The words you are searching are inside this book. To get more targeted content, please make full-text search by clicking here.

Melbourne_ISSUE31_080317_OPT

Discover the best professional documents and content resources in AnyFlip Document Base.
Search
Published by Vero Beach 32963 Media, 2017-08-02 21:55:04

08/03/2017 ISSUE 31

Melbourne_ISSUE31_080317_OPT

Principal punished. P7 ‘Sea’ them go! P14 Sliding downhill

School boss disciplined over 10th annual Tour de Turtles Funds needed to replace aging
handling of bullying problem. race raises awareness. playground equipment. PAGE 6

THURSDAY, August 3, 2017 | VOLUME 02, ISSUE 31 www.melbournebeachsider.com | NEWSSTAND PRICE $1.00

Town manager A Fine mess:
resigns only 18 Condo-related
months into job spat escalates

STORY BY LISA ZAHNER STAFF WRITER STORY BY GEORGE WHITE STAFF WRITER
[email protected] [email protected]

Town ManagerTim Day gave An escalating dispute be-
the Melbourne Beach Town tween House Rep. Randy Fine
Council his two weeks’ notice and Indialantic condo owner
last Thursday morning, resign- Dr. Wiley Larson of Colorado
ing after only 18 months on the has resulted in allegations of ha-
job, citing family reasons. rassment on both sides and a re-
quest by the condo owner for an
In an email sent simultane- investigation of Fine for “inap-
ously to the five council mem- propriate behavior” before the
bers, the town clerk and the Florida Commission on Ethics.
finance department, Day said,
“It has become apparent that The entire matter began in-
my family will not be coming nocently enough. The Fines
to Melbourne Beach in a full- needed a home in October
time capacity to reside with 2016 after Hurricane Mat-
thew destroyed their home at
Florida Institute of Technology’s marine research lab. FIT has abandoned its grandiose dreams, and is selling the land. PHOTO BY BRUCE CADY 409 Spoonbill Dr., Melbourne
Beach. Larson’s condo at 601
What led to FIT marine laboratory’s demise?
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Melbourne Beach Town Manager Tim Day. STORY BY RUSTY CARTER STAFF WRITER Indian Harbour
[email protected] Beach force cops
me. Therefore, it is imperative a new police HQ
that I return to Lee County News that Indian River
to be with my family as soon County is preparing to bid on STORY BY GEORGE WHITE STAFF WRITER Sgt. Matt Jankowski in the old Indian Harbour Police HQ. PHOTO BY BENJAMIN THACKER
as possible,” Day wrote, add- four oceanfront acres in Vero [email protected]
ing that his last day would be Beach where Florida Institute
Aug. 11. “But I will certainly be of Technology long operated Indian Harbour Beach
available by phone and email a marine research lab raised police have a new police
should any questions or con- questions about what hap- station to look forward to,
cerns arise.” pened to hopes for the $10 thanks to a frugal City Coun-
million facility FIT announced cil willing to consider using
Before being hired by Mel- with fanfare several years ago. saved city reserves for the
bourne Beach in December
In 2013, then university CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 President Dr. Anthony James
Catanese said, “We plan to
build a significant new build-
ing that will include some

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

ADVERTISING: 772-559-4187 | CIRCULATION: 772-226-7925 Wild (West) & woolly

NEWS 1-8 DINING 31 PEOPLE 9-12 Old-timey comedic melodrama
ARTS 13-16 GAMES 23-25 PETS 33 ‘Deadwood Dick’ hits the
BOOKS 21-22 HEALTH 27-30 REAL ESTATE 35-40 Surfside stage. PAGE 18
CALENDAR 34 INSIGHT 17-26

© 2017 VERO BEACH 32963 MEDIA LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

2 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

NEWS

Veronica Bazile.

NEW POLICE HEADQUARTERS include excessive changes in level, in- finishes including ceiling tiles and car- for the renewal and replacement of city
adequate turning spaces, inoperable peting; there is no interview/report equipment and facilities, just to name
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 door hardware, inaccessible routes, in- room, physical training room, locker a few. It is important to note that no de-
accessible toilet facilities and casework room or showers; and the lobby has no cision has been made on how to fund
estimated $4 million project. that is too tall and exceed range and public restrooms. a new police headquarters. The use of
A candid report July 25 on current reach requirements. the city’s reserves is certainly one op-
“It’s not really designed to be a po- tion that will be considered in the com-
conditions led to clear direction from Shortfalls in operational efficiency lice department. We are very efficient ing months,’’ Ryan said.
the council to proceed with planning and security include the lack of: ac- and do a good job with what we have
for the new police headquarters, to be cess control between departments; but it’s not very efficient,’’ said Police Chief Butler said the positive coun-
located on city-owned property about double locking vestibules between Chief David Butler. cil vote was the culmination of a year-
a half mile north of the current facility. detention and administrative depart- long, $18,590 process initiated and ap-
The report on the $18,590 Space Needs ments; proper evidence lockers, stor- The location for the proposed proved by the council. He stressed that
Assessment study by Architects RZK of age and chain of custody; a juvenile 14,080-square-foot headquarters fa- the members of the department are not
Cocoa culminated a year-long process. holding cell a separate suspect inter- cility is a city-owned 3.3-acre parcel on complaining about current conditions
view room and others. South Patrick about a half mile north and have been able to function profes-
The current 5,600-square-foot facil- of the current facility, acquired by the sionally throughout the years.
ity adjacent to City Hall on 2.8 acres was Other facility problems detailed in city at a discount in 2016 in a bank-
converted to Police Headquarters in 1977 the report include that it is uncertain if ruptcy auction. “We don’t complain about what we
with the facility remaining unchanged the current structure can withstand a have. We’re very happy to work here.
since its last major renovation in 1983. category one hurricane; there are nu- The size of the parcel can accom- We all know that this building is in
merous leaks throughout the building modate the future needs of a new disrepair. Everything needs a replace-
Its current deficiencies, as detailed in causing significant damage to interior police headquarters and will provide ment plan. It’s the same concept with
the assessment, just in relation to the easy access to all parts of the commu- a building. You know that eventually
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), nity, officials said. The site also is large you’ll have to put money in it to re-
enough for needed stormwater treat- model it,’’ Butler said.
ment facilities.
As for the new headquarters, having
City Manager Mark Ryan said he was a city building constructed in accor-
pleased that the council has taken a dance with the latest, stringent build-
conservative financial stance in order ing codes to withstand a major hurri-
to have funds saved. Funding a new cane would give Indian Harbour Beach
headquarters with ad valorem taxes a bunker of sorts to better protect life
would have required a voter referen- and property in the event of a disaster.
dum, he said. Florida statute requires
a higher threshold of approval to hike “We’re not looking at the Taj Mahal.
up the property tax rate that much. The What we need is something sturdy and
only other option would have been to solid for hurricane and something that
float a bond or take out a loan. is easily accessible for our communi-
ty,’’ Butler said. “I think because of that
“The City of Indian Harbour Beach we are going to be to provide a better
is extremely proud to be a debt free service to our community and our city
community. The city’s reserves are in- will have a legitimate Emergency Op-
tended to help the community recover erations Center.” 
from a major storm event, and provide

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, August 3, 2017 3

NEWS

TOWN MANAGER enforcement officer, he also came with riously hard to please and tough to April 2014, to avoid being fired and
experience as an elected official, spend- work for, creating a seemingly endless losing his four months of severance
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ing nine years on the Cape Coral City turnover of managers. After nearly pay. Then Jamie Titcomb was hired,
Council – Cape Coral being the home four years on the job, the council dis- but he only stayed 17 months before
2015 to run the town for $89,000 per in Lee County to which Day refers in his missed veteran municipal manager leaving to accept a town management
year, Day served as town manager of resignation letter. James Bursick in August 2010. Then post in Palm Beach County.
the small, rural town of Greenvile, Fla. came Bill Hoskovec, who resigned in
just north of Tallahassee. A retired law The town council has been noto- Day took over for Titcomb. 

4 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

NEWS

FINE-CONDO OWNER DISPUTE 601 N. Miramar Ave. 409 Spoonbill Dr. cording to 2016 candidate financial dis-
closure forms on file with the Florida De-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 PHOTOS BY BENJAMIN THACKER partment of State, Division of Elections,
was worth more than $22 million – could
N. Miramar Ave. Indialantic, Unit 313, have easily afforded to leave the condo
which was up for sale, was leased as according to the terms of the lease, and
temporary quarters for Fine and his otherwise exhibited inappropriate and
family for four months. The twist that abrasive behavior throughout the inci-
caused the festering problem came in dent, not only to him but to others.
February this year when Larson found
a buyer for the unit and requested that “The condo was not for rent, it was
Fine, as he says was specified in the for sale. This has nothing to do with
lease, move out so the sale could move money. It’s very much an ethics (issue).
forward. “He chose to ignore” the re- The reason for (the ethics commis-
quest, Larson said. sion complaint) is to make sure people
know he’s not credible and I don’t think
Fine, who was in session at the state he’s worthy to lead a district. It’s about
House of Representatives at the time, his credibility,’’ Larson said.
and his family ended up staying an ad-
ditional five months against Larson’s To that point, Fine’s spokesman Mark
wishes. Larson, who filed eviction pa- Zubaly said: “Anyone can file an ethics
pers against Fine in mid-February, complaint against a public official at
contends that Fine’s extended stay in any time for any reason, whether truth-
the condo cost him money and delayed ful or not. The Ethics Commission must
the sale of the condo, which eventually find the complaint legally sufficient be-
sold and closed for $625,000 cash. fore an investigation begins. Other than
that, I am not at liberty to discuss any
To complicate matters, the condo details of the complaint as the proceed-
association had expressed displeasure ings are confidential for all parties other
with Fine for the after-hours installation than the complainant,’’ he said.
of a Tesla charging station for his car.
Florida Commission on Ethics
Fine contends Larson harassed and spokesperson Kerrie Stillman said the
physically threatened him as reflected state cannot confirm nor deny any in-
by informational reports filed with the vestigation is ongoing until its comple-
Indialantic Police Department on Feb. tion and the information becomes
16 and July 10. public record or until the matter is dis-
missed. She said that Rep. Fine is not
Larson, a space expert and author of listed on any current public record doc-
several books on space mission analysis ument at the commission.
and design, said he has been in touch
with state officials several times since Setting the possible ethics ruling aside,
February and expects an ethics investi- Zubaly, again speaking for the Fines,
gation to be conducted and completed goes on to say that “having your home
within about a month after it starts. destroyed by a hurricane is a traumatic

Larson counters that Fine – who, ac-

FIT tistory building, presumably contain- for other potential buyers, perhaps doubled enrollment. At the same time,
ing offices and laboratories, and neat drawing interest from developers. several private aquaculture compa-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 rows of aquaculture tanks above the nies were working with FIT scientists
beach, all intended to replace the di- Florida Tech opened its seaside labo- and raising aquarium fish on the site.
kind of public facility where members lapidated former military buildings in ratory and aquaculture operation near
of the community can observe our which the lab was operating. But those the southern border of Indian River But then the fundraising effort faltered
marine and aquaculture labs. We want plans never materialized. Shores in 1980, when the U.S. Air Force and Dr. Junda Lin passed away in March
to have a learning center and other decommissioned the property and 2016 following a seven-year battle with
features that will make the lab a des- University spokesman Wesley Sum- turned it over to the school on a 30- cancer. Lin was a Professor of Biological
tination people will drive in to visit.” ner last week attributed the demise year lease. Sciences and had served as director of
of the university’s initiative to several the Institute for Marine Research since
The university launched a fun- factors, including the death of long- The Melbourne-based, private uni- it was founded. His work was focused
draising effort in Vero to build a time lab supervisor Professor Junda versity took ownership of the property on developing what reefbuilders.com
20,000-square-foot complex projected Lin and perhaps more importantly a in 2010, around the time it first began dubbed “aquaculture technology for
to open in 2015, plus Catanese said FIT lack of donations. thinking of an expanded facility. marine ornamental species to offset and
planned to add new faculty and expand replace wild collection.”
research into the areas of lagoon pres- “Private fundraising never devel- Sumner talked about the scope of
ervation, beach renourishment, ocean oped,” Sumner said. “As for our fun- the lab’s work during its more than 30- When Lin died, the lab seemed to go
engineering and general oceanogra- draising goals [for the lab], there was year existence. Research focused on dark. There was no summer camp that
phy, bringing many more scientists and nothing of significance in 2016-2017.” seahorse lifecycles, improved aquacul- year and in November 2016 Sumner
science students to Vero Beach. ture techniques for both ornamental told Vero Beach 32963 that “the uni-
Sumner says the university has re- and game fish, and rebuilding game versity is assessing how to best utilize
“There have been rumors since we ceived multiple bids on the 4-acre fish populations in the Indian River la- the facility. In the interim, university
got ownership of the property that we property, which is located behind the goon following a series of destructive activity has been curtailed while we
offered to sell it to developers, but that 7-11 on A1A, adjacent to Tracking Sta- algae blooms. complete this assessment.”
is absolutely untrue,” Catanese said. tion Park, and has an appraised value
“Our goal is to become much more in- of $2.1 million. Activity at the center reached its apex That activity never resumed and
volved in Indian River County and get around 2013-14. First came the expan- now the site is up for sale. Sumner said
people to view us as their private tech- Indian River County Administrator sion announcement. Then seahorse Pham’s seahorse research and other
nological university.” Jason Brown said the county could use researcher Nancy Pham launched a programs that were housed at the lab
the land to expand parking at the ex- summer camp for children ages 10- have been moved to Florida Tech’s
An architect’s rendering circulated isting Tracking Station Park, but that 12. In 2014 she added a second week main campus in Melbourne. 
at the time depicted a handsome mul- he’s certain the site has “some appeal” to the camp program and more than

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, August 3, 2017 5

NEWS

event, but the violent and erratic be- agement firm, was elected to Florida sive opposition from the Florida League state. The failed bill was seen as an at-
havior by Wiley Larson since the Fines’ House Dist. 53 in 2016 covering the of Cities and the Florida Association tempt to strip home rule from Florida’s
insurance company secured a rental in southern portion of Brevard County. of Counties, as well as from dozens of cities and counties, whose leaders spec-
Mr. Larson’s condominium has made a cities and counties across the state for ulated it could pave the way for adult
taxing time for the Fines much worse.” Fine’s claim that February was very proposing a bill that would have greatly entertainment, or other businesses cur-
busy for him is no exaggeration. His first altered local governments’ ability to rently regulated or prohibited by local
Fine, a Republican and owner of legislative session this spring was full regulate business operations all over the ordinances or zoning code. 
the Fine Point Group gaming man- of controversy, as Fine provoked mas-

6 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

NEWS

Sliding downhill: Funds needed to fix aging playground

STORY BY BILL SOKOLIC STAFF WRITER Safety Institute, who works out of Bra- the skilled labor to take on the chore. PHOTOS BY JULIAN LEEK
[email protected] denton. Another cost saver is to have the com-
munity get together and install the “You can do it in a weekend,” Kutska
The surface of the spiral slide in the Kutska said while the cost to repair equipment as long as the manufac- said.
middle of the Ryckman Park playground often eclipses the cost to replace, al- turer can send along a professional to
resembles a road whose repaving is long most half the replacement cost comes assist the project. As for fundraising, he said there are
overdue. Cracks here. Patches there. from installation unless the town has a number of options, including nam-
ing opportunities, such as engraved
The slide is emblematic of a play brick pavers. “You can net $50 a brick
area with equipment over 15 years old if they sell for $100.”
in a relentless, seaside Florida envi-
ronment. Another idea is for school art teach-
ers to have kids do hand prints in clay
“We replaced some parts with wood which is glazed and built into a mo-
to hold the slide together. It’s like putting saic for a wall around the entrance to
lipstick on a pig,” said Town Manager the playground.
Tim Day.
Selling self-portraits created for
Town officials acknowledge the scarves and ties is another option, as
popular playground needs replace- is selling T-shirts.
ment, not painting over rust and seal-
ing cracks. The municipality allocated “We had a spaghetti dinner with a
$25,000 toward new equipment in silent auction and raised $20,000 in
the 2017-18 budget. But that falls well one night,” Kutska said. 
short of what could be at least $150,000
to replace. Day will launch a campaign
to obtain donations from individuals
and corporations in an effort to reach
at least another $125,000.

It’s not just a matter of accommodat-
ing children. It’s a liability issue, Day
said.

“The town staff has tried to main-
tain the playground to the best of their
abilities,” said the summer edition of
the Beach Comber, the town newslet-
ter. “However the structure is in need of
major repairs and should be replaced.
Many of the areas that have rusted away
were replaced with lumber because the
replacement parts from the manufac-
turer are just not available. The combi-
nation of the usage and environmental
factors living so close to the ocean has
led to the decay of the structure.”

