Good Day! by Maureen Rupe
North Brevard Hospital District
The North Brevard Hospital District (Parrish Medical Center) is a taxing district, but stopped collecting from property owners in 1996. We don’t really appreciate not being taxed, until you become aware of other hospital taxes. On September 19, 2008, the Southeast Volusia Hospital District set its property tax rate at $2.85 per $1,000 of taxable value for the fiscal year starting October 1, 2008. That means an owner of a home assessed at $175,000, taking the $50,000 homestead, would be paying an annual hospital tax of $356.00. The rate is about 14 percent over the rolled-back rate of $2.48, increasing the hospital’s property tax revenue from $17.5 million to about $19 million.
Future Land Use Change Request on PSJ Parkway
The B.D.M Financial Corporation, Jacob Aaron Corporation, and others, are requesting a Future Land Use Designation for land on the north and south sides of Port St. John Parkway between I-95 and Grissom Blvd. from Residential 4 & NC to CC on 8.46 acres; a change from GU & RU-1-11 to TU-2 (Tourist, hotel up to 475 rooms) on 22.98 acres; and a change from RU-1-11 to BU-1 (Business) for 38.31 acres. The request will be heard on October 20th. I’ll give you an update next month.
Amendments to Florida Constitution
AMENDMENT #1: RELATING TO PROPERTY RIGHTS/ INELIGIBLE ALIENS
REFERENCE: Article I, Section 2
Summary: This amendment to the State Constitution deletes provisions allowing the Legislature to regulate or prohibit the ownership, inheritance, disposition, and possession of real property by aliens ineligible for citizenship.
SPONSOR: The Florida Legislature
BACKGROUND: Article I, Section 2 of the Florida Constitution provides that equal rights are for all in Florida, with the exception for “aliens ineligible for citizenship,” who can be stripped of the right to own property by the Legislature. This was done by many states in the early 1900’s due to a large number of Asian-American immigrants (the “Yellow Peril”). Only Florida and New Mexico still have provisions in their constitutions, and both states are asking voters to remove the language this year.
MY OPINION: Even though constitutional action is not necessary right now since there isn’t any Florida statute prohibiting ownership of property by aliens ineligible for citizenship on the books; we should pass this amendment. This amendment removes an outdated and discriminatory part of Florida’s Declaration of Rights. We should vote “yes” to remove the provision.
AMENDMENT #2: FLORIDA MARRIAGE PROTECTION AMENDMENT
REFERENCE: Article I, newly proposed section
SUMMARY: This amendment protects marriage as the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife and provides that no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.
SPONSOR: Florida4Marriage.org
BACKGROUND: John Stemberger, an Orlando activist, organized this ballot initiative and is the only citizens’ initiative on the ballot.
MY OPINION: Florida law already limits marriage to one woman and one man. FL Statutes 741.212 and 741.04. Florida law does not allow same sex marriage. If passed, the phrase in the proposal, “no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized,” puts all domestic partnerships (such as common law marriage) at risk of losing existing health and social benefits and legal rights as cohabiters, whether it is young couples or seniors that choose not to marry to keep pensions, social security, or any form of income. Even hospitals and nursing homes could not recognize the partner. I’m voting “NO” on this amendment.
AMENDMENT #3: CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS NOT AFFECTING THE ASSESSED VALUE OF RESIDENTIAL REAL PROPERTY
REFERENCE: Article VII, sections 3, 4, and a new section
SUMMARY: Authorizes the Legislature, by general law, to prohibit consideration of changes or improvements to residential real property which increases resistance to wind damage and installation of renewable energy source devices as factors in assessing the property’s value for ad valorem taxation purposes.
SPONSOR: Florida Budget and Taxation Reform Commission
MY OPINION: Vote “YES” to create a property tax exemption for homeowners to take steps to hurricane proof their homes and invest in renewable energy.
AMENDMENT #4: PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION OF PERPETUALLY PRESERVED LAND; CLASSIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT OF LAND USED FOR CONSERVATION
REFERENCE: Article VII, sections 3, 4, and Article XII, a new section
SUMMARY: Requires Legislature to provide a property tax exemption for real property encumbered by perpetual conservation easements or other perpetual conservation protections, defined by general law. Requires Legislature to provide for classification and assessment of land used for conservation purposes, and not perpetually encumbered, solely on the basis of character or use. Subjects assessment benefit to conditions, limitations, and reasonable definitions established by general law. Applies to property taxes beginning in 2010.
SPONSOR: Florida Budget and Taxation Reform Commission
Background: Numerous provisions of federal estate and tax law favor landowners who preserve their property in its natural state. This provision would provide further tax benefits to those landowners.
MY OPINION: Taxes on vacant property is very minimal, and this is a way to protect water quality and wildlife habitat without spending a lot of tax dollars. I’m voting “YES”.
AMENDMENT #6 : ASSESSMENT OF WORKING WATERFRONT PROPERTY BASED UPON CURRENT USE
REFERENCE: Article VII, Section 4, and Article XII, new section
SUMMARY: Provides for assessment based upon use of land used predominantly for commercial fishing purposes; land used for vessel launches into waters that are navigable and accessible to the public; marinas and dry stacks that are open to the public; and water dependent marine manufacturing facilities, commercial fishing facilities, and marine vessel construction and repair facilities and their support activities, subject to conditions, limitations, and reasonable definitions specified by general law.
SPONSOR: Florida Budget and Taxation Reform Commission
MY OPINION: These commercial fishing and boating facilities have had a hard time, as they are taxed on what could be put on the property instead of what it is currently being used for. They are being taxed as if they had a waterfront condominium built on the property. This has forced many to sell their businesses to those developers of condominiums or other private development. This hasn’t been fair, so I’m voting “YES”
AMENDMENT #8: LOCAL OPTION COMMUNITY COLLEGE FUNDING
- continued, next page
REFERENCE: Article VII, section 9
SUMMARY: Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to require that the Legislature authorize counties to levy a local option sales tax to supplement community college funding; requiring voter approval to levy the tax; providing that approved taxes will sunset after 5 years and may be reauthorized by the voters.
SPONSOR: Florida Budget and Taxation Reform Commission
MY OPINION: This is difficult, as most people want to support education. This gives the county commission the power to place a local option sales tax on the ballot to support local community college funding. However, education has been targeted for drastic cuts by the legislature, and the state might want to cut more funding if they see a way to pass the cost to us at the local level. In addition, a sales tax places more burden on those on fixed or lower incomes. I’m still debating this one.
Cheerio,
Maureen
Fruit From the Groves
November, 2008...Let’s see...Saturday, 11/1, is All Saints Day, Sunday, 11/2, Daylight Saving Time ends, Tuesday, 11/4, is ELECTION DAY, Tuesday, 11/11, is Veterans Day and Remembrance Day in Canada , Sunday, 11/16, begins American Education Week and Thursday, 11/27, is Thanksgiving Day. ELECTION DAY IS SO IMPORTANT. BE SURE AND VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATE OF YOUR CHOICE.
