Vero Beach High, other athletes sign college intent

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, ...

Fighting Indians’ season opener in jeopardy after football players quarantine

Vero Beach High School is considering canceling its Sept. 11 football game at Venice High School because “a significant number” of players were quarantined after being exposed to a student who tested positive for COVID-19. Altogether 46 students at Vero Beach High were directed to quarantine for 14 days and continue their studies virtually on a computer because district health officials determined they had been in close contact with the student who tested positive, said District spokeswoman Cristen Maddux. “The planning and preparation that we have done over the past few months resulted in handling our COVID case response at VBHS and Osceola very quickly and efficiently,” Maddux said. No additional students had been identified as testing positive for COVID-19 ...

‘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. ...