martin county currents november 2015 volume 5 issue 5

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Finally, our commissioners make sense... or do they? Pg 8

cuRRents Volume 5 Issue 5 • November 2015

Martin County

Community Development office dismantled

Septic tanksthreaten

waterwaysDr. Brian Lapointe of FAU reports

blockbuster study that begs removal ofall septic tanks along waterways. Pg 6

Stephen D. McCulloch, Florida Atlantic University

The CRA program breathing life into our historic areas may also be coming to an end. pg 11

Victor unveiledA new children's book by artist Julia Kelly

introduced to Martin readers. pg 20

Martin County CurrentsNovember 20152

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, andmisspelled words are hers alone, too. The good photos are taken by someone else. Allcontents are copyrighted 2015 Martin County Currents LLC.

EDITOR BARBARA [email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

ColumnistsVoices ................................... 9Nancy B. Smith Guest Columnist

One Florida Foundation ............... 12 - 13Nyla Pipes & Capt. Don Voss

Art Kaleidoscope .............. 19Maya Ellenson

Pompano Reporter ........... 21Rich Vidulich

Calendar ....................... 22-23Editorial ................................ 8

cuRRentsMartin County

PUBLISHER -- Barbara Clowdus PRINTER -- Southeast Offset, Inc.WEBSITE -- Sonic Fish, LLC GRAPHIC DESIGN -- Simone FongA monthly newspaper, Martin County Currents LLC is distributed free throughout the county. Allopinions are those of its authors, and letters to the editor are encouraged. Contact information: MartinCounty Currents LLC, 5837 SE Avalon Drive, Stuart, FL 34997. www.MartinCountyCurrents.com.772.245.6564.

6Septic tank study

reveals scary facts.5Higher court to look at public

records verdict. 11County's CRA staff

abandons ship.

Martin County CurrentsNovember 2015 News Stream 3

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10Residents bid

farewell to Kev Freeman.

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Martin County CurrentsNovember 20154

Lake Point filed an ap-peal in September withFlorida's Fourth District

Court to review Circuit CourtJudge Shields McManus's rul-ing Sept. 3 that the countyhad not violated any publicrecords laws, although Mc-Manus called the missingemails “curious.”

Attorney Ethan Loeb con-tends that the lower court didnot consider two of LakePoint's complaints against Commission-ers Sarah Heard and Ed Fielding, partic-ularly that Heard's loss of public recordsfrom her personal computer violatesFlorida's public records laws that re-quire public records be “preserved andprotected.”

The public records trial—a “mini”trial in the Lake Point lawsuit that con-cluded August 30 in Martin County Cir-cuit Court—stopped Lake Point frommaking any more public records requestsregarding emails about Lake Pointhoused on commissioners' personal com-puters. Lake Point also can no longerseek copies of Commissioner SarahHeard's personal notes she used duringthe Feb. 5, 2013, county commissionmeeting, which were determined duringcourt proceedings to no longer exist.

County commissioners had called forthe 1,005-acre rock mine in Indiantownto be shut down for alleged code viola-tions of its housing development order,which the county had agreed to revokeif state authorities granted Lake Point itsrock mining permits. The state permitswere granted, however, the county didnot revoke the housing developmentorder, according to court records, untilthe county offered Lake Point the revo-cation order as part of a settlement ofanother lawsuit challenging amend-ments to the county's ComprehensiveGrowth Management Plan.

After the county revoked the hous-ing development order, Lake Point with-drew from that lawsuit, which now isbefore the Governor and his Cabinet forfinal review.

Although conceding in his Sept. 3ruling that some records "no longer ex-isted or had been destroyed" regardingcorrespondence among commissionersand Maggy Hurchalla about Lake Point,McManus determined that all remainingrecords had been provided in a "reason-

able manner” prior to the fil-ing of Lake Point's publicrecords lawsuit Feb. 14, 2014.

He ruled also that the dis-covery process (in the contractdispute between Lake Pointand Martin County) had al-ready revealed that many ofthe records Lake Point soughtto obtain no longer existed, in-cluding the emails that haddisappeared from Heard's per-sonal computer.

As a result, McManus declared thatLake Point's allegations of publicrecords violations were “moot,” thusdenying Lake Point's request for a writof mandamus to force the county's com-pliance with state public records lawsand to levy sanctions to cover their costsover the past two years attempting to re-trieve them.

The judge also denied MartinCounty's request for sanctions againstLake Point.

MISSING EMAILS?Court testimony revealed that Heard hadinformed Lake Point attorney Ethan Loebearly in 2013 that her personal computerhad been “hacked,” and all her emailsand personal contacts had disappeared.

“I got up one morning, and theywere all gone,” she testified.

Loeb asked her if public records wereon that computer. She answered, “Yes.”He followed by asking if she had con-tacted Yahoo immediately to attempt toretrieve them. She answered, “No.”

Heard said that she conducted an on-line search of the Yahool website, whichtold her that deleted emails were notkept by Yahool longer than 48 hours, soshe took her computer to Tiger Direct tohave the hard drive examined to see ifany of her emails could be retrieved.The receipt for that examination was en-tered into evidence.

McManus ruled also that no emailshad been “altered or manipulated” byeither Heard or Commissioner Ed Field-ing, another of Lake Point's allegations,and that Fielding's nine-month delay inproviding an email from Maggy Hur-challa housed on his personal computerwas “inadvertent.”

Signed “Deep Rockpit,” Hurchallahad instructed Fielding in the email heidentified in court as being from Hur-challa not to accept $44,000 in environ-

mental fees paid by Lake Point to thecounty as part of the interlocal agreementbetween the county and the South FloridaWater Management District. The checkswere returned to Lake Point. She also pro-vided instructions as to how to proceed invoiding agreements with Lake Point.

Fielding, who admitted to being “notvery technically savvy,” had not usedsearch terms, but had manuallysearched the folders on his personalcomputer, thus overlooking the Hur-challa email, according to testimony. Healso had not listed his personal emailaddress as one with which he conductscounty business, because he does notengage in “back-and-forth, substantiveconversation” regarding county busi-ness on his personal computer.

Fielding's lack of expertiseprompted the court to order a forensicexamination in 2014 of his home com-puter's hard drive, which resulted infinding three other relevant emails,none of which were substantial in na-ture, according to court testimony.

"There were many circumstanceswhich would cause a reasonable person to

suspect there were records not yet dis-closed," McManus wrote in his order. "Thedestruction of Commissioner Heard'snotes was not verified. The destruction ofCommissioner Heard's emails was verycurious and remains unexplained."

The public records Lake Point hadbeen seeking are "material evidence," ac-cording to Loeb's testimony, in LakePoint's suit against Maggy Hurchallaand Martin County for tortious interfer-ence and breach of contract in the suitfiled Feb. 5, 2013.

The issue erupted in 2012 after aPalm Beach Post article described a pres-entation by American Water to the PalmBeach County Commission regardingthe possibility that the Lake Point proj-ect could supply cleansed water fromthe C-44 canal north of its property toreservoirs near the L-8 canal at thesouth of Lake Point's property, whichMartin County claims is a violation oftheir agreements.

According to court records, the caseis set for trial in September 2016. ■

--Barbara Clowdus

Martin County CurrentsNovember 2015 News Feature 5

Sarah Heard's emails case not yet settled

Martin County Commissioner Sarah Heard's missingpublic records in the Lake Point lawsuit against MartinCounty, the South Florida Water Management Districtand Maggy Hurchalla just will not go away.

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Martin County CurrentsNovember 20156 News

Human waste from septic tanksthat contaminates Martin Countywaterways also was found 53 feet

underground in test wells, threatening thedrinking supply in many neighborhoods,scientific tests show, in addition to com-promising the health of the county's ma-rine life and reefs.

Dr. Brian Lapointe, renowned re-searcher at the Harbor Branch Oceano-graphic Institute in Ft. Pierce, told thecounty commission Nov. 3 that his studiesconfirm the source of bacteria in the St.Lucie as human, which was evident inseveral spots along the St. Lucie River.

His study, commissioned by thecounty and paid for in part by the De-partment of Environmental Protection,revealed that septic tank effluent is re-leasing bacteria, viruses, pharmaceuticalsand the nitrogen that feeds algae bloomsduring lake discharges and aids the ab-sorption of mercury by Indian River La-goon dolphins, which have the world'shighest concentrations of mercury, La-pointe said.

The Harbor Branch study also con-firmed the results of research by thecounty's staff that Golden Gate andAmerican Ditch in Old Palm City, pre-sented at the same commission meeting,showing that the heavy concentrations ofbacteria in those two areas are from sep-tic tank effluent and are among the worstof the sites studied.

Those two septic tank “hot spots” in

Golden Gate and Old Palm City wereagreed upon by the commission for septic-to-sewer conversion, as well as to completethe sewer conversion started prior to therecession in North River Shores.

“What is concerning to me is that wehave not done any significant study ofthe (Indian River Lagoon),” said CountyCommissioner Doug Smith. “We havesome of the oldest septic tanks in the re-gion on Indian River Drive, and I have nodoubt that we're contributing signifi-cantly to the issues in the lagoon.”

Commissioner John Haddox alsopointed to earlier scientific studies on theLoxahatchee River that confirm the pres-ence of septic tank effluent there. In spiteof that evidence, the commission bannedsewer line extensions into the county'srural areas. “I fought that (ban),” he said,“because septic tanks are not only dam-aging the river but our reefs, too.”

Smith called for a 10-, 20- or 30-yearplan—“whatever it takes”—to removeseptic tanks along both the St. LucieRiver and the Indian River Lagoon, butpushback against creating a long-termplan for sewer conversion in a wider areacame during public comment, even priorto Lapointe's report.

“What's appropriate is for the com-mission to address the hot spots,” said In-dian Riverkeeper Marty Baum, who saidthat he had received his information fromformer commissioner Maggy Hurchalla.“We don't need a 10-year plan.”

Commissioner Sarah Heard also re-jected the need for long-term plans forwider septic tank conversions and chal-lenged Lapointe's results, because he didnot include any “dry season” samples.

“If you'll recall, we didn't have a dryseason this year,” Lapointe responded,adding that “undoubtedly” the water isbeing contaminated by more sources thanjust septic tanks.

“The purpose of the study is not todetermine what is primary,” Lapointesaid. “You have two issues here: LakeOkeechobee discharges and septic tanks.”

Heard had insisted prior to Lapointe'sstudy that the source of bacteria in the St.Lucie River was more likely coming fromhorses, cattle or chickens, prompting herto reject funding in 2013 for Lapointe'sstudy, stating, “The problem is agricul-ture, not septic tanks.”

She supported, however, the commis-sion's decision Nov. 3 for the MartinCounty Utilities Department to formalizea plan for mandatory septic-to-sewerconversion in those two hot spots, to pro-ceed with the stalled sewer conversion inNorth River Shores, and to require thoseresidents with access to sewer-line exten-sions to connect, except in the HobeSound area, which is served by a utilityowned by the Town of Jupiter Island.

The cost will be approximately $18,000per unit, but will be partially offset bygrants and, in most cases, will be eased byspreading the cost over the next 10 to 15

years. It also will not happen overnight,said Utilities Director John Polley.

“Even if you passed an ordinancetoday,” he said, “it would be 2019 beforewe'd be ready for homeowners to hookup.” The exception are residents of NorthRiver Shores, which already has engineer-ing plans in place, rights-of-way secured,and a state Department of EnvironmentalProtection grant of $8.5 million.

Commissioner John Haddox insistedthat the county include a “grace” periodfor those who had just installed a newseptic system and that special conditionsbe made for those who cannot afford$18,000 cost to hook up.

“I'm just not going to allow someoneto potentially lose their home over asewer hook-up,” Haddox said.

No date has been set for Polley, whosaid he will return to the county commis-sion with a policy statement, as well as adetailed plan, for septic-to-sewer conver-sions that must be approved by a majorityvote prior to implementation. In themeantime, the county approved the trans-fer of $775,000 from general fund reservesto the utilities department in order tobegin the $30 million “hot spots” project.

