08/08/2019 ISSUE 32

New school district CFO finds
‘a financial mess.’ P8
Shores beefs up its

rainy-day reserves. P10
County set to crack down on
use of recycling bins for garbage. P8

MY VERO For breaking news visit

BY RAY MCNULTY Hospital tied
for 27th out of
O’Connors enjoying 269 in Florida
travels in retirement
BY MICHELLE GENZ
Jim O’Connor spent the Staff Writer
last eight years of his ca-
reer steering Vero Beach PHOTO BY KAILA JONES Cleveland Clinic Indian
through the twists and turns River Hospital finished in a tie
of a challenging and some- More low-income residents getting access to healthcare with eight other hospitals for
times-exhausting journey to 27th out of 269 Florida hospi-
the $185 million sale of the BY MICHELLE GENZ to a financial aid policy that up to 250 percent of poverty tals in the latest Best Hospitals
city’s electric utility to Flor- Staff Writer turns out to be far broader than guidelines, and discounted care ranking released by U.S. News.
ida Power & Light, finally was generally realized when on a sliding fee scale for pa-
reaching that destination More uninsured low-income Cleveland Clinic took over In- tients earning up to 400 per- The U.S. News ratings can be
in February. residents of Indian River Coun- dian River Medical Center. cent of poverty guidelines. confusing, because the publi-
ty are getting free or lower-cost cation ranks hospitals on spe-
It proved to be good prep- healthcare than ever before due That policy dictates free care And it now turns out the cific programs and procedures
aration for the next phase of for uninsured patients earning in a nationwide comparison
his life. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 and then uses those scores to
come up with the hospital’s
O’Connor, who retired as overall rating.
Vero Beach’s city manager in
March, now spends much Outside of Indian River
County, Cleveland Clinic
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 saw the ranking drop slightly
for its main Ohio campus in
Investors bilked by Cleveland and for the Florida
firm raising funds division’s flagship hospital in
for ‘JetSet’ TV show Weston.

BY LISA ZAHNER Cleveland Clinic Weston
Staff Writer dropped to a tie for fifth place
in the state from fourth place
An Ocean Drive firm pur- last year. Still, Weston retained
porting to be in the business of
producing hit television shows CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
was looking for investors will-
ing to put up $3 million to Vero may annex oceanfront property,
create a show called “JetSet,” enabling developer to build condos
showing off luxurious travel,
vehicles, products, experienc- BY NICOLE RODRIGUEZ north of theVero city line where
es and destinations. But inves- Staff Writer a shuttered marine sciences
tigators say the $500,000 that laboratory currently stands.
was raised ended up funding Condominiums could soon
the jet-set lifestyles of those rise on a piece of oceanfront Florida Institute of Technol-
running the firm. property located behind the ogy is asking the city of Vero
CVS and 7-Eleven on A1A just Beach to annex the 4.7-acre
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

August 8, 2019 Volume 12, Issue 32 Newsstand Price $1.00 Up, up and hooray
at Aerial Antics’
News 1-10 Faith 31 Pets 34 TO ADVERTISE CALL Circus. Page 12
Arts 19-22 Games 35-37 Real Estate 55-64 772-559-4187
Books 30 Health 39-44 Style 45-47
Dining 48 Insight 23-38 Wine 49 FOR CIRCULATION
Editorial 28 People 11-18 CALL 772-226-7925

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

2 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

My Vero On a recent trip to Tennessee, for “It can get a little unstable,” he add- ing trips with his wife and then-young
example, O’Connor, who prefers to ed, “so you’re hanging on to the steer- children in a pop-up camper.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 stay off the interstates when pos- ing wheel.”
sible, found himself driving along a But it wasn’t until a year-and-a-half
of his free time traveling with his wife, two-lane mountain highway in ru- Not that the O’Connors – who have ago that O’Connor actually drove a
Sherry, in their motorhome, embark- ral Georgia, where 18-wheel tractor- been married for 50 years – have any motorhome, when he and his wife
ing on outings that have provided trailers whooshed by in the opposite regrets: Years before they retired, they rented an RV and embarked on a test
more than a few unexpected adven- direction. had decided to explore the recreation- run to a country music festival in Live
tures and tense moments. al-vehicle lifestyle. Oak, Florida.
“You’re driving an 11-foot-wide,
“The scariest part of having a mo- 13-foot-high motorhome in a 12-foot- Growing up in Rocky Top, Tennes- “We had been looking at them, but
torhome,” O’Connor said, “is driving it.” wide travel lane, so you’re already at see, not far from Knoxville, O’Connor’s we decided to rent one first, which
full concentration,” O’Connor said. wife experienced “RVing,” as she called is what we’d strongly recommend,”
In fact, O’Connor will tell you: Pi- “Then you’ve got semis whizzing past it, in a hearse her father converted into O’Connor said. “I hadn’t driven a truck
loting his year-old, 27-foot-long Win- you in the other direction, and you a motorhome. since using a U-Haul in college, and I
nebago can be far more nerve-wrack- can feel the thrust of the air pushing thought driving the motorhome would
ing than anything he encountered against you. O’Connor, also from the Knoxville be like driving a van. I was wrong.
while closing the sale of Vero Electric. area, did some camping as a youth
and, later in life, would go on camp- “That one trip gave us the mo-
torhome experience we needed before
we bought one,” he added. “Now, RV-
ing is our thing.”

When in Vero Beach, the O’Connors
park their Winnebago on pavers along-
side their barrier island home. When
on the road, they usually stay in camp-
grounds at county, state or national
parks, or in privately operated RV parks.

Their trip to Tennessee was their
first outside Florida.

“It was farthest we’ve gone and the
longest amount of time we’ve spent
in the motorhome so far,” O’Connor
said. “We were gone for 21 days, which
I thought would be a stretch, but it
wasn’t bad.”

Other trips have kept them on the
road for a week or two, during which
they’d often stop for the night, spend a
full day visiting an area and then leave
the next morning.

The longer the trip, though, the more
planning is required, O’Connor said.

“That’s where it gets tough for us,
because we’re not planners. We like to
just pick up and go. Fortunately, a lot
of the parks will set aside a few sites
they won’t rent in advance, so you can
almost always find a place to camp for
one night.

“You can also camp for a night at
most Cracker Barrel restaurants, or a
Flying J gas station, or sometimes even
a Walmart parking lot.”

Most of the O’Connors’ outings,
however, have been weekend get-
aways to Florida destinations, so, un-
like many RVers, they don’t tow a car.
Instead, they rely on Uber and Lyft to
go into nearby towns. Or, when practi-
cal, they ride their bicycles.

Sometimes, other campers will offer
rides into town or allow the O’Connors
to borrow their cars.

“RVers are very friendly people,”
O’Connor said. “Every time we’ve
camped, we’ve met new people, and it
was like having neighbors. It’s mostly
retirees – Baby Boomers are driving
the industry – but a lot of times they’ll
bring along their kids and grandkids.

“It’s a way of life for some people,
and you meet folks from all walks of
life,” he added. “Some of them actu-
ally live full time in their motorhomes.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 3

NEWS

There are also people who come to The investor proposal obtained by high-quality television programming.” reports show, were promised guaran-
Florida for the winter and will spend the FBI stated, “In this first tranche, Delaney reeled in two big contribu- teed interest payments of 10 percent
five or six months in them.” Leveraging is looking to raise $3 mil- annually on their money. Those pay-
lion in investment capital. We seek to tors. One investor, a part-time Port St. ments came for a few months, then
The O’Connors’ motorhome has a exclusively locate 30 Accredited In- Lucie resident, entrusted him with evaporated.
well-equipped kitchen, dinette, bath- vestors with $100,000 or more of in- $280,000 from the sale of Citicorp
room, shower, television and a queen- vestment funds. This will enable our stock he’d earned over his career with The attorney for the firms, who re-
sized bed, as well as an exterior bar company to purchase media at cost, the company. Another investor rolled signed after discovering how Delaney
area. It gets only 8 miles per gallon, but aggressively obtain rights to poten- $249,000 out of her 401(k) and gave it to had used investor funds, told FBI in-
it has an 80-gallon tank. tial future productions, and produce Delaney to invest in his JetSet project. vestigators that Vltra Group and Lever-

“I remember asking the salesman Both investors, FBI investigation CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
about mileage,” O’Connor said, “and
he said, ‘If you have to ask that, you NEW LISTING
probably shouldn’t be looking for a
motorhome.’” Exclusively John’s Island

The O’Connors, though, knew they Conveniently near Club amenities, this beautifully renovated 3BR/3.5BA residence
wanted one, and they knew the time balances modern comfort with stately appeal. Nestled under majestic oaks on .43
was right. acres, the 4,617± GSF home overlooks multiple fairway views and centers around
a generous living room with fireplace. A dining area with French sliding doors leads
O’Connor, who managed seven cit- to a substantial patio suited for entertaining. Features include an island kitchen
ies during his 45 years in government, with limestone countertops, hobby room, and gracious master suite with Carrara
is 70. He’s healthy, active and enjoying marble bathroom. Lot configured to accommodate a pool and cabana/4th bedroom.
the freedom of retirement. He’s look- 170 Clarkson Lane : $2,750,000
ing forward to motorhome rallies in
St. Augustine next month and Lake- three championship golf courses : 17 har-tru courts : beach club : squash
land in February. health & wellness center : pickleball : croquet : vertical equit y memberships

But he admits the driving can be 772.231.0900 : Vero Beach, FL : JohnsIslandRealEstate.com
stressful and, even after arriving at an
RV park, setting up camp takes work.

“You really want to do this while
you’re still capable and still able to
enjoy it,” O’Connor’s wife said. “If you
wait until you’re 70, maybe you do it
for five years.”

That gives the O’Connors plenty of
time to plan the motorhome trip of a
lifetime – to visit their daughter, who
lives in California, and son, who lives
in Colorado. 

Investors bilked

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“The Jet-Set lifestyle was to be show-
cased and $5-$7 million dollars was
projected to be paid by various spon-
sors,” court records say of the firm’s
business plan, as described by its CEO
Eric Disomma.

Five years later, Managing Partner
and CFO Christopher Todd Delaney of
Vero Beach is in jail. Questions about
exactly what happened to half a mil-
lion in investor cash may be answered
in court as Delaney has pled not guilty
and requested a jury trial.

Court records show Delaney claims
he was just recouping a portion of his
own $180,000 investment in the proj-
ect, but bank records obtained by the
FBI don’t seem to support that claim.

The Vltra Group and the Leveraging
firm had offices at 3001 Ocean Drive
and it was from that headquarters that
Delaney was hired to set up a private
securities offering and recruit inves-
tors, according to court records. Del-
aney lived in White Plains, N.Y., but
had become known in Vero for giving
investment seminars, after suppos-
edly working as an investment advisor
for more than 20 years.

4 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Investors bilked fied for representation by Public De- Access to healthcare expanding Vero may annex island property
fender Diamond Litty’s office, claim- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 ing total assets of $1,700, total debt of
$100,000 and his only income being policy extends beyond the hospital property, which is currently part of un-
aging never gleaned any income from $1,100 per month in Social Security to include treatment by all Cleveland incorporated Indian River County, so
the JetSet television show, and that benefits. Clinic-employed physicians – primary a potential buyer can build multifam-
the companies’ only income was from care, urgent care and specialty care – ily units.
some website development services. At the time of his arrest, he listed a in practices outside the hospital.
home address on 46th Court, but dur- The Melbourne-based university
After a complaint to federal officials, ing his time with the two Vero firms, “Once a patient is approved with plans to sell the abandoned property,
Vltra Group and the Leveraging firm money from firm accounts paid $48,000 Cleveland Clinic financial assistance, 805 46th Place East, within the next 90
became the subject of a protracted FBI in rent on a home on West Ocean Oaks it is applied across all of our employed days to an undisclosed buyer, spokes-
investigation. Nearly five years went Circle on the barrier island. physician practices,” the hospital’s fi- man Wes Sumner said.
by. Then right before the statute of lim- nancial team told Vero Beach 32963.
itations was about to run out on the More than $76,000 in salaries, “Florida Tech relocated its marine
alleged crimes, federal officials gave $25,000 in business expenses, $8,400 That means the primary care prac- sciences activities to our Melbourne
State Attorney Bruce Colton’s office in airfare, $10,400 in other travel ex- tice on Oslo Road at 43rd Avenue; the campus at least two years ago,” Sum-
the go-ahead to pursue state charges penses and $2,200 in meals and en- walk-in centers at Pointe West and in ner said in an email. “This was done
against Delaney. tertainment were also paid from the Sebastian; and the offices in the Well- in preparation to sell the property.
Vltra Group account, according to ness Center adjacent to the hospital, This relocation aligned better with the
On July 2, Assistant State Attorney the FBI reports. will all give free or reduced-cost care focus of research on the Melbourne
Lev Evans filed paperwork to charge to qualifying uninsured patients. campus.”
Delaney with one felony count of Court records show Disomma told
Fraudulent Transactions, falsification FBI investigators he “noticed some ini- Patients must apply to receive the Neither Sumner nor Vero Beach at-
or concealment of material facts; and tial red flags” about Delaney, “which financial break and they cannot be torney Barry Segal, who represents the
one count of First Degree Grand Theft, included checks bouncing and a Mer- covered by private or government potential purchaser, would identify
pursuant to a scheme or course of con- cedes Delaney rented that was report- insurance, including Medicaid and the buyer or the sale price. The prop-
duct. ed stolen.” Medicare. Once their application is erty is assessed at just under $2.6 mil-
approved, patients can receive care lion, according to government records.
Delaney was arrested the next day To date, Disomma has not been ar- in all Cleveland Clinic facilities, the
on two felony charges related to in- rested or charged, and he still oper- policy states. Segal, who appeared before the Vero
vestor money that was used or with- ates Disomma Agency with a mailing Beach Planning and Zoning Board on
drawn out of company bank accounts. address at 505 Beachland Boulevard, Previously, the County Hospital Dis- Aug. 1 to petition for the annexation
As of Monday afternoon, he remained the same address as a Pak Mail store trict provided free care for patients and a land use and zoning change to
in custody at the Indian River County which offers mailbox services for earning up to 150 percent of the pov- allow for the construction of multi-
Jail on $150,000 bond. rent. Disomma’s talent agency also erty level. family residences on the parcel, said
lists an address on Madison Avenue his client will likely pay a significantly
Delaney, 63, applied for and quali- in Manhattan.  The first hint of the more expansive higher price for the property than the
policy came last month when Cleve- assessed value.
land Clinic Indian River Hospital pres-
ident Dr. Greg Rosencrance gave the Segal’s buyer – who hopes to
Hospital District trustees his first for- break ground on the future develop-
mal report on the hospital and men- ment sometime next year – plans to
tioned a sizeable increase in charity build around 20 condominiums on
care overall: $4.4 million in costs, not the property, Segal told Vero Beach
charges, in the first six months. That is 32963.
18 percent higher than over the same
period last year. “It’s a beautiful piece of land where
they see a lot of potential to make some
Rosencrance confirmed the policy happy homes,” Segal said of the mys-
in an interview with 32963 the follow- tery buyer.
ing week. “It includes everything,” he
said, when asked to clarify what was Becoming part of the city would
included. provide enhanced police protection
and avoid having the development
“Continuity of care is important. squeezed in between two different ju-
So it makes no sense for us to see pa- risdictions – the town of Indian River
tients on the inpatient side and not Shores to the north and the city of
have appropriate outpatient follow- Vero Beach to the south.
up, whether it’s with us or another
provider in the community. Our role “Access to the property is by way of
is to take care of patients in this com- travel through the city limits and the
munity. All patients in this commu- enjoyment of various amenities, com-
nity,” Rosencrance said. munity events and businesses will be
of those located inside the city limits,”
The generosity came as a welcome Segal wrote in the annexation appli-
surprise even to some members of cation. “Accordingly, participation in
the Hospital District Board. the government of the city will be of
great importance to the residents of
“I did not know that,” said District the property.”
Trustee Karen Deigl, echoing the re-
actions of at least two other trustees. The Planning and Zoning Board
unanimously approved city staff’s
Cleveland Clinic said no one will recommendation to allow the annex-
be turned away at physicians’ offices, ation. The board also approved Segal’s
any more than they would be turned request to change the county’s sin-
away at the hospital. gle-family residential zoning for the
parcel to a tourist-oriented services
“There is no cap or limit on the commercial zone, which permits sev-
number of patients receiving assis- eral uses, including multifamily resi-
tance,” said hospital spokeswoman
Angela Dickens. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 5

NEWS

dential or commercial development. ment Director Jason Jeffries said. The multi-building site was used for re- located behind 7-Eleven on A1A just
Segal insisted his client has no plans Vero Beach City Council will consider search on seahorse life cycles and north of the Vero city line, announcing
to build commercial space on the the developer’s request at its Aug. 20 improved aquaculture techniques. that it would hire additional faculty
oceanside property, which he said meeting. Private aquaculture companies also and build a new 20,000-square-foot,
would be unsustainable. operated on the site. $10 million lab building that would in-
Florida Tech in 1980 purchased the clude an area where the public could
No site plan has been submitted property to develop a marine research As recently as 2013, FIT planned a
to the city, Planning and Develop- laboratory. For the next 37 years, the major expansion at the small campus CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

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6 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Was community better off when Vero and county had joint recreation department?

