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Published by Vero Beach 32963 Media, 2017-05-25 13:58:16

05/25/2017 ISSUE 21

VB32963_ISSUE21_052517_OPT

Sebastian Inlet jetty reopens
for fishing. P4

Burt Reynolds set
for Vero film festival. P11
School Board member calls
teachers union leaders ‘thugs.’ P10

Restaurant rumors Fall vote possible
rife in Central Beach on proposals for
ahead of Council vote electric property

BY RAY MCNULTY The Grove Bar on 14th Avenue in Vero’s Old Downtown. PHOTOS BY GORDON RADFORD BY LISA ZAHNER
Staff Writer Staff Writer
What’s the story on the Grove Bar shooting?
That buzz you’re hearing in Now that the sale of Vero
the Central Beach area? BY LISA ZAHNER old owner collapsed on the that police are “waiting for Electric seems back on track
Staff Writer pavement outside bleeding information to come back.” with the City Council voting
It’s the local rumor mill, from multiple wounds, no 4-1 to pursue Florida Power
churning out all kinds of gos- Nearly two months after arrest has been made and When asked for a copy & Light’s $185 million offer
sip connected to the proposed a closing-time bar shooting Vero Beach Police Depart- of a sketch or description for the utility, officials have
construction of a fine-dining in the heart of Downtown ment Capt. Kevin Martin of the shooter outside the begun discussing in earnest
restaurant on Ocean Drive, Vero Beach left a 31-year- on the record will only say Grove Bar on 14th Avenue, what to do with the city’s last
whether The Tides will move remaining buildable acreage
there, and how longtime is- CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 on the Indian River Lagoon
land restaurateur Bobby Mc- – and Vero Beach may hold
Carthy will react if the City a referendum on various op-
Council allows the controver- tions in November.
sial project to go forward.
According to David Gay, the
“It’s a small town,” said city’s chief surveyor, Big Blue
McCarthy, owner of Bobby’s sits on 17.4 acres with 620 feet
Restaurant & Lounge, which of waterfront. The substation
opened in 1981 and imme- and switching equipment
diately became the spring- that will need to remain there
training hangout for the Los take up about 1.1 acres on the
Angeles Dodgers. “There are northwest corner. The waste-
always rumors.” water treatment plant across
17th Street sits on 16.3 acres
Maybe you’ve heard a few of
them, particularly about this.

The first to get traction was

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

MY Details of Jimmy Graves boating American Icon Brewery launch
VERO now delayed until Labor Day

accident expected to be released soon

BY RAY MCNULTY Lagoon, just south of the 17th BY MICHELLE GENZ
Staff Writer Street Bridge. Staff Writer

Joe Graves has heard ver- Buthe’d rather notsharethem. If you were hoping to celebrate the 4th
sions of what happened on “I’ve talked with some of July at the new American Icon Brewery,
that tragic December morn- people, and I have a vague you are going to have to hoist your toast to
ing when his 15-year-old idea of how it happened, but the good old U.S.A. at some other location.
son, Jimmy, died in a boating I really don’t know all the cir-
accident in the Indian River cumstances,” Graves, a local CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

May 25, 2017 Volume 10, Issue 21 Newsstand Price $1.00 Cultural Council
fetes winners of
News 1-12 Faith 67 Pets 66 TO ADVERTISE CALL Laurel Awards. P14
Arts 31-36 Games 47-49 Real Estate 69-80 772-559-4187
Books 46 Health 51-55 St. Ed’s 56
Dining 60 Insight 37-50 Style 57-59 FOR CIRCULATION
Editorial 44 People 13-30 Wine 61 CALL 772-226-7925

© 2017 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved.

2 Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

My Vero the lead investigator handling the case filed in connection with the Dec. 4 in- teen driving the boat, nor did it say
filed the final report Monday, nearly cident, which, according to the FWC’s whether the boys were wearing life
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 six months after the boy’s death. initial report, involved another 15-year- jackets. And the FWC has not provid-
old boy who was operating the boat ed further information in the months
attorney, said Monday from his office However, he added that the agen- when Graves’ son fell overboard at since the incident.
in Vero Beach. “I’d like to see the final cy’s legal department needs to redact about 10:45 a.m.
report before I make any comment.” some of the information before the On Monday, Klepper said he was not
report can be released to the public. The initial report stated that the driver permitted to provide even a general
So would I. That could happen by the end of this of the 17-foot Boston Whaler throttled summary of the report’s contents.
In fact, I’ve been requesting for months week, he said. down and Graves’ son tumbled over the
the final incident report from the Florida boat’s bow while it was moving, fell into “I can only provide the final incident
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Com- “I’m not surprised it’s taken this the water and did not resurface. report,” he said, “and only after it has
mission, which has jurisdiction over the long,” Graves said of the FWC’s inves- been redacted.”
tragedy. Each time, though, I was told the tigation, which went well beyond the A St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office
investigation wasn’t complete. 90 days agency officials had estimated. dive team, brought in to assist local Graves said the two boys had been
Now, it is – sort of. “I’ve handled cases like this as a lawyer. agencies and equipped with a sonar “friends for a long time,” but he did not
Rob Klepper, spokesman for the When there’s a death involved, it just scanning unit, found the body under- wish to identify his son’s buddy. He said
FWC’s law enforcement division, said takes time.” water three hours later. the families, too, were friends, and that
there has been “no civil action” filed in
Klepper said no charges have been The initial report did not name the connection with the incident.

That could be because of the relation-
ship between the boys and their fami-
lies. Or it could be because the boy driv-
ing the boat did nothing wrong – that
what happened on that ill-fated Sunday
morning was nothing more than a hor-
rible, heart-breaking accident.

That there’s no one to blame.
Let’s hope that’s what the FWC’s
long-awaited report tells us. There’s al-
ready been enough suffering, enough
angst, enough loss. Even though he
will confront no legal consequences,
the boy driving the boat will carry this
haunting memory for the rest of his life.
Let’s remember Jimmy Graves, who,
by all accounts, was a terrific kid and
a credit to our community. Many who
knew Jimmy are doing so by support-
ing a foundation created in his name.
Let’s embrace his family’s efforts to
seize upon a terrible tragedy and turn
it into something valuable – a place
for our children and grandchildren to
gather and play.
Back in March, the county commis-
sioners voted unanimously to sell the
ballfields across from Vero Beach High
School to the Graves’ foundation,
which plans to use the property as a
youth sports complex.
The 11.6-acre plot, which the county
unsuccessfully tried to swap for property
owned by the School District, was ap-
praised at more than $500,000. The com-
missioners agreed to sell it to the founda-
tion for $250,000 – with a condition.
The property must be used for
youth-oriented purposes, such as ath-
letic fields or a park. Joe Graves, who
wants to name the facility the “Jimmy
Graves Sports Complex,” pledged it
would never be used for development.
“The foundation has received a tre-
mendous amount of support,” Joe
Graves said. “We should be closing on
the ballfield property later this month.”
By then, we should have the FWC’s
findings, which, I’m sure, will stir our
emotions, forcing us to remember how we
lost one of our own at such a young age.
I can only hope that, once we’ve
read the report, it eases the commu-
nity’s pain – and the agony endured by
his family. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 3

