martin county currents oct/nov 2013 vol. 3 issue #6

Volume 3 Issue 6October/November 2013

FREE

Heard flushes common sense for Flash Beach Grille Pg 12

Trailers in ZeusPark? pg 25

No apathyshowing. . . yetAttendance at a regular Rivers Coalition meeting

spills beyond the room’s capacity signaling acontinued interest in all things river related.

pg 30

At the Indiantownrodeo!... pg 22

Preservationistscelebratehistory. pg 14

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Critical testimonyin the Lake Pointmining and water

restoration projectlawsuit against envi-ronmentalist MaggyHurchalla for tortiousinterfence in theirjoint contract with thecounty and the SouthFlorida Water Man-agement District willcome from Commis-sion Chair SarahHeard. She likely willbe implicated in

claims by Lake Point that Heard is attempt-ing to either hide or has destroyed secretcommunications with Hurchalla about theLake Point rock mining operation in south-western Martin County.

Lake Point has asked that MartinCounty Circuit Court Judge James McCannorder Commissioner Heard to sit for a dep-osition to explain alleged “missing” emailsabout Lake Point after Heard informed theLake Point attorneys that her private emailaccount had been “hacked,” and all heremails except those from the previous threeweeks had been deleted, according to courtrecords, thus she was unable to comply withtheir requests.

Lake Point requested all the emails fromCommissioner Heard’s private account refer-encing Lake Point after the commission chairallegedly “parroted” Hurchalla’s commentsabout the Lake Point operation during acounty commission meeting, the suit alleges,and since Heard routinely conducts countybusiness from her private computer.

Her email had been a Yahoo, web-basedaccount, thus the emails still would have beenrecoverable, according to the Lake Point attor-neys, but their efforts to recover them havebeen thwarted by Heard’s private attorney,Scott Zappolo. No deposition date is expectedto be set, according to attorneys, until the mo-tions to dismiss charges against Hurchalla havebeen heard, and court dates are set in that case.

Lake Point also has asked for depositionsfromMelissa Meeker, former executive direc-tor of the South Florida Water ManagementDistrict, and Kevin Powers, the SFWMDboard member representing Martin County.

Attorneys for SFWMD have asked for a“protective order” from the judge for bothMeeker and Powers, stating that they shouldnot be compelled to testify. The motions willbe argued before Judge McCann Nov. 12 at8:30 a.m. in theMartin County courthouse.�

The first hearingOct. 11 in the LakePoint mining caseagainst environmentalist Maggy Hurchalla,whose attorneys argued that her rights areprotected under the U.S. Constitution’s first-amendment protection of free speech, resultedin a dismissal of one count for injunctive relief,which was refiled.

Hurchalla’s attorney, Trey White of The

Rock Law Group, argued that Lake Point’slawsuit was intended only to preclude Hur-challa‘s ability to communicate with her electedofficials, and that Hurchalla’s public criticismof Lake Point had been shared by others.

“In the legal realm,” White added, whilearguing his motion to dismiss the charges,“this is considered pure speech.”

McCann disagreed.“If that’s the case, there would be no ar-

gument,²” the judge said. “They’re allegingthat Ms. Hurchalla did it in a way that’s notfair, not right, and not protected.”

Therefore, the charge of tortious inter-ference (interfering with Lake Point‘s con-tracts with the county and South FloridaWater Management District and with LakePoint’s ability to conduct business) will standuntil the case is settled or goes to jury trial inMartin County, a change of venue fromPalm Beach County where the suit originallywas filed.

In Lake Point’s first filing against Hur-challa on Feb. 20, attorney Ethan Loeb ofTampa asked a judge to order Hurchalla to re-tract her statements, particularly that LakePoint mining had destroyed 60 acres of wet-lands and that the operation was not in com-pliance with county code.

The suit contends that although Nikki vanVonno, director of theMartin County Growth

Management Depart-ment, stated that nowetlands had been de-stroyed on the LakePoint property, Hur-challa continued toclaim their destructionin emails to Commis-sion Chair SarahHeard, and which ulti-mately resulted in code

enforcement action against Lake Point.The county also sent a letter to the South

Florida Water Management District encour-aging them to “dismantle” their agreementwith Lake Point.

“The county commission took actionbased on Ms. Hurchalla’s false statements,”Loeb told the judge.

The Martin County Commission ap-proved a final site plan in 2007 for an agricul-tural subdivision on the Lake Point RanchesParcel of approximately 1,000 acres of the2,266-acre Lake Point site. As part of the2007 development order, the County author-ized Lake Point to excavate and haul approx-imately two million cubic yards of lime rockfrom the subdivision.

The recession of 2008 precluded furtherdevelopment, and an interlocal agreementsigned among the county, Lake Point officersand the South Florida Water ManagementDistrict officials in 2009 changed the project’sdirection to that of a stormwater managementand water treatment project.

Florida’s first public-private partnershipfor environmental restoration, the Lake PointRestoration Project was made part of theNorthern Everglades Restoration Plan tobenefit the Florida Everglades, which ex-empted the property from the county’s landdevelopment regulations, the suit contends.

About 10 percent of the water flowingfrom the C-44 canal would be cleansed atLake Point as a stormwater treatment area be-fore entering the St. Lucie, according to

3

continued on page 4

Sarah Heard.

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013 News Stream

10No apathy, yet, though

discharges abateAttendance at a regular RiversCoalition meeting spills beyondthe room’s capacity signaling acontinued interest in all things

river-related.

4More alarms raisedabout Comp Plan

changesMore than just large landowners

object. The state also issued a sternwarning to Martin County that ithad overstepped its legal boundswhen rewriting the Comprehensive

Growth Management Plan.

Features

All the articles and opinion pieces are authored and/or edited by Publisher Barbara Clowdus, except as otherwise noted.All the typos, mistakes, grammatical errors, omissions, and misspelled words are hers alone, too. The good photos are takenby someone else. All contents are copyrighted 2013 Martin County Currents.

Maggy Hurchalla.

DirectoryEDITORBARBARA [email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

SUBSCRIPTIONSwww.MartinCountyCurrents.com, click on SUBSCRIBE

16IRSC President Edwin

Massey laudedDr. Edwin Massey, president of

Indian River State College, thoughthe was only to give a speech at

the annual Business DevelopmentBoard Awards Luncheon. He alsohad been tapped for one of the

organization’s highest awards, justa few weeks prior to Massey beinghonored as one of the nation’s mostoutstanding college presidents.

25Keeping ‘trailers’out of Zeus Park

Some Hobe Sound residents inthe Zeus Park neighborhood areprotesting the arrival of a modular

home on Apollo Street.

Columnists

Maya EllensonArt Kaleidoscope....27

Suzanne BrileyHopscotch … 30

Rich VidulichPompano Reporter … 31

Barbara ClowdusUnfiltered …. 12

Gordon BarlowOutside, Looking In... 12

Now offering FREE electronic subscriptionsto Martin County Currents.Go to www.MartinCountyCurrents.com and click on SUBSCRIBE.That’s all there is to it! You will begin receiving your copy each monthsent directly to your email inbox, along with periodic opinion pieces.

Calendar... 28-29

South Florida Water Management officials,who agreed to take possession and manage thestormwater treatment project after mining iscompleted in 20 years.

Lake Point obtained state mining permitsfrom the Florida Department of Environ-mental Protection, as well as the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers. The suit also contendsthat the county agreed to terminate the 2007Development Order after Lake Point obtainedthose permits; however, the county commis-sion refused to authorize the county staff toterminate the development order, an action al-legedly based on Hurchalla’s comments.

Several motions for dismissal have beenfiled and counter-filed, and will get first hear-ings on Jan. 29 before Judge McCann.�

The state ofFlorida Departmentof EconomicOpportunity told Martin County: You betterrethink the Comp Plan rewrites, becausethey’re not legal as they now stand.

That’s the same charge found in four law-suits filed by landowners in September thatchallenged the rewrites saying that the countyhas created a new and broader definition ofwetlands than allowed by the state; that alandowner can be forced to “restore” anychanges to drainage on their property regard-

less of how long agothey occurred or bywhom; that thecounty has the rightto take 25% of thenative upland habitatof a developmentwithout compensa-tion; and that all newdevelopment must“support, further andfight for a safe,

healthy and ecologically balanced St. LucieRiver and Indian River Lagoon,” which willeliminate too many other industries from con-sideration for economic development, accord-ing to land attorney Robert Raynes of Stuart,representing Midbrook 1st Realty that ownsHobe Grove, a proposed 2,800-acre develop-ment about 10 miles west of Hobe Sound.

“What happens when a research institutewants to locate here?” he asks. “It can’t happen(under these amendments), because thatwould not comply with the county’s rewritesthat say only industries that promote the riverwill be accepted.That’s not environmentalism,and I don’t believe that’s what people intendedwhen they supported these rewrites. Peoplejust do not know how these amendments willaffect them, even if they’re not big landown-ers, because they simply were not told.”

In addition to the landowners, a suit hasbeen filed by the South Florida Water Man-agement District charging that the county isattempting to usurp its authority to controlwater resources in the region, and a letter fromthe Department of Agriculture to the state

has charged that the county cannot overridestate law to interfere with bona fide agricul-tural uses of land.

The Pacific Law Foundation also sent aletter to Commission Chair Sarah Heard onOct. 22 stating that although the public in-terest law firm, which was established in1973, assumed that the county “did not in-tend to deliberately infringe” on the constitu-tional rights of property owners in MartinCounty, but as they are written, “the hundredplus pages of amendments raise serious con-stitutional concerns over the manner inwhich the revisions burden, restrict, and limitprivate property rights in numerous ways,which PLF believes are likely to result in anillegal taking of private property.” They alsowarn the county that lawsuits are expensive.

After the Departmentof EconomicOpportunity reviewedthe commission’s final changes to its Compre-hensive Growth Management Plan adoptedin August, it notified Commission ChairSarah Heard in a letter Sept. 25 that the issuesraised by the Department of Agriculture andthe South Florida Water Management Dis-trict were “significant” and exceeded thecounty’s authority.

“According to the reviewing agencies, theCounty appears to be attempting to adopt alocal approach to water-management andagriculture-management issues that theFlorida Legislature has specifically

found warrant a statewide and regionalapproach,” saidWilliam Killingsworth, direc-tor of the Division of Community Develop-ment, in its letter to Heard.

“Comprehensive plans are intended toregulate growth and development,” the De-partment of Economic Opportunity lettercontinued. “Agricultural uses, however, areexpressly excluded from the definition ofdevelopment.”

The comp plan rewrites attempt to changethe agricultural status of lands for tax purposesif a development has been proposed, accordingto state officials, even while that land still isengaged in bona fide agricultural purposes,and they prohibit the removal of “native” veg-etation on agricultural lands, which manyfarmers call “clearing weeds.”

State statutes that established the growthmanagement law also require that the amountof land designated for future land uses, accord-ing to Killingsworth, “shall provide a balanceof uses that foster vibrant, viable communitiesand economic development opportunities.”

That lack of balance for land use was oftencited in the four legal challenges brought bylandowners in their legal petitions for admin-istrative hearings. The legal petitions alsocited the county’s

—lack of specific standards based on sci-entific analysis and data, and adopting, in-stead, broad, undefined terminology such as“natural conditions” and “quality of life;”

—setting conflicting standards to deter-mine population growth, in some sections re-ferring to “peak population,” which includesseasonal residents, and in other sections, “per-manent population,” residents who live in thecounty year round;

—and limiting commercial and industrialuses based on housing demand.

The lawsuits assert that population shouldnot be a determinant of which industries andif a particular industry should or should notlocate in Martin County, and that the lack ofdefined standards leads to arbitrary interpre-tation of development regulations by countycommissioners.

The landowners filinglawsuits againstMartin County includeBecker Holdings, owner of 10,000 acres offarmland on theTreasure Coast, ConsolidatedCitrus, RunningW.Citrus andTesoro Groves(King Ranch and Ag-TEC), Lake Point PhaseI and Lake Point Phase II rock mining andwater restoration project, and Midbrook 1stRealty (HobeGrove), all asserting that the newamendments “create undefined and inconsis-tent standards that are impossible to administerin a fair, predictable manner,” said Brian Sey-mour, representing Midbrook 1st Realty.

“(The amendments) were created and thenapproved by a majority of commissioners usinga process that did not meet the requirements ofthe law,” Seymour continued, “and did not ad-vise the public of what was truly happening.Residents and landowners were not told howthese changes would affect them.”

Former county commissioner MaggyHurchalla, who authored the rewrites and a1982 co-author of the original Comprehen-sive GrowthManagement Plan, disagrees, as-serting in the website she created for publicinput, www.martincompplan.com, that all en-tities, agencies and the general public hadample opportunities to comment at publichearings, workshops or posting directly on herwebsite, which posts portions of comments bythe South Florida Water Management Dis-trict, the Department of Economic Opportu-nity, the Department of EnvironmentalProtection and the Department of Agricultureprior to the county’s final adoption of theamendments August 13.

The changes or responses offered by Hur-challa in concert with county Growth Man-agement Department staff in response tothose comments also are posted, as well as theassertion that the county does have the au-thority to regulate water resources through itscomprehensive plan.

“The amendment clearly states that poli-cies will be consistent with state law,” Hur-challa added.

Apparently, the South Florida WaterManagement District, did not consider thedisclaimer sufficient, as it filed its own legalchallenge by petitioning for an administrativehearing, and both the SFWMD and the De-partment of Agriculture requested that theDEO also file its own legal challenge, al-though it declined, due to its “limited re-sources” and considering that five other legalchallenges had been filed.

The DEO encouraged the county to ad-dress “the significant concerns” raised by theSFWMD and the agriculture department “byentering into a compliance agreement,” thusavoiding the cost of litigation.

In the meantime, the amendments maynot be applied to any past or future develop-ment order until ruled on by the administra-tive judge and the DEO, which will reviewthe judge’s ruling, is satisfied that the amend-ments comply with state law.�


Robert S. Raynes, Jr.

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continued from PAGE 3

The new membersappointed by theBoard of CountyCommissioners to each of the seven Neigh-borhood Advisory Committees, which wereofficially dissolved in February this year, wereannounced in September.Meetings have beenscheduled to begin this month.

“We are hopeful that residents will be re-energized to become and to remain active intheir communities,” said Kevin Freeman, direc-tor of the Community Development Depart-ment and county liaison between the NACsand the county commission. “This is really agreat opportunity for them, because they’llhave a more direct line to the commissioners.”

TheHobe SoundNACneeds no added en-couragement from the county to become active,since many residents in the Zeus Park neigh-borhood, some of whom are NAC membersand former NAC members, have been sendinga torrent of emails to county commissioners ex-pressing their dissatisfaction that a modularhome suddenly appeared on a lot in their estab-lished neighborhood of site-built dwellings.

“This would not have happened if thecounty had just left the previous CRA(Community Redevelopment Agency)alone,” said Mike Ennis, former chair of theHobe Sound NAC, at a community meetingcalled to decide a plan of action regarding themodular home.

“Before the county commission took overthe CRA last year (November 2012), thingslike this (modular home) would have beenbrought before the local NAC members,” headded, “and we would have discussed it, de-cided what the community wanted, and thenit would have gone before the CRA....Every-thing had to be approved by the county com-mission, of course, but the idea was that thelocal communities had to be informed first,and they got to vote, and to have their say.That’s the way it should’ve been done.”

Decisions that were made previously bythe CRA will now fall to the county commis-sion, which appointed themselves as theCommunity Redevelopment Agency, ratherthan having an independent, all-volunteerboard of residents.

Instead of meeting monthly, as the previ-ous CRA did, the plan approved by the com-mission calls for quarterly meetings on thesame days as county commission meetingswith a set time of 4:30 p.m. instead of at 6p.m. The commission will meet as a CRA onNov. 19, which will be televised on MCTV.

Other new criteria includes funding,which previously was guaranteed for redevel-opment activities through a percentage of taxincrement funding, but the new ordinanceadds that funding will be available only “iffunds are available.”

NAC eligibility also now requires thatmembers be registered voters for a minimumof one year. The commissioners also decidedthat up to two residents who live no morethan half a mile outside of the CommunityRedevelopment Areas also are eligible for ap-pointment, and that the NAC serves only asan advisory group to “provide feedback on im-plementation and prioritization of projects.”Decisions will be made by the commissionersat CRA meetings.

In a press release to NAC members, the

Community Development Department calledthe November meetings “a workshop session…. to welcome the recently appointed mem-bers and introduce them to the CommunityRedevelopment Program.” Residents of all theneighborhoods also are encouraged to attendin addition to the NAC members.

Those appointed to the local NACs, andtheir terms, are as follows:

GOLDEN GATEJan Dalcorso, a property owner, whose termexpires in 2014. Joseph Hatton III, a resident,whose term expires 2015. Mariann Moore, aresident, term ends 2016. Althea Redway,business owner, term ends 2017. MichaelWilchak, a property owner within a half mileof Golden Gate CRA, term ends 2017.

HOBE SOUNDMike Baker, a property owner within a halfmile of the Hobe Sound CRA, term ends2014. Bruce Duncan, a business owner, termends 2015. Angela Hoffman, a resident, sen-ior manager and property owner, term ends2017.Gretchen Reich, a resident and propertyowner, term ends 2017. Luis Reyneri, a resi-dent and property owner, term ends 2017.

INDIANTOWNCraig Bauzenberger Sr., a resident, term ends2014. Donna Carman, business owner, termends 2014. Catherine Deninger, a resident anda property owner, term ends 2016. JohnMatson,a resident, term ends 2017. Bernice Simpson, aresident and property owner, term ends 2017.

JENSEN BEACHSharon Adams, a resident, business owner,senior manager and property owner, termends 2014. Glenda Burgess, a property ownerwithin a half mile, term ends 2015. StephenDutcher, a property owner, term ends 2016.Maria Lindberg, a resident, business owner,and property owner, term ends 2017. RobertMcElroy, property owner within a half mile,term ends 2017. Frank Wacha Jr., a businessowner, senior manager and property owner,term ends 2017.

OLD PALM CITYCraig Ahal, a resident and property owner,term ends 2014. Joseph Gilio, a resident andproperty owner, term ends 2015. Jane Lan-drum, a resident and property owner, termends 2016. Douglas Legler, a resident andproperty owner, term ends 2017.Thomas Ply-male, a resident, business owner, and propertyowner, term ends 2017. Mike Searle, a resi-dent and property owner, term ends 2017.Tracy Seegott, a resident, business owner, sen-ior manager and property owner, term ends2017. Rex Sentell, a business owner and prop-erty owner, term ends 2017. Chuck Smith, aresident, business owner and property owner,term ends 2017.

PORT SALERNOEllen Asselin, a resident and property owner,term ends 2014. Gloria Burns McHardy, aresident and property owner, term ends 2015.Cynthia Oakowsky, a resident and propertyowner, term ends 2016. Edward “Butch”Olsen Jr., a property owner, term ends 2017.Catherine Winters, a resident and propertyowner, term ends 2017. Karen “Mike” Wor-den, a resident, business owner and propertyowner, term ends 2017.

