Viera Voice, February 2023

Nova, Urban Prime part of towering future

a real estate developer, recently purchased land adjacent to the The Pearl and Urban Prime, where it

will build the Nova Apartments of Viera.

The apartment building will be tailored to the urban living lifestyle.

“It’s bringing a different lifestyle to Viera,” said Shawn McIntyre, the managing partner with North American Properties.

“I do think we will get a lot of people that are moving to the area. It is more geared to young professionals.” Construction will take 20 months to complete and will

NOVA continued on page 23

New York couple’s love story leads to life in Viera

BY WENDY SCHEURING

When Theresa met Ed in 2013, the state of New York was still recovering from Superstorm Sandy. Theresa was living in Westchester and Ed on Long Island.

The two met online.

“The chemistry was there,” Ed Newman said.

But there were also 53 miles of sometimes heavy traffic, a bridge and tolls between them.

“I drove up there to visit her,” said Newman, who was deeply rooted on the island with both a home and a business. “I asked her to come to my house and visit but she did not want to come.”

Traffic did not make a visit easy.

“We dated for a few months, but I was not crossing the bridge to visit him,” said Theresa ManiscalcoNewman of the Throgs Neck Bridge. “It could take 60 minutes or three hours, depending on if you have traffic or a snowstorm.

Due to the distance, they amicably parted ways.

Featured Family

we had,” Ed Newman said.

“I had to kiss more frogs before I was ready for him,” joked ManiscalcoNewman.

They reunited two years later when Theresa’s Facebook profile picture popped up on Ed’s computer screen.

“Things were different and we were able to build on the great start

“It was on a Sunday night,” Maniscalco-Newman recalled. “On Monday night, we went out to dinner and we have been together ever since.”

On the Fourth of July, Theresa Maniscalco-Newman officially ‘crossed the bridge.’

“I sold my condo, quit my job and got a new job,” she said. They got married in October 2016, and now have a five-year-old son named

Edward.

“He is super smart,” ManiscalcoNewman said of her son. “He can tell you what the square root of 81 is and how many bones are in the human body.”

Edward is also learning Spanish.

The family relocated to Rockledge in 2021. Ed Newman also chose Brevard County for his company’s headquarters, Dark Storm Industries, LLC, a gun manufacturer. A 10acre tract was purchased for the

manufacturing hub in Titusville while the retail store and shooting range will remain in New York.

The Newmans are building a home in Adelaide in Viera.

“Everything looks like a movie set,” Ed Newman said. “It’s clean and beautiful, and planned out.

“The schools also attracted us to Viera,” he said.

They enjoy bike riding and visiting the Brevard Zoo. VV

VIERA VOICE K linton Landress

Theresa Maniscalco-Newman and Ed Newman lived in New York before moving to Rockledge. They are building a home in Viera.

“Everything looks like a movie set. It’s clean and beautiful, and planned out. The schools also attracted us to Viera.”

— Ed Newman

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

The Viera East Golf Club has been renovated and it plans to have a grand reopening party beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11.

The club is located at 2300 Clubhouse Drive.

The renovations include a redesigned Pro-Shop, new

restrooms and new patio seating with an outdoor bar overlooking the course and improvements to the restaurant.

There also has been a redesign to the landscape in front of the clubhouse, which is only a part of the overall improvements to the grounds.

The golf course received a new irrigation system with seamless pipes that is computerized and it’s a lot more efficient than the previous system.

The driving range also has undergone some changes and expansion.

“It allows more players to come out and enjoy the practice facility,” said Jim Moller, the golf course superintendent and interim general manager. “With these improvements on the course, we’re going to see more and more improvements over the years.”

The Hook and Eagle Tavern has expanded its kitchen to accommodate a larger volume of food orders and more customers.

During the grand reopening party, there will be fun contests for children and adults with putting ranges, long-drive range competitions, games with great prices, hourly raffles, and plenty of food and drinks. Rock Star Entertainment will provide music and announcements.

The Rios Rock Band will perform from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. VV

VIERA VOICE Klinton

VIERA VOICE Klinton Landress Golfers tee up on the renovated driving range at Viera East Golf Club.

VIERA VOICE Klinton Landress New patio seating is a

of the renovations at Viera East.

Couples share long-lasting love

Valentine’s Day — Feb. 14 — is a day when love is expressed with celebrations, gifts and greetings. It’s a day when love and romance is celebrated around the world. And while the true legend of Valentine’s Day is obscure, one thing is quite clear — the couples here have lived the long-lasting test of their love for each other for decades.

There are exemplary couples, whose love for each other is so long-lasting that they should be celebrated. They have endured because they have love and respect for each other, they communicate well, they don’t have to be right all the time and they work at getting along. We celebrate them this Valentine’s Day.

BY WENDY SCHEURING

Dick Baumbach was stationed at a secret Army missile base when he met Diane, a nursing student. They hit it off right away.

Three weeks later, they said “I love you.”

On April Fools' Day, they got engaged. Before they could get married, Dick was reassigned to Korea. The commanding general was able to get Dick leave so he could get married. Diane returned with him, working as a civilian nurse in an Army hospital.

That was 56 years ago.

To keep their marriage strong, they attended a weekend encounter. Ever since, they have dedicated themselves to the marriage ministry.

BY BETTY PORTER

Mike and Becky Crews have ceremoniously professed their love for each other twice in the 53 years they have been married. They did so on their wedding day and again three years ago on their 50th anniversary when they renewed their wedding vows at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Melbourne.

They met for the first time in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina during their freshman year in college.

The couple, who own and run Four C’s Nursery in Palm Bay, moved here from Plano, Texas in 1994. They have two sons and six grandchildren. For the past 13 years, the couple have worked for The Avenue Viera during the Christmas holiday as Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The secret of their long-lasting marriage: they both agree it is a give-and-take and each makes it a point to share their love for each other each and every day.

Dutch and Donna Harold

BY BETTY PORTER Ed and Rose Chi

of

Suntree

have been married for 13 years and they do everything together, including their hobbies of walking, biking, dancing, archery, ceramic art, traveling and putting up awardwinning decorations on their lawn for each holiday.

“We love doing everything together and decorating for the holidays is no exception. We enjoy it so much,” Rose said.

The couple met on a blind date arranged by family members when Rose, a native of the Philippines, was in California visiting her sister.

An avid dancer, Rose remembers Ed secretly took dance lessons to impress and keep up with her.

She says to have a strong marriage, couples must trust one another, communicate with one another, love and respect one another. “Being a good

BY WENDY SCHEURING

Steve and Barbara Fradkin met during their senior year of high school.

“I liked her red hair,” Steve said.

He asked her on a date. “I’m lucky she didn’t say no.”

The couple had a longdistance relationship while they were both in college before their wedding in 1976.

The key to the success of their 47-year marriage?

“It’s important to be honest with each other,” Barbara

“I do my best to not make her angry with me,” Steve joked.

“Do your best to get along, listen to each other, work with each other, be partners, share the load,” he added.

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

Dutch and Donna Harold have been married 53 years, have three daughters, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

When she met Dutch 54 years ago, Donna was working at a disco in Tampa and gave him her number. She asked him to call her on Sunday if he was serious. They were married a year later at the University of South Florida’s chapel.

“Marriage takes compromise,” Donna Harold said. “I tell my kids to remember why they fell in love and try not to change that person.”

Dutch Harold’s advice to his children about relationships has always been simple. “You don’t have to be right all the time; you can be right or you can be happy.”

Ed and Rose Chi

Dick and Diane Baumbach

Mike and Becky Crews

Steve and Barbara Fradkin

Shelter dogs bring comfort to children, veterans, first responders

BY FLORA REIGADA

The month of February celebrates love on Valentine’s Day. It is between a couple, a parent and child, or relatives and friends. Another kind of love is demonstrated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Paws and Stripes College, also known as the Comfort Dog program.

By adopting and training shelter dogs to comfort children with behavioral or emotional disabilities, veterans and first responders, this love transforms lives, both human and canine. Male and female inmates help in the process.

Cpl. Mariah Biddle, an AKC (American Kennel Club) temperament evaluator, manages daily operations with her team.

“We are responsible for the care, evaluation and training of the dogs,” she said. “We maintain the building, conduct training of inmates, of adopters

and securely transport inmates to and from the jail complex.”

First responder therapy dogs are used to comfort crime victims during interviews and courtroom testimony. They assist in community relations and major crises such as the Surfside condo collapse in June 2021.

“It is a win-win situation,” Biddle said. “It provides those in need with a trained therapy dog and helps our animal care center achieve no-kill status. It also teaches inmates a trade to assist them when they re-enter society. Seventy-five percent of Paws and Stripes inmates do not return to the jail.” This is at no expense to

taxpayers.

Paws and Stripes recently paid a visit to the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum.

“We enjoy when our furry friends visit with their human partners,” said Jayme DiGennaro, the director of museum education.

Some of the dogs are named after fallen law enforcement officers.

