(CBS12) — Martin County Fire Rescue (MCFR) is monitoring a brush fire in Palm City The fire is near Busch Street and 84th Avenue crews say the fire is estimated to be about 90% contained at about 40 acres Fire crews say the call about the fire came in a little after 5:30 p.m Firefighters say at this time there is one brush truck and one tender one scene to help forestry crews with any remaining efforts Forestry has also requested for two brush trucks and and tender to return to the area of the fire on Wednesday for continued support MCFR says here is no threat to any homes or structures The fire department said it will keep the community updated The drive-thru restaurants are planned to open in the Martin Downs Village Center in spring or summer 2026 the planning and landscape architectural firm working on behalf of the applicant The next steps include requesting a building permit so construction can start on the 2,325-square-foot Chipotle and 2,353-square-foot Wendy's The Treasure Coast already has six Chipotle and 16 Wendy's locations Wendy's is expanding its international footprint by opening 1,000 new restaurants by 2028, the company announced during its 2025 Investor Day presentation in March. New dining: 14 restaurants in the Heart of Tradition in Port St. Lucie The addresses for the new Chipotle and Wendy's are not available yet Gianna Montesano is TCPalm’s trending reporter. You can contact her at gianna.montesano@tcpalm.com, 772-409-1429, or follow her on Twitter @gonthescene is set to unveil its newest project on Monday The project is a 15-acre animal sanctuary designed to serve as a national model for compassionate care and emergency response The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place on Monday marking the official opening of the transformative rescue center will lead the ceremony and provide an overview of the sanctuary's mission and impact Among the sanctuary’s groundbreaking programs is the first-ever residential Pups4Patriots Service Dog Training initiative The program pairs highly trained service dogs with veterans coping with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries continuing the legacy of the Lois Pope Center for Military Affairs The facility will also serve as a national hub for Disaster Response and Animal Rescue Training preparing volunteers and first responders for deployment in the wake of hurricanes effective aid for animals in distress when they need it most Future expansions to the sanctuary include a multispecies barn all designed to accommodate and treat a variety of animals in need A standout feature is the Betty White Healing Garden a peaceful space honoring the late actress and animal welfare champion White had a 70-year relationship with American Humane serving as a board member and vocal supporter of the organization’s No Animals Were Harmed program For more information about American Humane and its animal sanctuary, click here Palm City was created in 1912 when George Beckwith sold 12,133 acres of land to the Charles C It is also home to the Martin Downs Golf Club, a former PGA and US Tour qualifiers course, and offers schools ranked among the top 25% of the nation Spokesperson for the Florida Forest Service David Grubich said the cause of the fire was lightning it traveled across 84th Street Road and created what's called a spot fire in the wooden area of the Cobblestone Community The Martin County Fire Rescue (MCFR) said that on Friday morning a new team of firefighters took over overnight duties as they continued to monitor potential hotspots from Thursday’s large brush fire in the area of 78th Avenue and the Stuart West & Cobblestone community See also: Martin County brush fire spans over 150 acres, spurs evacuations 20 homes in the Stuart West Cobblestone Community and 12 homes near Gator Trail were evacuated on Thursday afternoon according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office a brush truck will remain on-site throughout the day staffed and ready to respond to any emerging issues Find more ways to stay up to date with your latest local news. Sign up for our newsletter to get the day's top headlines delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the biggest stories and can't miss video — Anne Welsh is growing many things in her yard in Palm City It’s growing right beyond Welsh’s fence on Mapp Road WATCH: 'The roads are just not handling the traffic,' resident tells WPTV's Tyler Hatfield “We had all of this was all woods here and now it's developing all around us,” said Welsh The growing Welsh sees is the result of the $6.7 million Mapp Road Town Center Project that is part of the larger community redevelopment area plan for Old Palm City “People were not coming here to put a business or to live and work,” said Susan Kores director of Martin County Community Redevelopment Agency Kores said one of the things they wanted to do was grow Mapp Road creating a "Complete Street." Kores said they added larger sidewalks They also added a new outdoor space and patio for residents “What happens is people also want to put their business here because now people are walking by,” said Kores Kores said it’s working and told WPTV 20 new small businesses set up shop since 2021 The Old Palm City CRA Plan wants to make improvements on Cornell Avenue and at Charlie Leighton Park it’s starting to outgrow the infrastructure,” said Wapner “The roads are just not handling the traffic.” STUART — It's the finale of a more than decade-long saga to bring Costco to the Treasure Coast For eager card-holding members, the Costco Wholesale store opening here means cost savings as huge as its bulk-packaged paper towels "It's been a bit of a roller coaster, but I'm glad they are here," Bryan Johnson, creator of "Martin County Welcomes Costco to Stuart" Facebook page, told TCPalm columnist Blake Fontenay the 156,438-square-foot big-box giant symbolizes urban encroachment overtaking the city's small-town charm "We did everything we possibly could to try to limit the negative impact to this community," Robin Cartwright, a resident who unsuccessfully filed a state challenge against the Costco development, told TCPalm in 2023 Treasure Coast's first Costco has had a polarizing history The Stuart location was not Costco's first attempt to build in Martin County Developers affiliated with Costco Wholesale Corp submitted preliminary plans in February 2014 to build a 153,041-square-foot store on Martin Highway between Florida’s Turnpike and Southwest High Meadow Avenue in Palm City Residents were concerned about traffic and wetland habitats "The first shot has been fired in what might be the next great development battle in Martin County," The Stuart News reported March 2014 The company settled on a 27.6-acre site and submitted a formal application to the county October 2015 Palm City residents said they weren't against a Costco store opening in the county — just not at that location Costco submitted a revised application in April 2016 after the county said the company’s initial application