04/25/2019 ISSUE 17

Shores hires attorney for
water rate relief. P10
Cleveland Clinic
signs going up. P8

Shores decides dog law
not yet ready for prime time. P4

MY VERO For breaking news visit

BY RAY MCNULTY Sheriff’s spycam
gets half-naked
Justice elusive as school
wars move to social media innocent woman

School Board Vice Chair- Virgin Trains finally raises funds for expansion here BY RAY MCNULTY
man Tiffany Justice wants to Staff Writer
put in jail a longtime school BY GEORGE ANDREASSI Virgin Trains announced the new South Terminal at Or-
employee who posted social- Staff Writer that it closed a week ago on lando International Airport. At least one partially naked
media comments that were the sale of $1.75 billion in pri- woman – who was receiving
sometimes-critical, occasion- Virgin Trains USA’s plan to vate activity bonds to 67 differ- “Construction will begin a legitimate, hour-long, non-
ally disparaging and often im- start zipping passenger trains ent investors, which will help imminently and is expected sexual massage in January
plied she was engaged in an in- through Indian River County pay for construction of new to be complete in 2022,” Vir- – was included in the surveil-
appropriate relationship with in 2022 is now on a fast track track between Virgin Trains’ gin Trains said Friday in a lance videos recorded by hid-
Superintendent Mark Rendell. thanks to Wall Street investors. West Palm Beach station and prepared statement. den cameras installed by the
Indian River County Sheriff’s
Really. CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 Office during its recent pros-
In fact, Justice filed a com- titution sting at a spa north of
plaint with the Sheriff’s Office Sebastian.
and told deputies she had suf-
fered the “substantial emo- So Vero Beach attorney
tional distress” required by Andy Metcalf, who repre-
Florida law to support a cyber- sents more than two dozen
stalking charge – even though of the men charged with so-
none of the social-media posts liciting prostitution, said he
were in any way threatening. now plans to review all of the
Many of them weren’t even Sheriff’s Office’s in-room vid-
mean. eos from the East Sea Spa to
Yet, according to a Sher- see if other innocent custom-
iff’s Office report made public ers may have been similarly

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Disparagement clause issue as ouster Jones again convicted; PHOTOS BY KAILA JONES
of school superintendent moves ahead shows no emotion as
widow addresses court
BY FEDERICO MARTINEZ dell’s demand that they agree by
Staff Writer April 17 to pay him $62,545.60 BY FEDERICO MARTINEZ
to step down from his post ef- Staff Writer
School Board members, who fective May 24.
have made it clear they believe Henry Lee Jones Jr. will spend
it’s time for new leadership in Despite Rendell’s initial threat the rest of his life in prison with
Indian River County, are ex- to not negotiate further on his no chance of parole for the
pected to vote at the April 23 departure, he and the board 2011 murder of Central Beach
board meeting to not renew were scheduled to discuss resident Brian Simpson.
Superintendent Mark Rendell’s counter-offers during the
contract beyond June 30, 2020. April 23 board meeting, Board CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
Chairwoman Laura Zorc said.
Their action comes one week
after the board rejected Ren- “We’re not going to be rushed

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

April 25, 2019 Volume 12, Issue 17 Newsstand Price $1.00 Jackie Robinson
game draws a
News 1-10 Faith 71 Pets 70 TO ADVERTISE CALL full house. Page 18
Arts 37-40 Games 51-53 Real Estate 73-88 772-559-4187
Books 50 Health 55-59 Style 60-63
Dining 64 Insight 41-54 Wine 65 FOR CIRCULATION
Editorial 48 People 11-36 CALL 772-226-7925

© 2019 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved.

2 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

School superintendent Some board members during the we cannot be fully transparent on any According to Rendell’s contract, the
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 April 16 special meeting referred to of our work moving forward about any- board is required to notify him by July
Rendell’s demand as a “gag order.” The thing that is tied to Dr. Rendell.” 31, 2019 if they don’t plan to renew his
through this,” Zorc said. “We’re going board did not object to Rendell’s re- contract.
to take our time and make the best de- quest that the district pay him for un- Rendell’s tenure in the district has
cision we can for the district.” used vacation time. been plagued by controversy and scan- Rendell responded by hiring Tal-
dals, which have cost the district mil- lahassee-based attorney H.B. Stivers
Several board members, including Board members Jacqueline Rosario lions of dollars in legal fees and fines. who sent a letter to the board accusing
Zorc, balked at Rendell’s initial demand and Mara Schiff expressed particular them of meeting privately to discuss
that the board agree to never make any concern about the words “perceived” The superintendent and some School Rendell’s contract, thus violating the
“perceived disparaging” remarks about and “disparaging.” Board members have been locked in an state’s Open Meetings Act. The board
him, which include during future dis- increasingly bitter dispute that erupted vehemently denied the allegations.
cussion of academic problems or law- “To tie our hands with this gag order after the board began discussing Ren-
suits filed against the district during his would mean under no circumstances dell’s upcoming job evaluation during a Rendell further raised the ire of
tenure. If the board violated that agree- can we ever bring up anything that may March 12 work session. board members by informing them by
ment they could be sued. be perceived as being disparaging,” Ro- email on March 25 that he was seek-
sario said. “If indeed it is perceived, we At that time, several board members ing employment outside the district
could be sued – and that would mean indicated they might not support re- and reminding them that by the terms
newing the superintendent’s contract. of his contract, he is only obligated to
give them a 30-day notice of his de-
parture. 

My Vero

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Monday afternoon, Justice told Det.
Aaron Scranton that the social-media
posts “caused her anxiety and embar-
rassment, as well as the inability to
sleep well at night.”

Justice goes on to say in the report
that the posts have “affected her mar-
riage,” upset her children and impact-
ed her ability to “effectively perform
the functions of her job as an elected
school board official.”

And she wants Vicki Sidles, who
works in the School District’s purchas-
ing department, prosecuted and pun-
ished for her posts, particularly on
Twitter.

Cyber-stalking, if that’s what the State
Attorney’s office thinks this is, is a first-
degree misdemeanor, punishable by a
maximum of a year in jail, up to a year’s
probation and up to a $1,000 fine.

It doesn’t matter that Sidles, posting
under the Twitter handle “BigBear89,”
didn’t know she was doing anything il-
legal, or that most of her tweets were
either benign or targeted someone else.

It doesn’t matter that Sidles didn’t tag
Justice or Rendell in her tweets – she
said both were “blocked,” so they need-
ed to actively seek them out – or that
she was merely sharing information
about schools-related matters and ex-
pressing her opinions in a popular on-
line forum created for such discourse.

It doesn’t matter that Sidles had only
50 Twitter followers, not 50,000.

Yes, some of Sidles’ tweets connect-
ing Justice and Rendell were based on
rumor and undermined her legitimate
commentary on other school-related
matters. She would’ve been better-
served by focusing on their perfor-
mance as district leaders.

But should these tweets – the ones
included in the Sheriff’s Office report,
anyway – have produced such a devas-
tating effect on Justice’s life?

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 3

NEWS

She is, after all, an elected official. tionship” with Justice, stating, “That’s tween Rendell and Justice, or simply PLEASE just shut her up! Not sure how
Fair or not, personal attacks come with been going on for a long time.” critiques Justice. much longer I can take this idiot! Re-
the job. minds me of Charlie Brown’s teacher.”
 A clause that allows for Rendell’s “What’s with the faces from (Justice)
So do occasional cheap shots, espe- termination for “moral turpitude” for during the board meeting last night,” For those tweets – along with com-
cially in today’s toxic political climate. his relationship with Justice. Sidles tweeted. “If she knew how un- ments Sidles and others posted anon-
You’ve got to be tough enough to shrug professional she looks, would she still ymously on the fire-Rendell, online
them off.  Justice and Rendell “trying too act like this? Probably. (Rendell) is on petition she launched in response to
hard to cover their tracks.” the chopping block. …” Justice’s failed effort to rally support
Snowflakes need not apply. for the embattled superintendent – the
So the real question is: Did Sidles There are also several tweets in She also tweeted about Justice at
commit a crime? which Sidles merely infers there’s any a school board meeting: “Someone CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
The Sheriff’s Office wisely opted to type of inappropriate relationship be-
not make that call, forwarding Detec-
tive Scranton’s report – and the deter- Exclusively John’s Island
mination of criminality – to State At-
torney Bruce Colton and his staff. Overlooking serene pool and Indian Lake views is this beautiful, newly
Sidles is nervous, even scared. renovated 4BR home. Beamed T&G ceilings, Baltic White Oak hardwood floors
Last week, her boss sent her home and new impact-rated doors/windows add warmth to this 5,243± GSF retreat.
from work. She said he offered no rea- Features include a voluminous living room with fireplace adjoining the lanai,
son, telling her only that she was being theater room with bar, large center island kitchen with premium appliances,
placed on “administrative leave with luxurious master suite, 2nd level en-suite guest bedroom, and an A/C garage.
pay” until further notice. 631 Indian Harbor Road : $3,350,000
Who made the decision to suspend
her from her job? We don’t know, but three championship golf courses : 17 har-tru courts : beach club : squash
we certainly can take a guess. health & wellness center : pickleball : croquet : vertical equit y memberships
Obviously, the suspension is tied to
Sidles’ tweets, and she’s worried she 772.231.0900 : Vero Beach, FL : JohnsIslandRealEstate.com
will be fired.
Her concern is well-founded: Fear
of retaliation is the reason she posted
under a pseudonym and didn’t identify
herself as a school district employee.
Far too many teachers and other
schools employees have complained,
mostly in private, about a culture of in-
timidation and bullying by the district
office and administrators since Ren-
dell’s arrival nearly four years ago.
“All you have to do is look at the exit
interviews to see there’s a problem,”
School Board Chairman Laura Zorc said.
“Employees feel they have no voice,
and they’re afraid to speak up for fear
of retaliation. Eventually, their frustra-
tion builds up until they can’t take it
anymore, and they resign.
“It’s really become an issue the last
couple of years,” she added. “We, as a
board, tell them they can come to us
and talk to us about problems in the
district. But they don’t.”
That’s not likely to change now.
Justice just turned up the heat on the
school district’s climate of intimida-
tion, bullying and retaliation. Getting
fired is one thing. Getting arrested is
something else.
Both could happen to Sidles, but
neither should.
After an investigation that began in
January – when Justice first contacted
Sheriff’s Maj. Eric Flowers – and con-
cluded last week, Scranton handed the
State Attorney’s Office a weak case with
little evidence of any real harm having
been done.
The most offensive of Sidles’ tweets
refers to Rendell having too much
power and Justice under his desk.
Other tweets mention:
 Justice as Rendell’s “girlfriend”
and Rendell as Justice’s “special man.”
 Rendell’s “unprofessional rela-

