FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS JANUARY 29, 2023

Tom Campenni

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IN THIS EDITION OF THE NEWSLETTER

As noted below in this edition of Friends & Neighbors, you will see how policy in both the City of Stuart and Martin County is driven by the vocal few.

In the film “Casablanca,” Major Renault was shocked to hear that gambling was happening in Rick’s Café even as he was being handed his winnings from the tables. At the last BOCC meeting, the commission looked on in total surprise during a discussion about a local park’s neglected maintenance. You could almost hear them wondering how this had occurred.

The commission is being as cynical as the fictional major was. Of course, the park which was the subject of the agenda item was not in the best shape. The commission had been spending money on things like a new golf course with a state-of-the-art Top Golf facility instead of the dreary day-to-day expense of fixing community ball fields and park benches. It took a few parents who had finally had enough to vocally complain to have the commission act.

At the City of Stuart commission meeting, it wasn’t even residents and voters who were trying to affect the policy of praying before meetings. Commissioner Collins, who claims to represent Stuart, packed the chamber with non-Stuart residents to influence both Eula Clarke and Becky Bruner to change their stated opinions from keeping the moment of silence to having a prayer before the meeting.

In both instances, the commissioners made policy not for what is best for the county and city but because of the protest of a few people. The parents that wanted Wojcieszak Park were not wrong in their desire to have a safer environment for their children. It was that the commission threw those parents a few bones while the reason the park was in that shape was left unaltered.

WOJO BASEBALL FIELDS

Their decision to fund the sexy stuff like the golf course or splash water park has left the other parks without adequate funds to maintain their facilities. That has not changed. $1.6 million dollars in capital improvements per year is not adequate to keep 72 parks up to par. They know it but acted as if it were some big surprise.

The city commission is even more spineless because they made a mountain out of a mole hill and then refused to die even on the mole hill. A year ago, School Board Member DiTerlizzi asked that a prayer be said before their school board meeting. Every other member agreed. I guess they thought it was not worth the battle.

I would have said the same thing when the issue came under discussion in Stuart. It didn’t appear that any commissioner other than Dr. Collins really cared. When first broached by Collins, they could have just said yes. They didn’t.

For the past 2 months, this has taken an inordinate amount of time during their meetings, and for no good reason. This movement is a concentrated effort by a small minority of non-Stuart residents. Both School Board Members DiTerlizzi and Pritchett and Ocean Breeze Council Member Gina Kent though not residents of the city spoke in favor. Non city residents have no business intruding into city affaires. And their assertions that they are always in Stuart ring hollow and don’t matter even if true.

The commissioners didn’t care about their 40-year policy of being non-denominational with the moment of silence. Both Mayor McDonald and Commissioner Rich did not vote to have the prayer. Bruner and Clarke were swayed not by voters or residents but by a mob of outsiders.

In both cases, I am deeply disappointed not so much because of the outcomes but by how those outcomes were manipulated.

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THE SWAMP LIVES

As a political slogan, “Drain the swamp” wasn’t a bad idea. But, of course, was only a slogan to Trump and his administration.

Washington may be too far gone for any draining to occur regardless of who is president or a member of Congress. Politicians bashing corporations and special interests are theater and rhetoric and not anything the public should take very seriously. We would all like to think that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is somehow different.

Sorry to disappoint but he is just as much at the trough of big business as anyone. The governor just had his second inaugural bash that was funded in part by two major lobbyists for Disney. Another example of a “woke” corporation being taught what it means to be an enemy of the state. Apparently, they get to bankroll fancy events.

Why is it that any private person or entity is even funding these ceremonies and events? Nowhere in the Florida Constitution does it say the governor taking the oath of office is followed by a big hoedown. I bet the governor could manage to find a judge or even a notary public to administer the oath free of charge. Yes, parties are nice but why do politicians from presidents to local officials feel they need to strong arm their supposed “enemies” to buy the champagne?

How does it look to the average citizen when he sees that one-minute Disney is the “wokiest” thing going and yet the governor takes their money for a party? It looks awfully like a swamp to me. We need to remember Florida has the Everglades, the best-known swamp in America.

We tried to drain the Everglades for over a hundred years until recently when Floridians including our governor decided to be ecologically correct. Now we want swamps to remain swamps. I guess that goes for the political kind too.

As Published In Martin County Moment

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A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT SHOULDN’T LEAD TO DEATH

Is enough finally enough?

When it comes to the senseless carnage that mass shootings have caused, we are long past time. Americans, especially our children, are being sacrificed on the altar of a crazy interpretation of the Second Amendment. An interpretation that most Americans believe is inaccurate.

LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT — “Russian Brides” Episode 1307 — Pictured: Danny Pino as Det. Nick Amaro — Photo by: Will Hart/NBC

How long does it take for an immigrant to become “Americanized?” Huu Can Tran, an elderly Chinese-born California resident, was the perpetrator of a shooting resulting in 11 dead and 9 injured victims in Monterey Park. The police entered his house where they found more weapons, homemade silencers, and a large quantity of ammunition. His weapon of choice for the massacre was a semi-automatic Mac-10 pistol with an extended magazine.

Like Tran, the victims were mostly of Asian descent in a city in Los Angeles County that is predominantly populated by Asian-Americans. The reasons may never be known, but his other arrest in 1990 was for weapon possession…another uniquely American charge.

Two days after the shooting in Monterey Park, another mass shooting occurred. It was in Half Moon Bay in northern California and another more regular massacre occurred in a school in Iowa. The Half Moon victims were of Chinese descent as was the shooter. While the two dead at the Iowa charter school (plus the founder who was wounded) were Black as was the shooter. The shooter and the 2 dead were members of rival gangs.

As of January 23^rd, the United States has had 39 mass shootings since the beginning of this year. A mass shooting is defined by an incident where four or more people have been killed or injured. Iowa doesn’t even count.

Most Americans believe that we can own a gun for sport, hunting, and even protection. I believe that and I own guns. However, nothing in the amendment means that certain weapons shouldn’t be banned, that there shouldn’t be background checks, or training before owning and carrying a firearm.

I agreed with the recent Supreme Court decision striking down New York’s Sullivan Law. That was an infringement on a right because a citizen had to prove to the government that you needed a firearm before being allowed to buy one. If the assumption is we all have that right, you should also agree that there are reasonable responsibilities that also must be part of the right.

How many Americans need to die, especially children, before we come to our senses? There aren’t enough metal detectors, police officers, and security fences to keep us safe even if every good guy is packing heat. Don’t we deserve something better than being afraid to be in a crowd?

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A JUST OUTCOME FOR STUART, MARTIN COUNTY, AND FOR ALL

The Governor’s Cabinet has unanimously reversed the administrative law judge’s ruling in the Kanner CPUD (Costco) case today.

The decision was a long time coming but anticipated. There was no basis for the judge to rule in the way she did. Having listened to much of that hearing, it was as if Judge Ffolkes had forgotten what evidence she deemed admissible.

Most of the case put on by the attorney at the Governor’s Cabinet for Ms. Robin Cartwright, who was the person who brought the case before the ALJ, was based on proffered evidence that during the trial was ruled inadmissible by Judge Ffolkes yet was what the judge’s order was largely based upon.

Back in November of last year at the hearing, cabinet members including Nikki Fried, the Democrat who has since lost her election for another term as Commissioner of Agriculture, stated that the judge’s ruling was in error. It took to the January meeting for the cabinet to make their decision public.

The order will be presented for signature at the March meeting even though according to an attorney, that was at the proceeding today who is not connected with the case, who stated that in all the years the attorney has practiced in Tallahassee it would be highly unusual for it to go before the council three times.

If the Governor’s Council’s Order is asked by Cartwright to be overturned in the Appeals Court there is a probability it would be immediately dismissed, I am told by attorneys close to the case. A panel of appellant judges could allow attorney’s fees for the prevailing party paid by the looser. Further once the cabinet’s written order is issued regardless of an appeal a permit can be obtained from the city and construction can begin.

This should have never gone this far. The then commission composed of Merritt Matheson, Mike Meier, Eula Clarke, Beckie Bruner, and Troy McDonald in a 5-0 vote after 14 hours in two meetings did the right thing by following the law. Both statute and the city’s own codes gave them little alternative.

Despite the law and codes, they were able to convince the developer to give things that were much more than could be expected. Roads, ponds, more landscaping, and other improvements became part of the package. The developer was very accommodating to these amenities.

The apartments in the package are not low-cost housing but given the area’s AMI (average median income) most of the rents would fall at or a bit above that amount, I understand. If you count the jobs created by Costco and the rest of the development, Stuart and all of Martin County is much better off with this project than without.

The NIMBYs defeat are the taxpayers, job seekers, people looking for an apartment, and all the residents win. There will be additional struggles and other obstacles by the “Nyet People”, but the biggest obstacle has now been overcome. I don’t often agree with Governor DeSantis but this time his decision with the concurrence of his cabinet was right on the money.

As Published In Martin County Moment

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OTHER OPINIONS

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FLETCH’S PERSPECTIVE

By Keith Fletcher CEO & President of

Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County

As kids, many—if not most—of us were told we could be whatever we wanted to be when we grew up. So, we grew up believing it.

