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Published by Vero Beach 32963 Media, 2019-05-23 16:32:35

05/23/2019 ISSUE 21

VB32963_ISSUE21_052319_OPT

County Health Department
ending primary care. P10
Sea turtle season
‘off to a great start.’ P4

Spa cases on hold pending
appeal over surveillance videos. P7

MY VERO For breaking news visit

BY RAY MCNULTY Safety grade of
Sebastian River
School Board optimistic hospital soars
now that Rendell’s gone
PHOTOS BY KAILA JONES AND DENISE RITCHIE BY MICHELLE GENZ
Remember all that grum- Staff Writer
bling from the partisan know- Prison stay ending, but sentence not over
nothings who criticized the Two years after it was ac-
School Board’s public infight- BY LISA ZAHNER which he must satisfy obli- quired by Steward Health, Se-
ing over the fate of now-out- Staff Writer gations to the court, to banks bastian River Medical Center
going Superintendent Mark and to “condotel” owners is is celebrating something of a
Rendell, claiming the members’ Vero Beach Hotel & Spa just beginning. medical miracle: It has turned
sometimes-harsh exchanges founder George Heaton’s six- around a disastrous safety
made them look petty and month stay in a federal facil- According to Federal Bu- score in just one year, going
might deter top-shelf candi- ity is coming to an end, but reau of Prisons records, from an F to an A in the Wash-
dates from applying for his a three-year period during the 75-year-old developer ington-based Leapfrog Group’s
job? Hospital Safety Grade.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
They were wrong. That F grade from Leapfrog
After launching its search was a tough pill to swallow
for an interim superintendent last spring when the hospital’s
– someone to manage the dis- new owners, Steward Health,
trict’s day-to-day operations had to suffer for mistakes oc-
for the next six to 12 months – curring mostly on the watch
the board received many more of the prior owner, Commu-
applications than anyone ex- nity Health Systems. Steward
pected, a total of 48, and many took over in April 2017, but it
of the candidates presented is only now seeing significant
impressive credentials. amounts of data from a time-
“Based on the response we frame under its management.
got for the interim job, I’m ex-
tremely optimistic about the Florida’s hospitals gener-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

St. Sebastian River still in trouble, despite cleanup efforts

BY SUE COCKING ny, has serious water quality Friends of the St. Sebastian Aerial view of U.S. 1 bridge over the St. Sebastian River. DRONE PHOTO BY BRUCE CADY
Staff Writer problems of its own. River who lives in Micco on
the river’s north prong, says
Of the eight tributaries Six years ago, the Florida he hasn’t seen any improve-
that flow into the troubled Department of Environmen- ment since then, despite ma-
Indian River Lagoon, the St. tal Protection declared parts jor cleanup efforts.
Lucie River gets the most of the river “impaired” due
attention as a waterway in to depleted oxygen and high “I’d say there’s been a deg-
desperate need of cleanup. levels of nitrogen and phos- radation,” Glover said. “Fish-
But the St. Sebastian River, phorus that feed destructive ermen don’t get the kind of
which draws far less scruti- algae blooms. catches that they used to.

Tim Glover, president of CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

May 23, 2019 Volume 12, Issue 21 Newsstand Price $1.00 ‘Reel’ excitement
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Editorial 34 People 11-24 CALL 772-226-7925

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

2 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

My Vero in Florida. Maybe they didn’t, inter- tendent,” she added. “But we should audience last month that he had begun
viewing only three finalists after a nec- never have been put in this position.” preparing for his departure as super-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 essarily rushed vetting process. intendent as far back as August, after
It was Rendell who put the board Mara Schiff’s election to the School
quality of candidates we’ll get for the There’s no way to know, but Zorc is there, giving only 30 days’ notice when Board signaled a pivotal change in the
permanent job,” School Board Chair- confident in the board’s action. he submitted his resignation, effective panel’s makeup. Last fall, in fact, he put
man Laura Zorc said. “There were some Friday, and announced he had accept- his Vero Beach home on the market,
really good candidates in this group, in- “Given the time constraints and ed the principal’s job at Cocoa Beach eventually selling it and buying a small-
cluding some that should apply for the challenges we faced, I don’t think it Junior/Senior High School. er one in another local neighborhood.
permanent job if they want it.” could’ve gone any better,” she said.
“With Dr. Moxley as our interim, she We can only wonder if Rendell – The most telling signs Rendell was
That’s not to say the board members, can hit the ground running and we whose four years as superintendent on the exit ramp came in March: That’s
who voted 5-0 last week to hire former can begin addressing the issues im- here have been marked by tumult and when he sent the board a letter advis-
Lake County Superintendent Susan mediately confronting the district. sometimes-costly controversies, often ing members he had hired an attorney
Moxley for the interim position that pays of his own making – did so with the in- to represent him in contract discus-
$161,200 annually, got it exactly right. “We’ve also given ourselves the time tent of sticking it to a board that had sions, and then, only days later, blind-
necessary to fully vet the candidates wisely refused to extend his contract sided them with the news that he was
Maybe they did, getting someone for the permanent position, so we can beyond the 2019-20 school year. applying for jobs outside the district.
familiar with running a school district make sure we do everything we can
to bring in the best possible superin- After all, Rendell told a local radio Zorc immediately called for Rendell
to tender his resignation, effective at
the end of the school year.

“Now you know why I expressed such
a sense of urgency,” said Zorc, referring
to her no-nonsense response to Rendell’s
two-punch combination, which she cor-
rectly described as an “aggressive act.”

“I wasn’t overreacting,” Zorc said.
Likewise, the board’s occasionally
volatile discussions of Rendell’s actions
weren’t petty, or dysfunctional, or un-
professional. They were necessary. And
they became divisive only because Vice
Chairman Tiffany Justice, his staunch-
est supporter, too often acted more like
his agent than his boss.
But enough of that.
Rendell’s imminent departure has
produced a sigh of relief from the
many district employees beaten down
by the culture of intimidation and re-
taliation that came to define district
management after his arrival in 2015.
It also provides a relatively inexpe-
rienced School Board with a chance
for a fresh start – if the members can
bury any lingering ill will, overcome
personal and political differences, and
realize their potential and tackle the
important tasks ahead.
Moxley, who was No. 2 or higher on
every board member’s list of finalists,
is eager to get started.
Her toughest test will be cleaning up
the administrative and financial mess
Rendell leaves behind, as well as the
poor morale that has contributed to
an alarming rate of teacher turnover.
Nevertheless, she sees more possi-
bilities than problems.
“What a great place to serve as a su-
perintendent,” Moxley said. “Indian
River County is a wonderful communi-
ty, and this district has a lot of strengths
and offers a lot of opportunities. Cer-
tainly, there are challenges, but there
are challenges in every district.”
The budget poses a particularly dif-
ficult challenge.
The district has been without a chief
financial officer since July 31, when
Carter Morrison, who held the job for
12 years, was suspended with pay amid
Rendell’s bogus allegations that Morri-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 3

NEWS

son transferred funds without permis- We can only hope this School Board It will not be a deal breaker. an immediate impact – by fixing the
sion and attempted to undermine him. learned from the mistake make by the The superintendent’s job here is an district’s finances, putting the right
previous board, which failed to require attractive position, and a nationwide people in the right administrative po-
After the controversy, Rendell planned Rendell to give more than 30 days’ no- search will produce plenty of quality sitions, and restoring teachers’ morale
to demote Morrison to transportation tice – 90 would’ve sufficed – before it candidates for all the right reasons, by showing appreciation for their work.
director before having a sudden change extended his contract last year. not the least of which is the oppor-
of heart in the face of hard questions tunity to make their home in one of And the pay isn’t bad.
and reinstating him as CFO in Decem- “That’s something we’ll definitely Florida’s most desirable communi- So ignore the naysayers, who al-
ber. By then, Morrison had found a discuss as a board before hiring a new ties. ready have been proven wrong. Now
private-sector job and responded to the superintendent,” Zorc said, “so we don’t There’s also the opportunity to make that Rendell is in the past, this School
reinstatement with his resignation. end up in a situation like this again.” Board’s best days are ahead. 

In Morrison’s absence, and with the Exclusively John’s Island
projected cash reserves in the district’s
general fund falling below the board- Surrounded by breathtaking, panoramic views of JI Sound, this exceptionally
mandated 5 percent of the total bud- renovated 4BR+Library/5.5BA home has 210’± direct Intracoastal water
get, Rendell engaged in an accounting frontage and a 65’ boat dock with lift. Boasting 6,166± GSF on .5±
shell game to make the numbers work. acres along a quiet cul-de-sac, unsurpassed features include high-
end finishes, French oak floors, custom ceilings, new artisan eat-in
Nobody knows what Moxley – or the island kitchen adjoining the family room with wet bar, living room with
district’s next CFO – will find when the fireplace, luxurious master suite, pool & spa, oversized 2-car garage.
district’s finances are fully examined. 241 Sandpiper Point : $4,900,000

Since Morrison’s departure six months three championship golf courses : 17 har-tru courts : beach club : squash
ago, five finalists for the CFO position health & wellness center : pickleball : croquet : vertical equit y memberships
have pulled their names from consid-
eration. The most recent candidate to 772.231.0900 : Vero Beach, FL : JohnsIslandRealEstate.com
withdraw was Derek Horton, the Florida
Polytechnic University assistant vice
president and comptroller, who backed
out last week.

Contacted by phone, Horton con-
firmed that he had withdrawn his
name late in the process, but he re-
fused to say why.

Nothing against Horton, who ap-
peared to possess the necessary quali-
fications for the job, but his withdraw-
al was best for everyone – particularly
Moxley, who should be given the op-
portunity to hire her own CFO.

It is much too important a position
to trust to Rendell’s personnel judg-
ment as he heads for the exit.

Zorc wants Moxley to review the orga-
nizational changes made two years ago
by Rendell. “I’d like her to take a look at
our organizational structure and give us
her thoughts on whether it works,” Zorc
said. “If it doesn’t, we need to fix it.”

To be sure, Moxley wants to hire a
CFO, and sooner rather than later.

“The school district needs a CFO,
but it’s a challenging position and you
have to find the right person,” Moxley
said, adding that she’d prefer to fill the
vacancy with a permanent hire, not an
interim. “You want consistency, not just
someone to fill the spot for six months,
and you want to find someone as soon
as possible.”

As for the rest of her team, Mox-
ley said she was looking forward to
spending time with Rendell this week.

“I know him from my years as a su-
perintendent,” she said, “and I’m sure
he’ll share information and be helpful
in making for a smooth transition.”

That would be nice.
Of course, it also would’ve been
nice if Rendell had given the School
Board more than 30 days’ notice, so
members could’ve more thoroughly
vetted the candidates for the interim
superintendent’s job. The high road,
though, isn’t on his map.

4 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Sebastian River hospital “CMS and Leapfrog use separate met- Weinstein credits the hospital’s new its newly acquired hospital 14 miles
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 rics. Leapfrog is looking at process and electronic health records system with south of SRMC, having taken over In-
safety. But CMS includes mortality improving safety scores. That new dian River Medical Center in January.
ally fared better in the much-watched and readmissions.” system was fully implemented by
Leapfrog ratings this spring, pushing June 2018. It includes a computerized Cleveland Clinic can claim no
the state up two spots to 17th in the Sebastian River CEO Kyle Sanders check on the correct ordering of medi- credit – or blame – for Indian River’s B
nation. attributed improved patient experi- cations. And nurses administering grade in last week’s Leapfrog release,
ence scores to changes in the hospital’s medicines can verify that the barcode which is based on data from before
Leapfrog analyzed 2,600 hospitals emergency room. Steward recently in- on the medication matches the bar- the change in management. Indian
nationwide; 32 percent got an A rat- stalled a new emergency department code on the patient’s wristband. River has drifted between B’s and C’s
ing. Nationwide, less than 1 percent director and a renovation to the en- for the last six grading periods, apart
of 2,600 hospitals were assigned an F. trance has positioned a triage nurse as The report card comes as Cleve- from one A in spring 2017. It earned
A year ago, Sebastian River was one of the first person the patient sees. land Clinic management settles in at two stars from CMS in the govern-
only two in Florida receiving an F.
“The emergency room is still the Turtle nests up 60 percent over last year at this time
The turnaround from F to A is unique front door for many, many of our pa-
in the nation, according to Steward. tients, and it’s the start of many of
these processes and many of the out-
“I just found out from Leapfrog that comes,” Sanders said. “And if we don’t
Sebastian River Medical Center is the start there, we’re never going to be
only hospital in the country to go from able to get those numbers [we want].”
an F to an A in 2018-2019,” said re-
gional marketing director Trish Hrina. Sanders says the biggest change is
yet to come: the $65 million patient
The A grade from Leapfrog, a non- tower currently under construction.
profit consumer rating organization, “We expect a certificate of occupancy
contrasts with the two-star rating by the end of the year, and by middle
out of a possible five Sebastian River of February we’ll be ready to occupy it.”
earned from a government agency, the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Sanders also expressed pride in Se-
Services. Leapfrog bases its letter grade bastian River’s skilled nursing facility,
on CMS data and to a lesser degree, a which earned a perfect score on the
voluntary survey from hospitals. recently released CMS Nursing Home
Compare site, five stars out of five, up
“I would expect you will see some from three stars last year. “It’s a great,
improvement in CMS ratings this great service that we provide when our
year,” said Steward Health’s chief patients need a little bit longer stay,”
medical officer, Dr. Joseph Weinstein. he said.

