Vero Beach Newsweekly (Dec. 15, 2011) by tcpalm analytics

Inside

T H U R S D A Y

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

V O L .

1 ,

I S S U E

3 7

Property Tax Increase (2)

Serena comes to town Tennis star Serena Williams is Mardy Fish’s special guest at exhibition Photo coverage page 21

An evening of elegance Hibiscus Children’s Center’s Night in Vienna brings out the best of Vero Page 23

PHOTO BY SAM WOLFE

Jake Owen had to change venues due to rain, but still put on a rousing show.

Weather can’t stop Mardy and Jake

Hometown stars come through for charities Page 19

Why did City Council sack Utilities Commission? Page 3

Look out for Loggia The two stores capture an indoor-outdoor feel with ‘unique sophistication’ Page 31

FORUM 14 25 CALENDAR ENTERTAINMENT 28

TO ADVERTISE CALL MARTINE FECTEAU 772.696.2004 MARK SCHUMANN 772.696.5233

3HUPDQHQW +DLU 5HPRYDO

LANGE

6RRWKLQJ 0DVVDJH 3HUPDQHQW 0DNHXS (\HODVK ([WHQVLRQV jane iredale 7+( 6.,1 &$5( 0$.(83 'HVLJQHU ,QVSLUHG -HZHOU\ )DFLDOV DQG 3HHOV 6SD %DWKUREHV

2UGHU E\ 3KRQH

772.562.2400

ZZZ YHURFRVPHWLF FRP

SYKES

VERO BEACH’S WATERFRONT SPECIALISTS %X\LQJ RU 6HOOLQJ" :H DUH RQ WKH OHDGHU ERDUG

WIN AN iPAD 2 From Nov 1 - Dec 23, 2011 %X\ LQ JLIW FHUWL¿FDWHV JHW FKDQFH WR ZLQ 3XUFKDVH RYHU LQ FHUWL¿FDWHV DQG UHFHLYH ¿YH FKDQFHV WR ZLQ

/X[XU\ SURSHUW\ VSHFLDOLVWV :DWHUIURQW VSHFLDOLVWV /LFHQVHG 86&* &DSWDLQ 3URSHUW\ WRXUV E\ ERDW

WK 6WUHHW 6XLWH ' 9HUR %HDFK )/ ZZZ YHURFRVPHWLF FRP

/DQJH 6\NHV ± 5HDOWRU ā ā ODQJH#ODQJHV\NHV FRP

([FHSWLRQDO FXVWRPHU VHUYLFH 1HJRWLDWLQJ VSHFLDOLVWV &RQVWUXFWLRQ DQG UHQRYDWLRQ EDFNJURXQG

2901 Ocean Drive Vero Beach, Florida 32963 Visit Our Website

www.Langesykes.com

+RPH VWDJLQJ DQG PDUNHW SRVLWLRQLQJ 6SHFLDOL]LQJ LQ DOO %DUULHU ,VODQG SURSHUWLHV

&DURO\Q /DQJH ± 5HDOWRU ā ā FDURO\Q#ODQJHV\NHV FRP

'HQWLVWU\ IRU WKH :+2/( IDPLO\ :H VWULYH IRU ([FHOOHQFH ZKLOH FUHDWLQJ DQG PDLQWDLQLQJ \RXU VPLOH

ā (VWKHWLF 'HQWULVWU\ ([WUHPH 0DNHRYHUV ā 6DPH GD\ 3RUFHODLQ &URZQV )LOOLQJV ā ,Q +RXVH /DERUDWRU\ ā 'HQWXUHV 3DUWLDOV ā 6SRUWV 'HQWLVWU\ ā 'HQWDO ,PSODQWV ā ([WUDFWLRQV

3OHDVH &DOO WK 6WUHHW 9HUR %HDFK )ORULGD

-RH 7KRPDV ''6

3 !

Local News What is proper role of advisory panels to City Council?

Coldwell Banker Ed Schlitt Realtors® Island Previews International Office NORTH HUTCHINSON ISLAND PREVIEWS OFFICE 772-464-7007

0##%$%& (! /**.,'''

$'"-/&" 0##%$%& (! /+"*,'''

:/&/E2 I-OO$)O ?N"-S* RS) ,"R+# 'OR! PO$L ,)-+% -++2 +SO "RM2'S+* ,# G-O* K/>R$ PRS*

FlColdwellBankerPreviews.com VERO BEACH ISLAND PREVIEWS OFFICE: 772-231-4800

$'"-**( 0##%$%& (! /+).,'''

$'"%.(&

0##%$%& (! /+).,'''

$+-"(-",(

&/9/02 A7J<D ?6=C2 ;+)-S2 ?S")M -S* ?SMO-+R-NM-" 2F&39 % 0.CC9 @# I%,&FC 3FA)' 3;?%.;A) -.C,@AF&9

454=+5/' :*7*E<> 4;) I >@;8! <,&.A#;@A8 FRS*R2 B"HF)$" 1$S*RKN K 8-SRO-!$+ 3$)KN

(I)*/0QI-2 48DJ5CD @?65;7?FJ= 7?3C7B7;<5 C65J5C

!#) $'"-.%, 0##%$%& (! /-).,'''

!#) $'"-,&- 0##%$%& (! /.-*,'''

!#) $''/'-. 0##%$%& (! /..-,'''

EQQ. (@.8 "@,D' 7F,! FA (&.681' $!.;B .A) G6A,H@A

Tis the Season... We wish you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season. From your friends at Coldwell Banker Ed Schlitt Realtors® IslandPreviewsOffices

!#) $'"-,/, 0##%$%& (! /+*','''

3/2.5/2, 186’ of Waterfront, Lg Boat Slip w 45’ Storm Pilings, 2 Boat Lifts

3/4/3, MOORINGS w Office & Loft, Lrg Bed- 4/5/3, GRAND HARBOR,wExecOffice,LuxMaster 3/2.5/2, 10 Acres Fncd in, 4 Horse Stall Barn,Resort StylePool w Hot Tub, Grotto, Slide, Waterfall. rooms, Granite Island Kitchen w SS App Suite, LgGrtRoomwGraniteIslandKitch,Pool/Spa

N E W S W E E K L Y

History is the difference. Knowledge is the difference. Global is the difference.

B E A C H

CONTINUES ON PAGE 4

V E R O

council to support council decisionmaking. Per our ordinance, December is the time for Utility Commission appointments. In light of the overwhelming citizen support of the referendum to proceed with the sale of our utility to FPL does our current commission assist or hinder our progress? Should our advisory commissions be committed to forwarding the desires of the citizens and the council?” It is debatable if the meaning of the referendum was to sell Vero Electric to FPL or, as many supporters said prior to the vote, simply to continue negotiations to see if a deal can be worked out to the satisfaction of both sides. Such a council debate on the meaning of the referendum would have been instructive.

When the Vero Beach City Council removed four members of the Utilities Commission and replaced them with citizens said to be more in tune with selling Vero Electric, they left open the central question of the proper role of these volunteer panels. To be sure, the three council members in favor of pushing forward with a sale -- Mayor Pilar Turner, Vice Mayor Craig Fletcher and council member Tracy Carroll -- were completely within their rights. They followed procedure perfectly at the Dec. 6 Council

only members she remembers being replaced with time left to serve were individuals who missed meetings. The issue came to a head at the last City Council meeting when both the Mayor and council member Carroll placed items on the agenda under New Business to discuss the Utilities Commission. Attached as backup to that request were the resumes of Mechling, Hill, Heady and Fourmont, all of whom wanted to serve on the Utility Commission. Then, minutes before the 9:30 a.m. council meeting was scheduled to begin, Turner added a slate of members she wanted to appoint to the board and members she wanted taken oﬀ. When the council reached the New Business portion of the meeting, the mayor laid out the issue, stating: “The commissions are formulated by

2 0 1 1

BY IAN LOVE VERO BEACH NEWSWEEKLY

meeting in seating Chuck Mechling, James “Toby” Hill, former City Council member Brian Heady and Daniel Fourmont as new members on the panel. The new members replace former commission Chairman Herb Whittall; Robert Blumstein; Duane Wasmuth and alternate Thomas Burkett. In addition, Jane Burton was removed from the commission but will serve as an alternate. “They (commission members) serve at the will of the council,” acting City Attorney Wayne Comment said. “It is council’s prerogative if they don’t like the advice they are getting or they don’t think it is well founded, they can make changes.” Just the same, City Clerk Tammy Vock says she can never remember such a wholesale change of a sitting board in all her time at City Hall. The

1 5 ,

Question arises after sacking of four members of the Utility Commission

D E C E M B E R

NEWS ANALYSIS

LOCAL NEWS Vero Beach, Florida - Code of Ordinances Sec. 2-102. - Advisory commissions

UTILITY COMMISSION FROM PAGE 3

(7) Utilities commission. The utilities commission shall provide recommendations and advice to the city council on all matters related to the administration and operation of the city’s utilities, including finances and accounting; efficient and economic operations; maintenance; expansion and contraction of service areas; rates and fees, including taxes; improvements; and other matters specifically relating to the electric, water and sewer, and solid waste enterprise funds. The commission may seek counsel with the city manager and the other charter officers from time to time, as well as city department heads and employees as the commission finds necessary.

In performing its mission, the commission shall initiate and provide its own proposals, recommendations, and alternatives to the city council. In addition, the commission shall also review and constructively critique all proposals from city staff, consultants, and the public and make its own independent recommendations on such proposals in order to provide the best and most complete information possible to the city council. Any commission member may request the city clerk to coordinate with the commission chairman to place items on the commission agenda and/or request a commission meeting. Meetings may also be called by the city council to review issues prior to city council deliberations. The utilities commission shall meet at least once every quarter. The commission is expressly charged with representing and considering all utility customers of the city in its activities, including city resident and non-resident customers alike. As long as the Town of Indian River Shores receives utility services from the City of Vero Beach under a franchise, at least one member of the utilities commission shall be a resident of the Town of Indian River Shores.

V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

“Comprehensive Care, Uncompromising Service”

CALL NOW FOR OUR $97 NEW PATIENT SPECIAL! 0% INTEREST FINANCING AVAILABLE

Don’t let fear of the dentist keep you from achieving your dental goals. At Beachside Dental we are pleased to offer the latest in IV CONSCIOUS SEDATION during your dental treatment. Find comfort that goes beyond a “pill”.

Ask us about our services • IV SEDATION • Veneers • Cosmetic Dentistry • Dental Implants • In-office Whitening • Root Canals

• EMERGENCY CARE • Crowns and Bridges • Children’s Dentistry • Extractions • Denture Repair • TMD & Chronic Pain

What would also have been instructive is a discussion concerning the role of advisory commissions and if their purpose is to “be committed to forwarding the desires of citizens and the council.” However, that never happened. Over the strong objections of Council members Jay Kramer and Dick Winger. Instead, Council quickly voted on the slate of candidates and moved on to the other matters. “It happened with the speed of light, but at least three people were on the same wave length,” said former Mayor Warren Winchester. Council member Dick Winger tried to include Winchester for consideration to join the Utility Commission, but he was kept off by the votes of Turner, Fletcher and Carroll. Citizens were left without a discussion of the proper role of commissions or the pros and cons of those going off and those coming on the board. And it seems it could take a while for such a discussion to take place, since Turner, Fletcher or Carroll did not return phone calls over a number of days from Vero Beach Newsweekly to explain their vote. Whittall says he was never approached by a council member who said he or she was dissatisfied with the work of the panel. He also objects to the notion that he or any member of the commission was against a sale of Vero Electric to FPL. “The comment that the members of the Utility Commission weren’t for (a sale) and were interfering with

the sale going forward is completely false,” Whittall said. “Everyone on that commission knew we would sell the utility to Florida Power and Light; all we wanted was to make sure all the due diligence was done.” Whittall said the timing of his sacking may have centered on a year-end report the Utility Commission was charged with producing in which he suggests the commission would have laid out that due diligence still needs to be completed before they could recommend a sale to FPL. “Our publicity would have caused (those pushing forward for a quick sale) a problem,” he said. “There is no way any commission can stand in the way of the City Council doing what its wants to do.” However, part of the ordinance on city commissions states that December is the time members of the Utility Commission are reviewed. The former commission had just been seated in April as part of a house-cleaning undertaken two years ago by newlyelected members of the council to reconstitute all advisory boards. Whittall also takes issue with the mayor’s statement that the role of his former commission was to be “committed to forwarding the desires of citizens and the council.” “We were supposed to give independent advice,” Whittall said. The section in the Code of Ordinances dealing speciﬁcally with the Utility Commission seems to support that position. It states: “In performing its mission, the commission shall initiate CONTINUES ON PAGE 8

LET ME RENT YOUR PROPERTIES! SUSAN BELMONT POWELL REALTOR® Rental Specialist

DAVID WALSH &ASSOC! Matthew J. Henry, DDS

772-234-5353 | www.beachsidedental.com | 5070 N A1A, Indian River Shores, In the Oak Point Building next to CVS

REAL ESTATE 800 20th Place, Suite 5, Vero Beach, FL 32960 · Office (772)234-3450 · verorents.com

LOCAL NEWS

BY BARBARA YORESH VERO BEACH NEWSWEEKY

1 5 ,

SCOTT STRADLEY

CHARLES JENKINS

BRIAN HEADY

CHUCK MECHLING

ZK=LKDM 6C: THH CN ;LO RO=; ;LK= LCHKPT6 =OT=CD| oMN\HU\N e\NYXJIu k#v#u o#v#

dTP pM\NNTYXIu k#v#

A (:-8) %&85>@&) ,. HUX yPXJTZ\N xM\JY :$ #&8<-5:=:".

A sXQQMEu yPXJTZ\N *+-)&<. :$ #&8<-5:=:".

A /:=4;5-8. *66:+>-5& 78:$&66:8' 0;>2&86>5. MW kT\PT

A sXQQMEu yPXJTZ\N 3:+>&5. $:8 9:!6 348"&8.

A sXQQMEu yPXJTZ\N *+-)&<. :$ #&8<-5:=:".

A sXQQMEu yPXJTZ\N 3:+>&5. $:8 #&8<-5:=:">+ 348"&8.

A ?&==:1' *<&8>+-; 3:+>&5. $:8 9:!6 348"&8.

eX[\IHT\N **9#}OO#%*/!

bXJM xX\ZU **9#**O#**O9 EEE#dwvXJP\HMQMVC#ZMP

sMJH hTXJZX **9#/(/#(/(/

N E W S W E E K L Y

CONTINUES ON PAGE 6

B E A C H

opinions regarding the city’s utilities. “We needed a fresh look at what was going on – some fresh blood,” Fletcher said. While all Council members have said they want to sell the city’s electric plant to Florida Power & Light, councilmen Jay Kramer and Richard Winger have stated the city must be certain the financial implications of the sale will not be detrimental to city coffers.

V E R O

an alternate, former Council member Brian Heady as a regular member and banker Daniel Fourmont. Remaining on the commission are newly-named chairman Scott Stradley, a CPA and financial planner and chemical engineer Charles “Bill” Jenkins who was voted as vice chairman. Ed Weigner also stays on as the representative from Indian River Shores. When asked about the changes to the commission, Fletcher said he, Turner and Carroll were seeking new

DANIEL FOURMONT

gested new candidates for the Utility Commission and, with the support of Vice Mayor Craig Fletcher and Council member Tracy Carroll, voted to remove the Whittall, Robert Blumstein, Duane Wasmuth and Thomas Burkett from the board; in addition it moved regular commission member and environmental consultant Jane Burton to an alternate; and added new members including developer Chuck Mechling as a regular member; contractor James “Toby” Hill as

ED WIEGNER

2 0 1 1

VERO BEACH -- A revamped city Utility Commission this week agreed to table a draft of a Council-requested end-of-year annual report which former Commission Chairman Herb Whittall submitted after he was ousted from the panel. Whittall said the draft was what he intended to submit at the meeting were he still chairman as a starting point for discussions for the required year-end report. “I sent it to them because most of those new members that they put on have never been to a meeting,” Whittall said after the Utility Commission meeting. “They wouldn’t have known what we had done in the last year.” Service on the Utility Commission is at the discretion of City Council and on Dec. 6, Mayor Pilar Turner sug-

D E C E M B E R

Newly seated Utility Commission meets for first time

V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

LOCAL NEWS

UTILITY COMMISSION FROM PAGE 5

Whittall had appeared on a video produced by the Florida Municipal Electric Association which admonished city voters to question the benefits of the proposed sale of the city’s power plant to FPL. In his Dec. 11 letter to the Council, Whittall urged Council members to be certain that major power contracts “are essentially settled financially before completing a contract with FPL.” He did advise pursuing that contract and said he believed the final lease for the city-owned land at the power plant site “needs to be approved by the voters of Vero Beach in a referendum.” Stradley remarked that Whittall’s letter to council “was not an approved (Utility Commission) report” and there were several drafts of a report that had questionable authorship. “There are several drafts here but the last one doesn’t have a ‘from.’

