ST. LUCIE WEST • TRADITION
“There is some evidence with breast cancer that environment plays a role.” Keith Knutson VGTI
YourVoiceWeekly.com VOL. 1/ISSUE 34
YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013
City to honor Independence Day with a bang Nicole Rodriguez Staff writer
nrodriguez@YourVoiceWeekly.com
PORT ST. LUCIE — For more than 20 years, city residents have gathered to remember history, give thanks to today’s military freedom fighters and celebrate the nation’s independence, declared on July 4, 1776. In keeping with its patriotic customs, the city will host Freedomfest on July 4 at the Port St. Lucie Civic Center. The family-friendly tradition is one of the city’s biggest, one time attracting a whopping 10,000, city council members said. “Freedomfest is the culmination of all of our best holidays and it is a community event,” Councilwoman Michelle Berger said. “There is no bigger
event in Port St. Lucie, I don’t think, than Freedomfest ... People are out in droves.” The free event, which includes free parking, takes more than eight months to plan and
Cancer research
Keith Knutson joins VGTI in search of a cure
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See FREEDOMFEST page 4
Superintendent search hits a snag
State employment continues to pick up
Nicole Rodriguez
Patrick McCallister
nrodriguez@YourVoiceWeekly.com
pmccallister@YourVoiceWeekly.com
ST. LUCIE COUNTY — Just as the St. Lucie County School Board was to choose a new superintendent, several developments caused the board to halt the decision indefinitely and expand the search to include more candidates. The school district’s two remaining candidates, Darci Mohr and Agnella Perera, are on standby after two of their competitors recently withdrew from the running. Scott Bailey, chief academic officer of Washoe County School District in Reno, Nev., cited health reasons, while the only local candidate, Mark Rendell, St. Lucie County School District assistant superintendent, said his family needed stability, something the race for superintendent hindered, board members said. He will continue working at his current position at the
TREASURE COAST — Statewide the unemployment numbers continue an inching decline, but St. Lucie and Martin counties had an upward bump from April to May. “This time of year, our rate always bumps up a little bit,” Odaly Victorio, communications coordinator for Workforce Solutions of the Treasure Coast, said. According to the monthly jobs report the state’s Department of Economic Opportunity released on Friday, June 21, Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was at 7.1 percent in May, the lowest it’s been since September 2008. That month the unemployment rate was 7.0 percent. The state’s unemployment rate has declined in year-over-year comparisons for 31 straight
Staff writer
Shopping scam 10
Steak & Stake
Annual event for Boys & Girls Club comes to PGA
16 Church concerts
Concert series at St. Bernadettes announced
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See EMPLOYMENT page 9
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Aderline Rodriguez of the St. Lucie Mets is profiled
Mystery shopper scam tricks revealed
Staff writer
See SUPER page 8
Meet the Mets
UNder the rooSevelt Bridge