12/24/2020 ISSUE 52

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 51

HEALTH

when subjects’ total energy expen- of breath. “And right at that point
diture was equal, HIIT and moder- where you finally catch your breath,
ate training produced similar re- it starts again,” Holland says. Your
ductions in weight, body fat, total ratio of work to recovery time can
cholesterol and cardiorespiratory fit- be adjusted to accommodate your
ness, all of which reduce the risk of fitness level, but it should general-
cardiovascular disease. ly range from 1:4 to 1:1. This might
look like a minute of burpees fol-
Also, because HIIT workouts tend lowed by two minutes of recovery or
to be shorter, participants may be 20 seconds of jump squats followed
more likely to avoid “compensatory by a minute of recovery.
eating,” says Holland. In other words,
you might be less prone to “reward- Although you might be tempted
ing” yourself with a bigger portion or to minimize your recovery time in
a dessert after a 25-minute HIIT ses- pursuit of a more intense workout,
sion versus a 45-minute jog. that strategy can be counterpro-
ductive. “If you cut [your recovery]
In fact, because fat loss depends too short,” Srinath says, “you can’t
on an overall caloric deficit, exer- go at a high intensity for the next in-
cise alone won’t necessarily drive ter v a l.”
results. According to Jay, fat reduc-
tion has more to do with your meals Holland says a 25-minute HIIT
than your workouts. Anybody inter- session might include five one-min-
ested in starting a HIIT program who ute rounds of high-intensity exer-
hasn’t started looking at their diet, he cise, each followed by two minutes
says, “should take all that energy and of recovery, sandwiched between
redirect it.” a five-minute warm-up and a five-
minute cool-down.
None of this is to say that you
shouldn’t give HIIT a try. There are Regardless of what moves and
many ways to do it; the type of exer- time intervals you use, it’s impor-
cise doesn’t matter, as long as you get tant to vary your routine. As you
your heart rate into the “red zone,” get fitter, your body becomes more
Holland says. Common moves in- efficient – and you burn fewer calo-
clude compound (multi-joint) move- ries. “Our bodies are very smart ma-
ments, such as variations on bur- chines,” Holland says, so “we need
pees, squats and lunges, “due to their to mix it up.”
relative difficulty and concomitant
high heart rate response.” To avoid injury and burnout, Sri-
nath suggests incorporating HIIT
If arthritis or other mobility is- into your routine two to three times
sues preclude you from high-impact a week; on other days, you can insert
movements, you can turn any low- strength training and low-impact
impact workout, such as cycling, aerobic exercise, such as walking or
swimming or using the elliptical, swimming. Although the workout
into a HIIT workout. All you need are is appropriate for any age, if you’ve
a timer and some motivation. been diagnosed with a heart condi-
tion, you should exercise with med-
According to the American College ical supervision, Srinath says.
of Sports Medicine, the work periods
should range from five seconds to HIIT is an excellent choice for
eight minutes and be performed at anyone who has time constraints
80 percent to 95 percent of your max- and wants to optimize their long-
imum heart rate. The time commit- term health – in other words, just
ment varies, but it can take as little about everyone, including begin-
as 20 minutes. ners. No matter what your HIIT
workout looks like, it will be done
Pace yourself, so by the time your before you know it. 
work interval is complete, you’re out

and visceral fat mass,” the study’s brisk walking, leisurely swimming HARBOR PRIMARY CARE
authors said. What the authors did or biking on a flat surface at a con-
not say is that HIIT reduced fat bet- versational pace. “When you look THET L. TUN M.D.
ter than other forms of exercise. at a lot of studies,” he adds, “you’re
And, in fact, studies have not found getting the same results with high- Board Certified Internal Medicine
a difference in fat loss between HIIT intensity interval training in half
and moderate-intensity continuous the time.” And that, he says, helps • Accepts Medicare
exercise in laboratory trials or in the people maintain their routine. He • Dr. Tun is an active member of
real world. explains: “It’s, ‘Hey, I’m getting the the medical staff at Cleveland Clinic
same results – and in half an hour Indian River Hospital since 2011
“From a clinical perspective, rather than an hour. I’m more likely
there’s really no difference” between to be consistent.’” 1300 36TH ST, STE 1G • VERO BEACH, FL 32960
HIIT and moderate exercise, Srinath
says. “The real benefit of HIIT,” she HIIT training also has potential Medical Arts Center West of Hospital Emergency Department
adds, is its time efficiency. cardiovascular health benefits. A
2019 meta-analysis reviewed 22 re- PLEASE CALL 772-562-3960 FOR APPOINTMENT
Holland agrees. The “true beauty searched articles comparing HIIT
of a HIIT workout,” he says, is how training with moderate-intensity
little time it takes compared with training. The authors found that
moderate-intensity exercise, such as

52 Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

HEALTH

Retire or keep working? The healthy answer isn’t that simple

BY MARTA ZARASKA
The Washington Post

Retire early and live longer? Or to tain people were less likely to die than ple worked, the lower their mortal- health, and life satisfaction.” Stud-
stay healthy, work until you drop? they would otherwise be expected to. ity risk. ies in the Netherlands and Japan also
If you search the Internet for advice noted the positive effects of retire-
on how retirement may affect your The U.S. study, of nearly 3,000 Yet a different U.S. study of more ment on health.
health, you will probably come across healthy retirees stepping away than 6,000 people 50 and older found
both these statements. from their jobs on average at about “strong evidence that retirement The message was probably best
age 65, found that the longer peo- improves reported health, mental summed up in a 2020 meta-analysis,
To make things more confusing,
catchy anecdotal evidence supports
these opposing ideas. You may hear
about Shigeaki Hinohara, a Japanese
longevity researcher, who claimed
that working kept him healthy, and
toiled 18 hours a day until the day he
died at age 105. Or you may read sto-
ries of people happily ditching their
jobs to suddenly recover strength and
travel the world.

Scientific literature appears no less
divided at first glance. For instance,
various studies conducted in the
United States, Austria, Greece and
Denmark all found a link between
working longer and reduced mortality
risk – which roughly means that with-
in the follow-up period of a particular
study (say, five years or 10 years), cer-

