August 24, 2024 Weekly Newsletter
August 20 Primary Results:Congratulations to Our Winnersand Thank You to Our Voters!
The results are in for the August 20 primary, and we're excited to share the winners in our local races. These individuals have earned the trust and support of our community, and we congratulate them on their victories.
County Commission Races:
District 1: Susan Adams
District 3: Joe Earman
District 5: Laura Moss
School Board Races:
District 3: Peggy Jones
District 5: David Dyer
Sheriff's Race:
Eric Flowers
To see all the election results for Indian River County, visit this page.
IRNA extends our heartfelt congratulations to all who won on Tuesday. Your hard work and dedication to our community have been recognized, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact you'll continue to make.
To those who ran but did not win, we offer our sincere gratitude. Running for office is no small task, and your commitment to improving our community is deeply appreciated. Your efforts have sparked important conversations, and we encourage you to continue your work in making our county a better place for all.
We extend a special thank you to everyone who took the time to vote. Your participation is the cornerstone of our democracy, ensuring that our government truly reflects the will of the people. While the statewide voter turnout for this primary was only 19%, here in Indian River County, we saw a higher turnout at 34%. Historically, turnout in August primaries during Presidential Election years in our county has hovered around 30%. This year’s increase is likely due to the competitive races, and it serves as a reminder of the strength of our collective voice when we come together.
As we move forward, let's keep the momentum going. The general election is just around the corner, and it's important to stay engaged. Every vote counts, and together, we can shape the future of our community.
We'll be taking a break from our weekly newsletter next week, August 31, 2024. We'll be back with fresh updates in September!
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Florida State Parks are under attack
At the Indian River Neighborhood Association, we have always stood firmly for the protection and preservation of our natural environment. This commitment is being tested as we face an unprecedented challenge to Florida’s state parks—an assault on lands designated for conservation that could irreparably harm our environment and undermine the very principles of conservation.
What’s at Stake?
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) recently unveiled a proposal under the “Great Outdoors Initiative” that would open up nine of our treasured state parks to large-scale developments, including golf courses, lodges, and other commercial amenities. These developments would require extensive clearing of natural habitats, fundamentally altering the character of these protected areas and jeopardizing the delicate balance of our ecosystems.
Among the parks at risk are Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County, Anastasia State Park in St. Johns County, and Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Walton County. These parks, like many others across the state, serve as sanctuaries for wildlife and provide Floridians with opportunities for passive recreation—hiking, birdwatching, and camping—without disrupting the natural landscape. These are not appropriate places for golf courses or expansive lodges. While accommodations may be necessary for visitors, any such development should occur on privately-owned land adjacent to these parks, allowing the conservation areas themselves to remain undisturbed and true to their intended purpose.
This proposal has sparked rare bipartisan opposition. Political leaders from both sides of the aisle, including Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, have voiced their concerns alongside environmental groups. The opposition highlights the widespread agreement that our state parks should remain dedicated to their original purpose: conserving Florida’s natural beauty and providing a refuge for wildlife and people alike.
Why This Matters
The impact of these developments would be felt for generations to come. Once these lands are cleared, what is lost cannot be easily replaced, if at all. The notion that conservation lands can be repurposed for economic gain reflects a backward-looking misunderstanding of their true purpose. We must recognize that some spaces should remain untouched, cherished for their intrinsic value rather than exploited for revenue.
Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration has defended the initiative, stating that the proposals are based on public input and that final decisions will be made after a public comment and review period. However, the speed at which this plan is being pushed forward, with simultaneous public meetings across the state (delayed late yesterday due to grassroots pressure), raises concerns about the level of genuine public engagement. This fast-tracking risks sidelining the voices of those who care deeply about our state parks.
What Can We Do?
