03/05/2020 ISSUE 10

Brian Burkeen to be sentenced
for tire thefts. P8

Mardy Fish set to lead
U.S. Davis Cup team. P10
Businesses may have to pay
to expand beachside parking. P9

For breaking news visit

Black achievement Failing grades
plan approved by for Vero’s large
the School Board nursing homes

BY FEDERICO MARTINEZ Artist’s rendering of boathouse for Youth Sailing Foundation that would be part of Centennial Place. PROVIDED BY YSF BY MICHELLE GENZ
Staff Writer
Staff Writer Youth Sailing boathouse vital part of Centennial Place
As coronavirus spreads
Aiming to reduce the BY NICOLE RODRIGUEZ headquarters and boathouse an emotional response from among vulnerable groups of
achievement gap between Staff Writer for the Youth Sailing Founda- architect Andre Duany, Americans, as many as 450 of
black and white students, the tion should be pushed out of whose firm DPZ CoDesign Vero’s most frail residents are
School District will eliminate Things got tense last week the main development area was hired by the city to living in nursing homes with
out-of-school suspensions, be- when the committee charged and built south of the 17th come up with a redevelop- failing grades.
gin preparing black students with overseeing Vero’s Cen- Street bridge on the site of ment design for the project
for advanced classes and rig- tennial Place project initially the wastewater plant. on Indian River Boulevard, The three largest nursing
orously hold principals and decided a new $2.5-million homes of the six in Indian
teachers accountable for stu- That consensus provoked CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 River County have earned the
dent success worst possible rating on the
federal Nursing Home Com-
The initiatives are part of pare star rating system, com-
an updated African Ameri- piled by the Centers for Medi-
can Achievement Plan unani- care and Medicaid Services.
mously approved by the School
Board on Feb. 25.“I’m excited,” That translates to two-
Superintendent David Moore thirds of the county’s nurs-
told the board. “This is the ing home beds with a quality
first opportunity to move from score in the bottom 20 per-
planning to implementing. cent nationwide.
This is a united plan to move
us forward as a district. A plan All three of the one-star
that speaks to equity. A plan to nursing homes – Consulate,
ensure that every student has Palm Garden and Sea Breeze –
the same opportunities.” are in sight of Cleveland Clinic
Indian River Hospital, which
Moore and his top admin-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE

What you need to know as COVID-19 approaches Vero Piper Aircraft: No business interruptions
thus far because of coronavirus in China
BY LISA ZAHNER AND 32963 STAFF days later made it to the West How worried should Vero
Staff Writer Coast of Florida. Beach residents be about this BY RAY MCNULTY spawned in China has not yet
virus? How should you prepare Staff Writer impacted operations at the
In the past week, confirmed Health officials at all levels of for its possible arrival here?
government expect the num-

cases of the 2019 Novel Coro- ber of U.S. cases to increase How can you and your fam- company’s Vero Beach manu-

navirus (COVID-19) – which rapidly now that testing is more ily members avoid COVID-19? Piper Aircraft withdrew from facturing complex.

started only a couple of widely available, and it seems What should you do if you think the Singapore Airshow 2020 last “We sell our products to a

months ago in China – made highly likely that at some point you have it? What will its impact month because of the health worldwide market, so there’s

their first appearance on the COVID-19 will be found to have bPeHOoTOnBYlKiAfILeA JiOnNEoS ur community? threat posed by the COVID-19 no doubt we’re watching this

U.S. West Coast, and then just reached the Treasure Coast. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 coronavirus, but the pandemic CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

March 5, 2020 Volume 13, Issue 10 Newsstand Price $1.00 Beatlemaniacs
‘come together’ for
News 1-12 Faith 80 Pets 79 TO ADVERTISE CALL Mental Health. P18
Arts 39-46 Games 57-59 Real Estate 83-96 772-559-4187
Books 56 Health 61-66 St. Ed’s 73
Dining 74 Insight 47-60 Style 67-72 FOR CIRCULATION
Editorial 54 People 13-38 Wine 75 CALL 772-226-7925

© 2020 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved.

2 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Youth Sailing boathouse plan because it would bring people the neighboring wastewater treatment not the least of which is the waste-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 to the site continuously. facility, and because access to the wa- water treatment plant really needs to
ter is obscured by mangroves. be out of here before we can build a
which includes the site of the shut- “They’re constantly there at all hours building. It may have to be out of here
tered “Big Blue” power plant and the every day, so that’s the center,” Duany In addition, he said fundraising mo- before we can raise the money.”
city sewer plant. said of the youth sailing sailors and in- mentum could slow since the city plans
structors. “Everything else is sporadic, to continue operating the wastewater The foundation has outgrown its
Duany, whose widely-praised mixed- but they’re there permanently. They plant for the next five years, blocking current site on 17th street, which serves
use plan was presented to the city last would be the anchor of vitality ... they redevelopment of that area until at 300 young sailors. Keiller expects the
month, had placed the Youth Sailing also need the harbor and if they are on least 2025. number of participants to double or
headquarters on the existing harbor the south, they can’t use the harbor.” triple with a new headquarters.
behind the power plant, in the midst of “If we had a commitment from the
restaurants, shops, a marina and other Youth Sailing Foundation executive city to build on the north side, it would But Committee Chair Vicky Gould
features. director Stu Keiller told the committee help us continue the ark of growth, get expressed concern that if Youth Sail-
that locating the two-story facility with the building built and continue on,” ing’s headquarters was placed on the
He told the committee the Youth floating docks and storage on the south Keiller said. “If that doesn’t come to harbor on the north side of the bridge,
Sailing facility is a vital part of the side of the bridge would deter poten- fruition, I think there are all kinds of its operations would interfere with
tial donors because of the smell from issues that would have to be resolved, large boats turning in from the Intra-
coastal Waterway to dock at the river-
front site to shop or dine.

“I support the Youth Sailing Founda-
tion so much, but the little area where
they want to put the boats in is the
only deepwater area there is,” she said.

Committee members also said a
money-making enterprise would be
better in the proposed boathouse lo-
cation and voiced concern for the
safety of young sailors floating past
powerboats.

Moving the headquarters to the
south side of the bridge “would elimi-
nate the potential of a conflict of the
motorboats in the port and the youth
sailing,” Mayor Tony Young added.

But Keiller dismissed the safety con-
cerns, saying there has never been an
incident locally involving sailors and
motorboats, which frequently mingle
on the lagoon.

In the end, Duany’s and Keiller’s
impassioned pushback prompted the
committee to reconsider its decision
and invite Keiller back to a future com-
mittee meeting to revisit the matter –
leaving the popular sailing nonprofit’s
future at the site in limbo for the time
being.

Duany’s concept integrates res-
taurants, retail shops, boat docks, a
skateboard park, a playground area
and lake, a waterfront boardwalk and
walking paths, a meeting hall/wed-
ding chapel, and the Youth Sailing
Foundation headquarters into a har-
monious layout on the north side of
the bridge.

His design for the south side of the
bridge calls for an upscale camping
area, a small canal for launching kay-
aks, and repurposing the two exist-
ing cement tanks into buildings used
for arts and entertainment activities.
Plenty of green space, surrounded by
workforce housing apartments atop
commercial space, also are part of his
plan

The committee decided to postpone
a decision about what will happen on
the south side of the bridge for the
time being, but it liked all of Duany’s
proposals for the north side except for
the Youth Sailing Foundation building.

Duany expressed worries the entire

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 3

NEWS

plan could fail if elements drawn into The report quotes Consulate’s med- Sea Breeze, formerly Atlantic, dropped of nursing said she was unaware of the
his preliminary plan are eliminated. ical director, who was interviewed by one star from its already below-average requirement that a registered nurse be
phone, as saying: “The nurse taking two-star rating in the latest CMS Nurs- on duty for at least eight hours every
“I’ve actually not slept over this,” care of residents should know the ing Home Compare. The site shows a day, including weekends. The govern-
Duany said. “I’ve taken it very serious- code status of everyone they are tak- total of 23 health citations issued to the ment inspector found seven days in the
ly. I’m not going to stand here and say ing care of.” nursing home over the past three years; year prior to the inspection in which
the state average is 6.3. there was no RN present at any time.
you’re doing a good job.”  The report concluded that Consul-
ate “failed to ensure the medical re- In the most recent survey, four out of The third one-star nursing home,
Nursing homes cord was readily available for staff to four residents had food complaints. In Palm Garden, was named a candidate
verify code status.” an interview last summer, the director
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

regularly discharges patients to the
facilities with guidance that does not
warn patients or families of the abys-
mal ratings on CMS’s Nursing Home
Compare website.

The CMS ratings giving the three fa-
cilities one star out of a possible five
rely on the most recent three years of
inspections done by the state’s Agency
for Health Care Administration. All
three nursing homes have been in-
spected in the past 10 weeks.

Palm Garden and Sea Breeze are on
the state’s nursing home watch list.

But it is Consulate that in January
was found to have had a debacle seri-
ous enough to warrant a Class 1 vio-
lation, reflecting what the state terms
“imminent danger to the health and
safety of the residents of the facility,”
after staff apparently performed re-
suscitation on a patient whose chart
– which, in the moment of distress,
could not be located – had an advance
directive that no such efforts were to
be performed.

“The facility neglected to ensure
the advanced directives were followed
as per the resident/resident’s repre-
sentative wishes, potentially causing
physical harm, (redacted), and mental
anguish due to (redacted) efforts,” the
Jan. 10 inspection report said.

The report goes on to list staff ac-
counts saying the patient had just
been fed dinner and was put to bed
in her room in a locked memory care
wing when she was found unrespon-
sive. The patient’s nurse, an LPN, was
called to the room. Calling out for help,
she heard a voice from the hallway yell
back that the resident was “full code” –
the signal to start resuscitation.

Only after an ambulance had taken
the patient to the hospital was the pa-
tient’s chart located with the advance
directive, stating that the patient did
not want to be resuscitated.

According to the report, a nurse
then called the hospital and faxed
over the form. The patient had been
intubated prior to arriving at the hos-
pital. When the form arrived, the tube
was removed, and the patient was
pronounced dead. The entire event
lasted a little over an hour.

The report says the number of nurses
and certified nursing assistants at Con-
sulate was below the state-required lev-
el in five of the 14 days examined.

