11/25/2021 ISSUE 47

St. Ed’s students research
genealogy. P14

Brightline train ride
shows rail has its fans. P12
Shores, Vero Beach at impasse
on water, but talks will go on. P10

Probe of crash that For breaking news visit
killed bike rider on
island is still open COVID remains
low here on eve
of Thanksgiving

BY RAY MCNULTY BY LISA ZAHNER
Staff Writer Staff Writer

The driver of the car that MY Don’t expect traffic congestion to ease soon As local residents traveled or
struck and killed a John’s Is- VERO welcomed out-of-town family
land resident while he was to celebrate Thanksgiving, In-
bicycling along the northern BY RAY MCNULTY mainland’s major roadways, more than 20,000 newcomers dian River County’s new COV-
tier of State Road A1A in May Staff Writer more backups at our busier – many from metropolitan ar- ID-19 daily case rate remained
has a long history of traffic of- intersections, and more im- eas in the Northeast, Midwest in the single digits for the fifth
fenses – dating back to 1988 – As snowbirds flock back to patient and inconsiderate and South Florida – move into straight week with only 48 new
and twice had his license sus- Vero Beach, both they and motorists making a bad situ- a small, once-sleepy, seaside cases reported for the seven
pended. year-round residents will no- ation worse. community in a 10-year span. days ending Nov. 18.
tice more congestion on the
Six months after the fatal That’s what happens when CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 Nearly 72 percent of the
crash, however, the Florida adult population of the county
Highway Patrol has not yet is now fully vaccinated. Taking
closed the case and publicly all age groups into account,
released the findings of its in- 118,942 people out of 160,707
vestigation. local residents have had at least
one COVID vaccine shot.
FHP Public Affairs Officer Lt.
Yanko Reyes wrote in an email The Florida Department of
to Vero Beach 32963 last week Health reports that nearly 600
that the agency’s final report people received jabs of CO-
was “still pending adminis- VID vaccine the week before
trative review” and should be Thanksgiving, as booster shots
made available “in the next were made available to all
two to three weeks.” adults at the close of last week.

According to the FHP’s ini- Since the start of the pan-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Private clubs are thriving with soaring real estate market Vero Beach City Council moving ahead
with plans for riverfront development
BY STEVEN M. THOMAS underway that are increasing
Staff Writer Kevin Given of Quail Valley Golf Club. club use by members and at- BY LISA ZAHNER cial viability from a renowned
tracting still more prospects. Staff Writer market analyst.
Vero’s 14 private clubs are PHOTO BY KAILA JONES
enjoying a phenomenal boom Much of the success is driv- Plans for Vero’s riverfront But the expert recommend-
heading into this mostly post- en by the same pandemic-re- development on the site of the ed several changes including
pandemic season, with wait- lated factors that have pushed old Big Blue power plant and addition of a beach club con-
ing lists as long as six years the real estate market here neighboring sewer plant got a cession operated by the big-
and tens of millions in up- to record heights – people thumbs up in terms of finan- name anchor hotel the city is
grades recently completed or migrating from big cities to
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

November 25, 2021 Volume 14, Issue 47 Newsstand Price $1.00 Ladling out support
for Samaritan Center
News 1-16 Editorial 36 People 17-30 TO ADVERTISE CALL Soup Bowl. Page 24
Arts 45-50 Games 39-43 Pets 66 772-559-4187
Books 38 Health 51-56 Real Estate 69-80
Calendar 67-68 Insight 31-44 Style 57-59 FOR CIRCULATION
Dining 60-65 CALL 772-226-7925

© 2021 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved.

2 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

Private clubs booming west of town has thrived in the past it was about a $2 million project that wiches, salads and gourmet grocery
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 two years, with more than $7 million we knocked out in 90 days.” items – and people are comfortable
in capital upgrades complete or un- coming in their tennis or workout
small, charming towns like Vero with a derway since the beginning of 2020. Given insists Quail’s success is due clothes.”
renewed passion for outdoor pastimes mainly to the quality of the club’s
such as golf, tennis and boating. Projects include a new 7-hole, par- members and employees, half of With more than 1,000 members, 300
3 course, a 2-hole short-game facility whom have worked for Given for five loyal employees and a 6 ½ year wait
“The clubs are doing great, and they and complete revamp of the practice years or longer. list for prospective members, Quail
are a tremendous asset to the com- area at the Quail Valley Golf Club. The epitomizes the success of area clubs.
munity, major economic drivers,” says handsome golf clubhouse is getting “You can’t have a great a club with-
Quail Valley managing partner Kev- major upgrades, too, with a new and out great members and team mem- As does the Moorings Yacht & Coun-
in Given, who hosts a regular Zoom expanded pro shop, expanded dining bers,” he says. “When we ask our work- try Club.
meeting where club managers talk room, new outdoor kitchen and new ers why they stay, the No. 1 reason
about challenges and share tips and main dining room bar overlooking the always is ‘the members.’ We haven’t Created to draw residents to The
intelligence. 18th hole of the club’s championship the problem with staffing that many Moorings ocean-to-river community
course. businesses have faced.” and serve its residents, the club also
“We are all doing very well,” agrees takes outside members – new doctors
Ursula Gunter, marketing manager at At the river club, Given dredged the Despite his modesty, it’s clear Giv- at Cleveland Clinic, businesspeople
The Moorings Yacht & Country Club. 43-slip marina – just in time for the en’s leadership is at least equally re- who have decided they can run their
“Business so far this year has blown explosion in the popularity of boat- sponsible for how well the club is northern enterprises from island
away what we did in 2019. I think the ing – and moved fast during the co- doing, with Martha’s Market a prime home offices, and an increasing flood
coming season will be huge.” vid shutdowns to completely rebuild example of his strategic thinking. of seniors who moved up their Florida
and expand the fitness center and add retirement plans during the pandemic
“October was crazy,” says Michael “Martha’s Market,” named after Mar- “People in the club world tend to – all looking for a country club compo-
Gibson, general manager at Grand tha Redner, director of membership say that tennis players don’t spend nent in their lifestyle.
Harbor Golf and Beach Club. “It was and marketing, who has worked at the much money at the club, but you have
the busiest golf month we have had in club since it was founded. to give them something to spend on. “Things are wonderful,” says Gunt-
years.” That is why we opened the tiki bar a er. “The pandemic period has been
“As soon as Gov. (Ron) DeSantis shut while back and the market a year ago, great for our club, with high demand
Two clubs, one free-standing and things down, I called Proctor Construc- to capture the spending of people for membership and rounds of golf
one embedded in an eponymous resi- tion who has done most of our work coming off the courts or out of the and other outdoor activities.”
dential community, illustrate just how over the years and asked them how fast fitness center or off their boats who
dynamic the Vero club world has be- we could do a design build project,” might feel underdressed to go into the Gunter says the club added 150 new
come. Given says. “We gutted the place and club house. members over the past two years and
brought in all new equipment and cre- is now at capacity with 1,075 members
Quail Valley with its sprawling river ated rooms for pilates and stretching. “People want a coffee or smoothie and an 18-month waiting list.
club, hotel and restaurant facility on Between the fitness center and market, or something to eat after working out
Royal Palm Pointe and epic golf course or playing tennis and the market has With a $75,000 joining fee, those 150
a nice selection of drinks, light sand- new members infused more than $11
million in fresh capital into the club,

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 3

and are paying $1.8 million in addi- That’s supplemented by revenue that the club over from a problematic de- by 200 over the next four to five years,”
tional annual dues, money the board comes in from adult tennis lessons, a veloper a year ago, membership has Gibson says. “But we now we think we
and general manager, Craig Lopes, strong junior tennis program and the increased from a low of about 580 to will accomplish that in 2 ½ years.”
are using to upgrade and refine club club restaurant Counter Culture. more than 700, bringing in millions
facilities to make them even more ap- of additional dollars in $50,000 buy- Grand Harbor Golf and Beach Club
pealing. “If you love tennis, this is the place,” in fees and annual dues that average opened its doors to non-resident mem-
says Delavaut. “Our members are out $10,000, and Gibson expects another bers in April, which has accelerated the
“Over the summer we renovated the here playing four or five times a week.” 80-100 new members in 2022. growth and revenue trajectory and made
Moorings golf course, which was a $2 members optimistic about the future.
million project that included a new ir- “Everyone is very happy,” says Grand “When we took over the club we said
rigation system and did tons of other Harbor’s Gibson. our goal was to grow the membership Under Gibson’s leadership, the club
cosmetic improvements to what I call
key touch points – with new parking Since Grand Harbor’s members took CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
lot landscaping and pavers where you
saw asphalt before,” Gunter says.

In the summer of 2020, the club
redid its tennis center and now has
“nine brand new Har-Tru tennis
courts along with four new pickleball
courts.”

Other clubs up and down the island
and on the mainland are growing and
upgrading, too.

“Things are just great at this time,”
says Brian Kroh, general manager
at John’s Island, where the real es-
tate market is red hot, and the club is
wrapping up renovation of its north
golf course to keep up with member
demand and expectations.

“We are very, very busy,” says Vero
Beach Country Club GM Tim Straley.
“The pandemic certainly created
more demand for a club experience.
We have a lot of members who have
taken up golf or are finding ways to
play more.”

With what turned out to be envi-
able timing, Vero Beach Country Club
started a $3.8 million expansion in
January 2020 that added “a fitness
center, resort-style swimming pool
and outdoor bar and dining area.” The
improvements made the club much
more appealing to young families
moving into the neighborhood around
the club, which has become one of the
most desirable on the mainland.

Since the start of the pandemic the
club has sold 80 new memberships,
reaching capacity at 515 members,
and has 87 people on its waiting list.

“We filled up quickly, mostly with a
younger demographic than what we
saw in the past,” Straley says. “The
wait for a golf membership is a year
and half. For a social membership, it is
more than three years.

“We are having fun doing what we
are doing!”

The Boulevard Tennis Club, one of
the fewVero clubs without a golf course,
is thriving too, according to Director of
Tennis Christophe Delavaut.

“We are doing great. Our member-
ship has filled up over the past two
years to 399 and we now have a wait-
ing list. When we bought the place in
2017 there were only 108 members, so
we feel very good.”

Member families pay $2,700 a year to
belong to the club, which now amounts
to more than $1 million a year in dues.

