Have a great Sunday Morning!

Fall is different in Stuart. In fact, have you even noticed any change from the summer yet?

As I write this, it is only 88 degrees. That is a few degrees less than it was last month but far from autumn-like anywhere else in the country. Once the weather really begins to change around this time next month, we all will be saying how fortunate we are not to be cold or not to have snow, sleet or even rain as our dry season takes hold.

In Connecticut, it is still in the 60s or even 70s during the day. The leaves have not yet begun to turn. In the mornings, it is in the upper 40s and just chilly enough to help keep up a brisk walking pace. As the sun rises, it seems to me to be the brightest it will be all year.

As the light of day fades progressively earlier in November and December, I don’t know about you, but I am ready for a drink as the sun sets. On December 21st this year, the winter solstice, the sun will set at 5:30 in Stuart and 4:30 at my home in Greenwich. I guess I can have an extra drink if I am up north.

I always liked winter. Not because of the cold or snow but because of how early the darkness comes. That was even as a child. I always found it comforting.

Winter is the time for stews and soups, braises and roasts. As a kid one of the surest ways to heat up our apartment was by turning on the oven which gave the central heat a boost. The steam heat would whistle through the radiators and condensation would form on the single pane windows and ice would be the byproduct on the cold glass…the poor man’s insulation.

Since I am the cook in the family, I carried over the same style of winter cooking in Stuart. A tough piece of beef or lamb in a low oven for hours results in a wonderful flavorful meal without the need to use your knife to cut the meat but more likely the utensil is used to push a morsel onto your fork. And while putting on an oven in the summer in either place results in raising the temperature, I never minded doing so in January.

For many, once January rolls around, Stuart is the place to be. For the next three months, people are looking to run away from the Northeast. A little snow at Christmas is nice. A lot of snow in February is a killer.

However, when I am up north the fireplace is on by 4, and I like to read at the end of the day as the flames dance. Since I travel to both places all year round, I get to experience the good and bad of both. But, there is very little bad that Stuart has to offer in the winter.   

I read an article recently where Senator Elizabeth Warren was quoted as believing that the food from restaurant chains owned by private equity firms does not taste as good as it once did when the companies had individual owners.

Warren pointed out that Jersey Mike’s, which was taken private by Blackstone, was a small mom and pop that became a national chain. The food is no longer up to her standards because the company is owned by private equity instead of Peter Cancro, the founder. The article pointed out that Cancro was far from what the model of a small business owner who slept over the store is. He has a net worth of $6 billion.

The senator would like to see private equity banned from ownership of food chains. Like so many people, Warren thinks that businesses are somehow immured from markets. They fail to see that if the food is not good, consumers won’t buy it. Americans don’t need government dictating who or what type of entity can own which kind of businesses.

Roark Capital is the largest private equity firm owning food chains. They have been highly successful in growing restaurant chains. But they do fail at times. Roark’s failure to revive Carvel Ice Cream is a testament to the consumer being the ultimate judge, not the intentions of private equity or the government.

Product sales are all that should count to determine whether a company is successful or not. A bad concept or product is a bad concept or product. Americans do not need Big Brother telling us who should own what. I would hate to rely on some government department to decide those things.

What the government owes Americans and their businesses is a level playing field. Monopolies in any business should have much more scrutiny and be prevented, not the entity that owns the business that is fairly competing in the marketplace. And it just isn’t Democrats that think they know best. President Trump signed legislation that limited the number of homes that can be owned by institutional investors because of fears they were buying too many single-family homes which was driving up prices. There was no evidence for that belief whatsoever.

Regulation needs to be based on fact not subjective opinion. Economic theory needs to support what the government does. Competitiveness will bring the best products for the cheapest prices to consumers, not artificial and capricious regulations. People like Warren should stop being a nanny and start being a stateswoman.

I first met Byron Donalds when he came to Martin County to speak on behalf of having an appointed superintendent instead of an elected one.

He was a thoughtful advocate for that point of view. I was in favor of retaining the elected position. After several years with an appointed superintendent, I am convinced that I was wrong and Donalds was right.

Donalds has come a long way since then. He became a three term Congressman and now he is running to be Florida's MAGA Republican governor. With the nomination in hand, nothing should stop him.

Florida for at least a decade is anything but a “Purple” state…it is Republican all the way. 39% of the registered voters are Republicans, 31% Democrats, and 29% Non-Party Affiliated (NPA). Unfortunately for Byron, a few things could make Donalds lose this time around.

His patron, Donald Trump, has an overall disapproval rating of 53% in Florida. 63% of Independents disapprove of the president’s performance. However, the polls show that between 73% to 82% of Republicans approve of his performance. That should mean that a great many Republicans should support Donalds, but will they is the question.

In this race where Independents will play a large role, having so many disapprove of the president will hurt Donalds. He needs to have as much NPA support as possible. In 2022, DeSantis beat Crist by 19.4%. He had wide support among NPAs.

David Jolly, his Democratic opponent, currently holds a 1 or 2% lead in most polls. (or he did when this was written) Any Republican running, especially one so closely tied to Trump, would have a problem. Donalds has one more disadvantage…he is Black in a party that has shown itself to have racist adherents. He won the Republican primary with only 42% of the vote.

Florida is a very diverse state with South Florida being cosmopolitan with the Panhandle more closely resembling next door Alabama. According to an article in Florida Phoenix, Donalds lost rural areas where roughly 94% of the voters are White and mostly Republicans. Though the 16 counties he lost have small populations as compared to Broward and Dade, they are necessary for any Republican to win.

Since Donalds has been a MAGA adherent, Black Floridians have not supported him. Jolly, a former Republican Congressman, is about as likable and non-confrontational a candidate as the Democrats could have put up. He is no Democratic Socialist and his campaign platform is right down the middle…not too far left and not too far right.

Congressman Donalds has the misfortune to be a Black Trump follower in a party where some Republicans voters will hold the Black against him and the independent voters will do the same because of the Trump affiliation.

The Supreme Court has at least for now allowed the administration to deport immigrants to countries other than their nations of origin. The court will hear arguments in December as to whether it is legal or not. What?

Imagine being a guy who has done nothing more than crossed the border without authorization. Since being in the country, he has worked, has never been arrested, and has been a member of his community and church. Then the person is swept up and put on a plane to South Sudan instead of back to his home country. Our government has probably signed their death warrant for what is at best a misdemeanor under U.S. law.

How about a Venezuelan national being deported to El Salvador and ending up in the super prison, CECOT. His lawyers can’t locate him nor can his family. It is like he was dropped into a big black hole, and it is likely he will never be seen again.

The court has decided that putting the policy on hold is needless. If they decide that it is unconstitutional, how are those deported to third countries supposed to be repatriated? OOPS!

This is not justice, nor should it be allowed. The America I grew up in was better than this. The U.S. government is in an all-out war in our name against Black and Brown immigrants. And some in the administration do not even bother to call it anything else.

The most despicable of Trump administration figures, besides Trump, is Vice President Vance. His war on immigrants who look like his very own wife, a daughter of Indian immigrants, and his own children is unexplainable. While he may trace his roots back generations, his wife and his children are anything but what he has said constitute real Americans.

Vance is really proud of his newly found Catholic faith. He has gone so far as to question Pope Leo’s criticism of him and the administration. Vance wants us to believe that his interpretation of dogma is the correct one and Pope Leo, an Augustinian theologian by training, is incorrect. Almost by the Church’s own definition when it comes to doctrine, Vance’s point of view is impossible.

The Department of Homeland Security even hired Chad Pecknold as the Principal Director for Cultural Outreach. Pecknold is a long-time theology professor at Catholic University. He has offered mind bending Catholic arguments to uphold Trump policies on immigration and the Iran war.

Pecknold has praised Hungary’s Orban for defending White Christian identity. Pecknold, a Catholic convert like Vance, describes himself as part of the post-liberal right. Most theologians have said that Pecknold’s interpretation of Catholic teaching on immigration is in direct opposition to the Pope and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that founded Catholic University.

In 2016 he signed a letter from conservatives calling Trump unfit for the presidency. Though they praised Trump for speaking about the breakdown in immigration law, the letter stated that Catholics should support other candidates “who do not exhibit his vulgarity, oafishness, shocking ignorance, and—we do not hesitate to use the word—demagoguery.”

I guess that was then and this is now.

Does being a MAGA Conservative mean being anti-immigrant unless it is a White immigrant from South Africa? Does being a conservative mean treating fellow human beings as inferior because their ancestors did not fight in the American Civil War as Vance claims? Catholic Social Teaching is a moral test on how we treat the most vulnerable among us. When did American Catholics abandon that?

It is clear to me that the positions of the Trump administration do not represent the viewpoint of most Americans. Their policies on the Iran war, immigration enforcement, and social programs are anathema to our basic morality. It is time for us to repudiate this regime acting in our names.

At the recent Martin County Final Budget Meeting, there were not even 25 citizens there.

Charles Ponzi

This is the final chance to make their preferences known to the commissioners on spending and taxation. Yet no one presented a suggestion or a request on what services to cut or for that matter to increase. In a county of roughly 163,000 people, nobody cared to exercise their right to self-government.

Yet there is supposed to be billions in unnecessary spending. The commissioner with the loudest voice to cut the budget was Eileen Vargas. When questioned where that would be, she resorted to her tired line of “tightening belts.”  That is not leadership, it is politicking.

Amendment 3 is nothing, but one big political stunt perpetrated on Florida residents in the name of fiscal responsibility. The Tallahassee elite has sure pulled the wool over voters’ eyes by promising everything to everyone and not providing one dollar extra to localities to make sure essential services are not cut.

Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research published their findings on July 10, 2026. You can see it here  In the first five years, Amendment 3 will reduce funding at the local level by $46 billion. I don’t care how much waste and fraud you think exists, it doesn’t come anywhere close to that number.

Further, for the first time ever, Tallahassee will dictate where local money can be spent. If Amendment 3 passes, Floridians are giving up their rights to 100% determine how their local tax dollars will be appropriated. If you like your libraries and parks, the only way they will be maintained will be through user fees.

In Martin County over the first two years, $143,650,000 of funding will be cut. If you live within a municipality, even more dollars will go away. That also holds true for projects funded by the Children Services Council, F.I.N.D., and SFWMD.

Within most of Martin County, taxpayers pay the Fire Rescue MSTU (just look at your tax bills). $32 million of that funding will be gone after the 2nd year. And by law you can’t transfer funds from ad valorem to make up for any shortfall. So, for all those who believe the propaganda from Facebook or Next Door…don’t!

There is no such thing as a free lunch. That is what you are being sold by the governor and legislature. Vote no on Amendment 3.

George Washington Plunkitt was probably the best reason to love how Tammany Hall operated in 19th century New York.

Plunkitt is probably most known now for his hatred of Civil Service and his practical short talks on governance recorded in the early part of the 20th century known as “Plunkitt of Tammany Hall.” He was a master of what became known as machine politics. He served in the New York legislature off and on for 30 years and in Democratic Party leadership for almost 60.

One of his sayings was, “I seen my opportunities and I took ‘em.” Plunkitt also saw a difference between honest graft and dishonest graft. Dishonest graft is when you go after things solely for your own enrichment but honest graft when you do so for your party, state, constituents, and yourself.

Though Plunkitt began his political career when Boss Tweed was the “grand sachem,” he became the next generation of Tammany leaders. He cautioned that Tammany should take a more modest approach. Plunkitt believed in making sure the money and patronage was spread around to the people living in the tenements and slums…the Democrats’ constituents. It was important that jobs were given to those who showed loyalty to the party and voted the right way.

His Tammany lasted into the 1950s and early 1960s. Tammany Hall under Plunkitt was located on 14th Street. It had an oyster bar, ladies lounge and theater. The clubhouses throughout the city were a place to have a drink and talk politics. People would be able to speak to their local pols and ward healers about a problem with an apartment or help with getting a job.

I am afraid we have reverted to the Tammany of Tweed today in Washington. It isn’t about the little people being helped in return for their vote but rather how much can the president and his family and friends take home. It looks like today we have returned to what Plunkitt would call dishonest graft.

George Washington Plunkitt would be quite familiar with the Trump bunch. It would be everything he cautioned others to avoid. Tweed outright stole from the city’s treasury. Meanwhile Plunkitt took advantage of having an idea of where to buy vacant land as the city expanded. Tweed would just make sure that the government paid through the nose for parcels he owned whether they were needed or not.

Plunkitt died in 1924. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Queens. When he sees what the Trump crew is pursuing, Plunkitt is turning over in his grave.   

There are two other constitutional amendments on the ballot next month.

If passed, Amendment 1 would increase the maximum amount retained in the stabilization fund to 25% of general revenue collections from the current 10%. It will require annual transfers of the lesser of $750 million or the amount needed to reach 25%. Why?

It was originally a rainy-day fund to be used in emergencies. It hasn’t been used since 2008. It currently has $5.6 billion, and with other such funds, the state has $16 billion of taxpayer money. Tallahassee has enough. Vote no.

Amendment 2 has to do with the tangible personal property tax on agricultural land used for the production of agricultural products and agritourism. It will cost local governments about $32 million. My question is why?

While agriculture is important, so too are many other industries. I don’t think we should be giving one business a tax break over another because we think all farms are owned by families. This is another easy one. Vote no.

The August election is behind us, but there are still local issues that will be on the November ballot.

There are two school board races to be decided in this election. The first is a runoff between the incumbent, Chrystia Li Roberts, and Cherie White, who is new to running for elective office. Both have been involved in Martin County for years.

Roberts has been a steady and knowledgeable presence on the school board for a long time. If re-elected, Roberts will be prohibited from running next time because of term limits. Roberts studies every document before her and understands them. She is not shy about pointing out inconsistencies or errors made by staff or anyone else.

White has held many local government jobs. She is very competent when it comes to following procedures and instructions. I do believe she will diligently read her agenda packet and be prepared.

However, Roberts is the stronger candidate. The Martin County School Board can benefit greatly with her staying on for another term. White should try again in 4 years. Roberts has my vote.

The other school board race is between incumbent Amy Pritchett and former board member, Anthony Anderson. Pritchett rose to fame defeating Anderson four years ago as the local leader of “Moms For Liberty.”  She had a point of view that was on the ascendency then.

While every sitting member is trying to take credit for Martin County becoming an “A” rated district, I would say no member was responsible as much as Superintendent Maine and his team. Pritchett was a junior supporting player in spite of the campaign hype.

I thought Anderson was too much a teachers’ representative in his prior school board term and not enough of a citizens’ representative. Then when he lost to Pritchett, his swan song was a sore loser’s tirade for an hour at a school board meeting. It was quite unbecoming.

That was the last election.

Pritchett has an unseemly habit of appearing at other government meetings to speak about things that are before those boards and have nothing to do with her job. You do not see other school board members or elected officials speaking at other local government meetings. If she wants to be a gadfly, then being in elected office is not the place.

Anderson is an accomplished educator and understands what needs to happen in the classroom. I believe he has learned that his job is to be an advocate for the citizens, children, and taxpayers and not for any one group such as teachers. My vote will be for Anderson.

During campaign season in Stuart, there was a flurry of accusations that Sailfish Ball Park would be sold to developers.

There had been no inquiries by developers. Nothing was in the offing but sitting commissioners and those who wanted those seats up for election fanned the flames of stupidity. One, Will Laughlin, confused and conflated what SB 180 and 102 were. He claimed someone would just build on the fields if they wanted. He was wrong and it showed why he didn’t deserve to be elected.

That didn’t let off those who were eventually elected, Rich, Clarke, and Matheson, as well as Giobbi and Reed who were not up for election, from their pandering. They were responding to a Facebook story that had been posted and not any real threat. It was a profile in cowardice by all. So, to soothe the angry masses that were nonexistent and voters that couldn’t care in the least, they decided to have a referendum on whether, even in the distant future, these properties can be sold without voters’ consent.

At the same time, the same spineless group of “leaders” decided to also have a referendum on whether 2 acres on Federal Highway north of the Roosevelt Bridge should be incorporated into the Haney Creek Preserve.

About 15 years ago those same two acres were carved out of the preserve to use for a long-term lease to a business that would provide income for the maintenance of the rest of Haney Creek. It was done by referendum. Now because of the whim that began with Boss Collins when he was still on the commission looking to shine up his non-existent environmental credability, it is once again going to referendum to try and achieve a different result from what the voters had earlier chosen.

Politicians would do anything not to make decisions. They like the perks of being elected officials, but they hate the hard work and criticism, most of the time unfairly, that comes with the job. This results in a pass the buck philosophy that is rampant today not only in Stuart but everywhere.

It sounds good to say, “let the people decide.” What that really means is “let us off the hook.” Each commissioner makes nearly $30k a year including benefits for this less than part-time gig. If commissioners never had to decide anything, they would be happy. What they fail to realize is that we are a representative democracy. Elected leaders decide and the voters decide on their leaders.

Don’t let them off the hook in one case and avoid a decision that has already been made by the voters in the other. Vote No on these two referenda.

I hear it often. Kids today don’t know how to communicate. They don’t want to work. They don’t know how to solve problems. They spend too much time on their phones. They aren’t involved in their community.

What if we start thinking about those statements a little differently. Maybe the question isn’t, “What is wrong with kids today?” Maybe we should ask, “Who is teaching them?”

We expect young people to know how to communicate, but how often do we give them the opportunity to have a real conversation with people they don’t know? We expect them to be responsible, but how often do we give them something meaningful to be responsible for? We want them to be good leaders, but how often do we let them lead? We tell them they need to learn how to solve problems, but how often do we step in and solve the problem for them because it is faster or easier?

The truth is that young people don't develop these skills simply because adults tell them they are important. They develop them through experience. A young person learns responsibility when someone depends on them to get something done. They learn communication when they must stand in front of a group and explain something. They learn leadership when they are given the opportunity to make a decision and accept the consequences. They learn perseverance when something doesn't work the first time and an adult encourages them to try again instead of fixing it for them. They learn service when they have the opportunity to do something that benefits someone other than themselves. And sometimes, they learn the most from failure.

That last one can be difficult for adults.

We want to protect our kids. We want them to succeed. We don't want them to be embarrassed, disappointed or frustrated. But sometimes, in our effort to make life easier for young people, we unintentionally take away some of the very experiences they need to become capable adults.

Youth development programs like 4-H, sports, music, FFA, community service organizations, and countless other activities provide something incredibly important: opportunities to practice being an adult before becoming one. They give young people a place to make decisions, work with others, take responsibility, make mistakes, solve problems, and try again.

Sometimes the best thing an adult can say to a young person is, “You take it from here. I'll be here if you need me.” If we want young people to become responsible adults, we must give them responsibility. If we want them to become leaders, we must let them lead. If we want them to communicate, we must give them someone to talk to. And if we want them to become engaged members of our communities, we must give them a reason to believe that their contributions matter. And we need to create spaces where they can do all of these things while feeling safe to fail because they know supporting adults will help them get back up and try again.

So maybe the next time we find ourselves complaining about what today's young people can't do, we should stop and ask ourselves a different question: Have we given them enough opportunities to learn how?

Kids don't magically become responsible adults when they turn 18. They become responsible adults because, long before then, someone trusted them with responsibility. If we want better adults tomorrow, we must give young people the opportunity to become them today.

David Hafner’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

As the weather begins to cool and calendars start filling up, we are excited to enter one of our favorite times of the year: event season! At the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast, fall and winter bring a variety of exciting opportunities for our community to gather, celebrate, and support animals in need. While our events are undeniably fun, they also play a critical role in helping us continue our lifesaving mission.

Throughout the year, HSTC cares for thousands of homeless, abandoned, and neglected animals. Providing food, shelter, medical care, enrichment, and adoption services requires significant resources, and fundraising events help bridge the gap between adoption fees and the actual cost of care. Every ticket purchased, sponsorship secured, auction bid placed, or raffle entered helps fund the programs and services that make a difference for the animals in our care.