In a seashore environment, cor-
rosion of equipment accelerates be-
cause of moisture, high humidity, UV
radiation and salt air. “Equipment
does not often last beyond 15 years,”
said Kenneth S. Kutska, executive di-
rector of the International Playground

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

Community Editor Advertising Director We are here to provide Brevard barrier President and Publisher
Lisa Zahner, 772-584-9121 Judy Davis, 772-633-1115 island readers with the most comprehen- Milton R. Benjamin, 772-559-4187
[email protected] [email protected] sive news coverage of Melbourne Beach, [email protected]
Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite
Staff Reporter Advertising Account Executives Beach, and South Merritt Island. Creative Director
Bill Sokolic, 609-457-5480 Lillian Belmont, 321-604-7833 Dan Alexander, 772-539-2700
[email protected] Will Gardner, 407-361-2150 For our advertising partners, we pledge [email protected]
to provide the most complete consulta-
Staff Reporter Columnists tive and marketing programs possible for Corporate Editor
George White, 321-795-3835 Pam Harbaugh, 321-794-3691 the best return on your investment. Steven M. Thomas, 772-453-1196
[email protected] Cynthia Van Gaasbeck, 321-626-4701 [email protected]

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, August 3, 2017 7

NEWS

Principal disciplined over handling of bullying problem

STORY BY LISA ZAHNER STAFF WRITER tion packet on May 1 after a subsequent The injured victim’s parents pulled Hering said staff and students will re-
[email protected] complaint, but did not remove the ac- their daughter out of school, and the ceive training on bullying as classes re-
cused from the classroom or notify the girl was so distraught, according to sume.
Ocean Breeze Elementary School various subject and activity teachers the family’s correspondence with the
Principal Laurie Hering was formally who taught the involved pupils. school district, that she said she would “It is inevitable that conflict will oc-
reprimanded on June 15 for improper rather be held back a grade than ad- cur during the school year. Our focus on
handling of a bullying incident, after A week later, according to investigation vance to chance winding up in the the culture of the classroom is designed
being placed on a month’s paid leave reports, the problem erupted again on same class again with the accused bully. to help students learn to work as sup-
pending an investigation into a series of the physical education teacher’s watch, Among the effects of the bullying, the portive teammates with each other, and
events which left one fourth grade girl when the accused bully allegedly pushed family said, were the victim’s changed to hold themselves personally account-
with a concussion. her victim into a pole. The victim’s par- personality and months of insomnia. able for their actions, and accountable
ents say that on May 8, “Their child was to their team,” Hering said. 
Students wondered why Hering was assaulted in physical education class and
not at the Indian Harbour Beach school the teacher had no knowledge of the is-
the last week of classes. A message on sue between the two children.”
the morning announcements said Her-
ing was out sick. Hering told school district officials
“she didn’t inform the staff because she
The truth was that on May 16, Her- felt she shouldn’t inform them prior to
ing was placed on paid administrative finding the accused guilty of bullying.”
leave via a hand-delivered letter from
Chief Human Resources Officer Carol The report goes on to say that “in
Kindt, banned from all school board hindsight, she believes she should have
property and from contacting any col- opened the investigation and packet on
leagues, employees or students during April 21, 2017,” and “she feels terrible the
the month-long investigation. child was injured.”

Hering has been certified to teach in Hering gave a statement to the Mel-
Florida since 1983, and joined the Bre- bourne Beachsider, “Every investiga-
vard County School District in 1985. tion of bullying is taken seriously at our
She was promoted to principal in 2012 school. Maintaining confidentiality is
and in 2015 entered the Deferred Retire- paramount, thus (it) makes it difficult to
ment Option Program, scheduling her speak to the details of the investigation.
retirement for October 2020. She’s been I would like to share that my initial reac-
consistently rated effective or highly ef- tion was do what I could to put a stop
fective for her 32 years with the district. to any bullying or bullying-like behavior
while the investigation took place.
The Melbourne Beachsider first re-
quested records pertaining to Hering’s “My key error was related to the time-
absence and the Ocean Breeze bullying liness of the first step with the investiga-
incident via Superintendent Desmond tion in the completion of the Student
Blackburn on May 26. It took more than Reporting Form, not the process, deter-
six weeks to obtain all the requested mination of findings, or the investiga-
documents that the school district did tion as a whole,” Hering added.
not claim were exempt or confidential.
The Brevard County School District
Public records show the parents of has a zero tolerance policy on bullying,
the victim on April 19 reported repeated so a valid complaint should trigger an
physical bullying and intimidation of immediate investigation, with measures
students in teacher Michael Sacik’s class to protect or separate the involved stu-
by a female classmate. Hering visited dents. That did not happen. The district
the class without the accused present concluded, “This created a situation
and asked the pupils if they had been in which Mrs. Hering placed herself in
bullied. The vast majority raised a hand jeopardy of losing the respect and con-
in the affirmative, according to the vic- fidence of parents and the community.”
tim’s parents, plus several independent
accounts of students who were present The school’s failure to notify the par-
in the classroom. ents of the students who indicated they
were also bullied led to the mother of
Alleged actions included pushing and the victim of the head injury reaching
shoving, threatening to hit pupils in the out to Ocean Breeze families on social
face with a hand, tripping and pulling media and via group texts.
out chairs from under them.
Hering’s written reprimand, signed
Parents of the more than a dozen stu- by Jane Cline, Assistant Superintendent
dents who raised their hands were not of Elementary Leading and Learning,
notified that their child had told the states, “In the future, I expect you to
principal they had been bullied. Hering ensure all bullying investigations are
told district officials “only a few” stu- completed in a timely manner and in
dents raised their hands. Documents accordance with School Board Policy
state Hering “checked back with stu- 5517.01, Bullying, Harassment and
dents on April 24 and 25 and there were Dating Violence and Abuse. Failure to
no reports. She spoke to students in the correct this behavior will result in fur-
cafeteria and the hallways.” ther disciplinary action and will be re-
flected on your annual evaluation.”
Hering finally opened an investiga-

8 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

NEWS

Arrested teacher’s status a mystery as school starts

STORY BY LISA ZAHNER STAFF WRITER on May 26 and hired Indialantic crimi- Kimberly Loomis. to him by email about Loomis’ status,
[email protected] nal defense attorney Ronald Ecker. asking specifically, “Can you at least
On June 5, according to court records, tranged husband. Those charges were tell me if Kimberly Loomis will be
Charges have been dropped against Ecker filed a notice of appearance and also dropped. performing her regular duties during
Surfside Elementary School speech a notice of discovery and then on June this investigation? Parents will want
and language pathologist Kimberly 7, her arraignment, which had been Records technician Casey Piquero, to know if this person might be in a
Loomis, who had been out of jail on scheduled for July 6 before Judge David in response to a request for Loomis’ classroom with their child.”
bond facing felony charges for alleg- Koenig, was cancelled. employment status, would only say,
edly threatening bodily harm to her “The information you have requested When the investigation is conclud-
principal, Lori Masterson. On July 14, State Attorney Phil Ar- is currently under investigation and is ed, and after a 10-day waiting period
cher’s office filed an order of “No In- exempt from ch.119.07, the public re- and time for the investigation records
Brevard School District officials formation,” meaning the state would cords laws, until the investigation has to be redacted, the documents may or
won’t comment or provide any docu- not file formal charges in a follow-up to been concluded. This request for infor- may not be available, depending upon
ments clarifying Loomis’ employ- Loomis’ arrest. A certificate of discharge mation will have to be resubmitted.” which if any statutory exemptions the
ment status or say whether or not she was issued to the bond agency holding school district claims. Not having any
will be teaching at the Satellite Beach Loomis’ $5,000 bond. The conditions of School District spokesman and idea when the investigation will be
school or anywhere else when classes her release from jail, according to court Public Information Officer Matt Reed completed, the Melbourne Beachsid-
resume next week. All that information records, were “Do not stalk victim LM did not respond to questions posed er was told to resubmit the request “in
is sealed pending the completion of an (Lori Masterson), no contact with vic- a few weeks.”
investigation into the May 24 incident, tim LM, no possession of weapons, no
due to a statutory exemption from return to victim’s residence,” and “No Loomis’ personnel file at the school
Florida’s public records law. return to Surfside Elementary without district shows Masterson rated Loo-
approval of the school board.” mis as effective or highly effective on
The evening of the last day of school, annual performance reviews prior to
Masterson called Brevard County Sher- Police reports from the incident and after the January 2014 incident,
iff’s Office deputies to her home after state, “Ms. Masterson was in fear and the only notation in the file was
receiving expletive-laden text messag- for her life due to Ms. Loomis vio- that she took unauthorized days off –
es from Loomis threatening violence lent criminal history.” Sheriff’s Office time that corresponds to the days she
to her principal the evening of the last booking records show that Loomis, was incarcerated.
day of school. a 48-year-old Indialantic resident,
spent two weeks in jail in January 2014 After her release in 2014, Loomis
After her first appearance in court after being arrested on initial charges was permitted return to the class-
on May 25 before Judge Kenneth Fried- of domestic violence batter related to room, and to request and use her al-
lander on the initial second-degree fel- an alleged disturbance with her es- lotted time off, retroactively for the
ony charge of “written threats to kill or time she was in jail. 
do bodily injury,” Loomis posted bond

Feds will pick up tab for beach replenishment in South Reach

STORY BY BILL SOKOLIC STAFF WRITER The upcoming project will require stead of property owners,” McGarry said. monitoring of the beach profile. The
[email protected] multi-year environmental monitoring According to the county, a 2013 eco- first survey during construction veri-
both during and after the project, the fies that the nourishment adheres to
In 2014, the Army Corps of Engineers latter jointly funded by the state and nomic study by Dr. William Stronge, at the design drawings. In subsequent
pumped some 726,000 cubic yards of Brevard County. Florida Atlantic University, indicated monitoring, surveys will note any
sand onto the South Reach beaches, that each $1 invested by the state on changes to the beach and measure the
with the next scheduled routine re- On July 25, the county commission beach restoration generates $48.60 in change in sand volume and shape.
plenishment slated for around 2020. approved a resolution to provide the lo- revenues from visitors.
cal share of the monitoring, not just in The monitoring permit also requires
But in the wake of damage from Hur- the South Reach, but also the North and Amanda D. Parker, spokeswoman steps to insure the sea turtle nesting
ricane Matthew last October, the Army Mid-Reach beaches as well. The Mid- for the Army Corps, Jacksonville dis- sites have not been adversely affected
Corps concluded the storm resulted in Reach from Satellite Beach to Indian trict, said beach replenishment in the by the replenishment, both when build-
the loss of approximately 277,000 cubic Harbour Beach gets a storm-related three regions that are part of the Bre- ing the beach and in subsequent years.
yards of sand. So four years after the beach replenishment of its own begin- vard County Beaches Shore Protection “We track the success of turtle eggs,”
last beach fill, the agency will return in ning in January. program will cost the feds between $10 McGarry said. “To date, nesting remains
December for a fully federal-funded re- and $25 million very strong on nourished beaches.”
plenishment on a 3.8-mile stretch be- “The county action was simply per-
tween Flug Avenue north of Indialantic mission to seek grant funds which are “The project provides storm risk re- Brevard County is required to moni-
and Spessard Holland Park North just matched with local funds from the duction benefits to the homes, com- tor the performance of the restored
south of Melbourne Beach. Tourism Development Council’s Beach mercial business, public parking and beach and marine turtle nesting for at
Improvement Fund to handle the on- access and other infrastructure along least three years post re-nourishment.
“Normally, it’s six years between nour- going monitoring of reconstructed the shoreline of the Brevard County McGarry said money is budgeted for
ishments,” said Mike McGarry county beaches. Standard stuff,” said Eric Gar- beaches,” Parker said. monitoring five years out, but could be
program manager for beaches, boat- vey, executive director of the TDC. adjusted up or down depending on the
ing and waterways in Brevard County’s The exact number of cubic yards of status of the beaches. During the up-
Natural Resources Management De- Of the total cost of $1.65 million – cov- sand for the replenishments is still be- coming nourishment in both the South
partment. “In some cases, they’ve gone ering about 18 months of monitoring – ing developed by the Army Corps. “But and Mid Reach beaches, the Army
eight, in some only four.” the county will provide up to $849,780 in rough numbers it’s about 400,000,” Corps will only replace sand lost from
through the Beach Improvement Fund, McGarry said. storm damage not the full template.
It depends upon how badly beaches which gets its income through a bed tax
are eroded, and how much political on hotel and short term rentals. The sand will come from Canaveral “So it could be five years to the next
will there is to spend money on sand- Shoals 2, an offshore borrow area some replenishment,” McGarry said. 
pumping, or sand-dumping. “Brevard taxes tourist rentals in- five miles east of Port Canaveral.

Project permits include physical

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

NEWS

‘Green’ with envy! Prestigious award for Brevard school

STORY BY STACI DONOVAN CORRESPONDENT Student Noelle Ferry cultivating
[email protected] donated plants for the school’s

Only 45 schools across the nation re- spring plant sale fundraiser.
ceived the Green Ribbon Schools des-
ignation for 2017. Four Florida schools
were named, with Surfside Elementary
in Satellite Beach being the only Bre-
vard school to bring home this distin-
guished environmental award.

Surfside teacher Erika Maier trav-
eled to Washington, D.C last month to
accept the award. “It was a great trip,
I brought my two amazing kids with
me – we had never been to D.C” said
Maier. The ceremony took place at the
Herbert Hoover Department of Com-
merce July 18-20.

The Green Ribbon Program is a na-
tional initiative of the U.S. Department
of Education designed to honor schools
and districts that reduce environmental
impact and costs; improve the health
and wellness of students and staff; and
promote sustainability education. This
can be achieved by incorporating sci-
ence, mathematics, technology, civic
skills and green career pathways.

Maier credits the entire Surfside
community for their hard work. Princi-
pal Lori Masterson and Surfside sixth-
grade science teacher Chimene Rice
completed the lengthy application,
which included a 10-year energy study
of the school. “Our biggest hurdle was

The organic garden is part of the Surfside Elementary students incubate chickens, still have lots of areas we can improve,”
sustainable education program and raise ducks and turkeys. Maier said.“Every year the students con-
that helped earn the Green duct investigations around the school in
Ribbon School designation. areas like energy, water and waste. They
use those results to decide what areas
need improvement and then they come
up with solutions and implement them.”

From brainstorming to hands-on
practical skills, Maier said kids learn
“to tackle tough issues that matter to
them. They use their leadership and
academic skills to make our school,
and our community better.” 

the age of our school” said Maier. Surf- farm animal husbandry, and commu-
side elementary is 54 years old. nity outreach programs are just a few
things that make this beachside school
Maier shared that being good stew- a model for saving the planet. Chicken,
ards of the planet goes way beyond duck and turkey incubation happens
celebrating Earth Day or putting out on campus and adult animals are then
recycling bins. “At Surfside we take a cared for by the Fantastic 4H Farm at
holistic approach that incorporates en- Wickham Park.
vironmental awareness into every sub-
ject and activity” she said. “Our school and our students are
models for what can be done, but we
Organic school gardens, schoolwide



Sea them go! Tour de Turtles
raises awareness P. 14

12 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

SEEN & SCENE

All were welcome at Long Doggers’ ‘thank you’ party

STORY BY CYNTHIA VAN GAASBECK CORRESPONDENT Anna Warner and Samantha Suan. Mayor David Berkman and Al Steiginga. Crystal Cooper, Andrea Dock and Sarah Horschel.
[email protected]
“I came to visit my family and we flow of people coming in right now In the shade of a tent in the VIP
Twenty years in the making, Long came for this party,” said Cathy Ha- and we are anticipating a pretty section sat Patti Miller of Boca Raton.
Doggers’ founders and business gler of Lantana. good-size crowd,” said Sgt. Michael She has known one of the guys all his
partners threw a huge birthday bash/ Connor. He added: “As the sun goes life. “My son is Al. Am I proud of all
thank you party last Saturday for all “It’s really nice. It’s good to see down and it starts to cool off, we’ll his accomplishments? Absolutely! He
of Brevard County at James H. Nance them doing this.” Her mother, Palm have more people coming in. It’s a re- is amazing; his energy is incredible,”
Park in Indialantic. Bay resident Ellen Newman, built the ally good atmosphere right now, ev- she said of the eldest of her four chil-
beach party into a weekend of family erybody just having a good time.” dren. You can’t keep a proud mom
Their generous gesture, costing fun. down and she had more to say about
about $100,000, was appreciated A group of friends from Indialantic, her son and Burr, offering insight into
by the estimated 4,000 people who The group brought umbrellas in including Mark Bernard and Eric and the formation of the giant birthday
showed up. Locals, and those who the event of rain, which worked just Lisa Peters, did, in fact, wait until the party.
wish they were, streamed in steadily as well blocking the downpour of evening to venture out. “We waited
as the gates opened at 2 p.m. for the sunshine. until it cooled down a bit,” Bernard “They just seem to have this magi-
all-day party that featured about a said. cal click. Al can have all this crazi-
dozen food and drink trucks and ven- The Indialantic Police Department ness and LJ is this calming force. And
dors selling T-shirts, hats, dresses, ti- was tasked with crowd control and “This is awesome. They need to do ever since they were in college, they
kis and jewelry. getting guests safely across S.R. A1A more of them to build the communi- have been amazing together.” 
to the beachside park. ty,” Lisa Peters said.
Back in the early months of 1997,
two surf buddies with a newly fo- “It’s going well. We have a steady
cused drive to succeed were in the
final stages of unveiling their master
plan to the public.

