When Gerry Rogers unexpectedly was laid off from his job in the engineering department in St. Lucie County in 2008, he quickly went into survival mode with his wife and three school-aged children.

Knowing the family couldn’t afford their mortgage, Rogers tried negotiating a modification with his home’s lender, reined in spending, called creditors about his financial hardship and prioritizing bills.

Rogers isn’t alone in his financial struggles.

Treasure Coast residents affected by job losses or financial hardship are making tough choices when it comes to how they allocate their money. Some may be wondering how they should prioritize their bills and which ones will eventually be sent to collections.

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By ERIC PFAHLER

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — The elephants might not be coming to town after all.

What seemed to be a done deal has taken a step back after The National Elephant Center Board of Directors did not react favorably to demands made by St. Lucie County commissioners on the center, National Elephant Center Chair Rick Barongi said.

The National Elephant Center is re-evaluating its options and could choose a different location for the $4 million, 326-acre project after county commissioners grilled the organization’s representatives for five hours on Jan. 26. The representatives agreed to take proposals back to its board regarding restrictions on equipment used, limitations on the number of elephants and an oversight committee among other conditions for approval of the major site plan.

But Barongi said the conversation should have been limited to zoning requirements for the change as opposed to operational matters. The organization’s board of directors think the commissioners asked for far too much, Barongi said.

The project could have been completed this year and would employ four people.

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ST. LUCIE COUNTY - Two of three northbound lanes on Interstate 95 are shut down following a crash about 1 p.m. Thursday in southern St. Lucie County, a Florida Highway Patrol spokesman said.

Hay bales apparently came off a truck trailer, and vehicles trying to avoid the bales were involved in rear-end collisions, said Lt. Tim Frith, FHP spokesman.

One person sustained non life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital, said St. Lucie County Fire District spokeswoman Catherine Chaney.

By Alexi Howk

PORT ST. LUCIE — The annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, which draws more than 10,000 spectators and participants, won’t be marching through the city’s streets next month for the first time in 20 years. (more…)

Warren Bendix of Stuart holds the framed picture he found Jan. 23 while “Dumpster diving” at Sierra Condominium Apartments in Stuart. (RICH CAMPBELL/TCPalm.com)

MARTIN COUNTY — There’s something atypical — and refreshing — about Warren Bendix.

In a society tainted by lying politicians, cheating spouses and steroid-powered athletes, Bendix, 60, is the antithesis of the “get ahead at all cost” mentality.

He lives in a small, modest apartment in Stuart.

He draws Social Security disability, the result of a back injury that has prevented him from working for more than 30 years.
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Traffic lights can seem stubborn, taking forever to change.

But an increasing number of the Treasure Coast’s heaviest traveled intersections are getting equipped with sophisticated equipment to help motorists get through them faster. (more…)

A transportation watchdog hopes that a slight strengthening of the U.S. dollar in the past week will eventually curb the rising price of gas for homeowners and motorists.

But for now, the price at the pump continues to rise.

In Florida, a gallon of regular was selling on average for $2.80, up 2 cents from a week earlier, according to AAA Auto Club South.
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Lured by its proximity to race tracks, a sports car racing team has opened up shop in Martin County.

Extreme Speed Motorsports, owned by veteran race car driver Scott Sharp, will run his team out of a building on Jack James Drive in Stuart.

The team will race a Ferrari 430 GTC in the American Le Mans series, which is a sports car racing series in the United States and Canada in which drivers participate in endurance and sprint races that last from 100 minutes to 12 hours. (more…)

Martin Memorial Health Systems opened a fitness center last week at the Port St. Lucie Community Center, replacing another in that location run by its rival, HCA Inc.

The center, which is located at 2195 S.E. Airoso Blvd, opened Thursday.

HCA, a national corporation with two hospitals in St. Lucie County, ran a fitness center in the city-owned building for years, but told city officials in November that it would be closed because of budget cuts. They reversed course after Martin Memorial made a pitch to move into the site.

The city council voted to accept Martin Memorial’s proposal. (more…)

At Stuart’s Volunteers in Medicine Clinic, doctors have seen first-hand the effects of a bad economy.

More patients. More repeat visits. The top two maladies treated at the nonprofit clinic are depression/anxiety and high-blood pressure. Diabetes is third.

“This year, we’ve just seen a lot more patients because of the economy,” said Tanya Spain, the clinic’s spokeswoman. (more…)