Home Care In Palm City, FL

MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF0 tornado touched down Monday afternoon southwest of Interstate 95 in Martin County, carving an eight-mile path.

The tornado touched down to the south and west of Interstate 95 at mile marker 107 before crossing the interstate at about 4:43 p.m.

The system then moved to the north-northeast into Palm City, where numerous trees were felled on properties between I-95 and Southwest Martin Highway.

The circulation continued to the northeast in Stuart where the NWS said multiple residents submitted videos of the tornado impacting portions of the Canopy Creek residential subdivision. However, the tornado caused sparse damage.

There were additional reports of downed trees along the path as it moved across Florida's Turnpike and into Stuart.

The circulation eventually produced a waterspout over the St. Lucie River that then pushed onshore and into the North River Shores subdivision before lifting and dissipating at 5:08 p.m.

The tornado produced minor damage in North River Shores, including a few fallen trees near the intersection of Northwest Pine Lake Drive and Northwest Fork Road.

No injuries have been reported from the tornado, which had a width of about 50 yards.

Second Tornado?

WPTV First Alert Weather chief meteorologist Steve Weagle said a second tornado also occurred in Martin County on Monday afternoon.

"I would estimate the second twister formed near I-95 and Becker Road around 5:50 p.m.," Weagle said, "then moved directly east toward Harbour Ridge at 5:59 p.m. and then crossing the North Fork of the St. Lucie River."

However, National Weather Service meteorologist William Ulrich said Wednesday that at this time they are unable to confirm a second tornado that was associated with the cell that moved along the St. Lucie and Martin County border between 5:30-6:30 p.m. Monday.

"After analyzing the video that was provided to us on Twitter, it appears that the tornado was associated with the first system as it crossed I-95 and was not at Becker Road as initially claimed," Ulrich said in a statement. "At this time we can confirm only one tornado associated with Monday evening's event."

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Melissa E. Holsman

MARTIN COUNTY − A teenage girl who was hurt in a boating incident Saturday in Palm City was airlifted to an area hospital with serious injuries, according to Martin County Fire Rescue.

The unidentified 16-year-old girl was a passenger in a boat traveling under the Palm City Bridge near Charlie Leighton Park Saturday around 7:15 p.m. when she was struck by part of the bridge, said Cory Pippin, a Martin County Fire Rescue spokesperson.

The girl was transported to a nearby hospital via LifeStar helicopter, he said.

The girl was the only person on the boat who was hurt, Pippin said.

According to a Martin County Sheriff’s Office incident report obtained Monday, the 17-foot boat was traveling to a boat ramp “at a high rate of speed,” when it struck the side of a pillar under the Palm City bridge.

The girl hit her head either on the pillar or on the boat when she fell during the impact.

The boat’s operator, Joseph Warren Homer VII, 18, of the 1300 block of Southwest Alligator St., Palm City, told investigators they were traveling about 25 mph when he struck the pillar.

While being questioned by investigators, Homer “struggled” to provide his personal information, the report stated, and “a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanated from his breath as he spoke.”

Chief Deputy John Budensiek on Monday said FWC officials charged Homer with one count of boating under the influence.

"We're coming into good weather; we're coming into spring break," Budensiek said. "I just want the public to know that our Marine Patrol Unit will be out there operating on a daily basis along with our community Operations Division and FWC to try to cut down on BUIs and boating accidents."

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the boating incident.

Homer was released from the Martin County Jail Monday in lieu of a $1,000 bond.

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PALM CITY, Fla. — A young girl in Martin County is facing a tall task. Brooklyn Gonzalez, 3, is fighting a rare cancer.

To help her family during this difficult time, the community will honor her Saturday during a walk to raise funds.

The event will take place at the Veterans Memorial Bridge in Palm City, which will be temporarily named the "Brooklyn Bridge" in her honor.

The rare form of liver cancer she is fighting is called hepatoblastoma.

"I've already known what chemo does to people, let alone my 3-year-old kid," Brooklyn's mother, Cybill Morrow-Gonzalez, said. "I could never, I don't know. It's still really hard."

Shortly after Brooklyn started her first two rounds of chemo, she hasn't been able to attend school because of her compromised immune system.

"She's had to sacrifice a lot," Brooklyn's father, Mike Gonzalez, said. "At the end of the day, she's still a 3-year-old kid. She's a 3-year-old kid with cancer, but she's still a 3-year-old kid."

Despite the battle with cancer, it hasn't dimmed her light.

"I got this. I'll get better," Brooklyn said.