BY SUE COCKING ing, according to Bergman. In fact,
he said, “Multiple nests have been
Staff Writer laid in the newly-placed dune al-
ready.”
The island’s turtle nesting sea-
son is “off to a great start,” up 60 Some beachgoers have noticed a
percent from last year at this time, thick cover of sargassum – a com-
according to Indian River County’s mon type of natural floating brown
new sea turtle coordinator Quintin seaweed – washing ashore on some
Bergman. sections of our coast, but Bergman
says nesting turtles are dealing with
As of May 17, Bergman report- it just fine. He said the seaweed
ed a total of 533 nests along the serves as habitat for numerous
county’s 22.5 miles of beaches that creatures both at sea and ashore.
stretch from Sebastian Inlet to
Round Island Park. Of those, 521 Bergman urges oceanfront resi-
nests were laid by loggerheads and dents and business owners to
12 by leatherbacks. No green turtle close window shades and curtains
nests have been observed yet. and extinguish outdoor lights by 9
p.m. each night to keep beaches as
At this time last year, turtle trackers dark as possible.
counted 303 loggerhead nests and 22
leatherbacks for a total of 325. Manmade lights shining on the
beach can discourage females from
As for the absence of green turtles? nesting and disorient hatchlings,
“Usual and expected,” Bergman told when they mistake lights ashore for
Vero Beach 32963. “Last year, the the light of the moon and stars re-
first green nest arrived June 10.” flecting off the sea and crawl inland
instead of back to the ocean where
Nesting season officially opened they belong. Violators of “dark
March 1 and will officially close Oct. beach” ordinances face fines and
31, though the animals follow their even jail time for the worst offenses.
own schedules. Bergman said nest-
ing typically peaks in July. Bergman says not every nest is
marked with stakes and orange
The Sebastian Inlet District’s tape, so pet owners should prevent
beach renourishment project their dogs from digging anywhere
south of the inlet, which began in the sand. 
in January and concluded last
month, has had no impact on nest-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 5

NEWS

ment’s most recent ranking, same as from Leapfrog – and only one star from Lawnwood Medical Center, owned by Health First, slipped from a B to a C
Sebastian River. CMS. The three Martin Health hospitals HCA, slipped to a B Leapfrog score from after a string of A’s.
which joined at the same time as Indi- last fall’s A. That followed a string of six
Being part of the world-renowned an River got two B’s from Leapfrog, for C’s in prior years. Another HCA hospi- “Choosing your hospital is a matter
hospital system is no guarantee of Martin North and Tradition hospitals, tal, St. Lucie Medical Center, scored an of personal preference, but we know
good grades. Cleveland Clinic Weston, and a C for its Martin South hospital, A this time. that ‘A’ grade hospitals do a better job
now the flagship of the newly enlarged at preventing errors,” says the Leap-
Florida system, got a C safety score The trauma center in the region, And Palm Bay Hospital, owned by frog site. 

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6 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

George Heaton was refunded after closing, but listed Courts’ district– roughly Key West to St. Sebastian River
on loan documents as down pay- the Sebastian Inlet – Heaton will need CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ments, overstating the buyers’ invest- to get permission to travel.
ment in the transactions. There have been oyster die-offs over
is scheduled for release from a Mi- Though Heaton’s scheduled date of the years.”
ami halfway house on June 1, though Last August, Heaton was sentenced release from the Miami Residential Re-
sources say he has already been seen in to six months in prison, beginning in Entry Facility is shown as June 1 on Fed- Dr. Grant Gilmore, founder and
Vero Beach, attending a mediation ses- December. His sentence also included eral Bureau of Prisons inmate records, chief scientist at Estuarine Coastal
sion in a civil lawsuit brought by plain- 36 months of supervised release, com- he attended a court-ordered mediation and Ocean Science, Inc., said he did
tiffs who own condo units at the hotel. munity service and more than $1.3 in a civil suit on May 10 in Vero Beach not spot a single fish during a recent
million in restitution to banks harmed before mediator H. Randal Brennan. visit to the north prong where he’s
As part of a plea deal that included by the fraud. been sampling fish for decades. What’s
his testimony against co-defendants, The lawsuit was filed in 2015 by con- more, “the whole bottom was covered
Heaton in 2018 was convicted of pro- The court ordered Heaton and his do owners at the Vero Beach Hotel who with cyanobacteria; all the vegetation
viding false statements related to associates to jointly pay Oculina Bank claimed that Heaton did not pay them they depend on was gone,” he said.
mortgage transactions that enabled $229,517, and Heaton solely to pay J.P. their fair share of the proceeds when
construction of the hotel to continue Morgan Chase $361,450. Heaton must their units were rented out, prior to “Water quality isn’t where we want it,”
during the housing downturn. also pay $1,038.376 to the Federal De- Heaton turning the condo association said Dr. Duane DeFreese, executive direc-
posit Insurance Corporation and Ibe- over to the owners. tor of the Indian River Lagoon Council.
According to prosecutors, Heaton, his ria Bank. “The river . . . has many stressors – storm-
bookkeeper, his attorney and other as- Attorney Lewis Murphy filed a no- water run-off, septic systems, fertilizer,
sociates falsified loan applications and Heaton is restricted from doing tice of settlement with the court on herbicides, pesticides. A lot of work needs
other documents so buyers could qual- things like owning a gun or associat- May 13 and Brennan informed the to be done to restore water quality to have
ify to purchase units at the Vero Beach ing with known felons for three years, court on May 15 that “the case was the St. Sebastian River a healthy river like
Hotel & Spa between 2006 and 2009, and he must report details of any busi- completely settled.” However, a final we used to remember it.”
when the hotel was under development. ness dealings to his probation officer. order has not yet been entered, so the
terms of that order are unknown. After the river was deemed im-
Heaton needed to show a certain Further, the judge said Heaton “shall paired, the DEP set restoration goals
number of condo sales in order to get participate in speaking engagements According to Vero Beach attorney aimed at raising oxygen levels and
construction financing released for regarding his role in the offense con- Louis “Buck” Vocelle, one of Heaton’s lowering nutrient loads. The agen-
the luxury hotel and condo property duct 5 times a year during the time of attorneys in the civil matter, “Own- cy worked with local governments
on Ocean Drive, so he secretly and ille- the supervised release” and the general ership of the hotel has not changed.” and other stakeholders on restora-
gally assisted buyers, according to the federal release provisions require him to The hotel is still owned by several tion plans and projects to reduce the
government. The scheme involved in- “work regularly at a lawful occupation.” Heaton family LLCs. It is managed amount of nutrients flowing into the
ducements of cash to the buyers that by the Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant
If that work, or those speaking en- Group. 
gagements take Heaton out of the U.S.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 7

NEWS

river – and ultimately into the lagoon. use of sprays containing glyphosate – Spa cases on hold as prosecutors appeal
St. Johns River Water Management the active ingredient in Round Up, one suppression of video evidence against ‘johns’
of the world’s most popular weed killers
District has reclaimed marshland, im- that some experts say causes cancer in BY RAY MCNULTY In the meantime, the continuance
proved wetlands and created a series humans. Staff Writer was granted, putting the cases on hold
of ponds to capture and clean storm- until the appeal is decided.
water before it flows into the St. Sebas- The groups urged City Manager Prosecutors showed up in court on
tian, or into canals that empty into the Paul Carlisle, who’s conducting the Monday morning to ask for a continu- Assistant State Attorney Steve Wil-
river. Some of the cleaned water has review, to consider manual and me- ance in the cases they are pursuing son said the circuit judges probably
been diverted to the St. Johns River. chanical cutting methods of keep- against dozens of men accused of so- wouldn’t hear the appeal for at least two
ing canals clear. Coalition president liciting prostitution at two spas in In- months as both prosecutors and de-
Diverting water into ponds and Paul Fafeita says the coalition plans dian River County. fense lawyers prepare their arguments.
wetlands and filtering it through to take its case to the Indian River
marshes removes nitrogen, phospho- County Commission as well. The action came after prosecutors So these cases will drag on.
rus and other pollutants. were hit with unfavorable rulings on That worries Vero Beach defense at-
Glyphosate has been deemed a Friday, when County Court Judges Da- torney Andy Metcalf, and not because
The city of Sebastian, which man- likely carcinogen by the state of Cali- vid Morgan and Nicole Menz decided he represents more than 30 of the men
ages drainage canals that empty into fornia, the World Health Organiza- that surveillance videos recorded by arrested.
the St. Sebastian, adopted a master tion, and scientists at the University of law enforcement agencies at the mas- “What the state is saying should
stormwater management plan and Washington. A California jury recently sage parlors could not be used as evi- send chills up your spine,” Metcalf
built a large stormwater park with awarded a couple more than $2 bil- dence against the men, who were ar- said Monday, after Morgan postponed
ponds and marshes to reduce agri- lion in a verdict against Monsanto, the rested in February. further action on more than 50 of
cultural and residential discharges chemical company that makes Round the solicitation cases until the circuit
into the St. Sebastian and lagoon. Up, after they claimed using the herbi- The State Attorney’s Office filed no- judge panel rules on the appeal.
cide caused their non-Hodgkin’s lym- tice of appeal after the judges ruled, “The state is asking for legal author-
But members of Friends of the St. phoma. The massive judgment was the intending to ask a panel of three cir- ity to install spy cameras to get video
Sebastian River, the Clean Water Co- third big-money verdict against Mon- cuit judges to overturn the lower-court recordings of people undressing, in
alition of Indian River County, and santo since last year. decisions and allow prosecutors to use the nude and in their most-intimate
other groups say the city’s efforts fall the spa videos at trials – or as leverage moments, and they don’t care if in-
short – pointing in particular to the Thousands of similar lawsuits are in making plea deals.
continued spraying of large quantities pending in other states. CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
of harmful herbicides into drainage
canals to control aquatic weeds. Nevertheless, glyphosate has been
deemed safe by the U.S. Environ-
Those groups recently convinced mental Protection Agency and the
the Sebastian City Council to review its state of Florida. 
weed-killing practices – especially the

8 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Spa cases on hold he expected prosecutors to appeal the eos,” Metcalf said. “Are all four wrong? Menz referred to a “fatal flaw” in the
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 county judges’ rulings. Have all four misread the law?” way the Vero Beach Police Department
conducted its non-stop video surveil-
nocent people are involved,” he con- He said he won’t be surprised to see Menz and Morgan granted separate lance, while Morgan wrote that he had
tinued. “They’re arguing that the ends prosecutors take their case to Florida’s motions to suppress the videos, citing “strong doubts” as to whether any of
justify the means, even in pursuit of Fourth District Court of Appeal in West police failures to minimize the inva- the Indian River County Sheriff’s detec-
misdemeanors. Palm Beach, if the circuit judges up- sion of privacy of innocent customers tives “understood the Constitutional
hold the County Court rulings. and expressing doubt that detectives issues inherent in this type of warrant.”
“I’ve never seen our government act sufficiently understood the limits of the
this way,” he added. “This is one step Metcalf doesn’t think they’ll win, court orders that allowed them to con- Both judges described video sur-
from putting a camera in your bed- though, especially since the rulings duct the secret electronic surveillance veillance as the most intrusive tactic
room. It’s a sad day for me. It should by Morgan and Menz followed simi- between November and February. used by the government to investigate
be a sad day for all of us. lar decisions by judges in Martin and crimes.
Palm Beach counties. Neither judge found problems with
“If you believe in our Constitution, the warrants issued by Circuit Judges In fact, Menz wrote: “Just as there is
you’ve got to be scared.” Indian River and Martin counties Cynthia Cox, Paul Kanarek and Dan a reasonable expectation of privacy in
both are part of the 19th Judicial Cir- Vaughn during the course of the in- a doctor’s office, dressing room or fit-
But not shocked. cuit, where Vero Beach resident Bruce vestigation. However, both Menz and ting room of a department store, or a
Given the dramatic headlines gen- Colton is the State Attorney. Palm Beach Morgan were critical of how law en- restroom in a business, it is the opinion
erated since local law enforcement County is in the 15th Judicial Circuit. forcement officers executed those court of this court that there is a reasonable
agencies held a joint news confer- orders during their surveillance of the expectation of privacy in a massage
ence on Feb. 19 to reveal the details “We now have four separate judges East Spa in downtown Vero Beach and room,” adding that the defendants had
of its prostitution sting, Metcalf said who’ve listened to the testimony and East Sea Spa, located north of Sebastian. a “legitimate expectation of privacy that
reviewed the cases, and they’ve all
granted motions to suppress the vid-

Vero Beach spa worker accused of prostitution remains in jail on $150,500 bond

BY FEDERICO MARTINEZ sider reducing the bond so that Xu can According to a police affidavit, Xu volved in human-trafficking, but only
Staff Writer get out of jail if her attorney can locate was observed on video surveillance one female prostitute arrested has
the sister and the sister agrees to let Xu cameras engaging in 16 separate sex claimed she was being held against
A 51-year-old woman arrested in live with her while she awaits trial. acts in exchange for money between her will.
Vero Beach for prostitution in Febru- the dates of Dec. 3 and Jan. 2.
ary will remain in jail on a $150,500 When Vaughn asked Xu if she had Xu told Vaughn during the hear-
bond for the time being. enough money to pay a reduced bond Xu, who is from China, is facing two ing that she was working and liv-
of $100,000, she laughed nervously felony charges – racketeering and De- ing at the 14th Avenue spa. She also
Circuit Court Judge Daniel Vaughn and responded in broken English, “no, riving Support from Proceeds of Pros- told Vaughn that she has worked as
on May 15 postponed a decision on no, much too high.” titution. She has also been charged a prostitute throughout Florida, but
a motion to reduce bond for Chinese with engaging in prostitution, a mis- could not name the cities.
national Yan Xu to give her attorney, Xu told Vaughn that she has be- demeanor. She pled not guilty to the
James Long, an opportunity to locate tween “$3,000 to $4,000” in her savings charges on March 27. The video footage used to charge
Xu’s sister. account. She said her sister might be Xu was suppressed by a county court
able to contribute “a couple of thou- Xu admitted to Vaughn that she judge last week. The judge said the
“I have a younger sister who lives sand” dollars. has been living illegally in the U.S. footage could not be used as evi-
in [Los Angeles, California],” Xu told for five years, “but would like to seek dence against the men arrested for
Vaughn through a translator. “I don’t Xu was arrested Feb. 19, following a asylum here.” soliciting sex at East Spa because the
have phone number or address.” two-month investigation of East Spa warrant that allowed the surveillance
at 2043 14th Ave. by the Vero Beach Police investigators initially was improperly executed. 
Vaughn indicated he might con- Police Department. claimed the spa operators were in-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 9

NEWS

is protected by the Fourth Amendment ring, mission accomplished,” Metcalf For what it’s worth, Metcalf places pervision of the State Attorney’s Office.
of the United States Constitution.” said. “So why push so hard to go af- the bulk of the blame for the botched Someone from that office should’ve
ter these men, who’ve already paid a video surveillance on prosecutors, not been more closely monitoring the op-
Metcalf is hoping Colton decides to price, who’ve already suffered shame the police. eration.
drop the charges if the state’s appeal to and embarrassment 50 times over?
the circuit judges fails. Why file an appeal for misdemeanors? “This wasn’t done by a group of “That’s not just my opinion,” he add-
What good can come from it?” rogue officers,” Metcalf said. “This was ed. “That’s the judgment of the court.”
“If their goal was to shut down done with the authorization and su-
the spas and break up a prostitution CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

10 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Spa cases on hold Health Department to stop providing primary care
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

The State Attorney’s Office disagrees BY MICHELLE GENZ including in the areas of HIV/AIDs, county health departments at a lower
with that judgment, so the legal battle Staff Writer infectious diseases, WIC (Women, In- level than other low-cost clinics re-
over the spa videos continues. fants, and Children), family planning, ceiving federal grants. And, unlike
The Health Department of Indian STDs, school health and community those clinics, the Health Department
But is it necessary? River County will cease providing pri- education, among others. isn’t allowed to seek philanthropy dol-
“We go through this every day as de- mary care and dental care at its main lars.
fense lawyers,” Metcalf said. “When de- office at the county administration The Health Department’s direc-
fendants do something wrong, the state complex – as well as at the Gifford tor, Miranda Hawker, called her de- Hawker said that, going forward,
expects them to come into the court- Health Center – effective August 15. partment’s provision of primary care “TCCH (Treasure Coast Community
room, own up to what they did and ac- “unsustainable” after funding cuts to Health), Whole Family Health, and the
cept the consequences of their actions. The department will continue pro- county health departments statewide. VNA will provide [primary and dental
“Why can’t we expect the same from viding other public health services, care] services to our clients.”
the state?” he added. “  In addition, Medicaid reimburses
The Health Department is the
county division of the Florida Depart-
ment of Health that in turn reports to
the federal Centers for Disease Con-
trol. Locally, it has long received some
money from the Hospital District. But
a 2016 change in funding methodol-
ogy resulted in a 60 percent cut in that
funding, according to the Health De-
partment.