Events are also a wonderful way for supporters to see firsthand the impact of their generosity. Whether attending a casual gathering, an educational event, or one of our signature fundraisers, guests have the opportunity to connect with fellow animal lovers, meet members of our team, learn more about our programs, and hear stories of hope and transformation. These moments create a stronger bond between our organization and the community we serve.

Beyond fundraising, community events allow us to spread awareness about important topics such as spay and neuter services, fostering, and responsible pet ownership. They create meaningful conversations and help introduce new people to the many ways they can support animal welfare, even if they are not currently looking to adopt a pet.

Our events also give us the chance to celebrate the incredible compassion that exists throughout the Treasure Coast. We are continually inspired by the businesses, sponsors, volunteers, donors, and attendees who come together to support our mission. Your participation helps ensure that local animals receive the care, second chances, and loving homes they deserve.

Whether you attend a fundraiser, become a sponsor, or simply help spread the word, your involvement has impact. Together, we can have fun, strengthen community connections, and raise the critical funds needed to provide lifesaving care to animals in need.

Our upcoming signature events include Pup Crawl in November, Pooch Plunge in December, Mutt March in January, and the Paws and Claws gala in February.

Keep an eye on our website, social media pages, and newsletter for event announcements and ticket information. We look forward to seeing you at an event soon and sharing another season of impact, compassion, and community support.

Frank Valente's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

It happens every year. The calendar barely turns to September, the temperature is still somewhere between “summer” and “surface of the sun,” and suddenly pumpkin spice is everywhere.  Pumpkin spice lattes. Pumpkin spice muffins. Pumpkin spice candles. Pumpkin spice cereal.  And somewhere, someone is using pumpkin bread as the body of Christ.

You either love pumpkin spice or you think it’s one of the greatest marketing schemes ever invented. Either way, you have to admire its ability to get people excited about a season.  And that got me thinking.  What if people got as excited about church as they do about pumpkin spice?  Imagine the possibilities. “Have you heard? The fall worship season is here! I’ve been waiting all year for this! Do you think they’ll bring back my favorite song?”

Okay, perhaps I’m getting a little carried away. But there might actually be something worth learning from our annual obsession with all things pumpkin spice.

1. A Little Spice Makes a Difference

Here’s something interesting about pumpkin spice: There’s usually no pumpkin in the spice itself. It’s a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and sometimes allspice. Individually, they’re ordinary ingredients. But put them together in the right proportions, and suddenly people are willing to pay twelve dollars for a cup of coffee.

The church and community work a little like that too. Each of us brings something different. Some bring musical gifts. Others bring compassion, hospitality, wisdom, generosity, or a plethora of skills.

Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12 that we are one body with many members. No single person is the whole church (or whole community). We need one another. And just like pumpkin spice, the magic isn’t in one ingredient. It’s in what happens when everything or everyone comes together.

2. The Aroma Should Draw People In

Have you ever walked into a coffee shop and immediately smelled freshly brewed coffee and warm cinnamon? Before you’ve even ordered anything, something about the atmosphere makes you want to stay.  I wonder if that’s how people experience that here. Not literally, of course. Although fresh coffee and donuts on every corner certainly don’t hurt. But when someone walks through our doors, what do they experience? Do they encounter warmth? Kindness? Laughter? A genuine sense that they belong? Or do they feel like they’ve accidentally walked into a private club where they don’t belong? In 2 Corinthians 2:15, Paul describes believers as “the aroma of Christ.” That’s a fascinating image. Our faith is supposed to be something people experience through the way we live, love, welcome, and serve. The church and our community should give off the unmistakable aroma of grace. And unlike pumpkin spice, grace should never be seasonal.

A Final Sip

Pumpkin spice season will eventually end. The decorations will come down. The coffee shops will move on to peppermint mochas. And before we know it, someone will be complaining that Christmas music started too early. But the way we treat each other should’t change with the seasons.  As people of faith we are supposed to, love our neighbors, welcome the stranger, encourage the weary, and bring hope into a world that desperately needs it. Maybe this fall, as we sip our pumpkin spice lattes (or quietly judge those who do), we can remember that we are all one community with different gifts, different personalities, and different perspectives for a shared purpose. And maybe, just maybe, to make the world a little warmer, a little sweeter, and a whole lot more welcoming. After all, if cinnamon and nutmeg can get people this excited about coffee, imagine what a community filled with the love and grace could do.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go light my pumpkin spice candle

Chad Fair's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Have you ever heard of Dengue Fever?  We are currently having the largest outbreak ever recorded in Florida with an elderly women dying last month. There are currently over 250 recorded cases which is the most recorded since the 1940’s!!

So what is Dengue Fever?  It is a virus that is transmitted by a mosquito bite.  You may have heard it called Breakbone Fever as the body aches known to accompany the virus can be so bad it feels like your bones are breaking!

For decades most of the cases of Dengue Fever in Florida were due to people who contracted it while traveling in the tropics and then they came back to Florida with it but in 2009 Key West reported the first case of Dengue Fever acquired in the continental US outside of the Texas-Mexico border.  Worldwide there have already been over 2.2 million cases with over 120,000 deaths this year alone!

Florida normally gets Dengue cases each year as many people in South Florida travel extensively to Puerto Rico which is a known hot spot for Dengue.  However this year instead of Miami having the most cases it seems that Tampa is the hub. Researchers are unsure why but they are spraying for mosquito’s around the clock. For the first time locally acquired cases have exceeded travel acquired cases. 

Dengue fever has four types. They are creatively called types 1,2,3 and 4.  It passes to humans from the bite of the Aedes Aegypti mosquito. When someone is infected they will develop antibodies against that strain for life.  However if they get infected with another strain, the antibodies from the first strain may fail to protect them from the other strain, and can actually help the virus evade the immune system and enter cells.  This has made it challenging to develop a vaccine against dengue.

As with many viruses the symptoms can be non existent to severe.  If you do develop symptoms it is usually around 4 days after the mosquito bite. Dengue tends to cause a very high fever.. around 104 degrees Fahrenheit.  It can also cause headaches, muscle, bone and joint pain, headaches, swollen glands,  a rash, an upset stomach and vomiting. Most people recover from Dengue Fever within a week or two but they may have persistent fatigue for awhile. In some people symptoms get worse and can be life threatening.  When this happens it is called severe dengue fever, hemorrhagic fever, or Dengue Shock Syndrome.  The severe form happens when the virus damages blood vessel walls and causes them to leak. Platelet count falls.  Platelets are our cells that form clots so when their number drops precipitously low we are unable to stop the leaky blood vessels. This can lead to shock, internal bleeding, organ failure and death. 

Severe Dengue Fever is a life threatening emergency! It’s symptoms can come on quickly. These symptoms usually appear one to two days after the fever resolves and includes severe stomach pain, vomiting, bleeding from the gums, blood in the urine or stool, bleeding under the skin or vomiting up blood. Your risk of severe Dengue fever is higher if you have been previously infected.

To prevent Dengue Fever make sure to wear insect repellent containing DEET.  Especially if you plan to be outside early in the morning and at sunset when insect activity is at its greatest.  Stay away from standing water where mosquito’s love to breed. If you have to work outside wear long sleeve shirts and long pants to make it harder for the mosquito’s to bite you. If you have recently traveled to an endemic Dengue area and develop a fever contact your health care professional right away!. 

Michele Libman’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

I have a problem with favorites. Not favorite people, necessarily. I have plenty of those. My problem is with the question. What's your favorite color? Movie? Book? Song?

People have been asking these kinds of questions forever, and I've never understood how everyone else seems to have an answer ready. 

When I was in my 20s and someone asked my favorite color, I often said "rainbow." It wasn't because I was trying to be clever. I genuinely couldn't choose.

And I've apparently been wrestling with the concept ever since.

How does anyone choose a single favorite from a lifetime of possibilities? Does "favorite" mean the thing you love most right now? The thing you've loved the longest? The thing that evokes the strongest memory? And are the rest of you really that certain?

I started wondering whether maybe everyone secretly has the same problem. Maybe people don't really have favorites. Maybe we've all just learned to produce an answer because apparently "I don't know" isn't an acceptable response to "What's your favorite movie?"

Naturally, I decided to conduct some research. And by "research," I mean I posted 12 questions on Facebook. Not exactly Pew or Gallup Poll level research. There was no randomized sample, no margin of error and absolutely no scientific methodology. I just asked my Facebook friends to name their favorites in categories ranging from colors and movies to books, food and places.

The results were surprisingly conclusive.

To quote the great social scientist Taylor Swift: "It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me."

People have favorites. Lots of them. Sure, there was the occasional "too many to choose" or "I don't have one." But for the most part, people rattled off answers with an ease I found both impressive and slightly disturbing.  They knew. I don't know how they knew, but they knew.

There was, however, one glorious exception. My friend Donna Vestal, who handles retail services and special events at House of Hope, refused to answer my little survey. Instead, she summed up exactly how I feel: "Why would I pick just one when I get to love all of it?"

At last, a kindred spirit!

I've always thought there was something vaguely indecisive about my inability to name favorites. Everyone else selects a winner and moves on, while I'm still standing there saying, "Well...it depends."  But it DOES depend!

My favorite song when I was 16? That's one question. In college? Entirely different. As a young mom? Different again.

And what kind of song are we talking about? A love song? Best lyrics? Best harmonies? The one that makes me dance? The one I want blasting in the car with the windows down?

You want me to choose ONE from all of those?

Books may be even worse. How do I compare the mystery I couldn't put down with the dystopian novel that transported me to another world?  Some books stay with us because they're extraordinary. Others because of who we were when we read them.

And places? How do I compare somewhere that takes my breath away with somewhere that feels like home?  This all seems like an excellent defense of my position.

Stacy Weller Ranieri's opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

  Florida voters face an important decision November 3: whether to amend the state Constitution to expand property-tax exemptions.  But before anyone predicts catastrophe for local services, taxpayers deserve answers to a question that has received far too little attention:  Where did all the extra money go?

Consider Martin County.  Its own budget shows annual property-tax revenue rising from approximately $186.4 million in fiscal 2019 to $304.1 million in fiscal 2025.  That's almost $118 million more per year – a 63% increase in six years.  These figures concern county revenue alone, not every taxing authority or beneficiary appearing on your bill.

The county's taxable property value grew from about $22 billion to $34.9 billion over the same period.  Even when officials hold millage rates steady, higher taxable values can produce larger collections.  A tax rate that stays the same is not necessarily a tax bill that stays the same.

And Florida has another built-in source of growth.  Save Our Homes limits annual assessment increases on qualifying homesteaded properties.  But when ownership changes, the property generally is reassessed at just value the following January 1, subject to statutory exceptions and portability rules.  A home carrying an older, lower assessment can therefore generate substantially more taxable value after a sale.

Multiply that effect across a busy real-estate market.  How much additional revenue has reassessment produced locally since 2019?  Taxpayers should be able to see that number clearly.

Then consider government payroll. An October 8th TCPalm investigation found more than 2,000 Treasure Coast government and public-sector employees earning salaries of at least $100,000, versus approximately 400 in 2014!  The comparison spans multiple agencies and jurisdictions, including institutions not funded by property taxes.  Still, it raises legitimate questions about the pace of compensation growth and public-sector staffing being funded largely by the public paying taxes while not even being able to earn these levels of salaries themselves?

None of this means government workers are overpaid.  Good firefighters, deputies, engineers, planners, and administrators cost money.  Inflation, population growth, construction, insurance, and deferred maintenance also matter.  We should not pretend that every new dollar collected is a dollar available to cut.

But neither should residents be expected to accept sweeping predictions of service reductions without a detailed accounting of where this massive increase in revenues is going?

Amendment 3 would expand the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, with adjustments thereafter for inflation.  School taxes would remain.   The proposal also contains changes affecting non-homestead assessments.  Its effects would vary by property and taxing authority, and substantial reductions in projected local revenue are a real possibility.

That makes transparency more urgent, not less.

Before November 3, local governments should show residents, in plain English, how revenues, staffing, payroll, debt, reserves, and service levels have changed since 2019.  Separate inflation-driven costs from expanded programs.  Explain which obligations are fixed, which expenditures are discretionary, and what specific services would be affected under different tax scenarios.

Most importantly, show the math – not just the warnings.

Property owners have endured rising housing costs, insurance premiums, and everyday expenses.  Many have watched their property values rise without experiencing a corresponding increase in income.

This debate should not be reduced to a choice between tax relief and functioning government.  It should begin with an honest examination of what government collected, what it delivered, and what it truly needs next.

After years of massively rising property tax revenues, asking where the money went is not at all unreasonable.  Questioning OUR priorities and spending is not either.  It's responsible citizenship and taxation with representation.

Andy Noble’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

The expanse of human experience takes us from love, mirth, and earthly delights to death, desolation, and privations.  Universally, all cultures have expressions of anxiety and discontent over the unavoidable reality that to every life comes an end.  October brings us Halloween, a syncretic celebration originating from a pre-Christian Celtic celebration recognizing the end of the harvest before winter in temperate latitudes coalesced with All Hallow’s Eve, the day before the All Saints Day, the Christian holiday celebrating the saints and the souls of the dead.  The two days juxtapose the human fear of suffering and death with the hope of an eternal soul that will arrive at a good ultimate destination.

We allow children to consider the trick or treat in their pretend costumed identities, the tentative dance between hope and despair.  Halloween is the ultimate expression of dark humor.  We are allowed to laugh and consider the dangers of being human.  The dark humor concerning the dangers of life and our mortality has existed in all cultures throughout history. Asian and Native American traditions allow for a continuing relationship with deceased family members. Mexicans celebrate the Day of the Dead, which is a fusion of the pre-Christian tradition of communing with dead ancestors and All Saints Day.   After periods of great catastrophe such as famine, war, or plague, Medieval Europeans invoked themes of the danse macabre in art forms, often whimsical depictions of the inevitability of suffering and death.  The greater lesson being taught is that we all eat humble pie to atone for the arrogance of believing that we could be above the fates that befall us.

Grimm Brothers folk tales were created for children and adults alike.  Dark humor exists as a coping mechanism to assuage our fears and create a safe psychological distance so that we are not overwhelmed with anxiety and emotional paralysis. Grimm Brothers tales were frightening cautionary tales regarding the consequences of human foibles and weakness. Recurrent themes included abandonment, greed, pride, and cruelty.  Two siblings abandoned in the forest during a famine were taken in by a witch who lived in a gingerbread house.  The wicked witch had planned to eat Hansel, but he was saved when his sister Gretel pushed the witch into the oven.   The lesson learned: the consequences of parental weakness not to care for their children can be reversed by sibling loyalty and resilience. In considering Mother Goose rhymes, we might be tempted to call social services and judge this old woman for not using family planning and gentle parenting:

“There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.

She had so many children, she didn’t know what to do.

She gave them some broth without any bread;

Then whipped them all soundly and put them to bed.”

Currently, it is easy to identify the prolific production of art forms which echo the macabre and darkly humorous, from popular music to cinema.  Celebrities in social media now constitute an endless circus of human depravity and vice, our modern ghouls and goblins are seducing our young into believing  that piercing any part of the body is normal or that face tattoos should not be problem for seeking a job. There are little girls who want to dress like Cardi B and little boys who want to wear a rap gangster fit, only to later recognize that the price for those two looks is actually a lot of pain.  We are no longer paying attention to our timeless morality tales admonishing us to make good life choices.

Dr. Louis Velazquez​’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

House of Hope works diligently at our mission to empower residents to overcome hunger and hardship. We do this work in two lanes. First, in basic needs, where we focus on food, clothing, financial assistance, and case management. We have become the largest provider of safety net services for lower income residents in the area. Our other lane is life skills, where we offer programs, services, and trainings for all ages, from early learners to seniors, with a focus on education, job skills, health and nutrition, family centered coaching, the arts, and more.

Even with all the different programs and services that we offer, over 70% of new clients come to us because of food insecurity. Our four food pantries, located in Stuart, Jensen Beach, Hobe Sound and Indiantown, are at the center of our mission. When clients enroll in our pantry service it gives us the opportunity to introduce them to a member of our Project HOPE team to connect them to our wide range of services, and to refer them to resources outside of our organization. So, in our model, we use our pantries as a bridge to empowerment.

Our pantries also embody our organization’s values, where we are client focused and people are treated with dignity and respect. Ours are not typical food pantries. We use a Client Choice model where our pantries are set up like small grocery stores. Access is always at no cost to those we serve. Our clients grab a cart and can select foods that match their family’s preferences and dietary needs. They are welcome to “shop” from a supply of nutritionally balanced groceries, including fresh produce, frozen meat, canned and dry goods, bread and pastries, dairy products, deli products, and other miscellaneous products such as condiments, snacks, baking products, and more. We take special pride in the fact that more than half of the food we distribute is fresh and healthy, with many pantry options grown by us at our own hydroponic farm.

Our pantries also provide support for our clients that are currently experiencing homelessness. They can access the pantry each day and select from freshly made sandwiches, salads, and side dishes as well as a variety of foods that we pick up each day from local restaurants, supermarkets and convenience stores.

Our pantries and our food bank services distribute approximately 1.7 million pounds of food annually and are important tools to influence the health of our community. We are fond of saying that healthy kids are better learners and healthy adults are better earners.

Our generous community also plays a key role in the success of our pantries and our ability to serve. All of our pantry locations accept food donations from the public. We also benefit from food drives conducted by local businesses, neighborhoods, youth groups, churches and others. Volunteers are also vital to our success, and help to sort food, stock shelves and assist clients. If you would like to learn more about how you can help, or if you need our services, please visit our website at www.hohmartin.org. Thank you for spreading hope in our community.

Rob Ranieri’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

I was recently at  a local event where I was asked the most common question a Realtor ever hears, “how is the market”? I generally have a stock answer based on my most recent analysis of the statistics provided by several sources (Florida Realtors being most commonly cited). However, the last year has forced me to be more detailed in my general response to this question.

A recent article in the New York Post was cited in the Stuart News. The Post basically did a statistical analysis that suggests that homes in Florida take longer to sell than in the other 49 states. The article says we have a “glut” of inventory and cites other issues in the difficulty of selling a home in Florida. Using my own knowledge I reviewed the article and found it somewhat confusing - it shows Texas as the next worst state. I agree that Florida has plenty of homes on the market and many factors face home sellers today. The strong offers and incentives from large developers, pricing to high for the market, inexperienced Realtors representing homeowners and of course, higher than “new normal” interest rates -  all lead to longer time on the market.

We recently worked with a couple that wanted to sell their home. We presented the current value, as we determined by reviewing sales, condition of the home, neighborhood and desirability. We gave the client a high value and a fair value. The client was not trying to make an excessive profit. We priced it to sell and had an offer in one day, offer accepted and the sale closed in 30 days. Why, because it was priced right and a willing buyer was there to make it happen. This happens more than it shows in the statistics.

To discuss the opposite effect is easy. A seller purchased a home pre-covid, watched it skyrocket in value and has put little or no improvements into the condition of the home. They contact us and we discuss the prospects for a sale. The seller wants an unreasonable price (based on our analysis). It goes to market and does not sell. After several price reductions, a change of Realtors and even seller concessions it finally sells for a price similar to the original suggested price. The statistics do not accurately reflect this very real scenario..

The bottom line answer to “how’s the market” is that when a reasonable seller meets a reasonable buyer (hopefully with a seasoned Realtor guiding the process) the deal will close and everyone will move to the next phase of homeownership.

Be informed and vote on Amendment 3.

John Gonzalez’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Lately some of you may have read or heard discussion about changes in birth rates.  You may have even read something about declines in human populations.  Maybe even leading to catastrophe.  This is complete nonsense.  The human population on earth today stands at a little over 8 Billion.  That’s Billion with a “B”.  That’s a lot of people.

According to demographers, earth’s population first hit 1 billion in 1804.  It took just over two hundred years to double by 1926.  Then less than 50 years to double again in 1974.  And just less than 50 years to double once again in 2022 and hit 8 Billion people (Graph 1).  That’s a lot of people.  That’s basically a 2% rate of increase and although this has slowed to 1.0-ish% the number of total people continues to grow.