Seeing how 11/16-11/23 is American education week, I would like to say hello to some folks at Space Coast Jr. Sr. High. I have been doing some substitute teaching at Space Coast just to remind myself why I retired. I have colleagues who I taught with on staff as well as former students who became educators and young people who’s parents I taught in an earlier life. Boy does time fly. A BIG HAPPENINGS HELLO goes out to all Mr. Anderson’s Middle School Band students as well as the young men and women of the Viper Steel Drum Band. If you have not had a chance to hear this group in concert, you have missed a real treat. One of the student leaders is Mr. Logan Sorry. I taught Logan’s dad and uncle at Clearlake Middle School back in the dark ages. I worked with Dr. Miller’s Teacher Academy students, Mrs. Bolton’s Economics students, Mrs. Marovich’s World Literature classes and Mr. Ankerson’s classes. Hopefully, Miss Heather Kelly has found her book for Mrs. Marovich’s class by the time this article comes out. I had the pleasure of meeting Principal Spinner. He has an excellent faculty and students to be proud of. Mr. Mike Waller a former band director, serves as the Assistant Principal in charge of facilities. Mrs. Sharon Travis is the Athletic Director and does an outstanding job scheduling and keeping track of all the sporting events and activities as well as taking an active roll with being available for students who need some direction or help.
Now we all know who runs the school. It is the office and custodial staff. I just want to recognize a very special lady who is responsible for filling the instructional vacancies and making sure that all the substitute teachers are in the right place when they are needed. Mrs. Vicki Deel works long hours to make things run smoothly. Again, a HAPPENINGS SALUTE to all the faculty and support staff at Space Coast Jr/Sr High. It is a challenge to be an educator in this day and time. Fortunately, the administration, faculty and staff at Space Coast are meeting that challenge. Keep up the good work. As you know, our future is in your hands, GO VIPERS! You are the pride of Port St. John.
Switching gears here, I want to acknowledge Mrs. Catherine Madeline Steinberg on her 100th Birthday. She was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1908. She was the first Court Clerk for Chester Borough in Morris County, New Jersey. She gave birth to three children who gave her 15 grandchildren who gave her 24 great-grandchildren who have produced 14 great-great-grandchildren, so far. Catherine moved to Stewart, Florida, in the 1960’s and then to Cocoa in 1988. She resides in Veronica Estates with her grandson Pat and his wife Alice. Pat and Alice had a grand celebration in her honor at their home. There were over 100 guests attending the celebration and I almost forgot to mention that Alice was celebrating her birthday as well. She turned 29, again. Granny, as she is fondly called, received personal Birthday Greetings from President Bush. Her favorites were all the flowers and chocolates that she received at the celebration. She is a very gracious lady and has seen and lived through so many historical events in her 100 years. We are already looking forward to next year’s birthday celebration.
On Sunday, September 28th, the Central Church of Christ in Cocoa had it’s rededication. With the renovation of the sanctuary complete, it was time for celebration. The service was attended by over 460 members and guests. The Brevard Children’s Choir sang as part of our celebration and our own instrumental and Praise team rounded out this joyous event. Of course, after the dedication celebration there was a pot luck lunch in the fellowship hall. If you are a former member of our Central Church or if you are looking for a Church home, we invite you to come and visit. Our minister, Don Adkins, always has a message of interest and I guarantee that there will be no dozing off . His son Chad is our youth minister and there is always something exciting going on with his group of young people. If you have any questions about Central or our programs, feel free to contact Don at 321-636-7671, or visit our web at www.CocoaChurch.org.
I mentioned the pot luck at Church. Part of that pot luck was a creation from the Press Box Sports Bar and Café out on 524 just west of I-95. They delivered their Belly Buster Cheese Burger. This creation has a five pound cheese burger as the center piece with a specially baked bun, lettuce, tomatoes, fries and condiments. This burger is so big that they have to use a pizza spatula to flip it with. It is a special order party item that will feed at least 12 hungry folks. I think that there may be a contest at the Press Box for those who would like to try and eat one by themselves, but I am not sure. Stop by and check it out at the Press Box Sports Bar. Great food and cold libations.
Don’t forget about our original watering hole on Grissom. Jabbers offers great food and libations as well. If you are in the mood for seafood, Corkey Bells is still the place to go. These establishments would certainly appreciate your business and they all offer weekly specials. Check them out. There are certainly other good dining spots in the area. These three are just handy. As an afterthought, if you are ever in St. Cloud at lunch or dinner time, you have to go to the Catfish Place on 192. Order the catfish on the bone, cole slaw and cheese grits ‘cause it don’t get much better than that. I have gained five pounds just writing this last piece.
It is membership time again and the Canaveral Groves Homeowners, Inc., is recruiting new members as well as accepting renewal memberships for 2009. We invite residents who live or own property in Canaveral Groves to join us in our Association. We come together for the good of our community. We are all volunteers and membership is not mandatory, but encouraged. We try to keep our residents informed on issues that affect us as residents in our rural community. We do our best to assist residents when they have concerns that deal with the county or county agencies. This year we are offering business card advertising for our residents. Regular membership is $15.00 and for an additional $10.00, we will print your business card with our membership roster that will be mailed to all our members sometime in January 2009. Why should we have to look outside our area for services when many of the services are available through our residents. Also, if you have a child who is a high school senior and you live in the Groves, you must be a member in good standing prior to January 1, 2009, to apply for the $1,000.00 Arneson/Kisner Scholarships. For more information, contact me at 632-7483. If we are not home, just leave a message and I will get back to you ASAP.
And speaking of scholarships, keep an eye out for our annual Pecan & Sweet Tater sale this month. We will be at the Canaveral Groves Welcome sign soon and you don’t want to miss out on this year’s crop of delicious pecans or sweet taters for your holiday baking. We go up to Georgia and get the best pecans and taters we can and of course, all the proceeds go to our Scholarship Fund. As always, Mr. Conley Jordan and his partner, great grandson Conner, work very hard coordinating all our fund raising efforts. Conner already convinced Pop (Conley) that they needed to plant a fall garden. Tomatoes and carrots so far. Conner keeps Conley busy.
I haven’t heard much from Jerry Wall this month. I am starting to get worried. I know that he is up to something, but what? With the election so close and the status of our world economy, I know that he is contemplating many issues. I always enjoy our conversations. They seem to take place at unexpected times and places, like the dump, the barbershop, his front yard or along a dirt road in the Groves. Usually, I am able to keep up in the beginning but as we progress, my participation becomes that of a listener. Now at the tender age of 65, I have a hard time processing all the information that Jerry is sharing. It makes my head hurt. It is always a learning experience and I think Jerry just tolerates me because of my age and he feels sorry for me.
At our October Homeowner’s meeting, there was some concern about what you needed for identification at your polling place. The main ID is your Florida drivers licence. If the address on your licence and the address on the voter’s ledger match, all is well. If they don’t match, the precinct captain will be glad to assist in resolving any challenge you may have. JUST VOTE.