In early 2018, Indian River’s Health
Department cut 21 positions, and in
February Hawker told the Hospital
District board that her department
would soon stop providing primary
care and most other types of health-
care services at the Gifford Health
Center, which the department had
long operated.

At the time, though, it wasn’t clear
that the Health Department would
cease providing primary care at its
main location, too, as well as ending
dental care.

Last month, a report by the health
policy group, Trust for America’s
Health, claimed that from 2008 to
2017, 55,000 positions had been
slashed at the local level nationally
in public health, and said the sector
as a whole is underfunded and woe-
fully unprepared for emergencies
such as disease epidemics, extreme
weather disasters or the current opi-
oid crisis.

According to Florida Trend, between
2010 and 2018, funding for Florida’s
county health departments was cut by
10 percent. Workforces were cut by 27
percent during the same timeframe,
as former Gov. Rick Scott exerted his
influence to shift medical care from
the public to private sector.

The Health Department’s with-
drawal from the Gifford Health Center
has left the future of the clinic unclear.

Treasure Coast Community Health
and Whole Family Health have sub-
mitted proposals to run the Gifford
clinic. A recommendation by a Hospi-
tal District-appointed committee was
expected to be agreed upon Wednes-
day following a final meeting with Gif-
ford community members. The full
Hospital District Board plans to vote
on the matter May 28. 

Kaidin Seelbach
and Piper Haagenson.

IN STEP WITH
HURRICANE PREP
AT RED CROSS’
HANGAR PARTY

12 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

In step with hurricane prep at Red Cross’ Hangar Party

Brenda Doblinger and Glynn Tremblay. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE Anita and Greg Martin with Noreen Davis. PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
Gary Webster, Phil Mollica and Paul Bartoszewicz.

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF who became involved with the Red Sarah Tippet Ruwe, Rodger Pridgeon, Greg Pridgeon and Diana Pridgeon.
Cross after his family was burned Maj. Eric Flowers and Adam Ogilvie.
Staff Writer out of their apartment in Hartford,
Conn. “I’ve gotten more from the
The Coast to Heartland Chapter Red Cross than I could ever give to
of the American Red Cross hosted them.”
its annual Hurricane Hangar Party
last Friday evening in the Corporate The information provided during
Air Hangar at Vero Beach Airport to the free event is meant to help resi-
provide information about and ben- dents with preparations before, dur-
efit the local Red Cross educational ing and after a hurricane. Red Cross
programs and relief efforts. All pro- volunteers handed out information
grams and services offered by the regarding hands-only CPR; pet first
Red Cross are free. aid; veteran support; the Pillow-
case Project, a preparedness edu-
While the planes landing nearby cation program for children; their
didn’t quite generate hurricane force free smoke detector installation pro-
winds, the sounds from their en- gram; shelter rules; safety checklists;
gines were reminiscent of the noise and the American Red Cross mobile
from generators running in the af- phone app.
termath of past hurricanes.
Government representatives and
With hurricane season set to begin local vendors were also on hand,
June 1 and run through Nov. 30, now offering information about health
is the time for everyone to prepare. and senior issues, shutters and hur-
The Colorado State University’s De- ricane-resistant windows, roof re-
partment of Atmospheric Sciences pair and mold removal, insurance
has predicted five Atlantic hurri- and the ham radio club, which helps
canes and 13 named storms, with with communications during emer-
two expected to strengthen into ma- gencies.
jor hurricanes.
Attendees perused more than
“Most people think of donating $20,000 worth of silent-auction items,
blood when they hear Red Cross,” while children played games in the
said Brenda Doblinger, event co- Kid Zone and had their photos taken.
chair with Glynn Tremblay. “But we Outside on the tarmac folks could
don’t do blood drives in Florida. We purchase refreshments – including
do respond to disasters.” Waldo’s famed hurricane drinks – as
they listened to the music of Collins
The local Red Cross chapter serves and Company and checked out an ar-
more than 565,000 residents in In- ray of emergency response vehicles.
dian River, St. Lucie, Okeechobee
and Highlands counties as a com- The Coast to Heartland Chapter
munity-based, humanitarian arm of responds almost daily to emergen-
the organization, working to prevent cies and disasters such as home fires,
and alleviate human suffering dur- floods and weather-related emergen-
ing emergencies by mobilizing the cies. Volunteers help to provide shel-
power of volunteers and the gener- ter, food, clothing, and emotional
osity of donors. support at no cost to those in need.

“A lot of people don’t understand For more information, visit redcross.
what they have to do to prepare for org/southflorida. 
hurricane season,” added Tremblay,



14 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 Michelene Holland and Dave Evans.
Paul and Rosalee Desjardins with Jonathan Jones.

Lurline, Leana and Val Shirley. Lindsey and Travis Vigneri. Danielle Negherbon, Colleen Dinardi and Christine Schlitt.

Kaidin Seelbach, Kaden Chapin and Matthew Hill.

Leonard Markir and Annie Wettlaufer.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 15

PEOPLE

Charlie and Chris Pope.

Micky Decker with Randy and Marge Riley, and Michele and David McKay. Natalie Magadan, Rebecca Magadan and Santa Shelly.

16 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Excitement in ‘reel’ time at Take a Kid Fishing tourney

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF
Staff Writer

The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Matt McAlarnen, Jack Leahy and George Fetterolf. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE Al Sammartino and Jim Wolfe.
Coast caught another big one last Sat-
urday morning – hook, line and sink- for them – they were able to focus on
er – on the fishing catwalk under the the task at hand.
Barber Bridge during its 29th annual
Take a Kid Fishing Tournament. In today’s screen-obsessed, instant
gratification society, it was reassuring
Kiwanis members provided more to see the children sit patiently while
than 150 children, ages 5 to 12, with watching and waiting for the telltale
gear, bait and angling advice to help sign that they had landed a fish, and
them reel in the big one. The young- squealing with delight when they did.
sters and their designated adults
worked their way through two cases
of shrimp as they cast their lines into
the Indian River Lagoon.

To ensure that children wouldn’t
have to devise tall tales of “the one
that got away,” volunteers chummed
the waters before participants ar-
rived, attracting a wide range of fishy
friends.

For many, it was the first time they
had ever gone fishing. Once they got
past hooking the slimy shrimp on the
hook – or asked one of the many Ki-
wanis and Key Club members to do it

Clara Hale.

WINNERS:

Established 18 Years in Indian River County Paul Washington, Heather Bailey, 4- TO 8-YEAR-OLDS:
Callie Headdy and Curtis Headdy. Most Fish
(772) 562-2288 | www.kitchensvero.com
3920 US Hwy 1, Vero Beach FL 32960 As bobbers bobbled and one fish after Sebastian Krizmar, 16
another was reeled in, the little ones Biggest Fish
giggled and shrieked with excitement,
anxious to find out what they had Ed Ogilvie and Jaylen Mansfield,
hooked. each a 31-inch stingray.
Smallest Fish
“It’s a great way for the kids to bond
with the adult they brought along,” Sebastian Krizman, 3-inch
said event chair Jim Wolfe. “Seeing the mangrove snapper
look on the children’s faces says it all. Ugliest Fish
It’s why we do this.” AJ Gulyas, eel fish
Most Unusual
After a morning of fishing, children
and their families gathered for free Jaxson Rider, hermit crab and lady fish
burgers and hot dogs, and an awards Most Unusual (honorable mention)
ceremony to recognize their angling Gino Greco, stargazer
efforts. Prizes were awarded for each
age bracket, with a special prize for 9- TO 12-YEAR-OLDS:
the ugliest fish. Most Fish

The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Noah Lynch, 15
Coast, founded in 1973, follows the Biggest Fish
global mandate of serving children.
Members host activities such as Take Denisia Williams, 12 feet, 5 inches
a Kid Fishing and also raise funds to Smallest Fish
provide college scholarships to high
school seniors. Diamond Dobe, 2-inch Snapper
Ugliest Fish
For more information, visit veroki-
wanis.com.  Abigal Whitsett, leopard puffer
Most Unusual

Daisy Sandoval, oyster crusher
Most Unusual (honorable mention)

John Stubbs, sea robin

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 17

PEOPLE

Isabella Castaneda and Chance Morrow. Owen, Graham and Mark Hays. Will Schlitt with Katie Schlitt. Jayden Hanson.

Carolyn MacEvoy, Kevin Brown and Doug Vitunac. Emily Scherf, Jennifer Studstill and Cheyenne Campbell. Philip Tarasovic, Luke Pena-Ariet and Trace Della Porta. Abigail Bowie Whitsett.

True Brown and Mike Roy. Edward Zaluski.

Luke Sammartino and Mark Sammartino wrestle with a grouper at the Kiwanis Club’s Take a Kid Fishing.

18 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

‘Wine, Film and Fashion’ whets appetite for festival

BY MARY SCHENKEL the event’s beneficiary, this year’s
Staff Writer theme is A Wide Lens on Life.

Fashionistas and film fans got a Shaded by a large tent, attendees
sneak peek at great things to come were treated to wine samplings, cu-
at the second annual Wine, Film and linary delights from Wild Thyme Ca-
Fashion event hosted by Vero Beach tering and a fashion show showcas-
Outlets on Mother’s Day weekend ing stylish outfits from 17 different
to advance the fourth annual Vero Outlet stores, and relaxed on outdoor
Beach Wine + Film Festival. Inspired seating from Design Within Reach
by Suncoast Mental Health Center, and Restoration Hardware.

Later, they enjoyed trailers of Cin-

Ian Thompson and Annamarie LaBella. Jerusha Stewart and Beth Hager.

Robin Blackman and Fae Kopacka. PHOTOS: KAILA JONES Stone, the executive director of the
Chamber, is walking for Chico’s,
ema Couture films, a new category and Annamarie (LaBella) and Ian
of curated films featuring fashion (Thompson) from Riverside Theatre
icons, due to be screened at Costa are walking for Brooks Brothers,”
d’Este during the festival: “Larger said Beth Hager, Vero Beach Outlets
Than Life: The Kevyn Aucoin Story,” marketing coordinator, adding that
“Iris, A Film by Albert Maysles,” “The Premier Model Management was
First Monday in May” and “The Gos- again coordinating the show.
pel According To André.”
As attendees mulled over VBWFF
“This is our best and first overall ticket opportunities and awaited the
partnership for the Film Festival, show, Stewart gave an update on the
which is leading up to our best and newer aspects of the festival, sched-
largest festival year ever,” said the uled for June 6-9 at locations around
ever enthusiastic VBWFF founder, Je- town.
rusha Stewart. “It’s all about what to
wear to the Vero Beach Wine & Film “We have added Majestic Theatre
Festival. Part of what’s so signifi- for the first time,” said Stewart. “We
cant about the partnership with Vero just added an opening night Cen-
Beach Outlets is that we have the op- tennial Champagne and Cake party
portunity to do this whole fashion Thursday night at Majestic for Vero
showcase, and bring fashion as a cat- Visions, the screening of films from
egory into the film festival.” filmmakers on the Treasure Coast.
We’re going to be screening and giv-
She pointed out that Vero Beach ing the awards for the category of
Outlets is a finalist for an Interna- Vero Visions, which are our local re-
tional Council of Shopping Centers gional filmmakers. So that’s a big
Global MAXI Award for this ‘Bridging deal for us this year.”
the Affluent Divide’ event.
Also new is a $35 Pick 4 Cinema
“We included a lot of community Pass, which enables someone to
members this year, so we actually pick any four of the regular weekend
have Indian River County Fire De- screenings.
partment modeling swimwear, Dori
In addition to the festival’s sister
partner, the Sonoma International
Film Festival, two new partnerships
introduced are California’s Wild &
Scenic Film Festival, and Nova Sco-
tia’s Devour! The Food Film Fest,
which will feature a Chefs and Shorts
dinner at Vero Beach Hotel & Spa.

“The Wild and Scenic environmen-
tal and adventure films are phenom-
enal. Oh my gosh; I could talk all day
about those,” said Stewart. “The Wild
and Scenic Film Festival is the sec-
ond largest traveling film festival in
the world.”

For a full list of films and events,
visit vbwff.org. 



