this im-
parts is utterly captivating. Built into The 22-by-13.6 master bedroom is
one wall of the 27-by-13 pool are three one of the rooms with a direct view
spillways, each allowing a fountain- of the pool. As are the other two bed-
style cascade of water to splash into rooms, it is comfortably carpeted in a
the pool. The pool’s tiling is an excep- shade of wheat, neutral without being
tionally pretty shade of baby blue. boring. The color complements the
pale green walls and the lavender ac-
The pool area also includes a large cent wall. The two closets ensure that
patio, ideal for casual dining. There the homeowners’ clothes will never
is also a half-bath in this area; a great need to mingle.
convenience to residents and guests.
The en suite, newly remolded mas-
Inside, we’ll start in the kitchen; ter bath is simply stunning: a sweep-
as mentioned, it’s large: 17.6-by-16.2. ing wrap-around crisp-white van-
The Marinace granite countertops, ity with granite countertops and two
with their subtle green hue, evoke the vessel sinks, porcelain wood-look
feeling of a riverbed, or a pond. The tile floors, a huge tiled shower with
stainless steel stove is brand new, and a built-in bench, and a soaking tub
the tall and plentiful cabinets pro- nestled in one corner under opaque-

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 37

REAL ESTATE

VITAL STATISTICS
115 REGATTA ST.

paned windows. The toilet is behind A curving walkway leads through single-family homes on natural-state Subdivision: Marks Landing
closed doors for maximum privacy. eye-catching beds of stones – filled private lots. The land that surrounds Lot Size: .81 acre
with plants, trees and garden sculp- the community is conserved and will Year built: 1996
The second full bathroom has been tures – to a tall-columned outside never be built on, guaranteeing the pri-
remodeled in a similar fashion as the foyer. The etched-glass double doors vacy and seclusion the current owners Construction: Concrete block
master bath; it serves the second and sport an image of a stately blue heron. enjoy will never change. Hiking trails Home size: 2,804 square feet
third bedrooms, each of almost equal The exterior is stucco with a knock- abound within the community, and
size, and each (like the master bedroom) down finish; the primary color is a there is beach access just across A1A, Bedrooms: 3
with a visually-striking slanted ceiling. rose-tinged ivory, with accents in directly across from the entrance. Bathrooms: 2 full, 1 half
white and adobe brown. The roof is Pool: Saltwater pool with spa
There’s a bonus room on the second cement tile, but attractively resem- This elegant yet comfortable home, Furniture: Negotiable
floor; at 20-by-12, it could be used for bles chunky wood; installed in 2005, with its pledge of undisturbed living, Additional features: Beautiful
many different purposes: an office, it has a lifespan of 40 or more years. is offered by Dianne Shelton of Trea- design and finishes through-
a den, a getaway space, or a room for sure Coast Sotheby’s International out, AC system new as of July
kids to play. Marks Landing is an enclave of large Realty for $697,000.  2016, central vacuum system,
in-wall pest control system,
The entrance to the home is lovely. five smoke detectors, a carbon
monoxide detector, laundry
room off the kitchen, pan-
try, linen closet, ceiling fans
throughout, large outdoor en-
tertainment area, fenced yard,
2-car garage with large storage

area, saltwater pool
Listing agency: Treasure Coast
Sotheby’s International Realty
Listing agent: Dianne Shelton,

321-720-1199
List price: $697,000

38 Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

REAL ESTATE

Real Estate Sales on South Brevard island: Nov. 25 to Dec. 1

Real estate activity in the two South Brevard island ZIP codes, 32951 and 32903, picked up a bit the week
after Thanksgiving, with 5 properties sold in Melbourne Beach and 7 in Indialantic.

The featured sale of the week in 32951 was of a waterfront home in Indian Landing. The home at 344 Clyde
Street was placed on the market Oct. 27 with an asking price of $419,900. The transaction closed Nov. 27
for $415,000.

Both the seller and the purchaser in the transaction were represented by David Settgast of Treasure Coast
Sotheby’s.