They will return for the Wagging-Tails @ Work K-9 event from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, March 11. The cost is $20 per family

and $10 for adults. This includes free hot dogs and chips.

Other visits are being planned.

The American Police Hall of Fame and Museum is at 6350 Horizon Drive in Titusville.

Call 321-264-0911 or visit aphf.org/. Veterans, first responders or the parent of a child in need of an emotional support animal may email pawsandstripescollege@bcso. us, or visit brevardsheriff. com/home/how-do-i/ request/paws-stripes VV

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Brevard County Sheriff’s Office

Cpl. Mariah Biddle, who manages operations at the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Paws and Stripes College, sits with therapy dog Bolt.

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Cpl. Mariah Biddle Therapy dogs from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Paws and Stripes College recently visited Titusville’s American Police Hall of Fame and Museum.

“It is a win-win situation. It provides those in need with a trained therapy dog and helps our animal care center achieve no-kill status. ”

— Cpl. Mariah Biddle

Wrap up SPORTS

Hoppe, Kenney leading way for Viera girls wrestling program

BY CARL KOTALA

Catalina Kenney’s first wrestling match was over almost before it started.

Meet the

“I wasn’t really scared,” the Viera High freshman said. “It was more of an adrenaline rush. I walked onto the mat and I ended it in maybe 20 seconds, I believe. I shook hands. The ref was like, ‘all right, wrestle.’ I shot. She was down.

“I have a video. I’m sitting there, like, ‘What?’ And then I just threw her over and pinned her.”

Sophomore Emma Hoppe had been wrestling for only three weeks before she had her first match last summer. She lost by pin in the first round. Two months ago, she got her revenge.

“I pinned her with one second left in the match,” Hoppe said. “I was really happy that I beat her because she was my first match ever.”

Hoppe and Kenney are two of four wrestlers — Isabel Alvarez and Addison Wright are the other two — on the Viera High girls team this season, the second in which the FHSAA has sanctioned a separate state tournament to allow female grapplers to compete against each other.

“As someone who wrestled and did mixed martial arts with guys, there’s a huge difference in speed and strength,” Kenney said. “I’m glad that this year they’re actually having

girls states. It’s not just, ‘oh, you’re in with the boys. Good luck.’

“It’s sanctioned. It’s amazing.”

Viera had one female wrestler on the team last season. Now the team is expanding, just like the sport.

“With jujitsu becoming bigger and MMA becoming bigger, having a good

wrestling base is good in both of those sports,” Viera High coach Jason Custer said. “It gives the girls an avenue, where before they could only compete against the boys.

“Now that they’re competing against other girls, girls that maybe wouldn’t have competed (before) are competing now and they’re doing well. They’re flourishing. And that’s what it’s about.”

Kenney, who played multiple sports growing up, was certainly no stranger to wrestling before joining the team. Her older brother, Jonathan, also wrestled for the Hawks.

Hoppe, meanwhile, who played soccer and volleyball before turning to wrestling last spring, said her previous exposure to the sport motivated her to give it a try.

“Last year, my neighbor was on the team, so I went to all the tournaments,” she said. “It seemed super fun. Also, I got to know the coach better and he was trying to get me to come in because he wanted to start the girls program.”

While the Hawks still don’t have the numbers to make a run in dual meet tournaments, they can still have individual success.

Hoppe has certainly

gotten off to a good start, boasting a 19-2 record and a No. 13 state ranking in the 140-pound weight class. She’s won three tournaments — Palm Bay, Viper Classic and Campitelli — while finishing second at the Rumble at the Nest and the Skylar White Tournament.

Kenney, meanwhile, started her season with a 14-3 mark at 110 pounds, winning the Campitelli and Skylar White tournaments, while placing second at Palm Bay and third at the Rumble at the Nest.

The improvements they have made less than a year into the sport have been significant.

“I didn’t do anything like wrestling before, so it was a brand-new thing to be learning,” Hoppe said. “I’ve gotten a lot better since I started. I watched videos from some of my first tournaments and I’m looking at myself like, ‘What was I doing?’

“I can just tell I was doing a bunch of stuff wrong. I’ve gotten a lot better.”

With postseason tournaments looming this month, both girls have a chance to go far.

“I want to live up to what my family has done,” Kenney said. “They’ve all gone to states for wrestling. I believe I can do it. That’s my goal for this year, to make it as far as I can.” VV

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

This is the second year the FHSAA has held a state wrestling tournament for girls and Viera High's Catalina Kenney, left, and Emma Hoppe both have a chance to qualify. The two first-year wrestlers have fallen in love with the sport. Hoppe was 19-2 with three tournament titles and a No. 13 ranking in the state. Kenney was 14-3 with two tournament titles.

“I walked onto the mat and I ended it in maybe 20 seconds, I believe. ”

— Catalina Kenney

Hard work has wrestlers ahead of schedule in Custer’s second season

BY CARL KOTALA

If year one of coach Jason Custer’s efforts to build the Viera High School wrestling program into something special was a success, year two is off to a rip-roaring start.

The Hawks, who went 10-5 in dual meets last year — their first winning record since 2013 — already were on pace to beat that mark midway through January.

Viera also finished second at the Class 3A, District 10 dual meet tournament in December, the best finish for a Hawks team since 2012.

Looks like all the hard work the team has been putting in since last season ended has been paying off.

“The kids are a lot better,” Custer said. “They are mentally tough and focused. They have really good cardio, so we’re in really good shape in relation to the teams that we wrestle. And we’re not even close to where we should be.

“I figured it’s going to take four years for us to be really, really good … but they’re ahead of schedule. We’ll see what happens. It’s fun. You see all the kids in there and they’re just working.”

On a team with 42 wrestlers — 38 boys and four girls — there’s no bigger success story than junior cocaptain Brian Mitchell.

The second-year wrestler was 37-6 and ranked No. 13 in the state at 145 pounds with a win at the Viper Classic and second-place finishes at the Barbara Pill Invitational and the Palm Bay Ships tournament.

“He put in a ton of work in the offseason,” Custer said of Mitchell. “He worked with us, traveled to camps … he’s the best kid on the team now.”

Mitchell qualified for regionals last season, but he’s a different kind of

wrestler now, describing himself as technical, smart and aware while adding he still has plenty to work on.

“I feel a lot mentally tougher,” Mitchell said. “Physically, I feel stronger. My technique’s better.”

After starting out in jujitsu, Mitchell fell in love with all that wrestling has to offer.

“Our goal is to finish in the top two in the district individually, top four finish at conferences and take six wrestlers to state. That’s a good step up from last year, but it’s not unachievable.

… And we have the kids to do it ”

— Jason Custer

“The toughness, the heart, the technique … just the grind,” he said. “I love that about it.”

Viera’s starting lineup includes Ben Gerrits at 106 pounds, Alex Giglietti at 113, Luke “Kepa” Agcaoili at 120 and Elijah Olson-Zapata at 126. Two-time state qualifier Nate Olson is at 132 pounds, Elan Bennett wrestles at 138, Mitchell at 145 and Edwin Torres and Evan Enrique compete at 152.

Orion Garske is Viera’s 160 pounder and co-captain Rich Magiday wrestles at 170. Jordan Hayes is at 182, Austin Mercier at 195, Christian Pattison at 220 and Lenny Ortiz is the 285-pound heavyweight.

Giglietti (28 wins) is ranked No. 17 in the state. Agcaoili (32 wins) is 20th in the state and Olson (20) is

ranked 19th. Torres (29 wins); Hayes (25); Olson-Zapata (21); Magiday (20) and Bennett (20) are the other boys with 20 or more wins. After sending two wrestlers to the state

tournament last year, the Hawks have even bigger goals for this season. With only three seniors on the team, the future couldn’t be brighter.

“Our goal is to finish in the top two in the district

individually, top four finish at conferences and take six wrestlers to state,” Custer said. “That’s a good step up from last year, but it’s not unachievable. … And we have the kids to do it.” VV

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

Viera High junior Brian Mitchell worked hard in the offseason and that work has been paying off. The second-year wrestler was off to a 37-6 start and a ranking of No. 13 in the state at 145 pounds. After qualifying for the regionals last season, Mitchell is hoping to get to the state tournament.

No. 1 Hawk … Viera’s Sosa ranked first in state among catchers

BY CARL KOTALA

Talk about a growth spurt.

In the four years since he first entered Viera High School, Alex Sosa has grown seven inches and added about 40 pounds.

But that’s not the only area where the now 6-foot-1, 200-pound senior catcher has seen his stature grow since his freshman year.

After an incredible summer that saw him selected to three prestigious showcase events, Sosa recently was ranked as the No. 1 catcher in Florida by the scouting service Perfect Game.

“It’s definitely a super cool honor,” Sosa said. “I’m blessed to be given that credit. But honestly, it doesn’t really change much for me. I’m just going to continue to work hard and keep getting better.”

A North Carolina State commit since his freshman year, Sosa describes himself as a player who developed later than many of the high school players he is now being compared to.