20 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

Gifford Youth Center ribbon-cutting draws proud crowd

BY MARY SCHENKEL
Staff Writer

Hundreds of Gifford Youth Bill Glavin cuts the ribbon to the new Cis and Bill Glavin Educational Center at GYAC. Don and Betsy Kittell. PHOTOS: KAILA JONES
Achievement Center supporters at-
tended a joyous Ribbon Cutting Cer- ous charitable organizations that he down on us today, just taken aback graduate high school on schedule,”
emony last Wednesday to officially and his late wife supported over the by what is happening today.” said Hudson.
open the $5 million, 14,000-square- years, “We have never ever been in-
foot classroom expansion, next door volved in an organization as great as Another special surprise took “Not only that, but more students
to the current facility, which will en- this one. The things that go on here place following the official ribbon will be able to learn that if they are
able GYAC to increase the number of are just incredible. This is the great- cutting – the unveiling of another going to be successful in life, that
students served from 200 to 325. est honor that we’ve ever had in our plaque dedicating a new patio area there are some core values and that
lives. It’s wonderful. Cis is looking between the two buildings in honor character counts. There is no substi-
During the ceremony, Angelia of Woolfork, who has been a contin- tute for being responsible, honest,
Perry, GYAC executive director, and ual presence at GYAC since its incep- courteous, respectful, dependable
Freddie Woolfork, director of public tion. and caring.”
relations and facilities operations,
unveiled a plaque naming the new Prior to the dedications, the Noting that the expansion would
facility as the Cis and Bill Glavin Ed- Dream Weaver Choir had started not have been possible without com-
ucational Center. things off singing “I Am Beautiful,” mitted support, he added, “I offer my
under the direction of Mary B. McK- sincere appreciation and thanks to
“There was one person who is- inney and Annette Reason, their all of you.”
sued the clarion call to get this job sweet voices a prelude to more good
done,” said Scott Alexander, honor- things to come. Dr. Edwin Massey, president of
ary chairman of the Dream Weavers Indian River State College, recalled
Capital Campaign and GYAC Foun- Introducing GYAC co-founder Dr. early conversations with Richardson
dation board member. “And hope- A. Ronald Hudson, Perry said the regarding his ideas for GYAC.
fully, we’ve done that, Bill.” organization would not exist were it
not for the vision of Hudson and the “Dan wanted it to be indepen-
His voice choked with emotion, late Dan K. Richardson and Rev. Dr. dent,” said Massey, adding that Rich-
Glavin said that of all the numer- William Nigh. ardson had stressed the importance
of having the board reach indepen-
“Even though they are not with dent decisions. He said IRSC contin-
us today, I believe very much that ues to work closely with GYAC, offer-
they would be elated to see what is ing classes, training and programs,
happening here this afternoon,” including Upward Bound and duel
said Hudson. “I feel very fortunate enrollment programs to help pre-
to have had an opportunity to work pare the students to live in a “really
with both of those gentlemen and complex world.”
I am so grateful for the legacy that
they left us.” “I love celebrations like this; I
think they’re inspiring,” said Alex-
He said 23 years ago, when the ander, before introducing some of
idea was first conceptualized, they the numerous people involved in the
had a start-up donation, but no pro- facility’s planning, fundraising and
totype, model, plans, volunteers or construction. Several of those spoke
property. about the process, including archi-
tect John Binkley, who said they de-
“Today we celebrate with great signed it with the ability to eventu-
excitement, a very bright day for the ally incorporate a second floor, and
students here at GYAC as well as for Proctor Construction representa-
this community and Indian River tives Andrew Kennedy and Patrick
County. The new expansion and the O’Neill, who completed the job on
additional classrooms will provide time and on budget.
an opportunity for more students
to enhance their academic skills, For more information, visit gyac.
to improve their self-esteem and to net. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 21

PEOPLE

Shaun Dowling and Patrick O’Neill. Jack Magnier, Barry and Marsha Reardon, Annette Reason, Alana Brown and Hope Woodhouse.
Millicent Carpenter and Spencer Carpenter.

Joan Woodhouse with George and Sandy Kahle. Angelia Perry with John and Judi O’Steen and Jeff Pickering, Faye and Freddie Woolfork with Scott and Gail Alexander.

Jennifer Jones and Lynn Marran. John Binkley and Abaco Richardson. Jaydn Peterson, Lillie Holt, Don Delora Reagan and Justin Woulard.

22 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

College try doable thanks to Scholarship Foundation Awards

BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF
Staff Writer

The Scholarship Foundation of
Indian River County presented 94
scholarships totaling $610,900 to
48 students during the 54th annual
Awards Ceremony last Wednesday
evening at the Saint Edward’s High
School Waxlax Center for the Per-
forming Arts.

The scholarship class of 2019 will
attend 17 colleges and universities
in six states. The class includes nine
recipients who are already attend-
ing college and six high school se-
niors who will receive their associ-
ate’s degrees this year, joining the
ranks of 109 continuing scholars
from prior years.

“We’re going to celebrate more
than just our students, because
it takes not only their dedication
and hard work, but it takes a strong
family network, teachers and men-
tors to help them get to where they
are,” said Bobby Sexton, foundation
board president.

“Vero Beach is a special place,” he Hultman. “You can live a meaning-
added. “We’ve been ‘in business’ ful, fulfilling, passionate life, even
for 54 years. It started with Dan if that passion is not your job.”
Richardson and a few other like-
minded people that said it would be He added that passion takes pa-
a shame for a child to be able to go tience, but that when you engage
to college and not have the money with passionate people, “It’s conta-
to do so. What the donors to the gious.”
Scholarship Foundation do for the
students of Indian River County is “All of the scholarships awarded
truly remarkable.” tonight are a culmination of the
generosity from the community
“The legacy goes on,” said Rich- and people who are passionate
ardson’s daughter, Nancy Richard- about education and want to help
son Luther. “I feel incredibly hon- future generations achieve their
ored to be in this room with all you educational goals,” said Camilla
amazing students. It reconfirms Wainright, Scholarship Foundation
my belief in the future of our young executive director.
people today. I know you have heard
a lot of special, inspirational words “Through your time, talent and
to carry with you on your journey, treasure, you too can support our
and they are all important. When I organization and ensure that stu-
thought of what words to leave with dents in our community will have
you, I came up with my three favor- the opportunity to realize their
ite ones: Always be kind.” dream of a college education for
years to come.”
This year’s Alumnus Address was
given by Jacob Hultman, a 2014 Vero Since its inception in 1965, the
Beach High School graduate and foundation has awarded more than
Richardson Scholar. Hultman grad- $12.4 million in need-based college
uated from the University of Penn- scholarship awards to 2,968 local
sylvania in 2018 with bachelor’s and students who have demonstrated
master’s degrees in electrical engi- the desire and academic ability to
neering, and currently works as an succeed in pursuing a post-second-
artificial intelligence researcher ary education.
and engineer in Washington, D.C.
On Aug. 16 at the Sebastian Shark
“The next few years are going to Stadium, the foundation will host its
be some of the best years of your life, annual Football Classic, pitting Vero
and I hope you cherish them,” said Beach and Sebastian High School
teams against each other, preceded
by a VIP BBQ fundraiser. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 23

PEOPLE

Camilla Wainwright with Bobby Sexton and Mary Silva. Jonathan Schwiering and Sam Block. PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE PHOTOS CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
Bob and Sandy Brackett with Scott Schwartz.

Simonetta and Tommy Steyer.

Sheila and Ted Herget.

Joanna Meyers and Carol Fischman.

24 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PEOPLE

PHOTOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 Julie Kebbel with Gaye Ludwig and Jaden Kebbel. Tes Jones with Jeena and Jeremy Lakins.
Wiz Cook, Jacob Hultman and Joan Cook.

Carol Brown and Matthew Manning II with Matthew and Christine Manning. Rafael Forero with Marianna Forero, Dora Forero and Ana Forero. Joseph and Samantha Ting with Anna Kayser, Jade and Alan Kayser.

RIVETING ‘RENT’ PAYS OFF WITH
POWERFUL PERFORMANCES

26 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Riveting ‘Rent’ pays off with powerful performances

PHOTOS BY NIKO STAMOS

11:30 am—2:30 pm 1120 Seaway Drive BY PAM HARBAUGH Indeed, this musical continues to
Correspondent speak to many. It has also created a the-
SUPPORTING SPONSOR: ADDITIONAL SUPPORT: ater phenomenon where fans will flock
GRIMES HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING Rock music with a driving beat and to a production tour and follow it as it
a passion to match will fill the stage travels.
A.E. BACKUS MUSEUM & GALLERY • 500 N. INdIAN RIvER dRIvE • FoRt PIERCE, FL • 34950 • 772.465.0630 at the Henegar Center with a produc-
tion of “Rent” June 7 to 16. The com- “Rent” opened on Broadway in 1996,
pelling show travels, cast and all, to where it ran for 12 years. Its creator, Jon-
Melbourne from a successful run at athan Larson, reportedly worked seven
the Titusville Playhouse where, if you years on his rock opera while, like his
don’t want to wait, you can still catch it characters, living an impoverished life.
through June 2.
After its long birthing process, the
Directed by Steven Heron, this pro- show was about to open at the Off-
duction of the Tony Award-winning Broadway New York Theater Workshop.
show is awash with musical talent and Tragically, the night before opening,
unforgettable performances. From the Larson, 35, died of an aortic aneurysm.
first downbeat, you know you’re in for a
rare community theater treat. Then, within 24 hours of its Off-
Broadway opening, the entire run sold
Inspired by Puccini’s grand opera “La out, according to pbs.org. Heron was
Boheme,” the story in “Rent” revolves one of the lucky ones who saw that Off-
around a group of young artists who are Broadway production.
living meagerly in New York City’s “Al-
phabet City.” He, like so many others, fell in love
with the show immediately and fol-
The group, haunted by HIV and AIDS, lowed it to Broadway. Audiences at the
lives an existential crisis. They are the more than 5,000 performances went
hopeless and hapless citizens in a na- wild for great jubilant numbers like “La
tion more prone to pointing a finger Vie Boheme,” then wept at the show’s
than lending a hand; and which is doing iconic “Seasons of Love” which asks:
nothing to avert a plague. “Five hundred twenty-five thousand
six hundred minutes/How do you mea-
Talking to Heron, you soon realize sure, measure a year?”
this production is a passion project for
him. “I saw the original Broadway cast 15
times,” Heron says. “I was obsessed with
“It’s one of the first Broadway shows this show.”
that really spoke to me and what I was
living through,” Heron says. “As a gay It was easy to get a ticket when it was
man in the late ’80s and ’90s and moving Off-Broadway and then even early in
to New York, it spoke to me completely.” the Broadway run, as Broadway snobs
were not “really embracing the show,”

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 27

The cast of “Rent.”

ARTS & THEATRE

Zach Thomas Kellie Rhianne
as Mark Cohen. as Mimi Marquez.

he says. Center and runs June 7 to 16. Tickets are
But then it won four Tony Awards, in- $29 general and $26 seniors, students
and military. The Henegar is at 625 E.
cluding one for Best Musical; the Drama New Haven Ave., Melbourne. Call 321-
Desk Award for Outstanding Musical; 723-8698 or visit Henegar.org. 
and the Pulitzer Prize for drama. It be-
came nearly impossible to get a ticket. 4 U.” A professional performer, Reyes
played Angel in the first national tour of
Like he did when he directed the “Rent.” He was also in the national tour
show in 2012 at Surfside Playhouse in of “Kinky Boots,” “West Side Story,” “La
Cocoa Beach, Heron has found a deep Cage aux Folles” and “In the Heights.”
pool of talented performers to flesh out He has performed at regional theater
the characters. around the country, including the ac-
claimed Geva Theatre Center in Roch-
“This cast is top notch,” Heron says. ester, N.Y.
In “One Song Glory,” Jordyn Link-
ous, wearing a T-shirt with the image But nearly stealing the show is a
of Velvet Underground’s Lou Reed, hits mighty singer in the modest person of
the soul of rock as Roger, the musician Deejay Young of Orlando. As the charac-
longing to write a song that will live past ter Tom Collins, Young sings “I’ll Cover
him. Linkous, who was recently so fun- You” in a second act reprise that, yes,
ny as the maid in “La Cage aux Folles,” does stop the show. It’s rare to find such
totally surprises with a dramatic and power and expressive interpretation on
very strong musical presence that eas- a community theater stage.
ily fills the theater. And, he has also
designed the wigs and co-designed cos- Also on stage are musicians Paul Terry
tumes along with Niko Stamos. on drums and Nathan Taylor on guitar,
Zach Thomas plays Mark, the docu- who are led on keyboard by conductor
mentary filmmaker who turns his back Spencer Crosswell. The three pack quite
on his Jewish family in Scarsdale in or- the musical wallop, playing the driving,
der to film a year with the artists of Al- non-stop rock opera.
phabet City. Thomas, who is constantly
adjusting his eyeglasses, has some good Asked how so much sound could
numbers and exudes nerdy lovability. come out of three musicians, Crosswell
Melinda (Lebo) Benya is sensational says he also folds in some recorded mu-
as Maureen Johnson, the performance sic. But the final result is big, loud, live
artist who sings “Over the Moon,” a non- music, thanks in a big way to Trevor Pe-
sensical piece that is, at its heart, play- ters’ sound design, which delivers a big,
fully earnest. But Benya sails in “Take music-filled concert hall sound without
Me or Leave Me,” a hard-driving rock sacrificing intimacy.
duet with the amazing Jataria Heyward,
who plays Joanne, Maureen’s lover. The look of the show is gritty and
Heron says Larson’s intent was to simple. Jay Bleakney’s scenic design
take the role of Mimi from “La Boheme” employs some scaffolding, made even
and split it in two for “Rent” – Angel and grimier by scenic painter Jonathan Wil-
Mimi. While the Puccini opera has its lis. And lighting designer Luke Atkison
ill Mimi putting on a brave face to be gives it all life with a complexity that
the life of the party, in “Rent” the role of feels very much like a rock opera.
Mimi is basically an ill young woman
and the role of Angel becomes the vi- You may feel your breath being stolen
brant one. by a handful of thrilling theatrical mo-
Kellie Rhianne, who sings at Disney’s ments, employing glitter, plastic and the
“Lion King” show, portrays the sexy like.
drug addict Mimi, who sings that she
wants to go “Ow-ooo-t tonight!” But This is a big show designed to enter-
she’s at her best the first time we see her tain as well as pay tribute to those who
in the alluring “Light My Candle” num- were lost to AIDS. It does just that. Your
ber she sings with Roger. And of course, feet will tap and your heart will ache.
that becomes especially chilling when
considering the lighting of a candle off “Rent” runs at Titusville Playhouse
of another symbolizes not only love, but through June 2. Tickets are $25 to $29,
also the spread of AIDS. plus a $2 per ticket service fee. Seniors
Xavier Reyes is ideal as the character and military get a $2 discount. Titus-
Angel, a drag queen who sings “Today ville Playhouse is at 301 Julia St., Titus-
ville. Call 321-268-1125 or visit Titusvil-
lePlayhouse.com.

