01/25/2024 ISSUE 04

Vero residents driving north on Indian River Boulevard from the Barber Bridge have been wondering for some time what is about to go up at the massive construction site just south of Regency Park and 41st Street. Turns out it’s a high-end apartment and townhouse complex – with spacious units ranging up to 2,800 square feet that will start Spend a few minutes with Andres Duany, who visited Vero Beach last week to educate himself about the city’s desire to revitalize its downtown, and you’ll soon realize the 74-year-old architect and urban planner can be blunt in sharing his opinions and assessments. Though he does so in the most gentlemanly way, he tells you what you need to hear, not necessarily what you want to hear, especially when discussing his work. Duany – the renown “father of New Urbanism” who created Vero Beach’s Three Corners Master Concept city voters approved in a November 2022 referendum – provided some of his raw honesty during a dinner-hour break in last week’s reconThe Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine or VCOM hopes to have building plans approved this summer for a fall construction start on a future state-ofthe-art medical training facility in leased quarters adjacent to Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital. But a full four-year medical school campus in Vero Beach is likely eight to 10 years off. What VCOM hopes to do in the near term is establish a robust residency training program on the Treasure Coast with thirdand fourth-year medical students from its other campuses doing clinical rotations here, and then begin training first and second year medical students here in partnership with Cleveland Clinic by 2027. The top leadership of VCOM – which is headquartered at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg with campuses in Alabama, Louisiana and South Carolina – provided a detailed timeline of its goals for a Vero medical school clinical campus to the Critical medical supplies may run short from time to time, but insiders insist that despite “obvious cash flow problems,” lawsuits by unpaid vendors and reports that the Sebastian River Medical Center is six months in arrears on its water and sewer bill, the hospital is nowhere near to shutting its doors. “I do know what’s going on,” says Theresa Tolle, who is chairperson of the hospital’s local Board of Trustees and runs the independent Bay Street Pharmacy across U.S. Route One from the North County hospital. “And I do not believe that the closing of the hospital is imminent.” Tolle says she was not authorized to share any further details on the financial condition of the hospital or its plans for the immediate future because of corporate policies. But she acknowledged that the cash flow problems of the for-profit hospital and its parent company are well documented. Sebastian River Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Ronald 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 B7 12 ARTS GAMES CALENDAR B1 B8 B11 © 2024 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved. January 25, 2024 | Volume 11, Issue 4 | Newsstand Price: $1.00 | For breaking news visit VeroNews.com YOUR LOCAL NEWS SOURCE FOR INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SENIOR PATIENTS PRIMARY FOCUS OF NEW PRACTICE Your Health, Page 6 VERO WATERCOLORIST IS IMMERSED IN ART’S CREATIVE PROCESS Arts & Theatre, Page B2 By Pieter VanBennekom Staff Writer Emeritus CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 By Ray McNulty | Staff Writer [email protected] Despite financial woes, Sebastian hospital not seen on life support Medical school outlines initial campus plans CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 ‘Ultra-luxury’ rental units coming to Indian River Boulevard Duany’s vision for downtown redevelopment: ‘The more radical, the better’ By Lisa Zahner | Staff Writer [email protected] By Steven M. Thomas | Staff Writer [email protected] CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 PHOTO: JOSHUA KODIS

Bierman failed to respond to Vero News requests for further information, as did the designated public information spokesperson for the parent company’s area hospitals, who is located at another facility in Rockledge in Brevard County. Last Friday night at the beginning of the weekend, a manager from a competing hospital in the area was delivering a box of medical supplies to the Sebastian hospital on an emergency basis. The manager, who declined to give his name or the name of the institution he worked for, hastened to point out that he did not know whether the Sebastian hospital’s regular supplier had cut off service because of non-payment. Instead, he said this is a normal service that area hospitals, even those in competition, provide to each other from time to time to help each other out when one of them runs low on something. “I have heard the rumors swirling around the three area hospitals owned by this company,” the manager said, referring to hospitals in Sebastian, Rockledge and Melbourne. “All the talk has certainly helped us because doctors and patients are now coming to us. I had a surgeon call me at home at midnight the other day begging for a slot in our operating room the next day because he couldn’t operate at Sebastian anymore.” A local orthopedic surgeon last week also said he had hastily canceled joint replacement surgeries for several patients planned for Sebastian River Hospital’s operating room the following day because a key supplier had stopped sending needed supplies to the hospital. Like other hospitals in the area, the Sebastian River Hospital has in recent years bought up several physician practices in the area, converting the physicians working there from entrepreneurs into employees of the hospital system. Patients of those physician practices have reported delays in getting the results of diagnostic testing because of a shortage of 2 January 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS www.veronews.com CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 SEBASTIAN HOSPITAL WOES medical technician employees. Because of a hiring freeze, departing employees cannot be replaced and the workload for the remaining employees has increased. The 145-bed Sebastian hospital, the only alternative in the county to Cleveland Clinic’s Indian River Hospital, was acquired in 2017 by Steward Health Care Systems, a company headed by a group of physicians and headquartered in Dallas. Steward has been plagued by financial problems nationwide for several years. Headlines in medical trade and finance publications began popping up in 2022 when Steward restructured hundreds of millions in debt. A Melbourne resident whose husband died recently after an 11-day stay at Steward’s Melbourne hospital said she would never set foot in the hospital again. “They never did a biopsy on him as they should have,” she said, “and the nurses and nurses’ assistants are so overworked they never helped him shower or bathe in the 11 days he was there. The care was just horrible or non-existent. And if they’re in such financial trouble, you’d think they’d want to get paid but after several months, I still never got a bill from them for my husband’s stay there.” Another Melbourne resident said her daughter works as a nurse at a competing Melbourne hospital but would never consider working at a Steward-owned facility. Sebastian River Medical Center is the goto hospital for fixed-income senior-citizen communities not only in Sebastian, but also in the Micco-Barefoot Bay area in South Brevard County, and is the closest hospital to Fellsmere’s migrant agricultural worker population. Steward has blamed low and slow Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements as major factors in the company’s financial challenges, as it’s been nationally reported that 70 percent of Steward’s clientele are Medicare and/or Medicaid recipients. On a website where medical staff rate their employers, no one had anything good to say about Steward. “Save yourself the stress,” wrote one Indian River County Hospital District which discussed them at a meeting last week. For nearly a year, the hospital district has been talking to VCOM about setting up its local operations on a 5-acre property at 1110 35th Lane owned by the hospital district. The three-story, 19,000-square-foot building on the parcel dates back to the 1980s, and until recently housed the offices of VNA of the Treasure Coast. Though VCOM would much prefer to purchase the property outright from the hospital district, district trustees want to make sure VCOM commits long-term to establishing not only a thriving residency program and clinical rotation training of upperclassmen, but also a full four-year medical school in Vero where students can train from start to finish – and hopefully remain and practice on the Treasure Coast. As a result, the district and VCOM are negotiating terms by which VCOM would lease the building and vacant land, with execution of the lease expected sometime this spring. The building needs significant renovations and upgrades, but could house classrooms, seminar rooms, high-tech mannequin patient simulations, study rooms, a resident lounge and an on-call sleep room for residents training at the hospital a brisk three-minute walk away – in short, an ideal location to house third-year and fourthyear medical students and residents. By late 2026, VCOM hopes to increase the number of its medical students completing clinical rotations on the Treasure Coast from 40 to 160 students at Vero’s hospital as well as the three Cleveland Clinic hospitals in Stuart and Tradition. “In order to achieve success, we strongly believe that the responsible approach would be to establish and ensure clinical rotation sites for thirdand fourth-year students prior to the beginning the first two years of curriculum,” said VCOM President Dr. Dixie Tooke-Rawlins and Dr. Matthew Cannon, who serves as academic dean over all of VCOM’s campuses and training programs. Next steps for the hospital district trustees will be meeting with Cleveland Clinic officials to discuss the hospital’s role in the student clinical rotations and the planned residency program. “We really need Cleveland Clinic’s involvement as well, so that’s where we are right now,” said Hospital District Executive Director Frank Isele. “I’ll be connecting with Cleveland Clinic and with Dr. Cannon to make sure all these pieces are in place.” Chairwoman Marybeth Cunningham said she wants more details on VCOM’s plans for the St. Lucie and Martin County Cleveland Clinic hospitals. Trustees and their legal counsel also need to flesh out what sort of deed restrictions they would want at the point that the hospital district sells the property to VCOM. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 MEDICAL SCHOOL

