Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • Page 39

1 J. Actress has MS Teri Garr reveals she has multiple sclerosis and has kept it secret for almost 20 years, 7E. 'Paternity Ward' D.L Stewart allows rebuttal on his column about rude worker behind the pizza counter, 2E. 5," 'j Thursday, October 10, 2002 Section Suzy Fleming, features content editor, sflemingflatoday.net Iwmi TOUT en El '5'K wmM mm Arm mm wm. B.

ft if rar mm ib BSO Guild hosts membership tea What could be lovelier than afternoon tea on an autumn Sunday? Here's your opportunity for a sip of Earl Grey, a creamy scone and the cozy company of Brevard Symphony Orchestra Central Guild members. A membership tea is from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Cocoa Beach home of Wal- ter and Carolyn Jackson-Finch. Among those who will be serving from the silver guild officers Barbara Freeman, Deborah Schenck, Evelyn Lemanski, Felicia Ritz, Penny Shye and Cheryl Korman. Interested in chatting over Darjeeling? Call Freeman at 784-2565.

Reservations are required. EMDliS IfMU Universal's annual fright fest not for cowards, especially our reporter 4. The Space Coast Jazz Society will feature two young performers who have toured nationally with well-known bands. Headlining Sunday's performance at the Patrick Air Force Base NCO Club are Cynthia Calhoun and Jason Peterson. Calhoun is a vocalist who has toured with Steely Dan and has sung with Andrea Shea King Out About What this means for return visitors is there are more chain-saws and more scary beings that jump out of the dark.

And a noisier bunch they are. Throughout the park, the fog seems thicker and lights are strategically placed to cause repeated bouts of temporary blindness no doubt part of an obnoxious ploy to make sure folks lose their way and sight of each other. So this year, you might want to go with folks whose hands you are accustomed to grabbing. Plenty of thrills and chills can be had without evenventur-ing into the haunted houses. Think of Islands of Fear as one giant haunted house, a nightmarish version of the sunnier day park.

For me, the night officially kicked off inside the Fear Factor, where I experienced what I believe to be my first panic attack at a theme park. See Horror, 2E By Breuse Hickman FLORIDA TODAY Fear is subjective. Or so I am reminded by T.J. Mannarino the main man behind the scares and shocks at Universal Studio's Halloween Horror Nights. A week before the opening of this, the 12th year, he notes offhandedly that what scares one person might not always scare the next And there's only so much focus grouping you can do when it comes to scaring the beegeezis out of people who are paying big bucks for the experience.

The rest is dependent on knowing what worked in the past and building on it. Considering that moving the event from its kinder, gentler headquarters to the thrill-heavy Islands of Adventure has generated more buzz than a herd of bloody, chainsaw-wield-ing freaks, you better believe Universal's scream team upped its shock value. Gloria Estafan, Paul Simon and Al Jar-reau. Calhoun has appeared in "Ally McBeal," "ER," "Rhythm Jam," "Menace II Society" and "The Parenthood." Saxophonist Peterson appears regularly with the Donny Osmond Band. The duo will be accompanied by pianist Billy Hall and Dave Dunscombe on drums.

The event gets starts at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 for Jazz Society members, and $8 for guests. For more information, call 773-6749. 0 -A Photo illustration by Suzanne Phelan, FLORIDA TODAY Halloween Horror Nights made reporter Breuse Hickman cower, but a mental health counselor says fear can be fun when you know it's not real. Faux fear allays real thing Calling all cooks.

You are needed to help prepare a holiday dinner on Christmas Day at the Harry T. Moore Social Services Center in Titus-ville. The North Brevard Coalition of Human Services is organizing its 4th annual community dinner, call "Project E.A.T." (Eat All Together). The North Brevard community is invited to celebrate, regardless of financial or sociaj status. Volunteers are needed to prepare, cook; and serve the meals.

Monetary contributions are always appreciated. Call Robynne Hester-Dew, social services coordinator, at 264-5014. The 210-bed, $80 million state-of-the-art Parrish Medical Center will open Saturday with a daylong grand-opening celebration. The event begins at 11:30 a.m. and features the stage musical "Welcome to Our World," and a musical production starring former New York City Police Officer Daniel Rodriguez, who has sung on "The Today Show," "Live With Regis Kelly," "Good Morning America," "Larry King Live," "Late Show with David Letterman" and at the World Series.

The medical facility was designed by Chris Male of Parrish Medical Center, who incorporated elements that translate the philosophy of healing and comfort, with unique qualities and amenities reminiscent of a five-star hotel Male said the design makes use of curves, rounded edges, soft pastels, geometric designs, and lots of natural light to create a nurturing and healing environment Parking and shuttle service will be available at the Sandpoint Shopping Center, Brevard Community College's Titusville Campus and Temple Baptists Church. A recent fund-raiser for the Titusville Playhouse netted nearly $6,000 for theater, education programs and scholarships. "From Denim to Diamonds," chaired by Linda Fliss, brought out North Brevardians in their finest attire. "It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and new ones in the audience, who generously supported the needs of our theater," she said. To become involved in the playhouse, call 269-2613.