4 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

Private clubs booming dues and spending money here, the in residential construction that clogs travel along U.S. 1 between 45th Street
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 better club we can create.” our vehicular arteries with more work and Fourth Street during the work day.
trucks and heavy-equipment haulers.
just spruced up its island beach club “I think Grand Harbor’s future is ex- The stretch between Aviation Bou-
and finished a $2 million renovation tremely bright,” says Given, who tends We’re also seeing state and county levard and 12th Street can be particu-
of its Harbor Golf Course, one of two to talk up other Vero clubs as much as crews continuing to close lanes and larly frustrating.
in the 900-acre, Mediterranean-style he does his own. “Their growth trajec- intersections in an effort to complete
planned community, which includes tory is going to be steep. road projects and bridge repairs need- Even Indian River Boulevard, which
a full slate of amenities and a beau- ed to keep up with the growing de- was built to serve as a U.S. 1 bypass
tiful harbor on the river. Gibson will “Honestly, there isn’t a bad club in mand for safer, more-efficient travel. and provide an alternate north-south
present a masterplan to the members town. It is just a matter of finding the route for island residents who cross
for a vote in January that if approved one that fits your personality.” Then there’s the business-day in- over to the mainland, has seen a con-
will include a major expansion of the crease in commercial traffic, such as siderable increase in traffic.
beach club and upgrading the second And hoping you can get in.  trucks used for deliveries, home main-
golf course. tenance and pulling landscape-compa- During our busy season, motorists
My Vero ny trailers, with many service-industry using the boulevard can expect to en-
“Honestly, we want to be a premiere workers commuting regularly from counter backups at intersections be-
golf club, and we plan to have the fin- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 neighboring counties, where housing is tween the Barber and 17th Street bridg-
est restaurant in Vero at our beach more affordable. es at lunchtime, during both rush hours
club,” Gibson says. “We believe in that “Traffic volume and congestion are and, sometimes, on weekends.
because growth feeds on itself. Half up,” said Rich Szpyrka, the county’s Add to the mix the diverse makeup
our new members are non-residents public works director, “and there’s of our motorists – including new resi- “We have cameras at intersections
and with all the new people moving only so much we can do about it.” dents, tourists and other seasonal visi- all over the county, and we monitor the
into the community we think we are tors who aren’t familiar with our roads flow from our traffic operations center,
in line for a strong upward move in To be sure: We’re not Port St. Lucie, and make sudden stops and turns, as making adjustments to the timing of
numbers. now Florida’s seventh-largest city with well as those who endanger us all by the signal changes as needed,” Szpyrka
a population approaching 205,000. driving aggressively or while texting – said.
“The new members bring guests to and it’s no surprise we’re seeing more
play golf and eat and drink here and We’re not even Stuart, the Treasure traffic congestion. “That timing is the key, and we’re
some of them end up joining. Our ex- Coast city most often compared to usually able to keep things moving with
isting members are more active, too. A Vero Beach, though the traffic conges- During the busiest times of day, in only reasonable delays, but rush hour
year ago, people were walking around tion that accompanies South Florida’s fact, it can take two light changes to is rush hour,” he added. “There are so
with their shoulders slumped. Now northward migration is far more no- get through our busiest intersections. many red lights that, sometimes, noth-
everyone has a bounce in their step. ticeable on Martin County’s roadways. The lunch hour is bad. The morning ing we do is going to make much of a
The more members we have paying and evening rush hours are worse. difference.
We do, however, find ourselves
grappling with the traffic-engineering It’s also not uncommon to encounter “We have only so much capacity on
challenges created by the real-estate red lights at two, three or even four con- our roadways, and we can get only so
boom, which has produced a surge secutive intersections, especially if you many cars through an intersection at
one time.”

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The dilemma should be obvious: The longer waits not only create tion,” Szpyrka said. “When traffic is seemingly endless stream of Florida De-
If traffic engineers extend green sig- backups, which result in less patience heavy, those few seconds can prevent partment of Transportation and county
nals 30 seconds to allow more north- and more frustration, but they also another three, four or five cars from road-construction projects that snarl
bound and southbound vehicles to prompt too many drivers to grab their getting through the intersection. traffic now, but are necessary to keep up
pass through an intersection, motor- cellphones. with the demand for wider roadways,
ists traveling east and west must wait “I can’t fix that.” longer turn lanes and new bike paths.
longer for their opportunity. “So the light changes and traffic starts Nor can Szpryka and his staff do much
moving, but they’re not paying atten- to offset the congestion caused by the CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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6 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

My Vero lem – that if you look at the big picture,
the traffic volume and congestion now
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 isn’t much worse than it was during the
construction boom in the early 2000s.
Long-term projects are still ongoing
on 43rd Avenue, 58th Avenue and 66th Matson said the current real-estate
Avenue, as well as along State Road boom and the residential construc-
A1A and on the 17th Street Bridge, and tion it has spawned has created an
they’ve all required lane closures. “artificially high trip-generation level”
that will eventually subside.
“We’re doing a lot of those projects,
which are needed, but they certainly “The road-construction projects
add to the problem,” Szpyrka said, we’ve got going are a factor, but they’ll
adding that roadwork along 58th Av- all be beneficial in the long run,” Mat-
enue has been especially disruptive son said, “and when this real-estate
because it has required lane closures boom abates and construction slows,
along a corridor lined with new resi- which it always does, we’ll see a return
dential developments. to normal.”

“They won’t last forever, but you’re Indeed, Matson isn’t overly concerned.
going to be seeing these kinds of proj- While the influx of newcomers has
ects for quite a while.” pushed the county’s population to
more than 160,000, Matson said a large
Brian Freeman, staff director for the percentage of the new residents are re-
county’s Metropolitan Planning Orga- tirees or empty-nesters – not families
nization, said the list of road projects with children.
we can expect to see over the next de- That means they’re not driving their
cade include the: children to schools, day-care provid-
ers, sports events or other extracur-
 Widening of County Road 510 ricular or recreational activities.
from U.S. 1 to County Road 512. To the contrary, he said, “older peo-
ple tend to chain their trips together
 Replacement of the Sebastian In- and get everything need while they’re
let bridge. out, rather than go out, go home and
go out again,” adding that adults with-
 Extension of Aviation Boulevard out children might average five trips
across U.S. 1 to the Cleveland Clinic per day fewer than parents with chil-
Indian River Hospital complex. dren.
“And because many of these new-
 Construction of a new inter- comers are older adults who are mak-
change at I-95 and Oslo Road. ing fewer trips per person,” he said,
“the growth we’ve seen hasn’t had
“The Aviation Boulevard extension much of an impact.”
will alleviate a lot of the congestion in In addition, Matson said, more
that area, especially at the intersection people have been working from
of U.S. 1 and 37th Street,” Freeman home, shopping online and using
said. “The Oslo interchange will help a food-delivery services since the ar-
lot, because people at south end of the rival of the COVID-19 pandemic in
county won’t need to drive north to go March 2020.
out State Road 60 to I-95.” He believes that trend will continue,
even when COVID is gone.
Looking further into the future, If you’re wondering why the county
the county probably will need to doesn’t address the recent surge in traf-
add lanes in each direction to Indian fic volume and congestion by pausing
River Boulevard, since the widening building permits, Matson said a state
options along the busiest stretches law enacted a decade ago – during the
of U.S. 1 in Vero Beach are restricted Great Recession – “greatly reduced” the
by businesses lining the roadway and ability of localities to restrict develop-
the Florida East Coast Railway tracks ment for traffic-related reasons.
to the west. “We used to have a sledgehammer,”
Matson said. “Now it’s a feather dust-
“The boulevard has gotten busier, er.”
too, but when that road was built, we Thus, the county has no choice but
thought far enough ahead to allow for to absorb the growth in its population,
expansion to six lanes,” Szpyrka said. continue to issue building permits and
“It’ll probably be 20 or 30 years before bolster its efforts to make the best of a
you see it, though.” difficult situation that becomes more
challenging as our seasonal residents
Both Freeman and Phil Matson, the return.
county’s community development di- “We’re widening roads and extend-
rector, say we really don’t have a prob- ing turn lanes, but that takes a lot of
money,” Szpyrka said. “In the mean-
time, people need to know that we’re
doing everything we can to keep traf-
fic moving here.” 



8 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

Riverfront development beach would be ideal, and it was sug- for the pandemic lockdown period), and for food and drink places than there is
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 gested that shuttle could also bring that “room demand rebounded strongly a supply,” the study found, adding that
guests downtown to sample the din- after the lockdown ended” with room- options for bars and waterfront din-
hoping to attract to the development. ing and shopping offerings in the night demand in 2021 being up 14 per- ing are particularly limited. By 2026,
The logical spot to put this “beach heart of Vero. cent over 2019. the market area is projected to spend
$377 million on food away from home,
club” concession would be adjacent to The “market” area Fishkind used for Rising demand plus higher occu- including snacks and bakery goods,
South Beach Park, and coincidentally, his study was a 30-minute drive to the pancy rates mean there’s room in the and another $63.4 million on alcoholic
Vero just brokered a deal to acquire so-called Three Corners site. He found market for a new hotel, Fishkind con- beverages.
two vacant parcels on the north end there are currently 20 hotels in that area cluded. “If no new rooms are added
of the park from Indian River County. with a total of 1,652 rooms, and occu- to the comparable market, organic Fishkind recommended the city
Amenities could include a pavilion pancy of those hotels over the past 12 growth alone would support a new ho- rearrange the master concept plan
and a bar with food service. months has been 66 percent, rising to tel delivered in 2026,” the report said. slightly, to add a bandshell or perfor-
72 percent thus far for 2021. mance venue to the south parcel with
Dr. Hank Fishkind of the PFM con- He identified the potential new ho- a schedule of events every weekend, to
sulting firm said a jitney service to According to Fishkind’s report, room- tel’s direct competitors as Disney’s Vero add overnight docks and T-docks for
bring hotel guests to and from the night demand has grown by nearly Beach Resort with 211 rooms, built in large vessels. He also recommended
16,000 room nights since 2012 (except 1995, Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel and increasing the size of hotel recreation.
Club with 111, built in 2006 and Costa
d’Este Beach Resort with 94 rooms, The city’s goals are to attract develop-
built in 2007. ers who will make the plan a reality and
to make the project“revenue neutral” so
The good news, Fishkind said, is the city’s operational and maintenance
that none of the “top tier” hotel brands cost of amenities are less than revenues
like JW, Ritz, Waldorf, Four-Seasons, from leases and other sources from the
Hyatt, Westin or Fairmont exist in the development.
market.
Vero Planning Director Jason Jef-
The 21-acre parcel would support fries has given the city council a target
up to 627 hotel rooms, Fishkind said, of July for finalizing the 75-word ballot
but a more realistic number might question on the project that must go to
be 150 to 225 rooms. If the hotel does Supervisor of Elections Leslie Swan in
not incorporate the Big Blue structure time to get on next November’s ballot.
into its design, the city’s 50-foot height But a great many things need to hap-
limit would apply. The hotel would pen first.
need to offer full amenities for busi-
ness and pleasure travelers, including “The next step for the Three Corners
a spa, swimming pool, banquet and project is for City Council to adopt, by
conference facilities, plus at least two resolution, the Three Corners Report.
restaurants. The draft report is currently being up-
dated to reflect the community plan
That’s in addition to the four “restau- recommended by the Three Corners
rant pads” in the current version of the Steering Committee,” Jeffries said.
concept plan. According to Fishkind’s
feasibility study, restaurant demand “City Council will have a discussion
in the Vero Beach market is high. The regarding the recommendations from
30-minute drive market area contains Hank Fishkind, financial advisor, at
roughly 100,000 households with an their Dec. 7 meeting. The adoption
estimated median disposable or after- hearing by City Council will be sched-
tax income of nearly $45,000 per year. uled in January.”

