04/25/2024 ISSUE 17

When extended weather delays postpone the departures of Breeze Airways’ night flights from Vero Beach Regional Airport, the Transportation Security Administration says it has no choice but to eventually shut down its passenger checkpoint – even if the decision leaves some travelers stranded. “If the airline communicates with us, we can keep the checkpoint open beyond our normal hours,” TSA regional spokesman Mark Howell said last week. “But if the delay stretches on and on, at some point we’ve got to close. “We don’t want to strand people, but there are limits to how long we can go,” he added. “We just don’t have the same flexibility with our manpower at smaller airports, so we’d For nearly eight months, two local businessmen – one of them John’s Island resident and celebrated philanthropist Tom Corr – have been trying to convince Vero Beach officials that the city needs a new police chief. Thus far, however, their efforts have failed, despite presenting City Manager Monte Falls with several examples of conduct they say prove Chief David Currey is unfit to lead the Vero Beach Police Department. But the concerns put forth by Corr and Gorilla Ammunition co-founder Lanse Padgett have finally prompted Falls to request a special-call meeting of the City Council this coming Monday. “I’ve spoken with the council members, and I’ve kept them informed every step of the way, but it’s time we talk about this in public,” Falls said. “As I’ve told Lanse, the chief and the council: I don’t have anything that is actionable. I certainly don’t have anything that would rise to the level of termination. “If you give me something, I’ll act,” he added. “Otherwise, it’s time for this to be over.” “This is the first citizens’ complaint against me in my career,” Chief Curry said. “I’ve got less than four years left until I retire, and I’m enthusiastic about finishing my career. But this nonsense needs to end.” Padgett – who says he has Corr’s backing in launching these attacks – claims the department under Currey’s administration The Visiting Nurse Association of the Treasure Coast finally owns the land under its Hospice House building after closing last week on the purchase for $3.8 million of a prime chunk of real estate just east of Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital. For decades, VNA had leased the 14.56-acre parcel on 37th Street from the Hospital District. The 12,000-square-foot 12-bed Hospice House, plus 4.2 acres of tropical meditation gardens, and a memorial are situated at the rear or south end of the parcel, while more than half of the land with 37th Street frontage remains vacant. While some may assume that the VNA will give up its rented space at Parc 24 in Vero and build a headquarters on the land, VNA President and CEO Lundy Fields said that’s not a foregone conclusion. “It’s logical to think that eventually we would do that, but we’re not making any plans to do that,” Fields said. “There are a lot of needs in this community, and I want to work with the key community leaders to have a really inclusive engagement with the community to determine the best use of the property.” Negotiations for purchase of the land began in early 2023, with the parties entering into a formal agreement last fall. With the VNA’s 50-year anniversary approaching in 2025, the agency wanted a more permanent footprint at the heart of Vero’s healthcare corridor. INSIDE To advertise call: 772-559-4187 For circulation or where to pick up your issue call: 772-226-7925 NEWS HEALTH PETS REAL ESTATE 1-5 6 B10 14 ARTS GAMES CALENDAR B1 B7 B11 © 2024 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved. MY TAKE BY RAY MCNULTY April 25, 2024 | Volume 11, Issue 17 | Newsstand Price: $1.00 | For breaking news visit VeroNews.com YOUR LOCAL NEWS SOURCE FOR INDIAN RIVER COUNTY ARTIST DRAWS ON HER LIFETIME OF SKILL TO MAKE PORTRAIT MAGIC In Arts & Theatre, Page B2 FIXING POSTURE CAN HELP WITH HOST OF ISSUES Your Health, Page 6 Vero’s police chief in complaint line of fire By Lisa Zahner | Staff Writer [email protected] Vero Beach patrons who had tickets to last Friday night’s Riverside Theater performance of “On Your Feet!,” the musical about the life and career of Gloria Estefan, got a special treat – at the end of the show, Gloria and Emilio Estefan themselves made a surprise appearance. The Estefans have a home on the Vero island, and own the Costa d’Este Hotel in Vero’s Central Beach, which had been the main local sponsor of the musical about her life and was well represented in Friday night’s audience with a large contingent of hotel staff, who cheered wildly when she was introduced. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 VNA completes land purchase near hospital CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 By Ray McNulty | Staff Writer [email protected] CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Estefans’ surprise gets rise out of ‘On Your Feet!’ audience CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 By Pieter VanBennekom Staff Writer Emeritus TSA: Can’t do much if delays postpone night departures here

Owning the land was the dream of longtime VNA and Hospice Foundation Chair Kathie Pierce, who passed away in January 2023 in the midst of the negotiations with the Hospital District about the land. “She loved the VNA and was a big supporter of buying that property, and so the whole Pierce family jumped in and really gave a substantial gift, a little over $2 million came from the Pierce family and the Pierce Family Foundation. They’ve been huge supporters of this project, plus they brought in and stimulated a lot of other gifts,” said Fields. He said the VNA plans to construct a Kathie Pierce Memorial on the property to honor her. Despite the long wait to make the purchase, the VNA has no blueprints at the ready for an expansion of Hospice House. “Our focus, as you can imagine, for the last year or so has been centered on just acquiring the property, just knowing that longterm, whatever happens it would always be good to be an owner versus being a renter,” Fields said. The $3.8 million purchase price was a compromise between two appraisals obtained by the agencies – the Hospital District’s appraiser arrived at a $4.125 million market value, while the VNA’s appraiser valued the property at $3.4 million due to deed restrictions. Where some areas of the country have waiting lists for Hospice beds, Fields said the VNA typically has a vacancy or two at any given time – but that could change. “I think we want to earmark some of the property for future expansion because, as the county grows the need for the Hospice House will grow,” he said. The average patient census, he said, is about 10 patients, including respite patients. When the primary caregivers of one of the more than 200 at-home Hospice patients needs or wants to travel, or requires a break due to illness, injury or other family responsibilities, the patient can take up residence at the VNA Hospice House for up to five days as a respite patient. Lundy said the needs of caregivers will likely factor into the agency’s plans for the property. One long-standing “wish list” item has been a more robust formal training program for at-home Hospice primary caregivers, to equip family and friends of the terminally ill patient with some of the basic medical knowledge of a trained nursing assistant. “At VNA we have a heart to have a training facility where we could invite people from the community who are in caregiving situations where we could say come on in, today we’re going to talk about how do you change the bed with the patient in the bed. How do you change the bedsheets, and show them how to do that and let them practice it. Or how do you give a bed bath. Safely transferring them. “I could see that clearly in the future to provide that kind of training, it’s down the road, but it’s what we’re striving for,” he said. From the Hospital District’s perspective, the mutually beneficial transaction was a prudent way to use the valuable tract of land, which was a long-time taxpayer asset, and in line with the district’s mission of improving the health of Indian River County’s residents. “The sale of this property to the VNA represents a strategic decision aimed at fostering the long-term growth and sustainability of essential healthcare resources in Indian River County,” stated Marybeth Cunningham, Hospital District chairwoman. “By entrusting this land to the VNA, the Hospital District is not only ensuring the preservation and protection of vital healthcare facilities and services, but also empowering the VNA to navigate an uncertain healthcare landscape with resilience and agility,” she said. The Hospital District also now has $3.8 million to fund future projects, including a planned sober-living treatment and recovery facility. Founded in 1975, VNA of the Treasure Coast provides in-home skilled nursing care and coordination with doctors, social workers and other healthcare practitioners to help patients recover from injuries, surgeries and illnesses, as well as end-of-life care through its Hospice House and programs to facilitate palliative care at home. 2 April 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS www.veronews.com CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 MY TAKE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 VNA LAND BUY closes cases that demand further investigation, deflects and dodges any questioning of its performance and practices, and has created an intolerant work environment in which employees are afraid to speak openly about agency matters. A former state prosecutor, Padgett believes that not removing Currey places the public’s safety in jeopardy. “It pains me that we have discovered the systemic pattern of covering up ineptitude and hostile work environments” in the police department, Padgett wrote in an April 3 email to Falls. He continued: “While we still have the utmost respect and support for the VBPD officers that risk their lives every day, we have lost any sense of respect for upper management …” Padgett then fired what was an obvious warning shot at Falls, adding, “Monte, your allegiance to your ineffective/deceptive Police Chief Currey at the expense of the safety of the citizens and the employees of VBPD has been noted.” In a phone interview last weekend, Padgett’s words were even more hostile: “You’ve got a chief that’s a liar and a city manager that’s protecting him.” As you might suspect, Falls and Currey offer a far different assessment of the PadgettCorr campaign to oust Currey, who has spent

