01/01/2026 ISSUE 01

Port St. Lucie experienced both successes and grating failures in a year filled with challenges between upgrading its waterways and keeping them sanitary.The greatest failure this past year remains two fish kills the city incurred during the summer, one of them the worst in St. Lucie County since 2020. They occurred at the Elkcam Waterway in mid-June, and the Sawgrass Lakes gated community near Darwin Boulevard in late August.“It is important to note there were different circumstances and causes involved,” city communications director Scott Samples wrote in a Dec. 23 email.The city had removed 6,358 aquatic carcasses from the 121-acre Sawgrass Lakes community when collection stopped Sept. 29, according to Samples. Tilapia – a non-native fish used for filtration in Floridian waterways – made up 6,208, or a 97.6 percent majority, of these dead organisms.St. Lucie’s Board of County Commissioners, in their last meeting of the year, approved the rezoning of more agricultural land in the push to house more workers within the county and shorten commutes.The board unanimously rezoned a 19.75-acre plat along AnVOLUME 11, ISSUE 1 YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2026A6 A13 B6 County homelessnessAdvocates on problem, progressThe benefits of tai chiConsider going with ‘the flow’Family-friendly comedy Pineapple presents ‘Legends!’CONTINUED ON PAGE A6BOOKSARTS/PEOPLEGAMESSPORTSA1-A12, A22A13-A21B16A23-A36B17B1-B15B18-B20B22-B23© 2026 Vero Beach 32963 Media LLC. All rights reserved.IN THIS ISSUENEWSHEALTHPETSREAL ESTATEFORT PIERCE DECISIONNoche Buena: Holidayevening to rememberat Port District. P. B8BY CHARLES CALOIA | CorrespondentCONTINUED ON PAGE A3Aniseaya Pratty runs a passing drill under the watchful eye of Treasure Coast High School girls basketball coach Robin Potera-Haskins. The Lady Titans are off to a 13-0 start this season. See story, Page B22. PHOTO: LINDA KLOORFAINVoters in Fort Pierce’s District 2 will cast their ballots Jan. 13 in a special run-off election between City Commission candidates Chris Dzadovsky and Jaimebeth Galinis.Only residents who live in District 2 are eligible to vote. Early voting will take place from Jan. 3 to Jan. 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at Renaissance Business Park, 4132 Okeechobee Road, Fort Pierce.Eligible voters can request a vote-by-mail ballot from the Supervisor of Elections Office until the Jan. 2 deadlineDzadovsky and Galinis advanced after finishing as the top two candidates in the Nov. 4 election, in which none of the three candidates polled over 50 percent PRACTICE MAKES PERFECTBY CHARLES CALOIA | CorrespondentCONTINUED ON PAGE A9Waterways: Fish kills made for challenging 2025A federal project starting next week will cordon off a sizable part of South Hutchinson Island shoreline as it recovers from erosion exacerbated by Atlantic storm activity this past summer.Dollman Beach, which spans approximately 3.3 miles near condominiums along the barrier island, will be closed intermittently from Jan. 5 to June 30 as contractors refresh the shoreline with new sand.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded a contract of nearly $14.7 million in federal funds to Manson Construction, Inc., according to a Dec. 17 county release. Manson, a Seattle-based firm, is known for repairing escarpments caused by ocean Special run-offelection set for commission seatCONTINUED ON PAGE A8County rezones rural land in bid to housemore local workersBY CHARLES CALOIA | CorrespondentBY REGINA MARCAZZO-SKARKA | Staff WriterContractors remove dead fish from Sawgrass Lakes in August.CONTINUED ON PAGE A4$14.7M in repairsto Dollman Beach willmean periodic closures PHOTO: CHARLES CALOIA

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To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | NEWS January 1, 2026 3From left: Wetlands near Torino Parkway on Dec. 9. Flowering lavender near a Milner Drive drain on Feb. 20. Port St. Lucie Public Works communications director Jennifer Tomes, in character as “Water Woman,” monitors feedback at the Feb. 1 #IAMPSL Citizen Summit. FILE PHOTOSMany of these tilapia died due to infections from the streptococcus bacterium, according to biopsies performed at the Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Kissimmee. Samples added streptococcus infections are “a known cause of mass mortalities in tilapia” throughout the state.Other disclosed causes for the Sawgrass Lakes culling included a possible bluegreen algal bloom, according to previous city reports.The Elkcam Waterway fish kill, meanwhile, led to the collection of approximately 750 fish; among them 450 (60 percent) tilapia, according to Samples. City records add the Elkcam incident emerged from the usage of herbicides by Aquatic Vegetation Control, Inc. (AVC), of Stuart to quell nearby invasive plants.Contractors from AVC provided cleanup efforts after both fish kills, in addition to other wetland maintenance throughout the city and county, due to longtime municipal agreements.The AVC contract with Port St. Lucie will expire Oct. 31, according to Samples. He added: “The city is currently working on establishing a framework for the new service contract that will be advertised.”City staff and contractors routinely consider “other approaches” for the removal of invasive plants, Samples wrote. They span from the “physical” uprooting of non-native vegetation to “incorporating fish into waterways as a biological control.”Samples added, “we work closely with AVC to identify the best removal approach to each unique area and situation.”The city’s successes, meanwhile, leveraged continued efforts to improve its aging water infrastructure. Port St. Lucie signed off on new initiatives for cleanup including the nearly $340,000 contract Dec. 1 to remove floating sensors with encapsulated mercury in place since the city’s founding, records show.The city also continues its efforts to convert residential septic tanks to modern sewer systems. Port St. Lucie Public Works logged 392 septic-to-sewer conversions from Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2025, according to Samples.Public Works averaged 415 conversions per year throughout the past decade; over 12,000 residents are now connected to more secure sewer lines, Samples added.The city installed at least one new baffle box to quell excess stormwater this year. The box found a home for $902,568.21 along the D-19 Canal near Whitmore Drive in June, city records show.More plans lie ahead for two further baffle boxes to complement drainage along Floresta Drive, where construction crews continue building out the third phase of its improvement plan due to complete Fall 2028.“The city will continue to focus on water quality initiatives involving the many waterways throughout Port St. Lucie,” Samples wrote. CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1WATERWAYS REPORT

4 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | NEWS www.stlucievoice.comCONTINUED FROM PAGE A1DOLLMAN BEACH REPAIRSerosion across North American beaches.Contractors from Manson will begin dredging Dollman Beach on Jan. 22 with an “anticipated project completion date” of June 30, the release said. It added the “recommended plan” of dredging “includes beach and dune nourishment from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection” near the St. Lucie County/Indian River County line.Much of this renutrition builds upon efforts to restore Dollman Beach after it incurred significant damage from Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022. The Army Corps will source approximately 315,000 cubic yards of “beach compatible sand” from deposits in St. Lucie Shoals found around 3.5 miles offshore, wrote county spokesperson Erick Gill in a Dec. 19 email.The deposits of St. Lucie Shoals match the “native sands” at Dollman, found between Normandy Beach to the north and the St. Lucie/Martin county line to the south, Gill wrote. Manson will also place accessibility ramps for areas of high-volume foot traffic “outside of active construction areas” for the duration of the project.By the time of the county’s announcement, Dollman Beach had been littered with strings of seagrass left over from strong king tide activity in mid-October. Flooding induced by king tides caused at least two South Hutchinson beaches – Walton Rocks Park and Ocean Bay Beachside Park – to close for over a week.Continued shoreline erosion could instill concern in new homeowners and vacationers seeking beachfront property, such as Mike and Sally Hack. The couple, like others visiting St. Lucie away from the Northern cold, navigated uneven sandbars 3 to 4 feet above the waterline on an evening walk Dec. 18. “It seems like each year, we lose a little more,” Mike Hack, 67, said. “There’s about a 6-foot drop-off on the beach.”The Hacks began wintering at their condo near Dollman in 2021, which gave them more thorough knowledge of nearby erosion. “We used to be able to only afford coming down here a week or two, and now we’re down here a few months,” Mike Hack said. “I’d say the last five or six years, we’ve seen more erosion than we have in the past; but, we’re down here longer.”The escarpments the Hacks witnessed extended to local tourism sites including restaurants along State Road A1A and the Eustace Mansion, known for its Christmas lights. (The light display was canceled there this year due to the May 16 death of homeowner/insurance entrepreneur Robert Eustace, 80.)The sandbar near the Eustace Mansion reached escarpments stretching around 8 feet above the shoreline, creating doubts in Mike Hack’s mind that the barrier islands could be a “livable habitat” for himself and others, he said.“That barrier island’s keeping the weather and storms off the mainland,” Mike Hack said, “so this is going to take the brunt of the storms here. I don’t know that these were ever meant to have condos and stuff on them.“I think they’re bringing the beach back for the vacationers but the ocean seems to take it out again,” Mike Hack said. “It’s a continual process but I’d say the county’s doing a good job of putting it back.”Beach renutrition and its relationship to climatology remain critical topics for Dr. Gary Zarillo of the College of Engineering and Science at the Florida Institute of Technology. He has accumulated over 40 years’ experience researching coastal resiliency along the Eastern Seaboard.The sands of St. Lucie Shoals encountered few changes from “sea rise through the Intercontinental Shelf” found further into the Atlantic, Zarillo shared in a Dec. 19 interview. “That’s always an important consideration in building these beach-fill projects.“Here, on the East Coast,” Zarillo said, “these shoals are stable. These kind of systems occur all up and down the East Coast.” He added the Army Corps “knows this” through their studies of the Intercontinental Shelf since the 1960s.Zarillo added St. Lucie, like other Florida counties, tries to keep a balance on maintaining beaches between sand renourishment and “pressure for development.”“I see this all the time.”Severe storms, such as Ian, Nicole and Milton (2024) may compound the concern and outpouring of resources for maintaining shorelines. “I would expect that those recent storms probably increased the need for beach renourishment; maybe the storms themselves distributed the Army Corps and other rebuilding projects,” Zarillo said. “I wouldn’t expect it would slow the projects.“The fundamental question is – and this is more about local managers – ‘How do you want to manage your beachfront properties? How do you want to manage shoreline with respect to development?’” Zarillo posited. “So, at some point in time, there’s going to be a day of reckoning and it might come with the next major storm impact.”Dollman Beach last received a significant renourishment in 2022 that addressed the impacts of Hurricanes Ian and Nicole within weeks of each other, county records show.The beach last received repairs made through an “initial Federal Beach Project completed in 2022,” Gill wrote, adding the county sought further aid from the Army Corps to restore the beach “to pre-storm conditions.” Above: Visitors Mike and Sally Hack walk along Dollman Beach. Left: The entrance to Dollman Park. Below: Escarpments roughly between 3 and 4 feet by the Ocean Towers condominium complex. PHOTOS: CHARLES CALOIA

6 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | NEWS www.stlucievoice.comTreasure Coast Homeless Services Council’s annual update last month revealed that unsheltered homelessness continues to be a pressing issue in the City of Fort Pierce. TCHSC leader Rayme Knuckles presented the report at the meeting. “Our mission specifically is to end homelessness on the Treasure Coast and ensure that if homelessness does happen, it is rare or non-recurring,” he said.But discussion of the report at the Dec. 8 City Commission meeting seemed to expose an imbalance in the amount of assistance from the respective cities and counties. In fact, after hearing the report that discussed statistics and services offered to the homeless, commissioners reacted passionately. “As we look at this, there are rumors that (the homeless) get here because we have a very compassionate, passionate community largely led by faith leaders here,” said Commissioner Curtis Johnson Jr. “They’ve got faith leaders in Vero and faith leaders in Martin County,” Johnson said. “He’s being polite. Homeless people are being driven here from local municipalities and counties and dumped here. It’s despicable,” said Commissioner Michael Broderick, claiming that it was a well-known fact that “other organizations or governments are doing this” and that it is taking place “consistently.”“You can hear that information right from the homeless people when asked how they got here. ‘We got dropped off.’“I truly appreciate your report and the work that your organization is doing,” said Broderick, who emphasized that the city has neither the assets nor revenue to tackle the homeless issue. There were also comments about the amount of financial support offered to the cause. When asked, Knuckles said, “We don’t receive support from the City of Stuart. Martin County does provide resources, but it’s only $25,000.” St. Lucie County provides an indeterminate amount.The City of Fort Pierce has supported the organization with $125,000 each year for the past three years, and in a separate agenda item at the same meeting, the commission again gave the OK to provide $125,000 for 2026. The funds will help TCHSC with staffing and operational costs at the Housing HUB, and expand services by developing a women’s facility.In the City of Fort Pierce specifically, the report cited the following issues: High housing costs and limited rental inventory. Seniors are increasing as a percentage of those with housing insecurity. Unsheltered homelessness is rising due to a lack of available low-income housing and housing assistance. There is also limited shelter space. Veterans and medically fragile individuals remain priority populations.At the time of the meeting, 49,384 services were provided to 4,404 households in 2025. Report details advocates’ tireless work to eradicate homelessness in countyBY REGINA MARCAZZO-SKARKA | Staff WriterDavid Long has been helping the homeless for over 35 years.First in Pittsburgh and since 2007 on Florida’s east coast, the Angel of Hope Outreach Ministries executive director goes deep into the woods to reach the unsheltered.“I was homeless myself. I have live experience,” said Long, who explained that he was laid off from a good job, and when his benefits ended he couldn’t afford where he was living. He lost one of his two cars due to non-payment, and subsequently lived in his other car for eight months before finding another job and getting back on his feet.Angels of Hope Outreach Ministries has been helping people find hope for almost two decades. The grassroots, all-volunteer not-for-profit serves the homeless and those in crisis. The 501(c)3 is “dedicated to helping people out of homelessness and into new lives filled with purpose and hope.”Long goes into the woods with his laptop trying to help people apply for benefits such as disability or veterans’ assistance. “Whatever the case may be, I try to help them,” he said.He also brings food, water and hygiene items to the people. During the month of December, he delivered 15 tents, 20 tarps and about 5,000 pounds of food.“There’s a lot of people who know me,” Long said. And those he serves feel comfortable with people they know. It is a busy operation and often stressful.“I feel good about good success stories like getting people that actually get out of it to live semi-normal lives,” Long said, explaining that the cost of everything today makes it really difficult to return to what was once considered normal.“What I don’t feel good about is seeing sadness in the faces of children.”The hard-working servant to the unsheltered homeless is looking for dedicated outreach help to assist in the field.Another part of the operation is the Angels of Hope’s Closet, a thrift store in Fort Pierce where customers can come to shop and donors can drop off supplies to be brought out to the field.“I was a homeless child. I don’t forget where I come from. Giving back is what I do,” said Mary-Jo Hathaway, Angels of Hope’s Closet store manager, who has been volunteering for about a decade at the shop.Hathaway, who married at age 17, has three children. She spent her life working in the medical field, nursing “on the clock and off.”Helping others is just what she does. “It’s a passion of mine. I’ve been doing it my whole life,” said Hathaway. “My kids were raised giving, and they’ve continued it.”In fact, her daughter runs Hoosick Falls Community Porch in Hoosick Falls, New York, where Hathaway was raised. “We lived in a car in the middle of some of the coldest winters,” Hathaway said. She said her mom worked three jobs in upstate New York, walking to work so she and her siblings could stay in the car. One day a man knocked on the car window and told her mom to bring herself and the children to his house, where he lived alone. When the man became ill in later years and no one could help him, Hathaway took care of him until he passed away.Asked how she learned about Angels of Hope’s Closet, Hathaway explained that she came into the store one day shopping for clothes. All her life she has gotten her clothing at thrift stores, everything but shoes. Her mother always told her that she had to have new shoes to support her feet well.“I came in and talked to the people and stayed,” she said of that first visit. “We have a wonderful community. We have good donors.“I just hired a non-paid administrative assistant,” said Hathaway, who considers the thrift store as the “face of the operation.”“If we don’t get the food we need donated, we purchase what we need,” Hathaway said.Everyone who helps in the ministry is a volunteer, and no one takes a salary, including Long and Hathaway. Donors bring food, clothing and practical resources to the store, then the items are brought directly to people living on the streets, in cars and in the woods. “When I go out to the woods, I have to holler. People don’t trust people they don’t know coming into the camp,” she said. They’ve also helped individuals find secure jobs and housing. Their “clientele” includes many veterans, single mothers and some who have been homeless for decades. “What began as small acts of kindness has grown into a trusted, community-powered ministry that reaches thousands each year. Their mission is simple: go where others won’t.”The Angels of Hope’s Closet is located at 310 Indian Hills Dr., Fort Pierce. The telephone number is 518- 727-5476. ‘Angels of Hope’ walks deep into woods to help vulnerable homelessBY REGINA MARCAZZO-SKARKA | Staff WriterLeft: A homeless encampment in the woods. Above: Mary-Jo Hathaway, Angels of Hope’s Closet thrift store manager. PHOTO (ABOVE): REGINA MARCAZZO-SKARKA

