Treasure Coast Florida News is owned, written and produced by Tom Teter WSTU AM 1450 News Director who has covered news in Martin & St. Lucie Counties for 27 years.

I try very hard to get the stories right.  I sometimes get it wrong.  My apologies in advance, and I will correct any error.   Report them to misternews2000@yahoo.com

WEDNESDAY MARCH 10

NEW:  Treasure Coast unemployment is up.   The state's Agency for Workforce Innovation says the St Lucie County rate in January went up 7-tenths of a point to 14.9%. in January of 2009 it was 11.6%.  The Martin County jobless rate also went up in January, rising 1 full point to 13.6%.  aA year ago it was just 9.5%.  Florida's unemployment rate has now hit 11.9%.  That ties the all-time state record high set back in May 1975.

NEW:  Stuart's Seacoast National Bank is getting a higher rating from Bauer Financial which rates banks nationwide using a 4 star system.  They now say Seacoast has gone from being problematic to being adequate.  Riverside National and 1st People are still rated as problematic.  Gulfstream Business Bank is rated 3.5 stars, which is good.  Oculina Bank in Ft pierce rated 3 stars.

NEW:  Law enforcement swept thru 7 counties including the Treasure Coast checking on gang members out of probation and parole Tuesday night.  They made arrests and found weapons and drugs. 

NEW:  A gang member has been arrested for an attack last month outside the Minsky Gym in Port St Lucie.  Officials say James Palmer, 20, was one of a group that attacked people in a pick up outside the gym with sticks and metal pipes. 

NEW:  The Wal-mart Distribution Center and Keiser University have been named the St Lucie County School District's Business Partner of the Year.

Port St Lucie Police say the boy friend of the woman fatally shot Sunday is not a suspect.  They also suspect drug trafficking is involved in the break in and murder of Melanie Henningsen, but don't know if she was involved in that or not.

St Lucie County School Board Chair Dr Judi Miller is not going to run for reelection this fall.  She wants to start easing toward retirement.  She's been on the school board since 1986.  Dr Judi Miller will stay on as executive director of the Big Brothers-Big Sisters program

there are 8 other possible locations for a new Maritn County Constitutional Officers government center besides the Sailfish Park ball fields area.  Those include locations near and away from downtown Stuart.  The other locations include the Evans Crary law building, the Wachovia bank across from Memorial Park, and a site on Willoughby Blvd.

    
TUESDAY MARCH 9

The search for the killers of a Port St Lucie woman Sunday continues.  Police said today Melanie Henningsen's boy friend Jose Ortiz is not a suspect in the shooting.  He found her fatally shot and he's the one that called 911.  Police suspect drug dealing to be a motive for the break in, but don't know if Henningsen was involved or not. She was able to tell police before she died her attackers had dark skinned complexion.   

Martin County's Boys & Girls Club is against a bill Treasure Coast State Senator Joe Negron has before the Legislature.  It would require County Commissioners to have the final say in the Children's Services Council's budget.  Negron believes any group that has taxing power should have the way the spend money reviewed by elected officials.  The CSC is appointed, not elected.  The Boys & Girls Club officials worry they might loose funding from the Children's Services Council if the bill becomes law.

TCPalm.com:  Core Communities President Thomas Babcock reportedly out.

Jupiter is among a half dozen Palm Beach County cities holding municipal elections today.  There are 4 candidates for mayor of Jupiter.   Elections are also being held in Palm Beach Gardens and North Palm Beach.  The polls will be open until 7pm.

More than 2 1/2 million Floridians were on food stamps in February.  That's 14% of the population.  The state paid out $350,000,000 in food stamps last month.

Port St Lucie has another city employees union to deal with.  the city council Monday night voted to recognize the Government Supervisors Association of Florida and Office and Professional Employees International Union as representing 53 supervisors.  it's the 6th labor union in Port St Lucie.

 Former Treasure Coast State Representative Gayle Harrell says Sunday's elections in Iraq were fair and open and she saw no evidence that anyone was trying to steal it.  Harrell was part of an International observer team invited to go to Iraq to monitor their elections.  She says several Iraqis she talked to said the terrorist bombings early in the day meant to scare voters away did just the opposite...it made them angry to the point they were determined to go vote. She's convinced the Iraqis want democracy and freedom they never had under Saddam Hussein. Harrell's group got a hot welcome to Baghdad.  Bombs went off as her helicopter landed forcing her to spend the first couple hours in the country in a bunker.  Harrell is due to arrive in West Palm Wednesday afternoon. 

It's FCAT testing day today and Wednesday.  Students in Martin & St Lucie County join others around Florida in taking the math & reading parts.  Some also take the science FCAT.  A change this year.  Any student caught with a cell phone or blackberry while taking the test will have their tests invalidated.

Whoever it was that forced their way into a Port St Lucie home shooting a woman early Sunday morning where looking for something specific.  Police aren't saying what that was.  They say entry was thru a back door and the only description they have about the killers is they were two dark skinned men.  The victim is identified as 26 year old Melanie Henningsen who died later at the hospital.

Stuart has a new plan for a county government center that would keep the Sailfish Park ball fields, at least for a while.  the new plan for what the city calls the Courthouse Commons call for a 48,000 square foot building at the corner of Stypmann Blvd and Flaglar.  The ball fields would stay until they are needed for a future expansion.

A 27 year old Port St Lucie man is in jail charged with using someone elses credit card to live at the Hutchinson Island Marriott for two weeks and going on a spending spree. Martin County sheriff’s investigators say Christopher Parrish over heard a man at the Marriott say he was checking out. Parrish then allegedly told the desk clerk he was that man and was going to stay longer and to use the credit card on file. He allegedly stayed for two weeks playing golf and buying clothes racking up a $5,000 bill.

MONDAY MARCH 8

The woman found shot in a Port St Lucie home early Sunday morning has been identified.  Police say she was 26 year old Melanie Henningsen.  She was found shot and later died at Lawnwood's Trauma Center.  Police say two dark skinned men forced their way in to the home on NW Duke Circle thru a back door and were after specific items in the home, though they are not saying what.

Two suspected burglars managed to elude capture today in Port St Lucie.   Police says they tried to break in to the St Lucie West Radio Shack, triggering an alarm just past 5am.  The suspect fled north on I-95 getting off at Midway Road then running off.  A six hour search by foot and helicopter failed to find them.

A man was critically hurt when hit by a car in Ft Pierce late Sunday night.  St Lucie County Fire-rescue says they transported a man in his 20s from the scene at south 13th & Kentucky Avenue to the Lawnwood Trauma Center.

Florida and Treasure Coast gas prices continue to go up.  AAA says the average price of a gallon is up 3 1/2 cents from a week ago.  the price is now $2.797 compared to $2.76 a week ago.   World oil prices continue to rise driving up US prices/

Port St Lucie Police continue their investigation of the city's first murder in two years.  Police found a 26 year old woman found shot in her home on Duke Circle early Sunday morning.  A neighbor boy reported hearing a scream around 11 pm Saturday.  Police have no publically identified suspects and think robbery may have been the motive.

This is FCAT week in Florida.  Starting Tuesday most students from the 3rd to 10th grades will take the reading and math parts.

Indian River State College is celebrating another National Junior College men's & Women's swimming and diving championships.  it's36th straight national championship for the men and 29th in a row and 32nd championship for the women.

it's been a cold start to 2010.  Data from the National Weather Service office in Melbourne show the average temperature in Martin-St Lucie & Indian River County was less than 57 degrees in January & February.  That's the coldest since 1958.  Treasure Coast temperatures never hit 80 degrees all of February.

Hoyt C Woods died of cancer last week at his home in Port St Lucie. He had been an advocate for veterans for years and was chairman of the Martin County Veteran’s Council. He was a Vietnam Veteran and organized the first services honoring Vietnam Vets in the 1980s. Visitation is Tuesday from 5-8pm at Yates Funeral Home. The funeral Mass will be Wednesday at 11 at St Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Port St Lucie. Hoyt C Woods was 63.