Of those households, 25 percent Then, Jeffries said, a request for in-
went to a restaurant four or more times formation or RFI would be issued,
per month over the past year, and res- after the adoption of the plan, in Jan-
taurant spending is projected to grow uary or February. Interested develop-
through 2026. Projected restaurant ers would be pre-qualified as to their
spending in the market area is $29.8 ability to finance and construct the
million for 2021. That’s $108 for every project. But the final decision of who
square foot of restaurant space. would develop Vero’s riverfront would
not likely happen until after voters get
“Overall, the 30-minute drive area their say. 
around Vero Beach has more demand

Bike fatality Vero Lake Estates, revealed he was cit-
ed twice for driving without knowledge
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 that his license had been suspended,
five times for speeding, three times for
tial crash report, John Joseph Rampp, operating an unsafe vehicle, twice for
then 49, was driving north on A1A running a stop sign or signal, twice for
at 10 a.m. May 29 when he swerved not wearing a seatbelt, and once each
off the roadway and onto the paved for careless driving, failure to yield and
shoulder. There, the front-right part defacing or driving around detours.
of his 2010 Nissan coupe collided with
Carl Cutler, who was pedaling north in In the A1A crash, Cutler, 63, a retired
the bike lane. investment banker who split his time
between the Greater Philadelphia area
A check of Rampp’s driving history and Vero Beach, was knocked onto the
in Brevard County, where he lived for grassy area alongside the roadway. He
more than 30 years before moving to
CONTINUED ON PAGE 10



10 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

Bike fatality If a driver refuses to take a breathalyzer
test, he or she is subject to a mandato-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 ry one-year license suspension for the
first offense. Such action, though, can
was pronounced dead 40 minutes lat- be challenged in court.
er at Sebastian River Medical Center.
The FHP didn’t respond to phone
The FHP crash report stated that messages seeking further information
Rampp’s car had no mechanical de- on Rampp’s current driving status.
fects and he had his seatbelt buckled,
traveling an estimated 50 mph in a 50- Cutler, who the FHP stated wore
mph zone in clear, dry conditions. a helmet and was in no way at fault
for the crash, was born in Royal Oak,
Describing Rampp’s actions that re- Michigan, and was the father of three
sulted in the crash, the report stated adult children. He graduated from
he was driving in a “careless or negli- Denison University in 1980 with an
gent manner” when he “failed to keep economics degree and spent more
in the proper lane” and “ran off the than 30 years at New York-based firm
roadway.” of Brown Brothers Harriman, retiring
as a partner in the Philadelphia office.
There was no mention of any cita-
tions issued at the scene, however, At Denison, he was an All-America
only that Rampp refused both an al- soccer player and later was inducted into
cohol and drug test – which was puz- the university’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
zling, given that the trooper who filed
the report indicated the driver was not Cutler was a member of five golf
suspected of alcohol or drug use. clubs, including John’s Island and Red-
Stick in Vero Beach. He also enjoyed
Under Florida’s implied consent law: hiking, skiing, pickleball and tennis. 

COVID cases low mandates made big news last week, with
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 the Occupational Safety and Health Or-
ganization suspending enforcement
demic a little more than 20 months of most vaccine mandates on private
ago, 22,234 local residents have tested businesses and the Florida Legislature
positive for COVID-19 at a testing site passing sweeping bills against most
or medical office that reports test re- vaccine mandates in Florida. The new
sults to the Florida Department of laws were signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis
Health. With the increased availability and took effect immediately.
and popularity of home COVID tests
sold online and at local pharmacies, Just in time forVero’s busy tourist sea-
the real number of people who had son, the first waves of fully vaccinated
mild cases of the virus and recovered international travelers from across the
is likely much larger. Atlantic began arriving at Florida’s air-
ports earlier this month. Delta, Ameri-
Hospital admissions remained low can, Lufthansa and Virgin Atlantic air-
over the past week, with the Centers lines all reported heavily booked flights
for Disease Control and Prevention re- reflecting pent-up demand as most
porting four hospital admissions here. international travel into the U.S. was
halted for more than a year and a half
Legal challenges to federal vaccine due to the pandemic. 

Shores and Vero at impasse in utility dispute,
but more talks may yet lead to a resolution

BY LISA ZAHNER ent at the joint Vero City Council and
Staff Writer Shores Town Council meeting swiftly
to declaring an impasse so the case
The Town of Indian River Shores and can move forward through the state-
the City ofVero Beach are at a stalemate mandated conflict resolution process.
in efforts to resolve an antitrust lawsuit
outside of court. But while the next The matters still in dispute, Foley
step is formal mediation, Vero Mayor said, must be decided by “a guy wear-
Robbie Brackett opened the door just a ing a robe who sits in Fort Pierce,” re-
crack to a potential solution. ferring to the federal bench.

“I want a resolution to this,” Brackett Foley said Vero’s threat of litigation
said. “We have other things we’re trying against Indian River County for helping
to do.” the Shores study the feasibility of the
town joining the county water-sewer
While the two mayors agreed at the system had prevented the Shores and
end of the meeting to continue the the county from having a full-blown
conversation, Shores Mayor Brian Fol- discussion about options.
ey guided the two elected boards pres-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 13



12 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

A ride on Brightline train shows rail has its fans

BY GEORGE ANDREASSI senger train service offers consum- The McCourt brothers said they also Brightline envisions developing a
Staff Writer ers easy access to South Florida’s vast anticipate riding Brightline’s high-speed European-style network of high-speed
array of entertainment and business trains to and from Orlando after the train lines in the United States, starting
A ride on a Brightline train from West venues while avoiding the stress of company completes a 170-mile exten- by linking South Florida to Orlando
Palm Beach to Miami last week revealed congested roads and costly parking. sion of its railroad tracks in early 2023. and eventually the Disney theme parks
satisfied customers and upgraded ame- and the Tampa Bay area.
nities, as construction projects prepare Brothers Joe and Kevin McCourt, who “It’s about time we have a high-speed
the way to extend the high-speed train were riding a Brightline train last Friday to train in this country,” said Joe McCourt, There currently are no plans for the
up the Treasure Coast through Vero Miami on their way to the Royal Caribbe- a finance industry executive who lives trains to stop for passengers in Vero
Beach to Orlando. an Cruise Line terminal, chatted quietly on Singer Island just north of Palm Beach, however.
while enjoying a beer instead of maneu- Beach. “Have you been to Europe? Trav-
Brightline’s recently restarted pas- vering through traffic on Interstate 95. eling around Europe on a train is great.” When all track and bridge upgrades
are completed, Brightline passenger
Sailfish CRISTELLE CAY trains will travel through Indian River
County at speeds of up to 110 mph on
One must not wait until dusk to see how splendid life can be upgraded Florida East Coast Railway
tracks, while freight trains continue to
Oceanfront Cristelle Cay is entirely surrounded by preserves in perpetuity operate at 40-to-60 mph.
Find matchless quality and value in a wide pristine beach setting
Each condominium has a 32’ x 8’ direct oceanfront patio balcony Locally, Brightline agreed to spend
an extra $31 million to install addi-
All windows and sliding glass doors exceed the Florida Building Code tional safety equipment and warning
Custom design ceilings~Marble Bathrooms~Engineered wood floors~Painting signs in Indian River County to settle
a seven-year-old legal battle over the
Custom Gourmet Kitchen passenger train project.
4-unit SAILFISH has four 3-bedroom & 3-bathroom condos remaining
6-unit MAHI-MAHI has six 2-bedroom & 3-bathroom condos remaining On Nov. 8 Brightline resumed oper-
Garage parking - AC storage units - Gym - Gated Entry - Dog Walk - Barbecue ating 32 trains per day in South Flor-
ida, 16 in each direction after halting
Design-Developed by Cardinal Ocean Development LLC service March 25, 2020 at the start of
52-years Florida oceanfront condominium development the COVID-19 pandemic.

Peer-reviewed engineering integrity The 67-mile trip through a densely
developed region of six million people
Now Under Construction – with stops in West Palm Beach, Fort
Lauderdale and Miami – took one hour
4804 Atlantic Beach Boulevard (A1A) North Hutchinson Island, Florida and 12 minutes each way when Vero
Fifteen minutes south of Vero Beach 17th Street Bridge Beach 32963 rode the train last week.
Email: [email protected] Tel: 772.321.9590
from $1,025,000 The McCourt brothers said Brightline
is a viable transportation option because
Mahi Mahi they can book a ride on Uber from the
train station to their destination.

“It will be a $10 Uber to get from the
Brightline station to the cruise port,”
Joe McCourt said. “It’ll be a five-min-
ute wait. I Uber all the time.”

A relatively low ticket price of $15
makes Brightline an attractive trans-
portation option, the McCourt broth-
ers said. But that could change if prices
skyrocket to the same levels as Am-
trak’s Acela service between Boston to
Washington, D.C., to which Brightline
is frequently compared.

“An hour and 15 minutes to get to
Miami (from West Palm Beach) is pret-
ty good,” Kevin McCourt said. “For $15
each way, that’s what you would pay
for a couple of hours for parking. Park-
ing in Miami is pretty miserable.”

Joe McCourt said keeping prices
low for the Orlando train would help
Brightline compete with airlines.

“I used to live in Connecticut,” Joe
McCourt said. “The Acela from Stam-
ford to D.C. is convenient, but it’s $200-
plus one way. It’s just as easy to jump
on a flight from LaGuardia (Airport) to
Reagan (Airport).”

Liondre St. Hilaire, a musician, said
he took Brightline from Fort Lauder-
dale to West Palm Beach because it

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 13

looked more attractive than the other customers I’m going to serve,” he said. pected to cost upwards of $80 million. said that. You said you want to explore
options, a Greyhound bus or Tri-Rail “If a customer wants to leave me, I’m The city plans to impose a new rate options and meanwhile it’s holding me
commuter train. in business right now and I’ll do what I back from the ability to build a waste-
can to salvage them. But if they leave, plan in 2022 after a full rate study to pay water treatment plant,” Brackett said.
“It was really smooth,” St. Hilaire. “I I’m not going to hold them hostage.” for the new plant, and Vero’s rate con-
was like, this is amazing. This looks so sultant estimates that water-sewer bills “We’re moving forward with it re-
nice. It looks way better than the Tri-Rail Vero is trying to plan and permit a for the average customer will increase gardless, but it’s been a difficult deci-
that’s for sure. The building and the fa- new, state-of-the-art wastewater treat- $17.66 over a 10-year period based upon sion to make. So that’s why we’re trying
cilities are very clean. It looked spotless.” ment plant at the airport so the sewer spreading the cost among all of Vero’s to resolve this. That’s just my humble
plant on the Indian River Lagoon can current customers – including the ap- opinion, I can’t speak for my council.”
A promotional offer of a free round be torn down to pave the way for rede- proximately 15 percent ofVero’s custom-
trip enticed St. Hilaire to take his first velopment of the riverfront utility sites er base located in Indian River Shores. As to the separate, Vero-Indian Riv-
ride on the Brightline train. Extend- north and south of the Alma Lee Loy er County dispute resolution process,
ing the high-speed passenger train 17th Street bridge. “So if it was up to me personally, and Vero feels negotiations are already at
service to Orlando would provide an you came to me personally and said I an impasse after an exchange of letters
attractive option to Greyhound buses, The cost of the plant plus other up- want to leave, the Shores decides they back and forth with the county, while
Amtrak trains or rental cars. grades to the utility system to main- want to leave, that we have another the county wants one more meeting to
tain environmental compliance is ex- alternative, I’d say go. But you haven’t declare an impasse in public. 
“That’s a great idea because we need
a better train,” St. Hilaire said. “It’s noth-
ing against Amtrak, but we need other
competition to drive costs down. You
either have to take Amtrak or take the
Greyhound to get up there.”

To entice families to try the train,
Brightline is running special Polar Ex-
press trips from its Miami station start-
ing Dec. 11, with Christmas-themed
entertainment, treats and beverages.

COVID restrictions are still in place on
the Brightline. Face coverings must be
worn by everyone age two and older ex-
cept when guests are actively eating or
drinking. Signs in the Brightline stations
also boast that 100 percent of Brightline
employees have been vaccinated. 

Utility dispute

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

The city’s claim to have never-end-
ing territorial rights outside the city
limits – and that the Shores cannot exit
Vero’s utility system – had infringed on
the Shores’ ability to get competitive
rates for water, sewer and reuse irriga-
tion water service, Foley said. “Forev-
er is a very long time,” he added.

“We have a clock ticking on us, we
need to make a decision,” Foley said, re-
ferring to the October 2023 deadline the
Shores has to notify Vero whether it in-
tends to not renew its franchise agree-
ment which ends in 2027 to get water
and sewer service from the city.

But Brackett said he still thinks the
dispute can be ironed out.

Though the Vero Beach City Council
as an elected body remains entrenched
in its position that Indian River Shores
is part of a permanent water-sewer ser-
vice territory agreed to in 1989 by Vero
and Indian River County, Brackett said
he understands that Shores residents
are customers first.

