On this sunny afternoon, Sophie Julin sat down with someone you may or may not know.
Have you ever met someone who kinda makes time stop?
With Clark Ballard, it almost felt like our scene had turned to black and white.
As we sat down at Tribe Coffee, he sipped his hot chocolate and began to tell his story.
He grew up in the small town of Fairfield, Idaho – which has a population of 500.
“It was the best place in the world to grow up,” he said. “Everyone knew everyone, and we all looked out for one another.”
He compared it to “The Andy Griffith Show.”
For most of his teenage years, he worked on a Mormon farm for $8 an hour with free room and board.
After high school, Clark went on to pursue a career in film.
He worked for McDonnell Douglas for years creating travel films. After that, he worked on documentaries and commercials.
During the height of his career, he and his wife, Sandy, decided to adopt two children.
“They are the best thing that has ever happened to us,” he said.
In 2006, he retired and he and Sandy – they’ve been married 59 years – moved to Vero Beach. He spent several years driving for the Volunteer Ambulance Squad. (He finally quit when he turned 80.)
Clark is just one of those people who make you feel like old-school values and good-hearted individuals still exist. You can tell right when you meet him that he is kind and smart as a whip.
Clark Ballard
1) 4.13 April 7, 1951
2) 3.72 April 30, 1998
3) 3.58 April 6, 2008
4) 3.25 April 4, 1991
5) 2.70 April 26, 1997
6) 2.57 April 3, 2002
7) 2.50 April 6, 2017
8) 2.46 April 16, 1997
9) 2.45 April 2, 2022
10) 2.34 April 28, 2015
VISION PLUS
Six bite-size Lemmon Drops to nibble on while waiting for the first 90-degree day of 2025: l Florida used to have the reputation of being a cheap place to live.
Early in my newspaper career, as I tried to climb the ladder by applying for various jobs around the country, the openings in Florida weren’t very appealing because the pay was so low.
“They pay you in sunshine” was the running joke. So much has changed during the past 30-plus years. The cost of living in the Sunshine State has skyrocketed. Not that I’m telling you anything you don’t already know. (Don’t get me started about my $220 trip to Publix a few weeks ago.)
Do a Google search for the monthly rent at any of the new apartment complexes in the county. I don’t know how young professionals can afford to live here.
You know it’s got to be worse in other parts of the state. An online article that caught my eye recently had this
headline:
“100 Best Cities to Retire on $3K or Less Per Month”
How many cities in Florida do you think made the list?
Come on, take a guess.
I thought Sebastian or Fellsmere might make it, but not one city in Florida made the Top 100.
That’s right – not one.
And I checked three times because I couldn’t believe it.
Heck, a small town you’ve probably never heard of –Lemmon, South Dakota – came in at No. 77.
The study by GOBankingRates.com looked at the average monthly mortgage and the average monthly cost of living (not including housing).
The top three cities on the list: 1. Jerome, Illinois; 2. Cleveland Heights, Ohio; 3. Wyandotte, Michigan.
Pennsylvania had four cities in the Top 10.
Russ Lemmon
l Speaking of how times have changed, ask your favorite restaurant server if the number of disrespectful customers they’ve had to deal with has increased or decreased in the past few years.
Grumpy customers had better not cross the line at Nettie’s Roadside Restaurant in Vero or Sebastian’s Roadside Restaurant. (Antionette “Nettie” Magee owns both.)
“I don’t let anyone disrespect my employees,” she said. “Even though the customers pay my bills, they’re not going to be disrespectful – or I’ll kick them out.
“I will kick someone out quickly. As nice as I am, you’re not going to be disrespectful to my employees. I’m never OK with that.”
That’s refreshing to hear … because the customer is not always right. Let’s face it, some of them are jerks.
Then again, some customers treat their servers like family. Nettie told a heartwarming story about a customer who gave her daughter (who is a weekend server at Nettie’s) $300 for car repairs.
l On X (formerly Twitter), Fox News personality Emily
Compagno – who has more than 260,000 followers – gave a shoutout to the Vero Beach Book Center and the city after last week’s book-signing event to promote “Under His Wings.”
