Viera Voice, August 2021

USSSA Pride calls Viera home

Newspaper pe of Vi Vier Viera & Suntree...........BLUEWATER TER CREATIVE GROUP Vol. 15 Issue 7

See story, page 11

vieravoice.com

August 2021

Nothing stops Gary

Build a winning scarecrow this year

BY MIKE GAFFEY October in Viera means cooler weather, football and Viera Voice’s Scarecrow Stroll and Harvest Festival.

This year, the Viera Community Institute will continue the tradition that the Viera Voice began in 2011 and organize the Harvest Festival.

The Viera Voice will host the always-colorful Scarecrow Stroll and competition.

Cancelled last year due to COVID-19, this year’s event will be presented from 10 a.m. to

SCARECROW STROLL

continued to page 5

VIERA VOICE 7350 Shoppes Dr., Suite 102 Viera, FL 32940

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

Gary Miracle, who lost his arms and legs after going into septic shock following a trip to the hospital on Dec. 31, 2019, coached three flag football teams for the Suntree Viera Youth Football League last spring. This fall, he will be an assistant coach for his son's 8U tackle football team. "My goal has always been to be out on the football field when tackle season starts, out of my wheelchair," he said. See story, page 9 PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID

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Sonata East at Viera offers true local community for its residents

BY JILL BLUE The Sonata East at Viera, Viera's newest senior living community, held a VIP Open House July 22. A facility tour and ribbon-cutting ceremony were conducted.

The new 133,000square-foot senior living community is located at the corner of Breslay Drive and Veterans Way in Viera. It is across the street from the VA Clinic. Its sister property is Sonata Viera Assisted Living, which is within walking distance from the new property.

The first residents of the three-story independent living and memory care community will move into the complex Aug. 2.

“It's wonderful to see a locally based senior living

company contribute to raising the bar in Viera,’’ said Todd Pokrywa, the president of The Viera Company. “As our residents throughout the masterplanned community age, they don't have to leave the social networks that they've built. They have the opportunity at Sonata to be able to keep their community together.’’

It is filling up fast.

“Sonata East at Viera is 55 percent pre-leased with 50 percent being veterans,’’ said Shelley Esden, the chief operating officer for Sonata Senior Living. “The new building will feature 88 independent living and 30 memory care apartments with the latest technology in dementia care.’’ V V

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Viera Voice | August 2021

vieravoice.com

First Friday market in Viera offers festival of food, crafts

BY WENDY SCHEURING The scent of handmade goat milk hand-andlaundry soaps, essential oils and remedies, as well as fragrant candles, lingers in the air. Custom cups, hand-made greeting cards, hand-painted bowls, mosaic lamps and vintage jewelry, all looking like works of art, fill the booths.

Tempting homemade cakes, breads, cookies, organic coffee, honey, spices, salsas, relishes, jams, cupcakes, vegan baked goods, cheeses, and beef jerky are packaged and ready for purchase.

You can find these and more at the Viera Park Market, which takes place from 4 to 8 p.m. the first Friday of every month at Viera Regional Park at 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way. Near the community center, vendors set up decorative tables beneath canopies or tents, creating a fun and relaxing atmosphere conducive to walkers who like to amble, sample, and shop.

“We have a lot of local fresh foods and food trucks,” said Karen Shea, who owns TCS Foods, LLC, with her husband Tim Shea. The couple has been running the market in Viera since 2017. “We want to keep it local.”

In July, about 30 vendors showcased their wares, some of them offering free samples, and others a friendly smile and good conversation.

The winter months bring up to 50 vendors to the market.

Kaitlyn Jensen, a firsttime vendor and recent UCF graduate, started making earrings from polymer clay in order to alleviate the boredom she experienced during the pandemic. Some are sparkly; others are transparent when you hold them up to the sun.

“They are almost like stained glass,” Jensen said.

VIERA VOICE Wendy Scheuring

Visitors come to shop at the Viera Park Market on July 2.

Aromatic roasted coffee attracts shoppers to Mountain Laurel Handcrafts & Specialty Coffee, run by Laurel Hogan Earls, who roasts her own organic coffee blends. Her booth also features unique, oneof-a-kind coffee mugs hand-crafted by Pottery by Grams, and local honey.

Samantha Wischnefski, a Melbourne native, has been making beef jerky from cuts of eye round roast beef for the past two years.

“I honestly began out of necessity,” she said of

her jerky, wanting to make something for her teething toddler to chew on. “Family and friends started liking it, and I ended up making a business out of it.”

Local caterer Simply Fresh & Delicious has prepared hot foods on hand, and various food trucks, such as East Coast Shuckers, Happy Hippies Vegan Truck, Tasty Freeze 2.0, Cali Shave Ice, Dusty Joe’s Fusion BBQ, and Nunzi’s Wood-Fired Cuisine offered tempting, delicious fare.

The next market takes

Viera East Community Development District (CDD)

is soliciting proposals to operate a restaurant and provide catering services at the CDD’s Golf Course Clubhouse in Rockledge, Florida.

Proposals must be received no later than 3:00 pm on Friday, August 20, 2021.

Proposals shall be addressed to: Jason Showe, District Manager Viera East CDD 219 E. Livingston St., Orlando, FL 32801 Interested parties should submit a completed response that can be transmitted via electronic mail to the CDD Board of Supervisors. Proposals can be hand-delivered, mailed or sent via electronic mail to jshowe@gmscfl.com but must be received by 3:00 p.m. on Friday, August 20, 2021.

To request the RFP please e-mail jshowe@gmscfl.com. All questions and inquiries regarding the RFP should be submitted via electronic mail to jshowe@gmscfl.com and received no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, August 9, 2021.

All questions and answers will be provided to all proposers who pick up an RFP package. The questions and answers, when posted, become part of the RFP. Proposers are responsible to keep informed of questions and answers.

The objective of this RFP is to enter into either a management agreement or a lease agreement to provide full-service bar and restaurant operations at the Viera East CDD Golf Course Clubhouse.

VIERA VOICE Wendy Scheuring

The Wild Goat Soap Team and family shows off their goat milk-related products at the Viera Park Market.

place on Friday, Aug. 6.

For more information, go

to Viera Park Market on Facebook. V V

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3

Volume 15, Issue 7 ©2021 Bluewater Creative Group, Inc. All rights reserved Bluewater Creative Group 321-242-1235 7350 Shoppes Dr. Suite 102 Viera, FL 32940 media@bluewatercreativegroup.com

Publisher Bluewater Creative Group, Inc. Managing Editor Jill Blue Assignment Editor R. Norman Moody Office Manager Sylvia Montes

Staff Reporter Katie Sivco Copy Editor Jeff Navin Sports Writer/SportsBlog Carl Kotala Writers/Reporters Ernest Arico Brenda Eggert Brader Charlotte A. Corbeil Mike Gaffey Linda Jump Fred Mays Jennifer H. Monaghan Flora Reigada VIERA MEANS Wendy Scheuring Maria N E T WSonnenberg ORKING GROUP Linda Wiggins

BUSINESS

Viera Voice's Networking Group The entire contents of this newspaper are copyrighted by VIERA VOICE with all rights reserved.

VIERA VOICE is not liable for errors or omissions in editorial, advertorial or advertising materials.

VIERA MEANS BUSINESS NETWORKING GROUP Distribution of this newspaper does not constitute an endorsement of products or services herein.

Reproduction or use without permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited.

Featured Family1

California couple fulfills life-long dream in Viera

BY WENDY SCHEURING

good friends.

Chris dreamed of being Life has a way ofVIERA coming MEANS in law enforcement but BUSINESS full circle. worked with the family’s NETWORKING GROUP Many years ago, a young pawn shop business in the Southern California lady named Jayme met a area, instead. Jayme would young man named Chris. visit the store when her They dated for a few years kids wanted a Nintendo but married other people, had children, then divorced Gameboy cartridge.

Jayme’s son was a at different times in their football player and Chris lives. Throughout the years, was a football coach for a however, they remained VIERA MEANS BUSINESS NETWORKING GROUP

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Facebook LIVE

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VIERA VOICE Katie Sivco

Chris DeFalco a Brevard County Sheriff's deputy, right, and his wife, Jayme, reside in Viera with their 20-year-old son Michael Orzech.

P

Art Director Adam Palumbo

Viera Voice | August 2021

321.848.1847 SALONMADELEINE.COM

neighboring high school, so they saw each other at the games.

One day, after both had divorced, he took her to breakfast and asked her if she wanted to try again.

He jokingly said he had to twist her arm, but she agreed.

Chris and Jayme DeFalco now have been married for six years.

Jayme knew of Chris’ dream of becoming a police officer. And, later in life, he once again desired to become one. But he was not sure where he would fulfill that dream until he saw a video that was posted online.

“I saw one video where he (Sheriff Wayne Ivey) was in front of a house with six deputies behind him and I said this is awesome. He’s a no-nonsense man,” Chris DeFalco said.

DeFalco sold the family business and moved to Viera in October 2020 with Jayme and one of their sons.

DeFalco graduated after six months at the police academy.

Between the two, the DeFalcos have four children. The oldest is a professional football player for the Los Angeles Rams, and the dad of a newborn.

Their daughter is a nurse in Tennessee, and their youngest has just joined the U.S. Army. Their 20-yearold lives with the couple in Viera and works at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, where Jayme DeFalco also works as a bartender.

The DeFalcos love living in Viera. “Everything is green. The people are so nice,” Jayme DeFalco said.

“There’s definitely a lot less traffic than I’m used to dealing with. I love all the water everywhere.”

“We go to the beach, walk at the preserve, go bike riding, and have lunches and dinner on the water,” said Chris DeFalco, who also enjoys watching lightning storms.

They have found a church home at Church At Viera. “It’s a good-sized church. I love the pastors and their teaching,” Jayme DeFalco said.

“It’s very upbeat, warm, and welcoming,” Chris DeFalco said.

DeFalco is ready for his new role with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.

“I’m really eager to go out and help people and be positive in the community, especially with the youth,” he said. V V

vieravoice.com

SCARECROW STROLL

continued from page 1

2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16 at Viera Regional Park at 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way. It had been held at The Avenue Viera for the past several years.

“It will be different this year,” said Jill Blue, the president and CEO of the Bluewater Creative Group, publisher of Viera Voice, Senior Life and Boomer Guide.

“This year we're holding the stroll on site. They can view the scarecrows and vote all at the same time at the Harvest Festival,” said Blue.

In 2011, Pizza Gallery & Grill won the inaugural event with a chef scarecrow called Vincent Van Crow. Other winners have included Viera Hospital’s Sickly Stein and Princess Poppy built by the Autumn House Memory Care.

Mini Crow winners have included Minecraft Creeper Crow, Harry Potter Crow, Star Wars Princess Leia, Jeff the Chef and Disco DeDe. In the past, people

used a map to flock to local businesses to view the scarecrows and check the scarecrows off a list before the Harvest Festival.

The annual event will feature scarecrows created by several local businesses and individuals. Prizes will be awarded for the top Children’s Mini Crow, the best Adult and Family Scarecrow and the top Business Scarecrow. Voting will take place during the Harvest Festival and winners will be announced during the event.

There is no fee to enter the Children’s Mincrow contest. The entry fee for the Adult and Family Scarecrow division will be $35.

Entrants for the Business Scarecrow contest will be charged $55.

The festival also will feature a pumpkin patch, a fall photo area and live music.

For more information, call 321-242-1235. V V

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Viera Voice | August 2021

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Find a new job in these listings

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Ocean Partners Hospitality is a growing company looking to add associates to our team in Cocoa Beach. Our hotels include Hampton Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, Best Western, & Days Inn. Assistant General Manager | Admin Assistant | Maintenence Technician | Front Desk Clerk | Line Cook | Breakfast Attendant | Overnight Maintenance Technician | Laundry Attendant | Housekeeping/ Room Attendant | Night Auditor Apply in person at 3425 N. Atlantic Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL/HR Department or send resume to HR@oceanpartnerscb.com

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Seeking Retail Specialist candidates for current and future consideration based on your skills, experience, and passion for the confectionery and retail business here at Grimaldi Candy Company.