4 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Nursing homes Garden has somehow disappeared homes seems logical, quality facili- “There is a school of thought that
from the Special Focus Facility can- ties can turn on a dime due to what nursing home care is not easy to find,
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 didate list, which identifies nursing he says is an extremely high turnover particularly for lower-income fami-
homes that have a history of serious rate – many say 60 percent annually – lies. Does it make sense to shut down
for the Special Focus Facility watch- quality issues. At press time, CMS among nursing home staff. a facility and then have people that are
list last year and was hit with a nearly didn’t provide an answer as to why. very frail and very vulnerable transfer
$82,000 federal fine after a November Key among those coming and go- to a facility that you don’t know if it’s
2018 inspection found 20 deficiencies. Being on the Special Focus list ing are certified nursing assistants,
That report offered a detailed litany of would mandate increased inspections or CNAs. The best of those work- going to be any better?” 
indignities, incompetence, physical of Palm Garden. So, might legislation ers shoulder the burdens of strenu-
suffering and filth. currently under consideration in Talla- ous, even repugnant, physical labor Black achievement plan
hassee that could increase inspections while maintaining an even disposi- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
A year later, the reports aren’t much for problematic nursing homes while tion through chaotic calls for help and
better. One resident complained that reducing the number of inspections at emotional interactions. istrators created the updated plan,
the smell of urine was so strong in her high-quality facilities. which is now aligned with goals ad-
room that her eyes burned. An emer- As a result, many CNAs develop re- opted by the district’s equity commit-
gency pull cord could not be activated But Vero’s troubled trio is already lationships with their patients. They tee. It also puts school officials on a
with a pull. Doors weren’t being closed getting the eagle eye. While the pro- provide not only care and comfort, but clearer path to meet the requirements
to the hallway when staff was chang- posed law might add one more in- company to nursing home residents set forth in a 52-year-old federal de-
ing residents’ clothes. Residents were spection to the required 18-month who never see a visitor – which may segregation order that the district has
missing clothing, or in one case, a fa- site visit, all three sub-par Vero facili- be more than half of all residents, ac- labored under since the 1960s.
vorite pillow. One man wasn’t shaved ties are already getting far more than cording to some estimates by experts
often enough. that, mostly due to complaints. State on aging. Board member Jacqueline Rosario
surveyors visited Palm Garden and applauded Moore and his administra-
Others complained of not having Consulate 10 times in the past year, “Nursing home quality is heavily tors on the updated plan, after efforts
showers when they wanted them, and Sea Breeze eight times. dependent on staffing, and very often, to improve and implement the plan
with records for one resident showing in Florida and many other places, they floundered for several years under the
only one shower in a month. Mattress- Why those surveys don’t result in are having serious problems retain- leadership of former Superintendent
es meant to prevent bedsores weren’t closure has a lot to do with need, ac- ing trained and experienced CNAs,” Mark Rendell.
properly inflated, with the inspector cording to AARP Florida spokesman Bruns said.
noting skin breaking down on one pa- Dave Bruns. “The same people who worked on
tient’s heels and buttock. In another “You can go from a situation where this have been with the district for
case, treatment for a urinary tract in- Bruns says the legislation that you have well-trained, well-motivated, years,” Rosario told Moore. “The only
fection wasn’t begun until three days would give Florida’s Agency for Health competent staff, to very problematic difference is Dr. Moore. Nothing has
after urinalysis results were in. Care Administration latitude in sched- very quickly. That can happen in a pe- changed, except for you. You have
uling inspections makes sense in one riod of months. So, it makes excellent made a big difference in a short time.
Despite the endless problems, Palm way, but not in another: while spend- sense to concentrate the resources
ing more to check up on bad nursing where the problems are, but some at- “I mention this, because I just want
tention should be paid to [monitoring] to recognize the difference of having
. . . rapid changes in these facilities.” good leadership. This should have been
done a long time ago, but wasn’t, be-
CNA pay is a main cause of the turn- cause we didn’t have that leadership.”
over problem. As Cleveland Clinic In-
dian River raises its entry level pay to Moore said some of the achieve-
$14 in March with an eventual ramp- ment plan initiatives are already being
up to $15, the hospital could very well implemented, but other parts will be
drain other Vero facilities of the best added during the 2020-21 school year.
CNAs, whose starting pay locally is es-
timated at $9 to $11 an hour. Under the plan, African-American
students will receive mentoring to
Bruns says AARP is part of the Silver help prepare them for taking advanced
Solutions Coalition, which advocates classes, starting next school year.
for higher CNA pay in the state legisla-
ture. “The coalition wants to improve Moore and board members say cur-
the entire continuum of care for older rently very few African-American stu-
Floridians and certainly the nursing dents are encouraged to strive for or
home is a very important part of that,” are admitted to honors programs in
he said. the district. Those that are often per-
form poorly because they aren’t pre-
But nursing homes are just a frac- pared for the coursework.
tion of the elder care need. “To put it
in perspective, we have 75,000 resi- Another serious issue the up-
dents in nursing homes in Florida, dated plan tackles is the high rate
and slightly more than that – 85,000 of suspension for African-American
to 90,000 – in assisted living facilities,” students, who are suspended from
Bruns said. school twice as often as white stu-
dents, according to school records –
“But there are 2.9 million caregiv- often for infractions white students
ers in Florida taking care of more than are not suspended for.
2 million frail, older loved ones. So,
for every person who is in a nursing The district will eliminate out-of-
home or assisted living facility, there school suspensions – except for the
are more than 10 who are in the care of most serious cases – principals will be
loved ones at home. If you’re going to required to document when and why
address elder care in Florida, you have students are punished to make sure
to look at the entire continuum includ- African Americans are not being dis-
ing support for family caregivers.” criminated against.

As for getting tough on failing nurs- Since out-of-school suspensions
ing homes, Bruns hesitates to suggest will be eliminated, the district will
shutting them down.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 5

NEWS

need to expand it’s current in-school The district has already created space another updated version to the board “It is a vast improvement from the ini-
suspension programs, officials said. on its website where the public can for approval this summer. tial draft,” Green said. “I am glad that the
monitor the district’s progress, or lack district is taking this step toward trans-
Principals are also being challenged of progress, as well as that of principals, Merchon Green, chairwoman of the parency and accountability. I am also
to hire more African-American teach- teachers and students, Moore said. district’s equity committee, applauded glad that it is a fluid document, so it will
ers, and teachers will be required to the district’s new transparency efforts continue to be fleshed out and improved.
integrate more culturally diverse class- Moore said his administrators will and the updated African American
room lessons, Moore said. continue to work on the plan and bring Achievement Plan. I look forward to seeing results.” 

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6 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

COVID-19 found to be “presumptively positive” in Do NOT automatically go to a hos- IF I HAVE COVID-19, WILL I BE
Manatee County (Sarasota). pital or urgent care, unless it is an ac- HOSPITALIZED?
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 tual emergency. The Florida Depart-
HOW QUICKLY IS IT LIKELY TO ment of Health and CDC recommend Only if your case appears serious,
The answer to these questions will APPEAR HERE? calling your regular primary care phy- or if you have other risk factors, are
change from week to week. As this situ- sician first to describe your symptoms you likely to be hospitalized. You will
ation evolves, we will try in this column State or county health departments and give the office staff the chance to probably be advised to self-quaran-
to provide the latest best information have given no indication that it has yet prepare for your arrival. tine (stay home) for up to 14 days.
from health officials on COVID-19 and spread to any Florida areas other than
Vero Beach. these two. If you do not have a regular doctor IF I DO NOT HAVE COVID-19, IS IT
or cannot get a timely appointment, CURRENTLY OK TO TRAVEL?
HOW WORRIED SHOULD I BE WHAT SHOULD I DO TO AVOID call the Indian River County Health
ABOUT COVID-19? THE CORONA VIRUS? Department at 772-794-7400 or the If you are planning to fly or board
24/7 Disease Reporting line at 772- a cruise ship, be prepared to answer
The Centers for Disease Control and Wash hands frequently for at least 794-7472. If you do have to go to the questions about your travel history
the Florida Department of Health say 20 seconds with soap and dry thor- hospital or to an urgent care facility, and undergo a health screening for
about 80 percent of people infected oughly. If soap and water are not avail- call ahead to let them know you are symptoms. You may have your tem-
will only come down with a mild ill- able, use hand gel containing at least coming and what symptoms you are perature taken and if you are sick
ness, like a bad cold or the seasonal flu. 60 percent alcohol. Do not touch your experiencing. or are running a temperature above
face, mouth, nose or eyes. Avoid close 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, you may be
Those at greater risk of serious ill- personal contact, shaking hands, etc. WILL THEY TEST ME FOR COVID-19? prevented from boarding or from con-
ness and hospitalization include the tinuing to your destination.
elderly and people with underlying WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I FEEL ILL? If you have symptoms and test neg-
health conditions like heart disease, ative for Influenza, or have a recent IF I LATER FIND I’VE TRAVELED
high blood pressure, obesity, asthma, If you have a cough, fever, conges- travel history to a COVID-19 hot spot TO A COVID-19 HOTSPOT, WHAT
COPD, auto-immune disease or exist- tion, body aches – pretty much the like China, South Korea, Iran or Italy, SHOULD I DO?
ing chronic illness. symptoms of the regular winter flu – you likely will be tested. This gener-
stay home from work or school. Cover ally involves a nasal and mouth swab Call the Indian River County Health
WHAT IS CURRENTLY THE CLOSEST your mouth and nose when you cough and mucus sample. Department to report your travel his-
CASE TO VERO BEACH? or sneeze. Cough or sneeze into your tory and be prepared to self-isolate
sleeve or elbow. Work remotely if pos- IF I’M TESTED, HOW LONG BEFORE for up to 14 days. Or call the Florida
A man in his 60s has been found sible. Avoid going out in public. I WILL KNOW THE RESULTS? Department of Health COVID-19 Ho-
“presumptively positive” in Hillsbor- tline at 866-799-6121 between 8 a.m.
ough County (Tampa) 140 miles away. WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I THINK THIS The turnaround time is currently 24 and 5 p.m. weekdays, or email CO-
A woman in her 20s has also been MAY BE COVID-19? to 48 hours. [email protected].