“I’m going to speak on my behalf,
not this board, OK. If it was up to me,
I’d let the Shores go where they wanted
to go. I don’t want unhappy customers,
OK?” Brackett said.

“We don’t have to have that business
to survive. We’re just trying to build a
plant, and I have to know how many

14 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

St. Edward’s students are researching
genealogy of author and own families

BY GEORGE ANDREASSI to interview her 77-year-old parents
and their siblings for details about
Staff Writer their ancestors and request family
photos and documents.
A one-of-a-kind class at St. Edward's
Upper School is providing students Working with experts from Ances-
the chance to research the genealogi- tors.com, the students will also con-
cal background of a best-selling au- duct documentary research, obtaining
thor, as well as explore their own fam- records from local governments, librar-
ily histories. ies and other sources, Murphy said.

Rosalind Wiseman, an educator The students will also learn about
and author of the best-selling book the history of the times as they trace
that formed the basis for the 2004 film Wiseman's family history back to Eu-
“Mean Girls,” agreed to be the subject rope, Murphy said.
of the genealogy research project for
16 seniors, juniors and sophomores at Ultimately, the students will present
the private school. their findings during the “Big Reveal”
in April with Wiseman’s family and
Wiseman, founder of the Cultures of friends at the Waxlax Performing Arts
Dignity educational consulting firm, Center, Murphy said.
has been working with faculty, stu-
dents and parents at St. Ed’s for sev- The presentation will be similar
eral years on strategies for successfully to the television show “Who Do You
coping with the social and emotional Think You Are?” which features emo-
challenges of young adulthood. St. tional stories about the family histo-
Ed’s teachers also use curriculum ma- ries of celebrities, Murphy said.
terials developed by Wiseman in class.
“Each of the members of my class
“We were looking for a client that will have some part in the presenta-
might have some name recognition, tion,” Murphy said. “There will also be
but also someone who understands something to give as well, like a book,
the power of social media,” said Keira or some sort of presentation.”
Murphy, head of Middle School, who
is teaching the genealogy class. “I im- Wiseman said she never had much
mediately thought of Rosalind.” interest in her family’s genealogy, but
her mother has always been keenly in-
Murphy created her own curricu- terested in the topic.
lum for the course entitled “Teaching
History Through Genealogy One Gen- “I 100 percent know my mother
eration at a Time.” She is offering the would do this,” Wiseman said after
elective history course at St. Ed’s for a training session for St. Ed’s faculty.
the sixth time. “She’s into the lineage stuff. She’s into
the (family) tree.”
“It’s absolutely a unique curricu-
lum,” Murphy said. “I’m the only one Wiseman grew up in Washington,
in the country we know of that is D.C., but traces her family's history
teaching this kind of material at this back to Birmingham, Alabama, on her
level. mother's side and Pittsburgh on her
father's side.
“The folks I work with and collabo-
rate with do not know of any other Her ancestors on both sides of her
high school or middle school teacher family were Jewish emigres who came
doing this in the country.” to the U.S. from Germany and Poland,
her mother’s family in the mid-1800s
Murphy said she developed a pas- and her father’s family in the early
sion for genealogy while growing up in 1900s, Wiseman said.
a family with deep roots in the small
towns of Wheeling, West Virginia, and “I think it’s going to be great for the
Hagerstown, Indiana. kids to learn from my history,” Wise-
man said. “That’s amazing. I’m look-
“The skills that are required to be a ing forward to the students telling me
successful genealogist are also skills who I am.”
we want all of our students to know,”
Murphy said. In addition to the group project
about Wiseman, each student will
“How to write well, how to research conduct a genealogical investigation
well, how to make sure we are promot- of their own family, Murphy said.
ing work that is sound, to be account-
able to other people. All of those dif- “Some of them know quite a bit
ferent skills are used in genealogy and about their family backgrounds, but
also what we’re trying to teach here at my job is to get them to dig for the
every level of school.” documentation, the evidence that
supports the oral history that they
In addition to being interviewed at have heard,” Murphy said.
length about her family background,
Wiseman agreed to allow the students “Some students have no idea so
they’re learning something new every
day.” 





WWI MONUMENT DEDICATION DRAWS
SPECIAL VETERANS DAY SALUTE

18 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

WWI monument dedication draws special Veterans Day salute

Ben Evans stands at attention by the new World War I Monument. PHOTOS: STEPHANIE LaBAFF

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF those who served in that horrendous as an inspector general, responsible dren can all gather here to learn and
Staff Writer war.” for ensuring the combat readiness of remember that freedom is indeed not
nearly 75,000 airmen nationwide,” free. Let this monument, as with so
Veterans Memorial Island Sanctu- Appallingly, soon after the WWI said Treat. Since retirement, Halcomb many others here, serve generations
ary swelled with patriotism on Nov. monument was installed, it was van- has flown as a NASA pilot, trained he- to come as a sober reminder of why
11 in observance of Veterans Day and dalized in a deplorable act of dis- licopter pilots and served as admin- we serve and why we fight to preserve
the dedication of a World War I Mon- respect to veterans of all wars. But istrative manager at the Vero Beach our way of life in America, the greatest
ument. A sea of red, white and blue throughout the solemn ceremony, a Regional Airport. bastion of freedom mankind has ever
surrounded the flagpole – a new cer- sense of pride reverberated among known,” said Halcomb.
emonial location in deference to the the crowd of active-duty military, vet- “It’s great to see so many family
monument of a WWI “Dixie Dough- erans, law enforcement officers and a members, friends and comrades all “This nation owes you all a debt of
boy.” grateful community. gathered here in this sacred place,” gratitude, a debt that our founding
said Col. Halcomb. “This has been fathers knew would be perpetual as
Throughout the ceremony, Saint The keynote speaker, retired USAF a long time coming, as we mark the freedom is the one thing that tyranny
Edward’s School senior Ben Evans, Col. Carlos Halcomb, served 30 years, centennial of our World War I veterans will forever desire to extinguish,” said
attired in an authentic WWI uni- flying special operations helicopters returning home from their wartime Halcomb. “On this day, we pay per-
form, stood at attention alongside the and commanding special ops forces service in Europe and to have a monu- petual tribute to our World War I vet-
bronze and granite monument, which worldwide. He received 77 medals and ment solely dedicated to their services erans. We humbly honor the men and
was funded by the Military Officers decorations as a combat veteran of six in that war.” women who served and sacrificed in
Association of America. wars and conflicts from the Persian the Great War with this monument.”
Gulf War through Iraqi Freedom. Halcomb recognized that it was
“World War I, the ‘Great War,’ the WWI Lt. Alex MacWilliam who envi- Halcomb added that throughout
‘War to End All Wars’ claimed 16 mil- “Additionally, he served as the Dep- sioned the sanctuary, noting the irony our nation’s history, military service
lion souls: soldiers and sailors and ci- uty Commander for the Department of not having a WW I monument until members have protected the values
vilians alike,” said retired U.S. Army of Defense Manned Spaceflight Sup- now. and liberties upon which this nation
Maj. Terry Treat, master of ceremo- port Office, responsible for training was built.
nies. “Today, on Veterans Day at long NASA astronauts and military forces “This is a unique sanctuary where
last, we of Vero Beach formally honor on space shuttle launch and recovery veterans recall days gone by and fallen “And we honor them all on this day,
operations. He culminated his career comrades. Families, friends and chil- Veterans Day,” added Halcomb. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 19

PEOPLE

Charlie Sembler, Wesley Davis, Carole Jean Jordan and Trent Davis. Vice Mayor Rey Neville, Regina Moran, PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
County Commissioner Laura Moss and IRSO Det. Robert Ryan. Carroll Oates, Lorraine Holland, Roberta Oates and Javon Seaborn.

Ingrid and Victor Hernandez with Marcelo,
Sebastian and Isabella.

Frank Smith and Nancy Bucklew.

Retired USAF Colonels Carlos Halcomb
and Martin Zickert.

20 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Elke and George Fetterolf.

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 Virginia and Ron Price. Danielle Poehler, Savannah Black and Michael Poehler.
Terry Treat and Jim Romanek.

Join us for Sunday Worship
8:00am, 9:30am, & 11:00am

Quality discipleship, fellowship, music,
youth programs, and more - for all ages!

We would love for you to join our church family!

Sunday, November 28th

(1st Sunday of Advent)
This week’s message:
There’s No Place Like Home: “Overflowing Love”
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Rev Dr Tim Womack, Senior Pastor

520 Royal Palm Blvd First Presbyterian Preschool
Vero Beach, FL 32960 www.firstpresbyterianpreschool.org
(772) 562-9088 PRIMO School of Performing Arts
www.FirstPresVero.org
www.PRIMOMusic.org

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 21

PEOPLE

On Philanthropy Day, ‘giving’ thanks to a caring community

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF day. I went from a hopeless human
Staff Writer being to being full of hope for the fu-
ture.”
Members of the Association of Fun-
“Shawna exemplifies the power of
draising Professionals, Indian River our community and all of the resourc-
es that we have to make things like
chapter, were thrilled to host an in- this happen. It’s not a handout. It’s a
hand up,” said Elizabeth Thomason,
person luncheon to celebrate honored NPD co-chair with Taylor Farnsworth.

leaders for their philanthropic contri- Ryan Cobb, nominated by Gifford
Youth Achievement Center, is credited
butions at the 16th annual National with never giving a half effort and al-
ways striving to improve the lives of
Philanthropy Day, held at the Quail others through his service.

Valley River Club. Themed “Celebrat- Chief David Currey was nominated
by the Substance Awareness Center
ing the Path Forward,” the event rec- for leading by example, always com-
mitted and professional while dem-
ognized 10 nominees for their selfless onstrating exemplary volunteerism
and leadership.
support of the community.
Nominated by Childcare Resourc-
“National Philanthropy Day is PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 es, retired elementary school princi-
pal Susan Donovan devotes her time
celebrated every November at AFP PHOTOS: KAILA JONES toward the betterment of early child-
hood education.
chapters all around the globe,” said Angelia Perry, Ryan Cobb and Deborah Taylor-Long. ing from SafeSpace and the Women’s
Refuge, and now Habitat for Human- The youngest honoree, Emma Fini,
Shannon McGuire Bowman, AFP ity, which is helping her to become a a student at Saint Edward’s School,
homeowner. was nominated by Crossover Mission
president. “It’s a time for us to reflect community coming together.”
“Thank you very much for being
and really celebrate the philanthropy Guest speaker Shawna Carroll a part of the community that helps
make a difference to people like me,”
that’s happening in our communities, shared her own heart-wrenching said Carroll. Through the help and
support of all of these programs, I
in our own backyards.” story, recalling how local nonprofits have been able to get where I am to-

Noting that the past 18 months impacted her life as a pregnant and

have been filled with uncertainty and homeless young woman who had

doubt, she continued, “through it all, just gotten out of an abusive relation-

we have not stopped helping each ship. Carroll received support from

other. That’s really what National Phi- the Buggy Bunch, which provided

lanthropy is all about, that spirit of the food and household goods, counsel-

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22 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 Chief David Currey and Sheriff Eric Flowers. Bill and Judy Munn. Carol Ludwig and Shotsi Cain Lajoie.
Ashley Lombardo and Tara Wright.

for her work as a tutor and mentor, as Hope Woodhouse, Annette Rodriguez and Betsy Fox. clubhouses and a gymnasium.
well as helping with fundraising and Kathy Siegel, nominated by the VNA
scholarships. ing that an investment in children can the Boys & Girls Clubs in appre-
help them develop a sense of worth ciation for his leadership efforts in & Hospice House, has been the lead
Shotsi Cain Lajoie, nominated by the which translates to positive outcomes. expanding the organization with flower volunteer since 2003, persisting
Center for Spiritual Care, has inspired the addition of two state-of-the-art even through the pandemic to collect
colleagues, patrons and the public at Bill Munn was nominated by floral donations and making arrange-
large by developing creative initiatives ments from her home for Hospice
and programs at the center. House.