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | NEWS January 1, 2026 7Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Katherine Mish of Fort Pierce on Dec. 22 to serve as a judge on the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Court, filling a vacancy created by the enactment of Senate Bill 2508, which added seats in the state due to an increase in population and caseloads.DeSantis also named Steven Wilson of Vero Beach to serve as judge on the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Court, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Lawrence M. Mirman.“I am grateful and humbled by the governor’s appointment as Circuit Judge and honored by the opportunity to serve,” said Mish. “Having been raised on the Treasure Coast, it is especially meaningful to be able to serve the local community that has played such an important role in my life.”Mish began her legal career as an associate attorney at Cleaveland and Cleaveland in Jacksonville. She has been an attorney for Treasure Coast Legal in Stuart since 2015.She earned her bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and her juris doctor from Florida Coastal School of Law. She served as a legislative intern in the Florida House of Representatives prior to attending law school, according to her profile on Treasure Coast Legal.She is licensed to practice law in Florida and in the United States District Court for Florida’s Middle District and Southern District, according to the profile.Mish is a member of the Florida Bar, Real Property, Probate Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar, and both the St. Lucie County and Martin County Bar Associations.At Treasure Coast Legal, Mish’s areas of focus are bankruptcy, family law, probate and estate planning. Judges in the 19th Circuit Court rotate among Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin and Okeechobee counties.Mish, 36, was the youngest of six attorneys to be certified in August by the governor to fill the seat of Judge Brett Waronicki after his resignation following his arrest on DUI and possession of drug paraphernalia charges in May. But on Oct. 9, DeSantis appointed Robert Stone of Vero Beach to fill the seat vacated by Waronicki, a judge on the 19th Judicial Circuit Court in Fort Pierce. Stone had served as an assistant state attorney for the 19th Judicial Circuit since 2019 after being a partner at the Law Office of Stone and Stone. Wilson, 39, of the Rossway Swan Tierney Barry and Oliver firm in Vero, is a graduate of Indian River State College, Harding University in Arkansas and Thomas Goode Jones School of Law in Alabama. Wilson was an assistant state attorney for 11 years, starting out on misdemeanor cases, moving up to the felony division and serving three years as misdemeanor supervisor for Indian River County. Staff writer Lisa Zahner contributed to this report. About four years ago the organization started operating the Housing Hub, or Adam’s Place, to provide access to shelter and other assistance in St. Lucie County and in Fort Pierce.Recent data shows that 166 clients were served at the Hub, with 135 of those clients successfully housed. “The lack of affordable housing in the community has become a little challenging for even us to house folks. That’s why we really need to focus on people sharing housing,” Knuckles said. “We find more and more seniors living in crisis.”A one-day count done each year has shown a decrease in homelessness in St. Lucie County, though it is just a snapshot of the situation and not an accurate account of those serviced throughout the year.“If you have not been out on the streets and counted with us before, I welcome you to join me,” Knuckles said, noting that he will be there during the last Thursday in January. “It is quite an experience to learn and engage in. And you will connect with the homeless community that day.” The county will be split into four different sections. Counting will start around 3 a.m. and end around 11 p.m. the same night, with the numbers unveiled in April. Permanent housing for about 170 households has been provided for “individuals who have a dual diagnosis, maybe a mental health issue or health issue, but a change in federal focus from “permanent supportive housing” to “outreach, engagement and transitional housing” could upend the system.“We have to determine how to house individuals who we have been housing with permanent supportive housing for the last 20 years,” Knuckles said, adding that Notices of Funding Availability (NOFA) will not provide funds for applications due on Jan. 16 and that other means will be needed to keepthe people in their homes.At the end of his report, Knuckles thanked Fort Pierce Mayor Linda Hudson for being the only one at a recent legislative breakfast to bring up the issue of homelessness. “It was very commendable,” he said. Fort Pierce’s Mish appointed to 19th Judicial Circuit Court seatBY REGINA MARCAZZO-SKARKA | Staff Writer

8 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | NEWS www.stlucievoice.comgle Road to house five dwelling units per acre Dec. 9. The land, 6465 Angle Road between Taylor Dairy and Keen roads, would likely be home to workers in the unincorporated county.These lots would fit zoning requirements of at least 8,000 square feet and a minimum width of 75 feet, according to Leah Heinzelmann, a landscape architect with Cotleur & Hearing of Jupiter. Features of the plat included “an older single-family residence and pasture land heavily impacted by” invasive pepper trees, she added in a presentation.The land joins several properties in the rural county both east and west of Kings Highway, including the 202.2-acre Pineapple Grove and 391.26-acre Eagle Bend. These and others now sync with road improvement schematics planned until 2045, county records show.Eagle Bend, whose buildout was first proposed in 2014, will house a potential maximum of 1,713 dwellings upon the completion of a five-phase construction cycle.The Taylor Dairy/Angle plat lies on roadways “no longer consistent with the comprehensive plan” given the objective to “remediate the need for further sprawl,” Heinzelmann said.Worker retention and population growth remained in the conversation when county senior planner Irene Szedlmayer, AICP, presented her division’s studies on the dais.Housing at the newly zoned plat may foster “substantial jobs in the area,” said Szedlmayer. She added much of the work comes from facilities still recovering from tornadoes generated by Hurricane Milton over a year ago: the Kings Highway Industrial Park, the Southern Truss Company, and the Treasure Coast International Airport.Garnering more work with steadier traffic in the rural county correlates with further population growth forecasts. According to projections Szedlmayer presented, St. Lucie took in an estimated 107,957 new residents between 2020 and 2024. This compares to the 179,055 new residents who moved here between 1990 and 2020.Housing developments in unincorporated St. Lucie, such as the Taylor Dairy/Angle plat, go forward with population predictions of 423,900 by 2030; 494,200 by 2040; and 567,700 by 2050, county projections also show.These projections “don’t necessitate the rezoning of this particular parcel, but it does lend support for the need to increase the housing supply” over the next 25 years, Szedlmayer said.That job market in the sector, however, “hasn’t been as robust as it may have been anticipated,” Szedlmayer added. “I think it’s still coming but that’s what everyone’s wondering.”Nick Shroth, a local real estate broker and owner of the plat through a shell corporation, shared his concerns about keeping the job market in St. Lucie. He related the situation of Islamorada Beer Company employees at their 50,000-square-foot brewery/manufacturing facility in the Treasure Coast International Airport starting about a decade ago.“When the Beer Company was a little more bustling and we had 100 employees, or so, working there,” Shroth said, “a lot of them lived in Vero (Beach, and not) in the immediate area here.”Longer commutes between counties for workers going to Islamorada and other rural industrial offices sprouted from a “dearth” of “new housing, good housing” for St. Lucie, Shroth said.He added: “There are options. None of them are great.”Shroth plans to shape the new Angle Road plat into a “residential rental community” intended to “fill that void,” he said. “We started with (a) nine-unit-per-acre concept; that came out to 170 units and – maybe my eyes were a bit too big for my stomach – we kind of dialed that back.”That reduction also coexists with the greater capacity of Eagle Bend nearby. “I’ve been part of the Eagle Bend project for five or so years,” Shroth said. “There is a substantial part of road infrastructure that is a part of that.”The board took no public comment unlike a string of other agricultural-to-residential redevelopments throughout 2025, many of which saw significant criticism from residents. The county did not reply to a request for comment on the Angle Road plat by press time. CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1ANGLE ROAD REZONINGThe 19.75-acre Angle Road/Taylor Dairy Road plat on Dec. 23.PHOTO: CHARLES CALOIA

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | NEWS January 1, 2026 9COVID cases here spike sharply from prior weekThe recent trend of rising and falling COVID-19 cases and vaccinations in St. Lucie County continued through the holiday season.COVID cases leapt to 29 between Dec. 13-19 from 11 between Dec. 6-12, according to the Florida Department of Health. The week’s total matches levels seen in some weeks between October and November.The administration of COVID-19 vaccines in St. Lucie also reached an initial low, which changed given how the FDOH database updates over time. State health officials logged 247 vaccines – up from an initial 49 – given in St. Lucie from Dec. 13-19. The number marks a decline from the 331 inoculations given the week of Dec. 6-12 and 376 from Nov. 29-Dec. 5.The FDOH updated their total inoculations given Nov. 29-Dec. 5 to 376 since St. Lucie Voice reported an initial 43 thereof at press time Dec. 18. St. Lucie also recorded that one death occurred the week of Dec. 6-12, according to the latest state health records. This breaks a streak of no COVID-related deaths between Nov. 8 and Dec. 5.The FDOH did not release COVID-related death statistics for Dec. 13 and onward by press time.  – CHARLES CALOIAof the vote. Donna Benton was the third candidate.The duo are are running for the seat vacated by disgraced former City Commissioner James Taylor, who resigned after his arrest in July.“Since we must wait until January, I will use this time to refine policy proposals so I am ready – if elected – to bring forward actionable solutions for debate and adoption,” said Dzadovsky, after the Nov. 4 vote. “I’m going to just keep talking to as many people as I can,” said Galinis, speaking after the election. “My strategy was going to remain the same.” Both Dzadovsky and Galinis have statements on their campaign pages explaining why they are running.“I believe in the power of Fort Pierce. Together, we can build a city where every resident is valued and every voice is heard. As your candidate for Fort Pierce City Commission, I am committed to empowering our community to shape his future, strengthen our neighborhoods and create lasting change that benefits every resident,” writes Dzadovsky.Galinis says, “I’m not a politician – I’m a neighbor who loves this city and knows we can do better. Fort Pierce has so much potential, but we need leadership that gets results, not just talks about them. I know how to solve problems, big and small – from cleaner streets and safer neighborhoods to bringing in businesses and making city services work better for you.”Much has happened while the City Commission has been down one commissioner.There was concern about 2-2 votes causing a standstill with major issues like choosing a new police chief and extending City Manager Richard Chess’ contract. But both issues were resolved via unanimous votes by the City Commission.At their Dec. 15 meeting, commissioners expressed a hope for unity, no matter the victor. “To the candidates and to the people onboth sides of the candidates, just talk the good points and bring down the rhetoric because that’s what we need. Let’s just go out and vote,” said Commissioner Arnold Gaines. “I’ll fight for residents in District 1 and I’ll fight for residents in District 2. … Let’s let Fort Pierce try to stop the division going on in the country and the world,” Gaines said.Commissioner Michael Broderick added, “I will follow up on Commissioner Gaines’ comments in that there’s a perception that when Commissioner Gaines and I get into our debates … there’s some type of division between us and that’s simply not the case.“I believe that debate is healthy. It’s an exchange of ideas and different perspectives representing all areas of the city. You will have different slants on the issues.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1CITY COMMISSION SEATCommissioner candidates: Chris Dzadovsky and Jaimebeth Galinis.

10 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | NEWS www.stlucievoice.com510 NW University Blvd., Suite 106, Port St. Lucie 34986772.281.2650 www.TraditionElectricInc.comLicensed & Insured lic# EC13003314SERVICE UPGRADES • NEW OUTLETS & CIRCUITSEV CHARGING STATIONS • CEILING FANS/LIGHT FIXTURES • GENERATOR/HOME SURGE PROTECTION LANDSCAPE LIGHTING • RENOVATIONS10% OFFLANDSCAPE LIGHTING OVER $500Must present coupon when scheduling for discount. Exp. 2/12/26“High Quality & Prompt Service is our Tradition”Family Owned & OperatedResidential / Commercial / ServiceFREE ESTIMATESLOOKING FOR A RELIABLE ELECTRICIAN?Plans to extend the red snapper season get mixed reception from local anglersGov. Ron DeSantis has announced plans to increase the fishing season for red snapper on Florida’s east coast from just a few days in recent years to a total of 39 days in 2026, leaving some local recreational offshore anglers giddy, while others are voicing concerns.Captain Colton Hester of Vero Beach Fishing Charters has had to regularly turn customers away because he can only take up to four anglers per day during the red snapper season, which was just two days this year, July 11-12. Next year there will be a lot more opportunities for those who want to fish for red snapper, a delicious-tasting species that gather near reefs and wrecks from 30 to 600 feet underwater.“They’re a fun fight. Whether as table fare or the fun of the fight, snapper fishing is a real attraction,” Hester said. Anglers out for a day of fishing for other bottom dwellers on other days often catch red snapper unintentionally – called “bycatch” – and are disappointed when they have to let them go, he said. Next year, providing they are within the new season dates, they won’t have to let them go, he said.The proposed 2026 Atlantic red snapper season will be May 22 through June 20 and three long weekends in October – Oct. 2-4, Oct. 9-11 and Oct. 16-18. Weight and catch limits have yet to be announced.An expanded season in 2026 will certainly help larger recreational charter operations, but for smaller operators things probably won’t change all that much, said Captain Eric Davis of Vero Backcountry Fishing, who can accommodate up to six anglers per trip. “I’m hearing the limit will still be one red snapper per person per day,” said Davis, who provides both inshore and offshore excursions. “The charter boats that have a large bottom fishing following will benefit more,” he said.Both Davis and Hester said the farther north you fish in the Atlantic, the more red snapper you will find. They both prefer entering the Atlantic via the Sebastian Inlet, they said.Captain Richard Hunt, of Little Adam Fishing Charters in Fort Pierce, agrees, but is wary about expanding the season by that many days. “From Fort Pierce south you don’t really see that many red snapper,” Hunt said. “I don’t think (the state is expanding the season) for the right reasons. I do believe the fish need to be protected in some areas.”DeSantis and others in politics are more interested in boosting tourism and income for hotels and restaurants, Hunt said. When fishing for red snapper and similar species in southern Atlantic waters, anglers often lose their catch, especially larger fish, to sharks while reeling in their lines, he said.“I think the rules should be more regionalized and they should regulate the size – every other species is regulated by size,” Hunt said. “A lot of fish are disappearing and people don’t realize it.” Plans to expand the season for the entire Atlantic coast should be paused until marine scientists can do more comprehensive studies, he said.Florida took over management of Gulf coast waters in 2018, and since then the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has gradually expanded the season there. This year, the Gulf Red Snapper Recreational Season was 127 days long.But Atlantic coast waters are under the control of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Fisheries Service. This year’s season was just two days. The 2024 season was a single day, July 12.The reason? In 2009, after determining the population of the species was at critically low levels due to overfishing, NOAA halted all fishing for red snapper in the Atlantic. In 2012 they ruled that limited BY JON PINE | Staff WriterRed snapper.

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | NEWS January 1, 2026 11BY REGINA MARCAZZO-SKARKA | Staff WriterCounty’s beach/port chief named ‘Engineer of Distinction’St. Lucie County’s Port, Inlet and Beaches Department (PIB) director Joshua Revord was recently named Florida Engineer of Distinction by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Florida and was featured in the organization’s magazine Engineering Florida.The winter edition of the quarterly magazine includes a four-page article highlighting Revord’s many accomplishments working for his native St. Lucie County.“It’s an honor to be recognized as the ACEC’s Engineer of Distinction, but it’s an even greater honor that I get the chance to work in the same area I grew up, protecting the beaches and waterways that I loved as a kid growing up in St. Lucie County,” said Revord.“I feel privileged to be able to share the same experiences I had growing up with my children. I come to work every day with the goal to protect these resources for them and their future children and grandchildren.”Among his responsibilities as PIB director, Revord manages the county beaches and Fort Pierce Inlet, as well as the Port of Fort Pierce, including the county’s relationship with Derecktor Shipyards, the port tenant that services mega yachts. He also oversees routine maintenance of the inlet’s navigation channel. The PIB department began during fiscal 2024-2025.In September, Revord was elected chair of the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council. Prior to leading the PIB, Revord worked as the senior coastal engineer helping to manage the Erosion District, the county’s Atlantic shoreline including the Fort Pierce Inlet. He began his career working for the county in 2016 as a stormwater engineer.Revord is a graduate of Port St. Lucie High School. He is a registered professional engineer in Florida, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Ocean Engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in Coastal and Oceanographic Engineering from the University of Florida. fishing could resume without harming the repopulation effort.Since his inauguration, President Donald Trump has been reversing federal controls of dozens of industries, leading DeSantis to order FWC to submit an Exempted Fishing Permit to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick which, if granted, will allow Florida to manage red snapper fisheries in Atlantic waters.In making the announcement on Nov. 10 in Fernandina Beach, DeSantis said taking control of red snapper management empowers Florida’s more than four million licensed anglers. “There’s a lot of people throughout Northeast Florida that really have been waiting for this for a long time,” DeSantis said.Once Lutnick signs off on the Exempted Fishing Permit, the proposed 2026 Atlantic red snapper season will become Florida law.The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) has lauded DeSantis’ announcement, saying the move support’s the state’s $11.1 billion recreational fishing industry. “We’ve witnessed the benefits of state management in the Gulf for years and we’re hopeful anglers and the industry will now experience these same benefits in the Atlantic for 2026 and beyond,” said Martha Guyas, Southeast Fisheries policy director for ASA.To reach Richard Hunt and Little Adam Fishing Charters, call 772-370-1919. Visitextremefishingfl.com for rate information. Joshua Revord, right.