Smith called for commissioners andresidents to pressure legislators forAmendment 1 funding for septic-to-sewer conversion. “I think that a failurenot to move forward on this,” Smithadded, “is a failure to the lagoon.” ■

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Septic tanks fouling rivers, groundwater, reefs

Commissioners considering moretaxes, feesMartin County Commissioners will beginhearing proposals at their Nov. 10 meet-ing to increase revenues, on top of thealready approved ad valorem tax in-crease of 2.3 percent for the 2016budget, in order to tackle the mainte-nance backlog of nearly $258 million.

Commissioners Doug Smith andJohn Haddox voted against adoption ofan ad valorem tax increase, urging theirfellow commissioners, Ed Fielding,Sarah Heard, and Anne Scott, to stimu-late the economy in order to further in-crease revenues that are already risingfrom rising property values.

“It's a philosophical differenceamong members of the board as to howwe increase revenues,” Haddox said,during a recent commission meeting.

The philosophical divide amongcommissioners often erupts during com-mission meetings, and the public cananticipate that differences will againemerge as commissioners discuss “rev-enue enhancement” strategies atbeaches; adopting an FPL franchise feein unincorporated areas to add up to 6percent to electric utility bills, all ofwhich will go to the general fund; a re-newed attempt to pass a sales tax refer-endum; creating and a “stormwaterfee” added to tax bills in order to meetthe stormwater treatment standardsmandated by the state.

Commissioner Sarah Heard calledfor again “revisiting” the idea of increas-ing the county's impact fees.

“No matter what you choose to callit, these are still taxes,” said Commis-sioner Doug Smith. “I don't mind con-sidering any of these, but we also needto consider an economic developmentstrategy that will improve property val-ues and create jobs....This county has noeconomic development plan.”

Smith said it was “unfair” to placethe burden of taxes on the shoulders ofresidents alone. ■

Election season inMartin in full swingTwo Martin County Commission incum-bents and another commission chal-lenger—bringing the total to threechallengers—filed with the county Elec-tions Office to enter the 2016 CountyCommission race. All are Republicans,so those seats likely will be decided inthe August primary election; however,the election filing deadline is June 2016.

Doug Smith, com-missioner for District1, which includesJensen Beach, Sewall'sPoint, Hutchinson Is-land, Rio, Town ofOcean Breeze andnorth Stuart, has beenin office since 2000.He has distinguished

himself by supporting Martin Countybusinesses and the Community Rede-

velopment Areas. He also has been anunwavering voice over the past decadein calling for the removal of septic tanksfrom the banks of the St. Lucie Riverand Indian River Lagoon.

Another incumbent commissioner,John Haddox, District 5, which includeswestern Martin County, Palm City, and

part of Indiantown,has served three yearsof his first, four-yearterm. Also an outspo-ken supporter of Mar-tin County smallbusiness and the Com-munity Redevelop-ment Areas, Haddoxhas distinguished him-

self by his opposition of All AboardFlorida high-speed passenger rail throughthe Treasure Coast and his active partici-pation on the Coastal Oceans Task Force.

Smith is being challenged by bothHenry Copeland of Jensen Beach andJacqui Thurlow-Lippisch of Sewall'sPoint. The most recent challenger in thecommission race is Darlene Fuggetta ofHobe Sound, state Republican Commit-teewoman, who has filed for the District3 seat now held by Anne Scott, of JupiterIsland, who has not yet filed.

All constitutional officers have filedfor re-election including Carolyn Tim-man for Clerk of Courts (no challengersas yet); Vicki Davis for Elections Supervi-sor (no challengers); Ruth Pietruszewski,Tax Collector, who is being challenged byCaroline Barca of Stuart and Joe Sesta ofPalm City; Laurel Kelly for Property Ap-praiser (no challengers); and challengingSheriff William Snyder are Dennis Rootof Port Salerno, no party affiliation, andRobert Leon Pryor Jr. of Jensen Beach, aregistered Independent. ■

City and Countyplan again to talk … maybeFour, instead of three, may be the magicnumber for Martin County officials, whohave postponed their meeting to discuss“important issues” with the City of Stu-art commissioners and officials for thefourth time. The date now set is Dec. 3 atthe Blake Library for the follow-up meet-ing to one held in July, facilitated by apaid mediator, Dr. Bob Lee.

“This is just unbelievable,” said Stu-art Commissioner Tom Campenni, aboutthe fourth postponement, adding that hewas tempted to tell the commissionersthat this is the county's "last chance."

The commissioners from both the cityand the county chose priorities for discus-sion at the July meeting, including foster-ing better communication betweenmunicipal and county entities; a merger offire rescue departments, and the city's an-nexation policies, procedures and plans.

Although the county commissionershave asked for a report regarding theCity of Stuart's planned expansion of itsCommunity Redevelopment Area, theStuart CRA may also become one of thetopics discussed. Dr. Lee agreed to againmediate this meeting, which will beopen to the public. ■

Martin County CurrentsNovember 2015 News Stream 7

Doug Smith

John Haddox

Martin County CurrentsNovember 20158 Voices

Editorial: Commission makes sense, or does it?

More and more frequently, wehear ordinary citizens say,“This makes no sense.” They

shake their heads in disbelief at ourcounty commission majority's decisionsthat sometimes befuddle even theirsupporters.

Follow along for a bit, and you'll seewhat we mean.

When Commissioner Sarah Heardtwo years ago voted not to fund a DNAstudy of the pollutants in the St. LucieRiver by Dr. Brian Lapointe of HarborBranch Oceanographic Institute to deter-mine if the source of the bacteria washuman, dog, chicken, or cattle, we weresomewhat surprised at her dissent …but our most environmentally con-cerned citizens trusted her.

Heard told us then that she alreadyknew the source, she said: “It's agricul-ture. Not septic tanks.”

Well, that study came back thismonth with overwhelming, resoundingproof that NO, it's NOT agriculture, it'sseptic tanks. Human waste is poisoningour groundwater, our surface waters,the wildlife that lives in it, and is dam-aging not only the St. Lucie estuary, butthe Indian River Lagoon and our reefs.

Our septic tanks threaten even ourdolphins that consider this place theirpermanent home. They do not leave it,even when they eat what kills them.

Does Heard accept the study results?

No. Instead, she attempted to pokeholes in Lapointe's study to prove thathis science is flawed, that it is indeedagriculture that damages the estuarymore than septic tanks, and the LakeOkeechobee discharges are more dam-aging than our own water basin runoff.Yet, two other studies, one of which wasconducted by our county staff, echoedLapointe's study results.

Yes, Lake Okeechobee discharges arean issue, but septic tanks are a more im-mediate issue. Now we know ir-refutably that septic tanks nearwaterways are a menace to life of anyand all kinds.

In the fresh light of this study, did ourcounty commission opt for a comprehen-sive, phased plan to remove all the septictanks along the shores of our treasuredwaterways, the St. Lucie River, the In-dian River Lagoon and the LoxahatcheeRiver? Unfortunately, regrettably, uncon-scionably NO. They did not.

They had already targeted the septictanks in our agricultural areas, some ofwhich will not drain into the river for 50years, and had already killed at leastone sewer line extension along the In-dian River Lagoon to stop development,and now they've added only two “hotspots,” in Golden Gate and All Ameri-can Ditch in Old Palm City for sewerlines, removing a total of 2,100 septicunits from the nearly 20,000 we knowabout. What about the rest?

Commissioner Doug Smith made astrong case, yet again, to at least put aplan in place, even if it's a 20- or 30-year plan, for what Lapointe saidcauses at least four times the pollutionof lake discharges--maybe up to seventimes more. Having a plan attractsmore grant funds—and we're going toneed every dime we can get. Smith wasignored. Why?

Because sewer systems foster devel-opment. They will make this place amore desirable place to live, and willeliminate the need for septic drainfields, allowing property owners moreoptions to use their property.

It's a sick way to control develop-ment. Literally. Sick.

Allowing our septic tank effluent tofeed the toxic algae that kills our seagrasses; letting the effluent-borne bacte-ria and viruses and pharmaceuticals in-fect our groundwater, our rivers and thelagoon; and allowing our dolphins tosuffer and our reefs to die because that'sa better alternative than allowing anygrowth, which also would help fund asewer system, too?

This truly archaic policy makes nosense. Our growth is strictly controlledby our Comprehensive Growth Manage-ment Plan—as it should be. Controlledgrowth. We've won awards for that plan,yet this fight over sewer systems hasbeen ongoing for more than two decades.

When Maggy Hurchalla was an

elected county commissioner, she ledthe fight to keep septic tanks even fornew development in order to thwartgrowth. She won the fight then, andshe's still fighting. No need for a coun-tywide plan, she still says. Just getthose hot spots....well, just get some ofthe hot spots. Ignore the ones on theLoxahatchee, she insists, a refrain par-roted by Sarah Heard, Ed Fielding, andAnne Scott, her faithful commissioners,and even Marty Baum, our IndianRiverkeeper.

What's difficult to follow is that inone breath, Fielding is leading the chargeagainst septic tanks to justify gutting theCommunity Redevelopment projects, yethe, Anne Scott and Sarah Heard laud theeffectiveness of septic tanks along theLoxahatchee in order to justify their banon sewer lines into the secondary urbanservices district. Then they blast septictanks again when farmers want to builda packing house. A dichotomy? Defi-nitely. Their priority is NOT water qual-ity. Their priority is stopping all growthof any kind anywhere.

They are willing to destroy ourCRAs, pollute our rivers and make ourdolphins sick, if necessary, to ensurethat Martin County is set aside as an en-clave for only the mega-wealthy. Theyare succeeding.

The incongruity of their decisionsdoes make some sense, in that context,even if we don't like it. ■

Bravo!(for the back page of Volume 5, Issue 4,September 2015 issue of Currents)

We should not only remember thosewho died, but those who continue to bestrong in the light of losing loved ones… and those who continue to serve inthe military, our young men and womenwho continue the fight. (Rememberingwhat happened on) 9/11 should be inour in our heart and soul EVERY DAY!

Rick and Jo Ann RescignoHobe Sound

To the editor:In recognizing Kevin Freeman, who

has been Martin County's director ofthe Community Development Depart-ment for the past six years, I would liketo recognize an additional attribute. Hiswork in Rio and in all the CommunityRedevelopment Areas was fantastic,but we would be remiss not to ac-knowledge Kevin's unique ability to

recognize talent in the people hebrought to the department. He createdan incredibly talented team of peoplewho shared his values and incompara-ble work ethic. I venture to say, it was ateam we may never replicate again. It'sa big void to fill.

I also want to remind our countycommissioners that a little over 15 yearsago, a board of commissioners enteredinto a contract with seven communities.This is a 30-year contract, and we arenow half way through that contract.

We have heard criticisms that thereare areas within our CRAs that are notblighted. We've worked for 15 years toend blight in these areas. Obviously,we've made improvements, but there'smuch more to be done. Allow us to com-plete this contract.

Eventually, the TIF (Tax IncrementFinance) funding will be restored to thecounty's general fund along with in-creased tax revenue. The original con-tract recognized that this would be along-term commitment because itneeded a way to fund the projects. TIF isthe way to fund it.

Yes, there's a vocal minority thatwants to move that funding today (out

of the CRA projects), and I can under-stand that. We all want a lot of thingstoday, but that doesn't always happen.There is a contract out there, a contractthat a commission before you approvedfor 30 years.

Give us the opportunity to do thejob that the county signed up to do. Thecommunities have held up their end of

the bargain. The communities have got-ten very involved. As the chairman ofthe Rio Neighborhood Advisory Com-mittee, I would ask the Board ofCounty Commissioners to honor thiscontract in their consideration of the fu-ture of our CRAs.

Rick ZurichRio

Letters to Editor

Share Your VoiceWe welcome our readers' opinions on any matter of local interest. Remember, that

Martin County Currents focuses on people, places and events within Martin County. If youhave something on your mind about life in Martin County, please share your voice withour readers.

Submit your letter via email only to [email protected]. Please limitthe words to no more than 400 words, and include your mailing address and phone num-ber for verification. (These will not be printed.) Your letter will be edited for grammar,spelling, and appropriateness, so if your less-than-perfect letter-writing skills are holdingyou back, have no fear. We will not permit your lack of technical skill be a barrier to ex-pressing your opinion!

