01/05/2017 ISSUE 01

MELBOURNE BEACH Revelers party hearty on
New Year’s Eve. P8
Brevard's South Barrier Island Newsweekly Heart specialist’s
www.melbournebeach32951.com
focus on prevention. P18
Historic houses highlight of
New Year’s Day walking tour. P9

MY TAKE Melbourne Beach
saved its biggest
BY WILLIAM SOKOLIC ’16 stories for last

How to become expert
on county government

For those looking for some PHOTO BY JULIAN LEEK BY CHRIS BONANNO
continuing education, I bring Staff Writer
you the Citizens Academy. Battered town pier will take months to fix
This is not a school for immi- Many of the most signifi-
grants seeking to learn about BY CHRIS BONANNO while longer before the Mel- age done by the storm to the cant events in the Town of
our fair country. It’s a nine- Staff Writer bourne Beach town pier is pier – which extends well into Melbourne Beach in 2016
week class that explores the reopened for early morning the Indian River Lagoon just happened during the last
intricacies of Brevard County Even though it has been fishing and sunset strolls af- west of Ryckman Park – will quarter of the year.
government. After living in nearly three months since ter dinner at Djon’s. take months to repair.
New Jersey for 30 years, I sup- the near miss with Hurri- It was a busy final three
pose I could use the education. cane Matthew, it will be a Town Manager Timothy “Three months would be months with Hurricane Mat-
Day said it looks like the dam- thew prompting expectations
There is a legislative body CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 of devastating destruction
in each of the 21 counties along with a mandatory evac-
in New Jersey known as the uation of the barrier island,
Board of Chosen Freehold- unexpected turnover at the
ers. How’s that for an archaic Melbourne Beach town com-
name? Freeholder. I couldn’t mission, and a police chief
tell you what they are free to who went above and beyond
hold or exactly what they do. to catch a suspected burglar
Chosen seems to imply these – not to mention the launch
folks are anointed by prophe-
sy or something, when in fact CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
they are mundanely elected.
State declines to
Since I moved to Brevard investigate claim of
County with the express faulty MS diagnosis
purpose of covering the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Stymied ecotour operators say BY RAY MCNULTY
county rules, restrictions unfair Staff Writer

Dina Rulli and Fernando Ontivero, owners of SUP Eco Adventures. BY GEORGE WHITE kayak and canoe tour ven- State health officials will
Staff Writer dors are curtailing opera- not investigate a Sebastian
tions or turning to private woman’s allegation that a lo-
Prime public launching facilities or other less desir- cally practicing neurologist
facilities for ecotours in Bre- able public facilities. mistakenly diagnosed and
vard County have become so treated her for multiple scle-
tangled up in permitting red Under rules that went rosis because she waited too
tape that some paddleboard, into effect a year ago, Bre- long to file her complaint.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 Hilda Rosenburg, 75, said
she received a letter from
the Florida Department of

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

January 5, 2017 Volume 2, Issue 1 Newsstand Price $1.00 Community Chapel
celebrates 125 years
News 1-6 Editorial 22 People 7-10 TO ADVERTISE CALL of church life. P2
Arts 11-14 Faith 24 Pets 33 772-559-4187
Books 23 Games 25-27 Real Estate 35-40
Calendar 34 Health 15-18 Style 29-30 FOR CIRCULATION
Dining 31 Insight 19-21 CALL 772-226-7925

© 2016 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved.

2 Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

NEWS

Community Chapel celebrates 125 years of church life

BY GEORGE WHITE later transporting goods by handcar The pace picked up in 1922 when major damage this year during Hur-
Correspondent on Ocean Avenue where the church the first bridge over the Indian River ricane Matthew, it was not so fortu-
stands today. between Melbourne and Indialantic nate during the hurricane of 1924.
The lasting legacy of Melbourne was completed. That same year the The storm undermined its founda-
Beach pioneers is being brought to Originally called the “Melbourne Town of Melbourne Beach was incor- tion and prompted extensive reno-
mind as the oldest church on the Beach Union Sunday School, the porated and outside electric power vations before it reopened in 1927.
Brevard County barrier islands, the “Union” was later deleted when it be- was extended to the town. The 2004 hurricanes also caused
Community Chapel of Melbourne came non-denominational. Its week- damage, which has since been re-
Beach, celebrates its 125th anniver- ly service for a congregation ranging While the church sustained no paired.
sary this month. from about 70 to 120 members is a
blend of traditional and contempo- Pier Repairs Other historical highlights for the
It may be hard for those of us with rary Protestant styles. Community Chapel of Melbourne
modern sensibilities to think back to CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Beach:
the time it was built in 1892, when In contrast to today, at the turn of
pioneers settled the Melbourne the century the pace was slower and on the short side,” Day said. “It’s  1929 – Rev. Walter Lamphear was
Beach area, arriving by ferry and population lower, so church services not even under repairs yet. We’re hired as the first salaried minister.
barge across the Indian River and were seasonal and ministers were analyzing how deep the damage
supplied by mainland churches. is.”  1937 – A constitution and charter
My Take signed by 43 members of the congre-
program in 2010. Classes were re- Day said that the pilings that gation was submitted to the town for
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 vived in 2013 when the University hold the pier together were either incorporation.
of Florida/Brevard Extension Ser- snapped or “they’ve come out of
county, I see a different side of vice came to the rescue. the ground ... and the decking suf-  1942 – Major renovations were
the equation. It seems to me the fered significant damage.” made to increase the size of the
counties in Florida have more “We are hosting our fourth acad- chapel and double the seating from
meat on their legislative bones emy in 2017,” said Linda Seals, di- He added that another area, 70 to 140. Transepts were added on
than they do in New Jersey. And rector of the extension service. which he called the “T,” where the east and west side, forming a
the top officials don’t call them- “We believe it is important for citi- boats come in to moor was Latin cross.
selves freeholders. The Board of zens to be part of their county gov- “smashed on both sides.”
County Commissioners votes on ernment,”  1982 – Year-round services be-
a wide range of issues that really “We know we’re somewhere in gan under the ministry of Chap-
matter and have both immedi- The academy has four goals, damage totals between $100,000 lain Roy Terry, (1982-1988) a retired
ate and long-term impact on the she said: teach participants how and $250,000,” Day said. “We think Air Force Chief of Chaplains. It was
county and its citizens. county government works; in- it’s on the lower side.” Terry’s dream for the chapel to build
form them about the many re- a fellowship hall by the Centennial
While my job requires me to sources and services available The damage was caused main- year 1992. Terry died in 1988.
know the details about such from county government; intro- ly by heavy objects awash in the
things, your everyday resident duce participants to their county stormy lagoon crashing into the  1992 – The Roy Terry Center for
usually doesn’t know much about government staff; and educate pier Christian Fellowship was dedicated
the inner workings of the county them about how they can be in- on the chapel’s 100th anniversary.
government. Hence the pleasant volved in their community and “The damage occurred not
diversion of the Citizens Academy. government. from water or wind,” Day said. smashed into the pier and then
Classes begin Jan. 20, the same “The damage occurred from boats washed up onto Riverside Drive.”
day as the inauguration of the next On Jan. 27, students learn about that came free, other docks that
president. Make of that connec- the county budget and economic came free, and all that debris that The fact that the damage was
tion what you will. development. Feb. 10 offers an caused by debris and not by the
up-close and personal look at the weather itself benefits the town.
According to the county, stu- Natural Resources Management
dents can learn how Brevard program. Learn about the library “The debris makes it more of a
County develops a budget, paves and the law on Feb. 24 and tour situation where you get it repaired
roads, trains employees, main- the jail on March 10. Find the full easier,” Day said.
tains parks, cares for natural re- class agenda at brevard.ifas.ufl.
sources, and so much more! As edu/com mu n it ies/cit i zensac. “The insurance companies
the literature says, “During class shtml don’t insure docks for wind and
you will have the opportunity to water. You’re at your own peril.
ask staff and department directors Perhaps it’s the nine-week, all- My argument’s been from the
about their departments – what day commitment, but the program very beginning that our damage
they do, how they get it done, and has averaged only 12 to 16 partici- was because boats ... [and] docks
what the future holds.” pants. “That’s not as many as we came free; it wasn’t because of the
would like,” Seals said. wind. Wind doesn’t take a piling
To get the full measure of this out of the ground like that so it
civics class, you have to commit Most class locations are in the had to be something that actually
to nine Fridays, six hours per day northern end of the county, in Co- hit it.”
at various locations. But it’s free. coa, Viera and Rockledge. Perhaps
And most days the county throws Seals ought to consider adding Town officials want the pier re-
in lunch. something in Melbourne or Palm paired as soon as possible because
Bay to boost attendance. Or offer it is an important town amenity for
The county originally taught the breakfast and lunch. residents and visitors.
classes but recession-era budget-
ary constraints mothballed the For additional information, con- “Our town pier is a landmark,”
tact Linda Seals, UF/IFAS Extension said Commissioner Tom Davis,
Brevard County Director at 321- adding that it is a “destination” for
633-1702 or at [email protected].  visitors to Melbourne Beach.

Contact Bonanno at ChrisBonan-
[email protected] and follow Chris
on Twitter @FTChrisBonanno. 

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 3

NEWS

 2010 – The church’s original place 2000. A former chaplain in the Air chaplains. Congregations change bers of the congregation to include
of worship, the home of Grace Cum- Force, he is the latest of several mili- and fluctuate but we’ve had several them in the celebration, will hold a
mings called “Myrtle Cottage,” was tary chaplains who were pastor be- military people involved over the special anniversary service at 9:30
listed on the National Register of His- fore him. years,’’ Secret said. a.m. Sunday, Jan. 15.
toric Places.
“There has been a connection The Community Chapel of Mel- The anniversary service will be
Current Pastor/chaplain John Se- here for the last few pastors that bourne Beach, which has reached out followed by fellowship in The Terry
cret has served at the church since we have all been retired military to former pastors and former mem- Center located across the street. 









