Viera Voice, April 2021 by Viera Voice • Senior Life • Boomer Guide

Parks plentiful in Viera area page 18

Newspaper of Viera & Suntree...........BLUEWATER CREATIVE GROUP APRIL 2021

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VOLUME 15 ISSUE 3

Local pets strut their best Derby look Story, page 6

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

Melvin the Basset Hound won the Classic category in the most recent Derby Day Pet Fest.

Quite a rescue, page 2

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VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Rich Shepard

A family of great horned owls found all the support they needed from the Wild Florida Rescue Group, Kevin's Tree Service and the Shepard family who rescued their baby and provided them with a new nest.

Rescuers join forces to save Viera East baby owl BY MARIA SONNENBERG

Neighbors at Viera East are playing security guards for a family of great horned owls, averting possible tragedy for the little family of three. Stacey and Rich Shepard,

who love watching the wildlife in their backyard, noticed that a pair of owls was raising a family in a bedraggled nest abandoned by squirrels. One windy day, a little fuzzball of an owl chick appeared on the ground. Help was quickly needed for the

baby to make it through a cold, clammy night without becoming an alligator’s hors d’oeuvre. Enter Wild Florida Rescue, a group of volunteers dedicated to assisting wild animals in distress. Volunteer Jess Briguglio picked up the baby for overnight observation. “He looked fine and was eating well, but if we had seen something amiss, we would have rushed it over to Florida Wildlife Hospital,” said fellow volunteer Jenn Miller, who the next day returned the baby to the original nesting location, with a little assist from Kevin’s Tree Service, one of the local tradesmen who donates time to help the wildlife nonprofit. With the aid of a handy cherry picker, the arborists reached the original nest site,

found no additional babies and brought the nest down. Miller lined a handsome straw basket with the leafy nest leftovers. Outfitted with the chick, the new owl mansion was then securely attached to the tree. Mom and Dad owl appear to appreciate the new digs. “The whole family seems to be adjusting well,” Miller said. Miller estimates the chick to be about a month old, so the Shepards and their neighbors have plenty of owl-watching in store. The chick will be a branchling in about a month, hovering from branch to branch before ultimately earning its wings. Both male and female great horned owls make excellent parents, but their nesting skills are, well, underwhelming.

“They steal other nests,” Miller said. Their predilection for preowned homes often lands them in the same trouble that befell the Viera East owls. The owl-loving Good Samaritan humans deserve an A for their actions, for calling in the licensed pros is the right thing to do in these situations. Not only is it illegal for the public to nurse wild critters in their own homes, but in the case of owls, it can be downright dangerous. Even a little 1-month-old fuzzball is the owner of talons that could do serious damage. Stacey and Rich Shepard will continue being excellent eagle-eyed owl neighbors. “We are keeping our eyes out for it,” Stacey Shepard said. V V

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VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Robert Burns III

Robert Burns III made many stops to gather donations from multiple communities in an effort to help victims of the winter storm in Texas.

Transporting supplies to aid Texas storm victims comes natural to retired army medic BY R. NORMAN MOODY

If given the opportunity, Robert Burns III would more than likely head out to help others following a disaster. — Robert Burns III As an Army combat medic, Burns is used to The storm killed more helping others as he did in than 50 people, many from the Iraq War. hypothermia, and knocked After the historic winter out electrical power to storm that hit Texas in millions of homes and February, Burns set out to businesses. help a few people. Temperatures plunged “People were literally VIERA MEANS dying in their homes,” he BUSINESS said. N E T W O R K I Ncontinued G G R O U P to page 5

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ARMY MEDIC continued from page 4 into subfreezing, and the electrical infrastructure was not able to handle the emergency. Residents of Brevard County and other communities along the route were willing to help with donations. Burns was soon overwhelmed but pleased with the support he received from friends, neighbors and strangers in Viera, elsewhere in Brevard and along his route. After he collected items for people he knew in San Antonio, he found that it would be difficult to ship the items. He decided instead to rent a 26-foot Penske box truck and try to fill it with donated items that would help many in the devastated area. “It just made more sense taking it there,” said the Viera resident who served 18 years in the Army before being medically retired after injuries in Iraq. “The need was so desperate.” Burns parked the truck near a Walmart store in Viera, and shoppers donated items. He loaded about 2,000 feet of copper and PVC pipe, about 20,000 bottles of water, diapers, baby formula, pet food, underwear, socks and many other items, then embarked on what turned out to be about a 30-hour trip. “I loaded the truck, literally, by myself,” he said. Many who could not help with the physical work donated money, so Burns stopped at Walmart stores along the way and bought more items. “Everybody felt like they were a part of it,” he said. Penske managers heard of his effort to help storm victims and refunded the cost of the truck rental. Burns was pleased to help others. "It was definetly hard work" he said. "I would turn around and do it again if I needed to." V V

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Viera Voice | April 2021

Dogs, cats, other pets don Derby Day hats for a fest BY MARIA SONNENBERG Attention, well-dressed canines, felines, and the rest of the pet world … and their humans. The time has come to strut your stuff during the Derby Day Pet Fest, when Viera puts out the red carpet for dogs, cats and other pets (but let’s face it, dogs have the lead in aptitude for millinery). It is the third year for this annual pet fest, themed in honor of the legendary Kentucky Derby, which this year celebrates its 147th running. From 10 a.m. until noon on Saturday, May 1, it is all about the pets and their hats at Viera Town Center Park at 2853 Rodina Drive in Viera, behind Centre Point apartments and the Fairfield Inn. “This event is designed for pets to showcase their

Derby hats,” said Laurie Widzgowski, the marketing and event coordinator for The Viera Company and Viera Community Institute, which hosts the free fest. While the hats should be designed to replicate the fashions worn by the humans who flock to the horse race in Kentucky each year, categories allow plenty of room for a unique take on the subject. Competition is expected to be dog-eat-dog fierce in the categories of Classic, Most Outrageous and Colorful. Just kidding. It will all be in good fun. “We’re looking forward to a fun, community event,” Widzgowski said. The coveted Best of Show will be chosen from the above-mentioned categories of hats. Ribbons

and prizes will be awarded to winners in all three categories, as well as for Best of Show. Whether they walk off with a ribbon or not, every participant is a winner at Viera’s Derby Day. “It’s a day to meet new friends and enjoy the beautiful Viera Town Center Park,” Widzgowski added. True, Laurie, but some felines might beg to differ with you at the thought of deigning to compete with drooly dogs. For contest rules and photos of past events, check out vieracommunityinstitute. com/pet-fest. The Viera Community Institute Facebook page also will have up-to-date information closer to the event. V V

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Viera Community Institute

Melvin the Basset Hound won the Classic category in 2019.

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VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Jim Angy

Jim Angy is an award-winning photographer who took up the medium while growing up in Satellite Beach.

Photographer’s love of nature wins wide acclaim BY MARIA SONNENBERG For years, wildlife photographer Jim Angy would beat the sun’s arrival to head to the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands in Viera to meet friend and fellow photographer, the late Charlie Corbeil, a longtime volunteer at the site, columnist for Viera Voice and author of the “Viera Wetlands Birding Guide.” The two would spend the sweet spot of the morning, with light at its most glorious, recording wild denizens of the area as they went about their daily routine. By 10 a.m., Angy was off to put in a day’s work as a respiratory therapist. “I used to go there every time I had a chance,” Angy said. Now retired, he continues in search of the perfect image. The Viera Wetlands appear often in his photographs, but the days when he and Corbeil would roam the area without seeing a human are long gone. The Wetlands have been discovered. “There were no ropedoff areas, no traffic pattern, no people, and it was wonderful,” Angy said. The self-taught photographer took up the

VIERA VOICE Jim Angy

Wildlife photographer Jim Angy often spends time capturing images of fauna at the Viera Wetlands.

medium growing up in Satellite Beach during the 1960s, when his home was the only one on the street. The then-sparsely populated area afforded plenty of room to roam. “I always had a fascination with nature and would go into the woods and find all these wonderful things, but my buddies wouldn’t believe me,” he said. Photos provided proof. For years, long after his photographer friends had transitioned to digital, Angy persisted with film. “I thought you could never

capture with digital the colors you could with film,” he said. Eventually, he acquiesced and now depends on a professional-grade Canon digital camera outfitted with a massive 600mm lens to capture his elusive subjects. His photos have been featured in Popular Photography, People and Reader’s Digest, among other publications, and have illustrated books and been made into postcards and calendars. In 2004, three of Angy’s images from Pelican Island were part of the “America’s Wild Places” exhibition at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. An image of his daughter watching a giant land crab eating an M&M earned him $25,000 from the candy company and exposure in publications around the world. He has photographed wild creatures from Alaska to Israel and from the Bahamas to the Grand Tetons. Angy looks forward to the time the cruise ships return to Port Canaveral so he can return to his second career, leading nature tours for Island Boat Lines. In the meantime, there is plenty

of wildlife to capture at Viera Wetlands or out at Kenansville, where Angy has free rein at several major

pieces of land, including the former Forever Florida. “It’s really enjoyable to be out in nature,” he said. V V

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Holy Trinity tennis teams standing strong for future BY CARL KOTALA

The Holy Trinity boys and girls tennis teams are in a very fortunate position. The Tigers are good now, but they could be even better down the road. Holy Trinity’s girls team returns most of its top players from last season, but has added some new, young talent as well. Freshman Aly Dzheneva is back at the No. 1 singles spot for the third straight season. She’s followed by eighth-grader Maya Boysen and sophomore Samara Hall. Junior Sedona Perron is on the No. 4 line, followed by seventh-grader Elle Canlas and sophomore Kareena Mathews. “Elle and Kareena have definitely been big additions, as well as Kate Schwinn,” said James Clark, who is coaching the Tigers this