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS January 25, 2024 3 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ANDRES DUANY nurse, referring to chronic staff shortages and overworked conditions for the remaining employees. “Just don’t go to work there. Just DON’T.” A former hospital employee told Vero News that staffers read and share media reports about Steward’s financial woes, massive lawsuits and investigations involving the company’s deep indebtedness to its real estate investment trust (REIT) landlord and that, combined with SRMC’s lack of a pension plan, make them fear for their futures. The American Prospect reported on how Steward and landlord Medical Properties Trust – which owns the Sebastian hospital’s campus – shuffled $400 million around to shore up Steward so it could pay rent straight to MCT in an article entitled “The Great American Hospital Shell Game.” On Jan. 19, the Boston Globe reported on evidence from public records and sources within the Steward company that the hospital system which owns nine Massachusetts facilities is “in such grave financial distress that it may be unable to continue operating some facilities ... The fast-moving crisis has left regulators racing to prevent the massive layoffs and erosion of care that could come if hospital services were to suddenly cease.” Steward executives did not respond to the Globe’s questions, but the paper reported that “according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation, Steward has told state regulators that it has until the end of the month to make a plan that will satisfy its lenders.” On Monday, xtelligent Healthcare Media reported “Steward Health Care may have to close some facilities as the for-profit health system navigates financial distress,” saying the financial woes of the largest tax-paying hospital group in the United States “may create ripples across the country.” “Trying to find money to pay bills and assuring others don’t quit because of low morale,” is how a former Steward physician assistant in Port Arthur, Texas, described a typical work day. “The hardest part of the job is seeing patients being hurt by keeping the facilities open. The CEO is still enjoying the yacht! Those bills are paid.” Staff Writer Lisa Zahner contributed to this report. naissance mission, saying: While he’s expected to collect input from the entire community, he said he’d prefer to talk to only residents no more than 45 years old, because they’re the people to whom the downtown area must appeal most. To compete with Ocean Drive and, eventually, the Three Corners, Vero’s downtown needs to have an edgy, cool feel that attracts young adults. But establishments, as well as any future housing in the neighborhood, must be affordable to that crucial demographic. He said he was “shocked” by the public sector’s unwillingness to help the private sector here through funding or public-private partnerships, as well as by the bureaucratic impediments local government places in the way of development. Nor did Duany mince words when told of the sense of urgency some city officials and other downtown proponents have placed on the revitalization project. The City Council hired his DPZ CoDesign firm in December to create a master plan for Vero’s downtown, and unless he’s told otherwise after next month’s charrette process, Duany said his final presentation later this year will call for a “radical” redevelopment. “What I’ve learned is: The more radical the better,” he said. “Small plans don’t have the power. People get behind grand plans.” Duany warned, however, that such a transformation, if that’s what the city seeks, could take two decades to perfect. “It takes 15 years to change a community, and 20 years to make sure the changes are working the way they’re supposed to,” he said. That’s why Duany is so eager to hear from younger people – specifically, he said, the 30-year-olds who will be 50-year-olds when the remaking of Vero’s downtown is complete. His early vision includes redevelopment that results in more people living downtown, where there would be fewer offices and more restaurants, bars and other nightlife to draw people to the area. “Young people need nightlife,” he said. “They need places to meet and socialize.” Where will these young people come from? Duany cited Florida’s rapidly growing population and said he expects many young adults to migrate north from South Florida to find less-expensive housing, perhaps while working remotely. Eventually, he added, jobs will be provided by businesses that move because there’s a younger, educated population. His vision also anticipates the arrival of a Brightline train station, which Duany said is inevitable. That future service, combined with many businesses requiring fewer in-office days, would allow local workers to commute twice per week to larger cities, such as Orlando and West Palm Beach. “My job is not the present,” he said. “My job is 15 years from now. That’s why it needs to be about young people, because, as we’re seeing all over the country, it’s young people who want to live downtown, go downtown, enjoy the nightlife downtown.” But Vero’s downtown also needs to include affordable places to eat and drink, which, Duany said, it doesn’t now. He said he spent his first night in town – from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. two Tuesdays ago – walking along the downtown corridor and stopping in at every open business. “This place is already too expensive for young people,” he said. “I was paying checks that were shockingly high. Most young people don’t have that kind of money.” He paused for a moment, then, to punctuate his point, added, “There needs to be CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

4 January 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS www.veronews.com CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 LUXURY APARTMENTS Furniture • Electronics • Clothing • Artwork • Outdoor Items Crystal • Home Goods • Ladies Purses • Shoes AND MUCH MORE 10th ANNUAL ReMARKABLE TREASURE SALE! by Anglican Church Women SATURDAY JANUARY 27th 8AM - 1PM (rain or shine) 1795 45th St., Vero Beach, FL St. Mark’s Anglican Church a Waffle House here.” Don’t be mistaken, though: Duany was not at all disappointed with what he found in Vero’s downtown. Instead, he said he was encouraged by much of what he saw and excited about the possibilities. He was especially taken with some of the downtown buildings and businesses, particularly the former county courthouse and Curfew restaurant – both located on 14th Avenue – and the 21st Amendment Distillery on 13th Avenue. He said downtown “presents itself” better at night than it does during the daytime hours. “Overall, I was very impressed,” Duany said. “Much of what I saw was really interesting, a lot of edgy things. There were interesting places to eat, cool bars with character … nothing you’d find in a mall. That’s what you want. That’s what brings young people downtown. “And I was not expecting so much activity,” he added. “So the good news is, your downtown is on the way up. It’s harder to turn things around when it’s on the way down.” Duany said he believes Vero Beach could have a “great downtown,” launching its revitalization along a four-block stretch along 14th Avenue and 13th avenues, if property and business owners in the neighborhood buy in and government bureaucracy doesn’t “get in the way.” He said he understands the local government’s “very strong libertarian streak,” but he’s puzzled by its reluctance to contribute to – or at least cooperate more with – private-sector development that is part of projects the city supports. “What you have here is exactly what doesn’t work,” Duany said. “Bureaucracy is a burden.” If the city truly wants to embrace a downtown revitalization project, Duany said, the local government should offer incentives to minimize the risks taken by the first-in developers to get the project started. What the city should not do, however, is try to recreate Ocean Drive along 14th Avenue. “Downtown can succeed only as an opponent to Ocean Drive,” Duany said. “Not only are you drawing from different demographics, but Ocean Drive is already done, and it has a completely different feel to it. You can’t compete with that. “Very few towns of this size have two competing Main Streets,” he added. “Downtown’s at $5,500 per month – which developer Tom Cavanaugh says will bring a new level of luxury to rental living in Indian River County. The 189-unit project – designed in large part for downsizing islanders looking for an elegant, carefree lifestyle – clearly stands apart from typical rental communities. “There is nothing else like it in Vero Beach,” Cavanaugh told Vero News, “and not much else like it on the East Coast of Florida.” Two features hint at the tone of the project. “There will be a glass-walled, climate-controlled wine room where residents can store and retrieve their wine and a lounge next to it with a baby grand piano,” said Cavanaugh, president of PAC Land Development, which has developed more than 10,000 apartments worth more than $1.5 billion, specializing in luxury projects in quaint Florida towns. “For a little extra flair, we will have two 2,500-gallon aquariums so people can watch the fish while they are sitting at their high-top listening to the piano.” Those amenities are separate from what Cavanaugh calls “a very high-end demonstration kitchen with Wolf appliances and a private dining room,” that will give residents the option of bringing in a personal chef for a private dinner party a few steps from their apartment door. “The units themselves have quartz countertops, top-of-line appliances, smart technology features and designer lighting,” says Hannah Cavanaugh, Tom Cavanaugh’s daughter and a development associate at PAC Land Development. The apartments will also be much larger than most of those found locally, ranging from 900-square-foot one-bedroom units up to three-bedroom apartments with offices and soaker tubs. “What Tom is building is an excellent fit for our market,” said commercial real estate broker Keith Kite, who was Cavanaugh’s broker when he bought the project site in 2022. “It’s a product that doesn’t exist in Vero Beach and really fills a void.” Main Street needs to be cooler and hipper than the other Main Street.” Duany said he designed the Three Corners concept in a way that it wouldn’t compete with downtown, but he doesn’t know how closely the city and, ultimately, its still-to-bechosen developer will adhere to the plan he presented. Also, contrary to what many locals believe, Duany said downtown business owners should consider the Miracle Mile plaza an asset – not a competitor – because the convenience of a nearby shopping center will entice more young people to live downtown. “I was shocked at how close the shopping center is to downtown,” he said, adding that it was too soon to say how much retail shopping will be included in his final plan. “You can get there by bicycle.” As for Brightline, Duany said he believes the company will eventually forgive the community’s initial legal opposition to the highspeed rail service – for business reasons, of course – and Vero Beach will someday get a stop as part of an expansion of local service. To think otherwise, he added, is “presentism.” Duany said he has a plan to confront the problems caused by a growing homeless population downtown, particularly at Pocahontas Park, but he declined to elaborate last week. The City Council last month approved $175,000 for Duany’s firm to develop a concept plan, much as it did for the Three Corners, but for a smaller-scale project. He attended and participated in a joint meeting of the council and City Planning & Zoning Board last Thursday. Duany is scheduled to be back in town from Feb. 5-9 for a series of charrettes at the Vero Beach Community Center, where he hopes to get more input from local residents and stakeholders. Using the information he collects, he will create and present a master plan later this year. “I’ve been here a lot over the years, and everybody assumes I know Vero Beach,” said Duany, who designed Windsor on the barrier island in the 1990s before returning to Vero Beach in 2020 to develop the Three Corners concept. “But I don’t know your downtown.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 ANDRES DUANY

