John D. DiMarco, 57, 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, ...

‘Hidden in plain sight’- Estimated $1 to $1.5 mil made in IRC human trafficking cases

Photo by Kaila Jones  INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The faces of 45 "Johns," or men flashed on a screen, each arrested in a human trafficking sting at massage parlors that authorities believe profited between $1 to $1.5 million in business each year. Vero Beach Police Chief David Currey said during a Thursday afternoon news conference that the victims were "recruited and threatened." "We won't tolerate it," Currey said. Undercover police audio and video revealed more than 140 sex acts were performed by nine different women employees at one of the Vero parlors, East Spa, between November 2018 and January, reports show. Currey said there was very little protection used during the sex acts at the spas. With more arrests expected by ...

‘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. ...