8 Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

PEOPLE

Hello, ’17! Revelers party hearty on New Year’s Eve

There was a packed house at Lou’s
Blues in Indialantic on New Year’s
Eve, where live music contributed
to the festive mood. Elsewhere,
guests at Matt’s Casbah in Mel-
bourne settled in for a 1920s-style
New Year’s Eve Dinner and Party.
Patrons also enjoyed themselves
at Hell N’ Blazes Brewery in Mel-
bourne, and a large crowd con-
verged at Ichabod’s Beachside
Bar & Grille in Indialantic for the
countdown to the midnight hour. 

Revelers celebrate New Year’s Eve festivities at various Melbourne establishments to ring in 2017. PHOTOS: JULIAN LEEK

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 9

PEOPLE

Historic houses highlight New Year’s Day walking tour

Melbourne Beach historian Frank Thomas. PHOTOS: JULIAN LEEK

BY GEORGE WHITE the crowd, was in essence a real Inside the Melbourne Beach Chapel on Ocean Avenue in Melbourne Beach.
estate development that involved
Staff Writer clearing the land from the Indian people made to make into a town,” New Year’s Day tour tradition on to
River to the Atlantic Ocean, a unique said Don Jennings, president of the him.
After 25 years as Melbourne Beach situation for many miles in either di- 115-member South Brevard Historical
historian, Frank Thomas needs a rection on the jungle-like island. Society. “It re-enforces the idea of sav- “I came out for the tour last year,”
little red wagon to cart around his ing some of the older houses.” said Morgan. “Frank was my teacher
collection of “snapshots” of histori- Another key to the viability of the at Eau Gallie High School. I gradu-
cal places and people detailed on his project was the Melbourne Beach Going on the tour for the second ated in 1972 and later was a substitute
annual New Year’s Day tour of the Pier, which had a small railroad time was Bruce Morgan, a Melbourne teacher there. He’s getting up there [in
town. track – Thomas pointed out a section Beach architect who serves on a histo- years] and now he wants be to take
still intact near the pier – for a cart ry-related town board with Thomas. over for him someday. I am looking
Using a microphone and portable that would run twice a day from riv- He was getting ideas for the day when forward to it. There’s a lot of history in
speaker for the crowd of about 50 er to ocean. The Indian River, much Thomas passes the photo wagon and Melbourne Beach.” 
that turned out on Sunday, Thomas more shallow then because of fewer
began the Melbourne Beach tradi- man-made canals, was navigated by
tion by encouraging the singing of small steamboats, he said.
the state song “The Swanee River
(Old Folks at Home).” Walking the group through Ryck-
man Park, Thomas stopped by a
Starting with an oversized photo replica of the home of the founding
of an Ais Indian, the Native Ameri- Beaujean family, which was also
cans that inhabited Brevard Coun- the first post office. He said the tiny
ty when settlers arrived, Thomas structure had a small sleeping loft to
stopped periodically throughout the delight of the pioneer children
the tour to dig around in the stack of who gained access with a step lad-
numbered photos in his wagon to il- der.
lustrate one point or another.
The tour concluded at the Com-
Many of the shots showed town munity Chapel of Melbourne Beach,
pioneers standing in front of their which is celebrating its 125th anniver-
homes – houses included in the tour sary this month, followed by an infor-
that are still very much standing – all mal reception at the town community
within a block of Ryckman Park and center. Thomas brought in the wagon
Town Hall. so participants could get a closer look
at the large collection of photos.
Thomas pointed out interesting
facts and features about the histor- “It’s definitely a great way to start
ic houses, which are some of Mel- the New Year, just to get a chance
bourne Beach’s outstanding hall- to look back at the history of where
marks. we live and appreciate the sacrifices

The town, Thomas explained to



RAW SPACE SHOWCASES
COMPELLING CUBAN ARTISTS

12 Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

ARTS & THEATRE

Raw Space showcases compelling Cuban artists

BY ELLEN FISCHER large paintings Gustavo Acosta - Corner Lot.
whose subjects
Columnist
evoke Afro-Cuban
If the title of a new art exhibition in
downtown Vero implies it is the first in a mythology and
series, Cuban Contemporary Art Collec-
tive I is going to be a hard act to follow. its frictional abut-

On display at Raw Space at Edge- ment with con-
wood, the exhibition of Cuban-born,
Miami-based artists is a show worth see- temporary culture.
ing. Strikingly displayed in the rugged,
stripped-to bare-concrete storefront, One of those,
the show’s artworks are a heady cock-
tail of all that is tribal, nostalgic, surreal “Maestro y Disci-
and pop in the works of five artists: Gus-
tavo Acosta, José Bedia, Arturo Cuenca, pulo” (2009), jux-
Rubén Torres Llorca and “Gory” – also
known as Rogelio López Marin. taposes the side-lit

The dozen artworks on display were form of a bound
created between 2006 and 2015, but
their artists all began their professional and kneeling man
careers 35 years ago in Havana.
with a shaft-like
Gallery owner Neli Santamarina says
that the purpose of Raw Space is to bring object topped with airiest of curtains between them. Gory - The Gate to the City.
some big-city sophistication to Vero, a stag’s head. Painted in stony tones on Arturo Cuenca is represented by a
and this show succeeds. a reticulated graphite-colored ground, ba’s places, people and things as a kind
these figures may put the visiting art lov- narrow, 10-foot-tall canvas titled “Milky of self-portrait of the artist in relation to
Vero resident Silvia Medina, an in- er in mind of her own status as uneasy Way Raining on Miami” (2010). In it, a his country.
dependent curator who studied at the worshipper at the frequently demand- fiery ejaculation of sparks into the night
University of Havana and the University ing altar of art. sky appears to come from the Versailles The three selectively colored black-
of Florida, organized Cuban Contempo- Restaurant sign in the lower right corner. and-white digital photos in the Vero
rary Art Collective I. She is also the show’s That painting alone is worth the pil- exhibition were created in 2006; two of
gallery sitter and docent throughout its grimage to Raw Space, but the works of Cuenca says the picture was inspired them belong to Gory’s series “Nowhere
January run. the show’s other contributors are much by Van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” He says Land.” All are pictures of coverings – two
more than minor deities. the shower of stars over Versailles – a tarps and an awning – that hide some-
All of the artists in the exhibition were spot beloved by Miami’s Cuban com- thing from view. What is hidden is not
born in Cuba in the mid-1950s; all got Acosta’s four acrylic paintings focus munity – signifies nature’s benediction the point. The fascination of these pic-
their start as young Turks in the turbu- on the architectural landmarks of the on a people. His painting represents not tures lies in what the blocked view sug-
lent art scene of 1980s Havana. Bedia, Miami skyline seen at night from dis- only “the beauty of the Cuban exile,” as gests to our imagination.
Llorca and Gory were part of the ground- orienting points of view. The largest, he puts it, but of every immigrant group
breaking 1981 exhibition Volumen Uno “Corner Lot” (2011), shows a tower-like whose success in the U.S. is reason for In one photo, a canvas awning seen
in Havana that signaled a fresh chapter residential building as glimpsed from the heavens to exult. from above forms a cross over the en-
in Cuban art. All have had experiences an atypically deserted I-95. The eerily- trance to a fancy building. Through judi-
as artists in Cuba and then in the U.S. lit building may remind you of the city’s Rubén Torres Llorca’s mixed-media cious use of color, Gory has given the ba-
that uniquely influenced their outlook. Miami Tower writ small, but Acosta says paintings “Here it Comes That Heavy nal object the significance of a religious
he is not into painting icons. Love” (2015) and “Brother Will You Spare icon; the awning’s bright red-and-white-
“We have known each other since a Dime?” use pop nostalgia to connect striped pattern forms a square juncture
we were 14 years old in Havana,” says “I try to work with parts of the city that with his audience: black-and-white at the point where the head of a plaster
Acosta. people see every day, but no one pays at- publicity shots of Adam West and Burt Christ might lie. In another photo, blue-
tention to,” he says. Ward as Batman and Robin from the and-black-striped canvas covers what
Bedia, the most widely appreciated 1960s TV series. must be a house being fumigated; here
artist in the group, is represented by two If the black sky looks more solidly it looks like a tent in which some sinister
sculptural than the luminous city be- Llorca has written that he chooses circus might take place.
low, that’s because Acosta iced the subject matter based on its emblematic
licorice-colored expanse with a pal- power, updating Afro-Cuban and Ro- Gorey’s “Gate of the City” is perhaps
ette knife and then skidded his fingers man Catholic pictorial traditions for his an apt image for Raw Space itself. Here,
through the wet paint. It is surprising contemporary icons. The readily acces- a plywood-covered vestibule bears a
how well the conceit works, this pair- sible materials with which he creates his padlocked door. A flimsy red tarp roof
ing of physical substance with illu- pictures (in the present case, paint and separates the make-do structure from
sion. “Corner Lot” shows us the magic old newspapers) emulate the resource- a float glass stretch of window above it
alongside the mechanism, with the fulness of the craftsmen of Mexico City, in which we see mirrored a castle-like
structure against a bright sky.
where he lived for three years after leav-
In other words, the world of the imagi-
ing Havana in 1990. nation is often accessed through the un-
likeliest of portals.
Llorca’s influences are particularly
Raw Space at Edgewood plans to be
evident in “Here it Comes …” In that open for the exhibit’s duration Wednes-
day through Friday from 4 p.m. to 7
picture, the torso-length portrait of Bat- p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2
p.m. through January. To confirm those
man in an action pose is sanctified by a hours or to view by appointment, call
305-213-9411. 
collaged newsprint aureole whose rays

have their locus behind the Caped Cru-

sader’s shoulder blades. This icon comes

with its own worshipper: a ponytailed

teenybopper appearing in profile just

above the canvas’ title at its lower edge.

After saying goodbye to painting with

a final example exhibited in theVolumen

Uno show, Gory turned to photography.

