MARTIN AND ST. LUCIE COUNTIES \u2013 All over the world, people of every nation and culture mark the passing of one year to the next in hopes of having a better new year ahead than the one now in the rearview mirror.<\/p>\n
Those celebrations are frequently accompanied by a desire to discard negative or unhealthy habits and develop new, healthier ones for the next 12 months.<\/p>\n
Now commonly referred to as New Year\u2019s resolutions, such end-of-the-year commitments have been around for centuries in both the Old and the New worlds, with some of the earliest references to them dating back to Scotland and Ireland.<\/p>\n
In homage to that historic tradition, the Hometown News asked the elected officials and public servants in both Martin and St. Lucie counties to share any personal New Year\u2019s traditions, personal and\/or professional resolutions and their heartfelt desires for 2026.<\/p>\n
St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce President Terissa Aronson<\/p>\n
To say my family is a melting pot would be a bit of an understatement.\u00a0I identify as Asian. however, just my father brings the Orient to the party.\u00a0My mom brings Ireland and Germany to the mix.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s funny is, at their age and after 57 years of marriage, I am not sure if they remember who brought which traditions in from where.\u00a0All we know is that some carry on, and I love it!<\/p>\n
I think there is great comfort in family traditions. It\u2019s a connection to the past and helps keep memories alive.\u00a0Sometimes we can\u2019t even remember how they started.<\/p>\n
One of my favorites is the eating of pork and sauerkraut on New Year\u2019s Day. The pork symbolizes moving forward or progress, and the sauerkraut represents financial prosperity and a long life.\u00a0It is of German origin but practiced heavily by Pennsylvania Dutch. Although my mom\u2019s the German one, my paternal grandfather grew up in a primarily Dutch household in South Central Pennsylvania. So, it is important to both of my parents.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now, my husband grew up in a very Southern household and didn\u2019t even have experience with cured meat.\u00a0The closest he ever came to sauerkraut was on a Reuben sandwich he saw his dad eat once.\u00a0So, when I tried to introduce this family tradition into ours, I lost that battle.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s okay because every year like clockwork, my parents drop off a container of pork, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes for me.\u00a0Now it\u2019s not just the tradition that ensures my eating of it every year.\u00a0I happen to be a big fan of pork and sauerkraut, and this is the only time I get it.<\/p>\n
Frankly, I feel pretty lucky in life, so it must be working.<\/p>\n
So, my New Year\u2019s Resolution each year is often to keep eating it (that\u2019s an easy one), and to keep trying to get my husband to like it.<\/p>\n
Happy Holidays everyone and wish me luck!<\/p>\n
Stuart\/Martin County Chamber of Commerce President Joe Catrambone<\/p>\n
Coming from a large family, my father had\u00a0five sisters and two brothers, and my mother had five brothers and there were\u00a020-plus cousins.<\/p>\n
We had the largest house, so everyone would convene at our home to celebrate New Year\u2019s.<\/p>\n
Obviously, the entire clan didn\u2019t show up, but there were never less than 30.<\/p>\n
My father would roast a pig, and of course, there was always mom\u2019s fabulous ravioli. One uncle played a guitar or mandolin, and another, an accordion.<\/p>\n
Needless to say, the neighborhood knew the crazy Catrambones were having a loud celebration.<\/p>\n
Probably to soften the blow of the raucous party, all the neighbors were invited. Some stopped in for a drink or just to\u00a0say Happy New Year. I wouldn\u2019t trade those days for anything!<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not one to make resolutions, but this year I will. I haven\u2019t played golf in nearly three years and resolve to play it again in 2026!<\/p>\n
I wish this wonderful community a prosperous 2026,\u00a0an end to the recession and a happy and healthy New Year!<\/p>\n
Fort Pierce Mayor Linda Hudson<\/p>\n
Looking forward to 2026, I plan to celebrate the 125th birthday of Fort Pierce and the 250th birthday of the United States of America.<\/p>\n
On Feb. 1, 1901, 56 voters met to incorporate, set boundaries and name the growing town after the 1838 Second Seminole War military Fort Pierce, now Old Fort Park on South Indian River Drive.<\/p>\n
It is a privilege to be the first female mayor of my hometown. On Jan. 13, 2026, we will elect our fifth commissioner in a special election.<\/p>\n
With this full complement of elected leaders, it is my hope that we continue to move Fort Pierce forward, with an eye toward keeping our small-town charm, while growing responsibly.<\/p>\n
I pledge to continue serving Fort Pierce with professionalism, diligence, transparency and civility.<\/p>\n
Port St. Lucie City Manager Jesus Merejo<\/p>\n
One of the best things about the New Year is that it gives us all a fresh start, a chance to set new goals and work toward achieving them.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also an opportunity to take the time to reflect on the past year, to recognize the successes, learn from things that may not have gone as planned and use those lessons as we plan for the future.<\/p>\n
My resolution for 2026 is to continue collaborating closely with our residents, listening to their ideas and insights and finding innovative ways to provide the best possible quality of life in Port St. Lucie.<\/p>\n
For our community, my hope is that we keep building on the progress we\u2019ve made together in creating a city that is safe, vibrant and full of opportunity for everyone.<\/p>\n