RIOMyra Galoci, a resident and property owner,term ends 2014. Debra Harsh, a resident and

property owner, term ends 2015. RobertHoza, a resident and property owner, termends 2016. Jim Lopilato, a resident and prop-erty owner, term ends 2017. William Skaryd,a resident and property owner, term ends2017. Robert Taylor, a resident and propertyowner, term ends 2017. M. Brent Waddell, aresident and property owner, term ends 2017.David Wishart, a property owner, term ends2017. Rick Zurich, a resident and propertyowner, term ends 2017.

Each NAC may have up to nine members,according to Freeman. “The only NAC thathad more than nine applicants was the OldPalm City NAC,” said Freeman. “In the otherNACs, all who had applied and met the eligi-bility requirements were appointed.” �

The county’sCommunityDevelopmentDepartment announced its schedule of meet-ings with the Neighborhood Advisory Com-mittees for each of the communityredevelopment areas. All meetings are at 6p.m. and the public is encouraged to attend.

The Golden Gate NAC will meet Mon-day, Nov. 4, at the Cassidy Community Cen-

ter, 2895 Fairmont Street, in Stuart.The Hobe Sound NAC will meet

Wednesday, Nov. 6, at the Hobe Sound Com-munity Building at 8980 Olympus Street inHobe Sound.

Port Salerno NAC will meet Tuesday,Nov. 12, at the Port Salerno Civic Center,4950 SE Anchor Avenue in Port Salero.

The Indiantown NAC will meet Wednes-day, Nov. 13, at the Elisabeth Lahti Libraryon Warfield Avenue in Indiantown.

The Old Palm City NAC will meet Nov.18 at the Palm City Community Center inLeighton Park, 2701 SW Cornell Avenue,Palm City.

The Jensen Beach NAC will meet at theJensen Beach Community Center on JensenBeach Blvd., in Jensen Beach.

The Rio NAC will meet at the Rio CivicCenter, 1255 NE Dixie Highway, in Rio atthe Rio Civic Center.

All meetings are open to the public, andneighbors, business owners and interested res-idents are encouraged to attend. Plans foreach area’s revitalization will be discussed. Formore information, contact Nakeischea Smithor Edward Erfurt, of the Community Devel-opment Department. 772.463.3288.

The results of the meetings will be re-ported to the Board of County Commission-ers by Kevin Freeman, director of communitydevelopment. �

5Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013 News Stream

Howl Halloween Ghoula, and Cindy Mor-ley, of Eventful Moments, were among hun-dreds who attended this year’s fundraiserOct. 25 to benefit the Treasure CoastWildlife Center.

The Barn Theatre cast member performeda live shadow performance of The RockyHorror Picture Show, and the NouveauxHonkies jammed throughout the ghoulishevent. In a Flagler Center draped in blackswags, a dessert bar tempted party-goers with

a bubbling cauldron of caramel for dippingfruit, compliments of Eventful Moments.

“Thank you to all of the sponsors andparticipants who attended this year’s Ghoulato help support the Treasure Coast WildlifeCenter,” said Dan Martinelli, the center’s ex-ecutive director. “All proceeds from the eventassist with the rehabilitation and return ofsick, injured or orphaned wild animals totheir natural environment.” For more infor-mation, go to www.tcwild.org. �

Michelle Pouch, Michele VanderArk,Barbara Thommes, all from Tentlogix,the presenting sponsor of the Owl’s

Indian Street wears the crack-sealed dress becoming more common on Martin County roads.

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013 News Stream 7

must be doing something right. The NewMt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church onPettway Street in Hobe Sound celebrated its104th anniversary with a two-day celebra-tion the last weekend in October that in-cluded an all-day Children’s Fun Day onSaturday and an outdoor service under a tenton Sunday.

“Some said it would be too hot to have anoutdoor service,” said Pastor David George,in a voice that vibrates the marrow of your

bones, “but we have a breeze...God gave usair-conditioning when we needed it...as Hedoes provide all things.”

Every time the church reached whatmight seem to be an insurmountable obstacleover its long history, said Deacon LarryDover, a Gomez resident, whatever wasneeded seemed just to appear, such as whenthey decided to pave the lot next to the churchfor their older residents and to build sidewalksto make it safer for their children.

“The county’s regulations made it so ex-pensive, it seemed impossible at first,” Doversaid, while the parking lot was under construc-tion two years ago, “but then people startedhanding us checks. They saw what we weretrying to do, and they wanted to help.” Evensome who were not members.

No one was surprised, though, becauseGod seems to have a way of knowing what isneeded and when, and the New Mt. ZionMissionary Baptist Church is living proof.

Evidence among scientific and medicalcircles continues to mount that Tai Chi ishighly effective in combating the incidence offalls by older Americans. Floridians FightingFalls in Hobe Sound announced that weeklyclasses taught by Audrey Burzynski, acertified “Tai Chai for Better Balance” in-structor, are available now in Hobe Sound.

The class will be conducted from 10 to 11

a.m. at the First UnitedMethodist Church ofHobe Sound, 10100 S. E. Federal Hwy., onMondays and Wednesdays. The session runsthrough Wednesday, Dec. 18, but attendeesmaybe join at any point. The cost is $5 perclass, but is a benefit of many insurance pro-grams. For more information, contactBurzynski at the Floridians Fighting Falls of-fice, 772.932.7264. �

Evidence amongscientific andmedical circlescontinues to mount that Tai Chi is highly ef-fective in combating the incidence of falls byolder Americans. Floridians Fighting Falls inHobe Sound announced that weekly classestaught by Audrey Burzynski, a certified “TaiChai for Better Balance” instructor, are avail-able now in Hobe Sound.

The class will be conducted from 10 to 11a.m. at the First UnitedMethodist Church ofHobe Sound, 10100 S. E. Federal Hwy., onMondays and Wednesdays. The session runsthrough Wednesday, Dec. 18, but attendeesmaybe join at any point. The cost is $5 perclass, but is a benefit of many insurance pro-grams. For more information, contactBurzynski at the Floridians Fighting Falls of-fice, 772.932.7264. �

Ashort but significant hearingSept. 10 on one phase of thefinal site plan to build residen-

tial homes at The Floridian seemed toconfirm the criticism that a 75-footshoreline protection zone exceeds whatis necessary to adequately protect theSt. Lucie River from water run-offacross chemically treated lawns.

The plans submitted by environ-mental consultant Ed Weinberg, ofEWConsultants in Stuart, at the FinalSite Plan Phase II hearing during acounty commission meeting receivedhigh praise from all the commissioners,including from Commission ChairSarah Heard, a proponent of 75-ft set-backs even for hardened shorelines.

The design proposed by Weinberg, whoholds a bachelor of science degree in biology, amaster of science degree in oceanography, andhas 25 years’ experience as an environmentalconsultant, told the commission that he hadbeen asked to design shoreline enhancements“beyond the minimum” required, which in-cluded a water-retention wall and double thenumber of native plants than is legally required.

“Construction of this retaining wall en-ables the potential water quality impacts ofthe lot development to be minimized because100% of the runoff from the developed lotarea is directed to the surface water manage-ment system,” Weinberg said, “thus prevent-ing any runoff from the developed lot area

from entering the river directly.”He also added a “shoreline slope area” that

resulted in an average shoreline protectionzone of 35 feet and includes rip rap already inplace, some turf from the former golf course,and some mangroves, but no other vegetation.The plans call for fully replanting the areawith native vegetation, he said, which is out-lined in the Preserve Area Management Plan(PAMP) that specifies nine different speciesfor diversity and nearly 13,000 plants, includ-ing additional mangroves.

The retaining wall and the shorelineplantings will be completed prior to the saleof lots to individual homeowners, thus en-suring the development’s shoreline protec-tions, according to Weinberg, and also not

required by the Comp Plan.The plan will allow developer, Houston

businessman Jim Crane, to build 10 single-family, waterfront homes in a proposed re-design of the former Floridian golf course thatincludes a 6,000-square-foot fitness spa, a golflearning center, 46 residencies, five cottageson a golf-course lake, and five homes on aspoil island. Commissioners voted 4-to-1 forapproval with Commission Chair SarahHeard dissenting.

The oft-cited criticism of the shorelineprotection requirements of the recentlyrewritten-but-contested amendments to theComp Plan is that the now 75-foot distancerequired of already hardened shorelines is an“arbitrary figure with no scientific basis,” ac-

cording to land attorney Robert S.Raynes Jr., who represents the Floridiandevelopment.

Raynes helped craft some excep-tions to the Comp Plan amendmentsaddressing the shoreline protectionzone for 1982 lots of record that aresmaller than an acre, but the argumentof many land attorneys, homeowners,real estate brokers, environmental engi-neers and others is that the 75-foot re-quirement is excessive, the need isunsubstantiated, and its potential fornegative effects on property values areunnecessary.

“This is already affecting some localhomeowners,” said Raynes, whoworked with environmentalist Maggy

Hurchalla and Commissioner John Haddoxon the shoreline supplemental exceptions.

“They’ve discovered that they suddenlycannot put a swimming pool in their backyard that they’ve planned for some time,” hesaid, “which is not only frustrating and hurtsthe real value of their property, but imposes arequirement that also genuinely is not neces-sary in protecting our waterways.”

The rewritten shoreline protection zonerequirements of the Comp Plan will be re-viewed, along with the other amendments,by an administrative law judge as a result ofpetitions filed in September by severallandowners and the South Florida WaterManagement District. �

Floridian shows potential in shoreline protection

A church that’s been part of acommunity for more than a century

Hobe SoundMinistriesannounced thisseason’s schedule for the 17th Singing Christ-mas Tree at Hobe Sound Bible College. The

event, attended last year by more than 7,000people, features 75 singers among a lightedChristmas tree with thousands of lights, a 25-piece orchestra, a children’s choir and a dramacast of 50. The first production will beWednesday, Dec. 4, and again on Fridaythrough Sunday, Dec. 6-8, at 7 pm eachevening. (No presentation on Thursdaynight.) Flying angels, kings and shepherds,holy family, live music, and the message andlights of the season all are part of this annualtradition in Hobe Sound. Admission is free,but an offering will be received. For more in-formation, go to www.hobesoundsing-ingtree.com, or call 772.546.5696.The HobeSound Bible College is at 11295 Gomez Av-enue in Hobe Sound. �

The county Parksand RecreationDepartmentofficially took over responsibilities for tourismthe first of October from the former Conven-tion and Visitors Bureau. The county com-mission had been critical of the CVB’sperformance and voted not to renew its con-tract Sept. 28.

Under the leadership of Parks Depart-ment Director Kevin Abbate, the countypublished an RFP (request for proposal) “to

independently analyze and report on thecounty’s destination marketing opportuni-ties and challenges,” according to a countypress release.

The county hopes to find an independentdestination marketing expert to define the is-sues and concerns of stakeholders, to proposea tourism marketing organizational structure,revise the tourism strategic plan, provide rec-ommendations regarding allocation of bedtax collections, and recommend changes to

the Tourism Development Council’s dutiesand powers. The deadline to submit propos-als is Nov. 6.

The next meeting of the Tourism Devel-opment Council, which is open to the public,will be Nov. 13 at 3 p.m. in the commissionchambers of the Administrative Center, 2401SE Monterey Road in Stuart.

For more information about the meeting,contact Shannon Nazzal, recreation andtourism administrator, at 772.221.2328. �


CelebratingThe History of Hobe Sound

Join AuthorPaula Cooperat Harry & the Nativesfor a Book Signing

Thursday, Nov. 216 - 8 p.m.

Recognizing Those Who Assisted and Sponsored thePublication of Hobe Sound's First Pictorial History

A treasuredChristmas gift, too!

Harry & the NativesFederal Highway &Bridge Road Intersection,Hobe Sound

freight train.The last of the major hurdles forthe All Aboard Florida passenger rail servicefell in October, when a much-needed right-of-way between Cocoa and Orlando was fi-nally obtained, according to a recent report inthe Orlando Business Journal.

The Orlando-Orange County ExpresswayAuthority Board unanimously approved aneasement purchase agreement with AllAboard, Florida, a sister company of FECInc., based in Coral Gables. The agreementallows All Aboard Florida to construct its railinfrastructure immediately parallel to theState Road 528 corridor, the only portion ofthe route fromMiami to Orlando that alreadydoes not have FEC tracks in place.

It also means that construction can beginin 2014 to lay a second track within the FECright-of-way between Cocoa and Miami, in-cluding Martin County.

The railroad will run passenger trainshourly betweenMiami and Orlando and backto Miami, right through Martin County be-tween 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., with stops only inFort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.

The $1.5 billion private investment in-cludes building train stations in Miami, Ft.Lauderdale and West Palm that also willhouse retail stores, restaurants and hotels, aswell as constructing bridge and grade crossing

improvements along the entire route.The only bridge that will not be replaced

is the St. Lucie River railroad bridge, built inthe late 1920s by Henry Flagler and stillstructurally sound, it will remain the only sin-gle-track section in the entire system. It alsowill require some freight trains, which are upto two miles long, to stack along sidings,probably in Rio, to give the right of way to thepassenger trains.

Since the 900-foot-long trains will needto slow down (they will be traveling at 110mph through Martin County and 125 mphbetween Cocoa and Orlando), Stuart Cityofficials are pushing for a train station stop inStuart. The Martin County Commissionopted out of a federal grant for $1.2 millionlast year to help build a train station in Stu-art, so the city will need to pursue its ownfunding options.

“We’d like for them to stop here,” saidPaul Nicoletti, Stuart city manager, at a meet-ing in October of railroad officials, govern-ment officials, and representatives of theTreasure Coast Regional Council, which iscoordinating the project, at Stuart City Hall,but other cities vying for stops are Cocoa,Jacksonville, and Tampa, all of whom alreadyhave made entreaties to the railroad to extendthe rail service. �

Plans for a passenger rail servicealong Florida’s east coast aremoving along ...well, as fast as a

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013 9

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Though the discharges had stoppedand the river was beginning to re-turn to its more natural blue-green

color shortly before the most recent RiversCoalition meeting Oct. 24, the publicturnout at the coalition’s regular monthlymeeting showed no signs of disengagement.

In fact, attendance exceeded “standing-room-only” at Stuart’s City Hall, spillinginto the chamber’s hallway.

Abood gave credit, in part, to the fact thatthe guest speaker was former Lee Countypolitician Ray Judah, an outspoken opponentof the Florida sugar industry, particularly U.S.Sugar, one of the largest owners of the agri-cultural lands south of Lake Okeechobee thathave been optioned by the state for purchase.No funds, however, have been allocated byany legislative body or by the South FloridaWater Management District to exercise thatoption, which expires in 2020.

“Fifty thousand acres is all that’s neededto finally, finally have a permanent solution,”Judah told the gathering, which would pro-vide a flowway south for excess water duringrain events, instead of being discharged intothe St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers.

That purchase would entail removing ap-proximately 15% of the sugar-owned landsfrom sugar-cane production, which oppo-nents say would severely affect employmentin rural areas.

Judah counters that having degraded wa-terways on both coasts and damaged fish-eries as the result of the discharges cause justas much unemployment, if not more, andthat a construction project of the magnitudeproposed by Plan 6 would, in fact, increaseemployment opportunities.

Sitting in the audience was J.P. Sasser,mayor of Pahokee, a rural city “on the rim”of Lake Okeechobee, who testified beforeSen. Joe Negron’s Senate Select Committeeon the St. Lucie River and Indian River La-goon in Tallahassee during September.

“The people to the northeast andnorthwest think they can fix their rivers’problems by sending all the water southand drowning us out,” Sasser testified, asreported in Sunshine State News. “Wehaven’t had a seat at the table yet, and wethink it’s time we’re included.”

Sasser told the Senate panel the “sugartowns” south of Lake Okeechobee numberabout 85,000 in population, and he re-minded the Rivers Coalition audience thatit’s not just two or three sugar companies

farming south of the lake.“When it comes to the sugar industry,

there’s more than one,” Sasser said. “Thereare many, and some are small, individualfarmers.”

Abood told Sasser that “it took a lot ofguts for you to be here tonight, but I wantyou to know, we appreciate it.”

Both activists agreed that the situationwill require cooperation and a unified effort,and both agreed to spend more time on op-posite coasts. “We got a big, big thing to fixhere,” Sasser said.

What happened?According to South Florida Water Man-agement statistics, we had the wettest startto the rainy season (May through July)since 1968; the wettest April through Sep-tember since 1960; with above averagerainfall in Martin County, a 26% above av-erage rainfall on Lake Okeechobee, and a20% above average rainfall on Evergladesagricultural lands.

As a result, the St. Lucie Estuary and In-dian River Lagoon suffered from massivedischarges of LakeOkeechobee water—released because theintegrity of theHoover Dike wasthreatened—esti-mated to have beenmore than 130 billiongallons from Maythrough October, re-sulting in toxic algaeblooms, high bacterialevels, millions ofpounds of sediment,and five times the an-nual pollution limitset for phosphorous and nitrogen by the De-partment of Environmental Protection, ac-cording to Mark Perry, executive director ofthe Florida Oceanographic Society and aproponent of Plan 6 to move water southand eliminate the need for discharges.

“In the St. Lucie Estuary we now have100% mortality of oysters, an estimated 80%loss of seagrass habitat and the St. LucieInlet State Preserve reef is covered with silt,”he said. “I’m sure our coastal reefs are reallygoing to show some destruction too.”

Thousands rallied in protest, and local,state and federal politicians paid attention,although many residents criticized what they

considered was a slow response. The StateSenate Select Committee was formed (withits report due the first week of November)with a promise of additional funds from thestate budget including a million dollars toreplenish oyster beds and replant seagrasses;Governor Rick Scott visited the St. LucieLock (but did not acknowledge the 300 pro-testors gathered), which resulted in a pledge

of $40 million forthe C-44 canal proj-ect and $90 millionover the next threeyears to raise an-other two miles ofthe Tamiami Trail,currently blockingwater flow into theEverglades.

Rehabilitationwork continues onthe Hoover Dikewith new contractsawarded recently bythe Army Corps of

Engineers to help repair culverts aroundLake Okeechobee, and the SFWMD ex-panded its water farming and initiated otherprojects to move water south.

Congressman Patrick Murphy organizeda bipartisan congressional hearing thatbrought national attention—in large partbecause 40 advocates were willing to travelto Washington D.C., many by bus—andSen. Bill Nelson convened a scientist round-table. Commissioner Ed Fielding hasformed a six-county collaborative of IndianRiver Lagoon counties to coordinate localefforts and set priorities, which will meetagain Nov. 6 in Indian River County.

What’s next?More than 40 statewide organizations areactive in the fight to save the St. Lucie, In-dian River Lagoon and Caloosahatchee es-tuaries, and most propose these priorities:

—Hold polluters accountable. The waterin Lake Okeechobee is clean, says J.P. Sasser,“just ask our scientists,” and all the citiesaround the lake are on sewer systems, notseptic tanks. The pollution comes from thewater flowing into Lake Okeechobee fromthe north, due to fertilizer, stormwater,wastewater, and sewage, which then getsflushed into the St. Lucie and Caloosa-hatchee Rivers.

Quantifiable reductions in phosphorousand nitrogen (which septic tanks do not re-move from waste) should be mandatory andon an established timetable for all watersflowing into the Okeechobee basin. MartinCounty also needs to begin a serious andconcerted effort to move residents off septicsystems to a sewer system, particularly forproperties adjacent to water bodies.