NEWS

Grove Bar shirt, he’s trying to blend in with the “He’s in a blue shirt, long black briefly, but loud background noise,
crowd. The dude is walking into the dreads, the cop is talking to him right yelling and sobbing was all that could
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 bar, he’s walking into the bar. He’s be- now,” the caller said, the recording still be heard on the line. Then the caller
hind a white girl with blonde hair.” running while he was on hold. “Now asked, “Is EMS coming? Are you there?”
or the model and color of his getaway he’s walking away. The cop is letting and hearing nothing, he hung up.
vehicle, to disseminate to the public “No, the officer’s not getting him. him get away. Can we like, contact the
to help solve the case, the department They have officers talking to him, cop who is right there?” A second 911 caller relayed similar
shared nothing. one officer is talking to him. He’s the information about the man with the
shooter. He’s the (expletive) shooter. “Oh my God, are you there? Just con- dreadlocks, and that caller went to the
But public records requests by Vero He’s walking away. The police are let- firm that you’re here?” the caller said. back of the dark-colored SUV and read
Beach 32963 for a record of 911 calls ting him walk away, man.”
and the incident report on the shoot- The operator came back on the line CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
ing raise a number of questions about
what actually happened, why no pub- Exclusively John’s Island
lic help has been sought, and why no
arrest has been made. Traditional architecture and elegant interiors grace this exceptionally
renovated 3BR/3.5BA retreat designed with attention to detail. Nestled
After a scuffle in the bar escalated along Indian Lake on a quiet cul-de-sac street, this 4,768± GSF
and shots were fired just before 2 a.m. showcases lush pool & lake views. Features include an abundance of
on Friday, March 31, frantic 911 calls natural light, European hardwood floors, gourmet island kitchen adjoining
came in to Vero’s dispatchers – not the family room, expansive living area with fireplace opening onto the
from bar staff reporting the fight or the lanai, summer kitchen, private gardens, and two single-car garages.
shooting of their boss, Stephan An- 741 Shady Lake Lane : $2,450,000
drew Capak, but from bar patrons who
heard gunfire, and saw and described three championship golf courses : 17 har-tru courts : beach club : squash
the man they thought was the shooter. health & fitness center : pickleball : croquet : vertical equity membership

Two of them even went outside 772.231.0900 : Vero Beach, FL : JohnsIslandRealEstate.com
to get the tag number off a vehicle
parked in front of The Grove bar on
14th Avenue.

The first 911 report of a shooting
came in at 1:51 a.m., with the sounds
of a chaotic scene and a woman shout-
ing “Oh my God” in the background.

The frightened caller said the shoot-
er was in what he thought was a black
SUV, a Chevy, and that two black males
were involved. He then attempted to get
to the vehicle to get the tag number. “I
can’t get close, they’re still firing shots,”
the man told the police dispatcher.

A minute or so later, the caller did
approach the vehicle and read the tag
number to the dispatcher.

“OK, can you give me any informa-
tion about who is shooting the gun?”
the operator asked.

“It’s a black male, with dreads,” the
caller said.

The operator asked, “Is he still
there?”

“He’s still here, they’re not in the car.
Need someone here right the (exple-
tive) now.”

At that point, only three minutes
after the call came in, a Vero police
officer arrived on scene, but the 911
operator continued to get information
from the caller and tried to calm him
down as he apparently saw the victim
on the ground on his way back into
the bar and cried out, “Oh my God,
someone’s been shot. Oh my God!”

The dispatcher asked the caller if he
saw the policeman outside, and put
him on hold to relay the gathered in-
formation to the officer, but the system
kept recording and the caller, unaware
he was on hold, kept talking – con-
vinced he was observing the shooter.

“He’s walking away. The dude is
walking away, the dude is walking in
and out, he’s walking into the crowd,”
the caller said. “He’s wearing a blue

4 Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Grove Bar to the loud music emitting from the er had been “seen socializing with the ing about the status except, “I know
interior and a subject dancing in front suspected shooter at the bar prior to Vero is actively investigating the case. I
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 of the vehicle,” the officer’s report the shooting.” don’t know that they’ve submitted any
states. “I observed what appeared to subpoenas yet.”
the same tag number off for the opera- be a lighter skinned male dressed in State Attorney Bruce Colton’s spokes-
tor. a light colored shirt dancing near the man, Assistant State Attorney Chris Tay- Taylor said no investigator from
vehicle and a black male with longer lor, confirmed that Assistant State At- the State Attorney’s Office is currently
But the police incident report tells a dread locked hair out side of the SUV torney Bill Long is “attached to the case” working with Vero police at this time.
different story than the horrified 911 on the driver's side.” as he was on call when the shooting “I’m sure that they are looking into all
callers. happened, but Taylor would say noth- angles,” he added. 
The officer followed the men as they
“Witnesses immediately notified traveled downtown. Sebastian Inlet jetty reopens
me that Capak had been shot and the for fishing despite objections
suspect, a 5'10'', dark skinned black “The vehicle reappeared traveling
male with short cropped hair and light north on 14th Avenue where I ob- PHOTO BY GORDON RADFORD
beard, had fled the scene northbound served the SUV parallel park in front
on 14th Avenue in a dark grey/black of a bar known as The Grove located at BY SAMANTHA ROHLFING BAITA ing repairs. The nighttime closure
Honda Accord. The male was wearing 2215 14th Avenue,” he said in the re- never went into effect, but the district
a teal green/blue t-shirt and tan (or port. “During the above listed travels Staff Writer erected a chain link barrier to block the
light colored) shorts at the time of the and my observance of this vehicle at damaged part of the jetty.
incident,” the police report said. the time, the driver appeared to obey The Sebastian Inlet North Jetty,
all traffic laws providing no reasonable considered by some the best shore- Smithson says the Inlet Commission
That might explain why the officer suspicion to investigate any further.” accessed ocean fishery in the entire had planned to replace the temporary
did not detain the man in the SUV country, is open again, from end to end barrier with a durable structure, per-
with the dreadlocks. So the officer was still nearby and got – apparently against the wishes of the manently closing the outermost 150
to the scene quickly when the shoot- Sebastian Inlet District Commission, feet – where much of the conflict be-
But the SUV driver and his compan- ing call came in, noting, “Numerous which owns and maintains the jetty. tween fishermen had taken place – to
ion actually had come to the attention people were screaming and running the public.
of police that night before they even from the general area. I observed a The commission planned to close
reached the bar. white male subject later identified the jetty at night last fall because of But once District completed repairs
as Stephen (sp) Capak (owner/em- increasingly violent confrontations be- to jetty, replacing the metal grates at
The two men in their mid 20s – both ployee of The Grove) lying face up in tween fishermen on the jetty and those a cost of $30,000, park personnel on
with a string of arrests in Indian River the north bound lane of 14th Avenue. in boats entering or leaving the inlet. May 11 removed the barrier and re-
County according to Sheriff’s Office There were several frantic subjects opened the outer section of the jetty
booking reports and court records – kneeling over Capak who was bleed- Aggressive fishermen on the jetty to the public without consulting the
had been spotted after 1 a.m. when ing from several areas of his body. “ fought over prime locations, usually District, according to Smithson.
they were at the Seven-11 store at 2296 after dark, and cast lines with lead
U.S. 1. The police report says the SUV driv- weights and hooks onto passing boats. The Park Service has since asked
They also reportedly threw objects at that the Inlet District Commission
“The vehicle drew my attention due boats, a violation of state law. not carry out its plan to replace the
temporary barrier with a permanent
A heavy metal gate was fabricated structure, and the commission has
and installed at the base of the jetty, agreed.But Smithson is concerned
and the nighttime closure was set to that aggressive behavior and violence
begin at sunset on Oct. 7, according to on the jetty will resume unless the Fish
District Administrator Marty Smith- and Wildlife Service is able to fund a
son. 24-7 law enforcement presence at the
Inlet.
Before that could happen, though,
Hurricane Matthew came along. On Only one day after the chain link
Oct. 6, a mandatory evacuation order fence was removed, Smithson relates,
went into effect, causing not just the a fisherman on the jetty illegally cast a
jetty but the entire park to be closed. line across the bow of a boat piloted by
a District surveyor who was gathering
As it blew by, the storm damaged data in the inlet.
45 metal grates that form part of the
walking surface of the jetty, making "We've tried signs, videos, bro-
the outermost 150 feet of the 745-foot chures, but people visit the park from
structure unsafe. all over the world, often not knowing
or understanding the rules. And some
When the park reopened after the people just don't care."
storm, district and park personnel
were busy cleaning up and perform-













Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 11

NEWS

the European Aviation Safety Agency, Burt Reynolds coming to Vero film festival
a certification that coincides with the
company’s ongoing European tour, BY MICHELLE GENZ a breathless Jerusha Stewart, the three- The new work, which premiered last
during which the turboprop aircraft Staff Writer day festival’s founder. “He’s doing the month at the Tribeca Film Festival in
has flown 55 demos and nearly 100 Friday opening night awards ceremony New York City, also stars Chevy Chase
flight hours in six different nations and Add Burt Reynolds to the growing bash at our newest venue, the ‘WOW!’ as Reynolds’ character’s best friend.
been on display at three trade shows. list of big names coming to the Vero tent in Riverside Park.” The film begins with an actual clip of
Beach Wine and Film Festival June 9. Reynolds appearing on a TV talk show
“This is the fifth certification the Before that party, Reynolds’ latest – with his current character’s name
M600 has received in less than a year Reynolds, a longtime Palm Beach movie, “Dog Years,” will be make its dubbed over his own. As he broods
from aviation authorities around the County resident, is best known for Florida debut at nearby Riverside The- over his faded fame, Chase convinces
world,” Caldecott said. “The European movies like “Smokey and the Bandit,” atre. Tickets to both events are $30. him to go to Nashville to personally
certification is a key milestone for the “The Cannonball Run,” “Deliverance” accept a lifetime achievement award.
aircraft, which has garnered substan- and “The Longest Yard.” Joining Reynolds at theVero festival are
tial interest due to the M600’s range, the film’s writer and director, Adam Rifkin; CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
payload and safety features, along “Yes, he’s definitely coming,” gushed and Neil Mandt, “Dog Years” producer.
with its outstanding operating eco-
nomics.”

The first M600 delivered under Eu-
ropean registry is destined to arrive in
the Czech Republic later this year.

On the trainer side, Piper delivered
19 aircraft during the first quarter of
this year. Some were single-engine Ar-
chers, others were twin-engine Semi-
noles.

While an improving economy has
been a factor in Piper's sales growth,
Carlon said a "looming global pilot
shortage" has produced an increase
in demand for flight-training aircraft.

"Five years ago, Piper Aircraft antic-
ipated that demand for trainers would
increase, based on market forecasts
provided by both Boeing and Airbus,"
Carlon wrote in her email. "At that
time, Simon Caldecott committed to
taking the strategic initiative to equip
the Piper trainer products with the lat-
est avionic equipment.

"Today, the products are competi-
tively positioned within the market
place, which has helped increase mar-
ket share."

Carlon said 40 percent of the air-
craft Piper delivered during the first
quarter of 2017 were to customers
from outside the United States.

Caldecott said the first-quarter
numbers "gives us a good start on the
year" and are an "encouraging indi-
cator" of demand for Piper products,
adding, "It also continues an upward
trend that we saw in 2016."

The latest good news at Piper con-
tinues a reversal from recent condi-
tions.

Two years ago, the company
trimmed its work force from 760 to
645 through layoffs (78) and early re-
tirement (37). In announcing plans
for a work-force reduction in July
2015, Piper cited sagging first-quarter
sales and economic uncertainty in the
global marketplace.

Worldwide demand for Piper's
products had slowed, especially in the
European, Asian and Latin American
markets – so much so that the com-
pany suffered its second consecutive
quarter of declines in revenues, sales
and deliveries.

Now, demand is back. 

12 Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Burt Reynolds more celebrities than any other in the the biggest box-office draws of his era. turing something new,” says Stewart.
area at that time. Reynolds now lives in Tequesta. She said when the organization ap-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 Other notables in attendance at the
Reynolds and his friend and fre- proached various professionals about
From there, he detours to Knoxville to quent co-star Nelson Reilly taught act- Vero festival will include film critic Jeffrey participating, “Everybody was saying
visit his childhood home. ing classes at the Burt Reynolds Insti- Lyons; Academy Award-winning “La-La ‘Let me see.’ Nobody was saying no.”
tute for Film and Theater. It remains Land” producer Molly Smith; Ben Lyons,
In Vero, Reynolds will receive the fes- in operation today and Reynolds still Jeffrey’s son and an on-air host for Oscar. Last summer’s Vero Beach Wine
tival’s Life Worth Living Legend award teaches a master class there, by invita- com; and Aaron Mendelsohn, co-creator and Film Festival was a startling suc-
in recognition of his many accomplish- tion only. One of the Vero film festival’s and co-writer of the “Air Bud” film fran- cess in its inaugural year. But its Life
ments. local filmmakers, Tina Pfieffer, has chise. All are serving as judges for the fes- Worth Living Legend award had to
been a master class student there. tival selections and will be in attendance be accepted in absentia. The winner,
Besides successful Hollywood films, at various screenings. part-time Vero resident Gloria Estefan,
his career includes establishing a the- Reynolds is the son of a West Palm had a good excuse: she was at the Tony
ater and training institute in Jupiter, Beach police officer. He played foot- “We’re such a young film festival Awards, where she and the cast of her
now known as the Jupiter Maltz Theatre. ball for Palm Beach High and in 1954 that people in the industry see us as bio-musical “On Your Feet” performed.
was a starter at Florida State Univer- emerging and up-and-coming, and
Reynolds broke ground in 1978 on sity. Sidelined by a knee injury, he they are thrilled to be a part of our For a full schedule and list of partic-
The Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre, took up acting and became one of festival. They see themselves as nur- ipants, and passes for screenings and
as it was initially called, which hosted events, go to VBWFFcom. 

Orchid Island upgrades
golf practice facilities
ahead of USGA tourney

BY RAY MCNULTY

Staff Writer

The 132 players who will compete
in the 2018 United States Golf Associa-
tion Senior Women's Amateur Cham-
pionship at the Orchid Island Golf &
Beach Club will be treated to a newly
upgraded practice facility.

The renovation, which is expected
to begin next month, includes expan-
sion of both the existing chipping area
and practice green, addition of a new
green-side bunker – with a greater
variety of elevation and slopes – and
construction of a new pitching area
with a target green.

Orchid Island General Manager Rob
Tench said the project, recommend-
ed by the club's golf committee and
approved by its board of governors,
should be complete by the end of July.

The driving range is not included in
the plan and the golf course will remain
open throughout the renovations.

"This is the only such project before
the tournament, and we're not doing
it because the USGA told us we need
to," Tench said. "This is something the
club decided it needed to do, anyway.

"We've had this in the planning stag-
es for a while," he added. "We started
talking about making these improve-
ments about a year ago because golf
is very important to a large percentage
of our members and, as you've seen at
other clubs, practice facilities are be-
coming more and more important.

"That we're able to do it this sum-
mer – a year before the tournament
and while most of our members are
away – makes the timing perfect."

The 2018 tournament, scheduled for
Oct. 6-11, will be the second USGA major
championship played in the Vero Beach
area. The 2015 Mid-Amateur Champi-
onship was held at John's IslandWest. 

RIDE OF SILENCE SOMBERLY
HONORS FALLEN CYCLISTS P. 22

14 Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

1 23

LAUREL AWARDS CAPTIONS

1. Barbara Hoffman and Mark Wygonik. 2. Suzan
Phillips and Oscar Sales. 3. Donna and Jim Mitchell.
4. Karen Deigl, Donna Lindsay and Helen Post.
5. Susan Grandpierre, Karl Steene and Diana Stark.

PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE

4 5 PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Cultural arts stars feted at Laurel Awards celebration

BY MARY SCHENKEL Tiger Lilly Art Studio & Gallery and of the arts demonstrated by business, panied by Craig on bagpipes); poetry
Staff Writer Working Art Studio. education, philanthropic, volunteer readings by Petrina Mazzeo, a student
and cultural leaders as well as by local at Vero Beach High School and IRC
The Cultural Council of Indian River They were then treated to perfor- artists who have earned the respect of Poet Laureate Sean Sexton, Laura Rid-
County celebrated 20 years of Laurel mances on the Stark Stage – the late their peers. “The purpose of tonight’s ing Jackson Foundation; and a couple
Award winners last Thursday evening Richard Stark was a Laurel Award win- presentation is to honor the first 94 of rousing pieces by the Fort Pierce Jazz
at Riverside Theatre, recognizing the ner – by directed by Mark Wygonik, Laurel Award winners,” said Shain- and Blues Society.
individuals and businesses that have also a Laurel Award winner. man, who between performances read
fostered all variety of arts in our special names of past honorees, requesting Interspersed throughout were a se-
community. “How wonderful it is to see so many that those in attendance stand and be ries of videos compiled by Bruce Cady,
of you who love and support the cul- recognized. owner of Brisance Content Capture, in
A reunion of sorts for individuals in tural arts; to celebrate the first 20 which various people convened their
cultural leadership roles over the past years of Laurel Award honorees,” said Guests enjoyed presentations by appreciation to the artistic community
two decades, the event highlighted Barbara Hoffman, executive director, vocalist Roman Ortega-Cowen, Vero and the Cultural Council for all they
the broad spectrum of artistic talent before introducing Master of Ceremo- Beach Opera; pianist Marcos Flores, have done to put our area on the map
that flourishes in Indian River County, nies Jon Shainman, anchor/ journalist Christ by the Sea United Methodist as a cultural arts destination.
from a wide range of visual arts to po- with WPTV News Channel 5. “Jon, we Church; the Riverside Children’s The-
etry, theatre, music and dance. welcome you to Indian River County. atre’s Intermediate Singing Class; a “The arts are inevitable, they’re irre-
Tonight you will see why our county is monologue by William Commerford pressible; arts funding, not so much,”
Arriving guests enjoyed a wine re- such an incredible cultural arts para- and an interpretive dance by Olivia said Patrick Farrah, Cultural Council
ception with hors d’oeuvres catered dise.” Schulke, both students at Indian River board chairman. “But investment in
by Chive in the Orchid Lobby, while Charter High School; pianist and bag- the arts has shown to produce divi-
perusing an exhibit featuring works “I’m so delighted that you have these piper Jacob Craig, First Presbyterian dends within our community over
from Artists Guild Gallery, Flametree touchstones; these people who support Church; several pieces by vocalist Kai- and over again. From the bottom of
Clay Art Gallery, Florida Highwaymen the arts because the arts are so impor- tlin Ruby, Vero Beach Theatre Guild; our hearts, thank you so much for
Landscape Art, Torsades with a Twist, tant to a community,” said Shainman. talented members of the Vero Beach your continued support of the Cultur-
Gallery 14, J.M. Stringer Gallery of Fine “It makes a community whole.” High School Orchestra (in one accom- al Council and its mission. We really
Art, Main Street Vero Beach Gallery, couldn’t do it without you.” 
He explained that in 1996 the Cultur-
al Council began recognizing support



16 Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

6 PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 7
9
8

10 11

12

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 17

PEOPLE

13 14 15
16

17 18
19
LAUREL AWARDS CAPTIONS

6. Cathie Callery and Mary Schenkel with Ed and
Susan Smith. 7. Sherri Perlstein, Michael Kissner,
Tracy Sorzano, Patrick Farrah. 8. Sean Sexton
and Marie Stiefel with Leah and Bruce Cady.
9. Elaine Jones, Mayor Laura Moss and Clair
Brunetti. 10. Richard Giessert and Shelley
Adelle. 11. Paul Genke and Lila Blakeslee.
12. Sharon Morgan and Marlene Putnam with
Bill and Nancy Bryant. 13. Crystal Bujol, Warren
Obluck and Carol Ludwig. 14. Toni and George
Hamner with Lois Work. 15. Charlotte Terry
and Ray Adams. 16. Wayne Kleinstiver with
Joan and Ramon Ortega-Cowan. 17. Mary Ellen
Replogle and Penny Odiorne. 18. Carole and
Larry Strauss. 19. Dick and Bobbie Winger.

PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE

18 Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Scholarship Foundation ensures students get college try

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF Gaye Ludwig, Camilla Wainright and Joan Cook. PHOTOS: STEPHANIE LABAFF from the University of South Florida
with a Bachelor of Science degree in
Staff Writer Elizabeth Sorensen, Troy Hafner and Susan Chenault. biomedical sciences and a minor in
public health. While in college, No-
The Scholarship Foundation of cause a lot of them have never gone This year’s Alumnus Address was land spent two years working in bio-
Indian River County presented 105 through the college application pro- given by Lindsey Noland, a 2013 Vero medical research at the Moffitt Can-
scholarships totaling $738,500 to 53 cess. We help them devise a viable Beach High School graduate and for- cer Center and studied abroad. She
grateful students during the 52nd an- plan so they can make it through col- mer Herget Foundation Scholarship plans to pursue a Master of Science in
nual Awards Ceremony last Wednes- lege.” recipient. Noland recently graduated molecular medicine and eventually
day evening at the Vero Beach High attend physician assistant school.
School Performing Arts Center. The
scholarship class of 2017 will attend As the first member of her family to
20 colleges and universities in nine graduate from a four-year university,
states. The class includes nine recipi- she knew how fortunate she was to be
ents who are already attending col- able to realize her academic dreams
lege and seven high school seniors and she made the most of the oppor-
who will receive their associate’s de- tunity.
grees this year.
“This wonderful organization im-
Since 1965 the foundation has pacted my college career and will
awarded more than $11.1 million impact yours as well,” Noland said
in need-based college scholarship to the scholars. “Your journey from
awards to 2,865 Indian River County high school to college is going to be
students, executing its mission to of- a huge transition period in your lives.
fer hope, encouragement and schol- Despite an increase in academic
arship opportunities to Indian River rigor that comes with the university
County students with financial need experience, you’re also going to be
who demonstrate the desire and aca- adjusting to new places, new envi-
demic ability to succeed in pursuing ronments and a lack of familiar faces.
a post-secondary education. Take advantage of every opportunity
that comes your way on this jour-
“There is a tremendous need in this ney and don’t be afraid to step out of
community,” shared board member your comfort zone. College is a clean
Gaye Ludwig. “There are a lot of kids slate.”
that could not do this without us. It’s
very rewarding to help these hard- In her closing remarks, Camilla
working kids and it makes a differ- Wainright, Scholarship Foundation
ence in their lives.” executive director, wished the stu-
dents well and paid tribute to the
Board president Joan Cook said donors, saying, “These scholarships
she watched her parents sacrifice so are a culmination of the generosity
that she could get a good education of people in our community who are
and she appreciates its value. Noting passionate about education and want
that the scholarships are need-based to help future generations achieve
with an academic component, she their educational goals. Through
added, “We have kids from middle- your time, talent and treasure, you
class families who have several kids have been in support of education
in college and some who have never and ensured that students in our
had a family member go to college. community will have the opportu-
In addition to awarding scholarships nity to realize their dreams.” 
we counsel students and families, be-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 19

PEOPLE

Lindsey Noland. Bill Marine, Doug Marine, Chris Marine and Lucy Marine. Martha Redner and Wanda Lincoln.

Thomas Steyer and Isabella Campione. Ken Grudens and Martha Grudens. Lauren Schlitt, Richard Schlitt and Chloe Schlitt.

Karen Alerte, Nancy Luther, Zach Alerte and Frank Alerte.

Tiffany Justice and Bobby Sexton. Grace Harris and Janet Harris.



Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 21

PEOPLE

Justin and Sandy Forehand. John Biondo and Shelly Ferger. Diane Parentela and Wesley Davis.

Pam and Clay Price. Allison Cloughley and Krista Harmon. Lindsay and Eric Black.

Joanne Bartolucci, Suzanne Gambella Rosenberg and Carole Rice. The Art & Science
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22 Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Ride of Silence somberly honors fallen cyclists

BY MARY SCHENKEL Sharon LaPoint and Hugh Aaron.
Staff Writer Frank Blaisdell and Pastor Cliff Melvin.

It was a gorgeous day for a bicycle
ride last Saturday, but the group of
roughly 50 cyclists who gathered by
Memorial Island were not heading
out for a joyous outing around town.
Instead, they were part of a global
National Bicycle Month movement
to raise awareness through an an-
nual Ride of Silence in remembrance
of cyclists who died while biking.

“It’s an event to heighten aware-
ness about safety and bicyclists
who have been killed,” said Sharon
LaPoint, coordinator of the event
with Dave Hunter. She added that
while Malcolm Allen, owner of Or-
chid Island Bikes, couldn’t be there
that morning, “he always helps us
get rolling.”