The same production, with the same
cast and design, travels to the Henegar

28 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Coming Up: Space the music with Symphony’s NASA tribute

BY SAMANTHA ROHLFING BAITA ly,” adding “our students are having
Staff Writer the time of their lives tackling Junie’s
misadventures.” Curtain: Thursday
1 A pair of NASA legends whose and Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m.
voices (if not their names) you and 7 p.m. Tickets: $10. 772-231-6990
or www.riversidetheatre.com.
know will narrate “Cosmic Trilogy,” as

the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra

concludes its 10th Anniversary sea- 3 This weekend: Although most of
the great circuses have, literally,
son by celebrating the achievements

of NASA this Sunday, May 26, at the folded their tents, leaving only mem-

VBHS Performing Arts Center. Hugh ories of exotic, caged animals, daring

Harris and George Diller share the title aerialists, cotton candy, clowns and

“the Voice of NASA,” and anyone who’s sawdust, the timeless musical clas-

watched NASA launch astronauts 1 Space Coast Symphony at VBHS Performing Arts Center May 26. sics which accompanied them can

aboard space shuttles, or planetary still capture the essence of what made

missions heading for the far reaches the circus of yesteryear “The Greatest

of our Solar System – and heard that tra promo, “reprises highlights from shall’s “The Cosmos,” which “concep- Show on Earth.” May 24, 25 and 26,
the aforementioned, innovative film tualizes the origins of the universe.”
iconic countdown to zero – knows trilogy.” As Harris and Diller narrate, Time: 3 p.m. Tickets: $30 at the door; you can add music and performance
you’ll thrill at NASA’s fabulous images advance adult tickets, $25 on website;
those voices. The fabulous, multi-me- of “distant galaxies, nebulae and other 18 and under or with student ID, free. to your three-ring memories at the
astronomical wonders, captured by 855-252-7276 or www.SpaceCoast-
dia presentation “Cosmic Trilogy” was cutting edge instruments on earth and Symphony.org. Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse as
in the heavens.” The orchestra accom-
created via the Orchestra’s seven-year panies the breathtaking visuals with the immersive musical experience
selections from Holst’s epic “The Plan-
partnership with NASA, with whom it ets,” Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra”
and Dvorak’s “New World Symphony,”
created and performed “The Planets,” as well as composer Christopher Mar-

“Earth Odyssey” and most recently

“The Cosmos.” Under the baton of 2 So many talented kids audi-
tioned for this Riverside Theatre
Conductor/ Artistic Director Aaron T.

Collins, the dynamic SCSO invites us for Kids show that the director, Kevin

to share the celebration and the pro- Quillinan, actually decided to totally

gram which, according to the orches- double-cast it. Which hardly ever

happens. Be sure to put the Riverside

Theatre for Kids production of “Junie

B. Jones, The Musical,” on your fam-

ily must-see calendar for next Thurs-

day, Friday or Saturday, May 30, May

31 or June 1. It’s the area premiere of

the musical based on Barbara Park’s

children’s book series, which made

the New York Times No. 1 bestsell- “Music of the Big Top” takes the stage,
through the Playhouse’s collabora-
ing Chapter Book Series, and has kept tion with Maybury Webb Creative
Studios. According to the theatre
kids laughing, says amazon.com, for promo, director/conductor William
H. Yoh Jr. “has a long-time history
more than 25 years (and sold more playing in circus bands around the
country” and has performed at the
seven acres of inspiration than 65 million copies). As Riverside’s playhouse for almost 20 years. A year
promo tells it, “Junie B. Jones, The and a half ago, Yoh had an idea: “Bring
to the playhouse a concert of the mu-
Musical” follows Junie on her first sic that accompanied the circuses as
they toured the world.” Working with
Everything you need for day of first grade and the new ad- Yoh is the show’s producer/director,
U.K. native Karen Maybury Webb,
ventures that await including: mak- who was raised in an entertainment
family, including relatives who per-
stunning gardens and outdoor living ing friends on the bus with the new formed at the renowned, 123-year-
old Blackpool Tower Circus, making
spaces is at Rock City Gardens. kid; thinking she needs glasses when the current project “very special and
heartfelt” to her. “Music of the Big
she can’t see the blackboard in class; Top” will showcase the memorable
circus music of the 1800s and 1900s,
For inspiration, visit soon. meeting the friendly cafeteria lady; a and feature “young local talent and
kickball tournament; and the “Top- international circus stars Rocco and
Nova, aka ‘Duo Gravity.’” Showtimes:
Secret Personal Beeswax Journal.” Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m.
and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. Tickets:
U.S. HWY 1 IN WABASSO | 772.589.5835 | ROCKCITYGARDENS.COM Quillinan calls the show “fun and sil- adults: $26; seniors and students, $24;
children, $18. 321-636-5050. 



30 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT COVER STORY

3.25”

2.05”

I.M. Pei, an American modernist ar- of monuments, and said of Mr. Pei’s ing modern architecture on behalf of painted white and placed a single vase
chitect regarded as one of the world’s legacy: “It’s not a single building. It’s a public that may not otherwise have of fresh flowers in the reception area.
leading designers of civic centers and his work over a generation of time been disposed to appreciate it.”
cultural institutions, including the and his logical and relentless pursuit When she noticed flowers, she said,
National Gallery of Art’s East Build- of the highest degree of excellence.” Mr. Pei was born in China and “My, that’s a beautiful bouquet. Do
ing, the glass pyramid at the entrance earned degrees from the Massachu- you always have those?” Mr. Pei re-
to the Louvre in Paris and the Rock Mr. Pei has been credited with res- setts Institute of Technology and Har- sponded, “Oh no, we only got those for
and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in cuing modernist architecture, typi- vard’s design school, and spent his you.”
Cleveland, died May 16 at a hospital in cally stark buildings with little or no early career designing low-income
Manhattan. He was 102. ornamentation, from its reputation housing for a real estate developer in Although the Kennedy library com-
as a cold and forbidding art form. He New York. mission catapulted Mr. Pei into the
Considered one of the most signifi- did so by creating open public spaces national spotlight, it was one of his
cant and prolific architects of the 20th that made people feel welcome and He went into business for himself biggest disappointments. Controversy
century, the New York-based designer by designing museums that were in 1955, but his breakthrough came over the design and the site dragged on
left a legacy of notable buildings that bright and inviting, rather than a col- nine years later when he was the sur- for years, and Mr. Pei lost all passion
span the globe. His significant works lection of small, dark rooms. prise victor in a contest to build a li- for the building. Although his firm saw
include the Jacob K. Javits Convention brary to honor John F. Kennedy. It was the project through to the end, Mr. Pei
Center in Manhattan (1979 to 1986); Throughout his career, Mr. Pei fa- one of the most coveted architectural became despondent and moved on to
the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony vored simple materials and simple commissions in the world, and Mr. other commissions.
Center in Dallas (1982 to 1989); the shapes for the basis of his elegant de- Pei, a relative unknown, defeated the
Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong signs. “The simpler the solution, the biggest names in architecture, in- When the library finally opened in
(1982 to 1989); and the Museum of more powerful it is,” he once said. He cluding Philip Johnson, Mies van der 1979, 15 years after its commission, it
Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar (2003 to started with uncomplicated geometric Rohe and Louis Kahn. wasn’t to the level of the original design
2008). forms, using stone, concrete, glass and and turned out to be one of Mr. Pei’s
steel to transform them into dramatic When it came to securing his com- least-distinguished works. “It should
“You cannot talk about architec- and sculptural light-filled spaces. missions, Mr. Pei’s personal skills were have been my best and most impor-
ture in the last 60 years without talk- just as important as his architectural tant project, but it was not,” he once
ing seriously about I.M. Pei,” said “More so than any other modern ar- abilities. During discussions about the said. “It’s a sad story, and one of the few
Robert A.M. Stern, a former dean chitect of his generation, he was able library, he insisted to Jacqueline Ken- projects that have failed in my opinion.
of the Yale University School of Ar- to make modern architecture friendly nedy that he was “totally unqualified” I lost the client.”
chitecture. He referred to Mr. Pei as and approachable to a wide audience,” for the project. Yet with the taste of his
perhaps the greatest modern maker said Pei biographer Michael Cannell. potential client, the former first lady, Mr. Pei’s original design for the li-
“He went a long way toward translat- in mind, he had his entire office re- brary included a glass pyramid, a de-
sign element that would reappear

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 31

INSIGHT COVER STORY

years later at the Louvre in Paris and French President François Mit- vironment in France that saved the called, “All you need is the support of
become a signature form. terand was so taken by Mr. Pei’s work Louvre project. His key insight was to a dozen people like that.”
at the National Gallery that he hand- provide progress reports both to Mit-
Despite the unfulfilled promise of picked the architect to renovate and terand, a socialist, and to his conser- Ieoh Ming (“to inscribe brightly”)
the Kennedy library, Mr. Pei’s selection reinvigorate the Louvre in 1983. vative rival, then-Paris Mayor Jacques Pei was born in Canton, China, on
as its designer and the many commis- Chirac. Indeed, when Mitterand was April 26, 1917. His father was a promi-
sions that followed brought him an The project, which Mr. Pei referred forced to share power with Chirac, nent banker; his mother, who died
extraordinary public profile and ce- to as “the greatest challenge and the who was elected prime minister as when Mr. Pei was 13, was a flutist. He
lebrity. One of the most important was greatest accomplishment” of his ca- part of a transition government, Mr. was the eldest of four children.
the addition to the National Gallery of reer, tested nearly every political in- Pei’s investment paid off as he had
Art (1968 to 1978). stinct of the soft-spoken architect, gained the support of both political Despite his father’s wish that he be-
who was seen as an American in- sides as well as the museum’s curators. come a doctor, Mr. Pei left for the Unit-
Mr. Pei was hired by National Gal- terloper at a cultural landmark that ed States in 1935 to study architecture.
lery benefactor Paul Mellon to design housed the Mona Lisa and the Venus Even French movie star Catherine He earned a bachelor’s degree in archi-
the East Building. The project was re- de Milo. Deneuve visited his design studio to tecture from MIT and a master’s degree
garded as difficult because it needed lend her support. Later, Mr. Pei re- in architecture from Harvard’s Gradu-
to fill many sensitive requirements. It When Mr. Pei revealed his design ate School of Design. Walter Gropius,
needed to complement – not upstage – for the addition to the centuries-old founder of the Bauhaus school of de-
the classical structures of the adjacent palace, which included a 70-foot glass sign, a movement that advocated ar-
West building and the nearby Capitol, pyramid to serve as the museum’s main chitecture without ornamentation and
and it had to be designed to sit on an entrance, French politicians, historians function over form, ran Harvard’s de-
awkward, trapezoidal plot of land. and citizens were outraged. sign school.

Mr. Pei solved the complex problem The French newspaper Le Monde The outbreak of World War II and
with a simple solution. “I sketched a referred to it as “an annex to Disney- the communist takeover in China pre-
diagonal line across the trapezoid and land.” The museum director resigned vented Mr. Pei from returning to his
produced two triangles. That was the in protest. homeland. He became an American
beginning,” he said in a 1999 interview citizen in 1954.
with the publication School Arts. It was ultimately Mr. Pei’s under-
standing of the volatile political en- Mr. Pei began his career in New
The finished product, a building York, in the field of commercial de-
made of steel, glass and marble with velopment, working as an in-house
an H-shaped facade and a knife-edge architect for William Zeckendorf, one
corners, introduced modernism to the of the largest real estate developers in
Mall while blending seamlessly with the United States.
its neoclassical neighbors. Opened in
1978, it was named one of the 10 best In this position, Mr. Pei gained the
buildings in America by the American practical experience of working with
Institute of Architects. large-scale urban renewal and low-
income housing projects all over the
country.

When Zeckendorf got into finan-
cial trouble, Mr. Pei took the oppor-
tunity to go out on his own. In 1955,
he established his own firm, I.M. Pei
& Associates, which later became I.M.
Pei & Partners, then finally, Pei Cobb
Freed & Partners.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

32 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31 INSIGHT COVER STORY

The firm’s first important project Director J. Carter Brown with Pei atop the ture Chinese architecture. But dealing ect to honor his father, who served as a
was the National Center for Atmo- roof of the east building of the National with the Chinese government and bu- manager for the bank.
spheric Research, at the base of the Gallery of Art in Washington in 1978. reaucracies presented many obstacles,
Rocky Mountains in Colorado. In- and the building ultimately wasn’t ex- Mr. Pei retired from his firm in 1990
spired by American Indian cliff dwell- fault, the damage had been done. Mr. ecuted in the way Mr. Pei intended. to become a sole practitioner.
ings, Mr. Pei designed a number of Pei later said of the incident: “It was a When the project was completed, the
poured-concrete towers, tinted with disaster. After John Hancock I had to architect walked away disappointed. He spent his semiretirement work-
red sandstone to help them blend into go abroad to find work. No one would ing as a consultant for his company,
the mountainside rather than distract talk to me.” The Bank of China Tower in Hong assisting at his sons’ New York-based
from it. It was the first time the young Kong, a soaring, 70-story steel and architectural firm and taking on proj-
architect was able to look at architec- Forty years after leaving China, Mr. glass skyscraper, had special signifi- ects that brought him personal plea-
ture as an art form. Pei returned to his native land to work. cance for Mr. Pei; he took on the proj- sure.
The Fragrant Hill Hotel (1979-1982), is a
Years later, he would refer to the modest, low-rise building northwest of Mr. Pei was an unlikely choice
project as the beginning of his profes- Beijing that Mr. Pei undertook in hopes to design the Rock and Roll Hall of
sional life, describing it as “very, very of creating a benchmark design for fu- Fame, but the founders of the muse-
amateurish on my part, but very im- um believed he would add credibility
portant.” The building impressed the to the project.
philanthropist Paul Mellon enough for
him to pick Mr. Pei to design the East At the time of the commission, Mr.
Building. Pei confessed to preferring Beethoven
and that he had little experience with
Despite ensuing successes, setbacks rock-and-roll other than asking his
on the John Hancock Tower commis- children to turn down the volume.
sion in Boston (1967 to 1976) almost (In one interview, he referred to John
sank Mr. Pei’s firm. Lennon as “Jack.”)

