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

Newspaper of Viera & Suntree...........BLUEWATER CREATIVE GROUP Page, 17 FEBRUARY 2021 VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 v i e ravoic e.c om

FLAG FOOTBALL IS FIRED UP

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

Nearly 400 children are taking part in this spring's Suntree Viera Youth Football League flag football season. See story, page 9.

French family, page 4

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Successful relationship is a team effort BY ERNEST ARICO

and we work well together.” Married for 29 years, the Wicks moved to Brevard County in 2007 and reside in the Capron Ridge subdivision off Viera Boulevard in Viera. Anjanette has been a federal government employee for more than 20 years. She is a program and logistics

Anjanette and Ryan Wicks believe their marriage is successful because they work as a team and are very proactive of each other. “We’re a team, Team Wicks,” Anjanette said. “We’re always there for each other

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manager, while her husband now works for The Harris Corp. as a technical engineer. He retired from the U.S. Air Force after 20 years of service. “If you want a successful marriage or relationship, you truly need to know who you are and you must have some common values and hobbies,” Anjanette said. ”Respect each other and respect each other’s opinions.” Born in Louisiana, Anjanette met her future husband on a date in 1989. “A friend of his knew a friend of mine and they introduced us,” she remembers. “He was such a gentleman, nice, sweet and so compassionate. This was the guy I was praying for.” The couple’s first date — a visit to the French Quarter on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. “We had a great time together, having fun and getting to know him better,” she said. “We had lots of the same interests. We just connected.” Ryan also recalls the first time he met his future wife. “She was beautiful,” he said. “I told my mom and buddies after I met her that she was going to be my wife.” Married in 1991, the couple

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

Anjanette and Ryan Wicks had their first date in New Orleans.

have two sons, Cameron, 21, and Trey, 27. Ryan believes their marriage’s success is because they both come from strong families and backgrounds. “We both have strong Catholic backgrounds,” he said. “We bonded because we had each other, especially when I was in the military and away from her.” The couple are parishioners at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church

in Viera. Anjanette is one of the religious education instructors at the church. “God is the foundation of our marriage and family. We communicate with each other and raised our sons in a strong family-oriented home. We have supported our boys in sports and education. We’re always there for each other,” she said. “Relationships need balance. We work things out between us and we keep God in place with that.” V V

Love sprouted in elementary school BY FLORA REIGADA

Elisabeth and Todd Osborne’s love story was a match made in their Rockledge elementary school lunch line. That is where his smile caught her eye. He was in the fourth grade and she, the third. “We became friends right away,” she said. “In middle school, we became boyfriend and girlfriend for a brief moment, but always remained friends.” One day, the duo had a surprising revelation. In addition to being friends, they were neighbors, living only seven houses apart. “This made us laugh because we had never known,” she said. In high school, the relationship grew more serious. The pair dated and again became boyfriend and girlfriend. “I had actually fallen in love with him years earlier and it was finally developing into something special. I knew he was my soul mate,” she said. The sweethearts encouraged each other with their sports adventures in soccer and baseball. They also supported each other when death came to their families, especially that of his father, who passed

Elisabeth and Todd Osborne enjoy the outdoors.

away unexpectedly. Their camaraderie and shoulder to lean on drew them closer. She was a senior in high school when he graduated and went to college. But Cupid’s arrow was stuck firmly in his heart. “He decided there was no way he could continue life without me, so he proposed in December of my senior year. I said yes right away.” When she graduated, they agreed to save money for their wedding, planned for a year later. They married in May 2003. “It was the greatest day of our lives,” she said. He joined the Air Force

VIERA VOICE photo

a year after. In his 17 years of service, the couple have lived in Germany, Oklahoma, Virginia and Illinois. Being deployed to Qatar, however, he missed their son’s birth. “It was hard on all of us,” she said. “But we now have two amazing children.” The couple makes their home in Brevard County, where she taught preschool until the COVID pandemic. He continues to serve. In May, they will celebrate 18 years of wedded bliss. “We have been through so much but have remained together and strong. Our love is bigger than our circumstances,” she said. V V

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Viera lifestyle suits French family of six BY WENDY SCHEURING

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Raoul and Marie d’Hérouville moved to Viera from Toulouse, France in August 2019. Coming to Florida during the summer could be a difficult adjustment for many. “It’s not our first time living in a warm country,” Raoul d’Hérouville said. “We lived for two years in Africa (Djbouti). We know how to adapt.” d’Hérouville works for One Web Satellites in Cape Canaveral as head of Florida Operations. “Airbus, Europe’s largest space company, and OneWeb Satellites have teamed up to design and manufacture up to 900 satellites for the OneWeb constellation, which will provide affordable highspeed internet access across the globe,” according to airbus.com. “It’s great. Very dynamic,” Raoul d’Hérouville said of his work. “It’s a challenge every day, but it’s nice working there.” Marie d’Hérouville also is an engineer. “I’m not working right now. Currently, I’m studying courses online in English for a MicroMaster in Supply Chain in order to have an VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo American degree.” The d’Hérouville family has enjoyed Florida since moving from Toulouse, France. The d’Hérouville family chose Viera for its family employment. The couple and Clemence, 1. Benoit American football. environment, excellent VIERA MEANS “We also do home have four children: Benoit, played rugby in France and schools, and close access BUSINESS schooling for the French Heloise, 6; Xavier, 3; enjoys learning how to play to d’Hérouville’s placeNof E T W O R K I N9; G G ROUP school (for Benoit),” Marie said . “In France, he should FREE IN-HOME ESTIMATES - CALL 321-345-1133 BSA Power Solutions be in fifth grade. If we don’t do that, he will lose one year Limited Warranty if we return.” The couple agree they like Viera because it’s quiet and safe. Complete Peace of Mind “It’s well-connected, and Call for a free in-home estimate on a you can go to the wetlands Briggs & Stratton home generator backed VIERA MEANS BUSINESS NETWORKING GROUP and see gators and birds,” by the industry’s best warranty. Raoul said. “We like the middle ground. We’re not big BSA Power Solutions city people. We like being 1068 NW 53rd Street SB NLauderdale, Fort FL 33309 A U E near things we need, but we S M (954) 424-0998 like to be near nature.” 7777 N. Wickham RD, Suite 12-605 Owned and operated by “It’s easy to bike with OUTSMART POWER OUTAGES Melbourne, FL 32940 See operator’s manual or BRIGGSandSTRATTON.com for BSA Enterprises Inc (321) 345-1133 complete BACK-UP warranty details. POWER EMERGENCY the kids to the playground,” Elec Lic. EC13001261 • LP Gas Lic, LI26021 Marie said. “There are different restaurants where I N In response to COVID-19, I am now also offering the option of Tele-health sessions via phone or video. E can meet friends. The beach U TW OR RO KIN G G is nearby. I like the sunrises and the sunsets that we have here.” That’s not to say the family is not homesick for their life in France. “Sometimes, we could use a couple of weeks in France for the food, the cheese. It’s been more than a year since seeing our families due to the pandemic. We cannot expect to go back at 321-956-9477 | DoctorGloriaRiveraKing.com | Drgrking@me.com the moment,” Raoul said. 2328 Medico Lane, Melbourne 32940 - Northeast corner of Stadium Parkway and Wickham Rd. “Hopefully, we will be able to (Located inside the Professional Center) do so soon.” V V

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St. John the Evangelist pastor becomes U.S. citizen BY ERNEST ARICO The Rev. John Britto Antony, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Community in Viera, has become a United States citizen. Father Antony officially became a U.S. citizen Jan. 5. The pastor signed his citizenship document before the congregation at the end of the 11 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Jan. 10. “I thought having U.S. citizenship was important because of the nature of my work,” Antony said. “I am very serious in my devotion to serve the people, and I thought becoming one of them was a good idea.” Born in India, Antony was baptized Catholic on Dec. 17, 1963. He has been pursuing his vocation in service to the Catholic Church for more than 20 years. He professed his final vows, becoming a religious brother Dec. 8, 1990, and was ordained to the priesthood April 30, 2011. Antony has a master’s degree in theology from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in philosophy, education and English from Loyola College and other educational institutions in Tamil Nadu, India. A religious member of the Congregation of Holy Cross since 1985, Antony began his U.S. service in 2010, where he first served as deacon and later as associate pastor at the Sacred Heart St. Francis de Sales Parish in Bennington, Vermont.

In 2013, Antony became associate pastor at St. John the Evangelist Church. In 2018, he was named the Viera church’s pastor. Five years after receiving his Green Card (officially known as a Permanent Resident Card that allows you to live and work permanently in the U.S.), Antony filed his U.S. citizenship application in June 2019. Because of the coronavirus pandemic and computer issues, the process was delayed and a formal swearing-in ceremony in Orlando was canceled. Instead, the pastor attended a brief five-minute oath ceremony in January, where he swore his allegiance to the United States and received his naturalization certificate. Once he receives this certificate, Antony can apply for a U.S. passport and vote in national, state and local elections. The pastor also received an American flag and a letter from the White House signed by President Donald Trump. One of the drawbacks of becoming a U.S. citizen, Antony had to renounce his native country of India. Dual citizenship is not allowed between India and the U.S. India only allows dual citizenship with Great Britain and France. Antony said some of his family members and friends in India have mixed reactions to his decision. “They think that I will be away from them, but I will visit once this COVID-19 pandemic is over,” he said.

VIERA VOICE Ernest Arico

The Rev. John Britto Antony, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Community in Viera, displays the document that officially recognizes him as a United States citizen.

