🌅 Rainbow Groves: 245-Acre Project Details 🏗️

It’s Monday! Weirdly enough, the sunrise today is at 7:00.

Listen, I don’t usually talk about the weather, but ever since I started writing this newsletter, I’ve been embarrassingly into it. Like, borderline weather nerd. But only Monday through Friday—don’t catch me trying to forecast a weekend. Ha!

Alright, let’s get to it…

📬 A Look Ahead in 5 Seconds:
Holiday Train 🚆
New 245-acre Project 🚧
Weekday Events! 🎉🎄

🎶 What It Sounds Like: "Get On Up" by Jodeci

☀️ Day: High of 81°F with sun and clouds mixed. Winds ESE at 5-10 mph. 2% chance of rain.

🌙 Night: Low of 60°F with partly to mostly cloudy skies. Winds light and variable. 18% chance of rain.

🌡️ Check Full Weather Report Here 
🚗 Check The Traffic Before You Leave

What You Might Have Missed

Festive Freight
🎅 The Florida East Coast Railway’s Santa Train made its annual stop in Fort Pierce this weekend, spreading Christmas joy with toys, photo ops, and holiday cheer. Families gathered eagerly as Santa stepped off the festive train to hand out gifts.

🎁 This beloved tradition, which began in 2010, also supports the Marine Toys for Tots program, collecting toys for kids in need. It’s another reminder of how our community comes together during the holidays. See the highlights and how you can support Toys for Tots here.

Sights & Sounds of the Season
🎄 The 36th Annual “Sights & Sounds on Second” Parade lit up Downtown Fort Pierce this weekend with packed streets and holiday cheer. From dazzling floats to community performers, the event showcased the heart of the city’s holiday spirit.

✨ Thousands gathered to enjoy the show and stayed for the iconic tree lighting ceremony, turning Marina Square into a festive wonderland. And if you missed it, the Holiday Lights Spectacular on Melody Lane runs daily from 6 PM to 9 PM throughout the season.

Rainbow Groves Project Moves Forward Amid Debate

🌱 What’s Happening: The St. Lucie County Commission unanimously approved a land-use change for Rainbow Groves, a proposed 245-acre industrial and commercial redevelopment west of Port St. Lucie. Once a citrus farm, the property is being repurposed for industrial use, leveraging its rail connection to the Florida East Coast Railway.

🚧 Why It’s Controversial: The city of Port St. Lucie and nearby residents raised concerns over traffic, lack of development agreements, and potential impacts on city-managed roads. Mayor Shannon Martin questioned why Rainbow Groves developers haven’t signed agreements similar to those of neighboring projects.

📊 Support vs. Skepticism: County commissioners, while acknowledging the city’s concerns, defended their decision as part of a larger strategy to grow industrial development, create jobs, and reduce reliance on residential expansion. Still, the project has no tenant, leaving many details—like traffic studies—unclear.

🤝 What’s Next: Before moving forward, Rainbow Groves needs state approval and must present additional details to the County Commission, including specifics about future tenants. Commissioners promised to scrutinize those plans, banning hazardous materials and ensuring responsible growth.

👉 Want all the details on this controversial project? Read the full story here.
🎥 Missed the meeting? Watch the full Commissioner discussion here.

Weekday Events Ahead 🎉

Monday, December 9

🎭 Treasure Coast Theatre Auditions: "Don't Drink the Water"
📅 Monday, December 9 🕛 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
📍 Treasure Coast Theatre, 10175 S. US Highway 1, Port St. Lucie
Audition for a hilarious Broadway comedy about a family's misadventures behind the Iron Curtain. Roles available for 2-5 women and 8-15 men. 👉 Learn More & Audition!

🎲 Sailfish Fort Pierce Bingo Night
📅 Monday, December 9 🕛 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
📍 Sailfish Brewery, 130 N. 2nd Street, Fort Pierce
Enjoy a free Bingo card with every beer and pizza purchase! Fun for the whole family with house cash and Sailfish swag prizes. 👉 Check It Out!