It will also be a big help to you if you study a sample ballot prior to coming to vote. If you have any questions about candidates or other items on the ballot, get them answered before coming to your precinct to cast your ballot. Also at our October meeting, our membership presented me with a plaque for my dedication and service to our community. I was caught totally off guard with this honor. I certainly want to thank everyone but whatever success we have is due to the efforts of all our officers and members who work so hard for the good of our residents. Thank you again for this beautiful plaque. I am honored to serve you as president of our association.
....A PARTING SHOT FROM THE CANNON....
GENTLE LESSONS OF LIFE...
The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a new replacement for it.
He who hesitates is probably doing the right thing.
Did you ever notice: The Roman Numerals for forty (40) are ‘ XL.’
If you can smile when things go wrong, you must have someone else in mind to blame.
If you think there is some good in everybody, you obviously haven’t met ‘everybody’.
The sole purpose of a child’s middle name is so that he can tell when he’s ‘really’ in trouble.
There’s always a lot to be thankful for if you take time to look for it. For example, I am sitting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don’t hurt.
Did you ever notice: When you put the 2 words ‘The’ and ‘IRS’ together it spells ‘Theirs.’
Aging: Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.
The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.
Some people try to turn back their life’s odometers. Not me, I want people to know ‘why’ I look this way. I’ve traveled a long, long way and some of the roads weren’t paved.
When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth, think of Algebra.
You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.
One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a nice change from being young.
Ah, being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.
Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was called witchcraft. Today, it’s called golf.
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth...AMEN.
As always, misspelled words and grammatical errors beyond the comprehension of the all knowing spell check are left in for your and amazement and amusement. I know that it is hard to believe that I have a college education.
Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will visit again next month,
- Bill Cannon
Be sure to VOTE on NOVEMBER THE 4TH
MONTHLY TAX UPDATE
I want to update you on a recent change involving our real estate taxes. Nonitemizers are now able to deduct an additional write-off of their real estate taxes up to $1,000 for married filing joint and $500 for single filers in addition to their standard deduction amount. This is for 2008 only.
Also, I know there are a number of us involved in short sale real estate transactions. An Act in 2007 allows homeowners to exclude from gross income any qualified principal residence indebtedness cancelled during 2007 through 2009. Debt reduced through mortgage restructuring, as well as mortgage debt forgiven in foreclosure, may also qualify. You should pay special attention if you receive a Form 1099-C or a Form 1099-A. These forms are not only for mortgage indebtedness, but for other issues such as car loan, credit card, or other debt forgiveness. If the form is received for mortgage debt forgiveness, then the Form 982 needs to be filed. Contact your tax advisor for additional assistance.
Let’s talk about the standard mileage rate now. Prior to July 31, 2008, the standard business mileage rate was 50.5¢ per mile. Now, after June 30, 2008, the standard mileage rate is $58.5¢ per mile.
The other rates for relocation and medical changed also. Here’s another recent change. Maybe some of you remember my discussion about tax collecting was to rely on private debt collectors. Well, this effort lasted for almost two years and now Congress has decided to terminate this type of collection activity. During the two-year period, approximately $49 million dollars was collected, however, it cost a little more than half of that to implement the program.
Okay, let’s go further into business. At a recent Tax Forum I attended, the IRS was very adamant about proper documentation of certain expenses. They included adequate mileage records. Every vehicle that is driven for business use is required to have a mileage log for that vehicle. If you do not presently maintain a mileage log, then you need to start immediately. The next item covers inventory. Every business entity that retains inventory needs to be sure to take an actual physical inventory on or as close to December 31st of each year and retain it as part of your tax return records. They also brought up properly annotating meal and entertainment receipts with who was involved and what was discussed to validate the deduction.
And the final one that I bring to you is about gross receipts. Each business should be issuing some type of sequentially numbered invoice or receipt for what they sell or service they provide. Each one needs to have the number printed and any that are voided should be retained. This way the auditor is less likely to question if all the income has been reported or not. Some business owners tend to be unconcerned about this issue until an audit occurs. Take my advice and if any of these items pertain to you, then take the appropriate steps now to protect yourself from audit. A little extra effort now can save you tons of dollars later.
In closing, I just want to say keep faith in America and strive to keep your confidence up that we will pull through this very trying economic situation. This is a very brief overview. For details and specific assistance in applying the general information in this article, call us at your earliest convenience or contact your tax advisor. Provided by Tracey C. Higginbotham, E.A., (321) 632-5726, a member of the National Society of Accountants.
Relay For Life
The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Titusville is just around the corner. Register your team today by calling the American Cancer Society at 321-268-1730. This “celebration of life” brings the North Brevard community together in a unified effort to fight cancer.
Former and current cancer patients, their families, businesses, civic organizations, and the public are invited to take part in this exciting team event. Relay For Life takes place from 2pm on April 25th until 8am on April 26th at Parrish Park.
Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s version of an athletic relay, but with a new twist. Relay For Life is a family-oriented event where participants enjoy the camaraderie of a team and also raise funds to support the activities of the American Cancer Society. Participants camp out at the Relay site, and when they are not taking their turn walking, they take part in fun activities and enjoy local entertainment.
Teams from companies, churches, organizations, hospitals, and schools collect donations and can win individual and team prizes for their efforts.
“Relay For Life brings the progress against cancer to the forefront,” said Donna Hamilton, event chair. Many participants are our family, friends, and neighbors who have dealt with cancer themselves. Their involvement is proof of the progress that has been not only reducing death rates, but also in the quality of life following cancer treatment.
The funds raised enable us to continue our investment in the fight against cancer through research, education, advocacy, and patient services.
Information about how to form a team or become involved in Relay For Life is available from the American Cancer Society event chair, Donna Hamilton at 321-268-1730. For more information on cancer, call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or visit www.cancer.org.
November 4th - Get out and vote!
PSJ Rockets
Rockets have brought their A game to this season! We have worked extra hard and our pride and spirit show at every game! We are very proud of ALL of our divisions and the hard work and dedication they bring to every single game. Our cheerleaders spirit can be heard all the way across the field and they are working diligently to bring it all to the cheer competition this year to be held on Nov. 22nd at Melbourne High. Our last home game of the season is Nov. 8th so come out and see how much we have stepped it up this year!
Up Coming Events:
November 1st GAME – M. I.
November 8th GAME- HOME
November 15th GAME- MELBOURNE
November 23rd 1ST ROUND PLAYOFFS
November 22nd CHEER COMPETITION
(Melbourne HS)
December 6th 2ND ROUND PLAYOFFS
December 13th SUPERBOWL
Need more info? Visit our website at www.psjrockets.org and come join our myspace at www.myspace.com/psjrockets
For more information, call 632-6821.
CHRIS MANCINI
PRESIDENT
HOLIDAYS AGAIN!!
The holiday season is upon us and the hectic pace has begun. Thanksgiving is coming up this month and soon it will be Christmas. During this holiday season we have to be extra careful when it comes to our pets. I realize that this is the season of giving, but you must restrain from giving that extra turkey leg to Rover. Turkey bones, although mighty tasty, are not good for your pets. Leftover Thanksgiving dinner can lead to abdominal pain, vomiting and/or diarrhea. This will not only spoil the holiday for Rover, but also for you and your family.