And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

“I think a lot of that helped me,” he said. “Being a small guy, I had to work

extra hard and try to not let my head get too wrapped around all these other guys

who were doing so much more than me. It allowed me to control what I can control and just trust the process.

“It was definitely motivational, too. I committed early, but watching my rankings slowly rise … it was just motivating because it was a constant reminder that my work was paying off and to just keep working hard.”

Sosa led the Hawks in a number of offensive and defensive categories last season, including a .418 batting average, 26 RBI and an on-base percentage of .559. He also had a slugging percentage of .686.

His patience at the plate has improved, and so has his ability to throw out wouldbe base stealers.

“I’ve become a lot more consistent with my bat,” Sosa said. “I think that all comes with maturity, being able to handle the bat a little bit better, drive

balls backside. I think that definitely helps, especially when you get later on in the count.

“My arm has definitely gotten a lot stronger. I was always a flexible kid, but I’ve gotten into yoga. And I would say mentally, with my confidence … as I continued to develop, I got a lot more confident in myself, trusting myself, which allowed me to hit better, catch better and be better overall.”

Perfect Game lists Sosa as the No. 8 catcher in the country, the 18th-ranked player in Florida and No. 114 overall.

Last summer, he was selected to play in the East Coast Pro showcase in Alabama. The competition matched the top players from Florida against players from the East Coast region. From there, he went to the Area Code Games in San Diego and was one of just 40 rising seniors from around

the country selected as an Under Armour All-American.

As a result, he got the chance to play at Kaufman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals.

That’s quite a run for a guy who was once told by colleges that they either wanted to wait to see how he developed, or that he was simply too small at the time for them to consider offering a scholarship.

North Carolina State, however, saw what the others didn’t. For that, Sosa — who has always dreamed of playing college baseball — is grateful. His commitment to the Wolfpack has never wavered.

“They put a lot of trust in me,” he said.

Given his high rankings, it’s a good bet Sosa will hear his name called during June’s Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.

If it happens, he’ll deal with it then. Right now, he’s concentrating on his senior season at Viera and doing whatever it takes to help the Hawks get back to Fort Myers and a shot at a state championship.

Viera coach Brock Doty, who has had a front-row seat to watch Sosa’s development during the past four years, couldn’t say enough about the kind of player his senior catcher has become.

“Alex’s overall knowledge of the game is what is most impressive,” Doty wrote in an email. “Most kids know just enough about their position to get themselves by. I could put Alex at any position on the field and he could help our team. He’s literally like having another coach on the staff. His work ethic is second to none.

“I know for a fact he’s been in the batting cage at least five, six times a week in the offseason. It’s hard to go on and play at the next level, even harder to be successful at it.

“Most kids that have special talent do not have the work ethic. When you find a kid that has both, then you know you have something special.

“That’s Alex.” VV

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

Viera High School's Alex Sosa is the No. 1 ranked catcher in the state of Florida, according to Perfect Game. The senior is hoping to lead the Hawks back to the state semifinals and a shot at the program's first-ever state championship.

Viera High’s Power of One theme hopes to ensure students feel supported

BY CARL KOTALA

Sometimes, it’s the little things that can have the biggest impact on a student.

And that’s what the teachers and staff at Viera High School have been emphasizing, not only to the kids, but also each other throughout this school year.

The Power of One.

It’s the theme Principal Sarah Robinson came up with during the summer after talking to former Viera High student Jesse Travis, who was painting a mural at the school.

“In talking to Jesse, he told me the story about how when he was at Viera, he was that kid who once in a while got in trouble, wasn’t really motivated and was one of those kids who could have slipped through the cracks,” Robinson said.

“It was one teacher (David Peregrina) that said to him, ‘hey, I see you drawing in my class all the time. You could make a career out of this.’ That one teacher talking to him that one day is what inspired him to become a professional artist. And he now makes a living doing that.”

impacting today?’ Because that’s why we’re all here,” she said. “That’s why all of us got into education. Sometimes, with all of the noise of things that go on … lots of emails and lots of different things … it’s easy to get lost in that.

“If we just focus on our why and focus on that one person each day, (we can really achieve something).”

The school began branding its new theme, creating mousepads and postcards with Travis’ mural with the words Power of One on them.

That image is also attached to the weekly email she sends out to her staff, which has embraced the concept of the theme.

those contributions add up and it contributes to a much bigger picture, something bigger than yourself.

“We have moments every year — graduation is one of them — when you get to see these kids fulfill a goal, where it all comes together. But I think The Power of One theme that we’re doing this year is kind of a reminder throughout the year that what you’re doing is making a difference. It becomes very powerful in that regard. You don’t feel like you’re in a foxhole, handling it by yourself.”

where the impact really hits home.

“If they don’t think that person cares about you, it doesn’t mean anything when they say something,” Robinson said. “That’s one of the biggest things —

kids, staff, everyone on our campus feeling like that they’re seen, that they’re heard, that they’re valued and that they’re important. That’s really what we’re all committing to this year.” VV

Travis’ story not only inspired Robinson to try to make sure none of her students fall through the cracks, but also to remind teachers that what they do can have a big impact beyond just teaching them about math, science or history.

“I always want the staff at the forefront of their mind to think about, ‘who am I

“I think for the teachers, it really represents the fact that a lot of times as teachers, you feel like you’re in your own world in your classroom and a lot of things you do on a daily basis go unnoticed by your customers, which is your students,” said Jeff Draves, Viera’s Social Studies Department chair, who has been at the school since it opened in 2006.

“But I think what this speaks to us is that it doesn’t go unnoticed. If we all do that, if we all chip in in that way, it becomes very powerful as a school. … All of

Robinson has been encouraged by her staff’s reaction to the Power of One theme, noting they have been recognizing each other’s contributions during weekly meetings.

“And it’s not just teachers,” Draves said. “It’s staff, too. It’s the custodial staff, the support staff, the guidance staff, the front office — everybody.

“I think all of our eyes have been opened to everyone’s contributions to that.”

Robinson is hoping to create an environment where students will feel like there is an adult on campus they can trust and go to not only to share their success stories with, but also their challenges. Because that’s

VIERA VOICE Carl Kotala

Sarah Robinson, the principal at Viera High School, hopes that The Power of One theme can help students reach their full potential.

“I always want the staff at the forefront of their mind to think about, 'who am I impacting today?' That's why all of us got into education. Sometimes, with all of the noise of things that go on ... lots of emails and lots of different things ... it's easy to get lost in that.”

— Sarah Robinson

Holy Trinity students’ experiment soars with NASA challenge

BY MARIA SONNENBERG

NASA selected four sophomores and a junior from Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy as one of the only 60 winning teams in the nation for its TechRise Student Challenge, which this year focused on designing an experiment to be tested on a highaltitude balloon.

The Student Challenge is open to students in grades six through 12 across the country and U.S. territories. This year’s winning teams encompass 500 students and 38 states and territories.

Rockledge resident Cash Luck, a junior, and sophomores Liam Walders and Charlie “CJ” Robbins, both from Merritt Island, and Viera sophomores Ben Kindem and Alex Fontanin will represent the Space Coast when their experiment is tested on a NASAsponsored suborbital flight.

"STEM is something I am looking to pursue in college and in my future career, so I am overjoyed to be able to take part in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that furthers my insight into what this field has to offer,” Luck said.

With an eye on possible practical applications, the team hypothesized that the plastic filaments used in 3D printing could provide a practical, cost-effective and reusable alternative to the standard radiationresistant materials that protect astronauts and their spacecraft from radiation emitted from space.

The Holy Trinity team includes members of the school’s Robotics Team and the Engineering and Applied Science Club. While they have previously engaged in handson experiments, this is their highest profile project to date.

Their theory will be tested in a

spaceflight-like environment of the uppermost atmosphere. The group is pumped about the broad impact their experiment could have on the aerospace industry and are already discussing the possibility of taking the concert to aerospace engineering firms.

"I am most looking forward to

having the ability to personally test an idea that could transform the aerospace industry as a whole by creating a cheap and easy to manufacture radiation shielding,” Walders said.

Whatever the results, the Challenge should open a world of career possibilities for participating

students.

“This engineering challenge will not only generate excitement among our student body, but will also inspire a generation of future engineers and scientists who will impact our world and the cosmos,” said Daniel Angotti, a science teacher at Holy Trinity’s Upper School. VV

Great Trips planned for 2023

Bok Towers and Davidson Candy Store, Feb. 8 — $109

Enjoy the day discovering the beautiful gardens and trails of Bok Towers with their Carillion Bells. Included is a docent tour of El Retiro. Lunch on the way there and Davidson’s Candy Store on the way home. A minimum of 35 is needed. Sign up by Jan. 20.

Strawberry Festival, March 9 — $119

Join us for our annual trip to Senior Day at the Festival. Morning concert is Bill Haley Jr. and The Comets, and reserved seating for the afternoon concert featuring Tommy James and the Shondells. Trip includes gate entrance, reserved seating for afternoon concert and strawberry shortcake. Sign up by Feb. 20.