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 53

HEALTH

the gold standard for research, which their health go through some decline” If your marriage is unhappy, re- tended to suffer. As a result, they may
looked at 25 studies and conclud- after retirement, while “for about 5 to search suggests that your health may end up participating in fewer group
ed that the effects of retirement on 10 percent of population, retirement is decline – or seem worse – after you activities and having fewer friends.
health are “mixed” – sometimes posi- really good for their health.” Research quit work and are home more. Un- This can have profound effects on
tive, sometimes negative depending also suggests that the health status of married men heading into retirement health. Studies have found that build-
on a variety of factors. those in manual professions won’t be appear to be more at risk, too. Having ing a strong support network can low-
hurt and may benefit from working had a highly social job, such as in cus- er mortality risk by about 45 percent.
So how should we think about when longer years – provided the job itself tomer service, can also affect mental For comparison, exercise can lower
to retire and what it might mean for doesn’t cause them health troubles. and physical health in retirement. For that risk by 23 to 33 percent, while
health? such people says Wang, “retirement following the Mediterranean diet can
In general, says Cécile Boot, an oc- creates a big issue for their day-to-day lower it by 21 percent.
Mo Wang, retirement researcher at cupational health researcher at Am- activities and their social life quality.”
the University of Florida, says some sterdam University and one of the For this reason, many researchers
of the confusion in the studies stems authors of the mixed results meta- A 2018 meta-analysis that looked suggest that those thinking of retiring
from the fact that often they “do not analysis, “if you have a healthy job” at 151 studies involving more than should take time to prepare for it not
take into the account the health is- – meaning one that fits your capabili- 700,000 people concluded that when only financially but also psychologi-
sues as reasons for retirement.” He ties well and is satisfying and not too people retired their social integration cally and socially. 
says, however, this “healthy worker ef- stressful – “working is good for your
fect” does not explain all differences heath.” That’s hardly surprising since
in studies between those who stay on work stress has been linked to a vari-
their jobs and those who leave. The ety of health ills, including diabetes
rest is probably due to retirees being and heart disease.
a diverse group – with various types of
jobs and life circumstances – so if you Another important issue when it
lump everyone together, you will get comes to retirement and health is
confusing results. whether you decide to step down
yourself, or are forced to do so. A
That is key, says Maria Fitzpatrick, study of nearly 800 Dutch workers,
a social scientist at Cornell University for instance, found that those who
who studies the health effects of re- felt pushed into retirement tended
tirement. to judge their physical well-being as
worse than those who decided on
“What happens in retirement is go- their own to stop working, no matter
ing to be different for different people their initial health.
depending on what they did before re-
tirement and what they do after.” And then, there is the social aspect
of life after retirement.
Based on his research, Wang says
“about 20 percent of retirees … see

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54 Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 Style Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

The great Vogue shakeup: Is Anna Wintour in or out of fashion?

BY LISA ARMSTRONG and celebrities were becoming the new
The Telegraph supermodels, Anna straddled that really
brilliantly and put herself front and cen-
Is Anna Wintour too big to fail? De- ter of the whole thing and became big-
spite limping through one of the worst ger than all of them. Condé Nast needs a
years of her career, last week the veter- brand name like hers at a time like this.”
an editor has seemingly accrued more
power than ever thanks to two swanky Magazines have struggled pitifully in
new job titles: chief content officer of a year where events have been banned
Condé Nast and global editorial direc- and advertising has fallen off a cliff edge.
tor of Vogue. But Wintour’s new role also comes after
six months of speculation regarding her
Viewed as part of a broader shake- future at the company.
up at Condé Nast, the news could be
interpreted as an escalation of the It has been an annus horribilis in
decades-long cult of Anna, with the more ways than one for the London-
71-year-old many thought was on the born editor who rose through the
brink of resignation this summer now ranks to dominate the New York me-
overseeing all of the stable’s titles oth- dia scene. Leading a fashion maga-
er than the New Yorker. zine through a global pandemic was
always going to be a difficult task but
“There is very little star quality out once lockdown hit, Wintour respond-
there,” says Fiona Golfar, the former ed- ed in her inimitable way, regularly ap-
itor-at-large of British Vogue. “But Anna pearing on Vogue’s Instagram page in
has more glamour than anyone else in her quarantine uniform of expensive
the industry and she represents some- tracksuit bottoms, and rallying the
thing that is fascinating and untouch- fashion industry by partnering with
able and yet she knows how to sell a Tom Ford on A Common Thread, a
dream. She isn’t accessible but she is as- fund to help struggling designers.
pirational. When I was starting at Vogue
Then things fell apart – badly. In May,
Andre Leon Talley, the 6-foot-6, one-time

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Style Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 55

African-American creative director of in 2017, that’s now as unaffordable as the their colleague across the Atlantic. dollar contracts with any muse who
Vogue published “The Chiffon Trench- wildly optimistic 23 floors it took over in Enninful may be 48 but he represents had “Anna’s blessing.”
es,” a tell-all autobiography in which he the new World Trade Center in 2014.
writes of his former boss, “I don’t think the New Guard of fashion, appealing to Her fundraising for the Obamas and
she’s capable of kindness.” Sensing the Then 2020 struck: a year that saw ad- under-35s with his left-leaning agenda Hillary Clinton made her a potential
mood was turning on Wintour, Ameri- vertising, which makes up 70 percent of and push for diversity that has shaken Washington player, too. But there were
can designer Ralph Rucci joined the fray, the business, slashed by brands who cut up British Vogue and broadened its ap- missteps. Wintour was deeply impli-
calling Wintour “an evil British woman,” their spending by up to 80 percent. Con- peal among younger audiences. cated in the debacle that saw Condé
adding that she was mediocre and alleg- dé Nast was forced to furlough hundreds Nast lose an estimated $170 million af-
ing that “many, many have spoken badly of employees and reduce pay for those Wintour, meanwhile, has been edi- ter its relaunch of the once successful
about her in private.” earning more than $100,000, which is al- tor in chief of American Vogue since fashion news website, style.com, as an
most half the workforce. Wintour herself 1988 – impressive by any standards e-commerce site flopped catastrophi-
A month later, Wintour was deal- took a 20 percent pay cut. but a lifetime in a notoriously fickle cally. Washington never did come call-
ing with more than just bitchy com- industry. Her stewardship saw Vogue ing. And after a year like this one, can
ments. The Black Lives Matter move- “The consumer magazine sector has become a money-making machine, the past ever carry as much weight as
ment looked as though it would knock been going through a period of decline and a King (or Queen) maker in Holly- the present?
off Wintour’s Condé Nast crown when for a number of years but this has been wood. Celebrities fell over themselves
former Vogue employees spoke publicly hugely accelerated by the pandemic to curry her favor because a Vogue At least one New York media insider
about their experiences at the magazine. and the lack of travel and events,” cover was as prestigious as a Vanity believes Wintour’s promotion is genu-
Shelby Ivey Christie tweeted that her says Alice Pickthall, a media analyst Fair one, with the added bonus that ine and that she will wield even more
time as a media planner at Vogue in 2016 at Enders Analysis. “Fashion titles in it opened lucrative portals to fash- power than before. After all, Jonathan
was “the most challenging and miser- particular have been hard hit. How ion sponsorship with luxury fashion Newhouse, scion of the family that
able” of her career, adding that bullying hard we won’t know until next year but brands happy to sign multimillion- owns Condé Nast – who many believed
from white colleagues was “exhausting.” I wouldn’t be surprised if all this re- to be her arch rival when he headed up
structuring was a way of hiding some the European division from London –
Within days, Wintour’s reputation of the changes being made below the was moved to a new role as chairman
had gone from fashion’s grande dame very top since staff is one of the biggest of the board. In the minds of some ob-
to a baby boomer hopelessly out of costs at the company.” servers, that made him less influential
touch with millennial and Gen-Z val- than Wintour.
ues. As accusations mounted that she Condé Nast has, of course, touted this
had ignored systemic problems within restructuring as a bold move into a new “Anna has always been the shiniest
the magazine she presided over, specu- future, but the consolidation of Europe- star at Condé Nast, so her departure
lation increased that Edward Enninful an titles under Enninful’s direction sug- would cause the biggest drama and the
– the Black editor of British Vogue who gests that content made in London will best dinner party chat,” says Golfar. “For
has been working to improve diversity now be translated and syndicated across the last 15 years people have been saying
in the fashion industry for years – was the region, much as it already is for Con- she’s on her way out – but she never was.
being primed to take her job. dé Nast Traveler and Glamour. I’ll be in a walker before Anna leaves
Condé Nast.” 
Which is why this restructuring could “I do think individual titles will lose
be seen in a completely different light. something from syndication but it has
Condé Nast is a master of branding and to be the way forward,” says Golfar. “We
CEO Roger Lynch knows all too well that are witnessing the globalization of ev-
booting out their star editor after a year erything and yes, each magazine should
like this would make the company look have its own voice, but I don’t think
weak and confirm that it is in serious Vogue can afford not to make this move,
financial trouble. By appearing to push and Edward is the person to oversee it.
Wintour further up the chain, giving He is a brilliant brand ambassador like
her an even bigger corner office and a Anna was, but in a different way. She
fancier title, are they really just creating has become a brand ambassador for the
a vacancy for Enninful to jump into the business, but he has become one for the
top spot in New York? youth and diversity of the industry.”