4 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

PHOTO BY KAILA JONES Sheriff’s spycam mitting no criminal act and doing
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 nothing more than getting a massage,”
My Vero message asking if she would like to Metcalf said. “I can’t think of a more in-
comment on her complaint. surreptitiously recorded. vasive surveillance than to videotape
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 Metcalf, who noticed the woman while someone when they’re naked.”
Sidles, meanwhile, appeared to be
Sheriff’s Office teamed with prosecu- an emotional wreck, saying she has combing through the video evidence Metcalf has joined with other area
tors to solve the county’s crime of the been unable to sleep or eat because turned over by prosecutors during the defense attorneys in disputing the
century. she’s worried about losing her job and discovery process, said the videos expose legality of the so-called “sneak-and-
the possibility she’ll be arrested. the Sheriff’s Office’s failure to minimize peek” warrants used to arrest more
Multiple interviews were conducted. the invasion of privacy required by the than 200 men who allegedly paid for
Screen shots were reviewed and re- “I’ve been extremely distraught, sui- search warrants issued by Circuit Court sex at massage spas from Jupiter to
corded. cidal and crying uncontrollably,” she Judges Cynthia Cox and Paul Kanarek. Orlando, more than 150 of them in
said. “I have epilepsy, and I’ve been Vero Beach, Sebastian and the north-
A subpoena was obtained to force experiencing seizures due to stress be- He also contends the Sheriff’s Office’s ern tier of Indian River County.
Twitter to reveal Sidles’ identity, and a cause they’re targeting me. six-week, video-surveillance operation
court order was granted to prevent Twit- lacked the required judicial oversight and, The attorneys claim the hidden-
ter from alerting her to the investigation. “They’ll find a way to fire me.” thus, continued longer than was neces- camera video recordings of the acts
Actually, it’s difficult to imagine Si- sary to break up the prostitution ring. inside the spas violated the elevated
Then a search of driver’s license and dles losing her job, even if Rendell rec- privacy rights guaranteed in the Flor-
vehicle registration databases was un- ommends her termination – because “Law enforcement has a duty to ida Constitution and reveal a disturb-
dertaken. the move must be approved by a ma- minimize the invasion of privacy – not ing abuse of police powers.
jority of the school board, and Justice to invade the privacy of people com-
Finally, a supplemental report was almost certainly would be forced to re- In fact, County Judge David Morgan
filed by Flowers, detailing his initial cuse herself from the vote.
contact with Justice, consultation with Besides, a lesser punishment would Shores decides proposed dog law
Assistant State Attorney Ryan Butler, be far more fitting, if she’s willing to ac- is not yet ready for prime time
interactions with crime analysts and cept one.
his decision to put sheriff’s detectives Fact is, our troubled school district BY LISA ZAHNER The measure might seem like an
on the case. doesn’t need another prolonged and extreme response to complaints
costly controversy, such as the one Staff Writer from a miniscule percentage of the
All of this – all of the man hours in- Rendell created a few years back when town’s population – most complaints
vested – for a misdemeanor case that, he foolishly and unsuccessfully tried to Proposed legislation aimed at have come from just two people in
given the intent of the law and the facts fire Sebastian River High teacher Joe regulating canines on Indian River a town of 4,200 – but Mayor Tom
presented, should never see the inside Nathaniel, who physically subdued an Shores beaches needs much more Slater said “there are people who are
of a courtroom? out-of-control thug in the classroom. work before it’s ready for a vote, frightened of dogs on the beach, and
You might remember that the Sher- Town Attorney Chester Clem told I think we need to respect that.”
Think about it: Would a reasonable iff’s Office also investigated that inci- the town council on Monday.
person be so emotionally traumatized dent before Nathaniel took his case Dogs found “at large” would be
by these social-media posts? to court and became a hero to many Prompted by complaints from a captured and impounded at the
school district employees. small number of residents about owner’s expense. Dog behavior
Again, no threats were made. Unless Justice prevails, Sidles could unleashed dogs on the town’s dangerous to humans would result
For the record: Justice did not answer be headed for a similar fate.  beaches, the proposed action would in revocation of the dog’s license.
her school district-issued cell phone require every dog owner in the town
Monday night, and her voice mailbox who wants to let their dog run on One section of the proposed or-
was full. the beach to get a license from the dinance, which Public Safety Chief
Justice also did not respond to a text town’s Public Safety Department. Rich Rosell asked be removed or
seriously re-worked, would em-
Defer Taxes On Real Estate Sales The license would be available to power police officers or a dog-
residents who furnish proof of up- catcher to kill out-of-control ani-
Attend This Seminar to Learn 1031 Exchange to-date vaccinations, attest “that mals: “If any dog found running
Rules, Regulations and Opportunities the dog has not been involved in at large is not provided with a
any aggressive actions towards hu- proper collar and tag identifying
Vero Beach Hotel • 3500 Ocean Dr., Vero Beach mans or other pets,” and pay a $50 the name of the owner, as pro-
Tuesday April 30 at 11:30am fee. Once licensed, dogs would be vided in section 90.10, and if the
permitted to be off-leash on the dog cannot safely be taken up and
For more info or to RSVP please call or email beach during certain hours. impounded as provided in section
Tom Kieffer (863) 944-2455 90.11, the dog may be killed by any
[email protected] New rules would designate blocks police or other person appointed
of time in the morning and evening to catch dogs.”
RSVP Required • Accredited Investors Only – possibly 7 to 9 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.,
or longer periods during daylight Clem said he would have a re-
Securities Offered Through IBN hours – when licensed dogs would vised draft ordinance and resolu-
Financial Services INC. be allowed on designated town tion taking care of all the identi-
Member FINRA & SIPC beaches. Violators would be subject fied concerns back to town council
to fines of $50 to $500 for failing to members for review by the end of
8035 Oswego Rd., Liverpool, NY license or control an animal. the week so they have a chance to
fully weigh the implications of the
The town held a public workshop proposed regulations prior to the
on April 17 to discuss the issue of May council meeting. “This is kind
regulating dogs on the beach that of an exploration, an experiment,”
led to the proposed ordinance, but Clem said. 
Clem said the language needed to
be tweaked before a vote.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 5

NEWS

was expected to rule Tuesday on Met- with all the in-room videos recorded the woman covered by a white towel the towel, and that her “breasts are
calf’s motions to suppress the videos by the Sheriff’s Office. However, the and lying face-down on the massage exposed” when she turns over on the
prosecutors plan to use as evidence judge denied Metcalf’s request that table during her early-afternoon visit massage table. The Sheriff’s Office has
against his clients if the men take their the court compel prosecutors to iden- to the spa on Jan. 18. an obligation to inform the woman that
cases to trial. tify the woman. she was recorded at the spa, he said.
Metcalf said the woman “has a right
Last week, Morgan ordered the State Metcalf included with his motion a to know” that the video records her “They recorded it, and I have it,”
Attorney’s Office to provide Metcalf time-stamped photograph that shows undressing and wrapping herself in
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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6 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Sheriff’s spycam sage rooms because Vero Beach po- have interpreted the law to authorize dence to convict Jones of a third charge
lice use a different recording system such surveillance, relying on a wire- – the actual shooting of Simpson.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 that provides visual access to only one tap statute that “mimics” federal law.
room at a time. Shortly after the jury announced
Metcalf said, adding that deputies “There’s no Florida law that spe- its verdict, Circuit Court Judge Daniel
working the case “absolutely” saw the Two weeks ago, a Jupiter man filed a cifically authorizes surreptitious video Vaughn sentenced Jones to two con-
woman’s video. federal lawsuit against the town police, surveillance, because we don’t do this,” secutive life sentences with no chance
one of its detectives and Palm Beach Metcalf said, “so they’re applying wire- of parole.
Metcalf said he initially received County’s state attorney, Dave Aron- tap procedures.”
from prosecutors “about seven” videos berg, alleging they violated his consti- Prior to sentencing, Vaughn allowed
recorded by the Sheriff’s Office, along tutional rights by video-recording the Those procedures, however, require Simpson’s widow, Kristen, to address
with 25 recorded by the Vero Beach massage he received at the Orchids of law enforcement agencies to report Jones in court. What followed was
Police Department at the East Spa on Asia Day Spa. back to the judges and end the video an emotional 22-minute speech by
14th Avenue in downtown Vero. He ex- surveillance once enough evidence has Simpson, who unleashed eight years
pects to receive from prosecutors an- The plaintiff, using the name “John been obtained to prosecute the case. of anger, pain and frustration on her
other 50 videos from the East Sea Spa, Doe” to protect his identity, accused husband’s killer.
located on U.S. 1 north of Sebastian, police of “spying” on him while he was Metcalf said the local judges didn’t
as a result of Morgan’s order. in a “state of undress” during his Jan. include in their warrants the clause “You’re the kind of person who
19 massage at the Jupiter spa, where he requiring the agencies to “cease the would kill another human being – a
The Sheriff’s Office’s videos show “did not engage in any sexual or illegal interception” when enough video evi- cold, heartless coward who would
simultaneously the activity in all four activity at any time” during his visit. dence had been collected. shoot somebody from behind a door,”
rooms at the Sebastian-area spa, Met- said Simpson as she glared at Jones
calf said, enabling him to see legiti- The lawsuit states that the plaintiff “We’re definitely in uncharted terri- sitting less than 10 feet away.
mate massage sessions along with the suffered “invasion of his privacy” and tory,” Metcalf said. 
alleged sex-for-money activity. “embarrassment” as a result of the Jones did not look directly at Simp-
video surveillance. Jones again convicted son while she spoke. He showed no
He said the Sheriff’s Office was re- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 signs of emotion until Vaughn pro-
quired by the warrant to “stop the re- According to Aronberg’s office, four nounced the two life sentences. That’s
cording” once deputies saw the wom- of the spa’s customers – two men and An Indian River County jury last when Jones suddenly lowered his
an was receiving a lawful massage. To two women – were recorded while re- Thursday found Jones guilty of two first- head, his body shaking involuntarily.
do so, however, would’ve prevented ceiving lawful massages. degree felony charges – First Degree
them from observing the actions tak- Felony Murder and Armed Robbery When Vaughn asked Jones if he
ing place in the other three rooms. Metcalf said there’s no legal prec- and Assault and Battery. The jury deter- wanted to say anything, Jones barely
edent or case law in Florida pertain- mined that there was not enough evi- raised his head, and in a near whisper
Metcalf said he hadn’t requested all ing to the type of stealthy video sur- said, “No Sir.”
of videos from the East Spa’s two mas- veillance used during the prostitution
sting. Instead, he said state courts Jones, 30, was initially found guilty
of first-degree murder for the same

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 7

NEWS

crime in 2014 and received a life sen- will spend the rest of his life in prison.” of the murder. Jones weakly dismissed she said. “But time will never erase my
tence at that time. But the fourth Dis- The two-week trial was filled with the phone data by claiming “there are husband’s murder.
trict Court of Appeals in 2017 ruled a lot of discrepancies and lies about
a new trial was warranted because witness and expert testimony that in- it,” although he refused to elaborate. “Henry Jones killed the love of my
Jones’ public defender had not been dicated Jones was involved in the bur- life and emotionally slaughtered my
allowed to question potential jurors glary and murder. His troubles were further exacer- family forever.” 
about racial prejudice or bias. Jones is bated by the final-day testimony of
African-American, Simpson, who was But Assistant Public Defender Dor- two witnesses who claimed Robin- Virgin Trains
41 at the time of his death, was white. othy Naumann frequently reminded son, who was 16 when the murder
the jury that most of the evidence, occurred, had confessed to them that CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
According to testimony at both tri- while looking bad for her client, was Jones was innocent while they and
als, Jones shot Simpson after he and a still circumstantial. Robinson were in jail together seven The project includes installing a
young accomplice, Darius Robinson, years ago. second set of tracks in the Florida East
got caught inside the Simpson family’s She also tried to discredit police Coast Railway right-of-way through
Fiddlewood Road home. investigators and forensic experts by The testimony of the two witnesses, Indian River and southern Brevard
claiming they were biased against her one of whom is Jones’ cousin, Tyrez counties to handle the addition of 32
Robinson testified at both trials that client or sloppy during their investi- Brown, kept changing under ques- passenger trains per day.
it was Jones who shot Simpson. But gation, although she did not back up tioning. Their stories frequently con-
despite shoe and handprints found in those accusations with evidence. tradicted each other’s and even placed Virgin Trains also plans to con-
the bathroom indicating Jones was the Jones at the scene of the murder. struct new train tracks along State
shooter, the new jury determined there A last-minute decision to allow Road 528, also known as the Beach-
wasn’t enough evidence to prove “be- Jones to testify near the end of the trial Brown also confessed that Jones il- line Expressway, to connect the air-
yond a reasonable doubt” that Jones seemed to backfire. legally sent a letter instructing him to port terminal to the Florida East
fired the fatal shots. get Robinson to retract his statements Coast Railway tracks in Cocoa.
Jones, who denied ever being at the and say police forced him to implicate
The jury deliberated nearly six hours Simpson residence, also claimed he Jones in the murder. “Connecting Miami and Orlando
before coming to a decision. had never burglarized a home. But makes tremendous business sense,”
when questioned by Chief Assistant Robinson received a 10-year prison said Virgin Trains USA Chairman Wes
Assistant State Attorney Steve Gos- State Attorney Thomas Bakkendahl, sentence for his role in the crime. Edens. “But even more, it provides a
nell shrugged his shoulders when Jones struggled to explain why items public benefit to the state of Florida
asked about the verdict. stolen from several homes, including Following the trial, Kristen Simpson including thousands of jobs that will
Simpson’s, were found in his bedroom said her family was pleased with the keep the state economically compet-
“Apparently, the jury didn’t feel that and in the glovebox of his motorcycle. sentencing, but noted no prison sen- itive for decades.”
there was sufficient evidence to prove tence will bring back her husband.
he shot Mr. Simpson,” Gosnell said. The most damning evidence was CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
“But we don’t care. They found him the GPS data extracted from Jones’ “We will rest knowing he (Jones) will
guilty of the other two charges and he cellphone that placed him near the never do this to another family and
Simpson home at the time and night will spend the rest of his life in jail,”

