Downtown Vero Beach is gearing up for a night that flips the traditional script on community gatherings. For too long, events in our area have focused on the 55-plus crowd—but the Inaugural 55 Minus Party is here to change that! If you’re a City resident, voter, and under the age of 55, this is the party you’ve been waiting for.

On Wednesday, August 7th, the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Chapter 1038 in Vero Beach, FL, hosted a special Purple Heart Brunch at the Veteran’s Club. The event brought together a large gathering of Vietnam War veterans, including those who received Purple Heart medals for their valor, along with other veterans, local residents, and dignitaries. The atmosphere was one of camaraderie, reflection, and deep respect for the sacrifices made by these brave men and women.

Mark your calendars for an extraordinary afternoon of conversation and camaraderie at Joe's All-American Tap Cafe, located at 1453 20th Street in Vero Beach, on Saturday, August 10, from 1:30 to 3:00 PM. This exciting event, titled "Books & Brews," invites the community to join celebrated authors Michelle C. Butler and Wanda Weathersby for an engaging meet-and-greet and book signing session.

Most people who know me know that I’m not a “political” person and rarely share – if ever – my political opinions. However, I feel the need to respond to Ray McNulty’s article in the Vero News, “Election Chief Dismayed by Republican Write-in Candidate’s Primary Ballot Ploy”.

Featuring Jeane Bartlett on Treasure Coast Connector iHeart radio show. On a recent episode of Treasure Coast Connector, Jeane Bartlett, the dedicated Council Director of Girls on the Run of the Treasure Coast, was featured on the show. This remarkable non-profit organization is making a significant impact on the lives of young girls from grades 3 to 8 across Indian River, Saint Lucie, Martin, and Okeechobee counties. Being in education for 28 years, working as a teacher, enabled Jeane to seamlessly step into the leadership role at GOTR. Jeane said, “I am thrilled to be surrounded by a dedicated team of professionals who work so hard to put programs together for the girls we serve.”

Living with a chronic illness can be daunting, filled with uncertainties and challenges that often seem insurmountable. For Patti Jean, author of “Massive Strength – One Woman’s Healing Journey through Abuse, Addiction, and Disease,” her journey with multiple sclerosis (MS) has been a testament to resilience, courage, and the power of the human spirit.

Coffee, Chat & Change: Navigating Grief & Senior Transitions. Loss and life transitions are universal experiences that touch us all. Whether it is coping with the profound loss of a loved one or preparing for major changes that come with retirement, these are topics that resonate with us all.

There is a local Vero Beach author and artist whose artwork and book have been steadily gaining traction due to the meaning behind her work. Michelle C. Butler, who relocated from Denver, Colorado last year, is known as the “hearts ‘n halos” gal – although she spells it “harts”. And if you would like to know why, you’ll have to come and meet her in person.

Do you enjoy curling up on the couch on a rainy or chilly day and losing yourself within the pages of a delightful book? Or perhaps while digging your toes in the sand and listening to the waves? Are you longing to write a book of your own and have a story you know people would love but aren’t sure where to start?

Dancing with Vero’s Stars was back in all its sequin and glitter glory after a 4-year break, kicking off the season like no other fundraising gala! This past Saturday night – Nov 18th – all 655 seats at Riverside Theatre were filled with family and friends of the local star dancers as well as dance enthusiasts who wanted to support Indian River County Healthy Start during their biggest fundraiser of the year.

Vero Beach’s first-ever scavenger hunt with a twist was a rousing success! On Saturday, October 14th, there were over 60 people, in teams of 4, gallivanting around the city with a list of clues to solve, many of whom were wearing costumes. With each clue decoded, they visited a participating business and were rewarded with prizes – gift cards, goodies, swag, and more.

Have you ever been on a scavenger hunt? If you have, you know how fun and thrilling the hunt, chase, clue-solving, and race can be! It is even more fun when prizes are involved.

Since the pandemic, it seems that our stress levels have increased. Simply read the news, fights on planes, gun violence, workplace problems, have taken over. That is not even the worst part. According to the NIH, since the start of the coronavirus, alcohol abuse rose 23% and drug use rose 16%.

Colab - coworking space for content creators, podcasters, small business ownersChristina Klingler. Working from home was a trend that started long before the pandemic but increased dramatically since the spring of 2020 when the coronavirus changed our lives forever. According to the SBA, startups grew by 24% during the pandemic and prior to that the growth rate was 20% in 2019.

Event info on real estate master classEllen Contreras. Contracts of any kind can be tricky to put together and even trickier to understand. Realtors, regardless of how long they have been in the business, can get stuck at times. It is so important to get it right. If something is left out or not worded correctly, it can ruin a deal and end up costing clients thousands of dollars.

EPSG Credit Card Processing interview at Treasure Coast Connector iHeart radio/podcast talk showEllen Contreras. Costs are going up for consumers in all areas – gas, groceries, medical, products, services, etc. Business owners are also having a tough time managing their costs as well. Inflation, talks of recession, the political climate is making everyone think twice before spending.

This is the time of year when you want to eat light and not heat up your kitchen by turning on the oven. Eating salads and smoothies is a great way to create nutritious meals that are simple to make but are also tasty and satisfying.

Entrance to Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, FLKennedy Space Center. Traveling is a bit tricky right now and for those living in Florida, we already live in a place where tourists flock. We have so much right here in our own back yard. For those living on the Treasure Coast, driving up to the Space Coast to visit Kennedy Space Center is a fun day trip.

Robert MacCallum, broker/owner of Exit Right Realty interviewed on state of the Treasure Coast real estate marketEllen Contreras. Robert MacCallum, along with his wife Colleen, are the broker/owners of Exit Right Realty located in Vero Beach, FL. Robert appeared on the iHeart Radio/Podcast Treasure Coast Connector talk show to share insights on how to navigate the current real estate market. He spoke about why he started his real estate business, what the market is doing and how he is building a team of realtors to help as many people as possible get into their dream home.

Families comforting each other after shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TXNPR. Mass shootings have been increasing over the years but for the last few years have been quite dramatic. Even more disturbing is the trend of teens and young adults involved in these high-profile events.