WEEKEND EDITION MARCH 6 & 7

 A 26 year old woman died after being shot during a home invasion in Port St Lucie this morning.   Police found the woman shot inside a home in the 6100 block of Duke Circle in the northwest part of the city.   She died several hours later at Lawnwood Regional.  The woman was alone at the time and police say it was not "a random Act."  It may have been a robbery since some things are missing.   It's the first murder in Port St Lucie in two years.

Two people injured when their small plane crashed in Vero Beach Friday have been upgraded to stable condition.  A student pilot and instructor were doing touch and goes at the time.  The instructor had both wrists broken.  He could be released from Lawnwood Regional this week.  The student pilot is at a hospital in Melbourne.  Officials haven't said what may have caused the crash.

Port St Lucie's first church celebrates its 50th anniversary today.  The First United Methodist Church on Prima Vista was founded in May 1960, almost a year before Port St Lucie became a city.  The original church was built on 3 acres donated by General Development. 

Indian River State College won another men's & women's National Junior College Athletic Association championship Saturday.  The men's championship was closer than the women's.  It's the 36th straight national title for the men, and the 29th in a row for the women, who have won 32 total national championships.  IRSC's Sara Wygle was named NJCAA Women's Diver of the Year, Mateo De Angulo Men's Swimmer of the year and Vanessa Hanbury named Women's Swimmer of the Year.  

Officials say smoke from a controlled burn Saturday at Jonathan Dickenson State Park should be gone by time play resumes at the PGA's Honda Classic today.  Smoke from the 1,400 acre burn Saturday drifted south affecting play.  Some of the 30,000 spectators had trouble breathing.  They continued with the third round even with a smoky haze and ash falling on parts of the PGA National course.   The controlled burn is designed to burn off dead vegetation preventing a larger wildfire in the future.

There no jackpot winning tickets in Saturday's PowerBall or Florida Lotto games.  PowerBall grows to $170 million and Lotto is up to $21 million.

Port St Lucie opened its Botanical Gardens Saturday morning.  They did not cut a ribbon for the grand opening, they cut a vine.  The 20 acres on the north fork of the St Lucie River did not cost the city a dime, and the gardens development was done thru grants, special dedicated funds and volunteer hours.  City councilman Chris Cooper was a driving force behind the garden

You’ll find everything for the home and garden this weekend at the Stuart-Martin County Chamber’s Home & Garden show. This year the Orchid Society's annual show is part of the event.  They’re expecting 5 to 6 thousand people to attend this year’s Home & Garden show at the Martin County Fairgrounds. It’s open Saturday from 9 to 4 and Sunday from 10 to 3.

This is the final weekend for the 45th annual St Lucie County Fair.
 
FRIDAY MARCH 6

A small plane crashed in Vero Beach this afternoon.  The Piper Seneca went down around 2:35 pm in the Sun Villas development along 34th st.  Two people on board were airlifted to area trauma centers.

Two men was arrested this morning after they drove an SUV into the south fork of the St Lucie River.  Martin County deputies tried to pull over a Cadillac SUV but it sped off.  It ended with the SUV going into the river near Kanner highway and Cove Road.  The two men arrested were found hiding under a houseboat.

Another candidate has filed to run the the Martin County Commission District 2 seat now held by Susan Valliere.  Ed Fielding filed to run today.  He was Valliere's nominee to the county's Local Planning Agency during her first term, but had a falling out during her second term.  Fielding has also been a republican candidate for the Treasure Coast Congressional seat now held by Alcee Hastings. Attorney Jeff Gorman also filed for the seat.

A Ft Pierce man has been arrested, charged with stealing air conditioning compressors.  Officials say 10 compressors at home in St Lucie county the past few weeks have been taken.  19 year old Robert Smith has been charged with stealing 5 of those.

It's another cold morning on the Treasure Coast.  Vero Beach has already set a new record low for this date with a 34 degree reading at 5am.  Lows at several local on-line weather stations show most readings in the mid-30s.

Wildlife experts are worried the cold this week will harm more manatees and sea turtles.  the January freeze killed more than 100 manatees in Florida and hundreds of cold-weather stunned sea turtles were rescued.

The Feds have indicted a Miami man believed to have smuggled five immigrants into the Stuart-Sewalls Point area last month.  Richard Noel Quezada says his boat broke down and he wasn't involved. 

Port St Lucie Police are running a $1.1 million budget surplus so far this year.  Chief Don Shinnamon told the City Council that may or may not last.  The city needs to find ways to balance the new fiscal year budget which looks like it will be $5 million short due to lower property values.

The owners of the hotel in the Florida Keys where Jupiter murder suspect Paul Michael Mirhege hid out have received the $100,000 in reward money that was offered. They say they have no specific plans for the money. They won’t take a vacation with it. Meanwhile Mirhege remains in jail charged with murdering 4 relatives in Jupiter last Thanksgiving.

THURSDAY MARCH 5

Treasure Coast Congressman Tom Rooney has introduced legislation that require the intelligence agencies to tell the Dept of Defense whenever they discover a member of the military or a contractor for the military has had contact with a terrorist.  This is in response to the shooting at Ft Hood by an Army Officer.   In a prepared statement, Rooney says:

 “It’s appalling that in the post-9/11 era, our nation’s intelligence community is still plagued with the inability to share integral intelligence information to other agencies; information that has the potential to prevent major attacks"  

The FBI apparently knew in 2008 Major Hasan had had contact with international terrorists but did not inform the military.

A Ft Lauderdale man is in the St Lucie county jail charged with breaking into a music store this week.  Deputies say 54 year old Christopher P McGrath broke into Rockshop Music Tuesday night and stole several Guitars and an amplifier that one belonged to the late 1970s honky tonk country music star Gary Steward. McGrath's bond is set at $150,000.

Emergency cold weather shelters will open again tonight on the Treasure Coast as temperatures are expected to drop into the low 30s tonight.  The Martin County Red Cross and Mustard Seed shelter in Ft Pierce will open at 7pm.

Martin County School Superintendent Nancy Kline helped the students at Citrus Grove Elementary celebrate Dr Suess' birthday by reading a Dr Suess book to students today.

The government confirms this has been a colder and wetter winter in South Florida & the Treasure Coast.  We've gotten more than 13 inches of rain since December, which is 4 1/2 inches more than normal.  El Nino, which limited the number to tropical storms and hurricanes last summer is still around in the Pacific which has caused this winter's weather.

The paramedic seriously injured when a car hit a private ambulance in Ft Pierce Tuesday night has had part of his eft leg amputated. Doctors say Chris Doyle will be able to use a prosthetic and be able to work.  A Port St Lucie woman, Germaine Lindor died in the crash at Virginia & 25th st.  Ft Pierce police are checking reports that she was speeding and may have run a red light.

Layoffs have come to a couple Treasure Coast hospitals. Lawnwood Regional and the St Lucie Medical Center have laid off 36 employees, 21 at Lawnwood and 15 at St Lucie.  Some employees were offered severance packages. In the meantime, Lawnwood is hiring for its Trauma Center. The cafeteria at Lawnwood won't be open 24-seven anymore to save money.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 3

Actor Burt Reynolds has been released from a local hospital after heart surgery last week.  Entertainment Tonight says Reynolds had planned for a month to have a quintuple heart bypass which was performed at Jupiter Medican Center.  Reynolds is reported to be under home health care at his Hobe Sound home.

Lawnwood Regional and the St Lucie Medical Center have laid off 36 employees, 21 at Lawnwood and 15 at St Lucie.  Some employees were offered severance packages. The cafeteria at Lawnwood won't be open 24-seven anymore either.   READ MORE AT TCPALM.COM

Port St Lucie city councilman Chris Cooper wants to be the Mayor.  He has filed the papers to run for Mayor this fall.  He's been on the city county the past 7 years.

There will be a mercury study in Martin County.  The health department has a grant to sample 400 women ages 18 to 34 to determine levels of mercury in their bodies.  Volunteers have to have lived in Martin County for at least the past year.  To apply call 772-221-4000.  Martin County Health Department Home Page.

Governor Crist has signed the first bill to pass the Florida Legislature this session into law.  It suspends a schedule workers comp tax increase businesses pay for two years.

The Jupiter Town Council voted for a moratorium on the opening of any new pain clinics. Lake Worth and Palm Beach County just did the same thing.  Critics say many pain clinics are just an easy, legal way for addicts to get oxycodone.