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | LOCAL NEWS January 25, 2024 5 Besides seniors who have cashed out of their houses and are ready to ditch the hassles of home ownership, Kite expects professional singles and couples who work at Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital and in other medical offices on 37th Street to be another group of tenants. In the current inventory-challenged housing market, where home sales sometimes are stymied because a person ready to sell can’t find a suitable replacement house to purchase, residents will likely also include people looking for a luxurious place to live while building or continuing to look for the house of their dreams. The complex will include private garages and carports, a fitness room with separate yoga and spin rooms, a game room, golf simulator, spa and steam room, pickleball courts and “a resort-style heated saltwater swimming pool,” according to PAC Land. Cavanaugh says he has “had an infatuation with Vero Beach since my parents moved here when I was in college. We are always looking for that quaint little seaside town that is perfect for one of our projects. “We are a high-end developer, and we look for those demographics. We’ve completed a couple of very successful projects in Naples, and we see Vero as similar. It is a small, charming, underserved market, especially as it relates to true luxury rental.” Cavanaugh says his team did an extensive search for the right piece of property in Vero that “lasted for more than a year.” He eventually brought in Keith Kite to tap his local expertise. “They gave me the parameters of what they wanted, and I identified the size acreage they needed in several locations, including out by the mall and on the west side of Indian River Boulevard,” Kite says. “When I understood they were planning a high-end, ultra-luxury, concierge type project, that narrowed the focus and we zeroed in on the land on Indian River Boulevard.” The land they found – a triangular, 23.6- acre wooded parcel at the southeast corner of the Indian River Boulevard/41st Street intersection – belonged to well-known Vero Beach developer Warren Schwerin and had been for sale for a decade, according to Kite. The land was in the county when they found it, but Cavanaugh and his team applied to the City of Vero Beach to annex it and were successful. The city allows higher density for multifamily housing than the county. Kite, who was involved throughout the predevelopment process, said the planning and approvals were a heavy lift. The property adjoins Indian River Land Trust conservation property and is only about a third of a mile from the Indian River Lagoon. The project needed approvals from the city, the county, FDEP, Florida Inland Navigation District and others, as well as a drainage easement agreement with the Land Trust. “We concluded an easement agreement with them in late 2022,” says Land Trust executive director Ken Grudens. “We’re satisfied the project in environmentally sound.” The Vero Beach Planning & Zoning Board approved Cavanaugh’s site plan in January 2022 and Cavanaugh closed on the land 11 months later, in December 2022, shortly after reaching agreement with the Land Trust, paying $3.75 million for the property. Construction Journal estimates the value of the completed project at $130,800,000. Proctor Construction Company started sitework in late summer 2023 and buildings will begin to rise in coming weeks. Cavanaugh said pre-leasing will start in the fourth quarter of this year, with residents picking up their keys late in the first quarter of 2025. There will be one large apartment building with elevators and air-conditioned corridors, seven duplex townhouse buildings, three parking garages and numerous accessory buildings. A massive stormwater containment lake has been excavated and there will be extensive landscaping, as required by city code. The apartment building will be U-shaped, creating a large lakefront pool and recreation courtyard. The project started life as the Park Pointe Apartments but will make its debut as The Vivien, a name Cavanaugh chose because he wanted something with a classier ring. The project website, www.TheVivien.com, was slated to go live on Wednesday. The Vivien is part of a nationwide trend toward more Class A, luxury apartments that is driven in part by high barriers to home ownership and mobile lifestyles, according to CNBC and smartapartmentdata.com. “A striking development in the first half of 2023 was the record construction of luxury apartments, with an unprecedented 200,000 units built, surpassing the previous 6-month record by 25,000 units,” smartapartmentdata.com reports. “This boom suggests a strong market response to sustained demand.”

6 January 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH www.veronews.com Some of the best things in life can come with aging – wisdom, grandchildren and, of course, Medicare! For most, Medicare means lower or no monthly premiums and the ability to visit a doctor more often if needed, and now the government healthcare program has become even more beneficial for Vero residents. Dr. Michael Fortunato has opened VIPcare Senior Focused Primary Care, which caters exclusively to Medicare and Medicare Advantage patients. Dr. Fortunato says value-based care is at the heart of VIPcare’s mission, focusing on the long-term health outcomes and overall satisfaction of patients. This approach prioritizes preventative care, early interventions, and building strong patient-physician relationships. By integrating the principles of value-based care, VIP aims to reduce healthcare costs, improve health outcomes, and enhance patient experience. “VIPcare is part of a growing group of practices that is getting back to the good old model of primary care, focusing on the patient-physician relationship,” said Dr. Fortunato, MD and primary care provider at VIPcare’s Vero Beach Location. “The elderly population is growing disproportionately and as people get older, they are more prone to chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiac diseases, dementia, and loss of muscle mass and strength. Add to that the inevitable loss of family and friends and many start to lose their social network. Financial insecurity is another issue. We’re living longer so the risk of running out of money for the elderly is real. These are some of the challenges that we see with those 65 or older. “Aging presents challenges not only for the individual but for the society at large,” Dr. Fortunato continued. “Our population is aging at a rate much higher than is being added to by a younger generation to support the elderly population. In 1920, 1 out of 20 people were over the age of 65, in 2020, 1 out of 6 are over the age of 65. The population over age 65 has grown 34 percent in the last decade alone. “Recognizing the need for these patients to have extra care, VIPcare offers a concierge level of senior-focused care without any extra costs,” Dr. Fortunato said. “We believe by seeing our patients frequently and really getting to know them while helping them manage their chronic disease, that we are more successful keeping people out of the hospital and keeping them healthier for a longer period of time.” VIPcare is value-based care, not volume based, according to Dr. Fortunato. Doctors are rewarded more for taking good care of people rather than seeing high volumes of patients and doing sick care. “It’s much more expensive to treat someone than it is to prevent them from getting sick,” Dr. Fortunato said. “With VIPcare, its quality over quantity. Instead of seeing 40 to 50 patients a day as some practices do, we limit our patient visits to 10 to 12 per day. We keep our panels small so that we can manage those patients better. For a patient with a chronic disease, we’ll see them about every three months. And we can spend as much time as we need to with them. Our schedule is light enough to work in any urgent care cases for established patients as needed.” Medication reconciliation is another service provided by VIPcare providers. “We monitor your medications and make sure that you’re on the most cost-efficient medications for your plan,” said Dr. Fortunato. “We also look at medications from other specialists to make sure they are interfacing well together.” While genetics plays a significant role in aging gracefully, Dr. Fortunato suggests a few strategies to remain healthy with the goal of becoming older, not frailer. Be kind to yourself and have patience with the changes that aging brings. Learn to see “problems as challenges.” Be purposeful and have a schedule. Get dressed and make your bed. Have a plan for the day, week, month or year. Pace yourself. If you can do now what you did 30 years ago, you weren’t doing that much 30 years ago. Eat a healthy diet with foods that are as natural as possible and limit your alcohol intake. Exercise. Any exercise works. No time spent doing even the least amount of exercise is wasted. Find replacements for activities that you can no longer do such as replacing running with biking or replacNew practice offers senior-focused, value-based care $79 NEW PATIENT SPECIAL DENTAL LAB ON PREMISES Call 772-562-5051 CromerAndCairnsDental.com COMPREHENSIVE EXAM FULL SET XRAYS TREATMENT PLAN CLEANING* *Not in combination with any other offer. Offer good for new patients only and cleaning in absence of periodontal disease. Xrays are nontransferable. (D0150) (D1110) (D0210) (D0330) The patient and any other person responsible for payment has a right to refuse to pay, cancel payment, or be reimbursed for payment for any other services, examination, or treatment that is preformed as a result of and within 72 hours of responding to the advertisement for the free, discounted fee, or reduced fee service, examination, or treatment. 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Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH January 25, 2024 7 ing tennis with pickleball. Get proper sleep. Remain engaged and spiritual. Have your affairs in order. Control your chronic conditions and optimize treatment strategies with your doctor. Discuss medication costs and alternatives. Above all, be kind to yourself and make sure you get the high-quality treatment you deserve. VIPcare has served patients for more than 17 years and operates over 100 clinics in Florida, Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia and Tennessee. With 100+ providers, VIPcare cares for more than 80,000 Medicare beneficiaries, utilizing a hightouch population health management approach that prioritizes spending quality time with the physician. Dr. Michael Fortunato is a former senior medical officer in the U.S. Navy who attended the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo and completed his family practice residency at Wheeling Hospital. He is now accepting new patients at VIPcare’s Vero Beach location, 2032 U.S. 1. You can call 772-213-9614 to schedule an appointment. North county residents can visit Dr. Gregory Bahtiarian at VIPcare’s Sebastian Clinic located at 727 Sebastian Blvd., Unit B-1. 772-202-0946.

