Mike Turner, a meteorological technician with the National Weather Service in Melbourne, said more than an inch of rain was reported to have fallen in the Vero Beach area by 4 p.m.

The American dream could start becoming a reality for some on Monday, when the first of three Homebuyers Education classes, sponsored by the Town of Jupiter and the Housing Partnership Inc., will be given.

Elevated levels of arsenic as well as a soup of pesticides and other chemicals were among contaminants found in thousands of truckloads of muck recently cleaned out of Lake Okeechobee's drought-exposed bottom.

The PGA Golf Club is again offering its annual "Home to the Pros, Free to America's Youth" summer golf program for children.

If Alwyn Tumblin receives death, he would be the third person in a year on the Treasure Coast to head to Death Row: Eugene McWatters was sentenced to die in December for the murder of three women and Steven Hayward received the same fate in June for his killing of a Tribune news carrier.

In addition to being one of the few houses from the 1920s still standing in Martin County, Arbela was built by Sam Matthews, a Stuart contractor, who also built the Stuart Feed Store and Warfield Elementary School in Indiantown, among other historic structures.

St. Lucie County School District's reputation took a hit last week when the state released school grades, based on the FCAT scores. Two schools earned F's for the first time ever, and 10 others fell in the rankings.

City Council members have not formally discussed imposing a fee, but merely asked City Manager Al Minner to look into an idea brought by a city resident concerned about crowded conditions at the parking area.

While most county government heads have had to shave their budget proposals by up to 6 percent to comply with state lawmakers' orders, Sheriff Roy Raymond has proposed an increase to his budget.

WJTW-FM Radio was hit by lightning at approximately 1:20 p.m. Friday when a thunderstorm rolled through the Jupiter area on Friday afternoon.

The building blocks of the city's western frontier should begin without funding for improvements in three of the four developers' landholdings, city officials said Friday.

The hot dogs were juicy, the drinks were cold, and the water in the swimming pool was just right Saturday at the Gifford Aquatic Center for the annual Gifford Family Fun Day.

The treatment, called Posurdex, was developed by Allergan Inc. of Irvine, Calif. It injects a tiny, elongated pellet containing a drug called dexamethasone into the patient's eye.

Palm Beach Gardens police have released the name of a man they said was involved in a parking lot struggle that sent two police officers to a hospital.

A group of men and women armed with metal detectors, trowels, shovels, sifting screens, red flags, note cards, plastic bags and clipboards descended upon an old coquina rock chimney on South Indian River Drive on Saturday.

Fifty-five years ago this summer, 26-year-old Frances Dorough lifted out of the water onto a pair of skis at Kissimmee on the shore of Lake Tohopeakaliga. Eight hours and 250 zigzag miles later, she had set an unofficial water skiing distance record.

Indian River County sheriff's deputies Saturday were searching for a suspect who robbed the National City bank, 4105 Ninth St. Southwest, near Oslo Road and 43rd Avenue.

Florida Atlantic University's Wilkes Honors College welcomes 34 high school students to the Honors Summer Institute on Sunday, July 8, at 3 p.m. The event will take place in the AD Auditorium on the John D. MacArthur Campus, 5353 Parkside Drive.

County commissioners are expected Tuesday to approve a $40 million bond issue as part of an incentive package to keep Piper Aircraft in Vero Beach — and put the same issue before voters sometime this fall.

Independent filmmaker and St. Lucie County resident Gary Scott is casting for his first feature film, Mr. No Shot, today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Port St. Lucie Best Western located at 7900 South US 1.

Patty Winterburn, Indian River Community College provost for Martin County, will be the United Way of Martin County's campaign chairwoman for 2007-2008.

The Vero Beach Devil Rays Inaugural Bowling Tournament will take place July 29 at Vero Bowl in Vero Beach. All proceeds from the tournament will be donated to Indian River Habitat for Humanity.

211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast is a nonprofit organization which has been in operation since 1971 in Palm Beach County and since 2002 on the Treasure Coast.

A bilingual Web site for the Supervisor of Elections Office is now online.

The Indian River County Young Democrats will have a Planned Parenthood support rally from 3 to 5 p.m. July 20 on State Road 60 and 31st Avenue.

Martin Volunteers is encouraging people to sign up now if they are willing to work as disaster volunteers.

Seniors at the Gifford Youth Activity Center are seeing a few changes in Beyond Special "K" summer programs.