Shen Yun, March 18 — $215

Shen Yun takes you on an extraordinary journey through 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture. Trip includes lunch and orchestra seating. Minimum of 35 needed. Tickets available. Tarpon Springs, Tuesday, Apr. 4 — $119

Spend a relaxing fun-filled day in Tarpon Springs including lots of shopping and a 2-hour cruise on the Anclote River watching for Dolphins and wildlife, and later, a stop for some shelling. Cold drinks and adult beverages served onboard. Lunch at Mama’s Greek restaurant, best food ever. Sign up by Mar. 15. Maximum is 48.

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus Live, May 20 — $138

Hysterical 90-minute show will have couples elbowing each other as they see themselves on stage. Presented via different vignettes, topics will include everything from dating to marriage to the bedroom. Minimum of 35 needed. Sign up by Feb. 15.

Glacier National Park and The Canadian Rockies Calgary Stampede Option, July 15 - 23

Early option to take in the Calgary Stampede on July 13. As of 2022, Canada requires vaccination to enter their country. Rates starting at $3,250 per person based on double occupancy.

American Queen Empress, July 23 - 31

Sail on a paddlewheel boat on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Rates include one pre-night hotel in Vancouver, Washington, unlimited beverages, wifi, daily onboard enrichment and hop on/off at each port of call. Deposit is $250 per person.

Suite 6, Rockledge, FL 32955

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy sophomore Ben Kindem, left, junior Cash Luck and sophomores Liam Walders and Charlie Robbins, together with fellow student Alex Fontanin, (not in photo), were selected by NASA for its elite TechRise Student Challenge this year

NASA’s Artemis astronauts will land on the Moon. Going to the Moon takes the talents of many people working together.

Astronauts will ride inside the Orion spacecraft on their trips to the Moon.

The Space Launch System, SLS for short, will launch Orion into space.

It is the most powerful rocket and taller than the Statue of Liberty.

The SLS will help the spacecraft reach a speed of about 25,000 miles per hour. That’s 50 times faster than an airplane!

With Artemis, the first woman and the first person of color will step on the Moon.

NASA and its partners will build a spaceship to orbit the Moon. It will be called the Gateway.

NASA is looking at ways to grow fresh fruits and vegetables on the Moon.

We need imagination, creativity, and determination to take us farther than we have ever gone before!

Will you be part of our next group of brave explorers — the Artemis Generation?

Artist, entrepreneur inspires through drawings

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

Fresh off a successful showing at this year’s Brevard Children’s Business Fair in Viera, 9-year-old Trent Cardinal continues to be inspired with his drawings.

Chris and Nora Cardinal, who claim no artistic talents, are the parents of the artistically talented Trent — who has long been producing colorful drawings — and the creative Kinley.

It’s no wonder Trent was awarded best in show at the Children’s Business Fair back in December 2022 since his artwork is quite amazing.

“Our kids get all their inspiration on their own. We don’t have an artistic bone in our body,” Chris Cardinal said with a big smile.

Trent became fascinated with the artwork of Guy Harvey, a Jamaican marine wildlife artist and conservationist, following a visit to the Keys with his family at age 7. He was so captivated by Harvey’s colorful renderings that he said, “Wow, I can totally draw like that.”

Trent attends the West Melbourne School for Science and a lot of his drawings hang in the school cafeteria, as he loves to bring drawings for his classmates and teachers.

The Cardinals are very supportive of his artistic ability.

“We always encourage

Trent to draw, there’s no pressure,” Nora Cardinal said. “He draws in spurts — when he wants to. When he started drawing, we told him that his artwork could be placed on anything, not just decorate walls and that’s when he decided it

would be cool to put it on clothing.”

Recently, Trent finished first in the state of Florida's first- to thirdgrade category in the Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest for his snook rendering in 2022. The event was sponsored by Bass Pro Shops and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The original rendering was auctioned off for the Florida Gulf Coast University’s Fishing Club fundraiser, selling for $200. His creative ability has placed him in an entrepreneurial echelon,

continued to page 16

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of the Cardinal family

Trent Cardinal, front, jokes around with his father Chris, sister Kinley and mother Nora.

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue

Trent Cardinal won best in show at the Children’s Business Fair in December 2022 in Viera.

“Our kids (Trent and Kinley) get all their inspiration on their own. We don’t have an artistic bone in our body."

— Chris Cardinal

YOUNG ARTIST

YOUNG ARTIST

continued from page 14

rare for someone so young, with the help of his parents who are constantly supporting him to achieve his dream.

“He’s 9, so who knows what he wants to do when he gets older,” Chris Cardinal said.

Trent is self-taught and has watched countless drawing videos to give him inspiration for his artistic ability. His colorful designs are all original drawings he creates with special color markers.

“He even selects the clothing his art’s going to be printed on as he is very particular about how everything should look,” his mother said.

Kinley, his 12-yearold sister, creates turtles, seahorses and jewelry with colorful rubber bands. Her designs look like she has crocheted them together.

“She’s a big sister to Trent and very supportive of her brother’s art,” Nora Cardinal said.

You can catch the Cardinal

For more information, visit Instagram at Trent_Cardinal_Art and trentcardinalart.com. VV

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of the Cardinal family Trent Cardinal, 9, creates colorful artistic renderings, including the Snook, left, that finished first in the state of Florida's first- to third-grade category in the Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest.

family with Trent and Kinley on March 18 and 19 at the Melbourne Arts and Crafts Show in Wickham Park.

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of the Cardinal family Trent Cardinal is a self-taught artist who has watched countless videos to give him inspiration for his artistic ability.

VIERA VOICE Jill Blue Trent Cardinal designs colorful T-shirts.

“She’s (Kinley) a big sister to Trent and very supportive of her brother’s art , "

— Nora Cardinal

Sundance Family Dentistry to open new facility in Borrows West

BY MARK MIJUSKOVIC

Take the word family out of Sundance Family Dentistry, and it becomes just another day at the office. Not so with Dr. Kaitlin Donovan, who on her fourth birthday asked her oral surgeon uncle and hygienist aunt for a mask and gloves in order to play dentist.

Flash forward, including a four-year stint at her current and old digs, and she is on the cusp of opening a state-ofthe-art facility at 5484 Lorkey Lane in Borrows West, a building that she and her husband own.

The new place is scheduled to open sometime in early 2023 and features what Donovan equates to a spa-like experience. In addition to the latest in comfortable dental chairs, which she describes as “next-level,” non-invasive imagery via scanners, and new software to streamline processes, clientele can enjoy essential oils diffusing in the office, a Spotify playlist of music, noise-canceling headphones, sunglasses, blankets, Netflix and warm lavender face towels. She and Dr. Mary Crawford are the two treating dentists, and

they begin seeing patients as young as 1 year old, focusing on making a dental visit as positive as possible.

Donovan grew up on Merritt Island and attended Melbourne Central Catholic High School before earning

her bachelor’s degree in biology from Nova Southeastern and graduating from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston. Back to her roots, she has kept her sights on the importance of community

involvement, sponsoring myriad sports teams and events at the local schools.

“We’re very involved in the community,” she said. “I want to be that hometown dentist. I’m in most of the schools during dental hygiene

month, distributing packets and toothbrushes to the kids to learn about dental health. I may be out at the grocery store or dinner and see patients. We call each other by name. That family feel is really important to me.” VV

VIERA VOICE Mark Mijuskovic

Dr. Kaitlin Donovan, a graduate of Melbourne Central Catholic, Nova Southeastern and Tufts, loves her new building.

VIERA VOICE Mark Mijuskovic

Dr. Kaitlin Donovan is delighted to point out her future lobby in her new building, which will house Sundance Family Dentistry.

For an invitation to the Feb. 9 VMB meeting, call 321-242-1235.

In January, the Viera Means Business networking group met at Vystar Credit Union in Suntree. Brandan Payne gave a motivational message speech and Seven Brew provided coffee. The Viera Means Business networking group meets at 8 a.m. the second Thursday of each month at member business locations.

COME HOME TO

Sonata

You know the feeling. It hits you the moment you walk through the door. A feeling of belonging, safety, and community. A place where the comforts of home come together with the best of friends, services, and amenities. We know home is so much more than an address. It’s a place where you feel accepted and appreciated just for being you. Come home to Sonata and discover a place that builds bonds and friendships that feel just like home. Maybe even better.

Veteran specials available. Call today to schedule a personalized tour and learn more about Sonata Senior Living.

Sonata Viera

Assisted Living

CALL 321-392-6811

3325 Breslay Dr. Melbourne, FL 32940

SONATAVIERA.COM

Assisted Living Lic #12361

Sonata East At Viera Independent Living & Memory Care

CALL 321-326-9995

4206 Breslay Dr. Melbourne, FL 32940 SONATAEAST.COM

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Brandan Payne of Payne Point Media gives an inspiring and motivational pep talk at VMB.