“I’m proud of my Indian heritage, and I’m proud to be an Indian-American.” The pastor said he will soon file an Overseas Citizenship of India application. The application allows permanent residency available to people of Indian origin and their spouses to visit, live and work in India

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Viera Voice | February 2021

Volunteers In Motion fills gap in transportation needs SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE Imagine the ideal volunteer experience. Dream of one that is so personally rewarding you’ll be inspired to sign up today. Volunteers In Motion provides transportation for individuals who are unable to use other Space Coast Area Transit services. The program offers transportation to locations such as medical facilities, pharmacies and grocery stores. Since its inception, Volunteers In Motion has assisted thousands of individuals who otherwise would be unable to live at home independently. Program volunteers are provided training classes, state-of-the-art vehicles, gas and insurance, uniform shirts and cellphones during volunteer hours. There are no out-of-pocket expenses for program volunteers. According to volunteer Jim Shanteau: “My wife, Cinda, and I evaluated multiple volunteer opportunities so that we could invest our time in something that provided the maximum value. We saw just how much this program was needed, and the fact

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that the county provided the vehicles and covered the liability aspect helped seal the deal. But the bottom line is: We really enjoy helping people. And that’s what it’s all about. People helping people.” This innovative program is supported by an amazing group of volunteers who serve because they care. Unfortunately, the demand for services is higher than the current program can support. A few hours of support

once or twice a week or more can make an incredible difference. The program operates Monday through Friday. If you enjoy working with people of all ages and making a difference in their lives, this is a great volunteer position for you. “I decided to volunteer for the program for my own therapy,” Roger Widmann said. “I found doing good for other people helped me stop thinking about my own problems. Volunteering time and efforts toward an

organization that is helping somebody less fortunate than you, is time very well spent. Serving others has helped make me a well-rounded person.” Driving a new van, you’ll pick up and drop off those with limited mobility, assist them with shopping, or possibly go with them to a medical appointment. For many, it’s their only form of transportation. Volunteer positions include vehicle operators who transport clients

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Viera wrestlers, new coach poised for postseason BY CARL KOTALA

don’t think it’s a question of how well we’ve been doing in tournaments. It’s about how well we’ve been doing in practice.” Pinzone, a 126-pounder who reached the state quarterfinals last year, is one of several Hawks hoping to make a trip to the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee March 5 and 6 for the individual state championship tournament. Braden Urso, another former state qualifier, missed the early part of

The coronavirus pandemic cut into their season, but that doesn’t mean members of the Viera High School wrestling team won’t be ready for the postseason. “I think the ones on the team that are already working hard in practice, doing everything they can outside of practice, I think they’re already ready,” senior Andrew Pinzone said. “I think we’re good. I

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the season with an injury, but is working his way back at 132 pounds. Senior Jackson Hatfield is a good bet to make it at 285 pounds, and sophomores Jaxson Crumpler and Nate Olson could find themselves in the mix as well. Other key wrestlers for Viera this season include freshmen Derrick Davison (120) and Brennon Curtis (132); sophomores Jacob Porche (120) and Christian Pattison (220); and juniors Portia Priami (120) and Justin Feliciano (220). As of early January, the Hawks had only taken part in four events. But new coach Erik Shea was having a big impact on his team. “He’s great. He’s a character. Real tough,” Pinzone said of Shea. “Tells you what you need to hear as opposed to what you want to hear. He doesn’t tell you what to do. He just takes what you already do and just makes it better. I’m glad he’s part of the team.” Pinzone is happy he’s back, too. At one point, the senior was planning to give up wrestling, graduate early and go to college. Turned out, he missed wrestling and came back to the sport he loves. Pinzone recently went 4-0 at a tournament in New Smyrna Beach, pinning the state’s No. 5 ranked wrestler in the process. “I feel lighter on my feet,” Pinzone said. “My neutral game is a lot better. I can hand fight. I’ve got a fast shot. I’m quick off bottom. I’m funky off bottom (position). I like a lot of tilts on top. All-around, (I’m) just

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

Viera High's Andrew Pinzone, shown here lifting his Rockledge opponent off the mat in an exhibition match earlier this season, has been having quite a year. In addition to pinning the fifth-ranked wrestler in the state, he pinned another opponent in seven seconds. A state quarterfnalist last season, Pinzone is hoping to get through the district and regional tournaments this month to get back to the state meet.

more explosive.” Shea, who moved to Florida from Huntingdon, Pennsylvania last March is trying to generate new interest in the Viera program while stressing the basics. “I like fundamentals,” Shea said. “It’s a cliché, but the basics are what I want them to get. Sadly enough, that’s position, position, position. I could show you

100 moves, but if you’re in a bad position, you’re going to lose. “Being up there (in Pennsylvania) and going to all the Penn State matches, the better you get. … There are a few (physical) freaks … but the better you get, the better positioning you have. “The very basics, if they learn that, they can compete.” V V

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Spring flag football draws nearly 400 players BY CARL KOTALA Tackle football season is over, but that doesn’t mean the Suntree Viera Youth Football League is in hibernation. The SVYFL’s 2021 Spring NFL Flag Football season is in full swing with almost 400 players and 40 teams taking the field Saturdays at Viera Regional Park. The main goal of the games, where every player is an eligible receiver, is pretty simple. “It’s really just to have fun,” said Eric Vorndran, the league’s flag football director. “We limit it to one practice a week, so the kids are playing games more than they’re practicing. We even encourage the coaches to do scrimmages in practice so they can have fun. “It’s really trying to simulate what all of us used to do when we were kids on our own — just come out here and play. It’s just a little more structured than that.” Games are played in a sixon-six format on a short field that measures 70 yards by 30 yards. With a maximum co-ed roster of nine or 10 players selected through a carefully organized draft process, there is a constant rotation to allow each player to get a good number of reps. There are six groups, including one for children ages 4 to 6 and another for high schoolers.

Hartman said the league had 65 cheerleaders register for this year’s spring season under the direction of Taralynn Stewart. That is more participants than the league had for the fall. The SVYFL, which had its most successful tackle season in program history in 2020, will open up

registration for cheerleading and the 2021 tackle season in the first week of March. Registration for the fall flag football season is set to open in May. “It’s a constant flow,” Shaun Hartman said. “That’s how we’ve grown this program substantially within the community.” V V

Our Experience Makes the Difference VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

Nearly 400 kids are taking part in this spring's Suntree Viera Youth Football League flag football season.

Each team is scheduled to play eight games over a six-week period (including two doubleheaders) leading up to a tournament Feb. 27. Teams will be seeded based on coach’s feedback. Medals will be awarded for firstand second-place teams. “It’s all fun,” SVYFL president Shaun Hartman said. “The kids have a good time. We don’t keep score during the regular season. It’s more of a jovial, having a good time (atmosphere). Then, the tournament is when the competition happens. “It works out pretty well. And the coaches get to practice and determine,

‘OK, cool, maybe I want to transition to tackle in the fall.’ ” It’s not uncommon to see Viera High School football players helping out during the SVYFL tackle season. This year, a group of 7and-8-year-old players are getting some help from a pair of guys who were in their shoes not that long ago. Hartman’s son, Shaun, and Blake Stellmon, who were teammates on the SVYFL 12U tackle team this past fall, are getting a little taste of what coaching is like. They’re serving as offensive coordinators. Cheerleading also is a big part of the program.

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Viera Voice | February 2021

New soccer program will develop young players BY CARL KOTALA The Space Coast United Soccer Club already boasts one of the most successful competitive programs in the state. It’s about to become even better. The new season is kicking off with 800 players at the competitive level and 2,000 in the overall program. A new All-Star program is set to launch March 1 for younger players looking to improve their skills before joining the boys and girls competition teams. “Prior to the All-Star program, if you had a young child who was in the age groups of U7, U8 or U9, you had one choice — play rec soccer,” said Hugh Cousins, the SCU’s director of Recreational Divisions. “The All-Star program is like a bridge program for a player to introduce them to how the structure and the coaching and the format — everything you would do — if you’re going to play comp at U9s. “It prepares you, rather than to take a player who has only learned from a rec coach and throwing you to the wolves when you play U9.”

because, for instance, they can’t dribble yet. “When I run my rec program, there are only two things I worry about: Is it safe? And are they having fun?” Cousins said. “In this other program, you still want those same two things, but the focus now is to develop the child. It’s to push the child a little more. He’s able to be pushed. That’s why he’s probably in that program.” To register for the new All-Star program, go to spacecoastsoccer. org. Questions about the program can be directed to Cousins by email at rec@ spacecoastsoccer.org. VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala On the competitive side, The Space Coast United Soccer the SCU is expected to field Club's spring season has begun. VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo another group of strong The competitive teams are Competitive Space Coast United soccer player Beau Palumbo is happy to expected to have another strong teams expected to make their be back on the field after the long winter break. season and the club is very excited mark at the state level and about its new All-Star program. national, too. grow the game locally. Scott Armstrong, the The Florida Cup is “To me, the big benefit and executive director of Whereas U7 and U8 rec scheduled for Viera Regional my main focus is to really coaching at SCU and director league games are played in a Park in May. develop their execution when of the Senior Division, called 4 vs. 4 player format with a playing at a high theyat play,” CousinsPoint said. “(WeBehavioral it a “great program. We’re is to“We’re The Palm Health provide small net, players in themission Alllevel,” Armstrong said. want to) make them better at very excited about it. It’s a Star program will play 7 vs. “The boys were in all the thingsto they’re going to program other club and is quality treatment children, teens,noadults older adults an ECNL 7 and learn more about the showcase (last month), the be asked to do — dribbling, offering.” game. biggest in the country. … being comfortable on the Whereasdependency some clubs whose behavioral health orball, chemical symptoms Ultimately, that will help We’re excited. All of our passing and receiving and might try to hand-pick are interfering with their daily lives. We offer both inpatient make the SCU competitive teams are veryand successful. striking of the ball — where players for an opportunity teams better than they are And we’re well-known in the normally, they don’t have like this, Cousins said he now while continuing to outpatient that here.” services tailored wouldn’tto turnspecific away a playerneeds. state.” V V

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Duran Golf Club invitational hosts top women’s college golf teams BY CARL KOTALA This year’s version of the Moon Golf Invitational Women’s Golf Event at the Duran Golf Club has got it all. The fourth annual event, scheduled for Feb. 14 to 16, is hosted by the Louisville women’s golf team. It not only will bring some of the top NCAA teams in the country to Brevard County, it also should draw plenty of interest from local fans. Florida, Florida State and UCF, which won the title two years ago, are scheduled to be on hand. Also scheduled to appear are second-ranked South Carolina, No. 3 LSU and No. 5 Auburn. “We could not be more thrilled to be hosting this event once again and bringing such an absolute powerhouse field of talented young ladies to Duran Golf Club,” Duran head PGA professional Matt Morrison said in a statement. “The golf course will provide a great challenge to the competitors, and we encourage spectators who will have a rare chance to watch the elite talent in the country play locally.” The event is sponsored by Moon Golf.

INSIDE THE ROPES

Snowbirds return for popular Ryder Cup at Viera East Golf Club BY DAVID D. HORST

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Duran Golf Club

The fourth annual Moon Golf Invitational is scheduled to take place Feb. 14 to 16 at Duran Golf Club. This year's event, hosted by Louisville, will feature some of the top college women's golfers in the country. Louisville's Lauren Hartlage (shown here) won the individual championship last year.

