Good Morning, Sunland
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💜 People Pass Shoutout: Thank you to Dale Ann Ervin for the support and for reading since the beginning. I appreciate the referrals and the push for more local news. If you want to support the work and help us keep growing, you can join the People Pass here: buymeacoffee.com/sunland/membership
🌡️ Weather Update: Bright, breezy, and just a hint of drama.
🌤️ Day: High of 91°F | Sun and clouds mixed with a stray shower or thunderstorm
🌙 Night: Low of 76°F | A few clouds with light NE breezes at 5–10 mph.
🌅 Sunrise: 6:47 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 8:06 PM
🌔 Moonrise: 6:30 PM | 🌘 Moonset: 3:51 AM
🎶 Sounds like: “Tell Me” by Groove Theory
Ja’Min Devon
📘 Main Squeeze: Jobs Everywhere, Yet Unemployment Climbs
TLDR: Saint Lucie County just logged a 4.7 percent jobless rate for June, the highest in almost four years, even as Amazon, Cheney Brothers, and FedEx pour hundreds of millions into new warehouses and promise thousands of positions. More people are working than last year, yet the labor force is growing even faster, creating an odd moment where help-wanted signs and rising unemployment share the same headspace.
The paradox in plain sight: Saint Lucie is booming. Amazon is ramping up a one-million-square-foot facility over off Midway Road that should top one thousand full-time hires.
Cheney Brothers opened a gleaming food-service hub off Becker Road in January and plans to reach seven hundred jobs. FedEx Ground went live in 2021, and more logistics companies line the Southern Grove corridor.
Still, the county unemployment rate jumped from three point five percent in December to four point seven in June. That is a full point above the state average.
Five pieces of the puzzle
People keep arriving. The population grew three percent last year, adding sixteen thousand residents, many looking for work.
Delayed hiring. Amazon’s launch was pushed back twice, so only a slice of those jobs are filled. Other campuses are still in ramp-up.
Wage gap. Warehouse entry pay starts near $17.50 an hour while the average Florida cost of living tops fifty thousand a year. Some job seekers pass.
Skill mismatch. Logistics roles are physical and fast paced. Not every unemployed resident fits the profile.
Bedroom community hangover. Sixty percent of the workforce still commutes out daily. New local jobs help, but the habit is hard to break.
What to watch next: A deeper look at the county debt picture, incentive packages, and infrastructure lag is coming later this month. We will also track Amazon’s hiring progress and whether the fall labor reports show any relief.
🗣️ Your take: Are new jobs solving the problem or is the county running in place? Tell me what you see on the ground. Leave your thoughts 💬
🍊 Press Round: Schools, Students, and the Slow Train to Stuart
📚 Indian River Schools Climb to 5th in Florida
Once ranked 38th statewide, Indian River County now sits at #5 in Florida school rankings. Superintendent David Moore credits teachers, students, and early literacy focus. The district has earned an “A” grade three years running.
🏢 FPRA Tables $25K Façade Grant Over Design Disputes
Fort Pierce’s Redevelopment Agency delayed a $25,000 façade grant request for an Orange Avenue property after disagreements over mismatched doors and a rear roof replacement. Members asked staff to work with the owner on a possible compromise before revisiting the request in August.
🚆 Brightline’s Financial Future Under Scrutiny
Fitch Ratings downgraded Brightline bonds to “highly speculative,” citing $549M in 2024 losses, delayed interest payments, and lagging ridership. Concerns grow as Martin County pursues a $60M station in Stuart without a matching Brightline investment.
🤩 People Pass: What your support means!
From school coverage to better tools like play.sunlandnews.com, every upgrade you see is made possible by readers who pitch in. Thank you to everyone who already has. This is what the People Pass makes possible. Want to support it too?
🎉 The Weekender: 5 Events to Check Out This Weekend!
Thursday, Aug 7
🎨 Call for Artists: “40 Seasons of Beauty” Art Contest – Heathcote Botanical Gardens, Fort Pierce. Drop off your painting, photo, or mixed-media piece for a shot at a $500 prize and a feature in the garden’s 40-year celebration. | 8 AM – 4 PM | Free | Link
🖌️ Paint Night – Manatee Island Bar & Grille, Ft Pierce Inlet. Summer-themed “It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere” sign, step-by-step instruction, supplies included; food & drinks available. | 6 PM – 8:30 PM | $$ | Link
Friday, Aug 8
🍓 Berry Forkin’ Good 1-Year Birthday Bash – 333 SE Port St Lucie Blvd. Ribbon cutting, DJ brunch beats, giveaways, discounts and birthday piña coladas while they last. | 11 AM – 2 PM | Free | Link
Saturday, Aug 9
📚 Bookstore Romance Day – Wanderlust Book Boutique, Fort Pierce. Author signings, sales, a permanent jewelry bar and raffles for romance-loving readers. | 10 AM – 5 PM | Free | Link
🎵 R&B Fridays – Blue Iguanas Sports Grill, Port St Lucie. Dee’s Funk Band spins grown-folks R&B; VIP tables & bottle deals available. | 9 PM – 2 AM | $19 + | Link
Want more events? Go here
💧 The Last Drop: Art Calls, School Halls, Wallet Falls
🖌️ Backus Museum’s 44th juried “Best of the Best” is accepting entries Sept 3-26 – $30 per work, cash awards on the line. Enter here
🏫 St. Lucie schools hold open houses this week (Aug 6 K-8/middle, Aug 7 elementary/high). Times vary by campus, so double-check yours. Get details
📣 Martin County’s Spotify-to-billboard blitz is luring nearly 800 out-of-county students this fall, a 45 % jump that pads district funding. Story
🌍 Vero Beach performing-arts teacher Fednike Nozistene spent two weeks in Gambia teaching drama, writing “The Tale of the Magic Drum” for her students back home. Read more
💸 Florida bankruptcy filings surged 23 % year-over-year to 40,679 cases, more than double the national pace. See stats
📸 This is Sunland: Real Community!
See you tomorrow!
With Love, Ja’Min
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