12 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | NEWS www.stlucievoice.comPermanent traffic signals are coming to the increasingly busy intersection of Community Boulevard and Discovery Way in Tradition.In the meantime, the City of Port St. Lucie placed temporary solar-powered, trailer-mounted traffic lights during the week of Dec. 22 on the intersection’s four corners while mast arms are manufactured for the permanent signals.The current flashing red signals act as a fourway stop sign. The signals will remain in “flash” mode for two weeks when they will become fully operational.They will remain until the new permanent ones are fully installed. The permanent traffic signals are in the manufacturing process and expected to be installed no later than the spring. Temp signals in place at busy Tradition intersection772-302-9616LIC# EC13006279 & LI45237(Installation, Warranty & Maintenance)cummins & Generac generator dealer intouch-electric.com Electric, Natural Gas & LP Servicesstay in touch...stay powered!AVAILABLE 24/7CALL TODAY!FORT PIERCE RESIDENTS SEEK MORE NOTICE, BIGGER SIGNAGE FOR BUILDING PROJECTSA code change requiring notifications of building projects to be more visible and for notice letters to reach more residents could be in the works in Fort Pierce.Residents speaking at a recent public hearing complained they had no idea that a zone change and development proposal was in the works in their neighborhood.At the second reading and public hearing to rezone an approximately 11.54-acre property at 3804 Sunrise Blvd. from single family zone (R1) to Planned Development (PD), residents complained that they were not aware of the project.The development site plan including the construction of 48 single family homes was approved with 13 conditions after the second reading on Dec. 15. Judy Biglin of Fort Pierce spoke out during “comments from the public” after the project was approved.“One of my concerns is I didn’t know about the meeting until today. I live so close to this development but I don’t understand why I’m not included in being told about it or anything,” she said.Perry Lloyd, who also lives nearby, echoed her comments. “Five hundred feet, it’s a low standard. The sign requirements are very small. It’s a very small sign on the road. I had to go door to door to let everybody know about this,” he said.“Maybe six of us in the neighborhood got a letter,” Lloyd continued.“I see bigger signs in St. Lucie and other places. And the sign we have is perpendicular to the road.”At the request of City Manager Richard Chess, Planning Director Kevin Freeman addressed the issue.“We do notify to the city code, which is 500 feet to the boundary of the property in question,” Freeman said, confirming that city code is followed even with the signage. “We post a site notice.”He added, however, that the code does not specify sign size as some other municipalities do.“We are looking and we have been looking at this for a while in terms of how public notice gets carried out,” he said, adding that the obligation should fall on the applicants rather than city staff. Freeman also talked about distance and the possibility of having notices sent to residents that live farther away. “I think the county does 1,000,” he said, adding that there will always be somebody on the edge that will be left out because they are over the distance.“If the county is 1,000, let’s stay consistent with the county,” said Commissioner Arnold Gaines. “It seems when they are coming here and they say this is the first time I’m hearing about it, it looks like we’re trying to hide something. That’s not what we are trying to do.”The conversation continued with commissioners agreeing that the signs needed to be bigger and more visible, and that the applicants should be responsible for notifying the public, not city staff. Commissioner Michael Broderick requested that there be bigger and brighter signs. “These smack you in the face,” he said, referring to some of the prominently displayed signs he’s seen in other places. “I will make a two-fold request: Increase the distance and modify the signage so it’s blaring,” Broderick said.Fort Pierce Mayor Linda Hudson agreed.Discussions about making changes and working out a plan to put the burden on the applicant have been going on for a while. One possibility discussed was to have the applicant prove that the signage and letters have gone out before having their application on the agenda. BY REGINA MARCAZZO-SKARKA | Staff WriterThe Florida Department of Transportation will expedite lane shifts on Midway Road/County Road 712 amid a continuing widening project, according to onsite signage.“Newly constructed eastbound roadway” along the southern limits of Midway Road between Selvitz Road and Jenkins Road will provide access for drivers both east and west starting 8 p.m. Jan. 7, according to a Dec. 26 FDOT report.“The implementation of this traffic shift will allow for safe progression of the roadway construction” as contractors from Halley Construction, Inc. build out the north parts of Midway Road, the FDOT website said. The scheduling “may change due to weather or unforeseen circumstances.”FDOT previously announced the work would start at 8 p.m. Jan. 14, according to their website. The site has not been edited to reflect the Jan. 7 date change as of writing. FDOT also considered continuing work on Jan. 15 in case of impediments from weather or other causes.Contractors from Halley Construction, Inc. continue to widen Midway Road for $23.8 million since April 1, 2024, FDOT records show. The project, due to end summer 2027, reached nearly 60 percent completion in October after nearly a year’s worth of delays and an approximate $300,000 budget hike. FDOT did not reply to a request for comment by press time. FDOT MOVES UP MIDWAY LANE-SHIFT WORK BY 1 WEEK; WILL BEGIN JAN. 7– REGINA MARCAZZO-SKARKA – CHARLES CALOIATemporary, trail-mounted traffic lights at the Community Boulevard/Discovery Way intersection.PHOTOS: REGINA MARCAZZO-SKARKAMORE NEWS ON PAGE 22

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | HEALTH January 1, 2026 13BY JACKIE HOLFELDER | CorrespondentTai chi originated as an ancient form of martial art in China that was widely considered the most effective of all combat techniques because of its ability to turn an opponent’s force against them. In recent decades, however, it has been practiced mainly for its wide-ranging mental, emotional and physical health benefits, which are documented in more than 500 published medical studies. Peter Wayne, director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Harvard Medical School and at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts, is on record as stating that “medical research has catalyzed tai chi’s popularity in the West.”Angela Watson, a Treasure Coast certified personal trainer who has taught tai chi and qi gong for decades, says, “Both qi gong and tai chi work with the internal energy of the body through the practice of various movements, as well as meditation. The movements are slow and mindful, with everything working together to benefit the whole.”Mayo Clinic says tai chi is sometimes described as “meditation in motion” because it promotes serenity through gentle choreographed movements that bring the mind and body into harmony. It is a powerful practice for stress reduction and helps with many other health conditions, with proven ability to: Reduce anxiety and depression Improve balance, flexibility and muscle strength Reduce falls in older adults Improve sleep quality Lower blood pressure Improve cardiovascular fitness in older adults Relieve chronic pain Increase energy, endurance and agility Improve overall feelings of well-beingWatson says one of the beauties of tai chi is that anyone can practice it. “At the two age extremes, my daughter began coming to tai chi classes when she was 13 and I have students who are close to 90.”One of those students is Vero Beach resident Tom Jackson, who started attending Watson’s tai chi classes approximately eight years ago. “I’m 80 now,” he says, “and although I was what I’d consider reasonably fit at the time I began tai chi, I saw how many of my golfing friends were having to give up the sport they loved because they were losing mobility and I wanted a better outcome.“I can’t tell you how important the balance component of tai chi is. The 24 moves that we do are somewhat complicated but nothing that someone who is interested in increasing – or maintaining – their strength and mobility can’t do. Some of those exercises are on one leg!”Jackson says the benefits are more than just physical. “Remembering the sequence of the 24 moves we do, as well as how to do them, has a great mental impact.“And the meditative quality relaxes you and makes you feel better at the end of the class. I would say that it’s important to find an instructor who knows what he or she is doing and adds an air of congeniality and fun to the room.“An interesting thing is how the gender component of the students has evolved,” Jackson adds. “When I began attending classes, we were about two men and 20 women. Now the classes are evenly divided at about 50/50 percent.”One of the beauties of tai chi is that people don’t need to be in top physical form to participate. “It’s highly accessible for people of all ages and physical abilities,” Watson TAI CHI: Life can be smoother when you go with ‘the flow’Angela Watson. PHOTO: JOSHUA KODISCONTINUED ON PAGE A14

14 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | HEALTH www.stlucievoice.comCall for your annual exam andmammogram appointments today!• 10771 SW Trade St., Port St. Lucie• 501 NW Lake Whitney Pl #106, Port St. Lucie• 3498 NW Federal Hwy Jensen BeachRecent 5-star reviews for Dr. Rebecca Meiserwith Women’s Health Specialists.Call for your appointment today - 772-261-9636“Dr. Rebecca Meiser, MD was truly exceptional. She listened carefully to all my concerns and made me feel heard, supported, and understood. I felt that she was genuinely advocating for me throughout the entire visit, and thatgave me a lot of confidence and comfort. Her professionalism and compassion made this a very positive experience.”“Pleasant staff at reception, doctor and assistants. Doctor [Rebecca Meiser] wasvery informative and helpful. Appointment was handled promptly. Felt very welcomed.”Schedule Your Exam and Mammogram Today! 772-261-9636 3 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU! • WWW.WHSFL.COMQ. Is it possible to donate your own blood to yourself?A. Yes you can. This is called “autologous” blood donation. It’s done in the weeks before non-emergency surgery. The blood is stored until the operation. Autologous donation is most often employed in surgery on bones, blood vessels, the urinary tract, and the heart, when the likelihood of transfusion is high.This form of blood donation is good for the patient, but it’s beneficial to society, too. People over the age of 69 require half of all whole blood and red blood cells that are transfused, according to the National Blood Data Resource Center (NBDRC). Giving blood to yourself cuts down on the demand for blood.Typically, each donated unit of blood, referred to as whole blood, is separated into multiple components, such as red blood cells, plasma, platelets, and antihemophilic factor, for transfusion to individuals with different needs.With an aging population and advances in medical treatments requiring blood transfusions, the demand for blood is increasing. On any given day, more than 40,000 units of red blood cells are needed.Volunteers donate almost all the blood transfused in the United States. Using current screening and donation procedures, a growing number of blood banks have found blood donation by seniors to be safe and practical; if you’re a geezer, you probably can help the cause.To be eligible to donate blood, a person must be in good health. In general, donors must weigh at least 110 pounds. Most blood banks have no upper age limit. Donors are screened for AIDS, hepatitis, other diseases, and other possible problems. Adult males have about 12 pints of blood in their circulation and adult females have about nine pints. The donor’s body replenishes the fluid lost from donation in about 24 hours. The red blood cells that are lost are generally replaced in a few weeks. Whole blood can be donated once every eight weeks.What is the most common blood type?A. The approximate distribution of blood types in the US population is below. Distribution may be different for specific racial and ethnic groups.O Rh-positive 39 percent O Rh-negative 9 percent A Rh-positive 31 percent A Rh-negative 6 percentB Rh-positive 9 percentB Rh-negative 2 percent AB Rh-positive 3 percent AB Rh-negative 1 percent In an emergency, anyone can receive type O Rh-negative red blood cells, and type AB Rh-positive individuals can receive red blood cells of any ABO type. Therefore, people with type O- blood are known as “universal donors,” and those with type AB+ blood are known as “universal recipients.” CAN I DONATE BLOOD TO MYSELF? THE ANSWER IS …THE HEALTHY SENIOR / Fred CicettiCONTINUED FROM PAGE A13TAI CHIexplains. “Although traditionally the movements are performed standing, I’ve seen stroke survivors, as well as individuals with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases participate successfully in a seated position.”When Jackson mentioned the mental and emotional boosts he felt after a tai chi class, he was onto something. “It’s the exercise technique that also sharpens your mind,” says Watson. “Traditional Chinese exercises integrate breathing, intentional movement and mental focus. This trifecta seems to activate the body’s parasympathetic nervous system (the ‘rest and restore’ mode), while subtly challenging balance, coordination and attention.”The National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Biotechnology Information says that tai chi is particularly well-suited to fill gaps in physical activity engagement among older adults and individuals with chronic disease or mobility limitations. Unlike high-intensity fitness trends that may alienate these populations, tai chi offers a gentle, scalable, and sustainable alternative that aligns with global calls for age-friendly health promotion strategies. For information, email [email protected], call 772-532-4218 or visit angiewatsontraining.com. 

After years of recommending that infants not be given peanut products, doctors and other medical experts officially reversed that guidance in 2017. Allergies to the legume have been dropping ever since.A new study, published in November 2025 in the journal Pediatrics, found that food allergy rates in children under 3 fell dramatically after those guidelines were put in place, with a 36 percent reduction in all food allergies, largely driven by a 43 percent drop in peanut allergies.Kristin Grunbaum, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, says that’s exciting news, in part because once you have a peanut allergy, you rarely outgrow it. “A child can outgrow many other food allergies, but you’re usually stuck with a peanut allergy for life,” she says.Grunbaum says, “A tipping point came in 2015 when research showed that the peanut allergy rate for children in the U.S. was higher than it was for children in Israel, where young children had peanut products added to their diets at an earlier age.“Now the current national guidelines recommend introducing common food allergens to all infants between 4 and 6 months of age,” explains Grunbaum. “Early introduction to the nine commonly allergenic foods a couple of times a week – like a pea-sized smear of peanut butter – can help train an infant’s immune system.”Grunbaum says that the link between eczema and peanut allergy is an important one. “Food allergies are more common in children with eczema. The worse the eczema is, the more likely the child is to have them. “If your child’s eczema is severe, he or she should be tested before you introduce any peanut-based product into the diet to determine if the child has an allergy. Your pediatrician can do the test.”Food allergies are reactions your body has to a food that it mistakenlythinks is harmful. In trying to protect you, it can cause hives, swelling, an upset stomach and difficulty breathing.Dr. David Hill, a pediatric allergist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, explains that when food allergens are introduced through the gut, it can build tolerance. He says, “For the past decade, studies have shown that introducing allergenic foods in infancy, as the immune system is developing, can help the body recognize food proteins as harmless.”Grunbaum says the rate at which food allergies – mainly peanut allergies – had been increasing before the recent decline was amazing. “When I began practicing, if I saw a child with a food allergy once a month it was a lot. Now I routinely do skin tests on a child for up to 70 different foods,” she says. Grunbaum adds that while there may be multiple reasons for the increase, she believes a main one is that we over-sanitize our homes, which can interfere with a baby’s ability to develop a strong and healthy immune system. This idea is the basis of“The Hygiene Hypothesis,” which suggests that the critical post-natal period of immune response is derailed by extremely clean household environments often found in the developed world. In other words, the young child’s environment can be “too clean” to pose an effective challenge to a maturing immune system.According to the hygiene hypothesis, the problem with extremely clean environments is that they fail to provide the necessary exposure to germs required to “educate” the immune system so it can learn to launch its defense responses to infectious organisms. Instead, its defense responses end up being so inadequate that they contribute to the development of asthma and allergies (including food allergies).At the same time, it’s possible to develop a peanut allergy later in your life. According to a 2021 study, approximately 17.5 percent of people with peanut allergies developed the allergy as adults, typically between the ages of 30 and 39. Though the cause of adult-onset food allergies is not well understood, people with existing allergic conditions, such as eczema or asthma, insect sting allergies or latex allergies, are more likely to develop new allergies as adults.Genetics may also play a role. If a family member has a peanut allergy, it could raise your risk of developing one later in life. It’s also possible that your peanut allergy was present in your childhood but not recognized or diagnosed until later in life. Kristin H. Grunbaum, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, has been specializing in allergy, asthma and immunology for more than 19 years. She practices in the office of Mark J. Pamer, DO, LLC, 573 NW Lake Whitney Place, #105, St. Lucie West. CHILDHOOD PEANUT ALLERGIES KEEP DECLINING UNDER NEW GUIDANCEBY JACKIE HOLFELDER | CorrespondentTo Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | HEALTH January 1, 2026 15Kristin Grunbaum.