Ole Miss won last year’s tournament, defeating Augusta College by just one stroke. Louisville finished third, but didn’t come away empty-handed, as Lauren Hartlage won the individual title. Louisville head coach Whitney Young released a statement saying she was happy to have the event back at Duran Golf Club. “This event will boast one of the strongest fields in collegiate women’s golf

with seven SEC and five ACC (teams) competing,” Young said. “Without the help and support of Duran Golf Club, Moon Golf and the local community, this would not be possible.” Following a practice round Feb. 13, the three-round event is scheduled to begin Feb. 14 and conclude Feb. 16. Each round is slated for an 8 a.m. start. Admission is free, and spectators are encouraged to attend.V V

Welcome back, snowbirds, for the most exciting golf events and tournaments with the Viera East Men’s Association, aka VEMA. The Ryder Cup is one of the most popular competitions. Teams are picked to compete in a head-to-head match. You are either on the blue team or the red team, and, of course, you must wear the colors of your team during the matches. Sixty-four players are divided into the teams via the red or blue captain picking their teams. The team captains carefully study their rosters to create two-man teams for the events and also choose who the teams will compete against. The Blue Captain is our teaching pro Mike Hogan. The Red Captain is our golf shop manager and future PGA member Chris Game. The first round was Jan. 14, with the Red Team ahead after the scramble. On Jan. 21, the final match will be a best ball of the teams. The teams are equally matched. On Jan. 7, our first event of the new year was an individual match with

Stableford scoring and the top four in each flight combined with 60 golfers in the field. A Flight: first, Ben Dickerson; second, Robbie Rosenberger, Dale Hopper, Al Fopiano, Mike Piccinnini B Flight: first, Jim Ward; second, David Smith, Alan Pinette; fourth, Randy Sweaney, Mark Hughes C Flight: first, Warren Powell; second, Bill Harrison; third, Ed Wierda; fourth, Richard Gagliardi D Flight: first, Greg Humble; second, Bob Anderson and Ernie Parra; fourth, Bill Hall Closest-to-the-pin: Sky Blue tees: 4, Greg Humble 7, Lawrence Henris 13, Bruce Schwanda 16, Bob Post Green Tees: 4, Dale Hopper 7, James Ward 13, Dale Hopper 16, Al Fopiano A hearty congratulations to VEMA member Bob David for a hole-in-one on No. 16 at Viera East Golf Course. David used a 5 wood to reach the 151 yards to the pin. This was David’s fourth hole-in-one. VV

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Viera Voice | February 2021

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High school science fairs enter digital era BY CARL KOTALA

Alex Adams has taken part in three previous science fairs, but it’s safe to say the Viera High sophomore has never been part of one like this. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s event has gone digital and the schedule has been altered. “I think the biggest thing is the difference in time,” Adams said. “Everything is due earlier this year. We usually have until around Valentine’s (Day), but we have to get it in before January ends now.” Unlike previous years, where students physically construct a science board and bring their log books and research plans, those elements will be uploaded to a platform for judges to observe. Instead of inperson presentations where students can be questioned by judges, each high school student will be required to make a 10-minute video.

Viera High sophomore Alex Adams' science fair project is on the efficiency of solar panels.

“I have some experience recording videos, so it shouldn’t be that hard for me,” Adams said. “But I know for students who might not have that experience, it could be very different and difficult.” Viera High science research teacher Elizabeth Youngs believes the video presentations will have advantages and

disadvantages for her students. “You can write out your whole script and, hopefully, be in order, but on the flip side, some students need the prodding,” Youngs said. “They need those questions being asked of them, rather than just presenting. “I think some students are going to think 10 minutes is going to take a long time to

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fill up. Others, 10 minutes will be done and they’re still talking. I think there’s going to be more practice and presentation from that aspect because people will want their videos to look right and sound appropriate.” Once the first round of judging has taken place, science research teachers will be informed if any of their students have placed

in the top three in any of the 13 categories. That will be followed by a Zoom interview with the judges before final results are announced. Adams, who is one of 22 Viera High students taking part in science research, is looking at the efficiency of solar panels. “Solar panels are used a lot in engineering,” she said. “I want to (be an aerospace engineer). They’re one of the most common sources of energy for space stuff. They’re also really important renewable energies right now. “We’re having a clean energy deficiency because global warming is a problem. We can’t really keep how we’re going.” The sophomore has finished collecting data for her project. “I’m looking into which factors and specific parts of solar panels may have an effect on the efficiency,” she said. “Because then those parts can be improved upon.” V V

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Brevard Public Schools offer vaccinations to employees over 65 BY KATIE SIVCO More than 700 Brevard County teachers, staff and their spouses received the COVID-19 vaccine Jan. 23 at the Health Department in Viera. Eligible employees ages 65 and older were notified and instructed by email on how to sign up for an appointment, the district said in a news release. Only those who had an appointment could get a vaccine. “We have committed to doing everything in our power to protect the health and safety of our employees who serve on the front lines each and every day during this pandemic,” Superintendent Mark Mullins said in a statement. “We are thankful for our partnership with the Department of Health and for this opportunity to help protect our staff who dedicate their lives to educating the future of Brevard County.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices lists teachers and school employees as part of roughly 30 million “frontline essential workers” who should be prioritized for vaccinations. Communications director for Brevard Public Schools, Russell Bruhn said the district hopes to eventually provide all 9,000 employees with a ticket to get the vaccine. “The vast majority of our employees — whether it’s teachers, bus drivers, other support staff — are on the frontlines. They’re interacting in schools with

children and coworkers. So in our minds, we wanted to encourage employees by providing the opportunity to get the vaccine,” Bruhn said. Gov. Ron DeSantis has repeatedly said that his focus is on making the vaccine available to Florida’s seniors. Older educators and school employees in medically vulnerable populations could get vaccinated, DeSantis said at a press conference earlier this month. Richard Bernhardt of Melbourne, the husband of Brevard Public Schools employee Michele Bernhardt, said the vaccine day was well-organized and went smoother than he thought. “With the opportunity to get the vaccine and knowing some of our friends who’ve come down with COVID, we made that a priority as soon as we were able to get it,” Bernhardt said. “I feel relieved. We’ve been taking all the precautions that have been suggested. But it’s better to also get the vaccine, and we look forward to getting the second dose.” Karen Baker of Melbourne, whose husband is bus driver Keith Baker, said she was hesitant about getting her shot because she’s heard wild stories about what the vaccine contains and its adverse effects. “We obviously need a large majority of the world population to get immunity. So if this helps at all, I’m gonna be a part of it,” Baker said. Bruhn said there are no plans yet for another employee vaccination day. VV

VIERA VOICE Katie Sivco

Brevard County teachers, 65 and older, and other school employees received vaccinations for COVID-19 on Jan. 23.

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The Life You Des

Wildlife encounter prompts policies on safe coexistence BY MACIE GOLDFARB When Debra Bara moved from Atlanta to her Suntree home in May 2018, she was stunned by a discovery in her new backyard. She found a limpkin, a tropical wetlands bird protected by the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It appeared to be mortally wounded. She had just heard it making mating calls earlier that day. After carefully picking up the bird and placing it in her front yard, she called the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, which then called the

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Bara is not alone in her experience with atrisk wildlife in the area. She said she heard of another situation in which a nesting eagle died after consuming a poisoned rat. These incidents, along with concerned comments from neighbors Bara had seen on the social network Nextdoor, prompted her to inquire whether the Suntree Master Homeowners Association could develop and implement a set of wildlife coexistence policies. “People move here from

other areas, and they’re not used to seeing wildlife so close in proximity to their home,” Bara said. Soon after her inquiry, Suntree Master HOA recruited Bara to serve as a community resident on the ad hoc committee that would generate a set of Suntree Wildlife Coexistence Policies. Board members then drafted the policies in a series of meetings, Bara said. According to SMHA general manager Todd Foley, Suntree has received many calls through the years regarding who should be responsible for handling

situations pertaining to nuisance wildlife. The document specifies “universal policies for all species” as well as what to do and whom to contact in encounters with 13 species, including coyotes, alligators and bats. Much of the research for the policies was gathered from the FWC’s website. Bara believes it’s rare for homeowners associations to expand into and address wildlife issues. In her research, she came across only one other in Harmony that has developed a framework of Community

Covenants and Restrictions to promote peaceful coexistence between residents and wildlife. Foley said he also wanted to produce a set of policies that would promote coexistence with local wildlife instead of its removal and eradication. Bara felt the same. “The overall effort, to me, is about providing education, public awareness and resources to people to understand how we can live in this environment and appreciate our wildlife and not come into contact with it,” she said. V V

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Kathi Ridner — business leader, advocate and passionate volunteer SPECIAL TO SENIOR LIFE The Bluewater Creative Group mourns the loss of Kathi Ridner, an energetic and gracious employee, who died Dec. 29 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. “She was a kind and gentle person, who made a friend in everyone she met,’’ said Jill Blue, the Bluewater CEO. “She had so many talents. She was very knowledgeable about the complexity of senior issues, family homeless solutions and volunteering for those in need.’’

“To know Kathi was to see love in action. I had the privilege to partner alongside her over the past decade on events, foundations and community projects. Most importantly I was honored to be her friend. She exemplified genuine kindness, grace and generosity to everyone she knew. Kathi was an advocate for others and her smile lit up the room.” —Bridget Perers, Sonata Senior Living

In addition to that, Ridner joined the Bluewater Creative Group in June 2019 as its director of development for the Viera Voice and Senior Life newspapers and as a nonprofit reception planner at the Art Gallery of Viera. She enjoyed working on the award-winning Boomer Guide to help aging boomers and seniors find local community resources. “Kathi focused her energies on making updates and adding new information

sections to improve the Boomer Guide,’’ Blue said. “She had one work speed and it was fast and and she was always organized.’’ Talking to people came easy for Ridner, which made her excel when working senior events, co-hosting Viera Voice’s Viera Means Business networking group, family events such as the Scarecrow Stroll

community are endless and include supporting veterans and being a board member of Family Promise of Brevard, Brevard Parkinson’s Support Group, Brevard Association of Human Services and Space Coast Honor Flight. Her efforts also included working at One Senior Place for 12 years, in many positions, and the last

and Fall Festival, and artist receptions and nonprofit fundraisers at the Art Gallery of Viera. She always came in with a smile and encouraged those around her. Ridner was born in Michigan, the seventh of nine children. Her passion for community involvement and giving back came from growing up in a family with parents active in supporting the community. Ridner’s contribution to supporting Brevard residents is unending. After her death, Ridner’s husband Tim, along with the Community Foundation of Brevard, set up the Kathryn Ridner Fund so that her works can continue. “Kathi always gravitated to employment situations where she could pursue her passion to help people, especially seniors. Her energy and passion in all she did left a big footprint in Brevard County,” Tim Ridner said. She had the admiration of business leaders and nonprofit organizations in Brevard County. Her contributions to the

few years in community outreach at VITAS Homecare. Ridner played as hard as she worked. waking up at 5 a.m to work out and supporting 5K fundraisers by running in the race or working the event. She always left time to spend with friends and her cherished family. She led a well-balanced life. “When I take photos or video at local foot races, after the gun went off and in the crowd of the hundreds running by, I would always hear, ‘Hi Jill!‘ and look over to see Kathi waving at me,” Blue said. At each event I attended, I would expect to hear her voice. Ridner is survived by her husband of 32 years, a son, Connor, and daughter, Olivia (Manny) Collazo. She will be the proud guardian angel of her first granddaughter to be born this month. “Kathi would implore all to be vigilant about any unusual changes in your health. She had initial back pain over a year before, but it was attributed to a previous injury. Pancreatic

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

Shayna Gleckel, left, and Kathi Ridner show off the Follow the Yellow Brick Crow scarecrow built by Girl Scouts Troop 1664 for Family Promise of Brevard at the 2019 Scarecrow Stroll and Harvest Festival.