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

Freshman Aly Dzheneva is in her third season as the No. 1 singles player on Holy Trinity's girls tennis team.

season with Mark Harrison. One of Dzheneva’s biggest strengths, Clark said, is the ability to keep her emotions in check. It helped her reach the state semifinals as a seventh grader, and it should help her again this season

as the Tigers hope to have another successful trip to the postseason with a team that doesn’t feature a senior in any of its top spots. “I think we have a very competitive team,” Clark said. “In the age of

The girls were off to an 11-1 start that included a 5-0 mark against their district opponents. The boys team was 10-1 and also undefeated in district play. “It’s a pretty strong team all the way down,” Viera

boys coach Manuel Rosales said. “If we keep going the way we’re going, we should get to districts and, hopefully, go to state with our top players. My No. 1 is a very good player.” That would be senior Leo Da Silva, who transferred to Viera this year and possesses one of the best serves Rosales said he’s seen. Andy Yans, a junior transfer, is on Viera’s No. 2 line. Sophomore Braden Ayers, sophomore Brodie Taylor and senior Louis Schiffer make up the next three spots on the Hawks’ ladder. Viera’s district opponents include Bayside, Eau Gallie, Gateway, Harmony, Heritage, Melbourne and St. Cloud. The district tournament is scheduled for the end of this month at sites to be determined. “I think we’re a team to beat,” Rosales said. If there’s one thing that sets the Viera girls aside from other teams, coach Shelly Rosseau believes it’s their depth. Top singles players Sunshine Reitz and Lavanya Natarajan are in their first full seasons after last year was cut short by the pandemic. Junior Teya Hagy, senior Hailey Johns and junior Eva Nastevska take up the next three lines for Viera with

COVID, you never know what matches are going to be canceled. Our biggest struggle has been the Cape Coast Conference scheduling all of their matches without us, because we’re not a member of the Cape Coast Conference. “Just scheduling matches has been difficult. But I think we’re going to be ready for districts. I think we’re going to be very competitive.” While the girls have many of their top players back, the Holy Trinity boys have a number of players stepping into bigger roles this season. Sophomore Anthony Zyren has taken over the No. 1 singles spot for the Tigers. Freshman Cooper Cohen is No. 2 and sixth-grader Shaan Prasad is on the No. 3 line, though he has gotten some playing time on both the No. 1 singles and doubles lines.

Junior Dylan Johnson plays at the No. 4 spot, followed by eighth-grader Jake Barlow and seventhgrader Luke Rector. Like the girls team, the Tigers don’t have any seniors in their top six, which means they have a chance to be competitive now and in the future. District tournament play is scheduled to begin later this month. The Tigers will square off against Cocoa Beach, Edgewood, Covenant Christian, Melbourne Central Catholic, Merritt Island Christian and West Shore. “A bit of a building (year), but a really nice team,” Clark said of Holy Trinity’s boys team. “I feel like this is a team that could over-perform this year, but will definitely be a team to be reckoned with over the years.” V V

Dedication sets up Viera tennis district dreams BY CARL KOTALA

The Viera High boys and girls tennis teams are feeling pretty good about their chances of winning district championships this season. And, why not?

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VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

Viera sophomore Sunshine Reitz is enjoying her first full season as the Hawks' No. 1 tennis player.

Abby Smith, Stevie Taylor, and Caroline Morrison right behind them. Part of Rosseau’s excitement about her team is that Viera has put in the work throughout the year. The Hawks took part in a fall league and had enough players to make up two teams. “This group is pretty dedicated to playing, which is very exciting,” the Viera girls coach said. Reitz might be young, but she has fared well this season against some of the county’s top players, many of whom are seniors. “I think she’ll peak at the right time,” Rosseau said

of Reitz. “Every school has at least one good player, so Sunshine always has to play that one good player. “What I especially like to tell our team is that we are deep all the way from one through eight. Three girls aren’t getting to play that could be playing two, three, four or five at any other school. That’s one thing about Viera.” That kind of talent and dedication is why the Hawks should have a bright future. “It’s a great group of girls,” Rosseau said. “They put in the time, and they’re definitely going to show improvement.” V V

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VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

Viera's Gavin Wessel (No. 33) is a big reason why the Hawks think they have a chance to not only contend for a district title, but advance deep into the playoffs.

Viera lacrosse teams showing historic potential this season BY CARL KOTALA Before their seasons were wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the Viera High boys and girls lacrosse teams thought they had the potential to go far. Well, it might be a new season, but those thoughts haven’t changed. “This year, I feel we’re in the exact same position,” Viera boys coach Bo Barlett said. “As long as they keep their composure and they don’t beat themselves, I think absolutely (we can go far).” It’s already been a historic season for the Viera boys, who started the year 8-1 and scored their first-ever win against Melbourne Central Catholic. After that victory, top-scorer Tracy Tucker was feeling confident. “If we keep going the way we’re going, I don’t see how we’re going to lose another game,” Tucker said. “I think it’s just up from here. This was one battle that we knew we were going to face this season, and since we (won) this battle, we can beat all the rest of the battles. It starts with one, then goes on to more.” Tucker (Mars Hill) is one of three Viera seniors who have committed to playing lacrosse in college. Gavin Wessel (Florida Tech) and Jared Weiss (Emmanuel College) are the others. Freshman Kyle Fischer has been a big addition on offense, and Viera has been getting strong play from a defense that includes Austin Smith, Jack Hathaway, Hunter Levi, Eli Menchetti, Jacob Glick and goalie Maguire Pedrick. Jacob Sharrow has done a good job of playing both offense and defense. Viera’s girls were off to a 6-1 start with the help of tri-captains Micki Pippett, Olivia Vice and Brianna Staerk. Other key players include Lia Arbeeny, Lexi Fischer, Averi Foster, Isabella DiSciascio, Ellie DiSciullo and goalie Brooke Halfacre. “In past years, it’s

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really been just a couple of dominant players being the whole team,” Pippett said. “But this year, it’s more like the whole team is a dominant player. It’s really kind of like a breath of fresh air to know you really don’t have to count on individual people every game. We know everyone’s going to be able to pull their own weight.” That versatility should make the Hawks dangerous, not only when it comes to this month’s district tournament, but also when they take on some of the area’s top lacrosse programs in the regional playoffs. “I believe they have a lot of potential,” Viera girls coach Alison Staerk said. “I have been telling them from the beginning, if there’s a team that can contend with some of the better teams in the state, or in this area, it’s this team right here. They’re the ones. If we’re going to do it, this is the year.” V V

AHA

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

Holy Trinity sophomore Jackson Bean (No. 5) has played a big role on a Tigers team that has gotten off to a 9-1 start.

Holy Trinity lacrosse teams display talent, depth BY CARL KOTALA Eric Marr has been with the Holy Trinity boys lacrosse program for six years, and he’s never seen a team like this one. “This is probably one of our most well-rounded teams we’ve had since I’ve been here,” the Tigers coach said. “Before, we’ve had some star players. This team, we have some depth. We don’t have just five or six players who can play. We’ve got a team. We’ve got four or five (backups) who can go out there and take the place of the (starters).” While the Holy Trinity boys were off to a 9-1 start heading into spring break, the girls were just 1-1 after a number of games had to be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, coach Sarah O’Connor believes the Tigers have a chance to do well, despite not getting in as many games as they would like. “After the disappointing

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end to last season, it has been amazing to see the excitement and camaraderie from the girls,” O’Connor wrote in an email. “They are playing as a cohesive and supportive team. We have about 10 new players who are really coming along under the leadership of our older players and captains: Blair Agee, Alex Davenport and Hope Valenti.” Junior goalie Bella Muniz saved more than 70 percent of the shots she faced during the first two games. Nicole Grillo, meanwhile, only played in one of Holy Trinity’s first two games, but she scored five goals and had an assist. “Our division has definitely gotten more difficult in the past year, but if our team comes together and really plays their game, I think we have a good chance at making it to the district final,” O’Connor wrote. Marr’s boys team, meanwhile, has been showing the kind of

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firepower and defensive acumen that could make the Tigers a big threat when the district tournament begins later this month. Holy Trinity’s boys are led on defense by sophomore Jack Combs and on offense by Guillermo Marr. Sophomore Dylan Gibson is the team’s top-scoring midfielder. Other key players include Jackson Bean, Mick McCarthy, Julien Warden, Andrew Turner and Timmy Kelly, who all scored in a 12-7 win against Merritt Island. This year’s Holy Trinity team isn’t just thinking about making it to the district final. The Tigers believe they have a shot to not only win it, but have a successful postseason. “I think we can go far, honestly,” Guillermo Marr said. “I think we’re definitely going to win districts, and I think we can make a deep run in the playoffs if we play like we should. If we play to our potential, we should be able to make a deep run.” VV

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Viera Voice | April 2021

FHSAA drops Holy Trinity football to 2A; Viera stays in 7A BY CARL KOTALA The Florida High School Athletic Association has released its new classification, region and district lineups for the 2021 football season. For the Viera High Hawks, there is virtually no change. But for the Holy Trinity Tigers, the 2021 season will have a whole new set of challenges. The FHSAA’s classification system, which is based on school enrollments, was delayed for two months due to concerns about the impact COVID-19 has had in terms of shifting the enrollment numbers. As part of its response, the FHSAA voted to use the new classifications for the 2021 season only instead of the typical two-year cycle. All district play was eliminated last season because of the pandemic. Viera will remain in Class 7A, but instead of competing in District 5 as the Hawks did when they won their sixth straight championship in 2019, Viera will now be in District 7. However, while the numbers have changed, the

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

The Holy Trinity Tigers have been to the Class 3A regional semifinals three years in a row. But under the new FHSAA classification system that will be used in 2021, Holy Trinity will drop down to Class 2A.

