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For breaking news visit

MY VERO School District
won’t share study
BY RAY MCNULTY on desegregation

Campaign audit letters,
other issues dog Sykes

Maybe there's no more to Few visitors make their way to the refuge observation tower that looks out over the lagoon at Pelican Island. PHOTO BY PHIL SUNKEL BY KATHLEEN SLOAN
any of this than Lange Sykes Staff Writer
says there is – a series of in- Why isn’t Pelican Island a draw like ‘Ding’ Darling?
nocent mistakes in filing his The Indian River County
monthly campaign treasurer's BY ALAN SNEL Refuge to a strange obscurity. coordinator to make connec- School Board destroyed much
reports with the state, a deci- Staff Writer Founded by Theodore Roo- tions with the local commu- of the fragile trust it had built
sion to hire a political expert nity, no visitor center and few up with the NAACP over the
despite the consultant's con- A lackluster support or- sevelt in 1903, the country’s signs indicating its existence. last year when it withheld a
troversial connections, and a ganization and low federal first national wildlife refuge desegregation order study
coincidence. funding have consigned Peli- has few visitors and is little Only one employee patrols from the public, pulling the
can Island National Wildlife known outside Indian River the sprawling 8.5-square-mile presentation at the last minute
Maybe none of these con- County. There is no volunteer after previously promising to
cerns will have any bearing CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 share the information with the
on his pursuit of the District community.
54 seat in the Florida House of
Representatives. The district paid law firm
Husch Blackwell $150,000 to
That's for the county's Re- conduct a study of the district’s
publican voters to decide past and future desegregation
when they cast their ballots in status with the aim of figuring
the Aug. 30 primary. out how to get out from under
a longstanding federal court
Before they go to the polls, order.
however, they might want to
ask themselves: Husch Blackwell recently
advised the board to keep the
 Does it matter that Sykes, study confidential and the
a Riomar resident and first- board agreed.
time candidate, already has
received – as of Monday – a NAACP President Anthony
whopping 19 audit letters
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Why all seriously injured kids are Lyric coup: Fleming, Perlman, Tomlin coming here
taken to Fort Pierce or Melbourne
BY MICHELLE GENZ
BY TOM LLOYD bastian River Medical Center. Itzhak Perlman, Renée Fleming and Lily Tomlin will be appearing this season. Staff Writer
Staff Writer Our hospitals are not
In a major coup for the
If your child or grandchild equipped to care for pediatric Lyric Theatre, Artistic Di-
gets seriously injured in Vero trauma patients. rector John Loesser has
Beach, don’t expect ambu- booked opera star Renée
lance drivers to rush them to Indian River County Fire Fleming, known as “the
emergency rooms in Indian and Rescue Battalion Chief people’s diva,” for a January
River Medical Center or Se- Cory Richter says if a kid has
cut that needs a couple of CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

August 4, 2016 Volume 9, Issue 31 Newsstand Price $1.00 Tour de Turtles ups
awareness of threats
News 1-10 Faith 47 Pets 48 TO ADVERTISE CALL to survival. Page 14
Arts 21-26 Games 49-51 Real Estate 63-72 772-559-4187
Books 44-45 Health 27-32 Style 53-55
Dining 56 Insight 33-52 Travel 46 FOR CIRCULATION
Editorial 42 People 11-20 Wine 57 CALL 772-226-7925

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

2 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Lyric coup star coming to the theater: Her Janu- tive director for 16 years until last year, The Jan. 30 concert is a certain sell-
ary performance will be followed by when he became artistic director. He out, Loesser says, even with tickets at
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 legendary comedian Lily Tomlin in remains in charge of artist program- $100-$150. Now on sale to members
February and violinist Itzhak Perlman ming, among other things. of the Lyric (a $35 annual fee), tickets
concert in the intimate, 500-seat Stu- in March, another first for the Lyric. become available to the public Sept. 6.
art venue. “Our preliminary calendar had 17
It took four years to make the connec- dates with her name on it,” he says Even beyond Fleming’s quasi-retire-
The coup comes at a momentous tions that got Loesser the Renée Flem- with a laugh. “We were at one point ment (she says she would still consider
time in the career of the famed sopra- ing concert. That’s when he started to holding three weeks open because doing new operas), the Stuart concert
no, who has announced that 2016 will work with the agent who handles her, we didn’t know the date she’d be free. is a big deal because she gives so few
be her last singing mainstream opera booking other acts, and finally got his I couldn’t commit to the other shows concerts.
at the Met. chance to “subtly suggest that I would until hers was locked in.”
just adore it if we could get Renée.” At 57, Fleming has said she wants to
“These are some of the proudest mo- Finally in April, Fleming was able to quit singing big stage roles to avoid the
ments of my life when I get to do artists The possibility arose 18 months commit. inevitable comparisons to her younger
of this stature,” says Loesser, who has ago, says Loesser, a resident of Vero’s voice. Her concerts, meanwhile, con-
been trying to lure Fleming to the Lyric barrier island and son of the great Then Loesser had to find the financing. tinue to draw great reviews, including
for years. “She’s one of my favorites.” Broadway composer and lyricist Frank “For an artist of that stature, you her May performance with the Met
Loesser. Loesser was the Lyric’s execu- have to find underwriters, and we did,” Orchestra in Carnegie Hall.
And Fleming is not the only major says Loesser. “It was extremely easy.”
Not that her music is limited to op-
era. Fleming, who has just taken on
the role of Lyric Opera of Chicago’s
first creative consultant, loves jazz and
indie rock.

And pop is not outside of her range
either: Two weeks ago she sang in a
videotaped celebrity a cappella rendi-
tion of “Fight Song” at the Democratic
National Convention.

She also sings to Yo-yo Ma’s cello on
a new Billy Childs album of the music
of Laura Nyro. Another recent release
is with Emerson String Quartet.

In 2014, she became the first opera
singer in history to sing the National
Anthem at the Super Bowl, and in 2013
President Obama presented her with
the National Medal of Arts.

That same year, her album of French
songs, “Poèmes,” won her a Grammy
Award for Best Classical Artist Solo.

Meanwhile, the Lyric itself is getting
a little work done to ward off the ef-
fects of aging. The former silent movie
house turns 90 this year. Two summers
ago, supporters gave close to $1.5 mil-
lion for a major renovation that did
everything from adding cupholders to
the seats (to go along with the new bar)
to fixing crumbling support columns,
originally made from wet sand dredged
from the nearby St. Lucie River.

As for Loesser, he isn’t nervous
about his first date with the diva; after
growing up in a house filled with fa-
mous people and managing multiple
theaters before the Lyric, he’s accus-
tomed to special requests.

“Dressing rooms, transportation –
it can get pretty interesting. ‘I want a
white limo not a black limo,’ ” he says.

He remembers having to arrange for
Cary Grant to be picked up at the air-
port. “I had to go to New York to get a
pastrami sandwich to have in the car
when he got there.”

Not to be outdone, Loesser himself
has a special request, given his father’s
celebrity: He’s dropped a hint that a
Frank Loesser song might be well-re-
ceived by at least one in the audience.

“I try to get the word out: If you’re
doing crossover stuff, how about do-
ing a Loesser song?” 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 3

NEWS

Pelican Island with the wealthy Windsor develop- harvest feathers for women’s hats. can Island, Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge,
ment nearby. The historic national Kroegel’s efforts bore fruit in 1903, Lake Wales Ridge refuge in Polk County
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 property has hardly any facilities. when President Teddy Roosevelt des- and Everglades Headwaters. He said
There are two dirt parking lots with ignated Pelican Island as the country’s he would be willing to support a visitor
property to enforce federal regulations one information kiosk each, and a first national wildlife refuge. center – on the island or in Sebastian on
and civil law, devoting only half of his refuge office not open to the public the mainland – but there is no funding.
working hours to the task, and parts of tucked out of sight. “A visitor center has always been of
the refuge are strewn with trash left by interest, but it’s not in the foreseeable “They could use a visitor center out
people trespassing and partying. The refuge traces its lineage to Se- future because of funding,” Glover said. there, but they never got the funding
bastian resident Paul Kroegel, who for it,” said Richard Baker, president of
Michelle Chappell, a deputy project fought to keep plume hunters from Federal manager Bill Miller works the Pelican Island Audubon Society, a
leader who is one of the six federal em- killing waterfowl at Pelican Island to with Chappell and four other staff
ployees that split their time between the members to oversee and operate Peli- CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Pelican Island property and three other
national wildlife refuges in central Flor- Exclusively John’s Island
ida, said it’s a tough challenge keeping
an eye on more than 5,400 acres. Cloistered among mature oaks and lush gardens is this desirable, updated
3BR/2BA S. Village cottage showcasing peaceful lake views. Marble floors,
“It’s really hard. You hope people do new carpet and a beautifully updated kitchen and bar add a fresh ambiance.
the right thing,” she said. Additional features include a spacious living room with tray ceiling, large
master suite with private terrace, attached 1-car garage, convenient access to
Management shortcomings at the the south gate, private pool and tennis courts and room to expand if desired.
refuge come into focus most clearly 461 Village Lane : $895,000
when it is compared to J.N. Ding Dar-
ling Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island three championship golf courses : 17 har-tru courts : beach club : squash
on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Founded in health & fitness center : pickleball : croquet : vertical equity membership
1945, Ding Darling is similar in size to
Pelican Island – 6,400 acres – and both 772.231.0900 : Vero Beach, FL : JohnsIslandRealEstate.com
refuges were created to protect, and
are known for sheltering, extraordi-
narily abundant bird life and other an-
imals. Both are places of great natural
beauty in gorgeous seaside settings.

But that is where the similari-
ties end. Ding Darling is staffed by
11 fulltime employees, has a vibrant
11,000-square-foot visitor center with
an auditorium, education room, bird-
ers observation room and gift store, and
attracts 880,000 visitors a year – nearly
10 times as many as meander into the
Pelican Island Refuge on the northern
reaches of Vero’s barrier island.

Much of the disconnect in profile
and appreciation can be traced to dif-
ferences between support organiza-
tions at the two refuges.

Here, the Pelican Island Preserva-
tion Society is run by an underpow-
ered six-person board that is chaired
by a bait shack owner, and has a mere
85 members. The group meets quar-
terly, holds one annual event that rais-
es around $3,000 and apparently does
little else to promote or improve the
refuge. A former board member says
the board is uninspired and resistant
to new marketing ideas.

Meanwhile the nonprofit Ding Dar-
ling Wildlife Society has a robust board
of directors, 8,000 members and four
fulltime employees, including an ex-
ecutive director. It helped fund the vis-
itor center and is now raising money
to convert the facility to solar power.

“Darling gets more visitors and its
friends group raises lots of money,”
Pelican Island Preservation Society
board member Tim Glover said in an
understatement.

The Pelican Island refuge is reached
by turning off A1A about three miles
south of the Sebastian Inlet or by Jun-
gle Trail, an old shell road that runs
through the affluent town of Orchid

4 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Pelican Island Kristen Beck, a Sebastian kayak My Vero Bailey's past ties to Mohler may just
guide and former Preservation Soci- be a coincidence.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 ety board member, saw a need for the CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
refuge to improve its marketing and However, Sykes' decision to hire
county-wide environmental organiza- promotion efforts several years ago. from the Florida Division of Elections, Mohler – a St. Edward's graduate
tion that takes its name from the his- The board agreed and sent her to a na- which has cited several of his cam- and Florida State University alumnus
toric refuge but is not affiliated with it. tional wildlife conference in Washing- paign treasurer's reports for errors who founded the Young Republicans
ton, D.C. to learn ways to increase the and/or omissions? of Indian River County, ran unsuc-
Miller said $696,995 was budgeted refuge’s profile. cessfully for a seat on the Vero Beach
for fiscal 2016 for maintenance, law  Do they care that Sykes, a beach- City Council in 2006 and is politically
enforcement, administration and visi- But the board declined to imple- side realtor, artist and environmental well-connected in the community –
tor services at the four wildlife refuges ment any of the marketing techniques activist, hired a political consultant was anything but a coincidence.
he oversees. she learned at the conference, Beck who is a partner with Front Line Strate-
said, and she stepped down soon af- gies, the same Tallahassee-based pub- Sykes believes Mohler can help him
“We do the best we can with what terwards. lic relations firm that lobbies for All beat Vero Beach attorney Erin Grall,
we have,” Miller said. “If things are Aboard Florida? prison ministry founder Dale Glad-
broken, you’ll find one of the six fixing Glover said Beck wanted to imple- ing and local physician Greg MacKay
it or the volunteers helping us.” ment the marketing strategies too fast  Are they at all troubled by the to claim the District 54 House seat
before the board could understand fact that Sykes' paid consultant, Matt currently occupied by Debbie May-
“We depend on our volunteers who her marketing intentions. Mohler, once supervised James Chris- field, who can't run again because of
provide us with visitor services and tian Bailey, when the St. Petersburg term limits and, instead, is seeking
maintenance program support, since “Kristen had training sessions and College student-support specialist election to the Florida Senate.
we currently do not have a visitor servic- wanted to implement it overnight worked briefly as a researcher at Front
es or a maintenance employee on staff,” but we didn’t understand what she Line Strategies in 2010? Bailey’s write- How much does Sykes believe in
said deputy project leader Chappell. wanted to do,” he said. “It was not in candidacy closed the District 54 Re- Mohler? According to the state Di-
necessarily pushback. It was more publican primary, shutting out Demo- vision of Elections website, Sykes'
Volunteers are not as abundant as a lack of understanding of what she crats and Independents. campaign already has paid Front
they might be, however. wanted to do.” Line Strategies more than $125,000 in
Sykes denied any connection to Bai- consulting fees.
Preservation Society board presi- Even the Pelican Island Preserva- ley.
dent Steve Massey, who owns the Wa- tion Society’s website could use some Clearly, winning matters more to
basso Bait and Tackle Shack on A1A work. It’s a stagnant-looking website "I have no knowledge of the can- Sykes than Mohler's affiliation with
near the State Road 510 intersection, with a picture of a pelican that looks didacy of Bailey," Sykes wrote in an the firm helping All Aboard Florida
acknowledged the board “needs to like it hasn’t been updated any time email responding to several questions get the governmental and public sup-
stretch out” to recruit more members recently. That’s because, Glover said, pertaining to the issues mentioned port it needs to launch its high-speed,
for the Pelican Island friends group. the previous Pelican Island society above. "I'm focused on my race, and Orlando-to-Miami, passenger-rail
website got hit with a virus and had to I am committed to winning despite service – a project fiercely opposed
“The support is probably out there be taken down.  who else gets into the race." by most folks here.
[in the community], said Miller. “It just
hasn’t been tapped.”

