🌅 🗑️ $1.6M Trash Decision

Good Morning, Sunland

It’s Monday! Let’s jump right in!

🍔🍔 Want to Try: Someone hipped me to, Stack Burgers & Bourbon in Stuart! Creative burgers, and a solid bourbon lineup. Sounds like a worthy weeknight trip.

🌡️ Weather Update: Cloud cover and calm winds ease us into the week

☀️ Day: High of 81°F | ⛅ Partly to mostly cloudy
🌙 Night: Low of 67°F | ☁️ Mainly cloudy skies
🌅 Sunrise: 6:50 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 7:49 PM
🎵 Sounds like: “Saturday Love” by Cherrelle 🌥️🎶

🍋 The Main Squeeze: 🗑️ What’s Going On With the Drop-Off Center?

Port St. Lucie is reevaluating the Convenient Drop-Off Center (CDC), originally created in 2021 during the city’s trash pickup crisis. Since then, usage has skyrocketed, with more than 72,000 visits in 2024 alone. Now, city leaders want to know: Should the center keep going, be scaled back, or shut down?

📍 Location: 1501 SW Cameo Blvd.
📊 Usage: Already over 12,000 visits in 2025 (+13% from same time last year)

📅 Timeline Recap:

• 2021: Launched to help with missed trash pickups

• 2022: City votes to keep it, shifts to monthly bulk pickup

• 2023–2024: Use increases, new leadership takes over

• Today: The city is proposing changes and asking for input

🕘 Proposed Hours:

• Wed–Sat: 9 AM to 4 PM (currently 6 PM)

• Sunday: 9:30 AM to 2 PM (currently 4 PM)

📋 Improvement Goals:

• Match landfill hours to reduce closures

• Improve site maintenance

• Reduce dependence on contractors

💸 What Comes Next?

The city is weighing three big options:

1. Keep the center going using the general fund

2. Charge user fees (e.g. $10 per car, $50 per trailer) or run in-house ($1.6M/year)

3. Close the center and shift funds to expand bulk pickup or reduce disposal costs

👀 Why It Matters:

What started as a temporary fix has become a heavily used resource. But with funding set to run out in 2026, the city has to decide how it fits into the long-term waste strategy. This affects trash services, city spending, and neighborhood convenience.

🗣️ Public Meeting: Today at 9 AM.
📄 Review the full proposal here: View Plans & Options
📬 Weigh in now: Leave your feedback here

🍊 The Press Round: Three Cheers & One Cheers-for-Beers

🍸 Fort Pierce Gets a New Cocktail Lounge

The Harbor Cocktail Lounge is opening this August in downtown Fort Pierce, promising comedy nights, karaoke, mixology classes, and more.

Read more →

⚾ $4.3M Ballpark Upgrade Coming to Indian River

Kiwanis Hobart Park is getting a full revamp! LED lighting, a college-sized field, concessions and more. Youth leagues hope they’re next in line.

Read more →

🏟️ ‘Stadiums for Sale’ in Martin County?

The Martin County School District is exploring naming rights for its football stadiums, starting with Martin County High. $2,700/week gets you in.

Read more →

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🎉 The Weekdayer: MTWTHF

🧘 Sunset Yoga at The Gardens – Outdoor yoga at dusk hosted by PSL Botanical Gardens. | Today 7 PM–8 PM | $10 | Details

🍳 Business Bowl & Breakfast – Chamber networking over hot breakfast at The Saints Pub. RSVP required. | Tuesday 8:15 AM | $17 | Details

🤝 Meet and Greet with City Manager – Community Q&A and welcome with Fort Pierce’s new city manager. | Tuesday 4:30 PM–6:30 PM | Free | Details

🏘️ Lincoln Park Neighborhood History – Learn about Lincoln Park’s legacy and historic buildings. | Wednesday 6 PM | Free | Details

🎶 Music Bingo! – Adults-only bingo night with music, prizes, and a 50/50 raffle. | Friday 6 PM | Free | Details

If you have an event, send it to me here

💧The Last Drop: City Updates You Might’ve Missed

1. 🚌 🎭 Call for Artists: Sunrise Theatre Mural Fort Pierce is seeking mural proposals for the back of the Sunrise Theatre. Local artists encouraged to apply by May 16. Submit here

2. 🏬 $25K Storefront Grant Is Back The FPRA’s Commercial Façade Grant returns. Get matching funds for exterior upgrades. Apply by June 17. Learn more

3. 🛣 Half-Cent Sales Tax Report Now Live The FY25 Q2 update shows progress on roads, sidewalks, and rivers. Citizen Oversight Meeting set for April 25. View report

📸 This is Sunland: Start This Thang Off Right!

See you tomorrow!
With Love, Ja’Min

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