Sadly, many of the kids at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County (BGCMC) seldom hear such words of encouragement. Worse, some are told they’ll amount to nothing. So, before those words set in too deeply, we make it our calling—our sacred duty, in fact—to cultivate a climate where they’re reminded regularly that they’re loved, accepted, and filled with limitless potential.

Then we show them the ways in which they can realize and channel that potential.

Thanks to partners such as Martin Health Cleveland Clinic, the kids have donned scrubs and—guided by surgical teams—received hands-on experience with actual medical equipment conducting mock operations.

Thanks to our partnership with Indian River State College, kids as young as 13 are learning beginner level drone piloting training in route to eventually earning FAA-remote pilot certifications.

Thanks to the hospitality professionals who head our culinary program, youth at elementary, middle and high school levels receive age-appropriate kitchen training—including knife skills, sanitation knowledge and cooking lessons—to excel in top restaurant environments. Some put those skills to test right now, operating our Fork in the Road food truck, covering every aspect imaginable—including growing in our gardens many of the ingredients included in the meals they serve—catering local BGCMC events.

Advanced virtual reality platforms enable the kids as early as middle school to explore—through computerized avatars—skilled trades such as carpentry, plumbing, electrical and HVAC, free of the liability risks associated with visiting actual job sites. Such training technologies are proven to enhance real-life performances across a range of careers. Virtually trained surgeons, studies how, to commit six-times fewer errors on the operating table; soldiers demonstrate nearly three times the levels of success in the executions and outcomes of their assigned missions.

Whether they grow to become soldiers, surgeons, plumbers, pilots, carpenters, computer programmers or leaders of some fascinating new field none of yet knows will exist, the young people at BGCMC can grow up to be whatever they can imagine.

Thanks to the support and partnerships of this generous community, we can spark those imaginations and equip them to achieve what it awakens.

Keith Fletcher’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint

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VANRIPER’S VIEWS

By Darlene VanRiper

I attended the Legislative Delegation forum on January 13^th.

It was held at the Wolfe Center at IRSC, Chastain Campus on Salerno Road.  This is a public forum held once a year to allow any citizen to voice their grievances, opinions or praise on Senator Gayle Harrell, Rep. Toby Overdorf and Rep. John Snyder as they are our current elected officials.

I was dismayed by the amount of set up and fluff on the part of the speakers.  Government officials and non-profit representatives pandering really to the elected representatives. They are explaining what they are going to explain to them when they travel the 6.5 hours to Tallahassee for “Legislative Days”.  A waste of time and resources in my opinion.

The Legislative public forum can be a useful tool.  One can make public one’s issue…get it “on the record” so to speak.   But honestly, non-profits and government officials know that they can call their representatives any day of the week and get an audience at the official’s office.   It would be more productive.

And they likely would not be limited to 5 minutes.  The 5-minute limitation for government officials, but 3-minute limitation for private citizens just seemed wrong on its face.  It should be just the opposite.  But private citizens should know that they too would be received at the offices of our representatives. They would certainly get a lot more time than 3 minutes.

We are fortunate here in Martin County.   We are only 160,000 residents so setting an appointment with our officials is not difficult.  They all have local offices so no need to drive 6.5 hours to Tallahassee.

The annual Legislative Days in the capitol is a crazy event to be avoided at all costs.  People travel for hours to overpriced hotel rooms, overcrowded and expensive restaurants to spend 5 minutes with their senator or representative.  The elevators are elbow to elbow, the hallways are a mass of confusion.

Your visit to their local office will be much more memorable.  And isn’t that what you want, for your issue to be first and foremost in the mind of someone who may be able to act upon it?

Darlene VanRiper’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

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Nicki’s Place

By Nicki van Vonno

Angels

My sister lingers in a nether world of memories and visions. She has been slowly slipping away from us. She has COPD and now dementia. She lives in a nursing home, after years of my nephew caring for her at home.

Before, she could talk. Now she mostly sleeps or fidgets. Her once talkative roommate would talk too. I had to steel my heart; it hurt too much to see my sister. I could not absorb her roommate’s sorrow and confusion on top of my own.

As I visit, I watch my sister scratching and realize I do the same. Eczema runs in the family. I wash my skin with medicated soap touted by the doctor columns in the newspaper.

I decorated a 4-foot silver tree for Twinkle. It is still up, in my family room, bedazzled with ornaments of food and family. I go to the nursing home. I stick my visitor’s name tags on my calendar, trying to prove to myself I am a good sister.

An old picture book about a little lost angel comes out every Christmas. The littlest angel of the Chorus that announced Christ’s birth fell asleep among the baby lambs and couldn’t get back to heaven. She was adopted by a childless couple and gave away her harp, her wings, and her crown to help others. I thought I was the angel.