failed to meet numerous local requirements Then county rejected the revised application July 2016 After four failed attempts to pass the county's review process. Costco, ultimately, withdrew its application in September 2017 Costco representative Ernie Annibale told TCPalm the company was eyeing two alternative sites When the Palm City plan fell through, Port St. Lucie Mayor Greg Oravec made an unsuccessful pitch on YouTube to reel Costco in to St "(We) would like to welcome you to our incredible city," Oravec said in his video pitch "I think we can work out a deal where you can have a premier site in the Southern Grove portion of Tradition for a purchase price of zero dollars selected its current location at 3173 South Kanner Highway After an eight hour meeting on Aug. 9, 2021, the Stuart City Commission unanimously approved 49-acre Costco development a prominent vocal critic of the development was almost escorted by police out of the City Commission meeting after she exceeded the time limit for public comment Cartwright submitted a legal challenge September 2021 specifically against the land-use designation approved by the city The property had been designated for low-density residential use by Martin County before it was annexed into the city in 2016 and 2017 Countdown to Costco: Expect stampede of 'Costco crazies' soon after Stuart store opens | Opinion Countdown to Costco: New Costco store in Stuart may mean inflation, grocery price increases Judge Francine Ffolkes, of the state Division of Administrative Hearings, ruled April 2022 in Cartwright's favor finding the city failed to show "there would be sufficient infrastructure and service capacity" to support the land use The city appealed this decision to the state Administration Commission — comprised of Gov Attorney General Ashley Moody and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis The commission ruled in favor of the development March 2023 finding the land use was "supported by relevant and appropriate data and analysis." I don’t think people realize how big 50 acres is until it’s cleared,” Cartwright said Cartwright appealed the state order to the Fourth District Court of Appeal, but withdrew her appeal June 2023 "It's been very emotional," Cartwright said Costco opened its members-only gas station March 25 marking the development's first completed component Jack Randall is TCPalm’s economy and real estate reporter You can reach him at jack.randall@tcpalm.com or 904-466-4755 by Luli Ortiz Fla (CBS12) — A rural community in Palm City has been left shaken after a series of brush fires burned dangerously close to their homes The recent fires have spotlighted the lack of a nearby fire station—a critical issue that has many homeowners questioning their safety Stuart West and Cobblestone residents report that current response times from Martin County Fire Rescue stretch to about 20 minutes raising concerns about potential delays during emergencies a fire in a home can destroy it,” Cornelius Pameijer a local resident and Stuart West HOA member told CBS12 News on Friday and we need it for medical emergencies,” another resident brush fires burned more than 150 acres near their homes have been particularly alarming for the hundreds of residents living in the community which is surrounded by nature preserves and wooded areas that heighten the risk during dry conditions The community has taken matters into their own hands with neighbors using garden hoses to extinguish embers “We have one resident here that has a truck in his driveway on standby They insist that such measures are no substitute for proper fire protections residents noted that a company building a nearby industrial park is reportedly willing to donate land for a new fire station the estimated cost of building the new fire station potentially running into millions of dollars The community plans to voice their concerns at the upcoming county commissioners' meeting on Tuesday The Martin County Fire Rescue chief is expected to present the department's Capital Improvement Plan for the next fiscal year A potential fire station in the area is included in the plan according to a spokesperson with Martin County Fire Rescue “We contribute a lot of tax money to Martin County and I think they ought to seriously look at our needs,” said Pameijer MARTIN COUNTY — An overturned boat in the northbound lanes on Florida's Turnpike in Palm City the afternoon of April 23 caused traffic delays A boat trailer carrying a new boat overturned and was blocking the northbound lanes of the turnpike near the St The northbound traffic is being detoured to the Palm City exit and drivers should expect the northbound lanes to remain closed until 8 p.m Rescue crews responded to the crash at 3:54 p.m. according to the Florida Highway Patrol's live traffic feed Hobe Sound: Detectives investigating fatal shooting evening of April 17 Martin County: Boynton Beach man faces charges related to vehicle burglaries Olivia Franklin is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Olivia on X @Livvvvv_5 or reach her by phone at 317-627-8048 MARTIN COUNTY — Wildfires that burned almost 48 acres in Palm City began with a lightning bolt a Florida Forest Service official said Thursday Martin County Fire Rescue and state Forest Service crews worked April 15-16 to fully contain three brush fires that charred wilderness areas in Palm City There was never a threat to any homes or structures started when lightning struck dried debris was a spot fire that ignited outside the larger fire from flying embers or sparks These embers are carried by wind and land in dry areas starting new fires at a distance from the original fire Fire rescue crews responded to the fires just after 5:30 p.m Both agencies returned the next morning to continue containing the fires All three fires were fully contained by late afternoon April 16 The fires were in the same area as two brush fires the Florida Forest Service and Martin County Fire Rescue battled on March 27 that burned roughly 150 acres Martin County: Port St. Lucie man and Fort Pierce woman face charges related to copper theft What's the name of the new restaurant in Palm City?TapasTerra grills and charcuterie for lunch and dinner Breakfast will be added after the grand opening in about two weeks All things food: Roundups of the latest reviews, inspections, new and best restaurants and previously owned restaurants in Buenos Aires He previously owned Port Barna in the Treasure Coast Square mall in Jensen Beach, but sold his interests in that restaurant about a year ago. His Mediterranean menu there channeled Greek, Moroccan, French, Italian and Spanish influences, according to a TCPalm restaurant review paellas and an Argentine grill in what he describes as "Mexiterranean" fusion combining all the richness of Mexican cuisine with all the healthiness of Mediterranean cuisine What's on the TapasTerra menu?The current menu which is a soft opening menu that will change after the grand opening but the kitchen could close early on