By Jonathan Mattise

Stuart native and Army Warrant Officer Chris Lust is in stable condition at James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa after three weeks battling a life-threatening tropical bacterial disease that struck during relief work in Haiti.

His case of leptospirosis — a bacterial infection common after contact with contaminated water in impoverished areas — improved over the weekend, but the medicine he’s on makes it difficult to eat and his progress has slowed, said his mother, Stuart resident Lorilei Lust.

(more…)

By Eve Samples

The day started out like most for Laura Cancio and her family.

She readied her children for school, repeatedly reminding her fourth-grade son to assemble his lunch.

The food was laid out. All he had to do was put it in his bag. But, anxious to play video games during the last few minutes before the family hit the road, the boy forgot.

Cancio realized her son’s mistake only after she dropped him off at SeaWind Elementary in Hobe Sound.

Hoping to teach him a lesson about responsibility, she decided to let him go without food until he got home at 2:30 p.m.

(more…)

By James Kirley

PORT ST. LUCIE — The mother of three Bayshore Elementary students said she kept her boys home from school Friday after the oldest showed her a cut on his head Thursday night and said he hurt himself playing on the school bus that morning after its driver had parked and left it.

“I wasn’t going to put him on that bus again,” said Jennifer Steveson, whose family lives in the 4000 block of Mackemer Road. “How do you leave children on the bus?”

(more…)

By Lamaur Stancil

INDIANTOWN — A Martin County Sheriff’s Office deputy shot and killed a pit bull mix that had entered a woman’s yard and attacked her dog Wednesday.

A 21-year-old woman called 911 when the 70-pound dog attacked her 40-pound mixed-breed dog at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 14900 block of Southwest Shawnee Street, the Sheriff’s Office report states.

(more…)

By Lamaur Stancil

The senior citizen who suffered dementia and sat in her car in the middle of Vero Beach ranchland for several days wasn’t the only person Treasure Coast authorities were looking for last weekend.

Indian River County sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Jeff Luther said his agency searched for three other missing persons as well as Vivian Vander Zyl, who was discovered safe by hog hunters Sunday.

“Luckily, we found all of them safe,” Luther said.

Law enforcement agencies across the Treasure Coast said they have tools to track down patients of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease when they wander off. In Indian River and Martin counties, families can register their loved ones through Project Lifesaver, a program which provides a tracking bracelet for users. The bracelet emits a unique frequency for its wearer. If the person drives or wanders away from home, law enforcement can use equipment to track the frequency, officials said.

(more…)

STUART — Two years ago, Jan Lindsay first toured the 14th St. building that she immediately knew would house her fifth homeless shelter for pregnant women.

The 6,200-foot former New Horizons mental illness facility was semi-dilapidated and unoccupied since 2005. The kitchen needed an overhaul. Water damage and shattered windows filled the space.

Fixer-upper work aside, Lindsay saw potential. The building had eight bedrooms, a sprawling great room, office space and an activity room. She knew it would be perfect for the Treasure Coast’s Mary’s Shelter.

Behind work and donations from construction companies, county clubs and everyone in between, Lindsay’s makeover vision for Mary’s Shelter was on display Friday for the facility’s grand opening and blessing.

“I had felt the Lord calling me to do it for two years,” Lindsay said. “I kept arguing, saying I’m too old. The amount of time it takes to put one of these together, it really takes three or four very dedicated people.”

Starting in March, Mary’s Shelter plans to house 13 pregnant homeless women, most 18 to 24 years old, who will live on site with a housemother. The staff will provide education about motherhood, goal-setting services for their educational and career ambitions, and information to help the mothers decide whether to keep their children or put them up for adoption.

Lindsay opened the first four Mary’s Shelters in Orange County, Calif.; Reading, Pa.; Baldwin County, Ala.; and Pensacola.

“One of the biggest miracles is to see these girls come in, so afraid, and down, and feeling worthless,” Lindsay said. “Then you see them four months later, happy, confident, with a beautiful baby they know they can support and be a good mother to.”

Goodwill defined the public’s first look at the facility that will house women from Boca Raton to Vero Beach.

Donated furniture and garnishes filled the rooms. The walls had a brand new paint job.

Jupiter resident Dolores Solomon donated a fridge, freezer, stoves and a dishwasher to bring the kitchen up to speed. Demorest Construction was on board from day one to provide contractor work.

Dr. Mark Fedele offered his free dental services. Wesley Scott of Indian River Shutter Co. in Palm City promised free blinds. Ladies from Loblolly Country Club have been decorating the women’s bedrooms.

More helping hands keep volunteering, and the shelter has totaled close to $200,000 in donations.

Jan Lindsey
STUART — A woman on the cover of the Feb. 22 edition of Time magazine will look familiar to anyone who knows Laila White of Stuart.

White, her daughter and granddaughter appear on the cover of the magazine, which features a special section on health.

The title in bold type reads: “The Science of Living Longer.” But White, who is only 65 and lives in the Stuart Yacht and Country Club, says she was never interviewed for the story. Neither was her daughter, Kristina Phillips, 37, or 7-year-old granddaughter, Laila.
(more…)

STUART - It may not be easy to hide a 61-foot boat, but one such vessel is hard to find in Martin County waters.

According to a story on People.com, People magazine’s Web site, a 61-foot boat built by Stuart boatbuilder Garlington Landeweer was purchased by golfer Tiger Woods for wife Elin Nordegren. The boat estimated to be in the $2-$3 million price range was customized as a dive boat and was in construction for more than two years.
(more…)

STUART — A deceased man in about his mid-30s was found Sunday morning on the shoreline south of the House of Refuge, according to a Martin County Sheriffs Office release.

The man was believed to have been fishing from on top of the rocks and fell into the water, according to the release. A medical examiner is expected to determine the cause of death, but no foul play is suspected at this time.

The Criminal Investigations Division of the Sheriff’s Office is conducting a death investigation. Victim information was unavailable Sunday pending family notification.

No further information was available.

By Alex Boerner

More pictures

For nine days following the earthquake that hit Haiti, Fort Pierce resident Belanges Belizaire, 51, tried to get on a flight to the Caribbean country.

And for nine days his wife, Elicienne Belizaire, waited for him at the Toussaint L’Ouverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince.

She survived the Jan. 12 earthquake after being trapped in what was the second story of their home in Delmas, a neighborhood in Port-au-Prince. But now she found herself trapped in Haiti while her husband was home in Fort Pierce.

“I didn’t know how much she was hurt, only that she survived,” Belanges said.

(more…)