MARTIN COUNTY — John Millay is the school district’s fnew superintendent. 

The School Board Tuesday voted 3-2 to select Millay to lead the district after interviewing the top four candidates Wednesday. 

“I’m super excited,” Millay said during a phone call with board members following the vote. “I just want to thank the board for their trust and belief in me to lead this school district. I want to reassure everyone that I take this responsibility seriously.” 

Millay said he will keep up his positive energy and collaborative spirit to support all students and staff in the district. 

More: The final four: Martin County superintendent finalists answer School Board questions

The former superintendent of Meade Cou...

Lake Okeechobee discharges to the St. Lucie River are imminent, but the necessity and reasons for them are in dispute — as is almost always the case.

The debate pits the needs of Lake O water users, who want the lake level high to use it as a reservoir, against Treasure Coast residents, who want the lake level low to lessen the chances of discharges, which can carry potentially toxic algae blooms with them.

While the Army Corps of Engineers blames discharges on the lake’s rapid rise from recent heavy rains and the still-active hurricane season, two Treasure Coast environmentalists blame the Army Corps for making the wrong call last year.

In December, the Corps announced it planned to store water in the lake...

opinion

Orlando trial lawyer John Morgan, who’s behind Amendment 2 to raise Florida’s minimum wage, will be part of a live discussion between supporters and opponents of the measure starting Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

Morgan will be joined by Ben Pollara, a senior advisor of the campaign to pass the amendment.

Two opponents of the measure will also attend: Jay Johnson, a restaurant owner and president of the Lee County chapter of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, and Eric Hoppenbrouwer, executive director of the political committee Business Voice in Brevard County.

The Florida Pulse, a new livestream series by opinion editors at the USA TODAY Network- Florida, will host the live event...

Patients intending to go to the Eau Gallie Medical Center in Melbourne this week have been met with a grim note at the door since Monday. 

“Dr. John J. Magri IV passed away on the morning of Wednesday September 16, 2020,” it begins. “For the privacy of his family, patient’s (sic) and loved ones, the cause of death is unknown at this time.”

For former patients and neighbors the feeling has been one of shock and disbelief — and concern upon learning Magri tested positive for coronavirus after his death. 

“I don’t even know what to say,” said Malori Scrivner, a Melbourne Beach resident who walked up to the doors of the clinic Tuesday morning for her monthly check-in, only to find out her doct...

VERO BEACH — A judge found a local attorney guilty on a DUI charge and suspended his driver’s license, ordering him to attend rehab and perform community service. 

Louis “Buck” Vocelle Jr., 64, of Dolphin Drive, entered a no-contest plea Monday to the DUI charge in a crash reported by Vero Beach police Aug. 29. He crashed into parked cars, a tree and utility box near his home.

Circuit Judge Dan Vaughn ordered a year probation, suspended his driver’s license for six months and ordered him to spend one month at a rehab facility, according to court records.

Vocelle’s silver 2018 Lexus sport utility vehicle was impounded for 10 days and he was scheduled to for 50 hours’ community service and required to pay just ...

The South Florida Water Management District plans to spend over $1 billion in the coming year, most of it to improve water quality, reduce harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges to the St. Lucie River and send more water south to the Everglades. 

And the district plans to do it with a lower property tax rate than last year.

The district board Tuesday approved a $1.2 billion budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 and  a property tax rate of $26.75 for every $100,000 of taxable value to help pay for it.

Under the tax rate for fiscal year 2020-21, the owner of a $250,000 house with the standard $50,000 homestead exemption would pay $53.50 in taxes to the district in fiscal year 2020-21.

For fiscal year 2019-20,...

MARTIN COUNTY— Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Joseph Bullock will be remembered by his family, coworkers and motorists he helped during his career as a man committed to law enforcement who protected Martin County.

“If Joe were here, he would say to all of you in uniform to have courage and to be courageous because you absolutely need that in today’s time,” said Jon Bullock, Joseph Bullock’s father. “He would also say that you have to have humanity because courage without humanity is just inhumanity.”

More: Portion of I-95, FHP building to be designated for slain FHP Trooper Joseph Bullock

The Martin County Sheriff’s Office hosted a ceremony Tuesday and unveiled a memorial in the lobby for Trooper Bullock, who was...

MARTIN COUNTY — Jensen Beach High School has postponed Friday’s varsity football game against John Carroll Catholic because of COVID-19 concerns, officials said Tuesday.  

Jensen Beach has ordered nearly 138 students this week to quarantine because they were contacts of a presumed positive coronavirus case in the school. 

“Due to the volume of transitions to quarantine protocol carried out over the weekend and (Tuesday), Jensen Beach High School has postponed its varsity game (Friday),” district spokesperson Jennifer DeShazo in a statement. 

The game has been rescheduled for Oct. 23.

Power rankings: Stats and trends for each Treasure Coast team

“Due to Jensen Beach High School quarantining man...

Nesting conditions were not good for South Florida wading birds last year, with fewer nests than in 2018 and the previous 10-year average, according to an annual count.

The 2019 count of 37,303 nests was “comparatively disappointing” to the 2018 nesting season, which “moved the needle considerably in most measures,” Audubon Florida stated in a news release about the Annual South Florida Wading Bird Report.

Early nesters — including great egrets, wood storks and roseate spoonbills — were most effected. Water levels peaked early, followed by a dry December, followed by heavy rains in January that flooded their nests, according to the South Florida Water Management District, which compiles the annual report. 

Gre...

The Florida Department of Health records data tracking COVID-19 positive tests by ZIP code and by county.

The ZIP code reflected in the data ideally is a representation of a COVID-19 positive person’s residence. However, there are instances where the ZIP code may reflect the hospital where a person/case was admitted or tested, the department said.

More: COVID-19 in Florida: What you need to know Tuesday, Sept. 22

Did you know?: Cleveland Clinic’s Florida Research and Innovation Center to study cancer, dengue, COVID-19

The Florida Department of Health reported 55 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday and verified seven new deaths on the Treasure Coast.

In ZIP code 34990, which includes Stuart, North River Shores and Palm City...