BY RAY MCNULTY leader in this,” he added. “That’s no and volleyball courts, one racquetball “It came down to growth and
Staff Writer longer the case, however. The county court, and fitness rooms. money,” said Joe Baird, the longtime
has grown, and the city hasn’t, and the county administrator who retired in
As Vero Beach officials wrestle with county has an obligation to its other Meanwhile, the county recreation 2016 and was the county’s finance di-
the fate of the Leisure Square pool municipalities, too, especially in the department operates more than 30 rector when the decision was made.
and continue to seek ways to offset North County. parks, boat launches and trails, along “The county had grown to the point
the operating costs of the city’s Recre- with the fairgrounds, the Intergenera- where we thought we should have
ation Department, it’s fair to wonder “Sebastian now has a larger popula- tional Center and two swimming pools. our own rec department.
whether the overall community would tion than Vero Beach.”
be better-served if the county and city Part of the nostalgia on the part of “We also thought we were con-
still had a joint recreation department, Sebastian also has a Parks and Vero officials for a joint program comes tributing too much in funding to the
the way they did up until 2002. Recreation Division that operates 17 because so many county residents use city,” he added. “After the split, we
parks, including a dog park, as well as city parks and facilities. hired our own staff and director, and
The consensus among government a municipal golf course, a yacht club our budget was only $300,000 a year.
officials seems to be that a recreation and a skate facility at the Barber Street Recently retired city manager Jim That was less than half of what we
department partnership would be Sports Complex. O’Connor said more than 60 percent were paying the city.”
helpful for the city but that it isn’t a re- of the people using Vero Beach’s parks
alistic possibility in 2019. Vero Beach has 16 parks, including and recreational facilities are county Another factor, Baird said, was
three on the ocean manned by city residents who live outside the city. then-County Administrator Jim Chan-
“It might make sense to have a lifeguards. It also operates a tennis dler’s frustration with the joint recre-
countywide recreation department, complex at Riverside Park and a boat “Yet the city absorbs 100 percent of ation department being managed by a
but with all the changes in the coun- ramp at MacWilliam Park. In addi- the costs,” O’Connor said. “From that director, Pat Callahan, who answered
ty over the years, we could never go tion, it provides space for the Vero standpoint alone, the joint city-coun- to the Vero Beach city manager.
back to that kind of joint operation Beach Dog Park and Pickleball Uni- ty rec department was better for the
with Vero Beach,” County Commis- versity, which operates at Pocahontas city.” In the final years of the partner- “Even so,” Baird said, “we wouldn’t
sioner Bob Solari said. Park. ship, the county was paying the city have done it if we couldn’t save mon-
$680,000 annually to cover its share of ey.”
“At that point in history, the city was Then there’s Leisure Square, which, the recreation costs.
the big municipality in the county, so in addition to providing the only pub- Baird, Brown and Solari agreed that
it made sense for the city to be the lic swimming pool in the southern The 2002 split was initiated by the separating from the city was the right
half of the county, offers basketball county, spurred by then-commission- move for the county. While they con-
er Fran Adams.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 7

NEWS

ceded the city better maintains its Vero may annex island property 1 ranking in cardiology and heart sur- lung cancer surgery, hip replacement,
parks, especially on the island, they CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 gery. But it dropped in overall national abdominal aortic aneurysm repair and
said the county offers more recre- rank from second to fourth place, be- colon cancer. Sebastian River did not
ational programs and activities. observe marine creatures and re- hind Mayo Clinic at No. 1, followed by earn any high-performing rankings.
search projects. Boston’s Massachusetts General and
Vero Beach Mayor Val Zudans said Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Those disappointing results come
“it would be nice” if the county par- University president Dr. Anthony after the hospital achieved a dramatic
tially funded the city’s Recreation De- James Catanese said at that time it Cleveland Clinic Weston lost one of turnaround in another rating system.
partment, since so many county resi- was “absolutely untrue” FIT planned its two of its specialty national rank- This spring, SRMC jumped from an F
dents use the city’s parks, but he’s not to sell the land to a developer. ings. It is no longer ranked nationally to an A grade on its Leapfrog score, a
expecting “much enthusiasm” from in orthopedics, but it remains ranked ranking of hospital safety.
county officials. However, the failure of a fundraising for gastroenterology, coming in at
campaign undertaken in Vero Beach 23rd in the United States. According to U.S. News, it comes up
“The county and city worked well to support the project and the death with its rankings by reviewing “hospi-
together on the FPL sale,” Zudans of longtime lab supervisor Professor None of the Martin Health hospitals tals’ performance in adult and pediat-
said, referring to the city’s sale of its Junda Lin caused those plans to falter. that Cleveland Clinic acquired at the ric clinical specialties, procedures and
electric utility. “Maybe we could work start of the year nor HCA’s Lawnwood conditions. Scores are based on sev-
together on some recreation costs as The county in 2017 unsuccessfully Medical Center in Fort Pierce merited eral factors, including survival, patient
well.” attempted to buy the property for state rankings, though Martin’s Stuart safety, nurse staffing and more. Hospi-
roughly $1.5 million to expand park- hospital did score high-performing in tals are ranked nationally in special-
That doesn’t seem likely to happen. ing at the neighboring Tracking Sta- two conditions, heart failure and COPD. ties from cancer to urology and rated
“I don’t want to get into a situation tion Park and the dilapidated facility in common procedures and condi-
where the cities start thinking they has been empty for two years.  Cleveland Clinic Indian River earned tions, such as heart bypass surgery,
can provide fewer services and the high-performing designations in those hip and knee replacement and COPD.
county will pick up the slack,” Brown Hospital ranks 27th in state same areas plus hip replacement. It re- Hospitals are also ranked regionally
said. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ceived average ratings for the remain- within states and major metro areas.”
Solari offered a different argument, ing six conditions or procedures.
saying: “I never understood why the its rank of best in Miami-Fort Lauder- This year, the rankings took into ac-
city feels put upon. The city says it dale region, a designation based on its Holmes Regional Medical Center in count a federally mandated patient sur-
wants tourism. Well, county residents state ranking. Melbourne, a level II trauma center vey and considered whether patients
who live outside the city are essential- like Lawnwood, rated high-perform- were discharged to their homes or to
ly tourists when they go to the city’s The Cleveland Clinic main campus ing in four conditions. a rehab center or nursing home. U.S.
beach parks, eat in the city’s restau- in Cleveland retained its coveted No. News also enhanced its risk adjustment
rants and shop in the city’s stores. Sebastian River Medical Center so hospitals treating sicker, older or
“So, what do you want?”  rated below average in four of seven poorer patients aren’t penalized. 
procedures or conditions measured.
Those four below-average ratings were

8 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

County set to crack down on use of recycling bins for garbage

BY NICOLE RODRIGUEZ jeopardizing the entire program. Re- State law mandates counties with than 70,000 educational flyers in re-
Staff Writer cyclable items need to make up at a population over 100,000 must have cent weeks in an effort to curb the
least 80 percent of what goes in the a recycling program in place, accord- contamination, and code enforce-
County residents who are discard- blue bins for the system to work, but ing to a spokeswoman for the Florida ment officers have gone bin to bin to
ing trash – including soiled diapers in April, Fort Pierce-based Tropical Re- League of Cities, an organization that identify offenders to educate them
and dead animals – in their recycling cycling – the county’s vendor that sorts serves the needs of Florida’s cities and and have directed the public to visit
bins are threatening the viability of the its recycling loads – reported a 34 per- promotes local self-government. the county website to identify accept-
countywide “blue-bin” recycling pro- cent contamination rate. able recyclables.
gram, officials say. “Counties with populations under
If Tropical Recycling gets fed up and 100,000 are required only to provide First-time offenders will receive a
In response, the County Commission cuts ties with the county because of their residents an ‘opportunity’ to re- warning about discarding garbage
is considering implementing manda- high contamination rates, that could cycle – not necessarily to provide a for- in the blue bins. A second infraction
tory garbage pickup for households in cause other vendors to shun the coun- mal program,” league spokeswoman yields a notice from code enforcement
unincorporated areas of the county – ty, said Sue Flak, the county’s recycling Brittni Johnsen said in an email. and a third offense could lead to a cita-
including pockets of the barrier island coordinator. tion, $500 fine and potential removal
– to curb contamination of blue bins Indian River County has a popula- of the bin.
with trash, while other county officials In that case, recyclable items could tion of 157,413, according to the U.S.
promise a crackdown on offenders. end up going to the landfill, “which Census Bureau. As a backup, the County Commis-
would be the worst-case scenario al- sion has tentatively agreed to add a
“This is very serious. We are ready together,” Flak said. “That would be County officials have launched an $51 mandatory garbage-service assess-
to move aggressively on those folks,” the end of that. Who knows where we aggressive education and code en- ment to next year’s tax bills if the con-
County Administrator Jason Brown would have to go from there?” forcement campaign to salvage the tamination level doesn’t decrease soon.
has said, referring to residents who use recycling system, which is used by If the move is finalized in September
their recycling bins as garbage cans. The problem is made more dif- roughly 53,000 households in unin- after two public hearings as part of
ficult for the county because a state corporated areas and 25,500 house- the new budget, mandatory garbage
County officials for weeks have law seems to prohibit the jurisdiction holds in Vero Beach and other cities pickup in unincorporated areas of the
warned that residents who are con- from scrapping the program, regard- and towns in the county. county would start April 1, 2020. 
taminating the recycling system are less of circumstances.
The county has mailed out more

School Board set to pass new bylaw after meeting confusion

BY FEDERICO MARTINEZ The notice requirement seems not to But Rosario and Barenborg have that requires the person who calls
Staff Writer have been met for the April 16 meet- said they did not call for the meet- for a special meeting to be identi-
ing and it has never been clear who ing, and Justice has been evasive fied in all public documents related
After a confusing and embarrass- was involved in calling the meeting about her role in public discussion to the meeting.
ing series of events related to a special – deficiencies that triggered investi- of the matter.
April 16 meeting that was not prop- gations by the Florida Department of If additional people participate in
erly noticed to the public and that no Education’s Inspector General’s Office It seems that Justice, Rendell’s calling for the meeting, such as two
one wanted to admit having called and the Indian River County Sheriff’s staunchest ally on the Board, initi- other school board members in the
for, the School Board is amending its Department that are ongoing. ated the meeting with the idea of case of meeting called by a majority
bylaws in hopes of avoiding a repeat securing severance for the outgoing of the board, they must be identified
performance. Meeting records initially stated superintendent, but she has never as well.
that Vice Chairman Tiffany Justice admitted that.
According to Florida statutes, spe- and board members Jackie Rosa- “Going forward we propose that
cial School Board meetings can only rio and Teri Barenborg called for Instead, the meeting minutes at our special meetings it be stated
be called by the district superinten- the special meeting which allowed were revised in late June to state that who called for, and the purpose of,
dent, school board chairman or a now-departed Superintendent Mark “a majority the Board” called for the the meeting,” School Board Chair-
majority of the board members and Rendell a last-gasp attempt to pres- April 16 meeting. No explanation for man Laura Zorc said.
must be announced to the public sure the board into awarding him a the change was given.
two days ahead of time. severance payout. “We’re making this policy so that
The board is tentatively sched- we can avoid repeating the recent
uled to pass a new bylaw on Aug. 13 incident.” 

