Schools to remain open Wednesday despite storms

Heavy winds from storm knock down Chase Bank sign, topple tree onto vehicle

VERO BEACH — A severe thunderstorm with powerful wind gusts knocked down a Chase Bank sign near Beachland Boulevard Wednesday. The storm also toppled a tree onto a firefighter's personal vehicle, Vero Beach police spokesperson Officer Kelsea Marty said. "No one was inside. (The vehicle) was unoccupied," Marty said. No injuries were immediately reported. Motorists driving along Beachland Boulevard were able to see the damaged Chase Bank sign laying flat on the grassy area in front of the business. The incident where the tree fell on the firefighter's vehicle happened at the fire station near the 1300 block of Old Dixie Highway, Marty said. The weather disturbance - which also dumped hail throughout other parts of Central Florida - snapped ...

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 ...

Will school board comply with DeSantis’ order on prohibiting mask mandates?

What happens if elected bodies like the Indian River County School Board don’t comply with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ executive order prohibiting them from passing mask mandates or restrictions on the unvaccinated? As already has happened elsewhere in Florida, that could become more than a hypothetical question here. Because according to School Superintendent David Moore’s “eyeball estimates” as he toured the county’s public schools last week, a significant number of the district’s students weren’t wearing masks when indoors. “I’d say 80 percent of students at the elementary schools were masked,” Moore said. “The number dropped to about 70 percent at the middle schools and 50 to 60 percent at the high schools.” He said he didn’t know how many of the ...