8 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Virgin Trains total of $4 billion by the time it’s fin- maintaining railroad crossings relat- Fort Pierce and Stuart are vying for
ished, Virgin Trains said. Travelers will ed to the passenger train service. train stations so city residents can
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 be able to ride a passenger train be- benefit from the passenger rail service.
tween Miami and Orlando in a little A consultant estimates Indian River
“[The bond sale] is affirmation that more than three hours. County local governments could face Vero Beach and Sebastian passed on
our vision for passenger rail holds payments of $1 million per year to applying for a train station because lo-
great promise and highlights a tre- Indian River County officials have lease and maintain the FECR railroad cal opposition to the project remains
mendous appetite in the private mar- raised safety and environmental con- crossings, more than twice their cur- strong.
kets for large-scale transportation cerns about the project, including rent costs.
and infrastructure projects,” Edens how 32 daily passenger trains travel- Supporters argue the project will
said. ing up to 110 mph will interact with Indian River County is also appealing reduce traffic congestion and air pol-
about 20 daily freight trains per day the dismissal of its federal suit challeng- lution on north-south highways and
The company started express pas- traveling less than 80 mph. ing the federal environmental review facilitate business and tourist travel.
senger service between Fort Lauder- process for the passenger train project.
dale and West Palm Beach in January Indian River County has filed suit “We are revolutionizing rail travel
2018 and added Miami in May. in state court asking a judge to rule Martin County had been a party to and realizing a decades-long vision
the county is not responsible for the the suit, but settled as part of an agree- of operating express passenger rail in
The project is expected to cost a additional costs of upgrading and ment that requires Virgin Trains to pay the state of Florida,” said Virgin Trains
for a variety of safety improvements. USA President Patrick Goddard. 

New Cleveland Clinic signs going up at hospital complex

BY MICHELLE GENZ But as Day 110 dawned this week, has been stretched and bolted over “In- aluminum signage was still in produc-
Staff Writer there was still no sign of the four- dian River Medical Center,” leaving the tion, vinyl letters on glass doors were
cornered, blue-and-green Cleveland rest of the signs’ information in place. being scraped off and replaced.
A year before the Jan. 1 takeover of In- Clinic logo on the Vero hospital’s fa-
dian River Medical Center by Cleveland cade. Signage has sprouted in other That should clear up confusion on After the exterior signage is finished,
Clinic, the head of the famed health sys- places throughout the sprawling cam- the part of people looking for the hos- Dickens says, Indian River will refresh
tem’s Florida division, Dr.Wael Barsoum, pus, however. pital under its new name. Last month, the hospital’s interior signs, including
said he hoped the Cleveland Clinic sign a North Carolina resident, here to visit those for navigation. Cleveland Clinic
would go up on theVero campus on Day Along the roadways, existing signs his mother who he was told was at is a leader in healthcare wayfinding, as
One of Cleveland’s tenure. are wearing a new top: vinyl printed Cleveland Clinic Indian River, had to the specialty is called. Good wayfinding
with “Cleveland Clinic Indian River” call to make sure he was at the right is said to boost patient satisfaction and
place when his Maps app led him to cut costs by not forcing trained medical
REPUBLICAN a complex still studded with signs for professionals to serve as tour guides.
CLUB OF Indian River Medical Center.
In other words, it shouldn’t take a
INDIAN RIVER “We’ve started to make some prog- brain surgeon to find a cup of coffee.
INC. ress,” said Angela Dickens, market- But it just about did last month when
ing director at the Vero hospital. She is a bleary-eyed visitor from Atlanta
PRESENTS working with two staffers here and a de- flagged down a staffer for help finding
the snack bar. The staffer turned out to
ROGER STONE sign team in Cleveland to produce the be Dr. Efrain Salgado, director of Cleve-
signage that will rebrand the hospital. land Clinic Florida’s neuroscience res-
"THE MAKING OF A PRESIDENT 2016" idency program. Salgado charitably
THURSDAY MAY 2ND “Right now, we’re focused externally. walked the visitor back through the
That’s a big, big deal,” Dickens said as maze of hallways and double doors to
SIGNED BOOK INCLUDED WITH YOUR TICKE the first signs were going up earlier this the coffee counter tucked inside the
month. “It takes a long time to get the ER waiting room.
BOB O’MALLEY design work finalized. Then we work
at the local level with local vendors to Besides working on signage, Dick-
VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS put together quoting.” ens and her team are diligently churn-
ing out critical branding tools with a
AT BRIGHT LINE TRAINS Those first few roadway signs saying reach beyond the hospital.
“Cleveland Clinic Indian River” were
THURSDAY JUNE 6TH startling enough to prompt drivers to “Most people have new business
pull over. cards,” she said. “We’ve built tem-
BOTH EVENTS AT plates that people can snag and cus-
THE GRAND HARBOR “The first day they were going up, tomize a letterhead for themselves or
we had visitors stopping and taking their departments.”
COUNTY CLUB photos and saying, ‘Oh, great! It’s final-
WITH COCKTAILS AT 5PM & II! ly happening!’” Dickens said. “There’s The forms patients fill out on clip-
a lot of excitement.” boards at Cleveland Clinic-owned phy-
DINNER AT 6PM sician practices and minutes from hos-
While the more substantial pierced pital board meetings need the new logo,
SEE EVENTBRITE, too. Event materials like pop-up tents
EVENTBRITE.COM, FOR and tablecloths must say “Cleveland
TICKETS AND DETAILS Clinic,” and the same goes for security
badges, parking tickets and certificates
of live birth issued for each baby born.

“We’re working with our printer
vendors to make sure everything they
print, all the promotional flyers and
giveaway items, have Cleveland Clinic
logos,” said Dickens.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 9

NEWS

In recent weeks, the Scully-Welsh The hospital’s online presence ap- declared: “Indian River Medical Cen- years for the two hospital systems to
Cancer Center and Welsh Heart Cen- pears to have fully transitioned, and ter is now part of Cleveland Clinic.” fully integrate, with signage only most
ter were scrubbed of their Duke affili- this month the first ad for the freshly public piece of the complex process.
ation, quietly dropped as a result of branded Cleveland Clinic Indian River That ad, Dickens said, is part of a
the merger, though the cancer center Foundation was laid out in this news- new campaign tentatively titled “Bet- “I wish I could wave a wand and
still has the old Duke waves logo on paper, along with a simply stated ad for ter Together” that expanded to radio, they would all be changed,” said Dick-
its facade. the hospital a few pages further in that TV and billboards this month. ens. “But I feel like we’re getting some-
where.” 
Officials say it could take a couple of

10 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Shores hires attorney to pursue reuse water rate relief with Vero

BY LISA ZAHNER Vocelle is now working for Indian Riv- town manager Joe Griffin on April 16. the Shores Town Council on Monday.
Staff Writer er Shores on an hourly basis, his first But Griffin said he was not satisfied with Instead of reducing the rate, Vero
salvo being a letter to Vero Beach In- the Vero Beach City Council’s response
Vero Beach officials don’t seem to terim City Manager Monte Falls saying to a presentation he made, providing has hired a consultant to justify why
be budging in response to repeated re- his client, Indian River Shores, wants documentation to show why Indian reuse water delivered from Vero to
quests by Indian River Shores that they its reuse irrigation rate lowered from River Shores is entitled to the lower rate. the Shores should cost more than re-
honor a franchise agreement and match 67 cents per 1,000 gallons to 21 cents use water delivered by the county. To
Indian River County’s reuse irrigation per 1,000 gallons. “They were repeating the company Shores officials, Vero’s costs, no matter
water rates, so the Shores has hired a line that they weren’t going to reduce how high, are irrelevant.
lawyer to help resolve the dispute. This message had already been deliv- the charges and they wanted me and
ered in writing by former town manager the Vice Mayor [Bob Auwaerter] to In October 2012, during heated,
Local trial attorney Louis B. “Buck” Robbie Stabe, and in person by new participate in a rate study,” Griffin told three-way negotiations in which Vero
and Indian River County were both
vying for Indian River Shores’ water-
sewer business, Vero agreed to match
county rates in order to hang onto
thousands of Shores utility customers
and millions in revenue.

Both the Shores and Vero gambled
on whether county rates would go
up or down. As it turned out, rates
remained stable from 2012 through
2018. But in December, the County
Commission voted to reduce reuse
water rates drastically as of March 1,
and now Shores officials say Vero is
trying to change the rules seven years
into a 15-year contract.

At issue, Bolton said, is the difference
between pressurized reuse water and
unpressurized. But that distinction
wasn’t part of the deal when former
city manager Jim O’Connor came in at
the last minute in 2012 with a pitch to
match county rates to get the Shores to
stay with Vero Beach Utilities. Bolton
said Vero is entitled to recoup a rate
commensurate with the cost of deliv-
ering pressurized reuse water.

“There is a difference of opinion on
that, from the town’s perspective, and
I’ll just leave it at that,” Auwaerter told
Bolton Monday afternoon at the Vero
Utilities Commission meeting.

Earlier that day in his role as Shores
vice mayor, Auwaerter reiterated that
he wants nothing to do with Vero’s
rate study because the proper rate of
21 cents is already known and there’s
no reason for a rate study in the first
place. Auwaerter said Vero’s hired con-
sultant “is going to do whatever the
city wants,” but that “there’s no reason
for us to participate in the study be-
cause it acknowledges that their posi-
tion has validity.”

Vocelle, in an effort to enforce the
franchise agreement, asked Vero on
April 16 for “written confirmation
from The City that they will continue
to honor the franchise agreement and
charge The Town $.21 per 1,000 gallons
for reuse water.”

Vocelle also addressed two other is-
sues the Shores is having with its water
service from Vero – problems with wa-
ter quality in an older section of John’s
Island, and complaints regarding reuse
water pressure in The Estuary. 

Eliana Hastie.

‘WAY’ TO GO!
JACKIE ROBINSON GAME

DRAWS FULL HOUSE P. 18

12 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

It was hip to hop at fun-filled Vero Easter Parade

Bailie Muehlberger. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE George Harper with the Easter Bunny. PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
Masaki Nemoto.

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF and face painting, and participated in joying a day at the beach, bees buzz- DSRE. “They are committed to mak-
Staff Writer various craft-making activities. ing around a giant hive, grass skirts ing sure the community has a won-
swaying in the breeze, a bicycle built derful time.”
Things were really ‘hoppening’ at Later, colorfully dressed men, wom- for six and, on the DSRE golf cart, even
Humiston Park last Thursday after- en, children and dogs strutted their a house for the Easter Bunny. Proceeds from the event benefit
noon, where hundreds of children and stuff amid a cacophony of bubbles the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River
their families gathered for the third and music, showing off a spectacular “The children have such a wonder- County, in support of the various pro-
annual Vero Beach Easter Parade and array of bonnets and ball caps deco- ful time. We’re so happy the com- grams that help enable club members
assorted festive activities hosted by rated with bunnies, daffodils, eggs, munity supports this event so whole- to realize their full potential as pro-
Dale Sorensen Real Estate. butterflies and feathers; some even heartedly,” said Matilde Sorensen, ductive, responsible and caring citi-
settling the question of whether real event founder. zens.
Once given the OK, youngsters ex- men do wear tulle.
citedly dashed about, eagerly gather- “The Vero Beach Easter Parade is all “This is a wonderful event and
ing as many of the 25,000 Sorensen- The afternoon’s festivities ended about the community and a celebra- we really appreciate Dale Sorensen
blue eggs scattered about the park with a golf cart parade led by the tion of Easter and spring. It could not Real Estate’s support,” said Elizabeth
as they possibly could, stuffing them Vero Beach Police Department Color be the success it is without the sup- Thomason, B&GC executive director.
into bags, pockets and baskets. They Guard. It was a procession of about port of all the sponsors and our dedi- “We’ve got two carts in the parade and
also posed with the Easter Bunny, 40 golf carts, festooned with flowers, cated and hard-working volunteers,” the kids are going to be out there toss-
spruced up their look with fairy hair eggs, ducks, palms, flamingos and added Dale Sorensen, noting that all ing out candy. It’s a great way to kick
bunnies. Themes included rabbits en- the volunteers were associated with off this weekend.” 