Crowds and unfamiliar friends or family members can also become a problem for your pet. Rover may not be used to all these people coming into his house and disturbing his routine, and he will find interesting ways of letting you know he’s unhappy.
When Aunt Betty comes in for the once a year visit, don’t expect Rover to be overjoyed and treat her like a long lost friend. Some animals will remember people from year to year, but it is always better to play it safe and calmly re-introduce Rover to Aunt Betty. And even though small children like to give your pets the gift of attention, you will have to monitor just how they give that attention. Rover would prefer gentle petting instead of an over anxious child tugging at his ear.
It is also important that you make sure the garbage can is closed and secure. What is garbage to you smells like a feast to your pet. Pets have been known to go the extreme when it comes to garbage around the holidays. We see many a pet with “garbage can-itis” the day after Thanksgiving.
In conclusion, play it safe this holiday season. Don’t feed your pet “people” food.” Take the time to introduce them to unfamiliar people, make sure there is a place in the house that your pet can rest and get some “alone time,” and be extra careful when it comes to garbage.
The Doctors and Staff of Cocoa Veterinary Hospital and Port St. John Veterinary Hospital would like to wish everyone a safe and pleasant Thanksgiving.
Dr. Sarah Guttery is owner of Cocoa Veterinary Hospital and Port St. John Veterinary Hospital. If you would like to ask her a question, please e-mail editor@happenings.net. One or two questions will be answered every month.
“USO SHOW”
Presented By: The Forest Lakes Players
Attention Troops….The Hollywood Canteen, A fabulous USO Show is still on schedule in spite of the continuous “Air Raids.” The cost is a donation.
Show time: 6:30 p.m.
Where: First United Methodist Church of PSJ Fellowship Hall, 1165 Fay Blvd, Port St. John
When: Saturday, November 8, 2008
Information: Call Church Office, 631-0183
The volunteer stars are coming from the USO to entertain, portraying Marlene Dietrich, Ezio Pinzo, the Andrew Sisters, Don Cornell and Rosemary Clooney, plus our famous comedienne “Ada Lanoue.”
Join us on a trip down memory lane to the 1940’s and all of its great music, dance, and fashions. Invite your friends and neighbors! Thank You. - Troop Entertainment
Sculptor Harvest Festival
Sculptor Charter School is holding their annual Harvest Festival on Saturday, November 15th, from 10am to 3pm. There will be a Back Yard Barbeque Contest, Raffles (grand prize is a Wii), Silent Auction, inflatables, a rock climbing wall, lots of games for the kids, great food and much more! Sculptor is just north of Port St. John at Grissom Pkwy. and Armstrong Dr. Presale tickets will be available at the school from Nov. 1st to the 14th. For questions or to make a donation, please email sculptorpta@sculptorcharter.org.
Yoga and Oil Painting are in the Mix
There are many exciting things happening at the Academy this semester! Added to our mix of “delightful do-ables” for kids, teens, and adults are YOGA and OIL PAINTING for all ages! Our classes offer convenience in schedule and location, as well as affordable pricing. And one of the things most people like is these workshops are taught in shorter sessions for those who don’t want to commit for long lengths of time, unless, of course, they really enjoy it and want to continue their studies.
We have several holiday performances in store to include dance, theater, and music students at the PSJ Library on Saturday December 13th at 1:00 p.m. and at the PSJ Parade on December 20th, and at other venues throughout Brevard. Students will incorporate this year’s theme, “Music Around the World” throughout the season and for the year end production in June at the new Titusville Performing Arts Center at Titusville High School. Several state competitions in dance are coming up soon, too!
We are pleased to have Arlan Ropp assisting with our theater program! He has a lot of experience and we appreciate his expertise. He and his harmonious group of crooners are sure to add more interest and fun to our mixture of “VERY MERRY CULINARY CRAFTS,” taught by yours truly, just in time for holiday entertaining and gift giving! Rachel Cooke will offer a short “THEATER FOR DANCERS” workshop starting in November.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR HOLIDAY ENTERTAINMENT, PLEASE CALL US! We have talented performers, and we won’t charge you an arm and leg (as we know you will be needing them for some of our classes!). We would only require a donation that fits within your budget! WE HAVE AERIALISTS ON SILK, AND CAN PERFORM AT ANY LOCATION! Sponsors also get other rewards based on their participation! Anyone interested in classes, entertainment, or getting more information may call us at 321-403-4904 or visit us at www.brevardartsacademy.com
Happy Fall Y’all! -Ms. Jackie Jordan
Moonlight Madness
Shopping Extravaganza
On Friday, December 5th, we are predicting snow fall in Downtown Titusville to kick off the holiday season. We will open the evening with the official lighting of the City’s Christmas Tree, 6:00 pm at Space View Park West accompanied by the Children’s Chorus of St. Teresa’s School. Enjoy a Candle Light procession into the heart of downtown, where the holiday spirit comes alive with a walk through Bethlehem and a visit to see Santa and Mrs. Claus. Plan on getting some of your holiday shopping done. Your favorite home-based businesses, plus arts and craft vendors from the area will be set up for your holiday shopping pleasure. Stores will be open late offering plenty of red-light specials and discounts. Come early for the tree lighting stay late for the shopping extravaganza! We’ll have cookie stations, an outdoor movie screen, kid crafts and, of course, snow! Join us for some holiday madness! Contact Karen Johnson at the Titusville Chamber for more details, 267-3036.
SPRING SESSION REGISTRATION NOW OPEN ONLINE
AT PSJSOCCER.COM
The cost for our Spring Soccer season is $50.00 for all new and returning players. Those players already rostered to a PSJ Competitive Team do not need to register for the spring season. PSJ Soccer will provide all recreational players with a team jersey. It is a requirement that all players provide their own soccer shorts, socks, shin guards, ball and soccer cleats. All recreational players will be required to wear plain black shorts and plain black socks on game days.
The “official” spring calendar/schedules have not yet been released. We should expect the last weekend in February to be our first weekend of match play. Practices will begin 2 weeks prior to opening day. The recreation season will end early in May. This season will consist of 8 weekends of games, one game per week. Teams, coaches, practice schedules and times and game schedules will not be finalized until registration is completed sometime in January.
Register NOW at PSJSOCCER.COM
2009 Space Coast Project Graduation
Project Graduation is designed to be an all night celebration of fun, food and prizes to keep our graduating seniors safe. We are excited to be organizing this years event for the Space Coast High’s graduating class of 2009. Fundraisers include:
-Flock a Friend—You may have seen a few pink flamingoes around PSJ. To flock someone you love, call Terri Qualls at 544-7389
-Honeybaked Ham Gift and Village Inn Pie Certificates. Contact Debbie Gardner at 543-7387
-On Nov. 8th from 3pm to whenever—Good food, raffles and music at the Old Florida Grill. Come listen to the bands, Blurred Vision and Seeds.