Look for the Treasure Coast to resume its growth in coming years.  The University of Florida predicts St Lucie County's population will grow 71 percent by 2035 and Martin County will grow by 25 percent.  St Lucie will go from 275,000 people now to 470,000 while Martin County will go from 143,000 now to 179,000 over the next 25 years.

Governor Charlie Crist says jobs and the economy are his two top priorities during this year's session of the Florida Legislature.  The Governor gave his last state of the state speech to the legislature last night.

A Port St Lucie woman whose SUV hit a private ambulance in Ft Pierce last night died in the crash.  63 year old Germaine Lindor's collided with the All County Ambulance at Virginia & 25th street.  The ambulance was knocked over on its side and spun around.  A passenger in the ambulance suffered critical injuries.

Two co-defendants in the Kobi Gary marijuana grow house case were sentenced in Federal Court Tuesday.  David Grant of Jensen Beach got 5 years in prison while Steven Shepherd of Hobe Sound got 15 months.  Gary could get 5 years when he's sentenced in May.

Indian River State College's Men's & Women's swimming and dive teams host the National Junior College national championships starting today.  The meets will be at the main campus in Ft Pierce today through Saturday.  The IRSC men have won 35 national championships in a row while the women have won 28 straight.
 


TUESDAY MARCH 2

Core Communities has terminated it's naming rights to Tradition Field.  The payment was due the end of last year, but the developer of Tradition did not make the deadline.  The company has sent a letter to St Lucie County and the New York Mets terminating its rights. 

The rains are pretty much thru on the Treasure Coast.  The gusty winds blowing up to 40 mph will continue the rest of the day bringing a cold front that will drop temperatures in to the 40s tonight.

South Florida Ponzi scheme mastermind Scott Rothstein has apparently been moved to the St Lucie County Jail.

Port St Lucie Police have found another marijuana grow house.  They say they found 18 pot plants growing and found high-tech growing equipment at the home on SW Tarra Avenue.  One person has been arrested.

There was a fire at a multi-family complex in Port St Lucie last night.  The fire was just before midnight in the 1600 block of SE Greenacres Circle.  The fire was contained to a back bedroom and the cause is under investigation.  St Lucie County firefighters also put out a brush fire on one of the wilderness trails at the Oxbow EcoCenter in Port St Lucie around 5 o'clock Monday afternoon.

Some strong storms are headed this way.  Expect heavy rains and gusty winds up to 35 mph until early afternoon.  A high wind advisory is in effect for the Treasure Coast today.  That will be followed by yet another cold spell with lows in the 40s.

Former President Jimmy Carter and his family were at Club Med in Port St Lucie last weekend.  The annual auction benefiting the Carter Center was held there and it raised $1.3 million.  Two painting by Mr Carter fetched $290,000 each.

The Florida Legislature meets today in the annual session in Tallahassee.  Treasure Coast State Representative William Snyder says it will be a tight budget year with cuts possible to education and even public safety funding.

The Ft Pierce City Commission voted 3-2 approving a contract to install red light runner camera's at key intersections.  Mayor Bob Benton says it's a safety issue and not about the $400,000 in traffic ticket revenues the cameras are expected to bring in.

Chris Lust, the army officer from Stuart who got sick helping Haitian earthquake victims, should be released from the hospital this week. The Stuart News reports he was airlifted from the Tampa VA hospital last Friday to San Antonio to continue treatment for the potentially fatal bacterial infection. His mother says he lost 57 pounds in just 30 days.

MONDAY MARCH 1

Florida leads the nation in pedestrian and bicycle deaths.  USA Today reports that 17.4% of the nation's bicycle fatalities & 11.1% of the nation's pedestrian fatalities are in Florida.  The weather, tourism and population growth all combine make Florida number one.

A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was seriously inured in a crash on I-95 just south of the Martin-Palm Beach County line this morning.  Trooper Michael Coulter was watching northbound traffic from his car in the median when car driven by a 20 year old Port St Lucie woman swerved to avoid traffic and hit his patrol car.  The crash caused a several mile long traffic back up.  The woman, Samone Meriweather and her two children ages 5 and 1 were also taken to the hospital.

6 people were hurt in a crash Sunday night on Hutchinson Island.  One of the vehicle involved, an SUV with a family of four, rolled over in the crash near Nettle's Island around 7:40 pm.  

Treasure Coast gas prices really jumped this past week.  AAA says the average price per gallon rose 8 cents, going from $2.68 last week to $2.76 this week.  Crude oil prices went up last week on news that the US economy did better the last three months of 2009 than expected leading speculators to guess the demand for oil will go up.   

The FHP has turned over to prosecutors the results of its almost 6 month long investigation into a crash that killed three Martin County teens on Cove Road last summer.  Their SUV hit a front-end loader in a construction zone.  The Treasure Coast States Attorney office to decide who, if anybody, to charge.  The teens had all been drinking before the fatal crash.

A motorcyclists died after a crash on the Turnpike in Jupiter over the weekend.  The FHP says 71 year old Harold Wilhelm lost control of his motorcycle on an off ramp at Indiantown Road Saturday, and died of his injuries on Sunday.

Today is the last day to apply for a Homestead Exemption if you've moved the past year.  You do that at the Property Appraiser's office.  Getting the Homestead Exemption will save the typical homeowner hundreds of dollars a year on property taxes.

The three finalists to replace Frank Brogan as President of Florida Atlantic University will be here today and Tuesday meeting people and answering questions at the St Lucie West campus.  The FAU Trustees are scheduled to pick one of them on Wednesday

A computer glitch has St Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara saying I’m sorry. A Computer call system was supposed to call residents Friday afternoon about the Operation Safe Medicine Cabinet where people could drop off old prescription drugs. But the calls didn’t go out until Midnight, waking some people up. The sheriff says he knows it was a terrible inconvenience and “I apologize” In the meantime the drugs drops off on Saturday was successful and you can still drop them off at the sheriff’s office on Midway Road.

WEEKEND EDITION FEB 27 & 28

Treasure Coast Amateur radio operators have been talking with Hams in Chile after Saturday's earthquake. 

Both the PowerBall and Florida Lotto jackpots have rolled over again after nobody had all the numbers on one ticket Saturday night.  PowerBall's new jackpot is $114 million while Lotto jumps to $17 million.

The Mansion at Tuckahoe was dedicated and officially opened Saturday in Jensen Beach.  The County used a variety of grants to refurbish and restore the building at Indian Riverside Park.  The mansion is on an old Ayes Indian trash pile of clam oyster shells.  It was build by the Leech family in 1938

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 26

Cold weather shelters will open again tonight on the Treasure Coast.  The Martin County Red Cross shelter on Kanner Highway and the shelter at the Ft Pierce Community center have been open off and on more this year than in recent years due to returning cold.   9 people stayed at the Martin County shelter Thursday night.

St Lucie County firefighters battled a house fire in the north county area today.  The fire was reported around 11 am in the 7300 block of Coquina Ave.  One third of the home was engulfed in flames by time the first fire units arrived.

Florida's small business group has it's wish list for the state legislature to consider when this year's Session starts.  The Florida wing of the National Federation of Independent Businesses wants the state to suspend a workers comp tax increase that's automatically scheduled for later this year.  They want the state to block any health insurance reform in Washington that requires people and businesses to buy medical insurance.  They also want slip and fall tort reform.

St Lucie County residents can get rid of old prescription drugs the safe way Saturday.  Sheriff Ken Mascara has set up Operation Safe Medicine Cabinet where you can drop off old Rx drugs with no questions asked and they will be property disposed of.  They won't take used syringes.   You'll get a $5 gift certificate to use at Wal-mart, CVS Drug stores and the Butterfield Pharmacy.  There are 4 drop off locations.  the main Sheriff's office on Midway Road, the Fire Stations on California Blvd and Village Green Drive and the sheriff's Lakewood Park substation from 10am to 3pm.. 

This years winners of the annual Marties awards from the Martin County Council for the Arts are:

IN EARLIER LOCAL NEWS....