New school district CFO inherits ‘a financial mess’

BY FEDERICO MARTINEZ Still in his first month on the job, $25,000 Fagan recently came across in Board members during a recent bud-
Staff Writer Fagan has had to try and sort out that the district’s food service and opera- get workshop.
mess while simultaneously leading tions account. Turned out the money
New school district Chief Financial the effort to craft next year’s proposed had mistakenly been placed there Much of the problem stems from
Officer Ron Fagan says poor record- $298 million school district budget. even though earmarked for other bills. the district operating for a year with-
keeping and a lack of oversight have out a CFO, Fagan said.
created a confusing financial mess at The process has included discover- “We knew that we had reserves, but
the district. ing unknown chunks of cash tucked we just didn’t know where they were,” Former CFO Carter Morrison was
away in unlikely places, including Fagan told Indian River County School suspended by former superintendent
Mark Rendell several months before

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 9

NEWS

he himself left under a cloud in May. Moxley and Financial Consultant Tim trict on July 15, is receiving an annual $2 million increase in capital projects
Rendell blamed a low fund balance Bargeron have been trying to unwind salary of $130,000. for the upcoming fiscal year, along with
and make sense of, School Board a projected $4 million increase in insur-
on Morrison and tried first to fire him Chairman Laura Zorc said. He previously served as executive ance costs. There is also $1.5 million in-
and then to demote him. He failed, director, financial services for Duval crease in debt service and $1.1 million
but when Morrison was reinstated in “It’s taken time to sort things, and County Public Schools, in Jacksonville, increase in food service operations.
his job, he immediately resigned and figure out where funds are and what Florida, the 20th largest school district
left without sharing a lot of informa- they’re supposed to be used for,” Fa- in the country with an annual budget The board was scheduled to review
tion. gan said. “But we’re getting there.” of more than $1.1 billion. the proposed budget on Aug. 6 and
members have warned Moxley and
Operating without a CFO, Rendell “I’m glad to have Mr. Fagan on Fagan and Moxley are proposing a Fagan there will be changes because
and other administrators who lacked board,” board member Jacqueline Ro- $298,146,804 budget for 2019-2020, they all have projects they want fund-
the financial skills to oversee the dis- sario said. “Things seem to be moving which is up about $8 million from the ed that are not included in the current
trict created a confusing web that Fa- forward.” 2018-19 budget. document. 
gan, Interim Superintendent Susan
Fagan, who started at the school dis- The increase was due to a projected

Number of osprey nests at Blue Cypress Lake down from last year

BY SUE COCKING been counting the raptors’ nests an- “Last year was a banner year before No microcystin toxin has been
Staff Writer nually in the 6,500-acre lake since the Microcystis was noticed,” Audu- found in Blue Cypress so far this
2014 to help gauge the health of one bon president Dr. Richard Baker said, summer, but low levels have per-
The total number of osprey nests of the world’s largest osprey nesting referring to the toxin emitted by a sisted since last winter in the near-
counted at Blue Cypress Lake in west- populations. This year, they counted blue-green algae bloom in the south- by Headwaters Lake (also known as
ern Indian River County this spring 300 occupied nests in the cypress ern part of the lake in the summer Fellsmere Water Management Area),
and summer is higher than five years trees that gave the lake its name – of 2018. The 2018 blue-green algae connected with Blue Cypress by a
ago, but lower than 2018 when a toxic down from 327 in 2018. The volun- bloom was the first of its kind detect- canal.
blue-green algae bloom was first de- teers also found the highest number ed in the remote lake and it produced
tected in the once-pristine water body. of non-occupied nests ever – 15 to 17 toxin levels hundreds of times higher The Florida Department of Health
believed to have been destroyed or than are considered safe for human warned boaters, swimmers and wad-
Volunteers from the Pelican Island damaged by storms. contact. ers on July 15 to avoid contact with
Audubon Society in Vero Beach have the water in Headwaters. 

‘VERY OLD’ HUMAN BONES FOUND AT
CONDO CONSTRUCTION SITE IN SHORES

STILL BEING STUDIED BY EXPERTS

BY LISA ZAHNER to middle age and male,” Rosell The Law Offices of Jennifer D. Peshke is pleased to announce
Staff Writer added. that Brittany A. Beatty is associating with the Firm. Ms. Beatty
will focus her practice on: probate and trust administration as
Human remains found at the Initial speculation was that the well as guardianship and family law matters.
Blue at 8050 Ocean condo con- remains might be those of a sailor
struction site in Indian River Shores from the 1715 Spanish treasure She may be reached at 772-231-1233
on June 5 are still being studied by fleet that went down offshore from or [email protected]
scientists, but the Shores Public Vero, or maybe even a pirate.
Safety Department has been told LAW OFFICES OF
“the preliminary report regarding About seven miles up the island
the bones is that they are very old is a registered historical site recog- JENNIFER D. PESHKE, P.A.
and the person, more than likely, nizing a camp of sailors who sur-
died of natural causes. vived shipwrecks caused by a hur- www.peshkelaw.com • Tel. No. (772) 231-1233
ricane. 4733 North Highway A1A, Suite 303 • Vero Beach, FL 32963
“The final report will be released
in a few weeks after they get done Rosell said he has nothing in
dating the bones,” Shores Public writing yet and no ballpark guess
Safety Chief Rich Rosell said. even as to what century the bones
are from.
“Very old” is no more specific
than the assessment of the crime “They have not released any
scene specialists who carefully paperwork to us. We are going to
unearthed the near-intact human keep that section of the construc-
skeleton and handed it over to the tion site closed until we get the fi-
19th Judicial Circuit Medical Exam- nal report.”
iner and state archaeologists. “They
still believe it’s a very old skeleton,” Except for the staked-off imme-
Rosell said. diate area where the remains were
found, the site was released in June
“One more thing – he was young for developer Yane Zana to resume
construction of his luxury condo
community. 

10 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Shores beefing up its rainy-day financial reserves

BY LISA ZAHNER to keep reserves equal to 50 percent of Council members referenced hurri- the budget] was a number that every-
Staff Writer the town’s annual operating expenses, cane damage in the Florida Panhandle body could work with,” Auwaerter said.
to have on hand in the event of a major from Hurricane Michael and the mu-
It’s customary for local governments hurricane or other natural disaster. nicipality of Mexico Beach being “wiped This year is Town Manager Joe Grif-
to keep a tidy sum in reserves for the out” as the reason to keep enough mon- fin’s first budget season with Indian
proverbial rainy day, but this bud- That $3.3 million would supply up- ey to operate for months, if need be. River Shores, though he managed the
get season the Town of Indian River front cash to hire contractors for im- City of Sebastian and the Sebastian Mu-
Shores seems to be girding itself finan- mediate repairs, cleanup and debris “The reality is that we do sit on a nicipal Airport budgets for many years.
cially for a 100-year storm. removal. It could also float budget barrier island, subject to storms that Griffin said he was “very pleased with
overruns in the Public Safety Depart- can put us in a very bad place,” Vice budget process – very, very pleased with
In a recent budget workshop, the con- ment should extra staffing be needed Mayor Bob Auwaerter said. the presentation made by Vice Mayor A
sensus of the Shores Town Council was and overtime bills start piling up. regarding reserves.”
“It seemed to me that 50 percent [of
Council members agreed with Au-
waerter that keeping more reserves
was a better course of action than re-
turning that money to the taxpayers.
The town had the option to boost its
reserves without increasing property
taxes because of the $4.4 million pro-
ceeds from the 5.4-acre oceanfront
parcel sold to developers in 2017.

Town assets are covered by insur-
ance, and certain disaster-specific ex-
penses are usually covered by the Fed-
eral Emergency Management Agency
in a declared disaster zone, but insur-
ance claims can be slow getting paid,
and FEMA funds can take years or
even a decade to come back into town
coffers.

One such example was the Beach-
comber Lane dune crossover that was
unearthed and damaged by the high
surf in 2016 as a result of Hurricane
Matthew.

“The repair for the dune crossover
after Matthew was $18,900,” Town
Treasurer Heather Christmas said. “We
received $8,900 from insurance but
we have not received any FEMA reim-
bursement,”

Yet, over the past 15 years, Indian Riv-
er Shores has been fortunate in terms of
the cost of storm damage. Almost all the
roadways in the town are under either
state jurisdiction or in private owner-
ship, and the town has relatively few
assets and no utility infrastructure un-
der its direct control other than storm
drainage systems. There are no parks,
public tennis courts or golf courses.

Total expenses from Hurricane
Frances in 2004 were $496,000, but
after insurance, plus state and fed-
eral reimbursements, the town’s cost
was only $7,100. The town’s share was
higher for Hurricane Jeanne in 2004.
Jeanne protection and cleanup cost
$393,000 with town taxpayers fund-
ing $133,000 of that.

Hurricane Wilma cost $65,000, all
of which was covered by federal tax-
payer funds. Hurricane Matthew cost
$38,000, of which the town picked
up less than $15,000 of the tab, and
Hurricane Irma cost $76,000, with
$11,000 ending up being the town’s
responsibility. 

UP, UP AND HOORAY AT
AERIAL ANTICS’ CENTENNIAL CIRCUS

12 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Up, up and hooray at Aerial Antics’ Centennial Circus

PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF ticipants have gone on to perform at off and the older ones with a preci- Recreation programs such as Cen-
Staff Writer Sea World and as collegiate cheer- sion and skill that would make the terstage Acrobatics, Aerial Antics
leaders and dancers. legendary Daring Young Man on the and the summer camp positively
The audience flipped over the rou- Flying Trapeze proud. impact roughly 1,000 local youth
tines of more than 250 performers In honor of the Vero Beach Cen- through physical activities; helping
who showcased their talents during tennial, the program featured 100 It was standing room at each of them to develop discipline, team-
the 45th annual Aerial Antics Youth years of dance, with everything from the three evening performances; au- work and healthy exercise habits.
Circus at the Saint Edward’s School the Charleston to hip-hop. It was a diences oohing and ahhing as per-
Gonzalez Activities Center gymna- toe-tapping trip down memory lane, formers from ages 3 to 34 executed Between acts, Rob Slezak, COVB
sium last weekend. with performances to such favorites acrobatic feats, gymnastics move- director of Parks and Recreation,
as “Copacabana,” “Splish Splash” ments and dance routines. took on the role of emcee, highlight-
The high-flying presentations and the “Lion Sleeps Tonight” in cos- ing their various programs and ser-
were the result of hard work and de- tumes that matched the dance eras. Pointing to Andrea Woodson, vices, and commenting on several
termination by students enrolled in Howard said, “She’s 34 years old, if Centennial events this year: Leisure
the Vero Beach Recreation Depart- Bungee trapeze acrobats used the you can believe it. She participated Square Day on Aug. 24 and the annu-
ment’s performing arts and gymnas- aerial sphere and flat triangle while in the program as a child, taught al Halloween Parade and Costume
tics classes at Centerstage at Leisure performing to “We are the World,” for us, and now both she and her Contest on Oct. 26 coinciding with
Square, as well as its Aerial Antics their graceful movements a poi- daughter are part of the show this the Vero Beach Centennial Finale
summer camp. gnant reminder of the program’s year. We want everyone to be a part Celebration. The annual Aerial An-
message, with the lyrics: “We are the of the program. We do our best to of- tics Holiday Drama will take place
“Vero should be very proud of the world. We are the children. We are fer scholarships and keep our prices Dec. 8 at the Vero Beach High School
talented kids that we have and what the ones who make a brighter day, so affordable and give them the best PAC.
our Recreation Department does,” let’s start giving.” quality program we can. That’s what
said Patty Howard, assistant recre- the Recreation Department is all For more information, visit covb.
ation director, noting that past par- Little ones performed with an en- about – the community.” org. 
thusiasm only the young can pull



14 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 PHOTOS: KAILA JONES

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 15

PEOPLE

16 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

60th bash suits Mental Health Association to a ‘Tee’

BY KERRY FIRTH
Correspondent

Teaching ways to cope with life’s un- Fred DiRocco, Frank Cooley, Bob Jones, Ross Cotherman and Mike Rhue. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE
expected challenges is something the
counselors at the Mental Health As- only the balls got wet.
sociation in Indian River County help “We are fortunate the rain has not
their clients with every day. Those very
skills came into play last Thursday dur- stopped folks from coming,” said Dr.
ing a Birthday Par-tee at BigShots Golf Nick Coppola, MHA CEO. “We are so
to celebrate the organization’s 60th an- happy to celebrate 60 years of help-
niversary. ing people in our community. Even a

Even after the skies darkened and a
deluge of rain poured down, threaten-
ing to curtail festivities, the optimis-
tic organizers vetoed a mulligan and
forged ahead with the party like the
pros they are.

Guests made good use of their golf
umbrellas in the parking lot, but once
inside partook of the endless appe-
tizer bar, silent auction, 50/50 cash
raffle and competitive golf play. After
cocktails, snacks and a lively conversa-
tion about MHA services, participants
headed out to the golf range for some
friendly competition. With covered
areas for onlookers and players alike,

TENT SALE

Friday, August 9 & Saturday, August 10 10AM - 4PM

Dr. Nicholas Coppola, Sheana Firth and Maj. Eric Flowers.

Twice As Nice at A Fraction of the Price downpour won’t stop us from celebrat- his appointment in January, almost
ing and spreading the word about our immediately introducing new out-
Fanatastic-finds.com  772.794.7574  4300 US HWY 1 free mental health screenings and af- reach programs.
fordable ongoing care for everyone in
Furniture Indian River County.” MHA introduced High School Vio-
Home Decor lence and Suicide Prevention Pro-
and more ! Maj. Eric Flowers, representing the grams at the Vero Beach and Sebastian
Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, River High Schools, a Skill Streaming
estatetreasuresvero.com imparted heartfelt praise for MHA. Program at the Gifford Youth Achieve-
772-492-9757 ment Center, and their Outreach Pro-
“We are so proud to partner with grams at the Boys and Girls Clubs have
4344 US HWY 1 MHA,” said Flowers. “They provide been expanded.
such valuable services – like the Drop-
VERO BEACH In Centers that are open 365 days a “We are heading in great directions
year. We couldn’t do our mission at the with Dr. Coppola,” said longtime board
Indian River County Sheriff’s Office member Anne Lanier. “MHA has a full
without the Mental Health Associa- calendar of programs and events with
tion.” lots of new exciting things on the hori-
zon.”
Throughout its 60-year history, the
Mental Health Association has con- Walk-ins are welcome Monday
tinued to adapt to an ever-changing through Friday at the Walk-In & Coun-
world, while providing immediate ac- seling Center, 820 37th Place. The MHA
cess to mental health care and striving Drop-In Center, open 365 days per
to reduce the stigma of mental health year, is a peer-oriented environment,
issues. It does so with an overall mes- where members actively support each
sage that stresses: ‘It’s OK to get help.’ other in their recovery.

Coppola has brought boundless en- For more information, visit www.
ergy and enthusiasm to the team since mhairc.org. 

Untitled-64 1 1/24/17 8:44 AM

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 17

PEOPLE

Amber and Chris Bieber. John O’Connor with Arthur Lang and Jerry Bellamy. Jeanne Shepherd and Stacey Morabito.

Susan Bellamy with Vanessa Rabelo and Chelsea Bellamy. Connie Cotherman and Lisa Cooley.

Jamie Stalquist and Jesse Strang. Vincent Abbate.

Mary Grace Coppola and Emily Wilcox with Winnie.

18 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Big-hearted Fairies spread ‘backpack’-to-school magic

BY KERRY FIRTH
Correspondent

At a time when many high school Ashby Taylor and Michaela Miller with some of the 40 backpacks filled with school supplies for teens living in Hibiscus Children’s Village. PHOTOS: KAILA JONES
girls are busy shopping for their own
back-to-school wardrobes and needs, on their back, and these basic school esteem by enabling the children to Monetary donations are particularly
two compassionate young ladies – supplies may be the first they’ve ever start the school year on a level play- welcome – the girls will do the shop-
this year’s Backpack Fairies – are in- owed. ing field with everyone else. Our chil- ping for you – but contributions of
stead shopping and raising money for dren are going through difficult times much-needed school items such as
back-to-school items and backpacks While Hibiscus residents do receive and they just want to be accepted. We flash drives, college-ruled notebook
so that the teens living at the Hibiscus counseling and medical attention as are blessed that there are kind, com- paper and spiral notebooks, ring
Children’s Village in Vero Beach can well as assistance with their scholas- passionate teens like Michaela and binders, ear buds and ear phones,
start the school year with brand-new tic, career development and life skills, Ashby, who are willing to devote time pocket folders, composition books
school supplies. money to provide extras is limited, es- and energy into enhancing the lives and sketch pads, mechanical pen-
pecially in light of continuing cuts to of others.” cils and pens, colored pencils and
Michaela Miller, a rising junior at governmental funding. highlighters, rulers, index cards, glue
John Carroll High School, and Ashby The backpacks, sorted as to gender sticks, backpacks and lunch bags are
Taylor, a rising junior at Saint Edward’s “We are so grateful for the generos- and age, are dropped off at the Vil- also welcome.
School, are carrying on a lasting tradi- ity of the Backpack Fairies,” said Don- lage prior to the start of school; any
tion established 13 years ago by then na Clements, volunteer coordinator at extras are held for later distribution Donations or checks can be mailed
St. Edward’s student Katy Mulligan, Hibiscus Children’s Village. as numerous teens can pass through or dropped off to Michaela Miller, 1124
and passed along through the years as Hibiscus throughout the school year. Indian Mound Trail, Vero Beach, FL
a perpetual endeavor. “These girls not only supply our 32963. 
teens with brand-new school sup- But even fairies need some help.
“I started helping my friend Allie plies, but they also boost their self-
Campione with this project when I
was a freshman and got great joy out
of helping those less fortunate,” said
Miller.