The buddies were Albert “Al”
Steiginga and John “LJ” Burr, and
their plan was to open a restaurant
that serves the kind of food that made
their surfing trips memorable. The
restaurant, in fact the running of the
restaurant, had to be fun. It had to be
a place the owners, staff and custom-
ers wanted to spend hours in with the
desire to do it all again the next day.

Thus was born Long Doggers in a
former Dunkin’ Donuts in Indialan-
tic. The years have been good to the
guys and Brevard is now peppered
with six of the “Radically Relaxed
Grill & Brew” operations.

“We have 600 employees and their
guests, 100 investors and their guests
and the invited patrons,” said Scott
Marathas, who has been a partner
since 2001. “It was a way to embrace
the community and say thank you to
them that they have given us 20 great
years.”

It’s not a party without music, and
guests arrived to the reggae beats
spun by MC and host Lance-O. Live
music started with Melbourne Beach
band 23 Treez, followed by Clearwa-
ter-based Ries Brothers, Orlando’s
Beebs And Her Money Makers and
headliners Common Kings, a Polyne-
sian reggae band from California.

Being a beachside bash, the island
vibe was strong and the crowd of
young, old and in between was chill.

Debbie Strawhand of Satellite
Beach and daughter Olivia, 10, sat in
the shade of palms as they listened
to 23 Treez. “It’s a great opportunity
to get out and support our local res-
taurants. They do a lot for us, Long
Doggers. They do a lot for the com-
munity,” Strawhand said.

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, August 3, 2017 13

SEEN & SCENE

Bob Dimeo, Tyler Bass and Tommy Harper. Elizabeth Burlew, John Sine and Sue Rand. PHOTOS: BENJAMIN THACKER Christanna Torisiello and Courtney Wilson.

Stephen, Jameson and Bri Osteen. Lance-O and Jill Hoffbauier. Chad and Jade Lawson.

Sgt. Mike Connor, Brittany and Sgt. Scott Holstine. Amanda and Kaley Metzler. Heather, Michael and Kim Arnold.

14 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

SEEN & SCENE

Sea them go! Tour de Turtles raises awareness

Rachel Smith and Lexie Beach from the Sea Turtle Conservancy. PHOTOS: GORDON RADFORD

STORY BY CYNTHIA VAN GAASBECK CORRESPONDENT band Big Tiki and the Mai-Tais. A si- Godfrey said. At least one couple, Tom and Teri
[email protected] lent auction of items provided by more Scientists were intrigued to find that Mayberry of Indialantic, have their
than 80 donors kept the crowd mov- fingers crossed for green sea turtles
One week after a certain famous ing between the displays inside and ordinary citizens were interested in released July 3 from Guanahacabibes
bicycle tour wrapped up in France, the food, spirits, music and gorgeous their research and also wanted to track Natural Park in Cuba. “We went down
a highly motivated and mysterious ocean views outside. the turtles. to Cuba with the Sea Turtle Conser-
group of 20 sea turtles embarked on vancy and put transmitters on two of
their own marathon, to the cheers and “We just saw our very first leather- “We came up with the idea of a race, the turtles,” Teri said. Who are they
tears of hundreds of fans. back hatchling at our crossover on Sea the Tour de Turtles. We release the tur- rooting for? “Mine would be Tina be-
Dunes Drive in Melbourne Beach,” tles at approximately the same time at cause I helped with getting the trans-
Each year, the Gainesville-based said Judi Boggs. a number of sites and all of the turtles mitter on her,” she said. “And mine
Sea Turtle Conservancy organizes the are tracked over the course of three would be Onda because I got per-
Tour de Turtles, a race with a multi- “It happened about 7:30 in the months,” Godfrey said. “The turtle that sonally involved with Onda during
fold purpose. Top of the list is to raise morning, four days ago. This leath- travels the furthest during that three the whole scenario,” Tom said with a
awareness about the various sea tur- erback was so much bigger than the months wins the race. Because these laugh. Teri explained: “He got covered
tle species and the threats to their sur- loggerheads, which is what we usually are different species, going different with sand a lot.”
vival. see. We always keep our eyes open this places, it can’t be a race to a destina-
time of year,” Boggs said as she sorted tion.” Lexie Beach, communications co-
The Barrier Island Center in Mel- through pictures on her phone to find ordinator for the STC, fell for turtles as
bourne Beach hosted a capacity crowd the ones of her baby. The species in question are leather- a Disney volunteer on an earlier Tour.
of 300 people last Saturday to kick off back, green, loggerhead and hawksbill. She understands the fervor. “This event
the 10th annual race, which concludes That young one is off and running The four flippered athletes likely to be is always so exciting. We love to see the
Oct. 31. in its own personal race to survive. As favored by residents of Brevard and In- support from the community. We sold
far as the marathon goes, land dwell- dian River counties are loggerheads. out really fast this year,” Beach said.
“It’s become a fun way for the com- ers obviously need high technology to Sally and Cruz began Saturday at Dis- “The people here are just so passion-
munity to show its support for sea keep track of the pelagic peloton. ney’s Vero Beach Resort, with trans- ate about sea turtles. It’s great because
turtle conservation. There is no place mitters epoxied to their carapaces. Sal- most of the people who come live here,
in the United States more important “Our organization has been study- ly is sponsored by Disney’s Animals, so people look forward to the event ev-
to sea turtles than South Melbourne ing sea turtles for about 60 years and Science and Environment and Cruz is ery year. Sea turtle conservation is wo-
Beach,” said David Godfrey, executive we use that research and the informa- sponsored by Disney’s Conservation ven throughout the community.”
director of the STC. tion from it to better advocate for tur- Fund. Released Sunday from the BIC
tle conservation; to try to get laws and within the Archie Carr National Wild- Join the fun, track the turtles and
Participants were treated to din- regulations passed to help them. One life Refuge were Odyssey, sponsored support the mission at www.tourde-
ner catered by Petty’s of Melbourne of our most useful tools is satellite te- by Ripley’s Aquariums, and Caroline, turtles.org. 
and free T-shirts and exotic drinks by lemetry. It helps us learn where turtles sponsored by Carolina Skiff.
a crew from The Naked Turtle Rum go after they leave nesting beaches,”
Co., while being serenaded by ukulele

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, August 3, 2017 15

SEEN & SCENE

Nancy Crawford and Tina Pomeroy. Becky Klipin and Lesley Cohen. PHOTOS: BENJAMIN THACKER Kim, Michael and Heather Arnold.

Donna Jacobson and Keith Henry. David Godfrey and Lexie Beach. Mila Fletcher and Anna Thompson.



‘DEADWOOD’:
WILD (WEST) AND
WOOLLY AT SURFSIDE

18 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

ARTS & THEATRE

‘Deadwood’: Wild (West) and woolly at Surfside

STORY BY PAM HARBAUGH CORRESPONDENT who observed Delsarte’s style:
[email protected]
“He depicted the various passions
Forget everything you hear about
bad audience behavior at live theater. and emotions of the human soul, by
At “Deadwood Dick or A Game of Gold,”
the audience is expected to get loud. means of expression and gesture only,

Well, maybe you should hold off without uttering a single syllable; mov-
climbing on stage to look for a power
outlet to charge your cellphone. (That ing the spectators to tears, exciting
actually happened at the Broadway pro-
duction of “Hand to God.”) But you’re them to enthusiasm, or thrilling them
still invited to boo, hiss, cheer and jeer
at the old-timey melodrama opening with terror at his will; in a word com-
Friday and running through Aug. 13 at
Surfside Playhouse in Cocoa Beach. pletely magnetizing them.”

“Oh, absolutely,” said director Bryan Some theater historians argue that
Bergeron. “We have a lady who comes
out at the beginning of the show and the broad style of acting was born out
tells the audience that’s their job.”
of need. At this time, this overacting
The comic melodrama, written by
Tom Taggert, has all the expected melodrama was necessary because
tropes: a conniving villain, strong he-
roes and damsels in distress. Its setting lighting was so poor that large gestures
is a Wild West saloon in the Gay ’90s
(no, the other Gay ’90s, from the Victo- were needed for the audience to under-
rian age).
stand character and plot.
In it, hero Ned Harris assumes the
identity of Deadwood Dick, a legendary Whatever the academic reason, audi-
highwayman with a heart of gold. Har-
ris secrets away damsel Rose Blossom, ences love it, Bergeron said, especially
sister to Lily Blossom, both played by
the same actress. The sisters have come when the characters speak in asides to
to Deadwood Gulch to find the gold-
mine owned by their late father, done the audience.
in by arch-villain Josephat Redburn.
“They think they know what’s going
“It’s a comedy with pathos,” explains
Bergeron. “It’s done broad. It’s a west- to happen but they don’t,” he said with
ern, so it’s not your Snidely Whiplash
kind of villain. There’s no ‘nya-ha-ha’ a laugh. “We have a character named
in the show.”
Tiny Dan, played by Chris Tsocanos.
In fact, he said, the story has a lot of
dark humor and downright insensitive He’s this giant Roy Rogers who comes
portrayals, especially of a Chinese cook
named Pong Ping. in, sings a cowboy song, walks out at

“It’s the most un-PC thing I’ve ever Kate Schwartz, Lisa Farrall, Rhett Pennell, Katie McCall (Bottom Left) Miranda Kane. PHOTO BY BENJAMIN THACKER the sunset.
seen,” he said. “But, like most melodra- “It’s a great date night show,” said
mas, it’s very campy.”
mas bring out the biggest laughs in Delsarte acting has a set of gestures, Bergeron. “It’s campy humor, so people
It’s also something Surfside audi-
ences have come to expect as sum- rehearsals. The director’s only hard postures and facial expressions which just come and have a good time.”
mer fun. Surfside’s philosophy is to
have a big community show which part, he said, is waiting for the swing- were designed to convey specific
can bring together both newcomers
to the stage as well as veteran com- ing saloon doors to be installed so emotions. His disciples would record “Deadwood Dick: A Game of Gold”
munity theater actors.
he can show his cast exactly how he those actions, describing how an actor melodrama opens Aug. 4 and runs
Ed Johnson, a performer with the
Not Quite Right Players improvisa- wants them to go through the doors. should raise their arm in order to con- through the 13th at Surfside Playhouse,
tion troupe, plays Ned Harris. This is
his first time in a bona fide play. Sarah The hardest part for the cast, vey thought and emotion; i.e., the more 301 Ramp Road (5th St. S.), Cocoa Beach.
Camp, who has been in a few shows at
Surfside, is Rose and Lily Blossom. And Bergeron said, is not to laugh at the certain of the truth, the higher one Performances are at 8 p.m. Fridays and
Gordon Ringer, a popular actor who has
appeared many times in many stages “Monty Pythonesque humor,” much of should raise one’s arm, and vice versa. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets
throughout Brevard, is the villainous
Josephat Redburn. which is word play and some physical. Here is a quote, according to Dart- are $15 general admission, $13 for seniors

Bergeron has done “a million” Rhett Pennell, a Merritt Island toy de- mouth.edu, from Francis Durivage and military and $10 for children 17
melodramas over his 42 years direct-
ing theater here. By far, melodra- signer, was the villain in Surfside’s pro- years and younger. 

duction of “No, No, a Million Times No.”

This time, he plays Wild Bill Hickock,

a sidekick to the hero, Ned Harris. He

hopes this time he’ll get cheered rather

than booed.

A former professional actor who had

his Equity card, Pennell said these over-

the-top melodramas are big fun to do.

They require an actor to, well, overact,

which is great for a natural “ham,” he

said, making fun of himself.

When a character falls in love, it’s

obvious. Their response to the wicked-

ness of a villain can never be too big.

“Oh, the horror,” Pennell mocked.

“You have to let loose and be as dra-

matic as possible. Hopefully it winds

up being funny as well.”

Although modern audiences laugh at

this style of acting, it was once consid-

ered the highest form of stage poetry, if

you will.

One of the first theorists in the

field of acting – Frenchman Francois

Delsarte (1811-1871) – had a popular

method which became known as Del-

sarte acting. Gordon Ringer, Ed Johnson and Rhett Pennell . PHOTO BY BENJAMIN THACKER

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, August 3, 2017 19

ARTS & THEATRE

‘Company’ man: Kyle Atkins is Riverside’s go-to guy

STORY BY STEPHANIE LABAFF STAFF WRITER Kyle Atkins. PHOTO BY DENISE RITCHIE “It is a big puzzle, and one piece af- sure the production runs smoothly.
[email protected] fects all the others,” explains Atkins. Once Atkins obtains the rights to a
was a milestone in the trajectory of the
There are days when the name most theater. From then on, with the help of By dabbling in each of the depart- show, Allen Cornell, CEO and produc-
often heard at Riverside Theatre isn’t the newly inaugurated “patron produc- ments over the years, Atkins knows ing artistic director, puts together the
the star of the show, or even the direc- ers,” the theater has staged much more where the pieces of the puzzle go, in creative team. Next, the set is designed
tor. It’s Kyle Atkins, the man who for massive productions. order for all of the intricate details to and built, and then they head into au-
the past seven years has been that man fit together. ditions. Atkins coordinates both local
behind the curtain, the unseen hand Atkins has proved a critical part of and New York auditions. Then, as actors
helping to resolve an endless run of that path. As liaison between the cast, crew fly into town from New York, L.A. and
confounding problems. The result – and director, Atkins’ goal is to make elsewhere, it’s time for rehearsal.
unfailingly, so far – is that the show has Following “42nd Street,” he returned
gone on. the next season for “The Producers,” “It’s all very fast. When we say we’re
then joined the staff full-time as pro- working on these shows for years, we
This season, as Riverside stages from duction stage manager for such large- might not be doing it every day, but the
scratch a Broadway-worthy season that scale productions as “The Full Monty,” process began long ago. Sometimes you
includes “Mama Mia” and “Gypsy,” At- “Funny Girl” and “A Funny Thing Hap- have three or four productions going on
kins will have new title in the playbill: pened on the Way to the Forum.” at once that you need to handle,” ex-
He has been named company manager. plains Atkins.
All the while, he has kept a low pro-
Putting out fires, keeping things or- file, and built a reputation as the go-to Another crucial aspect of Atkins’
ganized and being familiar with every guy who never says no. job is to take care of the actors. This
niche of the theater is what Atkins does multi-faceted job encompasses every-
every day. “This place is special for me. I’ve thing from auditions to rehearsals and
grown a lot here. I love our staff. And maintaining a green room. It is Atkins
“No two days are alike,” he says with- we’re only three blocks from the beach,” who must secure housing for visiting
out so much as an eye-roll at the chaos he adds with a chuckle. performers, a task that should be eased
he reins in daily. by Riverside’s newly announced actors’
Looking back on his days interning housing expected to break ground this
“We have a lot to do over the summer. under the leaking roof of Arkansas Rep- fall on Aviation Boulevard.
In the shops, they’ve already built sets ertory Theatre, then finding himself at
for two of our shows,” says Atkins, his Riverside Theatre fresh from a $22 mil- Atkins’ role is to create a welcoming
brain switching gears to the next item lion renovation, it’s no surprise that this
on his list. is where he put down roots. CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

The 32-year-old Atkins may have “Not many places have that kind of
been destined to work in the theater: donor base. This is a community that
He’s a native of Jamestown, N.Y., the wants the arts and is willing to invest in
birthplace of Lucille Ball. It was in high them.”
school when he was struggling to find
his place in the world that he discov- For years, Atkins wore the hats of
ered theater. both the production manager and com-
pany manager. Then, last year, Richard
“I didn’t seem to fit into this group Crowell came on board as production
or that group,” he says of those awk- manager, freeing up Atkins to shift his
ward years. “When I did my first musi- focus.
cal, I knew that was where I belonged.
It just made sense to me, and I realized As the company manager, his posi-
these were the people I wanted to be tion is pivotal. He must be versatile and
around. From that point on I was in adept at many things, and for produc-
love with theater.” tions to flow smoothly the company
manager must be familiar with every
At first young Kyle was interested in stage of the production process. Armed
performing “like everybody is when with an intimate knowledge of each
they get into the theater.” department, he balances the theater’s
needs with the artistic mindset of the
“Once I was in college, I quickly real- performers.
ized it was not my thing – I really hated
auditioning,” he recalls. “Then I started
to stage-manage, and something just
clicked. It just made sense to my Type A
personality.”