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 7

NEWS

IF COVID-19 COMES HERE, WILL with Chinese buyers – most of those bled, placed in containers and trans- on a day-to-day basis,” Carlon said.
THEY CLOSE SCHOOLS? agreements are to supply trainer air- ported to their destination, where the “We do have an employee here who
planes to flight schools – no new de- planes are then reassembled. Also, the oversees those operations, but he’s
Make sure you are signed up with liveries are scheduled until late August company has a China-based dealer that not going over there until things are
your child’s school for email, phone and early September, so there’s no need handles much of its business there. far more stable.
and text alerts in the event that a lo- for company employees to travel there.
calized outbreak necessitates a tem- “They’re Chinese nationals and “In addition,” she added, “so much
porary school closure. In fact, Carlon said most of Piper’s they attend the events in China, so of our business can now be done virtu-
China-bound products are disassem- it’s not necessary for us to be there
WHAT SHOULD I DO AS A CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
BUSINESS OWNER OR MANAGER?
Vero travel agencies grapple with coronavirus
Limit face-to-face meetings, offer
employees opportunities to work from BY SAMANTHA ROHLFING BAITA Frosch Indian River Travel in Central hotels and other travel-oriented busi-
home if that is possible. Provide hand Staff Writer Beach says many clients simply want nesses all have their own refund guide-
sanitizer and disinfecting wipes at the to know if a particular part of the world lines, travelers who want to cancel may
office, and ensure that all heavily-used As outbreaks of coronavirus spread is safe. And many places certainly still stand to lose a lot, or a little, says Lake,
around the world, local travel agents are, she says, although the situation is noting “there is no fear insurance.”
surfaces are cleaned frequently.  have been fielding a tsunami of ques- fluid, to say the least.
tions – most of which concern safety or If a traveler wants to cancel tickets
Piper Aircraft money – from clients who have booked Among countries with the virus out- or reservations already booked and
trips or planned to do so. breaks, she notes that Italy, one of the paid for due to concern about the vi-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 most popular tourist destinations for lo- rus, travel insurance does not cover
Some clients have cancelled or cal travelers, is basically “on lockdown.” that, so you could be out hundreds to
thing, especially as it expands beyond postponed travel, while others are thousands of dollars.
China’s borders, because we need to watching and waiting, trying to figure Anecdotally, Lake mentions hearing
be ready to respond accordingly,” said out what to do, as flights are cancelled, from “some people already on a cruise” Doris Kwek of Treasure Coast Travel
Jackie Carlon, Piper’s marketing and travel bans are put in place, and cruise that Bali wouldn’t allow their ship to says the spread of coronavirus and fear
communications director. “But as of ports of call and borders close. dock, and they were cruising around of the infection have been especially
right now, it’s not having any effect on “trying to find a safe port.” tough on cruise lines and cruise pas-
our operations here. Travel consultant Lucy Lake of
Because airlines, tour companies, CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
“We haven’t had any business inter-
ruptions because of the virus.”

While Piper has existing contracts

8 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Piper Aircraft were a number of companies that had BRIAN BURKEEN SENTENCING FOR
already canceled,” Carlon said. “We TIRE THEFTS SET FOR APRIL 30
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 looked at a couple of things – the level
of risk for our employees and whether BY LISA ZAHNER PHOTO BY KAILA JONES
ally, using different technologies, we we’d get a return on our investment Staff Writer
don’t need to be there.” because of the lack of participation – Brian Burkeen enters a plea of
and decided to pull back. Judge Dan Vaughn is set to sentence no contest before Judge Dan Vaughn.
It was mere coincidence, Carlon said, former County Fire-Rescue Assistant
that Piper’s contracts and production “That’s the most significant impact Chief Brian Burkeen to prison on April
schedule for China-bound aircraft call for 30 after Burkeen pleaded no contest
late-summer, early autumn deliveries. the virus has had on us, so far.”  Monday to stealing more than a quar-
ter million dollars’ worth of tires paid
“There are specific times of year Travel agencies for by local taxpayers.
when we have airplanes go to China,
and there’s nothing scheduled to go in CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Burkeen, a Fellsmere resident, was
that direction until August-Septem- scheduled to go to trial on March 9 and
ber,” she said. “Right now, we’re work- sengers who can’t disembark in many Assistant State Attorney Lev Evans said
ing on our U.S. sales. That’s just how locations, especially on the Asia routes. after the plea hearing, “We were locked
the schedule worked out. and loaded, ready to try this case.”
She says Italy“has been the biggest sur-
“We got lucky.” prise to Vero travelers. It’s one of the No. Vaughn instructed Burkeen about all
Singapore didn’t. 1 destinations in Europe, and we’ve had the rights he was giving up by pleading
The nation’s Ministry of Health re- an overwhelming number of calls from no contest – the right to a trial by jury,
sponded to COVID-19’s threat to the people rethinking [their plans to travel the right to remain silent, the right to
biennial air show and trade exhibit, there]. Some people don’t even want to face his accusers and cross-examine
which was held Feb. 11-16, by order- go to South America, or even the Galapa- witnesses, and most of all his presump-
ing enhanced cleaning and refuse gos. It’s going to be a rough run. It’s going tion of innocence. The lightest sentence
management, providing hand sani- to take a toll [on the travel industry].” Vaughn can impose for the charge of
tizers for attendees, and deploying a first-degree felony theft by a scheme to
team of doctors and medics to per- Ivy Tjok, owner of Prestige Travel, defraud is 48 months in prison.
form mandatory body-temperature says “everybody has fear. Clients need
screenings at all entrances to the Sin- to take the facts and make their own Since this is a first offense for Bur-
gapore Expo and Exhibition Center as decisions,” using common sense and keen, it’s not expected that he will get
well as to treat visitors who felt ill. taking precautions. “People have to the full 30-year maximum sentence.
Piper’s management, however, de- understand that the hotels, tours and
cided to take no chances. airlines all feel the crunch. They can’t
“The virus was spreading and there
refund everybody.” 

EARLY VOTING
MARCH 7 - MARCH • 14 8AM-4 PM

View Early Voting wait times by location at VoteIndianRiver.com

EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS

 Sebastian City Hall

1225 Main Street, Sebastian

 Supervisor of Elections Office
4375 43rd Avenue, Vero Beach
 Main Library Vero Beach
1600 21st Street, Vero Beach



  Vote-By-Mail  

Request your Vote-By-Mail ballot online at
VoteIndianRiver.com

Deadline to request a ballot to be mailed is 5PM
Saturday, March 7, 2020

Vote-By-Mail drop boxes are available at all
locations during Early Voting Hours

LESLIE SWAN I INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS
4375 43rd AVE., VERO BEACH, FL 32967 I (772) 226-3440

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 9

NEWS

Evans told County Attorney Dylan embarrassment to the fire-rescue de- on providing the highest level of service them to the Indian River Emergency Ser-
Reingold after the hearing that the partment. Also, his thefts siphoned to our community and preparing for vices District account. He then sold the
county may send a representative to funds from cash-strapped accounts our response to the coronavirus.” tires to people he knew through social
speak about the loss of $288,000 in earmarked for equipping and main- media postings and kept the proceeds.
county property and the impact of that taining the county’s fleet of vehicles. Burkeen also has the right to put forth
damage to taxpayers. At press time, Re- witnesses that present him in a sympa- Just weeks after Burkeen retired in
ingold said he did not know who would Longtime firefighter and medic John thetic light. That might include medi- February 2018, suspicious invoices
speak on behalf of the county. O’Connor, president of the Interna- cal experts, as Burkeen claims to suffer were turned over to the Indian River
tional Association of Firefighters Local from pain after a recent vehicle crash. Sheriff’s Office which led to the unrav-
Some of the county’s nearly 300 2201, said “it’s unfortunate what hap- eling of the scheme to steal from the
firefighters and paramedics may pened but we are glad he took respon- Charging documents say Burkeen, over taxpayers. Burkeen worked under the
also want to chime in, as the charges sibility for his actions. Currently our nearly five years’ time, fraudulently or- direct supervision of Fire Chief John
against Burkeen have been a major firefighters and paramedics are focused dered and picked up more than 1,400 tires
that the county did not need, and charged King, who also retired in 2018. 

Beachside businesses may have to chip in to expand parking

BY NICOLE RODRIGUEZ funds collected annually to be spent city last year collected $2.3 million from found a majority of the 3,108 beachside
solely on parking – will likely be pre- the sales tax. parking spaces are privately owned,
Staff Writer sented to the City Council for consid- with only about 750 public spaces.
eration at its March 17 meeting, city Any added spaces, however, prob-
Beachside business owners might officials said. ably won’t be installed by the end The company identified locations
have to chip in to help cover the cost of the year. The project would most where 79 spaces could be added – a
of adding parking spaces they say they “The City Council recognized there likely be included in the next budget solution that would be much less
desperately need to avoid losing busi- would be some public uses of spaces year and begin sometime next year, expensive than building a parking
ness. and I think that’s why they had a dis- Falls said. garage near the beachside business
cussion ... that it might be appropriate district.
City officials are considering several for the city to pay 50 percent and the Kimley-Horn, which was hired by the
financing options – including imple- district to pay the other 50 percent,” city last year to find a fix, has held public The City Council earlier rejected
menting a special assessment for busi- City Manager Monte Falls said. workshops for input and analyzed more the garage option, which would have
ness owners – to pay for the addition of than 3,000 beachside parking spaces to cost between $3 million and $4.8 mil-
79 parking spaces in front of multi-fam- Nancy Cook, owner of Twig Swim determine who owns the spaces and lion and added about the same num-
ily housing or commercial buildings on & Sportswear Shop on Ocean Drive, how they are being used. The company
east-west streets near the problem area said she wouldn’t mind paying her fair ber of spaces. 
of Ocean and Cardinal drives. share to remedy the problem she be-
lieves is causing shops to lose custom-
The spaces would cost around ers who can’t find a space. Still, Cook
$400,000 for curbing, gutters and had questions about how the taxing
pavement, along with an estimated district would work.
$125,000 for engineering services,
but the city has no dedicated funding “What would the tax be? Where
for the project, so it might ask shop would it go to? What would it fund?”
owners to pitch in. Cook asked.

“We should be paying 50 percent The establishment of a special tax-
of it ... and I would encourage staff to ing district would require a public
come up with a way they think is rea- hearing and for beachside business
sonable and bring it back to us to for owners to be on board, Falls said. The
the other 50 percent,” Councilman assessment would show up on the
Robert Brackett said. business owner’s tax bill.

