Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Katherine Mish of Fort Pierce on Dec. 22 to serve as a judge on the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Court, filling a vacancy created by the enactment of Senate Bill 2508, which added seats in the state due to an increase in population and caseloads. DeSantis also named Steven Wilson of Vero Beach to serve as judge on the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Court, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Lawrence M. Mirman. “I am grateful and humbled by the governor’s appointment as Circuit Judge and honored by the opportunity to serve,” said Mish. “Having

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After years of recommending that infants not be given peanut products, doctors and other medical experts officially reversed that guidance in 2017. Allergies to the legume have been dropping ever since. A new study, published in November 2025 in the journal Pediatrics, found that food allergy rates in children under 3 fell dramatically after those guidelines were put in place, with a 36 percent reduction in all food allergies, largely driven by a 43 percent drop in peanut allergies. Kristin Grunbaum, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, says that’s exciting news, in part because once you have a peanut allergy, you rarely outgrow

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“Spirit of Excellence – P-R-A-C-T-I-C-E” is the quote that the Treasure Coast High School varsity girls’ basketball team adopted for their season and it, along with their great skill, is proving to serve them well. The Lady Titans enter the new year with a glittering and historic 13-0 record. “They were not picked preseason to be an elite team, but they have become one because of their tremendous work ethic every day at practice,” said Robin Potera-Haskins, the team’s head coach. “This is a group of local young ladies from TCHS who have developed their basketball skills to play with

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The upcoming 195-acre Torino Regional Park entered its first phase of construction last week to usher in a bevy of all-ages facilities, chief among them a skatepark/BMX track, due in the fall of 2027. Builders and officials broke ground on the $21.4 million park – to be built out at 5601 N. Torino Parkway between Conley and Briscoe drives – in a Dec. 9 morning ceremony attended by approximately 60 city workers, planners and residents. Representatives of West Palm Beach-based Burkhardt Construction, Inc., who will build out the park, also appeared. Founder/CEO Vincent G. Burkhardt presented Port St. Lucie Mayor

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Resilient St. Lucie, a steering committee focused on countywide sustainability, ended over six months of public presentations on climate fortification plans this year with the announcement of a new study by next month. That outlook, however, may fall to local governments who could line up for state grant money year after year. A “cost/benefit analysis” provided by the committee will inform local leaders on “additional land conservation and how to make the best informed decisions” for land use “as development pressures increase,” said Georgia Vince, senior project manager with Stuart-based engineering firm Tetra Tech, in a Dec. 12 webinar. Much

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Three state parks in St. Lucie County will need part of nearly $759 million in recommended maintenance from now until 2035, according to a Dec. 1 letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. FDEP recommended the funds to conduct “repair, maintenance and upgrade projects” in the 175 state parks found throughout Florida over the next decade, the letter said. Another approximately $1.39 billion, the letter added, would also need to be allocated toward “new construction and development projects,” including the buildout of expanded visitor access compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. While the letter

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Fort Pierce city officials presented an overview of ongoing economic development initiatives, redevelopment efforts and strategic priorities at the Dec. 8 City Commission meeting. Community and Economic Development Director Sheyanne Harnage and Planning Director Kevin Freeman presented the Comprehensive Economic Development Overview, which was requested as part of the city’s strategic plan process. “This was a requirement in the strategic plan that we provide an economic comprehensive plan update,” said City Manager Richard Chess. “The key for us is get the priorities into the comprehensive plan clearly spelled out.” The presentation outlined where the city is today including current conditions,

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A new leadership structure, including the first new president since 2014, will take the reins of the Economic Development Council (EDC) of St. Lucie County by the start of next year. Pete Tesch, the council president since 2014, will step down Jan. 1 after a 12-year term and a 38-year career in business development, according to a Dec. 9 release. Wesley McCurry, the council vice president since November 2022, will replace Tesch. The EDC will appoint Rachel Savela, their director of investor engagement, as their first-ever chief operating officer, the release added. Savela has worked with the council since April

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The “new kid on the block” that effectively treats a host of medical conditions has actually been around since the late 1600s. But its ever-evolving technology and list of successful medical applications is changing life for the better for scores of people. Physicians started using hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) to treat a variety of different medical conditions in 1662 when the first pressurized room to treat pulmonary and digestive conditions was built. Dr. Tyler Sexton, president of the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine, says, “Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is one of the oldest continuously used medical technologies and has evolved into

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Researchers based at the Florida Research and Innovation Center (FRIC) in Port St. Lucie have been busy working on flu vaccines that are more effective and better suited for different age groups, especially for older adults. “While flu vaccines are typically evaluated based on their ability to produce antibodies, high antibody levels alone don’t guarantee full protection,” said Dr. Ted Ross, global director of vaccine development at Cleveland Clinic. “By understanding how vaccines activate cellular immunity, scientists can design next-generation flu vaccines that offer enhanced protection, particularly for high-risk groups like the elderly.” Ross, who leads vaccine development for all

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