But now I see the wisdom of God’s ways. My sweet twinkle, twinkle little star. She is the angel sent to earth so that our family could learn love, patience, and forgiveness. She was born prematurely, her lungs never fully developed. She could not take nourishment. My grandmother figured out she was allergic to breast milk and formula and kept her alive with cow’s milk. At some point she was blinded by a baseball and became deaf in one ear. She was one of those people who caught everything and got it worse than others with the same illness. My parents paid for classes, rent, and medical expenses, much to my stepfather’s ire. My late husband was her last helper.

My sister was also my spiritual advisor, balancing the evangelical faith of my father to the Catholicism of my mother. When I was twelve, I was confirmed in the Catholic Church. I wanted my confirmation name to be Joan. My sister and I recently watched movies about Joan and Bernadette. How I loved the warrior saint. My sister convinced me to choose Bernadette, who was visited by the Virgin Mary at Lourdes, creating a place for healing. I followed her advice.

My sister would urge health, wisdom, and kindness. In a world where you can be anything, be kind. Amen.

Nicki van Vonno’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

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HAFNER’S CORNER

By David Hafner

We use the saying “New Year, New Me” quite heavily when talking about changes we will make in the new year.

New goals are set for living healthier, managing money better, and using time in a more valuable way. My goals for the new year were set long before New Year’s Eve.

If you’ve been reading along over the last year and a half, you may have noticed most of my articles focus on agriculture and kids. These are two areas that I am very passionate about. I bring together both of those passions when I work with the youth members of the Martin County 4-H program.

This past summer I learned that the Martin County 4-H Agent would be leaving and there would be an opportunity for me to apply to take over this role. I went right to work building my resume and securing letters of reference from strong stakeholders who would help me achieve this goal.

My passion shined through during the application process and led the hiring agents to select me to lead our 4-H programming in Martin County! I was selected in October and began my new role January 3rd. “New Year, New Me.”

In this role as the 4-H agent I am a faculty member of the University of Florida. That means all the resources of this great university are at my fingertips and I get to share them with the future leaders in our 4-H clubs and after school programs.

“Hi, my name is David Hafner, and I am excited to say I am the new Martin County 4-H Youth Program Agent. I am no stranger to Martin County 4-H as I have been a club volunteer and leader for the last 7 years, a member of the Martin County 4-H Advisory Committee for 5 years, and I am an alumnus of Martin County 4-H having been a member of the Martin County Equine Judging Team and the Bits & Spurs 4-H Club 20+ years ago. Above all that I have 3- soon to be 4- sons enrolled in Martin County 4-H, so believe me when I say this program is important to me and I am invested.”

I am excited to take on this new role serving our youth and community through 4-H. I will give my head, heart, hands, and health for our clubs, community, country, and world and I can’t wait to share with you how Martin County’s awesome 4-H youth are making the best better!

Please keep in the back of your mind that 4-H is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and I will be looking for people and organizations in our community to support our programming. If you would like to learn more about 4-H and/or how to support our programming, please contact me at dhafner@ufl.edu. I would love to show you how 4-H is growing a brighter future for and with Martin County’s youth.

David Hafner’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

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HOPE IN OUR COMMUNITY

Rob Ranieri

CEO for House of Hope

House of Hope continues to deliver on our mission to empower residents to overcome hunger and hardship.

We accomplish this by providing support in both the basic needs (food pantries, clothing, and financial assistance) and life skills lane. In today’s column I am excited to update you on our efforts in the life skills lane. House of Hope moved into the life skills arena over four years ago.

In reviewing our client data, we saw many common obstacles faced by the households that we serve, particularly in health and nutrition, education, job readiness, computers and the arts.

Our Centers for Enrichment provide a base for us to provide key programs and services in communities of need. The Centers are in Jensen Beach and Golden Gate. Last year, our no cost programs reached 863 individuals with nearly 4,000 services.

We recently finished construction on an outdoor classroom at the Golden Gate Center thanks to the support of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. This will increase our learning space and help us to reach even more people with valuable services and programs.

This summer we will add the KinDoo Center in Indiantown to the House of Hope Enrichment facilities. The Centers offer programs for all ages, from early learning to senior programs and all ages in between, with 25 different classes and services offered last year. Programs include Quit Smoking Now!, English as a Second Language, Homework Helpers for Children, Art 4Kids, Art 4 Women, Mindful Movement, and more.

It is not unusual to see entire families take advantage of the programs and services. One example saw children receiving homework help, while one parent participated in English as a Second Language and the other received Career Coaching.