8 January 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH www.veronews.com Lists of the most difficult college majors almost always include the BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing – degree, and Dr. Christine Mueller, chief nursing administrator for Keiser University, which has a campus in Port St. Lucie/Tradition, doesn’t shy away from that assessment. “The BSN degree is absolutely one of the 10 most difficult undergraduate programs,” says Mueller, who is on the board of the Florida Board of Nursing. “The course of study is notoriously rigorous, and students need to be able to understand complex concepts quickly. All the skills – including theory, lab and clinical work – are involved. “Students need to be able to deal with heavy hours and physical demands, and not be brought down by outside issues. Nursing school needs to be their top priority.” The Bachelor of Science in Nursing is an undergraduate-level degree program with coursework in psychology, chemistry and anatomy as well as clinical practice. MAJOR EFFORT REQUIRED TO OBTAIN THIS NURSING DEGREE By Jackie Holfelder | Correspondent CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 Dr. Christine Mueller

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH January 25, 2024 9

10 January 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH www.veronews.com Those enrolled often are working as registered nurses or at other jobs while they pursue their studies. “Completing a BSN program is one way to start a career in nursing and obtain your RN license,” according to the University of Central Florida, but most students are nurses when they undertake the BSN degree. Why would someone who already has a well-paying, demanding job as registered nurse want to tackle a tough BSN program? One reason is, “Nursing becomes more complex with each passing decade, forcing nurses to transition from skill-based competencies to making complex decisions, understanding health policy, and performing seamlessly in a team,” according to a recent article published by Nursejournal. org. The article goes on to note 10 advantages of having a BSN degree in addition to RN certification, including better pay, more autonomy, more career flexibility and advancement, graduate school preparation and improved outcomes for patients. The article also reports that an increasing number of healthcare organizations require RNs to attain the degree. Mueller says Keiser instructors help lighten the load for their students by being available and approachable. They need to be empathetic and caring if that’s the way they want their nursing students to interact with patients. Despite that help, individual students often must overcome daunting roadblocks on their way to attaining the coveted degree. Michelle Ismail RN, BSN, is assistant nurse manager at Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital in St. Lucie West. “Nursing is a lifelong journey,” she says, recalling the challenges of her own path. The native Floridian started college wanting to become a teacher, but when a cousin told her about the immense need for nurses, Ismail switched her major. After getting her AA and RN degrees from Florida International University and Miami Dade College, respectively, Ismail enrolled in Western Governors’ University to pursue a BSN online. At the time, she was a wife and mother and working full shifts as an RN. And as luck would have it, she began the road to her BSN degree just months before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which put tremendous extra strain on those working in healthcare. “My family was so supportive – I could never have done it without them,” Ismail says. “My kids helped me study with flash cards. My mom sat in while I was taking exams to help document my work. I was working the night shift at the hospital, coming home, sleeping and then getting up and doing my schoolwork during the day.” It took her three years to complete the 15 classes required for her BSN degree, in part because of the rigors of the program and in part because of pandemic disruptions and delays. “My satisfaction has always come from seeing my patients get better or supporting those who were not going to recover,” Ismail says. “That’s what motivated me to go back and get my BSN 15 years after I had last gone to school.” John Van Saun, RN BSN, is a charge nurse at Health First’s Viera Hospital, the culmination – so far – of a path from his 2002 high school graduation that was anything but straight. Lacking clear career goals, he drifted into construction work after high school and after a few years met the woman he would marry. His future wife was a teacher, and the lack of dependable work and a steady paycheck in construction was a problem for a guy planning to start a family. “My mom was an RN for 30 years,” says Van Saun. “When she saw me grappling with the decision about what to do for a career, she said, ‘You’ve always liked taking care of people – why don’t you become a nurse?’” Needing to fill in some holes in his transcript before getting into a BSN program, the New Jersey resident got undergrad degrees at Sussex Community College and William Patterson University CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 Michelle Ismail, RN, BSN.

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | YOUR HEALTH January 25, 2024 11 while continuing to work in construction. After moving to Florida with his wife, he enrolled in Florida Gulf Coast University and ultimately received his BSN in 2018, while teaching part time. “It was tough getting that degree,” Van Saun says, “but it shouldn’t be easy. I would read a couple of chapters and turn to YouTube for additional information to supplement what I was reading.” The week he started his first nursing job (as a floor nurse at Health First’s Holmes Regional Medical Center) his first daughter was born. Additionally, he was still studying for his state boards. Patient interaction is what Van Saun loves most about his job. He forms a bond with patients and truly rejoices when they get better. And he’s not done yet with his nursing journey. Van Saun has begun his first semester at the University of Central Florida in the doctoral nursing program, where he will work toward a DNP degree. Sissy Jumper, BSN, RNCNOR, is a cardiac telemetry nurse at Sebastian River Medical Center who will be completing her MSN at University of Central Florida in December. A doctorate degree is in her future, too. “My parents brought me to Florida from Cuba for the American dream,” says Jumper, who knew she wanted to be a nurse when she was just 4 years old. “We left behind many family members who are still there, working as doctors and nurses.” Married at 19, Jumper moved to Virginia with her new husband and got an AA in nursing at Paul D. Camp Community College before going on to Liberty University. She credits the foundation at Liberty University, where she received her BSN, for being a great asset to her success as a nurse. In addition to the demanding course study, Jumper appreciated the emphasis placed on showing compassion and patience to those being treated. “Liberty added Christian values into each course. That was very valuable for me and helped me to guide my own practice. I learned how to add an additional layer of communication and patient advocacy into how I work.” Jumper was working nights as an RN and carrying a 12-credit course load during the day while she worked on her BSN. “It’s so important to love what you do,” she says. Keiser University’s Treasure Coast campus is located at 9400 SW Discovery Way in Port St. Lucie. The university offers a variety of online and in-person nursing programs. John Van Saun, RN BSN. Sissy Jumper, BSN, RN-CNOR.

12 January 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTATE www.veronews.com At 1667 Victoria Circle in Grand Harbor’s charming Victoria Island community is a stylish and upgraded home boasting gorgeous golf course views and an aura of welcome. Among the new features of this freshly painted Belvedere model are a brand-new roof, new bedroom carpeting, re-piped plumbing and other significant upgrades throughout. Flanked by palms and tidy foliage, the driveway leads to a two-bay garage and a curving walkway to the recessed, east-facing front porch, where a pair of bay windows assures pleasant ambient light flowing into the breakfast nook just beyond. Beyond the front door, pale ceramic tile floors extend throughout the open living area, and the white/cream interior palette enhances the bright, airy ambiance, providing the perfect background for your personal style choices. From there, the living/dining space stretches west to the spacious screened porch, accessed via a glass slider wall. Sunlight is plentiful through the sliding glass doors as well as a pair of wide windows on the north side. Recessed lighting illuminates the modern, eat-in kitchen, which glows with oak-hued wooden cabinetry, handsome mottled cream/black granite countertops and stylish tile backsplash. The new stainless-steel appliances include builtin microwave, electric stove, side-by-side fridge, dishwasher and deep, single-basin sink with a window overlooking the seventh hole of Grand Harbor’s beautiful River Course, one of two 18-hole golf courses in the renowned community. The pleasant breakfast nook sits within a sunny bay with a pendant light with copper disc shade and soft golden illumination. Open to the living/dining space, a wide arched pass-through above the two-level sink counter allows conversation and convenient food-and-beverage serving between kitchen and living spaces. There is a long snack bar on the dining room side of the counter and a pair of attractive woodlook palm frond fans above. Just left of the screen porch sliders, in an angled niche opening to the primary suite, is a built-in, floor-to-ceiling double shelf unit, one of the home’s lovely interior design elements. The porch itself is perfect for reading, dozing, al fresco dining, enjoying morning coffee or evening cocktails – or simply taking in the expansive view of tropical foliage and the rolling, emerald stretch of the River Course. Adjacent to the kitchen is the laundry room, featuring a GE Profile Smart washer and dryer; a window to the front entry porch; a long, convenient hanging rack and handy little metal baskets on one wall. Here, too, is entry to the garage. Off the living room in the southwest corner, the primary suite provides a pleasant haven, with brand-new carpeting, white millwork and cream walls. The walnut Queen Anne style furniture offers an elegant contrast. Sliding doors with plantation shutters provide private entrance to the screened porch and an inspiring vista of the verdant golf course. There is a By Samantha Rohlfing Baita | Staff Writer [email protected] Updated golf course home in glorious Grand Harbor