This is fairly natural as, like most organisms, growth is generally tied to available resources.  Specific segments (populations in certain geographic areas or countries for example) may go up or down in the short term based on resource accessibility but overall the earth’s population is growing.  Just as you learned in middle school social studies class or perhaps history, migration plays a critical role in the sizes of local populations.  If times are good (greater access to resources), probably less outward migration and more inward migration.  If times are tough (resource scarcity), probably more outward migration and less inward. Its pretty straight forward all the way down to microorganisms.  And as in all life on earth, what bad looks like is when the population increases at such a high rate that existing resources can’t support and can’t be generated, obtained, created, or otherwise made available such that the entire population crashes (Graph 2).

Scientists have determined that the replacement rate for humans is roughly 2.2.  This means an adult woman should produce, on average, 2.2 children to maintain the existing population numbers.  So, those women having 3 or more children, mean some women should have fewer than two and so on.  Again, this is to maintain the current population level, not to grow.  Clearly, humans overall are having greater than 2.2 children per female.

Some of the sensationalism I have read suggests challenges ahead if we don’t keep up a high rate of reproduction.  Some suggest scarcity of human labor or financial contributions to social systems as examples.  Hogwash.  Aside from the selfish perspective, these views completely ignore the influence and power of migration.  Remember, it’s about resources.  Where there is demand, people looking for opportunity will fill the gap.  This has occurred in this country on a large scale several times in its 250-year history.

When I think about the big picture, I suppose the earth was getting along ok before humans, and if the overall human population were to shrink a few percentage points, I’m not convinced this would result in such a dire outcome.  And then there is the little picture.  When was the last time your friend mentioned that there was so little car traffic in town?  Or the last time a friend wished allowed for more people and apartments in town?  How about the last time you breezed through an airport?

Don’t listen to the doomsdayers about population decline.  There are plenty of people.  They are using fear to drive a political agenda.

Clay Scherer's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

United Way of Martin County has launched a new online volunteer platform designed to make it easier for local nonprofit organizations to find volunteers and for residents to connect with opportunities to serve their community.

The new system creates a central location for volunteer needs throughout Martin County. Participating nonprofits can post current opportunities, giving residents one place to learn where help is needed and how they can get involved.

For local organizations, the platform provides an additional resource for recruiting volunteers for events, programs, ongoing services and other community needs.

Nonprofits interested in posting volunteer opportunities can submit a request at: https://www.unitedwaymartin.org/form/request-for-volunteers

Cher Fisher of United Way of Martin County is also available to assist organizations with adding their volunteer needs to the site and navigating the new system.

The platform also simplifies the process for residents who want to volunteer but may not know which organizations currently need assistance.

Individuals can visit: https://www.unitedwaymartin.org/volunteer

After creating an account and completing a volunteer application, users can be connected with current opportunities available through participating organizations.

The goal is to create a more streamlined connection between residents who want to give their time and local nonprofits that rely on volunteer support.

Volunteer needs throughout the county can range from helping with special events and community programs to providing ongoing assistance or sharing professional skills. By bringing those opportunities together in one location, United Way hopes to make it easier for people to find a way to serve that fits their interests and availability.

The new platform also gives nonprofits another way to reach potential volunteers beyond their existing networks and individual outreach efforts.

Volunteer service is an important part of the work done by many Martin County nonprofits, allowing organizations to expand programs, support local families and meet needs throughout the community.

We are truly excited about bringing this one stop shop for volunteers and agencies.  United Way of Martin County encourages nonprofit organizations to begin adding their opportunities to the system and residents interested in giving back to explore the available volunteer opportunities.

For more information or to get started, nonprofits can visit unitedwaymartin.org/form/request-for-volunteers, while prospective volunteers can visit unitedwaymartin.org/volunteer.  As always if you  have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly at chdiez@unitedwaymartin.org.

Carol Houwaart-Diez’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

When you pay your property taxes, you may not immediately think of a baby’s first milestones, a parent gaining confidence, or a child learning to make friends. Yet a portion of those dollars helps make these moments possible right here in our community.

Through the Children’s Services Councils of Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee Counties, property tax investments provide 37% of Helping People Succeed’s revenue. This funding supports services that help children grow, strengthen families, and connect parents with guidance when they need it most. For Martin County residents, it is a connection between your investment in the community and the well-being of your neighbors.

That support begins early. Through Baby Connections, new parents receive information and encouragement as they navigate life with a newborn. Developmental screenings help families understand their child’s progress and identify concerns that may need further attention. When a child needs additional support, developmental and behavioral intervention helps families build skills through everyday routines, play, and interactions.

Healthy Families provides ongoing support to parents as they create safe, nurturing homes and strengthen their relationships with their children. Music and play groups offer opportunities for young children to explore, learn, and practice social skills while caregivers connect with one another. As children grow, afterschool and summer programs provide opportunities to build friendships, develop independence, and experience a sense of belonging.

Behind the numbers in the accompanying graphic are meaningful moments: a new mother feeling more prepared, a child finding a way to express a need, a parent learning how to respond to a challenging behavior, or a young person joining an activity with confidence. Progress often happens in small steps, but those steps can make a lasting difference for a family.

Investing in children also strengthens the community we share. Identifying needs early and helping families access support creates more opportunities for children to learn, participate, and succeed.

Thank you to our local Children’s Services Councils and the taxpayers of the Treasure Coast. Your investment helps Helping People Succeed turn community resources into support for children and families—and helps build a stronger future for our neighbors.

Christine Storm's opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

A conversation with Pedro, who builds SilverOpus’ Argentina journeys

The best vacations are built from someone who knows what a place feels like from the inside. Our Argentina programs, here at SilverOpus, come from Pedro, who grew up there and designs every one of them. I asked him a few questions. His answers were too good to paraphrase, so mostly I haven’t.

You’re designing Argentina for well-traveled visitors. What do you steer them toward that first-timers would never think to ask for?

Passion is a very important part of our culture. It runs through everything we do. My aim is for guests to experience Argentina as closely as possible to the way we do — not just to be in a place, but to actually feel it. It’s not just about eating an asado; it’s about gathering around the fire and the table, taking your time, feeling that warmth and familiarity. It’s not just about seeing the landscapes of Patagonia; it’s about feeling the remoteness, the wind, the silence — a sense of what the pioneers who ventured into this vast territory must have felt.

As for the “must-dos,” I don’t leave them off. The musts are musts. But there are many ways to experience them. We’ll take you to the must-see place — by the less congested, more beautiful road. We look for the moments and encounters that let you experience Argentina beyond the obvious.

Both our private and group programs end at a table, not a glacier. Why build the emotional peak around food and people rather than scenery?

The table is such an important part of our culture, and the asado is perhaps its fullest expression. It’s a common language for gathering — we all understand what it means. It’s not just about eating. It’s about old friends and new ones, old stories and new ones, the asador sharing (or hiding) his secrets.

There are two special things about our asados. Guests arrive when the fire is just starting, so they’re part of the ritual from the beginning. And at the end, everyone recognizes the asador with a round of applause — because the asado is an art, and artists deserve to be recognized. That’s where you share, connect, laugh, and create a memory with people. That is ultimately what I want our guests to take home.

Group or private — who is each for, and what do you most want someone to carry home?

Group travel offers a unique kind of enrichment. Everyone brings their own perspective, stories, and curiosity, and that enhances the experience for everyone else. Travel is, at its core, a social activity — it creates space for connections, and sometimes friendships that continue long after the trip. We’ve seen that happen among our travelers, and it’s been one of the most fulfilling things we’ve discovered as a company.

Private travel offers something different: the freedom to shape everything around the individual — their pace, their interests, their way of experiencing a place. But either way, what I want guests to carry home is more than photographs. I want them to take home a feeling of Argentina — the warmth of its people, the passion, the conversations around the table — and the desire to return. Argentina is too big and too diverse to experience in one trip. Hopefully the first journey just makes you want to come back for the next.

Pedro… take us home. Your home!

Marcelo Guimarães' opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

We’re days away from the county’s biggest annual honoring he innovation, entrepreneurship and the creative marketplace solutions that our local business community consistently produces.

The 2026 Martin County Business Awards ceremony will take place from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Oct. 26 at Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa in Jensen Beach.

This is a special year as the Business Development Board of Martin County is celebrating our 35th anniversary in operation—and an awards tradition that dates back 25 years.

We’re thankful for the generosity of our sponsors, particularly presenting sponsor Bank of America.

A big “thank you” also goes to our Gold sponsors, Ashley Capital, Cleveland Clinic, FPL, TD Bank and C&W Technologies, and Silver sponsors, Carr, Riggs & Ingram, EW Consultants, Hanwha Power, Indiantown Chamber of Commerce, Mattamy Homes, SouthState Bank, Sandhill Cove, Stuart/Martin County Chamber of Commerce, Value Tool & Engineering, and Waterpointe Realty Group.

Bronze sponsors Choice Waste of Florida, Daher, HBK CPAs & Consultants, Hinckley Yacht Services, FNBCC, Jensen Beach Chamber of Commerce, Merrill Lynch Wealth Advisors, Paradise Air Fresh, SLC Commercial and Tami Karol Insurance.

Patron sponsors include Hobe Sound Chamber of Commerce, , Manpower of the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast, Palm City Chamber of Commerce, South Florida Manufacturing Association and Treasure Coast Psychiatry.

We’re particularly grateful for the members of our Investors Council, including Acquisition Experts, LLC, Colliers, Eclipse Landscape, Evergreen Private Care, Express Employment Professionals, Indian River State College, Marine Industries of the Treasure Coast, Martin County REALTORS of the Treasure Coast, MidFlorida Credit Union, Seacoast Bank, and Truist Bank.

Award Winners

A big shoutout of appreciation goes to the local leaders who donated their time to serve on our selection committee and sift through more than 60 nominations to carefully choose this year’s winners.

We’re also grateful for the past winners of the beloved Charlene Hoag Leadership Award, who choose the 2026 winner—an honor that remains a closely guarded secret until the moment it’s revealed at the luncheon.

Business Excellence Award goes to Peter Stolper, CEO and co-owner of Stuart-based Seatorque Control Systems, which designs and manufactures marine inboard driveline systems that are renowned worldwide for helping a variety of vessels reduce noise, drag, engine load, fuel burn and maintenance costs. Based in Martin County for 36 years, the company partners in workforce training programs, advocates for environmental sustainability and supports numerous local nonprofits.

Company to Watch is Yellowpine Truss Corp., which opened a facility in Indiantown earlier this year and specializes in manufacturing trusses in a highly precise, streamlined process that ensures increased strength, reliability and flexibility for a variety of projects.

Entrepreneur of the Year, Frank Poma, has for more than 25 years operated various local businesses, employing more than 100 people in companies that manufacture high-end glass and metal railing systems, perforate metal designs, patented structural precast concrete and steel wall systems, to name a few.

Headquarters of the Year goes to STS Aviation Group. Headquartered in Jensen Beach, the company is acclaimed for excellence in aircraft services, engineering and manufacturing support. It’s grown from a regional provider into a global aerospace enterprise serving commercial airlines, military organizations, aircraft manufacturers and aviation operators around the world.

Innovation in Workforce Development, our newest award category, goes to Angela Hoffman and the Martin Chamber Foundation’s Career Connect program.

Founded by Angela, Career Connect offers concierge-style recruitment and training programs for jobseekers in underserved areas of the county while teaming with employers on placement and training opportunities to incentivize hirings.

Manufacturer of the Year is Tara Lordi, founder and CEO of Weedoo Boats, which opened a facility this year in Martin County to manufacturer its array of work vessels, all dedicated to removing invasives from waterways without the use of harmful herbicides.

Newcomer of the Year is Power Systems Manufacturing, a Hanwha company that supports critical power generation infrastructure through its innovative turbine upgrades. It moved back to Martin County after originating here in the 1990s, investing more than $17 million in capital investment and creating more than 100 jobs in skilled engineering and manufacturing.

Youth Entrepreneur of the Year is Julian Delvalle, 16, whose company, Flicks by JD, combines his love of sports and showcases his photography skills and is defined by his distinct editing style. He also works as a camp counselor over the summer for Martin County PAL.

An impressive group indeed! We hope you’ve already reserved your seat so you can join the celebration. This event has sold out for the last seven years in a row and only a few tickets remain. Please contact me at 772-221-1380 or tmcdonald@bdbmc.org for more.

Troy McDonalds's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

It’s getting closer.

We’ll soon swing open the blue doors of the new Hobe Sound Club and invite members to experience the exciting features of an advanced learning environment and the warmth and welcome that makes them feel at home.

We recently invited community members to join us in celebrating the topping-off ceremony of the new club coming to the 5-acre parcel at the northwest corner of SE Lares Avenue and SE Edwyn Street. We’re aiming to open in late spring.

The 28,142-square-foot building will offer a teen center, a gymnasium with an advanced lighting system, and programming space of nearly 5,000 square feet suited for hands-on, experiential workforce development exposure and training, as well as a commercial kitchen for our culinary team.

The grounds surrounding the club will include an expansive garden area, outdoor classroom, soccer field with an 800-square-foot field house and scoreboard that doubles as a screen. The parking lot and dropoff/pickup route are configured to maximize safety and convenience for our members and their families.

I’m extremely proud of our staff and design and construction team and very pleased with our experience working with Martin County.

This undertaking evoked a different range of emotions than our previous construction project—the Greater Stuart Club spanning 39,000 square feet in East Stuart, which opened in 2024. In that case, we had a blank canvas of 3.6 acres thanks to an agreement with the Martin County School District.

Creating the new Hobe Sound Club meant tearing down the facility that had served the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County since the early 1990s.

BGCMC started with Peggy Cole and Hays Clark in 1989. They were dedicated to establishing a safe space for young people—especially those from challenging circumstances—to gather, have fun, play sports, make friends and get help with homework.

Our inaugural club took up two storefronts in the Winn-Dixie plaza on Bridge Road. Early staff members remember using grocery carts to move books and computers into the building. Its 2,800 square feet accommodated 175 members aged 6 to 18.

Thanks to the generosity of the community and fundraisers such as the “Steak & Burger Dinner” at Jupiter Island Club—in which the donors dined on burgers and the kids ate steaks—enough money was raised to move out of the storefront. Spanning 9,500 square feet, the Hobe Sound club on Lares Avenue opened in 1993. The gym was added a few years later.

The former site served the community, too, hosting public soccer tournaments, Hobe Sound Chamber breakfasts, gardening demonstrations, even a butterfly release.

Fortunately, the future Hobe Sound Club will serve in the same capacity. We’ll make it available for the community to enjoy as much as possible.

An article published in The Stuart News on July 4, 1992, quoted Peter Fleischmann, BCGMC’s then executive director, on the kids learning “social skills and educational values that hopefully will stay with them all their lives.”

What I find most comforting in revisiting stories of our humble beginnings is how consistent we remain to the spirit that inspired our founding. Across five clubs for 1,000 members in our daily care and more than 10,000 impacted annually through our programming, BGCMC continues to instill values and habits that transform lives.

Our core emphasis on citizenship, academics and healthy lifestyles starts early. It’s the throughline in the STEAM courses, gardening activities, art projects, recreational time, even homework help, we offer to our kindergarteners through fifth graders.

Even as our middle- and high-schoolers grow and gain access to leadership principles, workforce labs and increased opportunities for responsibility, they’re taught the importance of respecting others, respecting themselves and respecting their choices.

It begins in an atmosphere where they’re fully accepted, encouraged, and valued.

That commitment—whether kindergartners or high school seniors, whether at the clubs of the past or the future—is always awaiting them on the other side of the blue doors.

Keith Fletcher's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Walter Deemer's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Every day our Council on Aging Martin County staff is privileged to work with seniors and their families, sharing resources with them and helping them navigate the aging process.

We also continually pull back to look at the big picture. What do the numbers tell us about the status of seniors and their needs today and tomorrow?

An excellent source of information is the Florida Department of Elder Affairs. Each year it produces a report to provide the public and the Legislature with information about seniors today and challenges for the future.

There’s a wealth of data in the latest report:

• Florida has the 3rd largest senior population in the nation, at 6.5 million individuals over 60.
• This population is expected to increase by 30% by 2030.
• 100+ is the fastest growing age group in Florida.
• 10% are likely to be suffering from Alzheimer’s or related dementias, and 18% with ambulatory disabilities.
• Martin County ranks 6th in the state for seniors over 60, with 42% of the population in this age category.

These numbers, according to the Department of Elder Affairs, means increased demands on infrastructure and services, bringing new challenges to the state’s economy and healthcare systems.

What are some of those challenges?

Seniors Across America, a nonpartisan advocacy organization, lists some of the most pressing on their website Seniors Across America.

• Healthcare: physicians and other healthcare professionals are in short supply, especially those with training in geriatrics, and  costs for long term care are becoming prohibitive.
• Housing: affordable housing for seniors is scarce, and the problem is compounded by rising rents and by the increasing costs of remaining in one’s own home.
• Transportation: it is estimated that the average senior will outlive his or her ability to drive by seven years. Mobility and safety become major, and difficult issues.

At the same time, the Department of Elder Affairs states what Council on Aging Martin County knows for a fact: seniors are vitally important to their community. They take part in community events, volunteer at high rates, and are responsible for the largest rate of donations to charitable causes.

They’re also an economic driver. The Department describes what it calls the “longevity economy”: the sum of all economic activity driven by individuals over 50, including both the products and services they purchase directly and the further economic activity this spending generates.

In Florida, 54% of our state’s GDP can be attributed to the “longevity economy.”

Where do these numbers lead us? As a society, we are looking at what has been described as a “Silver Tsunami.” It is going to take all of us, at the federal, state, and local levels, to address the issues with a clear eye and a determination to provide our growing number of seniors with the care they need and deserve.

You can access the Department of Elder Affairs report at Reports & Plans | Elder Affairs Florida. Our COA website, www.coamartin.org, gives you ready access to local senior resources.

Karen Ripper's opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

I have worked with Cleveland Clinic for two decades and have had the privilege of serving in several communities. Since moving with my family to Palm City, I have come to appreciate how deeply people here care about their community. For me, this brings home that healthcare leadership is never abstract. It is local, personal, and grounded in the responsibility to serve patients and families close to home.

My path to this role has been shaped by both medicine and leadership. I trained in internal medicine at SUNY Downstate, completed my pulmonary and critical care fellowship at Cleveland Clinic, and later earned an MBA from Case Western Reserve University. Over time, my career has combined bedside practice with increasing leadership responsibility in critical care operations, respiratory care, ICU leadership, sepsis improvement, and patient safety across Cleveland Clinic.

Before taking on my current role at Cleveland Clinic Martin Health a year ago, I served as Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Tradition Hospital and previously at Euclid Hospital in Ohio, where I focused on quality, safety, service line development, patient experience, and operational excellence.

Those experiences helped prepare me for the work we are doing today at Martin Health. They reinforced an important lesson: the purpose of growth in healthcare is to improve access, quality, and reliability for the people we serve. Earlier roles gave me the opportunity to work on sepsis improvement, ICU coordination, operating room safety, patient experience, and physician-led quality initiatives. Those efforts taught me how important it is to reduce variation and build systems that people can trust. That background continues to shape how I think about growth at Martin Health, because adding capacity alone is not enough. It has to be supported by the right clinical processes, culture, and accountability.

Throughout my career, I have focused on caring for patients, leading teams, and helping health systems grow in ways that truly serve their communities. What motivates me is the opportunity to bring medicine, leadership, and service together in a way that makes a real difference for patients and families.

When I talk about growing with community needs, I mean something very practical. It starts with listening carefully to what this community needs and then building the physician workforce, care teams, and services to meet that demand thoughtfully. Growth has to be intentional. It is not simply about adding volume. It is about making sure people can get the right care, in the right place, at the right time. As the Treasure Coast continues to grow, workforce development also becomes essential to strengthening care close to home.