The FHSAA has adopted new classifications for the 2021 football season, but the Viera Hawks are staying put in Class 7A. Holy Trinity, meanwhile, is dropping from Class 3A to 2A.

teams have mostly stayed the same. Once again, the Hawks will be in a district with Melbourne, St. Cloud and Harmony. The only difference is that Orlando’s East River will replace Kissimmee’s Tohopekaliga High, which has moved up to Class 8A. Holy Trinity, which has played in Class 3A since the 2011 season, is dropping to Class 2A. Classes 1A to 4A have no

Class 2A state finalists — champion Champagnat Catholic of Hialeah (Region 4) or runner-up University Christian of Jacksonville (Region 1) — the class as a whole got tougher. Jacksonville’s Trinity Christian, which won last year’s Class 3A title, also is dropping to 2A. “I’m excited to see that we are in 2A, because that’s where we should be based on the amount of students we have,” Holy Trinity coach

districts, so the Tigers will be in Region 2 along with Bishop McLaughlin (Spring Hill); Father Lopez (Daytona Beach); Foundation Academy (Winter Garden); Halifax Academy (Daytona Beach); Orangewood Christian (Maitland); Orlando Christian Prep; Trinity Christian (Deltona); Victory Christian (Lakeland) and Zephyrhills Christian. While the Tigers won’t have to worry about facing either of last year’s

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Nate Hooks Jr. wrote in a Twitter message. “The level of competition will be just as hard with schools like University, Victory Christian, state champ Champagnat, and state champ Trinity Christian Jacksonville, which is unbelievably crazy. “However, being in 2A gives us a more equal opportunity by competing against schools and rosters our size.” V V

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Viera Army JROTC rifle team marks best finish BY CARL KOTALA The Viera High School Army JROTC varsity rifle team had its best performance of the season last month. The team of Cameron Heaps, Kaitlyn Brown, Christopher Hoffman and Torayn Gray finished in fourth place at the Brevard County Rifle Marksmanship Regional Championships at Rockledge High School.

“I’m very proud of their hard work and dedication.” — Tim Thomas

Fifteen teams took part in the two-day competition, which featured some of the top marksmen in the area. Palm Bay’s Marine Corps JROTC rifle team took first with a score of 1,035. Merritt Island’s Army JROTC team was next with 986, and the Cocoa Beach Army JROTC team earned 974. Viera had a team total of 911. “I’m very proud of our team,” retired Lt. Col. Tim

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

The Viera High Army JROTC varsity rifle team finished fourth at the Brevard County Rifle Marksmanship Regional Championships. Pictured are Cameron Heaps, left, Kaitlyn Brown, Christopher Hoffman and Torayn Gray.

Thomas wrote in an email. He is the senior instructor for the Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps at Viera High School. “Due to the challenges of

COVID, this wasn’t a normal season. Most of our matches this season were postal matches versus in-person due to COVID concerns. “However, at the

district meet, we did shoot shoulder-to-shoulder against the other teams, but had 6 feet of space in between us. Our team overcame the challenges

and shot our very best team score at the district meet. “I’m very proud of their hard work and dedication.” VV

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Viera Voice | April 2021

s w e N

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Families adapt, rise to challenges of virtual learning BY WENDY SCHEURING

Brevard County’s stay-athome mandate in March 2020 left parents of schoolchildren scrambling with a new challenge: how to educate their children. “When they went on spring break last year, they never came back,” said Amy Kloes of Viera. “That’s when the schools closed. Then they did this weird home learning plan that was horrendous. This year was a lot better. “We live in a split family,” added Kloes, who works from home. “My ex-husband doesn’t live far from me. We had to purchase technology and get them set up (at both houses).” Once the schools reopened, the Kloes family decided to keep their children at home and enroll in the Brevard Public Schools eLearning program due to health concerns. “We also noticed that our kids weren’t talking to

VIERA VOICE Katie Palumbo

Bodhi, 6, spends his day logged into virtual public school on a laptop provided by the state.

anybody. It was weighing on their mental health due to lack of peer interaction.” One year later, the girls went back to school. “I think it’s more important for them to be in school even though it’s high risk,” Kloes said. Students don’t have the same interaction and

understanding online as when in class. “In person just seems better because at least I get to get out of the house,” said Jessica Kloes, 16, a 10th grader at Viera High School. Her sister also wanted to get back to school. “Going to school is a lot easier for me because I can

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VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Faith Bianchi

Homeschooled student Emma Bianchi, 6, of Viera does her lessons at home.

get hands-on help from my teachers. But, also seeing friends is a big one, too,” said Amanda Kloes, 13, an eighth grader at Kennedy Middle School. Homeschooling families have been impacted by the pandemic, perhaps not academically, but socially. One homeschooling mom, Faith Bianchi of Viera, moved to Brevard County from San Diego in February 2020. “When we came (to

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Viera Voice | April 2021

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Florida) before everything shut down, we met people through a family member who did Classical Conversations (a once-a-week homeschool cooperative). I visited, and we made some friends and contacts.” After the stay-at-home order, Bianchi set up Zoom calls so her daughter could visit with friends in California, but it was difficult for them to interact. “She’s really social, and it is hard for her not to see people besides me, her father and her baby brother,” Bianchi said. From mid-March into the summer, she only saw family and two friends they had made since moving. “There were even times during the pandemic we didn’t even do that because we got concerned,” she said. In the fall, Bianchi enrolled her daughter in Classical Conversations. She also enrolled her daughter in dance and music classes. She attends a small Sunday school class at her church. Bianchi homeschools her daughter on days the cooperative does not meet. “We were able to meet consistently once a week. There were a few times we did not meet if someone tested positively, but that’s been rare,” Bianchi said. V V

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Viera grad wins ADDY for commissioned graphic BY CARL KOTALA Tessa Abel knew she had won “something big.” She just didn’t know what. When she found out, the recent Viera High School graduate couldn’t help but break into a big smile … and then her happy dance. The 18-year-old had just found out she won an ADDY from the Space Coast Chapter of the American Advertising Federation in the “Out-ofHome Installation” category for a window graphic depicting several members of The Viera Company on a Zoom call with Santa and friends. “It felt like a dream,” Abel wrote in an email. That wasn’t the only big news of the night, either. Viera High teacher Steven Hicks also won an ADDY for his photo of Captain Hiram’s Resort from the water after a summer storm. Hicks, who teaches students Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver and Animate in the CTE program at Viera, wrote that while he was

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Steven Hicks

VIERA VOICE Tessa Abel

Tessa Abel won an ADDY from the Space Coast Chapter of the American Advertising Federation.

Tessa Abel is a recent graduate of Viera High School.

proud to win an ADDY of his own, the fact that one of his students won was an even bigger source of pride. Abel always liked to draw as a child. But as a member of Viera High’s Academy of Communication, Art + Design, she was able to develop the graphic design skills necessary to complete her commissioned project for The Viera Company. Longtime friend Olivia Byrd, daughter of The Viera Company marketing manager Stephanie Byrd, recommended Abel — who

“I began the project worried that I’d blow it if I didn’t fulfill the client’s expectations right off the bat, but that back-and-forth as you fine-tune to the client’s vision is an important part of the graphic design process. It ended up being my favorite part! The joy I get from seeing an A in the grade book versus being told my work

was a Viera High student at the time — be considered for the job, which consisted of turning photos of staff members into vector portraits. “The challenge of this project wasn’t the creation process itself,” Abel wrote. “This was my first time working for a client instead of a grade. Unlike working off a rubric and an inert set of directions, you have to work and be flexible with the desires and requests of the client when you’re designing for a person.

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made other people happy is incomparable.” Completing the project, which ended up being used as a poster in The Viera Company’s window during Christmas time, has given Abel a big boost of confidence. She’s grateful for the impact Viera’s ACAD has had on her. The early-December graduate plans to study graphic design and East Asian languages in college. “Not only have I been given a taste of the realworld skills and expectations for a career in graphic design through ACAD classes, but also a community of graphic design fans and teachers to support me,” Abel wrote. “It made me realize that my career dreams are actually within reach. “I feel like my high school experience would have been much less fruitful without it.” VV

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Viera Voice | April 2021

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Saturday May 1st

10AM - 12PM Viera Town Center Park 2853 Rodina Drive Viera, FL 32940

The Viera Town Center Park will be the host of the third annual Pet Fest in Viera. Come celebrate the ofﬁcial 147th race of the world famous Kentucky Derby by entering your pet in our Derby Hat Contest. We are awarding the best hat in three fun categories:

Classic * Most Outrageous * Colorful

Judges will also select a Best of Show winner from the three main contest categories.

Rules of the Contest:

•All participants of this event must sign a liability release. •One winner will be chosen for each category and then one winner from the three categories for the Best of Show. •Winners must be present to receive their prize. •Each entrant may only wear one hat during the course of the contest (no surprise changing). •NO hat element is allowed to poke, stab, or incorporate edible items as to not endanger any other participant or guest. •Each participant’s owner is responsible for his/her own hat.

Opening Fall 2018

By attending this event of Viera Community Institute, Inc. (”VCI”) you grant VCI permission to use photos of you at the event in post event marketing coverage of the event, All guests will be required to sign a liability release to attend the event.

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The mission at Palm Point Behavioral Health is to provide quality treatment to children, teens, adults and older adults whose behavioral health symptoms are interfering with their daily lives. We offer both inpatient and outpatient services tailored to individual needs.

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Viera Voice | April 2021

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From the Staff at Viera Voice

VIERA PARKS & SANCTUARIES Spotlight on parks and sanctuaries in the Viera, Suntree and Rockledge areas Check out our park videos on vieravoice.com

The Cruickshank Sanctuary is a 1.1-mile loop.

