Woman, 92, seriously hurt in early Friday crash

‘This is our home’ – Protest demands fair treatment for undocumented immigrants

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Two days after a joint operation netted eight traffic arrests and the detainment of dozens of others, residents gathered to protest what they say is unfair treatment from law enforcement officers along with racial profiling of undocumented immigrants. The demonstration - deemed "Fight For Our Families" - aims to counter the narrative of classifying anyone without documentation as "criminals." "This is our home. I live here. I have a mortgage here," said event co-organizer Azucena Maldonado, 46, a longtime Vero Beach resident whose roots originate in Mexico. "There is no reason for people to be afraid of us or the language we speak." Capt. Joe Abollo, a spokesperson for the Indian River County Sheriff's Office, said ...

Man on railroad tracks struck by Brightline at 8th Street crossing

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A 30-year-old man was critically injured after he walked along the railroad tracks and was struck by a Brightline train at the Eighth Street railroad crossing, deputies said. "The (crossing) arms were down," said Lt. Kevin Jaworski, a spokesperson for the Indian River County Sheriff's Office. The incident happened about 6 p.m. Sunday at the crossing at Eighth Street between U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway, Jaworski said. The crash happened south of the Vero Beach city limits. Jaworski said the man was flown to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce. Deputies closed Eighth Street for about 30 minutes. "Deputies and railroad officials are on scene working to determine the cause of the crash," Jaworski ...

County upholds Hallstrom family legacy with Farmstead Conservation Area

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Axel Hallstrom, a Swedish botanist, meticulously cultivated fruits including pineapples, along with vegetables at his 100-acre farmstead more than a century ago. On this historic land - located adjacent to the Hallstrom House - grows a variety of native plants including sand pine scrubs, scrub oaks, live oaks, scrub hickory, dune sunflowers and saw palmettos. Now, residents can visit the property, known as the Hallstrom Farmstead Conservation Area, to enjoy walking trails, host events at picnic pavilions, utilize an outdoor classroom and take in the sights at the wetland boardwalk. The nature preserve, along with the Hallstrom House which now operates as a museum, gives history lovers a double dose of life and culture dating back ...