“Children living in the Hibiscus
Children’s Village have been abused,
neglected or abandoned in their own
homes. By supplying them with a
backpack filled with school supplies,
we hope to boost their confidence.
This is really just a feel-good project
between friends working together to
bring a bit of happiness into the lives
of others. Now that I’m a junior, I hope
to find someone to continue the Back-
pack Fairy Project when I go to col-
lege.”

The Hibiscus Village houses teens
between the ages of 13 and 17 – cur-
rently there are about 20 boys and 20
girls – and all are in need of school
supplies. The teens have been rescued
from dire circumstances, more often
than not arriving with only the clothes

AGELESS ARTIST VON KOHORN
STILL ‘BRUSHING’ UP ON HER CRAFT

20 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Ageless artist Von Kohorn still ‘brushing’ up on her craft

Marcy Von Kohorn

PHOTOS BY KAILIA JONES

BY KERRY FIRTH as one of her coveted landscape in Vero Beach and is actively involved She finally found true happiness
Correspondent paintings. The globe-trotting socialite in her Moorings community. with her second husband.
has made her mark by mastering
Local artist Marcy Von Kohorn’s life the ancient form of Chinese brush Von Kohorn maintains that her Life was glorious with Henry Von
has been filled with peaks, valleys, painting and even today the spry life story actually begins with that Kohorn, a wealthy widower and
intrigue and travel – in many ways, 93-year old continues to paint daily, of her grandfather, who arrived in owner of the textile company Von
it has been as colorful and intricate volunteers at the VNA Hospice House this country as an 8-year-old Russian Kohorn International Corporation.
immigrant in 1988. Like so many The couple raised a blended family
immigrants, his story echoes the true of boys – her two, his three and
American dream. As a youngster, one eventually one of their own – in a
of his first jobs was selling shoelaces lovely home in New York’s Greenwich
and matches on a street corner. Village.
Eventually, after a brief stint as an FBI
agent, he amassed a fortune in real She joined him on numerous
estate and ultimately became one of trips to his manufacturing plants all
the richest men in Philadelphia. around the world, and it was during
that time that she embarked on what
His daughter Cecelia was Von was to become a lifelong artistic path.
Kohorn’s mother, in a marriage that
would be short lived. Von Kohorn’s “I was taking watercolor painting
parents divorced shortly after she classes at the YMCA when a lady
was born and her childhood, while approached me and asked if I would
privileged, was upended. She found be interested in doing Chinese
solace at a private boarding school brushwork,” Von Kohorn recalls. “She
before going on to study at Columbia took me to another floor and showed
and Syracuse universities. After me some of the intricate paintings
graduating, she married and had two and I was intrigued with the gorgeous
sons, divorcing after eight years. brushstrokes, the rice paper, silk
and leaf boards and the beautifully

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 21

ARTS & THEATRE

On the home front, Von Kohorn has hope, love and happiness. I’m so glad
donated paintings to local nonprofits she ended up at the Hospice House.”
for their fundraising auctions and
is particularly proud of the turtle Von Kohorn’s works are now in
she painted for the Mental Health collections in the United States and
Association’s Turtle Trax campaign. around the world, and she is the
“Florida Flo,” as she was affectionately recipient of numerous awards. Locally
named, was purchased by the VNA she is a member of the Artists Guild
Hospice House and now graces their of Vero Beach, the Vero Beach Art
entrance, her bright and colorful shell Club and the Vero Beach Chapter
exuding positive energy. of the National League of American
Pen Women. She recently published a
“I wanted her to be more than just memoir that traces her family history
an ornament,” says Von Kohorn. “I and chronicles her life entitled “Fate’s
wanted her to give joy and comfort in Palette,” that is available at bookstores
the midst of sadness. She was painted and online. 
with a soul and the ability to spread

‘The brush is an extension of
my will and the pathway to my

heart and mind.’

– Marcy Von Kohorn

painted flowers and landscapes. I Von Kohorn employs are the Mo Ku
knew this is what I wanted to do.” style, using layer over layer of several
colors, and the Po Mo or splash
In 1960 she joined a class taught method, where the color is poured,
by the late Diana Kan, a renowned brushed or drizzled on a silk or gold
watercolor and calligraphy artist leaf surface.
and teacher, whose works appear
in museums around the world. Von She also enjoys utilizing a crinkle
Kohorn says that while they became technique, where the surface is
close friends, the relationship never crinkled and disfigured before being
broke the intangible bond of student painted, and is then flattened and
and master that is so much a part of mounted to another surface. Each
the Asian culture. of the techniques creates stunning
results, beautiful in their depth and
Von Kohorn describes her own complexity.
Chinese brush work pieces as
representative of the ancient, The final product, she explains,
traditional mysticism of the Orient should master the balance of the Yin
and the contemporary creativity of (feminine) and the Yang (masculine),
the Western world. while infusing Chi, the essence of
spirit or life itself.
Working on rice paper, silk and
gold leaf, she uses Chinese brushes “My art has opened many doors
and follows the ancient principles for me. Of course, I find peace and
and techniques passed down through meditation in my craft, but I’ve also
the centuries by Chinese calligraphy met some very influential people,”
masters; the basis of which is control says Von Kohorn.
of the brush, held upright and
perpendicular to the paper to allow “I spent a couple of months in
a variance in pressure to govern the Cairo, Egypt, in 1979 while traveling
stroke. with my husband for his business,
and I had a joint art showing with my
“I paint on a flat surface, standing friend (Egyptian artist) Salah Tahar,”
up,” says Von Kohorn. “This allows for she recalls.
unhampered movement of my arm
and spontaneity of the brush. The Coincidentally, at the same time
brush is an extension of my will and as their opening night, Egyptian
the pathway to my heart and mind. President Anwar Sadat was arriving
I like my flowers and landscapes to in Cairo to meet with Israeli Prime
have a fairylike quality to them that Minister Menachem Begin for the
evolves from my individual freedom Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, which led
and expression.” to increased security in the area. “It
certainly made for an interesting
The two primary techniques that opening night.”

22 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

COMING UP! A ‘Buffett’ of beachy tunes at Riverside’s Loop

BY SAMANTHA ROHLFING BAITA will include a commissioned
Staff Writer composition by Italian composer-in-
residence Lorenzo Turchi-Floris. The
1 It’s time to get your parrothead Cultural Council has invited music
on. This Friday and Saturday students from middle through high
school to attend the performance
at Riverside Theatre’s wildly popular as its guests. Time: 3 p.m. Tickets:
$35. www.cultural-council.org/
outdoor fun fest, Live in the Loop, summerfest or 772-770-4857.

the theme is – Parrotheads ready?

– “Cheeseburgers in Paradise.” So,

you’ll probably come for the Comedy

Zone Show and arrive early for the 3 “The Complete Works of William
Shakespeare (Abridged)” Very
live music and the cheeseburger- 2 At Christ by the Sea United Methodist Church this Sunday.

centric chow and bevs at the fully abridged. Extremely abridged.

stocked bar and grill. Or just hang Opening this Friday, Aug. 9, the A.C.T.

outside “on the loop,” getting into that writing for Uproxx, Nextround, nationally and is part of a nonprofit Studio Theatre in Stuart is screwing
and being picked as a finalist in dedicated to helping people in need
island state of mind for the duration. Comedy Central’s “Up Next,” plus – “Comics Reaching Out.” Tips: free its courage to the sticking place and
winning tons of local competitions. parking, no drink minimum, best for
Bringing the (free) tunes will be His success has been such, he says, 18 and up. Don’t BYO food or bevs. Or undertaking a presentation of The
that he has been able to move out pets. Times: Loop: 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.;
Beachland, five guys who know of his van into a “slightly larger, Comedy Zone: 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Bard’s works – all 37 plays – in 97
newer-smelling van.” Ohse became Admission: Loop: free; Comedy Zone:
tons of Beach Boys, Buffett and ’70s a success in spite of beginning his side seats: $12; table seating: $14-$18; minutes. In the very words of the
comedy career on probably the private, special occasion VIP booth:
oldies. This weekend’s Comedy Zone worst possible night for laughter – $36 per person. 772-231-6990. show promo, “three madcap actors
the one-year anniversary of Sept.
comics are Devin Siebold and Bill 11, 2001. The show promo describes in tights weave their way through
Ohse’s style as “unique, leaving the
“Bull” Ohse. According to Riverside’s audience wanting more.” He tours Shakespeare’s comedies, histories

promo, Siebold is not only funny, he’s and tragedies in one wild ride that will

tall – 6-feet-6, to be precise. And he leave you … helpless with laughter.”

used to be a middle school teacher, “The Complete Works of William

which was probably more fun for the Shakespeare (Abridged)” runs

students than they had expected. 2 Sunny, wonderful music for through Aug. 18. Curtain: Fridays and
your late summer pleasure,
His numerous comic credits include Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m.

“Laugh TV,” Sirius XM, Pandora, with a “sail away” theme: The Tickets: $25. Call 772-932-8880 or visit

excellent Symphony of the Americas www.actstudiotheatre.com.

will present its Chamber Orchestra

and performers and musicians from 4 Broadway Musical lovers, this
one’s for you. The music of one of
well-known European orchestras

in the concluding performance of the Great Poobahs of musical theater,

its 32nd season – Summerfest 2019 Stephen Sondheim, is currently

– this Sunday, Aug. 11, at Christ by in the spotlight at the Melbourne

the Sea United Methodist Church. Civic Theatre. “Putting It Together,”

According to the orchestra promo, its is a Sondheim revue showcasing

“musicians in residence” are visiting nearly 30 tunes, from such shows

from the Opera Orchestra of Sofia as “Sweeney Todd,” “A Funny Thing

(Bulgaria); the Mission Symphony of Happened …” “Assassins,” “ Into the

Switzerland; Orchestre de la Suisse Woods,” “Company,” “Follies,” “A

Romande (Geneva, Switzerland); Little Night Music,” “Dick Tracy” and

Rome Symphony Orchestra; other Sondheim favorites. Says the

Orchestre Francais, and others. show promo, “Putting It Together”

Soloists will be Angelo di Veroli from is performed by five people who are

Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma, and thrown together at a sophisticated

Summerfest Concertmaster Orlando cocktail party in a Manhattan

Forte from Cuba. The Symphony of penthouse, during which two couples

the Americas consistently brings reflect on the complexities of modern

audiences a thrilling repertoire relationships, all woven into a clever

which includes several styles “review” of Sondheim’s music. “With

of classical and popular music. a bit of imagination, the guests

According to Wikipedia, under the transform the apartment into the

baton of renowned and award- stage of an abandoned theatre, an

winning Artistic Director and estate in Sweden, an island outside

Composer James Brooks-Bruzzese, of Paris, a street off the Roman

the orchestra “has taken an inventive Forum, the woods of a fairy tale and

approach each season by combining a mythical town in the Southwest,” as

classical music with other art forms emotions surface through the songs.

on stage to engage and develop Altogether, it is a joyful celebration

new audiences with a variety of of Sondheim’s incredible career in

international guest artists.” This musical theatre. “Putting It Together”

Sunday, Brooks-Bruzzese will runs through Sept. 8. Curtain: Fridays

lead a program featuring music – 8 p.m., Saturdays, 8 p.m., Sundays, 2

of Humperdinck, Tartini, Mozart, p.m., Saturday matinee, Aug. 24, 2 p.m.

Verdi, Elgar and Stamitz, which Tickets: $29/$31. 321-723-6935. 



Lighthouse Point, the southern- as a cruise port and entertainment fa- CHILDREN SNORKEL AT “Lighthouse Point is one of the last
most tip of the Bahamian island of cility. Environmentalists are alarmed, LIGHTHOUSE POINT DURING remaining gems that should be left in
Eleuthera, is loved by the local com- but their repeated warnings have perpetuity the way it is for the Baha-
munity for its vivid blue waters, pink been ignored, the same fate suffered A JULY SUMMER SEA CAMP mian people,” says Shaun Ingraham,
sandy beaches, rocky shorelines, sea by local proponents of a greener busi- head of the One Eleuthera Founda-
turtles, and lemon sharks. ness alternative in the area. the right balance between economic tion, which along with Lighthouse
development and environmental Point Partners had envisioned a na-
The area contains diverse terres- The controversy over the Disney preservation, especially when those tional park, ecolodge, and education-
trial and marine ecologies, including deal, approved before the comple- environments are a magnet for tour- al facilities to create small-scale sus-
more than 200 bird species and four tion of an environmental impact as- ists in the first place. tainable development that benefits
endemic plant species. The near shore sessment, is a casebook study of how the community without destroying
reefs are home to the endangered small island states struggle to strike It also illustrates the challenge that the environment. “A lot of the great
staghorn coral. locals, including those with deep eco- swaths of land and green spaces are
logical and economic knowledge, face being bought up for development and
“You don’t see Lighthouse Point,” when trying to make their arguments overdevelopment.”
says Sam Duncombe, president of the heard by the government over those of
environmental group reEarth, “you giant corporations. The Caribbean cruise ship industry
feel it.” is booming and the Bahamas are flour-
ishing as a tourism destination, wel-
But the pristine landscape is now coming a record 6.6 million tourists in
set to become a cruise ship destina- 2018, the majority of them (4.9 million)
tion. Disney Cruise Line has received cruise passengers.
government approval to buy 751 acres
of land on Eleuthera for development Disney – which already has a 1,000-
acre destination, 3.2-mile Castaway Cay,
in the Bahamas – is not the only main-
stream cruise line with a private island
(or part of an island) that it includes as a
port of call on Caribbean itineraries.

Located on the 2,500-acre Baha-
mian island of Little San Salvador, 55-
acre Half Moon Cay is a port of call on
most of Holland America’s Caribbean
and Panama Canal cruises. Norwegian

Cruise Line’s private island, Great Stir- LIGHTHOUSE POINT, THE While he was clearly pleased with
rup Cay, is a stretch of palm-studded SOUTHERNMOST TIP OF the record in cruise ship arrivals, he
beachfront in the southern Bahamas. THE BAHAMIAN ISLAND was even happier about the smaller
OF ELEUTHERA but also record-breaking figures for
Most of Princess Cruises’ Caribbean stopover visitors, noting they spend
itineraries stop at Princess Cays, a 40- DISNEY’S PRIVATE ISLAND significantly more during their three-
acre beachfront strip off the south- CASTAWAY CAY to four-night stays.
western coast of Eleuthera. Many
ships of the Royal Caribbean and Ce- “We love cruise passengers,” the
lebrity cruise lines stop for a day at minister said. “But we love stopover
CocoCay (aka Little Stirrup Cay), an passengers even more since our stud-
otherwise uninhabited 140-acre land- ies reveal that they spend 20 times
fall in The Bahamas’ Berry Islands. more than a cruise passenger.”
And MSC Cruises late last year began
sailing to the largest cruise line private The Disney plan for Lighthouse Point
island, Ocean Cay, located 20 miles is forecast to be an economic boost for
south of Bimini. the Bahamas.

