06/08/2017 ISSUE 23

Beautiful ‘Minds’! P4 Follow the money. P5 ‘Tri’ draws a crowd

Sea Park Elementary wins Beachside communities keep Almost 500 compete in iconic
world academic games title. an eye on gas-tax dollars. Pineapple Man Triathlon. PAGE 10

THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 2017 | VOLUME 02, ISSUE 23 www.melbournebeachsider.com | NEWSSTAND PRICE $1.00

Dog perishes as Rape suspect
Indialantic fire was jailed for
drives out family similar crime

STORY BY BILL SOKOLIC STAFF WRITER STORY BY GEORGE WHITE STAFF WRITER
[email protected] [email protected]

An unattended stove sparked Career criminal and regis-
a one-alarm residential fire tered sexual predator Harry
in Indialantic on May 31 that Claude Page of Winter Haven
displaced a family of four and faces charges for attacking a
killed the family dog. The blaze woman reading a book in her
heavily damaged a single-story car in Hightower Beach Park
house on the 200 block of Ave- in Satellite Beach Feb. 12, but
nida Del Sol. it seems like déjà vu to a 2000
crime in which Page was con-
The alarm went out at 6:41 victed of attacking an early-
p.m. First responders arrived morning jogger in Tampa.
at 6:46 p.m. and brought the
fire under control by 7:16 p.m. In both cases, DNA evi-
dence on file linked Page to the
According to the Brevard crimes, but in the earlier case
County Fire Rescue report, it took more than a year after
Kathrine Angel was cooking the attack to make the con-
nection. He ended up spend-
Brevard County’s Oars and Paddles Part is considered one of the world’s best for paddling. PHOTO: BENJAMIN THACKER ing 13 years in prison for the

Rowers anxious for park improvements CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

french fries in a pan of grease. STORY BY GEORGE WHITE STAFF WRITER Panhandlers ply
“She turned on the stove to [email protected] their trade amid
heat the grease and went to legal gray area
check on her daughter in the With neighbors opposing ex-
bathtub. When she returned pansions and funding in limbo, Panhandlers have become a familiar sight beachside. PHOTO: BENJAMIN THACKER STORY BY GEORGE WHITE STAFF WRITER
to the kitchen, flames were Oars and Paddles Park beats [email protected]
shooting into the overhead at the very heart of a thriving,
ventilation fan above the river-loving community that Seasoned panhandlers
stove,” the report stated. launches from its dock, and have become an almost dai-
rowing enthusiasts want im- ly sight on Eau Gallie Bou-
Angel tried to extinguish the provements sooner than later. levard beachside, and they
fire by swinging a towel at the know exactly where to stand
pan. “The flames got hotter In July, Brevard County – at the very edge of three
turned the park, located on
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Banana River Drive in Indian CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Harbour Beach, over to the
city, but city officials could
not develop a formal pro-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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2 Thursday, June 9, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

NEWS

HIGHTOWER An Indialantic house fire caused an estimated $168,760 in damages. PHOTOS: JULIAN LEEK PANHANDLING

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 FIRE with financial help as we do for all fire CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
victims,” said Mike McElrath, disaster
crime. This time, it only took a month CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 program master for the local chapter. law enforcement jurisdictions with dif-
for DNA evidence to link Page to the The assistance allows the family of fering approaches to the problem.
Satellite Beach rape, and he was easier and more volatile so she evacuated four to stay in a hotel and not on the
to find, as he was serving time in Polk the house with her two daughters and street. A caseworker will follow up for State statutes on panhandling en-
County for failing to report as a sexual called 911,” the report said. Husband a couple weeks and supply vouchers forced by the Indian Harbour Beach
predator. He was arrested March 15. Chris Angel arrived home from work as for clothing and furniture. Police, Melbourne Police and Brevard
the fire department arrived on scene. County Sherriff’s Office focus on the
“The DNA (sample) that we got that Before the tragic fire last week, safety hazard to the roadway by im-
was the clincher, the most significant, Fire Rescue estimated damages police records show authorities had peding traffic rather than the act of
was from under her fingernails. She at $168,760, including the property been called out to the residence five panhandling itself. While all three
resisted a lot. She fought, kicked and and contents, with no official word times since January 2016, including departments generally allow panhan-
scratched. If she was just passive and whether the house is expected to be twice in response to animal com- dling if there are no complaints, MPD
didn’t do anything, we wouldn’t have habitable. plaints and twice to assist the Florida has primary jurisdiction on the road-
gotten those fantastic samples,’’ said Department of Children and Family way and takes a more strict approach
Satellite Beach Police Chief Jeff Pearson. Florida’s Space Coast Chapter of the Services.  to make sure they are not “aggressive”
American Red Cross assisted the fam- as defined in a 2014 Melbourne ordi-
Harry Claude Page ily. “We responded and supplied them nance.

That evidence will be key at the cident in crime before and was actu- “We can’t monitor those cameras The Indian Harbour Beach Police
upcoming trial, Pearson said. “The ally out of prison. That’s what made me constantly but we can record them Department and BCSO only have
perpetrator was completely careless, mad,” Barker said. and then we certainly would use it if a little pockets of jurisdiction between
like DNA didn’t exist, something you crime occurred. People knowing that the businesses generally along the
wouldn’t expect that in this day and In response to the attack, video cam- it’s there can be a deterrent as well. If north side of the road way.
age because the criminals understand eras placed at the park on a pilot pro- we install them anywhere they are go-
DNA. I think he’s a nasty hardened gram which have been non-functional ing to be all done at once,” Barker said. MPD, as part of the 2014 City Coun-
criminal that doesn’t care. He just so ar- for years will be replaced with the new- cil crackdown on panhandlers espe-
rogant he thinks if he goes far enough est technology, along with similar ca- Page currently is in Brevard County cially in the downtown area, checks
away nobody is going to catch him.” pabilities to be added at all city beach Jail on no bond facing three life sentenc- all panhandlers they come across,
parks. The city has $75,000 earmarked es for charges including attempted mur- said watch commander Sgt. Brian
Satellite Beach City Manager Courtney in capital improvements for the cam- der, aggravated sexual battery, burglary Hart. “We check who they are, what
Barker said she was appalled when she eras in its current budget to be final- of occupied vehicle, aggravated battery, they are doing, check for outstand-
found out about the previous conviction ized by mid-September, Barker said. robbery and false imprisonment.  ing warrants, and we’ll enter them
and a long criminal history beginning into our data base of how many times
when he was underage. Pearson believes we’ve contacted them,’’ he said.
Page chose Brevard County for the attack
because he was familiar with the area Whether the person is arrested or
and knew it had public parks along the gets a warning is always based on the
beach where he could find a victim. officer’s discretion. Hart said legiti-
mate cases of panhandlers just being
“It’s very frustrating as a woman to down on their luck are referred to lo-
see that he had that very similar in- cal social services agencies to help.
But there are “career panhandlers”
where “sometimes the only enforce-
ment action we can take is make an
arrest,’’ Hart said.

The most confusing spot where all
three jurisdictions come together at
the same place is near the intersec-
tion of SR A1A and Eau Gallie Boule-
vard, said Brevard County Sherriff’s
Office Public Information Officer
Todd Goodyear. “It gets kind of crazy
out there between the causeways as
far as jurisdictions,’’ he said.

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Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, June 9, 2017 3

NEWS

If deputies witness panhandlers pretty much leave them alone,’’ Good- ation could be improved if the juris- a lucrative job. Most are likely home-
being impaired or hassling people year said. diction borders were “squared off” to less, camping in wooded areas or in
for money, they stop and make sure make more sense. parks or under the bridge.
they are not wanted and as a way to Indian Harbour Beach Police Chief
get to know them. “As long as they are David Butler said the confusion over Contrary to a popular urban myth, “I don’t think we have professionals.
respectful and being safe about it, I jurisdiction gets worked out through Butler does not believe there are We have a lot of them where they live
would say most agencies in the state increased communication between wealthy panhandlers in Brevard who on the beach and panhandling is what
departments. But he admits the situ- own their own homes and just beg as they do to survive,’’ he said. 