From time to time, we also print Guest Columns and Guest Editorials on various top-ics, which typically run from 600-800 words in length. If you have a topic that you'd liketo write about for Currents readers, please send your idea to the editor for feedback priorto submitting a column. Again, the email address is [email protected].

Martin County CurrentsNovember 2015 Voices 9

Any celebration of Peter Jefferson’s life is a celebration of Stuart

In 1968, Stuart had never seen any-thing quite like Joan and Peter Jeffer-son. When these big-city folks

bounded into town in 1968 with somuch character and mischief and fun inthem, they scattered charm like birdseedin an aviary. They were irresistible. Itwas like that for the next 28 years.

Part of the Jeffersons’ beauty wasthat each was half of the other’s whole:Peter, the accomplished Miami architect-- imposing, imaginative, witty, a kind offorce of nature … Joan, razor-sharp, hiscomplement and inspiration.

When Peter Augustus Jeffersondied of cancer Sept. 9 at home in PalmCity, less than three weeks after his87th birthday, when tearful friendswere offering Joan condolences, shetold them not to mourn, but to cele-brate Peter’s incredible life, just as shewould. "I was married to my bestfriend for 50 years,” she told us. “Wehad a wonderful life. How could I everwant more than I've had?"

My husband Mick and I feel privi-leged to haveknown Joan andPeter for so manyof Stuart's greatyears.

Nobody be-longed in Stuartquite like the Jef-fersons.

For perhapsthe most impor-tant period of thecity’s life, the Jef-fersons weremagic. They madedreams come trueStuart never knewit had, neverthought possible.

I won’t try torewrite Peter’s story here. The StuartNews had a fine tribute to him on thefront page, two days after his death.Instead, I hope you don’t mind if I justreflect for a moment on what I thinkPeter meant to Stuart.

There are so many new people, resi-dents who moved to Martin in the lastfive or 10 years, who have no idea howfar the city itself has come, that the jewelof a downtown they know today wastwo blocks of shabby, dying businesses

eclipsed by Martin Square and TreasureCoast Square malls.

Being in the Jeffersons' presence waslike walking into a wind tunnel -- atsome point you knew something theywould say or do would take your breathaway. I doubt they had any idea how ef-fortlessly they could transfer positiveenergy and a sheer joy of living.

The Jeffersons built their first MartinCounty home in Palm City’s FourRivers, but then moved to Atlanta Av-enue in Stuart, to a sprawling old homewith a separate studio – something Petercould renovate.

“Everywhere they lived they threwsuch amazing parties,” rememberedDagney Jochem, among the

Jeffersons’ oldest friends in Stuart.“People didn’t think they’d seen the Stu-art Boat Parade unlessthey saw it from the Jef-fersons’ porch. Everyyear they lived on At-lanta Avenue the cou-ple flung the doorsopen and had a Christ-mas Boat Parade Partypeople still talk about.”

In the early 1990s,the Jeffersons looked atthat down-at-the-heelsStuart business precinctwith little left but thriftstores and bail bonds-

men -- and where others saw the dyingdowntown I was talking about, theysaw economic opportunity and a chanceto reinvent a city center. With businesspartners Dr.

David and Ann MacMillan, they lit-erally risked everything, bought the his-toric old Post Office Arcade due for

partial demolition.They renovated it toserve as their home anda storefront architect'soffice for Peter.

It was a dramaticshow of faith in down-town's potential, andit proved to be the kissof life. It lit a fire, cre-ated a spirit of rebirthin the city.

In the five years theJeffersons lived in theArcade, between the

lure and energy of Peter's vision andJoan's service as Stuart mayor, down-town went from a 60-percent vacancyrate to a 100-percent occupancy rate, cre-ating 100 new jobs.

Nobody made a greater mark on thecity of Stuart than Peter Jefferson. Hisarchitectural touches and

murals in the 1980s and early 1990sare in the jail, in the courthouse gazebo,in the Cultural Arts Center, in the StuartFeed Store, the Porter House, the StuartLodge, in the little central patch whereLady Abundance sits – and far more.

In a 1995 interview, celebrated Miamiurban planner Andres Duany told TheStuart News, "Cities with dying down-towns all over America would kill tohave a Joan and Peter Jefferson to in-spire them."

"Peter was a Renaissance man in thetruest sense of the word," Ann MacMil-lan says. "He was as comfortablestanding in front of a group of con-tentious planners and politicians as hewas in a Santa Claus suit. I had thepleasure of knowing, working andplaying with Peter for 30 years, so I cantell you truly he was a one-of-a-kind,very special soul."

It was the Jeffersons’ spirit of re-

making a static, descending businessprecinct, turning it into a workable, liv-able downtown – a destination to bringvisitors – that fueled many of the ideasand plans that shaped the CommunityRedevelopment Agencies around Mar-tin County.

If Peter Jefferson were alive today, Ibelieve he would be fighting tooth andnail against the County Commission’spush to kill Martin’s CRAs.

In the resurrection of Stuart, the Jef-fersons created the first CRA long be-fore CRAs were a happening thing inFlorida. You bet Peter would be fight-ing for imagination, creativity andcivic pride.

Joan Jefferson said Peter plannedout his Sept. 26 celebration of life"party" at the Flagler Center himselfless than two days before he died. "Hehad all kinds of ideas for it," she said. "Ithink it was his way of making sure Iwould stay busy.”

Besides Joan, to whom he was mar-ried for 48 years, Peter is survived by hischildren, Mark Jefferson (and wife Lisa),Dale and Dean Alexander, AngeliqueKoger; grandchildren, Marisa and PeterJefferson, Brandon and Max Koger;nieces Judy Vance and Joyce Jones, andhis loving cat, Torsi.

The family is asking that contribu-tions as a memorial be made to theFriends of Florida Museum of

History, 500 SW Bronough Street,Tallahassee, Fla. 32399-0250 – wherePeter volunteered and shone as a do-cent, or guide. ■

Nancy Smith is executive Editor of Sun-shine State News in Tallahassee. She workedat The Stuart News/Port St. Lucie Newsfrom 1977 to 2005, a reporter, city editor,managing editor and associate editor.

Joan and Peter Jefferson the day after Peter's 87th birthday in August

NancySmith

Guest Columnist

Architect Peter Jefferson, whospearheaded the revitalization ofdowntown Stuart

The renovated post office and revitalization ofdowntown Stuart are legacies of architectPeter Jefferson.

Kevin Freeman, director of theCommunity Development De-partment overseeing the revital-

ization of seven CommunityRedevelopment Areas in Martin County,probably knew something would be dif-ferent about this meeting when more than10 times the number who usually attendshowed up Oct. 27 at 4:30 in the afternoonto hear his quarterly status report.

And, indeed, there was. Dozens came to say, “Thank you,

Kev. You will be sorely missed.” The au-dience included the chairs of all sevenNeighborhood Advisory Committees,two former county commissioners, anddozens of residents from throughout thecounty for Freeman's final presentationto the Martin County Community Rede-velopment Agency/Board of CountyCommissioners.

The NAC chairs and the Friends ofthe Golden Gate Building presentedFreeman with two plaques to add to hisluggage to remind him of the impact hehad on the people of Martin County ashe leaves the county—and the coun-try—at the end of November. He repre-sents the last remaining of thefour-member Community DevelopmentDepartment staff, who all have left thedepartment for other positions.

He accepted a job as a community re-development consultant in London, Eng-land, which, for the first time ever, will

be borrowing the idea fromthe U.S. for using Tax Incre-ment Financing (TIF) fundsas a means to finance revital-ization of blighted areaswithin that large metropolis.

The new direction inLondon towards counteringdisinvestment within oldercommunities comes as somecounty commissioners here,who are in the majority, seekto end TIF funding for ourhistoric areas, charging thatfinancing community revi-talization with a portion ofthe taxes that result from in-creasing property values iswasteful, non-transparentand even a “socialistic” prac-tice that must end.

Two former county com-missioners, Elmira Gainey,who was a member of the commissionwhen the CRA was originally estab-lished in the late '90s, and Ed Ciampi,who was a member of the commissionthat created the county's first independ-ent Community Redevelopment Agencyin 2010—abolished by the current com-mission majority in 2012—disagree. Bothlauded Freeman for “making a real dif-ference” in the CRA program and inMartin County's quality of life, a refrainrepeated often not only from the audi-

ence and the NAC chairs, but from twositting commissioners, Doug Smith andJohn Haddox.

The same sentiment bubbled to thesurface during a recent unveiling of busbenches and bike racks in the Rio CRA,when Freeman was again recognizedand greeted by dozens of residents,who thanked him for the difference hehad made personally within the Riocommunity.

“Before you came,” said Julie Preast,

of the Rio Civic Club, “thecounty just pushed paperaround. Really, that's all itamounted to, Kevin, butafter you came, projectsstarted coming out of theground. You brought life toour vision, not only in Rio,but in all the CRAs. We areso grateful to you, and wewill miss you so much.”

Freeman, a British nativewho was awarded U.S. citi-zenship just months ago, re-sponded that he was leavinga little bit of himself in eachof the CRAs, which includeRio, Jensen Beach, GoldenGate, Hobe Sound, PortSalerno, Indiantown andOld Palm City, and takingparts of them with him. Healso reflected on the 300+

plus turnout by the community for aCRA workshop on July 6, which ex-ceeded the capacity of the Blake Libraryauditorium.

“When I looked around and sawhow many people were there,” he re-flected, “I thought to myself: 'You didthis.' I felt immense satisfaction that mywork had made a difference to the com-munity. What better legacy could therebe than that?” ■

--Barbara Clowdus

Grateful community bids county staff farewell

10 Martin County CurrentsNovember 2015News

Saadia Tsaftarides, left, on behalf of the Friends of the Historic GoldenGate Building and Angela Hoffman, chair of the Hobe Sound Neighbor-hood Advisory Committee, present tokens of appreciation to CommunityDevelopment Director Kevin Freeman for his work with the county'sseven Community Redevelopment Areas. Freeman leaves the county fora new position in London on Nov. 20.

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The spider webs spread acrossempty desks in the county's Com-munity Development Department

for Halloween spoke more about a de-serted government office than they everdid about a spooky holiday. The lastfour department employees have re-cently accepted other positions eitheroutside the department or the county—one even going overseas—as franticallyand as determined as sailors jumpingfrom a sinking ship.

“That's really what it is,” says PortSalerno community activist John Hen-nessee, a former chair of the PortSalerno Neighborhood Advisory Com-mittee. “The handwriting has been onthe wall for this department ever sincethe 2012 election, and it's because of itsmiddle name. 'Development.' Evenwhen it's RE-development or infill de-velopment, development of any kind isa dirty word in this county.”

The Community Development De-partment oversaw the revitalization ofseven historic areas in the county, whichhad been identified in the mid-1990s aslacking public investment. They all weredeteriorating, and the county took stepsto invest some public dollars to preventslums from developing in Golden Gate,Port Salerno, Jensen Beach, Hobe Sound,Rio, Indiantown and Old Palm City andto encourage private investment.

“After the (Treasure Coast) Mall wasbuilt, Jensen Beach was in bad shape,”says Frank Wacha Jr. “Businesses closeddown, but it wasn't just that. We had somuch traffic going through Jensen fromSt. Lucie County from people trying toget to the mall that DOT (state Depart-ment of Transportation) was going tofour-lane us...The CRA (Community Re-development Agency) that we formed,the first one in the county, stopped thatby coming up with a plan to handle thetraffic without a four-lane highway. Ifthat had gone through, it would havedestroyed Jensen Beach.”

Residents who lived in these com-munities 20 years ago often talk about“the plan” for their communities, andhow much they've changed under theCRA program, which uses relativelysmall amounts of tax dollars—about$220,000 apiece annually—to addressthe infrastructure and safety issues inolder communities in anticipation of at-tracting private investment. Ultimately,at the end of the 30 years, the revitalizedareas begin to offer a return on that in-vestment, not only in tax revenue andimpact fees, but in improved quality oflife for those living there.

