🌅 🏗️ 350 Homes Just Got Greenlit

Good Morning, Sunland

It’s Friday! Let’s jump straight in!

🌡️ Weather Update: Sticky heat, scattered storms

⛈️ Day: High of 93°F | 🌤️ Mixed sun and clouds this morning with scattered storms
🌙 Night: Low of 74°F | ☁️ Considerable cloudiness lingers. Winds SW at 5–10 mph.
🌅 Sunrise: 6:26 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 8:11 PM
🎵 Sounds like: “Summer Madness” by Kool & The Gang 🌫️🎶

🧱 Main Squeeze
Hundreds More Homes Are Coming to North PSL

What was once farmland is about to become a whole lot more.

Port St. Lucie City Council just approved a major rezoning near Midway Road and I-95 that clears the way for 350 multifamily homes and over 665,000 square feet of commercial space. This land used to be zoned for agriculture under the county, but once it was annexed into the city, it became eligible for redevelopment.

The land sits within Wylder, also known as LTC Ranch, one of the area’s largest residential projects already set to include thousands of homes. The commercial portion will come first, according to developers, who say it will meet the demand created by all the new homes already underway nearby.

💬 Why It Matters: This is one of the last agriculturally zoned pockets left inside city limits. Changes like this don’t always make headlines, but they shape the future of our neighborhoods. One day you’re driving past open land, the next it’s a new plaza and a few hundred apartments.

That’s part of why I started Sunland News. I wanted a way for us to stay ahead of the curve and actually know what’s going on. If you ever have thoughts or opinions on things like this, I encourage you to share them. Speak up. Be part of the conversation.

📰 Read the Full Story
💬 Share Your Thoughts

🍊 Press Round
🌊 Tides of Change Across the Treasure Coast

🐢 Double the Cost, Still No Lagoon

For the uninitiated: there’s been a big aquarium project in the works—a 12-building lagoon science center set to rise near Port Canaveral. It’s supposed to be a major win for conservation and the Indian River Lagoon. But the price tag has now doubled, pushing the groundbreaking back. The vision is still alive, but the road’s getting steeper.

👉 Get the Full Story

🏀 My Alma Mater Has Summer Camps Coming Up

Indian River State College is hosting a full slate of sports camps this summer—from swimming to softball. Great for young athletes looking to sharpen their skills and have some fun.

👉 Check Out the Camps

🏢 Maybe Not Ready for a House, But a Condo?

Condo and townhome listings are way up across the Treasure Coast. Rising insurance and repair costs are scaring some buyers off, but if you’re looking for something more affordable than a single-family home, this could be your lane.

👉 See the Breakdown

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💡 Why it matters: Your support allows me to keep St. Lucie County informed and engaged through the daily Sunland News newsletter—and sets the stage for tackling bigger, in-depth reporting projects in the near future.

🎁 What’s in it for you: Exclusive updates, behind-the-scenes insights, and other perks as we grow (bookstore and otherwise) this community together.

👉 Check it out here!

🎉 This Weeks Events: Top 5 Events

Monday, April 28

• 🌅 Sunset Yoga at The Gardens – Relax and recharge with a sunset yoga session at Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens. | 7 PM–8 PM | $10 Non-Members, Free for Members | Details

Tuesday, April 29

• 🤝 Business Networking Event at IRSC – Connect with local entrepreneurs at the biggest networking night yet at IRSC Pruitt Campus. | 6 PM–9 PM | $10 at the door (Cash Only) | Details

Wednesday, April 30

• 🎶 Sounds of Soul: A Tribute to Motown and Beyond – Celebrate the legendary sounds of Motown with a high-energy tribute at The Lyric Theatre. | 7 PM | Paid | Details

Thursday, May 1

• 🛍️ Spring Stuart Stroll – Sip, sample, and stroll through Downtown Stuart with local shops, bites, and shopping spree giveaways. | 4:30 PM–8:30 PM | $15–$20 | Details

Friday, May 2

• 🎟️ 2nd Annual Auction Gala: Enchanted Garden – Fundraising gala with fine dining, live entertainment, and auctions supporting CCA students. | 6:30 PM | Details Here

If you have an event, send it to me here
Want more events? Go here

💧 The Last Drop
Real Life

1. 🛒 The Best Grocery Store You’ve Never Heard Of

   Cheney Express, tucked inside the massive Cheney Brothers warehouse in PSL, is open to the public—no membership needed. Shoppers are scoring bulk deals like 15-dozen eggs for $62.85 and five pounds of blueberries for $3. 👉 See the full breakdown

2. 🧪 Fort Pierce Kid Wins National STEM Award

   At just 9 years old, Denzil “Professor D3” Irving earned a prestigious DAR Founders Medal for teaching STEM online and giving back to the community through outreach and faith. 👉 Meet Professor D3

3. 🦞 Seafood, Muscle Cars & Motown Next Weekend

   The Treasure Coast Seafood & Marine Art Fest lands at Causeway Cove June 7–8 with food, live music, art, a car show, and a giant marine flea market. 👉 Get the details

4. 🚨 Stuart Votes to Ticket Sleeping Homeless

   Stuart officials will begin issuing trespass warnings to people sleeping on public property to comply with a new state law. Critics say the city has no shelter options and the policy criminalizes poverty. 👉 Read the full report

5. 🏳️‍🌈 Pride Fest Returns to St. Lucie County

   The Treasure Coast Pride Fest kicks off Sunday, June 1 at the fairgrounds with music, food, drag shows, kids’ activities, and a message of bold, unapologetic joy. 👉 Explore the lineup

📸 This is Sunland: ✌️ Before I go

Before we wrap up, I just want to share something I saw this week.

I watched my mom, who is well... mom, but also a St. Lucie County school teacher. And above all of that, she is her own beautiful, creative self. I saw her go all out for her kindergarten graduation this week. She put so much care and intention into it, not because she had to, but because she wanted to make something special.

It reminded me that it’s okay to show up fully for the things you love. She inspires me to do that with Sunland News.

See you in June!
With Love, Ja’Min

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