Unlike photographers of the period who

documented the landscape and events

of Cuba (becoming an anonymous eye

in the process), Gory photographed Cu-

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 13

ARTS & THEATRE

Coming Up: All jazzed up for ‘Chicago’ at Riverside

BY MICHELLE GENZ $3 billion in ticket sales – much of it artistic director David Amado taking and dozens of engagements with ma-
Staff Writer from repeat viewers – went a long way the podium to conduct Smetana’s jor orchestras. Gryaznov, the 34-year-
toward assuaging those sore feelings “Overture for the Bartered Bride,” old pianist whom reviewers have de-
1 No one expects Riverside The- inflicted by the critics. Now, the show Tchaikovsky’s “Piano Concerto in B- scribed as “brilliant” and “stunning,”
atre’s Allen Cornell to step out is back on tour opening Jan. 11 at Dr. flat minor” performed by Vyacheslav is also a composer and professor of
Phillips Center and running through Gryaznov, and Beethoven’s “Sympho- piano at the Moscow Conservatory.
onto the apron and bellow “Hello, Jan. 29. The record-busting musical ny No. 5 in C Minor.”
tells the tale of two girls from Oz, one The chamber orchestra performs
suckers!” to the audience for “Chi- born with emerald green skin, who Amado, who studied at Juilliard in Vero, Stuart and Palm Beach Gar-
grow up to become the Wicked Witch and Indiana University, officially dens. Wednesday’s concert is at St.
cago,” the musical that opened this of the West and Glinda the Good Witch. joined the orchestra last July after Edward’s School on Vero’s south bar-
It’s the modern dichotomy of popular six years with the St. Louis Orchestra rier island. 
week in Vero. No, the “suckers” line is girls and “different” girls. With music
and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book
reserved for Velma, the leggy, ballsy by Winne Holzman, based on the 1995
novel by Gregory Maguire, the tour
showgirl on trial for double murder, stars Amanda Jane Cooper as Glinda
(she also played in the first national
and she’s referring to all those who tour) and Jessica Vosk as Elphaba. Isa-
bel Keating plays Madame Morrible,
fell hard for the stories of a 1920s phe- and Fred Applegate is the Wizard.

nomenon: the celebrity slayette.

Not that the show won’t slay, in show

biz parlance. Riverside Theatre hires

only professional actors, directors and

designers, many with Broadway and

top regional theater backgrounds. It

then mounts the show at its stellar bar-

rier island facility. It is known for pro-

ducing big musicals like this one; ev-

erybody’s already seen it but they want 3 The Eau Gallie Arts District has
its monthly gallery stroll Friday
to see again, then they walk dazed and

grinning into the lobby afterwards night including live jazz at the Foo-

swearing the Vero version was better saner Art Museum. This week’s free

than Broadway’s. Who isn’t a sucker concert is by Sound Traveler; it takes

for a great song-and-dance number? place inside the adjacent Harrison

“Chicago” is replete with them, deliv- Auditorium, with wine, beer and soda

ered in the jazz-era bump-and-grind available for purchase. And there’s an

that made the show’s writer and cho- excellent exhibit inside the Radiant

reographer Bob Fosse famous. Messenger: Drawings by China Marks.

Days before the curtain rose on If you can’t make the stroll, Saturday is

opening night Tuesday, Cornell pulled Family Day at the museum with free

the trigger and added two more perfor- hands-on activities including pottery,

mances, so hot were ticket sales – and drawing and embroidery, all of it relat-

all that jazz. “Chicago” runs through ed to the exhibit. Family-focused do-

Jan. 22. cents are available to help understand

the artwork. That all runs from 11 a.m.

Wicked. to 2 p.m.

4 The Opera Orlando production
of “Don Pasquale” comes to Vero

Beach this Sunday through Vero Beach

Opera, staged at 3 p.m. at Vero Beach

High School’s Performing Arts Center.

And if that’s not enough opera for

one week, you can see the legendary

Plácido Domingo sing the baritone

title role in Verdi’s “Nabucco” at Mel-

bourne’s Cinemaworld Theatre on

New Haven Avenue and the Avenue 16

Cinema in Viera. Both are hosts to the

Met Live simulcasts screened Saturday SEE THESE AND OTHER FINE THINGS AT VERO’S FINEST
COLLECTION OF AMERICAN-MADE ART AND JEWELRY
at 12:55 p.m. Levine and Domingo,

both in their 70s, have worked togeth-

Velma and Roxie may be a tough er in more than 360 performances at
act to follow, but Elphaba and
2 the Met over the

Glinda will do their best when the na- past 45 years.

tional tour of “Wicked” opens its run 5 Next
Wednes-
next week in Orlando.

More than 40 million people have day, the Atlantic

seen the show “Wicked.” Despite the Classical Or- 2910 CARDINAL DR.
VERO BEACH, FL
almost universal bad reviews that fol- chestra opens 7 72 . 2 3 4 . 6711

lowed its opening in 2003, it’s become David its season with THEL AUGHINGDOGGALLERY.COM
Amado.
a veritable stage institution. And the newly appointed





16 Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

HEALTH

No bones about it: Vero doc takes on osteoporosis

Dr. Seth Coren. Example of normal and osteoporotic bone.

PHOTOS: DENISE RITCHIE

BY TOM LLOYD dire. Patients end up with multiple and he says that’s one thing that has is important for balance. One of the
fractures. They end up losing their gotten much better in regard to osteo- big things that happens is that if you
Staff Writer mobility and independence. They porosis. have osteoporosis and you fall, you’re
have disability from it. It’s a very ex- more likely to get a fracture. If we can
Longtime orthopedic specialist Dr. pensive problem both from a finan- “The family practitioners, primary do things to help prevent patients from
Seth Coren has a bone to pick with cial point of view and from a lifestyle care physicians [and] OB-GYNs are falling, work on their balance, things
osteoporosis. point of view.” getting much, much more attuned like that, then we can help prevent
to the diagnosis of osteoporosis and these fractures.”
And he has a lot of company. Healthy bones – when viewed un- they’re doing a much better job,” Coren
The International Osteoporosis der a microscope – look something says. “I think, as an orthopedist, we re- Moreover, according to Coren, new
Foundation says that one in every like a honeycomb fresh from a bee- ally weren’t concentrating on this for drugs are also coming onto the scene.
three women and one in every four hive. Osteoporosis, however, attacks many years. It’s only probably in the “It’s an ever-changing field. There are
men over the age of 50 will suffer bro- the bone and prevents it from grow- last five to 10 years that some of us have new medications that are coming
ken bones due to osteoporosis. ing new, replacement cells making begun to champion this problem. through the pipeline that may be even
The problem is so pronounced that those holes and spaces inside that more effective than the ones we have,”
the IOF claims an osteoporosis-relat- honeycomb much larger and wider, “You have to almost be relentless” in and there’s already quite an arsenal of
ed bone fracture occurs somewhere and causing the bone to lose both confronting the disease, he adds. drugs currently available.
in the world every three seconds. mass and density.
Here in the United States the Na- Relentless seems an apt word to de- In fact, the never-say-die Coren has
tional Osteoporosis Foundation puts In some cases, the bone can appear scribe Coren’s passion for preventing, just started his own Fracture Liaison
the number of Americans suffering nearly hollow, making it extremely diagnosing and properly treating os- Service.
from the disease at close to 54 million, brittle and far more prone to break- teoporosis; he quickly lists a number of
and flatly states “it is responsible for 2 ing than healthy bone. That, in no things seniors should insist on. “All the fractures that come in to
million broken bones and $19 billion small part, is why fractures of both our physicians [at Vero Orthopedics]
in related costs every year.” the spine and hip are so common in “First of all, you need to be checked,” get referred to me for an osteoporosis
For the record, 54 million is a good the over-50 population. Coren states, citing safe and painless work-up,” says Coren, and “it’s now of-
deal more than half the over-50 pop- bone density scans as well as having fered to anyone who wants to send pa-
ulation in this country. It is, says Coren, “a function of age,” vitamin D levels checked. “Everybody tients to me. That’s what we want – to
Osteoporosis, which means “po- and he wryly adds: “We don’t have talks about calcium, but vitamin D is do the prevention. We want to do the
rous bone” in Greek, is a downright the evolutionary ability to replace essential in building bone and vitamin diagnosis and keep people function-
sneaky disease, too. As the Mayo our limbs.” D is very important in fighting other ing. We have physical therapy that we
Clinic puts it, “There typically are no diseases. If [vitamin D] levels are low, use. We have the balance program. We
symptoms in the early stages of bone But with almost 40 years of ortho- it’s easily replaced and very inexpen- have testing for sarcopenia.”
loss,” and worse, as the disease pro- pedic practice under his belt, Coren sively replaced. You can get over-the-
gresses, falls, minor bumps and even is not about to concede that osteo- counter supplements for that.” Coren says the National Osteoporo-
something as seemingly innocu- porosis is an inevitable fact of life. sis Foundation “has a great website” at
ous as a sneeze can result in broken With better diagnostics and new, im- Next, Coren points to balance issues https://www.nof.org/patients/what-is-
bones. proved treatments, he is enthusiastic and the loss of muscle mass, or sarco- osteoporosis/ which he highly recom-
Coren, who has been practicing about taking on this disease. penia. mends.
here in Vero Beach since 1979, warns
that “the consequences of this can be “One of the things they teach you “We’re just starting to look at how we Dr. Seth Coren is in the Vero Orthope-
in medical school,” says Coren, “is can help patients build muscle mass dics Vero Neurology (VOVN) building
that if you don’t think about the diag- so that they tend not to have as bad a at 1155 35th Lane in Vero Beach. The
nosis, you can’t make the diagnosis,” degree or significant a degree of os- phone number is 772-569-2330. 
teoporosis,” says Coren. “Muscle mass

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 17

HEALTH

Millennials, get hip to risks of high-intensity workouts

BY DANIELLE DOUGLAS-GABRIEL these guys are doing … they’re do- he said, it’s easier to connect them a Pilates class if they are dead set on
ing it at all costs, despite poor form, with the right physical therapist to physically taxing workouts.
The Washington Post mechanics, fatigue or their actual improve their stability and flexibil-
baseline level of conditioning.” it y. “Flexibility is critical in trying
Physical therapist Karena Wu to prevent injuries,” she said. “The
couldn’t help notice a trend in pa- Neuromuscular imbalances, or Hips are built to withstand tre- body has a tendency to overempha-
tients visiting her New York City of- weakness in certain muscle groups, mendous force, but they need full size larger muscles because they are
fice this year. Many were under age are often the root cause of the pain range of motion to work properly, easier to activate, so sometimes they
35, enjoyed strenuous workouts and that Nho’s patients experience, he hence the importance of flexibility get a little overused and smaller sta-
were suffering immense hip pain. said. If patients come in as soon and stability, Wu said. She encour- bilizing muscles get underused. You
as they start feeling discomfort, ages her clients to do yoga or attend create an imbalance.” 
The millennials had pushed
themselves in endurance races
such as the Tough Mudder or week-
ly CrossFit and metabolic condi-
tioning classes that placed wear
and tear on their bodies, she said.
And with little downtime between
routines or adherence to proper
form, they were putting the long-
term health of their hips at risk.