“The reality is that hundreds of thou- Disney aims to have the site up and
sands of visitors are gaining their first running by 2023. A minimum of 120
impressions of the Caribbean from Bahamians will be employed directly
one-day stops on board cruise ships,” during the construction phase and 150
the council wrote in a recent report. permanent jobs will result from opera-
“The challenge for the region as a whole tions.
is now to develop programs ... that ac-
tively try to convert cruise visitors to A potential 20,000 visitors – more
taking a future vacation on land.” than double the island’s population –
could disembark at Lighthouse Point
Presenting his annual budget for each week.
2019, Bahamian Minister of Tourism
Dionisio D’Aguilar attributed the spike The Bahamas government would
in arrivals to success capturing new lease seabed to Disney for $1,000 per
markets in China and Latin America, acre per year during the first 10 years.
an improved American economy, and A study by Oxford Economics, which
a greater breadth of areas visited. was paid for and cited by Disney in its
letter of intent, projects a $805 million

CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

26 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 INSIGHT COVER STORY

CRUISE SHIPS AT DOCK IN NASSAU

increase in Bahamian gross domestic ment plans. She was surprised to find have managerial roles. pay value-added taxes on it. “This is
product and a $357 million boost to the event resembled a pro-Disney rally And while private cruise ship ports not a case of them coming to a port like
Bahamian government revenues over rather than a discussion about what is Barcelona, normal tourism with shop-
25 years. best for the community. help passengers avoid the hassle of ping and spending. Here the tourists
clearing customs in the capital of Nas- play in the water, enjoy the beaches,
But some locals worry that the Dis- Ms. Pinder also raises concerns sau, this also means less money is and then get back on the ship.”
ney project has not been properly vet- about the economic benefits for Eleu- spent locally.
ted. Etoile Pinder, an Eleuthera native therans. While some job creation is Casuarina McKinney-Lambert, ex-
and economist, already knew things better than none, she points out that “The economic model is based on ecutive director of the nonprofit Ba-
were heading in the wrong direction of the nearly 100 Bahamians em- people spending money on their ships,” hamas Reef Environment Educational
when the prime minister visited the ployed at Disney’s Castaway Cay, most Ms. Pinder says, adding that cruise Foundation and a native of Eleuthera,
island to discuss Disney’s develop- hold low-level jobs, and only a couple ships bring all the food they need, pre- believes that ecotourism is the way
pare it on their properties, and don’t

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 27

INSIGHT COVER STORY

forward since it is the fastest growing cerned about the environmental toll “We know that the cruise tourism own country and say, ‘Well, what do
sector. that building a pier and regular dock- numbers are increasing, the number we want? What is in the best inter-
ing will have on the reefs, on protected of ships that are being built is in- ests of our country?’ And then wel-
She stresses that cruise ship visitors species of sharks and turtles, and on creasing, and the Bahamas is incred- come cruise ships in the way that we
make up 75% of annual tourist arrivals other wildlife. ibly appealing as a destination,” Ms. Bahamians see fit rather than just
in the Bahamas, but contribute only McKinney-Lambert says. depending on what they would like
10% of tourism revenue. She is also unconvinced about the to do.” 
so-called economic benefits. “We need to take ownership of our
Ms. McKinney-Lambert is con-

28 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT OPINION

WHAT IRAN WILL DO NEXT, AND HOW TO STOP IT

Predictably, Iran is reacting badly drones, affixing mines to ships and, non, Hezbollah, against Israel, or having based in nearby Bahrain); sinking Ira-
to the announcement that Europe is most recently, seizing a British tanker. its Afghan spinoff, Liwa Fatemiyoun, nian warships, which the U.S. did as
planning to send a multinational na- carry out attacks against U.S. troops in part of the “Praying Mantis” opera-
val force to protect merchant shipping So far, the Western response has been Afghanistan. tion in the late 1980s; striking Iranian
passing through the Strait of Hormuz. strong – Washington is tightening sanc- land-based air defenses (which was to
tions and now the Europeans are liter- If Iran takes such a reckless course, have been a part of the attack Trump
“We heard that they intend to send ally getting on board with the U.S. the West will likely respond militarily. paused at the last minute in June); and
a European fleet to the Persian Gulf Certainly the international escort mis- conducting an offensive cyber opera-
which naturally carries a hostile mes- So what happens next? What are the sion will be ramped up in size and in- tion against Iranian military assets,
sage, is provocative and will increase Western allies’ options to defuse the tensity. The U.S. part of it – which will be and possibly even the nation’s civilian
tensions,” said an Iranian government crisis but still keep up the pressure to called Operational Sentinel, according electric grid at the point where it sup-
spokesman. modify Iran’s bad behavior? General Joe Dunford, chairman of the ports the military infrastructure.
Joint Chiefs of Staff – will include sig-
In combination, the Europeans’ It seems clear the Iranians have lit- nificant intelligence, logistic and com- Can the U.S. and its allies avoid a
welcome decision to increase the war- tle inclination or motivation to back mand and control support. shooting war? Maybe.
ship count and the Iranian response down. They will probably increase
– only verbal thus far, thankfully – are the aggression toward merchant ship- Based on my own decades of experi- The incentives ultimately drive each
likely to increase the chances of a mili- ping, either putting mines in the Strait ence in the Gulf, including command- party toward the bargaining table. The
tary miscalculation that provokes a of Hormuz (which they did as part ing the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group U.S. will demand real modifications in
shooting war. of the so-called “tanker wars” in the during the Iraq invasion in 2003, I am Iranian behavior: Stopping their proxy
1980s) or actually sinking a ship, prob- certain that the U.S. Central Com- wars in Yemen and Syria; ending sup-
The strategic backdrop, of course, ably surreptitiously using a diesel sub- mand’s operational plans will give the port for Hezbollah’s aggression toward
is the U.S.-Iranian conflict that is be- marine. president plenty of options. Israel; paring down its ballistic missile
ing played out in the aftermath of the program; and, above all, a longer-term
American pullout from the 2015 agree- They could also widen the conflict These likely include sweeping nuclear agreement.
ment to circumscribe the Iranian nu- “horizontally” by unleashing their sur- mines (the Navy has the craft for this
clear program. rogate terrorist organization in Leba- The Iranians will want the sanctions
lifted, access to international capital,
Disappointed with the somewhat and guarantees against any attempt
limited scope of that agreement, the at regime change by the U.S. The sides
Trump administration withdrew, much are far apart, to say the least.
to the dismay of our European allies,
and proceeded to levy harsh economic Tactically speaking, look for things
sanctions on Iran. In response, the Ira- in the Gulf to get worse before they get
nians are trying to show the world that better. But over time, it’s not in any-
they control the Strait of Hormuz and one’s interest to stumble into a war –
can close it if they choose, thus caus- certainly not for Trump with the 2020
ing significant disruption to the global election looming. There is room for a
economy. deal, but the odds of miscalculation
continue to rise. 
This disruption strategy is somewhat
akin to a protection racket: “That’s a This column by retired Adm. James
nice naval strait you’ve got there, and it Stavridis, former supreme allied com-
would be a shame if something were to mander of NATO, first appeared on
happen to it.” The Iranians are striking Bloomberg. It does not necessarily re-
Saudi oil assets, shooting down U.S. flect the views of Vero Beach 32963.

ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY the Greek words for “correct,” “straight” and “child” to cre- © 2019 VERO BEACH 32963 MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
AND MEDICINE, PART I ate the French word orthopedie. While his primary concern
was correcting spinal and bone deformities in children, the
Welcome to a new series on orthopedic surgery and medicine. specialty eventually expanded to include correction of spinal
From hand, wrist and thumb to spine, shoulder, hip and knee and bone deformities and other musculoskeletal problems
surgery, we’ll cover the latest orthopedic techniques and treat- for all ages.
ments. The field of orthopedic surgery has evolved over the cen-
turies. During World War I, bone-setting techniques, gen-
WHAT IS ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY AND MEDICINE? eral treatment of bone fractures and other musculoskel-
etal treatments developed by surgical pioneer Hugh Owen
Orthopedics is the branch of surgery concerned with condi- Thomas from Wales became widely used. During World
tions involving the musculoskeletal system, which includes War II, fractures of German soldiers’ femurs and tibias were
bones, muscles, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, joints and other treated using intramedullary rods, an innovative procedure
connective tissue. The primary function of the musculoskeletal created by Gerhard Kuntscher.
system is to support the body, protect vital organs and allow In the 1950s, Gavril Abramovich Ilizarov from the USSR was
motion. sent, without much orthopedic training and no equipment,
Bones give us stability; muscles keep our bones in place and to care for injured Russian soldiers in Siberia. To help his pa-
play a role in movement of our bones. In addition to storing tients suffering with crippling, infected and malaligned frac-
calcium and phosphorus, bones are involved in the creation tures, he devised ring external fixators using bicycle parts to
of cells of the blood. Connective tissue such as tendons and keep fractured bones stabilized and in alignment during the
ligaments keep bones connected to other bones as well as to healing process. He was able to adjust the equipment and
muscle fibers. Movement is created when a muscle contracts heal, realign and lengthen bones to a degree never seen be-
and bones connect at a joint. Cartilage prevents bone ends fore.
from rubbing directly on each other. Also during the ‘50s, arthroscopy, a surgical procedure doctors
Diagnosing diseases and disorders of the musculoskeletal use to look at, diagnose and treat problems inside a joint, was
system can be difficult since the musculoskeletal system is invented and implemented by Dr. Masaki Watanabe of Japan.
so intertwined with other internal systems. Complex issues This minimally invasive cartilage surgery is now used to treat
and injuries involving the musculoskeletal system are usually injuries to the knee, shoulder, elbow, ankle, hip and wrist.
handled by a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilita- In the 1960s, the first total hip replacement procedure was
tion called a physiatrist or an orthopedic surgeon. performed by Sir John Charnley in England. Total knee re-
Both physiatrists and orthopedic surgeons provide medical placements for rheumatoid arthritis patients began in the
treatment for musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports 1970s in New York.
injuries, infections, tumors and congenital disorders but or- Today, in addition to hip and knee replacements, replacement
thopedic surgeons have additional training to provide surgery surgery for the shoulder, elbow, wrist, ankle, spine and finger
as a treatment option. Physiatrists do not perform surgery. joints is available. 
Your comments and suggestions for future topics are always
A BRIEF HISTORY welcome. Email us at [email protected].

The term orthopedics was coined in 1741 by Nicolas Andry, a
professor of medicine at the University of Paris. He combined

30 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BOOKS

On a sweltering morning 50 years I learned writing There’s also a previously unknown telephone call
ago this month, a maid arriving at a my 2000 biography that may have set the Tate-LaBianca murders into
secluded Beverly Hills estate found of Tate. O’Neill at- motion. In late July 1969, Manson associate Bobby
a scene of horror: five dead bod- tempts to burrow Beausoleil and two female “Family” members killed
ies strewn about the isolated house, deep beneath the musician Gary Hinman. Hoping to cast blame on the
among them pregnant actress Sharon surface of the mur- Black Panthers, they’d left the message “Political Piggy”
Tate, who had rented the property ders. This isn’t so scrawled on a wall in Hinman’s blood. On Aug. 8 Beau-
with her husband, director Roman much a history of soleil made a jailhouse call to his fellow cultists: He’d
Polanski. Blood was everywhere; it the crimes as it is a been arrested for Hinman’s murder and needed “help,”
had even been used to scrawl the chronicle of his in- adding, “Leave a sign.” Manson repeated this admo-
word “pig” on the house’s front door. vestigation. It start- nition to the foursome he sent to the Tate house just
The next night, grocery store owner ed as a feature for hours later; the “sign” took the form of “pig” written in
Leno LaBianca and his wife were now-defunct Pre- Tate’s blood on the front door, presumably in the hope
slaughtered in similar fashion, the miere magazine in that police would think Hinman’s killer was still on the
killers again leaving bloody messages, 1999; it took O’Neill loose. O’Neill confirmed the call with two former detec-
including a misspelled “Healter Skel- 20 years of intensive tives who, thinking (rightly) that they’d linked the Hin-
ter.” America was terrified. research, and hun- man and Tate murders, found their inquiries quashed
dreds of interviews, by superiors. Other details, though, are less convincing,
Nearly four months passed before to bring his story to including claims, decades after the fact, that a shadowy
the killers were arrested, a strange its ambiguous con- figure (and possible CIA agent) knew of the Tate mur-
group of flower children who had clusion. Along the ders before the maid discovered the bodies.
lived at an abandoned movie ranch way, he found legal
under the spell of their leader, Charles misconduct, sup- O’Neill worries that his explorations make him “one
Manson. The murders had been bi- pressed informa- of ‘those people’: an obsessive, a conspiracy theorist,
zarre, but the alleged motive argued tion and loose con- a lunatic.” Indeed, the last third of the book tosses in
by prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi in nections suggesting shadowy figures and their possible connections to
court and expanded in his best-selling a much darker pic- Manson. There’s the CIA, hoping to use unwitting hip-
book, “Helter Skelter,” was even more ture of what may pies in San Francisco to study the effects of LSD; the
so: an ex-convict who claimed to be have led to the 1969 murders. director of the Haight-Ashbury Free Medical Clinic,
both Jesus Christ and Satan, whose (mainly) middle- It’s probably no accident that this book appeared af- investigating whether amphetamines led to violence;
class followers had seemingly turned into drug-addicted ter Bugliosi’s death in 2015: O’Neill uncovered troubling and even suggestions that a man tied to Lee Harvey Os-
zombies and killed to bring about the end of the world. indications that the prosecutor may have withheld evi- wald assassin Jack Ruby may have crossed paths with
The Bible and the Beatles’ song, Manson held, both dence from the defense and perhaps suborned perjury, Manson and used him in some kind of unofficial mind-
predicted a race war, during which he and his so-called strong-armed witnesses and lied during the trials, in an control investigation.
Family would live in a bottomless pit in the desert before effort to strengthen his “Helter Skelter” motive. “Much of
emerging to rule the world. But as journalist Tom O’Neill what we accept as fact,” O’Neill writes of the case, “is fic- There’s plenty of new information that makes “Chaos”
shows in his new book “Chaos,” Bugliosi’s flamboyant tion.” a worthwhile addition to the canon of Manson literature,
theory, rather than revealing the truth, merely concealed Some of O’Neill’s discoveries are stunning, espe- even if it ends without a unified theory of the crimes and
a tangled mass of contradictory motives in this most in- cially when he’s discussing the inexplicable leniency their motivations. “My goal isn’t to say what did hap-
famous of American crimes. shown by law enforcement officials and by Man- pen,” O’Neill explains, “it’s to prove that the official story
son’s parole officer. Both before and after the August didn’t.” In that he succeeds. 
Conspiracy theories have ringed the Manson case murders, Manson and several members of his group
since 1969, with allegations of drug deals gone bad, CIA- were arrested for various crimes but never charged. CHAOS
sponsored mind control experiments, celebrity sex tapes O’Neill speculates that this may have led to some sort
and revenge after producer Terry Melcher (Doris Day’s of later coverup, meant to conceal the fact that inac- CHARLES MANSON, THE CIA, AND
son, who had previously lived at the Tate house) did not tion may have resulted in additional deaths.
give the cult leader a recording contract. It’s a confus- THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE SIXTIES
ing, often conflicting journey down the rabbit hole, as
BY TOM O’NEILL | LITTLE, BROWN. 520 PP. $30
REVIEW BY GREG KING, THE WASHINGTON POST