—Store more water on private landsnorth of Lake Okeechobee and in the estu-ary basin, which will require funding projectsthat partner public agencies with landownersto store water on farms and ranches.

—Demand that state and federal politi-cians follow through with funding for all 15of the Everglades restoration and KissimmeeRiver restoration projects, including CEPPand the Indian River Lagoon South Project,and demand that they make Plan 6 the “verynext Everglades Restoration Project to befunded,” said Mark Perry, and he added amessage for residents: “Stay mad. Stay onfire. Stay connected.” �

—Barbara Clowdus

Residents are remaining engaged in river issues as evidenced at the regular meeting of the RiversCoalition on Oct. 24, which filled up every seat inside Stuart City Hall chambers.

A concern often expressed by Leon Abood, chairof the Rivers Coalition, a diverse group of interestswho have been fighting to stop the seasonalLake Okeechobee discharges into the St. LucieRiver for more than 15 years, is “how to keeppeople engaged, when they’re no longer enraged.”

Will apathy return since discharges ended?

ANOTHERRALLY PLANNED

Local activist Evan Miller an-nounced that a second Phipps Parkrally at the St. Lucie Lock and Damwill be held Saturday, Nov. 9, at 10a.m. to celebrate the end of the dis-charges, and “to send a message toour politicians” that voters are pay-ing attention and staying involved.

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013 11

Voices12

Editorial: Heard flushes common sense from decision


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We’ll destroy our democracy, one (good) religion at a time

The dilemma facing the owner and operator of Flash Beach Grille in Hobe Sound, Anita and Robert

Breinig, got little attention in the press when they went before the county commission in October asking for relief.

The enforcement of Comp Plan protections for a tiny, isolated, weed-infested patch of ground directly behind their restaurant on Bridge Road...not behind their lot, but imme-diately behind their back door...could force this viable-but-struggling Hobe Sound restaurant out of business.

Even more chilling were some of the commissioners’ responses to their plight, which foretell what’s at stake for residents in the upcoming fight over the commission’s recent amendments to the Martin County Comprehensive Growth Management Plan.

Commissioner Anne Scott’s response to the Breinigs, however, was welcome relief from the usual lock-step behind Commission Chair Sarah Heard, who made it abundantly clear that common sense has no hold on her decisions.

“We’re not even allowed to mow the weeds anymore,” Anita Breinig told county commissioners at their Oct. 22 meeting. The Breinigs use that spot of ground to park their fully licensed and duly inspected mobile catering trailer—actually, they depend on it—to fulfill the outside catering requests that keep their business afloat.

After they chased out a vagrant from the lot, who had started camping out there, and put up a fence to keep out

others, they started getting code viola-tions from the county. The problem? That area is part of the “preserve” that the original owner had been required by the county to set aside decades ago and is protected by a Preserve Area Management Plan (PAMP).

Long forgotten, except for occasional and sporadic violations issued over the years, the Breinigs did not know about the PAMP and would not have known when they purchased the property, because the violations did not show up in the usual title search.

They decided to fight to keep their business open by getting an exemption from the rules. They hired an environ-mental consultant who analyzed the property and determined that what was growing in that lot were, indeed, weeds, which was reported to the commission.

They attempted to work with the county growth management staff to comply, but the two alternatives presented to them both still required removal of the trailer, leaving them no choice but to take it to the commission.

“We just cannot operate our business without that trailer,” she told them.

Commissioner Ed Fielding found their unwillingness to remove the trailer in spite of receiving code violations “troubling.” We find it even more trou-bling that Fielding would prefer that they shut down their business, which is what essentially he was demanding that they do.

Fortunately for the Breinigs, Commissioner Scott has eaten at that

restaurant, which is right on Bridge Road and on her way home to Jupiter Island. She has met the owners, may even at times have used their catering service, but even if not, anyone who has eaten at Flash Beach Grille gets to know either Anita, or Robert, or their daughter, because they give their customers that kind of attention.

They also work hard, dedicating excruciatingly long hours to their business, which anyone with a restau-rant—or any small business for that fact—knows all too well. The options in front of them undermine their success: selling, probably at a loss now that the PAMP is recorded with their deed, restoring native plants on that isolated PAMP, which may well be required by the county, or hiring an attorney—all are beyond their means.

Scott reminded the commission that one of the primary purposes of PAMPs is to provide a wildlife corridor, which is impossible if they’re isolated and surrounded by other development as is the case at Flash Beach Grille. She proposed a temporary solution: that the county stop issuing violations to the Breinigs while county staff investi-gates how many “micro-PAMPs are out there,” and wait for the staff’s study to determine the best course for managing them.

The commissioners, by law, could not just eliminate that one particular PAMP, which is what the Breinigs had hoped for, but can only approve changes to it--unless of course an amendment to

the Comp Plan introduces some alterna-tives for these isolated, tiny parcels of soil that do not genuinely contribute to wildlife conservation or to environ-mental protection.

The backlash from environmental activist Ginny Sherlock was swift, as evidenced on her blog the following day: “The decision of all but Commissioner Heard to suspend compliance with the Plan for this property owner until the rules can be changed was disturbing and raises concerns about your commitment to our Comp Plan.” That sounds like a threat.

It also demonstrates clearly that neither common sense nor an under-standing of the Comp Plan’s require-ment that a balance must exist among environmental protections, economic opportunity, individual property rights, choices in housing, and arts and culture in order to create a vibrant community.

We cannot subjugate all else, including the Breinigs, to arbitrary envi-ronmental regulation, which also forms the basis of the legal arguments against the rewritten Comp Plan amendmen

That’s not environmentalism, and more to the point, that’s NOT what resi-dents want. They want common sense and balance.

This is an Opinion PageYou’re invited to share yours here by sending an email to [email protected], or post a comment on our website at www.MartinCountyCurrents.com.

Ignorance and religion will destroy this democracy. Most of you who just read my first sentence had a

visceral reaction. What do you mean I’m ignorant? My religion is the one true religion, and it will not destroy this democracy. Yours will.

The First Amendment prohibits the making of any law “respecting an establishment of religion,” or impeding

the “free exercise of religion,” known commonly as freedom of religion. Implied is the pact that if we the people grant religious self-determination to everyone, then each and every person assenting with that freedom must also grant that liberty to the rest of us.

So why are so many politicians and their constituents trying to ram their religion down everyone else’s throat? Why are laws being passed all over this country to stifle and curtail the free expression and practice of that freedom, and why are you the voter allowing it to happen?

Religion, the formal worship of a divine being, takes many forms. If we are truly to be the democracy the founding fathers envisioned, then all religions must be tolerated, including those who choose not to believe at all. All religions and their doctrines must be excluded from government, and government necessitates that, by law, it must remain impartial to all; to do less demands measurable proof that your consecration is the one true devotion. That substantiation simply does not exist.

The next time your selected represen-tatives starts with religious discourse, ask them to stick to issues that can be legislated, unless of course you wish to

have a religion prescribed to you, as did the early colonists who fled England.

Ignorance is simply the lack of doing your homework. To some degree we are all guilty of not doing our homework, espe-cially when it comes to politics. We find it easier to use subjective knowledge than to research the truth, which by the way is usually exceedingly hard to come by.

I think it, therefore it is true. For example, it is not hard to find an expert on the economy, the debt, global climate change, abortion, doomsday scenarios, Syria, international relations, god, sex, education and so on. Almost any coffee shop, bar, restaurant, park, street corner, or neighborhood has an abundance of experts, but when you begin to question the proficiency of the person making a statement about an issue, you typically find out they don’t have a clue. It’s just, “I think it, therefore it is true”… ignorance.

Ignorance will destroy this nation. It is incumbent upon every citizen to demand the truth in all things public. It is incumbent on every citizen to do homework about the issues. It is incum-bent upon every citizen to consider the impact on all of the citizens of this country when deciding who will get your vote, not just those in your socio-

economic caste. There is not a single one among us

who can live independent of the society we live in, despite what the doomsday preparers would have you believe. We are far better off having an informed, questioning electorate than one that is ignorant, unreceptive, and acquiescent.

The First Continental Congress undertook a monumental task of contriving a document that would define a nation, which took a few goal-oriented brilliant men and women to bring this country into existence as an independent realm with so lofty a goal as freedom and equality for all in all things human. There are other countries that have attained similar status, but only after America displayed for all that such a nation can thrive.

America today has equally bril-liant men and women, but we lack an unselfish compass heading. Like the founding fathers who directed their altruistic efforts toward establishing this democracy, we need to conquer our ignorance, set aside personal religious beliefs, and work towards a country and a world where all of us are as equally treated within our society as we are anthropologically evolved.

By Bruce Duncan, Guest ColumnistHobe Sound

13Voices

Syria and the human-rights experiment

Pet peeves revisited...one more time


Barbara Clowdus

Unfiltered

Gordon Barlow

Outside, Looking In

Publisher and Editor Barbara ClowdusWebsite Design Sonic Fish StudiosMartin County Currents, formerly Hobe Sound Currents, 2652 SE Janet Street, Stuart, FL 34997. The entire contents are Copyright 2013; all rights reserved. Phone: 772.245.6564www.MartinCountyCurrents.comeditor@[email protected]

Whenever this column’s topic is pet peeves, readers promptly send me theirs. Much to my

surprise, their pet peeves apply most often to me. Thus far, they’ve included:

—Slow walkers on a sidewalk. Guilty. I’d rather stroll, but I should tell you that I also talk, think and write slowly—just in case any of those peeve you, too.

—Jangling, noisy jewelry. Guilty. I wear a charm bracelet that jingles whenever I’m typing or moving about a room, which tops the lists of more than one person complaining about that tiny tinkling noise.

—Wind chimes hanging from trees. What? You consider wind chimes to be noise, too? Guilty again.

See? The whole exercise can be somewhat injurious to one’s ego.

Other irritants readers have written to me about, though, hardly seem to be true ”peeves,” such as whistling as someone works.

Holy cow, I revere people who can whistle. Period. And if they’re whistling while they’re working, they’re exception-ally happy doing what they’re doing. That puts us listeners in rarefied company. Granted, a whistling librarian might be a little disconcerting, but a whistling stockboy? That’s to be celebrated.

—Singing along with a radio. Same category as whistlers—shared happi-ness—as long as they’re not tone deaf

and don’t know it...and even then, it seems to me, you could at least smile at their wonderful, operatic delusions.

—Kids’ fingerprints on car windows. This one just floored me, but maybe it’s because I enjoy children so much that I cannot comprehend why anyone would complain about their presence, which is exactly what a child’s fingerprints, nose prints, footprints on anything, anytime, anywhere represents.

Many other pet peeves, it seemed to me, indicated just a pessimistic attitude about life in general, and according to a recently published psychological study, people indeed generally are split between “likers” and “haters.” Some people tended to like stuff even though they didn’t really know much about it, and about an equal number of people in the study had the tendency to hate stuff, regardless of what it was.

The authors of the article argue, therefore, that this initial stance towards anything and everything is a facet of personality. In the same way that you can be either extroverted or introverted, you can also be a “liker” or a “hater.”

Those pessimistic pet peeves from readers must have come from “haters,” I think. Certainly, if the study is accurate, there’s an equal number of people out there that I’ll never hear from—because they like everything!

I’m somewhere in the middle, I guess,

because these are my latest pet peeves.— The revolving trays inside micro-

wave ovens drive me crazy. They never seem to stay on those little revolving wheels. They tip stuff over, make a mess and can rumble louder than a growling stomach.

— Bottles of supplements that make you think you got your money’s worth only to find about 20 tiny tablets under the cotton stuffed on top. At least the cotton is a consolation prize.

Since we’re talking medications, though, let’s include those pills that come in boxes sealed in foil bubbles—intended to appear that you have even more than you didn’t get from a bottle—sealed with foil forged from stainless steel.

— Finding that your old phone chargers strategically placed around your house and office don’t fit your new phone. And neither do the ones stuffed away in a cardboard box at the top of the closet. Phone chargers should be like light bulbs—one universal size

that fits all phones. That way even a stranger could loan you theirs if you forgot to pack yours.

— People who text other people during my conversations with them, whether we’re on the phone (yes, I can tell when you’re doing it) or face-to-face. Maybe I won’t loan you my charger.

—People who call me, but leave their phone number only once, their voice fading away at the end as if I already know the number, which I don’t, forcing me to replay the message over and over and over again. Sometimes I give up, but my conscience won’t let me forget about it, so the next day, I try again. Over and over.

– People who say things that are borderline mean, then follow it with a laugh and, “I’m just kidding.” That’s bullying, but somehow they engage in it like a sport, dunking insults left and right. I don’t get why they don’t get it. Whatever happened to, “If you cannot say anything nice, then say nothing at all”?

Now my readers are going to let me know the things that irritate them. That’s fair. Be forewarned, though. I’ve already given up my charm bracelet, but the wind chimes? No. Sorry, they’re staying in my back yard...well, maybe I’ll take down all but one. Maybe.

I had meant to write this on Eleanor Roosevelt’s birthday, but it’s not till next month, and Syria wouldn’t wait.

She is not as well known as she ought to be, and not as much revered. I revere her, because she fought for the recogni-tion of what she called “human rights.” All her efforts came to naught, and the world loves a winner. In the end, not enough of us believed in basic rights for all humans.

Her greatest achievement was the United Nations’ adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, passed as a General Assembly

Resolution in 1948. What she had done was persuade the UN member-states of the day to commit themselves to acknowledge and respect a list of defined “basic rights” for all humans.

It was a first. All previous lists of basic rights had applied only to specific tribes, castes, classes or nations. The US Bill of Rights applied only to US citizens as then defined, the Rights of Man only to the French, the Magna Carta only to the English nobility, the Ten Commandments only to the Israelites and their cultural successors. (“Thou shalt not kill”, for instance, did not apply to foreigners; hence all the mass smiting reported in the Books of Moses.)

The Universal Declaration was formulated in the wake of the Nuremberg Trials of German nationals and allies. The idea of a universal standard of behaviour was a new concept in international law. For the first time, national laws were accepted as being ab initio subordinate to the Declaration whenever they were incompatible with the newly agreed standards of behaviour. [My words, my interpretation.]

“I was just following orders” and “I was just obeying my country’s laws” were dismissed as illegitimate reasons for doing nasty things to people. Killing ethnic minorities (Jews, Gypsies, Slavs) was “a crime against humanity”. So was

torture; so was imprisonment without a fair trial. Above all, so was waging wars of choice, because wars give cover to all kinds of atrocities.

After a nod of acknowledgment to a notional spirit of universal brotherhood, the first listed “human right” in the Declaration is “the right to life...” There was nothing in the resolution about chemical weapons or nuclear weapons or any other sort of weapons. All that UN member-nations undertook to do was to recognise no distinction in the worth of human lives, regardless of race, nationality, etc.

It failed from Day One, of course. How could it not? Tribal and national loyalties are always paramount. Mrs Roosevelt should have had the wit to know that. The human DNA is not designed to spurn loyalty to one’s own kind. All humans believe they are excep-tional, and their families, home commu-nities and nations. Patriotism trumps the brotherhood of man, every time.

Does any American think it’s worth

the death of any single member of his family or home community to stop the chaos in Syria? Of course not. I once read about a bumper-sticker at the time of the Iraq invasion, which read “WHY CAN’T EXXON SEND ITS OWN DAMN TROOPS?” It made sense to me, but it never caught on.

Today there are patriotic young gamesters in air-conditioned offices in several army bases who are paid good money to wipe out foreign villagers at the press of a button once or twice a day. Is it a good thing that our boys aren’t being killed and mutilated, and “the others” are? Well, yes, of course it is. Only anarchists and communists would even ask the question.

It’s been interesting, watching the human rights experiment, and I for one am sorry it never got off the ground. A world without respect for foreigners’ rights is a world forever at war, and that bothers me. I have grandchildren, who may one day find themselves as targets. (They live in Norway, and Norway has lots of oil. More oil than Syria, actually. Oh boy.)

In the age of drones, foreigners (Jews, Gypsies, Slavs, and their modern equiv-alents) can be slaughtered left, right and center – without the slightest personal risk to the slaughterers. Good grief! Eleanor Roosevelt never envisioned such a situation.

AAmong the dedications and tours ofmany of the county’s historic build-ings were presentations about the his-

tory and plight of the St. Lucie River, andthe rich but tumultuous history of the com-mercial fishermen of Port Salerno, one of thestate’s few remaining working waterfronts.

“Each year, our list of partners and com-munity participation in celebrating MartinCounty’s unique heritage has grown,” saidJoette Lorion Rice, chair of the HistoricPreservation Advisory Council of MartinCounty. “It’s hard to believe, but when westarted six years ago, we had eight events onthe calendar over a one-week period. Thisyear, we had more than 40 events, most ofthem with no admission charge, and we’veexpanded to a month-long celebration.”

Historic Preservation Month coincidedthis year with the launch of a year-long cele-bration of the city of Stuart’s centennial.

“The centennial celebration really ele-vated awareness of the events and historicplaces we have in the county,” Rice said.

“The timing (of Historic PreservationMonth and the Stuart Centennial kick-off )was just absolutely perfect, and we are solucky to live in a place where our governmentofficials and so many residents truly appreci-ate and want to celebrate our heritage.”

A particularly significant addition to themonth’s events this year was the studentessay contest in Martin County schools forfifth-graders. Mariyah Smith, of HobeSound Elementary, submitted an essay abouther great-great grandfather, Willie Pettway,which was selected for first place by a com-mittee of retired teachers.

Pettway was a pioneer in theGomez/Hobe Sound area, and the Pettwayfamily still operates the store he founded atthe corner of Dixie Highway and PettwayStreet in Hobe Sound.

“Since the inception of Martin CountyHistoric Preservation Month, the board haswanted to do an outreach with the schools,”said board member Louise Andrews. “Ilearned that Florida history and MartinCounty History are taught at the fourth-

grade level, and since school had only recentlystarted, we chose to open the competition to5th grade students, who were already knowl-edgeable about historic places and people.”

Seven of 13 elementary schools partici-pated, totaling 51 essays submitted by 10teachers. Each school winner received a cer-tificate and book. Bessey Creek, CitrusGrove and Hobe Sound Elementary hadmultiple winners.

The month culminated with a preservationawards banquet that honored Preservationists

of the Year, Greg and Alice Luckhardt, bothretiredMartin County school teachers.Mrs.Luckhardt was named the 1986 OutstandingSocial Studies Teacher for Florida and in 1990was listed in the premier edition of “Who’sWho Among AmericanTeachers.”

They also established and managedLucky’s Flea Market until the property wassold in 2000. Since then she has been a free-lance historical researcher and award-win-ning writer, as well as an active member ofthe board of directors for the Stuart Heritage

14 Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013Historic Preservation Month

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Our historical past spotlightedMore than paying attention to old buildings,Historic Preservation Month in Octobercelebrated the people, places, and eventsthat forged today’s Martin County.

Visitors check out displays depicting the history of the renovated Apollo School in Hobe Sound aspart of Historic Preservation Month.

