The Dish April 25 by Thesweetiesdish

Mayor Hudson Reflects on Fort Pierce: A Legacy of Orange Barrels, Grand Plans, and Endless Delays

Ah, Fort Pierce—home of sun, sand, and... stalled projects. Mayor Linda Hudson recently gave what can only be described as a victory lap interview in which she reflected on the “transformation” of Fort Pierce. Transformation? More like a slow-motion time-lapse where the only thing moving is the deadline and our tax payer dollars.

After twelve years as mayor (and nearly as long waiting on her pet projects to be completed), we are hopeful Mayor Hudson is planning her retirement. But don’t worry—her legacy of orange construction barrels and “coming soon” signs will live on.

Take Kings Landing, for instance. Announced back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth (okay, maybe just before COVID), it was supposed to be the crown jewel of downtown: luxury homes, fancy retail, glitzy hotels. Flash forward to today and what do we have? A few dirt piles, some fencing, and a lot of people scratching their heads wondering when this fantasy land is actually going to materialize.

And let’s not forget the Fisherman’s Wharf project. Hudson calls it a “linchpin” to downtown redevelopment. Others call it “that project we’ve heard about since forever that still looks exactly the same.” The area is apparently undergoing a “visioning” process— which is code for we’re still figuring out what the heck to do with it. Since the City of Fort Pierce doesn’t have clear title to the property.

But wait—there’s more! Moore’s Creek revitalization was supposed to be a highlight of Hudson’s administration. It’s been “in progress” longer than most Netflix series last, with enough delays to make Amtrak jealous. The only thing consistent has been the occasional ribbon-cutting ceremony for things that aren’t actually finished yet, including Brightline, the train that never came.

Hudson also had to hire a criminal defense attorney because it is alleged that she committed perjury in the former City Manager Nick Mimms criminal big rigging case. How many mayors do you know need a criminal defense attorney?

Now, to be fair, Linda Hudson has always spoken passionately about Fort Pierce. Unfortunately, passion doesn’t pour concrete or install windows. For every plan, there’s a revised plan, then a study, followed by a subcommittee, and finally, a groundbreaking ceremony that somehow never breaks any actual ground.

So, as we all sit here praying Hudson takes retirement soon, the people of Fort Pierce are left to wonder: will any of these dreams become reality, or will the city’s future continue to be paved with good intentions—and detour signs?

Either way, we hope Mayor Hudson is out of office soon and that will finally give her time to finish something.

A mound of unfinished projects.

Fort Pierce Cop Crashes Into Girlfriend’s

Car—Claims Physics, Not Rage, to Blame

Ah, Fort Pierce—where the weather is warm, the beaches are beautiful, and apparently, domestic violence is just another Tuesday if you're wearing a badge.

Meet Nicholas Nothof, a Fort Pierce Police Officer who’s now facing a felony charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. His weapon of choice? A truck. His target? His girlfriend. According to authorities in Indian River County—because, thankfully, it didn’t happen in Fort Pierce, or else it probably would’ve been brushed under the rug— Officer Nothof intentionally rammed his truck into her car after a dispute. That’s right, in the middle of what should have been a breakup text and some passiveaggressive Instagram unfollows, Officer Nothof allegedly decided to go full demolition derby on a public road.

At first, he denied it. Because obviously, nothing says “I’ve got nothing to hide” like pretending a crash never happened. But unfortunately for him— and fortunately for justice—home surveillance footage begged to differ. Turns out, technology doesn’t care if you’re a cop.

Once the footage surfaced, the Indian River County Sheriff's Office charged him, and Nothof pled not guilty, claiming she slowed down and he “just so happened” to ram her. Because that’s what people do when they’re tailgating their significant others in a 4,000-pound vehicle after a fight—they just

accidentally smash into them at high speed. Totally innocent. Just ask the laws of momentum.

Here’s where it gets extra spicy: Nothof was released on a $3,500 bond. That’s less than the price of a mid-tier MacBook. So, the question now circulating around Fort Pierce cocktail parties and comment sections alike is—would he even have been arrested if this had happened in Fort Pierce? Or would it have been chalked up to "relationship troubles" and quietly brushed under the rug between patrol shifts?

And then there's the other question: Why is a violent domestic incident involving a deadly weapon getting the same bond as shoplifting a PlayStation? Is this the thin blue line in action—or just another example of our community’s baffling apathy toward domestic violence?

This isn’t a case of “he said, she said.” This is a case of “he denied, camera said otherwise.” And still, the system’s response was: “That’ll be $3,500, sir, please enjoy your freedom.”

It’s time Fort Pierce—and the wider system— takes a long, hard look at how seriously we’re treating domestic violence. Because if the only difference between a felony and a slap on the wrist is whether or not the accused wears a uniform, then we’ve got bigger problems than one rogue officer with road rage.