Atkins graduated with a BFA in the-
ater studies from Niagara University.
It was 2007. For the next few years he
learned the ropes as an intern in Ar-
kansas, Maine, New York, Virginia and
Connecticut. He even did a stint as the
assistant stage manager at Riverside
Theatre during the 2008-2009 season,
which is when he earned his card from
the Actors’ Equity Association.

A year later, he came back to Vero as
production stage manager on River-
side’s ambitious, record-breaking pro-
duction of “42nd Street,” a show that

20 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 ARTS & THEATRE

environment for the performers so Coming Up: EGAD, it’s time to party art-y
they can funnel their creative energy
into the performance. STORY BY SAMANTHA BAITA STAFF WRITER Inn. This Saturday brings the Danny in Daytona Beach, an iconic Florida
[email protected] Morris Band. Former Nighthawks destination and a top spring break
That isn’t a 40-hour a week job, ac- choice for virtually every high school
cording to Atkins. One day he might 1 EGAD! It’s the Eau Gallie Arts lead guitarist Morris has combined and college in the country. Happily,
be helping out with the sets and an- District’s super-popular First upbeat, original material, classic it’s a bit more chill this time of year,
other taking care of an injured cast surf rock and blues to form what he and you’ll discover a plethora of mu-
member while keeping the rest of the Friday music and art celebration, calls “the ultimate surf party band!!” sic venues – all kinds of music in all
crew calm and formulating plan B. The next day it’s Mojo Hand, putting kinds of places. For example: at Ba-
this Friday evening in and around shine in your Sunday with faves from hama Breeze Island Grille on the fa-
One thing Atkins found surprising the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Al- mous International Speedway Bou-
was many performers want to clean historic, very walkable Highland anis Morisette, Fleetwood Mac, the levard there’s a Reggae Fest going on
their own rooms before settling in. Weekend and more. through Aug. 13, where you can, as
Atkins started to protest until he re- they put it, Jam. Eat. Drink. Repeat.
alized the source of their urge. “I take If getting into an island state of mind
pride in the housing we provide. I’d with a Caribbean music soundtrack
get offended when they wanted to sounds like a nice weekend, head on
clean their rooms. Then I realized up. Then there’s the famous Daytona
that this was a way for them to make Beach Bandshell (built out of coqui-
the place their own, even if it’s just for na in 1937) in Oceanfront Park, right
a few weeks.” smack on the ocean. The Bandshell
Live Summer Concert Series, now in
Over the years he’s had some in- its ninth year, takes place on Friday
teresting requests from performers. nights. This Friday, locals and visitors
“They all have different personalities will gather to hear KC 70’s Flashback,
and quirks. You get a wide variety of a KC and the Sunshine Band tribute
requests, most in that first week. I try group, 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tickets are
to do what I can. You’d be surprised at $3; $10 VIP ticket includes a chair.
how many people don’t pack properly
to come down here. It isn’t shorts and Avenue, with its wealth of excellent
sandals weather in January.”
shops and galleries waiting to be ex-
After years of practice, Atkins
knows there is a psychology to assign- plored. The vibe here is always artsy,
ing housing. Performers often share
an apartment, a car and a dressing as the downtown seems to be in per-
room along with being on stage to-
gether. Being in each other’s pockets petual celebration of all things hand-
24/7 can be too much, so Atkins keeps
their on-stage roles in mind when he crafted and creative. Oranga Tanga 3 The Sandbar at Capt. Hiram’s
parcels out off-stage housing – he on Indian River Drive in Sebas-
sometimes checks social media for will be in the band shell this Friday.
help formulating assignments.
These guys are certain to keep the tian is a weekend gathering place for
Next year’s opening of the actors’
hotel, to be called Star Suites, will mood and the beat up, up, up, with tourists and locals, and there’s always
change things drastically, according
to Atkins. “Right now we have about such diverse instruments as bongos, lots of music to tap a beat to under the
25 apartments and they’re all over
the place, which means I do a lot of djembe, mandolin, triangle, cow- twinkling lights, with, if you choose,
running around.” Having the hous-
ing in one location with local devel- bells, singing bowl, rain stick, kazoo, toes in the sand. This weekend’s mu-
oper Keith Kite’s property manage-
ment team helping will make things goat hooves and others, slightly less sic menu: Syndicate Duo funks it up at
much easier, he says.
exotic but just as kickin’. With music, 3:30 p.m., followed at 7:30 p.m. by the
“There aren’t many other regional
theaters in the country that have a set- food and beverages aplenty in Eau Ladies of Soul, bringing their power-
up like we will have. It will make us
pretty unique in the fact that we will Gallie Square, EGAD First Friday is a ful pipes to an evening of Motown and
have our own housing complex for all
of our guest artists,” says Atkins. great top-of-the-to-do-list opportu- pop. Saturday at 3:30 p.m., Dudley

He expects that the hotel will have nity. And P.S.: Featured at this EGAD Quest bring his authentic island reg- Sabrina Carpenter.
a positive effect on the already high
caliber of the Riverside casts. Per- First Friday is the “Dog Days: Who Is gae sound to the sand; then, at 7:30
formers are drawn to Riverside not
only for the beaches warm winters, the Fairest of Them All? Dog Show.” p.m., it’s rocking with the Livesays,
but because of the “quality of the pro-
ductions we work on and how we take Guest Judge Keith Winsten of the who provide the recipe for their sound
care of the actors.”
Brevard Zoo returns to judge in 10 as follows: “Take two pints Springs- 5 Sabrina Carpenter, the singer/
All that hard work is rewarded on songwriter/actress who played
opening night for Atkins. “It’s the “dog”egories, so see how artistically teen, one pint John Mellencamp, add
one time you can put everything
aside and just watch the show. Then you can spiff up your furry pal, and a heaping spoonful of Beatles, a pinch Maya Hart on the Disney Channel hit
to hear our audience raving that this
show is now their favorite, you know let him or her join the EGAD fun. of Stones, a sprinkle of Rod Stewart, a series “Girl Meets World,” is bringing
you did it.” 
dash of Bruno Mars, beat well, bring her “De-Tour” tour to the Dr. Phil-

to a boil, simmer.” They’ll do original lips Center’s Walt Disney Theatre in

songs and put their own twist on clas- Orlando this Saturday. The 18-year-

sic covers. On Sunday, starting at 2 old Carpenter’s debut album illus-

p.m., you’re invited to jam with Spiri- trated her youthful exuberance with

tual Rez and Lights Out Project, who’ll singles like “Eyes Wide Open” and

bring what they call “the craziest reg- “We’ll Be the Stars.” Her second al-

gae dance party you’ll ever be a part bum, “EVOLution,” also speaks to

of!” It’ll be their last show on the East her growth and where she now finds

Danny Morris Band. Coast before they head off to Califor- herself in her life. She says, “I’m very

nia, and the Captain wants to send lucky to do what I love, but it does

them off “Captain’s style!” come along with roller coasters of

2 There’s usually something mu- emotion” (which she uses to her best
sical going on at Coppola’s Bar
4 How about a weekend roadtrip? advantage in her performances).
There’s a lot to do up the road
and Grille at the Sebastian Beach Show time is 7 p.m. 



22 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

INSIGHT COVER STORY

Mark Luther’s dream home has a window that looks The area is due for a major can Gov. Rick Scott’s administration has discouraged
out to a world of water. He can slip out the back door hurricane, and it is not pre- employees from using the words “climate change”
and watch dolphins swim by his private dock. Shore pared. If a big one scores a in official communications. Last month, the Re-
birds squawk from nearby nests in giant mangroves. direct hit, the damage would publican-controlled state legislature approved bills
allowing any citizen to challenge textbooks and in-
He said it’s hard to imagine ever leaving this slice likely surpass Katrina. structional materials, including those that teach the
of paradise on St. Petersburg’s Bayou Grande, even science of evolution and global warming.
though the water he adores is starting to get a little Yet the bay area – greater Tampa, St. Petersburg and
creepy. Clearwater – has barely begun to assess the rate of sea- The sea in Tampa Bay has risen naturally through-
level rise and address its effects. Its slow response to out time, about an inch per decade. But in the early
Over the 24 years since he moved into the house, a major threat is a case study in how American cities 1990s, scientists say, it accelerated to several inches
the bayou has inched up a protective sea wall and reluctantly prepare for the worst, even though signs above normal, so much that recent projections have
crept toward his front door. As sea level rises, a result of impacts from climate change abound all around. the bay rising between six inches and more than two
of global warming, it contributes to flooding in his feet by the middle of the century and up to nearly sev-
Venetian Isle neighborhood and Shore Acres, a neigh- State leaders could be part of the reason. Republi- en feet when it ends. On top of that, natural settling is
boring community of homes worth up to $2.5 million, causing land to slowly sink.
about 70 times per year.
Sea-level rise worsens the severity of even small
“Why stay?” asked Luther, an oceanographer who storms, adding to the water that can be pushed
knows perfectly well a hurricane could one day shove ashore. Hard rains now regularly flood neighbor-
15 feet of water into his living room. “It’s just so nice.” hoods in St. Petersburg, Tampa and Clearwater.

Tampa Bay is mesmerizing, with 700 miles of shore- By a stroke of gambler’s luck, Tampa Bay hasn’t suf-
line and some of the finest white sand beaches in the fered a direct hit from a hurricane as powerful as a cate-
nation. But analysts say the metropolitan area is the gory 3 or higher in nearly a century.Tampa has doubled
most vulnerable in the United States to flooding and down on a bet that another won’t strike anytime soon,
damage if a major hurricane ever scores a direct hit. investing billions of dollars in high-rise condominiums
along the waterfront and shipping port upgrades and
A Boston firm that analyzes potential catastrophic expanding a hospital on an island in the middle of the
damage reported that the region would lose $175 bil- bay to make it one of the largest in the state.
lion in a storm the size of Hurricane Katrina. A World
Bank study called Tampa Bay one of the 10 most at- Once-sleepy St. Petersburg has gradually followed
risk areas on the globe.

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, August 3, 2017 23

INSIGHT COVER STORY

“They weren’t doing a lot Video simulations of hurricanes that strafed Flor- hurricane hit. Buckhorn said a category 3 hurricane
to address climate change ida but missed Tampa Bay look like an epic game of would level the island’s houses, including his own.
dodgeball.
and sea-level rise.” Tampa General has a thorough evacuation plan, in-
“It’s like we’re in this sweet spot. It’s like we’re door generators that can supply energy for several days
ELIZABETH CARNAHAN, blessed somehow, protected,” said Allison Yeh, a and safe floors with reinforced walls and windows.
planner for Hillsborough County in Tampa.
Pinellas County director of sustainable living But parts of two bridges that lead to and from the
The last direct hit from a category 3 in 1921 left the island would be cut off by floodwaters, a concern of
suit, adorning its downtown coast with high-rise con- area in ruins, but few people lived there then. A single officials in spite of assurances by the hospital’s man-
dominiums, new shops and hotels. The city is in the death was recorded. agers that there’s a contingency for that too.
final stages of a plan to build a $45 million pier as a
major attraction that would extend out into the bay. Now, with 4 million residents and gleaming new Floridians view hurricanes with the same bravado
infrastructure, the stakes are higher, and Yeh and her of Oklahomans who face tornadoes and Californians
Worried that area leaders weren’t adequately fo- fellow planners are wary. They know a major hurri- who brave earthquakes and wildfire: They come with
cused on the downside of living in a tropic, the Tampa cane like one of several that barely missed the bay in the territory, a fact of life in a tropic, they say.
Bay Regional Planning Council reminded them of the recent years would have a devastating effect.
risks by simulating a worst-case scenario hurricane, a But other problems are less abstract than big hur-
category 5 with winds exceeding 156 miles per hour, There are few hurricane-proof buildings in the bay ricanes. Sea-level rise doesn’t need a megastorm to
to demonstrate what would happen if it entered the area. One is a gallery, the Salvador Dali Museum in make its presence felt.
Gulf of Mexico and turned their way. downtown St. Petersburg with 18-inch-thick concrete
“Even when we don’t take a direct hit, even when
The fictitious Phoenix hurricane scenario projects “You hear when it’s a tropical storm or a category 1, the rain it delivers
that wind damage would destroy nearly half a mil- it starts to storm to our city puts enormous stress on our rainwater and
lion homes and businesses. About 2 million residents and you can’t sewer collection system,” Rice said.
would require medical treatment, and the estimated sleep.”
death toll, more than 2,000, would top the number of Water is bubbling up all over Florida. Within the
people who perished from Hurricane Katrina in Loui- JESSICA LOPEZ LIVES IN THE MARINERS COVE MOBILE HOME next 12 years, according to an assessment by a group
siana and Mississippi. PARK. LAST YEAR DURING TROPICAL STORM HERMINE THE of researchers, Risky Business, the value of state prop-
erty that will vanish under encroaching water could
Florida’s most densely populated county, Pinellas, WATER, FILLED WITH SEWAGE FROM A DAMAGED SEPTIC reach $15 billion. By 2050, it could reach $23 billion.
could be sliced in half by a wave of water. The low- TANK, CAME UP TO HER FRONT DOOR.
lying county of about a million is growing so fast that Along the barrier islands that lured more than 6
there’s no land left to develop, and main roads and “People who want million tourists who spent nearly $10 billion last year,
an interstate connecting it to Tampa get clogged with to live on the water- governments spend a mix of local and federal to re-
traffic even on a clear day. front will always live nourish beaches lost to erosion that even a tropical
on the waterfront.” storm can cause.
“If a hurricane 4 or 5 hit us,” St. Petersburg City
Council Chairman Darden Rice said, referring to the MARK LUTHER, A PROFESSOR OF MARINE SCIENCE WHO “The bay’s getting higher and the bay needs to go
two highest category storms, “there’s no doubt about STUDIES CLIMATE CHANGE, LIVES NEAR THE WATER. HE SAYS somewhere else. But there’s nowhere for the water to
it. The plan is you’d better get out of Dodge.” go,” said Mark Hafen, a University of South Florida
IF A MAJOR HURRICANE WERE TO HIT, HIS HOME WOULD associate professor who specializes in environmental
Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn’s warning was even LIKELY BE DESTROYED. science and coastal planning.
starker. Standing outside City Hall last year, he de-
scribed what would happen if a hurricane as small walls and pressured glass supported by steel frames A team of planners in Hillsborough County said
as a category 3 with 110 to 130 mile per hour winds that could withstand anything the aforementioned they fight against the potential impact of rising wa-
hit downtown. storms could dish out. The building supervisor could ter every day, creating alternative bus routes and de-
stand at the windows and watch a hurricane pass as tours for flooded roads and trying to get the message
“Where you’re standing now would be 15 feet un- though it were on the Weather Channel. out to residents in low-lying areas that their homes
der water,” he said. could be ruined.
The museum is better protected than one of the larg-
est hospitals in the state, Tampa General, which sits “You live in a paradise and that’s wonderful, but
on Davis Island, a spit of earth that was dredged from it has storms,” said Eugene Henry, mitigation man-
muck at the bottom of the bay a few years after the last ager for Hillsborough County. He preaches about im-
proved coastal inspection, color-coded warnings for
residents depending on how low their homes are in a
flood zone, making them more aware of the threat so
they can take steps to protect themselves.

“If the inevitable monster storm comes, it’s not going
to keep you safe from 30 feet of storm surge,” he said,
but they’ll know when the tide rises to put shutters up.
New structures built on the Florida coast, along with
homes seeking major renovations, are mandated to
have three feet of clearance from floodwaters.

Planners in Tampa Bay are noticing that floodwater
is sticking around longer. As the water rises, it’s fill-
ing huge outfall pipes, pushing water that would flow
down a storm drain back onto streets.

Tampa and Hillsborough County officials have
considered levying a tax to help fix a growing prob-
lem, but in a state where Republicans opposed to
taxes control the governor’s office and the legislature,
that’s a tough sell.

“We do have a real challenge with our storm water
drainage system,” said Beth Alden, the executive di-
rector of Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Orga-
nization, which recently spent millions to clear huge
pipes blocked by barnacles left by increasingly swol-
len tides. “This isn’t a glamorous expenditure, some-
thing you’re going to go have a ribbon cutting for.