City staff also are considering a spe- Another way to fund the spaces would
cial taxing district. Details about the be to use revenue from the 1-cent sales
potential district, which would entail tax, which is typically used for road im-
a geographical boundary and require provement projects, officials said. The

10 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Mardy Fish ‘just getting started’ as Davis Cup captain

BY RAY MCNULTY ously occupied by the likes of Arthur Play in the two-day qualifiers, which for eight years before stepping down
Staff Writer Ashe, Tony Trabert, Jim Courier and the included both singles and doubles at the end of 2018.
McEnroe brothers, John and Patrick. competition, begins Friday.
When the final story of Mardy Fish’s Though he wasn’t sure how the selec-
tennis career is written, you can ex- This week, for the first time since be- “For a long time, I knew I wanted tion process worked, Fish, a former top-
pect to find the words “United States ing named captain last year, Fish will to be the Davis Cup captain at some 10 player whose career included several
Davis Cup captain” in the opening guide the U.S. squad in a home match stage,” Vero Beach’s home-grown ten- memorable Davis Cup performances,
paragraph. as the Americans face Uzbekistan in nis star said in January, when he re- seized the opportunity and proceeded
Hawaii in the Qualifying Round, during turned home for his annual golf fund- to tell everyone he knew in U.S. tennis
And for good reason: Only 41 men which 24 teams will compete around raiser at Windsor. “I always viewed it as how much he wanted the job.
in the game’s long and storied history the world for 12 spots in the 2020 Davis a dream job, the best gig you could get
have held that revered position, previ- Cup Finals in September in Canada. in tennis after you retire from playing. “I had never interviewed for any job
in my life, so I really didn’t know what to
“I didn’t know I was going to get it do, other than to fall back on my work
this quickly, but with a new generation ethic and contact everyone and anyone
of younger players coming up, it was who may or may not have an influence
the perfect time for somebody new to on the decision and let them know what
come in – someone a little closer to being captain would mean to me.
their era,” he added. “I’ve played with
a few of the guys, but most of them “I just took it upon myself to go after
grew up watching me play.” it, and I guess it worked.”

Fish, 38, succeeded Courier, a four- The last couple of guys did it for
time major champion and former No. eight and 10 years,” Fish said, referring
1-ranked player who served as captain to Courier and Patrick McEnroe. “So,

hopefully, I’m just getting started.” 

COUNTY: STATE MUST MAKE SURE
RAILROAD CROSSINGS ARE SAFE
FOR VIRGIN’S HIGH-SPEED TRAINS

BY GEORGE ANDREASSI that they’re safe for all of the residents
of the state of Florida.”
Staff Writer
After the meeting, FDOT District 4
Florida transportation chiefs are Secretary Gerry O’Reilly declined to
downplaying their duty to oversee rail- address Szpyrka’s comments or his
road crossing safety as Virgin Trains reference to Florida Statutes 335.141:
USA prepares to run 34 high-speed Regulation of public railroad-highway
trains per day through Indian River grade crossings; reduction of hazards.
County’s 32 crossings, said county
Public Works Director Rich Szpyrka. “Everyone is entitled to their opinion,”
O’Reilly said about Szpyrka’s call for FDOT
Virgin Trains is upgrading the Flori- to play a greater role in railroad crossing
da East Coast Railway tracks from West safety for high-speed passenger rail.
Palm Beach to Cocoa and constructing
new tracks from Cocoa to Orlando to But Transportation Commission
complete a Miami-to-Orlando route. Chairman Ron Howse took notes during
Szpyrka’s presentation and said the policy
But Florida Department of Trans- oversight board would look into FDOT’s
portation has not used its authority to role in regulating railroad crossings.
ensure the railroad crossings are safe
enough for trains travelling 110 mph, “Florida is getting its first high-speed
Szpyrka told the Florida Transporta- rail system, so we look at policies in-
tion Commission. volved in that,” Howse said.

“It seems that FDOT doesn’t believe The law cited by Szpyrka says: “The
they are responsible for overseeing department shall have regulatory au-
those [railroad crossings],” Spyrka told thority over all public railroad-highway
the commission on Feb. 24. “We had a grade crossings in the state, including
problem with FDOT coming up, stay- the authority to issue permits which
ing up and doing what we believe is in shall be required prior to the opening
the Florida Statutes for them to do. and closing of such crossings.”

“I know DOT doesn’t like to go up Virgin Trains killed 15 people in ve-
against FEC,” Szpryka said during a hicle collisions and 36 overall since
meeting on rail safety. “[But] they’ve starting operations in South Florida
got to stand up and they’ve got to help in January 2018, Federal Railroad Ad-
the locals and they’ve got to help their ministration records show.
own railroad crossings and make sure
A December 2019 analysis by the
Associated Press determined VTUSA

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 11

NEWS

had “the worst per-mile death rate of Heavily traveled U.S. 1 is within 50 “I’m of the opinion DOT is the state said, to learn about high-speed rail as
the nation’s 821 railroads.” feet of the railroad tracks through long governing agency that should help the new systems are developed in Florida.
stretches of Indian River County. local governments muddle through
FDOT should help local govern- some of these things,” Szpyrka said. Mayfield’s High Speed Passenger
ments and Virgin Trains better coordi- FDOT should also be more involved Rail Safety Act, which would give FDOT
nate railroad crossings and traffic sig- in designing railroad crossings for the The transportation commission called more authority over passenger rail
nals at nearby intersections to reduce high-speed passenger trains, Szpyrka the meeting at the request of state Sen. projects, is pending in the legislative
traffic backups, Szpyrka said. said. Debbie Mayfield (R-Vero Beach), Howse
session set to end March 13. 

12 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

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MY Can Democrat candidate for sheriff alter outcome of race?
VERO

BY RAY MCNULTY As of Monday morning, that’s still ing out” to her, stating she would be Two things I do know, however.
Staff Writer the case – and she’s at least partially to “happy” to grant me an interview. First, she has no chance to win.
blame: She provided no phone num- However, when I asked if she would Second, if she follows through and
Until last month, when she filed to run ber on the paperwork she submitted call or answer questions via email, actually gets on the ballot – to do so,
for sheriff as a Democrat in November’s to the county’s Supervisor of Elections, there was no response. she’ll need to garner more than 1,134
elections, I didn’t know there was a Deb- opting to give only a Wabasso Post Of- valid signatures on a petition by May
orah Cooney in Indian River County. fice box mailing address and a cooney- So, I don’t know if Cooney, who 11 or pay the $8,352 filing fee by noon
[email protected] email address. named herself as treasurer of a cam- June 12 – she will impact the Republi-
I’d never met her, never spoken with paign account that contained no can primary on Aug. 18.
her and, other than what I found dur- When I used that email address to money, is a serious candidate. (The She might even alter the outcome.
ing a Google search, didn’t know any- contact her last week, she promptly Democrats of Indian River don't back If Cooney or any other non-Republi-
thing about her. responded by thanking me for “reach- candidates until after primaries.) can sheriff’s candidate qualifies to run in
November’s general election, the Repub-
lican primary will be closed to Demo-
crats and voters with no party affiliation.
That means only the county’s 55,000
registered Republicans will be eligible
to vote in the primary, where four
candidates – Sheriff’s Maj. Eric Flow-
ers, Indian River Shores Public Safety
Director Rich Rosell, Fellsmere Police
Chief Keith Touchberry and former
Sheriff’s Capt. Chuck Kirby – are vying
to replace outgoing Sheriff Deryl Loar.
If only Republican candidates have
qualified to run, however, Florida law
allows all the county’s registered voters
– numbering about 120,000, includ-
ing Democrats and independents – to
cast ballots in the Republican primary,
which becomes the general election.
In that scenario, the top vote-getter
would become the sheriff, even if he fails
to get more than 50 percent of the vote.
“If Ms. Cooney qualifies, it changes
who gets to vote in the primary, so, of
course, it’s going to have an impact,”
said Flowers, considered by many to
be the frontrunner, mostly because of
the endorsements he has received and
the $144,000 his campaign has raised.
“What would that impact be? It’s
tough to say,” he added. “But I don’t
know that the primary being open or
closed helps or hurts anybody.”
The candidates, to be sure, aren’t
taking any chances. All say they will
not change their campaign strategies
and will continue to take their mes-
sages to all the county’s voters.
“All four of us are actively campaign-
ing everywhere in the county and
trying to reach every voter, not just
Republicans, because we don’t know
if the primary is going to be open or
closed,” Rosell said, adding, “I don’t
know much about Ms. Cooney or why
she’s running. I have no idea what her
motives are.”
Nor do I.
Unless Cooney has some law-en-
forcement experience not mentioned
in her blog, it’s fair to wonder if she has
entered the race for reasons beyond a
desire to be our sheriff.
Certainly, that’s among the ques-

tions I’d like to ask. 

Connie and Ross Cotherman
with Dr. Nicholas Coppola.

BEATLEMANIACS ‘COME TOGETHER’
TO BENEFIT MENTAL HEALTH P. 18

14 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

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‘Farm to Table(aux)’ event was un-Paree-leled success

Sandy and Dr. Randy Divine, Tanya Divine and Carol Knapstein. Gendarmes Maggie McNabb and Jessica Griffin John and Susan Kiley with Sheila and George Marshall.
with HFC president/CEO Diana Grossi.

Lila and Abbott Stillman. PHOTOS: KAILA JONES Mary and Mark Soufleris. PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
Bill and Libby King.