Just to be clear, this is a draft. There were supposed to be some attachments that were never received but it doesn’t matter because they were all drafts,” Stradley said. In an attempt to offer some clarification, Burton noted that Whittall’s letter of recommendations to council members “cannot be construed as a document that came from the commission.” Commission members agreed to table the matter of their annual report until February. City Manager Jim O’Connor briefed commission members on the negotiations with FPL and predicted it would take 18 to 24 months to draft a solid sales document due to the complexity and difficulty of the city’s existing power contracts as well as the challenge of trying to market electric power in a flooded energy market. O’Connor explained that such discussions among all parties and attorneys take time and asked for patience with regard to the process to deter-

mine the utility’s value versus its indebtedness. “The key is to make sure you build up through conversations to an expectation – that this is the value. We’re doing a transaction.

“FPL has a corporate philosophy and doesn’t want to bankrupt the city in this transaction…and leave skid marks on the road. We’re trying to get to a negotiation that’s livable,” O’Connor said.

Former Utility Commission Chairman Herb Whittall’s year-end report draft Utility Commission Report to the Vero Beach City Council – December 11, 2011 When we were appointed in April, 2011 to the City of Vero Beach Utility Commission we were asked by the City Council to make a report in December 2011. At the November 22, 2011 Utility Commission meeting, Councilman Fletcher ask the Commission to report what we thought the City Council should be considering and looking out for. Since then the Mayor and two Council members essentially disbanded that Commission. Since the newly constituted Commission did not regularly attend the monthly Utility Commission meetings, I am writing this report to tell the Council what I think that report would have said. 1. The Council should make sure that all the major contracts with OUC (Orlando Utility Commission) and FMPA (Florida Municipal Power Authority) are essentially settled financially before completing a contract with FP&L. 2. The Council should pursue a contract with FP&L. 3. The final lease for the land under the power plant needs to be approved by the voters of Vero Beach in a referendum. 4. The Vero Beach Water/Wastewater and Sewer system is in good financial shape and is needed by the County much more than the City needs the County. Therefore, any sale of the systems to the County should be at a price way above the $24 million the County offered. 5. A private enterprise operating the County and City water/wastewater and sewer systems is an idea that should be looked into. 6. Even if the City sewer treatment plant is moved to the airport area, the two big reuse water tanks would still be left on that property. 7. The water and sewer rates for the City need to be made competitive with those of the County. Respectfully submitted, Herbert V Whittall Past Chairman, City of Vero Beach Utility Commission

LOCAL NEWS

Vero Insurance believes in this community. In addition to helping protect families and bu businesses - we feel strongly about lending our hands to build a better tomorro tomorrow for Vero Beach. Our team understands the importance of supporting the people and places that make this town our home. We consider it our ensurance policy. We never stop working for you. Call today for a complimentary consultation 772.231.2022 772.231.202

877.231.2021

www.veroinsurance.com

N E W S W E E K L Y

CARE AND SUPPORT FROM PEOPLE YOU KNOW AND TRUST.

B E A C H

CEO Brad Emmons and President Jonathan Schwiering

V E R O

LOCAL PLACES. LOCAL FACES.

have typically not had major impact fee contributions. So it is just something that hasn’t applied.” Another area where GAI said cuts could be implemented was outsourcing or ending city-run water testing. In fact, the city has already made some moves in that direction. The GAI report suggested the city was doing more lab testing than was necessary and that with outsourcing the number of workers in that department could be reduced significantly as new systems are put online. GAI said costs could be cut by making the existing plants more efficient. Winger says this might involve some small capital outlays of cash or changing employee work schedules. For instance, Winger points out, that through some of what he calls “fairly easy steps” the city could end “24/7” staffing at water and sewer creating another cost savings to the city.

2 0 1 1

can never have a comparison of city and county bills as long as we use the old (billing) system. It is like trying to equate AC power and DC power.” Indian River County Director of Utilities Erik Olson said while he did not have the data at hand, it was his sense that many utilities across the country charge some form of a readiness to serve charge. He said the county has been implementing a readiness-toserve charge (the county calls it a base service charge) going back to 1999. Vero Beach City Manager Jim O’Connor said that readiness-toserve fees are typical for counties and municipalities that have seen rapid growth as they grapple with the need to provide service to an expanding population. “The older systems are less likely to have it,” he said. “It is based on impact fees and having to maintain the lines out front. Your older municipalities

1 5 ,

costs to the system regardless if any water is ever consumed. The city had proposed a fee of $9.77 for water service and $15.83 for sewer service, or $25.60 combined. Indian River County charges a similar fee, but its rates are $7.76 for water and $14.58 sewer, or $22.34 combined. However, the county adds a small franchise fee and a billing charge with each transaction which actually pushes the county’s readiness-toserve charge higher than Vero Beach. Bolton said the rates were suggested by the city’s consultants based on the cost of providing the service. Bolton said lowering the proposed fee to that of the county would reduce the amount the city takes in annually from $254,000 to $220,000. “On balance there are only nickel and dime diﬀerences between the city and county (in terms of billing),” said Councilman Dick Winger. “But we

D E C E M B E R

VERO BEACH — As the city searches for ways to generate more revenue from its utilities or get rid of them altogether, it has received an action plan from its water and sewer consultants that could generate an estimated $2.7 million annually if fully implemented. The optimization study by GAI Consulting listed about a dozen recommendations where the city could either create new revenue or institute cost savings. The area where the biggest savings might be generated is if the city were to mirror the County’s billing system. Such a change could generate as much as half the $2.7 million in savings that could be realized by some estimates. Switching to the County’s billing system would also help as the parties consider a possible merger so that as much as possible the negotiations are comparing apples to apples. Perhaps more importantly, the change would allow the city to pick up some charges that it is not currently implementing. The Council voted on the first of those charges, called the Readiness-to-Serve charge, last week. Basically, the city will impose a new fee that would charge owners of vacant properties for having water and sewer available even if the services are not being used. The City Council voted 4-1, with Mayor Pilar Turner, Vice Mayor Craig Fletcher and council members Jay Kramer and Dick Winger in favor of moving to a final vote on Jan. 3. Council member Tracy Carroll was the lone vote against. Nearly 1,000 properties would be affected with the change and the biggest impact would be felt by owners of various developments containing vacant lots. According to Water and Sewer Director Rob Bolton, the department is maintaining lines and other infrastructure to serve these properties even though they have not hooked into the system yet. The charge the City is proposing is to cover fixed

Utility fee on vacant lots would raise $250,000

LOCAL NEWS DIGEST Piper Aircraft wants to keep some of the incentive money paid by state, county VERO BEACH — Piper Aircraft Inc. asked state and county officials it be allowed to hold on to part of the $10.7 million in incentive money the airplane manufacturer received to stay in Vero Beach when it was planning to build the PiperJet. The state and Indian River County in 2008 entered into a $32 million incentive package with Piper to keep the general aircraft manufacturer and its proposed PiperJet program here. The money was to be paid out in stages based on Piper meeting certain employment and investment benchmarks. The company received its first payment of $10.7 million in 2008 after audits showed an employment level of at least 1,014 full-time jobs as required in the agreement. However, since that time Piper has not met any of the employment goals after the economy went into a recession. Under terms of the 2008 incentive package, Piper would have to pay back about $1,529,000 plus interest of the $10.7 million it received from the state and the county for failing to meet employment benchmarks. The county would receive more than $571,000 of the $4 million it gave to the aircraft manufacturer and the state would get back more than $957,000 of the $6.7 million it awarded the company. Piper officials are asking for the agreement with the state and county to be renegotiated in light of the current economic conditions. The company, in correspondence sent last month to the state and Indian River County Administrator Joe Baird, cited its investment of nearly $100 million into its Vero Beach operation and that it still employs about 700 people.

V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

“The company does not plan to ask for more incentives, but due to the large investments of its own money it has made under the agreements Piper requests for forgiveness for the government expenditures to date. This will help ensure the company can successfully continue to manage its financial affairs and accomplish its marketing, sales and employment goals in the future,” wrote Piper officials in correspondence sent to the state. In October Piper announced it was indefinitely suspending its jet program and letting go 150 employees and 55 contract employees.

Anonymous couple gives $100,000 to foundation’s grants program VERO BEACH – A local philanthropic couple who wish to remain anonymous recently provided a gift of $100,000 to the Indian River Community Foundation’s unrestricted grants program. The couple helped launch the unrestricted grants program in 2008 and have been joined by other philanthropists each year in contributing to the fund. Since inception, $160,000 has been awarded to programs that address critical and time sensitive community issues. Previous grants have ranged from a vehicle repair program for qualiﬁed residents to a medication management program for frail seniors and even a program to rehabilitate foreclosed homes to give homeless and near-homeless families a place to live. For more information contact Kerry Bartlett at kerry@ircommunityfoundation.com or (772) 492-1407.

UTILITY COMMISSION FROM PAGE 4

Full Service Animal Hospital

Bring ad to receive free h test ($25evartworm purchase alue) with of heartof 1 year preventawtiorm ve. Offer expir e s 12/31/20 11

MEET JOHN HENRY

1 NEUTER, 8 VACCINES, 32 DOSES OF FLEA & HEARTWORM PREVENTION, 1 UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION & AN EAR BOBBED BY A BOBCAT! Owner, Amanda Wing

We’ve been through so much together. From routine well visits to emergencies – Florida Veterinary League’s award winning, experienced and compassionate team of veterinary professionals is here to help your pet in sickness and in good health.

(772) 567-3070 1360 US Highway 1, Vero Beach (Across from Crispers & 12th Street Publix)

and provide its own proposals, recommendations, and alternatives to the city council. In addition, the commission shall also review and constructively critique all proposals from city staﬀ, consultants, and the public and make its own independent recommendations on such proposals in order to provide the best and most complete information possible to the city council.” In fact, Whittall points to the last commission meeting he attended where the year-end report was being discussed and he asked Fletcher what he would like to see in the report. The minutes from that Nov. 22 meeting state: “Mr. Fletcher wanted the commission members to understand that council wants to know what pitfalls the commission may see as they move through the process of selling the utilities. He said it was very important that they inform council what they feel should not be done and what they agree with.” Less than three weeks later, Fletcher

was saying to a Newsweekly reporter: “We needed a fresh look at what was going on – some fresh blood.” He offered no explanation about where he thought the seven-month-old commission had gone stale in its thinking. At least two former mayors disagreed with the notion that the utilities commission should serve in a supportive role of council wishes. “Those who serve on the boards and commissions serve in an advisory role to council members,” former Mayor Mary Beth MacDonald said. “It is advantageous and necessary to have people with diverse viewpoints advise City Council members. I never removed anyone from any board or commission simply because they may not have agreed with my views.” Former Mayor Winchester echoed those sentiments. “I wanted unbiased opinions,” he said. “I think there is a very strong political danger that you end up with a council that tries to control everybody’s thinking. The quality of the input you get will be diminished greatly.”

! 1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

! V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

TCN2640540

Never a dealer fee

D E C E M B E R

The Lexus

Sales Event

350 RX

LOCAL NEWS

Vero Beach leads way with Recreation budget

V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

STAFF PHOTO

The pool at Leisure Square, which costs the city $15,000 a month to keep open.

Service Directory Emergency Service 7 Days AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING Sales 路 Service 路 Repair

Certified Technicians 路 Maintenance Agreements Indoor Air Quality We Service All Makes & Models NO

(772) 778-4026

OVERTIME FEES!

845 7th Ave. #6, Vero Beach, FL 32960 www.alanac.com Licensed & Insured. Lic. #CAC1814730

6%-.+'2& "$-)5/# ,!$ 4$-. 3$*(! 1.00+/5,&7 E?9 D@$?9A,7D?@ ?@ !?2 /?4 ),@ ,(3&97D8& /?49 8&93D)& 2D7! 1&9? '&,)! <&282&&CB/ =B&,8& D@:4D9& 7? >,97D@& E&)7&,4 ,7 A,97D@&;3*@&282&&CB/+"A,DB;)?A ?9 ),BB 55-%.0.%-66#

LOCAL NEWS

BY LISA RYMER VERO BEACH NEWSWEEKLY

State-of the-art equipment

0"(+ %$#& % *$'!() &&. ""+ $#& -",'%/ Comfortable. Reasonable. On Time.

0+4 ,%+.1# &4 2+..3)* (+4 Sandy How, in her downtown store on Old Dixie.

With a circulation of 15,000, Vero Beach Newsweekly reaches 100% of the homes and businesses on the barrier island. An additional 4,000 are distributed on the mainland.

Call Martine at 772-696-2004 or Mark at 772-696-5233 www.tcpalm.com/vbweekly

&#*+$#,)'/((."!+)-'1/0%+-

$!$* #! 1) "*,$$* 3 2$,/ 0$(&!+ -) '%1.#

//$"//'"---!

N E W S W E E K L Y

Sandy How, Owner of Loggia

B E A C H

“Our advertising in the Vero Beach Newsweekly is working for our downtown store, as well as our shop on Ocean Drive.”

V E R O

,#$ /#&&+" ." ')%+ .( !&-(*

This year’s recreation budget for Stuart came in at $655,000, with user fees covering less than 10 percent. In order to ensure residents have access to this level of service, the city seeks other sources of revenue. Currently, a grant from the Children Services Council for $191,000 has helped underwrite the cost of afterschool programming. Indeed, size does not seem to have much bearing when it comes to recreation. Port St. Lucie, with a population of about 165,000, has 800 parks, spans 116 square miles and “is bigger than Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach put together,” said Ed Cunningham, community director for the city. This year, the city’s recreation budget is $803,741, separate from the parks, with about 25 percent coming from user fees. With a recreation budget of just under $2 million, Vero Beach is investing more than twice the amount of any of its neighboring cities on the Treasure Coast.

2 0 1 1

Enjoy the Benefits of 100% Plus

impact on the city’s $900,000 recreation budget. Last year Sebastian’s Recreation Department took in $57,260 from user fees at the community center, the skate park, and the tennis courts. Although the revenue helped offset the department’s expenses, it only covered about six percent of the costs. Most of Sebastian’s recreation budget goes to personnel salaries for maintaining the city’s 14 parks, said McCarthy. “Recreation is a highly subsidized activity,” said Louis Boglioli, assistant finance director for the city of Stuart, which re-tooled its Recreation Department last year, by removing it from public works and renaming it “community services.” Stuart’s vision is based on community partnerships and collaborations, going as far as to share its recreational facility with nonprofit youth groups, mental health groups, a school suspension program, and afterschool activities. “Ad valorem taxes don’t cover the first dime of recreation,” said Boglioli.