“It’s something that if we don’t have the funding to

STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

24 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 INSIGHT COVER STORY

keep up, it’s not going to be there. What specifically for their region. It is used to agement department officials watch Repetitive flooding is so dire that
we’ve been seeing is a very conservative plan bridges and roads, to site govern- closely when it storms. county officials considered buying out
state legislature that has been coming ment buildings that are supposed to the mobile home leasers and relocating
out and trying to reduce the ability of last at least 75 years. “We know at those locations if we them but lacked the funds, Levy said.
local governments to levy taxes.” get too much rain and get high tide, The county had already spent $300,000
Living in near-poverty in Clearwater, we know they’re vulnerable,” said Kelli to purchase nearly three dozen homes
In Hafen’s eyes, there’s an additional Jessica Lopez said she has little time to Hammer Levy, director of the county’s near McKay and Allen creeks in Largo
problem, one that officials who work at worry about a threat that might arrive environmental management division. and relocate the owners.
the pleasure of politicians are reluctant years down the road. For her, the future
to discuss. is now. Three months later, Mariners Cove In Shore Acres, the wealthy commu-
Mobile Home Park flooded again when nity next to Mark Luther’s neighbor-
“We’ve had a really hard time getting Last year around June, she fell asleep Tropical Storm Hermine took a swipe at hood, residents are much better in-
buy-in on sea-level rise on this side of the as rain pounded her mobile home Tampa Bay. formed about the area’s flooding, and
bay,” Hafen said. “Hillsborough Coun- and awoke to a terrifying sight. The have far more options.
ty and Tampa are super conservative. rain hadn’t stopped, and water from Now Lopez is frightened whenever it
They’re burying their heads in the sand.” rains. “You hear when it starts to storm Like Lopez, they’re staying. Many Ve-
an overflowing creek had climbed the netian Isle and Shore Acres residents
Pinellas County, on the other side stairs to her front door. and you can’t sleep,” she said. “I’m con- have poured thousands of dollars into
of the bay, is more progressive about stantly worried now when it floods and homes to accent their bayou views.
addressing climate change impacts, Lopez, her husband, Matt, and their the dirt shifts, it’ll tilt us more and more
Hafen said. But that didn’t happen until daughter, Aurora, were trapped. Wa- sideways.” But it might be a trap.
fairly recently. It took a nerdy Universi- ter was four feet deep in places, up to Nearly all of Shore Acres is considered
ty of Florida county extension agent to her neck. She was six months pregnant She and her husband had no idea a repetitive loss area where homes have
help open everyone’s eyes. with a second daughter. that the mobile park home was a county flooded more than once and required
hot spot when they moved there about compensationfrominsurers.Streetflood-
Elizabeth Carnahan was plucked At least two venomous water mocca- a year ago. Like several residents there, ing happens after rains and high tides.
from academia by the county’s director sins swam past a trailer. A community she said managers didn’t include that Eighty percent of homes in the area
of sustainable living. Her new role was septic tank that sits directly behind Lo- information when they signed leases are what planners call “slab-on-grade.”
to focus on climate change and engage pez’s back window flooded. “The feces,” for the land where their trailers sat. It means their living rooms are one step
with others to make the county more she said, “was everywhere.” She put her from the ground or less. More than
resilient to its impacts, and Carnahan head in her hands. “It was so gross.” The county’s floodplain coordinator 1,500 are subject to flooding, according
took it seriously. told Levy that notifying potential ten- to an analysis of repetitive loss flooding
The problem got worse.Wet dirt shift- ants of a flood risk is recommended but by the city of St. Petersburg.
But Carnahan didn’t see a lot of area ed under her trailer, causing it to tilt. Lo- not required. Renters and lease holders Since 1978, 29 homes have made 129
collaboration in planning. pez worried they would not survive. are often left in the dark. flood insurance claims totaling $2.9 mil-
lion. A significant flood or a catastroph-
“They weren’t doing a lot to address cli- But Pinellas County rescuers quickly Leaving is not much of an option, Lo- ic storm could ruin a thousand more,
mate change and sea-level rise,” she said. rushed to the scene. The county is so pez said. “If we were to move without triggering major insurance claims.
“They were willing, but no one was going flood prone that the Mariners Cove paying off the trailer, they would undo St. Petersburg, like Tampa, is spend-
to the head of the pack to take it on.” Mobile Home Park is one of numer- everything we’ve done.We’ve paid about ing millions in an attempt to clear storm
ous “hot spots” that emergency man- $2,000. They would just void that.” drains that are supposed to collect wa-
But they were elsewhere, in Gulf ter from streets and dump it back into
Coast states that were hit by Hurricane Tampa Bay. The city is also imploring
Katrina and the Southeast Florida area owners of slab-on-grade homes to con-
of Fort Lauderdale and Miami that was sider building mounds to raise them
raked by hurricanes constantly in the three feet from the ground.
first years of the new century. It’s a tough sell for someone like Lu-
ther, whose home was built long before
Carnahan dropped in on their meet- anyone started talking about acceler-
ings, talked to planners and listened ated sea-level rise.
to their sea-level rise projections and “I’m not sure you can elevate this
vulnerability assessments. After three type of house,” he said. “It’s U-shaped
years of networking outside the bay, she and fairly large, 3,700 square feet.” Lu-
gathered what she considered the best ther’s house is brick with terrazzo floors
ideas she heard and imported them to “that would crack to pieces.”
Pinellas County. But there’s one option that Venetian
Isle residents have that Lopez in her
The county sponsored a three-hour Clearwater trailer park does not, and
workshop at the Weedon Island Pre- Luther is considering it. The real estate
serve that Mark Luther can see from his market in paradise is hot, and he can
flood-risk home. After that gathering, sell.
Carnahan noticed a change in officials “People who want to live on the water-
in the 30 cities in Pinellas County. front will always live on the waterfront,”
Luther said, a reference to the rich. “Ev-
“I could see them calling each other a ery house on my street that sold within
lot more to share what each other were the past 10 years, they’ve knocked it
doing,” she said. Watching this, Carna- down and built a 10,000 or 12,000 square
han’s boss, Mary Campbell, floated an foot mini-mansion on top of it.”
idea to get scientists together to make Carnahan seconded that. On the
climate related recommendations to edge of Tampa Bay, where the danger
local governments. from a colossal storm is worse, homes
Venetian Isle and flood prone Shore
That group became the Climate Sci- Acres are still being snatched up.
ence Advisory Panel. Within months, “I can’t believe what houses here are
they helped establish the One Bay Resil- selling for,” she said.  
ient Community, looping Hillsborough
and Pasco counties into a network that
works on climate related problems.

Tampa Bay now produces a climate
report that compares to the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion’s National Climate Assessment,
offering projections for sea-level rise

PSA SCREENING FOR MEN, PART II form that circulates in the bloodstream unbound to other pro-
teins), and a subcategory of free-PSA called pro-PSA (sometimes
While the traditional prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood called p2PSA).
test, developed in the 1980s to screen for prostate cancer, has
recently come under some scrutiny, many urologists still consider Pro-PSA is more closely tied to prostate cancer than total- or
it a valuable tool for detecting and following cancer – and for free-PSA. So if a man’s pro-PSA level is elevated on the PHI test,
monitoring significant benign conditions such as benign prostatic there is a greater probability that a biopsy will find cancer. It’s
hyperplasia, infection, inflammation, prostate volume, urinary anticipated that the PHI test will detect 95 percent of prostate
obstruction and retention. cancers and prevent about one in seven unnecessary biopsies.
There may also be a correlation between pro-PSA levels and the
Even though prostate cancer usually progresses slowly over aggressiveness of prostate cancer.
many years without causing symptoms or any medical problems, it
is the second leading cause of cancer death among American men. If indeed the PHI test is able to indicate which tumors need ag-
gressive treatment and which don’t, the number of unnecessary
But while an elevated PSA level may help diagnose prostate biopsies, treatments and costs associated with prostate cancer
cancer at an early age, about 50 percent of prostate cancers di- detection can be curtailed.
agnosed on the basis of traditional PSA testing never threaten
health or longevity. This means that half the men diagnosed this WHO IS A POSSIBLE CANDIDATE FOR PHI TESTING?
way have the potential to suffer side effects of treatment, such as
impotence and incontinence, without getting any benefit. The PHI test is approved for men 50 years and older with
above-normal total PSA readings who had a digital rectal exam
Now, there’s a new diagnostic test available here in Indian that did not find signs of cancer.
River County that has been approved by the FDA, but it is not yet
covered by Medicare. IS PSA/PHI SCREENING RIGHT FOR YOU?

This new blood test, called the Prostate Health Index (PHI), is An elevated PSA level doesn’t necessarily mean you have
used to help diagnose cancer, plus it seems to offer a significant cancer; and a normal PSA level does not completely rule out
bonus – the ability to more accurately detect those patients who prostate cancer.
actually need a biopsy, allowing for a substantial decrease in the
number of prostate biopsies. Talk to your doctor about your family history, age, risk fac-
tors, life expectancy and personal preferences. Weigh all fac-
WHAT IS THE NEW “PHI” TEST? tors. Together, you can make the right decision for you. 

The Prostate Health Index (PHI) test combines measurements Your comments and suggestions for future topics are always
of three types of prostate-specific antigen: total-PSA, free-PSA (a welcome. Email us at [email protected].

© 2017 Vero Beach 32963 Media, all rights reserved

It ’s Time for Summer Fun!

Award winning Sales, Service and Ships Store!

772.562.7922 : 12 Royal Palm Pointe : Vero Beach : www.veromarine.com
Serving Boaters On The Waterfront For Almost 60 Years!

26 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

INSIGHT BOOKS

Along with Billie Holiday and Ella uments this journey with painstaking I sing faster. I can think what I’m think- with novelty songs and stereotypic
Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan is part of the detail. Having collected a rich trove of ing and sing it, but I can’t play it.” De- ethnic tunes, a strategy that limited
triumvirate of classic jazz vocalists. To- material, she organizes her presenta- spite its vast possibilities, the piano was artists both black and white but satis-
gether they laid the foundation of con- tion around the concept of crossover, too limiting for Vaughan’s quick think- fied the tastes of pop music audiences.
temporary jazz singing and, as such, as a way to honor Vaughan’s “flexibil- ing creativity. Her voice was the only “Mitch Miller didn’t know … how not
helped to shape all of popular music. ity as a performer and the breadth of instrument that allowed her to express to use race (or ethnicity) as a novelty
her career.” Following that crossover the full range, tone and depth of what device,” Hayes writes. “He was in tune
Holiday has been the subject of sever- journey yields a solid narrative that she heard in her head. with white, mainstream America, but
al significant biographies, and there is documents Vaughan’s struggles, tri- he struggled to present the creations of
at least one authoritative tome devoted umphs and unprecedented success In addition to its insightful discus- black artists in a way that wasn’t stereo-
to Fitzgerald, with another long-await- as a “symphonic diva, singing jazz in sions of Vaughan’s technical genius, typical or reductive.”
ed one soon to follow. But Vaughan has venues previously reserved for classi- “Queen of Bebop” also examines the
not inspired the same attention, which cal music and opera.” times in which she worked. Born in Vaughan resisted both “the blatant
makes “Queen of Bebop,” by Elaine M. 1924 in Newark, Vaughan was a child of commercialism of Miller” and the “an-
Hayes, all the more necessary and ex- As a Newark choirgirl, Vaughan won the Great Migration and lived under the ti-commercialism of jazz purists” by
citing. This comprehensive examina- the Apollo’s famed Amateur Night and painful reality of Jim Crow America. carving her own path. She took her mu-
tion of Vaughan’s life and work benefits toured with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Her parents went North from Virginia sic to places unimagined by previous
from Hayes’ technical knowledge of Parker and Billy Eckstine. After her in search of greater economic oppor- jazz vocalists. By the end of her career,
music and her thorough research on appearance at New York’s Town Hall tunity and political freedom. However, especially with the success of her inter-
the historical context. in 1947, critics took notice and iden- the Newark to which they moved had pretation of Stephen Sondheim’s “Send
tified her as the bearer of something an established history of racial segre- in the Clowns,” Vaughan emerged as
In a sense, though, “Queen of Bebop” new. Here was a vocalist who, like gation and oppression, which shaped a singular artist who merged her jazz
is a misleading title. It limits the scope her instrument-playing compatriots, Vaughan’s experiences as a young art- foundation, her popular music aspira-
of Vaughan’s music and the book’s ac- transformed jazz from the dominance ist. On tour she and her bandmates en- tions and her desire for the respect of-
tual exploration of her career. Although of swing to the realm of a complex, countered one indignity after another. fered to the grand opera divas.
Vaughan established herself as an in- abstract, high art through bebop. For
novative bebop vocalist, she spent Hayes, this marked the first phase of While all the musicians with whom Although Hayes rightly focuses on
much of her life trying to break free of Vaughan’s journey from “obscurity” to she traveled faced racial violence, Vaughan’s music, she does not gloss
the limitations of category. Hayes doc- “crossover.” Vaughan also faced gender-based vio- over Vaughan’s long-standing tastes
lence. Her colleagues beat her. It was a for cocaine and marijuana, or her un-
While useful for organizing a linear high price to pay for admission into the fortunate pattern of making her of-
narrative of Vaughan’s career, one of boys club of jazz instrumentalists. But ten-abusive husbands her managers
the unfortunate limitations of this ap- these conditions both in Newark and despite their lack of business acumen
proach is a devaluation of the so-called within the Earl Hines and Billy Ecks- and experience. But while drug use and
obscure period. Just because Vaughan tine bands provided Vaughan opportu- bad relationships are a reality, they do
was unknown to white fans of popu- nities to hone her natural abilities and not dominate Hayes’ presentation of
lar music does not mean that Vaughan to experiment within a community Vaughan’s life; they do not take away
languished in “obscurity.” Her musi- that appreciated invention. Black audi- from the centrality and enormity of her
cianship was widely recognized and ences and white jazz fans and DJs were talent and musical contribution. This is
appreciated in the communities that central in making sure broader audi- as it should be. “Queen of Bebop” mod-
most valued the art form. Furthermore, ences heard her. els a way of understanding the lives and
as Hayes herself notes, when Vaughan artistry of jazz musicians – one that
crossed over, she broadened the sonic But if the communities that pro- establishes their importance and cen-
palate of American audiences, intro- duced Vaughan nurtured innovation, trality in creating the best that America
ducing them to “everything new and the world she sought to enter did any- has offered the world. 
modern” through her sophisticated, thing but. Hayes does an especially
avant-garde singing. good job of explaining the musical QUEEN OF BEBOP
landscape of postwar white America. The Musical Lives of Sarah Vaughan
Vaughan, who started out as a pia- In the second phase of her crossover,
nist, brought a knowledge of music’s Columbia Records signed Vaughan By Elaine M. Hayes
underlying harmonic structure to her and assigned Mitch Miller to produce Ecco. 419 pp. $27.99
singing. “I’m really a singer,” she once her records. Hayes correctly identifies Review by Farah Jasmine Griffin
said. “I wish I could play piano like I Miller as committed to commercial- The Washington Post
think, but I can’t. My fingers. My mind. ism. He produced hits for other artists

COMING ATTRACTIONS! RECOMMENDED CHILDREN’S BOOKS AND VERO BEACH BEST SELLERS

Every FRIDAY Morning! TOP 5 FICTION TOP 5 NON-FICTION BESTSELLER | KIDS
Story Hour with 1. Cocoa Beach 1. Make Your Bed 1. Wonder BY R.J. PALACIO
Miss Erin 2. Gone Camping
at 10:30am. BY BEATRIZ WILLIAMS BY WILLIAM MCRAVEN
BY TAMERA WILL WISSINGER
Friday, August 4th 2. House of Spies 2. Understanding Trump
Pajama Story Hour 3. My Grandma Lives in Florida
Come dressed in BY DANIEL SILVA BY NEWT GINGRICH
BY ED SHANKMAN
your PJ's! 3. The Late Show 3. Hillbilly Elegy BY J.D. VANCE
4. The Swamp BY ERIC BOLLING 4. Little Excavator BY ANNA DEWDNEY
BY MICHAEL CONNELLY 5. An Ice Age Mystery 5. Dragons Love Tacos 2:

4. Cocoa Beach BY RODY JOHNSON The Sequel BY ADAM RUBIN

BY BEATRIZ WILLIAMS

5. Use of Force

BY BRAD THOR

392 Miracle Mile (21st Street), Vero Beach | 772.569.2050 | www.verobeachbookcenter.com

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, August 3, 2017 27

INSIGHT GAMES & CO.