Access is one of the clearest examples of what intentional growth looks like in practice. In any community, access begins with understanding where the bottlenecks are and then putting the right solutions in place. Sometimes that means improving scheduling. Sometimes it means strengthening team-based care. Sometimes it means recruiting more physicians and advanced practice providers.

One of the most meaningful examples for us has been primary care. Our new-patient primary care wait times improved from 140 days in 2022 to 14 days in 2026. That kind of progress does not happen by accident. It takes operational discipline, alignment across teams, and a sustained focus on what patients actually experience when they are trying to enter the system. For local residents, better access means earlier care, better continuity, and fewer delays in addressing health concerns.

Expanded programs in cancer care, heart care, women’s health, neuroscience, orthopedics, and robotic surgery are helping more patients receive advanced treatment close to where they live. Tradition Hospital’s Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center is another important example, providing expert care for complex stroke and aneurysm emergencies when time and expertise matter most.

Recent accolades for quality of care represent more than hospital growth. They reflect a community that is becoming increasingly well-positioned to support the health and well-being of the people who live here, both now and in the years ahead. Whether the issue is access, reliability, or service-line growth, the same principle applies: growth must be structured, measurable, and centered on patients.

That is what meeting the healthcare needs of the community means to me. It means listening well, planning carefully, building responsibly, and never losing sight of why the work matters. In the end, the goal is simple: to create a health system this community can count on, one that continues to grow in ways that are thoughtful, dependable, and worthy of the people it serves.

Dr. Chirag Choudhary's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Talking with family about what happens after you die or if you become seriously ill is rarely easy. It can feel uncomfortable, emotional, or like a conversation that can wait.

But avoiding the subject can leave loved ones with difficult decisions at an already stressful time. A thoughtful conversation today can provide clarity and peace of mind for everyone later.

Make Your Wishes Clear

A will is an important part of an estate plan because it explains how you want your property and belongings handled after your death. It can also name the person you want to manage your estate and, for parents of minor children, identify your choice of guardian.

Without clear instructions, loved ones may be left with questions about what you wanted. Those questions can sometimes lead to delays or disagreements among family members.

Plan for Medical Decisions, Too

Estate planning is not only about what happens after death. It can also help protect your wishes during a medical emergency.

A living will allows you to state your preferences for certain medical care if you cannot communicate for yourself. Healthcare directives can provide additional guidance about your medical wishes.

Talking about these choices with your family ahead of time can make an emotional situation less confusing.

Choose People You Trust

An estate plan may also allow you to name trusted people to make financial or medical decisions if you are unable to do so.

Think carefully about whom you choose. The right person should understand your wishes, communicate well, and feel comfortable making difficult decisions when needed.

Just as important, talk to that person ahead of time. No one should learn during an emergency that they have been given an important responsibility.

Don't Let Old Documents Collect Dust

Creating an estate plan is not a one-time task. Marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, a death in the family, or changes in your finances can all affect your plans.

Reviewing your documents every few years and after major life changes can help make sure they still reflect what you want.

Start the Conversation

Estate planning conversations may feel difficult at first, but they can be a meaningful way to care for the people you love. Clear plans can reduce uncertainty and give family members guidance when they need it most.

A conversation today can give your family greater clarity and peace of mind when it matters most.

Gene Zweben’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

We never know what our volunteers will uncover during the International Coastal Cleanup. As they spread across Martin County’s beaches, parks, shorelines and waterways, they collect litter and debris of all kinds, from everyday trash to more unusual discoveries.

This year, much of what volunteers collected was the litter we see far too often: small pieces of plastic, cigarette butts, bottle caps, food wrappers and other common items that find their way into our natural spaces.

But one group found something much more unusual.

The Martin County High School Class of 2029 discovered a weathered wooden Lagoon Drift card, a find that earned them the title of Keep Martin Beautiful’s 2026 “Weirdest Find.”

At first glance, it looked like another piece of litter. It was part of Lagoon Drift, a citizen science study that uses ecofriendly wooden cards to better understand how water, marine debris and pollutants move through our regional waterways.

The program was first piloted in the Indian River Lagoon in 2019 under the direction and coordination of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves. When a card is found, the finder reports its location, date and time, giving researchers another data point to help track where floating debris travels.

It is a great example of how one small object can tell a much bigger story.

In many ways, that is also what happens during the International Coastal Cleanup.

Our volunteers are not simply picking up trash. They are collecting data.

This year, 1,116 volunteers joined Keep Martin Beautiful at 28 sites across Martin County, covering nearly 64 miles and removing more than 4,000 pounds of litter. Along the way, they recorded 32,984 individual pieces of debris.

One thing stood out. Much of that litter was small.

Volunteers documented 7,114 small plastic pieces, 6,910 cigarette butts and 5,266 bottle caps, along with thousands of food wrappers, foam fragments, lids and straws.

One bottle cap may not seem significant. Neither does one cigarette butt or tiny piece of plastic. But when thousands of people around the world record what they find using the same system, those individual pieces begin to reveal patterns.

The latest worldwide International Coastal Cleanup results show just how widespread some of those patterns are. Numbers from the 2026 cleanup are still being tallied as groups around the world submit their data, but in 2025 alone, volunteers collected more than 1.3 million plastic beverage bottles and nearly 886,000 plastic bottle caps from beaches and waterways around the world.

That is why the data matters.

It helps researchers, organizations and communities understand what types of litter are showing up most often, where debris is accumulating and where prevention efforts may have the greatest impact.

A Lagoon Drift card can help show us where one object carried by the water might go. A cleanup report can show us what thousands of objects collected year after year tell us about our habits and our environment.

We are always proud of the pounds of litter removed and the miles cleaned during the International Coastal Cleanup. But one of the most valuable things our volunteers collect may be information.

Because every piece tells a story, and the more closely we pay attention, the better equipped we are to change what that story looks like in the future.

To learn more about Keep Martin Beautiful visit, keepmartinbeautiful.org and be sure to follow on Facebook and Instagram.

Tiffany Kincaid's opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a timely reminder that protecting our digital lives is no longer just an IT problem. Whether you own a small business, work from home, or simply use a smartphone and email account, cybersecurity has become everyone's responsibility.

Cybercriminals continue to evolve their tactics, and today's threats look very different from the viruses and spam emails of years past. Modern attacks often use convincing emails, fake websites, stolen passwords, and artificial intelligence to trick people into revealing sensitive information. The reality is that hackers don't always attack technology. More often, they attack people.

For small businesses, the stakes are especially high. Many criminals target smaller organizations because they assume security protections may not be as extensive as those found in large corporations. They also play on the fact that those in small business are stretched thin and trying to handle so many things at once that it is easy for them to slip up. A successful ransomware attack or data breach can cost a lot of money, time and customer trust.  The good news is that strong cybersecurity doesn't have to be complicated. Using multi-factor authentication, keeping software updated, training employees to recognize suspicious emails, and maintaining reliable backups can significantly reduce risk. Reduce the risk further by slowing down, it might actually help your personal health as well.

Artificial intelligence adds both opportunity and concern to the cybersecurity conversation. AI tools can help businesses operate more efficiently, summarize information, automate tasks, and improve customer service. At the same time, AI is being used by criminals to create more convincing phishing emails, fake voices, and fraudulent messages that are harder to detect than ever before.

Individuals should exercise caution when sharing personal or confidential information with AI platforms. Before uploading documents or sensitive data, users should understand how the service stores, protects, and uses that information. Businesses should establish clear policies governing how employees interact with AI tools and what company information can be shared.

The most important cybersecurity tool remains simple awareness. Pause, there it is again slow down, before clicking unexpected links, verify requests involving money or sensitive information, and use strong, unique passwords for every account.

As technology continues to advance, cybersecurity is not about living in fear. It's about developing good habits and being informed. A few simple precautions today can prevent significant problems tomorrow, helping businesses and individuals safely enjoy the benefits of our increasingly connected and AI-powered world.

Eric Kiehn’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

I recently spent time in Crystal River, FL. It’s a place that truly lives up to its name with spring fed, gin clear water. Doing some exploring one morning, I stumbled across Hunter Springs Park, a county owned recreational area wedged between residential homes and BnBs.

There were signs at the park entrance informing all guests of the usage rates: $5 to park your vehicle, another $5 to use the launch.

I meandered in, curious, expecting to find something similar to Sandsprit Park here in Martin County with evenly spaced ramps built to accommodate multiple boats.

The ramp in this park started as grass, turning to sand as it sloped downward with patterned crosshatch material designed for erosion control near the water’s edge.

No concrete. No dock. The only type of vessel that launched here were the kind that could be carried and paddled.

All of our parks, ramps, and launches here in Martin County are free. Anyone can drive in and park their car. You don’t have to pay a cent to launch a boat, let alone a kayak or a paddle board. And I wondered, as I reread the admissions sign at Hunter Springs, is this what life with Amendment 3 looks like?

Amendment 3 is supposed to give relief to homeowners, offering $150,000 and then $250,000 in homestead exemption, a quantum leap from the current $25,000, saving residents thousands on their property tax bill annually.

There’s language that checks the millage rate, and lowers the cap increase for businesses. The result? A decrease in revenue for the County. Here in Martin County, that equates to a 20% decrease— and I have to wonder, what services will be cut? Will I be nickel and dimed every time I try to park my car downtown or at the beach?

There is conjecture that this is a power grab from Tallahassee, a way to strip local municipalities of their control. For if they have a tight budget, and need money for a project, the County would have to go ask the State for funds. And Tallahassee is a long way from Martin County.

There are also counties in this state that are close to bankruptcy— what then?

The flip side of the coin is this: even if your home is paid off— you own it free and clear— you don’t. Because if you’re delinquent on your annual property tax bill, your home can be listed on a tax certificate sale, and sold. Perhaps putting a few thousand dollars every year back into the pocket of Floridians really is a way to combat this. (Insurance reform is also a way to accomplish this same goal, but that is a topic for another time).

It’s helpful to think of what property taxes, and local governments, are really for. What’s their purpose. Humans used to live in villages of a few hundred people, and everyone was expected to contribute to the safety and longevity of the village. This looked like communal hunting and gathering, building and cooking, protection, and rituals. There was no hiring and firing— you contributed, found your role(s), or you were out.

Our villages have grown and changed, and so too have our ways of contributing. We need public safety, infrastructure maintenance, green spaces, and learning places like libraries. Our contribution to ensuring our village has these things is money. It’s the people’s responsibility (via the County Commission) to see this money spent in the best interest of the community.

Floridians have some big decisions to make this November, and Amendment 3 is certainly one of them. One thing I keep coming back to is this: What works for other parts of Florida, doesn’t always work for Martin County, and once size fits all is generally a falsehood. Custom takes more time and effort, but it’s something that will actually fit.

If you have insight or a comment to share, or want to grab a coffee and chat more, I’d love to hear from you. My email is: howdy@karagracemuzia.com. Please reach out.

Kara Grace Muzia's opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

As we move into fall, the change of season offers a natural opportunity to slow down, take stock and think about what helps our children and families thrive.  Supporting children’s mental health doesn’t begin and end in a therapist’s office.

Children do best when the community around them is strong. They need safe neighborhoods, places to play, trusted adults, opportunities to belong and, when life becomes overwhelming, access to quality mental health care.

That is worth remembering as Floridians consider property tax reform and the future of how we fund our communities. Florida voters will consider a constitutional amendment on November 3 that would significantly increase homestead exemptions from non-school property taxes. Property taxes also help support many of the local services and community resources families rely on, making it important to understand both the relief proposed for homeowners and the potential impact on local communities.

At Tykes & Teens, we see every day that children’s mental health is connected to the world around them. A therapist can help a child develop coping skills, manage anxiety or recover from trauma. But healthy children also benefit from stable families, supportive schools, safe communities and opportunities for connection.

As taxpayers and voters, we should ask thoughtful questions. How do we make Florida more affordable for families while protecting the community infrastructure that helps those families thrive? How do we use public and private dollars wisely? And how do nonprofits, businesses, philanthropy and government work together so children don’t fall through the gaps?

There may be different answers to those questions, and healthy communities can have healthy debates about them.

What shouldn’t be debatable is the value of investing in our children.

At Tykes & Teens, our commitment remains the same: ensuring children and families can access the mental health support they need. Because however we structure our taxes, healthy kids are one of the best investments any community can make.

Anne Posey's opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

There are over 5 million Floridians on Medicare and October starts the annual open enrollment period.  Medicare Open Enrollment is an opportunity when people on Medicare can make changes to their health and drug coverage. It runs from October 15th to December 7th, and any changes made during this time take effect on January 1, 2027.

Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders (SHINE), is a free, volunteer-based program offered by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs in partnership with local Area Agencies on Aging. Its mission is simple but powerful: to help Florida’s seniors, caregivers, and families navigate the often-confusing world of Medicare coverage.

Whether you're enrolling for the first time or reviewing your coverage during Medicare Open Enrollment, SHINE counselors may be able to assist you.  SHINE counselors don’t sell plans or steer you toward specific providers. Their only goal is to help you make informed decisions. Every session is confidential, and advice is unbiased.

SHINE is powered by trained volunteers who give their time, energy, and expertise to help others. Many are retirees themselves, drawn to the program by a desire to assist others. They receive professional training and support, and are a local, trusted, resource to help understand the available options.

To get connected with SHINE, you may contact the Area Agency on Aging of Palm Beach/Treasure Coast at 1-866-684-5885.

Know Us Before You Need Us

The Area Agency on Aging is dedicated to promoting the well-being and independence of seniors, adults with disabilities, and their caregivers. We offer resources, support, and advocacy to help you live safely and independently.

📞 Helpline: 1-866-684-5885

Dwight D. Chenette's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Paying off a mortgage is an important milestone many hope to complete by the time they retire. Without a house payment, retirees can enjoy their golden years with one less monthly expense, and perhaps, less pressure on their retirement savings. However, more homeowners are approaching retirement while still carrying a mortgage. Nearly 53% of Florida homeowners between the ages of 60 and 64 still have a mortgage, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But, carrying this debt into retirement doesn’t necessarily mean someone is financially unprepared. Homeowners approaching retirement with a mortgage should consider how affordable the payment will be, the interest rate on the loan, and what else that money could accomplish as part of their overall retirement plan.

While it may help to reduce monthly expenses, paying off a mortgage means committing a significant amount of money to the home. Home equity may represent one of a homeowner’s largest assets, but that money isn’t readily available to help cover expenses or generate retirement income. Accessing it typically requires selling the home or borrowing against the equity. Plus, eliminating the mortgage doesn’t remove all costs associated with the home. Property taxes, homeowners insurance, maintenance and other expenses will continue in retirement.

Interest rates also play a role. Someone carrying a relatively low interest mortgage may have less incentive to pay it off early, especially if that money that would be used to pay off the loan is earning a higher return elsewhere. For example, consider a homeowner with a 4% mortgage who has money earning 7% in savings or investments. Using money to eliminate the 4% debt could mean giving up the opportunity to earn a higher return. However, if the mortgage rate is higher than what that money is earning, paying down or paying off the mortgage, might be the better option.

Before carrying a mortgage into retirement, homeowners need to decide whether the monthly payment fits within their expected monthly budget in retirement. If the payment can be comfortably covered by retirement income, keeping the mortgage might still make sense.

Homeowners should also think about how long they plan to stay in their current home. Downsizing might seem like a good way to reduce housing expenses, but moving to a smaller home doesn’t mean you’ll be spending less. Factors such as the price of a new home, property taxes, moving expenses, HOA fees or ongoing maintenance can all impact the actual cost of making the move.

For someone planning on staying in their home long-term, property conditions and expected maintenance costs should also be factored into the decision. A home requiring significant upkeep could eventually become more expensive to maintain in retirement, regardless of whether the home has a mortgage. Another option for homeowners planning to stay in their homes could be a reverse mortgage. Depending on the situation, the money can be used to pay off an existing mortgage, eliminating the monthly mortgage payment. The homeowner would still owe property taxes, insurance and maintenance costs. However, the loan balance grows over time and will need to be paid off eventually.

Deciding whether to pay off a mortgage before entering retirement looks different for everyone. Before making their choice, homeowners should compare what their retirement plan looks like with a mortgage payment versus without one to understand how each option could impact their income, savings and future goals.

Charles Czajka's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

As we enter October, the American Red Cross is focusing on a mission that touches every corner of our community: resilience.

Resilience is more than preparing for the next storm. It is the ability of a community to come together in times of challenge, support one another through uncertainty, and emerge stronger on the other side. Here in Martin County, resilience is built every day by neighbors helping neighbors, volunteers stepping forward to serve, and community partners working together to ensure no one faces a crisis alone.

But what does resilience look like in Martin County?

It looks like families making emergency plans before hurricane season reaches its peak. It looks like volunteers answering the call when a home fire displaces a family. It looks like blood donors giving the gift of life to someone they may never meet. And it looks like community organizations coming together to strengthen the safety and well-being of our residents.

Across Martin County, the American Red Cross is proud to support these efforts through programs and partnerships that help our community prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies.

Resilience in Action This October

On Tuesday, October 6, the American Red Cross will partner with the GFWC Woman's Club of Stuart to provide Hands-Only CPR training for its members, equipping lifesaving skills that strengthen preparedness across our community.

Resilience is built when ordinary people are empowered to take action during an emergency. Through this training, participants will learn how to recognize a cardiac emergency, call 911, and provide chest compressions until professional responders arrive. Those moments can make the difference.

The impact extends far beyond a single training session. Each participant becomes a potential lifesaver, increasing the number of Martin County residents who are prepared and confident to respond when a family member, neighbor, coworker, or stranger needs help. As members of an organization dedicated to serving women, children, and families, they will help expand a network of caring, capable individuals ready to support one another when it matters most.

These efforts are made possible through the dedication of local volunteers, the generosity of donors, and the strength of partnerships throughout Martin County. Together, we are helping ensure our community is better prepared to face whatever challenges may arise.

A Call from the Heart

The need for Red Cross volunteers continues to grow. If you've ever wondered how you can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others, this is your opportunity. Just a few hours of your time can provide comfort to a family after a home fire, support disaster preparedness efforts, assist with community outreach, or help deliver critical Red Cross services throughout Martin County.

Join Us in Making a Difference

Virtual Volunteer Information Session (Open House):

When: Second Wednesday of every month | 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. | Held via Microsoft Teams
Register: https://www.redcross.org/local/florida/south-florida/volunteer.html

Get Involved: Become a Red Cross Volunteer

When neighbors step forward to serve, resilience grows stronger. Together, we can continue building a safer, stronger, and more compassionate Martin County.

Traci Mitchell's opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an important reminder that breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers affecting women. Approximately 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer during her lifetime. In 2026, the American Cancer Society estimates that more than 321,000 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States.

There is also encouraging news. Advances in early detection, diagnosis, and treatment have dramatically improved outcomes for women with breast cancer. Breast cancer death rates in the United States have declined by 44% since 1989. Today, the five-year relative survival rate for women whose invasive breast cancer is diagnosed while it is still localized to the breast is greater than 99%. When breast cancer is found after it has spread to nearby lymph nodes or other areas of the body, survival rates are lower. These statistics demonstrate why finding breast cancer early can make such an important difference.

Mammography is an important tool for finding breast cancer before symptoms develop. Although various organizations may recommend different screening intervals, most recommend that a woman begin screening at age 40. Women with a personal or family history of breast cancer or other risk factors may need a different screening plan and should discuss their individual risk with their healthcare provider.

At Volunteers in Medicine Clinic, we believe that financial circumstances should not prevent a woman from receiving appropriate preventive care. VIM provides free mammograms to eligible female patients according to current screening guidelines. This access to screening can help identify breast cancer earlier, when treatment is more likely to be successful.

One example is a VIM patient named Libby. Libby discovered a lump in her breast and immediately knew she needed medical attention. The problem was that she did not have health insurance and did not know where she could go for care. A friend told her about Volunteers in Medicine Clinic.

Libby came to VIM, where she was evaluated and received the diagnostic care she needed. Her breast cancer was identified, and she was able to receive the appropriate treatment. Today, Libby is cancer-free. Her story is a powerful reminder that finding an abnormality is only the first step. Having access to a healthcare team that can evaluate the concern, coordinate diagnostic testing, and connect a patient with treatment is equally important.