“A lot of millennials are doing all
of these high-intensity exercises
that are great for the mental and
physical components of health, but
if you’re not as conditioned as you
think, you’re going to put exces-
sive stress on the soft tissue and the
joint,” said Wu, owner of ActiveC-
are Physical Therapy.

It’s not uncommon for active
young adults to experience some
joint pain, but orthopedic special-
ists worry that regimens that rely
on heavy weightlifting or intense
aerobic exercises are causing more
hip injuries. There are no definitive
studies that correlate the two, but
research in the Journal of Ortho-
paedic & Sports Physical Therapy
says high-intensity activities ap-
pear to increase the risk of hip os-
teoarthritis, a degenerative joint
disease.

What’s more, specialists at the
Ohio State University Wexner Med-
ical Center have reported a rise in
cases of young adults with femoral
acetabular impingement, a condi-
tion that occurs when the ball of
the femur fails to fit securely into
the hip socket. High levels of activ-
ity, they say, can cause the plate to
fuse in an abnormal shape and re-
sult in a hip impingement.

Shane Nho, an orthopedic sur-
geon at Rush University Medical
Center in Chicago, recalls a spike
in hip, shoulder and knee injuries
as CrossFit gyms sprung up several
years ago. These days, he said, pa-
tients are coming in with hip ail-
ments from high-intensity interval
training, even some barre classes.

“We probably see at least a couple
patients a week with injuries related
to those types of intensive classes,”
Nho said. “The types of workouts

18 Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

HEALTH

Heart specialist’s full attention on prevention

BY TOM LLOYD mini-strokes) and heart attacks, a ogy are. These are things we
Staff Writer mission championed by the Ameri- can go over in the office . . .
can Heart Association, which says, [to help a patient] alter their
Dr. Seth Trifiro, a newly-mint- “Preventing heart disease and all lifestyle to hopefully live a
ed cardiovascular specialist who cardiovascular diseases means longer, healthy life.”
joined Sebastian River Medical making smart choices now that will
Center this fall, is bringing a fresh pay off the rest of your life.” Most of the recommen-
burst of energy and enthusiasm dations are things people
to the task of preventing strokes, Trifiro says a top priority is “to as- probably already know –
TIAs (transient ischemic attacks, or sess how ‘at risk’ a patient is. A large don’t smoke, get more exer-
part of what I do in the office is tar- cise, and eat a healthy diet
low in saturated fat, trans
Dr Seth Trifiro. PHOTOS: MITCH KLOORFAIN fat and sodium as well as
including more fruits and
geting the decrease of cardiovas- vegetables, fiber-rich whole
cular risk. And by cardiovascular grains, fish, nuts, legumes
risk, I mean vascular events” such and seeds, and even trying
as TIAs. to eat some meals without
any meat at all – but hear-
For the record, the American ing them again face-to-
Stroke Association points out the face from an earnest young
term “mini-stroke” is misleading doctor can give them more
because – to some – it may imply weight and significance.
there’s not much to worry about. But
these events, are actually “warning At the same time, Trifiro
strokes.” says he tries to avoid a dicta-
torial list of don’ts. “I tell my
Symptoms of transient ischemic patients these are the num-
attacks may include sudden weak- bers. These are your risk
ness or numbness of the face, arm factors. This is where you
or leg – especially on one side of are on the spectrum. For a
the body – as well as confusion or lot of people, it’s a wake-up
trouble speaking, and the Ameri- call and it motivates them
can Stroke Association says “they to really want to make those
should be taken very, very serious- changes. I use these tools to
ly.” help motivate the patients. I don’t
want to just say don’t do this . . . I
Trifiro’s says his mission is to want to say do this instead for this
“identify ways in which I can miti- reason.”
gate cardiovascular risks. How can So far, he has been pleased with
I reduce patients’ risk of possibly his patients’ response.
having one of these events and pos- Here in the Vero area, says Trifiro,
sibly dying?” “You have a population that is very
motivated. When they come to the
Weight is one obvious risk factor office their knowledge about health
Trifiro discusses with his patients. and healthcare-related facts is well
“That gets to the lifestyle interven- above average. It’s quite impressive.
tion – ways in which I can help and “They’re playing tennis. They’re
encourage patients and discuss . . swimming. You have people who
. what the recommendations from are motivated because they’re liv-
the American College of Cardiol- ing a healthy life and they want to
continue that. I think I’m fortunate
to have patients like that.”
Trifiro then pauses and says,
“We’re getting better at predicting
risk and assessing the patients who
are on a trajectory for having early
heart attacks, strokes or death from
one of these diseases. That’s a shift
in medical thinking. We’re not just
waiting until a patient has a prob-
lem; we’re trying to prevent the
problem.”
Dr. Seth Trifiro is with the Sebas-
tian River Medical Group. His office
is at 920 37th Place, Suite 105 in Vero
Beach. The phone number is 772-
562-8570. 





Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 21

INSIGHT COVER STORY

resistant strains of bacteria. class of antibiotics banned in the U.S. Those tainted The certification process, as he describes it, is built
Over the past year, scientists have tracked the shrimp were eventually destroyed. All the tainted on trust. He’s presented with documents provided by
shipments had been labeled as products of Malaysia. exporters, and he rubber-stamps the certificates.
spread of colistin-resistant bacteria throughout Asia,
Europe, and the Western Hemisphere. In May the first In May 2013, American Fisheries sued Yang, say- The documents that bear his signature indicate the
report of an American infected with a colistin-resis- ing it had received only $6.1 million of the $12.1 mil- shrimp sent to American Fisheries was farmed at two
tant superbug was announced. By August researchers lion Yang owed it for 74 shipments of shrimp, weigh- Malaysian aquaculture facilities, Chai Kee Aquatic
were announcing that American patients had been ing as much as 62,000 pounds each, from June 2011 and Aiman Aquatic. But none of the addresses listed
infected with a strain of bacteria that had developed to January 2012. That case, still pending in Texas, as on those forms correspond to an aquaculture facility
resistance to colistin and carbapenems, another type well as Yang’s countersuit against American Fisher- or to a place where shrimp could have been raised.
of antibiotic often used to treat patients in hospitals ies, has uncovered a trove of documents that detail
with multidrug-resistant infections. how a Shanghai-based company hatched a plan to On two separate import documents, the same ad-
get its Chinese-farmed shrimp into America. dress is listed as the harvesting site for both Chai Kee
Initially, the resistant bacteria from breeding and Aiman Aquatic. That address corresponds to a
grounds such as China were believed to spread most- In 2005, about nine months after the U.S. anti- long block of gated residential compounds.
ly by international travel. Michael Mulvey, head of dumping tariffs on Chinese shrimp went into effect,
antimicrobial resistance at the National Microbiology a group of seafood executives gathered in a Shang- It’s commonly speculated by seafood producers
Laboratory in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was among the hai conference room. The executives agreed to cre- in Malaysia that Chinese producers use Malaysian
first to realize that seafood could also be a vector. ate a venture that would focus primarily on exporting companies – both legitimate producers and shell
shrimp to the U.S., despite the new tariff. They would companies that exist only on paper – to sneak their
In 2015, Mulvey’s lab secured funding for a study finance and control the company from China, but it shrimp into the U.S.
that enabled him and his colleagues to run a test for would be incorporated in Texas. That was the begin-
carbapenem-resistant bacteria on 1,328 samples of ning of American Fisheries. Lawyers for American Fisheries didn’t respond to
seafood collected from Canadian retail outlets from interview requests for this story, but in court docu-
2011 to 2015. Eight, or 0.6 percent, tested positive; all AQUACULTURE FARMS IN DATIANLANG. ments, they’ve denied the company illegally trans-
came from Southeast Asia. shipped goods via Malaysia.
A WORKER ON THE DATIANLANG FARM
Since the early 1990s, the average amount of SETS OUT TO FEED THE FISH. Court records show, however, that when one ship-
shrimp Americans eat annually has doubled, turn- ment of Malaysian-labeled shrimp arrived in the
ing what was once a specialty dish into the country’s Some of the same executives also controlled a U.S. at a lighter weight than anticipated, a member
single most popular seafood. As recently as the 1980s, Shanghai Fisheries subsidiary called Guangzhou Ling- of the American Fisheries staff checked with Guang-
most of the shrimp consumed in the U.S. was raised shan, a seafood packing plant in the Pearl River Delta, zhou Lingshan – the facility in the Pearl River Delta
domestically, primarily off the Gulf Coast. and the plant was buying shrimp from local farmers. – to ask if there had been a packing mistake.