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Email your resume to: trisha@grimaldicandies. com or stop in and fill out an application at our Avenue Viera location or in Rockledge at 3006 US Highway 1.

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Insurance and Financial Services Position - State Farm Agent Team Member (Base salary + commission) Full Time • Melbourne I am seeking dynamic insurance professionals for the office of Arty Pagan - State Farm.

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Duran’s Big Cup event pays tribute to America’s birthday

BY ERNEST ARICO

John Reece and Chad Anderson were the Men’s Flight A first place net winners with a score of 52 at Duran Golf Club’s annual July 4 Big Cup event.

The tournament was the biggest in the club’s 10-year history — 156 players, said Matt Morrison, Duran’s head PGA professional .

“We filled up all slots 10 days before the tournament began,” he said. “We were able to do four men’s flights, a ladies flight and one mixed flight.”

This year’s tournament featured a shotgun start utilizing the oversized 8-inch holes at the golf club in Viera.

“The larger cups add a unique twist to the event and players enjoy something different on occasion,” Morrison said. “The larger holes help with pace of play, so we were able to add a few more teams in rather than the typical full field of 144.”

Morrison also said this year’s event marked a return to normal COVID procedures.

“Last year, we did tee times rather than a shotgun start and we skipped an awards ceremony,” he said. “This year,

VIERA VOICE Ernest Arico

Dennis Vannorsdall of Satellite Beach, left, watches his son Nick Vannorsdall of Melbourne putt toward the 18th hole where Jerry McAnulty, a retired Air Force chief and a committee member responsible for media relations and marketing for the Duran Men’s Golf Association, right, holds the stick with the American flag during the club’s annual Big Cup event July 4.

we were back to normal. We had outside seating available for those who were interested, and we also offered a divided cart to separate cart riders which were available upon request.”

The tournament also was part of Duran’s way of paying tribute to the nation’s military veterans and the birth of

the nation.

Jerry McAnulty, a retired Air Force chief and a committee member responsible for media relations and marketing for the Duran Men’s Golf Association, said it was the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began that a Duran tournament was more “back INSIDE THE ROPES

to normal.”

McAnulty said the golf club held the Big Cup designation with the American flag at the ninth and 18th holes on the Fourth of July.

“We can display our patriotism more fully because the pandemic appears to be over,” he said.

Winners received various

day tournament in August featuring two-man teams playing a scramble on the first day and a best-ball event on the second day.

All players will have a chance to win prizes and everyone is assured of having a fun time with lots of fellowship.

On July 1, VEMA played an individual flighted tournament using Stableford

scoring.

A Flight: 1. Simon Cole, 2.

Steve Wing, 3. Mike Piccininni, 4. Ben Dickerson.

B Flight: 1. Dennis Lamb, 2. Richard Gagliardi, 3. David Horst, 4. David Parker.

D Flight: 1. David Hill, 2. Glen Tarsha, 3. Andy Mammay, 4. Alan Pinette.

Closet to the pin: Sky Blue tees: No. 4, Tony Hines; No. 7, David Hill; No. 13,

Frank Westwell; No. 16, Glen Tarsha. Green Tees: No. 4, Jim Kopliner; No. 7 Jim Kopliner; No. 13 Craig Smith; No. 16, Mike Piccininni.

On July 8, VEMA played a four-man team variable best ball and the top three teams were: 1. Paul Winter, Freddie Baltazar, Bill Scholtens and a random pick.

2. Richard Gagliardi, Randy

amounts of gift cards to purchase merchandise at the club’s pro shop.

Other winners were: Men’s Flight A: Second net with a score of 54 were Roger Carpenter and Larry York; first place gross with a score of 56 were Kyle Decenzo and Matt Brandt.

Men’s B Flight: First gross, 59, Kevin Crumb and Noah Allen; first net, 50, Jack and Keith Riffee; second net, 51, Ryan Campbell and Sean Ryan.

Men’s C Flight: First gross, 61, Dale Martin and John Ringenberg; first net, 48, Mark Merz and Mitch Jacobs; second net, 51, Jeremy Gerber and Bryan Cain.

Men’s D Flight: first gross, 65, Tony Catalano and John Hurt; first net, 52, Frank Sapanaro and Ron Bates; second net, 53, Sam Sorice and Ben Godwin.

Mixed Flight: First gross, 68, John Miller and Sandy Loveless; first net, 54, Michael Leblanc and Sarah Lloyd; second net, 55, Ryan Jesenik ad Jessica Matta.

Ladies Flight: First gross, 75, Suzann Magner and Sheila Diebert; first net, 54, Cindy Forstall and Helene Brady.

VV

Golf Carts Unlimited tournament set for August

BY DAVID D. HORST The snowbirds have returned to their homes in the northern part of the country and the southern full-time residents are enjoying the weekly Viera East Men’s Golf Association competition averaging between 40 and 50 golfers a week.

VEMA is excited to have the Golf Carts Unlimited two-

Coming September 2021

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Sweaney, Glen Tarsha and Bob Gustavson.

3. Wilson Butler, Louis Sickenberger, Andy Mammay and John McComas.

Closet to the pin: Blue tees: No. 4, Paul Winter; No. 7, David Hill; No. 13, Alan Satcher; No. 16, Gary Koch. Green Tees: No. 4, Dale Hopper; No. 7, Raul Arroyo; No. 13, Mike Piccininni; No. 16, Dennis Lamb. V V

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Viera Voice | August 2021

7

Young Tigers eager to test themselves against 2021 opponents

BY CARL KOTALA The excitement around a young Holy Trinity football program is almost palpable and the Tigers are going to get their chance to thrive in the upcoming 2021 season.

Whereas last year saw Holy Trinity play only Brevard County teams due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s slate is more diverse and expected to challenge its young core of players.

“It’s going to be very competitive considering more than 50 percent of the starters are going to be ninth graders,” Holy Trinity coach Nate Hooks Jr. said. “It’s not as tough as the Brevard schedule we had last year, but that was an older, stronger, more mature team.

“We’re taking a JV team into varsity football. And … I

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

Holy Trinity football coach Nate Hooks Jr. knows he will be taking a very young roster into the 2021 season.

expect to win.”

The Tigers, who had never gotten out of the first round of the playoffs before Hooks arrived on campus, have reached the Class 3A regional semifinals in each of the past three seasons.

This year, they are dropping to Class 2A and the hope that this year’s incoming group of freshmen will — at some point — become the class that puts the Tigers over the top and into a regional final.

schedule features the renewal of a brewing rivalry and a matchup of old friends.

Viera is scheduled to host Satellite in the Kickoff Classic at 7 p.m. Aug. 20.

From there, the Hawks open the season at home against Rockledge (Aug. 27); travel to Glen St. Mary to take on former Viera coach Kevin Mays and the Baker County Wildcats (Sept. 3), and then return home to play Vero Beach (Sept. 10).

“We’re excited about it,” Viera coach Derek Smith said.

“It’s a challenging schedule.

“It’s going to challenge us up front right away on both sides of the football and that’s what we want. It’s like every year, we want our non-district games to be as challenging as possible.”

Viera, which won six consecutive district championships before the pandemic, opens up Class 7A, District 7 play in Week 4 on the road against East River (Sept. 17).

Week 5 will have the Hawks at home against Eau Gallie (Sept. 24) followed by another district road game at Harmony (Oct. 1).

After a bye in Week 7, Viera returns to action Oct. 15 at Cocoa. Viera will close out its district schedule with backto-back home games against Melbourne (Oct. 22) and St. Cloud (Oct. 29).

Viera’s final regular-season game is set for Nov. 5 at Merritt Island.

While there certainly are no shortage of challenges on the schedule for the Hawks, two games that stand out come in the second and

Will that be this season?

The journey begins later this month.

Holy Trinity is scheduled to host Atlantic at 7 p.m. Aug. 20 in the Kickoff Classic.

The regular season begins with a pair of games against Brevard County opponents.

The Tigers are scheduled to host arch-rival Melbourne Central Catholic on Aug. 27, then head to Titusville for a game Sept. 3.

That game against the Terriers will be the first of three consecutive road trips for Holy Trinity, which will be headed to Largo to play Indian Rocks on Sept. 10.

Then it’s off to Interlachen for a game against the Rams the following week.

After a home game against Windermere Prep on Sept.

24, the Tigers are set to head to Palm Beach Christian

Prep, the team Holy Trinity defeated in its spring game.

The game is set to be played Oct. 1, followed by a bye week (there is a chance those weeks could be flipped, which would mean Holy Trinity’s bye week would be Oct. 1).

Another Brevard County opponent will await the Tigers on Sept. 15 when Space Coast comes to town to kick off a stretch of three consecutive Holy Trinity home games.

The other two opponents are slated to be Halifax (Oct. 22) and Pine Ridge (Oct. 29).

The final regular season game is scheduled for Nov. 5 in Daytona Beach against Father Lopez.

“Everything’s looking upward,” Hooks said. “It’s a larger team numbers wise.

We have a $5.5 million facility.

Can’t beat it.” V V

Once again, Hawks will have a schedule full of challenges

BY CARL KOTALA

If there is one thing you can always take to the bank when the Viera Hawks make out their football schedule, it’s that their non-district schedule isn’t going to be easy.

That’s certainly going to be the case in 2021.

After last year’s COVID-19 pandemic schedule that eliminated district play and kept Brevard County teams from traveling outside the county during the regular season, this year’s Viera

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The Viera Hawks are excited about their 2021 football schedule that includes traditional matchups against Brevard County powers like Cocoa and Rockledge as well as games against Vero Beach and Baker County.

third weeks.

Mays not only helped turn Viera from a county laughingstock into one of its top programs, but he and Smith are longtime friends.

“With Mays being an ex-Viera guy, we thought it would be cool to play each other home and away,” Smith said. “They’ve got a great atmosphere to play in. They shut down the town to play a football game.”

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past few seasons with the Hawks winning at Vero in 2018. The teams met in the final regular season game of 2019 and will meet again in 2021.

For the first time in the series, the game will be played at Viera.

“We wanted to continue that Viera-Vero game,” Smith said. “We just obviously couldn’t last year because of COVID. That’s an exciting rivalry that we think should continue in the future.” V V

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Miracle humbled, grateful for second chance at life

BY CARL KOTALA Gary Miracle was watching a documentary on Lance Armstrong when he heard a line that really resonated: “He had a one-liner in that documentary where he said, ‘If you get a second chance at life, make sure you live it better than the first,’” Miracle said.

“That line has just stuck with me. I get a second go around at this. I died and God wasn’t done with me yet. He brought me back to life. I just want to make the second half of my life better than the first.”

It was New Year’s Eve, 2019. Miracle wasn’t feeling well and went to the emergency room. He was eventually air-lifted to AdventHealth Hospital in Orlando where he went into septic shock, and on Jan. 1, 2020, somewhere around 8 a.m., he went into cardiac arrest for nearly eight minutes.

“Luckily, I had already arrived at the hospital in Orlando and they had me hooked up to the machine, so I was still getting oxygen coming to my brain, which is the only reason I still have brain activity right now,” the 40-year-old said. “Coding for eight minutes with no oxygen would have been devastating.”

As it was, Miracle was in a coma for 10 days and in the hospital for 107. Doctors had to remove his arms and legs.

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

Gary Miracle plans to run the Tailgate 2-miler at The Avenue Viera on Aug. 15.

He was confined to a wheelchair and had to relearn how to do everything we take for granted, like eating with a fork.

It would have been easy for Miracle, or anyone in his position, to fall into a deep depression.

But he had his wife Kelly, their children Henry (7), Walter (8), Asher (10) and Johana (17) and a host of family members and friends to prop him up. He also had his faith.

“It just got to the point that I made the decision I don’t want to live my life saying God is good and living my life like he’s not,” he said.

“I want to say that he’s good

and live my life like he’s good and trust that he doesn’t make mistakes.

“He wouldn’t have allowed this to happen to me if he didn’t have something for me on the other side of it.”

