Good Morning, Sunland
It's Wednesday! And I like to take Wednesdays to always share some gratitude, so thank you for being gracious with me as I learn, as I make Sunland better and the best news resource in St. Lucie County and in the state of Florida. I get so many emails, so many comments; it pains me and hurts me that I can't respond to every single one. If you're still looking for a response from me, you will get one before the end of the year, I promise. It's just a lot to keep up with, which is a good thing. I'm learning and I'm growing, and I just thank y'all.
In today's newsletter:
🏫 St. Lucie County wants to buy old school board land
🏛️ Historic Jones' Pier opens as conservation area
🏠 St. Lucie has high mortgage purchases and high denials
🦀 Crabby's gets 90 days to find new tenant or face legal action
🎉 Weekend events across the Treasure Coast
💜 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!
In Today's Newsletter
⛈️ Weather Update: Thunderstorms Encore.
☀️ Day: High of 75°F | Thunderstorms likely. 80% chance of rain.
🌙 Night: Low of 65°F | Thunderstorms. Winds ENE at 15-25 mph. 90% chance of rain.
🌅 Sunrise: 7:04 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 7:42 PM
🌙 Moonrise: 1:05 AM | 🌚 Moonset: 11:16 AM
🎶 Sounds like: "Encore" — Cheryl Lynn
Ja'Min Devon
Founder & Publisher, Sunland News
Main Squeeze: St. Lucie County wants to buy old school board land
St. Lucie County commissioners were set to vote Tuesday on buying roughly 77 acres from the school board, but the item got pulled at the last minute and moved to the April 21st meeting.
What they want:
42 acres on Edwards Road (former Central High property)
2.4 acres next to it, also on Edwards Road
7.2 acres at Lawnwood Elementary
~25 acres at St. Lucie Elementary and Dale Cassens combined
Why it matters: This connects directly to the school consolidation plan Sunland News broke last June.
The backstory: The school district proposed merging Lawnwood Elementary, St. Lucie Elementary, and Dan McCarty Middle into one new K-8 campus. To pay for it, they'd sell off the old Lawnwood and St. Lucie Elementary properties.
The county is the buyer.
What we know: The county hasn't said publicly what they'd do with the land. Price wasn't listed on the agenda. The school board hasn't voted on selling yet either.
The catch: This whole thing is still years away. The superintendent is supposed to present updated options to the school board soon, but no timeline's been set. The July 2025 town hall at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church raised questions about what consolidation means for Fort Pierce neighborhoods and whether selling the land keeps any value in the community.
Reminder: CA Moore is already becoming a K-8 (7th grade added this fall, 8th grade next year). The district finished Legacy High School last August and is opening a new K-8 near it this August.
What's next: County commissioners vote April 21st. We'll be watching.
Catch up:
🏠 Press Round: Preservation, Properties & Pending Deals
🏛️ Historic Jones' Pier Opens as Conservation Area
Indian River County restored and opened the historic Jones' Pier homestead off Jungle Trail as a conservation area and interpretive center, preserving a 19th-century site established by the Jones family in the 1880s. The county bought the remaining 16 acres in 2008, and after Hurricane Matthew damaged the home, it took seven years to restore the property, which is now open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
👉 Read more (WPTV)
🏠 St. Lucie Has High Mortgage Purchases and High Denials
St. Lucie County had the second highest rate of mortgages purchased in 2024 compared to any other Florida county, but also had high denial rates shutting families out of homeownership. Prospective homebuyers in St. Lucie County purchased home loans and were denied mortgages at the highest rates on the Treasure Coast and South Florida.
👉 Read more (TCPalm subscription may be required)
🦀 Crabby's Gets 90 Days to Find New Tenant or Face Legal Action
Crabby's Dockside operators agreed to find a new tenant for the Fort Pierce waterfront property within 90 days, with a deadline around July 5th that would bring the matter back to city commissioners. The restaurant closed February 15 and owes more than $200,000 in unpaid rent and property taxes, with the city able to pursue legal action if no new tenant is secured.
👉 Watch (Sunland News)
🎉 Weekender: Events for the Weekend!
Saturday, April 11
🎤 772 Sunrise City Cypher – Live hip-hop cypher presented by RICKYRx at Priscilla's Oasis on Orange, 223 Orange Ave, Fort Pierce. | $8 presale / $10 door
📚 The Midnight Dreary's Grand Reopening – Bookstore grand reopening with author signings, blind date book game, prize wheel, and $100 gift card raffle at 10939 S US Highway 1, Port St. Lucie. | 10 AM–2 PM | Free | Details
🐞 Ladybug Launch at The Gardens – Free family event with ladybug release, storytime, coloring, temporary tattoos, photo booth, and live entertainment at Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens, 2410 SE Westmoreland Blvd, Port St. Lucie. | 10 AM–12 PM | Free (donations welcome) | Details
🌸 Spring Fling 2026 – Bounce houses, face painting, pony rides, petting zoo, free ice cream, local vendors, DJ, and two egg hunts at Fort Pierce Beauty Academy, 3028 S US Highway 1, Fort Pierce. | 10 AM–2 PM | Free | Details
🧹 Caring Community Cleanup Day – Annual neighborhood cleanup with free breakfast, lunch, exhibitors, and raffle prizes at City Hall, 121 SW Port St. Lucie Blvd, Port St. Lucie. | 7:30 AM–12 PM | Free | Register
🌴 Family Fun Fair 2026 – Celebrate Fantastic Florida – Crafts, games, live entertainment, concessions, and early learning resources; first 250 kids get a free bag and book at Havert L. Fenn Center, Fort Pierce. | 4 hr | Free | Details
😂 Florida's Funniest Comedian Contest ft. Claude Stuart – 15 comedians compete for Florida's funniest title, headlined by veteran comedian Claude Stuart at Sunrise Theatre Black Box, Fort Pierce. | Ticketed | Get Tickets
If you have an event, send it to me here
💧 The Last Drop: Bridge Closures, Traffic Fixes, and Tree Planting
🌉 Vero Beach's 17th Street Bridge closing for repairs – Alma Lee Loy Bridge shuts down next week, diverting 22k daily vehicles to already-busy Barber Bridge (23.5k daily). Only two bridges in city limits. 47-year-old span getting work done. Bridge closure
🚗 FDOT wants feedback on Monterey Road traffic nightmare – Martin County railroad crossing backs up traffic 30+ times daily. Studying overpass vs underpass options near Dixie Highway. Public input open, plans include sidewalks and bike lanes. Monterey Road
🌳 PSL Arbor Day tree planting April 25 – Youth Council organizing 9am-noon event at 526 SW Hiawatha St (Whispering Pines neighborhood). Native tree planting, cleanup, tree-care experts. Love Your Block program. Register here
🚐 St. Lucie launches first vanpool to West Palm VA – County's first vanpool serving employees commuting to West Palm Beach VA Medical Center. Share costs, reduce highway traffic. Vanpool info
📖 Thanks For Reading: How was today’s newsletter?
👋 Thanks for reading! If you found it useful, consider sharing it with a friend.
📱 Keep up with the Sunland News: Send comments & suggestions to [email protected] Follow us on, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube
🙋♂️ Did someone forward you this? Subscribe Below!