A rare opportunity to see the work that has been done thusfar to restore the historic Golden Gate building was affordedthe public during the Historic Preservation Month activities.Congressman Patrick Murphy had to cancel his appearancedue to the government shutdown in Washington at the time,but he promised organizers a visit in the near future.

Joette Lorion Rice, Chair of theMartin County HistoricPreservation Board.

Historic Preservationists of the Year, Greg and Alice Luckhardt, on right, are introduced by Stuarthistorian and veteran newsman Joe Crankshaw, the 2012 Preservationist of the Year, and HistoricPreservation Board Member Sandra Thurlow. Photos: Submitted

Museum. She also is a researcher for the El-liott Museum and the House of Refuge.

Mr. Luckhardt, also a Stuart HeritageMuseum board member, began collectingand producing digital copies of vintage pho-tos, postcards, yearbook pages, businesscards, advertisements and memorabilia fromthe Stuart Heritage Museum and the Elliott.

He also gathered local newspaper arti-cles, social events and obituaries from thereels of microfilm at the Blake Library,many dating back to 1913, in order thatthey may all be compiled in a searchabledigital format, which he named, “TheDigital Community Scrapbook.”

“By collecting, recording, and sharingMartin County’s history, Alice and Greghave fostered an appreciation of our uniqueheritage and the benefits of preserving it,”said Rice, during the awards presentation,“and it is encouraging to know that youngpeople, such as our Student Essay Contestwinner, Mariyah Smith, are inspired by thehistory of their ancestors and are willing toshare their story with us.”�

15Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013 Historic Preservation Month

WINDOW ART AUCTIONPLANNED AT APOLLOSCHOOL NOV. 16

Visitors to the freshly renovatedApollo School in Hobe Sound dur-

ing the Historic Preservation Monthopen house on Oct. 12 commented

often, “I cannot be-lieve how beau-tiful thisbuilding is.”Sharing the

attention and atorrent of posi-tive commentswas Kathy Spur-geon, president ofthe ApolloSchool Founda-tion, who hassteered the projectover the past 16years of fund rais-

ing and grant writing to itsnear-completion today. The nextfundraiser will be Saturday, Nov. 16 forlandscaping and other “niceties.”

“I just couldn’t be happier with theway the building renovation has turnedout,” Spurgeon said. “Look at these win-dows and this gorgeous floor....and tothink that I walked on these very boardswhen I was a child.”

Another tour and open house will beSaturday, Nov. 16, when the historic two-room schoolhouse will be open to thepublic for a cheese-and-wine event, whichwill include a most unusual art auction.

“We have taken the original win-dows from the school and given them toselected local artists to create their art onthe windows,” she says. The artists in-clude Dan Mackin, Nadia Utto, CynthiaCooper, April Davis, James Hook, CarolKepp, Carey Chen, Tess Dirks, andChris Perez.

The school’s renovation was financedthrough fund-raisers, local donations,and a historic preservation grant pro-vided by the Bureau of Historic Preser-vation, Division of Historical Resources,Florida Department of State, assisted bythe Florida Historical Commission.Some of the donors and the contractorswho have worked on the project will berecognized at the open house.

“Please plan to join your friends foran evening of wine, music and art at theNight at the Apollo,” Spurgeon said.Tickets are $25 and may be purchased atwww.ApolloSchool.org. The school is at9141 SE Apollo Street in Hobe Sound.

LECTURE AND TOUROF THE BURN BRAEPLANTATION PLANNED

The Burn Brae Plantation historichouse, built by Rudolph and Annie

Krueger in 1904 and restored by theirgreat-granddaughter, Anne KruegerStimmell, and her husband, Bill Stim-mell, will be the subject of a free StuartHeritage program at the Lyric Theatreon Tuesday, Nov. 12.

The house also will be open for atour on Nov. 16 that includes a trolleyride from and a tour of the historic feedstore that houses the museum with thepurchase of a $15 ticket, as part of Stu-art’s Centennial celebration. The StuartHeritage Museum, 161 SW Flagler Ave,in the old feed store, is hosting the spe-cial event from 10 am to 3 pm.

The public will be able to board atrolley car at the museum and travel tothe Burn Brae Plantation, which hasbeen the family home for various Kruegerfamily members since it was built. Anneand Billy Stimmell have lived in theKrueger house for more than a decade,but they spent several years restoring thehouse, which began in 1997.

The tour will be conducted by manyof the Krueger family members. Visitorswill be returned by trolley to the mu-seum, where refreshments and a tour ofthe historic 1901 building housing themuseum will be offered.

Tickets are available at the MuseumMonday-Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm.Phone (772) 220-4600.

MY NOMINATION FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS …By Mariyah Smith, 5th Grade StudentHobe Sound Elementary School

Willie Elwood Pettway born 1903 in Chatham,Alabama, to Annie Mae Pettway Pinder was a re-markable pioneer to Martin County.Willie alongwith his mother and other three siblings moved toMartin County in 1929. At the tender age of 21,Willie began to build his empire. He became thefirst African-American businessman in the Gomez(north Hobe Sound) community. He owned sev-eral acres, a trucking company and a grocery store.

Willie owned a flatbed truck, which he used tobuild his first venture. He would haul shovels,shell rock and yellow sand for other business own-ers. Willie also farmed land in the area which isknown today as Loblolly. He paved the drivewayand parking lot of another historical business herein Hobe Sound known as Algozzini. Willie was a hard-working man.

Willie was a landowner of more than 70 acres located today on Powerline Road,which is still owned by his children that are still living, Alice, Annie Mae, Hazel, Samueland Jack. Back then he purchased land for as low as 25 cents, which isn‘t much today butwas a lot then.When he passed away in 1951 at the early age of 48, his Mattie had nochoice but to sell some of the land in other areas to support their 14 children.

Pettway Grocery located on Pettway Street in Gomez was also something accom-plished by Willie Pettway before his death. He built the brick building with his two sonsSamuel and Sonny. He taught his children how important it was to work hard. The storewas the first black owned grocery store in Martin County. They carried sodas, meat andwere famous for their penny cookies which were the size of Moon Pies. Pettway Grocerystill stands today and is operated by Annie Mae,Willie’s daughter, who is also my great-grandma. The grocery store has been in business for over 70 years. It is the same build-ing, floor, and counter. The roof was replaced by Duren Roofing Co. two years ago.

I, Mariyah Smith, nominate Willie E. Pettway to the Martin County HistoricPreservation Board because he was more than a historic person but an inspiration to me.He was my great-great-grandfather which makes me want to accomplish things he didand more. To me he’s like my hero.While researching Willie Pettway I learned a lotabout my family history and my community.

A proud essay contest winnerMariyah Smith, a fifth grade studentat Hobe Sound Elementary School,is congratulated by Stuart MayorEula Clark and Martin CountyCommissioner Doug Smith.

The dedication of the plaque for the historic Port Salerno Colored School took place inside theone-room schoolhouse. Former student and principal at the school, Marian Carpenter, is at thedesk. The event was attended by a number of former students of the late Costella Williams.

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Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013Business Spotlight16

Amulti-county, multi-agency Life Sci-ences, Research and Technology Ac-cord was signed in September 2008

by all the cities, all the county commissions,every school board, every Chamber of Com-merce, every college and university, andevery economic development agency inMartin, St. Lucie and Indian River Coun-ties, “now known as the Research Coast,”Massey told the gathering of Martin Countybusiness leaders and government officials.

They had assembled at the country clubto honor some of the county’s premier busi-nesses for their entrepreneurship, leadershipand service to the community.

“I put it on my desk; I still have it on mydesk today,” he said, “because the frame-work that we worked out at that time is rel-evant today.”

He urged attendees to get a copy if theydon’t have one and to refer to it often, becausethe accord addresses lifestyles, high-tech andemerging technologies, manufacturing, andcommercialization of products.

“Are any those not relevant?” he asked.He said he’s used the accord as a blue-

print for IRSC’s direction for its facilities,programs, involvement in second and post-secondary education, in entrepreneurshipand business resources, including the serv-ices of the IRSC Entrepreneurial Develop-ment Institute on the Chastain Campus inStuart, and the free resources of the BusinessResource Center.

Massey said that paying attention toproduct development and establishing acompany vision were the keys to success, andhe used the days that you decide “to catchup” as an example of losing focus.

“What happens?” he asked. “You proba-

bly didn’t get anything accomplished, be-cause you didn’t have a plan for that day, youdidn’t have a vision.”

The vision for Martin County and for eco-nomic development is powerful, he continued.

“Vision creates energy,” Massey explained.“If you have a vision for the day, you’re goingto create energy to do it, and energy createspassion. Passion leads to success.”

He encouraged his audience to stay fo-cused on the vision and on the product, be-cause it’s too easy to get bogged down inprocesses, regulations, policies and structure,which in the absence of vision, leads to failure.

AWARDS PRESENTEDA bit of levity was introduced when the lawgroup Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith wasnamed the Character Counts Award winner.

“You mean a lawyer won a characteraward?” was a common quip among theluncheon tables. “Only in Martin Countycould that happen.”

When the list of accolades and accom-plishments by the Stuart law firm was read,however, it was clear why the attorneys werechosen for the award that is given in partner-ship with UnitedWay and Character Counts!

The 85-year-old firm actively embodiesthe pillars of Character Counts!, particu-larly in its dedication to the support ofnonprofit organizations that benefit chil-dren and families in need. In MartinCounty, LLL&S supports the Children’sMuseum of the Treasure Coast, UnitedWay of Martin County, Molly’s House,Whole Child Connection, Healthy StartCoalition, Tykes and Teens, The EducationFoundation of Martin County, MartinHealth Foundation and others.

Managing partner Gary Lesser, who ac-cepted the award, credits his grandfather—firm founder Joseph Lesser—with inspiringhis belief in community service.

“When I was young my grandfathershared something with me that has guidedmy entire life,” Lesser said. “He told meeveryone is born in debt—debt to their fam-ily, to their community, their church or syna-gogue and to their country....We have awhole lifetime to pay off that debt, and a lifeof giving back is a lifetime well spent.”

OTHER BDB BUSINESSAPPRECIATION AWARDSINCLUDED:

Business of the Year:TURBOCOMBUSTOR TECHNOLOGY

TurboCombustorTechnology, dbaParadigm Precision,a DPG Company

specializes in the complex fabrication of gas

IRSC President:Martin County’s 2008 vision still relevant

Dr. Edwin Massey, president of IRSC Jeff Leslie, ITS Fiber

Julian Andrews, Coaxicom P.J. Anson, STS Aviation Group

BDB Executive Director Tim Dougher, left, presents the Businessof the Year Award to Gary Bennett, Precision Paradigm, alongwith emcee Bob Brunjes, Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers.

Dr. Edwin Massey, president of IRSC, receives the Charlene HoagAward from the previous year's winner, Taryn Kryzda, on right. Onthe left are Beth Gaskin, the new provost at IRSC, and Patty Alan,the previous provost at IRSC, standing next to Dr. Massey.

Gary Lesser, of Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith, with AngelaHoffman, executive director of the Hobe Sound Chamber ofCommerce, who nominated the firm for the Character Counts!award. Photo: Jennifer Ahern.

The keynote speaker, Dr. Edwin Massey, presidentof Indian River State College, reminded businessleaders at the Business Development Board AnnualAwards Luncheon at Mariner Sands Country Club inSeptember that Martin County created its vision forthe future five years ago.

turbine engine parts. Their core capabilitiesinclude laser services, air flow measurement,thermal coatings, electrical discharge ma-chining and TCT BLAST(tm). They pro-vide these services for gas turbine enginesused in commercial aviation, military avia-tion, power generation, the marine industry,rotary wing and unmanned aerial vehicles.www.tct-inc.com.

Business Expansion:ITS FIBER

ITS Fiber, a sub-sidiary of ITSTelecommunica-tions Systems, Inc.

(ITS Telecom), provides business level com-munications services including metro levelbroadband, data, voice, and managed ITservices. They have served residences andbusinesses in Western Martin County andIndiantown since the 1930s. With the 2010completion of their 100% underground, re-dundant fiber-optic network and the open-ing of the ITS Fiber Data Center in 2013,ITS has grown from being a local serviceprovider to a forward-thinking communica-tions and technology company.www.fiber.com

Export Excellence:COAXICOM COMPONENTS

Coaxial Compo-nents Corp., alsoknown globally asCoaxicom, began

manufacturing at its Florida facility in 1984.Coaxicom offers a broad line of SMA,SSMA, 3.5mm, BNC, N and TNC, as wellas 50 & 75 ohm snap, screw and slide-onSMB, SMC and SSMB. Its selection of in-stock inter- and intra-series adapters; atten-uators; terminations; phase adjusters; torquewrenches and cable assemblies allow quickdelivery. Custom products, specifically de-signed and engineered to customers’ specifi-cations are produced in the Florida facility.www.coaxicom.com

Entrepreneurship:STS AVIATION GROUP

Since its inceptionin 1985, STS Avia-tion Group hasbeen growing andchanging to meet

the ever-evolving needs of the aerospace in-dustry. Originally a small company based inReno, Nev., they are now in Jensen Beachand one of the industry’s leading providersof aerospace staffing, engineering services,aircraft components supply chain manage-ment and line maintenance. www.stsavia-tiongroup.com

New Business of the Year:TATTOO YACHTS

The owners of Tat-too Yachts, LLC,have been the over-seas distributors forMacGregor sail-

boats since 1990, and have exported thou-sands of boats. They owned the UKdealership for almost 20 years, which wasone of the highest volume MacGregor deal-erships in the world. Tattoo Yachts, LLC is anew boatbuilding company in Martin

County. This has been in the works for sometime, and they have already built tooling fora 22’ power sailer. www.tattooyachts.com

Charlene Hoag Award:DR. EDWIN MASSEYThe Charlene Hoag award is presented eachyear to an individual whose characteristicsinclude devotion to family and vocation,commitment to service to the communityand leadership toward the goal of improvingour quality of life. “Dr. Massey demonstratesthese leadership characteristics,” said TimDougher, executive director of the BDB,“and he shares Charlene’s commitment toinvolvement in the community.” �

National recognition came again toDr. Edwin R. Massey, president ofIndian River State College, on Oct. 4 when he received the highest chief executive officeraward presented by the National Association of Community College Trustees, a nonprofit ed-ucational organization of governing boards representing more than 6,500 elected and ap-pointed trustees of community, technical, and junior colleges in the United States and beyond.

Massey holds a Ph.D. Degree in zoology with a concentration in marine biology andwas selected from among more than 1,200 state and community college presidents. Hewas awarded the Marie Y. Martin Chief Executive Officer Award during the associa-tion’s leadership conference in Seattle. Massey was previously named a finalist for theaward after being named the Southern Regional CEO of the Year in August.

Hired by IRSC as a biology professor in 1973, Massey was named president andCEO in 1988. He has received national acclaim for the school’s high-tech curriculum,facilities and cutting edge innovations, yet keeping tuition costs low.

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013 Business Spotlight 17

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Martin County’sbusiness report

The Business DevelopmentBoard of Martin County isthe county’s official eco-

nomic development organizationand Enterprise Florida, Inc. partner.In its annual report, Executive Di-rector Tim Dougher announcednine relocation and expansion proj-ects with 443 new direct jobs andmore than $20 million capital in-vestment in Martin County. Thesecompanies purchased or leased morethan 171,000 square feet of existingvacant space.

“The pipeline continues togrow,” Dougher says, “and ourteam, which includes Jill Marasaand Jennifer DuBey, is currentlyworking on 52 company expansionsor relocation projects.”

Training grants were expandedfor Martin County businessesthrough the assistance of BDB staffwith the application process. Fourcompanies were awarded traininggrants that totaled $369,000 throughthe state of Florida.

For a complete annual report, orfor more information about the or-ganization visit www.bdbmc.org.

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 201318 Business Close Up

Elite Salon & Gallery

Elite hair stylist and nailtechnician Melinda McKin.

Hair stylist MirandaMcKin, whose beautifulskin is cared for by Tarynat the Elite Salon, has beenat the salon for more thanthree years. She specializesin color, highlights, longhair, young styles andupdos, and is a nailtechnician, as well.

Taryn Samm's private office displays the orig-inal paintings (none of which will be repro-duced or printed as lithographs or gicleeprints) of Jupiter Island buildings by HobeSound artist Suzanne Briley.

Taryn Stamm, licensed in both Florida andCalifornia, is a medical aesthetician, masterfacial specialist, makeup and airbrush artist,and facial and body-waxing expert. She takes

miles off faces, and has a private room within the salon to work her miracles.She performs non-surgical facelifts (micro current), medical peels ( Jessners, TCA andsalicyclic), resurfacing treatments (glycolic, lactic, pumpkin, AHA, peptide, enzyme),age and/or sun spot removal treatments, skin firming/wrinkle reduction treatments,skin tag or mole removal, and provides suctomized facial treatments, acne treatments,rosacea/eczema/sensitive skin treatments and non-surgical liposuction.

Clients of the Elite Salon & Gallery in Hobe Sound say they are impressedwith its new location next to the Old Dixie Cafe North on Federal Highwayin Hobe Sound, because they are surrounded by original works of art.

Michigan snowbird WandaRobinson, hair stylist at Elite Salon.

Hair stylist Wanda Robinsonhas been a stylist for 47 yearsof her life. “I love it,” she says.“There's just nothing else I'drather do.” This is her “thirdseason” at Elite, she says, asshe is a snowbird herself,traveling each year betweenMichigan and Hobe Sound.Her specialties include perms,color, short cuts and swingystyles, as well as updos.

Chloe Poston, the daughter of Elitehair stylist Melinda McKin, getspressed into service to help makesigns announcing the new locationof Elite Salon & Gallery next door tothe Old Dixie Cafe North on FederalHighway in Hobe Sound.

“I just think the artwork is displayed somuch better here,” said Bobbi Bernardini,who had stopped in for a hair colortouch-up and a pedicure. “We can enjoyit so much more.”

Elite client BobbiBernardini is a goodsport about beingphotographed whilegetting toes and rootstouched up at theElite Salon.

For 14 years, the Elite Salon has been afull-service salon comprising hair stylists,nail technicians and cosmetic professionals toprovide residents and visitors with non-surgicalfacelifts, liposuction, facials and other healingtherapies along with hair care, waxing and nailservices—all within an art gallery.

Formerly located on Bridge Road at the A1A intersection, the Elite Salon &Gallery carries the works of renowned artist Robin Lee Makowski, (as well assigned, numbered and limited edition giclee reproductions and lithographs), theAfrican works of artist K Mayr Britton, as well as work by local artists, includingSuzanne Briley, all of which are for sale.

"Bounty," a watercolor byRobin Lee Makowski.

The work of K Mayr Britton dominates the EliteGallery with true-to-life African scenes. You canalmost hear the drumbeats of the African bush.

The paintings of Hobe Sound artist and author Suzanne Briley areas full of fun as she is, bringing a light note to the gallery's walls.

THE ARTWORKWatercolorist Robin Lee Makowski,Art Studio coordinator at the ElliottMuseum on Hutchinson Island, is awell known professional artist whoteaches painting and print making.Her luminous paintings evoke thelushness of a tropical climate.

"Perfect Pair" by K Mayr Britton.

The artwork, jewelry and gifts give EliteSalon & Gallery a distinctive ambiance.

