Easter at the Farm Habitat Calendar FRIDAY, APRIL 6 Opens • Relay for Life of Indian River: Begins at 6 P.M
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SEBASTIAN, GRANT VALKARIA, MICCO FELLSMERE @HometownNewsIndianRiver @hometownnewsirc @HometownNewsIRC Vol. 15, No. 29 www.HometownNewsIRC.com Friday, April 6, 2018 WHAT A CATCH! MEET SPRINKLES GOING ON A TRIP? LITERACY Have you found great fish in Would you like to meet an ‘Touring with the Free Literacy Festival on Treasure Coast waters? See Townies’ features Saturday at Gifford one that didn't get away active cat that wants all reader-submitted Middle School has and see how your own prize your attention? Visit the photos from travels. family fun, guest could be in the paper soon. Let’s see how many authors, prizes, poetry, Humane Society places we can go! and more CATCH 18 LOOKING FOR A HOME 7 TOWNIES 7 COMMUNITY 9 Community Easter at the farm Habitat Calendar FRIDAY, APRIL 6 opens • Relay for Life of Indian River: Begins at 6 p.m. at Vero Beach High School, new ball 1707 16th Street, Vero Beach. Relay For Life is an overnight community fields in fundraising walk for the American Cancer Society. To participate in this year’s Relay for Life and help finish Fellsmere the fight against cancer, join By Mike Winikoff a team or start a team by visiting www.relayforlife.org. [email protected] To learn more, contact Jenny Davis at (772) 562-2272, FELLSMERE — Nearly 100 people ext. 2406, or jenny.davis@ visited the Grace Meadows community cancer.org in Fellsmere March 24 for the dedica- • Relay for Life of North tion of a new eight-acre park. Indian River: Begins at 6 “Meadows Field,” built by Indian p.m. at Sebastian River High River Habitat in collaboration with the School, 9001 Sharks Blvd., City of Fellsmere and several founda- Sebastian. Relay For Life tions, features soccer and baseball fields, is an overnight community Photo courtesy of Irene Kijak a walking trail, a picnic pavilion, and fundraising walk for the spectator seating. The facilities adjacent American Cancer Society. Tubs full of eggs were set up around the annual Easter event at LaPorte Farms To participate in this year’s for the children to play with during their stay. Shown here is Logan Rosellen to the Grace Meadows Habitat develop- Relay for Life and help finish from Vero Beach. ment are open to all Fellsmere residents. the fight against cancer, join Before Meadows Field was built, there a team or start a team by was no park nearby for the 150 families, visiting www.relayforlife.org. including over 350 children, who live in To learn more, contact Jenny this part of Fellsmere. Davis at (772) 562-2272, Indian River Habitat president/CEO ext. 2406, or jenny.davis@ Pregnant firefighter Andy Bowler welcomed guests includ- cancer.org ing Fellsmere Mayor Joel Tyson, Impact 100 president Suzanne Carter, John’s SATURDAY, APRIL 7 approved for light duty Island Foundation Treasurer Stephen Anderson, Bernard Egan Foundation • Maya Matters Help Kids By Mike Winikoff regarding her shifts since before the beginning of president Bernadette Emerick, Home Kick Cancer Superhero 5k [email protected] her pregnancy. Depot Foundation representative run/walk: Race time is 7:30 Ms. Morris spoke at a County Commission Anthony Ragano, and County Commis- a.m. Flat, fast, course that meeting March 6, as did John O’Connor, Presi- sioner Susan Adams. INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Following a dent of the International Association of Firefight- See CALENDAR, page 3 Joy Richardson, a Grace Meadows lengthy dispute, pregnant Indian River County ers Local 2201. homeowner, spoke for the residents of firefighter Nicole Morris has been approved for “I have been with the county for about 10 INDEX the new Habitat community. The cele- light duty. years,” Ms. Morris told the County Commission- bration included the dedication of Indi- Classified 21 Out & About 13 Ms. Morris had experienced a running dis- Crossword 20 Police Report 5 See LIGHT, page 7 See BALL, page 9 Horoscopes 13 Viewpoint 6 agreement with County Fire Chief John King REINER FAMILY DENTISTRY Caring Dentistry for the Entire Family DENTAL SERVICES INCLUDE $50 OFF Invisalign • Root Canals • Children 2 years & up Comprehensive Exam & Full Mouth Series of X-rays. Crown & Bridge • Nitrous Oxide to Reduce Anxiety New Patients Only. 