PSL Police Chief Leo Niemczyk<\/p>\n
As we look ahead to 2026, I am genuinely excited about the future of the Port St. Lucie Police Department and the City of Port St. Lucie.<\/p>\n
The coming year represents continued opportunity to strengthen the trust we share with our residents, advance innovative public-safety strategies and support the dedicated men and women who serve our community every day.<\/p>\n
I am proud to lead a highly professional, community-oriented agency that values collaboration, accountability and service. Together with our city partners and residents, I look forward to continuing to move Port St. Lucie forward with courage, knowledge and integrity, while maintaining the high standards of excellence and professionalism our community expects and deserves.<\/p>\n
In the coming year, my personal goal and New Year\u2019s Resolution is to continue leading with gratitude and never losing sight of the responsibility and privilege it is to serve this city.<\/p>\n
I am committed to being a servant leader who genuinely cares for and values those within our organization as well as the community we serve, while also making time to appreciate the people, moments and relationships that truly matter<\/p>\n
In 2026, my professional commitment and Resolution is to further strengthen the PSLPD by advancing professionalism, building and developing our staff and investing in our people and capabilities to meet the evolving needs of the public. I will ensure our department remains prepared, responsive and firmly connected to the community we serve.<\/p>\n
St. Lucie Schools Superintendent Jon Prince<\/p>\n
When we first moved to Port St Lucie in 2015, we moved into a townhouse rental. It was me, my wife, Heather and two of our four children, Maverick and Meredith. Our two oldest children were off to college at the University of Central Florida and Florida State University, respectively.<\/p>\n
However, it was 2016 that brought very special memories to the Prince household because we purchased a home that December, and we moved into it close to Christmastime.<\/p>\n
The children were 12 and 6, respectively, and during our house search, Maverick and Meredith were instrumental in selecting the place we would call home.<\/p>\n
Their criteria was simple: They wanted a pool and a Jacuzzi. Only one home we visited fit that bill, so we bought it and moved in two days before Christmas.<\/p>\n
A frenzied week of moving in and celebrating Christmas ensued, culminating in New Year\u2019s Eve.<\/p>\n
We spent that evening in the hot tub on the back patio, watching bottle rockets flare and hearing the sounds of celebrating.<\/p>\n
The kids thought they were so cool as the clock struck midnight and the fireworks went off in Tradition.<\/p>\n
For the first time since we moved from Orlando in 2015, did I get a sense that they, my family, finally felt like this was home.<\/p>\n
The next day, their sisters AshLee and Zoe came over, and we grilled outside on a beautiful day while watching New Year\u2019s Day football games. All the siblings were together in our new home, celebrating the new year. We had sparkling cider and toasted that 2017 would be our best year ever, and in many ways it was.<\/p>\n
Eight years later, we still gather in our home on New Year\u2019s Day to ring in the new year.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s to your family and may 2026 bring you and yours many blessings.<\/p>\n
Martin County School Board Member Amy Pritchett<\/p>\n
As we welcome 2026, I am happy to share a favorite New Year\u2019s Day pastime, and my hopes for both personal growth and our community\u2019s well-being.<\/p>\n
For many years, my most cherished New Year\u2019s Day memory has been gathering with my entire family for a Chinese smorgasbord at my parent\u2019s home.<\/p>\n
The tradition began in 1979, and each year the crowd grew larger as our families expanded.<\/p>\n
We continued this joyful celebration until my father\u2019s passing in 2005, and the warmth of those reunions remains close to my heart.<\/p>\n
One year in particular, my dad was late in calling in the order, and the restaurant, China Bull and Bear, called us! The owner was worried that we were not continuing the tradition. We still laugh about that today.<\/p>\n
On New Year\u2019s Day, I enjoy spending time with loved ones, sharing and eating homemade recipes and reflecting on the past year.<\/p>\n
It is an occasion that brings laughter, meaningful conversations and a renewed sense of connection.<\/p>\n
My favorite regular pastime during the holiday season is taking a long brisk walk outdoors to appreciate the quiet beauty of Florida weather and plan for the year ahead.<\/p>\n
For 2026, my personal resolution is to be thankful for what I have and to let my faith guide me.<\/p>\n
As a public servant representing the School District, I will continue to make decisions that benefit our students. We are fortunate to have school leaders who share the goal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"MARTIN AND ST. LUCIE COUNTIES \u2013 All over the world, people of every nation and culture mark the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":102306,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[326,171,173,172,563],"class_list":{"0":"post-102305","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-port-st-lucie","8":"tag-martin","9":"tag-port-st-lucie","10":"tag-port-st-lucie-headlines","11":"tag-port-st-lucie-news","12":"tag-st_lucie"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102305","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102305"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102305\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/102306"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}