Our Nutrition and Health Education program is supported by our four garden sites across Martin County, as well as our Traveling Nutrition Education Garden. This year we have expanded our staff to add a second Nutrition educator, which has allowed us to expand into Wellness programming, including mindfulness, meditation and more. Nearly 3,000 individuals participated in health and nutrition classes last year, including 211 children receiving weekly lessons with pre-post testing that showed 87% increased knowledge of nutrition concepts and 93% reported trying a new fruit or veggie during the program.

House of Hope continues to look for ways to help our clients move toward financial stability and independence. Our dedicated staff committed partners and funders, and passionate volunteers work together to develop and launch innovative and engaging programs. If you would like to learn more about us, are interested in our services, or would like to volunteer, please visit our website at www.hohmartin .org.

Rob Ranieri’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint

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MICHELE’S MEDICAL MOMENT

By Michele Libman M.D.

Menopause and Andropause

As we age one of the unfortunate consequences is that our hormone levels drop.  In women this can be a dramatic change, whereas men tend to have more of a gradual decline.   The media has designated this as andropause in men to counter the commonly known complaints of women going through menopause.

However, there are some important distinctions.  Women who have gone through menopause are no longer able to have children naturally but men with declining testosterone levels can still father children.  Menopausal symptoms usually are sudden in onset whereas men may not have any symptoms at all, and if they do, they are gradual in onset.

Both menopause and andropause can cause similar symptoms… fatigue, brain fog, night sweats, depression, hair loss, anxiety, weight gain, loss of libido, and vaginal dryness in women and erectile dysfunction in men. To confirm the diagnosis a simple blood test can be done to document the low levels of female hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) as well as low levels of testosterone in men.

Some natural ways to help combat these changes is to maintain regular exercise habits, eat a healthy diet rich in nutrients and low in sugar and carbohydrates. Wearing loose lightweight clothing can help keep night sweats at bay.  In addition, spicy foods, alcohol, and caffeine can all raise body temperature which can make night sweats worse so should be avoided.

It is also best to stop smoking.  Relaxing activities such as yoga, tai chi and doing deep breathing exercises can help ease some of the symptoms.  Women should also take calcium and Vitamin D as well as get some sunlight exposure to keep their bones strong.

There are some natural supplements such as black cohosh, flaxseed, and soy that have been used to counter some of the effects of menopause although the research appears mixed as to whether they actually work.

If you are interested in hormone replacement therapy, you should talk to your doctor about prescribing bio identical hormones which are derived from plant sources and have a chemical composition that is identical to that produced in the body.  The Large Women’s Health Initiative study that linked hormone replacement therapy with an increased risk of cancer was done using synthetic forms of hormone replacement such as Premarin which is derived from the urine of pregnant horses. The research appears to support the safety of bio identical hormones although more large-scale studies need to be done.

Hormones can be delivered in many forms including by pill, topical formulation, and injections. You can also have a 15 minute in office procedure where a bio identical hormone pellet is inserted under the skin which allows the hormones to be released according to the body’s natural circadian rhythm… this only needs to be done 3-4x a year so allows you to have all the benefits of the treatment without having to remember to take pills, give yourself injections, or apply messy creams.  You should discuss with your physician as to which option is best for you.

Michele Libman’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint

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MARTIN COUNTY REAL ESTATE

By John Gonzalez

Welcome to 2023. Personally, l am looking forward to a fresh start and new adventures. I tend to be an optimist and usually see a glass as half full. As I look forward to the new year I am searching for the bright lights on the horizon (and not a train coming my way).

The national headlines are generally predicting strong downturns in the overall housing market. I tend to agree that these forecasts are likely to be true in some regions. Higher interest rates have pushed down the buying power of the general real estate borrower and commercial developers. This is the intention of the Federal Reserve in its efforts to stem inflation in an overheated market. I live and work in Florida, specifically the Treasure Coast, and see a different picture in our local real estate economy.

Florida’s numbers are not like the majority of our 50 states when it comes to real estate prices and demand. We buck most of the trends. Clearly, we have had a pull back on demand and pricing, but I believe it is temporary and is already beginning to correct itself. I have real estate advisors in my office that are putting in low offers (at their client’s insistence) that are quickly and soundly rejected. Many of our out of state visitors are convinced by all the headlines that they can come to Florida and buy real estate at depressed prices. I am not finding that to be the case.

2021 was the best real estate year this country, and Florida, has ever seen. The statistical analysis of our local 2022 4th quarter versus our 2021 4th quarter shows some interesting data. Home prices have had an increase in value – year over year. There are more homes on the market which provide greater choice and options. Not surprisingly, less homes sold in the 4th quarter 2022 but there was a healthy volume of transactions. In 2021 homes sold, on average, at 98.6% of the asking price. In 2022 the percentage was 95.7% of the asking price. It is interesting that buyers approach our market and “expect” 10-15% off the asking price but the data shows that this is not only unreasonable but unsupported by the numbers.