16 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | HEALTH www.stlucievoice.comFor millions of people around the world, a diagnosis of dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD) has long marked the start of a slow march into darkness. The central vision blurs, faces become harder to recognize, and reading or driving becomes impossible. Doctors could only offer nutritional supplements and reassurance – tools that might slow the disease but never restore what was lost.Now, an emerging therapy is literally shining a new light on the condition.Patients who were once told “there’s nothing more we can do” are now hearing something far more encouraging. A non-invasive, light-based treatment called Valeda Light Therapy has been shown to not only slow the progression of dry AMD but actually improve vision – a first for a disease once considered untreatable.“I’ve been waiting my entire career for a treatment that could actually improve vision for my patients with dry macular degeneration,” said Dr. Adam Katz, retina specialist at the Center for Advanced Eye Care in Vero Beach. “This new Valeda Light Therapy is the first and only treatment for dry macular degeneration proven to improve sight.”Dry AMD is the more common form of age-related macular degeneration, affecting at least 85 percent of all AMD patients. It’s a degenerative disease of the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for sharp vision. Over time, waste deposits known as drusen build up beneath the retina. As retinal pigment cells weaken and mitochondrial function declines, patients experience a gradual, irreversible loss of central vision.Until recently, doctors could only manage the disease, but Valeda changes that equation.The therapy works through a process called photobiomodulation (PBM), a low-level light treatment directed at the retina. Using three specific wavelengths, the device stimulates energy production in the mitochondria, the tiny “power plants” of cells. Because the retina is the most energy-demanding tissue in the body, re-energizing those cells helps them function more efficiently, reducing inflammation and oxidative stress while slowing the buildup of drusen.“The patient simply places their head into the machine, and a series of lights activate,” explained Dr. Katz. “A white light goes off for 30 seconds while the patient’s eyes are open – they can blink normally. Then, with eyes closed, a red light shines for 90 seconds. The process is repeated twice per eye. It takes about five minutes for one eye, ten for both. Treatments are done three times a week for three weeks and repeated every four months.”Unlike a laser, the light used in the treatment doesn’t generate heat, and there are no injections, no dilation, and no downtime. “It’s completely non-invasive and has no reported side effects,” Dr. Katz assured.The science behind Valeda is supported by several clinical trials, including the LIGHTSITE III study, which followed 100 participants over 13 months. The results were encouraging – treated eyes gained an average of one line of improvement on the ETDRS vision chart and showed a significantly lower incidence of new-onset advanced disease.After 13 months, 55 percent of treated eyes showed noticeable improvement, and more than 60 percent maintained those gains more than four years later with additional treatment and follow-up. Even more promising, patients showed anatomical improvements such as reduced drusen volume, which indicates that the disease process itself may be slowing.BY KERRY FIRTH | CorrespondentNew ‘Valeda Light Therapy’ can reverse dry macular degenerationDr. Adam Katz. PHOTO: JOSHUA KODIS

BY KATHLEEN FELTON | The Washington PostTo Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | HEALTH January 1, 2026 17“Those results are impressive,” Dr. Katz said. “When researchers went back and reviewed the data, they found even more evidence of benefit with less drusen, less geographic atrophy. For something that has been historically untreatable, that’s huge.”Cautious by nature, Katz says he doesn’t adopt new technologies lightly. “I’m very conservative when it comes to introducing new treatments,” he said. “If it’s not something I’d use on myself, I won’t recommend it to my patients. But this light therapy is different. It’s what we’ve been waiting for – a treatment that can truly make a difference.”While Valeda has been available in other parts of the world for about five years, it was just approved by the FDA for use in the United States 14 months ago, in November 2024.The best candidates are patients whose best-corrected vision falls between 20/32 and 20/70, with visible medium or large drusen or non-central geographic atrophy – and no signs of wet AMD. Early treatment seems especially beneficial, since patients in the earlier stages of the disease tend to respond best.As with any new therapy, it’s important to discuss risks and benefits in the context of each patient’s overall eye health, disease stage and lifestyle. Valeda doesn’t replace nutritional supplements or regular eye care, but it does offer something patients haven’t had before – measurable improvement and real hope.By delivering targeted light to the retina, Valeda taps into the body’s own cellular energy pathways, promoting repair and resilience where continued degeneration once seemed inevitable.For patients facing a condition that slowly steals their sight, this therapy is more than a medical advance, it’s a hopeful light in the darkness.Dr. Adam Katz is board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and dual fellowship-trained in disorders of the retina and vitreous. He can be reached at the Center for Advanced Eye Care, 3500 U.S. 1, Vero Beach, 772-299-1404. Both tea and coffee have various health benefits, but tea may come out slightly on top when it comes to the health of your bones, a recent study suggests. And too much coffee – five or more cups a day – might have a negative effect on your bone health.Researchers from Flinders University in Australia looked at data from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures, an ongoing analysis of nearly 10,000 women ages 65 and older. They recorded participants’ tea and coffee consumption and the bone mineral density in their hip and femoral neck – the part most likely to fracture when you break a hip – at various follow-up periods. The findings were published last month in the journal Nutrients.At the 10-year mark, tea drinkers showed slightly higher total hip bone mineral density than those who reported drinking coffee.“We don’t exactly know why” tea appears more protective than coffee, said Ryan Liu, a co-author of the study. “However, based on existing research in cells, it could potentially be due to tea containing compounds like catechins that may stimulate bone-building cells and therefore result in increased bone mineral density.”But this bone mineral density increase from tea wasn’t dramatic. “It’s true there is a slight benefit of tea related to bone mineral density, but the difference is so small that clinically it may not be really relevant,” said Michael Holick, a professor of endocrinology, diabetes, nutrition and weight management at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, who wasn’t involved in the study.Low bone mineral density increases a person’s risk of osteoporosis and “progressive thinning of the bone as we age, which makes someone more susceptible to fractures,” said Kendall Moseley, medical director of the Johns Hopkins Metabolic Bone & Osteoporosis Center. Around 10 million Americans have osteoporosis, and another 44 million with low bone mineral density are at risk of developing the condition, according to the Osteoporosis Workgroup, a panel of experts in the Department of Health and Human Services.Though tea drinkers had a slight advantage over coffee drinkers when it came to hip bone mineral density in this study, you don’t have to give up your cup of joe for the sake of your bones – although drinking it in moderation is a good idea – experts said. There are many other ways to strengthen your bones as you age.What you need to know about coffee and bone healthWith coffee, the researchers observed a threshold effect or a tipping point – moderate intake, around two to three cups a day, didn’t seem to negatively affect bone mineral density. But drinking five or more cups of coffee daily was associated with lower bone mineral density levels. Coffee drinkers who reported a higher lifetime alcohol consumption also showed lower femoral neck bone mineral density.Tea and coffee consumption in this study were self-reported, and researchers “asked for the number of cups, but not necessarily the type of tea, or the brewing methods of coffee, or cup size or strength,” said Anika Anam, an assistant professor of medicine at the Yale School of Medicine who wasn’t involved with the study.The researchers accounted for participants’ use of oral estrogen, a type of hormone therapy that can strengthen bones, but not transdermal estrogen, a patch applied to the skin, so it didn’t CONTINUED ON PAGE A18IS COFFEE OR TEA BETTER FOR YOUR BONES?

18 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | HEALTH www.stlucievoice.comaccount for all the factors that can affect bone strength.Osteoporosis is “a multifactorial disease,” Anam added. Many factors play a role in the likelihood of developing this condition, including family history, alcohol use, tobacco use, and race and ethnicity.Should you switch to tea?Not necessarily, experts said. “There’s been a lot published about caffeine and bone density, and a lot of it is conflicting,” Anam said.Some other research, for example, has suggested a more beneficial relationship between coffee and bone health: A 2016 study of postmenopausal Korean women published in PLOS One and a 2018 longitudinal study in BMC Public Health linked coffee intake with a lower osteoporosis risk. A meta-analysis on long-term coffee and tea consumption published earlier this year found both beverages to be associated with reduced risk of developing the condition.The research “is not saying you should go out of your way to stop or coffee’s bad,” Liu said. “You can continue drinking coffee, but there are some subgroups that make you more at risk for decreased bone mineral density,” such as having a higher lifetime alcohol intake or drinking more than five cups a day.The takeaway? If you’re a coffee drinker, it’s reasonable to keep an eye on your overall intake and try not to exceed two to three cups a day, experts said. This aligns with recommendations from the Food and Drug Administration to stick to no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine daily, which is about three 12-fluid-ounce cups.“Like anything else in life, moderation is always good,” Holick said. The study “basically concludes you can have a couple cups of coffee and not have any impact on your bones,” while continuing to enjoy from coffees many proven health benefits.What else can you do to maintain strong bones?Beyond whether you prefer coffee or tea, there are other strategies that have been shown to support bone density as you age. Here’s what experts suggest:1. Get enough bone-strengthening nutrients in your diet. “I think of the bones like you’re building a house,” Moseley said. “When you’re eating, or building a house, you want to construct the strongest house possible, and your diet is similarly constructing the strongest bones possible. A diet enriched in calcium with ample vitamin D is going to build a stronger house and make your bones less susceptible to breaking.”Adults between 19 to 70 years old need 600 IU of vitamin D, and older adults need 800 IU, according to the National Institutes of Health. Women ages 19 to 50 should aim for 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day from supplements and food, according to the Mayo Clinic, and 1,200 mg daily after age 51; men need 1,000 mg until age 71, at which point they should also increase their intake to 1,200 mg for strong bones. In addition to dairy, “there are lots of good sources of calcium: green leafy vegetables like kale and collard greens, and sardines with bones,” Anam said. Some brands of nondairy milk and orange juice are now fortified with calcium and vitamin D to the same extent as in milk, Holick added.2. Add resistance exercise to your routine. Resistance training may support bone mineral density, research has found, particularly for postmenopausal women. Pilates or barre classes, weight-bearing exercises such as jumping jacks, stair climbing, hiking, using resistance bands, or walking on the treadmill or outside can all be helpful, Anam said.3. Don’t smoke and keep alcohol consumption low. While healthy habits such as diet and exercise support your bones, unhealthy habits can have a detrimental effect. “If you’re putting bad things into your body, consuming too much alcohol or smoking, or having too many pro-inflammatory foods, those things might harm your bones, hurting your health and making your bones weaker and more susceptible to fracture,” Moseley said.The bottom line? For tea drinkers, “it’s interesting that there appears to be some benefit at the hip for bone mineral density,” but you should make sure to maintain your calcium intake, Anam said. CONTINUED FROM PAGE A17COFFEE OR TEA?

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | HEALTH January 1, 2026 19CONTINUED ON PAGE A20Whether you’re embracing new silver growths or attacking them strand by strand with tweezers, gray hair is an inevitable part of getting older. “Just as the skin ages and the rest of the organs in your body age, the hair ages, too,” said Helen He, an assistant professor in the Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.The going-gray process happens at different speeds for different people, she said, but most of us start to notice increasing gray hair sometime in our 30s or 40s, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Around this time, melanocyte stem cells, which are hair follicle cells responsible for depositing pigment into the hair shaft, can start to become depleted or dysfunctional.“There’s not really a whole lot known about why the melanocyte stem cells die off,” said George Cotsarelis, chair of the dermatology department at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and a hair-follicle stem-cell researcher. But there are a number of reasons, including stress or DNA damage, “that are thought to maybe prevent these stem cells from surviving,” he said.The process, called cellular senescence, causes hair to “gradually lose its pigment over time,” He said. Strands that previously were black, brown, red or blond start to emerge from the follicle gray or silver-white. Some people also notice that their gray hair has a coarser texture.Age remains a major predictor of when a person is likely to go gray. One 2012 study of more than 4,000 participants found that between ages 45 and 65, nearly three-quarters were at least partially gray. But experts increasingly think of this as “more of a dynamic process,” said Natasha Mesinkovska, a dermatologist at UCI Health who has studied hair graying.Previously, experts viewed graying as something that inevitably happened to hair with age. Newer research suggests “the pattern of pigmentation is more of a live thing than something that’s set in stone,” Mesinkovska said. This means some controllable factors may have more influence over the graying process than you think.You’ll probably go gray similar to the way your parents didGenes aren’t the only influence, but they do play a major role. “In the end, that’s what’s determining when you go gray,” Cotsarelis said.Scientists have discovered genes that seem to have a hand in hair graying and may also affect characteristics such as balding, eyebrow shape and beard thickness. There can be ethnic differences, too. People who are White tend to go gray earlier than people of African and Asian descent, research has found, and natural blonds may experience a higher percentage of graying sooner.Premature hair graying – sometimes considered graying before age 20 for Whites, before age 25 for Asians and before age 30 for Black people – also seems to be influenced by genes. One variant, called IRF4, is “strongly linked to earlier graying,” Mesinkovska said. And though rare, certain inherited disorders such as Griscelli syndrome, a condition that causes pigment issues, can result in gray hair from birth.Men and women are equally likely to go gray, but biological sex might influence where those early gray hairs appear – men tend to gray around the sideburns and temples, while women often notice graying around the front of the head first.Lifestyle may influence graying, tooThere’s a lot that experts still don’t understand about how your lifestyle might affect graying. But some studies have found certain nutritional deficiencies, such as vitamin B12 and iron, are associated with early-onset gray hair. These nutritional deficiencies would probably have to be severe, though, Cotsarelis said, “not something you’re likely to find too often in the U.S.”Most people won’t need supplements, he said, but because certain mineral deficiencies have been linked to premature hair graying, it’s wise to make sure your diet checks all of your nutritional boxes.Stress is also thought to play a role. “It’s always been noted that people who are under stress seem to go gray,” said Sarah Millar, a professor in the department of oncological sciences and the dermatology department at Mount Sinai.A 2020 study in the journal Nature found that in mice, stress appeared to cause a loss of melanocyte stem cells. When the sympathetic nervous system, also known as the “fight or flight” response, was activated, those melanocyte stem cells seemed to “basically proliferate and differentiate and migrate away from their kind of niche home,” said Millar, who has researched melanocyte stem cells.That study “was really the first time there’d been a mechanistic link between activation of neurons by stress and the result of hair graying,” she said. “That was very interesting.”In another 2021 study, researchers from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons looked at individual hairs from 14 volunteers and observed an association between graying and weeks where the participants reported higher levels of stress.It’s not clear whether reducing stress will slow down the process, however; more research is needed. Still, “I do believe that chronic things exhaust you,” Mesinkovska said, “and that’s why mice studies show – if you bug them nonstop, it will make them go gray.”Not smoking (a habit known to cause early graying), getting plenty of sleep, minimizing stress, and eating a healthy diet will benefit your overall well-being and possibly support the health of your hair follicles, too. “These are, in general, great habits for antiaging, and part of that involves potentially delaying the hair-graying process,” He said.That may also include exercise – one study has linked premature graying to a sedentary lifestyle – as well as limiting your alcohol consumption.Can we slow gray hair progression – or even reverse it?Other than making lifestyle changes, “there isn’t really a whole lot you can do” about gray strands, Cotsarelis said, other than dyeing your hair or loving your new shade.At least, not yet: “In the past, the field was really focused on characterizing the changes of melanocyte stem cells,” said Mayumi Ito Suzuki, a professor in the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. “The next step is to understand how to reverse these changes to not have gray hair.”Some experts have theorized that melanocyte stem cells might essentially become “stuck” in the wrong location during the process of regeneration. “In theory, if healthy stem cells are preserved, hair graying can be tranBY KATHLEEN FELTON | The Washington PostHERE’S WHY YOUR HAIR TURNS GRAY – AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT

20 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | HEALTH www.stlucievoice.comsient,” she said.Her lab, which studies how melanocytes regenerate from stem cells, explored this idea in a 2023 Nature study. Ito’s team observed the localization pattern of stem cells in young and older mice. “If they’re located in a different place somehow during aging, they remain dormant, and don’t produce mature melanocytes,” she said, and in turn don’t produce pigment. Her team is now looking at human samples to see if relocating melanocytes can help prevent the graying process.There are some over-the-counter topical products that claim to reverse graying, but “none of them have proven efficacy,” professor He said. Topicals in general are challenging because pigment-producing melanocyte stem cells are in the deepest part of the hair follicle. This is why drugs like Latisse, which do successfully lengthen and darken eyelashes, “just don’t work on the scalp,” Cotsarelis said. “The skin is too thick.”Some research on potential new treatments “is getting a lot of attention,” Mesinkovska said. A 2023 study from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine found topical rapamycin may help restimuCONTINUED FROM PAGE A19WHY HAIR TURNS GRAY

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | HEALTH January 1, 2026 21late melanin. The drug, which is an immunosuppressant used to prevent organ rejection, is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for this use and is “a fairly potent drug,” Millar cautioned.If you think you’re experiencing early-onset gray and don’t like it, it’s worth consulting your doctor, Mesinkovska said. “If someone comes to me and says, ‘I have early graying,’ I look for the reason,” she said.While there isn’t always one specific cause that can be fixed, sometimes addressing nutritional deficiencies, a thyroid disorder or inflammation may help, she added.Since every new hair cycle is an opportunity for a strand to regrow without pigment, “if you’re experiencing a lot of hair loss, you may accelerate the graying,” Cotsarelis said.Hair loss can’t always be prevented – age, a hereditary disposition and chemotherapy are frequent culprits – but the American Academy of Dermatology recommends minimizing breakage by avoiding treatments such as perms that may damage hair, as well as hairstyles that pull at the scalp.Stay away from tweezers while you’re at it. “There is a myth that if you pluck out gray hair, you’re going to get more gray hairs – that’s not necessarily true, but it’s not an effective strategy,” He said. “More likely than not, the hair that grows out of the follicle next will be gray.” 