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS April 25, 2024 3 the past 34 years with the city’s police department, the past 12 ½ years as chief. Currey believes the attacks on him are politically motivated – that Padgett and Corr wanted to push him out and recruit Sheriff’s Captain Milo Thornton to replace him, all in a thinly veiled effort to help Sheriff Eric Flowers’ struggling re-election bid. The chief said Padgett and Corr, president of the Vero Beach-based George E. Warren Corporation, both supported Flowers’ campaign four years ago, and that they wanted to get Thornton out of the race. In fact, Padgett confirmed he called Thornton on New Year’s Day to ask if he’d be interested in the Vero Beach chief’s job, but he denied that politics had any connection to his desire to see Currey removed. For the record: Padgett said Thornton, who had expressed interest in the Vero Beach job “years ago,” told him he was “100-percent committed to the sheriff’s race.” Reached by phone Monday, Thornton said he was not interested in the police chief’s job and was “totally focused on being the next sheriff of Indian River County.” So how did Currey respond to the PadgettCorr push to oust him? He defended his department’s work, rejecting claims that Vero Beach isn’t safe by providing statistics that show the city’s crime rate has been declining since 2015 – even as the county’s population continues to grow. “But they say the numbers are cooked,” Currey said, referring to Padgett and Corr. “Whatever I share with them, it isn’t good enough. Every answer I gave them wasn’t good enough. It starts off as a professional conversation, but it turns into a deposition.” Among the sources of contention between Padgett and Currey were three incidents that occurred shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day, when there was a stabbing at Grind + Grape, a man brandishing a gun outside Filthy’s Fine Cocktails & Beer, and a woman reporting that a man pointed a handgun at her at the Cumberland Farms at the intersection of U.S. 1 and 16th Street. The suspect in the Grind + Grape stabbing was apprehended within an hour of the attack, but Padgett questioned the accuracy of the police report. He also criticized the handling of the two gun-related incidents, neither of which resulted in an arrest. Padgett believes both gun cases were closed without sufficient investigation. He was also critical of the department’s handling of another gun-related incident on Jan. 4 on 10th Avenue, near the police station, where dispatchers received a report that shots were fired during a domestic dispute. Again, the case was closed without any arrests being made. According to the police reports pertaining to the three gun-related incidents, however: Filthy’s owner Nick Novak refused to provide detectives with video footage of the area in which a man reportedly brandished a gun and fled before police arrived. Currey said he personally called Novak, who told him he didn’t have video of the gunman. Shortly after the incident at Cumberland Farms, sheriff’s deputies stopped the car occupied by the man who allegedly pointed a gun at a woman. He admitted he had a gun, which he said was in a holster in the console of his vehicle. But when police called to get the woman’s name and date of birth, the call was disconnected, and she did not answer further attempts. The 10th Avenue incident erupted into violence when one of the women involved in a couple’s breakup went to Fort Pierce and returned with a group of men. At least a dozen shots were fired and there were physical confrontations, but the suspects fled and witnesses were uncooperative. Could the police have obtained a subpoena to force Filthy’s owner to turn over the video? Yes, but Novak already had said the gunman wasn’t on it. And even if he were, he was wearing a hoodie and ski mask, which would’ve made him difficult to identify. Could the police have seized the handgun from the man who allegedly pointed it at the woman in the Cumberland Farms incident? Without a witness to identify him? Without probable cause? Not legally. To be sure, the police did eventually reach the woman who called in the complaint – yes, even though the case was closed – but she told them she had loaned her phone to a stranger, then hung up. As for the gunplay on 10th Avenue, the scenario was a mess. Still, having identified so many of the participants and gathered the shell casings at the scene, couldn’t the police have made a case against anyone? Maybe, but in their report, police said they closed the case because of “conflicting statements from each party, evidence not aligning with the complainants’ account of events, and lack of cooperation from individuals involved.” Simply put: The detective couldn’t determine what actually had happened, which is a tough case to take to a prosecutor – especially after the two women whose breakup sparked the incident had since reunited. Padgett also challenged Currey’s decision to purchase license plate readers that are no longer compatible with those used by the Sheriff’s Office, then claimed the chief lied about it. Currey said the readers were compatible when they were purchased, but the maker of the Sheriff’s Office’s system changed its accessibility. Instead, the department now has an agreement with the Sheriff’s Office to provide immediate radio alerts when suspicious vehicles move into or out of the city. More disturbing: Padgett said he had spoken with as many as 20 officers, including some who had contacted him, about morale and other problems in the department. Among those problems, Padgett said, was the “selective targeting” of officers and other employees who fear retaliation if they say anything that conflicts with the administration’s narrative. He cited one longtime officer who filed a hostile work environment complaint and is now under in-house investigation for allegedly violating a general order. Currey said he couldn’t discuss the situation until the investigation was completed. The chief was able to discuss the in-house survey conducted by two rank-and-file officers, while off duty and using their own computers, during the summer of 2022. The survey, which Currey said was done with his permission, was designed to gauge the job satisfaction of officers under the rank of corporal. The results were troubling. More than two-thirds of respondents believed the survey results would not produce positive change in the department. Only 57 percent said they felt their work was appreciated by top administrators. And 82 percent believed the agency put its public perception ahead of officers’ concerns. Asked about the department’s morale, 46.5 percent said it was bad, 32 percent said it was average, no respondents said it was great. Since then, though, Currey said his administration has worked to improve the officers’ working conditions with changes that included switching to more comfortable uniforms, allowing beards and tattoos, establishing more regular interaction between top administrators – including him – and rankand-file officers, as well as acquiring better equipment and technology. Yet Padgett, who met with individual City Council members Monday and still plans to get statements from officers to corroborate his claims, continues to push for Currey’s removal. His efforts, however, might be doing more harm than good, as he files pubCONTINUED ON PAGE 4

4 April 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS www.veronews.com Some of the hotel staff in the audience seemed to have an inkling that the Estefans might come out on stage at the end of the show, but the rest of the audience did not. Neither did the cast or the theater ushers, who all erupted in wild applause when the Estefans came out of the wings and were introduced. Gloria congratulated all members of the cast and gave a special hug to the show’s star, Iliana Marie Garcia, the actress who did a fabulous job playing Gloria in the show, dancing and performing her most popular songs. In brief remarks to the audience after the crowd’s standing ovation, Gloria Estefan said she had seen the show about her life, which debuted in New York on Broadway several years ago, numerous times, but the Riverside performance on Friday night was as good as any. “Broadway doesn’t have anything over you,” Estefan declared to another huge round of applause. The “On Your Feet!” musical is running to full houses at the Riverside Theatre as the last show of the season between April 9 and May 5. Last Friday night’s in-person appearance by the Estefans was believed to be the only time they are scheduled to attend. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ESTEFANS’ SURPRISE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 TSA RESPONSE have to pay the officers overtime to keep them there. “It comes down to taxpayer dollars.” Howell’s explanation came in a belated response to Vero News’ inquiry earlier this month, after several Breeze passengers ticketed to travel on night flights to Providence, Rhode Island, in late March arrived at the airport, only to find out the TSA security checkpoint had closed. That doesn’t happen at most major-market airports, where TSA security checkpoints are open all night. Here, though, the city’s small airport serves only one airline that offers limited service to only a few destination in the Northeast. And when the departures of night flights are delayed indefinitely, the TSA agents don’t wait around. They shut down their operations and lock the door, usually by 8 p.m., though the checkpoints can remain open until 9 p.m. if flights are delayed. However, passengers who arrive late – and do not go through the security screening process – cannot legally be allowed to board their flights, even if they’re holding boarding passes. Several passengers on the March 27 flight, in fact, said they arrived at the airport at 9:05 p.m. for a flight that was scheduled to depart shortly after 7 p.m. but didn’t take off until nearly 11 p.m. The security checkpoint closed at 9 p.m., and they were not permitted to board. Vero Beach resident Bernie Augustine said about a dozen ticketed passengers were left stranded when they were turned away from their weather-delayed March 27 flight, which didn’t depart until 10:30 p.m. John’s Island resident Gail Williams said her family members experienced a similar scenario two days later, when they arrived at the airport a few minutes past 9 p.m. for their weather-delayed flight. It didn’t matter that they had already checked their baggage. “You usually find those extended wait times with weather delays, when departure times keep getting pushed back, especially in situations similar to what happened in Vero Beach, where Breeze was turning around the same aircraft,” Howell said. “You’re waiting for the inbound flight to arrive, but you don’t know when it will take off,” he added. “That makes it tough for us, because we’re eventually going to reach a point where the officers have to make a call. “We try to work with the airlines the best we can, and sometimes we can add a shift, but we’re limited by the amount we can spend on overtime.” Howell said Breeze’s night flights to Providence – they’re usually scheduled to depart between 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – were delayed often last month, requiring the TSA officers to stay late. Sometimes during Vero Beach’s busy season, he said, the officers can work 12 to 14 hours in one day. lic-records requests to get information. After investigating claims made by the officer who filed the hostile work environment complaint, the city’s human resources director, Gabrielle Manus, found nothing to substantiate his claim. But she did state in her April 16 memo to Falls: “It was expressed to me, over and over, that the constant requests for public records and outside interference is severely impacting the morale of the officers. “They feel they are always looking over their shoulders and are afraid to do their jobs,” she added. “They fear that, if they make even a minor mistake, they will be the subject of the next public records request. “The officers are very nervous and hesitant to act as a result of the intense scrutiny from outside individuals,” Manus continued. “Many officers expressed concern that the longer the constant attacks on the administration continue, the worse morale will become.” Padgett called the investigation a “joke.” It was that memo, however, that prompted Falls to request a special-call meeting of the City Council on Monday. The complaint from Padgett and Corr, Falls said, is the only one that has been filed against Currey and the police department’s administration. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 MY TAKE

6 April 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH www.veronews.com Posture is more than just a matter of looking poised and confident. It plays a crucial role in overall health and well-being. From the way we sit at our desks to how we stand while waiting for the bus, our posture can have significant effects on various aspects of our health, both short-term and long-term. Posture refers to the position in which you hold your body while standing, sitting or lying down. Good posture means that your body is aligned in a way that places the least strain on your muscles and ligaments. This alignment allows the body to function efficiently, reducing the risk of injury and minimizing discomfort. Poor posture directly impacts your joints and muscles and can contribute to conditions such as chronic neck pain, headaches and even temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. “The body’s original blueprint design is balanced right to left, front to back and the ankle, knee hip and shoulders are all stacked vertically,” said Catee Ingwersen, Posture Alignment Specialist. “The head sits level centered over the spine and all the joints are right angles to the body. The spine is a vertical line running through the center of the body. Once the spine is out of alignment from an injury or everyday work positioning, everything else shifts resulting in muscle dysfunction and pain.” Ingwersen likens the spine of the body to the axle of a car. If the axle is perfectly straight the wheels are at right angles. But if the axle is bent, the wheels get out of alignment and the ball joints and tires wear unevenly. The same is true if the spine is bent. Your spine is designed to support your body and protect the spinal cord, but improper alignment can lead to a range of issues. Over time, slouching or slumping can contribute to the development of conditions such as kyphosis (a rounded upper back), lordosis (an exaggerated inward curve of the lower back), and even herniated discs. “Traditional medicine doesn’t treat the body as a unit,” Ingwersen reflected. “They only go after the specific pain and Fixing your posture can improve myriad health issues By Kerry Firth | Correspondent

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH April 25, 2024 7 ignore the fact that the spine is the blueprint design. We have way more control over our muscular skeletal system than we are led to believe and there is no reason a patient can’t get better alignment with a personalized exercise program. “I have a 95 percent success rate if clients follow the program and do their exercises at home, as well as with me during our sessions. By re-training your body to hold its original blueprint design and restoring normal weight-bearing joint function, you can give your body the opportunity to heal itself and get rid of pain naturally, without manipulation, medication or surgery.” Ingwersen utilizes a posture alignment program created by Egoscue Institute designed to restore pain-free function to the body through exercises and stretches that balance the vertical load of the spine and load bearing joints. “I dove into the field of posture alignment because of my own pain I experienced as a massage therapist,” Ingwersen explained. “I had a client who shared that she had to take a leave of absence from a teaching job because she was in so much pain. She visited Mayo Clinic and numerous doctors with no relief. Then she found an Egoscue therapist and discovered her posture was the root of her pain. Her posture was so bad that it gave her some nerve compression. After working with the therapist for a few months, she was pain free. “I became a client of an Egoscue therapist myself and was amazed how fast changes happened. I wanted to help others, so I contacted the Egoscue Institute and enrolled in their certification program. It took me a year to become certified and I’ve been helping others relieve their pain through spinal correction for the past 14 years.” The system was founded in 1971 by Pete Egoscue, a Vietnam veteran suffering from chronic pain. According to the Institute’s website, there are 25 Egoscue clinics that have treated more than 1 million patients. The system is based on the idea that muscles can move bones out of place over time and muscles can move bones back into place, too – with the right stimulus. The body is bifunctional, meaning that the right and left sides are designed to do the same things and that the bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons are meant to be identical. Any differences between the right and left side, or front and back of the body, will lead to some form of dysfunction. Imbalance means work and weight loads are transferred to other parts of the body ill equipped to do the job and over time will lead to wear and tear on the muscular and skeletal systems. This is how the cycle of pain and limited mobility begins. The more we hurt, the less we move. Some muscles get stronger by compensating for those that are weaker and the body becomes imbalanced. “Any little compensation turns into a dysfunction,” Ingwersen said. “Then that dysfunction turns into another compensation. It’s a vicious cycle that can only be corrected by restoring the body’s original blueprint.” Posture can also influence our mental and emotional health. Standing upright can lead to feelings of confidence and positivity. Conversely, slouching is associated with feelings of depression and decreased energy levels. Even small adjustments that improve your posture can have a positive impact on your mood and self-esteem. Ingwersen said a simple 45-minute consultation allows her to pinpoint where the spine is out of balance. “I take photos of my client in different standing positions and load them into special software that analyzes joint position. Then I take a video of them walking. I can show my client exactly where the problem lies and devise an exercise program that will correct the misalignment. My goal is to improve joint function and alleviate the pain and limitations. We are not chasing symptoms. Instead, we fix the underlying cause. Once the spine is aligned correctly, the pain and limitations disappear.” Catee Ingwersen is a Posture Alignment Specialist certified by the Egoscue Institute, a PTX license therapist, and a Corrective Exercise Therapist trained by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. She is the owner/practitioner of the Posture Clinic located at 489 22nd Place, Vero Beach. Call 772-559-1532 to schedule a consultation. Catee Ingwersen and Greg Schleper. PHOTO: JOSHUA KODIS