From 1990 to 2006, shrimp import volumes dou- Almost two-thirds of the shrimp that went through The groups lobbying hardest for intensified scru-
bled. Today about 90 percent of the shrimp eaten in the packing facility ended up with American Fisher- tiny of imported shrimp and fish are, unsurprisingly,
America comes from abroad. China’s share of im- ies, says Lv Wei, who worked for Guangzhou Ling- the American producers of seafood.
ports touched an 11-year high in 2003 at 16 percent shan. “They all went through Malaysia.”
of the market. (It’s now 5.6 percent.) In 2004, the U.S. The Southern Shrimp Alliance, a trade organiza-
Department of Commerce announced a 112 percent No paperwork connected to those 2011 and 2012 tion of U.S. shrimp producers, says the U.S. market
tariff on Chinese shrimp, effective 2005 – a response shipments of Malaysian-labeled shrimp indicated is awash in fraudulently labeled and unsafe seafood.
to complaints of domestic producers that insisted they might have originated in China. The certificates
Chinese suppliers were selling seafood below market of origin were signed by officials at the Penang Malay Critics of increased inspection say it would cause
prices. In 2007 came the import alert. Chamber of Commerce. gridlock at U.S. ports. “Think of all the trucks going
by on an interstate, and you have a cop pulling peo-
Malaysia jumped in to pick up the slack. In 2004 On a day in August, a man named Mohd Noordin Is- ple over for speeding,” says Peter Quinter, a customs
imports of Malaysian shrimp rose tenfold, according mail sits at a desk in the reception room of the cham- and international trade lawyer in Miami. “You can’t
to U.S. government figures. ber’s offices in the seaside district of George Town. pull everyone over. … Hiring more FDA officers is not
Bespectacled and wearing chunky gold rings on his the answer; it’s like shutting down the highway.”
There’s reason to doubt that all that Malaysian fingers, Mohd Noordin has a foot-high stack of docu-
shrimp is Malaysian. Ronnie Tan, vice president of ments teetering in front of him. He says he’s worked Arguments of that nature didn’t stop the U.S. cat-
Blue Archipelago, Malaysia’s largest seafood produc- at the chamber of commerce for 40 years, and his du- fish industry from successfully pushing for more
er, says that Malaysia produced about 32,000 tons of ties include signing certificates of origin for products oversight on imports, a move that could provide a
shrimp in 2015; about 18,000 tons were consumed do- produced in Malaysia and then exported. model for shrimp companies.
mestically, and about 12,000 tons went to Singapore.
With the help of allies in Congress, catfish farmers
That would leave little legitimate Malaysian shrimp got the USDA to take over import inspections from
to go to the rest of the world. Yet according to U.S. De- the FDA. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Ser-
partment of Agriculture figures, imports from Malay- vice, which will inspect all catfish imports by Septem-
sia during the past decade have exceeded 20,000 tons ber 2017, began conducting preliminary, noncom-
a year on average. prehensive inspections this spring, and proponents
are thrilled by a slew of recent enforcement actions.
It’s a mystery that may be explained, at least partially,
by examining the business practices of JunYang, a Chi- In April the FDA issued an import alert that said
nese-born entrepreneur based in Texas. Homeland Se- its district offices could detain and test all imports of
curity Investigations, a part of U.S. Immigrations and shrimp and prawns from Peninsular Malaysia.
Customs Enforcement, first knew him as a honey bro-
ker. The agency arrested him in 2012 (then unarrested The FDA alert has virtually halted Malaysian
him so that he could cooperate with the investigation, shrimp imports. But that doesn’t mean tainted Chi-
then arrested him again) and charged him with mak- nese shrimp aren’t making it into the United States.
ing false claims about the honey he was selling.
It appears now that dirty shrimp is being routed
It was harvested in China but was passed through Ma- through different countries. One that might be tak-
laysia, where it acquired Malaysian certificates of origin. ing Malaysia’s place as an international transship-
ping hub is Ecuador, domestic shrimp producers say.
The investigators also determined that Yang’s
main business wasn’t honey – it was seafood. His “The import alert was a huge step forward to
company brokered shrimp for a Houston company prevent contaminated shrimp from getting to U.S.
called American Fisheries. At the time of Yang’s first consumers, but we have also seen significant shifts
arrest, some of the shipments were still in cold-stor- in trade patterns indicating new routes and methods
age facilities. The feds required him, as part of his co- for getting bad shrimp into the U.S. market,” says
operation, to send samples to a laboratory for analy- Williams, of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. “As long
sis. Five shipments tested positive for nitrofurans, a as there are distributors, retailers, and restaurants
that, provided that the price is low, do not know and
do not care where their shrimp is coming from, we
expect to see shrimp-trade fraud.” 









26 Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT GAMES & CO.

SOLUTISOONLSUTTIOONPSRTEOVPIOREUVSIOISUSSUISES(UDEE(CDEEMCEBMEBRER2929) )OONNPPAAGGEE 3648

ACROSS DOWN
7 School medical facility (3) 1 Essential part (4)
3 Native of Ankara (4) 2 Distinction (4)
5 Regulations (4) 3 Allotted periods (10)
8 Final (8) 4 Portly (6)
10 Entreaty (4) 6 Stray feline (8)
11 Fabrication (3) 7 Become sluggish (8)
13 Austrian composer (5) 9 Purple color (5)
14 Game bird (9) 12 Religious scholar (10)
16 Frozen water (3) 14 Part of evergreen tree (4,4)
17 Termite (3) 15 Witty exchange (8)
19 Evergreen plant (9) 18 Composition for nine performers (5)
21 Delete (5) 20 Angel (6)
22 Take shape (3) 22 Present (4)
24 Curse (4) 23 Old instrument (4)
25 Birth of Christ (8)
The Telegraph 26 Smooth (4)
27 Part of leg (4)
28 Neckwear (3)

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

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 27

INSIGHT GAMES & CO.

ACROSS noblemen 18 Choir voice 103 Something to
86 Unsure 19 Farrago cast
1 They know how 90 Jetés 28 Landlocked,
to pitch 93 “___ everybody?” 104 “Do you mind?”
94 More portly in a way 105 Limo cousin
11 Part of TWIMC 95 Game of 29 Muscular fitness 107 Rural tower
15 See 32 Across 31 Choreographer 109 Formerly
20 Of ESP baggataway, 111 Hamelin invader
21 Belief in the future today Cunningham 114 Also
22 Birdie beater 98 Bar Mitzvah, 33 Triumphant cry 115 Before, once
23 Desk for one 35 Kauai neighbor
24 City down the 99 Coppola family 37 Dweller’s finish The Washington Post
member 38 TV equine
coast from Algiers 101 Arab VIP 40 Nippy TOUGH STUFF By Merl Reagle
25 Commercials 102 Anesthetized 41 Shoe width
26 Twenties 103 Dyeing tub 42 Beatty film
106 Heckled 44 Kharkov’s country
president 108 Triathletes in 48 “Hello” singer
27 Spiral upward Hawaii 49 Hot and arid
30 Message in a 110 Actress Maureen 51 Gaiter
112 Cleveland’s 55 He was Ott
bottle waterfront
31 Some skirts 113 Turnout all the time
32 With 15 Across, 116 Perot, for one 56 Buzzers
117 Chem. units 58 Rockefeller ___
King’s famous 118 Paul Bunyan, e.g. 59 Gomez (Addams)
1963 speech 119 Gives off
34 Contemn 120 Son of Seth portrayer
36 Hot times in 121 “Wait a minute!” 60 Comic-opera
Gay Paree
37 A shot ___ DOWN composer Wolf-
39 Vamp 1 Character in a Ferrari
43 Spicy stew 62 Pre-Q queue
45 Harmonica Heston sci-fi film 63 Pianist Gilels
virtuoso Larry 2 “Blast!” 67 Exist
46 Movie in which 3 Missile 68 Mendelssohn’s
Brando plays “___ capriccioso”
Napoleon Command was 69 Just barely make
47 Metal boots or one (a living)
wooden shoes, 4 Stationed, 71 Verve
e.g. as troops 72 The latest
50 German donkey 5 Bagnold et al. calculations?
52 Rushed 6 Response to the 73 Spanish title
53 Bugs bugs him Little Red Hen 74 Malay dagger
54 The Bard’s feet 7 A.J. who wrote 75 Ride to the
57 Dwindles The Stars Look hounds
61 Dairy product in Down and The 76 Drum feat
a red coat Citadel 79 Judge, often
64 Get ready 8 “___ just do that” 80 Beer
65 Take air 9 Otologist’s chart connoisseur’s
66 Selleck role 10 Protected, concern
68 Big impressionist as an LP 83 Evaluate again
70 Alcohol burner 11 “So what?” 85 Fruit cooler
(not a genie’s 12 Siesta length, 87 Orem folks
home) perhaps? 88 Ed directed him
74 Astringent-tasting 13 October one last time in
fruit birthstones Plan 9 from
77 Coeur d’___ 14 Posed a threat to Outer Space
78 Old Scandinavian 15 Dry subjects 89 Roman galley
81 Old Scandinavian 16 Grammy 91 Before sunup
symbol category 92 “___ lied”
82 Old Scandinavian 17 Self concepts 96 Aspen T-bar
goddess 97 Tatters
84 Portuguese 100 A Spelling
102 Improper