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 5

NEWS

"I hired Matt Mohler because he have agreed to disagree on that is- ever hire a consultant with which have supported Obamacare, Com-
is from Indian River County and has sue. I don't talk to him about any race they fully agree on each issue." mon Core and the Trial Bar's position
expertise in getting people elected other than my own." on reversing key lawsuit reforms that
across the state of Florida," Sykes He then referred to "his main op- have benefited small businesses."
wrote. "He knows that I am passion- Sykes said he has been an "outspo- ponent" and alleged that Grall "has
ately opposed to All Aboard, and we ken opponent" of All Aboard Florida hired a consultant who is not from Sykes said he has not "made an
since "Day 1," adding, "No one can Vero and has represented clients who
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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6 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

My Vero But Sykes' 19 are more than twice I have both raised a lot of money, and School desegregation
the eight received by Glading and keeping up with the procedural detail CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 nearly five times more than the four can sometimes be a bear."
received by Grall. Brown said the action confirmed what
issue" of Grall's consultant and was He said his campaign has not in- his group always suspected – the study
"fairly confident" she wouldn't, either. Both Grall and Glading have cam- curred any penalties. is a legal strategy for the benefit of the
paign treasurers. school board, not an information-
Grall's Tampa-based campaign con- In his defense, Sykes, 30, is new to the seeking tool for the benefit of the com-
sultant, Anthony Pedicini, did take issue The mistakes listed in the candi- political process. His entry into public munity, including the NAACP and the
with Sykes' claims, however, saying that dates' audit letters range from ex- life began with his work to rally local board.
all of Sykes' claims about him and his ceeding contribution limits to invalid residents to environmental issues as-
firm, Strategic Image Management, are expenditures to a transaction being sociated with the Indian River Lagoon. Brown said the NAACP, at this point,
untrue – except that he's not from Vero. reported in the wrong class or cov- prefers the court continue to oversee
erage period. Most of them, though, This is his first run for office, which desegregation compliance to ensure
"He's a liar," Pedicini said. "What seemed to be minor: failing to pro- probably explains his decision to equality is attained and maintained.
he said is an outright lie. That's an act vide a proper address, or specifically serve as his own campaign treasurer He noted Pinellas County’s “failure fac-
of desperation." identifying the occupation or busi- – a decision I questioned, asking if he tories” occurred after court oversight
ness of a donor, or simply putting should have let someone else handle there was lifted in 2007.
Pedicini also ripped Sykes for his the correct information in the wrong his campaign finances.
"sloppiness" in filing the campaign place on the form. After court oversight went away, the
treasurer's reports, saying "19 audit "I have been working with a cam- Pinellas school board stopped fund-
letters is a lot" and questioning Sykes' However, on three occasions – two paign compliance volunteer," he ing desegregation busing and student
decision to serve as his own treasurer. in 2015, one this year – the Division wrote, adding, "But thanks for the support programming at five elemen-
of Elections sent follow-up letters suggestion." tary schools in poor black neighbor-
"When you get that many letters, because Sykes didn't correct his mis- hoods. The schools had three years of
you're obviously not taking the time takes within the requested seven-day Sykes hasn't received an audit let- upward gains behind them in 2007 and
to do the forms correctly," Pedicini period. The latter dispute prompted ter since June 15, so his problems with all were graded C or above, but by 2015
said. "Candidates are really busy cam- the DOE to send a "Final Notice," the Division of Elections appear to the failure rate for math or reading was
paigning, and that doesn't leave a lot which included the threat of civil pen- have been resolved without too much 95 percent and all were F schools.
of time to do your own forms." alties of up to $1,000 per violation. damage being done.
“For one year we’ve been talking,”
All three of the District 54 candi- Asked about these audit letters, As for any potential problems stem- Brown told the school board. “When
dates who have accepted campaign Sykes wrote: "All of these back and ming from Mohler's connections to we started, this was about transpar-
contributions – MacKay is self-fund- forth are extremely minor. Many can- All Aboard Florida and a write-in can- ency, but in the twelfth hour, we have
ing his run – have received multiple didates who raise a lot of money have didate from across the state, they'll be litigation. I can’t go for this. After nine
audit letters from the state Division similar type issues, including my resolved on Aug. 30.
of Elections, which has cited various main opponent in this race. She and
errors and omissions. That's when the county's Republi-
can voters will decide if there's more
to this than Sykes is saying. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 7

NEWS

months you’re telling us your law- amended in 1994, naming the NAACP outside law firm],” Brown said. “Why Others said claims about the need
yer didn’t know this was an open dia- as the plaintiff instead of the parents, spend all this money when everybody for legal confidentiality were just an
logue?” in addition to revising some of the re- knows that unless the two parties agree excuse, since the 1967 order and 1994
quirements. Therefore the NAACP and you cannot get to unitary status?” (A amended order were the end result of
Indian River School Superintendent the school board must resolve the is- school district is said to be unitary litigation. “It’s already been litigated,”
Mark Rendell’s explanation threw gas sues that still exist, Brown said. “when it has eliminated the effects of Greg Stewart pointed out. “What we
on the fire. He said he learned a week past segregation to the extent practica- want to know is when and how you will
ago Husch Blackwell wanted to present There are two primary requirements ble. When courts declare a school sys- comply.”
the study results in executive session, in the order. The district was ordered tem unitary, the court system no longer
yet he informed the school board only to hire black teachers at an accelerated supervises the school system's student Fran Ross, an attorney, agreed. “We
the day before and some members of rate – 20 to 40 percent of new teach- assignment and other decisions.”) don’t have to litigate. All the court
the NAACP found out just hours before ers to be African Americans – until the needs is a stamp of approval,” worked
the July 26 school board meeting. ratio matches the current 17 percent Husch Blackwell’s price started low out among the parties. She said she
black student population. The district and kept going up. The original es- was a teenager when the order was
Rendell said confidentiality is need- was also ordered to close the black- timate for the study was $75,000, to handed down and “now my grandchil-
ed because, “We are currently in litiga- student achievement gap. be completed by April. The firm later dren are still not [fully] a part of this
tion. We are under a court order.” upped its price to $150,000, claiming school district.”
Today, nearly 50 years after the fed- the district’s delay in providing infor-
Thirty four Florida school districts eral court first mandated change, only mation slowed progress. Board member Claudia Jimenez ex-
were put under federal desegregation 6 percent of the district’s teachers are pressed regret for the board’s action.
orders in the wake of the 1964 Civil black, according to Brown. “There was a lot of communication “We are publicly apologizing,” she
Rights Act, according to Propublica, back and forth between our staff and said. “As we try to build bridges, we
an independent, non-profit newsroom At the July 26 meeting, Rendell said the firm, clarifying and analyzing in- keep walking backwards . . . as with the
that produces investigative journal- only 53 percent of African American formation,” Rendell said. “Since it took multicultural plan, the players are not
ism in the public interest. Indian River seniors graduated in 2016 compared to so long to complete the report, the cost at the table again.”
County School District is one of 11 dis- an 81 percent graduation rate for stu- increased.”
tricts still under federal supervision. dents overall. But Dr. David Ianacone said he
About 30 concerned community wasn’t buying the board’s “disingenu-
The case here began in 1964, when Brown said only 22 percent of Afri- members came to the meeting despite ous statements.” As someone who
Denise Sharpton and her husband, can American students are performing the agenda-item cancellation. Sev- moved to Indian River County recently,
parents of a student in the district, at grade level. eral people pointed out the lawyers he said he was “confounded” to learn
brought suit in federal court, alleging work for the board, not the other way the district was still under a desegrega-
separate and inferior schools had been Rendell has been meeting monthly around, blaming the board for with- tion order, since Brown vs. the Board
created for black students in the coun- with the NAACP but Brown said his holding the study paid for with tax dol- of Education made segregation illegal
ty. U.S. District Court Judge C. Clyde group didn’t find out until they did lars under the guise of legal confiden- in 1954. “This is glacial movement. You
Atkins agreed and issued a desegre- their own research that Husch Black- tiality. are not doing a good job. Not at all.” 
gation order in 1967. The order was well was a law firm.

“We told Rendell we didn’t want [an

8 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Seriously injured kids not bleeding profusely, put them in
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 the car and go,” he says. “For all other
serious injuries, call 911.”
stitches, a simple broken bone or a
minor bump on the head, paramedics Once an ambulance has been sum-
likely will whisk them to a local emer- moned, county paramedics will make
gency room. the decision whether to take a child to
a local ER or trauma center.
But if the injury is serious – if a child
has been in an accident, has a head or Richter uses the example of “a kid
neck injury, is bleeding profusely, has who bangs his head and is dizzy . . . we
ingested prescription medications and would evaluate them, do a good as-
is hard to rouse, is not breathing or is sessment, and see if there is anything
turning blue – they will be transported that makes them a trauma alert. If
either 15-to-20 miles south to Lawn- nothing was found and symptoms are
wood Medical Center in Fort Pierce minor they go local.
or 30-to-40 miles north to Holmes Re-
gional Medical Center in Melbourne. “We would look at the whole picture
– how the trauma happened – if it was a
Unlike the ERs at Indian River or Se- fall, what they fell on, how far [they fell],
bastian, Lawnwood and Holmes are did they pass out and for how long? To
classified as “level two” trauma centers, be honest, sometimes it is just a feeling
specifically set up to provide 24-hour by the medic that everything is not add-
teams of board-certified emergency ing up and the patient should be trans-
pediatric physicians and surgeons as ported to the trauma center; for the
well as resuscitation areas, operating most part this comes from experience.”
rooms, laboratories, diagnostic test-
ing and specialized equipment that Traumatic injuries “are the leading
often isn't available elsewhere, includ- cause of death in children in the Unit-
ing child-size IVs, breathing apparatus ed States,” according to the National
and airway management tools. Institutes of Health, with more than
12,000 fatalities each year.
The nearest “level one” pediatric
trauma centers are St. Mary’s in West Questions arose about the transport
Palm Beach, some 80 miles to the and treatment of pediatric trauma pa-
south, and Orlando Regional, 100-plus tients in Indian River County several
miles to the northwest. weeks ago when a 9-year-old ambu-
lance carrying an injured child bound
Richter says that is “too far to drive for Lawnwood broke down on Inter-
to and therefore we make every at- state 95 at rush hour during a heavy
tempt to fly the patient” to those des- downpour.
tinations by helicopter when a child’s
injuries require “level one” treatment. Apparently, no harm came to the
child, who was attended by highly-
Richter says the fees for air transport trained paramedics while waiting on
“can range from $12,000 to $25,000 de- the shoulder of the freeway for a sub-
pending on the provider and distance stitute ambulance.
traveled.”
So the good news is, if an ambu-
Besides wondering what hospital lance is called, paramedics will at-
can treat their child, parents often are tend to an injured child and take them
unsure whether to call an ambulance where they need to go, and there are
or drive a hurt child to the ER or trau- trauma centers specially equipped for
ma center themselves. children in neighboring counties.

Dr. John Fernandez of the Sebastian The bad news is there is no pediatric
River Medical Center's emergency de- trauma center in Indian River County
partment offers succinct guidelines: and it takes a bit of drive, even with si-
“If a child is awake and walking and rens blaring, to get to facilities that give
badly injured children their best shot at
successful treatment and survival. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 9

NEWS

Fire Rescue boat out-of-service for lobster mini-season

BY LISA ZAHNER were spread pretty thin during the commander and Indian River County
two-day frenzy July 27 and 28, and Sheriff’s Office spokesman Eric Flow-
Staff Writer that’s why Indian River Shores Public ers also were unaware the county’s
Safety Chief Rich Rosell had the Town’s fire-rescue boat was out of commis-
While thousands of Floridians and boat out on ocean patrol those two sion those days.
tourists took to the waters last week days – thinking Indian River County
during lobster mini-season to harvest would have their boat available just With regard to the lack of local agen-
the tasty crustaceans, Indian River minutes away on the river should an cy coordination, Chief King said, “Fire-
County Fire Rescue’s only solid-hulled incident arise. Rescue did communicate to County
boat – home base for the county’s dive Dispatch that Marine 21 was out of
team – was in the shop for repairs. The Shores was not notified that the service, and the IRC Sheriff’s Office
county boat was down for mini-sea- was prepared to assist this agency as
Firefighters usually have two boats son. The Vero Beach Police patrol shift necessary.” 
available to assist the U.S. Coast Guard
with ocean rescues or handle inci- Marine 21 awaiting new engine at Vero Marine
dents on the Indian River Lagoon and
the county’s canals and marshes. tors for both the Whaler and the inflat-
able boat. “An unexpected repair oc-
The county’s 13-foot inflatable boat curred and every measure necessary
was in-service, but the 10-year-old, to quickly remedy the failing outboard
27-foot Boston Whaler – normally an- issue was taken to expedite this pur-
chored at Station 2 near Riverside Café chase,” King said.
– was awaiting a new outboard engine
at Vero Marine Center. King downplayed Indian River
County Fire Rescue’s role in the mas-
Fire Chief John King, when asked for sive lobster-hunting event that state
the dates the Whaler was in the shop officials estimate attracts about 60,000
for service, did not provide that infor- people up and down the coast. “The
mation, but replied that “Marine 21 United States Coast Guard Fort Pierce
recently experienced a rough running is the primary marine agency for In-
engine and was sent to our mainte- dian River County and we are a sup-
nance provider for an engine check. It port agency, much like the local law
was determined the cost to repair the enforcement agencies,” he said.
outboard motor exceeded its value.”
Presumably, Coast Guard vessels
County Administrator Jason Brown
authorized money from next year to
be spent on two new outboard mo-

Mr. Manatee’s restaurant sold
to owner of Quilted Giraffe

BY ALAN SNEL expressed interest in acquiring Mr.
Staff Writer Manatee’s when it was put up for
sale earlier this year.
Mr. Manatee’s on Royal Palm
Pointe, a longtime Vero restaurant Mr. Manatee’s serves everything
known for its casual island atmo- from Monday $5 burger specials
sphere, has been purchased by Pat- and chicken wings to tuna steak,
rick Tomassi, owner of the Quilted crab cakes, onion crusted dolphin
Giraffe restaurant on U.S. 1. and cracked conch.

Tomassi cut the deal with Chef’s The sale is expected to close at
International, Inc., a New Jersey the end of the month, according to
company that also owned Jack a Mr. Manatee’s employee. The res-
Baker’s Lobster Shanty at the end of taurant’s casual seafood menu, is-
Royal Palm Pointe, which was sold land feel and staff are not expected
and torn down last year to make to change.
way for the Quail Valley River Club
expansion now nearing completion. The Quilted Giraffe – a long-
established fine-dining restaurant
The company bought Mr. Mana- that also holds receptions, wed-
tee’s in 2002 and may have lost in- dings, tea parties, business lun-
terest in the location after selling cheons, and on selected Sunday
the much larger Lobster Shanty. nights hosts the Theatre-Go-Round
Several other Vero restaurateurs dinner theatre – has been owned by
Tomassi for almost five years. 

10 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Judge bounces back Baker Act lawsuit once again

BY LISA ZAHNER dure even less than the original com- the lawsuit or face dismissal from a second amended complaint no later
Staff Writer plaint,” U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Florida’s Northern District Court. than August 30, 2016,” adding that Wil-
Stampelos said in his order last Thurs- ke must use a court-provided form and
A former barrier island resident day, responding to an amended filing Wilke filed the case “pro se,” mean- must limit his dissertation to 15 pages.
who says Vero Beach police wrong- by retired civil engineer Larry Wilke ing that he’s acting as his own attor-
fully committed him under the Baker that was received nearly a week before ney – a status in federal courts that Wilke filed the case in the Panhan-
Act got some harsh words from a fed- the deadline to remediate all the ele- gives non-attorney plaintiffs ample dle because it also alleges staff from
eral judge after the complaint he re- ments lacking in the original lawsuit leeway to correct deficiencies in their the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital
submitted was rejected for failing to filed in June. pleadings. However, Stampelos stated, system violated his civil rights during a
make its case. “Plaintiff is advised that the opportu- 27-day involuntary stay in the behav-
But Wilke, a longtime Central Beach nity to submit amended complaint is ioral health center following a second
“The amended complaint complies resident who now lives in Troy, Ala., not unlimited. Plaintiff should heed Baker Act commitment in early 2014.
with the Federal Rules of Civil Proce- was given a final chance to shore up the guidance provided and he must file
He is attempting to lodge a class-ac-
tion on behalf of all Floridians wrongful-
ly held under the Baker Act and is asking
for $70 million in damages. Stampelos
said Wilke had not laid out his claims in
a clear and concise manner explaining
which of the allegations he was making
were committed by which parties. The
judge said further that Wilke needed to
back claims up with specific facts, and
to name names when alleging behavior
committed by individuals.