8 April 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH www.veronews.com Even though it sounds a little amorphous, chronic fatigue syndrome – now called myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/ CFS) in the medical community – is all too real for hundreds of thousands or even millions of Americans. As recently as 2015, when the Atlantic magazine ran an article entitled “The Tragic Neglect of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,” patients were being told that the illness was psychosomatic. It was also around that time that patients started to demand that they be listened to and acknowledged. In response, “the National Academy of Medicine created criteria for the diagnosis of ME/CFS that included malaise, fatigue and cognitive dependence,” said Dr. Michael Weir, director of the Biomedical Science program at Keiser University’s Port St Lucie campus. “That was the beginning of a new day for the syndrome.” The Open Medicine Foundation (OMF) is a nonprofit that has raised more than $50 million since 2012 to fund open collaborative research to study, diagnose, treat and cure complex diseases. Its six collaborative research centers (CRCs), located in the United States, Sweden, Canada and Australia, are currently studying ME/CFS, building a repository of data about the diseases to be used to develop diagnostic technologies, understand the molecular basis of the diseases, and uncover effective diagnostic tools and treatment. In February 2024, NPR reported the results of a study that was launched by the National Institutes of Health in 2016 but was disrupted by the pandemic, causing delays in reporting findings until early this year. The authors of that study concluded that ME/CFS is primarily a brain disorder, probably brought on by immune dysfunction and changes in the gut microbiome. With a nod toward future possible treatments, the NIH team suggests a type of cancer drug called immune checkpoint inhibitors as one option that could be studied for ME/CFS. For now, coping with the syndrome remains difficult. “The life span of the average person living with ME/CFS is 55,” says Dr. Weir. “Eightyfive percent of sufferers are women and 75 percent of all those living with the disease are too compromised to work. Some people commit suicide because their quality of life is so bad.” NEUROPATHY RELIEF CALL NOW! 564-2454 PAINFUL, BURNING, OR NUMB FEET? BALANCE PROBLEMS? PAINLESS EFFECTIVE TREATMENT NEUROPATHY & LASER CENTER 780 US 1, SUITE 200 VERO BEACH, FL 32962 DR. SUSAN PERKINS, DC TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE A CANDIDATE NeuropathyAndLaser.com Research signals ‘new day’ for treating chronic fatigue syndrome By Jackie Holfelder | Correspondent

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH April 25, 2024 9 He adds that although the most common age group is 20-50, children can also get it. Mayo Clinic says the cause of ME/ CFS is still unknown, although there are many unproven theories, including the possibility that a change in the immune system or the way the body responds to an infection or stress is the culprit. It’s a complicated disorder that causes extreme fatigue that lasts for at least six months. Symptoms worsen with physical or mental activity but don’t fully improve with rest. There’s no single test to confirm a diagnosis. Often, patients need a variety of medical tests to rule out other health problems that have similar symptoms. Treatment focuses on easing symptoms. Dr. Weir adds that although some symptoms mirror those attributed to long COVID, there are differences. “While most people struggling with long Covid have decreased smell and hair loss, that’s not the case for ME/CFS victims.” According to the Centers for Disease Control, among the many possible symptoms are: Tender lymph nodes in the neck or armpits. A sore throat that happens often. Digestive issues, like irritable bowel syndrome. Chills and night sweats. Allergies and sensitivities to foods, odors, chemicals, light or noise. Muscle weakness. Shortness of breath. Irregular heartbeat. The World Health Organization classifies the syndrome as a neurological disease. Dr. Weir says there is no known way to prevent ME/CFS, nor is there a cure or approved treatment. “Symptoms are treated individually, with things that run the gamut from scrips to fluids to compression hose, depending on what is being treated.” Dr. Michael Weir earned a B.S. in PreMed/Biology in 1985 from Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, N.C., and an M.S. in biological sciences with a concentration in biotechnology from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell in 1989. After serving as a research associate at Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women’s hospitals in Boston for one year, he was admitted to medical school at New York Medical College in 1990 and graduated in 1995 with an M.D., followed by a four-year residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center in New York. After his residency. Dr. Weir entered the world of academia to help develop future biomedical healthcare professionals. Dr. Michael Weir. PHOTOS: ALEX KOWALSKI

10 April 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH www.veronews.com When her husband was undergoing cancer treatment, Cindy Perez of Southwest Ranches, Fla., learned about a new blood test that could help find early cancers. The 50-year-old said she felt fine, but her husband urged her to take the test anyway. To her surprise, the blood test – called Galleri – came back positive. Scans revealed a small tumor in her groin and a diagnosis of mantle cell lymphoma, a rare but aggressive form of cancer. She was treated and now, two years later, she’s in remission. “For me, the test was a miracle,” she said. “A real big miracle.” Many experts believe that such tests, which analyze substances in the blood that might indicate cancer, represent a remarkable new chapter in cancer detection. The tests may be especially useful finding “silent” cancers – such as pancreatic or ovarian cancer – which often don’t cause symptoms until the disease is advanced and more difficult to treat. “It opens up a whole new world,” said Eric Klein, a scientist at the health-care company Grail who developed Galleri, a multi-cancer detection test. “It’s the unmet need we face in cancer.” Finding early cancer ‘signals’ These new cancer detection blood tests – about 20 are in various stages of development – measure cancer “signals,” which are biological substances shed by cancers such as fragments of tumor DNA. Some can even identify the organ or tissue involved. Technological and scientific advances in recent years, including discoveries in tumor biology, machine-learning tools and the ability to recognize circulating DNA and other substances in the blood, have made these new tests possible, experts said. Some tests focus on one cancer, such as Guardant Health’s Shield test, which looks for colorectal cancer. Others screen for multiple cancers, including Grail’s Galleri and Exact Sciences’ Cancerguard, whose forerunner CancerSeek was developed and studied by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center. Delfi’s FirstLook lung cancer test identifies patterns of DNA fragments in the blood that have been shed by dying cells unique to lung cancer and uses machine learning to distinguish those who probably have lung cancer from those who don’t, according to Peter Bach, Delfi’s chief medical officer. “There are certain cancers where we know for sure that finding them early will save a lot of lives, and lung cancer is the biggest cancer problem we have today,” Bach said. The tests don’t diagnose cancer – a positive result will probably lead to additional imaging tests or biopsies. Experts say the tests aren’t yet ready to replace standard-of-care screening tests such as colonoscopy, mammography or Pap smear but are meant to complement them. One study of Galleri, for example, found the test predicted the cancer location with 88 percent accuracy. A study of the Delfi lung cancer test reported more than 90 percent accuracy, and a study of Guardant Health’s Shield showed an 83 percent accuracy in identifying patients with colon cancer. While these findings are promising, experts warned of drawbacks. So far, there’s no evidence that finding cancer via a blood test translates to longer survival and fewer deaths, or even a cure, experts said. “People want to believe there is one test that can pick up all the different kinds of cancers, and if it’s negative, they can go on their way,” said Lori Minasian, deputy director of the National Cancer Institute’s division of cancer prevention. “But it’s not that simple.” Elusive targets for early detection Several experts pointed out that multi-cancer detection tests don’t find every cancer at its earliest stage, in part because certain cancers spread quickly. “It depends on the cancer,” said William Grady, medical director of the gastrointestinal cancer prevention program at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle and one of the scientists who studied Guardant’s colon cancer test. For example, he said, brain cancer freSome patients are now using blood tests to detect cancer By Marlene Cimons | The Washington Post

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH April 25, 2024 11 quently is an elusive target for early detection. “These tests are not effective for brain cancer because brain cancer spreads rapidly, even when early and very small, so it is not often curable even at an early stage,” he said. Much remains unclear about how and when various cancers secrete the telltale substances detected by the new blood tests, and whether these markers show up early or often enough to make a difference in life expectancy. Still, some patients who took the Galleri test are convinced it saved their lives. In 2022, after Valerie Caro’s positive Galleri test, an MRI found “an angry gallbladder” that needed to come out, she said. Caro, 56, a real estate broker from Flagstaff, Ariz., was asymptomatic, but a small malignant tumor was among the gallstones. After treatment, she said she is now cancer-free. “I don’t like to think about what would have happened if this had been discovered later,” she said. Some employers now offer the tests The Food and Drug Administration has not cleared any of the tests for final approval, but they are available as “labbased” tests under federal regulations that permit their use in certain settings. The tests are not covered by Medicare or other insurance. Nevertheless, some medical practices and employers now provide them. Any patient with a doctor’s prescription can get a Galleri test, which costs $949. Princeton University has been offering Galleri to eligible employees for free in a pilot program. Guardant’s colon cancer test, which costs $895, is also available, though not all doctors have access to it yet, the company said. Later this year, Exact Sciences plans to make its test available on a limited basis, said Tom Beer, the company’s chief medical officer for multi-cancer early detection. Susan Johns, 75, a retired Medicare counselor from Hegins, Pa., took a test as part of a CancerSeek study in 2018. After a positive test, scans revealed leiomyosarcoma in her uterus. After a hysterectomy, doctors believed they got it all, she said. “I don’t know how aggressive it would have been,” she said. “But I have one grandchild and I was able to see him graduate from high school. I’m looking forward to his college graduation – and later to my great-grandkids.” Not a replacement for traditional cancer screening Studies show the rates of false positive and negatives are low among the new cancer blood tests. As with conventional screening, one concern is that a false positive could prompt anxiety and more invasive and costly tests, while a false negative could result in a misguided sense of security and lead patients to forgo proven CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

