Vero Beach Air Show disruptive
I begin with a confession: I am a grumpy old codger, long retired, who moved to Vero Beach some years ago to enjoy its ocean air, small town ambiance and — important to most retirees ― peace and quiet.
That said, am I the only resident wondering why the abomination called the Vero Beach Air Show is once again being foisted upon us all? (And I mean ALL!)
Am I the only resident dreading its eardrum-shattering, window-rattling avalanche of noise? Its horrendous, frightening effect on our house pets? Its cost to taxpayers for the Blue Angels? Its environmental impact as 58,000 gallons of fuel are ignited directly above our heads?
No, I didn’t think so.
A trip to the show’s website is ― perhaps deliberately — unhelpful. It describes the show’s organization as a 501(c)(3) charity, but doesn’t name a single individual associated with it. And while offering an admirable word salad about its charitable intentions, it doesn’t say a single word about where its proceeds are destined. Show us some names; show us the money!
It’s way too late to stop this year’s event, so we’re reduced to hoping (praying?) for some inclement weather. But aren’t there any community leaders — city and county commissioners, state representatives, city and county chambers of commerce, other local 501(c)(3)s that compete for finite local charitable dollars ― who can help us be finally rid of this riotously disruptive nuisance?
As I strap on my noise-cancelling earphones and try to comfort my frightened little dog, I’ll try to comfort myself with that hope.
Bob Hyde, Vero Beach
Here’s how you can help protect Indian River Lagoon
People are always asking, “What can we do to help the Indian River Lagoon?”
Observing the upcoming fertilizer ban is an opportunity to do so.
All residents of Indian River County, Sebastian, Vero Beach, Indian River Shores and Orchid are subject to a local ban that starts June 1 and ends Sept. 30. It coincides with the start of our rainy season, when more nutrients, such as the nitrogen and phosphorous in fertilizer, are likely to be washed from our lawns, driveways and roads into the stormwater system and, ultimately, into our local waters such as the Indian River Lagoon.
These excess nutrients are the fuel for toxic algae blooms that impair marine life and human health.
No fertilizer containing phosphorous is to be used anytime. All fertilizers must contain at least 50% slow-release nitrogen. If your community uses reuse water for irrigation, no fertilizer is ever necessary as there are ample nutrients already in the reuse water.
Finally, no fertilizer is to be applied within 10 feet of any water body, and grass clippings are not to be blown into storm drains, canals the lagoon or onto roadways.
If you or your association uses a lawn care provider, please discuss these regulations with them. For details regarding the ordinance and fertilizing tips, please see www.ircgov.com or email Alexis Peralta, the county’s stormwater educator and fertilizer enforcement officer, at aperalta@indianriver.gov.
Complying with the fertilizer ordinance and reporting any violators is one way we can all personally contribute to cleaning up our local waters.
Jean Catchpole, Vero Beach
Sebastian takes defensive measure to stop county sprawl
I agree with columnist Laurence Reisman’s stance on preserving agricultural land in Indian River County. However, the county commission has made it clear it plans to expand the urban services boundary well beyond 63rd Avenue.
The question is not whether development should extend south of County Road 510, but whether the county will collect the tax revenue while the city of Sebastian provides services for the urban core. A glance at a map of the current urban services boundaries shows the area south of 510 is a doughnut hole surrounded by planned development.
Sebastian should not make the mistake Vero Beach made. About 80% of the homes surrounding Vero Beach pay nothing to the city government that provides roads, beaches, lifeguards and amenities in two downtowns.
The issue is whether the county commission can make a credible commitment to stop sprawl. Then maybe Sebastian would not need to defensively extend its city boundaries. Clearly with the recent, planned urban services expansion along Oslo Road, the county government plans to continue to needlessly expand development.
Steven Schlitt, Vero Beach
Sebastian stumbles on annexation transparency
Per Laurence Reisman’s column, I have no doubt Sebastian city officials were playing a shell game and hiding public documents from view.
Anything as complicated as a big subdivision requires tons of paperwork.
He was right to smell a rat in the responses he was getting from city officials. These responses are a collective punch in the nose.
Public records requests that are ignored amount to Exhibit A.
Keep digging, Larry. This thing smells like a travesty.
Mark Weinberg, Fort Pierce, is a retired public information officer for two St. Lucie County sheriffs
Put Vero Beach on healthy-living map
As a resident of Vero Beach, I care deeply about the spaces where our families gather, our children play and our neighbors connect. Yet one issue continues to harm these shared spaces: tobacco use.
Whether it’s secondhand smoke drifting through our parks, cigarette litter on our sidewalks and beaches or the subtle message it sends to our youth that tobacco use is normal, the impact is real and preventable.
At the most recent Tobacco Free Partnership of Indian River County meeting, Jeanna Kent of Coastal Connections shared eye-opening statistics: Each year, between 20,000 and 30,000 cigarette butts and pieces of tobacco-related debris are removed from our local environment. This waste pollutes our waterways, harms wildlife and diminishes the beauty of our community.
That’s why I’m joining the Tobacco Free Partnership in supporting a city ordinance to create tobacco-free public spaces. This isn’t about targeting individuals: It’s about protecting everyone.
It’s about ensuring our parks, playgrounds, and public events are clean, safe and welcoming. It’s about reducing exposure to secondhand smoke, which is linked to heart disease, cancer and respiratory illness. And it’s about sending a clear message to our youth: Tobacco use is not part of a healthy lifestyle.
Thanks to House Bill No. 105, which took effect July 1, 2022, Florida counties and municipalities now have the authority to restrict smoking in public parks and beaches. Indian River County has already taken a bold step, now it’s Vero Beach’s turn. Attend the next City Council meeting. Reach out to your council members.
