Good Morning Sunland, It’s Friday!

Welcome to Sunland News!

End of the week! It’s already here! Three day weekend into the short week never fails. Also, if you are looking for something fun to do, check out our Events Newsletter that dropped yesterday. It’s got over 30 - 40 things to do in and around town.

As I head into the weekend to work on more Sunland News things, let me know what I can work on or what you want to see more of.

Other than that, let’s just jump right into the news.

— Ja'Min

In Today’s Sunland News ☀️🗞️:

1. 🚆Brightline Station to Fort Pierce? Maybe

2. 🚔Could Fort Pierce dissolve their police department?

3.  🎸🎤 Punk Rock End Of Summer Fest

📚 Read Time: 4 Minutes
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Question of the Day!

If you could live in one fictional universe, where would you choose? 🌍

Weather TL;DR: "The summer’s over, and I feel the same way you do" Expect a mix of sun and clouds with a chance of storms. Stay ready, but enjoy the light when it's here!

🌞 Day: High of 88°F
🌙 Night: Low of 77°F
🌅 Sunrise: 7:02 AM
🌇 Sunset: 7:35 PM

☔ Rain: 18% chance during the day, 21% at night.

Check Full Weather Report Here

Brightline to Fort Pierce?

Oh boy, here we go again. It was all good just a week ago.

Just when we thought we’d be cruising into Stuart, parking downtown, grabbing an espresso at Café Martier, and then hopping on the Brightline to zip down to Miami for the day—those plans are suddenly in limbo. Stuart’s station deal is looking shaky, and now Fort Pierce might be stepping up to the plate.

Fort Pierce Acting City Manager Linda Cox recently made it clear that if things fall apart in Stuart, Fort Pierce is more than ready to take the reins. They’ve got a plan for a station behind the Sunrise Theatre and are prepared to borrow $20 million to make it happen, including building more parking. But what’s going on in Stuart, exactly? Well, Stuart city commissioners are set to reconsider their agreement with Brightline over concerns about the costs. The station itself could be a hefty price tag—Martin County might have to foot $15 million for construction, and Stuart could end up paying $2 million just to revamp a parking lot. Plus, there’s been talk about a $30 million parking garage that could balloon the total project cost to $60 million. And if they have to borrow that kind of money, we’re looking at potentially $37 million in interest alone. Yikes.

Stuart’s mayor is still in favor of the station, saying it’s a "remarkable opportunity" and would help reduce traffic. But with all these financial concerns, there’s serious debate over whether the deal is worth it.

Now, here’s where you come in. How do you feel about Brightline possibly coming to Fort Pierce instead? Some folks are worried it could increase traffic downtown or place a tax burden on the city. But others have told me they’d love it—thinking it could bring more interest to the area and make traveling up and down the coast a breeze.

What do you think? Hit reply and let me know your thoughts!

🔔 Fort Pierce Property Tax Update
Fort Pierce is keeping its tax rate steady at 6.9 mills for the upcoming year, but due to rising property values, most residents will see an increase in their property taxes. The city's budget is set at $64.6 million—$5.7 million more than last year. The final vote on this budget will take place on September 16. Stay tuned!

🚗Check the current traffic situation via Google.

🚤 TREASURE COAST AT LARGE

💼 Could Fort Pierce Dissolve Their Police Department?

Negotiations between the Fort Pierce Police Union and the city are at a standstill over pay raises, and some city leaders are now exploring a drastic option: dissolving the police department and contracting with the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office. The city countered the union’s request for a 15% raise with an 8% offer, which was rejected. City leaders say funds are tight, and if no agreement is reached, merging with the sheriff’s office could be on the table, despite concerns from some, including Mayor Linda Hudson.

[Read More Here]

🍊 FLORIDA AT LARGE

💡City delays hiring lawyer to conduct internal Mimms’ investigation 

Fort Pierce city commissioners are delaying until at least Sept. 16 a decision on whether to hire an independent attorney to investigate whether city policies were broken by City Manager Nicholas Mimms

[Read More Here]

🌍 WORLD AT LARGE

🚀The NFL Is Back—and It’s Never Cost More to Watch:

Games will air exclusively on four different streaming networks this season—beginning with Friday night’s marquee showdown

[Read More Here]

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📢 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! 🙏

🌮 Who’s got the best tacos in St. Lucie County? I’m setting up a head-to-head battle between local spots, and I need your input!

Hit reply and let me know your favorite! 🍽️

The Heartbeat of Sunland News!

So, I’m slowly working on a little short film for Sunland News and this is a still from it. Just testing out a few different scenes but figured I’d share this work in progress.

I really won’t ever stop saying this, but I truly love working on this newsletter and building Sunland into a bigger idea. It’s “small” for now, whatever that may mean, but to me the impact of writing this everyday has already shown itself to me time and time again. And if it’s left up to me, Sunland will be a global idea that inspires everyone to find home…

I hope you all have an amazing weekend! Stay Safe!

With Love, Ja’Min!

Ft Pierce Car Show on Hutchinson Island
🗓️ Date: September 7, 2024
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
📍 Location: 601 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce, FL
You should go to this car show on Hutchinson Island, featuring classic cars, cool rides, and music all day long.

Punk Rock End Of Summer Fest
🗓️ Date: September 7, 2024
⏰ Time: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
📍 Location: Hop Life Brewing Company, 679 NW Enterprise Dr, Port St. Lucie, FL
You should go to this all-day punk rock festival featuring 10 bands, local vendors, food, and craft beer. A fun event for all ages!

Blues Burgers and BBQ Festival
🗓️ Date: September 7-8, 2024
⏰ Time: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
📍 Location: 601 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce, FL
You should go to this festival for an exciting weekend of blues music, burgers, BBQ, and more. Perfect for food lovers and music fans alike.

BYOB Comedy & Crepes
🗓️ Date: September 7, 2024
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM
📍 Location: That Crepe Place, 3003 SW Port St Lucie Blvd, Port Saint Lucie, FL
You should go to this night of laughs with comedy and crepes, hosted by Christina Michelle. BYOB for a relaxed, fun evening.

Beetlejuice "It's Showtime"
🗓️ Date: September 6-7, 2024
⏰ Time: 11:00 AM
📍 Location: Smallcakes A Cupcakery, 2084 Northwest Courtyard Circle, Port Saint Lucie, FL
You should go to Smallcakes to grab custom Beetlejuice-themed cupcakes and celebrate the return of this iconic movie.

Tarot Round Table
🗓️ Date: September 6, 2024
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
📍 Location: 3245 SW Port St Lucie Blvd, Port Saint Lucie, FL
You should go to this round table event to bring your tarot cards, oracles, or other divination tools to share what you see with others. A great chance to connect and learn from fellow enthusiasts.