The interactive fountain at Indian RiverSide Park is open seven days a week for the summer season ending Aug. 19.

The U.S. Treasury Department's Go Direct campaign is advising Social Security check recipients who live along the Gulf Coast and eastern seaboard to switch to direct deposit.

The Martin County Parks & Recreation Department will host Afternoon Jammin' at 2 p.m. July 28 at Indian RiverSide Park as the final program in its Concerts in the Park — Music Series 2007.

Lake Okeechobee hits a new record low level almost weekly and its main artery, the Kissimmee River starting near Orlando, hasn't flowed south in more than 240 days, depriving the lake of 50 percent of its water.

Bus service from Barefoot Bay to Indian River County starts Monday.

Proposed $395 million budget would lower Martin property taxes, but reduce funding for services.

If the number "7" is lucky, the numbers "7-7-7" — as in today's date, the seventh day of the seventh month of the seventh year of the century — must be exponentially fortunate.

The Florida Department of Transportation is encouraging Floridians and visitors to incorporate its free 511 service into their regular travel and emergency preparedness plans.

A Martin County Sheriff's detective arrested Jose Maria Matias, 29, after seeing him allegedly expose himself.

Seniors at the Gifford Youth Activity Center are seeing a few changes in Beyond Special "K" summer programs.

As Texans braced for heavy rains and more flooding Friday, Stuart resident Heather Wiley began what promises to be a soggy two-week stint of aid and cleanup work in west Texas.

Family members and the estate of a Honduran man killed in a February 2006 plane crash off Hutchinson Island filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Palm Beach County Circuit Court on Friday.

Two unrelated accidents involving trucks killed two men Friday morning, including a local billiards champion.

Florida Atlantic University President Frank Brogan accepted a $7,362 Caribbean cruise in late 2005 from Barry Kaye, a major donor whose relationship with the university has faced scrutiny in recent months.

In the end, a jury agreed Kurt Anderson had gone on a county-crossing crime spree, but they didn't find him guilty of all the crimes he was charged with committing.

City officials are looking to redraw the boundaries of a plan to connect barrier island property owners to city sewer in order to keep the project from going down the drain.

The proposed widening of a section of 17th Street, west of U.S. 1, has been pushed back and possibly could face some further delays, depending on an analysis of contaminated soil near the intersection of Old Dixie Highway.

Resident Tish Bilardello would like to get something straight about the intersection of 43rd Avenue and Fifth Street Southwest.

A Golden Gate man accused of stabbing his roommate to death in May pleaded not guilty to murder charges Friday morning.

An undercover operation by the Indian River County Sheriff's Office found seven stores allegedly sold alcohol to minors.

La Buona Vita has settled a lawsuit against 14 residents it claimed had not paid required fees to hook up to the city's wastewater treatment facility.

Martin County High School Football Cheerleading Squad is hosting a summer camp from 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday for children ages 4 and up.

A suspected gang member accused of participating in sex acts with two underage girls agreed to a plea deal Thursday that will net him jail time and probation.

VISIT FLORIDA, on behalf of the Florida Commission on Tourism, has awarded a $1,300 advertising matching grant to the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce.

Florida Atlantic University students, as well as South Florida residents, now have easy access to computer-based exams such as the GRE, MCAT and Praxis.

The Indian River County Young Democrats will conduct a Planned Parenthood support rally from 3 to 5 p.m. July 20 on State Road 60 and 31st Avenue.

The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin counties is seeking five people to honor with $5,000 awards through its 2007 Dwight Allison Fellows program.

Martin County Administrator Duncan Ballantyne proposed a $395 million budget for 2008 on Friday and set a tentative property tax rate of $6.834 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Reports for two of the schools — Osceola Magnet and Vero Beach Elementary — said it will be more cost-efficient to rebuild them than to try renovating.

A jury found a Port St. Lucie man guilty of 11 charges connected to a string of robberies on the Treasure Coast earlier this year, but cleared him of three other crimes

Because of thunderstorm predictions for the afternoon, Main Street Fort Pierce has postponed this evening's Friday Fest until July 13.

Christopher Lamrouex, 35, of Port St. Lucie, was driving the truck and was killed at the scene, according to a Florida Highway Patrol news release.

Lake Okeechobee should get some long-needed rain this weekend, partially alleviating South Florida's months-long drought, according to the National Weather Service.