14 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 Matilde and Dale Sorensen.
Elizabeth Sorensen and Matilde Sorensen.

Kathy Ball, Vandra Braswell and Carey Hodge. Edna Anteneh. Maple Foster.

Viola Bakule, Angelina Bakule and Nadia Bakule.

Ava Mitchell, Jada Mitchell and Jaya Whiddon.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 15

PEOPLE

Perfect Stix. Vanessa Foster. Isabelle White and Lelia White.

Bridget Healy and Marie Healy. Didi Heinsen and Gretchen Heinsen. Maggie Velky with children Griffin and Grace Velky.

Winners of the Bonnets and Ball
Caps: Vanessa Foster in the chil-
dren’s division and Stephanie Hart
in the adult division. Golf Cart Pa-
rade winners: The Schneider fam-
ily, Best of Vero; Lori Higdon, Most
Easter Spirit; Complete Marine
Services, Most Humorous; and
Market Square, Most Original.

Lila Slagle.

16 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Jumping at ‘hopportunity’ to help Habitat at 5K event

Sue Ramsey, Bradley Halberstam, Eve Kyomya, Keith and Sheryl Vittitoe, and Rene Donars. Overall winner Ryan Miller chases the pace car
with the Easter Bunny and Randy Daniel.

PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE

Elysia Brennan and Gracie Buckels-Daniel Vanessa Hughes and Amanda Flynn.
with the Easter Bunny.
The torrential downpours of the
Darlene Pegg and James Wilson. night before ushered in bright
sunshine and crisp clean air for
last Saturday morning’s 10th an-
nual Realtors Raise the Roof – Hop
for Habitat 5K Run/Walk to benefit
Indian River Habitat for Human-
ity. Participants did their ‘hippity-
hoppity’ best to support Habitat’s
goal of providing affordable home-
ownership to hardworking fami-
lies, donning bunny ears and Eas-
ter bonnets for the event, which
began and ended at South Beach
Park. Sponsored by the Realtors
Association of IRC, the post-race
family-friendly activities included
an Easter egg hunt, photos with
the Easter Bunny, a craft station
and refreshments. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 17

PEOPLE

Overall winner, women: Mary Lunn.

Ally Carolan, Kate Carolan, Kristin Kaplan.

Lauren Connolly, Robin Raiff and Mark Seeberg. Hollie Billero-Buldo with daughter Emmie Buldo. Overall winner, men: Ryan Miller.

Katie Smith with John and Marlene Cairns and Alex Smith.

18 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

‘Way’ to go! Jackie Robinson game draws full house

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF
Staff Writer

The United Way hit a home run last Leigh and Mark Hermann with children Claire and Christopher Hermann. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE Lisa and Doug Ross with son Lennon Ross.
Monday evening with the sixth annu-
al Jackie Robinson Celebration Game Lorrie Fahey and Wayne Greene. James Willis, Ka’Lynn Pound and Lathan Willis. Bunny Carey and Joanne Aramini.
at the newly renamed Jackie Robinson
Training Complex, formerly Historic lyn Dodgers. But his legacy lives fur- “Jackie wanted to make sure that recreate. It took them two years but
Dodgertown. ther on than just baseball. When he everyone felt included at all times and was well worth all of the hours on the
retired he went into activism and so we work to further his message and road, shared Lisa Ross.
There wasn’t an empty seat in the continued to break lines and push for to bring about a new future where we
stands as more than 4,500 baseball equal rights,” said Robinson scholar don’t have to break any more color With major league parks in their
fans flooded Holman Stadium to Carolyn Alvarez. lines, where we are color-blind.” rearview mirror, the family decided
honor the life and legacy of the great to tackle minor league parks, and af-
Jackie Robinson while benefiting the This year Robinson and the City of ter hearing about the Jackie Robinson
United Way of Indian River County. Vero Beach both celebrated 100-year Celebration Game, knew they had to
birthdays. In honor of their shared come.
The UWIRC has received more than birthdays, City Council Vice Mayor
$125,000 in proceeds from Jackie Rob- Tony Young read a proclamation de- “We love the game, and this one
inson Celebration Games since the claring April 15 as Jackie Robinson in particular exposes our son to an
first one in 2014; contributions added Day. Robinson had spent nine spring important part of our history. We’ve
to each year’s annual campaign. This training camps at Dodgertown and come a long way, but we have a long
year’s campaign, which runs through Young noted that the Dodgers ad- way to go. Anyone that’s here tonight
June, is just shy of its $3 million goal. vanced to the World Series five times understands that and is supporting
The local United Way lists 45 funded during those years. that,” she said.
programs and 35 partner agencies, all
rallied around the mission to improve Lisa and Doug Ross with their son As to the game itself, the Fort Myers
lives by mobilizing the caring power Lennon traveled from North Carolina Miracle bested the St. Lucie Mets, 15
of the community with the mantra, to attend the game, having recently to 7.
“United we win.” visited all 30 major league baseball
parks. The inspiration for the family The United Way will host the 33rd
“Today is about bringing the com- quest came after taking their son to a annual Citrus Golf Tournament on
munity together,” said Michael Kint, game, which brought back a flood of June 8 at The Moorings at Hawk’s Nest.
UWIRC CEO. “For many who attend childhood memories they hoped to To register, call Caitlin Puppo at 772-
this family-friendly event, it brings 567-8900. For information, visit unit-
back memories of sitting on the berm, edwayirc.org. 
watching the game. For others, it’s
about their love of baseball and this
community.”

Jackie Robinson stepped up to the
plate as the first African-American
to play in major league baseball, us-
ing his bat and glove to fight against
segregation. Robinson hit a home run
at Dodgertown on March 31, 1948, the
first fully-integrated spring training
site in the south.

“It is a historic day. Seventy-two
years ago Jack Roosevelt Robinson
crossed the color line with the Brook-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 19

PEOPLE

Michael Kint, Dana Gatlin and Mandy LaPorta. Evan Nine, Lillian and Ted Carson with Pat O’Conner. Anthony Puppo with Sydney Mihailoff and Caitlin Puppo.

Chelsea Rose. Bobby King Sr., James Willis and Andre Pound. Terry Pugh, Timothy Brown and Marquis Baskin.

20 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Towers of empower: Literacy Services thanks donors

BY MARY SCHENKEL
Staff Writer

Literacy Services of Indian Riv- Don Mann, Alma Lee Loy and Sven Frisell. PHOTOS: KAILA JONES Sandy Kahle, Susan Hale and Mary Arnold.
er County thanked its generous
Friends of Literacy donors at a re- their funding is derived through Sam’s Club as a greeter. limitations,” added Ugarte. “This
cent reception at Northern Trust individual donations. Those dona- “Due to the terrible situation in program gave me the opportunity
Bank, sponsored by longtime sup- tions enabled students to improve to get the answers to many ques-
porters Don and Sandy Mann. their literacy skills and job situa- my country, two and one-half years tions, gave me the opportunity to
tions, and become more engaged in ago I decided to move to this won- correct my mistakes, learn idiomat-
“We are so grateful and honored their children’s education. Thirteen derful country and I found great op- ic expressions, learn different ways
to have you here and for the support of their English as a Second Lan- portunities to grow and adapt to my to express my ideas and understand
you give to our students throughout guage students have become U.S. new way of life,” said Ugarte, noting the conversation context.”
the year,” said Sven Frisell, board citizens. that in addition to learning a new
president. “Your investment in their language, she also had to study this “Our dream is that every person
literacy journey has a tremendous Venezuelan-born Elda Maritza country’s culture and customs. who comes to Literacy Services for
impact on their lives, their families Ugarte spoke eloquently and pas- help finds the resources they need
and the community.” sionately about her efforts to learn “I am sure that I am going to be to feel empowered to turn the page,
English with Literacy Services tu- successful, because in my heart I to write a new chapter of success
“All the work that we do is to try tors, saying that thanks to their tu- have the conviction to achieve my and to achieve their dreams. To-
not just to make people learn to telage, she has gained more confi- goal with courage and persistence. I gether we can end generational il-
read, but to learn to think and to get dence. An industrial engineer in her would like to give my thanks to Lit- literacy and build a community of
jobs,” said Don Mann. He noted that country, Ugarte currently works in eracy Services for being my fierce readers,” said Schmitt. 
the county as a whole is less pro- support to overcome my fears and
ductive when one in five adults are
literacy challenged and unable to
find meaningful employment. “We
are very effective. We turn people’s
lives around and go a fair way to
stopping generational literacy.”

“Each of you here is a Friend of
Literacy,” said Jessica Schmitt, ex-
ecutive director. “You see our mis-
sion, the work of our tutors and the
success of our students. Each of you
is vital to our mission. With your
support, last year we served 295 stu-
dents with quality literacy and lan-
guage tutoring.”

She noted that the nonprofit re-
ceives no government assistance;
instead more than 75 percent of

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 21

PEOPLE

Maria Alvarez, Jessica Schmitt and Sandy Mann. Grant Withers, Linda Beardslee, Anali Vieyra and Bill Beardslee. Elda Maritza Ugarte, Bill Tarnowski and Sue Melton.

Kent Jones and Larry Sallustro. Michelle Servos and Donna Remsnyder. Mike and Mary Fuller.

22 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Helping heroes: ‘Stars & Stripes’ gala supports vets

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF serving the United States of America
Staff Writer was a bond that remains unbroken.
Col. Martin Zickert, U.S. Air Force Ret.
Guests snapped to attention at the Sylvester and Dorothy McIntosh with Linda and Sam Kouns. PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 also raised a glass to toast the fallen,
Grand Harbor Clubhouse for an inau- prisoners of war and those still miss-
gural Stars & Stripes Spectacular Gala them to hire and pay home improve- PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE ing in action.
hosted by the Veterans Council of In- ment contractors to repair, upgrade
dian River County to benefit the Vet- and increase handicap accessibility To a standing ovation, 101-year-
erans Helping Veterans program. for impoverished veterans. old World War II veteran Capt. Hen-
ry Trumbower was recognized and
The Veterans Council supports local “We had a World War II veteran liv- thanked for his service as a member
veterans and their families through ing without air conditioning, a Viet- of the “greatest generation.”
collective community efforts such as
Veterans Helping Veterans, a program The evening’s keynote speaker was
developed to provide safety, acces- Vietnam veteran Sylvester McIntosh,
sibility and home improvements for Sgt., USMC, an Indian River County
veterans needing assistance. native who passed up a scholarship
to Florida A&M University to join the
Members of the Next Generation Marine Corps.
Veterans and others of their ilk have
been lending a hand when one of their As a member of the 1st Battalion 9th
comrades needs help, providing the Marines, McIntosh was part of a group
blood, sweat and tears to make home that saw the longest sustained combat
repairs, but the need is far greater and suffered the highest killed-in-ac-
than they initially realized.