Exceptions to the rule always exist. There are sellers out there that have had tremendous gains in the value of their home. I have seen estate sales that gave deep discounts to the market value simply to sell the property. There are sellers that sense their profits will disappear, because the news leads them to believe there will be another real estate crash, so they sell below fair market value.

My advice is to stay calm, make fair offers and sell for reasonable prices. Consulting and using a real estate professional in times like these will not only give you great exposure and information – but it might also save you from buying too high or selling too low. Remember – like it or not – Florida will always be on the top of the list of the best places to live on this planet.

John Gonzalez’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint

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PALM CITY HIGHLIGHTS

By Missi Campbell

Executive Director of the Palm City Chamber

I was granted the opportunity to grow up here in Martin County.

I will always be grateful to my parents for this amazing opportunity. The only drawback is that I never get to have out of town company because everyone I know lives here. This past weekend, we had the chance to invite friends we met traveling to come and stay with us in Palm City. They live in New Hampshire so why wouldn’t they choose to leave the snow and cold for a nice weekend in the 80’s in Florida?

We were able to highlight the beauty and friendliness of Martin County. Friday, we took a leisurely boat ride in the river and when we got to the inlet the Atlantic Ocean was so calm, that we ventured out.

Watching the expressions on the faces of our friends while we cruised along the coastline looking at the wonderful homes, it made me appreciate where we live even more. The fact that we can just step in the boat and cruise into the amazing ocean is something that should be valued every day. Then we came home and had a fresh fish dinner of previously caught local fish.

The Palm City Chamber of Commerce had their annual Clay Shoot on Saturday at the South Florida Shooting Club. We went with our guests out west of Palm City to a lovely shooting club venue. The weather was perfect with cloudy skies and a light breeze. Breakfast and lunch were served by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County’s Fork in the Road food truck. Imagine supporting our youth and enjoying great food all at the same time!

Sunday was time for a terrific brunch on the beach at Kyle G’s. The restaurant and scenery made for an excellent treat for our eyes and our bellies. Driving along A1A on the beach and over the bridges, creates a pleasurable experience for your senses. The ocean smells, sounds, and power are always astonishing.

Then it was back on the boat for a trip to downtown Stuart with Rockin’ Riverfront. We were able to walk along the river and listen to the music. Shopping and a visit to a few restaurants completed the afternoon.

I don’t want to be the person that takes what Martin County has to offer for granted. We didn’t even have time to explore the museums, hiking trails, and parks. Our friends will visit again, and I am confident that we will be able to share more of Martin County proudly!

Missi Campbell’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint

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FISHING TIPS

BY Capt. Paul Sperco

The calendar is moving right along as we head into the height of the winter season, and I am happy to report the local fishing is on fire.

The beach is the place to be right now as the Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jacks, ladyfish, and the star of the show, the pompano, are being caught from Vero Beach to Juno. It is Monday morning January 23 as I am posting this column and just completed a fantastic day of pompano fishing with my son, Captain Randy.

Randy caught his recreational limit of 6 pompano in a short time and then helped me add another 26 pompanos from one and half to three pounds into the cooler. I have a commercial license to catch and then sell these tasty fish. I am allowed to keep a much bigger number than the 6 that is legal for the recreational angler.

The biggest factor to all of these fish making the showing that they are right now is the last two cold fronts we experienced. The first one on Christmas weekend and the last from a week and a half ago. The north winds and temperature drop into the forties cools the waters to the north of us and the above mentioned species will migrate down the coast and take advantage of our water temperatures that we have this time of year, usually in the low seventies.

We have not had any sustained cold fronts the last two years and that contributed to the less than spectacular surf fishing seasons we have had. All that has changed this year so far and the fishing is excellent. The key to catching pompano is the ability to reach them with long surf rods (10 to 12 feet) paired with a Longcast brand spinning reel or a Penn Spinfisher 6500 or 7550 model. In the Longcast model is the tackle you will need to catch them consistently.

As far as bait is concerned Fishbites has been my key to success and this season the newly produced Powerlime Crab, Periwinkle Clam, and EZ Flea have accounted for most of my fish. The old standard bait, the live sandfleas continue to be harder to find than the pompano.

The bluefish have been abundant and anglers throwing 3/4-to-1-ounce spoons have been having a ball catching the blues and jacks early in the morning and in the late afternoon. Tiger Shores, Stuart Beach, Glasscock, and Bob Graham Beach accesses have all been producing some nice catches.