A truck rolled over on southbound Interstate 95 near Midway Road at 6:40 a.m., at mile marker 126, according to a Florida Highway Patrol news release.

A jury last week unanimously recommended a death sentence for Alwyn Tumblin, 28, the man convicted of killing Johns during a 2004 robbery, and Circuit Judge James McCann must give the decision "great weight" when he sentences Tumblin later this summer.

There's some good news for Indian River County residents who need special assistance any time a hurricane hits the area.

The 1.9 million cubic yards of ooze removed accounts for only 1 or 2 percent of total in Lake O.

Now, having returned from serving in Baghdad, Tom Chasteen is at home with the people who love him most.

After years of planning and discussion, county officials expect to start soon on a new program to get rid of brine — salty water left over from treating drinking water — and still clean up the Indian River Lagoon.

A medical waste management company wants to build a 20,000-square-foot facility in the Indiantown Commerce and Technology Park that would employ at least 22 workers and possibly serve the Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter.

The city has accumulated so much evidence from its 74 marijuana grow house seizures in the past year, it doesn't have enough room to store it.

A woman in the 600 block of Florida Avenue told police a man broke into her house late Wednesday afternoon and demanded money at knifepoint.

Paul Shingledecker said his family is giving up their section of an island in the Indian River because Florida has gotten to expensive.

The Florida Supreme Court denied appeals Thursday from two Treasure Coast residents sentenced to death for separate murders in Indian River and St. Lucie counties.

Despite a wealth of tears and her mother dropping to the floor of the courtroom in fervent prayer, a judge denied a request for lower bond Thursday from a woman accused of slashing her 4-year-old son's neck.

If you are at the Barber Street Sports Complex watching an action-packed game of baseball, look up and you will see that Field No. 1 has now become the Michael Abt Jr. Field.

Electric customers in California, the Florida Panhandle and South Florida are letting their electric meters tell them when the best time is to use their dishwashers or turn on their air conditioners.

City Manager Don Cooper is recommending 'minimum' salary increases until after January.

An advertising company is willing to wait two years to build one of two proposed electronic billboards if the city gives the firm permission to erect the other one now.

Under the draft contract, Harry La Cava would be paid $175,000 a year plus benefits. That is $10,000 more than the $165,000 offered to the board's first choice, David Piccolo, area superintendent for Brevard County Schools.

A multi-agency crackdown on marijuana cultivation in four house garages in Sebastian and Vero Beach found about 200 pounds of marijuana, worth about $800,000, said Assistant State Attorney Ryan Butler, of Vero Beach.

Developers who already have been issued permits allowing them to bury gopher tortoises alive can continue plowing over the animals even after a state moratorium goes into place July 31.

"I'm either so ugly or so mean," he said, "that the old man upstairs ain't ready for me."

A jury will return today to continue deliberating the case of a Port St. Lucie man accused of committing a string of robberies in Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties earlier this year.

Al Gore is throwing a party this Saturday, and you — and 2 billion other people around the world — are invited.

The Vero Beach Devil Rays have rescheduled their fireworks show that was rained out Wednesday, to this Saturday night.

As many Treasure Coast residents reveled in their Fourth of July celebrations by lounging on beaches and watching fireworks, Stuart resident Heather Wiley showed her patriotism in a different way.

City officials want more money from the St. Lucie West Services District for a drainage fix in the Vineyards at St. Lucie West.

The Martin County Sheriff's Office is investigating the theft of about $3,600 in cash from a local Dollar Tree store.

An employee of a company doing paving work on U.S. 1 was seriously injured Thursday when a flash fire occurred on a truck carrying liquid asphalt around 1:30 p.m.

Two developers are hoping a tentative plan for the city's northwestern corner will allow them to annex about 400 acres into the city limits.

The Coast Guard called off its search Thursday for a yacht crew member who fell overboard off the Bahamas and had been missing for two days.

A 42-year-old Mariner Cay resident was beat up and robbed by a limousine driver and his friend when he refused to tip them, according to Martin County Sheriff's Office reports.

Lincoln Park Main Street will sponsor a teen summit from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at Indian River Community College's Kight Center for Emerging Technologies, 3209 Virginia Ave.

There'll be lots of pretty flowers to shoot at the two-day digital photography workshop from 3 to 7 p.m. July 23 and 24 at Heathcote Botanical Gardens, 210 Savannah Road.

Developers who have already been issued permits allowing them to bury gopher tortoises alive can continue plowing over the animals even after a state moratorium goes into place on July 31.