Viera Voice | February 2021

“We lost one of the most beautiful, compassionate and selfless people we have ever had the privilege of knowing. Kathi Ridner, who many of you know as Glinda the Good, leaves a long legacy of compassion, volunteering and the commitment to ensure that every child has a home. Kathi was Glinda, not only seeing all the good in the world, but also seeing it in everyone and everything.”

—Tara Pagliarini, executive director, Family Promise of Brevard VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

Kathi Ridner was Glinda the Good Witch in the No Place Like Home Emerald City 5K at the Church at Viera. As Glinda, she encouraged people to participate in the annual race to benefit Family Promise of Brevard. She found the dress at a second-hand store and altered it for the annual race.

cancer is difficult to detect while it is still operable. Make sure you advise your doctor if you suspect something is off,” Tim Ridner said. A Celebration of Life was held Jan. 23 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic

Church in Viera. If you would like to leave a tribute or make a donation to the Kathryn Ridner Fund at the Community Foundation for Brevard, read her life story or watch the livestream of the ceremony, go to kathiridner.com.

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Mikki Holtzhauer

The words in the pin are from Kathi Ridner's personal notebook about what she believed to be most important. A graphic designer took Kathi’s written sketches and incorporated them into the pin to share her legacy.

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Emerald City 5K seeks sponsors to battle homelessness BY R. NORMAN MOODY The Emerald City 5K Run/ Walk, the second in a fiverace series, needs sponsors to help families combat homelessness. The race/walk is Feb. 26. The race’s Journey Home theme this year sees “Dorothy battling the Wicked Witch.” “It’s been a witch year because of the pandemic and people losing their jobs,” said Shayna Gleckel, the director of development for Family Promise of Brevard. Gleckel said proceeds from the race benefit Family Promise of Brevard, which assists families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The proceeds help resolve and prevent families from becoming homeless and provide resources to get

them on a path to long-term self-sufficiency. The lack of affordable housing, skilled jobs and opportunities for social mobility highlight the obstacles 40 percent of the community faces as it strives for a stronger future. “It’s one of our big fundraisers of the year,” Gleckel said. “This is a way to bring our community together. It’s a way to build awareness of what we do.” Businesses are needed to join the title sponsor, Rolle IT LLC. The Emerald City 5K Run/ Walk, managed by Running Zone, takes place Feb. 26 at the Church at Viera. “It’s a great way for companies to get their names in the community,” Gleckel said. Both in-person and virtual event registrations

are available. The race follows COVID-19 safety protocols as outlined by Running Zone. All registrants receive a shirt, commemorative medal and raffle key to unlock the themed gem — a black diamond donated by Wesche Jewelers. To purchase raffle keys for the black diamond or learn more about the event and sponsorships, go to familypromiseofbrevard.org/ ec2021. To register for the Emerald City 5K Run/Walk and begin your team fundraising, go to runsignup.com/Race/ FL/Melbourne/TheresNoPlaceLikeHome5KRunWalk. For more information, contact Gleckel at familypromiseofbrevard.org or 321-209-3391. V V

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

Anabel Mayo, left, and Tara Pagliarini show off a black diamond that is being raffled to benefit Family Promise of Brevard.

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

All runners will receive a commemorative medal for participating in the Emerald City 5K.

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Winning runners beam with the medals they earned at last year’s Run Domestic Violence Out of Brevard 5K, which returns Feb. 20 to Viera.

Domestic violence program pins hopes on Viera 5K BY MARIA SONNENBERG The pandemic has not been kind to families experiencing domestic violence. “It has made things worse for victims, who are stuck at home with the perpetrators, because they are working from home or may have lost their jobs,” said Cindy Mitchell, the director of the Salvation Army Domestic Violence Program. Domestic violence is not about anger, but rather about control, explains Mitchell. Perpetrators enjoy the benefits of having control over partners and children. Mitchell’s agency provides a secure shelter and support for victims, as well as advocacy services and community education. However, the organization,

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like the victims it serves, has suffered because of COVID. Funding and fundraisers dried up last year, which makes its upcoming Run Domestic Violence Out of Brevard 5K that much more important. The race begins at 8 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 20 at the Lake Pavilion of Viera Regional Park, 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, and winds its way up Stadium Parkway, Veterans Way and Breslay Drive before returning to the starting point. Advance registration through Feb. 7 is $25 for adults and $20 for children 12 and younger as well as for teams of five or more runners. The fee after Feb. 7 is $30 for adults and $25 for kids and teams. A virtual 5K option is $30, with a $5 discount if the race packet is

picked up at Running Zone. A race shirt is guaranteed for registrations by Feb. 7. The event includes an after-party with music and refreshments. In addition to money, the race raises awareness of the availability of services by including the hotline for the 24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline (321-631-2764) in the race flyer. “It makes it easier for businesses to put the information out there,” Mitchell said. The program, which serves the entire county, provided temporary shelter to 257 women and children last year. To help Run Domestic Violence Out of Brevard, register for the 5K at secure. runningzone.com. V V

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Viera Voice | February 2021

Contest will pick 4 to paint La Roca Park cornhole boards SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE The Central Viera Community Association will select four winners to paint a cornhole board in the Cornhole Court area at La Roca Park. To enter the contest, submit an application and art mockup on the template available at cvcaviera.com by Feb. 28. Winners will be selected by the Central Viera Community Association board of directors and announced March 12 by email and on Facebook. “I really wanted to

give the community an opportunity to engage in the opening of our new park and give them the chance to put their personal touches in the park for Viera residents and visitors to enjoy for years to come,” said Eva Rey, the director of Community Management, Amenities and Communications for the Viera Company. By entering the competition, participants accept the following entry rules: 1. This contest is open to all Central Viera members and residents.

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2. Artwork must be familyfriendly, with no advertising or logos. 3. Submit your original art concept and not a copy of anyone else’s work. 4. All ages can enter. Children younger than 16 need parental supervision. 5. If selected, your artwork will be used in promotional material for Viera and La Roca Park. 6. Paint will be provided. 7. Cornhole boards will be primed before painting and will be sealed by CVCA. 8. Send any questions to eva.rey@viera.com. V V

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of The Central Viera Community Association

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Viera Voice | February 2021

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Bald eagles nesting north of Viera Boulevard are visible from I-95.

VIERA VOICE George White

VIERA VOICE Adam Palumbo

A White Pelican comes in for a landing in the lakes near Viera Town Center.

Audubon Society calls on all birders for annual count BY GEORGE WHITE

Bird IDs during the four days contribute to the Great Backyard Bird Count. Schedules for SCAS eBird training and hands-on instruction are posted on its Facebook and website pages. Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count was the first online citizen science project to collect data on wild birds and display results in near real time. In 2013, it became a global project when participants began entering data into eBird, the world’s largest biodiversity-related citizen science project. These observations help scientists better understand global bird

populations before one of populations,’’ Hicks said. Also of note to birders their annual migrations. are a family of bald GBBC helps researchers eagles nesting in the know more about how Viera Boulevard area, but birds are doing and how Hicks noted that etiquette to protect them and the requires observations be environment. made at least 1,000 feet Of special interest are from the nest. Eastern bluebirds, white pelicans and other species of birds visiting or migrating through the area, she said. “Every species is important, so all habitats are included. SONATAEAST.COM This count gives a window to our wintering and resident bird

The Space Coast Audubon Society urges anybody interested in birding — from below novice to expert — to contribute valuable data by spotting, identifying and quantifying local flocks during the 24th annual Great Backyard Bird Count from Feb. 12 to 15. Not confined to your backyard, the global count has changed for the better as technology allows people to enter information directly, SCAS member Anne Hicks said. “Collecting and reporting data for the GBBC is straightforward. At each location, you identify any species you see or hear, and tally up the number of individuals, and you can also note any interesting behaviors. During the GBBC, rarity doesn’t matter. The hundreds of house sparrows count just as much as the more unusual species,” she said. Participants ALL YOU CAN who submit EAT & DRINK one or more All you can eat on a select menu. All lists during you can drink Bud Light draft, Ultra the four days draft, Intracoastal draft, CutWater spirits & single pour house liquors. of counting $25 ALL YOU CAN EAT NOT INCLUDING become a Sun and Mon: 12-9 BEVERAGES FOR DESIGNATED DRIVERS contributing Tue - Thu: 12-10 SUNDAY, FEB 7 AT 5PM citizen Fri and Sat: 12-12 scientist. 3826 Murrell Rd., Rockledge All eBird 321-848-0227 • 2AngryWives.com entries and saved Merlin

The GBBC “is a free, fun and easy event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of bird populations,” Hicks said. For more information, go to spacecoastaudubon.org VV

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Viera Voice | February 2021

Pizza Anyone?

There is sure to be a pizza for just about everyone who enjoys a good pie. We’ll tell you about some of the best pizzas available in the Viera and Suntree area. With fewer people eating out

during the past few months because of the pandemic, takeout and curbside pickup has surged, likely making pizza one of the most ordered food items for takeout. Here we will tell you about pizza

restaurants and follow up with other excellent restaurants in our area in upcoming editions. We will explore some of the varied restaurants in Viera and Suntree. V V

Viera Pizza adapts, thrives despite pandemic BY ERNEST ARICO When the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, among the hardest hit industries were restaurants and entertainment. Many restaurants were forced to close or limit their services to pickup or delivery. However, one of the most successful restaurants during this pandemic has been Viera Pizza, on the corner of Stadium Parkway and Viera Boulevard inside the Stadium Mobil station. “Our carryout and delivery have spiked,” said 43-year-old Mike Acosta, the operating partner of Viera Pizza. “We’ve had a solid 20 percent increase over last year.” While their business is mainly carryout and delivery, Acosta said the lunch crowd that normally would dine inside just took their meals back to the office, sat in their cars to dine, or just ordered deliveries. “I think one of the changes that has to stay in place throughout, not only the restaurant industry, but every aspect of life, should be the heightened level of cleanliness,” Acosta said. “Many people take for granted all the shared surfaces that we all touch and the common courtesy of respecting other people's space. I think the days of spice shakers and condiments on tables are long gone.” In 2004, Acosta and Naweed Akram

Viera Voice | February 2021

shared a vision to bring pizza with flavor and flare to the new and rapidly growing Viera area. “Another big change with COVID was interaction with people,” Acosta explained. “More people want to order online these days, no contact and so forth. We are glad to oblige and do our best to make anyone feel comfortable in these trying times.” Although the restaurant has thrived financially, one area where the company has suffered during this pandemic has been with its donations to the community. “At Viera Pizza, we firmly believe in giving back to the Brevard County community,” Acosta said. Some of the charity events Viera Pizza sponsors during the year include the Space Coast Classic in April, the Eat My Crust 5K in June and the Run Run Santa in December. “Unfortunately, because of the COVID, we’ve had to cancel or switch to virtual events,” Acosta said. “In the past, we’ve donated more than $40,000 to Special Olympics and other worthy causes. Last year, we only raised $10,000." Acosta believes one of the strengths of his restaurant is that the core team of employees (16 full- and part-time workers) have been with him for years. General manager Nicole Fry has been with the restaurant for 15 years. “We are more focused on what we are good at,” Acosta said. “I want to expand by