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTATE January 25, 2024 13 standard closet as well as a large walk-in. The bathroom is a pale beauty in soothing white and sand, with a white cultured marble top on the long, white, two-basin vanity beneath a full-width mirror. Above, a pair of clerestory windows fill the room with soft natural light. There is a soaking tub with tiled shelf, a fully tiled walk-in shower with glass doors, and a linen closet. Both guest bedrooms are newly carpeted and have double bi-fold door closets and ceiling fans; one sits within a bay with pleasant neighborhood views, the other features French doors and could easily serve as a den, office or library. The second bathroom serves both guest bedrooms and is a sleek standout, sporting all-white, glass-door tub/ shower, Corian-top vanity and millwork, and stylish wall covering in black, gray and white vertical stripes. A clerestory window provides natural light. One of the area’s most sought-after residential communities, Grand Harbor is convenient to everything Vero’s charming mainland and its famous island village have to offer, from the Main Street art gallery, restaurant and pub district, to the famous beachside scene, with high-end boutiques, fine restaurants, resorts, country clubs, live professional theater, a great art museum, parks, marinas and miles of gorgeous beaches. Neighborhood: Victoria Island, Grand Harbor Year built: 1999 Construction: CBS; new tile roof Home size: 1,646 square feet Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2 full baths Dock services: Marina, yacht club Additional features: Central heat/air; 2-bay garage; new bedroom carpeting; new interior painting throughout; crown molding; glass sliders; ceiling fans; walk-in closet; screen porch; eat-in kitchen; granite counters; stainless appliances and deep sink; well-equipped laundry room; gate guard staffed; bike/jog/nature trail; community pool; lease OK w/ restrictions; HOA fee includes cable TV, common area, individual lawn care, lawn irrigation, recreational facilities, reserve fund and security Listing agency: AMAC Alex MacWilliam Real Estate Listing agents: Diane DeFrancisci, 772-538-1614; Brenda Montgomery, 772-532-4170 Listing price: $538,000 1667 VICTORIA CIRCLE

14 January 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTATE www.veronews.com MAINLAND REAL ESTATE SALES: JAN. 15 THROUGH JAN. 19 TOP SALES OF THE WEEK A slow week for mainland real estate sales saw only 18 transactions of single-family residences and lots reported (most shown below). The top sale of the week was in Vero Beach, where the 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom lakefront home at 7530 Cambria Court – listed in November for $999,000 – sold for $915,000 on Jan. 16. Representing the seller in the transaction was agent Shane Reynolds of Keller Williams Realty. Representing the buyer was agent Kelly Fischer of ONE Sotheby’s International Realty. SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES AND LOTS ORIGINAL SELLING TOWN ADDRESS LISTED ASKING PRICE SOLD PRICE VERO BEACH 7530 CAMBRIA CT 11/24/2023 $999,000 1/16/2024 $915,000 VERO BEACH 7600 FIELDSTONE RANCH SQ 9/14/2023 $700,000 1/16/2024 $665,000 VERO BEACH 4816 OVERTON CIR 11/28/2023 $649,900 1/16/2024 $646,000 SEBASTIAN 645 BRUSH FOOT DR 12/14/2023 $490,000 1/19/2024 $492,000 VERO BEACH 2895 W BROOKFIELD WAY 10/16/2023 $499,900 1/16/2024 $490,000 VERO BEACH 5169 LONGHORN DR 11/20/2023 $439,000 1/19/2024 $430,000 SEBASTIAN 641 NOBLES ST 8/5/2023 $449,000 1/19/2024 $390,000 VERO BEACH 4775 S HARBOR DR UNIT #203 10/19/2023 $435,000 1/16/2024 $385,000 SEBASTIAN 1573 EMERSON LN 8/14/2023 $424,000 1/16/2024 $370,000 SEBASTIAN 102 ELENA DR 12/5/2023 $374,900 1/19/2024 $365,000 SEBASTIAN 351 JETTIE TER 11/6/2023 $389,000 1/16/2024 $351,000 VERO BEACH 1825 EDEN CT 7/11/2023 $359,000 1/16/2024 $335,000 SEBASTIAN 1001 PERSIAN LN 10/10/2023 $349,000 1/16/2024 $327,000 VERO BEACH 2390 6TH ST 11/6/2023 $305,000 1/16/2024 $300,000 Stats were pulled 1/21/24 9:58 AM

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | REAL ESTATE January 25, 2024 15 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: 10/16/2023 $499,900 1/16/2024 $490,000 Scott Mazmanian Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc. Sally Daley Douglas Elliman Florida LLC 2895 W Brookfield Way, Vero Beach 12/14/2023 $490,000 1/19/2024 $492,000 Robin Raiff Douglas Elliman Florida LLC NOT PROVIDED NOT PROVIDED 645 Brush Foot Dr, Sebastian 11/28/2023 $649,900 1/16/2024 $646,000 Scott Mazmanian Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc. Jackie Ripple Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc. 4816 Overton Cir, Vero Beach 9/14/2023 $700,000 1/16/2024 $665,000 Zachary Coletti EXP Realty, LLC Kristen Reiman EXP Realty, LLC 7600 Fieldstone Ranch Sq, Vero Beach

The Scottish Society of the Treasure Coast will have “Burns Night” complete with dinner, a performance of the Vero Beach Pipes and Drums Band and the Highland Dancers. There will be a “formal piping of The Haggis” at the official Robert Burns Dinner. The event begins at 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, at the Pointe West Golf Club, 7500 14th Lane, Vero Beach. $65. For more information, call 586-909- 0509 or visit ScottishSocietyOfThe TreasureCoast.com. Live from Vero Beach! presents Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, at the Emerson Center. The group’s iconic hits include “I’m Into Something Good,” “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” and “I’m Henry VIII, I Am.” Tickets are $55 to $115. The Emerson Center is on the campus of the Unitarian Universalist FelBONZ HAS THE BEST TIME WITH TIMON CONTINUED ON PAGE B3 AYE SAY, SCOTTISH SOCIETY’S ‘BURNS NIGHT’ LOOKS GRAND By Pam Harbaugh | Correspondent Coming Up 1 NEW PRACTICE OFFERS 12 SENIOR-FOCUSED CARE 6 HOUSE OF THE WEEK: GRAND HARBOR HOME B7 LOVE OF ART CONQUERS ALL WATERCOLORIST GASPARRO IMMERSED IN CREATIVE PROCESS PAGE B2 2

B2 January 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | ARTS & THEATRE www.veronews.com Watercolorist Susan Gasparro believes that even early on, she was destined to become an artist. She says her mother, an artist in her own right, recalls giving Gasparro tape, paper and a pair of children’s scissors at age 2, which she used to make a carousel. Gasparro later attended the High School of Art and Design, a Manhattan school that integrates art, technology and academics. Hoping to pursue a career as an artist, she went to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y., but, feeling that she wasn’t learning anything she hadn’t already mastered in high school, she left and took an internship at Star Magazine. “That got the ball rolling. After a few years, I worked at Successful Meetings Magazine, then Soap Opera Weekly, and later Soap Opera Digest,” says Gasparro, adding that she “was with the Soaps for 25 years.” Sue and husband Rocco ended up in Vero Beach after deciding to leave the city, and she worked as an art director for several magazines, locally and remotely. It was while she was recovering from breast cancer that she again found solace in art. “I hadn’t picked up a paintbrush since college. I never had time to paint,” she says, explaining that all her energy had gone into building her career. “I said, ‘What can I do that I’m not going to have to leave the house? I have to do my art, because I don’t know how to do anything else,’” she says. Although she initially disliked painting in watercolors, having tried it in school, she knew from her sister, a wedding planner for the Ritz Carlton, that it was trending in wedding paraphernalia. The soft watercolor palette is ideally suited for nuptials, with hazy edges that appear dreamy and romantic, so she decided to give it a try. “I gave myself a month to teach myself watercolor techniques. I found people and styles I liked and then emulated them. I fell in love with watercolors that month; I found it very therapeutic. I have anxiety, and when I paint, it goes away. It’s a really tranquil feeling. Once I start painting, I’m calm,” says Gasparro. “During my ‘time of misery,’ I went down a rabbit hole looking at the works of other watercolor artists,” she says, citing her appreciation of works by British botanical watercolorists Anna Mason and Billy Showell. “These women are phenomenal artists. Anna Mason does a strawberry with water on it that looks like you could pick it up.” Inspired by their works, Gasparro began trying her hand at painting tropical flowers and plants. She has completed floral triptychs on commission, some incorporating the contrasting delicate and bold leaves of various palms, as well as others that glow with brilliant outsize flowers or a combination of the two. One of her flower watercolors even incorporates a delicate green frog nestled in amongst the flower’s petals. Her portraits of people, whether realistic or abstract, capture the essence of the person at a moment of time in their life, and she also enjoys the challenge of painting dog portraits and baby animals, explaining, “It’s fun trying to get the fur just right. I love all the little details.” She has satisfied her proclivity to paint buildings, another of her favorite subjects, by taking commissions to paint residences, capturing the homeowners’ personalities in new and different ways. “It’s a challenge to get the shadow and detail just right with architecture. When you start to paint, you have to train your eye to look at the shadows and the tones of the color, to differentiate when the shadow fades to light.” BY STEPHANIE LaBAFF STAFF WRITER Watercolorist Gasparro immersed in creative process Susan Gasparro. PHOTOS: JOSHUA KODIS

