NORTH PALM BEACH — Two manatees rescued from a Vero Beach canal five weeks ago will return to natural waters Tuesday, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials said.

The female sea cow and its calf were had cold stress and were pulled from the canal at the corner of Golfview and Calcutta drives on Jan. 22. The pair was taken to Sea World and nursed back to health, FWC officials said.

Tuesday’s release will be at 10 a.m. at Anchorage Park in North Palm Beach, FWC said. A third manatee, which had been entangled in Brevard County and rescued, will be released at the park as well Tuesday, FWC said.

By Lamaur Stancil

SEBASTIAN INLET — A commercial fisherman pulled three people out of a sinking charter boat and aided its captain in preventing the ship for sinking on New Year’s Day.

“It was my good deed for the year,” said Al Tyrrell, 86, of Fort Pierce. “I was just thankful I could be there to help.”

Tyrrell said he was 10 miles east of the Sebastian Inlet State Park about 3:30 p.m. Friday when he was alerted by the captain of the party boat Rogue Wave, which docks at Capt. Hiram’s Resort in Sebastian. Tyrrell said the Rogue Wave was sinking and the captain wanted him to take his three passengers aboard.
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ST. LUCIE COUNTY — A 32-year-old man swept into the channel while swimming in the Fort Pierce Inlet Tuesday afternoon was pronounced dead less than two hours later, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Lataurus Conley was boating near the Fort Pierce Inlet about 1 p.m. Tuesday and was swimming with friends in the inlet, DEP public information officer Amy Graham said in an e-mail. The outgoing tide swept Conley into the channel, and a fisherman helped in rescuing Conley. (more…)

STUART — Lisa Stukel was working at the Pelican Café downtown Monday afternoon when she learned of a visitor in need.

While Stukel, 25, of Port St. Lucie, was on-duty as a cook at the cafe, a manatee ensnared in something swam close to the restaurant dock and got stuck between the dock and a column of the Roosevelt Bridge. (more…)

FORT PIERCE — A man stabbed several times was taken to a local provisional trauma center early Tuesday, though his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, a St. Lucie County Fire District spokeswoman said. (more…)

PORT ST. LUCIE — Police investigators have been out early this morning at the intersection where a hit-and-run driver struck a 14-year-old boy Monday morning near his bus stop.

The investigators have been asking other students if they saw anything that could locate the driver of the vehicle.

The incident sent the boy to St. Mary’s Medical Center with a fractured pelvis, bruised spleen and punctured lung, though he is expected to make a full recovery, officials said.
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