The shake-up last week has, after The apparent rivalry between Ennin-
all, been about consolidating roles and ful and Wintour has certainly engaged
bringing various international titles the fashion world.
together under one editorial umbrella.
Enninful – who has been the editor of Their relationship has had its testy
British Vogue since 2017 – also received moments, as wincingly witnessed by
a promotion last Tuesday to European anyone who saw her dismissive han-
Vogue editorial director. He will now dling of him in “The September Issue,”
oversee all of the magazine’s editorial the film that consolidated Wintour as
operations in France, Germany, Spain box-office heat. It’s easy to pit the two
and Italy. Notably, the longtime edi- very different editors against one anoth-
tors-in-chief for Germany and Spain er and it is notable that neither has been
both left last week, following from the particularly fulsome in their praise of
departure of Angelica Cheung at Vogue
China in November.

Meanwhile, power at Condé Nast’s
other publications, including GQ, is
being centralized, consolidated and
streamlined. It’s hard not to see much
of this as a cost-cutting exercise. For
decades editor-in-chief jobs at Condé
Nast were seen as the industry’s gold
standards, with the chosen few feted
(and paid) like mini pashas. For a com-
pany that posted losses of $120 million

56 Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 Style Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

Pantone 2021: The grown-up way to wear yellow and gray

BY HIMAT MOHHAMED
The Telegraph

History has a way of repeating itself.
On the eve of 2008, Pantone declared
Blue Iris its color of the year – apt for a
year of global recession. For 2020, the
color was Classic Blue, and ... well, we
know how that turned out.

Just shy of a month from 2021, the
trend forecasters have chosen not one,
but two colors for the year 2021: Illu-
minating and Ultimate Gray.

Ultimate Gray is just that, while Il-
luminating is a cheery yellow hue. The
message behind these chosen colors is
one of hope and reaching the light at
the end of the tunnel – with a caveat
inherent in the pessimism of the gray
(just in case).

“Practical and rock solid but at the
same time warming and optimistic,”
is how the company described the col-
ors, adding that its “the union of ... of
strength and positivity.”

Despite the colors being rooted in
optimism by Pantone, yellow and
gray have a murky history: Renais-

sance artists used a yellow cape to trine, as seen in “La
identify Judas in paintings. In foot- La Land.” It can be
ball, referees raise a yellow card as a instantly dressed solo
warning before expulsion. because of its natural
shine – think festive dresses,
In fashion speak, yellow has come coats and accessories. The shade
to stand for Gen Z, with “Gen Z yel- holds its own, as we’ve seen in Al-
low” becoming the new millennial fred Hitchcock’s “To Catch a Thief,”
pink in 2019. Grace Kelly’s first appearance is in a
light yolk swimsuit with a matching
There were glimpses of the buttery headwrap; Kate Hudson’s famous
hue all over the catwalks at Salva- dress in “How to Lose a Guy in 10
tore Ferragamo, Molly Goddard and Days” is a shimmering slinky dress;
Prada, where Miuccia Prada and Raf Kirsten Dunst’s frilly chick yellow
Simons’ first partnership took place gown in the role of Marie Antoinette.
in a yellow room with a series of gar- Meanwhile, gray is a great add-on
ments coming down in 2021s top to mute and layer with. The mixing
shades. of the two is a grown up way of do-
ing black and yellow, a childish color
Meanwhile, the color gray is mak- combination due to its bumblebee
ing a comeback too, after years of and Batman associations. When it
overexposure to Elephant’s Breath- comes to skin tones, yellow is easier to
painted rooms and “Fifty Shades” ad- pass off as a no-fuss in comparison to
aptations. reds and pinks.
Stock photography agency Shut-
I think after a year of intense po- terstock also released a list of official
liticization, it would not come as a colors of 2021 – three of them: Set Sail
surprise if celebrities wanted to turn Champagne, a soft fizzy hue; Fortuna
away from suffragette white and Gold; and Tidewater Green, a shade
#MeToo black to bask in their revoked similar to the dress the Queen wore to
15 seconds of glory in the limelight in address the nation in April.
Ultimate Gray, the new monochrome In many cultures, the color you
of the new red carpet. wear on New Year’s Eve is viewed as a
harbinger of fortunes for the coming
Illuminating is the more practi- year. Set Sail Champagne over Clas-
cal and grown-up alternative to ci- sic (COVID) Blue? 2021 already sounds
like an improvement. 

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Style Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 57

Alexander McQueen team treks far and wide for inspiration

BY EMILY CRONIN
The Telegraph

Sarah Burton has taken the Alexan-
der McQueen design team to mysti-
cal corners of the U.K. in the name of
inspiration-hunting. They’ve traveled
over the sea to Scotland’s Shetland
Islands, to the Yorkshire moors, and
to Tintagel and the Cornish cliffs, for
trips that have fed into collections in
layered, narrative-rich ways.

For spring-summer 2021, the design-
er had London on her mind. Having re-
turned to the capital over the summer,
after the first lockdown, she found that
her absence had given her the gift of
seeing the city in a new light.