LaPoint explained that in other
parts of the world the event is held
at 7 p.m. on the third Wednesday in
May. They opted to do it Saturday
morning because of Florida’s pro-
pensity for late-afternoon thunder-

Pastor Cliff Melvin leads a prayer in memory of fallen cyclists at the Ride of Silence. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE

Sharon LaPoint, Cheryl Connell and Mike Robinson.

Len Pettyjohn, Lynn O’Malley, Jack Gumbleton and Danette Dieffenbach.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

storms. About half the participants
were members of the general public,
peddling alongside members of Vero
Cycling.

“It’s wonderful that people come
out to support this,” said LaPoint.
“It’s a silent ride at a slow pace to
commemorate the somberness of
the occasion. This is our second year,
and we consider it our most impor-
tant ride of the year.”

She and many other Vero Cycling
members also belong to Bike Walk
Indian River County, an advocacy
group for pedestrians and cyclists.

“We want motorists to be aware,”
said LaPoint. “We have 325 mem-
bers and we ride a lot. We also have
a large group of people who ride for
transportation and they ride at a time
when traffic is heavy.”

“We are people; not objects,” said
Laura Aaron. “If they see us as hu-
man beings, they might react differ-
ently when they see us on the road.”

“This is a real wakeup call, not just
for Indian River County but also for
Florida. We need to have this mental-
ity 365 days of the year. The state has
a very dubious reputation for motor-
ists hitting cyclists,” said Alan Snel, a
former Vero Beach 32963 reporter.

This past March Snel, an experi-
enced cyclist, was hit from behind
by a distracted 65-year-old man in
St. Lucie County, sustaining a con-
cussion and two fractured vertebras.
Adding insult to injury, the driver
was not even issued a citation. “We
don’t really count, I guess.”

A white “ghost” bike served as a re-
minder of five tragic deaths affecting
people in our area, including two that
occurred this year. In April Glenn
Randolph Totemeier of Vero Beach
died in St. Augustine after hitting a
concrete barrier and falling over the
wall to the ground below. And in Jan-
uary Paul Langewisch of Vero Beach
was struck by a car in the middle of
the afternoon while cycling on State
Road A1A; he died the next morning.

In December 2015 Jean Waters was
found unconscious just before mid-
night on Old Dixie Highway near
12th Street in Vero Beach after being
struck by a hit-and-run driver; she
died several days later from her inju-
ries. The driver remains unknown.

In September 2014 Cole Coppola, a
16-year-old John Carroll High School
student, was riding over the Alma Lee
Loy Bridge about 1:45 a.m. when he
was struck and killed by a 21-year-old
woman driving home drunk.

Also in 2014, 28-year-old Kevin
Adorno of Connecticut was bicycling
to Miami when he was stabbed to
death by a disturbed homeless man
outside a Vero Beach McDonald’s.

For more information, visit verocy-
clingclub.org or rideofsilence.org. 

24 Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Hurricane prep ‘school’ at Red Cross Hangar Party

BY MARY SCHENKEL
Staff Writer

People often have short memo- Angelica Cope, Sage Parker, Mayor Laura Moss and Grace Thompson. PHOTOS: GORDON RADFORD
ries; even recollections of the dam-
ages our area incurred with the ing bandages with the Women’s Club
2004 double whammy of hurricanes and formed a Vero Beach branch.”
Frances and Jeanne have faded over
time. And while there were sighs of A Retro Red Cross Fashion Show
relief after Matthew only gave us a featured students from the Indian
glancing blow, things could easily River Charter High School modeling
have been much worse. men’s and women’s uniforms from
the early 1900s through to today.
With the June 1 to Nov. 30 hur-
ricane season almost upon us, the “One of the young ladies is in my
American Red Cross Florida Coast grandmother’s uniform,” said Ruwe
to Heartland Chapter hosted a Hur- with a smile.
ricane Hangar Party last Friday at
the Corporate Air Hangar, provid- The local chapter serves residents
ing a refresher course for longtime in four counties, helping to pre-
residents and informing newcomers pare for all sorts of disasters and is
that yes, hurricanes are a real pos-
sibility and here is how to protect
yourself.

“They’re predicting another busy
year; the numbers in the Atlantic
are very much the same as last year,”
said Jim Hagan of Red Cross Pre-
paredness Planning. The National
Weather Service is predicting 10 to
16 named storms, four to eight hur-
ricanes, and one to four major hur-
ricanes. Last year’s actual numbers
were 15, seven and three.

The event, co-chaired by Glynn
Tremblay and Brenda Doblinger,
was a special one for the local chap-
ter, which celebrated a century of
service to the community. Vintage
Red Cross posters spanning the de-
cades lined the walls and displays
showcased a history of the orga-
nization, founded in 1881 by Clara
Barton.

“The Red Cross has been in Vero
Beach for 100 years,” said Sarah
Ruwe, executive director of the
chapter. “In 1917, they started roll-

Gerald McFarland, Pedro Tellez and Michael Campion.

on hand to respond when tragedy Attendees wandered through vari-
strikes. ous exhibits while enjoying music
by Collins and Company, choosing
“We are here 24/7, 365 days of the from a large selection of silent-auc-
year to help all the citizens with ev- tion items, noshing on food-truck
erything from a single-family fire goodies and sipping on aptly named
to a hurricane,” said Ruwe. “Anyone “Waldo’s Hurricane” beverages,
can be a volunteer, and we need vol-
unteers. Ninety-six percent of our Members of the Vero Beach Ama-
workers are volunteers.” teur Radio Club displayed one of the

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 25

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

Darlene Irby.

Ed and Karen Stachura.

Taylor Hoskins, Jennifer Adrio, Sarah Tippet Ruwe.

Go-Kits they use to communicate
with the Red Cross and the Emer-
gency Operations Center. Carl Wade,
retired USNR Chief Warrant Officer,
and wife Judy Nash-Wade, volun-
teers with the Red Cross Service to
the Armed Forces, spoke about the
critical support services provided to
members of the Armed Forces and
their families.

Another booth exhibited the all-
inclusive Red Cross Emergency App,
which provides everything from
weather and other emergency alerts
to water safety and first aid guid-
ance. As with all the services provid-
ed by the Red Cross, the app is free.

For more information, visit red-
cross.org. 

26 Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 Mark Cannon and Ted Lightle. Cindy Shanks, Bill Woody, and Myrna Olsen.
Colleen and Charlie Cleavenger.

John and Emily Renschler. Ryan Callahan and Cody Holmes. Will Cutter and Melanie Coppola.

John Harbaugh and Judy Nash Wade.

Charlotte Harper with son Matthew. Lisa Evans and Whitty Herman. Samantha Bucaj. Angelica Cope.

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Cynthia Aversa, with Linda and Mark Morris.



28 Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Kids soak up the fun at Walking Tree’s family day

BY MARY SCHENKEL
Staff Writer

Squeals of laughter and screeches PHOTOS: GORDON RADFORD
of joy emanated from the grassy area
in front of Walking Tree Brewery this summer brought some of their
last Saturday, as youngsters in bath- virtual reality games for children
ing suits flitted about with abandon and adults to try out, including a
while playing in a watery wonder- couple of what looked like stomach-
land filled with squirt guns and su- dropping roller coaster VRs. The ar-
per-soakers, kiddie pools and lawn cade, owned by John DeBlasio and
sprinklers, waterslides and slip n’ son-in-law Anthony Damasco, will
slides and, of course, the ever-popu- be taking the space currently occu-
lar bounce house. pied by Christ Church once it moves
to its new facility near Miracle Mile.
The event clearly lived up to its
billing as a Family Fun Day, with “We’re going to have every type of
hundreds of little ones having the game from Atari to today’s virtual
time of their life while their par- reality games and escape rooms,”
ents socialized, enjoying some great said DeBlasio. “We’ll have more than
brews and a selection of sustenance
from five food trucks. Children could
also get their faces painted or get ar-
tistic themselves by painting river
rocks with colorful acrylics.

“This is our first Family Fun Day,
but we’re a family friendly bar al-
ready; it’s not a typical bar,” said
Amanda Saunders, Walking Tree’s
event coordinator. “We paired with
the Boys and Girls Clubs because we
wanted to heighten awareness and
we got a few businesses to sponsor.
We try to always use local and we’re
always trying to think of ways we can
promote each other all season.”