GIFTSBeautiful jewelry, scented essential oilsoaps, and an array of hair care productsmake the perfect hostess gift or stockingstuffer this holiday season.

ELITE SALON & GALLERY • 11185 SE Federal Highway, Hobe Sound • 772.546.0102 • www.EliteSalonOnline.com

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013 Business Buzz 19

The Council ofChambers of MartinCounty has launcheda campaign to “Put your money whereyour heart is” by doing business with fel-low chamber members. Posters, stickers, e-flyers, advertisements and social mediapromotions are starting to show up acrossMartin County, from small businesses tobox stores, at cash registers, in office win-dows and in local publications.

“The Council of Chambers has pro-moted ‘buy local’ campaigns that encour-age member-to-member business fordecades,” said Joe Catrambone, presidentof the Stuart/Martin County Chamber ofCommerce. “We recently saw a need to re-vamp and re-energize our messages.”

For more information, contact one ofthe local Martin County Chambers ofCommerce; Hobe Sound Chamber ofCommerce at 772-546-4724 orwww.hobesound.org; Indiantown Cham-ber of Commerce at 772-597-2184 orwww.indiantownchamber.com; JensenBeach Chamber of Commerce at 772-334-3444 or www.jensenbeachchamber.biz;Palm City Chamber of Commerce at 772-286-8121 or www.palmcitychamber.com;or the Stuart/ Martin County Chamber ofCommerce at 772-287-1088 or www.stu-artmartinchamber.org �

The BusinessDevelopment Boardof Martin Countyreceived two Silver Awards for Excellencein Economic Development from the In-ternational Economic DevelopmentCouncil (IEDC). The first award was forits Martin County “Board Meetings…Don’t Have To Be Boring” Ad Campaignfor communities with populations of25,000 – 200,000.

The BDBMC also received an awardin the Special Purpose Website Categoryfor its newly designedwww.yesmartinfl.com site. The honor waspresented during the IEDC Annual Con-ference in Philadelphia during October.“The Excellence in Economic Develop-ment Awards recognizes the Business De-velopment Board of Martin County as

being one of the leading organizations inthe industry for innovation, creativity andsuccessful strategies,” said IEDC ChairPaul Krutko. “These awards are meant tohonor the organizations and individualswho are dedicated to making a positivechange in their communities.

“This organization uses creative solu-tions and inventive ideas, and offers otherregions a wonderful example to learn andbenefit from,” Krutko added. “The awardrepresents an acknowledgment and appre-ciation for the Business DevelopmentBoard of Martin County’s dedication tocontinuous growth within itself, as well asimproving the industry overall.”

The idea for the advertising campaignwas developed by BDB staff utilizing ac-tual Martin County CEOs for a mock“board” meeting held around a surfboardon Stuart Beach.

The BDB was also recognized with anAward of Excellence earlier in the yearfrom the Southern Economic Develop-ment Council for the same ad campaign. �

Send your favoriteCEO...or maybeyour least favorite...to the “dog house” on Saturday, Nov. 16,from 2-4 p.m. to raise pet food and cashdonations for the pets of needy seniors inMartin County. It requires a $250 dona-tion to send someone to the dog house,but it’s for such a worthy cause.

Those “in the dog house” will in turncontact their friends and colleagues tomake donations in order to have them re-leased from the dog house, which will belocated at Animal Care Extraordinaire,987 SE Monterey Road in Stuart. Petfood donations will be distributed to low-income, homebound seniors who receiveMeals on Wheels through the Council onAging of Martin County.

“For many seniors, their pets are theironly family and their beloved daily com-panions,” said Cathy Knowles, managerof Meal Services for the Council. “Thosewho are on limited incomes often strug-gle to buy pet food. We want to ensurethat the seniors and their pets receiveproper nutrition.”

Each year, Stuart veterinarians, Dr.Ronald Ball and Dr.Wayne Diamond ofAnimal Care Extraordinaire, collect petfood donations for the pets of needy sen-iors. The veterinarians will take turns inthe Dog House with the goal of exceedinglast year’s donations of one ton of dogfood and $1,400 in contributions.

The teens of the Boys and GirlsClub’s Keystone Club will also be at theevent, selling hotdogs, snacks and bever-ages to benefit their own program, “Hopefor the Homeless.” �

says owner Nina Gelardi, “and we’re ex-panding our space.”

The “Wine,Women & Shoes” (andhandbags, jewelry, and gifts) event will befrom 1-8 p.m. with gifts for the first 20guests to arrive. All attendees can partakeof wine, appetizers, and raffles throughoutthe day as they shop.

Gelardi is hosting one of her now-fa-mous parties to celebrate the renovationof the historic greenhouse attached to thesame building owned by Michelle andAdrian Reed, at 11766 SE Dixie High-way in Hobe Sound, just south of BridgeRoad on A1A.

“This greenhouse was here on thegrounds before the buildings were built,”Gelardi says. “I saw a photo of it in PaulaCooper’s ‘History of Hobe Sound,’ but itneeded extensive renovation before anyonecould use it.”

A new coating of polyurea on the roof,some new wood, and Gelardi now has ad-

ditional space to add products to her ownline of designer sandals.

“We’re going to add a line of Italianshoes,” she says, “but we’re also addinggifts, candles, dinnerware and hostessgifts. We’ll be using the space to hosttrunk shows for guest designers, as well,but this historic building is what will makeit all so very special. Can you imagine?This is the original door with the originaldoorknob.”

She’ll be getting help in the interiordesign and layout from Terri Paiva, whoowns an arts and crafts design business inPalm City, the Beach Daisy. Many itemshave not yet been delivered, so The GlassHouse will not be fully decked out in timefor the party.

”That’s okay.We’re still going to haveit open for guests so they can enjoy it,” shesays, “but we’re not going to call it thegreenhouse anymore, because there’s noth-ing green about it.” �

Juno Shoe Girl in Hobe Sound has a lot tocelebrate during its first anniversary partyNov. 14. “We’re expanding our inventory,”

Nina Gelardi, owner of Juno Shoe Girl in Hobe Sound, getting ready to move her signature shoeornaments into The Glass House.

Originally a greenhouse to grow palm trees for Hobe Sound and Jupiter Island residents,the historic building will become "The Glass House" for the Juno Shoe Girl Boutique.

Each year, the Palm City Fall Fest gets big-ger and better.More than 4,000 residents,friends and family agreed as they gath-

ered at the Col. JustinWilson Park on Saturday,Oct. 26, for the fifth annual festival hosted by thePalm City Chamber of Commerce.

“We were delighted with the beautifulweather,” said Carolyn Davi, Chamber exec-utive director, “the smiling throngs of chil-dren and their families and friends,wonderful entertainment, gracious vendors,and terrific car show participants.”

That just about wraps up the entire day,except that Davi also acknowledge the sup-port and help that came from the MartinCounty Parks Department staff, the MartinCounty Sheriff ’s Department deputies, the“outstanding” Palm City Chamber boardmembers, and Chamber volunteers whosesweat equity made the event possible.

Activities included pumpkin decorating,face painting, fun and games in a children’sactivities area; a vintage car show; numerous

vendors who featured arts, crafts, massages,delicious treats, food and drinks, and more.

The presenting sponsor was Dr. Mark

Lively, of Lively Orthodontics P.A. in Stu-art, and to see a complete list of sponsors, goto www.palmcitychamber.com. �

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013Palm City Chamber of Commerce20

Palm City Fall Fest: a great day for family fun!

Lisa and Michael Knapp, parents ofEmily and Kara.

Inspiring kick-off for Palm City Chamber Adopt-A-ClassGuest speaker for the Palm City

Chamber's annual Adopt-A-ClassKick-Off Breakfast, Pastor Tom

Mullins, Ph.D., founder of the Christ Fel-lowship Church, was so inspired by the pro-gram that aids Martin County teachers thathe donated $1,000 each to Martin CountyHigh and South Fork High school teachers.

More than $44,000 has been raised thus

far this year from local businesses, chambermembers and individual donors, which wasdispersed to school principals by Adopt-A-Classroom Co-Founder Barbara Essenwineduring the meeting at Sand Hill Cove onSept. 25.The Adopt-A-Classroom fee is $200per class for teachers to use to enhance the ed-ucational experience in their own classrooms.

“Our very generous community has al-

lowed us to continue this program for thepast 22 years,” said Carolyn Davi, executivedirector of the Palm City Chamber, “and wehave raised more than $1.2 million for thewonderful teachers in Martin Countyschools over that time period.”

In his address, Mullins shared the mov-ing life stories of some of the children he hashelped through the Christ Fellowship

Church, one of the largest in the UnitedStates, inspiring a standing ovation at itsconclusion from the 130 Chamber membersand guests who attended.

Donations to the Palm City ChamberAdopt-A-Class program are still being ac-cepted for this school year. Visit www.palm-citychamber.com, or call the Palm CityChamber office at 772-286-8121. �

The booth by the Presenting Sponsor, LivelyOrthodontics of Stuart.

Tug of War in the Children's area.All Photos: Swan Photography

One heck of a surprise for Palm City's Carolyn DaviAstunned Carolyn Davi, of the Palm

City Chamber of Commerce, greetedhere by former Chamber President

Nick DiTerlizzi, walked into a surprise partyat Piper's Landing Yacht Club on Oct. 16organized to celebrate her 25 years as theChamber's executive director. More than 120friends, neighbors and colleagues attended.

“When I got out of my car and saw whowas walking through the parking lot,” saidEd Ciampi, former chair of the MartinCounty Commission, “I was really impressedat the kinds of people who know...and careabout Carolyn, and would take time out oftheir lives to come here....It speaks to thebreadth of her influence.”

A Who's Who of former and current

local, state and federal politicians, as well asbusiness executives, CEOs, chamber execu-tives and other public officials and personalfriends, filled the yacht club lobby for abuffet and drinks as former chamber presi-dents extended “gentle” remarks for awoman who prefers to keep out of thelimelight as she works to promote Chamberobjectives, grow membership and to growthe businesses of Chamber members.

I'm telling you,” said Chamber PresidentMike DiTerlizzi, “being Chamber presidentis the easiest job in the world. All you needto do is to say, 'Yes, Carolyn. Yes, Carolyn.You don't even need to stop watching thefootball game...just say, Yes, Carolyn.”

The most touching tribute came from

Toby Oberdorf, who credited his company'ssuccess to Davi's personal attention and pro-motion among Chamber members.

“I cannot thank her enough,” he said.“My family and I owe everything to her.” �

Former Chamber President Nick DiTerlizzi withCarolyn Davi, executive director of the Palm CityChamber. Photos: Swan Photography

PALM CITY CHAMBERCALENDAR

THURSDAY MORNING SOCIAL, NOV. 14Keiser University College of GolfSpeakers: Julie Snyder, Sports Medicine,Fitness Technology, Exercise ScienceDr. Eric Wilson, executive director ofgolf operations, PGAMaster Professional1860 Fountain View Blvd.Port St. Lucie8 to 9 a.m.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 20Breakfast with Benefits - 7:30 to 9 a.m.“Special Networking Event”Martin Downs Golf Club3801 SW Greenwood Way, Palm CitySponsor: Costco Wholesale, Inc.$20 admission

THURSDAY MORNING SOCIAL, NOV. 21Children's Home Society of theTreasure CoastSabrina Barnes, Executive Director1532 SW Mapp Road, Palm City8 to 9 a.m.

PALM CITY CHAMBER’S NEWEST MEMBERS

JClee Realtor

Jeffrey Clee1161 SWPineTree Lane, Ste 100

PalmCity(772) 634-0123

[email protected]

LivingstonGlassWorks, LLC

Brian Livingston3508 SWArmellini Ave., #4

PalmCity(772) 631-2491

www.Livingstonglassworks.com

East-WestInternationalTrade, Inc.

Stasha French901 SWMartin Downs Blvd.

PalmCity(772) 426-9919, Ext. 154

[email protected]

Nick Blount, external affairs managerat FPL, naturally spends much ofhis time in public arenas, but his

above-the-norm commitment to his com-munity was recognized in October by theStuart/Martin County Chamber of Com-merce when he was tapped as the 2013Business Person of the Year.Blount and other award recipients were

recognized Oct. 5 at the Stuart/MartinCounty Chamber of Commerce Annual In-stallation and Awards Dinner at MarinerSands Golf & Country Club in Hobe Sound.The Business Person of the Year Award

was renamed this year to “Toots” ArmelliniBusiness Person of the Year Award in honorof the the late Toots Armellini’s years ofservice and contributions to the Chamberand to the Martin County business commu-nity, as a whole.Mrs. Sarah Armellini, their daughter,

Judy Dusharm, and son Richard Armelliniwere special Chamber guests at the dinner.The Chairman’s award went to Elliot

Paul, Elliot Paul & Associates, the LifetimeAchievement Award to retired CEO KenFerguson, and the Ambassador of the YearAward went to Lisa Satur, of Harbor Com-

munity Bank, all of which were presented byChairman Michael Dadko, UBS/SailfishWealth Management Group.Joe Catrambone, president/CEO of the

Chamber, presented the President’s Awardto Bill Barrett, Gator PC, for his dedica-

tion and support to the community and tothe Chamber.Other recognitions included: former

Chamber Chair Tom Vokoun, AECOM,presented with a Chairman’s Recognitionplaque for his outstanding year; Shaun Ply-male, Chapman & Plymale Law, P.A. and toKevin Powers, Indiantown Realty, for theiryears of service.The Honorable Judge Darren Steele in-

stalled the 2013/2014 officers and directors,

including: Chairman John O’Brien, Gulf-stream Aluminum & Shutter Corp.; Chair-Elect Pete Lashenka, Seacoast NationalBank; Vice Chairman Ryan Strom, TeamParks, Inc.; Vice Chairman Janice Norman,Century 21 IRP Realty/Norman Page Team;and Past Chairman Michael Dadko,UBS/Sailfish Wealth Management Group.Directors are David Armellini, Armellini

Express Line, Inc.; Lynne Barletta, Vision-ary School of Arts; William G. Carson, For-ward Electric & Air Conditioning; MiguelCoty, Martin Health System; Rob Gluck-man, Esq., Treasure Coast Urgent & FamilyCare; Robin Hicks-Connors, RHCFundraising Consultants, LLC; DonaldMader, Southeastern Printing; Elliot Paul,Elliot Paul & Company; Stacy Ranieri, TheFirefly Group; David Smith, Galaxy Avia-tion of Stuart; Linda Weiksnar, Esq.; andCrary Buchanan PA.Ex-Officio Directors include Treasurer

Gordon Proctor, Proctor, Crook, Crowder &Fogal CPAs; Paul Nicoletti, Stuart CityManager; Doug Smith, Martin CountyCommissioner; Laurie Gaylord MartinCounty School Board; Beth Gaskin, IndianRiver State College and President/CEOJoseph A. Catrambone.For more information about the cham-

ber, contact [email protected] call (772) 287-1088, or go to www.stuart-martinchamber.org. �

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013 Stuart Martin Chamber of Commerce 21

Stuart/Martin Chamber ends year with awards

The Toots Armellini Businessperson of the Year Award went to Nick Blount, of FPL, second from right. Presentersincluded, from left, Joe Catrambone, Judy Armellini Dusharm, Richard Armellini, Sarah Armellini, and Chamber ChairMichael Dadko, far right.

Operation Thank You in StuartOperation Thank You kicks off Tuesday, Nov. 5, at the Stuart Martin County Cham-

ber with a breakfast at 7:45 a.m.The event, which will continue through Friday, is an annual “celebration of apprecia-

tion” to thank Chamber members and survey their business needs, according to a Cham-ber press release.The new 2013/2014 Welcome Guide and Business Directory will be delivered with

goody bags containing assorted promotional items and information from Chambermembers. The breakfast is sponsored by Seacoast National Bank. For more information,call 772-287-1088 x111, or email [email protected].

The Chairman’s Award was presented to Elliot Paul, Elliot Paul & Associates,for his outstanding service to the community. From left, President JoeCatrambone, Eliot Paul, and Chair Michael Dadko.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to retired CEO Ken Ferguson. From left, PresidentJoe Catrambone, Ferguson, and Chair Michael Dadko.

Lisa Satur, of Harbor Community Bank, wasselected the Ambassador of the Year for theChamber, and the award was presented byChair Michael Dadko.

Chamber President Joe Catrambone, left,presented the President’s Award to Bill Barrett,of Gator PC, for exceptional community andChamber service.

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013iTown Chamber of Commerce22

Personal chef Chris Trovitch, left, of the AleHouse, and Indiantown resident Bob Aker,center, both spent two afternoons grillingribeyes and hot dogs for the VIP ticketholders, including Martin County Commis-sioner John Haddox, far right. "My reasonfor being here?" said Akers, in answer to aquestion. "I live next door to David Powers,and he said, 'Whatya're doin' Friday night?'So, here I am."

FPL'sNick Blount

Sewall's Point Commissioner Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch and her husband, Ed, enjoy a changeof pace from their St. Lucie River activism.

Carl Newton,Seacoast National Bank

Shawn Kell,iTown Chamberpresident

Special guest Patricia Moody, in white shirt,who sang and signed the Star-SpangledBanner on Saturday, wanted a photo withthe rodeo queens, including HilaryMcKeich, far right, executive director ofthe iTown Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber volunteer DavidPowers worked behind thescenes. "I don't know howthose cowboys do what theydo," he said. "I'm tired afterjust one day."

Indiantown'sArt Matson

More American than apple pie, the IndiantownRodeo at Timer Powers Park sponsored by the iTownChamber of Commerce roared into town Oct. 25-26, cre-ating family memories and spine-tingling performancesfor thousands.

The family of fallen soldier, Army Staff Sgt. JustinJohnson of Hobe Sound, was honored for the 24-year-old's sacrifice during opening ceremonies Friday night.

Saturday night's dedication to Americans with Dis-abilities included Patricia Moody's touching rendition ofthe Star Spangled Banner, leaving many in the audiencewith teary eyes and responding with a standing ovation.

It would not be the only time the crowd came to theirfeet with exciting exhibitions of traditional cowboy skills,including riding bucking broncos, or one-ton, bulls...thatis, trying to ride them....for eight, breathless seconds.

If you were not in Indiantown that weekend, youmissed an event to remember. Mark your calendars nowfor Oct. 17-18, 2014, so you won't make that same mis-take again.

DebbiDenning

And the most beautifulprincess of all? CarliWatson of Indiantown.

Presenting sponsorSeacoast National Bank

provided a sea ofSeacoast green and lotsof volunteers, including,

from right, MaryLopopolo, Eileen Hattand Larry Lopopolo at

the ticket booth.

RODEO!Singer Brooke Eden, right, posesfor a photo with Grace Hulen,daughter of Dan and Amy Hulen.

Photographer Matt Stonesurveys the crowd.

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013 Indiantown Neighborhood 23

As the word begins to trickleout to the rest of the countythat a Smithsonian Institu-

tion traveling exhibit has been in-stalled at the Elisabeth LahtiLibrary, residents are beginning tomake the trek to Indiantown to ex-perience it.

“I'm just a history buff,” saidWayne Friese of Hobe Sound, whowent to Indiantown on Oct. 19,opening day of the Journey Storiesexhibition. Free to the public, it willremain in Indiantown until Nov. 30.