I want to just mention the topic of beach etiquette as I am sure there are some newcomers to the surf fishing scene. There is no need to set up your sand spikes right on top of another angler in order to catch a few. The pompanos are constantly on the move and swim up and down the beaches, so they are not necessarily concentrated in one spot. Give at least 20 yards to the nearest fisherman and that will eliminate tangles due to casting over someone else’s line or having a fish run down the beach and cross another line.

The Indian River lagoon is producing pompano, sheepshead, big croakers, jacks, and even a few tripletail. The tourist and winter fishing season is in high gear so get out and enjoy the sun, warm temperatures, and beautiful beaches that our beautiful Martin County has to offer.

Good luck this month and catch em up.

Paul Sperco’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint

10

ON EDUCATION

By Victoria Defenthaler

Retired Martin County Educator & School Board Member

In an increasingly chaotic and changing world, the needs of our children have not changed.

Before learning can take place children need to feel safe, think well of themselves and learn how to connect with others. Since the early life of this country, we have been motivated to educate all our children. How best do we accomplish this in our time?

My name is Victoria Defenthaler. My husband and I have raised three children in the public school system. At the same time, I have been a public-school special education teacher, consultant to mainstream teachers, assistant principal, and school principal. Most recently serving as a member of the school board.

Through this column, I will share what I have learned along the way by using these life experiences and the perspectives gained.

As a mother, a teacher, and a principal it was clear to me my first duty was to provide for the children’s physical safety. As a school principal, each day I would not know which students would arrive at school ready to learn and which students would require extra attention; such as those not wanting to get off the school bus or out of their parents’ car. My teachers, school counselor, and I learned how to address each child’s need each day.

We did this as a team, sometimes able to include the parents and sometimes on our own with the parents’ understanding and permission. Our team approached these times as teachable moments for helping children learn self-regulation. Once the connection with the child was re-established through compassion and understanding they chose to join their classroom family and continue the curriculum of the day.

As I said at the beginning, our world is increasingly chaotic and changing, which undeniably affects our children’s well-being. So, safety today goes well beyond providing physical safety for our children.

We are all in agreement that we want our children to navigate their world successfully. In order to do this, no matter the circumstance, children must be confident enough in themselves. How do we do this? First, by establishing a community of trust among the adults in the child’s world. We model the trust in one another and together we learn the skills necessary to help our children make this trust their own. When children know parents and educators are working together to do what is in their best interest, their confidence and motivation increases, therefore, ensuring the child’s success.

In future articles, I will share my observations and experiences in creating welcoming, safe, caring classrooms, and a school community where learning is at its optimum for all students.

Victoria Defenthaler’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint

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CONSTITUTIONAL CORNER & NON PROFIT NOTICES 

And from our Supervisor of Elections:

From the Property Appraiser

Tax Collector

Clerk Of The Court

NON-PROFIT NOTICES

United Way Funding Available for Nonprofits

Financial Support Available for Human Service Programs

Stuart, FL  – The United Way of Martin County is now accepting Letters of Intent (LOI) for its 2023 Community Impact Grants for education, health and financial stability programs serving Martin County.

For programs that have not received United Way funding in the previous funding cycle, the LOI is the first step in the competitive grant process to determine if a program merits further consideration in light of available resources and current priorities. The LOI will be accepted until Feb. 8, 2023, at 5 p.m. on www.UnitedWayMartin.org/Grants.  Full grant applications are due March 24 at 5 p.m.

Successful proposals must support at least one of United Way’s focus areas: Education, Health and Financial Stability.

• Education focus area includes promoting early learning and literacy skills to prepare Martin County children for Kindergarten; helping Martin County students read on level by third grade, acquire skills for academic and social-emotional achievement in middle school; and graduate high school on time prepared for continuing education, work and life.
• Health focus area supports Martin County residents’ access to healthcare services, including preventative, mental, dental, pharmaceutical, vision, prenatal and pediatric care; helps individuals maintain a healthy weight and engage in supportive relationships.
• Financial Stability focus area provides Martin County residents with basic needs, including food and shelter, increases financial stability, increases food security and improved employability and retention.

This funding process is open to any nonprofit that serves Martin County.  

• Must be a 501 (c)(3) organization.
• Program addresses one or more of the United Way of Martin County’s focus areas above.
• Program must be in existence for a minimum of 2 years before applying.

If you are interested in becoming a United Way funded partner, visit www.UnitedWayMartin.org/Grants or contact United Way at 772-283-4800.

For more information about United Way or to give online, visit www.UnitedWayMartin.org.

From Audrey Taggart

Since Dr. King’s holiday is here, I have reviewed my extensive notes on his writings.  We all know of his “I Have a Dream” speech given to a huge crowd in our nation’s capital.  My children – attending school on Long Island, NY – had to memorize this speech in 7th or 8th grade.  