One of the allegations in the suit is
that medical personnel at the Tallahas-
see hospital took actions that damaged
his family relationships. Wilke’s son,
Ryan Wilke, who works as a non-clinical
psychologist for a Florida State Univer-
sity, said the Baker Act incidents have
indeed caused a rift between him and
his father. RyanWilke said his father had
always been very rational and trustwor-
thy, but that he shared some of the same
concerns as doctors and police about
the elder Wilke’s erratic behavior.

The Baker Act incidents came on the
heels of Wilke and a friend filing re-
ports with the Federal Bureau of Inves-
tigation alleging that Vero Beach Po-
lice officers were somehow in cahoots
with illegal activity – drugs, prostitu-
tion, money laundering and illegal im-
migration – that Wilke claimed were
occurring at the now-demolished Surf
Club motel on A1A near Jaycee Park.

After filing two reports with the FBI,
Wilke states he feared retribution from
the local police. Being committed for
three days under the Baker Act, he
says, is part of the reprisal he feared, a
plot to damage his credibility and di-
minish the reported crimes.

City Manager Jim O’Connor has so far
declined to comment on the allegations
in the case – that members of his police
department assaultedWilke and had him
put into Indian River Medical Center’s
behavioral health facility for 72 hours as
is permitted by Florida’s Baker Act when
law enforcement officers feel a person
poses a danger to himself or others – ex-
cept to say Vero has handed the matter
over to its liability insurance company.

On Monday, O’Connor said, “We
will await his amended and again
amended complaint.” 



12 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

1 23

4 56

9

HIBISCUS CAPTIONS

1. Barbara Petrillo, Robert Wayne, Loreto Murray. 2. Angie Watson, Janet Cobb and Brenda Biggin. 3. Toni

and Paul Teresi with Linda and Mel Teetz. 4. Robin and Brenda Lloyd. 5. Tammy Cain, Mike Gavin, and

Dee Ehrhard. 6. Brenda Biggin, Angie Watson, Janet Cobb and Colleen Nagel. 7. Charles and Mary Dvoran.

8. Richard Licata and Julie Eisdorfer. 9. Gary Bowers and Bonnie Spear. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE

78

Say (wine and) cheese! Gourmet event supports Hibiscus

BY CHRISTINA TASCON augmenting the wide variety of wines “It’s a very light and refreshing more of our seasonal residents.”
Correspondent and delectable deli treats. summer cocktail, like a spritzer,” said “I think in being part of a commu-
presenter John Edwards. “It is the No.
Varietals and More owners Rob Various wine distributors offered 1 cocktail served in Italy right now.” nity it’s important to give back, so I
and Michele Wayne hosted a delight- samples of their wares alongside ta- have chosen particular charities such
ful summertime wine-tasting last bles overflowing with an assortment “I am Italian and I like it,” said as this and the Treasure Coast Food
Thursday at their charming wine, of hors d’oeuvres that were paired Angie Watson, giving the drink high Bank to concentrate all my efforts on,”
craft beer and cheese shop to benefit with each wine. Wine glasses in marks. “It is definitely a great sum- said Wayne. Even Wayne’s children
the Hibiscus Children’s Center and hand, attendees made their way care- mer poolside drink.” got behind the effort, manning the
its Vero Beach facility, Hibiscus Chil- fully through the tiny space sampling front of the shop and passing out sam-
dren’s Village. Roughly 50 discerning antipasti and charcuterie plates as Rob Wayne has been a supporter pling glasses to the participants.
guests attended the sold-out fund- well as Rob Wayne’s fabulous quiche of Hibiscus since 2009 when he was
raiser, drawn as much for the cause bites. then-manager of the local Crown “Our shop is all about family and we
as the chance to sample some of the Wine & Spirits store. He has been a are committed to creating an environ-
gourmet boutique’s wonderful selec- In addition to glasses of Il Bru- particularly active participant with ment for our customers like they are
tions. ciato from Southern Wine & Spirits the organization’s Passport to Wine in their own living room,” said Wayne.
and a Renato Ratti from Breakthru and Dine events, which this season
Every nook and cranny of the cozy Beverage Group, guests also enjoyed will be held Saturday, Feb. 4, at Bent “We are so grateful to our third-par-
store, which the couple opened in a special drink from Stacole Wine. Pine Golf Club. ty event-holders like Varietals,” said
May 2015, is filled with delightful sur- The cool concoction was made with Loreto Murray, HCC director of out-
prises from around the world, such as Cappelletti, an Italian aperitivo, “This year we are going to be hold- reach and events. “Rob and Michele
Kantha throw blankets from India mixed with Francois Montand Brut, ing Wine and Dine at Bent Pine fea- are great supporters of our mission
and hand-stitched wine carrier bags, a French sparkling wine and sweet- turing Italian cuisine and wines,” and we really appreciate the efforts of
ened with orange slices. said Barbara Petrillo, event co-chair. our business community, especially
“We moved it to February to include during the summer.” 



14 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

‘Sea’ them go! Tour de Turtles raises awareness

BY MARY SCHENKEL The public can follow the migra- threaten their existence at the web- Challenge to combat threats to sea
Staff Writer tory patterns of these ancient, endan- site www.tourdeturtles.org. turtles and marine conservation. Our
gered creatures while learning about four local turtles are swimming to
The Sea Turtle Conservancy’s 2016 the many man-made hazards that Every bit as important, each turtle bring awareness of the threats to their
Tour de Turtles Migration Marathon can be “adopted” through a Cause survival from light pollution, plastic
kicked off bright and early Saturday debris, beach erosion and commer-
evening with the release from Dis- cial longline fisheries.
ney’s Vero Beach Resort of Bailey and
Destiny, two loggerhead sea turtles “Our turtle walks this season have
named after characters in Disney’s included visitors from several coun-
animation “Finding Dory.” Saturday tries – Netherlands, Switzerland,
guests filled the Barrier Island Center Australia and New Zealand,” said Jill
at the Archie Carr National Wildlife Uttridge, a Friends of Archie Carr vol-
Refuge for a sold-out Fundraising So- unteer. “This is a good example of our
cial and Silent Auction, and early Sun- global reach in tourism and concerns
day morning loggerheads Lenora and for the plight of sea turtles.”
Turpac were released from the refuge.
Shelby Oktar was pleased to be at
Our four local moms will join 10 oth- the social representing Vero-based
ers – three leatherback, three green Sea Turtle Real Estate, a new sponsor
and two hawksbill nesting turtles of the event.
from Panama, Cuba, Costa Rica and
Nevis, plus a rehabilitated juvenile “It was a banner year for sea turtles
green from Marathon Key and a re- this year; they are doing so well,” said
habilitated juvenile loggerhead from Oktar. “Because of Sea Turtle Con-
Clearwater – who will all be tracked servancy and other groups like it, sea
via satellite transmitter from August turtles are making a major comeback.
through October as they “compete” The incident rate of loggerhead nest-
to swim the furthest distance. ing here has been really, really great.”

“This was the week that broke our
loggerhead record; we’re excited

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 15

PEOPLE

Ailey Boulter and Jordan King. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE Donovan and Cori McWilliams. Josh Darrin and Christina Barbour.

Jill Uttridge, Luke Robinson and Kendra Cope Lexie Beach and David Godfrey. Savanna Barber, Shelby Oktar and Jess Parker.

about it. We’re just over 6,600 logger-
heads across the county,” said Kendra
Cope, sea turtle coordinator/environ-
mentalist specialist for Indian River
County, adding that Indian River’s low-
est point was in 2009. “We’ve been re-
covering ever since. Conservation and
education efforts, people’s awareness
and improvements in fishing equip-
ment have helped increase the num-
bers. I wish I could say the same about
plastic, but I can’t; plastic is an ongoing
problem.”

Numbers at Archie Carr, which
spans Brevard and Indian River
counties, are even more impressive,
with 19,275 loggerheads (with a de-
bate as to whether it’s the highest or
second highest number since con-
servation efforts began at the refuge),
798 greens, 72 leatherbacks and one
Kemps Ridley.

“What’s happening here, on the
beach and the community, shows
that sea turtles and people can coex-
ist when the community supports it,
as this area has done,” said STC Execu-
tive Director David Godfrey. “Everyone
does their part. After 25 years of pro-
tection, the turtle population of this
area is growing exponentially.” 



Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 17

PEOPLE

Ocean racers raise funds with ‘Wreck’-less abandon

12 3
6
4 5

7

8

1. Ian Monteglas finishes first. 2. The swimmers rush to the water at the beginning of the race.
3. Paddleboarders begin the race. 4. Samuel and Tomas Ospina with Jillian and Meg Sweetland, and
Rafael Ospina. 5. Hussin Aljifar, A’ilana Martinez and Ellen Stevens. 6. Cole Toomsoo and Stephen Haluch.
7. Bob and Joann Hallahan. 8. Matt Murphy and Jordan Canevari watch the sunrise before the race.

PHOTOS: PHIL SUNKEL

As the sun began to rise over an azure-blue, perfectly flat ocean, partici-
pants and their friends began to gather for last Saturday’s Race to the Wreck
competition to benefit the Vero Beach Lifeguard Association, an all-volun-
teer organization founded to promote water safety and raise funds to pur-
chase vital lifesaving equipment. Racers could opt for either a 1,000-yard
ocean swim or 3-mile paddle from the beach in front of Waldo’s at the Drift-
wood Resort. While not carrying as valuable a cargo as the 1715 Spanish
Treasure Fleet, the old British steamship Breconshire did meet the same
watery fate, sinking in 1894 after a losing encounter with our offshore reef.
Today, in addition to playing a role as a tourism focal point, she is valued by
scuba enthusiasts as a favored dive spot. 

18 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Ahoy! Bucs stop here for arrrrrr-some Pirate fest

BY CHRISTINA TASCON 23
Correspondent
1
There were sweltering wenches
and mateys aplenty as temperatures PIRATE CAPTIONS
soared into the 90s at the second an-
nual Vero Beach Pirate Fest, presented 1. Pirate Blue Waters. 2. Liam McKay, Emma
by the Vero Beach Chamber of Com-
merce, POTTC Events and Pirates of Guthrie, Andriana Wright and Harper Hall.
the Treasure Coast. A portion of pro-
ceeds benefited the Vero Beach Life- 3. Jack McMahon has a story read to him.
guard Association and Sunrise Rotary
Vero Beach. 4. Pirates demonstrate sword fighting. PIRATE PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

The weekend’s festivities were 5. Pirate enthusiasts dress their pets up for 45
based out of Riverside Park and be-
gan Friday, topped that evening with the festival. PHOTOS: LEAH DUBOIS
a special Pirates Ball and costume
contest, where feathered wenches and
sword-carrying pirates preened for
the judges and vied for bottles of rum.

On Saturday the River Explorer
pontoon traversed the Indian River
Lagoon, shuttling festival-goers on a
lovely ride between Riverside Café and
Royal “Rum” Pointe, where they could
seek their own bounty at a Vero Beach
Art Club show or wet their whistles at
an Island Rum Party at the Pointe.

A soft breeze under Riverside’s the afternoon, where everything from
shady oaks, where most of the swash- ales to grog was available.
buckling action took place, made the
heat tolerable and crowds enjoyed Professional pirates stayed in char-
shaded tent seating for the entertain- acter throughout the festival to the
ment – Bawdy Boys combined raucous delight of children. A Pirate Quest
jokes with pirate shanties, A-Tribe game had them searching for clues
filled the air with drums and didg- from blue-tattooed crew members to
eridoo, and The Craic Show with pipe find out who had made off with the
and drums. captain’s treasure.

Young families wandered through “Everybody just loves dressing up
pirate-themed vendor, historical and and being a pirate,” said Captain Dan-
reenactment tents, played in the lit- iel Red, a full-time pirate. “If you look
tle buccaneer zone, and indulged in at each pirate, their true person inside
pirate fare such as dragon toes and comes out in how they are dressed.”
dragon balls (chicken fingers and
meatballs). Adult partiers began bel- There were also sword fight demos,
lying up to the multitude of bars in pirate battles and, on Sunday, a Trea-
sure Hunt, but the biggest hit was
the cannons and small arms demon-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 19

PEOPLE

stration. Excited children lined up, hands in glee and rushed off to get Plate Fleet wreck. I wanted to have shipmates from Havana to Spain.
waiting to help set off cannons that back in line to do it again. everybody know why we are named The fleet lost 11 of 12 ships along
boomed loudly and spewed smoke the Treasure Coast. A pirate festival our coast to a July 1715 hurricane,
while fighting the gun-toting pi- “I always thought it would go well is a good way to do that.” and while much of the treasure was
rates of the opposing crew. Some here because we are the Treasure recovered by the Spaniards, fortune
little mates covered their ears, but Coast,” said Jeff Zachary, one of the He was referencing the Spanish hunters continue their quest for its
the more adventurous clapped their organizers. “Our heritage is gold and Treasure Fleet that was carrying remaining bounty. 
jewels that were spilled in the 1715 gems, silver, pearls, gold and 1,200

20 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PIRATE PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

678

9

10

11

PIRATE CAPTIONS

6. Back: Jennifer Young with (middle) GIana, Lilly,
Olivia and (front) Aliana. 7. Jackson Bosheers.
8. Back: April and Jeff Nall; front: Mimi, Winter
and Julian Nall. 9. Treasure Hunters Mike Daniel,
Allen Balogh, Jonah Martinez and Sir Robert
Marx (sitting). 10. Treasure Hunters George Sites,
Cpt Carl Fismer and Richard Sites. 11. Michelle
Neal with daughters Ryley and Kaley.

PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE



22 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Wall stars! Artists’ school mural celebrates nature

BY MICHELLE GENZ Artists Cristina Abizaid and Sharon Sexton work together on a ceramic mural. PHOTOS BY LEAH DUBOIS urchin,” she proclaimed, smiling to
Staff Writer herself.
Doctor’s Clinic. The wall would honor get quality child care, even if they earn
When Child Care Resources com- some 55 donors to a capital campaign up to twice the poverty level. “We’re just seeing everything in old
missioned Sharon Sexton and Cristina that raised more than $2 million for the treasures, in our boxes of stuff,” says
Abizaid to make a mural for its new facility, which opened in November. The donor wall will hang in a hall- Abizaid. “Sharon and I are like this
preschool, the charity couldn’t have way through which up to 115 children naturally.”
picked two artists better able to chan- Childcare Resources, founded in pass each day going to and from their
nel their inner child. 1994, helps full-time working parents classrooms. In her corner of the gallery’s studios,
or those enrolled in school full time to Abizaid has a series of mixed-media
And like a lot of the kids in the pre- Sexton has done such commissions works in which shells figure promi-
school, Sexton and Abizaid have a hard before, including for Vero’s Hospice nently. She has worked them into her
time being pulled away from the craft House and Temple Beth Shalom. She paintings as a way of adding not only
table. was also commissioned to do the mo- realism but whimsy, as in the painting
saic tile pillars behind the interactive of a mermaid ringed in real-life weath-
The artists, both part of Tiger Lily fountain on Royal Palm Pointe. ered conchs.
Art Studios and Gallery, are working
on a mixed-media mural packed with This time, instead of inserting her Likewise, Sexton’s niche is filled with
childhood fascinations: frogs, worms, art against a backdrop of nature, the primitive Florida landscapes, home-
owls, possums, dolphins and dozens art itself would bring nature indoors. spun still-lifes, and functional clay
of other creatures in a panoply of set- works – vases, pitchers, tiles – adorned
tings. “We wanted to make it fascinating with elements from nature. A found-
for children,” says Abizaid. “The more ing member of the gallery, Sexton grew
“This turned out to be way more in- you look, the more you see.” up in Fort Lauderdale and Pompano
volved, probably because we’re having Beach. Her father had an interior deco-
so much fun with it,” says Abizaid. “We Abizaid fingered a string of pearles- rating business and often painted mu-
want to make it as good as it can be.” cent plastic beads that, in the craft rals for clients. One day he delegated to
store, gave her an idea: Doubled up, his daughter a commission for a house
Sexton, known for her tiles, pots and they made perfect tentacles for her clay in Boca Raton.
paintings often depicting images from jellyfish and man-o-war.
natural Florida, was commissioned to “It was my first mural and it was 36
create a donor wall for the new 11-class- Then she scooped a handful of nar- feet long,” she recalls. Not unlike the
room school in what years ago was the row clay triangles and upended them mural she is working on now, it was a
along the top of a small dome. “A sea scene from nature – the edge of a pond,
with cattails, frogs and lily pads.