Crews have so far cleared 1.9 million cubic yards of muck laden with water-polluting phosphorus out of Lake Okeechobee during the past six weeks, officials reported Thursday.

Truck owners with pimped-out rides beware — eight trucks have been stolen since early May.

Wednesday started with mild temperatures as thousands of Sebastian residents and visitors set up folding chairs or sat on the ground along Indian River Drive.

Parents hoisted children in arms and on shoulders along the parade route west of U.S. 1 as events in nearby Lyngate Park kicked off. Local law enforcement and emergency services vehicles crept along with sirens blaring and lights flashing before municipal and veterans groups walked or drove past, bringing applause from the onlookers.

Despite thick summer showers, the city's Fourth of July celebration started with a twang Wednesday afternoon in downtown Flagler Park beneath the Roosevelt Bridge.

The biggest concern in hip resurfacing versus tried-and-true total hip replacement is post-operative fractures near the top of the femur, said Dr. James Hoffman of South Florida Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in Stuart.

Gary Scott, independent filmmaker from St. Lucie County, is casting for his first feature film, "Mr. No Shot," from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at the Port St. Lucie Best Western, 7900 S. US 1.

Most boaters speed through manatee-protection zones even though they care about the threatened mammals and believe they are obeying speed restrictions, according to a study released Tuesday by the University of Florida.

A group of South Florida quilters is ready to wrap their love around scores of soldiers they've never met, soldiers who were wounded while serving their country.

The Fellsmere City Council will vote at its 7 p.m. meeting tonight on moving its election from March to November 2008.

Barefoot Bay resident Pat Dunckley said she hopes her neighbors are ready to respond to a call for help.

On Monday, volunteers from Palm City-based Aztecka Roofing and Boys & Girls Club staff erected the first pieces of a state-of-the-art playground at the new club, and this weekend, more volunteers are needed to help landscape the playground and ready the center for the kids to move into later this month.

Although fireworks erupted over the crowds at Lyngate Park for the Fourth of July Freedomfest celebration, there might not be any rockets' red glare next year.

A one-hour television show about Florida's Teacher of the Year program featuring Martin County's first state winner Conney Dahn is being broadcast on the Public Broadcasting Stations.

A 26-year-old local man was arrested Tuesday after allegedly hitting his brother with a garden gnome and a ladder, according to an arrest affidavit.

Volunteers are needed for 211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast to help gather information related to hurricanes or other disasters.

A teenage girl struck by a boat propeller Wednesday afternoon in the Dynamite Point area near Fort Pierce Inlet was listed in good condition Thursday morning at St. Lucie Medical Center in Port St. Lucie.

Tim Luke, appraiser for HGTV's "Cash in the Attic," will be the honorary chairman for the July 14 Hoe-down B-B-Q at St. Peter Catholic Church in Jupiter where the Knights of Columbus will raise money to benefit Special Olympics.

Under a new joint program between the Simon Mall Youth Foundation and the School District, students will study at a new facility adjacent to the mall in the mornings and then get high-school credit by working at the mall in the afternoons. Students will be matched with mall vendors to learn retailing, marketing and other skills.

href="mailto:cutekids@bellsouth.net">cutekids@bellsouth.net</a>

Evening rain has so far failed to douse fireworks plans for Vero Beach and Sebastian, officials said, while the Vero Beach Devil Rays cancelled their fireworks as well as their scheduled game.

The city's official 4th of July celebration and all related events – including the fireworks display at 9 p.m. – will take place as scheduled downtown in Flagler Park, despite rainy weather.

Lightning and rain essentially has shut down Wednesday's Freedomfest activities in Lyngate Park as of about 3:45 p.m., a city official said.

Days after two Fort Pierce elementary schools earned the district's first-ever F's from the state Education Department, the school board on Tuesday heard from its testing head who explained reading, math, science and writing performance with more than 200 pages of charts, data and graphs.

Next year's budget will be discussed at the City Council's budget review meetings, which will begin at 9 a.m. July 11 and 12 and at 10 a.m. July 13, in Vero Beach City Hall, 1053 20th Place.

Parents with children at Fellsmere and Vero Beach elementary schools can switch schools again this year after both failed to make adequate yearly progress despite moving up letter grades, according to the state Department of Education.

National Hurricane Center receives surprise federal inspection after director's recent complaints.

