Read more about the article Downtown on the rebound
Downtown Fort Pierce began a decline in the 1970s as suburban malls and strip malls drew away customers. One unsuccessful response was the closing of Second Street between Avenue A and Orange Avenue and the construction of planters and pavilions in the 1980s, creating an outdoor mall that eliminated valuable parking spaces. Downtown is now enjoying a renaissance. FLORIDA MEMORY PROJECT

Downtown on the rebound

When I was a child growing up in Fort Pierce, I lived just a few blocks from downtown, and it became a sort of secondary playground when things got dull in the neighborhood. Mostly, I liked to ride my three-speed Schwinn Sting-Ray bicycle to the Fort Pierce newsstand in the old Fort Pierce Hotel building, which had a wide selection of comic books and candy.

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Read more about the article A Future of Possibilities
“Driving Force: Alfred Hair and the Florida Highwaymen” will run at the Backus Museum Jan. 8 to Feb. 16. ROGER LIGHTLE COLLECTION

A Future of Possibilities

“Ambition — Artist.” That’s what the late Alfred Hair’s yearbook photo says, right above a portrait of a captivating young man gazing into the distance, as if he’s imagining that future and exactly how he’s going to get there.

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Read more about the article Hello, Season
Spectacular scenes handcrafted by volunteers all year long come to life in Heathcote Botanical Gardens’ Garden of Lights.

Hello, Season

What does the word “season” mean to you? Does it call to mind that time of the year on the Treasure Coast when the weather gets a little cooler, the roads get a little busier and the calendar gets a lot fuller? Us, too. Or does it make you think of turkey stuffing, strands of lights and “Auld Lang Syne?” We’re right with you. In this issue, we celebrate it all.

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Read more about the article Of ships, yachts and boats
Yachts are among the many vessels gracing our waterways, but there’s also enough room for all boaters to enjoy. CHRISTINA TASCON

Of ships, yachts and boats

Boating, fishing and other water-related activities are among the enjoyable pursuits that attract residents and visitors to the area. In this annual boating issue, readers will discover just how important this specialty has been for our shores in the past and the present.

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