Those images are part of Sexton’s
everyday life on the ranch she shares
with artist and poet Sean Sexton. The
couple married in 1981, and Sharon
Sexton knew Vero long before that; her
family, the Koerners, had a home in
Summerplace while she was growing
up.

Abizaid came to Vero five years ago
from Maryland, having grown up in
Beirut, Lebanon. When civil war broke
out in 1975, her parents sent her to
school in Rome. From there, she came
to the states for college at Georgetown
University. It was there that a draw-
ing class piqued her interest in art. She
joined Tiger Lily two years ago, and is

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 23

ARTS & THEATRE

that extends horizontally from day to ideas off of. Just having a partner re-
night, and vertically from ground to lieves so much stress.”
sky. For the water feature at the cen-
ter of the boards, Abizaid cut pieces The two did the basic drawing to-
of colored class into curving wedges, gether. From there, it’s been more a
backing them with foil to make them matter of curating than controlling
shimmer. what goes on the board. “Christina and
I are very much alike in that we’re just
It was Abizaid’s prior work in mosaic kind of fearless in any medium we try.”
that prompted Sexton to invite her to
collaborate on the mural. Asked when the project is supposed
to be finished, the women glance at
“I’ve never had a partner on a big each other and wince.
commission,” says Sexton, whose most
recent project was a garden statue for “September,” Sexton admits. “But
Old Riomar resident Marie Stiefel, a we’re way more interested in having
supporter of Childcare Resources. “It’s the piece be as beautiful as it can pos-
fabulous to have somebody to bounce sibly be. Obviously we have a deadline,
but it’s too beautiful to rush.”  

one of six artists-owners. In addition ists use the leak-proof, mold-proof
to painting and mixed media, she has tile backing material known as wedi
worked in fine art jewelry and stained board, commonly used in shower
glass. stalls. The 48-by-72-inch boards, even
loaded down with mosaic pieces, are
That last skill set proved handy when light enough to move or even ship.
a change of heart made the duo turn to
glass instead of tile for a water element Using multiple panels to create large
in the mural. murals may turn into a lucrative new
market for the artists, who are looking
The mural is divided into thirds for to do commissions in other parts of the
convenience. As one huge board, it country.
would weigh too much to move, loaded
with clay, rocks and shells that in turn Sexton and Abizaid work from a pre-
are embedded into mortar and then liminary sketch. In this commission,
grouted. that includes two large figures, a boy
and a girl, romping through a backdrop
Instead of a wood backing, the art-

24 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Riveting at Riverside: Visiting dance troupe to perform

BY MICHELLE GENZ two concerts Friday and Saturday on company’s raison d’etre. Mary Pat Henry.
Staff Writer Riverside Theatre’s main stage. That Since its inception, the company
theater holds 700, and if the fraction of PHOTOS BY LEAH DUBOIS
Once again, Vero’s Riverside Dance one work I saw in rehearsal last week is has sought to create a living archive of
Festival promises to outdo itself this any indication, the house by all rights underperformed works by important dance and contemporary ballet re-
weekend with a stellar contemporary should sell out both nights. American choreographers. Among flected in audience response.
company in a guest performance, the the pieces in store for Vero audiences:
season opener of Ballet Vero Beach. Powerful and polished, the com- “Church of Nations,” the 1991 work of And this concert should be remark-
pany’s dancers are reason enough to Kevin Iega Jeff that has become well- able. Unlike prior modern dance
Eight dancers from the Wylliams- see the performance. Making it even known in modern dance circles around companies who were past associates
Henry Contemporary Dance Compa- more compelling is the choreography, the world. In costumes inspired by of Schnell, for this year’s August pro-
ny from Kansas City, Mo., will perform whose significance is the repertory priest’s vestments, dancers “question gram, he opened up the selection pro-
whether religious leaders should ever cess by posting a request for proposals
come out in favor or war,” says Schnell. on a national dance website.

“Esperando nin Silencio,” the cho- After big successes with three mod-
reography of company artistic direc- ern companies for the August show
tor and co-founder Mary Pat Henry, is – Boston’s Prometheus Dance, L.A.
inspired by a protest by mothers of the Contemporary Dance Company and
thousands of “disappeared” in Argen- Chicago Repertory Ballet, Schnell
tina. Henry created the piece early in picked Wylliams-Henry for its em-
the company’s 25-year history. phasis on diversity, not only of styles
of dance but of dancers as well. With
A third piece, “Twisted Metal,” by more than 100 works in its repertoire,
the San Francisco-based choreogra- nearly every form of modern dance is
pher Gregory Dawson, was created represented. And the dancers over the
for the company and premiered only years have represented a broad range
last year. Known for his muscular risk- of body types and ethnicities.
taking works, Dawson set the piece
to electronic music he himself com- Even Schnell’s students remarked
posed along with Damacio Payhamo. on it: At a recent class he gave during
the summer intensive, three Wylliams-
The dancers, along with the com- Henry dancers joined in – two very
pany’s artistic director Mary Pat Hen- tall African-American dancers, a man
ry and rehearsal director DeeAnna and a woman; and an unusually short
Hiett, have been in Vero since July 24 woman with fair skin and red hair.
to teach the Riverside festival’s fifth
summer intensive. One of hundreds As the trio warmed up at the barre in
held around the country, summer in- the traditional heel-in-hand full-leg ex-
tensives are essentially camps for au- tension over their heads, Schnell real-
ditioned pre-professional students of ized the rest of the class had stopped to
classical ballet and modern dance. stare. “That was the ultimate teachable
moment,” says Schnell. “It’s important
Three apprentices admitted to the to reflect a broader vision of society,
program will join the company in and I’m not always able to do that with
its performance, as will professional Ballet Vero Beach. This company is
ballet dancer Camilo Rodriguez, an here for those three people.”
instructor at Riverside and ballet
master of Ballet Vero Beach. He has The company is known for present-
been an audience favorite at every ing the works of top American cho-
past performance. reographers, particularly works with
themes of social justice. The company
Every summer since 2013, Ballet Vero serves as artist-in-residence at the
Beach has collaborated with Riverside University of Missouri-Kansas City’s
Theatre to offer on its stage a perfor- Conservatory of Music and Dance.
mance by the faculty of the Riverside Several of its dancers are current or
Dance Festival summer intensive. That former students of the conservatory.
performance has double billing as both
the festival finale and the first concert Mary Pat Henry, a co-founder with
of the season for Ballet Vero Beach. the late Leni Wylliams, is an MFA
graduate of Florida State University’s
Because the camp hosts different renowned school of dance. In her
companies each year, Vero audiences career, she performed with the San
have enjoyed a range of contemporary Francisco Ballet and at the Jacob’s Pil-
dance styles. low Dance Festival. She has choreo-
graphed for Dance Theatre of Harlem.
“Historically this is our biggest sell-
er of the season, and it’s not even our
company,” says Adam Schnell, co-
founder of Ballet Vero Beach and di-
rector of dance at Riverside Theatre.
He attributes that enthusiasm to the
fact that it’s summer, when fewer offer-
ings compete with the ballet concerts.
But there is also an interest in modern

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 25

ARTS & THEATRE

Wylliams, who has won three Emmy Wylliams and Henry came together in. The resulting group was the start of
Awards, was a soloist with Jose Limon by happenstance. They were both in the company. But less than five years
and Netherlands Danse Theatre. As Kansas City when a dance company in, the 35-year-old Wylliams was mur-
a choreographer, his works are in the scheduled to perform at the univer- dered in his home. Henry was devas-
repertory of 30 companies worldwide, sity had to cancel. As Henry recently tated by the death of her partner and
including the Bolshoi, the Metropoli- told a local newspaper, each of them friend, but kept the company going in
tan Ballet and Boston Opera. called every dancer they knew to fill Wylliams’ honor. 

26 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Coming Up: ‘World Goes ‘Round’ revue at the Kravis

BY MICHELLE GENZ ’Round,” lent its name to a revue open-
Staff Writer ing at Kravis Center this weekend.

1 It’s hard to step off the plane at “And the World Goes ’Round,” origi-
LaGuardia without hearing the nally directed by Scott Ellis with cho-
reography by Susan Stroman, opened
song in your head. “New York, New off-Broadway in 1991 and toured the
U.S. the following year.
York,” the theme song from the 1977
It draws on music from “Cabaret,”
Martin Scorsese film of the same name, “Chicago,” “Fosse” and the musical ver-
sion of “Kiss of the Spiderwoman,” all
may be the best-known of all the show Kander and Ebb shows. There were
also dozens of songs made famous by
tunes written by the team of John Kan-

der and Fred Ebb. Another song from

the same film, “And the World Goes Opens Friday at the Kravis Center.

Liza Minelli and Chita Rivera, including cellent blues-oriented, roots-rock duo.
some written expressly for them. In fact, The Treasure Coast can’t ever get enough
the team’s first Broadway musical was of their music because they’re so busy
also Minelli’s Broadway debut: 1965’s touring out of their rebuilt RV.
“Flora the Red Menace.” The following
year came “Cabaret,” the result of a long 3 I don’t have the singalong gene,
collaborative process that allowed actors but for people who kept at it be-
to develop their characters and involved
Harold Prince, who went on to work with yond Girl Scouts summer camp and
Kander and Ebb on a number of shows.
seventh-grade chorus, Riverside The-
TheWest Palm production is the fourth
of a new production company, MNM atre’s Howl at the Moon has turned into
Productions, a venture of two longtime
South Florida theater veterans, Marcie a major attraction. The two-piano, alco-
Gorman-Althof and Michael Lifshitz.
hol-fueled singalongs have been such
“And The World Goes ’Round” opens
Friday at the Kravis Center and runs a hit that the theater is extending them
through Aug. 21. A show on Thursday,
Aug. 4, added to the run, benefits Met- through October. Nearly all of the 10
ropolitan Community Church of the
Palm Beaches, as well as a congrega- performances so far have sold out, says
tion in Orlando. Both churches spe-
cifically serve the LGBTQ community. management.
The revue is being staged in the Rinker
Playhouse with cabaret-style seating as 4 This weekend, Ken Gustafson re-
well as risers. Cocktail table seating in- turns to Riverside to play opposite
cludes a free drink.
Daniel Deal. I would suggest you pick

your performance – early or late, Friday

or Saturday – to try to tailor the playlist to

your tastes. The pianists pick the songs

from audience requests, so you might

hear more Barry Manilow and less Pit-

bull at the 7:30 p.m. shows, and the other

way around at the 9:30 p.m. shows.

Sadly, we’re all hearing less from Leon

2 Heads up to opera lovers: For the Russell of late: The ’70s singer-songwrit-
first time, Met soprano Renée
er is recovering from surgery following

Fleming is coming to Stuart’s Lyric The- a heart attack and has postponed con-

atre. It’s not until Jan. 31, but it’s never certs through mid-September. That

too early for a legend like Fleming. means the upcoming King Center con-

Right now, tickets are being sold to Lyric cert has been rescheduled for Nov. 16.

“members” only, and that involves pay-

ing $35, or $50 for a family membership, 5 In the meantime, you could try
to make do with Chris Stapleton’s
which lets you buy four tickets.

Others greats coming up this season concert Saturday night – at least he has

are violinist Itzhak Perlman on March 7 the start of Russell’s copious facial hair,

– another Lyric first; and comedian Lily and prodigious talent besides. He’s per-

Tomlin on Feb. 6 and 7. Tomlin’s Lyric forming at West Palm’s Perfect Vodka

concerts have been sell-outs. Amphitheatre with Hank Williams Jr.

Later this month is another Lyric-based and his daughter HollyWilliams. Staple-

event, the Dancin’ in the Streets Music ton, a Kentucky-born coal-miner’s son,

Festival featuring the Outlaws at 3 p.m. wrote a half-dozen No. 1 hits on coun-

Saturday, Aug. 20. Outside, there are four try charts, including Kevin Chesney’s

more stages with 20 bands playing until “Never Wanted Nothing More.” He’s

midnight, including Vero’s own Ben Pre- also written for Adele and Sheryl Crow.

stage, the one-man band, and the Ladies Then he exploded as a solo artist with

of Soul, who played for the closing-day 2015’s “Traveller,” winning CMA awards

party of the Vero Beach Wine and Film for Best Male Vocalist, New Artist of the

Festival. The day-long music fest also Year and Album of the Year. He also won

features the Nouveaux Honkies, an ex- two Grammys. 



28 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Scully-Welsh Center seeks special kind of volunteers

BY TOM LLOYD
Staff Writer

Lori McCormick and Scott Duncan Harold Schwartz, Scott Duncan and Susan Taylor. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE
are looking for a very special group of
volunteers to help out at Vero Beach’s
Scully-Welsh Cancer Center.

Cancer survivors.
That’s not to say either Administra-
tive Director Duncan or Volunteer Co-
ordinator McCormick would turn their
noses up at volunteers who’ve never
been stricken with the disease.
But they do know, as New York’s Me-
morial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
says, “cancer survivors or former care-
givers for loved ones with cancer are
uniquely qualified to discuss patients’
fears about treatment, recovery, life
after cancer and other issues because
they've been through the experience.”
For this reason, recruiting cancer
survivors to volunteer and work with
cancer patients is becoming more and
more popular nationwide.
For example, a collaboration be-
tween Free to Breathe and the Cancer
Hope Network is actively seeking can-

cer survivors and what they call “co- Scully-Welsh opened the doors of its
survivor family caregivers with positive new facility just a few months ago, so
attitudes, good listening skills and a the Duke Health-affiliated and Ameri-
willingness to put their experiences to can College of Surgeons Commission-
work helping current cancer patients accredited facility is building all of its
deal with the many problems they programs – including its volunteer pro-
face.” grams – largely from scratch.

“The volunteers’ main job here at Duncan says, “We are running at
Sully Welsh is to provide comfort and about 47 volunteers at the cancer
compassion to our patients,” says center right now.” Neither he nor
McCormick, making the point that McCormick have set a limit for the
empathy is of great value and impor- number of volunteers they need.
tance in helping patients.
“I'm going to say we have no [spe-
“With all of the other assigned cific] goal,” explains McCormick,
tasks [those volunteers] do,” McCor- “because in our building phase, we
mick continues, “that's the foremost; just don't know where we're going
that’s what they're providing to these to need them, so it would be hard to
patients.” put a cap on it.”