Harold Cutliff Stuart, the widower of singer/actress Frances Langford Evinrude Stuart, died at age 94 at the Jensen Beach estate he had shared with his late wife.

Despite Mayor Bob Benton and Commissioner Rufus Alexander withdrawing their request to attend next month's Florida League of Cities annual conference, the City Commission voted 4-0 to approve the travel this week — after some coaxing from City Manager Dennis Beach.

The investment would total less than 1 percent of the county's $2.3 billion portfolio.

We asked readers "What does freedom mean to you?" Here are some of the responses from Treasure Coast residents.

The El Sol Jupiter Resource Center has graduated its first English class since the resource center was approved by the Palm Beach County School District as a satellite location of the district's adult education program.

By a 4-1 vote last month, the City Council approved creating the seven-member commission, which will review proposed buildings to determine whether they fit in with existing structures.

The Mellon Patch Inn has another 90 days before county commissioners either modify or revoke its current permit, commissioners decided Tuesday.

Advisory board recommends proposal, but says the city should look into other options.

On Sept. 29, 2003, the longtime epileptic had a seizure while driving his pickup and struck 20-year-old Danielle Christine Goralski outside Indian River Community College's Port Salerno campus.

The owner of Precision Landscaping Company died Sunday in a one-vehicle crash on Loxahatchee River Road.

Trustee Richard Bleau has asked the district's Human Resources Department to investigate an accusation that Food and Beverage Manager Sonny Raponi has been seen drinking alcohol while on duty at the Barefoot Bay Lounge, which Raponi supervises.

Individuals, couples and families who want to learn how to become homebuyers are invited to participate in a three-session Homebuyers Education Classes at the Jupiter Community Center, beginning Monday, July 9 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Two of the three eastbound lanes of Indiantown Road east of Pennock Lane will be closed from 9 p.m. on Thursday, July 12, to 6 a.m. on Friday, July 13, for manhole repair.

Four Palm Beach County Chapter Red Cross volunteers, including two from Jupiter and one from Stuart, will be boarding a plane on the Fourth of July to assist with disaster relief from the flooding in Oklahoma.

School Board member Ann Reuter was recognized as a certified board member at the annual spring conference June 14 in Tampa. The conference is sponsored by the Florida School Boards Association.

A Stuart woman was scammed out of an estimated $3,000 worth of valuables, according to a Martin County Sheriff's Office report.

A businessman said the city is vacillating on a license he obtained for video games in a game room he is about to open.

Barefoot Bay resident Russ Heady was awarded the Military Order of the Devil Dogs at the Marine Corps League Department of Florida convention and received the highest honor of Devil Dog of the Year.

Divorcing one another is no longer Steve and Gale Wendalyn Clark's top priority.

The city Planning and Zoning Board on Tuesday unanimously recommended banning model homes on the Becker Road corridor.

The driver of a pickup that rolled over about four times was charged with DUI following the late Tuesday morning accident along Interstate 95.

Three Jensen Beach children, ages 6, 9 and 12, saw a man expose himself Saturday while swimming underwater in the common pool at the Dunes complex on Ocean Boulevard, according to a Martin County Sheriff's Office arrest affidavit.

Two people accused by the police of having gang ties and participating in sex acts with underage girls agreed to plea deals Tuesday, court records show.

St. Lucie County firefighters will be busy filling their boots for the Muscular Dystrophy Association this summer.

A boil-water alert is in effect until noon Thursday for residents of Indiantown where lighting from a storm Monday caused the Indiantown Co. water plant to lose pressure after the power went out.

The Corporate and Community Training Institute at Indian River Community College will offer a National Mandated Flood Insurance Workshop July 12 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the IRCC Main Campus in Fort Pierce in Building B, Room 120.

The 2007 Golf for Wildlife is looking for sponsors, players and volunteers, with all proceeds benefiting the Treasure Coast Wildlife Center.

Police appear to have little to go on in the case of a man who showed up early Tuesday at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute with four gunshot wounds.

Kurt Anderson and Leon Clarke talked about leaving Port St. Lucie to find work in Georgia, but the plan didn't truly get set in motion until Clarke's car died one January day in Boynton Beach.

Regulators concede their Web site's comparison quotes no substitute for speaking to insurer.

The annual count has raised the list of identified fish and other marine species in the preserve from 40 to 250, said Jamie Monty, an environmental specialist with DEP, who also uses results from the count to gauge the health of local waterways.

