Keeping businesses here
EDC stays firm with their message
A4
Crosstown’s extension
New website for residents to follow
A11
The ‘Study’ of drama
Students take on drama challenges
B1
ST. LUCIE WEST • TRADITION
YourVoiceWeekly.com VOL. 3/ISSUE 27
YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2015
Commerce comes to Crosstown Jay Meisel
FOR YOUR VOICE NEWS & VIEWS
ST. LUCIE WEST — Even before Publix opened its new store this week, PGA Village Verano development residents were excited, a representative of the housing developer said. “They are very excited about having that convenience,” said John Manrique, vice president for marketing of Kolter Homes. Publix opened its newest Port St. Lucie store at 9335 Commerce Centre Drive on May 7. The 45,000-square-foot store features a pharmacy and traditional grocery, produce, meat, dairy and frozen food departments. In addition its full-service departments, a bakery, a deli, floral, fresh seafood and sushi and custom-cut meats are included, said Nicole Krauss, Miami media and community relations. The deli will offer Publix subs, fried and rotisserie chicken, freshly prepared foods, handcrafted sandwiches featuring Boar’s Head meats, signature subs and a hot soup bar. The store will employ 140 Publix associates, Krauss said in a press release.
Photo courtesy of Kathy Baretela Employees raise their hands to indicate that they are new to working at Publix while others may have transferred to the new location on Crosstown Parkway at Verano. The new location opened to the public on Thursday, May 7 and are scheduling a full day of events and activities on Saturday, May 9. “We are so excited to open our doors and can’t wait for our new customers in Port St. Lucie to see all the enhancements their new Publix has to offer,” Krauss said in the press release. “We antici-
pate that our customers will be very pleased with the state-ofthe-art design, additional space, convenient drive-through pharmacy and services offered.” Publix planned special events
for the grand opening. The first 1,500 customers on grand opening day received a reusable bag, she said.
See PUBLIX page A6
No go on deal leads to city wanting pro bono help STAFF WRITER
bzeris@YourVoiceWeekly.com
TRADITION — The Port St. Lucie City Council may seek free legal help to get money they say belongs to city from the failed Tradition Studios sale. Jupiter developer James Hall submitted the winning bid of $15 PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID FORT PIERCE, FL PERMIT NO. 248 ECRWSS
Local Postal Customer
million for the former Digital Domain building. With that, he was to submit a $200,000 deposit – $15,000 of which was supposed to be nonrefundable. Hall’s original bid did not include a nonrefundable deposit, but the council voted to include it after his offer was accepted. “Where’s our $15,000?” Mayor Greg Oravec said. “I could swear that when I buy a piece of prop-
erty, I give a check with the contract.” City attorney Pam Booker said it would be a waste of city resources to go after Hall. “It’s just my opinion that with all the other pending litigation and much more critical financial matters that are pending before the city, my opinion is staff time would be better spent focusing on those,” she said.
“Due to the small amount of that and the time involved, I would not recommend that.” Oravec said he’d like to submit a request for proposal for somebody to represent the city in a case, adding that it would likely be for free or on a contingency basis – the city paying only if the case was won.
See PRO BONO page A26 18741
Brandon Zeris