The 60-story glass skyscraper was To familiarize himself with the
designed by Mr. Pei’s partner, Henry genre, Mr. Pei attended rock concerts
Cobb. Before the building was com- and visited Elvis Presley’s Graceland,
pleted, windows began popping out which he deemed “a horrible place”
and falling to the sidewalks below. but said “it did not dim my interest in
rock-and-roll.”
With black-painted plywood panels
replacing the windows during repairs, Perhaps the finest example of Mr.
the building earned many nicknames, Pei’s artistry came late in the de-
including “Plywood Palace.” Although signer’s life. The Miho Museum near
the firm was eventually cleared of any Kyoto, Japan (1996), sits on a remote
mountain in the middle of a nature
preserve. Inspired by a 4th-century

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 33

INSIGHT COVER STORY

Chinese poem, the architect designed dens and temples, Mr. Pei designed a chitect. Not only did the location take the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha.
a 150,000-square-foot limestone, glass tunnel carved though the mountain, him back to the ancestral gardens of Opened in 2008, when Mr. Pei was
and steel structure, of which only a leading to a bridge, which leads to the his youth, but this time he also was 91, the 115,000-square-foot building,
portion can be seen peeking through museum. able to share it with his children; two constructed on a man-made island
the hilltops; 95 percent of the building of his sons worked with him on the just off the waterfront, blends mod-
is buried. But it was the new wing of the Su- project. ernism with ancient Islamic architec-
zhou Museum in China (2006) that ture. 
To echo the paths of Japanese gar- was of personal significance to the ar- Mr. Pei’s final masterpiece was

34 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT OPINION

Making healthcare more affordable and accessible

BY DR. CHARLES M. FISCHMAN
AND STANFORD ERICKSON

The Affordable Care Act accomplished currently by all private medical insur- ical facilities from encouraging exces- own rates to this 50 to 64 patient age
historic changes to our healthcare sys- ers. Today, if a traditionally insured sive costly medical imaging. group. While this is a step towards a
tem: one, some 20 million low-income Medicare patient requests that a phy- single-payer healthcare system, it fixes
families were given entitlement to Med- sician order an MRI or CAT scan, the This same principle can also be ap- the healthcare concerns of one of our
icaid; two, medical insurers could no physician usually will comply. plied to the management of non-emer- most vulnerable group of citizens.
longer deny coverage for patients with gent or elective surgical procedures and
pre-existing illnesses or charge older pa- Doctors often do this out of fear of fu- endoscopies. While not perfect, the facts which
tients excessive premiums. ture medical liability, in the event they have been outlined would help to
fail to diagnose a disease that is later Fourth, and the most controversial make healthcare more affordable and
Any new legislation passed by the discovered. Since the Medicare recipi- recommendation, is to allow patients age accessible without creating a new en-
new Congress needs to include these ent does not have to personally pay for 50 to 64 to individually purchase a Medi- titlement program or going to a single-
two entitlements. You cannot give the imaging, the downside for the phy- care policy. The premium could easily payer healthcare system. 
Americans new entitlements and then sician is in turning down the request. be determined by Center for Medicare &
11 years later take them away and sur- Medicaid Services and give patients the Fischman is a practicing internal
vive politically. Prior authorization by Medicare option of receiving quality health care medicine physician in Vero Beach. Er-
would limit physician’s malpractice when not already insured through em- ickson, a resident of Vero, is a retired
There is a solution to solve this na- exposure, would cut down on massive ployers, individually, or by Medicaid. reporter and editor. This column does
tional health care crisis without going expenses caused by doctors practicing not necessarily reflect the views of Vero
to a single-payer system: improve and defensive medicine and prevent med- This would also encourage private Beach 32963.
expand Medicare. This is one way to insurance companies to lower their
go about that.

First, the legislation needs to repeal
the facility fees charged by hospitals
to Medicare when patients are seen by
hospital–employed physicians. An of-
fice visit performed by a physician in
a hospital facility can cost 80 per cent
more than an office visit performed in
an independent physician’s office, ac-
cording to the Medicare Payment Ad-
visory Commission.

Second, allow competitive bidding
for Medicare Part D prescription drugs,
something President Trump has sup-
ported. This would reduce the cost of
most medications paid for by a Medi-
care patient at a retail pharmacy. These
are taxpayer dollars that could be saved.

Third, require prior authorization
by Medicare for all advanced medical
imaging, the same way it is required

SKIN CANCER, PART X On Jan. 1, 2018, a new melanoma staging classification system was © 2019 VERO BEACH 32963 MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
approved by the American Joint Commission on Cancer as the result
MELANOMA of an unprecedented, cooperative effort among cancer centers from
around the world. This system helps doctors forecast how the disease
Last time we covered two of the four basic types of melanoma. Today is likely to progress. Staging is the key to determining the best type of
we’ll learn about the other two types. treatment for the patient.
Three of the four types begin “in situ,” meaning they may originate in the Stage depends on the depth of penetration (thickness) and degree to
top layers of the skin only, although they can become invasive. The fourth which the melanoma has spread.
type, nodular melanoma, is invasive at the time it’s first diagnosed.  Stage 0 tumors
� Early melanomas
FOUR BASIC TYPES OF MELANOMA � Localized
� In situ (noninvasive, have not penetrated below the outer layer
 Superficial spreading melanoma of the skin, the epidermis)
See previous column.  Stage I tumors
 Lentigo maligna � Early melanomas
See previous column. � Localized
 Acral lentiginous melanoma � Have invaded below the epidermis into the skin’s next layer, the
Acral lentiginous melanoma usually appears as a black or brown dermis, but remain relatively superficial and are at lower risk of
discoloration under the nails, on the soles of the feet or on the spread
palms of the hands. It is most commonly found in dark-skinned  Stage II tumors
people such as African Americans and Asians who may otherwise � Localized, but have invaded deeper into skin (greater than 1 mm
be more protected from the other forms of melanoma. Since it is in depth/thickness)
not usually detected early, it tends to be diagnosed at a more ad- � Considered higher risk for spreading to the lymph nodes or
vanced stage. other parts of the body
 Nodular melanoma  Stage III tumors
Nodular melanoma, an aggressive type of melanoma, is invasive � Tumors that have spread to the lymph nodes but not to other
at the time it is discovered. Due to its depth, it is more likely to have parts of the body
spread to lymph nodes and other areas of the body, which is a  Stage IV tumors
serious threat. Seen most frequently in the elderly, lesions usually � Tumors that have metastasized to other parts of the body
appear as a black, blue, gray, white, brown, tan, red or skin-tone There are also subdivisions within stages. 
bump on the trunks, legs and arms of both genders as well as the
scalps of men. Approximately 10% of melanomas are nodular melanoma. —To be continued—
Your comments and suggestions for future topics are always wel-
STAGING MELANOMA come. Email us at [email protected].

Once doctors establish the diagnosis of melanoma, it’s time to deter-
mine the degree of severity by staging the cancer.

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working with Independent and Registered Investment Advisors.

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38 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BOOKS

Jack the Ripper, the serial kill- on a marriage certificate, Jane’s story is the most deeply buried of the five in in-
er who terrorized London’s East indicating that the signer consistencies and half-truths.
End in the late 19th century, was illiterate, helps unfold
may be the catalyst for historian the history of girls’ edu- Rubenhold suggests that the London police, sur-
Hallie Rubenhold’s fascinating cation in this era, while prisingly sensitive to a woman’s reputation, were care-
new book, but he is in no way closely spaced birth re- ful about applying the label of prostitute too easily to
its subject. Readers who wish to cords suggest the lack of women they picked up simply while walking along the
linger over the bloody details of access to contraception, street. But Elisabeth Stride, a farm girl from rural Swe-
the murders or speculate as to and death certificates den, couldn’t escape disrepute. In Gothenburg, where
the killer’s still-unknown identity she had moved as a teenager, she fell pregnant out of
will have to look elsewhere, in the show the ruthlessness wedlock, a transgression that placed her on the city’s
rich seam of Ripper lore. This is a of infectious disease. In register of “public women.” This regulated her cloth-
story of life, not death – of the or- an era when trades and ing, movements and behavior and forced her to un-
dinary lives of five women, born industries were closely dergo regular screenings for venereal disease, a system
between 1841 and 1863 and killed tied to location, a fam- “designed as much to chasten” women like her as to
in one violent spree in the fall of ily’s movement reveals protect their health. Years later, after immigrating to
1888. By restoring “the five” to hu- its changing fortunes London and getting married and widowed, she was
manity and dignity, Rubenhold’s arrested for soliciting. But the charge appears to have
book becomes a passionate indict- and pursuit of oppor- been based on nothing more than a suspicion. By then,
ment of the true-crime genre, with tunity. Polly Nichols her life was unmoored from any anchors of communi-
its fixation on the minds of murder- was raised in the print- ty, family or friendship, and like Mary Jane, she survived
ers and its shallow, glancing sympa- ing and publishing en- by making herself “everyone and no one” – a face in the
thy for the dead. clave around London’s crowd, known only to herself.
Fleet Street, while An-
Annie Chapman, Kate Eddowes, nie Chapman grew The specter of illicit sex still haunts the Ripper story,
Mary Jane Kelly, Elisabeth Stride and up in an army family, an unkillable ghost that makes the crimes seem more
Polly Nichols did not know one another. The paths that trailing her father through lodgings near the titillating and their victims more expendable. Ruben-
led them to the back streets of Whitechapel, one of Lon- city’s barracks, and Kate Eddowes’ people were rooted hold’s account, however, makes a compelling case that
don’s most notorious slum districts, were varied, yet in the mining and tin-manufacturing region around the real monster shadowing these women’s lives was al-
shaped by two immovable constraints. They were poor, Birmingham, where a teenage Kate first found, then coholism. London’s streets were glutted with pubs; most
and they were female, in a world where that combina- fled, factory work. A move to London’s East End indi- medicines were alcohol-based; and instead of dirty wa-
tion meant that “their worth was compromised before cated a slip down the ladder of security. Wherever they ter, children drank low-alcohol “small beer.” Although
they had even attempted to prove it.” It meant that their lived, the dreaded workhouse loomed large over the the temperance movement was gaining ground, booze
schooling would be rudimentary and as soon as they lives of the poor, an institution of last resort that offered remained an efficient and socially acceptable way for
were old enough, they would have to care for younger a hard bed in exchange for hard labor; bare survival at many working-class women to make their lives a little
siblings. As adolescents, they would be sent out to work the expense of state surveillance. brighter. Yet it turned others into hopeless addicts – in-
as servants in the homes of wealthier families, where In the wake of the killings, sensationalist newspaper cluding Polly Nichols and Annie Chapman, whose rela-
they would learn how to manage a household in prepa- coverage distorted or rewrote the victims’ stories, giv- tively stable, upwardly mobile marriages disintegrated
ration for the role that was considered the pinnacle ing rise to the enduring myth that they were prostitutes, because of it, and Kate Eddowes, whose taste for drink
of their potential: marriage and motherhood. If they yet Rubenhold finds no evidence that three of the five seems to have been inextricable from her love of free-
failed, if they “fell,” if they even faltered, the slide into victims ever exchanged sex for money. Only Mary Jane dom and refusal to be tethered to a factory bench. 
destitution was swift. Kelly, the last and youngest victim, could be considered
a professional sex worker, getting her start in London’s THE FIVE
These were not the kinds of lives that leave an ex- upper-echelon West End before somehow being traf-
tensive record, yet Rubenhold is able to weave a vivid ficked into a brothel in Brussels. Her escape left her THE UNTOLD LIVES OF THE WOMEN KILLED BY JACK THE RIPPER
narrative of Victorian working-class life from small fac- with enemies back home in London and drove her into
tual scraps that she unearthed in police records, gov- the less-salubrious hunting grounds around the East BY HALLIE RUBENHOLD | 333 PP. $27
ernment reports and church registers. The X marked London docks. Because of the nature of her work, Mary REVIEW BY JOANNA SCUTTS, THE WASHINGTON POST

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 39

INSIGHT BRIDGE

THE WRONG CONTRACT REQUIRES RIGHT PLAY WEST NORTH EAST
AK4 10 2 Q985
By Phillip Alder - Bridge Columnist 96432 KQJ87 —
83 A54 10 9 6 2
Anne Bronte said, “There is always a ‘but’ in this imperfect world.” J54 962 K Q 10 7 3

In this week’s deal, North-South reach an imperfect contract, but it can still be made. What SOUTH
is the ideal contract, and how should South play in four hearts after West begins with three J763
rounds of spades? A 10 5
KQJ7
If South had been allowed to see his partner’s hand, he would have passed out three no- A8
trump (or North, if given X-ray vision, would have raised straight to three no-trump). That
contract would have cruised home with an overtrick. Dealer: South; Vulnerable: Neither

When East played high-low at the first two tricks, West was happy to continue with a The Bidding:
third round, knowing that his partner must have the queen. (He would not have signaled a
doubleton when he had no trumps.) Declarer did not wonder why West had failed to shift SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST OPENING
to a club, its being so rarely right to lead a suit when dummy is void in it. If he had, he might 1 NT Pass 2 Diamonds Pass
have deduced the bad trump break. 2 Hearts Pass 3 NT Pass LEAD:
4 Hearts Pass Pass Pass A Spades
South ruffed the third spade on the board and played a heart. When East discarded,
declarer had to concede down one, losing two spades, one heart and one club.

After South finished grumbling about the 5-0 break, North pointed out the inference from
the third round of spades, then pointed out that by discarding a club from the dummy at trick
three, declarer could have almost assured his contract. Whatever East did — win with the
queen or ruff — South could have taken the fourth trick, drawn trumps and claimed.