The City of Stuart is willing to be flexible on the location of a county government center.  City officials tell the Stuart News it doesn't have to go where the Sailfish Park ball fields are.  They say if Martin County finds there's another location  that better fits their needs downtown, that would be fine with them.  They just want it built downtown.

The Rivers Coalition plans to write the South Florida Water Management District asking the Board of Governors to extend the March 31st deadline to close the deal to buy 73,000 acres south of Lake Okeechobee as the first part of the Everglades restoration.

14 bicycles that a Wal-Mart in Palm Beach County almost threw out are now in Port St Lucie. Media partner CBS 12 discovered dozens of almost brand new bicycles were thrown into trash bins at a Wal-Mart in Lake Park. The president of the Port St Lucie Police Athletic League Richard Wilson says the bicycles were always supposed to be donated to them.  PAL plans to give them to needy kids

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 25

The Florida Supreme Court threw out the murder conviction of a Ft Pierce man.  Alvin Tumblin was convicted of killing Ft Pierce auto repair shop owner Johnny Johns in 2004.  The Court said the trial judge should not have allowed a St Lucie County Sheriff's official testify about what Tumblin's alleged accomplice in the botched robbery testified about in court.  Prosecutors are expected to put Tumblin on trial again. 

Martin Memorial has disciplined some employees who were involved in taking part in taking cell phone photos of shark attack victim Stephen Schaeffer in the emergency room.  They don't think the photos were taken to make money and no one has been fired.  Some employees have been reprimanded or demoted.  Some involved are not employees of Martin Memorial. The ER staff is also being trained in proper protocol.  Martin Memorial is not banning cell phones in the ER.

A sunny but cool day will lead to a cold night.  Lows in the 30s are expected on the Treasure Coast overnight and again on Friday night.  A Red Flag brush fire alert isin effect today meaning conditions are highly favorable for brush fires.  A high wind advisory is also in effect for Lake Okeechobee.  Emergency cold weather shelters will be open tonight.

A snowstorm hitting New England is having a ripple effect on air traffic in Florida.  Some flight in and out of Palm Beach International have been canceled today. 

The Treasure Coast had to deal with strong thunderstorms on Wednesday that brought hail to many areas of Martin County and 60 mph winds to Port St Lucie.  Two golfers at Palm Cove in Palm City were injured hail and one had to be treated at Martin Memorial.  Today and Friday we have to deal with another cold snap.  it will get down into the 30s tonight and Friday night.


The Florida Chamber of Commerce wants the Florida Legislature to deal with jobs and the economy during next month's regular session.

There's a new artificial reef off Hutchinson Island.  A 65 foot tug boat was sunk Wednesday afternoon to become the latest addition to the Sirotkin Reef.  It was donated by American Custom Yachts of Stuart and real estate broker Ted Glassrud paid for most of the environmental clean up of the old tug before it was sunk in 187 feet of water near the Wickstrom, a 169 foot freighter sunk as an artificial reef in 2003. The tug will be known as the Glassrud Reef.

The President of the Martin County Taxpayer's Association Don Pickard plans to run for the Martin County Commission seat now held by Sarah Heard.  Former Commissioner Lee Weberman is also running against Heard in this year's Republican primary.

The historic Ft Pierce boyhood home of former Florida Governor Dan McCarty may be just weeks from being torn down. The Ft Pierce Historic Preservation Board has given the owner, attorney J Curtis Boyd, permission to tear it down. The hurricanes a few years ago badly damaged the home at Boston Ave and Indian River Drive. Nobody had the money to repair or relocate the home. Boyd says he plans to tear it down would like to see a restaurant and offices built on the site. Dan McCarty was Governor for a few months back in 1954 before suffering a fatal heart attack. He is the only Governor from the Treasure Coast.

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24

A series of strong thunderstorm moved thru Martin & St Lucie County this afternoon.   Lightning, hail, heavy rain and strong winds were reported.  About 2,700 FPL customers lost power in Martin & St Lucie county.  Several trees were reported blown over along Farms Road near Indiantown.  A utility shed was heavily damaged in Palm City and two golfers in Palm City were injured by hail that left them bleeding.   The Jensen Beach fire station reported pea to dime-sized hail.  A lifeguard at Jensen Public Beach reported nickel-size hail.  60mph winds were reported in Port St Lucie.  More thunderstorms are developing west of Lake Okeechobee and will be coming this way the rest of this afternoon.

The cold weather is coming back.  The forecast lows on Thursday and Friday night will be in the upper 30s.  Tonight's low will be in the mid 40s with wind gusts up to 25mph.  That could mean wind chills in the low 40s.  A fire weather watch is in effect today and a Red Flag wildfire warning will be in effect most of Thursday.

Two of the Florida banks with the biggest losses last year were Treasure Coast banks.  The FDIC says Seacoast National lost $143 million during 2009.  Riverside National lost $131 million.  Only Sabadell United bank in Miami and FirstAtlantic lost more.  Losses were also reported at other local banks.  1st Peoples lost $4.6 million, Gulfstream lost $3.3 million and Oculina lost $785,000.  First Bank of Indiantown made $229,000.  14 Florida-based banks were closed last year

Several dozen fisherman protested atop the New Roosevelt Bridge this afternoon.  They were protesting Fisheries Commission regulations restricting the catching of some fish species to replenish the stock.  The protest coincided with a bigger one in Washington.

A Hobe Sound man has been named by Governor Crist to serve on the state's Emergency Response Commission.  Ray Butts began serving February 19th. The Commission implements segments of Florida's Emergency plan and advises the state and federal officials on hazardous wastes.  Butts is also the director of Florida Power & Light's environmental services. 

St Lucie County has approved part of the reorganization plan that County Administrator Faye Outlaw has been working on.  The plan consolidates 18 departments in to 9 and eliminates 28 positions which should save the county $2 million a year.

Martin County commissioners approved a contract to buy the Sailfish Park ball fields for $100 from the city of Stuart for a county government center some day.  Little League officials say they are satisfied with city plans to build two new ball fields at Guy Davis park a half mile away.

Martin County found possible Sunshine Law violations by the committee that recommended Bayview Construction get the contract to build an aquatics complex.  The county will re-bid the project and have a new recommendation within 60 to 90 days.

The Chairman of Martin County’s Republican Party has been appointed to a special committee that will review the State Republican Party’s operations. Mark Klingensmith was appointed by the new state chairman John Thrasher to help oversee the transition. The old state chairman John Greer took a lot of heat for how he ran the party. Klingensmith, an attorney, is also a Sewalls Point Town Commissioner.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 23

Martin County Commissioners voted to approve a contract with the City of Stuart to continue with plans to use SailFish Park for a future government center.  The Little League is satisfied with city promises to build two new ball fields a few blocks away.  The vote was 3-2 with Commissioners Heard and Ciampi voting no.  Stuart City Commissioners approved the contract last night.

Martin County will re-bid the contract to build an aquatics complex.  Acting County Administrator Taryn Krysda said today they found some validity to a protest filed by a company that did not get the contract.  She says the County will expedite the rebidding process.

St Lucie County's Airport Director resigned today.  Diana Lewis will take a job as the Director of the Eig-Watson School of Aviation at Miami Dade Community College.  She is the 4th department head to quit in recent days as the County begins looking at plans to consolidate departments to save money.

St Lucie County Fire officials say the person who lived in a home on south 25th street late Sunday night had set the house on fire.  They concluded the occupant had set fire in two places.  That person was treated at Lawnwood Regional for smoke inhalation.  About $10,000 damage was done to the house valued at $40,000.

The undercover Palm Beach County deputy charged Monday with leading Florida Highway Patrol troopers on a high speed chase from Martin County to Palm Beach County lives in Port St Lucie.  At first Carlos Disboa told them he was on a case, but an investigation showed he wasn't.  He is on paid administration leave.

Port St Lucie police had to chase a man who fled from them Monday night.  James R White reportedly made an illegal turn pulling in to a gas station at Darwin and Tulip.  He sped off down Darwin, hitting street signs and then a power pole at Paar Dr.  he then reportedly ran off.  A helicopter was used and they finally caught him at the Westport water plant.  He said he fled because he didn't have a license and was scared. 