We must act now to protect these irreplaceable lands. Here’s how you can help:
Contact Your Elected Officials: Call Governor DeSantis at (850) 717-9337 and DEP Secretary Shawn Hamilton at (850) 245-2118. Let them know that Florida’s state parks should remain protected and free from commercial development. You can email them at GovernorRon.DeSantis@eog.myflorida.com and shawn.hamilton@floridadep.gov. If you are sending an email, you may also want to send it these addresses to make your voice better heard. Also, reach out to our legislators with the below information.
Spread the Word: Encourage your friends, family, and neighbors to join us in protecting Florida’s state parks. These lands belong to all of us, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure they remain conserved for future generations.
Conclusion
At the IRNA, we believe that conservation lands should stay conservation lands. This isn’t just about protecting our environment today—it’s about safeguarding our natural legacy for the future. Thank you for your continued commitment to protecting Florida’s natural environment.
Legislature Contact Information:
Sen. Erin Grall
Phone: 850-487-5025
Email: Grall.Erin.Web@flsenate.gov
Address: 3209 Virginia Avenue, Suite A149, Fort Pierce, FL 34981
Rep. Robbie Brackett
Phone: 772-778-5005
Address: Suite B2-203, 1801 27th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960
Sheriff, school, commission races: Key Indian River County takeaways (TCPalm) - Indian River County's primary election showed that local voters favored maintaining the status quo, with incumbents winning key races despite aggressive negative campaigning and significant financial backing for challengers.
Recap in photos: Primary Election Day excitement (Vero News) - Check out some fun pictures from around the county on election day!
Computers crash at voting centers in Indian River County, St. Lucie County (TCPalm) - The Supervisor of Elections websites in St. Lucie and Indian River counties experienced significant slowdowns and outages on primary election night due to system stress, prompting officials to switch to manual methods for sharing results while Martin County's system remained unaffected.
Local lakes: 5 Treasure Coast lakes to visit, kayak or fish (TCPalm) - The Treasure Coast offers beautiful freshwater lakes for outdoor activities, including Blue Cypress Lake, McCarty Ranch Preserve, Lake Okeechobee, Headwaters Lake/Stick Marsh, and Lake Eden, each ideal for fishing, kayaking, and nature exploration.
Disabled car struck by Brightline train, no injuries reported, SLC Sheriff's Office says (TCPalm) - A Brightline train struck a disabled car on railroad tracks in St. Lucie County near Torpey Road and North Old Dixie Highway, but no injuries were reported.
Daylight savings 2024. Can Sunshine Protection Act: make it permanent (TCPalm) - Florida continues to push for making daylight saving time permanent, but this change requires congressional approval, which has not been granted, while permanent standard time can be enacted by state law without federal intervention.
Florida native Carl Hiaasen has written about his beloved state in a series of bestselling comedic novels that target the darkness which can cloud the Sunshine State. "60 Minutes' correspondent Lesley Stahl talks with Hiaasen about his love affair with Florida; and visits the Florida Keys location of "Bad Monkey," a new Apple TV+ series adapted from Hiaasen's 2013 bestseller about a failed detective, murder, and a misbehaving monkey.
A condo crisis is brewing in Florida. Lawmakers won’t take action soon. (Tampa Bay Times) - Florida lawmakers are unlikely to address the looming condominium crisis before March, leaving many condo owners facing potentially unaffordable repair costs due to new safety laws enacted after the Champlain Towers collapse.
Proposal for EAA Reservoir STA will not reduce harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges (Friends of the Everglades) - The A-2 Stormwater Treatment Area, intended to help reduce harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges, is at risk of being repurposed to treat agricultural runoff, particularly from sugarcane fields, instead of fulfilling its original environmental goals of sending more clean water to the Everglades.
Ag Commissioner Wilton Simpson wants to sell off lots of Florida preserve land (Florida Phoenix) - Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson's proposal to sell off state-preserved lands for farming, reminiscent of a failed attempt a decade ago, raises concerns about undermining conservation efforts and potentially damaging the state's environmental preservation programs.