Her new collection does away with
the storytelling embroideries and mind-

has presented its menswear collection beauty of the bare bones of cloth-
alongside the womenswear. Some of ing stripped back to its essence – a
the pieces appeared with subtle tweaks world charged with emotion and hu-
across both collections. So did the Wan- man connection,” was the extent of
der boots – black, glossy, stompy and Burton’s commentary on the collec-
perfect, they’re the best boots. tion. Which was fine. In this case, the
clothes said it all. 
“Shape, silhouette and volume, the

boggling embellishments of seasons are dresses with visible corsetry and
past in favor of a collection that’s core huge, butterfly-draped skirts; hybrid
McQueen, with all the corseted dresses denim-and-leather biker jackets; “ex-
and tailoring that implies. ploded” leg-of-mutton sleeves; Wat-
teau-backed dresses in upcycled black
She showcased it not in a Paris Fash- lace. Almost everything hews to a re-
ion Week show, but in a five-minute strained palette of black, blush, beige,
video by Jonathan Glazer. The director white and gray.
of films including “The Fall” and “Un-
der the Skin” reimagines the collection As good as the dresses are (and they’re
as the wardrobe for a group of photoge- very, very good – a buttercup-yellow v-
nic mudlarks. The models wade into the neck dress with a fitted waist and pleated
Thames and take to the mud flats under skirt would make a beautiful choice for a
its bridges for picnics, liaisons, naps and back-garden wedding), the tailoring will
mud baths – all in their McQueen finery. have dress addicts thinking twice. This
season, Burton’s double-breasted jack-
It isn’t true to life – would you roll ets and clever trompe l’oeil blazers come
around in river mud in a couture-level with pegged, cuffed, trousers, for a more
McQueen dress? – but the film is true masculine look than Meghan’s favorite
to the attitude of the clothes. These are slim-cut crops.
quiet, confident clothes – a bit bossy, and
totally resolute. Speaking of masculinity: This sea-
son marks the first time that McQueen
So what do they look like? There

58 Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

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62 Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

ONGOING a.m. to 4 p.m. at Humiston Park, Jan. 10 and 31,
Feb. 14 and 28, March 28 and April 11. Vero-
Check with organizations directly for up- beachartclub.org
dates/cancelations.
First Friday Gallery Strolls in Downtown Vero
Vero Beach Museum of Art: Avery to Warhol Beach Arts District, monthly from 5 to 8 p.m.
exhibition thru Jan. 3 and Chul Hyun Ahn: New
Light thru April 30. Vbmuseum.org JANUARY

McKee Botanical Garden: Sean Kenney’s Na- 2 Army vs. Navy: The Battle for Dominance,
ture Connects LEGO Bricks exhibition thru April 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Fellsmere hosted by Do
25. Mckeegarden.org You Give a Ruck to benefit United Against Pov-
erty (with funds and nonperishable foods), with
Art in the Park Fine Arts & Crafts Shows, 10 contestants starting with a ruck march, followed

Robert. A. Spiotta

Robert A. Spiotta, 91, Vero Beach, Fl for-
mally of Avon- by- the- Sea, NJ passed away
December 13, 2020 at his home in Vero
Beach. He was born in South Orange, NJ, the
youngest of three sons of Erma Gilda Spiot-
ta and Joseph Spiotta. Mr. Spiotta graduated
from Lafayette College in Easton PA in 1952
with a degree in Economics.
During his time at Lafayette College,
Mr. Spiotta Lettered in Lacrosse and was
Vice-President of the Theta Chi fraternity.
After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and
was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1952. He served as the
Top Secret Control officer of the 3rd Marine Air Wing in Florida from
1953 to 1955. He was promoted to Captain while in the reserves.
Upon his release from active duty, Mr. Spiotta joined the City National
Bank and Trust Company of Hackensack NJ. He later became Director
of the bank. In 1962, Mr. Spiotta joined the family firm of Spiotta and
Company, which had real estate and financial interests.
Mr. Spiotta met his wife, Jeanne Pace in high school. They would have
been married for 67 years on the 27th of this month. They lived in
Short Hills NJ for over 35 years before moving to Avon in 1993.
In 1984, the couple purchased a winter home at John’s Island Club in
Vero Beach. Mr. Spiotta was very active in croquet, having been pres-
ident of the group for over seven years. Both he and his wife played in
several tournaments up and down the East Coast and in Canada, each
winning several trophies over the years. Mr. Spiotta had also been a
member of the Rock Spring Club of West Orange NJ, for over 48 years
as well as a member of Spring Lake Bath and Tennis Club for over 38
years. He was very active with the Green Gables Croquet Club of Sea-
girt, NJ for many years having served as vice president and treasurer.
In addition to his wife Jeanne, Mr. Spiotta is survived by his broth-
er, Roland of Maplewood, NJ; two daughters, Loren Spiotta-DiMare
and her husband, Lou, of Tewksbury, NJ and Sheryl Herrema and her
husband, Don, of Vero Beach, Fl. He has a granddaughter, Katherine
Grace Herrema who is attending Davison College in NC.
There will be a private service held at a later date. In lieu of flowers,
memorial contributions may be made to Cleveland Clinic Indian
River Hospital.
Arrangements under the direction of millennium cremation service,
Vero Beach. Condolences may be shared online at www.millennium-
cremationservice.com.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 63

CALENDAR

by the ‘Army Air Assault Obstacle Course,’ ‘Ma- 24 Inaugural Vero Beach Half Marathon & ance Mentoring Academy, 6 p.m. Thursdays at the present American Landscapes, featuring Amy
rine Endurance Obstacle Course,’ ‘Stress Fire’ Sea Turtle 2-Miler, 6:45 a.m. and 7 a.m. Boulevard Tennis Club, with 2020 finalists competing. Beach’s String Quartet and Dvořák’s American
and another ruck march. Open to the public for from Riverside Park to benefit Running Zone Shortened format features 40s Division Feb. 4; 50s Divi- Quartet, 3 p.m. at VBMA. 772-231-0707 x 136
viewing & competing. DoYouGiveARuck.com Foundation. 321-751-8890 sion Feb. 11; and Open Division Feb. 18. 772492-3933
10-21 Vero Beach Theatre Guild
8 to March 7 - Right of Way: The Highway- 25 Vero Beach Lecture Series presents 7 Atlantic Classical Orchestra and Vero Beach presents the delightful John
men, exhibition at A.E. Backus Museum historian Karen E. Quinn on Glorious Museum of Art Chamber Music Series Cariani comedy, “Almost, Maine.” 772-562-8300
and Gallery. 772-465-0630 Marvels of the Land: The Hudson River School,
4:30 p.m. at VBMA. 772-231-0707 x 123
9 Bark in the Park to benefit the Humane So-
ciety of Vero Beach & Indian River County, 29 Vero Beach Museum of Art Gala 2021:
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Riverside Park, with Disc Viva Italia, featuring a performance by
Connected K9 and Frisbee dog shows, Sheriff’s Michael Amante and Marissa Famiglietti, 6 p.m.
Dept. K-9 demos, lure and dog agility courses, performance, 7 p.m. dinner. Live & virtual op-
food and beer trucks. Free; face masks please. tions available. $550. 772-231-0707

