Martin County's top stories of 2018: Lake Okeechobee discharges, toxic algae, Brightline

Maureen Kenyon
Treasure Coast Newspapers
Frazier Creek in Stuart near Shepard Park is seen July 5, 2018.

It was a year of change on the Treasure Coast.

As a result of one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, all campuses on the Treasure Coast now have armed protection.

A world-renowned health provider is poised to take over two Treasure Coast hospitals.

After Indiantown voted "yes" to become a village in 2017, Hobe Sound voted "no" -- resoundingly -- in 2018.

Three medical marijuana dispensaries are now open — two in St. Lucie County and one in Indian River County — two years after Floridians voted "yes" on Amendment 2, the Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative. Sebastian and Martin County also OK'd dispensaries in June.

Florida — and the Treasure Coast — again were at the forefront of an election recount when the races for senator, governor and commissioner of agriculture were too close to call Nov. 6.

From June to October, discharges from Lake Okeechobee resulted in another summer of toxic blue-green algae poisoning the St. Lucie River. But on Oct. 23, President Donald Trump signed the Federal Water Resources Development Act that, among other water projects, includes building a reservoir south of the lake — here's a thorough timeline of events — that will cut discharges to the St. Lucie River.

These stories, and many others, were the biggest ones of 2018 that shaped the lives of residents in Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties. Many of the stories also shaped policy and will continue to define and guide the future of those living on the Treasure Coast.

Lake O discharges & toxic algae

A sailboat travels through the algae-infested water of the C-44 Canal on Thursday in Martin County. Since June 1, about 25 billion gallons of Lake Okeechobee water has been discharged from the gates at the St. Lucie Lock and Dam into the St. Lucie River, concerning residents and damaging local businesses.

The Army Corps of Engineers began discharging water from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie River at 7 a.m. June 1, the first official day of the summer rainy season.

By the time the discharges ended Oct. 5, about 83 billion gallons of lake water flowed into the river.

Within four days of the discharge start, blue-green algae blooms began showing up in the C-44 Canal leading to the river, and soon after that in the river itself.

Some of the blooms were highly toxic, which led to algae-related diseases among people and animals. Authorities confirmed at least one dog died from contact with toxic algae.

More:Highly toxic blue-green algae at dam where Lake O waters enter St. Lucie River

Water in a dead-end canal off the South Fork of the St. Lucie River is overrun with green algae Wednesday, July 25, 2018 near the Florida Sportsman magazine office in Stuart. In some spots, the stagnant bright green water is turning brown and matted. "In our case, without a doubt, this is the worst year we've ever had," said magazine publisher Blair Wickstrom of the canal.

Scientists and health officials worried about the long-term effects of contact with toxic algae, especially after a researcher studying people who live and work around the St. Lucie River found traces of the toxin microcystin in the noses of everyone he tested.

More:Toxic blue-green algae is really cyanobacteria, plus other facts about blooms, microcystin

Meanwhile, the effort to cut future Lake O discharges continued as federal officials agreed with a state plan to build a reservoir south of the lake.

In March, the South Florida Water Management District presented its plans for the reservoir to the Army Corps of Engineers. And after the Corps gave its thumbs-up, both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate agreed to pay the federal government's half of the estimated $1.6 billion project.

President Donald Trump approved the plan by signing off on the Water Resources and Development Act in October.

In November, the South Florida Water Management District board agreed to continue leasing the land where the reservoir will be built for eight years to a subsidiary of sugar-producing giant Florida Crystals. The lease allows the state to begin taking back the land "field-by-field" after two years as it's needed for construction.

More:Expert: SFWMD didn't break sunshine law, but maybe violated lease requirement

Several environmental groups cried foul, saying the publicly owned land could be used to store excess Lake O water while the project is being built. They also claimed the district at worst broke state sunshine laws and at best was less than transparent because the lease was added to the board agenda the night before the board approved it.

U.S. Rep. Brain Mast, R-Palm City, called for board members to resign or be removed.

In an effort to show how the lease allowed for work to begin on part of the site immediately, the district began clearing a storage area for rock needed for the reservoir walls a week after the new lease was approved.

Making schools safe again

After a 19-year-old man armed with an AR-15 rifle carried out a shooting on Valentine's Day that left 17 people dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, every school on the Treasure Coast now has armed protection.

It was one of the deadliest to happen on a school campus in U.S. history.

Nearly a hundred people attend a candlelight vigil at Memorial Park in downtown Stuart on Monday, Feb. 19, 2018, to honor the victims of last week's mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. The vigil, which was organized by Florida PTA, was one of several held simultaneously across the state.

More: New video released in Parkland mass shooting

Gov. Rick Scott on March 9 signed into law SB 7026, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, which approves a three-day waiting period for the purchase of all firearms and raising the age to buy a gun from 18 to 21.

The bill also created the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission within the Department of Law Enforcement. Commissioners aim to strengthen policies to ensure high schools and middle schools are protected by at least one sworn officer.

Currently, all campuses must have at least one armed guard. 

The Martin County School Board voted to pay for 13 more armed guards — sheriff's deputies — to comply with new laws passed since the Parkland shooting. The additional deputies are expected to cost about $2.4 million more than Martin County paid last year for security, according to Martin County Sheriff William Snyder.

More:  Paying for Parkland: Treasure Coast governments point fingers over who pays for extra school guards

More: State money will put more social workers, mental-health programming into Treasure Coast schools

Brightline (aka Virgin Trains USA) begins service

Brightline finally began passenger service from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale on Jan. 13.

But the milestone was marred by safety issues, with fatalities along the corridor and calls by elected officials for additional safety precautions. Congressman Brian Mast called for a shutdown of the railroad until safety concerns were addressed.