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 29

HEALTH

Lori McCormick with Betty Wiese and Kinzie.

The center has already launched a caretakers for our cancer patients.”
number of volunteer-driven opera- Duncan, meanwhile, brings up what
tions including a pet therapy program
bringing well-trained, gentle dogs into he calls “oshibori.” He explains the
the center to visit patients. There is also Japanese term by saying, “We use hot
a fledgling music therapy program. towels and infuse them with essential
Other undertakings such as art therapy oils. We use peppermint for patients
and massage therapy could also evolve who [might be feeling] nauseous. We
depending on the demand and the tal- use lavender for patients who are anx-
ents of available volunteers. ious and we use lemon for cleansing
their hands before meals or just to feel
At Scully-Welsh, volunteers are fresh.”
asked to run the front desk, work in the
infusion and radiation areas and, as It is difficult to find ironclad statisti-
McCormick says, “just come sit down cal or clinical evidence that pet thera-
and talk with patients.” pies, aroma therapies, music therapies
or a Highclere Castle-style high tea can
Those same volunteers also help run actually alter the course of someone’s
a daily Downton Abbey-esque “high cancer, but both McCormick and Dun-
tea” service, complete with vintage can are convinced they do help their
china teacups and saucers in the cen- patients feel better and that’s more
ter’s library. than good enough for them.

“It's a time to come together and People interested in volunteering,
to take a deep breath and have a cup whether they’re cancer survivors or not,
of tea and relax,” McCormick says. can call 772-567-4311, extension 1132
“It’s really nice. We've had some re- or go online and visit: www.indianriv-
ally good conversations around high ermedicalcenter.com/patients-visitors/
tea and the people who do it are also volunteer-services/. 

30 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Stop diabetes in its tracks? Give ’em 60 minutes

BY TOM LLOYD levels without the use of insulin,” the Dr. Jason Radecke. PHOTO: LEAH DUBOIS Center and the vice-chairman of sur-
Staff Writer study concluded. At the same time, gery at the Sebastian River Medical
overall weight loss was “significantly with a diet and exercise regimen. Center, the study only confirms what
The landscape of diabetes treat- greater” with bariatric surgery than For Dr. Jason Radecke, a board cer- he already knew.
ment changed dramatically in April
when the Cleveland Clinic released tified general and bariatric surgeon Radecke and his surgical partner,
study results showing that, five years at Riverside Surgical and Weight Loss Dr. Patrick Domkowski, have per-
after treatment, 88 percent of type formed more than 1,100 bariatric
2 diabetes patients were essentially weight-loss procedures in the past
cured by bariatric weight-loss sur- several years and their meticulously
gery. documented findings mirror those of
the Cleveland Clinic.
The study – entitled Surgical Treat-
ment and Medications Potentially According to the gregarious Ra-
Eradicate Diabetes Efficiently – fol- decke, “there is a 70- to 90-percent
lowed 150 men and women who be- chance” diabetes patients who un-
fore treatment had uncontrolled type dergo bariatric surgery will never
2 diabetes and a body mass index of have to take an insulin shot or pill
between 27 and 43. again.

It compared the effects of the con- The American Diabetes Asso-
ventional diabetes treatment – insu- ciation, the International Diabetes
lin injections, diet control and exer- Federation and more than 40 other
cise – to bariatric weight loss surgery national and international health
over a five-year period. groups have embraced the Cleveland
Clinic’s findings.
Bariatric surgery won by a land-
slide. Why?
Because traditional diabetes treat-
“Over 88 percent of gastric bypass ments simply aren’t working well
and sleeve gastrectomy patients enough. Fully half of all patients cur-
maintained healthy blood glucose rently being treated for type 2 diabe-

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 31

HEALTH

tes with exercise and medication alone tion of diabetes,” he says. “The gas- is just insane. From human dialysis control and reducing cardiovascular
are not meeting standard targets of gly- tric sleeve follows very shortly, with a to the kidney failures, to the neurop- risk factors while decreasing depen-
cemic control. 70- to 75-percent” rate of success. athies, to the pains, the eyes, the kid- dency on pharmacotherapy for dia-
neys . . . It’s [often] worse than can- betes management.”
Type 2 diabetes afflicts upwards of 29 Both surgeries are done laparo- cers . . . It’s so hard to control. Now
million Americans. It can lead to heart scopically, Radecke says. “They’re are you telling me I can do a surgery The National Heart, Lung and
attacks, strokes, kidney failure, ampu- small incisions with minimal pain.” that takes an hour, an hour and a Blood Institute at the National In-
tations and blindness, and it claims half? Two days in the hospital? That’s stitutes of Health has a free, easy-
over 70,000 lives in this country each Radecke says today’s bariatric sur- it? Minimal pain, laparoscopic and to-use body mass index calculator
year. geons have learned from their pre- you’re going to give me an 80-percent online at http://www.nhlbi.nih.
decessors and have dramatically re- cure for this major disease?” gov/hea lt h/educationa l/lose_w t/
The financial damage done by the duced the risks involved in all types BMI/bmicalc.htm.
disease is almost as daunting. bariatric surgery. He joins with the The New England Journal of Medi-
American Diabetes Association in cine joins the chorus by stating, “Gas- Dr. Jason Radecke is with Riverside
More than $245 billion, says the citing the price diabetes extracts tric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy Surgical & Weight Loss Center and the
American Diabetes Association, is from the nation’s economy each year. were superior to intensive medical Sebastian River Medical Center. His
spent annually on diabetes treatments therapy alone in achieving glycemic office is at 14430 U.S. Hwy. 1 in Sebas-
including $105 billion on hospital in- “That disease costs taxpayers so tian. The phone is 772-581-8003. 
patient care and more than $44 billion much money,” exclaims Radecke. “It

Type 2 diabetes afflicts

upwards of 29 million

Americans. It can

lead to heart attacks,

strokes, kidney failure,

amputations and

blindness, and it claims

over 70,000 lives in this

country each year.

on prescription medications. Diabetic
supplies, lost work hours and doctors’
office visits make up the bulk of the re-
maining dollars spent.

Worse, says the ADA, those costs
have risen by more than 40 percent over
the past five years and show no signs of
slowing down.

A year before this latest study was
released, the Wall Street Journal wrote
that “a growing body of evidence sug-
gests that weight-loss surgery is more
effective than diet and exercise at get-
ting rid of Type 2 diabetes.”

Now there is solid proof the publica-
tion was correct.

Not everyone who has diabetes is –
or should be – a candidate for bariatric
surgery, but anyone with diabetes and
a body mass index between 27 and 43
should, at the very least, meet with a
physician to discuss available options.

There are several forms of weight loss
surgery and Radecke is quick to name
his favorite.

“The numbers support that gastric
bypass duodenal switches are the best,
with 80- to 90-percent complete resolu-

32 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Medical errors blamed for
9.5 percent of U.S. deaths

BY MARIA CANFIELD medical errors were unintentionally
excluded from national health statis-
Correspondent tics.”

A recent study from Johns Hopkins It’s important to note that the Johns
Medicine received a flurry of media Hopkins team says most medical er-
attention, and rightly so: It conclud- rors are due to systemic problems,
ed medical errors cause more than not bad doctors. Systemic problems
250,000 deaths in the United States include poorly coordinated care, frag-
each year, making it the third-leading mented insurance networks and the
cause of death, behind heart disease absence or underuse of safety nets.
and cancer.
Dr. Mackett explains that at IRMC
The Johns Hopkins team examined there are quality and patient safety
four separate studies on causes of committees that meet monthly to
death; those studies contained data review metrics and to look for im-
over an 8-year period, from 2000 to provement opportunities; there are
2008. Based on 2013 hospital admis- also daily “patient safety huddles” in
sion rates, the team extrapolated that which he and all clinical directors and
251,454 deaths stemmed from a medi- managers participate. He says Indian
cal error, which translates to 9.5 per- River Medical Center “is focused on
cent of all deaths in the United States. quality and patient safety from the
Board of Directors and the CEO on
Charles Mackett is senior vice presi- down. We have added a lot of people
dent and chief medical officer at Indi- recently whose focus is on these two
an River Medical Center. He says the key areas. The team we’ve assembled
study results are valid and on-track, will build on what’s been established
and that they support previous re- in the past.”
search done at Johns Hopkins.
Happily for our community, US
Dr. Mackett says, “I tell medical stu- News & World Report ranks IRMC
dents that medicine used to be simple, as the No. 12 hospital (out of 261) in
cheap, safe and largely ineffective. Florida for 2015-2016. “This ranking
Now it’s complex, very expensive and is based on quality and patient safety
highly effective – but it’s dangerous.” metrics,” Dr. Mackett says. (Addition-
The increased complexity is driven by al information about IRMC’s awards,
more procedures, more technology honors and affiliations can be found
and more patient “hand-offs” from on their website: https://www.indi-
one healthcare professional to an- a n r i v e r me d ic a lc e nt e r.c om /a b out /
other. awards-honors/).

In contrast to the Johns Hopkins Dr. Mackett acknowledges that frag-
study, the Centers for Disease Con- mentation remains a problem in the
trol and Prevention (CDC) places delivery of healthcare. IRMC is part of
chronic respiratory disease – not a program called TeamSTEPPS (Team
medical errors – as the third leading Strategies and Tools to Enhance Per-
cause of death. The researchers have formance and Patient Safety) whose
an answer for this disparity: They goal is to improve communication
say the CDC’s way of collecting na- and teamwork skills among health-
tional health statistics simply doesn’t care professionals. He says, “It is part
classify medical errors separately on of our strategic plan to better align
death certificates. It reports the con- with the community’s private practice
dition for which the person was being physicians and develop a patient-cen-
treated. tered, clinically integrated network.”

Martin Makary, professor of sur- The Johns Hopkins research team
gery at the Johns Hopkins University is pushing for updated protocols for
School of Medicine and an authority death certificate “reason for death”
on health reform, says that in 1949 the classifications.
United States adopted the use of “In-
ternational Classification of Diseases” “Top-ranked causes of death as
billing codes (the ICD codes you may reported by the CDC inform our
see on some of your medical bills) to country’s research funding and pub-
tally causes of death. lic health priorities,” Makary says.
“Right now, cancer and heart disease
“At that time,” Makary says, “it was get a ton of attention, but since med-
under-recognized that diagnostic er- ical errors don’t appear on the list,
rors, medical mistakes, and the ab- the problem doesn’t get the funding
sence of safety nets could result in and attention it deserves.” 
someone’s death, and because of that



The office building on Facebook Way is in the un- and the de facto leader of all corporate women, wraps particular, that of Oculus, the maker of virtual real-
finished style that honors materials like plywood, something up and heads down the painted path. ity goggles and software, which Zuckerberg bought
concrete, and steel. The I-beams supporting its soar- in 2014.
ing walls still have the builders’ chalk placement in- If you spray-painted Zuckerberg a high-gloss
structions on them. It takes a business making bil- white and told him to gaze off into the distance, he’d The interview takes place in a fishbowl-like room
lions of high-margin dollars to make plywood and look exactly like a 1st century A.D. bust of Tiberius at in the middle of the middle of the world’s largest
concrete seem so appealing. The merely ordinary the Capitoline Museum in Rome. Zuckerberg would room. There’s an L-shaped gray midcentury-modern
have to put up drywall. get the reference. couch, a square coffee table, two enormous black
flat-panel screens. Zuckerberg has light green eyes
Facebook’s spokeswoman calls its headquarters A scholar of the classics, he named his daughter that fix on an interviewer like security cameras. You
the largest single room in the world. Maybe. It feels Maxima, after the Roman, not the Nissan, and once can’t avoid them. You can’t figure out exactly what’s
like it, anyway. The space isn’t square, so it doesn’t declared at an anti-Google Plus all-hands meeting, on the other side of them, either.
seem pointedly vast; it’s long and narrow. “Carthago delenda est.” (This was Cato the Elder’s
call to destroy Carthage, which posed a threat to In one way or another, he says, he’s thought about
Heading to meet Mark Zuckerberg, the wizard of Rome’s active user base.) Zuckerberg doesn’t wear a the rendering of reality for decades. “It’s something
this open-plan office, you wind through it like an toga, unfortunately, but like any icon, he has a signa- that I’ve dreamed about since I was a kid,” he says.
Ikea, following a painted path. The desks are orderly ture look – gray T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. “I remember in middle school I would just sit in my
and clean with minimalist Macs. From time to time, math class with my notebook and write code. I didn’t
there’s a map with a “you are here” helpfully posted. He joins the interview immediately, projecting even have a computer in middle school. I’d just,
sunshine. This won’t be a grind, like his recent emer- like, go home and write it. And I sketched out how I
Then, at the center, standing at his desk announc- gency meeting with U.S. conservatives, convincing thought that eventually the operating system and the
ing something to a colleague, there’s Zuckerberg. them that his army of overachieving twentysome- experience should be 3D, and basically more of a VR
He’s a great stander; he has terrific posture. Sheryl things isn’t totally biased in what it promotes on the thing.”
Sandberg, chief operating officer, author of Lean In news feed. Our subject today is … The Future. In