This month, Miracle will begin serving as an assistant coach on the Suntree Viera Youth Football League’s 8U tackle football team, where Henry and Walter will be playing.

Prior to that, he and his father, Gary Miracle Sr., coached three different flag football teams for the SVYFL and two different rec league soccer teams for Space Coast United. His 10U soccer team

went undefeated.

“The impact he has made in our community in setting an example for so many kids to not only learn the game we love but how to overcome adversity and always stay positive is remarkable,” SVYFL President Shaun Hartman said.

But that’s not all.

Miracle, who already had prosthetic arms, got his legs in June along with some running blades. He plans to run the Tailgate 2-miler at The Avenue Viera on Aug. 15.

“My goal has always been to be out on the football field when tackle season starts, out of my wheelchair,” he said. “If I can run a two-mile race, then I can stand for an hour on the football field.”

MercyMe, a Christian music band where Miracle once served as the “merch guy,” wrote a song inspired by him called, “Say I Won’t”

EXPECT

that appears on its latest album, “Inhale (Exhale).”

While many might see Miracle’s story, positive attitude and determination as an inspiration, Miracle doesn’t view himself in the same light. He’s just a guy who is grateful for every breath and heartbeat.

This is just my life right now. We’re still in survival mode. We’re trying to figure out what our new normal looks like. “… No, I don’t feel like I’m an inspiration. But if something I’m doing or living through inspires other people then (that’s) awesome. I love it.

“But I also want to be grateful and humble enough to realize that this was a monstrous thing in my life that took me out, and God could easily do it again. I don’t want to take that for granted, either.” V V

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9

Brevard soccer fans are really kicking in Orlando

BY FRED MAYS

Brevard County soccer fans are experiencing a good season, following the men’s and women’s professional teams in Orlando. Both the Orlando City of Major League Soccer, and the women’s team, the Orlando Pride, are currently in second place in their respective league standings.

Both play at Exploria Stadium in downtown Orlando, and both have a fan base in Brevard County.

The fan clubs of Orlando City are known as Ruckus clubs. The Ruckus of Brevard consists of 19 members, who regularly attend home games and gather at a local brewery to watch away games on TV. The Ruckus clubs pack into standing-room-only bleachers behind the goal at the end of the field, beating on drums, waving flags and generally raising a ruckus.

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Orlando City Soccer Club

Orlando City forward Chris Mueller plays the ball out of pressure.

That section of the field is known as The Wall.

“We’re a participant, rather than just a spectator,” said Cameron Caldwell of Rockledge.

Brevard’s Ruckus leader, Eric Popham of West Melbourne, said members usually tailgate prior to games and come to the field with flags that are often homemade.

“There’s definitely an

energy,” Popham said. When he and his wife, Wanda, went to their first game, they sat in regular seats.

Noticing all the commotion in the end zone, “we decided that’s where we want to be.”

They’ve been members of The Wall ever since.

Samatha Senger and her son Jadyn are regulars at the men’s games, splitting season tickets with friends.

“Splitting tickets is good.

We get to about nine, 10 games a year.”

They’ve been going to games since the team played in the Citrus Bowl. Exploria Stadium, a soccer-only field, opened in 2017.

“We have lots of jerseys,” Senger said. The team even took official photos of the two of them and they were featured on the big screen

at one of the games this season.

Melbourne resident Kim Smith started out as a season ticket holder of the Orlando Pride women’s team in their inaugural season. She also attends a couple men’s games each year. She calls it a “really cool experience, a fun time.”

Both teams have players with Brevard connections.

Pride goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris is a graduate of Satellite High School.

Defender Toni Pressley went to West Shore. For the Lions, Thomas Williams of Titusville is a member of their Under-17 squad.

Ruckus of Brevard has a Facebook page. They meet for away games at the Dirty Oar on King Street in Cocoa.

Single game tickets start at $18, and can be hard to come by. Exploria Stadium has a capacity of 25,500 and often sells out. V V

Jaguars defensive end Josh Allen taught defensive line skills and linebacker Quincy Williams worked with quarterbacks. More than 20 football coaches assisted the NFL pros. “It was an amazing turnout,” Taylor said.

As a senior at Cocoa High, Taylor helped the Tigers go 10-3 and reach the Class 4A State semifinals in 2015. He was named Florida Class 4A First Team All-State.

Taylor then attended the University of Florida from 2016 to 2018, where he started 35 of 37 games — mainly at right tackle — and didn’t miss a game. He was named Second Team All Southeastern Conference by Athlon Sports.

Declaring for the NFL after his junior season, Taylor was chosen by the Jaguars in the second

round of the 2019 draft as the 35th overall pick.

He earned NFL All Rookie Team honors from the Pro Football Writers of America in 2019 and has started all 32 games at right tackle for Jacksonville.

Camp participants enjoyed free meals from Chick-fil-A and received a giveaway bag filled with items, said Viera resident Wendy Taylor, Jawaan’s mother. Available slots filled up less than 90 minutes after Taylor first posted word of the camp online, with some participants coming from as far away as Texas, Arkansas and Virginia, she said.

Taylor, who operates the nonprofit Jawaan Taylor Foundation, hopes to offer more free camps in the future. V V

VIERA VOICE Fred Mays

The Brevard Ruckus Club makes its presence known both during home and away soccer matches.

Cocoa graduate, Jaguars lineman Taylor holds free football camp

BY MIKE GAFFEY

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman and Cocoa High School graduate Jawaan Taylor “just loves to give back” to his community, his mother said.

On July 3, Taylor had another opportunity to help others, hosting a free football camp for 200 Brevard County children and teens at Viera Regional Park. Taylor, who is entering his third year with the NFL team, and two Jaguars teammates instructed children ages 10 to 17 in football fundamentals during the three-hour Jawaan Taylor Free Football Camp.

“It was my first camp and it was a lot of fun,” said Taylor, a 6-foot-5, 312-pound starting right tackle who wears No. 75

VIERA VOICE Mike Gaffey

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman and Cocoa High School graduate Jawaan Taylor works with participants at his Jawaan Taylor Free Football Camp at Viera Regional Park on July 3.

for the Jaguars. “I really enjoyed it. I just wanted to do something to give back to the community and do something big for the kids

because that’s what it’s all about.”

Taylor coached camp students on offensive line techniques and drills, while

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Top softball players play for Pride in Viera

BY MIKE GAFFEY The Marlins, Expos, Nationals and Manatees are gone, but Brevard County still has its Pride.

The USSSA Pride, an independent fastpitch softball team organized by the United States Specialty Sports Association, is Brevard’s only professional sports squad, with a current roster of 17 former college players.

The Pride’s home games are at USSSA Space Coast Stadium — formerly known as Space Coast Stadium — at the 85-acre USSSA Space Coast Complex at 5800 Stadium Parkway in Viera.

“We’re having lots of fun playing exhibition games, mostly at home but also across the country,” said Paul O’Leary, USSSA’s director of marketing.

Founded in 2009, the Pride originally played in the Nashville-based National Pro Fastpitch league. The team won seven regular-season titles and NPF Cowles Cup championships in 2010, 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2019, before leaving the NPF in 2019 at the end of its 10year contract. In 2017, the Pride relocated to Brevard after the USSSA moved its national headquarters from

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of USSSA

Alexandra Nicole Powers graduated from Florida State in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management. Powers enters her fifth season with the USSSA Pride.

the Florida Marlins from 1994 to 2002, the Montreal Expos in 2003 and 2004 and the Washington Nationals from 2005 to 2016. The Brevard County Manatees, Gulf Coast Marlins and Nationals also played minor league games at the stadium.

As part of a $36 million renovation, USSSA converted the stadium to a softball park and added 14 all-turf softball and baseball diamonds nearby.

The complex mainly hosts youth and adult baseball and softball tournaments all year, which draw players, fans and families from across the country.

The Pride ends its May-

to-August exhibition season with a six-game homestand, hosting Team Florida in a three-game series Aug. 2 to 4, and the Carolina Collegiate League for three games Aug. 5 to 7.

Pride games start at 7:05 p.m. and tickets range from $5 to $10. To order tickets, go to etix.com/ ticket/e/1018288/pride2021-viera-usssa-spacecoast.

O’Leary is unsure whether the Pride will play another exhibition season in 2022, but whatever the future holds, the team will keep playing, he said.

“The Pride is very, very important to the USSSA,” O’Leary said. “I think the future is bright.”

Despite the Pride having played in Viera for four years, some people still aren’t aware that they can watch some of the best softball players in the world in action here in Brevard, O’Leary said.

“One of the complaints I hear is, ‘I miss going to watch a minor league team,’” O’Leary said. “I ask them, ‘What do you miss?’

And they say, ‘I miss having a burger and a hot dog and a beer.’ And I say, ‘Well you can come and do that now.

Come and watch the Pride play.' " V V

Kissimmee to Viera.

During this year’s 35game exhibition season, the Pride faced several independent teams, but played most of its games against Olympic squads Team USA, Team Mexico and Team Canada, going 7-13 against teams that competed recently in Tokyo.

“One of the nice things about not being in a league is you can make those series with who you want,” O’Leary said.

“It’s good because we have some of the best players in the world.”

This season, the Pride played its road games in the Midwest in stadiums

such as Bosse Field in Evansville, Indiana, Rent One Park in Marion, Illinois and the Shawnee School District Softball Complex in Shawnee, Kansas.

Several local athletes have played for the Pride, including Kelly Kretschman, a Satellite High School star, two-time Olympic medalist and three-time NPF Player of the Year. Eau Gallie High School and Florida State standout Alexandra Nicole Powers is in her fifth year with the team as an infielder.

Before the USSSA moved to Viera, Space Coast Stadium was the spring training home of

games at the high school.”

The QB club organizes all off-field activities associated with Viera football, including community service projects, team camps, weekly team meals, game day programs, merchandise sales, special game night activities, fundraisers, and the end-ofseason banquet.

Woodruff, a coach of the Youth Football League’s Suntree-Viera Hawks 14-andunder team, said QB club members had been looking for ways to build stronger bonds between the youth

football team and high school him we’ll do whatever we players, he noted. need to do to get it going,” he team and make the youth “We’re hoping that it really added. takes off,” Woodruff said team a true feeder program Initial response to the of the club. “It’s solidifying for VHS. new club has been strong, the bridge between the two The oldest VHS players Woodruff said. Membership programs.” will mentor the oldest youth might have to be capped so For more information, go players and younger Hawks that VHS players get ample to vierahawksfootball.com/ will take younger “little time to work with individual RHFC.com V V Hawks” under their wing, Woodruff explained. That way, a steady stream of County’s ONLY Continuing Care youngsters mentored by VHSBrevardRetirement Community. players will enter the high school program, he said.

RETIREMENT COMMUNITY MYTH #3 Viera High football coach Derek Smith fully supports the Rising Hawks club, Brevard County’s ONLY Continuing Care Woodruff said. “So we told Retirement Community.

Rising Hawks club pairs youth with VHS football players

BY MIKE GAFFEY

Youngsters hoping to play football at Viera High School now have a club of their own.

The Viera Hawks Quarterback Club, the official booster club for VHS football, has organized the Rising Hawks Football Club, a group designed for players in first grade through eighth.

“It’s kind of a mentor program for the younger players,” said Scott Woodruff, the VHS Quarterback Club president. “They look up to these guys. They go to their

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News

SCHOOL

In-person and eLearner hybrid education comes to an end

BY LINDA WIGGINS

The hybrid form of education where eLearners and in-person students share a classroom teacher is now a thing of the past, due to a May 21 Brevard Public School Board vote.

This year's choices, starting on the first day of school for students on Tuesday, Aug. 10, are either

Brevard Virtual School/ Florida Virtual School/Florida Cyber Charter Academy, or heading to school in person, where masks are now optional rather than mandatory.

Sister-school students in Viera and Cocoa shared what it was like this past year to be in the classroom and at home learning from the same teacher. It was a necessary

experiment that addressed the COVID-19 pandemic, but it had both weaknesses and strengths. Analyzing it can help parents, guardians and students.