Confetti showers Brightline executives, elected officials and members of the media Jan. 12, 2018, after short speeches were given at the Brightline Fort Lauderdale station. Brightline is selling tickets and passes online and on its mobile app and will begin service for the general public beginning Jan. 13.

Two peopleone on a bicycle — were killed by Brightline trains in less than one week. One of those fatal incidents — 32-year-old Melissa Lavell — occurred on the eve of Brightline launching service between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale. As of Dec. 19, 11 people have been hit and killed by a Brightline train since it began test runs in July 2017 and several others have been seriously injured.

Congressman Brian Mast called for a shutdown of the railroad until safety concerns were addressed.

More: Brightline video reveals details about accident that killed 51-year-old bicyclist

More: Number of Brightline rail fatalities slowly rising | Thumb down

Service to Miami began in May, and just a few weeks later, Brightline announced it would seek approval to lease state land in order to expand its route to Tampa. Three months later, it announced plans to buy the rights to build a high-speed railroad between Southern California and Las Vegas.

Trains would not travel through the Treasure and Space coasts, however, until 2021.

In November, Brightline announced a partnership with Richard Branson’s Virgin Group. The railroad is rebranded Virgin Trains USA, and the next day files a prospectus in anticipation of an initial public offering.

More: Treasure Coast deserves a Brightline train stop (or two) | Our view

More: Time to discuss possibility of Brightline station on Treasure Coast | Our view

Meanwhile, on the Treasure Coast, attitudes toward Virgin Trains USA shifted after the railroad said it would consider a Treasure Coast station. The allure of a station — as well as safety and financial considerations — led Martin County in November to settle its long-running federal lawsuit. Indian River, however, remains steadfastly opposed.

More:  Martin's move to settle Virgin Trains lawsuit was a terrible decision — and the right one

Hobe Sound votes 'no' to incorporate

A sign in front of a home in the 8300 block of Pettway Street in Hobe Sound encourages others to vote no on incorporation.

It was a resounding "no."

On Aug. 28, Martin County voters defeated a ballot measure, under consideration for the last decade, which would have made 9.5 square miles in south Martin County into an incorporated town.

It's the second time in less than one year the question of incorporation has been put to a Martin County community; Indiantown voters in November approved incorporation and a five-person village council took office in March.

Voters’ rejection of incorporation is more than a temporary setback; they would have to wait at least five years before again bringing the issue to the state Legislature.

More:Hobe Sound, Florida: 10 interesting things you might not know

More:Hobe Sound would adopt 'innovative, lean and progressive' governing strategy, expert says

Missing fisherman on Lake O

Nik Kayler, left, hooked up to a bass during an FLW fishing tournament in 2017, has been missing on Lake Okeechobee since Thursday.

Nik Kayler and William (Bill) Kisiah were competing in a three-day fishing tournament in Lake Okeechobee when they were reported missing Jan. 4. Kisiah was found alive.

More:Fishing tournament angler still missing on Lake Okeechobee

A boat carrying the pair did not meet the pack of competitors at a weigh-in station at C. Scott Driver Park in Okeechobee after the first day of the tournament, according to Fishing League Worldwide, the organization hosting the Costa FLW Series event.

The organization canceled the remainder of the three-day tournament out of "respect for the families" involved in the boating accident. 

For several days, authorities, fellow anglers and volunteers searched for Kayler in the hopes of finding him alive on one of the lake's islands. Sadly, his body was later spotted by a commercial fisherman near the Clewiston water tower.

Earlier in June, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission released a report on the accident.

Other big stories from 2018

Indiantown holds first Village Council meeting: Celebratory speeches kicked off the Village Council's historic first meeting March 21. Then the five-member board elected a mayor, Susan Gibbs Thomas, a vice mayor, Guyton "Ricky" Stone, and appointed top officials. It became Florida's 413th municipality, and fifth in Martin County. The village, Dec. 31, 2020, must prepare and adopt a comprehensive plan to help guide the economic, social and physical development of the village.

More:Indiantown incorporation: Village voices on poverty, injustice and a brighter future

Cleveland Clinic to take over Martin Health System: In January, Martin Health System announced a limited partnership with Cleveland Clinic to provide heart and vascular services, and in March it announced it wanted to become a full member of Cleveland Clinic. Then, both hospital systems announced in October that Cleveland Clinic would take over and invest $500 million in Martin Health, which includes three hospitals in Martin and St. Lucie counties with 521 beds.

Maggy Hurchalla found liable: On Feb. 14, Maggy Hurchalla was found liable of interfering in government contracts and ordered her to pay nearly $4.4 million in damages to the owners of Lake Point, a mining and water treatment project near Lake Okeechobee. In 2013, Lake Point filed suit against Hurchalla, alleging that her influence caused Martin County and the South Florida Water Management District to breach contracts with Lake Point. The company has since entered into settlement agreements with the county and the district valued at $18 million. Hurchalla has appealed parts of the decision.

Environmental reporter Tyler Treadway, growth and development editor Arnie Rosenberg and growth and development reporter Lisa Broadt contributed to this report.

Maureen Kenyon is TCPalm's trends reporter, keeping Treasure Coast residents updated on hot topics and happenings. Do you have a story to tell? Want to start a conversation? Send an email to maureen.kenyon@tcpalm.com, call 772-221-4249 or follow her on Twitter @_MaureenKenyon_.

About this project

TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers compiled a list of stories from 2018 that had the biggest impact on the Treasure Coast as well significant meaning to the residents of Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties.

Several other factors were considered when choosing the stories, including page views on TCPalm and reaction on social media.