-On Nov. 15th from 9am-4pm—Come look for our booth at the Fox Lake Park Craft Fair
For further information on donations, to volunteer or check out other fundraisers such as The Parent Talent Show (and we are looking for talent) go to www.schsprojectgraduation09.co.cc
Pickin’ N Grinnin’
On November 15th in the Fellowship Hall at First United Methodist Church of PSJ, 6-9 p.m., 1165 Fay Blvd., a musical event of fun and friendship will take place. Grab your instrument, maybe just your voice, and come on down for Pickin’ and Grinnin’, Pot Luck dinner & Gospel songs.
All are invited to bring their musical instrument, bring a dish to share, bring your voice and prepare to have a great time! The event is FREE to all! If you have any questions, call Brigitte Sullivan at 321-634-5948.
Playwrights Workshop
Playwrights Workshop will present All Sizes Fit, a production of short plays, at Melbourne Civic Theatre, 817 E. Strawbridge Ave., November 6, 7 and 8 at 8:00 p.m. and November 9 at 2:30 p.m.
The plays to be presented are “Good Dog” and “Happy New Year” by William Roeder, “Spontaneous Remission” by Nancy Andrews, and “In The Garden” by Troy Jones.
Admission is $5.00. For reservations or information, call (321) 961-1988, or email pywrightsworkshop@yahoo.com.
Yard Sale Fund Raiser
The Port St. John Black Belt Academy will be hosting a yard sale to raise funds for their demo teams. It will be Saturday, November 8, from 7:00 am until 4:00 pm at the United Methodist Church on Fay Blvd, next to CVS Pharmacy. If you have items to donate for the yard sale, please contact Karen Argudin at (321) 631-7996.
If you would like one of our demo teams to appear at your function, please contact us at (321) 631-7996 or email to info@psjbba.com.
Moonlight Madness Shopping Extravaganza
On Friday, December 5th, we are predicting snow fall in Downtown Titusville to kick off the holiday season. We will open the evening with the official lighting of the City’s Christmas Tree, 6:00 pm at Space View Park West accompanied by the Children’s Chorus of St. Teresa’s School. Enjoy a Candle Light procession into the heart of downtown, where the holiday spirit comes alive with a walk through Bethlehem and a visit to see Santa and Mrs. Claus. Plan on getting some of your holiday shopping done. Your favorite home-based businesses, plus arts and craft vendors from the area will be set up for your holiday shopping pleasure. Stores will be open late offering plenty of red-light specials and discounts. Come early for the tree lighting stay late for the shopping extravaganza! We’ll have cookie stations, an outdoor movie screen, kid crafts and, of course, snow! Join us for some holiday madness! Contact Karen Johnson at the Titusville Chamber for more details, 267-3036.
Traffic Projects on Web
Two new web-based programs were introduced at last weeks Brevard Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting, allowing citizens round-the-clock access to the local Transportation Improvement Program and traffic counts.
The Transportation Improvement Program lists state and federally funded transportation projects in Brevard County for the next five years, including transit, ports, airports, roadways, and bicycle/pedestrian trails. This new online system provides project details such as funding source and amount and schedules for various phases of the projects.
The Traffic Count Database System lists traffic counts taken at approximately 500 locations throughout the county annually and can be searched by map or data. The system provides current and previous year traffic volumes, count location details, trends, graphs, reports and maps. Traffic counts are taken over a 48-hour period on weekdays.
Both systems can be used by businesses and citizens for information regarding locations for businesses, traffic safety, and governmental planning. They were previously available in hard-copy by request from the Brevard MPO. They can now be accessed at www.brevardmpo.com.
Young Eagles Flight Rally
Area young people ages 8-17 will have a chance to take to the skies on Saturday, November 1, as Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 724 hosts a Young Eagles Flight Rally at Merritt Island Airport.
The rally is part of the EAA Aviation Foundation’s Young Eagles Program, created to get more young people interested in aviation. Volunteer EAA pilots had a goal of providing one million young people an airplane ride by the 100th Anniversary of Flight, December 17, 2003. To date more than 1,400,000 Young Eagles have experienced the thrill of flight since 1992. (3727 at Merritt Island Airport).
Free airplane rides are just part of the Flight Rally, the pilots hope to build one-to-one relationships between pilots and young people, giving a new generation a chance to learn more about possibilities that exist in the world of aviation.
Pilots at the event will also explain more about their airplanes, allowing young people to discover how airplanes work and how pilots ensure safety before every flight. All pilots and planes are certificated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Following the flight, each young person will receive a certificate making him or her an official Young Eagle. Their name will then be entered into the “World’s Largest Logbook”, which is on permanent display at the EAA Air Adventure Museum in Oshkosh, WI. The Logbook is also accessible on the internet at www.youngeagles.org.
Young people and their parents attending the flight rally on November 1, 2008, are asked to come to the large hangar at the end of Airport Rd. (2 miles south of SR 520 on S. Courtney Pkwy). Registration will start at 8:30 am and will close at noon. Flights will begin at 9:00 am. A parent or guardian must sign a permission form for each young person. No reservations are required or accepted. Young Eagles will fly in First Come, First Flown order. Flights will last approximately 20 minutes.
Additional information about EAA, the EAA Aviation Foundation and Young Eagles is available on the internet at www.eaa.org.
Call 321-453-5388 and leave us a message, we will return your call, or e-mail us at youngeaglesfly@aol.com.
Dear Randy:
As homeowners in Canaveral Groves for 18 years, we are appalled at the fact that not three hours after placing a campaign sign in our front yard (a good 20 feet on to our property) someone took our sign in broad daylight. I thought such actions were against the law not to mention the fact that it is trespassing. Regardless of one’s political affiliation, no one should steal anything from anyone’s yard….much less a campaign sign! How dare some idiot come in to our yard and take anything! Had we witnessed this theft, we surely would prosecute to the fullest extent of the law. So, thieves, beware….you will be prosecuted if caught. This is a civil rights violation of our first amendment rights. Do we all now need to invest in outside security cameras? This concern may not make the edition prior to the election but we feel strongly that this should be brought to light. We’ve noticed other signs disappearing from other neighbors yards as well.
The Brandows
Tangelo Avenue
Canaveral Groves
Editor’s note - It’s worth applause that the Brandows did not attempt to gain publicity for their candidate in their email. They simply stated what should not be necessary to say to adults in 2008 - It is childish, immoral and illegal to go onto someone’s property to steal or destroy, even if it’s a campaign sign. If you don’t like their candidate, put your candidate’s sign in your yard. If you’re wondering why so many politicians act beyond the law, maybe they’re getting the idea that we, the people, don’t care much for the law when it doesn’t suit our purpose. Grow up. Grow integrity. - Randy
Landscape, Pesticide Classes Scheduled
Brevard County Agriculture and Extension Service and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences will offer several landscape and pesticide training classes next month.
A Right-of-Way Pesticide review and exam, required for a restricted use pesticide license, will be held on Wednesday, November 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Cocoa Extension Office. Continuing education credits are available. The cost to attend is $25.
