A3
Youth champs Renegades reign
Port St. Lucie v St. Lucie West? Is a divorce possible?
A6
B1
College Chorale
IRSC holiday concerts
ST. LUCIE WEST • TRADITION
YourVoiceWeekly.com VOL. 2/ISSUE 5
YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Vacancy
FRIDAY, December 6, 2013
Dancing elves
Nicole Rodriguez Staff writer
nrodriguez@YourVoiceWeekly.com
PORT ST. LUCIE — Gov. Rick Scott acted swiftly in response to criminal charges filed on Nov. 19 against Port St. Lucie City Councilman Ron Bowen, handing down an executive order suspending Bowen 48 hours after the scandal was made public by Your Voice News & Views. The order, dated Nov. 27, suspends Bowen without pay from performing any official act or function of public office. Bowen makes Ron Bowen $30,035 annually. “It is in the best interests of the residents of the City of Port St. Lucie, and the citizens of the State of Florida, that Bowen be immediately suspended from the public office which he now holds, upon the grounds set forth in this executive order,” the document states. Last week, three city council members were
See BOWEN page A8
Mitch Kloorfain/chief photographer Mrs. P’s Dance Studio performers prepare for their holiday-themed dance at their St. Lucie West location. The dance will take place Saturday, Dec. 6 at the Port St. Lucie Civic Center at the annual Festival of Lights. From top left: Desiree Pierson, Alexis Garcia, Brianna Pannozzo, Idalis Rodriguez, Jade Greco, Bottom: Molly Murphy, Angelica Mobley, Abigail, Rivero, Christopher Mobley, Reese Parrish, Madison Parrish, Aubry Parrish
Residents rally for typhoon victims Nicole Rodriguez Staff writer
nrodriguez@YourVoiceWeekly.com
TREASURE COAST — As the Philippines death toll from super Typhoon Haiyan continues to rise in excess of 5,000, residents on the Treasure Coast with close ties to the Asian islands are also
mobilizing in great numbers to help in relief efforts. Port St. Lucie resident Daisy McGinnis, a Philippine native and president of the Philippine-American Association of the Treasure Coast, scrambled in the typhoon’s wake to organize a supply drive at the Port St. Lucie Community Center last week.
The drive, which garnered thousands of items from area residents including U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Jupiter and Port St. Lucie Mayor JoAnn Faiella, was such a success, McGinnis has planned another event set for Dec. 14 at the same location. The support from different walks of life gives McGinnis hope
that the Philippines will recover. “For me, it was very, very touching considering how great America is, how great people’s hearts in this town are,” McGinnis said. “Everyone came together to help the Philippines — and any country for that matter.”
See TYPHOON page A20
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID FORT PIERCE, FL PERMIT NO. 248
Local Postal Customer
See
uS on page
5
7499
ECRWSS