A Family Christmas in Downtown scheduled for Nov. 27

Low beach attendance for January; no water rescues

VERO BEACH — While chilly temperatures caused a drop in beach attendance last month, lifeguards are happy to report that there were no water rescues that occurred in January. "It's a great thing," Vero Beach Lifeguard Association officials said in a statement. "We hope people are paying attention to lifeguards and condition signs before they go into the water." The Vero Beach Lifeguard Association recently released its monthly report for the beaches at Jaycee Park, Humiston Park and South Beach Park. Lifeguards said about 54,105 beachgoers flocked to the shore in January. The highest beach-attendance record of 65,700 was set in 2019 for Vero Beach, lifeguards said. The record low for beach attendance was set in 2016 with 36,000 people, ...

Santa visits students at GYAC

GIFFORD — In the days leading up to Christmas, the jolly Saint Nicholas cleared up his busy schedule of gift giving to make sure students at a youth center received presents on their wish list. Saint Nicholas, better known as Santa Claus, visited youth last Thursday afternoon at Gifford Youth Achievement Center. The man in the traditional red and white outfit with a white beard was GYAC staff member Lebon Nicholas, happily providing each student with a gift. The students sung Christmas carols inside the gymnasium and the youth orchestra performed classic holiday tunes. The orchestra did a combined performance as well as solo performances, staff members said. The GYAC, a center that offers an after school program focused on ...

‘No swimming’ advisory lifted for beaches, officials say

VERO BEACH — Authorities lifted a 'no swimming' advisory for three local beaches Tuesday after test samples showed that bacteria returned to normal levels, health department and city officials said. The result means it was safe to return to the water Tuesday, Vero Beach city officials said. The advisory - which was in place for nearly a week - was issued Jan. 31 for South Beach, Humiston Beach and Sexton Plaza Beach after high levels of fecal-related bacteria were reported at the locations. Environmental specialists with the Florida Department of Health in Indian River County collected water samples at the beaches Monday and on Jan. 28. The more recent collection of samples - tested at the Flowers Chemical Laboratory in Port St. ...