12 April 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH www.veronews.com The ways in which hair changes as we age aren’t always welcome. Nor are they entirely within our control. “Many changes men and women see in their hair are thought to be the result of reduced activity of the stem cells in the hair follicle,” says dermatologist Neelam Vashi, director of the Boston University Cosmetic and Laser Center at Boston Medical Center. “As we get older, those stem cells [which replenish tissues throughout the body] don’t function as well or as quickly as they used to.” Hormonal shifts – which affect women more than men – later in life may also play a role. While you can’t turn back time, you can take steps to help your hair regain some of its youthful fullness and luster. Here’s how experts say you can handle three typical issues both men and women face. The problem: The color Although everyone talks about hair “turning gray,” the strands that are already on your head aren’t actually changing color. Rather, new ones grow in gray or white, thanks to the age-related loss of melanocytes – “pigment-producing cells in the base of the hair follicle,” Vashi says. The fix: You can, of course, use hair color, but the more gray you have, the more often you have to color it and the harder the gray is to conceal. But letting your hair go gray can be an attractive option – with the right kind of shampoo. One popular option is purple shampoo, which contains violet pigments. “Washing your hair with purple shampoo once or twice a week takes away any yellow undertones to help keep gray or white hair looking vibrant,” says Renee Cohen, senior stylist at Blandi Salon at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. (Don’t use it every day, or hair may take on a lilac tint.) “Gray blending” can also provide a way to transition gradually to a new natural shade. A colorist adds some lighter and darker shades into your hair so that the gray strands blend in better. It works best for people who are at least 25 percent gray. The problem: You’re losing hair Hair thinning is incredibly common. At older ages, at any given time, “more hairs are found in the resting or shedding stages and fewer of them are in the growth stage,” Vashi says. And “the diameter of individual strands also becomes smaller, making hair look less full,” Vashi says. The fix: Volumizing shampoos, conditioners and mousses are unlikely to have much effect, Cohen says. But a dry texturizing spray “will add thickness and makes hair look temporarily fuller,” she says. To slow hair loss and stimulate new growth, over-the-counter minoxidil is an option. Topical minoxidil is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for pattern hair loss in men and women and “produces very good results,” says Elise A. Olsen, founder and director of the Hair Disorders Research and Treatment Center at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. A 2017 review published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that it increased fullness by about 15 hairs per square centimeter for men and about 12 hairs per square centimeter for women. But you have to apply it to your scalp twice a day – which can be messy. Minoxidil pills are FDA-approved for hypertension but used off-label at much lower doses for hair loss. At dosages of up to 2.5 mg per day for women and 5 mg per day for men, it achieves higher blood levels than topical, which can make it more effective, Olsen says. But, she cautions, there may be side effects (like changes in heart rate and blood pressure), so it’s wise to start with the lowest dose possible and take it under a doctor’s supervision. The problem: Frizzy, wiry hair “Gray hairs sometimes grow in coarser, which can make hair look frizzy and untamed,” Cohen says. It may just be age, but environmental factors also play a role. Chemicals and heat can affect how hair ages. And time in the sun “can degrade proteins in the hair and also lead to changes that affect the texture of new strands,” Vashi says. The fix: For coarse, curly hair, Cohen suggests trying a professional keratin treatment. A stylist applies keratin solution and uses heat to seal it to the keratin (protein) in the outer layer of the hair, making the hair appear straighter and smoother. (Be sure to seek out salons that use keratin formulas without potentially toxic formaldehyde.) The procedure can take a few hours and cost several hundred dollars, but the results last for months. At home, you can use an anti-humidity/anti-frizz spray or serum that contains heat-activated polymers. “They repel moisture in the air,” Cohen says, “and if hair doesn’t absorb that moisture, it gets less frizzy.” How to revive hair that thins, grays or gets wiry as you age By Sally Wadyka | The Washington Post via Consumer Reports Hormonal shifts – which affect women more than men – later in life may play a role in hair thinning and graying.

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH April 25, 2024 13 conventional screening, experts say. For instance, a blood test may not be as reliable as a colonoscopy at finding precancerous polyps or early cancers, in part because early cancers may shed less DNA. Grady, the Fred Hutchinson researcher, said that in studies, the Guardant test detected just 13 percent of people with advanced polyps, 71 percent of Stage 1 cancers and 100 percent of Stage 2 and 3 cancers. But for patients who resist conventional screenings, the tests may be useful. Dennis Barnes, 55, a pharmaceutical compliance lawyer from Raleigh, N.C., was reluctant to go through the unpleasant bowel-cleaning preparation needed for a screening colonoscopy. Instead, he took Guardant Health’s colon cancer blood test two years ago, which, to his relief, was negative. He’s being tested again this month. “I knew being an African American man made my risk higher, but the thought of a colonoscopy was not very appealing,” he said. When his doctor mentioned the blood test, “I jumped at it,” he said. Finding out if the blood tests save lives The National Cancer Institute recently announced the creation of the Cancer Screening Research Network, a clinical trials network of nine hubs coordinated by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. The goal is to design and ultimately sponsor a clinical trial to evaluate the benefits and risks of the new blood tests and to find out if using them reduces deaths, Minasian said. Later this year, the network will launch a pilot study with 24,000 participants in advance of a potential larger randomized controlled trial. “We do see these tests as promising,” Minasian said. “The challenge now is to better understand the technology and harness it in a way that we know saves lives.” The endpoint of such a trial “should be whether people who have taken the test survive longer,” said N. Jewel Samadder, co-director of precision oncology at the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Phoenix, who has been a consultant for Caris Life Sciences, which is also designing a multi-cancer blood test. “It means nothing if these tests don’t lead to better survival.” The tests probably are several years away from widespread use because so many questions remain unanswered, such as whether use of the tests should be based on age, risk factors or family history. It’s also unclear how frequently people should take the blood tests. “Will we see these as part of a routine physical exam? We are not there yet, not at all,” Samadder said. “Will we get there? That is the hope.” Jonathan, 69, of San Diego readily agreed three years ago to his doctor’s suggestion that he take the Grail blood test. His annual checkup – routine lab work and physical – had been normal, so he was surprised when the test came back positive. (He asked that his full name not be used to protect his medical privacy.) After further checks, doctors found cancer in a lymph node under his right armpit, a form of Hodgkin lymphoma. After radiation and chemotherapy, he currently is cancer-free. If he hadn’t taken the blood test, “where would I be now?” he said. “Who knows? But it wouldn’t have gone away.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

14 April 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTATE www.veronews.com This wonderfully remodeled townhome, located in the sought-after golf community of Grand Harbor, sits within the charming, village-like St. Davids neighborhood. With a subtly Mediterranean exteriors, these appealing dwellings feature perfectly placed structural angles that serve both form and function and, as in this townhome, soaring ceilings, smartly chosen window designs and placement, and spacious light-filled interior spaces. Between tidy double hedgerows, a paved walkway leads to the front entryway, the red-tiled roofline a pleasant contrast to the soft pinkish exterior. Inside, pale wood-look lux laminate grounds the central living spaces, balancing the whisper pale hues of the walls, white crown molding and ceiling fans. Here, look up to the stunning, lofty ceiling, soaring to 18 feet and featuring elegant crown molding and other millwork and clerestory windows. From the entry, past the staircase that leads up to the second-level bedroom, the U-configured kitchen glows with white wood cabinets, gorgeous white quartz countertops, gleaming stainless-steel appliances and a deep, rectangular, single-basin sink in which you could easily bathe a baby or puppy. Above the sink, wide double windows with blinds offer a neighborhood view. Tucked into the perfect corner is a great little coffee bar with its own recessed light and storage above and below the quartz countertop for all your java paraphernalia. Boom! The sink is illuminated by a trio of track lights, and the rest of the kitchen offers under-cabinet lighting, and recessed lighting along the entire east side and above the breakfast bar. Here, too, behind white bifold doors, is the laundry closet, with clothes folding/ sox sorting counter and storage. The kitchen counter peninsula features a two-level breakfast bar open to the living room/ dining room. This spacious, flexible area opens to the south, via glass sliders, onto a lovely porch patio – a roomy, private space tucked between the bedroom wall to the right and the neighboring exterior wall to the left. Here you are sure to spend lots of time with morning coffee, PM cocktails or simply reading and taking in the fabulous view of the lush rolling fairway and 18th hole of Grand Harbor’s gorgeous River Course, one of its two recently refurbished championship golf courses. The view also includes a venerable Royal Poinciana tree that bursts into a breathtaking display of color in season. Either of the beautiful bedrooms could serve as the primary, as they are virtually twins, both on the west side. Both wear feet-pleasing pale blue/gray Berber carpet (as do the stairs), and offer white ceiling fans and expansive walk-in closets. It bears mentioning here that the spacious upstairs walk-in closet has been cleverly converted into a perfect little office, with hanging space still available. There are plugins, of course; and a four-section, open-shelf unit above the L-shaped desk counter, along with a set of built-in drawers. Both bedrooms have ceiling fans and beautiful golf course views to the south, with wide windows on their southeast corners for all sorts of ambient light. The downstairs bedroom opens onto the patio, while the upstairs bedroom opens onto a balcony. Updated Grand Harbor townhome full of exciting features By Samantha Rohlfing Baita | Staff Writer [email protected]

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTATE April 25, 2024 15 Both also offer en suite full bathrooms. Downstairs, the bathroom features an L-shaped corner vanity with two oval basins, lots of storage below, and a large mirror wall above both. You will also find a large, corner glass shower and w/c. The upstairs bathroom features a tub/ shower and white four-drawer dresser vanity with single rectangular basin and a long white-framed mirror with a four-petal shade track light above. From Grand Harbor’s main gate, as you drive along its winding, oak-shaded roads, past lovely homes, emerald fairways and rippling lakes, you will fall under Grand Harbor’s spell. The community has a full slate of country club amenities, including a just remodeled beach club on the barrier island and club memberships are available but not mandatory. Grand Harbor is just minutes away from Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital and all the surrounding medical offices, and close the downtown dining and art gallery district. Vero’s famous, friendly island village, with its high-end resorts, restaurants, pubs, shops, boutiques, fine art museum, live professional theater, dog park, city marina and Riverside Racquet Complex, the city’s USTA tennis center. Community: St. Davids at Grand Harbor Year built: 1991 (extensively updated) Construction: frame, stucco; tile roof Home size: 1,581 square feet Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 2 full baths and 1 half-bath Additional features: Central heat/air; 1-car garage; expansive walk-in closets; downstairs powder room; 2022 renovation includes new kitchen w/ quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances; kitchen snack bar; ceiling fans; lots of storage; adjustable shades on windows and doors; updated guest and half bath w/quartz countertops; laundry closet with washer, dryer; balcony; lux laminate flooring and new carpeting; new paint throughout; soaring ceilings; south-facing screened patio; irrigation sprinkler; gated with guard; community pool; pets allowed, max 2; Grand Harbor memberships available, not required. Listing agency: AMAC Alex MacWilliam Real Estate Listing agents: Cheryl Gerstner, 772-539-2100, and Kit Fields, 770-312-5165 Listing price: $525,000 1345 ST. DAVIDS LANE, NO.88