Treasure Coast governments are already worrying about budget shortages later this year.  In Martin County some commissioners are pushing for employee pay cuts.   Cuts in services like closing fire stations, getting rid of lifeguards at the beach and shortening library hours are a worst-case possibility.  St Lucie County comissioners look at a plan to consolidate or close some departments to make up the difference.

Word from the Business Development Board is that the US HHS Department will approve almost $6 million in grants money to help all 51 Martin County businesses and non profits hire 261 new employees.  St Lucie County officials are optimistic they'll also get grant money to allow 49 companies hire 339 workers.

Port St Lucie City Council members want more information before deciding if there should be one exclusive food caterer to run the kitchen at the Civic Center, or have a list of a half dozen approved caterers who can use the kitchen.

Vandals hit the CASTLE’S Memorial Field in Port St Lucie overnight Sunday. The traveling flag exhibit is at the Seacoast National Bank at US 1 & Tiffany. Each of the 198 flag represents abused children. One of them has the name of Tristan Allegra, the 8 year old Port St Lucie boy smothered by his mother Christmas of 2008. Vandals pulled the flags out and threw them on the ground. The dedication of the exhibit is still on for 5:30 pm today.

MONDAY FEBRUARY 22

 5 suspected refugees came ashore near Sewall's Point early this morning.  A 6th person is is custody after Martin County deputies found a boat that may have been used to smuggle the others.  4 are believed to be from Haiti & the Dominican Republic, and 5th from Cuba.  it's believed a 32 foot Wellcraft was used to land the refugees on the north side of the Stuart Causeway between midnight and 1am, though the first call came in to authorities around 6:30 this morning.  The six were handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  The group taken into custody had a fake passport. Martin County deputies and Stuart Police helped Sewalls Point Police search for more and the Coast Guard sent a boat.

Martin County firefighters put out a small brush fire near the Turnpike entrance in Martin Downs this afternoon. 

20,000 Floridians a week could lose their unemployment benefits unless Congress passes an extension.  Leaders in both the House & US Senate say they will.  The extended benefits begin running out in March.  One report says 105,000 Floridians could lose their unemployment checks during March and 415,000 by the end of June unless Congress acts.

Former Speaker of the Florida House Marco Rubio leads Governor Charlie Crist 54 to 36 percent among likely Republican Voters in the race for the US Senate nomination, according to a new Rasmussen Poll. 

Stuart Police arrested 4 men on drug charges Friday night.  An officer walked up on a car in the 1600 block of south US 1 where he says the 4 were doing drugs.  Arrested were Vincent Malandrino of Jensen Beach, Logan Crump of Stuart, William Chad Harris of Mayo, Fl and Trevan Zane Fisher.

A Stuart man was charged after a bar beating Friday night sent another man to the hospital.   Stuart Police were called to the Triangle Lounge and found the victim on the floor.  He was airlifted to the Lawnwood Regional Trauma Center while 38 year old James Michael Swisshelm went to jail.

A fire was reported late last night in Hobe Sound.  the fire was in the 6400 block of SE Sherwood st which is west of US One south of the SeaBranch area.

A person suffered a deep leg cut from a boat propeller Sunday afternoon.  That person was airlifted from Sandsprit Park to Lawnwood Regional's Trauma Center,

We finally have some warmer weather on the Treasure Coast.  Highs in the 70s are predicted until Thursday when we'll get back down into the 40s by the end of the week.

A new report says global warming will likely mean fewer but bigger hurricanes. Ten experts in hurricanes and climate from the World Meteorological Organization expect a 2 to 11 percent increase in hurricane strength by the end of this century. They suggest the number of category 4 & 5 hurricanes will almost double by then. They also expect the number of hurricanes to decrease from 6 to 34 percent. What they can’t say for sure is whether or not global warming that they say would lead to this has begun.

WEEKEND EDITION FEBRUARY 20 & 21

St Lucie County's Veterans Services Director Paul Hiott retired Friday.  That surprised and upset many veterans who came to a veterans forum Saturday organized by Treasure Coast Congressman Tom Rooney.  Martin County's Veterans Services Director said Hiott told him that top county administrators want to cut the number of St Lucie County departments and department heads to save money.    

Nobody hit Power Ball of the Florida Lotto jackpots last night.  Power Ball is up to $76 million an Lotto rolls over to $13 million.

Martin County Commissioners will discuss the bid process that lead to Bayview Construction getting the contract to build an aquatics center at Tuesday's meeting.  West Construction filed a protest saying Bayview wasn't ranked in the top 7 firms but somehow ended up the top pick by a committee when they made their recommendation.  Commissioner Ed Ciampi asked for the discussion to be put on Tuesday's agenda.

Warmer weather is on the way.  Highs in the low 70s this weekend will be followed by highs in the upper 70s Monday thru Wednesday.  Temperatures will dip into the upper 60s by the end of the week.  Lows in the upper 40s by the weekend.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19

Tiffany Shepherd, the Port St Lucie High teacher who lost her job after working in a bikini on a charter fishing boat, was charged with filing a false police report in Okeechobee County.  She reportedly old police a woman has violated a court order to stay away from her when in fact the woman had not.  

Martin County Commissioner Ed Ciampi says he's against building a county government center where the city's SailFish Park ball fields are.  The Stuart News web site tcpalm.com quotes Ciampi as saying it doesn't make financial sense to spend millions building new ball fields and a new government building given the economic times and tight budgets.  Stuart city officials and the East Stuart neighborhood wants a county government downtown to spur their economy and create jobs.

The Treasure Coast is back under a Red Flag wildfire weather warning.  It means the area is prime for brush fires to start and spread quickly.  Today's Red Flag is in effect until 6pm.  Firefighters will be watching conditions closely over the weekend too. We've been under the Red Flag several times this week.  So far there haven't been any big fires.

A Martin County Deputy shot and killed a pit bull mix that attacked another dog in Indiantown this week.  The pit bull had come into a yard on SW Shawnee St and had the other dog in its jaws shaking it.  Deputies tried pepper spray, then shot it twice when the spray didn't work.  The pit bull's owner was upset, but said he understood.  The other dog survived the attack.

The Houston Cuozzo architectural landscaping firm in Stuart is going international.   They've already done work in Egypt and are in the running for a big job designing landscaping for a 6,000 acre resort in Saudi Arabia and perhaps a new Royal Palace.

PNC Bank has foreclosed on the 21 acres owned by developer George De Guardiola where Port St Lucie hoped to develop a downtown at US 1 at Walton Road.  When the economy tanked, he told the city he investor money dried up.  City officials say the foreclosure an pending December auction will likely delay the downtown project by several years.

Florida Education Commissioner Erick Smith expects state education budget cuts this year.  Martin County school officials are expecting state funding cuts of 2 to 12 percent.  if the state cuts are too much, there could be layoffs in most Florida school districts later this year

Hidden Oaks Middle schooler Christian McCarthy is the best student speller in Martin County. It’s the third time he’s won the Martin County spelling bee.  He bested 44 other elementary and middle school students from both public and private schools. The winning word was “salve”. Sarah Thompson, a 5^TH grader at Felix A Williams came in second while third place went to Molly McCormick, and 8^th grader at Doc Anderson Middle. The top ten spellers advance to the Treasure Coast regional spelling bee featuring the best from Martin, St Lucie and Indian River County March 20^th.

THURSDAY  FEBRUARY 18

A Red Flag wild fire warning is in effect this afternoon.  The National Weather Service says weather conditions such as winds and humidity levels are prime for the start and quick spread of brush fires in Martin & St Lucie county.

A former Martin County Teacher of the Year has filed to run for the school board.  Tina McSoley will run for the school board seat Maura Barry-Sorenson was elected to after Nancy Kline was elected School Superintendent in 2008.  McSoley now owns a student tutoring company. 

Palm Beach International ranks as the 7th best small airport in the nation.  JD Powers asked 12,000 passengers across the nation about how satisfied they were with airports accessibility, baggage handling, check ins, facilities and other things.  Indianapolis ranked first for airports that handle fewer than 10 million passengers a year.  Southwest Florida International near Ft Myers came in number two.  Ft Lauderdale was 13th.