1 5 ,

One of the first tasks City Manager Jim O’Connor’s asked of his department heads was to look at the best practices of other municipalities to see if there was a way for Vero Beach to save some money. One of the usual sacrificial lambs in times of austerity is the recreation budget. While recreation programs have everything to do with the quality of life, something has to give when essential services such as public safety are at stake. Vero Beach Newsweekly did its own survey to see how other municipalities handle their recreation budgets. One of the first lessons learned was that our city spends much more money on the quality of life for its citizens than do neighboring cities. However, when comparing Vero Beach to other communities, it’s important to recognize that each is or-

ganized diﬀerently. For instance, Vero’s beaches are maintained by the Parks Department, not Public Works. But, the lifeguards are paid by Recreation. “We want to make sure we’re comparing apples to apples,” said Jim O’Connor, Vero Beach city manager. Vero Beach’s Parks and Recreation budget is $3 million, approximately $1.1 million for parks and $1.9 million for recreation. Total user fees are approximately $600,000, accounting for 19 percent of the total $3 million budget and 31 percent of the Recreation budget. Ironically, Sebastian - Vero’s closest neighbor - is bigger and has more residents, but spends much less when it comes to recreation programs. Chris McCarthy, parks and recreation superintendent for Sebastian, said the city has one full time recreation employee and a handful of contract workers, who receive a portion of user fees as their payment. Not that user fees make a signiﬁcant

! D E C E M B E R

Larger cities spend less on quality of life for citizens

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

ZOHHDO== IRMC offers alternative to hip replacement surgery BY LISA RYMER

One of the ways hospitals distinguish themselves from their peers is by specializing in procedures not offered elsewhere. Currently, Indian River Medical Center is the only hospital between Jupiter and Merritt Island that offers hip resurfacing, an alternative to hip replacement surgery. Hip and knee replacement are two of the most common surgeries in America today, with more than 200,000 hip surgeries performed each year. As baby boomers age, the number of joint surgeries will continue to increase, said Dr. Richard Steinfeld,

an orthopedic surgeon at IRMC, who is seeing a lot of younger people these days with arthritic hips. “It may be that we just have a more active lifestyle,” he said. Steinfeld is the only doctor on the Treasure Coast practicing hip resurfacing, which he recommends for his younger patients. Over the past four years, he has performed about 60 such procedures. The hip joint is essentially a ball and socket mechanism that, over time, can wear out. Joint deterioration can also be brought on by a number of genetic and environmental factors, including degenerative diseases, with osteoarthritis being the most common. As the carti-

lage wears out, bone grinds against bone, tearing down the joint. Deterioration can also be caused by rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder marked by pain and inflammation. Developmental dysplasia, a congenital defect of the hip, can also take its toll over time. Symptoms of a deteriorated hip joint can include pain in the groin, buttocks and thigh, as well as stiffness in those areas even during times of inactivity. Hip replacement surgery entails substituting the ball and socket mechanism with a device comprised of metal and plastic. While effectively providing pain relief, the most common problems

in hip replacement cases arise from dislocating the new joint, where the ball comes out of the socket. Other problems may arise by the deterioration of the prosthetic itself – which has a 15- to 20-year life expectancy -- causing pieces to break off and aggravate the area. Hip resurfacing, on the other hand, employs a metal prosthetic that reinforces existing bone. So, instead of replacing the femur, the bone is capped with a mushroomshaped metal apparatus and left intact. Moreover, resurfacing usually results in a larger femur than conventional replacement surgery, which prevents the joint from dislocating

V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

VERO BEACH NEWSWEEKLY

PHOTO BY LISA RYMER

Dr. Richard Steinfeld recommends hip resurfacing to his younger patients.

WELLNESS

Studies indicate that the successful outcome of hip resurfacing is dependent in large part on the experience of the surgeon and the correct positioning of the joint components. A month after surgery, Monasterio was back in the gym. Now, she can barely see the sixinch scar. “There’s no pain,” she exclaimed. “Dr. Steinfeld gave me back my life.”

Dr. Bradley Kast

Board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine, Dr. Kast takes a ‘whole person’ approach to medicine and helps patients develop attitudes and lifestyles that can prevent and fight illness. A strong proponent of preventive healthcare, Dr. Kast received special training in the musculoskeletal system, the body’s interconnected system of nerves, muscles and bones. Dr. Kast provides medical care for: • Acute and chronic diseases (adults) • Hypertension • Diabetes • Preventive medicine • Pre-op clearances • Annual physicals • And other general primary care services Most insurance accepted. Now accepting new patients. Call 794.3364 to schedule an appointment.

Internal Medicine PHOTO SUPPLIED

1155 35th Lane, Suite 201 | Vero Beach, FL | 772.794.3364

The Right Care Right Here

N E W S W E E K L Y

Board certified in internal medicine, Dr. Bradley Kast is a member of the internal medicine practice of Drs. Richard Franco, Stephen Ritter and Monica Pierini.

B E A C H

Board Certified Internal Medicine

V E R O

Need a Primary Care Physician? Dr. Bradley Kast

Josefina Monasterio is back to body building after having the procedure done two years ago.

2 0 1 1

Due to the extent of her physical conditioning, Monasterio met the criteria for hip resurfacing. In all, she spent three days in the hospital followed by a week of home-visits with a nurse and a couple of weeks of physical therapy. “I had to learn to walk again,” said Monasterio, who for years had compensated for the pain in her left hip by making the right leg do all the work.

1 5 ,

A former Olympic gymnast, Monasterio is also long distance runner and an award-winning body builder who was determined to maintain her activity level. “Hip replacement surgery has a lot of limitations,” she said. “You can’t cross your legs, you can’t wear high heels and you can’t run.” In researching her hip issues, Monasterio learned about the benefits of resurfacing, a procedure being successfully performed in clinics across Europe. To her surprise, it was also available in Vero Beach. Before electing to have the surgery, however, Steinfeld had to test Monasterio’s bone density to see if she were even eligible as a candidate. In general, women under age 60 – before menopause saps too much strength from the bones - and men under age 70 are eligible for resurfacing.

D E C E M B E R

and causing additional pain. “Resurfacing preserves more bone, lowers the incidence of dislocation and allows for a more active post-operative lifestyle,” said Steinfeld. Although it has been around since the 1970s, hip resurfacing was not approved by the Food and Drug Administration until 2007. Both surgeries are similarly invasive, requiring inpatient hospitalization and a two- to three-week recovery period. For eligible candidates, however, hip resurfacing can ensure greater quality of life. In fact, it was fear of losing her quality of life that kept Vero Beach resident Josefina Monasterio from getting medical attention for the chronic pain in her left leg. “I couldn’t even walk to the mailbox anymore,” recalls Monasterio, 65, a lifelong athlete who underwent the procedure two years ago.

V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

Community Forum Weappreciate the positive feedback for the Newsweekly BY BOB BRUNJES PUBLISHER TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS

Vero Beach is a unique community, with a citizenry particularly interested and engaged in preserving a quality of life that has for decades made the city a special place to live. Vero Beach is such a gem of a community, that many people with the means to live anywhere in the world choose to make Vero Beach their home. My wife, Amy, and I enjoy Vero Beach. She recently joined the Board of the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce, and she and I have been honored to be asked to serve as the 2012 co-chairs for the United Way Campaign.

Seeing a desire for expanded reporting on local news and features of particular interest to Vero Beach, eight months ago we launched the Vero Beach Newsweekly. Designed to supplement the Press Journal’s daily reporting of local, state, national and world news, the Newsweekly is essentially a weekly news magazine serving one very special community – Vero Beach. The more time I spend in Vero Beach the more positive feedback I receive on the Newsweekly’s features, reporting, and commentary. Clearly Vero Beach is a community that values the thorough, balanced, unbiased reporting the Newsweekly

has been offering on issues that will make a difference in the quality of life for everyone living in Vero Beach and southern Indian River County. Not only is Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers committed to fully informing the community through the Newsweekly, the Press Journal and TCPalm.com, we are also committed to supporting and assisting many non-profit organizations that are working hard every day to meet vital needs. In 2011 alone we contributed more than $48,000 in direct financial support of organizations like the Learning Alliance, Hibiscus Children’s Center and Riverside Theatre, Saint Edward’s School and the United

Way, and more than $300,000 in advertising and in-kind support to help local non-proﬁt organizations promote their fundraising events and services. As we enter a new winter season and close out another calendar year, I want to express my appreciation for the encouragement and support we have received for the Vero Beach Newsweekly. Through this new weekly news magazine, the daily Press Journal newspaper and our real-time reporting on TCPalm. com, Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers remains committed to doing our very best to serve our readers and advertisers.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

A management model for Vero Beach City Hall To the Editor: In previous letters, I have written about what we have learned at universities, and then relearned in business life, “Management is getting things done through others.” What does that mean for the Vero Beach City Council who, after all, are legislators and do not manage anything? It means the City will need to be reorganized to provide the services the citizens want at a cost they can aﬀord, after the loss

of $5.8 million in revenue from the Vero Electric. But Council will not be the one wielding the surgeon’s knife. It will be the City Manager, staﬀ, and the commissions reacting to leadership and policy from Council. Let’s talk about that surgeon’s knife a minute. While everything the City does will need to be optimized, the Police Department, for example, costs $7 million dollars, but we cannot cut patrols. Or, for another example, take Mark Schumann, Publisher 978-2246 Mark.Schumann@scripps.com

“Doing well by doing good.” Vero Beach Newsweekly is distributed throughout Vero Beach and the barrier island. Visit us on the web at www.VeroBeachNewsweekly.com Mail may be sent to Vero Beach Newsweekly, 1801 U.S. Hwy. 1, Vero Beach, FL, 32960

Ian Love, Managing Editor 978-2251 ian.love@scripps.com Mike Bielecki, Sports Editor 321-6105 mbwordsmith@gmail.com Christina Tascon, Writer/Photographer 978-2238 verobeachnewsweekly@gmail.com

Parks and Recreation. While we need to narrow the gap between revenue and expenditure from -$2.4 million a year to a lesser number, we cannot lose Leisure Square, life guards, or our beautiful parks. Here is my proposal for how we manage our way through the repercussions of an Electric sale. We should realize that, in Vero Beach, we have people that are experts in virtually any discipline there is. I always wondered why we did not use our Carrie Scent Graphic Designer Marsha Damerow Graphic Designer Lisa Rymer Contributor Milt Thomas Contributor

Scott Alexander Contributor Michael Birnholz Contributor Barbara Yoresh Contributor Martine Fecteau Account Executive

To contact one of our contributing writers please call 772-978-2251 or send an email to verobeachnewsweekly@gmail.com

To advertise call Martine Fecteau at 772-696-2004 (martine.vbnewsweekly@gmail.com) or Mark Schumann at 772-696-5233 (Mark.Schumann@scripps.com)

resident baseball people to negotiate keeping a major-league spring training team, but instead left it to government? What I am saying is that we have willing and talented people to staff our City commissions and they have seen and solved virtually every one of the myriad of problems we have to resolve. We need to use them, like we did with the Utilities and Finance commissions over the last year and a half. Council needs to give each commission a piece of the optimization pie in their area, and the commissions need to work with the City Manager and department directors to find inventive solutions. And then, Council needs to consider, amend, and then delegate downward implementation. The commissions then must monitor the City Manager and his staff to be sure the plan is implemented. Where barriers arise, the commissions must be involved in finding modifications to get where we need to go. CONTINUES ON PAGE 16

DUCKS UNLIMITED, VERO BEACH BALLET, AMERICAN RED CROSS, ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER, BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, SHILOH YOUTH RANCH, HUMANE SOCIETY, DOLLARS FOR SCHOLARS, ROTARY CLUB

Leather, Loaded

43 MPG

$2,990 down, includes $2,000 competitive lease cash, 39 mo. Lease, 10,000 miles per yr., plus tax, tag, title, and fees

0@5@< /$>C %$)(! 77+#',+#<799 DIE6;&6:CFC:I3$@(CF

RIVERSIDE THEATRE, LIFEBUILDERS OF THE TREASURE COAST, VERO BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE HUNDRED CLUB OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, QUAILVALLEY CHARITIES, AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY,

N E W S W E E K L Y

MSRP $32,755

B E A C H

D"&5" J?8 ?AD*+1.4B?@

UP TO

V E R O

2012 BUICK LACROSSE E-ASSIST HYBRID

ONLY 5 AVAILABLE

2 0 1 1

BUY BELOW INVOICE AND RECEIVE 0% FOR 72 MONTHS

1 5 ,

2011 CADILLAC SRX

D E C E M B E R

KEEP AMERICA ROLLING

15 !

DGA05 &02?B?2G/" H8?0=

FOOTBALL, ST. HELEN’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, ITALIAN AMERICAN CLUB, HIBISCUS CHILDREN’S CENTER, SUN UP, HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CHURCH, MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION, VERO BEACH MUSEUM OF ART,

IN SUPPORT OF OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY: BREAST CANCER AWARENESS, ST. EDWARDS SCHOOL, INDIAN RIVER MEDICAL CENTER, VERO BEACH HIGH SCHOOL, INDIAN RIVER COUNTY YOUTH

V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

COMMUNITY FORUM

Should we let Piper off the hook for incentive money? BY BARBARA YORESH

We ! Piper. Yes, Indian River County has lavished its love, respect and dollars on a company with a tradition here as storied and renowned as that of Dodgers baseball. You might even say that along with the county’s world-acclaimed citrus, balmy climate and beautiful beaches, Piper Aircraft, Inc. helped put Indian River County on Florida’s map. But love affairs are funny things and when one half of the relationship values the other much more, an imbalance occurs that usually leads to discontent, distrust, disillusionment and ultimately disengagement. Right now, in light of Piper’s latest announcement that the company seeks to renege on incentive package repayment provisions, it is beginning to feel like the citizens of Indian River County have been jilted at the altar and left to wonder what went wrong. Alas, Piper has not fully !’d us back and has instead taken what it wanted and needed with little consideration for the county’s residents and local government officials who bent over backwards to help the company with taxpayer dollars. I’ll state right now that I am not an advocate of underwriting private business with taxpayer funding unless those taxpayer “investors” are assured some return on their money. Large private businesses like Piper which seek financial help from governments should be prepared to issue company stock or some tangible collateral in addition to the reimbursement provisions stipulated in the incentive agreement.