Anjanette Wicks, Ken Dockery of VyStar Credit Union, Jackie McManus and Laurie Widzgowski

Seven Brew provided coffee. Ivelisso Moran, Ro Dowdy, Lourdes Lopez and Nancy Mendez

Jodi Jackson, Dana Vinci, Melissa Byers and Jackie McManus David Charitat and Jonathan Simon

Karen Wilson and Eden Cook

Jen Lee and Nicole Fuhrer

Kim Weatherby, Suzanne Frie, Jodi Jackson, Kristine Quattrone

Additional Products

Storm Panels

Screen Rooms

Accordians

Roll-Ups

Bahamas

Hurricanerated Roll-Up Screens

Acrylic Sliders

Carports

Easy Open/Close

Accordion Shutters

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Eden Cook is the new director of One Senior Place in Viera, where she is responsible for providing free consultations to seniors and coordinating educational events.

Eden earned her bachelor’s degree from Flagler College in Saint Augustine and gained early experience marketing a senior living community in Melbourne. When a beloved grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Eden knew that compassionate elder care would always be an important focus in her life.

She brings to the job of director a host of skills in event planning and marketing promotion, as well as a talent for building relationships.

Lisbet “Liz” Vandenberg has joined the executive team at St. Francis Reflections Lifestage Care, a nonprofit hospice and palliative care provider, as chief financial officer.

Vandenberg has more than 20 years of experience as a chief financial officer. She began her career in banking in 1984 and has expanded her business management, accounting and financial expertise.

Prior to joining St. Francis Reflections, she served as the chief financial officer for the largest nonprofit hospice in southern Nevada. Vandenberg has a degree in business administration and a master’s degree in business administration. VV

April Adler has been named the new sales and marketing director at Chateau Madeleine Assisted Living.

She was an admissions specialist for more than a year and her tenacity, work ethic and sunny demeanor got her promoted.

“I consider myself the ambassador of Brevard County as I’ve lived and worked here all my life,” Adler said. “It’s been my honor assisting our seniors in their golden years and I love doing that.”

She has enjoyed engaging with the senior population in any capacity and making a difference. VV

Seven Brew ushers in new era of coffee

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

Cars lined up early on Jan. 9 at the new Seven Brew Coffee location in Viera — Murrell Road and Viera Boulevard — for its ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Cocoa Beach Regional Chamber.

Seven Brew introduced the community to a highenergy double drive through as it aims to revolutionize the coffee industry with a variety of drinks. Music grabbed the attention of passers-by as the sweet aroma of coffee wafted from the drive-up windows.

Seven Brew Coffee, an Arkansas-based company, has several signature drinks such as hot coffees, flavored iced drinks, smoothies, energy drinks, that early morning pick-me-up or a tasty afternoon treat.VV

Lisbet "Liz Vandenberg April Adler

Eden Cook

begin in July or August 2023.

The new building will be highquality solid concrete and steel construction.

“It will be much quieter and much more energy efficient,” McIntyre said. “You will feel like you are living in a single family home due to the soundproofing.”

The building will also feature a parking garage equipped with a highspeed elevator. “You don’t have to walk through a parking lot and up a set of stairs,” McIntyre said. “It sets the tone for a different type of living.”

The Nova Apartments of Viera will comprise 225 units and will include studios, one- and two-bedroom units, as well as two-bedroom units with a den.

Half of the units will have balconies which offer views of Duran

Golf Course and the beautiful sunsets of West Viera.

And, like its sister unit, Luna Apartments of Viera just across the street, Nova Apartments will feature stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, wood-style flooring, and keyless entry, not to mention nearby access to restaurants, shopping and entertainment.

“Just a walk across the street and you’ll have the convenience of the shopping and the new grocery and restaurant in Town Center,” McIntyre said. Urban Prime will open sometime this summer.

“The area is fulfilling what Viera set forth in having shopping and entertainment and restaurants and urban living right here in Town Center.”

Luna Apartments of Viera is located at 2990 Rodina Drive. Nova Apartments of Viera will be located on Town Center Avenue. VV

VIERA VOICE Steve Hollinger

The Nova Apartments of Viera and Urban Prime Restaurant and Market will be conveniently next to each other in the future on Town Center Avenue.

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of North American Properties The parking garage at the Nova Apartments of Viera will feature a highspeed elevator and plenty of parking space.

URBAN PRIME

Embrace it or loathe it, QR codes may be here to stay

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

Chances are you’ve probably encountered a QR code menu when you’ve eaten out.

The concept for the QR (quick response) codes was born post-pandemic as restaurants were forced to forgo physical menus when reopening after government-mandated lockdowns.

They work by opening the camera app on your phone and scanning the code. The camera recognizes the scan with a notification prompt and the menu comes up on your screen.

When it became apparent that COVID-19 was unlikely to be transmitted via surfaces, people started voicing their dislike for the QR code concept.

Many felt the oldfashioned way of ordering off the printed format was best as the system took away from the whole restaurant experience.

“Our coasters at the restaurant still offer our customers the ability to order food from the QR

system, but we mostly use regular menus which are soaked and sanitized daily,” said Nikki Medearis, the restaurant manager at 28 North Gastropub.

“Additionally, our check presenters have QR codes for our customers to scan and leave a review directly to Google, Facebook or Yelp.”

There’s no doubt using a QR menu system makes ordering more sanitary rather than holding the handheld version used by countless people. Yet, the QR system has evolved to more than just being a contact-free menu.

At 7Brew, the new drivethrough coffee place on the corner of Murrell Road and Viera Boulevard, QR codes are used in marketing.

“By scanning the code, it creates a unique identifier linked to Facebook that provides customers with any promos we’re running,” said Luke Hastings, the communications director at 7Brew. “We can engage with our followers to create awareness for upcoming promotional events plus they cut advertising costs.”

Additionally, QR codes can quickly adjust menu

pricing due to rising food costs and new items can be added in real time. It also eliminates printing expenses and environmental waste and it manages staff shortages in a tight labor market, as patrons can place their orders online.

They’re used to make online reservations and can accept payments without patrons having to wait for the tab.

The QR system is what the future holds, as evolving technology will make it a valuable tool for restaurants and businesses to navigate an ever-changing environment. VV County that utilizes a QR code.

NASA testing lunar rover that could launch from the Space Coast

BY MARIA SONNENBERG

A very special vehicle that can climb rocks, spin on a dime and go sideways might make an appearance on the Space Coast in the not too distant future.

Don’t get too excited, however, because this wonder machine won’t be available at a car dealership. We’re talking about the pressurized lunar rover destined to help astronauts maneuver the bumpy lunar surface when Artemis launches — hopefully — in 2025. The nimble rover is currently near Flagstaff, Arizona, for tests around SP Crater, considered the earth terrain most similar to the Moon’s.

“This is the best simulation they can achieve without the lunar dust issues 1/6 gravity and vacuum conditions,” said John Tribe, the chief engineer of launch support services during the Space Shuttle program.

Tribe still remembers driving home from work in the 1960s and seeing astronauts bouncing over rocks aboard a rover trying to negotiate the “lunar landscape” behind Kennedy Space Center’s Flight Crew Training Building.

“The Arizona testing seems more thorough than those early days,” he said.

According to NASA, the rover is being tested for “design, cabin configuration, driving modes, timeline constraints and mission operations to support potential design concepts for future pressurized rovers.”

The rover is part of D-RATS, or Desert Research and Technology Studies, which have been ongoing for a decade and included three special missions in October of last year when teams of two astronauts trained aboard. In this exhaustive simulation, the astronauts operated the vehicle, lived in it for two days and conducted simulated moonwalks over Black Point

One concept that is in NASA’s current plans is a Lunar Electric Rover. This small pressurized rover is about the size of a pickup truck (with 12 wheels) and can house two astronauts for up to 14 days with sleeping and sanitary facilities. It is designed to require little or no maintenance, be able to travel thousands of miles climbing over rocks and up 40 degree slopes during its 10-year life exploring the harsh surface of the moon. The rover frame was developed in conjunction with an off-road race truck team and was field tested in the desert Southwest by driving on rough lava.

Lava Flow near SP Crater while in conversation with Mission Control in Houston, just as they would have done had they been on the Moon.

This lunar RV will permit astronauts to comfortably live and work inside it for

weeks at a time. The vehicle boasts all the air, water, food and tools the astronauts need, while also allowing them easy exit for sample collection or for performing experiments.

Mark Marquette,

community liaison for the American Space Museum and Space Walk of Fame, is a fan of all things space. While he applauds the development of the new, improved rover, he warns the astronauts to watch for a little bit of a

traffic jam up on the Moon. “The Chinese, who have a very ambitious space program, already have rovers on the Moon, so when we get ours up there, we won’t be the only ones,” he said. VV

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of NASA

Evil twin of Valentine’s Day often soured special day

BY RANDAL C. HILL

It may seem hard to believe, but not so long ago about half of all Valentine’s Day messages sent contained grotesque caricatures of the intended recipient and mean-spirited, truly hurtful notices intended to drive the knife a little deeper. Sadly, such negativity lives on to this day, but now in a much different form.