4 Thursday, June 9, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

NEWS

OARS AND PADDLE PARK was never made was that tourism of- SEA PARK WINS WORLD
ficials initially questioned whether ACADEMIC GAMES TITLE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 the park request would qualify under
legal guidelines. City Manager Mark STORY BY STACI DONOVAN CORRESPONDENT Sea Park Elementary Odyssey of the Mind world cham-
posal for the needed dock expansion, Bryan reported to the City Council [email protected] pions (back row) coaches Sophie Williams, Ken Williams,
new railings, storage building and ad- May 9 that the TDC determined the Lauren Williams, coach Trina Bloom and Kate bloom;
ditional parking ready to go in time to funds could in fact be used for im- Satellite Beach’s very own Sea Park (front row) Lana Stout, Victoria McDine, Sophie Bailey,
apply for Tourist Development Coun- provements at the park, clearing the Elementary School brought home Sarah Miller and Eva Bradley.
cil funding this budget year. Those way for a new proposal for future first-place honors in the Odyssey of
plans have been mothballed until the funding cycles to be created with the the Mind World Finals competition at jects ranging from math to history, art,
next go-around. help from the community. Michigan State University last week, music, science and robotics. Odyssey
beating out more than 20,000 stu- founder Dr. Samuel Micklus made a
Oars and Paddles Park is consid- The improvements would not nec- dents and 850 teams. cameo on stage to congratulate the
ered one of the world’s best for pad- essarily add more users, but discus- all-female troupe of Sophie Bailey,
dling because of the Banana River and sions brought out neighbors from Sea Park’s Willy Wonka-time travel Kate Bloom, Sarah Miller, Victoria Mc-
Grand Canal, and that’s where sea- Harbor Isles, about 100 homes located themed production met stood up Dine, Lauren Williams, Lana Stout and
soned rowers gathered Saturday for to the south, complaining about over- against efforts from teams traveling Eva Bradley, with coaches Bloom, Ken
National Learn to Row Day to give kids use and noise. A citizens’ advisory from 14 countries as far away as Rus- Williams and Sophie Williams.
and adults their first experience being committee – including Justin Torpy, sia, Japan and Italy, but Satellite Beach
part of an eight-man crew. president of the Harbour Isles Home- kids wowed the judges most of all. “It’s Time Omer” was the name
owners Association, along with repre- of the long-term problem the team
The National Learn to Row event, sentatives from Space Coast Rowing With help from local businesses chose to solve. “They used the Willy
sponsored nationally by US Rowing, Club, Space Coast Dragon Boat Club, and sponsors, the team raised $14,000 Wonka theme to travel back in time to
was a joint local effort by Space Coast and recreation director Kristine Cusi- in three weeks to get the students to inspire artists Leonardo da Vinci and
Crew and Row Brevard, which train mano – is looking into balancing all the May 24-27 contest. “It amazes me Chen Hongshou,” Bloom said, noting
out of the park. During the winter the competing interests in Oars and that our caring community and our that their vehicle was shaped like a
months, Oars and Paddles also attracts Paddles Park. friends and our family all contributed gumball machine. Hundreds of hours
professional, international rowing and supported us to make this hap- were spent making a replica of the
teams, mostly from Northern Europe, “It’s a good thing it’s being utilized pen,” said team coach Trina Bloom. Mona Lisa. Scenes were made entirely
where it’s too cold to train. They stay but it’s being used heavily as winter from repurposed materials.
for weeks or even months, spending training grounds and it wasn’t de- Bloom shared the exciting news
money on hotels, short-term rentals, signed for that,” Torpy said. on social media the night they won Bloom praised the girls for a year’s
food and professional services during “Speechless!” she said.“I had a good worth of hard work. “They got a taste
their intense training sessions. City control over the park offers a feeling we won, but I didn’t want to of it last year at Worlds. They started
great opportunity, Torpy said. “We’re give false hope. They called the sec- working last summer, worked thru
Saturday’s crowd highlighted the trying to come up with a plan on how ond through sixth place winners and I Christmas break and Spring break,
bottleneck that occurs when every- to utilize the park over the long run just sat there thinking it is all or noth- too. Their performance was flawless!”
one wants to get out on the water at that is agreeable to as many people ing. Then I heard the words ‘first place she said. 
once. While two eight-man boats were as possible. Right now we have an Sea’ ... and then I don’t remember any-
loading or waiting to dock during the architect volunteering his time for thing for the next two hours.”
event, several fishing kayakers were a drawing of the site but everybody
waiting several minutes to unload seems against adding structures. Ev- On its way to the world finals, Sea
from a successful morning trip. erybody kind of liked the boardwalk Park took first place in Division 1 in
and dock.” the Space Coast Regionals on March
“Absolutely we could use more dock 4 and at the Florida State Tournament
space. The improvements on the dock Torpy credited the city staff and city on April 8. The team was awarded the
would be major. The dock is so busy council for being receptive to infor- prestigious Ranatra Fusca Award, the
because you can only launch one boat mation from the neighborhood as ev- highest honor for creativity.
at a time and an eight (man boat) takes idenced by a sometimes contentious
up the whole dock,’’ said Jen Decker, early workshop meeting held on site. Odyssey of the Mind, founded in
board member with Space Coast Crew. “During that first meeting everybody 1978 and spanning kindergarten
kind of went off on each other and through college, is the largest creative
John and Linda Dyer with the Space the things that were going on. Now we problem-solving program and com-
Coast Dragon Boat Club initiated know what all the concerns are I think petition in the world, covering sub-
the ask to the Tourist Development we’ll come up with proposal that will
Council, due to a strong bed-tax year, be found agreeable to most people,’’
and dragon boat paddler Jacie Stivers, he said. 
worked out many of the details. But
one reason why the funding request

SERVING MELBOURNE BEACH PLUS SATELLITE BEACH, INDIAN HARBOUR BEACH & INDIALANTIC

Community Editor Advertising Director We are here to provide Brevard barrier President and Publisher
Lisa Zahner, 772-584-9121 Judy Davis, 772-633-1115 island readers with the most comprehen- Milton R. Benjamin, 772-559-4187
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Staff Reporter Advertising Account Executives Beach, and South Merritt Island. Creative Director
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Michelle and Sofia Tovar.

Nice ‘Tri’:
Almost 500 compete
in Pineapple Man P. 10

8 Thursday, June 8, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

SEEN & SCENE

Cha-cha-ching! Dancing stars raise $250K for charity

Rob Vitaliano, Roger Alexander and Brandon Lanza. Larry and Erin Herring with Julia and Kevin Barney. PHOTOS: BENJAMIN THACKER Miles Toshie, Melissa Parker and Marc Betlock.

Dr. Ken Stackpoole and Christine Lance. Barry Johnson and Dani Clevens.

Mary Krasny and Dylan Dalrymple. Jessica Haines and Glad Kurian. Gary and Kathleen Weidenmoyer. Marilyn and Winston Scott.

STORY BY CYNTHIA VAN GAASBECK CORRESPONDENT son, Angie Friers with pro Lance ganization that helps kids, one that Teams danced their amped-up
[email protected] Sexton, Bart Gaetjen with pro La- helps combat crime and one that cha-chas and foxtrots to pop hits
Donna Campbell, Ted and Melissa supports the arts in Brevard Coun- and modern versions of Latin ball-
South Brevard County certainly Parker with pro Heidi Arnold, Mari- ty.” room favorites. Sequined dresses
has no shortage of fun and worthy lyn Scott with pro Brad Stein, Tyler and matching menswear were the
fundraising events, but only one re- Sirois with pro Heidi Arnold, and Beneficiaries this time are the rule, save for Melbourne Police
quires its participants to step lively Natasha Spencer with pro Primo Parker Foundation for Autism and Commander Claycomb’s daring
out of their comfort zones. Garcia. Child Development in Indian Har- black Levi’s, white shirt and black
bour Beach, the Children’s Advoca- cowboy hat for his country-flavored
Dancing for the Space Coast, Sixty percent of the score comes cy Center of Brevard in Suntree, and routine as he and Elena Sexton
presented by the Brevard County from fundraising and 40 percent is the Maxwell C. King Center for the danced, to David Nail’s “Strangers
Sheriff’s Office for the third year, is all about the dance moves. Performing Arts in Melbourne. In on a Train.”
our hometown version of “Dancing addition, the Brevard County Sher-
with the Stars” and was held Satur- Lee Isenman and Alyssa Boyd of iff’s Office Charity receives a por- Despite a slight miscalculation
day night at the Clemente Center at Cocoa Beach were rooting for the tion of the proceeds. by Ted Parker performing a difficult
Florida Institute of Technology in Parkers. “We’ve come for several lift, resulting in wife Melissa tak-
Melbourne. years,” said Boyd, adding, “We have The Clemente Center scrubbed ing a tumble, the Parkers won the
a lot of friends that are dancing and up nicely for the evening, with a competition and raised more than
Nine well-known residents also we support the charities that half mile or so of shimmering white $44,000. Clevens came in second,
worked for weeks with local dance they’re raising money for.” curtain ringing the interior and raising more than $30,000, and Na-
professionals, who donate their subdued lighting. Surrounding the tasha Spencer, who also raised more
time and talent to teach fine-tuned Sheriff Wayne Ivey and co-emcee 36-foot-by-36-foot dance floor were than $30,000, came in third. The
dancing skills and choreographed Cpl. John Martinez led the festivi- 65 round tables dressed in black real winners were the charities ben-
the routines. ties, including a live auction featur- with spring flower centerpieces and efitting from the estimated $250,000
ing jewelry and pricey wines. Ivey white chairs wrapped in teal ribbon, raised during the competition. 
Taking the spotlight were: Marc told the sellout crowd of 704 people, each set for 10 to 12 guests.
Claycomb with pro Elena Sexton, “Each year, we select one local or-
Dani Clevens with pro Barry John-

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, June 8, 2017 9

SEEN & SCENE

‘Hip to be Square’ art show takes shape in Eau Gallie

STORY BY CYNTHIA VAN GAASBECK CORRESPONDENT 
[email protected]
Millie and Steve Mitchell with Therese Ferguson. PHOTOS: BENJAMIN THACKER Sue Doucette, Mary Salvage and Judy Bowman.
On an evening otherwise washed out
by relentless thunderstorms, warmth Christine Bordeau and Bonita Madden. Don and Ann Krieger. Karen Chadbourne and Barbara May Smythers.
and good humor were on show last
Friday alongside spectacular artworks Phyllis Marple and Linda Neil. Sandy and Robert Siegman. Therese Ferguson and Debbie McElwain.
in one of the Eau Gallie Art District’s
storefront galleries. Hence, there are wildly differing Dr. Haig John The power that made the body, heals the body.
styles, subjects and media, from the YOUR FAMILY CHIROPRACTOR
The Art & Antique Studio on High- jewel tones rendered in acrylic, Liqui-
land Avenue opened its 13th Anniver- tex ink and pigment powder in Marri- 321-722-5846 FAMILY-CENTERED CARE:
sary Members’ Show, dubbed “It’s Hip ott’s abstract to Walton’s art-within-art • Webster’s Technique
to be Square.” The monthly First Friday depiction of a woman with a tropical Historic Downtown Melbourne • Pregnancy Care
celebration that normally sees streets bird tattooed on her back. 2100 Waverly Place, Melbourne, FL • Newborns Gently Adjusted
packed with residents and visitors en- • Children and Family Care
joying live music, vendors, food and “I just like everything here. It’s a very • And Adults Too!
drink was called due to a dire weather cozy, very quaint gallery,” said Satellite Keep Your Spine In Line
forecast, but individual shops and gal- Beach resident Cheryl Johnson, who
leries stayed open for the brave few. brought her daughter Tyler. “It’s really Read Our Google Reviews
nice to interact with the artists. I do like Dr. Haig John
Friends, family and fans of the 13 (photographer) Don Martin’s work. It’s 
artists on exhibit filled the three rooms awesome. I mean, how can you not like
with light conversation and laughter it?” she asked. GetChiro.net
as they examined the artworks while
nibbling hors d’oeuvres and sipping re- Just two hours into the exhibit,
freshments. Hunt sold her contribution, “Key
West Sunset,” for $150. The show runs
The four-week run showcases the through July 4. 
works of Karen Chadbourne, Therese
Ferguson, Gretchen Ten Eyck Hunt,
Carol Ann Johnson, Deb Marriott,
Connie Marshall, Don Martin, Deb-
bie McElwain, Mary Salvage, Barbara
Smythers, Lolly Walton, and Don and
Kay Williamson.

Gallery founder and director Fergu-
son said the artists’ cooperative has
been at the current site for a little more
than a year, having spent the three
previous years across the courtyard.
She said back in 2004, friends urged
her to open a gallery. After a little back
and forth, she agreed and the antiques-
filled art studio, workshop and gallery
opened.

“We signed only a three-year lease
because we didn’t think we would
make it for more than three years,” she
said with a chuckle.

Co-founder McElwain, a collector of
antique furniture and glass, brought
the homey feel. “We didn’t want it to
look like a typical gallery, because
sometimes they look a little cold. We
thought having some antique furni-
ture in here would make it feel a little
more like home,” Ferguson explained.

Each member contributed a piece to
the exhibit, with only one constraint: It
had to be square.