22 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | HEALTH www.stlucievoice.comBY JON PINE | Staff WriterRESILIENT GREEN SEA TURTLES MAKING A STUNNING COMEBACKGood news about green sea turtles arrived for the holiday season.The 2025 nesting season saw the mysterious and charismatic animals dig a total of 4,636 nests along Vero Beach’s barrier island – a new record and a 600-percent increase from 761 just 20 years ago.The International Union for Conservation of Nature said that as a result of the worldwide rebound of the green sea turtle population, the species is no longer in danger of extinction.“This is a great message of encouragement that we gotta keep it up. It is very possible that in our lifetime we can see the [complete] recovery of this species,” said Kendra Bergman, founder of Coastal Connections, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of sea turtles on the Treasure Coast.Green sea turtles once numbered in the tens of millions, ranging as far south as the tip of South America and as far north as Great Britain, Nova Scotia and Japan, in the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. But over the years, hunters killed off 95 percent of the estimated 19 million to 33 million green sea turtles once living throughout the Caribbean.Even when unsustainable hunting and trade began to decline, green sea turtles faced new threats, including pollution, habitat loss, rising sea levels and warmer temperatures, and entanglement in fishing gear.Despite the international reclassification, Florida’s population of green sea turtles continues to be listed as “threatened” according to the U.S. Endangered Species Act, after being downlisted from “endangered” in 2016.The University of Florida and Jensen Beach nonprofit Inwater Research Group track sea turtles by satellite transmitter and have learned that Florida’s green turtles mainly feed around the Florida Keys, according to Bergman. They stay there most of the winter, munching on seagrasses and storing up energy in their fat layers for mating, and then migrating up to our shores for nesting in the spring, she said.Green turtles can live to be 70 or 80 years old, grow to 4 feet in length and weigh more than 400 pounds. They are one of three sea turtle species that nest on barrier island beaches, along with loggerheads and leatherbacks.Indian River County staff members, contractors and volunteers working in teams of three to five people comb more than 22 miles of county beaches seven days a week during the nesting season to count, mark and monitor nests of the three species. They counted more than 11,000 nests in total this season.Destroying a sea turtle nest is a third-degree felony and federal penalties include fines up to $25,000 and up to one year in prison. State penalties also include fines and imprisonment. PHOTO: JOE RIMKUS

Bright, modern Reserve Creek home exudes high-end elegance7250 Reserve Creek Drive in Reserve Creek in PGA Village: 3-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom, 2,888-square-foot home offered for $649,000 by Kay Rodriguez, 772-486-2126 of Lang Realty

24 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | REAL ESTATE www.stlucievoice.comAs you come up the expansive circular drive of the house at 7250 Reserve Creek Drive, in the Reserve Creek section of PGA Village, there is a feeling of elegance and attention to detail.Inside, this meticulously updated home, represented by Kay Rodriguez of Lang Realty, offers luxury, comfort, and peace of mind. From the 24-inch-by-24-inch porcelain tile throughout the home to the carefully chosen design features in every room, the emphasis has been on quality, aesthetics and durability.The house is light, bright and modern, and begins with the chef’s kitchen, a showstopper featuring Bosch appliances, granite countertops and custom cabinetry. In light tones, it is on trend, but not trendy. With an adjacent dining area and family room, this is a home that was made for entertaining. Guests will gather in the family room for parties, movie nights, a big game on television, or a board or video game tourney. The living room offers a more formal gathering space including a bar area with a wine cooler. All have beautiful views of the golf course.There are three bedrooms with ensuite baths, and all are generously sized. The master is 17 feet by 17 feet and the other two are 15-by-16 and 15-by-12. They all have walk-in closets and bathrooms that have been tastefully renovated with seamless glass showers, custom vanities, and premium finishes. Having the bedrooms with ensuite baths makes it so much easier to make guests feel comfortable and it is ideal if an aging parent is coming to live with you. You can keep a watchful eye while still maintaining their sense of independence and privacy.Bright, modern Reserve Creek home exudes high-end eleganceBY SHELLEY KOPPEL | [email protected]

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | REAL ESTATE January 1, 2026 25I don’t usually mention the laundry room, because they’re usually serviceable rooms with a purpose. This one, as with everything in the house, has been thought out. At 15-5-by-8-3, it is a nice size and has granite topped countertops (lots) and a lot of storage. This could easily be a crafting space, or certainly a place to keep supplies; I think about my paints all over the place and would love to have this convenient space for them.While this house has many high-end design features, there has also been equal attention to the things you don’t always think about until they don’t work. New air conditioning units were installed in 2021 and 2022, the electrical panel was updated, and there is a whole-house water filtration system. We Floridians don’t always think about impact glass and hurricane-rated garage doors until we’re anxiously watching the Weather Channel, and by then, it’s too late to do anything about it. This house has taken care of both. Again, it’s that attention to detail, those you see and those you don’t, that make this house special.Outside, there is a covered and screened lanai that overlooks the second hole of the Legacy Golf Course. It’s a lovely, peaceful view, with landscaping providing beauty but not obscuring the scenery.There’s a nice bit of lawn behind the house where you can easily see kids and dogs playing while you sit, relax and have a bite to eat.PGA Village offers an array of amenities including a clubhouse with events, a pool, tennis, pickleball, a fitness center and game rooms. It’s nice to meet and mingle with friends and neighbors, but then you can always return to your slice of the Florida lifestyle. Neighborhood: Reserve Creek in PGA Village Year built: 1989 • Construction: frame, stucco Square footage: 2,888 sq. ft • Total square footage: 4,431 sq. ft. Bedrooms: 3 • Bathrooms: 3.5 Additional features: half-acre lot, overlooks 2nd hole of Legacy Golf Course, 24-by-24 porcelain tile throughout, 2018 metal roof, PGT WinGuard impact windows, hurricane-rated garage door, air conditioners installed 2021and 2022, updated electrical panel, whole-house water filtration system Community amenities: basketball, billiards, clubhouse, fitness center, library, pickleball, pool, tennis Listing brokerage: Lang Realty Listing agent: Kay Rodriguez, 772-486-2126 Listing price: $649,000FEATURES FOR 7250 RESERVE CREEK DRIVE

26 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | REAL ESTATE www.stlucievoice.comTOP SALES OF THE WEEKLocal real estate activity held steady during the holiday fortnight, with 42 transactions of sin- gle-family residences and lots reported (some shown below).The top recent sale was of the home at 18500 Mach One Drive. Listed in August for $1,200,000, this 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom home fetched $1,043,750 on Dec. 16.Representing the seller in the transaction was agent Brooke Harris of Keller Williams Realty. Representing the buyer was agent Jennifer Hernann of RE/MAX Prestige Realty/RPB.SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES AND LOTSPORT SAINT LUCIE 18500 MACH ONE DRIVE 8/17/2025 $1,200,000 12/16/2025 $1,043,750 PORT SAINT LUCIE 12220 SW FORTEZZA WAY 9/1/2025 $650,000 12/22/2025 $650,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 9125 SW ESULE WAY 6/19/2025 $699,000 12/19/2025 $650,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 10200 ISLE OF PINES COURT 9/16/2025 $659,000 12/17/2025 $645,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 11379 SW OLMSTEAD DRIVE 8/28/2025 $689,900 12/19/2025 $633,285 PORT SAINT LUCIE 8469 SW FATTORI WAY 9/24/2025 $669,000 12/16/2025 $626,500 PORT SAINT LUCIE 5856 NW CULLOM CIRCLE 11/7/2025 $619,000 12/22/2025 $615,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 2758 SW ONAWAY AVENUE 12/1/2025 $595,000 12/19/2025 $610,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 6148 NW DENSAW TERRACE 4/3/2025 $699,999 12/19/2025 $600,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 8821 ONE PUTT PLACE 9/5/2025 $615,000 12/15/2025 $600,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 7220 MYSTIC WAY 11/19/2025 $599,900 12/23/2025 $583,500 PORT SAINT LUCIE 9190 SW ESULE WAY 9/6/2025 $579,900 12/15/2025 $560,000 PORT SAINT LUCIE 18006 SW COSENZA WAY 6/4/2025 $650,000 12/19/2025 $548,000 ORIGINAL SELLINGTOWN ADDRESS LISTED ASKING PRICE SOLD PRICETOP PORT ST. LUCIE REAL ESTATE SALESStats were pulled 12/27/25 9:23 AM

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | REAL ESTATE January 1, 2026 27Listing Date:Original Price:Sold:Selling Price:Listing Agent:Selling Agent:Listing Date:Original Price:Sold:Selling Price:Listing Agent:Selling Agent:Listing Date:Original Price:Sold:Selling Price:Listing Agent:Selling Agent:Listing Date:Original Price:Sold:Selling Price:Listing Agent:Selling Agent:HERE ARE SOME OF THE TOP RECENT TRADITION AND ST. LUCIE WEST REAL ESTATE SALES8/28/2025$689,900 12/19/2025$633,285 Renee Normandy-ShaneKeller Williams Realty Judith WickwireRE/MAX of Stuart 11379 SW Olmstead Drive, Port Saint Lucie9/16/2025$659,000 12/17/2025$645,000 Kay RodriguezLang Realty Meghan JordanLYNQ Real Estate 10200 Isle Of Pines Court, Port Saint Lucie6/19/2025$699,000 12/19/2025$650,000 Michael DschidaFLO Realty Group LLC Elise DanielianLang Realty 9125 SW Esule Way, Port Saint Lucie9/1/2025$650,000 12/22/2025$650,000 Elise DanielianLang Realty Jacqui VidalSouthern Key Realty 12220 SW Fortezza Way, Port Saint Lucie

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | REAL ESTATE January 1, 2026 29Related Ross, the South Florida real estate development firm founded by billionaire Stephen Ross, secured a $772 million loan led by Ares Management Corp. to finance the completion of a pair of office towers in West Palm Beach.The transaction is the largest construction loan ever recorded in Florida, according to a press release.The office towers, 10 and 15 CityPlace, are among the most ambitious developments in Ross’s mission to transform West Palm Beach into a finance and business center where residents live year-round. The upscale buildings are a bet he can fill close to a million square feet of office space in an area that’s better known as a winter playground for the wealthy than a business hub.“These two towers define the next chapter of CityPlace, expanding a vibrant, walkable mixed-use district that is shaping the future of downtown West Palm Beach,” said Jordan Rathlev, executive vice president at Related Ross.Construction for the development started in March and the towers – 23 and 26 floors respectively – are expected to be complete in 2027.Ross already signed a lease in September for software giant ServiceNow to take up 200,000 square feet at 10 CityPlace. Tenants in the neighboring 15 CityPlace include the Cleveland Clinic, global accounting network BDO, law firm Shutts & Bowen and Inclenberg Investments, a real estate investing company.Ares is “confident” the development is “well-positioned” to capture increasing demand for high-end office space in West Palm Beach, said David Proctor, managing director of Ares Real Estate.Ross is the founder of Related Cos., a prominent developer in Manhattan and the firm behind Hudson Yards. He moved to Palm Beach full time during the pandemic and has since set his sights on developing downtown West Palm Beach, the somewhat forgotten mid-sized city across the bay from the famously wealthy island town. In 2024, he stepped down from day-today management at Related Cos. to form Related Ross, with a focus on West Palm Beach.Ross, who has a net worth of about $15 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, is also the owner of the Miami Dolphins. Florida’s largest-ever construction loan: $772M for West Palm towersBY ANNA J KAISER | BloombergThese two towers define the next chapter of CityPlace, expanding a vibrant, walkable mixeduse district that is shaping the future of downtown West Palm Beach.- Jordan Rathlev,executive vice presidentat Related Ross

fun, festivitiesfood SECTIONTHURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2026 YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERClockwise from above left: Lindsay School of the Arts performs during the 14th Annual Sounds of the Season Free Community Concert at the Sunrise Theatre in Fort Pierce on Dec. 19. Romar Wilson, 13, performs with Future Generations, Inc. Ashley Mock and Sean Boyle welcome attendees. The Boys & Girls Club of St. Lucie County Karizma Dance Team performs. Widney Jean performs with E.N.D. It! at the annual event hosted by the Children’s Services Council of St. Lucie County, which showcases musical performances from students in the afterschool programs they fund.Time of the ‘Season’PHOTOS: LINDA KLOORFAIN

The 36th season of the Atlantic Classical Orchestra is expected to be an especially noteworthy one, filled with an extensive and engaging repertoire. “There’s a lot going on this season,” states David Amado, ACO music director.Thursday, Jan. 22Masterworks Series 1: Borrowed & Blue, with Pianist Tao Lin Weill: Suite from “Three Penny Opera” Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 5, op. 103 (“Egyptian”) Gershwin/arr. Bennett: “Porgy and Bess Symphonic Picture” The season opens with selectionsthat delve into the impact of African and African-American musical traditions on composers worldwide.Kurt Weill’s jazzy Suite from “Three Penny Opera” was written for Bertold Brecht’s 1928 parody.“Many of the tunes from the ‘Three Penny Opera’ became jazz standards. ‘Mack the Knife’ is probably the most famous one. It’s sort of incredible. This is what was going on in Berlin, but we identify it with American jazz,” says Amado.Only seven years later came Gershwin’s gorgeous “Porgy and Bess.”“It speaks a lot of different languages all at once, by virtue of the fact that it is so well-crafted and steeped in Western art traditions. Yet it has these accents of jazz, of African-American spirituals, and folk songs. It’s this sort of incredible new hybrid.”Sandwiched between them is Saint-Saëns’ “Egyptian.”“Where Weill and Gershwin’s music lean heavily on jazz and African American traditional music, SaintSaëns looks to Egypt. In the late 19th century SaintSaëns traveled along the Nile, like so many Western Europeans, and was completely smitten. So he wrote this kind of musical postcard about Egypt.” Thursday, Feb. 12Masterworks Series 2: Into the Night, with Violinist Hina Khuong-HuuMussorgsky/arr. Rimsky-Korsakov: “Night on Bald Mountain”Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2, op.63 Tchaikovsky: “The Sleeping Beauty” Suite, op.66a Amado says that although Mussorgsky’s version of “Night on Bald Mountain,” does exist, the Rimsky-Korsakov version is what is generally played. However, the original, which was written for piano solo, has a distinctive quality as well.B2 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ARTS www.stlucievoice.comMUSICPREVIEWBY MARY SCHENKEL | Staff Writer“Rather than technicolor, it’s a series of black ink drawings rather than lots and lots of bright colors. So I don’t think we’re quite giving Mussorgsky a fair shake.”Amado suggests the hint of darkness in Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto may be attributed to his becoming engaged in the languages of noncommunist societies while traveling around Western Europe. But knowing that he would soon return to Stalin’s Soviet Union, he recognized that he would have to be extraordinarily careful in how he expressed himself musically.“So I think there’s an undercurrent that’s hard to put your finger on, and I think it has to do with that impending return to the limits of Stalinist aesthetics. He’s working all that through in a way where he’s finding a more human voice that he still feels is authentic to him, and that won’t get him sent to Siberia,” says Amado.“And our soloist is the winner of the Elmar Oliveira Violin Competition; she’s fantastic,” he says, referencing Hina Khuong-Huu.That evening closes with Tchaikovsky’s exceptional ballet, “The Sleeping Beauty,” which, says Amado, like his “Swan Lake” and “Nutcracker,” seems to come from another universe.“It’s such extraordinary music. There was something about writing for the ballet that gave Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky both, this extra boost of inspiration. I’m always delighted to be able to do any Tchaikovsky, especially any Tchaikovsky ballet music.”SOARING REPERTOIRE DEFINES ACO SEASONDavid Amado.PHOTO: JOSHUA KODISJulian Schwarz. Lindsay Garritson. Tao Lin.Leonid Sigal.Karen Schubert.