In Hobe Sound, just the completedplans for their project, that includes off-street parking, a reconfigured intersec-tion, wide sidewalks, and droppedutility lines resulted in a dozen new re-tail shops opening where the store-fronts had been previously boarded upfor years.

“Our historic downtown is comingto life again,” says Angela Hoffman,chair of the Hobe Sound NeighborhoodAdvisory Committee. “It's an exciting

thing to see, and we don't want that todie now.”

All the chairs of the NeighborhoodAdvisory Committees, civic volunteersat the heart of each defined CommunityRedevelopment Area, shares the samesentiment. They have been frustrated atthe change in direction and the disman-tling of the Community DevelopmentDepartment, which served as the liaisonbetween each community and the Com-munity Redevelopment Agency thatoversaw the projects within each CRA.

The program has come under intensecriticism for the past several years by afaction of the county seeking no growthand zero development activities, accord-ing to supporters.

“The purpose of the CRAs is two-fold,” Wacha says. “One is economicstimulus and the other is quality of life.”

The CRAs are based on the princi-ples of complete streets and strongtowns, on the principles of walkabilityand livability, and with the premise thatpedestrians who feel safe will congre-gate bringing an economic boost to thebusinesses located in those areas.

Sometimes, all it takes is minor re-design of parking spaces, and othertimes, as the Mapp Road project in OldPalm City, it requires an innovative planthat attacks more than just parking, likethe sheet-flow flooding from west ofMapp Road to the residential areas. The

commission majority voted to kill thatproject, as well.

“We were hopeful that the projectwould have attracted some grants,” saidChuck Smith, chair of the Old Palm CityNeighborhood Advisory Committee,“but even if it didn't, the new planwould have attracted businesses tothose 10 empty lots, solved some of ourstormwater and flooding issues, givenus bike lanes and parking, and eventu-ally that would have brought more taxrevenue to the county. Killing that proj-ect, which was completely funded,makes no sense.”

Both the Mapp Road and the HobeSound projects were rejected by thecounty commission majority of Anne

Scott, Ed Fielding and Sarah Heard,and those three have been sharply criti-cal of the Community RedevelopmentProgram overall for the past threeyears, saying the funds—which com-prise one half of one percent of thecounty's budget—would have betteruse elsewhere.

Their criticisms primarily focus onthe CRA zoning for the commercialareas that allow a mix of business andresidential uses and smaller lot sizes.They directed the Growth ManagementDepartment to overhaul the rules forCommunity Redevelopment Areas andto shrink their boundaries.

And that's when the county staffstarted finding jobs elsewhere. ■

11Martin County CurrentsNovember 2015 News

Community activists fight to retain CRA plans

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12 Martin County CurrentsNovember 2015One Florida Foundation

Two years ago on Oct. 3, 2013,Treasure Coast residents at-tended a hearing before the U.S.

Congress regarding our water and LakeOkeechobee discharges. On that day, Ihad an opportunity to speak before thepress with the Capitol building behindme, and I spoke out about the ArmyCorps of Engineers having too muchcontrol over the discharges and howbadly that impacts our St. Lucie River.

Today, given that opportunity again,I would likely say something else.

For example, I would probablyspeak about the need for dedicated,long-term funding of water projects.Does that mean my message was wrongin 2013? No, I do not believe so. At thattime, the Army Corps was tough. Wehad been told, in no uncertain terms,that dumping that water was their deci-sion, on their terms, and the only op-tion; however, with the amount ofpublic input, making more visits to ourarea to see first-hand how bad it reallywas, and having more conversationswith South Florida Water ManagementDistrict officials, the Army Corps hasworked hard to find ways to avoiddumping Lake Okeechobee waters.

They have fine-tuned their operations,sent more water south when possible,and have communicated more withcoastal residents at those times whenthey have no choice but to open thelocks. Things have changed, and if wekeep working with them, I feel they willkeep working with us.

What I learned from this is that ifyou are going to work on our water is-sues, you must be flexible. You mustseek truth and facts, but you also mustaccept that facts change as our systemchanges. Virtually every bit of water inthe state has been manipulated and en-gineered for drainage. It is important toknow the history and natural flows, butit is critical to face the reality of our sys-tem as it stands today. Local basinrunoff to the St. Lucie River is a primeexample: The river gets a lot morewater than it did historically, as the C-

23, C-24, and C-25 canals were allplumbed to drain there, whereas a lot ofthat water used to flow directly to theIndian River Lagoon.

We can complain that it isn’t our“local basin” and that that water is“supposed to go elsewhere,” or we canface today’s reality, and get to work onfixing it. Luckily, there are some localprojects that will address that issue,such as McCarty Ranch, 3,100 acres oflargely unspoiled, natural Florida landpurchased by Port St. Lucie in 2012 withplans to use the land as a water storageand treatment facility.

It is important to get behind bothstorage- and water-quality improvementprojects at the local level, because ourown basin, as it stands today, is causinga lot of damage to the river. Add in theLake Okeechobee discharges, and wehave serious issues. We must correctboth problems, but we have the mostcontrol over the local initiatives.

It is also important to know wherewe are going, and accept that some an-swers to our problems are still

being studied and some questionsmay not yet be answered. Aquifer Re-covery and Storage (ASR) wells are agreat example. Originally in waterrestoration plans, we were to rely onmore than 300 of these wells for storagearound Lake Okeechobee and through-out the system. They were to add thatmuch-needed storage during the wetseason, and the water could be broughtback up to use during the dry season.

The initial pilot studies, however,

which have been recently reviewed bythe National Academy of Science, revealthat these wells will work some places,but not in others. The recommendationnow is to install fewer wells. Althoughinitially there also were indications ofarsenic contamination in some wells,their studies are showing now that thisseems to be less of an issue with subse-quent withdrawals. Surprisingly, theyare also seeing a substantial reduction inphosphorus when they bring the waterback up, so there may be a cleansing fac-tor that nobody expected! Obviously,there is more work to do on this technol-ogy before we jump in and place over100 wells around the lake, but overall,the consensus is this may be a piece tosolving the puzzle.

We just have to be patient.I have heard people in the commu-

nity say no progress has happened since2013. When I first started advocating forclean water, I was cautioned that this isa marathon, not a sprint. I didn’t under-stand then, but I do now. I know it’s dif-ficult to see some of the strides beingmade if you aren’t at all the meetings,but on this second anniversary of ourhistoric bus trip to Washington D.C., Iencourage you to keep looking for thoseincrements in improvement, stay en-gaged, and keep a positive outlook.There is good work being done. ■

Nyla Pipes is a founder of One FloridaFoundation, which addresses water issuesthroughout the state.

Keys to success: stay involved and be patientNyla

Pipes

One Florida Foundation

The graph, derived from statistics provided by the South Florida Water Management District,demonstrates the necessity of addressing water basin inflows to the St. Lucie River estuary,as well as Lake Okeechobee discharges.

13Martin County CurrentsNovember 2015 One Florida Foundation

Since late 2013, One Florida Foun-dation has worked to find all theoptions to stop the discharges from

Lake Okeechobee. Where can 1.6 millionacre-feet of water, which must becleaned to mandatory levels, be de-tained to prevent discharges?

We met with hundreds of stakehold-ers, elected officials and agenciesthroughout the state. The results of thosemeetings were compiled and released asThe STOZE Report that addresses thehaunting questions: “What happens tothe water until the estimated completionin 2038 of State and Federal projects?Where does the water go until then?”

These state and federal projects ac-count for only 28% of the 2013 water re-leases. Where does the rest of that watergo? STOZE reported how those ques-tions can be answered.

The One Florida Foundation’sSTOZE Report, a compilation of talkingpoints that include: S—storage in allforms in every direction; T—dredgingLake O's navigational T-channel; O—Re-duce water from the upper Evergladesto the Lake to reduce the load in LakeOkeechobee; Z—Restore all the zig-zagged oxbows of the Kissimmee River;and E—Consider other and allflowways to move CLEAN water southto the Everglades.

The Stuart News Opinion Editor EveSamples described in one of her columnsthat there are two “competing” environ-mental philosophies: One Florida Foun-dation's and a group she called, "The OldGuard." They believe, according to Sam-ples, any position other than sending thewater south was a problem. The STOZEReport, as well as the University ofFlorida Water Institute’s Negron Report,share nearly identical conclusions: thatwater needs to be stored north, east andwest of the Lake, wherever possible, aswell as to the south.

After the deadline on options to pur-chase U.S. Sugar land south of the Lakeexpired, several sections of both reportsare now outlined as projects. Some havestarted, some are operating, and the re-sult is that there have been few rainyseason discharges since 2014.

Other changes in public discourse?Recently, Mark Perry, executive directorof the Florida Oceanographic Societyand a member of the Rivers Coalitionboard, stood before the 16 County Col-laborative and stated that one millionacre-feet of water storage were neededNORTH of Lake Okeechobee, a tenet ofthe STOZE report.

Martin County was moving to passamendments to Chapter 10 of theirComp Plan without proper knowledgeand scientific study, as stated by OneFlorida spokeswoman Nyla Pipes, whenshe addressed the Martin County LocalPlanning Agency and County Commis-sion about septic tank leakage. She re-quested that the Commission delay anyfinal consideration until Dr. Brian La-pointe’s report was presented to them inthe very near future. They did not wait,

and although the amendment withstooda court challenge, it is now under re-view by the state's Department of Eco-nomic Opportunity.

The now-public scientific study byDr. Lapointe and his team of researchersat Harbor Branch Oceanographic Insti-tute, put closure to the issue. The re-search demonstrated septic system’scontribution to our lagoon’s pollution.There are 300,000 active septic systemsalong our lagoon and connecting rivers.This report stated that 48 inches of soil isrequired between the bottom of a septicsystem and the level of the groundwater; the average depth in Florida'sseptic system is reported at 6 inches be-tween the system and groundwater.

There are many contributors to thepollution problem, however. Pollutionenters the system 100 miles north andcollects pollution from there all the wayto Lake Okeechobee, where it combineswith canals and rivers all around theLake. It is very dirty, but needs to be at10 parts per billion phosphorus before itenters Tribal lands.

Are there identifiable polluters? Whopays? Who determines how much? Allquestions that need to be answered. Inthe meantime, what happens to thewater and the aquatic life?

The Everglades Foundation recentlyoffered a $10 million prize to any firm orindividual who could reduce phospho-rus to under 40 parts per billion in theKissimmee as it enters the Lake. (Dr. G.Melodie Naja, the Everglades Founda-tion chief scientist, said Lake O waterhas phosphorus levels ranging from 250to 350 parts per billion.)

To better understand the scope of theissues, Nyla Pipes and I recently touredthe entire Everglades system from 500feet in the air. We saw first hand the vastamounts of land and water that coverthese 20,000 square miles from LakeToho to Alligator Alley and from I-95 toI-75. Except for the bombing range area

of the Kissimmee, we covered it all.Loaded down with charts to identify

private property, state and federal lands,we covered the Miccosukee lands, theBig Cypress Swamp and Everglades Na-tional Park. We looked over the pumpingstations and the construction of culvertsand reservoirs around Lake Okeechobee,and all the canals. We were providedwith the latest science and water qualitynumbers. We saw the controversial U.S.Sugar parcel, its proximity to the Lake,the communities of the Everglades Agri-cultural Area, the East Expansion Areasand all the Stormwater Treatment Areas.

Noted environmentalistNat Reed once told RiversCoalition members that areservoir large enough tostore and clean the 1.6 mil-lion acre-feet of waterflushed to tide in 2013would need to be twice thesize of Lake Okeechobee.From the air, it was clearthat the Lake is truly a largebody of water, and thatsuch a venture would coverthe entire Everglades.

There had always beenparts of the now-expiredconcepts that were not ac-curate or plausible. The

STOZE and the Water Institute reportsaddress all variables and outline projectsthat can reduce the main goalhere…Stopping the discharges. “Now, goout there and make a ruckus!”