“We used to always have different
themes and everything would work
around it. But then we decided that we
really didn’t want to be tied to having
to paint something that might be out
of our area of interest,” Ferguson said,
adding, “So somebody came up with
the idea of doing everything in square
format and everybody can do their
own thing.”

10 Thursday, June 8, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

SEEN & SCENE

Nice ‘Tri’: Almost 500 compete in Pineapple Man

STORY BY GEORGE WHITE STAFF WRITER cessful 32-year run without a hitch as North Palm Beach, one of two elite
[email protected] the state’s oldest sanctioned event. females in the event, shaved two min-
utes off her time and had a personal
Part small-town tradition, part elite For the vast majority of the 477 total best on bicycle. “This year I decided
athletic endeavor, the Rotary Pine- entrants, including relay racers, Pine- to try to elite this year to see how I
apple Man Triathlon held Sunday in apple Man is part of a personal jour- could do. I knew the run was going to
Melbourne Beach carried on its suc- ney employing fitness as a means to be tough so I just tried to push the mo-
mentum on bike,’’ she said.
Al Steiginga and Mike Goody.
Male winner John Reback of Jupi-
growth – and in many cases, friendly ter was hurting after the race. He had
bragging rights. cut his training short to recover from
an Achilles tendon injury. “I was red-
For the elite triathletes, Pineapple lining the whole way. I was basically
Man offers a serious opportunity for a holding on by a thread and Ed was
good time as a notoriously fast course, pushing the pace,’’ said Reback, who
including a swim around the Historic didn’t pass second-place finisher Ed
Melbourne Beach Pier, a bike trek up Donner until the very end.
scenic A1A and a brisk run through
meandering residential streets. The Tovar family entered the relay,
with Sofia, 12, and Nico, 11, rounding
Eric Smith of Melbourne served as out the team. “They (the elite runners)
race director for the second year and are having fun whatever is going on
said the Pineapple Man draws people (on the course). They all keep in touch
from all over the state because it has and know each other. It’s an awesome
a reputation for serving up great fun. race, the community, the volunteers.
“It’s a very fast race, swim is in the They do a good job putting it togeth-
river so it’s not choppy and the run is er,’’ said Michelle Tovar.
flat,’’ he said.
Debbie Rescott of Merritt Island
Another key to the longevity and was nervous, not having raced since
success of Pineapple Man is the doz- 2012. She had to come back from a hip
ens of community volunteers and the injury, perhaps resulting from a gru-
slate of charities chosen by the Rotary eling 14 hours during a much longer
Club of Melbourne Beach which will Ironman triathlon. “I think triathlons
benefit from about $20,000 in pro- are generally less pressure because
ceeds, Smith said. you usually aren’t good in all three
events. Swimming was my tough one
Female winner Tracy Fisher of because of fear of water, but I know I
can get through it,’’ Rescott said.

Bob Panzak, 51, of Merritt Island
used to be really into triathlons and
participated in many. These days,
there is a different motivation. “This is
my one a year because this is the one
I like the best. It keeps me motivated
to keep active year round,’’ he said. 

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, June 8, 2017 11

SEEN & SCENE

Joe Faletra, Susanne Coullias and Leslie Faletra. PHOTOS: BENJAMIN THACKER Dan Clark and Amy Trossman. Katie Dugan, Jade and Linda Rydson.

Cierra and Don Carter. Carrie Rodriguez and Noelle Spielman. Daryl Atkins and Curtis Byrd. Sue Mack, Angela Heyne and Caroline Driscoll.

Christy and Neil Heskel. Seth Levenstein and Yogi the dog. Jessica, Kelly and Harper Pannucci. Jim and Delanee Bryan.

Mike Suominen, Melanie Turner and Josh Manning.



WONDER-FUL CAST
ADDS TO APPEAL OF
SURFSIDE’S ‘ALICE’

14 Thursday, June 8, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

ARTS & THEATRE

Wonder-ful cast adds to appeal of Surfside’s ‘Alice’

STORY BY PAM HARBAUGH CORRESPONDENT son one that is good for all with wordplay. But you can PHOTOS BENJAMIN THACKER
ages. He also expects the only put so much of that into
When Alice falls down that rabbit big final show will draw a play.” randa Kane, the Cheshire Cat, both
hole at Surfside Playhouse, one thing great talents to audition at call the show “quirky.”
is perfectly clear: She’s not in Kansas the beachside theater. To create the rich fan-
anymore. tasy world into which Alice “The show is looking so amazing,”
While most theaters in tumbles, Bergeron turned to Kane said. “The audience is going to
Wait. That was a different story. the area may have scores his team of volunteer artists love it.”
And in a way, so is this “Alice in of actors auditioning and especially to his props
Wonderland,” Surfside Playhouse’s for every show, Surfside master, Mark Papson. “Alice in Wonderland,” which
season finale that should get audi- typically draws in few- opened June 2, runs through Sunday
ences scratching their heads wonder- er, Bergeron said. So he Papson is a retired, pro- at Surfside Playhouse, 301 Ramp Road
ing if they’ve landed in a children’s makes sure to plan a show fessional properties mas- (5th Street South), Cocoa Beach. Tick-
program. But not to worry: Although that will have deep appeal. ter whose last professional ets start at $25. Call 321-783-3127 or
this sounds like children’s theater, gig was on the hit television visit SurfsidePlayers.com. 
this “Alice” has an adult layer to it and “All the theaters com- show “The Big Bang Theory.”
is designed to appeal to all ages, says pete for talent,” he said,
director Bryan Bergeron. adding that for “Alice” he Props are usually a “for-
Indeed. Just look at Bergeron’s cast had 78 audition. “It was gotten department,” said
of A-list performers from Brevard’s the most all season.” Bergeron. But someone had
theater scene. Many of the 32 cast to come up with fantastical
members have a community theater While planning served items like oversized teacups
pedigree that spans the county, re- him somewhat, serendip- and flamingo mallets.
sumes loaded with serious drama, ity should be taking the big
gutsy musicals and adult farce. bow. More than a year ago, “For the Mad Hatter scene,
For the second and final weekend when the season was being he found the right kind of
in the show’s run, the cast is telling planned, no one could have bowls, made handles and
Lewis Carroll’s famous Victorian story even imagined the current screwed them together,”
about a little girl, Alice, who falls into political climate of intense Bergeron said. “What Mark
a rabbit hole. As she tries to find nour- ideological warring. brings to the table is a creative
ishment in the Mad Hatter’s tea party, eye, ingenuity and a meticu-
or gets advice from a Cheshire Cat, she “Given the state of na- lous attention to detail.”
finds that life keeps growing “curious- tional politics, I think many of us are
er and curiouser.” feeling a bit ‘Through the Looking Wanting to get the look just so, cos-
The entire cast appears to be having Glass’ nowadays,” Girard said. “While tume designer Kim Welborn construct-
too much fun prancing about in wild Alice may not comment on our cur- ed most pieces from foam in order to
costumes, slipping into arch villain- rent circumstances overtly, its glances create a “classic cartoon” look.
ess, gaming the goofy, and bending at truth versus illusion, and the nature
the gender. of power and dominance are certainly “Costumes are looking good,”
Terrence Girard, arguably Brevard’s timely. Plus, it’s funny stuff and Bryan’s Bergeron said. “They’re very creative.
best-known stage actor, takes on the going to a layer of wackiness that goes We wanted a show that would stretch
role of the Duchess. Annie England, beyond Lewis Carroll’s original text.” our technical ability in costuming,
another very well-respected dramatic makeup, props and scenery. ‘Alice’
actor, is the Caterpillar. Girard loves In addition to political parody, does this in spades.”
the idea of “toying with gender.” Bergeron said there is darkness in-
“Carroll has another character de- herent in Carroll’s story – the Queen Sage Parrish, who is Alice, and Mi-
scribe (the Duchess) as ‘very, very ugly,’ chopping off heads, a hooka-smoking
which works out well as I don’t make for caterpillar, being engulfed in a pool
a very attractive lady,” said Girard. of tears. But not to worry, the kiddies
For the record, although he eschews won’t be bothered.
type-casting, Girard did take on the
role of Lady Bracknell in Melbourne Dorothy Ann Wright calls her char-
Civic Theatre’s 2011 production of acter, The Queen of Hearts, “Fifty
“The Importance of Being Earnest.” Shades of Terror.”
As for the most elegant England, to
say the least, she gets made up in blue “Even when she is not angry, she is
makeup and costume for her role as still angry,” Wright said. “She bullies
Caterpillar, then positions herself on a those who are spineless and weak.
giant mushroom and smokes a hookah. Those who show any strength of will
“(That) is a first for me,” she said. or defiance are seen as a threat to her
“Bryan Bergeron has directed a hilari- ability to maintain control and there-
ous show with talented Wonderland fore must be eliminated.”
characters that is not just for kids or
adults. It’s a wild ride for every age.” Still, Wright said, the show is “very
Bergeron has a deep background of colorful and should be something en-
his own producing professional tour- joyable for all ages.”
ing children’s shows, but he likes to
make Surfside’s final show of the sea- The adaptation Bergeron chose was
written by Brainerd Duffield. It dra-
matizes 14 episodes from Carroll’s
“Alice in Wonderland” and “Through
the Looking Glass.”

“It rearranges some of the scenes a
bit to make the show more linear and
a little more of a hero’s journey,” he
said. “The novel of course is so rich

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, June 8, 2017 15

ARTS & THEATRE

GROOVY MOVIES: OUR TOP FILM FEST CHOICES

STORY BY MICHELLE GENZ STAFFWRITER “The Flash.” When the trio launched “Finding Kuan” and “25 Tracks” all Falling Down,” with a director another
[email protected] a Kickstarter to get the project off the come recommended, as does “Made in source called “very up-and-coming”:
ground, Joss Wheedon was a key sup- Venice” – “a little long but very inter- Rebecca Weaver. She also wrote and
If there was one criticism of last porter. esting,” according to one early viewer. edited the film, about a young wom-
summer’s debut of the Vero Beach an going back home to a wedding in
Film and Wine Festival, it was that the Other must-see shorts include “Can- That same viewer felt that while the small-town Wisconsin after the death
offerings were too bountiful – no one dice and Peter’s Smokin’ Hot Date,” shorts category had lots of stars, the of her father. Weaver stars in it, too.
could see them all. “A Whole World for a Little World,” dramatic features selection wasn’t
“Rice Balls,” “Only Five Minutes” and as strong as last year’s. Of them, “Love and Hostages” got a positive
It’s a great problem to have. This “Washed Away.” “Mousse” got a strong recommenda- mention in the “funny-cute” column,
year, with expectations high as the tion – he called it “hysterical.” Another while “D-Love” got tagged as clever.
four-day festival gets underway, the Among documentary features this “beautifully done” feature film is “June
dilemma is even more daunting. Start- year, “The Rebound,” “Sea Gypsies,” CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
ing Thursday and running through
Sunday, there are more films, more MURPHYCADILLAC.COM
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them not running out. Otherwise, you
will wallow and flounder and drink
wine and blather, then find yourself
like I did last year at the finale party at
Blue Star Wine Bar unable to keep up
a coherent conversation because you
missed the best movies.