BY MARY SCHENKEL Kay Campione and Trent Leyda. Guests wandered about sipping provides safety and security to 21
Ann and Ralph Turner. Tito’s vodka, wines and beers and vulnerable families with children
Staff Writer perusing the silent- and live-auction under age 18 who find themselves
items, while noshing on goodies from without shelter. It offers the resources
Folks got a taste of “Gay Paree” last Cobalt and Costa d’Este. HFC had also needed to get people back on their feet
Monday evening at a C’est Paris Farm prepared some hors d’oeuvres to bring so they can provide for themselves
to Table(aux) fundraiser at the Walking home the fact that the nonprofit feeds in the long term. Residents work with
Tree Brewery to benefit the Hope for families every day. case managers to develop budgets
Families Center. and sustainable savings structures,
“When you think of the homeless, and are given assistance in parenting,
During the cocktail hour, roughly often you think of a single person job placement, legal guidance and
175 guests were invited to ‘eat, drink standing on the corner or on the domestic violence empowerment.
and be arty’ while viewing several street. That’s not who we serve – we
interpretive “tableaux vivants” (living serve families. Sixty-three percent of “Adult clients must pass a
pictures), featuring students from the our residents are children,” stressed background check and drug test,”
Indian River Charter High School. Two Grossi. “And if we can stabilize those said Grossi. “We focus on financial
talented artists were busy creating children, that’s what’s important.” literacy, budgeting and saving for
large paintings, which were auctioned the future. Our case managers aim
off later in the evening; a trio of can-can Many guests also purchased raffle to equip each resident with the tools,
dancers rustled their skirts atop a long tickets in hopes of winning the prize skills and services they need to better
table; a young lady on a Vespa offered hidden inside a Mystère box – later serve themselves and their family. We
pieces of her crusty French baguette; revealed to be a ‘Slice of Chicago’ with believe that by educating our residents
and a pair of gendarmes roamed the airfare, hotel and even a Chicago Pizza now, we are providing the skill set
crowd. tour. necessary to empower themselves for
the future.”
“We decided to do something new, Hamp Elliott emceed the evening,
something different,” said Diana which included a rousing performance Since July, she said, HFC has served
Grossi, HFC CEO, noting that the by can-can dancers Jenna Smith, 211 clients, including 131 children, and
event replaced their former Vero’s Top Chelsea Campbell and Chiara Parrotta, since July 2019 has placed 60 percent of
Chef fundraiser. “We rely on grants, and a French-inspired dinner, prepared their families in sustainable, perma-
foundations and individual donors. We by Chef Michael Lander of Michael’s nent housing.
don’t get any federal or state dollars, so on Seventh and served at colorful, long
this is one of the ways we raise money. I tables set up against a backdrop of La For more information, visit hopefor-
hope people come out and join us next Tour Eiffel. familiescenter.org. 
year at this fun, exciting event.”
The Hope for Families Center



16 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

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PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 Lil and Joe Cornett. Kayla Provost and Phillip Keeling.
Barbara and Burr Wishart, with Michala Calahan on Vespa.

Greg Bowling, Marion Fredrickson and Richard Schlitt. Kathie and Michael Pierce. Josh and Nicole Dugan.

Bill and Mary-Ellen McDonald with Sidney and Ross Kaliher.

Danielle Mines, Sandy Divine, Kim Wallace and Barbara Rigby.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 17

PEOPLE

Julie and Mike Wright. Judy Nickelson and Janice Jolly. Jackie Savell with Steve and Denise Boehning.

Mary Juckiewicz, Peter Moor, Tee Woodbury and Margaret Weeks. Chris Smith, Mary Ellen McCarthy and Dave Smith, with
can-can girls Jenna Smith, Chelsea Campbell and Chiara Parrotta.

Hannah Lafferty.

18 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

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Beatlemaniacs ‘come together’ to benefit Mental Health

Paul Prezzano, Joanne Quaile, Anne Lanier and Maryann Prezzano. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE Irina Fernandez, Tim Girard and Jamie Hart.

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF ciation of Indian River County. Paraphrasing George Washington,
Staff Writer Union Jacks waved, photos were Coppola said, “We’re fighting a war.
Not against the Great Empire. But we’re
Teenyboppers of a certain age had taken with the Queen Mother and fighting a war against mental health,
a smashing good time at the second everyone did their best to keep a stiff and it’s a bad foe.”
annual MHA Rocks, held recently at upper lip, but it was difficult as mop-
the Oak Harbor Club, with guests sent topped John, Paul, George and Ringo Emcee Geoff Moore asked attendees
back to the era of the ’60s British Inva- look-alikes mingled with women clad to make a commitment to “take a
sion to benefit the Mental Health Asso- in go-go boots, fringed jackets and step to make a difference in this
peace signs. community. We’re standing up for the
people that need it most.”
The BeatleBeat band brought back
fond memories of a time when “make MHA client Scott Prouty shared that
peace not war” was the mantra. The he has fought the battle of his life every
message that came through loud and day since a horrific car accident several
clear, though, was that we need to take years ago caused serious injuries.
off our rose-colored glasses when it
comes to mental health. Even the Fab “Sometimes I disassociate so much
Four famously told the world, “Help! I that I don’t remember. The day that I
need somebody.” came in [to MHA] I wanted to end it all.
I would not be here today if it wasn’t for
The MHA, founded 60 years ago to the Mental Health staff and Dr. Nick,”
provide immediate access to mental said Prouty.
health care, has made great strides
in working to reduce the stigma Commenting that experiences
surrounding mental health issues by during a 15-year career as an Indian
spreading the message that, “It’s OK to River County Sheriff’s Officer also
get help.” began to haunt him, he said “you
see a lot of things that I don’t want
“All of your generosity is making a to remember. If you know a nurse,
difference and saving people’s lives,” fireman, anybody, ask them if they
said Dr. Nicholas Coppola, MHA CEO, need help, and take them to the Mental
adding that it does no good to break Health Association.”
the stigma if immediate access to help
is not available. Before diving into a British fare
smorgasbord, guests bid on a variety of
“What’s going to happen? You’re live- and silent-auction items, among
going to commit suicide. You’re going them tabletop turtles painted by local
to hurt somebody. You’re going to artists and a full-size Centennial
cut yourself. You’re going to go to Turtle.
the hospital and cost the taxpayers
dollars,” said Coppola, adding that the As Beatlemania ensued, the dance
need continues to grow. floorwasfilledwithfamiliarcharacters,
including the Spice Girls and Austin
Last year, he said, the MHA served Powers. This year’s best costume
nearly 1,000 children through the High winners were County Commissioner
School Violence Prevention program Joe Flescher, dressed as a British
and they expect to serve more than Bobby, and Connie Cotherman, who
2,300 this year. pulled off the perfect British babe with
her mod boots, Union Jack dress, retro
glasses and blue bob.

For information, visit mhairc.org. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 19

PEOPLE

Cristina and Scott Prouty. PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
Mimi Rutland and Anne Posey.

Rosemary and Joe Flescher. Alexandra and Scott Nuttall. Bonnie and Steve Pfiester.

Wendy and Logan Riese with Eric Holland and Janet Dunlap.

20 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 Melanie, Elaine and Mary Grace Coppola.
Amy Wagner, Steve Erickson and Adriana de Kanter.

David Marr with Linda and Ray Hengerer. Hugh Zaplin and Quentin Walter. Kerry Firth and Jesse Strang with Victoria and Ryan Firth.

Abbott and Lila Stillman with Kathie and Michael Pierce.

Callie Marques, Caitlin Freedman, Jeannine Abbey, Gina Sebastian and Genevieve Reitano.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 21

PEOPLE

BeatleBeat.

Donna and Jim Mitchell. Rick and Judy Owens.

Laura Moss, Cindy Goetz and Susan Lorenz. Mark and Patricia Ashdown.

Maj. Eric and Rachel Flowers.

22 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

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Land Trust ‘Gator Gallop’ had runners chomping at bit

Jane, Clara, and Sarah Campbell. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE Kara Iwaskiewicz, Ken Grudens and Ann Taylor.
Kate Olea with overall female winner Cassidy Olea.
Shannon Roberts and Caitlin Roberts.

Kathy DiTomasso, Kathy Boisvert, Kathleen Schulke and Joanne Thompson.

Runners communed with nature quito Control District and Florida
as they participated in the fifth Inland Navigation District. The
annual Indian River Gator Gallop, 3-mile trail system is open year-
running through the Indian River round to hikers, joggers, bike riders
Lagoon Greenway in the only 5K and leashed pets. On March 10 at 9
Trail Run in Vero Beach. The 187- a.m., the IRLT will offer a more lei-
acre property, located at the corner surely 1.5-mile stroll through a but-
of 8th Street and Indian River Bou- terfly garden, hammock and wet-
levard, is a public/private coopera- lands, and a recently constructed
tive between the Indian River Land boardwalk and dock overlooking
Trust, IRC Commissioners, Mos- the lagoon. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 23

PEOPLE

Ryan Tant.

Daniel Fitzwater and Don Fitzwater. Neal Roe, Tayloe Francisco, Karen Fliss and Vin Gemmiti. Kenny Nolan runs with Bogart and Cassidy Olea.

24 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

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Holding court: ‘Crossover’ youths impress, inspire at Gala

BY STEPHANIE LABAFF PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 lighted balls to “We Will Rock You” – Hanley, education coordinator,
Staff Writer and that is precisely what they did. of Lyons. “He showed strength
Brad Lorimier and Joan Ohl. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE despite significant personal loss
Crossover Mission brought the “It’s been six years of honing and challenges, and he is the
game off the court and into the structure they need. We want to let our effectiveness and building our embodiment of who we want to
Moorings Yacht and Country Club them know that we love them,” said operations; forming this youth empower our students to be. His
during its sixth annual Spring Gala Jennings. “We are not going to allow development program, trying to life was cut tragically short, but his
last Monday evening. any of our kids to fall through the make something of substance,” said legacy will live on in our hearts and
cracks.” De Schouwer. “Today we’re training in our daily program at Crossover.”
Tuxedoed young men in sporty and mentoring 70 kids in the game
red bowties greeted arriving guests Prior to dinner, the boys performed of basketball as the motivational Shalom said that Crossover
and escorted them to a champagne a synchronized routine, dribbling carrot, followed behind with a “became a strong rock that I needed
reception in the Governor’s Lounge, powerful one-on-one academic in my life that made me a better
displaying the class and respect they mentoring program that supports student, a better son, a better man
are expected to exhibit on and off education and provides social- and it gives me the tools to be the
the court. emotional tools necessary for best professional I can be too.”
success in life.”
The nonprofit was founded in “Crossover Mission is Antoine
2014 by Antoine Jennings and Cathy Nathan Shalom was surprised Jennings’ mission, which he dis-
De Schouwer, having met when with the presentation of the covered the night he found himself
De Schouwer’s son, Louis, wanted 2020 Kamaree Lyons Student face down on the concrete with a
Jennings as his coach. The pair Achievement Award, which gun to his head, certain that he was
realized that at-risk children would memorializes a beloved member of going to be killed” said Brad Lor-
benefit from the model of using the Crossover team who collapsed imier, board chairman. “He real-
basketball to entice them to focus on and died in 2018 from an undetected ized then that he had a mission to
academics and aspire to a better life. heart condition during a pickup help kids who needed help the most
basketball game at Sebastian River find a path to success as students,
“Our main objective is to not allow High School. as athletes and as successful adults.
kids to go through some of the things To help them realize that there is a
that we’ve gone through. We want to “We were in awe at his constant way out of the circle of generational
give them the support, guidance and striving for excellence” said Kim

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 25

PEOPLE

poverty and generational incar- near the poverty level. to providing that support,” he said. school athletes made their school
ceration, to give them the tools for “These kids live in a high-risk Crossover has made great strides team. Academically, they have in-
character development and to guide creased from zero students on the
them towards civic responsibility.” environment and are exposed to on and off the court. Only two A/B honor roll to 13.
gangs, drugs, guns and violence, Crossover students were eligible to
Lorimier noted that 58 percent and fewer than 2,000 of them receive try out for their school basketball For more information, visit cross-
of local students qualify for free or support from any of the several teams in 2014. Today, more than 85 overmission.com. 
reduced lunches, being below or agencies whose mission is dedicated percent of their middle and high

26 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 Antoine Jennings, AJ Jennings, Cathy De Schouwer and Louis De Schouwer. Kim Ricketts, Elliott Jones and Keandra Foster.
Nancy DeMarco, Tabi Johnston and Peggy Jones.

