PALM CITY/TESORO
VOL. 1/ISSUE 44
YourVoiceWeekly.com
YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
“The extent that (women) had to go through for us to vote is overwhelming.” Vicki Davis
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2013
Martin Highway residents urge four lanes Patrick McCallister Staff writer
pmccallister@YourVoiceWeekly.com
PALM CITY — If Hal Smith had his druthers, there’d be no reason to expand Martin Highway from two to four lanes from Mapp Road west to the Ronald Reagan Turnpike.
“We realize that when you widen it you’ll get even more traffic,” he said. “We also know that expanding the road to four lanes is going to chew up a lot of property. But, it’s a tradeoff. On Thursday, Sept. 12, Smith hopes to have numerous federal, state and county officials attend a meeting of the Whispering Sound
Community Awareness Committee to convince them that it’s imperative to speed up a proposed expansion of the roadway. Plans exist for expanding Martin Highway, but it’s slated to happen several years from now. Smith said there’s 3,100-foot,
See HIGHWAY page 9
Talking on water
Back story
Reporter talks about the pain of newsgathering
6
Congressman Patrick Murphy answered questions made by members of the Rivers Coalition Wednesday, Aug. 28 at the Lyric Flagler Center in Stuart. Congressman Murphy thanked the members for education him with the ammunition he will need to bring the change being asked for before the next meeting of Congress.
Basketball jones Youth league founder’s entire family gets in on it
6 93 years of voting Area women celebrate women’s suffrage
15
Mitch Kloorfain chief photographer
Never forgetting pmccallister@YourVoiceWeekly.com
PALM CITY — Gerard Somerville went to join his family in New Jersey on Monday evening after work. On Tuesday morning his wife, Irene, saw what everyone in America was looking at. She didn’t hesitate to wake Gerard. “I told him, ‘You better come look PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID FORT PIERCE, FL PERMIT NO. 248
We Are Now
The Exclusive Dealer
• Pioneer •
a Skiff
Carolin
JVX16
Starting at $15,995
• Crest Pontoons • Renegade ... and more!
16
Herding cats
Animal Rescue League seeking new home
20
See SOMERVILLE page 3
A Boat for Every Personality ...
ECRWSS
Local Postal Customer
never calls Ground Zero — his voice dipped, the cadence audibly slowed. His haunting eyes got an unenviable firsthand look at history. At the top of a stairwell in his home is a room that’s more a small memorial museum than office. That’s where he gave the interview. It’s been 12 years since the ter-
Great Selection of New Boats and Used Boats to Fit your Lifestyle.
Pioneer
7 2013 19
From $32,700
PalmCityYachts.com for more Inventory and Information
5500
Staff writer
at this,’” she said. Their life was permanently changed. The afternoon Somerville gave his first press interview about Sept. 11 in about a dozen years, he was a somewhat shy, but still a robust and friendly man. He spoke softly most of the time. His smile was broad, inviting, but his eyes haunting. When he started discussing the World Trade Center — which he
Number of events planned for Treasure Coast R
Patrick McCallister
Sept. 11, 2013
772-220-3000 151 N.W. Flagler Avenue, Stuart UNder the rooSevelt Bridge