“Oh, yeah, I heard about that one,”
will not get you far with the cogno-
scenti come Sunday, though you can
still dance in the parking lot.

With that warning, and my sources’
suggestions, I leave you to structure
your days with the schedule’s help.
And factor in plenty of time for park-
ing, walking and talking.

In the shorts category, most talked
about is likely to be “The Letter Car-
rier,” what one of screeners called
“highly polished and compelling.”
The 1860’s story of escaped slaves
hiding their family in the Blue Ridge
Mountains, the short is the directorial
debut of Jesse L. Martin and Rick Cos-
nett, with a score of folk songs writ-
ten by Martin and arranged by Carlos
Valdes. Martin, Cosnett and Valdes
are all stars of the superhero TV series

16 Thursday, June 8, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 ARTS & THEATRE

Jerusha Stewart. Coming Up: ‘Menagerie’ tops arts charts

PHOTO BY DENISE RITCHIE

STORY BY PAM HARBAUGH CORRESPONDENT 5 While visiting the
Fifth Avenue Art

1 While the cultural community is Gallery, leave enough
catching its breath after a most
time to jump across the

active main season, there are still street to visit Florida

some goodies that will churn interest Tech’s Foosaner Art

even for the most ardent of Melbourne Museum. It’s current

area culture vultures. At the top of the exhibition, “Pan Ameri-

list is Melbourne Civic Theatre’s artful can Modernism,” runs

production of “The Glass Menagerie.” through July 29. The

MCT’s director, Peg Girard, chose this exhibition comprises

Tennessee Williams classic drama more than 70 works from

to be her season finale. In fact, that’s mid-20th century art-

what she does every season – slips in a ists in 13 countries in

Lest we forget that the festival cele- work that’s both challenging for a pro- North, South and Cen-
brates not only the art of film-making,
but wine-making, the feature length duction team and the audience. “The tral America and the
documentary “Decanted,” directed by
Nicholas Kovacic, will make its East Glass Menagerie” runs through June Caribbean. It has been
Coast premiere here in two festival
venues – Quail Valley River Club and 25 at Melbourne Civic Theatre, 817 organized by the Lowe
Costa d’Este Resort. Both will be stag-
ing the Vino Veritas Vintner dinners Strawbridge Ave., Melbourne. It per- Museum, a simply won-
on the festival’s opening night, Thurs-
day (June 8). forms 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, derful institution on the

Saturday night, wine lovers will and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $29 campus of the University
gather again for the festival’s Grand
Tasting under the new Wow! tent in and $31. Handling charges may apply. of Miami. The Foosaner
Riverside Park, a promising addition
to the festivities this year. Call 321-723-6935 or visit MyMCT.org. Art Museum is at 1463

Earlier that day, if your olfactory Highland Ave. in the Eau
nerves need a warm-up for all those
noses, you can expand your range 2 It’s a bit of a drive, but fans of Gallie Arts District of
with a perfume bar that accompa- stage favorite Margaret Cross
nies a screening of “Perfume Wars,” Melbourne. Hours are 10
a documentary about entrepreneur –
and now screenwriter – Barbara Ste- will probably be heading to Orlan- a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednes-
germann, who launches a company
that buys rose essence for perfumes, do to see the Melbourne resident in day through Saturday.
convincing Afghani farmers to switch
from growing poppies for heroin. Mad Cow Theatre’s production of Free admission. Call
That party, hosted by “La La Land”
producer Molly Smith and producer/ “Animal Crackers.” This Marx Broth- ‘Fabrications’ by Gabriele DiTota. 321-674-8916, visit Foo-
publicist Ngoc Nyugen, starts at noon
Saturday. ers “wacky romp” turns a dignified through June at the Fifth Avenue Art sanerArtMuseum.org or
Gallery. DiTota is the winner of the gal-
As for people-watching, the buzz is weekend party into lunacy filled with lery’s annual 100% Pure Florida juried click on their ad.
clearly about Burt Reynolds, who’ll be exhibition. DiTota was born in Ger-
here Friday night to accept the festi- visual gags, puns and more Marx many, where he mother was a seam-
val’s Life Worth Living Legend Award. stress, so fabrics had an early influence
He’ll also be here for the Florida pre- Bros. mayhem. Mad Cow Theatre is on her unique organic fabric art. Her 6 Another Florida Tech museum,
miere of his new film, “Dog Years.” art quilts have been exhibited interna- the Ruth Funk Center for Textile
The screening takes place at Riverside at 54 W. Church St. (second floor) in tionally. Fifth Avenue Art Gallery is at
Theatre after a panel discussion that 1470 Highland Ave., Melbourne. Regu-
includes Reynolds, “Dog Years” direc- downtown Orlando. Tickets start at lar hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays Arts, has on view “Flora & Fiber.” This
tor Adam Rifkin and producer Neil through Saturdays, and 1 to 4 p.m. Sun-
Mandt. $33. Visit MadCowTheatre.com. days. Call 321-259-8261 or visit FifthAv- exhibition runs through Aug. 26 and
enueArtGallery.com.
“We’re thrilled to have one of film- has works culled from its permanent
dom’s biggest stars in our theater,” ‘Pan American Modernism.’
says Riverside’s Oscar Sales. 3 As long as you’re driving, here’s collection. It is designed to show how
one thing all you foodies, wine
That all follows a few toasts at Cin- plants inspire hand-weaving and dye-
ema Uncorked, the festival’s main
bash under the Wow! tent, sponsored connoisseurs and film buffs simply ing and how they also inspire both the
by Celebrity Cruises. Festival orga-
nizers are hoping that throngs turn cannot miss: the Vero Beach Wine + design and adornment in textile art es-
out for the party since the tickets
can be bought singly at an affordable Film Festival. It runs June 8-11 at vari- pecially in Asia and later in Europe and
price: $30. 
ous locations throughout Vero Beach. America. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to

This year’s guest of honor of Burt Reyn- 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and

olds, who stars in one of this year’s pre- noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. The center is

miere films, “Dog Years.” This is a ma- located next to Evans Library on

jor film event. In fact, it has been called the Florida Tech campus, 150 W.

the “Summer Sundance,” and its sister University Blvd. in Melbourne. Ad-

festival is the Sonoma International mission is free. More information

Film Festival. There are five pass cat- visit http://textiles.fit.edu.

egories, beginning with $40 day pass

which includes films, panel discus- 7 Jazz takes
the spot-
sions, wine tastings and more. There’s

also a $495 premiere pass which gets light this week-

you into everything including the end at Heidi’s

Vino Veritas Vintner Dinner, the Bub- Jazz Club in Co-

bly Brunch & Patio Screening, the wel- Jessie Jones Jr. coa Beach where
Jessie Jones Jr.
come party and the Fete Finale Wrap

party … and more. To see a list of the will perform with the Ron Teixeira

more than 75 award winning films and Trio. Jones has performed interna-

to get activate those taste buds, spend tionally and is known for his soul-

some time scouring the festival’s web- ful sound both on instruments and

site, VBWFF.com. as a vocalist. His sets run 8:30 p.m.

to midnight on Friday and Satur-

4 “Fabrications,” an exhibition day. $10. Heidi’s Jazz Club is at 7 N.
of art by Gabriele DiTota, runs
Orlando Ave., Cocoa Beach. 



18 Thursday, June 8, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

INSIGHT COVER STORY

The America’s Cup MORE

MATTHEW SYMONDS | THE ECONOMIST board and computer graphics that explain exactly they are much cheaper to build and operate than the
what is going on. AC72s, but they are nonetheless faster, while being
It is more like flying than sailing. The boats com- technically much more sophisticated than the AC45s.
peting for the 35th America’s Cup in the qualifying At this stage, nobody knows which of the teams
round that began in Bermuda last week can skim competing in Bermuda for the right to challenge Their reduced size means that their shore “foot-
across the water at nearly three times the speed of Oracle for the cup in June will have the winning print” is smaller, so more teams can fit their bases
the wind that is propelling them. combination of superior boat speed and slickest along a given waterfront, and they can be packed
sailing team. into a standard container for shipping and reassem-
With the wind behind them, they will hit 55 bling anywhere in the world. Another cost-saving
mph. Even more remarkably, when tacking against The boats that are racing are an entirely new measure is the requirement for all teams to use the
the wind, the 50-foot carbon-fiber catamarans are America’s Cup Class (ACC). With a length of 50 feet,
still capable of flying on their foils three feet above
the waves at speeds of up to 30 mph.

Since 2010, when Oracle Team USA (owned by
Larry Ellison, the multi-billionaire founder of the
Oracle business-software firm, and led by Sir Rus-
sell Coutts, a New Zealander and serial America’s
Cup winner), ripped the “auld mug” from the tena-
cious grasp of the Swiss team, America’s Cup rac-
ing has undergone a revolution.

The boat that won the 33rd America’s Cup was a
90-foot trimaran with a sail bigger than the wing of
a Boeing 747.

It was a far cry from the previous AC class, the
elegant 12-metre monohull sloops that rarely ex-
ceeded 15 mph. But Ellison and Coutts had a vi-
sion: to make one of the world’s oldest sporting
contests (first raced in 1851) a compelling specta-
tor event in which the best sailors would sail the
fastest boats. As holders of the cup, they had the
privilege of setting the rules. And in the past seven
years, they have gradually turned it into something
much more like Formula One on water.

At the 34th America’s Cup held four years ago in
San Francisco, they realized part of their ambition.
The match racing between 72-foot catamarans tear-
ing up the bay on their foils between Alcatraz Island
and the Golden Gate Bridge was visually spectacular.

It was also the stage for one of the greatest come-
backs in sporting history. The holders, Oracle, were
down 8-1 to Emirates Team New Zealand in the best-
of-17-race series, but came roaring back to win 9-8,
leading the previously dominant Kiwis to the line in
the final race by 44 seconds. America’s Cup racing
was no longer just for sailing nerds.

In the two years running up to this year’s cup, six
teams have competed at venues all over the world,
such as the Solent, Fukuoka, the Gulf of Oman and
New York, in so-called “one-design” – that is, iden-
tical – AC45s, which look like scaled-down versions
of the AC72.