For 31 years, Volunteers in Medicine Clinic has been providing free comprehensive medical care, including primary care, preventive screenings, specialty care, diagnostics, surgeries, cancer treatment, mental health services, and medications to uninsured Martin County adults ages 18 to 64 who live at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level. In 2026, 250% of the Federal Poverty Level equates to $39,900 for a household of one, $54,100 for a household of two, $68,300 for a household of three, and $82,500 for a household of four, with eligibility increasing based on family size.

If you are uninsured and struggling to afford healthcare, VIM Clinic is here for you with no waiting list. For more information, or to support the Clinic, call 772-463-4128 or visit vimclinic.net. The Clinic’s impact is made possible by the generosity of volunteer healthcare providers, nurses, specialists, and community members who donate their time, talents, and resources to improve the health of our community.

Jordan Bromberg’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

My daughter lives in Denver. I live in Florida. We decided that I would visit her for the fall months. She flew in, we packed up the car and the cat, and started a road trip across our wild and beautiful country.

The trip across the country showed us both the beauty of the American landscape but also the impacts of climate change. Some areas were having torrential rains. Other places were dry and dusty, crops dying. We played a game called  cows and cemeteries to pass the time.

We alternated between motels that would accept cats, and Airbnbs. My cat has a carrying case, a harness and a leash. When we ate at restaurants outside, he was always a big hit. He is a sweet, needy boy and shy. He has been aching for adventure ever since he tried to follow my daughter out the door when she went for a jog when visiting for Christmas one year. Whenever he got whiney, we would remind him that he’s the one who wanted adventure!

We drove from Atlanta to Memphis, then continued to Birmingham where we stopped for lunch. We ate at a bookstore with a sidewalk cafe.  Lux was there in his carrier and could get out for a taste of water.  People walking by were charmed by a cat walking on a leash. Always the storyteller,  I explained he was an Egyptian temple guard in one of his nine lives.   I bought a wonderful book about the civil rights movement and some small souvenirs.

Our next stop, Bentonville, is the home of Walmart and the reason for this route: the Crystal Bridges Museum with its huge collection of art, walking trails, a Frank Lloyd Wright house, and various special exhibits. This night it was open until 8 p.m.

Lux stayed in our room for the night, and we went off to revel in its masterpieces.

 The Keith Haring exhibit was amazing.  Haring died from HIV. This exhibit focused on Haring’s work as a sculptor. He created hundreds of three-dimensional artworks, beginning with painting objects he found in the street. Eventually, Haring made monumental sculptures in wood and metal, and opened a store for his art.

Our next stop was Selena,  Kansas,  an amazing art town. We walked the streets, made music on the outdoor musical art sculptures, and visited the Salena Arts Center with an exhibit of  artwork from their children’s art classes. The main exhibit was a juried art show. I bought a painting and it will be shipped to me when the exhibit is over. There was a great bookstore and an obscure gift shop that had great art and pottery.

Now Lux and I are in our home in Denver and can’t wait for more adventures, and there is a replica Haring table set up in a neighbors’ playground for the kids.

Nicki van Vonno’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

When people think about Tilton Family Children’s Shelter, they often think about the children we serve—and rightly so. But I also think about the incredible people who show up every day to make our mission possible.

Our staff are at the heart of that mission. They are there 24 hours a day, providing children with safety, stability and care. They help with homework, listen when a child needs to talk, celebrate accomplishments and offer encouragement on the difficult days. Often, it’s those everyday moments of kindness and consistency that help a child begin to trust and heal.

Our professional therapists walk alongside children as they work through trauma and difficult experiences. They help them develop healthy coping skills, strengthen relationships and begin looking toward the future with greater confidence and hope.

I’m also continually grateful for the many people in our community who stand beside us. Our volunteers, mentors and tutors, community partners who organize activities, and groups who celebrate birthdays and special holidays. Our donors, Guild members, Board members, and funding partners provide the support, leadership and resources that make our work possible.

It takes all of us.

No single person can meet every need of a child who has experienced abuse, neglect or abandonment. But when caring people come together, we can surround that child with something incredibly powerful—a community that believes in them.

One of the things I value most about Hibiscus is the heart of the people behind our mission. Whether you care for a child each day, provide counseling to help them heal, volunteer your time, make a donation or simply tell someone about our work, you are part of the Hibiscus family.

Thank you for continuing to stand with us and, most importantly, with our children. Together, we are reminding them that they matter, they are valued and there are people who believe in their future.

For more information about Hibiscus and our services, please visit HibiscusChildrensCenter.org.

Matt Markley's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

It is pompano time on our local beaches and this early fall season has started out with some great fishing.

The size and amount of the pompano that are being caught has been impressive and I hope it is an indicator for a great pompano season down here in Martin County. The past couple of seasons has been somewhat inconsistent, and we would get two or three decent days and then a week of tough fishing.

This year it has been exactly the opposite with good days outnumbering the bad days by a big margin. It is definitely the time to break out the long rods as the fish have been as far as 100 yards off of the beach on certain mornings. The reports of friends who are recreational anglers have been more with a limit of 6 than those who have been just catching a few.

Rods in the 11 to 13 foot range paired with a 8000 sized reel like the Quantum Strive or Benchmark models will put you in the game . The bait that continues to produce is the Fishbites EZ Flea Electric Chicken scent. The time of day has been early morning from first light to 10 am that seems to be producing the most activity. If the high tide mark has been falling into that time slot there have been days when friends have caught their limit in 45 minutes and headed home.

As we get into November and December and some cool fronts drop our water temperature a bit this great fishing should only get better. The water color has been conducive to good pompano fishing with a light green color and relatively clean. Unlike last year when the wind started blowing in September and never stopped, we have had stretches of westerly breezes that has kept the surf calm and clean. Along with the pompano, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, jacks, and some whiting have found their way into angler's coolers.

The rig and tackle choices have changed in recent years with rigs that use the smaller number 1 and 1/0 circle hooks are out producing the larger circle and Kahle styled hooks. The long rods that we use now are in sand spikes waiting for the bites and a circle hook and the length of the rod will set the hook for you. You do not want to "horse' or reel in a fast or overpowering manor when you do hook up because this will lead to you pulling the hook right out of the pompanos mouth.

Steady pressure keeping the line tight on the reel in will land your fish. some of the beaches that are producing are Tiger Shores, Stuart Beach, Beachwalk Pasley, and the public beach in Hobe Sound. It is a great start to the pompano season so get out and put some in the cooler.

Good luck and catch em up.

Paul Sperco’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

You know the one. The pizza place with the soggy crust and a line out the door. The handyman who shows up late, leaves a mess, and is booked solid until Christmas. Meanwhile, you do great work, you care about your customers, and your phone is quieter than a library on a Sunday.

It's not fair. I know. But here is the hard truth I share with my clients: people don't buy the best. They buy what they see. The "not so good" business isn't winning on quality. It's winning on being seen. Everyone in town knows its name, and nobody knows yours.

The good news? Being seen is a skill, and skills can be learned. Let's look at what they're doing and how you can do it better.

They show up where people are looking

When someone needs a plumber, they grab their phone and type "plumber near me." The business at the top of that list gets the call. Most of the time, it's the one with a complete Google Business Profile, full of photos, hours, and a pile of reviews.

Your move: Claim and fill out your Google Business Profile today. Add real photos of you, your shop, and your work. Post an update once a week, even a simple one. It's free, and in 2026 it's the front door to your business.

They ask for reviews (and you don't)

The so-so business has 200 reviews. You have 11, and three of them are from your cousins. Customers trust other customers.

Your move: Ask every happy customer for a review, right then, while they're still smiling. Make it easy with a QR code on your counter or a link in your thank-you text. Then reply to every review, good or bad, with kindness. People read the replies too.

They are everywhere around town

Their logo is on the Little League jerseys, the 5K T-shirts, and the banner at the fall festival. They might not be great at fixing air conditioners, but they are great at being remembered.

Your move: Pick one or two local causes you truly care about and show up. Sponsor a team, donate a gift basket, or volunteer at the event. Then share the photos online. Being part of the community makes you part of the conversation.

They talk about themselves (a lot)

You may think posting on social media is bragging. They don't. They post the new truck, the happy customer, and the dog that visits the shop. Is it award-winning content? No. Does it work? Yes.

Your move: Post three times a week (More is better). Show what goes on behind the scenes, answer a common question, or introduce a team member. Use your phone. Nobody expects Hollywood. They just want to see a real person they can trust.

They make it easy to buy

Their phone gets answered. Their website works on a cell phone. You can book online at 11 p.m. in your pajamas. Yours? A voicemail box that's been full since 2019.

Your move: Test your own business as a stranger would. Call it. Visit your website on your phone. Try to book something. Fix whatever made you sigh. A simple online scheduler or AI assistant can catch the calls and questions you miss while you're busy doing the actual work.

Your quality is your secret weapon

Here's the best part. Once people find you, your quality keeps them coming back and telling their friends. The so-so business has to keep shouting because its customers don't stick around. You only have to get seen to start winning.

So stop hiding your light under a bushel, or behind a full voicemail box. Pick one thing from this list and do it this week. Then pick another one next week. Before long, you'll be the business everyone knows, and the one they actually like.

Have a thought or a question? Reach out to me at Chriss@ChrissDavidandAssociates.com

Chriss David’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

The 21st Annual Poinsettia Power Luncheon Set for December 1 to benefit Meals on Wheels

Stuart, FL – This year’s glittering and festive Poinsettia Power Luncheon is coming up quickly, signaling a joyous start to  holiday shopping and activities. The much-loved event is set for December 1 at the beautiful Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa.

Guests will enjoy holiday shopping with one-of-a-kind vendors at the holiday bazaar, revel in the stylish fashions at the fashion show, delight in a special holiday lunch, and show off uniquely decorated hats in the Hat Parade. Yasmine Julmisse, the newest addition to the WlPBF25 News Morning team as Traffic Anchor, is the emcee.

Amid all the fun, there is a very serious purpose. Funds raised through the luncheon support the Council on Aging Martin County’s Meals on Wheels program.

Meals on Wheels provides hot, noontime meals for Martin County seniors who are unable to shop or cook for themselves. A dedicated team of volunteers delivers more than 500 meals each weekday, bringing both a hot, healthy meal, a warm smile, and a wellness check. The volunteers are able to communicate with care navigators at COA if they see any client issues that need to be addressed. COA also operates four dining sites throughout Martin County for seniors who can share a meal with friends and participate in fun activities!

Members of the 2026 Poinsettia Power Luncheon Committee, left to right: Gillian Sasuta, Joanna Mangan, Lensey Ackerman, Jeannine Warren, Jill Ball, Donna Haines, and Rosemarie Lembo James

“The Council on Aging Martin County is the only Meals on Wheels provider in the county,” according to CEO Karen Ripper, “and it is an essential lifeline to hundreds of seniors. The program depends, in large part, on generous donations from the community, so we are very grateful to everyone who supports the Poinsettia Power Luncheon.”

Guests are encouraged to secure a table for friends or family or to make the luncheon  a ready-made staff holiday party. Sponsors of the event have an opportunity to promote their organization to an enthusiastic audience while supporting an essential community service.

And it’s not just a ladies’ luncheon. Men are welcome too.

The 2026 Poinsettia Power Luncheon committee members include Donna Haines, Francesca Morgan, Jill Ball, Joanna Mangan, and new committee members: Lensey Ackerman, Jeannine Porcelli, Rosemarie Lembo James and Gillian Sasuta.

Thank you to this year’s sponsors: Holly Program Sponsor, Cummins-Levenstein Charitable Foundation, in honor of Mom and Grandmother Audrey Sandra Wolfin; Peace Lily Supporters, Bob & Ralf Massey Foundation and Betsy Herold; Amaryllis Valet Sponsor Ross Earle Bonan Ensor & Carrigan, P.A.; Amaryllis Décor Sponsor Nancy Goethel, CFP®, CIMA®, CRPC®, Vice President, Investments at Raymond James; and Mistletoe Sponsors Beacon Legacy Law, Seacoast Bank, Water’s Edge Health Care. Rehabilitation. Assisted Living at Sandhill Cove and Nancy Wong.

For tickets and sponsorship information, contact Michele Leigh Jacobs at 772-223-7803, mjacobs@coamartin.org, or Amber Ducote at  772-284-3007 or visit the Council on Aging Martin County website at www.coamartin.org. 

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About the Council on Aging Martin County

For seniors, their families, and caregivers, the Council on Aging Martin County is their trusted and comprehensive hub for senior resources. We work with the community to reduce anxiety, depression, loneliness, and hunger. Together, we help seniors live a safer, healthier, and happier life.

From our Adult Day Club, Day Primary Care Center, case management, and memory enhancement 

The ARC of the Treasure Coast Celebrates 70 Years with
18th Annual “Swinging Fore the ARC” Pro-Am Golf Tournament

Stuart, FL (October 5, 2026) - The ARC of the Treasure Coast will commemorate an extraordinary milestone this November as its 18th Annual Swinging Fore the ARC Pro-Am Golf Tournament joins the celebration of the organization’s 70th anniversary. The two-day event will take place Friday, November 20, and Saturday, November 21, at The Cape Club of Palm City.

The celebration begins Friday evening with The ARC’s 70th Anniversary Par-TEE, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at The Cape Club of Palm City clubhouse. Festivities include entertainment by singer/songwriter Ricky Young and Mrs. Universe Kellie Lightbourn, a silent and live auction, dinner, drinks and a chipping contest. The event continues Saturday with the Pro-Am Golf Tournament. Registration opens at 7:30 a.m., followed by a 9:00 a.m. shotgun start, with a BBQ and Awards Lunch immediately following tournament play. All golf foursomes play with a PGA golf pro and could win additional cash and prizes through hole-in-one contests.

Adding to the excitement, Jillian Mele will serve as weekend emcee. Mele is a two-time Emmy Award-winning news anchor, journalist, media coach and entrepreneur. She is best known as a former co-host of FOX & Friends and is co-founder of Lemonrose Golf, a women’s golf apparel and lifestyle brand.

“Swinging Fore the ARC has become a wonderful tradition for our organization and our community, and this year is especially meaningful as we celebrate 70 years of the ARC,” said Keith Muniz, President and CEO of the ARC of the Treasure Coast. “For seven decades, our community has stood alongside the ARC and the individuals and families we serve. This weekend gives us an opportunity to celebrate that history while looking forward to an even brighter and more inclusive future.”

The annual tournament offers area businesses, community leaders and golf enthusiasts the opportunity to come together to raise critical funds for the ARC of the Treasure Coast while enjoying a weekend of golf, celebration and camaraderie.

A variety of sponsorship and participation opportunities are available with varying combinations of golf foursomes, 70th Anniversary tickets, golf with a pro, commemorative golf polos and swag, signage, and promotional recognition. To register, purchase tickets or learn more about sponsorship opportunities, visit www.arctreasurecoast.org or call 772-283-2525.

About The ARC of the Treasure Coast

The ARC of the Treasure Coast is celebrating 70 years of advocating for and supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Through services, programs and opportunities designed to promote inclusion, independence and meaningful participation in the community, The ARC works to help individuals achieve their goals and live fulfilling lives.

Event at a Glance

70th Anniversary Par-TEE
Friday, November 20
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
The Cape Club of Palm City Clubhouse
10664 SW Whooping Crane Way, Palm City

18th Annual Swinging Fore the ARC Pro-Am Golf Tournament

Saturday, November 21
Registration: 7:30 a.m.
Shotgun Start: 9:00 a.m.
BBQ & Awards Lunch immediately following
The Cape Club of Palm City
10664 SW Whooping Crane Way, Palm City

Humane Society seeks nominations for Palm City’s next Honorary Dog Mayor

STUART, Fla. — The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast is looking for Palm City’s next top dog. Pet owners can now nominate their canine companions to serve as the community’s Honorary Dog Mayor, a title first awarded last year at the 22nd annual Mutt March to Chase Gohlke-Marino.

Chase, along with 13 other canines in the community, raised more than $5,000 for the shelter animals during the mayoral campaign.

In addition to bragging rights, the new mayor will receive major perks: a framed picture displayed in the humane society’s lobby, recognition on the Mutt March web page, a shout-out on the Mutt March Facebook page and a basket full of goodies. Each nomination costs $25, and nominations will be accepted online at https://hstc1.org/Dog-Mayor through October 31, 2026. Voting opens on November 13, 2026.

“We can’t think of anyone better than a loyal four-legged friend to run our beautiful city,” said Community Events Manager Alyssa Bean. “The more votes your nominee receives, the better chance they have of winning the election!”

The winner will be announced shortly after the Mutt March begins on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2027. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Memorial Park, 300 SE Ocean Blvd. The event will kick off with a walk around the park followed by other dog-friendly activities, including the always competitive pet costume contest, a lure course and the “flea-less” market for shopping.

For questions about the dog mayor campaign or the event, contact Community Events Manager Alyssa Bean at events@hstc1.org or 772-600-3215. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Development Specialist Shelly Marino at development@hstc1.org or 772-600-3216.

About the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast — The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast is a no-kill animal welfare organization located at 4100 SW Leighton Farm Ave. in Palm City, Florida. Since 1955, it has been the leading advocate for animal protection and well-being in the Martin County area. A 501(c)(3) private nonprofit organization, HSTC is independent and locally operated and relies on donations to support its programs and services. Follow HSTC on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/humanesocietyTC and X at https://x.com/hstc1. For more information, visit https://www.hstc1.org or call 772-223-8822.

Banner Lake Club beginning of October News Curriculum Night

Community Partnership in Action!

A huge THANK YOU to Publix (Juno Beach) and Chanel Brooks for thinking of our Banner Lake community and blessing us with such a generous donation!

It truly takes a village, and partnerships like this remind us just how powerful community can be when people come together with a heart to serve. These donated items will go directly toward supporting the children, families, and residents we have the privilege of serving.

Chanel, thank you for keeping Banner Lake in mind and helping connect resources to the people who need them. And to the entire Publix team, thank you for your generosity and continued commitment to giving back. Your support does not go unnoticed, and it is sincerely appreciated!

Looking Ahead

Students and staff are looking forward to our fall award ceremony at the end of October. This will be a time for our hard-working students to shine.

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Palm Beach hosts free exhibit on poverty and service at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola; Initiates "Spare Change, Share Hope" giving campaign

WHAT: The People of Hope Mobile Museum, a national traveling exhibit housed in a 53-foot trailer that opens on-site into an interactive museum on poverty, resilience and service, is coming to Palm Beach County thanks to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Palm Beach (CCDPB). Created by Catholic Charities USA as part of a nationwide storytelling initiative, the exhibit will visit more than 150 communities around the country through 2028.

Inside, visitors will watch firsthand video stories from Catholic Charities employees and volunteers, explore interactive exhibits and reflect on ways they can support their own communities. Features include:

• a poverty simulator that explores the challenges facing people living on the margins
• a recording booth where visitors can share their own stories of hope and service
• an audio library of conversations about poverty and social connection
• national and state data on community needs and the impact of Catholic Charities agencies

Admission is free and open to the public.

WHEN: Friday, Nov. 6, 2026 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola, 9999 N. Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. (The mobile museum will be in the back parking lot.)

VIDEO courtesy of Catholic Charities:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fQ1O_huy-k

DETAILS: The visit also kicks off "Spare Change, Share Hope," a CCDPB campaign inviting the community to turn pocket change into real help for neighbors in need. Donations can be made at https://ccdpb.salsalabs.org/2026PeopleofHopeMuseum.