Each year, the program contacts about 3,000 people by phone, letter or in person, said Deeson's assistant, Shirley Rosemond. The program helps with everything from death notifications to talking with victims of domestic violence, assaults, fraud and auto burglaries.

The annual count has raised the list of identified fish and other marine species in the preserve from 40 to 250, said Jamie Monty, an environmental specialist with DEP, who also uses results from the count to gauge the health of local waterways.

A construction crew's accidental rupture of a liquified propane gas line on U.S. 1 north of Port St. Lucie resulted in sheriff's deputies closing a nearly 3-mile stretch of U.S. 1 in both directions.

County officials recently filed a request with Circuit Judge Robert Hawley for a "writ of inspection" that would let the county onto Glenn Legwen's Fifth Street Southwest property without his permission to demolish it.

A 21-year-old local man told sheriff's investigators he was shot in the arm Tuesday morning by a man known on the street as "Killah."

The Jupiter Town Council will discuss the planned Tri-Rail commuter train extension along the FEC railway during its meeting today.

Students in the 21st Century summer program at Southern Oaks Middle School munched on three kinds of pizza last week and washed it down with fruit drinks, all under the watchful eye of B. Frank Mullins, a consultant working with the St. Lucie County School District's Food & Nutrition Services Department.

What a buyer could do with the land — inhabited only by wildlife and the occasional camper — is unknown. The land, estimated to be worth $3,700 by the Martin County Property Appraiser's Office, has no zoning or future land use designation.

Just north of Pepper Park, you start to notice the brown splotches on the sun-whitened asphalt of State Road A1A. Some have claws sticking out.

From additional vehicle checks to tighter security checkpoints, increased security as a result of the recent terrorist attacks in Europe has airport passengers worried about longer lines and frequent delays.

The 2007 Golf for Wildlife is looking for sponsors, players and volunteers, with all proceeds benefiting the Treasure Coast Wildlife Center.

The St. Lucie County Department of Public Safety/Division of Emergency Management is seeking economic damage information from all area businesses affected by the current drought conditions. The information gathered will help the Florida Division of Emergency Management determine whether St. Lucie County may be eligible to receive federal disaster assistance.

This Fourth of July, more than 20,000 visitors are expected to watch fireworks explode over Riverview Park, complete with music, food and fun for the whole family.

City officials announced estimates Monday for moving a sewer treatment plant out of a residential area in the southwest part of the city following complaints from residents about the plant's proposed expansion.

The carjackers had a gun to her boyfriend's head.

The Palm City branch of the Boys and Girls Club of Martin County, where the girls volunteer as junior staff members, kicked off its "Do Something Positive" summer activity series Monday with a ceremony in which kids made a pledge to help the community and environment this summer.

Fireworks, including sparklers, can cause serious burns and blast injuries. Children ages 5 through 9 have the highest rate of injury from fireworks. Where permitted by law, fireworks should be handled only by adults. The Florida Department of Health recommends these precautions:

Police are looking for hijackers who made off with cigarettes after forcing two deliverymen into the refrigerated portion of a large truck, officials said Monday.

Recognizing the service of the Florida National Guard, Gov. Charlie Crist recently signed an executive order to lower admission fees for Florida National Guard members and their families at all 160 Florida state parks.

A Martin County jury awarded a Stuart man more than $55,000 for injuries he sustained when a neighbor's pit bull attacked him.

The Martin County Parks and Recreation Department along with Lucie's Creative Crafters and Vendors is hosting "A Night In The Park" on the second Friday of each month at Jock Leighton Park in Palm City.

Detectives are seeking the person who called in multiple bomb threats against the Martin County Sheriff's Office Friday.

The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service reminds those planning to spend the day on the water this Fourth of July that federal law prohibits feeding and harassing wild dolphins because that can cause serious harm and injury to dolphins and people.

City officials say they are pretty sure the Crosstown Parkway won't be in jeopardy because of state property tax reforms, a question that had simmered on their minds for weeks.

Amid controversy and criminal charges, local drummer Lee H. Koenig said Dollars for Collars, the concert he is organizing to benefit pets, is still scheduled for Aug. 25.

A Coral Springs developer remained tight-lipped Monday night about which retailers Tulepan Management LLC intends to bring to the old Coral Square shopping plaza near the corner of Edwards Road and U.S. 1.

An attorney for the city's employee union threatened the city with legal action over statements that City Attorney Roger Orr allegedly told Code Enforcement workers.

