When “America’s Most Wanted” interviewed Jupiter Police Detective Jason Vansteenburgh Friday morning, the highly rated show was interested in the town of Jupiter and in the manhunt for Paul Merhige, accused of gunning down four members of his family on Thanksgiving night.

“Homicide is very rare in Jupiter,” said Vansteenburgh, who is the city’s police liaison with the U.S. Marshals’ Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force. “Also, we have had a manhunt for Merhige since Thanksgiving night, and are working both internationally and nationally to find him.”

“America’s Most Wanted” is expected to lead its telecast Saturday night at 9 p.m. on Fox with the Thanksgiving Day murders, and plans to air the in-depth story they are now developing on Dec. 26, according to Jupiter police.
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STUART — Famed Stuart Attorney Willie Gary this afternoon teamed up with the Big Heart Brigade to provide Thanksgiving dinner to local needy families.

Gary and his sons delivered the turkeys, stuffing, canned goods and other holiday food items to families in the Rio, East Stuart and Port Salerno areas.

“You’d be amazed at how something so little makes such a big difference to these families,” Gary said. “We can’t forget that especially now, in this country, in this economy, we’re all in this together. Those of us who can help should.” (more…)

FORT PIERCE - A stolen gun, an 18-pack of beer and a little hanging out with his best friend in Port St. Lucie ended up costing 16-year-old Scott Thomas Jr. his life nearly two years ago.

This afternoon a judge ruled that 19-year-old Dustin Williams’ hands on the trigger of that gun will cost him 18 years of his life.

Williams was convicted on manslaughter and grand theft charges this summer in connection with Thomas’ death in the early morning hours on the day after Thanksgiving 2006.

Williams, who was 17 at the time, shot his best friend with a gun that had been stolen from the marked patrol car of a Martin County sheriff’s deputy, one of his neighbors.

Before Judge Larry Schack sentenced him, Williams asked for leniency.
“I never meant to hurt Scotty,” he told the judge. “He was my best friend, and he was like a brother to me.”

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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

PORT ST. LUCIE — A local doctor is making sure there’ll be plenty of turkey at the 19th annual Thanksgiving Day Community Feast.

Dr. Shamsher Singh, a dermatologist with a practice near the St. Lucie Medical Center, has agreed to buy the remaining 147 birds of the 700 turkeys needed for the event, which is expected to feed about 2,000 people at the feast site — Orange Avenue and Ninth Street in downtown Fort Pierce — and about 6,000 more with meals delivered throughout St. Lucie County.

Stacy Malinowski, program director for Fort Pierce-based Mustard Seed Ministries, the lead organization for the feast, said the 147 turkeys will cost about $1,500. (more…)

STUART— Genesis is at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Revelation is scheduled, for now at least, for noon Sunday.

But at all points between the two, organizers of Martin County’s 8th Annual Bible-Reading Marathon are inviting people of all ages to sign up for 15-minute sessions as part of a group effort to read the Good Book from start to finish.

This year’s marathon will be held at Memorial Park’s band shell on Ocean Blvd. (more…)

STUART — Mrs. Florida 2008 and a local law firm plan to give away turkeys and canned goods to families in need this Thanksgiving. (more…)