slow nights 772-888-3153, website, Facebook Cheryl Smith is TCPalm's entertainment editor PALM CITY — Lightning caused the "Gator Fire" that swept across more than 188 acres of Martin County this week when Martin County Fire Rescue firefighters responded to the 7200 block of Southwest Gator Trail where about 3 acres of brush was burning at the time caused a second fire off Southwest 84th Avenue Florida Forest Service spokesman David Grubich said in a statement "We call it a spot fire because it originated from the original fire and then became a separate fire," Grubich said The fires were considered to be 100 percent contained as of Friday Martin County Fire Rescue and the Florida Forest Service worked together to battle the brush fires No houses were burned and no injuries were reported Two brush fires that burned 150 acres Thursday prompted home evacuations in Palm City Martin County Fire Rescue crews work overnight to contain brush fires Staff writer Olivia Franklin contributed to this report Colleen Wixon is the education reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers She covers school districts in Indian River battled what turned out to be three brush fires in the same area of Palm City April 15-16 according to Fire Rescue and Florida Forest Service officials Database: Track latest Florida wildfires, red flag warnings Light smoke was visible April 16 on Southwest 84th Avenue as Florida Forest Service crews worked to contain the fire which was at 90% contained much of the day It was fully contained in the late afternoon Florida Forest Service spokesperson David Grubich said Fire rescue crews responded to the call about a brush fire near Southwest Busch Street and Southwest 84th Avenue just after 5:30 p.m The fire turned out to be three separate fires two west of Southwest 84th Avenue and one east of Southwest 84th Avenue April 15 and handed the fire over to Florida Forest Service crews The Florida Forest Service used blacklining which involves pre-burning an area so the fire cannot burn through the line They put water on the blacklines to put everything out Grubich said they put in blacklines at night April 15 and returned the next morning to continue the containment "There was no need for us to sit on it all night," Grubich said Martin County: Sheriff's Office assists FBI in arresting 2 men from Miami Martin County: Nine people on capsized boat are from Dominican Republic and Haiti; search for 5 suspended Fire Rescue crews had two brush trucks to assist the Florida Forest Service and monitor and control the fire to ensure there were no flareups A cause for the fires had not been determined April 16 (This story has been updated with more information resulted in a semi-truck rolling over and minor injuries Thursday morning Rescue crews responded to the crash at 8:15 a.m in Palm City in the Turnpike’s southbound lanes The crash involved two vehicles and a semi-truck according to Fire Rescue spokesperson Cory Pippin He said when the semi-truck overturned 10 gallons of fuel leaked Pippin said two people with minor injuries were transported to the hospital and one person at the scene refused treatment Martin County: Man jailed after concerned Jensen Beach resident reported suspicious person at apartments Stuart: Police Chief Joseph Tumminelli will retire in June after 28 years with the agency The southbound lanes of the Turnpike were closed for about an hour He said the northbound lanes were reduced to one lane sheriff’s officials stated on the agency's Facebook page Olivia Franklin is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Olivia on X @Livvvvv_5 or reach her by phone at 317-627-8048. E-mail her at olivia.franklin@tcpalm.com. Calli SmithPhoto by: Saluki Athletic CommunicationsPreview | Women's Golf opens spring season in Palm City 02/08/2025 | 11:10:00 | Women's Golf by Katie Bente (CBS12) — Brush fires and long response times — a dangerous combination that some Martin County residents say is putting lives at risk Frustrated neighbors gathered at Tuesday's Martin County commission meeting to call for a new fire station in western Palm City a request they've made for years but now feel is even more urgent As flames tore through more than 150 acres last month residents in Stuart West and Cobblestone were left with a terrifying thought: What if help doesn’t arrive in time That’s a hard pill to swallow,” said Ken Hanes a Stuart West resident and part of the Stuart West POA board With fire rescue response times averaging 20 minutes especially when lives and homes are on the line We simply cannot continue to gamble with response times this long,” said Linda St medical emergencies don’t wait for a convenient response time either “This just doesn’t apply to cardiac arrest Timely emergency response is critical for strokes which I’m allergic to bees.” said Rochelle Techo stressing that timely emergency response is critical for various medical emergencies Dozens made their voices heard at Tuesday's meeting “My family lost our home to a devastating fire a resident who was impacted by a fire in December And we are the third home in as many years.” “We only have basically one access road in a fire It can burn to the ground and we will be trapped There is a boat ramp but we’d all have to go into the canal with the alligators So you can have fire or you can be eaten alive,” said Rachel Goldman referencing the dangerous conditions during a fire 12 minutes — those houses may have been saved because the closest station is on Mapp Road,” said Cornelius Pameijer is not the easiest for any emergency vehicle or fire truck.” And it’s not just homeowners pushing for it “Our church has every plan and intention of building a beautiful building there having many people congregating and worshiping I just don’t know how it could ever be attended when the closest fire department is on Map Road See also: 'A man of tremendous hope': Palm Beach County remembers Pope Francis acknowledging that the new fire station has been a long-needed project He said the timing is now “perfect,” thanks to Ashley Capital the developer behind the nearby Martin Commerce Park which is offering to donate land for the station “That’s a multi-million dollar donation,” said Ciampi “Not only is it a donation of land — which is super important — it’s at the exact right spot for it.” He promised to make the fire station a priority in the upcoming budget “We will move full steam ahead to help you have a fire station in western Palm City,” Ciampi said The proposed station would cost about $10.9 million to build and more than $3 million annually to operate But for families who have watched fires destroy homes there’s no price too high for peace of mind the fire station is listed in the county’s Capital Improvement Plan for 2031-2035 FlaglerLive May 2, 2025 | | 17 Comments The Palm Coast City Council did the right (and impressive) thing when it voted down both of the last two remaining candidates for city manager on Tuesday But that’s what deliberative democracy is like It would have