The Buggy Bunch nominated Ashley Treasure Coast Community Health
Lombardo for her selfless giving to the nominated their 75 dedicated Vacci-
organization through financial sup- nation Volunteers for going above and
port and as a mentor, leader and board beyond in helping TCCH administer
member. more than 24,000 COVID-19 vaccines
and tests.
Brad Lorimier was nominated by Big
Brothers Big Sisters for his financial For information, visit community.
gifts, gifts of time, and his understand- afpglobal.org/afpindianriver. 

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24 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Ladling out lots of support for Samaritan Center Soup Bowl

BY MARY SCHENKEL STORY, PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGES 26-27 PHOTOS: KAILA JONES restaurants to supply us with do-
Staff Writer nated soup, we asked them would
Myrna Renkert, Jean Gaul and Patty Wright. resonate, but I have also gotten mul- they please support us by offering a
A steady stream of shoppers made tiple comments, calls and emails ask- gift certificate to their restaurant,”
their way to the Heritage Center re- back that everyone loves seeing all ing, ‘Where’s the soup?’” said Bireley, said Bireley. “That way we feel like it
cently, eager to choose from this the bowls in one location. In the past adding that they may try a hybrid ap- would drive traffic to the restaurant
year’s enormous crop of hand-crafted it really was a scavenger hunt. Two proach next year. and help them out too.”
bowls at the 29th annual Samaritan years ago, we had about 46 locations,
Center Soup Bowl: Empty Bowls – Full so you literally would have to go to a “Since we did not ask our local For the raffle this year, two fabulous
Hearts. The Bernard Egan Founda- lot of different locations. So this does soup tureens were crafted by artists
tion was the presenting sponsor. Nancy Blair and Walford Campbell,
and each came with four matching
As it was last year, the all-day event bowls.
was held solely at the Heritage Center,
again minus vats of delicious, donat- Additionally, Bireley said, “we div-
ed soup, but with the talents of local vied up all of the restaurant gift cer-
potters fully on display. tificates and whoever wins these gor-
geous pieces of art will also get these
“We had over 1,700 bowls this year; gift certificates, valued at over $300.”
it’s the most we’ve ever had pro-
duced,” said Renee Bireley, Samari- Bireley said they were excited to
tan Center development manager. “It have the event at the Heritage Center,
has such a following and some people which comes with its own special his-
actually come in looking for specific tory.
artists.”
“And Indian River Clay really, re-
Bowls were displayed on long tables ally stepped up to the plate. They’re
all throughout the room, which made amazing. We had over 60 artists;
it easier to see the vast variety avail- that’s one of the most ever,” she said,
able. noting that the number also included
some independent potters. “It’s been
“We’ve gotten a lot of positive feed- a fabulous partnership.”

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26 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 Chris Schmitt and Jessica Schmitt
Ruth Brown and Beverly Swatt.

Mark Wygonik and Harry Pepe. Dave and Elizabeth Johnson.

Judy Proud and Sandra Burns.
Jean Milkie and Carolyn Flynn.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 27

PEOPLE

“There were several this year that that Jean Gaul decorated. the Samaritan Center provides home- funded by private donations, grants
were collaborations, which is some- In addition to the artisans, there less families in Indian River County and two signature fundraisers, one of
thing that we didn’t do in the past. So with transitional housing in a safe, which is the Soup Bowl.
somebody throws and then somebody were another 40 or so volunteers who nurturing environment, and guid-
else decorates,” said Maria Sparsis, helped make it a successful event, ance to prepare them for indepen- More than 1,000 bowls were sold at
Indian River Clay board chair, select- said Bireley, adding: “It really is a true dent living. Proceeds support oper- the event, but others are still being sold
ing a piece thrown by Glenda Jackson labor of love.” ating expenses, which are primarily at Coffee House 1420 or by calling Bire-
ley at 772-770-3039. 
A program of Catholic Charities,

28 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Community Outreach ‘Evening of Giving’ gala well received

BY SAMANTHA ROHLFING BAITA PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 30 “haven’t seen since last spring,” an Education Foundation, St. Francis
Staff Writer observation shared by General Man- Manor, Samaritan Center, Veterans
Theresa Kelso and Pam Rogers. PHOTOS: KAILA JONES ager Michael Gibson. Council, Bike Walk Inc., Hope for
The Grand Harbor Club was grand Families Center, Senior Resource
indeed and bursting with good will, by longtime Grand Harbor resident Theresa Kelso, chair of the event Association, Voices for Children,
as 220 members, a limited number and pianist extraordinaire Mary- with co-chair Pam Rogers, explained Children’s Home Society, Tykes and
as a COVID precaution, gathered re- anne Bohlinger, transformed for the that the star trees, an annual tradi- Teens, Redlands Christian Migrants
cently to share ‘An Evening of Giv- evening into a musical elf, complete tion, represented all 14 of the scru- Association and Transitional Living
ing,’ a glittering annual event to fund with a red-trimmed green top, leg- pulously vetted charities. Each Program.
the Grand Harbor Community Out- gings, pointy cap and elfin slippers. nonprofit had an ‘elfin’ volunteer
reach Program, which this year is assigned to it, who, after learning Liz Melnick, said of the Outreach
supporting 14 local nonprofits. Kathy Tonkel, GHCOP board about the charities’ various needs, Program, that “it all began with
president, said the event tradition- wrote one wish on each star, gather- cookbooks back around ’04.” And
Guests, festively dressed in the ally kicks off the holiday season for ing as many as possible. she’s been volunteering ever since.
colors of the season, gathered in the Grand Harbor, and puts people in a
grand foyer, where they mixed, min- giving mood. She added that as the Guests could then choose stars Other tempting opportunities for
gled and enjoyed pre-dinner hors pandemic forced the 2020 event to representing the items they wished giving included a raffle and a silent
d’oeuvres set out before the elegant take place virtually, everyone was es- to fund, returning the star with a auction of irresistible and varied
fireplace. Dominating the room was pecially delighted to see friends they check. A hallway display of beautiful, items, presented in holiday-adorned
a big, beautiful Christmas tree, hung descriptive posters provided addi- table vignettes.
with hundreds of red and green pa- tional information and supplemen-
per stars. A second star-covered tree tal materials about each nonprofit. Kelso says that donations will be
stood glowing at the bottom of the accepted until Dec. 5, after which
grand curving staircase. Maryann Braden, Celia Montgom- volunteers will wrap toys and other
ery and Jan Harrell were among the non-monetary donations for delivery
A spirit of gaiety and good cheer 14 dedicated elves, who spent much in plenty of time for Christmas. She
filled the air, as friends enjoyed the of the evening beside the star-be- added that last year’s virtual event
decorative surroundings and the decked trees, familiarizing guests raised some $33,000, the highest to-
delectable holiday meal. Seasonal with their assigned charities and tal ever.
background music was provided the amazing, varied missions they
represent: The Source, Camp Haven, For more information, visit ghcop.
org. 

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30 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28 Ed Churney, William Churney, Henriette Churney and Joyce Churney. Jan Harrell and Liz Melnick.
Celia Montgomery and Diane DeFrancisci.

Gunilla and Jack Stone. Barbara and Jack Reis.

Susan and Andy Michaels. Gail Parsons and Carol Ceplenski.

Nancy Forlines and Mark Keim. Jan Garrison and Catherine Reichert.



32 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT COVER STORY

Nearly two decades ago, when the an in-person concert on Saturday fea-
Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries Build- turing performances by Shaed, the
ing closed because of structural issues, cast of HBO Max’s “Legendary” with
the Internet was mostly dial-up, the D.C. go-go band Black Alley, and oth-
iPhone didn’t exist and a niche website ers; and a family day on Sunday.
called The Facebook had just launched.
THE BUILDING ALONE IS
Since 2004, the AIB – once the go- WORTH EXPLORING.
to spot on the National Mall for dis-
plays of invention and innovation America’s first official “National Mu-
– has remained mostly shuttered, a seum,” AIB is a fitting place to think
258,000-square foot void on some of about the future.
the most coveted real estate in the
world. When the building opened in 1881,
the Smithsonian primarily focused on
Last week, it came back to life for “Fu- research, and scholars had been us-
tures,” an exhibition, on view through ing the Castle as storage. The second
next July 6, that enlists artists, sci-fi Smithsonian building, AIB, created
writers, engineers, designers and oth- additional space to keep animal speci-
ers to envision the world of tomorrow. mens, nascent technologies, geologi-
AIB director Rachel Goslins likens it to a cal samples, musical instruments and
“World’s Fair of ideas.” other objects for research – all in a
venue the public could visit.
The exhibition is the centerpiece of
the Smithsonian’s 175th-anniversary Ultimately, AIB became an incuba-
celebration.

The reopening kicked off with vir-
tual events on Friday starring Bill Nye;

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 33

INSIGHT COVER STORY

The “Futures” exhibition
at the Smithsonian Arts
and Industries Building.

tor for new museums. Air and Space,
American History, the Natural His-
tory Museum lived here before they
found official, permanent homes on
the Mall.

Stepping into the building today
feels like a revelation – and not just be-
cause it remained closed for so long.
With red brick and opaque windows,
the exterior has an unassuming quality.
But the interior – illuminated with the
natural light of more than 900 windows,
boasting a 108-foot high rotunda, soar-
ing archways, ornate Moorish-inspired
stenciling – comes as a surprise.

Designed by architect Adolf Cluss,
it’s a mishmash of architectural styles.
Officially “High Victorian,” the build-
ing has a Neoclassical symmetry, play-
ful colored bricks and stands as one
of the few extant examples of World’s
Fair-era “Festival” style architecture.

Inside, it has an airy, warehouse feel
that Goslins calls “industrial chic.” Ar-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

34 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33 INSIGHT COVER STORY

Aidan Bean installs Suchi
Reddy’s interactive
sculpture “Me + You.”

Beatriz Cortez’s speculative chitectural flourishes allude to AIB’s
time machine. past: The floor has tiles made of fos-
sils, and crown moldings feature me-
chanical gears and a floral motif sym-
bolizing the arts. Its shape – a Greek
cross that is symmetrical on all four
sides – lends itself to a non-hierarchi-
cal exhibition space essential to the
philosophy behind “Futures.”

Bonner Sale works on the art Tega Brain sets up her “Coin When you picture an exhibition
installation “Expanded Pres- Operated Wetland” for the about the future, you might expect
ent” by Soo Sunny Park. “Futures” exhibition. airborne automobiles and beeping
robots. At “Futures,” you’ll find that: a
Virgin’s Hyperloop train. massive flying car fills half an exhibi-
tion hall and robots – such as a “Robot
Roomie” used to alleviate loneliness
in 2020 – come in ample supply.

But the “futures” of this exhibition
aren’t meant simply to inspire awe.

Organized around themes of sustain-
ability, connectivity and imagination,
“Futures” will explore the potential of
art, design and technology with site-
specific displays and commissions, in-
cluding a robotic health aide, a deli case
of lab-grown meat and insect proteins,
and a biodegradable burial pod.

In the show, you can do your laun-
dry with water recirculated from wet-
lands (courtesy of Australian artist
Tega Brain); check out a deli stocked
with cell cultured salmon and insect
snacks; and meditate with a mesmer-
izing, AI-powered, kinetic sculpture by
Emanuel Gollob.