VIERA VOICE Ernest Arico

Mike Acosta, operating partner of Viera Pizza inside the Stadium Mobil station at Stadium Parkway and Viera Boulevard, makes a 24-inch pepperoni pizza.

adding more ovens, but I also would like to streamline our menu. We’re definitely going to do more in the future.” Roger Johnston, a resident of the Bayhill subdivision and a frequent customer, loves the restaurant’s food and its people. “This COVID pandemic has made life difficult, but it’s nice to know that this restaurant has a high standard of cleanliness and a willingness to meet the customer’s needs,” he said. For more information about Viera Pizza, go to vierapizza.com or call 321-636-7696. V V

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Bella Luna serves up traditional Italian comfort foods BY WENDY SCHEURING “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore,” so goes the song Dean Martin made famous. Bella Luna means beautiful moon in Italian. The family-owned restaurant in Suntree specializes in thin-crust pizza, which bakes not too crispy, not too soft. The recipes are simple, using ingredients such as pure olive oil, fresh local produce and Grande mozzarella, a high-grade Italian cheese. “It’s very creamy,” said Gerardo Torres, who co-owns the restaurant with his brother, Natanael. Though most of its business has been takeout and curbside pickup since the pandemic, the customers keep coming for more of their favorites. “The food is so delicious,” said Maria Diegnan of Indian Harbour Beach, who was dining with her husband, John. “The food is made fresh. It’s authentic. The bread is phenomenal.” The couple’s favorite meal is the lasagna. Diegnan is also partial to the piccata with chicken or veal. “I like to order things I don’t make at home,” she said. Gerardo Torres said the Margherita pizza

is one of his customers’ favorites. The Margherita is a twice-baked pizza. The dough is topped with homemade tomato sauce and sliced tomatoes then pre-baked in a deck oven. Slices of fresh mozzarella, mixed with pure olive oil, black pepper and oregano, are added. After the second baking, the pizza is garnished with fresh basil and additional olive oil. Another favorite is the white pizza with spinach. The recipe calls for a mozzarella and ricotta cheese base instead of tomato sauce. Garlic, sliced tomatoes and spinach complete the pie. VIERA VOICE Wendy Scheuring The Chicken Alfredo pizza and the A white spinach pizza is a favorite from Bella Luna. Chicken, Bacon, and Ranch also are popular. Since the pandemic, takeout orders and curbside pickup have been 80 percent of their business, trading places with indoor dining pre-COVID, according to Torres. He is slowly seeing dining room customers coming back. “We came here before the pandemic with friends after church,” Diegnan said. “It’s a godsend, even during the pandemic. When they cut their hours, I would order ahead,” she said. The restaurant is at 7155 N. Wickham Road. To order, call 321-254-4455 or go to VIERA VOICE Wendy Scheuring bellalunasuntreee.com/home. V V Gerardo Torres is the co-owner of Bella Luna.

Pizza Gallery & Grill explores new terrain in edible art

BY WENDY SCHEURING At Pizza Gallery & Grill in Viera, you won’t just find original art on the walls, you’ll find pizza creations based on geographical themes and famous artists. From the large selection of pizzas to appetizers and entrees, there is plenty of edible art from which to choose. Pick from 30-plus artist pizzas, with 20 on the secret menu, at 2250 Town Center Ave. A new offering, the Ramos Cuban, has a Dijon remoulade sauce slathered on a thin original crust sprinkled with mozzarella and provolone. Ham, smoked pork and pickles top the pie. Other newcomers to the list are the spicy Finster Nashville Hot Chicken on a cornmeal crust, and a sweet and spicy Thai veggie shrimp pizza called the Sargent. Vegan and lactose-free options, such as a gluten-free, rice-based crust and rice-based vegan mozzarella, also adorn the menu. The Madison Crab Cake, named after Conneen’s daughter, Madison, who created the recipe, uses a baked Portabello mushroom instead of a crust. The dish has a garlic butter base with a crab cake on top — minus the breading — and onions, peppers, mozzarella cheese and Dijon remoulade. “We also have a create-your-own category,” owner Chris Conneen said. “We had a rocket scientist working for us who did a six-page mathematical equation saying we have 2 million billion combinations based on our crusts, sizes,

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VIERA VOICE Wendy Scheuring

The Ramos Cuban is a new pizza creation featuring a Dijon remoulade sauce, ham, pork and pickles at Pizza Gallery & Grill.

sauces, toppings and cheeses.” In January, a pick-two combo lunch menu launched with pastas, soups, sandwiches and salads. It replaces the buffet. “I came to work here because I love the food,” said Kevin Brutto, the kitchen manager. His favorite pizza is the Bottacelli, a Hawaiian-themed pizza with teriyaki sauce, mozzarella, pineapple, ham and bacon on an original crust. Pizza Gallery & Grill offers plenty of outdoor dining as well as takeout and curbside pickup. To give indoor patrons more space between tables, the dining room operates at 75 percent capacity. Support staff sanitizes door handles, chairs, the underside of tables, and the tops

VIERA VOICE Wendy Scheuring

Kitchen manager Kevin Brutto takes a Ramos Cuban pizza out of the oven at Pizza Gallery & Grill.

and sides of booths. “We make conscious efforts to clean all touch points,” Conneen said. Touchless ordering and payment options are available. “You can order online, pay online, pull up to the curb, and you don’t have to touch anything,” he said. “We have QR code readers on all of our tables. You can choose not to have a hard menu. Point your phone to the QR code, and a menu will open on your phone. You can also order with your server and pay online without touching any pens.” To order, call 321-633-0397 or go to pizzagallerygrill.com. V V

Viera Voice | February 2021

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p o o c BUSINESSS VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

Franchise owners, Michael and Carlee Weeks are excited about the Feb. 4 grand opening of Chick-fil-A in West Viera.

Chick-fil-A opening debuts Borrows West in Viera

BY MARIA SONNENBERG Local chicken sandwich fans should be in hog — I mean, chicken — heaven come Feb. 4, when Chick-fil-A unveils its newest store at 2955 Viera Blvd. While the menu remains identical to the one that has drawn diners to the “Home of the Original Chicken Sandwich,” the exterior of the Viera Chick-fil-A is another thing. “It will be completely different outside,” owner Michael Weeks said. Sleek and modern, the new 5,000-square-foot eatery set on two acres is the first building at Borrows West, the newest residential, commercial and retail development project in Viera, immediately southwest of Viera Boulevard and Interstate 95. The new building was designed to complement future construction styles. “It’s a sneak peek at what the area will look like,”

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

As added amenities, the new Chick-fil-A installed awnings over the drive-thru point of sale and order pick-up area to ensure a great customer experience, rain or shine.

Weeks said. Weeks, no stranger around a chicken sandwich, has been with the company for more than two decades. He previously owned one of the San Diego franchises before Florida beckoned him. “I grew up in North Florida and still have family here, and with two young kids, I wanted to get back to Florida,” he said. He is now settled in Viera, not far from the new store. “It’s a whole mile-and-a-

half away,” he said. The new location has been a long time — four years, to be exact — in the making, in part because of the pandemic. “It was originally slated to open in April of last year,” Weeks said. Brevard’s newest Chickfil-A will start with carryout, mobile and drive-through before moving to dine-in. Truett Cathy launched the chicken-intensive Chick-fil-A franchise in

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

A new design feature at this location is the addition of automatic doors at the drive-thru instead of a window..

1946. An important part of the company’s operating philosophy is to close the restaurants on Sundays to allow staff to rest or worship. As the franchise’s

enlightened spokecows will tell you, it is time for Viera to “eat mor chikin.” Contact the new Viera Chick-fil-A at 321-636-3535. VV

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Viera Voice | February 2021

Christian Brothers Automotive coming to Suntree BY WENDY SCHEURING What makes Christian Brothers Automotive unique is its mission to “love your neighbor as yourself.” The shop under construction at 6315 N. Wickham Road near Zaxby’s will be a 10-bay, 6,000-square-foot facility. It is estimated to open in midApril. Christian Brothers Automotive provides fullservice automotive repair, including all European, Asian, and domestic makes and models. Its owners lead their teams and connect with the community to provide what the company has coined the “nice difference.” “We want the owner to be a part of the business, to be a key part of the community. We built these buildings to serve communities, not to transact the automotive business,” said Michael Suttle, the chief development officer. Excellent customer

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Christian Brothers Automotive

This is an artist rendering of a Christian Brothers location similar to the one that is being built in Suntree.

experience is tantamount. The lobbies have a homey feel with comfortable sofas and chairs, like a cottage or living room would. “The standard is coffee and bottles of water. We don’t provide food items, although some owners like to have cookies for the guests. We let them (owners) create their own guest experience,” Suttle said.

Transportation, and more, is available for repairs that take longer. “If you need to come in, and it looks like the repair will take some time, we’ll take you home, even take you to the grocery store or pick up your kid from school,” Suttle said. “If needed, we’ll come back and pick you up.” The company follows CDC sanitizing protocols, including

the touchless passing of keys. Christian Brothers also believes in giving back to the community. “We have a national service day every fall,” Suttle said. “Many years ago, our founder and chairman wanted to serve single mothers in our neighborhoods and communities. We now have a national service day where we’ll serve anyone that comes

in with a free oil change or power alignment. We’ve even given cars away when people have brought cars in that they didn’t feel were safe.” Christian Brothers is excited to extend its footprint to the Atlantic Coast of Florida. “We like Melbourne. We think it’s unique,” Suttle added. “This is part of our growth strategy.” V V

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Outdoor recreation activities thrive during pandemic BY GEORGE WHITE

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, residents facing quarantines and crowd restrictions turned to the outdoors along the Space Coast — biking, fishing, hiking and hunting. One immediate challenge was the increased demand for use of public areas, because many of those facilities were still shut down due to virus concerns, said Greg Workman, the regional public information coordinator and acting regional director, Northeast Region, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “Just talking to a lot of folks who are in the field that they have noticed a little uptick in users in our public lands. You have everybody telling you to get outdoors. It’s a good way to social distance, and we did everything we could to provide that,’’ he said. In May, “We started looking at how we could reopen these public areas and still maintain safety. That’s what we’re continuing to do to keep these areas open,’’ he said. The fishing industry — especially surf fishing — experienced a pandemicrelated increase in interest and demand for equipment, said Matt Fowler, the manager of Strike-Zone Fishing at 2771 W. New Haven Ave. in Melbourne. Early in the pandemic, fishing was one of the few ways you were allowed to be on the beach, he said. Last year was, however, “a double-edged sword” for the fishing industry. Demand was high, including new boat sales, but there were problems with getting supplies of all types, causing delays, he said. “It’s been an interesting duality,’’ he said. There were 63,983 fishing and hunting licenses sold

VIERA VOICE R. Norman Moody

Hiking has become a popular activity during the pandemic.

in Brevard County in 2020. Statewide in 2020, the grand total of saltwater, freshwater and hunting licenses was a record 1,857,741 compared to the total of 1,730,133 the previous year, according to the FWC. “If there is a bright spot in this horrible COVID-19 tragedy, it’s the unprecedented interest of families and individuals wanting to enjoy nature. We are seeing a strong demand for outdoor gear across all categories, both online and in our store, according to a corporate spokesman for Bass Pro Shops, which has a location at Interstate 95 and Palm Bay Road. “Fishing, hunting, hiking and other outdoor recreation are great activities for times

like these, because it’s easy to practice social distancing and provides a healthy source of stress relief given the uncertainty we all feel,” the spokesman said. V V

VIERA VOICE George White

One of the ways to enjoy the beach during the pandemic is surf fishing. It has remained strong as an outdoor activity for social distancing.