The Telegraph

28 Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

INSIGHT BACKPAGE

Hubby feels left out, but won’t work his way back in

BY CAROLYN HAX ents unhappy. tional and organizational energy on the kids. And
Washington Post So while the idea of your husband complaining he’s right that your marriage needs more attention
than it’s getting.
Dear Carolyn: Any tips for when about how deprived he is under a system where
your spouse reasonably informs someone else does most of the work for him is a si- Then suggest the best way out of this rut for both
you he is afraid you’re spending ren’s song from my keyboard to my forehead, I’m of you is to split the family responsibilities more eq-
all your emotional and organiza- going to columnist up and say, you know what, it’s a uitably, so you have more energy for him and he has
tion energy on the kids? really good thing he spoke up. Because the way your less to spend worrying about what he isn’t getting.
household (dys)functions now, it needed a whistle- OK that last part is a joke.
My husband just told me this. blower, and he’ll do.
And it’s true I often feel “touched Say you’ve been wrong to appoint yourself to the
out” by the end of the day and Tell him he’s right. You are spending all your emo- role of chief organizer and nurturer, because you
most of my mental capacity is spent in juggling job/ were. “You’re a capable person – I could and should
kids/household organization. have treated you as one since the beginning.”
The only solutions I can come up with are regular
date nights, which we can’t afford but should in the Yes? Most of us could use a hard look at roles
future, and asking him to do more, which usually re- assumed, assigned, seized in a vacuum and har-
sults in me spending more mental energy in organiz- rumphed through, since those lines can get pretty
ing tasks he can/should do. blurred.
– Too Much of a Mom
Too Much of a Mom: Really? He can’t see dirty Plus, you’re not just giving him chores, because
dishes and wash them? he’s not an employee. You’re inviting him to join you
The only solution I can come up with is to have in replacing unhealthy defaults with a conscious,
none of this. pragmatic plan for shared ownership of your
If he wants more of a buddy, then you need more household, child care and each other’s well-being.
of a co-adult. You don’t have to say it with the level of He may well think you’re overdoing some of what
exasperation I just did (and you probably shouldn’t: you do for the family and wish you’d punt on [what-
discuss), but holy crusty rug Cheerios. Your default- ever chore] and just go for a walk with him, but fear
ing to the role of family manager and his defaulting being eye-rolled if he ever said this out loud.
to being managed serves neither of you individu- You both decide how you live, you both decide and
ally nor does it serve your marriage, nor does it help do your shares. And you both support this system by
your kids much, since they’re being default-taught not corner-cutting and not martyring yourself on the
the very household roles that are making their par- other’s share the instant it goes undone. Changing a
pattern takes time and trust.
And, date nights. Swap babysitting with friends if
you must. 

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Style Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 29

Was 2016 the year fashion finally embraced the grown-up?

BY LAURA CRAIK “Great design can be ageless ...” wearable,” says Ruth Chapman. In
January, Matches’ Shop With … studio
The Telegraph — Amanda Wakeley, designer will feature an edit by Linda Rodin,
the 60-something New Yorker whose
At times, fashion can feel like The says the designer Amanda Wakeley obsessed 20-somethings will not be beauty company was acquired by Es-
Gigi Hadid Show. That is, when it’s not (54), a favorite of Theresa May, Kate Cameron’s core customer. tee Lauder in 2010.
feeling like The Kendall Jenner Show. Winslet, Angelina Jolie and the Duch-
Thanks to their adroit, effervescent ess of Cambridge. “I think that there has been a real- Every time an older woman gets
and relentless use of social media, the ization from customers that they don’t more airtime in the fashion in-
two models have dominated 2016 – so “Great design can be ageless, and I want gratuitous fashion for the sake dustry, an older woman in the real
much so that it’s easy to forget they know women in their 50s who dress of it – they want things that feel very world smiles
have a combined age of only 42. Yes, younger now than they did in their
Kendall and Gigi are half the age of the 20s. More than ever, we’re on TV That the spotlight is finally falling
average customer who buys the prod- screens and newspaper pages, lead- on older women is a positive thing for
ucts they are paid millions to endorse. ing decision-making across the world. all ages. Rodin recently told The Tele-
It’s a peculiar kind of math, endemic in Fashion is adapting to this era of fe- graph that she is frequently stopped
the fashion industry. male leadership.” in the street by 20-somethings who
want to take her photo. It’s fallacious
Happily, for those women who will It’s fallacious to suggest that young to suggest that young women only
never feel inspired by a grinning selfie women only want to see their own im- want to see their own image reflected
of Gigi in a crop top, change is afoot. age reflected back at them back at them: Their greatest heroines
You just have to know where to look are often those older, wiser and pos-
for it; and where to look for it is most And not a moment too soon, given sessed of a personal style to which
definitely not Instagram. Elsewhere, that a recent survey by YouGov found they can aspire.
however, 2016 has been a remarkably that 58 percent of female over-50s in
cheering year for grown-up fashion, the UK said they felt under-represent- It’s why this year’s Pirelli Calen-
modeled by actual grown-ups. In ed on the high street. The luxury end dar, featuring 50-something Julianne
January, Sophia Loren (81) appeared of the market was increasingly well Moore in a ballet leotard, set as many
in a perfume advertisement for Dolce served this year by designers such female hearts aflutter than it did men.
& Gabbana. In February, Bette Midler as Wakeley, Paul Smith and Giorgio As Amanda Wakeley puts it: “Women
(71) was cast in a Marc Jacobs Beauty Armani, whose range of everyday are inspired by intelligent opinion and
campaign. In March, Jane Birkin (69) classics, The New Normal, launched confidence. And that is ageless.” 
surfaced modeling a Saint Laurent in January with Yasmin Le Bon (51),
tux. And in September, Lauren Hutton Nadja Auermann (44) and Stella Ten-
(73) delighted Milan Fashion Week by nant (46) as its faces. But for too long,
modeling in the Bottega Veneta show. the more affordable end of the mar-
Tokenism? Who cares? Every time an ket has been focused on the young,
older woman gets more airtime in the as anyone who has trawled Topshop,
fashion industry, an older woman in H&M or New Look for a flattering pair
the real world smiles. Then cancels her of trousers will attest.
Botox appointment.
This year, signs were positive that
“I love it and think it’s really inspir- this too was changing. Mid-market
ing,” says Ruth Chapman, 53, co-chair- brands such as Whistles and Fin-
man of matchesfashion.com and her- ery continued to corner the market
self a constant reminder that you can in practical yet stylish separates,
look chic at any age. “It’s encouraging while Marks and Spencer’s autumn
women to be themselves and to re- 2016 collection was one of its most
spond by wearing and putting together grown-up yet. Next year, Samantha
clothes in a way that reflects their per- Cameron will join the fray with Ce-
sonalities. Designers like Marc Jacobs finn. Judging by the previews of its
are also looking at the demographic of simple shapes in sober colors, trend-
women that want to buy their clothes,
and are reacting to that by working
with women like Bette Midler.”

Given that the over-60s make up the
fastest growing group of consumers in
the world (in 2000, the 60-plus popu-
lation was 600 million; by 2010 it had
grown to 800 million and by 2050 it
is predicted to hit 2 billion), it makes
profoundly bad business sense not to
target them. Worldwide, those over
the age of 50 spent in excess of $8 tril-
lion in 2010; in 2020, this is projected
to rise to $15 trillion. And who is be-
hind up to 80 percent of all consumer
purchasing? Women.

“I hope 2016 becomes the year that
fashion stopped worrying about age,”



Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 31

& Casual Dining

Italian Cousin: Best neighborhood Italian in Sebastian

BY TINA RONDEAU Chicken Cacciatore with
Columnist Fried Calamari on the side.

When it comes to neighborhood Ital- PHOTOS BY GORDON RADFORD
ian restaurants – the kind of place where
the menu is short and simple, and the
food solid and reasonably priced – no-
body to the immediate south of us does
it better than the Italian Kitchen on U.S.
1 just south of the Sebastian business
district.

Almost from the day a few years
back that Chef Gus took over the space
from wife Michelle Hennessey, a for-
mer Vero Top Chef who decided to shut
down a highly successful restaurant
and spend more time with her kids, the
Italian Cousin has been packed.

The restaurant has a warm feel – an
Italian vibe – and with Gus popping
in and out of the kitchen, and Michele
hugging and kissing regulars, the at-
mosphere makes you feel like part of
a large family.

When we arrived there last Wednes-
day evening for our reservation (high-
ly recommended), we were quickly
shown to a nice corner table. Our very
attentive server, Kelly, brought a bas-
ket of wonderful warm, crispy Italian

Fresh Mahi with
White Wine Sauce.

Stuffed Portabello. Limoncello
Mascarpone Cake.

bread and a dish of delicious dipping bowls of the Italian wedding soup. tomatoes, olives, and mushrooms and for a visit with your Italian Cousin.
sauce, and took our order for wine. Then for entrées, my husband chose served on a bed of pasta. Our compan- I welcome your comments, and en-
ions also enjoyed both the gnocchi with
For appetizers, I decided to pass up veal parmesan ($24.95), one of our com- sausage, and an excellent plate of lin- courage you to send feedback to me at
the stuffed clams with bacon, spinach, panions ordered the linguini in a white guini in clam sauce. [email protected].
artichokes and cheese ($7.95) that I have clam sauce ($19.95), the other went for
enjoyed previously, and ordered the the gnocchi with sausage and peppers The portions are large here – as you The reviewer dines anonymously at
Prince Edward Island mussels served in ($18.95), and I decided to try the chicken would expect in a neighborhood Ital- restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach
a chardonnay-lemon-basil broth ($8.95). cacciatore ($18.95). ian restaurant – and so on this visit we 32963. 
My husband went for the flash-fried pe- passed up dessert. In the past, we have
tite calamari ($7.95). Interestingly, when three of the en- enjoyed Michelle’s very light tiramisu. Italian Cousin
trées were brought to the table, my
The calamari, served with a slightly husband’s veal parmesan was nowhere Prices are very reasonable (they ac- Hours: Monday through
spicy pink sauce, were very good. The to be seen. Server Kelly said Chef Gus tually seem to have gone down a bit in Saturday, 4 pm to 9 pm
PEI mussels were even better. Our ta- had not been happy about the way the past year), with many entrées priced
ble went through the basket of bread the veal had come out, and decided to from $12.95 to $18.95 (including soup or Beverages: Full bar
in short order mopping up my deli- prepare another order. I have no idea salad). Dinner for two with a couple of
cious broth. what happened the first time around, glasses of beer or wine should run in the Address:
but when the dish arrived, the veal was $60 to $70 area before tax and tip. 480 U.S. 1, Sebastian
Following the appetizers, my hus- fork tender and luscious.
band and I had salads – the Cousin sal- This isn’t fancy Italian dining. But it Phone: 772-589-1412
ad tossed with gorgonzola vinaigrette My chicken cacciatore was a very is clearly the best neighborhood Italian
for me, the Caesar salad with anchovies nice rendition of this rustic hunter- place in Sebastian, and if you haven’t
for him – and our companions opted for style chicken stew prepared with fresh checked it out yet, you are way overdue

32 Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly

& Casual Dining

32960

Brevard’s South Barrier Island Newsweekly Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 33

PETS

Looks like Bonz likes lookalikes Kate and Ben

Hi Dog Buddies! the dishes, and the sound of

Just before Christmas, I got an email munching filled the air.
from Kate Crutchfield, an English Golden
Retriever who just turned 4. She invited me After supper, I asked
over to yap with her and her twin brother,
Ben. She even sent me a coupla pictures. how they met their Forever
“We’re cuter in person, except when we roll
in the dirt,” she noted. Family.