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 31

ON FAITH

Perhaps we too can make a haven for a ‘hippo’ or two

BY REV. DRS. CASEY AND BOB BAGGOTT have expected old Mzee to lumber Mzee and Owen. by thousands of miles, eight years,
away at the sight of his new enclo- and the perspective of our own spe-
Columnists sure mate, but he didn’t. When little the next few years Owen and Mzee cies, we wonder, too. Are we as likely
Owen, who was frightened and lone- became the hit of the wildlife refuge, as the old tortoise was, when en-
Several years ago a massive earth- ly, sought out old Mzee and followed attracting thousands of tourists a countering an outsider in trouble, to
quake beneath the Indian Ocean oc- him everywhere, Mzee seemed to year, who stood in wonderment by offer our help? Isn’t an offer of help
curred and launched a tsunami of understand the little hippo needed their enclosure, watching the un- to the vulnerable especially awkward
enormous and deadly proportions. a friend badly. Mzee tolerated Owen; likely pair. or unlikely when the vulnerable one
Roughly 228,000 people were killed, he even seemed to take on the role is so different from ourselves? Yet
property damage was extensive, and of parenting him. When Mzee made Today, from the distances formed the ancient prophets of Israel urged
the toll taken among the residents vocal sounds, Owen mimicked the people to remember the outsid-
of the animal kingdom was incal- them. When Mzee located plants ers and the vulnerable, as caring for
culable. It is perhaps because the worth eating, Owen ate them, too. them was the behavior that most
tragedy was so great and so wide- When Mzee settled down for a nap, pleased and honored God.
spread, and left us with such feelings little Owen curled himself around
of hopelessness, that the story of the the old tortoise’s shell, cuddled up, Perhaps we could challenge our-
unlikely survival of one baby hippo and slept. selves in the days ahead to consider
became a worldwide phenomenon. our capacity for offering loyalty, af-
The twosome became inseparable, fection and assistance to others un-
The little hippo was stranded alone prompting wildlife refuge workers to like ourselves. Who are the outsiders
along the seashore when the waters comment that a large, elderly, soli- we find hard to befriend? Who are
receded. Rescue workers caught the tary reptile and a young, gregarious the insignificant, the invisible, the
600-pound disoriented baby and re- mammal are not expected to tolerate unlovable or the misunderstood to
located it to Haller Park, a wildlife each other well, let alone develop a whom we might offer some unex-
refuge in Bamburi, Kenya. The little supportive relationship. But Mzee’s pected friendship? We just might
hippo, now called Owen, was placed surprisingly kind actions had in all find ourselves capable of making a
in an enclosure without other hip- likelihood saved Owen’s life. Across haven for a “hippo” or two ourselves.
pos, which might have attacked a After all, if a 130-year-old tortoise
stranger. The only other consistent can save a life, couldn’t we? 
occupant in Owen’s enclosure was
a 130-year-old giant tortoise named
Mzee.

Now, Mzee had reason to be wary
of the newcomer, Owen. Mzee had
been buffeted about by hippos in
the past and was left with a danger-
ously cracked shell. So you might

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34 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PETS

Bonzo says Bruno from Hungary is full of fun

Hi Dog Buddies! he pawed out a little sorta prise. The pelly-cans flew away.
I’m pretty sure they were laughing.
Meeting poocheroos like Bruno “bed” an plopped down in it. An the boat kept going. I was like,
Yoshitani-Nagy reminds me that I’ve ‘What just happened?’ They turned
really, REALLY gotta watch my bread “I can’t wait to hear how you around, an Mommy scooped me up.
intake. An my poss-chur. Bruno is a I stay in the boat now.
good lookin’ Giant Schnauzer who an your Forever Famly found
emigrated from Hungary, where he “I can paddle board, an I like
was born. I Googled: Hungary is Way each other, from all the way playin’ CHASE. I steal Mommy’s an
Far Away, across the ocean, in Your- Daddy’s shoes so they’ll chase me.
Up. Did you know that? I didn’t. Bru- across the ocean.” I don’t do tricks, but I know The Ba-
no gets lotsa beachside walks, so you sics, plus ‘On Your Mat,’ where I hafta
might already know him. In between pawin’ the sand Bruno.PHOTO: KAILA JONES go when I’m all wet. Oooo, an I love
an rolling his face in it, Bruno liddle human babies. I lick their teeny
We decided to meet at the Dog Park, liddle toes.
where he goes a lot. Me an my assis- told his story. “I was born in “An then there’s rabbits. Once at Pet
tant arrived first, an were sitting un- Smart, Mommy scooped up a rabbit
der some trees in the shade when Bru- a town called Buda-peshhht. to show me. Fascinating. I like to stare
no came bounding up with his Mom ’em down, in my yard. They sure do
an Dad. I’m from a champion blood- know how to Not Move.”
“You’re also a watchdog?”
He was a good bit taller than me, line. Mommy an Daddy were “Absolutely. It’s my Serious Job. I’m
very leggy, with short black, curly always On Alert. An I’ve got a nice, big
hair, not the usual extra-long Schnau- lookin’ for a pooch who Woof. I sleep with Mommy an Daddy.
zer style cuzza recently getting his Mommy says she feels much safer when
summer cut. He had that pawsome didn’t make humans sneeze I’m there. I also try to help by fetchin’
long beard and eyebrows, an his ears the mail. Trouble is, I don’t have the
flopped over instead of bein’ pointy or make their eyes wadder. Bring-It-To-Mommy-an-Daddy part
since they don’t bob the ears in Hun- down yet. I sorta, well, shred it. So I get
gary, he later explained. I forget what that’s called. to fetch CAT-uh-logs only which, by the
way, don’t have ANY cat pickshurs. Go
“Hey there, Bonz,” he called, trot- They also wanted a watch- figure. An why don’t they call ’em DOG-
ting up for the Wag-n-Sniff, “hot uh-logs?”
enough for ya?” dog, but not one who’s Serious and beach birthday party with my pooch Heading home, I was thinkin’ about
hansome, frenly Bruno, birthday party-
“Close,” I replied. Grumpy all the time. Didja know my pals Eli, Trinity, Goose, Winnie an ing with his pooch pals, joyfully rollin’
“This is my Mommy an Daddy, in the sand, eatin’ soft serve ice cream.
Kirsten an George.” breed of pooches are pleece dogs in Cassie (she’s in Dog Heaven now). We Perhaps if I talked to Gramma … 
Just then, Bruno’s Dad turned on a
nearby water hose and sprayed it into Germany? had dog ice cream an party hats. (I The Bonz
the air: Bruno ran right to it, jumpin’
around all joyful an puppy-ish. “Anyway, they found me through a LOVE the beach.) I also have a fee-line Don’t Be Shy
“Woof, this is EX-cellent! Join me,
Bonz.” breeder in Fort Lauderdale. Soon as acquaintance, Leo. We like each other We are always looking for pets
I sure wanted to, but I was On The with interesting stories.
Clock, so I hadda decline. he saw my pickshur, Daddy fell in love but sometimes, when I forget he’s not
Bruno ran, dripping, back to the To set up an interview, email
shade, straight to a nice patch of sand- with me. I flew inna plane from Buda- a dog an come up for the traditional [email protected].
and-chips, an proceeded to roll. When
he was covered with sand-and-chips peshhht to Fort Lauderdale. (I mostly Wag-an-Sniff, he reminds me he’s a
from his bobbed tail to his regal nose,
dozed.) Daddy drove down to pick CAT, usually by zipping around real

me up an, the MINUTE he saw me in fast. Then I jump back. Cats aren’t as

the fur, we had this cuh-NECK-shun. chummy as dogs.”

I knew he was gonna be my Forever “Word,” I agreed.

Daddy. I was 8 months old then. Now “Me an Mommy an Daddy go every-

I’m 6. I’ve got a wunnerful Mommy, an where together. (I’m ex-TREEM-ly well

a human brother an sister, Gavin, an behaved.) Sometimes we have brunch

Kendra. They are So Cool Kibbles. at Grind an Grape (I love their French

“Gavin innerduced me to Fishin.’ Toast); an there’s my FAVE spot on the

He had this stick with a long string beach, Countryside Citrus. Mommy

at the end, which he plopped into the an Daddy get orange juice an I get

wadder. Alluva sudden, he yanked it my own soft serve vanilla ice cream.

up real fast an there was this wiggly, Bein’ Hungarian, I like goulash, of

shiny thing hangin’ on, boogly eyes, course, an coffee. An BEER. I can hold

no legs, an I’m like, ‘Wha-at. Where’d the can an chug the last coupla of

THAT come from?’ It was a FISH. Have Daddy’s slurps.

you ever seen one?” “I also LOVE going out in the boat.

“A couple times. They’re weird. Any I have my own life jacket AN a fabu-

pooch pals? What kinda stuff do you lous Boat Hat. One time there were

like to do?” these pelly-cans. I never saw any-

“My neighbor Wally’s my Best Bud- thing like ’um so I tried to get closer,

dy. He’s some kinda Doodle. I had a an fell in the wadder. THAT was a sur-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 35

INSIGHT BRIDGE

TRUMP TRICKS ARE COMING OR GOING WEST NORTH EAST
J63 Q85 10
By Phillip Alder - Bridge Columnist K2 Q J 10 A98764
10 8 5 4 3 KQ7 AJ92
A quotation sometimes attributed to Voltaire is: “Each player must accept the cards life deals 974 A K Q 10 J5
him or her; but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in
order to win the game.” SOUTH
AK9742
Perhaps “to try to win the game” would have been more accurate. There are times when 53
your cards are just not good enough to win. 6
8632
This week’ s deal gives two players, East and South, chances to make good plays. What
should happen in four spades after West leads the heart king? Dealer: North; Vulnerable: Both

North’s rebid showed a balanced 18 or 19 — or a poor 20 — points with at least one heart The Bidding:
stopper. If South had raised to three no-trump, it would have “ruined” the deal.
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST OPENING
South has three red-suit losers, with possible problems in each black suit if the cards are 1 Clubs 1 Hearts
distributed badly. East can see three defensive tricks: two hearts and one diamond. The 1 Spades Pass 2 NT Pass LEAD:
fourth will have to come from the trump suit. So, after East wins the second heart, what 4 Spades Pass Pass Pass K Hearts
should he do?

If East immediately leads a third heart, South should discard his inevitable diamond loser.
But if East defends better, cashing the diamond ace before playing the third heart, declarer
will have to ruff high. Then he has to draw trumps without losing a trick.

Given the 2-6 heart split, West rates to be longer in spades than East. So, South should
cash his second high spade. Here, the 10 drops from East. Now declarer should continue
with a spade to dummy’s eight. This finesse is a strong favorite to work.

When a defender is hoping for a trump promotion, he should try to cash every side-suit
trick first.

36 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT GAMES SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (AUGUST 1) ON PAGE 54

ACROSS DOWN
1 Knight’s title (3) 1 Unravel (5)
3 Equipment (3) 2 Beats (7)
5 Wearied (5) 3 Destroy (4)
8 Faithful (5) 4 Idea (6)
9 Feeling (7) 5 Blooms (8)
10 Send back (4) 6 Sovereignty (5)
11 Attendance (8) 7 Perils (7)
13 Relating to sight (6) 12 A peg doll (anag.) (8)
14 Pictures (6) 13 Called on (7)
17 Gulps down (8) 15 Shining (7)
19 Impecunious (4) 16 Exchange (6)
22 Brass instrument (7) 18 Entertain (5)
23 Sharp pain (5) 20 Stiff (5)
24 Fear (5) 21 Employed (4)
25 Concealed (3)
The Telegraph 26 Deity (3)

How to do Sudoku:

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

The Telegraph

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 37

INSIGHT GAMES

ACROSS 101 60 Minutes doll? 55 End of eth or meth The Washington Post
105 Quail quantity 57 Afflict
1 Baffle 107 To this day 58 Amicable LEAST POPULAR DOLLS By Merl Reagle
6 Part of Nike’s imperative 108 Regret 59 Winning numero
10 Type of punch 109 Girl-to-boy sex-change doll? 60 Signer’s need
13 Hdqtrs. 113 Mattel toy that sleeps 62 Commodities
16 Debussy contemporary 63 Oh, to Oskar
17 Registered, as a lesson constantly? 65 Once around the track
19 Schifrin’s first 117 Unit of weight 66 Like “give” or “take,”
20 Revelation reaction 119 He’s in the constriction
21 Colorful talk verb-wise: abbr.
22 Purple-and-yellow dino? business 67 First word of “Send in the
120 Choice A and B
(eggs sold separately) 121 Freedom Clowns”
25 Incredible, growing doll? 122 Directions 68 Natural light
27 Caterer’s dispenser 123 Good name for a cook 69 Milan’s La ___
28 Susan’s soap schemer 124 It sounds like you 70 Prefix meaning “heaven”
29 Male deliveries 125 Abbr. before 10017 71 Space writer Willy
30 Stiff, steely-eyed 126 Drawer poker 76 Capra’s John
actor-doll? 77 Mountain nymph
34 Prestige DOWN (or the start of an ode to
38 Pulpit VIP 1 Sizzling sound
39 Little piggie 2 Bath powder literacy?)
40 Yule lot buy 3 Arches National Park state 78 Diplomat
41 Conservative doll dressed as 4 Pint-sized 79 Wounded Knee’s st.
5 Bellerophon’s horse 80 Blighter
Santa saying, “Ho ho ho, 6 Arlene and Roald 82 Chelsea’s dad
I told you so”? 7 1,024 bytes, briefly 83 ___ nitrite
45 Not neg. 8 Atoms for Peace proposer, 86 “When I was ___ ...”
48 Moist bit 87 Gear tooth
49 Lifeboat needs 1953 88 One under a cpl.
50 Nissan model 9 Spanish aunt 89 Eavesdropping range
51 And yet, briefly 10 Vaseline vessel 90 Pointless mountain
53 Connect 11 Tiny Alice penner 92 Baseball’s Rusty
54 Crumples into a ball 12 Decision-making group 93 Sitar star
56 Messy infant doll? 13 Capital on the Merrimack 94 Cleans sans water
61 City in Tuscany 96 Opposed to, in Dogpatch
63 Sung soliloquy River 98 Wisemen’s incense
64 WWI battle river 14 In ___ (nearby) 102 Will’s theatre
65 Doll for an accountant’s 15 Bean of Texas 103 Short, curved pipe
daughter? 17 Strike dumb 104 Buzz’s moonmate
72 Staggering, old-style 18 The Polaris or the 105 Cancel, to Queeg
73 The like 106 Slippery and slimy
74 “Walk Away, ___” Poseidon, e.g. 109 Cinderella’s outfit until
75 “Trainer doll” for kids who 19 Slow, in music
aren’t quite ready to wear 23 Word of honor midnight
their underwear on the 24 Fissure 110 Evita’s guy
outside? 26 Wendy Williams, e.g. 111 “Hold ___ your hats”
78 Opinion pieces 30 Tear anew 112 Singing comeback?
81 Kobe Bryant’s org. 31 Egg 113 This Old House’s home
84 Laugh like a pig 32 Answer 114 Had a hero, e.g.
85 Loser to FDR, 1936 33 Ball honoree 115 Niall’s nightfall
87 Certain chord: abbr. 34 Macadam was one 116 She was a Partridge
88 Energy 35 Bangkok native 118 Meeting of the minds?
91 Hollywood Sandra 36 Pinched person
92 Toy that gives you Freudian 37 Frank McCourt book
nightmares? 38 VW intro
95 FDR’s dog 42 “___, I’m Adam”
97 Abbr. on a bill 43 Jarreau and others
99 “Just swell” 44 Native Israeli
100 Sock-pattern county 46 Manhattan betting sign
47 Medicine men
51 Rhyme scheme
52 Speechify
54 “That’s all ___ good”

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38 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BACK PAGE

Friend’s words said over coffee are hard to swallow

BY CAROLYN HAX opportunity: “You said X the other day. Did you really
Washington Post mean that?”