CITY HALL FROM PAGE 14

As an example, we have an optimization study of Water and Sewer, which makes a very good department better. By the way, as implemented, it saves $2.5 million a year. That money can be accumulated to move the Waste Water facility off the lagoon sooner. The Utilities and Finance commissions spotlighted the need to

The common practice of communities providing tax dollars to pay for things like sports stadiums for privately-owned professional teams which also threaten to leave if they don’t get a new stadium is a slippery slope and, I believe, a potential legal quagmire. If Piper or the Florida Marlins can get taxpayer-generated funds to make improvements to their companies, they why shouldn’t any private business and employer be accorded the same opportunity? What’s good for the goose should be good for the gander. Some who have looked at Piper’s incentive deal with the state and county note there is a big difference between tax abatements and deferrals often offered to companies for a certain period as a carrot to get them to relocate to a community and the tax incentives which were given to Piper which has been in Vero Beach for more than 50 years. As it stands, the $32 million incentive package granted to Piper in 2008 by the state and county was not approved by the citizenry in a referendum, but rather by state and local politicians who could hardly wait to write big checks and plaster “We ! Piper” bumper stickers all over county-owned vehicles. The very people who were being asked to underwrite the company with their tax dollars were never given the opportunity to say if they agreed. To date, the county has paid Piper $4 million of the $12 million it was to pay out over the multi-year term of the incentive agreement. But now Piper is saying it doesn’t want to pay back money it agreed to optimize and now they, with the City Manager, must be sure it happens. The City of Vero Beach has all the resources and brains it needs to Keep Vero Vero, while slimming down. We just have to be willing to give our “best brains” the opportunity to achieve what we need. It is called “Management.” By R ichard Winger Richard Winger is a member of the Vero Beach City Council

repay according to provisions of the incentive package agreement. That’s like telling your mortgage lender that you have no intention of repaying your loan, but you’ll keep the house and all the improvements that mortgage loan financed. Life just doesn’t work that way and Piper knows it. As the too-big-to-fail banks showed us, a company will continue and even escalate bad behavior if it can get away with it. And, with a disturbing level lack of concern to the public as well as to its own rank-andfile employees, Piper has more than gotten away with it. For six months in 2009, Piper did not communicate with county officials regarding its future performance and job creation standards which were tied to its $32 million incentive package payouts. The company has also been chronically non-responsive to requests for information by members of the press and, according to an employee I spoke to recently, the company “doesn’t tell us anything.” Residents were told that Piper -one of the county’s largest private employers -- was threatening to leave Vero Beach and fly off to Oklahoma City or Albuquerque if it did not get that incentive money. With the economy tanking in 2008 and double-digit unemployment plaguing the state and Indian River County most especially, it would seem that local government officials and business leaders panicked at the thought of losing Piper on the heels of the Dodgers’ exit. That concern was understandable. But if those pulling out the check book had only done their homework, perhaps they wouldn’t have been so quick to spend taxpayer money on what has now become little more than corporate extortion. Piper Aircraft, Inc. has experienced an uncommonly high turnover in upper-level management not to mention corporate ownership. The revolving door of Piper leadership has become reminiscent of that classic Abbott & Costello routine leaving

everyone wondering “who’s on first?” But perhaps the most glaring problem not identified by those handing out the money was the fact that Piper’s light jet project was probably doomed from the start if one can believe the buzz within the aviation industry. Simply put, Piper started its PiperJet/ Altaire project too late. Its competitors like Cessna, Embraer and Eclipse had been building light jets for years and were up to speed on the aviation technology and design that differentiates a propeller-driven aircraft from a jet. Piper was consigned in a tanking economy to play “catch-up” amid an everchanging corporate hierarchy. Our county leaders should have checked with aviation experts on the viability of the PiperJet/Altaire project. Instead, they focused on the county’s own foundering economy and bought Piper’s hat-in-hand appeal hook, line and sinker. County officials pressured the cities to pledge funds to the Piper “pot” and they paid. In 2008, the state paid $6.7 million and Piper is presently trying to renegotiate that agreement with the state in an effort to avoid reimbursement for failing to meet agreed upon benchmarks. With a fiduciary responsibility to its taxpayers, the state and the county should not let Piper off the hook and insist that the company make good on its contractual agreement. While the state and county need to explore every avenue to bolster and expand economic development interests, it is also incumbent for officials to remember that offering financial incentives up front without a secured guarantee of repayment is little more than gambling with the public’s money. Piper Aircraft is known within the general aviation industry for the high quality and reliability of its products. Most of the 144,000-plus aircraft the company built over the years are still operational and safely flying. With such a proud tradition, it would be fitting for its management to pursue the same level of excellence by doing the right thing and meeting its financial obligations.

COMMUNITY FORUM

EDITORIAL

! V E R O B E A C H N E W S W E E K L Y

tax increase of more than 10 percent be approved by at least a two-thirds majority of the Council. With a fivemember Council, no less than four of them will have to approve the substantial tax increase that, along with spending cuts, that will be required to balance the city’s budget once it is no longer drawing $5.8 million from the electric utility fund. Are Carroll, Fletcher and Turner willing to go on record now as being prepared to make the budget cuts and approve the tax increases a sale of the electric system will necessitate? Again, their silence on this has been all but deafening. They have been long on energy and determination to sell the electric system as quickly as possible, but appear short on any sense of urgency to begin clarifying and addressing the likely financial fallout of a sale. Some will say that the numbers are not available to determine down to the penny what spending cuts and tax increases will be necessary. That is true. FPL has yet to make a formal offer, and the city’s transactional attorney is months away from determining how much it will cost the city to get out of

2 0 1 1

er, Vice Mayor Craig Fletcher and Councilwoman Tracy Carroll, then perhaps it is time for them to begin explaining how they envision the city bridging a $4 to $5 million deficit. The Council is moving steadily towards concluding an agreement with FPL. Yet, the three council members most inclined to accept FPL’s initial, informal offer have remained all but silent about the difficult adjustments that will have to be made in programs, services, staffing and taxes. It is not a day too soon for the Council to begin identifying the spending cuts and tax increases that may be necessary to avert a budget crisis. Everyone should be clear, though, that even if cuts of up to $2 million are possible, a projected shortfall of nearly $4 million will almost surely require a tax increase in the range of 50 to 75 percent. Admittedly, if cuts of $4 million in spending can be made, the Council might be able to avoid a tax increase. No one has come close to suggesting, though, that the city is going to be able to reduce expenses by any number close to $4 million. The City Charter requires that a

its contracts with the Florida Municipal Power Agency, the Orlando Utility Commission and others. Still, more than enough information is available for the Council to begin considering best and worst case scenarios. City Manager Jim O’Connor and Finance Director Cindy Lawson have been working for months to identify ways the city can deal with the loss of revenue from the electric system. It is time for the Council to openly engage in this process as well. At last week’s Council meeting Carroll opposed Richard Winger’s request that the Recreation Commission be asked to consider ways of beginning to narrow the $800,000 gap between user fees and expenses. In the same meeting Carroll cast the lone vote in opposition to assessing a readiness to serve fee for water and sewer services. As the county and many other utilities now do, the city would begin charging a monthly fee of approximately $25 on vacant lots for which service is available. Supported by the Council’s other four members, the readiness to serve fee and would raise $250,000 a year. With a $4 million budget gap looming, it is reasonable to ask what else is off the table. While the lower electric rates may very well outweigh the offsetting need for spending cuts and tax increases, the inescapable reality is that a sale of the electric system will bring about a seismic shift in the city’s budget. The Council must either raise taxes, cut expenses, or a combination of the two. Something has to give. Whether one describes the threat to the city as a ton of bricks hanging over it or a train barreling straight for City Hall, the issue is real and unavoidable. The sooner the Council begins leveling with the public about the fact that lower electric rates will come at a price, the sooner we will all know whether the Council is as wise and prudent as it is determined to get the city out of the electric business.

1 5 ,

If a sale of the city’s electric utility ultimately proves best for all interested parties, the City Council can reasonably expect broad support for handing the system over to Florida Power & Light at a price fair to the city and its taxpayers. Almost surely, though, the public would not appreciate learning down the road that either through a series of carefully calculated moves or monumental blunders, the Council has placed the city in such a dire financial position that it has no choice but to consolidate many if not all services with the county. Such an idea may seem far-fetched, but consider that just last week Mayor Pilar Turner received a letter from an Indian River Shores resident advising her that the city should consider allowing itself to be absorbed by the county. “Other than the separate police force, the city offers nothing significant to its residents that is not available to the county residents,” the author of the letter suggested. Merging many, if not all, city services with the county may or may not make sense to a majority of city voters. That discussion has not yet taken place, at least not in the sunshine. Any such consolidations should result not from the pursuit of hidden agendas, but from open discussion and debate. If the City of Vero Beach is to be dissolved as a political entity, that decision should be made by a majority of city’s residents. The end of Vero Beach as an independent municipality should not come as an unavoidable consequence of decisions made by a three-person majority of the City Council. While the Council has shown determination in keeping negotiations on track with FPL, one cannot help but wonder if it has the same resolve to deal with the resulting financial consequences in any way other than eventually handing the keys to the city over to the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners. If this is not the intention of Turn-

D E C E M B E R

Council needs to begin budget-balancing act

V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

COMMUNITY FORUM

Finding holiness through appreciating hollowness BY RABBI MICHAEL BIRNHOLZ

the paragraph over and over with this thoughtful young adult. After a few times the student grasped the conceptual problem and straightened out the slip of the tongue. Of course RABBI on that Shabbat MICHAEL BIRNHOLZ morning the student returned to his original reading, declaring with great gusto that we must make the most of every opportunity to hollow God’s name. The Cantor and I just looked at each other and smiled. Sometimes it’s the spirit and effort that’s important not the reading accuracy of every word. This was a fine response until the next week when we were working with the next Bat Mitzvah student.

We have all had times when, in speech or reading, words slip out of our mouths in an order or pronunciation far from what we were intending. Because I participate in worship where I and others read and speak out loud a lot I do this and hear this a lot. Usually it is simply funny or mildly embarrassing. Every once in a while, however, one of the gaffes/ bloopers actually results in words or a phrase that creates insight instead of a laugh. One afternoon in rehearsal for a service, our candidate for Bar Mitzvah proudly declared that we should hollow God’s name. Both the Cantor and I quietly corrected the student. The word is hallow, we said. Hallow means to acknowledge God’s holiness. This is very different from hollowing -- making God somehow empty. Then we reviewed

It is amazing to me while each candidate for Bar or Bat mitzvah reads the same service, the really do it with their own style and personality. It really stood out when this next student made the same mistake in a different part of the service. Let us hollow God as we sense God’s presence in the world, she announced. As I sat behind the Bat Mitzvah candidate, I smiled and thought, you win some and you lose some. Then my mind took a different tact. Maybe students were not reading what was on the page, but what if it wasn’t an irreverent mistake but a positive refocusing. While the word and concept on the page is hallow, there can be a powerful play on the word and concept of hollowing God in the world. In one description of the Creation process from Jewish tradition, Isaac Luria taught that God contracted to give space for Creation. This switch

of hollow for hallow by these students resonates with this explanation. In order to really sense God’s holiness we have to pull back and stop trying to fill every moment of life with efficient activity. Whether we are trying to connect with the Divine or appreciate the Sabbath we have to make a time that is hollow of tasks, but not hollow of value. We have to empty out the busyness, “to do lists” of the week to really enjoy appreciate, connect with the awesome beauty and flow of creation and sense God’s presence in it. By making an effort to create more hollow time and space in our schedules we may be able to actually do more of the hallowing that we desire. Rabbi Michael Birnholz has served Temple Beth Shalom in Vero Beach since 2002. One of his goals is bringing Jewish values and wisdom to the wider community.

Reach More Than A Zip Code Advertise your business in Vero Beach Newsweekly to reach every home on the barrier island, plus communities such as Vero Isles, River Wind, Oak Harbor, Grand Harbor, Vero Beach Country Club, Indian River Club, Pointe West and Bent Pine.

Inside

S D A Y T H U R

J U L Y

1 4 ,

2 0 1 1

V O L .

1 ,

E I S S U

1 5

for in July Christmases summertime visit Santa mak ter !Page 16 Family Cen

Homeless

g fun ion hosts Toe-tappinBusiness Associat Oceanside !Page 10 end concert

BY PHOTO

love bines his Kelly com J. Scott

h raphy wit of photog

k to the giving bac

KEL J. SCOTT

nity. commu

to to donate !Gallery ofits!Page 18 non-pr M ! FORU

art cause for Finding a ance Director hiring! Page 3

week-

ut keeping y trust 7 In land ther Land Trust sets abo n !Page Indian Rive River Lagoon gree the Indian

NDAR ! CALE ARIES ! OBITU

ADVERT

ISE CAL

4 .696.200

12 TO TINE FECTEAU 772 .5233 20 MAR K SCHUMANN 772.696 24 MAR

fends Fin !City de

The Vero Beach Newsweekly gives you the barrier island and more. verobeachnewsweekly.com

To learn more, call Martine Fecteau at 772-696-2004 or Mark Schumann at 772-696-5233.

COMMUNITY FORUM

1 5 , 2 0 1 1 ! V E R O B E A C H N E W S W E E K L Y

Because the City Council is unable to print money like the federal government, it may soon face difficult choices about exactly how to cut expenses and raise revenues in order to bridge what could easily amount to a $4 million budget shortfall resulting from a sale of the city’s electric system. Apparently believing it would be wise to begin addressing these issues sooner rather than later, Councilman Richard Winger placed a number of budget-related items on the agenda for last Tuesday’s Council meeting. One of the subjects he proposed discussing was the Recreation department budget. Currently 19 percent of the Parks and Recreation Department’s $3 million budget is funded through user fees, with the remaining $2.4 million paid for by taxes. Cities such as Winchester Va., where City Manager Jim O’Connor most recently served, have found innovative ways of raising recreation revenues through a combination of gradual increases in user fees and fundraising events. Winchester now covers 30 percent of its recreation expenses through program revenue. Winger suggested that in light of the looming budget shortfall, the Recreation Commission should be asked to “think outside the box” to explore ways of raising revenues in order to help the City balance its budget. Upon learning that Winger would propose asking the Recreation Commission to consider how they might help the city avoid a budget crisis, Councilwoman Carroll fired off a memo to the members of the Recreation Commission claiming that, “Winger, 73, feels that Recreation programs should be self-funded.” First, by suggesting that Winger wants the Recreation Department to pay its own way, Carroll’s memo only served to raise unfounded concerns. Second, one wonders what age has to do with it. If anything, perhaps Winger’s maturity and extensive business experience account for his encouragement to Council to address the budget deficit issue before it is left with no alternative but to more than double taxes. Because Carroll’s memo gave the false impression that Winger would propose that recreation fees be raised to cover the full cost of the programs, a number of the members of the Recreation Commission were understandably concerned. They responded by writing comments such as “this is so sad,” and “this is very troubling.” Armed with the statements she had solicited, Carroll began interrogating Winger. “Did you

D E C E M B E R

BY MARK SCHUMANN

Council meeting more like cage fighting than civil debate

know…” “Are you aware…” Winger certainly would have been within his rights if he had chosen to refuse to engage Carroll. After all, he was not elected to the Council to be interrogated, but to represent the public. What is most disappointing is that an opportunity was lost to have a serious, civil, conversation about how the city is going to live within its means. If you want to witness a contrast in communication styles and conflict resolution skills, just attend or watch a meeting of the Indian River County Commission. Then watch or attend a meeting of the Vero Beach City Council. What you are likely to see at a typical meeting of the County Commission are all five commissioners agreeing, or respectfully disagreeing with each other. County Commissioners hear each other out, with little or no interruption. Somewhere along the way these gentleman seem to have learned that the convergence of conflicting views need not necessarily result in a conflagrations. In a debate among County Commissioners, what you typically won’t hear are those members in the

majority on a given issue stifling the rights of the minority to express their opinion. Indeed there have even been times when a commissioner has admitted to having his mind changed in the course of the discussion. Perhaps it is time for the City Council to take a field trip to a County Commission meeting. A reader suggested recently that a cartoon depicting a dysfunctional City Council might be funny enough to make for a popular comic strip. That might be true, except that, unlike regular comic strips, the purpose of a political cartoon isn’t so much to be funny as to make a point. There is nothing funny about the sarcastic comments, snide remarks, sharp jabs, and verbal hand grenades often tossed around at City Council meetings. True, people have different styles of communicating and, depending on the circumstances and the setting, use varying levels of forcefulness in making their points. We just think that when someone is channel surfing they shouldn’t have to refer to their cable guide to figure out if they have tuned into a cage fight or a City Council meeting.

^CQKTH u gKNO=;6HO

The show goes on for Mardy and Jake despite rain Weather did cause change in plans for weekend fundraisers BY CHRISTINA TASCON VERO BEACH NEWSWEEKLY

The rain kept coming down over the weekend, but that did not wash out the annual charity event brought to town by tennis professional Mardy Fish and country singer Jake Owen. When faced with a little rain, neither of the local heroes chose to take a star attitude and walk away. Fish was on the phone non-stop at the pre-event dinner Friday night assessing whether or not he would be able to play with special guest Serena Williams. As patrons were finishing up their

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

dinners and being entertained by the Mardy Fish After-School Dancers, it was announced that the match would go on. The rain held off throughout the match between Sam Querrey and the obviously favored hometown star. In a good-natured match, Fish and Querrey exchanged vocal jabs and lobs across the court. When ESPN tennis announcer Brett Haber asked Querrey how he thought Fish was doing, he answered, “Coming from a young guy like myself I would have to say he was doing pretty CONTINUES ON PAGE 22

V E R O

PHOTOS BY CHRISTINA TASCON

Jake Owen was undeterred by the rain, he moved his show to the Riverside Cafe.