This series of fleet races, in which all six boats sail
against each other at the same time, has attracted
vast crowds on shore and a growing television au-
dience, thanks to cameras that take the viewer on





Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, June 8, 2017 21

INSIGHT BOOKS

It was one of the strangest episodes the president “mean, bit- on to praise politicians who had the seemed to be catching the wave of the
in the history of American politics. ter, vicious – an animal in courage to lead a “revolution” in the revolutionary 1960s that might have
After the assassination of President many ways,” and he made cause of freedom and human dignity. launched him into the White House,
John F. Kennedy, his brother, Attor- little effort to disguise his had he not been assassinated himself
ney General Robert Kennedy, sought contempt around inquir- These are worthy sentiments, and, in 1968.
to become the Democrats’ candidate ing reporters. LBJ could in a general sense, they do describe
for vice president in the 1964 election. see that Bobby hated him Robert Kennedy’s personal odyssey But Kennedy was a deeply complex
as a usurper of his broth- after his brother’s death. But they do man, with a dark side and an anger
Bobby’s quest made little sense. er’s crown. “When this not describe Kennedy’s tortured in- that earned him the nickname, not
Yes, he would be carrying the family fella looks at me, he looks ner life or explain the sheer perversity unfairly, “Ruthless Robert.” There
torch. But the man at the top of the at me like he’s gonna look of his attempt to compel LBJ to accept have been endless debates – at the
ticket, President Lyndon Johnson, a hole through me, like him as his running mate. time and ever since – about the real
had little incentive to accept RFK as I’m a spy or something,” RFK: the “Good Bobby” or the “Bad
his running mate. While the Kennedy Johnson exclaimed. Ken- Bohrer’s book, which covers the Bobby” of the old Jules Feiffer car-
name might have brought some lus- nedy knew that if he actu- period of RFK’s life from November toons. It is impossible to know which
ter to LBJ’s election campaign, Bob- ally succeeded in becom- 1963 to June 1966, is tightly packed side would have emerged had he sur-
by Kennedy was unpopular in some ing vice president, he’d be with detail, much of it fascinating and vived and been elected president (no
quarters, particularly among white relegated to a powerless even moving. It will satisfy the Ken- sure bet, by any means – Kennedy
voters down South, where RFK was purgatory, just as LBJ had nedy true believers and interest stu- was too hot, too confrontational for
viewed as a pro-civil rights hothead. been under JFK. dents of politics. Bohrer is a diligent many voters).
researcher and a brisk writer. But he
What’s more, the two men loathed Still, during the win- fails to include some of the more re- Kennedy’s love and compassion,
each other. Kennedy privately called ter and spring of 1964, vealing details that might help shed while deep and real, were laced
RFK maneuvered to force light on why RFK was half out of his with vengeance and anger. Indeed,
Johnson’s hand. He dis- mind in the months following JFK’s it is hard not to sympathize with
patched his most devious assassination. his nemesis, Johnson. Bohrer oddly
operative, Paul Corbin, to neglects to include in his account
lean on political bosses His grief was tinged with guilt. As of RFK’s speech at the 1964 Demo-
in the northern states, attorney general in the Kennedy ad- cratic convention this bit of poetry,
then tried to cover up his ministration, RFK had functioned about Bobby’s fallen brother but also,
own role. LBJ was com- as his brother’s henchman as well as meanly and a little sneakily, about
pelled to formally reject Kennedy’s his keeper. On the afternoon when LBJ. Quoting from Shakespeare’s
bid in a private meeting in the Oval the president was killed, Bobby start- “Romeo and Juliet” (Jackie Kennedy
Office (typically, the president then ed making phone calls to find out if had shown him the passage), RFK de-
proceeded to brief friendly reporters, there was a plot behind the assassina- clared, “When he shall die/ Take him
pantomiming RFK’s physical discom- tion. He directly asked the director of and cut him out in little stars/ And he
fort). Briefly, Kennedy considered fo- the CIA, John McCone, if the agency shall make the face of heaven so fine/
menting a pro-RFK stampede at the had had something to do with JFK’s That all the world will be in love with
Democratic National Convention in death. He called into a CIA safe house night/ And pay no worship to the gar-
Atlantic City. in downtown Washington to speak ish sun.”
What motivated Kennedy to make with a Cuban exile plotting against
this quixotic effort? In his new book, Fidel Castro to see whether he knew The reference to the “garish sun”
“The Revolution of Robert Kennedy,” anything. He called a lawyer in Chi- was obvious to everyone, especially
John R. Bohrer, a TV news producer cago who had contacts in the mafia. Johnson. Kennedy went on to become
and journalist, suggests that the an- For months (if not years), Kennedy the tribune of a fairer future. But he
swer can be found in a forward that was haunted by the fear that the ag- never let go of his shadowy past. 
RFK wrote in December 1963 for a gressive tactics he had waged against
memorial edition of JFK’s “Profiles the mob and Castro had somehow THE REVOLUTION OF ROBERT KENNEDY
in Courage.” Bobby quoted one of grotesquely backfired. From Power to Protest After JFK
his brother’s favorite authors, Lord By John R. Bohrer
Tweedsmuir, to the effect that politics Kennedy was driven by more than Bloomsbury. 384 pp. $30
is an “honorable profession” and went a desire to do good in the world. He Review by Evan Thomas,
was courageous, especially when he The Washington Post
confronted the casual bigotry of vot-
ers at campaign appearances, and he

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A Biography A Jack Ryan Jr. Novel

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22 Thursday, June 8, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

INSIGHT BOOKS

Annie Jacobsen’s new book, “Phe- Table Foundation, where Puharich article] reported that ESP tests had Annie Jacobsen.
nomena: The Secret History of the U.S. promised to prove once and for all that been conducted aboard the world’s first
Government’s Investigations Into Ex- we all possess an untapped potential nuclear-powered submarine, the USS known as Detachment G, or Det G.
trasensory Perception and Psychokine- beyond our five senses. Nautilus, the year before.” Weary of having to decide whether
sis,” is an entertaining narrative about
the U.S. government’s forays into psy- As fate would have it, Camden, Maine, The French journalist reported that a the people who claimed to have special
chic phenomena. There are two kinds was (and still is) a favored retreat not sailor aboard the Nautilus had been iso- mental powers were taking officials for
of people who read books like this: the just for East Coast aristocracy but for lated inside a cabin under the sea and a ride, the Army dipped into its own
ones who already believe and are look- the intelligence community as well, and had been asked to connect with a tech- ranks to find soldiers who appeared to
ing for affirmation, and those in my it was there that Puharich began his on- nician on the East Coast of the United have some extrasensory gifts.
camp, skeptics looking (and failing) to again, off-again relationship with the States. The civilian scientist helping
find proof. U.S. government. At parties in seaside with the experiments told the magazine In September 1979, after satellite im-
mansions, Puharich met key leaders that “about 75 percent of the telepathic ages suggested increased activity in-
The usual suspects of the paranor- in the military who ended up funding tries are said to have been successful” (a side a massive building at Severodvinsk
mal all make cameo appearances in his experiments. He was asked, among contention the Navy later denied – offi- Naval Base in Russia, about 650 miles
the book: from ESP and clairvoyance to other things, to investigate ESP and see cials said the story was a hoax). Even so, north of Moscow near the Arctic Circle,
out-of-body experiences, telepathy and whether it could be used as a means of the Soviets and the Chinese took notice, the National Security Council called
spoon bending. The difference is that long-distance communication in sub- and an undeclared ESP war began. upon these psychic soldiers. The coun-
this time, the suspects are sometimes marines, and to explore the potential cil wanted Det G to use its “remote
in uniform. “for psychic healing on the battlefield.” For skeptics, Jacobsen’s meticulous viewing” powers to figure out what was
reporting on the government’s experi- inside the building.
Jacobsen begins with a man named “U.S. government military efforts to ments into the paranormal won’t prove
Andrija Puharich, who, after going to explore psychic phenomena remained to be very satisfying. She describes how The military turned to a man named
medical school, persuaded a roster of mostly out of the public eye until De- psychics were tested by believers, who Joe McMoneagle. He was asked to con-
rich people – from Astors to du Ponts – cember 1959,” Jacobsen writes, “when ended up giving new meaning to the centrate on a photograph concealed in
to fund his experiments in extrasensory an article about a secret government idea of confirmation bias. Time and an envelope, and he immediately de-
perception. They established a research ESP program appeared in a French again, experiments were presented to scribed seeing a building near a shore-
laboratory in Maine called the Round magazine called Constellation. … [The military and intelligence officials as line. He said that it smelled like gas
earth-shattering, but without peer re- and that there was some kind of vessel
view or meaningful attempts to re-cre- inside. “I’m seeing fins,” he said, “but
ate the supposed breakthroughs, they they’re not rocket fins or [air]plane fins.
tended to disappear into the ether. They’re … they look like shark fins.”

Among the characters with whom Four months later, Jacobsen writes,
Puharich became obsessed was an Is- new satellite images “made clear to the
raeli named Uri Geller. For readers who CIA that the Soviets had covertly con-
watched variety shows in the 1970s, you structed a prototype for an entirely new
may remember Geller as the guy who generation of nuclear-powered ballistic
bent spoons on camera with his mind. missile submarines. The Soviets called
He would do so by placing two fingers this clandestine effort Project 941, code-
near his neck, concentrating hard and name … ‘Shark’ in Russian. The Shark
saying, “Bend, bend, bend.” He asked submarine would become known in the
the viewing audience to try it for them- West by its NATO reporting name ‘Ty-
selves at home. phoon.’”

His party trick went to the next level Most everything involved in the ex-
when he was giving a telepathy demon- periment is classified, so we don’t know
stration in a theater in Tel Aviv and said exactly how McMoneagle came up with
he needed to sit down. He claimed he this description. It’s unclear whether a
was woozy because a historical event sympathetic Det G official had slipped
was about to happen or had just oc- something to McMoneagle that allowed
curred. “Geller claimed that Gamal Ab- him to make a lucky, educated guess.
del Nasser, the president of Egypt – Is- What we do know is that the Typhoon
rael’s sworn enemy at the time, ‘had just submarine viewing became fraught
died or is about to die.’” with meaning. 

“Twenty minutes had passed when PHENOMENA
someone ran into the room shouting,” The Secret History of the U.S. Government’s
Jacobsen writes. “Radio Cairo had just Investigations Into Extrasensory Perception and
announced that Present Nasser was
dead. At 6:00 that evening, he had suf- Psychokinesis
fered a heart attack and died. With this By Annie Jacobsen
news, Uri Geller’s reputation skyrock- Little, Brown. 527 pp. $28
eted.” Review by Dina Temple-Raston
The Washington Post
Not long after, Puharich arrived in Is-
rael and asked Geller to come to his lab
for testing.