Saunders said they will be host-
ing a one-year anniversary party
July 15 which will include five bands,
adding, “We’re really grateful to the
community for supporting us. It’s
pretty awesome the support we’ve
gotten and it’s not even been a year.”

Things were just as active inside
the expansive brewery, where a love-
ly breeze blew through the open bay
doors and kept things cool. A new
Gamers Realm arcade due to open

Josh and Janel Bond with daughter Breeah.

1,000 virtual reality games and expe- the B&GC Summer Program which
riences.” starts in June at clubs in Vero Beach,
Sebastian and Fellsmere. Close to
“This is a good kickoff for sum- 500 youngsters will participate in ed-
mer,” said Jessica Schmidt, direc- ucational and recreational activities
tor of development for the Boys and at the clubs from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Girls Clubs of Indian River County, five days a week. “It’s fun, education-
the event’s beneficiary. She noted al, active and safe,” said Schmidt. 
that there are still a few openings for

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 29

PEOPLE

Tessa Rey and Atlas.

Jessica Schmidt and Monique Walker. Crystal Carlisle with daughter Madison. PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
Wendy Labadie and Brooke Malone.

Brian Martin, Amanda Saunders, and Mike Malone.

30 Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29 Kristin Halcomb with Lyla and Brayden. Danielle Topp and Stephen with Sarah Estrada and Carter.
Kristal McIntyre with son Logan.

Loren Gatlin and Devin Poirier.

Nikki Farrow and Joanna Niznik.

Jaime Henderson and Allen Deiss.

TRUE GRIT:
DeMARIO’S ART WEDS
‘BEAUTY AND BREAKDOWN’

Foundation Cracks. PHOTO GORDON RADFORD.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 33

ARTS & THEATRE

True grit: DeMario’s art weds ‘beauty and breakdown’

BY ELLEN FISCHER in Detroit,” she says, citing the 3.5-mil- accidently reinvent the wheel, stylisti- Brice Marden, Sean Scully and Chris-
Columnist lion-square-foot Packard auto plant as cally. That’s what I did accidently, and topher Wool.
one of them. I was reprimanded for it: ‘You’re not do-
The Portuguese word “saudade” ing your homework. You should have During her junior and senior years,
has no equivalent in English. In Por- “That’s where I’ve always been drawn known this has already been done!’” DeMario and a few of her friends
tugal, though, it is used to describe to,” she says. “I call it beauty and the would drive to Vail, Colorado, to work
a melancholic longing for a beloved breakdown.” DeMario pauses and smiles. in its ski shops and restaurants dur-
person or place separated by time “I was like, ‘So – I’ve been channeling ing winter break. The good times she
and distance from the person experi- Created over the past two years, Frank Stella?’” experienced there induced her to
encing the feeling. the show’s earlier works marry red, Painters whose work she has in- move to Denver – a couple hours away
hot pink, aqua and ultramarine pas- tentionally been inspired by include from Vail – after graduation.
For Gina DeMario, who used the sages to a basic palette of black, white those minimal masters of restraint,
term as the title of her current exhibi- and gray. Her most recent paintings CONTINUED ON PAGE 34
tion of abstract mixed-media paintings eschew bright colors completely, re-
at the Indian River County Courthouse, lying entirely on texture and graphic Celebrating seventeen years as Vero’s only outpost
saudade describes her feelings for her juxtapositions of light and dark val- for exclusive American-made art and jewelry.
Detroit childhood that underlie many ues for their impact. Made in America -- it matters.
of the 28 works on view.
DeMario employs a slash and burn SEE THESE AND OTHER FINE THINGS AT VERO’S FINEST
Composed of acrylic paint, marker technique in which glimpses of photo COLLECTION OF AMERICAN-MADE ART AND JEWELRY
ink, spray paint and found photos from collage or previously applied paint lay-
the Internet (printed in black and white ers have been not quite obliterated by THEL AUGHINGDOGGALLERY.COM 2910 CARDINAL DR.
and collaged or otherwise transferred subsequent over-paints, scribbles and VERO BEACH, FL
onto the canvas), the paintings pres- stenciled or freehand areas of spray- 7 72 . 2 3 4 . 6711
ent the worn and battered aspects of painted calligraphy.
Detroit’s inner-city architecture as well
as the spontaneous complexity of the “Sometimes I want a controlled cha-
graffiti that overlays it. os, and at other times I just want cha-
os,” she says of her results.
They range in size from 20 by 24
inches (“Northville” and “People Born in Toledo, Ohio, DeMario’s par-
Movers”) to a 72-inch wide triptych ents divorced when she was 4. At 8 she
moved to Detroit with her mother, the
Sequential. PHOTO GORDON RADFORD. present Pamela Tan, upon the latter’s

(“Verbose”). Most measure a respect- marriage to Melih Tan.
able 48-by-36 inches in a vertical for- DeMario’s interest in art
mat. The exhibition occupies public
thoroughfares and waiting areas on moved along with her.
all three floors of the courthouse. “I was always an artist since

DeMario says that she has long been I was little,” she says.
drawn to modern ruins. About the time she began

“A lot of the buildings in my paint- researching colleges in high
ings are abandoned, vacant buildings school, her father, Michael
DeMario, was diagnosed with
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(ALS), known as Lou Gehrig’s
disease.

The shocking news about
her father made DeMario nar-
row down her school decision
to one that would be within
proximity to her dad, who
lived in Ohio.

“So I could be closer to
home when things got bad,”
she says.

Fortunately for her, in 1995
DeMario was one of only 14
students accepted by Ohio
University’s School of Art to its
undergraduate painting pro-
gram. She graduated in 2000
with a double major in archi-
tectural design and painting.
Sadly, her father died when she was
halfway through her college career.
DeMario says it was an “honor and a
privilege” to attend the university. She
found a mentor there in one of her pro-
fessors, abstract painter Guy Goodwin.
“He was helpful in pointing out art-
ists that I needed to keep an eye on.
Because if you’re not careful, you can

34 Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33 ARTS & THEATRE

DeMario lived in Denver for 16 years, make the homes’ interiors picture-per-
working at first as sale associate for a fect for prospective buyers.
designer showroom, and then as an in-
terior architect. Decluttering and decorating in neu-
trals and vibrant accents are key values
She might be in Denver yet had she in staging a home, DeMario says, add-
not developed an infection that got out ing that home buyers generally make a
of hand. decision about a house within moments
of entering it.
“I was very, very sick. I couldn’t live
on my own at that point.” That’s where DeMario’s paintings
sometimes come into play. In staging
Her mother and stepfather (who by an otherwise vacant home, she will of-
that time had moved to Vero Beach) ten hang one or more of her abstract
flew to Denver, where they stayed with canvases in strategic spots to enliven –
DeMario for about a month before or as she puts it, “freshen” – an unbro-
bringing her back to Vero. ken expanse of wall.

After reestablishing herself in Florida, That doesn’t mean she’d use all of
DeMario again fell gravely ill. A religious her works. “I’m not going to put one of
person, she believes that the “power of my graffiti paintings in a house to be
prayer” (her own, and friends’) helped staged,” she says.
her pull through.
Instead she hangs paintings that are
That, and art. long on dynamism and short on decay,
“It was after I recovered – after about urban or otherwise. Works of this type
four months of lying in bed, combing can be seen on the third floor of the
the walls with my own thoughts – I just courthouse show.
got on the computer and started look-
ing at images,” she says. One real estate client, captivated by
“It really opened up my window of the look of DeMario’s paintings in her
creativity that had been closed for quite staged house, bought them all.
a while.”
She began taking painting classes While DeMario was very pleased by
from Deborah Gooch at the Vero Beach the sale, she was not particularly sur-
Museum of Art, following the popular prised by it.
teacher for another class or two after
Gooch opened her own teaching studio. “The work looks amazing in that
Eighteen months ago DeMario house,” she says.
teamed up with her mom Pamela (also
an interior architect as well as a repre- “Saudade,” an exhibition of mixed me-
sentational painter in oils) to form Tan dia paintings by Gina DeMario, continues
& DeMario Designs. Together they work at the Indian River County Courthouse
to stage houses on the real estate mar- through Sept. 14. Located at 2000 16th
ket, working in concert with Realtors to Avenue in Vero Beach, the courthouse is
open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday. 