Bill and Diantha Harris with Gail and Bob Parsons. Patricia Pitts, Lynn Thilmany and Elizabeth Lewis. Paul and Camille Battista with Cynthia Colella and GP Battista.

Patricia and Mark Mulvoy. Hal and Deirdre Bugbee.

Avonti Morgan and Morgan De Schouwer. Fallon Jennings and Juliet Brabham.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 27

PEOPLE

Neal Watkins, Gregory Pitts and Bryan Corrigan. Joe Crosby, Stacey Register, Pieter Scheepers, Sandy Robinson, Lisa Seagroves and Stephanie Smith.
Natalia Gamarra and Chris Cockle.

Latoya Tellis and Brandy Buckner. Megan and Hugo Raasveldt. John and Judy Vanderzee. Carol Fischman and Andrew Kennedy.

28 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

We Care raises funds with flair at ‘Mardi’ party

BY STEPHANIE LABAFF service.”
Staff Writer Saver said that by coordinating

Supporters carried the torch for Dr. James Shafer with Brian Hartman. PHOTOS: KAILA JONES patient access to indigent drug
the We Care Foundation of Indian programs through pharmaceutical
River County, lighting the way for Since 1991, volunteer physicians companies, We Care has helped
the uninsured at the sixth annual have donated specialty medical care cure 35 Hepatitis C patients,
Mardi Gras Celebration last Friday and services to uninsured and un- which translated to $2.6 million in
evening at the Oak Harbor Club. The derinsured Indian River County resi- medication. He noted that it would
foundation supports the ancillary dents who are ineligible for Medicare have cost taxpayers far more if those
expenses of the We Care program, or Medicaid. The We Care Founda- patients had been left untreated.
funding essential services outside of tion provides such essential items as
those donated by local physicians. prescription assistance, wound care “There are an unbelievable
and orthopedic supplies, cataract amount of people that don’t have
Masked guests were engulfed in insurance and don’t have access to
a carnival-like atmosphere as soon medical care, which means they use
as they entered the lobby, enjoying the emergency room. And that’s no
cocktails while strolling down substitute for primary or specialty
‘Bourbon Street’ to peruse raffle care,” said Dr. Herman Fountain, We
items, oohing and ahhing over the Care Clinic physician and Medical
tricks a wandering magician had
up his sleeve, craning their necks to
take in the stilt walkers, and letting
the good times roll while gambling
with funny money in the casino.

The real winners of the evening of
revelry are the residents of Indian
River County who struggle to afford
healthcare.

PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
Page Franzel, Diana Stark and Dr. Michaela Scott.

lenses and vouchers for transporta- Executive Director.
tion to medical appointments. Fountain recalled one patient who

While Fat Tuesday has passed, had visited the emergency room
and the time of Lenten reflection five times for a lesion on his arm.
has begun, guests ate their way Each time he had been referred
through a variety of sumptuous New to a dermatologist, but the $200
Orleans cuisine, from Cajun rubbed appointment cost was beyond his
pork and beef tenderloin to crawfish means.
beignets, crab cakes, Cajun chicken
and waffles, andouille sausage and For eight months what turned out
a raw bar. And, to fully embrace to be a squamous cell carcinoma
the carnival ‘boeuf gras’ gluttony, continued to grow, before the patient
finished with bananas Foster, was finally referred to We Care. Now
deconstructed pecan pie shooters a volunteer dermatologist, surgeon
and bread pudding. and oncologist are consulting on the
best course of action.
We Care founder Dr. Dennis Saver
led the bacchanal march into the “The tumor progressed for eight
dining room and, later, Phoebe’s months before he got care. It’s
Samba Dancers imparted a high- inexcusable,” said Fountain. “It’s
energy performance and the stage tragic to see, but that’s just one case.
was turned over to D.J. Louie G. for It ends up costing everybody in the
an evening of dancing. community a lot more, and a lot of
people lose their lives because of
“During these past 29 years, it it. Studies show when patients get
truly has taken a village to help consistent, quality primary care,
thousands of We Care patients,” said that costs will actually go down,
Saver. “However, none of it would disease will go down and outcomes
be possible without the dedication will improve.”
of We Care volunteers and other
medical professionals – over 130 last For more information, visit wecare-
year – who annually give the gift of ofirc.org. 

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30 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28 April Lesperance and Tina Nicholson. Joe and Judy Coakley with Maj. Milo Thornton.
Jackie and Worth Keville with Marianne Canero.

Stacey and Jeff Henley with Amy Lore. Greg and Angela Nelson, Bernadette Egan, Shelley Stuven, Jennifer Woods and Richard Schlitt.
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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 31

PEOPLE

Dr. Dennis Saver, Kathie and Dr. Brett Faulknier with Dr. Herman Fountain. Jim Mitchell and Donna Roberts Mitchell.

Sonia Peter and Aggie Szymanska with Arthur and Marta Wolek. Robert and Georgia Irish with Shaun Williams. Michael and Kathie Pierce.

32 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Dress guru’s wisdom wears well at ‘Fashion Meets Art’

BY MARY SCHENKEL Karen Loeffler, Hal Rubenstein and Melinda Cooper. PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 34 Rubenstein, noting that in the course
Staff Writer of his career, he has easily looked at
Hal. I think our new mantra will be PHOTOS: STEPHANIE LABAFF & KAILA JONES 250,000 dresses.
‘Wonderful,’ ‘delightful,’ ‘hysteri- ‘What would Hal say?’”
cal,’ ‘charming’ were just a few of the tee,” said Loeffler. “They selflessly Answering the question ‘What
superlatives overheard as a sold-out Gorgeous designer evening gowns took care of all the details behind the makes a dress unforgettable,’
crowd of more than 300 guests filtered and cocktail dresses had been donated scenes so that Hal could shine.” he said, “Is a combination of the
out of the Vero Beach Museum of Art’s for the occasion, curated from the craftsmanship of the designer, how
Holmes Great Hall after hearing a talk closets of FMA committee members. And shine he did, humorously the dress fits on a particular woman
by fashion icon Hal Rubenstein at the sharing insider information and and the woman herself. There are
third annual Fashion Meets Art event. “Melinda and I were delighted to keeping his audience enthralled. certain people you know that could
work with such a talented, enthusi- wear a white shirt and a pair of jeans
An influential voice in the fashion astic and very dedicated commit- “It’s a very interesting career, being and you go, ‘Wow, she looks amazing.’
industry, Rubenstein is a founding a man and then being an arbiter And then somebody else could go out
editor of InStyle Magazine, and of how women should dress,” said and buy some designer piece and you
a contributor to innumerable look and say, ‘Oh, I love the dress.’ So
publications and media outlets. the work really is on you.”
During his talk, he referenced
selections from two of his four books, He illustrated a number of
“100 Unforgettable Dresses” and “I’ll memorable looks. Among them,
Take Romance: 50 Great Moments of the always chic Audrey Hepburn in
Love and Desire.” Givenchy; the simple yet sexy white
slip worn by Elizabeth Taylor in “Cat
“He’s a very dynamic person, not on a Hot Tin Roof”; the iconic Jean
just a dynamic speaker,” said Karen Louis gown Marilyn Monroe wore
Loeffler, event co-chair with Melinda to sing Happy Birthday to President
Cooper. “We were all impressed by John Kennedy; Jonathan Logan’s
Hal’s knowledge, insight, charm and A-line “That Girl” dresses; Diane von
wit about fashion, film and life in gen- Ferstenberg’s wrap dresses (“Everyone
eral. Everyone seems to be quoting should know: Diagonals are your

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 33

PEOPLE

friend. Always,” said Rubenstein); and of ‘but where am I going to wear it?’” where will find you.” in this country,” said Rubenstein,
Cher in Bob Mackie (“All I can say, Rubenstein advised. Princess Diana, Later in his talk, Rubenstein shared envisioning the site as a place where
she’s Cher and we’re not.”). he said, had purchased the daring, people can find practical information
Christina Stambolian “revenge dress” that he will soon launch the Happy about ways to look and live better.
“Here’s some sound advice. If you she wore the night Prince Charles Grownup, online and as a podcast. “The opportunities are incredible,
find a dress, an accessory, anything confessed his affair to the world, three and I want the Happy Grownup to be
that you’re wild about, do not talk years earlier. “Get it, and trust me, the “The Happy Grownup is celebrating your new map.” 
yourself out of it with the rationale life after the age of 50. There’s
something twisted in how we see aging

34 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 32 Sally Lurie, Matilde Sorensen and Susie Dillon. Liz Farnsworth, Missi Rothenberger and Elizabeth Kennedy.
Barbara Petrillo, Trudie Rainone and Elke Fetterolf.

Leslie Bergstrom and Mary Ellen Brophy. Diane Langevin, Ed Cortez and Page Franzel. Tiffany Starr and Elizabeth Sorensen.

Wivi-Anne Weber, Linda Teetz, Henriette Churney and Jan Harrell.

PHPHOOTOTOS SCOCONNTITNINUUEDEDFROONMPAPAGEGE3636
Lisa Stebbins, Marina Carney, Brady Roberts and Pat Hemingway Hall.



36 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 34 Beth Hager and Jerusha Stewart. Carol Coxhead, Lucinda Gedeon and Teresa Winslow.
Kathy Leahey, Sally Stilman and Judy Munn.

Madelyn Stephens, Ellen Ferro and Fuzzy Billings. Tammy Theoharis and Deana Marchant. Brook Megrue with Mike and Joan Hoben.

Trude See and Faye Potts.