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ARTS January 1, 2026 B3Thursday, March 12,Masterworks Series 3: Town and Country, with ACO Concertmaster Leonid Sigal and Cellist Julian SchwarzAaron Copland: “Appalachian Spring” Suite for 13 Instruments Paul Frucht: “Finding Religion” Beethoven: Symphony No. 6, op.68 (“Pastorale”) “The middle of this program is a relatively new piece, called ‘Finding Religion’ written in 2018 by a young composer, Paul Frucht,” says Amado.Frucht’s work, inspired by an art song by Charles Ives titled “Religion,” is a double concerto that will feature cellist Julian Schwartz and violinist Leonid Sigal.“It’s a beautiful piece; very approachable. Paul writes very affecting music. It feels to me like there’s no barrier between the emotional content and the audience. There’s not a lot of intellectual gymnastics that the audience needs to do in order to get to the kernel of truth in the piece,” says Amado.“And we’re surrounding that with two wonderful standards, starting with Copeland’s ‘Appalachian Spring,’ commissioned in the mid-’40s by Martha Graham.”Amado explains that early in his compositional career, Copeland wrote urban music that celebrated the noise of the city. Eventually realizing that it presented a barrier to the audience being able to receive the emotional message he wanted to communicate, he simplified his language.“‘Appalachian Spring’ is a great example of the answers he arrived at. It’s a piece built on some very basic sonorities, and developed in an incredibly thoughtful, sensitive and skillful way. It’s an absolutely ravishing piece, particularly in this original instrumentation, which is only for 13 players,” says Amado.The second half features Beethoven’s “Pastoral Symphony,” which Amado feels presents a gentler side of the composer not always associated with him.“You don’t feel the pressure to get through, to rush. It’s that feeling on the first beautiful spring day, when you just stand outside. Nothing pushing you further out and nothing pulling you in. You’re just there. I think it’s a really lovely, beautiful piece.”Thursday, April 9Masterworks Series 4: Themes and Variations with Karen Schubert, Principal HornBrahms: “Variations on a Theme by Haydn,” op.56a Mozart: Concerto No. 4 in Eb major for Horn, K. 495 Hindemith: “Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber” “Karen Schubert, our principal horn, is going to play the Mozart Fourth Horn Concerto on this program. She’s such a fantastic player. Mozart wrote a handful of concertos for a friend of his who was a virtuoso player on the natural horn. In Mozart’s day, the horn didn’t have valves. It was just a tube,” says Amado, noting that modern instruments sound considerably better.“We’re proceeding that with the Brahms ‘Variations on a Theme by Haydn,’ which is not really a theme by Haydn, as we now know. But Brahms thought it was, so he was thinking about Haydn the whole time, so that comes across as well. And it goes nicely with the Mozart. The piece is so firmly rooted in classical transparency and counterpoint clarity, so I think those two pieces go beautifully together.”In the second half, Amado continues the idea of composers commuting across generations for their inspiration, with Hindemith’s “Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber.”In an unusual twist Amado and Tao Lin will play Weber’s original four-hand piano duets ahead of each of Hindemith’s reimagined and magnified orchestral showcases, so that people can experience the difference.“I’ll come out with Tao, and we’ll play a piece, and then I’ll turn around and conduct the metamorphosis of that piece. Then I’ll turn and sit back down at the piano and play another piece and do the same thing,” he explains.Masterworks Series Concerts begin at 7 p.m. at the Community Church of Vero Beach, 1901 23rd St., Vero Beach. For more information, visit AtlanticClassical Orchestra.com or call 772-460-0850. 

B4 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ARTS www.stlucievoice.comYOU GO, GALS! Sister Sadie brings high-energy bluegrass to the LyricA bunch of musicians walk into a bar … and no, that’s not the start of a bad joke. It’s the start of Sister Sadie’s story. The all-female bluegrass band began when a few musicians met at Nashville’s Station Inn to make a little noise and jam together. It turned into magic; the crowd went wild and there was a band “born by accident,” Sister Sadie. Over the next decade, they would have Grammy nominations, win International Blues Music Association Awards, and play the Grand Ole Opry numerous times.Founded by banjoist and vocalist Gena Britt, and Deanie Richardson (fiddle), the band, which now also includes Jaelee Roberts, Dani Flowers. Rainy Miatke and Katie Blomarz-Kimball, has collected honors along the way. Richardson is a two-time IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year winner; Britt, a nominee for Banjo player. In 2019, they won the IBMA Vocal Group of the Year and were nominated for a Grammy, their first of two nods.In 2020, they won their second Vocal Group of the Year Award and their First Entertainer of the Year Award, the highest honor in bluegrass. On the Grand Ole Opry website, they are called “wildfire: raging hot bluegrass combines with breathtaking instrumental drive and awe-inspiring vocals.” That’s quite a testimonial for a band that didn’t begin until 2012.Now in its second decade, Sister Sadie has stories to tell. Gena Britt and Deanie Richardson joined me in a Zoom call to talk about the past and the exciting future.The origin story about the bar is a little exaggerated, Richardson said.“Gena and I knew each other most of our lives,” she said. “We had been talking about this group of women getting together. We had no idea what we’d do.”“It was around the holidays 14 years ago,” Britt added. “We started playing and we wanted it to be fun for the holidays. We stopped and looked at each other and said, ‘This sounds pretty good.’ It was a real magical feeling and a fun time for all of us.”Being an all-female band brings rewards and challenges, Richardson and Britt agree.“Gena and I have always been on the same page,” Richardson said.“We don’t want to play the ‘girl card.’ We’re a bunch of musicians who thought it would be fun. It’s been 14 years of growth and change and records and awards. I feel like the only negative is that festivals will only book one all-female band and so there are only a couple where we see the others. That’s the only negative. I’m a female and I don’t think it’s held me back.”“We are a female band and we have strengths,” Britt said. “We have so many great vocalists and songwriters and we can stand up against our male counterparts. You learn your craft and that’s all that should matter.”Richardson had the last word on the subject. “We’re blessed,” she said. “So many talented women paved the way for us. It’s a pretty good time to be a Sadie.”Richardson explained what the audience can expect from the band in a live performance.“It’s a great ride,” she said. It’s a high-energy show with incredible singing, and maybe some laughs. It’s a fun show. We have a great time and (the audience) takes a little journey BY SHELLEY KOPPEL | Staff [email protected] Sadie.PHOTO COURTESY OF LAURA SCHEIDER

They’re gonna hit you with their best shot.The Barn Theatre in Stuart will present the 1980s musical “Rock of Ages” from Jan. 8-25, and the house will rock, with music from Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, and more of the groups that had you singing and dancing.This Broadway show ran for more than 2,000 performances, and was nominated for five Tony awards, including Best Musical and features songs like “We Built This City,” “I Want to Know What Love Is,” “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” “Cum On Feel the Noize” and “Harden my Heart/Shadows of the Night.”Dave Murray is directing the production, which he says blends well with his love of comedy. “I’ve done mostly comedy performing,” he said. “In New York City, I was part of a zany group called the Ridiculous Theatrical Company. We put on original plays that were spoofs of film noir, sort of like what Mel Brooks did with ‘Young Frankenstein.’ ‘Rock of Ages’ is a zany comedy. It’s set in 1987, when I was 21. I was very involved with the songs and to be able to hear them first-hand, with the zany comedy, it fit together.”To make the songs “firsthand,” the show will have a live band. The 17 actors will rehearse to tracks until about two weeks before showtime, when they will rehearse together. The cast includes Maddie Siderio as Sherrie, Julius Morano as Drew, Kevin Korman as Hertz, Connor Stottlemire as Franz, and Brittany Weber as Regina. Also in the cast are Maria Diaz, Rafael Gomez Daniel Jr., Pete Morella, Ja’Keith, Brooklyn Hamdalla, Mackenzie Mitchell, Jessica Lund, Grace Cintron, Julian Cintron, Taylor Evan, Teri Baran, Emilia Conception and Patrick Gaucheroneill.Murray said that while the storyline is familiar, the twists and turns are not.“It’s the standard boy (aspiring rocker Drew) meets girl (aspiring actress Sherrie), loses girl, and gets girl story,” he said. “The narrator is the sound engineer of the local bar, where most of the action takes place. A developer is trying to tear down the neighborhood, including the bar, to build up his real estate empire. To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | ARTS January 1, 2026 B5CONTINUED ON PAGE B6BY SHELLEY KOPPEL | Staff [email protected] COURTESY OF THE BARN THEATREwith us. We make you laugh, cry, and fall in love.”A little less high-mindedly, she noted that they basically live in Florida in January and February.Sister Sadie has always defied labels, despite music’s efforts to pigeon-hole them as the female bluegrass band. In their most recent album “All Will be Well,” Britt has said that it is about them, without filters.“It’s natural,” she said. “That’s who we are. We have really great songwriters in this band and to put what we create out there is awesome and humbling, (especially) to put in on tape for many years. These songs are songs we lived or know someone who has. I’m glad we can share them with the world.”And what about the Grand Ole Opry?“It’s the best stage in the world,” Richardson said. “To get to be there with the ladies; it’s a Mecca. We’re very excited because it feels like home. We’re scared as hell. It never gets old or mundane. It’s a hallowed stage and we’re excited and nervous. The flutters never go away.”“They treat us like family,” Britt said. “There are always smiles.”Sister Sadie is in its second decade and it’s easy to see a future where these women walk onto any stage, take command and make their own kind of music. It’s the Sister Sadie way. The Lyric Theatre, 59 SW Flagler Ave., Stuart, presents Sister Sadie Jan. 9. Call 772-286-7827 or visit the lyrictheatre.com. ‘ROCK OF AGES’: ’80s musical remains timeless

B6 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | ARTS www.stlucievoice.comCONTINUED FROM PAGE B5FAMILY-FRIENDLY COMEDY ‘ROCK OF AGES’IS THE STUFF OF ‘LEGENDS’ There is a second love story, between the villain’s son (Franz) and the mayor’s secretary (Regina). She starts a protest and helps out at the bar while trying to convince Franz to see her side of the situation.”While the show uses well-known songs that weren’t written for the show, Murray believes that all of the songs help tell the story and are not just there to sound good.“There are a lot of anthems and power ballads,” he said. “They’re part of the narrative. I believe every song moves the story along. The ingenue sings ‘Harden my Heart’ as her heart is breaking, and ‘The Final Countdown’ is played when they try to tear down the bar.”Murray, who is making his Barn directorial debut, has an interesting story of his own. A New Jersey native, he majored in communications and minored in theater in college, where he studied with Albert Bergeret of the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players and with Nick Cerrato, a percussionist who worked with Leonard Bernstein. Then he served for 26 years with the Jersey City Fire Department, retiring as a Captain. On Sept. 11, they closed down the Holland Tunnel and his fire house sent over an air unit across the river on what he describes as “one of the longest days of my life.”Murray moved to Martin County in 2018, and heard from a neighbor about two theater groups: the Barn and A.C.T. After he got settled in, he auditioned for Neil Simon’s “Rumors.”“I felt I was right for the Neil Simon farce,” he said.He has appeared in about a dozen Barn productions, but this is not his first Barn Theatre. He was assistant director in Holmdel, New Jersey at … the Barn Theatre.Somehow, it all seems to fit.Come on down to the Barn. You’ll have Nothin’ but a Good Time.The Barn Theatre, 2400 SE Ocean Blvd., Stuart, presents “Rock of Ages” Jan. 8-25. Call 772-287-4884 or visit barn-theatre.com. Playwright James Kirkwood knew the theater and its denizens. He won a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and Pulitzer Prize for Drama with his collaborator, Nicholas Dante, for the book for the classic Broadway-insider musical “A Chorus Line.” He also wrote the comedy “Legends!” about dueling divas; it toured the United States with Carol Channing and Mary Martin as the leads.The Pineapple Playhouse in Fort Pierce will present “Legends!” from Feb. 6-22, and while they can’t provide Channing and Martin, they promise lots of talent and laughter.The play is about an eager beaver producer, Martin Klemmer, who has a script he knows is a hit: “Star Wars: The Play.” As a quick aside, the name Star Wars does not refer to the George Lucas films, but to the dueling divas … Star Wars. Klemmer has only produced one other show (“Craps!”) and no one is returning his calls. He is trying to get aging actresses Sylvia Glenn and Leatrice Monsee to agree to appear; if he can sign them, the money will flow. There is a minor problem, in that the two loathe each other. Klemmer has to find a way to herd the cats, because the show might become a reality and Paul Newman might even sign on. The two meet and decide to bury the hatchet, but to find out in what, or whom, you’ll have to see the show.Josef Long is directing the show, which he saw many years ago. Last season, when the Playhouse was considering the upcoming offerings, he went forth and suggested that “Legends!” was a good fit for the audience.“It’s a little bit different from the normal comedy I do,” he said. “It’s not a farce; it’s a well-written comedy. The two divas play off each other nicely.”The play has a good deal of reality running through it as Kirkwood spent months trying to get Martin and Channing to agree to play the roles and spent months with meetings and phone calls. Kirkwood memorialized the experience, including the lengthy national tour, in a book, “Diary of a Mad Playwright.”Long is pleased with his two princiBY SHELLEY KOPPEL | Staff [email protected], Stacey Spencer as Sylvia and Maggie Frazer as Leatrice. Spencer appeared last year in “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” and Frazer is new to the Pineapple, but has done several things at the Vero Beach Theatre Guild. The hapless Martin Klemmer is played by Jake Kaiser, and Caroline Worline as the maid, Aretha, and Jake Gawlak as Boom Boom Johnson round out the cast. As to Boom Boom Johnson and his role in the proceedings, you’ll just have to see the show.“There are a lot of surprises,” Long said. “We’re going to do it as written, set in the mid-20th century. I need three pay phones, and when she makes an entrance Leatrice wears a fur lined cape. Five years ago, I was at an estate sale in an old mansion, and they had one of those capes. I should have bought it then.”Pay phones and fur-lined capes aside, Long is excited to do something different from the slapstick he usually does.“I’m excited about the show,” he said. “It’s going to be good and it’s family friendly.”The Pineapple Playhouse, 700 W. Weatherbee Road, Fort Pierce, presents “Legends!” Feb. 6-22. Call 772-465-0366 or visitpineapple playhouse.com. From left, Eli Hernandez, Stacey Spencer, Maggie Frazer, Carolyn Worline and Jake Kaiser rehearse a scene in “Legends!” at the Pineapple Playhouse in Fort Pierce. PHOTO COURTESY OF PINEAPPLE PLAYHOUSE

