Mary Ann Wildman, Vero Beach

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, ...

‘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. ...

Mom ‘not giving up’ after losing everything in Vero house fire

VERO BEACH — It seemed like forever. Vero Beach mother Sabby Hightower had just gotten out of the shower, watching in horror as flames burst forward from her garage, forcing her, her four kids and her own mother to frantically run to safety. The Nov. 3 blaze destroyed the home, but the family escaped unharmed. "I'm not giving up," said Hightower, a single mother who was recently widowed. "I do not want my kids to ever give up on life." The community is now coming together to help Hightower and her family. It is a story of resilience as Hightower lost her father and husband in recent years, and then watched her home erupt in flames nearly two weeks ago. The ...