Three county meetings land inside three days
Three county meetings hit inside three days, plus a new nature center director and a shelter asking for help.
Martin County's Board of County Commissioners meets Tuesday, August 11 at 9 a.m. The Affordable Housing Advisory Committee follows Wednesday, August 12 at 3:30 p.m. The Port Salerno Neighborhood Advisory Committee meets Thursday, August 13 at 6 p.m. Three county bodies meeting on three consecutive days gives residents who track housing policy or Port Salerno issues back-to-back chances to show up in person. The three start times also span the workday, from the 9 a.m. commission session to the 6 p.m. neighborhood meeting, so the schedule is not built around any one kind of availability. Each meeting carries its own agenda tied to its date. Contact the county for agendas and meeting locations. (Martin County calendar)
Neighborhood and redevelopment meetings set for August
The Golden Gate Neighborhood Advisory Committee meets Monday, August 3 at 6 p.m. at the Cassidy Community Center, 2895 SE Fairmont Street in Stuart. The Port Salerno Neighborhood Advisory Committee follows Thursday, August 13 at 6 p.m. at the Port Salerno Civic Center, 4950 Anchor Avenue in Port Salerno. Later in the month, the Community Redevelopment Agency meets Monday, August 24 at 3 p.m. in the BOCC Commission Chambers, 2401 SE Monterey Road in Stuart. Two of the three sit in neighborhood buildings rather than at county headquarters, and all three are open to residents. (Martin County CRA schedule)
Big Taste of Martin County returns October 6
Big Taste of Martin County returns October 6 at Atlantic Aviation in Stuart, bringing together local restaurants, chefs and community partners to fund one-on-one mentoring through Big Brothers Big Sisters in Palm Beach and Martin counties. Guests sample food, wine and beer while participating restaurants compete for awards. Spritz Stuart is planning a Tuscan salmon dish, a smash burger and a Fig & Flame cocktail for the event. Buying a ticket is one way in; community members can also volunteer as mentors, which is the program the proceeds pay for. (WPTV)
Hobe Sound Nature Center names a new executive director
Hada M. Herring is the new executive director of the Hobe Sound Nature Center. Herring is a marine scientist, educator and conservation leader, and she brings that combination of field science, teaching and conservation work to the center's leadership. The executive director's job covers the organization as a whole rather than any single program. For residents who use the nature center, the change is at the top, and the expertise Herring carries into it sits on the marine science side. (Stuart Magazine)
Humane Society asks for adopters and foster homes
The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast is asking the community to adopt or foster animals to help ease pressure on its shelter. The appeal covers both permanent adoptions and temporary foster placements, either of which frees up room in the building. Adopting moves an animal out for good; fostering opens the same space for a stretch of time without a permanent commitment. Residents across the Treasure Coast, Stuart included, are among those being asked to take an animal home this summer. (Stuart Magazine)
Library programs run through mid-August
Martin County public library programming continues through the middle of August. Youth Chess Free Play is set for Sunday, August 9 at 2 p.m., followed by Internet Safety and Cybersecurity on Monday, August 10 at 11:15 a.m. A virtual Water Ambassador session titled My Plastic Diet runs Tuesday, August 11 at noon, and the Stuart Book Club meets Thursday, August 13 at 2 p.m. Teen Take-and-Make Crafts closes the stretch on Saturday, August 15 at 10 a.m. The Water Ambassador session is the only one of the five held online. (Martin County calendar)
Coastal cleanup volunteers wanted for September 19
Keep Martin Beautiful is calling for volunteers for the 2026 International Coastal Cleanup on Saturday, September 19. The organization will welcome the community for the cleanup, which is Martin County's part of the annual international effort. Volunteering is open to residents who want to take part, and the September 19 date is already set. Anyone interested can connect with Keep Martin Beautiful ahead of the September 19 cleanup to be counted in. (Stuart Magazine)
National Ice Cream Sandwich Day is August 2
National Ice Cream Sandwich Day falls on Sunday, August 2, and area shops and kitchens turn out their own versions of the frozen staple. The construction stays the same wherever it is made, ice cream pressed between cookies or wafers, with the variation coming in what goes on either side. The occasion runs one day only, arriving in the hottest stretch of the Florida summer, and it costs little and takes no advance planning. Contact individual shops for hours and availability. (Stuart Magazine)