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | ARTS & THEATRE January 25, 2024 B3 She has also painted a series of Parisian street scenes, homages to one of her favorite cities, which gave her the chance to depict the essence of the homes, shops and buildings as well as the character of the city. While she continues to work remotely as a graphic designer, and locally on other watercolor projects, Gasparro has garnered a large following for her commissioned work. As postponed weddings began to be rescheduled post-COVID, she was inundated with requests for her custom designed wedding ‘suites’ including invitations, reply cards, maps, etc., each a work of art in itself. Marrying her computer design skills with her watercolor skills, Gasparro creates pieces of art that memorialize that particular day. “It’s like a little story. All parts of a whole.” For example, when she designs a map, she says, “Every single item is individual; the background, buildings, trees and streets. I paint it, scan it, clip it, and clean it up in Photoshop. Then, I compose the final image using InDesign.” Her Watercolor Design Studio has now become a family affair, with her mother assisting with the painting, Rocco with the assembly and daughter Olivia with the photography and wax seals. Of her artistic process, Gasparro says she sketches everything before starting the painting process. “I like to layer. I start with a wash, then the mid tones and then the dark tones. Then, I put the highlights in at the end. It’s very satisfying,” she explains. For all her work, she uses good watercolor paper and good paint, stressing, “They make a difference.” lowship of Vero Beach, 1590 27th Ave. For more information call 800-595-4849 or visit MusicWorksConcerts.com. The Vero Beach Theatre Guild presents the Larry Brown Quintet Jazz Concert beginning 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25. Tickets are $20 to $25. The Vero Beach Theatre Guild is at 2020 San Juan Ave. For more information visit VeroBeachTheatreGuild.com or call 772-562-8300. The Vero Beach International Music Festival kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26, with the Sandeep Das & Mike Block Duo. This duo were formally members of Yo-Yo Ma’s award-winning Silkroad Ensemble. The second in the music series features the Mike Block Solo Show at 7:30 p.m. March 16. The third concert features the Hanneke Cassel Trio performing at 7:30 p.m. April 26. Tickets are $25. All performances will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach, 520 Royal Palm Blvd. Tickets are $25. For more information, visit VeroBeach InternationalMusicFestival.com. Pianist Sergey Belyavsky will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, at the Emerson Center. It is presented as a collaboration between the Emerson Center and Temple Beth Shalom. The program includes Schumann’s “Carnival” op. 9, Khachaturian’s “Masquerade” suite, Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody” no. 9, Saint-Saens/ Godowsky’s “The Swan,” Strauss/Rosenthal’s “Carnaval de Vienne” and Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” Tickets are $20 to $40. The Emerson Center is at 1590 27th Ave., Vero Beach. For more information, call 772-778-5580 or 772-569-5700 or visit TheEmersonCenter.com. The First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach is busy with cultural offerings this weekend. The church’s galleries will have a public opening for its annual Winter Art Show from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28. Works on view will feature three artists – Evelyna Helmer, Maciek von Ato and Bertelle Brooking. The show, which runs through March 31, was curated by artist Suze Lavender. The galleries are open noon to 3 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and on Sunday mornings between church services. Admission is free. After Sunday’s public art show reception, the Astralis Chamber Ensemble performs “European Masters” beginning at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28. The group comprises flutist Angela Massey, violinist Rachel Aguilar, violist Paul Aguilar and cellist Laura Usiskin. The program features music by Mozart, Bach, Hendel, Kuhlau and Mendelssohn. Free admission. The First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach is at 520 Royal Palm Blvd. Call 772-562-9088 or visit FirstPresVero.org. CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1 3 4 6 5

B4 January 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | DINING www.veronews.com 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

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | DINING January 25, 2024 B5 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 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 HAPPY HOUR 4-7PM IN THE SHELL LOUNGE Maison Martinique Fine Dining THURSDAY DATE NIGHT SUNDAY PRIME RIB NIGHT WWW.MAISONMARTINIQUE.NET | (772) 231-7299 AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE FUNCTIONS VISIT OUR SITE OR CALL FOR RESERVATIONS OR MORE INFO SERVING DINNER 5-9PM INDOOR & OUTDOOR SEATING LIVE MUSIC WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY STARTING AT 7PM NEW TAPAS & DINNER MENU BAR OPEN 5PM-CLOSE The Restaurants at Maison Martinique FOOD SERVED 5-9PM WWW.MAISONMARTINIQUE.NET | (772) 231-7299 $45 Charcuterie Board Demo, Entree, Dessert & Non-Alcoholic Drinks Included Thursday 10:30am February 8 with local lifestyle author Creperie Events Sunday 9am-1pm February 4 Art Show & Brunch with local artist Iris Peters of IrisSeaArt.com Themed Cocktails & Bubbly Available for Purchase 772-231-7299 or MaisonMartinique.net for Reservations or More Info Valentine’s Day Dinner Costa d'Este invites you to celebrate Valentine's Day at The Wave Kitchen & Bar! Join us for a romantic evening featuring a four-course dinner prepared by our exquisite culinary team. Wednesday, February 14 Pre-Fixe Dinner | $135 Per Person *$35 Optional Wine Pairing Available *tax & 20% gratuity applies Reservations Required. Limited Seating. costadeste.com | 772.410.0100

B6 January 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. OPEN WEDNESDAY - SUNDAY ORDER YOUR PARTY PLATTERS THE ENTIRE MENU IS AVAILABLE FOR TAKEOUT ONLINE ORDERING WITH TOASTTAKEOUT.COM SALADS, PASTA, VEAL, CHICKEN, SUBS AND DESSERTS 1931 Old Dixie • 772.770.0977 fishackverobeach.com • Like us on Facebook! Gift Certificates, Private Parties & Patio Dining Available We Will Reimburse for Parking. TUESDAY NIGHT l ALL YOU CAN EAT FISH FRY HAPPY HOUR 4-6 PM l TUES.- SAT. WE CAN ACCOMMODATE LARGE PARTIES TUES OPEN FOR DINNER AT 4 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 The French Dip, PB FRENCH DIP (V, Veg) Grilled ciabatta, basil aioli, arugula, portobello mushrooms, onions and garlic confit, melted gouda cheese, french fries “I first discovered Chef Anthony and Lisa’s tasty dishes at the Hope for Families Center Top Chef competition a few years ago where they won first place for best dessert. Their current location, just off of Indian River Blvd north of the Barber bridge, they are now in the Boulevard Tennis Club. Membership is not required to eat there and they do have a large outdoor dining space where you can watch the members play tennis. They offer many different vegetarian, vegan, and keto style dishes. They are a scratch kitchen too, so just ask Chef Anthony to modify the dish to your personal preferences.” See the new Menu with Classic or Plant Based Options @ THE BOULEVARD OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 1620 BOULEVARD VILLAGE LANE VERO BEACH, FL 32967 • (772) 778-4200 info @blvdtennisclub.com HOURS OF OPERATION Monday-Saturday: Lunch 11-2 Dinner, Monday-Friday.: 5-8:30 4