Join the Tobacco Free Partnership of Indian River County. Find meeting info at TFP-IndianRiver.org.
Ashley Scurry, Vero Beach
Letters blame Trump. What about Biden?
It appears from the content of recent letters to the editor that all of the sensible people have left the area.
Some writers appear proud of their Trump Derangement Syndrome, as were many who were propagandized in the past by controlling forces. To counter a few of these almost amusing lists, let me just say that the adage, “those who live in glass houses” applies here.
Donald Trump and his family enriching themselves? What about the “Big Guy” ― Joe Biden — getting a percentage of whatever it was his drug-addicted son was into?
Trump weaponized the Department of Justice? Ask Mark Houck about that, a Catholic who prayed and counseled in front of a Philadelphia abortion clinic, causing the FBI to arrest him at his home in front of his children.
The raid at Mar a Lago, where they went into the president’s wife’s underwear drawer? Let me be clear: That has NEVER happened before at a sitting or former president’s home.
Saying that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is killing “innocent individuals” without acknowledging the numerous deaths of people at the hands of countless illegal immigrants who came into our country under the Biden administration shows true callousness.
I don’t have space for all of the ridiculous assertions in these lists, but I will talk about Trump “starting an unnecessary war.” The only reason Russia attacked Ukraine, and Israel was attacked by Hamas was that they saw an opportunity.
Democrats used their propaganda against Trump to elect a weak, ineffective, puppet president they could control. I could go on and on, including the reference to diversity, equity and inclusion, a terrible program sneakily forced on families by the Democrats.
So many more of these charges against our president are either misleading or flat-out false, but sadly, people will continue to hate and continue to embrace what some in the mainstream media tells them.
Patricia Perrone, Stuart
Republicans support capitalism, but here are key issues
Have you ever wondered why America is the wealthiest and greatest nation in the history of the world?
America ended World War II and rebuilt the world, because we had money. America has given more to help those who need it all over the world than most other countries combined, because we had money.
America pays many times more than any other nation for the United Nations and NATO, because we had money. It goes on and on.
Capitalism is the amazing economic engine that drives this success. It’s the engine that creates jobs, wealth and prosperity for all who are willing to work for it.
The Republican Party supports initiatives that make this system work, but before you start saying it creates inequities and billionaires, please stop and think. About 72% of income tax is paid by the top 10% of taxpayers. The bottom 50% only pay 3%. The wealthy pay much more in property and sales taxes and huge amounts to charities and public services.
Florida has been Republican by voter choice for many years. Florida has no state income tax. Florida has tens of billions of dollars of surplus almost every year. Florida lawmakers are fighting over whether to reduce sales tax from the existing 6% or to eliminate property tax on homesteaded properties.
Florida supports law enforcement, without making it a fundraiser. Billions are being spent on infrastructure, affordable housing and other forms of cost reduction. Florida has term limits and balanced budgets, and enforces state laws to protect human rights.
In the November 2026 and 2028 state and federal elections, please vote for the candidate who will continue this amazing record of success. For me, it’s commonsense to vote Republican, but I will vote for whoever promises term limits and balanced budgets at the federal level.
Bob Heslop, Fort Pierce
Electric-vehicle use reaching critical tipping point
As communities across the country grapple with rising fuel costs, air pollution and the growing impacts of global warming, one solution is becoming increasingly clear: the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.
Electric cars offer a cleaner, more sustainable alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles. By producing zero tailpipe emissions, they reduce air pollution and improve public health, especially in urban areas where smog and poor air quality disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.
When you factor in that EVs cost roughly 50% less to fuel, and with fewer moving parts, require about half the maintenance of internal combustion engines, eliminating oil changes and frequent brake replacements entirely, the total cost of ownership is now a clear win for the consumer.
Advances in battery technology have extended driving ranges, while the rapid expansion of charging infrastructure is making electric vehicles more convenient than ever.
Many governments and utilities are also offering incentives that make the transition more affordable for everyday consumers.
Owning an electric car is not just a personal choice, it is a meaningful step toward a more sustainable future. By embracing this technology, we can reduce our dependence on carbon dioxide polluting fossil fuels, lower greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to a healthier planet for future generations.
Ron Sadler, Fort Pierce
‘From river to sea’ in Israel context far from innocuous
With regard to a recent article on the Anti-Defamation League’s antisemetic incident report for 2025, the authors seem to mistakenly identify the slogan, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” as an innocuous mantra expressing the Palestinian desire for freedom.
It’s far from innocuous.
This saying has been used (sometimes shouted) since 1948 by the enemies of Israel with the intent of actually driving the Jews from the river to the sea. Immediately following the establishment of the state of Israel, Arab leaders demanded all civilian Arab families evacuate to facilitate “driving the Jews from the river to the sea.”
The 1967 attack was started with the calling to “drive the Jews from the river to the sea.”
The 1973 war was started with the intent of “driving the Jews from the river to the sea.”
This is far from an innocuous phrase and represents antisemitism at its worst.
I can understand how younger generations may not fully appreciate the impact this statement had and continues to have, but I expect journalists to know better.
Alan Madison, Vero Beach
Join the Conversation: TCPalm is committed to publishing a diversity of opinions. Email us at TCNLetters@tcpalm.com. Letters are subject to editing, must not exceed 300 words and must include your name, address and a daytime phone number to confirm the letter is for publication. We only publish names and cities with the letters.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida air show disrupts Vero Beach. Sebastian annexation. | Opinion
Reporting by Letter writers, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