looked more suspicious if the council were in lock-step Instead we had two council members–Theresa Pontieri and Ty Miller–staking out the difficult but necessary position: why settle for anything less than the stellar candidate they have been seeking refusing to lend his vote to anything non-unanimous even if it meant sacrificing his preferred candidate who set aside his natural predilection for leaders with military credentials as he went for the civilian then stood firm against the mayor’s pressure to switch The question is why is Rich Hough still in it because it reflects a damn-the-torpedoes temperament unsuited for a civil local government that needs more steering than fixing Let’s not take our cues from the misinterpretation of public-comment segments at council meetings Every time the council has discussed the city manager hire Contrary to the mayor’s misconception about crowds empty chambers are not a sign of indifference or lack of engagement They’re an endorsement from the city’s 100,000 residents that the council can do what it was elected to do: take care of business while the 100,000 take care of theirs–work Thoughtful people do show up to address specific issues That leaves the floor to vainglorious commenters the same six and a half misinforming and disinforming dregs who keep monopolizing the lectern during public comment segments The council has at times been swayed by the din Tuesday showed us that it also knows where to draw the line Now it has to find a way to defuse the IED in its midst as the mayor has become a one-man demolition show That task aside, and as Sullivan put it, the city is “not in crisis.” Nor is the administration lacking leadership. There are rumors that a staff exodus is under way at City Hall–the kind of rumors those dregs I just mentioned would spread to further fabricate the image of a city adrift. There is no exodus from the numbers I’ve gathered There are some 600 employees in the organization Only one of those 29 was in the central administration So let’s not confuse the one-man debacle on the City Council with instability at the city when she capped three hours of manure with wisdom and proved that she is the right person in the right place at the right time Pierre Tristam is the editor of FlaglerLive May 2, 2025 at 5:36 pm Oh the irony of this dysfunctional lot to judge the worthiness of the candidates The candidates should breath a sigh of relief they were “unworthy “ May 2, 2025 at 6:21 pm How many taxpayer dollars did it take for these clowns to get back to square one ? May 2, 2025 at 6:48 pm May 2, 2025 at 6:54 pm you wrote precisely what my spouse and I have been saying to each other every time we watch the 6 1/2 people distorting the truth at the Palm Coast city council meetings Many other people of Palm Coast also agree with you Everything that you wrote is 100% right on the mark And a big thank you for giving Lauren Johnson the praise that she so rightly deserves May 2, 2025 at 8:23 pm May 2, 2025 at 9:08 pm If it wasn’t for her mother she would never of had a job May 2, 2025 at 10:15 pm and many city employees do not qualify for the exorbitant compensation packages they receive and are not working for the residents Johnson to stay on as city manager have an agenda that she is willing to push for them as she did for Alvin and his band of merry elf and Kluless and she will ensure more government bloat as her dismissal of the Doge offer demonstrated Miller for pursuing this option they may ferret out waste and corruption May 3, 2025 at 3:23 am Interesting spin on the fact that 4 of the top 5 candidates for City Manager rejected relocating to Palm Coast One of them chose the Arctic Circle over Sunny FL a council requiring a white paper for budgeting does a Palm Coast White Paper already exist for budgeting Let’s see the P&P white paper if one does exist Let’s see that policy & procedure write up for the step by step budgeting process rather than what is already in place and the budgeting process is just a matter of using the same budget as modified from the previous budget approval If a white paper doesn’t exist already anything that any candidate would have provided as a white paper would have been uncompensated work as a contracted deliverable for a City Manager position that really has a high turnover rate While I do appreciate the due diligence the council had to fill the position the fact remains there has been very little stability in being the City Manager of Palm Coast Beating up the next round of candidates for what the last several City Managers have endured Was Bevan blind sided & sucker punched the next City Manager has to be a 5-0 unanimous from this council Using this most recent candidate pool as the punching bag doesn’t change facts for those with short memories A 13+months ago 18% increase was the number for the utilities hike that number nearly doubled in the last year to 36 And that is how Palm Coast got to this point where a new city manager was being considered for a hiring process https://flaglerlive.com/out-of-her-control-palm-coast-mayor-david-alfin-explains-why-he-fired-city-manager-denise-bevan/ May 3, 2025 at 7:05 am Yes, near the same majority that Kimberle Weeks won by in 2012 before she was convicted on a slew of felony charges May 3, 2025 at 6:03 pm May 3, 2025 at 7:12 pm flying someone across the country and giving them an exorbitant salary to perhaps do a job as well as Ms Johnston -if we’re lucky- is a gross mismanagement of much needed funds This city has already wasted so much on the search alone At least she has prioritized customer service and community outreach May 3, 2025 at 8:19 pm By your write up it sounds and comes across that you do not like Mike Norris at all As a writer should you not be open minded and not so critical of one person I agree I think Ms Johnston wrote a very nice letter saying let’s get to work for the people and Palm Coast May 4, 2025 at 11:07 am May 4, 2025 at 2:28 pm In my previous column I made it very clear that I liked Mike Norris personally Running a city is not a Facebook page emoji Nor is a serious discussion of city issues May 4, 2025 at 6:09 pm Your words FlaglerLive and if so our city charter again is violated as on it the manager has to reside within city limits May 5, 2025 at 3:20 pm as in: what she’s doing is not an act (like May 5, 2025 at 3:22 pm I don’t know Lauren but as I have stated before it would be in her best interest to negotiate her exit strategy before it is too late Even if she works out the issues with the Mayor a new manager will see her as a threat and she will not last long She is good at keeping the ship afloat but she in not the long term manager this city needs My recommendation to the council is to contact the Range Riders of FCCMA and request a temporary manager to help this city get though this process in one piece (peace) A Range Rider is a very qualified city manager who is retired He or she will come in with no expectation of a permanent job and hep this city not only get on track with its