“Managing Small Ponds” will describe pond functions, common problems, and how to keep a pond healthy for the long term while avoiding costly problems. This class will be held on Wednesday, November 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Palm Bay Extension Office. Continuing education units may apply. The cost to attend is $10.
A Natural Area Weed Management review and exam, required for a restricted use pesticide license, will be held on Wednesday, November 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Cocoa Extension Office. Continuing education credits are available. The cost to attend is $25.
“New and Emerging Landscape Pests and Their Control” will use the latest research to teach how to identify and manage the newest landscape pests in this area. This class will be held on Thursday, November 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the West Melbourne Library. Continuing education units may apply. The cost to attend is $10.
A Limited Commercial Landscape Maintenance certification review and exam will be held on Tuesday, November 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Palm Bay Extension Office. Continuing education credits are available. The cost to attend is $25.
To register, or for more information, call the Cocoa Extension office at (321) 633-1702 or visit http://brevard.ifas.ufl.edu.
Rain Barrel Workshops
The Brevard County Agriculture and Extension Service and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences will host three rain barrel workshops in November: Thursday, November 6 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Suntree Library; Wednesday, November 19 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Melbourne Beach Library; and Friday, November 20 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Mims/Scottsmoor Library.
Participants will learn what they can do in their landscapes to conserve water, and how they can help protect the Indian River Lagoon, by using rain barrels. The cost to attend is $5 per person.
To register, or for more information, call (321) 633-1702 or visit http://brevard.ifas.ufl.edu.
Dog Training Classes
The SPCA of Titusville will be offering low cost training class for puppies and adult dogs at the Spca Clinic. Fred Abbey will be the training instructor for the classes. Fred comes with thirty years of training and handling dogs. Fred currently is the owner of Brevard Training Services and has been hired as a behavior and training consultant for these classes.
For more information on available classes contact the SPCA at 267-8221, or Mr. Fred Abbey at abbeyf@bellsouth.net, 482-6517.
CERT Alert
I’ve been debating exactly what this month’s article should cover. The hurricane season has almost drawn to an end and it’s not yet time for wildfires. November officially concludes the CERT year for both Central Brevard CERT and Merritt Island CERT. We will not meet in December, but will pick up again in January, 2009. And that’s a good thing. Those of us that have not missed a meeting since Central Brevard CERT was founded in 2004 can use a break. The problem is that we are considering more and more breaks, perhaps meeting bi-monthly, quarterly or even semi-annually.
The root cause of the problem is, as with every volunteer organization, participation. With a combined membership of over 200 CERT-trained volunteers, normal attendance at training/membership meetings averages about a dozen. Although it would be easy to blame the membership for this problem, I can’t say that I blame them for disappearing into the shadows once they’re trained. Even though the training is important and the skills are relevant to surviving hurricanes and such, there has been little opportunity for follow-up training other than what we offer each month at the meetings.
For anyone unfamiliar with CERT, Central Brevard Community Response Team (CERT) is one of over 2,000 CERT-type organizations throughout the United States dedicated to assisting their home communities in the event of a disaster or catastrophe. CERT members receive free basic training in disaster preparedness, first aid, light search and rescue, and fire suppression. There is never any cost or obligation to belong to Central Brevard CERT. Central Brevard CERT’s area of operations is unincorporated Central Brevard County, Florida, and includes Canaveral Groves, Port St. John, and West Cocoa.
Central Brevard CERT is one of several CERTs in Brevard County. A couple of the cities sponsor CERTs, while the rest are sponsored by Brevard County Fire Rescue (BCFR). CERT is organized nationally under Citizen Corps. Training materials are provided by FEMA. Unfortunately, the CERT concept and training materials is where national involvement ends. After that it’s left to the sponsoring organization (BCFR) and the CERT itself to map out an organization, conduct training, and perform activities.
Two major circumstances work against the success of CERT using this model. The first is that BCFR and CERT are a very poor fit. The CERT concept is inclusive of a wide variety of activation scenarios and the BCFR mission is limited. The second circumstance is the competition of CERT with other BCFR programs. While well meaning, BCFR does not have adequate resources for conducting a robust and effective CERT program. I believe that within the parochial scope of the BCFR paradigm and the resources available, that an honest effort is being made by BCFR. It just isn’t enough. Since BCFR took over CERT from Emergency Management in 2007, little has been done to build CERT organizationally, promote CERT in the public arena, or address member retention. There has been talk though, lots of talk.
If CERT is to continue to exist, a number of things must happen. First, CERT leadership must be convinced that CERT is an integral part of the Brevard County’s crisis response. CERT leadership needs to be purposefully involved; otherwise all the rest is futile. Second, raising public awareness of CERT has to be a priority with BCFR. Public awareness comes from the public seeing CERT in action. Third, volunteers need to have a reason to be involved. That working for your neighbors and community is the right thing isn’t enough. Volunteers aren’t altruistic, they need rewards and involvement. The need to have a stake in organization. CERT leaders, for the most part, can’t give this to them because there is nothing to give them a stake in. Their membership is scattered throughout the county and not large enough in any one area to be effective. Two exceptions to this are CERTs at The Great Outdoors (TGO) in Titusville and Indian River Colony Club (IRCC) in Viera. These are planned communities that have a fairly homogeneous population, but even this doesn’t guarantee success.
For CERT to be a success, the sponsoring organization has got to be actively involved and funded. It has to be a priority, not just one of the priorities. Currently this is not the case. CERT is a concept that has enormous potential application for promoting both the readiness and survivability of the citizens of Brevard County. It can’t do this without a solid CERT organization, effective communications between CERTs and BCFR, and recognition of CERT by the general public.
The final CERT meeting with training for 2008 will be held on November 10, 7 p.m., in the old sanctuary building of Grace United Methodist Church, 65 Needle Blvd., Merritt Island. The subject for the training will be Disaster Psychology. As always, everyone is welcome to attend.
For more information on CERT, please contact Kevin Fraleigh at 638-8687 or centralbrevardcert@yahoo.com. Also visit us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/centralbrevardcert/
4-H Classes
The Brevard County Agriculture and Extension Service and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences will offer a variety of 4-H classes throughout November.
A 4-H sewing class will be offered on Mondays, November 3 and 17 from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Titusville Extension Office. There is no cost to attend.
A 4-H youth archery class and club meeting for ages 8 to 18 will be held on Wednesdays, November 5 and 19 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office’s Camp Chance in Port St. John. The cost to attend is $3.
A 4-H air rifle class and club meeting for ages 8 to 18 will be held on Thursdays, November 6 and 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Titusville Rifle and Pistol Club in Mims; and on Saturdays, November 8 and 22 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Port Malabar Rifle and Pistol Club in Palm Bay. The cost to attend is $4.
A 4-H trap and skeet class and club meeting for ages 10 to 18 will be held on Saturdays, November 8 and 22 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Port Malabar Rifle and Pistol Club in Palm Bay. There is no cost.
A 4-H animal ethics class will be held on Saturday, November 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Cocoa Extension Office. This class will cover the necessary elements in caring for an animal in preparation for exhibiting it during the 2009 fair season. There is no cost to attend.