“When I think of how hardLewis and Clark had it when theyexplored this country,” Friese said,then paused, “actually, how hard allof our ancestors had it when theycame here, I'm just amazed.”

The Journey Stories exhibit wasfunded by grants from the FloridaHumanities Council along withlocal funding from the Arts Foun-dation of Martin County andWomen Supporting the Arts.

“There had to be a local part-ner,” said Vi Nichols, a member ofWomen Supporting the Arts,“which would create their own local 'jour-ney stories' to become part of the main ex-hibit.” The library fulfilled that obligation

by transforming one corner of the Commu-nity Room with Indiantown students' ownexhibit and journals, their prerecorded

voices telling their own stories.The rest of the room is filled

with interactive exhibits that tellthe tales of how we and our an-cestors came to America--fromNative Americans to new Ameri-can citizen. It quickly becomesclear that regardless of our ethnicor racial background, everyonehas a story to tell. Simply push abutton, and you'll hear it.

Events exploring the JourneyStories themes have been takingplace at all Martin County li-braries and will continue in themonths following the Smithson-ian exhibit, which does not shyaway from telling not only the sto-ries of those risking their lives andleaving behind all their possessionsand their family to cross a continentor to cross an ocean, but also aboutthose who came here without anychoice, such as enslaved Africans. The ex-hibit also shows the lives of Native Ameri-cans pushed aside by all these newcomers.

The Elisabeth Lahti Library is openTuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturdayfrom 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. and Wednesdayfrom noon–8 p.m. To learn more about thisand other Journey Stories events throughoutthe Martin County Library System, call

772-221-1403,pick up a LibraryConnection at anyMartin County libraryor visit the library websiteat www.library.martin.fl.us.

Elisabeth Lahti Library is at 15200 SWAdams Ave., at the intersection of WarfieldBoulevard in Indiantown. To reach the li-brary by phone, call 772-597-4200. �

Smithsonian Exhibit at Elisabeth Lahti Library

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Wayne Friese of Hobe Sound, left, and Anne Menassianof Jensen Beach enjoy the Smithsonian Institution'sJourney Stories exhibit at the Elizabeth Lahti Library inIndiantown, on display through Nov. 30.

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013Hobe Sound Chamber24

Arming residents with the facts relatedto the proposed customs facility atWitham Field in Stuart was under-

taken over the past few weeks by an allianceof air and marine industries, as well as otherbusinesses, interested in its potential eco-nomic benefits for Martin County.

They visited all the county's chambers ofcommerce and other organizations in prepa-ration for the final vote by the Board ofCounty Commissioners on Nov. 4 to eitherauthorize continued pursuit of funding tobuild the facility, or kill the idea altogether.

Speakers at the Hobe Sound Chamberof Commerce breakfast meeting Oct. 10 insupport of the customs facility includedHobe Sound businessman Pat Martin, a co-founder of Preserve Martin County, AlexBeringer, president of Air Charters of Stu-art, and Ike Crumpler, principal in UpstairsCommunications, representing the MartinMarine-Aviation Alliance.

“A customs facility at Witham Fieldwill be good for the economy,” said Mar-tin, “not just for Hobe Sound, but for theentire county.”

The first facility of its kind anywhere inthe state that will serve both aircraft andboats, the proposed facility was approved bythe previous county commission in 2011, atwhich time the commissioners prohibitedthe use of any ad valorem taxes for eitherconstruction or maintenance.

“Taxpayers will not spend a dime on it,”said Crumpler.

After success-fully applying foran economic de-velopment grantfrom the FloridaDepartment ofTransportation in2012, plus an ad-ditional $400,000from the county'sAirport Enter-prise Fund com-prising aviationfees, GeorgeStokus, airportmanager, thought he had sufficient fundingin place for construction.

“But the bids came in much higher, thelowest one being $1.2 million,” Crumpleradded. “We are confident, though, that grantfunding (for the balance) will be in place.”

Following construction, operation of thefacility, estimated to be $250,000 annually,would be paid for through user fees that willbe charged boaters and pilots, ranging from$15 per passenger for boats and from $30 to$500 per aircraft, garnering an annual rev-enue estimated to be in excess of $400,000annually. Should the number of users belower, however, the balance of the opera-tional costs would be paid through the Air-port Enterprise Fund.

Stuart's nearness to the Bahamas and itsposition on the St. Lucie Waterway allowingaccess to Okeechobee and the west coast of

Florida providedimpetus for USCustoms/BorderPatrol approval ofa combined avia-tion/marine cus-toms facility,according toCrumpler.

“Will this in-crease the use ofthe airport?That's a possibil-ity, but probablyonly slightly,”

Crumpler said. “Anyone coming into thecountry must go through customs at eitherWest Palm Beach or in Ft. Pierce, which isa major inconvenience for residents, but italso means that we lose the revenue thatresidents and tourists might spend on localshops, restaurants, rental cars, etc. We wantto keep those dollars here in MartinCounty, not lose them to St. Lucie or PalmBeach counties.”

Already approved to build a customs fa-

cility at Witham Field elevates its status asan international airport, according to AlexBeringer, president of Fair Wind Air Char-ter, positioning it better for future funding,including during such crises as the govern-ment sequester, which threatened to shutdown control towers at smaller airports.

“We want the Witham Field tower tostay open,” said Beringer, a member of thecounty's Airport Noise Advisory Commit-tee, “not only for safety, but in order to con-trol the air routes.”

Significant noise reduction to residentialneighborhoods around the airport has beenthe result of carefully selecting the routes pi-lots are to take.

“Without a tower,” he added, “they chosetheir own route.”

Being classified as an international air-port, though, does not mean Witham Fieldwill become a commercial airport with majorairlines, and it will not impact its currentcurfew of 11 p.m.

“Witham Field is not certified for com-mercial aircraft,” Beringer added, “so thatshould not be a concern (of residents).” �

Witham Field customs facility under public scrutiny

COUNCIL OF CHAMBERSBREAKFAST WITHCONGRESSMANPATRICK MURPHYMonday, Nov. 4, 7:45amMartin Downs Golf Club3801 SW Greenwood Way, Palm City$25/person. RSVP Required.Register at www.stuartmartinchamber.org

MONTHLY CHAMBERBREAKFASTThursday, Nov. 14, 8-9:15amBoys & Girls Clubs of Martin County11500 SE Lares Ave., Hobe SoundSponsored by: Law Offices ofW. Trent SteeleGuest Speaker: Kim Waser,Quit Doc/Tobacco Free Partnership$10 Members/$15 Non-MembersCall: 772.546.4724

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Purpose, passion, plan allpart of 'the Sweet Spot'Each year during the

Hobe Sound ChristmasParade, residents expect

to see Scott Fay, CEO andpartner of Treasure Coast Irri-gation/Rood Landscape, atop aJohn Deere, donning a cowboyhat and an ear-to-ear grin, ashe joyfully leads a posse of trac-tors through Hobe Sound's his-toric downtown.

Fay was just as joyful as hestepped on stage Sept. 13 at theMariner Sands CountryClub—this time wearing a suit and tie andleaving his tractor at the shop on BridgeRoad—to address the Council of Chambersluncheon, hosted by the Hobe SoundChamber of Commerce.

This “son of a preacher man,” Fay delivershis message similarly, so it's not a surprisethat his passion for life and leadership princi-ples led him to accept another role, vice presi-dent of the John Maxwell Team of lifecoaches, and to author his first book on lead-ership, Discover Your Sweet Spot, which hetalked about to the gathering of business menand women from throughout Martin County.

“It's a tiny space,” he said, tapping thebaseball metaphor of hitting a baseball witha bat in a certain spot that gets maximum re-sults with seemingly minimum effort.

“It's a specific place,” he added. “First, wehit it by accident, then with practice, we hitit with purpose, and when we get reallygood, we get to learn to hit it consistently.”

His message, often dotted withmetaphors from the dozen landscaping busi-nesses he's acquired over the past twodecades, offered direction to not only find-ing that sweet spot, but living in it, by fol-lowing three basic principles ofunderstanding your purpose, discovering

your passion, and devising aplan that melds both.

“If you want to live in thesweet spot where your life trulyis effective, folks,” Fay said, “it'sjust minor details.”

He used his own life experi-ences as an example for the threeleadership principles of purpose,passion and plan, pointing to thetimes that he'd sought otherways of making a living thanlandscaping, which had been hispassion. He even established a

successful lawn maintenance company as ateen, which paid his way through HobeSound Bible College. When he sold it, his lifewent off course, he said, until he returnedthree years later to landscaping, pulling weedsfor Roy Rood's 21-acre nursery in Jupiter.

Just a little more than a decade later, hepurchased Roy Rood Landscaping androlled it into the Treasure Coast Irrigationcompany, where he'd applied 13 core valuesto create the fifth-largest green company inFlorida, winner this year of a national awardfor superior performance in a technicallychallenging landscape project at the historicJupiter Inlet lighthouse.

“When you're willing to put your pas-sion and your purpose together with astrategic plan, a plan that makes sense,” hesays, “now you've got your DNA, you've gotyour heart, your talents, your motivation,your commitment, your conviction, thethings that you're willing to sacrifice for,then you'll be successful.”

To find your sweet spot, Fay's book maybe purchased through Amazon.com. Theauthor also donated some of his books to theHobe Sound Chamber of Commerce to sell,with those proceeds going to the chamber.For more information, call 772.546.4724. �

Scott Fay

As if a meteor had soared to earth andcrashed, the arrival of a manufacturedhome this month on a freshly re-

zoned lot in a traditional Hobe Soundneighborhood of site-built homes createdjust as much noise, dust and drama as anotherworldly event.

It's also created cohesion and resolve bythe neighbors, life-long residents and new-bies alike, to protest vigorously and to fightwhat they consider a major threat to thecharacter—and to the property values—ofthe Olympia plat homes, more commonlyknown as Zeus Park.

“Part of the issue is whether or not this isa 'modular' home,” said Hobe Sound resi-dent and real estate broker Mike Dooley onOct. 23 to a packed community building atthe heart of the affected neighborhood,“which I think, personally, is just a superstrong mobile home.”

The house is at 9211 SE Apollo Street inHobe Sound, an approximately 95' x 65' lot,and is owned by Stuart and Jane Greenbergof Pine Tree Lane in Palm City. It arrived atits destination facing the Old Post OfficeAlley in two parts, on a wheeled chassis, andwas promptly assembled among homes val-ued in the $350,000 to $500,000 range atopdry-stacked, hollow concrete blocks by amobile home moving company.

The steel chassis and wheels remain at-tached, and the entire structure is now tieddown with more than two dozen steel strapsto ground anchors in what Greenberg called“a compacted, engineered” foundation. TheJacobsen-built modular home certifyingconstruction that meets state and countyhurricane standards, the home includes aroof reinforced to withstand 170 mph winds,according to permits issued by the MartinCounty Building Department.

Those permits are properly displayed onthe property, but the site also grew a dozenor so hand-painted protest signs overnightsaying, “Zeus Park is no Place for a MobileHome” and “What were you thinking?”

County code does allow modular homesin all areas that are zoned for residences, butit also requires that homes “complement”others in the same neighborhood. A modu-lar home on dry stacks of concrete blocksdoes not pass muster, many residents havesaid in emails to Commissioner Anne Scott.

They also have questioned the HobeSound Community Redevelopment Area'sset of design standards, many of which, resi-dents say, have caused great irritation andadditional expense whenever they undertakeexterior remodeling projects, yet they do notseem to apply to the manufactured home.

“I don't understand why these objectionsare coming now,” said the building's owner,Stuart Greenberg. in a recent phone interview.“Why didn't anyone protest for the threemonths that the development signs were up?”

Greenberg was referring to the signs an-nouncing that a zoning change was beingsought for the lot, which was approved lastApril in a 4-1 vote of the Martin CountyCommission, with Ed Fielding dissenting.Upon recommendation of the Local Plan-ning Agency, the commission changed theformer, outdated business zoning to RS-5,for a single-family home. The lot is smallerthan the 7,500 sq. ft. standard lot normallyrequired by county code, but Community

Redevelopment Area standards allow smallerlot sizes and shorter setbacks.

Greenberg also insists that Hobe Soundresidents are rushing to judgment withoutconsidering what the final aesthetics of theplan will achieve: “A really pretty house witha beautifully landscaped lot,” he says, “andI'd much rather spend money on landscap-ing than I would on a lawyer.”

The home's installation was “red tagged”last week by the Building Department, stop-ping construction in order to bring the con-tractor's paperwork into county complianceand to give County Attorney MichaelDurham time to review the permits and pre-pare a report for the county commission.

Among the questions that he will ad-dress: Does this home and its foundationmeet state and county codes? Or was a mis-take made by the county? Does the countyhave any other option to appease Zeus Parkproperty owners while still meeting federalstandards under the Fair Housing Act?

The homeowners of Olympia Plat and theOld Hobe Sound plat east of A1A decided notto wait on Durham's ruling and voted to createa neighborhood nonprofit, pool their funds andhire their own attorney, Virginia Sherlock ofStuart, to investigate and take action.

“A great win would be getting that thingout of here,” Dooley told the gathering, “buta win would be to get it on a slab founda-

tion, then we'll look down the road at howto keep any more (manufactured homes)from coming in here.”

The “new” Hobe Sound NeighborhoodAdvisory Committee, dissolved last Febru-ary by the county commission, will meet onWednesday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m. in the HobeSound Community Building in Zeus Park,and is open to the public. Representativesfrom the Community Development Depart-ment and the county attorney's office will beon hand to answer questions. �

— Barbara Clowdus

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013 Hobe Sound Neighborhood 25

Residents: Zeus Park turning into trailer park?

Protest signs were erected on the property assoon as the manufactured home was moved onsite. Photo: Submitted.

The Apollo Street modular home, now tied down and red-tagged, as its owners, Stuart and JaneGreenberg of Palm City, wait for the county's ruling to begin landscaping. Photo: Barbara Clowdus

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Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013Hobe Sound Chamber24

Arming residents with the facts relatedto the proposed customs facility atWitham Field in Stuart was under-

taken over the past few weeks by an allianceof air and marine industries, as well as otherbusinesses, interested in its potential eco-nomic benefits for Martin County.

They visited all the county's chambers ofcommerce and other organizations in prepa-ration for the final vote by the Board ofCounty Commissioners on Nov. 4 to eitherauthorize continued pursuit of funding tobuild the facility, or kill the idea altogether.

Speakers at the Hobe Sound Chamberof Commerce breakfast meeting Oct. 10 insupport of the customs facility includedHobe Sound businessman Pat Martin, a co-founder of Preserve Martin County, AlexBeringer, president of Air Charters of Stu-art, and Ike Crumpler, principal in UpstairsCommunications, representing the MartinMarine-Aviation Alliance.

“A customs facility at Witham Fieldwill be good for the economy,” said Mar-tin, “not just for Hobe Sound, but for theentire county.”

The first facility of its kind anywhere inthe state that will serve both aircraft andboats, the proposed facility was approved bythe previous county commission in 2011, atwhich time the commissioners prohibitedthe use of any ad valorem taxes for eitherconstruction or maintenance.

“Taxpayers will not spend a dime on it,”said Crumpler.

After success-fully applying foran economic de-velopment grantfrom the FloridaDepartment ofTransportation in2012, plus an ad-ditional $400,000from the county'sAirport Enter-prise Fund com-prising aviationfees, GeorgeStokus, airportmanager, thought he had sufficient fundingin place for construction.

“But the bids came in much higher, thelowest one being $1.2 million,” Crumpleradded. “We are confident, though, that grantfunding (for the balance) will be in place.”

Following construction, operation of thefacility, estimated to be $250,000 annually,would be paid for through user fees that willbe charged boaters and pilots, ranging from$15 per passenger for boats and from $30 to$500 per aircraft, garnering an annual rev-enue estimated to be in excess of $400,000annually. Should the number of users belower, however, the balance of the opera-tional costs would be paid through the Air-port Enterprise Fund.

Stuart's nearness to the Bahamas and itsposition on the St. Lucie Waterway allowingaccess to Okeechobee and the west coast of

Florida providedimpetus for USCustoms/BorderPatrol approval ofa combined avia-tion/marine cus-toms facility,according toCrumpler.

“Will this in-crease the use ofthe airport?That's a possibil-ity, but probablyonly slightly,”

Crumpler said. “Anyone coming into thecountry must go through customs at eitherWest Palm Beach or in Ft. Pierce, which isa major inconvenience for residents, but italso means that we lose the revenue thatresidents and tourists might spend on localshops, restaurants, rental cars, etc. We wantto keep those dollars here in MartinCounty, not lose them to St. Lucie or PalmBeach counties.”

Already approved to build a customs fa-

cility at Witham Field elevates its status asan international airport, according to AlexBeringer, president of Fair Wind Air Char-ter, positioning it better for future funding,including during such crises as the govern-ment sequester, which threatened to shutdown control towers at smaller airports.

“We want the Witham Field tower tostay open,” said Beringer, a member of thecounty's Airport Noise Advisory Commit-tee, “not only for safety, but in order to con-trol the air routes.”

Significant noise reduction to residentialneighborhoods around the airport has beenthe result of carefully selecting the routes pi-lots are to take.

“Without a tower,” he added, “they chosetheir own route.”

Being classified as an international air-port, though, does not mean Witham Fieldwill become a commercial airport with majorairlines, and it will not impact its currentcurfew of 11 p.m.

“Witham Field is not certified for com-mercial aircraft,” Beringer added, “so thatshould not be a concern (of residents).” �

Witham Field customs facility under public scrutiny

COUNCIL OF CHAMBERSBREAKFAST WITHCONGRESSMANPATRICK MURPHYMonday, Nov. 4, 7:45amMartin Downs Golf Club3801 SW Greenwood Way, Palm City$25/person. RSVP Required.Register at www.stuartmartinchamber.org

MONTHLY CHAMBERBREAKFASTThursday, Nov. 14, 8-9:15amBoys & Girls Clubs of Martin County11500 SE Lares Ave., Hobe SoundSponsored by: Law Offices ofW. Trent SteeleGuest Speaker: Kim Waser,Quit Doc/Tobacco Free Partnership$10 Members/$15 Non-MembersCall: 772.546.4724

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Purpose, passion, plan allpart of 'the Sweet Spot'Each year during the

Hobe Sound ChristmasParade, residents expect

to see Scott Fay, CEO andpartner of Treasure Coast Irri-gation/Rood Landscape, atop aJohn Deere, donning a cowboyhat and an ear-to-ear grin, ashe joyfully leads a posse of trac-tors through Hobe Sound's his-toric downtown.

Fay was just as joyful as hestepped on stage Sept. 13 at theMariner Sands CountryClub—this time wearing a suit and tie andleaving his tractor at the shop on BridgeRoad—to address the Council of Chambersluncheon, hosted by the Hobe SoundChamber of Commerce.

This “son of a preacher man,” Fay delivershis message similarly, so it's not a surprisethat his passion for life and leadership princi-ples led him to accept another role, vice presi-dent of the John Maxwell Team of lifecoaches, and to author his first book on lead-ership, Discover Your Sweet Spot, which hetalked about to the gathering of business menand women from throughout Martin County.