16 April 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTATE www.veronews.com Just because your patio is small does not mean it cannot be purposeful. Maximizing a compact space might require some creativity, but with the right inspiration, there are plenty of ways to transform a tiny outdoor space into a place you will actually want to be – whether for hosting, gardening or just hanging out. “It’s just about getting the balance right, so you’re not cluttered,” says Edward Jones, owner of the landscape design company Outside Space NYC. Here’s how to do a lot with a little. Plan, plan, plan Before you buy furniture, planters or other accessories, make a realistic assessment of how you will actually use the space. “A lot of times, [people] go to a store, they fall in love with the furniture, they get it, and then they have to deal with the size of it and it doesn’t match,” says Tatyana Swift, an architect and designer in D.C. Think about how much time you will spend out there, and what you will be doing. Do you aim to host friends? Work from the outdoor sofa? Grow your own veggies? Once you have an idea of what is most important to you, measure your space and draw a loose floor plan to scale, advises Jones, keeping in mind how you want to orient any furniture, plants or lights. If you are hurting for inspiration, hunt for photos on Pinterest to get a general sense of the layouts that appeal to you. “It gives you a sense of direction, a vibe where [you] are going to feel happy,” he says. Don’t overcrowd it You may want to host, barbecue and grow six tomato plants, but try to be selective. Otherwise, you run the risk of creating a space that looks messy and is too crowded to enjoy. “If it’s too much of various different things, then it might start looking overwhelming,” Swift says. Rather than loading it up all at once, start with one or two pieces to anchor the space, and then build from there. If entertaining is your main priority, for example, start with a sofa and coffee table. Live in that for a beat before determining whether it’s necessary to add anything more. “Maybe you think you want to grill but then realize, eh, it’s not really necessary, or it would look ridiculous,” says Irene Kalina-Jones, a landscape designer and Jones’s wife and business partner. Also helpful in a compact footprint: Choosing pieces that can be easily rearranged and carried into your space. You may want to sit with your new furniture a bit before landing on its permanent arrangement, Kalina-Jones adds. Make it feel like a room Once you have settled on the primary function for your patio, you can experiment with decor to make the space more inviting. Swift recommends adding solar-powered lighting, assuming your patio gets some direct sun during the day. Solar lanterns that can be affixed to a wall, string lights that can be looped around a ledge or freestanding lamps all are options. For shadier patios, you can buy rechargeable or cordless outdoor lamps. These sun- and battery-powered products are preferable even if you have access to an outlet, since cords and cables will only add clutter and tripping hazards to an already tight space. Putting an outdoor rug beneath your furniture arrangement won’t only add to the visual appeal of your space, it can also make the area feel more comfortable, says Swift. Matching the rug to the taste and decor of your home can make the patio seem more like an extension of your living room, she says, rather than a separate cramped area. It can also define different uses; for example, a rug under an outdoor sofa can help delineate that section from a gardening or eating area. Look for rugs made specifically for the outdoors, in a durable material such as polypropylene or polyester. After big rains, you may want to hang your rug to air-dry to avoid mildew build up. Be strategic with plants You can also use planters to divide a compact space, says Jones. Placing one at the end of a sofa can section off a “lounge” area (even if it is just one piece of furniture), from a “dining area” (even if it is only a bistro table and two chairs) – suddenly, your tiny patio has two distinct zones. Just make sure your planter doesn’t block a walkway, he says. When it comes to using plants for purely decorative purposes, Kalina-Jones recommends larger pots clustered together for a tight patio, rather than smaller planters scattered around it. It might seem counterintuitive to go bigger in a small space, but not only will this make for easier watering, it will lend the appearance of a bountiful garden, even in minimal square-footage. For the same reason, she advises choosing plants that bloom at different times of the year to avoid a sad-looking dead zone. “Make sure you combine plants that bloom at different times of the seasons,” she says. “You don’t want to have one box that’s only blooming in the spring, and there’s nothing happening in the fall.” Another way to create an “oasis,” she says, is by setting a potted tree in a corner. She recommends low-maintenance options with shallow roots, such as Japanese maples and a variety of birches. It may even provide some shade. You can also maximize space by growing plants in a vertical tower garden that you have either constructed yourself or bought premade. These structures, designed for plants that can climb, create a lush vibe without much sprawl. Tomatoes are one beginner-friendly option for vertical growing, says Elise Pickett, owner of The Urban Harvest, as long as they have enough sunlight. Other candidates, both edible and not, include peppers, cucumbers, herbs, ivy and climbing roses. If you have a shadier patio that you would like to turn into an edible garden, Pickett suggests exploring root vegetables such as carrots or radishes, or leafy greens such as kale and lettuce, all of which do well in containers. As with furniture, she cautions against impulse buys when you hit the nursery. Plants require maintenance – and space – so only buy what you can realistically take care of and fit. HERE’S HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR SMALL PATIO By Colleen Grablick | The Washington Post

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTATE April 25, 2024 17 At New Jersey’s Teterboro and Long Island’s Islip airports, dozens of private jets destined for Florida take off at times such as 11:42 p.m. or 11:54 p.m. Over at JFK, a regular flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, arrives at a seemingly purposeful time: about 15 minutes after midnight. Meanwhile, tax attorneys tell stories of clients idling in their luxury SUVs near the New Jersey entrance to the George Washington Bridge shortly before 12 a.m., waiting for the clock to turn before crossing the state line to New York. When it comes to taxes and the wealthy, every minute matters – especially for those who have left New York and declared residency elsewhere. At a time more high earners are departing, or at least are claiming to, state officials are stepping up already-intense scrutiny to make sure former residents have actually moved. It is a complex operation that involves cutting-edge artificial intelligence and tracking everything from travel to the location of people’s pets. For the ultrarich, even just an extra day in the wrong place could mean millions in income-tax liability. “The minute you file a partial return you’re going to hear from New York state,” said Jonathan Mariner, who created TaxDay, an app that tracks users’ locations so they don’t overstay the threshold of days that would trigger residency status, which is typically 184. The whereabouts of the wealthy are particularly important to New York, a high-tax area where the loss of even a handful of rich residents can have an outsized effect on budget revenue. The state has been especially hard hit by departures since COVID-19 fueled the rise of remote work: The number of taxpayers earning more than $1 million who moved out more than doubled in 2020 from 2019 and has continued each year to be well above pre-pandemic levels, according to the Department of Taxation and Finance. That is leading state officials to try to claw back money wherever possible through residency audits – an investigation into whether someone correctly identified themselves as a full-time, parttime, or nonresident for income-tax purposes. It’s also taking place in California, another relatively high-tax, high-departure state facing budget strains, where the number of residency audits closed in the first 11 months of 2023 more than doubled from before the pandemic. For some of these people, often accustomed to the privacy and ease afforded by wealth, a residency audit can be an uncomfortable dive into their daily life. New York’s auditors closely watch travel and apply a standard known as “the teddy bear test,” looking to see where individuals keep their most cherished possessions to determine whether a home is their primary residence. “We always tell people the tax audit from New York is like the tax version of a colonoscopy,” said Mark Klein, a tax attorney at Hodgson Russ. “I’ve had cases that have hinged on a single dog,” Klein said. “And I had a case once that was based on the fact that the person moved their Peloton bicycle to Florida.” Counting Days Residency audits have long been big business in New York. The state collectAuditors track rich New Yorkers trying to flee state taxes By Laura Nahmias and Eliyahu Kamisher | Bloomberg High earners need to log their days and prove the location of everything from pets to Pelotons to show they have truly changed residency. CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

18 April 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTATE www.veronews.com MAINLAND REAL ESTATE SALES: APRIL 15 THROUGH APRIL 19 TOP SALES OF THE WEEK A very busy week for mainland real estate sales saw 55 transactions of single-family residences and lots reported (some shown below). The top sale of the week was in Vero Beach, where the 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom home at 4 Sailfish Road – listed in November for $2,000,000 – sold for $1,825,000 on April 15. Representing the seller in the transaction was agent Sally Daley of Douglas Elliman Florida LLC. Representing the buyer was agent Stacey Morabito of Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc. SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES AND LOTS ORIGINAL SELLING TOWN ADDRESS LISTED ASKING PRICE SOLD PRICE VERO BEACH 4 SAILFISH RD 11/6/2023 $2,000,000 4/15/2024 $1,825,000 VERO BEACH 2606 PALOMA DR 1/5/2024 $1,200,000 4/18/2024 $1,000,000 VERO BEACH 5780 CLUBHOUSE DR 3/4/2024 $975,000 4/19/2024 $925,000 VERO BEACH 505 CAROLINE DR 4/10/2023 $860,000 4/15/2024 $785,000 VERO BEACH 5058 MONROE CIR 2/29/2024 $750,000 4/17/2024 $750,000 VERO BEACH 1520 OAK HARBOR BLVD #304 1/12/2024 $775,000 4/18/2024 $725,000 VERO BEACH 1086 2ND MNR SW 2/5/2024 $614,000 4/17/2024 $610,000 VERO BEACH 2135 47TH TER 3/4/2024 $578,000 4/15/2024 $568,000 SEBASTIAN 494 TULIP DR 2/26/2024 $629,000 4/16/2024 $555,000 VERO BEACH 6805 49TH CT 9/13/2023 $546,280 4/19/2024 $550,783 VERO BEACH 1528 SAINT DAVIDS LN 2/29/2024 $560,000 4/18/2024 $520,000 SEBASTIAN 104 PELICAN ISLAND PL 3/17/2024 $399,900 4/13/2024 $472,000 SEBASTIAN 1623 INDIAN RIVER DR #202 1/3/2024 $495,000 4/15/2024 $464,500 VERO BEACH 985 RUBY AVE SW 2/16/2024 $450,000 4/19/2024 $450,000 Stats were pulled 4/20/24 9:09 AM

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTATE April 25, 2024 19 HERE ARE SOME OF THE TOP RECENT INDIAN RIVER COUNTY REAL ESTATE SALES. Listing Date: Original Price: Sold: Selling Price: Listing Agent: Selling Agent: Listing Date: Original Price: Sold: Selling Price: Listing Agent: Selling Agent: Listing Date: Original Price: Sold: Selling Price: Listing Agent: Selling Agent: Listing Date: Original Price: Sold: Selling Price: Listing Agent: Selling Agent: 2/29/2024 $750,000 4/17/2024 $750,000 Karen Smith ONE Sotheby’s Int’l Realty Kim Weber Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc. 5058 Monroe Cir, Vero Beach 4/10/2023 $860,000 4/15/2024 $785,000 Kathleen Pogany Compass Florida LLC Kathleen Pogany Compass Florida LLC 505 Caroline Dr, Vero Beach 3/4/2024 $975,000 4/19/2024 $925,000 Marni Howder Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc. Mazie Regan ONE Sotheby’s Int’l Realty 5780 Clubhouse Dr, Vero Beach 1/5/2024 $1,200,000 4/18/2024 $1,000,000 Sally Daley Douglas Elliman Florida LLC Christy Krause Treasure Coast Realty LLC 2606 Paloma Dr, Vero Beach