10 Space Coast Symphony Orchestra FEBRUARY ACROSS DOWN
presents Broadways to Hollywood, 1 QUEUE 1 QUEENLY
music of the stage and screen, 3 p.m. at the Em- 1 Grateful Hearts Annual Dinner to benefit 4 CARD 2 ENSHRINE
erson Center. 772-778-5249 the Hope for Families Center, 6 p.m. at 7 HENS 3 ELUDE
Bent Pine Golf Club, with cocktails, auctions and 8 UNAFRAID 4 CARE
15-17 Ballet Vero Beach presents dinner. $250. 772-567-5537 X 334 9 ENERGETIC 5 RAISE
Ballet: Bold and Beautiful, 10 BET 6 EASIER
featuring German Dances, by choreographer 4 Brothers Again – the Music of the Allman 12 CYGNET 11 SCRABBLE
Samuel Kurkjian, a comical take on Flames of Brothers, a 50th rock anniversary tribute con- 14 RACKET 13 TANDEM
Paris, and the debut of The Sleeping Princess, an cert presented by Live from Vero Beach, 7 p.m. at 16 CAT 15 EMERALD
abridged version of The Sleeping Beauty, 7:30 the Emerson Center; doors open at 6 p.m. $30 to 18 UNASHAMED 17 ABATE
p.m. Fri.; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sat., plus Family $85. MusicWorksConcerts.com or 800-595-4849. 21 JALAPENO 19 STOAT
Friendly performance of The Sleeping Princess, 22 BOAR 20 BAIT
2 p.m. Sun. at VBHS PAC. 772-905-2651 4-18 26th annual King of the Hill Tennis 23 DEBT
Tournament to benefit Youth Guid- 24 TREAD
16 Rail Trail 5K Run/Walk to benefit Ex-
ecutive Roundtable of IRC Community Solutions from Games Pages
Grant program, 8 a.m. from Fellsmere Trailhead in December 17, 2020 Edition
Preserve, taking participants across the I-95
Central Railroad Corridor Greenway Pedestrian
Overpass. 772-321-7468

17 Atlantic Classical Orchestra and Vero
Beach Museum of Art Chamber Music
Series present Game of Paris, with virtuoso vio-
lin and cello pieces, 3 p.m. at VBMA. 772-231-
0707 x 136

23 to May 2 – Vero Beach Museum of Art Sudoku Page 38 Sudoku Page 39 Crossword Page 38 Crossword Page 39 (FIRST CROSSWORD ON THE MOON)
presents Poetry of Nature: Hudson
River School Landscapes from the New York His-
torical Society. 772-231-0707

VERO BEACH 32963 BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Advertising Vero Beach Services | If you would like your business to appear in our directory, please call 772-633-0753

This directory gives small business people eager
to provide services to the beachside community an
opportunity to make themselves known to island readers at
an affordable cost. This is the only service directory mailed
each week during season to all 11,000+ homes on the
Vero Beach barrier island. If you are interested in a listing
in the Vero Beach 32963 Business Directory, please
contact marketing representative Kathleen Macglennon at
[email protected] or call 772-633-0753.

64 Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

PETS

Bonz meets Togi, a gentle Newfoundland giant

Hi Dog Buddies! “I guess you could say that,” he Togi let her know I love her. Then she’d pick
agreed modestly. herself up off the ground and explain to
This week, I had a great yap with pro- PHOTO: KAILA JONES me about BOUND-rees an less ex-ZOO-
bly the biggest pooch I’ve EVER met in “An how’d you get that name?” burr-rent ways to say ‘I love you, Mom.’
the fur. His name’s Togi Dunks and he’s “When Mom an Dad were in And I still sleep outside. So, it’s all good.
a handsome, impressive Newfound- Alaska, they visited a little village “When I arrived, Mom an Dad already “Bottom line, Bonz, I buh-leeve it’s my
land. He just turned 4 in June and he called Togiak, where American hu- duty to be obedient an kind an protect my
weighs a liddle north of 160 pounds! I mans called IN-you-wets live. They had Mylie, she’s an orange tabby cat. We famly. I’m gonna always stand between
felt like a cupcake. liked it so much they named me for were cool together when I was a puppy, Mom and Dad and Trouble. Even at the
it. My full name’s Togiak Dunks.” we’d play an stuff. But when I had my dog park, if some rude pooch tries to bully
Togi’s fur is Super Thick an soft, an “When did you find your For- Major Growth Spurt an alluva sudden I another pooch, I just get between ’em. I
his fluffy ears are styled in a very sporty ever Famly?” was, like, 50 times bigger than her, she ackshully have a pretty impressive bark.
blunt cut. He has big, expressive brown “Mom an Dad had had a New- got a liddle intimidated, and spent a lot- Altho I’m pretty verbal, I’m not much of a
eyes, an his fluffy tail alone is larger foundland pre-me an they al- ta time up high on her Special Cat Shelf. barker. I mean, I don’t just sit around barkin,’
than many of the mini pooches I’ve ready knew we are the most ten- you know? I only use my fuh-ROE-shuss
met. I woof you not. derhearted pooches in the world. “Ever since I was a puppy,” he con- Bark when I haff too. It’ll scare the kibbles
An VERY obedient, which we hafta tinued with some pride, “I’ve been well- out of you if you’re not expecting it.”
To match his extra-large size, Togi be cuz we’re so big. I mean, if I got buhaved. I always want to make Mom
has an extra kind, frenly personality; stubborn (which I wouldn’t) they an Dad proud. I NEVER Did My Duty in “I don’t doubt that!”
he came right up for the Wag-and-Sniff couldn’t budge me. Buh-leeve me, the wrong spot, probly cuz I’d always With his great personality and gentle
and gave my assistant a few welcoming when Mom says ‘SIT!’ I SIT. been an outdoor dog. I love chewin,’ but manners, I figured he’d have lotsa pals.
nose nudges. “Anyway, Mom an Dad got me I only chew what I’m ’spose to, which is And he does.
from Tenderheart Newfoundlands NEVER Mom an Dad’s stuff. “Keep it under your paw, Bonz, but I
“Great to meet you, Bonz,” he said. in Cortez, Colorado, when I was a do have a grrrlfren. Sasha. Prettiest lit-
“This is my Mom, Julie. My Dad, Kerry, tiny puppy, 8 weeks old an only 18 “I guess I was a bit wilder as a puppy. tle Golden Lab, runs circles around me.
is workin’. My human sister Hillary lives pounds.” I think of it as youthful ex-ZOO-burr- We swim and go boating. Then there’s
in Utah, my sister Bethany’s much clos- Tiny being a relative word, I rence. I’d run an play an bounce an some- Leo, Sugar, Coco, Uggo an Lucy. My for-
er, in Jacksonville. Come’on, we’ll go sit smiled to myself. times accidently jump up on Mom just to mer grrrlfren, a French Bulldog named
on the padio.” “We drove back home to California Bella, moved away. We’d play tug with
in a pick-up, with me curled up in Mom’s my giant knotted rope. She’d hold on an
Flipping open my notebook, I said, lap. She says I was an ‘Excellent’ traveler. I’d swing her around in circles.”
“Can’t wait to hear your story. I know To tell you the truth, Bonz, I’m just a lap We wished each other Happy Holi-
you’re not FROM here, an I’ve never heard dog at heart. Moving from California day and I headed home, still smiling
the name Togi before. Plus, no offense, to here was another fun road trip. I was as I thought about the big, beautiful
you’re so BIG. You kinda look like a bear. about one. We drove across the Whole Gentle Giant, Togi Dunks, a 160-pound
But in a good way,” I hastened to add. Entire Unided States. Took a week. I LOVE marshmallow.
travelin’. Wanna hear something cool?” I wish you the Merriest Christmas
Togi smiled. “Yeah, I get that a lot. I nodded. Ever! May your sox be filled with all your
I’m from Colorado originally. Love the “I have swum in the Atlantic Ocean most favorite stuff.
Great Outdoors, probly cuzza my heri- AN the Puh-cific Ocean!”
tage. Newfoundland’s WAY up north, “That IS Seriously Crispy Biscuits,” The Bonz
then over to the right. Us Newfound- I agreed. “So, was it hard gettin’ use
lands are workin’ dogs. Our ancestors to bein’ here? It musta been a real big Don’t Be Shy
were ackshully called ‘bear dogs’ cuzza change from the West Coast.”
how they looked. They came over with “For sure. The Great Outdoors! Run- We are always looking for pets with
the Vikings like a zillion dog years ago. nin’ free. Sleepin’ under the Big Sky. I interesting stories.
They helped fisherpeople pull in their had this wonderful outdoor kennel Dad
super heavy nets, so they hadda be real built. Here, the sky’s a lot liddler. I do still To set up an interview, email
strong and weather-resistant. And, of have space to run around in, though. [email protected].
course, very smart and obedient.”