Capt. Don Voss, nationally recognized forhis environmental initiatives to improve thewater quality of the Indian River Lagoon,will be a regular contributor to MartinCounty Currents. All advertising on thesepages will benefit One Florida Foundation,dedicated to addressing water issuesthroughout the state.

Capt.Don Voss

One Florida Foundation

Capt. Don Voss in disguise for the Indian River Lagoon Science Festival in Ft. Pierce naturally attracts youngsters to the One Florida Foundation booth.

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A model of the change in the historic waterflows from Lake Okeechobee shows the difference caused by drainage canals, which has caused dramatic changes to theEverglades ecosystem.

Pope Francis: 'Ahora ve por ahí y hacer un alboroto'Now, go out there and make a ruckus!

14 Martin County CurrentsNovember 2015One Florida Foundation

One Florida Foundation memberstraveled over the state the pastfew months, sitting in on work-

shops to taking flight in a helicopterover the entire Everglades system.

Foundation members gave input at arecent workshop to discuss the Inte-grated Delivery Schedule to develop anoverall strategy and sequence for plan-ning, design, and construction of Ever-glades Restoration projects based onecosystem needs, benefits, costs, andavailable funding. The workshop endedwith a planning document for the nextphase of Everglades restoration.

“It has now been reviewed by SouthFlorida Water Management District, theWater Resources Advisory Committee,and is to go before the South FloridaEcosystems Task Force on Nov. 19,” saidNyla Pipes, of One Florida. “This is onearea in which clean-water advocates aremaking progress.”

The series of public workshops forthe Integrated Delivery Schedule (IDS),sponsored by the South Florida Ecosys-tem Restoration Working Group, isbeing implemented via a combination offederal, state, tribal, and local projects torestore the ecosystem.

Public discussions related to the IDSinclude construction timelines, interde-

pendencies and benefits related to mul-tiple projects, including the Comprehen-sive Everglades Restoration Plan(CERP), Kissimmee River Restoration,

and the Everglades and South FloridaCritical Projects.

For more information, go towww.evergladesrestoration.gov.

One Florida members also partici-pated in the 30th Annual InternationalCoastal Cleanup day in Septemberalongside the mem-bers Sword Out-reach Ministries andthe Fort Pierce PoliceDepartment. “Weonce again held acleanup of Moore’sCreek in FortPierce,” Pipes said,in support of FloridaFoundation's em-phasis on involvingyoungsters in activi-ties that instill asense of stewardshiptoward the environ-ment and our water resources.

Capt. Don Voss's “muck monster”also showed up at the the Indian RiverLagoon Science Festival, where hedemonstrated the historic flow of waterfrom the headwaters of the Evergladesto Florida Bay and compared it totoday’s altered flow with canals and theHerbert Hoover Dike in place.

“We also took part in the MichaelShields Memorial Inshore Open to bene-fit Project Lift,” Pipes said. “While there,we handed out shark teeth to the kids,and talked about clean water and OneFlorida’s statewide approach to solvingwater problems.”

The Foundation also co-hosted an-other Lionfish Safari in conjunction with

the Fort Pierce Police Department toraise funds to purchase an additional ca-nine unit as they helped rid coastal wa-ters of invasive lionfish.

The highlight of their activities thepast few months, however, came withtheir day-long helicopter tour of the en-tire Everglades system.

“That helicopter tour allowed us tosee firsthand the vast amounts of landand water that cover these 20,000 squaremiles,” Pipes said, “and it brought aneven greater appreciation of the taskthat lies before us.” ■

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A man known for spending much of his timeunderwater as a diver is about to step into anew world of aerial views of the immenseEverglades ecosystem.

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An aerial view of the progress in repairs ofthe Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake Okeechobee. After repairs are completed, adam study will be completed that could leadto a re-evaluation of the Lake OkeechobeeRegulation Schedule that determines timingand amount of the fresh water dischargesfrom the lake.

When About Time re-cently moved toBridge Road from

Edwyn Street in Hobe Sound,owner Gabe Ellenson said hethought his current customerswould appreciate the conven-ience of dropping off their bro-ken watches, clocks and jewelryfor repair on a main arterythrough town.

That, indeed, has been thecase, but a whole new clientelealso has discovered his shop.

“This is something I didn'texpect at all,” he says, with achuckle, “but I'm very happyabout it.”

When cus-tomersstopped to re-place a watchbattery, or toreplace awristband—everythingfrom soft sili-con to exoticpython—or tohave Ellensonrepair a price-less watch,they spot hisone-of-kind,handcraftedsea-glass pendants and other uniquejewelry designs.

The designs were featured in a posterhanging on the wall. The unexpecteddemand for the pendants resulted in aresurgence of ideas that Ellenson hadtucked away two years ago.

He had stopped making them, be-cause each takes about four days tocomplete,. The designs are hand-cut

from sheets of solid sterling silver, andare worn with the designs against thebody, with the silver design casting afaint shadow through the sea glass.

“The turtle is really popular,” says,“and the frog, too. Well, actually, so arethe mermaid and the palm tree.” As arethe fairy and the sun and the cat....and,now, the Mother Earth figure.

“The only design I never want to

make again isthe lion,” hesays. “When Isketched it outfirst on paper, itdidn't seem allthat difficult,but making itwas an entirelydifferent story.It took hoursand hours.”

Until Octo-ber, he had nopendants instock. In previ-ous years, he

had made all of the pendants as specialorders, sketching a custom design beforehe cut the silver. He would tell his cus-tomers to allow at least a week, but asChristmas approached, his shop filledwith last-minute, frustrated customers.He swore he'd never make another sea-glass pendant.

But that was then, and this is now. With the renewed interest by new

customers, Ellenson responded with adozen new pendants and notebook ofother jewelry designs—all in time forholiday shopping.

“This way, they don't have to wait,”he says, with a grin. “They can pickout what they want when they walk inthe door.”

Except that he's having a difficulttime building his inventory. Of the 24 orso completed, he has only 10 left instock. Santa better hurry if he plans todrop any sea-glass pendants in thisyear's stockings! ■

15Martin County CurrentsNovember 2015 Lifestyle

Sea-glass jewelry again available at About Time

mARTies awards recognize outstanding art achievementOne of the most elegant and highly anticipatedevents each fall, organized and hosted by the ArtsCouncil of Martin County since 2003, honors areaartists at the mARTies. The awards recognize out-standing artistic, voluntary and philanthropic achieve-ment in Martin County. “It takes a mix of artists,philanthropists, volunteers and leaders weaving to-gether,” says Executive Director Nancy Turrell, “givingthe community a more vibrant, rich and colorful tex-ture.” The funds raised during the event support theon-going efforts of the Arts Council to promote andsupport Martin County's vibrant arts community. The2015 mARTies Award recipients include: ConnorHadel, Sanders Award; Ryan Cox, Student PerformingArts; Al Hager, Performing Artist; Tom Servinsky, ArtsLeadership; Shelby Baillie, Student Visual Artist; JohnStiles, Excellence in Arts Education; Jane Miller, Life-time Achievement Award; Dan Mackin, Visual Artist;Ethel Christin, Volunteer in the Arts. Award WinnersMissing from photo –Wilmington Trust Company, Cor-porate Leadership; and the City of Stuart for theWater Birds Public Art Project, Special Recognition.

Gabe Ellenson, proprietor of the AboutTime shop on BridgeRoad in Hobe Sound.

The sea-glass pendants are createdso that the cut-silver design on one side casts its shadow on theother side.

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16 Martin County CurrentsNovember 2015Lifestyle

BY KATE POKORNY

Doris Sanderswatched her hus-band fade in front

of her. A situation shesays only those who havecared for someone withAlzheimer’s disease cantruly comprehend.

“I have seen the dev-astation from the begin-ning to the end,” she said.“I truly believe it is theworst disease there is.”

Sanders met her hus-band, Joe, in college. OnAugust 26, 1955, sixmonths after they wereintroduced, they weremarried. It was a commitment Doristook to heart.

Joe was a Southern Baptist Pastor ata church in Hawaii for 20 years beforethe couple took an early retirement inStuart. In 2000, shortly after they movedto Florida, Joe started to forget dailyplans the couple made.

So they went to the doctor. Joe was put into trials immediately

and two years later was diagnosed withAlzheimer’s. As the disease progressed,Joe forgot who Doris was. He didn’t lis-ten to her, and he didn’t like her.

It was during the final stages, beforeJoe died at 81 in 2011, that Doris reached

out to support groups at theAlzheimer’s Association. With helpfrom her daughter and from the supportgroup, Doris made it through the tough-est time in her life.

“They saved my life, not from dying,but from not living,” Doris said, refer-ring to the resources provided by theAlzheimer’s Association.

After Joe passed, Doris became in-volved with the Alzheimer’s Associa-tion as an advocate and currently servesas an ambassador to U.S. CongressmanPatrick Murphy. She keeps the congress-man informed on all matters dealingwith Alzheimer’s through emails andoffice visits.

In 2014, Doris traveled to Washing-ton D.C. for the Alzheimer’s AssociationAdvocacy Forum, which she said sheplans to do again in the future. She findsit very rewarding to speak out in sup-port of Alzheimer’s research on the stateand federal level.

“It is one of the most meaningfulcauses there is,” Doris said.“Alzheimer’s patients need a voice.”

Being an advocate is something sherecommends for anyone who has beentouched by the disease and has anyinterest.

“Everyone has a story,” Doris said.“Your story can help the cause.”

The Alzheimer’s Association de-pends on ambassadors like Doris to helpkeep elected officials informed and ac-tive on legislation influencingAlzheimer’s disease.

“It is critical for this disease to be outin the public and at the top of elected of-ficials’ agenda,” said Jennifer Braisted,the Advocacy and Public Policy Coordi-nator for the Alzheimer’s Association.“Civic involvement is vital to findingthe cure to this disease.”

To become an advocate, contact Jen-nifer Braisted at [email protected] or561-967-0047 ext. 202. ■

Become an advocate to keep legislators informed

Doris and Joe Sanders pose for their 50th wedding anniversaryportrait. Joe died from Alzheimer’s in 2011 at the age of 81.The couple was married for 56 years.

Alzheimer's Advocates gather each year in Washington DC to help keep legislators informedabout the progress in Alzheimer's care and research.

CAREGIVER EDUCATION ON VARIOUS TOPICS Treasure Coast Hospice, 1201 SE Indian Street, Stuart.Quarterly education meeting with a vari-ety of guest speakers geared towardthose taking care of a loved one with amemory loss disorder, or seeking infor-mation about memory loss disorders. No RSVP needed. For more in-formation, call 800-272-3900.

PORT ST. LUCIE SUPPORT GROUPFirst and Third Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. – noon Facilitators: Donna True and Laura Zel Kremer Early Stage Group - Congruent patientand caregiver sessions. Participantsmust pre-register and be screened for this group. Call DonnaTrue at 800-272-3900.

Follow Us!Facebook: /ALZFLTwitter: @aasefcInstagram: AlzSEF

©2011 Alzheimer’s Association. All Rights Reserved.

EARLY DETECTION MATTERS800.272.3900

A memory change that affects dailylife is 1 of the 10 warning signs ofAlzheimer’s disease. Recognizing thesymptoms is the first step towarddoing something about it. For moreinformation, and to learn what youcan do now, go to alz.org/10signsor call 800.272.3900.

Alzheimer’s AssociationCalendar

An unmistakable note offrustration surfaces inthe voice of Port

Salerno resident Ellen Asselinwhen she talks about losingher husband, Fred, a few yearsago to Alzheimer's disease.

“This awful, awful diseaseaffects so many people,” shesays, “yet there's so littleawareness of the great needfor funding to find a cure, andI know a cure is possible. It'sout there. We just have to findit, but that, as you know, takes money ...a lot of money.”

Asselin took part in the "Walk to EndAlzheimer's" on Oct. 3, sponsored by theSoutheast Florida Chapter of theAlzheimer's Association at Indian River-Side Park in Jensen Beach, one of fivewalks the chapter organized. She wasone of a 1,000 participants who turnedthe park purple with their shirts andbracelets as they also crowded IndianRiver Drive with their cars when all theparking spaces filled up at the parkearly that Saturday morning.