The Treasure Coast Mary's homeless shelter for pregnant women opens today in Stuart.  The 6,200 square foot Mary's Shelter has bedrooms to house 13 women who will live with a housemother, great room, recreation room an offices.  It used to be a New Horizon's mental health facility.

Hidden Oaks Middle schooler Christian McCarthy won today's Martin County spelling bee.  it's the third time he's won, out-spelling 45 other students. 

St Lucie County Sheriff's officials say the green Ford SUV driven by Sharpkina Woods will be the key to finding who killed her and her boy friend Travis Lattimore whose bodies were found dumped behind a home in Orange Blossom Estates last Sunday.  Detectives say the inside was covered with blood and they believe Woods & Lattimore were killed in the SUV then dumped in the yard.

Republican State Representative William Snyder will face a challenge in this fall's election.  Democrat John Morgan has filed to run.  A democrat has never held the seat which is mostly Martin County with a sliver of Port St Lucie and a piece of northern Palm Beach County.

A legal challenge by a Miami towing company that did not get the contract to run the I-95 Road Ranger program will delay the start of the program in Martin & St Lucie county by about 3 months.  The Road Ranger help-to-motorist patrols were supposed to begin this month.

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 17

The woman found murdered with her boy friend near Ft Pierce last Sunday was pregnant.  St Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara also told reporters today that the green Ford SUV she was driving was were the shootings took place.  The inside was covered with blood.  Sharpkina Woods was 4 weeks pregnant.  It will be up to the Treasure Coast States Attorney office whether this will be considered three murders or just two, Ms Woods and Travis Lattimore.

A new report says Martin County is one of Florida's healthiest, while St Lucie County is not.  The report by the University of Wisconsin's Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation looked at 30 different areas... things like premature deaths, teen pregnancy rates, smoking, drinking, poverty levels and more.  They rank Martin County 4th best in Florida for health outcomes and 18th in health factors.  St Lucie County comes in 30th for healthy outcomes and 48th for health factors.

Two men went to jail on cocaine trafficking charges after a traffic stop in Stuart Tuesday afternoon.   The deputy pulled them over for a flat tire.  The deputy noticed one of them trying to hide something.  It was 239 grams of cocaine.  Each man said it belonged to the other, so they both went to jail.  27 year old Elvis Molina-Aviles of Stuart bond is set at $200,000.    The other man is from Tampa an his bond is $100,250.

Fire damaged a home in Port St Lucie last night.  The fire in the 700 block of SE Thanksgiving was reported around 8:14.  it was probably started by a cigarette.

Danielle DiTerlizzi is this year's Miss Martin County Fair.  the 17 year old Martin County High students is the daughter of former County Commissioner Michael DiTerlizzi.  She was crowned last Friday at the Martin County Fair.

Treasure Coast fire officials are watching closely for any wildfires that are more likely whenever it's cold.  Tuesday we were under a Red Flag Alert.  Today we are under a fire weather watch.  The brush fire index is at 409 in Martin County and is 321 in St Lucie. They begin to worry about brush fires when ever it tops 500.

5 children injured in Tuesday morning's rollover crash on the Turnpike in Port St Lucie should recover from their injuries.  a rear tire blew just south of the Port St Lucie toll plaza causing the SUV to roll ejecting 3 of the children.

Florida tourism was off a little less than 1 percent last year.  tourism officials say 80 million people visited last year.  Those that did expected bargains and were pinching pennies.

The Martin County School Board discussed ways to help Palm City Elementary teacher Karen Gangi stay in North Carolina where her husband Rob is recovering from a skate board brain injury.  Other teachers wanted to donate their sick days and vacation time to her, but that's probably illegal under state law.  The school board told their attorney to keep looking for a way to help.

Proposed new state laws could affect St Lucie County’s home arrest program. The bills the Florida Legislature is considering would limit who is eligible for house arrest and electronic monitoring. Officials say many of those in the program in St Lucie County now would not be eligible if the changes become law. That would mean they’d have to be kept in an already crowded jail and cost the county as much as $2 million more.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16

A rollover crash on the Florida Turnpike in Port St Lucie sent several children to hospitals this morning.  Six people including 5 children ages 2 to 14 were inside the SUV when it rolled between the  Port St Lucie and the Becker Road SunPass interchange around 8:30am.   At least one of the children was airlifted to a trauma center.  The southbound Turnpike lanes were closed for a time backing traffic up for at least a mile.

Emergency cold weather shelters are expected to open tonight in Stuart & Ft Pierce.  Temperatures will drop into the mid to upper 30s overnight and wind chills will make it feel colder.  The shelters open whenever the lows drop below 40 degrees. 

A Red Flag Fire warning is in effect today and Wednesday for Palm Beach, Martin, St Lucie and Indian River counties.  The cold weather and gusty winds will combine to raise the potential of wildfires breaking out and quickly spreading given the dead vegetation from the January freeze.  

Albertson's closed 4 of its stores in Palm Beach County over the weekend.  The supermarket says the stores in Boca Raton, Loxahatchee, Delray Beach and Lake Worth have been underperforming for some time.  The Albertson's in St Lucie West and Vero Beach remain open.

They need your help solving a double murder in St Lucie County.  The two people found dead in the back yard of a home in Orange Blossom Estates Sunday had been shot and their body's dumped there.  Ft Pierce Police had the woman's SUV towed from the parking lot of an apartment complex on north 28tth St just hours before the bodies of Travis Lattimore and Sharpkina Woods were found. 

There's an execution set for tonight in Florida.  Martin Grossman was convicted of killing a wildlife park officer back in 1984 in Pinellas County.  Grossman is Jewish and several Jewish groups are working for a reprieve.  He's scheduled to be put to death at the state prison in Starke at 6pm

Florida's Chief Economist for the Legislature says Florida's economy has probably hit bottom.  Amy Baker expects things to pick up, though she says unemployment will likely stay high another 5 years.

A missing boater who left Ft Pierce for the Bahamas last Thursday but never arrived has been found alive & well.  The Coast Guard says 79 year old Richard McClow from Illinois was picked up by another boat and taken to the Bahamas after his boat apparently broke down.

A national elephant center might not come to St Lucie county after all. Published reports say officials with the non-profit group didn’t care for the tone of 5 hours of questions they got from St Lucie County Commissioners. Commissioners got more than 600 emails from animal rights activists. Commissioners say they just had lots of questions and in the end they approved the elephant center. The elephant center’s officials now say they are looking at other locations.

MONDAY FEBRUARY 15

The man and woman found dead in the back yard of a home near Ft Pierce Sunday had been murdered.  St Lucie sheriff's detectives say 21 year old Travis John Lattimore and 35 year old Sharpkina Yolanda Woods both had shot gun wounds. St Lucie county Sheriff Ken Mascara says both had been killed someplace else and their bodies dumped behind a vacant home in Orange Blossom Estates where two young children found them around 2pm.   A green Ford Expedition owned by Woods' mother was found parked in front of some apartments on north 28th street and was towed hours earlier by Ft Pierce Police Sunday morning.  Lattimore was wanted for a homicide in Miami-Dae that occurred February 8th.  The two had been living together and had moved to St Lucie county about 5 months ago.  Officials are asking for any tips, especially about the green Ford

Former Treasure Coast State Representative Chuck Nergard suffered what's described as a massive heart attack Sunday.  He is doing better today at Lawnwood Regional.  Nergard is 81.  He represented the Treasure Coast until Ken Pruitt defeated him in the Republican primary for the Florida House seat in 1990.

567 more homes sold the last quarter of 2009 in Martin & St Lucie county than sold the last quarter of 2008.  The median prices was down about $22,000 over the year. 

The Coast Guard is searching for a man who set sail last week from Ft Pierce for the Bahamas.  79 year old Richard McClow of Naperville, Illinois left Ft Pierce last Thursday but never arrived in Marsh Harbor.  He was in a 23 foot cabin cruiser named Hoponose. 

Florida gas prices are down again.  AAA says the average price this week is $2.65 a gallon compared to $2.69 a week ago.  You can find gas selling for $2.59 a gallon at several gas stations along US 1 in between Stiart and Port St Lucie.