per child and $10 per sibling. There is also a $50 materials fee, paid directly to instructor Ms. Jen. To learn more or register, call 772-766-5265 or go to CityOfPSL.com.River Nights returns from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8, at the Event Lawn at The Port District, 2454 SE Westmoreland Blvd., Port St. Lucie. The free event features live music in a variety of genres, food trucks serving snacks and meals, and a relaxed riverfront atmosphere. Visitors can park at Veterans Park at Rivergate, Tom Hooper Park or the nearby U.S. Postal Service office on Veterans Memorial Parkway and then walk along the boardwalk to the event site. There is no event parking at surrounding business plazas. More informaTo Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | PEOPLE January 1, 2026 B74Coming Up! Kids Day Out Camp: Full-day learning and fun for young’unsBY PAM HARBAUGH | CorrespondentThe Kids Day Out Camp runs from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 2, Monday, Jan. 5, and Monday, Jan. 29, this month at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Event Center, 9221 SE Event Center Place, Port St. Lucie. The full-day program features STEM activities, recreational games, and crafts for children ages 5 to 11. Lunch and snacks are not provided, so families must send food with their children each day. The daily fee is $14.35, and new participants must show a birth certificate at registration, with 5-yearolds required to be enrolled in kindergarten. For information and registration details, call 772-807-4499 or visit CityOfPSL.com.Myofascial Release Class runs from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday. Jan. 5, at the Port St. Lucie Community Center, 2195 SE Airoso Blvd. The guided session is designed to help improve mobility and relieve tension by focusing on the hips, shoulders and back to help boost flexibility, improve performance, prevent injury and more. The cost is $20 per person. Participants are asked to bring a yoga mat, towel and water to the class. For more information, call 772-878-2277 or visit CityOfPSL.com.Music Together, presented by Three Little Bird Music Together, begins its next series of classes at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 5, at the Port St. Lucie Community Center (address above). The program is designed for children 1 month to 6 years of age and their caregivers, and uses interactive activities to introduce basic musical concepts in a playful setting. Classes run on Mondays through March 23. The 10-week session costs $185 plus tax for the first child, with sibling discounts of $100 for each additional child. Families who prefer flexibility can use a drop-in option at $20 1235tion is available by calling 772-344-4139 or by visiting CityOfPSL.com.The Carebag Dance for Dignity’s Rocking New Year runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 9, at the Port St. Lucie Community Center (address above). Organized by CareBag Inc., the evening features Zumba, line dancing and a live DJ to keep the energy high, along with a family-friendly atmosphere open to all ages and skill levels. There will also be a free kids’ zone with activities such as face painting and a balloon artist in a supervised environment. Raffle prizes will be given away, including a new 5,000-watt generator, and healthy food and drink vendors will be on site. Tickets range from $20 to $25, with proceeds supporting CareBag’s work providing hygiene services to people experiencing homelessness and to families in need. For more information visit CityOfPSL.com.Spirit Fest will bring what promoters call the “largest holistic and metaphysical expo on the Treasure Coast” to the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Event Center (address above). It runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 10, and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 11. More than 70 booths will feature vendors, practitioners, readers and artists, offering crystals, jewelry, divination tools, holistic health specialties and natural products. Visitors can also watch demonstrations and hear speakers. There will also be services such as henna, fairy hair, massage, reflexology and aura photography. Admission is $11 per day or $17 for a weekend pass, and children 12 and younger are admitted at no charge. Parking is free at the Event Center, and food will be sold on site. Discounted admission details are available at SpiritFestUSA.com, and additional information about the venue and city programming can be found at CityOfPSL.com. 6“Some people may not realize it, but the Rascals were the first rock band in the world.” So says Steven Van Zandt, guitarist for Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band … and who can argue! MusicWorks kicks off its 2026 concert series on Thursday, Jan. 15, at the Emerson Center in Vero Beach with the Rascals. Felix Cavaliere and Gene Cornish, the band’s legendary founders, cite the fans and love of their timeless songs as reasons for collaboration, and are looking forward to giving local Rascals lovers a fun-loving walk down memory lane. The Emerson Center is located at 1590 27th Ave., Vero Beach. The doors for Will Call access open at 6 p.m. and seating begins at 6:30 p.m. The Rascals hit the stage at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now ranging from $50 to $115. For more information, visit MusicWorksConcerts.com. Here come the Rascals!– CONTRIBUTEDFrom far left: Young Jaxzon visits with Maddie Williams, St. Lucie Cultural Alliance, to pick up a cup during the Hot Cocoa Crawl in Downtown Fort Pierce on Dec. 18. The crawl started at Notions & Potions, where ‘crawlers’ picked up a bag and checklist, before visiting all participating businesses to complete a cup of hot cocoa. Juline Gurney of I Am Activewear welcomed Christy Romano. Sidney Liebman collects a cookie from Brad Kidd of the Lisa Jill Allison Art Gallery. PHOTOS: LINDA KLOORFAINFORT PIERCE ‘HOT COCOA CRAWL’ HITS THE HEARTWARMING SPOT

The long-running merriment of Port St. Lucie celebrating “Noche Buena” – Spanish for the “good night” – spread pre-Christmas Eve tidings with Latin gusto for the first time in the city’s Port District Dec. 19.Port St. Lucie has long recognized the celebration of Noche Buena for its Hispanic community at other venues in its eastern corridor, including Walton & One (formerly the City Center) and Veterans Park at Rivergate – home to the 2024 edition.This year, the hilly landscape of the Port District near the St. Lucie River laid the backdrop for the celebration among the city’s Latin American residents: Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, and many others. This was also the first Noche Buena held for free, after an admission charge of between $5 and $10 in past years.The new home of Noche Buena – which saw several openings between June and September 2024 – allowed for greater synchrony with other city holiday festivities, from #PSLInLights displays adorning the Botanical Gardens’ south entrance to photos with Santa Claus in the nearby Historic Houses.A late December evening with a wintry-red sunset brought with it the aroma of street tacos and empanadas along with the lively music to the riverbank near Westmoreland Boulevard.Children made their way between the Historic Houses, the Pioneer Park playground and a miniature train chugging around on the Event Lawn near the Gardens. Others moved to lively music melding Latin and English pop classics by way of award-winning singer/songwriter Elsten Torres.The two-time Grammy-nominated and two-time BMI award-winning performer, 65, drew upon a setlist recalling his heritage between Cuba and Morningside Heights in New York City.“I love to see so many people out having a good time,” Torres said in between sets. “The weather is so summer-like … B8 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | PEOPLE www.stlucievoice.comBY CHARLES CALOIA | CorrespondentClockwise from above left: Justin Baker and Derek Stalhut make their way to the shoreline before stopping for some fan photos during the Surfing Santas event on Christmas Eve at Fort Pierce Inlet State Park. Stalhut and his wife, Laura, brought the event to Fort Pierce following a move from the Cocoa Beach area where the surfing Santa originated. Lance O’Brien was one of the 200 surfing Santas. Seven Kirby waxes a surf board. Young Santa Noah Robinson, 10, gets washed over by a wave. And Justin Baker rides a wave. PHOTOS: LINDA KLOORFAINSANTAS MAKE WAVESNOCHE BUENA: A truly ‘Feliz Navidad’ in the Port DistrictClockwise from far left: Award-winning singer/songwriter Esten Torres, 65, regales the audience at Noche Buena. Marisol Figueroa near a light display. Port St. Lucie’s long-running Noche Buena celebration was held at the Port District for the first time. Guests line up at El Hay Bendito, a Puerto Rican food truck. PHOTOS CHARLES CALOIACONTRIBUTED PHOTO: BRIAN FENERTY

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | PEOPLE January 1, 2026 B9but it’s nice to see a great crowd; people are responding to the music.”Torres’ first performance in the city included an array of tunes that had the festive crowd, many of them older residents from other Latin communities throughout the country, cutting loose.“I’ve been to Port St. Lucie many times but I’ve never performed here,” Torres said. “It’s good to see a lot of the younger generation hanging out, as well.”Noche Buena this year brought levity to Port St. Lucie amid a wave of further scrutiny cast upon Hispanics in the U.S., Torres said. He related how people in his social circles endured significant pressure from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), regardless of their citizenry.“I won’t shy away from it; there’s been a whole lot of issues with the (immigrant) population in the States – especially in Florida, where it’s been hit hard,” Torres said. “I know a few people who were actually taken by ICE. It’s very sad to see that happening in our country.”The mirth of Noche Buena spread among attendees like local educator Marisol Figueroa, who moved to Port St. Lucie from West Palm Beach near the end of 2024. She celebrated a school break in a festive black/red ensemble evoking poinsettias while walking around the quad with her in-laws from Medellin, Colombia.“I’m a teacher; today’s officially, like, a vacation now,” said Figueroa, who teaches reading and writing to third graders at Palm Pointe K-8 in Tradition. “I’m always on Facebook looking up things to do with the family.”Figueroa’s Noche Buena experience coincided with her own Cuban heritage from her upbringing in Boston. That translated to concerns she once held when mulling her relocation to Port St. Lucie as early as 2022, she said.“I wasn’t sure if (it’d) be boring or not,” Figueroa said, who balked at moving to the city at first. She added how Port St. Lucie could use more spaces to facilitate nightlife, such as the upcoming restaurant space at the Grove closer to the river.“I would love some places to go dancing a little bit more. I haven’t really seen too much of that or know that,” Figueroa said. “I’m very much a dancer.” Above: The lights of the Botanical Gardens near the Port District. Inset below: A guest enjoys the evening festivities. Bottom: A family plays dominoes on the Event Lawn.CONTRIBUTED PHOTO: BRIAN FENERTY

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B14 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | COMMUNITY www.stlucievoice.comHealthy dose of pride for IRSC nursing graduatesFrom far left: Dr. Timothy Moore, president of Indian River State College, congratulates nursing graduate Darius Anderson during ceremonies held Dec. 18. Anderson will be using his nursing skills in the U.S. Armed Forces. Nursing graduate Alexa Bowe poses for a photo in front of her family with Moore. Nursing graduate Madison Davis receives her nursing pin from Patty Gagliano, dean of nursing at Indian River State College.City’s ‘Pathway to Business’ expo may be right road to entrepreneurial successThe City of Port St. Lucie is giving aspiring and existing entrepreneurs the ‘Pathway to Business.’“It helps to empower them, empower small business owners and entrepreneurs throughout the Treasure Coast,” said Yvonne White Grayson, business tax and lien services manager. “We bring the resources, the experts to them, so they can grow or strengthen their business.” The third annual Pathway to Business Expo will run from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Jan. 15, at the Port St. Lucie Community Center, 2195 SE Airoso Blvd. Participants will have a chance to meet with representatives from about two governmental and not-for-profit organizations who can help upstart businesses succeed. “We’ve gotten feedback from the customers, the business community,” Grayson said. “They like the one-stop-shop atmosphere where they can get all their questions answered at one time.” Some of the agencies and organizations at the expo will be: the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services; the Florida Department of Financial Services; the Small Business Administration; the West Palm Beach Office of Small Business Program; WeVenture; the Port St. Lucie Business Club; Martini Network; and the Small Business Administration.Many of the agencies and organizations are returning for the second or third year. A couple are making their first appearances. “We have Dr. Susan Arnet,” Grayson said. “She’s the CEO of Venture Hive.” Venture Hive offers entrepreneur education, coaching and support programs. To register, visit CityofPSL.com/BusinessTax. BY PATRICK McCALLISTER | CorrespondentPHOTOS: LINDA KLOORFAINJohn Carroll High School in Fort Pierce celebrated the recently released results for the Class of 2025, highlighting student achievements in the AP Capstone and Advanced Placement programs. Four graduates earned the prestigious AP Capstone Diploma:  Mayra Fajardo (Florida State University) Jade L’Heureux (University of Florida) Jaxson VanName (Loras College) Carly Koomen (Clemson University). As an AP Capstone school, John Carroll continues to surpass expectations: 100 percent of students passed AP Seminar 86 percent scored 3 or higher on AP exams, exceeding state, national and global averages Principal Michael Bryk said, “This recognition reflects the commitment, excellence, and perseverance of our students and faculty. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and their love of learning. These students truly embody the belief that excellence is intentional.” For more information, visit johncarrollhigh.com. While the holiday season is often filled with joy, togetherness and generosity, it can also be a time of financial strain for many families. This year, the Humane Society of St. Lucie County is reminding the community that helping animals doesn’t always mean finding new homes, sometimes it means ensuring pets can stay right where they belong.Through its Pawsitive Pet Pantry, the Humane Society of St. Lucie County has provided more than 103,000 meals to owned pets in 2025 alone, helping over 475 families keep more than 1,500 pets out of shelters and in loving homes during times of hardship.“The holidays should be a time of comfort and togetherness, not heartbreaking decisions,” said Nukhet Hendricks, executive director.“Our Pawsitive Pet Pantry allows families to keep their pets during tough times, ensuring that love and companionship stay where they matter most.”The pantry serves as a critical safety net for pet owners facing unexpected challenges, including disability, medical emergencies, or temporary financial setbacksFor more information, visit hsslc.org. – CONTRIBUTEDHumane Society’s Pet Pantry provides a holiday-season lifelineJohn Carroll quartet shines in AP Capstone, Advanced Placement programs – CONTRIBUTEDMayra Fajardo. Jade L’Heureux . Jaxson VanName . Carly Koomen .

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | COMMUNITY January 1, 2026 B15When writers know the points of their stories they can write them well.On Saturday, Jan. 10, published writer Matthew “Matt” Sandborn Smith will teach people how to find their stories’ points. “This comes from something that a writer named Brian McDonald was discussing on a podcast,” Smith said. “He calls it the armature of your story.” Smith is the senior technical assistant at the Paula A. Lewis Branch Library, which is where the free class, “The Skeleton of Your Story @ Lewis Library,” will be. It will start at 10 a.m. and run about 90 minutes.McDonald has numerous book and film credits, and is perhaps most well-known for his screenwriting guidebook “Invisible Ink.” He has a blog discussing film writing by the same name. He has taught writing classes at well-known studios including Pixar. In addition to working at the library, Smith is an active, published writer. He has mostly worked in speculative fiction, fantasy and science fiction. The most well-known publication he’s written for is Nature. Turns out, the multidisciplinary science journal figures after readers get through all the thick, peer-reviewed research articles they want a bit of entertaining imagination. The last page is dedicated to flash fiction, an ultra-short story, usually one scene, that hints at a larger story.“When you’re making a clay figure in Hollywood for special effects, the skeleton the clay goes on is called the armature,” Smith said. Without the armature, the skeleton will fall apart. Smith said that’s analogous to what happens with a story lacking a clear point, or skeleton. He said that’s related to, but different from, a story’s theme.“Once you have that skeleton, or armature, it makes it easy to put everything together from there,” Smith said. “When you know what the story is at its core, you know how to write it. Your armature is about the emotional development of the protagonist. It gets to the heart of the story. The emotional reason for the story.” Smith said the class will be helpful for a wide variety of writers. “This class could be helpful to people at any stage of their writing careers,” he said. “Whether you’re walking in completely new of have been writing for several years, you’ll get something out of this.” Additionally, he said, the class is helpful for fiction and non-fiction writers, including autobiographers. The Paula A. Lewis Branch Library is located at 2950 SW Rosser Blvd. Some of Smith’s stories are available to read at matthewsandbornsmith.com. BY PATRICK McCALLISTER | Correspondent‘SKELETON OF YOUR STORY’ CLASS: THE ‘WRITE’ PLACEFOR ASPIRING AUTHORS The planeswalkers will meet at Minsky Gym for fantastical forays into fun as they step out of Port St. Lucie into Faerûn. Translation: The city’s parks and recreation department inaugural Game Masters Guild will be on Saturday, Jan. 17, at the gym, 750 SW Darwin Blvd.Youths ages 8 to 15 will have a chance to play Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and Pokemon Trading Card Game from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. “For all of the games, you don’t have to bring anything,” said CJ Keester, recreation manager. “We’ll have everything the kids will need if they’ve never played these games. If they have their own (accoutrements), they’re welcome to bring them.” Registration at PSLParks.com is encouraged. The cost is $5. “We have three different games going on,” Keester said. “They can play one game, or float around. Whatever they want.” Each game will have a maximum of eight players, so everybody has plenty of turns. If, say, 12 want to play Dungeons & Dragons, they will be split into two games. The city has scheduled more Game Masters Guild sessions for Saturdays Feb. 17, March 21, April 18 and May 16. Parks and rec staff members familiar with the games will be on hand. Keester said the Game Masters Guild is an opportunity for youths to find out if they’ll enjoy different games before sinking dollars into them. “If you think your kid might be interested, you don’t have to buy anything,” he said. “Five dollars to try these things out I think is a good deal.” Dungeons & Dragons has been around since 1974. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson crafted the tabletop role-playing game with inspiration from existing tabletop wargames. Those, in turn, root back to military planners wargaming from the 19th century forward. Wargaming allows generals, admirals and others to investigate and stay attuned to possible military occurrences during both peace- and wartime. Dungeons & Dragons allows players to assume fantasy personas and meet challenges to try various tactics to overcome them.Magic: The Gathing and Pokemon Trading Card Game are tabletop collectible card games. Richard Garfield created Magic: The Gathering, which was released in 1993. Players – or planeswalkers – are dueling wizards whose hands represent various spells to battle with. Pokemon TCG is part of the broader Pokemon media franchise created by Satoshi Tajiri. The world first met the pocket monsters in 1996. Players, pokemon trainers, have hands representing different pokemon to use for boxing-like matches. All are strategy games that help players assess their strengths and risks, advantages and disadvantages, to make decisions and face consequences. The past will come alive at the upcoming Treasure Coast History Festival. “This is the ninth annual,” said Roberta Murray, event co-coordinator. “It’s growing by leaps and bounds.” The festival, on Saturday, Jan. 10, at the St. Lucie County Regional History Center, 414 Seaway Dr., Fort Pierce, runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and admission is free.Murray said the festival will feature an antique auto show, along with some historic military vehicles. “We have an armed services section,” Murray said. “The museum has an exhibit from the (National Navy UDTSEAL Museum). We’re expanding that and adding a couple vehicles from the Road to Victory museum.” There’s more military on deck. “We have a Civil War cannon they shoot off,” said Murray. Outside, live music from the Uproot Hootenanny band will entertain fest-goers, and “there is a pioneer village that’s going to feature some Seminole Indian pumpkin bread,” Murray said. Along with sugar cane samples and demonstrations of butter churning, swamp cabbage preparation, and fishnet repairing. Also outside will be the Family Corner. “There’s an area for children to color,” said Murray. The A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery will be there with art projects for children. “They have some stencils that kids can copy of one of his paintings,” Murray explained. “We have some sheets from a Seminole theme coloring book.” The St. Lucie County Parks and Recreation representatives will be at the festival with bounce houses for the children, too. For food, the festival’s annual Summerlin Fish Fry is a smash hit every year, but there will be a couple food trucks for those who prefer something else. Meanwhile, back inside, “storytellers will be in the barn on the property,” Murry remarked. The storytellers will make lively, casual presentations a quarter past the hour from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Among the topics will be St. Lucie County’s World War I Memorial, the paddlewheel steamers of the 19h century, the 1715 Treasure Fleet, treasure hunting on Florida beaches, and the inlet fisheries in Fort Pierce. The storytellers will answer questions at the end of their presentations. In the museum there will be speakers from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. One of the topics they’ll cover are the history of the fort site from the Ais period to today. Fort Pierce the city is named after Fort Pierce the military installation built during the Second Seminole War. Other topics speakers will cover are the origins of Okeechobee, cowboys and cow tales of Old Florida, and shipwreck recovery. Published authors will be in the museum talking about and signing their books. BY PATRICK McCALLISTER | CorrespondentBY PATRICK McCALLISTER | CorrespondentLive from the Treasure Coast ... it’s History Fest!PLAY THERE! City hosts inaugural ‘Game Masters Guild’