NORTH

PENALTY DOUBLES ARE ALMOST EXTINCT AQ854

Andrew Mason, the founder and former CEO of Groupon, said, “All the trends show that 10 8
email usage among the younger cohorts of internet users is declining. Whether it will take
five or 30 years for email to go extinct, I’m not sure.” 92

I find it hard to believe that email will become extinct. But in bridge, despite the evidence J763
of this deal, it feels as if the penalty double has become extinct, except when the
opponents are clearly sacrificing. WEST EAST
J72
What is North’s double in this auction? How can the defenders defeat three hearts J96 10 9 6
doubled after West leads the club king? A J 10 8 5
K2 2
When each of the first three players bids a different suit, double by the fourth hand is
called Snapdragon. It shows length in the fourth suit (at least five cards) and tolerance KQ73
(commonly honor-doubleton) for partner’s suit. If instead fourth hand bids his suit, it denies
help for partner. A Q 10 8 5

Note that East-West did well not to go to the four-level, where they would have lost four SOUTH
tricks: three spades and one heart or, more likely, two spades, a spade ruff by South and
one heart. K3

West’s penalty double was aggressive, but he knew his side had the balance of power. AKQ7543

After West led the club king (East signaled with the eight) and played another round, the 64
spotlight was on East. If he had continued with a high club, South would have ruffed high
(West would have thrown a spade), drawn two rounds of trumps, and played three rounds 94
of spades, discarding a diamond, to get home.
Dealer: East; Vulnerable: Both
Instead, East accurately cashed his diamond king and diamond queen before leading the
third club, which promoted a trump trick for West. The Bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST OPENING
1 Clubs
1 Hearts 2 Diamonds Dbl. 3 Diamonds LEAD:
3 Hearts Dbl. All Pass K Clubs

28 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly
SSOOLLUUTTIOIONNSSTOTOPRPERVEIOVUIOSUISSSUISES(JUuEly(2J7U)LOYN2P7A)GOEN39PAGE 60
INSIGHT GAMES & CO.

ACROSS DOWN
7 Hear (6) 1 Elevated (4)
8 Engage (6) 2 Pebbles (6)
9 Tibia (8) 3 Cue sport (7)
10 Flat (4) 4 Cut (5)
11 Sideboard (7) 5 Orb (6)
13 Furnishings (5) 6 Preface (8)
15 Talk (5) 12 Journalist (8)
17 Exterior (7) 14 Pudding sauce (7)
20 Worry (4) 16 Shrewd (6)
21 Curiosity (8) 18 Endeavour (6)
23 Mild (6) 19 Folders (5)
24 Assessment (6) 22 Stalk (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

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, August 3, 2017 29

INSIGHT GAMES & CO.

ACROSS Roman 14 Madonna role 82 “That was close!” The Washington Post
80 See 67 Across 15 Sheer fabric 84 Bone prefix
1 Sitting ___ 83 Lonely film fan’s 17 One or the other 85 Very legible
stoplight 18 Like Bjorn’s locks 86 Midnight movie
wish? 20 Key with five 87 “Vaya Con ___”
4 “Last of his tribe” 89 Sun­Times city, 88 Husk­y bunch
Indian of Califor­ sharps: abbr. 90 Allstate’s bus.
nia familiarly 22 The African 94 She expresses
91 Moses watched
8 Fuss Queen scriptwriter herself easel­ly
11 Ruhr city this part 24 Half a Samoan 96 Cigar’s end
16 Conspicuousness 92 Friend of la famille 98 “I’m ___ you could
93 Common verb city
symbol 94 Church closing? 25 J. ___ Muggs make it!”
19 Knighting words, 95 Appease totally 99 Dress length
97 Schindler and (Garroway’s 100 “___ of grass­
“___ thee” Today show
21 Baryshnikov’s Werner chimp) green silk she
101 Football fan’s 31 Turns sharply wore” (Tennyson)
birthplace 32 May auto race 101 Masked marauder
23 Humpty Dumpty’s quaffs 33 Vintage valley 102 Dogmatic topics
102 With 115 Across, 34 Person with 103 “Sheesh! ___
911 class? grouch!”
call? “Weird Al” 35 True, to a Scot 104 Makes a pile in
26 Poky tree dwellers Yankovic’s boast? 36 Peking kingpin, autumn
27 Boob 108 ___ Na Na once 105 Pvt. Benjamin’s
28 They might be full 109 Sports figure? 37 Fool’s day: abbr. portrayer
of beans 110 It did a Prizm 38 Black 7 topper, 106 Allen or Frome
29 Gymnast’s make in solitaire 107 Discontinues
pointer? 111 Baker and Bryant 42 “Just say what 112 Ramon’s relatives
30 Infrequent flyer’s 115 See 102 Across you want” 113 Curtain raiser
worry? 121 Sound car 44 Cat fancier from 114 Agenda, briefly
36 Stable females investment? Melmac 116 No way to
39 Samantha’s mom 122 Peter Pan pooch 45 Fails a stoic’s test address
40 Critical 123 Wink 47 Moroccan capital Hemingway?
41 Imitator 124 Good ___ (cured) 48 Snuffy or Loweezy 117 Some people
42 Beatty or Buntline 125 Noggin bob 49 Goes from better drive off it
43 Norm of golf 126 Fifth of five, e.g. to worse 118 Two Virgins album
46 Texturally rough 127 Mr. Caesar 51 To spice, as cider poser
50 Local law: abbr. 52 Position of control 119 Cruet contents
51 Transplant DOWN 53 Where Van Gogh 120 Elvis’s record
outcome? painted label
56 Drastic cure for an 1 Indiana Jones Sunflowers
acid stomach? hates them 54 “ ... in the pot, MAIM THAT TUNE! By Merl Reagle
58 Period nine ___”
59 Air safety org. 2 Hammer or sickle 55 France, once
60 Lobster catcher? 3 Group W bench 57 Pinball penalty
61 ___ de la Cité 62 Hercule’s creator
62 Actor Joslyn sitter, in a 1960s 63 “The truth”
64 Junior on the song and movie 65 Three­___ card
journal 4 Makes one 66 Jazz jobs
66 Nitti’s pistols scratch 67 Actor Brasselle
67 With 80 Across, 5 Tom Jones hit, 68 Grant­___
Friday the 13th, “___ Lady” (scholarship)
Part 10? 6 “ ’Scuse me?” 69 Like a snoop
72 Speakeasy 7 George Harrison 70 Irish nationalist
passphrase, book, ___ Mine org.,
“Joe ___ me” 8 Have one’s sights Sinn ___
73 ___ large extent set on 71 Smart­mouthed
74 They get walked 9 Pres. from 72 Confinement
on Denison, Tex. 78 Thanksgiving
75 Pear­shaped fruit 10 Prophetic board sweet
76 Drink “for two” 11 Stretchy, to Maria 80 Author Fannie
77 Wallower’s home 12 Abe Vigoda’s 81 Zenith
79 Deck total, to a Godfather role,
___ Tessio
13 Letters on a
Cardinal’s cap

When It Comes To Healthcare,
We Bring It Home.

When you have healthcare needs at home, Nurse
On Call is an excellent option. Since 1989, we
offer individualized care ranging from physical and
occupational therapy to skilled nursing and more. It’s
the care you need when you need it the most.

Come home to • Skilled & Psych
Nurse On Call. Nursing

(772) 770-1167 • Physical, Speech &
Occupational Therapy
3755 7th Terrace, Ste. 202
Vero Beach, FL 32960 • Home Health Aides

• Medical Social Workers

The Telegraph NURSEONCALLFL.COM HHA. 299993207

30 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

INSIGHT BACKPAGE

Mom may be skeptical, but she shouldn’t skip the wedding

STORY BY CAROLYN HAX THE WASHINGTON POST (my son’s father is deceased) and I decided ing up for your son, and liking his fiancee, and be-
we would not go to the wedding. lieving his recent turnaround will stick, and toast-
Dear Carolyn: My son, who is 46 ing the triumph of hope.
and lives on the West Coast, has Am I right to make that decision? I feel
been in a tumultuous relationship terrible for not supporting my son, but I He did, after all, turn things around, and you can’t
with a woman 10 years his junior. wouldn’t feel honest in celebrating some- be sure it’s temporary until it is.
He was married previously and thing I don’t believe in, not to mention the
has been divorced for over 10 years. expense of the trip. And, he’s your kid. You love him, yes? So go and
He met his current girlfriend about say, “Your bride is lovely. I wish you nothing but hap-
four years ago, but the relationship – S. piness.” Where’s the lie in that?.  
has been off and on, and he never
failed to call and cry on my shoul- S.: What do you hope to accomplish by
der about it. not going?
Recently he brought the girlfriend here to the Mid-
west to visit and announce their engagement. I got Saving money – I see that.
to know his fiancee and like her very much and was But the other part you cite is that you
thrilled to hear about the wedding plans. “wouldn’t feel honest.” So, by not going, is
A couple of months after this visit, the fiancee texted that what you accomplish – honesty? And
that my son hadn’t worked for three months, won’t if so, is that (and its attendant face-slap to
look for a job and is hanging out with unsavory char- your son) a worthier outcome than show-
acters. She vowed she would not marry “a 46-year-old ing support, or love, or faith, or whatever
man with no job.” your son would take away from having his
I talked to my son, who was defensive as you might mom show up?
expect, and encouraged them to put off the wedding, Read this aloud in the right tone of voice
get counseling and not marry until mutual respect, and no doubt it’ll sound like a guilt trip.
love and trust are assured. That’s not at all what I intend. I’m advising
Since then, he has gotten a job, which he likes, and you to do the emotional math: Would you
the wedding is back on, in California in six weeks. He rather be right, or there?
said they “talked about” their issues and decided to go You are right to question the chances of such a
ahead with the plans. volatile couple. You were right about patience and
I still haven’t gotten over the dismay and sadness counseling (though staying out of it seems wiser and
around this scenario and I fear he’s going down the overdue). You’re right to be mindful of your son’s
same path he did in his first marriage. So my husband history, and skeptical of their rush to wed.
But. Sometimes there is glory in being wrong.
In the willingness to be wrong, at least: in show-

Steward Health
outlines its ‘model’
for area hospitals

32 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

YOUR HEALTH

Steward Health outlines its ‘model’ for area hospitals

STORY BY TOM LLOYD STAFF WRITER about how Steward plans to improve Dr. Mark Girard.
[email protected] healthcare at the three facilities.
PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE
Spotting a polar bear here on the “The first thing we’re trying to do,”
Treasure Coast in July or August is explains Girard, is “implement our
definitely not a common occurrence. model of a physician-led integrated
delivery system … [that is] funda-
At least, it isn’t unless the polar bear mentally different than anything else
in question just happens to be Dr. that’s happened down here.”
Mark Girard, a graduate of Maine’s
Bowdoin College (whose mascot is the Change – at least in terms of own-
polar bear) as well as Harvard Medical ership – is nothing new at SRMC. The
School. hospital first opened its doors in 1974.
In 1978 it was purchased by Humana
Girard, an interventional radiolo- Corp., which in turn sold it to Health
gist, also happens to be the president Management Associates in 1993. In
of the Steward Health Care Network, 2014, HMA was acquired by Commu-
which in February purchased Sebas- nity Health Systems, which sold SRMC
tian River Medical Center along with to Steward earlier this year, making
the Wuesthoff medical centers in Mel- the Boston-based company the fifth
bourne and Rockledge. owner of the Sebastian hospital.

Three months later, Steward set in What is new is the Steward model.
motion a merger with IASIS Health- In the past two decades, many U.S.
care LLC, a Tennessee-based com- hospitals chose a centralized ap-
pany that operates 18 hospitals. If proach to healthcare, buying individ-
approved, the merger will make Bos- ual physicians’ practices and putting
ton-based Steward the largest for- those physicians directly on hospi-
profit hospital operator in the coun- tal payrolls, often swelling costs and
try, with 36 hospitals in 10 states. driving consumer prices upward.
Steward’s model, according to Gi-
Girard was in town last week to visit rard, is different. “We don’t think of
SRMC and the newly acquired medi-
cal centers in Brevard County and talk

ourselves as just a hospital company. to the topic. “It’s not about what we
We think of ourselves as a physician- think [might be] the right thing to
led integrated delivery system. We try do, it’s about looking at what the data
to coordinate care from the home to tells us is the right thing to do,” add-
the hospital and really encourage and ing that, “We’ll begin to improve care
collaborate with [other] providers to where we think there’s a quality op-
do the right care in the right location portunity and fill service-line gaps
and in the right amount. where we think that there are needs
here in the community.
“We collaborate with all provid-
ers. Our goal is to achieve the highest “We know that there’s a lot of care
quality care we can in the most cost- done in a hospital-based setting that
efficient manner that we can that is if you did it in a more convenient loca-
accessible, affordable and sustain- tion, whether it’s a doctor’s office or a
able.” lab out in the community – whatever
the case may be – you could reduce
Becker’s Hospital Review cites total medical expense by 10 or 15 per-
Steward as one of the “integrated cent with comparable quality,” ac-
health systems to know” with its focus cording to Girard.
on “the continuum of care from well-
ness and preventive services to urgent “Our goal is to make this work for
care, inpatient care and outpatient the people of Rockledge, the people
care.” of Melbourne and the people here in
the Sebastian River area. If we’re do-
Steward turns to data, analytics ing our job [they] should see better
and, in some cases, proprietary soft- care that’s more affordable and more
ware to accomplish its goals and make accessible with a focus on keeping you
its healthcare model more efficient. well and not just treating you when
you’re sick.”
That, says Girard, includes much
more than just the advanced electron- Girard is now back at Steward head-
ic medical records system that allows quarters in Boston but the specific
all Steward providers instant access to recommendations he makes for Se-
patient medical records both in and bastian, Rockledge and Melbourne
out of the hospital. will soon be going into effect at all
three facilities. 
“We’re a very analytic-driven or-
ganization,” Girard says warming up

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, August 3, 2017 33

YOUR HEALTH

Drop in men’s sperm quality is fertile ground for concern

STORY BY ARIANA EUNJUNG CHA THE WASHINGTON POST sperm concentration of 99 million per per milliliter are unlikely to be able to system may be impacted by a mother
milliliter in 1973 but that had dropped have children. smoking, stress she experienced or food
The quality of sperm from men in to an average 47 million per milliliter in she ate. Exposure to chemicals that can
North America, Europe and Austra- 2011. These numbers mean “surprisingly change hormone levels, known as en-
lia has declined dramatically over the higher proportions of men are falling docrine disrupters, are among the is-
past 40 years, with a 52.4 percent drop That is a disturbing number given into the infertile and sub fertile catego- sues being studied.
in sperm concentration, according to a that, according to World Health Organi- ries,” Swan said.
study published last week. zation criteria, men with a sperm con- Over the life span, men are also ex-
centration of less than 40 million are There are numerous theories about posed to a number of other things that
The research – the largest and most considered to have an impaired chance what may be happening to sperm. Many could potentially influence sperm
comprehensive look at the topic, involv- of conceiving and those with a sperm scientists say the most sensitive period concentration: pesticides, lead, X-rays,
ing data from 185 studies and 42,000 concentration of less than 15 million may be during the first trimester, when stress and countless other factors. 
men around the world between 1973 the developing fetus’ reproductive
and 2011 – appears to confirm fears that
male reproductive health may be de-
clining.

The state of male fertility has been
one of the most hotly debated subjects
in medical science in recent years.
While a number of previous studies
found that sperm counts and quality
have been falling, some dismissed or
criticized the studies over factors such
as the age of the men included, the size
of the study, bias in counting systems or
other aspects of the methodologies.

Some of the other concerns are out-
lined in an analysis published by the
American Society of Andrology, which
focuses on the male reproductive sys-
tem. The skepticism also has to do with
the difficulty of comparing records
from a fertility center in the 1970s with
one from today and with the fact a sin-
gle man’s sperm count may fluctuate
during his life span due to his weight,
use of alcohol and many other factors.

However, Shanna H. Swan, one of the
authors of the new study published in
the Human Reproduction Update, said
that the new meta-analysis is so broad
and comprehensive, involving all the
relevant research published in English,
that she hoped it would put some of the
uncertainty to rest. Then the scientific
community could move forward into
putting its resources into figuring out
the why of what is going on, she said.

The analysis found drops only for
men in Europe, North America and Aus-
tralia and not for those in South Ameri-
ca, Asia and Africa. Swan explained that
this could mean that there’s something
specific to certain cultures or regions
that affects sperm, but that it’s also pos-
sible that there just isn’t enough data yet
to draw firm conclusions about the rest
of the world. There have been far fewer
sperm studies conducted in non-West-
ern countries.