"That kid wakes up every day with a smile on her face and all is good," her father said.

Between all the travel to and from the hospital in Orlando, paying for treatment and missing work, the family is struggling financially.

"I pretty much don't work very much at all," her mother said. "I work one day a week if I can, so that's put a huge strain financially on us because we both put in for our family."

Members of the community put together the Saturday walk in Brooklyn's honor to help the family raise money and awareness.

After the event, Brooklyn will head back to Orlando where she will have a tumor removed.

"It's still really hard, but she's kicking its butt," her mother said.

The family is taking the diagnosis one step at a time.

The walk is at the Veteran Memorial Bridge and starts at 9 a.m.

Walkers are meeting at Jock Leighton Park in Palm City before making their way to the bridge. Those who want to participate can register after they arrive.

Click here if you would like to donate to help Brooklyn in her fight against cancer.

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By a 3-2 vote, Martin County commissioners voted to buy a parcel of land for $4 million in Palm City that was slated to be used for the construction of new apartments.

PALM CITY, Fla. — By a 3-2 vote Tuesday, the Martin County Commission agreed to pay $4 million for a parcel of land in Palm City that was earmarked for apartments.

Every morning and every afternoon, the intersection of Martin Highway and Old Palm City School Avenue is busy.

"The traffic here is horrible. You’re between two schools," resident Lori Sewell said.

And for the time being, this area won’t be getting busier.

Martin County commissioners agreed to buy a six-acre piece of land from the developer, who had planned to construct 90 apartments. However, the developer then approached the county for a deal after nearby residents spoke out against the project.

"It will be one of the most important decisions and initiatives that I will ever have taken part in," Martin County Commission Chair Ed Ciampi said.

The developer will nearly double their initial $2.1 million purchase, and the concern from some on the commission was the precedent being set.

"We can't afford to buy our way out of incompatible developments," Martin County Commissioner Sarah Heard said.

Meanwhile, some residents wondered where's the money coming from.

"Guys, this is a textbook example of irresponsible spending," resident Mike Syrkus said at Tuesday's commission meeting.

Ciampi, whose district included the property for sale, said the county will take out a loan, and not all county residents will bear the costs.

"It's not going to be paid for by residents in Jensen Beach, Hobe Sound and Stuart," Ciampi said. "It will be paid for by the residents of Palm City."

How much residents will pay through certain funding mechanisms, like specific taxing units, is an open question as the future of the site is still undecided.

Even though the apartment complex won't be built, commissioners seem to agree that some development will take place on a piece of the land.

"We will use a percentage of the property in some other private benefit that will stay on the tax rolls, and some will be used for environmental purposes," Ciampi said.

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The first thing one notices at the Cape Club of Palm City is that there isn’t a starter—and that’s a good sign. At this completely reimagined club that sits just off I-95 along Florida’s Treasure Coast, members have open access to the first tee. The three-hour round is alive and thriving.

The Cape Club of Palm City is part of a triumvirate of clubs that offers “elegance with an edge.” The golf is solid and challenging, requiring skilled shotmaking around a layout where water serves as a primary defense. The atmosphere and culture exude fun. Golf is a game, after all.

The course (7,003 yards from the tips) opened as Cobblestone Country Club in 1989 and underwent an extensive renovation by Darren Clarke and Eoghan O’Connell a decade ago. New ownership arrived in 2022 and has retouched everything at the club. The Cape Club has a terrific new shine, right down to the radiant Augusta bunker sand. The once dark clubhouse now features shiny white marble floors, and the outdoor patio space has doubled. Firepit Fridays with live music are not to be missed.

The club recently flipped its nines, which means a friendly par 5 to ease a golfer into the round and a demanding double-dogleg par 5 (586 yards from the tips!) around water as the new 18th, one final stern test in a good string of them. A solid drive, precise layup (cut off what you dare) and smartly played third can lead to one final birdie to make a post-round beer taste better.

Each hole has its own fingerprint, and all of the par-3 holes are memorable, especially the island green 15th hole. The Cape Club of Palm City may sit in relatively flat Florida, but the golf course offers surprising elevation changes. In fact, “elevation” is a key word around Cape Club. Everything about the club has been elevated to new levels.

The elevation and enhancements quickly got the attention of top brands and tour players who selected the club as their backdrop for activation. As an added bonus, membership grants players access to two affiliate sister clubs in Massachusetts (Cape Club of Falmouth, Cape Club of Sharon). Those clubs have undergone impressive enhancements, too.

Change is good, much like a vacant starter's shack.