VIERA VOICE Katie Sivco

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Viera Voice | April 2021

Location: Rockledge Length: 1.1 mile loop Trailhead: 28.2941 to 80.7073 Address: 360 Barnes Blvd, Rockledge FL 32955 Cost: Free Restroom: Two portable toilets Land manager: Brevard County Phone: 321-255-4466 Open daily sunrise to sunset. No pets, bicycles or feeding the wildlife. Visitors to Cruickshank Sanctuary can hike the trail of the 140-acre sanctuary. This trail winds through pine flatwoods, patches of oak,

VIERA VOICE Katie Sivco

Florida scrub-jays are abundant at the Cruickshank Sanctuary.

sand pine scrub and marshes, which are a part of the sanctuary's diversity. A popular sight on the trail is the Florida scrub-jay. Scrub-jays are medium-sized, long-tailed, blue songbirds that perch atop shrubs and pine snags or hop along the road edge in search of crickets. Leaving the kiosk at the trailhead, the trail comes to an intersection with a beaten path. Turn left to cross a bridge above a narrow ditch dotted with water lilies. On the other side, you walk right into the scrub of the Atlantic Coast Ridge.

There are patches of sandspike moss in empty patches of bright white sand. A swale of wetland is on the left. Bounded by homes and commercial businesses, the sanctuary in Rockledge is one of the best places to see the Florida scrub-jay. The scrub forest is a great habitat for these birds only found in Florida. Look for beauty in the small things, like ink blossoms, shiny blueberries. Hikers are likely to see tracks of a gopher tortoise or even spot one of the tortoises. V V Compiled by Katie Sivco

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Viera Voice | April 2021

Photo Adam Palumbo

Tandoor Fine Indian Cuisine true to its aromatic tradition BY WENDY SCHEURING The food served at Tandoor Fine Indian Cuisine in Suntree is authentic, fresh and made to order. The aromatic spices that accompany each dish have customers coming back for more, according to front house manager Sukal Bishwakarma. Vegetarians will especially enjoy the paneer — a soft, lowfat cheese that is cubed and fried. Mixed vegetables served with traditional basmati rice is a popular vegetarian option. Soft naan bread is baked on the premises. Customer favorites such as Tandoori Chicken, chicken leg quarters marinated in yogurt, herbs and spices, and Chicken Tikka Masala, a tandoori chicken breast accompanied by a spicy tomato sauce, are made in an Indian cooking tradition called “tandoor,” a method, rather than a style of cuisine or a recipe. In ancient India, marinated meats were cooked at high heat in cylindrical clay pots. Modern ovens may be made of metal and heated with gas. Chicken breast kebabs, marinated in yogurt, herbs and spices, are a customer favorite, as well as the well-known chicken curry.

Viera Voice | April 2021

Their delicious hot chai tea is a concoction of Darjeeling black tea, cardamom, ginger, among other spices, and milk. Cardamom and ginger go especially well together to fight off a cold, attests Bishwakarma. “Indian food is really good for people health-wise,” he adds. “It keeps your body healthier and your immune system up.” Many people think that Indian food is spicy, said Bishwakarma, who has been in the restaurant business for eight years. At Tandoor, each meal is prepared fresh, so the amount of spices can be adjusted to each diner’s liking upon ordering. The restaurant emphasizes the cuisine of northern India and creates its masterpieces from a long list of spices, such as curry, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, turmeric, bay leaves, fenugreek seed, star anise, mint and basil. When Bishwakarma is not working as front house manager, he likes to cook. The owner, Chhiring Lama, also cooks. Tandoori Fine Indian Cuisine is at 6300 N. Wickham Road. The restaurant is open 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The lunch menu is available from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

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Rediscover theof Rediscover the joy Rediscover Rediscover of lifejoy without pain. joy of life without life without joint pain. without joint pain. joint

Pleasejoin joinOrthopedic Orthopedic Surgeon, Surgeon, Kenneth Please Kenneth Sands, Sands,MD MD foraavirtual virtualseminar seminar on on the the different different approaches for approachesto to relieving joint pain. relieving joint pain. Please join Orthopedic Surgeon, Kenneth

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Newest Melbourne Seafood Station rocks boil baskets BY MIKE GAFFEY At Melbourne Seafood Station in Viera, customers are clamoring for the new restaurant’s Signature Boil Baskets. Located south of The Avenue Viera at 7171 Lake Andrew Drive, Suite 102 — the site of the former Burger 21 — the casual-style restaurant offers wild-caught seafood that’s boiled or steamed, never fried. Of the 10 Signature Boil Baskets offered at the Viera location, three are among its most popular: lobster tail, snow crab and shrimp; snow crab and shrimp; and lobster tail, scallops and shrimp, according to manager Emily Howard. Boil baskets come with corn, potatoes and garlic toast. Guests can add rock shrimp, sausage or peeled shrimp and mild or spicy seasoning with Melbourne Seafood Station’s renowned garlic sauce for an extra fee. The restaurant’s shrimp Build a Bowl meal also is a big seller, Howard said. Diners

can choose from 12 seafood, sausage or chicken items, two of seven sides — soon to be eight when the Viera location adds mac and cheese — and mild or spicy seasoning. Build a Bowl meals come with garlic toast and garlic sauce. The Viera location, co-owned by Nick and Naomi Moon, is the fifth Melbourne Seafood Station restaurant to open in Central Florida. Other locations are in Melbourne, West Melbourne, Indian Harbour Beach and Hunter’s Creek in Orlando. Menu items include shrimp, shellfish, crab and lobster baskets, seafood or lobster lover meals for two, a variety of sides and a la carte items such as sea scallops, grouper, red snapper, salmon and cod, oysters by the dozen or halfdozen, family feasts, and a kids’ menu featuring shrimp with pasta or rice and chicken with rice. Guests can eat indoors in the dining room or outdoors at a covered patio area. Takeout also is available.

Join,from from thecomfort comfort your own own home, the interactive Sands, MD for aof aofvirtual virtual seminar Join, the your home,on thethe interactive Sands, MD for seminar on the live discussion on non-surgical treatment options to the different approaches to relieving joint pain. live discussion on non-surgical treatment options to the approaches to relieving joint pain. latestdifferent techniques in joint replacement surgery. latest techniques in joint replacement surgery.

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After registering, participants will be sent an email with a After registering, participants link to join the online seminar. will be sent an email with a link to join the online seminar.

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Viera Voice | April 2021

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Viera Voice | April 2021

LIC. & INS. 18-AL-CT-00011

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p o o c BUSINESSS

VIERA MEANS BUSINESS NETWORKING GROUP

VIE R A

BUSINESS

SS E IN

VIERA MEANS

Sudoku

The March Viera Means Business ANS BU E meeting was held March 11 at Chateau S M Madeleine Senior Living in Viera. The Viera Means Business networking group meets at 8:30 a.m. the second Thursday of each month at member business locations. For an invitation to the April 8 VMB meeting, email RSVP@vieravoice.com.

VIERA MEANS

BUSINESS

Photos by Adam Palumbo

KIN G

O GR

Sudoku Solution, page 31

A breakfast buffet was prepared by Chateau Madeleine.

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Viera Voice | April 2021

Innovative children's therapy comes to Viera BY MARIA SONNENBERG Alex and Lauren Flores seem able to clone themselves. The busy couple have successfully operated two very different and demanding businesses for more than three years while raising a young family. In 2011, Alex and Lauren, who both have master’s degrees in occupational therapy from the University of Florida, opened 7 Senses Therapy, a pediatric occupational therapy studio serving youngsters that range from autistic to children with sensory processing disorders and gifted children. 7 Senses helps any child who needs assistance in schoolrelated, motor or self-help skills; cognition; and even attention and selfregulation. “Occupational therapy

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

Aloha, the CCI facility dog, left; Samantha Schroeder, office clerk; Lauren Flores, occupational therapist and owner; Felicity, daughter of owner; and Kristie Dalton, an occupational therapist, work for 7 Senses Kids.

for kids is all about helping them achieve independence in any area of their daily life,” Lauren said. Aiding them was facility dog Tinder, who headed the animal-assisted therapy portion of the Melbourne-

Viera Voice | April 2021

based program. In 2017, the couple expanded their business reach with Bold Cup, a coffee shop at The Avenue Viera. “We opened the coffee shop because of my husband’s interest in crafted specialty coffee,” Lauren said. Alex and Lauren have again expanded, this time by moving 7 Senses Therapy to The Avenue Viera, four doors from their coffee shop. The new business has been rebranded 7 Senses Kids and now includes an eco-gift shop for babies, children and women. “I wanted the new location to have a very eco-modern feel, meaning I wanted the occupational therapy studio to look much less clinical,” Lauren said.

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

7 Senses Kids is a pediatric occupational therapy studio serving youngsters that range from autistic to children with sensory processing disorders and gifted children.

The eco-gift shop carries wellness and educational products, baby clothes and accessories. “We purchase our items from family businesses across the country,” Lauren said. Tinder, now 12, is living the golden days of retirement. Following in his pawsteps is Aloha, a yellow Lab who, like Tinder, was trained by Canine Companion for Independence, a national nonprofit. At 7 Senses, Aloha, like Tinder before him, helps kids hone their motor abilities. Among her activities, Aloha delivers puzzle pieces to her young charges so they can practice visual perceptual skills. She

will even hold up pictures of letters the children can use as models to sharpen their handwriting. In addition to occupational and petassisted therapy, 7 Senses Kids offers classes for handwriting and kindergarten readiness, free screening forms and a quick standardized assessment that can be completed in minutes. “It’s for families needing fast answers for their kids,” Lauren said. Speech therapy will be added to the roster of services in the near future, making Lauren and Alex even busier. 7 Senses Kids is at 2261 Town Center Ave., Suite 109, at The Avenue Viera. V V

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People on the move

Frank Weiland has been named the new executive chef at Indian River Colony Club, the 55-andolder golf community in Viera for military veterans. A graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Weiland is now responsible for the daily food service for the At Ease Club restaurant, as well as onsite catering events.