The show envisions futures of the ev-
eryday. We might drink water sourced
straight from the air as made possible
by Water Harvesting Inc.’s prototype
machine, and tastes might be re-cre-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 35

INSIGHT COVER STORY

ated by shaving synthetic flavor mol- you could breeze through in 15 min- This piece is a beautiful illustration I see it as a mirror. The most valuable
ecules as envisioned by Alexandra Ge- utes or get lost in for hours. It’s not just of the future in which we all have a object is the visitor.”
nis’s “Atoma Spice Clusters.” the beacons that invite you to partici- voice, but no one has singular con-
pate. You can play Minecraft with your trol,” said Brad MacDonald, the direc- The colors merge together on a tall,
The exhibition’s curatorial ap- eyes, build a virtual neighborhood and tor of creative media at the Arts and white shaft, creating – in the same spot
proach – one of provocation rather play “Never Alone,” an Xbox game that Industries Building. Other elements, that Thomas Edison’s lightbulb made its
than explanation – relies heavily on retells an oral history tale from Native including ones that use artificial intel- first public appearance in D.C. – a lumi-
technology to gather visitor reaction Alaskan Iñupiat people. ligence and augmented reality, create nescent, shifting monument to our col-
and incorporate it into the experience. a truly democratic exhibition. lective vision of what’s to come. 
Much of the art commissioned for
Goslins says the show aims to get at the show is interactive, too. “The challenge and beauty of it is Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries Build-
“how the future feels.” And at a time there are answers we can’t provide, ing, 900 Jefferson Dr. SW. aib.si.edu.
when doom often outweighs optimism, For example, the sculpture “Me + and curatorially that’s a relief. We can’t
it has accomplished something by cre- You” by artist/architect Suchi Reddy tell you what the future will be, so we DATES: Through July 6.
ating an exhibition that feels not just asks visitors to speak their visions of don’t have to,” he said. “All of the ob- ADMISSION: Free.
possible but hopeful. the future into microphones, and then jects are opportunities for people to
their words are translated into color reflect on what is important to them.
and light.

Long and staff-like, a “diviner’s tool”
used in Yoruba culture to advise indi-
viduals on what paths to take in the
future, marks the beginning of the
exhibition. Displayed perpendicular
to a red rocket from the Air and Space
Museum and adjacent to Arnaldo
Pomodoro’s “Sphere No. 6,” from the
Hirshhorn, the object’s placement un-
derscores the show’s emphasis on the
plural in “futures.”

Organized around values (Futures
that “Work,” “Unite,” and “Inspire”)
instead of categories, the exhibition
is “antidisciplinary,” says Goslins, and
walking through it, you have the sense
that you’re receiving glimpses of dif-
ferent futures, rather than any coher-
ent narrative.

Barely a year after its first test track
run in Las Vegas, Virgin’s Hyperloop
train, which could theoretically travel
from New York to D.C. in 30 minutes,
is on view alongside a round, meteor-
shaped, speculative time machine by
artist Beatriz Cortez inspired by an-
cient Mayan storage practices. Cura-
tor Ashley Molese describes the ob-
jects as “two different apparatuses
that can travel you through space and
time,” affording the imagined and the
engineered equal legitimacy.

Throughout the exhibition you’ll
bump into touchless, interactive
screens called “beacons” that pose
questions about the future, connect-
ed to objects in the show. (Results are
aggregated on a display monitor that
you’ll see on your way out.)

They ask about matters practical –
“When do you think we will be able to
print lifesaving 3-D organs?” – and pro-
found – “Do you think your community
will have more or less empathy in 2030?”

“Futures” is the kind of exhibition

36 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT OPINION

America does a lot of cruel things to its citizens, environment in 75 years, and they couldn’t afford to ing more affordable for those who could keep jobs in
and one of the cruelest is to make a huge joke out move out on their own. expensive cities while moving to cheaper housing mar-
of grown people living with their parents and then kets, and at first it reduced prices in expensive cities.
make housing too expensive for many grown people Things didn’t get much better in the 2010s as the
to afford. job market slowly improved but inadequate housing But it made those cheaper markets much less afford-
supply in job-rich places plus tightened mortgage- able for the non-remote workers already there, even as
Like, judging purely by levels of cultural mockery, lending standards kept making it hard for young prices have mostly recovered in the expensive places.
what percentage of young adults do you think still adults to get their own places. “The affordability gains that were enjoyed in places like
lives in the rumpus room and yells for Ma to bring San Francisco and Seattle have been far more transi-
some meatloaf? The number of households grew rapidly in the U.S. tory than the affordability losses in places like Spokane
in the decades after World War II, initially because the and Boise,” says Apartment List’s Warnock.
1. 1% war and Great Depression had held back household
2. 10% formation, and then because the many, many Baby Some of this should work itself out eventually, in
3. 25% Boomers started entering adulthood and moving out part because it’s usually easier to add more housing in
Wrong, wrong and wrong. The correct answer is on their own. places like Spokane and Boise than in San Francisco
43%. During the pandemic, that spiked to nearly half or Seattle. But the case for a sustained housing boom
of all Americans aged 18 to 29. Household formation slowed as the growth in over the next few years does seem to depend on there
When the pandemic hit last year, young adults the young-adult population slowed and then began not being too much more of a boom in prices.
moved back in with their parents in a big way. Now declining in the 1990s. But even as members of the
the share of 18-to-29-year-olds living with parents and giant millennial generation started entering prime After that another significant development looms.
grandparents is back about where it was before Co- moving-out age, household formation kept drag- According to the Census Bureau’s most recent projec-
vid-19 arrived. ging, with the 2010s delivering the lowest percentage tions, the number of Americans aged 25 through 34
Still, you might think that 42.8% of 18-to-29-year- growth in at least 160 years. will decline in the second half of this decade and after
olds living in their childhood bedrooms or maybe that grow extremely slowly for decades to come.What’s
the basement – which is the September percentage So what happens now? The great pandemic re- more, because these projections date from 2017 and
estimated by University of Maryland sociology pro- turn-to-the-nest has reversed, but there’s still a much don’t reflect subsequent drops in both birth rates and
fessor Philip N. Cohen from Census Bureau data – higher share of young adults living at home than immigration, they’re probably on the high side.
sounds like a lot. And yes, by the standards of the six there was two decades ago.
decades preceding the Great Recession, it really is. The most obvious takeaway here is that demand
That the percentage has risen every decade since That might signify a lot of pent-up demand for for housing will slow. But who would have predict-
the 1960s is an indication that some long-run social housing, sort of like there was after World War II. ed half a century ago that the percentage of young
forces have been at work. More young adults are at- And yes, household growth has been picking up in adults living with their parents would rise so much?
tending college and thus delaying getting their own recent months, according to data gathered by Apart- Slower growth in the young-adult population could,
permanent lodgings, and in general the growing-up ment List senior research associate Rob Warnock if it translates into slower growth in housing prices,
process has become more drawn-out. Immigrant from the same Census Bureau survey as the living- conceivably enable a reversal of that rise.
families, of whom there are far more in the U.S. now with-the-parents statistics in the top chart.
than in 1960 and 1970, are more likely to embrace Or not: It’s relatively easy to project demographic
multi-generational living. But a key reason why household growth was so slow trends; it’s much harder to assess their impact on
Still, the big jump from 2000 to 2010 had some before the pandemic was that young people (and not- the economy or asset markets or politics or anything
obvious short-term economic causes too. In the lat- so-young people) couldn’t afford to move out on their else. But the propensity of young people to move out
ter part of that decade, huge numbers of Americans own. With a 15.8% increase in rents nationwide over of the parental home seems like an indicator worth
were entering adulthood amid the worst economic the past 12 months according to Apartment List and keeping an eye on. 
an 18.4% increase in home purchase prices according
to Zillow, that’s still going to be the case for many. A version of this column by Justin Fox and Mark
Gongloff first appeared on Bloomberg. It does not
The move to remote work over the course of the pan- necessarily reflect the views of Vero Beach 32963.
demic has had its own perverse effects. It made hous-

During the coronavirus crisis, our Pelican Plaza office is closed to visitors. We appreciate your understanding.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 37

INSIGHT OPINION

When Ticketmaster tells Elena Constan- and it promised to refund the money to slow refunds for events that are post- etmaster with your concern. I list the
tinescu that her opera has been canceled, my credit card. But I never received it. poned (some indefinite-ly). The or- names, numbers and emails of the
it promises a refund. But the money nev- Can you help me get my money back? ganizers don't want to refund your Ticketmas-ter executives on my con-
er comes.Where is it? money, even though they should. In- sumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.
ANSWER: stead, they keep you hanging, telling
QUESTION: you that you will get tickets when the I reviewed the correspondence be-
Yours is a tragedy worthy of a Verdi op- show gets rescheduled. The terms and tween you and Ticketmaster. It looked
In February 2020, I used my Visa card era. The pandemic! The promise! And conditions are pretty murky. No one as if Ticketmaster claimed to have
to purchase three tickets to "Rigoletto" the unfulfilled vow! But this should ever reads the fine print when buying refunded your tickets, but the funds
through Ticket-master. I paid $315 for have had a decidedly un-operatic end- a concert ticket, be-cause they have hadn't landed in your account. I rec-
the tickets. But the event was post- ing, at least not one like Rigoletto. Tick- every intention of making it to the ommend-ed that you check with your
poned because of COVID. et-master should have refunded your show. bank to see if it could find the refund.
money quickly, as it promised. That's Separately, I also reached out to Tick-
In early 2021, Ticketmaster informed more of a Hollywood ending, and we But was Ticketmaster really trying etmaster to see if it could provide any
me that the event had been canceled, like those here, too. to keep your money? You could have details of your refund.
reached out to an ex-ecutive at Tick-
I've seen a few cases like this, with And here's that Hollywood ending,
though I can't really take credit for it:
Your bank checked your account and
sure enough, Ticketmaster had refund-
ed you as promised. Why couldn't you
find it? Ticketmaster posted the refund
in early February, but it didn't show up
in your account until a few days later.
After you found it, you dropped your
claim against the company.

Ticketmaster did what it promised.
The curtain falls on this case! 