Does anyone really have gams that long? Alethea Vedder, reprising the role of Holly in "Anton in Show Business," in its final weekend at the Phoenix Theater, is a showstopper. The leggy redhead stars in the hilarious sendup of theatre and the artists who make it happen. The cast includes Tricia Fleming, Vanessa Baden, Beth Terra-nova, Marty Stonerock, Nadine Antail-lia and Catherine Gurri. "Anton" marks the directorial debut of humans are still primed to exercise the impulse to flee from danger. But can't such an experience be relived by hiding under the covers after viewing an hour of CNN? "There are probably a million answers for why people appreciate being scared," said Joan Richardson, a licensed mental health counselor in Titusville.

"Many of the teens I talk to say they simply like that feeling." The key here, Richardson adds, is the fear can be fun only when you know it's fake. "We are able to compartmentalize and participate in scary situations," she said. "And maybe it has a way of lessening the real fear that lurks out there." By Breuse Hickman FLORIDA TODAY Face it Fear is fun. What other explanation is there for our love of scary movies, spooky stories or the risk of losing our lunches on roller coasters. Though a real fear of the unknown now has the world on edge, it hasn't stopped folks from seeking refuge in fearful, albeit controlled, surroundings, such as Universal Studio's annual Halloween Horror Nights.

In fact, Saturday night's event sold out the first time that has happened in Halloween Horror Nights' 12-year history. Sure, scholars have long speculated that because fear is an ancient survival mechanism, What does 'organic' mean? Shoppers will find out Oct. 21 I. '1. 7.

More food inside Shrimp plays starring role as finger food, 4E. Gene Cate gives chipped beef new marching orders, 3E. Australian reds blend splendidly with shiraz, 5E. Garam masala spice banishes bland vegetarian entrees, 5E. 'I i By Candy Sagon The Washington Post If a shopper buys organic lettuce from California and organic tomatoes from Virginia, are they equally organic? Is the fresh-squeezed organic orange juice bought at a farmers' market in Pennsylvania as pure as the carton of organic orange juice bought in a supermarket in Maryland? Just what exactly does "organic" mean, anyway? Until now, the shopper had no way of knowing.

There were no government standards for the use of the word "organic." The definition could change from state to state. Or, it could just be hype. If a company or farmer wanted to call a product organic, there was no one to Small farmers (those with less than $5,000 in organic sales) will be exempt from the certification process. However, if they call their product organic at farmers' markets, for example they will be required to comply with the new government standards, meaning no pesticides, antibiotics or other prohibited substances or practices. Those who fail to meet the regulations but still label their food as organic can face penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.

Consumers won't see an immediate change on supermarket shelves Oct 21. Manufacturers have a grace period to sell existing products before the new labels appear, explained a spokesman for Giant supermarkets. While organic food represents a small sliver of overall U.S. grocery sales, that sliver has been growing at a healthy Phoenix Development Director Jennifer Wolf. Tickets are $18 and $12.

The Phoenix Theatre is at 817 E. Strawbridge Ave. in the Le Gallerie Arcade in downtown Melbourne. For more information, call 952-5717. Under new rules from the U.S.

Department of Agriculture, consumers choosing organic products will know the food has been produced without pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, irradiation or bio-engineering. Further, organic farmers will be required to conserve soil and water to enhance environmental quality and treat animals humanely. These standards will apply to U.S.-grown food, as well as imported food. The USDA wili use accred- ited private companies and state agencies to inspect and certify companies as organic Foods that meet the standards can be labeled in one of four categories: "100 percent organic," "organic" (at least 95 percent), "made with organic ingredients" (at least 70 percent) or "contains organic ingredients (less than 70 percent). Foods that are 100 or 95 percent organic have the option of displaying the new green USDA Organic seal.

You can hear Andrea Shea King 6 p.m. weekdays on "What's Shaking!" on AM (1240 and 1350). Her "Out About" ports air weekdays on WMMB, and at Mondays and Thursdays on Lite Rock-FM (993). Visit Shea King's Web site check to make sure it really was. All that will change Oct21, when any food Inarked "organic" wfll have to meet national standard set by the federal FLORIDA TODAY file Food that has been produced without pesticides, hor- -mones, antibiotics, irradiation or bjo-engineering earn the 10d'ercent organic label.

at vrwwJSheshKSng.com Mail information to tyhtr attention at Fbrida Today. P.O. Box See OrganicE 119000, Melbourne, fg. XZMl-yuuu..