20 April 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTATE www.veronews.com ed roughly $1 billion from 15,000 audits between 2013 and 2017, according to data obtained through a Freedom of Information request. While California lags behind New York in the scale and complexity of its residency audit operation, the Golden State collected $85 million in residency audit income last year through November, the largest single-year tally in at least a decade. Both states are still recording overall growth in the number of millionaires, thanks to income and stock market gains, but since the pandemic, higher-income people moved out at a faster pace than they moved in, data from both states show. While wealthy residents have long pretended to leave to dodge taxes, tax experts say COVID brought more legitimate moves as companies embraced flexible work and set up outposts in places such as Florida and Texas, which have no state individual income tax. New York’s tax laws are notoriously tricky. Typically, someone who lives there will be considered a resident for tax purposes, paying levies on their income from all sources, even those outside of the state. However, the state considers someone a resident even if they do not live there, as long as they have spent more than 183 days in New York and maintain a “permanent place of abode,” which could simply be a vacation home. A few hours spent in New York qualifies as a whole day. Getting off the highway in New York for lunch while driving from New Jersey to Connecticut can count. So can getting outpatient treatment at a New York hospital. When you can’t prove where you were on a given day, New York auditors may assume you were in the state. “Even though you have a Florida driver’s license, Florida voting record, Florida home, it does not matter,” said Mariner, who created his app after facing his own residency audit after moving to the Sunshine State. “You could be on vacation in New York and they’ll pull you back in.” New York’s Department of Taxation and Finance has 300 auditors dedicated to conducting residency audits, and they are notorious for their thoroughness. Bank records, phone bills and family photos are under the microscope. Auditors are backed up by sophisticated artificial intelligence-fueled tax monitoring systems that flag inconsistencies in returns. California, which has far fewer workers traveling across state lines on a daily basis, typically employs around 30 to 35 auditors, according to Andrew LePage, spokesperson for the state’s Franchise Tax Board. He said there hasn’t been increased enforcement through the residency audit department. Still, Chris Parker, a principal with accounting firm Moss Adams in Sacramento, said he has noticed increased attention from state employees charged with recouping tax income from wealthy individuals who say they have left California. In one situation, an auditor asked a client for death records of their deceased dog and the veterinarian that handled the body, he said. Another case under appeal involves a tech investor who moved to Nevada but could be liable for $6 million in taxes because of frequent visits to California to race high-performance sports cars. “People who moved to another state are not criminals because of their move, and yet they are regularly treated like such,” said Parker, who spent over a decade working for the state’s tax department. ‘Incredibly Reliant’ Although the total number of taxpayers leaving New York and California from 2020 to 2022 was highest among low and middle-income people, the flight of the richest individuals has an especially large impact on budgets. People earning over $1 million each year made up just 1.6 percent of tax filers, but paid 44.5 percent of the state’s total personal income taxes in 2021, New York Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said in a recent report. In California, nearly half of the state’s income taxes come from the top 1 percent of earners. “We are incredibly reliant on New York’s high earners for our income tax revenue,” Amanda Hiller, the state’s acting tax commissioner, told an audience of civic leaders at a panel discussion on New York’s economic future last fall, where panelists joked about the welltimed flights and tactics of those trying to dodge residency taxes. The state doesn’t know whether millionaires are leaving because of tax policy, but officials are closely studying their movements in search of an answer, Hiller said. In the meantime, a cottage industry is rising to serve the taxpayers navigating these issues. A residency-tracking app called Chrono, which uses biometric data to prove users’ whereabouts, launched in 2021. Co-founder Luke McGuinness said it stemmed from the frustration he and friends felt as “digital nomads,” a growing class of people who work remotely and travel regularly. Another tracking system, Monaeo, automatically logs users’ locations to create detailed records of their whereabouts. It was developed more than a decade ago but has seen an enormous increase in downloads since the pandemic, said Bill Mastin, chief executive officer of Topia, which owns the app. “I would say 60 percent to 70 percent of our user base is specifically tied to New York,” he said. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

The Vero Beach Museum of Art will hold a Children’s Art Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 27. There will be art-making activities, exhibition tours, art hunts, and performances by local students of music and dance. Admission is free. The Vero Beach Museum of Art is at 3001 Riverside Park Dr., Vero Beach. Call 772-231-0707 or visit VBMuseum.org. The Dignity Wellness “Health & Wellness Fair” will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. BAXTER’S A REAL HUNTING POOCH CONTINUED ON PAGE B3 ‘CREATE’ EXPECTATIONS FOR VERO MUSEUM’S CHILDREN’S ART FEST By Pam Harbaugh | Correspondent Coming Up 1 FIXING YOUR POSTURE 14 CAN HELP IN MANY WAYS6 HOUSE OF THE WEEK: CHARMING TOWNHOME B10 FACE IT: SHE’S TALENTED! MANGANELLI’S PORTRAITS DRAW ON SKILLS HONED OVER A LIFETIME PAGE B2 2

B2 April 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | ARTS & THEATRE www.veronews.com Vero Beach artist Agnes Manganelli is a people person, with an ability to capture a person’s unique personality in her infinitely detailed portraits, drawn with colored pencils. Utilizing the thin tip of a pencil she can replicate the finest details of a person’s face, from the depth of the eyes to every strand of hair. She describes her calling as drawing the human spirit. “This is not a mainstream medium,” says Manganelli, whose creations are in a league of their own. “I just love what I am doing.” The countless First Place and Best in Show ribbons she has amassed are a testament to the dedication and talent she has been culling since she was an 8-year-old child. She believes hers is a talent that was gifted to her, honed over the years by her personal schooling. Rather than watch television as a child, Manganelli filled her time drawing. “At age 8 I received a McCall tracing box, and upon illuminating the image to draw, I realized I could pretty much trace almost anything,” she says. After acquiring a BFA from Temple University’s Tyler’s School of Art for Graphic Design, she studied fine art in Rome. She also worked as an advertising art director in the New York City area for more than 15 years, winning numerous designer/art awards. “Back then, we didn’t have computers, so we had to hand draw all of our colored comps for our clients to show how their ads would work,” she explains. “We worked with a device called the Lucigraph, which we called the ‘Lucy,’ which looked like a covered phone booth. It allowed us to shrink or enlarge our drawn images.” The optical concept behind the device has been known for over 400 years, and was even used by the Old Masters as an aid for their drawings and paintings. As a stay-at-home mom while her children were young, other mothers quickly discovered her talent, and she received her first of many commissions for portrait requests of their children, and occasionally their dogs. Now well established in her career, her expansive client list spans the globe. With so many satisfied clients, she is happy to say there is always a project on her desk. Manganelli has a way of capturing the joy on the faces of her subjects, many shown in motion. She has a special ability to use colored pencils to highlight a face and movement with lighting in a fashion that sets her work apart from other mediums. She feels her portraits “capture a moBY DEBBIE TIMMERMANN | CORRESPONDENT Manganelli’s portraits draw on skills honed over a lifetime Agnes Manganelli. PHOTOS: JOSHUA KODIS

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | ARTS & THEATRE April 25, 2024 B3 ment in time, to commemorate your family members.” Using photographs as a reference, either those she has taken or using a favorite photo from a client, she works her magic from the office of her lagoon-side home. From start to finish, it generally takes her some 70 to 100 hours for each portrait, and only when she is 100 percent happy with a piece does she tell the client it’s finished. Manganelli begins by consulting with the client about the piece, including background to be depicted, and whether they want her to use certain colors to complement the room where it will be displayed. “I once did a portrait of a couple who wanted the beach as a background. But on the day we met for pictures, the ocean was wild and windy, and we had to go to a different location to take the picture,” she recalls, adding that she used artistic license to draw a calmer beach as the background. Problem solved. Since childhood, she has preferred to use Prisma Color Pencils. She calls them soft and waxy, which she finds best for detail as well as for the shading she creates by layering her strokes. The use of colored pencils also has great mobility, as they can be used anywhere. Manganelli says her paper of choice is 140 lb. Hot Press Watercolor Paper from England, which she buys from New York Central Papers. She describes it as a drawing and print-making paper that is sumptuous and silky smooth to the touch, noting that the colored pencils sink into the paper. After moving up to Vero in 2004 with her husband and three children from Stuart, right before our famed twin hurricanes, she immediately joined Vero Beach Art Club. She now serves as its historian. “The club is filled with really nice, regular folk,” she says, pleased that it is such an active part of the community. She notes that, having begun in the mid1930s, it is among the oldest art clubs in the country. It now has a membership of more than 500 people. She recently had a booth at the art club’s 73rd annual Under the Oaks Fine Arts and Crafts Show, and says she had also been thrilled to be accepted into the Vero Beach Art Museum’s Treasure Coast Creates exhibition. Outside of her artwork, Manganelli is an active volunteer with various other nonprofit organizations, including the Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County and the Hibiscus Children’s Center, and even had 14 inches of her hair cut to be donated to cancer patients. Saturday, April 27, at Pathway Church. The event is presented by The Source, a Christian social outreach ministry serving the homeless. The event is free and will offer a chance for locals to get to know area organizations promoting health lifestyles. Vendors include Music Therapy by the Visiting Nurse Association, the Women’s Refuge of Vero Beach, the Cleveland Clinic, Tobacco Free Partnership of Indian River, Substance Awareness Center of Indian River County, Herbal Connect, 2·1·1 Palm Beach and Treasure Coast, The Source’s Dignity Wellness, Mental Health Collaborative, Indian River Bee Company and the Vero Beach Police Department. There will be demonstrations and activities by Maximum Velocity, free face painting, a live DJ, and refreshments by Dignity Food Trucks. Pathway Church is at 1105 58th Ave., Vero Beach. For more information, call 772-564- 0202, ext. 216, or visit IAmTheSource.org. The Source will also host a Prayer Breakfast on the next National Day of Prayer. It begins at 7 a.m. Thursday, May 2, at King’s Baptist Church, 3235 8th Ave., Vero Beach. Orange juice provided by Natalie’s Orchid Island Orange Juice. You can RSVP by emailing linda.cutler@IAmTheSource. org or by calling 772-564-0202, ext. 220. The Vero Beach Orchid Society Show and Sale is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 27, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 28, at Riverside Park in Vero Beach. There will be plenty of orchids to buy, as well as supplies and raffles. For more information, visit VeroBeachOrchidSociety.org. Mix science with libations and you get “Tides & Tastings: An Ocean Science Pairing Event.” It begins at 6 p.m. at the Walking Tree Brewery, 3209 Dodger Road, Vero Beach. The event costs $80 plus tax with proceeds benefiting the Florida Atlantic Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. There will be food and drink at five stations by Salvador Deli and WTB brews as well as live music by Murphy Dogs. For more information, visit SalvadorDeliVB.com. The Living Shoreline Community Education Event runs 10:30 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, April 30, at Riverside Park in Vero Beach. The event will showcase the new breakwater structures in the Indian River Lagoon. It is hosted by the Ocean Research Conservation Association and the City of Vero Beach. For more information, visit TeamORCA.org. CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1 3 4 5 6