“Phenomena” is about the U.S. gov-
ernment’s efforts to understand people
like Geller – Jacobsen makes clear that
some were sympathetic figures and
others were clearly charlatans.

For much of the book, Jacobsen seems
firmly ensconced in the skeptics camp,
but in the final chapters she seems to
succumb to her own evidence. One of
her most convincing examples involves
a clandestine unit in Army intelligence







26 Thursday, June 8, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

INSIGHT BACKPAGE

Insensitive sis is ruining new mom’s hoped-for trip home

STORY BY CAROLYN HAX THE WASHINGTON POST Dear A.: You suggest you can’t “enjoy going home”
But you can visit and see everyone and bring except on these terms, and that may be true,
Dear Carolyn: I live across the your new family back home. The only thing that’s but that’s not your sister’s or your mother’s
country from my parents. They stopping you is you. problem to solve. They’ve made their deci-
still live in the home I grew up in, Specifically what’s stopping you is your in- sions on what is theirs to control: The guest
which they built by themselves as a sistence on being there on your terms and only room is yours, if you want the farm experi-
small farm and homestead. Three your terms: Staying at your family’s farm, in bed- ence. If you want more space, then stay with
years ago, my older sister moved rooms vacated by your sister’s kids. one of your other sisters. “Take it or leave it”
back into the house with her three implied.
children after a divorce and bank-
ruptcy. My older sister and I have It might seem that cramped quarters or
always had a rocky relationship. petty sisters or weak mothers or second-
As a new parent myself, I have missed the pres- choice housing are the true enemies of con-
ence of my parents more than ever. My family has tentment, but they’re not. They’re just the
never been sentimental, but I long to establish a facts you’ve been given. The enemy of con-
solid relationship between my kids (1 and 3) and tentment is the refusal to accept your facts
their grandparents. However, my sister won’t ask as facts, and to keep hoping someone will
any of her kids to share a room for a week or con- hand you different ones.
sider having her kids at their dad’s, so I have to
stay in the tiny guest room with my entire family. Even if you’re “right” in the purest sense
My mother and two other sisters have suggested – that your sister is acting out of spite and
I stay elsewhere, like a rental or another sibling’s your mom is a pushover and staying else-
house. However, I love the natural farm setting where kills the experience – and even if
and want my kids to experience the farm lifestyle. everyone reading this agrees you’re asking
My mother says it’s my sister’s house, too, and I only for reasonable accommodation – that
have to coordinate with her. has no bearing on the outcome. It doesn’t trig-
I don’t think it’s fair that I can’t enjoy going home ger a “better person” exception or an I-deserve-it
with my children because of my sister’s insensitiv- do-over.
ity and possessiveness of the space. I really resent So stop driving yourself crazy waiting for one.
how my family is not willing to go out of their way Either don’t go at all, or: Pick the lodging you pre-
to make sure I can visit and see everyone and bring fer, guest room or off-site; focus your attention
my new family back home. on your parents; make an (I’m guessing overdue)
effort to get along with your troublesome sib; and
– A. leave pointed sighing at home. 

Varicose veins
may indicate serious

health problems

28 Thursday, June 8, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

YOUR HEALTH

Varicose veins may indicate serious health problems

STORY BY TOM LLOYD STAFF WRITER Dr. Hai Kenney. uniquely qualified to make that diag- symptoms such as aching, swelling,
[email protected] nosis. skin irritation, discoloration or inflam-
PHOTOS: BENJAMIN THACKER mation.”
Varicose veins are those gnarled, “This Vascular Vein Center,” say Ken-
enlarged, deep blue or dark purple pools in leg veins which can become ney, “focuses on venous diseases. Spe- The multinational organization goes
veins that are most often seen in the enlarged or varicose.” cifically, chronic venous insufficiency on to say “endovenous ablation is safe,
legs. which encompasses varicose veins, less invasive than conventional sur-
That, in turn, can lead to painful spider veins and taking care of patients gery and leaves virtually no scars.”
Commonly thought to be just a aching, difficulty in walking or mov- who have symptoms associated with
cosmetic issue, varicose veins (also ing, and can also lead to ulcers on the venous insufficiency. We treat them “This venous disease is lifestyle-lim-
known as varicoses or varicosities) skin. medically with lasers (endovenous ab- iting” Kenny says, but properly treating
can, in fact, be a sign of serious circu- lation) or with sclerotherapy (an injec- varicose and spider veins can reduce or
latory problems, according to Dr. Hai Kenney, a medical doctor with a tion directly into the vein).” eliminate the limitations, allowing se-
Kenney, an interventional radiologist two-year stint at Baltimore’s Johns niors to stay active – a key to a longer
with Sebastian River Medical Center Hopkins on his resume, points out Endovenous ablation, according to and healthier life.
and Vascular Vein Centers, which has that age, previous injuries, and deep the RSNA, “uses laser energy to cauter-
offices in seven Florida cities, includ- venous thrombosis (DVT) or blood ize damaged or varicose veins in the One fly in this particular ointment
ing Viera. clots within the veins also can lead to legs.” is the previously mentioned miscon-
varicose veins. ception that treating varicose veins is
Varicose veins are also far more While it may be used for cosmetic strictly a cosmetic – or vanity – issue
common than most people think. “When you have clots in the veins,” purposes, RSNA says, “It is most com- and therefore most people think their
Kenney explains, “it can do injury to monly used to help alleviate related insurance won’t cover it.
Medical News Today says “ap- the valves inside the vein.”
proximately one-in-four adults in the Kenney says that’s just not true. “A lot
United States are affected by varicose DVT is usually treated in a hospital of patients think their insurance won’t
veins.” setting, but it must first be diagnosed pay for treatment and so they don’t
and physicians such as Kenney are seek that treatment. But insurance
That may help explain why the Vas- does pay for treatment if it’s indicated.
cular Vein Centers appears to be one If we show that the patient’s symptoms
of the fastest growing medical prac- are severe, they will cover [the costs of]
tices in Florida. Its doctors currently all of these treatments. We just need to
treat about 150 patients each day. demonstrate that the indications are
there.”
Referencing what he calls the mis-
conception that varicose veins are Kenney says, “The full spectrum of
little more than a cosmetic issue, the this disease process wasn’t really un-
affable and engaging Kenney says, derstood until recently. How venous
“I believe it’s an under-appreciated disease comes about and the ramifi-
problem in healthcare.” He pauses be- cations and the manifestations of it
fore adding, “it is actually a disease.” weren’t really understood.”

The Radiological Society of North Now, he says, that has begun to
America agrees. change.

On its website radiologyinfor.org, Dr. Hai Kenney is an interventional
the RSNA says “normally, blood cir- radiologist with both the Vascular Vein
culates from the heart to the legs via Centers and the Sebastian River Medi-
arteries and back to the heart through cal Center. He can be reached at Vas-
veins. Those veins contain one-way cular Vein Centers’ newest location at
valves which allow blood to return 6525 Third Street, Suite 208 in Viera at
from the legs against gravity. If the 321-704-8505. 
valves leak [or are damaged], blood

Alarming number of teen girls experience depression

STORY BY ARIANA EUNJUNG CHA THE WASHINGTON POST in many children appears to start as numbers show that whatever diver- “diagnose” survey participants with
early as age 11. By the time they hit age gent paths boys and girls take hap- depression using diagnostic criteria
Depression is usually considered 17, the analysis found, 13.6 percent of pens even earlier than expected. from the Diagnostic and Statistical
an issue parents have to watch out boys and a staggering 36.1 percent of Manual of Mental Disorders. Through
for starting in the turbulent teenage girls have been or are depressed. Published in the journal Transla- the survey, they were able to capture a
years. The CW channel, full of char- tional Psychiatry, the study was based broader group of children than those
acters with existential angst about These numbers are significantly on data compiled from in-person in- who have a formal diagnosis and who
school, friends and young love, tells higher than previous estimates. Un- terviews with more than 100,000 chil- may be in treatment.
us so, as do the countless parenting derstanding the risk of depression is dren who participated in the National
books about the adolescent years in critically important because of the Survey of Drug Use and Health from Joshua Breslau, a senior researcher
every guidance counselor’s office. close link between depressive epi- 2009 to 2014. The NSDUH is an annual in the division of health for RAND and
sodes and serious issues with school, survey on a representative sample of lead author of the study, explained
But what if by that time it’s already relationships and suicide. the U.S. population. in an interview that one of the main
too late? working theories about why there is
While researchers have long known Among the standard questions such a big gender difference in de-
A large new study out last week con- about the gender gap in depression, asked are ones about insomnia, irri- pression had to do with the teen years.
tains some alarming data about the with more adult women than men tability and feelings of guilt or worth-
state of children’s mental health in the suffering from the condition, the new lessness that researchers used to “The idea was that it was something
United States, finding that depression





Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, June 8, 2017 31

FINE & CASUAL DINING

Pico Alto: Sampling tastes of Peru in Indialantic

REVIEW BY TINA RONDEAU COLUMNIST
[email protected]

For authentic tastes of Peru – one of Causa de Yellow Pepper Pescado a lo Macho.
the hottest cuisines going the past few Camaron. Ceviche.
years – you could make the pilgrimage PHOTOS BY BENJAMIN THACKER
to Lima, or drive a couple of hours to rice fried Chinese style – a technique Lucuma Chocolate
South Florida. introduced to Peru by Chinese im- Cheesecake. ruvian cuisine, the tastes
migrants – featuring meat or seafood. here are authentic and
Since our last visit to Lima when we The chaufa de mariscos was made with it a nice kick. And the lomo saltado will give you a chance to
tried the fabulous La Mar, chef Gastón seafood. But in some regions in Peru, consisted of stir-fried steak, red on- see what the fuss is about.
Acurio – sometimes called the Peruvi- quinoa – a traditional Andean ingredi- ions, tomatoes, soy sauce, Peruvian And if you are looking for a
an Wolfgang Puck – has opened an el- ent – is used in place of rice. The quinoa spices, peppers and cilantro served Peruvian food fix and are
egant (and pricey) outpost in the Man- chaufa vegetariano was a bit bland, but with French fries and rice. The steak willing to sacrifice ambi-
darin Oriental Hotel in Miami. the rice in the chaufa de mariscos was was very tender and tasty. ance for good food, give Pico
delicious. Alto a try.
But to sample some Peruvian dishes By this point, we certainly had en-
a lot closer to home, you might also The picante de mariscos was a va- joyed more than enough for dinner so I welcome your comments,
consider a visit to Pico Alto, a restau- riety of mixed seafood sauteed with a we passed on the Peruvian desserts. and encourage you to send
rant just off A1A in Indialantic. rich creamy sauce served with white feedback to me at tina@vero-
rice. The addition of aji amarillo, a yel- Dinner here is not inexpensive. With beach32963.com.
This is not fine dining. Apart from low Peruvian pepper, to the sauce gave appetizers, entrées and a couple glass- The reviewer dines anonymously at
the attractive blue tile wall behind the es of beer or wine, it could easily run restaurants at the expense of this news-
bar, the décor can most charitably be you $80 to $100. paper. 
described as beachside casual, and the
tinny speakers – from which Latin mu- So what do we make of Pico Alto? If HOURS
sic blared during our meal – could cer- you are not familiar with nouvelle Pe- Daily, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
tainly use an upgrade.
BEVERAGES
But the tastes are authentic, and the Beer and wine
dishes that we sampled on our visit last
week ranged from good to excellent ADDRESS
(notwithstanding the fact that some of 2 Wave Crest Avenue,
the seafood was a bit overcooked).
Indialantic
For starters on this visit, we ordered PHONE
the ceviche mixto ($14.90), a beautiful (321) 802-5230
array of fish, scallops, calamari, octo-
pus, shrimp, Peruvian pepper and red
onions marinated in a classic leche de
tigre with choclo (giant kernels of Pe-
ruvian corn). Leche de tigre, or tiger’s
milk, is the citrus based marinade that
cures the seafood. We ordered the cevi-
che medium spicy and it was excellent.