Gala organizer Leydiana Collins
said that funding from the $100,000
Impact 100 grant which the Veterans
Council received last year has nearly
all been disbursed. The grant enabled

Henry Trumbower and Deena Macdonald with Sharon and Tony Young.

nam veteran with lung cancer that tion rate in the history of the Vietnam
had mold issues in his bathroom, and Era Marine Corps. While his platoon
others needing handicap ramps and was oft referred to as the “walking
roof repairs. There is enough need out dead,” McIntosh said that with a lot of
there that this fund needs to be sus- help from God he made it back home,
tained,” said Collins. where he went on to become a minis-
ter and a beloved member of the Gif-
Grand Harbor staff went above and ford Community.
beyond the call of duty to make sure
the evening was a Star-Spangled suc- It took more than 50 years, but lo-
cess, lighting the room with red, white cal veterans stepped in after learning
and blue. Sponsored tables bore flags that despite McIntosh’s heroic efforts
representing the Army, Navy, Air – throwing himself on hand grenades
Force, Marine Corps and the Coast on three different occasions and drag-
Guard. ging three soldiers to safety after hav-
ing been shot in the chest himself – he
Guests enjoyed cocktails and hors had never been recognized for his ac-
d’oeuvres while perusing silent-auc- tions.
tion items, before dining on a buffet
dinner. Throughout the night, some In 2016, McIntosh finally received
of the comrades-in-arms gave each the Silver Star Military Award for Con-
other a bit of good-natured ribbing spicuous Gallantry and Intrepidity in
about just which branch of the service Action Against the Enemy. He is cur-
is the best. rently awaiting notification regarding
the awarding of the Medal of Honor or
As the Sebastian Area Honor Guard Navy Cross.
presented the colors and Telly Antona
sang the National Anthem, it was ap- For more information, visit veterans-
parent that their collective experience councilirc.club. 



24 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

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26 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

At ‘Hope for Families’ reception, proud of progress

BY MARY SCHENKEL
Staff Writer

Ann and Allen Jones hosted a re- John and Emilie Brady with Lee and Bruce Albro. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE Bill and Frances Hudson.
ception at their lovely John’s Island
home, where supporters of the Hope housing,” said Cooney, adding that
for Families Center learned of recent the recidivism rate for the 76 percent
developments at the nonprofit. who complete the program is less
than 5 percent.
“Years ago, Wheatie Gibb had her
birthday party at the center and we Cooney announced that thanks
all took supplies for them,” said Ann to a generous donation by Wayne
Jones, recalling how she first got in- Hockmeyer, they have purchased a
volved. “I thought it made so much plot of land to the east of the center
sense; it was such a beautiful concept
to get families on their feet.”

Dr. Bill Cooney, HFC board presi-
dent, said that the organization en-
joys financial security, a stable and
dedicated staff, and great leader-
ship under executive director Diana
Grossi. Additionally, he said there is
a high satisfaction rate among the
families at the center, which provides
job training and counseling on ev-
erything from finances to parenting.

“Once they go through the pro-
gram, we move them into permanent

Randy and Sandy Rolf with Sue Scully and Wayne Hockmeyer.

for future development. Another new with children. Based on studies, she
initiative underway is the establish- said the average cost to taxpayers
ment of a literary center on campus for just one homeless individual is
thanks to a $250,000 contribution $35,578 per year. She contrasted that
from a donor who wished to remain to the $60 per day cost for a family at
anonymous. HFC, where families reside on aver-
age 90 days.
“So our children, and some of their
parents, can learn to read in a place She said adults at the center must
that is quiet with desks and comput- be able to work, pass background and
ers,” said Cooney, adding that the Hill drug checks and contribute produc-
Group has offered to build the litera- tive hours to the center. Their chil-
cy center at cost. “The other part of dren attend Vero Beach schools or
that is the opportunity for volunteers day care and camps, when school is
to come out, if you’re interested in not in session. Once employed, resi-
helping children learn to read.” dents put aside 75 percent of their net
income toward future housing.
Adding that another donor has put
forward a $100,000 matching grant, “They leave us with money in sav-
which has generated another $50,000 ings that they never had before,” said
to date, Cooney said, “we’re really Grossi. “When they leave us, they are
pleased that the community in In- taxpaying citizens of our community.
dian River has been so interested and We receive no federal or state dollars;
involved in learning more about what we rely on foundations grants and
happens with the homeless in our you. You are hope for these families.”
county.”
“It’s not easy coming to the shel-
Grossi offered some statistics based ter,” said board member Sue Scully,
on the annual point-in-time data col- citing HFC’s necessary but stringent
lected by the state each January. On rules. “I’m proud of every single one
the Treasure Coast, 1,532 people were who goes through our program and
homeless; 45 percent were families comes out ahead.”

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 27

PEOPLE

Ann and Allen Jones with Diana Grossi. Mickey Cooney with Nancy and Dick Shoemate. Mariclare Beggy with Joan Connor and June Prein.

Emilie and Bob Burr with Ben and Susan Bailey. Leo and Diane Dilling.

Marlynn and Bill Scully. Chef Michael and Lydia Lander.

Ben Bailey and Bill Hudson.

28 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Hot to trot: Argentine Asado benefits Special Equestrians

Patty Brown and Vickie Penly. PHOTOS: KAILA JONES Juan Ramos, Pedro Enriquez, Cesar Rodriguez, Charley Replogle and Vinnie Parentela.

BY MARY SCHENKEL Street.
Staff Writer “My son Patrick was in need of

A group of diners enjoyed one of the something to do that would be extra-
curricular and there was nothing in
best dinners in Vero Beach recently Indian River County for people with
special needs,” said Brown.
– not at one of our wonderful restau-
SETC currently rents a barn on a
rants, but rather at tables set up inside beautiful piece of property on 74th Av-
enue, and has embarked on a $1 mil-
the Special Equestrians of the Trea- lion Capital Campaign to secure 20
acres of land where they wish to build
sure Coast riding arena. The Argen- a permanent, handicap-accessible,
covered equestrian facility.
tine Asado Experience was sponsored
The expansion would enable SETC,
by Ocean Grill owner Charley Replo- a member of the Professional Asso-
ciation of Therapeutic Horsemanship
gle and overseen by Cesar Rodriguez, International, to offer equine therapy
to veterans, individuals with men-
Replogle’s longtime polo manager and tal health issues and other support
groups.
farrier for the gentle Special Equestri-
Attendees also watched a riding
an therapy horses. demonstration by Lindsay Hires, a
10-year SETC student, whose joy was
Attendees watched as Rodriguez evident as she showed off her skills
astride Scotchie. The retired 22 year-
and other Ocean Grill Polo Team old Western show horse was led by
Cassie Ford, with spotter Michelle
members – Gaston Rodriguez, Juan Penly. Karen Johnson, SETC executive
director, narrated the demonstration,
Ramos and Pedro Enriquez – built up explaining as instructor Beth Bou-
dreau coached Lindsay in a variety of
an impressive bonfire at one end of Lindsay Hires shows her skills riding Scotchie, with spotter Michelle Penly walking beside her. tasks.

the arena, carefully transferring hot “The movements of the horse stim-
ulate the core muscles of our stu-
coals bit by bit underneath a line of (finished with grilled lemons), corn me,” said Replogle. “We do an asado dents,” said Johnson, noting that they
gain strength, their posture improves
grills, before slowly cooking a mouth- on the cob, zucchini and sliced pine- at least once a year; I did it at my barn and they learn how to communicate
with the horse verbally and nonver-
watering variety of ribs, chorizos, filet apple. about a month ago. We’re actually bally. “All the things that they learn
and practice on horseback will trans-
mignon and other steak cuts, chicken “Special Equestrians means a lot to pretty professional about it now; these fer into their home lives and their jobs
later on. Plus, they’re having fun.”
guys have been doing it for maybe 20
For more information, visit special-
Don’t get nervous, call Scott Tree Services years. This is truly a traditional asado; equestrianstreasurecoast.org. 

if you go to Argentina, this is the way it
happens. It’s a very slow-roasting pro-

cess and it’s very hot.”

BILL BARRY Meanwhile, guests milled about

the barn, listened to music by guitar-

CERTIFIED ARBORIST ist David Goodman and visited with

the sweet horses SETC uses to provide

CELL: 772-473-7150 equine-assisted therapy and activities

OFFICE: 772-569-3874 to individuals with special needs, to

cancer patients through Ride Beyond

OAK TREE SPECIALIST Diagnosis and to Dodgertown Ele-

SCOTT TREE TREE CARE, MOVING & CLEARING mentary School students.
Patty Brown said she was impressed

SERVICES LANDSCAPE & DESIGN SERVICES with the organization’s development
since she founded the nonprofit in

1992. Brown ran the program for five

years out of rented space on 45th

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 29

PEOPLE

Joan Swiderski, Karen Haney, Diane Hirbour and Mari Ogimachi. Sandy Robinson, George and Elke Fetterolf, Gaby Richter and Frank Baudach.

30 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Denise Jiruska and Michelle Penly. Mickey Briggs. Pedro Enriquez.

Gabrielle and Brennan Egan with son Bodhi Egan.

Matt Ohler and Madison Ohler. Sandy and George Kahle.

Lee Brown and Stacey Miller Scotchie and Karen Johnson. Cindy Rounsavall and Kathy Kemp.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 31

PEOPLE

100 grand gesture: Three win mega ‘Impact’ grants

on July 1 will become fully indepen- reviewed those submissions with in- “For many of us, this is paradise,
dent of the foundation. In recognition tegrity and within the guidelines of but for a majority of the popula-
of the longtime affiliation, Battaglini the evaluation process. tion who live here, this is paradise in
presented a plaque of appreciation to tough times. I learned a phenomenal
IRCF CEO Jeff Pickering. Mary Blair and Kate Hoffmann amount about the poverty, the hun-
spoke about their experiences as site ger, the mental health concerns that
Commenting on this unusual year, captains on the panels. exist in our community,” said Blair.
Battaglini said that while a record- “In our world today when one person
breaking 66 volunteers participated Blair, a relatively new Vero Beach thinks they can’t make a difference, I
in the grant process, they received a resident, joined Impact 100 in De-
lower than normal number of grant cember and immediately signed up to STORY & PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 32
applications. Despite that, the panels serve on grants – the “heart and soul”
of the organization.

Mary Blair and Mary Ellen McCarthy.

BY MARY SCHENKEL
Staff Writer

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Indian
River County, H.A.L.O. No Kill Res-
cue and the Space Coast Symphony
Orchestra are the newest Impact 100
Community Partners, each receiv-
ing $100,000 grants at the 11th annual
Impact 100 Grant Awards and An-
nual Meeting last Wednesday at the
Oak Harbor Club, sponsored by PNC
Wealth Management.

It has been a challenging year for
the Impact board, led by Denise Batta-
glini as president and the grants com-
mittee, chaired by Brenda Cetrulo. It
is also a momentous one, with this
year’s grants pushing total disburse-
ments to more than $4 million.

“We are a membership organiza-
tion of all women and this year we are
425 women strong, with 56 new mem-
bers,” said Battaglini, after acknowl-
edging and thanking volunteers and
sponsors.

“Impact 100 was started 11 years
ago by a small group of philanthropic
women who wanted to make a big dif-
ference and a big change in our com-
munity,” said Battaglini. “They were
able to get off the ground quickly by
establishing themselves as a fund of
the (Indian River) Community Foun-
dation, and that’s the model we’ve
been operating under ever since.”

She said this Impact is now one of
the largest in the country, maturing
to where it can operate legally, finan-
cially and operationally on its own.
They have filed for 501(c)3 status and

32 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

STORY & PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31 Elizabeth Thomason, Jennifer Royals and Jan Howington. Barbara Butts, Judy Davidson and Linda Rusciano.
Laura Luettger, Aaron Collins and Jacque Petrone. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE

Molly Segal and Trish Essick. Elizabeth Sorensen with Matilde Sorensen. Laura McDermott and Nancy Lynch. Nat Jackson and Jane Coyle.

