Good Wednesday Morning!

This is Sunland News, the newsletter that’s kind of like that favorite shirt—you know, the one that just feels right every time you put it on. You might not wear it every day, but when you do, it’s the one!

Thanks for all the love on yesterday’s deep dive—your feedback was amazing. The continued support inspires me to make this the best newsletter known to man. Now…

Without further ado, let’s get to the news. YOU FEEL ME!?

— Ja'Min

In Today’s Sunland News ☀️🗞️:

1. New Safety Measures for St. Lucie County School Events

2. 🚆 Brightline Blues: We’ve all been keeping an eye on the development of the new Brightline station in Stuart

3. 🎉 Week Events: Pokemon League 🤾‍♂️

📚 Read Time: 4 Minutes

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☁️ Weather Forecast

Weather TL;DR: "Raindrops keep falling on my head..." It’s warm but not unbearable. Expect some scattered showers and thunderstorms. Stay dry out there!

🌦️ Day: High of 87°F with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
🌙 Night: Low of 77°F with scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.

🌅 Sunrise: 6:58 AM
🌇 Sunset: 7:45 PM

🌧️ Rain: 70% chance during the day, 30% at night.

Check Full Weather Report Here

NEWS

New Safety Measures for St. Lucie County School Events Following Gun Scare

New Safety Measures for St. Lucie County School Events Following Gun Scare

In light of a recent incident at a Fort Pierce Westwood Academy football game, St. Lucie Public Schools has introduced new safety measures aimed at ensuring the well-being of students, staff, and spectators at all school sporting events.

The incident, which occurred last Friday when someone in the crowd yelled "gun," prompted immediate concerns about security at school events. As a result, the district has implemented a policy requiring clear bags for entry to games. Additionally, attendees may be subject to random metal detector screenings and may encounter security dogs on-site.

Superintendent Dr. Jon R. Prince emphasized that these measures are being put in place to prioritize safety. "We will be doing some random wanding and will also have dogs at the game," Prince said. "Safety is our number one priority."

The district also considered requiring minors to attend games only with a parent or guardian but decided against it for now. Dr. Prince highlighted the importance of keeping games as family-friendly events, noting that many middle school students, like himself in the past, enjoy attending high school games.

With the Fort Pierce Westwood Academy football team set to play another home game this Friday, the district’s new safety measures are already in effect across all schools.

🔔 Sunland Bulletin

🧘‍♂️Check out Yoga Bugs on Tuesdays, Sept. 3 & 17 at 10 a.m. at the Pruitt Library. Through stories, songs and playful yoga poses, little ones will explore mindfulness in a fun environment. Best suited for ages 3-5 years.[More Info]

The 2nd Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday starts TOMORROW & goes until Sep. 6: Residents can update their disaster supply kits with items like generators, pet supplies & more, all tax free![See List Here]

🚌 There’s early release for Saint Lucie County Public Schools Today: Don’t be alarmed by seeing busses at noon 😂

🚗Check the current traffic situation via Google.

GAMES

🕹️ Sunland Games

Sunland Games is evolving! We're introducing a new head-to-head showdown of local restaurants. Kicking things off with a classic: JoJo’s vs. Phatz. Cast your vote below and let us know which one you prefer!

🗣️Tell A Friend

Are you enjoying the newsletter? If so, tell a friend. If not, reply to this email and let us know how the newsletter can improve.

📰Other News

🚤 TREASURE COAST AT LARGE

🎭 IRSC Wins Kennedy Center National Award: Indian River State College’s production of The Labyrinth of Love has received a Kennedy Center National Award for Distinguished Achievement. This honor highlights IRSC's excellence in bringing classical Latin American literature to life. The production was supported by a $15,000 NEA grant, allowing students and faculty to collaborate on this ambitious project. For more details, visit IRSC’s website.

🍊 FLORIDA AT LARGE

🅿️ Brightline Blues: We’ve all been keeping an eye on the development of the new Brightline station in Stuart, but recent news has some city and county officials—and a whole lot of residents—getting cold feet. What started as a $60 million project has now ballooned to an estimated $82 million, and that’s got everyone asking, “Is this really worth it?” Read more here.

🌍 WORLD AT LARGE

💵💻 The US has an accountant problem.. We are running out of them. There are 340k fewer accountants now than there were in 2019, for a total of 1.6m in the US. Between 2016 and 2021, there was a 33% drop in first-time CPA exam candidates, and 2022 marked the lowest number of test takers since 2006.

🪮Sunland Picks

📢 Got a Story?

You can now submit a story for Sunland News to cover! Whether it's news, events, or anything you think deserves attention, just click the button below to share it with us. Thank you for being part of Sunland News! 🙏

🗓️ Things To Do

Game & Wine Night🍷

🗓️ Date: Today, August 28th
⏰ Time: 4:30 PM
📍 Location: The Fort Steakhouse, Fort Pierce, FL

Join The Fort Steakhouse for a game and wine pairing dinner. Enjoy unique dishes like alligator, elk, and venison, paired with five wines.

Pokemon League 🤾‍♂️

🗓️ Date: Today, August 28th
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
📍 Location: 2717 Peters, Fort Pierce, FL

Pokémon Trainers, it’s time to battle! Join Sky High Comics & Games for their TCG Pokémon League and see how you stack up.

Open Mic Comedy 🎤

🗓️ Date: Every Wednesday
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
📍 Location: Three Tides Caribbean Restaurant & Bar

Need a laugh? Tonight the night away with Christina Michelle at Three Tides. Whether performing or watching, come enjoy some great comedy.

Paint & Sip Night 🎨🍷

🗓️ Date: Today, August 28th
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
📍 Location: Manatee Island Bar & Grille, Ft. Pierce Inlet

Relax and unleash your creativity at Manatee Island’s Paint & Sip Night. Enjoy a fun evening of painting with Florida Art Escape, all while sipping on your favorite drink.

📸 This Is Saint Lucie