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ST. LUCIE WEST • TRADITION
YourVoiceWeekly.com VOL. 4/ISSUE 35
YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Everybody in the pool
FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2016
City sails toward business navigator Patrick McCallister STAFF WRITER
pmccallister@YourVoiceWeekly.com
Mitch Kloorfain/chief photographer Mikaela Escotto, 1, reacts to her mother, Mariella of St. Lucie West during their participation in the World’s Largest Swim Lesson at Sailfish Splash Waterpark in Stuart. Waterparks, pools and aquatic facilities around the world used Friday, June 24 as the official day to share in raising awareness of drowning prevention worldwide.
240 years and counting Patrick McCallister STAFF WRITER
pmccallister@YourVoiceWeekly.com
TREASURE COAST — The booming is looming in Port St. Lucie and the Treasure Coast. The city is sponsoring its annual Freedomfest starting at 2 p.m. at the Port St. Lucie Civic Center, 9221 Civic Center Place.
“It’s our largest event of the year,” Jenny Newell, spokeswoman, said. “There are thousands and thousands of people that come out. It’s the biggest event on the Treasure Coast.” The family-friendly festival features live music, food, arts and crafts, a kids’ zone with bounce houses, along with pizza- and hotdog-eating contests.
The entertainment kicks off — literally — with a martial arts demonstration at 2 p.m. That’s followed by the Police Athletic League’s Drum Line, followed by Starlight Dance and St. Lucie Dance. Jess Lee will perform from 6:30 to 10 p.m.
See INDEPENDENCE page 16
TRADITION — The Port St. Lucie City Council talked economic development at its summer workshop — Monday, June 20. Tradition took center stage. “Tradition is our place to make this happen, and I believe in St. Lucie West, the St. Lucie West industrial area.” Mayor Greg Oravec said at the meeting. Oravec said he’d like city staff to create a list of businesses and stay familiar with them. “We need a (business) navigator and the networking cataloger,” he said. Daniel Holbrook, assistant city manager, gave the council a generally positive economic-development report. According to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the Port St. Lucie Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes St. Lucie and Martin counties, had 141,000 jobs in May, up 3,400 over the previous year. The county had a 4.9 percent not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, down from 6.2 percent the previous year. Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.4 percent in May. The nation’s was 4.5 percent. St. Lucie County lags
See NAVIGATOR page 11
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