Fort Pierce: A Troubling Pattern of Hiring

Controversial Employees

It’s starting to look like the City of Fort Pierce has a serious blind spot—or perhaps willful ignorance— when it comes to hiring public officials with questionable pasts. Month after month, we’ve documented the troubling tenure of former City Manager Nick Mimms and the ethically-challenged Vennis Gilmore. Yet somehow, the city keeps finding new ways to lower the bar.

Let’s rewind to May 2024, when we broke the story about newly hired HR Director Jared Sorenson. Yes, the Human Resources Director—a role supposedly tasked with protecting employees and maintaining a safe work environment—was hired despite a conviction for domestic violence against his wife. You’d think that alone would spark some soul-searching within city leadership. Spoiler alert: It didn’t. Now, Fort Pierce has outdone itself yet again by hiring Jason Atkinson as the new Director of Public Works. Atkinson comes with a trail of disciplinary actions and serious allegations that make one question whether background checks are even a thing anymore in City Hall.

While working for the City of Avon Park, Atkinson was disciplined for a blatant misuse of city resources. Records show he instructed city workers— five times—to clean grease from plumbing at a privatelyowned business that just so happened to be connected to a personal acquaintance. These weren’t just “oops” moments. This was a repeated, willful violation of city policy. He was suspended without pay for a week on November 8, 2024, and placed on a six-month probationary period.

Guess what? He didn’t even finish that probation before Fort Pierce swooped in to offer him a new job. But that’s not all.

Prior to his stint in Avon Park, Atkinson served in Miami Beach, where

his reputation took another hit. Longtime Parks and Recreation employee Perman Terry accused Atkinson of using racial slurs, including the N-word, and calling him “stupid.” Terry, who had over two decades of experience, was reassigned after filing the complaint. He then filed a lawsuit. While Atkinson denied the accusations, the City of Miami Beach ultimately settled with Terry—a move that speaks volumes.

So here we are. Another day, another hire in Fort Pierce with a track record that should have raised red flags, alarms, and maybe even a few air horns. Instead, Atkinson was welcomed into a leadership role, trusted with taxpayer dollars and public employees. The question now is not whether Fort Pierce has a problem with hiring practices. That much is clear. The real question is: why?

Why is this city repeatedly placing individuals with disciplinary histories, legal entanglements, and ethical violations in high-ranking positions? Are these backgrounds being ignored? Overlooked? Or worse— looked at as an opportunity for a new puppet?

Fort Pierce residents deserve better. They deserve leadership that is honest, ethical, and above all, accountable. Until that happens, we’ll keep shining a light on the backroom decisions and shady appointments that keep dragging this city down.

Because someone has to.

Another day, another “bad apple” getting a little too ripe.

A Fort Pierce police officer has officially left the building—by choice, not force—after deciding it was a great idea to punch a handcuffed suspect in the face. Because nothing says “serve and protect” like a post-arrest beatdown.

It all went down in the early hours of March 26, around 2 a.m., when officers responded to a disturbance on Avenue L. What should’ve been a standard arrest for “obstruction” (aka a catch-all charge when someone annoys an officer) took a bloody turn.

The suspect identified as Steven Harrington, was involved in a fight with another man, which led to 911 being called.

While being escorted to the squad car in cuffs, the suspect reportedly headbutted Officer Jean Valbrun, leaving him with a split lip. Ouch, yes. Professional response? Well…

Rather than let the system handle it, Valbrun allegedly removed his body cam—because who needs evidence, right?—and punched the guy in the back of the patrol car, leaving him with a facial injury. Truly the picture of composure.

In what might be the fastest act of accountability this decade, other officers stepped in, and Valbrun was immediately relieved of duty. The department handed the incident off to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for a criminal probe and opened its own internal affairs investigation.

Before either investigation could wrap up, Valbrun peaced out and handed in his resignation. Nothing screams “innocent” like quitting midinvestigation.

In a statement, Police Chief Diane HobleyBurney assured the public that this was totally not business as usual. Rest assured, the investigations are “active,” which is bureaucratic for “we’ll get back to you eventually.”

Adopt, Don’t Shop

Welcome Home Ginger!

Meet Nori!

Breed-

Hound / Terrier, Pit Bull

Sex- Male

Weight- 39 lbs

Age- 5 years

Meet our sweet boy Nori! He’s good with other dogs and loves to please his people.

Ginger is a 5-year-old Pit Bull Terrier/Hound mix who was recently highlighted and found her forever home on March 27th! She is now living her best life with her new best friend.

Sweetie’s Diner has decided to use our ad on the front page of Hometown News to showcase animals up for adoption at the Fort Pierce Animal Adoption Center. After our first ad, we received this message about Ginger. We are so glad Ginger has found her forever home.

“I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your incredible contribution to the Fort Pierce Animal Adoption Center. Because of your efforts, Ginger has found her forever home! It’s heartwarming to see the difference you make in the lives of these animals, and we’re so grateful to have been a part of your mission to help our furry friends.” -Sheryl