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 35

INSIGHT COVER STORY

Zuckerberg is 32 and was in middle school in about which leads to telepathy, something he isn’t opposed most 500,000. Facebook now has about 13,000 work-
1995, a few years after Neal Stephenson outlined his to discussing. ers. The Oculus division had about 400 the last time
dark vision for the “metaverse,” a computer-gener- Facebook announced the number. The company
ated alternate reality, in his novel Snow Crash. “I think you get – I mean, there’s something that’s won’t say why, but it no longer announces the num-
just – that’s deeper, that I don’t even think we scien- ber. It may be trying to build something bigger than
About 20 years later, Zuckerberg offered the tifically understand about just how you actually ex- anyone thinks, and even if you’re a benign autocrat,
founders of Oculus $2 billion to join him. That was perience the world,” he says. “I think there’s outside, as Zuckerberg essentially is at Facebook, sharehold-
hard to turn down. First of all, it was $2 billion. More and there’s different fidelities of capturing that. And ers get skittish when you start getting into the land
important, it implied the long-term backing of Zuck- then there’s the human experience of it, which I think war that is hardware.
erberg, who controls Facebook with a special class of is – I mean, we don’t even have enough of a scientific
shares. There are other shareholders, many of them, understanding to even have – I think I don’t, at least, John Carmack, Oculus’s chief technology officer,
but they don’t have the same rights or power over the have the vocabulary to even fully describe this.” says he’s well aware of what they’re up against: “I had
cash flow, which amounted to about $1.8 billion in an aerospace company for 10 years. I understand the
the first quarter of 2016. Apart from cracking the workings of the mind – cussedness of physical things.”
pretty cool! – Oculus will give Zuckerberg the chance
Oculus is Latin for “eye,” and the Oculus Rift, to actually make an object, as opposed to the intan- The hardware war will be waged on the grounds of
which went on sale earlier this year and lists for $599, gible millions of lines of code that constitute Face- the old Facebook headquarters, across the way from
is an incredible device. Strapped to the head, it offers book. the new digs. When employees want to go to the old-
360 degrees of vision and sound, potentially opening er part, they hop on brand-new blue bikes and pedal
new possibilities in playing games – the gateway drug There’s a less romantic reason for getting into the through a tunnel.
for VR, Zuckerberg says. hardware business, too: Facebook wants to own VR
the way Apple and Google own mobile. That means Offices surround an alley that looks like Disney-
He also wants it to be used for watching sports, taking control of the technology, from the software to land’s Main Street. There’s a coffee shop, a burrito
making movies, joining conversations around the the hardware. joint, and an arcade, among other shops, all free to
world, or things no one’s imagined yet. But it’s still employees. Next to a candy store there’s a printmak-
limited – in resolution, how it tracks movement, and But making things at a mass scale is ruthless and ing shop, where employees make beautiful posters
how the body responds to what it projects, among brutal in a way that coding isn’t. Getting a billion with team-building slogans that get put up on the
many other things. or more pairs of goggles into people’s hands will be few walls in the office. (Carthago delenda est, for in-
an immense undertaking. Apple makes things, but stance.) Only an ascetic misanthrope wouldn’t want
The problems are enormous and require a deeper its 110,000 or so workers don’t put them together. to work at Facebook.
understanding of human sensory mechanisms than Hundreds of thousands more, at places like contract
currently exists. (For example, how should a pair of manufacturer Foxconn Technology, do that. At the end of this snack food allée, in a repurposed
goggles follow the movement of the eye to allow the warren of offices, Oculus is spreading its messy-
processor to manipulate the plane of focus?) It’s go- Samsung has factories, too, and they employ al- reality tentacles over expanding rows of desks. The
ing to take billions to make it work. rooms are tangled, forbidding, a jumble suggesting
THE OCULUS AUDIO LAB. workers too busy to tidy up.
Zuckerberg, asked about this directly, doesn’t
flinch at the thought of building a NASA-like re- THE ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING LAB. Surfaces are piled with headsets, lenses, knots
search park for VR. “This is early, and it’s going to be of wire, chips, boxes. There are oscilloscopes, mass
a long-term thing,” he says. “This is a good candidate spectrometers, power supplies, soldering irons,
to be the next major computing platform. It’s worthy naked circuit boards with chips on them and USB
of a lot of investment over a long period.” cables sticking out, isolated testing platforms on
special wide legs that damp vibration, and giant
He often talks of connecting the world. But with microscopes. On one table, three cameras focus on
virtual reality, the terms of that connection have been a tiny sphere balanced on a needle. On another, a
upped exponentially. “We’ve connected 1.65 billion vacuum pump leads to a chamber that’s like a pres-
people through Facebook,” Zuckerberg says. “But if sure cooker. The Rift uses two lenses, and these are
you want to help get all 7 billion people connected everywhere, balanced on little stands in front of test-
and make a step function in the fidelity of how people ing equipment.
can share and consume content, you need to make
significant investments in some of these longer-term Here in this gadget maze are the offices of Palmer
things where you actually don’t know what the time Luckey and Nate Mitchell. Luckey, now 23, has been
horizon is. … I don’t know who said this first, but it’s the boy-inventor face of Oculus since it first blew the
not hard to predict what the world will be like in 20 media hive mind in 2012. But Facebook would like
years. The hard thing is actually predicting or figuring to rewrite this founding story and make it less boy-
out how to get there.” in-a-garage and more nerd-supergroup, so it’s made
him available only in a group interview, and not for
A decade ago, people online mostly shared text. photographs.
“Then we all got good cameras that were attached to
our phones, and it got a bit richer,” Zuckerberg says. Luckey betrays no anxiety about such revisions.
“And now we’re at the beginning of this – we call it Sitting in Mitchell’s office – which has its own name,
the golden age of online video, and that’s just richer. Nothing to Announce at this Time – Luckey wears a
Photos are richer than text; video, much richer than Hawaiian shirt, cargo shorts, and sandals. He has all
photos. But that’s not the end, right? I mean, it’s like the poise and confidence one would expect from a
this indefinite continuum of getting closer and closer home-schooled millennial with an awesome name,
to being able to capture what a person’s natural expe- on whom everyone wants to hang the invention of
rience and thought is, and just being able to imme- virtual reality.
diately capture that and design it however you want
and share it with whomever you want.” Mitchell, 29, affable, put-together, and of the su-
per-positive variety, wears a gray hoodie. The vice
The spread of video has taken thrilling and some- president for product, he’s been working with Luckey
times shocking turns, and VR will likely build on that since the beginning. Mitchell spends most of his days
in ways we don’t yet understand: Imagine Facebook figuring out how to improve the technical aspects of
Live at a riot, but in fully immersive form. the Rift, while Luckey woos developers, who are also
being asked to build games for rival headsets.
Talking about the future, even Zuckerberg can get
stumped and slide into the mystical. Some of the HTC’s Vive allows greater range of motion in a
problems don’t even have names yet. VR, at true fi- room than the Rift, and hand controllers are already
delity, entails creating another reality, the presence available. Sony’s PlayStation VR, launching later this
and automation of everything that exists. Then there year, will try to turn the audience for existing video
are the deep problems of connecting to the brain,
CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35 INSIGHT COVER STORY

games, such as Resident Evil, into customers. Magic Mitchell and Luckey were brought together by main one is making sure the final product Oculus
is building today is elegant, intuitive, and comfort-
Leap, an ostentatiously secretive startup in Florida, Oculus Chief Executive Officer Brendan Iribe, whose able – and doesn’t make people throw up. Nausea
is the “Um, sir, there may be a problem” problem
won’t explain exactly what it’s building, saying only office, named Inception, is just down from Mitchell’s. of VR.

that it’s working on augmented reality, or AR. Above the desk and couches and armchairs is an odd He thinks bigger thoughts, too, about where VR
might be years from now. He wonders about things
A sort of partway VR, AR involves digital images that steampunk-style bust by Jeremy Mayer, an artist in like what would happen if Oculus one-upped Google
Earth and mapped the whole world in 3D, or what it
appear to interact with the real world. Magic Leap Oakland, Calif. might take to get eye tracking right. “I sleep on and
off – a couple hours – and then wake up and think
has already signed deals with movie studios, about it, and then go back to sleep and think about it
more,” he says.
including Lucasfilm, which makes Star
Iribe grew up in Maryland and spent a year at the
Wars, and attracted gobs of investor PALMER LUCKEY OCULUS RIFT AT THE AUDIO LAB. University of Maryland before leaving to work in
cash – $1.4 billion and counting. And, software development. In April he went to his alma
mater to inaugurate the construction of a computer
of course, there are the simple, no- science center named for him after he pledged $31
million.
goggles-required smartphone AR
He stood under a tent with a senator, the gover-
games, such as the suddenly ubiq- nor, and Oculus executive Michael Antonov, also a
former student. They all put on VR goggles and pre-
uitous Pokémon Go. tended to break ground. (With Antonov, Iribe found-
ed Scaleform in 2004, which sold software tools to
Asked if he’s scared Oculus will video game producers. It was bought by Autodesk in
2011 for $36 million.)
be beat, Luckey answers, “I’m
As Iribe remembers it, a friend called him from a
never scared. I know too much.” product show in 2012 and told him, “You need to go
meet Palmer. He has this really cool prototype, and I
He goes on: “Some companies are think VR is, like, finally ready to work, maybe.” So Iri-
be brought a group together at the STK steakhouse in
figuring out their long-term vision as Los Angeles, including Mitchell and others Iribe had
worked with. At the dinner, he says, “Palmer walks
they go in terms of where is this tech- in with his shorts and flip-flops and Atari T-shirt. I’d

nology going to be in 10, 20, 30 years. But

for a lot of the people here, we’ve all read science Made entirely of parts from antique Oliver man-

fiction. We all know what virtual reality is in sci-fi. ual typewriters, the figure is dubbed Papa Oliver. He’s

“Even though the product we have today is not the a nod to the past but also a wink at a bionic future,

one that we want to have 10 or 20 years from now, when we may live in haptic suits that sense and trans-

everyone wants to get there. The goal is clear: It’s late every movement and reflect them in our avatars,

to make VR technology that’s as real as real life with ocular implants show information on our retinas, and

none of the limitations.” so on through the visions of Cline and others. Iribe

The science fiction he’s referring to is not only Snow bought one for himself and one for Zuckerberg.

Crash, but also Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline, Iribe, 36, has dark turned-up hair and an easy,

which imagines a Facebook-like “Oasis,” where all confident manner; his mother says he never had

social networking happens in VR. Cline talks with the trouble walking right up to the counter at the com-

Oculus people frequently. New employees are issued puter store when he was little, and sometimes right

a copy of the book. past it to the backroom. He has many roles, but the

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 39

INSIGHT COVER STORY

spoken to him on the phone, but I didn’t know how ing age, here was Steve Jobs telling Steve Wozniak Says Mitchell: “I do remember you said there was
young he was.” Luckey was 19. that the Apple computer should be for regular folks, this one job offer, and you said, ‘Think about this
not just engineers. salary. I’m going to walk away from that.’ Someone
Iribe pitched turning Oculus, which had been a was like, ‘Palmer, if you start your own company, you
message board-inspired Kickstarter project to help But Luckey already had another job offer. “I was can pick your own salary.’ ”
people build their own VR headsets, into a compa- considering a lot of different options,” he says. “We
ny that could sell a fully designed headset direct to met, and I talked with Brendan and his friends. He Iribe: “The big pitch to Palmer was, Look, we have
consumers. If this was the dawn of a new comput- really helped convince me.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

40 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39 INSIGHT COVER STORY

done this before, and we’re all still GAMERS WEAR HIGH-DEFINITION interesting platform,” Abrash says, lift-
working together. We’ll do a partner- VIRTUAL REALITY HEADSETS. ing his arms to show off the slice of life
ship, the four of us. … We’ll get equal that is this Facebook conference room.
share. I’ll be the CEO, and we’ll put the NATE MITCHELL, VP FOR PRODUCT “You don’t think, What’s the killer app?
company and the product together, You think, Anything is possible.” He
build a team, raise the money” – the a field with a football?” There’s a guy motions to his half-rimmed glasses
company was almost entirely fund- named Flemming Wahl who gets sick and his phone. They’re examples of
ed by Iribe, his family, Antonov, and easily. When Guerrero wants to know if ways we already augment our percep-
Mitchell, in addition to the Kickstarter a feature works, he has Wahl test it. If tion of the world, he says. But before
money – “and you’ll be the founder and he doesn’t get sick, it works. Wahl isn’t VR, “we haven’t ever had it so tightly
evangelist, and you can go out and be some kind of weakling – his hobby is coupled to our perceptual system and
spokesman. You have this incredible racing dragon boats – but for some rea- our environment.”
story, developing this in your garage son he’s sensitive to the vestibular dis-
for years.” tortions of VR. The problem for a research team
benchmarking against actual reality
Luckey, remembering it all, laughs. Michael Abrash, chief scientist at is that Oculus falls short in so many
“I wasn’t convinced for a while,” he Oculus, spends a lot of his time study- ways. The way lenses are designed
says. “It took a few weeks. It was pretty now, field of view is 90 degrees, not the
clear that Brendan was the right guy to 110 degrees your eyes have. And there’s
work with. I never wanted to be CEO. no way to adjust depth perception so
That’s just not my skill set. Some peo- you can focus on a strand of hair and
ple can be that founder-CEO. I knew then something in the distance with-
from the very start I never wanted to be
a CEO. It’s not my type of role.”

At Sanzaru Games, they joke a lot
about getting the bucket ready. San-
zaru makes one of the 70 games and
experiences Oculus has seeded, hop-
ing they’ll come up with a winner. The
bucket is for vomit.

Tin Guerrero, Sanzaru’s creative di-
rector, is working on a sports game,
and his team uses the bucket to an-
swer questions like, “What will hap-
pen if we have the user running down

ing perception. For Abrash, the great out highly precise eye tracking. “The
dress fight of 2015 – where the world only way to figure that out is to build
couldn’t agree on whether a dress it,” Abrash says. “This is only a percep-
was blue and black or white and gold tual psychology problem. The key is
– wasn’t a time-wasting meme, but a that what you experience is construct-
fundamental question about what the ed in your brain.”
brain processes and why. For Abrash,
Oculus can’t stop at games and gim- Tracking eyes, for example, isn’t
micky immersive experiences. It’s sup- as simple as tracking pupils – which
posed to be as good as reality. It’s sup- change size and may not be symmet-
posed to be reality. ric. The eyes wiggle and the iris travels
during each blink. “If you took a vid-
“When you wake up in the morn- eo of your eye and watched it in slow
ing, you don’t say, Ah, reality, what an motion, it would be very disturbing,”

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 41

INSIGHT COVER STORY

Abrash says. Eventually, Oculus will wise, and Carmack is at E3 to introduce
need to track mouth movement and the VR version of Microsoft’s Mine-
hand movement, which are potentially craft. The game runs on the Gear VR, a
even harder, but necessary for people stripped-down $99 set of goggles that
to hang out and have conversations in holds a Samsung smartphone inside.
some VR chat app of the future. (The gear is a Samsung-Oculus collabo-
ration based largely on Carmack’s work.)
Oculus early on committed 20 percent
of its budget and hiring to the research VR on mobile phones is the technol-
division, and Abrash spends most of his ogy Carmack thinks will spread first
time trying to find people who’ve actual- and fastest. “The phone,” he says, “is
ly studied the things the company is try- the golden path to how we get to a bil-
ing to solve. In fields such as nanofabri- lion users.”
cation, nanolithography, and waveguide
technology, he says there are only a few Carmack, 45, has spiky blond hair
people in the world to ask. and small rimless rectangular glasses.
He answers questions with precise, un-
Finding them has been complicated usually inventive language. He joined
by how completely VR stalled after its Oculus in the early days, after meeting
failure in the ’90s. There was nowhere Luckey through a message board de-
for a specialist inVR to continue to grow. voted to VR. He describes Luckey’s first
“I talked to one of those people to see if prototype as “a warpy, distorted mess.”
he wanted to work with us – it turns out
Carmack worked with Luckey to
BRENDAN IRIBE, OCULUS CEO refine it and brought it to E3 in 2012.
“This little shoe box that Palmer had
he’s a doctor now,” says Abrash. “Things taped together with two plastic lenses
just imploded so completely that peo- and a surplus screen was better than
ple walked away from it.” these super high-end displays that cost
a hundred times as much,” he says.
In the early ’90s, Abrash met CTO “But this was the thing that made peo-
Carmack on an online bulletin board ple go ‘Whoa.’ They saw it. They felt it.”
for 3D graphics. They got together and
built Quake, a hugely popular video Minecraft, says Carmack, is “the
game, then went their separate ways, biggest game in existence.” He spent
Carmack to ID Software and Abrash to months persuading Markus Persson,
Valve. About 15 years later, Carmack in- its inventor, to work with him, and then
troduced him to the Oculus team, be- Microsoft, after it bought Minecraft, to
fore Facebook bought it. Abrash tried let him turn it into a VR game. And then
a demo where he looked over the edge Facebook bought Oculus. “I was a big
of a tall building and felt his knees lock backer of the Facebook acquisition,”
up. That’s when he knew the future de- he says, explaining that he understood
scribed in his favorite sci-fi novels was enormous resources would be required
possible. for trueVR to come to fruition. He was so
all-in, he even got a Facebook account.
He quit his job, anticipating a long
vacation before Oculus could raise He says he has no one reporting to
enough money to get serious. Five him, which frees him to study prob-
days later he got a text telling him the lems like sensor fusion, the process of
company had been acquired for $2 bil- getting different locating technologies
lion. “I thought, Well, the train’s leaving to work together.
the station,” Abrash says. He met Zuck-
erberg and grilled him about whether Carmack ran Armadillo, an aero-
VR was a serious part of Facebook’s space company he founded, for about
strategic plan, then he hopped on. a decade, and he’s applying some of the
same positioning technology to VR.
Carmack is at a Microsoft event the “Sometimes you have an opportunity
night before E3, the annual gaming con- to build something from the future, be-
ference in Los Angeles. VR is such a new, fore there’s a top-100 list for the genre,”
open field that competitors are more he says. “I am more excited about this
collaborative than they might be other- than anything that has come before.”
Like Abrash, he met with Zuckerberg
before joining Facebook. He wanted to
gauge Zuckerberg’s commitment and
came away convinced.