4-H shooting sports volunteer training will be held November 14 through 16 at the YMCA Camp McConnell in Polk County. Participants may become certified in archery, hunting, muzzle loading, rifle or shotgun. The $85 cost covers meals, lodging, insurance, and supplies. The registration deadline is Thursday, October 23.
The 4-H youth program offers activities to youth groups and school programs, such as GPS and geocaching instruction, outdoor cooking, and natural resources and hunter education. These programs are designed to teach life skills through specific learning topics and may be scheduled upon request. There may be a nominal cost for supplies.
4-H offers a variety of clubs for youth ages 5 to 18 interested in animals, including project areas such as horses, poultry, and beef cattle as well as general livestock clubs. Youth are taught the proper care and management of these animals.
For more information, or to register, call (321) 633-1702 or visit http://brevard.ifas.ufl.edu.
Feral Cat Workshop
Space Coast Feline Network will be conducting a workshop for feral cat colony caregivers at the Central Brevard Library on Saturday, 11/08/08 from 1 PM to 4 PM. The workshop is for those involved with the care of feral cats and includes demonstrations on how to use traps and discusses feral cat issues. Call the Helpline to register at 631-7729 or register by sending $5 to Space Coast Feline Network PO Box 624, Cocoa, FL 32923.
SCFN is a non-profit organization dedicated to decreasing the feral cat population in Brevard County through low-cost spay/neuter services for feral cat caregivers. They also provide education to caregivers at quarterly workshops held at the Central Brevard Library in Cocoa. Further information can be found on the SCFN website at www.spacecoastfelinenetwork.com or by calling their Helpline at 321-631-SPAY (631-7729).
Patriotic Concert
The First United Methodist Church of Titusville, 206 S. Hopkins Ave., will present a patriotic concert featuring the Space Coast Chorus of The Greater Canaveral Chapter of The Barbershop Harmony Society and The Methodist Church Men’s Choir on Sunday, November 9 at 3:00 p.m. in the church sanctuary. The concert will include many patriotic favorites such as “This is My Country,” “Battle Hymn of the Republic” and “God Bless America.” There is no admission charge. For information, call 321-269-7631.
OFF THE WALL…
A Commentary On Obama/McCain, Obama’s Magic Mystery Tour,
The Wall Street Meltdown And ACORN (and where do we the people fit in?)
PART ONE
Prologue
Some readers, such as Port St. John’s Curt Wiysel, have asked why I haven’t been more vocal on politics recently. I figured that should have been self-evident. Reason number one: The Wife and I have had it “up to here” with politics. All of us have had mainstream media shove politics into every orifice of our bodies - for what, two years? Reason two: We’ve been bemused, bedazzled, baffled, bamboozled and bedeviled! It has been a media circus to end all media circuses. And, reason three: With all the hot air, bluster and bull-scrap from talking heads (and candidates), I figured most folks could figure out what was going on and act (or react) accordingly. Maybe, maybe not. Of course, the overriding reason was the fact that The Wife said she “didn’t want to hear it.” That certainly made sense. Like I said, we were “fed up” with all the smoke and mirrors! She figured most folks simply would be as fed up as we were, with all the bloviating and pontificating.
Talking Points
The above was written several days ago and now we’ve had another Obama/McCain debate. I’ve been cogitating on the foregoing, the debates and the latest polls. Seems like the “talking heads” figure we can’t understand what we see and hear… so, they have to explain it to us. The mainstream media, it seems to me, is in the business of deciding what we (as in We, The People…) should see, read or hear and then manufacturing that news which they then spoon-feed to us. Then, there’s all those Obama commercials….
A couple of thoughts come to mind; I’ll share. A quote attributed to stellar newsman, David Brinkly: “When there is no news, we (TV) give no news with the same urgency as real news.” (Italics added.) In his novel, Rising Sun - Michael Crichton had this quip from an aide to a Senator running for President: The aide [referring to computer printouts of the latest polls] tells the Senator, “Leadership is the quality of telling people what they want to hear.” And this one, I believe, from Jeffery Archer’s The Eleventh Commandment: “Once you drop the ball, you can’t go back and pick it up.”
I do not claim to be “cutting edge” with my comments and observations; however, a considerable while before others used the terms, I referred to Barack Obama (Barry, as he was known back in the day) as The Messiah and The Chosen One. Women were swooning in his audiences and media pundits were comparing him to a rock star. While I do not think that he fits the profile, some were wondering if he could be the Anti-Christ?
It does give one reason to pause, especially after his overseas trip culminating with his wildly acclaimed speech in Germany. Early on, Obama was praised for his articulate and presidential demeanor - his spellbinding, if you will, delivery… although, if you really listened, he really wasn’t saying anything. Considering that many feel that we are in the “end days” and considering that Putin seems hell-bent on reviving the Russia (The Bear) of KGB glory, it certainly should be noteworthy that Obama finally has said something… and it’s Marxist/socialist blather!
Going back to my comment about the media circus, we literally had everyone (and his cousin) running for the top office during the primaries. It was akin to a show-biz cattle call audition. Strictly a popularity contest. Good looks, sound-bites and one-liners! Why, even Danny Glover got into the act, introducing John Edwards to one group as the only candidate who can represent the working people. Let’s see, one of those Hollywood Lefties (remember his fawning visit to Hugo Chavez?) who makes his living pretending to be someone else, telling us that a guy who visits spas and gets $400.00 haircuts can actually relate to soccer moms, Joe six-pack and Joe the plumber? Thankfully, Edwards imploded but now the Lefties are belittling the working man (Joe the plumber), not to mention the soccer moms!
Finally, it all shook out and McCain (that maverick who poked a sharp stick in the eye of the Republican Party and, therefore was an early darlin’ of the media) was going head-to-head with Barry Obama. Hillary, the heir apparent and number one contender to represent the Democratic Party was unseated by an inexperienced neophyte. Oh, the ignominy - a RINO (Republican in name only) and a contender whose primary qualifications consisted of running for president. The media promptly dropped McCain like a hot potato and warmly (you might say swooningly) embraced Obama. Ahhh… the vagaries of politics!
Continuing…
I do not wish to belabor a point (the savaging of Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, by such as the Hollywood Left, the biased media, pin-head pundits and militant feminists such as NOW), but good grief, Charlie Brown! He’s the only person I know of who has been as abused and just plain disrespected as Sarah. Having spent a couple of years in that glorious state some 50 years ago, I can attest to the rugged independence (and what it takes to survive) of the various peoples making up the population. Worth remembering: win or lose, we have not heard the last of Sarah Palin. She connects with the average voting citizen and the “electrical charge” is palpable! Obama may be a rock star; Sarah’s star is ascending - akin to the North Star, as seen on Alaska’s state flag.
Speaking of “peoples,” P. Diddy (or some such pin-head) indicated that Sarah wasn’t qualified “because there are no Blacks in Alaska.” Say what? Later, complaining about the race issue being raised in the campaign, it should be remembered that Barack and Michele Obama (and their campaign) were the first to raise the issue. With our short attention span, we’re supposed to forget that little factoid.