Executive Director of the Mardy Fish Foundation, Patrick Toole, with Mitzi and Steve Owen, parents of Jake Owen

PHOTO BY SAM WOLFE

Mardy Fish (left) watches as Jewell Milliman, 8, returns a volley during the Kids’ Tennis Clinic at Grand Harbor Gold and Beach Club.

Michelle Sheehan, Stacey Fish and Gina Marano

SOCIAL | LIFESTYLE

21 ! D E C E M B E R 1 5 , 2 0 1 1 !

Minnesota Twinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Jamey Carol and LA Dodgersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; AJ Ellis attend the dinner and tennis tournament

Sam Tredenick, Kelly Hiers and Ellen & David Lane

Dan Wagstaff, Andrew & Luke MacLaughlin, Carson Evans and Steve MacLaughlin

Emily McPherson and top player Sam Querrey before the tennis exhibition

B E A C H

Blake Ward and John & Barbara Drnkdak in cowboy spirit at the dinner at Grand Harbor

V E R O

Doug & Susanne Sweeny with Mike Rahaley

N E W S W E E K L Y

V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

SOCIAL | LIFESTYLE

Edie Dubord, Wheatie Gibb, Steve Dubord, Tom Fish and Bob Gibb

Enjoy the Benefits of 100% Plus “We were impressed with how quickly we began receiving results from our advertising in the Newsweekly.” John S. Cairns, DDS, Julie A. Cromer, DDS Cromer & Cairns Dental

With a circulation of 15,000, Vero Beach Newsweekly reaches 100% of the homes and businesses on the barrier island. An additional 4,000 are distributed on the mainland.

Call Martine at 772-696-2004 or Mark at 772-696-5233 www.tcpalm.com/vbweekly

MARDY AND JAKE FROM PAGE 21

good for a man his age,“ he laughed. The crowd ate it up and then cheered loudly when Fish, the No. 1 ranked men’s tennis player in the United States, took home the “win.” Then it was time for the mixed doubles match with Williams and Fish, Melanie Oudin and Bob Bryan and the anticipation was palpable in the stands. First Oudin and Bryan were introduced and then out came Serena Williams to major applause…and so did the ﬁrst raindrops. As the pace picked up, the wind and rain started coming down heavier but the players all wanted to keep going until it became a danger to them and they had to stop. Haber saw Fish take a slip that could have really injured his ankle and it was agreed that it had been a wonderful match, but it was time to thank them and end play. The audience gave the group a standing ovation and Jake Owen came out to congratulate the players. After a day of greeting students at

Vero Beach Elementary; holding tennis clinics with the kids and playing in both matches, Mardy Fish received a well deserved thank you from the crowd. Although his desire to keep the show going on was just as strong, Jake Owen’s concert Saturday night was canceled because of safety concerns after the daylong rains. Owen plans to re-schedule the event, but as of press time a date had not been set. When the concert was canceled Owen decided instead to play to a capacity crowd at Riverside Cafe with Nashville recording artist Chris Young. Riverside was where Owen first began his career singing in the popular bar and restaurant. “Riverside is where Jake always comes to relax and hang out when he is in town,” said Riverside owner David Lane. “His ‘unofficial’ video on YouTube of ‘Blue Jean Summer Nights’ even features the bar.” “Blue Jean Summer Nights” was Owen’s hit single this summer. Financial support for the Mardy Fish and Jake Owen foundations was the reason for the weekend of charity events and proceeds are used to support after school programs at 13 elementary schools in Indian River County. Sebastian Mendoza is just one of the kids helped by the program. He started playing tennis just a year ago and his mother said he is already receiving a lot of praise for his talent. Mendoza was given a Wilson tennis racquet on stage at the dinner by Fish. Fish’s wife Stacey, an attorney and former Suitcase # 2 on Howie Mandel’s game show “Deal or No Deal,” said spoke proudly of her husband and his giving back to his local community. “He is very close to his family as I am to mine, but you can see just by his foundation, the kind of man he is. That is what made me fall in love with him,” She said. After thanking everyone attending, Fish said, “When Jake and I talk about home, this is where we think about, Vero Beach.”

SOCIAL | LIFESTYLE

! D E C E M B E R 1 5 , 2 0 1 1 ! V E R O B E A C H

Serena Williams concentrates as she prepares to make a return of serve

PHOTO BY SAM WOLFE

Mardy Fish stretches to reach the ball during his exhibition match

N E W S W E E K L Y

Mardy Fish shares a joke before serving to Sam Querrey

Guests spend A Night in Vienna for Hibiscus Children BY CHRISTINA TASCON

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

SOCIAL | LIFESTYLE

PHOTOS BY CHRISTINA TASCON

Karen O’Brien, Cathie Callery and Brenda Lloyd

A Night in Vienna at The Moorings Club offered a glamorous evening of sparkling champagne and stunning attire from friends and supporters of the Hibiscus Children’s Center. Everyone made sure they looked their most marvelous at this “best party with a cause,” noted committee person Raquel Tilton. Tilton’s ex-mother-in-law, LaVaughn Tilton, was the founder of the Hibiscus Children’s Center. Raquel took on the challenge a few years ago to help put on a benefit which stood out among the many events on the yearly social calendar. Tilton and Linda Teetz spoke about the glittering affair as a way to “build friends, strengthen the support and raise as much money for the cause” as possible.

It was also a way for guests to celebrate the holiday by dressing in their best formal attire. “This is the event that you look for your dress all year long,” said Roni Fustus. Debbie Bedell and HCC’s Event’s Director, Angela Astrup, said they hoped to raise at least $200,000 at the event. With over 160 items that Linda Teetz secured for the auction, it was certainly possible. The two main items in the live auction which had everyone buzzing were the golf clubs and bag signed by golf great Phil Mickelson and a stunning six-carat diamond bracelet valued at over $12,000. Also offered was a raffle for a gold Hibiscus necklace donated by John Michael Matthews Fine Jewelry to be drawn at the end of the night. Toby Turner was bidding on a possible Christmas present for his wife.

V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

VERO BEACH NEWSWEEKLY

Odaray Prats & Stelly Rodriguez are glamorous bookends for Lindsay Chandler, Pamela Halvorsen, Elke Brockway, Jackie McNally, Jackie Gregg & Jan Christensen

SOCIAL | LIFESTYLE

! 1 5 , 2 0 1 1

Jim & Kathy Linus with Amy & Bob Brunjes

V E R O B E A C H

them in any way we can. Giving kids a good foundation is the most important thing,” said Comparetta. In addition to supporting a favorite cause, guests were treated to a glittering dining room filled with roses and crystal and enjoyed escargot, crab filled dumplings and veal chops and sipped sparkling wine with cranberries. As guests listened to an assortment of dinner music by “Private Affair,” they were also entertained by the New Century Dance Company, choreographed by Ruddy Sanchez. A program of Strauss waltzes and classical ballet rounded out an evening reminiscent of a beautiful Viennese Crystal Gala. The cocktail party was sponsored by Vero Beach Newsweekly and the Press Journal.

D E C E M B E R

“At the moment, I am still top bidder,” Turner said hopefully. Turner was among many who perused the auction items used to raise funds for the Hibiscus Children’s Center’s $2.5 million yearly budget. Bedell said this was one of the center’s two main fundraising events, the other is their Blue Ribbon Luncheon held at Oak Harbor. “People seem to be much more hopeful and enthusiastic about coming this year and about donating” she said. Ray Comparetta has been attending the winter event for the last eight years. “Having lost two children has made me more connected to children’s causes. This is a great event and along with my wife, Lindsay, who designs the invitation package, we support

N E W S W E E K L Y

Roni Fuster, Linda Teetz and Helen Robertson

Debbie Bedell, Nadja Ricci and Sybille Ludwig

Judy and Tom Peschio with Gwen and Toby Turner

Kim Hardin, Michael Thorpe, Anita Astrachan and Mike Edmonds

V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

Community Calendar Every Friday: Farmer’s Market from 3-6 pm in downtown Vero at the corner of 14th Ave. & 21st St. 772-480-8353. Every Saturday: Oceanside Business Association’s Farmer’s Market, 8 amnoon. Ocean Dr. & Dahlia Ln. www. VeroBeachOBA.com, 772-532-2455. First Friday of Month: Downtown Gallery Art Stroll, art galleries and businesses open house receptions all through downtown. Free event, call 772-562-5525 or 772-299-1234 for info. Second Saturday of Month: Oceanside Business Association Free Concert Series – 5:30-8:30 pm, music, vendors, food and drink. Ocean Dr. 772-532-7983 Dec 15: Patricia Cornwell, “Red Mist, A Scarpetta Novel” book Signing at Vero Beach Book Center, 2145 Indian River Blvd., 6 pm. 772-5692050, theverobeachbookcenter.com. Dec 15: Silver Tones Chorus & Gifford Youth Orchestra Concert, Emerson Center, 1590 27th Ave., Donation $5, 7 pm. 772-469-2062 Dec 15-18: Holidays at McKee, McKee Botanical Gardens, 350 US1, 6-8 pm, Dec 16 holiday concert by VBHS Orchestra at 6 pm. Christmas train, Letters to Santa, music, lights & treats. 772-794-0601, mckeegarden.org. Dec 15, 19, 20 & 22: Tara Plantation Christmas tour, last year interior offices will be open. Park at Central Assembly, 6767 20th St. for shuttles, 6-8 pm, free admission. 772-569-0000. Dec 16: Hope for the Holidays Celebration, 5-7 pm. Jason Pennington from the Wild 95.5 morning show will be at Route 60 Hyundai & Vero US1 Nissan for Toy Drive celebration. Toys & Donations to go to Homeless Family Center. 772-567-5537 Dec 17: Youth Guidance Christmas THURSDAY, DEC. 15

PHOTO BY MALCOLM ALLEN

If you’d like to see one of your photographs published in Vero Beach Newsweekly, please send them to us at verobeachnewsweekly@gmail.com. Photos need to be at least 200 dpi and in jpeg format. Party, St. Helen’s Catholic Church Gym, 2000 20th Ave., volunteers needed, 772-770-5040 Dec 17: Winter Celebration, Schumann Hall Senior Ctr., 686 14th St., 5 pm, music, refreshments, $15, 772469-2062 Dec 17: Winterfest at Pointe West, 1999 Pointe West Dr., 2-6 pm, 30 tons of snow, snow slides, Santa, skating pond, bounce houses, entertainment & tons of activities. Firework finale at 6 pm. 772-794-9912 Dec 17: Kiwanis Club “From Tots to Teens” Golf Tournament benefitting Childcare Resources, The Club at Pointe West, 1999 Pointe West Dr., 7 am, $100 per player. 772-460-0925, verokiwanis.com. Dec 17: Cowboy Christmas, LaPorte Farms, 7700 129th St, Sebastian, local annual holiday tradition with 10 tons of snow, petting zoo, family fun. 4-9

FRIDAY, DEC. 16

SATURDAY, DEC. 17

pm. Free. 772-633-0813 Dec 17 & 18: Handel’s Messiah, 7 pm, First Baptist Church, 2206 16th Ave., Treasure Coast Chorale & Atlantic Classical Orchestra, offering taken. fbcvero.org, 772-567-4341 Dec 18: Hallstrom House Holiday Open House by Indian River Historical Society, 1723 Old Dixie Hwy., candlelight Christmas, 2:30-5:30 pm, $15-$20. 772-778-3435 Dec 18: “The Christmas Puzzle” by Recreation Dept.’s Aerial Antics Youth Circus at the VBHS Performing Arts Center, 2 & 6 pm, tickets $5 & $6 at Leisure Square and Community Center. 772-567-2144, covb.org. Dec 18 & 19: A Heritage Holiday Dinner Show by the Charter High School Chorus & Jazz Band, Heritage Center, 2140 14th Ave., 6 pm, $20. 772-567-6600 x235 Dec 21: Live Nativity, Carols, candle-

SUNDAY, DEC. 18

light communion, Heirs Farm, 5540 8th St., 7 pm, bring a snack to share, 772-5670085, CornerstoneChristianVB.com. Dec 21-23, 26-30: Youth Skate Camp at Skate Factory, 485 27th Ave. SW, 7:30 am-5:30 pm, $22 per day. 772-794-3373 Dec 27-29: Night of Lights, McKee Botanical Gardens, 350 US1, 6-7:30 pm, Christmas stroll through gardens among luminaries, lights & treats. 772-794-0601, mckeegarden.org. Jan 12: Vero Beach Museum of Art Antique Show & Sale Preview Party, 6-10 pm, $75, 3001 Riverside Park Dr., 772-231-0303 Jan 13-15: Vero Beach Museum of Art Antique Show & Sale, Fri & Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 10 am-4 pm, $10. 3001 Riverside Park Dr., 772-231-0303 Jan 14: An Evening in Cannes at Maison Martinique, 6:30-10:30 pm, dinner & dancing to benefit Environmental Learning Center, $125-$200 per person. 772-589-5050 Jan 14-21: Quail Valley Charity Cup Week, Quail Valley River & Golf Club: Jan 14 – Kids’ Fun Run, 7 am, $15-$25; Jan 16 – Gourmet Wine & Chef Dinner, 6 pm, $200 per person; Jan 18 – Shopping for Children, Oceanside Shops, 5:30-8:30 pm; Jan 19 – Duplicate Bridge, 9 am-2 pm, $65; Jan 19-21 – Tennis Tournament, 8 am, $175 per player; Jan 20-21 – Golf Tournament, 9 am, $300 per golfer; Jan 21 – Grand Gala Cocktail Buffet & Auction, 6-10 pm, 772-492-2020 Jan 20-22: Art by the Sea Exhibit by members of Vero Beach Art Club & Museum of Art, Holmes Great Hall, Opening Reception Fri 5-8, Exhibition Sat 10-5 & Sun 10-4, free, 3001 Riverside Park Dr., 772-2310303. VeroBeachArtClub.org. To submit your calendar listing please email: verobeachnewsweekly@gmail.com

MONDAY, DEC. 19

TUESDAY, DEC. 20

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 21

75O 68O

76O 67O

77O 66O

76O 65O

75O 65O

76O 66O

77O 63O

Winds: E 12 mph Chance of Rain 0%

Winds: ESE 9 mph Chance of Rain 10%

Winds: E 11 mph Chance of Rain 10%

Winds: NE 13 mph Chance of Rain 20%

Winds: E 13 mph Chance of Rain 20%

Winds: ESE 11 mph Chance of Rain 60%

Winds: SE 11 mph Chance of Rain 10%

s?;= u oD;O?;TKDGOD;

27 !

Attas also has a Masters of Fine Art in Photography and has worked as a commercial Photographer since 1987. The Patricia M. Patten Community Gallery was formerly knows as the Studio Gallery. Ribbons were awarded as follows:

1 5 , 2 0 1 1 !

People Category 1st place – Jim Riley, Girl with the Pearl Earring; 2nd place – Earl Evans, Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving; and 3rd place – Courtney McKenzie, If Looks Could Kill.

Special Technique – 1st Place Tom Smoyer, Regal Beagle

STAFF PHOTOS

People – 1st Place – Jim Riley, Girl with the Pearl Earring

N E W S W E E K L Y

MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 28

B E A C H

Nature-flora Category 1st place – Shelly Stang, Translucence; 2nd place – Andrea Geldres, Trilogy; 3rd place – Mary Lou Christy, Magical Summer Dew Drops; and Merit Awards – Debbie Garber, New Beginnings and Tom Smoyer, Green Spider on a Sunflower.

V E R O

VERO BEACH -- The Indian River Photo Club’s 2011 Juried Print Exhibition is on view through the end of the year in the Patricia M. Patten Community Gallery of the Vero Beach Museum of Art The exhibition of 50 photographs by area artists is free and open to the public. The show is comprised of members of the Indian River Photo Club as well as non-members, both professional and amateur. Pictures are grouped in seven categories: People, Nature-Flora, Nature-Fauna, Scapes, Still Life, Special Techniques, and Open. The jury of the 153 submitted photos consisted of Marilyn Cook, photography instructor at Brevard Community College with degrees in Fine Art Photography and Photography; Louis Ciszek, a retired professional photographer and photography instructor and Aric Attas, instructor of Creativity, Art, Photography, Web Design, and Photographic History.