The most important data points in
the new study involved sperm concen-
trations for what are known as “un-
selected” men who haven’t yet proven
they are fertile. These are men in the
studies who are on the younger side and
are not yet fathers or do not have part-
ners who are pregnant. Researchers es-
timated that these men had an average

34 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

YOUR HEALTH

Do’s and don’ts of CPAP cleaning (and yes, Scotch works)

STORY BY TOM LLOYD STAFF WRITER And Phillips Respironics, one of PHOTO: GORDON RADFORD bacteria and mold is so important,
[email protected] the leading manufacturers of CPAP many people automatically reach for
devices, says a great many people need that help. Phillips calls the anti-bacterial soaps.
Millions of Americans use contin- proper cleaning of CPAP supplies
uous positive air pressure – or CPAP “absolutely essential” and “vitally That, Misserville says, is a bad
– machines to combat obstructive important” but adds it’s often over- call because, as he says, the soap
sleep apnea. looked. “starts to eat away” the structural
and chemical integrity of the various
Far fewer, however, properly per- The Sleep Apnea Center of Amer- components.
form the essential task of cleaning ica gets more graphic. It points out
the tubes, tubs, masks and filters that CPAP hoses, tubing, humidifier Fortunately there is an easy way to
that come with these life-saving de- tubs and masks are “prime breeding keep your CPAP equipment safe and
vices. grounds for a wide variety of bacte- clean – simply clean the face mask
ria and mold.” every morning with a mild, non-an-
Just ask Mike Misserville at Vero ti-bacterial soap like Ivory. Change
Beach’s Perkins Medical Supply on The last thing anyone needs is the CPAP machine’s air filter at least
10th Court. mold or bacteria finding their way every 30 days and rinse out the hu-
into the lungs. midifier tub daily with the same Ivo-
After nearly 16 years of helping ry soap and water, shake out the ex-
sleep apnea patients get the most out Obstructive sleep apnea is “a se- cess and leave it out of the sunlight
of their CPAP therapy, Misserville rious sleep disorder [that] causes to air-dry.
has seen just about every wrong way breathing to repeatedly stop and
people attempt to clean their equip- start during sleep,” according to the A water and vinegar solution can
ment. And it’s not just first-time us- Mayo Clinic. also be used.
ers, either.
It can lead to a host of problems Misserville also recommends
“I have patients coming in here including “coronary artery dis- cleaning the tubing every week with
that got all set up five or eight ease, heart attack, heart failure and either a vinegar and water solution
months ago,” Misserville volun- stroke” along with “memory prob- or soap and water; but never even
teers, “and they still come in with lems, mood swings and depression,” think about using bleach to clean
questions.” and if mold spores or bacteria find your CPAP supplies. Misserville says
their way into the bronchioles and he’s had customers who turned to
That’s actually fine by Misserville, alveoli inside the lungs, things can Clorox and promptly regretted it.
because, as he puts it, “we’re here to get worse. Fast.
help the public. We’re here for people.” “When you use the mild soap,”
Turning to the doctor who pre- says Misserville, “it’s killing about
DENTISTRYCollins & Montz COSMETIC & FAMILY scribed your CPAP machine for ad- 75 percent of germs. When you use
vice on how to maintain it properly the vinegar and water, it’s going to
At Collins & Montz, DMD, we will focus on improving every aspect of may not be much help. kill about 80 percent of bacteria and
your smile for optimal appearance, function, and comfort through germs.”
our general family dentistry, and restorative procedures such as dental In many cases those physicians
implants. Our comprehensive range of services and dedication of have never used – let alone attempted If you’ve got a spare $327 or so to
quality set us apart. Call today to schedule your appointment. to clean – the various components of spend, you can kill 99.9 percent of
a CPAP machine. They simply “farm those bacteria and germs with an
524 OCEAN AVENUE, MELBOURNE BEACH, FL 32951 out” the process of shipping these automated sterilizer called a “So-
devices and accessories to medi- Clean” device which attaches to your
(321) 725-6565 • MELBOURNEBEACHDENTISTRY.COM cal warehouse operations like Apria CPAP and cleans the mask, tubing,
Healthcare. humidifier tub as well as the rest of
the machine. The SoClean, however,
Because preventing the growth of is not covered by Medicare.

There are also other solutions to
keeping the equip germ-free, includ-
ing one that would have played well
on the acclaimed 2007-2015 AMC TV
series “Mad Men.”

A wry smile instantly crosses
Misserville’s face when he says, “I
did have a patient who used Scotch.
And that does work.”

Whether bonded or blended,
Misserville maintains, Scotch “will
kill about 95 percent of bacteria and
you’ll get the smell of the scotch
all night,” he adds, rolling his eyes,
“and that might just put you to sleep
quicker.”

For more detailed information on
cleaning your CPAP machine and ac-
cessories, Misserville invites people to
visit any Perkins Medical Supply store
or to call him at 772-569-3798 and
come in for a consultation. 



36 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

FINE & CASUAL DINING

Sumo is dinner and a show for young and old

REVIEW BY LISA ZAHNER STAFF WRITER
[email protected]

Every so often, we get a Hot & Pepper Tuna.
craving for hibachi-style
cooking – fried rice and
grilled veggies, steak and
seafood, Japanese style

and crafted with flair. Sumo Roll.
There are several popular
Hibachi Combo.
spots over the bridge, but Fu-
jiyama on Wickham Road is quite sautéed in a sweet teriyaki sauce. If
a drive, and a trip to Makoto’s on Bab- you enjoy piping-hot food and fresh
cock Street inevitably involves a decent ingredients, hibachi-style cooking is
wait for a table. Fortunately, beachside the way to go.

residents have Sumo Japanese Res- Hibachi also makes a quick but
taurant conveniently tucked into the hearty lunch, with slightly smaller por-
Publix shopping center at the corner of tions ranging from $8.95 for vegetarian,
Eau Gallie Boulevard and South Patrick to $14.95 for a combo of two items like
Drive. steak and shrimp.

We arrived around 6:30 p.m. last We encourage you to send feedback to
Wednesday and the dining [email protected].

room was beginning to fill Chef Fu Chen. The reviewer is a Brevard resident who
up. There is a row of booths dines anonymously at restaurants at the
along the wall for sushi chicken, shrimp, scallops, New York expense of this newspaper. 
patrons, plus several U- strip steak, lobster and filet mignon.
shaped tables to gather We ordered two combos, steak and HOURS
’round the hibachi grills. shrimp ($21.95), and the filet mignon Mon.- Thurs. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
and lobster ($29.95). Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
It’s fun to enjoy hiba-
Your order is wheeled out of the Sun. 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
chi lunch or dinner with Rock Shrimp kitchen raw on a cart by the hibachi BEVERAGES
a group, but even if you’re Appetizer. chef, who asks how you want your beef Full bar
just a party of two like we cooked. First, while you enjoy your ADDRESS
were that evening, you’ll ness and layered fruity soup and salad courses, he prepares
be seated with others to flavors, it went well with the the grill, which involves a crowd-pleas- 258 E. Eau Gallie Blvd
share the experience. Kids ing, big burst of flame. (Publix plaza)
love watching their food cooked
The first thing cooked and plated is Indian Harbor Beach
creatively before their eyes, and savory fare to come. The green the rice, and it’s so good that you might PHONE
on this trip we sat next to a fam- tea is good and strong, not wa- be tempted to gobble it down and fill up
ily with two well-behaved little tered-down. while the rest of the meal cooks. (321) 622-5688
ones – regulars at Sumo who Hibachi dinners come with a
drive from Viera. bowl of steaming hot miso soup – Vegetables hitting the grill
a traditionally clear, flavorful broth mean it’s time for the onion vol-
For drinks, with thinly sliced mushrooms, scal- cano. The chef carefully piles
we ordered hot concentric circles of thick-sliced
onion on the grill like a volcano,
green tea ($1.50) lions and onions – plus a green salad fills the center with oil and lights
and a glass of with a ginger dressing, plus it on fire. After the veggies, the
plum wine ($5.95). the entrée. You choose the meat and seafood are cooked and
I typically drink protein from everything, as it’s ready, is slid onto
warm sake, but the your plate with a spatula. In between,
plum wine was a there’s juggling of sharp knives, more
nice change of bursts of fire, water tricks and launch-
ing of bits of food straight at diners’
pace, with faces to see who can catch it in their
its slight mouths. All in good fun, I got beaned
sweet- with a floret of broccoli to the forehead
and the kids laughed.
Sumo Combo for One. Everything was cooked to order,
the steak, shrimp, filet all tender and
PHOTOS BY BENJAMIN THACKER yummy. The lobster tail was delicious,

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, August 3, 2017 37

WINE

The win-win of shipping more wines to your door

STORY BY DAVE MCINTYRE
lThe Washington Post

Jan and Michael Gibson are wine lov- clusively at Costco stores, then worked visitors to their partner wineries and seek them out. But the Ship Compliant
ers who don’t go to wine stores. Instead, through a network of distributors, rely on wine club and visitor sales rath- report also holds clues that direct sales
they go directly to the wineries, and have earning a reputation for high-quality er than distribution. And there’s a de- may indeed be cutting into the three-
the wines shipped to their home. They wines that taste more expensive than sire to stay small. tier distribution system.
are part of the small but rapidly growing they cost. But Hughes found it harder
“direct to consumer” sales channel that to garner the attention of distributors, “A lot of our customers used to go Remember that $9.29 average price
is chipping away at the traditional post- who have many wines to sell with big- to Napa Valley, but they don’t like the per bottle sold in the United States? The
Prohibition distribution system. ger profit margins, when he wanted to circus atmosphere,” says Scott Flora, report notes wineries producing more
pay attention to consumers. founder of Native Flora winery in the than 500,000 cases a year – and there are
“We travel to California at least once Dundee Hills area of Willamette Valley. only 60 or so – increased their direct sales
a year to visit wineries,” Jan says. They “With wholesale consolidation, you The other wineries in Hidden Cellars last year by 183 percent over 2015, with
favor small wineries that sell most or all have five privately held organizations are Anderson Family Vineyard, Beck- the average bottle price at $16. That tells
their production at the tasting room or controlling 60-70 percent of wine and ham Estate Vineyard, Dukes Family me consumers are going online to order
through their wine clubs, and the couple spirits sales,” Hughes says. “We de- Vineyards, Prive Vineyard and Redman not just expensive boutique wines, but
looks for organic and biodynamic pro- cided we needed to control the interac- Vineyard & Winery. also their everyday inexpensive bottles,
ducers. The Gibsons favorite wineries tion with our end customers.” As of last such as Kendall-Jackson chardonnay
are in Mendocino and Sonoma counties. year, Cameron Hughes wines are avail- Wineries that sell mostly through ($14 on Wine.com) and Barefoot Cellars
able exclusively online. wine clubs rely on word of mouth to merlot ($13 on Amazon).
“It’s fun to have a relationship with build their markets.
the producers, and it’s fun to make new Six boutique wineries in Oregon’s As we become even more accustomed
discoveries,” Jan says. Willamette Valley have formed a new The growth of the direct-sales chan- to shopping online, direct wine sales
consortium called Hidden Cellars to nel might help fill a gap in the market should continue to account for more of
More than 5 million cases of wine exploit the direct-sales channel and not served by traditional distribution, our wine purchases. And that growth
were shipped by U.S. wineries directly tourist trade. They refer tasting room as smaller wineries can build markets will transform the market for wine. 
to consumers last year, up 17 percent for themselves and consumers can
over 2015, according to an annual study
published by Wines & Vines magazine
and Ship Compliant, a company that
helps wineries navigate the labyrinth
of state laws and regulations governing
direct shipments.

Those shipments totaled $2.3 billion
in value, with the average price per bot-
tle at $38.69. And they accounted for 8.6
percent of domestic wine sales by value,
not including restaurants. (While Amer-
icans purchased $26.9 billion in domes-
tic wines last year, the average price per
bottle for all sales was $9.29.)

The direct-sales channel has in-
creased 75 percent in value and 70
percent in volume since 2011, accord-
ing to the report. And that probably
underestimates the amount of wine
delivered each year by FedEx and UPS,
because it does not include online
sales by retailers, who sell imported
wines as well as domestic.

The growth began after a 2004 Su-
preme Court ruling gave states flexibil-
ity to allow direct shipments outside the
traditional three-tier distribution system
of producer-wholesaler-retailer. At that
time, 12 states allowed some form of di-
rect shipping; today, only six prohibit it.

Certainly, the Internet and the ease of
online ordering helps drive the growth of
the direct-sales channel. Another major
factor is the consolidation over the past
decade of wholesalers, giving a handful
of companies a stranglehold on the dis-
tribution channels to retail shelves.

That consolidation led Cameron
Hughes to abandon traditional distri-
bution altogether. Hughes works as a
negociant, buying surplus wines from
top wineries and marketing them un-
der his own label. He started selling ex-

38 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

FINE & CASUAL DINING

THE MELBOURNE
FINE & CASUAL DINING

When looking for a great place to dine check out
the Fine and Casual Dining Pages of The Melbourne Beachsider.

The area’s best restaurants, many offering weekly specials.

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, August 3, 2017 39

CALENDAR

ONGOING 7 Full Moon Yoga Nidra Meditation, 7 to 8:30 11 Space Coast Symphony Orchestra 106 North Riverside Drive, Indialantic. Gen-
p.m. at Aquarian Dreams, 414 N. Mirimar presents international cellist Fran- eral admission $20 general admission, 18 and
Running for Brews running club, meet at 7 Ave, Indialantic. Suggested donation $10-$20. cisco Vila in concert, with pianist Stephen Lin, under or those with student ID admitted free.
p.m. Tuesdays at Beef O’Brady’s. 724 S. Patrick www.aquariandreams.com 7:30 p.m. at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, www.SpaceCoastSymphony.org
Dr. in Satellite Beach for a social run and drinks
to follow. Register and sign waiver at www.run- 7 Republican Liberty Caucus of East Central DOWNTOWN MELBOURNE’S FIRST
ningforbrews.com. Florida monthly meeting, social hour 6 INTERACTIVE COOKING EXPERIENCE!
p.m. with meeting at 7 p.m., Memaws BBQ, 600
Tai Chi and QiGong, 10 to 11:30 a.m. Tues- E. Eau Gallie Blvd.
days at Canova Beach Park, or 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Thursdays at Gleason Park, Indian Harbour 9 Daytime Turtle Dig, 8 a.m. at the Barrier
Beach, by Beachside QiGong and Tai Chi. Dona- Island Center, 8385 S. Highway A1A, Mel-
tion of $5-10. www.beachsideqigong.com bourne Beach. Begins with a talk indoors at the
center, then observation of a recent sea turtle
Satellite Beach Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 4 nest excavation to observe the digging up of a
p.m. Thursdays at Pelican Beach Park nest. www.carrefuge.org.

Saturdays on the Sand with Melissa Faith 10 Sleep Disordered Breathing semi-
Yoga, 7 a.m. Saturdays at the Indialantic Board- nar, learn about how sleep struggles
walk across from Starbucks. Free admission, can affect your child, 6 p.m. at Dr. Claire Stagg
mats and blankets provided. Bring water and Health Connections Dentistry, 2120 Hwy A1A,
other essentials. Indian Harbour Beach. Space is limited, register
at www.smileprofessionals.com.

AUGUST 10|11 Global Leadership Sum- The Gathering Table is downtown Melbourne’s first intimate
mit hosted by Coastline interactive dining experience. Our recreational cooking
4 Dog Days of Summer First Friday event, 6 Community Church, 10 a.m. Thursday to 1
to 10 p.m. at Eau Gallie Square, with music p.m. Friday, 399 E. Eau Gallie Blvd, Indian Har- classes are designed for anyone who enjoys cooking, eating,
by Oranga Tanga, pet contests and pet-centric bour Beach. Cost depends upon number of entertaining or just has a passion for food. Whether you are
vendors. eaugallieartsdistrict.com registrants, with discounts for military and hoping to learn some new skills, pick up some fresh ideas
Coastline members with code. Registration at or just have a fun night out together, you are bound to find
5 CrossFit 2017 Beach WOD Olympic Games, www.willowcreek.com. something you love from our list of innovative cooking classes.
Part 2, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hilton Cocoa
Beach Oceanfront, 1550 N. Atlantic Ave, Cocoa 11|12 & 17|18 Cooking classes ••••••••
Beach, hosted by CrossFit Broken Chains in Orlan- at The Gathering Table,
do, setup begins at 8:30 a.m. Bring tents, chairs 318 E. New Haven Ave, Downtown Melbourne. WWW.GATHERINGTABLEFL.COM • 321.3 45.1965
and coolers. www.crossfitbrokenchains.com. Themes are Street Foods from Around the
World at 6 p.m. Aug. 11, Summer BBQ at 5 p.m. 3 1 8 E . N E W H AV E N , M E L B O U R N E • LIKE US
5 Brevard Seminole Club Kick-off Party, 10 August 12, Sun-ripened Sicily at 6 p.m. Aug. 17
a.m. to 3 p.m. at Futch Memorial Park at and Floribbean at 6 p.m. Aug. 18. Cost is $65 per ACROSS DOWN
Paradise Beach to kick off the upcoming college person, per class. All classes are BYOB. www. 7 HARE 1 CAGE
football season. Club will furnish hamburgers, hot gatheringtablefl.com 8 EDITIONS 2 BEVERAGE
dogs, soda and beer. Bring a side dish or chips to 9 DELEGATE 3 DETAILS
share. [email protected]. Solutions from Games Pages 10 KEEP 4 LINEN
in July 27, 2017 Edition 11 USUALLY 5 LINK
5 Organic Gardening workshop, 1 p.m. at 13 GLOBE 6 ENSEMBLE
Aquarian Dreams, 414 Mirimar St., Indial- 16 SLEEP 12 SOLUTION
antic. www.aquariandreams.com 17 VOUCHER 14 LOCATION
19 STIR 15 POSTURE
5|6 Southern Rock Customer Appre- 21 ALTITUDE 18 HANDY
ciation Party, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 23 COLANDER 20 ROAM
Space Coast Harley Davidson, 1440 Sportsman 24 OATH 22 DUTY
Lane NE, Palm Bay, the HOG Chapter fires up the
grill to benefit The Promise Foundation with Joe Sudoku Page 2480 SudokuPPaaggee2491 CrosswordPPage 4208 CrosswordPPaaggee2491 (BY THE SEA, BY THE SEA)
Reid and the Heartland Band on stage Saturday,
Reggae Fest on Sunday, (321)259-1311 for more
info.