“Woof! You’re related to ackshull Vi-
kings! That is So Super Cool Kibbles!”

DREAMY BEACH HOUSE WITH KEY WEST
VIBE OFFERED IN SUMMERPLACE

9460 Doubloon Drive, in Summerplace: 2-bedroom, 3-bath 2,067-square-foot 2-story, oceanfront home
offered for $1,850,000 by Janyne Kenworthy of ONE Sotheby’s International Realty: 772-696-5110

66 Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

REAL ESTATE

Dreamy beach house with
Key West vibe offered
in Summerplace

BY SAMANTHA ROHLFING BAITA color from sky, sea and shore between
Staff Writer outside and inside.

With its clean lines, Robin’s Egg The home’s floor plan – aka “upside
blue façade, lush lawn and swaying down living” – features family room,
palms, the oceanside home at 9460 bedroom, two full bathrooms, laun-
Doubloon Drive in Summerplace – dry and garage on the ground floor,
the preferred community for those with the kitchen, living room, master
seeking an easy-breezy, laidback, bedroom and porch on the second
toes-in-the-sand but still luxurious floor. There’s also a very flexible, spa-
lifestyle – offers the ultimate in ca- cious loft.
sual beachfront living.
On the second level, the kitchen/
This terrific 2-story residence with living space is a roomy, light-filled
area with a full glass slider wall open-

loft welcomes clear natural light and ing onto a big balcony looking out on
ocean breezes from all sides through the blue Atlantic. Three white fans
an abundance of windows and slid- extend from the high, vaulted ceiling.
ers, and you can literally walk out
your back door, down the long wood- The kitchen features stainless-
en walkway that stretches across a steel side-by-side fridge/freezer,
grassy back yard, over the sturdy sea- built-in wall oven and microwave,
wall and right down onto the beach. sink, and lunch counter stools
around the large island. Kitchen
Inside, walls, vaulted ceiling, fans, countertops glow in shades of brown
stair railings and cabinetry are white, granite. A pair of simple, graceful
the flooring a sand-hued neutral, cre- pendant lights illuminate the island.
ating an unimpeded flow of light and A double window above the sink

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 67

REAL ESTATE

brightens chores for whoever is as- room, is the master bedroom, a pri-
signed KP duty. vate haven with a glass slider wall
on the ocean side opening out to the
In the living room space that flows balcony. Here you have a front-row
from the kitchen, there is plenty of room seat for magnificent Florida sunrises.
to set up seating in a variety of configu- Sipping a steaming mug of coffee as
rations, very likely focused on the ring- you greet the day from a cozy spot on
side-seat ocean panorama through the your covered balcony is an experi-
glass oceanfront wall. With sliders open ence that’s hard to beat.
to the long balcony, you’ll have a sub-
stantial area for indoor-outdoor enter- If you need just a few more minutes
taining, complete with ocean breezes before your feet hit the floor, merely
and the enchanting sounds of sounds of raise your head off the pillow slight-
surf and seabirds. ly, and the sunrise is yours. A pair of
plantation-shuttered windows to the
Stairs from this covered balcony south flank the bed, and a 5-blade
lead to the large, grassy fenced back ceiling fan keeps the air moving.
yard and the wooden walkway, which
widens into a railed deck before The master bath is lovely and airy,
crossing the seawall and becoming a all in white, with pale sand-hued
stairway down to the beach. tile floor and 2-basin vanity top.
Plantation-shuttered windows offer
At the top of the stairs, through a light and privacy above the oval gar-
wide pocket door just off the living

68 Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

REAL ESTATE

den tub, adjacent to a glass corner a handsome pool table. Natural light to Vero’s charming beachside vil- renowned Riverside Theatre (Equi-
shower. A narrow strip of deep blue pours through double windows on lage, with its many shops, boutiques, ty), the outstanding Vero Beach Mu-
tile provides a handsome accent, bi- two sides and a glass door, all sport- resorts, fine restaurants and pubs, seum of Art; a boat launch, walking
secting the white tile shower and tub ing plantation shutters and offer- as well as the Municipal Marina, trail, tennis and pickle ball courts;
surround. ing wonderful seaside views. Off the the Vero Beach Dog Park, and Riv- and a variety of festivals and events
living room is a third full bath, with erside Park, home to the nationally throughout the year. 
A white spiral staircase leads up glass front shower.
into the loft hideaway, another flex-
ible space perfect for any number The ground floor also houses a
of uses – office, exercise room, stor- cozy en suite bedroom; a laundry
age, extra bunk space, game room, room with washer, dryer and sink
yoga or artist’s studio – you name it. with countertop and storage; and ac-
A pair of dormers provides a stylish cess to the two-bay garage.
roofline outside and additional am-
bient light inside. Just north of the Wabasso Cause-
way, and fronting picturesque Wa-
On the ground floor, the family basso Beach, Summerplace is about
room has plenty of space for all sorts 10-minute drive north to the Sebas-
of set-ups. Its current centerpiece is tian Inlet, and only 15 minutes south

VITAL STATISTICS
9460 DOUBLOON DRIVE

Neighborhood: Summerplace
Home size: 2,067 square feet

Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 3
Garage: 2-car, attached garage
Views: Sweeping beach and ocean vistas
Additional features: Oceanfront deck; balconies; crisp, clean exterior;
beautifully decorated interior; laundry room; loft; large, grassy, fenced
backyard; paver driveway; seawall
Listing agency: ONE Sotheby’s International Realty
Listing agent: Janyne Kenworthy, 772-696-5110
Listing price: $1,850,000

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 69

REAL ESTATE

Low debt-to-income ratio is important when buying a home

BY MICHELE LERNER ally not included. Everyday items like While an ideal DTI would be 25 per- limited to a DTI around 38 percent.”
food and gas are also not included cent or less, says Buege, the lower the If your DTI is between 45 percent
The Washington Post when calculating DTI ratios. DTI the better. Various loan programs
have different DTI ratio requirements. and 50 percent, many lenders will
When it comes to qualifying for a Your mortgage payments, includ- still approve a loan, says Mayhew, but
loan to buy a home or to refinance ing principal, interest, taxes and in- “For consumers with a good credit they will require a perfect credit his-
your mortgage, there are plenty of surance, are contained in the DTI history, stable income and a down tory, a larger down payment of 20 per-
numbers to consider, such as your calculation, but auto insurance and payment of 5 percent or more, most cent or more and plenty of cash in the
credit score and the appraised home life insurance payments, 401(k) con- lenders will easily lend up to 45 percent bank for an emergency. Applicants
value. Perhaps one of the most im- tributions, income tax deductions DTI,” says Mayhew. “Those with small- with a higher level of debt will usually
portant numbers is your debt-to- and college or private school tuition er down payments or problems in their need to reduce their debt and/or in-
income (DTI) ratio, which compares payments are not, says Mayhew. credit history may find themselves crease their income. 
the minimum payments on all debt
you must make each month with your
gross monthly income.