“Such a special bookstore in such a special community! Love you Vero Beach & @verobooks!”
l Looking forward to the reviews of “Beautiful” (also known as “The Carole King Musical”), which runs through May 11 at Riverside Theatre. It’s going to be a winner.
Raise your hand if you remember the album cover of “Tapestry.”
l On Oslo Road, the 7.4-acre parcel that is home to Willis Family Farms – including a nursery, an open-air market and a restaurant – remains on the market for just under $13 million, according to Lambert Commercial Real Estate’s website.
l Longtime residents can surely relate to this post by “Thunder Cat” on the Facebook page “I Remember Vero Beach When and Now”:
“Heartbreak is watching orange groves and cattle pastures
When I think back to my childhood, many things come to mind.
A place I remember visiting frequently is our local Winn-Dixie in Port St. John.
It was the only grocery store in our little town when it opened in the 1980s.
My Aunt Lonna and I would go there constantly. She cooked a lot of family dinners.
We would laugh at how often we went. It was more than just a trip to get ingredients. It was a time when I would ask her questions, we would talk and dream big.
If crab legs were on sale, the employees knew they’d see her coming.
When I got married and moved to Vero Beach 10 years ago, I was on a mission to find familiarity.
You can imagine my contentment when I realized there was a Winn-Dixie just around the corner on Oslo Road.
I did my first trip to the grocery store as a married woman at that store. It wasn’t the same as my younger years following my aunt around. It was now my turn. Because I am painfully sentimental, I saved the shopping list – I was making pasta that night.
When I heard the Winn-Dixie in Sebastian was being converted into an Aldi, I knew the days were numbered for the one on Oslo.
In March 2024, Aldi finalized the purchase of Southeastern Grocers, which includes WinnDixie, and announced a 5-year, $9 billion plan to add 800 stores nationwide through new stores and store conversions.
The Winn-Dixie on Oslo Road will close on May 4.
I know this comes with getting older, but … gosh, I never thought I’d mourn the loss of a grocery store so much.
Sophie Julin
Movie countdown Fun facts
RUSS (66) SOPHIE (28) No. 2
Russ:
“Caddyshack” (1980)
His take: Bill Murray and Chevy Chase, a pair of “Saturday Night Live” alums, and Ted Knight, of “Mary Tyler Moore Show” fame, provided countless laughs in this one.
Sophie:
“Butterflies are Free” (1972)
Her take: If you are a free spirit, you will relate to this movie. It follows an aspiring songwriter who is blind. He falls in love with eccentric Jill Tanner (Goldie Hawn).
The warmest April on record in Vero Beach? It was 2015, with an average temperature of 76.9 degrees, followed by 2023 (76.4 degrees).
The coolest April on record in Vero Beach? It’s a tie between 1950 and 1987, with an average temperature of 66.7 degrees, followed by 1986 (67.9 degrees).
– Source: National Weather Service
and ask how you SAVE 15% on repairs!
Follow the inspiring true story of Carole King’s remarkable rise to stardom – from being part of a hit songwriting team to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. But it wasn’t until her personal life began to crack that she finally managed to find her true voice. Featuring a stunning array of beloved songs, including “I Feel the Earth Move,” “One Fine Day,” and “You’ve Got a Friend,” this Tony® and Grammy® winner is the soundtrack for many generations.
Book by Douglas McGrath
Owned & Operated by the Colkitt Family Since 1970
Chad & Joey Colkitt
Popular Mirador floor plan. Situated on a gorgeous lot with a lake view, the kitchen has been upgraded with top-of-theline stainless steel Kitchen Aid appliances, white cabinets with soft-close doors and drawers, and quartz countertops. Porcelain plank tile floors throughout, and crown molding in the heart of the home. Solid-core doors and impact windows and doors throughout. Screened-in pool included!
Tle floors throughout, a Whirlpool appliances package, a gourmet kitchen package, quartz countertops, crown molding, light valance, and white cabinets with soft-close drawers and doors. Whether taking a dip in the Grand Harbor Beach Club pool, playing golf on one of the two awardwinning golf courses, or partaking in a game of tennis, there is something for everyone at Grand Harbor Club.