Amy Acker, Dr. Suzanne Conway, Barbara DiMarzo, Denise Battaglini and Brenda Cetrulo. Kate Hoffman, Susan Smith, Brenda Lloyd and Gail LaForge.

think the mantra of this organization disbursement. It was left to the mem- there was no less excitement as repre- ready achieved through the creation
– one woman, one check, one vote – bership to determine whether to split sentatives of the three finalists shared of a H.A.L.O. Enrichment Center, an
shows that one can make all the dif- the surplus $25,000 between the fi- their gratitude and spoke briefly about indoor training center and a low-
ference in the world.” nalists or, as was ultimately decided their organizations and the programs cost wellness clinic.
by Wednesday’s vote, to roll that over the Impact grants will fund.
“We hope that all of the nonprofit or- as well. Aaron Collins, conductor and ar-
ganizations that didn’t get chosen this Laura Luettger, career counselor at tistic director of Space Coast Sym-
year will apply again,” said Hoffmann, “We did not anticipate this, nor do Boys & Girls Clubs, spoke about the phony, plans four programs – a free
adding her hope that nonprofits reach we really understand all the reasons Destinations program, which will family concert, a children’s concert
out to the Impact visioning commit- why. We can, however, really assure help prepare their students for college, for first- through third-graders, a
tee for help on improving their grant you that we’re addressing it,” said vocational or technical school, or the shoulder-to-shoulder concert for
applications, “so that next year there Battaglini. She said the board has al- military by giving them the counsel- Vero Beach and Sebastian High
will be a plethora of applicants.” ready begun to review their strategy ing, emotional and financial support School bands, and a once-upon-an-
and criteria, and nonprofits have been needed to succeed after high school. orchestra series, geared toward chil-
With 425 member contributions invited to a roundtable to give feed- dren and infants.
at $1,000 apiece and just three final- back about the process. H.A.L.O. founder Jacque Petrone
ists, the board made the decision to hopes to build on the remarkable suc- For more information, visit impac-
roll the extra $100,000 over for future Despite the foregone conclusion, cess that her no-kill shelter has al- t100ir.com. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 33

PEOPLE

Ann Martin and Lucy Sohm. Becky Talley, Angel LaVine, Marta Schneider and Beth Wright. Jean Manz, Jean Beckert and Lin Melchionna.

Alma Lee Loy and Becky Allen.

Suzanne Bertman and Sandy Rolf.

Andrea Adamany and Jean Cravens.
Michele Kiesel and Cate Davis.

34 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Hibiscus Festival helps showcase what’s up downtown

Miss Hibiscus 2019 Rebekah Parsons. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE Host Cindy Goetz with contestants Unique Edden, Mackenzie Cooley, Kylie Gilbert, Jasmine Murray, Marie Lorenz,
Michaela Silvey, Grace Carlon, Alicia Maneiro, Daisy Cabanas and Rebekah Parsons.

Richard and Lamarre Notargiacomo. Elizabeth Graves Bass and Victoria Kerkela.

Mary Cone and Bill DeLange with Kim Brady. Jackie Carlon with Melanie Coppola and Mary Grace Coppola.

Defer Taxes On Real Estate Sales Residents gathered en masse al Hibiscus History Ride, which
for the 2019 Hibiscus Festival in took them to historic sites about
Attend This Seminar to Learn 1031 Exchange historic downtown Vero Beach, town. The Thursday before
Rules, Regulations and Opportunities perusing the Fine Art and Fine the weekend festival, 10 young
Craft Show and the numerous women between the ages of 15
Vero Beach Hotel • 3500 Ocean Dr., Vero Beach vendor booths, cheering on par- and 19 competed in the Hibiscus
Tuesday April 30 at 11:30am ticipants in the United Against Pageant hoping to be crowned
Poverty Shopping Cart Parade, Miss Hibiscus 2019. Taking the
For more info or to RSVP please call or email and enjoying live musical enter- title was Rebekah Parsons, Ma-
Tom Kieffer (863) 944-2455 tainment throughout the day. rie Lorenz was runner-up and
[email protected] The event raises funds to sup- Unique Edden was second run-
port the efforts of Main Street ner-up. Additional awards were
RSVP Required • Accredited Investors Only Vero Beach to preserve and grow presented to Miss Photogenic
the downtown area. Early Satur- Alicia Maneiro and Miss Conge-
Securities Offered Through IBN day, cyclists rode in a Centenni- niality Mackenzie Cooley. 
Financial Services INC.
Member FINRA & SIPC

8035 Oswego Rd., Liverpool, NY

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 35

PEOPLE

Kim Partlow with Jackpot Jack the Gorilla.
Lucy Vitek with sisters Calais and Aviana Bouyssou.

Dale McGee and Sharon Lay.

Katrina Collins, Melinda Smith and Blake Green. PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 36
Alex Dietrich.

Barker

36 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Victor Aprea, Jackie Kalhamer, Nicki Munroe and Nancy McCurdy.

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35 Jane Leeth, Sara Clark and Ali Guzik. Alicia Maneiro, Rebekah Parsons and Unique Edden.
Acen Koehn.

RIVERSIDE’S ‘LEGALLY BLONDE’:
PERKY, QUIRKY AND FUN

38 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Riverside’s ‘Legally Blonde’: Perky, quirky and fun

BY PAM HARBAUGH Kathryn Brunner as Elle Woods
Correspondent with the girls from Delta Nu.

Riverside Theatre and Walnut Street PHOTOS BY HOLLY PORCH
Theatre spent a whopping $1,390,513
to co-produce “Legally Blonde: The
Musical.” Gulp.

As Elle Woods, in her perky pink suit
clutching her bedazzled Chihuahua
would exclaim – “Oh My God … Oh My
God You Guys!”

But no worries – Elle is here to say
that you can have it all.

That’s what you learn in the snappy,
bubblegum musical “Legally Blonde,”
which has come to energetic life at
Riverside Theatre.

The 2007 musical – based on the
2001 Reese Witherspoon movie, which
was based on Amanda Brown’s book –
revolves around a perky young woman,
Elle, whose signature color is pink. And
yes, she’s got gobs of blonde hair.

Director/choreographer Richard
Stafford keeps the bouncy pace bright
and breezy throughout. Dancers fill
up the space with gyrating arms and
high kicks, and fling their bodies
this way and that, like it’s a televised

Jenna Pinchbeck as Enid
and Kathryn Brunner.

500 N. INdIaN RIveR dRIve • FoRt PIeRce, FL • 34950 • 772.465.0630 Dance Party and everyone is doing earworm. In it, UCLA Delta Nu sorority
“The Pony.” sisters chatter about Elle getting
engaged; peppered with frequent good-
Music director Anne Shuttlesworth natured calls to “shut up!”
leads the almost non-stop music,
written by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Instead though, boyfriend Warner
Benjamin. The 11-piece pit orchestra announces he’s going to Harvard
makes some big sounds here. to study law and to, hopefully, find
a “Jackie” instead of a “Marilyn” –
But the look of the show is a bit on someone he feels could help him on
the slim side, and not exactly the full- the political front.
on visuals you would expect for a $1
million-plus production. Nevertheless, Ever the positive person, Elle (a most
the musical pleases and will draw adorable Kathryn Brunner) decides on
several laughs from the weary and the spot to become a lawyer as well,
even more from the unjaded. scores big on the LSAT and finagles
her way into Harvard Law. And no, her
Evocative of the opening of the parents did not grease any palms, nor
1960 musical “Bye Bye Birdie,” this did she send in doctored photographs
production of “Legally Blonde” begins of herself rowing for crew.
with “Omigod You Guys,” a sweet,
bouncy number that will become a total Instead, she sends a video; one fea-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 39

ARTS & THEATRE

Rebecca Robbins Elliott Styles as Emmett
as Paulette. and KathrynBrunner.

Sara Brophy as Brooke.

turing her with a marching band that saying “That hurt!” There’s also the
has so much energy it’ll leave you ex- lesbian and the gay men, and a Greek
hausted. The head honchos at Har- chorus of go-go dancing Delta Nu sis-
vard Law decide that it would be a ters.
good exercise in diversity to admit her.
(Oh My God … Oh My God You Guys!) Well, it takes a lot of ingredients to
make decent bubble gum, and you will
Warner (Sean Thompson) is sur- enjoy this show’s pop for sure. It’s just
prised to see Elle at Harvard. And Elle that we’re getting sort of used to ques-
is just as surprised to see his new girl- tioning certain things, which makes
friend, Vivienne (Lindsey Bliven, who “Legally Blonde” seem suddenly old.
enjoys the musical’s most well-round-
ed character). Vivienne begins as Elle’s Perhaps we’ve grown sensitive to
enemy but ends up her champion. empty sugar. Now, jokes about lesbi-
ans feel cruel. And stereotypes about
There’s also the sincere law gradu- gay men feel as wrong as the racist ste-
ate, Emmett (Elliott Styles), a guy who reotypes of Asians in “Anything Goes”
feels comfy in wrinkled corduroy. or “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” It be-
Even if you never saw the ultra-pop- comes a little squirmy.
ular movie, you know that Emmett is
the guy for Elle, even though they nev- Elle says you can have it all. Maybe
er kiss. Shut up! you can’t.

Don’t leave out Elle’s new best But then there are those two ador-
friend, Paulette (Rebecca Robbins), able trained dogs that win our hearts
a hard-working hair stylist; and her more than anything. Yes they do!
Delta Nu sister, Brooke (Sara Brophy),
who is wrongfully accused of murder. And yeah, we do have fun watching
the UPS guy (Parker Krug) wiggle his
There’s slimy lawyer Professor Cal- backside.
lahan (strongly portrayed by Paul
Schoeffler), who sings that the best OMG you guys … Pink wins.
lawyers are sharks and the rest are
chum. When Callahan makes a move “Legally Blonde: The Musical” runs
on Elle, she slaps him good and hard. through May 5 at Riverside Theater,
One person in the audience was heard 3250 Riverside Park Dr., Vero Beach.
Tickets start at $35. Call 772-231-6990
or visit RiversideTheatre.com. 

40 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Coming Up: Score one for Symphony’s tribute to John Williams

BY SAMANTHA ROHLFING BAITA been a favorite subject of art in its vari-
Staff Writer ous forms. Opening this Tuesday, April
30, at Gallery 14, and running through
1 Next Sunday. Try to imagine May, dogs and cats will again be the in-
a movie without music: From spiration for art. The works on display
will not only be “of” dogs and cats, but
the depths of the ocean to a galaxy also “for” dogs and cats, says the show
promo. “Artful Animals II” (a repeat of
far, far away, a score can transform the successful 2017 event) will benefit
a pair of nonprofit animal support or-
a film’s words and visuals to create ganizations, Indian River Community
Cats, and Dogs and Cats Forever. You’ll
a completely absorbing emotional discover all sorts of creative pieces in
oil, acrylic, watercolor, mixed media,
experience. (Who can forget those collage, sculpture, ceramic, jewelry
and photography by the gallery’s 14
two ominous notes that defined terror artist-owners, its represented artists,
and well-known animal artists Geor-
lurking beneath the waves?) When gina Love, Gail Damon and Keri Keene.
And the animal theme isn’t limited to
it comes to creating breathtaking, only dogs and cats, but includes other
species – domestic and wild. Drop by
unforgettable movie scores, the the gallery reception Friday, May 3,
during the Historic Downtown Vero
incomparable John Williams stands Beach First Friday Gallery Stroll. Stroll
time: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. 772-643-6782.
alone at the summit. This Sunday,

April 28, at the VBHS Performing Arts

Center, the Space Coast Symphony

Orchestra continues its exciting 10th

anniversary season with a smashing

multi-media concert celebrating

Williams, one of the most lauded

composers of all time, a brilliant talent 1 A tribute to John Williams, Sunday at VBHS Performing Arts Center.