“The DTI ratio is one of the most im-
portant considerations lenders take
into account when evaluating the risk
associated with a borrower taking on
another payment,” says Paul Buege,
president and chief operating officer
of Inlanta Mortgage in Pewaukee, Wis.
“The lower the DTI ratio a borrower
has, the more confident the lender is
about getting paid on time in the fu-
ture based on the loan terms.”

It’s not just the lender who benefits
from knowing your DTI, says Buege.

“Calculating your DTI ratio can
help you determine how comfortable
you are with your current debt and
whether you have enough income to
take on a mortgage payment,” he says.

Your DTI tells a lender what per-
centage of your income is being con-
sumed by debts, says Joseph Mayhew,
chief credit officer of Evolve Mortgage
Services in Frisco, Texas.

“Lenders like to see low DTI ratios
because it means a borrower has ex-
cess income to cover unforeseen emer-
gencies and to save for a rainy day,”
says Mayhew. “As DTI ratios go higher,
lenders become less willing to lend. In
the eyes of a mortgage lender, a high
DTI can signify poor credit manage-
ment, living beyond your means and
difficulty saving money for the future.”

A simple DTI calculation is to divide
your total monthly obligations by your
total monthly income to generate a per-
centage, says Mayhew. For example, if
your total monthly debts are $1,000 and
your total monthly income is $4,000,
your DTI would be 25 percent.

However, not every monthly bill is
included in your DTI.

“Lenders typically look at install-
ment loan obligations, such as auto
and student loans, as well as any
revolving debt payments such as
credit cards or a home equity line of
credit,” says Buege. “Alimony and
child support payments are also in-
cluded. When calculating DTI ratios,
lenders don’t include utilities, cable
and phone bills or health insurance
premiums. Medical bills are gener-

70 Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

REAL ESTATE

Fixed mortgage rates fall
to lowest levels in history

BY KATHY ORTON “Mortgage rate dynamics over the
past several months have been less
The Washington Post dependent on economic data and
more on policy-related matters –
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate, both fiscal and monetary – as well as
the most popular loan product, sank epidemiological developments,” said
to its lowest level on record last week, Matthew Speakman, a Zillow econo-
marking the 15th historic low it has mist.
hit this year.
“A new spending package may place
According to the latest data re- some upward pressure on mortgage
leased last Thursday by Freddie rates, particularly if the package con-
Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate average tains more than has been reportedly
fell to 2.67 percent with an average
0.7 point. (Points are fees paid to a debated. Investors have expected the
lender equal to 1 percent of the loan spending package for a while now,
amount and are in addition to meaning it’s likely that most of their
the interest rate.) It was 2.71 reaction has already been priced in.
percent two weeks ago and Overall, mortgage rates remain very
3.73 percent a year ago. low and are unlikely to shift unless
a blockbuster spending package is
The 30-year fixed rate passed before the end of the year.”
has never been this
low since Freddie Mac The Federal Reserve met this week
began tracking mort- for the final time this year. As expect-
gage rates in 1971. It ed, the central bank did not raise the
surpassed the previous federal funds rate.
low of 2.71 percent, set
earlier in the month. “The Federal Reserve reaffirmed
For some context on [its] commitment to keep short-term
how remarkably low rates at zero for the foreseeable fu-
rates are, since No- ture, noting the slowing pace of eco-
vember 2018, when it nomic growth due to the intensifi-
was 4.94 percent, the cation of the pandemic,” said Mike
30-year fixed rate has Fratantoni, chief economist at the
fallen more than 2.25 Mortgage Bankers Association. “We
percentage points. At fully expect that they will maintain
the start of 2000, the 30-year average rates at zero for years.”
was 8.15 percent.
But most observers were more in-
Freddie Mac, the federally char- terested in learning what the Fed in-
tered mortgage investor, aggregates tended to do, if anything, about its
rates from around 80 lenders across bond-buying program.
the country to come up with weekly
national average mortgage rates. It For the past several months, the
uses rates for high-quality borrowers Federal Reserve has been buying
with strong credit scores and large mortgage-backed securities – or MBS
down payments. These rates are not
available to every borrower.

Because the survey is based on
home purchase mortgages, rates for
refinances may be higher. This is
especially true since the price ad-
justment for refinance transactions
went into effect earlier this month.
The adjustment is 0.5 percent of the
loan amount (e.g., it is $1,500 on a
$300,000 loan) and applies to all Fan-
nie Mae and Freddie Mac refinances.

The 15-year fixed-rate average
dropped to 2.21 percent with an aver-
age 0.6 point. It was 2.26 percent two
weeks ago and 3.19 percent a year
ago. The five-year adjustable rate av-
erage remained the same at 2.79 per-
cent with an average 0.3 point. It was
3.36 percent a year ago.

Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 71

REAL ESTATE

as they are often known – which are Jim Sahnger, a mortgage planner at ment targets. We won’t see either for “The housing market has not
bundles of mortgages sold on a sec- C2 Financial, is one who is anticipat- a while.” shown signs of slowing down, despite
ondary market. When a borrower ing them to hold steady. economic head winds caused by the
takes out a loan such as a 30-year Meanwhile, mortgage applications efforts to slow the spike in COVID-19
fixed-rate mortgage, a lender often “In the face of a number of negative picked up again two weeks ago. Accord- cases,” said Bob Broeksmit, MBA
bundles that loan with other loans things impacting the economy, mort- ing to the latest data from the Mortgage president and CEO.
into an MBS and then sells it to inves- gage rates have remained consistent- Bankers Association, the market com-
tors. The Fed’s purchase of MBS has ly stingy in giving up much ground posite index – a measure of total loan “Purchase activity has increased
helped drive down mortgage rates. from record lows,” he said. “The 10- application volume – increased 1.1 per- year-over-year for 30 straight weeks,
year Treasury has increased nearly 30 cent from a week earlier. The purchase and several parts of the country are
There was some concern the cen- basis points over the last 90 days, but index rose 2 percent from the previous seeing demand significantly outpace
tral bank might curb its bond-buying mortgage-backed securities have re- week and was 26 percent higher than a what is available for sale. Mortgage
program. But in a post-meeting state- mained pretty flat. The Fed met this year ago. The refinance index ticked up rates falling to another record low in
ment, it said “until substantial fur- week and stated they are in it for the 1 percent and was 105 percent higher MBA’s survey led to another strong
ther progress has been made toward long haul and will do what is needed than a year ago. The refinance share week of refinancing, with activity
the committee’s maximum employ- in the interest rate complex until we of mortgage activity accounted for 72.7 increasing again on a weekly and an-
ment and price stability goals” the reach desired inflation and employ- percent of applications. nual basis.” 
Fed would continue to buy at least
$120 million of bonds each month.