The event, part of a worldwide move-ment, is more than just a walk.Informational booths were setup so attendees could learnabout getting involved, fromadvocacy opportunities andclinical studies to support pro-grams and services.

In Martin County, morethan 2,100 families are knownto be struggling with the de-mands of having a loved onesuffering from a disease thatclaims their memories, theirhistories, their independence,and eventually their life overa span of anywhere from two

to 20 years. The average length of timefrom diagnosis to death is 10 years, ac-cording to local Alzheimer officials.

But the event was anything butsomber. The morning gathering prior tothe walk was filled with music, vendorbooths, family-oriented activities, andlaughter.

"Funds raised will provide care andsupport services to the 150,000 residentsof South Florida living withAlzheimer's,” said Ann May, CEO of theAlzheimer's Association SoutheastFlorida chapter, in a press release, “whilealso contributing to advancing critically

needed re-search."

The walk atIndian River-Side Park raised$89,000 byteams of volun-teers—familygroups, busi-ness colleagues,church groups,neighborhoods,homeowners as-

sociations—many of whom create a teammonths in advance to gather donations afew dollars at a time. On the day of thewalk this year, most volunteers came be-cause either they, or someone they were

close to, had experienced the long heart-break and tribulations of caring for anAlzheimer's victim.

“I can tell you this,” said a volunteerfrom an assisted living facility in Stuart,“any medical professional or any nurs-ing home or any assisted living facilityshould support this cause. They shouldbe here, because I guarantee you that atleast 80 percent of their clients or theirpatients have Alzheimer's.”

Perhaps, one day, those percentageswill drop. Until then, Ellen Asselin andthousands like her will continue theirfight for a world without Alzheimer's, andthey likely will ask you to join them. ■

--Barbara Clowdus

Alzheimer's walkers in Jensen exceed their goal


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All walkers were determined to make a difference.

Walkers came in all sizes--some on two legs, some were onfour, some old, some on wheels, some jogged and otherstook a lot of breaks....and a few enterprising ones found ashortcut to the end!

Volunteers made the event possible, keeping expenditureslow while keeping walkers happy.

Walkers started the morning's events by dancing to the music.

Some dogs were "official"Alzheimer Walkers, too.Flowers bloomed among the crowd as a symbol of hope

for a world without Alzheimer's.

An incredible start by an incredible number of walkers led to an incredible day of fund-raising at Indian RiverSide Park for the Southeast Florida Chapter of theAlzheimer's Association.

18 Martin County CurrentsNovember 2015Lifestyle

Praise has been high for thetwo most recent additions tothe growing list of murals in

Hobe Sound, which will be featuredin a unique, air-conditioned trolleytour of Hobe Sound on Nov. 13.

The murals likely will turn analmost-forgotten segment of DixieHighway in Hobe Sound south ofBridge Road into a tourist attrac-tion. A wall of the building thathouses the offices of Jenkins Land-scape Company at 12260 SE Dixiehas been transformed by a muralof an idyllic scene of old Florida,punctuated by a red-blossomingpoinciana tree, the hallmark ofHighwayman Jimmy Stovall, themural's lead artist.

Just about a quarter-mile far-ther north on Old Dixie is anothermural reminiscent of the 1920s inHobe Sound that features the formerHobe Sound train depot that once waslocated nearby. Somewhat playfully, themural on the wall of the Hobe SoundArt Gallery is entitled “All Aboard...ALong Time Ago” and introduces a newartist, 21-year-old Ziggy Blaze, whoserendition of the late Pauline McArthur isunmistakable and warmly nostalgic.

The Highwaymen mural, sponsoredby Harold and Susan Jenkins, is theonly exterior, publicly accessible High-waymen mural in the state. Stovall is the

last Highwayman taught by one of thefounding Highwaymen, Alfred Hair,among the painters from the Ft. Piercearea who sold their Florida landscapepaintings door-to-door and out of theirvehicles along local roadways from the1950s through the 1980s. The Highway-men finally achieved recognition in the1990s, when critics began to praise theuniqueness of their folk art.

Local professional artist Nadia Utto,who has been the Hobe Sound Muralsproject coordinator since 2009, facilitated

both murals, and was assisted by artistHeather Stevens Weese. Hobe SoundMurals is part of Landmark Arts, Inc., anon-profit organization dedicated to“Creating Community Culture,” whichhas now overseen the completion of 18Hobe Sound murals of the two dozen orso sprinkled throughout the area withthe help of local businesses, more than 40regional artists and dozens of volunteers.

The Hobe Sound Chamber of Com-

merce will sponsor two artist-guidedtrolley tours of its outdoor gallery ofmuraled walls. The first is Nov. 13, from10 a.m. to noon, and the next will not beuntil the spring. Seating is limited andreservations are required. The tour be-gins and ends at the Hobe Sound Cham-ber of Commerce office, 11954 SE DixieHighway, and tickets are $32. For moreinformation, call 772-546-4724 oremail [email protected]. ■

Two new additions expand Hobe Sound's murals

Second Saturday Strolls through his-toric, downtown Hobe Sound willagain kick off on Saturday, Nov. 14,

from 6-9 p.m., with live street music,arts, crafts and green market vendors.

“Hobe Sound is experiencing a renais-sance with new, locally owned busi-nesses moving in,” says AngelaHoffman, executive director of the HobeSound Chamber. “The new shops andgalleries are a breath of fresh air bringinglife, color and art back into Hobe Sound.”

Originally introduced to Hobe Soundin 2005, the Hobe Sound Stroll is a pop-ular destination for connoisseurs of lo-cally crafted gifts, art and edibles.The Stroll will run the second Saturday

of the month, November 2015 throughMay 2016 from 6 to 9pm starting at Tasterestaurant, 11750 SE Dixie Highway inHobe Sound, except in December, whenthe Art Stroll will take place from 10a.m. to 3 p.m. during the Hobe SoundChristmas Parade.

“Hobe Sound's eclectic shops andgalleries will remain open during theStroll with special selections, sales andactivities,” Hoffman said. “I'll guaranteethat you'll be surprised at what you canfind here, so plan a night out withfriends at the friendliest place to shop inthe county!”

For more information call the Cham-ber at 772-546-4724. ■

Second Saturday Strollson tap in Hobe Sound

HOBE SOUND CALENDARSecond Saturday Art Stroll Nov. 14Downtown Hobe Sound at Dixie Highwayand Bridge RoadSecond Saturday each month through

May, 6-9pm(Except December, when the Stroll willtake place at the Hobe Sound ChristmasParade, on Saturday, Dec. 5, 10am-3pm)

Hobe Sound Christmas ParadeSaturday, Dec. 5, 1pmDixie Highway and Bridge RoadFree Event

Hobe Sound Festival of the ArtsSaturday, February 6, 2016, 10am-5pmSunday, February 7, 2016, 10am-5pmDowntown Hobe Sound Free Event

The Highwayman mural on the side of the Jenkins Landscapebuilding on SE Dixie Highway in Hobe Sound frequently stops traffic for a closer look.

Hobe Sound artists Nadia Utto and Ziggy Blaze at the foot of the most recent addition to the Hobe Sound Murals Project, "All Aboard...A Long Time Ago" onthe Hobe Sound Art Gallery building on Dixie Highway, south of Bridge Road.


Thriving communities are possiblewhen its members value not onlytheir own success stories, but

allow others to thrive as well. One ofour most accomplished artists and proj-ect manager of the Hobe Sound MuralsProject, Nadia Utto, titled her latestmural #19 on the south side of the HobeSound Art Gallery, “AllAboard.” It not only vividlyportrays the old Hobe Soundrailway station, honoring thepast we all share as a commu-nity, but it has allowed a newsuccess story to arise from itsevocative tapestry.

Ziggy Blaze, a 21-year-old Ja-maican-born artist, has alreadysold some of his paintings andcommissioned pieces. He hasexhibited in Miami at such com-petitive art shows as Raw, andeven in New York City, wherehe goes occasionally to hone hisartistry, but he gives Utto thecredit for truly expanding hispotential.

“I’ve been drawing all mylife but there was no color . . .until Nadia sawmy painting andurged me to startpainting withbrush and color,”he said, with abroad smile andunbounded en-thusiasm. “I feltso empoweredand happy. Itwas a break-through on myartist’s journey. Iam deeply grate-ful for it.”

Our conversation happened rightafter Ziggy finished painting a scenethat included a depiction of the latePauline MacArthur, a revered HobeSound resident, strolling along the trainstation's boardwalk with vibrant realismand expression. His skill in portraitureand figures is what first brought theyoung artist to Nadia Utto's attention.

“You can imagine how stunned I waswhen I first saw Ziggy's work,” Uttosays, “and learned that this young manhad never in his life had a single art les-son. Such natural talent!”

Unabashedly a self-taught artist,Ziggy now learns the technicalities ofpainting through an art college's corre-spondence courses, but his talent mainlyflows from his soul and vision, for, as hesays, he was born with a pencil in hishand: “ I truly believe that every humanbeing is an artist, but not all of them sur-vive as artists. The art is such a greatmedium to create beauty that will out-last everything.”

Young, colorful and handsome,Ziggy is surprisingly deep and philo-sophical for his age, yet humble andambitious at the same time. He thinksin colors, instilling his paintings withhis inner visions and musings. Al-though realistic in form, his Hobe

Sound land-scapes aredeeply poetic,conveying localcolors with vividand energeticbrushstrokes.There's nothingtimid or uncer-tain about ZiggyBlaze. Experi-menting is hismode of beingand creating.

“I embracevarious pictorial styles,” he says. “TodayI am a figurative artist, but tomorrow Imay try abstract . . . Art is so diverse interms of the mood it articulates, tech-niques it employs and forms it creates.That’s the whole beauty of it.”

His “Lost child” series enfolds boththe artist’s soul-searching and amazingability to detach himself from his per-sonal reflections to visualize charactersfrom different perspectives. Depth andintrospection of his portraiture are stun-ning. Ziggy’s lost child refers not only toa child, per se, but to the state of mindregardless of age.

His “pink” portrait alludes to a psy-chological subtlety that may both chal-lenge and intrigue the painting'sviewers. The child’s face, rendered inpink, looks at us with feline green eyes.He holds a pencil, not knowing yet whathe is going to draw, but at the sametime, deep down, he is well aware of hisquest. He knows that he owns the pen-cil, and he will shape his own reality theway he deems it. The child is both ob-serving and observed.

At the hand of Ziggy Blaze, a child’sinner dimension is much more complexthan adults can imagine and certainlynot pink, although they may see it thatway. “Being lost is not necessarily a bad

thing,” he explains. “It’s our ability toopen up and look for some guidance orblueprints for finding the path where we

can we can fully ex-press innate gifts.”

Ideally, a modelof synergy wouldembrace all realmsof our existence,but it’s still greatlyuplifting when wesee it in action as atemplate for pro-moting all-inclu-siveness right nowand right here, inHobe Sound.

“I am so blessedto live in HobeSound,” Ziggyadds, “where peo-ple are so very kindand supportive.”

As our interview was about toend, I felt that the train of syn-ergy that Nadia and Ziggypainted together was not just theidealistic concept, but somethingamazingly real. ■

Russian-American Maya Ellenson,who holds M.A. and PhD degrees inRussian language and literature fromMoscow State University, has lived in

Martin County for eight years. A free-lancewriter, she has a particular interest in worldculture and art.

Ziggy Blaze aboard the train of artistic synergyMaya

Ellenson

Art Kaleidoscope

Ziggy Blaze, whose natural talent caught the eye ofHobe Sound artist Nadia Utto.

The old Hobe Sound train depot comes to life again as a mural underthe watchful eye of Capt. Robert Lumpp, right, owner of the HobeSound Art Gallery. Artists Ziggy Blaze and Nadia Utto, on scaffold,worked for days through record-breaking July heat to complete it.

