Good Morning, Sunland
It's Friday! and we made it!
🍽️ Restaurant look: Maggie McFly's got an exclusive first look from TreasureCoast.com. Completely renovated Bonefish Mac's location in Port St. Lucie. Massive central bar, tons of natural light, upscale yet comfortable design. Opening very soon.
📅 ICYMI: Yesterday's events newsletter has everything happening this weekend. Don't miss it!
💜 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: Partly cloudy.
☀️ Day: High of 82°F | Partly cloudy. 9% chance of rain.
🌙 Night: Low of 69°F | Clear to partly cloudy. 18% chance of rain.
🌅 Sunrise: 7:09 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 7:40 PM
🌙 Moonrise: 9:22 PM | 🌚 Moonset: 7:46 AM
🎶 Sounds like: "PROMISE" — DAMEDAME*
Ja'Min Devon
Founder & Publisher, Sunland News
Comcast customers lost access to WPTV this week. Here's what happened.
Comcast Xfinity customers across Florida lost access to WPTV and other Scripps-owned stations March 31 during a contract dispute between the cable provider and station owner.
What happened: Comcast customers saw a blue screen: "This channel is unavailable. Our contract with Scripps, the owner of this channel, has expired."
Comcast blamed Scripps for refusing "reasonable offers" that would avoid price increases. Scripps said it's been "negotiating in good faith" and hopes Comcast "recognizes the critical value we play for our communities."
Why it matters: WPTV said this is only the second blackout in company history. WPTV has been a pillar of local news on the Treasure Coast for decades, particularly for older viewers who still watch TV news daily.
Quick poll: How often do you watch news on television?
The bigger picture: This blackout happened the same week I read this Los Angeles Times article on the collapse of local TV news nationwide. Streaming now accounts for half of all viewing, pulling ad dollars away from traditional television.
Nexstar Media Group, which owns stations across the country, recently laid off veteran anchors who'd been at their stations for 30+ years.
What I'm thinking about: I read that LA Times piece and thought about where Sunland fits in all this. WPTV goes dark during a distribution fight. Local TV newsrooms shrink. Cable and streaming platforms battle over who pays what.
Meanwhile, I'm over here thinking about what Sunland should be. How do we provide something entertaining, educational, and enlightening for folks at home? What does local news look like when the old infrastructure is crumbling?
🏫 Press Round: Clinics, Claims & Crops
🏥 VA Multispecialty Clinic Opens in Vero Beach
The VA opened the first phase of its Indian River Multispecialty Clinic at 777 37th Street on Friday, bringing chiropractic care and physical and occupational therapy to local veterans who previously had to drive to West Palm Beach for specialized treatment. Phase 2 opens in May with audiology, cardiology, dermatology, neurology, podiatry and other services, with a final phase this summer adding optometry and dental care.
👉 Read more (Vero News)
💰 State CFO Says St. Lucie County Overspent $46 Million
Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia said St. Lucie County overtaxed and overspent $46 million since 2019 and could have cut property taxes by 1.04 mills, just weeks after he accused Fort Pierce of wasting $10.5 million in a single year. County spokesman Erick Gill disputed the claim that 212 employees were hired and said the county actually added 130 employees while still employing fewer people than in 2007 despite 140,000 more residents.
👉 Read more (TCPalm subscription may be required)
🌱 Martin County Opens Three Nutrition Gardens for Kids
Martin County opened three nutrition gardens at after-school program sites where 115 kids are learning to grow vegetables, herbs and fruits and prepare healthy snacks. The gardens are at Golden Gate Alternative Afterschool Program, Residents Empowering All Children's Hope and Jensen After School Experience, with House of Hope educators leading classes and Urban Abundance installing and maintaining the beds.
👉 Read more (WQCS)
🎉 Top Events This Week
Friday, April 3
🛍️ Friday Fest with The Riverdawgs – Craft vendors, food trucks, live music, and kids' activities at Marina Square, Fort Pierce. | Starts 6:30 PM | Free | Details
🎵 Live Jazz: Cary DeNigris & Brenna Bavis – Blues, soul, and jazz duo at BlueBird Bistro, Fort Pierce. | 7–9 PM | Free
Saturday, April 4
🐰 Easter on the Farm at Eastside Acres Ranch – Petting zoo, Highland cows, Easter Bunny, food trucks, and vendor market at 6740 Ideal Holding Rd, Port St. Lucie. | 10:30 AM–1:30 PM | $18 + tax | Reservation required | Tickets
🌮 Treasure Coast Tacos & Treats Festival – Taco and dessert tasting festival with live music, craft fair, axe throwing, and kids zone at Clover Park, Port St. Lucie. | 12–9 PM | $10 (Kids 10 & under free) | Tickets
👻 Fort Pierce Ghost Tour – Walking ghost tour of historic Fort Pierce sites, meeting at St. Lucie County Courthouse, Fort Pierce. | Check-in 6:45 PM | $30 | Details
💧 The Last Drop: PSL is turning 65!
🚧 Prima Vista getting a makeover, meeting April 9 – County wants your thoughts 5:30pm at MIDFLORIDA Event Center. Ditching the center turn lane for raised median, adding landscaping to slow folks down. $5.1M project Airoso to US 1. Prima Vista plans
🎉 PSL turning 65, throwing a party April 25 – Free bash 5-8pm at Port District (2454 SE Westmoreland). Motowners band, food trucks, kids stuff, share your PSL stories. From 1,000 people in 1970 to Florida's 6th biggest city. Come through. Birthday party
💼 Blue Collar Big Dollar connects you to construction work – Treasure Coast Builders job board and training program. Ages 18-30 can do Careers in Construction Week. 27 grads in 2025, 9 got jobs or entered training programs. Shoutout Deb. Job board
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