3
Tip-top shape
Fifteen and fit as a fiddle
Run for honor
5K planned at airport
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Come see ‘Broadway’s Best’ Gala fundraiser set for StarStruck
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PALM CITY/TESORO
YourVoiceWeekly.com VOL. 3/ISSUE 10
YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2015
Martin quietly greets Flu on same-sex marriage the
move
Patrick McCallister STAFF WRITER
pmccallister@YourVoiceWeekly.com
MARTIN COUNTY — Tuesday, Jan. 6, started quietly at the Peter L. Cheney Courthouse and Constitutional Office Center, Stuart. Shortly before 8 a.m., two men softly talked near the entrance awaiting the opening of the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. When the doors opened, they made their way through the security checkpoint without incident and entered the Clerk’s office and asked for a marriage license. They left about a half an hour later with one, and a few well-wishes from bystanders, to go do whatever else they had planned that day. The two politely declined an interview request. “It’s no big deal,” one said, shrugging his shoulders. Indeed. The first day clerks of courts throughout the state started issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples wasn’t a big occasion in Martin. At least, not on the surface. There was no line of same-sex couples awaiting their chance to get marriage licenses. There were no demonstrators at the constitutional-officers center favoring or opposing same-sex marriage. The only fanfare was Linda Oliver and Dennis St. Martin standing on the sidewalk in front of the courthouse with flowers to give any couples getting marriage licenses that day. “It was a tough fight, and we’re PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID FORT PIERCE, FL PERMIT NO. 248 ECRWSS
Local Postal Customer
Patrick McCallister STAFF WRITER
pmccallister@YourVoiceWeekly.com
Staff photo by Patrick McCallister Linda Oliver and Dennis St. Martin await same-sex couples just getting marriage licenses at the Peter L. Cheney Courthouse and Constitutional Office Center, Stuart. Oliver owns Harbour Bay Florist. St. Martin is its weddings director. The two had a lonely day. Clerks of courts throughout the state started issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples on Tuesday. While there was fanfare in some counties, same-sex marriage started quietly in Martin. happy for them,” Oliver said. She owns Harbour Bay Florist in Stuart. St. Martin is her business’ wedding director. St. Martin is also a gay man in a 26-year relationship with Edward Alvarez. The two live in Port St. Lucie. They had a commitment ceremony 11 years ago, but it’s not legally recognized or binding. They planned on getting a marriage license after Tuesday. “It’s a good day,” St. Martin said. “It’s a great day.”
St. Martin said he was surprised that there weren’t several same-sex couples at the Clerk’s office first thing in the morning on the historic day. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle overturned Florida’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, and ordered clerks of courts to start issuing marriage licenses on Jan. 6. Martin’s clerk, Carolyn Timmann, was poised for a busy
See MARRIAGE page 8
MARTIN COUNTY — The Florida Department of Health in Martin County is in a big fight against a couple small bugs and needs everyone’s help. “We have several (influenza) surveillance systems in the county and three of them are elevated,” Grethel Clark, epidemiologist, said. “We’re seeing influenza A and influenza B.” The two strains of flu started hitting Martin hard in late December — there was a higher-than-average number of confirmed cases as 2014 wound down. “The weather and the season, we usually see a peak in January,” Clark said. “The flu season ends at the end of May,” Clark said. “Usually we see four or five weeks of higher activity, and then the numbers go down. I’m assuming we’ll have high activity for two or three weeks more.” It’s not too late to get a vaccine. “Vaccination, even though we’re in the middle of the season, is the best way to prevent spread,” Clark said. Renay Rouse, Health Department public information officer, said it’s pretty easy to get a flu shot these days.
See FLU page 5
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