COMING UP: GALACTIC SOUNDS
WITH SYMPHONY’S ‘COSMOS’

BY SAMANTHA BAITA poser’s most popular symphony and,
Staff Writer arguably, one of the most popular of
all symphonies. Dvorak is said to have
1 “The Cosmos” is the final, excit- been influenced by music of the Afri-
ing installment of the Space Coast can/American South, as well as by Old
World elements. The piece was writ-
Symphony Orchestra’s (so far) sold-out ten while the Bohemian composer was
living in New York City and, according
series, “The Planets and An Earth Od- to Wikipedia, “purportedly incorpo-
rated the composer’s reflections on his
yssey,” a production five years in the American setting.” “The New World
Symphony” premiered in Carnegie
making, in collaboration with NASA. Hall in December 1893. Completing
the concert is “The Unanswered Ques-
“The Cosmos” will be presented this tion,” a dark, intriguing musical work
by American composer Charles Ives,
Sunday at 3 p.m. at the VBHS Perform- a haunting piece that poses but does
not answer the “perennial question of
ing Arts Center. In the series’ final existence.” According to TheListener-
sClub.com, a common interpretation of
chapter, the Orchestra’s innovative, the piece has the trumpet asking “The
Perennial Question of Existence,” the
multi-media production will incorpo- woodwinds replying, “I don’t know!”

rate a NASA film of stunning images

taken from on and above the Earth,

some from the Hubble telescope. As

the film is screened, the orchestra will

perform Antonin Dvorak’s incredible

Symphony No. 9, a powerful master-

piece commonly known as “The New

World Symphony.” It is by far the com-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 35

ARTS & THEATRE

before realizing the futility of the ques- a cabaret seating set-up and a dance
tion, and the strings representing an floor. Talented, fearless pianists, of-
eternal and unchanging reality. In the ten with a bent for comedy, face off on
end, the question remains, stated one Dueling Pianos, without a set play list:
final, futile time by the trumpet. Many Every show is different because these
believe Ives was inspired by Ralph Wal- daring and versatile musicians play
do Emerson’s poem “The Sphinx.” your requests, so you get to create your

own par-tay. Get your motor running ‘Riverside Theatre’s Live in the Loop.’
with live outside music and food and
bar service starting at 6:15 p.m. (See Island, with three lead singers creating
Live in the Loop below). The Dueling tight harmonies reminiscent of some
Pianos shows begin at 7:30 p.m. and classic groups but with their own, to-
9:30 p.m. and require reservations, so tally contemporary sound. On Sunday,
you don’t have to rush your pre-show Flint Blade brings his not-run-of-the-
outside fun. Plan to sing, dance and mill music to the Mermaid, creating
howl all night long. Call the theatre to “psychedelic soundscapes” with his un-
reserve. Tickets are $16 to $22. usual instrument, a Chapman Stick. Ac-
cording to Wikipedia, a Chapman Stick
3 Back by popular demand, the want to BYO lawn chairs. Live in the is an electric guitar/bass hybrid instru-
Jacks Band will take the stage Loop runs from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. ment created by Emmett Chapman in
the ’70s. It has 10-12 strings and can play
at Riverside Theatre’s Live in the 4 The Kilted Mermaid on old Dixie bass lines, melody lines, chords and tex-
downtown calls itself “a funky, tures. Blade is South Florida-based and
‘Howl At The Moon.’ Loop this Friday. The four-man In- tours nationally. Music is from 8:30
p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday,
dian River County group plays clas- eclectic neighborhood pub with a chill and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. 

sic hits, dance tunes, rock, blues atmosphere,” and indeed it is. You can

2 If you’re in the mood to try some- and Motown at venues all over the get wines and craft beer, cheeses and
thing a little different this week-
area. On Saturday, Live in the Loop decadent fondues, enjoy the cozy am-

end, something with music and energy, presents the Mighty Flea Circus Band, biance inside or out on the deck, and

somewhere you can let your hair down, gettin’ down with swing and rocka- listen to live music all weekend. This

Riverside Theatre’s Howl at the Moon billy, to keep your weekend moving Friday you’ll hear Letters to Abigail, an

Experience this Friday and Saturday along. Riverside’s popular outdoor Appalachian/Americana acoustic band

could be what you’re looking for. Howl series is free, no ticket required, and from North Carolina, with appealing,

at the Moon touring shows are for ma- you can purchase food and bever- downhome southern harmonies. Sat-

ture, fun-loving audiences, and take ages, soft and full-bar hard. There’s urday brings Sonder Blue, an alt-rock,

place on Riverside’s Waxlax stage, with some seating available, but you might four-piece boy band out of Hilton Head





The Elbphilharmonie, a concert hall in Hamburg
encased in glass and set upon a giant brick ware-
house, is surrounded on three sides by the waters of
the city’s bustling harbor.

Designed by the Swiss architecture firm Herzog
and de Meuron, the building cost about $850 mil-
lion, took more than a decade to design and build,
and was for a long time cited as a joke – a dark joke
– among Germans who fretted that the project had
become an albatross: unbuildable, over budget, and
wildly out of proportion to what the sensible people
of this mercantile city wanted or needed.

But the building, one of several projects around
the world that aim self-consciously for “iconic” sta-
tus and have price tags in the billion-dollar range,
opened to international acclaim on Jan. 11. The
acoustics, designed by the renowned Japanese ac-
oustician Yasuhisa Toyota, are a marvel of clarity,
precision and cool objectivity.

Visitors enjoy stunning views of the industrial
grit of Hamburg, renewing the city’s relation to the
source of its wealth and its cultural window on the
larger world. Tourists flock to ascend the Elphie’s
long escalator, rising through the old warehouse in
a tunnel of white glass and plaster to visit the roof-
top terrace, which bustles with activity before and
long after evening concerts. If you want to attend
a concert, good luck, because almost everything is
sold out.

“Demand is overwhelming,” says Christoph
Lieben-Seutter, general director of the Elbphilhar-
monie. Subscriptions for classical concerts have
doubled since the hall opened, tour operators are
pressuring the organization to make more tickets
available, and more than 1.5 million people have vis-
ited the public plaza since it opened last November.
The building has become a phenomenon through-
out the country. “Music isn’t just the talk of the town,
it is the talk of Germany,” Lieben-Seutter says.

In March, the Caracas-based Simon Bolivar Sym-
phony Orchestra played all nine Beethoven sym-
phonies at the new hall. At the end of the third move-







42 Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39 INSIGHT COVER STORY

ic” or egalitarian virtues of vineyard-style seating, Hotel Escalator
though the peculiar height of the Elbphilharmonie Plaza
makes the lower seats, closest to the orchestra, more
equal than others, especially the highest ones, which
can inspire vertigo.

It’s not a democratic seating plan with all seats be-
ing equal, but it is one that fosters an exciting sense of
community during performances, with the audience
aware not just of the music, but of its own presence
in the space.

“This is a house for everybody,” says Ascan Mer-
genthaler, the senior partner at Herzog and de Meu-
ron in charge of the project.

But this was clearly a hall designed for, and in-
tended to elevate (literally and symbolically), the
experience of classical music. And that is remark-
ably refreshing. Brosda says one reason the build-
ing has been so quickly embraced despite the huge
cost overruns is that it reaffirms values essential to
Germany.

“Questions of culture become more and more im-
portant today,” Brosda says. “It is a statement by a
free and open society.”

It is also a magical place to hear music. The ride up
its 262-foot-long escalator creates a genuine sense
of expectation and detaches one from the everyday
world, mimicking the wide staircase and symbolic
ascent of traditional concert hall architecture.