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VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

Marquis Campbell talks with Helen Hutton, a resident at Chateau Madeleine Senior Living & Memory Care, during a vaccination clinic.

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

Dr. Kendra Bailey administered a COVID-19 vaccine during a Walgreens vaccination clinic at Chateau Madeleine Senior Living & Memory Care.

Motorists lined up and inched forward as they prepared to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

A healthcare worker prepares vaccines to be administered at the Brevard County Health Department.

Viera seniors are provided multiple vaccination options BY R. NORMAN MOODY Brevard County residents, primarily seniors 65 and older, have been lining up to receive their COVID-19 vaccine as Florida continues to expand vaccination sites.

“We’re leading the effort of putting seniors first,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a stop in Brevard County last month. On the top of the list of people receiving the vaccine in addition to seniors are healthcare

workers, nursing home staff and residents. DeSantis has prioritized access to the vaccine for Florida’s seniors and continues to increase the number of vaccination sites statewide. The governor recently announced the expansion of the state’s partnership with Publix supermarkets to establish vaccination sites at an additional 137 Publix locations, for a total of 242 Check out the Q&L website for class schedule and events. in 18 counties, including 22  We are an authorized, full line retailer for Baby Lock®, in Brevard. Brother®, Koala ®, Floriani ,®sites & Anita Goodesign® “Not everyone wants to engineer  Full-time, on-site, factory certified service

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vaccines in more than 4,000 long-term care facilities across the state. These efforts are supplementing and accelerating the vaccinations being undertaken by CVS and Walgreens, pursuant to their agreement with the federal government. For more information about getting the vaccine at Publix, go to publix.com/ covidvaccine For more information from the county Health Department go to Brevard. FloridaHealth.gov V V

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Remembering the past decade, welcome the years ahead As we enter a new decade, we can surely learn from the past decade and make everything better in the future, right? Uh, you wanna hold your breath on that one? As the famous line goes: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. That means we’re all pretty much insane, because if we like something enough we’ll keep trying it over and over until we succeed. I’m still thinking I could play golf well someday. Ha ha ha. Insane, right? So to help the masses improve in this decade, let’s take a quick look back at where we just came from. The decade of the 2010s is going to be most remembered for the impossible that kept happening. Yeah, it was a decade of impossible wins. Every nightly newscast saying Trump can’t win. Impossible. LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers gave the city their first championship in 50 years. Impossible, again. Then a couple months later, the Chicago Cubs won their first championship in 107 years against who? Cleveland. Impossible and ironic. Whew! You can picture bookies in Vegas drinking themselves into oblivion and probably betting on who would pass out first. It was a decade where a picture of a “Real Housewives”

Funny thing is... Sammy Haddad reality TV show with a lady screaming her head off is offset by a bored looking white cat, and this has gone viral with a different wisecrack on every repost. This picture is now social media’s primary method of imparting wisdom to this generation. A cat? Seriously? “Baby Shark” became and still is the most annoying song since “Trololo” in the ’70s, and in third place “It’s a Small World.” Now, don’t get me wrong, I love the ride at Disney, but after you finish that ride you can’t get the song out of your head. The “Baby Shark” song is the same way. If aliens ever wanted to take over Earth, they wouldn’t need ray guns. All they would need to do is play nightly news broadcasts over and over again during the day and “Baby Shark” at night. The population of the planet would pretty much surrender without a shot. So, remember the past decade and welcome the years ahead. Hopefully, you’ll be able to clearly see that 2020 can focus you on the future. V V

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Sudoku Solution, page 30

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

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Viera Voice | February 2021

Crossword Puzzle

ACROSS DOWN 1 Kind of lock 1 Length unit 5 Sleepwear, for short 2 State firmly 8 Didn't part with 3 Stead 12 Like some fans 4 Whirlpools 13 Go team! 5 Flatten 14 Mideast title 6 Surfing duo -- and Dean 15 Cattail 7 Postponing 16 Navigator's dir. 8 Dog house 17 Microwave 9 Grounded birds 18 Celtic priests 10 Toll road 20 Microscope parts 11 Three, in Bolivia 22 Bradley and Asner 19 Pesticide of yore 23 Geese formation 21 Morays and congers 24 -- -case scenario 24 Ashen 27 Column 25 Had chits out 30 Impress deeply 26 Solar plexus 31 Cookie sheets 27 Ice cream purchase 32 Slangy approval (hyph.) 28 Long sighs 34 Court divider 29 What fans do 35 Twinge 31 Iron ore 36 Ground breaker 33 Lock insert 37 Flaw 35 Quince kin 39 Unpleasant 38 Crimped, as a piecrust 41 Southeast Asian 39 Kernel 42 Wiretap 40 Schedule 43 Reddish-brown 42 Prepared fish 46 Complied with commands 43 Cash dispensers, for 50 Slow gait short 51 Bed-and-breakfast 44 Asian river 53 Iditarod terminus 45 Be an omen 54 Crafted 47 Not his or her 55 "Little piggie" 48 Madame Bovary's name 56 Type of luck 49 Obligation to pay 57 Yukon hauler 52 Turndown from Renee 58 Come to a conclusion Crossword Solution, page 30 59 Trapped like -- --

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Viera Voice | February 2021

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VIERA VOICE

's Day Valentine Feb. 14

JUNIOR REPORTER ON THE BEAT FEBRUARY 2021

Tune in next month to read more from our Junior Reporter

We are looking for energetic Junior Reporters. We will feature one each month to help us with the Kids News page. No experience is necessary, just the desire to report on trends and issues affecting children in the community.

Who likes Jokes? Norm: Why did the ghost go to the doctor? Ava: To get a boooster shot. Eva: What do planets like to read? Earl: Comet books! Cal: What’s it called when a group of criminals fall into the ocean? Carrie: A crime wave!

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VIERA/SUNTREE GETTING TO KNOW THE KIDS ON THE BLOCK Finleigh C., first grade, Viera Charter School What’s your favorite thing to do? Go to Universal. What do you love most to do with your sibling? Wrestle. What was your favorite Christmas present? Hoverboard. Do you have a pets? - A dog, Ziggy.

Kellan C., fifth grade, Viera Charter School Why do you like being a kid? Not paying the bills.

What is your favorite movie? Avengers Endgame. What would be the ideal allowance? $50 a week. What is your favorite book? Movies are way better than books. Who is your Hero? My Mom.

Jadayia S., fifth grade, Viera Charter School

Name two things you like to do with the family on the weekends? Go fishing and play a family game. What is the grossest thing you can think of? Veggies, specifically peas. What do you think you will be doing 10 years from now? I will be in college studying to be a chemical scientist. Why do you like being a kid? I like being a kid because I get to follow and learn. how to act on my own.

Viera Voice | February 2021

Solution, Puzzle page 27

Gourd Festival returns to Melbourne SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE

Solution, Puzzle page 28

The Florida Gourd Society will conduct its 2021 State Gourd Festival from Feb. 26 to 28 at the Azan Shrine Center at 1591 W. Eau Gallie Blvd. in Melbourne. An Ocean of Gourds will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. This will be the eighth year that the event has been held in Melbourne and the 22nd year that it has been held in Florida. It is a free event. Activities include classes all weekend and

demonstrations during lunch hours. It will highlight an Azan kitchen, gourd growers and supply vendors, a gourd competition area, silent auctions and raffles. The growers bring in large trailers full of varieties of gourds and spread them out on the grassy area in front of the auditorium. Inside, viewers will find supply vendors with tools, beads, dyes and patterns. Crafted gourds also will be for sale in the booths as well as those in the competition area. For information, call 904-240-1388 or go to flgourdsoc.org. V V

Learn to Code

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

Artists can pick a gourd of any shape to create almost anything.

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Viera Voice | February 2021

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English Muffin Mini Pizzas DIRECTIONS

Cooking with Bentley

Step 1 Add garlic to a pan with olive oil and saute until the garlic is soft and lightly brown. Step 2 Add can of tomato puree to garlic and olive oil and simmer on med-low for 10-15 minutes. Step 3 Heat oven to 425°F. Step 4 Separate your english muffins and lay each one out on a baking tray Step 5 Remove sauce from heat and pour a good spoon-size amount on each english muffin. Spread the sauce in a circle motion with the botom of your spoon so the entire english muffin is covered.

A FAMILY

FUN RECIPE!

Step 6 Add shredded mozzarella to each english muffin so it covers the sauce completely. Step 7 Additional toppings like pepperoni or mushrooms can be added if desired.

INGREDIENTS 16 oz shredded mozzarella 1 chopped clove of garlic 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 6-pack english muffins 1 can tomato puree 1 (3.5 oz) pack pepperoni (optional)

Step 8 Place tray into the oven and let bake for 8-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges of english muffin begin to crisp and brown. PREP TIME 15 MIN., COOK TIME 15 MIN., SERVINGS 12 MINI PIZZAS

Feb. 6,

Sunday

Monday

Open Pickleball

Kansas City at Tampa Bay

Join your friends to play Pickleball. $2 per person Viera Regional Community Center, 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, 321-433-4891

Tuesday

Bingo

Brevard Federated Republican Women

Tuesdays and Fridays 11:15 a.m. - 2 p.m. Games including early-bird, two 50/50 games and one winner-take-all-game. Wickham Park Senior Center, 2785 Leisure Drive

5:30 - 9 p.m. Viera’s only cigar and spirit11 a.m. Tina Descovich, founder of themed monthly event. 28 North Gastropub MOMS for Liberty. Meeting, $25 includes lunch. Viera, 321-241-1159 Space Coast Convention Center Chick-fil-A on Viera Blvd. RSVP, 321-727-1212 Opens today

Dancing Little Stars

10:15 - 10:45 a.m. Mommy & Me Creative Movement Ages 1.5 - 3 with parent participant. $45/month. Viera Regional Park Register at 407-312-5924

9 - 10 a.m. Social distancing will be in effect. Guests must bring their own mats and blocks. The Avenue, Central Park 2261 Town Center Ave. Viera, 321-634-5390

6:30 - 9 p.m. Join your friends to play basketball. $2 per person. Viera Regional Community Center, 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, 321-433-4891

1 p.m. Free cooking demonstration with dessert provided. Cherries Jubilee. RSVP required. One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771

15 • Presidents Day

16 • Fat Tuesday

Moon Golf Invitational Women’s College Tournament

Legal Seminar

• Ash Wednesday Open Pickleball

Jazz Brunch & Learn

23 • National Banana

1 p.m. Wickham Park Senior Center 2785 Leisure Drive Melbourne 606-219-3994

Strength & Flexibility

For the Love of Paws

SLAM Sweat Like A Mother VHS – Pizza Gallery Spirit stroller exercises Night & Raffle Drawings

March 14-16 Duran Golf Club 7032 Stadium Parkway Viera, 321-504-7776

Shuffleboard

10 a.m. Presented by William A. Johnson. In person or virtual Zoom, must RSVP. One Senior Place 8085 Spyglass Hill Road Viera, 321-751-6771

Bread Day

9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Wickham Park Senior Center 2785 Leisure Drive Melbourne, 321-255-4494

1 - 4 p.m Join your friends to play Pickleball. $2 per person Viera Regional Community Center, 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, 321-433-4891

Yoga in the Park

9 - 10 a.m. Social distancing will be in effect. Guests must bring all of their own mats and blocks. Free. The Avenue, Central Park 2261 Town Center Ave.

