Good Morning, Sunland
It's Friday! and we made it! Thank you all for being here once again, and I believe the rain is actually going to clear up today. This week has been a struggle, as it felt like it's been a monsoon outside, but anyway.
🎮 Got a new set of Florida Feud questions! I'm going to be going out and about, playing the game. Take the survey here.
📅 ICYMI: NAACP Boots on the Ground event is tomorrow, Saturday, April 11 at 5 PM at Hobe Sound Farmer's Market. Ticketed event.
🎭 Community support: CAST's Odyssey of the Mind team qualified for the World Competition in Iowa and is fundraising for registration and travel costs. Proud of these kids. Support the team here.
Alright, let's jump right in!
⛅ Weather Update: Sunshine and clouds mixed.
☀️ Day: High of 78°F | Sunshine and clouds mixed. 19% chance of rain.
🌙 Night: Low of 65°F | Some clouds. Winds ENE at 10-20 mph. 15% chance of rain.
🌅 Sunrise: 7:02 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 7:43 PM
🌙 Moonrise: 2:39 AM | 🌚 Moonset: 1:08 PM
🎶 Sounds like: "No Woman, No Cry" — Bob Marley & The Wailers (I think this is the best version, there’s like 5 of them)
Ja'Min Devon
Founder & Publisher, Sunland News
🏠 Main Squeeze: Florida ranks worst state for renters
A new Consumer Affairs study puts Florida dead last for renters, with housing costs eating up 37% of income.
The numbers:
Median rent: $1,669 (eighth highest nationally)
Share of income on rent: 37.4% (highest in the U.S.)
Rental vacancy rate: 7.6% (sixth highest)
Why it matters: The traditional housing affordability benchmark is 30% of income. Florida renters are blowing past that, leaving less money for groceries, gas, and everything else.
What makes Florida worse: No rent control. No limits on rent increases. No just cause eviction protections. No limits on tenant fees. Florida ranks dead last for tenant protections, with no state laws to protect renters in any of the four areas Consumer Affairs evaluated.
The catch: Florida has the sixth highest rental vacancy rate in the country. This isn't a supply problem. It's a price problem.
The trend: Rent in Florida is rising faster than in most states. The median rent is already 18% above the national median and climbing.
Meanwhile: North Dakota ranked best for renters for the third year in a row, where typical rent is almost a third lower than the national median and renters spend only 23.7% of income on housing. Colorado jumped 42 spots to rank second, largely due to strong tenant protection laws.
Read the full study: Consumer Affairs ranking
🏫 Press Round: Settlements, Stats & Setbacks
⚖️ Indian River Sheriff and County Moving Toward Budget Lawsuit Settlement
Indian River County commissioners set an April 14 public meeting to discuss settling Sheriff Eric Flowers' budget lawsuit after a closed session on April 7. Flowers initially sought a $14.6 million increase, later revised to $12.2 million, but commissioners approved $6.9 million, leading to the lawsuit that both sides now want to resolve following recent community tragedies.
👉 Read more (WQCS)
📊 Treasure Coast Unemployment Jumps to 5.7 Percent
Treasure Coast unemployment rose to 5.7 percent in January 2026 from 4.1 percent a year earlier, higher than the statewide rate of 4.9 percent. Indian River County had the highest unemployment at 6 percent, followed by St. Lucie County at 5.7 percent and Martin County at 5.3 percent, with the labor force down 2,871 people over the year.
👉 Read more (WQCS)
🗑️ PSL Considering Waste Pro Settlement Days Before Trial
Port St. Lucie City Council will meet Friday, April 10 at 11 a.m. to consider a settlement agreement with former trash hauler Waste Pro less than a week before trial was set to begin. The city released no information about what the settlement offer contains or whether city leaders will agree to it.
👉 Read more (TCPalm subscription may be required)
🎉 Five 772 Events This Weekend I Missed
DJ Bodega Pool Party — Castelleja Beach Resort & Bar | Saturday | Top 40, Afro House & Latin 👉 See what's good
Mr. Swindle's Traveling Peculiarium — Adult-only circus show with craft cocktails | Delightfully inappropriate 👉 Grab your tickets
Old School Night @ Bleu Clarinet — 901 Avenue D, Fort Pierce | Caribbean, Soul & Jazz lounge 👉 Pull up
Country Line Dancing @ Hop Life Brewing — Free admission | Saturday | Boots encouraged 👉 See the lineup
DJ Donada @ Public House — Downtown Fort Pierce | Saturday night 👉 Plan your night
Mets Update! (From Darius)
Our guys are back on the field at Clover Park! Yesterday, we had to complete our game against the Dunedin Blue Jays that was suspended on Tuesday. We ended up winning 6-3 with the help of our very own Sam Biller who went 2 for 3 with three RBIs 😤 LGM!
We played our regular scheduled game right after and unfortunately fell short 6-5. Sam Robertson went 2 for 2 with 2 RBIs. JT Benson and Julio Zayas also racked up 2 hits a piece. Keep fighting, guys!
Our record is now 3-2.
We’ll be playing the Blue Jays again tonight at 6:10pm. Go see the team at 31 Piazza Drive, Port St. Lucie, FL 34986!
**Btw here is a list of tonight’s promos 😎
Ticket Offer: Vets at the Mets
All veterans and active duty military members receive free admission.
Ticket Offer: Platinum Silver Sluggers
Platinum Silver Sluggers members receive admission and free soda or water.
Day of Game Highlights: Kids Run the Bases Kids 14-and-under can run the bases after the game!
Darius Garrido
💧 The Last Drop: Beach Parking Drama, New Homes, and Lowe's
🏖️ Fort Pierce might ditch paid beach parking plan – Parking Committee recommending city abandon 2024 contract that would've charged at Jaycee, Jetty, South Causeway parks (300 spaces). Also wants downtown parking garage at old JC Penney lot. Commission hears it Monday 9am. Beach parking
🏘️ Kings Highway getting 165 rental homes – St. Lucie County approved final site plan. Florida cottage-style units, down from 191 originally proposed. Developer cut density 14%, added extra parking (3.2 spaces per unit vs 2 required). Commissioners liked going beyond minimums. Kings Highway
🔨 New Lowe's opening in Tradition early June – 94k sq ft store plus 30k sq ft garden center at 13845 SW Village Parkway. Bringing 100+ jobs, hiring now. Second PSL location. Joins incoming Costco retail and distribution depot. Lowe's PSL
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