Jimmy Ensell has been promoted to executive chef of Tradewinds Restaurant at Duran Golf Club. Ensell, was promoted to head chef last year after previously working as a cook. Ensell has an associate in culinary degree through Le Cordon Bleu and he is an active member of the American Culinary Federation.

Jeff Von Eschen recently was promoted to general manager of Duran Golf Club. Last year, Von Eschen, who has been with Duran Golf Club for 17 years, was promoted to senior manager of club operations. Before that, Von Eschen had been golf course superintendent and assistant golf course superintendent.

Madison Mykoo has joined the Sycamore Investments team as the director of sales and marketing at Fairfield Inn, Hampton Inn and Home2 Suites in Viera. Mykoo grew up in Melbourne, where she started her career in the hotel hospitality industry. As an intern in high school, she worked her way up to event specialist.

Tyler Deweese has been named the general manager of Home2 Suites in Viera. Deweese started her career with Marriott in 2011 in operations before moving to director of sales at Fairfield Inn in Viera and Home2 Suites in Viera in 2019. DeWeese, who was born and raised in Melbourne, has a 6-year-old daughter, Alexandra.

Viera Voice Presents

ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE If you or someone you know has had a recent promotion or new position we want to know about it. Share your own success or the success of someone you know by submitting to our People On The Move section. Please send a photograph, name position and brief description to:

news@bluewatercreativegroup.com

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Viera Voice | April 2021

Nanny Jean's Academy moves to bigger Suntree location BY WENDY SCHEURING Nanny Jean's Academy has opened a new location — 6300 N. Wickham Road, Suite 112 — offering day care for children from birth to age 6. The academy’s new space, which opened March 8, is 9,300-square-feet, double its previous size at

St. Paul’s Anglican Church, according to Heather Bland, the youngest daughter of Jean Lees, affectionately known as Nanny Jean. “There is an indoor play area for older kids, an indoor play area for younger kids, an outdoor picnic area and a fully fenced-in play area. It’s a big place,” Bland said.

The academy separates the children according to age: baby and crawl rooms; ages 1, 2 and 3; and voluntary prekindergarten education.

“We look after our staff, and they look after us. We’re very lucky.” — Heather Bland

“We can accommodate Check out the Q&L website for class schedule and events. all ages,” Bland  We are an authorized, full line retailer for Babysaid. Lock®,

play area Brother®, Koala ®, Floriani ,® & “The Anitaoutdoor Goodesign®

is mainly forengineer picnics. There service  Full-time, on-site, factory certified are tables with canopies We try our best to ‘under-promise and over deliver’

over them. There is also a April is Serger Month! 7720 N. Wickham Rd.

little garden where they can

Suites 111 & plant 112 & April 1: 4th Anniversary all 113 kinds of seeds,”

VIERA VOICE Katie Sivco

Jean Lees also known as Nanny Jean, is an integral figure at Nanny Jean's Academy.

Melbourne, FL 32940 Celebration and Sale Jean Lees said. “I still go

April 10, 10 am:

M,W,Th,F: 10am - 5pm, Tue: 12N - 7pm, Sat: 10am - 2pm, Sun: CLOSED

and play with the kids. I am

Phone: (321) 622-8602, Fax: (321) 622-8574 there daily.” www.quiltsandlace.com beth@quiltsandlace.com Nanny Jean's Academy

Make a Difference has been caring for children Serger for Q&L website for class schedule CheckTote out the and20events. for nearly years. foster children have the most ,  We are an authorized, full line retailer for “I Baby Lock® marvelous staff,” Lees said. Koala ®, Floriani ,® & Anita Goodesign® Check ourBrother® websites for ,updates. • Follow us on “Some have been with me and on-site, Service available on site Full-time, factory certified service engineer  Repair since we started. We look after our staff, and they 7720 Rd. Suite 111 We N. try Wickham our best to ‘under-promise and over deliver’ look after us. We’re very Melbourne, FL 32940 321-622-8602 lucky.” M, W, Th, F: 10a,- 5pm. Tues: 10am - 7pm, www.quiltsandlace.com For more information or Sat: 10am - 2 pm. Sun: CLOSED beth@quiltsandlace.com to enroll, call 321-757-0661.

7720 N. Wickham Rd. Suites 111 & 112 & 113 VV Melbourne, FL 32940

M,W,Th,F: 10am - 5pm, Tue: 12N - 7pm, Sat: 10am - 2pm, Sun: CLOSED

Viera Voice | April 2021

VIERA VOICE Katie Sivco

Nanny Jean's Academy offers daycare in Suntree.

Phone: (321) 622-8602, Fax: (321) 622-8574 www.quiltsandlace.com beth@quiltsandlace.com

vieravoice.com

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

Kitty Franza was the first customer to be served at Walk-On's in Viera.

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

Nate and Courtney Fowler own Walk-On's in Viera.

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

Walk-On's held a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Melbourne Regional Chamber on March 22.

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

Leighton and Everett Fowler made their mark in Viera.

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

Walk-On's CEO Brandon Landry, left, enjoys a drink with Floyd White.

Walk-On’s opens its 50th restaurant in Viera BY R. NORMAN MOODY A taste of Louisiana’s Cajun cuisine is here with the opening of Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux. The 50th Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux opened last month in Viera to great reviews. “I cannot tell you how excited we are about opening our 50th location in wonderful Viera, Florida,” said Brandon Landry, the founder, coowner and CEO of WalkOn’s. The restaurant bills itself as a place for dinner with family, for a date night, for cocktails with the girls or to watch a game on one of the dozens of big screen televisions. Landry said he started

the idea of Walk-On’s as a school project 18 years ago at Louisiana State University. Landry, who earned a spot on the LSU basketball team as a walk-on, played with the team from 1997 to 2000. It was around that time that the idea of WalkOn’s Bistreaux and Bar was born. Soon the first WalkOn’s was opened. “Here we are 18 years later opening number 50 in a great community with awesome franchise partners, Nate and Courtney Fowler,” Landry said. Walk-On’s in Viera officially opened its doors to the public on March 22 with an extensive menu that includes Pastalaya, Cajun Ribeye, Mardi Gras

Mahi, Sweet chili salmon, Fried Catfish, Bayou pasta, burgers, fish tacos and much more. “It’s been a great process,” Landry said. “We’re excited to be

in Viera.” Courtney Fowler said it took about three years to get the restaurant built and opened. “It’s been a long threeyear process, but we’re

grateful to everybody that helped us along the way,’ she said to a crowd that gathered March 22 in front of the restaurant for a ribbon cutting and official opening. V V

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Viera Voice | April 2021

Crossword Puzzle

ACROSS 1 Numskull 4 Necklace part 8 Go underground 12 Letter after pi 13 Argue for 14 Hound's trail 15 Water, on the Seine 16 Ounce fraction 17 "Whatever -- Wants" 18 Necessitate 20 Heaps 22 Not hungry 23 "Iron Man" Gehrig 24 Lip cosmetic 27 Pinched off 30 Town near Lake Tahoe 31 Male voice 32 Clock numeral 34 Sinbad's transport 35 Spurt forth 36 Forbids 37 Interstellar dust cloud 39 Rare sight 40 Forest grazer 41 Burrow 42 Shrimp entree 45 Bug 49 Game played on horseback 50 Gutter locale 52 Type of cookie 53 Locale 54 Shut noisily 55 Doctors' org. 56 High schooler 57 Singer -- Turner 58 -- Kippur

DOWN 1 Hydrox rival 2 Moby Dick foe 3 Umpire's call 4 Yields slightly 5 Made a mistake 6 Turkish potentate 7 Raze 8 Armed robbery 9 Adored one 10 Allot 11 Hurlers' stats 19 In that case (2 wds.) 21 Klutz's mutter 24 Dog sound 25 Spinks of the ring 26 Not twice 27 Blastoff org. 28 Quiz 29 Enjoy a banquet 31 Most cumbersome 33 Is, to Fritz 35 Sizable swallow 36 Marshes 38 Cry about 39 Movies 41 Couch 42 Disagreement 43 Innermost part 44 Helm position 46 Online auction 47 Hunter's wear 48 Ore hauler 51 "Rope-a-dope" boxer

Crossword Solution, page 31

Did you know? The record for holding you breath underwater is 24 minutes, 3 seconds!

In 2016, professional free diver Aleix Segura Vendrell held his breath for 24 minutes, 3.45 seconds on broadcast television, setting a Guinness World Record for the longest official breath hold ever.

Viera Voice | April 2021

vieravoice.com

JUNIOR REPORTER ON THE BEAT APRIL 2021

VIERA/SUNTREE

Welcome Viera Voice’s April Junior Reporter space,” Brenna said. “When I get to Mars, I plan on planting a flag with my face on it.” In July 2020, Brenna was awarded the title of Future Astronaut of the Month by Live Launch, an organization that live-streams rocket launches. The Live Launch team, which is based in Michigan, was impressed that Brenna can see the launches at Kennedy Space Center from her home.

Brenna Burns is an aspiring astronaut and thirdgrade student at Viera Charter School. After doing a school project on Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, Brenna was inspired to go to space. Brenna’s four-legged sidekick is a kitten named Annie. She also loves her other cats, Alice and Dutchess. “I want to be the first kid to bring my kitten to

Get to know the kids on the block

Brenna Burns When she’s not daydreaming about flying in outer space, Brenna likes to hang out with friends and play video games such as Roblox and Mario Kart. She’s also a soccer player for the Space Coast Stingrays. One Friday after school, she got together with her sister, Reese, and friends Jayna and Allison to get the scoop on all things kid-related.