Then we decided to try two “causas”
– causa de pulpo ($14.50) and causa
de camaron ($17.50). Peruvian causas
consist of seafood and other ingredi-
ents atop of one of the country’s 3,000
varieties of potato mixed with key lime,
onion, chili and oil.

At Pico Alto, both causas were served
atop delicious Peruvian yellow pota-
toes. The causa de camaron featured
shrimp, and the causa de pulpo fea-
tured octopus seared in Peruvian black
olive sauce. Unfortunately, the sauce
on top – while good – was identical on
both causas. You probably don’t want
to order two of these causas at the same
sitting.

The three of us then sampled five
entrées: the parihuela ($15.50), quinoa
chaufa vegetariano ($14.90), chaufa de
mariscos ($17.00), picante de mariscos
($16.50) and lomo saltado ($17.50).

The parihuela is a hearty and spicy
seafood soup – Peru’s answer to bouilla-
baisse. This one was chock full of clams,
mussels, calamari, pulpo and shrimp,
in a light flavorful broth. Very good.

Chaufa is a dish normally made with

32 Thursday, June 8, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

FINE & CASUAL DINING

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, June 8, 2017 33

PETS

Bonzo meets tiny Tita, a charming chihuahua

ors in water an swish ’em around with

brushes an make PIKshurs. An I NEVER

Hi Dog Buddies! slurped the water or chewed the brush-

This week I yapped with the teeniest es. I loved goin’ to art shows with Mom-
little lady pooch I’ve ever met. To look at
Tita Bailey, you’d think she was as deli- my an Daddy. I had my special carrier
cate as a dandelion puff, but she’s not.
She’s strong an confident. Tita’s a white for travlin’, and the art show people
chihuahua, 14 years old (but you’d never
guess) and she weighs a gigantic 6 and a always wanted to pick me up and pat
half pounds.
me on the nose. An I made lotsa pooch
Her Mom answered our knock and
Tita was right there, too, lookin’ a little friends, big an small. Truth be told, Mr.
wary but mostly excited.
Bonzo, I ackshhully prefer Big Dogs.
“Good morning!” I said, waiting for
her to approach first, “Miss Tita, I pre- Little dogs tend to yap. And if some big
sume.” After a brief hesitation, she came
up for the Wag-and-Sniff. ol’ dog gets too pushy, I just give ’em

“Welcome, Mr. Bonzo! Yep, it’s me, my Scary Snapperoo!
Tita Bailey, an this is my Mommy Lisa.
My Daddy Frank’s out doin’ Important “Everything was great ’til, when
Stuff.”
I was about 6, back in oh-nine, my
“A pleasure,” I said, as we got settled
in, Tita on her Mom’s lap. I noticed there Daddy got real sick. Me an Mommy
were lotsa pikshurs and little statue
thingys of chihuahuas, ’specially this did everything we could an he had
cool painting of Tita in a red sombrero,
with a guitar. The writing on it said, “Tita medicine an stuff but he didn’t get
plays mariachi.”
better. Then, I got sick, too. It was my
“Seriously Cool Kibbles,” I observed.
“I’m eager to hear your story.” kidnees. I had ultra sound and sur-

“Yes, I love my sombrero. It’s one of gery. But it didn’t help. Finally my vet
my favorite things. Now, I’ll tell you my
story. Back before I was born even, my told Mommy I wasn’t gonna make
first Daddy, Peter, an my Mommy had a
pooch for a long time. Then he went to it. WELL, my Mommy decided she
Dog Heaven, an they were so sad. Daddy
wanted another dog but Mommy didn’t hadda do something. She had done
wanna feel that sad ever again so she
said, ‘NO! No More Dogs! Ever!’ Well, a buncha research when Daddy got
my Daddy was a wonderful artist, so
him and Mommy were always going to sick and made him this special tea,
art shows all over the place, where there
were always lotsa humans with their an she thought maybe it’d help me.
dogs walkin’ around, lookin’ at all the art
stuff. So, after six months watchin’ other It’s from a jungle in Per-OOOO, an it
people with THEIR pooches, Mommy’s
like, ‘OK. I really want a dog again.’ Dad- has a funny name – chanca piedra.
dy said, ‘Nothing smaller than a Westie.’
(They’re from Scotland, ya know.) But So she started making tea for me
Mommy had seen a dog on TV – that dog
who sells Tacos on TV – an, lucky for me, an puttin’ it on my food. It didn’t
she wanted one just like him. An Daddy
was, like, ‘Oh, great!’ taste as ukky as I thought it would

“So they got me from a breeder in and, guess what? I got better. I still
Rockledge even though I was, like, 5
times smaller than a Westie when I was 8 have some issues, but here I am,
weeks old (only 3 pounds) an, even when
I grew all the way up, I was still 3 times 8 years later an I’m still drinkin’
smaller than a Westie. PLUS, I’m Mexi-
can, not Scottish. But I was determined my tea. My vet calls me a Miracle
to win Daddy over. An I DID! We totally
loved each other. I’d sit for hours and Dog. So does my Mommy.
watch him put all different pretty col-
“But,” she wiped her nose with

her paw, “My Daddy went to

Heaven later that year. I’m glad

me and Mommy had each other.

Now I have another Daddy – his

name’s Frank and he’s Awe-

some Dog Biscuits. He takes me

for my daily walk. After dinner Tita, the Chihuahua. PHOTO BY BENJAMIN THACKER
me and Daddy snuggle up an
watch a little TV. I go to bed ear-

ly so I can get up early with Daddy. Then “When I first

I wait for Mommy to get up an fix me my camehere,IdiscoveredtheBESTplaceto scooting though

breakfast. I’m not a picky eater or any- relax. It’s called a DECK. It has a screen so this little bitty door. Mommy says it’s

thing. ’Cept for olives. Don’t even think no big scary birds can swoop down and ackshully a cat door, but I say ‘phooey.’

about trying to sneak an olive in on me.” GRAB me when I’m snoozing. An I have “Any special pooch pals?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it. What about my own special little door so I can go out “Certainly. My neighbor, Amish. He’s

treats?” I queried. in the yard to play, an Do My Doodie. a little, apricot-colored furball. So cute.”

“Oh, well, SURE, I get treats. But I When I was still a pupster, I’d be inside As usual, the time had zoomed by.

hafta snack smart cuz I’m only allowed and then, alluva sudden, Mommy’d Heading home, I was thinking about

123 calories a day. So I get Pup Puffs. find me outside. Or she’d let me out an, fearless little Tita, with her big person-

Mommy breaks ’em in half so they’re poof, I was back inside. It was a MISStry. ality and happy attitude. An tryin’ to

only one-an-a-half calories. Then one, day Mommy discovered me remember whether I’d ever had an olive,

Don’t be shy! then realizin’ I don’t even know what an
olive IS. Time to Google.

Till next time,

We are always looking for pets with interesting stories. To set up -The Bonz
an interview, please email [email protected].





36 Thursday, June 8, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

REAL ESTATE

Riverfront retreat is worthy of every superlative

BY MARIA CANFIELD fireplaces – and a good-sized formal This space adds over 2,000 square hardwood floors – in combination
Correspondent dining room. All living spaces on this feet to the home’s 4,800+ under-air with area rugs, a nice choice for com-
floor, including the kitchen, are tiled space, and its allure cannot be over- fortably padding around in the morn-
There are many superlatives that in natural travertine, for an elegant stated. The heated pool (which has a ings and before bedtime.
accurately describe the Mediterra- (yet non-fussy) feel. submerged granite table as a place to
nean-style riverfront retreat located enjoy libations), the oversized spa, the At 21 feet by 17 feet, the master bed-
at 200 Sundance Lane in Merritt Is- The plentiful cabinetry in the summer kitchen, as well as the many room is large, but not overwhelming-
land, and most of them will probably kitchen is warm-toned cherry wood spots to relax or converse makes this ly so. Its roundish shape evokes the
be used in this story at one point or – a choice which carries through to feeling of a graceful rotunda, and its
another. But we’ll start by saying this other wood-accented rooms. The
home – this estate – simply needs to counters and island are topped with
be experienced to be believed. thick granite that has rich-looking
swirls of gold, tan and brown. The
A 1,200-foot private driveway leads island is curved to allow for seating,
from the picturesque Tropical Trail to and has a sink for quick clean-ups.
a wide parking area with brick pav-
ers. Beautiful and varied plantings of Situated between the kitchen and
bushes, trees, and flowers – some in living room is one of the home’s three
wet bars; it has a copper-lined sink, a

tall urns – provide a warm welcome small built-in refrigerator, and is styl- unique area likely favorite for both view of the pool area adds to the re-
and a strong hint of the delights that ishly topped with gold-specked pol- residents and guests. sort vibe of the house.
await behind the front portico with ished black galaxy granite.
its handsome dark wood double door. The pool area has a direct view Leading into the master bedroom
The kitchen nook, at 10 feet by 9 feet, of the Indian River Lagoon and the is a dressing area that includes the
The home’s first floor has stunning is sized proportionally to the generous home’s private dock and two covered home’s second wet bar and a depart-
and inviting rooms that flow seam- scale of the house. Its best feature is its boat slips; each slip has a lift with a ment store-style 3-way mirror. The
lessly from one to another, includ- ringside view of one of the home’s most capacity of up to 6,000 pounds. huge walk-in closet has built-in gran-
ing the 18-by-18 living room and the notable attributes: the extended lanai ite-topped bureaus, and the master
24-by-18 family room – both with gas and resort-style screened-in pool area. There is still more to see on the bath is, as you might expect, spectac-
first floor, including the master ular: two long granite-topped vani-
bedroom and bath and two ad- ties, one with a lowered section (ideal
ditional bedrooms with en suite for primping), travertine on the floor
baths. (It takes a bit of counting and and in the doorless shower, a jetted
re-counting, but the home has 4 full tub, and a toilet neatly tucked behind
baths and two half-baths; one of the a pocket door.
half-baths is adjacent to the pool
area.) The other two bedrooms on the
first floor are both as big as master
All of the first floor bedrooms have