A 21-year-old local man was arrested after allegedly pulling a gun on a cab driver Sunday morning and running away without paying his $151 fare, according to a police report obtained Monday.

A local bookkeeper is facing charges after allegedly stealing more than $185,000 from three businesses, including the one that she worked for, a St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office detective said Monday.

A Seminole County man accused of traveling to St. Lucie West to take pictures of sex acts with what he thought was a child was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison Friday.

A night manager at the St. Lucie Draft House was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution after being charged with stealing from the business.

Testimony began Monday in the federal trial of a Port St. Lucie man accused of robbing a Port St. Lucie Publix and participating in a string of carjackings.

St. Lucie County Firefighters will be busy filling their boots for the Muscular Dystrophy Association this summer.

The Corporate and Community Training Institute at Indian River Community College will offer a National Mandated Flood Insurance Workshop July 12 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the IRCC Main Campus in Fort Pierce in Building B, Room 120.

The lake hit a new record low of 8.83 feet above sea level Monday, after striking what was a new record low of 8.88 feet Saturday. That small drop actually is a lot of water — it's spread across the almost 730-square-mile lake.

Residents will have to pay higher fees when obtaining permits for many home improvements as the city tries to cope with a drastic decline in building department revenue.

The embattled homeless outreach center has until Aug. 31 to use a state grant to repair its 37th Street facility.

The Yacht Club boat ramp near the intersection of Indian River Drive and Coolidge Street will be closed from 5 p.m. today until 1 a.m. Thursday to accommodate the annual Fourth of July celebration.

The Taxpayers' Association of Indian River County will have a luncheon meeting at 11:45 a.m. July 11 at La Fonda Restaurant, 2624 34th Ave., Vero Beach.

Nominations are now being accepted to offer recognition to philanthropic leaders in the community during National Philanthropy Day, Nov. 15.

The Indian River County Recreation Department is challenging teenagers to the first Teen Talent Night on July 21. Each contestant must be 13-18 years old.

Tropical Kayak Tours and Kayaks Etc. are sponsoring kayaks and seating on canoes for the Fishing Line Awareness Campaign, scheduled for July 21.

On Monday a crowd of 50 government officials and volunteers helped with their release on the south side of the Sebastian Inlet State Park.

A 40-year-old Jupiter man died Sunday afternoon after he lost control of his pickup and crashed on Loxahatchee River Road.

With drought conditions showing few signs of letting up and water managers considering year-round rules, we'll show you some choices that can keep your lawn lush and green.

The 2007 Golf for Wildlife on Sept. 8 is looking for sponsors, players and volunteers, with all proceeds benefiting the Treasure Coast Wildlife Center.

From 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County will have a Volunteer Day at the New Hope Community Center, 14555 S.W. 174th Court in Indiantown.

The South Florida Water Management District's Governing Board has appointed Martin County Commission Chairman Michael DiTerlizzi to its Water Resources Advisory Commission.

Scientists at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution say they've found the first known instance of a human colon disease in melon-headed whales.

Police plan to begin distributing new "child DNA collection" kits at the National Night Out event Aug. 7 at Tradition Field. The kit contains two envelopes, one of which holds a cotton swab, Officer Steven Camara said in a recent interview.

To prevent drowning and save lives, the American Red Cross Martin County Chapter is offering Save-A-Life Summer Aquatics classes up to Aug. 18.

Swimming, games and a chance to learn more about community groups will be part of Saturday's annual Gifford Family Fun Day.

Walter McLeod is the president of the Washington-based National Clean Beaches Council, a nonprofit organization devoted to sustaining America's beaches.

Shots were fired Saturday night after a gunman and two assailants robbed two men of several hundred dollars in the Ridgecrest Mobile Home Park, according to a St. Lucie County Sheriff's report obtained Monday.

A man wanted in connection with the shooting of a couple at a south Florida home was being held Sunday in the Indian River County Jail after his arrest by U.S. Marshals last week.

A Port St. Lucie woman, who police say presented a prescription bearing the name and signature of a deceased physician, was arrested Friday and charged with attempting to obtain drugs fraudulently.

Port St. Lucie is believed to be the first municipality in Florida to have a clinic that will treat primary care ailments like a regular doctor's office would, plus handle on-the-job injuries and wellness programs.

The resident PGA Golf Professional, who says he is the oldest active PGA Professional in the country, can be found on the practice range of Riverbend Country Club or playing a round of golf every day.