Open Basketball

events

Saturday

Brevard Symphony Orchestra see bottom of page Casino Night

6 p.m. Benefits Melbourne Women’s Center, $25 donation Divots Grille, Viera East Rockledge, 321-639-3487

Cooking with Courtenay

Women’s Only Shooting Class

8 a.m. - 5 p.m. $75 per person. Hosted by Sheriff Wayne Ivey. Must be 21 years or older and pass a background check. Brevard County Five Palms Range, Cocoa, 321-264-5281

• National Caregivers Day ALD February Fun at Duran 2 - 5 p.m. 9:30 - 11 a.m. Amateur Long Drive Learn about the new luxury Rafiki Run 3K 7 a.m. fast run resort-style independent living community for active adult seniors. Must RSVP One Senior Place 321-341-9000

DWGA Golf Tournament

9 a.m. Price includes greens fees, cart fee, range balls, lunch and prizes. Duran Golf Club 7032 Stadium Parkway Viera, 321-504-7776

Brevard Symphony Orchestra, The Belle of Broadway

10th annual Car Show

vieravoice.com

Sip & Smoke

Friday

Project Graduation Pizza Gallery and Grill 2250 Town Center Ave. Viera, FL 32940

14 • Valentine’s Day

9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Open to all makes and models. Benefit for Satellite Beach Lions Club. $20 registration. DRS Community Center Satellite Beach, 321-403-3971

Thursday

4 • Thank a Mail Carrier Day 5

Saturday

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

9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Call for rates. Viera Regional Community Center, 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, 321-433-4891

7 a.m. - 1 p.m. Brevard Alzheimer’s Foundation 4676 Wickham Road Melbourne cycle4alz.org

Friday

10 a.m. The all-day, family-friendly event will feature a car and truck show, kickball and food trucks. Space Coast Stadium

Seventh annual Cycle 4 Alz Event

Thursday

10 • National Pizza Day Yoga in the Park

Wednesday

11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Raffle baskets, delicious lunch. $20 per person Proceeds to benefit Schnauzer Love Rescue. Keep it Local Brevard 902 Florida Ave. Cocoa

Calendar

2 • Groundhog Day

Inaugural Space Coast Tailgate Festival

Wednesday

Feb. 6, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Susan Egan is a Tony-nominated Broadway star and BSO favorite. King Center, 3865 N. Wickham Road Melbourne, 321-242-2024 or 321-345-5052

Leisure run 7:30 a.m. Benefiting Brevard Zoo. Brevard Zoo Viera, 321-254-9453

Emerald City 5K

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

6 p.m. Fundraiser for Family Promise of Brevard Church at Viera 9005 N. Wickham Road Viera, 321-209-3391

Symphonic Dances Concert

7 - 9 p.m. Presented by the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra. Scott Center at Holy Trinity 5625 Holy Trinity Drive Suntree, 855-252-7276

Heroic Beethoven Concert Feb. 20, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. An all-Beethoven program Piano Concerto No. 4, Symphony No. 3 “Eroica” King Center 3865 N. Wickham Road Melbourne, 321-242-2024

Viera Voice | February 2021

Wood Shutters • Polyvinyl Shutters • Pleated Shades Porch Shades • Mini-Blinds • Vertical Blinds • Wood Blinds Custom Options • Expert Installation Monday through Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. All other times by Appointment

Shoppes at Baytree 7954 N. Wickham Rd. #118 – in Suntree Big Show Room • Best Selection • Same Excellent Service

321-752-7288

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VIERA VOICE Shutterstock

A Casino Night will be held Feb. 6 to benefit the Melbourne Women’s Center.

Casino Night benefits Women’s Center BY ERNEST ARICO Divots Grille and Not Quite Vegas will present a Casino Night to benefit the Melbourne Women’s Center. The charity event is scheduled for 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6 at Divots Grille in the Viera East Golf Club off Murrell Road in Rockledge. The event is sponsored by the Viera East Community Development District. The $25 donation will help the Melbourne Women’s Center. The center’s mission is to help women, men and children who have faced trauma related to domestic violence and sexual assault.

Serving more than 6,500 people annually, the Women's Center can be the first and last step in helping people transition from victims to survivors. Programs provide victims with the hope, tools and resources needed to build a healthy and successful future for themselves and their families. Terri King, owner of Divots Grille, said the center was selected because many people forget about the work they do, especially around the holidays. “I had a friend who was helped by the center, and they do great things,” she said. VV

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Before you choose a 55-Plus community, CCRC and understand what Before youand choose a 55-Plus look it to community, Brevard County’s aging incompare place with lifetime care lookONLY and compare it tounderstand Brevard County’s CCRC and what aging in at Buena Vida Estates really ONLY CCRC and understand what aging in place with lifetime care at Buena Vida Estates means—all-inclusive, place with lifetime care at Buena from Vida your really means—ALL-INCLUSIVE, from your monthly utilities to meals Estates really means—all-inclusive, from and monthly utilities to meals andand so much more! so much more! Choose your monthly utilities to meals sofrom Choose from nine apartment homes nine homes or oneorof much more!apartment Choose from nine apartment our NEW cottages. homes or NEW oneone of of our NEW cottages a our cottages in ainprivate private wooded community. wooded community. CCRC–Buena Vida Estates 55-Plus Community CCRC–Buena Vida Community Estates 65-Plus 55-Plus Community 65-Plus Community Real Estate Taxes -0-0- -0-Real Estate HOA Taxes -0- -0-HOA Assessments -0- -0-Assessments Home Maintenance Maintenance -0- -0-HomeUtilities Utilities -0-0Meals/Fine Dining -0Meals/Fine Dining -0Lifetime Long-term Care -0Lifetime Long-term Care -0Initial Moving Costs -0Initial Moving Costs -0Next Level Downsize/Move -0Next Level Downsize/Move -0Hurricane Ready -0Hurricane Ready -0Peace of Mind -0Peace of Mind

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Viera Voice | February 2021

vieravoice.com

Lagoon restoration remains a ‘yes and’ issue Some problems are simple: A meteor slams into Earth. The dinosaurs die. Some are complex: The lagoon water has too much nitrogen (nutrients) in it, causing algae blooms and fish kills. Look at the pie chart. There are at least four major contributors. Let’s look at each individually. Stormwater runoff: Rain and irrigation runoff can be helped by following watering schedules. The Save Our Indian River Lagoon Trust Fund plan is tackling stormwater runoff by constructing baffle boxes and retention ponds to slow the drainage and clean the water of nutrients. Baseflow: Water moving through the ground is the second issue. The SOIRL plan is connecting leaky septic systems close to the waterways into sewer lines. It also is helping locate and fix leaking sewer lines and is underwriting projects to lower the nitrogen concentration in reclaimed water. Atmospheric deposition: This is harder to deal with except that washed off the land by

Lagoon Straight Talk From the Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition

stormwater. Muck flux: The continual flow of nutrients seeping out of the black goo coats much of the lagoon bottom. This goop is the result of 50 years of abuse: sewage plant effluent, silt, grass clippings, dead algae, etc. Every day, every minute, it liberates more contaminants. The SOIRL plan is dredging out the major accumulations, extracting and cleaning the water, and disposing of it in lined landfills. This leaves the sliver: point sources. Until 1995, this was a major source as sewage plants dumped their effluent directly into the lagoon. Since then, they stopped, and it has become a minor contributor. Yes, sewage leaks are wrong and should not be allowed. Utilities have an obligation to maintain their systems to prevent spills. If the utilities cannot afford to do this, they need to bump up their

rates so they can. But, back to the beginning. The Indian River

Lagoon restoration is a complex issue. Every part needs to be addressed. It’s a

classic “yes and” issue. VV To learn more, go to HelpTheLagoon.org

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Viera Voice | February 2021

Future of efficient waste collection goes underground In 1957, when Dr. Seuss’s “The Grinch” was published, no one probably expected that a pneumatic waste collection system, like the one used to take waste from The Who’s village to the Grinch’s cave, would become a reality. But in 1961, the first of such waste collection systems was installed in a hospital in Sweden by Envac, “one of the most innovative players in the global waste collection industry and inventor of the pneumatic waste collection system.” A similar system was selected for Disney World in 1969 and installed before its opening in 1971. Another was installed on Roosevelt Island, New York in 1974, where it is still fully operational today “and proved its resilience when Roosevelt Island was the only community that DSNY (New York Department of Sanitation) could collect from during Hurricane Sandy in 2012,” according to wastedive.com. The system moves waste through underground pipes. Individuals have access to chutes where they deposit their waste. Using air, the waste is then moved at

BEYOND the CURB Marcia Booth

President & Founder, Recycle Brevard

speeds of about 45 mph to compactor containers at collection points. When the container is full, a truck transports the accumulated waste to a processing facility. Depending on how many chutes are installed, food waste and recyclables can be collected separately. That way, food waste can be turned into biofuel and specific items can be recycled. Besides eliminating the need to have trash cans and bags on the streets for collection since all pipes are buried underground, this type of system has many other benefits. One major benefit is the reduction of carbon emissions generated by waste collection trucks as the number of trips are reduced and trucks only need to move full containers to processing facilities instead of traveling through

town from house to house, building to building. The elimination of bad odors, animal intrusion, weather effects (e.g. floods caused by hurricanes), hazardous working conditions and service cost reductions are additional benefits for having an underground system in place. The upfront cost and logistical challenges of getting pipes into the ground might be barriers to the adoption of this system. However, this type of system has more than 1,000 installations throughout the world. Since its original installation on an urban scale in Sweden during the 1960s, pneumatic waste collection has expanded to cities in Finland, Denmark, Spain, France, the U.K., South Korea, China, Qatar and elsewhere. Yet, aside from Disney World and smaller systems in New Jersey and Indiana, North America’s interest toward adopting this type of collection system has been nonexistent, according to wastedive.com. Nevertheless, from hospitals and airports to entire communities, the

VIERA VOICE Shutterstock

These are the pumping motors of a pneumatic urban solid waste collection station.

system is being adopted in major cities. The technology has improved, and an optical sorting system has been introduced. With optical separation, only one chute is needed. Different color bags identify what type of waste is being deposited down the chute. That way, separation happens at the source. By identifying the source, it is possible to more easily implement a pay-(or save-) as-you-throw program. A household waste monitoring system tells users how much waste they generate. See how it works at vimeo.

com/237059293. Utility systems have evolved and moved underground. Dr. Seuss might not have been too far from picturing what the future of waste collection will look like. “To regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination.” — Albert Einstein VV Email Marcia Booth at Marcia@RecycleBrevard.org Recycle Brevard is an independent nonprofit organization 100 percent run by volunteers focused on reducing waste and promoting sustainable living.

