Firefighters control a a fire that started in an abandoned warehouse at Jefferson Street and Dixie Highway on Thursday.

A fire at an abandoned warehouse on Dixie Highway shut down parts of the road Thursday afternoon as it threatened a nearby chlorine storage tank.

The fire at Jefferson Street and Dixie Highway was reported at 2:34 p.m., and firefighters had it under control within about half an hour, said Martin County Assistant Chief Joseph Ferrara.

Hazardous-materials crews responded as a precaution, but the chlorine tank was not affected by the fire.

Dixie Highway was closed between Jefferson Street and Hawthorne Street.

No injuries were reported. Fire investigators were at the scene, working to determine the cause.

VERO BEACH — Absenteeism has doubled at Vero Beach High School in the last week with bomb threats starting off four school days.

And for many students who did show up for school this week, the decision came after a serious conversation at home.

“My daughter tried not to go Monday because of the Columbine anniversary,” parent Darby Dickerson said. “But I told her you can’t let two dead folks from 10 years ago stop you.”
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An Asheville, N.C.-based company paid $3.8 million this month for Freedom Plastics Inc.’s plant in Fort Pierce.

Pipe manufacturer Silver-Line Plastics intends to refurbish the 100,000 square feet and may rehire some of the 33 workers who lost their jobs there, according to Chief Financial Officer Bill Beard. (more…)

Indiantown’s home-grown telephone company is about to invest big bucks to link fiber optic lines to homes in the central Martin County community.

ITS Telecommunications Systems Inc. got an $8 million loan this month from the Rural Utilities Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that makes sure people living in the country have access to electricity, water and telephones. (more…)

FORT PIERCE — City officials Monday night shut the door on the mayor’s idea to consolidate the Police Department with the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office.

Mayor Bob Benton could not get the support he needed from at least three commissioners to move the idea forward.

Commissioners Rufus Alexander, Christine Coke and Reggie Sessions did not want to disband the police department. And Commissioner Eddie Becht didn’t express an opinion on how he felt about the idea.
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STUART — Even though Martin County detective Sgt. Bill McCaw grew up on the South Side of Chicago and lived amid gang violence, he didn’t have the slightest clue it existed when he was a child.

Few people did.

Heading the gang intelligence unit, the 20-year Martin County Sheriff’s Office veteran spoke to residents Wednesday evening to try to make sure that gang growth doesn’t go similarly undetected in Martin County.

The event at the Martin County Administration Building sponsored by Project Northland occurred two days after 16-year-old Torenda Youngblood Jr. was shot and killed at his Fort Pierce bus stop, the most recent of four shootings since Saturday.

At least two were “directly related to gang violence,” said Fort Pierce Chief of Police Sean Baldwin.

McCaw sees gang violence as a problem that continues to seep into the county.
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FORT PIERCE — Plans for a $90 million project to build a hotel, restaurants, shops and homes on the old H.D. King Power Plant site may be in jeopardy because of a glitch in the contract.

Jonathan Snyder, president and chief executive officer of Nevada-based Snyder Development LLC, wants the city to donate 6.87 acres of waterfront property on Indian River Drive to build his project, but language tied to the deed says the city has to use the land for a public purpose or the property reverts back to the state.

The glitch might kill the project, Snyder said.

The City Commission, seated as the Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency board, will discuss the city’s options during a 12:30 p.m. Wednesday meeting at City Hall. (more…)

Two firefighters arrested Tuesday on charges of growing marijuana for sale are no longer employed by the St. Lucie County Fire District.

One resigned and one was fired, according to Catherine Chaney, district spokeswoman.

Firefighter and emergency medical technician Herman Michael Gonzalez, 36, of Palm City had posted a $105,000 bond after his arrest for operating the third largest grow house to be raided in Martin County in the past 10 years. It was in a rental warehouse in the Tropical Farms area of unincorporated Martin County.

To see video inside the grow house, click here

Edward J. Nobles II, 37, of Fort Pierce, a firefighter-engineer, was arrested based on information obtained after Gonzalez’s arrest. He was found to being growing marijuana at his home. He posted $10,000 bond and was released by the St. Lucie County Jail. Investigators did not say how or if the two men are connected.

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JENSEN BEACH — The Treasure Coast Square Mall suffered significant smoke and water damage after a small fire broke out inside Santa’s Helper, Thursday morning, though the fire was quickly extinguished, a Martin County Fire Rescue spokesman said.

Just after 7 a.m., fire rescue received a call from an alarm company reporting a smoke alarm at Santa’s Helper, and about a minute later a security guard confirmed the fire, said Jon Belding, bureau chief of communications and public information officer for Martin County Fire Rescue.

The mall reopened about 10 a.m.

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