In a way, it all hangs on Zuckerberg,
who tracks his personal and profes-
sional goals in an almost aggressively
pedantic manner. He counts miles for
a year of running and logs books for a
year of reading.

Asked at the interview in his office if
he’s ready for the long term, he leans
in, looks around the room, and fairly
yells, “I don’t think we’ve met before!”
Then he seamlessly slides into, “We’re
a very mission-focused and long-
term-oriented company.” 

42 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT EDITORIAL

An end to the battle between Vero and the Shores should be near

Is it possible, after years of costly But trying to anticipate every conceiv- It’s time for theVero Beach City Coun- That brings it down to the very
legal wrangling, that an agreement able adverse event that could occur in the cil to make this deal happen. ambitious Jay Kramer – and remark-
under which Florida Power & Light decades to come, and price those imagi- ably, after leading the obstructionist
would acquire Vero electric’s custom- nary costs into the sale, is simply absurd. Our guess is there are two votes for forces on the City Council for the past
ers in Indian River Shores may finally At this point, about the only one of these accepting the FPL offer when the Coun- six years, Kramer gets one last chance
be within reach? that Vero’s attorneys have missed is the cil meets in two weeks: those of Council on the 16th to do the right thing, and
possibility of a meteor shower wiping members Pilar Turner and Harry Howle. vote for the partial sale.
Following FPL’s surprise offer last out all the city’s substations. Surely FPL
week of $30 million for the 3,500 Shores and the Shores customers should pony On the other side, we have no reason For this one moment, Kramer’s in-
customers it does not already serve, up in advance for that. to believe that Council members Dick terests and the interests of those urging
the gap between what FPL was offering Winger and Randy Old will not remain the sale would seem perfectly aligned.
and the outrageous amount Vero was stuck on outrageous valuations.
originally seeking has shrunk from $51 If Kramer is to have even a flicker
million to only $12.4 million. of hope of beating County Commis-
sioner Bob Solari in the August 30th
In our view, FPL’s latest proposal – primary and moving up to the Indian
up from the $13 million it originally River County Commission, he has to
offered Vero – is close to amazing. vote “yes” on the sale of the Shores
customers to FPL.
Its original bid, which worked out
to about $3,700 per Shores customer, If he stands firm with Winger and
was almost double what FPL’s parent Old in opposing the sale, Shores vot-
Nextera agreed to pay last week to ac- ers and campaign contributors will
quire an 80 percent stake in Dallas- know where Kramer really stands – and
based Oncor, which serves 10 million any support for his political ambitions
Texas electric customers. from the Shores will be dead.

Its new offer, a bit more than $8,500 But Vero voters should be disgusted
per Shores customer, should have the by a “no” vote as well. With $30 million
Vero Beach City Council popping the from the sale of the Shores customers,
champagne when it meets to consider the city could finish dismantling Big
the FPL proposal on August 16th. Blue, and proceed with relocating the
substation and switching equipment
But will it? off the riverfront – a project estimated
The initial reaction of Vero City to cost in total $14 to $20 million.
Manager Jim O’Connor was more
than a little disheartening. Instead of And with the remainder, Vero could
hailing how much closer the offer now pay down its unfunded pension debt,
is to the city’s still exorbitant demand freeing up tax dollars for road paving
for $42.4 million – down from its origi- and other infrastructure needs.
nal laughable demand for $64 million
– O’Connor suggested Vero would now With Vero and the Shores the clos-
have to tack on another $5 million to est to a deal they have been in sev-
the $42.4 million for “contingencies.” eral acrimonious years, it all comes
Now, we’re not opposed to the city down to the 16th – and it probably all
seeking a price that will not harm Vero comes down to Kramer.
electric’s remaining customers – in
some foreseeable future. Wouldn’t it be nice to see the acri-
mony between the Shores and Vero
come to an end? 

SLEEPLESS IN … PART I 2. Even slight sleep debt can impair your cardiovascular health,
ability to fight infections and capacity to think properly.
SLEEP PRE-TEST 3. While most people can reset their biological clocks gradually,
it usually takes more than a week to adjust.
Whether you’re sleepless in Seattle, Hong Kong or Vero Beach, 4. Older people don’t need less sleep as they age. They may get
it’s exhausting. less sleep or quality of sleep changes.
5. Even if you get eight to nine hours of sleep a night, you may
Before we delve into this forthcoming series on sleep, take the not feel well rested if the quality of sleep is poor. Many sleep
pre-test below to assess your current “sleep-smarts.” disorders can be treated effectively with changes in behavior
or with medical therapies.
SLEEP QUIZ Mark as true or false 6. Although you may feel more rested, sleeping later on the
weekends can actually affect your biological clock and make it
True False much harder to get up early on Monday morning.
7. Getting a good night’s sleep is preferable; but naps can be
  1. Sleep is a time when your body and brain shut restorative and help counter some of the effects of not getting
enough sleep. Avoid taking naps after 3 p.m.
down for rest and relaxation. 8. While snoring is common, especially as we age, it can be a
sign of sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder that needs to
  2. Getting just one hour less sleep per night than be evaluated and treated.
9. They typically become hyperactive, irritable and inattentive
needed will not have any effect on your daytime during the day.
functioning. 10. While worry can cause a short bout of insomnia, persistent
sleeplessness could be due to medications, sleep disorders,
  3. Your body adjusts quickly to different sleep depression, anxiety disorders, asthma, arthritis or other
medical conditions.
schedules.
Future columns will cover the benefits of a good night’s sleep,
  4. People need less sleep as they get older. how lack of sleep attributes to specific health issues, signs and
  5. Extra sleep for one night can cure you of symptoms of common sleep disorders, and sleep-related tests
and treatments. 
problems with excessive daytime fatigue.
Your comments and suggestions for future topics are always welcome.
  6. You can make up for lost sleep during the week by Email us at [email protected].

sleeping more on the weekends. © 2016 Vero Beach 32963 Media, all rights reserved

  7. Naps are a waste of time.
  8. Snoring is a normal part of sleep.
  9. Children who don’t get enough sleep at night

will show signs of sleepiness during the day.

  10. The main cause of insomnia is worry.

ANSWER KEY

If you marked all answers as false, you are 100 percent correct.
Here is why:
1. Some physiological processes actually become more active
while you sleep.

44 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BOOK REVIEW

Patty Hearst.

The photograph is unforgettable: that attractive, about the identity of the target. After several SLA hood of San Francisco, seeking allies among total
somewhat diffident young woman – the victim, we members assassinated the African American su- strangers. Amazingly, they found some, and even
thought, of a savage political kidnapping – stand- perintendent of schools in Oakland in 1973 – for those who refused to help them never reported the
ing in front of the flag of her captors, clearly one reasons that were nebulous at best – even organi- encounters to anyone in authority.
of their number now, with a sawed-off M1 carbine zations like the Black Panthers and the Weather
in her hands. For parents of the World War II gen- Underground condemned the SLA as too extreme In “American Heiress,” Toobin, a staff writer at
eration, the image must have been terrifying. What and undisciplined. the New Yorker and a senior legal analyst at CNN,
more apt symbol could there be of the increasingly spins this complex chapter of recent history into
sinister tide of radicalism that was turning their The kidnapping of Hearst, granddaughter of leg- an absorbing and intelligent page-turner. I do wish
children against them in the late 1960s and early endary newspaper publisher William Randolph he’d provided more detailed and extensive end-
’70s? Because the message being sent by this child Hearst, began as another hazy act of provoca- notes, and that he’d done less marveling at the in-
of privilege seemed unmistakable: Screw your con- tion. The SLA operated under the “foco theory,” eptitude and ideological confusion of the SLA and
cern for me, Mom and Dad. I am now your enemy. based on the notion that even a minor guerrilla more explaining of why its message found such a
action by a tiny vanguard can be the spark that ig- sympathetic audience in the anti-establishment
The abduction and subsequent radicalization of nites a full-scale rebellion by the masses. Taking climate of the mid-’70s. But his overall assessment
Patricia Hearst is one of the most bizarre but illu- a modern-day aristocrat hostage seemed roughly of Hearst’s behavior strikes me as valid.
minating episodes of that tumultuous era of protest in line with this philosophy. But Patricia Hearst
(now more than four decades in the past), and in turned out to be anything but a convenient sym- As Toobin sees it, Hearst (who refused to cooper-
“American Heiress” Jeffrey Toobin retells the story bol of the oppressor class. On the contrary, as the ate in the publication of this book) was a rational
with a full-blown narrative treatment that may as- weeks of her captivity passed (some of which she actor at every step in her ordeal. She embraced her
tonish readers too young to remember it themselves. spent blindfolded in a closet), she proved that she captors’ cause not because she was too frightened
Toobin’s subtitle is no exaggeration: The “wild saga” could despise the fascist insect just as vehemently to resist (as her lawyers later argued in court) but
that began with Hearst’s kidnapping by the Symbio- as they did. DeFreeze, realizing that this develop- because eager cooperation with them was in her
nese Liberation Army (SLA) on Feb. 4, 1974, would ment could be turned into a public relations coup, best interests at the time. So too was eager cooper-
strain credibility in anybody’s novel. But somehow, eventually put a weapon in her hands and photo- ation with law enforcement after her arrest, when
in the context of real-life California in the big bad graphed her before the SLA’s emblem of a seven- she readily turned against her former cohorts to
’70s, it was just another day in dystopia. This was, as headed cobra. Then he enlisted his unlikely new lighten her sentence. In each case, the betrayals
Toobin reminds us, the age of the Zebra and Zodiac recruit to help him rob a bank. made hard-headed practical sense. As Toobin ex-
murder sprees, and not long before the Jonestown plains it: “In the closet, she became a revolution-
mass suicides. It was a moment when the counter- Hearst’s exploits as a fugitive outlaw (she even- ary; in the jail cell, she became a Hearst.” 
culture seemed to be downshifting from the hope- tually adopted the nom de guerre “Tania,” after
ful idealism of the Woodstock era to the apocalyptic one of Che Guevara’s comrades) ended up last- AMERICAN HEIRESS
nihilism of the Watergate years. ing about a year and a half before her capture on The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst
Sept. 18, 1975. Over the course of those months,
The SLA was a case in point. Hardly an army, it she actively participated in two bank robberies, a By Jeffrey Toobin
was actually just a small cadre of young white radi- street-corner shootout, a carjacking and a series of Doubleday. 371 pp. $28.95.
cals led by a charismatic but unstable black ex-con- bombings; she also watched on television as six of
vict named Donald DeFreeze. What the SLA lacked her SLA associates (including one who had become Review by Gary Krist,
in coherent ideology it more than made up for in her boyfriend) perished in a ferocious and chaotic The Washington Post
passionate militancy. In its battle against “the fas- ambush in Los Angeles – “the biggest police gun
cist insect that preys upon the life of the people,” battle ever to take place on American soil,” accord-
the group was willing to bomb, rob, carjack, kid- ing to Toobin. The fact that Hearst and the other
nap and even murder, without being overly fussy surviving SLA members were able to elude capture
for so long is testimony not only to FBI impotency
(few people would even speak to agents who came
to their doors), but also to the remarkable willing-
ness of so many ordinary citizens to hide and assist
a fringe political group intent on violence. At one
point, DeFreeze and two SLA disciples even went
door to door in the Western Addition neighbor-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 45

INSIGHT BOOK REVIEW

The blood-chilling email from Mark Zuckerberg of “a parable.” The lesson: At Facebook, secrets not only a signature blue T-shirt and parables like
arrived in every Facebook employee’s inbox at the are many and they must be kept; employees forget the scary email story, but also a lecture: Forget
same time. Its subject line: “Please resign.” As An- that at their peril. anything you learned working elsewhere. The
tonio García Martínez tells the story in his book all-in approach, García Martínez writes, was “de-
“Chaos Monkeys,” the Facebook founder was fu- What happens in Silicon Valley has affected signed precisely as the sort of citizenship oath
rious. He was looking for an employee, identity – or maybe infected – every moment of modern that new Americans took in front of a flag and a
unknown, who had leaked information about a life. But what do we really know about the North- public official.”
new product to the tech press, and he wanted his ern California subculture that lurks behind our
minions to know that he regarded this employee’s collective inability to put down our iPhones, tear There’s a whiff of Hunter S. Thompson in García
action as the basest kind of betrayal. Although the our eyes from our Twitter feeds or stop posting Martínez’s frenzied pace and bad-boy exploits,
story sounds apocryphal, it has the ring of truth every snack to Instagram? Mostly, we know the though his prose is inferior. But who can object
for those who have experienced the overblown caricature: Silicon Valley is where CEOs wear when the insights are so pointed and the details
world of Silicon Valley. García Martínez heard it hoodies and where nerdy coders have been able so juicy?
soon after he joined Facebook in 2011. For him, to get filthy rich without ever developing any so-
Zuckerberg’s extreme reaction became the basis cial skills. García Martínez’s Silicon Valley life began
when he left his staid Goldman Sachs job to join a
García Martínez wants to give us the skinny and digital-ad start-up. Soon, he left that company to
fill in the gaping holes. In this techie tell-all, he conjure one of his own. With much drama along
dishes up all the intrigue, foibles and inside infor- the way — hostile takeover attempts, backstab-
mation he gathered as a former Wall Street strate- bing rivals and financial sleight-of-hand – he
gist who put a 21st-century spin on Horace Gree- eventually skipped to Facebook’s ad team, only to
ley’s advice and went West to join the digital gold get forced out and land as an adviser to Twitter.
rush. He founded a digital ad company, AdGrok,
and began living the Silicon Valley life – where Along the way, he became one of the “chaos
founding a start-up, he observes, can amount to monkeys”: tech entrepreneurs who destroy every-
nothing but a warm-up for a job interview at Face- thing in their path on their way to untold wealth
book or Twitter, and where the HR-friendly term and the next digital brainstorm – Uber, Airbnb,
“cultural fit” masks sexism, elitism or racism. Just Netflix – that will change the world. The term
about every start-up, he writes, featured the same “chaos monkeys” also refers to the kind of test-
unsavory ingredients: “Backroom deals negotiat- ing digital products must endure and how well
ed via phone calls to leave no legal trace, behind- they survive random mishaps. “Imagine a chim-
the-back betrayals of investors or cofounders, panzee rampaging through a data center,” García
seductive duping of credulous employees so they Martínez writes. “He yanks cables here, smashes
work for essentially nothing.” a box there, and generally tears up the place.” It’s
an inspired metaphor for digital disruption – and
What Tom Wolfe did for New York society and a pretty great book title.
George Plimpton did as goalie for the Boston Bru-
ins, García Martínez tries to do for the digerati. Reckless and rollicking, “Chaos Monkeys” has a
Scattered, fast-paced and overwritten, this mem- lot to recommend it, but could have used a tough-
oir of his Silicon Valley adventures doesn’t ap- minded editor to prune away the self-indulgent
proach that rarified literary quality – but it does excess. Although this would have been a better
entertain. book at 300 pages, instead of more than 500, it’s
still perceptive and funny and brave. 
As the founder of his start-up and later a prod-
uct manager at Facebook and an adviser at Twit- CHAOS MONKEYS
ter, he exposes the Valley subculture from the Obscene Fortune and Random Failure in Silicon Valley
inside – including the zealously protective cor-
porate culture at Facebook. He recalls his “on- By Antonio García Martínez
boarding,” which aimed to turn new employees Harper. 515 pp. $29.99
into disciples. As a Facebook newbie, he received
Review by Margaret Sullivan,
The Washington Post