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Ziggy's Landscape

A Dog's Portrait by Ziggy BlazeA Lost Child

Martin County CurrentsNovember 2015Lifestyle20

BY MAYA ELLENSONfor Martin County Currents

At her recent book-signing eventat the Morgade Library onSalerno Road, acclaimed water-

colorist Julia Kelly demonstrated herskill as an exceptional performer, as wellas artist. She did not just read wordsfrom Victor projected on the screen, butsank into her character with every ges-ture, voice and intonation imaginable.Children and adults likely will neverforget Victor.

A public exhibition at the Elliott Mu-seum of Stuart more than a year ago in-troduced us to Julia Kelly’s rich artisticbackground, which placed her ownpaintings in their true historical context:A granddaughter of renowned watercol-orist John Calderwood and a daughter ofNancy Whorf—recognized as one of themost insightful American impressionistsof the past century—Julia Kelly paintsamazing sceneries, transforming hermysterious colors into words. “I paint inword,” she says, “and write in colors.”

Her first book, A Crow in Grandma’sKitchen, is a genuine, synergistic narra-tive where humans and animals live to-gether in the sweetest of all imaginableharmonies, speaking the silent language

of compassion and unity. Kids love it.The book that followed, titled simply,

Victor, is a totally different story that in-trigues, fascinates, and challenges chil-dren. Vividly illustrated, the book opensa new page for a young generation withcontent that is both simple and deep, de-signed to reveal a child's hidden artisticpotential as he or she follows Victor’s

footprints on the sand to the endingthat, as it turns out, has no end.

Prior to shape-shifting into her maincharacter, Julia Kelly had spent sometime on the dunes of Cape Cod, in a re-treat of primitive shacks on sand dunesdesigned to recharge creativity, ownedby the Peaked Hill Trust of Province-town, Mass. The Dune shacks offer nodistractions. They have no electricity,running water, insulation or indoorplumbing to allow artists of all ilk, in-cluding engineers, journalists, dancers,architects, actors, painters, scientists ormusicians to empty their minds andrecharge their creativity by contemplat-ing nature’s mysteries in silence.

Victor surfaced from the imprintslaid by various animals inhabiting theDunes, Kelly explained, and included inher book the images of those animalfootmarks to educate a young readerabout the Dune’s inhabitants and thebounty of plants sustaining their lives.

The dramatic opening scene catchesour attention as the little mouse, Victor, isabout to leave his nest. Before letting himgo, Momma Mouse gives Victor four im-portant reminders: do not get eaten, findfood, get a safe place to build a home,and, finally, to find a mate as “we are notmeant to be alone,” she coaches.

The story goes beyond the lessons ofsurvival, however, for it offers a model ofheartfelt and panoramic dialogue betweenanimals and human beings. In this web oflife, we all share creative blueprints thatallow us to speak a universal language.Victor deepens our understanding of na-ture. Just as artists and poets go to theDunes to be inspired by nature’s stillnessand wisdom, so does Victor, secretly ob-serving those artists, learn how to leavehis unique imprints behind.

Victor discovers that art is full ofmagic and miracles as he watches awoman paint a rose hip plant that seemsto magically appear on paper with eachnew stroke of paint, remembering thathis tongue tingled when his motheronce gave him one. The painting alsoevokes memories of his mother andbrother. He feels sad, but at the sametime he remembers the tasty rose hipand is happy.

“How can looking at a picture makesuch strong memories, both happy andsad?’ he wonders. That’s the questionthat philosophers have asked for thou-sands of years and could never find afinal answer, as … there is none. Art is amystery, full of hidden potential andlife-transforming energy. When we tapinto it, as Victor does, we unfold itsinner alchemy.

After our little hero almost loses hishope to find a mate, a she-mouse awak-ens him, holding a piece of paper withthe impressions made by Victor with hisblueberry-jam paint. The young ladymouse finds him by following thosesweet, gooey footprints, but the storydoes not really end here. The door to thefinal chapter is left open for us to con-tinue this fascinating journey.

Victor is not just a book, but a creativekey handed to a reader by the author toconstruct a new narrative in the web oflife, in which we are all co-creators.

To purchase a copy of Victor for $20plus shipping, go to the Julia Kelly website:juliakellyart.com, or simply call to orderover the phone: 772.283.8519. Copies areavailable at the Morgade Library to bechecked out by readers. The artist is also of-fering watercolor classes at the Elliott Mu-seum on Hutchinson through Novemberand December. ■

Julia Kelly’s Victor: a book about magical footprints

"An Artist is Born," an illustration from the book, Victor, by artist Julia Kelly.

Artist and author Julia Kelly with her latest book, Victor.

The surf transitions in the fall fromtranquil to rough! Mild nor'eastershave already clashed with offshore

tropical depressions, creating heavy seasfrom the north well into south Florida.We know that when it "rains mullet," aslocals call the mullet spawning season,beach and jetty anglers go nuts. Thesnook are lean from the summer spawnand are swirling on the inside shore-break curls to devour these finger mullet,and tarpon are commanding practicallyevery school of bait from Sebastian toBoynton Inlet! I know, because I, amongmany, are coming out of summer surf hi-bernation and are getting ready for ournorthern allies to arrive.

As the predators move on, we are en-joying a wicked good bluefish run! Onthe beach, the pier, and the inlet jetty,jack crevalles and bluefish are smackingx-wraps and bomber lures. Rapala's,Mirrolures, spoons and jigs are workingas well. If you're heading to north orcentral Florida, you could probably stopat any beach through Jacksonville andcatch blues. Melbourne north, you willstart seeing Spanish mackerel and tonsof glass minnows. The migratoryprocess is definitely evolving from sum-mer into winter!

Naturally, the devoted anglers whoread this column are waiting to hearwhat I enjoy reporting about most—pompano! Resident pompano have madea few approaches to the Hobe Sound andJuno Beach areas. As the tropical stormJoaquin passed outside of the Bahamas,the ground seas picked up dramatically.The trough and the bars have a sus-pended turbidity that pompano don'tswim in. No sir. No grit in their gills.

In coming weeks, though, the seaswill subside and the ocean will clear.During the transition of brown to clearwaters, there will be an intermediateaqua color phase. This is when it is stillrough enough to suspend the dusty siltfrom our beaches and create a prettyseafoam green extending out to our sec-ond sand bar. Boom! This is pompano-inhabited water!

Anywhere on the coast of easternFlorida, this short-lived phenomenashould be fished. Why is this so impor-tant? Pompano feel safe from majorpredators in waters that are clean yethazy. Plus, they need some clarity tofind shoreline sand fleas, mollusks andcrabs to feed on.

Hundreds of juvenile, 6- to 9-inch sil-ver nuggets were caught at the LakeWorth Pier in the last days of September.The sea conditions were rough, thanksto Joaquin, but it was aqua hazy. Juno,Jupiter and Hobe Sound were brown

and turbid. On the Juno Beach pier afew days later, I saw the blue water tran-sitioning to brown approximately a halfmile off the beach. Numerous birdswere diving on that color change for Isuspect were small Spanish mackereland jacks.

We always discuss water tempsfalling, winter arriving, and tropicalstorms as the sparks that initiate the mi-gration. With our sea temps at 85 de-grees and Jacksonville at 81 degrees, thenorthern pomps won't arrive till late No-vember, the same as the past two sea-sons. The Carolina pomps are in theMyrtle Beach area, and numerous silversare in the San Simon's Island region. Sountil our waters reach the low 70's wewon't see these guys, but no worries!Unless you've fished those regions andcaught those cold water pomps, it does-n't matter to Florida anglers.

We have a huge resident pompanopopulation living all summer in thedeep Atlantic waters up and down theeastern coast of Florida. These warmwater fish only need a 4- to 6-degreedrop and some serious nor'easters tomove them to our beaches.

The "forecasters"—well, you know,the winter weather predictors who callthemselves the forecasters—have appar-ently collaborated globally to budgetthis winter into a scientific monster—THE GODZILLA EL NINO'! It appearedon our shores in the 1998 and 1972 win-ter cycles, and it's here now! Get this, inJapan they are researching a weatherpattern that might upset the monster.Whoa, I love this crap ... I believe thatit's an extreme high-pressure system,named without a lot of scrutiny, "TheBruce Lee Stream." Should the U.S. me-teorological teams send in the hurricaneJedi to find "The Force"?

This huge "El Nino" occurred twice inthe past 50 years and amounts to this:Most of Florida will experience 60 %more rain this winter! Therefore, it willbe a cooler winter, because the substancehitting atop our fishing heads is chilly.

This Godzilla has been in place formonths now, and is basically a subtropi-cal jet stream that overheats our equatortemps, thus creating atmospheres that

spur tropical depressions. The fishingwill definitely be affected this winter ifthis system sustains. Why? If the polarArctic jet stream is not in play this De-cember, January and February, we willhave very few nor'easters. Easterlywinds cool down the ocean and movemasses of fish. El problemo with theprojected El Nino is the constant west-erly wind pattern maintaining a warmerocean and sending most fish offshore.

Despite the mojo, we still must getready. There is too much hurricane sea-son left to debate when the pompanowill arrive. Be ready. Go out and prac-tice. Spike in, bait up and cast. Youmight very well have rotten line, brokenceramic guides, a reel that needs lubeand or repairs. Maybe you're ready to bemore serious this year and entertain anupgrade in tackle to better reach thatsecond bar on those wintery, windy andrough days.

Buying a great combo may very welllast you a lifetime and put more pom-pano in your freezer! There are manywonderful tackle shops locally. All arestocked with good equipment, but with-out some solid assistance an angler maynot achieve the results he desires. My adhas been in Martin County Currents fornearly three years, so many have re-

quested my experience and all havelearned valuable lessons. Thank you forreading my column, and “tight lines” tillwe meet again.. ■

Rich Vidulich, a commercial pompano surffisherman who traverses the beaches of Mar-tin County and points north for his "goldennuggets," lives in Jupiter. Send comments orquestions to Pompano@ MartinCountyCurrents.com.

50 lineal miles of dirty basin water still evident

Martin County CurrentsNovember 2015 Outdoors 21

Rich Vidulich

Pompano Reporter

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Under a bright autumn sky, pompano fisherman Rich Vidulich surveys surf conditions off HobeSound Beach, where evidence remains of earlier basin runoff in the streaks of dirty water among the waves.

Weekend, Nov. 13-15Jensen Beach Pineapple Festival

In honor of being namedthe "Pineapple Capital ofthe World," Jensen Beachwill host a three-day musicfestival Nov. 13-15, starting

at 6 p.m. on Friday, in the streets of downtown Jensen Beach at 1960 NEJensen Beach Blvd. Featuring an authentic Bahamian market, midway rides,crafts, and three stages with various performers. The authentic Bahamianmarket and "Junkanoo Parade" with dancers and musicians from the Bahamaisland of Eleuthera is a special part of the event that should not be missed.The headliners feature a unique mix of rock, reggae, and country, and in-clude Chase Bryant, Big Smo, and The Brilanders. For more information, goto www.pineapplefestival.info.

Saturday, Nov. 14Second Saturday Stroll in Hobe SoundBeginning at Taste restaurant on A1A and Bridge Road in Hobe Sound from6-9 p.m., the Second Saturday Stroll in Hobe Sound offers live music, art andgoodies from vendors and shopkeepers along the sidewalks of those historicDixie Highway shops in Hobe Sound. Sponsored by the Hobe Sound Cham-ber, the event is free and will give you a sneak peek at all the new merchan-dise in stock for the holidays! For more info, call 772.546.4762.

Week of Nov. 16-21Festival of Trees & Lights One of the most anticipated events to kick off the holiday season in Stuart isthe Festival of Trees & Lights that will benefit Tykes & Teens during Nov. 16-21 at Flagler Place, 201 SW Flagler Avenue, in downtown Stuart. Organizerswill create a Florida Winter Wonderland that will include a Ladies After-noon Tea and Tiny Tot Holiday Fashion Show, an elegant VIP party and treeauction, free breakfast and photos with Santa, and much more. For a com-plete itinerary and ticket information, go to www.tykesandteens.org.

Tuesday, Nov. 17Curators & Cocktails at the Elliott MuseumOne of the most popular events at the Elliott, this special evening of Curators &Cocktails brings together vintage cars, signature cocktails, tasty hors d'oeuvresand Elliott Museum Associate Car Curator John Giltinan for an exceptional ex-perience. Tickets are $30 per person. Seating is limited, so call for reservations.For more information, call 772.225.1961 or go to www.ElliottMuseum.org.

