EATS: A chef’s worst nightmare – fuzzy muffins

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. ...

Osceola Magnet now fully open and mold-free

VERO BEACH — The last part of a school that underwent mold remediation is now mold-free and ready to be used. The School District of Indian River County got the mold and air quality tests for the 700 wing of Osceola Magnet School on Monday, which had satisfactory results. Teachers with classrooms in the wing moved back into their classrooms that evening, school district officials said. The 700 wing was the last wing with a mold inspection to reopen at the school. Two other wings, 600 and 800, also reopened after receiving satisfactory mold and air quality tests. The professional companies that performed the mold remediation and air quality tests were EE&G, Mr. Restore and AIRMD. The official testing results for ...