Allison P., Fourth Grade Viera Charter School

Reese B., Second Grade Viera Charter School What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a famous singer because I love to sing. Which fictional character would you want to be? Jack-Jack from “The Incredibles” because he can teleport. If you could be any animal, what would you want to be? A giraffe because it’s my favorite animal and they’re tall. What makes a good friend? Being loving and not getting mad no matter what they do.

Jayna P., Third Grade Viera Charter School

What do you want to be when you grow up? A YouTuber because they make cool videos and do challenges. If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? Paris. Because of all the monuments there.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Mind control.

What makes a good friend? A person who’s honest and never lies.

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? Somewhere with snow because I’ve never seen snow.

If you had a pet unicorn, what would you name it? Fluffy.

If you had a million dollars, what would you spend it on? I would give half to charity and keep half for my family.

April 23 — National Talk Like Shakespeare Day On April 23 each year, National Talk Like Shakespeare Day encourages us to speak like the characters in his plays. “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet...” “Romeo and Juliet” Act II, Scene II

Third annual Derby Day Pet Fest 10 a.m. - Noon, Saturday, May 1 Dress your family pet in show-stopping attire. Viera Town Center Park at 2853 Rodina Drive, Viera. Located behind the Centre Pointe

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Shutterstock

Calendar

What are your hobbies? I like to paint with my mom.

Drive-In Movie “Star Wars: A New Hope” 5 - 9 p.m., Friday, April 9 Free drive-in movie. Audio available through car stereo. No external speakers will be present. Viera Regional Park, 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Viera, 321-633-2046

Viera Voice | April 2021

Let’s make Recipe by cookeatshare.com • Consuming raw or undercooked seafood or shellfish, may increase your risk of foodborne illness.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 3 hours Servings: 2 to 4

Ingredients

Directions

• • • •

1. If using shrimp, peel, de-vein, rinse and drain (other seafood to be prepared according to the basic prep for the product) 2. Juice the limes, straining out the seeds and pulp 3. Chop the seafood into 1/2” pieces 4. Mix all ingredients together well, place in a sealed storage container 5. Chill for 3 hours 6. SERVING: This is beautiful in a martini glass, half an avocado, a hollowed out fresh, firm tomato, tortilla chips or a nice lettuce leaf

• • • •

1lb shrimp (tilapia, clams, octopus, sea bass, etc.) 1 small onion, minced 1 clove of garlic, large, minced 1 jalapeno (or 1/2 a small habanero, if you dare), minced, seeds and veins removed 5-6 nice sprigs of fresh cilantro (coriander), leaves removed from the stems and finely chopped 1/4 tsp sea salt Fresh squeezed lime juice to cover the above - 6-8 large limes A few grinds of black pepper

Feb. 6,

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Calendar Wednesday

Wednesday

Yoga in the Park

9 - 10 a.m. Guests must bring all of their own mats and blocks. The Avenue Central Park, Viera 321-634-5390

4 Easter

5 •Gold Star Spouses Day 6 • New Beer’s Eve

10 - 11:30 a.m. Join us for Easter 2021 at the USSSA Space Coast Complex — outdoor, spaced seating, but still together as a church.

10 a.m., RSVP. Motor and non-motor symptoms. Virtual only. One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771

PP&G is giving back 10% of dinner and takeout proceeds to the Child Abuse Prevention Task Force of Brevard. Just mention Pizza with A Purpose. 2250 Town Center Ave. Viera

13 • Peach Cobbler Day

Easter 2021 at Church at Viera

Parkinson’s Support Group Pizza with a Purpose 5 - 8 p.m. of Viera

Space Coast Classic 15K and 2 Mile

6:30 a.m. Brevard County’s only 15K race. Quest Elementary School 8751 Trafford Drive Viera, SCC15K.com

National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will headline April 17 & 18 Cocoabeachairshow.com

6:30 - 8 p.m. $8 a class or $50 a month. Viera Regional Community Center, 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Viera 321-474-8205

Tae Kwon Do

• National Pet Parents

25 Day

Melbourne Art Festival

April 24 -25, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Wickham Park 2500 Parkway Drive

View additonal area events online at vieravoice.com

Housework Day

Viera Voice | April 2021

Beginners: 4:15 - 5:15 p.m. Intermediate 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Wickham Park Senior Center, 2785 Leisure Way Melbourne, 321-255-4494

Long Term Care is Not A Place – Seminar

4 p.m. In-person or virtual. Limited seating and must RSVP for Zoom. One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, RSVP 321-751-6771

Thursday - 10 a.m. - Noon, Session one Friday 10 a.m. - Noon, Session two Make paper beads like those made in Uganda. Viera, 321-751-6771

Saturday

Friday

Saturday • National Find a 3 Rainbow Day Viera Regional Community Center Open House

Just to be safe— 1 Please call each event location to confirm date and time.

Photos with the Easter Bunny

11 a.m. - 3 p.m., April 2 - 3 Guests are welcome to take complimentary photos with the Easter Bunny. The Avenue Viera Central Park, 321-634-

11 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. Odyssey Travel 5525 Porada Drive Suite 102 Viera, RSVP 321-301-4041

5 - 9 p.m. Free drive-in movie. Audio available through car stereo. Viera Regional Park, 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, 321-633-2046

16 • National Orchid Day 17

Jazz Brunch and Learn

Open Basketball

1 - 4 p.m. Train to become a volunteer educator. American Police Hall of Fame, 350 Horizon Drive, Titusville, 321-264-0911 ext 120

• National Dolphin Day

Yoga in the Park

9 - 10 a.m. Guests must bring all of their own mats and blocks. The Avenue Central Park, Viera 321-634-5390

9:30 - 11 a.m. Learn about the new luxury resort-style independent living community for active adult seniors. Presented by Sonata East of Viera. RSVP 321-341-9000.

Drive-In Movie – Star Wars: A New Hope

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Event showcasing activities. Free demonstrations, food trucks on site. 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way 321-433-4891

Docent Training

27 • National Prime Rib Day 28 Homeschool Yoga in the Park 10 to 11:45 a.m. 45-minute blocks in P.E. and Life Skills. Ages 5 to 12, $2 a class. Viera Regional Community Center, 321-433-4891

Thursday • April Fools’ Day 1 Bead Making

Friday

Travel Talk with Karen, Nancy & Ronnie

Line Dancing

2021 Cocoa Beach Air Show

7 •National No

Thursday

10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Join your friends to play basketball. $2 per person Viera Regional Community Center, 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Viera 321-433-4891

Spring Garden Party

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Stroll through our beautiful garden and learn about Florida natives plants. Cocoa Rockledge Garden Club 1493 Fiske Blvd. Rockledge, 321-863-0277

Veterans Memorial Concert 35th annual Veterans Memorial Concert with Doc Holiday 7 p.m. Wickham Park 2500 Parkway Drive Melbourne, 321-690-0805

22 • National Earth Day 23 24 Drive-In Movie in the Park Rhapsody in Blue & Bolero! VA Aid & Attendance 5 - 9 p.m. 7 p.m. Seminar 10 a.m. Presented by William A. Johnson at One Senior Place, 8085 Spyglass Hill Road, Viera RSVP, 321-751-6771

“Star Wars: Episode V Empire Strikes Back.” Brevard County’s Wickham Park, 2500 Parkway Drive, Melbourne, 321-633-2046

30 EXPO DAY

Space Coast Symphony Concert. The Scott Center at Holy Trinity, 5625 Holy Trinity Drive, Suntree 855-252-7276

Medicaid Planning Seminar Boomer Guide Drive-Thru Senior Expo #6

9 - 10 a.m. 10 a.m. Guests must bring all of In-person or virtual. their own mats and blocks. Presented by Elder Law The Avenue Attorney William A. Central Park, Viera Johnson P.A. 321-634-5390 321-751-6771

8:30 - 10:30 a.m. Brevard Veterans Memorial Park, Merritt Island 400 S. Sykes Creek Parkway Get your new 2021 Boomer Guide. Dress in your 1960s and 1970s outfit. Music, snacks and water. 321-2421235, boomerseniorexpo.com. Peace, Love & Listings.

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Solution, Puzzle page 23

VIERA VOICE Shutterstock

Fishing is flourishing in Brevard County this month.

Solution, Puzzle page 28

Spring fishing brings big catches and bright smiles to the end of your line SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE Spring warmth brings fun fishing in the Indian River Lagoon as speckled trout, redfish and snook are feeding before spawning season. These are delicious fish and can make everyone happy at the dinner table. Lunker trout can be caught from Titusville to

Jupiter, with snook a popular catch from Sebastian Inlet southward. With a dry winter, water levels have remained low and the water has been clean. Snook and seatrout can be found around mangrove shorelines and docks. Areas where the depth changes from shallow water

to deep water are pleasant and productive places to cast a line. Large sandbars with steep drop-offs also are good places to put in a pole. Lady fish, black mullet and blue crabs are good baits to use. Artificial lures also are effective. Try mirrolure lil Johns and D.O.A. paddle tails. V V

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SENIORNews

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day still important in these times SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE FROM THE BREVARD COMMISSION ON AGING

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is an annual international observance day held on June 15 each year. The WEAAD came about as the result of the United Nations’ 66/127 2011 resolution, regarding a request by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA). United Nations Secretary-General Ban KiMoon asked in his statement to the General Assembly to “call upon governments and all concerned actors to design and carry out

more effective prevention strategies and stronger laws and policies to address all aspects of elder abuse. Let us work together to optimize living conditions for older persons and enable them to make the greatest possible contribution to our world.” On June 11, the Adult Protective Services Division of Florida DCF, in coordination with the Brevard Commission on Aging, Brevard Alzheimer’s Foundation, Inc., Brevard County TRIAD and Senior Life, will hold the 12th annual Brevard County World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Senior Expo (WEAAD 2021) at the

ORTHOPEDIC SEMINAR RELIEVING JOINT PAIN 6 - 7 P.M.