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40 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™
SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (MAY 16) ON PAGE 60
INSIGHT GAMES

ACROSS DOWN
1 Slogan (11) 2 Antiquated (7)
9 Arrangement (13) 3 Professional cook (4)
10 Talk (4) 4 Fuel oil (6)
11 Stronghold (8) 5 Response (8)
13 Inhabit (6) 6 Breed of draught horse (5)
14 Capital of Colombia (6) 7 Teacake-like baked confection
17 Parts (8)
19 Portico or roofed colonnade (3,5,3)
8 Unavoidable (11)
(4) 12 Voluntary (8)
21 Absolute, unlimited (13) 15 Excursions (7)
22 Brutality (11) 16 Latin meaning“on site”(2,4)
18 Chocolaty drink (5)
20 Furnace (4)

The Telegraph

How to do Sudoku:

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

The Telegraph

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 41

INSIGHT GAMES

ACROSS 81 Appropriate for all 35 Proclamation The Washington Post
83 Do a laundry chore 36 Trumpeter Al
1 Containing a lot of butter, fat 84 Hester Prynne’s daughter 38 Hook’s henchman NATIONALITY DIGEST By Merl Reagle
or cream 86 Instrument Paderewski didn’t 40 Tee shout
42 Police-raid order TofhCe Aosrmte&ticSScuierngecrey
5 Ailurophobe’s avoidances play? 45 Laughingstock
9 Boot bottoms 88 Decorative vessels 46 Understood SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:
14 Gag reflex? 89 Balin and Claire 47 Road • Minimal Incision Lift for the
18 Biblical twin 93 ’54-to-’77 alliance 49 Bucks buildup Face, Body, Neck & Brow
19 Baker or Hill 96 Acetyl addition 50 Steer clear of • Breast Augmentations & Reductions
21 Byzantine ruler 97 Wooden duck 51 Be accepted as • Post Cancer Reconstructions
99 Ogre’s cousin, in stories 53 Author Jong and others • Chemical Peels • Botox
(“the Wise”) 100 The Victorian, 54 Beaver’s kin • Obagi Medical Products • Laser Surgery
22 Caesar’s birds for one? 55 Pepe’s pal • Liposculpture • Tummy Tucks
23 Canal Zone baggage 102 The Godfather, Parts 1, 2, 56 Au revoir • Skin Cancer Treatments
57 Danish dough
worker? and 3? 59 Expert
25 Some Dublin pub goers? 104 Beloved modifier 60 Where Nineveh is
105 Got stuffed 62 Postcard gratitude
27 Adjusted Tenn. time 106 One of cinquante 64 ERA, e.g.
28 Forum dozen 65 Iffy, as ice
29 Verve territorial units 66 Common adverbe
31 Great trees 108 Advice maven 67 Tolstoy topic
32 “Whose maiden 109 Famous soul on ice 69 It “will rock”
110 Marshy land 70 Hambletonian pace
name is ...” 111 Native protection in the 71 Wrangle
33 Sartre play 73 Experience
35 Huit? Antilles and Bahamas? 75 In order (to)
37 Some alpine metal? 114 Border between two 77 2 Howards + 1 Fine
39 Long hauls 78 1 Howard
40 Colloquial addict European countries? 79 Refuse to grant
41 Japanese premier, 117 Opening for Odets 82 First unit, to the mgr.
118 Swashbuckling guy 83 Ignore the correction
1886-1901 119 Eliza fled across them 84 Highly trained types
43 Make ___ 120 Auto pioneer Ransom 85 Italian currency base
121 “Sure ‘nuff, ma’am” 87 They bring people together
(earn big bucks) 122 Express anew 88 1,000-mile river
44 Fit to be tried 123 March time
45 Steinbeck family name 124 Manages (with “by”) of Peru
46 Fruit for Zeus? 90 Ibsen’s relatives?
48 Fun DOWN
50 Jupiter feature 1 Feels contrite 91 Chilean president, 1970-73
52 Fisher of fashion 2 Dancer Duncan 92 Guile
55 Raise a point of order 3 Young northern 93 St. Lawrence, for one
58 What’s Love Got To Do 94 Lure
neighbor? 95 SMERSH employees
With It character 4 See 59 Across 97 Small amount
59 “Excuse me?” 5 “___ be?!” 98 Lines on a musical staff
6 “Me, myself, ___” 99 Land area: abbr.
60 Like the depths 7 No later than 101 Operation gas
61 Wheel track 8 Guided 103 With a heavy heart
63 Casablanca drink? 9 David’s launcher 104 Cover, as mannequins
65 So 10 Above, poetically 107 Frigid finish
66 Unfeigned 11 Hollywood Young 109 S-shaped molding
67 Part of SWAK 12 Stunt man Robbie’s dad 112 Short of wit
68 Newman’s “___ L.A.” 13 ∑ 113 Mauna ___
69 Beijing belt? 14 Renowned Roach 115 OK sign
71 Pelvic bones 15 “Come in,” in Como 116 Avatar actress Saldana
72 Turandot instrument 16 Legalese adverb
73 Cartoon director Freleng 17 Mere acquiescence
74 It’s expressed in Hz 20 Harburg’s Oz collaborator
75 Weather mentioned in a My 24 WWII powers
26 Most of the time
Fair Lady song? 30 A helping hand
76 Poker player’s request 34 Vintage Jags
77 Wesley’s Rising Sun co-star
78 Elsie expressions
79 ___ double-take
80 Clinton blows it

Celebrating Over 26
Years in Vero Beach

3790 7th Terrace
Suite 101

Vero Beach, Florida

The Telegraph 772.562.5859

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MD, FACS

42 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BACK PAGE

Abandonment issues return at a most inopportune time

BY CAROLYN HAX The way to learn whether you can count on your
Washington Post boyfriend for that is to tell him the very truth you
fear will drive him off – because you need that
Dear Carolyn: confidence more than you need him.
I have significant abandonment
issues because of my childhood. I realize that will sound strange, as if I’m advis-
Now that I’m 30, I’ve grown past the ing you to scare him off just to prove you can’t
worst of it. scare him off.
My long-term boyfriend recently
asked me to marry him, and I said yes – we are both But the nuance is important. Testing people for
extremely happy. However, I’ve been having irrational the sake of testing them is terrible. But being your-
thoughts lately about his falling victim to a horrible self and telling and living your truth – and then
accident and my losing him forever. I’ve never been paying attention to how a person responds to that,
particularly afraid of death or of losing anyone like and deciding from there whether they’re healthy
this before. for you – that’s how authenticity works.
How can I tell him I have these irrational ideations
of his untimely death without scaring him away? The alternative is to hold a piece of yourself back
in response to that fear, which will then keep him
–Abandonment Issues from knowing you fully for who you are. If he loves
only the version of you that you dare show him,
Abandonment Issues: I am so sorry the old mon- But if you haven’t sought treatment only out of a then he doesn’t love you.
sters are still clawing at the edges your happiness. sense that you “shouldn’t” need it, because you’ve
been trained to dismiss your emotional turmoil as Finding that out years into a marriage rips cou-
I also hope you’re not asking time and your (ad- irrational and be done with it, then please know: ples apart so much more often than horrible ac-
mirable) fortitude alone to fight them off. You say “Significant” fallout from trauma is all the permis- cidents do.
you’ve “grown past” the worst of it, which is great sion you need to seek reputable, compassionate
to hear – but that’s also the point in these letters care – especially during big life transitions. Happy Plus, it’ll keep you from knowing how good it
where writers with heavy pasts tend to mention changes can amplify anxiety, adding to a sense of feels to be loved frailties and all.
the counseling or guidance they’ve received to- how much we have to lose.
ward their present happiness. If you’ve never felt So let him know you. If he’s a good fit for you,
the need for therapy yourself, then, again, that’s You also deserve to receive compassion from (and then he’ll be grateful you told him the truth – and
great – carry on. provide it to!) anyone asking to be your life partner. he’ll stick around to help you through it. And if
he’s not the right guy, painful as that would be to
find out, it’s better to find that out now.

And do please talk to your doctor about getting
screened for anxiety. There’s treatment for terror
like this. 

4

NEW ‘VERAN’ SYSTEM MAY REDUCE
LUNG CANCER DEATHS

44 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

New ‘Veran’ system may reduce lung cancer deaths

BY TOM LLOYD Dr. Michael Greene.

Staff Writer PHOTOS BY DENISE RITCHIE

Lung cancer is the most common
cause of cancer-related death in the
U.S. and worldwide, according to the
U.S. National Library of Medicine at
the National Institutes of Health.

It is responsible for more deaths
than colon, breast, ovarian and pros-
tate cancers combined.

In Florida alone, some 12,000 will
die from lung cancer this year.

Yet despite years of incredibly ex-
pensive research and a seemingly
endless stream of new cancer drugs
being introduced to fight the disease,
the five-year survival rate for lung
cancer patients remains depressingly
low – just 16 percent.

Dr. Michael Greene, a thoracic sur-
geon at Steward Health’s Sebastian
River Medical Center, hopes a new
generation thoracic navigation sys-
tem by Veran Medical Technologies
may help turn those survival rates
around.

The Veran system, says Greene,
“has changed the way that spots in
the lung are targeted and accessed for
biopsy purposes,” and in some cases
it allows him and his team to imme-
diately treat – or remove – cancer cells
found inside the lungs.

That’s not an easy thing to do given
that the lungs are constantly moving,
which makes them very difficult or-
gans to navigate.

“Most of the areas in the lung that
we’re targeting to do the biopsy on are
something suspicious that’s been seen
on a CAT scan,” Green explains. “It
can be nodules that are about a centi-
meter in diameter, about the size of a
marble. And the problem with trying
to biopsy something like that is the re-
spiratory variation – the nodules move
as the lung moves in the chest. If you

Veran imaging. have eter and it’s going up and down,
a it’s a moving target.”

The beauty of the
new Veran

spot

t hat’s
only a
centimeter in
diam-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 45

HEALTH

system, according to Greene, is “the ‘Most of the areas in the lung port and the type and extent of any
computer algorithm pairs the pa- that we’re targeting to do cancer found, the Veran system can
tient’s image [as] seen on the CAT scan also be used to administer precise ra-
with their respiratory variation. So the biopsy on are something diation treatment.
when we’re doing the biopsy, which is suspicious that’s been seen
all done looking at a TV monitor, we’re Whether bronchial navigation sys-
looking at a 3-D rendition of what the on a CAT scan.’ tems such as this will improve that
spot looks like in the lung and navi- 16 percent five-year survival rate for
gating out to that with a biopsy instru- – Dr. Michael Greene lung cancer patients is, as yet, un-
ment. known.

“As the patient is breathing, the But Greene is clearly optimistic.
computer generates a variation in the
3-D image so that the target looks like Dr. Michael Greene is with the Stew-
it is still, so we know where the spot’s ard Medical Group and the Sebastian
going to be when the lungs are empty River Medical Center. His office is at
or the lungs are full.” 816 U.S. 1, Sebastian. The phone is 772-
581-5848. 
This has, according to Greene, vast-
ly improved the success rate of lung
biopsies – the removal of cells or tis-
sues for examination by a pathologist
– from about 45 percent to a whopping
80 percent to 90 percent.

Better still, says Greene, who also is
the president of the Sebastian hospi-
tal’s medical staff, “one feature of this
new system that the old system did
not have is that if we’re unable to do a
biopsy bronchoscopically – through a
scope – we can do a percutaneous bi-
opsy from the outside using the same
targeted system.” In a percutaneous
biopsy, a needle is pushed in through
skin and lung tissue to reach the sus-
pected cancer.

That not only saves time – and po-
tentially having the patient come back
for another procedure several days
later – it can facilitate near-instant
treatment if cancer is found.

“We always have a pathologist on
standby looking at the tissue [sam-
ples] immediately under a micro-
scope,” Greene says. “So, in a patient
that we diagnose cancer, we can
then proceed and have surgery to re-
move it.”

Greene goes on to praise the vari-
ety of biopsy tools included in the Ve-
ran system which, he states, “weren’t
available previously,” and then adds
that the new system can be used for
more than lungs.

“If we find that the patient has ab-
normal lymph nodes [based on a
PET scan or a CT scan], we’ll pair the
navigational bronchoscopy with an
endo-bronchial ultrasound where we
can use a different scope to bounce
sound waves through the walls of the
bronchus and trachea and find the
lymph nodes and sample them to see
if there’s been any spread.”

“We can then determine,” Greene
continues, “if they are they an appro-
priate candidate for a resection, or if
they should be treated with radiation
or chemotherapy. If they’re in an ad-
vanced stage, while they’re still in the
operating room, we’ll put an infusa-
port catheter in so they can start on
the chemotherapy immediately.”

Depending on the pathologist’s re-

46 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Cleveland Clinic good as ‘Gold’ for hip/knee replacements

BY TOM LLOYD hospital, “there are [only] 94 hospitals
Staff Writer in the country, as of today, that have
this certification.”
After undergoing a comprehen-
sive, onsite evaluation, Cleveland And Cleveland Clinic Indian River
Clinic Indian River Hospital has been “is one of only three such hospitals in
awarded the Joint Commission’s the state of Florida to have garnered
“gold seal of approval for advanced this certification.” The other two are
certification for total hip and total in north Broward County and in Zeph-
knee replacement,” surgeries. yrhills in Pasco County.

According to Sara Mondano, director Does that make CCIRH one of the
of musculoskeletal services at the Vero top three hospitals in the state for total
hip and/or knee replacement surgeries?

Sara Mondano, director of
musculoskeletal services at CCIRH.

PHOTO BY DENISE RITCHIE

Not necessarily. But the certification is pital’s HCAHPS scores – or Hospital
significant. Consumer Assessment of Healthcare
Providers and Systems survey – those
Today, hip and knee replacements scores “are the first nationally stan-
rank among to the most commonly dardized, publicly reported survey of
performed surgeries in the country. patients’ perspectives of hospital care,”
According to the Agency for Health- according to the Centers for Medicare
care Research and Quality, more than and Medicaid Services.
600,000 knee replacements are now
performed each year and the American CCIRH earned a 96 percent satisfac-
Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says tion rating from its joint replacement
northward of 300,000 hip replacements patients, according to Mondano.
are done annually.
This kind of recognition “demon-
But ranking individual hospitals is strates that our practice here for pa-
tricky. At best. tients having a hip or knee replace-
ment is based on the most recent,
There are “awards” and “ratings” evidence-based, clinical practice,
and “rankings” everywhere, and some keeping the patient really at the center
mean much more than others. of everything we do.