During three concerts in March, the audience was
scrupulously well behaved, attentive and enthusi-
astic. Even the signs marking the restrooms – which
show a male figure in a tie and a female figure in a
long, sleeveless evening gown – suggest how comfort-
able the Germans are with formality and elegance,

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 43

INSIGHT COVER STORY

which they don’t reflexively equate with hierarchy or The design of this building takes the idea of This building, high above the city and its indus-
privilege as we do in the United States. listening to serious music seriously, it posits the trial waterfront, suggests that music can still stop
experience as an event to be relished, and it cele- time for a few hours and extinguish the triviality of
And that may be the last and most important reason brates a species of aural attention that is in danger the world, seen for a while only as a blur of lights,
that this hall could revive, at least once and perhaps of extinction: collective, attentive, in communion twinkling in the distance and reflected on the tur-
only here, the “Bilbao effect,” transforming a place, or with the musicians and the audience alike. bid water far below. 
an art form, or cultural attitudes through architecture.

44 Vero Beach 32963 / May 25, 2017 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT OPINION

Can the Special Counsel uncover the truth? Dream on

BY STEPHEN L. CARTER | BLOOMBERG of Archibald Cox in 1973 – a firing that hastened and issue a report admitting that he has been un-
Nixon’s fall from power – and hardly anybody who able to determine for certain what happened in the
The appointment of a special counsel is always a doesn’t happen to have a keen interest in history campaign.
tragedy, in the sense that going under the surgeon’s remembers the identity of Cox’s successor.
knife is always a tragedy. Like the human body, the And let us not forget that the special counsel is
government should function smoothly without Those of us who were of political age remember free to roam where he will. It may be too early for
the need to slice and cut. The Justice Department how the future of democracy seemed to hang in Democrats to cheer. Just as the surgeon preparing
brings in an outsider only when the public does the balance as federal agents began to secure the to remove the spleen might discover that the real
not trust the executive branch to investigate itself. ousted prosecutor’s files. problem is in an adjoining organ, so might Mueller
decide that he needs to cut elsewhere.
So although I fervently hope that Robert S. Muel- But that was more than 40 years ago, and the
ler III will perform as admirably in the role of spe- tale, through constant retelling, is now so firmly Let’s stretch our imaginations a bit. Suppose he
cial counsel as he did in the role of director of the embedded in the American saga that no president were to decide that the FBI’s handling of the con-
Federal Bureau of Investigation, I am not ready to since has dared interfere in the smallest way with troversy over Hillary Clinton’s email server was
turn handsprings. the counsel’s work. On the contrary: Nowadays, so inept that the investigation must be repeated.
the special counsel, once appointed, is rarely quite There is nothing to stop him, should he think it
Although Mueller is a man of unquestioned pro- called upon to be heroic. necessary, from kicking over that particular stone.
bity and determination, I have never much liked Yes, as a formal matter, Mueller must go back to the
the idea of special counsels, even back in the days In particular, the special counsel need not en- Justice Department for permission to widen the in-
when they were appointed by the judiciary and dure the “ordeal” that forms a crucial part of Jo- quiry, but nobody imagines that this requirement
called independent counsels, not least because the seph Campbell’s model of the hero’s journey. True, constitutes a serious check on the prosecutor’s au-
counsel is not really subject to any authority but the outsiders summoned to investigate an admin- thority. What Mueller asks, Mueller will get.
his own. istration are maligned by the president’s partisans.
Witness Starr and Fitzgerald, each never forgiven It is true that Trump has assured us that the email
The investigation can range as widely as any par- by half the country for their efforts during the pres- controversy is over, but the president’s promise can
ticular individual holding the position might wish. idencies of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush respec- hardly be taken to bind the special counsel. Other-
Yet rarely do we learn the truth about the events tively. wise any figure the special counsel targets might
the counsel was appointed to investigate. object that he, too, was promised by the chief ex-
And President Trump, in a not-atypical show of ecutive that he would not face investigation.
Patrick Fitzgerald never prosecuted anyone for vindictive bravado, has already dismissed Muel-
leaking to the press the fact that Valerie Plame was ler's inquiry as a partisan “witch hunt.” In Greek I do not mean to suggest that this scenario is
an analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency. Ken- mythology, Heracles had to change the courses of likely. Still, the mere fact that it is readily imagin-
neth Starr, although we tend to forget the fact, was two mighty rivers to clean the muck from the sta- able should serve as an uncomfortable reminder of
originally appointed to look into Travelgate, the bles. the breadth of discretion we vest in the heroes we
details of which are long forgotten, and the White- summon to clear out the stables.
water mess, which is barely mentioned in his final That the special counsel must suffer criticism
report. hardly compares. That’s not a bad thing – but it Yes, the nation deserves to know about any ties
does suggest that we should perhaps think less between the Trump campaign and the Russian
Like much that is done to please press and pub- magically about the work that the outside prosecu- government. Alas, for all the qualities that make
lic, the selection of a special counsel partakes of tor will perform. Mueller the right choice, nothing in recent history
magical thinking. Troubled by a bubbling scandal, teaches that a special counsel is more likely to get
impatient with the turning of the wheels of justice, History warns us to be cautious in our hopes. to the bottom of this. 
we summon the mage in the hope that his powers Mueller might uncover the smoking gun that sup-
will enable us to find the truth lurking in the murky plies readers on the left with their yearned-for im- Stephen L. Carter, a Bloomberg columnist, is a pro-
depths. peachment; he might find, as readers on the right fessor of law at Yale University and was a clerk to U.S.
hope, that there's no fire after all. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. His views
The defining myth of the special prosecutor are his own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of
story remains President Richard Nixon’s dismissal Most likely he will follow his predecessors in Vero Beach 32963.
convicting a few aides for lying to the grand jury,

THE HEALING HEART Keeping facilities sparkling clean and running optimally is the job of the
OF HEALTHCARE, PART III Environmental (housekeeping) Services staff and the Facilities and En-
gineering crew. Responsible for meeting stringent building codes and
Today we conclude this three-part series recognizing employees who safety regulations, the Facilities and Engineering team also helps plan
work in hospitals by saluting behind-the-scene workers. and develop new construction projects.

A hospital is a city within a city. Most towns have the sheriff, the bank, HUMAN RESOURCES
a restaurant or two, the facilities department and city planners. So do
hospitals. In many cities, hospitals are one of the largest, if not the largest, em-
ployers. In addition to recruiting medical professionals who must meet
ADMINISTRATION specific certifications, licensures and regulations, about half of the em-
ployees – those providing non-clinical services – must be hired, meet
The Executive Team includes a CEO and operations, physician, nursing, educational requirements, and maintain standards of conduct.
legal and financial leaders who work in tandem with a board of direc-
tors. They are responsible for planning, developing strategies and over- INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
seeing hospital operations.
One of the most critical areas and services of the hospital is the In-
“BUSINESS” OFFICE formation Technology (IT) department. As technology advances, this
team works day and night providing access to data for doctors, staff
A hospital’s business office starts with pre-registration if you are hav- and patients.
ing a planned procedure or hospitalization. If coming unannounced,
registration staff works with you to obtain all important information. SECURITY
For patients who don’t have insurance, when appropriate, staff offers
assistance in determining if they may meet criteria for financial assis- In addition to hospital security officers employed by the hospital, many
tance. After discharge, if patients have questions about their bills, the hospitals employ off-duty sheriff’s officers to keep their Emergency
Billing Department is available to consult with them. The Accounting Rooms and other facilities safe.
Department processes payment for hundreds of vendors that supply
equipment, technology and services to the hospital. IN CONCLUSION

CAFETERIA AND ROOM SERVICE While we’ve covered many types of hospital workers, the list is not ex-
haustive. Certified nurse assistants, clinical research coordinators, regis-
Feeding employees and visitors, cafeterias are staffed by chiefs, cooks tered dietitians, genetic counselors…and other positions too numerous to
and servers. For inpatients, some hospitals provide room service with pa- fit in this limited space, all work together for one purpose – to provide you
tients selecting what they’d like (in compliance with any dietary restric- and your family the highest quality, most effective healthcare possible.
tions from their doctors) and when they would like to be served. “Food
Service Ambassadors” deliver food and act as goodwill representatives. So the next time you’re on the road and see a big blue “H” sign, help,
heart and healing are just around the corner. 
FACILITIES AND ENGINEERING
Your comments and suggestions for future topics are always
welcome. Email us at [email protected].

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