Wednesday, Nov. 18Afghanistan/Irag War Veteran to SpeakSpeaker Brian Mast, a veteran of the Afghanistan/Iraq wars, will addressthe GFWC Woaman's Club of Stuart monthly business luncheon at 11 a.m.-1p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18. The meeting is open to the public and will beheld at the Woman’s Club of Stuart Club House, 729 East Ocean Boulevard,Stuart. 772-341-5186 for information.

Thursday, Nov. 19“A Treasure We Call Home” at the ElliottMaster storyteller Rick Crary, who knows every nook and cranny in Stuart,will be at the Elliott Museum on Nov. 19 as part of the Wilmington TrustLecture Series. Join Crary at 7 p.m. for an in-depth discussion of his book,“A Treasure We Call Home,” which includes entertaining stories of some ofthe unique people whose lives have been linked forever with the TreasureCoast. A book signing will follow the lecture. Tickets are $14 per person andfree to Museum members. Seating is limited; RSVP to 772-225-1961.

Every Sunday!Stuart Green MarketTop-quality fresh produce, cut flowers(seasonal), honey, freshly-bakedbreads and pastries, hot sauces, hand-crafted soaps and lotions, grassfed/local beef, poultry, and eggs, goatmilk and cheeses, organic spiceblends, artisan crafts and handmadejewelry, and more at the Stuart GreenMarket. Open rain or shine, every Sun-day all year round, from 9 a.m. to 1p.m. For info, go to www.stuartgreen-market.org.

Every SaturdayVolunteer Work Day at Jonathan DickinsonDo something important to the envi-ronment by volunteering to help theJonathan Dickinson State Park staff re-move non-native invasive plants in thepark each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1p.m. at the park, 16450 SE FederalHighway in Hobe Sound. Free entry forparticipants, but preregistration is re-quired. For more information and toregister, go to www.jdstatpark.com.

Until Nov. 22'Laura' presented bythe Barn TheatreThe critically acclaimed play, “Laura,”will run from Nov. 6-22 at the Barn The-atre, presenting an intricate mysteryabout the murder investigation of abeautiful and successful New York Cityad executive revolves around the grow-ing obsession of a police detectivewith the murder victim, and jealouscompulsions that lead to murder. Showtimes are Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m.and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20and are available at the box office at2400 S.E. Ocean Boulevard from noonto 4 pm on weekdays, or call the boxoffice directly at 772-287-4884. Tick-ets can be purchased online atwww.barn-theatre.com.

Friday, Nov. 20Race and Health ForumThird in a series at Ground Floor Farm explor-ing definitions of racism and how it is mademanifest within our own community. Open tothe public free of charge. A panel discussionthat begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by a ques-tion-and-answer period. The forum will also en-able small group discussions, whereparticipants can share thoughts, personal ex-periences, and listen. Panelists include a nursemidwife with Martin Health Systems, a li-censed mental health counselor with the Mar-tin County Community Services Division, andMartin County Department of Health officials.

Weekend, Nov. 21-22Stuart Seafood FestivalLive music, lots of fresh seafood, nauticalwares, family rides and entertainment at Me-morial Park on Ocean Blvd. in Stuart. Satur-day hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday,the festival opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 7p.m. Tickets are $5 in advance; $7 at thegate; free parking. For more info, go to:www.stuartseafoodfest.com.

Saturday, Nov. 26Stuart Antiques Show atthe FairgroundsThe Stuart Antiques Show has more than 100dealers of antiques and collectibles selling theirwares in all price ranges. One ticket for $6 getsyou admission for both days in an air-conditionedfacility with free parking. For more info, go towww.floridaantiqueshows.com/Our-Shows.

Friday, Nov. 27Really, REALLY Free MarketOn Black Friday, Nov. 27, from 2-8 p.m., a Re-ally Really Free Market will be at GroundFloor Farm on Martin Luther King Blvd.(across from the Martin County Elections Of-fice) where everything is free. It is a pop-upmarketplace of diverse goods and serviceswhere no money and no barter is needed, noentrance fee required, and no limit....justbring your own bags. Come and take whatyou want and ideally give something too! To

22 Martin County CurrentsNovember 2015What ’n Where

23Martin County CurrentsNovember 2015 What ’n Where

Saturday, Nov. 28Beach to Bar 5K to benefit Cystic FibrosisThis fun tradition in Stuart each November to support the work of the Cys-tic Fibrosis Foundation will be Saturday, Nov. 28, at 3 p.m. beginning at Stu-art Beach for all ages and levels of fitness. Bringing a novel twist to atraditional run, Beach to Bar will offer a challenging route, entertainment,and a post-race celebration like no other at Carson’s Tavern on Ocean Blvd.For more info, go to www.beach2bar5k.org

Friday, Dec. 4Stuart Christmas Parade

If you like Christmas lights, be sure to at-tend the 2015 Stu art Christ mas Parade,hosted by the Visiting Nurses Associa-tion, on Fri day, Dec. 4, at 7pm in down -town Stu art. The parade route hasreversed this year with floats lining up onMonterey Road, turning left at OceanBlvd., and ending at Georgia Avenue. For

more information, go to www.stuartchristmasparade.com or go to www.stu-artchristmasparade.com or email: [email protected]

Saturday, Dec. 5A Day Full of Christmas Parade CheerTwo Christmas parades, plusan Arts & Crafts Stroll, willfill the day in celebration ofthe holidays in Hobe Soundand Indiantown on Saturday,Dec. 5. Begin your day at 10a.m. in the historic village ofHobe Sound along Old DixieHighway south of BridgeRoad, then find your seat fornearly two hours of parademagic north on Dixie andwest on Bridge Road that be-gins at 1 p.m. Immediately following the Hobe Sound parade, make thebeautiful drive to Indiantown for a touch of country Christmas cheer for its2015 Christmas parade that includes everything from decorated swampbuggies to dozens of golf-cars that make you smile. Follow the paradecrowd to Post Family Park for a tree lighting and sweet carolling fromyoung Hope Rural School students. For more info, go towww.hobesound.org and to www.indiantownchamber.com.

Weekend, Dec. 3-6Singing Christmas Tree at Hobe Sound

Each Christmas season,those who attend theSinging Christmas Treeevent at the HobeSound Bible College areastounded at the levelof professionalism andtalent displayed in aproduction that remindsus of the true meaningof Christmas. Doorsopen at 6 p.m. nightly,Thursday through Sun-day, with the perform-ance that begins at 7p.m. No admissioncharge, but a freewill of-fering will be taken.

donate anything of value that you nolonger want or need, drop them off onMonday, Nov. 23, or Tuesday, Nov. 24,from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., includingclothes, books, kitchen supplies,tools, etc. Also bring homemade food,crafts, artwork, seeds, starts and cut-tings. To donate your services, justshow up on Friday, Nov. 27, anytimebetween 2-8pm. Make a sign that de-scribes the service you are offering.Bring any tools or materials youmight need, including tables andchairs. Offer that service on the spotto anyone who asks for it. Servicescould range from haircuts to massageto musical serenades to yoga classesto financial planning. To volunteer tohelp with the event, email Jackie [email protected]. The Re-ally Really Free Market will be heldindoors. For ore inforation, go towww.groundfloorfarm.com/freemarket

Weekend, Nov. 28-29Art in the Park StuartFine Art & CraftShowThe 21st Annual Fine Art and QualityCrafts show where talented artisansand craftsmen will showcase and selltheir original and unique works of artand handmade creations will be Nov.28-29. Situated lakeside along the me-andering paths of the beautiful Memo-rial Park on Ocean Boulevard indowntown Stuart, the show will beginat 9 a.m. For more information, go to:huffspromo.com.

Friday, Nov. 27Stuart ChristmasTree Lighting Festival The Christmas on Main Street down-town tree lighting festival will be Fri-day, Nov. 27, from 4 to 7 p.m. atHaney Circle in downtown Stuart. JoinSanta and Mrs. Claus for musical anddance performances, kids activities, apetting zoo, and of course, lightingthe downtown tree! No admissioncharge. Ride the free Sail fish Shut tlefrom Osce ola, Sail fish, or Kiwa -nis parks to Haney Circle. For more in-for ma tion: 772.286.2848. Brought toyou by: Stu art Down town Busi ness As-so ci a tion (DBA) and Stu art MainStreet in Part ner ship with City of Stu -art and the Stu art Com mu nity Rede -vel op ment Agency (CRA).

Saturday, Dec. 12Cocoa & Cookies withthe AuthorsThe Robert Morgade Library & Fletch Adven-tures will present a special event, Cocoa &Cookies with the Authors, at the Morgade Li-brary on Salerno Road on Saturday, Dec. 12,from 1:30-3:30 p.m. A holiday wonderland fullof fun will include: Storytime book readings,author booths, and Meet ‘n’ Greets with Pro-fessor Clark the Science Shark & LMC’sFletch Mascots. A cookie buffet will be spon-sored by Importico's Bakery with coffee andcocoa by Starbucks Coffee on Cove Road, aswell as holiday craft stations and Stuart Ce-ramics ornament station, a selfie-style photobooth station, holiday music and decorations.A silent auction will benefit the Friends of theMartin County Library.

Saturday, Dec. 12Rio's World-Famous Indoor Flea MarketThe best deal in the county is offered by theRio Civic Club at its Indoor Flea Market andBake Sale on Saturday, Dec. 12, between 8am and 12 noon. Located in historic Rio atthe Rio Civic Center, 1255 NE Dixie Highway,shoppers will find jewelry, antiques, col-lectibles, household items, baby clothes andmuch more. Breakfast and lunch, as well ashomemade baked goods, will be available forpurchase. For detailed information, or to re-serve a table ($12) to sell your own items, call334-2039.

Now through January 2016Watercolor Society'sTraveling Exhibition atthe ElliottNow until January 31, 2016, the Florida Wa-tercolor Society’s Traveling Exhibition with ap-proximately 35 pieces will be on display at theElliott Museum, 825 N.E. Ocean Boulevard.Open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Thursdayevenings until 8 p.m. For info: 772-225-1961, www.elliottmuseum.org.

Thursday, Jan. 29Annual Luncheon to benefit Alzheimer's The 14th annual luncheon to benefitAlzheimer's Community Care's programs andday care center in Martin County will beThursday, Jan. 29, at 11:30 a.m. at MarinerSands Country Club in Hobe Sound. Featuredspeaker is Dr. David Watson, founder of theAlzheimer’s Research and Treatment Centerin Lake Worth. Tickets are $90 per person.Contact Deanna Henning at 772-2236351 or www.alzcare.org.

Martin County CurrentsNovember 201524 Martin County Moment

Sculptures take flight on Colorado Avenue to Kiwanis Park City officials and leaders sought to commemorate the City of Stuart's centennial in 2014 with public art that would remind its citizens for the next 100years of their connection to the river that runs through it. Still reeling from the aftermath of devastating discharges of water to the St. Lucie River in2013, they mindfully chose five birds that rely on that river for sustenance, no less so than the people who inhabit its banks, to be sculpted in bronze byrenowned artist Geoffrey C. Smith of Stuart and installed along Colorado Avenue to Kiwanis Park. “Never before have we had a public arts project quitelike this," says City Manager Paul Nicoletti. "Five spectacularly stunning statues—paid for without any tax dollars—that capture the city’s commitmentto our natural resources, and which hopefully will stand for generations of residents and visitors to view and admire.” The public is invited to anofficial unveiling at 1 p.m. Nov. 18 in Kiwanis Park in downtown Stuart.

"The Osprey Pair"Donor: Mary Ann Houghland

"Wading the Mangroves" Roseate SpoonbillDonor: Henry and Mary Ann Gans

"American Legacy" EagleDonor: Philip Busch

"Dancing GreaterSandhill Crane" Donor: WomenSupporting the Arts

"Skimming theWaves" Pelican Donors: Tom andPolly Campenni

martin county currents november 2015 volume 5 issue 5

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