Lane Reardon, Susan Lohin, Cammie Bryant and Kitty Mountain.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 37

PEOPLE

Stringer Gallery reception champions the young at art

you can’t appreciate art,” explained engage in,” she added.
Mistretta. In addition to educational and

Perry explained that while Indian recreational activities, the Gifford
River County is a hotbed of such Youth Achievement Center works with
cultural offerings as art, music and children to develop their self-esteem
dance, not everyone has access to and character so that each individual
those opportunities. can achieve their full potential.

“We want to offer art programs in GYAC invites the community to attend
addition to the academic setting to an Open House, March 18, from 3:30
expose our students to programs and p.m. to 5 p.m. RSVP to 772-794-1005. For
activities that they may not otherwise more information, visit GYAC.net. 

Caesar Mistretta, Angelia Perry and John Stringer. PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

PHOTOS: KAILA JONES

Patricia Willis and Page Franzel. Melinda Cooper and Diane Langevin.

BY STEPHANIE LABAFF During the reception, a check for
Staff Writer $2,500, a portion of the proceeds
from the four-day event co-chaired
Members of the House of Art, by Caesar Mistretta of the J.M.
Culture and Design committee and Stringer Gallery and interior design
the Cultural Council of Indian River consultant Diane Langevin, was
County gathered recently for an presented to Angelia Perry, Gifford
intimate reception at the J.M. Stringer Youth Achievement Center executive
Gallery to celebrate the success of director, to help fund GYAC arts and
their second annual fundraising literacy programs.
event, which took place this past
November. “We hope that our donation will
allow you to promote the arts for your
Standing in the gallery surrounded children; a most worthy cause,” said
by beautiful works of art, it was Mistretta. “The government cuts the
infinitely apparent that the arts are arts all the time, so we wanted to raise
crucial to living our best lives. money for needy children relating to
the arts. The money will ensure the
As the late Thomas Kinkade children visit the Vero Beach Museum
once said, “Art transcends cultural of Art, see shows at Riverside Theatre,
boundaries.” And that is precisely and have the art materials they need
the goal of the Cultural Council: for their art classes.”
“To illuminate lives using the power
and inspiration of Art and Culture, The educational programs at GYAC
driving economic vitality through ideally complement the introduction
advocacy, collaboration, education of the arts to children.
and outreach.”
“If you don’t know how to read,

38 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37 Angelia Perry and Peggy Gibbs.
Alicia Quinn, Lois Work and Peggy Gibbs. Gregory Allan Ness and Victor Aprea.

WATERCOLORIST SPINO
TAPS INTO HIS

DEEP WELL OF TALENT

40 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Watercolorist Spino taps into his deep well of talent

BY PAM HARBAUGH Frank Spino.
Correspondent
PHOTOS BY KAILA JONES
You’ll swear you can smell the lime,
feel the doughy thickness of the grape-
fruit rinds and drink the bubbly sweet
orange juice. But it’s all watercolor.

Artist Frank Spino has painted these
images so well that they nearly pal-
pate with freshness. They are all part
of “Realism at Home and Abroad,”
his one-man show running through
March 27 at Gallery 14 in Vero Beach.

But don’t be embarrassed if you
lick your lips. Spino, who lives in Mel-
bourne Village, is used to that.

“I get a lot of ‘It’s so good I want to
eat it.’ ‘It’s so juicy I want to drink it,’”
says Spino.

Masterfully wrought, these sen-
suous paintings exude vibrant color
and subtle shading. The crystal clear
and delicate lines serve as visual re-
lief to the explosive sense of joy in
the still-lifes.

Beth Anne Fairchild, chairman of
guest artist shows at Gallery 14, ex-
pects the show to be a popular one be-
cause of the subject matter as well as

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 41

ARTS & THEATRE

the artistry. started a sign business. Signs as a successful business for
“I asked Frank a couple years ago if When the fine artist inside kept pes- many years.

he would do it,” says Fairchild. “I love tering him, he turned to the late Eliot When he finally did give full voice to
his work; the detail, the emphasis on McMurrough, an accomplished artist the artist within, he was like a wound-
clear, bright colors. Especially here in living in Melbourne. McMurrough, in up rubber band, ready to be launched.
Vero Beach, they would be wonderful turn, brought in famed art teacher Hen-
on somebody’s wall.” ry Hensche from Provincetown, Mass. Indeed, within the last 10 years, he
has exhibited to acclaim throughout
What is especially astounding is Hensche showed Spino the tools to the world.
that Spino, 70, has only been giving actually see what he was looking at, es-
voice to the fine artist within him for pecially with color and light. Out of 10,000 who entered the Zhui-
the past 10 years. Before that he was jiajiao International Watercolor Ex-
a sign painter, creating logos, murals “Henry opened my eyes,” Spino says. hibition, his first international show,
and even billboards. “I traveled to Provincetown a couple of Spino was one of 100 non-Chinese
seasons to study with him.” artists to be accepted. He has since
Gifted at drawing, he first tried his appeared in numerous shows around
hand at fine art at age 17 while living in Hensche taught students to under- the world, including: World Watercol-
Ohio. (Raised in a military family, he stand light sources and various types
attended 13 different grade schools.) of light, such as sunny, rainy or over- CONTINUED ON PAGE 42
cast, by placing blocks outdoors and
THE LAUGHING DOG GALLERY | CELEBRATING

EPRVEECRIYODUAS.Y.

ANNE SPORTUN TRUNK SHOW
MARCH 6 & 7

He took a stretched canvas and three having students paint them, over and Anne Sportun founded her eponymous brand in the late 1980’s after
tubes of oil paint – blue, green and over and over. deferring her archeological studies in favor of jewelry arts. Her fascination
brown – to the side of a river and start- with natural shapes always informs her
ed painting. “It wasn’t like looking at a face, work, and combined with traditional
where you get caught up in the person- goldsmithing techniques, results
“It was grotesque,” he says with a ality,” Spino explains. “You just saw in beautifully executed, imperfect
laugh. “I’m sure I tore it up and burned color and light. You learned your light silhouettes.
it. I had no idea what I was doing. I was sources and that every color has to re- Join us for a special two-day show
in a foreign land and couldn’t speak late to that light source. To see those and see Anne’s latest creations, as well
the language.” colors as they really are.” as classic favorites from her collection.

He studied art while attending Ohio While it was a major leap forward, 2910 CARDINAL DRIVE, VERO BEACH • 772-234-6711 • THELAUGHINGDOGGALLERY.COM
University but still struggled as an art- Spino needed to make a living for his
ist. So in the 1970s, to make a living, he young family and continued Spino

42 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 ARTS & THEATRE

or Masters in Holland, International paper, which bounces light back to doing it. The resulting painting won “Artists tend to find a groove and
Watercolor III & IV in Greece and the you. You can see through the thin a third-place prize with the National stay there and pump that out,” he says.
Biennial International Prize Marche films (of color).” Watercolor society. “So I said to myself, ‘Why am I avoid-
D’Acqua in Italy. ing it? I’m going to go back and paint
He was drawn to citrus imagery be- “That set me on the path. I’m known some more fruit.’”
He has exhibited with the National cause of the bright colors. for my citrus and it’s been on the cover
Watercolor Society, the American Wa- of national magazines and the biggest Spino’s landscape and figurative
tercolor Society and the Florida Water- “When I had free time and energy, book of watercolor. It gained the most works are imbued with the same pro-
color Society, and his paintings have looking for inspiration, typically I’d notoriety.” vocative fullness and dialogue; his
graced the covers of Watercolor Artist wander around the house until some- portraiture is especially luscious.
magazine and the hardbound book, thing grabbed my attention,” he ex- Although he occasionally enter-
“Splash 14: The Best of Watercolor.” plains. “I would end up in the kitchen tains the notion of wanting to be There is the evocative painting
because of the fruit, the form and col- known as more than a “citrus paint- “What Now, My Love,” which shows an
Spino says he is attracted to water- ors. So I often painted fruit.” er,” he says that at a show in Italy, a embrace between two lovers, and the
color because of its luminosity. couple of well-known watercolorists heartwarming painting “Mollie,” de-
Once, when his wife, Susan Brown, told him how much they admired his picting the toothless grin of his grand-
“It’s transparent for the most part. was squeezing juice, he asked her to go citrus paintings. daughter playing in a bathtub.
You look through pigment at the white outside so he could get photos of her
“Up to this point, I’ve painted what I
wanted to paint. I wish I had time to go
strictly into portraiture and figurative.
I don’t know if I have time to go into it,”
he says.

“I’m at a juncture. I’ve done this,
had success, seen what level I’ve risen
to. Which is the question at the begin-
ning: Can I do it? How well can I do it?
How does it measure up?”

“Realism at Home and Abroad: Wa-
tercolors by Frank Spino” runs March
3-27 at Gallery 14, with receptions
scheduled 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday,
March 5, and Friday, March 6, during
the First Friday Gallery Stroll.

For more information, visit Gal-
lery14VeroBeach.com. 

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 43

ARTS & THEATRE

Gifford Youth Orchestra exemplifies the magic of music

BY KERRY FIRTH and the Gifford Youth Orchestra was money while continuing their music for high school graduation and college
Correspondent off and running. Through 2019, 221 education, with high school students applications.
children have brightened their tomor- at a certain level of expertise paid to be
Keeping children “off the street and rows by learning not only how to play tutors. Donations paid to GYO for pub- “If a child’s parent drove them to the
on the stage” is the mission of the Gif- instruments, but also communicative lic performances are split between the performance and they earned money
ford Youth Orchestra, a nonprofit that skills, study habits and life lessons, organization and the performers as a from it, we require that they give the
provides education, experiences and creating pathways to higher education reward for their hard work. And when parent a dollar for the transportation,”
training in cultural and performing and career options. performances are given pro-bono, the says Bujol. “Most parents balk at the
arts. Founded in 2003 by Rev. Crystal students learn a lesson about giving idea at first, but once we explain that it’s
Bujol, the organization’s core curricu- What started as a grassroots effort back to the community; it also counts a lesson on how it costs money to make
lum is teaching children how to play by dedicated teachers, generous do- as community service hours required money, they agree. We also encourage
the violin, cello and piano, as well as nors and committed board members
to give talented, low-income children CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

Jada Alexandria Powell.

