“Dyer Difference” Award presented to 4-H Club

County announces beach closures ahead of beach restoration project

At least two beaches will be closed starting this weekend ahead of the beach restoration project, which will start back up next week, county officials said. The project aims to restore sand - which had been washed away by storms and hurricanes over the years - at the beaches. Beach park access at Seagrape Trail Beach Access and Treasure Shores Park Beach will both close starting Friday, county officials said. Seagrape Trail Beach is located south of Wabasso Beach, off Highway A1A. Treasure Shores Park Beach is located north of Wabasso Beach. Construction at Treasure Shores Park Beach - which will start Nov. 1 - was expected to last for 45 days. Crews will finish dumping 30,000 cubic yards of ...

Noted South Florida landscape architect designs native plant garden at county administration complex

A noted South Florida landscape architectural firm has teamed up with Pelican Island Audubon Society and Indian River County to design a native plant garden that will be installed at the entrance to the main county administration building. Approved unanimously by the county commission last week, the garden is intended “to provide a striking visual example of the ecological and aesthetic value of native plants,” according to Stephanie Dunn, an architect with Cadence Landscape Architects, which is known for high-profile projects in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, including Tarpon Landing, FATVillage Arts District and URBIN Retreat Miami Beach. “There are 21 native species of plants included within the 1,125-square-foot garden. They were carefully chosen for their ecological benefits, such as providing ...

Community Development Department closes in-person services

The Community Development Department closed in-person services Monday as county officials implement more health precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Officials plan to add more physical barriers to the front counters inside the building, which already has temperature scanners installed. County employees and those who visit county facilities are already required to wear masks inside. County Administrator Jason Brown was not immediately available to confirm reports that six employees in the Community Development Department tested positive for the virus. Further details on the employees were not available. The Community Development Department includes current development, code enforcement, long range planning and fire safety divisions. The physical offices will be closed to the public possibly for a week, but residents can ...