Good Morning, Sunland
It's Monday! and it's almost time to say goodbye…. to Winn-Dixie. The PSL location closes this coming Sunday. From what I understand, the liquor store will not be closing. It's always kind of dystopian to see empty shelves. Anyways. See the closing photos.
🏃 Lincoln Park Academy Track & Field is fundraising for new uniforms, warmups, training equipment, and starting blocks. They're at $2,285 of their $5,000 goal with 4 days left. Support LPA Track here.
💜 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: Rainy with thunderstorms.
☀️ Day: High of 83°F | Cloudy with rain this morning... then scattered thunderstorms
🌙 Night: Low of 67°F | Scattered thunderstorms this evening. Rainfall near an inch.
🌅 Sunrise: 7:06 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 7:41 PM
🌙 Moonrise: -- | 🌚 Moonset: 9:38 AM
🎶 Sounds like: "Didn't Cha Know" — Erykah Badu
Ja'Min Devon
Founder, Sunland News
💸 Main Squeeze: Florida CFO says St. Lucie County wasted $46 million. Here's what that number actually means.
Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia held a press conference in Port St. Lucie last Wednesday claiming St. Lucie County "wasted" $46 million in taxpayer money.
A note before we start: This story isn't about whether property taxes are too high. It's about what Ingoglia's $46 million figure actually represents.
What he did: Ingoglia's office took the county's 2019-2020 general fund budget, indexed it forward for inflation and population growth, then compared it to today's budget. The difference is what he calls "wasteful spending."
The numbers: St. Lucie County's general fund grew from $162 million to $285 million over six years, a $123 million increase. The county added 72,452 residents during that period.
What he did not do: Ingoglia said repeatedly "this is not a forensic audit" and refused to identify specific programs or departments where waste occurred.
"I'm not going to fall into the trap of giving you certain line items," Ingoglia said when asked which departments should be cut.
The context: Ingoglia is traveling Florida with Americans for Prosperity pushing for a constitutional amendment to cut property taxes on the November 2026 ballot.
The bottom line: "This is not a specific line item event," Ingoglia said. The $46 million represents the gap between what his formula says the budget should be and what it actually is.
The question: Is this a fact about wasteful spending, or an opinion about how big government should be? Give me your take here..
🤫 Press Round: Silence, Shifts & Shutdowns
🏖️ Little Jim's Still in Limbo 107 Days After State Warning
It's been 107 days since the state warned Fort Pierce about unpermitted docks at Little Jim Bait and Tackle, but neither the Florida Department of Environmental Protection nor the city are saying what remediation or fines will result. The state claims 1,425 square feet of docks are on state property and another 1,458 square feet were built without permits, with the current operator continuing on a month to month lease since the original expired in February 2025.
👉 Read more (Hometown News)
🏥 Treasure Coast Community Health Expands West, Closes Two Centers
Treasure Coast Community Health opened an 18,000 square foot comprehensive primary and specialty health center at 8505 20th Street in western Indian River County in September 2025 as part of investments to meet growing healthcare needs. The expansion comes as TCCH has made significant resource investments over the past three years to enhance patient experience.
👉 Read more (TCPalm subscription may be required)
🍔 Mulligan's Jensen Beach Closing Easter Sunday After 23 Years
Mulligan's Beach House in Jensen Beach is closing Easter Sunday after 23 years, not from lack of business but because rent became unsustainable. The owners tried to find a buyer over the last six months but high rent deterred potential buyers, with most Jensen Beach staff offered positions at the Vero Beach or Sebastian locations that will remain open.
🎉 Weekdayer: Apr 6 - Apr 10
Wednesday, April 8
💘 Speed Dating at The Harbor Cocktail Lounge – Guided speed dating for singles ages 30–49 with craft cocktails in a relaxed coastal setting at The Harbor Cocktail Lounge, 116 Avenue A, Fort Pierce. | 6 PM | Ticketed | Get Tickets
Thursday, April 9
🛍️ Live Markets at Encore at Tradition – Local makers market with artisan breads, handmade goods, and more at Encore at Tradition, 8500 America Walks Blvd, Port St. Lucie. | 4–7 PM | Free | Details
🤝 Nation Wide Day of Second Chances Job Fair – Job fair connecting candidates with hiring managers; free coaching and resources available at Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church, 800 Avenue C, Fort Pierce. | 10 AM–1 PM | Free | Details
Friday, April 10
🎶 Islander's Grill 49 Takeover – DJ X Seven from Los Duros 772PSL and Puerto Rican Entertainment at Blue Iguana Sports Grill, 6634 US-1, Port St. Lucie. | Ticketed | Details
🎸 Emo Night 772 – All-ages emo night with sad bangers and scream-alongs at Priscilla's Oasis on Orange, 223 Orange Ave, Fort Pierce. | 10 PM | $5 cover | Details
💧 The Last Drop: Meetings, Money, and Missing Tenants
🦀 Crabby's hunting for replacement tenant – City gave one last shot to assign lease before termination. Commission gets update today. See the agenda
🏗️ County buying 76+ acres from School Board – Four parcels up for approval April 7: Edwards Road properties, Lawnwood Elementary, St. Lucie Elementary sites. County doing environmental assessment, title search, boundary survey before closing. BOCC agenda
📅 PSL taking the week off – No City Council meeting this week. Next session April 13. Fort Pierce and St. Lucie County both meeting this week.
📖 Thanks For Reading: How was today’s newsletter? 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 and Youtube
🙋♂️ Did someone forward you this? Subscribe here!