NATURE ART CONTEST — Photography , Art and Writing

t Contest r A h t u o Y l i e orb works The Charlie C ubmit nature en invites childr

to s

ra una of the Vie fa d n a ra o fl Focus on the

Wetlands

Call for Art — open to grades K-12 Deadline to apply: 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 31 For details and submission requirements go to artgalleryofviera.com or call 321-242-1235 Children’s photography, art and writing contest with more than $500 in cash prizes

Drop off submissions at Viera Voice, 7350 Shoppes Drive, Suite 102, Viera, FL 32940 Near Walmart Winners will be announced Friday, April 9. PRESENTED BY:

Student Art Competition

Charlotte Corbeil

Viera Voice | February 2021

Over $500 in Prizes vieravoice.com

SUNTREENews

AAR makes new home at old Florida Today site BY MIKE GAFFEY

The old Florida Today building on U.S. 1 used to sport large letters that spelled out GANNETT, the name of its parent company. Today, there’s a new tenant inside and new letters adorning its exterior — AAR. Independent aviation services provider AAR Corp. moved into part of the newspaper’s old home south of Suntree Boulevard on Nov. 1, said Ted Harkin, AAR´s Vice President and Program Director for Government Services. The Chicago-based company relocated from Palm Bay because the Palm Bay building’s lease was expiring “and we wanted to be closer to our customers that we support,” Harkin said. The renovated location is now part of a 65-year-old company with operations in more than 20 countries and more than 6,000 employees.

More than 200 employees work at the U.S. 1 complex, Harkin said. AAR serves commercial and government customers through its Aviation and Expeditionary Services divisions, which design technical, operational, logistic and financial solutions. The U.S. 1 facility supports AAR’s aviation, maintenance and supply chain programs for its commercial and government customers, Harkin said. Florida Today had occupied the building at 1 Gannett Plaza from 1986 until 2019, when the newspaper moved its operations a mile north to the first floor of the Glendale Park Office Building at 1005 Viera Blvd. In 2018, Gannett sold the building for $7.25 million to Twenty Lakes Holdings, a New York-based real estate investment company. The building’s interior was updated and refreshed,

AAR has relocated to the old Florida Today complex on U.S.1.

and electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems were modernized, Harkin said. “Additionally, some of the old industrial areas that housed small printing machines were converted to office space,” said Harkin, who added that AAR occupies only the building’s primary office spaces. The facility also has a new address: 1 AAR Way. AAR Corp. has been

recognized with multiple awards, including Bloomberg Government's BGOV200 list of top federal contractors in 2019 and 2020, U.S. Veterans Magazine’s Best of the Best 2020 list for top veteranfriendly companies and making Forbes magazine’s list of America’s Best Midsize Employers for two consecutive years. “At AAR, we constantly search for the right thing

VIERA VOICE photo

to do for our customers, for our employees, for partners and for society,” AAR Chief Commercial Officer Chris Jessup stated in a press release. “Our mission is to be the best at designing and delivering technical and operational solutions to enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of our commercial aviation and government customers.” VV

KEEP YOUR HEART HEALTHY. AND KEEP DOING WHAT YOU LOVE.

There’s nothing more vital to life, love and your well-being than taking care of your heart. At the Heart and Vascular Institute at Rockledge Regional Medical Center we offer a full range of Cardiology services, close to home. All so you can get back to the people, and activities, you love most.

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Viera Voice | February 2021

Frances Branson Savini Frances Branson Savini, loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, godmother, neighbor and friend to so many, passed away peacefully on Jan. 10, 2021. Frances was 92. She was born on March 30, 1928 in Highpoint, North Carolina to John and Edna Branson. Frances grew up in an environment of modest means, with humble yet hardworking, determined and very proud parents. She developed a love of the Lord, strong work ethic and respect for all people. Frances attended Jamestown High School in Highpoint, where her love for writing, music and the performing arts blossomed. Upon graduation, Frances enrolled at Elon College with an academic scholarship in English. With her passion and natural talent for the arts, Frances frequently performed in theatre while at Elon. On a fateful day in 1946, during a dress rehearsal, she caught the eye of fellow student Lou Savini. Lou was a WWII Marine veteran, attending Elon on a sports scholarship; he would become a three-sport letterman. The two were introduced, and courtship and romance ensued. Lou and Frances were married on June

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particular, because of their strength and resilience during the Depression years. She is survived by children Frank Savini, Barbara Savini and Tom Savini; daughterin-law Ginny Parker Savini; granddaughters Marie Savini, Amy Savini, Jessie Savini and Caroline Savini; grandsons Daniel Triestman, Adam Triestman and Grant Triestman; and greatgranddaughter Madison Triestman. She deeply loved her grandchildren and greatgranddaughter and took great delight in their visits and the successes in their lives. For those that knew and loved Frances, she will be remembered as a gentle, kind and loving human being. She touched the lives of so many with her wonderful disposition, tenderness and compassionate nature. Her bright light and beautiful temperament continued to shine even while she suffered from Alzheimer’s for many years. Frances was a woman of principle, integrity and quiet strength. She was never the focal point of her life — rather, she was most gratified when providing her gifts to others. Frances Savini represented the best of the Greatest Generation and she will never be replaced or forgotten.

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9, 1948 — a marriage that would last for 69 years, until Lou’s passing in October 2017. Frances was the quintessential woman of her day. She dedicated the prime of her life to her family and surroundings, raising three children and caring for her home and community. She was the consummate mother whose love, kindness, care and guidance for her dear children was from her beautiful heart – only matched by her love and devotion for her beloved husband. While most of these years were spent in Atlanta, over time Lou and Frances would commute to Chicago and Frances so enjoyed their days there. Her musical talents continued to shine through in her adult years as she delighted in playing the piano and singing in the church choir. The couple retired to Florida in 1987, where they spent three happy decades enjoying the climate and the environment. They also fulfilled their retirement dream of seeing the world via cruise ship. Frances is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Louis J. Savini; her parents, John and Edna Branson; and sisters Margaret Branson and Annabelle Langley Sinning. Frances was intensely proud of her parents and sisters, in

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Viera Voice | February 2021

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Viera Voice | February 2021

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The fashion industry promotes leather goods from exotic animals, including alligators, crocodiles, eels, elephants, kangaroos and sharks.

Animal skin harvesting has evolved from 5,000 B.C. to today

In the past, animal skins were processed to provide essentials such as shelter, clothing and footwear. Today, they often are produced as luxury items. Evidently, cavemen utilized animal skins. Paleolithic cave paintings display figures clothed with furs and skins. Excavated tools, some made of wood and flint, ostensibly were used to prepare skins. Leather production evolved. Egyptian artifacts in tombs and wall paintings dating back 5,000 B.C. indicate leather was used for apparel and military equipment. The Romans produced flexible leather for gladiator sandals and tough leather for protective armor. Native Americans relied on bison hides for the coverings of teepees and rawhide (leather that is not tanned) for parfleche containers. In the leather industry, hides refer to larger animals; skins refer to smaller animals, cowhide and snakeskin. After preparation, tanning occurs to ensure durability and reduce susceptibility to decomposition. Traditional vegetable tanning, still employed by dedicated master tanners, involves tannins from tree barks, which gave tanning its name. Also applied are various agents, such as roots, leaves and smoke. Now, industrial tanneries use chemicals that are detrimental to the environment.

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Viera Voice | February 2021

Cowhide, one of the heaviest of leathers, is common and inexpensive. It is suitable for shoes, jackets, furniture and car upholstery. A substantial amount of leather is recycled from the waste hides of animals raised for meat and dairy. Horsehide is common for the jackets and chaps of motorcyclists, and it is the source of high-end cordovan shoes. The fashion industry promotes leather goods from exotic animals, including alligators, crocodiles, eels, elephants, kangaroos and sharks. Cowboy boots are splendid in python or rattlesnake skins. Some of these exotic animals are farmed. Fur pelts are derived from animals such as chinchillas and minks. Sadly, they are farmed in cages. Another issue is the poaching of precious wild animals for their furs, like the snow leopard and Bengal tiger. Animal welfare policies vary. Austria ranks high in protecting animals. In the United States, animal protection is inadequate and lacks accountability and transparency. VV

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Brevard Zoo Linear Park offers vigorous hike through untamed nature BY R. NORMAN MOODY

VIERA VOICE R. Norman Moody

A few portions of Brevard Zoo Linear Park are shaded.

VIERA VOICE R. Norman Moody

A local family takes a stroll along Brevard Zoo Linear Park.

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Visitors to Brevard Zoo Linear Park can connect with nature on a more than 6-mile roundtrip of hiking or biking in the middle of Viera. The trail of boardwalk made of recycled plastic planks and paved in some sections has several overlooks and benches along the path. It goes over wetlands from the Brevard Zoo south of Wickham Road at the end of Murrell Road. The trail goes mainly parallel with Interstate 95 and connects with the Pineda Causeway, where there are a couple of parking spaces. The main parking, which is free, is off the end of Murrell Road inside the gates to the Brevard Zoo. The Linear Park opened in April 2014 with a 1.1-mile segment that was added on later. Two extensions of the trail took it to the Pineda Causeway. Phase three extended the trail south to the northern end of Turtle Mound Road in Melbourne. The citizens of Brevard County voted in 2000 for a Parks and Recreation referendum that provided

some of the $3.2 million needed for the first phase of the project. The land for the trail was donated by A. Duda and Sons, with a large pond donated by S&S Enterprises. The Brevard Zoo maintains the trail. In addition to being a great trail for exercise, it also is excellent for birdwatching

and spotting wildlife. Although there are plenty of woods and vegetation along the wetland area, most of the trail is not shaded. Plan accordingly with sunscreen and water. The trail is open during normal operating hours of the Brevard Zoo. The Linear Park is open to the public and there is no charge to use it. VV

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Viera Voice | February 2021

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