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46 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT TRAVEL

Hotels take ‘dim’ view of online agencies’ tactics

BY CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT The practice quickly spread to af- Maher said dimming is not as tomers such as Compo-Martin see
fect properties in the United States, straightforward as it sounds. Expe- it. Dimmed hotels make an online
Washington Post where the requirement to offer a bet- dia’s search algorithm weighs sev- travel agency’s search results look in-
ter rate was dropped after the rulings eral factors, including the room rate; complete at best, buggy at worst. To
At first, to Christine Compo-Mar- in Europe. Expedia, Stein said, is the customer ratings; how often the ho- her, they run contrary to the implied
tin, the Expedia.com search results most prominent dimmer in the trav- tel turns away reservation-holding promise of an online agency, which
looked like a mistake. As she queried el business, while Booking.com has guests and sends them to another is to show a comprehensive list of the
the site for a hotel room in Philadel- lowered the rankings of some hotels hotel; and the commission paid to most desirable hotels.
phia, she found properties without but hasn’t removed their pictures. the agency.
photos. Booking did not respond to repeated “I use sites like Expedia because I
requests for a comment. Expedia ac- She wouldn’t say precisely how want all of the information up front at
“Honestly, if there aren’t pictures, I knowledged that it is lowering the many hotels are being dimmed, de- once,” she said. “I’m sure I’m not the
don’t even begin to consider it,” said rankings of some hotels but said it scribing it only as a “small percent- only one who looks at that and thinks,
Compo-Martin, a retired teacher who was for the benefit of the customer. age” of properties. But, she added, if ‘What are they hiding?’”
lives in New Hope, Pa. “I want to know a hotel finds that its photos have been
where I’m staying – not show up and “We want to make sure the hotels stripped away or it has moved lower It’s hard to know. As a practical
discover it’s not fit for cockroaches.” with the best rates and inventory are in the search results, Expedia tries to matter, the top results on your favor-
put first,” said Melissa Maher, a se- work with the company to fix things. ite travel site may have longer descrip-
As it turns out, it wasn’t a site error. nior vice president at Expedia. “We’re tions with additional photos, but the
Expedia had intentionally deleted the doing it because we’re consumer-fo- “We want to give the hotel the op- properties shown may be more ex-
images in an effort to persuade her to cused.” portunity to change,” she said. pensive. Lower-ranked hotels might
book a different hotel. The practice, be less expensive, but they might not
euphemistically called “dimming,” That’s not necessarily how cus- have photos and their descriptions
involves deliberately minimizing a may be edited to a few sentences. In
hotel’s appearance or ranking in an rare instances, dimmed hotels may
online agency’s results. not be bookable through the site.

It’s the byproduct of a behind- No one except the travel agency
the-scenes conflict between ho- doing the dimming knows why a
tels, which want customers such as hotel is chosen for the treatment.
Compo-Martin to book directly with “From one day to the next, a hotel
them, and online travel agencies, chain can go from 150 dimmed ho-
which don’t want to be undercut by tels to 80,” said Gino Engels, chief
the hotels. The bottom line for cus- commercial officer for OTA Insight,
tomers: When you book online, you a London hospitality technology
may not see the cheapest hotels first. company. As of July 21, OTA Insight
In extreme cases, you may not even said that slightly more than 1 per-
be able to book the hotel you want on cent of Expedia’s 260,000 hotel prop-
the agency’s site. erties were dimmed.

The dimming problem flickered Now more than ever, you have to
to life this spring, after hotels won do your due diligence when you’re
a series of court victories in Europe searching for the best hotels, indus-
that effectively allowed them to of- try-watchers say. They recommend
fer lower rates on their own websites, starting with a site that searches mul-
according to Dori Stein, the chief tiple online agencies, such as Kayak.
executive of Fornova, a technology com or the hotel search on Google.
company that works with hotels. Pre- com. Check an online agency such
viously, hotels had contracts with on- as Expedia or Booking to see if it can
line agencies that gave the agencies’ do better, and, if you find a hotel you
sites their best rates. like, click on the property’s website to
make sure there isn’t a better rate. 
“Online travel agencies retaliated
by dimming,” Stein said.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 47

INSIGHT ON FAITH

Grow up ... it’s a privilege to be a responsible adult!

BY REV. DRS. CASEY AND BOB BAGGOTT Some researchers have noted that contribute to these trends, of course, But how to succeed? To succeed
Columnists perhaps at no time in history has but they are trends which distinguish may require that we adults be as
adulthood been less revered and today’s adults from those of genera- concerned about upholding an un-
What is adulthood? Some of us youth for youth’s sake been so ad- tions past. written “Bill of Responsibilities”
mark our transitions to adulthood by mired. We need only to watch TV or as we are about our written “Bill of
a graduation ceremony. Others may read magazines to see that the mar- Perhaps adulthood is in the process Rights.” We must be as concerned
recall taking wedding vows, buying a keting of cosmetics, clothing and of being redefined. Perhaps it’s not about leaving endowments for fu-
first car, landing that first real job, or workout gear, aimed at keeping us about nose-to-the-grindstone obliga- ture generations as about entitle-
welcoming a new baby, as their intro- young, is a thriving business. The tion anymore, or independence at all ments for ourselves. We must be as
duction to adult life. Soon our church misguided explorer Cortez came to costs. Maybe adult roles of the future willing to give, even sacrifice if nec-
will proudly welcome a fabulous this continent centuries ago looking will be less confining and less clear, essary, as we are to receive.
group of young men and women into for the fountain of youth. Judging by more fluid and flexible – more “youth-
membership in the church as adults, all appearances, we’re continuing ful.” Surely our society has benefited Perhaps we can challenge our-
when they formally “confirm” their the search. from the vigor, idealism and enthusi- selves as we applaud graduates, or
faith in a confirmation ceremony. But asm of its youthful attitudes. cheer the bride and groom, or con-
do these rites of passage automatical- But it’s not just our appearances gratulate the confirmand we love, to
ly confer upon us the stature and state we’re concerned with keeping youth- But can generations bent on re- be the role models of adulthood that
of adulthood? Some would say no. ful. Our lifestyles, social analysts tell maining youthful succeed at those will spur those young people toward
us, are youthful, as well. For years essential tasks such as nurturing the a fulfilling, responsible and fruitful
now, the trends have been tracked for family and helping to ensure social adulthood of their own. Perhaps we
later marriages, delayed child-bear- stability? Social analysts argue that can demonstrate for them that adult-
ing and longer dependency on par- each generation can and must suc- hood is not dull drudgery, but a priv-
ents. Grown children leave home, but ceed at those essential adult roles. To ilege. We can show that it is a joy to
return to the nest. Numerous factors fail at those essential tasks would put grow up! 
us all in peril.

48 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT PETS

Bonzo takes a liking to Lily, a terrific terrier

Hi Dog Buddies! was, so she called the Hu- width of a Human’s hand,
mane Society and made
This week I interviewed a VERY an appointment to see so they can reach into a
happy, energetic Jack Russell Terrier, me. Well, Thank Lassie,
Lily Kramer, who’s an Only Dog, totally she liked me and took a burrow and pull us out
perky and feminine but also a fearless picture of me to show
hunter (terrier genes, ya know). Dad. And he said ‘YEP!’” when we’ve found a rab-

When her Mom opened the door, “Awww,” I said. bit or something. I’m not a
Lily was right there, bouncing about. “I KNOW. So, when
She was a real pretty poocheroo, short my new human brother young pooch anymore, but
white hair, reddish brown trim, very Anthony (he was about
neat and tidy. 7 then) got home from I still hunt rabbits – catch
school and saw me, he
“Welcome to my home,” she said. thought they were dog- ’em, too! They’re quick, but
“This is my Mom, Alla, and my Dad, sitting me for a friend.
Jay.” Boy was he excited I’m quicker. One time I was
when Mom said I was
“Pleased to meet you,” I replied. Their Dog! He kept ask- chasing this rabbit and, just
After the Wag-and-Sniff, we got set- ing, ‘Can we really keep
tled, and Lily ran over to my assistant her?’ And my sister, as it froze (that’s what they
for a few friendly slurps. “I’m ackshully Jennifer, who was about 11, was hap-
a People Pooch,” she said. “No offense. py, too, cuz she’d always wanted a dog. do), I pounced. Well, when
I do have a coupla dog pals, but I pre- “They were extra happy when they
fer my Peeps.” realized I was well-trained. I’m su- it took off, I was going so fast
“I totally understand,” I told her, “I’d per polite, too, never chew anything
love to hear your story.” I shouldn’t, or run away. I stay in my that I just went tumbling, tail
“As far as I can recall, I had a good own yard or sun myself on the deck.
puppyhood. Then, when I was about And I love the pool. I jump right in, over teakettle. Dog! was that
2, I got lost. I was wandering around ’specially when my brother or sister
over on Miracle Mile, and finally this have friends over. I run with the Big embarrassing!
really nice Human named Anatoly Dogs over at the Dog Park, and keep
found me. I had a collar and wasn’t up with ’em, too. And going out in our “Only thing that scares me
skinny or anything. He looked all over boat is so-o fun. There’s just the one
for my owners but couldn’t find ’um. thing I had to teach Mom and Dad. is thunder, and fireworks. I
He even called the Humane Society, See, they wanted me to sleep in my
but nobody had reported a lost Jack own Special Dog Bed. But I was used Lily. PHOTO BY LEAH DUBOIS hide under the bed. Mom says
Russell. So he called his daughter and to sleeping with my Humans, so I kept she’s maybe gonna get me a
told her she needed a dog. She said she jumping onto their bed and burrow-
didn’t have time cuz she’s real busy. ing under the covers. I finally got ’em take care of me, and we Thunder Shirt.”
Even though I’d just met him, I really, trained. When Mom and Dad get up, I
really liked him and he liked me back go snooze with my brother or sister ’til have the best time. PLUS, my Dad has “Oh, I’ve heard of them” I said.
cuz well, cuz I’m ME. He made me feel everybody’s up.
safe. But where he lived was a No Dogs “I’m almost 10 now, and I have the this job where he sits at the middle “That’s, like, a snuggly shirt that’s just
Allowed place. So he hadda take me to Best Family Ever! When Mom and Dad
the Humane Society. He talked to his go on trips, Grandpa and Grandma of a big, long desk, with some other tight enough to feel like a comforting
daughter again about how fabulous I
people, and gets to bang this sorta hug, right?”

hammer-thingy (I don’t know exactly “Yep. I hope she does, too. It takes

why) and they all talk about Important me hours to stop shaking.”

Stuff. As long as he gets to do that, I get “I gotta be going, Miss Lily,” I said.

to call myself First Dog. Cool Kibbles, “It’s been fun yapping with you.”

right?” “I can’t wait to see my story,” she replied.

“Totes! Do you get treats?” I in- “I’ll do my best,” I told her.

quired.

“Not too many. I have to watch my Till next time,

figure, you know. But I do get a treat

when I come back in from Doing My The Bonz
Duty. And when Mom gets herself a
cookie, she gives me a treat, too.”

“That’s only fair,” I observed. “I Don’t Be Shy
couldn’t help noticing your very nice We are always looking for pets with
tail. It looks sorta bobbed, but longer.

Is it natural?”

“It is bobbed,” she replied. “See, us interesting stories.
Jack Russells are hunters, small ani- To set up an interview, email
mals like rabbits or gophers or foxes. [email protected].
So our tails are bobbed just to the

MRSA Infections ment with commonly prescribed antibiot- any households with immunocompro- redness, scabbed areas, raised bumps,
ics, It’s a myth that MRSA infections are mised individuals. or round red circles should be seen right
It’s fairly common in Florida to see year not able to be treated and cured. away in order to keep the infection from
round skin problems. While the majority MRSA infections often respond better progressing and protect owners.
of pet infections are easily treated, we The difficulty is MRSA can mimic the to topical therapy than to oral antibiot-
increasingly are seeing MRSA, a more se- common staph infection and other condi- ics alone so medicated bathing may be Most skin workups can be done in
rious staph infection that is more difficult tions like dermatophytosis (the common needed to resolve the infection. If there house with results returned in a few days.
to treat and can pose a human health risk fungal infection causing ringworm) in are concerns about owners’ health, then Our doctors focus on identifying the root
especially to those with compromised early stages and patients often are placed pets may be isolated for treatment in the cause of your pet’s symptoms rather than
immune systems. on antibiotics the bacteria Is resistant to. clinic until the infection is resolved and a just treating the symptoms. We have
culture of the skin is negative. Pets with warm hearts for cold noses and we are
While MRSA can be resistant to treat- Culturing skin infections is recommend- abnormal skin—any excessive itching, available 24/7 for pets and pet parents!
ed for pets with skin infections living in

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 49

INSIGHT GAMES BRIDGE

NORTH

SHOW YOUR TWO-SUITER IN COMPETITION A87

By Phillip Alder - Bridge Columnist K942

This week we will study the bidding of two-suited hands. Look only at the South hand. 8532
With your side vulnerable, you open one heart, West passes, North raises to two
hearts, and East intervenes with three diamonds. What would you do now? WEST J6
J965 EAST
When the opponents are out of the bidding, and you hit a fit with your partner, keep 7
your second suit hidden. But when they enter the auction, the dynamic changes. With Q 10 6 10 2
this South hand, if you jump to four hearts and everyone passes, fine; but what if West K9754
goes to five diamonds? What would you do then? J3

The answer is that you would have no idea. It could be right to double their sacrifice AKJ974
or to bid on to five hearts. However, your partner will know what to do if you describe
your hand to him. A82

When you have a two-suiter, you find a fit in your first suit, and the opponents enter SOUTH
the auction, bend over backward to show your second suit. Here, bid three spades.
Then let partner judge what to do over five diamonds. KQ43

In this deal from a tournament in Orlando, Florida, North had an easy five-heart bid. He A Q 10 8 6 5
had two magic cards with four-card heart support, and he knew South was very short
in diamonds. But if North had had (nearly) all of his stuff in the minors, he would have —
doubled five diamonds.
Q 10 3
Note that five diamonds doubled would have been down only 500, and five hearts
made easily. Dealer: South; Vunerable: North-South

One last point: If you jump to four hearts over three diamonds, you assume captaincy; The Bidding:
you are telling partner that you know what to do if they bid five diamonds.
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST OPENING
1 Hearts Pass 2 Hearts 3 Diamonds
?? LEAD:
6 Diamonds

50 Vero Beach 32963 / August 4, 2016 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT GAMES & CO. SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (JULY 21) ON PAGE 62

ACROSS DOWN
5 Narrator (11) 1 Beautiful (8)
7 Respiratory organ (4) 2 Song words (6)
8 Self (8) 3 Concrete (6)
9 Noted (6) 4 Horizontal (4)
10 Fright (6) 5 Steam bath (5)
12 Wardrobe (6) 6 Proportion (5)
15 Begin again (6) 11 Repress (8)
17 Aubergine (8) 13 Reasoning (5)
19 Bap (4) 14 Disastrous (6)
20 Anthology (11) 15 Custom (6)
16 Gourd fruit (5)
18 Flat shoe; siphon (4)

The Telegraph

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