STUART — Two Martin County Fire Rescue members were suspended without pay for two shifts, required to take sensitivity training and received disciplinary letters, for using the “N” word in an e-mail that was part of the preparations for a party, Fire Rescue Chief Thomas Billington said Monday.

“Both men have apologized profusely,” Billington said. “They had no intent to demean anyone, but it was sent over the county e-mail system and we can’t allow that.” (more…)

Tristan Allegra

PORT ST. LUCIE — Students and staff at Mariposa Elementary School remember Tristan Allegra, 8, “very kind and helpful, cool and funny,” according to a counselor who helped them cope with the third-grader’s Christmas Day death.

“Tristan was a popular kid, very well-liked,” said Robert O’Neill, a St. Lucie County School District psychologist, one of three counselors who went to the school Monday and Tuesday as classes resumed after the holiday break.

Sign Tristan’s guest book.

According to a Port St. Lucie Police Department arrest affidavit, Tristan died after his mother, Eryn Allegra, of the 2200 block of Southeast Bowie Street, smothered him in his sleep early Christmas morning in a hotel room. She is held without bond on a charge of first-degree murder.

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Tristan Allegra

STUART — An account has been set up to collect donations to help make funeral arrangements for Tristan Allegra.

People interested in donating can do so by contacting any of the four branches of Gulfstream Business Bank and citing the Tristan Allegra case.

Port St. Lucie police say eight-year-old Tristan was killed by his mother, 31-year-old Eryn Allegra, on Christmas morning. She told investigators she had been planning for months to commit suicide after she killed her only son.

An anonymous client of a Stuart-based law firm asked the office to set up the bank account late Monday afternoon.

The following are the phone numbers for the bank’s four branches:

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By JENNIFER SORENTRUE

Administrators at the elementary school that 8-year-old Tristan Allegra had attended since kindergarten said Saturday that there were no warning signs that the boy was in any danger.

Mariposa Elementary School Principal Craig Logue said Tristan was a “wonderful little boy” and a “very bright” student who had many friends and was adored by the school’s staff.

Despite his small stature, Tristan had a deep voice that set him apart from other students, Logue said.

“This is a child that meant a lot to all of us,” Logue said. “I can’t believe that I am going to walk in on (Jan.) 5th and Tristan is not going to be there. He was one of the boys I said good-bye to” before the winter break.

The third-grader was smothered to death by his mother, Eryn Allegra, as he slept in a hotel room on Christmas morning, according to Port St. Lucie police. She has been charged with first-degree murder.

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PORT ST. LUCIE — Santa likely wouldn’t approve of entering a drug deal because of a lack of Christmas cash.

But that, according to a recently released arrest affidavit, appears to be what 30-year-old Charles A. Latos did Tuesday night at a plaza at California and Savona boulevards.

Latos, of the 1000 block of Southwest John Maccormick Terrace, Port St. Lucie, reportedly got into an undercover St. Lucie County sheriff’s investigator’s vehicle where they exchanged 40 oxycodone pills for $480. After Latos counted the cash and confirmed to the investigator that all the pills were there he was arrested. (more…)

Real Radio’s The Love Doctors, Rich Dickerson and Glenn Curtis, will kick off their 15th Marathon Toy Drive today from Waldo’s Restaurant at the historic Driftwood Resort in Vero Beach and end Thursday at 88 Keys Piano & Tiki Bar in Palm Beach Gardens.

Joined by co-host Lexxus and producer Luke, the Love Docs will take calls nonstop at each location for 12 hours on WZZR 94.3 FM and WCZR 101.7 FM. They’re also streamed live at www.wzzr.com. (more…)

For those people shopping for Christmas trees after Thanksgiving, the St. Lucie County Extension Office would like to share a few simple procedures to help make the selection of the perfect Christmas tree a little easier.

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For the next two weeks, students at Fort Pierce Central High School will be collecting items for care packages to send to U.S. military troops overseas.

What they’re looking for: hygiene products, t-shirts, socks and non-perishable items.

Working together on the project are students participating in the Corps, HOSA, Student Government and the Criminal Justice program, according to a news release from the Fort Pierce police department.

People can drop off donations up to Dec. 5 at the following locations in Fort Pierce:

Fort Pierce Central High School, 1101 Edwards Road

Fort Pierce Police Department, 920 S. U.S. 1

International Long Shore main office, 503 North 7th Street