budget and operational needs but also work with the council to get the city manager position filled properly Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Log in PALM CITY — Martin County Sheriff's officials on Thursday began evacuating about a dozen homes in Palm City as Martin County Fire Rescue crews battled two brush fires adding up to roughly 150 acres according to the sheriff's office and fire rescue Smoke and ash flew through the air Thursday afternoon on Southwest Stuart West Boulevard as fire rescue and Florida Forest Service personnel worked together to extinguish the two brush fires One fire broke out west of Southwest 84th Avenue He said 32 homes were voluntarily evacuated because of the fires no injuries were reported Thursday and no structures burned responded to the 7200 block of Southwest Gator Trail where a large smoke column was visible and about three acres of brush was burning Sheriff's officials "strongly" urged residents north of Southwest Martin Highway between Southwest Boat Ramp Avenue and 84th Avenue "to stay alert and monitor fire activity," the agency stated on social media In addition to deploying a Florida Forest Service helicopter the sheriff’s helicopter was assisting by bringing water to drop on the fire sheriff's spokesperson Christine Christofek said said "any place there is open water" the helicopters can use to help douse the flames including a pond in the Stuart West community Fire crews continued to battle the fire into Thursday evening and the Florida Forest Service will conduct an investigation In a separate incident in Hobe Sound Thursday fire rescue crews responded to a brush fire that sparked in late afternoon in the 6200 block of Southeast Moss Ridge Pointe adding that a fire rescue brush truck from Palm Beach County was also responded to the scene Martin County: Martin County Fire Rescue douses trash fire in Palm City Tuesday, no injuries reported Martin County: Boat 'likely totaled' after lightning strikes it, sparking a fire Tuesday in Port Salerno (CBS12) — A Wednesday morning in Martin County turned into chaos as residents were alarmed by a series of loud explosions prompting firefighters to fight a raging blaze in a backyard shed The Martin County Fire Rescue (MCFR) said that at around 9 a.m residents reported hearing loud explosions and called 911 they reported finding a 10x10 shed fully engulfed in flames in the backyard of a home firefighters were able to extinguish the flames in minutes by deploying hose lines and pouring water on it Officials said that they are investigating the cause of the fire (CBS12) — A man allegedly involved in a Cuban burglary ring is believed to have monitored a family's social media accounts before breaking into their home to rob them of their property worth over $100,000 The Martin County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) says the burglary happened during the month of January in the Stuart West Cobblestone community Deputies say the crime was targeted and planned which is how the suspect almost got away with so much property was dropped off near the community and gained access to into the guarded community He then walked to the home he was targeting Detectives believe he monitored the family's social media accounts so he could know the family's whereabouts Guerra managed to cut the power and turn off the security cameras which allowed him to spend hours inside the residence undetected MCSO says Guerra made a getaway with the victim's vehicle and abandoning it nearby MCSO says it believes Guerra was coming back for the vehicle however; a concerned citizen noticed the abandoned vehicle and contacted the sheriff's office MCSO says its investigators investigated the burglary for a weeks so they could track down Guerra Thursday after a search warrant was executed for his home in Lehigh Acres and deputies finding evidence related to the crime Guerra was arrested with the assistance of Lee County Sheriff's Office the Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office the city of Miami Police Department and the Martin County Sheriff's Office He was booked into the Martin County Jail with a bond set at over $1 million READ MOREGALLERY: Flames engulf 10,000 sq ft trash pile in Palm Cityby Sophie Pendrill (CBS12) — Flames engulfed a towering pile of trash at a Solid Waste and Recycling transfer facility in Palm City prompting a response from firefighters who battled the blaze for hours The Martin County Fire Rescue (MCFR) said that crews responded to the Martin County Solid Waste and Recycling transfer facility located on Southwest Busch Street at 5:30 a.m they reported finding a pile of trash burning inside a 10,000-square-foot containment building See also: GALLERY: Fort Pierce crash into structure leaves three hospitalized MCFR said that firefighters deployed hose lines to get water on the inferno for hours Officials said that the fire has been contained to the trash and there were no injuries reported (CBS12) — A truck crash involving injuries on the southbound Turnpike in Palm City is causing traffic delays on Thursday morning Florida 511 reported a crash just before Exit 133 Officials said in their latest update at 8:29 a.m that all lanes have been blocked and traffic has been backed up for miles The Florida Highway Patrol said that the crash involved injuries Find more ways to stay up to date with your latest local news. Sign up for our newsletter to get the day's top headlines delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the biggest stories and can't miss video two brush fires broke out and were about 90% contained by the end of the day One blaze broke out west of Southwest 84th Avenue and another started east of Southwest 84th Avenue The fires grew to roughly 230 acres as fire crews continued to work on hot spots on Friday adding that they should be 100% contained by the end of the day Grubich said drawing water from a nearby canal helped with containment "We have to go back and subsequently put water on that and actually put everything out and we can call that containment," Grubich said Friday fire rescue crews on Thursday responded to a call just before 5:00 p.m of a brush fire in the 6200 block of Southeast Moss Ridge Pointe The fire covered five to six acres of brush A fire rescue brush truck from Palm Beach County also responded but crews have it contained to a marsh area and hope the fire will burn itself out Florida Forest Service crews were expected to take over handling the fire because the county's fire rescue vehicles were struggling in the dense marsh The investigation into a nearly half-million-dollar Palm City burglary resulted in the arrest of one man and evidence of a string of other burglaries by "career criminals." (WPEC) (CBS12) — Deputies have arrested Darel Monzon-Guerra in connection to a meticulously planned heist inside a gated Palm City neighborhood where thieves made off with nearly half a million dollars in luxury goods is believed to be part of a Cuban burglary ring targeting homes across