PHOTOS BY KAILA JONES

vocal training. There is also a Senior better opportunities has become a
Citizens Violin Class. full-fledged string orchestra worthy of
performing in public arenas.
After relocating to Vero Beach from
Los Angeles, Bujol jumped into action Children can take violin lessons for
when she discovered that there were just $10 month, which includes instru-
few opportunities for children in Gif- ments, instruction and uniforms.
ford to learn how to play an instrument.
“It costs about $2,000 a year per stu-
Bujol says her friend Annie Powell dent for all the expenses,” says Bujol.
asked her, “Our kids are being left be- “We keep the fee at only $120 a year
hind. What are you going to do about it?” so it doesn’t cause and hardship for
the family. The rest of money is raised
She recruited Joan Haar to teach through donations and contributions
and enticed donors to contribute so generated from performances.”
they could purchase instruments. In
very little time they had 15 students Students are encouraged to earn

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44 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Joan Harr, Director of Music of the Gifford Youth Orchestra, with 12 of her students. effect back home in Gifford, both for
the students and the donors. Students
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45 impeccable manners, gaining confi- in the program. are inspired to follow their dreams
dence with each encounter and elevat- Academically, Bujol says, 80 percent and donors made it happen.”
the kids to give a dollar to whatever ing their overall self-esteem.
church they attend, as a sort of spiritual of students who stay with the orches- She cites as an example Marissa Rol-
food. These lessons transcend the mu- They are also introduced to expe- tra for three or more years will or have lins, a recent USF graduate who now
sical scores they’ve mastered.” riences outside their normal realms, graduated from high school, 65 percent teaches violin to all grade school chil-
such as a recent trip by violinists Mieca who remain beyond four years go on to dren at Lincoln Elementary in Plant
Perhaps most important of all is the Eeja Ferguson (13) and Jada Powell (15) college and 100 percent who stay with City, Fla.
poise, etiquette and people skills the to Las Vegas to perform with the leg- the program through high school have
students learn through interactions endary Woody Woods Orchestra in an graduated and enrolled in college. “She was a member of GYO since
with audiences, who are encouraged exchange program designed to show- 2007 and the donor dollars invested
to ask the children questions after case talent. True to GYO’s motto “Each “Our students have gone on to be in her education in Gifford now bless
each performance. Inevitably the stu- One-Teach One,” they will be passing teachers, directors, actors, dancers hundreds of children on the other side
dents rise to the challenge with ar- on what they learned to other students and soloists around the county,” says of the state,” says Bujol.
ticulate responses, handshakes and Bujol. “Their successes have a ripple
“Our program aspires to equip our
children with the bridges to build a bet-
ter tomorrow. One day I’d love to see it
expand to have our own Cultural and
Performance Art Center in Gifford, with
state-of-the-art classrooms and inspir-
ing teachers. We want our students to
go into the world prepared to be solid
citizens, enjoying their productive lives
and creating more cultural opportuni-
ties for Gifford in the future.”

The public is invited to see the stu-
dents perform during the Gifford
Youth Orchestra’s 17th Anniversary
Celestial Celebration, March 7 at the
Heritage Center. Tickets are $50 or
$400 for a table of 10. All donations di-
rectly support GYO.

For more information, visit gyotigers.
com. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 45

COMING UP! ARTS & THEATRE

Savor nature at Pelican Island Wildlife Fest

BY PAM HARBAUGH River State College Mueller Campus, at 12:30 p.m. at the Vero Beach Yacht
Correspondent 6155 College Lane, Vero Beach. Call Club, 3601 Rio Vista Blvd. The buffet
772-226-2500 or visit IRSC.edu or Liv- lunch costs $20.88 and the concert
1 As American poet and humor- ingVoices.org. costs $46.60, discounts available for
ist Dixon Lanier Merritt wrote: TCJS members. Call 772-234-4600 or
visit TCJazzSociety.com.
“A wonderful bird is the pelican/ 4 There’s an embarrassment of
musical riches this week. Satur-
His bill will hold more than his bel-

lican.” You can check that out for day, the Treasure Coast Jazz Society 5 On Sunday afternoon, Marcel
Dupre’s series of 14 meditative
yourself and have a grand day out presents the New Orleans Nighthawks

for a lunchtime concert. Lunch begins compositions, “Stations of the Cross,”

11:30 a.m. with the concert following CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

at Saturday’s 28th Annual Pelican 1 Paul Gay with Ballet Vero Beach Friday and Saturday at
Island Wildlife Festival. The event Vero Beach High School Performing Arts Center..
will include live wildlife shows, arts
and crafts, native plants for sale,
historical reenactments, a boat
tour to Pelican Island, educational
presentations and more. The event
is free. Boat tours cost $20 general
and $10 children younger than 10
years and free for those younger
than three years. The festival runs
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 7,
at Riverview Park, which is at U.S.
1 and County Road 512, Sebastian.
For more information, visit FirstRe-
fuge.org.

2 Learn more about area artists
and galleries at the monthly First

Friday Gallery Stroll, running 5 p.m.

to 8 p.m. this Friday, March 6, along

14th Avenue from 19th Street to 23rd

Street. This will also be the lively set-

ting for the public opening of “Real-

ism at Home and Abroad: Watercolors

by Frank Spino.” The reception serves

up treats as well as gives you a chance

to meet and greet the award-winning

artist known so well for his vibrant

watercolors of citrus. (Serious art col-

lectors are invited to a more intimate

opening 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday,

March 5.) That exhibit runs through

March 27 at Gallery 14, 1911 14th Ave.,

Vero Beach. Call 772-562-5525 or visit

Gallery14VeroBeach.com.

3 Celebrate women’s right to vote
in “Hear My Voice,” a special

commemoration of the 19th Amend-

ment to the United States Constitu-

tion. The event brings historic film,

recordings and more into perfor-

mances by “Living Voices.” It begins

7 p.m. Monday, March 9, in the Rich-

ardson Center, which is in Building C,

Room 105, on the campus of Indian

46 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45 6 Lance Lunceford at First Presbyterian
Church this Sunday.
will feature world famous Stephen
Hamilton on the $1.3 million pipe mission is free, but a $10 donation
organ in the Community Church of suggested. Call 772-562-9088 or visit
Vero Beach. This virtuoso organist FirstPresVero.org.
is minister of music emeritus of the
Church of the Holy Trinity in New
York City. He has played in major ca-
thedrals throughout the world. The
concert will also include narration of
the poem “Le Chemin de la Croix,”
by Paul Claudel. The concert begins 4
p.m. this Sunday, March 8, and is free
(an offering will be accepted). Earlier,
Hamilton also will lead a Church Mu-
sic Workshop from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Workshop registration is $10 and in-
cludes lunch. The Community Church
of Vero Beach is at 1901 23rd Street,
Vero Beach. Call 772-469-2306 or visit
CCOVB.org.

6 “Back to Baroque” will feature
music from the 17th and 18th

centuries in concert Sunday after- 7 The original members may all be
gone now, but the music of the
noon. The program includes music

by Bach, Handel, Telemann and Bo- Kingston Trio lives on in three musi-

ismortier. Lance Lunceford, principal cians who have close musical ties to 7 Kingston Trio at Emerson Center March 12.

trombonist for the Penn Symphony the founders. They come to the area to

Orchestra, and Jacob Craig, church di- perform, striped shirts and all, 7 p.m.

rector of music and arts, will perform. Thursday, March 12, at the Emerson 8 The Florida Humanities Series His lecture begins 7 p.m. Tuesday,
will present Richard Kaiser, U.S. March 10 at the Emerson Center. Call
The concert begins 4 p.m. Sunday, Center, 1590 27th Ave., Vero Beach. 772-778-5249 or visit TheEmerson-
Center.org. 
March 8, at First Presbyterian Church, Tickets start at $30. Call 800-595-4849 Navy SEAL (Ret.), speaking on “Im-

520 Royal Palm Blvd., Vero Beach. Ad- or visit MusicWorksConcerts.com. pactful Leadership.” Admission is free.







50 Vero Beach 32963 / March 5, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT COVER STORY

JUSTOFFINTERSTATE65 of business every single day. That rate higher than the national average. Dairy products than ever before, primarily be-
has held steady for about three years, farmers had nothing to do with it. In cause yogurt and cheese have compen-
at Exit 220, about 70 miles southeast of which is particularly striking given 2017, the median income for a dairy sated for a steady drop in fluid milk con-
sumption. Americans consumed 646
Chicago, you come to Fair Oaks Farms, how few farms remain left to fail. In the farm dipped just shy of $44,000 in the pounds of dairy per person in 2018 – the
highest consumption rate in 56 years.
an Indiana tourist attraction designed early 1970s, the state had more than state. In 2018, it plunged all the way
As small farms fold, the balance of
to reassure families that American agri- 75,000 dairies. Today it has about 7,400. down to $14,697. There, too, thousands production tilts further toward huge, ef-
ficient, industrial dairy operations that
culture is headed in the right direction. Across the western border in Min- of dairy farms have simply vanished. can more easily weather price down-
turns and manage a razor-thin profit
“Welcome to our home, a function- nesota, officials recently reported that In the midst of this mass extinction, margin through the power of scale. Plac-
es, in other words, like Fair Oaks Farms.
ing Modern farm, where our Animals the median household income rose a counterintuitive fact remains true:
“Thirty years ago, when I got started,
are the center, led by a team with last year to about $68,000, roughly 10% Americans are consuming more dairy if you would have asked me what a
large farm was, I probably would have
country Charm,” says a sign by the said 15 or 20 cows, something like that,”
says Mark Stephenson, the director at
counter where you buy tickets for the Fallingpricesandfactory-farmcompetition the University of Wisconsin Center for
tour of this 19-acre dairy firm with aretakingoutfamilyfarmsbythethousands. Dairy Profitability. Now a concentrated
more than 33,000 cows that pump out animal feeding operation – a CAFO, as
factory-style farms like Fair Oaks are
some 300,000 gallons of milk daily. known – can house thousands or even
tens of thousands of cows.
The grounds are immaculate. Just
Today, more than 53% of America’s milk
about every other structure in sight is produced by less than 3% of its farms.

conforms to the red-and-white mo- “People still have this image of red
barns, of cows in the field,” Stephenson
tif of the classic American barnyard, says. “We’ve all been there – it’s an im-
age, and it feels like a warm hug, some-
and if you’re in the mood to celebrate how, and that’s what you want to think

milk – “the most wholesome food on

earth,” according to the recorded script

that’s broadcast on the bus tour – you’ll

probably love it as much as Cargill Inc.,

Land O’Lakes Inc., and other corporate

partners apparently do.

But outside of these 19 acres, in much

of the rest of rural America, dairy hasn’t

been celebrated much in recent years.

In Wisconsin alone, between two

and three family dairy farms go out THE MILKING CAROUSEL AT FAIR OAKS FARMS