And, speaking of factoids, are you aware that in this “racist” country of ours… soccer moms and Joe six-pack are code words for racism? So says a frequent guest on the O’Reilly Factor on Fox News Channel. Which reminds me, I’ve got this friend who doesn’t watch Fox News “because it’s biased Far-Right.” He only watches news on PBS because they’re “fair and balanced.” Seems to me… my friend just might be a little unbalanced. Now… before you accuse me of being a bigot and racist - I would vote for J. C. Watts in a heartbeat!
Worth Noting
While out on his Magic Mystery Tour, rock star Obama failed to mention many of his past connections or simply sidestepped the issue. He’s so good at the parry that he could be a fencing champion (and I don’t mean the Red Top or 3-strand variety). Of course, many pertinent questions were not asked or when asked, not pursued (when Obama parried). This brings to mind a twist on a famous sports saying; is McCain about to “snatch defeat from the jaws of victory?” We must, however, remember that anyone who asks hard questions of the Messiah (or as Oprah put it, “The One”) will immediately be accused of being a bigot and a racist. By the way, when McCain (in the second debate) referred to Barry as “That One,” (Did you see this one coming?) he was accused of using a racist code word.
You want a code word? How about when McCain (in the third debate) referred to Barry as Senator Government (perhaps a Freudian slip)? Under Obama’s socialist agenda, our government “of the people, for the people, by the people” will be transformed into “of the government, for the government, by the government.”
By Jerry Wall
PMC Cardiovascular Expansion
Parrish Medical Center began caring for patients in its new cardiovascular studio August 18. The “studio” features two state-of the-art catheterizations suites where physicians at PMC are using a new device called the Diamondback 360°™.
Doctors Ravi Rao, MD, interventional cardiologist, and Joseph Flynn, DO, interventional radiologist at Parrish Medical Center, are among the first in Central Florida to offer a newly FDA approved treatment option to people with Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)—the Diamondback 360°™ Orbital Atherectomy System.
The device removes plaque blockages in the legs (peripherals) and restores blood flow. The device differs from existing atherectomy technologies in its ability to remove hard, calcified plaque—in addition to other common kinds of plaque—using a unique “orbiting” action. “A tiny, diamond-coated crown uses the principles of centrifugal force to rapidly spin or ‘orbit’ at high speeds and sand away plaque, while preserving the healthy tissue of the arterial wall,” explained Dr. Rao. “Existing devices have not been able to penetrate and effectively remove the ‘brick wall’ of hard, calcified plaque.”
“This is the most advanced tool available for effectively treating people with PAD,” said Dr. Flynn. “The Diamondback 360° device is designed to optimize our ability to remove peripheral arterial blockages, restore quality of life and save limbs,” added Flynn.
“We continue to be proud of the outstanding commitment of the team of medical professionals at Parrish Medical Center to providing the most advanced and medically-sophisticated care to the community we serve,” said PMC Board Vice Chairman Jay Parrish III.
Over 12 million people in the US alone suffer from PAD, a life-threatening condition where a fatty material called plaque builds up on the inside walls of the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the legs and arms.
The build-up of plaque causes the arteries to harden and narrow—a condition called atherosclerosis—reducing blood flow to the legs and feet. PAD can cause heavy, tired or painful legs or feet. If allowed to progress, PAD can lead to Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI), which may result in amputation of the leg.
The PMC cardiovascular studio is a new 11,000-square-foot, $10 million expansion to Parrish Medical Center’s (PMC) existing building. The expansion has a dedicated entrance and lobby that is located on the north side of the existing medical center facing Oak Grove Road.
To learn more about Parrish Medical Center’s services and physicians, visit parrishmed.com. For a free Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) screening, call 268-6574 to make your appointment. PMC’s radiology department can be reached at 268-6140.
ODDS & ENDS and other THINGS
By Jerry Wall
Bit-0’-Humor
First-grade class responding to teacher: Teacher asks, “How many of you would vote for Barack Obama?” All hands go up - except for Little Johnny. Teacher asks, “How come.” Little Johnny says, “Because I’m a Republican.” Teacher asks, “…and what makes you a Republican?” Little Johnny says, proudly, ‘cause my Momma and my Daddy are Republicans.” Teacher asks, somewhat testily, “And if your Momma was an idiot and your Daddy was a moron, what would that make you?” Little Johnny: “…a Democrat?”
Okay! Sorry I stepped on your bunion. Some folks just have no funny-bone. I thought it kinda’ fit the season. If you don’t like the joke, you can just switch the punch line.
Odds & Ends
Listen, WCG residents, if you liked the “President’s Report West Canaveral Groves HOA” in the last issue… be sure to let him know. I got a call from a fella telling me how much he enjoyed my report. So, at the HOA meeting (see HAPPENINGS Community Calendar) I passed the word to Don Pearsall, President (321-604-5023). Better yet, come to the meetings; tell him in person.
Several months ago I mentioned Penny Westfall and her efforts on behalf of feral cats. A colony has established itself and she has become the prime neighborhood caregiver. Pursuing spay/neuter goals, to prevent a spawning ground (so to speak), she has provided food and medical care. Even so, the group receives additions whenever new critters show up. As I asked before, “Please don’t dump your unwanted animals. All too often, it has unpleasant consequences.” Anyway, this is costly for Penny. To assist with donations (food & expenses), contact Penny at: 6610 Barcelona Ave. Cocoa (WCG), 32926 or call 321-638-0811.
For those of you who wondered what happened to Dr. Kelly Sloan, DVM, upon her abrupt departure from a neighborhood clinic - that was covered last month. However, in case you missed it, she is now associated with the Atlantic Animal Clinic (Drs. Christine Storts & Elizabeth Kezer), 7620 N. Atlantic Ave., Cape Canaveral, FL. Call 321-784-4248 for an appointment. Mention the AD in this issue and receive a complimentary examination for your pet.
Child Safety Classes Offered
Brevard County Agriculture and Extension Service and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences will offer classes on traveling with children and childproofing homes, as well as child safety seat checks, next month.
Parents and caregivers can bring their children and their children’s safety seats to be checked for proper selection, installation and fit, on Monday, November 3 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.and on Friday, November 21 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Cocoa Extension Office. There is no cost to attend.
“Kids and Cars: A Child Passenger Safety Primer” will be offered on Wednesday, November 5, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Cocoa Extension office. In this free class, participants will learn how to properly select, install and use child safety seats; crash dynamics; and best practices for child seat and seat belt use for all family members. There is no cost to attend; but an appointment should be scheduled.
“The Childproof Home: A Guide to Preventing and Responding to Common Childhood Injuries” will be held on Friday, November 14 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Cocoa Extension Office. Attendees will learn the common causes of unintentional injuries to children in and around the home, and how to protect them from such dangers. The cost to attend is $5 per person.
Pre-registration is required. For more information, call (321) 633-1702. This is an excellent class for baby-sitters and grandparents, too.
November, 2008