Weaknesses: “Having eLearning in the classroom has made school inefficient,” said Viera Charter School's Avery Johnson, now a rising ninth grader. Many in-person students mentioned

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Viera Voice | August 2021

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VIERA VOICE Linda Wiggins

Cocoa High School teacher Cyril Morrow teaches at-home student Colby Elrod.

frequent classroom distractions as teachers would have to idle them or set them on a task while the teachers addressed eLearners, often contributing to behavioral problems in class.

Many eLearners reported difficulties hearing teachers, especially if muffled by a mask, combined with a reluctance to ask for help because they felt uncomfortable calling attention to themselves in front of in-person students.

The eLearning option became such a challenge to some students by midyear that Florida Department of Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran ordered eLearners who earned a D or F back to the classroom. Or parents/guardians could sign a waiver allowing the student to stay home online.

Teachers for the most part took the hybrid setup in stride, along with so many changes along the way. That didn't mean they liked it. Many teachers were unable to contact some of their eLearners for the entire semester, and often found students reluctant to participate.

“It's like having two jobs and getting paid for one,” said Cyril Morrow, a teacher at VCS sister-school Cocoa High School, for grades seven through 12. “You are working with students who are in front of you, and often

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you must give a separate lesson so eLearners can understand, since they are not in the same room as you.

Assignments, too, might be given and received in a different manner. It’s more work and stress, but we are all in this together and we will get through this together no matter what next thing comes at us while we are still reeling from the last thing.”

Strengths: Some students flourished as eLearners. Teachers noted that students with a high level of maturity, focus and motivation did better than their eLearner peers.

“I love eLearning because I can do my work anywhere, right on my phone if I need to,” said CHS student Kailey Spurlock, who earned straight A's all year. “I have no problem with my grades because I jump on my work as soon as it is assigned.”

What is the best school setting for my child: in-person or virtual?

If a student is mature and self-motivated, they likely did well as an eLearner and will do well as a virtual student.

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BPS starts school Aug. 10 with a few changes

BY ERNEST ARICO The first day of school for grades 1 through 12 at all Brevard Public Schools is Tuesday, Aug. 10.

The first day for children attending kindergarten is Friday, Aug. 13.

All BPS teachers are scheduled to report for preplanning from Monday, Aug. 2 to Monday, Aug. 9.

The school district has scheduled Thursday, Aug. 5 as a District Professional Development Day for all teachers.

With the start of the 2021-22 school year on Aug. 10, school rules and regulations for COVID-19 pandemic protection will soften.

The Brevard County School Board decided at its May 21 meeting to make the wearing of face masks optional. In addition, all BPS students must report to schools, the district removing eLearning from the available choices in favor of allowing concerned parents to enroll their children in Brevard Virtual School.

However, the school district reports water fountains will continue to only be used to fill water bottles. Plexiglass barriers can remain standing in

VIERA VOICE Katie Sivco

This coming school year, the projected enrollment for Quest Elementary School is 668.

classrooms and offices.

The district will continue to limit the direction people travel in hallways to minimize face-to-face contact.

The school district will continue to “prioritize” air conditioning unit changes and run air conditioning before and after buildings are occupied to maintain airflow.

School seating arrangements will minimize student contact, but “flexible seating should be used when it benefits instruction,” according to the school district.

Buses will return to

full occupancy. School cafeterias will still offer grab and go meals in addition to regular serving lines.

Out-of-state field trips will still require district approval, and schools are directed to continue to hold high-risk events outdoors.

Visitors and volunteers will be allowed to participate in school activities on a limited basis.

One of the upcoming changes this school year is the new attendance boundaries for two Viera elementary schools.

Last February, a letter was sent to the

families within these two elementary schools indicating they will be rezoned for the 2021-2022 school year.

The area includes 127 students attending Quest Elementary, 80 attending Viera Elementary, and 162 students attending charter schools (Pinecrest and Viera Charter). The area also includes 46 students attending various other public schools.

“We wanted to balance the capacity between Quest Elementary and Viera Elementary,” said Karen Black, the manager of facilities planning and intergovernmental coordination for the district.

Black said Quest’s

enrollment last year was 795, while Viera’s was 384. This coming year, the projected enrollment for Quest is 668, while Viera’s will be 511.

If your child plans on playing a sport this fall, the school board recently passed a policy requiring heart-screenings for student-athletes. The board passed a policy that makes electrocardiogram (ECG) tests mandatory for all student-athletes.

Electrocardiograms help identify athletes who might be at risk for sudden death from loss of heart function.

An ECG also might assist with diagnosing several different heart conditions that put athletes at risk.

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VIERA VOICE Katie Sivco

The winners of the MOAACC scholarships are all smiles after they each received a $5,000 check and certificate at the 38th annual MOAACC Scholarship Corporation awards luncheon at The Tides Collocated Club.

MOAACC honors local graduates

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Mary Fentress is going into her senior year as a human resources management major at Florida State University with one less worry — paying her tuition.

“I was so honored and it was amazing to meet everyone. I was very appreciative that they gave me the opportunity to focus more on my studies,” said Fentress, who graduated from Viera High School in 2018. “I felt proud to be an American.”

The Military Officers Association of America Cape Canaveral (MOAACC) chapter, during a luncheon July 20, honored Fentress and nine other college students each with $5,000 scholarships to help fund the rest of their education.

Eligible applicants must be a descendent of a service member.

“I will use this money to not work as much at Publix,” Fentress said.

For 38 years, MOAACC members have honored students continuing their education through the support of donations. This year’s luncheon and award ceremony was held at The Tides Collocated Club on Patrick Space Force Base.

“It’s great to see the look on people’s faces when you can help them out and eliminate some of the

struggle that goes along with paying for college,” said Chairman Brent Baysinger.

“Any time you make an investment in the youth, that’s an investment in the future of the country.”

Baysinger said that the scholarship board is extremely selective and each winning student showed high regard for military heritage among other merits.

Thomas Reilly, a Viera High ‘14 graduate, is another scholarship recipient who will be attending medical school in the fall at the University of Central Florida to pursue neurology and psychiatry.

“It definitely took a huge weight off my shoulders. It means I can take out fewer loans and can focus more on my studies,” Reilly said.

The other students to receive scholarships include: • Sean Alcorn, Merchant Marine Academy • Alexandra Baysinger, Florida State University • Isabella Bordner, University of Central Florida • Deborah Yelle, Florida Southern College • Austin Hayes, University of Florida • Samantha Oates, Syracuse University • Spencer Smith, University of Florida • Mason Yaskovic, Florida Institute of Technology VV

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Viera Voice | August 2021

VIERA VOICE Katie Sivco

MOAAC member Bob Clark, left, and Chairman Brent Baysinger present recipient Mary Fentress with a $5,000 check.

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VIERA VOICE photo

Volunteers at the popular Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands in Viera are being moved to different duties after Brevard County Utility Services consolidated management of the wetlands under its department. The volunteers were instrumental in helping with community events at the Wetlands.

County phases out Viera Wetlands volunteer program

BY MIKE GAFFEY Volunteers who patrolled the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands in Viera and told visitors about the popular man-made habitat have been informed they are no longer needed at the site after Brevard County Utility Services merged management of the wetlands under its department.

Known as the Wetland Rangers, some 12 to 15 volunteers who served at the 200-acre Viera Wetlands adjacent to the South Central sewer plant are being offered “new opportunities” that match their skills, said Raleigh Berry III, the senior environmental scientist with the county’s Natural Resources Management Department.

“Utility Services recently consolidated management of the Viera Wetlands under their department, and volunteers under my direction no longer have a role at the site,” Berry stated in an email.

The move comes after county officials in March closed the park to vehicle and golf cart traffic until further notice, allowing foot traffic and bicycles only. Utilities staff from the nearby sewer plant had been having difficulty getting to the site due to the large number of vehicles, and the two miles of dirt berms that surround the wetlands were becoming worn and unsafe for vehicle traffic, officials explained.

County officials said the 21-year-old wetlands were never intended to become a major tourist attraction.

A favorite spot for birdwatchers and nature photographers at the western end of Wickham Road, Viera Wetlands attracted about 200,000 visitors a year before vehicles were banned. Many visitors would drive along the berms to view nesting

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There is more foot traffic now that cars are not allowed to drive through the Wetlands.

birds, otters and alligators that searched for food in four ponds filled with treated wastewater flowing from the sewer plant. The ponds clean the wastewater naturally before it seeps out into the St. Johns River floodplain.

Wetland Rangers were upset to learn in May that they were being given other duties. Viera resident Harry Behret, a retiree and a ranger for eight years, believes that the county eventually plans to permanently close the wetlands to visitors because it’s “no longer an attraction.” Wildlife activity at the wetlands has decreased dramatically since he first started visiting the site around 2003, he said.

“All the surrounding areas where the wildlife came from are now developed and the wildlife has moved on,” said Behret, who used to volunteer 40 hours a month at the park. “So the wildlife activity there is down a lot, around 80 percent from when I started going there.”

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‘Seaspiracy’ points out problems in fishing industry Turbulent is the word New York Times critic Natalia Winkelman uses to qualify the top-10 ranked Netflix original film “Seaspiracy.”

According to The Guardian, the film sets out to document the harm that humans do to marine species and “pours doubt on the idea of sustainable fishing, shines a spotlight on the aquaculture industry and introduces the notion of ‘blood shrimp,’ seafood tainted with slave labour and human rights abuses.”

Despite controversies about misrepresentations, overstatements and misguided connections, the documentary takes us on a journey of discovery, exposing real current threats to the ocean and marine life.

The threats range from the regular plastic and micro-plastic pollution to ghost fishing gear and bottom trawling. It also

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covers important issues involving farm fishing and topics such as overfishing, by-catches, misleading labeling programs as well as the brutality of whaling, shark finning and dolphin hunting. It is a lot to cover in such a short time, but the film shows the impact of those activities on the environment, wildlife and human life.

Where do we start?

Unfortunately, the plastic and micro-plastic issues are quite familiar to us already and ways to reduce and divert plastic waste have been discussed here many times. Just two months ago, Recycleware, one of Recycle

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Another plastic threat widely discussed is ghost fishing gear, represented by any lost, abandoned or discarded fishing gear ghostgear.org, which becomes a death trap for wildlife.

According to Greenpeace, “abandoned fishing nets kill and injure more than 100,000 whales, dolphins, seals and turtles a year” and those nets “make up 86 percent of the large plastics in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch,” while fishing

equipment in general “makes up more than 85 percent of the plastic pollution on sea mounts, ocean ridges and the sea floor.”

It is a serious problem caused by overcrowded fisheries, overfishing and illegal or unregulated fishing. The Greenpeace report from 2019 explains.

Severe weather and snags beneath the surface also might cause fishing gear to be lost or left behind.

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Abandoned fishing nets kill and injure more than 100,000 whales, dolphins, seals and turtles a year, according to Greenpeace.

organizations. Those projects involve gear removal, recycling, marking and data collection.

These are great projects, but what can folks do to help?

If you fish, make sure to never leave gear behind.

Recycle Brevard can help you create a portable bin for your fishing line through the Connect to Help Protect program at recyclebrevard. org/p/programs.html.

If you are a diver, you can participate in removal projects such as Project AWARE (projectaware.org) and Dive Against Debris (padi.com/aware/diveagainst-debris).

Not a diver? No problem!

You still can help by using the Ghost Gear Reporter app to report lost fishing gear of any kind that you might come across. You will not only be helping to collect data but also passing on information to local conservation groups that can recover the gear.

Maybe this is the kind of information Seaspiracy missed the opportunity to share.

Regardless, Seaspiracy is worth watching. It is a chance to learn about practices that should not be the norm.

We do the best we can with what we know, and when we know better, we do better. — Maya Angelou We can definitely do better. VV Email Marcia Booth at Marcia@RecycleBrevard.org

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Meat Market location flipped to a financial institution

BY WENDY SCHEURING Many area residents loved shopping at the old Petty’s Meat Market and lamented when it closed in 2019.