who has composed some of the most

popular and recognizable film scores

in cinematic history. More likely than the concert promo puts it, Williams’ not-to-be-missed concert, Maestro
music “has transported us beyond our Aaron T. Collins will conduct 18 pieces –
not, your favorite score was written imagination – to new worlds – through selections from “Superman,” “Jurassic
heart-pounding adventures.” For this Park,” “E.T.,” several from the “Star
by Williams, sometime during his Wars” series and more. The orchestra’s 3 Keep those laughs coming: We
principal clarinetist, Jennifer Royals, could all use a little more levity,
more than six-decade-long career. As will solo for “Victor’s Theme” from
“The Terminal,” and Concertmaster
Carey Moorman will perform the right? The place to find laughs and more
violin solos in the “Schindler’s List”
selection. On-screen movie clips will (more being live music, food, bevs and a
also be a part of the concert. Gleaned
from Wikipedia, here are but a few great venue) is Riverside Theatre, most
reasons Williams is a true musical icon:
numerous unforgettable scores, all but weekends throughout the year. This
four of Steven Spielberg’s feature films
during their 40-plus-year partnership, coming Friday and Saturday, May 3 and
the 1984 Summer Olympics and NBC
Sunday Night Football. Plus he was the 4, it’s the Comedy Zone: a pair of stand-
Boston Pops’ conductor for 13 years,
has won 24 Grammys, seven British up comics whose mission in life is to put
Academy Film Awards, five Oscars
and four Golden Globes, a coveted a smile on your face, and humor that
Kennedy Center Honor, and a ton of
other accolades. “I grew up with the best suits 18 and up. Bringing the funny
music of John Williams front and
center in my life,” Collins shares. “His this weekend will be Sid Davis and Gali
ability to convey action, excitement,
drama and every conceivable human Kroup. Davis came to stand-up late, be-
(or alien) emotion through his film
music made me realize that orchestral ing otherwise occupied with raising a
music was for me.” Tickets are going
fast. Time: 3 p.m. Tickets: $25 in family. When he did enter the comedy
advance, $30 at the door, under 18 or
with student ID, free. 855-252-7276 or biz, he wasted no time getting noticed
www.SpaceCoastSymphony.org.
and boosted by the likes of Joan Rivers,

who nabbed him for her opening act af-

ter watching his video for about 20 sec-

onds. Kroup was born in Israel and had

the “stage bug” right off the bat, along

with a “highly developed sense of hu-

mor and a zany wit,” according to the

Riverside promo. Before and during the

comedy shows inside, you can hang out

under Riverside’s famous oaks for Live

in the Loop, the free live music venue,

with a full bar and grill to go with. This

Friday, the Bobby Owen Band will keep

the tempo up with classic rock. Keeping

the rock classic on Saturday, the Odd-

essey Band covers the Allman Brothers,

CSN, Jimi Hendrix, Grateful Dead and

the like. Times: Comedy Zone: 7:30 p.m.

and 9:30 p.m., Live in the Loop, 6 p.m.

2 Animal lovers and/or art lovers to 9:30 p.m. Tickets: Comedy Zone: side
– make a note: Through the ages
seats, $12; table seating, $14-$18. pri-

– from the walls of prehistoric caves to vate special occasion VIP booth, $36/

the halls of Versailles, ancient Egypt person. Live in the Loop entertainment:

to Wall Street – animals have always free. 772-231-6990. 



42 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT COVER STORY

BY JOSH DEAN | BLOOMBERG

When Brandon Sawalich started at gineers and robust investment in re- Sawalich pulls an iPhone out of his that only someone inside the bubble of
Starkey Hearing Technologies in sub- search and development. jacket pocket and opens an app called wearable med tech could use unironi-
urban Minneapolis, he was 19 and Thrive, built to accompany this para- cally. But it’s not an insane idea.
about 70 companies worldwide man- A thin, barely visible wire curls over digm shift of a product.
ufactured hearing aids. That was 1994. the top of each of Sawalich’s ears and The ear is where pediatricians get
His job was to clean the ones mailed in vanishes into the canals, where an ear- The Livio AI, as Starkey’s new device your kid’s temperature. It’s an ideal spot
for repair or, occasionally, as returns, piece the size of a marker tip delivers is called, uses tiny sensors plus, as its to measure heart rate and equilibrium,
because the user was dead and no lon- sound. “These are real,” he says. “I do name suggests, artificial intelligence which is how the Livio also provides fall
ger required them. have some minor hearing loss.” (It’s to selectively filter noise and focus on detection for wobbly seniors. If a user
from loud music and shooting guns in specific sound sources – for instance, doesn’t tell the Thrive app that he or she
Today, Sawalich is 43, there are five his youth.) the person across the table in a busy is fine within seconds after a fall, it will
companies, and he’s president of Star- restaurant – while also tracking vari- call for help.
key, which employs 6,000 people and He’s also wearing these tiny, barely ous health metrics, including steps
sold $800 million in hearing aids last visible aids because they’re the com- walked, stairs climbed, and cognitive Famous people with failing ears flock
year. pany’s latest and greatest development activity, such as how much the wearer here, to “the Mayo Clinic of hearing,” as
– the reason 300 of America’s top au- is talking and engaging with other hu- Sawalich calls it.
Sawalich is the stepson of William diologists will arrive in two days’ time mans.
Austin, the billionaire company found- at this building, the William F. Austin Rows of framed headshots display the
er who built Starkey into a privately Education Center. It also does near-instantaneous trans- universe of celebrities who’ve come for
held Goliath and has made hearing lation of 27 languages and will, after company founder Bill Austin’s Midas
aids for seemingly every famous per- Sawalich is fond of saying that Star- a forthcoming update, measure heart touch.
son who requires them, including four key makes a product nobody wants. Al- rate. The cost is next-level, too: $2,500
U.S. presidents, two popes, Nelson most two-thirds of the people in Amer- to $3,000 per hearing aid or more, de- He’s fit Frank Sinatra, Elton John,
Mandela, and Mother Teresa. ica who need hearing aids don’t have pending on the doctor and his or her Steve Martin, Paul Newman, Chuck
them, and those who do accept their services. Norris, Chuck Yeager, Walter Cronkite,
Starkey is now the only one of the fate wait an average of seven years from Bob Woodward, and a bunch of astro-
surviving Big Five manufacturers based the first symptom before seeking help. “In the next five to seven years, your nauts. Not long ago, Gene Simmons
in the United States. What’s thinned hearing aids are going to be like Jarvis and the Dalai Lama came on the
the herd of competitors, Sawalich says, “With these, hearing aids are going from Iron Man,” Sawalich says. “It’s same day.
is technology. to evolve,” he says, “so that you don’t going to be your personal assistant. It’s
have to have hearing loss to want a going to know more about what’s go- Another time, it was Hugh Hefner
Hearing aids used to be relatively hearing aid.” ing on with your body that you want to and megachurch pastor Roger Schul-
simple, inexpensive to make, and not know – your heart rate, blood pressure, ler. “I didn’t tell Roger, of course,” Aus-
hugely different from brand to brand. You heard – correction, read – that glucose. The ear is the new wrist.” tin says. “He’d think these hands had
Today they’re an increasingly complex correctly. Starkey is now pitching the touched the devil.”
digital product, requiring teams of en- world a hearing aid for people who This is the kind of ridiculous slogan
don’t need hearing aids. “I’ve done more ears than anyone –
no one is close,” Austin says. “No one

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 43

INSIGHT COVER STORY

has done one-tenth as many, not a frac- Top left: Bill Austin: “I’ve done was out of the grave like that. I knew
tion. But it’s OK. No one else wants to. more ears than anyone – no what I was gonna do. I dropped out of
Lots of people want to be good golfers. one is close.” school and started the (hearing aid)
Lots of people want to be good skiers. business. ... It was our destiny to be-
Top right: Brandon Sawalich come the leading provider in this field,
“I wanted to do something else,” became president and because we were doing it not for mon-
Austin says, launching into his ori- ey but to serve people better.”
gin story. “I was gonna save lives with transformed the company.
these hands and be a missionary doc- There was never a master plan to in-
tor like Albert Schweitzer.” He was re- Left: Achin Bhowmik, formerly stall his stepson, Brandon Sawalich, as
pairing hearing aids at night to save of Intel, is now Starkey’s chief president of the company, Austin says.
money for medical school when an technology officer. But a situation arose, and he rolled
old man came in for help. “I was able with it.
to help him hear when no one else
could,” Austin says. “And I saw in his “Brandon’s done one hell of a lot
face what it meant to him.” better than I would have thought he
could,” Austin says. “I really applaud
On his way home that night, Austin him for not being the genius himself,
interpreted a quote on the side of a bus but putting together a team, knowing
as a message urging him toward a high- that he needed all of these different at-
er calling, and before going to bed he sat tributes to make this thing go.”
down and talked to himself out loud. “I
said, ‘Bill, the reason you want to be a Everyone at Starkey seems to agree
doctor is so you can help people.’ ” But that the most important thing Sawa-
even on a good day, he thought, a doc- lich has done as president is hire Achin
tor would be lucky to help 25 people. Bhowmik as chief technology officer.
Bhowmik’s previous job was in Silicon
“All of a sudden . . . I had a fast-for- Valley, running Intel Corp.’s Perceptual
ward vision in living color – like I was Computing Group, a vaunted unit of
in a trance. I saw myself in the bottom 1,400 engineers working on autono-
of a grave. And people were standing mous intelligent systems – such things
around. And one guy said, ‘He was a as self-navigating robots, drones that
nice old doc, and he helped our com- can fly themselves without hitting trees
munity.’ ” or wires, and facial recognition cameras.

Austin smacks his hands together. “I CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

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46 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 INSIGHT COVER STORY Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 43 prove their communications.” That’s
the deeper meaning of the translation
When Starkey was courting him, An anechoic – non- function: It empowers people to talk to
Bhowmik flew to Minneapolis for a echoing – chamber one another despite language barriers.
full day of interviews. He was in the for product testing.
first meeting when Austin barged into “The second part was helping peo-
the room and commenced convers- Below: Molded ears ple live better,” Bhowmik says. “His
ing with the new prospect. They didn’t used for testing. challenge was, could you tap into the
stop talking for hours. most advanced sensor technologies
and artificial intelligence to have this
“Mr. Austin said, ‘I looked up your device help people live better in ways
work – perceptual computing, that’s more than just helping them hear? Of
pretty interesting,’ ” Bhowmik recalls. course you could. The ear is the best
“ ‘Do you realize there might be an place for having sensors.”
opportunity to use the same advance
technologies to help humans?’ ” For the past couple of months, Bhow-
mik has been wearing a set of Livio
Bhowmik hadn’t been thinking AIs even though he has perfectly good
about AI in quite this way. At Intel he’d hearing. The result, he says, is that he
been examining human systems to see feels a little superhuman. “I can turn up
how they could be replicated in, say, a the volume on the world,” he explains.
car, in the hope that someday that car “How cool is that?”
could drive itself as well as a human
could drive it. “Intel’s spending billions Today, the audiologists visit. This,
on that, and Mr. Austin’s take was com- Sawalich tells them, is a “new and im-
pletely different,” he says. “He said, proved, stronger Starkey. We’re about
‘Rather than using sensors and AI to ready to go on a rocket ride.You don’t ask
make smart machines, why don’t you what seat.You just get on.” The applause
use them to help people understand is rousing. There’s even a holler or two.
the world better?’ ”
Then Sawalich cedes the stage to
On a subsequent visit, over pizza Bhowmik, who leads with the meat
in the basement of Sawalich’s home, and potatoes. He describes the artifi-
Bhowmik and Austin mind-melded cial intelligence, the state-of-the-art
again. Austin, he recalls, asked him sensors, the 45 hours of battery life. It’s
to “look at the work from two angles.” so light and small that the wearer will
The first was, “Don’t look at this as just forget about it entirely.
a hearing aid. It’s a platform – a device
that could be used to help humans im- And that’s just the first point.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 47

INSIGHT COVER STORY

“No. 2: It’s a groundbreaking wear- “No. 4: It’s a revolutionary in-ear fall seconds, an older adult is treated in The next day, they’ll go back to their
able,” tracking body and brain fitness. detector and alert system.” the ER for a fall, according to the Na- practices to begin selling the Livio AI
tional Council on Aging. Fifty percent to patients. Which isn’t hard.
“No. 3: It’s an incredible ear-worn Each of these features is enough of them die within a year. “Do you
language translator.” Here he pauses to move product. Fitness trackers are think you can sell that value to your Within just four months, the device
to acknowledge the murmuring. “Can huge. Who wouldn’t like to hear the patients?” will account for 50 percent of all prod-
you believe it? It’s supposed to be sci- words for “I need more wine” in French uct sales worldwide at Starkey. For
ence fiction!” whispered in her ear? And every 11 Around the room, audiologists stir.
2019, the projection is 80 percent. 