THE MELBOURNE BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Join our directory for the most affordable way to reach out to customers for your service or small business targeting the CERTIFIED Windows & Doors
South Brevard barrier island communitites. This is the only directory mailed each week into homes in 32951, Indialantic, Siding & Soffit
ALUMINUM AND WINDOWS INC. Aluminum Structures
Indian Harbour and Satellite Beach. Contact Will Gardner, 407-361-2150 [email protected]. “Everything You Need To Be” Screen Room’s

CLAY COOK Car Ports

[email protected] CGC 1524354

321.508.3896 772.226.7688

BREVARD INDIAN RIVER

40 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

PETS

Bonz says Critter and Freddie are a delightful duo

Hi Dog Buddies!

This week I had a fun yap with Crit- Critter, the Pomeranian, and Freddie, the long-haired Chihuahua. PHOTO BY GORDON RADFORD
ter and Freddie Meyer, who live with she loves us. She even painted this
their Mom, Karli. They greeted me an
my assistant in a very frenly way. We Cool Kibbles pickshure of me. She’s an likes his cage, doesn’t fly around the
hadda be careful to not step on ’em
during the Wag-and-Sniffs, cuz they artist. Look!” house. We told him we’d NEVER eat him give him The Look. Then I think I
were real liddle.
He pointed to a portrait on the or anything, Dogs’ Honor, but I think he look like that gremlin in the movie, sor-
Critter is a hundred percent Po-
meranian, and hadda good lookin’, wall of Freddie with leafy stuff in the just wants to be on the safe side.” ta scary, and Critter backs off.”
seriously fluffy gold coat. He looked
like cotton candy with a little fox background. Looked just like him, big The whole time we were yapping, “You DO look scary, Fredster,” Crit-
face in the middle. Freddie’s a long-
haired Chihuahua who’s called tri- boogly eyes an everything. “Woof! Critter was chewing on the ear of a ter said. “An can I help it if I’m enthu-
color cuzza bein’ black an white an
gold. I thought he looked sorta like Sweeet!” I exclaimed. “So what’s life stuffed bunny. siastic?”
that gremlin from the movie.
like these days?” “Nice bunny,” I remarked. “Woof!” I thought to myself, “Hit the
Critter did the intros then settled
into his Mom’s lap. Freddie plopped “It’s great,” said Critter. “We get “I cabe wif id,” he said, his mouth nail on the head.”
down beside the couch. I got my
notebook out. “So, how did you three squares a day. An we ride in this full of bunny ear. “Id’s by fay-bwut.” He “Well,” Freddie said, sounding a
pooches find your Forever Mom?”
I inquired. pawsome red Radio Flyer wagon with petooied it out. “I have this chewing little miffed, “I may not go zooming

“I’ll start,” said Freddie. “I was wooden sides an a special cooler! Ev- thing. On leash walks, I hold the leash around like a doof-muffin, licking ev-
what humans called a Stud, which I
think means a professional puppy- ery night, when Mom reads in bed, in my mouth and chew it while we erything in sight, but I do enjoy dress-
daddy. But I didn’t ever see my pup-
pies, which made me sad. I wudda we get chewy sticks. But we don’t start walk. We have cool pooch and human ing up on Halloween. I have a black an
been a good Dad. Anyway, there was a
big bunch of us in this house, an then chewin’ ’em til Mom opens her book. neighbors, too. The humans give me red devil costume I look pretty snazzy
the neighbors decided we couldn’t stay
and they booted us out – me an seven That’s our roo-TEEN. An Mom got bells nicknames like Pixel, Chickpea and in, if I say so myself.”
lady pooches. Thank Lassie, some nice
humans rescued us an Dr. George for our collars so she’ll know where we Creamsicle, cuzza my color, I guess.” His Mom brought in a bag of cos-
spiffed us all up. Meanwhile, Mom
heard about our sit-chew-ashun. Her are at All Times.” He lowered his voice. Freddie chimed in. “Aunt Jeni an tumes. She put a punkin outfit on Crit-
other dogs were all in Dog Heaven, so
she checked us out and found – ME!” “They’re CAT bells. She thinks we Uncle Frank think Critter’s hilarious. ter, an orange hood with green leaves

“Cool Kibbles!” I said. don’t know. Ackshully we don’t really He can really make ’em laugh. Not me, on top, with his fluffy ears sticking out
“OK, now me,” said Critter. “Mom
has worked with dogs an dog rescue mind that much. They’re the right size though. To tell you the true, Mr. Bonzo, on the sides. I thought I’d fall right over
groups for a long time, but her regular
work is over at Ron Rennick, where hu- for us. Plus, now we have little thingys I don’t play – just never learned how. laughing, but restrained myself so I
mans are always dropping off nice, re-
ally old furniture. Well, one day a man on our collars so Mom can track our I don’t like toys either, an I get kinda wouldn’t get The Look. Then she put
dropped off something for Mom. ME.
I guess he knew that Mom was Good whereabouts on her phone. nervous when Critter tears all over the Freddie’s devil outfit on and he made a
with Dogs. Mom said, ‘Ron Rennick
gets furniture an I get – a dog.’ Mom “Oh, we also have another brother, place. Like, when somebody flushes the scary face. I totally lost it.
figured out I was probly a Puppy Mill
Dog. I had papers. I came from Utah, Birdie, he’s a rescue parakeet.” He toilet, Critter will stand there watchin’ “You pooches are Super Cool Dog
then to Florida. At first, Mom was
Not Thrilled, but I was Super Cute, of pointed to a big cage by the window. and his head goes round an round with Biscuits!”
course, so she decided to try me out for
a month, and she called First Dibs, just “Birdie learned to bark, just like us. the water. I mean, REALLY? If he gets Heading home, I was picturing a big
in case. Well, I wasn’t exactly a Shoo-
In. I was what Mom calls A Handful. When we bark, Birdie barks, too. He too obnoxious, I just bare my teeth and portrait of me in a nice frame, hanging
I’ve always had a lotta energy an I’m
not snoozy like Freddie. No offense. Don’t be shy! over the mantle. An trying to remem-
But, finally, thank Lassie, my Adorable ber whether we have a mantle – and
Factor saved the day. Now Mom calls what exactly a mantle is.
us Snarky and Snarkier. But we know
Till next time,

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

Expansive oceanfront house
can be one home or two

8333 S. Highway A1A: 6-bedroom, 6-bath, 8,596-square-foot oceanfront residence offered
for $2.2 million by Coldwell Banker Paradise agent Sarah Munkacsy: 321-890-2382

42 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

REAL ESTATE

Expansive oceanfront house can be one home or two

BY MARIA CANFIELD

Correspondent

Imagine a huge, handsome, 3-story
home, right on the beach that could
be either one house or two, depend-
ing on your heart’s desire, and you
have an initial image of the 6-bed-
room, 6-bath, 8,600-square-foot resi-
dence at 8333 S. A1A, just a few miles
north of the Sebastian Inlet on Bre-
vard’s barrier island.

Want to live in one side and rent out
the other? No problem; with a turn of
a key the two units become separate
domiciles. Want to live in the whole
house? That’s easy too, as each floor
directly connects to its “twin” via the
entrance foyer. Want to live next to –
but not with – friends or family? Per-
fect solution.

Currently owned by two couples
who bought it together and are selling
it together, each of the 3-bedroom,
3-bath units has the same footprint,
yet reflects the owner’s individual
style in the design choices that have
been made.

First, let’s talk about the footprint:
in both units the ground floor has a
bedroom suite (including a full bath
and a walk-in closet) and a laundry
room; the middle floor – the main
living space – is where you’ll find the
kitchen, living room, and a bedroom
with en suite bathroom; the top floor
is the master suite, with a bedroom
of nearly 300 square feet, a large and
nicely-appointed bathroom with
double sinks and a jetted bathtub,
his-and-her closets, and a loft-like
area that can be used as an office, sit-
ting room, or den.

You enter this magnificent struc-
ture into a brightly tiled foyer and
then turn right or left, depending on
which unit you’re heading to. If you
stay straight, you’ll reach the com-

TOP 1% OF BREVARD “Todd is highly motivated, very ambitious and is
COUNTY AGENTS cohnisstacnlitelyntgsowinigthththeeeirxbtreasmt iinlete.r.e.asltwinaymsisnedr!v”ing

TODD OSTRANDER Todd moved here from Minnesota and has been serving the citizens of
Brevard County for 20 years with high energy, hard work and his unique way
“HALL OF FAME” PRODUCER with people. His vast knowledge of the many neighborhoods and communi-
ties in the area, interest in real estate and willingness to go above and beyond
321-749-8405 for his clients is a winning combination for either buyers or sellers!
He specializes in marketing unique properties and water properties by using
[email protected] a professional photographer to capture the most beautiful pictures that at-
WWW.DOORTOTHEEASTSHORE.COM tract buyers from all around the world. He also has the experience and knowl-
edge to help ANY seller that wants an agent that is hardworking, trustworthy
and goes the extra mile to handle each of his clients on a “one on one” basis.
Overall he has single handedly closed over 300 transactions which equals
well over 125 Million Dollars of Real Estate since starting in 2007/2008. This
stature has made him one of the preferred agents in the area and landed him
in the “Top 1% of Brevard County agents!” but the most important thing is
that all his clients are happy!

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, August 3, 2017 43

REAL ESTATE

mercial-grade elevator, for easy ac- Each has a 2-car garage and an out- cesses (with built-ins) throughout. the most efficient use of space.
cess to the home’s other levels. door shower. Each has an attractive- And each has storage galore – there Not that there is any lack of bed-
ly-curved staircase leading from the are closets where you would expect
Each unit has two electric fireplac- living room to the master suite, and to find them, and others that are art- rooms, but it is interesting to note
es; one in the living room and one interestingly-angled walls and re- fully tucked in unexpected spots for that each unit’s ground-floor laundry
in the loft area of the master suite. room is large enough (14 feet, 6 inch-

44 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

REAL ESTATE

es-by-9 feet) to double as a makeshift and very beachy; it is tiled in a light-
bedroom should you have an influx salmon color and there are no treat-
of guests. Each laundry room has a ments on the wall of windows that
closet and a window. face the beach; this owner wanted
nothing to detract from the view or
The property’s 114 linear feet of block the light.
oceanfront can be enjoyed from the
house-spanning balcony on the east The south unit, while still perfect-
side of the house, and the widow’s ly in tune with beach living, has a
walk – a railed rooftop platform – of- woodsier feel: the floors in the main
fers views of the river as well as the living areas are hickory, the staircase
ocean. (The west-facing front of the is oak, and there are plantation shut-
house is not shortchanged; it has bal- ters throughout. Where there is car-
conies too.) pet, it is durable sisal – made from fi-
bers harvested from the cactus plant.
If you decide to live in one of the
units, you can pick the one that best This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
matches your own style preferences. is offered by Sarah Munkacsy of Cold-
The north unit is airy and bright, well Banker Paradise for $2,200,000. 

VITAL STATISTICS
8333 S. HIGHWAY A1A, MELBOURNE BEACH

Year built: 1992
Lot size: 1.08 acres
Home size: 8,596 square feet

Bedrooms: 6
Bathrooms: 6
Additional features: New roof (whole house); oceanfront gazebo with
hammock; ceiling fans, recessed lighting, and crown molding throughout.
Listing agency: Coldwell Banker Paradise
Listing agent: Sarah Munkacsy, 321-890-2382
Listing price: $2,200,000



46 Thursday, August 3, 2017 THE MELBOURNE Barrier Island Newsweekly

REAL ESTATE

Real Estate Sales on South Brevard island: July 21 to July 27

The final full week of July saw continued brisk real estate activity in island ZIP codes 32951, 32903 and
32937. Indialantic and Indian Harbour Beach each reported 10 sales, while Satellite Beach reported 4 and
Melbourne Beach 3.
The top sale of the week was of a waterfront home in Indian Harbour Beach. The residence at 156 Island
View Drive was placed on the market Oct. 28, 2016 with an asking price of $799,900. The transaction
closed July 25 for $761,500.
The seller in the transaction was represented by Kevin Hill and Nick Farinella of Re/Max Alternative Realty.
The purchaser in the transaction was represented by Victoria Lichti of Century 21 Spectrum.

SALES FOR 32951

SUBDIVISION ADDRESS LISTED ORIGINAL MOST RECENT SOLD SELLING
ASKING PRICE ASKING PRICE PRICE
$300,000
$310,000
ST ANDREWS VILLAGE C 151 CALEDONIA DR 108 3/11/2017 $350,000 $350,000 7/21/2017 $560,000
NEW MELBOURNE BEACH 5075 PALM DR 6/13/2017 $299,000 $299,000 7/25/2017
FLORIDANA BEACH SUBD 6645 S HIGHWAY A1A 3/14/2017 $650,000 $600,000 7/27/2017 $470,000
$340,000
SALES FOR 32903 $180,000

SHADY SHORES 2ND ADD 424 OAK RIDGE DR 6/1/2017 $464,900 $464,900 7/21/2017 $327,000
THE REEF CONDO 1095 N HIGHWAY A1A 602 8/28/2016 $399,900 $357,000 7/24/2017 $115,000
INDIALANTIC BY SEA 102 TWELFTH AVE UNIT #102 6/5/2017 $179,900 $179,900 7/21/2017 $150,000

SALES FOR 32937

INDIAN HARBOUR BEACH 1106 SIOUX DR 2/8/2017 $338,225 $338,225 7/21/2017
HARBOUR ROYALE SOUTH 520 PALM SPRINGS BLVD 108 3/16/2017 $130,000 $130,000 7/21/2017
HARBOUR ROYALE SOUTH 520 PALM SPRINGS BLVD 610 2/27/2017 $155,000 $155,000 7/21/2017

Barrier Island Newsweekly THE MELBOURNE Thursday, August 3, 2017 47

REAL ESTATE

Here are some of the top recent barrier island sales.

Subdivision: New Melbourne Beach, Address: 5075 Palm Dr Subdivision: Floridana Beach Subd, Address: 6645 S Highway A1A

Listing Date: 6/13/2017 Listing Date: 3/14/2017
Original Price: $299,000 Original Price: $650,000
Recent Price: $299,000 Recent Price: $600,000
Sold: 7/25/2017 Sold: 7/27/2017
Selling Price: $310,000 Selling Price: $560,000
Listing Agent: Teresa Schick Listing Agent: Fonda Payne

Selling Agent: National Realty of Brevard Selling Agent: Fonda Fay’s Global Realty, Inc.

David Settgast John Brower

Treasure Coast Sotheby’s Intl Buyers and Sellers Advg. Realty

Subdivision: The Cloisters P3D, Address: 282 Flanders Dr Subdivision: Harbour Isles 2nd AD, Address: 511 Eleuthera Ln

Listing Date: 6/22/2017 Listing Date: 5/22/2017
Original Price: $709,900 Original Price: $649,900
Recent Price: $709,900 Recent Price: $649,900
Sold: 7/24/2017 Sold: 7/26/2017
Selling Price: $715,000 Selling Price: $586,000
Listing Agent: Deborah Boucher Listing Agent: Greg Ellingson & Richard Melo

Selling Agent: Surfside Properties And Mgt. Selling Agent: Ellingson Properties

Charles Wismer Ashley Gardner

Momentum Realty inc Dale Sorensen Real Estate, Inc

Subdivision: St Andrews Village C, Address: 151 Caledonia Dr 108

Listing Date: 3/11/2017
Original Price: $350,000
Recent Price: $350,000
Sold: 7/21/2017
Selling Price: $300,000
Listing Agent: Patricia Halpin

Selling Agent: Salt Water Realty of Brevard

Bob Riley

Premier Properties Real Estate, Inc

Subdivision: Michigan Beach Subd, Address: 275 Cinnamon Dr

Listing Date: 4/25/2017
Original Price: $415,000
Recent Price: $399,000
Sold: 7/24/2017
Selling Price: $405,000
Listing Agent: Lynda Landin

Selling Agent: Collins And Assoc Real Estate

Nancy May

National Realty of Brevard

PRSRT STD
ECRWSS

US POSTAGE
PAID

PERMIT #785
STUART, FL

************ECRWSS*************
LOCAL
POSTAL CUSTOMER


Click to View FlipBook Version