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, June 8, 2017 37

REAL ESTATE

VITAL STATISTICS
200 SUNDANCE LANE,

MERRITT ISLAND

bedrooms in some other homes and tional” area with a long Corian desk- that opens to a thousand-square-foot, Year Built: 2006
nicely outfitted with their own bath- top and built-in cherry cabinets and west-facing tiled veranda; from this Construction: Concrete Block,
rooms – perfect for family members shelving. While it’s an open space, it vantage point, sunsets are sensational.
or guests of long or short duration. has a private feel and it’s a terrific spot There’s a wet bar here too; with brick- Wood Frame, Stucco Finish
for handling household accounts. like tiles providing a causal look. The Home size: 4,818 square feet
The first floor is rounded out by a guest bedroom on this floor also opens
13-foot-by-12-foot study, a powder The second floor is comprised of a under air
room, a laundry, and an “organiza- 450-square-foot entertainment room CONTINUED ON PAGE 39 Lot size: 2.1 acres

Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 4 full, 2 half
Additional seatures: Bulkhead
seawall; 4-car garage with utility
sink, extra washer & dryer, extra
refrigerator and freezer, and
extra space for storage; whole-
house generator; central vac-
uum system; security system;
sound system; walk-in pantry;
stainless steel appliances; hall-
ways 42” or greater; high-end
ceiling fans throughout.

Listing agency:
Coldwell Banker Paradise
Listing agent: Bea Linda Jaffe,

321-951-3300
Listing Price: $2,250,000

38 Thursday, June 8, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

REAL ESTATE

Real Estate Sales on South Brevard island: May 26 to June 1

The real estate market had a banner week in island ZIP codes 32951, 32903 and 32937. Melbourne Beach
led the way with 14 sales, followed by Indialantic and Satellite Beach each with 11. Indian Harbour Beach
reported 3.
Our featured sale of the week was of a Melbourne Beach home a couple of blocks from the little downtown
and just across from a beach access. The residence at 203 3rd Avenue was placed on the market Jan. 5 with
an asking price of $559,000. The price was subsequently reduced to $539,000. The transaction closed May
26 for $530,000.
Both the seller and the purchaser in the transaction were represented by Gibbs Baum of Treasure Coast Sotheby’s.

SALES FOR 32951

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

$142,000
CANDLEWOOD PINES 111 MULLET CREEK RD 4/7/2017 $169,000 $155,000 5/26/2017 $365,000
WEXFORD PUD S2 207 GLENGARRY AVE 1/20/2017 $358,888 $358,888 5/26/2017 $147,500
WILCOX MELBOURNE BEA 203 SIXTH AVE 9 12/8/2016 $159,000 $149,900 5/30/2017 $575,000
SUNNYLAND BEACH S7 275 ARROWHEAD LN 2/28/2017 $650,000 $650,000 5/30/2017 $512,500
FLORIDANA BEACH 5TH 6745 ANGELES RD 2/11/2017 $575,000 $550,000 5/30/2017 $435,000
OCEAN RIDGE II OF BR 292 SANIBEL WAY 4/9/2017 $449,000 $449,000 5/31/2017 $450,000
MELBOURNE BEACH S 204 DOGWOOD AVE 4/7/2017 $474,900 $474,900 5/31/2017 $423,750
RIVER COLONY EAST 606 CITRUS CT 3/28/2017 $439,900 $439,900 5/31/2017 $295,000
SOUTH SHORES RIVERSI 208 OCEANWAY DR 2/15/2017 $325,000 $299,900 5/30/2017 $225,000
FLORIDANA BEACH SUBD 6670 FLORIDANA AVE 4/24/2017 $229,000 $229,000 5/31/2017 $815,000
HARBOR EAST SEC 3 AM 451 RIVER VIEW LN 5/31/2017 $815,000 $815,000 5/31/2017 $315,000
INDIAN LANDING RVRSD 500 MORAY PL 3/31/2017 $349,000 $339,000 6/1/2017 $285,000
BCH WDS STG 3 PHS 2 3150 SEA SHELL WAY 9/19/2016 $319,000 $299,999 5/31/2017

SALES FOR 32903

INDIALANTIC 290 PARADISE BLVD 29 12/31/2016 $230,000 $200,000 5/26/2017 $197,000
INDIALANTIC HGHTS 2A 333 BAHAMA DR 4/10/2017 $309,000 $309,000 5/30/2017 $304,000
SANDY KAYE CONDO 2835 N HIGHWAY A1A 602 2/8/2017 $379,900 $379,900 5/26/2017 $375,000
INDIALANTIC VILLAS C 1145 N SHANNON AVE 12 4/4/2017 $150,000 $150,000 5/31/2017 $145,000
THE MARENDA 755 N HIGHWAY A1A 306 3/28/2017 $725,000 $725,000 5/31/2017 $705,000
THE DUNES OF INDIALA 1415 N HIGHWAY A1A 405 2/10/2017 $329,900 $305,000 5/30/2017 $287,000
RIVIERA SUBDIVISION 491 E RIVIERA BLVD 3/5/2017 $349,000 $339,000 6/1/2017 $321,500
CLOISTERS PHASE II THE 1970 CANTERBURY DR 4/1/2017 $439,900 $439,900 5/31/2017 $437,000
PARADISE BEACH VILLA 190 PARADISE BLVD 19018 1/5/2017 $195,900 $185,900 5/30/2017 $180,000
INDIALANTIC 255 PARADISE BLVD 23 12/9/2016 $219,000 $199,900 6/1/2017 $195,000
ASPINWALL 3490 TITANIC CIR 83 3/1/2017 $329,000 $329,000 6/1/2017 $329,000

SALES FOR 32937

S PATRICK SHORES 1S 129 SE 2ND ST 3/29/2017 $189,900 $189,900 5/26/2017 $183,000
VILLA DEL MAR SEC 7 195 SUNRISE AVE 3/24/2017 $399,900 $399,900 5/26/2017 $405,000
S PATRICK SHORES 1S 104 SE 1ST ST 4/3/2017 $249,900 $249,900 5/26/2017 $230,000
SOUTH PATRICK APTS C 55 SEA PARK BLVD 604 2/1/2017 $89,900 $78,000 5/26/2017 $70,000
MONTECITO PHASE 1A 697 PALOS VERDE DR 3/3/2017 $524,900 $509,900 6/1/2017 $499,000
TORTOISE ISLAND P2U1 814 HAWKSBILL ISLAND DR 3/3/2017 $749,000 $749,000 5/30/2017 $720,000
JAMAICA SHORES U1 311 TRINIDAD DR 3/3/2017 $339,000 $339,000 5/30/2017 $335,000
CONNERS CSTL DARE SU 275 PARK AVE 1/27/2017 $329,900 $299,500 5/30/2017 $287,000
MONTECITO PHASE 1A 355 POINT LOBOS DR 3/31/2017 $349,900 $349,900 5/31/2017 $346,900
TORTOISE ISLAND PH 4 436 LANTERNBACK ISLAND DR 11/30/2016 $945,000 $930,000 5/31/2017 $900,000
SANDPIPER TOWERS CON 205 HIGHWAY A1A 508 1/17/2017 $260,000 $260,000 6/1/2017 $245,000
SUN LAND HARBOUR 11 INWOOD WAY 3/15/2017 $304,900 $299,900 5/30/2017 $305,900
CRISTAL CONDO PHS 2 1907 HIGHWAY A1A 101 4/9/2017 $589,000 $589,000 5/30/2017 $574,000
PART OF GOVT LOT 1 E 8 COCONUT RD 4/3/2017 $299,900 $299,900 5/31/2017 $294,000

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, June 8, 2017 39

REAL ESTATE

Here are some of the top recent barrier island sales.

Subdivision: Sunnyland Beach S7, Address: 275 Arrowhead Ln Subdivision: The Marenda, Address: 755 N Highway A1A Unit 306

Listing Date: 2/28/2017 Listing Date: 3/28/2017
Original Price: $650,000 Original Price: $725,000
Recent Price: $650,000 Recent Price: $725,000
Sold: 5/30/2017 Sold: 5/31/2017
Selling Price: $575,000 Selling Price: $705,000
Listing Agent: Laura Dowling Roy Listing Agent: Patricia Ellis Wong

Selling Agent: Premier Properties Real Estate, Inc Selling Agent: Century 21 Spectrum

Kristin Lindbaek Melissa Goldman

RE/MAX Beach Towne Tropical Realty Beachside

Subdivision: Montecito Phase 1A, Address: 697 Palos Verde Dr Subdivision: Part of Govt Lot 1E, Address: 8 Coconut Rd

Listing Date: 3/3/2017 Listing Date: 4/3/2017
Original Price: $524,900 Original Price: $299,900
Recent Price: $509,900 Recent Price: $299,900
Sold: 6/1/2017 Sold: 5/31/2017
Selling Price: $499,000 Selling Price: $294,000
Listing Agent: Zachary Spurlock Listing Agent: Todd Ostrander

Selling Agent: Re/Max Elite Selling Agent: RE/MAX Olympic Realty

Christine Platt Brown Kevin Hill

Inspire Realty LLC Re/Max Alternative Realty

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37 The ceilings throughout the house cented with subtle yet striking colors. National Wildlife Refuge and NASA’s
could be the subject of an entire story. Merritt Island is an unincorporated John F. Kennedy Space Center.
to the veranda; a full bath, tiled in a Suffice it to say they are a marvel: high
pattern of swirling colors that evokes (some vaulted); crown molded; tray, town, bordered on the west by the In- This richly designed and beautifully
a mountainscape, serves both the en- double-tray, or triple-tray; and ac- dian River and on the east by the Ba- detailed home is offered by Coldwell
tertainment room and the bedroom. nana River. It is home to Merritt Island Banker Paradise for $2,250,000. 

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