Cypress Trust Company later moved in, but not before doing the necessary extensive renovations.

“The building was in great shape,” said Dana Kilborne, the president and CEO of Cypress Trust Company.

“We love the location and for our needs the envelope of the building was untouched except to add windows and changes to the inside.”

In a nod to the building’s former tenant, Kilborne said the market’s commercial kitchen was converted into the employee break room.

The original granite topper of an aluminum work table, complete with cut marks and a corner missing, was preserved.

“We kept that (the granite countertop) and got a different table, and it serves as our breakroom table,” Kilborne said. “We were not able to keep the keg,” she joked.

The building’s interior has a modern, warehouse-look with high open ceilings, slim

VIERA VOICE Wendy Scheuring

Dana Kilborne, president and CEO of Cypress Trust Company, showcases its newest branch in Melbourne, the former site of the Petty's Meat Market in Suntree.

rectangular linear hanging lamps, artwork and a coffee bar. The original concrete floors were stripped of the old red paint and refurbished, bringing back their appeal.

With the new Melbourne location, the soon-to-be 25-year-old trust company

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based in Palm Beach, now has six branches along the periphery of the state. Having been granted approval from the state of Florida, Cypress Trust Company also will become a bank, offering banking services in addition to its current trust

and management services, sometime this fall.

The new name will be Cypress Bank & Trust.

“Oftentimes when a business owner or professional gets to a certain point in their career or the lives of their business, they

often have an opportunity to sell their companies or they amass some assets they want to invest or provide for children or grandchildren,” Kilborne said.

“The opportunity for us to have the trust business inhouse will allow our bankers to refer clients to someone that they work alongside and for the client to have a more full-service offering.”

Cypress Bank & Trust will offer commercial products and a full array of consumer products.

“One of the things that was very interesting to us when we looked at the potential to add a bank was looking at the changes tech-wise,” Kilborne said. “What COVID taught is that it really accelerated people banking from their phones and laptops.”

“We have had folks that have walked in,” said Kilborne of the new Melbourne location. “We inevitably get the question of where the beer is,” she joked. “The reception to this base is very good.

We’re excited.”

For more information go to cypresstrust.com or call the Brevard County branch at 321-306-4100. V V

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The delicious madness of Asian-style cuisine comes to Viera

BY WENDY SCHEURING Teriyaki Madness, a fastcasual restaurant serving Asian-style cuisine, will be opening in November.

The storefront is currently “an empty shell," according to owner Ven Puskar, but with construction starting in the next few weeks, it will soon be filled with fresh and healthy food options, using all-natural ingredients, and containing no MSG (monosodium glutamate).

The menu consists of bowls, appetizers, sides and sauces.

“I like the Teriyaki Chicken bowl followed by the Spicy Chicken bowl,” Puskar said.

The Teriyaki Chicken

bowl features marinated hand-trimmed chicken thighs served with fresh vegetables and an in-house teriyaki sauce.

The word teriyaki comes from the Japanese teri meaning luster and yaki meaning grill and refers to a cooking style overseas. Here in the United States, teriyaki is a sauce made from a base of soy sauce and sake or mirin, rice wine. The Spicy Chicken bowl features an in-house spicy sauce.

“It is all grilled food with a lot of flavor to it,” Puskar said.

Spices such as ginger, garlic and black and red pepper add to the delicious taste.

The protein options for the bowls include all-natural

The bowls at Teriyaki Madness include all-natural chicken, salmon, steak and tofu. All bowls include fresh vegetables.

bar in 2010. Island Root Kava Bar in Suntree, his seventh location, recently opened its doors.

“Kava has been around for 3,000 years,” said Childers, who has been a surfer for most of his life. “It helps with insomnia, anxiety, stress and social anxiety.”

In Polynesia, kava tea is served cold in coconut shells.

At Island Root Kava Bar Suntree, it is served in “plastic bowls that are shaped like a

coconut shell which are easier to clean and sanitize.

According to Childers, it is the kava lactones in the kava plant roots that produce the calming effect that can last anywhere from two to eight hours. “It does not affect your mental clarity. It is not addicting. There are no mindaltering symptoms.”

Kava means “bitter.” “It has an earthy taste, from grounded roots,” explained Childers, who prefers to

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Teriyaki Madness

chicken, salmon, steak, and tofu, and include fresh vegetables and carbohydrates, such as white rice, brown rice, fried rice, yakisoba noodles, or stir-fried vegetables. There are three different sizes

from which to choose: junior, regular and large.

Appetizers include edamame (soybeans boiled in their green pods), Chicken Eggroll, Chicken Potstickers, Crab Rangoon and Shrimp Tempura. Stirfried vegetables, white rice, brown rice, stir-fried rice and noodles are the sides.

Seven soy-based sauces are available: teriyaki, thick teriyaki, stir-fry, sweet and sour, gyoza, and sweet and tangy katsu. The sauces are both vegetarian and vegan, with the exception of the gyoza and katsu.

The style is casual. Come in, order, seat yourself and eat in, or order take-out or delivery.

To find out the nutritional information or count your calories, click on the “nutritionals” option under the “More” menu on the website or download the nutritional pdf.

Puskar, who also owns two additional businessesin Viera, Kumon Learning Center and Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park, believes that with the growing population in Viera, the restaurant will be a “great addition to the community.”

The new restaurant is at 2338 Citadel Way, Suite 102, next to Jersey Mike’s Subs.

For more information, go to teriyakimadness.com. V V

3,000-year-old tradition pours into the cups of Viera, Suntree residents

BY WENDY SCHEURING “Bula” is a greeting you often might hear at a kava bar. In the Fijian language, it means “long life and good health.”

Tony Childers was introduced to kava tea 15 years ago when he lived in West Palm Beach. “At first, it made my mouth go numb and then it gave me a calming effect. I liked it, so I started researching it,” he said.

He opened his first kava

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VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Island Kava

Kava has been around for 3,000 years and helps with insomnia, anxiety, stress and social anxiety.

use kava from the island of Vanuatu in the beverages he serves.

For those who prefer a sweeter version, the kava is mixed with a variety of fresh, juiced fruits. Some of the popular versions are Bloody Mary, Mango Habanero and Apple Jacks, a mixture of kava, cinnamon and crushed apples.

Herbal teas, botanical teas, exotic teas and espresso also are available.

“Kava does more than just relax you,” remarked Childers.

“Kava brings a community together.”

“I draw a good crowd of engineers. I get a surf crowd. I get a mixed crowd of people that hang out and

become friends. It is very conversational and very social. You will not see a fight in a kava bar,” Childers said.

Childers describes the Suntree crowd as in their midto late 20s into their 30s “But during the day in Suntree, you will see people who are in their 60s and 70s,” he said.

The Suntree location also has a pool table and a ping pong table. Trivia nights are on Monday and open mic nights are on Thursday.

Island Root Kava Bar in Suntree is located at 7954 Wickham Road, Suite 115, from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., and is open to those 18 and older.

For more information, go to island-root.com. V V

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VECDD seeks proposals for golf course restaurant

BY ERNEST ARICO The Viera East Community Development District is seeking proposals to operate and provide catering services at its golf course clubhouse in Rockledge.

Proposals must be received no later than 3 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 20, and submitted to District Manager Jason Showe, Viera East CDD, 219 E. Livingston St., Orlando, FL 32801.

The VECDD wants to enter into a management or lease agreement to provide fullservice bar and restaurant operations at the clubhouse.

According to the proposal, the golf course and restaurant are an integral part of the Viera East lifestyle. The restaurant is enjoyed by both community residents and non-community individuals and groups. However, CDD golfers and residents are the target market.

VECDD chairman Robert Dale said the Board of Supervisors is seeking an operator/lessee that will assist with expanding lifestyle amenities through events at the restaurant.

“We want a casual, yet high-quality, full-service restaurant and bar that will satisfy the Viera population,” Dale said.

Dale also said he wants the restaurant to produce more revenue. “The restaurant has the capability of producing $500,000 in revenue each year,” he said. “Right now, we’re only producing about half of that.”

Presently, Dale said the restaurant serves about 50 to 100 older folks mostly breakfast meals. He wants to broaden the restaurant’s demographics and serve more people food and drinks when they come off the golf course.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch are all

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Robert Dale

The Viera East Community Development District is seeking proposals to operate and provide catering services at its Viera East Golf clubhouse in Rockledge.

desirable services. Restaurant offerings should include both a set menu and weekly specials. Hours of operation are at a minimum from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (extended to 9 p.m. during peak season and/or community events), seven days a week, except on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The proposal states the restaurant space inside the

Viera East Golf Club is about 1,781 square feet and seats 104 guests. Customers can gain access to the restaurant through the main entrance of the clubhouse at 2300 Clubhouse Drive in Viera.

Vehicle parking is available adjacent to the clubhouse.

The restaurant is served by separate propane gas for kitchen equipment. The

restaurant operator will be responsible for the cost of the propane. In addition, the restaurant operator is required to maintain and pay for a pest control program for the entire restaurant facility and for grease collection and removal.

The proposal also states that the VECDD would expect the operator to pay for all utility costs associated with the restaurant operation.

Dale said he’s received at least five inquiries from those interested in operating the restaurant.

The Board of Supervisors will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, to review and discuss the submitted proposals.

Those who submit a proposal should attend the meeting and answer any questions from the board.

Anyone interested in reviewing the proposal can find it at facebook.com/ VieraEastCDD V V

Local businesses struggle to hire despite offers of incentives

BY JENNIFER H. MONAGHAN Help Wanted signs are everywhere. Great wages and benefits, as well as sign-on bonuses are advertised. Job numbers are up. Unemployment is down.

More people are relocating to Florida. Businesses say they are having difficulty hiring enough workers. What a conundrum!

According to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (FDEO), Florida gained 566,800 jobs since May 2020 (a 7% increase).

Unemployment is 4.9% for the state and 4.3% for the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville region as of May 2021.

“Hotels, restaurants, attractions and tourism are struggling to find employees,” said Jennifer Sugarman, the president and CEO of the Cocoa Beach Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Nancy Peltonen, the president and CEO of the Greater Palm Bay Chamber of Commerce, agrees. Based on conversations with her

members, she said, “There aren’t enough people to fill the jobs.”

How is that so? During the past year, Florida’s population

grew by about 1,000 new residents each day (per Office of Economic and Demographic Research). Given the growing demand for housing,

Brevard is also experiencing population growth.

Furthermore, the May 2021 labor force statistics and the total non-agricultural employment have not reached pre-pandemic levels in February 2020 (FDEO).

Therefore, based on this analysis, the challenge to hire is surprising.

“The number one reason I hear is the fact that the unemployment benefit is still out there and that people aren’t wanting to work.”

Sugarman said. “In most cases, the unemployment benefit is higher than salary and some people who are making less on unemployment would rather stay home with less than go back to work.

“It falls heavily on business communities to attract employees, and knowing how to connect the right candidate to the right job will be crucial,” she said.

Andrea Martin, the Staffing Manager at Senior Partner Care Services, is looking to hire staff.

Wickham Road in Melbourne has closed.

“We hope to open up a new location sometime in the future. We wanted to thank all our customers, volunteers, and staff,” the Sharing said on its Facebook page.

The thrift store closed July 17.

"We're sad to see this store go. It's been difficult

for the store to come back from COVID. But we're still looking to have a presence in the community," said David Brubaker, president and CEO of Central Brevard Sharing Centers.

Donations for its other location can be dropped off at The Central Brevard Sharing Center at 113 Aurora St. #8601 in Cocoa.

At least one other area business closed recently.

Chef Nicholas Chios closed Nikos Mediterranean Cuisine, which had been in business since November 2019. The restaurant shuttered its door last month.

Chios, who had been in the restaurant business for more than 50 years, opened Time Square Diner then later sold it.

VIERA VOICE Jennifer H. Monaghan

There are help wanted signs at many businesses in Viera and elsewhere in Brevard County.

“We are offering a higher salary than in the past, because caregivers are harder to get and we have to give a little more incentive,” Martin said.