Get help with any consumer prob-
lem by contacting Christopher Elliott at
http://www.elliott.org/help

38 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BOOKS

“Louis, I think this is the be- remarked that it would though today we celebrate the close wartime relation-
ginning of a beautiful friend- have been better titled ship between Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, the two
ship.” Few moments in cinema “Our Vichy Fumble.” leaders were profoundly divided on their approach to
history are more famous than France. While Roosevelt gambled on Pétain, the British
these words spoken by Rick Now this controver- supported de Gaulle, who had arrived in London after
Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), the sial period of U.S. pol- the fall of France. Churchill often found de Gaulle dif-
owner of the seedy Rick’s bar, icy is revisited by the ficult to deal with, but Britain never reneged on its sup-
to the local French police chief, American diplomatic port for him – to the fury of Hull.
Louis Renault (Claude Rains), at historian Michael S.
the end of the 1942 film “Casa- Neiberg. One mes- The crunch moment for the U.S. policy of cultivating
blanca.” But probably few people sage of his meticu- Vichy came in November 1942 when Allied troops land-
remember today that this most lously researched ed in North Africa. The hope was that the Vichy leaders
beloved of Hollywood romantic on the ground would rally to the Allies. In fact, Vichy
dramas carried contemporary po- but extremely read- troops resisted as long as they could: 1,469 people died
litical messages. able book, “When (including 530 American troops). When further resis-
France Fell: The tance proved impossible, Adm. Jean-François Darlan,
In 1942 Morocco was part of the Vichy Crisis and the most senior Vichy leader present in North Africa,
French North African territories the Fate of the An- defied Pétain in France and signed an armistice with
controlled by the Vichy govern- glo-American Alli- the Americans. But he did this only after the Germans
ment of Marshal Philippe Pétain. ance,” is that this were allowed to land in Tunisia, from where it took an-
Established after France’s defeat in was no minor side other five months for the Allies to dislodge them.
World War II in 1940, Pétain’s gov-
ernment was pursuing a policy of story. It was cen- Even so, the Americans agreed to install Darlan in
collaboration with Nazi Germany. tral to the history North Africa. This “Darlan deal” with a notoriously
In the film, Louis has to obey the of World War II, right-wing, antisemitic former collaborator caused
orders of the Germans. Only in the even if it was later international outrage. The Americans were probably
last scene does he suddenly discover overshadowed in relieved when Darlan was assassinated at the end of
a patriotic backbone. He allows the American mem- December 1942. Still suspicious of de Gaulle, Roosevelt
beautiful Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) to escape with her hus- ory by the war in found another candidate to take charge in North Af-
band, a leader of the European resistance. Rick lets po- the Pacific. France’s fall in 1940 alarmed rica in the form of Gen. Henri Giraud. Giraud was re-
litical conviction trump his love for Ilsa. He watches Ilsa the Roosevelt administration just as much as the attack actionary and inept, but at least he was not de Gaulle.
and her husband board the aircraft that will take them on Pearl Harbor 18 months later. Secretary ofWar Henry The British became ever more exasperated, but right
to freedom and shoots the German officer who tries Stimson later called it “the most shocking single event up until D-Day Roosevelt did all he could to sideline de
to prevent them. Louis, instead of denouncing Rick, of the war.” What if the huge French fleet – described by Gaulle.
orders his men to “round up the usual suspects.” Toss- Hull as a “cocked gun waiting for Germany to shoot at
ing a bottle of Vichy water into a wastepaper basket, he us” – fell into German hands? What if the Germans got Neiberg tells us that he started with the hypothesis
walks off into the night with Rick to join the anti-Vichy access to French territories in the Caribbean? What if that U.S. policy might have been justified in terms
French forces of Gen. Charles de Gaulle. the Germans were allowed to use the French base at the of necessary pragmatism. States sometimes have to
port of Dakar, jutting out dangerously into the Atlantic? get their hands dirty in a wider cause. He concludes,
American viewers of the film would have grasped In short, the French defeat meant that the entire West- however, that in the end the policy produced nothing
only too well that the offstage villain is Pétain and the ern Hemisphere was dangerously exposed. and was “based as much on fear, confusion, and mis-
offstage hero de Gaulle – but they would also have The American administration desperately cobbled guided faith as anything else.” Again and again his
known that their own government had for the past two together a response to this threat. Its solution was to judgments are excoriating: “The United States had
years sedulously cultivated Pétain’s Vichy regime and reach out to the Vichy regime. Although the politician no positive influence on Vichy leaders.” Even Leahy
contemptuously ostracized de Gaulle, who opposed it and former French prime minister Pierre Laval was wrote to Roosevelt that he could not “point to any
from London. “Casablanca” tapped into the huge un- committed to collaboration, other figures at Vichy, such useful accomplishment that we have made since my
popularity of this policy among the American public. as Gen. Maxime Weygand, were believed to be more arrival six months ago. 
Secretary of State Cordell Hull was so embarrassed by favorable to the Allies. Pétain’s true beliefs remained
criticisms of this policy that he offered unfettered access mysterious. President Franklin Roosevelt sent his close WHEN FRANCE FELL
to State Department archives to the Harvard historian friend Adm. William Leahy to be American ambassa-
William Langer so that Langer could write a defense. dor to Vichy. To show how much this mattered, Leahy THE VICHY CRISIS AND THE FATE OF
While not a complete whitewash, Langer’s book, “Our arrived in January 1941 with the full pomp usually af- THE ANGLO-AMERICAN ALLIANCE
Vichy Gamble,” was broadly apologetic; one reviewer forded only to a president.
Another theme of Neiberg’s excellent book is that, al- BY MICHAEL S. NEIBERG | HARVARD. 312 PP. $29.95
REVIEW BY JULIAN JACKSON, THE WASHINGTON POST

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 39

INSIGHT BRIDGE

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SOUTH
In bridge, it is beneficial if your partner is an agreeable friend; but on some deals you K65
need to call on another friend, one of your opponents. AJ3
Q 10 9 7
How can South get some help from a defender in this deal? He is in three no-trump, AQ8
and West leads a fourth-highest club five.
Dealer: South; Vulnerable: Both
This is surely the most common bidding sequence. It is amazing how often three no-
trump makes when you have at least 25 points between you and your partner. The Bidding:

First, declarer counts up his top tricks, his immediate winners. Here, he has eight: two SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST OPENING
hearts, four diamonds and two clubs (given West’s lead). From where might the ninth 1 NT Pass 3 NT All Pass
winner come? LEAD:
5 Clubs
There are two candidates. The heart finesse might succeed; or East might hold the
spade ace.

However, if you glance at the full deal, you will see that East has neither the spade ace
nor the heart queen. Instead, declarer can call on his left-hand partner, West, to provide
a ninth trick. Since the dummy contains the club four and three, West must hold at most
a five-card club suit. South should cash three of his diamond tricks, then take the club
ace and exit with his last club.

While West takes two more tricks in that suit, dummy discards two spades, and declarer
ditches one spade and his last diamond. What does West do now?

If he leads a spade, it is away from the ace and around to South’s king. Or, if he chooses
a heart, it is into declarer’s ace-jack.





42 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT GAMES

SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (NOVEMBER 18) ON PAGE 68

ACROSS DOWN
1 Contented sound (4) 1 Theatre fan (4-4)
3 Soggy mass (4) 2 Change direction (8)
9 Think up (5) 4 Without reward (6)
10 Holy books (9) 5 Ghost (7)
11 On edge, tense (5) 6 Famous person (4)
12 Musician (9) 7 Watery part of milk (4)
15 -- Hemingway, author (6) 8 Operatic song (4)
17 Blacken the name of (6) 13 Youngster (8)
19 Flat (9) 14 Something hated (8)
21 Custom (5) 16 Smash (7)
23 Small orange (9) 18 Large bottle (6)
24 Lifting machine (5) 20 Arduous journey (4)
25 Short slope (4) 21 Chop roughly (4)
26 Flat-topped hill (4) 22 Boyfriend (4)

The Telegraph

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 / November 25, 2021 43

INSIGHT GAMES

ACROSS 104 Prom getup 47 Footnote abbr., The Washington Post
1 “What a pity” 106 Feb. 14 sentiment from op. ___
6 Best Actress of 1987 LOVE LETTERS By Merl Reagle
10 Jinx-breaking team, in twins in old ads? 48 Old Italian money
108 Word with eared 49 Cut for TV
2004 headlines 51 Secular
13 NBA nickname or sided
16 Feb. 14 figure? 109 Fitting 52 Done shooting, as a movie
18 Half a spy 112 Actor Barker 56 Pizzeria, e.g.
19 Early flood insurance? 113 James who co-scripted The 58 Blubber
20 Pal of Pooh 63 Cow namesakes
21 Feb. 14 entreaty? African Queen 64 Old exclamation
24 Flow’s partner 114 Piece of “the San 66 Brain nos.
25 Keep ___ on 68 Some votes
26 Be a bounder? Francisco treat” 70 Overture follower
27 ___ dancer 116 Former Houston player 72 Boyfriend
28 Waited, perhaps 118 Maude’s portrayer 74 Rachel Carson’s ___ Around
29 Call for assistance 119 End of a Feb. 14 refrain?
30 “___ Day Now” 123 Capt.’s subordinates Us
32 Feb. 14 plea to a rival? 124 “Cloud-hopper” 75 Hemingway or Bear
37 Brave moguls 125 Harsh element 77 Term for Jesus, the ___ God
38 False belief 126 Unloved one’s sentiment? 79 ___-order (customized)
39 Hoboes may ride them 127 Good place to go for a drive 80 Noted número
40 Sailor’s back 128 For each 85 Time ____
42 Ledger doc 129 Connectable things (old sci-fi series)
44 ___ About You 130 Night, in Naples 86 Talon
45 Delhi dough 87 Total
46 Gershwin classic? DOWN 88 Re-rent, in a way
50 Silas Marner author 1 Markdowns 90 Rushed wildly
53 One of its letters stands for 2 Part of SRO 92 Gary’s state: abbr.
3 Need oiling 94 Holly genus
“Olds” 4 P.D. alert 96 Do the lawn
54 Outfoxing 5 Vaguely 100 Overactor or robber
6 Wedding setting 101 Vicinity
55 This isn’t working 7 Shallow title role for Jack 102 Kesey’s Ratched and others
57 Starting stakes 103 Sufficient, old-style
59 Visceral Black 105 “... Easter bonnet, with all
60 Alice in Wonderland party 8 Afore
9 As close to the action as you the frills ___”
drink 107 Béarnaise, for one
61 Ms. Moreno can get 108 Use, as a chaise
62 Falling-in-love 10 It fell in 1975 109 “___ like ours could never
11 “Ready ___”
observation? 12 Classic Jaguar die ...” (Beatles lyric)
65 ___ Spumante 13 More marvelous, to a teen 110 Andean nation
14 U.S. Grant foe 111 Jay Presson Allen play
67 “No way, comrade” 15 Assignment 115 Bible bk.
69 RPM device 16 The Flintstones pet 117 “___ It Romantic”
71 Indistinguishable mass 17 Certain salon bottle 118 A sandwich, for short
73 Feb. 14 greeting? 21 Used to be 119 Fool
76 Related to circuitry: abbr. 22 Singer Jerry 120 Marriage agreement?
78 Long-legged Australian 23 Up ___ good 121 York’s rank: abbr.
81 With Bee, a honey brand 28 Clothes closer 122 Honeymoon quorum
82 Author Alexander 31 Council or Creed of 325 a.d.
83 Board sticker 33 Uproar
84 Sonora saloon 34 Letters on a stamp
86 Hypo units 35 Yahoos
89 Certain Prot. 36 Old oil co.
91 Frankie Valli hit? 37 Town, to the Dutch
93 Meg and Jo’s creator 38 Little bit of goo
95 U.N. VIP 40 Red in the face
97 Trav. heading 41 Tutti-___
98 Balaam’s beast 43 Violinist Niccolò
99 Carefree walk 45 Goes bad
100 Stranded 46 Byte or dose preceder

The Telegraph

44 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BACK PAGE

She moved in to help widowed son; now asked to move out

BY CAROLYN HAX grandchildren was heroic. Dropping that blame a friend you can trust not to stoke
Washington Post bomb on your son’s fiancee is not. your grievances. Someone who
loves you but also understands the
Dear Carolyn: Over three years Your son and his new wife absolutely, completely couple’s wishes is best equipped to
ago, my son was widowed. I moved deserve space to create their own household. It has guide you.
in and helped care for my three nothing to do with you personally.
grandchildren (8 to 14), kept the Remember, too, that two mothers’
house, and basically enabled him to And it’s as much your son’s choice as hers. deaths, a wife’s death, grieving chil-
hold his life together. A woman who had not lived in a crowded house- dren, a new marriage, and people
Last year he started dating a nice woman, and it was hold and not nursed her dying mother would reason- in new roles as stepparent and step-
so great to see him happy again. She is 35, the youngest ably ask this. If I were in her place, but coming from children is a ton to navigate already.
of a large family, and lived with her mother until her my own home after years of living alone, I would ask They need allies right now.
mother died shortly before she started dating my son. it.
Because of this family dynamic, I assumed she would You’re facing loss and upheaval, yes, and it hurts. I If you’re truly seeking other per-
welcome my staying on after the marriage. They both do sympathize. I’m arguing your son’s case so force- spectives, not just validation, then
work and I can help so much, especially after they pos- fully only to shine that “different light.” you’re halfway there.
sibly have a baby. So do not damage your relationship with this
The wedding is months away, and my son initiated couple with your wounded feelings. Find someone Now tell your son you’re sorry you
a discussion about my finding a place of my own. I pre- outside the family to talk to – a therapist, ideally, or pushed back – if you can mean it – and you stand
sented my case for staying on, but he said his fiancee is ready to welcome his bride and still help from wher-
looking forward to running her own household after so ever you land.
many years living with her mother.
I feel like I’m being punished for the sins of a dead Practice saying it till it flows. It is your way into this
woman. I want to love and welcome my new daughter- family, not out.
in-law into our family, but it’s hard when she’s kicking
me out. Readers’ thoughts:
Am I wrong to feel this way? How can I possibly look · With her own abode, Grandma would be able to
at it in a different light? provide a welcoming space for her grandchildren if
there is a bumpy transition with the new stepmother.
– Kicked to the Curb · Don’t focus only on what you will be “giving up,”
focus on the new life opening up for you. You and
Kicked to the Curb: What you did for your son and your new daughter-in-law have something in com-
mon, you have both devoted your lives to the service
of others – but you’re now getting a chance to live on
your own terms. 