By the 1840s, people in both England and America were creating

Valentine’s Day missives of heartfelt poetry, which were often illustrated by elaborate flourishes that were mailed in quilted-paper cards bound in festive ribbons. Then, improvements in the printing process and paper production heralded a boom in the sale of massproduced valentines.

Before long, however, an unexpected sea of change began to take place. It started quietly, a mere ripple that gradually swelled into a tidal wave. Some pranksters

had enjoyed mailing valentines that involved gentle teasing — a little joke here, a little poke there — that was meant to produce a smile. But, over time, the mood of such messages soured and slowly turned increasingly crass and, eventually, despicable. By being sent anonymously, such vitriol could easily sting with insults that would normally never be spoken to another’s face.

They became known as vinegar Valentines and were the popular evil twin of the traditional, positive gesture. Printers, of course, were delighted with the extra revenue, as such onepenny-each products were easy to produce on cheap, flimsy sheets of paper that were then folded and sealed with a dab of wax.

In the mid-1800s, cards could be mailed without a stamp, which meant that someone receiving such cruelty would also have to pay the postage (also one penny) before reading the snarky contents. (Talk about adding insult to injury!)

Anybody, it seemed, could be considered fair game — neighbors, relatives, employers, friends and colleagues, people from all walks of life and placement on the social hierarchy. Sometimes, the sendings targeted unwanted suitors, but many others made fun of one’s age, weight, looks, occupation or marital status, as well as any number of human foibles.

One often-maligned group was the suffragettes, women attempting to

secure voting rights for themselves. A suffragette might receive a vinegar valentine that claimed Your vote from me you will not get

I don’t want a preaching suffragette

But, those who mailed the cards sometimes got their comeuppance, as

IRL Coalition calls for cooperation to keep Lagoon pristine

To the Moon WITH the Lagoon.

What does that mean?

Yes, I get that we are fortunate here in Brevard at the center of America’s amazing effort to return to the Moon and even Mars. It’s also wonderful that we have booming commercial space development

So “To the Moon from the Lagoon” makes sense, but “WITH”?

Yes! The two biggest things Brevard is known for are space and the Indian River Lagoon. The concerning thing is that if we’re not careful, the

VINEGAR VALENTINE

continued from page 28

a popular retort (assuming that the original sender could be identified) might simply be a terse but powerful threat:

No vote, no kiss

So take that, fella!

In time, people tired of the relentless negativity, and vinegar valentines slowly disappeared, giving way to normal Feb. 14 cards that featured positive communication.

Today, collectors of 19th

Lagoon Straight Talk

From the Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition

one (space) may cause further damage or even kill the other (Lagoon).

That’s right. We all know the Lagoon is struggling.

One reason for this is the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) construction done back in the 1960s during the Apollo and Shuttle programs. The waters of the Banana River were cut off from the Indian

Century ephemera have little trouble in locating traditional Valentine’s Day cards, but finding surviving vinegar valentines is much more difficult, as recipients back then usually burned or trashed the items right after they were read.

Regrettably, the modernday equivalent of these valentines — messages of bullying, insults, even threats — flourishes today via any number of internet social media sites. And isn’t that a pity? VV

River Lagoon (IRL) by the Crawlerway, and mosquito control impoundments disrupted the saltmarshes. Also, acres and acres of land was paved, dumping millions of gallons of fresh water into the estuary.

Unfortunately, some of the same inadequate planning is taking place today with Space Florida, SpaceX, Blue Origin and other commercial groups rapidly developing plots for their rockets and a failure by the responsible organization to monitor and control the cumulative impacts of this development.

So, “To the Moon WITH the Lagoon,” is the call by IRL Roundtable (irlroundtable. com/), a group of long-term environment citizens who are working to ensure we build a balance between our two blessings.

Indeed, the Roundtable attended the Brevard County Legislative Delegation Meeting on Jan. 11 and presented a suggestion about how we might be able to jump start this cooperation.

They pointed out that while KSC has released its IRL Health Initiative Plan, the remediation projects

it proposes are unfunded. So, they suggested that the Brevard Delegation work to direct some of the massive federal funds in the recent American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act to finance some of these projects. Yes, if we work together, we can go “To the Moon WITH the Lagoon.” VV

For more about Our Piece of Paradise — the Lagoon, visit HelpTheLagoon.org, facebook. com/BIRLC/ and twitter.com/ HelpTheLagoon.

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

States battle over the origination of chili, who's the best

Chili is an iconic national craving, an obsession and passion shared by makers and consumers alike. It’s so loved, we’ve made Feb. 23 National Chili Day.

There are so many rituals and controversies surrounding chili, where does one even begin? When you talk chili, it’s personal.

Its roots are ambiguous and stories are unofficial, some saying it originated in Mexico but others insist it was the settlers that arrived in Texas from the Spanish Canary Islands that cooked the first pot.

Another yarn revolves around chuckwagon cooks, preparing food for hungry, tired and sweaty cowboys on

cattle drives. So it’s no wonder it’s a cowboy’s dish of choice.

Also, in the late 1800’s, Chili Queens appeared at the plazas of San Antonio with offerings of chili con carne or as it was called, a bowl o’ red. And since 1977, Texas Chili has reigned supreme as the official state dish, much to the chagrin of those who believe barbecue should take the crown.

Even President Lyndon Baines Johnson, a huge chili lover, went as far as saying, “Chili concocted outside of Texas is a weak imitation of the real thing,” and his wife, Lady Bird, then shared their favorite Pedernales recipe with the nation.

Next LEVEL CHILI

For a seemingly humble dish, chili has a tremendous amount of complexity.

Who doesn’t crave a bowl of hearty, steaming chili accompanied by all the fixings?

Many remain true to their recipe, but some become more adventurous with their chili repertoire. Here are some flavor boosters that make chili distinctive, keeping in mind that everyone’s concoction is unique.

Chocolate adds a silky and glossy finish (mole inspired), beer or coffee create a robust undertone, vinegar adds some needed acidity and hot sauce or different chilies (dried, powdered or fresh) create the heat. The incorporation of beans adds heartiness and one thing is for sure — chili loves leftovers — any meats and veggies.

Common toppings include onions/scallions, fresh cilantro, avocadoes, crushed tortilla chips and fresh lime. Shredded cheese and sour cream tempers the heat and warm tortillas or corn bread make great sides. And one thing to remember, no one wants watery flavorless chili. It’s always better the next day and it freezes brilliantly.

Every chili lover boasts of their own stellar recipe and, if it’s won blue ribbon awards, the secret is closely guarded. Unless you want to end up with a black eye from Uncle Festus if you divulge the ingredients.

We might be at a Mexican standoff due to a steaming bowl of chili. Not just because of its origins, but a further debate reigns: “to bean or not to bean.”

The paean for the bean never happens in Texas, as no self-respecting Texan adds beans to their stew. To further the rivalries between Texas and New Mexico, they not only contest the place of origin and style of recipe but the name itself. Texans use “chili” to name their dish and New Mexicans

Makes four servings

use the word to describe the chili pepper used.

As for anywhere else — anything goes. Even when it comes to the meat. Some use venison, moose, deer and even bison for their individual take. We’ve also made quick work of it as it’s slapped on just about anything from dawgs, burgers, fries and nachos to burritos, baked potatoes and even spaghetti.

Regardless of the story, chili can bring about passionate discussions, but there’s nothing quite like a bowl of earthy chili, no matter what time of year. It brings people together and leaves a lasting imprint on the senses.

1 LB of lean ground beef and 1 LB of ground pork

1 15 oz. can of pinto beans drained and rinsed

1 15 oz. can of chili beans

1 large sweet onion chopped

1 poblano pepper chopped

1 jalapeño — seeds and ribs removed chopped fine (optional)

3 cloves of garlic chopped

2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

½ can of tomato paste

1 28 oz. can of fire-roasted tomatoes plus another 15 oz. can (both undrained)

1 TSP each cumin, sweet paprika, garlic powder and onion powder

½ TSP cinnamon

½ cup of dark unsweetened chocolate chips

2 TBSP chili powder (to taste and spice)

1 bottle of beer, IPA or lager

1 TBSP molasses

1 TBSP Better than Bouillon Beef mixed with 1 cup of hot water

2 TBSP vinegar

Salt and pepper

In a large pot, sauté the beef and pork. Drain most of the fat, remove meat and set aside.

In the same pan, add the poblano and onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste and allow to caramelize. Add meats back in the pan.

Incorporate canned tomatoes and spices. Add the stock, molasses, Worcestershire, beer and chocolate. Incorporate the beans, season with salt and pepper and mix carefully. Simmer on low, stirring often for about two hours. If it gets too thick add a little more stock and check seasonings.

Serve with cornbread and desired toppings.

Top women’s college golfers come to Suntree Country Club

SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE

Seventeen of the best women’s collegiate golf teams in the country will come to Suntree Country Club for the annual Moon Golf Invitational.