B4 April 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | DINING & WINE www.veronews.com OPEN DAILY 4-10PM TAKEOUT AVAILABLE INDOOR AND PATIO SEATING HAPPY HOUR AT THE BAR 4-6 PM VISIT trattoriadario.com FOR RESERVATIONS VISIT FOR RESERVATIONS 1555 Ocean Dr • 772-231-1818 Fine Dining, Elevated Exciting Innovative Cuisine Award Winning Wine List Unparalleled Service Expanded outdoor dining in The Café. Proud recipient of Trip Advisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award placing us in “The Top 10% of restaurants worldwide”. Catering Now Available (772) 234-3966 • tidesofvero.com Now Serving Dinner Nightly Beginning at 5pm 3103 Cardinal Drive, Vero Beach, FL Reservations Highly Recommended • Proper Attire Appreciated Wine Spectator Award 2002 – 2023 Mother’s Day Brunch Sunday, May 12 $95 Adults | $35 Children Ages 5-12 Enjoy Chef Armando’s Easter Brunch Featuring a Raw Bar, Prime Rib Carving Station, Omelet Station and Much More! 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM *EXCLUSIVE OF 7% TAX AND 20% GRATUITY www.costadeste.com | 772.410.0100 Reservations Required

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | DINING April 25, 2024 B5 Serving Dinner Tues - Sat from 5pm (772) 226-7870 Downwn Vero Bea 2023 14th Avenue www.VeroPrime.com Prime Steaks, Seafood & Italian Specialties Happy Hour featuring Premium Spirits Nightly 5 - 6:30pm (Bar Only) Early Dining Menu Nightly 5 - 5:30pm

B6 April 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | DINING www.veronews.com 56 Royal Palm Pointe 772-567-4160 Follow us on Facebook & Instagram OPEN FOR DINNER WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY BEGINNING AT 4 PM. CLOSED MONDAY & TUESDAY. THE ENTIRE MENU IS AVAILABLE FOR TAKEOUT ONLINE ORDERING WITH TOASTTAKEOUT.COM SALADS, PASTA, VEAL, CHICKEN , SUBS AND DESSERTS OPEN WEDNESDAY - SUNDAY 1931 Old Dixie • 772.770.0977 fishackverobeach.com • Like us on Facebook! Gift Certificates, Private Parties & Patio Dining Available We Will Reimburse for Parking. HAPPY HOUR 4-6 PM l TUES.- SAT. WE CAN ACCOMMODATE LARGE PARTIES TUES OPEN FOR DINNER AT 4 I ALL YOU CAN EAT FISH FRY WED-SAT OPEN FOR LUNCH & DINNER CLOSED SUNDAYS & MONDAYS OFFERING Local Fish Northern Fish Patio Dining Happy Hour Best Margaritas Full Liquor Bar Large Parties Daily Specials BENEFIT BRUNCH JOIN US FOR BREAKFAST: 7AM-1PM RESERVATIONS RECCOMENDED & WALK-INS WELCOME MEET HALO STAFF & PETS 10AM-1PM FOR DIRECTIONS & FULL BREAKFAST MENU: at Creperie at Creperie SATURDAY APRIL 27TH SATURDAY APRIL 27TH CHECK OUT HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR LAST BENEFIT BRUNCH

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | GAMES April 25, 2024 B7 Keep partner in your mind By Phillip Alder - Bridge Columnist In his “Devil’s Dictionary,” Ambrose Bierce defines an egotist as “a person of low taste, more interested in himself than in me.” At the bridge table, try to bear in mind partner’s problems. What seems a clear-cut line of defense to you might not be so obvious to him. Try to find a play that makes everything readable to partner. In today’s deal, against four hearts, West led the diamond three: six, ace, eight. East flashed back the diamond five, confident of getting a ruff. But when South nonchalantly played the queen, West wasn’t so sure of the position. Instead, he switched to the club queen at trick three. Carefully, declarer covered with dummy’s king. South ruffed the club return, drew trumps and claimed. East was unhappy. “Why do you think I played back a diamond so quickly at trick two? So that I could get a club switch?” “Well, first of all,” replied West, “it would have been most improper of me to draw an inference from the speed of your play. Equally, it was wrong of you to try to clarify the situation by your tempo. “If declarer’s diamond four were the club four, my switch would be the only way to defeat the contract. You could have made it easy for me. At trick two, cash the club ace. Then I will know to give you the ruff.” “But what if South is void in clubs?” tried East, in desperation. “That would give me Q-J-10-7 of clubs. I would have led from that holding at trick one, not my dangerous low diamond away from the king.” East, a person of low taste, mumbled an apology. Dealer: South; Vulnerable: Both NORTH J 10 Q J 8 7 J 9 6 K 6 5 3 WEST 9 6 5 5 2 K 10 7 3 2 Q J 7 SOUTH A K Q 3 A K 10 9 4 Q 8 4 10 EAST 8 7 4 2 6 3 A 5 A 9 8 4 2 The Bidding: OPENING LEAD: 3 Diamonds SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST 1 Hearts Pass 2 Hearts Pass 4 Hearts Pass Pass Pass CARPET ONE CREATIVE FLOORS & HOME Creative Floors & Home has more for your entire home from the floor up! With Flooring, Tile, Cabinets and even vacuum cleaners! 772.569.0240 1137 Old Dixie Hwy • Vero Beach creativefloorscarpet1verobeach.com Professional Cabinet Design Available

B8 April 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | GAMES www.veronews.com 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 SOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (APRIL 18TH) ON PAGE B11 ACROSS 5. Fruit – in posset? (5) 8. Happened (8) 9. Infant’s loo (5) 10. Horizontal post (8) 11. Exclusive (5) 14. Digger (3) 16. Poor area (6) 17. Restaurant (6) 18. Float (3) 20. Lever (5) 24. Penchant (8) 25. Prisoner; rifle (anag.) (5) 26. White flower (8) 27. Small rodent (5) DOWN 1. Lighter – with bulb or flame? (5) 2. Croat (anag.) (5) 3. Chip (in the US) (5) 4. Ice cream (6) 6. Priest driving away demons (8) 7. Motor on a boat (8) 12. Shamefaced (8) 13. Sudden rush of a crowd (8) 14. Cooking surface (3) 15. Gradual decline (3) 19. Cause umbrage? (6) 21. Opinions (5) 22. Journal (5) 23. Insect larva; female deity Giving Pets a New Leash on Life! Dr. Amber Callaway Lewis DVM, CCRT, CAMP Dr. Michele Morissette DC, CAC Physical Rehabilitation and Non-Surgical Management Options Advanced Arthritis Management Chiropractic Care Therapeutic and Medical Massage Senior and Puppy Fitness 825 18th Street Vero Beach, FL 32960 (772) 492-6066 www.tcanimalrehab.com

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | GAMES April 25, 2024 B9 ACROSS 1 Rapper in court 6 Former capital of Crete 11 Gig 14 Jane’s misguided matchmaker 18 Contrary outcome 19 Keats was one 20 Spelling or donuts 21 Guy who landed the Eagle 22 Crab sighting? 25 Instrument quality 26 Word in Shatner book titles 27 Golfer Ernie 28 Big name in bathroom humor? 30 Grand ___ 32 Big benefit, perhaps 34 Major periods 35 The quicker pickerupper? 36 Friend 38 Barker and Bell 39 A German film you can root for? 43 The next step in treating flyers like cattle? 47 British blackbird 49 A, in Augsburg 50 “My heart means ___” (Shak.) 51 It moves mountains 52 Art movement 53 Hide-out 54 Corral, e.g.: abbr. 55 Inebriation citation: abbr. 58 People who don’t buy Jif? 63 With 80 Across, what it’s like after a meeting of the Curly Fan Club? 66 Brown buildup 67 1974 hit, “Billy, Don’t Be ___” 68 ___ corn 69 Owns 70 Loser, in Canada 72 Film crews 74 Accomplishment 76 Sexy doll that comes with its own cellphone? 80 See 63 Across 83 Old spy org. 84 Perry Como’s label 85 Country lass 86 Mutants movie of 2000 87 Shorter, as dicts. 89 “I’m here, ___?” 91 Scraps 93 Alkaline cleaners 94 Hunter’s decoy with a serious sinking problem? 97 Brand of glue that never sold too well? 99 Sault ___ Marie 100 Long-time SNL announcer 101 Hunky-dory 102 Nuclear Niels 104 “___ sow ...” 105 Impulsive 109 Two guys walk into a bar. One says, “___.” Bartender says, “I can see that, but what’ll ya have?” 114 Arena shout 116 Anagram of 114 Across 117 Each 118 Scenario that would cause panic in the hearts of most French chefs? 121 Serious sentence 122 Modeling material 123 Kick out 124 Jeers 125 Starring 126 Diner sign 127 Rotisserie parts 128 Live DOWN 1 Yule buys 2 Ann-Margret in Grumpy Old Men 3 Screwdriver need 4 Letup 5 Lovett or Talbot 6 Date bouquet 7 Hubbub 8 Black-clad warrior 9 Princely Italian family 10 Hang by ___ 11 Billy et al. 12 DoubleStuf item 13 Like some lenses 14 Ugandan raid city 15 Manx word 16 Short dress 17 Groggery orders 20 “___ Little Tenderness” 23 ___ marbles 24 Commits a foul 29 Spanish article 31 Shopping mecca 33 Hay there? 37 “Egad,” for one 38 Stimulant, for short 39 Apothecary’s weight 40 Down source 41 A month in Mexico 42 Till bills 43 Over again 44 Sphere intro 45 Dustin in Midnight Cowboy 46 One of Exxon’s old names 47 Einstein equation subject 48 Silents star Chapman 52 ___ ex machina 56 Less than bad 57 ___ Jima 59 A Muse 60 Drying kilns 61 “___ it couldn’t be done” 62 Chervil, e.g. 64 Day of the Locust author 65 Hall ___ 69 L.A. mayor, 2001-05 71 Plains tribe 72 Mild cigar 73 Go ___ pieces 75 Keane paintings have big ones 76 Lilith portrayer on Cheers 77 Sea eagle 78 Plasm preceder 79 Anodyne target 80 In a tizzy 81 Detroit station where Soupy Sales started 82 Kasparov kayo 88 Agents, briefly 90 Borodin’s prince 92 Switched 93 Really cold 94 Drives, putts, etc. 95 Floor plans 96 Shampoo brand 98 Christmas or Easter: abbr. 99 Clog or mule 102 Symphony key 103 Follow orders 104 Convertible computer text 106 Ironclad ___ 107 Graf contemporary 108 The Planets composer 109 Ump’s decision 110 Role for Ronny 111 Tucson campus, familiarly 112 Man ___ Mancha 113 Party request 115 Sharp part 119 Calendar abbr. 120 Cereal brand The Telegraph The Washington Post ...If it’s not one thing, it’s the other OO-EE, BABY! (2) By Merl Reagle

