🌅 🏀 A Night for Coach Adams

Good Morning, Sunland

It's Monday! Let’s get to it!

🍽️ Food Mood: A new New England-inspired breakfast cafe recently opened in Port St. Lucie. Check it Out

🍝 Caught My Eye: The Treasure Coast Italian festival returns to Tradition Square February 13-15. 👉 Read more

💜 People Pass Shoutout: Thank you to everyone supporting the newsletter! If you want to help keep this going, support here.

Alright, let's jump right in!

⛅ Weather Update: Clouds early, Cold later.

☀️ Day: High of 79°F | Winds W at 10-20 mph. 24% chance of rain.
🌙 Night: Low of 45°F | Mainly clear. 9% chance of rain.
🌅 Sunrise: 7:09 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 5:58 PM
🌙 Moonrise: 11:51 AM | 🌚 Moonset: 12:49 AM
🎶 Sounds like: "I'm Still in Love with You" — Al Green

Ja’Min Devon

📕 Sponsored: Lunch & Learn This Week!

You can never plan too much. That's why Yates Funeral Home is hosting a free lunch while teaching you how to protect your family through advance planning. Join them on Tuesday, January 27th OR Wednesday, January 28th at 11:30 AM at their Port St. Lucie location (526 SW Port St. Lucie Blvd).

Learn how to:

Make decisions today that bring peace of mind tomorrow
Protect your loved ones from stress during difficult times
Avoid common mistakes families make during grief

Space is limited—RSVP required.
Call 800-429-0314 or register
yatesfuneralblog.com/lunch-learn

🏀 Main Squeeze: Giving Coach Adams His Flowers While He's Here to Smell Them

I recently went to my alma mater, Lincoln Park Academy, for their alumni night. It also happened to be the night they were honoring Coach Wendell Adams because this will be his last season coaching. The night was amazing. It was a pretty packed house. And during the halftime show, Coach Adams was able to give a speech thanking all of his past players, administration, his church family, his family, thanking everybody who has been there along this amazing ride.

The Numbers: We're talking about over 500 wins. The court has his name on it. 39 seasons at Lincoln Park Academy. 19 district titles. 9 regional final appearances. A state runner-up in 2021. He's the Treasure Coast's all-time winningest girls basketball coach.

Beyond the Record: To say that he has been impactful and pivotal is putting it lightly. But I also want to talk about it from a perspective of giving people their flowers while they're still here to smell them. I think even past his coaching record, his impact on community at large is incredible. I never played basketball myself, but Coach Adams has been as strong of a pillar in my life as I'm sure he's been for many of his players. His presence and pursuit of excellence as it relates to his craft has been amazing to watch.

Why This Matters: We don't always get here. Unfortunately, so many people pass prior to moments like this happening. So it's important that we just point it out. My heart has been particularly heavy over the last couple of years as a result from just feeling like we haven't been able to honor the people that have such a huge impact on us.

What's Next: Assistant coach Brandy Montgomery will take over as head coach. She's a 2013 Lincoln Park Academy graduate who has been coaching with Adams for the past six seasons. Lincoln Park has one regular season game left Wednesday at 6 PM home against Treasure Coast, then it's off to the playoffs.

Thank you, Coach Adams. Thank you to everybody who continues to pour into this community.

🏠 Press Round: Projects, Politics & Programs

🏃 Vero Beach Opens Jimmy Graves Sports Complex

Vero Beach High School opened the $7.6 million Jimmy Graves Sports and Community Complex, featuring an eight-lane track, regulation soccer field and 5,000 square-foot playground honoring the student who died in a 2016 boating accident. The facility allows the school to host home track meets for the first time since 2013.

👉 Read more (Vero News)

🏫 Okeechobee High School Consolidating Freshmen

Okeechobee High School will bring ninth graders onto the main campus next fall, ending the split system that currently shuttles freshmen between two locations. The district will convert the current freshman campus into Achievement Academy for secondary programs and expand prekindergarten enrollment from 100 to 150 students.

👉 Read more (WPTV)

⚽ Port St. Lucie Sports Club Hires Sporting Director

Port St. Lucie Sports Club appointed Bernardo Romeo as sporting director to oversee the club's sporting strategy and player development.

👉 Read more (WQCS)

🎉 Weekdayer: January 26-30

Tuesday, Jan 27

🤝 Chamber Networking Breakfast – Hot breakfast with community professionals at The Saints Pub, Port St Lucie. | 8:15 AM | Register Now
🏢 City of Fort Pierce 11th Annual Job Fair – Top employers hiring, employment resources at Havert L. Fenn Center, Fort Pierce. | 10 AM–1 PM | Free | Pre-Register
🍽️ Free Lunch & Learn: Pre-Planning Made Simple – Complimentary lunch, learn advance funeral planning at Yates Funeral Home, Port St Lucie. | 11:30 AM | Free, RSVP required | RSVP Here

Thursday, Jan 29

🎪 World's Largest Bounce Park Returns! - The Royal Duck – Giant inflatable slides, bounce arenas at MIDFLORIDA Event Center, Port St Lucie. | Jan 29-31, Noon–7 PM | $28.99 (10+), $34.99 (adult + child under 10) | Get Tickets
🎸 Sophisticated Thursday – Live music, elegant dining at Meating Street Steak & Seafood, Port St Lucie. | 6–9 PM | RSVP
🚐 Fort Pierce RV Show – If you want a mobile home check out this show at St. Lucie County Fairgrounds, Fort Pierce. | Wed-Sat, Jan 29-Feb 1, 9 AM–7 PM | Free | Learn More

If you have an event, send it to me here

💧 The Last Drop: Meetings Ahead!

🏛️ No Fort Pierce meeting this week – Next commission meeting Feb. 2, city's 125th birthday. New police chief David M. Smith sworn in at 4:30pm ceremony, regular meeting follows at 5:05pm City Hall. FP meetings
⛽ PSL Council considers Murphy USA gas station Monday – Special exception for convenience store with fuel sales on SW Gatlin Blvd across from Walmart. Also reviewing Sandpiper Bay Resort PUD amendment at 3500 SE Morningside Blvd. 6pm City Hall. PSL meeting
💊 County considers Publix opioid settlement Tuesday – St. Lucie County Commission reviewing proposed Publix settlement in opioid litigation. Also presenting Infrastructure Surtax annual report, accepting Stormwater Master Plan. 6pm County Commission Chambers. County meeting