About Catholic Charities Diocese of Palm Beach
Established in 1984 as the social service arm of the Diocese of Palm Beach, Catholic Charities Diocese of Palm Beach is a nonprofit social services organization serving more than 15,000 individuals and families annually across Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee counties. Through 11 programs and ministries focused on housing stability, homelessness prevention, pregnancy support, disaster recovery, immigration services, care for vulnerable seniors, and support for victims of human trafficking, the organization serves vulnerable populations regardless of faith or background. Catholic Charities Diocese of Palm Beach is committed to strengthening communities through compassionate care and support services that promote dignity, stability, and self-sufficiency, while continuing to evolve in response to the changing needs of the communities it serves. Learn more at ccdpb.org

American Humane Society's Dr. Robin Ganzert Named to

The NonProfit Times 2026 Power & Influence Top 50

President and CEO honored at a Washington, D.C. gala as one of the 

nation's most influential nonprofit executives

PALM BEACH, FL – Dr. Robin Ganzert, President and CEO of American Humane Society and Global Humane Society, has been named The NonProfit Times 2026 Power & Influence Top 50.

The annual list recognizes the top working executives in the nation's nonprofit sector. Dr. Ganzert, a West Palm Beach resident, was honored alongside her fellow recipients on Thursday, September 17, at the 21st annual NPT Power & Influence Top 50 Gala at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

Now in its 29th year, the Power & Influence Top 50 is chosen by the editors of The NonProfit Times, the leading business publication for nonprofit management, after a committee vote. Honorees are selected for their innovation, their influence on the broader nonprofit sector, and their success in building organizational models that others can replicate.

"It is a tremendous honor to be recognized among leaders I so deeply admire, people who spent this past year finding new ways to serve their communities when the work got harder," said Dr. Ganzert. "This recognition belongs to the entire American Humane Society family: our team, our partners, our donors, and our volunteers, including so many generous friends here in Palm Beach. Every day, they make it possible for us to protect animals and strengthen the bond we share with them."

Since her appointment in 2010, Dr. Ganzert has led unprecedented growth at the 149-year-old American Humane Society, which now reaches more animals around the world than any other humane organization. Under her leadership, American Humane Society has earned Charity Navigator's Four-Star rating for four consecutive years, the Seal of Excellence from Independent Charities of America, an "A" rating from Great Nonprofits, and full compliance with all 20 BBB Wise Giving Alliance standards. In Palm Beach, she serves on the board of the Lois Pope LIFE Foundation and is a member of the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce Trustee Program. She also serves on the board of the Loro Parque Foundation, which awarded her its Gorilla Prize for her conservation work.

The full 2026 Power & Influence Top 50 list appears in the July/August 2026 issue of The NonProfit Times and at thenonprofittimes.com.

About American Humane Society

With offices in Palm Beach, FL and Washington, DC, American Humane Society is the United States’ first national humane organization and the world’s largest certifier of animal welfare, helping to verify the humane treatment of more than one billion animals across the globe each year. Founded in 1877, American Humane Society has been at the forefront of virtually every major advancement in the humane movement to rescue, care for and protect animals. For more information or to support our life-changing work, please visit AmericanHumane.org, follow us on Facebook,  X  and Instagram  and subscribe to our channel on YouTube for the latest breaking news and features about the animals with whom we share our Earth. 

PALM CITY, Fla. — Water connects all of Martin County, from the farms and ranchlands that support our agricultural economy to the rivers, wetlands and lagoon that define our community. This year’s Farm City Luncheon will explore that connection and the vital role agriculture, conservation and water management play in our region’s future.

On Thursday, November 19, One Martin and the Martin County Farm Bureau will host the 9th Annual Farm City Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Rockin’ H Ranch in Palm City. This year’s theme, “Rooted in Water: From Farm to Lagoon,” will guide a timely conversation about water quality and  land stewardship.

“Water touches nearly every part of life in Martin County, including our agriculture, environment and economy,” said Rick Hartman, President of One Martin. “Farm City gives us an opportunity to bring people together, learn from those working on these issues every day and better understand how agriculture and healthy natural resources can work hand in hand.”

This year’s featured speakers bring decades of experience in agriculture, water resource management and environmental stewardship:

• Dr. Ronald W. Rice, County Extension Director and Extension Agent IV with UF/IFAS Extension Palm Beach County, has spent decades connecting agricultural producers, researchers, local government and the public. His work has included agricultural best management practices, water quality and community education, helping to strengthen understanding of agriculture’s role in South Florida. In 2025, Rice was named the Florida Farm Bureau Extension Professional of the Year.
• Ernie Barnett, Executive Director of the Florida Land Council and Principal of Water and Land Advisors, Inc., has more than 35 years of experience in water resource management and public service. His career has included leadership in Everglades restoration and the development and implementation of major environmental and water resource initiatives throughout Florida. Barnett was named the 2026 recipient of Florida’s Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award, recognizing his work supporting Florida agriculture and the protection of the state’s natural resources.

Together, Rice and Barnett will explore how decisions made across farms, working lands and watersheds affect Florida’s water resources - and how thoughtful stewardship can help protect them.

The Farm City Luncheon has become an annual Martin County tradition, bringing together farmers, ranchers, business and civic leaders and local residents to celebrate agriculture and learn about its role in the community. Guests will also enjoy a locally inspired meal and opportunities to connect with agricultural leaders and community partners.

Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available now. To purchase tickets or learn more about sponsorship opportunities, visit www.onemartin.org/farmcity, or email info@onemartin.org.

About One Martin

One Martin is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a more informed citizenry and providing opportunities for civil discussion on topics of importance to Martin County. To learn more, visit www.onemartin.org or follow along on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OneMartinCounty

Stuart, Fla. –The 15th annual Dancing with the Martin Stars brought fancy footwork, dazzling costumes, an enthusiastic audience, and a heightened community spirit to the Lyric Theatre on Sept. 26, raising $176,285 to support the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition.

Eight local celebrities along with their professional partners executed dances like the waltz, tango and cha-cha following months of rehearsals, fundraising and friendly competition.

Zac Rockefeller and professional partner Emily Matos celebrate after being named Overall Champions of the 2026

“This is our signature event, and the energy surrounding its 15th year was truly incredible,” said Martin County Healthy Start Coalition CEO Samantha Suffich, “The dancers were at the top of their game, and the audience was captivated from beginning to end.”

 Michelle Hance and professional partner Isabel Lowe take top dance honors at the 2026 Dancing with the Martin Stars for their standout tango performance.

Michelle Hance and professional partner Isabel Lowe earned top dance category honors for their performance of tango.  Zac Rockefeller was recognized as the evening’s top fundraiser after raising over $39,000. He also took home the People’s Choice awards with over 400 votes and he and his professional partner Emily Matos were named Overall Champions. This year’s judges were Petra Strom, Shelby Trembly, and Stephanie Martinez.

This year’s dancers and their professional partners were Michelle Hance with Isabel Lowe, Laurie Laramie with Daniel Elhaddad, Brooke Lewis with Brian Spector, Kalista Kaplan with Antonio Torres, Dr. Michelle Massa with Chris Waterman, Zac Rockefeller with Emily Matos, Pete Lashenka with Marianella Tobar, and Michael Sihvola with Daisy Krakowiak-Wiebe.

Dancing is only part of the event’s appeal. Besides earning bragging rights for the best performance, dancers raise funds to advance Martin County Healthy Start Coalition’s vision of every baby born healthy, every mother supported, and every father involved.

Brooke Lewis and professional partner Brian Spector

“The funds our dancers raise support our ongoing prenatal programs, including our MOM Mobile that takes prenatal care into underserved communities. They also help us move forward on our campaign for the Treasure Coast Maternity Center,” Suffich said, noting the additional strain on expectant mothers since the nearest labor and delivery hospital unit closed two years ago. In response, the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition is working to create the Treasure Coast Maternity Center, a community-based birthing center in Martin County.

“We’re in awe of the energy and commitment that every dancer brought to the challenge,” Suffich said. “They are helping us change the face of maternity care in our community.”

The 2026 Dancing with the Martin Stars cast takes the stage for a final bow

Major sponsors for the 2026 Dancing with the Martin Stars event include Shaun & Paul Feinsinger, Bob Saxon Consultancy, Jensen Beach High School Drama, The Scoop, Ross Earle Bonan Ensor & Carrigan PA, Treasure Coast Ashley Capital, Closets by Design of Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast, RE/MAX of Stuart, Paul J. Feinsinger, CPA, CFPA, The Eberst Law Firm, HBKS Wealth Advisors, Philip De Berard Family Foundation, Brooke Lewis- RE/MAX of Stuart, HCA, Florida Power & Light.  Culver’s of Stuart and Jensen Beach was the Title Sponsor for the evening.

For more information about the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition and the Treasure Coast Maternity Center, visit www.mchealthystart.org.

About Martin County Healthy Start Coalition

Martin County Healthy Start is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that every baby is born healthy. It provides educational and health services to pregnant women, new mothers and their families at no cost, particularly expectant mothers who are at risk for late or no prenatal care.

Part of a statewide coalition, Healthy Start connects pregnant women and young mothers with essential services including prenatal care, home visitations by a nurse or social worker, breastfeeding support, parenting education, car seat and sleeping safety, a free diaper pantry, and access to other community partner agencies. The David Cardno Fatherhood Initiative, also part of the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition, helps fathers to become more involved in parenting and offers legal assistance to fathers who are separated from their children.

The programs of Martin County Healthy Start Coalition are voluntary and available to all Florida residents at no cost.

For more information about Martin County Healthy Start Coalition and its ongoing programs, visit www.mchealthystart.org, call 772-463-2888 or follow the organization on Facebook.

12th annual Pup Crawl returns to downtown Stuart with “Hard Hats & Happy Tails” theme

STUART, Fla. — The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast will host its 12th annual Pup Crawl, “Hard Hats & Happy Tails,” on Saturday, Nov. 7, inviting adults to dress in construction-themed attire and visit five dog-friendly downtown Stuart restaurants while raising money for the organization. Check-in and registration will be from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on the Promenade, next to Stuart Boathouse, and the event will run until 10 p.m.

Tonya Brennan with Muffin enjoying last year’s Pup Crawl. (photo by Doreen Poreba)

The Pup Crawl gives VIP access to Duffy’s Sports Grill, Hudson’s on the River, Taco Shack, Stack: Burgers & Bourbon and Stuart Boathouse. Participants must be at least 21 years old and will receive one complimentary drink at each stop.

Tickets are $35 per person in advance and $40 per person at the door, with all proceeds benefiting the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast. Tickets may be purchased at https://hstc1.org/Post/Pup-Crawl.

 Stuart Sound Animal Hospital employees were among the past participants of the Humane Society of the Treasure’s Coast’s Pup Crawl. (photo by Sarah Fisher)

This year’s theme is inspired by the construction taking place at the humane society’s Palm City shelter, which is currently under renovation. Participants who dress in hard-hat-themed attire will be eligible for a costume contest, with winners selected in three categories: Best Dressed Person, Best Dressed Pup and Best Dressed Person & Pup Duo. There will also be a 50/50 raffle and prizes.

Matthew and Megan Billitti with their dogs, Bailey and Dexter (photo by Sarah Fisher)

The event is dog friendly, but all dogs must be kept on non-retractable leashes and properly cared for at all times. Pet owners should watch for signs of heat exhaustion, aggressive behavior, overstimulation or other concerns, as pet health and safety are essential. Pets will not be permitted indoors at any of the establishments, so participants bringing dogs are encouraged to use a buddy system.

Laura Curry with Ronaldo, Leah Corbett with Ryan, Kim & Paul Hintze with Kala and Feebee participated in last year’s Pooch Crawl.

The event is sponsored by Sponsored by McBride Legal Group, P.A. and TCPalm.

For more information, contact Community Events Manager Alyssa Bean at 772-600-3215 or Events@hstc1.org. Sponsor inquiries should be directed to Shelly Marino at 772-600-3224 or smarino@hstc1.org.

About the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast — The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast is a no-kill animal welfare organization located at 4100 SW Leighton Farm Ave. in Palm City, Florida. Since 1955, it has been the leading advocate for animal protection and well-being in the Martin County area. A 501(c)(3) private nonprofit organization, HSTC is independent and locally operated and relies on donations to support its programs and services. Follow HSTC on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/humanesocietyTC and X at https://x.com/hstc1. For more information, visit https://www.hstc1.org or call 772-223-8822.

New West Palm Beach center offers non-invasive treatment for adults with depression, anxiety and OCD who haven't found relief through medication or therapy

WHAT: Alpert Jewish Family Service (Alpert JFS) will host a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of the Neil S. Hirsch TMS Center, which brings Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to adults across the Palm Beaches. TMS is an FDA-cleared, non-invasive treatment that uses focused magnetic pulses to stimulate areas of the brain tied to mood regulation. There's no surgery, no anesthesia and no systemic medication, and patients stay awake and alert throughout.

The center is made possible by a gift from the Neil S. Hirsch Foundation through the Foundation for the Advancement of Clinical TMS, making Alpert JFS only the third nonprofit in the country to receive a grant of this kind.

WHEN: Monday, October 5, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE: Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service, 5841 Corporate Way, Suite 200, West Palm Beach, FL

WHO:

• Dr. Elaine Rotenberg, Chief Clinical and Strategy Officer, Alpert Jewish Family Service
• Cindy Elkins, Board Member, Foundation for the Advancement of Clinical TMS (FACTMS)
• Dr. Christina Hughes, Board Member, Foundation for the Advancement of Clinical TMS (FACTMS); Incoming Chair, Clinical TMS Society
• Patrick McNamara, President and CEO, Palm Health Foundation
• Brian Seymour, Board Chair, Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County
• Michael Hoffman, President and CEO, Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County
• Sen. Mack Bernard, Florida State Senator
• Rep. Tae Edmonds, Florida State Representative
• Rep. Anne Gerwig, Florida State Representative
• Rep. Meg Weinberger, Florida State Representative
• Rep. Emily Gregory, Florida State Representative
• Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, Florida State Representative
• Rep. John Snyder, Florida State Representative
• Gregg Weiss, Palm Beach County Commissioner
• Douglas Lawson, Mayor, Riviera Beach
• Charlotte Wright, Representative for West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James
• Christina Lambert, Former City Commissioner

WHY: For many people living with depression or OCD, medication and talk therapy haven't been enough, and some have stopped believing anything will help. In published studies, 50% to 66% of patients with treatment-resistant depression see a significant reduction in symptoms, and about one-third reach full remission. As a nonprofit serving Palm Beach County since 1974, Alpert JFS accepts most insurance and offers a sliding fee scale so cost doesn't stand between someone and treatment. TMS patients also have access to Alpert JFS counseling, support groups and case management. Patients interested in TMS should call 561-713-1892 or visit https://tmsofwestpalmbeach.com/tms-for-you/.

About Alpert Jewish Family Service
Founded in 1974, Alpert Jewish Family Service (Alpert JFS) is one of Palm Beach County’s leading providers of mental health and social services. The organization strengthens families, promotes mental wellness, and supports vulnerable members of the community through counseling, psychiatric services, residential programs for adults with disabilities, food security programs, emergency financial assistance, and specialized services for seniors and Holocaust survivors. With more than 100 professionals serving over 12,000 individuals annually, Alpert JFS is a trusted resource for children, families, and older adults across Palm Beach County. For more information, visit www.AlpertJFS.org or call 561-684-1991.

Promise Fund to Host Free ‘Mammography Screening Day’ in Martin County in October

Martin County, FL (October 1, 2026) – Promise Fund, a South Florida-based nonprofit dedicated to increasing survivorship from breast and cervical cancer, will host free Mammography Screening Days on the following dates: 

• October 7 at Florida Community Health Center, 3441 SE Willoughby Blvd, Stuart, FL 34994, from 8 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 
  • In partnership with Florida Mobile Mammography. 
• October 24 Port Salerno Church of God, 4605 SE Cove Rd, Stuart, FL, 34997 from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 
  • In partnership with Florida Mobile Mammography. 

“The Promise Fund is committed to making screenings accessible to everyone, particularly those who may otherwise go without care,” said Patricia Ferrer, Martin County’s Navigator. “Early detection can make a meaningful difference by making treatment easier to manage and allowing people to focus on their health, their families and their daily lives.”

While Promise Fund’s program reaches women across Martin, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, it currently operates four co-located screening programs within partner sites in Palm Beach and Broward, and is actively working to secure funding to establish a co-located program in Martin County.

Appointments are required. To register, call 561-345-0131. 

Promise Fund reaches tens of thousands of women in Martin, Broward and Palm Beach Counties who are uninsured, under insured or have limited or no access to healthcare. The organization, founded in 2018 by Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker, is dedicated to increasing survivorship from cervical cancer and breast cancer by providing guided support and access to screenings, as well as early detection, treatment, and beyond.

To date, Promise Fund has reached more than 145,000 women in South Florida through education and advocacy, and has impacted the lives of over 27,000 women through access to screenings, diagnostics, and care and Promise Fund has helped 286 women who were diagnosed with cancer navigate getting treatment. 

ABOUT PROMISE FUND 

Promise Fund, founded in 2018, is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing survivorship from breast and cervical cancer by providing guided support and access to screenings, as well as early detection, treatment, and beyond. To learn more, visit thepromisefund.org. Follow on Instagram @thepromisefund and on Facebook @PromiseFundofFL. 

Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club Co-Hosts the South Florida PGA Section Professional Championship

VERO BEACH, FL (September 24, 2026) – Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club served as the official co-host for the 47th Annual South Florida PGA Section Professional Championship, held on September 15-17.  

For competing PGA Professionals, this is considered the coveted event of the year with the top 14 finishers advancing to the 2027 PGA Professional Championship taking place April 25-28, 2027, at Streamsong Golf Resort in Bowling Green, Florida. From there, the top 20 PGA Professionals will advance to the 2027 PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco in Frisco, Texas.

“We were thrilled to co-host PGA Professionals on our challenging Arnold Palmer golf course, and we were grateful to work with our co-host Quail Valley Golf Club,” said Rob Tench, Orchid Island’s General Manager.  “We congratulate this year’s champion, Tyler Collet, Assistant Golf Professional from nearby John’s Island Club.”

Orchid Island completed a major renovation to its Arnold Palmer course in 2023, and it hosted a US Open qualifier in 2024. The renovation was undertaken by architect Brandon Johnson and encompassed all the greens and tees, bunkers, the short game area, and the driving range. Last year, Orchid Island completed a major refresh to its 15,000 square foot Golf Clubhouse.

As a Certified Audubon Sanctuary by Audubon International with an ocean to river habitat, Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club is committed to preserving the rich wildlife found in Vero Beach. Golfers delight in the colorful and unique birds often found in and around Orchid Island.  

Orchid Island is located at One Beachside Drive, Vero Beach. For more information, visit OrchidIslandFL.com. 

About Orchid Island Golf and Beach Club

Spanning from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian River, Orchid Island Golf and Beach Club is highly sought-after for its laidback waterfront lifestyle. The Beach Club serves as the heart of the community, with a resort-style pool. Also found within the gates are a world-class fitness center, spa, and multiple dining venues. Residents also enjoy nearly a mile of a secluded beach, an Arnold Palmer-designed championship golf course, and an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. Located along Florida’s Treasure Coast, Orchid Island is home to a wide variety of premier riverfront oceanfront and golf estates, courtyard homes, and low-rise condominiums. For real estate inquiries, call (772) 388-3888 or visit OrchidIslandFL.com.

Community support will be critical to keeping essential rides available in the meantime. Individuals and businesses who wish to help can make a contribution at UnitedWayMartin.org/Donate and select “Ride United” under “Where do you want your donation to go?”

Residents seeking transportation assistance can call 772-283-4800 or visit UnitedWayMartin.org/RideUnited to learn more about the program.

SafeSpace Invites the Treasure Coast to Move from Awareness to Action this October

Domestic Violence Awareness Month campaign connects community support with safety, solidarity and solutions

STUART, Fla. — Domestic violence can touch the lives of people we see every day: a co-worker, a friend, a neighbor. Knowing how to recognize it and where to find help can make a difference. This October, SafeSpace is inviting the Treasure Coast to put that awareness into action.

In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, SafeSpace’s “Safety. Solidarity. Solutions.” campaign will connect residents and professionals with resources, learning opportunities and ways to support survivors across Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties.