B16 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | PETS/ADVICE www.stlucievoice.comHis two-factor authentication on Amazon? Access denied!Bruce Gerencser can’t access his Amazon account after changing his phone number – and he can’t get the problem fixed,Q. I’ve been an Amazon customer for 20 years, but after changing my phone number, I’m locked out of my account because two-factor authentication (2FA) still uses my old number. I’ve called Amazon six times, sent photos of my driver’s license three times, and even emailed executives using your contacts – but no one has fixed it. Amazon updated the phone number on my account, but 2FA remains broken. One agent claimed my account was “terminated,” which isn’t true. For weeks, I couldn’t order essentials or manage my Echo devices. How can a company this large fail to sync a simple phone number? What else can I do?A. Amazon should have either ensured your two-factor authentication settings were updated when your phone number changed, or provided clear steps to resolve it. The company’s own security protocols require accurate contact information, and its support team should have escalated this promptly. You did everything right: You contacted customer service, submitted documentation, and reached out to executives using the Amazon executive contacts on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. I publish the contact information precisely for this purpose. I want to give a company like Amazon every chance to resolve a problem before it turns into a story. According to Amazon, switching phone numbers is a simple process. To change the phone number on your 2FA Amazon account, navigate to your account settings, locate the “2-Step Verification” settings, and follow the prompts to add a new phone number and verify it.But I know from personal experience that it doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes, on new numbers, you may experience problems with receiving a verification message. (Some businesses, notably banks, keep a blacklist of numbers that they won’t send to, such as VOIP numbers.)Persistence matters. Always keep a paper trail, as you did, and escalate early to executives when frontline agents can’t help. As I review your case, it seems you were dealing with both human and automated agents – AI bots that have not fully understood your problem. That is happening with greater frequency, and it’s keeping my advocacy team and me busy. I contacted Amazon on your behalf. While the company didn’t comment, its executive team swiftly resolved the issue. A specialist removed 2FA, restored your access, and added a $25 goodwill credit. Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at [email protected] or get help by contacting him at https://elliottadvocacy.org/help/ thinkin’ about that.“Anyway,” Gandolf continued, “the H.A.L.O. humans gave me a lovely birthday/Christmas party every year. They were so nice, but my birthday and Christmas wish was the same every year: to find my Furever Home. I haff to admit, I had pretty much given up hope. But then, Just buh-for THIS Christmas, my wish came TROO!”I hadda wipe my eyes with my paw. I sniffed, then asked how it all came about.So,” Gandolf continued, “my Future Bran New Furever Mom had lost her PREE-vee-us pit bull, Zoe.“Then one day she was, just for no speshell reason, lookin’ around on Instagram Hi Dog Buddies!The BonzGandolf’s story proves Christmas wishes do come trueI can’t wait to share this Pawsome Christmas tail with you. I had a totally, majorly amazing innerview with Gandolf Clarke (aka Dandy Gandy), who has very recently moved up to Roseland from his previous, longtime home at H.A.L.O. in Sebastian.A nice lady met me an my assistant in the front yard an welcomed us in. Soon as we entered, this medium tall, hansome pooch approached. He had silver fur with white trim, long legs, anna large head with white muzzle an white bib, big frenly, wideset eyes, an stand-uppy triangle ears that flopped over at the top. Anna Very Large Smile.“Merry Christmas, Mr. Bonzo! I totally can’t WAIT to tell you my Tail! I’m Gandolf Clarke an THIS is my Bran New MOM, Jennifer. She’s my favrite human in the Entire World!”I introduced my assistant who, of course, had already begun rootin’ around in The Satchel for a Duhlishus Snack, which Gandolf very gently accepted an happily munched.“It is SUCH a pleasure to meet you, Gandolf,” I said. “I am SO eager to hear your tail!” I flipped my notebook to a new page.Gandolf settled next to his Mom onna fluffy round bed an began. “A long time ago, when I first got dropped off, the H.A.L.O. humans found out my birthday was Christmas DAY. An now, I just turned 13. H.A.L.O. gave me a party and I got a speshull CROWN. An NOW, my annual Christmas an birthday wishes finally came true, Just In Time for Christmas.“By THIS Christmas, if you can buhleeve it, Mr. Bonzo, I had been livin’ at H.A.L.O. for 1,392 whole days!”“WHAT?” I exclaimed. “Did you say one THOW-zun days?”“Yep. All the humans here are SO kind an took Really Good Care of me. An never stopped tryin’ to find a Furever Home for me. But, no luck. I’m not sure why, maybe cuz I’m older; or not all that cute, I guess; or cuz I hafta take a lotta meds; or maybe cuz I’m mostly Pit Bull, Even tho I’m VERY puhlite an wouldn’t EVER do ANYthing Scary.”I was still tryin’ to wrap my head around Gandolf bein’ inna shelter that long. An tryin’ NOT to think about what wudda happened if it’d NOT been what humans call a No-Kill shelter. It gives me the Willies just (a strange thing called so-shell MEE-deeuh, where humans stare at their cellular phones for lengthy periods of time, push lotsa buttons, share stuff with each other). Mom says she hardly EVER does it, but for some reason she did on that one day. An happened to come across my pickchur an story on H.A..LO.’s, what’s it called? ummm, WEBsite, an There Was My Pickshur.“WELL, Mom says The Stars UH-lined! She says she just KNEW she hadda adopt me. See, HER birthday is also Christmas Day. Plus, she had also been abandoned when she was a young pup, er, human. So she, right that very minute, filled out the speshul form on H.A.L.O.’s WEBsite, an the Very Nex Morning, she went to H.A.L.O. so we could meet in The Fur. Since I’d pretty much given up hope, I was just sorta meh. Not grumpy. I just didn’t wanna get my hopes up, ya know?”All I could do was nod, an wipe my nose again, an remind myself to keep takin’ notes.Gandolf continued, “At H.A.L.O., inna speshull room with windows an no dissTRACK-shuns, Me an Mom slowly got to know each other. I wasn’t all Bouncy Puppy or anything. I didn’t want to get disappointed AGAIN. But there was something about her that made me feel hopeful.“For a looong time, the H.A.L.O. people kept watchin’ from the outside. Then they had a Meeting. An finally, after Mom’d been there for 5 hours, they decided she was The One for me. An I was The One for her. They told her to come back at 4:30 to pick me up. I totally couldn’t buh-leeve, after all that time, my Birthday an Christmas wishes had finally come troo.“It wasn’t till Mom ackshully DID come back at 4:30, an I was gettin’ in the car, that it began to dawn on me it was Really Happening! I was goin’ to my Own Furever Home with my Own Furever Mom.”“Woof! What was THAT like? Walkin’ into your Very Own Home?”“Ackshully, Bonzo, I felt curious, but COMF-tubble, right away. An I was, of course, already potty trained. I went straight to the room Zoe had had, which was full of toys. Now I like to make a soft bed of stuffies, an nap on ’em. An Mom has comfy beds all over the house, just for me.”The time had zoomed by.Heading home, I was thinkin’ about all the Firsts Gandolf is enjoyin’ in his Furever Home, how fortunate to have had so many kind humans helpin’ him and rootin’ for him along the way. An never giving UP. An I join them all in saying, “Congratulations, Gandolf. Your new life has at last begun.”Till next time ...

To Advertise (772-633-1115) ST. LUCIE VOICE | BOOKS January 1, 2026 B17BOOKREVIEWBY LARRY DAVID ALLMANIf you are familiar with the name Cameron Crowe, or with his extensive and very interesting body of work in journalism, film, TV and music, you are probably in the minority. If you have seen the delightful movie “Almost Famous,” then you have a very good idea of his early life as a national music industry journalist … at the tender age of 15! This one period of his early life, including traveling with nationally prominent bands such as the Allman Brothers and the Eagles – when he was 15 and 16 – should be reason enough to dig into his recently released memoir “The Uncool.” As a journalist, and with all of his other creative talents, you will encounter a book that is extremely well written, well thought out, encompassing several levels of perception and learning, and especially the massive presence of his college professor-activist-ultra caring mother, who endured her youngest and only male child going out “on the road” with some of the biggest names in music … at 15; and you know what happens on the road …!Crowe grew up in Southern California, mainly in the San Diego area. He started his journalist career writing for his school newspaper, and graduated to the local underground paper. He met Lester Bangs who was a nationally known music journalist, who mentored him. Bangs advised that both he and Crowe were “uncool,” and therefore had to be stronger than the cool crowd. He got noticed by the biggest, most respected music publication, Rolling Stone, and started writing pieces for them. He was so good, they asked him to go on the road with certain big-time groups who hated Rolling Stone, mainly because it had published negative reviews of their work or refused to put them on the cover. Crowe had a way with the musicians, and they accepted him and allowed him into their inner circle. Crowe claims he never sold out, always wrote the truth, and remained friendly with many of them when he moved on to other pursuits around age 20. But mainly, through persistence and creativity, Crowe landed interviews with the hardest to get, including Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan and Greg Allman, among several others.When he felt that he had grown out of the music journalism business, Crowe had a most creative idea: He went back into high school as an undercover student (at 22) and wrote a book about what he discovered with high school students, focusing the book on six students with whom he became friendly. The book was good enough that it was optioned for a motion picture before being released. After several directors turned it down, a female director, Amy Heckerling, took control. Crowe wrote the screenplay for “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” Through their collaboration, it became a kind of classic hit. And it started Crowe on his lifelong career as a screenwriter, director and producer of films, videos and TV shows. This film also launched the careers of many then-unknown or little-known actors who became big stars, including Sean Penn, Nicholas Cage, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold and Phoebe Cates.With the hit status of “Fast Times,” Crowe was accepted as a bankable writer and director. His next three films were not blockbusters, but did just enough to get “Jerry Maguire” into production; he wrote, produced and directed that one, and it was a huge success featuring Tom Cruise. His next film was “Almost Famous,” the highly personal, fictionalized story of his early life writing for Rolling Stone, going out on the road with the fictionalized band Stillwater, and seeing life on the road from an inside perspective. It’s hard to forget the cute, lovable actor who plays the fictional Crowe – William Miller – in the film. Crowe has won several prestigious awards during his life for his body of work; for “Almost Famous,” he won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He wrote and produced “Almost Famous: the Broadway Musical,” which is how he opens the book.Crowe wrote and/or directed and/or produced several more films, and branched out into documentaries and even some music videos. He also has some acting credits in various films. He wrote a book after getting to know the legendary director Billy Wilder, “Conversations With Wilder.” As you can see, Crowe has had an interesting, mostly successful life, as a journalist, in film and television, and in music. His book covers every stage with wit and humor and his perceptions of events at the time. It’s extremely interesting reading, as one would expect from a master communicator.There is one strong element in the book which is pure love and respect, and which gives the book a depth which few memoirs achieve. And that has to do with his mother Alice Crowe, who passed away in 2019. She was a major factor in his life and was quite a character in her own right. She was an outspoken college professor who was also an activist for civil rights and Native Americans. Crowe gives us in each chapter something that she said, or advised, or cared about, many in pithy aphorisms which carry weight with few words. “Only paranoids survive,” or “Count your blessings. Leave the funeral!” or “Never, never, never, never give up.” She cared so deeply about him, and supported his creativity and confidence, while at the same time, she lived a full life of her own, with constant personal initiatives, teaching student groups in their home, serving as a counselor and mentor to students and friends, and running the house with an attempted iron grip.Her relationship with Crowe’s two older sisters was problematic. His oldest sister died young, and his middle sister left home early due to the strained relationship, although they patched things up well before her death. The book opens with Crowe working to bring “Almost Famous” as a musical in San Diego; his mother comes to the rehearsal hall daily to check on both Crowe, and her depiction in the play. She was a rock of strength and inspiration in his life.This book is fun and interesting, and it moves nicely, not with literary speed, but with motion picture speed, with the quickness and aliveness of a hit song on the radio, and with the love of a son for his larger-than-life mother who, with amazing strength and faith, let her 15-year-old boy go on the road with some of the biggest musical acts in the world. She facilitated a life of “follow your dreams.” Cameron Crowe did just that; he followed his dreams wherever they took him, and with this book, he takes us along gracefully and pleasantly in this satisfying memoir.Larry David Allman is a resident of PGA Village Verano. His latest book, “Lethal Judgment At Palm Beach,” and his prior books are available on Amazon. His next book, a thriller, will be published in 2026. He can be reached at [email protected]. I’LL HAVE WHAT SHE’S WEARING BOUTIQUEThe Shops at St. Lucie West1339 St. Lucie West Blvd., Port St. Lucie, FL772-245-7997 • sheswearing.comprepare to be admired20% OFFYOURPURCHASE1ST TIME CUSTOMERS ONLY

B18 January 1, 2026 ST. LUCIE VOICE | GAMES www.stlucievoice.comHow to do Sudoku:Fill in the grid so the numbers one throughnine appear just oncein every column, rowand three-by-three square. The TelegraphSOLUTIONS TO PREVIOUS ISSUE (December 25th) ON PAGE B12ACROSS 1 Person of action (4) 4 Open grassy area (3) 6 Feline’s sound (4) 8 Heavenly place (6) 9 Surrounded by (6)10 Object of abhorrence (8)11 Canter (4)12 Type of boat (6,7)17 Therefore (4)19 Diseased (8)22 Expedition (6)23 Bookworm (6)24 Equipment (4)25 Catch (3)26 Quote (4)DOWN 2 Frequently (5) 3 Rumoured (7) 4 Rent out (5) 5 Insistent (7) 6 Go to press (5) 7 Bring back (7)10 Mountain (3)13 Travel cost (7)14 Issue (7)15 Ancient (7)16 Free (3)18 Broadcasting (2,3)20 Earliest (5)21 Vote for (5)The TelegraphPREVIOUS EDITION’S SOLUTIONS, SEE PAGE B21