Florida The burglary happened on January 18 in the Cobblestone Stuart West community of Palm City Investigators say the crime was carefully orchestrated allowing the suspects to get away with roughly $450,000 in luxury bags a health and fitness entrepreneur with a large social media following was hundreds of miles away on a ski trip with his wife and newborn baby when he got the call—his Mercedes has been found abandoned on Highway 714 “I immediately realized that my house was robbed,” Iacovone said Investigators say the burglars knew exactly what they were doing The suspects cut off the alarm system and shut down surveillance cameras before ransacking the home Iacovone says it’s the violation of his privacy that’s most unsettling Detectives say this was no random break-in Deputies believe Iacovone's social media presence may have played a role in the crime giving the burglars insight into his schedule and address “The house was hit between midnight and three o’clock in the morning,” said Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek all the surveillance equipment was shut down See also: Martin Co. school bus involved in 4-car wreck Sheriff Budensiek revealed that the burglars took extreme precautions to avoid detection the suspects parked their car on the side of I-95 entered the community through a broken fence and walked nearly a mile through a golf course to reach the home authorities tracked Monzon-Guerra to his home in Lee County where they recovered a fraction of the stolen items—including evidence that he may be connected to additional burglaries across the state “He was obstinate and arrogant when they encountered him,” Budensiek said One key piece of evidence still unaccounted for—a red Supreme Louis Vuitton duffle bag Investigators believe it could lead them to more suspects As deputies continue working to dismantle this burglary ring Iacovone is offering a cash reward for any information that could help track down the remaining suspects Guerra is being held in the Martin County Jail on a $1.25 million bond Authorities are urging residents to be mindful of what they share online as criminals are constantly looking for their next target “If I learned anything from this,” Iacovone said The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast will host Pickle for Paws III at Harbour Ridge Pickleball Center Palm City on April 27 The players will hit the courts in the men’s doubles The national anthem and ceremonial first serve will take place at 8 a.m guests will meet Misty’s Pals Pet Therapy teams and adoptable dogs from the shelter looking for their forever homes as well as a variety of items also being raffled off All proceeds from Pickle for Paws benefit the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast PALM CITY —Wayne Huizenga called Palm City home for many years Huizenga's longtime estate can be yours for $45 million which would be a record real estate sale for both St Huizenga — a billionaire business and sports mogul who owned nationally known companies and major league sports teams — died in 2018 His former home, at 13054 NW Gilson Road Lucie River frontage — one of the largest riverfront lots for sale on the East Coast The waterfront mansion boasts four bedrooms 7½ bathrooms and two master bedrooms with an open patio offering panoramic water views of the river private gated entry and a dock equipped with a boat lift real estate agents with One Sotheby’s International Realty Potts and Burns recalled how they were mesmerized when they first laid eyes on the property "Driving through the gate and down the winding driveway riverfront properties have about 100-150 feet; 800 feet of riverfront on one property is unheard of There's nothing quite like it," Potts said The listing on One Sotheby's International Realty describes the property as a "(reflection of) the legacy of one of South Florida's most iconic figures" that unites historical and natural allure "in a way that can never be replicated." South Florida's iconic figureWhere others saw trash Starting with a single garbage truck in 1968 the first company of what would become his business empire He later founded Blockbuster Video and AutoNation making him the first entrepreneur to launch three Fortune 500 businesses in his lifetime More: H. Wayne Huizenga dies; billionaire gave millions to Treasure Coast and cancer charities More: Florida real estate: Top home sales across the Treasure Coast in October and the Panthers reached the Stanley Cup Final in 1996 His lingering disappointment was with the Dolphins which never advanced to the Super Bowl while he owned them He had been a Dolphins season-ticket holder since their first season in 1966 Huizenga owned a swath of golf courses across Martin County An exclusive invite-only golf club he owned featured two helicopter landing pads a sprawling four-story clubhouse and lush landscaping Frequent fireworks displays and celebrity appearances brought publicity to the golf course Huizenga wanted to be remembered for his philanthropy He and his wife were members and benefactors of the Palm City Presbyterian Church Their donations built the church's Wayne and Marti Huizenga Family Life Center atUNC Greensboro Allie SantosRecap | Women's Golf finishes 11th in Palm City 02/11/2025 | 8:41:00 | Women's Golf PALM CITY — The drivers of two vehicles died in crashes caused by a vehicle traveling the wrong way on Interstate 95 in Martin County in the early hours of Saturday The vehicle caused three crashes as it traveled south in the northbound lanes of I-95 in the Palm City area shortly before 3 a.m. according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office and details of a fatal crash found on a Florida Highway Patrol website Two of the three crashes led to the deaths of the drivers in the other vehicles the sheriff's office said in a social media post Saturday It also said the crashes were the result of reckless driving A 39-year-old Daytona man and 57-year-old Port St Lucie man were listed as drivers who died according to information about the crashes provided by the Florida Highway Patrol The wrong-way driver was said to be a 25-year-old Port St a gray 2022 Toyota Rav4 driven by the Port St Lucie woman was traveling south in the inside northbound lane and struck the red 2025 Nissan Altima driven by the Daytona man The left side of each vehicle collided and the impact sent the Altima across the outside northbound lanes off the highway while the Rav4 ran off the road and stopped in the inside median A blue 2006 Toyota Tacoma driven by the Port St swerved to miss debris from the crash and went off the road into the inside median and struck a tree with its left side The driver of the vehicle said to have caused the crashes was taken to a hospital with what were described as non-life-threatening injuries The two men were pronounced deceased on scene by Martin County Fire Rescue personnel The northbound lanes of the interstate were closed following the crashes and reopened early Saturday Florida Department of Transportation highway cameras showed foggy conditions in the area around the time of the crash (This story was updated with new information.) Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm More: 11 detained during sheriff's, federal immigration operation in Martin County More: House fire displaces family of 7 in Vero Beach (CBS12) — A major crash on the southbound Turnpike in Palm City closed all lanes on Monday morning Florida 511 reported a crash at Mile Marker 136 at around 7:42 a.m officials stated the crash resulted in all lanes being closed and traffic has been backed up to Mile Marker 140 No injuries have been reported at this time The fire grew to 150 acres but was 100% contained The Martin County Sheriff's Office said Thursday it is assisting Martin County Fire Rescue and the Florida Forest Service to contain a brush fire that has burned several acres prompting voluntary evacuations of 32 homes WATCH: WPTV reporter Zitlali Solache talks with Martin County Fire Rescue about brush fire protocols The fire was reported just after 12:30 p.m and is located north of Martin County Highway from the end of Gator Trail Road just past 84th Street the fire has burned about several acres and is moving west-southwest in heavy vegetation They said they have a water source available from a nearby pond Lucie County Fire Rescue said it has joined multiple fire units The Florida Forest Service said they have three dozers and a helicopter at the scene and 11 homes have been evacuated as a precaution and there have been when they do evacuate people how scary that could be for others and I know people don’t want to leave their homes which is understandable," said Clayton Peeler WPTV reporter Zitlali Solache spoke with homeowners who were impacted by the fire and witnessed the several fire crews actively working “I saw the smoke from down the road and I was like it looks pretty bad," said Cameron Mullian The sheriff's office said the evacuations are not mandatory but strongly urge residents north of Martin Highway between Southwest Boat Ramp Avenue and 84th Street Martin County Fire Rescue Chief Chad Cianciulli said in a post on Facebook that they are monitoring the fire and had a message for residents near the Stuart West and Cobblestone communities Please do not frequent the neighborhoods just to look around and see where the fire is," Cianciulli said "We had to evacuate 11 homes in a different part of Palm City but not in Stuart West - Cobblestone." Cianciulli added if residents see flames outside of their homes Volunteers from the Red Cross Palm Beach & Treasure Coast Chapter are also responding to the incident providing hydration and nutrition to the firefighters and first responders on site Last year crews battled a 30-acre brush fire near the Stuart West and Cobblestone community in Palm City that was caused by an ember “Last year we had a friend who lives is this canal and we were actually helping clean up their house," said Mullian “I mean that was pretty scary because people we know were affected by it.” A Palm City shopping center is the unpretentious home to a sophisticated Northern Italian-inspired gastronomic journey happily guide you and your palate through their authentic culinary traditions and tantalize your taste buds The dining room is casually elegant with a coral color banquette white-draped tables and delicate pendant lights Poster-sized black-and-white family photos hang on the wall We dined outdoors on the patio and happily observed that Claretta’s inspired some people to dress up The menu emphasizes imported ingredients and dishes from the Piedmont region of Italy such as speck con Tomino Piemontese with dry cured ham from Trentino-Alto Adige as well as Crudo e mozzarella with prosciutto from Parma and Bufala mozzarella from Campania Many of the recipes on the menu are designated as unique to Claretta’s Our server brought us drinks and said Cristina would note our menu choices and make recommendations Our appetizer choice was Peperoni Claretta ($18) which was a magnificent blend of hearty tomato sauce Although not its intended method of consumption we heaped the delightful sauce on the crusty Tuscan bread Insalate del Pittore ($18) featured peppery arugula with a light drizzle of olive oil lemon juice and shaved Grana Padana cheese such as clams or mussels steamed in wine and garlic or anchovies wrapped in bell peppers and goat cheese Nodina di Vitello con Fungi Porcini ($60) is described as a lollipop chop but only if you’re a dinosaur roasted veal chop was smothered in sauteed porcini mushrooms with white wine The branzino al cartoccio ($40) was cooked skin-on in a paper packet flaky white fish garnished with chopped tomatoes capers and a lashing of extra virgin olive oil Its palate-pleasing simplicity was a masterpiece The house-made pastas use imported finely ground "00" flour and fresh eggs Many of the pastas can be ordered by half or full plate Tagliatelle alla Bolognese ($22-$30) was perfectly al dente silky ribbons of pasta topped with an opulent scratch-made meat sauce Ravioli ricotta e spinaci ($26-$34) presented plump freshly made ravioli stuffed with imported ricotta and chopped spinach then adorned with a tangy gorgonzola cream sauce which was a sampling of creme brulee with a crisp sugar topping Ristorante Claretta closes for three weeks in July when they return to Italy to continue to improve their craft and consult the various vintners of Tuscany Umbria and Piedmont to restock the extensive wine cellar This family-run establishment has been lavishing diners with personalized service and an elevated dining experience for the past 28 years In a world overflowing with Italian restaurants Ristorante Claretta shines brightly with its unwavering attention to authenticity and culinary excellence Lucie Regensdorf dines anonymously at the expense of TCPalm. Contact her at Lucie@theloveofcooking.com — Residents in western Palm City are raising concerns about emergency response times in their area due to an increase in brush fires At a Martin County Commission meeting Tuesday community members from Stuart West and Cobblestone called for funding to build a new fire station along Martin Highway near Martingale Drive Three brush fires have occurred in the nearby wooded area in the past two years and residents argue that emergency services are too far away to provide timely assistance during critical moments “The fire station project is long overdue,” Cobblestone resident Bill Miller said Many residents expressed frustration over the distance to the nearest fire station on Mapp Road at least a 15-minute drive from their communities Residents also shared concerns over timely access to emergency medical care especially when lives and homes are on the line,” Stuart West resident Linda St said she believes the long response time is why her home couldn't be saved in a fire sparked by a golf cart charger “To watch your home burning and waiting for the fire and rescue to arrive was devastating and with nothing you can do,” Vigotsky said