A Stuart woman, her 37 year old daughter and her 7 year old granddaughter are on the cover of Time magazine.  Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers report Time's photo editor went to college with 65 year old Laila White's daughter.  Time was doing a feature story on health and there's such a strong resemblance the photo editor friend chose them for their story on "The Science of Living Longer."  Time flew all of the to New York for a photo shoot.

CLICK HERE TO SEE TIME COVER. 

Today is the President's Day holiday.  No school today in Martin or St Lucie County.  Martin County government offices and Stuart City hall are open.  Port St Lucie and Ft Pierce city halls are closed.  Some St Lucie County government offices are closed, but some are open.

The Treasure Coast Medical Examiner's office will try to identify the bodies & the cause of death of an Hispanic male and Hispanic female were were found behind a vacant home in the Orange Blossom Estates area near of Ft Pierce Sunday afternoon by two young boys playing.  Counselors have been talking to the boys helping them cope

The Medical Examiner will also autopsy a man who was found dead near the House of Refuge Sunday.  Martin County detective do not believe it was foul play.  He might have fallen while fishing from some rocks.

It’s going to be cooler than normal most of this week on the Treasure Coast. Lows in the 40s are expected every night this week before temperatures begin rising more toward the normal range for this time of year.

WEEKEND EDITION FEBRUARY 13 & 14

The bodies of a man and woman were found south of Ft Pierce this afternoon.  Children playing in a vacant lot on Coronado Ave in the Orange Blossom Estates neighborhood discovered the bodies around 2pm.  St Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara says in press release it was an Hispanic male and an Hispanic female laying face down.

A man was found dead this morning near the House of Refuge.  He appeared to be in his mid 30s.  Martin County detectives do not suspect foul play and the thinking his he fell while fishing from some rocks.  The medical examiner will determine the cause of death.

23 fugitives were picked up during a two-day sweep by the US Marshall's office in St Lucie County.  They found a man wanted for attempted murder in Ft Pierce and several others wanted on child molestation charges.  Other fugtives wanted for things like back checks, tax fraud, counterfeiting, dealing in stolen property and other local, state and federal crimes were found and arrested during the sweeps last Wednesday & Thursday.

Jensen Beach High Schools music teacher & Band Director Thomas Dougherty was named Martin County Teacher of the Year Friday.  The Elementary School Teacher of the year is Andrea Ascuitto of Port Salerno Elementary.    Truly “Cathy” Cottle of Murray Middle was named Middle School Teacher of the year.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12

A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for the Treasure Coast tonight.  The national weather service says things have to potential to get dicey with strong winds, heavy rains and lightning as a cold front pushes across Florida.  The watch is in effect until 10 pm.

A wrestler competing in the Regional playoffs at Jensen Beach High was injured today and taken to a hospital.  He is a student from Eau Gallie High in the Melbourne area and was injured during a body slam.  He was airlifted to Lawnwood's Trauma Center in Ft Pierce.  His condition was not immediately available.

Fire damaged a home on Port St Lucie's south side this morning.  St Lucie County firefighters put out the fire around 3am in the 2900 block of SW Romano Rd.  Two women live there but were not home at the time.  A space heater started the fire.

Stuart Police have identified 3 men who allegedly tried to steal a piece of heavy machinery from Metro Fire Sprinkler company earlier this week.  All were from Miami and a 4th suspect who ran off after they abandoned their van on US 1 in Jensen Beach remains at large.

Martin County's Teacher of the Year will be announced later today.  Each of the school district's 22 schools have nominated a candidate.  This year they will have an Elementary, a Middle School and a High School Teacher of the Year.  The event is sponsored by the Martin County Education Foundation.

A Port St Lucie teacher has been named a semi-finalist for the National Teacher Hall of Fame.  Rosemarie Ayers, who livs in Hobe Sound, is a literacy coach at Mariposa Elementary.

The Treasure Coast Planned Parenthood is going to end its La Promesa program for Hispanic women. The Stuart News reports Planned Parenthood is not asking the Martin County Children’s Services Council for a $50,000 grant this year. The program provides family planning ideas that does NOT provide abortion services. But pro-life supporters have been critical of the Martin County Children Services Council for providing any funding of Planned Parenthood because they do offer abortions.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 11

Port St Lucie's St Patrick's Day Parade is back on.  The Lions Club, Captec Engineering and Shindig Irish Pub have chipped in the money the Friendly Sons & Daughters of Ireland needed to put the parade on.  The Port St Lucie city council turned down their request for $10,000 funding this week, forcing them to cancel the Parade.  It's back on thanks to the donations.  The Parade & Festival will be March 13th at the Civic Center.

There were fewer new foreclosures started in Martin & St Lucie county in January.  RealtyTrac says foreclosures dropped 31% in Martin County from January of 2009, and they were down 40% in St Lucie.  208 new foreclosures were filed in Martin County last month.  833 were filed in St Lucie County.  Palm Beach County saw 2,762 filings last month which was a 58% increase.  Florida as a whole also saw an increase of 15%.

A teenager was hurt earlier this morning when a car hit his family's car from behind in Ft Pierce at Oleander and Ioxoria.  The boy was getting out of the vehicle at the time around 6:20am.  He was taken to Lawnwood Region with non-life threatening injuries.

Bales of hay fell off a truck on I-95 in Port St Lucie this afternoon causing a multi-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes.  Vehicles crashed into one another as they swerved to avoid the bales.  Just one person was injured.  The FHP had to close two of the three lanes for a time to clean up the mess.

The Polk County Florida school district is offering a free iPOD to parents of students with disabilities to take a survey.  The iPODS are being used as an incentive to get parents to do a ten minute survey.  They want to know how they can get parents more involved.  Critics are upset that $350,000 in federal stimulus money was used to buy the iPODS.  There are 10,000 students with disabilities in Polk County.

Temperatures dipped into the upper 30s at most back yard on-line weather stations on the Treasure Coast this morning.  The cold had emergency shelters open overnight in Martin & St Lucie county.

A number of morning flights from PBIA have already been canceled due to the snow storm up north.  SouthWest and Continental have canceled most of theirs from Palm Beach International to Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia.  Afternoon flights are still on, but may be canceled later.

Times are tough in Martin County, but county officials say they have tried to help stimulate the local economy.  During the State of the County report presented to community and business leaders, Acting County Administrator Tyran Kryzda say an expedited permitting process has helped Vought, TurboCombusters and FPL's solar power project in Indiantown.  Martin County has also received $76million in Federal economic stimulus funding including the Indian Street Bridge.

the Friendly Sons & Daughters of Ireland have canceled this year's St Patricks Day parade and festival in Port St Lucie.  Earlier this week the City Council turned down their request for funding saying the city doesn't have the money.

Martin County School officials are trying to find a way to let other teachers help a Palm City family. Rob Gangi suffered a head injury in North Carolina and his wife Karen wants to stay with him while he recovers. She used up the last of her sick days last Friday. Other teachers at Palm City Elementary wanted to donate their unused sick days, but state law says no. They might be able do donate unused vacation days, but maybe not. The Martin County School Board will talk about all this at next week’s meeting.

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10

at least 49 flights in & out of Palm Beach International have been canceled today due to the big snow storm up north.  All flights to Washington have been canceled because the two airports there closed this afternoon.  Flights from PBIA to the Philadelphia, Baltimore and New York areas are also affected.  Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland flight are also being effected.

A pretty strong wind from the northwest is blowing down Florida today.  It's part of that big storm system bringing snow up north.  It will be cold here tonight with lows in the upper 30s expected by dawn Thursday.  It will get down to the mid or even lower 30s in the Indiantown, Vero and Okeechobee areas tonight.  Wind chills will be as low as 29 even east of I-95.

The Martin County Red Cross cold weather shelter will open tonight at the chapter headquarters on Kanner Highway at 7pm.  It will close Thursday at 6am.

A police chase on US One earlier this afternoon from Stuart to Jensen Beach.  Thieves were seen trying to steal a piece of machinery from a Stuart water sprinkler company.  They fled in a van north on US 1 with Stuart Police & Martin County deputies in hot pursuit.  4 suspects abandoned the van in front of the Jensen Beach Lowes store and took off.  3 of them have been caught.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission wants to discuss a safety incident that happened at Unit 1 at the St Lucie Nuclear Power Plant in October 2008..  A press release from the NRC says air got into a cooling system and  "...could potentially diminish the capability to cool plant safety equipment".  It isn't clear what plant equipment was involved.  It was greater than a low safety significance. The NRC has scheduled a meeting with FPL officials about this on February 19th in Atlanta.  .

