Read Judge Kanarek’s ruling ousting Charlie Wilson

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. ...

Trial date set in Vero election controversy

Photo by Denise Ritchie VERO BEACH - The question over whether disqualified Vero Beach candidate Linda Hillman should have been on this past Tuesday’s ballot will drag on at least five weeks longer. Since Hillman’s $25,000 bond was posted and accepted by the Clerk of the Court on Tuesday, a trial in the elections challenge case was set Friday for Dec. 17 before Judge Paul Kanarek, with Dec. 18 reserved if needed. The bond money represents the cost of a special election. Hillman sued the Vero Beach Canvassing Board after she felt she was wrongly disqualified as a candidate due to a blank signature form in her qualifying packet. Until a ruling in the trial, the temporary injunction ordered by ...