B10 April 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | PETS www.veronews.com There’s NO chance I’ll EVER get bored with my job; you pooches have such IN-trestin’ tails to tell. While I HAVE met quite a few workin’ pooches, I had never met a pooch who was a pruf-FESH-uh-null hunting dog, so preparing to meet English Cocker Span-yull Baxter Cornell, I didn’t know what to expect. A frenly lady answered our knock, anna middle-size poocheroo bounced happily up for the Wag-an-Sniff. He hadda sleek, black coat inna Summer Cut, some white on his chest, long curly ears (like mine ackshully) anna big smile. I figured he was a puppy, with all his joyful wiggle-waggin’, an that probly he hadda big brother somewhere about. “Good morning,” I said, innerducing myself an my assistant, an glancing around for the other pooch. “Helloooo, Mr. Bonzo! This is my human, Lea. My other human, Jim, got a Bran Noo Nee, so he’s takin’ it EASY. I’m Baxter Cornell. I’m an English Cocker SPAN-yull! It’s PAWsome to meet you in the FUR!” “Oops!” I thought, regrouping. (No big brother.) “It’s a pleasure meeting you as well, Baxter! I’m lookin’ forward to hearing your tail.” We followed Baxter an Miss Lea into a comfy livin’ room an got all settled. When Baxter had dispatched the duh-lishus bacony snack my assistant had produced from The Satchel (after permission, of course), I opened my notebook. “So, Baxter, tell me all about how you found your Furever Family, an what your life’s like, an about your job. To tell the truth, I sorta thought a Huntin’ Dog such as yourself would be, sol-um an seri-us an all biz-ness.” Baxter laughed. “Oh, woof, no. That’s only when I’m workin’! Lea is my Workin’ Partner. We’re a Teem! I’m 3 now. When Lea an Jim got me, I was a pupper.” I flipped open my notebook, an Baxter continued. “It was up north: place called Milburn, Noo York. Lea an Jim hadda huntin’ dog named Pistol. Then, a fren who was a Dog Trainer told ’em about a FABu-lus young pooch, an English Cocker Span-yull pupper with a CHAMP-ion BLOODline, who was Too Much To Handle for his owners. So, the fren asked if Lea an Jim would consider adoptin’ him. (It was ME, of course.)” “Of course,” I smiled. “WELL, Lea said there were 3 requirements: I hadda NOT be gun shy; I hadda get along with Pistol; an I hadda be train-ubble. I wasn’t! I did! an I was! So Lea an Jim got ME plus ALL my stuff an important papers about my BLOOD-line (my entire pooch family all the way back to Aberdeen, Scotland, where my famly’s breeder is). An, Mr. Bonz, you’ll NEVER buh-leev what my pooch parent’s BLOODline names were.” “I bet they were long and funny,” I nodded. “No pooches I know EVER use their BLOODline names.” “Thank Lassie!” Baxter said. “My Dad’s was Jarailstar Acer and my Mom’s was Kingcott Gracie.” “Woof!” “I KNOW! Right? I WAS a little crazy at first cuz I hadn’t really had any training. Not mean or anything, just full of Puppy Energy. But Lea knew just what I needed and (you probly know this, bein’ a SPANyull an all): Us workin’ dogs NEED TASKS.” “Troo!” (I thought I wouldn’t mention that, these days, mine were Writing My Column, Jumpin’ into my pool and makin’ sure I got my Evening Dish of Yogurt.) “Now,” Baxter continued, “I’m an O-FISH-ull Bird Dog: I’m a FLUSHER, which means I run into the bushes (it’s called In The Field) an stir up the birds. But ONLY when I get the signal. Lea says words, or does hand signals. OR, she has this Spesh-ull Whistle for when I can’t see her.” “FASS-inating!” I said “How does that work?” “Simple! One Toot for Sit. Two toots for Change Direction. Three Toots for Come Back To Lea. WATCH!” Baxter ran over to behind a chair. Lea whistled Three Toots an Baxter zipped back to her. “Cool Kibbles!” “I love goin’ hunting with Lea an Jim. When I see ’em gettin’ all the stuff out, an my crate, I get SO excited. In the field, I’m All Business. I sit in my crate and wait till I get the signal. “But I also love goofin’ around at home. I have a Kong anna red squeaky ball which I never tear up cuz I have a Soft Mouth. When I wanna go for a walk, I bring Lea one of her shoes. Sometimes two. An sometimes they even match.” “Any pooch pals?” I inquired. “Sure! My grrrl-fren Pippa. She’s a Cockapoo. An Jackson, a cool terrier. When we’re onna hunt, there’s Cricket, an English Cocker like me.” Then Baxter got a serious expression on his usually smiley face. “I wanna be sure to tell you about another thing I learned. (Thank Lassie!) It’s VERY important and Serious.” My pencil was poised. “A liddle while back, right near here, I was drivin’ with Lea an this young human was drivin’ right toward us pretty fast an crashed straight into us, head-on!” “Oh, WOOF!” I gasped. “Here’s the important part, Mr. Bonzo. See, Mom had her seatbelt on, an the car had those big air bag thingies, an I was safe inside my crate in the back. If I’d been in her lap or loose in the front or back, with my head out the window or something, I wudda gone to Dog Heaven for sure. We were shaken up an bruised, but we made it. “NOW, when I see fellow pooches with their heads out the window or they’re on their human’s lap I just wanna WOOF at them. I mean, I’m POSITIVE their humans love ’em as much as mine do me. So I guess I jus don’t understand why pooches get to do that. Ya know?” “Totally, Baxter,” I said. “That’s a very important thing to know. An YOU know First Paw!” Headin’ home, I was thinkin’ about Baxter’s excitin’ life, an what a fun poocheroo he is. An about his Very Important Story. All you fellow pooches stay safe, OK? We are always looking for pets with interesting stories. To set up an interview, email [email protected]. DON’T BE SHY The Bonz Hi Dog Buddies! Stirring up birds is the word for hunting-dog Baxter Baxter PHOTO: JOSHUA KODIS

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | CALENDAR April 25, 2024 B11 ONGOING Check with organizations directly for updates/cancellations. Riverside Theatre: “On Your Feet: The story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan,” through May 5; Fri. and Sat. Comedy Zone Experience and Live in the Loop concerts. RiversideTheatre.com USTA/ITF Pro Circuit Tennis Tournament at Vero Beach Tennis & Fitness Club at Timber Ridge through April 28. MardyFishChildrensFoundation.org Vero Beach Museum of Art: through April 28. VBMuseum.org or 772-231-0707 APRIL 26 Concerts in the Park presented by Sebastian Chamber of Commerce, 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Riverview Park featuring the Allen Wronko Band. Free; BYO lawn chair. SebastianChamber.com 26 Ballet Under the Stars, 6 p.m. at Tree House Vero Beach to benefit Ballet Vero Beach, with cocktails and scrumptious bites, a performance by BVB dancers, live auction and dancing to the Dave Capp Project. $175. BalletVeroBeach.org 26 The Art of Jazz, 6 p.m. at the A.E. Backus Museum, with a lecture by Jon Ward, performance by the Billy Cofrances Jazz Quartet, hors d’oeuvres and wine to benefit the Backus and the BlueBird Educational Foundation. $30. BackusMuseum.org. 26 Vero Beach International Music Festival presents the Hanneke Cassel Trio, with Cassel on fiddle, Keith Muphy, guitar and Jenna Moynihan, fiddle, 7:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church. $25. VeroBeachInternationalMusicFestival.com 27 Children’s Art Festival, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Vero Beach Museum of Art, with art-making activities, exhibition tours and art hunts, and local student music and dance performances. Free. VBMuseum.org 27 Health & Wellness Fair hosted by Dignity Wellness, a mental health initiative of the Source, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pathway Church, with local wellness partners, demonstrations, vendors, interactive activities and DJ. Free. IAmTheSource.org 27|28 Vero Beach Orchid Society Show and Sale, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat. and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sun. at Riverside Park, with orchids, supplies and raffles. VeroBeachOrchidSociety.org 29 Tides & Tastings: An Ocean Science Pairing Event to benefit FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, 6 p.m. at Walking Tree Brewery with foods by Salvador Deli paired with WTB brews, and live music by Murphy Dogs. $80. SalvadorDeliVB.com 30 Living Shoreline Community Education Event, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Riverside Park, showcasing new breakwater structures in the Indian River Lagoon at Riverside Park, hosted by Ocean Research Conservation Association and the City of Vero Beach. TeamORCA.org MAY 2 Spring Orchestra Concert, 7 p.m. at Vero Beach High School PAC and livestreamed. 772-564-5537 3-5 Vero Beach Air Show featuring U.S. Navy Blue Angels and other aerial performers, aircraft displays and other activities to benefit Veterans Council of IRC, and the child abuse prevention programs of Exchange Club of IR and Exchange Club of VB, with shows 6 to 8:30 p.m. Fri.; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat. and Sun. VeroAirShow.com 3-12 Vero Beach Theatre Guild presents the musical comedy “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.” VeroBeachTheatreGuild.com or 772-562-8300 4|5 The Sky’s the Limit inaugural Juried Bird Gallery Show & Art Fair presented by Pelican Island Audubon Society and Isola Arts, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sun. at PIAS building on Oslo Rd. IsolaArts.org 5 May Pops Concert: Lullabies of Broadway, 5:30 p.m. at Windsor Polo Grounds featuring the Brevard Symphony Orchestra, to advance technology and patient care at Cleveland Clinic Indian River. Our directory gives small business people eager to provide services to the community an opportunity to make themselves known to our readers at an affordable cost. This is the only business directory mailed each week. If you would like your business to appear in our directory, please call 772-633-0753. This is also where we publish Fictitious Name or “Doing Business As” notices, Public Notices and Employment ads. To place one, please email [email protected]. Time to Clean Your Carpets/Furniture? Maxfield Carpet Cleaning • 772-538-0213 5300 N. A1A, Vero Beach • SINCE 1979 Three Reasons to Call Mitch Maxfield: QUALITY: My “2-step system” removes even tough ground-in dirt. All work guaranteed. SERVICE: I, personally, will clean your carpets and furniture. PRICE: Two (2) Rooms (any size)...$77, 6’ Sofa or 2 Chairs...$66 State Certified Electrical Contractor Tom G. Walton Serving the Treasure Coast since 1984 772-569-1547 • [email protected] Residential • Commercial • Industrial L. Walton Electric, Inc. EC13003596 Sudoku Page B8 Sudoku Page B9 Crossword Page B8 Solutions from Games Pages in April 18th, 2024 Edition Crossword Page B9 (I.Q. Test) BUSINESS DIRECTORY - ADVERTISING INDIAN RIVER COUNTY BUSINESSES Are you turning 65 or new to Medicare? Just moved from another State? Coming off an Employer Group Plan? I CAN HELP with over 10+ years of Experience, the dedication and honesty of a LOCAL INDEPENDENT agent that specializes in Medicare choices. Choose with Confidence. Making it your choice! Call to set a personalized appointment. Rose Mary McIlvain Treasure Coast Insurance Sources 772-766-1558