Representatives from the Florida Department of Transportation and Port St. Lucie presented preliminary schematics for the final leg of widening of Port St. Lucie Boulevard June 25. This $21 million buildout, due to span from fall 2027 to spring 2030, will widen the final 1.12-mile stretch of Port St. Lucie Boulevard from Paar Drive to its southern terminus at Becker Road, schematics show. It will be the last 3.5 miles of roadway improved there since 2021. Like other parts of the boulevard, the new construction will incorporate a 100-foot-wide right of way. It will use two 11-foot car lanes in

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St. Lucie County Administrator George Landry is stepping down from his position to move across the state to lead Longboat Key, a small island that spans Sarasota and Manatee counties. Landry will be leaving his St. Lucie post in mid-August and is set to start his new job as town manager on Sept. 14. He was unanimously approved to lead the small island town at a special meeting of the Longboat Key Commission early last week. He was described by Longboat Key commissioners as “an excellent fit” and “a competent leader,” and as having “a great background.” Landry’s salary at

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A sweeping property tax overhaul, which has the power to significantly change how local governments are funded, will be on the November ballot for voters to consider. Super majorities in the Florida House and Senate passed Gov. DeSantis’ property tax referendum proposal with minor changes on June 3. Many St. Lucie County, Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce officials expressed concerned about the proposal and will consider the possibility of the referendum passing as part of their upcoming budget workshops. Under the amended proposal, if 60 percent of voters approve, Florida residents will see a $150,000 homestead exemption for non-school

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Stars and Stripes Park, the latest attraction in Port St. Lucie’s Tradition community, opened June 4, giving the city a scenic memorial attached to an educational garden mapping the cosmos. Over a week after Memorial Day commemorations in Veterans Park at Rivergate out east, the ribbon cutting attracted around 200. Veterans, faith leaders and real estate developers joined all five City Council members in their celebration. About 150 more joined in lighter celebrations in the solar system portion between the stars and the Riverland Paseo neighborhood. A live DJ and food trucks brought flavor to several astronomy-inspired activity stations. The

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Seagrass is making a major comeback in the Indian River Lagoon according to recent data released by the St. Johns River Water Management District. This is great news for residents for whom the lagoon is a defining feature of daily and economic life, supporting property values, providing recreational opportunities and supplying an ever-changing backdrop of natural beauty. It is even better news for manatees, sea turtles and other marine animals that rely on seagrasses for their survival. Seagrass is the foundation of the lagoon’s ecology. When 60 percent of the seagrass meadows were killed by algae blooms a decade ago,

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Discarded books rarely re-renter a library once they’re tossed in the recycle bin. Fort Pierce’s Kilmer Branch Library, 101 Melody Lane, made an exception this summer through hosting the collages of Laura Kinnamon. A selection of Kinnamon’s work, curated by the Kilmer Library’s ArtSpace program, went up for display starting Monday. The “whimsical parade” of portraits there, some made of shredded library books, will stay up until Sept. 30. “I think it was an insurance issue, that the library had to discard books after a certain amount of time before getting new ones,” she said in an interview Sunday. “They

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Youth looking to hone their chess game – and other skills – have a new opportunity thanks to the launch of the Atlantis Chess Club. A ribbon-cutting was held on Friday, June 5, at the Port St. Lucie Community Center where the club is scheduled to meet each Friday from 6 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. for youth ages 6 to 12. Members will be paired by skill level. A second location, in Fort Pierce, was set to start up this week through St. Lucie County Parks and Recreation. Seven years ago, program director Diana Cowan Kempton taught herself chess so

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The Fort Pierce City Commission unanimously approved, with conditions, an application by Pulte Homes on May 18 to construct a 239-unit single family home development on about 50 acres off Jenkins Road. Pulte Homes closed on the parcel on May 20 and plans to begin site work during the next quarter. It will be their first development in Fort Pierce, but not in St. Lucie County. There is a Pulte Del Webb community in Tradition. “The location of this property is very unique from the perspective of what we’re trying to create up on Kings Highway,” said Commissioner Michael Broderick.

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Cleveland Clinic Florida announced measures to strengthen food security in five counties last month, with several St. Lucie County organizations set to receive much-needed financial assistance. It’s part of a $50 million “enterprise commitment to reduce hunger and improve access to nutritious food in the communities it serves,” reads a May 19 press release issued by Cleveland Clinic Florida. “Access to nutritious food is foundational to good health,” said Conor P. Delaney, MD, Ph.D., president of Cleveland Clinic Florida Market. “These investments reflect our commitment to improving the health of our communities by supporting organizations that are addressing food insecurity

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Local beachgoers will get another chance to see sea turtles nesting through a new round of nighttime walks that began Tuesday despite the resurgence of extreme weather issues. Ecological Associates, Inc. (EAI) kicked off the first pair of eight nighttime walks to take place every Tuesday and Wednesday in June. The Jensen Beach-based marine biology firm has given the tours for years as they continue to survey turtle nests on St. Lucie’s barrier island beaches. Free tickets for up to 25 walkers can be found at St. Lucie County’s Guided Nature Programs page: stlucieco.gov/departments-and-services/environmental-resources/guided-nature-programs. The Tuesday tours filled to capacity

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