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Reiner, DMD 3975 20th Street Suite 2th Vero Beach 772-564-0724 • View Lanap Video @ www.yourcosmeticdentist.com Hagen Hastings, DMD 2 Hometown News – SEBASTIAN – www.HometownNewsIRC.com Friday, April 6, 2018 Retired assistant fire chief arrested By Mike Winikoff for tires with two different Goodyear stores tires from Mr. Burkeen, and doesn’t expect [email protected] in the county. any buyers to be arrested. “What he would charge the county would “According to our investigation, his com- INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — An Indian vary from $1,100 to $11,000, and then he ment to willing purchasers was that he had a River County Assistant Fire Chief who would sell them at a discounted rate, cash,” friend or relative in the tire business, and he retired in early February has been arrested Sheriff Loar said. could get them at cost,” Sheriff Loar said. for stealing approximately $300,000 from “Our belief is that he would use a county “There probably wasn’t knowledge that the county. fire pickup truck as well as county fire utili- these tires were stolen. I believe they trusted Brian Burkeen, 55, of Fellsmere, was ty trailer, and at times go to the Goodyear him.” arrested March 26 and charged with one store and have it prearranged the amount of Sheriff Loar also doesn’t suspect knowing count of grand theft and five counts of deal- tires that he needed, different makes and involvement by the Goodyear stores. ing in stolen property, all felonies. He turned models. Then he would load those in and “The tire company has been thoroughly himself in and was booked and released the take them to a location that we’re familiar investigated and interviewed,” the sheriff same day after posting $125,000 bond. with, and essentially sell them on the black said. “Their stance was that this is an assis- At a news conference, Sheriff Deryl Loar, market.” tant fire chief coming by, purchasing tires, County Commissioner Peter O’Bryan, and Sheriff Loar added that the tires stolen with purchasing power, purchasing authori- County Attorney Dylan Reingold outlined a “include makes and models of tires that did ty, nothing seemed out of the norm. He scheme in which Mr. Burkeen allegedly pur- not and would not fit any of the fire district’s would simply stop by or place an order, and chased tires with county funds and then vehicles.” that would be fulfilled. He had a longstand- resold them on the black market, pocketing “Every tire that you buy has a unique ing relationship with two different Good- the cash. DOT code,” Sheriff Loar continued. “Those year tire stores in our county.” Sheriff Loar said that his office had been Burkeen codes and serial numbers were ultimately “I don’t think there were any red flags notified on Feb. 27 by the Indian River matched up with receipts we’ve gotten from there. We have zero indication that the County Fire District that they had discov- frankly. But we will look into this and make Goodyear.” Goodyear tire stores knew of his activity, ered misappropriated funds relating to Mr. sure we adjust our policies so it doesn’t hap- Officials said the scheme began at least as and that part of the investigation has been Burkeen. IRSO launched its investigation pen again.” far back as 2014, and may not have been dis- closed.” the next day. “As soon as this was brought to our atten- covered yet had Mr. Burkeen not retired. The sheriff said that all the cases his “As we continued this investigation we tion, we worked with our auditor and also “Upon his retirement, in the process of department is investigating involve tires developed probable cause for an arrest affi- with the Clerk of the Court, who handles other fire district personnel taking over his being sold within Florida. If they discover davit for Mr. Burkeen,” Sheriff Loar said. most of the finances for the county,” Comm. responsibilities, they noticed inconsisten- sales outside Florida, federal charges may “Our investigation revealed that over the O’Bryan said. “As we get more information cies in the accounting practices, and imme- apply. last three years, we believe, and the facts will from the sheriff, and we can use that to do a diately recognized that there was a large Asked if Mr. Burkeen had confessed, also indicate, that he committed grand theft forensic inquiry of our practices, we’ll be amount of tires being purchased with coun- Sheriff Loar said “he did make some state- to the tune of nearly $300,000, as well as five looking at ways to see if we can change our ty dollars at a local Goodyear center,” Sheriff ments that indicated to us that he was in fact charges of confirmed dealing in stolen prop- policies to make sure this doesn’t happen Loar said. “Mr.