D E C E M B E R

Photo Club exhibition winners on view at Museum

ARTS | ENTERTAINMENT

2 0 1 1

PHOTO CLUB FROM PAGE 27

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

Nature-fauna Category 1st place – Mike Ricciardi, Pink Anemone Fish; 2nd place – Ron Bielefeld, Snail Kite; 3rd place – Ursula Dubrick, Coming Up for Air; and Merit Awards – Juanita Baker, My Country Tis of Thee; Ron Bielefeld, Ring Necked Duck; and Susan King, Pelican Wrap.

V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

Scapes Category 1st place – Edwin Link, Wind and Sleet at Sunrise; 2nd place – Billy Ocker, Stormy Sebastian; 3rd place – Charles Kellington, The Mormon Barn; and Merit Award – Richard Baker, Contrast in Fall.

Still Life – 1st Place, Sara Kappel, Cusco Wares

4/2 2)2#"&( 32(42# &,%+%/*+

#%&& )$ '*$"%(! &%,$.,0%( )' *!%

"0*'% 31*-+ ,*$$ &.'!%-+.* &,%+%/*1/# "-./+.,

Sunday, December 18 at 2:30 p.m. “A Stan Kenton Merry Christmas & Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker”

Still Life Category 1st place – Sarah Kappel, Cusco Wares; 2nd place – Donna Green, Masterful Arts; 3rd place – Barbara du Pont, Evais Work is Never Done; and Merit Award – George Bollis, Jr., Crayons, Ribbons, and Flowers.

Special Techniques Category 1st place – Tom Smoyer, Regal Beagle; 2nd place – Earl Evans, The River of Life; 3rd place – Betsy McKean, Converging Containers; and Merit Awards – Patricia Corapi, Happy Skimmer, and Jim Riley, Flaming Wheel. Open Category 1st place – Lisa Willnow, Floating Feather; 2nd place – Jim Cohoe, Mill-End Mystery; 3rd place – Kim Hunt, Imprisoned by my Shadows; and Merit Award – Jim Cohoe, Bay City Reading Room. The Vero Beach Museum of Art is located in Riverside Park. Exhibitions are open to the public Monday thru Saturday from 10 am until 4:30 pm, and Sundays from 1 pm until 4:30 pm. Museum programs are sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Aﬀairs, and the Florida Council of Arts and Culture the Museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums.

Reach the island and beyond Advertise your business to every home on the barrier island, and to communities like Vero Isles, River Wind, Oak Harbor, Grand Harbor, and the Vero Beach Country Club. The Newsweekly gives you the barrier island and more.

Advance tickets – $20 Tickets at the door – $25 Students 18 years of age and under (with identification) – FREE To Purchase Tickets Visit: www.TheEmersonCenter.org or Call (772) 778-5249

!%%#(%%)'"#$&

#.4" %2+! 6($7, 5$-1 3$)&!, /* '%40"

98< 4!$ 1" ';7<$7 ;# 6+4! 147$$4 ( *34! &0$<2$ )4 4!$ .<>4)7>)< .<>0$75)=>54 ?$==;/5!>: ;# -$7; %$)'!,

To learn more, call Martine Fecteau at 772-696-2004 or Mark Schumann at 772-696-5233.

Open – 1st Place – Lisa Willnow, Floating Feather

ARTS | ENTERTAINMENT

ATLANTIC CHILDREN’S CHORALE

SPACE COAST SYMPHONY Various Locations 321-536-8580 SpaceCoastSymphony.org Dec 18: See Emerson Center

COMMUNITY CONCERT SERIES

lively and passionate Central Florida orchestra comprised of professional musicians and select youth players. The orchestra was formed with a two-fold mission: to provide mentoring and performance opportunities for Florida’s finest youth musicians as well as to provide professional-level concerts at genuinely affordable prices. The ultimate goal of the organization is to help ensure the symphonic tradition for the enjoyment of future generations. The third part of the series will be held on March 11, 2012, at 2:30 p.m. when the orchestra presents “Blues, Boogie, Be-Bop and Beyond.” Advance tickets of $20 may be purchased online at www.TheEmersonCenter.org, or by calling the Box Office at 772-778-5249. Tickets at the door are an additional $5. Students 18 years of age and under (with identification) are admitted free. CenterState Bank is the presenting sponsor of the Jazz on Sunday’s trilogy of events.

VERO BEACH OPERA RIVERSIDE THEATER 3250 Riverside Park Drive 772-231-6990 riversidetheatre.com Anne Morton Theatre: Dec 28-30: “My Son Pinocchio,” 1:30 pm, $5-$16 Jan 6, 7 & 8: “My Son Pinocchio,” 7:30 pm, $5-$16 Children’s Theatre: Dec 16-18: The Nutcracker: Swingtime! 7:30 or 1 pm, $12-$18, Students $6-$9 Stark Main Stage:

verobeachopera.org 772-569-6993 Box Office: 772-564-5537 verobeachopera.org Jan 15: The Barber of Seville, 3 pm, Vero Beach High School Performing Arts Ctr., $30-$50, 772-564-5537

VERO BEACH THEATRE GUILD 772-562-8300 2020 San Juan Avenue verobeachtheatreguild.com Jan 12-22: Born Yesterday, $20-$22

SPONSORED BY -90"

/ 8 % % 4 ( - ( 1 89 9 / 4

6$.,357$5*$.

#%&& )$ '*$"%(! "2)'$ 73),* +)## &.'!$,*.)

Concerts: December 18 & March 11

1590 27th Avenue, Vero Beach (772)778-5249 www.TheEmersonCenter.org

N E W S W E E K L Y

VERO BEACH – It is time to jazz up your holidays. “A Stan Kenton Merry Christmas & Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker,” will be presented on Dec. 18 at 2:30 p.m. as part of the Emerson Center’s Jazz on Sunday’s. The holiday jazz show features the Space Coast Jazz Orchestra. This Emerson series is the inaugural appearance for the Jazz Orchestra, which is comprised of 18 jazz musicians handpicked from the Central Florida area. The professional jazz orchestra will present big band arrangements of holiday classics including “O Holy Night,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman,” “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and more. The second half of the concert will feature Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite which transforms Tchaikovsky’s classic into a jazz expression. Ellington and writing partner Bill Strayhorn created this hybrid album in the 1960s. The Space Coast Symphony is a

VERO BEACH CHORAL SOCIETY Trinity Episcopal Church 2365 Pine Avenue 772-569-8165 verobeachchoralsociety.org

B E A C H

INDIAN RIVER SYMPHONIC ASSOCIATION Community Church 1901 23rd Street 772-778-1070 irsavero.org Jan 7: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, 7:30 pm $50 each, season tickets $260-$290

First Baptist Church 2206 16th Avenue 772-567-4341 treasurecoastchorale.org Dec 17 & 18: Handel’s Messiah, 7 pm, donations accepted

V E R O

The Space Coast Jazz Orchestra presents “A Stan Kenton Merry Christmas & Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker,” at the Emerson Center on Dec. 18.

TREASURE COAST CHORALE & FIRST BAPTIST CHORUS

EMERSON CENTER at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 1590 27th Avenue 772-778-5249 TheEmersonCenter.org Dec 18: “A Stan Kenton Merry Christmas & Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker,” Space Coast Symphony, $20-$25/Students, Free. 2:30 pm Jan 14: Arianna Huffington, Celebrated Speakers Series, 4 & 7 pm, $65 Jan 26: Cynthia Barnett - “Blue is the New Green” Florida Humanities Series, 7 pm, Free

SUNRISE THEATRE 116 South 2nd Street Fort Pierce 772-461-4775 sunrisetheatre.com Dec 17: Comedian Sinbad, 8 pm, $39 Dec 21: “A Christmas Carol,” 7 pm, $39/$35 Dec 27: Nutcracker by State Ballet Theatre of Russia, 7 pm, $55/$45 Jan 5: The Nylons, 7 pm, $29/$35 Jan 10: Swan Lake, The State Ballet Theatre of Russia, 7 pm, $39-$55

2 0 1 1

ATLANTIC CLASSICAL ORCHESTRA Jan 5: Pianist Lindsay Garritson, Waxlax Center of the Performing Arts, 8 pm, $55

Community Church 1901 23rd Street 772-778-1070 communityconcertseries.org Dec 15: Atlantic Children’s Chorale, “This Little Babe” Christmas Concert, 7 pm, $15 Jan 13: The Phantom of the Opera, Tom Trenney, organist with film, 7:30 pm, $25

PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Jan 12 - Feb 5: The Full Monty, 2 pm, 7:30 & 8 pm, $57-$73 Skyline Room: Jan 17: New York Supper Club with Christine Ebersol, 6:30 pm, $250, 772-231-5860

1 5 ,

772-469-2310 atlanticchildrenschorale@gmail.com Dec 15: “This Little Babe” Christmas Concert, 7 pm, $15, Community Church, 1901 23rd Street

D E C E M B E R

Jazz Christmas show Entertainment Calendar slated for Emerson Center

pKDKDM

V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

The Mandarin: Asian cuisine that blends well In Vero Beach BY MARK JOSEPH

Enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon, we decided on an early dinner. After hearing so much about The Mandarin, a fairly new Asian restaurant located on 21st Street at Miracle Mile, we knew we were hungry for Asian fare. The Mandarin is more then just a Chinese restaurant. Owned and operated by Joey and Wincy Schlitt, the Mandarin is truly a family affair. Wincy Schlitt’s parents, who are from Korea, both work as chefs in this classy Asian dinner house located on Miracle Mile in the location that once housed the former Carmel’s. Wincy’s parents had prior experience operating successful restaurants in South Florida and last year they brought their culinary talents to Vero Beach. Shortly after opening, The Mandarin closed for a few weeks, but only for the purpose of remodeling. The restaurant has since reopened and now serves lunch and dinner seven days a week. Arriving on a Sunday at 4:30 p.m. seemed to be the perfect time, since there was only one other couple in the dining room at this early hour. Our friendly server Alex who greeted us at the door also personally took care of us for the entire meal. After

taking our seats Alex quickly returned with the traditional bowl of egg noodles which included accompaniments of hot mustard and sweet and sour sauces. The condiments arrived in little ceramic trays; a set for each of us which was a nice personal touch. When our server asked about our drink order we were surprised that we were also not offered a selection from the bar that serves both wine and liquor, so instead we chose our regular Asian dinner favorite of hot tea. The hot tea served in a traditional ceramic tea pot was light and lemony and a nice way to begin the meal. The dining room of The Mandarin included subtle hints of Asian culture in tastefully done deep reds and blacks. In the back corner was a small sushi bar. A sushi chef was preparing for what most likely would be a busy night of sushi and sashimi lovers. The menu -- which was already on the table -- was fairly extensive and included a good selection of both sushi and sashimi dishes including classic Chinese and Cantonese specialties. Though it was difficult to choose, we finally decided on the Capt. Crunchy salmon roll at $10.50 and ginger chicken at $10.95. Since both entrees included a choice of soup or salad, we chose the hot and sour soup and the blend, a mixture of both egg-drop and wonton soups. The soups arrived promptly and both were hot and equally delicious.

The hot and sour soup was indeed spicy hot with chunks of tofu in a deep rich broth. The blend was a thick delicious egg-drop soup with a large tender wonton, an excellent blend of both flavors. Our soups were especially satisfying on a rainy evening. Seeking the comfort of familiarity, we chose the traditional PuPu platter for two as an appetizer and at $15.95 we were not disappointed. Served Lazy Susan-style, the bountiful platter was presented with a flaming hibachi, but only for show since all appetizers were already fully cooked. The impressive selections included two each of teriyaki chicken sticks, fried chicken wings, pork spare ribs, fried wontons and finally two large egg rolls. All items were delicious and well prepared; though we did find the spare ribs to be a bit dry. After this generous appetizer, we questioned our ability to be able to finish entrees that would soon be delivered. As with the first two courses, both entrees’ arrived perfectly timed. The ginger chicken included moist and tender medallions of chicken breast with sautéed’ onions, mushrooms, scallions and sliced ginger. The dish was spicy as advertised and delicious. Though the chicken included the traditional cup of white rice, we were pleased to see that brown rice was an option, but later a bit surprised to discover there was a small additional

charge for this substitution which was not previously mentioned. Our second entree was the Capt. Crunchy salmon roll, served tempura style. The salmon roll arrived with a garnish of an artfully carved orange, a small tower of stacked, thinly shredded carrots and a side of wasabi paste that had been carefully fashioned into the shape of a small leaf. The tempura roll was as good as it looked: delicious bites of salmon, imitation crab, crisp asparagus spears and cream cheese, all tightly rolled together, lightly fried and sliced. The entire dish reflected amazing attention to detail. When our server cleared the final plates and presented us with our fortune cookies, we were surprised that desserts were not offered or suggested; nonetheless, we left very satisfied and even paused to pick up a take-out menu. Amount before tip: $45 The Mandarin - Asian Cuisine Restaurant with full bar 398 2st Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960 772-257-5166 Most major credit cards Hours: Mon-Thurs: 11-2:30 / 4:30-9:30 Fri-Sat: 11-2:30 / 4:30-10 Sun: 4:30 - 9

BW$X 7R FWS H$XX)S J%S$RQ!.R GO) .X* @)N 3).S/R GO), T2V >FF 3WPS E$(Q J)SQ$Y+.Q) ;PS+%.R) W( T2VV ;").R) +W!) -K 8.X&WR .(Q)S ' U! 8P)R*.KL9.QPS*.K >(()S &WW* N$Q% +WPUWX PXQ$" 2I1I'122

<VV2 >+).X HS$O)5 -).+%R$*) 6)SW .+SWRR (SW! DP!$RQWX ;.S#

CAAI0I<2L===< :)R)SO.Q$WXR RP&&)RQ)* (WS Q%S)) WS !WS) 9)SO$X& *$XX)S 8P)R? Q%SP 9.Q?5 (SW! =M<V U!

9)) WPS @G4 !)XP .Q NNN?Q.X&WRO)SW?+W!

Join us in the Wave Kitchen & Bar Christmas Eve Dinner 5:30-10pm or Christmas Day Buffet 11am-3pm Ring in the New Year at Costa d’Este Beach Resort

2 people 0 excuses 1 night 2 cherish Choose the party that is right for you:

Poolside Party with Bobby & the Blisters & DJ Swingsation 7pm - 3am, Dinner Show with Jennifer Patty 8pm, Five Course Pre- Fixe Dinner 7pm & 9pm Take the Elevator Home New Year’s Packages

3244 Ocean Drive I Vero Beach 32963 I costadeste.com I 772.410.0100

7AH? 1936 7M641

Buy $50 Gift Card, Receive a $10 Gift Card FREE!

H)"),T-Q#XY 3Y*)T Q$) 5Q-TS

Z=T: =XQXNYZ HPTQ#S B#"" V"-I#Y% 'TX! (V!J0-! U0W -Q Q$) *XXT V"PS U8 %"-SS)S X' N#Y) -Y* *T-'QS 4-,")S -O-#"-,") 'XT U0GW N#Q$ S)-Q#Y% 'XT R

.2'5*%$, $2+/)2'$- & (1++5$, 1# 4!)30)"2$ )2% '!$$,$ 05)+$ #1/ +!$ +)(5$

V E R O

7")-S) +-"" <<GJ&L(J0WLW 'XT *)Q-#"S -Y* T)S)TO-Q#XYS

3149 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach 231-0208

(/"" %'$*4 5.:)$ / 8$.2 6$*'!- 0+ (&71( / 33&9,179#"1"

B E A C H

www.cravingscookies.com

2 0 1 1

Breakfast • Lunch Lite Dinner • Dessert Visit our online catalog at

1 5 ,

E#YY)T -Y* E)"#%$Q & +XPTS) *#YY)T 6)YXNY)* @-FF EPX KXSS- K"P) #Y Q$) HX,-"Q >XPY%) 'TX! (V!J0-! 5)-Q#Y%S -O-#"-,") ,)%#YY#Y% -Q LV!

