David M. Smith, Fort Pierce’s police chief since January, spoke at two town hall meetings April 8 and April 16, the first in his four months on the job. Both meetings – held at Lincoln Park Academy April 8; and the 25th Street/Midway Road Discovery Church April 16 – paralleled each other in multiple ways. They attracted small, but vocal segments of the city from its historic downtown to its surrounding rural patches. Approximately 35 attended April 8 and 20 on April 16. In both meetings, Smith stepped away from the podium after giving written remarks to take questions and

Read more

Healthy beaches and waters are full of life, most of it invisible to the naked eye and swarming under our feet, marine biologist Dr. Holly Sweat said April 15. The St. Lucie County Aquarium, 420 Seaway Dr., held their last of four morning lectures of 2026 given by staff of the neighboring Smithsonian Marine Station. Sweat, director of their Benthic Ecology Laboratory, presented research on microorganisms to round out the season’s talks on aquatic habitats. Like her fellow presenters, Sweat discussed habitat health and rehabilitation. She spoke about how microscopic organisms, like plankton, can be barometers of a watery biome’s

Read more

It can strike without warning – a sudden loss of awareness, a blank stare, or full-body convulsions that last only seconds but leave lasting questions. For millions of people, these episodes are not isolated events, but part of a chronic neurological condition known as epilepsy. “Epilepsy is an abnormal functioning part of the brain,” said Dr. Oszkar Szentirmai, a neurosurgeon with HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital. “The brain is a supercomputer, so all those little cells called neurons keep firing and communicating through electrical signals. There’s a certain rhythm to that firing, and like a symphony, if the instruments are off,

Read more

Every volunteer at Grace Packs Inc. has a specific name depending on their job description. “Pantry Peeps” are the ones who organize and pack food bags. “Delivery Friends” pick up the bags and take the food to one of about 35 participating schools in St. Lucie County. “School Gracies” receive the food at the school. No matter what they’re called, the volunteers all have a few things in common – they have supreme organizational skills, exude love and have a heart for the hungry, especially children. The 501©3 not-for-profit organization provides breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack items to students who

Read more

Port St. Lucie may receive approximately $24 million over the next two years in a settlement from Waste Pro, resolving a years-long contract dispute. Waste Pro, which handled the city’s trash collection until an acrimonious split in late 2022, will pay Port St. Lucie an initial $21 million “within 30 days” as of April 17, according to city communications director Scott Samples. He added the hauler would give two more $1.5 million payouts due Jan. 31 of 2027 and 2028. The City Council will “review options” to use the settlement funds in upcoming workshops and public meetings in the months

Read more

St. Lucie County’s four hospitals have experienced an abundance of activity recently, a healthy mix of new construction, additions to already existing spaces, and updated equipment and services. And plans for future renovations are already in the works. At HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce, the final beam for new floor was placed on Friday above the newest tower. The floor will house a 32-bed addition that is scheduled to open during the first quarter of next year. Also coming next year: a recently approved five-story parking garage, which will be built on an existing surface parking lot at

Read more

The state of Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia paid a visit to St. Lucie County last week, and his message to the community was … you’ve been ripped off. According to Ingoglia, St. Lucie has wastefully spent more than $46 million of taxpayer money. Earlier this year, he told the City of Fort Pierce that $10.5 million was overspent and wasted. “Government is expanding because they can, not because they need to,” said Ingoglia. “They continue to cry the same thing: poor, poor, poor. “I made it my mission to advocate for taxpayers. Taxpayers are the ones who get

Read more

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers laid down the first sands of another nourishment project, the third since 2022, at Jetty Park last week. A mile of shoreline between the Fort Pierce Inlet and South Beach Park is receiving an influx of nearly 400,000 cubic yards of sand. The Army Corps maintains access to the approximate 0.2-mile length of rock jutting into the Atlantic as construction progresses there through September, records show. By Easter weekend, earth movers from Manson Construction working around-the-clock covered 8-to-10-foot escarpments in new mounds that hid the emaciation the beach had suffered throughout 2025. The approximate

Read more

St. Lucie County closed one park and the boat ramp of another last month to make repairs and renovations as summer approaches. Harbour Pointe Park, near Avenue M between Fisherman’s Wharf and Taylor Creek, closed March 23, and the boat ramp at White City Park, 2018 W. Midway Road, closed March 30, county releases say. Harbour Pointe Park closed March 23 to build out new access roads beyond a single unkempt dirt road. A new entrance will be built near the end of N. 2nd Street “to streamline the traffic flow,” to move the park past its “primitive” status, the

Read more

Another St. Lucie Mets season is upon us, and the fan experience promises to be a whole new ballgame at Clover Park in St. Lucie West. “We are excited to begin our 38th season of baseball in the Treasure Coast community,” said Adam MacDonald, the Mets’ senior manager of multimedia, ahead of the Mets’ scheduled home opener April 7 against the Dunedin Blue Jays. “Clover Park is a wonderful place to bring the family and experience the game of baseball in a fun and affordable environment. Throughout the season we will have promotions and nights that will tailor to all

Read more