Free virtual seminar with Kenneth Sands, MD, Orthopedic Surgeon. Call 321-255-8040 or visit melbourneregional.org

Melbourne Auditorium. Besides government agencies and local law enforcement departments, many community providers will participate and allow seniors and their families to meet community providers and learn about all the services available in the community. The services are focused on helping citizens age in place, remain in their community, highlighting services that assist with personal care, medical case management, housekeeping, companion and transportation services, and senior living options if needed. The abuse hotline is 1-800- 96-ABUSE or 1-800962-2873. Elder abuse occurs globally, with no boundaries of race, religion or economic status. It occurs in both developed and developing countries. As our longevity

increases, we have a growing global population of elderly people. From both a health and social perspective, unless primary health care providers and social service providers identify and deal with the problem, elder abuse will continue to be overlooked and under reported. Elder abuse is defined as both a single, or repeated act; or a lack of appropriate action occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust. This act or lack of action causes harm or distress to the older person. This serious social problem is often hidden from public view and seen as a private matter. Many seniors fail to report their abuse due to the embarrassment that this could have happened to them, or that a trusted friend or family member is the abuser. The Florida Department of Children and Families, Adult Protective Services Division investigates allegations of adult abuse, neglect and exploitation. So, what can you do? Educate yourself on the red flags of elder abuse. Physical indicators include unexplained fractures, burns, lacerations on the victim; lack of appropriate clothing for the weather; wearing the same clothes for multiple days; unkempt or dirty in appearance; fleas, lice; body odor; senior wanders or appears to be lost and needs assistance finding their way home. Environmental indicators include garbage is thrown

about the inside and outside of the home; hazardous living conditions due to lack of needed repairs to the home; fire hazards; inadequate or little food in the home; utilities are not working; new people have moved into the home, making conditions crowded. Financial indicators can be the senior complains they no longer have enough money to pay their bills or purchase food; senior appears unable to understand their finances; a new friend is now handling their finances and banking. Behavioral indicators can be new destructive or aggressive behavior by the senior; afraid of being alone; sudden change in behavior or attitude, suspicious of others; lack of eye contact; withdrawals from friends; frightened of caregiver; overly quiet, passive and denies any problems. Family or caregiver is striking or pushing senior; name calling; shows little concern for the senior; and unrealistic expectations of the senior. If you need to go to a rehabilitation facility, which one in your community would you feel most comfortable at? Like any other phase of our lives, it takes planning to make our senior years as successful as possible. V V For information, contact Cindy Short at 321-633-2076, FAX 321633-2170, cindy.short@ brevardfl.gov, brevardf l.gov/HumanServices/ CommissionOnAging or at 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, B-106, Viera, FL 32940.

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VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

It was a full house at The Avenue Viera during Senior Life's Boomer Guide Drive-Thru Senior Expo.

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

Latoya Jones showed up in full retro fashion to the Drive-Thru Senior Expo.

Seniors recall the 1960s, 1970s during another successful expo BY KATIE SIVCO Senior Life’s Boomer Guide Drive-Thru Senior Expo drew hundreds of cars to its 1960s and 1970s themed event on March 19 at The Avenue Viera. The 2021 issue of the award-winning Boomer Guide magazine, the premier senior guide to the Space Coast, was released at the expo. The first copies of the magazine became available to all attendees. The theme for this year’s Boomer Guide was Peace, Love and Listings. For 15 years, the Boomer Guide has been a popular resource guide. Well before the expo’s 8 a.m. start time, vehicles were wrapped around the bend behind AMC Avenue 16. Vendors were lined up to greet, share information, hand out resource material and offer giveaways. Some seniors said the expo offered them a

couple of hours out of their homes for the wealth of information that they could collect in one place in a short time. Participants wore masks and practiced social distancing, making the expo a safe option for seniors. One attendee, 83-year-old Janice Cahill of Melbourne, was thrilled at the opportunity. “You don’t even have to get out of your car,” Cahill said. “I enjoy doing this.” The expo offered booths with information on travel, retirement options, insurance, health and wellness, and transportation. The final stop at the expo was Shred America, which took in attendees’ documents to be securely shredded. Derek Bernard, frontman of the band Derek & The Slammers, provided live music at the expo. “We make the themes of our expos entertaining and informative,” said Jill

Blue, the CEO of Bluewater Creative Group, the parent company of Senior Life, which hosted the expo. “It’s nostalgic. It was fun.” Among the sponsors of the event were CarePlus Health Plans, Courtenay Springs Village, St. Francis Reflections Lifestage Care, Volunteers in Motion and Health First Health Plans. “So happy to interact with the community today,” said Vicki Moore of CarePlus Health Plans. “Great weather, great music, overall great day.” Senior Life’s next Boomer Guide Drive-Thru Senior Expo will be held 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. April 30 at the Brevard Veterans Memorial Park on Merritt Island. In May, another expo will be held in the Melbourne/Palm Bay area. Exhibitors interested in participating in the next expo should call 321-2421235 or email media@ bluewatercreativegroup.com. VV

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

Julia Harden of Rockledge held up her peace sign to share the love.

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

The Bluewater Creative Group, which publishes Senior Life and the Viera Voice, featured its new 2021 Boomer Guide at the event.

Remembering to forget comes with advanced age

I’ve started having to deal with short-term memory loss, but it’s not as hard as dealing with short-term memory loss. Huh? Memory loss is a common occurrence as you get older. Ever gone somewhere and forgotten why? Then you turn around and retrace your steps, hoping you’ll remember, get lost on the way back and have to call the spouse to find out what you’re doing? That’s shortterm memory loss. How about when you’re in a restaurant and they

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Funny thing is... Sammy Haddad hand you a menu you can only see with your glasses you forgot in the car? Oh, man. What about when you go to a party with the gang from the office and you get a mental block on someone’s name and have to introduce them to your spouse?

Yeah, forgetting names is just like nighttime bathroom visits. The older you get the more it happens. Comedian George Burns identified the stages of memory loss. “First you forget names. Then you forget faces. Then you forget to put your zipper up. Then you forget to put your zipper down.” How many times have you forgotten where you put your cell phone and had to have someone else call it? Ever had it ring in your pocket when they did?

What about when you put something in a specific place so you won’t lose it, then forget where that place was? Or telling your friends this great story, your phone goes off, you hit reject, then say, “What was I talking about.” Depending on the age of your audience, they’ll probably say “dunno.” So how come I can remember the lyrics to songs I used to sing as a teen 50 years ago but can’t remember why I’m telling you this. There is one good thing

about memory loss. I just don’t remember what it is. Actually, there are good things about memory loss. The worse your memory loss is, the more you enjoy reruns. I’m really not suffering from memory loss, I’m enjoying it. Yeah, like when I tell stories of my escapades as a young man. The older I get, the better I was. I can tell you for a fact that I never was the man I once was. Now, what was I talking about? VV

Viera Voice | April 2021

Give a gift on Earth Day to our special planet April is a special month for the environment: it is when we celebrate Earth Day. For us at Recycle Brevard, March is also a special month and was a bit extra special this year for it marked Recycle Brevard’s 10th anniversary. 1. With a name that originated from a call to action, Recycle, Brevard!, nothing is more fitting than celebrating the organization’s anniversary by inviting the community to take

BEYOND the CURB Marcia Booth

President & Founder, Recycle Brevard

action and help remove more items from the waste stream, diverting more from our landfills as a gift to the Earth. We are calling it the Ten for Ten Challenge. The goal is to have each participating

household divert at least 10 pounds of waste by Earth Day, which is April 22. Items accepted in this challenge that will count toward the 10 pounds are: 1. Electronics (no printers, monitors or TVs) 2. Metal (other than food/ drink cans) 3. Plastic toothbrushes and empty toothpaste tubes 4. Empty dental floss containers 5. Disposable razors and

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Viera Voice | April 2021

their packaging 6. Vitamin and supplement bottles as well as blister packs 7. Dead markers, mechanical pencils and pens 8. Empty glue sticks 9. Brita filters, pitchers and bottles as well as their plastic packaging 10. Old plastic food storage containers (Tupperware-like) Besides the items listed above, we will need large cardboard boxes and packing tape. Also, if you are interested in helping this effort, please email us at volunteer@RecycleBrevard. org — we will need helping hands to sort, weigh, pack, transport and drop off boxes for shipment.

The main drop-off day will be Saturday, April 24 at Recycle Brevard’s facility in Rockledge. More details are posted on our website, RecycleBrevard. org, on the Ten For Ten page. If your organization or neighborhood would like to become a drop-off site, you can register online to be added to our list and help engage your local community members in this effort. We want this challenge to bring the community together, energize households and reward our planet. This is what we do through Recycle Brevard. Join us in celebrating the Earth, our community and positive action! VV Email Marcia Booth at Marcia@RecycleBrevard.org

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VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Blue Origin

Blue Origin’s New Shepard Rocket was named after Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard.

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Blue Origin

The New Glenn Heavy Lift Rocket will launch from Launch Complex 36.