A 2 year old Ft Pierce girl was flown to St Mary's Trauma Center after a TV fell on her Tuesday night.  The 27 inch set was one of the older, heavy CRT types.  It happened around 7pm at the family home in 1600 block of Jersey Avenue.  Her injuries were NOT life threatening.

A motorcyclist died after a crash on Westmoreland Blvd last night.  He crashed in a construction zone area around 7pm.  He was in his 40s but no other information is available to the media. 

Most of the homes that sold in Port St Lucie in December sold for a loss from the last time they were on the market.  Zillow.com says 68% sold at a loss.  State wide, 47% of the homes that sold in December sold for less that what the owners paid for them in previous years.

there were fewer foreclosures filed with the St Lucie County courts last year.  Records show 8,324 filings last year which was 1,246 fewer foreclosure court filings that the record year of 2008.

Martin County and Stuart City officials have agreed to continue talks to use the city's Sailfish Park ball fields for a county government center downtown.  County Commissioners made it clear they would not do the deal unless the city builds replacement ball fields somewhere else to take care of Little Leaguers.  The city says they will.

More than 400 homes in North River Shores will finally get to hook up to county sewer. Martin County Commissioners have approved a special assessment district to provide the service to 434 homes. They’ll each pay $6,405 over a 15 year period which will a $38 to their monthly bills. Construction will start next week and be finished in November.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 9

Another cold front is coming.  Lows in the 30s are expected Wednesday night-Thursday morning and perhaps again early Friday morning.  The snow storms up north have resulted in some canceled flight at Palm Beach International and other Florida airports.

Martin County Commissioners today voted to continue talks with the City of Stuart which is offering the Sailfish Park ball fields as a site for a new county government complex to house most of the constitutional officers.  County commissioners won't agree to the offer if it means a loss of ball fields for Little League.  City officials say they intend to replace the ball fields. 

Another marijuana grow house has been found in St Lucie County.  Sheriff's deputies served a search warrant at a home on Sky King Drive off Range Line Road Monday and found 25 pounds of pot and growing equipment such a lights and fans.  Three people were arrested.

The speed limit is going to be lowered on St Lucie Blvd between Indian St and East Ocean Blvd.  It's 35mph now but Martin County Commissioners voted to lower it to 25 mph after residents complained about speeders turning it into an unsafe road.  Traffic engineers say 50 percent of the traffic is using St Lucie Blvd as a short cut between Old Dixie and A-1-A. The new speed limit will take effect in about two weeks after new signs are put up. 

Treasure Coast students take the first part of this year's FCAT tests today.  It's the writing part of the FCATs.  4th-8th & 10 graders take the test which has the students write an essay on a topic.  The other FCATS in reading, science & math will be in March

A couple hundred Little Leaguers and their parents protested at last night's Stuart City Commission meeting.  They don't want the city to use the Sailfish Park ball fields behind the Martin County Courthouse for a government center building.  600 Little Leaguers use the ball fields.  City officials say 90 percent of them don't even live in the city and they say a government center would bring the constitutional offices back to downtown Stuart helping the city's economy.  Another protest is planned before the start of today's Martin County Commission meeting.

The Port St Lucie City Council last night turned down the Friendly Sons of Ireland's request for $10,000 in city funding to hold the St Patrick's Day Parade & Festival this year.  Organizers say it will be difficult to hold the long-running event without the help.  The majority of the council said the city just plain doesn't have the money.

A rare coin dealer is suing Google for their listing his home address instead of his business address in Stuart. Jonathan Harris says Google is making it easy for thieves to find his home. He says in the lawsuit filed in Martin Circuit Court Google did this once before in 2007 but changed to his business address upon request. But he says they’re back using his home address again which he says violates Google’s own Privacy Policy & puts him at risk.

MONDAY FEBRUARY 8


Two houseboats were destroyed by fire overnight in Ft Pierce.  Firefighters were called to the fires on Harbortown Drive just before 2am.  A third boat had minor damage.  One man was taken to Lawnwood Regional.  His medical condition is not available.

The Martin County United Way has given a one time $10,000 grant to help the Haitian relief effort.  Half the money was used to buy tents and medical supplies that Missionary Flights International flew from Witham Field airport to Haiti.  The other half was given directly to Missionary Flight International for plane fuel and maintenance of its aircraft. 

Florida gas prices are dropping.  AAA says the price is down 3 cents a gallon from last week mostly because there are fewer speculators playing the oil market.  Most have been scared off due the uncertainty of the economic recovery.  The US dollars is also stronger putting pressure on gas prices to drop.  The average price of a gallon of gas in Florida is $2.69, though you can find lower prices in Martin & St Lucie County.  A week ago it was $2.72

Two Ft Pierce area men were arrested after they allegedly punched an stabbed another man in the head.  The victim told police he was in an SUV on south 25th St when Carlos Zepeda and Raul Zepeda came up and started beating on him.  Both reportedly had knives and the victim was stabbed in the head during the attack.

A woman was seriously hurt in a traffic crash Sunday afternoon in St Lucie County.  The woman, in her mid 30s, was hurt when her pick up rolled over at Selvits and Glades Cutoff Road.

The Space Shuttle Endeavor launched in a spectacular night launch at 4:14 this morning.  The launch could be clearly seen from the Treasure Coast as the sky was clear. The shuttle is on its way to the International Space Station.  The 7 crew members will return in two weeks.

It was cold again this morning with lows in the 40s, the second day in a row for that.  The cold weather and big snow storm in the mid-Atlantic states over the weekend has canceled couple flights to and from Palm Beach International again this morning.

Toyota of Stuart will be open day and night starting today.  Service techs will be on duty fixing the recalled vehicles overnight.  You can take the car in a night and pick it up in the morning.

A Ft Pierce man went to jail after allegedly stealing beer from a delivery truck Friday. Police say after taking two packs of Budwieser beer from the truck, he went after the beer truck delivery guys with a knife after they confronted him. 45 year old Bobby Lee Bailey was being held in the St Lucie county jail on $102,000 bond

WEEKEND EDITION FEBRUARY 6 & 7

The Treasure Coast woke up to temperatures in the upper 40s Sunday.  It's part of that big snow storm system that dumped 2 1/2 feet of snow in the mid-Atlantic area and Washington.  Numerous flights from that area were canceled or delayed this weekend at Palm Beach International and other Florida airports.  Lows before dawn Monday are predicted to be in the low 40s.

Clouds forced NASA to scrub Sunday morning's launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavor. They'll try again Monday morning at 4:15am in what is scheduled to be the last night launch in the shuttle program.  The forecast calls for a low cloud ceiling Monday & Tuesday mornings at the Kennedy Space Center though. 

An 8 year old girl was hit by a car while skateboarding in Port St Lucie Saturday afternoon.  She was hit in the 1100 block of SE Sebina Lane and flown to a Palm Beach County trauma center.

There were two aircraft crashes on the Treasure Coast Saturday.  A helicopter crashed at St Lucie International in the morning while taking off around 11:30am.  A strong gust of wind may be to blame.  The pilot suffered only minor injuries even though the chopper ended up on its side.  A half hour later, a single-plane registered in Oregon made a hard landing at the Indiantown Airport slightly injuring two people on board.  The men told Martin County deputies they were on their way to Boynton Beach.

Stephen Schaefer's friends held a memorial and a beach party in his honor Saturday.  He was killed after a shark attack near Stuart Beach this past week.  Several hundred of his surfing friends did a traditional paddle-out to remember him.

Treasure Coast sports bars and pizzerias are geared up for tonight's Super Bowl in Miami.  The Publix store in Port St Lucie's Darwin Square was packed Saturday and again early this morning with people picking up stuff for their own Super Bowl parties.

One PowerBall ticket sold in North Carolina matched all six numbers drawn Saturday night and wins the $140 million jackpot.  Nobody hit the jackpot in the Florida Lotto drawing so it rolls over to $5 million for Wednesday night's drawing.