SALES FOR 32951

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

$105,000 $95,000
OCEAN PINE VILLAS CO 419 OCEAN AVE 201 10/26/2016 $419,900 $105,000 11/27/2016 $415,000
INDIAN LANDING PH3 344 CLYDE ST 10/27/2016 $359,000 $419,900 11/27/2016 $350,000
$612,743 $612,743
MELBOURNE SHORES 1ST 220 CARDINAL DR 12/17/2015 $350,000 $359,000 11/28/2016 $340,000

ISLAND SHORES OF MEL 504 HIBISCUS TRL 10/26/2016 $612,743 11/29/2016

ISLAND SHORES OF MEL 312 HIBISCUS TRL 11/17/2016 $350,000 11/30/2016

SALES FOR 32903

OCEAN SD VIL P2 3528 CUTTY SARK WAY 7/28/2016 $230,000 $210,000 11/27/2016 $192,000
THE DUNES AT OCEANSI 280 ROSE CUP LN 9/18/2016 $325,000 $310,000 11/27/2016 $300,000
RIO VILLA NORTH P1 523 SANTOS CORTE 10/7/2016 $534,500 $534,500 11/27/2016 $510,000
MAGGIE JOHNSONS PLAT 223 GROSSE POINTE 5/30/2016 $235,000 $199,900 11/29/2016 $190,000
RIO LINDO SUBD 537 N SONORA CIR 7/17/2016 $359,000 $299,900 11/29/2016 $298,900
1 AC AS DES IN DB 74 253 SAND DOLLAR RD 10/13/2016 $339,000 $339,000 11/29/2016 $325,000
OCEAN SD VIL P3 RPLT 3579 POSEIDON WAY 7/27/2016 $579,900 $529,000 11/29/2016 $510,000

Use data for an edge in buying or selling a home

BY MARSHALL PARK
Washington Post

Data helps consumers with small
and large decisions. Purchasing and
selling real estate is no exception.

From the time you start your search
for a real estate agent to finally mak-
ing the offer, data resources are plen-
tiful, and finding the right nugget of
information might just help you make
a decision that saves you money and
affects your overall happiness with
your home.

Here are some ways you can use
data to improve your home buying or
selling experience:

Finding your agent: When finding
your agent, there are many data points
to help determine who is the best fit
for you and your transaction. Experi-
ence is a key component. The number
of deals agents have closed will show
their experience level, which can be
crucial in their counsel and nego-
tiation skills. Ask how many deals the
agent has closed in the past 12 months.

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | December 8, 2016 39

REAL ESTATE

Here are some of the top recent barrier island sales.

Subdivision: Ocean Pine Villas Co, Address: 419 Ocean Ave 201 Subdivision: Melbourne Shores 1st, Address: 220 Cardinal Dr

Listing Date: 10/27/2016 Listing Date: 12/18/2015
Original Price: $105,000 Original Price: $359,000
Recent Price: $105,000 Recent Price: $359,000
Sold: 11/28/2016 Sold: 11/29/2016
Selling Price: $950,00 Selling Price: $350,000
Listing Agent: Kelli Petrone Listing Agent: Ian S Van Dam
& Barbara J Van Dam
Selling Agent: Tropical Realty Beachside LLC Selling Agent:
Melbourne Beach Properties,Inc
Antonio C Gagliardi
Jack L Ryals
Tropical Realty of Suntree
National Realty of Brevard

Subdivision: Island Shores of Mel, Address: 504 Hibiscus Trl Subdivision: Island Shores of Mel, Address: 312 Hibiscus Trl

Listing Date: 10/27/2016 Listing Date: 11/18/2016
Original Price: $612,743 Original Price: $350,000
Recent Price: $612,743 Recent Price: $350,000
Sold: 11/30/2016 Sold: 12/1/2016
Selling Price: $612,743 Selling Price: $340,000
Listing Agent: Not provided Listing Agent: Barbara J Zorn