Blue Origin advances with $2.5 billion rocket facilities BY LINDA JUMP Blue Origin’s construction of a $2.5 billion facility at Exploration Park, near the main entrance to Kennedy Space Center, is well under way with plans for the maiden launch of its orbital reusable rocket late next year. “There’s no other facility where you can build a rocket, you fly it, you bring it back, and you fly it again,” said Caitlin Dietrich, the director of communications. The aerospace company was founded in 2000 to offer more affordable space access with reusable launch vehicles. Its New Shepard suborbital rocket made a dozen missions with firststage booster propulsion landings on a moving ship. Its larger New Glenn boasts twice the cargo space of

comparable orbital rockets and can be used up to 25 times in nearly any weather. Blue Origin announced its New Glenn’s first flight was postponed until next year in part because of Space Force’s recent decision not to select the company for the second phase of the National Security Space Launch. Instead, officials say they’ll concentrate on meeting commercial customer contracts, but hope to launch NSSL payloads in the future. New Glenn, named after famed astronaut John Glenn, will be nearly the length of a football field and 23 feet in diameter. It will be used to carry passengers and cargo such as satellites into orbit. “This is going to be a massive rocket. We’re doing things on a scale that has not been done before,” said Scott Henderson, the vice

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president of operations and test flight. To build and launch its heavy-lift rockets, Blue Origin is nearing renovation of Launch Complex 36 and construction of a 650,000-square-foot complex to manufacture and process rockets about nine miles from the launch site. Included is an assembly facility large enough to house three rockets, a tall tank cleaning and processing facility to crane-lift a rocket vertically for testing, vehicle access and lightning protection towers,

storage areas for liquid oxygen and natural gas, and a 750,000-gallon water tank to provide the 200,000 gallons of water needed at liftoff. “There are hundreds of construction workers out here every single day from small and medium businesses,” said Jerry Greckel, the launch site director. Louis Marchica, 77, of Merritt Island worked for United Space Alliance from 1968’s Atlas program through the completion of the shuttle program in 2011.

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He praises privatization of the space program. “Then, NASA oversaw every detail possible. With commercialization, NASA still has a finger on what’s going on, but private companies are more efficient and less expensive by far, with reusable boosters and significantly fewer people,” he said. Marchica said firms like Blue Origin and SpaceX “are picking up the momentum, so by 2024, we hope to land on the moon again — and, eventually, Mars.” VV

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Manatee lives depend on lagoon health The Indian River Lagoon’s manatees are dying — lots of them! Why? What can be done? Manatees are a signature animal for our area, loved by all. That’s why it’s so sad when we hear that more than 300 died in the first two months of 2021, almost triple the number of deaths for the same period last year. What’s worse, we are hearing that many of these poor, docile creatures are starving to death. Manatees’ main food is seagrass, the leafy green plants that used to cover much of the lagoon’s sandy bottom. And they eat a lot: 32 to 108 pounds of vegetation daily. Tragically, however, our seagrass fields are disappearing. Studies show coverage decreased from 79,000 acres in 2009 to 33,000 in 2019. Why? Because the nutrients we keep dumping into the lagoon are driving algae growth and killing the

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really depends on us saving the lagoon itself. And we are back to our familiar discussion. Reduce nutrients in stormwater runoff. Don’t fertilize. Convert septic systems to sewer treatment. Dredge the builtup muck out of the lagoon and stop leakage from wastewater lines. VV Learn more at HelpTheLagoon.org. Check out our recent Lagoon Straight Talk while you’re there.

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seagrass. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus causes massive algae blooms, making the water cloudy and preventing sunlight from reaching the seagrass. Likewise, the muck that has built over decades chokes it. As its roots die, the bottom sediment is stirred up by turbulence, further increasing cloudiness. Scientists say that the whole ecology of the lagoon has changed from one dominated by seagrass fields filled with sea creatures to an algae-dominated ecosystem with cyclic blooms that die, decay, deplete the oxygen in the water, kill fish and deposit more muck on the bottom. So, saving the manatees

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Viera Voice Locally Owned Locally Operated Managers, Designers, Writers, Editors, Photographers are locals, too!

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Viera Voice | April 2021

VIERA VOICE Shutterstock

The largest venomous snake in North America is the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. It is commonly found in the Florida wild.

The beauty of the Florida wild often leaves a nasty bite Many of Florida’s wild creatures occupy natural habitats, but some venture among people. In recent years, these encounters have become more prevalent due to human encroachment upon pristine territories. For example, roaming animals sometimes “visit” private homes. In Fort Myers, a panther was discovered lounging on a front porch. Fortunately, it was not intimidated and departed by itself. Birds of prey might react aggressively around humans. In a Jacksonville Beach neighborhood, six residents experienced owl attacks during the daytime, possibly from a nesting owl. Similarly, at an Orlando golf club, nesting hawks terrorized golfers. Sharks are certainly threatening. Volusia County leads the world in shark bites. New Smyrna Beach is the “shark attack capital” of the world. This beach draws crowds, which attract sharks. Surfers are most vulnerable. In addition, Florida rattlesnakes instill tremendous fear. Periodically, these snakes vacate burrows or hideaways under rocks and logs and wander into traffic. An Eastern Diamondback slithered across the road near the entrance of a community in Estero and continued into the grass. Another Diamondback captured on the Dunedin Causeway was relocated to a preserve. The Eastern Diamondback is found throughout Florida and is the largest venomous snake in North America. Its sustained rattle is sometimes confused with the persistent buzz of the cicada. Fatalities from bites can be avoided with antivenom. A much smaller rattler is the Dusky Pygmy, a skilled swimmer. This is the most common venomous snake

in the state. Its small rattle is difficult to hear. The painful bite is not fatal, but might result in the loss of a finger or toe. This snake and all snakes can bite underwater. In Florida, there are also venomous arachnids. The brown recluse spider is identified by the violinshaped marking on its back. It secludes itself in dark recesses, such as in a pile of clothes or a shoe long left untouched. A bite might produce tissue damage called necrosis. Contact with this shy spider is uncommon. It is nocturnal and a recluse. The Southern Black Widow species also might be encountered. The distinctive red hourglass-shaped marking is displayed on the underside of the female. Although the female is generally timid, she delivers a painful, but rarely fatal, bite when harassed. The male is not a threat. This and other spider species might be concealed in a bunch of grapes or bananas while probing for insects. Furthermore, other arachnids are troublesome. The three scorpion species in Florida are not lethal, but their tail-delivered stings are painful, comparable to bees. Ticks thrive year-round in Florida’s climate and might cause Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Mites are often microscopic and might induce skin irritations. Realistically, fatalities caused by wild creatures are infrequent. Most creatures flee instead of challenging humans. Awareness, respect and averting confrontations are vital. VV

vieravoice.com

Your voice

What is the ultimate adventure you hope to accomplish in your life? Photos by Ernest Arico

Loretta Raymor

“I want to go back to Hong Kong. I was coming down with an illness the last time I was there, and I wasn’t very nice. I want to do a do-over.”

Mike Ferger

“I hope to return to Cuba when it is a free country. I have been there 12 times, most recently 14 months ago, and the conditions under which the people must live are so difficult. I want to go back when Cuba is in better condition.”

We Take Care of We Take&Care Moms Dadsof Moms & Dads

Our resort-style community at Alura is Our resort-style community at Alura is designed to provide comfortable living designed to provide living and enjoyment everycomfortable day. and enjoyment every day. While Inspired Living will never be the home that was left behind, we hope or be your will find While Inspired Livingthat will you never theloved homeone that was comfort, ease, and happiness in our community. left behind, we hope that you or your loved one will find comfort, ease, and• happiness in our community. Resort Style Living Licensed Oversight 24/7 Nutritious Chef-Prepared Meals • All Day Restaurant Dining Resort Style Living • Licensed Oversight 24/7 Onsite + Offsite Events • Dedicated Programming Daily Nutritious Chef-Prepared Meals • All Day Restaurant Dining Housekeeping & Maintenance Onsite + Offsite Events • Dedicated Programming Daily Housekeeping & Maintenance

Lew Grant

“I would like to go with my dad to Jamaica and visit my family. My dad is from Jamaica, and I’ve never been there.”

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Taylor Helton

“I would love to go to Hawaii because it is very beautiful there.”

Stephan Zeak

“I would like to see the Northern Lights, travel with my husband to all the places he’s gone, and see my adult children become successful, happy and healthy.”

MELISSA ALONSO MELISSA Sales Director ALONSO Sales Director

While working in the hospital system, I saw a number senior patients that needed additional Whileofworking in the hospital system, I saw a services at home, but didn't know what to do or where number of senior patients that needed additional to turn in order to get the help they needed. services at home, but didn't know what to doSeeing or where this, I wanted a difference and Seeing decided to to turn in ordertotohelp getmake the help they needed. enter world senior living. Everyoneand is someone's this, I the wanted toof help make a difference decided to grandma, grandpa, mom, dad, someone's loved one enter the world of senior living. Everyone is someone's and shouldgrandpa, be treated as such. I have always loved grandma, mom, dad, someone's loved one helping others and what better of a population to focus and should be treated as such. I have always loved those efforts than ourbetter seniors; that helped my helping othersonand what ofthose a population to focus generation get where we are today. those efforts on than our seniors; those that helped my generation get where we are today.

Venus Brown

“I would like to visit northern and central Europe, especially Italy, Germany and Spain.”

ALF # Pending ALF # Pending

vieravoice.com

Viera Voice | April 2021

Home Sweet Home Deborah Tomczak

REALTOR®, GRI, ALHS, SRES, CRS Over $11 Million Sold in 2020

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HERITAGE ISLE VILLA

HERITAGE ISLE

2 BD W/ FLEX ROOM, 2 BA, 1 CAR PARTIAL WATERVIEW FROM BACKPORCH

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3 BD + OFC, 2 BA, 3 CAR, BEAUTIFUL DURAN GOLF & WATERVIEWS

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KERRINGTON 4 BD, 3 BA, OVERSIZED 2 CAR, STUNNING WATERVIEW, OVERSIZED LOT ON CUL-DA-SAC, TILE THROUGHOUT & TILE ROOF

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BEST TIME TO SELL YOUR HOME IS NOW! CALL DEB TOMCZAK 321-604-8479