Kate and Ben live right on John’s Island “After Mom and Daddee’s
Sound, and, Woof, do they have a nice set-
up. They were both wagging and wiggling other dogs went to Dog
when their Mom opened the door, and they
scooted right up for the Wags-and-Sniffs. Heaven, Mom NEVER want-
They were VERY cute in person, both wea-
rin’ green bandannas. They had thick, wavy, ed another dog, EVER,” said
cream-colored coats. Maybe that’s why
they’re called English Goldens, cuz they’re Ben.
the color of tea with lotsa cream, almost
white, like the English humans make it. “But Daddee really, RE-
Anyway, that’s my theory. They looked ex-
actly alike to me. ALLY did,” said Kate. “So

“Thanks for coming, Mr. Bonzo! I’m Kate, he got his hunting bud-
and this is our Mom, Barbara.”
dies to help him look for
“And I’m Ben! Our Daddee’s Ed.”
I musta looked puzzled, cuz Kate said, The Perfect Dog. Hadda
“You can tell us apart cuz I have a nice pink-
ish nose and Ben’s got a black nose. Every- be a Boy. They found an
body gets us confused.”
“Thanks!” English Golden breeder

Their Mom headed into in Port St. Lucie, and Ben
the kitchen and they took off after her.
“Come’on!” said Ben. “It’s Dinnertime! was the last boy in the
Want some?”
litter, so he got picked.
“Oh, no thanks. I’m good,” I replied.
Ben and Kate raced into the dining room. Me and Ben had always
There were two elevated food and water
stations, and two big, comfy sheepskin been together so, even
beds, one on each side of the room (which
looked out on the Sound.) Their Mom filled though I wuz happy for

him, I wuz VERY SAD

for me. What wuz I

gonna DO?”

“I was happy AND Kate and Ben, the English Golden Retrievers. PHOTOS BY DENISE RITCHIE
sad, too,” Ben said.
“Before I could go to my

Forever Family (we were still and Daddee share it with us,” said Kate.

on Mommy Milk), my new “Very thoughtful,” I commented. “Your seats down, and we have big fluffy beds.

Mom came to meet me. Private Quarters are Totally PAWsome! So, Wanna see?”

And there we were, me and waddya do for fun?” “Sure!”

Kate, two little white fluff “We PLAY!” They bounced back to the They headed for the front drive. The Dog-

balls, stickin’ together like patio and leaped into the pool. “We have Mobile was a shiny, big SUV.

glue. So Mom went from a resident Bird we usta chase. Now it stays “Seriously Cool Dog Biscuits!!” I exclaimed.

zero dogs to two dogs on a post in the water and we politely don’t Their Mom opened the back hatch. Two

just like that!” bother it. Much. We also enjoy a nice after- “orthopedic foam” mattresses with sheep-

“Thank Lassie!” Kate dinner dip,” said Ben. “And we love going to skin tops filled the whole floor. She said

said. “Anyway, the the dog park cuz its Off-Leash. We DON’T “Load” and they jumped in. Ben rooted

breeder said we should Like LEASH WALKING! Specially ME. We get around and came up with a stuffed fox toy in

be crated at night, so so excited, we could pull Mom right over. We his mouth.

Mom and Daddee put had a trainer once, but it just isn’t the way we “Thif if ma fabowat wed we trabel.”

us to bed in our crates, roll, ya know? We’re free spirits.” “Him and his silly toys. I don’t DO toys!”

in the kitchen. They “Right,” Kate agreed. “We don’t need no Kate sniffed. “Anyway, if I even pick one up,

were comf-tubble and silly ol’ trainer.” he grabs it. I prefer to hang out with Mom at

all, but Mom couldn’t They jumped out of the pool, and their her special vanity. Ben never comes in, but he

sleep, thinkin’ of us in Mom hurried over with an armful of towels guards the door so we’ll have privacy while

crates. So she piled for them, me, my assistant and my photog- we’re getting all pretty. Girl stuff, ya know.”

her blanket and pil- rapher, not a minute too soon for the oblig- “I’ve heard,” I said.

lows on the kitchen atory Shake-Offs. Heading home, I was thinking about Ben

floor and slept right “Didja have a nice Christmas?” I inquired. and Kate sittin’ in the pool, watching the

next to us all night.” “Totes!” said Kate. “Mom fixed us a big sunset. And thinking maybe Mr. Webster

“That was the tenderloin. Medium rare. Sometimes she should change the definition of “a dog’s life.”

first and last time we were in bakes us a sweet potato, which we share

those crates,” said Ben. “Now we have our with her. We normally get kibbles, followed Till next time,

own Private Quarters. Wanna see?” by a Greenie to clean our teeth. If Mom for- The Bonz
They bounded out to the patio, zipped gets, Ben gives her his special Greenie Growl
to remind her. Good oral hygiene is SO im-
past the infinity pool and disappeared

through French doors. I grabbed my note- portant, ya know.” Don’t Be Shy
book and followed. Dog! They were reclin- “Indeed it is,” I agreed. “Do you enjoy

ing on a great big people bed. The room travlin’?” We are always looking for pets
matched the colors of Ben and Kate’s coats. “Yep! We go to our place up in North Car- with interesting stories.
There were nice, big bay windows. Very
spiffy, I thought. olina. We have a Dog-Mobile.” To set up an interview, email
“’Scuse me?” [email protected].
“Our bed’s so big, we ushully let Mom “A Dog-Mobile. Mom keeps the back





36 Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

REAL ESTATE

Marvel of modern design boasts ingenious storage space

BY MARIA CANFIELD by gazing at the dunes through the
room’s tall windows.
Correspondent
The full bath on the first floor
“One of a kind” and “exceptional” would not be out of place as a master;
are terms that can be used too freely it has a granite vanity top and a spa
when describing a home that may in bath. The shower is tiled in a pleas-
fact be beautiful, but in ways similar ing shade of grayish green. Totally
to many other homes. However, what in keeping with this home having no
you’ll find at the oceanfront property wasted space, there is an opening in
at 7775 Highway A1A in Melbourne the granite of the vanity’s skirt that
Beach is more than worthy of those is used as a towel holder, conserving
adjectives. wall space for artistic touches.

With 2,167 square feet of living The first-floor half-bath has a
space, the house is roomy, but its wide- space-saving pedestal sink; in a nod
open design makes it feel much larger to home’s oceanfront location, the
– there are no hallways and therefore walls are painted a cheerful shade of
no wasted space. Every inch has a pur- bright aqua. Rounding out the first
pose – all of the expected ones associ- floor is a laundry room, which has –
ated with day-to-day living, and one as you may expect by now – plenty of
that is more remarkable: There is stor- built-in storage space.
age everywhere, cleverly constructed
to be both handy and unobtrusive. The split staircase leading to the
second floor is wood, painted a crisp
You know you’re about to experi- white. It is from the landing at the top
ence something special when you en- of the stairs that you are first struck
ter the home’s soaring foyer; beyond by the stunning view of the sky and
which lays a large family room – light ocean that infuses the entire second
and bright, it has a fetching view of the floor. Once your eyes adjust to the
dunes through a wall of windows. The glorious sight, there is more glory to
flooring here, and throughout the rest behold – the ultra-modern, ultra-effi-
of the house, is porcelain wood-look cient kitchen; it was built by Poggen-
tile made in Europe; it is in a lovely pohl in Germany, a 120-year-old
maple hue. The 10-foot ceilings and company known for its high-quality
high-hat lighting enhance the space materials, meticulous craftsmanship
and provide a modern, clean look. and trend-setting designs.

There are two bedrooms on the The granite countertops are 3cm
first floor, one of which could easily thick – now widely thought of as the
be an office or a workroom – it has a ideal thickness – in a shade known as
granite desk surrounded by plenty of Blue Pearl, an elegant metallic blue
shelving and cabinets; all are built-in. laced with shimmering black and grey
While working at the desk, the new flecks. There are plenty of cabinets,
owner can periodically rest their eyes but what is perhaps most intriguing

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 37

REAL ESTATE

is that there are so many slide-out VITAL STATISTICS erator, so called because it does not
drawers; very practical, as it allows for 7775 HIGHWAY A1A protrude much beyond the counters,
easy-access storage with no reaching! for a sleek, slim look.
Year built: 1994 • Construction: Concrete block
The two-level island has cubbies Home size: 2,167 square feet • Lot Size: .43 acres Consistent with the house’s open,
perfectly-sized for wine bottles, and Bedrooms: 3 • Bathrooms: 2 full baths, 2 half-baths modern layout, there is no formal
lighted storage behind opaque glass Additional features: Ocean views, beautiful interior materials and fine dining room; instead, there’s a good-
doors; this same pattern repeats finishes, ceiling fans throughout, pantry, sound system, designer-quality sized space just a step or two from the
above the kitchen sink. The Miele lighting throughout, electric hurricane shutters, private beach crossover kitchen that can easily accommodate
and Jenn Air appliances are all top a table and eight chairs. This space is
end, and include a double convection with sitting area, outdoor shower, 2-car garage surrounded by glass, including a door
oven, two dishwashers (one for every- Listing agency: Treasure Coast Sotheby’s International Realty that leads to one of the home’s two
day use and a larger one for cleanup Listing agents: Erika Rogers, 321-508-7661; Mike Rogers, 321-508-7660; tiled balconies (the other is accessed
after social gatherings), a built-in from the master bedroom).
coffee/cappuccino/expresso ma- office phone for both is 321-984-3135
chine, and a “counter depth” refrig- Listing price: $1,395,000 The main living area, open to the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

38 Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™

REAL ESTATE

Real Estate Sales on South Brevard island: Dec. 22 to Dec. 29

Christmas week saw a flurry of activity in the South Brevard island ZIP codes 32951 and 32903, with 9
properties sold in Melbourne Beach and 7 in Indialantic.