Peltonen said that’s the quandary businesses are having these days.

“They keep having to pay people more and more. It’s hard to find qualified people,” Peltonen said. “They can’t continue to pay low wages, nor sign-on bonuses.”

Some restaurants have seen an increase in applicants which they attribute in part to the state’s decision to stop participating, as of June 26, 2021, in the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program that provided an extra $300 per week unemployment benefit.

The expectation is that on Sept. 6, 2021, when other federal reemployment benefit programs expire, large numbers of workers will reenter the workforce. V V

Saying retirement was not in his vocabulary, he opened Nikos in the same plaza at 7777 N. Wickham Road in Suntree.

Don’t count Nikos out yet.

Chios thanks the families of Suntree and Viera for their loyalty and said he will be reopening soon in a new location. V V

Pandemic contributed business closures while others opened SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE

While new businesses keep opening in the Viera/ Suntree area, at least two have shuttered their doors permanently following fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Sharing Center’s Suntree Boutique and Donation Center in the Boardwalk Plaza at 7720 N.

vieravoice.com

Viera Voice | August 2021

21

Viera Voice Presents

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Carvel, Cinnabon, McAlister’s Deli joins the Cumberland Farms house

BY MIKE GAFFEY

Eva Rey was promoted to vice president, Community Management and Communications with The Viera Company.

In her new role, Rey will continue to perform her current duties but will now also provide oversight to The Viera Discovery Center.

Brent Albertson has been promoted to vice president, Land Development with The Viera Company.

Albertson has been with The Viera Company for four years, serving as director, Land Development Engineering.

Kevin Cunningham, Duran's assistant golf professional, completed his PGA training and received his credentials as a Class A PGA Professional.

Cunningham joins a group of 29,000 PGA professionals worldwide who have received this distinction.

Karen Esposito was promoted to Sales and Development Manager with The Viera Company.

Esposito has been with The Viera Company for six years, serving as administrative assistant, project coordinator, and as sales specialist, residential and commercial.

Mercy Gonzales is the new manager at 28 North Gastropub in Viera.

In April, 28 North promoted Gonzales to general manager. Gonzales worked her way up to the management position.

With hard work, her goal of becoming general manager was achieved.

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For Brevard County fans of Fudgie the Whale and Cookie Puss, the news couldn’t be any sweeter.

Carvel Ice Cream Shoppes is opening its first Brevard location inside a new Cumberland Farms convenience store under construction at the northwest corner of Viera Boulevard and Star Rush Drive in Viera.

A Cinnabon and a McAlister’s Deli also will join Carvel at the store at 1990 Viera Blvd., just west of Long Doggers. The new Cumberland Farms is expected to open in December, according to Ashley Rumble, the managing partner of Orlando-based commercial construction firm CCS Construction, which is developing the site.

“It’s a large building so those brands are going to be within the same building as Cumberland,” Rumble said.

With its slogan of “America’s Freshest Ice Cream,” Connecticutheadquartered Carvel is best known for its soft-serve ice cream and ice cream cakes. Founder Tom Carvel, who started the company selling ice cream from his truck in Hartsdale, N.Y. in 1929, popularized the brand with his radio and television commercials that featured his gravelly voice pitching such treats as Fudgie the Whale,

space alien Cookie Puss and Hug-Me the Bear ice cream cakes.

Today, Carvel has more than 400 locations in more than 20 states and 10 countries, according to the company’s website.

The Carvel closest to Brevard is at Orlando International Airport, but is temporarily closed.

Cinnabon has more than 1,200 bakeries in 48 countries serving the Sandy Springs, Georgia-based company’s signature cinnamon rolls and other baked goods, gourmet coffees and frozen drinks.

A Cinnabon bakery operates inside the Pilot gas station at 1101 Friday Road in Cocoa.

McAlister’s Deli was founded in 1989 as a fast casual restaurant chain. It’s known for its handcrafted sandwiches, potatoes, soups, salads, desserts and sweet tea. The Atlanta-based company has more than 400 restaurants in 28 states, according to its website.

This will be Brevard’s first McAlister’s location. The Viera McAlister’s will have a pick-up window, according to Sean Hennessey, the senior vice president, public relations, with The Castle Group.

Brevard’s 18th Cumberland Farms store will be 8,190 square feet and have 14 gas pumps. Based in Framingham, Mass., Cumberland Farms has nearly 600 locations. V V

Viera Voice | August 2021

Alan Frisher,ChFC®,CLU® alan.frisher@lpl.com | 321-242-3285 Fax Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC

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VIERA MEANS BUSINESS NETWORKING GROUP

VIERA MEANS BUSINESS NETWORKING GROUP

VIE R A

VIERA MEANS

Maxine Lauer and Joe Rowlette.

BUSINESS

N

Jen Prendergast, left, Jill Blue and Sandra Walder, right.

E

TW

P

BUSINESS The July Viera Means Business VIERA MEANS networking group meeting was held July 8 and hosted by 28 North Gastropub. 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 Aug. 12 VMB meeting, call 321-242-1235.

SS E IN

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KIN G

O GR

U

Photos by Adam Palumbo

Annjanette Wicks and Lydia K. Swalchick.

Sandy Michelson and Brenda Rodriguez.

Douglas Stedfelt, left, Adrienne Baughman and Cheryl Clark, right.

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Viera Voice | August 2021

23

SENIORNews

We Dance provides enjoyment for adults of all abilities

BY JENNIFER H. MONAGHAN

We Dance Academies, with studios in Viera and Melbourne, is inviting older adults to register for their social ballroom dance classes.

“Dance helps everyone, older adults too, to keep moving, to enjoy their social life, and in a classroom setting they can find and meet new friends,” said Nadia Rudovich, a We Dance ballroom dance instructor.

For most of her 16 years as an instructor, Rudovich said, she has taught older adults up to age 95.

“We try to find a way to make our students happy, and to benefit from moving, music and communication,” she said.

She observed that older

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

Nadia Rudovich has taught dance to older adults up to age 95.

students take lessons for a variety of reasons, such

as for physical activity, to revisit a childhood hobby or dream and, in one special instance, Rudovich said, to find solace after the death of a spouse.

“Dance can significantly improve muscular strength and endurance, balance and other aspects of functional fitness in older adults.

Additionally, dancing might be useful in preventing falls in the healthy older-adults population,” according to studies reported by the National Institutes of Health.

“I see the older students rediscover their energy through dance. They become more active. Moreover, I think it makes them feel more connected to others,” Rudovich said.

For older adults, Rudovich recommends the

It’s not about

counting the days.

It’s about making the days count.

Slow Waltz, FoxTrot and Rumba.

“These are great dances for older people,” she said.

Music is an integral aspect of dance lessons, and “for many, listening to the music brings back memories of their youth and makes them happy,” she said.

“I see the older students rediscover their energy through dance. They become more active.

Moreover, I think it makes them feel more connected to others.”

— Nadia Rudovich

Music can relieve stress, reduce anxiety and depression and reduce agitation, according to research reported on the

Mayo Clinic website. Also stated, listening to music can provide emotional and behavioral benefits for people with dementia.

Ekaterina VaganovaYachmennikova, co-owner, founder and artistic director of We Dance, also noted, “Dance lessons provide a fun escape from your typical daily routine, plus a chance to relax, relieve stress, and concentrate just on yourself.”

There is a Friday Night Social Dance Party, where students have the opportunity to practice and mingle in an informal setting.

For more details about social ballroom dance classes, as well as other types of dance classes offered at We Dance Academies, go to wedanceacademies.com or call 321-425-0111.

We Dance Academies newest Viera location is 7640 N. Wickham Road. V V

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Circus, carnivals bring smiles to Viera, Suntree seniors

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

Barbara Parry sits with Sandy the Chicken at the Sonata Viera Carnival Festival.

Sonata Viera residents enjoyed popcorn, cotton candy, live music, a petting zoo and games at its carnival celebration.

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

Chateau Madeleine Senior Living & Memory Care presented a unique show for its residents at its Independence Day barbecue.

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

Edith Williams, right, leans in for a kiss from Bailey, a 41/2-month-old pig. Cox farm provided Sonata Viera with a petting zoo for its carnival celebration.

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

Chateau Madeleine's cirque style show featured live acrobats and trapeze artists that entertained the crowd.

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Viera Voice | August 2021

25

450,000 cubic yards of sand replenish Patrick's beaches

BY MIKE GAFFEY Patrick Space Force Base has renewed and replenished its beaches for better access following severe erosion.

About four miles of shoreline along the formerly named Patrick Air Force Base has been replenished with 450,000 cubic yards of sand pumped from shoals some five miles east of Cape Canaveral.

Some Patrick beaches also sport new beach crossovers constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as well as newly planted, dunestrengthening sea oats.

The fourth Patrick beach restoration effort since 1998 was part of a larger $48 million renourishment project that replenished the shoreline from Cocoa Beach to Sebastian Inlet.

Launched in 2019 as a partnership between the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District, the project spread 1.9 million cubic yards of sand dredged by Californiabased contractor The Dutra Group from an area known as Canaveral Shoals II. A hopper dredge delivered

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

New beach access crossovers were needed for safer access.

sand to the shore through a temporary pipeline, widening the beaches by about 60 feet.

After the Patrick beaches were widened in January, dredging work began on Brevard’s South Reach project area, which extends 3.8 miles from Flug Avenue in Indialantic to Spessard Holland Park. The Corps also widened the southern

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section of the county’s North Reach project area, primarily in Cocoa Beach between 2nd Street North and Patrick. Both projects were completed by April 30 to coincide with the start of sea turtle nesting season.

A separate emergency dune restoration project that added sand and sea oats to eroded beaches between Spessard Holland Park South and Sebastian Inlet State Park was completed in spring.

“These renourishment projects help maintain an area’s vitality and protect valuable infrastructure,” BOEM Deputy Director

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

Young surfer Bodhi is happy to be back at Hangars, his favorite beach.

Walter Cruickshank said in a press release.

Department of Defense funds paid for the Patrick beach work while federal funds covered North Reach renourishment. Federal and county monies covered the South Reach project area as well as Mid Reach project work for Satellite Beach and Indian Harbour Beach that was completed in 2020.

Some Patrick beach parking areas were closed temporarily while workers rebuilt seven crossovers at five sites. One new walkway at Hangar Beach meets Americans With Disabilities Act requirements and has a ramp to the beach.

The new sand initially might have a different color and texture than the sand it replaced, but in time it will match existing sands.

Officials said the sand should not interfere with sea turtle nesting.

Visitors’ recent Google reviews of popular Patrick beach sites were overwhelmingly favorable.

“Not real white, more light gray, but soft and nearly perfect for water fun and sun time,” Clint Massie wrote of sands at 2nd Light Beach.

“The sand was smooth and easy to walk in,” Tables Beach reviewer Anna Smith stated. V V

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Viera Voice | August 2021

27

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

1

SUNDAY

2

MONDAY

Summer Camp Week 9

Aug. 2 - 9 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Viera Regional Park 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Viera 321-433-4891

National Sister's Day

8

Independence Day

Annual Military Order of the Purple Heart Ceremony

2 - 4 p.m.

Veterans Memorial Center will recognize and honor 12 recipients of the Purple Heart during combat operations.

Veterans Memorial Center Memorial Plaza 400 S. Sykes Creek Parkway Merritt island 321-453-1776

Designing Modifications with Minecraft

3

TUESDAY

National Watermelon Day Test Drive a Serger 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Quilts and Lace 7720 N. Wickham Road Suite 111 Suntree, 321-622-8602

Trivia Tuesday

6 - 9 p.m.

Show off your trivia skills and win prizes. Call ahead Aug. 2 - 6 8 a.m. - Noon, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. to reserve a table for your Create 2D and 3D textures team.

2 Angry Wives Pub for the Minecraft world.

3826 Murrell Road Code Ninjas 1950 Viera Blvd., Suite 112 Rockledge, 321-848-02227 Rockledge, 321-622-4358

9

National Book Lovers Day

Barre Class

9 - 10 a.m.