“While the Fed has been clear re-
garding their plans for the federal
funds target, they had been less so with
respect to asset purchases,” Fratanto-
ni said. Last Wednesday’s “announce-
ment provided a further commitment
that they would continue to purchase
Treasurys and MBS at the current pace
until there’s ‘substantial progress’ to-
wards a stronger economy. With the
vaccine distribution commencing, we
are hopeful to see such progress over
the course of 2021.”

While the Fed’s purchases will con-
tinue to put downward pressure on
mortgage rates, other factors could
cause rates to rise or fall, such as a
Brexit deal or a stimulus package by
Congress. But most observers expect
rates to remain low for the foresee-
able future.

Bankrate.com, which puts out a
weekly mortgage rate trend index,
found the experts it surveyed almost
evenly split on where rates are head-
ed in the coming week. About half
predicted they would rise, almost
another half said they would remain
about the same, and a few expected
them to go down.

72 Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

REAL ESTATE

Real Estate Sales on the Barrier Island: Dec. 11 to Dec. 17

The barrier island real estate market slowed slightly in mid-December with 14 transactions
recorded last week, but six of the sales were for more than $1 million.

The top sale of the week was of an oceanfront estate on South Beach. The residence at 2490
Highway A1A was placed on the market Dec. 20, 2019 for $3.5 million. The asking price more
recently was $2.95 million. The sale closed on Dec. 11 for $2.8 million.

The seller in the transaction was represented by Sally Daley of Daley & Company Real Estate.

SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES AND LOTS

SUBDIVISION ADDRESS LISTED ORIGINAL MOST RECENT SOLD SELLING
ASKING PRICE ASKING PRICE PRICE
$1,950,000
$2,150,000 $1,900,000
SUNNY SANDS 985 BEACHCOMBER LN 9/25/2020 $2,399,000 $2,150,000 12/14/2020 $1,682,051
ESTUARY THE 130 RIVERCOVE LN 10/21/2020 $1,750,000 $2,399,000 12/15/2020 $1,320,000
$1,300,000 $1,075,000
RIOMAR BAY 765 LAKE DR 10/16/2020 $1,125,000 $1,750,000 12/15/2020 $735,000
$750,000 $615,000
MOORINGS 2046 WINDWARD WAY 10/20/2020 $684,900 $1,300,000 12/11/2020
$850,000
ESTUARY THE 110 LAKEVIEW WAY 10/16/2020 $1,125,000 12/11/2020 $545,000
$320,000
ORANGE PARK ESTATES 706 HIBISCUS LN 7/6/2020 $750,000 12/15/2020

RIVER RIDGE ESTATES 1325 RIVER RIDGE DR 7/31/2020 $634,900 12/11/2020

TOWNHOMES, VILLAS, CONDOS, MULTIFAMILY AND INVESTMENT

SOMERSET BAY CONDO 9037 SOMERSET BAY LN, #302 2/24/2020 $869,000 $869,000 12/11/2020
SEA OAKS 1455 FERN CT, #314 10/6/2020 $545,000 $545,000 12/15/2020
COLONY TOWNHOUSES 4901 BETHEL CREEK DR, #G 10/13/2020 $325,000 $325,000 12/11/2020

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Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™ Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 73

REAL ESTATE

Here are some of the top recent barrier island sales.

Subdivision: Riomar Bay, Address: 765 Lake Dr Subdivision: Estuary The, Address: 130 Rivercove Ln

Listing Date: 10/16/2020 Listing Date: 10/21/2020
Original Price: $1,750,000 Original Price: $2,399,000
Recent Price: $1,750,000 Recent Price: $2,399,000
Sold: 12/15/2020 Sold: 12/15/2020
Selling Price: $1,682,051 Selling Price: $1,900,000
Listing Agent: Dan Downey & Anne Wallace Listing Agent: Fredi Ash & Christine Barry

Selling Agent: Berkshire Hathaway Florida Selling Agent: ONE Sotheby’s Int’l Realty

Dan Downey & Anne Wallace Kathleen Provancher &
Shawn Venazio
Berkshire Hathaway Florida
Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc.

Subdivision: Sunny Sands, Address: 985 Beachcomber Ln Subdivision: Estuary The, Address: 110 Lakeview Way

Listing Date: 9/25/2020 Listing Date: 10/16/2020
Original Price: $2,150,000 Original Price: $1,125,000
Recent Price: $2,150,000 Recent Price: $1,125,000
Sold: 12/14/2020 Sold: 12/11/2020
Selling Price: $1,950,000 Selling Price: $1,075,000
Listing Agent: Matilde Sorensen Listing Agent: Joan Cook & Bill Baysura

Selling Agent: Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc. Selling Agent: Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc.

Matilde Sorensen Matilde Sorensen

Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc. Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc.

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74 Vero Beach 32963 / December 24, 2020 Your Vero Beach Newsweekly ™

REAL ESTATE

Here are some of the top recent barrier island sales.

Subdivision: Orange Park Estates, Address: 706 Hibiscus Ln Subdivision: Bethel By the Sea, Address: 706 Kumquat Rd

Listing Date: 7/6/2020 Listing Date: 9/28/2020
Original Price: $750,000 Original Price: $730,000
Recent Price: $750,000 Recent Price: $639,000
Sold: 12/15/2020 Sold: 12/11/2020
Selling Price: $735,000 Selling Price: $600,000
Listing Agent: Kathryn Worth Listing Agent: Angela Colson

Selling Agent: Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc. Selling Agent: AColson Realty Group

Daina Bertrand Mike Young

The Moorings Realty Sales Co. Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc.

Subdivision: River Ridge Estates, Address: 1325 River Ridge Dr Subdivision: Moorings, Address: 2046 Windward Way

Listing Date: 7/31/2020 Listing Date: 10/20/2020
Original Price: $684,900 Original Price: $1,300,000
Recent Price: $634,900 Recent Price: $1,300,000
Sold: 12/11/2020 Sold: 12/11/2020
Selling Price: $615,000 Selling Price: $1,320,000
Listing Agent: Christina Ripple Listing Agent: Terri McConnell

Selling Agent: Billero & Billero Selling Agent: The Moorings Realty Sales Co.

Lauren Connolly Joan Cook

Custom Real Estate Srvcs IRC Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc.

Subdivision: Sea Oaks, Address: 1455 Fern Ct, #314

Listing Date: 10/6/2020
Original Price: $545,000
Recent Price: $545,000
Sold: 12/15/2020
Selling Price: $545,000
Listing Agent: Fran Smyrk

Selling Agent: ONE Sotheby’s Int’l Realty

Fran Smyrk

ONE Sotheby’s Int’l Realty

Subdivision: Somerset Bay Condo, Address: 9037 Somerset Bay Ln, #302

Listing Date: 2/24/2020
Original Price: $869,000
Recent Price: $869,000
Sold: 12/11/2020
Selling Price: $850,000
Listing Agent: Cheryl Burge

Selling Agent: Berkshire Hathaway Florida

Nancy Hardy

Premier Estate Properties