The top sale of the week in 32951 was of an oceanfront condo at 4495 S. A1A. Penthouse unit 301 in the
Beachcomber was placed on the market Dec. 2 with an asking price of $620,000. The transaction closed
Dec. 23 for $583,000.

The seller in the transaction was represented by David Settgast of Treasure Coast Sotheby’s. The purchaser
was represented by Lisa Webster-Jensen of Inspire Realty.

SALES FOR 32951

SUBDIVISION ADDRESS LISTED ORIGINAL MOST RECENT SOLD SELLING
ASKING PRICE ASKING PRICE PRICE

$424,999 $420,000
VERSAILLES SUR LA ME 3035 S HIGHWAY A1A, #2B 10/20/2016 $450,000 $434,999 12/28/2016 $410,000
HARBOR EAST SEC 3 AM 405 RIVERVIEW LN 9/25/2016 $375,000 $450,000 12/28/2016 $362,500
$180,000 $165,000
CRANE PT AQUARINA 859 AQUARINA BLVD 9/29/2016 $400,000 $375,000 12/28/2016 $380,000
$585,000 $520,000
BOUNTY BAY 350 INDIAN MOUND DR 8/17/2016 $425,000 $180,000 12/26/2016 $418,000
$445,900 $425,000
SOUTH SHORES OCEANSIDE 5635 S HIGHWAY A1A, #203 7/12/2016 $390,000 12/26/2016

HARBOR EAST SEC 3 AM 408 RIVERVIEW LN 9/2/2016 $550,000 12/26/2016

WINGATE RESERVE 140 SEAGLASS DR 9/28/2016 $425,000 12/25/2016

INDIAN LANDING 295 CLYDE ST, #PH3 11/8/2016 $445,900 12/22/2016

SALES FOR 32903

INDIALANTIC BY SEA 107 TWELFTH AVE 5/21/2016 $329,900 $329,900 12/22/2016 $329,900
MELBOURNE 2295 VENETIA PL 8/31/2016 $219,000 $219,000 12/26/2016 $205,000
TERRACE SHORES 1879 TERRACE SHORES DR 8/25/2016 $249,000 $239,900 12/25/2016 $230,000
SANDY KAYE CONDO 2835 N HIGHWAY A1A, #403 11/8/2016 $419,900 $419,900 12/22/2016 $419,900
RIVER SHORES 1ST ADD 1955 SHORE VIEW DR 5/4/2016 $419,000 $389,000 12/26/2016 $370,000
SANCTUARY PHASE 3 T 440 NIGHTINGALE DR 8/10/2016 $409,900 $349,900 12/27/2016 $342,900
THE DUNES AT OCEANSI 415 BARNACLE LN 10/20/2016 $324,000 $319,000 12/28/2016 $310,000

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37

dining area and kitchen, has 16-foot cathedral ceil-
ings and recessed lighting; it is this room’s windows
that provide the dazzling view first experienced
when arriving on the second floor. The master bed-
room has the same view, but when you turn your
attention away from outside and to the master en
suite bath, you’ll continue to be treated to a spec-
tacular sight.

The tiles around and above the jetted bathtub and
in the huge shower are Italian, of a variety called
Sicis Iridium. Produced by treating glass with pre-
mium metal oxides, the effect is of a mosaic, reflect-
ing light with changing, contrasting effects – simply
gorgeous. These same tiles are the backsplash for
the granite-topped vanity, with its two vessel sinks.
There’s a large walk-in closet in the bathroom, and
the toilet is behind a pocket door for privacy.

The home’s exterior is stucco, freshly painted in
2016 in a robin’s egg blue. The tile roof is only four
years old; its shade of gray complements the color of
the house, its white accents, and the tawny-colored
front door, with its white and leaded-glass sidelights.

Built in 1994 but completely remodeled after the
hurricanes of 2004 and 2005, this classically modern
house is a marvel of efficient design without sacrific-
ing comfort and livability. It is offered by Erika and
Mike Rogers of Treasure Coast Sotheby’s Interna-
tional Realty for $1,395,000. 

Brevard’s South Beach Newsweekly ™ Melbourne Beach 32951 | January 5, 2017 39

REAL ESTATE

Here are some of the top recent barrier island sales.

Subdivision: Versailles Sur La Me, Address: 3035 S Highway A1a, #2B Subdivision: Harbor East Sec 3 Am, Address: 405 Riverview Ln

Listing Date: 10/21/2016 Listing Date: 9/26/2016
Original Price: $424,999 Original Price: $450,000
Recent Price: $434,999 Recent Price: $450,000
Sold: 12/29/2016 Sold: 12/29/2016
Selling Price: $420,000 Selling Price: $410,000
Listing Agent: Linda Landman Listing Agent: Eva McMillan

Selling Agent: RE/MAX Interactive Selling Agent: Dale Sorensen R.E. Brevard

Linda Landman Karen S Coville

RE/MAX Interactive Tropical Realty Beachside LLC

Subdivision: Harbor East Sec 3 Am, Address: 408 Riverview Ln Subdivision: Indian Landing, Address: 295 Clyde St, #PH3

Listing Date: 9/3/2016 Listing Date: 11/9/2016
Original Price: $585,000 Original Price: $445,900
Recent Price: $550,000 Recent Price: $445,900
Sold: 12/27/2016 Sold: 12/23/2016
Selling Price: $520,000 Selling Price: $425,000
Listing Agent: Eva McMillan Listing Agent: Wendy Forgetta

Selling Agent: Dale Sorensen R.E. Brevard Selling Agent: Tropical Realty Beachside LLC

Eva McMillan Sarah Munkacsy

Dale Sorensen R.E. Brevard Coldwell Banker Paradise

Here’s what to do with your home-equity bonanza

BY KENNETH R. HARNEY major markets primarily because equity may well be the largest com- dent-loan debt or funding an invest-
of rising prices fed by low interest ponent of your household wealth, ment in a business venture. But it’s
Washington Post rates and tight inventories. Nation- and it could continue to grow over good to know you have that cushion
wide, they were up 5.8 percent year time. If you have no urgent need for of cash in reserve.
The biggest holiday gift this year over year, according to CoreLogic. spendable cash, do not unwrap this
for millions of Americans does not Reductions in mortgage principal gift. Terms on HELOCs remain attrac-
fit under a tree and can be a little debts through regular amortization tive, despite the increase in interest
hard to grasp, but it may be of excep- played a role, as did refinancings by 2. Tap into it. If you have a respon- rates for all mortgage products since
tional value: If you own a home, the owners into loan types with shorter sible use for some of your equity the November election.
odds are good that your equity hold- terms – mainly 15 years – and faster gains, explore your options for liq-
ings increased by thousands of dol- payoffs of principal. Renovations of uefying them. The most popular and Most lenders are looking for solid
lars over the past year. homes pushed up values as well. low-cost way is to take out a home credit scores (such as a minimum
equity line of credit, or HELOC. As FICO score of 700, with higher num-
New quarterly data released by Unfortunately, not everybody a general rule, lenders will let you bers strongly preferred) and tie their
the Federal Reserve reveal that U.S. had gains. Zillow, the online real borrow as much as 80 percent (some adjustable rates to the prime rate.
homeowners’ equity grew by $1.02 estate marketplace and research even allow as much as 90 percent) Some lenders charge annual fees
trillion in the 12-month period end- site, reported last week that more of your “combined loan to value,” and require a minimum drawdown
ing Sept. 30. A giant national num- than 1 owner in 10 in the United or CLTV, ratio. That means the sum of funds when you open the line.
ber like that may make your eyes States continues to have negative of your current mortgage indebted-
glaze over and be difficult to relate equity, but that figure has plunged ness plus the amount you want to Many banks also offer fixed-rate
to personally, but calculations from by nearly two-thirds during the borrow relative to the market value second mortgages — home equity
analytics and valuation technol- past 48 months as the economy has of your home. loans as opposed to floating-rate
ogy firm CoreLogic bring it down strengthened. And that figure is still credit lines — that are fully amortiz-
to earth: Owners on average had a shifting. CoreLogic says 384,000 Say you have a house worth ing over periods ranging from five
$12,500 gain in equity during that homeowners with mortgages transi- $400,000, with a $200,000 outstand- years to 20 years.
period. In hot real estate markets tioned from negative to positive eq- ing balance on your primary mort-
on the West Coast, the average was uity during the most recent quarter gage. An 80 percent CLTV comes to Current rates generally range from
$25,000 or more. alone. $320,000, giving you potentially up the low 4 percent range to 5 percent
to $120,000 to borrow against via or so, depending on payback terms
How did your house fare? Unless That’s great. But assuming you an equity credit line. That may be and credit quality.
you follow listings and sales closely have been a beneficiary, what do you much more than you need for proj-
in your neighborhood, you might actually do with the “gift” of greater ects such as remodeling the kitchen, Bottom line: If you think your eq-
have missed what has been happen- equity? Here are two strategies: consolidation of high-interest-rate uity grew in the past year and if you
ing to your own equity. Property val- credit card balances, paying off stu- have a solid purpose in mind, tap
ues jumped in the past year in most 1. Be happy. Don’t touch it. Your away.

Rates are widely expected to rise
in 2017. 