Since his plea – to judge folks on their content of character, rather than their color of skin – nearly came to be, we are surely having a setback.

I offer another saying of his and hope and pray this is not the current situation we are in. 

“If we are not careful, our colleges will produce a group of close-minded unscientific, illogical propagandists, consumed with immoral acts.”

Dr. M.L. King, Jr.

Familiar?

Walter Deemer

Mark Perry, head of The Rivers Coalition, re-emphasized that their key mission is to Stop The Discharges. Since there haven’t been any “harmful discharges” for several years, newcomers need to made aware that there an ongoing problem still exists. Todd Weissing, head of the Speakers Bureau, noted that he was ready, willing and able to spread the word to any and all organizations that extend an invitation.

Finally, re the proposed Clean Water Amendment: Diane Goldberg announced that she is still desperately looking for signatures – and help in getting those signatures – to get the amendment’s language reviewed by the Florida Supreme Court. This review is a mandatory step in getting the amendment, which the State League supports, on the 2024 ballot – and the deadline to get the court to review it is March first. You can find information on the amendment at www.floridarighttocleanwater.org — and if you can help Diane, she can be reached at digoldberg@bellsouth.net or at 772-343-8666. 

SEND IN THE CLOWNS

America has become a nation where outlandish political behavior is the acceptable norm.

Pinterest

Kevin McCarthy finally being elected Speaker of the House of Representatives on the 15^th ballot is a good example. It had not taken so many ballots to elect a speaker since the eve of the Civil War. Then there were the key disputes on issues such as slavery expansion raised by the congressional members. There were really no disagreements on policy but rather how much to investigate Hunter Biden, the FBI as an un-American organization, and the IRS.

On the state level, Governors DeSantis and Abbott have no clear reason why they are shipping human beings from Texas to Washington, Chicago, and New York. It is imperative that the Feds fix the immigration mess and supply the states with the funds necessary to take care of those coming across the border. But it appears that neither the president nor Congress have the political will to do so.

That doesn’t make the actions of either DeSantis or Abbott are right. They are not proposing solutions…only making statements for their base to cheer. “Owning the Libs” is not a governing philosophy. Treating fellow human beings as cattle to be shipped from place to place is neither Christian nor American.

Here in Martin County, we have those who are against property owners’ rights. However, they themselves are not willing to buy these lands and place them into conservation. It is always amazing to think that people really believe that nothing is ever going to happen because a parcel is empty.

It is delusional thinking at best that has overtaken our politics. For example, the IRS is a difficult agency to deal with most times. However, the difficulty is due primarily because of Congress passing more and more arcane tax laws and loopholes and not providing adequate funding to the agency to enforce the laws created. Passing a bill to do away with the current funding won’t accomplish anything without changing the tax code. It will make life more difficult for those taxpayers unlucky enough to have to deal with the agency.

I do not agree with the Democrats’ policies at times, but I understand what they are. What are the Republicans’ policies? “Owning the Libs” doesn’t cut it. Doing oversight investigations on how the FBI does its job could be warranted but what would be idiocy is focusing on the agency’s raid on Mar a Lago which was executing a duly signed search warrant.

DeSantis and Abbott trying to mitigate the effects of immigration on their states would be fine. Spending millions of state taxpayer dollars to move a few busloads of migrants is a waste of resources. The problem of mass immigration continues. The governors received their headlines and there still is no money or plan to deal with the problem at the federal level which is where that would need to originate.

Locally trying to stop development by railing against it is a losing proposition. If the goal is to save wetlands and Martin County’s rural western ranges, then work with local county commissioners to come up with a funding mechanism to buy sensitive lands and place them in conservation. A sales tax similar to many in other counties dedicated solely to the purchase and maintenance of places like Pal Mar and Loxa-Lucie would help accomplish that.

Believe it or not, the Rural Lifestyle change would place thousands of acres in either perpetual farming trusts or conservation lands. Look at how the U.K. clusters large open spaces around village and town centers. It needs to be something we explore. Density is not bad especially when in the bargain you receive forever green spaces.

Living in a fantasy world that immigration is going to end, Hunter Biden’s laptop is a guarantee of Republican political dominance, or development will stop are just that…fantasies. There are real things that can be done to accomplish goals. It must be based on substantive plans…not just wishes and hopes.

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GET THE WORD OUT  

Friends and Neighbors of Martin County is your eyes and ears so that you know what is going on in Martin County’s municipal and county governments. I attempt to be informative and timely so that you may understand how your tax money is being spent. Though I go to the meetings and report back, I am no substitute for your attending meetings. Your elected officials should know what is on your mind.