For example, as Kaiser Health News “It takes a whole team of people to
reports, one Michigan hospital was come together to make this happen,”
named “one of America’s best 50 hos- Mondano adds. “It’s the scrub tech in
pitals” by a group called Healthgrades, the OR, it’s the anesthesiologist, it’s
yet the Joint Commission omitted that the housekeeper, it’s the social work-
same hospital entirely from its “best er,” and it’s also the six surgeons at
hospital list” and Consumer Reports the hospital who, last year, performed
gave that Wolverine State facility a poor some 800 total hip and total knee pro-
patient safety score of 47 out of 100, cit- cedures.
ing excessive re-admissions, poor com-
munication with patients, and exces- Nationwide most total hip or knee
sive use of scanning procedures. replacement patients are between the
ages of 50 and 80, with an average age of
So, just what is the Joint Commis- 65. Here in Vero Beach, says Mondano,
sion and what does its gold seal of ap- “the average age of our hip and knee re-
proval mean? placements is somewhere around 80.”

The Joint Commission is a universally As anyone who has followed the
recognized, independent nonprofit or- evolution of healthcare already
ganization that accredits and certifies knows, reducing hospital re-admis-
nearly 21,000 hospitals and healthcare sions has been a top Medicare priority
facilities throughout the United States. in recent years.

It is the nation’s oldest and largest “Our readmission rate, right now, is
standards-setting and accrediting zero percent for total hip and knee re-
body for healthcare facilities. Which placement patients,” Mondano says
makes its gold seal certification of happily.
CCIRH a big deal.
That said, there are always risks in
Along with that impressive achieve- any type of surgery. Your doctor should
ment, CCIRH also can take pride in its explain those risks before you undergo
newest patient satisfaction scores. any procedure. 

Based on what’s known as the hos-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Style Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 47

Is this the new designer ‘It’ bag of the summer?

BY FRANKI GRADDON ful hand finish – which in- (stand by your Insta-
cludes a reinterpretation gram feeds), it’s the
The Telegraph of the ‘CD’ logo on the considered de-
clasp – give the style all sign and practi-
When it comes to fashionable status the hallmarks of a mod- cality-factor that
symbols, the ‘It’ bag is surely the ern classic, what will no gives Dior’s new
ultimate piece. From the Baguette to doubt please many of the bag true modern
the Birkin, designer must-have bags house’s female customers ‘It’ status. 
have long dominated the fashion scene, is the practicality factor.
swinging from the arms of celebrities Here’s an ‘It’ bag that you
and editors alike and garnering waiting can actually fit things in –
lists the scale of which are only rivaled hurrah.
by that of the often hefty price tags.
“The inspiration [for 30
A concept introduced in the 1970s Montaigne] is a focus on
by Hermès, when it renamed the Sac functionality. A func-
à Courroies the ‘Kelly’ (after Princess tionality that, mixed
Grace, of course), the ‘It’ bag hit a peak with a precise and
during the 1990s and 2000s. From Car- clean aesthetic, has
rie Bradshaw to Kate Moss and Sienna always fascinated me
Miller, anyone who was anyone toted and continues to in-
an exclusive carry-all. Even Princess spire me very much,” says
Diana was a fan of the ‘It’ bag, often creative director Maria Grazia
carrying a top-handled Lady Dior – it Chiuri, who says that the essential in-
was even renamed the ‘Lady Di’ for a gredient for a modern ‘It’ bag is not just
time in her honor. how it looks but also how it is used.

While the norm-core, stealth wealth With roomy dimensions and an ad-
tastes of the mid-2000s saw branded justable strap, Chiuri has certainly de-
bags go out of style, recent years have livered on the utility front, explaining
seen a resurgence as once again fash- that the bag was “explicitly designed
ion’s spotlight is cast on totes with for women today, calibrated to their
exclusive appeal. Last year saw the needs and desires, to their free and in-
reissued Dior Saddle become the un- dependent way of life.”
disputed bag of the summer as every-
one from model Bella Hadid to fash- Of course Chiuri’s focus on
ion blogger Leandra Medine Cohen the modern woman’s wardrobe
carried the updated 2000s icon. This requirements has defined her three
season the French fashion house is set year tenure at Dior. From T-shirts
to claim the ‘It’ bag crown again with emblazoned with feminist slogans
the launch of its new bag, the 30 Mon- during the election of Donald Trump, to
taigne. flat sandals and combat-esque trousers
featured in the latest cruise collection,
Released globally earlier this month, Chiuri has time and again tapped into
the shoulder bag comes in a chic pal- the contemporary zeitgeist and hit an
ette of pastels as well as in Dior’s sig- aware and relevant sartorial tone.
nature Oblique jacquard canvas. The
name is in homage to the famous head And while the 30 Montaigne’s official
offices of the fashion house which launch – complete with strategic in-
sits at 30 Avenue Montaigne in Paris. fluencer endorsement – will no doubt
While the elegant design and beauti- see it be an instant hit on social media

48 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Style Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

5 ageless style lessons from Cate Blanchett on her 50th

BY BETHAN HOLT century this year – Jennifer Aniston, nated for seven Oscars and won two, she wears designs by her old favorite,
The Telegraph Jennifer Lopez and Catherine Zeta- looks better than ever, making her Alexander McQueen. But no matter
Jones are also joining the 50 club – but boldest fashion choices and making what the mood, Blanchett veers to-
‘Happy birthday’ to the divine for me Blanchett is the ultimate post- constant tweaks to her image while ward a palette of pale hues which are
Cate Blanchett, who turned 50 last er-woman for graceful ageing. staying true to the avant-garde ele- ultra-flattering for her coloring. In-
week. She’s one of a coterie of fa- gance which has become her red car- stead of grounding her wardrobe in
mous women celebrating their half Innately chic but never, ever bor- pet signature. dark black or navy neutrals, Blanchett
ing, Blanchett, who has been nomi- prefers ivory or crisp white tailoring
“I don’t think about ageing at all and silk shirts which are softly com-
until someone brings it up,” Blanchett plimentary.
told Vogue recently. “[When] I think
of some of the most inspiring faces, Mix dressed-up and casual
it’s Louise Bourgeois and Georgia Of course it’s rare to see Blanchett
O’Keeffe. I’m looking into the spirit in true off-duty mode, but there’s
of the woman and that’s what I love.” plenty to glean from her airport and
And if anyone has spirit, then it’s travel dressing forays. Rather than go
Blanchett who is as comfortable in the full casual in jeans/leggings and
bow-adorned couture as in a killer trainers, she always keeps things so-
pant suit. phisticated but dresses the look down
with her accessories; so a cream trou-
Here are five ageless style lessons ser suit she might wear to a photo call
that we can all learn from her fabu- with heels becomes an effortless re-
lous style ... laxed look when teamed with slides,
or a statement Roksanda dress, which
Swap black for ivory would ordinarily be fit for a red carpet
Her porcelain complexion means appearance, transforms into the epit-
that Blanchett’s look often comes
with an ethereal feel, especially when

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Style Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 49

ome of everyday cool when it comes still ended up with one of the most
paired with white platform brogues. impactful looks of the night, thanks
to a turquoise Tiffany choker. It’s a
Make unexpected pieces wearable
with classic staples philosophy she’s been leaning on
for years; at the 2000 Oscars, she
Blanchett and her stylist adopted a similar strategy wear-
Elizabeth Stewart have honed ing an arm band, back chain
the actress’ reputation for fear- and emerald hair clip. More
lessly experimental style. Tat- recently, Blanchett has demon-
too dresses, feather jackets and strated that a modern piece of
tulle-laden corsets are part of jewelry can be the ultimate way
her fashion oeuvre but she’s to keep a look fresh. At the London
still known for her sartorial premiere last year, she chose a
fabulousness rather Repossi ear cuff while a giant
than being overly
outré and that’s pearl earring made for a bold up-
because every date to an old dress for the Lifetime
look comes Achievement Gala last June. As we
with a dose get older, a little extra twinkle near
of classicism. the face can only be a good thing.
Take the look
she wore Don’t be afraid of a blast of color
for Louis Vuit- As lesson one acknowledges,
ton’s Cruise show Blanchett knows her best neutrals
in New York two but that doesn’t mean she sticks to
weeks ago; the leather them at all times. In fact, you’d be
jacket is the edge with more likely to associate her with the
the carrot-legged trou- delicious array of jewel tones which
sers and black heels keep it sleek. most often comprise her look. Scar-
let, ochre and amethyst are among
Recognize the power of great jew- her go-to bright and exuberant color
elry choices, be it a ruffled Gucci like the
above look or sharp tailoring. The
In 2015, Blanchett defied the usual playful approach doesn’t stop with
A-list logic to go big on the gown by clothes; while she’s most comfortable
choosing a beautifully simple black with creamy blonde hair, her color
gown created by John Galliano for guru Nicola Clarke has taken her to
Maison Margiela for the Oscars. She chocolate and brunette of late, too. 

50 Vero Beach 32963 / May 23, 2019 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PETS

Bonz is awestruck by Abu’s amazing adventures

Hi Dog Buddies! recruited by the CISTSTFWFBG.” “I know you’re a ter- Abu. PHOTO BY KAILA JONES
“What! No WAY!” I exclaimed. “I rific Big Sister,” I told
This week I innerviewed Abu Dignan, her. “How’d you end up those excitin’ days; being
from Nigeria. I KNOW, right? She’s retired ackshully met another pooch in that here?” a pooch of the world; swoopin’ in, suc-
from a life of intrigue an MISS-try. She’s service, back in 2016, Marco Burkhart. cessfully completing my assignment,
fit an pretty, with short, wiry hair; pointy He was recruited in Jordan. Correct me if “We got transferred then vanishing, poof! like fog; racin’
ears; a fascinating face (like a fox or may- I’m wrong: that’s ‘Canines In Service To to Key West. We flew across a dark field with the wind in my
be a deer), with an Ever Vigilant expres- Save The Free World From Bad Guys And to Frankfurt first, ears; Savin’ the World; never hangin’ up
sion; anna curved tail with a white tip. Cats,’ right?” which is inna country my collar in one place for long. But then
From the side, when she’s sitting up, she called Ger-munny. I I think of Mom an Dad, an Persie, and
looks Egyptian. “Close. We don’t do that cats part any- curled up real, real chiggen an toys an my nice comfy bed. I
more. In fact, we recruit them for their small in my crate, an am one lucky grrrl.”
We met at her human Grampa and unique skills. The stealth factor, you closed my eyes an
Gramma’s house. I innerduced myself know. Now they’re an important special went to my Happy Headin’ home, I was thinkin’ about
an my assistant, an Abu trotted up for the branch. Place durin’ the what an excitin’ life Abu has, an wishin’
Wag-an-Sniffs. I tried not to stare. flying part. At the I had had time to hear more of her sto-
“Woof!” I was totally impressed. “So Frankfurt airport, ries. I think the most daring thing I ever
“So good to meet you, Mr. Bonzo. This how’d you find your Forever Famly?” they have this big did was accidently shake off in the living
is my Gramma, Michele. Grampa Brad nice Pooch Lounge, room after a dip in the pool.
an my Dad, Patrick are under the sink. I “Mom an Dad are in gover-mutt were you can stretch your
don’t know why. This is my Mom, Emily. service, like me. They were livin’ in a paws, an getta drinka water and even Do Till next time,
An THIS snoozy liddle human is my bran compound in Abuja, Nigeria, an I was Your Duty. Then we flew on to My-Ami.
new sister Persie. She’s still a puppy.” under cover with the local street dogs. When Mom said, ‘Abu, we’re going to My- The Bonz
It was dangerous because dog meat is Ami,’ I thought it was her place. So I was
“So exciting to meet you all, Miss Abu,” real popular there. Most of us never get callin’ it Mom’s Ami. Later I figured it out. Don’t Be Shy
I said. “I can’t wait to hear about your life.” very old.
“I’d NEVER been inna place like Key We are always looking for pets
“My life thus far HAS been very excit- “One of Mom an Dad’s frens saw some- West! I love it. I met Gramma an Grampa with interesting stories.
ing,” she said. “A lot of it, however, needed thing in me, I guess, an scooped me off and went out on the boat with Grampa.
to be … what’s that word … redacted. the street, tidied me up, got me meds At first, though, he hadda carry me, cuz To set up an interview, email
Here’s what I CAN disclose. I was born in for pair-a-sights. And innerduced me to I didn’t like the water an I was shakin’ [email protected].
Nigeria and am what is officially known Mom an Dad. Woof, did my life change. I like a leaf. Lookin’ back, it’s kinda embar-
as an African Village Dog.” always did have a nice disposition. Mom rassing. Now, I jump right aboard. Still
calls me sweet, even. An they named me don’t like swimmin’, though. Gramma
“Cool Dog Biscuits! I said. “Um, what for my hometown. always gives me treats an toys, which I’d
does that ackshully mean?” never even HEARD of. I ’specially enjoy
“I was a liddle nervous at first. I guess anything that crinkles or squeaks. An
“My ancestors, African Village Dogs, cuz I was highly trained by the CISTST- those chewy bones with yummy bacon-
are free-breeding, free-roaming, out- FWFBG to be ‘Cautious and Always Pro- flavored goo in ’em.
door dogs found on six con-ti-nuts, liv- tect Your Six.’”
ing near human settle-mutts. My DNA “We were posted in Alexandria, VER-
paperwork, from a cool website called “Your what?” gin-yuh, for a while, too. Met a buncha
Embark (get it?), says we ‘serve as trash “Oh, that’s our word for back. I didn’t nice pooches there. For some reason, I’m
cleaners, sentinels’ an, once inna while, have to eat ukky gar-budge Ever Again, really attracted to German Shepherds,
companions of humans. We have our either. Mom an Dad gave me chiggen an like my Besties Mika an Columbia. We’d
own separate dog line. An we have a hamburger, which was uh-MAZ-ing. An I hang out an talk about guy dogs an the
lotta what Embark calls ‘wolfiness.’ got my own bed, which I didn’t even haff latest summer cuts, stuff like that.”
I have 1.5 percent, which is high. We to fight for!
are known for being Independent and “Then we all got transferred to Bogata, “Do you ever miss your old life, in the
Resourceful, which is why (she leaned Columbia, which I really like. I got in with CISTSTFWFBG?”
closer and lowered her voice) … not a nice pack of other gover-mutt pooches
even Mom an Dad know this, So don’t and I never had to worry about being any- “Oh, once inna while I think about
tell, OK? When I was very young I was one’s dinner. AN, that’s where my liddle
sister, Persie was born.”


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