48 Vero Beach 32963 / April 25, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT OPINION

Shutting down social media. My first thought was ‘good’

BY KARA SWISHER zens’ access to social media, fearing misinformation In that case, the New Zealand government did not
This is the ugly conundrum of the digital age: would lead to more violence. A pre-crime move, if you turn off the tech faucets, but it did point to those com-
will, and a drastic one, since much critical informa- panies as a big part of the problem. After the attacks,
When you traffic in outrage, you get death. tion in that country flows over these platforms. Face- neither Facebook nor YouTube could easily stop the
So when the Sri Lankan government temporarily book and YouTube, and to a lesser extent services like ever-looping videos of the killings, which proliferat-
Viber, are how news is distributed and consumed and ed too quickly for their clever algorithms to keep up.
shut down access to American social media services also how it is abused. Imagine if you mashed up news- One insider at YouTube described the experience to
like Facebook and Google’sYouTube after the bombings papers, cable, radio and the internet into one outlet in me as a “nightmare version of Whack-a-Mole.”
there on Easter morning, my first thought was “good.” the United States and you have the right idea.
New Zealand, under the suffer-no-foolish-te-
Good, because it could save lives. Good, because A Facebook spokesman stressed to me that “people chies leadership of Jacinda Ardern, will be looking
the companies that run these platforms seem inca- rely on our services to communicate with their loved hard at imposing penalties on these companies for
pable of controlling the powerful global tools they ones.” He told me the company is working with Sri not controlling the spread of extremist content.
have built. Good, because the toxic digital waste of Lankan law enforcement and trying to remove con- Australia already passed such a law in early April.
misinformation that floods these platforms has over- tent that violates its standards. Here in the United States, our regulators are much
whelmed what was once so very good about them. farther behind, still debating whether it is a prob-
And indeed, by Sunday morning so many false re- But while social media had once been credited with lem or not.
ports about the carnage were already circulating on- helping foster democracy in places like Sri Lanka, it
line that the Sri Lankan government worried more is now blamed for an increase in religious hatred. It is a problem, even if the manifestations of how
violence would follow. That justification was behind another brief block a these platforms get warped vary across the world.
year ago, aimed at Facebook, where the Sri Lankan They are different in ways that make no difference
It pains me as a journalist, and someone who once government said posts appeared to have incited anti- and the same in one crucial way that does. Namely,
believed that a worldwide communications medium Muslim violence. social media has blown the lids off controls that have
would herald more tolerance, to admit this – to say kept society in check. These platforms give voice to
that my first instinct was to turn it all off. But it has be- “The extraordinary step reflects growing global everyone, but some of those voices are false or, worse,
come clear to me with every incident that the greatest concern, particularly among governments, about the malevolent, and the companies continue to struggle
experiment in human interaction in the history of the capacity of American-owned networks to spin up vio- with how to deal with them.
world continues to fail in ever more dangerous ways. lence,” The Times reported on Sunday.
In the early days of the internet, there was a lot
In short: Stop the Facebook/YouTube/Twitter world Spin up violence indeed. Just a month ago in New of talk of how this was a good thing, getting rid of
– we want to get off. Zealand, a murderous shooter apparently radicalized those gatekeepers. Well, they are gone now, and that
by social media broadcast his heinous acts on those means we need to have a global discussion involv-
Obviously, that is an impossible request and one same platforms. Let’s be clear, the hateful killer is to ing all parties on how to handle the resulting disas-
that does not address the root cause of the problem, blame, but it is hard to deny that his crime was facili- ter, well beyond adding more moderators or better
which is that humanity can be deeply inhumane. But tated by tech. algorithms.
that tendency has been made worse by tech in ways
that were not anticipated by those who built it. Shutting social media down in times of crisis isn’t
going to work. I raised that idea with a top executive
I noted this in my very first column for The Times at a big tech company I visited last week, during a
almost a year ago, when I called social media giants discussion of what had happened in New Zealand.
“digital arms dealers of the modern age” who had, by
sloppy design, weaponized pretty much everything “You can’t shut it off,” the executive said flatly. “It’s
that could be weaponized.
too late.” 
“They have weaponized civic discourse,” I wrote.“And
they have weaponized, most of all, politics.Which is why Kara Swisher is a long-time technology journalist
malevolent actors continue to game the platforms and for The Washington Post, The New York Times and The
why there’s still no real solution in sight anytime soon, Wall Street Journal. This column, which originally ap-
because they were built to work exactly this way.” peared in The Times, does not necessarily represent the
views of Vero Beach 32963.
So it is no surprise that we are where we are now,
with the Sri Lankan government closing off its citi-

SKIN CANCER, PART VI BIOPSY © 2019 VERO BEACH 32963 MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

The three main types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squa- If you suspect you have skin cancer, see your physician as soon as pos-
mous cell carcinoma and melanoma. The second most common form sible. If he or she is concerned, a biopsy (tissue sample) will be taken
of these, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), is an uncontrolled growth and then examined under a microscope to determine if it is SCC or
of abnormal cells arising from the squamous cells in the epidermis, another type of skin cancer. If biopsy results show tumor cells are pres-
the skin’s outermost layer. ent, treatment is necessary.
More than 1 million cases of squamous cell carcinoma are diagnosed
each year in the U.S. Incidence has increased up to 200% in the past TREATMENT
three decades, and more than 15,000 Americans die each year from
the disease. Fortunately, there are several very effective treatments for squamous
cell carcinoma. Your physician will choose the best treatment based
WHAT TO LOOK FOR on the type of tumor you have, its size, location and depth of penetra-
tion. He or she will also take into account your age and general health
Squamous cell carcinoma usually appears as: status.
 Persistent, thick, rough, red scaly patches that may bleed Most treatments can be done in an outpatient setting such as a physi-
 Warts cian’s office or clinic using a local anesthetic. Pain, during and after the
 Open sores that fail to heal or new growths with raised borders procedure, is usually minimal.
and crusty surfaces over an elevated growth that has a central Treatment options include:
depression  Mohs micrographic surgery
SCCs most commonly occur in areas of the body that are frequently  Excisional surgery
exposed to the sun, such as the rim of the ear, lower lip, face, balding  Curettage and electrodissection (electrosurgery)
scalp, neck, hands, arms and legs. However, they can also be found in  Cryosurgery (“freezing”)
mucous membranes and genital areas.  Radiation
 Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
CAUSES OF SCC  Topical medications
A new intravenously (IV) infused drug called cemiplimab-rwlc (brand
The causes of squamous cell carcinoma include: name Libtayo®) was approved by the FDA in September 2018 as the
 Cumulative, long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation first and only treatment for metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of
from the sun over a person’s lifetime the skin.
 Daily year-round sun exposure Next time we’ll learn more about these treatments for squamous cell
 Intense exposure in the summer months or on sunny vacations carcinoma. Future columns will also include exciting advancements
 UV produced by indoor tanning devices being made in the battle against malignant melanoma. 
If caught early, most SCCs are curable and cause minimal damage. Your comments and suggestions for future topics are always wel-
However, if lesions grow large and deep and spread (metastasize) to lo- come. Email us at [email protected].
cal lymph nodes, distant tissues and organs, they become much more
dangerous, potentially disfiguring and life-threatening.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BOOK REVIEW

There are two classic questions beloved by both Oliver Goldsmith, best known today for his immortal joyed liaisons or brief encounters with over 70 differ-
interviewers and readers: What 10 books would you comedy, “She Stoops to Conquer,” and Richard Brins- ent women. Both men, not surprisingly, suffered from
choose to take along if marooned on a desert island? ley Sheridan, the dramatist who gave us that equally profound depressions, but Johnson relied on reason,
And what five people from history would you invite imperishable masterpiece, “The School for Scandal.” prayer and self-control to battle his demons while lit-
to an ideal dinner party? Many potential castaways tle Jamie sought temporary solace in the bottle, street-
would immediately grab James Boswell’s “Life of Sam- Such an A-list would be hard to match, except for walkers or his journal.
uel Johnson,” probably the most entertaining work of one obvious deficiency: The Club – as it was sim-
nonfiction in English literature. Interestingly enough, ply called – excluded women. Damrosch, however, Throughout “The Club,” Damrosch seamlessly mix-
this greatest of all biographies also supplies a possible doesn’t. As he composes his group portrait of the es learned exposition with striking factoids and ob-
answer to the second question, but one that isn’t in Club’s intellectual and artistic superstars, he extends servations. By the end of the 18th century you could
the least fantastical. retroactive membership to several notable women, receive the death penalty for at least 250 different
such as Johnson’s benefactor Hester Thrale and the crimes. Boswell knew 40 of Horace’s odes by heart. In
For 20 years, starting in 1764, Samuel Johnson, novelist and diarist Fanny Burney. He also periodically the Seven Years’ War “for every man who died in battle,
James Boswell, Edmund Burke, Edward Gibbon and reminds us of the servants, prostitutes, mistresses and an incredible total of 88 died of disease.”
Adam Smith met regularly at the Turk’s Head tavern wives who catered to the whims and whines of these
in London for conversation and conviviality. These frequently randy, drunken hypochondriacs and de- To show the elegant diction and perfect command
are, as Leo Damrosch writes in “The Club,” arguably pressives. Contemporary paintings and caricatures, of syntax that characterize Gibbon’s prose, Damrosch
“the greatest British critic, biographer, political phi- all closely scrutinized by Damrosch, further enrich reproduces the best known footnote from “The De-
losopher, historian and economist of all time.” Other our feel for the age’s high and low life. cline and Fall of the Roman Empire”: “Twenty two
members of this 18th-century dining society – nearly acknowledged concubines, and a library of sixty-two
all self-made men – included the era’s most famous Because it tracks at least a dozen figures, “The Club” thousand volumes, attested the variety of his inclina-
painter, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and its most celebrat- can’t compare in scholarly depth with Damrosch’s su- tions; and from the productions which he left behind
ed actor, David Garrick, as well as the multitalented perb critical biographies of Rousseau and Swift. None- him, it appears that the former as well as the latter
theless, the now retired Harvard professor of English were designed for use rather than for ostentation.”
has brought “the common reader” – Johnson’s term He also quotes Adam Smith on the danger of allowing
– an exceptionally lively introduction to late 18th- businessmen to become rulers. They are, warned the
century English thought and literature. No doubt the author of “The Wealth of Nations,” “an order of men
book grew out of what must have been a dazzling sur- whose interest is never exactly the same with that of
vey course on the age of Johnson. the public, who have generally an interest to deceive
and even to oppress the public, and who accordingly
If you’re already an aficionado of this period, you have, upon many occasions, both deceived and op-
will recognize that Damrosch compresses a vast pressed it.”
amount of detail into his narrative and relates many
of the best anecdotes and verbal bonbons associated In the end, though, nobody rivals Johnson for
with Johnson or his friends. I did miss seeing one of generous-hearted compliments or devastating put-
my favorite Johnsonisms, though. Speaking of his downs. He once said that you couldn’t stand for five
edition of Shakespeare, the former Grub Street hack minutes with Burke “beneath a shed while it rained,
confessed, “Sir, I have two very cogent reasons for not but you must be convinced you had been standing
printing any list of subscribers: one, that I have lost all with the greatest man you had ever yet seen.” Abra-
the names; the other, that I have spent all the money.” ham Cowley’s love poems, however, are “such as might
have been written for penance by a hermit, or for hire
Unlike the critic George Saintsbury, who looked to by a philosophical rhymer who had only heard of an-
18th-century literature for “repose and refreshment,”
Damrosch never idealizes or whitewashes. His John- other sex.” 
son is ugly, palsied, blind in one eye, subject to obses-
sive-compulsive disorder, possibly sexually masochis- JOHNSON, BOSWELL AND THE
tic, mortally afraid of damnation and anti-American. FRIENDS WHO SHAPED AN AGE
Boswell is a feckless, vain alcoholic who lives on hand-
outs from his sarcastic father and can’t keep his pants BY LEO DAMROSCH | YALE. 473 PP. $30
buttoned: By the time he married at 29, he had en- REVIEW BY MICHAEL DIRDA, THE WASHINGTON POST

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