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | PETS January 25, 2024 B7 I met 8-month-old Timon Moursy at that Big, Pup-ular Dog Park on the River. It was late in the day anna liddle cold an windy, so all the humans were walkin’ around with their shoulders up, paws in their pockets an hats pulled down. The pooches, however, were havin’ a ball, runnin’ all over the place, meetin’, greetin’, wag-an-sniffin’ and havin’ a Super Crispy Biscuits time (cuz cool weather gets us poocheroos all EN-er-gized, right?). Plus, of course, we have fur all over instead of havin’ to pile on layers of CLOSE like our humans do. But I digress. Me an my assistant were sittin’ onna bench when I spotted Timon an his human from AFAR. They were headed our way but Timon kept runnin’ off to greet pooch frens, an runnin’ back to his human (which he preddy much did the entire time). I felt like a pupper again, just watchin’ how happy an inner-jedic he was. He bounded up an skidded to a stop. “Helloooo, Mr. Bonzo! I KNEW it was you from all the way across the field, cuzza your notebook! PLUS you look just like your PICKshur in ther PAY-per! I’m Timon, an this is my Mom, Dalia.” Timon’s a hansome poocheroo: creamy tan fur, white sox, bib, and a stripe from his head down to his nose. He’s muscular, but not bulky, with long legs, a curled tail an, Cool Kibblest of all, mysterious light blue eyes. I KNOW! Right? An, when he runs – which he does a LOT – he looks like a colt. Following intros an the standard Wag-an-Sniff, I opened my notebook an inquired, “How’d you meet your Mom?” “So, I was born in HEW-Stun, which Mom says is inna big state called TEX-us, where she was livin’ at the time. My pooch mom was a stray, lost an in dire straits – she was PREG-nut an all alone on The Mean Steets till a nice man saved her, Thank Lassie, cuz preddy soon we arrived – all NINE of us. All BOYS!” “Oh, WOOF! That musta been so scary, Timon!” “I KNOW! We all wudda probly Bought the Doghouse, fur sure. Anyway, the man couldn’t keep us, so he hadda find Furever Homes for us. He asked Mom if she could take one of us an she did, cuz she buh-lieved we all duh-zerve a better life. An, Woof, Bonzo, even tho I’m still just a pupper, I totally know how lucky I am that she picked ME!” Just then, a pretty black an white shepherd ran by an woofed hello. “’S’cuse me. Back inna minute,” said Timon, an took off runnin’ with his pooch pal. After a few laps across the field, he zipped back an plopped down, a routine he would continue throughout the innerview. “Sorry. I have tons of frens here! Wanna run with us?” “I’d love to, but I’m on the job,” I said. “But I totally understand. What was it like movin’ here? You were just a little pup, right?” “Yep. About 4 months old. A place called Panama City, which is where we lived until we came here this Ock-TOE-bur. “THAT’s where I learned about swimmin’! There was a pool where we lived an Mom carefully placed me in it. I was real liddle but all four of my paws just started paddlin’ an I paddled all the way across the pool an jumped out on the other side. I’m like, ‘Woof! I DID that! What WAS that?’ Mom told me it’s called SWIMMIN’! “Preddy soon after that, guess what? I discovered a Really BIG Buncha Water! It’s called the O-shun! I ran right in an splashed around. I was SO excited! PLUS, there’s a part right next to it with no water called, um, a BEECH! I found out you can DIG there! I LOVE DIGGIN! Soon as you do, woosh, the O-shun come up an makes it all smooth again. Isn’t that SO Cool Kibbles!” “Totally,” I replied. “I’ve done a liddle beech diggin’ in my time. But I was not that fond of sandy paws. I do love swimmin’ in my pool, however! So what was your journey to here like?” “We drove in Mom’s CAR. I love ridin’ in the car, with my head out the window, an the wind in my ears! It’s Pawsome. I mostly nap. We stopped at two, um, they’re called mo-TELLS. I was very well-buh-haved. “When we got to our complex here, I did a lottas chewin’, bein’ a pupper an all. Mostly slippers. But Mom taught me to not do that. I also learned about where to Do My Dooty an how to sit-for-a-treat, stuff like that. Turns out, I am smart AN well-buhaved. Mom says I’m a Good Listener.’” “Tell me about your fave foodstuffs. An I know you have lotsa pooch pals!” “I get Blue Buffalo an, for treats, Milk Bone. I also like peanut butter, wadermelon, apples an, speshully, CARROTS. “I have tons of frens: In our complex I usually play with Mable. An Axel, he’s a German Shepherd. I hadda Pug fren in HEW-Stun. I met a coupla cats there, too. We played together an, when they said STOP, I ALWAYS stopped. Oakley helped me learn about stairs. That up-an-down stuff was a liddle scary. But I gotta say, I wasn’t ever scared of fellow pooches. Even big ones. When I was 6 weeks old, Mom says, I’d bark at a Very Gigantic Mastiff neighbor. I’m preddy sure he thought I was a Goofball. I meet lotsa liddle humans on the BEECH. They always wanna pat me. “Mom’s my BFF, of course. My Gramma Teta lives inna place far, far away called EEE-gipped, which is where my Mom’s from. I haven’t met her yet, but I think me an Mom’ll visit her some time. Or maybe she can visit us. That’d be So Cool Kibbles!” Heading home, I was thinkin’ about frenly, fun lovin’ Timon, an how his scary beginning turned into such a Happy Ending. An the beginning of an excitin’, wonderful life. I We are always looking for pets hope he gets to meet his Gramma. with interesting stories. To set up an interview, email [email protected]. DON’T BE SHY The Bonz Hi Dog Buddies! Bonz has the best time with Timon, a peppy pooch Timon PHOTO: JOSHUA KODIS

B8 January 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 (JANUARY 18) ON PAGE B11 ACROSS 3. Pretentious (4) 7. Dab or skate? (4) 8. Pull; booty (4) 9. Bowler’s approach (3-2) 10. Protest march (4) 11. Get by scheming (6) 13. Estrange (anag.) (8) 15. Boyfriend; dandy (4) 16. Perform again (4) 17. All aquiver (8) 18. Dairy spread (6) 21. Bring up; stern (4) 23. Baghdad native? (5) 24. Fuel container (4) 25. Citrus peel (4) 26. Extract cream (4) DOWN 1. Fifties dance (4) 2. From beginning to end (10) 3. Family member (4) 4. Cheap drink (3,5) 5. Mob (4) 6. What toddlers scream? (4,6) 10. Hand out (10) 12. Peace award, e.g. (5,5) 14. Printed star (8) 19. Canned fish (4) 20. Not edgy or angry (4) 22. Church recess (4) Established 32 Years in Indian River County (772) 562-2288 | www.kitchensvero.com 3920 US Hwy 1, Vero Beach FL 32960

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | GAMES January 25, 2024 B9 ACROSS 1 Excited 5 She might reach for a C note 9 Chicken or tuna, e.g. 14 Yaphet role, 1977 17 Who Wants To Breathe ___? 20 Gay partner? 21 Kabuki participant 22 Who Wants To Dance Like ___? 23 Who Wants To Eat Some ___? 25 Abbr. on Windy City buses 26 Retired freedom fighter? 27 Computer language 29 Have as a customer 30 He has a small work force 32 “Solemn ___ owl” (Goethe) 35 “A wink is as good as ___” 37 Yemeni port 38 The sixth sense 40 Who Wants To Sing ___? 44 Actress Hagen 46 Esau’s land 48 “Where ___ I?” 49 Part of a Civil War signature 50 Who Wants To Shine Some ___? 53 German-Polish river 54 Small marsh 57 Persian, for one 58 City of NW Spain 59 Who Wants To Act With ___? 62 Hellenic H 63 Potok’s Asher 64 Pokémon’s genre 66 Bridal path 67 Unescorted 69 Who Wants To Live In ___? 74 Thief Le Moko 75 Does paper work 77 John or Bonnie 78 Little whisky, e.g. 80 Popular juice drink 81 Who Wants To Read Some ___? 84 African antelopes 87 Arm-over-arm swinger 88 Au or Cu, e.g. 89 With 127 Across, a popular candy 90 Who Wants To Move A ___? 92 Present start 93 Tease 95 “If You Go Away” penner 96 2nd Lts. graduate from it 97 Who Wants To Spell ‘___’? 102 Superlative finish 104 Some July babies 105 Snigglers’ wrigglers 106 Can’t live without 108 Jeer at 112 Characteristic styles 115 Be an immature victor 117 TourBook publisher 119 It’s on the level? 120 Who Wants To Play Some ___? 122 Who Wants To Fight A ___? 126 Color 127 See 89 Across 128 Who Wants To Die Like ___? 129 Try: abbr. 130 Kilmer subject 131 “Of course!” 132 Stack role DOWN 1 Ticker outlet 2 Cull 3 Well-established 4 Tropical fruits 5 Abbr. on Crest 6 Love Story composer 7 Albania’s capital 8 Ex-hurler Hershiser 9 Further helpings 10 Computer type 11 Pink Panther films co-star 12 Dark or pale drinks 13 British title 14 Marcos of the Phillipines 15 Quick mover 16 Chant 17 Some enlistees, familiarly 18 Fly at half off? 19 Oper ender 24 Condemn 28 Dressy event 31 Wild duck 33 Legree’s creator 34 Rashad of sports 36 Stallone’s sci-fi judge 39 In a snit 41 Be all charged up? 42 Zeno’s town 43 San Francisco Bay’s ___ Buena Island 44 Al Neuharth started it 45 Metal used in performance bikes 47 Get-up-and-go 51 Tenn. athlete 52 Band aide 53 Draft rating 54 Actor Richard 55 They’re wellconnected 56 Where Lord Byron died 57 People people 59 Antiseptic surgery pioneer 60 Taxing tyke 61 Cup rim 65 Hair holder 68 DFW datum 70 Buffalo‘s lake 71 Hole number? 72 Belly button type 73 Jimmy Hoffa’s middle name (aptly enough) 76 Alabama city 79 Noncommercial spot, for short 82 Typesetting mach. 83 Like Chicago in 1871 85 Free, to Franco 86 Come to terms 90 Public health agcy. 91 Little bit 92 “... ___ thought” 93 Tough tests 94 ___ many words 97 Bible prophet 98 Crossed through 99 Site of Michael’s hidden gun in The Godfather 100 Extent 101 “Here’s Johnny!” et al. 103 Spend the evening at home 107 Häagen-___ 109 Addicts 110 Approaches 111 Container weight 113 ___ Helens 114 German-French river 116 Cultural opening? 118 Snowy peak 121 “So ___ heard” 123 “How can ___ sure?” 124 The Zuider ___ 125 Busy flyer The Telegraph The Washington Post ...Inspired by a certain game show The New Fall Lineup By Merl Reagle