We Dance Academies 7640 N. Wickham Road Unit 114, Suntree 321-334-9136

Back to School Sales Tax Holiday

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10

Free Tip Tuesdays

5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Free golf tips included with a paid bucket of balls.

Duran Golf Club 7032 Stadium Parkway Viera, 321-504-7776

16

17

Support your favorite football team on race day.

Fun football awards.

Tailgate party after the race catered by Pizza Gallery and Grill and 24 North Gastro Pub patio in the courtyard with beer (21 and older). Benefits the Sharing Center of Central Brevard. Finisher medals for all participants.

2261 Town Center Ave. Viera, 321-751-8890

9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays Stroller exercises.

386-341-6779

10 - 11 a.m.

Informative seminar presented by William A. Johnson P.A. RSVP required.

One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771

22

National Tell a National World Honey National Pecan Joke DayDay French Fry Bee Day Pie Day Tailgate 2 Miler Sweat Like a Mother Medicaid Planning 6:45 a.m.

(S.L.A.M.) Seminar

1 - 3 p.m.

Second annual bowling fundraiser to raise money for the Haven for Children.

Silent auction and 50/50 will be available. $400 per team of six members (Ticket price includes bowling and shoe rental). Proceeds will go to the Haven for Children.

Bowlero 1099 N. Wickham Road Melbourne, 321-537-4279

29

National Parents' Day

Dance Classes

Fall classes start Aug. 25 Call for times Ages 2.5 through adult.

Ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical Acro, musical theater, hip hop, yoga, adult ballet adult tap, adult stretch and flex.

Viera Dance Conservatory 5555 U.S. 1, Rockledge 321-652-9142

4

Brevard Federated Republican Women Luncheon

11:30 a.m.

Space Coast Convention Center, 103 Tucker Lane Cocoa, 321-727-1212

Battle of Brevard Fun Run

6:30 p.m.

Space Coast Runners event.

Awards will be given to the town/city with the most participants. Viera Regional Park, 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way Viera, 321-433-4891

11

Free Spine Seminar with Dr. Cronin

6 p.m.

If neck and back pain are keeping you from enjoying life to the fullest, join spine surgeon Michael Cronin, Shell Harbor Information DO, for an in-person discussion minimally Seminars invasive treatment options 11:30 a.m. Aug. 10 and 11 to preserve the motion of Lunch and Learn about your spine.

Shell Harbor’s limited time Melbourne Regional Charter Resident program. Medical Center River Rocks, 245 S. U.S. 1, 250 N. Wickham Road Rockledge, 321-252-4882 Melbourne, 321-752-1427

15

National Caviar Day National Ice Bowling forCream the Haven Day

WEDNESDAY

25

of most months.

A support group to share experiences with others who understand what you are going through.

Suntree/Viera Library 902 Jordan Blass Road Suntree, 321-255-4404

August 24 and 25 11:30 a.m.

Lunch and Learn about Shell Harbor’s limited-time Charter Resident program.

River Rocks 245 S. U.S. 1, Rockledge 321-252-4882

National Beach Day

National Beach Day

31

Trivia Tuesday

6 - 9 p.m.

Show off your trivia skills and win prizes. Call ahead to reserve a table for your team.

2 Angry Wives Pub 3826 Murrell Road Rockledge, 321-848-02227

12

13

7 - 9 p.m.

VECDD Board meeting.

Faith Viera Luthern Chuch 5550 Faith Blvd.

Viera, 407-839-1526

11:15 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Tuesdays and Fridays Wickham Park Senior Center, 2785 Leisure Drive Melbourne 321-255-4494

11 a.m. - noon Join Sonata East as they discuss the different signs that memory care is the right step for your loved one and how to identify them. RSVP by Aug. 20.

One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-341-9000

Sept. 1 Fallen K9 Memorial Run (Virtual)

7 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. An event memorializing the 2020 fallen law enforcement K9s while honoring all the K9s continuing to hold the line. https://bit.ly/36RBFVX $35 fee includes registration, t-shirt, processing costs and shipping.

K9s United 904-601-2220

Swingtimers Vocal Trio

National Left Handers Day

14

Community Block Party

10:30 a.m.

"Return to Extraordinary Love" sermon series This event will be a homecoming for old friends and a welcome to new faces.

Look back at a year filled with loss and forward to the future Tap Class (Kids) of God's vision for Suntree.

Age 3 - 6, 3:45 - 4:30 p.m. Suntree United Age 6 - 12, 4:30 - 5:15 p.m. Methodist Church We Dance Academies 7400 N. Wickham Road 7640 N. Wickham Road Suntree, 321-242-2582 Unit 114, Suntree 321-334-9136

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Trivia Night at Duran

5 p.m. Doors open 7 p.m. Trivia starts Duran Golf Club 7032 Stadium Parkway Viera, 321-504-7776

Flick-n-Float

6 - 10 p.m.

Movie starts at 8:30 p.m.

Wonder Park (2019) PG Cost to swim is $4 per person, movie is free.

McLarty Park Aquatic Center, 790 Barton Blvd.

Rockledge, 321-633-1874

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Mad Science will perform two shows starting at noon, Fire and Ice and Mad Science Olympics. Face painting, balloon twist, and tattoos with Cheerios Grams.

Melbourne Square Mall 1700 W. New Haven Ave. Melbourne, 321-727-2000

7 p.m.

Highland Avenue Fellowship 1591 Highland Ave. Eau Gallie, 321-724-0555

National Middle Child Day VECDD Board Workshop Bingo

National Aviation Day Social Ballroom Class

7

SATURDAY

National Fruitcake Purple Heart Day Toss Day “Time to Finish It” annual Back-to-School Party Noon - 2 p.m.

Conference 10 p.m. - midnight Worship Aug. 7, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Ladies 17 and up are welcome. $55 per person.

Holiday Inn Viera 8298 N. Wickham Road Viera, 321-255-0077

Princess Cruises Three Day Sales Kickoff

National Banana Split Day How to Find the Right Memory Care for your Loved One

6

FRIDAY

Come enjoy signature food and cocktails from 28 North, while smoking a delicious Chaffiot collection cigar. Food, beverage and cigars are available for purchase.

A portion of all cigar purchases go to help end human trafficking.

28 North Gastropub 2250 Town Center Ave. Viera, 321-241-1159

6:30 - 7:15 p.m.

We Dance Academies 7640 N. Wickham Road Unit 114, Suntree 321-334-9136

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Sip and Smoke at 28 North Gastropub

10 - 11:30 a.m.

Wednesdays Viera Regional Community Center, 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Viera 321-323-4928

Line Dancing with Larry

23

Shell Harbor Information 10:30 a.m. Fourth Monday Seminars

National Work Like Dog Day

19

6 - 8 p.m.

A Princess Cruise Line rep will make a presentation.

Expedia Cruises 6375 N. Wickham Road Melbourne, 321-233-1400

Multiple Myeloma Group

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2 p.m.

Quilts and Lace 7720 N. Wickham Road Suite 111 Suntree, 321-622-8602

Beginner Quilting

THURSDAY

27

Fourth annual “Golf to End Alzheimer’s” Best Ball Tournament

21

Free Concert Series in Wickham Park

6 - 9 p.m.

Music and food trucks.

Wickham Park, 2500 Parkway Drive Melbourne, 321-255-4400

It’s Raining Princess Three Day Sale 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Prizes every hour, $200 gift certificate for Princess Cruises. Expedia Cruises 6375 N. Wickham Road Melbourne, 321-233-1400

28

National Beautician’s Day Bow Tie Day 10th annual Tuxes and Tails Gala

5:30 p.m.

Each year this elegant formal affair brings together a diverse group of community leaders and supporters for delectable food and fine entertainment.

Historic Cocoa Village Cars under the Stars Playhouse performers, live Movie in the Park, “Scoob” auction with Sheriff Wayne 5 - 9 p.m.

Ivey and more.

Wickham Park Space Coast Convention 2500 Parkway Drive Center, 301 Tucker Lane Melbourne, 321-633-2046 Cocoa, 321-636-3343 11:30 a.m.

All proceeds benefit the Alzheimer’s Association.

Turtle Creek Golf Club 1278 Admiralty Blvd.

Rockledge, 321-806-6836

National Dog Day

2

3

First Friday Event

4

National Mutt Day

5 - 9 p.m.

Live music, food trucks Wickham Park Regional Pavilion 2500 Parkway Drive Melbourne, 321-633-2046

321M Connect Meeting 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

321 Millennials networking event.

Pizza Gallery & Grill 2250 Town Center Ave. Viera, 321-360-2400

World Beard Day

A race for community pride SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE

VIERA VOICE Katie Sivco

The Viera High School Parent Teacher Organization wants to let parents know about the PTO.

The PTO plans for the upcoming school year SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE The Viera High School Parent Teacher Organization wants to let parents know about the PTO and some of the activities planned for the school year.

The PTO’s mission is to serve as a liaison between parents, teachers, staff, and administrators, and to promote the welfare of the students. It also seeks to promote volunteerism among parents at the schools, and to encourage the educators at the school.

A page on the school’s website will be coming soon to provide more information and updates to parents. There is already a Viera High School Parents Group Facebook page.

A major goal this year

The seventh annual Battle of Brevard Fun Run will be held 6:30 a.m. Aug. 4 at Viera Regional Park.

There are designated colors to represent the runners' communities.

Runners will wear shirts, shoes or anything with

is to provide all seniors who are eligible, free or reduced lunches and free registration fees to take the SAT or ACT. The group will promote any local business that helps with this endeavor.

Fundraising for the year will include organizing Fun Nights at local establishments for the high school students, selling spirit wear and yard signs.

An Amazon wish list has been established for teachers, which will be published each Wednesday.

Among the PTO’s longterm goals is campus beautification.

Membership dues are $10 and meetings are usually on the first Wednesday of every month in the Media Center. V V

the designated color to represent their cities.

Runners should arrive at the free event by 6:30 a.m. to sign up. Parents must sign a permission slip for runners younger than 18.

The Blue Ribbon will be given to the town or city with the most participants.

The reigning champion of the Battle of Brevard is Viera. It won three times — 2016, 2019 and 2020.

Merritt Island is a twotime winner — 2017 and 2018. Rockledge won in 2015.

For more information, go to Spacecoastrunners. org. V V

Save Our Seagrass

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29

SUMMER NEWS AUGUST 2021

VIERA/SUNTREE

Kid Achievements

Summer Book Review “HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON #12: HOW TO FIGHT A DRAGON’S FURY”

By Cressida Cowell

“SIX OF CROWS”

By Leigh Bardugo

Viera Voice photo Desi Kemble

Space Coast Hurricanes win big in Alabama ice skating competition.

BY KATIE SIVCO The Space Coast Hurricanes ice skating competition team finished second in the 2021 National Theatre on Ice National Summer Series in Pelham, Alabama for the preliminary level.

The team consists of 17 skaters ranging in age from 6 to 14 from around the county.

The team has been practicing their theatre on ice routine at the Space Coast Iceplex since Sept. 2020.

Viera Voice photo Cammi Acosta

Penelope and Mnemosyne Acosta are 6-year-old twin sisters on the team.

At the competition, the team performed two programs. One program showcased the hometown skaters in all-black attire to show different types of movement.The second program was a Toy Story number where the skaters dressed up as classic characters and acted out a Kid Achievements scene.

Penelope and Mnemosyne Acosta are 6-year-old twin sisters on the team. They said their favorite part of the experience was getting to dress up as Little Bo Peep’s sheep for the Toy Story number.

“They’ve been coming to competition since they were only a couple of months old.

Normally, they have to stay in the stands and watch. But this is their first time competing,” said their mom, Cammi Acosta.

30

The team’s celebrations included pin trading with other teams and a food truck party.

Penelope and Mnemosyne said they were rewarded with plenty of treats, including popsicles and gumballs.

Taekwondo teaches students the value of discipline and focus Trenton Jefferson is a fourth grader at Fairglen Elementary School who is taking the martial arts Viera Voice photo world by Jennifer Hutchinson storm.