For your holiday gift giving! Sweetbreads, Eggnog Rum Cake, CookieTins & HolidayTrays.

Indoor & Outdoor Seating 7 days 6:30am-10pm

D E C E M B E R

A4.5 4A=D 49 6A;C A; 4BD ;D2 1DM6

Gift Cards Ocean Drive

Cuisines of Vero

Now serving our famous

Cannelloni

Now Open Mon. - Sat. 9 AM-8 PM

Homemade crepes filled with freshly ground veal, sausage and spinach, topped with tomato and Bechamel cream sauce. Enjoy your favorite Bruschetta, Veal Parmigiana, Pizzas, Pasta, Subs, Burgers, Salads, Fried Calamari, Wings and much more

Join us for your favorites - our famous breakfast sandwich (9-11am) Prepared by Deirdre Williams Cheeseburgers, Belly Buster Hot Dogs, Grilled Chicken, Turkey Club, Fresh Salads and much more...

Mon-Thurs 11am-9pm, Fri & Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 4-9pm Eat In,Take Out, Beachside Delivery • 231- 9311 1006 Easter Lily Lane (next to Humiston Park off Ocean Dr. in Vero’s Beach)

Celebrating our 30th Anniversary! 917 Azalea Lane ~ (Corner of Azalea Ln & Cardinal Dr)

TCN2637712

Open Monday-Saturday 9 AM-8 PM • 231-4790

TCN2640100

Home of the best pizza in town! Gift Certificates • Holiday Catering More than just awesome pizza...

Pastas • Veal • Chicken • Salads • Subs • Calzones • Beer • Wine

OPEN 7 DAYS 11:30AM-9PM 56 Royal Palm Pointe, Vero Beach • 567-4160 www.pizzoodles.com TCN2642825

N E W S W E E K L Y

CAFE

Italian Restaurant & pizzeria

[O?C ^;6HO Loggia a place to spruce up home and wardrobe this season LISA RYMER VERO BEACH NEWSWEEKLY

A “loggia” is a porch-like structure with a roof that opens on one side to the outdoors. The store, Loggia, which has two locations in Vero Beach, accurately describes the indoor-outdoor feel of its home decorating inventory, while capturing a unique sophistication in day-to-night apparel, jewelry and other accessories. The home and garden store, located on Old Dixie Highway just south of State Road 60, leaped onto the scene about seven years ago when Sandy How finally opened her own home

decorating business. She’d only been decorating her own home and those of friends for three decades. “I carry fun and different stuff,” says How about her boutique, an earlyarrival in the renaissance of downtown’s dine and design district. Prior to moving to Vero Beach, Hoe had owned a jewelry business in Ohio. Entering her store is to be transported to another world, where fabulous furniture and elegant embellishments coexist without clutter, but only bold, clean lines and colors awash in nature. Sea mist green, turquoise blue, to-

mato red and lots of white comprise this season’s palette, although Loggia’s inventory is not dictated by fads. Rather, says How, she buys what she likes. And what’s there not to like about the store’s stunning selection of table linens from France, custom created centerpieces from an array of silk flowers, and mouth-blown glassware by Juliska that is so utterly delicate and beautiful, it is like jewelry for the dining room. In 2007, when the housing market started its downward spiral, How opened a second store on Ocean Drive specializing in women’s cloth-

ing, jewelry and small gifts. By diversifying the store’s inventory, Loggia has been able to survive the current economy. Loggia’s cashmere sweaters are memorable; soft as satin, and cut in fashions that flatter the feminine physique. This year’s ruffle-edged cardigan comes in bright aqua, fuchsia, mango, periwinkle, black and white. A few years ago, a wrap-around cashmere sweater was featured in an ethereal blue gray. As if a justification was needed, but doesn’t everyone know that cashmere lasts forever? For those who eschew cashmere for

V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

STAFF PHOTOS

Lucy Whittemore manages Loggia’s Ocean Drive store that features women’s clothing, jewelry and small gifts.

VERO STYLE

! D E C E M B E R 1 5 , 2 0 1 1 ! V E R O B E A C H

Florida’s sweater-less temperatures, an enchanting cache of tunics and tshirts are as comfortable as they are attractive. Loggia also offers an eclectic collection of big, fun, affordable jewelry pieces interspersed among genuine gold, silver and gemstone designs. The handbags… well, there are plenty to choose from, with one Birken-Bag-lookalike in navy patent leather a particular favorite. Whether it’s shopping for a friend, family or even yourself, “there is something for everyone,” says a weekend customer ducking out of a midday rain shower to purchase a white silk orchid. On top of all that, Loggia carries a variety of scented candles, some unusual such as Japanese quince, others, like hyacinth, are more floral and more familiar. There are also bath and skin care products, rounding out any idea for creating a bathroom sanctuary. As a decorator, How does not follow any hard and fast rules. Her style leans toward antiques with one or two contemporary pieces mixed in.

When the whole room is decorated in a contemporary style, “it looks too cold,” says How. That’s not to say she prefers florals. Not this season, says How. “Geometric patterns are big right now in fabrics with just two colors.” Another furniture staple that has been relegated to a relic of the past is the armoire, long used to hide televisions and other media consoles. With the introduction of everlarger flat screens, the armoire, says Hawl, “doesn’t conform to television technology anymore. “ One trend that How embraces these days is a return of manufacturing to the United States. “I’ve noticed that a lot of my vendors are now promoting made-in-America products,” says How, who continues to add them to her inventory. LOGGIA 1882 Old Dixie Highway Vero Beach (772)770-3009 2900 Ocean Drive Vero Beach (772)231-2901

Entering Loggia is to be transported to another world.

N E W S W E E K L Y

As a decorator Loggia owner Sandra How does not follow any hard and fast rules.

^AC?;=

V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

VBHS boys hoops looking for 3rd consecutive district title BY MICHAEL BIELECKI VERO BEACH NEWSWEEKLY

Heading into the 2011-2012 season, expectations were high for Vero Beach High School Basketball Coach Chuck Loewendick. After 24 years at the helm, it would almost be wrong to expect anything less from a coach with a 489-190 career record at Vero Beach. The Fighting Indians were 3-1 heading into play this week with a game against a strong Martin County team. This would be cause for concern under most circumstances, but Vero Beach’s loss was to Orlando Christian Prep -- which boasted a pre-season ranking of 41st in ESPN’s Powerade Fab 50 national ranking system. Loewendick’s teams traditionally are built upon superior defense, ball control and pre-season conditioning -- and with a front line that tops out at around 6-foot-3, this team is right in line with the teams from the past. But what really stands out about this year’s unit is the senior leadership. “With a lot of seniors on the team this year, there is such a high level of trust between us all,” said senior forward Lance Roache. “With all of the experience we have playing with one another, every single one of us out there knows where each other is going to be at all times. Knowing that about each other makes us a much better team.” Roache, a 6-foot-3, 245-pound bruiser, and senior forward Dwayne Hoilett, a 6-foot-3 230-pound athletic specimen, played tight end and defensive end respectively on the school’s 9-2 football team. Rounding out the front line rotation are senior 6-foot-3 center Cedric Mayes and 6-foot-1 forward Paul St. Mary. Roache and St. Mary are the unit’s effort players, setting picks, playing tough low-post defense and collecting offensive rebounds. Mayes

PHOTO BY SAM WOLFE

Jamario Lambert plays both guard and forward for Vero Beach High School. and Hoilett provide inside scoring and shot blocking to this undersized group of post players. The backcourt is fast and athletic, boasting two of the football team’s top three receivers in Charlie Miller, 5-foot-11, and Jeremy Bell, 5-foot-10. Miller, who averaged 20 points, four

assists and three steals per game last year, is the catalyst that sets the tone for the team on both offense and defense. “We have the most experience and talent every time we step onto the floor in district play,” Miller said. “We’re two-time defending district

champions and we intend on playing like it all year.” Miller, who shares the point guard duties with Bell, is an excellent ball handler, a good t3--point shooter and can dunk to finish off his drives to the basket. In short, he plays about sixinches taller than he is, thanks to the solid-rocket boosters he calls legs. Bell is known for his hounding man-to-man defense. Few players are faster with the basketball in their hand and he runs Loewendick’s team to perfection. It seems no matter how fast he plays, Bell never seems to tire or slow down. Jamario Lambert, standing a lanky 6-foot-2, is the team’s swingman. Depending on who is on the floor, he’s athletic enough to play guard and plays above the rim enough to play forward. Lambert has one of the team’s two 20-point games so far this year (Miller has the other) to go along with a handful of rim-rattling, crowd-pleasing dunks. Senior shooting guard Nick McGoye provides 3-point shooting and another ball handler off the bench, with sophomore guards Javonte Bagley, Brandon Shaw and Will Dawkins all ready to step into the rotation in case of an injury. Most of this team has been playing together since middle school, so great team dynamics is a given. They play the fierce man-to-man defense their coach demands of them and they have some very explosive athletes which can sometimes make their defense seem impenetrable. In a weak, three-team district, it is all but a sure thing they will advance past either Treasure Coast or St. Lucie West Centennial. The only thing keeping the Fighting Indians from reaching the state’s final four could be it lack of height. Connor Moore contributed to this story.

SPORTS

! D E C E M B E R

Vero Beach table tennis scene gaining momentum

1 5 , 2 0 1 1 ! V E R O B E A C H

BY MICHAEL BIELECKI VERO BEACH NEWSWEEKLY

VERO BEACH -- The rhythmic pattering of ping pong balls echoes through the River House in Vero Beach every Monday evening. Men, women and teens -- armed only with ping pong paddles -- scan the air for tiny hollow, plastic balls with determination in their eyes and sweat on their brow. They swat serves, spin volleys and hammer-like, 60-mile-per-hour smashes at one another with fervor. There is no mistake about it; the games are every bit as competitive as they are social. Welcome to the Vero Beach Table Tennis Club – which meets Mondays from 6 to 9 p.m. at the River House, located at 305 Acacia Road on the north side of Riverside Park. This is Vero Beach’s best bet to ﬁnd a decent game of table tennis -- the world’s second-most popular participation sport -- on any given week. “Our players are having such a good time that they want to extend the club to multiple nights.” said club founder Karl Freitag. “With some ex-

tra help from a local business sponsorship, we could host a tournament that brings in players from the other clubs across the state.” The money generated from a tournament would go towards renting the River House out for another night or two per week. Currently, the club members -- who mostly hail from Vero Beach and Sebastian, with a few traveling from as far as Port St. Lucie and Stuart -- pay $5 every week. In order to entice members, a player’s initial visit is free. Freitag hopes that the club can gain enough momentum to eventually support a league. Freitag, 56, started his love aﬀair with table tennis when he was in college. He founded the Vero Beach Table Tennis Club last year mostly because the drive to the closest table tennis club was 60 miles away. Freitag tired of the long trek to play the sport he loved and so he decided to start his own club. Starting with a website and through word of mouth, players were soon meeting at each other’s houses and other local spots for practice and the occasional tournament. After scouring the town for locations and almost

purchasing a warehouse, the club was able to settle down at the River House with the help of Paul Good. In recently celebrating its first anniversary, the club had its first championship tournament. It wasn’t like the first Olympic table tennis match back in 1988, but it was certainly a far cry from the Vero Beach Table Tennis Club’s first meeting of members in Steve Hutchison’s garage. Cielo Galman, who had recently joined the club, went undefeated and took home the first-place trophy.

But for members like Richard Niesler, 72, it isn’t so much about championships as it is about making new friends and getting a little exercise. Even for Freitag, it isn’t about running his own club or about competing at a world-class level. “One thing I look forward to every week is going to the club and having fun with the other members,” he said. For more information about the club, visit www.vbttc.com or call Karl Freitag at (772) 978-7103. Joe Grover contributed to this article.

=8;$ 8# 20 ;8:/!1 84 20%... ;><$1 3'-+, '7" 9'&5- *(44(:/)6

%>? =''A8 #!%$" 9+6 $2:) *4'; 0':> ('.,!

/' 5':4B,' C>:'B#? - %>@'87B, &.:8

*5" - (>8,! &':7BD') 3',!?B,B.?8

111;)>?8B@<>:7;,>@

N E W S W E E K L Y

PHOTO BY JOE GROVER

Ping pong enthusiasts meet every Monday evening at the River House on the north side of Riverside Park.

V E R O

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

2 0 1 1

Obituaries Donna J. Ballard Donna J. Ballard, 75, died Dec. 4, 2011, at her home. She was born in Hammond, Ind., and moved to Vero Beach in 1969 from Indianapolis. She and her husband owned 13 McDonald’s restaurants before their retirement. Survivors include her daughters, Sharon Ellis and Barbara Morey, both of Vero Beach; sister, Sandra Geissendorfer of Schererville, Ind.; brother, Bill Stevens of Highland, Ind.; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, 1030 N. Orange Ave., Orlando, FL 32801.An online guest book is available at www.coxgiffordseawinds/obituaries.php.

Hope Dinan Hope Dinan, 92, died Nov. 17, 2011, at Consulate Health Care of Vero Beach. She was born in Stamford, Conn., and moved to Vero Beach 18 years ago from New York. Survivors include her daughters, Patricia Martinez and Sharon Smyth, both of Vero Beach; son, Dennis Dinan of Vero Beach; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the Cancer Foundation, 6211 S.W. 37th St., Davie, FL 33314.

the Vero Beach Art Club exhibiting in and chairing the Art In the Park and Art by the Sea shows for many years. Her work was seen at the Vero Beach Museum of Art, John Turchin Gallery of Fine Art in Banner Elk, N.C., and private collections. Survivors include her husband of 40 years, Richard of Vero Beach; son, Dr. Mitchell Maulfair of Orlando; and three grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the Florida Hospital Foundation, Bone Marrow Transplant Program, 2809 N. Orange Ave., Orlando, FL 32804.

Milbern Bates Milbern “Bill” Kinard Bates, 72, died Nov. 26, 2011. He was born in Biloxi, Miss., and moved to Vero Beach in 2006, coming from Miami. He was the founder and president of Life Appreciation Training Seminars, a company for training death-care professionals in the funeral industry. Survivors include his son, Kevin Bates of Bend, Ore.; daughter, Lisa Harvey of Princeton, N.J.; and three grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society , P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123. A guestbook is available at www.coxgiffordseawinds.com.

Vinodkumar Brahmbhatt Phyllis Maulfair Phyllis Maulfair, 70, died Nov. 28, 2011, at Florida Hospital, Winter Park. She was born in Newark, N.J., and lived in Vero Beach since 1975. After college at the University of Miami and Rutgers University, she studied commercial art and fashion illustration in New York and attended the Heritage School of Fine Art in South Orange, N.J., where she studied with John R. Grabach, NA. After a 25-year career in the fashion industry working with Bill Blass, Pierre Cardin and Givency, she retired and turned to developing her artistic talents. Her work was seen in Vero Beach art shows, and she was an integral part of

lived in Vero Beach for 55 years, coming from Pikeville. Before retirement, she worked in an auto shop for years. Survivors include her daughters, Stella Stock of Vero Beach, Mae Eason of Ohio and Enetta Knepper of Idaho; sons, Bill Young and Donnie Coilye, both of Fort Pierce; sister, Jean Dautherty of Atlanta; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association , 1100 E. Ocean Blvd. Stuart, FL 34996. A guestbook is available at www.aycock-hillcrest.com.

Vinodkumar A. Brahmbhatt, 69, died Dec. 4, 2011, at Indian River Medical Center. He was born in India and lived in Vero Beach since 1983, coming from his birthplace. Survivors include his brothers, Indravadan Brahmbratt and Girish Brahmbratt, both of Vero Beach; and sisters, Kumud Brahmbratt of North Carolina, Kokila Inamdar of Texas and Madhu Barot of India. A guestbook is available at www.lowtherfuneralhome. com.