Climate change is messing with city sewers — and the solutions are messier (Grist) - As climate change exacerbates flooding in East Coast cities like Boston and New York, outdated combined sewer systems are increasingly overwhelmed, leading to costly and complex efforts to either separate stormwater from sewage or develop new green infrastructure to manage excess water.
Here's how much land could be freed up if Americans ate half as much meat (Grist) - Reducing U.S. meat consumption by half could free up 47.3 million acres of cropland, which could then be repurposed for carbon sequestration and biodiversity restoration, while also highlighting the need for sustainable practices and economic adjustments for farmers.
Your guide to a disaster-prone election year (Grist) - Disasters such as hurricanes and wildfires can severely disrupt the voting process, making it challenging for affected communities to access polling places or vote by mail, while also complicating efforts to hold officials accountable for disaster response and recovery.
In a recent episode of the One Lagoon, One Voice podcast, Kathy Hill hosted Judy Orcutt of the Clean Water Coalition and Matt Mitts, Vero Beach’s Public Works Director, to discuss the innovative program helping families transition from septic to sewer systems in Vero Beach. The program, a collaborative effort between the city and community groups, aims to reduce pollution in the Indian River Lagoon by offering financial assistance to homeowners who may have trouble paying for their conversion.
Judy Orcutt highlights the Clean Water Coalition’s advocacy and fundraising efforts, ensuring families struggling with basic needs can afford the transition. Matt Mitts outlined the city's broader environmental initiatives, emphasizing the importance of public-private partnerships in achieving sustainable outcomes.
This program is a model for other communities, showcasing how collaboration can address environmental challenges effectively. Listen to the full discussion here.
Some of Arizona’s Most Valuable Water Could Soon Hit the Market (Inside Climate News) - The Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) in Arizona have gained the authority to lease their significant water rights to areas beyond their reservation, opening up opportunities for much-needed water in the arid state, while also providing CRIT with potential revenue to improve their irrigation infrastructure and support sustainable farming practices.
Millions of Years for Plants to Recover from Global Warming (Environmental News Network) - Catastrophic volcanic eruptions millions of years ago caused rapid climate warming, leading to mass extinctions and disrupting carbon-climate regulation systems, which took millions of years for plant ecosystems to recover and stabilize.
After $615 Million and 16 Months of Tunneling, Alexandria, Virginia, Is Close to Fixing Its Sewage Overflow Problem (Inside Climate News) - After 16 months and $615 million, Alexandria, Virginia, is nearing completion of a major project to prevent sewage overflows into the Potomac River, involving a 2.2-mile tunnel designed to handle increasing storm intensity due to climate change.
How can you tell if soil is healthy? Just listen to it. (Grist) - Scientists are using ecoacoustics, the study of environmental sounds, to assess soil health by listening to the diverse noises made by underground organisms, revealing that richer soundscapes indicate healthier soils, while quieter soils suggest degradation, with potential applications for monitoring and even accelerating soil restoration efforts.
Environmental Case for Vertical Farming Stacks Up – According to New Study (Environmental News Network) - A new study suggests that growing lettuce in vertical farms using stacked shelves can be as environmentally friendly as traditional farming, potentially saving 8,000 hectares of land in the UK, although the environmental impact heavily depends on how the electricity used is generated.
Humans know very little about the deep sea. That may not stop us from mining it. (Grist) - Despite the significant ecological risks associated with deep-sea mining, including the disruption of sediment and potential harm to poorly understood ecosystems, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) continues to deliberate on whether to allow commercial extraction of polymetallic nodules, with a recent leadership change signaling possible shifts in how these decisions will be managed.
Want your voice to be heard? Use this link to easily contact elected officials—from your city council to the President. Your voice can make a real impact. While the IRNA may occasionally prompt you to contact specific officials about urgent issues, we keep this list handy for your convenience. Can't find who you're looking for? Just let us know; we're here to help connect you with the right people.
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