“It's a tiny space,” he said, tapping thebaseball metaphor of hitting a baseball witha bat in a certain spot that gets maximum re-sults with seemingly minimum effort.

“It's a specific place,” he added. “First, wehit it by accident, then with practice, we hitit with purpose, and when we get reallygood, we get to learn to hit it consistently.”

His message, often dotted withmetaphors from the dozen landscaping busi-nesses he's acquired over the past twodecades, offered direction to not only find-ing that sweet spot, but living in it, by fol-lowing three basic principles ofunderstanding your purpose, discovering

your passion, and devising aplan that melds both.

“If you want to live in thesweet spot where your life trulyis effective, folks,” Fay said, “it'sjust minor details.”

He used his own life experi-ences as an example for the threeleadership principles of purpose,passion and plan, pointing to thetimes that he'd sought otherways of making a living thanlandscaping, which had been hispassion. He even established a

successful lawn maintenance company as ateen, which paid his way through HobeSound Bible College. When he sold it, his lifewent off course, he said, until he returnedthree years later to landscaping, pulling weedsfor Roy Rood's 21-acre nursery in Jupiter.

Just a little more than a decade later, hepurchased Roy Rood Landscaping androlled it into the Treasure Coast Irrigationcompany, where he'd applied 13 core valuesto create the fifth-largest green company inFlorida, winner this year of a national awardfor superior performance in a technicallychallenging landscape project at the historicJupiter Inlet lighthouse.

“When you're willing to put your pas-sion and your purpose together with astrategic plan, a plan that makes sense,” hesays, “now you've got your DNA, you've gotyour heart, your talents, your motivation,your commitment, your conviction, thethings that you're willing to sacrifice for,then you'll be successful.”

To find your sweet spot, Fay's book maybe purchased through Amazon.com. Theauthor also donated some of his books to theHobe Sound Chamber of Commerce to sell,with those proceeds going to the chamber.For more information, call 772.546.4724. �

Scott Fay

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013Lifestyle26

Just when she thought she had her futurefigured out, 20-year-old Zilpa Meck-lembourg, with a university acceptance

letter in hand, discovered she was pregnant.After high school, she had decided to pursuea career in nursing, which now seemed im-possible to achieve for a young womanwhose family lived in another country.

“I always dreamed of becoming a nurse,”she says, “and when I found out I was preg-nant I thought I would have to put mydreams on hold, but Mary’s Shelter providedme with the confidence and direction Ineeded to continue focusing on and achiev-ing my goal.”

Mary’s Shelter of the Treasure Coast, atransitional home in Stuart, provides resi-dential and non-residential services to preg-nant women and their newborns in need of asupportive environment, due either to a lackof suitable housing or favorable family rela-tionships. While caring for women in need,Mary’s Shelter also prepares mothers for in-dependent living through counseling, educa-tion and job training.

“Our residents come to us at a very diffi-cult point in their lives,” says Mary’s ShelterOperations Manager Kim Martin-Gaudet,“so we work hard to keep them focused andon track.”

The first Mary’s Shelter opened in 1983in West St. Paul, Minn., by founders Jan andNoel Lindsey to provide struggling, preg-nant young women guidance and a healthy,safe place to stay. The need continued togrow as did Mary’s Shelter, which addedfour more homes across the U.S., includingin Stuart in 2010.

Those who visit Mary’s Shelter of theTreasure Coast often express surprise at its“homey” atmosphere. A remodeled homenestled in a quiet Stuart neighborhood, thefacility is equipped with a full kitchen, livingroom, office space, a study area, five bed-rooms and two nurseries to accommodate upto 10 women.

In addition to providing a nurturing,comfortable environment, women at the

shelter have the opportunity to participate ina variety of programs to help them learnself-sufficiency skills, as well as how to par-ent a healthy baby.

“Before I learned about Mary’s Shelter,”Mecklembourg says, “I had no where to goand no one to turn to. Now I have thestrength, courage and ambition to pursue mydreams and provide my daughter with agreat future.”

Programs offered through Mary’s Shelterinclude job readiness workshops, health andwellness programs, credit and budgeting,breastfeeding classes and mental healthcounseling. Each week all residents meetwith Mary’s Shelter Executive DirectorGina Thompson for a counseling sessionand with Martin-Gaudet for a goal-planning session.

Some of the women at Mary’sShelter are focused on completingtheir GED or pursuing higher ed-ucation and receiving certificatesin nursing or childhood devel-opment. Others choose toreceive job trainingthrough WorkforceSolutions YouthConnections to en-able them to securejobs with rep-utable businessesand organiza-tions throughoutMartin County.

Over the past threeyears, more than 70women have beenhelped through theshelter, 27 healthy babieshave been born—six overthe past six months—and all of the mothersassisted have left theshelter as stronger, moreindependent women, according to Thomp-son. Also in the past six months, three moth-ers have earned their GEDs, and two

mothers have received theirCertified Nursing Assistant

certifications.Those kinds of

successes led to aFrances LangfordFoundation grant of$12,500 recentlyawarded to thelocal charity.

“We are sograteful to have re-ceived this grant

from the FrancesLangford Foundation,”Thompson adds. “Thefunds will help us continueto provide pregnantwomen in need with ahealthy and stable livingenvironment until they getback on their feet.”

There is no monetaryfee for women to stay at Mary’s Shelter,which is entirely dependent on sales fromthe Mary’s Shelter Thrift Store on Colorado

Avenue in Stuart, charitable contributionsand grant funding. Instead of a fee, residentsare enrolled in a point system that reinforceseducation on budgeting, while allowingthem to pay for rent, food and supplies fortheir babies. Points are earned in place ofcash by successfully completing volunteerhours, shared shelter chores, or completinghours at their place of work.

In August, Mecklembourg successfullycompleted the certified nursing assistantprogram through Paramount Training.

“Now that I’m a CNA, I can gain experi-ence in the medical field,” she says, “andonce my baby is born and the time is right, Iwill be able to take the next step and furthermy education to one day become a nurse.”

For more information about Mary’sShelter, or to learn about how you canhelp the organization, contact GinaThompson at 772-223-5000 or visitwww.maryssheltertc.org. The Thrift Store,open six days a week, may be reached at772.220.7888. �

—Evelyn LespinasseSpecial to Currents

Michelle Watkins, left, meets with Mary’s Shelter Operations ManagerKim Martin-Gaudet to plan for her future by defining and setting goals.

Mary’s Shelter provides hand-up assistance

Stuart resident Zilpa Mecklembourgreceived her Certified Nurse Assistantcertification in August with the helpof Mary’s Shelter in Stuart.

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Annual golf tournamentto aid Mary's Shelter

Mary’s Shelter of the Treasure Coast will host its fourth annual golf tournamentat Willoughby Golf Club on Dec. 13. A unique aspect of this year’s event isthat if a lucky player scores a hole in one, they will drive off with a brand new

Audi or Infiniti sponsored by Audi Stuart and Infiniti Stuart.Last year the sellout crowd raised more than $48,000 to benefit the organization with

programs focused on positively impacting the lives of homeless, pregnant womenthroughout the Treasure Coast.

The tournament includes a full round of golf at Willoughby Golf Club, a cocktail re-ception, a silent auction and hole-in-one prizes. Registration will begin at 11:30 a.m. fol-lowed by a shotgun start at 1 p.m.

The tournament fee is $150 per player and includes lunch. To pre-register for theevent, or to sponsor a prize, call 223-5000 or email [email protected].

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013 Lifestyle 27

The mural, considered to be the mostdemocratic art the United States hasever produced, relates to the public

directly without any guiding intermediariesfound in museums or art galleries. Free of asnobbish vestige of elitist undertones, cachedin the fine arts by hook or by crook, themural sends a more straightforward andpowerful message than its academic counter-part, and thus benefits from an immediatepublic response.

Wall paintings, whether it’s a fresco or amural, are supposed to heal, enlighten andconnect, creating a community culture withits own aesthetic style, social values, andethics. As the Hobe Sound artist Nadia Uttostated on her website in her mural mani-festo: “Murals quickly become local land-marks and the visual emblem of community.Murals start a domino of good things – peo-ple internalize them as a sign that things arechanging. As each and every mural becomesinternalized . … we won’t be able to imaginehaving lived without it.”

In 2009, a non-profit organization, TheHobe Sound Murals Project, set off a trainof beautiful wall galleries along Bridge Road,on Dixie and Federal highways, and BannerLake Park by Nadia and other local artists.As a result, 12 murals have been painted.This year’s project will concentrate on Fed-eral Highway, supporting the goal of visuallyconnecting Hobe Sound’s main businesscorridors, and, ultimately, offering muraltours, according to a recent press release.

Halted temporarily due to intermittentrain, a new epic project #13, called Four Sea-sons, is tenaciously moving to completion.Gracefully balanced on a scaffold, Nadia hasbeen beautifying the west wall of Copley’sRV Center at 9797 SE Federal Highway inHobe Sound. A four-part mural, with eachband representing one of the four seasons,creates an imagery of pathways of Americaat various times of the year, inviting you toclimb into an RV to explore the pastoralbeauty of America with its rich seasonal

overtones beyond the comfort zone ofFlorida sunshine. And, besides, this countryis known for its citizens taking mind-blow-ing road trips and seeking adventure.

In a way, the road has become a sort of ablueprint to our mindset, as it was mainlythe road that inspired the first settlers’ questto the unknown and later on spawned auniquely American musing on “the road nottaken” by American poet Robert Frost. Theroad is not just a preferred setting for a bookor a movie. It’s a reflection of ourselves.

Another American poet, Walt Whitman,brought to light this very quintessence ofAmerican psyche in his “Song of the OpenRoad.” “Oh public road . . . You express mebetter than I express myself,” utters one ofthe greatest poets of this country.

Nadia’s mural delivers in a beautiful, pic-torial language the same tune, set by WaltWhitman in 1856, that repeats itself like anecho throughout U.S. culture. Both realisticand poetic, Nadia’s wall painting fills whatshe identified as the gaps between the gor-geous Florida landscape and the architec-tural vacuum that leaves a person somewhatlost amidst.

People don’t like to walk any extra dis-tance in-between the parking space and theplace they shop for all they see are the plain,repetitive and unresponsive walls, she asserts.“They unconsciously avoid the emptiness.

It’s their visceral reaction,”Nadia says. “The murals fillin where there is a lack ofambiance or pronouncedarchitectural styles. We ex-pect to see the familiar im-ages anywhere we go. It canbe a face or a landscape —something we value, recog-nize and relate to.”

Mural #13 is about toopen a “domino of goodthings” as it comes closer toits final touch. Committedto the integrity and style of

her mural philosophy, Nadia Utto’s latestpiece brings an aesthetic dimension to localbusinesses, enhancing their presence inHobe Sound. Walls that were once blank,can now speak to us –they are alive, which isNadia’s creed.

And it also suggests that the businessessettled inside are thriving too, thus sending a

reassuring message to thecommunity in times of eco-nomic uncertainty. As wedrive down US Highway 1,past Copley’s RV Center,who sponsored the project, itno longer feels like it’s stuckon the dark side of the road.Instead, we get a glimpse of afascinating alternative spacewe most likely will betempted to explore.

This latest landmarkmural summons up the clas-sical, etched-in-your-mindmusic, of seasons by Vivaldiand Tchaikovsky. And nowit’s Nadia’s turn to voice—bymeans of her vibrant im-ages—the splendid tunes of

U.S. scenery, enticing us to embark on along and exciting journey, for the worstthing that could ever happen to this countrywould be . . . inertia. �

Russian-American Maya Ellenson, who holdsM.A. and PhD degrees in Russian languageand literature from Moscow State University,has lived in Martin County for eight years. Afree-lance writer, she has a particular interest inworld culture and art.

Landmark’s mural #13: a ‘domino’ of good thingsMaya

Ellenson

ArtKaleidoscope

Hobe Sound artist Nadia Utto at work on Mural #13 on the north building of Copley's RV Center onFederal Highway in Hobe Sound.

Hobe Sound artist Nadia Utto at work on Mural #13 on the northbuilding of Copley's RV Center on Federal Highway in Hobe Sound.

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013What ’n Where28

Thursday, Nov. 7Art for Living Calendar Reception

Thirteen area artists featuredin Helping People Succeed’s2014 Art for Living Calendar,will attend the Seacoast Na-tional Bank calendar-signingreception Thursday, Nov. 7,between 6 and 8 p.m. in theSeacoast Main Lobby, 815Colorado Avenue in Stuart.Featured artists include: Den-nis Aufiery, Jane Blatt,Nanette Carton, Cristina de laVega, Susan Fowler, KevinHutchinson, Julia Kelly, Va-lerie Lally, Dan Mackin, Pam

Patterson, Nancy Smythe, Erin Weinberg and Theresa Woleslagle. Tickets are$75 per person and include a calendar, a drink ticket and hors d’oeuvres. Reserva-tions are available online at hpsfl.org, by calling Lynn Austin at 772-320-0773 oremailing [email protected]. On Sunday, Dec. 1, the artists also will be availablefor a calendar signing at Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Jensen Beach from 2 to 4p.m., and on Saturday, Dec. 7, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the A.E. “Bean”Backus Gallery, 500 No. Indian River Drive in Fort Pierce. Calendars are $20each. Helping People Succeed is a non-profit organization that serves more than4,500 families in Martin, St. Lucie, Okeechobee and Indian River counties withprograms and services for babies, families, adults with disabilities and most re-cently, newly-organized after-school programs for elementary, middle and highschool students with autism spectrum disorder.

Beginning Nov. 8Comedy at The Barn Theatre"Pin Curls," a poignant comedy about the women of World War II by localplaywright Gale Baker will be presented by The Barn Theatre from Nov. 8-24with performances at 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and at 2 p.m.Sundays. Tickets are $20 and are available Mondays through Fridays at theBarn Theatre box office, 2400 S.E. Ocean Boulevard, Stuart from noon to 4p.m. Tickets can also be obtained by calling 772-287-4884 or on-line atwww.barn-theatre.com.

Saturday, Nov. 9Firefighters Chili Cook OffThe Tequesta Firefighters, in conjunction with the Tequesta Brewing Company,will host the highly anticipated 3rd Annual Chili Cook-Off and Beer TastingEvent on Nov. 9 at Paradise Park in Tequesta from 2 to 6 p.m. Fifteen fire de-partments will compete this year, as visitors enjoy live music, lots of other fun ac-tivities and plenty of cold beer. Last year the event raised more than $13,000 forHonor Flight, a non-profit organization that takes WWII veterans to Washing-ton D.C. to visit the WWII Memorial, an honorable cause that local firefightersin Palm Beach and Martin Counties have chosen to support. The Cook-Off fallsjust two days before Veterans Day this year. Cost is $30 in advance and $35 atthe door for ages 21 and over. To buy tickets, call 888-612-4194 or visitwww.tequestachilicookoff.com.

Saturday, Nov. 97th Annual Craft Fair in the WoodsFind handmade Christmas decorations, jewelry, woodcraft, fine art, baked andcanned goods, fabric, yarn, paper and wire crafts, home and yard decor and somuch more at the Annual Craft Fair in the Woods, Saturday, Nov. 9, from 9

a.m. to 4 p.m. at Freedom Ranch inOkeechobee. Relax and enjoy abarbeque dinner and a bowl ofswamp cabbage. Experience natureup close on a swamp buggy ride orbe intrigued at the arena demon-strations. There will be plenty todo, see and buy for the whole fam-ily. Freedom Ranch, 11655 Hwy411 SE, Okeechobee. For info, call863-763-9800 or [email protected].

2nd and 3rd FridaysMusic on theRiverwalkEnjoy free, live musical perform-ances on Stuart's Riverwalk stage at6 p.m. until 10 p.m. on the secondand third Fridays of the each month.The stage is behind City Hall, 121SW Flagler Avenue, Stuart, on thebeautiful, “pristine” St. Lucie River.For more info, call 772-288-1010 or772-485-1609.

Tickets on sale nowThe NutcrackerSome things can't wait, and buyingtickets for one of the season's fa-vorite family traditions—watchingThe Nutcracker—is one of them, es-pecially when the dancers of theFlorida Arts & Dance Company ofStuart will be performing the balletat the Lyric Theatre in downtownStuart. Tickets for the special galaevent at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday,Dec. 5, which includes a special re-ception with light hors d'oeuvres,followed by the 7 p.m. perform-ance, are $45. (Other perform-ances are Dec. 7-8.) Tickets are onsale now at the Florida Arts &Dance Co., 938 SE Central Park-way, in Stuart, or by calling772.288.4150. Ticket purchaseshelp support the programs offeredby the dance academy.

Thursday, Nov. 7Holiday OrnamentWorkshop

The Woman's Club of Stu-art will host a Holiday Or-nament Workshop onThursday, Nov. 7, from 3

to 7 p.m. at theWoman’s Clubof Stuart,729 EastOceanBlvd., Stu-art, to honorthe spirit of

the holidaysand help create a

family heirloom. Cost is $20, whichincludes admission to the class, plusall supplies to make a beautiful orna-ment. No artistic experience is re-quired. For more information or topurchase tickets, call772.283.5120, 772-261-4644, orvisit www.womansclubofstuart.com.The club has been providing scholar-ships to young women for 50 years,awarding scholarships totaling $16,000 in 2012 to young women in Mar-tin County high schools.

Sunday, Nov. 10Cambridge Theatrepresents Top Notch DuoOne of Hobe Sound's biggest values in enter-tainment, the Cambridge Theater, an-nounced that its first show of the season willbe Sunday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m. Tickets are only$15 for an evening of exceptional entertain-ment by the Top Notch Duo singers, who willperform old standards that will get your toestapping. For more information, call772.545.2614. The theater is at 8201 SEConstitution Blvd, Hobe Sound. Upcomingshows include Sounds of Soul (music of Mo-town) on Jan. 12, comedian Troy Thirdgill onFeb. 9 and The Marlinaires, vocal and multi-instrumentalist musicians on March 9.

Weekend, Nov. 9-11Indiantown Saluteto VeteransIndiantown knows how to honor its militaryveterans. The Salute to Veterans Weekend onNov. 9 – 11 will include a fish fry and dance onFriday evening and a golf tournament on Sat-urday morning at Indianwood. There's a littlebreak for a nap, then you can go listen tosome live music at the VFW Post in the after-noon and into the evening. Sunday morningwill be the "I'll Walk a Mile with a Veteran" pa-rade followed by a community picnic andbuilding dedication at VFW Post 6023, 16701SWMorgan Street, Indiantown. Contact thePost at vfwpost6023.org or Indiantown Cham-ber 772-597-2184 for more information.

Monday, Nov. 11Veterans Day Parade

The annual down-town Stuart Vet-eran's Day Paradewill begin at noonon East OceanBlvd. in Stuart,ending at Memo-rial Park for ashort ceremony.More than a dozenmilitary units areslated to march, as

well as scout troops, firefighters and mem-bers of the Martin County Sheriff's Depart-ment. A helicopter flyover will signal thebeginning of the parade. For more info, go toHYPERLINK "http://www.stuartparades.com/"www.stuartparades.com.

