Good Morning, Sunland
It’s Friday! and thank you to everybody for being here. First week back and I'm experimenting and trying things all January just to see how the rest of the year is going to play out. So bear with me as it relates to that.
📅 ICYMI: Yesterday's events newsletter is packed with everything happening this weekend. Check it out here!
👁️ Caught my eye: Barnes & Noble opens Feb. 18 in St. Lucie West. 13,000+ sq ft store at the former Party City location. Second Treasure Coast location.
💜 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: Cloudy early, then clearing.
☀️ Day: High of 81°F | Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy this afternoon.
🌙 Night: Low of 63°F | Partly cloudy skies. 24% chance of rain.
🌅 Sunrise: 7:12 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 5:44 PM
🌙 Moonrise: -- | 🌚 Moonset: 11:19 AM
🎶 Sounds like: "Three Little Birds" — Bob Marley & The Wailers
Ja’Min Devon
🏗️ Main Squeeze: PSL Has a Website Showing
What's Coming
I saw someone in a Facebook group asking about a Mavis Tire coming to Port St. Lucie and realized most people probably don't know the city posts every approved development project online.
What it is: The "Coming Soon to PSL" page lists everything approved by the city's Site Plan Review Committee. Project names, square footage, locations, descriptions. It's all there. The city updates it as new projects get approved.
What's on there right now:
That Mavis Tire everyone's asking about (6,136 square feet south of Darwin Boulevard)
A 35,325-square-foot Tesla dealership at Becker Road and Anthony F. Sansone Sr. Boulevard
A 50,224-square-foot Darwin School of Autism east of Darwin Boulevard
Multiple Starbucks, a Planet Fitness, a 7 Brew coffee shop
A 378,523-square-foot warehouse in Southern Grove
Dozens more projects in various stages
How to use it: Go to the Coming Soon page, search for your neighborhood or what you're curious about. Each project has a number you can look up on the city's zoning map. Or call Planning & Zoning at 772-871-5212.
The catch: These are approved projects, not guaranteed opening dates. But at least you'll know what's coming before the construction fence goes up.
Sponsored: 🟣 Don’t Pick The Wrong Plan
It happens every year. People wait until the last day, rush through the options, and end up with insurance that either costs too much or doesn't actually cover what they need.
Then they're stuck with it for 12 months.
Daisy Alexander is a local insurance agent with S.E. Benchmark Insurance Agency here in St. Lucie County. She helps people figure out what plan actually makes sense for them - not just what sounds cheapest on paper.
🏫 Press Round: Grants, Groceries & Grade Levels
💰 Vero Beach Secures Another $3.7M for Wastewater Plant
Vero Beach received a $3.7 million grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to help fund its new wastewater treatment plant at the airport, bringing total state and federal grant funding to $41.3 million. The award reduces the city's projected cost for the $164 million project to $122.7 million, with construction expected to finish in early 2028.
👉 Read more (Vero News)
🛒 Fifth Treasure Coast Winn-Dixie Converting to Aldi
The Fort Pierce Winn-Dixie at 4967 S. U.S. 1 will convert to an Aldi grocery store, marking the fifth Treasure Coast conversion and leaving just two Winn-Dixies in Port St. Lucie and Stuart. Aldi is converting nearly 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets locations after acquiring Southeastern Grocers in 2024.
👉 Read more (TCPalm, TCPalm subscription may be required)
🏫 Martin County SchoolsExploring K-8 Model
Martin County School District is considering switching from the traditional K-5, 6-8, 9-12 model to K-8 schools, magnet programs and specialized academies after research showed the fifth to sixth grade transition is one of the most disruptive for student attendance and achievement. District staff will gather family feedback and revisit the proposal in February.
👉 Read more (WPBF)
🎉 The Top 5 Clicked Events This Week!
Saturday, Jan 10
📚 9th Annual Treasure Coast History Festival – Free admission to Regional History Center, antique automobiles, children's area, history exhibits, guest speakers, working village, live music, food trucks, Summerlin's famous fish fry at St. Lucie County Regional History Center, 414 Seaway Dr, Fort Pierce. | 9 AM–3 PM | Free | Details
🍽️ Treasure Coast Food Fest & Craft Fair – Treasure Coast's largest food festival with menu items $5 or less, local craft brews, live entertainment, craft marketplace, FREE kid zone with bounce houses, FREE axe throwing at Clover Park, 31 Piazza Dr, Port St Lucie. | Noon–9 PM | $7 advance, $10 gate (kids 8 & under free) | Details
🔮 Spirit Fest USA – High-quality crystals, gifted intuitive readers, enlightening vendors at MIDFLORIDA Event Center, 9249 Civic Center Pl, Port St Lucie. | Sat-Sun, Jan 10-11, 10 AM–6 PM (Sun til 5:30 PM) | Details
Saturday, Jan 10
🍔 Bands, Burgers and Brews 2026 – Live bands, craft beer sampling, delicious food, local vendors in family-friendly atmosphere at Abacoa Amphitheater, Downtown Abacoa. | 11 AM–10 PM | From $16.24 | Details
Monday, Jan 12
🎭 Snow White Ballet – Grand Kyiv Ballet brings beloved fairytale to life with vibrant characters, breathtaking choreography, gorgeous sets at Sunrise Theatre, 117 S 2nd St, Fort Pierce. | 7 PM | Details
If you have an event, send it to me here
💧 The Last Drop: Traffic Lights, Books, and Buses
🚦 PSL adds traffic signal at Community Blvd and Discovery Way – New light coming this spring to Tradition intersection. Additional signals planned for Village Parkway locations. Traffic signal
🚌 Martin County bus ridership up 35% with free fares – Marty bus saw jump in December, first full month of free-fare program. System costs $3M annually, covered by state and federal funding. Marty ridership
⚾ Mets Spring Training tickets on sale – New York Mets play 15 home games at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie starting Feb. 21. Schedule includes Spring Breakout prospects game March 19. Spring Training
If you have an event, send it to me here
📸 This is Sunland: To The Finish ! ! !
New Westwood Highschool
See you Monday!
With Love, Ja’Min
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