CREATING GARDEN
CLUB ORNAMENTS

BRINGS JOY TO
ARTIST’S WORLD

46 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Creating Garden Club ornaments brings joy to artist’s world

BY MARY SCHENKEL | STAFF WRITER be a great fundraising idea here as well.
“She said maybe we could do some-
The Garden Club of Indian River
County recently released its 30th Christ- thing like this of historical places in Vero
mas ornament – appropriately show- Beach. I mean, we don’t have such a long
casing the Garden Club itself and its history, but there are places of some sig-
‘clubhouse’ building in downtown Vero nificance. As you know, there are many
Beach. The ornament is the latest of the things that are of interest.”
sought-after collectibles, each of which
have highlighted local landmarks, and It was a go, and Wijetilleke designed
all but one artistically designed by artist their inaugural ornament, the Vero
Arundathi (Arun) Wijetilleke. Beach Railroad Station, in 1992.

Wijetilleke explains that the idea be- “I think we did only about 900 that
gan percolating after Natalie Jackson’s year, because we never thought they
husband was sent a Christmas orna- would sell,” she says, noting that, in-
ment portraying the hospital where he stead, the ornaments quickly sold out.
had been born. His sister had purchased They now produce roughly 2,000 orna-
the gift, which had been produced as a ments each year.
fundraiser for her own local garden club.
Wijetilleke recalls the committee
“I was in the Garden Club at that had taken a while to decide what to put
time, and Nat (Jackson) had been on the ornament the second year, and
there for a while,” says Wijetilleke, in the meantime she had left for a trip
adding that Jackson thought it might to visit family in Sri Lanka, where Arun
and husband, Dr. Asoka Wijetilleke,
a pediatrician, were born. The couple

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 47

ARTS & THEATRE

Arundathi Wijetilleke.

PHOTOS BY KAILA JONES

has lived in Vero Beach since 1975. pursue her interest while in high school. March 2022 – are held every other year
As she wasn’t here to design it, the “But then he didn’t want me to be- in their facility to educate the public on
floral design and horticulture. And the
1993 Ocean Grill ornament was made come an artist. He said ‘no, no, no, you weekend of Feb. 5-6, 2022, the club will
from a photograph. can paint on the side.’ But that’s all right. host the 20th anniversary its ever popu-
I loved going to college, but art has been lar Gardenfest! at Riverside Park.
“That’s why it is much smaller than my happy thing.”
the rest,” says Wijetilleke, who has de- For information about where to pur-
signed every ornament since then. Wijetilleke obtained a bachelor’s de- chase ornaments and about the club itself,
gree from the University of London in Sri visit gardenclubofirc.org. 
The committee decides upon a sub- Lanka, where she studied law.
ject each January, and Wijetilleke says THE LAUGHING DOG GALLERY | CELEBRATING
it takes her three or four months to “I wish I could have practiced law, but
create a design. it was British law, and I would have had RAISE THE BAR
to go back to law school, at least for a
“You have to be creative about it, be- couple of years.” Instead, she raised their Celebrate the holidays in style with our
cause some of these buildings are not three children – and is now enjoying be- handblown glassware!
the most beautiful looking. And there’s ing a grandparent – and threw herself
a brochure. Nat writes about the his- into the community and her art. Colorful glasses and goblets make any drink
tory and significance of the place to Vero more festive and are a useful and unexpected gift.
Beach. I think it probably is a good way She has served on numerous boards,
of telling people about the history of including those of McKee Botanical 2910 CARDINAL DRIVE, VERO BEACH • 772-234-6711 • THELAUGHINGDOGGALLERY.COM
Vero,” says Wijetilleke. Garden and the Vero Beach Museum
of Art. An award-winning artist and
She pointed out that the 2009 Vero floral designer, Wijetilleke is a member
Beach Woman’s Club was one of the less- of the Vero Beach Art Club and is a na-
er-known buildings. “Nat wrote a beau- tionally and internationally accredited
tiful history about it, that it was Vero’s Master Flower Show Judge. Some of
first library. People who didn’t know her commissioned work can be viewed
about these places began to realize, ‘Oh at Christ by the Sea United Methodist
my goodness, we do have a history.’” Church and the Citrus Museum, adja-
cent to the Heritage Center.
Over the course of time, a few of the
site names have changed. For instance, Wijetilleke’s painting, “The Bridge
the Vero Beach Museum of Art was at McKee Gardens,” was chosen last
known as the Center for the Arts in 2000, year to represent Indian River County
and the Jackie Robinson Training Com- in a four-county art competition held
plex was known as Dodgertown when by the Jensen Beach nonprofit, Help-
it was represented in 1995. Fortunately, ing People Succeed, for its 2021 Art for
they did manage to create an ornament Living calendar. Her painting is on the
representing the old Merrill Barber December page.
Bridge as a drawbridge before it was torn
down and replaced by the new bridge. Wijetilleke designed this year’s
Christmas ornament to highlight the
Wijetilleke says her creative process active role the Garden Club has played
begins with a pencil sketch, followed by in the community over more than nine
a color design. decades, including its innumerable
beautification projects throughout In-
“The first few years we did very few dian River County.
colors. If you look at the 1992 ornament,
I think we have only two colors as they The club has provided landscape
are very expensive,” Wijetilleke explains. assistance to area nonprofits; among
“And then, as the sales and the number of them, McKee Botanical Garden, the
products we were producing increased, Vero Beach Theatre Guild, the GFWC
we started using more and more colors. Vero Beach Woman’s Club, Hallstrom
So if you look at the 1992 one and last House, the Gifford Youth Achieve-
year’s, you see it’s very colorful.” ment Center, the Brackett Library and
the Heritage Center. They also provide
Each year’s subject, known only to scholarships to Indian River State Col-
the small ornament committee, is kept lege and the Scholarship Foundation of
top secret until it is made available in Indian River County.
stores. In the past, she says, people
would ask what the ornament was go- Flowers Shows – the next one in
ing to be, but everyone stayed mum.
“Now they know not to ask.”

Wijetilleke says her interest in art was
piqued as a child, when her father en-
couraged and nurtured her talents – to
a point. By the age of 12, she had sold
her first paintings, and she continued to

48 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

COMING UP! BSO brings timely tunes with ‘Sounds of Season’

BY PAM HARBAUGH singer who studied singing at Opera
Correspondent Roanoke, where she became the ap-
prentice artist program director.
1 Now that your tummy is full of The Roanoke Times called her sing-
delicious Thanksgiving good- ing “masterful (with) bursts of color-
atura and expressive.” A South Bend,
ies, consider getting full on into the Indiana, native, she instructed at
Washington and Lee University and
mood of the holidays by taking an Hollins University. It begins 2 p.m.
this Saturday, Nov. 27 at the King
itty-bitty road trip to the King Center Center for the Performing Arts, 3865
N. Wickham Road. Tickets are $19 to
in Melbourne to enjoy the Brevard $39. Handling fees may apply. Call
321-242-2219 or visit KingCenter.
Symphony Orchestra’s “Sounds of com. Masks are required. No bags
allowed.
the Season.” The concert features

not only the professional BSO musi-

cians but also Amy Cofield, soprano

with the Brevard Community Cho-

rus. Sponsored by the Hermansen

Family and Whittaker Cooper Certi-

fied Public Accountants, the concert 2 An unusual event takes place this
Saturday afternoon at the Vero
is a family-friendly one. There will

be traditional carols, familiar holi- Beach Museum of Art. It’s “American museum’s current exhibition, “Ameri- life experiences into the story. First,
can Perspectives Stories from the to demonstrate the elements of visual
day pops tunes, light-hearted clas- Perspectives through Storytelling” American Folk Art Museum,” which is and written storytelling, Neile will use
on view through Jan. 2, 2022. In this an image from the exhibition. Then,
sics and an audience sing-along. You with author/scholar and storyteller virtual program, artworks from the she will urge students to do the same.
American Perspectives exhibition will “Narratives and storytelling are pow-
might also see the BSO’s fun-loving Caren Neile. The program will help be the inspiration for participants to erful themes that run throughout the
create a story and to fold their own
maestro, Christopher Confessore, people learn about storytelling cued CONTINUED ON PAGE 50

sporting a Santa hat, so you know by both personal experiences and

this will be sheer fun. Featured so- art. This interactive program is be-

prano Cofield is a classically trained ing presented in conjunction with the



50 Vero Beach 32963 / November 25, 2021 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ACROTSM&INTHGEAUTPR!E

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 48 imagination, opportunity and legacy.
Admission to the exhibition costs $8
exhibition,” says Sophie Bentham- general, $7 seniors, and free to chil-
Wood, the museum’s marketing and dren under 17 years and to museum
communications director. “The VBMA members. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30
wanted to offer this kind of program- p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and
ming to our audiences so that they 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. The last ad-
could connect the artwork, stories and mission is 15 minutes before closing.
their own personal histories using Dr.

Dr. Caren Neile.

Caren Neile’s guidance and expertise. 3 The post-Thanksgiving weekend
… VBMA staff have attended another is the unofficial kickoff for the
program that Dr. Neile hosted last year.
We were impressed with the program’s most celebrated time of the holiday
format, the audience’s enthusiasm and
high levels of participation, and deep season. Get into the mood for that at
connections to the artwork.” The pro-
gram will be recorded and available on the Space Coast Symphony’s “Christ-
the VBMA website until Jan. 2. “Ameri-
can Perspectives through Storytelling” mas with Emmet Cahill” concert. It
runs 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov.
27 at the Vero Beach Museum of Art, begins 3 p.m. Sunday at the Emerson
3001 Riverside Dr. Seating is limited.
The program is free, but you do need Center. The young Irish tenor was
to register as seating is limited. Call
772-231-0707 or visit VBMuseum.org. principal vocalist for Celtic Thunder.
The “American Perspectives” exhibi-
tion comprises more than 70 works of Cahill will sing “Silent Night,” “Panis
folk and self-taught artists from the
permanent collection of the American Angelicus,” “Have Yourself a Merry
Folk Art Museum in New York City.
The exhibition explores themes such Little Christmas,” “O Holy Night” and
as nationhood, freedom, community,
many classics from his homeland, in-

cluding “Danny Boy” and “When Irish

Eyes Are Smiling.” Special $60 VIP

tickets will get you first pick of seat-

ing, a pre-concert meet-and-greet and

a free signed photo of Cahill. Regular

admission is $30 general and free to

students 18 years and younger. The

Emerson Center is at 1590 27th Ave.,

Vero Beach. Call 855-252-7276 or visit

SpaceCoastSymphony.org. 