“No single agency or profession can address domestic violence alone,” said Jennifer Fox, MSW, MBA, Chief Executive Officer of SafeSpace. “Every interaction with a survivor matters. We want to give professionals the knowledge and tools to recognize warning signs, understand what a survivor may be experiencing, and respond in a way that helps move that person toward safety.”

A central part of the campaign is the Domestic Violence Summit on Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the MIDFLORIDA Event Center in Port St. Lucie. Hosted by SafeSpace in collaboration with the Circuit 19 Domestic Violence Task Force and The Gabby Petito Foundation, the Summit will bring together professionals who work with survivors to strengthen their response to domestic violence.

Featured presenter Jim Schmidt, a board member of The Gabby Petito Foundation and former first responder, will lead several sessions. Specialized training tracks will focus on first response and law enforcement, healthcare and mental health, and advocacy and child welfare. Registration is $125 and includes meals and refreshments, materials, practical resources and a certificate of participation. Visit SafeSpaceFL.org/events to register.

Sponsors include the Wong Family Foundation as Presenting Sponsor; Jan and Jessica Malasek, Inspired Closets, and Tykes & Teens as Community Partner Sponsors; the Gabby Petito Foundation and Coral Shores Behavioral Health as Impact Sponsors; and John Schmahl, House of Hope, Thompson's Remodeling & Home Repair, and iTHINK Financial as Supporting Sponsors.

From left to right: Derrick Chisholm, Christina Current, Jennifer Fox and John Schmahl, pictured with the St. Lucie County Commissioners.

On Thursday, Oct. 22, SafeSpace will invite businesses, community organizations and residents to participate in Wear Purple Day. Participants can share photos using #AwarenessToAction and help others find support by including SafeSpace’s hotline and website.

Throughout October, SafeSpace will share information about its services, warning signs of abuse and practical ways to stand with survivors. Community members can also make a gift to help sustain services throughout the year.

For resources and ways to get involved, visit SafeSpaceFL.org. Anyone experiencing domestic violence, or concerned about someone who may be, can call SafeSpace’s 24/7 hotline at 772-288-7023.

About SafeSpace

SafeSpace is the Treasure Coast’s only state-certified domestic violence center, serving survivors and their children 24/7. Since its founding, SafeSpace has provided more than 500,000 safe nights of shelter to over 40,000 victims and children. Its comprehensive programs include shelter, legal advocacy, financial literacy, counseling, prevention education, and specialized children’s services.

Molly’s House Kicked Off 30th Anniversary Celebration with Community Open House
Open house honored Molly Sharkey’s dream and the people who helped build a lasting resource for patients and families.

STUART, FL, September 24, 2026—Molly’s House welcomed the community to tour the house and see recent updates inside and out on September 21, the 30th anniversary of its opening and Molly Sharkey’s birthday. The open house is the first of several activities over the next few months to mark the milestone.

Members of the local medical and business communities, residents, and the curious stopped by throughout the day to learn more about Molly’s House and talk with staff and Molly’s family. The day closed with a reception honoring and thanking those who made Molly’s House possible, including early supporters, volunteers, and the countless contractors who donated their time and materials to build the house.

Kevin Sharkey describing his family's experience during Molly's treatments to guests at the open house

Kevin Sharkey, Molly’s father, said that during their family’s travels for Molly’s medical care, “She understood how important housing was for patients and their families, and she kept a detailed journal of the house she wanted built in her hometown.” Her family and community came together to make it happen. Although Molly didn’t live to see the house finished, she saw the blueprints for the house she dreamed of.

“Molly’s House offers more than lodging,” said Executive Director Katie Bartlett. “We provide a sense of community for our guests. They cook together and share stories, exactly what Molly wanted to create.”
 

Dreams Gala: A Celebration of Molly’s Dream is the next major 30th anniversary event. It will be held on November 7 at Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa. The evening features cocktails, dinner, and live entertainment. For more event and ticket information, visit mollyshouse.org or email events@mollyshouse.org.

Molly’s House is a 14-bedroom healthcare hospitality house in Stuart’s medical district, providing patients and families with a welcoming place to stay close to their care and treatment teams. We welcome guests of all ages and diagnoses, and any provider can refer them.

The Business Development Board of Martin County has appointed Troy McDonald Interim Executive Director.

McDonald is a former commissioner and mayor of Stuart. He has owned his own small business and had earlier been employed at businesses at Witham Field. Previous to this appointment he was the Director of Economic Development at the board.

In that capacity Troy relocated Weedoo Boats to Martin County, a manufacturer of working boats. They have been in existence for more than 20 years in South Florida. Their boats are mostly used to clear and maintain waterways.

Troy in his previous position was responsible for the Pulse Program which reaches out to local businesses to help them with their needs from expansion to finding the right employees. He is continuing with those visits as he leads Martin County’s Business Development Board in the challenging months ahead.

You can reach McDonald at tmcdonald@bdbmc.org.

There are several ways that you can look at Cory Beaton’s attempts to build a home on a lot he owns on the Loxahatchee River.

You can look at it as an individual going up against the government that wants to stop him. Some would say that Beaton is trying to get away with doing something the current code and Comprehensive Plan forbids. Did Beaton use some of the commissioners’ predilection to be sympathetic to his point of view because of their own prejudices? Did the commissioners follow the guidelines under their own proceedings?

The zoning is currently agricultural. It requires two acres to maintain that zoning. Beaton maintains that the submerged lands (under the water) give him the necessary two acres. Staff claims the submerged lands do not count, and therefore he must use one-acre zoning which precludes the agricultural designation.

What is not disputed by anyone is the fact that Beaton would be allowed to build a home whether zoned one or two acres. Beatin’s fight seems to be whether it has an agricultural zoning or not. So why?

He told the commission that he had 250 acres in the county elsewhere where he had cattle. With the ag designation, he would be able to keep a cow or two or a horse on the property. Is that what he has in mind? He mentioned that he wanted to have a honeybee apiary.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) under FS Section 586.10 regulates all honeybee colonies. The zoning is irrelevant since the state has pre-empted local government from prohibiting the keeping of bees on non-agricultural land. However, you must sign a “Beekeeper Compliance Agreement” with FDACS.

The state has strict maximum colony limits based on lot sizes. Between 1 acre to 2.5 acres, it is capped at a maximum of 10 colonies. That would mean that it doesn’t matter whether the lot is 1.6 acres or 2 acres for the purposes of bees.

It is true that at least two, possibly three, lots in the immediate vicinity were allowed to build their homes and keep the agricultural zoning. Staff have admitted they made an error when approving. The question is whether Beaton, even if it is true and he has less than two acres, should be able to take advantage of earlier errors?

Under Florida case law a new applicant cannot claim a right to bypass or violate local codes because of previous errors. Errors do not amend the law. There is such a thing as “Selective Enforcement,” but to prove that the county is discriminatory or violates equal protection would be very hard for Beaton.

What it comes down to is whether Martin County is interpreting their own Comprehensive Plan and zoning codes correctly. As was his right, Beaton appealed for the County Administrator to rule whether by the “preponderance of the evidence” the county was correct in their interpretation. The standard is ‘not beyond a reasonable doubt” but whether the decision based on the evidence could be construed as having been interpreted correctly.

The only task for the commission was whether the decision rendered by Administrator Donaldson had found correctly using that standard. In both this and the last time this was heard, some commissioners wanted to substitute their understanding of the evidence for Donaldson. That was not the standard.

(If you want to read about the first time it was brought before the commission you may do so here)

This time staff were asking for re-consideration of the appeal. The commission ordered a building permit to be issued last time. The problem with that is they are saying that staff’s interpretation that submerged lands cannot be used in determining the size of a lot is wrong. That would mean that either the Comprehensive Plan and codes must be changed or in the past they were wrongly interpreted.

Staff did not want this outcome, and I would imagine neither did Heard, Capps, or Vargas. That is why their motion to reconsider was approved 3-2.

Beaton, if he is so sure that the administrative decision is wrong, should just go to court and have a judge decide. It seems that staff will not rule differently and open a big can of worms as to the interpretation.

Cory Beaton does not come across as a sympathetic person who is being treated unjustly. He may be right in what he claims though. The place to settle this would be the courts.

Beaton spoke about de-annexing from Martin County during public comment. He said he was launching a website. None of this helps his case. He has only two courses of action.

One is going to court and having the administrative decision overturned. The second is to apply under one-acre zoning and build his house and have up to 10 colonies of bees. Otherwise, his dogged pursuit of his interpretation is completely irrational.

The main reason that the ag zoning may be worth fighting for is the tax advantages. With ag Beaton can keep livestock, have fewer hurdles to construct outbuildings, be shielded from neighbor complaints for noise or farm odors, and of course lessen real estate taxes.

There is definitely more than meets the eye.

Without warning and in violation of their contract with Martin County, Martin County Transit LLC., a private entity, decided to shut down the 5 MARTY Bus Routes this morning, October 8th.

According to their contract Martin County Transit was supposed to give 180 days’ notice. They did give such notice last week. This has caused those that rely on the service without transportation to their jobs, medical appointments, or even grocery stores to miss appointments.

Just last year Martin County Transit was picked by the county to be their transit provider. The buses are owned by county government, but the company pays for maintenance. The service is free for riders. Jim Gorton, Director of Public Works, at a hastily called press conference said that there were 156,000 users of the service.

United Way of Martin County since 2022 has had a program funded by private donations to take people to doctor’s appointments and work on a very short-term basis such as their car is in the shop. Ashley Capital called the United Way CEO Carol Howaart Diez and pledged $10,000 to help during this emergency. There was an anonymous donor that also pledged and additional sum.

United Way of Martin County through their parent organization, United Way International has a partnership with Lyft to fulfill ride requests. If you or someone else needs a ride you can reach United Way at 772-243-4200.

Indiantown is doing everything possible to engender a lengthy court action with its fight against data centers.

It is scorched-earth tactics that will ultimately burn down Indiantown and not at all stop the current proposed centers. This is the Collins way when he is unfettered. Along with his pals Eric Miller and Manager Michael Giardino, they never met a property right or compromise that was worth having.

With Miley, Dowling, and Hernandez as their junior Politburo, they are creating a scenario to have the village sued. Make no mistake that Chris Collins is calling the shots with his smirk of a smile at present in Indiantown. How long it lasts will depend on his stature as a county commissioner.

Though Collins spoke at the county commission meeting of October 13th during public comments, he has not yet begun calling the shots at the county. That is why I believe the county proposed data center moratorium will be upheld if someone sues under SB 180 or other Florida Statutes. Collins hasn’t added his folkloric luddite insights to the ordinance yet.

County Attorney Elysse Elder laid out a cogent argument for passing such a one-year reprieve. And if necessary, and this may be a bigger stretch, a longer period if their review is not finished. It was a lawyer’s argument for a legal system.

Yet there is more to the topic than a hatred of data centers. What is an economic reason for banning them permanently? There is not a good one.

The county will need a new source of money whether Amendment 3 passes or not. Going forward, not to go to the rollback rate, the commission must vote no less than 4-1 to prevent the rollback rate from occurring.

With Chaos Collins voting on the budget next year that will never happen especially with his acolyte, Vargas, waiting to do exactly as he wants. That will probably mean a budget cut of around $8 million less than what the budget was this year. It does not consider any inflation, the raising of the minimum wage, or any other expense increases.

Since there are hardly any new projects coming online for new tax dollars, data centers could be a lifeline for a strangled economy and budget. It could mean $100 million more dollars in tax money which could be offset with tax reductions. Martin County is notorious for shooting itself not only in the foot…but the leg, hip, and head.

None of the economics and only some of the politics intruded on Elder’s legal strategy. There currently is only one data center plan that staff is working on. That project is exempt from the moratorium. It was good work on Elder and her staff’s part.

The commission voted 4-0 to advance the moratorium.

The first hearing in Martin County regarding an agricultural enclave was held at this meeting.

As of July 1st, local governments suffered a setback regarding control of development decisions for proposed projects located within an agricultural enclave as defined by the statute. The legislature, with I am sure a little prodding from the development community, decided that larger scale residential developments shouldn’t be subject to local land use codes.

An agricultural enclave is agricultural parcels surrounded by urban uses. There are strict timelines for local governments approvals. If the parcels meet the guidelines outlined in the statute, then the local government must approve the development. All other considerations in the county’s codes are bypassed.

The question in the back of my mind was never whether Martin County’s Commission was going to deny the certification but on what grounds were they going to do it. Staff did a good job trying to deny the owner because in their view he did not meet the criteria for an agricultural enclave. I believe it is a legitimate dispute between the parties whether the owner conforms to the statute or not.

The 396 acres consists of 3 parcels out on Kanner Highway by the Gateway Project. It probably should be developed as envisioned. The only way that will happen in Martin County is to use this enclave work around.

The property owner had a land use attorney make the argument and a litigator present to move forward once the denial was issued. A court reporter took down the testimony as offered. All the elements for a lawsuit are ready to go. Another interesting twist is this statute sunsets on January 1st, 2028.

The commission voted 4-0 to deny. As you read this, the court action may have already been filed.

Brightline has never been welcomed in Stuart or Martin County.

We think of the train as some intruder trying to change our lives. Even before Brightline started operating, we condemned it. In our minds, it was going to prevent us from getting to the hospital or downtown. Our very existence was threatened.

Many of us, including myself, didn’t want it to happen. But it has. And since then, none of the horror predicted has really occurred. Life in Stuart has gone on as before.

The most meaningful thing that has occurred is that Brightline goes whizzing through Martin County many times a day without any of the horror that we imagined happening. We still get to the hospital. The fire trucks arrive with hardly any time difference.

What is true is that Brightline is having a problem meeting its debt obligations. No railroad since the inception of railroads has been able to do so without some sort of government handout. In the old days, the country moved west on the backs of the railroads and the railroads were supported by massive subsidies of free land to sell and contracts by the government.

Some may be gleeful about Brightline declaring a negotiated packaged bankruptcy. If it didn’t have capital debt, Brightline’s operations are in the black. Right now, the immediate problem of $490 million in debt has been renegotiated. This won’t be the end. There will be more.

Going forward more capital debt will have to be restructured or just bought by the government. The ridership and operations are strong. That will only grow but probably not as fast as Brightline has projected.

Brightline has succeeded in tying South Florida in with Orlando. It will extend to Tampa/St. Petersburg. Many of us use it to visit Miami and Fort Lauderdale. We drive to West Palm Beach, so it isn’t the most convenient way, but it does beat getting bogged down in traffic.

Those who say we don’t want a station in Stuart are just ridiculous. Especially now since the only parking they want is what is required by our code (10-12 spaces). They found that people are dropped off or Uber to the stations.

Except in “little ole strange” Martin County, Brightline is becoming crucial to the region’s economic livelihood. It is built into plans for the future of South Florida. Will the county continue to be an outlier or part of that future? I am betting probably a cocooned eccentric calling itself the “Ole Florida” while falling further into irrelevancy.

Dear Poor, Powerless Commissioner Laura: 

You sent me an email last week from your personal email address. I thought about printing it but decided against it. I also thought about responding to you but decided it wasn’t important enough. Then you had and go put it on Facebook where I feel I have no choice but to respond. 

In the coming weeks as more things are known about the budget and all that will have to be done to correct it, besides Giardino’s incompetence, your utter lack of any knowledge of how the process works will be there for all to see.  As an example in one instance, you voted for the CRA to have a millage of 5.000 and then voted for a lesser amount in the ad valorem budget. That is a legal and practical impossibility. 

Any commissioner who has authority over millions of dollars in spending should understand the basics. You sadly have no idea and unfortunately maybe incapable of ever understanding the difference. A CRA is not a taxing authority but an entity that draws revenue known as Tax Increment Funding (TIF) from the ad valorem fund or better known as the general fund. I attach a handy little Florida primer on CRA Basics here 

When trying to defend Mr. Giardino for completely not knowing anything about creating a municipal budget, you are defending the indefensible. How did he just decide to create a budget with 5 mills without commission authorization? That is at least civilly illegal if not worse. 

It is true that I was an advocate for Rich, Matheson, and Clarke to win. I am not going to apologize for wanting competent commissioners. But they owe me nothing. And I do not tell them what to do. And for your first two years in office, Boss Collins couldn’t have dangled your strings more visibly. 

I also wanted a competent city manager to return. Mike Mortell is that. If you have anything “on” him, please bring it up but so far besides saying he is hiding things you have not proved anything. If he had done anything illegal, it would have come up in his background check to be the court administrator for the 19th district, the job he held before being reinstated as the City Manager. 

Laura, you are the commissioner. I have only a vote at the ballot box. You have several votes every two weeks at commission meetings. You are running the government. YOU are the government! When are you going to act appropriately? 

That is something Reed, Collins, and especially you fail to see. To borrow and slightly change Walter Kelly’s 1970 line, “You have met the enemy, and it is you.”   

To see Giobbi’s email to me go here

At the last meeting of September, the commission approved the new budget for 2027 on 2nd reading.

What exactly does that mean? I don’t think Mortell has been back long enough to really have dived into the intricacies of the mess. I am sure there will be budget amendments to make corrections. There were deadlines looming and no choice but to go ahead with what had been prepared…right or wrong.

It won’t be just this coming year that will need corrections but last year as well. The mess is a big deal that could have consequences which staff haven’t even wrapped their heads around yet. Stay tuned!

Manager Mortell, during his comments, stated that a commissioner had made a remark about less than market rental rates for the three historic buildings Stuart owns on Flagler near City Hall. The Stuart Museum, located in the old feed store, is rented for $1 a year. I hope they are not going to try to jack up that rent.

Another building is currently rented to Congressman Mast for his Stuart Office and the third to Representative Toby Overdorf for his. The city accepts whatever the federal and state allowance is for the rental. According to Mortell, it was decided years ago that it was better to rent the historic buildings to elected officials because then the public would have access to the interiors. He also mentioned that if the buildings were leased for other purposes, the interiors would be changed to accommodate the businesses thus changing the original character and that the public would not have access.

What Mortell did not mention was the fact that by having our federal and state representatives a stone’s throw away from City Hall, there could be easier communication between all. Both Mast and Overdorf have from time to time used the city’s facilities to stage press conferences, especially with the river at their back door.

It has been a good deal for all concerned. With Overdorf now termed out, I would be speaking with the incoming representative after the November election. All are from St. Lucie County and probably will need a Martin County office. Even though the district does not encompass Stuart, it worked for Overdorf.

There were also several speakers, mostly from East Stuart, who spoke in favor of the repeal of the Collins Code which is in violation of SB 180. Some of the speakers remarked that Collins was rude to speakers and did not have meetings in the evening to accommodate those working during the day.

This has been something I have written about continuously. The city is in violation of state law. It should be noted that this illegal action should not have been allowed to go forward. Every member of staff who had to accommodate the Collins Code was breaking the law, and I am sure they did not feel happy about it.

The City Attorney should have taken a much harder line against it and not just saying it was wrong but then writing the ordinance putting it into effect. Is a job worth your oath to uphold the law?

Wade Vose, the former Indiantown attorney, resigned because he would have been asked to put into place an illegal moratorium which is against SB 180. His actions showed real courage and integrity. Something all too lacking today.

I believe Mortell, if he had still been Stuart’s attorney, would not have done it. I believe Paul Nicoletti as City Attorney would not have either. Too bad Lee Baggett believed his job was to follow orders instead of upholding the law. He forgot he was Stuart’s attorney and not the majority on the commission.

One more bad idea that started with the last Stuart Commission was back before the board.

Stuart is currently not without chickens in people’s backyards. Though prohibited, there are homeowners that keep the birds. For the most part unless there is a complaint from a neighbor, no one is riding around the city on cluck patrol.

What would make it doubly impossible to enforce any ordinance is the fact that code enforcement cannot peek over fences to see if chickens are being kept in violation. Further any complaint in Florida cannot be anonymous. I guess if there were hazardous or health conditions, the city could pursue an expensive court proceeding.