Selling Agent: Not provided Selling Agent: Better Homes & Gardens RE Star

Carolyn Smith & Bridget Sentz Cheryl McDermott

RE/MAX Elite Synergy Premier R.E. LLC

Market conditions change month to want to live, but a lot of factors are ability or transit and bike accessibil- across the country. The index pro-
month, so an agent with up-to-date involved in evaluating a location. ity, walkscore.com is just what you’re vides insight about the direction of
experience will be a more valuable ad- Investigating local schools, neigh- looking for. The website provides a the real estate market.
viser and partner in your transaction. borhoods, commutes and amenities walk score for every address, indicat-
can be especially daunting if you’re ing how walkable, pedestrian-friend- Redfin’s Data Center is a great
If you are interviewing agents to help not familiar with the area. Numer- ly and convenient the location is by source to access price, sales and in-
sell your home, ask to see their list- ous websites and apps provide rich measuring proximity to restaurants, ventory data direct from the local
price-to-sale-price percentage, price- amounts of data to help home buy- parks and other points of interest. multiple-listing service. You can be-
drop history and the average days on ers learn about an area and make come your own mad data scientist
market for their past 10 activated list- better decisions. Negotiating the price: So you found and filter data by region, property
ings. Don’t be afraid to ask whether your agent, your neighborhood and type and time period to view and
those homes closed, withdrew or ex- Certain federal and state fair- your dream house. How much do you download local statistics over a select
pired. This information is not always housing regulations prevent agents offer? Is it a buyer’s or seller’s market? period. Days on the market, inven-
available for non-agents to access, so from giving their opinion on specific Are we paying too much? There isn’t tory and months of supply are just a
ask the agent to print out a report from details related to a particular neigh- always a right or wrong answer, but few of the many data points you can
their multiple-listing service (MLS) borhood – such as crime and demo- data can help you make an informed view to help you determine local mar-
and to provide it to you when you meet. graphics – or school quality. Often, and confident decision. ket conditions. Here, you’ll also find
Be wary of anyone who is hesitant to agents will refer their clients to web- Redfin’s Housing Demand Index that
share this information. sites that provide statistics and infor- Zillow’s Zestimate and the Redfin uses Redfin data to forecast buyer de-
mation to further investigate. Estimate are two popular algorithms mand and competition.
Finally, seek out customer re- that provide an estimate of a home’s
views. But be aware that on some If you are concerned about crime, value by factoring in market data and Although there are vast data re-
sites, agents can influence which re- neighborhoodscout.com is a popular information about recently sold prop- sources to help you determine how
views are posted, cherry-picking the website that provides comprehensive erties that are similar to the subject much you should pay for your new
best reviews and hiding any negative statistics on crime and safety. Com- property. These valuations are quick home, please remember this very
ones. Ask the agent for their three piling data from various law enforce- and can be helpful, but nothing com- important message. A home is only
most recent closed clients and ask ment agencies and using more than pares to the expertise of a local agent worth what someone is willing to pay
whether you can reach out to see how 20 formulas, it advertises a high-ac- who has seen the home and knows the for it. Algorithms will not tell you the
their experience was. It never hurts to curacy crime rate. market. When you are serious about effect that the coveted cul-de-sac lo-
go to your state’s real estate licensing making an offer, always ask your agent cation or the dated pink kitchen will
board site to see whether the agent A popular school review site, great- to run a comprehensive comparative have on the value of the home.
has ever had a complaint filed against schools.org rates schools based on market analysis to give you a firmer
him or her or been involved in a disci- test scores and provides parent feed- sense of the value of the property. Use data, but trust your intuition,
plinary action. back and reviews. If you want to get too. Google the address, drive around
more granular, Great Schools pro- The Case-Shiller Home Price In- the neighborhood or even peek at
Searching for your home: When vides grade-level statistics on various dex, developed by three economists, your potential neighbor’s back yard.
starting the home search, most peo- subjects. is a well-known resource that tracks The more information you have, the
ple have a general idea of where they home prices and sales over time better you’ll feel in your decision. 
If you are interested in seeing walk-