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013 What ’n Where 29

Saturday, Nov. 16Classical Guitar

A free classical guitarconcert by Jan Wiss-muller will be at theHobe Sound Public Li-brary on Saturday, Nov.16, from 3-4 p.m., inpartnership with theTreasure Coast ClassicalGuitar Society. Wiss-muller came to Florida in2010 by way of NewEngland and California.He studied music at MIT,

University of Toronto and Harvard University and has taught music theoryand composition at Boston University.

The Treasure Coast Classical Guitar Society is a community for classical gui-tar enthusiasts to promote appreciation of the classical guitar, provide opportuni-ties for guitarists of all levels to meet and play together, and sponsor professionalconcerts. For more information, visit HYPERLINK"http://www.tccgs.org/"www.tccgs.org.

Opening Nov. 16Titanic: The Artifact ExhibitionThe South Florida Science Center and Aquarium, formerly the South FloridaScience Museum, will host the legendary Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition fromNov. 16 through Easter weekend 2014. The exhibit will have nearly 100 leg-endary and priceless artifacts on display, taking visitors back in time to 1912 asthey enter the exhibit, each receiving a replica boarding pass of an actual pas-senger on board Titanic. They then begin their chronological journey throughthe life of Titanic, moving through the Ship’s construction, to life on board, tothe ill-fated sinking and amazing artifact rescue efforts. The Science Centerfeatures more than 50 hands-on educational exhibits, an 8,000 gallon fresh andsalt water aquarium featuring both local and exotic marine life, a digital plane-tarium, conservation research station, Florida exhibit hall and an interactiveEverglades exhibit. All exhibits will be open during the Titanic’s special show-ing. Advance tickets will be $13 for adults, $9.50 for children aged 3 to 12, and11.50 for seniors 62 and older. Tickets can be purchased on the Science Cen-ter’s website at www.sfsciencecenter.org. Members and children under 3 arefree. The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium is at 4801 Dreher TrailNorth, West Palm Beach, and is open Monday – Friday from 9am-5pm, and onSaturday and Sunday from 10am-6pm. For more information, call 561-832-1988 or visit www.sfsciencecenter.org.

Weekend, Nov. 16-17FIRST EVER Stuart Seafood FestivalThe 1st Annual Stuart Seafood Festival Nov. 16 and 17 at Memorial Park inStuart will benefit the Rivers Coalition and feature fresh seafood, live entertain-ment, kids activities, nautical vendors and fun! Festivities kick off at 11 a.m. onSaturday, Nov. 16, and Sunday, Nov. 17, ending at 7 p.m. The entertainmentlineup for the day includes the Killbillies, Fresh Catch, and the Amber LeighBand. Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the gates. Kids 12 and under are free.Parking is also free. Contact Lindsay Nickerson at 772.631.9084 or by email [email protected] for more information.

Saturday, Nov. 23Tequesta FestOne of the most family-friendly events on the Treasure Coast, the Tequesta Fest,will be from noon to 5 p.m. at Paradise Park, 1 Main Street in Tequesta. Free for

Tequesta residents; non-residentadmission is $10 per person; $1for 62-year-old and above; freefor five and under. Admission in-cludes, (with a wristband) trolleyrides, games, midway rides, facepainting, entertainment, some re-duced prices on food, and accessto all vendors, which grow innumber each year. For more info,go to www.Tequesta.org.

Friday, Nov. 15Catsablanca atMariner SandsAn evening of mystery, intrigue andunforgettable fun to benefit the shel-tering, adoption and community edu-

cationactivities ofDomino'sHouse no-kill cat shel-ter in PalmCity will beFriday, Nov.15, from 6-10 p.m. atthe MarinerSands

Country Club near Hobe Sound. At-tendees will enjoy cocktails, buffet,and silent auction, while solving alive-theater mystery! Tickets are $70in advance/$80 day of event. Forinfo, contact [email protected], [email protected] or call772.781.5592.

Friday, Nov. 15Through theLooking GlassA contemporary retelling of the chil-dren’s classic Alice in Wonderland,“Through the Looking Glass,” willcome to life Friday, Nov. 15, at 7:30p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 16, at 8 p.m.at Maltz Jupiter Theatre with eye-popping sets, costumes, magic andpuppetry for a family to enjoy. Theoriginal musical is a collaborationbetween North Palm Beachwriter/composer John Mercurio andthe Theatre’s producing artistic di-rector Andrew Kato, who conceivedand is directing the piece. Throughthe Looking Glass follows a modern-day Alice who is having trouble fit-ting in with her peers at school. Tolearn how to face her rivals, sheworks through her feelings in herdreams and literally steps through a“looking glass” to transport herselfinto an enchanting land. Tickets are$25 for adults and $15 for students.For more information and to pur-chase tickets, call 561-575-2223 orvisit www.jupitertheatre.org. 1001 EIndiantown Road, Jupiter.

Sunday, Dec. 1Grammy-Winning Artistat the LyricGrammy-award winning artist Terry Barber,from Palm City, performs at the Lyric Theatrein downtown Stuart on Sunday, Dec. 1, at 7p.m. An internationally known and locallyloved countertenor, Terry Barber will host afun-filled event with vocal performances byBarber and young, up-and-coming artists whoare part of Barber’s nonprofit organization,Artists for a Cause. Tickets are $35 foradults and $15 for students and can be pur-chased at the Lyric Theatre box office or on-line at www.lyrictheatre.com.

Saturday, Dec. 7Hobe SoundChristmas ParadeThe Hobe Sound Chamber will host its 28thAnnual Christmas Parade on Saturday, Dec.7, at 1 p.m., sponsored again this year byTreasure Coast Irrigation/Rood Landscape.In addition to the parade, a Holiday Arts &Crafts Stroll will be open from 10 a.m. to 2p.m. on Dixie Highway next to Taste Restau-rant for gift shoppers. The Arts & CraftsStroll will feature locally made items that aresure to make great holiday gifts for friendsand family members. Floats and decoratedvehicles are created by local businesses,schools and organizations. Hear musical se-lections from Dancensound DJ and local mid-dle and high school bands. Kids can meetRonald McDonald, Smoky the Bear, a coterieof clowns and Mrs. Claus and Santa Claus.Call the Hobe Sound Chamber at772.546.4724 for information.

Saturday, Dec. 9Children's Christmas SaleBefore or after the Hobe Sound Christmas pa-rade, head to St. Luke's Episcopal Church inPort Salerno for another family tradition: theChildren's Christmas Sale. No, they're not sell-ing children, but will provide an opportunityfor children ages 4-14 to experience the joy ofgiving by providing inexpensive gifts for themto purchase for their family and friends. Allgifts are priced from 25 cents to $5. Eachchild should bring a list of people for whomthey want to buy presents. A “Santa’s elf” willguide the child through the parish hall to thegift tables. After making their selections, thechild will proceed to the wrapping room whereall gifts are wrapped and tagged ready for theChristmas holiday. Proceeds from the sale goto community outreach. 5150 SE RailwayAve., corner of Cove and A1A. 772-286-5455.

Memories, observations from my African Journal

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013Lifestyle30

Not that long ago, I flew fromLondon to Nairobi, Kenya, foran extended trip deep into the

heart of Africa. Landing early in themorning, I was greeted by a blood redsunrise, my guide and a companion.We settled into his dusty Land Rover

and set off on our great adventure, quicklypassing through the lively city, past thefamous Norfolk Hotel and the city mar-ket, before reaching open spaces with afew huts, small shacks and views into thefar distance. The road gave way to tracksthrough a dusty landscape with thorn treesand giant ant hills.I held my breath. On the left side of

the Land Rover, a giraffe stood feasting onthe thorn tree. He was at least 18 feet tall,and I could see his beautiful chocolatebrown eyes, long lashes and his lips deli-cately picking over the thick thorns to findhis favorite food. A giraffe is born stand-ing up, so he is perfectly adapted to feed-ing. As we continued to drive, I saw manymore of these lovely, graceful animals.Zebra stood on the side of the road in

groups, not moving but quietly watchingus. There were hundreds of them wearingblack and white pajama stripes!It was May, the middle of winter in

Africa. The sun was warm, the tempera-ture near perfect. I would call it superb. Itwas dry, and the sky was a piercing blue. Ihad much to look forward to as we headedtoward the migration of the million wilde-beest, a highlight of my journey.As there is order in nature, animals

are designed accordingly. I learned thatthe wildebeest migration happens exactlyat the same time each year. Many die asthey cross crocodile-infested waters, littleones, born to run, must struggle nonethe-less to keep up with the massive herds ofmore than a million strong. The sightand sounds of them are unforgettable.They are rather dear little creatures, and

look sort of like a small mule with a beard.With thin, sharp, spindly legs, they are ex-ceedingly fast. My favorite time spent withthe wildebeest in a dusty Land Rover out inthe plains of the great Nrongoro Crater wasat sunset. It was the greatest show on earth.

NRONGORO CRATERThe Nrongoro crater is famous for havingthe largest concentration of animals in theworld. I was among them. Surrounding uswere hundreds of thousands of gazelle, an-telope, up to a thousand cape buffalo (verydangerous animals which have beenknown to attack Land Rovers), great trav-eling packs of cruel and vicious hyenas,hartebeest, and wart hogs. It seemed as ifeach species of animal was either huntingfor food, making a kill, resting or sleeping(in the case of lions). The 5,000 miles ofplains in the crater were without roads, sohaving an experienced guide was a must!Our lodge stood at 7,000 feet above

the crater, and although we could lookdown on the endless space of landscapebelow, it was too distant to see the ani-mals. Often a mist also would gently ob-scure our view. A roaring fire awaited usinside the lodge, and I was quickly sur-rounded by happy faces and friendly peo-ple wearing welcoming smiles wishing us“Jambo” (hello in Swahili).We left at dawn, spending the day fol-

lowing a pride of lions. A group of themwere feasting on their kill. The sun washigh and the golden lions blended withthe pale yellow grass. I could see theirears sticking up, and their faces weremask-like. The guide pointed at a hugemale lion with a Metro Golden Mayermane and tail. He stood facing the wind,not far from me, while roaring at two fe-male lionesses. Man is his only enemy.Later, I was thrilled to see a young li-oness with a cub at a watering holetaking a long drink.For lunch, we had a picnic in

the grass by a hippo pool. Therushes and weeds were high, butI could see the eyes and ears ofhippos protrud-ing from thewater. A large,fierce-looking croco-dile sunned himself on arock nearby. I felt overwhelmedby the abundance of natural wildlife.It was all around us. Everywhere welooked, night or day, there was some-thing marvelous to see!A large male hippo struggled to climb

the bank, but he was so fat and square thatit all caved in and he landed with an enor-mous splash, making us laugh. Just watch-ing animals in their natural habitat andlearning their behavior taught me a lot

about life. It would appear that as humans,we have lost our sense of playfulness! Hip-pos, vegetarians with poor eyesight, forageat night and are responsible for killingmany people as they simply walk rightthrough a camp or tent.

A RARE SIGHTLater, in the afternoon we tracked sevenrhinos. They are very rare, and at the timethere were 15 left in the crater. Thesegiant animals weigh up to 5,000 pounds.Sadly there were only 500 left in all ofTanzania then. They are hunted and de-stroyed by poachers for their horns. I sawone rhino abouta year old, and three others lying in the

mud! Another very large one stood in themarshes. It was a wonderful sight.The most memorable sight in the

crater, however, were the elephants. I sawthem from a distance in the tall grass andthought they were stones. Three werefeeding. The wind was blowing softly, andthe last glint of the sun caught their tusksmaking them glow a fluorescent white.They were graceful and aware always ofour presence.Elephants mate for life. They also have

the “right of way,” and our Land Roverwould stop to let them pass, often ingroups of seven or eight. When one diesthe other stands close by in mourning. Atouching sight.

NATURE'S BALANCEAround 200 million years ago, Nrongoro

Crater was formed when the

volcano erupted. It is in perfect balancewith an ecosystem functioning to providethe needs of the animals dependent onrainfall and slim rivers. In the middle isLake Manta, intensely alkaline and notpotable to animals and humans, but usedby used by as many as two millionflamingos as they thrive in the shallows.These birds are able to filter the blue-green algae through a spoon-shaped billand utilize it, feeding 10% of their bodyweight per day.The lake was a deep blue and the

Flamingos stood straight across in a line,their excrement nourishing the algae tocreate a perfect balance, causing them toturn pink. The lake was a shimmeringpink itself caused by a slight movement oftheir wings. Nearby, fox-like jackals lurkedin the grass ready to feed on the newlyhatched birds.After two days in the crater, we passed

through the Olduvai Gorge, famous forthe discovery of a homo sapiens skull byDr. and Mrs. Leakey around 1964. It wasthought then to be the beginnings of man.It took us some four days to get into it, re-minding me of a slate mining pit in Ver-mont! Very dry and very isolated.A small visitors hut sits at the rim

with a guide to explain the meaning ofthe findings. A footprint found in thelava suggested that the evidence wasabout 175 million years old. Outside thegorge, I met my first Maasai warriorswith their cattle as we proceeded to ourtent and campground for the next ad-venture, where baboons would steal mybedsheets and teapot, and give us plentyof laughs!

To be continued in the Decemberissue of Martin County Currents. �

Suzanne Briley, who lives in Hobe Sound, isan artist, author, entrepreneur, environmen-

talist and world traveler. She may becontacted at hopscotch@

hscurrents.com.

SuzanneBriley

Hopscotch

Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013 Outdoors 31

Historically, the die-hard pompanofishermen don’t fish for much allsummer. For the last 30 years or so,

a diverse group of locals and many from theNortheast started prospecting for pompsafter Labor Day. Some were farmers, someharvested stripers and bluefish commercially,and some wintered here to fish for the “deli-cacy of the South.”

There always were cliques who had aleader of sorts, who compiled ideas and the-ories about the fishery. A few had a sixthsense about pompano, and some were justfollowers of the legendary greats. Jealousygrew earnestly, especially amongst the localswho weren’t in the loop. Not to say some lo-cals were proficient enough so as to developwonderful relationships with the Northerntribes, but the commercial fishery was hugeand everyone caught fish anyway—at leastenough to keep the peace.

Then, of course, there always were thosefishermen who elected not to get uppredawn to capture the early bite, so binocu-lars and hidden shadows became the signa-ture of what a few of us called “BucketJumpers.” Add today’s cell-phone technol-ogy, and the beach front becomes a militarywack job!

Until the late ‘90s, the signature migra-tory fish start date was the Harvest Moon,which is the full moon closest to the autum-nal equinox. Depending on the year, theHarvest Moon can come anywhere from twoweeks before to two weeks after the equinox.For us in the Northern Hemisphere, the2013 autumnal equinox came Sept. 22, sothe Sept.19 full moon counted as the North-ern Hemisphere’s Harvest Moon.

The blues, mackerel and pomps ordinar-ily would be driven south by Arctic fronts,and for so many years, everyone from every-where came here to take part in this miracu-lous event. Well, with the earth’s oceans nowwarming up, that mid-September event hasdeclined to become virtually non-existent.Today the water temps off Long Island havejust dropped below 80, and we need oceantemperatures much lower than that to move

pomps south. Obviously, I cannot offer de-bate over “the when” the run will begin, untilthe seasons evolve.

While I was dwelling on the changesover the last 30 years, I remembered a won-derful character from the 1950s. His namewas Totch Loren Brown, and his own storyin his own “Everglades lingo” is rendered byPeter Mathiessen in a book titled, “Totch, ALife In The Everglades.”

A resident of Chokoloskee, Totch wasone of the very first commercial fishermenin the Everglades. For 10 years, he nettedmullet for 4 cents a pound until the reces-sion and the price dropped to a penny.After serving in World War II, Totch re-turned to the Everglades and started a fam-ily. He heard someone in Miami wasbuying big crabs for 30 cents a pound, so hedecided to catch crabs.

Handcrafting 20 traps and tying them tohollow old coconuts for buoys, he set out tomake some serious money. The next morn-ing he took his small hand-carved boat outto harvest his first catch, but someone hadstolen all his traps.

While idling with his 2 h.p. outboardback to shore he thought deep and turnedaround to go back. He dove into the waterand discovered that coconuts only float for awhile, and then water log and sink. This sethim back two months waiting on Sears todeliver buoys to Ft. Myers. Naturally hekilled some gators, sold some skins, madeenough money to go pick up his buoys. Longstory short, he caught a lot of stone crabs andfound the guy in Miami named Joe whowould buy them. Joe’s Stone Crab became,and still is, a landmark on Miami Beach.

Totch started studying some new silveryflat fish showing up down in the Keys everySeptember around the Harvest Moon. Flip-ping, jumping and skittering everywhere,Totch said “they were numerous beyond yourimagination.” He sewed several mullet netsinto one big, ole gill net. That night he set thenet where he saw them earlier feeding.

First haul next morning resulted in about200 pounds of pompano. At 50 cents apound, life was hysterically good! Totch wasthe first recorded commercial pompano fish-erman. In his own words he would tell hiswife, Loren, every September that he wouldbe gone for a while, because he was going“pompanoing.”

He described the nets full of pomps as“golden nuggets.” Later more nettersevolved, and the chase was on. These firstharvesters of pompano became the little-

known “Pompaneers.”Totch loved the wild Everglades, and

knew when the park was opened in 1947that things would change. The founderswere run off and the Indians had to move.

“We never altered the architectural land-scape of the park,” he said. “Shoot, the poli-tics of the day wanted to drain this wholeplace and sell the acres for pennies.”

In 1984 Totch was still alive and com-mented on the current state of affairs:“Today’s tourists don’t understand the his-tory, and disrespect this treasure of God’sengineering.” He was also asked his opinionof commercial fishing.

He responded: “Greed, real estate, high-powered boats and sugar cane has done

more to destroy the Everglades than the reg-ulated commercial fisherman.” Totch oftentalked about the water being dammed byfarmers, and the big lake dredging some ar-teries to the ocean.

Totch’s diary is written plain and simpleand just the way it was! A used version isavailable on Amazon for about $1.50. Read itto learn the tidbits that have become the com-plex matrix comprising south Florida...and alittle bit about the golden nuggets.�

Rich Vidulich, a commercial pompano surf fish-erman who traverses the beaches of MartinCounty and points north for his "golden nuggets,"lives in Jupiter. Send comments or questions [email protected].

RichVidulich

PompanoReporter

Pomp fisherman’s story began in the EvergladesEverglades pelicans wait their turn to make a dive for fish.Everglades City is a hub of commercial fishing. Photos: Harvey Eubank

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Martin County CurrentsOctober/November 2013A Martin County Moment32

Lest we not forgetJacqui Thurlow-Lippisch kept hundreds, perhaps thousands, of keenly interested residents and friends of Martin County informed with aerial photos of the Lake Okeechobeedischarges as they traveled through the St. Lucie and headed both north and south into the Indian River Lagoon and into the Atlantic. This photo was taken during Week22 of Lake O’s black discharges, after they'd been cut back enough to allow in some fresh seawater on an incoming tide into the St. Lucie Inlet. “The sight of blue waterdoes not tell the tale of the lagoon’s sea grasses and oysters and life thereon,” she says in her post. “That has all but vanished. May we not forget them.”

Photo: Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch

martin county currents oct/nov 2013 vol. 3 issue #6

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