Just remember the sheriff took more than a year to finally remove 36 Border Collies from a home in Palm City that a neighbor had complained about. It was a hoarding and animal cruelty case. The department had to convince a judge. Chickens probably wouldn’t rise to that level.

Though it passed on first reading, the commission thought it would be better to conduct a survey to see what the people thought. At the last meeting, the survey questions were open for discussion. Who should receive the survey? All Stuart residents or just single-family homeowners is an example of a question answered.

The last proposed rules for allowing chickens were:

1.  single-family homes only,
2. the coop can be no more than 7 feet in height,
3. there must be at least a 5-foot fence or hedge,
4. coops must have a 6-foot enclosure so it cannot be seen from the street or adjacent properties,
5. chickens must be within the coop or pen,
6. enclosures must be constructed and maintained to prevent rodents and be kept clean,
7. no roosters,
8. each home can have up to 4 chickens,
9. $65.00 permit fee.

Who would want to keep chickens and go through all that? Any eggs produced by the hens will be the most expensive ones anywhere. Currently a dozen eggs at Publix are about $2.00.

Staff will bring back a questionnaire. What a waste of time.

Stuart received about $2.7 million last year and will probably receive the same this year. That is part of the Environmental Lands ½ cent sales tax passed by Martin County voters last year.

Merritt Matheson, who was instrumental in having the sales tax passed, is now as a commissioner spearheading the creation of an Environmental Lands Oversight Committee to purchase land in the city and oversee environmental projects.

Each commissioner will appoint one member. The two at large members will be appointed by staff. Matheson does not see the committee needing more than three meetings to rank properties and projects.

It passed 4-0 with Giobbi absent.

Should commissioners reimburse the city when their decisions cost the taxpayer money?

Only an unreasonable constituent would demand that because then who would want to be a commissioner? Therefore, why then did Reed want to have the commissioners give up their salaries for two years to reimburse for the severance that was paid to Mortell last year and Giardino this? Commissioner Matheson intimated it was a political stunt.

I am not going to say it was on the part of Reed. I am going to say it was something not thoroughly thought out by him. Commissioner Giobbi said unless it was done collectively it would not put a dent in the amount paid out and she is right in that statement.

But this was never about a literal payback. Because if you polled the commissioners, you probably would have Giobbi and Reed, say that firing Mortell was the right decision and the other three would say firing Giardino was the right decision. I don’t believe you can make this a collective act but rather a matter of individual conscience.

If Reed feels he needs to atone then it isn’t so much what the others do but what he feels is the right thing for him to do. And that may very well be donating his salary back to Stuart for the next two years. That would be an honorable thing to do.

If you do nothing, then Matheson may be correct that it is all a political show. Because Reed all along knew that Clarke, Matheson, and Rich would vote no. So, he risked nothing by bringing it to a vote. And Giobbi by voting yes and seconding the motion was just as duplicitous.

There are five individuals up there and they should follow their conscience. When I was confronted as a commissioner with what I considered too big a pay raise, I donated the amount to a different charity every month. I didn’t ask my fellow commissioners to do anything; I did what I thought was right.

Giobbi and Reed should follow their conscience not the politics of the matter.

There was a long and at times confusing presentation about placing emails on the city’s website like Martin County does. But the county is 10 times bigger than the city with resources that dwarf Stuart’s.

I have been a proponent of copying the county’s email policy for some time. However, after the presentation, I changed my mind. It would cost the city about $500,000 over five years plus all the other unanticipated costs. That apparently does not include cyber security issues.

If you would like to review an email now, you could make a public records request and you would have all the information you wanted generally within a week. Not always ideal but very manageable.

It appeared that at least three of the commissioners were ready to drop the idea. But Reed was not. He wanted to hear from the public by a poll conducted on Facebook. It looks to me like Reed is incapable of exercising any independent judgement without consulting social media.

I thought it was rather silly to conduct a poll about chickens. As I wrote at the time, these guys are elected to make these decisions. We don’t have a direct democracy but rather a representative one. The voters chose commissioners to make the calls. If voters think the commissioners made the wrong calls, they won’t be reelected.

Florida has a large number of Facebook users and Floridian users are engaged for an average of 42 minutes each session, the highest of any state. Almost 70% of Americans have a Facebook page. But not all of us go on Facebook regularly.

Because of Friends & Neighbors, I do use Facebook, and I spend roughly 10 to 15 minutes a day loading things onto my page. However, the day I stop publishing Friends & Neighbors, I will look at the site only occasionally…if at all. That goes for all social media.

Most of the people I know are not daily users…which means that many will not see these polls causing the results to be skewed. And then where on Facebook do you put the poll? How many Stuart residents visit Stuart’s Facebook site, and how will you confirm that the respondents are actual city residents?

Perhaps Giobbi and Reed live on Facebook so to them, their community is there. For me, my community is composed of real people who I speak to and have a conversation with not someone hiding behind a social media page. Government by Facebook is not a good idea. It is the antithesis of democracy and thinking you are getting legitimate results is a very farfetched idea.

Commissioners need to do the job they were elected to do! They get no points in my book for defaulting to a Wizard of Oz behind the Facebook curtain.

At the September meeting, Mayor Barile asked jokingly how Martin County became responsible for the town’s trash?  He did that because the rates were just raised once more.

I say jokingly because Barile was part of the commission in 2013 when an interlocal agreement was signed with the county moving the collection of trash to their waste utilities department. At the time because of economics, it would have cost the town residents more money to continue contracting for themselves. The waste hauler did not want to continue billing the residents individually.

Though it made good sense economically, there was a loss of town control over setting the terms for the town with the waste hauler. I believe that is what the mayor meant in his comment. Barile has been on the commission since 2012 with a brief two-year hiatus. He is currently up for reelection.

Historically Barile has a very good grasp of the past decade plus of town history.

You can see the most recent contract between Martin County and Waste Management here 

First, I want to thank all the wonderful friends and acquaintances that have reached out to me over the past several weeks. Given most of their comments are concerns over the abruptness of my termination from the Village of Indiantown (Village), I can assure you it was no surprise to me. But first, I want to clarify my employment at the Village. I applied for the position in January 2023 after being asked to by two individuals I greatly respect. So, I applied, and was selected as the Interim Village Manager, starting on January 13, 2023, without a contract, only a determined monthly salary to be paid bi-weekly and accrued time off.  I remained as the Interim Village Manager until early February 2024 when a contract was approved for me to be the Village Manager. Thus, why the media references my being there since February 2024.

Here is what went down: a few days before the August 27, 2026 Village Council meeting, the Village Attorney, Mr. Wade Vose asked me, ‘when it comes up, do you prefer to resign, or have your contract terminated?’ I knew then, what the new majority was planning, and also knew that to resign, I would have to negotiate with the new majority on a severance, which would most likely result in terms less than what I had in my contract, so I chose to have my contract terminated. 

At the August 27, 2026 meeting, it became apparent the plan was to approve a moratorium on data centers, then terminate my contract due to my support of data centers. When that plan fell apart, a ‘special meeting’ was established for September 1, 2026 to give the new appointed attorneys time to review the proposed moratorium documents and provide guidance. The day before the meeting, on Monday, August 30, 2026, Anthony Dowling called me and told me he wished to add items to the agenda for Tuesday, September 1, 2026: Staffing Structure and Interim, and Drainage. He really tipped his hand on that one, and I knew immediately how this was going to end. I told Dowling that I would speak with the Mayor to determine if those items could be added, I also expressed my concerns for transparency, adding items at the last minute without the appropriate agenda items to provide information to the public. In consultation with the Mayor, she wanted to limit the agenda to just one item, data centers.

Later that same day, I received an email from Janet Hernandez asking to have an item added to the agenda for September 1, 2026: Staffing Structure and Interim (yes, the exact same words Dowling communicated to me). I responded to her that the Mayor was only wanting to have one item on the agenda relating to data centers. The morning of September 1, 2026,  Dowling called me and asked about the agenda being updated with his items, and I let him know the Mayor would not have them added, she preferred to have only one item. I began clearing my office of personal items to prepare for the inevitable, and not have to return later for my things.

Prior to the 9/1/2026 meeting starting, I saw Mr. Giardino in the audience and knew then what the plan was going to be. When Dowling started his comments on my support for data centers, and that I clearly did not share the will of the new majority, I told Mr. Vose, just have them terminate my contract, rather than discussing a vote of no confidence, which Dowling clearly does not understand what that means.  Mr. Vose told them to terminate my contract, which was the motion, and Hernandez interjected the word immediately, the vote was taken with a 3 in favor (the new majority) so I gathered my things and walked out.

Why do I support data centers? Because I actually went and saw one (on my own dime). I spoke to leaders of the government, economic analysts, and residents that lived nearby. The major negative complaint was from a neighbor who expressed the disruptive impacts during the construction (blasting was necessary due to the location). If the governing authority has the ability to place ‘guardrails’ on the development to minimize negative impacts, then the economic impact for the governing body, far outweighs any possible negative impacts, if there are any. Not to mention that Martin County will also reap rewards in additional property taxes for the Countywide and Fire Rescue Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU) with little to no impact on services.

I am proud of the 3½ years I was able to work for the Village; we had a great team and were able to accomplish more in 3½ years, than they accomplished in the prior 4½ years, securing over $160 million in funding for critical infrastructure projects. I now look forward to ‘Retirement 2.0’ after nearly 40 years in local government, all here in Martin County.

Transparency is the new watchword at the Village of Indiantown.

The reason the interim manager named himself Community and Economic Development Director was because he wanted to highlight transparency. Only what exactly does that mean? One of the reasons given was the lack of specifics on development reports. As the village manager, can’t he just change what goes into reports? If he wants more information for the public design the form that way.

Currently there are no employees listed under planning for the village and only three under Economic Development…an administrative assistant, an office coordinator, and a permit technician. There isn’t a certified planner, economic development specialist, or anyone else who could possibly know anything about answering development questions or moving projects along.

Another reason Giardino gave for his self-appointment was infrastructure bottlenecks mainly with increasing water and storm water grant work awarded by the state. Under the Public Works and Utilities Department, there are 14 employees listed. All but four have to do with the operation of the plant and bill collection. One is the director, then there is the utilities manager, administrative assistant, and public works and utilities coordinator. To my understanding, the Planning and Economic Development Department never had anything to do with building out the infrastructure.

What is interesting is that if today someone brings in a development plan, the village will need to hire licensed professionals to approve or reject it. Deena Freeman was a contract development person who was a licensed planner. Will the manager continue doing the same thing for his planning official? Wouldn’t it make more sense either to hire a director or at least a planner? I can’t seem to figure out how as director of the department being the director makes much of a difference.

The second reason he wanted to be the director was the bottlenecks with the water and storm water infrastructure projects. As the village manager, isn’t he in charge anyway and isn’t it his responsibility ultimately to reduce impediments. Isn’t that what the powers in Tallahassee and Washington are looking for?

While both had confidence in the last council and Manager Kryzda providing them with $76 million for new water quality and wastewater projects, will their confidence continue under “new management?” The state and feds probably would have confidence if the village kept to their timelines of having the new wastewater plant and reverse osmosis treatment plant done by the end of 2027. Otherwise, why do more when the village has not completed their current work?

Ultimately the manager is responsible for everything. Perhaps titles are important in the navy, but in a small municipal government, it is the results that matter. The manager should be concerned with making sure it is done. Giardino can issue guidelines and monitor construction as the manager without wearing two hats. Or can he?

At some point government has a price to pay for ignoring private property rights. The way an owner enforces those rights is by going to court, which one Indiantown property owner has now done.

The Village of Indiantown and its council along with two others, Eric Miller and Penny Kaminsky-Preli, will pay that price for trying to prevent a landowner from proceeding with a project that they have spent $25 million to develop up to this point. The project that is being developed meets the use identified within the code for this zoning classification. It is a code that both Council Members Dowling and Hernandez approved the last time they were in office.

The owner of the property, Silver Fox 606 LLC (Silver Fox), has a little over 600 acres within the village. Silver Fox wants to build a data center on its property. They have been dealing with the village for some time. Their use conforms to the village’s development code.

Penny Kaminsky-Preli lives 3.5 miles away from the proposed data center. Eric Miller does not reside in Indiantown but is named as a respondent because Kaminsky-Perli identified him as her advocate. Miller is not a licensed attorney according to the pleadings. Kaminsky-Perli contends that even though she is miles away, she will suffer adverse consequences. Advocates in legal matters are usually attorneys.

The interesting part is that back in 2021 while both Dowling and Hernandez were on the council, the village recruited a data center project known as “Project Bumblebee.” Indiantown went so far as to write Florida state government and bid to host the project. So obviously the village was open to enticing a center to operate within the village.

In 2025 Silver Fox contacted the Village of Indiantown and on the village’s assurances, purchased the property and to date have spent $25 million to work within the Village of Indiantown’s codes and procedures. On April 9, 2026, Indiantown staff confirmed that the property could be used for a data center and approved a site plan. Then an election happened.

An election that returned to office Dowling and Hernandez who voted to allow data centers on land with this zoning use and actively were searching to attract the centers when they were last in office. But now the two are opposed to such centers. Wade Vose, who was until last month the village attorney, cautioned the council that because of SB 180, a ban or moratorium would go against state statute.

Interestingly according to the pleadings, Vose used the failed litigation that the law firm of Weiss Serota had brought against the SB 180 legislation to change various local codes (including Stuart’s) as his reason for arguing the ban or pause would be against statute.

Indiantown has since hired Weiss Serota as the village’s attorney. They would also represent the village in this pending lawsuit and other litigation if a ban is enacted.

The Silver Fox pleadings go on to state that multiple members of the council had somehow arranged to have both Giardino and lawyers for Weiss Serota in the audience the same night that the council fired Manager Taryn Kryzda and replaced Wade Vose none of which was on the published agenda. Giardino and Weiss Serota were then immediately hired as interim manager and attorney respectively. No other names or parties were considered.

While Vose was still attorney, the council continued to ignore his advice that outlawing or placing a moratorium on data centers was in violation of Florida statute. New council member Christa Miley said she didn’t care about that. It is what her voters wanted. She at least said the quiet part out loud. This is pure and simple politics.

I have noticed that Miley reads every statement and every question asked from the dais from a prepared script. I wonder who is writing those remarks? Nobody is that pre-prepared. Nor does she have follow-up questions or statements. And some of the answers she receives are far from that illuminating.

To any observer of that meeting, it was plainly clear that Indiantown Village Council members were acting in some concerted fashion. The idea that both representatives of Weiss Serota and Giardino had just come to a meeting in Indiantown as members of the public is not credible.

There is much more to the lawsuit (303 pages). You can find the entire pleading here 

At the council meeting of October 8th over an hour was spent on the issue of transparency and how to provide it. It seems that every member of the public should see every document of the village, especially applications, according to the manager and council. Do they also mean lawsuits? The manager, attorney, or council members said nothing about this suit. And it could amount to millions of dollars of taxpayer money if the village loses not to mention many thousands of dollars to defend…doesn’t it need to be included as a discussion item for transparency?

The owners of Silver Fox are not going away. Their attorney Ethan Loeb is not going away. The council doesn’t have to discuss their trial strategy publicly but what about mentioning what the ramifications are for the village? How about receivership and bankruptcy if they lose? That doesn’t even go into the serious matters of sunshine law that are raised by Silver Fox against some of the council members.

As the City of Stuart found out with Boss Collins, it doesn’t take much or long to throw a government into chaos. And remember Collins quite clearly was in the audience with his smirk the night that Weiss Serota and Giardino were hired. Both are part of his retinue.

Remember what I had for the Collins’ tagline from his Stuart days, “Increased Cost, Corruption, and Chaos” go where he does. He was in Indiantown that fateful evening. And now it seems so does the tagline belong in Indiantown.

Stuart, Indiantown, and maybe Martin County better begin thinking before doing.

The latest spanking occurred October 13th when Judge William Roby of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit signed an order prohibiting Indiantown’s PZAB from hearing whether Silver Fox’s application to build a data center can be stopped by a village moratorium.

It is a simple principle that because there is an election the new board cannot rescind the codes that allow for uses because they don’t agree with them. Silver Fox is the party to this action, but there are two more data centers that relied on the village’s current codes that are ready to move forward. Even more important, in this case, the village staff repeatedly assured Silver Fox that they had the right to do so.

The legislature passed what is known as SB 180 in 2025 that forbids any local government that was impacted by Hurricane Milton (almost all of Florida) from making their codes and comp plan more onerous than what is in place at the time of Milton until October 2027.

During the reign of Boss Collins in Stuart, he did change the codes to make them much more restrictive. He then hired Weiss Serota (Indiantown’s new law firm) to sue the state with about 20 other jurisdictions. The lawsuit failed, costing the city a pretty penny. I would imagine before the end of the year, Mortell will bring back to the commission ordinances that overturn the blatantly illegal changes of the Collins’ reign.

The courts in Florida do not look kindly at local governments that ignore property rights. This is what the new Indiantown Council majority is doing with their supposed ban on data centers because they want to go back in time regardless of what the law states. Elections have consequences, but that doesn’t mean that there is a blank slate going forward after every election because majorities change.

Should there be regulation of some sort on data centers? I don’t think that anyone, including the data centers, are claiming the industry should be exempt from such regulations. However, that does not mean government has the right to change the rules on projects midstream.

Martin County governments had better stop acting as if they are above laws they do not like. That is not the way things work---or are supposed to work in the U.S.

People are acting as if the centers are going to be poisonous. If all three of the proposed data centers are up and running, Indiantown will have millions of dollars every year flowing into their coffers. And the centers demand no schools, parks, or much in the way of any government services.

Florida needs to have statewide regulations so that the industry and the public can know what to expect. But for now, Judge Roby has upheld the rule of law and issued one more shellacking to a wayward local government.

You can see the order here 

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Tom’s Articles

From Medium

"What Happened To Belief In Markets"

HERE

"It Just Gets More Inhumane"

HERE

"New Solutions For Chronic Problems"

HERE

"Life Is So Much Better If You Are A Billionaire...Or Work For One"

HERE

From Martin County Moments

"Brightline Has Never Been Welcomed In Stuart or Martin County"

HERE

"Byron Donalds Could Have A Problem"

HERE

"Amendment 3 Is A Ponzi Scheme"

HERE

Other Articles

The New York Times: "An Ancient Wall Sheds Light On an Old Question: Where Did Paris Begin?"

Here

The Economist: "Back and sholder surgery is ofter worse than useless"

HERE

The Capitolist: "Brightline Reaches Restructuring Deal, Secures $490 Million in Financing"

HERE

Florida Phoenix: "Byron Donalds says solar power is a 'fad' but Florida utilities are expanding its use"

HERE

Route Fifty: "Do data centers need a 'national strategy that puts communities first'?"

HERE

Medium: "Find ANY square Root Using Heron's Formula"

HERE

Paul Krugman's Substack: "Why Does Everyone Hate Trump's Tariffs?"

HERE

The Atlantic: "ICE Deportees Are Vanishing Into Salvadorian Prisons"

HERE

Washington Post: "Ospreys are disapearing along the East Coast. Scientists think they know why."

HERE

The Economist: "Donald Trump drops demand to own Greenland, but the harm has been done"

HERE

Wall Street Journal: "Five Takeaways From Hegseth's Speech"

HERE

The Capitolist: "Florida attorney general accuses companies of driving up insulin costs"

HERE

The New York Times: "We Asked Chefs What They Think of You. Here's What They Said."

HERE

The Capitolist: "Florida Tax Watch Recommends 'No' Vote on Amendment 3"

HERE

The Economist: "In MAGA-land people are dying faster than they are being born"

HERE

Wall Street Journal: "My Week in a $15,000 Microcar: Joy, Guilt amd 25-MPH Road Rage

HERE

The Economist: "The era of speedball capitalism has dawned"

HERE

The Wall Street Journal: "The Three Dreaded Words No One Wants to Hear: What's for Dinner?"

HERE

Wall Street Journal: "What It's Like to Work in Ine of America's Data Centers"

HERE

The Economist: "When gerrymandering meets a blue wave"

HERE

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