Hi, Carolyn: About eight years Both of them can let a friend know that she hit a
sore spot but that you’re still on for coffee next month.

ago, when our kids were in el-

ementary school, I became casual Dear Carolyn: I want to be a person who wants to

friends with five other women, hang out with friends. But most of the time when an

moms “in the same class.” As time opportunity arises, even to see people I like, I just don’t

went on, the kids’ friendships want to go. Usually I don’t regret it when I do drag my-

changed. The moms remained. We usually get to- self out of the house, but that doesn’t encourage me to

gether for coffee about once a month. We have been next time. I’m not anxious or anything, I just seem to be

there for each other in some difficult times (cancer, a missing something other people have that makes them

divorce, the death of parents, etc.). look forward to seeing people?

All of us work outside the home but one, and her – Trying Not to be Asocial

kids are both now in their teens. Yesterday, at our

regular coffee, she announced that her husband is Trying Not to be Asocial: I don’t think you’re miss-
ing something so much as you have something else.
leaving her after nearly two decades of marriage. We Contentment with your own company, for example.
Introversion. Hobbies.
jumped in with condolences and support.
These aren’t good or bad, they’re just different from
However, what this friend said next stunned me: the traits that motivate people to seek the company of
others more.
that what devastated her the most is that she will Stunned: I don’t know – is she worth bringing it up?
Close friends can’t leave hurt feelings between And as long as you pair them with self-knowledge,
have to get a job, and she can’t imagine not being them untended and still remain close, so if she is one, there’s no reason your conflicting impulses can’t get
then I’d advise picking your moment and raising it along. Just decide upfront that you will force yourself
there for her children because “what kind of mother one-on-one. out X times per Y – then see whether that feels right,
Coffee friends, though, can let all kinds of stuff go then adjust your rules as needed to sustain friend-
chooses work over being a good parent?” Those are – just by saying to themselves mentally, “She can be a ships without depleting yourself.
doink sometimes, but we go way back.”
the precise words she used. There are also different ways to speak up, if that’s All of this assumes you’re at your typical energy lev-
what you choose to do. There’s the I-just-need-to-say- el; if you feel you have less lately, then consider a trip
The remaining five of us work because that is the this method – “When you said X, that bothered me” to your doc. 
– and there’s the gracious offer of a mouth-defooting
life we chose. We do not consider ourselves to be in-

adequate parents. I didn’t say anything, except con-

tinued support, but I am hurt by her words. Should

I chalk it up to her being distressed, or is it worth

bringing it up?

– Stunned

4

LONG-TERM USE OF
PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS

HAS DOWNSIDES

40 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Long-term use of proton pump inhibitors has downsides

BY TOM LLOYD according to the Harvard Medical
Staff Writer School, “the strongest type of medicine
available for treating stomach acid.”
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such
as Prevacid, Prilosec and Nexium are First introduced in 1989 as a
among the most commonly used drugs prescription-only medication, the Mayo
in the world. Clinic says “PPIs are currently approved
by the FDA for the management of a
About 15 million people in the U.S. variety of gastrointestinal disorders
use PPIs, spending close to $18 billion a including symptomatic peptic ulcer
year purchasing them, according to an disease, gastro-esophageal reflux
estimate by U.S. Pharmacist. disease (GERD) and non-ulcerous
dyspepsia, as well as for prevention of
Proton-pump inhibitors are,

Dr. Alejandro Perez.

PHOTOS BY DENISE RITCHIE

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 41

HEALTH

gastrointestinal bleeding in patients A number of studies and clinical trials symptoms under control with just some “The tricky part nowadays is what
receiving anti-platelet therapy.” simple lifestyle and dietary changes,” do we do when [patients] try and come
have intimated – though not proven – instead of taking potent prescription or off of PPIs?” Perez says. “I’d say nine out
Today at least two generic, over-the- over-the-counter medicine. of 10 people, when they try and cut it
counter versions are also available. that prolonged PPI use may lead to other cold-turkey, they say ‘Sunday is my last
“You’d be surprised,” says the dose’ but by Tuesday they’re calling me
Nonetheless, sitting in his Vero Beach serious problems. As the Mayo Clinic approachable Perez, “I have that in office saying their chest is on fire and
office, local gastroenterology specialist, conversation probably once a day. they can’t deal with it and they go back
Dr. Alejandro Perez, with Steward said in 2018, “recent studies regarding People come in and say, ‘You know, on the medication.
Health Care’s Sebastian River Medical every time I eat a slice of pizza I feel
Center, urges a modicum of caution and the long-term use of PPI medications horrible.’ “That’s a conversation we need to
suggests having detailed conversations have in the office,” Perez says. “There’s
with your physician before starting on have noted potential adverse effects, “I have to pause a second and say, ‘I’m a couple of ways to try and taper off,
a course of PPIs, and regular follow-up sorry to break it to you, but you may just maybe using other medications like h2
discussions after that. including risk of [bone] fractures, need to stay away from pizza.’” blockers for a period of time. There are
also some natural things we can try to
Why? And what, exactly, are PPIs? pneumonia, hypomagnesemia, For many people, simple changes like incorporate and sort of slowly come off
In the simplest of terms, PPIs are that can solve stomach acid problems the PPI medications.”
drugs that target the proton pump or vitamin B12 deficiency, chronic kidney without any medication at all.
“parietal” cells, which are the acid- “I would just say again, having a
secreting cells located in the stomach disease and dementia.” Perez then adds that, “the more discussion with your doctor on why
wall. PPIs limit the amount of acid calories you consume in one meal, the you’re taking them, how long have
those pumps produce. Perez says the largest and most recent more acid gets produced and the higher you’ve been taking them and is there
That’s a good thing, right? the likelihood” of having acid reflux truly an indication to be taking them” is
Not necessarily. study, published in May of this year in problems. really important.
According to the National Institutes
of Health, when the pH of the stomach the journal Gastroenterology, says PPIs If you are using PPIs and want to get “Generally we’re seeing from the
becomes less acidic, harmful microbes off the medication, be prepared for a data that [PPIs] are still very safe, but no
that would normally be destroyed were “not associated with any adverse challenge. medication has zero side effects, so you
in the acidic environment are able do have to have these discussions.”
to pass unscathed into the small event when used for three years,” but
and large intestines where they can Dr. Alejandro Perez is with Steward
cause any number of more serious he points out that many PPI users have Health Care’s Sebastian River Medical
problems including “clostridium Center. He has offices at 3745 11th Circle,
difficile,” a potentially life-threatening been taking the drugs far longer than Suite 103 in Vero Beach and at 8005 Bay
inflammation of the colon. Street, Suite One in Sebastian. The phone
three years. number is 772-567-4825. 

Another reason, besides potential

side effects, to think twice before taking

PPIs is that, according to Perez, “the

data suggest 30 percent of people with

acid reflux symptoms can get those

42 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Heart failure clinic helps patients handle dire diagnosis

BY TOM LLOYD Pat Draper and Diane Loveday.
Staff Writer
PHOTO BY DENISE RITCHIE
Pat Draper and Diane Loveday
know the value of a smile.

They need to. They spend their days
working with heart failure patients
for whom smiles can be entirely too
rare.

Heart failure itself, unfortunately,
is anything but rare.

The Centers for Disease Control
says close to 6 million U.S. adults
are victims of heart failure, which
causes more than 610,000 deaths
annually; 550,000 new cases of heart
failure are diagnosed each year and
the condition is the leading cause of
hospitalization for people over 65 in
the U.S.

“One in every nine deaths in this
country,” the CDC reports, “includes
heart failure as a contributing cause,”
and the financial burden is estimated
to exceed $33 billion annually.

But wait a minute. If your heart
fails aren’t you dead?

No. The term “heart failure” doesn’t
mean the heart has stopped working

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 43

HEALTHY SENIOR

‘Easy access to Cleveland Clinic Indian River hard to come by. her son, who’s probably 74. I went to
Hospital, according to Draper, “paid As Draper explains. “The body ages sit down with them for a few minutes
supportive care no penalty this past year.” before her discharge and when I got
so much more quickly than the self- up to leave she smiled and said, ‘You
is really a big Both Draper, whose official image. These patients who I see in are so lovely to come in and tell me
title is Advanced Practice Nurse clinic in their late 80s and 90s, they about this.’”
function of the Coordinator of the Heart Failure don’t think of themselves as that
Clinic, and Loveday, the hospital’s age. Their self-image is still much “It’s moments like that,” Draper
clinic.’ Heart Failure Acute MI Care younger … we have to point out that concludes, “that you know you’ve
Coordinator, will – if asked – proudly this is where they are now and it’s made a difference in their lives. And
– Diane Loveday give you chapter and verse on the important that they be included in the that is the best.”
hospital’s third consecutive “Gold decision-making process about their
altogether. It means the heart is not Plus Get With the Guidelines Heart medicines, about restrictions and Pat Draper’s office is at 3450 11th
working as it should. Failure Award” from the American about their care moving forward.” Court, Suite 104 in Vero Beach. The
Heart Association, but it’s clear they’d phone number is 772-563-4415. Diane
According to Draper there are two both rather talk about their patients Does all that work? Loveday says it Loveday can be reached at the hospital
“big categories” of heart failure. – the ones for whom a smile can be does. Just that morning she recalls, at 772-567-4311, ext. 2234. 
“We had a 94-year-old woman and
“There’s heart failure from what
we call ‘reduced ejection fraction’
and heart failure from ‘preserved
ejection fraction,” Draper explains.
“You either have a weak heart muscle
or a stiff heart muscle – either way,
your heart does not pump efficiently.
That’s the bottom line.”

A diagnosis of heart failure can
be devastating, which is where the
Heart Failure Management Clinic
associated with Cleveland Clinic
Indian River Hospital come into play.

As Draper puts it, the clinic is “a
source of evaluation for the patients.
It’s somewhere they can call; where
they can get checked out; where they
can have their questions answered
and they can just kind of let down
their hair about how awful they feel
and what they can do about it.”

Often the weight of the diagnosis
“doesn’t sink in until they get home
and they look at all the medicines
[they’re now supposed to take – as
many as 20] and some patients just
throw up their hands and don’t even
take them.”

“Patients discharged from the
hospital need closer support and
supervision,” says Loveday. “Without
being critical, any physician’s office
you call might say, they’ll see you
three weeks from next Wednesday.
That doesn’t work for a heart failure
patient. They need to be seen either
today or tomorrow, or they’ll be in the
emergency room and readmitted the
hospital. Easy access to supportive
care is really a big function of the
clinic.”

Readmission to the hospital is not
only bad for the patient, it also packs
a pricey punch for any hospital, too.

Revised Center for Medicare
Services guidelines mandate that any
hospital with excessive readmissions
will be penalized 3 percent of its total
Medicare reimbursements, which
can be a massive financial hit.

And while neither Loveday
nor Draper will claim the credit,



Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Style Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 45

How to wear this summer’s head-to-toe white look

BY TAMARA ABRAHAM Steer clear of pleated mini skirts as
you’ll risk looking like you’re off to play
The Telegraph a round of doubles at your local tennis
club – the same goes for any mini dress-
White, ivory and cream are the ulti- es that are too sporty in style.
mate rich colors. I imagine those who
wear them head-to-toe on a regular Otherwise, dresses are an easy way
basis don’t have to wash their own to wear all-white, but too much lace or
clothes. They probably spend entire too many ruffles can verge on wedding
summers in the Hamptons or the dress territory. This was the case with
South of France and the idea of travel- Margot Robbie recently. Though the
ing by public transport must be com- “Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood”
pletely foreign to them. star looked sensational in Chanel Cou-
ture for the movie’s premiere, it also in-
There’s nothing stopping us normal spired such headlines as: “Margot Rob-
folk from wearing it too, though. Yes, we bie Basically Wore a Wedding Dress on
may have to be a little more careful with the Red Carpet.”
the red wine and coffee – and you can
forget about ordering the spaghetti Bo- The answer is to look for styles in
lognese – but the polish of an all-white fabrics that would never typically be
look from time-to-time is worth the oc- used for a wedding dress. Avoid duch-
casional sacrifice. ess satin and tulle, and lean toward
linen and cotton. Assess silk on a
White jeans are an easy place to case-by-case basis; it’s likely fine if it’s
begin. They’re hard-wearing and wash got details like a print, a contrast trim
easily in the machine. Frame and in monochrome, or a shirt collar.
Mother are brands that are reliable for
flattering and wide-legged styles, both Think about how you style it, too.
of which are especially hot silhouettes Hiking sandals or a pair of Converse
to try for summer 2019. sneakers instantly turn a potentially
bridal dress into something more
I’ve also invested in a pair of loose- casual for a garden party or summer
fit denim. Team with a white broderie vacation. Ditto white mules will add
Anglaise blouse for a fresh and pretty some edge and stop it from looking
summer look, or a white tank for a too pretty. Stacks of gold jewelry
more Nineties aesthetic. Add a cozy with gold strappy sandals will also
white or cream knit when the weather elevate a white dress into more formal
gets cooler. territory, without becoming bridal.

For a more formal occasion, try a Throw a beige linen blazer over a
tailored. Team with a high-neck knit- white dress for a versatile look that
ted tank or white T-shirt for a pared- you can take anywhere – whether it’s
down look. Wearing nothing beneath the Hamptons, the South of France or
your jacket is very Bianca Jagger – an a barbecue in your back garden. For
unquestionably chic effect, but bear the latter, I’d suggest, just go sparing-
in mind that it was the way she wore ly on ketchup. 
it on her wedding day.