The event, which will be held on

Suntree Country Club’s Classic Golf Course, will be held Feb. 19 to 21. It is open to the public. A College-Amateur Event will be held Saturday, Feb. 18. Each team of three will be joined by a collegiate golfer, who will use the pro-am as

a practice round for the main event scheduled to begin the next day.

For a spot in the pro-am, call Steve Lamontagne at 321-242-6249.

Lamontagne is the general manager at Suntree Country Club.

Participants in the pro-am do

not have to be a member of Suntree Country Club.

Lunch will be provided before the round. A tee gift will be given to all participants. A dinner and awards banquet also will be conducted after the pro-am. VV

Dig Day at Quest Elementary School Community Learning Garden

SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE

Quest Elementary School in Viera held Dig Day on Jan. 14 to create a bed layout for plants in a 68- by 32-foot area for its Quest Community Learning Garden.

Students ranging in age from pre-kindergarten to sixth grade took part in the project, which hopes to yield fruits and vegetables for a late March or April harvest.

The S.T.E.M. and Leaf Care Club along with the after-school childcare program will maintain the garden. The organizers hope to grow enough produce to donate to elementary schools for the Lunch and Angel Fund.

The idea for the Quest Community Learning Garden was to create awareness for children to preserve and save the environment. Promoting health, nutrition and agricultural sustainability are a few of the goals. VV

Space Coast UCF alumni aim to make big impact on Brevard community

BY BETTY PORTER

All UCF alumni living in Brevard County are invited to join the Space Coast Knights UCF Alumni Community, which is a volunteer-based branch of UCF’s regional alumni communities.

There are currently 25,613 University of Central Florida alumni living on the Space Coast. The community is one of the longest standing UCF Alumni groups in the state, having been active here since the '90s, according to Amber Westberry, the assistant director of Regional Alumni Engagement, UCF Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving.

Solution, page 36

“Networking and participating with fellow UCF alumni in local events helping give back to the community are some of the great benefits of being a member,” said David Palmbach of Viera, the Space Coast Knights UCF Alumni Community Chairperson.

In October, the members gave back to the community by volunteering to paint and spruce up the grounds of the CITA Rescue Mission in Melbourne, which provides shelter, healing and hope to the homeless in Brevard County.

The next networking opportunity for the Space

Coast UCF Knights is from 5 to 8 p.m. March 9 at Hotel Melby at 801 E. Strawbridge Ave. in downtown Melbourne. The event is free and open to all UCF alumni and is part

of the National Networking Knight program. The group holds an annual event called Starry Knights at the Brevard Zoo. It is a fundraising event for Brevard

Crossword Puzzle

ACROSS

1. Work-related malady (abbr.)

4. Crumples

8. Pumping places

for

County High School student scholarships. Two $1,000 scholarships are awarded

40. “The Natural” prop

41. A matter of will?

44. Dealer’s dispenser

47. Blood measure

49. It’s often spared

50. Daily trippers?

51. Got carried away?

52. Goofy, e.g.

53. Several bits

54. OPEC dignitary, maybe

55. Hog heaven DOWN

1. Flatten

2. Cowboys’ emblem

3. Antsy

4. Tends, as plants

5. “Moonstruck” topic

6. Period

7. Barbecue tools

8. First name in film lore

9. Positive message

10. Help for lost souls?

19. Made, as a putt 21. It climbs the walls 24. Soaks 25. Have coming 26. Flood preventer 27. Bit of slung mud 28. Damsel’s rescuer 29. Cheer leader 32. Stock holder? 33. The bulk

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Space Coast Knights UCF

The Space Coast Knights UCF Alumni Leadership group enjoyed Starry Knights at the Brevard Zoo.

ALUMNI continued to page 33

Debate about use of plastic continues to torment environment

After a couple of months of eating more than we normally do, we start the new year planning on cutting down, dieting, exercising and other ways to slowly get back on track. But wouldn’t it be easier if we could take a magic pill and quickly be back at our target weight?

After reading MIT Technology Review’s article “A startup says it’s begun releasing particles into the atmosphere, in an effort to tweak the climate,” that was what the solution discussed in the article felt like — a bad magic pill.

The controversial release of a weather balloon with a few grams of sulfur dioxide (SO2) to try to test cooling the atmosphere has been the focus of both news media and the scientific community, who have shown growing interest in the study of geoengineering.

Geoengineering, i.e. manipulating climate with technology, is a concept that has been around since 1965. The idea of fighting one pollutant (CO2) with

another (SO2) or “playing God to tinker with a system as complex as the climate” (MIT ) is not very well accepted and has been of great concern for its global reach, unknown consequences and lingering effects.

Ideas much less complex than that may have disastrous consequences despite being perfectly appropriate at the time they were conceived. A good example of that is singleuse plastic bags.

“A novelty in the 1970s, plastic shopping bags are now an omnipresent product found in every corner of the world. Produced at a rate of up to one trillion bags per year, they are showing up in the darkest depths of the ocean to the summit of Mount

monthly meetings at 6:30 p.m. every second Tuesday at Sonny’s BBQ in Viera.

Everest to the polar ice caps” (UNEP).

What we have today is an excess of plastic bags and single-use plastic packaging in general. It became a nuisance and polluter, a threat to our wildlife, land and ocean. Even though we do not know the exact health consequences, many studies have shown that plastic (microplastics, to be specific) is entering our bodies too through the air we breathe, the water we drink, fruit and vegetables we eat, salt, beer, etc. — “we know wherever we look, we will find them,” said Alice Horton, a marine scientist at the UK’s National Oceanography Center (NatGeo).

Despite being easier to carry, moisture proof, lighter but stronger than paper, plastic bags bear unintended consequences not anticipated in the 70s. We try to curb the

problem by recycling whatever plastic we can. In unincorporated Brevard, curbside collects plastic bottles, tubs, jugs and jars (all with plastic caps and lids).

Recycle Brevard accepts any shape or size of plastic# 5 and some hard-to-recycle plastics in various forms (from toothbrushes and empty toothpaste tubes to disposable razors, dead markers and pens, squeezable snack plastic pouches and caps, Britta products, Little Bites pouches, among others). But recycling is a palliative; reducing is the real solution. At the same token, using SO2 to reflect sunlight may “help curb rising temperatures, but it doesn’t address other effects of high carbon dioxide emissions, such as ocean acidification” (Washington Post), or account for potential unforeseen ill

effects.

As Chris Field, who chaired a National Academies of Sciences report in 2021, said: “Until recently, I thought it was too risky, but slow progress on cutting emissions has increased motivation to understand techniques at the margins like solar geoengineering” (The Guardian). Considering that there is substantial research still to be done, this is a topic we should keep an eye on. VV

Email Marcia Booth at Marcia@RecycleBrevard. org . Booth is the president and founder of Recycle Brevard. It is an independent nonprofit organization 100% run by volunteers focused on reducing waste and promoting sustainable living.

to deserving high school seniors who intend to enroll at UCF. The two students are announced at the event. This year’s Starry Knights event will take place May 18. Each year, a Notable Knight Honoree from the Space Coast Community is also announced at the Starry Knights event. The honoree is a distinguished alumna or alumnus in the Brevard County community.

The Space Coast Knights UCF Alumni Community Leadership members hold

The group sponsors UCF football away game watch parties that take place at Beef O’Brady’s in Cocoa and Walk-Ons in Viera.

More information and an application for the college scholarship is available at ucfalumni.com/scholarships.

UCF alumni interested in joining the Space Coast group can get more information at Space Coast @ ucfalumni.com; facebook.com/ groups/SpaceCoastKnights and ucfalumni.com/florida select Space Coast. VV

Symphony brings good music, laughter with free concerts

BY FLORA REIGADA

Who does not enjoy good music, a good laugh and something free?

The Brevard Symphony Orchestra is offering those things during February at the Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts.

From 2 to 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, a pop concert, Comedy Tonight, will feature selections from concert halls,

movies and television shows. These include “The Pink Panther,” “The Office,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Monty Python’s Flying Circus.”

“This fun-filled concert promises to have audience members smiling and laughing,” said Christopher Confessore, the musical director. Normally composers look to nature, love, sorrow, religion and literature as sources of inspiration. But this concert also explores comedy satire

VALENTINE’S MENU IS LIVE!

and wit.”

No tickets are required for the Free Family Concert, 2 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19. Just sit back and enjoy music from “Jurassic Park,” “Super Mario Brothers,” “The Nutcracker” and more.

The family-friendly music is suitable for all ages. Seating is first come, first served.

“Early concerts like this are great for families with younger

children, older audience members who wish to avoid driving at night and those who enjoy a matinee kind of afternoon,” said Virginia Anzengruber, the Symphony’s communications director.

The Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts is at 3865 N. Wickham Road in Melbourne.

For concert and ticket information, visit brevardsymphony. com or call 321-242-2219. VV

Braised Lamb Shank

Grilled Swordfish Maple, Maple Not

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Roxanne Scianna Photography

Christopher Confessore, the music director for the Brevard Symphony Orchestra, said the concert will put a smile on the faces of the audience.