B10 January 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | GAMES www.veronews.com Responder’s range had high-level effect By Phillip Alder - Bridge Columnist If you have a bid that can have two ranges, it is better if they are not contiguous. For example, 6-9 or 13-plus is better than 10-12 or 13-plus. That cost the Zimmermann team points on Board 22 of the Spingold Knockout Teams final. At both tables, the first four calls were the same, including East’s ugly overcall (admittedly at favorable vulnerability). When Piotr Pawel Zatorski held the South hand, his partner had announced game-forcing values, so he jumped to four hearts to indicate a minimum opening. Then, when West competed with five clubs, North passed and South doubled. The defenders took two spades, two hearts and one diamond for down three, minus 500. That would be worth 3 international match points if their teammates bid and made four hearts. The auction at the other table is given. Here, North’s response was game-invitational or more. So, when East intervened, Pierre Zimmermann (South) passed. He judged his hand not worth game opposite the weaker holding. Then, after West inconsiderately jumped to five clubs, Fernando Piedra (North), with such a distributional hand, felt he couldn’t pass. Paul Street (West) led the club king. Nicolas L’Ecuyer (East) overtook with his ace, cashed the diamond ace and club queen and then played another diamond. Declarer, expecting his opponents to have shapely hands for their high-level bidding, cashed the heart ace and played a heart to the 10 to go down two. That was 12 IMPs to the Street team, making the score 55-36 to Zimmermann. Dealer: South; Vulnerable: North-South NORTH K Q 10 9 5 4 K 10 5 3 9 5 3 WEST 8 6 2 7 6 Q J 6 5 K 10 9 4 SOUTH A 7 A J 8 4 2 K 10 4 2 J 2 EAST J 3 Q 9 A 8 7 3 A Q 8 7 6 The Bidding: OPENING LEAD: K Clubs SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST 1 Hearts Pass 2NT 3 Clubs Pass 5 Clubs 5 Hearts All Pass

Serving mainland Indian River County VeroNews/Sebastian River News | CALENDAR January 25, 2024 B11 ONGOING Check with organizations directly for updates/cancellations. Riverside Theatre: “Jersey Boys” on the Stark Stage through Jan. 28. 772-231-6990 or RiversideTheatre.com McKee Botanical Garden: A Tropical Flock: Aviation Avatars, on exhibit through April 28. McKeeGarden.org King of the Hill Tennis Tournaments to benefit Youth Guidance Mentoring Academy, 6 p.m. Thursdays at the Boulevard Tennis Club through Feb. 15. YouthGuidanceProgram.org Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge tours, Wed. mornings through April 24. Free; reservations required. 772-581-5557 First Friday Gallery Strolls, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Downtown Vero Beach Arts District. JANUARY 25 Live from Vero Beach presents Herman’s Hermits, starring Peter Noone, 7 p.m. at the Emerson Center. $55-$115. MusicWorksConcerts.com or 800-595-4849 25 Vero Beach Theatre Guild presents the Larry Brown Quintet Jazz Concert, 7:30 p.m. at VBTG. $20 to $25. VeroBeach TheatreGuild.com 26 Art Antiques Architecture: A Night on the Nile Gala, 6 p.m. at the Vero Beach Museum of Art, with dinner, dancing and a preview of the exhibition, Ancient Egypt & the Napoleonic Era: Masterworks from the Dahesh Museum of Art. $750. VBMuseum.org 26 Vero Beach International Music Festival presents Sandeep Das (tabla) and Mike Block (cello/vocals) in concert, 7:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church. $25. VeroBeach InternationalMusicFestival.com 27 Up, Up & Away Gala to benefit Gifford Youth Achievement Center, 5:30 p.m. at Oak Harbor Club, with dinner, entertainment and silent disco ‘personalized’ dance music. MyGYAC.org 27 Lyrics and Laughs, 6:30 p.m. at the Heritage Center with open bar, tapas, dessert buffet, comedian Chase O’Donnell and singer/songwriter Anna Uaus, to help fund Sally Wilkey Foundation free children’s summer camp. $125. SallyWilkeyFoundation.org 27 Emerson Center and Temple Beth Shalom present Carnivals, featuring award-winning pianist Sergey Belyavsky, 7 p.m. at the Emerson Center. $20 to $40. TheEmersonCenter.com 27 to April 28 – Vero Beach Museum of Art exhibition, Ancient Egypt & the Napoleonic Era: Masterworks from the Dahesh Museum of Art. VBMuseum.org or 772-231-0707 28 Community Church of VB Concert Series presents the Stetson University Symphony Orchestra, 4 p.m. at CCOVB, featuring the overture to Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus” and Schumann’s 4th Symphony. $20. ccovb.org, 772-778-1070 or at the door. 28 European Masters concert by a quartet of talented musicians from the Astralis Chamber Ensemble, 4 p.m. hosted by First Presbyterian Church. Free. 772-562-9088 29 International Lecture Series presents Space Archeologist Sarah Parcak, Indiana Jones in Space, 4:30 p.m. at Vero Beach Museum of Art. VBMuseum.org or 772-231-0707 29 Golden Fork Awards Culinary Spectacle, 6 p.m. at Celebration Grove, with 11 Treasure Coast restaurants competing for top honors to benefit Treasure Coast Food Bank. $85, includes samples of savory and sweet creations and a chance to cast their vote. TreasureCoastFoodie.com 30 Emerson E-Series presents Matt Ajemian, Ph.D. on Stealing Sharks & Ravaging Rays: A Scientific Assessment, 7 p.m., at Emerson Center. Free. TheEmersonCenter.com 30 to February 18 - Riverside Theatre presents the Baby Boomer comedy, Morning After Grace on the Waxlax Stage. 772- 231-6990 or RiversideTheatre.com 31 Camp Haven 10th Anniversary Celebration, 6 p.m. at Oak Harbor Club. $195. CampHaven.net FEBRUARY 1 Live from Vero Beach presents Top of the World: A Tribute to the Carpenters, 7 p.m. at the Emerson Center. $45-$95. MusicWorksConcerts.com or 800-595-4849 1 Big Band Bash, 7 p.m. at Vero Beach High School PAC and livestreamed. $5 to $12. 772-564-5537 2 Starfest to benefit Childcare Resources, with options for 11:30 a.m. luncheon and 6 p.m. evening festivities, both at Riomar Golf Club, featuring singer/songwriter and early childhood education advocate Coy Bowles. $200 & $275. 772-567-3202 x 108 2 Concerts in the Park presented by Sebastian Chamber of Commerce, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Riverview Park featuring Johnny and the Blaze. Free; BYO lawn chair. SebastianChamber.com 2-4 Vero Beach Theatre Guild presents the Shakespeare comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. VeroBeachTheatreGuild. com or 772-562-8300 2-4 Treasure Coast Ribs, Wings and Rock Festival at IRC Fairgrounds, with 2 stages, 10 bands, full bar, arts & crafts and car show. TreasureCoastRibsWingsFestival.com 3 Cupcake 2-Miler, 7:30 a.m. from AW Young Park. RunSignUp.com 3 Spaygbetti & No Balls Festival, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Fellsmere Historic School grounds to benefit the H.A.L.O. No-kill shelter’s spay/ neuter fund, with live music, food, vendors and performances by the Canine Stars stunt dogs. HaloRescueFl 3 Poetic Abstracts opening reception of mixed-media paintings by John Lunar Richey, 3 to 7 p.m. at Stouthouse Gallery. 772- 589-8826 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]. Sudoku Page B12 Sudoku Page B13 Crossword Page B12 Solutions from Games Pages in January 18, 2024 Edition Crossword Page B13 (Totally New!) 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

B12 January 25, 2024 VeroNews/Sebastian River News | CALENDAR www.veronews.com