As recently as 10 years ago, most of America didn't know there was a Bobby Ginn. Now, his name is everywhere — in high-end real estate, in entertainment, in golf, in NASCAR.

The Indian River County Recreation Department is challenging teenagers to the first Teen Talent Night to be held on July 21. Each contestant must be 13 to 18 years old. Performance can range from musical, comedy, dancing and anything entertaining.

Charges against Patrick James Melehan 19, of the 900 block of Cheyenne Street have been upgraded to second degree murder, following the death of Carlos Lopez, 18, of the 16000 block of 95th Avenue North, Jupiter Farms, according to Jupiter police on Friday.

Vero Beach builder Michael Schlitt last week bought the land where the hotel had been proposed several years ago in the northwest corner of Interstate 95 and County Road 512.

Not only is the new Children's Museum of the Treasure Coast the first commercial green building in Martin County with features that cut energy and water usage by 30 percent, it also doubles as an exhibit, teaching kids how to save water and energy through its many environmentally friendly features.

Sandra Durbin is one of many modern cake designers who has made the move to custom wedding cakes. And amid a national trend for nontraditional wedding cakes, she has found her place in the business.

Here's a listing of area Fourth of July events.

Construction of new homes and businesses during 2006, although a shadow of years prior to the housing slump, nevertheless was enough to keep Indian River County and most of its cities from losing property value this year.

Iraq War veteran Luke Murphy made his first Martin County public appearance since leaving Walter Reed Hospital last year at the second annual Salute to the Troops at Sandsprit Park on Saturday night.

Most of the nearly 1,500 violations noted at the district's schools and offices were minor, but a few were significant: blocked emergency escape doors or windows and missing fire extinguishers.

C.J. Cannon's will be closing its doors from July 16 until Oct. 1, while the Vero Beach Municipal Airport's terminal is renovated.

Lynn Park, 62, has been to blood-splattered crime scenes, had her work analyzed nightly on Court TV and helped put more than half a dozen people on death row. Sitting behind her desk Friday — her final day on the job — she seemed surprised by the path her career took.

As part of federally funded effort to thin the number of the invasive troublesome trees in South Florida, the city is removing more than 1,000 melaleucas on residential and other private properties in the city.

About 150 other Barefoot Bay residents who live near Micco Road are about to see the road get several right-turn lanes and a sidewalk between the railroad tracks and Dottie Lane.

More than $1 million in grant and state money became available today for a dredging project planned for the Manatee Pocket.

Though deluges have fallen at times over the Treasure Coast in the past several days, so little rain has flowed into Lake Okeechobee that it dropped to a new record low on Saturday.

It had to have been a bomb, Judy Hunt thought, as the loud rumblings increased in sound and intensity outside her Coppertops restaurant inside the Best Western Hotel on State Road 60 near Interstate 95.

A 17-year-old driver was killed Saturday when his two-door Honda Civic flew out of control and smashed into a cement telephone pole in west Boca Raton.

Caring Children, Clothing Children Inc., a nonprofit organization that collects and distributes gently used clothing at no cost to children in Martin County, is looking for donations for children's clothing.

The Fort Pierce Branch Library, 101 Melody Lane, will offer a variety of children's programs for both toddlers and pre-kindergartners during the summer.

The Rotary Club of Stuart on June 20 awarded more than $13,000 in contributions to local groups.

The Florida Atlantic University Small Business Development Center, a unit of the Barry Kaye College of Business, is offering seminars in July throughout the Treasure Coast for those interested in starting or developing small businesses.

The Little Miss/Mr. Firecracker beauty contest for boys and girls will be conducted at Treasure Coast Square mall on Saturday, July 7.

R.J. Gator's, the Jupiter-based casual restaurant chain, filed this week for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in West Palm Beach.

Police in Jupiter and Tequesta will be on the alert for anyone who is shooting off illegal fireworks, such as common bottle rockets, launchable rockets, firecrackers and roman candles, during the Fourth of July holiday.

Nominations are now being accepted to offer recognition to philanthropists in our community during National Philanthropy Day, Nov. 15.

Tropical Kayak Tours and Kayaks, Etc., are sponsoring kayaks and seating on canoes for the Fishing Line Awareness Campaign (FLAC/SLACK), scheduled for July 21.

United Way spending on senior services, infant care and the homeless will get an extra boost under an agency spending plan announced Thursday.