IRCC resident relies on golf for long-term healing from war

BY MARIA SONNENBERG

Golf can be vexing and exhilarating. For wounded warrior Ken Gestring, it is also healing.

The camaraderie and challenges of the game have helped the retired Air Force master sergeant heal from the serious physical and psychological injuries he endured while deployed to Afghanistan.

Given a family with a father, four uncles and two brothers in the Air Force or Navy, Gestring knew he would join the military. He signed up in 1986, just before turning 21 in the idyllic-sounding town of Niceville in northwest Florida.

“It was indeed a very nice place to grow up in,” Gestring said.

The stories his middle brother related about his work as a medic at Eglin Air Force sealed the deal.

“I decided it sounded like a cool job,” he said.

His military career included coordinating medical evacuations in the Pacific and, in 2009, deployment to Afghanistan, where he served as senior team medic to provincial reconstruction teams tasked with checking on road and building projects funded by the U.S. government.

“I had been 23 years in the service when I got deployed,” Gestring said.

His luck had held for almost a quarter of a century, but the streak would soon end in Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

While walking on a mission to locate a project, as a small group of Afghani onlookers watched, Gestring’s team was ambushed by an anti-Afghan forces submunitions attack.

“Shrapnel went everywhere,” Gestring said.

He knew he had been hit, but his duty trumped the pain and Gestring went to work.

Solution, Puzzle page 20

“He provided care under fire without regard to his own personal safety and injuries he sustained from the blast,” noted Brig. Gen. Dr. Kory Cornum, the 81st Medical Group commander, during a 2010 ceremony honoring Gestring at Keesler Air Force Base.

Gestring treated nine injured coalition forces and three Afghan

National Police.

“His immediate response and swift tactical treatment during this mass casualty event saved their lives by preventing their injuries from becoming life-threatening,” Cornum added.

Unfortunately, there were some he could not save. Four Afghan children, part of the group of

Solution, Puzzle page 32

onlookers, perished.

“The kids were very hard for me to cope with, particularly since they were about the same age as my own children,” Gestring said.

It was only after the team arrived at a medical facility that Gestring discovered the extent of his own injuries. Shrapnel

IRCC continued to page 37

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VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Ken Gestring

Ken Gestring, a resident of Indian River Colony Club, enjoys golfing with his service dog, Meli.

“He provided care under fire without regard to his own personal safety and injuries he sustained from the blast.”

—Brig. Gen. Dr. Kory Cornum

VIERA VOICE Courtesy of Ken Gestring Ken Gestring treats a fellow service member.

IRCC continued from page 36

damaged three vertebrae, his rotator cuff, wrist, lower back and leg. He also suffered a traumatic brain injury and PTSD. Gestring removed some of the shrapnel himself and returned to work immediately. He retired in 2011.

He calls his wife, Corina, his “caregiver and his calendar,” since the brain injury makes him forgetful. The couple moved to the Indian River Colony Club last year in part because of the golf.

“Golf has been a huge therapy,” he said.

Not only does it keep his body moving, but the game has connected him with other heroes through competition in the Wounded Warriors Games.

“We communicate a lot through golfing events,” he said.

A sponsor of a special tournament hosted by former President George W. Bush has provided Gestring with a lifetime membership to golf courses across the nation. When he plays, Gestring usually brings along his service Labradoodle, Meli, now a celebrity featured on the Golf Channel.

He knows his injuries will never fully heal, but with the help of the friends he has made through golf and the physical challenges the game provides him, Gestring is ready for the future.

“Recovery is lifelong,” he said.To watch the George W. Bush Institute interview of Gestring, visit youtu.be/8xnB9QC0tW8 VV

PAINTING

NEW YEARNEW LOOK!

LA PALOMA Cocktail

BY NANETTE HEBDIGE

For most people, the Margarita is the Mexican cocktail of choice. However, in Mexico, the most popular Tequila based drink is La Paloma (The Dove), hiding under the iconic shadow of its cousin the Margarita.

Little is known about the origins of this sophisticated tequila cocktail. It might be named after the famous Spanish folk song La Paloma, created in the 1860s.

Some bartenders affirm that grapefruit pairs better with tequila-based cocktails than lime, which is one of the main ingredients in the traditional La Paloma.

It has all the taste groups that make for a great, sipping drink and it comes together in just a few minutes. It’s citrusy, a little bitter, sweet, sour and salty and topped with some

MAKES ONE COCKTAIL

2 oz. of Blanco tequila or mezcal

2 oz. fresh grapefruit juice (¼ cup)

½ oz fresh lime juice (1 TBSP)

VIERA VOICE Shutterstock

The La Paloma cocktail is Mexico's most popular Tequila-based drink.

bubbles. Grapefruit soda is called for here to make it singular, but it’s hard to find in the United States, so sparkling soda is a good substitute. VV

2 oz of Grapefruit soda, Sprite, sparkling lemonade, or club soda

Salt for the rim

Lime or grapefruit wedges

(For a sweeter cocktail add 1 tsp of agave nectar)

Rub the rim of a Collins glass with a lime or grapefruit wedge. Invert it over a small plate with salt and add ice cubes into the glass.

Shake the first four ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice (if using agave add it to the shaker). Pour into the glass and top with grapefruit soda, Sprite or club soda. Garnish with a grapefruit or lime wedge and enjoy!

Drink responsibily — Don't drink and drive.

Extended hours

Valentine’s Day Dinner

OPEN TO 8 PM

RSVP today 321-752-5222 — option 1

FEB. 4

British Isles Car Show

9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Benefit for St. Jude Research American Muscle Car Museum

3500 Sarno Road

Melbourne, 321-427-8846

Whiskey in the District

5 p.m.

Eau Gallie Arts District

1463 Highland Ave.

Melbourne, 321-775-3105

26th annual Melbourne

Rotary Club’s Wild Game Night

5 - 10 p.m.

Wild game dinner.

Benefit for the Greater West Melbourne Athletic Association (GWMAA).

Wickham Park Regional Pavilion 2500 Parkway Drive Melbourne, Eventbrite.com

FEB. 5

Ditchfield Family Singers: A Valentine's Concert

3:30 and 7 p.m.

Riverside Presbyterian Church

3400 N. Atlantic Ave. Cocoa Beach, 386-320-6112

FEB. 8

AFTAC WiSE Stem Expo

9 a.m. - noon

Grades kindergarten through 12th.

The Tides

1001 B, A1A, S Atlantic Ave. Patrick Air Force Base 321-494-8646

FEB. 9

Central Brevard Art Association Spring Art Show and Sale

9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Cape Canaveral Library 201 Polk Ave. Cape Canaveral 321-806-8065

FEB. 11

Blessed Sacrament second annual Craft Fair

9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Blessed Sacrament Church 5135 N. Cocoa Blvd. Cocoa, 321-632-6333

Scholastic and Open Chess Tournament

9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Space Coast Health Foundation

1100 Rockledge Blvd. Rockledge, 321-241-6600

11th annual Pioneer Day

10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Sams House and Pine Island

Conservation area.

5555 & 6195 N. Tropical

Trail, Merritt Island

321-449-4720

Rotary Club of Cocoa’s Party in the Park

6 - 10 p.m.

Concert featuring Clay Walker.

Benefit for Cocoa Boys & Girls Club, the Brevard Sharing Center and the Central Brevard Humane Society.

Riverfront Park

401 Riveredge Blvd

Cocoa, 407-625-4668

FEB. 12

Jazz vocalist Michelle Mailhot

2 - 4 p.m.

Veterans Memorial Center

400 S. Sykes Creek Parkway

Merritt Island

321-453-1776

FEB. 18

Cocoa Beach Woman's Club

Fashion Show

10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Cocoa Beach Country Club

Cocoa Beach, 321-652-1951

St. Mary Mardi Gras

Festival

3 - 9 p.m.

St. Mary Catholic Church

1136 Seminole Drive

Rockledge, 321-636-6834

2023 Annual SPLASH! of Watercolor Art Show

10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Azan Shrine Temple

1591 W. Eau Gallie Blvd.

Melbourne 321-501-6438

FEB. 19

Eye of the Dragon 10K & Tail of the Lizard

2 Mile

7 a.m.

Eau Gallie Civic Center

1551

Highland Ave.

Melbourne, 321-412-1830

FEB. 21

Funny Fat

Tuesday 6:30 p.m.

Lizette’s Cajun Bistro 2447 N.

Wickham Road

Melbourne, 321-622-8230

FEB. 22

Melbourne Municipal Band: Inspired by Book s

7 - 9 p.m. Free concert

Featuring Staci Rosbury, conductor.

Melbourne Auditorium

625 E. Hibiscus Blvd.

Melbourne, 321-724-0555

FEB. 25

5K for Autism Awareness

8 a.m.

DRS Community Center

Satellite Beach, 321-751-8890