Newly appointed Escape Artist breaks lose at Vero Beach Hotel & Spa

Suspect in Gifford shooting found hiding in Fort Pierce hotel

A suspect in a Gifford shooting that wounded another man earlier this week was found hiding Friday morning in a Fort Pierce hotel, deputies said. Indian River County deputies and the U.S. Marshals South Florida Fugitive Task Force detained 20-year-old Marquis Mathis. Mathis, of the 8500 block of 61st Drive, Vero Beach, was charged with attempted second-degree murder. "Great work to all of our law enforcement partners and keep those tips coming in," sheriff's officials said in a statement. Deputies issued a warrant for Mathis' arrest earlier this week. Mathis was held Friday at the Indian River County Jail without bond. Mathis was also being held on active warrants out of Pennsylvania for attempted murder, deputies said. The name of ...

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, ...

Fertilizer restrictions to go into effect next month

A reminder from the Indian River Neighborhood Association to residents of Indian River County, City of Vero Beach, Sebastian and Orchid. We are coming into our rainy season when more nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous are likely to be washed from our lawns, driveways and roads into the storm water system and, ultimately, into our local waterways such as the Indian River Lagoon. The fertilizer ordinances passed by our communities goes into effect June 1st. It prohibits the use of lawn fertilizer between June 1st and September 30th. No fertilizer containing Phosphorous is to be used anytime. All fertilizers must contain at least 50% slow release Nitrogen. Finally, no fertilizer is to be applied within 10 feet of any ...