Tuesday, December 10

🎶 Music Bingo
📅 Tuesday, December 10 🕛 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
📍 Hop Life Brewing Company, 679 NW Enterprise Drive, Port St. Lucie
Test your musical knowledge and win prizes in a fun night of Music Bingo. Seating is first come, first served. Open to guests 21 and older. 👉 Make It a Night!

Wednesday, December 11

🎄 Holiday Festive Wine Party
📅 Wednesday, December 11 🕛 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
📍 Downtown Cellars, 121 Melody Lane, Fort Pierce
Sip on wine, beer, and enjoy hors d'oeuvres and desserts while kicking off the holiday season in style. Wear your festive best and enjoy live music by Jeff Brackett. Tickets are $39.95 per person. Call 772-828-3408 for reservations. 👉 Celebrate with Wine!

Thursday, December 12

🎁 Rockin' Holiday Networking Party
📅 Thursday, December 12 🕛 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
📍 Saint Lucie Lanes, 6759 S. US Highway 1, Port St. Lucie
Network, enjoy free appetizers, and compete in the Ugly Sweater Contest at this holiday networking event. Tickets are $10 and include door prizes and business connections galore. Visit pslbusinessclub.com for tickets. 👉 Grab Your Tickets

Friday, December 13

🎅 Pancakes with Santa
📅 Friday, December 13 🕛 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
📍 Community Center, 2195 SE Airoso Blvd, Port St. Lucie
Join the city elves for a festive morning featuring pancakes, crafts, treats, and a special visit from Santa himself! This year's theme is "Santa's Workshop." Cost is $5 per person. Register online at pslparks.com or call 772-878-2277. 👉 Register Now!

🎉 PSLinLights Party
📅 Friday, December 13 🕛 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
📍 MIDFLORIDA Event Center, 9221 SE Event Center Place, Port St. Lucie
Celebrate the holidays with live music by Phat Cat Swinger, holiday crafts, food vendors, and plenty of family-friendly activities. Admission is free, and Santa Claus will be there for photos. Learn more at cityofpsl.com/pslinlights.

🎉 Original LATIN FRIDAYS @ Don Marco's Cantina
📅 Friday, December 13 🕛 6:00 PM - 2:00 AM
📍 Don Marco's Cantina, 8765 S. US Highway 1, Port St. Lucie
Dance the night away with Latin hits like Bachata, Reggaeton, Salsa, and more! Spacious dance floor, live DJ, and a spectacular laser light show await. 👉 Join the Fun!

If you have an event, send it to me here

What To Watch For

🍳 Brunch with Santa at the Fenn Center
Reserve your spot now for Brunch with Santa this Saturday, Dec. 14, from 9 AM to noon at the Havert L. Fenn Center. Enjoy breakfast favorites like waffles and biscuits, plus pasta, pizza, and sweet treats. Ages 5 and under are free! 🎅 Don’t miss the chance for family photos with Santa. Tickets are just $10—reserve yours here.

🌳 Your Voice Matters: Parks & Rec Survey
The City of Port St. Lucie is asking for your input to shape the future of Parks and Recreation. This quick 10-15 minute survey is your chance to share your priorities and help improve community spaces. 📝 Take the survey here before it closes!

🎶 River Nights with The Little Things Duo
Kick back under the stars this Thursday, Dec. 12, at The Port for a night of sweet harmonies from the Treasure Coast’s own Katy and Shanece. Music starts at 5:30 PM on the Event Lawn, with food and drinks available for purchase. Bring a blanket or chair and enjoy! ✨ Details here.

HELP!

My friend and Head of Image at Sunland News, J’Qwan, captured these amazing photos at an incredible event, Help, I Need a Midwife, over the weekend. I had the chance to film part of this weekend-long event last year, and it remains one of my favorite filming experiences to date! I’m so grateful to have been there and to witness the event through J’Qwan’s images this year.

Alright… see you next Monday!

With love,
Ja’Min

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