Margie Campbell Margie G. Campbell, 95, died Dec. 4, 2011, at her home in Vero Beach. She was born in Pikeville, Ky., and

Thomas Messmann Thomas Duane Messmann, 59, died Dec. 2, 2011, at VNA Hospice House, Vero Beach. He was born in Fort Wayne, Ind., and lived in Vero Beach for 11 years, coming from Denver. He was a painter and a chef. Survivors include his companion, Marge Williams of Vero Beach; stepmother, Lois Anzini of Sebastian; sons; Thomas of Ohio and David of New York; daughters, Joline of New York and Jessie of Colorado; brother, Michael Stieglitz of North Carolina; and sister, Tamra Annett of Sebastian. Memorial contributions can be made to Dogs and Cats Forever Animal Shelter, 4600 Selvitz Road, Fort Pierce, FL 34981. A guestbook is available at www. seawindsfh.com/obituaries.php.

Harry Condry Harry Faye Condry, 69, died Dec. 2, 2011, at Indian River Medical Center. He was born in Charleston, W.Va., and lived in Vero Beach for the past seven years, coming from Federal Way, Wash. He worked as the catering manager for SAS and then Flying Foods, which provides in-flight meals to airlines. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Chaine des Rotisseurs, achieving the title Chef de Table. Survivors include his wife of 14 years, Aleyda; daughter, Pamela Brackeen of Dallas; sons, Steven Condry of Tulsa, Okla., and David Condry of

Caddo Mills, Texas; sister, Mary Jo Pack of Morganton, N.C.; and seven grandchildren. A guestbook is available at www.aycock-hillcrest.com.

Jeanette Conquest Jeanette Conquest, 90, died Dec. 3, 2011, at Indian River Medical Center. She was born in Muncie, Ind., and lived in Vero Beach since 1986. She and her husband owned a grocery store and an insurance agency. She was involved with local politics and held many political offices during her career. She served many years on the Republican Executive Board of Indian River County. She served on the board of the Republican Women’s Club, the Association of Professional Insurance Women, and Business and Professional Women. Her devotion to local and state politics resulted in her receiving the Key to the City presented by the governor. She attended Asbury Methodist Church in Vero Beach. Survivors include her daughter, Judith Robertson of Vero Beach; two grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. A guestbook is available at www.coxgiffordseawinds.com.

Leslie Cottrill Leslie R. Cottrill, 89, died Dec. 5, 2011. He was born in Flushing, Mich., and was a winter resident of Vero Beach. He was a real estate developer. He developed Seven Lakes State Park located between Flint and Detroit. Survivors include his daughters, Sue Ann Albayya and Cathy Jo Cottrill; son, Craig R. Cottrill; sisters, Phyllis and Joyce; companion, Sharon Walker; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Northwest Michigan.

Robert DeVoe Robert B. DeVoe, 70, died 3, 2011, at his home. He was in Ellenville, N.Y., and lived in Beach for 12 years, coming

Dec. born Vero from

OBITUARIES

Ethel Yatteau Ethel Reppert Horhun Yatteau, 92, died Dec. 5, 2011, at her home. She was born in New York City and moved to Vero Beach 40 years ago from Sunset Lakes, N.J. She worked for Ethicon Pharmaceutical before her retirement. Survivors include

Elizabeth Kelley Elizabeth A. Kelley, 83, died Dec. 8, 2011, at VNA Hospice House. She was born in Dorchester, Mass., and lived in Vero Beach for 30 years, coming from her birthplace. She was a parishioner at St. Helen Catholic

Harry C. “Charles” Ormiston Harry C. “Charles” Ormiston, 80, died Dec. 7, 2011, at Indian River Medical Center, Vero Beach. He was born in Horseheads, N.Y., and came to Vero Beach in the early 1960s. He worked as a flight instructor at Flight Safety, Vero Beach. He was a multi-engine instructor there and was transferred to a New York Flight Safety facility where he qualified on multi-engine jets and did testing for airline pilots qualifying certificates. Upon leaving Flight Safety, he was employed as a pilot with U.S. Air, from which he retired in the late 1980s. A guestbook is available at www.coxgiffordseawinds.com.

N E W S W E E K L Y

Karl Hollers Jr., 79, died Dec. 10, 2011, at the Indian River Medical Center, Vero Beach. He was born in Blowing Rock, N.C., and lived in Vero Beach since 1960, coming from his birthplace. Before retirement, he was the parts manager for Arnold Ford Sales in Vero Beach for over 30 years. He was a founding member and past president of the Indian River Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America, and a member of First Baptist Church in Vero Beach. Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Barbara Hollers of Vero Beach; sons, Daniel Hollers of Las Cruces, N.M., and Michael Hollers of Vero Beach; sister, Janice Shatley of Collettsville, N.C.; three grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer/Parkinson Association of Indian River County, 2501 27th Ave., Vero Beach, FL 32960. A guestbook is available at www.coxgiffordseawinds.com.

Carol Aileen O’Brien, 74, died Dec. 6, 2011, at Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa. She was born in Boston and lived in Vero Beach for 25 years, coming from Detroit. She was a former manager of the Harold Grant Store, Vero Beach. She was a member of Holy Cross Catholic Church, Vero Beach. Survivors include her husband of 53 years Miles O’Brien Jr. of Vero Beach; son, Miles O’Brien III of Chevy Chase, Md.; daughter, Aileen Graef of Vero Beach; brothers, Philip Riley of Wellesley, Mass., and Kevin Riley of Brighton, Mass.; and four grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Moffitt Cancer Center, 12902 Magnolia Drive, UTCFOUND, Tampa, FL 33612-9416. A guestbook is available at www. strunkfuneralhome.com.

B E A C H

Linda Sweazey, 68, died Dec. 5, 2011, at the VNA Hospice House, Vero Beach. She was born in Clinton, Ind., and lived in Vero Beach for 27 years, coming from Indiana. She worked as an administrative assistant for New Horizons of the Treasure Coast. Survivors include her husband of 40 years, Samuel L. Sweazey; daughter, Summer Lynn Sweazey of Vero Beach; sister, Carolyn Hollingsworth of Clinton, Ind.; and two grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to VNA Hospice House, 901 37th St., Vero Beach, FL 32960. A guestbook is available at www.coxgiffordseawinds/obituaries. php.

Karl Hollers Jr.

Carol O’Brien

V E R O

Harry D. Foxwell Sr., 76, died Dec. 6, 2011, at home. He was born in Washington, D.C., and lived in Vero Beach for 27 years, coming from Fort Lauderdale. He was a heavy equipment operator for Dennis L. Smith in Vero Beach for many years. Survivors include his wife of 27 years, Beverly Foxwell of Vero Beach; sons, Harry Foxwell Jr. of Micco, Richard Foxwell of Sebastian, Robert Foxwell of Barefoot Bay, Rusty Dalberg of Vero Beach and James Dalberg of Fort Myers; daughters, Dana Hanlon and Robin Dove, both of Sebastian, and Patricia Foxwell of Fort Lauderdale; brothers, Kenneth Foxwell and Michael Foxwell, both of Fort Worth, Texas, and David Foxwell of An-

Linda Sweazey

Hearne Neely Jr., 90, died Dec. 6, 2011, at VNA Hospice House, Vero Beach. He was born in Brooklyn and lived in Vero Beach for 34 years, coming from Long Island. He worked at Long Island Lighting Co. for 25 years. He served in the Army during World War II. He was a member of the Antique Car Club of Vero Beach. Survivors include his daughter, Wendy Keenan of Ballground, Ga.; sisters, Marion Bauer of Vero Beach and Elizabeth Milner of Boca Raton; and two grandchildren. A guestbook is available at www.strunkfuneralhome. com.

Harry Foxwell Sr.

Tony A. Harr, 43, died Dec. 4, 2011, at his home. He was born in Parkersburg, W.Va., and lived in Vero Beach for five years, coming from New Smyrna Beach. He was a manager for the Pilot Travel Centers. He served in the Marines, where he worked in the armory. Survivors include his wife of 18 years, Robyn; son, Payton Harr of Vero Beach; daughter, Courtney Harr of Vero Beach; parents, Larry and Connie Harr of Titusville; brothers, Troy Harr of Titusville, Jody Harr of Titusville, Dana Harr of Parkersburg; and sister, Machelle Homan of Parkersburg. Memorial contributions may be made to VNA Hospice House, 1110 35th Lane, Vero Beach, FL 32960. A guestbook is available at www.coxgiffordseawinds.com.

Hearne Neely Jr.

Church and a member of the Polish American Club. Survivors include her sons, Paul Kelley, Richard Kelley and Mark Kelley, all of Vero Beach, Daniel Kelley of New Hampshire and Brian Kelley of Georgia; daughters, Bernadette Kelley and Donna McGrath, both of Vero Beach; eight grandchildren; and three greatgrandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to VNA Hospice House, 901 37th St, Vero Beach, FL 32960. A guestbook is available at www.coxgiffordseawinds/obituaries. php.

2 0 1 1

Dorothy Yorke Flynn, 96, died Dec. 2, 2011, at Divine Senior Care, Fort Pierce. She was born in Boston and moved to North Palm Beach in 1981 before moving to Vero Beach in 1988. She was a member of St. Helen Catholic Church in Vero Beach. She was a life member of the DAV and charter member of the AMVETS; a member of the Irish American Society; AAUW; Legislative Chairman of AARP of Northern Palm Beach County and a member of the Democrat Club. Survivors include two nieces and two nephews. Memorial contributions may be made to the Treasure Coast Hospice Foundation, 1201 S.E. Indian St., Stuart, FL 34997. A guestbook is available at www. coxgiffordseawinds.com.

Tony Harr

her three nephews. A guestbook is available at www.coxgiffordseawinds. com.

1 5 ,

Dorothy Flynn

napolis, Md.; sisters, Catherine Droll of Annapolis and Linda Coulson of Canton, Pa.; 13 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. A guestbook is available at www.seawindsfh. com/obituaries.php.

D E C E M B E R

Wallingford, Conn. He was the unit commissioner for the Boy Scouts of America in Hamden, Conn., serving in the Quinnipiac District. Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Sandra P. DeVoe of Vero Beach; sons, Daniel D. DeVoe of West Haven, Conn., and Robert J. DeVoe of Colchester, Conn.; daughter, Lynette A. Simpson of Wallingford; sisters, Evelyn LaVan of Stuart and Mary VanHoutan of Monticello, N.Y.; and seven grandchildren. A guestbook is available at www.strunkfuneralhome.com.

38 2 0 1 1

Real Estate

Address 917 Coquina Ln., A-6 5601 Highway A1A, #308-S 1335 Winding Oaks Cr. E, #1004

Address: Subdivision: List Date: List Price: Sell Date: Sell Price: Listing Broker: Listing Agent: Selling Broker: Selling Agent:

12954 Highway A1A Ambersand Beach 2/11/2011 $649,000 12/1/2011 $600,000 True Blue Realty Tigger Lilley True Blue Realty Tigger Lilley

Address: Subdivision: List Date: List Price: Sell Date: Sell Price: Listing Broker: Listing Agent: Selling Broker: Selling Agent:

1755 Sand Dollar Wy. Seagrove 4/20/2011 $549,000 12/6/2011 $475,000 Norris & Company Bob Faller Alex MacWilliam Charlotte Terry

Address: Subdivision: List Date: List Price: Sell Date: Sell Price: Listing Broker: Listing Agent: Selling Broker: Selling Agent:

1240 Spanish Lace Ln. Castaway Cove 11/9/2009 $450,000 12/6/2011 $380,000 Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc. Cliff Lamb Dale Sorensen Real Estate, Inc. Cliff Lamb

Address: Subdivision: List Date: List Price: Sell Date: Sell Price: Listing Broker: Listing Agent: Selling Broker: Selling Agent:

210 Peppertree Dr. S, #25 Peppertree 12/17/2010 $325,000 12/5/2011 $315,000 Dale Sorensen RE North Tripp Hernandez Dale Sorensen Real Estate, Inc. Christine Hughes

Subdivision Seahorse Beach Robles del Mar SEA OAKS

B E A C H

N E W S W E E K L Y

D E C E M B E R

1 5 ,

Barrier Island Real Estate Sales â&#x20AC;&#x201C; December 1-December 7

List Date 4/19/2010 4/5/2010 10/1/2011

List Price $129,000 $95,500 $99,000

Sell Date 12/1/2011 12/5/2011 12/1/2011

Sell Price $125,000 $95,000 $90,000

Listing Broker/Agent Coldwell Banker Ed Schlitt VB/Pat Zangre Weichert, Realtors Hallmark-VB/Lorry Gartner Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc./Christine Hughes

Selling Broker/Agent Dale Sorensen Real Estate, Inc./Elizabeth Sorensen Weichert, Realtors Hallmark-VB/Lorry Gartner NMLS/NMLS AGENT

Mainland Real Estate Sales â&#x20AC;&#x201C; December 1-December 7

V E R O

Address: Subdivision: List Date: List Price: Sell Date: Sell Price: Listing Broker: Listing Agent: Selling Broker: Selling Agent: Address 1978 Grey Falcon Cr. SW

Subdivision Falcon Trace

List Date 5/27/2011

Address: Subdivision: List Date: List Price: Sell Date: Sell Price: Listing Broker: Listing Agent: Selling Broker: Selling Agent:

4177 Abington Woods Cr. Abington Woods 10/4/2010 $229,900 12/1/2011 $225,000 Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc. Christine Hughes Coldwell Banker Ed Schlitt VB Vance Brinkerhoff List Price $250,000

Sell Date 12/6/2011

Sell Price $210,000

Listing Broker/Agent Dale Sorensen Real Estate Inc./Sallie Brooke

4560 Bridgepointe Wy., #144 Bridgepointe 8/12/2011 $234,900 12/7/2011 $220,000 Weichert, REALTORS Hallmark-VB Lorry Gartner Dales & Company Real Estate Sally Daley

Selling Broker/Agent Weichert Realtors Hallmark-VB/Wendy Browning

Humane Society Pets Of The Week

Bindi

Billy

Oreo

Danny

Snowball

3 Years Old Domestic Shorthair Female

7 Years Old Chihuahua Mix Male

7 Years Old Cocker Spaniel Mix Female

4 Years Old Domestic Shorthair Male

9 Months Old Turkish Van Mix Male

1 1/2 Years Old Turkish Angora Mix Female

These and other animals are available for adoption at the Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County located at 6230 77th Street. For directions and information call (772)388-3331

6+23 2&($16,'( aaaaaaaa aaaaaaa aaaaaaa aaa

Intimate Apparel

Children’s

Fine Linens Shoe Salon and Boutique

3301 Ocean Drive | Vero Beach, Florida 32963 | 772.231.4655

3385 Ocean Drive Vero Beach 231-2772

Take

20% Off

Those Special Last Minute Finds! *Some exclusions apply.

Come See Our Beautiful Christmas Showroom Windows!

Featuring Unique Gifts for Everyone! Home De´cor · Linens · Sleepwear · Gourmet Foods · Children

The Village Shops N. A1A · www.elegance-interiors.com · (772)234-7333

Vero Beach NEWSWEEKLY 1801 U.S. 1 Vero Beach, FL 32960

40” LED

****************ECRWSS*****

Local Postal Customer

/N v 3ONY )NTERNET 46 0OWERED "Y GoogleTV

PRSRT STD

U.S. POSTAGE PAID FORT PIERCE, FL PERMIT NO. 173

T H U R S D A Y

D E C E M B E R

v ,%$ 3/.9 ).4%2.%4 46

1 5 , 2 0 1 1

WWW *ETSON0OWER"UY COM s TH 3TREET 6ERO "EACH s

F R E E

APPLIANCE & ELECTRONICS EXPERTS