46 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Style Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

Front row Birkenstock or 'haute trek’ - which summer sandal are you?

BY FRANKIE GRADDON week don’t you know), if your toenails spotted on the feet of several fashion nel, Valentino, et al.) however, offer-
The Telegraph have befallen the same fate as mine editors who sat front row. ing cocktail-ready footwear with the
and are irreversibly stained orange comfort-factor of a hotel slipper, one
If my journey to work this morning from years of red varnish, consider a Chiming in with the current sarto- could argue they’re well worth it. Orig-
told me anything, it’s that sandal season deep lavender which, mani-maestro rial mood for low-key luxe (see also inal styles in patent, metallic leather or
has arrived. Not a not a loafer, sneaker or Marianne Newman once told me, will raffia and linen), the classic Arizona suede will also cut the mustard and, at
summer boot in sight, naked ankles and detract from rough toes. two-strap Birk has been elevated to a more democratic $52, means money
liberated toes stretched as far as the eye covetable new heights thanks to a slew left over for a round of Martinis.
could see. Of course, with temperatures If the thought of baring feet in of stylish collaborations. The Il Dolce
hitting the 80s, if there was ever a week public fills you with dread then fear Far Niente collection (a collaboration The haute trek
to banish your socks to the back of the not; this season’s abundant crop of with iconic Tuscan retreat Il Pellicano) Following on from last season’s
drawer then this is surely it. sandals means you can reveal as little is the go-to for those in the fashion hiking boot hysteria – trekking san-
or as much skin as you like. From know; the Telegraph’s very own Lisa dals have been propelled from na-
Before slipping on a pair of sandals, front row-ready footbeds to royalty- Armstrong has both the red satin style ture trail to sartorial hit. Also known
it’s worth investing in a little TLC; approved espadrilles, here are the and the glossy navy iteration with con- as ‘walking’ or ‘tourist’ sandals (just
months in boots and sneakers can leave styles to know about. trasting with white piping. add a fanny pack and a map), they are
one’s trotters looking somewhat rough.
Dehusk heels with Dr. Scholl’s Velvet The fashion Birkenstock At $350 plus, they’re somewhat
Smooth Wet & Dry Pedi, then slather It was not Celine Dion’s Chanel span- pricey (as are the myriad designer
on This Works Perfect Heels Rescue dex-clad presence that was the talk of Birk-a-likes from Louis Vuitton, Cha-
Balm to soften. While the no-polish the town at the most recent Paris cou-
pedicure is very au courant (everyone ture week, but rather the unexpected
was doing naked nails at Paris couture attendance of Birkenstocks which were

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Style Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 47

characterized by a thick foam sole The elevated thong Kate Moss spirit, an ankle strap will lace low on the ankle in tans and natural
and velcro straps. Neither of which provide more security – no one wants – dark color can turn legs stumpy.
sounds hugely chic granted, but the Last seen still covered in sand at the to live in fear of one’s shoe flinging off
magic of trekking sandals lies in their bottom of your suitcase, beach-ready mid strut. Cheesewire straps over toes The refined clog
‘so bad it’s good’ appeal. thongs (shoes, not pants) are perhaps the tend to make them look like chipolatas
most surprising sandal trend to emerge so look for styles with a thicker front This summer’s wild card, the clog
Seen on several spring/summer ’19 this summer. Initiated by the ubiquity of band. was championed at the launch of
catwalks (think Gucci, Marni, Acne), Havaiana’s rubber flip-flops on the feet Liberty London’s ready-to-wear col-
the ‘haute trek’ has been endorsed by of editors attending Copenhagen fash- The new gladiator lection where pastel-hued iterations
celebrities and influencers alike; Alexa ion week, they have also been seen on decorated with silk printed foulards
Chung has been spotted in her Chanel the catwalk at Tibi and Jacquemus, and A fixture of the early noughties boho clumped down the catwalk. Provid-
versions on more than one occasion, have even been adopted by clan Kar- uniform (Sienna Miller was rarely seen ing a pleasing element of chunk to
while no scroll on Instagram is without dashian (don’t let that put you off). out of her Grecian lace-ups), the gladia- flowy silk frocks and paisley skirts,
a sighting of Prada’s nylon iterations. tor sandal has made a comeback. How- the wooden shoe also lent a folksy,
At roughtly $25, a pair of Havaianas ever, gone is the knee-high lattice and summer-ready air to outfits.
Pegged as one of the shoes of the will lend some budget-Brazillian flair to studded embellishment; this season’s
season, Nanushka’s faux leather Yola your vacation wardrobe, and thanks to strappy flat is an all-together chicer A longtime subscriber to summer
sandals have proved a favorite among their streamlined, lightweight proper- proposition thanks to a more minimal clog myself, I can say with authority that
the fashion crowd, as have Arizona ties are a saint to pack. However, when approach. Swedish Hasbeens are the go-to brand
Love’s Trekky bandana-print sandals donning thongs back at home, a more to know. Handmade in Stockholm from
and Suicoke’s positively orthopedic- refined iteration is required. Switch Almost balletic in tone, Alighieri’s vegetable-dyed leather, both style and
looking velcro sandals. Teva, the rubber for leather (real or faux) and Club flats come with satin ribbon laces comfort-factor are unrivalled, plus they
original purveyor of the walking Tropicana brights for classic black, tan which criss-cross over the foot and tie wear and last well. Rub a cotton ball
sandal, has collaborated with Anna or natural. elegantly at the ankle. The addition of doused in olive oil over new leather to
Sui on a printed take of its Flatform a golden pendant which can be worn soften and stain proof.
Universal Sandal. Flip-flop label Tkees has become a as a necklace once sandal season
fashion editor favorite thanks to its ceases, makes for a grown-up take on Wear now with prairie dresses and
While the comfort-factor of a trek- minimal leather styles and can be the anklet trend. Broderie Anglaise blouses – when next
king sandal can’t be denied (just make personalized with complimentary season’s mood for all things ’70s per-
sure to pick a pair with a flexible soles monogramming. So sophisticated If you’re short of leg, choose styles that vades, team with a kick-flare jean and
or risk feeling – and looking – like you’re is the Duos’ two-tone, they defy the silk shirt. 
walking on foam planks), a little more typical workwear dress code and can
effort needs to be put into their styling. be worn into the office with a linen
A feminine outfit is required to counter- trouser suit. Looking for an evening
act their casualness – try a pretty ankle- thong? Try Ancient Greek Sandals Es-
grazing frock or a pair of elegant wide tia Flouria which come with golden
cropped trousers and silky blouse. coin embellishment and are the per-
fect pairing to a black summer dress
The royal rope wedge and alfresco dinner.

The barely-there sandal

Smart and summery, not only For those who don’t mind flashing
does the espadrille wedge provide a a lot of foot, this summer’s ‘naked’
solution to stylish heatwave dressing, sandals are one to try. A key style of
it also has the royal seal of approval. the season, think spaghetti-fine straps,
The Duchess of Cambridge Kate has wafer-thin mules and pin-thin heels.
worn a tan suede iteration with cord Sound comfy? Hardly, but these shoes
ankle ties on several outings lately, aren’t made for walking; wear with a
while the Duchess of Sussex Meghan cocktail frock for sit-down drinks and
was spotted in black lace-up versions dinners, or on days when you don’t
during her Australian tour last year. mind hopping in a taxi or two.

Spanish-based Castañer is the espa- Leading the skimpy sandal charge
drille brand of choice for the royals – is By Far with the Thalia mule and
and indeed me; I have the pink ‘Carina’ Staud’s Gita sandals both of which have
style and can attest to their comfort and squared off toes. Stella McCartney’s
versatility. This season’s lemon motif faux leather mules in tan were worn by
style will lend summer cheer to jeans Pippa Middleton at Wimbledon, while
and a T-shirt, while a monochrome pair, Topshop’s Strippy sandals have caught
such as the chic all-black ‘Chiara,’ are the attention of several thrifty fashion
suitable for formal occasions. editors (at a recent fashion dinner, no
less than four pairs were spotted).
There is one pitfall to a rope sole: the
smell – a friend had to abandon her es- While a dainty mule might evoke ’90s
padrille wedges on vacation due to them
giving a pungent note to her suitcase. To
limit the smell, try spritzing them with
a solution of water and white wine vin-
egar at the end of the day.

48 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

DINING REVIEW

C.J. Cannon’s: Comfort food that’s just ‘plane’ satisfying

BY TINA RONDEAU Prime Rib with Baked Potato.
Columnist
PHOTOS BY KAILA JONES

A mere 35 years after it opened, last But we had come for the southern
week we decided to review C. J. Cannon’s specialties, and I decided to go with
Restaurant. the southern style slow-cooked pot
roast ($14), and my husband ultimately
Hey, we figured everyone knew that chose the homemade meatloaf with
this vintage restaurant – overlooking the pan gravy ($14) over the beef liver with
runways at Vero’s airport – was the place bacon and onions ($14). From a lengthy
to take younger diners (and some not so list of sides, we picked the mashed
young) for an unrivaled view of planes potatoes, the fried green tomatoes, a
taking off and landing. sweet potato and creamed spinach.

But we never gave a lot of thought My pot roast was an excellent version
to the food until someone suggested of this classic dish. Fall-apart tender,
last week that C.J. Cannon’s was one of it was the ultimate comfort dish. My
the best places in town for a Southern- husband found his meatloaf super
style dinner. moist and delicious. Yummy. Who
doesn’t like meatloaf?
So off we went on a wet Thursday
night (not optimum conditions for For dessert, we shared a peach cobbler.
aviation buffs), and were quickly The peaches were wonderful, though
ushered to a booth where we could the crust could have used a couple more
look out through the huge rain-streaked minutes in the oven.
windows at the not-very-busy runways.

These tables have to be in high demand
on nice days, because you couldn’t ask
for a better view of the planes.

Our veteran server Lisa quickly
took our drink order (you can get
pretty much anything here) and she
returned with a couple of glasses of
wine and a plate of warm corn muffins
and delicious garlic cheese biscuits. A
promising start.

For appetizers, I ordered the fried
breaded mushrooms with homemade
ranch dressing ($9) and my husband
opted for the baked stuffed clams ($8).

The dozen or so fried mushrooms
far outnumbered the three stuffed
clams, and while both were tasty, the
mushrooms got our vote as the one we
will have again next time.

The big surprise of the night for
us, however, was the huge variety of

Stuffed Peanut Butter Pie. Fried Green
Clams. Tomatoes.

entrées available. The seafood options But this turned out to be very enjoyable about breakfast here as well. Hours:
included a variety of shrimp and fish evening, and we absolutely will return – I welcome your comments, and Daily 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.,
dishes led by fresh cobia; the beef this time in far less than 35 years – to try Sunday until 2 p.m.
dishes ranged from hand-cut steaks to the seafood and beef entrées. The fact encourage you to send feedback to me at
slow-roasted prime rib; and there were that we did not visit C.J. Cannon’s years [email protected] . Beverages: Full Bar
five different preparations of chicken ago is clearly our loss.
breast to choose from. The reviewer dines anonymously at Address:
P.S.: We’ve heard mighty good things restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 3414 Cherokee Drive
32963.  (Vero Beach Regional Airport)

Phone:
772-567-7727

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 49

WINE COLUMN

Cool ideas: How to keep your wine fresh in the summer heat

BY DAVE MCINTYRE benefit from the air conditioning while truck ride. And when you aren’t home That’s why it’s worth paying a
you’re driving. But no place in your car to sign for the delivery, the wines stay little more money – and a little more
The Washington Post is safe without insulation and extra on the delivery truck, cooking away. attention – to buy wines that have been
cooling. If your wine shopping isn’t your If a winery is eager to ship to you in properly handled from stores that care,
Beset by heat, wine lovers will turn to last stop while running errands, think summer, beware: That may be a sign and recognize that wine thrives in a
an ice-cold rosé to slake our thirst, after ahead and pack a cooler. they care more for your money than the cool environment.
hydrating with water, of course. But we quality of their product.
should also be concerned about how the This is especially important when So in the heat of summer, keep your
summer’s blazing heat is affecting the visiting local wineries, which I cer- Some caveats are in order. Wines can cool – and your wine’s. 
wines we buy and store. tainly hope you will do. Most winer- be “cooked” before they’re even bottled,
ies do not have shade over their park- through mishandling in the vineyard or
Wine ages gracefully in cool tempera- ing lots, in part because trees are the winery. They may have been stored in
tures and dies quickly in heat. That’s habitats for insects that can spread hot warehouses on their way to market,
why we store it in a wine cellar, or “cave” disease to vines. That pricey bottle sent across country in unrefrigerated
to use the French term. Most Floridians you buy at your first winery stop will trucks or across oceans in containers
don’t have underground cellars. be prune juice by the time you finish lacking temperature controls, only to be
your second tasting. Do what you can stacked at the port of entry for a few days
If you keep only a few cases at a time, to keep it cool. waiting for clearance from U.S. Customs
a wine fridge or cooler is fine. Other- and Border Protection.
wise, keep your wine in the coolest part Second, be mindful of how the
of your house and use it as an excuse to wine is kept in the store. With your A Modern Diner with fresh local ingredients
keep the air conditioning low. cooler secure in the trunk of your car,
take note of how the wines are kept Complementary bottle of house wine with two entrées between 5:00pm & 5:45pm
The real problem with summer is heat and displayed before you buy them.
spikes. Think of how severe heat affects Beware of wines exposed to windows A Roger Lord and Chuck Arnold Restaurant
your energy level, then remember that and sunlight. Notice how cool the store
wine is essentially alive. It can bake in is – air conditioning is expensive, and The Best Food In South County!
high temperatures. We can revive with a retailers may turn the thermostat up
shower, a dip in the pool or just some AC, to save money. A noticeably cool store reservations strongly suggested
but wine, once cooked, is gone. is a sign of a retailer serious about
presenting wines at their best. 2950 9th St. S.W. #105 Vero Beach Open Tues.-Sun. 5pm-9pm
A white wine that has been cooked, On the NW corner of Oslo & 27th Ave
or subjected to high temperature Third, don’t have wine shipped to 772.794.7587
spikes for even a few hours, can turn your home. OK, you’ve enjoyed your A few doors east of Winn Dixie
brown and oxidized. It will taste like visit to wine country in California
bruised or overripe fruit. It certainly or Oregon, and you’ve discovered
won’t taste as fresh as you expect. A some delicious wines you can’t find
red wine will taste like stewed fruit or in stores back home. Whip out your
an inner tube. It may look more brown credit card and stock up, but ask the
than red and smell a bit skunky. winery to ship the wines in September
or October, when the temperature is
Here are some pointers to manage cooler.
the heat stress of summer when
enjoying wine: Many wineries ship UPS or FedEx,
but not necessarily overnight. Even
First, when shopping for wine, put a insulated in cardboard or plastic foam,
cooler with cold packs in your car trunk. wines can bake on a cross-country
Even on an 80-degree day, a car’s interior
can soar quickly to over 100 degrees. The
trunk gets even hotter, because it doesn’t

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50 Vero Beach 32963 / August 8, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

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