By Will Greenlee

PORT ST. LUCIE — A man was flown out following a crash involving a motorcycle and a vehicle, the St. Lucie County Fire District said.

Fire District crews were called about 3:45 p.m. Monday to the incident in the 1400 block of Southeast Port St. Lucie Boulevard, spokeswoman Catherine Chaney said.

She said the motorcyclist wound up underneath the vehicle and suffered multiple injuries. Port St. Lucie Police officers were investigating the crash, Chaney said.

INDIANTOWN - Two men received minor injuries after the plane they were in made a hard landing Saturday at the Indiantown Airport, according to a Martin County Sheriff’s Office news release.

Shortly before noon, deputies were called to the airport after a single engine 2008 Cirrus plane crashed, the release states.

The two men on board were taken to Martin Memorial Medical Center with what appeared to be minor, non-life threatening injuries, according to the release. The men told deputies they were flying to Boynton Beach when they made a hard landing at the airport.

The names of the men were not released. However, Federal Aviation Administration records show the plane is registered to Outfitter Rotary, LLC of Jacksonville, Ore.

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VERO BEACH - Charlie Cox on Saturday afternnon sat in front of the banquet room at VFW Post 3918, listening as fellow veterans expressed their good wishes on his 100th birthday.

Cox, who is Indian River County’s oldest living veteran, was silent while he was presented with awards, a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol and even 100 gold coins to remember the occasion.

“This is one of the few times in my life that I don’t know what to say,” said Cox, who was accompanied by his wife Basilisa at the luncheon in his honor. “I don’t know how to thank you except to say I will continue to do the best I know how to do.”

A native of Mississippi, Cox was raised in Louisiana and was in the construction business when World War II broke out. He volunteered with a Naval construction battalion, known as the Seabees, and helped rebuild airfields, hospitals and other support facilities for the U.S. Navy and Marines in the South Pacific.

In recognition of Cox’s birthday, Chris Hill, an aide to U.S. Congressman Bill Posey, presented Cox with a flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol building on January 27, 2010.

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ST. LUCIE COUNTY - A helicopter crashed during or shortly after take-off Saturday morning at the St. Lucie International Airport, sheriff’s officials said.

The Enstrom F-28 C helicopter encountered a strong wind gust just before it crashed, said Kathleen Bergen, Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman.

The pilot, whose name or other information wasn’t immediately available Saturday, suffered only minor, non-life threatening injuries, officials said. The pilot was the sole person on board.

FAA aircraft records show the helicopter is registered to Richard C. Theriault of Vineland, N.J. It is unknown whether he was the pilot.

The helicopter, built in 1976, crashed about 11:30 a.m. near the southeast end of the airport. It was found on its side with at least one of its two rotors mangled. The rotors were facing south.

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STUART - Sometimes the outline of more than 125 surfers in Saturday’s “paddle-out” resembled a heart in the water.

Other times it looked like a giant Hawaiian lei. Regardless of the shape, the 20-minute aquatic event and preceding beachside memorial was honoring a beloved surfer who died earlier this week following a shark attack.

“He really touched the community and a lot of people’s lives,” friend Stephanie Hudson Forsberg said of Stephen Schafer during the event.

Schafer, 38, died Wednesday after an 8- to 9-foot shark bit him while kiteboarding in waters a quarter of a mile off shore and just south of the guarded area at Stuart Beach. Lifeguard Dan Lund rescued Schafer from the water, but the surfer later died from his injuries.

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By Melissa E. Holsman

STUART — A jury awarded dermatologist Ricarado “Rick” Romagosa $1.24 million late Friday in his breach of contract and wrongful termination lawsuit.

Attorneys for Romagosa asked earlier in the day for more than $2.8 million in civil damages against Dr. Tim Ioannides, his former boss at Treasure Coast Dermatology.

Jurors, who deliberated for about two hours beginning shortly before 9 p.m., declined to elaborate afterwards. Exiting the courthouse after the two week trial, one woman juror said “we did our best.”

Romagosa appeared pleased with the verdict, and shared hugs with several members of his legal team.

He also seemed relieved the trial in his protracted legal battle was over.

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Staff Report

Helicopter crash at the St. Lucie County International Airport in Fort PIerce on Saturday February 6, 2010. Photo by Eric Phaler.

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — A helicopter crashed during or shortly after take-off Saturday morning at the St. Lucie International Airport, sheriff’s officials said.

Initial reports indicate the pilot, whose name or other information wasn’t immediately available, suffered only minor, non-life threatening injuries. The pilot was the sole person on board.

The 1976 helicopter crashed about 11:30 a.m. near the southeast end of the airport. It was found on its side with at least one of its two propellers mangled. The propellers were facing south.

St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office and Fire District officials were on scene continuing to investigate the incident.

No further details were released. This story will be updated when further information is released.

FORT PIERCE — Minutes after realizing his wife had a successful surgery, Dr. Wiwle Jean-Pierre sat emotionless on a hospital bed at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute on Thursday as he took note of the destruction at his home and office in Port-au-Prince. Read the rest of this entry »

FORT PIERCE — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has launched a criminal investigation into allegations of corruption in the city’s Community Services division, City Hall announced late Thursday. Read the rest of this entry »

The tragic death of Steve Schafer sent shockwaves through Martin County’s tight-knit surfing community on Thursday.

Schafer was a popular surfer in the Stuart Beach lineup who was well-known for his smooth surf style and calm demeanor. Read the rest of this entry »