Trenton is on the taekwondo competition team at Alicea’s Martial Arts studio in Rockledge.This past season, Trenton won titles as a State and National Champion by USA Sport Karate in the beginner division for ages 6 and 7. He also ranked in the top 10 for his age division worldwide.

Trenton is now competing in the intermediate division for ages 8 and 9, where he is ranked No. 1 nationally in three divisions.Trenton plans to claim National and World titles in October.

“Taekwondo has helped his focus so much and helped his grades improve in school.

He has become a student leader at the dojo, and he really enjoys helping the kids younger than him,” said his mom, Jennifer Hutchinson.

When Trenton isn’t training at the studio, he loves to train at home with his mom’s fiancé, Perry. Trenton trains seven days a week.

Viera Voice | August 2021

“Six of Crows” concentrates on the lives of six characters of various origins, occupations and loyalties.The group is hired to kidnap someone from one of the most secure buildings in the Fjerdan territory — a land known for capturing and executing Grisha. Grisha are people who possess supernatural gifts limited to one specialty (e.g. Healers,Tidemakers).

Waters are rough from the start with a motley crew of characters, including a Grisha and a Fjerdan convict.

In this thrilling novel of twists and turns, the characters are chosen for the mission because of their history of acting outside the confines of the law.They must scheme their way out of life-threatening situations and into places that threaten their freedom.With personal grudges, secret Grisha powers, unwanted associations and hidden defects, the characters have to trust in each other without betraying the group. In her own unique way, the author successfully encompasses the complexities of all six characters, their dependence on each other and proves why it’s important to be selfless.

I really liked “How to Fight a Dragon’s Fury” because it brought back almost all of the characters from the rest of the series … dragon and human. I appreciated that the final book in the series had a happy ending, at least for most of the characters. I was sad when I finished it because the entire series had led up to that moment, and I didn’t want it to be over.

Overall, the entire series of “How to Train Your Dragon” was amazing, but I liked book #12 the best. I’m currently reading another series by Cressida Cowell called The Wizards of Once.

There are four books in the series and it shares many of the same messages that were in “How to Train Your Dragon.”

Cowell is my favorite author because she writes and illustrates excellent books for children of all ages. I would recommend reading the How to Train Your Dragon series and some of Cowell’s other books.

Review by Landon Ramirez Seventh Grade West Shore Junior/Senior High School

Review by Ivy McMullin Seventh Grade West Shore Junior/ Senior High School National Kid News

Can you spell victory?

Viera Voice Scripps National Spelling Bee

C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N Zaila Avant-garde celebrates winning the finals of the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports.

Fourteen-year-old Zaila Avant-garde of Harvey, Louisiana recently won the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee. She’s the first African-American to win the event, which has been running annually since 1925.

Zaila’s winning word: Murraya. Murraya is a genus of flowering plants in the citrus family that comes from eastern Asia and Australia. Zaila’s victory came in the competition’s 18th round. Upon being declared the winner, she jumped up and down, did a few spins and pumped her fists in the air as confetti rained down on the stage.

“It felt, like, really good to become a winner,” Zaila told “Good Morning America.” “To finally have it, like the best possible outcome, was really good.”

For her effort, she received a trophy and $50,000 in cash and prizes.

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New response vehicle stationed at Linear Park

BY ADAM PALUMBO On July 20, the Cocoa Beach Regional Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Brevard County Fire Rescue’s newest emergency response vehicle. The vehicle is designated for the Linear Park.

“Four emergencies in 2020 involving cardiac distress and heat exhaustion took place on the Brevard Linear Park trail” Brevard County Fire Chief Mark Schollmeyer said. The trail cannot support a full size

heavy vehicle so the need for a smaller and lighter solution was apparent.

The new Yamaha Viking VI Ranch Edition utility vehicle is smaller and lighter than full size emergency vehicles so it can access smaller trails and paths.

Brevard Fire and Rescue partnered with the Brevard Zoo and Brevard Parks and Recreation to store the new emergency response vehicle.

The vehicle is stationed near the entrance to the trail.

Impact fees were used to pay for the new vehicle. V V

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

Brevard County Fire Chief Mark Schollmeyer talks about the new Yamaha Viking VI Ranch Edition utility vehicle stationed at Linear Park.

Use funds to enhance growing spaceport, restore lagoon

There’s bad news, there’s good news; and then there’s a big opportunity!

The bad news: We have just come through more than a year of COVID-19, with its personal, medical and business impacts. We don’t need to be reminded!

The good news: The challenge is beginning to recede, federal stimulus funds are beginning to flow to Florida, and we are turning toward the future.

Moreover, the Kennedy Space Center is the leading spaceport in the world, promising more investment, jobs and a bright future for Brevard County.

A big opportunity: Economic developers and environmentalists alike are recognizing that stimulus dollars could simultaneously benefit the Space Coast’s two most valuable assets: the space industry and the Indian River Lagoon.

As the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast puts it: “Funding to enhance and grow the world’s preeminent 21st-century launch complex for civil and commercial (use) … will pay dividends for Brevard County, the state of Florida and our nation.

Whereas … restoration

Lagoon Straight Talk From the Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition

and stewardship (of) … the lagoon is an economic driver in its own right with respect to tourism, recreation and real estate. A Win/Win.

Yes, Brevard should speak with a harmonized voice to our federal and state leaders to emphasize how selected federal investments from the 2021 Recovery Act, and any further infrastructure funding, can both enhance our growing spaceport and help to restore the lagoon.

Here are a few examples: • Accelerate improvements to east-west routes into

proper treatment for waste from the growing site and to protect lagoon water quality.

The convergence of space, clean water through infrastructure is one of the rare cases where a win/ win should generate broad bipartisan support. Let’s do this. VV For more information, visit HelpTheLagoon.org.

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GMO debate continues in ever-changing world Spinning tales about GMO food and whether food should be altered by humans?

Some experts maintain that GMO (genetically modified organism) food will improve and increase nourishment for a growing global population.

Modified plants can occur by natural means.

Gene transfers can possibly be mediated by parasites or pathogens. In addition, humans can modify plants through selective breeding.

For example, between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago, native American farmers in what is now Mexico experimented with teosinte, a spindly, wild grass.

Desirable characteristics were cultivated. A hard outer casing protected the seed kernels of teosinte. Eventually, breeders developed exposed kernels.

Through the millennia, through trial and error and mutation, teosinte morphed into the hardy, nutritious, succulent corn we now savor.

The first commercial GMO crop was the Flavr Savr

tomato in 1994. It was vine ripened and supposed to survive transit and retain firmness and flavor. It failed due to inexperience, high costs and a shelf-life not much improved. A promising modified tomato is the black (dark) tomato with high health benefits similar to dark fruit such as blueberries and blackberries.

Advocates declare that GMOs have remarkable features. They reduce pesticide applications since they are resistant to pests or contain toxins to kill pests. They are herbicide tolerant and are not affected when nearby weeds are

sprayed. They survive drought conditions. They contain more vitamins and minerals.

They have higher yields.

Several altered products have unique traits. Some varieties of apples resist browning after cutting.

Cottonseed, used in animal feed and cooking oil, resists bollworms. Potatoes resist bruising. Moreover, golden rice provides beta carotene.

Critics argue that GMOs raise environmental issues.

They might compete with natural species. They might blend with wild relatives and create herbicide-resistant weeds. They might harm beneficial insects as well as

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Viera Voice | August 2021

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ACROSS 1 Gist 4 Seines 8 Stein filler 11 Egypt's cont.

12 Memorable times 13 Mineral deposit 15 Worthless coin 16 Chopped down 17 Occupation 18 Late bloomer 20 Type of wave 21 Prompt 23 Exist 24 Calcutta nanny 27 Made up one's mind 31 Kahuna's spud 32 Henri's island 33 Noon, on a sundial 35 ___ tai 36 Make doilies 37 Mr. Carvey 38 Wireless pioneer 41 Portent 42 Royal pronoun 43 Debate side 45 Prior's superior 48 Stinging insects 52 Verbal abuse 53 Satyr 56 "Norma ____" 57 Hatcher or Garr 58 Feed the kitty 59 Pedro's aunt 60 Hilo guitar 61 Changed color 62 Body part

pests. They might release chemicals that contaminate nearby water sources.

Furthermore, they might release toxins, induce allergic reactions, and trigger antibiotic resistance, immunosuppression and cancer. There also is the likelihood of unknown risks.

Inadvertently, GMOs are consumed in our diets.

For instance, they are incorporated in diverse food products such as cooked, canned and frozen processed foods through typical ingredients such as cornstarch, soy and sugar. They are in cereal, bread and snacks.

Restaurant foods often are fried in modified oil.

Labeled conventional or organic items, such as produce, are at times misleading since GMOs already might have blended with them in the field.

It should as well be noted that conventional food is not free of synthetic pesticides and that organic food might use natural pesticides.

Certainly, humans have been modifying food since ancient times.

Experimentation continues in various areas, such as plant pathology, soil salinity and yields. Other promising research involves using consumable parts of modified plants such as fruits to create edible, painless vaccines to fight diseases.

Ostensibly, only with an awareness of the positive and negative features of GMO food can consumers attempt healthy choices. VV

DOWN 1 Space station org.

2 Strange sightings 3 Dry wine 4 First P.M. of India 5 Before, to bards 6 Shooting marble 7 Form 1040 info 8 In the pact 9 Burglar's "key" 10 Millay or Ferber 14 Moray 19 Mountain refrain 20 Prefix for pod 22 Newspaper staffer 23 Mild acid 24 PIN prompter 25 Sir's companion 26 Diva's tune 28 Gusto 29 Reason to cram 30 Eat out 34 Mr. McKellen 37 Lisbon lady 39 Beginner 40 Snipped 44 Had 45 Toward the stern 46 Cordon ____ 47 Fox's sound 49 Mlle. in Barcelona 50 Set of two 51 Bed of coal 53 Craze 54 "Have you ___ wool?"

55 Navajo foe

Crossword Solution, page 34

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Viera Voice | August 2021

33

The Courtyards’ flags fly high SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE

The Courtyards community in Suntree has two entrances, one on Pinehurst Avenue south and one on St. Andrews Drive.

Since the beginning of the community, there has been a 20-foot flagpole at the Pinehurst entrance.

Today, there is a new 20-foot flagpole at the St. Andrews entrance, thanks to a community effort.

The community began exploring the possibility of installing a more substantial flagpole at St. Andrews. The homeowners association board decided to ask for donations from the community to pay for

the pole, the flag and for the installation.

In December 2020, the board gave homeowners Judy Barrett and Leslie Marcaurelle approval to move ahead with the project, which they named Operation Flagpole.

Federal Flags of Wisconsin guided them through the process of selecting the best flagpole for the area. They chose one that can withstand hurricane winds of up to 225 mph.

They also purchased two 4-foot by 6-foot U.S.-made nylon flags and a solar light for the new flagpole.

The community members responded generously to cover

the cost of the flagpole, the accessories and the related landscaping.

Brandy Gautney of Natural Harmony, LLC was hired as the contractor to guide the team through the project.

The project was completed, including landscaping for both entrances just in time for a Memorial Day dedication May 31, 2021.

At the dedication, attended by 25 residents, Sue Hodgson read “My Name is Old Glory.”

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and, just at the conclusion, a U.S. Air Force C-17 slowly flew over the dedication in a fitting tribute to The Courtyards' new flagpole. V V

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VENTANA

SUNTREE LAKES

BEAUTIFUL LAKE VIEW 4/2/2 HOME, NEW EXTERIOR PAINT, GREAT ROOM FLOOR PLAN & WHITE KITCHEN CABINETS & BAY WINDOW

BEAUTIFUL POOL 3/2/2 HOME W/ UPDATED KITCHEN -NEW CABINETS, SS APPL & GRANITE IN KITCHEN & BATHS

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STONECREST TO BE BUILT TWO STORY HOME W/ BEAUTIFUL LAKE VIEW

Inventory & New Construction Homes $350k - $600k

VIERA | SUNTREE | BAYTREE

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

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

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

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