Martin County Fire Rescue presented preliminary plans for a new fire station east of I-95 along Martin Highway officials noted the proposed project remains unfunded and would require an estimated $10.9 million to complete Martin County Fire Chief Chad Cianciulli cited issues with response times inside the urban service boundary and explained that a Western Palm City fire station would help reduce those times Commissioner Edward Ciampi acknowledged the concerns raised during the meeting “It seems that there is a lot more fire activity happening in your neck of the woods in the last couple of years,” Ciampi said “I will give you my full commitment as long as I’m sitting up here that we move full steam ahead to help you have a fire station.” the commission tentatively approved the fire station project as part of the county’s long-term plan for fiscal years 2031 to 2035 Residents said they are walking away feeling their voices made an impact so I have faith and confidence that they will put this on the front burner and start looking into it,” Stuart West Resident Rochelle Titko said While the project remains years away from potential construction many residents are hopeful the commission’s action marks a turning point in efforts to improve emergency services for the area PALM CITY − Nathaniel “Nate” Mulak was a bright driven young man who knew what he wanted and had a passion for motorcycles and cars was preparing to launch a company called Trade Room for which he built an app and website have a little bit of land and be my own boss,” Peggy Mulak said Thursday “And I think he had it figured out really young.” Nate Mulak died following a Tuesday night traffic crash in Port St According to a preliminary police investigation Nate Mulak was on a 2023 BMW motorcycle traveling with other riders Dominick Mesiti said the group of motorcycles entered a turn lane to go west on Southeast Crosstown Parkway Mulak tried to cross multiple lanes to follow “We were blessed to be his parents for 20 years,” Peggy Mulak said “He wanted to be his own boss … He figured that out really early.” They lived in Hobe Sound when Nate Mulak was adopted They moved back to Martin County to Palm City in November 2022 Nate enrolled in Martin County High School where he graduated They said Nate Mulak was particularly smart he was part of a volunteer fire department Peggy Mulak said her son indicated he loved the camaraderie of the fire department and helping the community Nate Mulak was interested in many things and “wanted to learn it himself,” Peggy Mulak said He was teaching himself guitar; was an “unbelievable marksman”; played piano and enjoyed his Hyundai Veloster N and 2023 BMW motorcycle Gene Mulak said he bought the motorcycle new “He didn't want to work and be stressed like we all are,” Peggy Mulak said and he was trusting the process by holding that vision.” Nate Mulak wanted to be a combat medic in the Army Rangers “For somebody that wasn't born in the United States he was probably the most patriotic person you'd ever met,” Gene Mulak said you would think you were talking to like a 50 year old,” Gene Mulak said His mom said he met a girl about seven months ago His parents said he always wore a helmet and protective gear “He wouldn't ride with you if you didn't have a helmet,” Peggy Mulak said Peggy Mulak received a liver transplant from her sister in March 2020 “Nate had to deal with mom being sick with dad in a scary time,” Peggy Mulak said “Nate was a big nurturer at home and a help with me.” and the Mulaks were told he might be able to help up to 70 people through that They said he wouldn’t want anyone to be afraid of motorcycle riding When he wanted to go riding he typically said he was going to get some fresh air Peggy Mulak said they last spoke Tuesday night ‘I'm just gonna go get some fresh air,’” Peggy Mulak said She said she told him “moms don't sleep when babies are on bikes.” ‘Can you make it an early night?’ And he turned to me with the biggest smile,” Peggy Mulak said Peggy Mulak said she didn’t know exactly where they were going “His friends are planning a memorial ride for him which will be perfect for Nate,” Peggy Mulak said His parents said he enjoyed the freedom of the motorcycle and feeling the air “He died doing what he loved,” his parents said simultaneously Deadly force justified: Grand jury finds deadly Fort Pierce police shooting justified, prosecutor said Partnership with feds: Local law enforcement steps up efforts to partner with feds on immigration, other issues Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com (CBS12) — A major crash with injuries on I-95 South in Palm City is slowing down traffic on Monday morning Florida 511 stated that a crash happened at 6:21 a.m Officials stated in their latest update at 6:26 a.m The Florida Highway Patrol stated that the crash involved injuries Find more ways to stay up to date with your latest local news. Sign up for our newsletter to get the day's top headlines delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the biggest stories and can't miss video PALM CITY — Fire rescue crews stopped a fire at the Martin County Solid Waste & Recycling transfer facility from spreading Tuesday morning according to Martin County Fire Rescue officials Fire rescue crews responded to a trash fire around 5:30 a.m officials said on the agency's Facebook page Crews found a pile of burning trash that took about 45 minutes to put out Trash fires are often caused by something flammable being thrown away Martin County: Two Palm City middle school students face charges related to bringing weapons to school Martin County: Sheriff's operation results in 30 people charged with selling vape products to minors (This story was updated to accurately reflect the most current information.) Lynora's is opening its doors to its first Treasure Coast location on Wednesday at 3215 S.W. Mapp Road This will be the sixth location for the South Florida Italian Restaurant and the first location outside of Palm Beach County Palm City was chosen because of the "true sense of community," according to a news release The Palm City location will include daily happy hour deals from 3 to 6 p.m seven days a week and will eventually incorporate a lunch service Lynora's and its fast-casual version Lynora's Kitchen was founded in 1976 and has expanded to five restaurants since family recipes and weekly deals such as $3 meatball Mondays Lynora's: The secret sauce behind the expansion of Lynora’s restaurant chain? It’s Mamma. All about food: Here's what opened, closed and coming soon on the Treasure Coast Lynora's is named after the grandmother of Maria Abbenante After the couple immigrated to the United States from Ponza they began selling pizza by the slice in Lake Worth using Maria's mother's recipes They opened the first Lynora's in a Greenacres shopping center at Military Trail and Lake Worth Road Gianna Montesano is TCPalm’s trending reporter. You can contact her at gianna.montesano@tcpalm.com, 772-409-1429, or follow her on X @gonthescene.